Author's Note: zzzZZZZzzzZZZZzzzzZZZZ (x.x) *may wake up later for the endnote and explanation for everything.*
Title: A Tale of Timeless Love
Disclaimer: *currently dead to the world and unable to type anymore…* Final will and testament: I do not own Shugo Chara, though even if I died writing a fic of it.
-OoO-
Chapter 11 Silent Words
Kukai stared at the young pink-haired girl who was looking back at him tentatively. He tilted his head to one side and scrutinized the rolled piece of parchment in her outstretched hand. He had sensed her following him after he had quitted the banquet room and it was about time that she addressed him. When he turned around to face her though, she had only held out to him that single piece of parchment without a word of explanation.
Apparently reading his expression, the young girl spoke once more after a moment. Her voice was composed and her diction was perfect, Kukai had no difficulty understanding her words despite how quiet and low her voice was.
"I have a message for you from Princess Utau," she said flatly. Her expression betrayed nothing though, contrary to what Kukai had expected. He could easily tell that she was an extremely direct person by the way she never shifted her gaze. That was a quality he had learned to read from people long before. They never really understood how much their eyes portrayed their personalities.
He assumed that the pink-haired girl she was Utau's aide because to whom else would the lovely princess entrust her message but to her personal aide? Her aide – the girl Yaya had spoken to him about before. He gazed into her golden orbs for a moment, trying to catch a glimpse of what Yaya had seen, but his venture was cut short by the girl's firm voice.
"I was ordered to deliver a message to Souma Reiji-dono's bodyguard. That is you, if I am not mistaken?" she clarified, interpreting his silence as a reluctance to accept the letter. He must have delayed his answer more than necessary. He shook of his other thoughts and focused them on the young girl as he gave a reply to her query.
He nodded slowly then took carefully took the letter bearing the Imperial seal into his hands. He stared at the seal for a moment before he addressed her.
"Thank you. You... are Hinamori Amu, am I correct?"
She nodded once and said nothing in reply. Kukai felt slightly uncomfortable under her scrutiny, now. It was somewhat unnerving – the way her eyes never faltered when she looked at you. She didn't seem like the sort of person Yaya had described to him, but he couldn't get a good grasp on anything particular about her.
Like a machine...
A few of Yaya's words flashed in his mind.
He supposed it was a suitable description now that he had met her personally. The way she stood with perfect poise and grace. Her unwavering eyes, her characteristic silence and her quiet, almost monotonic voice – indeed, it was similar to a machine. But at the same time...
It wasn't.
There was nothing out of the ordinary from her aura – he of all people would know if there was something wrong with someone's emotional stability. He had more than enough experience to say that she was perfectly normal. But when he connected the word normal to the young girl, it felt off to him somehow. It was as if there was something out of place.
"Is that all?" she asked with that unruffled voice of hers. She seemed to not want any further conversation and what else could he do but let her go?
But.
There was something he needed of her. He had to try at least and if she refused, he'd just say it himself.
"Could you perchance pass on a message to her Highness for me?" he asked a tad hastily and he regretted the sudden change in his tone when he had referred to Utau.
She stared at him for a few seconds before nodding once.
"Please tell her that I am sorry," he said quietly, averting her eyes from her for a moment. It was strange – but he felt as if she would see through his embarrassment and guilt right now so he looked away. Coming from the person who usually looked away to give someone privacy, it was a bizarre sensation having to look for his own privacy from such prying eyes.
"Is that all?" Her calm voice made Kukai move his gaze back to her and he found her looking at him with that uncharacteristic straight gaze. It was clear enough to make it seem as if you were an open book to her. In truth Kukai was beginning to feel intimidated by her. It wasn't a feeling that he liked very much.
"Yes." he answered easily enough despite his own thoughts.
"Understood. I shall convey your message to her Highness when I see her next."
"Ah, wait a moment. Could you... could you tell her in private?" he requested and even he could hear the anxiety in his voice. He covered his mouth with his robe then looked away, embarrassed all of a sudden.
"You do not wish for your message heard by someone other than her Highness," she stated simply. There was no question mark at the end of her sentence. He found no change in her expression when he dared a peek in her direction. There was no teasing or triumphant gleam in her eyes like he had expected, instead, he found calm understanding.
