Kate: I know! I'm sorry! I'm terrible! But I was traveling and away from home for a while... in fact I'm still away from home, but I pulled an all-nighter so I could type up this chapter! I'm definitely going to update much much sooner. Once again I'm sorry!

Disclaimer: I don't own!

Chapter: 4

"For the last time, I did not make him fall into the creek!" Yoru defended tiredly once again. "I just was at the wrong place at the wrong time!"

No, of course he was lying. He had seen Kiseki reaching for something in the water and seized the opportunity by casually walking by and 'accidentally' pushing him in. The result was priceless, though, so it was worth it.

Amu rubbed her face, clearly exhausted. With working on re-building the hotel, trying to act normal in front of Ikuto, dealing with Tadase's random outbursts towards Ikuto, and still keeping Yoru out of trouble, she was starting to get tired out. Not to mention when Tadase did have those random times when he suddenly got angry, Ikuto had no idea what the heck he did wrong. Even if Ikuto didn't remember him, Tadase certainly remembered the mischievous cat-boy and how he stole his woman. Even though Amu was never Tadase's, he still acted like she was.

"Yoru, why don't you and Kiseki sort things out?" Amu asked slowly as she set the pile of dirty dishes aside. "I'm sure he's a nice boy. All you have to do is get to know him."

This made Yoru snort. "Yeah, right. That's like getting uncle Ikuto and uncle Tadase to be best friends."

For some reason, this surprised Amu. "You've noticed their behavior too?"

The small boy rolled his golden eyes over to her like she was stupid. "Of course! But they say they don't know each other.. so I don't know why they act like they hate each other's guts." He then shrugged his small shoulders before hurrying away from the kitchen counter.

Amu hadn't noticed Ikuto acting like he hated Tadase, but more the other way around. Perhaps since the blue-haired male didn't like the blond in the past, he just automatically didn't like him now, either.

The pinkette grew quiet as she slowly started piling dishes into the water in the sink, listening in on what was going on in the other room. Utau had showed up with poker cards in hand, since it was, after all, Friday night. Of course Kukai, Nagihiko, and Rima were to arrive shortly after to join the fun. They were now all sitting around Amu's dining table, where Nagihiko was dealing the cards and everyone else began practicing their poker face.

Originally it was just 'Games Night' and the main game played was Pictionary. That ended when Utau got pissed off and started throwing plates at all the contestants. Now they just stuck with playing poker and called it 'Poker Night'.

Right after entering the room,Yoru scanned the faces at the table and instantly hopped up onto Nagihiko's lap, knowing he'd most likely be the winner, so he wanted to be a part of the winning team.

Clueless to what was occurring, Ikuto yawned as he walked out of the washroom in a t-shirt and pajama bottoms with a towel around his neck. He stopped in his place once seeing the crowd around the table.

Sensing the tense atmosphere, Ikuto raised an eyebrow before sliding into the kitchen, much to Amu's dismay. Her goal was to not be in the same room as him as much as possible. So far she was failing. Quite miserably, too. So, she just continued to wash dishes, hoping she'd blend in with the wall and Ikuto wouldn't see her there.

The pinkette nearly jumped out of her skin when he stood beside her, reaching into the soapy water and beginning to help wash the plates. She opened her mouth to tell him she could do it herself, but he held up a finger.

"Don't protest. I want to help." He said lightly with a small chuckle under his breath. He resumed scrubbing a plate as Amu closed her mouth once again.

"O-okay, well.. thank you." She said finally. She grabbed a clean towel and began drying the dishes resting in the draining rack before piling them back in the cupboards.

Just standing next to him created butterflies in Amu's stomach. He still smelt as amazing as he ever did: a mixture of soap and cinnamon. She was too nervous about brushing her arm against his that she almost forgot to breath. Choking on air in front of him wasn't something she wanted to experience at the moment.

"Why aren't you out there playing poker with them?" Ikuto asked, handing her a plate that needed drying.

Amu shrugged after receiving the plate. She had never really enjoyed poker. Any form of gambling wasn't a hobby of hers. "I'm just... not into it, I guess." She replied as she walked across the cold tiled floor to the cupboard holding the plates.

