AN: I'm back! Yes I know, it's been forever. Enjoy for now, and please read the AN at the end.
Recap:
"Do you need me to repeat that?! We're over!"
And then Amu ran past Ikuto, and didn't look back.
~Love~
I love you, I love you
But maybe I bit off more than I could chew
I'm doing this for you
So after this, can we start anew?
Amu
"I looked to you as it fell, and now you're in my way."
"Hello?"
"Amu-chan, it's me."
"Oh, hey Tadase-kun!"
"Want to go to the park with me?"
"Are you asking me out on a date?" I asked. I may have sounded like I was smirking, but secretly, I was all giddy on the inside.
"Y-y-y-yes..."
"Okay, I'll be there in ten minutes."
"There's no need. Look out your window." I peeped out of the curtains of my balcony glass doors, and there was Tadase in his car.
I dashed downstairs, and out the door.
"Amu-chan, where are you going?"
"Park! Be back soon!" And a door slam was all I heard for a reply.
I ran up to Tadase's car, and hopped in the passenger seat.
"Hey Tadase-kun."
"Hey Amu-chan."
He greeted me with a quick hug, then we sped off towards the park.
"...I'm sorry about you and Ikuto." He said softly, once we were on the road.
"Stop apologizing, it's been a couple days already! He just wasn't the one for me." I answered, staring off into the distance.
Flashback
"We're over!"
After those two small, but important words, I ran past him. I ran and ran and ran. I didn't even care where I ran to, so I somehow ended up at the park. The hills were all covered with grass, and there were gigantic trees looming overheard, providing shade for the people who choose to sit at the benches nearby. Right now, I am standing at the scene of the crime. Where everything started to go downhill. Why did this all have to happen? I thought Ikuto loved me... And even though I just broke up with him, I still love him.
But I can't seem to tell what's real and what isn't anymore. Is Tadase really the cause of all this crap? Well, he did show up right before all these tragedies started. I fell to the ground, with my knees on the grass, and my palms gripping the grass into shreds.
"I can't take anymore of this!" I shouted to myself. Thank god no one else is in the park right now. Or else they would've thought I was a crazy person.
"Amu!"
"Go away!"
I felt arms encircle my shoulders as I tried to push whoever it was away from me. I heard a small 'oof' and then a thud as s/he was thrown to the ground.
"That hurt you know..."
Strange...it's not a guy... I opened my eyes, and found Utau on the ground, rubbing a sore elbow.
"You got one heck of a strength when you're emotional." Utau said, giving me a grim smile. She held out a hand, and I helped her up. Once she was up, she dusted the dirt and grass off of her blue jeans.
"That's gonna leave a nasty stain." She said, glimpsing at the green smear on her thigh.
"Sorry about that. I thought you were Ikuto." I said, laughing. But anyone could tell that that laugh was forced.
"Amu, what happened?"
"..."
"What happened?! Goddammit Amu, I can't help you if you can't even tell me what happened!" Utau shouted in aggravation. She was literally pulling her hair out as I flinched back from her sudden outburst. She saw my flinch, and apologized. And then I couldn't take it anymore. I broke down crying in Utau's arms, as I spilled out everything that happened. I told about the walk to my house, meeting Tadase, then Ikuto punching Tadase, then all the yelling and screaming between me and Ikuto; basically, everything.
All the while Utau just held me and listened, rubbing my back with her right hand soothingly. After I finished I asked her,"What should I do?"
"...I think you should listen to Ikuto's side of the story. And besides, I'm pretty sure you still love him."
"But, but, what about Tadase? And isn't it Ikuto's fault?" I blubbered. Utau sighed, and looked me straight in the eye. Her violet irises bore into my golden ones, making me flinch back for a second.
"Amu. You need to know more about Tadase before you decide it's Ikuto's fault."
"W-what do you mean by 'learn more about Tadase'?" Was Ikuto right about him all along?
"Let's sit down at one of those benches first." We walked towards the closest one, and sat down.
Utau took a deep breath before she began.
"Tadase, Ikuto, and I were childhood friends. We met when were around four or five. However, he may have seemed nice at first, he wasn't. Ikuto and I first became aware of it in middle school. Ikuto was dating this girl and it turns out, she was cheating on him with Tadase. He confronted Tadase about it, saying how she was his, and he could betray him like that. Tadase claimed that he didn't that he was dating Ikuto's girlfriend, so Ikuto cut him some slack, and let Tadase date her by breaking up with her."
"I never knew Ikuto would do that for him..." I replied, staring off into the distance.
"Things were different when we were younger. Back then, Ikuto was really kind and nice to everyone, unlike the perverted Ikuto we know now." Utau chuckled lightly.
"...Is it because of your parents?" I asked quietly.
"That's one factor. But let me finish my story first." Utau said curtly, with a wave of her hand.
"And after Tadase started dating that girl, he would always be watching Ikuto, and the girls he interacted with. It was like he was out to get him to something. And in the next couple of years, whenever Ikuto got a girlfriend, they always ended up dating Tadase. Soon enough, I got tired of watching Ikuto go through this endless cycle, so I began to follow Tadase around."
