Recap from last chapter, Secret Stars

"Ikuto-" I started but he cut me off.

"Amu, you are the best thing that ever happened to me, my secret star and I don't want to lose you. You were the one that saved me all those years ago and I'll be forever thankful for that. You were the one that made it all worth it, the fighting and the pain and the sorrow. With everything that happened to you, and me, it made it clear to me that I want to make you mine, in every way possible. So... Do you want to marry me?"

*** Amu's pov ***

I couldn't say anything at first. Tears started to blur my vision. My hands had flown to my mouth, covering the little choke-ish sounds I was making.

It was barely a whisper, but he heard it clearly: "Yes.."

He smiled, that rare, beautiful smile he showed me only once before. And then I thought it wasn't real. This time, I couldn't doubt it at all and I engraved the moment even more in my memory. As if I could forget this, ever.

He opened the box and put the ring around my finger. I examined it. It was a simple silver ring with a pink diamond in the shape of a heart. I absolutely loved it!

"Oh...Ikuto...I love it..." I said.

I couldn't follow his movements, they were so swift. He stood up and pulled me with him. I had only a second to stabilize myself before his lips crashed down on mine. We had kissed many times already, but this kiss seemed different. Maybe it was just me, so full of these feelings. Was it even possible to feel so happy? Wasn't there a rule that said: this is the quantity of happiness you can have and no more? But I drove these thoughts away and let myself go, free of any boundary.

Music started to play as we pulled apart. My breath came out ragged. I smiled.

"How did you organize this?" I asked quietly, not wanting to break the sweet silence between us but I, actually, really wanted to know it.

He smirked his infamous smirk, the one I loved and missed all these years, but I'll die before I tell him that. Just like I won't tell him I don't really mind him teasing me. If he ever heard that, there would be no end to it.

"I called a favour from Utau." he said.

I breathed it sharply.

"O boy, you're so dead."

He seemed to think that was funny. I smacked him playfully.

"Not funny." I said, pretending to be mad at him.

He leaned down, after all, he is still a bit taller than me. Not much, but he can see over my head and I can't see over his. It is perfect for me to lay my head against the crook of his neck.

Stop spacing out, Amu. A voice inside me said. I quickly shook my head, only to find Ikuto looking at me as if he knew my thoughts. He doesn't, right? I was in full panic mode at once.

In. Out. In. Out. I was calm now. Well, not really, but more calm.

"She owed me one, so don't worry, Amu-koi" he whispered.

It scared the hell out of me and the last word, which he had to emphasize, made me blush.

"I wasn't worrying." I lied, and then I thought: This is no night for lying.

"Okay, I was worried."

He smirked and I looked away. But I had to look back when he spoke up again.

"Thank you for caring." It sounded so honest I smiled. I was actually pretty sure it was honest.

"Of course I care, you dummy. That's what you do when you love someone."

I saw the emotion clear in his eyes and he pulled me closer as we continued to dance.

*** Ikuto's pov, time skip ***

I never knew Amu was so beautiful as she slept. That was the only thought that danced in my head. She lay beside me, her hair spread out on her pillow. Her eyes were closed, 'course, she was sleeping, and her eyelashes lay down gently on her cheeks. She was facing me, in fact, her head rested on my arm and my other arm was around her waist. Her hands were against my chest after they had slid down from where they had been, namely around my neck.

Daybreak was coming, not only literally but also figuratively speaking. Tomorrow she had a check up at the doctor's. Two days later, her graduation would take place and she would be no longer a high school student.

I knew that that not only meant the end of her studies for a time, but also the end of her freedom. She would go into the hospital and retrieve chemo therapy. After five weeks, the doctor had estimated, the tumor would be small enough for them to operate her with as small risk possible.

I had to smile a bit, or was it smirking? I couldn't tell the difference, when I saw the ring on her finger and my thoughts took a turn. God, I was happy when she said yes. I guess a part of me still didn't want to believe she was really mine, as I had hoped for all these years. The years that had stood between us that now seemed to have disappeared. I nuzzled my face closer to her. She smells so good! It's a mix of strawberry's, vanilla and... Amu. I inhaled the scent once more, closed my eyes and drifted to sleep.

***Time skip – again :) Amu's pov***

Somewhere I knew he was going to tell me that, and I had planned it already, even though I pretended it wasn't true. The growing rate of the tumor hadn't slowed down, not as much as they had hoped. My time had schortened. From two months it had gone down to barely a month's time.

The teacher called my name and I stepped forward. He gave my my diploma and wished me good luck. There was a double meaning behind it and I caught it quickly.

"Thank you." I said simply. There was not much to say anyway.

Nagi already had his diploma, as his last name started with an 'f' and mine with a 'h'. We waited for Rima, but it didn't take very long until the 'm' came and she too was no longer in high school.

