Heyo everyone! I'm rewriting this story because I'm not happy with it and how it turned out compared to how I want it to turn out. Stick with me as I make it amazing!

And once more, I guess…

Morg: Heyo! Get ready for some crazy Amuto sexiness!

Ikuto: What does that even mean?

Amu: It doesn't mean anything!

Morg: Yes, it does.

Ikuto: I like the sound of it!

Amu: Doesn't matter since she doesn't own anything.

~Drama High~

The wind whipped around Amu as she stood behind the school. Just a few feet in front of her was the boy she'd had a crush on during middle school. She felt nothing for him now. Nothing but contempt for making her miss lunch. She wished he would hurry.

Being that her mother raised her to be polite, Amu said nothing as Tadase seemingly tried to gather his courage to say whatever it was that he wanted to say. Amu let the wind mask her sigh.

Finally, Tadase seemed to gather himself. He rubbed his hands against his pants before lifting his head to look at her. "Please understand that my feelings are genuine. I think we'd be good together. Give me a chance to show you."

If he'd asked her a few years earlier when she'd been desperate for the approval of her classmates, Amu would have said yes. Now it was too little too late. Still, she gave him a small smile. "I don't have the same feelings as you do. I'm sorry."

She saw his face crumple as she turned away from him. He'd put himself out there, but she wasn't interested in him. Or any other students that went to their school. They didn't know her.

The bell rang, signaling that lunch was over. Her stomach growled in protest. Amu hadn't been able to eat more than a couple of bites of her sandwich before Tadase had asked her to talk with him privately. She'd have to suffer the rest of the day because of his ill-timed confession. If she was lucky, she'd be able to eat something before heading to work.

Amu sighed as she patted her stomach. Hitching her bag higher onto her shoulder, she made her way through the crowded halls of the school. The usual whispers followed her as she made her way to class. Everyone liked to gossip about everyone else. Tadase's confession was sure to be well-known already.

Amu set down her stuff before slipping into her chair. The big window next to her gave her the perfect view of a big tree out in front of the school. Most of the time, she could see her charas out there playing on it. There was nothing there today. Just a big, beautiful tree.

Someone's voice pulled her attention back from the tree and into the classroom. The girl was trying to whisper but clearly wasn't.

"I heard he was there."

Gossip and rumors were not what Amu wanted to listen to in the moments before class started. She would not get involved in their conversation. Rolling her eyes, she returned to looking at the tree and wondering where her little ladies ran off to during the day before they made it back to nap during her last period. They didn't like to tell her.

"They say he wouldn't let go of the body until the police pried his hands off of it."

"Well, it was his father. Of course, he wouldn't let go."

"I heard he went crazy for a while. We haven't seen him since the accident because he wasn't stable."

"Someone said it was his fault. He was fighting with his father and pushed him."

Amu wanted to smack her head against the top of her desk. Rumors were exactly that. There may be a small, very minuscule amount of truth in them, but that didn't mean they could be trusted. The girls around her were being completely ridiculous. It was clear from the tones of their voices that they believed everything they were saying.

Before she had to listen to any more stupid rumors, their teacher tripped his way through the doorway to the classroom. None of the students paid him any attention until he stopped at his desk and set his bag down. "Class, we have a new student. Sort of. I'm sure some of you remember him. This is Tsukiyomi Ikuto. He's returning to our school after some time away."

Amu didn't bother to turn her head and look at the boy entering the classroom. She let out another sigh. The girls that had been gossiping had been doing so because Ikuto was back. He was sure to have enough people staring at him. Amu didn't feel like adding her eyes to the rest. Besides, the tree was interesting.

Ikuto glanced around the room, not really paying attention to the students. He'd been introduced throughout the morning. He'd heard the whispers about him. Getting to know his classmates wasn't high on his list of things to do. He was there because he had to be. The sooner he finished high school the better.

"Take a seat so we can get started."

Ikuto moved to a desk at the back of the room next to a window. He noticed as he walked toward it that the girl that would be sitting two chairs in front of him wasn't paying any attention to him or the teacher. She was staring out the window.

Sitting, Ikuto turned to look out the window. All that he saw was a tree. Granted, it was a majestic tree, as far as trees go. Still, not that interesting. With a mental shrug, he slumped in his chair and stared toward the front of the room as their teacher started the lecture.

XXX

The ringing of the bell startled Amu out of her thoughts. She shifted forward to pack up her things before slinging her bag over her shoulder. Her movements were slow enough that plenty of the other students were already out the door before she got there.

Her last two classes of the day passed as much as the others. Nothing really happened. She was ahead of the teacher so everything they were talking about wasn't anything new for her. The only thing that stood out was that Tadase, who was in her last class of the day, kept giving her sad looks. Ones that she ignored.

