welcome to chapter no. fourteen of my first ever 'Shugo Chara' fanfiction, although in technical terms regarding the literary structure of the fanfiction, itself, I guess that this chapter would count more as chapter no. twelve of my first ever 'Shugo Chara' fanfiction. not meaning to direct any of my readers incorrectly, but the first two chapters of this exact fanfiction are technically the full summary then the character list of this very fanfiction. I don't know why I keep on doing that with my fanfictions where the whole description won't fit in the description box next to the fanfiction's title on FanFiction, but I hope they do something about that one of these days. anyway, this headnote, right here, is actually supposed to be done for one reason and one reason, only. that reason is still the purpose of telling all of you, my readers exactly how many words the current chapter really makes up. so, this fourteen/twelfth chapter has a grand total of one-thousand-two-hundred-fifty-two words to its complete storyline, give or take an author's note/comment from yours truly hidden within the storyline of this chapter or any other chapter in this fanfiction. the storyline of this chapter also doesn't include this explanatory headnote, right here, nor does it include the (mandatory) disclaimer that makes up the paragraph following this headnote.

disclamation: I don't own 'Shugo Chara' or 'The Ugly Truth' in any way, shape, or form. I am but a humble fanfiction blogger on both FanFiction and Wattpad. I have an account with Wattpad that I keep meaning to edit my own username. the same goes for my usernames on both YouTube and on DeviantArt. why do I keep forgetting to edit my own usernames. anyway, 'Shugo Chara' is owned by the duo of manga artists known in their home country as Peach Pit, AKA Banri Sendo and Shibuko Ebara. Meanwhile, 'The Ugly Truth' was directed in 2009 by Robert Luketic and was written by a trio of writers made up by three women with the names of Nicole Eastman, Karen McCullah Lutz, and Kirsten M. Smith.

The following morning at the television station, Amu and her best work friend, Senna, were just walking into the studio's back door as they continued talking about the pink head's meeting with Tadase Hotori the night before.

Amu Hinamori: You are not gonna even believe how perfect he is, Senna.

Senna then placed her hand upon Amu's chest as the brunette asked the pink head her question.

Senna Hanazono: Symmetrical?

Amu just grew incredulously excited at what she was about ready to say to her brunette friend, Senna.

Amu Hinamori: Oh, you have no idea.

Senna, of course, became incredibly excited herself about just how symmetrical Amu had actually described Tadase. The brunette knew just how excited the pink head looked about her dashing blond neighbor.

Senna Hanazono: Oh, good lord.

Amu, herself, only had one word to say about her best work friend, Senna's, comment about Tadase.

Amu Hinamori: Hai.

Of course, Senna had only wanted to help her best friend at work, Amu, make a good and lasting impression on a guy like Tadase beyond their first impression.

Senna Hanazono: Well, how did you leave it? I mean, did he ask for your number?

Of course, Amu was still on cloud nine from the night before even by then in the studio, and it would have taken a scene from hell playing before her in the studio to get her off of said cloud.

Amu Hinamori: No, but he gave me his. So, what should I do? Should I call him? And if I do call him, what should I say?

Senna just wanted nothing more than to calm her friend, Amu, down a bit before she could tell her what to do about her obvious crush on her new blond neighbor, Tadase.

Senna Hanazono: OK. Um, take a breath.

Amu just agreed with Senna basically telling her to breath slowly.

Senna Hanazono (continued): And onegai shi masu, sweetheart, no tap water.

Amu's next words, she just whispered to herself, realizing that she needed to keep her knowledge about tap water to herself for a date in the future, even with a guy like Tadase.

Amu Hinamori: No tap water.

Senna, herself, had only tried to make sure that Amu did not do anything to ruin her date with Tadase just as she had done prematurely to her most recent date with Kairi when it went down the tubes and got the poor pink head on her dark-turquoise-haired director's bad side for their lousy date.

Senna Hanazono: Don't bring it up.

That was when Amu heard and saw the very thing that could and would bring her off of cloud nine.

Random make-up girl: You've got naughty eyes. Anybody ever tell you that?

Of course, it was none other than Ikuto Tsukiyomi who the make-up girl was chatting with as she had said such things. The blunet in question even had a response to her in return for her own comment.

Ikuto Tsukiyomi: I've got naughty everything.

