Ooh what a funky lady
She like it, like it, like it, like that,
Ooh he was a lady
(That, that) Dude looks like a lady
(That, that) Dude looks like a lady
~Dude (Looks Like A Lady) - Aerosmith (I couldn't resist :P)
"Da dah!" Amu's father presented his handy work to the two girls putting food out on the kitchen table. They glanced up to see a yellow banner with the word party in cursive colored in red. They both sweat dropped at the thing.
"Thanks Dad." Amu offered him giving him the satisfaction of a job well done. Rima just sighed, trying her best not to voice her own opinion on the banner. "You didn't have to help us set up you know?" Amu added feeling guilty for waking him up when they were going through Amu's CD collection for music to play. Turns out her collection was limited on any dance music Rima had been looking for to lighten the atmosphere.
"It's not a problem girls," he reassured his daughter a waterfall of tears overcoming him for the hundredth time that night, "I just am going to miss my sparrow so much!" he cried to Amu pulling her into another embrace. Rima found his fatherly instincts too strong for her taste, but also felt a twinge of warmth at the same time for how much he cared for his daughter.
"It's only a weekend Dad," Amu reassured him, again, patting his back sympathetically, "I'll be fine, but....are you sure you want to take Ami with you on a business trip?" Amu asked with her own concern for her sister, who was at the moment throwing random things into her supposed suitcase, her real one already packed in the car.
"I prepared a father-daughter weekend for us," he assured his daughter with confidence in his careful planning. Amu was still uneasy about keeping her younger sister in her father's care. Sure, he was a wonderful father, just, there were times he could be...forgetful. "Plus," Tsugumu added reading his daughters expression, putting an assuring hand on her shoulder, "I want you to enjoy some time to yourself this weekend."
Amu smiled kindly to her father. She knew he always had her best interest in mind. He always felt guilty for putting so much responsibility on his daughter, a little break was what she needed. "Ah-hem." they looked over to see Rima giving them a blank look, making them both sweat drop.
"Well..," Tsugumu back tracked rubbing the back of his head with a nervous smile, "Alone for the most part." Rima nodded her mild approval before focusing on adding more snacks on the kitchen table.
"Thanks," Amu told him with a light hug, before he could get any more emotional, Ami made her way down the stairs with a small suitcase she could carry with her coat on that made her look like a pink marshmallow, "All packed Ami?" Amu asked once her sister shuffle ran to her, hugging her leg.
"Onee-chan come too!" Ami begged for the hundredth time, which she had been doing ever since she found out that Amu would be staying home for this trip. Amu wasn't any happier than Ami was about the situation. This was the first time, in a long time, Ami would be away from Amu for a night. She was still a little nervous about it, especially since this was a whole weekend.
"Don't worry Amu," her father told her, getting both his daughter's attention, "Ami and I can have a lot of fun together. Won't we Ami?" he asked Ami with a fond smile.
"No! I want Onee-chan!" Ami whined with a pouting expression, hugging onto Amu's leg tighter.
"Ami-chan!" Tsugumu screamed with a waterfall of tears, as he went running away to his private sanctuary. Amu sweat dropped with some nervous laughter when she noticed Rima staring at the display.
"You're dad's kind of sensitive, isn't he." Rima told her, amazed on how this family got through the day.
"Y-yeah," Amu admitted, thinking about all the fits her father threw. As if on cue, Amu heard a knock on the door. Amu and Rima had a short stare off neither making a move. "I'll get it." Amu gave in with a sigh. She dragged her way to the door, Ami still clinging onto her leg. Amu slung the door open once she was close enough to reach the knob. She nearly fell forward, in front of the person at the door, who at the moment was staring at her like she was insane. "Hey!" Amu greeted her with a sudden burst of enthusiasm.
"I was afraid I had the right house." Utau commented surveying the place. She was sketchy about the apartment building before she bothered heading up the stairs to the one Amu lived in. There was indeed a huge difference between where she lived and where Amu lived.
"Come on in," Amu added with a friendly tone, taking no offense to Utau's earlier comment. Utau entered and threw her backpack with her basic supplies by the door where Rima had thrown her suitcase a couple hours earlier. Utau and Rima met one another's looks. After a moment of neither of them making a move Amu went ahead with introductions, "Utau, this is my best friend Rima. Rima, this is Utau, she's Ikuto's younger sister."
"I didn't know Ikuto had a sister." Rima commented to her not really caring about the matter. Utau just nodded, equally bored with the question. She looked down, and noticed the little person hanging onto Amu's leg.
"This is my sister, Ami." Amu introduced her, noticing Utau's stare.
"Nice to meet cha'!" Ami greeted Utau excitedly, releasing her hold on Amu's leg and standing in front of Utau, waving at her. The same greeting she gave Rima not too long ago. Utau just stared down at the girl, just nodding her greeting. Amu shook her head at the two's exchange.
"Dad! Get out of the bathroom!" Amu called for her father after noticing the time.
"No!" he replied stubbornly, "Ami-chan doesn't love me anymore!" Amu could tell he was both sulking and crying.
