Me: Sorry for the delay! I didn't update on Sunday because it was my birthday and I didn't really want to write anything so yeah. But...here's chapter 9 as promised!

Dia: Remember, ArtsyNinja3 does not own anything except for her own characters and the plot!

Me: Thanks Dia! Now on with the story!


Narrator's P.O.V.

Amu wondered what Kukai wanted to tell her. Maybe he's finally going to return my feelings, Amu thought happily. Then, her mood suddenly dropped. "Who am I kidding? That will never happen," she muttered bitterly to herself. She suddenly remembered all she heard the night before. Her heart clenched as her eyes started to water. No, I can't cry, she thought as she blinked the tears away. She quickly returned to her classroom and sat in her chair. The pinkette looked out the window and let her mind drift off to Dreamland. That was, until the new kid decided to interrupt her daydreaming

"Yo, Amu-chan, what are you thinking about?" Taihou asked as he put his head right in front of her's.

"What do you want?" Amu groaned as she put her head in her hands.

"Nothing. You seem troubled though," he replied with concern written on his face.

"It's none of your business," she told him.

"Come on, don't be that way! Aren't we basically buddies now?"

"Since when?" Amu asked coldly.

"What do you mean?! Don't you remember that bonding time we had on the rooftop!?" Taihou asked, feigning hurt as he put his hand over his heart.

"Oh please, stop being a drama queen. We already have one of that," she replied as she nodded her head in the direction of the drama queen of their class, Saaya Yamabuki, who was obsessed with Kukai and Tadase.

"So, are you going to tell me what happened?" Amu stayed silent while Taihou sat down in front of her. "I'm going to keep pestering you until you tell me," he warned.

Amu sighed and told him everything that was troubling her. From her insecurities to what Kukai had said about her to her hope disappearing. Taihou just stayed silent until Amu finished rambling. He listened quietly and didn't interrupt her.

"I didn't get much sleep last night because of what he said," Amu told him as she ran a hand through her silky pink hair.

Finally, when Amu was done, she waited for him to say something. Taihou saw her looking at him expectantly and said, "Oh wow, I didn't know you were chasing him for that long."

"Yeah, it's been a while."

"Wow. More than ten years," he whistled. Taihou was silent for a second before asking her, "You know what I think?"

Amu shook her head. "No, what?"

"I think that guy is lucky to have someone who is so faithful to him. I think it's very impressive, how you can love the same guy after all these years of rejection. You are amazing," he answered sincerely. Amu smiled at him. Taihou broke out into a grin, "There we go! That's the smile I'm looking for!" Amu chuckled and shook her head in amusement.

"You seriously have nothing better to do right?" Amu said as she smiled softly at him. Taihou said nothing and smiled as he patted her head. Amu frowned at the fact that she was being treated as a small child, but decided to let it slide for the day. She closed her eyes with a smile still on her face while Taihou stroked her hair.

"I feel like a puppy," she mumbled. Taihou stopped patting her head for a second before chuckling and resumed stroking her hair. Before she knew it, she had fallen asleep just as the bell rang, signalling class was starting.

"I'll be bringing her to the infirmary," Taihou announced to Nikaidou-sensei, who just nodded and gave him a sly smile. Rima glared at Taihou for being close to her while he just sweat-dropped.

"Use protection, children!" he called after Taihou. The class burst out laughing at the shocked and flushing face of Taihou.

"Shut up, stupid teacher!" Taihou yelled back as he closed the classroom door. The class continued laughing along with Nikaidou-sensei as Taihou carried Amu bridal-style down the hallways.

Coincidentally, Kukai was walking down the hall, returning to his classroom from a potty break. He strolled down the corridor with his hands behind his head and whistled a tune to himself. Suddenly, he saw Taihou carrying Amu to the infirmary. What the hell? he thought to himself as he stopped walking. Taihou ignored him, and continued walking to the infirmary with Amu in his arms.