He had obviously slipped – and people had always awaited his blunders back at the Manor. This girl though seemed not to care at all. Or maybe, she was faking it? If so, she was one skilled actress. Still, he could not let his guard down – his rough childhood had imprinted that in the very depths of his heart.
"Yes." he answered in an emotionless voice, hoping to gauge even the slightest bit of her intentions. Sadly though, her face remained an unreadable mask.
"Alright. May I take my leave now?" she asked politely. Her manner was polite and civil – and she spoke to him as if he had a higher position than her own. He was slightly taken aback by her humility. It was something which he was not used to seeing from common people.
He examined her for another moment before he replied.
"Of course. I'm sorry to have used up your time, Hinamori-san."
"It is no matter," she said offhandedly then she bowed politely, "I shall take my leave then..." her voice suddenly trailed off and Kukai suppressed a smile. He understood her hesitation; their introductions after all, were still incomplete.
"Kukai," he supplied helpfully. "That is what most people call me." Most people that did not despise my existence, he continued mentally.
She gave an appreciative nod and repeated her farewell.
"Till we meet again, Kukai-san." she gave him a deferential nod. Unconsciously, he gave a smile of his own and nodded back at her.
She turned on her heel and walked away. She was somewhat a master of stealth, Kukai thought as he noticed that she hardly made any sound when she walked. He waited until her back disappeared from his view before he turned around and began walking towards his usual spot here in the Imperial Palace.
When he had climbed up to his favorite branch of the largest tree, he settled comfortably and unrolled the piece of parchment cautiously. A light smell of flowers greeted his nose when he fully unfurled the piece of paper. It was definitely Utau's – he had already memorized her scent long before he had realized it himself.
Kukai,
Can you meet me in the Temple at midnight? I understand if you don't want to meet me but I'll be waiting.
It was only those few words in her tiny scrawl but Kukai could already feel his brow creasing.
What did she mean by, "I understand if you don't want to meet me..."? Wasn't she the one who suddenly fled when he had shown himself in that unfortunate situation? Did she think that he hated her just because... just because he found out about her secret? Of course he was surprised – but why on earth would he hate her for it? Did she think he was the same as all of those royal buffoons who thought themselves better than everyone else?
Kukai bit his lip and crumpled the piece of parchment. He knew he had to prove something to her – and he had no intention of doing it half-heartedly.
-OoO-
"Wait!" Yaya called out to the receding form of Sanjo Kairi. He paused in midstep and turned around slowly. He seemed to recognize her immediately and his face hardened slightly as she approached. He waited until she had reached him before he spoke again.
"Is there anything I can help you with?" he asked in a polite tone, Yaya didn't mistake the wary look in his eyes. Yaya averted her gaze. She remained silent as she tried to grope for the words she needed to say. She fidgeted for about a full minute until Kairi began to lose patience.
"If there's nothing in particular, I must be going now. I have significant matters to attend to." he turned away swiftly and began walking once more.
"I'm sorry." she mumbled weakly and Kairi paused. He looked back at her with a slightly surprised expression.
"I beg your pardon?"
Yaya clenched her fists and repeated her apology loud enough for him to hear clearly.
"I'm sorry," she spoke evenly, "I... It was wrong of me to throw my pin at you even after you assisted me." she added with a bit of effort. She was never good at apologies – but Kukai had told her to apologize and she didn't want to cause Reiji any trouble because of her slip-up.
She raised her head and looked at Kairi directly.
"So I'm sorry." she repeated for a third time and this time it was an earnest apology.
After a moment, Yaya saw Kairi's tense shoulders and rigid posture relax. He turned to face her fully, and then he gave her a nod.
"I accept your apology, Yuiki Yaya-san," he said. He gave a small smile and Yaya gave a relieved sigh in return. She had pulled it off somehow, she was sure she would get a treat for being able to do it properly. As she was taking pride in her achievement, something registered in her mind a little late though.
"How did you know my name?" she asked, surprise marked in her voice.
"I make it a point to know most people's names." Kairi answered carelessly.
"Well I don't know most people's names but tell me yours." she replied as she moved closer to him, not feeling embarrassed anymore. She stood close enough that she could peer up at him who was a great deal taller than her. But then again, she liked being smaller than everyone else – it made her feel more like a child.
"Sanjo Kairi." He spoke clearly and she had no reason to mistake his name for anything else. She did notice though, that his voice was weaker when he had spoken his family name.
Sanjo.
