Happy New Year's Eve! Or New Years! Depends when you see this. This chapter...mm...not much drama. But a lot in the next chapter. But Ikuto and Amu meet as themselves :) So enjoy!

Chapter 7

Ikuto's POV:

We both know who each other are now. Except she knew the whole time. She knew everything from the start, I was the one that was oblivious to everything, and it wasn't my fault. Either way, we're going to see each other now. And we're either going to immensely hate each other, or it'll be a very loving reunion.

My phone lights up beside me on the bed. It's Amu.

Is this Saturday alright?

I reply back instantly.

Perfect.

Amu's POV:

I'm totally regretting this now. I don't know how I'll see Ikuto. I don't know what expression I should have on my face. I don't know if I should bring a gift. And I don't know how I should react.

***Saturday***

My finger hesitates on the doorbell. I wonder if he lives alone. I'm guessing so, I doubt his whole family moved to America with him. Gah, screw this. I press the doorbell.

I hear footsteps echo through the apartment as he says, "Coming!" I stare at the door, wondering when it'll open to reveal him behind it. It's honestly not how I hoped our reunion would be. I didn't wish it'd be like this, his voice doesn't make me wanna cry, seeing him won't even make me want to run to him and embrace him. All because I've already seen him. Without him knowing.

At last, the door opens, slowly at first. When it opens, he gives me a warm smile. He knows. There's no, "Ah! You're Hoshimi!" "You're my partner for the project!" "You go to my school!" But still, he opens his arms, inviting me into a hug. I'm a little reluctant, but refuse to show that, so I do hug him. I don't want to, but after I'm in his arms, I realize how much I've longed to be back in his protective arms. To have him beside me with his teasing remarks. How I've longed to have the love of my life with me again. When we separate, I shake my head. Despite how much I want to love him and have things return to the old times, we have to clear…that up first.

"Hey, Amu."

"Hi, Ikuto."

"What's up?"

"The sky."

He smirks, "Still the same sarcastic Amu, huh?"

It's as if we see each other everyday.

"Wanna come in? Or just go directly to the mall?"

"To the mall." I want to see your house! , another voice in me whines.

"Right." He steps out of the house and I take step back. I look up at the sky as he locks the door; the sky is blue and cloudless. It's a wonderful day to have a picnic or something, it's a wonderful day that's going to be ruined by our reunion.

"You know," he says, which drags me out of my beautiful-sky-looking-session, "I was hoping our reunion would be more touching than you giving me a sarcastic remark."

I roll my eyes, "I hugged you. That's new."

"What about a kiss?"

"You're really pushing it."

"Alright, let's go then."

Despite our comfortable, casual conversation, there's still that awkwardness lingering around the air, we walk to the elevator in silence, the silence proves the point. Ding. He puts his hand over one side of the door as I walk in, in case it might close. He slips in himself in after me and presses the ground floor.

"So…have you been in touch with anyone from Japan?"

His question takes me by surprise; I guess he still wants to play the little act, "I've been talking to Rima, and Utau occasionally."

That's a lie. I've never contacted anyone, afraid they'll drown me in their questions. But I have been talking to Rima, though that's a no-brainer since we go to the same school.

Forget this, I'm gonna slowly drop the act, "So did you find your father after all those years?" I put all the betrayal I felt into that last word. He turns to me in slight shock, hurt shows everywhere on his face, but he quickly recovers and turns away, "Yeah. Then I moved to America." Actually I was at Japan first, and then came to America after I couldn't find you. He didn't say that, but that was what he meant. Just like I didn't say, So did you find your father after all those years while I cried myself to sleep each night? Or something along those lines.

The elevator door opens and he leads me to a motorcycle.

"Nice…" I whisper.

"Here…" he hands me a helmet, "You can sit behind me." He gets on and pats the spot behind me. I get on and put the helmet on.

"Hang on," he smirks, "Tightly." He adds, after a moment of thought.

I wrap my arms around his waist, loosely because I don't want to get too clingy (fine, I want to but I shouldn't) But my grip tightens a lot when we start moving.

"Stop going so fast! We aren't in a rush!" I yell over the wind created by our speed.

"I usually go way faster!" he yells back.

"This isn't even safe!" I mutter as we stop at a light.

He knocks on his helmet with his knuckles, "We got helmets. And I did tell you to hang on tightly, if I remember correctly."

I curse under my breath as the light turns green.

***At the mall***

"So…Ikuto, did your parents move to America with you?"

"Nah, my dad is actually still a traveling violinist. And Utau has her career at Japan, and my mom just doesn't really want to move, I guess Japan has memories for her." Just like me, except I wanted to move because I couldn't bear the memories.

"Then who do you have to do Christmas shopping for?"

He smirks, "You."

I blush and for a second, things seem normal, "It's probably not the best idea to buy a gift for me while I'm right here."

"What about your parents? And sister."

"Japan."

"Well, then who to shop for?"

"Rima. You."

He suddenly turns to me, a little shocked that I even mentioned Rima.

Against my will, I reply coldly, "Drop the act Ikuto. You broke my heart. And things will never be the same. We mind as well get that talk over with."