Complications

Kukai woke up with a throbbing headache. His head pounded when he propped himself up on one elbow and looked over his surroundings.

First of all, he was on a bed he'd never seen before in his life, in some fancy hotel room. There was a TV in an entertainment center on the wall in front of him, a clean white door next to it, probably leading into a living room-type area. When he sat up further he saw a mini-fridge on the wall next to him, by a bedside table that held a golden-stemmed lamp that gave light to the room and the tan-beige walls. Kukai swung his legs over the maroon and gold-decorated sheets (sending a fresh wave of pain through his body) and found the floor was covered with a soft carpet. He rubbed his head and began to wonder how the hell he got there when a he heard a voice behind him.

"Finally up?"

Kukai whipped around to see the cause of his pain sitting in a chair in the corner of the room. She lounged with her legs crossed on a comfortable-looking cushy chair decorated with the same fabric as the sheets. She had changed since the last time he had seen her, now wearing a long-sleeved, form-fitting black shirt with a green vine winding its way up the side, blooming into a blood-red rose in the middle of her chest. On her bottom half, she wore faded blue jeans, torn up and white at the knees, probably the style of the brand.

The disoriented teenage boy flipped when he saw her, flailing his arms and falling from the bed. A shockwave of pain erupted from his backside when he landed on the seemingly-soft carpet. Not a moment later, Utau was above him, attempting to hide a smile with her left hand while she offered the right to Kukai. "You seem to like falling," the blonde noted as she pulled him up.

Kukai rubbed his head and his back as he looked at the singer. "What happened," he asked stupidly.

Utau turned on her bare heel and walked to the edge of the bed, where she sat. "I knocked you out. Sorry."

As if to clarify, Il popped up, saying, "Since Utau doesn't use our Chara Change to collect heart's eggs when she sings anymore, she becomes a little more aggressive!" She snickered.

"And Utau-chan uses my Chara Change to become the sweet, kind girl she really is deep do-!" El began to say.

"El!" Utau exclaimed, fuming.

With that, the devil and angel Charas popped into their eggs and disappeared.

Kukai gave the blonde a funny look and sat down next to her. "What time is it anyway?" he asked, filing Utau's outburst at the mention of her and El's Chara Change away for later.

Utau glanced at the clock on the wall. "Almost six."

Kukai nodded. "Alright so I-" He stopped suddenly and turned slowly toward the twenty-year-old.

Utau looked back at him. "What?" she asked.

"You knocked me out for almost FIVE HOURS?" he burst out, hopping to his feet. "My parents are going to kill me for being out this late!"

Utau's blonde eyebrows shot up in surprise of his outburst. "Don't worry about it," she said calmly, whipping a phone from her back pocket. She started dialing a number. "I'll have my driver take you home."

That didn't calm Kukai down much. "I still have to figure out what to tell them," he said, sitting back down on the bed.

Utau shrugged. "Not my problem."

Kukai smirked and gave the blonde a shove. Surprised a bit by this, she punched him in the arm. "Ow!" he exclaimed, laughing.

Despite herself, Utau giggled a bit as well.

Being over Kukai didn't help Amu's love life as much as she hoped it would.

Kairi.

Ikuto.

Now, they were both back in her life, and the seventeen-year-old couldn't be more confused.

Tadase was cute and princely and so sweet, but…

Amu's mind couldn't help but wander to Kairi. Kind, responsible, the first to confess his love for her. And, he had grown so handsome since the last time they'd met! Amu groaned and flopped back on her bed.

And then there was…Ikuto. A troublemaker and a pain in the neck, but…he had always been there when Amu really needed him. He just showed up and saved her from all sorts of things. He played the violin so well…so beautifully, and never gave up on his father. He was loyal, sweet, and playful. He was…everything.

"No!" Amu exclaimed. I can't be thinking of them like this! she thought. I love Tadase, not Kairi, not Kukai, not Ikuto!

As angry tears began to swell in her eyes, there was a knock on her door.

"How did this happen?" Rima's mother screamed.

Rima cringed into Nagihiko, who wrapped his arms around her. "M-Mama…" she whispered, barely audible.

Fire burned within the woman's dark eyes, flicking in detest toward the cause of her problems– the purple-haired teenage boy beside her daughter. "I hope you intend to take responsibility for this, young man," she warned.

Nagi swallowed hard, feeling the weight of his actions hit him finally. "Yes, ma'am," he said quietly. "We never meant... we didn't think..."

"That's right, you didn't think. That's how these things happen."

Ashamed, Nagi looked down at Rima's blonde head. He really hadn't thought what the consequences of their night together... but, now he had to. He knew the road ahead would be difficult, especially for Rima and the baby. She probably wouldn't be able to finish school. The child would be shunned by her family and, most likely, everyone they knew. It was a miracle that Nagi's traditional mother had been supportive enough to offer Rima a place to stay in their home…

Reminded of this, Nagi looked up at his girlfriend's mother once again. "I take full responsibility for this, Mashiro-sama," he said with a slight bow to the older woman. "I apologize for inconveniencing you and your family. My family has offered to take Rima-chan and the child in. They will be well taken care of," he added.

Ms. Mashiro's eyes narrowed, contemplating the offer the young man had just made. He seemed responsible enough, admitting fault for his actions without hesitation… Perhaps sending her daughter to live with him was a good idea. Perhaps the situation could be… repaired. "Alright," she conceded, her voice clipped and her eyes still burning. "But on one condition."

Excited at the thought of leaving the prison she had called a home the past few years, Rima smiled and nodded, encouraging her boyfriend to accept her mother's challenge. "Anything, Mama."

"Yes, Mashiro-san, I will adhere to your requests," Nagi agreed, remaining polite and resigned.

"You two will marry before the child is born."

Not much changed in the first half, but a big difference in the second, huh? I thought the first scenario was unrealistic from the start, but I didn't have any better ideas... this is actually the second time I've rewritten this stupid chapter! Eventually, I figured just Nagi proposing was too… how should I put it… staged. A forced marriage (even if they both want it) is much more likely to happen in cases like these, I think.

Read and Review, please!