"Do you want to pee or play poker?" Utau raised her voice when Kukai had stood up, getting ready to go to the washroom. She could get pretty intense when it came to challenges.

"I want to pee." Was Kukai's breezy answer before he grinned innocently and disappeared down the hallway.

Ikuto chuckled at what he had just heard. "Are you sure it's because you're not into it, or is it that scary blond that makes you want to stay in here?" He had asked, half-serious. Well, he had a point, but Amu was used to Utau's behavior, so it didn't really have an effect on her... well, sometimes it did.

The pinkette smiled slightly at the question. "You'll never know." She answered slyly, "What about you? Why aren't you joining them?"

"You'll never know." Ikuto imitated, making Amu hold back a noticeable smile as she shook her head.

"Alrighty, then." Kukai's voice sounded once more as the washroom door flung open, the distant sound of the toilet flushing was audible, "Your money's mine, Hoshina."

"Your fly's open, Souma." Came Utau's reply.

Amu could hear Kukai mutter a few insults under his breath. She could only guess he was hastily zipping his fly back up before going back to acting all mysterious and professional. When it came to playing a game against Utau, he needed to win. Any game with those two participating might turn into a death match.

"You let Yoru watch them?" Ikuto questioned, "is he into that stuff?"

Nodding, the pinkette glanced out the window at the dark night sky. She'd have to remember to close that window before it got too cold. "Yeah, he's always loved poker. I don't know why for sure, but I think he got that from his dad." Shoot. She wanted to smack herself. Now, of course, questions would arise about Yoru's dad, which was Ikuto even though he didn't know that.

"His dad was into that?" Ikuto asked.

Well... I don't have to tell him who Yoru's dad is, so we're safe. Amu thought. "Yeah, he would get together with the boys and play poker for hours." She replied, remembering Ikuto's unreadable expression he had whenever he played. "He had the best poker face I had ever seen. No one could tell what he was thinking."

"Hm..." The male hummed in response, "That'd suck for you." After receiving a confused look from Amu, he continued. "I mean, he could put on that face at random and you would have no idea what was going on. I don't know, if you ask me, I would hate to be with someone who was a closed book."

"Yeah, I know what you mean. But he promised me he'd never put on that expression when he wasn't playing cards, that way I wouldn't have to worry about what was going on in his mind." Amu replied.

Both of them jumped when Utau's voice rang out once more, followed by Rima's.

"I hate this game!"

"Kukai, move that plate away from her."

"Yes, ma'am, I'm on it."

"You've got an... interesting group of friends." Ikuto commented as the people in the other room continued to bicker, an occasional person reminding everyone to keep the plates away from Utau.

Smiling as she nodded, Amu shrugged a shoulder. "You just kind of... grow to love them. They're my second family, so it's hard for me to not love them."

Suddenly, the dreaded question was brought up. One Amu wished, prayed, and hoped wouldn't come up. "Where's Yoru's dad?"

Stuttering and stumbling over her words, Amu reached into the soapy water, brushing Ikuto's hand, which made her whip her hand back out like she touched a poisonous snake.

"Well, he..." She drifted off while walking over to the cupboard to put the cups away. Of course she couldn't reach the top shelf. Before she gave up, Ikuto came up from behind her and took the dishes from her hands, placing them in their places at the top.

"He just.. isn't around?" He guessed.

Amu could feel the body warmth radiating off of him, which caused a blush to grace her features and her breath hitch in her throat. "Y-yeah... he isn't." She hoped he couldn't hear her heart beating so out of control. A small part of her longed to know if his reacted the same way whenever they were close.

What she would never know, is that it did. Which confused Ikuto, but nonetheless, it pounded against his ribcage once the smell of her strawberry shampoo wafted under his nose.

Suddenly, a few words came to mind that Ikuto hadn't heard in ages.

Cool 'n' Spicy

What did that mean?

Kate: Na-na-na-na-na-na BATMAN! Is Ikuto beginning to remember? I mean, he did remember 'cool n spicy' so he must remember more in the future right? Hmm.. I don't know.