Hey guys! So just to let you know, this story will soon be re-named to 'Before the Storm'
I don't own!
Flashback
"Ikuto won't agree to the operation. He claims that he's fine and even if he only has a few months left to live, he'd rather live them to be with you. Even if it means dying." A burly man stated from behind his large desk. He sat with his elbows on the surface of the desk, hands folded underneath his chin. "Clearly this is a problem. I need someone to keep the business going and I'm not willing to risk having a dead step-son."
Amu quietly gazed down at her intertwined fingers resting in her lap. She didn't want Ikuto to die. If having surgery meant there would be a higher chance of him surviving, she'd definitely try to get him to choose that option, especially since the only reason he doesn't want to is because he wanted to spend the remaining months of his life with her.
The pinkette opened her mouth to speak, but closed it once again. There was something about Kazuomi that made her nervous to be around him. Just the way his eyes bore holes through your skull when he looked at you was enough to send anyone running for the hills. It was even more uncomfortable for her to be sitting across from him in his office with the grandfather clock ticking like a time bomb.
Kazuomi continued, not waiting for Amu to make a comment. "I need you to convince him to get the surgery done. That way he at least has a chance at conquering this brain tumor." he paused, letting it all sink in before continuing as he stood out of his leather chair, starting to pace the room with his hands folded behind his back. "But, once he gets into the operating room, that's when you have to leave him. You know you'll only hold him back. Heck, you're even filling his mind with thoughts of pursuing his dream to be a violinist! Stop poisoning him with such crap. Being in the music industry won't get you anywhere."
Pursing her lips together to refrain from saying anything she'd regret, Amu slowly stood up and nodded while walking towards the door. She needed to get out of that room to breath.
"You better not be there after his operation." Kazuomi warned just as Amu reached the door. "You're not qualified to be with Ikuto."
End of Flashback
Amu's honey-colored eyes fluttered open to see strands of sunlight filtering in through the windows of the living room. It were memories like that which made her question her actions. Why did she have to leave him? She could've been there for him when he woke up. Perhaps he could've even become the violinist he desired to be.
Slowly, she picked herself up off the couch, stumbling over herself as she threw on her jacket.
Yoru had gone to the ice cream parlor earlier that day and played a prank on Kiseki, resulting in Tadase trying to break them up, but an ice cream battle followed shortly after. They were still there even though the fight was hours ago. Apparently the iced, flavored dairy product makes a mess when it gets flung across the room.
And Amu had no time to deal with that. She was needed at Town Hall to pick up a guest – some idiot who had to spend 250 hours in Seiyo doing community service. The person would be staying at Amu's house, which was why she needed to go and get them before they were bombarded by enthusiastic villagers who were far too eager to meet new people.
Yawning, Amu stepped inside the hospital for a quick stop. She sauntered through the building, the fluorescent lights on the ceiling illuminating the long halls with an eerie glow.
"I'm telling you, doctor, I feel a pain in my chest. I think it's from a broken heart."
Amu peered into her friend's office with a raised brow and chuckled once seeing the distressed blonde trying to contain her anger as she glared at the purple-haired man sitting on a chair across the room.
Nagihiko and Rima had never exactly liked each other and Nagi was eager to either annoy Rima until she agreed to date him, or simply annoy her just for the fun of it. He had begun to fancy her, but didn't tell anyone except Amu, who could tell just by watching them together.
"For the last time, Fujisaki, I swear I will sneak into your house in the middle of the night and cut off your-"
"Oh, hey, Amu!" Nagihiko greeted, interrupting Rima before she could finish her graphic sentence spoken between clenched teeth. "I was just telling this shorty how sweet she is."
Amu rolled her eyes. Bull crap.
The purple-haired male then laughed softly before jumping off the chair and leaving the room before Rima could throw something sharp at his back.
"I'm telling you, Rima..-"
"No way. He's a stupid cross-dresser." Rima replied to Amu's unfinished statement. After giving a quick scan through her filing cabinet, the blonde removed a folder and handed it to Amu. "All is well health-wise with you and Yoru, but you can look through those documents anyw-"
The door to the office suddenly burst open and in catapulted an out-of-breath blonde. People had got to stop interrupting others nowadays. "Did... y-you see … the visitor?" Utau asked through gasps of air.
Amu shared a glance with Rima before looking back at the aspiring singer. "What?"
"Th-that community service guy! He arrived like.. two hours ago!" Utau replied excitedly, "He doesn't look like a criminal!"
Another eye roll came from Amu. "He isn't a criminal. He's this famous person who had to do this as a way of apologizing to his fans or something." she replied. She reached across the desk and picked up Rima's water bottle, taking a quick sip from it.
Utau's violet eyes widened. "Ooooh. I thought only criminals did community service. Anyway, you have to see him! I think I recognize him... but, I don't know. This village's news system sucks, so I haven't been up-to-date with Japan's newest celebs."
"Doesn't Tsukasa know his name and what this guy does?" Rima questioned, not exactly interested, but desperate for silence.
