[SIGH.] Sometimes, I look at my own story and say, "I'm just too funny sometimes." Sound conceited? Well it was supposed to.

And honestly, when I looked at how many reviews there were I did a double-take. Sixty reviews is a lot for such a weird and funky story as mine. Arigato!

"You stupid cheater! You shouldn't even have won!"

"But I did," he grinned brazenly. "And I'm going to use that wish wisely."

"Like hell I'll listen to you!" I flipped him off. "I won the first time!"

"Hey, hey," he put a hand on my head. "Aren't you even going to listen to my wish?"

"Like what? Kiss you? No. Marry you? Definitely not." I crossed my arms and fumed silently.

He chuckled and patted my head softly. He took my chin and tilted my face upwards to his with a gentle touch. His face seemed so sincere, so kind and gentle...

I backed away suspiciously. With an expression like that, there was sure a sinister shadow lurking in the corner. "W-w-what do you want?"

He pause then pouted. "You're not any fun if you don't listen to the rules."

"You cheated! It's not like you listened to the rules!"

"I merely used you to my advantage," he approached me with a sigh, "to get what I want."

"But you chea..."

He put a finger to my lips and silenced me. "If it means anything, I'll let you have a wish too."

I mulled this over for a moment then decided it was fair. I nodded grudgingly. He smiled.

"Good, now about my wish..."

"Just spit it out because I'm having terrible scenarios running through my head at the moment," I shuddered with all the ideas I came up with. Even I can freak myself out sometimes.

"Okay." Ikuto leaned towards me again, forehead to forehead. "Stay with me."

"Ah - wait what?" I had gotten ready to cringe and put my hands up in front me saying, 'not my body!' because what else do you expect from Ikuto?

"Forever." He stated. "Stay. With. Me."

"I - uh - I um...say whaaa?" He's so retarded sometimes I just want to kiss him, hug him and kill him. [Sigh.] I just can't decide which. (Is it love?)

Ikuto pulled away with a satisfied smirk. He turned and swaggered - and when I say 'swaggered' I mean 'walked away like some kind of high and mighty sex god' - away. That ass.

"Hurry Amu~!" He called over his shoulder. "The bus is leaving soon and I'd hate to leave you behind."

I grumbled but followed him from the room, shutting it behind me and swinging my key on my finger pretending it was Ikuto's head on a string and feeling much better about myself. I glared at the back of his egotistical head as if it'd pop any moment now. I blinked with a suppressed grunt and looked off to the side, searching for Tadase. Maybe he'd have an open seat so I could sit next to him on the way back! Ikuto was surely going to be a pain.

"Hey! Hinamori-san!" I turned to the source of the voice and saw Tadase waving at me near some trees. I waved back and smiled.

"Hotori-kun," I greeted him genuinely happy to see another face besides Ikuto's. "I was just looking for you."

"Haha, I was looking for you. How are you?" He asked smiling a bit. "I heard you were badly injured when you fell but you weren't in the infirmary. I asked around but know one knew where you went. I was a bit worried about you, Hinamori-san."

I felt myself nearly blush. Just like Tadase to be worrying about me. He's so kind. Unlike some pigheaded idiot I knew. I smiled. "Ah, sorry. I was put under some special care for a while but I'm fine now. Sorry to make you worry, Hotori-kun."

"It's alright," he laughed a little and put a hand on my shoulder. "As long as you're feeling better."

I fiddled with my sleeves nervously. "Hey, um, I was wondering...on the ride back - "

"Amu! There you are!" Ikuto clamped a hand on my shoulder with a way-too-kind-and-gentle smile. "I was looking for you. We're about to leave and I really just wanted to sit next to you. You know, because of our deal."

"Oh, really?" I grabbed his wrist and pulled his arm away forcefully. "I forgot." I said through clenched teeth. "Please remind me."

He leaned so his lips just brushed the outside of my ear. "You have to stay. With. Me. Forever."

"Ah, really?" I laughed lightly to hide my frustration. "I was about to ask Hotori-kun if I - "

"Hey, you," he leaned over my shoulder to look at the platinum blond male. "You should really hurry onto the bus or else you won't get to sit next to who you want to."

"You're right," Tadase rubbed the back of his head. "Hinamori-san was about to ask me something."

"I was going to ask - " was all I got out before I was cut off by our teacher.

"Let's begin boarding the bus!"

I waited a moment more and attempted once more. "What I wanted to ask was - "

"Hey! Amu!" I ground my teeth in annoyance. "Are you feeling better? I mean, you look great."

"Never been better," I replied to my roommate that kicked me out.

"I was worried for a little bit but Ikuto told me you were fine," she leaned closed to me and whispered, "So did you guys do it?"

"What?" I nearly shrieked. "No!"

Rima giggled and grinned at me. "Let me be the first to know when you do, okay?"

"Ri-ma!" I groaned as she bounded away happily.

Ikuto heaved me over his shoulder suddenly before I could say 'idiot!' I tried not to curse at him. "Sorry, Tafase - "

"It's Tadase."