There is a lot to do when you're not longer in high school anymore. Saying goodbye to friend who could be studying, or working next time you see them. Taking pictures, writing words in books telling people you knew them and cared for them. Searching for that last drawing and the shoes from P.E. because you know that it is your last chance to get them back. It was a feeling full of nostalgia, but also hope, a special mix of emotion that you can only find in a school on the last day.

My parents were at my graduation and they took me out for lunch afterwards together with Ami, who had also graduated from Elementary. I knew that Nagi and Rima were having these little family moment too, now. Rima's parents could place their feelings for each other apart long enough to give Rima what she really needed from them: love. It made me happy.

We chatted about trivial things, and I told them about my engagement. Ami and Mum squealed and kept asking me questions about the how and when while my dad whined about 'his little sparrow'. We all kind of ignored him.

That was this morning.

Now, I was at the brink of my Goodbye concert. I called it that way in my head and no one knew about it. Not even Ikuto. It was hard to keep that from him. After all, I still was a bad liar.

"Good evening, everyone! Welcome on this epic evening, where Falling Stars will sing for you to celebrate your graduation!" the host yelled. They always yell.
Sometimes I thought it was annoying. Actually, most of the time. I knew Utau and Rima thought the same, but we were both too polite to say anything.

We stepped forward, the crowd went crazy, as music started and we sang.

Obvious

Let's make a mess
Steal a kiss in the moment
You and me everything that could be
Touch, don't go
Stay as long as you like
Let's get reckless
Dance with our hands to the beat
Don't let this slip throw our fingers
It feels insane
Don't you put up a fight
Let's rough it up till they shut it down
It's o-o-o-obvious
Right here is where the party starts
with you and me
All alone, no one has to know
It's o-o-o-obvious to me
How its gonna be
O-o-o-obvious, when you come close to me
Let's make a scene like movies in our dreams
Make me scream
Take me down, no one's watching
Close your eyes,
Play it back in rewind
So surreal as the story unfolds on the screen
Stop stalling the credits are rolling
Hold me now before we run out of time
Let's rough it up till the end of the night
It's o-o-o-obvious
Right here is where the party starts with you and me
All alone, no one has to know
It's o-o-o-obvious to me
How its gonna be
O-o-o-obvious when you come close to me
It's o-o-o-obvious
One kiss
It's easy to see you and me
It's o-o-o-obvious
Right here is where the party starts with you and me
All alone, no one has to know
It's o-o-o-obvious to me
How its gonna be
O-o-o-obvious when you come close to me
It's o-o-o-obvious
Right here is where the party starts with you and me
All alone, no one has to know
It's o-o-o-obvious to me
How its gonna be
O-o-o-obvious when you come close to me

"Congratulations, minna!" Utau said. "And welcome!" Rima added. I waved exitedly to the crowd.

The music of the next song started and the concert went on. It were mostly happy and upbeat songs, because the reason of this concert was graduation.

We sang the last song. Utau said bye and turned to go off stage, but she stopped after a few steps when she realized only Rima was following her and I wasn't. I breathed in deeply, trying to master my slipping courage and started to speak.

*** General pov ***

It had been a good concert and it should have ended that way. She knew it, and still she did what she had to do. There would be no more chance, not like this anymore.

She breathed in and then she spoke.

"I am very sorry to tell you this on this night, that should be one to celebrate. I know, because I graduated today as well as many others. And still, I have to tell all of you this."

It was completely silent now. Utau just stood there, frozen, a calming hand on Rima's shoulder, watching her best friend telling her secret and showing her pain and hope for the whole world to see. On a chair, in the changing room, Ikuto sat with his eyes closed and listened. He had had a gut feeling that it would turn out like this.

"I have something I haven't told anyone besides my good friends and family. It was something I learned almost five weeks ago, that changed my world. You might wonder why I became a singer when I knew I had only three months of life left and my answer is this: I could not give up yet. I can't do that even now, and so I decided to tell it."

She smiled tightly. "I have a brain tumor, and I will be operated in two weeks. If the operation fails, I will no longer be here anymore. Otherwise everything will continue to go as it used to.

I'm very sorry, minna, but this was my last concert. I am very, very happy that all of you are here and that you liked our songs. Please continue to support Rima and Utau, okay?

Well...that's it... so... Goodbye!"

With that, she bowed her head. Utau saw her tears. She was still frozen and in the back of her mind she registered that the crowd had gone from silent to more louder again. She picked up crying, and that awakened her. She stepped forward and took one of Amu's hands. Amu was shaking with tears, and still, she remained in place and didn't run away.

Rima had also walked forward and placed her hand in Amu's other hand. They both wanted to be strong but silent support for Amu, and add their plea to those of their sister in all but blood.

They made an imposing picture, Amu in the middle, connected by their hands, all with their heads bowed.

It started with a single person, but then the whole crowd was chanting. It was a simple sentence, but it made Amu lift her head.

"It will be okay!"

"Thank you, everyone. Thank you so much." Amu said and she lifted her face full of tears to the world that had accepted her for all she was.