I do not own anything.

Sorry for the late update, but I guess you've been hearing that from me so many times that my words have no meaning and all seem like lies. I honestly don't really have any excuse. Anyway, thank this chapter to nekogirl017 (Please vote on her poll). I present this story as her welcome back gift.

~Amu's POV~

I stared in awe as Utau riled up the fans with her voice. Utau didn't do anything special and stood there singing her hit song "Black Diamond". Utau wore her black vest over her white, long-sleeved shirt that draped over her black pants. She wore a black hat with white and purple diamonds at the front and a pair of tinted sunglasses. Even though the fans' voices were booming, her voice still overpowered them. Anyone could have mistaken her performance as the main event instead of the opening.

"Black Diamond~," Utau finished her song, but the fans wanted more. I looked out into the crowd and could see the audience's smiles and cheers. Their happiness and admiration was so strong that even I could feel it. Utau walked off the stage, and the MC announced Embryo's performance. The guys entered from the other side of the stage, and Utau exited the stage to my side.

"I see my music touched your heart," The blond pointed at the grin that broke out on my face. She seemed as if she won with her smirk that resembled Ikuto's. I couldn't help myself but laugh a little. "I like your dress."

"Thanks, I love your song. It gives me inspiration to bring happiness to the audience," I said. I wore a black, sleeveless dress with a red ribbon. It went vertically down the dress, and another red ribbon went around my waist, making a red cross.

"That's the second most important purpose of a singer," She advised. I took note of that in my head, but now my head ached for what was the first purpose. I looked at her to ask, but she answered it before I could. "The first purpose is to convey your feelings to your audience. Hey, Amu, what would you do if Ikuto confessed to you after the results were given out?

I looked at Utau at a loss for words. Didn't I tell her that Ikuto likes someone else? Utau shook her head and sighed as if she thought I was in denial. I turned my head towards Ikuto for a moment.

Unluckily for me, he was glancing at me with a smile while singing, "You are an angel~!" He turned away from me to look back at his audience. Ikuto wore a navy blue shirt with a black jacket and black pants.

"You have got to be kidding me," I switched my gaze to Utau who sighed once again.

"This is only hypothetically speaking." She seemed to be frustrated at me. I didn't know that she knew that the guy I was talking about was Ikuto, but then again, she could see through me as clear as glass.

"If he did, I would be rejoicing inside; but if he asked me for an answer, I probably wouldn't even be able to answer because I would be drowned by the happiness. However, that doesn't seem like it'll happen," I gave a sad smile as I looked at Ikuto who was practically shining. Utau seemed to want to say something but stopped herself. Ikuto looked back at my direction when he ended the song. His merry expression fell to a worried look when he saw my smile. I tried to make my smile look more upbeat, but all I accomplished was bringing more worry to his eyes. He rushed to my side with his guitar in his hand. Kukai and Nagi walked to the other side of the stage as they were supposed to, and the MC came on stage to announce Ikuto's performance.

"Hey, Amu, are you okay?" Ikuto's soothing hand caressed my face, but I didn't immerse myself in that wonderful feeling.

"Ikuto, you're up," I moved away from his touch and hid behind Utau who got the message. Utau told Ikuto to go, and he reluctantly followed. He sat on the chair in the middle of the stage with his guitar and gave me one wistful look before he looked back at the crowd. The intro began.

That familiar melody that I had known was played. How did Saya find this song? The song that my father wrote for me before he died… He died from an illness before I was born, but he knew that and wrote a song to me about Mama and his relationship. I only got the song when I was six years old. I played that song in front of Mama to make her less lonely, but I only received her tears and her begging to make it stop. The reason why I quit music long ago, but I found a new reason to start playing now.

Before I knew it, Ikuto had already gone through the first pages of the song.

"I want you forever, forever and always

Through the good and the bad and the ugly

We'll grow old together

Forever and always"

It's strange. This song no longer makes me remember the sad memory of my mother's tears. All I remember is Mama's smile when she said that she was happy for the memories of Papa. Is this all thanks to Ikuto?

"Then she gets an idea and calls in the nurses

Brings up the chaplain and he says a couple verses

She borrows some rings from the couple next door

Everybody's laughing as the tears fall on the floor

She looks into his eyes, and she says

I want you forever, forever and always"

What if Ikuto did confess to me after the results? What would I do? Speaking of which, did I really tell him that I loved him? I really didn't, did I? Sigh, oh, I got it. If Saya wins, I won't tell him my feelings; but if I win, I'll confess to him. I could hear Ikuto quiet down as well as the crowd.

"She finishes the vows but the beeps are getting too slow

His voice is almost too low

As he says, I love you forever, forever and always

Please just remember even if I'm not there

I'll always love you, forever and always."

I looked out again at the crowd and saw that the couples were holding hands and looking lovingly into the other's eyes. The single people were smiling with tears in their eyes. When I turned to Ikuto, he was looking at me with concern. This time I didn't need any time to think. I was happy that he was by my side. I shouldn't be selfish. I smiled back at him. He let out a relieved sigh and walked off the stage the other way. The MC announced Saya's performance, and the said person pranced onto the stage and sat at the piano. I already knew which song this was. It was "When I Look At You" (by Miley Cyrus. I do not own.).