It was the very thing that could have and would have brought Amu back down to Earth from on cloud nine, all right. It technically brought the pink head more down into hell, itself, than back to Earth, however, in actuality.

Amu Hinamori: Hold that thought.

It might have seemed as though she were jealous of the make-up girl who was doing Ikuto's face over. But as Amu walked toward the both of them, it was very clear that she was actually concerned about Ikuto doing his job according to her personal belief for the television schedule in the day ahead of them all.

Ikuto Tsukiyomi: No, oi. You won't get in trouble.

The make-up girl just continued to pepper Ikuto's face with the stage make-up from her kit. Ikuto really seemed to enjoy her attention with the make-up treatment, too.

Ikuto Tsukiyomi (continued): Down a bit. Down a bit.

Upon Amu having gone to the make-up vanity in which Ikuto's face was getting peppered with it by the random make-up girl and the pink head looking as mean and controlling as she ever had, the make-up girl instantly got the idea that Amu was Ikuto's girlfriend and left immediately.

Random make-up girl: OK.

As much as he enjoyed the make-up girl's company, Ikuto was glad to have Amu at his side once again since the day before. The blunet in question did make sure to bid farewell to the sexy tan, redheaded make-up girl.

Ikuto Tsukiyomi: Sayonara, Momo-chan!

A/N: not meaning to interrupt such an exciting scene, but does the way I described the make-up girl, Momo, remind anyone of any other anime?

Amu then cleared her throat at what still remained as Ikuto's male chauvinism on and off-camera. Then, the pink head started talking to the blunet.

Amu Hinamori: Keep it clean. Keep it moving. Stick to the script. You are on a live affiliate news program. You do not have the luxury of using the words 'blow' and 'job' in the same sentence. If you say anything scatological, you will be fired.

Of course, in spite of Amu's monologue to him, Ikuto was incredibly skeptical towards the possibility of losing his job for anything he did or said that would have been scatological.

Ikuto Tsukiyomi: Oh, really?

Amu responded to Ikuto's question near immediately.

Amu Hinamori: Hai.

Of course, Ikuto had his own response to Amu's threatening little monologue about his job being in jeopardy at even just the thought of anything scatological.

Ikuto Tsukiyomi: 'Cuz I kinda thought that you were the one who was gonna get fired if you don't keep me happy.

Then, Ikuto turned his head towards the make-up vanity right in front of him at the time, knowing he was the one in charge with Amu being in danger of losing her own job were she to make him upset with the network in any way, shape, or form.

Ikuto Tsukiyomi (continued): Hai. I've got a list of demands that I would like to make out to you after the show, and let me just warn you…

Ikuto then raised his head to whisper into Amu's ear.

Ikuto Tsukiyomi (continued): They're gonna be scatological.

Not long after he whispered into her ear, Amu brought Ikuto's earbud up to his ear and placed it into said ear, hard. The pink head had pushed the ear bud into the poor blunet's ear almost roughly enough to damage his ear drum, it hurt so bad.

Ikuto Tsukiyomi (continued): Ow. Ah.

Then, Amu ripped off the shirt towel Ikuto had on for his make-up treatment with that one make-up hot, tan, redheaded girl, Momo. The pink head was clearly in such a mood by then.

Ikuto Tsukiyomi (continued): You know, Amu, just for the fact that you look so, so pretty today, I won't mention the misguided phallic you just displayed on my ear.

Needless to say, Ikuto could practically hear his heart racing in his ear from within his chest as he made such a comment about Amu's rage.

A/N: oh, yeah. Ikuto's hypnotized by Amu, all right. even when he covers it up with his many perversions, Ikuto's definitely hypnotized by Amu.

While the blunet in question remained as infatuated with the pink head as he had ever been since the minute the two of them met, Amu, herself, just continued to feel enraged about even working with a guy like Ikuto on the set of her studio's main stage.

Amu Hinamori: When you hear my voice, just do what I say.

Ikuto only chuckled at Amu's order for him to do whatever she said. Of course, the blunet was more than happy to do what his crush was going to tell him over the microphone in his ear. But said blunet was only willing to do what the pink head would have had to tell him on his terms.

Ikuto Tsukiyomi: Promise you'll talk dirty to me, baby?

Amu and Ikuto both chuckled at what the blunet in question had requested from his crush just before the pink head frowned at him and went into her workstation in the backstage camera room.