"If you don't leave now you're going to hit heavy traffic!" Amu yelled at him, pulling on the lock door knob, in an attempt to open the door. "Open the door!"
"I don't want to go anywhere!" he complained tuning out his daughter's persistent banging on the door.
"Dad! This isn't suppose to be all fun! Did you forget the business part of the trip?" Utau and Rima both stared in disbelief at Amu, trying to get her father out of the bathroom. Both sweat dropping.
"Is this 'normal'?" Utau asked Rima, wondering what she had gotten herself into.
"I guess." Rima answered, not sure what to make of the situation herself. She wasn't sure about anything in the family, even after being here for a while.
"AHHH!" Amu's father rushed out of the bathroom in a panic, nearly plowing over his daughter. "'llseeyouonMonday!" he rushed his goodbye grabbing Ami hand the hand and running out the door.
"Bye-bye Onee-chan!" Ami managed to give out with a wave before going out the door. All three girls just stared at the door for a minute, then Rima and Utau turned their stares to Amu.
"Aheheh..." Amu laughed nervously.
"So..." Utau said changing the subject to something a little more, normal per-say, "Is this everyone?"
"No," Amu answered, grateful that nothing was asked family wise, "Two more girls are coming."
"Two?" Rima asked, suddenly freezing in place, her emotionless stare directed on Amu, "What do you mean two?" she asked, the first time ever hearing anything about this.
"Oh, did I not tell you?" Amu asked, suddenly wishing she could admit her father was slightly insane, "Uh, Nagihiko asked if his sister could come, since she's coming home this weekend and doesn't know anyone in the area." Amu explained watching Rima for her reaction.
"His sister?" RIma asked, unaware that he had any siblings
"Yeah, his twin sister." Amu confirmed with a nod, "She travels around dancing, it sounds exciting." Amu added still amazed by that. Rima stared at Amu suspiciously, something about the situation just didn't sound right to her.
"Great," Utau muttered looking around the small apartment, her gazed settling on the kitchen table, which contained piles of junk food, "That's a lot of food for five people." Utau said with a sweat drop.
"Is it?" Amu asked looking at the table, "I wasn't sure how much to get. I've never been to a sleep over before." Amu admitted with an embarrassed smile, Rima still deep in thought, was oblivious at the moment.
"Then why throw one?" Utau asked making it sound like she thought Amu was pathetic. She'd rather die than admit to her she'd never been to one herself.
Before Amu could reply with the reason, there was a knock, well... more like repeated banging on the door, "I'll get it." Amu answered, getting excited now. She swung the door open.
"Hey ya!" the cheerful girl greeted them with a perky smile and a friendly wave. Amu recognized her as the girl from the photo Kairi showed her, she was much prettier in person. "I'm Yaya! Nice to meet cha'!"
"Oh! Nice to meet you." Amu added getting nervous, she'd never met her before, and this was an interesting way to formally meet, not that she'd met anyone in an ordinary way in this town. "Come on in." Amu said moving to the door to close it behind Yaya. She pranced in with a graceful yet youthful manner.
"You must be Amu-chan!" Yaya observed, "Your hair gives you away." she added seeming excited herself.
"Yeah," Amu agreed before she was suddenly taken by surprise, when Yaya glomped her into a hug.
"I'm so happy to finally get to meet you!" Yaya exclaimed with joy, "I've heard so much about you and the other band members!"
"I-I. Can't. Breath." Amu told her struggling to get out of her embrace. She was worse than Ami.
"Sorry!" Yaya apologized releasing her hold on Amu. Utau rolled her eyes and sighed. If this was Amu's idea of normal company, than this was going to be a long night. "Wow! Look at all the food!" Yaya noticed heading towards the table, Rima and Utau following her to get some food themselves.
Amu was about to follow, when she heard a light tap on the door. Surprised, by the next guest arriving so soon, she opened the door carefully to see the person outside. "Good evening." she greeted Amu with a light and delicate voice.
Amu was amazed by the girl, smiling sweetly at her. "I'm Nadeshiko." she introduced herself. Amu just froze staring at her.
-
-
"He does this a little too well," Kukai noticed after "Nadeshiko" was into the house and sitting around the table talking to all the girls about nothing in particular while making a dent in the mountain of junk food, "Should we be worried?"
"Maybe a little." Tadase agreed, also amazed by how well Nagihiko could pull off being a girl, "I kind of feel sorry for the poor guy."
"I don't." Ikuto said boldly, with a mischievous smile. He was enjoying this more than he should. "It's amusing."
"Yeah," Kukai answered with a chuckle, "Guess we have rep to thank for that." Kukai said slapping Kairi on the back.
"Just so you know," Kairi added to make his point, "I don't approve of this."
"You're the one that suggested putting a little camera thing on his shirt," Kukai pointed out, while pointing to the computer screen they were all currently seated around. "Admit it. You want to know what's going on as much as we do."
"Not like this," Kairi defended himself, feeling ashamed for this, "It's kind of immoral, don't you think?"
"Not if you don't think about it." Kukai answered simply as if that was the solution to all problems.
"Doesn't make it anymore right." Tadase muttered to himself more than to Kukai.
