*** Amu's pov ***
It was really late when we went home, or should I say early? I was practically the only one that drank not that much, so I drove. Utau had insisted to sit in the passenger seat, but she moved to sit on Kukai's lap after only one minute. I looked in the mirror and smiled. They were just too cute to imagine: Utau on Kukai's lap, both sleeping, and Rima on Nagi's lap. They were also sleeping. I loved them so much, and this scene was very cute, it made me happy but it made me feel lonely at the same time. I looked at the empty passenger seat and my mind produced an image of a certain tall, blue haired person who smiled at me. I quickly shook my head and put my attention back to the road.
I reached Utau's mansion and pulled up the driveway after the automatic gate had opened. Utau's security is very tight, because sometimes crazy fans try to get into her house. I sure was glad she didn't hire guards or dogs! Though there was a cat in the garden... No kidding, that animal...
I parked the car in the wide garage. I didn't think any of them was thinking of going home tonight, so I just woke the boys up so they could carry their girlfriends to their room.
"Hey, psst, Kukai, wake up." I poked him in his arm. He shrugged and opened one eye.
"What, Hinamori?" he said. He still liked to call me by my last name.
"Carry Utau to her room, will you? You can have the stretcher in her room." I said, knowing the stretcher wouldn't be needed, but it was still funny to say.
He yawned. "Sure."
While I went to the other side of the car to wake up Nagihiko, Kukai came out of the car, carrying a deeply asleep Utau.
Nagi was harder to wake, but somehow I managed and he also disappeared into the house, to the room he and Rima mostly used when they stayed over at Utau's, which is to say quite a lot. I closed the car doors and went to my room, where I put on a loose shirt and shorts, the clothes I used to sleep in. But before that, I took a shower.
I took a bottle of milk and went to my balcony. When I was drinking I remembered how Iku...he came visit me at night. Like the time he brought the sweets after he ruined my cake, or when... I got lost in my thoughts.
*** Third person pov ***
She was so lost that she didn't notice that a person was standing in the garden. Even if she would have paid attention, she would've missed the young man, as he stood in the shadows wearing dark clothes. Over his shoulder hung a violin case and a bag that contained clothes and other stuff.
The boy stared at her, surprised because he didn't expect to see her here. He had thought he would go to his sister's house for this night and to Amu's house the next morning. He frowned. She looked so breakable, fragile, that he wanted to go up there right away and keep her close.
She shivered and even though his mind told him he would scare her, and showing up so unexpected after this many years might cause her to react not so welcoming, he didn't care about anything but Amu. With the high jump he still could do after that many years with Yoru he jumped on the balcony, right in front of her eyes.
*** Amu's pov ***
I took a step towards the door to place the empty milk can by the door. I was too lazy to bring it down. I'll do it tomorrow, I promised myself. I turned back to look at the sky. A little breeze flew next to me and made me shiver. I thought I better went inside, before I caught a cold. That wouldn't be a good idea, considering my condition.
Suddenly everything became a black and blue blur. I was shocked, was I fainting? This could be bad!
I had to consider that thought rather quickly. When the world was standing still at last, I couldn't believe my eyes. I must've lost consciousness after all, because this can't be true, I thought.
Before my eyes stood Ikuto.
*** Time passing by, still Amu's pov ***
I kept silent for a few moments. Dream- Ikuto looked more uneasy with every second that passed by.
"Come on, Amu, aren't you going to say something?" he said, his voice just as I remembered.
My eyes lit up. It would be very easy to test if this was indeed a dream. I did the old trick and pinched my left arm hard with my right hand. I winced immediately. It hurt! Wait. If it hurt, then it wasn't a dream. But... couldn't you dream that it didn't hurt? I was really confused. What was it now. Real or not?
I looked up. Dream- Ikuto was looking worried at me. I sighed.
"Are...Are..." Damn stuttering! "Are you...real?"