"Hey!" Kukai called over his shoulder.

Taihou came to a stop and turned his head. "Oh, it's you senpai," he said as he nodded his head as a greeting.

"Yeah, what happened to Amu?" he asked, getting straight to the point.

"Nothing really," Taihou answered casually. "She just fell asleep. Apparently she didn't get much sleep last night."

"Really?" Kukai asked. He frowned at the two in front of him. For some reason, he didn't like the fact that his childhood friend was in the arms of someone else.

"Well, I gotta go. Nice chatting with you," Taihou said shortly after a moment of silence. He turned around and was about to resume walking when Kukai caught him by the elbow.

"Wait, I'll take her there. You get back to class. Besides, I have something important I want to tell her." Taihou looked at Kukai before glancing at Amu's sleeping face.

Then, he let out a smirk. "Sure. Take care!" he said while passing Amu to Kukai and running off. What the hell was that smirk for? Kukai wondered as he carried Amu to the infirmary and laid her down on one of the beds. He sat down beside her and stared at her sleeping face. Kukai brushed her hair out of her face and rested his head on the bed.

"God, I feel like such a creeper," he muttered and buried his face into the bed. He watched as Amu breathed softly and how a smile was on her face. I wonder what she's dreaming about, he thought to himself. He didn't notice Amu stirring. Kukai leaned closer to her face and analyzed every feature.

"How long are you going to be staring at my face?" Amu asked as her eyes suddenly popped open.

"Holy shit!" Kukai cursed as he backed away and fell off his chair. Amu waited for him to get back on the chair before asking questions.

"Where am I?" Amu asked as she rubbed her eyes.

"Infirmary," he answered.

"Where's Taihou-kun?" Amu asked as she sat up.

"He went back to your classroom," Kukai told her.

"Oh ok. You should get back to your class too."

"Nah, it's math right now and I really hate math. It doesn't make a difference if I skip."

"Kuk –"

"Hey Amu, remember when I said I had something to tell you after school?"

"Yeah?"

"Mind if I tell you now?"

"Sure, doesn't really matter."

"Well, it's more like asking…"

"Get on with it Kukai," Amu groaned.

"Why do I have a feeling that you're getting more distant?" Kukai asked with sadness in his eyes. He stared into Amu's eyes to see if he could spot any emotions. After all, they say the eyes are the windows to one's soul.

Amu only stared back at him blankly. "Huh?"

Kukai twitched and decided to let out all of his emotions. "Argh! Why don't you understand?!" Kukai sighed out of frustration and ran his hand through his messy hair. "I feel like you don't talk to me about anything anymore and that you're avoiding me!"

"I'm not avoiding you," Amu stated emotionlessly.

"You're doing it right now. You don't even show any emotions around me anymore!"

Silence filled the room. Kukai opened his mouth to talk some more before he was cut off by Amu. "Do you know how much it hurts?" she whispered.

"What?"

"Do you know how much it hurts?" she repeated louder. "Do you know how much it hurts, knowing that you will probably never love me back? Do you know how much it hurts, seeing you with Utau? Do you know how much it hurt when you told Utau you will only see me as a childhood friend?!" Amu asked him, getting louder after each question. "I was there last night."

Kukai was dumbfounded. She heard everything? "Of course you don't! You don't even care anymore!"

"Who said I didn't care?!" he shouted back.

"Oh yeah? Do you know what you're doing everyday is only causing me pain?" Amu whispered.

"Then why don't you stop?" Kukai asked, more like pleading for Amu to end her suffering. He knew he would never return her feelings at the moment, and it would only cause her to suffer even more if she continued.

"Because I don't think I can stop, even if I tried. It would probably hurt more if I stopped." Kukai fell silent while tears were sliding down Amu's pale face. It pained him to watch her cry, but he didn't know what to say. He just turned away.


Me: Well...what do you think? Like it? Love it? Hate it? Whatever it is...remember to leave a review!