Disclaimer: I DO NOT own Shugo Chara! or the song 'Enchanted' by Taylor Swift, which is where this story got it's name and is the "slow song" that Utau sings in this chapter.

Chapter 6

May I?

Ikuto stood in the ballroom of the Seiyo Kingdom Palace with many other diplomats and royal families and their children. He wore his traditional "princely" clothes, all black and navy blue, as well as his prince crown. He stood with his hands at his sides, feeling anxious. At his last ball…

"Announcing his majesty, King Tsumugu Hinamori, and her majesty, Queen Midori Hinamori!" An announcer shouted into the room, catching everybody's attention, all others needing introduction already introduced.

The king and queen walked down the stairs leading into the ballroom, smiling at waving, until they reached the thrones at the other end of the ballroom. Ami was next.

Ikuto was about to leave, thinking it had been a bad idea to come when he noticed girls staring at him, and then…

"Announcing her royal highness, Princess Amu Hinamori!"

Ikuto looked to the staircase…and immediately stopped trying to leave.

Amu wore a light pink dress, with some tulle in the skirt to make it poofy, strapless, with a black sash around her waist, and black one-inch heels. She wore minimal make-up and wore her hair half-up in a bun and half-down, with her tiara on her head. She also wore white gloves that reached up to her elbows. But it was the necklace she wore that really caught his attention-the necklace he had given her a week ago. She walked gracefully down the stairs and to her throne beside her mother and next to her sister.

Tsumugu beamed and clapped his hands together. "Let the ball begin!"

Music began to play and people begun to dance.

Ikuto had followed her with his eyes, and now walked through the crowd to approach her. He stood in front of her throne. "Hello, princess."

Amu smiled kindly at him, but he knew it was an act. "Hello, prince Ikuto."

Ikuto held his hand out to her. "May I have this dance?"

Amu looked at her parents and sister, who all nodded encouragingly. She looked back at him and nodded, standing and walking to him, placing her gloved hand in his hand. She was led onto the dance floor, where he placed a hand on her waist and held her other hand up. She placed her other hand on his shoulder.

And so they began to dance.

"You look beautiful." He murmured in her ear.

Amu blushed lightly. "…thank you."

Ikuto chuckled. "Don't be so tense. This is your party, after all. You should have fun."

Amu shrugged. "I've never been fond of these parties. In the past, all I've had is guys who want power ask me to dance."

Ikuto smiled bitterly. "I can relate…I haven't been to a ball in a couple years because girls only saw my looks."

Amu looked at him. "You're lucky you could do so, my parents won't let me into the outside world, but they try so hard to get me to socialize at parties."

Ikuto shrugged, his bitter smile now gone and replaced with a frown. "My parents never approved of it, but didn't fight me on it. It's just…suffocating, having so many people who don't even want to really know you wanting your attention."

Amu stared at him, surprised that she had actually just learned something about him. She snapped out of her thoughts and looked at her hand on his shoulder. "…If it helps, your looks aren't why I'm dancing with you now."

Ikuto, curious, raised an eyebrow. "Oh? And what is your reason?"

Amu didn't look at him, embarrassed. "…because…you're mysterious. I can't figure you out. It irritates me."

Ikuto looked amused now. "So you do want to get to know me?"

Amu blushed lightly again. "I didn't say that."

"It was implied."

Amu sighed. "…fine, I guess it wouldn't be so bad to get to know you."

Ikuto suddenly twirled her before pulling her closer to him, but not too close to the point that he would make her feel uncomfortable. "I would very much like to get to know you, as well."

Amu had begun to blush more. "Prince Ikuto…"

Ikuto shook his head. "Just Ikuto is fine."

Amu looked away from him. "…Then…just Amu is fine, as well."

Ikuto smiled at her. "I think we're making progress."

Amu rolled her eyes, but smiled a little. "I suppose."

The song ended then.

Somebody tapped her shoulder. "May I cut in?" A boy with brown hair and brown eyes asked.

Ikuto dropped his arms, watching Amu's reaction.

She forced her "princess smile" and nodded. "Of course." She looked back at Ikuto, thanked him for the dance, and then began to dance with the other young man as another song started.

Ikuto walked away, feeling…jealous?