It was a family with a long history intertwined with that of the Royal Family. It was as famous as the Fujisaki family but while the Fujisaki family is famous for their performers, the Sanjo family is known to produce the most able and adept aides for the use of the Royal Family alone.
So he was a part of that famed family. It must be difficult.
"Kairi-kun," she repeated his name to see how it felt on her tongue. She chose to use his name to avoid forcing the responsibility of keeping his family dignity in front of her. She knew it was less of a burden when people simply knew you as well, you, not as your family name.She wondered why he looked slightly confused when she said his name and she just asked about it. Reiji had told her that if she wanted to know something, all she had to do was ask – so she did just that.
"Do you not like me calling you that?"
He contemplated for a moment then shook his head. "No. It's quite alright for you to address me as such." he conceded easily. It was only for a moment, but she could tell that he was somewhat pleased.
"You're not such a bad person after all." she announced happily as she clapped her hands together. Kairi seemed surprised by her announcement.
"Did you suppose me as someone of that disposition?" he asked with his eyebrows knit together.
"Well, you kept scolding me in such a criticizing tone and you never smiled. Plus your eyebrows were always like this," she scrunched up her face in what she supposed was an imitation of Kairi and he looked back at her with a confused expression.
"Is it wrong to come across as serious person?"
"It is!" she burst out, pointing a finger at him. "Your expression would make most people think twice about approaching you." she added matter-of-factly, wagging her finger like a mother scolding her child.
"Is-is that so?" Kairi's eyes had widened a fraction and it seemed as if he was seriously pondering over her words.
"But you should be fine if you can loosen up a bit." she added as an afterthought. "Anyway, you said you had work to do, right? Can I tag along?" She asked excitedly. He seemed taken aback somewhat but replied quickly enough.
"If you do not mind boring file work, you are free to come," he said emphatically. There was no real reason for him to refuse her request anyway.
"I simply wish to talk to you. I promise I won't hinder your work." she grinned at him. He looked like he wanted to ask something but instead he just nodded and said, "Okay. You can come, but you're not allowed to read any of the files. Is that understood?" he said firmly and Yaya shrugged carelessly.
"I hate reading anyway." she agreed cheerfully and he gave her a curious look.
"But still –" he repeated himself to make sure she understood.
"I promise not to read any of the files," she said seriously, "If I do, feel free to throw Kimchi into my mouth. It's the food I dislike the most." she added cheerfully and Kairi made note of it, as was his habit from long before.
"But won't your master be troubled if you suddenly disappear?" he asked with a hint of concern. He looked down at her and saw her expression flicker for an instant before returning to normal.
"Don't worry about that," she said nonchalantly. Without any warning, she grabbed Kairi's hand and tugged him forward to no direction in particular. She just wanted to get moving already and he kept tarrying.
"Ah, Yuiki-san -!"
"So where do you work?" she asked as she looked back at him with her eyes sparkling.
Kairi gave a deep sigh and squared his shoulders. Instead of prying his hand from her grip, he matched her pace and began to guide her, steering her left and right as was required. Soon enough, they reached their destination.
When they stopped in the Records Office within the Royal Manor, Kairi was already short of breath. Yaya giggled and said, "Seems like someone needs to exercise a bit more."
Kairi shook his head and straightened himself, "I was simply unprepared."
"Excuses, excuses." she chanted in a sing song voice as she entered the room ahead of him. She even did a small twirl as she entered.
She glanced around at the numerous scroll filled shelves around the room then shook her head and suddenly sneezed.
"I hate dust," she said a little petulantly as Kairi entered after her. Yaya covered her nose with her sleeve and her eyes began to water slightly. He moved towards a particular shelf as he addressed her.
"Ah, forgive me. It's been a while since I last dusted the shelves. You can open the windows if it helps." He spoke a tad distractedly as he already began to work.
Yaya moved swiftly towards the window. She unlatched the window and swung it open hastily. When she took a deep breath, she was taken off guard by the hypnotizing smell of flowers wafting from the garden a distance away. She closed her eyes and took another whiff of the diffusing fragrance.
"Wow..." she breathed out unconsciously.
"I presume you are referring to the Royal Garden?" Kairi asked and Yaya turned around to look at him.
