Chapter 3: Digressed

Sunlight made past the obstructive window curtains through tiny openings. Some landed on the walls, wardrobe, desk, floor, bed and one in particular, landed right on the sleeping occupant's face. The occupant slowly twisted and turned, but to no avail, able to block out the sunlight, even attempted to defend against the penetrating sunlight by throwing a pillow at the window. Still able to see the sunlight through closed eyes, the occupant gave up and sat up right in frustration.

Blinking eyes wide open, adjusting it to the sight of the room. Fully awake, a couple of stretches was done before going down onto the floor to retrieve the crumpled pillow and dumping it back onto its place without straightening its folds. " Breakfast!" shouted a voice from below.

" Coming," he muttered, midnight-blue hair glistened under the bright, bold rays of the sun, as he stalked towards his door and grabbed his usual casual black v-neck tee, tossing it over his head and over his lean body. " Are you comming for breakfast or what!" yelled Souko Tsukiyomi as she slammed open his bedroom door.

" What's with that? Getting slammed in the face is not one of the first things I want to wake up to," Ikuto Tsukiyomi complained, massaging his blunt nose. " You're not waking up, you're already awake! Now get down there and eat your breakfast! You're not sneaking out this time, Ikuto!" Souko gave her comeback, looking at her son from head to toe. " Change!" She pointed at the uniform that's scattered across the desk.

He just continued on with slipping on his navy-coloured socks.

" Ikuto! Do you want me to undress you like an eight year-old?" She asked him but has already grabbed his uniform shirt and stalked towards him, like a predator would do to its prey.

Ikuto froze at the idea of being treated like an eight-year old, suddenly smirking to himself. When he looked more intently at Souko's face, it made him frown and have second thoughts. He went ahead and grabbed the uniform shirt.

He didn't say anything but sulked as he went to change into it, removing his usual casual black v-neck tee and dumping onto his bag. Without a word, Souko crossed the room to confiscate the v-neck tee. " You're not going to change after you leave the house! I've already found your new dumping spot!"

" It's not been a week..." Ikuto muttered under his breath, buttoning down his uniform shirt. "You know how weary of your constant school-skipping... It's depressing to read how-"

" Good my grades are? Thanks ka-san," Ikuto smirked, interrupting Souko .

" Not that, I'm fine with that but... ," she dismissed his behavior with a wave of her hand. "Your conduct! It's poor! What would your future employers think of you?" Souko crossed her arms at her waist.

" Think that I'm a genius," said Ikuto walked past Souko, towards his desk, sweeping all his books into his shoulder bag.

" Ikuto!"

" What? I'm merely stating a fact, that employers look into. They don't really care if you're both, they're just fine with either as long as they get to use you, isn't it what's happening nowadays?" He walked out of his room and down the stairs.

" No it isn't. There are still some just employers who favours both intellegience and attitude... Never mind the intelligience, they'd rather have someone with the right attitude!" She retorted as she followed him.

" And not intelligience? So are you saying that employers would rather have their companies be run by dumb people? They don't always make the best choices." He turned round the corner and took a slice a toast from the kitchen counter, and stuffed it into his mouth.

" Yeah, they may not make the best choices but they make wise choices because they have the right attitude! They're willing to learn! Unlike you! That's what separates them from you!" She stood in the hallway.

Ikuto rolled his eyes but continued, " Sure ka-san, I'd be so shamed not to be apart of this righteous group."

" You should be! You shouldn't let the ways of the world influence you! Look what they done to you!" She gestured with her hands and arms, pointing at his being.

" What they've done to me is commonly heard of and done, just getting another citizen under their control so that they can have things go their way," he stated as he slipped on his loafers at the entrance.

" And are you going to let them do this to you?" She shot back at him, glaring intently at him.

" Yes, cause I can't change it because what happens yesterday, happens today, and it will happen tomorrow." He gave one last glance at her before slipping through the doors, exiting the house. Her stare loosened and she dropped onto her knees, face in her hands and sobbed quietly. Why is he like this nowadays? He wasn't like this last time... W-what made him change? ... Was it what I've said to him? What I've done to him? ...Why does he always give me that forlorn look? ... Why, does he sounds like he has gone through it before?

