Amu breathed in the cool, crisp air as Ikuto leapt from rooftop to rooftop with her cradled in his strong arms. Despite the night chill, Amu wasn't cold. The warmth emanating off Ikuto kept her warm enough. As they sailed through the night sky, she looked around at the bright lights of the town below, wondering at their beauty. However, it wasn't long before she was staring at Ikuto's handsome face yet again. She took in his midnight blue hair, handsome face, and sapphire eyes and wondered how it was legal for anyone to be so good looking. As if sensing her gaze, Ikuto looked down at her and smiled in return, happiness dancing in his sapphire eyes. Amu couldn't imagine a place she would rather be at this very moment in her life.

All too soon, Ikuto landed in front of her house and gently set her down. She looked up at him, a shy blush coloring her cheeks. "Th-thank you," she said softly.

"For what?" Ikuto asked with a smile.

"You know what," she replied with a playful glare.

Ikuto chuckled and enveloped her in his arms. "Hmm, well yes, I do," he said softly, "but I want to hear you say it."

Amu froze at the sudden proximity, not quite used to his casual contact yet. The daring Amu who had stroked Ikuto's cheek was suddenly MIA. "Um," she said intelligently while her blush deepened. She looked away from his hypnotic eyes to try and gather her thoughts. Suddenly, she heard Ran say, "Character change: from a girl who can't confess her feelings to a girl who can!"

She had just enough time to think Oh no! before a heart pendant popped up on her head and a dazzling, girlish smile bloomed on her face. She pulled back from the embrace, turned her dazzling smile on Ikuto and said, "Thank you so much for a wonderful night, Ikuto! I had so much fun and it was so romantic." Her dazzling smile stayed in place for about three more seconds, and then the change dropped.

Amu was mortified. She covered her face with her hands, trying to hide her red face, silently swearing to kill Ran later, but then she heard strange noises coming from Ikuto. She peeked at him through her fingers and saw him trying desperately not to laugh. A slender hand covered his mouth as he tried to hold his laughter in. She glared at him and put her hands by her side, "Don't laugh at me!" she said, stamping her foot on the ground, looking very much like a small child.

At that point, Ikuto burst out into peals of laughter. "Stop it!" Amu protested, a blush still coloring her face. She looked around to see if she could find Ran and strangle her, but the pink chara, and all her other charas, were nowhere to be seen.

"Don't ask the impossible," Ikuto replied and then continued to laugh.

Amu looked at the ground, embarrassment plain on her face. Eventually, she turned swiftly away from Ikuto, who was still laughing, and went through the gate toward the front door. Behind her, he said, "Hey! Where are you going?" To his shame, laughter still colored his voice.

"I'm going to bed," she said with a huff, her blush thankfully starting to drain from her cheeks. She heard movement and in a flash, Ikuto had jumped in front of her. She stopped abruptly to keep from running into him and turned her face to the ground to avoid his eyes. Ikuto smirked at her attempt to hide and took a step toward her, gently placing his fingers under her chin and lifting her gaze to meet his. He let all the passion and love from the past six years flood through them, showing her that he had never stopped loving her, not once.

Amu caught her breath as she saw the unchecked emotions in Ikuto's eyes that were definitely for her and her alone. He smiled, saying, "I'm very glad that you had a wonderful time tonight." He moved his hand to cup her cheek as he leaned forward and nuzzled here face with his. He felt Amu shiver and chuckled lightly to himself. In her ear, he whispered, "Please know that I had a great time as well, princess. I can't wait to dance with you again."

Amu was too distracted by the feel of Ikuto's breath in her ear to really pay attention to what he said. As he pulled back to look at her dazed face, the words registered and she blushed. Looking down, she stammered, "I-I can't wait to dance with y-you again either." Ikuto took her hand in his and pulled her to him, wrapping his arms around her in a tight embrace. Amu stiffened and then closed her eyes and relaxed into Ikuto, wrapping her arms around his waist and holding him tight.

After a few moments, Ikuto pulled back and smiled down at his princess. Her cheeks were flushed from the cold air but it just made her look more beautiful. His eyes were suddenly caught by a small sparkle at the base of her neck and there he saw the necklace that she was wearing: a black egg pendant that dangled from a midnight blue ribbon. His smile grew soft as he touched the pendant.