She found him already seated on one of the tables with an ink bottle, scrolls of written and blank parchments and a plume in one hand. His eyes were scanning through the piece of parchment stretched out in front of him. Yaya watched as he dipped the tip of the plume into the ink bottle and began writing with an ease similar to that of Reiji's. The way his eyes were uncharacteristically focused on none else seemed so familiar to Yaya.
"Kairi-kun," she said softly and his hand stopped as he gave her a sideways glance.
"Is something the matter?" he seemed to have picked up something from her tone but she didn't want to let him notice that she really wanted part of his attention. That was just how she was; she couldn't handle it when no one paid attention to her. It may seem childish but she felt scared when no one kept an eye on her, it seemed like she would get lost and no one would be able to find her. It may seem made up lie, but it was more real to Yaya than to anyone else.
"Would it bother you if I asked you some questions?"
He thought for a moment then nodded once. "Feel free to ask me anything. I can't promise to answer all of your questions though," he said as he resumed his task of writing and editing.
Yaya decided to stay away from him and keep herself by the window not just because she didn't want to disturb him but also because she didn't want to end up sneezing on him continuously because of her allergic tendencies to dust.
So she stared out the window, breathed in deeply then said the question that first popped into her mind.
"Is it fun working here?" she asked, staring at the dancing leaves on the trees surrounding the Royal Manor.
Kairi's hand twitched for a moment then continued writing as usual.
"I..." when his voice trailed off, Yaya gave him a sideways glance. She found him staring at the scroll of parchment with an unreadable expression.
"Kairi-kun?" she asked a tad uncertainly.
"I don't really know whether to call it fun or not. I just do what is expected of me. I've never really thought whether I enjoyed what I was doing," he said in a contemplative tone. He looked back at Yaya and their eyes met.
"Do you... have fun at the Minister's Manor?" he asked, curiosity getting the better of him.
Yaya smiled and nodded. "Un!"
"Everyone's so nice to me. They give me sweets and they play with me occasionally. I love Reiji and Kukai a lot too!" she recited them with an ecstatic smile. Kairi could only look at her blankly. It seemed as if he couldn't relate to what she was saying at all.
"It must be nice," he said in a distant voice. Yaya heard something wrong in his tone and when she glanced at him, she found him looking at his hair tentatively.
"Then, do you want to come and visit sometime?" she suggested.
Kairi blinked a few times before he replied, "I'm sorry. I'll have to decline your invitation." he spoke in an apologetic voice.
"Ehhh. Why?" Yaya complained almost immediately.
"I have important duties to attend to here. I don't have much free time, much more free time enough to pay an unofficial visit to a Minister's residence," he said in a matter-of-fact tone.
"Then I'll ask Reiji to invite you over. Together with Amu-chan and Tadase-chin." she clapped her hands, "That's a wonderful idea. We can all go on a picnic together!" she added excitedly. Kairi seemed to want to comment on her manner of addressing them but thought better of it. Instead, he decided to focus on dissuading Yaya from her wild idea.
"Umm. I don't really –" he was about to put out the fires of her imagination but Yaya was adamant.
"You can't decline a formal invitation," she said triumphantly.
"But –" Kairi made a second attempt – which was also shot down.
"No buts! We're going on a picnic!"
Kairi sighed in exasperation. He looked up at her by the window and when he saw her with her hands on her hips, he was reminded of a certain someone he disliked very much. He shook his head to erase her image from his mind and addressed Yaya.
"Are you always this forceful, Yuiki-san?" he asked meaningfully.
"Yes." she agreed instantly.
"It seems any further argument is futile. I understand. I shall attend this picnic you speak of should the occasion ever present itself. But I must remind you that I am the aide of the Royal Heir of the country of Seiyo. I cannot leave his side so easily." He decided to use a different tactic with her.
"Leave that to me! Reiji can do a lot of things with a pen and a piece of parchment," she said optimistically. She never failed to do most things when she put her mind and effort into it. Plus, Reiji was always on her side and he always helped her when she needed it.
"He must be a person to be revered if he can handle having you as his aide," he whispered under his breath and Yaya rounded on him as soon as it escaped his lips.
"What do you mean to imply by that?" she asked pointedly and Kairi shook his head lightly.
"I simply meant to say that Souma Reiji must indeed be an amazing person." he replied, answering but at the same time not answering at all.
"Don't treat me like an idiot!"
"I am doing nothing of that sort." he replied in that flat tone he used frequently.
"See? You're doing it again!"
