Recap

"Then welcome home, Nadeshiko."
-Nagi

"Rima, if this gets out then I'll have to leave and I can't come back."
-Nagi

I saw little Nagi sleeping on his father's lap. His father was smiling down at him. I wonder what happened. It's not my place to ask but that didn't mean I wasn't curious.
-Rima's POV

"It's all part of the grand plan."
-Mr. Valentine

Rima: Can we just delete him from the story?

Nagi: Daydreamer said that there wouldn't be a plot if that would happen

Rima: Why is she only telling you all the answers

Nagi: Daydreamer said that she is scared you will get mean again. Also that if I said it then you wouldn't get mad

Rima: She knows my one weakness

Nagi: *sweatdrops* Daydreamer doesn't own

Rima: Wait a minute! Doesn't she own Rei, Aarin, Nami, their charas, and Mr. Valentine?

Nagi: I meant she doesn't own Shugo Chara

Rima: Oh

Chapter 8 Bikes are Dangerous

*Rima's POV*

"Thanks Kukai for the bike. Rima's therapist said it would be good to do some physical activity," Nagi said.

"How long has it been?" he asked.

"Almost a month," I answered.

"I get that you can't talk about it but we all want to help," Kukai said the last part to me.

"All?" I asked.

"Well the whole group wants your problem to go away," he said.

"All of you? Even Utau and Ikuto?" I asked.

"Utau said something about knowing how to go through things and was willing to help. Ikuto said that you were the only decent funny one," Kukai said.

"Wow," I said shocked.

"Mashiro, Utau talked about a girl sleepover to get your mind off your troubles. She doesn't have all the details but she wants all of you girls to get together and talk about it," he said.

"I will after Nagi teaches me how to ride a bike," I said.

"Good luck," he said as Nagi and I walked away from his house.

"We'll go to the park and try," he said. I smiled at him. He returned the smile with one of his own. I was really excited to start riding a bike. We could ride them to and from school. Also we could go places and take less time.

"Rima's really happy!" Kusukusu cheered.

"She seems to be smiling more recently," Temari pointed out.

"You say that as if it's a bad thing," Rhythm said. He was floating right next to Kusukusu.

"Alright Rima, get on," Nagi said.

"But I'll fall," I said suddenly getting nervous.

"I promise that you won't. I will hold on the whole time," he said.

"Then you will let go while I'm not paying attention. Then we'll cheer for my victory. Then I'll realize I don't know how to stop. I've seen the movies," I said.

"I won't let go. If I do, I'll tell you," he said. I took his word for it and hopped on.

"Just in case, you pedal backwards to stop," he said.

"Good to know," I said.

"Start pedaling," he said. I did as I was told. It was a bit of a slow start but I was moving. Nagi was holding on the whole time but that didn't kill my excitement.

"I'm doing it," I cheered.

"Do you want me to let go?" Nagi asked.

"No!" I yelled.

"Can she really say she's doing it if Nagihiko is holding on the whole time?" Temari said.

"Rhythm, you seem deep in thought," Kusukusu pointed out.

"I-it's nothing," Rhythm said with a little blush on his face.

"You sure?" she asked.

"Yeah." I had no idea that Rhythm liked Kusukusu. Her and I will talk later.

"I'm letting go Rima," I heard Nagi say. It took me a few seconds to register what he was saying. I felt his hands leave mine. My brain told me to keep pedaling but my body wasn't listening. I screamed as the bike toppled over. I felt my right leg and arm hurt as it hit the dirt.

"Rima," Nagi said worried. I tuned him out. For some reason I had a flashback of when I was younger.

"Okay papa! I think I can do it," I said.

"Alright," he said as he let go. I began to pedal.

"Go Rima," mama cheered. My face was beaming. It didn't take me long to slip up and fall.

"Ow!"

"You didn't teach her the proper way to ride a bike!" mama yelled at papa.

"At least I taught her something. You just sit there!" he yelled back at her.

"Mama? Papa?" I said as tears began to fill my eyes.

"It's your fault that Rima was kidnapped a week ago!" mama yelled.

"You were the one that was supposed to pick her up!" he yelled.

"I had work!"

"So did I!"

"Mama! Papa!" I cried. They ignored me as they kept fighting. Tears streamed down my face. Why were mama and papa fighting?

"Rima," Nagi yelled as he shook me gently. I snapped back from my flashback. That was the first time I found out that my parents were fighting.

"Hold me," I said as I wrapped my arms around him.

"Rima," he whispered as he held me just like I asked.

"The reason I'm afraid of bikes is...it...it reminds me of my parents fighting. The very first time I started to notice it was when papa was trying to teach me how to ride a bike," I said.

"Rima, your parents aren't fighting anymore. They are happy now," he said. He was right. Mama and papa are getting better. They sleep in the same bed, haven't fought, always eat meals together, and they even kiss now. That's something Rima never noticed about her parents. They never touched but now they held hands and kissed. It was surprising how well therapy worked.

"I'll take you home," Nagi said.

"No! I have to learn!" I yelled.

"Really?" he asked.

"Yes." I said.

In the end I couldn't ride the stupid bike. I had cuts and bruises all over my arms and legs. Of course Nagi bandaged me up and apologized but I know it wasn't his fault.

"I'm glad you could spend the night Rima," Amu said.

"Why? Because I'm in therapy and you want to make me feel better?" I answered my question. Amu stood there speechless. All the girls were here sitting in Amu's room speechless just like her.

"Rima-tan, Yaya still loves you," Yaya said as she glomped me.

