It took Kukai a few minutes to regain his composure. He really did vent out his anger. Some of the benches were not equidistant to each other anymore and one of those was even damaged. However, he noticed his daughter staring at him awkwardly. He then recovered his poise.
"Amu, I'm sorry, Can we sit down for a while? I need time to think." Kukai exclaimed as he sat on one of the undamaged benches. He motioned his daughter to sit next to him. Amu nodded and sat next to her father.
"Hmmm… Kukai, since when were you in Japan?" Amu asked, trying to remove the awkward atmosphere. (a/n: In here, Amu finds it easier to call his dad normally, not that Kukai minds but in some cases, Amu calls Kukai 'dad' when they are having a serious conversations.)
"I just got here yesterday. I was freaked out in America, you know. I always saw weird guys in black trailing me." Kukai replied, as he acted scared.
"I see… Well, I am glad to see you. Please tell me everything, from how you survived the tragic event, up to how were you able to return here." Amu cheerfully asked Kukai. She acted like a spoiled kid around him. It felt like the old times. Amu acts as a teenager with her mom but when she is with her dad, she shows him her immature self.
"How I survived the tragic event? I do not know but what I am sure is that I did not feel numb when I fell and landed. I was thrown to an island. I was glad I was safe- no injuries, no pain but I was shocked to learn that I was the only person in that island. And what's more, I do not have my phone anymore!"
"Ha-ha, but how were you able to get out of the island? You didn't swim, did you?" Amu was curious. How could have Kukai left the island if there is nobody around to ask for help?
"That's why it took so long. I have to admit, I was hopeless that time. I was actually planning to die there! Then an idea soon popped on my head. I decided to make a boat. I'm great, aren't I?" Kukai proudly told Amu.
"That's why it took so long, right? You have to make a boat, which could not be done in just one day. In addition to that, you even have to ride the boat and be sure you are safe. I'm glad you survived."
"What a great conclusion you had there. It was pretty the exact same thing I did. You really are my daughter." Kukai responded.
"Of course I am, but you know what Kukai? I think that if you aren't my father, I would like you to be the guy that I will marry."
"You used to compete with your mother, as far as I remember."
Flashback:
"When I get a little older, I'll marry Kukai!" Amu cheerfully said as she hugged her father. Kukai chuckled and ruffled the hair of her little daughter.
"Amu, Kukai's wife is already me, so you should find other guys out there, right?"
"No! No! I only want Kukai!" Amu pouted.
"No, choose another guy! You cannot marry him! That's impossible."
"If that's true, I still have the advantage, right?" Amu mockingly told her mom.
"Why is that so?"
"Because if you separate, there is no more link between you, while I have my father's blood as my own." Amu ran after saying those things. She ran outside because she knows that her mom might do something to her.
"That girl never changes." Utau sighed.
"But it's pretty cute, right?" Kukai chuckled.
End of flashback
"I really acted like a spoiled brat during those times." Amu admitted.
"But I somehow miss those times." Kukai retorted. "By the way Amu, do you have any idea why your mom remarried?"
"I don't know why mom remarried. But it has been pretty hard on me." Amu uttered as she drew closer to his dad.
"Eh? Did your new dad harass you?" Kukai half joked, but he was also half-serious. He was joking about the harassment part but he was serious by how he emphasized new like venom from a snake.
"No, in fact, he was too kind to me. Because… there is some kind of… some kind of secret between us which I think mom doesn't have any idea about." Amu responded as she somehow defended Ikuto.
"Amu… you… you do not mean that you and your mom's new husband have some kind of… of an intimate… intimate relationship?" Kukai questioned Amu. It could be true, with the way his daughter said it, it is not impossible at all.
Amu could not say a word at all. She blushed and her cheeks turned pink. However, that only made her dad think his conclusion was right.
"Amu… Answer me… Do you and your-"
"No. But… But…" Amu cut off what her father was about to say. It was somewhat annoying her. However, she could not proceed. She does not know whether she has to tell her dad all the details.
"But what? That you have secret feelings for this guy?" Kukai is getting irritated as well.
"But he is my ex boyfriend." Amu muttered.
"What?" Kukai is making sure that he heard the right thing.
"He is my ex boyfriend." Amu repeated.
"Tell me you're lying." Kukai ordered.
"Then, I'm lying." Amu snapped.
"Oh, come on Amu! Don't tell me your stepdad happens to be your ex boyfriend?!" Kukai responded.
"Good! You thought of this over pretty well." Amu smiled as she said things sarcastically.
"Amu… He really is your ex boyfriend? But your mom would've noticed this, right? You always introduce whoever your boyfriend is. And knowing Utau, she wouldn't marry someone who is somehow related to you." Up until now, Kukai could not believe what Amu has confessed so he is looking for loopholes to make this seem a lie.