"I fail to see what you are so upset about, Yuiki-san."
Kairi began to work effortlessly, completely unruffled by Yaya's outbursts from the other side of the room.
"Mou! Kairi-kun's a meanie!"
She stomped her leg and pouted like a little kid.
"Ah. I'm sorry."
"Don't apologize so easily!"
Kari paused from his work once more and looked back at Yaya.
"Yuiki-san, you are quite the child aren't you? A spoiled one at that," he said good-naturedly and Yaya's face flushed red as she went nearer him to hit him, dust bunnies or not. She would even use her allergies to her advantage if worse came to worst.
-OoO-
"Utau-hime, would you like to go for a stroll with me?" Reiji's gentle voice woke Utau from her reverie. She glanced to her right and she met the green orbs that had been haunting her just moments ago.
"Ah," Utau took a minute to take in her surroundings again. She had been so lost in thought that she had forgotten all about the Gathering party. She shook her head and refocused on Souma Reiji's concerned face.
"Do you feel ill?" he asked, worry diffused across his pleasant face. Utau flexed her hands and felt the blood rushing back after she gripped her robe the whole time she had been deep in thought.
"I think... I need some air," she said hesitantly, looking down at her untouched plate. She didn't feel hungry nor did she feel any inclination to talk to anyone at the moment. What she needed was a good dose of solitude – but asking for that today was impossible. She could have settled with Hinamori Amu's company, but she still hadn't returned to the Banquet Hall.
Reiji suddenly stood up gracefully and strode towards his father and Kazuomi who were engaged in a heated conversation. The two older men were possibly half drunk judging by the number of empty liquor bottles in front of them. Reiji kneeled behind his father and whispered something. When his father roared in laughter and ruffled his hair, he smiled then stood up and returned to her side.
He held out his hand to her and without really thinking, she grabbed it and he helped her to her feet.
"Where are we going?" she asked in a somewhat dazed tone.
"Wherever Fate will take us," he answered simply and guided her outside the room. Without letting go of her hand, they left the building and proceeded to wander around going in no specific direction. Utau observed her surroundings but her mind was preoccupied by something much more important.
It did not help that it was related to this man who walked beside her and held her hand firmly. For a few minutes, none of them had spoken and it seemed as if it would go on forever until Reiji had broken it with a question that Utau had never anticipated.
"Did something happen between you and my bodyguard?" he asked curiously and Utau felt her breath catch.
She felt him look at her but she kept her eyes on the glistening grass they treaded on. In the every drop, she caught a glimpse of the blue sky and the green tree tops which inevitably led to a reminder of what had occurred between three unfortunate people.
She shook her head again trying to expel the memory from her mind. It had been an accident – a mere twist of fate... but it had been such an awful joke pulled on her. She couldn't have ever expected for such a thing to happen, but it did… and she was really at a loss as to what she had to do now. She had made that letter, but she had no inkling of what she was going to tell Kukai if he bothered to show up later tonight.
Abruptly, two hands grasped her face and jerked it to one direction.
"Has he done something to you?" Reiji asked once more in a tone that demanded an answer. This time, Utau was sure she could not answer with silence.
"He...didn't do anything..." she answered softly. It was a white lie on her side. He really hadn't done anything – it was her who had made all the complications when she had fled from him without another word.
"Are you sure?" Reiji's normally calm face was filled with uncharacteristic agitation as he kept her gaze focused on himself alone. He seemed determined to get a straight answer from her.
"Y-yes." she answered in a clearer voice but she was unable to keep the stutter from the way Reiji was staring back at her.
After another moment of silence, Reiji closed his eyes and gave a comforted sigh. He slowly pulled away his hands and let them fall to his sides idly.
"I'm glad," he said in a relieved voice. "I wouldn't want him to have done anything foolish to you." he added with a small shake of his head.
"He seems very…special to you." Utau spoke aloud without thinking and when Reiji turned back to her with a smile, she covered her mouth with her hand.
"I consider him family. He and Yaya, my aide, are the two people I care about the most in this world," he said in a dreamlike voice then he added, "So if he did something stupid, I wouldn't let him off the hook that easily." He gave her another lopsided grin to emphasize his point.
Utau smiled, "You're acting more like an older brother rather than a master, Reiji-dono." she pointed out.
Reiji gave her a questioning look, "Is that a bad thing?" he asked, his head tilted to one side.