Not again today... It's always the same! Why can't I ever get it? Amu grumbled to herself. With the slice of chocolate loaf in her hand, she walked to her usual eating place with her friends and sat down beside Rima. Rima looked at Amu and shooked her head. Utau looked at Amu too and smirked. Yaya did the same and laughed at Amu. This time, Amu responded and pretended to throw her loaf at yaya. " Hey Amu-chi! That's not nice!" Yaya complained.

" Then why laugh at me then? I'm already facing such misfortune," Amu sighed.

" Because Amu-chi's always getting your most hated chocolate bread whenever Amu-chi didn't bring her bento! Serves Amu-chi right again! Ha ha!" stated Yaya, trying to stifle her laughter along with Rima who has changed into her kushukushu personality. This time, Amu really did throw her loaf at Yaya. " Hey! I wasn't the only one who laughed at Amu-chi! Why didn't you it at throw a Rima-chan? Utau-chan too! She was smirking!" Yaya complained, this time, rubbing the sore forehead from the great impact from the chocolate loaf.

" I hate to say that I agree because you'd usually laugh off with Yaya or wack her with something else instead but today it's your chocolate loaf... Something must have really upset you huh, Amu," questioned Utau, even though it seemed more like a fact than a question.

...

" Yes... Something did..." Amu whispered softly, almost so quietly that if Yaya had not been quiet, no one would have heard it.

...

" So what was it?" Rima ceased the ensuing silence. It was so uncomfortable for everyone that even Rima stepped up to it.

" I... Remember I told your that I have a boyfriend? Well, I don't," Amu paused to look at Yaya intently. Everyone else followed Amu's train of stare. " What? Yaya didn't say anything or even do anything this time!" Yaya whined.

" N-no, you did nothing but, usually you'd be 'Amu-chi doesn't have a boyfriend! Amu-chi lied to minna!' And stuff like that," Amu mimicked Yaya in a perfect enactment of her with flailing hand gestures and appalled face, causing everyone one to laugh. " You're really the joker here Amu!" laughed Rima in her kushukushu personality, swiping off her tears.

"Yeah, Yaya agree and Yaya certifies it," she gave a big thumbs up for Amu.

" Me too but, what made you upset just now?" Utau asked, ceasing all fun.

" Way to ruin the moment Utau-chan," Yaya slices at Utau, nudging her side, Rima pinching Utau's side. It made Utau cringe. " Okay okay, stop bullying Utau, I'll tell you - I tried to get a boyfriend online."

...

" Nani?!" all three shouted in unision. Even Rima was shocked. " Shh, don't make a hyperbole out of it, I'm just getting a boyfriend online and besides, I haven't even found a single boyfriend yet," Amu places a finger on her lips and her other hand waving it down, almost as if to calm down her hot-headed friends from making it a ruckus.

" But do you know what this means?" Utau questioned.

" Meeting bad people!" Yaya piped in.

" And getting kidnapped and your parents being forced to pay a ransom..." Rima quietly added. Everyone looked at Rima for awhile, fully aware and understanding of the pain she'd gone through. Then moments later, Utau and Yaya glared back at Amu. " I-I... I'm sorry! I didn't meant to look at it so lightly! I thought it'd be the fastest way to get a boyfriend..." Amu looked down at her skirt in shame, devoid of any chocolate loaf.

" Yeah, the fastest and worst way. Knock it off will you, Amu? It'd do you no good in the end," Advised the wisest of them all, Utau. " But I've already sent out the request! I can't just 'knock it off' now!" exclaimed Amu.

" Yes you can, just ignore the request. Better yet, delete the account altogether, it may just save you from a lifetime of regret," rebutted Utau, standing firm on her stand.

" But it's my only way of getting a boyfriend..."

" Stop with all these excuses! It's not your only way! Look at us! How did each of us managed to get a boyfriend? We waited! Even I got Kukai after Yaya got Kairi!"