Ikuto said simply, "You're wearing it."

Amu, confused, replied, "You mean the necklace?"

Ikuto smirked. "What else would I be talking about?"

Amu glared but answered, "Lulu sent it to me a few years ago and it seemed to match the outfit pretty well…" She trailed off, not knowing what it was he was getting at.

"I asked Lulu to make that for you, when I saw her in France," Ikuto replied. "I saw her jewelry shop one day and decided to pay her a visit to see what she was up to."

"Really?" Amu asked with surprise as she fingered the necklace. "I had no idea, although, I don't know why I'm so surprised." Amu smiled. "I do like it very much. It was a much needed comfort at the time."

"Well, I'm glad it helped," Ikuto replied, guilt flashing through his eyes. "You were on my mind constantly while I was abroad so I wanted to send you something that would make you think of me, in case you had forgotten about me." Ikuto smirked faintly.

"As if I could stop thinking about you," Amu replied, blushing. She seemed to be doing that a lot lately. "I could never forget about you. You leave a pretty permanent impression."

Ikuto chuckled, "I'll take that as a compliment."

Suddenly, Amu let out a big yawn and Ikuto chuckled, wishing Amu's charas were around to measure it. He had a feeling it might set a new record. "You should get to bed," he said kindly. "You're exhausted."

"Well, I did go through a lot today," she replied, giving Ikuto a look.

Ikuto only laughed, "You act like you didn't enjoy it."

Amu blushed and looked up at Ikuto. "I enjoyed myself very much." A shy smile spread across her face.

"As you've said," replied Ikuto, softly. He raised a hand to brush a loose strand of hair out of her face. "Good night, Amu," he said as he gazed into her eyes. "Sweet dreams."

Amu shivered slightly at his touch, "Good night, Ikuto. Sweet dreams."

Ikuto smiled a leaned down to give her a kiss goodnight. As their lips touched for the second time that night, both felt a spark go through their entire bodies, igniting their blood and taking their breath away. Amu wrapped her arms around Ikuto's neck and pulled him closer and Ikuto responded with similar passion and wrapped his arms more firmly around her waist as he deepened the kiss ever so slightly. He tastes like nighttime, Amu thought. After a few moments, the couple reluctantly pulled away from each other. Amu opened the door to her house and stepped inside. Before she closed the door she looked back at Ikuto and smiled softly. She saw Ikuto return her smile with one of his own as she closed the door.

In the living room were her parents, watching some kind of game show. They looked up as she entered the room. "Hello, Amu," said her mother as she checked her watch. "Where have you been all night?"

"Uh, well," Amu replied uneasily. Was she really ready for her parents to know that Ikuto was back? She wasn't exactly sure how her mother would react, considering the situation she and Ikuto were in the last time her mother had seen them. She eventually decided that honesty was the best policy, especially when it came to her parents. After all, her mother had asked her to be more honest about what was going on in her life.

"Ikuto's back in town," began Amu carefully, gauging her mother's reaction. "He took me out after I got back from shopping with Nagi."

Midori just smiled. "Oh how nice! I hope you had a great time."

Amu's father, on the other hand, looked like he was on the verge of a mental breakdown. "You were on a date?! With a boy?!" her father asked incredulously.

Amu's mother just put a hand on her husband's shoulder. "She is eighteen now, sweetheart."

"And I do like boys," Amu said. I've liked this boy for awhile.

Her father just looked back dejectedly at the TV. Her mother smiled. "So, how was it?" she asked.

Amu couldn't keep a giant grin from spreading across her face. "It was wonderful," Amu said simply.

Midori smiled. "As long as he treats you well, I'm fine with it." She followed Amu's gaze to her father. "Your father will be as well. Just give him some time."

Amu nodded. "Well, I'm going up to bed. Goodnight!"

"Goodnight, dear," her mother replied.

"Goodnight, my sparrow," said her father, a little depressed. At least he didn't run away to the bathroom…

Amu quickly climbed the stairs to her room and turned on the lights. Her room was exactly as she had left it that night. For some reason, Amu thought it might be different. She had changed so much in the past few hours, she felt her room should reflect that.