"Whatever. Amu's gotta go so maybe she can ask you later." Ikuto you jerk!

I opened my mouth to say something but Ikuto had already sped away and I was in an embarrassing position as we boarded the bus. We both got funny stares as he made his way to two empty seats. I remained silent as to not embarrass myself any further than I already was. He set my down by the window and seated himself down next to me - probably try to stop me if I tried to escape.

He sighed in content as the bus began moving a few minutes later. "It's going to be a long ride."

"I know," I groaned inwardly. A long, long, long ride.

"So...how was your day?"

You ever know that feeling that if you suddenly went deaf at some point in time life would be great? If not, try sitting next to Tsukiyomi Ikuto for five hours straight as he pokes you awake when you try to sleep and constantly yaps in your ear. Then see what you think.

Though after a couple of hours, no matter how many times he poked, prodded, or pinched me...I had to sleep. I was sooooooo tired now. I grunted one last time before drifting asleep again.

Ikuto, seeing as his provocative friend would not wake, sighed and looked out the window with boredom. He had to figure out how to keep himself amused for another hour or so. However, most of the bus had already fallen asleep. Even Kūkai was sleeping. Ikuto frowned and played with Amu's iPhone, easily figuring out the lock code (ジャーク) and began playing some of her games. He took her headphones and began listening to whatever she had in her playlist. He selected her most frequently played song on repeat (ラストソング).

最後にひとつ小さなキスをして
君は静かに部屋を出て行った

引き止めることもできず 黙って耐えることもない
ゆらゆらゆれる僕は 部屋の隅のギターを取って

As he listened, he slowly shut my eyes. The soft melody ran through his ears with the melodious voice calming down everything. A piano ran in the background with the drums and guitar. It was a nice song but very depressing, he noticed. Ikuto hoped that it wasn't a song with her hung up over a boy or something; it would bug him for days on end. Amu didn't look like the type to have some heartache over a guy she broke up with. She didn't even date often, she had told him. And she said she never had an 'official boyfriend' so her sister teased her about it all the time. But he had to ask as soon as possible. He wanted to know the answer but maybe she wanted it to be a secret. What if he made her problem worse? What if it meant nothing? What if he was just worrying over nothing? Ikuto groaned but let it play on.

"Amu," he nudged her. "Come on, we're getting off."

She looked at him blearily and went back to sleep. People shuffled by with their bags behind them, tired and drowsy. Amu remained with her head against the window, too tired to move anymore. Ikuto waited until the last person left the bus and took her out the way she came in; over his shoulder.

Amu didn't notice and slumbered on.

He wondered if he should drop her off at his room or her own; each was too tempting. But if guys in his hall saw him bringing a sleeping Amu into his bedroom, they would think something 'kinky' was going to happen. If he brought Amu to her room, the girls might think she was drugged and he was going to do stuff to her. Either option was typically the same but he didn't want to stand there until she woke up seeing as she slept like a rock. And she'd probably yell at him if he left her there by herself.

"Amu? Where are you dear?" He turned in surprise. It was the headmaster.

"Headmaster," he called him over.

He turned and paled when he saw me. He barely opened his mouth when he appeared in front of him in a flash. "Oh my! What happened? Is she okay? I heard she got hurt but was it that bad? What did you do to her? Is she okay? Is she alright? Can she walk? Why is she like that? Amu, Amu please tell me you can hear me!"

To his surprise, she yawned and opened her eyes, wriggling out of his grip sluggishly. She didn't even glance at Ikuto as she turned to the headmaster. She put a hand on his shoulder, squeezed once and then dropped her arm all before grabbing her things and going back to her dorm. The headmaster seemed to calm down after that and teared up.

"That's my Amu," he said to no one in particular.

Ikuto slowly backed away and grabbed his things before heading to his dorm.

"Oh, you there!" He called out to him. "Thank for carrying my niece! I shall reward you later; what's your name?"

"It's my pleasure," he seemed to smile a bit at that. "I'm no one important. We'll leave it at that."

As he walked off, the headmaster sighed in content. "How mysterious..."

[A/N] School's finally out, exams are over, and I have the freedom of summer! Yes! However my cat wakes me up at five something every morning now...(Y U NO DO THAT DURING SCHOOL?) And I have to play with him so he shuts up. Meanwhile, my dog waits for me on my be knowing I'll be back but then my cat comes to cuddle and she gets jealous and...and...!

Me ramble on...no one reads these things but it's fun to write. So blah-bitty, blah-blah-blah! No one cares about the song (my favorite song covered by Yamai) so whatever! Disclaimer: I don't own SC or the song lyrics by fatmanP.

Well, I'm sure you get the point. Ahem, another chapter dutifully done by,

~LonelyButLovely

Oh, haha, message to some:

Y U NO REVIEW? !

Translation:

ジャーク = Jerk (you can guess why...)

LOL, the "Tafase" nickname was actually a spelling error and I was going to change it but I thought it was funny ^_^