" Hey!"

"Don't you see? Patience is the essence for a good relationship. You needn't need to rush things... Take it slow... Okay, so it might be our fault that we pressurized you to get a boyfriend but to be honest, we all thought you'd get Tadase, not some online guy. And even this comming as a shock for all of us, you know the extent of how severe such situation is right? So Amu, pull out of this before it gets worse, you're already heading towards the trap," cautioned Utau.

" I-I... I..." Amu made hesitant pauses, sometimes opening her mouth to say something but no words came out.

" Yes, what is it?" said Utau sounding impatient.

" I..."

Just then, the school bell ended, signalling the end of their lunch break. The all four of them got up and headed their seperate ways but before Amu could entirely flock the scene, Utau grabbed her sleeve and said, " Think through this, yeah?"

She was so afraid by Utau's penalizing stare that all she could do was nod. And that small nod didn't make her feel any better but it improve when Utau let go of her sleeve, seemingly satisfied with her answer, almost as if allowing her prey to escape her clutches. With no weight restraining her to stay at that place of an uncomfortable conversation, Amu made a mad Dash back to her classroom, as far as she could from that spot, especially Utau.

" That's all for today, any questions?" Nikaidou asked the class. No one asked any questions, except-

" Nikaidou-sensei, I can't stay back..." Rima stated as after Nikaidou acknowledged her raised hand.

" I'm very well aware of that but Rima-san, you are a student of this classroom, if you're going to study in this classroom, you might as well take a little of your time to take care of it," Nikaidou refuted. " Any more?" He looked around the class.

...

" No questions? Okay, class stand, class greet," Nikaidou said as he took hold of his folder and relevant documents.

" Thank you Nikaidou-sensei, have a nice day." The students bowed and left promptly.

" Rima, don't worry, I'll walk you home," Amu patted Rima's shoulders.

" But otou-san, oka-san won't allow..." Rima whispered.

" Why won't they? It's just cleaning the classroom, you're doing nothing scary and you won't be alone! I'll be here till we finished cleaning up the classroom, alright?" Amu flashed a warm smile at Rima, trying her hardest to convince the troubled girl.

" ... "

" Hai hai! Let's start cleaning up!" Amu passed the chalk board wiper to Rima while she took the broom and dustpan for herself.

" Rima, I'll be cleaning this side of the classroom!" Amu points to the other end of the class, always preferring to clean from the door of the classroom to the back of the classroom where the dustbin was. That's when she turned around and saw Rima already hard at work, swiping the chalk board with futile effort as she jumped up to clean the markings at the top. Nikaidou-sensei is really ruthless isn't he? He especially assigned the board-cleaning assignment to Rima despite knowing that she's one of the shortest few in class... Guess I've gotta swap duties with her. Amu sighed and walked towards Rima thrust the broom and dustpan at her and while taking the wiper from her. " Thank you..." Rima grumbled, appreciative yet upset that Amu willingly accepted that she is short.

" Ne Amu," Rima called as she swept her first corner.

" Hai?" Amu stood on her toes with a little difficulty, but definitely with more ease than Rima.

" You should go meet this online guy," Rima said as she swept to the next row.

" Eh?! But I haven't met this guy yet! No wait! I shouldn't do it as it would offend you..." Amu trailed off thinking of Rima's previous demise.

" I-it's alright, you shouldn't let what happened to me deter you from getting a boyfriend... Besides, you're really single for Valentine's this year aren't you Amu?" Rima shyly smiles at Amu.

" I-I have... Who am I kidding, I don't have. I really can't lie to your, especially you, isn't it? You have like this sixth sense whenever it comes to our problems!" Amu laughs it off, swiping off tears while Rima 'checks' by bringing her thumb and index finger stay by the side of her chin, making her chin in between the two fingers with the rest of her fingers curled inwards to her palm and with a wicked smile plastered on her face.

" But I really shouldn't do it, you have a trauma of meeting strangers and I would hurt your feelings by meeting a stranger myself... I'm sorry Rima," Amu apologies while trying to reason with Rima.