Tadase? Did he really do all of those horrible things? He's starting to sound more like what Ikuto said he was.
"So eventually, I followed Tadase out on one of his dates with a girl that was dating Ikuto. I mean, you know me, I can't help being overprotective." Utau said with a smile. I nodded my head.
"If you weren't overprotective and hostile, I would think you had a fever." I laughed. Utau gave me a punch in the arm, pink tinting her cheeks.
"Shut it."
"Anyway, what did you find out?"
"Well..."
Utau
Flashback (Hah, a flashback in a flashback xD)
Tadase was walking with Tachibana hand in hand, talking about how she was soooo pretty, as she denied it while blushing. She's not even that pretty.
They then suddenly stopped walking, as Tadase dragged her into the nearby park. Suspicious. I followed suit, hopping my disguise consisting of a black hat, large sunglasses, and my blond hair without its pigtails, would work. I hopped from bush to bush, until I lost them.
"Dammit, where did those two go?" I cursed under my breath. I saw a bird fly right past my face from the right and I ducked down just in time before I met the bird face to face. Literally. I turned to the right, and there they were, making out. He was all over her, as she kissed him back. Ugh, I'm disgusted just by looking at them. Then, Tadase's phone rang. He broke the kiss, and picked up his phone.
"Moshi moshi?"
"Huh? Now? Can't we do this another time?"
"Ikuto? Okay, be right there." Ikuto? What about him? Be where?!
"Sorry, Tachibana, I gotta go."
"It's okay. I'll see you tomorrow." She gave him a quick goodbye kiss, and left. Tadase then looked right, and left, then headed in the opposite direction of his girlfriend. He left the park, crossed the street, and headed in the direction of the mall. Strange, is he meeting another girl? But if he is, what does this have to do with Ikuto?
Tadase entered the mall, and was en route to the food court, until I bumped into a guy carrying like twenty shopping bags that toppled onto me, blocking my view of Tadase. Half of them dropped on me, while the other half he managed to keep in his hands.
"I'm sorry miss!" He then tripped on nothing, and dropped the rest of the bags on me. What an idiot!
"Gomen, gomenesai!" He said, bowing over and over again.
"Stop bowing and help me up!" I shouted. Tadase's getting away!
It seemed like he was purposely taking his sweet time, by removing the bags off of me one by one. You've got to be kidding me. After about half the bags were removed, I began to throw the bags away from me, stood up, and ran in the direction that Tadase took. The man scrambled around, trying to recover the bags I tossed aside, all the while saying,"Gomenesai!" What a loser.
I ran past boutiques, clothing stores, and an electronics store right before I reached the food court. My eyes scanned the crowd of people eating, looking for some blond hair. Where is he?! Then, out of the corner of my eye, I spotted a blond male buying some food, and it looks like he isn't alone. But I can't see who he's with.
I sprinted towards that direction, and sat right behind their table; yes, behind a potted plant. I craned my neck to let my ear get closer to them so I could hear their conversation.
"Everything is going according to our plan Saaya. Eventually, you'll get what you want, I'll get what I want."
"Really? Ikuto will finally be mine?"
"Soon. But you already know that. Why did you call me out here? I still have a few more days before I have to dump Tachibana."
My eyes widened. What plan? Dump Tachibana? Why?
"Mou, Tadase-kun! How much longer do I have to wait?" The girl whined.
"Patience. Remember? First, we let Ikuto get a girlfriend. Then you and I cause trouble for her so she'll fall for me. Then, we make fake recordings of Ikuto saying that he loves some other girl. But if we're lucky, then the girl would've fallen in love with me already, like this time. Then I date her for a couple weeks then dump her."
That. Bastard.
"But what's the point of all this?"
"Once Ikuto gets tired of losing all the ones he loves to me, he won't trust anyone, then he'll be dispirited and distant. Then I'll claim the popularity that he stole from me so effortlessly. It always urked me how he was so easygoing and popular. He'll feel my pain soon enough. And once he does, you can go and capture his heart."
As Tadase was saying that, I saw him clench his fist in anger.
"Ohh, I get it now."
"I told you this before, Saaya."
Oh. My. God. Tadase you asshole! How dare you do this to Ikuto! I'll show you what I can do.
I flipped open my phone, and scrolled through my contacts, stopping at Tachibana. Popularity helps doesn't it?
"Hello?"
"Hey, Tachibana, it's Hoshina."
"Oh, hey Utau! What's up?"
"Can you meet me at the mall in the food court?"
"Uh, sure but why?"
"I need to show you something. Come asap."
"Sure, I'm in the area anyway. Be there in a minute."
I snapped my phone shut after the call ended. She should be here any minute now since her house isn't that far from here, and she just started walking home. Now, since I got the whole conversation recorded, there's not much left to do but wait. But wait for what? It's not like Tadase is going to reveal his plan to her. So what should I say to her that'll make her believe me?
