A/N: Tadaa! I'm back 8D –shouts to a silence- Another long update gap, but you all know how it is! When you can't write, you can't write. This chapter is fairly short but I felt bad for not updating and wanted to put something up ASAP.

This chapter is dedicated to everyone still reading, especially Vi for that wonderful review of hers~

Disclaimer: I do not own Shugo Chara! Or any of its characters, they belong to Peach-Pit.

Chapter 13 - An Optimistic Rima

Tadase's room hadn't changed much during the past few years. He still had the same bed, same study desk, same book shelf and even the same blue alarm clock. Of course, his guardian cloak no longer hung above his bed, he now kept it in his wardrobe and the pictures in his photo frames had changed several times from a picture of his younger self with his grandmother, to a picture of him and the former guardians to a picture of him and Amu. The frame was now empty. He had taken all his pictures when he left the town but now that he was back he wasn't sure what he wanted to fill it with.

Kiseki still liked to sleep in his egg on Tadase's bedside table even though he always complained about the alarm clock ringing right in his ears early in the morning.

He sat down on his bed, took out his phone and scrolled through his contacts until he found Rima's name. He wondered if he should really ask Rima about this, she might not be too happy about it. Still, he did tell Amu that'd he'd asked her. He pressed the call button and waited anxiously.

"Hello," came Rima's voice from the other end, though Tadase thought that she sounded different somehow.

"Hey it's Tadase. Listen, I stopped by Hinamori-san's house earlier, just to send her sister, don't worry, and she invited us to go to a floral exhibition with her and Fujisaki-san."

"What did you say?" she asked. Tadase didn't detect any sharpness in her voice much to his surprise. It was as if she was...cheerful?

"I told her that I'd ask you if you were free and if you were we'd love to come." Tadase waited for the scolding that was sure to come.

"That sounds fun."

It took Tadase a while to register that sentence. Was he hearing right? "Sorry, what did you say?"

"I said it sounds like fun!" No, he heard perfectly fine but that made no sense at all. She didn't even sound sarcastic! Maybe Rima didn't understand the situation here.

"I'm not sure if you realized but it's not just a normal outing but more of a double date. A double date with Hinamori-san and Fujisaki-san."

"Yes I know! I don't see what the problem is. I've never been on a double date before, it could be fun."

Tadase an incredulous exchanged a look with Kiseki who had been listening to the conversation. Rima was acting very strange, she of all people should be absolutely horrified of the idea of a double date with the two. Tadase was supposed to be the willing one, not Rima. He expected Rima to get him to agree to make up a lie about Rima being busy on Friday and that would be that.

"I'm talking about a double date with the two people that we love but can't have," he said slowly into the phone so that it would be clear to Rima. "We will probably suffer the whole afternoon."

After a small silence on the phone Tadase smiled the himself sadly. Rima was probably thinking over it now. He half-expected her to hang up on him.

He did not expect, however, a small giggle from her. "You're taking it too seriously Tadase. You like flowers don't you? It'll be nice to go there...maybe there'll be some cherry blossoms."

Kami-sama help me now. "Are you chara-changed? Rima-chan maybe you should call me back once you're back to normal."

"She's not chara-changed!" he heard Kusu-kusu say through the phone.

Not chara changed? But...then... "Are you drunk?"

"No, of course not idiot!" snapped Rima.

Tadase almost sighed from relief. Now that sounded like the Rima he knew. "Well then what's the explanation for your answers just now?"

"I'm just...I don't know I can't think straight. I'm just...overwhelmed at the moment."

"What happened?"

"Well you see..." Rima explained what had happened during dinner. Tadase's eyes widened as Rima started to sound like she was going to cry. "I just can't believe it...I'm just so happy." Tadase heard Rima sniff though he knew she tried to stifle it. "And now this comes up but I just can't feel worried about it."

He regretted calling Rima now. Even though she said she wasn't worried he couldn't help but feel that she would start to worry after a while and he didn't want to ruin her happiness. "In that case, let's talk about it tomorrow."

"That'd be good."

"Good night Rima-chan."

"Night."

XOXO

Rima woke up the next day feeling very positive. She practically skipped down the stairs when she was leaving for school. It was as if she was a whole new person. Stepping out of the house she felt like she may even burst out into a bala-balance just for the hell of it. That is, until she spotted Tadase waiting in front of the house for her and staring at Rima as if she was an alien.

"Are you sure you're not chara-changed?" Tadase asked, glancing at Kusu-kusu who shook her head.

"Of course I'm not. I'm not actually doing the bala-balance at the moment am I?"

"I'm not following at all but whatever you say," said Tadase with a shrug. "I must admit it's kind of nice to see you like this."

Rima gave him a small smile in which Tadase returned. A flurry of orange hair suddenly popped in between them. "Now how are my not-so-in lovebirds today?"

"Yuiki-san!" Tadase exclaimed taken by surprise by her appearance.

"Hey, hey! Rima-chi looks really different today." Yaya tilted her head to one side. "Hmm...I wonder what it is."

Rima giggled. "There's nothing different Yaya!"

Yaya's eyes grew wide. "Are you chara-changed?"

The former-king flashed Rima a small look of triumph. He wasn't the only one that mistook her mood for a character change.

"No, I'm just really happy today," she replied, ignoring Tadase.