"Well, he happens to be my first boyfriend and I was 13 at the time. And at a very young age, you forbid me to have relationships unless I turn 16. Therefore, I hid the truth from you. I was a little guilty at that time, but since he didn't introduce me to his parents as well, I was relieved." Amu narrated, making sure not to mix anything on how she feels, just like her tone of voice when she reads a book about Science. (a/n: This is what my cousin tells me when I tell her things without emotions, just try to understand.)
"Amu, according to you, your mom doesn't know about it. So, why didn't you tell her?" Kukai interrogated Amu.
"Will it change anything? They were already married when mom brought him to Japan, so there's no point in saying it anyway." Amu retorted coolly. Because of this, Kukai hugged her daughter.
"Amu, you're such a nice girl. You don't want your mom to worry, right? I'm very proud of you." Kukai hugged Amu closer to him.
Amu could not help but cry. She could not control her tears from falling. She kept on recalling how uneasy she felt when she sees her mom and Ikuto together.
"You're such a good girl… But you didn't have to go that far." Instead of being happy by what Kukai said, Amu was angered. This caused her tears to stop from flowing.
"You know dad, thanks for the comfort. Unfortunately, it was not needed in the first place. My stepdad is just a part of my past. It is not like… as if I still love him. I have to admit, I used to be head over heels over him before but the present is a different story. I'm smart enough to know we weren't meant to be in the first place." After saying so, Amu got away from Kukai's embrace and stood up, while facing him. She showed Kukai a miserable look. Kukai can sense that his daughter was lying, that she actually loves the person very much, that everything she said were all deceptions.
"You don't love him anymore, is that what you mean?" Kukai asked Amu, with just his normal tone of voice, no disbelief is mixed.
"Yes…" That is what Amu is only able to answer.
"You know what, Amu? I only came here because of you. I do not actually care about your mom. What I did just a while ago was some acting. I do not want to upset you by having you think I do not care about Utau anymore. Sorry for deceiving you." Kukai said with a sincere look in his face. The statement shocked amu, but she did not bother saying a word. For a few seconds, silence rushed through them. "You didn't deceive me. You are only proving to me… that…" Amu alleged. Afterwards she covered her face with her hands and started to sob.
"I'm only proving to you that I can see through you well, no matter how cool you act. Just like how you saw through my lies no matter how sincere I looked." Kukai managed to say as he offered a handkerchief to Amu.
Amu took the hanky and… "W-why? How can you say so?" she asked Kukai.
"It is because we are linked by a father-daughter kind of bond. We can understand each other very well. No matter how we try to hide our real emotions, we could see right through each other. We are transparent to each other. I could even say that you might understand me better than myself." Kukai reasoned out and gave Amu a caring look.
"Dad… Thank you." Amu sincerely said. She finally realized that from the very start, she actually loves Ikuto very much. She felt like a bird inside a cage that was set free because someone opened up the locks and that someone is her father, Kukai.
"It's time for us to get going, don't you think?" Kukai stretched out his hand and offered it to Amu. Amu accepted and they held hands with each other.
"It's time for you to go back home and show to mom that you are still alive."
…+ +…
"Ring! Ring!" The phone rang, obviously.
"Hello? Who's this?" Suu answered the phone and asked the one calling.
"I'm Mr. Hoshina. Is Utau or Ikuto around?" The caller asked politely.
"No, they aren't here in the moment. Would you like to leave a message?" Suu asked.
"No, never mind. Just tell them I called when I get back." With that, Suu closed the phone and continued doing the chores.
After a few minutes, Amu and Kukai came into the house but Kukai told Amu that he would hide somewhere first before revealing himself.
"Amu, be sure not to tell them that we met each other. I'll make it seem that I've returned by my own."
"Eh? You plan to surprise them?"
"Yes! I plan to surprise Utau. I wonder what her reaction will be when she sees me."
"If you say so. I hope you will find a good hiding place. I'll be staying at my room for a while." Amu said.
…+ +…
After an hour, Ikuto and Utau finally returned to the house.
"Suu. Please prepare something to eat." Utau ordered as she entered the house. "That sure was exhausting, why did I have to walk from the mall up to here?" Utau said as she looked at Ikuto with evil eyes. Ikuto just shrugged.
"Yes. And Utau-san… Mr. Hoshina called and told me to tell you that he did."
"I wonder if something came up… Thank you for the information. Please prepare something delicious, okay?" Suu left the scene afterwards.
"Maybe it is some kind of good news." Ikuto cheered Utau.
"I hope so…" Utau gulped. She started to dial Mr. Hoshina's number and waited for him to answer. After eight rings, he answered.