"Think of it more as a documentary," Ikuto suggested, shrugging off the conversation, "You know, learn something."
"What are we going to learn from listening to this?" Kairi asked referring to this as the conversation on the screen. Right now, they only saw Amu and Yaya laughing about a joke that was made, but whenever Nagi turned they saw either Rima or Utau.
"Nothing," Kukai admitted looking from the screen to Kairi with a serious expression, "And everything."
"Really?" Tadase asked sarcastically, of course getting the wrong idea about Kukai's comment on everything.
"Yeah." Kukai nodded, oblivious to how that statement sounded perverted, "Plus, we're about to figure out the question every guy wants to know," he added pausing for suspense, "What the hell girls do at these things!"
"Every guy wants to know that?" Ikuto asked just to see how far he'd go.
"Yeah, whether they know it or not." Kukai reasoned and Kairi just rolled his eyes at the supposed "male bonding" that they used as an excuse for this.
"We'll see a cat fight if we're not careful," Tadase commented, thinking back to all the times Utau had encountered a girl that liked Ikuto. Nothing pretty.
"What's with the brooch?" all the guys jumped at the question, then quickly focused back on the computer screen.
"Aren't those a bit out of style?" Rima asked Nadeshiko looking intently at the heart shaped brooch pinned to her sweater.
"I guess I'm just into these kinds of things," Nadeshiko replied smiling shyly and shrugging her shoulders.
"It looks very classy." Yaya complimented her accessory, "Like a proper lady would wear."
"My mother actually wears these all the time," Nadeshiko added with a nod as if she knew what Yaya was referring to. Then everyone looked over at Amu who was muffling her laughter, "Hmm?"
"It's nothing," Amu assured Nadeshiko, her shoulders still shaking with laughter, "You and Nagihiko just look so much alike."
No kidding, Nadeshiko thought holding back a sigh of aggravation by giggling lightly, trying to see the humor in the joke, "So I've been told."
"I just thought for a second that that's how Nagihiko would look like in a skirt." Amu admitted giggling to herself a little, Yaya laughing along. Utau just rolled her eyes with a light smile on her lips, and Rima still seemed emotionless. Nadeshiko forced a smile all the while thinking, You have no idea how right you are, while feeling even more pissed off at Kukai for suggesting he go all out girly to keep from look suspicious, even if it meant putting on a skirt.
"Hey, Amu-chan?" Yaya asked getting Amu's attention, "Is it fun?"
"Is what fun?" Amu asked, confused by the question.
"You know," Yaya persisted leaning toward Amu as if her answer what the most interesting thing in the world, "Being in a band with a bunch of guys."
"Huh?" Amu was taken back by the random question.
"Yeah, tell us Amu." Utau urged her with an edge to her voice, "How is it?"
"Uh?" Amu started, suddenly afraid to answer the question.
"I'm curious too," Amu was struck with a twinge of betrayal, even Rima was asking questions, "You're always hanging out with them, but do you like that?"
"I..." Amu began everyone had their eyes on her, more eyes than she knew, "I guess it's alright." Amu answered with a shrug, not sure how to answer any other way, when different people wanted to hear different answers.
"I bet it's tons of fun!" Yaya guessed with some confidence in her voice, "Does the band need anymore members helping?" Yaya asked with a bit of curiosity and hopefulness in her voice.
"Uh..." Amu started, not sure how to break to her, "I think we're all set actually." Yaya pouted, seemingly disappointed with the answer.
"Maybe for the instruments," Utau commented taking a chocolate chip cookie from one of the bags on the table, "But there are plenty of other things people could help with in making a band's performance great."
"I guess that's true," Amu agreed, "We wouldn't have gotten the audition without Kairi after all."
"Plus, you need people to advertise for the band," Rima added, although when it came to their band, there wouldn't be much advertising needed.
"Hmm..." Yaya started thinking, "I promised Kairi-kun I'd help with the band anyway I could, but I don't know how." she said still thinking on what she really could do.
"I'm sure there's something you could help with," Nadeshiko assured her with a smile, amused by how she wanted to help the band, "What are you good at?"
"Well...," Yaya thought of her aspects that could help the band...but none came to mind. She thought of all the pictures of the band Kairi had taken to show her, and her mind lingered on Amu specifically. A thought suddenly came to her mind. She turned her glance over to Amu, and looked her up and down with a sly smile playing on her lips.
"Uh.." Amu asked, suddenly shy and nervous about her look.
"I think I have a way to help." Yaya stated with an innocent look, that implied something much more devious in her mind.
A/N:
Blah! I don't know why, but I just completely forgot to update my story last week. Ahaha, gomen, I didn't mean to forget, I was just really irritated with Shugo Chara, I just wasn't in the mood for it. All because the stupid anime ruined the Amuto scene! Ugh! It was so much more meaningful in the manga and the anime just screwed it up! Well, that's my opinion anyway, but I guess it shouldn't surprise me. Manga usually is better than the anime. Enjoy! I hate to end on a cliffy, but this chapter would be too long if I included all the torture that's in the next chapter...ah! You know to much! :P