The moment that the bell rang to end the day, Amu was on her way to her bike. She didn't have much time before she had to be home. That and she really wanted to eat a snack.

Pulling out a smaller bag from her backpack, Amu set it in the basket of her bike. She unlocked the chain that held her bike to the rack before tapping the top of her little bag. "Come on, guys, time to wake up."

The bag wiggled a bit as she swung her leg over her bike and pushed away from the rack. It wasn't until she was at the corner of the road that the top flap of her bag was pushed up and a small face looked out at her.

Ran still looked sleepy, though she smiled at Amu. "Amu-chan. School's over already? Time to go?"

"Yes, Ran. School let out. We're heading home."

The little pink girl seemed to wake up more and more as Amu peddled down the street.

Miki poked her head out of the bag before climbing out to sit on Amu's handlebars. "How was your day?"

"Same old, same old. Did you sleep well?"

Miki just shrugged.

Amu slowed down to round a corner just as Su slipped out of the bag. "Hey, can you get my lunch out of my backpack? I didn't get to eat it earlier."

"Why not, desu?"

Sighing, Amu looked up at the sky before smiling down at the three girls looking back at her. "Tadase confessed to me at lunch."

Ran fell off her perch on the top of the bag. She was laughing so hard she couldn't hold on. Amu let her go. She'd catch up when she was done.

Su just patted her on the head before digging into the backpack on her back for her lunch.

Miki just groaned and shook her head.

Amu couldn't help but smile. Her charas were the best. She was incredibly lucky to have them there to help her figure out the type of person she wanted to be.

Dia was the last to leave the bag. She yawned and stretched before floating up to sit on Amu's shoulder. "Are you ready for tonight?"

Amu huffed before nodding her head slightly. "As ready as I can be. You'll be with me. I'm sure it'll be great."

Su moved over Amu's shoulder with a baggy of carrot sticks. "Eat these."

Taking them from her little green chara, Amu placed them in front of Miki and on the bag her charas slept in. She used one hand to open the baggy before grabbing a carrot stick. She munched on it while she slowed to turn another corner.

Ran shot passed them still laughing.

Shaking her head, Amu grinned as she pulled into her driveway. Without getting off her bike, Amu walked it up to the garage door and punched in the code. She waited as the door slid slowly up. Still on her bike, Amu walked herself and her charas into the garage before stepping off.

She munched on another carrot as she grabbed her things and made her way into the house, not forgetting to hit the button to close the door of the garage once more. She had a lot to get done that night and not much time to do it before her parents got home.

XXX

Ikuto stared at his feet as he wandered around the city. There was nowhere for him to go and nowhere he wanted to be. So he walked.

The sound of high-pitched laughter had him looking up in time to see a girl on a bike heading the other way on the opposite side of the road. Ikuto noticed the charas with her. There were at least three that he could see. Then a small pink blur went by her.

Ikuto turned to watch them until they were out of sight. The girl he thought was familiar. She had to be in one of his classes. The fact that she had four charas made her interesting.

"What are you looking at, nya?"

Looking down at the little cat chara perched on his shoulder, Ikuto felt his lips twitch into something resembling a smile. "Nothing. What are you doing?"

"Looking for you!"

"Why?"

Yoru's little tail flicked back and forth as he sat on Ikuto's shoulder. He allowed his human to carry him down the street. "I was bored at the house, nya. Let's play!"

Ikuto didn't exactly feel like playing what with the day he'd had. But he was back at school for a reason. One that was rather draining considering all the stares and gossip directed at him. Still, his father had wanted him to get an education. Ikuto was going to do everything he could to get one.

He was turning over a new leaf and that meant that he was not going to lock himself away and never have any fun anymore. He was supposed to be healing.

So he did what he should have done months ago. He smiled down at the cat on his shoulder. "Yoru?"

The little blue kitten looked up at Ikuto with a grin.

Tapping his little furry head between his ears, Ikuto made sure to push Yoru off his shoulder. "You're it."

For a moment, Yoru hung in the air stunned. Then he let out a battle cry and took off after Ikuto. "You can't hide from me, nya!"

XXX

Sweaty and a bit out of breath, Amu sat down in front of her mirror. "I think that went well."

Ran laughed from her spot on top of a bottle of perfume. "We watched it on the little screen over there! You were awesome, Amu-chan!"

"Thanks, Ran."

Miki nodded without looking up from her sketchbook. "I've got some ideas for another costume."

Smiling at that, Amu took the cookie that Su offered her. She stuck the whole thing in her mouth to free up her hands.

Dia shook her head at Amu but moved to sit by Miki on the top of her dresser.