"Ah! It's Tachibana. Saaya, hide!" Saaya quickly got out of her chair, and began to run to the plant right behind the table. Crap! She's gonna see me!
I quickly got up, and walked around the plant, to go 'buy' some food.
"One milkshake please."
"Coming right up." The guy behind the counter said, as he disappeared into the kitchen to put in my order.
"Utau-chan!" I turned around, and saw Tachibana coming towards me, waving her arm back and forth. I saw Tadase look at me in surprise, then look at her. Trapped much?
I smirked.
"Tachibana-san! Would you like a milkshake as well?"
"No thanks. I'm not that hungry." She replied, as she walked up to me.
"Here you go, miss. Enjoy!" The man said as he handed me my vanilla milkshake.
"So why'd you call me out here?"
"Well, there's something that Tadase-kun has to tell you, don't you Tadase?" I said, walking up to his table.
"Hehehe, what are you talking about?" Tadase said, drumming his fingers on the table in anticipation.
"Oh you know what I'm talking about. How about you explain. If you don't I'll clearly say how you planned to dump her."
Tadase's eyes widened in horror at what I just said.
"Oops, sorry. It slipped out." I said, covering my mouth in fake horror as I gasped. In reality, I was covering my smirk. Guess it runs in the family.
"Tadase... she's joking right?" Tachibana said, her voice quivering.
"Hahahaha, nice one Utau." Tadase said, but his laugh seemed so hollow.
"You were planning on dumping me? So this was all just a game?!"
"No! Utau's lying to you!"
"You could prove I'm wrong if you kept dating her though... But I doubt you will." I sneered.
"No, you know what, we're over Tadase! I should've stayed with Ikuto when I had the chance." And with that, she stalked away.
"Don't be a player, Tadase-kun." I glared, before walking away myself. I texted Ikuto everything I heard them say, and their plans and he replied back saying how he suspected as much. He also thanked me for what I did for him.
Flashback (in flashback) End
"Ohhh... " Was all Amu could say.
"Yeah... And after that, Ikuto soon met you. Even though I was against you two going out." I added.
"Well, now I know why you tried to break us up." Amu grinned ruefully.
"Yup, but I'm glad you two didn't. If you did, we wouldn't be best friends." I said, smiling at Amu.
"Yeah." We then hugged because it has been a hard day for the both of us. After a decent amount of time, I pulled back and looked Amu in the eye.
"What are you going to do about Tadase, now that you know the truth?"
"Honestly...I think I kind of fell for him. I guess I'll go out with him." My eyes widened with shock and anger.
"But you just said you loved Ikuto! Why would you go out with him?!"
"...I want to find out what caused him to do all of this. And besides, I find him kind of cute." Amu said, blushing a little. I looked at her, dumbstruck, not knowing what to say. If you love someone, why would you go out with a different guy?
"I don't get why you're doing this. It's just going to hurt Ikuto more."
"I want Ikuto and Tadase to be friends again. I know that sounds silly and impossible, but I really think they should be friends. They just misunderstood each other all these years."
"Yeah you're right. That is impossible."
"Well, that's why I'm here right? To make the impossible possible!" Amu exclaimed exuberantly. I sighed. There's really no stopping this girl, huh?
"Fine. Do you want me to tell Ikuto?"
"No, it's okay. I want to tell him when the time is right."
End Flashback
Amu
We arrived at the park, and Tadase parked on the sidewalk. He got out of the car, and then opened my door like a gentleman. I blushed slightly, as I got out of the car.
"Shall we?" He said, holding out his hand. I took it, and answered,"Sure."
We walked hand in hand around the park, admiring the scenery and watching the kids there laugh and shout vivaciously. We sat down at a bench, just enjoying each other's company. I then heard, an ice cream truck far away.
"I want some ice cream..." I muttered under my breath.
"I'll get us some, wait right here." Tadase said, getting up.
"N-no, it's okay."
"Be right back." He said, ignoring what I just said. He let go of my hand, and headed in the direction of the music of the ice cream truck.
After about ten minutes, I then closed my eyes, loving the feeling of the breeze on my face, before I felt a tap on my shoulder. Confused, I opened my eyes, only to be face to face with Tsukiyomi Ikuto.
"I-Ikut-" I barely began to say his name before he kissed me. He pulled me closer to him, his arms wrapping around my waist, as my arms found themselves around Ikuto's neck.
"Amu-chan?" I broke the kiss only to find Tadase standing right in front of us, one vanilla and one chocolate ice cream cone in each hand.
Crap.
Sorry, the one I truly love
Is the azure headed pervert
But look above
all this mess
And you'll find your own princess
AN: I'm sorry for the late updates lately, but I haven't had much inspiration these days. So I'll try to update, but we'll see how it goes. And I have summer school, volunteering, and sports, and right now I'm like brain fried. T^T And for those of you reading my other story, No Matter What I'll Save You, that may be discontinued because I gots that writer's block. I had writer's block on this story as well, but surprisingly, I pulled through to give you a crappy chapter xD.
Hey, it may be crap, but at least I updated. Anyway, R&R?