Shaking her head, she pushed those thoughts away and laid her bag on her desk. Her four charas came up near her head.

"Amu, look!" said Ran excitedly, pointing to the window.

"What?" asked Amu, following Ran's gaze.

"Ikuto is still down there," replied Miki with a wink.

"He is?" asked Amu excitedly. Without pause, she opened the sliding door and stepped out onto her balcony and looked down. Sure enough, there was Ikuto standing outside the gate, handsome as ever, looking up at her with a smile on his face. Amu grinned back. "What are you still doing here?" she called down to him.

"I forgot to tell you something," Ikuto said mischievously.

"What?" asked Amu, already blushing.

"I love you, Amu," he replied, his gentle, loving gaze boring into her own.

"I-I love you too, Ikuto," she replied.

Satisfied, Ikuto turned and began to walk away down the sidewalk.

As Amu watched him go, she couldn't help but call out, "Will I see you tomorrow?"

Ikuto turned and winked mischievously, calling back, "You'll see."

Amu just smiled and went back into her room. Inside, her charas were floating by her desk. Amu sat down at her desk in a daze, a dopey smile permanently etched into her face.

"Someone's happy," said Miki with a snicker.

"As if you aren't, Miki," replied Ran. "I didn't see you or Yoru while we were watching Ikuto-kun and Amu-chan dance at the park."

"S-shut up, Ran," Miki replied with a blush.

"Well I'm glad Amu's happy, desu," said Su with a sweet smile, changing the topic, much to Miki's relief. "It's been so long since I've seen Amu-chan this happy."

"Indeed," agreed Dia. "Amu-chan's radiance is shining very brightly."

Amu just smiled at her charas. "I haven't felt this happy or secure in so long," Amu told them. "I never knew he was so important to me."

"Sure you did, Amu-chan," Miki replied. "You just didn't want to acknowledge it."

Amu smiled at Miki. "You're right," Amu replied. Miki smiled in return. "Well, it's time for bed. I'm exhausted."

"You're exhausted?" Su asked. "I spent all day helping Ikuto decorate the park!"

"I designed your outfit," chimed in Miki.

"And we distracted you!" said Dia and Ran in unison.

"And I thank you all very much for it," Amu replied with a smile as she walked over to her wardrobe to take out her pajamas.

"You're welcome, Amu-chan!" cheered all four of her charas in unison. Amu laughed at their enthusiasm even as she basked in her own. She was floating on cloud nine all the way to the bathroom. When she returned, teeth brushed, face washed, and pajamas on, her charas were already snuggled up in their eggs. Ran, Su, and Dia were already asleep, but Miki was busy sketching in her sketch book, a dreamy look in her eyes. Amu chuckled and had a fairly good idea as to what, or more appropriately, who, her little blue was thinking about.

"Did you have a good night with Yoru?" she asked Miki quietly as she climbed into bed.

Miki looked up from her sketch pad and blushed. She looked back down and scribbled more frantically on the paper. "Y-yes," she replied with a small smile.

"Do you want to tell me about it?" asked Amu.

Miki looked up at Amu as she recalled what had happened that night.

As Amu and Ikuto started to dance in the courtyard, Yoru came up behind Miki and gently took her hand as he led her away from the other three charas, who were smiling as they watched Amu and Ikuto dance, lost in each others' eyes.

"Where are we going?" whispered Miki, looking back at Ikuto and Amu, her fingers just itching to draw the couple.

"It's a surprise, nya," replied Yoru with a grin as he tugged her forward insistently. His eyes danced with excitement.

The excitement in Yoru's gaze as well as his dorky, charming insistence made Miki blushed as Yoru led her through the trees, all thoughts of Ikuto and Amu gone. After a few moments, they came to another fountain. A small section had been lit up with small lights and white flowers. Miki caught her breath. "Oh, Yoru," she sighed. "What's all this for?"

"For you, nya," replied Yoru. He looked at her hesitantly as they floated closer to the fountain. "You're going to love it!"

Miki grinned in excitement back at Yoru, causing a cute blush to rise to his cheeks. As they approached the area, she saw some food laid out on a blanket set up at the edge of the fountain. Yoru flew ahead and presented the setting with obvious pride. "Surprise, nya!"