"I didn't say you hated me. I'm actually glad you guys are trying to help," I said.

"Really?" Amu asked.

"It shows that you all really care about me," I said.

"Ri-ri," Rei said then glomped me just like Yaya did.

"Okay enough with the glomping! Rima will probably suffocate. How about truth or dare?" Utau said.

"Yay!" Yaya cheered.

*Third Person POV*

"We'll test it on a new couple tonight sir," the scientist said.

"Excellent."

"Unfortunately, since it affected the Fujisaki son and the little girl already, it will affect them again," he said.

"Just a minor side-effect. We'll do it tonight," Mr. Valentine said.

*Amu's POV*

I woke up, shocked. Most the girls were sleeping on the floor in my room while Rima and I slept on the bed. They were still asleep as far as I could tell. I suddenly felt a wave of heat. I kicked my blanket off. I began to sweat in my warm pajamas. It felt like a sunburn all over. I quietly got up and changed into pj shorts and a tank top. I felt better but I was still burning. A knock on my balcony door caught my attention.

"Ikuto," I whispered. I quickly made sure to check to see if anyone was awake. They were all sleeping. I tip-toed over to the glass door. I unlocked it, stepped outside, and shut it behind me.

"What are you doing here?" I asked. He looked at the ground. He never gets like this, quiet and not making eye contact.

"Ikuto, what's wrong?" I asked concerned.

"Ikuto is sick," Yoru said. He didn't say anything.

"Is it true?"

"Yes. I think I'm sick. I don't feel bad or anything but I'm cold," he said.

"Cold? Did this start just a minute ago?" I asked.

"Yes, how did you know?" he asked.

"I became hot." He began to smirk.

"I could've told you that."

"That's not what I meant," I said. I was mad that he could flirt at a time like this. He felt my forehead and I suddenly calmed down. His cold hand felt good on my warm skin.

"You don't have a fever," he said. I reached over and felt his forehead just like he did to me.

"You don't either," I said. I then noticed how close we were. My cheeks felt warmer than they already were.

"This can't be a coincidence," he said. I never noticed how deep his eyes were.

"Amu," he said concerned.

"Just kiss the boy so you can come back to bed." I was shocked by someone else's voice. Ikuto and I looked to see Rima. She had her head popped out. She looked like she just woke up like me. She gave me a small smile and went back inside, closing the door behind her.

"Maybe you should listen to-" I interrupted him by putting my lips to his. He was very shocked but it didn't take him long to kiss back. I felt one arm wrap around my waist and the other hold my head to deepen the kiss. I held on to his shirt as I felt his nice cold lips on mine. He broke away for air. His forehead on mine.

"Wow," I said. He smiled at me. It wasn't a smirk, but a genuine smile.

"I'll let you get back to the shrimp. Wouldn't want her thinking I was keeping you," he said.

"What about our temperature differences?" I asked.

"I don't know. It's probably a cold or something," he said. He quickly pecked me then jumped off my balcony, which was on the second floor. I was used to him doing this. I walked back in to see Rima sitting on my bed waiting for me.

"Want to go downstairs to talk?" she asked.

"That would probably be best so we don't wake everyone," I whispered. Her and I tip-toed out of the room and downstairs.

"Spill," she demanded.

"Well what happened was I woke up. I noticed Ikuto knocking on my door so I went out on the balcony. He was worried that he was sick so I felt his forehead. That's how we became close. Then you told me to kiss him and I did. It felt amazing," I explained.

"You kissed Ikuto when he was sick?" she asked.

"I don't really know how he's sick. I think something is wrong with me too," I said.

"What do you mean?"

"I woke up feeling really hot. You know how you feel when you've been outside for hours and you just feel the sun frying you?"

"Yes."

"That's what I felt like. Then a minute later after I changed, Ikuto pops up saying he's cold," I said.

"Hot and cold? It's spreading," she said to herself.

"What's spreading?"

"Amu, is this the first time this has happened?" she asked. She looked a little scared.

"Yes. Rima what's worng? You're starting to freak me out," I said.

"This has happened to Nagi and me too for about a month. It started suddenly one night and then it would happen at random times for different amount of times. We don't know why," she said.

"What!?"

"We should get everyone together tomorrow and tell everyone. This is obviously contagious and we need to warn the others," she said.

"Alright, let's go to bed and sort everything out in the morning," I said. Her and I agreed. Has this affected anyone else. I've never heard of suddenly becoming hot or cold. Rima fell asleep after her cold wore off. I wasn't hot anymore but my thoughts were all over the place. I guess I should say they were on one person. I kissed Ikuto. I can't believe I did it. Does that make us a thing now? What about Tadase-kun? That would be unfair to Ikuto to get his hopes up. I guess after a few years of this I finally chose and I didn't even realize it till now.

Rima: I am happy with this

Ikuto: Me too. Thanks shrimp

Rima:No prob...where's Nagi?

Ikuto: I don't know *Whistles innocently*

Rima: *glares* Ikuto

Ikuto: Fine, I wanted to do the question of the chapter but it was girly boy's turn so I locked him in the Royal Garden.

Rima: Go ahead. I have to go get him.

Ikuto: Question # 9 What did you think about the Amuto?

Nagi: That wasn't the question

Rima: Just go with it

Nagi: Also daydreamer wanted to let the readers know that a festival will be coming up.

Rima: The one you mentioned in the first chapter?

Nagi: Yes

Ikuto: This is getting boring. I'm going to find Amu

Rima: Review