Disclaimer: I do not own.

Chapter: 8

"You know, Kukai, this is probably the stupidest idea you've ever had." Rima commented, kicking a small rock. "And you've had plenty of stupid ideas, so that's saying something."

Kukai examined the ground he had decided would be where they set up camp. "This isn't stupid, it's spontaneous!" He defended, dropping his tent on the dirt.

Amu shrugged. "Stupid, spontaneous... same thing." She had only agreed to the trip because Yoru wanted to go. Everyone knew Kukai's plans usually end up in disaster. And why did he suddenly want to go camping anyway? "...You're not hiding from Utau, are you?" She asked suspiciously.

Tadase looked at Kukai expectingly. "That would explain it."

The brunette shook his head quickly, looking all too innocent. "No, that's not it at all! She was fine with me not being around for a couple days, 'cause she was going job hunting and didn't need me there to 'make fun of her dreams'- as she called it."

Ikuto looked over at Kukai and paused the process of setting up their tent. "Why am I here?"

"Because this is a way of community service! Since you're helping me- the community - this counts towards your hours!" Kukai answered with a grin. "So, really, I'm helping you!" He then sat on the dusty, dry ground, beginning to help set up the tent he would be sharing with Ikuto.

Tadase shrugged and looked over at Nagihiko, who also seemed to like the idea of camping for a few days. Though they weren't sure why Kukai chose such a deserted place at the bottom of a mountain, almost two hours out of Seiyo.

They were even camping old style. Meaning actual tents instead of house-like cabins and no electricity. Kukai referred to it as 'embracing your inner woodsman'. Whatever that meant.

Nagihiko set down his rolled-up sleeping bag, letting Tadase get started on setting up their tent. "Tell me, Kukai, what's the real reason you suddenly wanted to go camping?" He asked skeptically. "You are trying to avoid Utau, aren't you?"

Kukai suddenly went rigid. He looked over his shoulder at his friend, cackling evilly. "Don't worry, I left her a note."

Meanwhile...

Utau, I am on vacation. Don't try to find me. ~ Kukai

He even added a heart at the end of his name.

Utau ripped the paper off of her door and tore it to shreds with her teeth. Flames of anger erupted from her body as her eyes went black, her hair turning into snakes and her teeth into fangs. "SOUMA!"

Back to the gang...

Kukai gazed up at the night sky and smiled. Finally, even if it was temporary, he was free from that woman. That scary, scary woman. He twirled around, watching his friends set up their sleeping bags. Yoru was already asleep and everyone else would follow shortly after.

The brunette then strolled up to Rima, slinging his arm around her shoulders. "How about we share a tent?" He proposed flirtatiously, wiggling his eyebrows at the petite blond.

Rima pinched his hand, making him yelp and instantly pull his arm off of her. "How about I throw you in the lake?" She muttered before walking away, crawling into the tent she was sharing with Amu and Yoru.

"Fine, I'll sleep with Ikuto."

Just the way he said that made Ikuto shudder and glare at the brunette as he entered their tent and dove into his warm sleeping bag. Being a city person, Ikuto found it rather difficult to sleep in a tent, especially if there was a dude next to him. He only hoped Kukai didn't roll around or do strange things in his sleep. That would make it more challenging.

Rolling up in his sleeping bag, Ikuto turned away from Kukai and let his eyes close. It was too silent for him to sleep, though. Well, besides the noise of Kukai rolling around, trying to get comfortable. But Ikuto was used to the constant sounds of sirens and other city noises. Being in the countryside was definitely a new experience.

"Would you stop moving?" Ikuto asked tiredly.

"Sorry, it's just hard for me to sleep with underwear on." Kukai apologized, continuing to squirm around in his sleeping bag, occasionally bumping into Ikuto.

"Well, you're going to!"

After a few more minutes of trying to withstand Kukai's restlessness, Ikuto unzipped his sleeping bag and dragged himself out of the tent, noticing a small campfire a few feet away, where Amu was sitting with a blanket wrapped around her shoulders.

He slowed to a stop beside Amu, taking a seat on the log next to her, making her jump slightly.

"Oh, hi." She greeted with a soft smile. "Not tired enough to sleep?"