"Really? Why is that?" Yaya checked her watch. "Wait, never mind! I just remembered that I'm on duty for class today. I've got to change the flowers right now. Oh shoot! Flowers!" Yaya sped away in what the other two presumed was the closest flower shop.

Ten minutes later Rima and Tadase entered their class to the usual chatter of the school morning. Amu and Nagihiko who arrived earlier greeted them both as they sat down.

"You look rather cheery today," Nagihiko commented, looking at Rima.

For once, Rima could look into Nagihiko's eyes without blushing or turning away. "Thank you."

Amu and Nagihiko exchanged looks of confusion at Rima's lack of animosity towards Nagihiko.

"Anyway, did Tadase-kun talk to you yesterday about-"

"Class! Settle down," the teacher ordered.

"We'll talk at lunch," Amu whispered to Rima.

XOXO

As the four of the former-guardians sat down at their usual table at lunch, Nagihiko couldn't help but feel a bit uneasy, though he didn't show it. Amu had told him over the phone about her arrangement for the double date. Nagihiko couldn't really argue about it since Amu had already invited Tadase and Rima. He was worried because he already admitted that he still harboured feelings for Rima. He was pretty sure Tadase still had feelings for Amu as well.

It was the girls feelings that were the problem. Amu genuinely liked Nagihiko and Rima – she wasn't one to always show her feelings out. She usually hid them behind a stoic mask. Nagihiko was aware of the fact that before he got together with Amu, she and Nagihiko had something. Whether that thing was enough to have turned into romance Nagihiko would never find out. He wondered if she also knew that there was something there between them. He thought he caught her staring at him when she thought he wasn't looking, but Nagihiko always dismissed that as his imagination. He didn't want to get his hopes up.

Nagihiko felt something drop into the pit of his stomach when he saw Rima attempting to feed Tadase some of her bento. She was smiling encouragingly at him and after some hesitation Tadase allowed himself to be fed. This was just so out of character for Rima. It was like her mask had disappeared. Was her relationship with Tadase allowing her mask to break off? Did Tadase do something in this short period of time then Nagihiko couldn't do since elementary school?

Although he hated to admit it Nagihiko knew he was feeling somewhat jealous of Tadase and for some absurd reason, a sense of betrayal. He was sure that Tadase could see, at least in elementary school, that he liked Rima even though he didn't know it himself at the time and here he was dating Rima. That was a hypocritical way of thinking, Nagihiko told himself. After all, wasn't going out with Amu the ultimate betrayal to his friend? Tadase liked, no, loved Amu and wanted her back. Yet Nagihiko took that chance away. Since Nagihiko was now dating Amu, Tadase would logically conclude that he no longer liked Rima and went out with her.

Besides, Rima was the one who gave Tadase the Valentines card. Looking at the two laughing now, maybe they did really like each other.

Amu cleared her throat and Tadase and Rima both looked at her. Nagihiko sensed that Amu was feeling slightly irritated. "Tadase-kun did you ask Rima-chan about Friday?"

"I did and Rima-chan thinks that-"

"It's a great idea!" Rima finished for him. She then continued to smile pleasantly at Amu and Nagihiko.

"Did something good happen Rima? You seem very optimistic today," Amu asked, echoing her boyfriend's thoughts.

Rima then proceeded to explain what had happened the day before. "I thought that it was destined for them to stay apart but...here they are." At this, Rima looked straight at Nagihiko, who remembered that day with Yaya's brother under the cherry blossom tree. He successfully didn't flinch under her gaze.

"If you think she's happy now you should have heard her yesterday," said Tadase with another smile.

"Wait, you told Tadase-kun first?" Amu said, looking a bit surprised. Nagihiko understood what she was thinking, Amu thought that Rima would have told her first as her best friend.

At this Rima for the first time for the day looked slightly guilty. "Well he called me yesterday so..."

"Yes, that's when I asked her about the double date," Tadase added.

"A double date!" cried Yaya who plopped herself in the space beside Rima. "That sounds so cute!" She then had a very Yaya-kind of look in her eyes that worried Nagihiko ever so slightly. "Hmm...some perfect opportunities for some pictures of the fans."

"What fans?" Amu asked looking confused.

Yaya now looked even more smug. "The fans of the relationship of both you couples!"

Nagihiko felt that Yaya had purposely bounced in to change the subject and atmosphere. Although he was curious about what she was saying. "What do you mean?"

Yaya pointed to a board that appeared out of nowhere. There were two pictures, one of Amu and Nagihiko with the words 'Amuhiko' and one of Tadase and Rima with the words 'TadaRima'' printed under them.

The four older students immediately turned bright red, including Nagihiko.

"They're making pairing names for us now?" Nagihiko knew that all the other students were interested in the former-guardians lives but he never thought that they were that interested.

"My reputation!" Amu muttered, still red. Rima just stared at the board although her cheeks were now faded to a pink. Tadase started down at his food.

"Haha don't get so worked up guys! Everyone joins up their names with their boyfriends or girlfriends. It's a new trend!" Yaya assured them.

At the same time Nagihiko couldn't help but wonder what would joining his name with Rima would sound like...something like 'Rimahiko' maybe. A small smile tugged at his lips as he stole one more glance at Rima.

A/N: Oh we haven't had Yaya speak since chapter 11! Hello again :'D We've got some insight from Nagi here~ Anyway I'll try to get the next chapter up sooner than usual but again, I'm not very good at regular updates.

Reviews make me happy at any time though x3