"Well, in fact, it isn't." she answered a little uncertainly.
"I worry about those two a lot and though they're supposed to be the one's looking after me, most of the time it's the other way around because I care about them. I need them more than just a master that needs servants to work for him. I'm a weak person at heart, so I need them like a lonely traveller needs companions for his journey." he answered easily. Utau was looking at him intently and found that he wasn't telling a lie. And if he was, then Utau's 18 years of honed observation skills was completely worthless.
"You're kind." Utau complimented him, looking at the clear sky above them.
"Truth to be told, I am a very pathetic person without the two of them."
"Maybe... the two of us are more alike than I thought," Utau said as if she was merely thinking aloud. She was weak too, there was no use denying it. And she could already see a little of herself in this person. Reiji smiled at her and pulled her along as they began to walk once more.
"You may be right..." he agreed mildly.
The two walked in comfortable silence until Utau remembered Kukai's sole wish in life. She decided that she needed to get a move on that quest of hers to at least let Kukai forgive her for running away from him.
"Reiji-dono, what's the one thing that would bring you the most happiness in this world?" she asked out of the blue. When Reiji looked at her with a surprised expression, Utau felt herself blush. She should have made some sort of prelude for her question so it wouldn't have seemed so random.
Then all of a sudden Reiji laughed, "We may indeed be more alike than I care to admit, Utau-hime. My thoughts were running along the same line as yours just now."
He turned to her with a serious expression. Then the next words that left his lips struck made a wave of déjà vu crash into her.
"Utau-hime, can you grant my wish?"
-OoO-
Amu moved along at a slower pace than usual as she struggled to comprehend the Princess's relationship to the auburn-haired boy from a few moments ago. She had seen Utau stare at that single piece of parchment desperately for more than half an hour until she finally wrote those few words which she had handed to the boy named Kukai.
He was the same type of person as her. Amu could easily tell he was trying to grasp her personality as she did with his. There was one concrete detail he had given away to her unexpectedly though – the young boy had some sort of connection to the Princess. He had plainly said it the moment he had averted his gaze from her at the condition of the delivery of his message.
There was something. And even he did not want anybody to know of their relationship it seems. Utau seemed extremely distracted ever since she had returned from her morning stroll today. She was trembling when she entered her usual Practice Room where she had waited for the Princess patiently. Amu needed to repeat her name several times until she responded and it didn't help that she was in the same state for quite a while.
When she had written that letter and requested her to deliver it to the red-haired boy, there was excessive anxiety, not unlike what the boy Kukai had shown her moments before, in her usually unshakable violet orbs.
She had made sure to remember the boy's face for future reference – if he was anything at all to the Princess; it was her job to know about him.
As Amu was pondering over the mysterious boy, a particular smell invaded her senses and she stopped dead in her tracks when it registered in her mind why it seemed so familiar. The scent came from behind her and without turning around, she addressed him in an emotionless voice.
"How long have you been walking behind me?"
"For quite some time now," Ikuto answered in that infuriatingly nonchalant tone of his. When she turned around, she was slightly taken aback to see that he was less than a foot away from her, wearing that cocky grin of his she did not want to see today. She had let her guard down too easily.
"What do you require of me today?" she asked resignedly, making a mental checklist of what she had intended to do after she delivered that letter.
"What's this? You won't protest?" he asked with a taunting smile. Amu shook her head.
"I'm not a fool to think I can persuade you to think otherwise." she shot back in a flat tone she had decided to use when dealing with him.
It was already a chant for herself when dealing with the selfish Prince. She had chosen three things she had to fulfil whenever she was a three meter radius of him. They were simple and short and easy to memorize.
I will not be troubled by his actions.
I will not be affected by his words.
I will not be flustered by physical contact.
Easy enough to say – but she hadn't had a chance to test her resolve until now. She gazed up at him and found him looking down at her with a bemused smile.
"You're actually a more of a fool to think that you have less influence on me than you actually do."
"Then if I told you that I have more important matters to attend to, would you let me do it in peace?" she asked pointedly.
"My, someone has gotten quite the nerve. And as for the answer to your question, yes, I would let you do it in peace," he said in a mock-innocent tone. She waited for him to continue – and when he did not, she prompted a reply.