Ikuto shook his head. "It's kind of difficult to sleep when Kukai's wanting to sleep in the nude." He commented with a disgusted look.

Amu laughed, looking in the direction of Kukai and Ikuto's tent. "Well, I'm not surprised. That seems like something he would do."

Glancing over in the pinkette's direction, Ikuto rested his chin in his palm. "Why can't you sleep?" he asked. He couldn't help but notice the glow from the fire made her eyes look even more beautiful.

She shrugged in response. "There's just... a lot on my mind."

"Like what?"

"Like.. Yoru, Yoru's dad, the past, and... the future." Amu replied softly as she shook her head, forcing a soft laugh. She was too caught up in her thoughts to do anything, really. Ever since the day before when it had dawned on her that Ikuto might end up remembering. She had no idea what she'd do if such a thing were to happen.

"I'm sure you'll sort everything out." Ikuto encouraged, staring off into the fire's flames. "And about the future, bravery can get you pretty far, so you have nothing to worry about."

Amu's eyebrows slanted downwards in confusion. "'Bravery'?" she repeated.

"You're brave, Amu. I mean, it's amazing how you were able to move from Tokyo and start a new life, raising a child by yourself. I know I'd never be able to do that." The blue-haired man explained, trying to imagine what it would be like to have a life like Amu's.

The pinkette blushed ever so slightly at the compliment. But that's when she realized something he had said. "H-how did you know I used to live in Tokyo?"

They both went quiet, the sound of them breathing and the crackling of the fire the only things audible. Amu was expecting him to say that Kukai or Nagihiko had told him, but when she noticed his silence, she changed her mind. Why wasn't he responding?

He furrowed his eyebrows at the question and looked over at her. "...I... don't know." He finally replied, looking just as confused as he sounded. How did he know that? No one had told him, and he didn't know much about her past. How he knew this piece of information was a mystery to him.

Pushing the incident aside, Ikuto asked, "Would you do it over if you could?"

Now it was Amu's turn to go quiet. Would she want to go back to graduation day and not meet Ikuto? Would she trade a different life for the one she had now with Yoru? Pursing her lips together, she shook her head. "Even though there are a few things I would want to do differently, I wouldn't change what happened." She answered truthfully. "I have too many memories I cherish."

Memories. Something Ikuto wish he had. "Memories like what?" If he couldn't have any, he'd at least want to know what other peoples' were.

"Like..." Amu began, exhaling loudly as she looked up at the stars, a smile slowly forming on her face. "My first date with Yoru's dad." She paused to remember everything that had happened. "We went to an amusement park."

FIRST DATE

"You know those were fake ghosts, right?" Ikuto teased as he exited the haunted house with Amu clinging to his arm. The amusement park was nearly deserted since it was closing in a few minutes, giving the couple some temporary alone time.

Amu blushed, crossing her arms and pointing her chin in the air. "I was just pretending to be scared so you would be also." She replied stubbornly.

Ikuto smirked. "Oh, really? Well, I don't think it worked."

Searching for a subject change, Amu noticed a few people quickly climbing onto the teacup ride for one last time before the park closed. "Let's go to that one!" She exclaimed, pulling Ikuto with her as she ran to a pink teacup.

He barely fit, but somehow made it work. From that day on, Amu loved the color pink. Just because that was the color of their teacup. That was what started everything. It was at that moment, as she watched him complain about how small the teacup was, that she realized she was very much in love with Tsukiyomi Ikuto.

End

Amu smiled at the memory. Those were the carefree days. Before either of them knew of the tumor. Before Kazuomi drama, memory-loss and Yoru. She missed what it was like to be a teenager and not having to worry about too much. But she still wouldn't want to change a thing.

oOoOoOo

Kukai yawned loudly, stretching his arms in the air above him while rolling out of his tent. Fully clothed, of course. Rubbing his eyes, he noticed the two other tents, Ikuto and Amu asleep at the fire pit, and Utau hovering over him with violet eyes shining evilly and a night-mare worthy smile plastered on her face.

"Hello, Souma."

Guess what! What? I think only 2 more chapters and Ikuto will have his memory back! Then lots of drama will most likely follow shortly after. Wakaka.