Chapter

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~~Amu's POV~~

I'd never seen Nadeshiko happier. That was, until we got the call to pack up.

She really loved Paris.

We packed our clothes and anything else that we'd brought rather quickly.

Nadeshiko was against me stealing the adorable tiny soaps, and dragged me out of the bathroom before I could get them.

I just wore a black dress today and a sweater over since I was sure we'd be going to an airport and they, and the airplanes are always cold.

Our driver seemed to be getting used to us as he greeted us by our names as we filed into the car. I still don't know why we required a limo. All it did was attract attention. And how did it end up at each place we went so quickly?

I really don't like long drives. And from the sounds of it we were gonna be in the car for a while.

Nadeshiko asked the driver where we were headed next. He handed our tickets back to us and I read over the name multiple times before it processed.

New York.

"We're going to America!?" Kukai exclaimed in unison with Nadeshiko.

Kukai then launched into a conversation about American football.

I looked over to Ikuto.

His mouth twitched when we made eye contact. I'd never asked him where he wanted to go but something in his eyes told me he was intrigued by this.

~~Ikuto's POV~~

I opened my eyes. Had I actually fallen asleep? I don't normally fall asleep in cars or in front of people.

I looked around. Kukai and Tadase were both asleep.

How long had I been out? The table was up and I detected movement.

Nadeshiko was sat up asleep, a book in hand.

Amu was laying in her lap. I realised she wasn't asleep. She had her phone in one hand, and was reaching out with the other to grab a cherry from a bowl sitting on the table.

I watched her for a moment.

Her tongue hit the cherry firstt, then she lowered it into her mouth, her lips forming around it.

Dirty thoughts burned in my brain and I felt myself grow red.

Finally I saw her stick the stem in her mouth.

I frowned. I swear to god if she does what I think she's doing.

She pulled it back out, it was in a knot.

That was it. I couldn't handle anymore. My heart was hammering. Why couldn't I have slept a bit longer and missed this. Then again another part of me is glad I saw it. I started coughing and looked out the window.

"Oh you're awake." She whispered, sitting up.

I opened my mouth and then shut it again.

Her eyes lit up. "Look what I can do!" She said excitedly, holding up the cherry stem to my eyeline.

What did I do to deserve this punishment.

"Ah- that's. Uh.." I was for one of the first times, at a loss for words.

I was trying to get thoughts out of my brain.

This was not the time.

I looked out the window again. It was about mid afternoon.

I frowned. We'd left early in the morning.

I tapped on the window to the driver and he lowered it.

"Why are we going to an airport so far away?"

"It was the only one with a direct flight."

I shut the window again and looked back at Amu.

She was looking back at her phone.

"Who are you talking to?" I asked.

She didn't take her eyes off the screen.

"I'm not. I'm playing a game."

I leaned over and tapped the sleep button on her phone.

She looked up at me. I smirked and she looked away, her face growing pink.

~~Amu's POV~~

I really hate airports. I hate checking in. I hate pushy attendants and other people. I hate security and I hate finding and sitting in your gate area.

We were put in first class again and I wondered who was paying for all of it.

The guardians helped pass the time in the airport. Especially Kukai who seemed to have built in conversation topics.

Getting on the plane, I was sat next to Ikuto again.

For some reason, I can't seem to stay awake for very long on planes.

I was trying very hard though. I was focusing in every word the movie playing was saying and I squinted at the faces.

Suddenly I felt a hand on my face and my head was on Ikuto's shoulder.

"Sleep." He whispered.

I don't how why I listenkrd to him all I pull reason was that He was warm. I couldn't resist. I fell asleep quickly and when I woke up, I was clinging to his shirt.

I burned red and removed my hand. I moved off of him. He was sleeping, his head resting on the window. He looked defenceless while he slept. I looked down and my heart began to pound.

~~Ikuto's POV~~

I looked down at Amu. She was sleeping on me again. We always seemed to end up in this position. She would shift slightly and make small noises in her sleep.

At one point she moved and her hand brushed against mine. I shivered as traces of ice swept through me.

I looked down at her face again.

It wouldn't hurt if I...

I slowly closed my fingers in hers. If felt so good

To hold her hand.

Suddenly she shifted and her other hand came up, holding onto the front of my shirt.

I knew I was blushing so I closed my eyes to calm myself.

~~Amu's POV~~

My mind had drawn a blank. I couldn't move I just looked down at our hands intertwined.

I looked around quickly. The others were either sleeping or not paying attention.

I didn't want to wake him so I began to wiggle my fingers free.

"A.. mu..." I froze. No way in hell. Ikuto was asleep but I definitely just heard him say my name.

My face was a volcano and my heart was going off like a jackhammer.

I moved again and I saw his eyes open. He rubbed them and looked at me.

I could see how tired he was and was obviously still out of it.

Suddenly he released my hand. "Amu."

I looked up at him. A sense of urgency appeared in his eyes.

His arms wrapped around me, pulling me towards him and he kissed me deeply.

My brain must've still been on strike because I began to kiss him back.

But I remembered where we were. If anyone saw us. I pulled away quickly.

"Ikuto we'll get kicked out-"

"I don't care about that."

His hand came around the back of my head and he kissed me again.