The taller blonde shook her head. "He knows, but he doesn't want to tell anyone just yet... I don't know why. I should go ask him!" She then started laughing to herself on her way out the door.
Silence consumed the room once more.
"You know... sometimes she just makes no sense." Rima commented dryly. Amu nodded in agreement. "Oh, and by the way, Tsukasa told Tadase to tell Yaya to tell me that this 'visitor' person would be escorted to your place by Tsukasa. So you don't have to go to town hall or anything."
Amu nodded. "Okay, thanks." She then stood up to walk out of the room, then stopped in her tracks. "Wait a minute... did Utau say he's been here for two hours?" She asked slowly.
"I believe so." Rima replied while scanning through folders. "Why?"
Without responding, Amu hurried out of the room. The villagers must have gotten a hold of him, then. Their way of greeting a newcomer was by dragging them to the bar to ask them more about themselves. If they refused to speak, the next step was simple – get them insanely drunk so they'd spill all their secrets. It was a terrible thing to do, but it did the job.
Sprinting down the road, Amu nearly crashed into her front door. She hurriedly looked around the small house for any sign of the visitor. If he wasn't there yet, he must've still been at the bar just down the street. Amu already felt bad for him.
The door to the house swung open, Yoru walking inside, talking to someone behind him. "...But my mom doesn't like cats, so that's why we don't ha- hi mom! The heavy man got drunk and passed out." He stated as-a-matter-of-fact. Tsukasa then followed the small boy into the house shortly after, dragging a man in his mid-twenties.
Amu felt her blood go cold as her limbs turned to jell-o. With wide eyes she watched Tsukasa drop the guy on the couch. Slowly tip-toeing over to the passed out male, Amu confirmed her hunch.
It was Tsukiyomi Ikuto.
-OoOoOo-
Amu tried to sleep, but it was hopeless. Just the constant reminder going off in her mind that Ikuto was in the room just across the hall made her alert. Out of all people, why did it have to be Ikuto that needed to do community service? And why did he have to stay with her? She figured God was punishing her for something.
Slowly sliding out of the bed, the pinkette tip-toed across the cold wooden floor and into the hallway.
She needed to make sure it wasn't all just a nightmare. That he was still there, passed out. Creeping towards the living room, Amu slowly peered inside. It was light enough for her to see him clearly. His mouth was open slightly and he was softly snoring.
Most people found it annoying, but Amu was strangely comforted by it. It was the same familiar noise she woke up to one certain night four or five years earlier.
Flashback
Amu lay next to Ikuto in his bed with her head resting on his chest. Just the comforting feeling of his chest rise and fall with every breath he took was enough to calm her nerves and forget about the tumor.
She couldn't tear her eyes away from his serene, sleeping face. She loved everything about him. From his long eyelashes to his pale skin.
Amu gently pushed Ikuto's bangs away from his face, tracing her finger along his cheek bones. One thing she discovered at this moment was how much she especially loved his nose. Amu lightly ran her finger down the bridge of it, stopping at the tip before giggling quietly to herself once realizing how weird she was acting.
Just when she was about to trace his cheek bones again, Ikuto's hand grabbed onto hers' as his sapphire eyes slowly opened. He watched her in amusement while smirking at her. "Were you taking advantage of me in my sleep, Amu?" he asked quietly.
Blushing madly, Amu buried her face in her pillow, replying with a muffled "Maybe."
He kissed her forehead and closed his eyes again, wincing as he brought a hand up to his head. He had another headache. He got those a lot nowadays. Before it was just an occasional thing – nothing out of the ordinary.
Amu frowned while watching him in pain. She wished she could just make it all go away. "Where is it?" she asked quietly. They both knew she was talking about the tumor.
Ikuto moved his hand to the side of his head, pointing to the spot the doctor told him where the tumor was. It had been growing for years. The doctor was surprised Ikuto had survived this long.
Moving his hand out of the way, Amu gently kissed the side of his head. "I'm going to be with you through all of this. I know you'll be strong enough to make it through." she stated with a reassuring smile.
Ikuto placed a kiss on her lips and smiled back at her. "I'm sure I'll be just fine since you're here."
End of Flashback
Amu brushed the tears out of her eyes and took this moment to just admire the sleeping boy. He hadn't changed much in appearance. He still had the most perfect nose she loved so much and his hair was about the same length.
She remembered one of his excuses for not getting surgery was that he'd have to get his hair shaved off. His pride wouldn't allow it.
Smiling ever-so-slightly at the memory, Amu turned back around and wandered into her bedroom, climbing on the bed hidden under pillows. She couldn't let Yoru know that Ikuto was his dad. As much as she wanted to, it was for the better. After Ikuto's community service was over, he'd go back to Tokyo to start recording more songs and moving on with his life. Amu couldn't bear the thought of Yoru knowing who his father was and having to watch him drive away, out of his life once again.
What ate away at Amu's stomach right now, was the thought of what was going to happen tomorrow.