The four charas watched as Amu pulled her pink hair back into a low bun. She wiped her face with a clean wipe to remove her makeup and sweat. "The dance went over better than I thought. I was a bit worried we wouldn't have enough space in here."

"It looked great, desu."

Amu grinned at herself in the mirror as she finished removing the makeup around her eyes. Her recording had gone well. She hadn't had any surprises from her family coming home early and it hadn't taken her nearly as many takes as some other nights had.

With a sigh, Amu sat back in her chair and looked at herself in the mirror. People at school liked to gossip. They all thought she was weird. They were nowhere close to being able to guess why.

With a groan, Amu pushed herself up and out of her chair. She stripped out of her costume and hung it on the little rack in her closet before grabbing her towel and pajamas. "I'm going to go shower."

"Then you have to get your homework done, desu!" Su called after her.

Amu sighed as she stepped into the bathroom and turned on the light. Her teachers all thought she liked learning and that's why she stayed ahead of the class. None of them knew she had a little demon forcing her to stay ahead.

She let her eyes slide closed as she stood under the warm spray of the water. The recording part of her video was done, for now, but she still had to watch it and edit it. She wouldn't actually post it for several more days despite her fans always demanding more content.

Once she was out of the shower, dried off, and dressed, Amu snuck down the hall without returning to her room. She would get to the homework that Su wanted her to do later. "Mama? Ami? Papa? Where are you guys?"

A thump sounded before Ami came running to the bottom of the stairs. "Hey, Amu! We just got home a few minutes ago! Want to hear about my club?"

Grinning as she moved down the stairs, Amu nodded. "I would love to hear all about it. Did Mama make anything for supper yet?"

Ami grabbed Amu's arm and dragged her into the kitchen. "She's almost done. Tonight was archery. I really enjoyed learning all about the bows and the arrows!"

"Do you think you'll join this one?"

Ami bit at her lip as she sat down at the table with Amu by her side. "I don't know. It was a lot of fun but we're going to the music club tomorrow after school and I think their practices conflict."

Amu ruffled Ami's hair as she settled into her chair at their table. "You'll find the club you want to join, Ami. Trying them out is half the fun."

"Look at my girls. Aren't you getting along so well?" Midori said as she turned to look at them over her shoulder. "Are you hungry?"

Amu couldn't help the sigh she heaved as she slumped over the table. "Yes! I'm starving."

"What's this?" Midori laughed as she turned back to the stove. "Did you not eat your lunch?"

Amu groaned while Ami giggled at her. "I couldn't. Hotori Tadase asked to speak to me privately."

"No!" Ami gasped. "He confessed!?"

"And what did you say?" Midori asked with a slight frown as she glanced back over her shoulder again.

Amu sighed before pushing up off the table. "I told him I didn't return his feelings because I don't."

"Good," Midori said as she turned off the stove. "You don't need to be dating, yet. Imagine what your father would say."

All three girls shuddered.

Midori shook her head once as she moved the pot from the stove to the table. "Someone go call for him, please. It's time to eat."

Ami scrambled off her chair and ran down the hall.

Amu smiled as she listened to her father and her sister speak to each other in the same excited tones. She was glad she was more like her mother.

Midori brushed some of Amu's hair back from her face. "Are you glad to have that done with?"

"The confession or the recording," Amu asked as she looked up at her mother.

"Both," Midori said with a smile as she finished setting the table.

"Yeah," Amu said with a yawn. "I have some more work to do, but I'm happy with how it came out. As for the confession, the moping is tiresome but I'm sure he'll get over it."

Midori smirked as Tsumugu and Ami came barreling through the door. "I'm sure he will."

XXX

Ikuto swung into his bedroom through his open window. He pulled an ice cream treat out of his bag before pulling out a small fish. He tossed the little fish into the air before opening the ice cream.

Yoru zipped in through the window and caught the fish.

Ikuto smiled as he watched his chara eat the treat he'd gotten him. Sitting down against the wall, Ikuto let his long legs stretch out in front of him. His day of playing with Yoru was actually fun. He smiled more than he had in a long time.

"That was good, nya!"

"You won the game. You deserve a treat."

"Only because you decided to take a nap!"

Chuckling at that, Ikuto didn't bother to argue. Yoru was right. He rubbed his finger along Yoru's back as the little chara drifted closer to him. "Maybe but that doesn't change that you still won. Next time you won't be so lucky."

Yoru didn't say it out loud, but he thought he'd be the luckiest chara in the world if Ikuto kept playing with him like they did today.

.

Morg: So what did you think?

Ikuto: I seem like a loser.

Amu: What am I recording?

Morg: Wait for a later chapter! I'm not going to just tell you!

Ikuto: Yeah, Amu! Duh!

Amu: Shut it, Ikuto! You don't know either!