I felt his tongue run against my bottom lip and something I'd never felt before ran through me. I pulled away again, my brain was scrambled. I felt like hyperventilating. My entire body was warm and the sensation of his tongue over my lip always repeating in my mind over and over.

I locked myself in the bathroom to calm down.

~Ikuto's POV~~

Amu got up and ran to the bathroom and suddenly everything snapped into perspective.

I sat straight up. Shit. Shit shit shit.

I looked around. Nadeshiko and Tadase we'd sleeping and Kukai was focused on a movie.

I rubbed my temples. This is why I didn't want to sleep around her, I can barely control myself when I'm awake and fully functioning. And with the thoughts from earlier in my head.

Even though I was mad at myself for being reckless. My heart was pounding.

I was feeling every moment of that. It somehow felt more passionate than anything before.

She came back and sat down, arms crossed. Her outer persona was on.

It was okay. I loved that side of her too.

"You suck at kissing." She whispered.

"Oh? Your facial expressions and cooperation beg to differ."

She stuck her tongue out at me and I winked at her.

She looked back at the movie but I could see behind her expression. I didn't know what she was thinking, but I had obviously disrupted her.

"I'm sorry." I said, looking out the window.

She looked at me and then at her hand.

She shook her head and looked back up at me.

"Don't be sorry.. I don't... I'm not mad."

I was surprised but I knew the best way to go about this with her.

"Oh?" I brought myself closer.

"Then let's pick it back up."

She blushed and threatened to hit me "into next week".

I didn't know what she was thinking, then again I rarely ever did. But she was acting normal. I would have to really try to control myself from now on. I needed to wait till she accepted me. Or rather, she admitted it. See Amu was very stubborn and I knew she had feelings for me but I didn't know how to get her to tell me them.

I shook my head. She'd tell me eventually and I wasn't tired so I would continue.

I don't think I could ever get tired of her.

I looked over at her.

"Even though this is first class, the seats are kind of small aren't they?" I said.

"Oh sorry I'll make room." She took a deep breath as if to suck in her stomach.

I let a laugh escape me. "There's no need to do that. You're such an interesting person."

She hit me. "Don't make fun of me!"

I smiled. She seemed fine. She was actually handling it way better than I thought.

~~Amu's POV~~

Every move anyone made set me on edge. I was rigid in my seat. My brain was permanent replaying that kids and Ikuto was acting normally. I knew I should to and I was trying, but anytime he got close to my face; I burned red.

Remain calm. I told myself over and over.

As soon as the plane touched the ground I had my fingers on my seatbelt buckle.

I heard the ding signalling we could get up and I bolted out of my seat and to Nadeshiko.

To my luck, Kukai and Tadase unknowingly moved in the way of Ikuto.

He looked at me with an expression that just read, "really?"

I stuck my tongue out at him. How the hell was I supposed to act.

~~Ikuto's POV~~

It didn't take me long to realise my earlier ideas were false. Amu was definitely acting strange. I finally caught her alone when the others were helping Nadeshiko.

"What's wrong." I said.

As always, she was overly blunt and said "I don't know how to act around you."

I smirked at her.

"Don't act. I love you."

I spun and walked away.

A moment later I felt something hit my heels hard.

I turned to see Amu had rammed her suitcase into me.

"Oops! Sorry Ikuto, I didn't see you there!" She said, her face red; eyes unapologetic.

She stalked past me and got in the car first.

I grinned as I climbed in, making a pin T of sitting next to her.

She could say what she wanted, but she was acting more normal since I said it.

She scooted to the edge of the seat, as far away from me as possible. Which was only about four inches given that Nadeshiko's extra luggage was taking up the entire middle of the seat.

During the trip, Kukai talked to her about American football and American accents.

It wasn't a very long car trip and we arrived at about three in the morning. The moment we got out I knew I would either love it or hate it here. I'd never seen it during the day so I didn't know.

But right now the sleekness of the buildings and the simplicity of the nighttime theme around the complex we were to be staying in was aesthetically pleasing to me.

We walked through, this time we were on the first floor above the main floor.

I already liked this tremendously better than the previous living situations.

When you walked in there was a large room that held a couch, a glass coffee table, a kitchen area, a big glass table with multicoloured chairs around it, a bunch of black plastic chairs and a TV.

Off of this room to the right was a slightly smaller room with two beds, a futon, a cabinet with things like phone books and provided DVDs, a smaller TV, and a bathroom was connected to it.

Off the big room to the left, there was another room with one bed and a futon along with everything else the other room had, minus a bathroom.

The whole place was flirted with light wooden flirting and the walls were white. All the furniture was glass or metal and was mainly black or grey. I was quite happy with it.

Su did not come with us this time because we already knew English, and that is primarily what we'd be dealing with.

I sat down on the couch and tossed Amu the letter sitting on the cider table. She sat down on a black chair on the other side and began to open it. Everyone gathered around.

She read aloud.

§§ Welcome Seika High representatives to New York, New York.

Congratulations on making it to the third round of the Kuso trials. The stakes are raised this time. Instead of only 1-3 groups being eliminated, we will now be eliminating 3-5 each round.

We are approximating there will be about four more rounds in total before the finals.

During your trip here, the person who will be the leader is Ikuto Tsukyomi.

Ran, Kiseki, Daichi. §§

She looked up at me. I sighed. I knew liking this place would backfire. But I knew I could come up with something, because I knew how much she actually did want to do this.