He looked surprised, silent for a second, as if he hadn't expected that one. Then he laughed.
"Don't laugh!" I yelled and I punched him without thinking.
My fist met flesh, covered by clothes. O my god. I thought. He is real. And then I blacked out for real.
*** Ikuto's pov ***
She was so silent I thought for a minute she wasn't there. Spacing out, I guessed. Then she did something I hadn't expected at all: she pinched herself hard, and winched when it hurt. What is she doing? I asked myself, but it became clear when she asked if I was real. She doesn't believe that I could turn up once again. she didn't believe I would return. I felt my heart sink. Or... Wait. Maybe she hoped so much you would return, that she can't believe you're here for real! For no reason at all I addressed myself with you, as if Yoru was talking to me from the back of my head.
I laughed, relieved.
"Don't laugh!" she yelled and she punched me. It was a hard punch, with a force I didn't believe at first to be hers, as fragile looking as she was.
She was shocked. I watched as she realized something, only to faint. I caught her before she hit the ground. I held her close, so worried, until I noticed that she was just sleeping, her breath even. I almost slapped myself. It was really late, and she must have been really tired. I carried her to the bed, gently lay her down and put the blanket over her. When I turned to go close the window, I noticed the room for the first time. It was like Amu's room had been, just like I remember from every time I visited her. It was practically burnt on my memory when I stayed in her room for a few days, when I was sick. Another memory flashed past my eyes. Amu standing in the staircase, tears in her eyes, crying: "I hate you!". I quickly erased that part and focused on the room once more. It was clearly Amu's room. Did she live with Utau now? Where were her parents? Her little sister. I made a mental not to myself: asking Utau or Amu about it.
There was a picture on the dressing table that caught my attention. I picked it up. The list looked worn out, as if she picked it up at least ten times a day. But that wasn't what really took my interest. It was the picture itself.
It was a picture of Amu and myself, at the amusements park. It looked like we both didn't know that the picture had been taken. I opened the list and took out the photo. Something was written on the back. I turned it and read the words. I didn't recognise the writing.
To Amu-chan!
Kairi-kun accidentally took this photo. I found it when I helped him clean up the things he didn't need anymore. He said that he kept it 'cuz it was such a good picture, and that I could send it to you if I wanted. I did it right away. I thought... well, I thought that you could use it. I hope that everything is okay. You should visit soon!
Kisses from Yaya-chan!
PS:Tadase-kun sends his greetings. I don't know why he didn't send it to you too, but maybe he wanted to spare money. He said it was really nice in France, and... wait... maybe you, Nagi, Rima and Kukai could come over to us and then we could all go to France together? ^^ Call me!
Yaya? wasn't she the one that looked like she was high all the time? And Kairi, he was the nephew of Utau's manager, Sanjou Yukari, right? This says that Tadase moved away to France... and he doesn't want to call Amu personally, so something must've happened... How come I never noticed the time passing by? I sighed and placed the picture back. On the wall hung a lot of pictures. I recognized some of them, those that Utau sent me.
Elementary graduation, Middle school graduation, family pictures that had a baby on them, party pictures... It was a life of pictures. I looked from the wall to Amu. She was sleeping peacefully on her side, one hand extended as if she was waiting for someone to take it.
I tucked her in one more time, very carefully, and kissed her forehead. Then I left the room, leaving Amu alone.
I had to search some time before I found Utau's room. I opened the door silently. Another surprise awaited me: Utau wasn't sleeping alone. Over her waist was an arm draped. I looked farther, seeing that boy that Utau used to have Ramen contests with. Kukai, if I remembered correctly. He was on the news last, said to be an international soccer player. Seeing I was in Miami at that time, it just could be true. It caught my interest at that time because his girlfriend was also mentioned. And guess what? That's my sister, the famous singer Hoshina Utau.
She was difficult to wake but when she did, I had to prevent her from screaming the whole house together. She has the voice to do so.