"If...?" Amu asked purposefully. She knew full well that there was always some sort of string attached when it came to this blue-haired Prince. She had at least gained some useful knowledge after her numerous meetings with him.
"Ever the smart one I see. As you say, there is a catch. You have to let me borrow you for a whole day in exchange for a single delay of my request." he added shrewdly. Amu shook her head.
"What shall you have me do?" she asked, clearly voicing out her decision with her question. One day was nothing compared to a few hours with him. At least in one day she could get some work done in peace. Ikuto smiled triumphantly and Amu supposed that if he were a cat, his tail would have been wagging back at her jeeringly.
"I simply wish to talk with you." he answered simply.
Amu waited a moment to let his words sink in. It wasn't what she had expected from him after their last encounter. She had mentally prepared for every situation she imagined he would ask of her, every situation – except this. She felt her forehead crease and she assumed that her expression portrayed her confusion because Ikuto smiled at her as if he had expected this very reaction from her.
"Talking with me while...?" she waited for him to clear out his statement that could change into many different things.
"Talking with you while I stay at a reasonable distance where I will not be tempted touch you in any way." he clarified but instead of clearing her doubts, it made her all the more suspicious of him.
He held out his hand, "Where do you want to go this time, Amu. I'm letting you decide."
She thought for a moment then replied, "The library." She still looked at his hand warily as she spoke.
Ikuto gave a small frown then shrugged. "It isn't to my tastes but it will do." he looked at her expectantly.
Her gaze shifted from his outstretched hand then to his face, "There's really no need to hold my hand at all is there? I can walk on my own, I've done so even before I met you." She wanted to be in contact with his flesh as little as possible so she had to try to keep him away.
"Would you rather I carried you then?" he asked, his eyes sparkling wickedly. Amu bit her lip. It was beginning to frustrate her how effortlessly he was making her dance in the palm of his hand. He was already able to corner her so easily and she could do nothing but agree to his terms. Without another word she clenched right fist and begrudgingly held his hand with her other.
The two of them began walking in silence for once. Ikuto did not seemed inclined to make small talk so Amu followed his lead and remained silent. She matched her pace with his and she fervently hoped that their robes hid the fact that they were holding hands in public and not to mention, in broad daylight too.
She closed her eyes and she could smell him so easily now. She didn't want to admit it, but maybe she was beginning to like his scent more than she assumed she did. His scent was familiar, it was pleasant, and though it belonged to Ikuto – it didn't bother her in the least.
-OoO-
Endnote: Well, I guess I should say that I'm really sorry before everything else. My parents are kind of grade obsessed and I failed to lived up to their standards. I kind of got grounded from using the laptop when my grades became unsatisfying. So now that I've got my usual high grades again, they aren't complaining and I can use the laptop as much as I want – so long as I keep my grades up which I fully intend to do now after being deprived of my laptop for more or less two months. So well this is my update after such a long time of living in the desert, or at least, that's how it felt like to me.
Oh yeah, I feel like I've kinda lost my mojo for the story since my last update which was like, third week of September-ish(?), and I'd like to ask you to tell me if the writing is a bit off. Sorry, I'm guilty of having fun doing differential calculus last grading period and it seems I need to familiarize myself with writing again. So do tell me if my hunch is right. :)
Oh, and if you think that this became more of a YaiRi episode. It just sort of came out that way as I was typing it. Sorry. If you want more AmuTo or KuTau just say so in a review or a PM. :)
SPECIAL NOTES FOR THE MISSED AND BELOVED:
QueenyLeAcH: I'm sorry it took so long for me to update. Right after you gave me such a great review. I'm such a horrible person. I should have sacrificed my lunch breaks and twenty bills to go to an internet shop to type my chapters – but I was lazy. And if you're not satisfied with this, please tell me so. Anyway, I missed you guys so much! This is my Christmas gift to you guys including my other new fics. :D
Kiyonora:My Mondays just haven't been complete without your review. TT_TT you left me such a wonderful review and I answered it by delaying my update for what? Three months? I'm such a shameless person. I don't deserve reviewers like you! *curls up into a ball and gets depressed*
Kittyallstars: Hopefully you still love me even after the stunt I pulled. If you're unhappy just tell me so I can type up the next update faster.
TO THOSE WHO WAITED PATIENTLY SINCE MY ABSENCE: I LOVE YOU GUYS! MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR! I hope you like my gift, cheap and late as it is.
SEE YA!