Hey guys, it's Anya! This is the last official chapter of Washed Away with the Rain. I'll get more into detail about everything --including the sequel-- after the epilogue.

So enjoy!

Chapter Twenty-Three

Life could never be better. My boyfriend and I—I mean Ikuto and I—were absolutely happy together. It had been about a week since my confession. My life was looking up for once. Love was something that I no longer feared. Affection was no longer something I detested, but something I longed for. Who knew that one man could change that all in a week?

When Ryuu-san came back from her trip, I told her about me and Ikuto. At first she was really angry, but she accepted us. As long as Ikuto treated me with love and respect, she decided that us being together was nothing wrong. I think that the only reason she let me be with Ikuto was because I began smiling. I had every reason in the world to smile, so why shouldn't I?

"Ryuu-san, I'm off to see Ikuto! I'll be back later, okay?" I told Ryuu-san with a big smile on my face.

"Don't be home too late." Ryuu-san told me.

"Don't worry; I'll be home for dinner." I told her. "Bye-bye!"

I left through the front door, feeling light as a feather. I felt even happier when I saw Ikuto standing at the gate. Every time we saw each other, smiles would break onto our faces. However, Ikuto's smile seemed to be slightly delayed that morning.

When I walked up to him I asked, "Ikuto, what's wrong?"

He looked at me with a sorrowful smile and said, "It's nothing. Ready to go?"

I beamed, "Of course!"

He took my hand and we walked into town. Our day was spent happily. We walked around the town and spent the day doing whatever it was that I wanted. Normally Ikuto would throw in a few things that he wanted to do too, but today it was all about me. As we made our way to a café, my suspicions grew. Ikuto never acted like this. Our relationship was all about balance, so why was it leaning more towards me today?

When we walked into the café, I took a seat at a table next to a window. Ikuto went to get us our drinks. The line seemed pretty long, but he insisted on waiting in it while I sat down. I stared out the window, wondering what was wrong with him. He was acting so strangely. Even though we had only been going out a week, we were already in sync with one another.

Ikuto walked up to the table with a chocolate frappuccino in one hand and a coffee in the other. He handed me my frappuccino and took a seat across from me. Without even saying anything he stared out the window while I stared at him. We both took occasional sips of our drinks, until they were both about halfway finished.

"Amu-chan," He began. I knew something was wrong. Ikuto never called me Amu-chan, he only called me Amu. He even told me that he hated using honorifics, that it was just a waste of time. "My sister and I found the location of our father."

My heart leapt with joy. "That's great, Ikuto!"

He looked at me straight in the eye and frowned. He told me, "My father's down south in Fukuoka. I'll be leaving tomorrow to go meet with him."

"I'm so happy for you!" I was beaming. And here I thought something was wrong! "So when are you getting back?"

Ikuto's frown grew larger. My heart almost stopped beating. Was he going to say what I thought he was going to say?

"You are coming back, aren't you?" I inquired.

He said, "I'm sorry, Amu…"

"You said that you'd never leave me!" I snapped at him. My heart was burning with anger. He couldn't be leaving me! "You promised!"

He told me, "I need to find my father. I highly doubt that he'll come back if I just ask him to. I want to spend some time with him. It may take a year, or maybe two. I just need to make up for the past ten years."

Tears were trying to fight their way out, but I held them back. I took a deep breath to calm myself down. I looked at Ikuto with understanding eyes. His father left him because of the pressure of his father-in-law, and Ikuto never said that he hated his father. Maybe the little boy inside of Ikuto really missed his father. That I could understand, despite the fact that I hated my father.

"If you feel that it's necessary, then I'll wait." I told him.

He looked up at me, he seemed completely baffled. I don't know what he was expecting from me, but I only knew that I wanted Ikuto to be happy. I couldn't be selfish and ask him to stay and not go find his long lost father. All I needed to know was that Ikuto was happy. I could never fill the gap left from his father leaving. If it took one or two years for that gap to be filled, then I would wait.

"Ikuto-kun," I used an honorific to make sure he was paying attention. "I love you more than anything. If it takes one, two, or even three years for you to come back, then I'll wait for you."

"Amu…" He whispered my name.

I leaned over the table, careful not to spill the coffee, and kissed him. I looked at him and said, "But if you don't come back eventually, I'll go down to Fukuoka and assassinate you myself."

Ikuto gave me one of the warmest smiles I have ever seen. "I love you, Amu."

I gave him another kiss and replied with a smile on my face, "I know."

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