"You're a prince from the kingdom to the north, correct?" Amu asked him.

The prince nodded. "My name is Satoshi. It's nice to meet you again, princess Amu."

Amu nodded. "How have you been?"

Satoshi shrugged. "I've been well. Yourself?"

Amu shrugged as well. "I've also been well." She found herself looking around for Ikuto as they danced. She found him leaning against a wall on the sidelines, ignoring dance offers from other girls. 'Why do I care what he does? He can dance with whoever he wants to. This marriage isn't going to happen. I've already decided to fight it.'

"Princess? Is there something on your mind?" Satoshi asked.

Amu snapped out of her thoughts. "Huh? Oh, no, just, uh, thinking that there are more people here than I thought there would be."

Satoshi nodded. "There are a lot of people here. But it's your eighteenth birthday, you're an adult now. It's a big deal."

Amu nodded. "I suppose."

The song ended and she thanked him for the dance. She walked towards Ikuto, only to be asked to dance by another prince. She danced with four more men before finally making it to Ikuto.

Ikuto stood leaning back against a wall with his hands in his pants pockets. He looked at her as she approached him. "You sure dance a lot."

Amu sighed. "I don't want to be rude." She leaned back against the wall next to him, arms behind her back. "So, enjoying the party?"

Ikuto chuckled. "Are you?"

"I asked you first."

Ikuto shrugged. "It was fine until we stopped dancing together."

Amu frowned. "There you go again-I can't tell if you mean that or if you're simply teasing me."

Ikuto smirked. "Can it be both?"

Amu rolled her eyes. "My point exactly."

Ikuto looked at her with a gentle expression. "I'm sorry. I really did mean it."

Amu looked at him. "Really?"

Ikuto nodded. "Really." He held out his hand. "One more dance?"

Amu smiled a genuine smile and nodded, taking his hand and following him back onto the dance floor.

This time, Utau sang the slow song that they danced to.

"I didn't know your sister sang." Amu said.

Ikuto nodded. "She usually only sings when I play my violin."

"You play the violin?" Amu asked, interested.

Ikuto nodded. "Since we were small she's sang and I played the violin."

"I was enchanted to meet you…" Utau sang.

Amu looked away from Ikuto, listening to the song.

Ikuto suddenly twirled her again, but this time he led her off the dance floor, still dancing with her. They danced until they were outside, and even then they continued dancing.

Amu giggled as he dipped her, and then pulled her back up, holding her close to him again, but again, not too close.

Ikuto smiled when she giggled, thinking that she was cute.

"Please don't be in love with someone else, please don't have somebody waiting on you…" Utau could be heard singing from inside.

Ikuto moved his hand from her waist and brushed a lock of stray hair from her face, tucking it behind her ear.

"I was enchanted to meet you…" Utau sang the last couple lines of the song before the song changed to a more upbeat tune.

"…I would very much like to kiss you now, Amu." Ikuto murmured softly.

Amu blushed, feeling butterflies fill her stomach. "I-Ikuto…"

Ikuto leaned closer to her. "…may I?"

Amu looked away from him. "…I've never been kissed before."

"Then let's start with this." Ikuto kissed her forehead softly.

Amu blushed even more now. "I didn't give you my permission."

Ikuto chuckled. "Sorry, I'm a rebel."

Amu smiled shyly. "I guess you are."

Ikuto lightly touched her left cheek. "Happy birthday, Amu."

He was the first one besides her family and friends to say that all day. Overwhelmed with emotion, she hugged him, closing her eyes.

Surprised but not complaining, Ikuto wrapped his arms around her waist, returning the hug. "…I want to make this work, Amu. You intrigue me. I want to learn more about you. I want to be somebody that you want to be around."

Amu tightened her hold on him. "…I guess I can handle that."

Ikuto pulled a silver metal bracelet with a flower engraved on it out of his coat pocket. "My birthday gift to you."

Amu gasped. "It's beautiful!"

"May I?" Ikuto asked.

Amu nodded, watching as he slowly removed her gloves before letting him put the bracelet on her left wrist. She smiled at the bracelet, and then at him. "Thank you."

Ikuto smiled back. "You're welcome."

For the rest of the night, the two talked and danced, danced and talked, then danced some more. It was the best birthday Amu had ever had in her life.

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