Utau followed me out of the room.
"So you returned." She said. I nodded. It was silent for a while. She went through her hair with one hand and sighed then.
*** Utau's pov ***
I sighed. He did what I asked, but what now? I will ask him directly, wasting no time. That's my motto, and I plan to use it to the fullest the next months.
"What do you plan to do know, eh? Make it up to her while you still have the time?" My voice was bitter, and I knew it was unfair, for he knew nothing still, but the anger welled up inside me. Amu was my best and first friend, and she was suffering so much now. She didn't deserve anything. All she ever did was helping people, just like she helped me. She's the angel I wanted to be. And he left her, not saying when he would return and not showing up for years. I've seen her tears, and I can't forgive anyone who makes Amu cry. Even if it's my own brother. Especially my brother. I will hurt anyone who hurts her! Not that I'll ever tell her that, but I have the feeling she knows regardless.
He looks shocked. "What do you mean?" he asks.
"Don't be blind, Ikuto. I bet you saw her. She's like a branch that could break any moment if you are not careful. And after the chemo...and the operation..."
"Chemo? Operation?" He looked terrified. Since he was my brother, I didn't expect him to be so slow and dense. Wasn't Amu the real dense one?
"Snap out of it. Amu had a tumor in her head. She had only three months left of life, for sure. The surgery could save her, but there is always the chance that she dies. Welkom in reality." I knew I was being a cruel person, but there is no other way I knew to bring such news softly. Personally, I think there is no way to do that. And my anger made me a bit more cruel than normal.
He really looked terrified, and I felt a little bit compassion for him.
I pointed to a door.
"Use that room. It's a guest chamber, and it is free. We'll talk again in the morning. It's too late now." I said.
Ikuto nodded. I went back inside my own room. I laughed when I saw Kukai looking at me. For some reason he always felt it when I needed him. I crept under the sheets and hugged him.
"Ikuto is back." I said silently.
He tilted my head so he could look in my eyes.
"Isn't that a good thing? For Amu?" he asked me.
I had to admit that.
"We all know that Amu missed him a lot, even though she didn't always say that."
"She actually never said it." I murmured, feeling the need to correct him.
He laughed the laugh I loved so much.
"No, but we knew it all. And didn't you notice that when she said that about wanting to spend as much fun time with us and her family, she also mentioned someone else?"
I nodded. I thought we all got that one, even when Amu tried to cover her mistake.
I snuggled closer to Kukai.
"We'll see in the morning." I said, and I had to snigger when I thought if Amu's reaction. She is so unpredictable!
I said that to Kukai, and he agreed, smiling. And then we fell asleep.
*** Ikuto's pov ***
What? What had she said? I didn't know how I did it, but I managed to walk to the door, open it and go into the room. It was a simple room, a typical guest room. I put my luggage on the floor and sat on the bed. I let myself fall backwards, and then I started to think.
I had been right to come back, I thought. Then it really hit me.
Amu is going to die, and there is nothing that I can do about it. That sentence was stuck in my head. I was up in a second, still having the cat reflexes, and I punched the wall the next. With my hand against the wall, I broke down. It was the second time I cried this much. The first was when that guy took me on a trip to find my father.
I was on my knees when I found myself back. If it was this hard for me, how much worst must it be for Amu herself? Knowing you could die in just three months. I realized I would want as much time as possible with my beloved ones.
Unfortunate for me, there weren't that much persons I would want to spend time with. Perhaps a word with my old friends from high school, the people I met on my travels and that ment something to me. A goodbye to my mother and father. Last chat with my sister. And so much more time with Amu. She was the person I wanted to spend time with more than anything.
And so I decided to make up to her all the time I hadn't been there for her. I would make her blush so much it would look like permanent. I would take her to very special places. I would love her more than I ever did. And I would make her admit that I won that bet, so many years ago. The thought made me smirk, and so I fell asleep.