" But you're the cool and spicy Hinamori Amu aren't you? You're cool enough to do this. Besides, you have a knack for getting out of problems, always," Rima stresses on the last word, enforcing her stand while laughing in her kushukushu personality.

" Ha ha ha ha..." Amu laughs with the absence of enthusiasm.

" You think this is a joke isn't it?" Rima stares hard at Amu while hitting her dustpan against the dustbin, having already swept the entire floor of the classroom. Amu cringes back at Rima's intense stare. " Come here, take this," Rima points at the dustbin now brimming full of waste paper and dust bunnies.

" Why are you like this to me..." Amu bemoans her plight, walking towards the dustbin knowing well what to do with it.

" I'm really not kidding Amu, you should really go get yourself a boyfriend through whatever means because it's really tiring to spend time with you just because you don't have a boyfriend you know... And hello! we have our own boyfriends! Nagihiko was upset that I didn't spend Valentine with him last year and especially Utau, she would obviously not spend her Valentine's Day with you when she got Kukai and besides, I heard Kairi might want to spend some time with Yaya... Alone." Rima crosses her arms below her chest and taps her foot on the ground.

" He did?" Amu ask bewildered, already holding onto the dustbin.

"Yes," Rima heads over to her seat to pack her bag.

" Man, I really do have a notorious reputation for being a third wheel don't I?" Amu laughs while scratching her head with her other free hand, walking out of the classroom without waiting for Rima's reply knowing well what she would answer.

" Should I really go along with it?" Amu sighed.

" Go along with what?"

" Tadase-kun! What are you doing here?" Amu jumped a step back in shock, suddenly realising that she had said that out aloud.

" I'm staying back to wrap up the remaining activities for the Guardians, what about you Hinamori-san?" the blonde asked.

" You know the usual, cleaning up the classroom," Amu blushes a shade darker than a cherry blossom*. (( Didn't use 'sakura' as some readers may confuse it as a possible character in this story ))

" Oh I see, it's your duty today," Tadase states.

" It is, ha ha..." Amu trails off, remembering that humiliating scene that day.

...

Tadase's silence only reinforced her suspicions and fears.

" G-gomen Tadase-kun! I shouldn't have said that that day!" Amu shouts out her apology, directing a ninety-degree bow at Tadase.

" W-what are you saying Hinamori-san? And please stand up right!" Tadase stutters in slight disbelief.

" Aren't you angry at me for saying those words that day, Tadase-kun?" Amu look right at Tadase's eyes.

" What words? I didn't hear any. I just saw you and Saaya-san arguing and I wanted to stop the argument and disperse the crowd, especially since it was happening outside school which was closest to the principal's office," Tadase warmly smiles at Amu.

" Oh I see, ha ha, you didn't want to get caught for letting an argument happen," laughed Amu.

" Not exactly," Tadase chuckles. " But to prevent you from getting a demerit point," Tadase being his usual friendly self, smiles right back at Amu again. Her eyes locks onto his.

" And Saaya-san too," he added.

You just had to add in the last part... Don't you Tadase, way to ruin the moment, Amu inwardly sighs as her gaze wavered. " Why don't I help you to pick up the rubbish?" Tadase asks for permission but was already hell bent on picking up the rubbish.

" No, don't!" Amu grabs hold of both Tadase's wrists.

" Why not?" Tadase questions.

" Because... You just can't," Amu chalks up an excuse. Because you are the prince of our school and you shouldn't be picking up rubbish as prince! What if someone catches us? You'd be humiliated and my cool and spicy image would be ruined! Amu wrestles with her inner crisis.

" Hinamori-san...?"

" H-hai Tadase-kun!" Amu awkwardly shies herself away.

" Are you alright Hinamori...chan?" Tadase hesitantly asks. Chan?! He called me Hinamori-chan? Finally! I've been upgraded!

" Hinamori-chan…?"