Miki giggled as she flew up to him and gave him a shy kiss on the cheek. Yoru blushed and then cleared his throat. "Um, sit down, nya."

Miki graciously seated herself on a small cushion, looking at the food spread out on the small picnic blanket. There were several different kinds of cookies and cakes as well as a canister full of green tea, Miki's favorite. Next to the canister of green tea was a container of cream for Yoru.

The little cat chara sat down next to Miki on a small cushion beside her. "Try some, nya!" he told Miki with enthusiasm.

Miki surveyed all the wonderful food on the blanket and eventually decided to try the strawberry cake in the center. "Where did you get all this food?" Miki asked as she tasted the strawberry cake. There was a wonderful explosion of deliciousness in her mouth. Her taste buds were pleased. "It's delicious!"

"I made it," Yoru said with a smirk.

Miki raised her eyebrows at the cat chara, not believing him for a second. "There's no way you made all this," she stated.

Yoru sweat dropped and then laughed nervously. "I asked Su to make it," Yoru said sheepishly. "It didn't take much convincing for her to do it."

Miki laughed and made a mental note to thank Su later. "That explains why it tastes so good," Miki replied. "Su's food is always the best." She dug into the rest of the cake and Yoru chuckled at her enthusiasm. Miki blushed. "Shut up."

They spent the next half hour or so talking and laughing together, enjoying each others' company. Eventually, Miki inquired about what Ikuto and Yoru had been up to for the past six years.

"We've been traveling around," Yoru replied, "looking for Ikuto's dad, nya."

"Well, I figured that," Miki replied, "but where did you go?"

"Everywhere, nya!" Yoru exclaimed with a smile, spreading his arms in an expansive gesture. "We traveled all over Europe, Asia, and India. We even spent a month or two in America."

"How could you possibly afford that?" Miki asked incredulously. " It had to be insanely expensive."

"Ikuto joined a traveling symphony, nya," Yoru replied. "He auditioned and the director made him first chair, nya!"

"Wow!" Miki replied, astonished. "That's amazing! And he's so young too!"

"Yeah, Ikuto's pretty amazing," Yoru said, crossing his paws with obvious pride. Suddenly, Yoru glanced back through the trees.

"What wrong?" asked Miki.

"Ikuto is calling me, nya," Yoru replied. "I think he's taking Amu home."

"That's probably our cue to go," Miki said with regret.

"Yeah," Yoru replied, scratching the back of his head. "I hope you had fun, Miki, nya," he said, looking at her shyly, offering a paw to help her up off the cushion.

Miki blushed, took his hand, and was soon pulled up by Yoru. "I had a lot of fun, Yoru. Thank you for a wonderful night." She leaned in and gave him a lingering kiss on the cheek.

Yoru blushed and kiss her on the cheek in return. After looking shyly at her for a few moments, he took her hand to lead her away from the sparkling fountain and back towards Amu's house.

Miki smiled as the flash back ended, enjoying the warmth that was spreading in her heart. Instead of replying to Amu's question, she showed her the picture she had been sketching. It depicted her and Yoru, both laughing as they ate food and talked at the fountain.

Amu smiled as she appraised the picture. "I'm glad you had fun."

"It was magical, Amu-chan," Miki replied with a grin.

"I can imagine," Amu replied, briefly reliving her own magical evening with Ikuto. Dreamily, she climbed into bed. "Good night, Miki! I'm very glad that you had a magical evening like me," Amu said as she watched Miki put her sketchbook away, and snuggle in for the night.

"I'm glad you had a great time too, Amu-chan," Miki replied sleepily. "You and Ikuto-kun are good for each other." Amu barely made out the last few words of Miki's sentence as Miki drifted off to sleep.

Amu contemplated Miki's words as she turned off her bedside lamp and pulled the covers over herself. I think Miki is right, Amu thought. Our personalities are so different and he thinks about things differently than I do, but I think that's a good thing. I want someone who can bring out the best in me by equaling out my strengths and weaknesses. Whether Ikuto meant to do this or not, he always challenged me to do my very best. It was with these thoughts in mind that Amu drifted off into unconsciousness with a rare, contented smile on her lips.