"Mr. Hoshina, this is Utau."
"Good. I have good news to tell you."
"What is it?"
"Kukai really is alive."
"R-really?!"
"Hey you! Show yourself!" Ikuto shouted. Utau was surprised by what Ikuto said.
"I'll call you later. Thanks for the information." Utau closed the phone and stared at the door where Ikuto was staring.
"What is it, Ikuto?" Utau asked curiously.
"Please keep quiet, Utau. I'll check who the one hiding in there is." Ikuto murmured.
"O-okay…"
Ikuto raised his fingers and signaled a 1-2-3 sign. Afterwards, he opened the door, and revealed a man hiding in a blanket.
"Who are you? Volunteer in opening the blanket by your own or I'll force you to do so." Utau ordered.
"Man, you're pushy as always…" the man in the blanket said. "But I won't show myself. Bring Amu in here first!" It is obvious that the man is purposely changing his tone of voice. Utau hesitated at first, but still agreed.
"Amu, come down here for a sec!" Utau shouted loud enough for Amu to hear. After a while, Amu went down.
"Yes, what's going on?" Amu asked as she saw Ikuto and Utau looking at the man inside a blanket. Amu knew who the man inside is but pretended not to know, just like what the man had instructed her to do so.
"Who is that?" Amu asked.
"Now, that Amu is here, bring her with the two of you somewhere where we could speak privately." The man ordered.
"You're so pushy. I don't care a damn to whoever you are anymore." Ikuto said and stared at the blanket man.
"I agree. Sorry for disturbing you, Amu." Utau concurred.
"Alright, alright, I'll show myself." The man slowly pulled the blankets away and Kukai was revealed. Amu could not act anymore because she does not know the proper reaction a person does when surprised, so she squealed a little.
"So it's just you, Kukai… Wait… WHAT?! Kukai?" Utau was shocked by what she saw. She actually is seeing Kukai right now.
"Aren't you happy to see me, Utau? I suppose not…" Kukai sadly said.
"Of course I am! Why won't I?" Utau disagreed.
"Because you remarried and replaced me that I think this way!" Kukai answered back. Utau was dumbfounded for a while but soon chuckled.
"I? Replaced you? Why would I do that?" Utau asked while smirking.
"Don't play dumb with me, Utau. I know you've remarried." Kukai answered with a serious tone of voice.
"Ikuto, why don't you go upstairs with Amu for a while. You could also tell her the truth if you want." Utau instructed. Ikuto nodded and brought Amu with him upstairs. Amu blushed but Ikuto did not notice.
"I'll explain everything to you, Kukai…" Utau sternly said.
…+ +…
Amu and Ikuto headed to Amu's room and stayed at the balcony. Ikuto stared at the sky while Amu stared at Ikuto's back. She blushed by her action and thought why she only realized her true feelings for Ikuto now.
"Does my back look tasty?" Ikuto smirked without even turning around. He just continued staring outside.
Amu became surprised and blushed harder.
"N-no. Of course not!" Amu tried to convince Ikuto but failed because of her stuttering.
"Eh?" Ikuto replied while sounding doubtful. This time Ikuto faced Amu. Amu noticed Ikuto's sapphire eyes and midnight blue hair. It is not as if she does not notice it before but right now, this kind of Ikuto's characteristic stands out.
Amu forgot that she is having a conversation with Ikuto and just continued to stare at the man in front of her with devotion.
Ikuto smirked and startled Amu again. "Are you betraying your boyfriend just because of me? You know, that's a bad thing to do, my dear."
My boyfriend, who? Amu thought and realized he was talking about Miru. Miru isn't my boyfriend, but I still have unsettled matters with him. I think I also love him and I do not want to lose Miru. However, I feel the same for Ikuto and my feelings for Ikuto are stronger than that of Miru's.
"I'm not betraying him. I would never do that to him." Amu replied sincerely and Ikuto stayed silent upon hearing Amu's response. He feels betrayed. Unlike Amu, Ikuto realized his feelings sooner, just after he gave a 'secret kiss' for Amu. (a/n: chapter 5)
"However, I think I will hurt his feelings sooner or later." Amu continued softly.
End of Chapter
miruku-chii: It has been a while, hasn't it?
amu: wow, you seem very happy…
ikuto: yes, she is so glad that she left this story for a very long time and then gives two cliffhangers in the same chapter again.
miruku-chii: *sweat drops* mind if I ask you… Are you being sarcastic, or not?
ikuto: … …
miruku-chii: silence means yes, I guess…
ikuto: *chuckles* I was being sarcastic… You left this story and then you'll be doing a comeback like that? are you torturing us?!
miruku-chii: well, sorry.
amu: don't mind this two… please review… and criticisms are very much welcomed.