" Ah no I'm just-! I mean erm argh! Are you free tomorrow Tadase-kun!" Amu blurts out a random question.

" Why yes I am, the whole day except the night in fact."

" Oh, I see...great! Do you want to go out?" Amu was hesitant on how to continue on from her spontaneous question.

" Yeah, sure, where do you want to go to?"

" Oh, just the usual hanging out at the shopping mall, he he," giggles Amu, answering so swiftly and quickly as if the answer was second nature to her.

" Sure! Meet you at-"

" Eleven! Is that fine?" asks, more eager than before.

" No problem! Gomen Hinamori-chan, I've got to go back for my guardian duties, see you tomorrow at eleven at the mall!" Tadase waves off and he turns to walk away.

" Nah, it's alright! You're a guardian with a lot of responsibilities! I hope you didn't take too much of your time!" Amu awkwardly states as she waved him off.

" And I forgot," Tadase turned around and walked back towards Amu.

" Forgot what?" Amu questions.

" Forgot these," Tadase smiles and starts bending down to pick up the rubbish. This time, Amu didn't stop Tadase from picking up the rubbish but instead, said, " Thank you for helping me out, Tadase-kun." Amu blushes a deeper shade of pink and bends down to join Tadase to pick up the rubbish.

" No problem," Tadase cheerfully beams back.

They continued to pick up the rubbish in silence, but in a comfortable one, one where Amu wish she could remain longer because it's finally the chance where she get to spend some time alone with her long time crush. Uwaahhh~ Is this what they call happiness? Being able to spend time alone with the one you like, Tadase~! Amu enters dreamland mode and reaches out to pick up the last piece of rubbish and it so happened that Tadase reached out too, his hand covering hers. Both of them looked up and stared at each other for a long time.

" Gomen Tadase-kun!" Amu retracts her hand away once she snaps out of the trance.

" Gomen Hinamori-chan!" Tadase does the same too once the same thing has happened to him.

The two looked away blushing, not sure of what to say next. Then Amu was the first one to break their yet again, comfortable silence. " Ah, Tadase-kun, you should go now, you got a lot of Guardian duties awaiting you."

" Oh, I nearly forgot! Ah, see how time flies when you're having fun!" Tadase sighs.

" You had fun with me...?" Amu questions in disbelief, believing that Tadase was awkward around her.

" Yeah it was fun, even though we simply talked and picked up rubbish but it was fun talking to you, Hinamori-"

" Chan," Amu sharply cuts in, finishing the missing word, making Tadase and herself laugh.

" Ha ha, okay, Hinamori-chan, you're funny, I hope I get to talk to you more. Bye!" Tadase waved as he turned around to walk back to the Guardian room, leaving there for good.

" Bye!" Amu shouted across the hallway to let Tadase that's currently at the other end of the hall hear, waving back.

This time, she didn't get any reply but she was already satisfied with the simple interaction she had with him. If only I get to have these simple conversations with him often, my life would be complete, I wouldn't need to go to the internet to get a date! Tadase's the best date for me! She inwardly jumped for joy and she hummed a cheerful tune as she continue walking down to the main waste chute to dispose of her rubbish. While she was disposing her rubbish, a sudden pang of realisation hit her: Rima was still in the classroom! And it was already late! With that realisation, Amu trashed the remaining trashed and dashed back to the classroom panting with the dustbin in tow, only to find the classroom devoid of Rima's presence. " Where could she have gone to...? Rima!" Amu called out to Rima as she raced around the classroom to check again whether she is in the classroom. Amu came to an abrupt halt when she saw a note lain next to her neatly packed bag.

Curious, she picked it up and read: What's taking you so long Amu! It's already so late! Haiz… My parents just called and I need to go home now so I'm leaving this note so that you won't panic and run around like and idiot ((you're only going to further embarrass us both, baka)) You did it didn't you? bye - Rima.

Amu sighed a sigh of relief knowing that her friend has not stayed any longer as it would be more dangerous, later into the night. She didn't want to be the cause another traumatic experience for the girl.

~Meanwhile~

" Achoo!"