I didn't pay attention to the song and talked to Utau about composing music. She shared her methods and tips with me, and I did the same. After Saya's song, the MC called for Ikuto to sing my song. It amazed me how he could just master a song within less than a day. He sat on the same chair and strummed the notes like last night. He sang along with that note, but there was something off. Last night, he played the song in a gloomy tone, but this time it was filled with delight. It was different than before. The whole feel of the song was changed just by his emotions. I listened to the song with a smile.

The song finished pretty quickly for some weird reason. The MC called for me. I took a deep breath to collect myself and walked onto the stage. I could see many different people. I could see people bored and just texting, people looking intently at me, people yawning, people talking amongst themselves, and people of many varieties. The first purpose of a singer was to convey their feelings across to their audience. I began the first words of my song "Departures" (by Supercell. Don't Own.). As my song progressed, I reminisced over the days with Ikuto. The day when he and I were stuck in an elevator, the day when he brought me to the hospital, and the day he kissed me under the rain – All of it was incredible. Memory after memory, they replayed in my head as I sang with my whole heart. It started off with the first day we met to last night.

The song ended, and I walked off the stage to Ikuto. He stood there with his arms open for me. I hurried into his arms and hugged him.

"You did a good job," Ikuto whispered into my ear. I felt as if I was in bliss. It seemed as if he was accepting the feelings I created within my song. Sadly, the MC ruined my moment when he said that Embryo, Saya and I were to be on the stage.

I and Ikuto moved to the stage with Kukai, Nagi, and Saya. Embryo sat in the three chairs on the left side of the stage, and Saya and I sat on the chairs at the right side of the stage. Now, was the time when they would ask us questions from the fans. I hope I'm ready for it.

Normal POV

"Saya and Amu, what is your ideal boyfriend like?" Nagi asked them, reading off a notecard. Amu looked at Ikuto. He had a smirk on his face as if saying, "I am Amu's ideal type." Amu rolled her eyes but couldn't deny. Ikuto, on the other hand, wasn't sure whether Amu loved him or not.

"Well, mine would be handsome and rich," Saya answered. The audience didn't react.

"I would like someone who is…" Amu was looking for the word, but since Ikuto was looking intently at her, she couldn't think that well. "Kind," She hurriedly finished with that one word. She had a thousand of words that could describe the one she loved, but she'd rather not say them all.

"Oh, come on, Amu, we know there's more. You can start off with explaining the looks of the guy you absolutely love right here," Kukai pointed at Ikuto. The audience started hollering and whistling. Some even made suggestions for Amu to say. Kukai noticed she was struggling and said, "Here I'll help you. Repeat after me. The man I love has azure dreamy eyes and his blue hair is as soft as fur." He said the last sentence in a high pitched voice and batted his eyelashes. Amu thought those things but wondered how in the world Kukai would know.

"Onto the next question," Nagi interrupted Kukai's teasing; for Ikuto seemed ready to kill Kukai. "Which member in Embryo do you like best?"

"It's Ikuto-koi, of course," Saya answered. The audience still didn't react. Everyone looked towards Amu, but she pretended to cough and continued on doing it.

"I think I heard an Ikuto there," Kukai shot up from his seat, yelling. Ikuto pulled him back down.

"Onto the third question," Nagi once again interrupted Kukai's tomfoolery. "Where and with whom was your first kiss?" Amu gave an accusing look towards Nagi, but Nagi held up his hands as if saying it wasn't his fault.

"I was in kindergarten at school and with a cute boy in my class," Saya answered. The audience yet again didn't react.

"I was in the park under the rain with…" She mumbled the other part inaudible to everyone except her and Ikuto.

"I heard an Ikuto,"Kukai pointed at Ikuto, but only earned a hit to the head from the said person. The audience gave another round whistles and hollers.

"The fourth question is what is your favorite color," Nagi thought that this was the simplest question of all time, but Amu thought differently. Amu couldn't lie to her fans.

"A sparkly red," Saya answered and didn't receive any attention.

"B-blue," Amu said, playing with her hair. Kukai yelled a "She admitted it" as well as the audience.

"The fifth question is who did you make your songs for," Nagi said, not bothering to look at Amu.

"For myself," Saya answered, not receiving any reactions.

"For a guy I love," Amu answered, trying to not be noticed like Saya.

"And who is that guy? Oh, right, it's Ikuto right here," Kukai grinned, laughing.

"The sixth and final question," Nagi asked the final question, finally putting an end to Amu's misery. "What will you do if you don't make it?"

"What is this a trick question? I will of course make it," Saya ho-hoed.

"If I don't make it, I'm planning on being a composer," Amu answered, smiling. This was the only safe question.

"That concludes our concert. Merry Christmas, everybody!" The MC shouted.

Thanks for being with me this far into the story.