Pink

“At last,” the girl sighed and fell on a soft bed in her hotel-room. It was a long and busy day in Paris. She helped Utau with her wardrobe, though there were lots of specialists around the pop-idol, but the blonde insisted that the one who would do that work would be Amu. And Hinamori was very surprised with the work. She had never thought that it would be so hard to be an assistant of a famous singer. When she returned to her room, Amu felt like a squeezed lemon. She didn’t have a free minute to think about her hardships and heart-problems. Of course, Tadase’s betrayal had painted on her mood, but still, she tried to look cheerful, since she didn’t want her friends to worry about unnecessary things. “But who am I trying to lie to?” the pink-head rolled on her stomach and closed her golden eyes. “Kuukai-kun sees right through me.” A loud knock on a door brought her back to reality. Amu sat up in the bed slowly and put her feet on a floor, searching for her slippers. When it was done, the girl stood up and walked to the door of her hotel-room. After she opened the door, her golden eyes widened in surprise at whom she met in the doorway. “Sorry for disturbing your rest, Amu-chan,” the blonde started entering the room. “I have something important to say”. “What is it, Utau?” Hinamori questioned, offering the elder girl to sit in the nearest armchair. “First of all I want to thank you for your hard work. You are a wonderful assistant, dear, and I really appreciate your help,” while saying those words, Souma lady took a piece of paper out of her purse. “It was nothing. I’m glad that I was able to provide you with some help.” Said the golden-eyed girl shyly. “And as a “thank you” I want to give you this ticket.” Utau handed the paper to the pink-lover. “Tomorrow I don’t have a concert, so you may take a day-off and spend your free time sightseeing. This ticket allows you to enter the park of the castle not far from Paris. It’s a very beautiful and splendid place. I advise you to visit it.” Amu looked at a small piece of paper in her hands thoughtfully. “Will you go there too?” Utau’s face got more serious. “Unfortunately, not. Kuukai and I were invited to a private dinner with a prime-minister, so we have to skip our visit to the castle. If to be honest I’d better go there than to that dinner, but I just can’t.” “Don’t worry, everything will be fine,” there were the notes of encouragement in Amu’s voice as she smiled at the blonde lady. Utau just nodded lightly. “Alright, everything is settled then. I will give you the map that will help you to find the castle tomorrow morning. Now I have to go. Goodnight, Amu-chan.” “Thank you very much for the ticket. I can’t wait to go there!” Amethyst eyes softened. She was glad to hear enthusiastic notes in the younger girl’s voice. She remembered her hurt expression during their flight and the first couple of days in Paris. Now there was some improvement in Amu’s mood and psychological state, but still it couldn’t be compared to the cheerful Amu that she had known before the wedding. Utau really wanted to help her find herself, and she noticed how the girl tried to hide her problems from the others. But Utau knew like no one else that it was very hard to fight the misery by yourself. Now her life was filled with light and laughter because she had her protector and supporter—her dear husband that she loved with all her heart. But Amu… the man she thought she belonged with had betrayed her expectations and hurt her feelings. No wonder that Hinamori had lost herself as well as her sense of independence and confidence. Women were meant to be cared of; they needed to feel that they were loved and cherished. She also thought that she could live her life alone. That was like that until Kuukai appeared in her life. He was like a brand new breeze in her humdrum. And now Amu needed someone who would become her guiding light, who would take all her troubles on his strong shoulders. “You are welcome,” answered the singer before leaving the room and closing the door behind her. “Brother, now it’s all up to you. Don’t screw everything up.”

OooooO

“So, and what am I still doing here?” Those words had been told innumerous times for the past 2 hours. Amu found that castle with the most picturesque garden she had ever seen in her whole life. But the problem was that the garden happened to be some kind of a labyrinth. She could find neither the entrance nor the exit. And it started to irritate the young tourist. It had been 3 hours since she stepped into the beauty of that castle’s pride, but now she didn’t feel all that happy about it at all. The girl was hungry, lost and her mood was as dark as her History teacher’s hair. She had no map. Only that one that Utau had given her in the morning. But that was the map of the area, not of the castle. And who of those French aristocrats was smart enough to build a maze in his household? Couldn’t he just grow a simple green garden where people could just walk and enjoy the beauty? No-o-o, they needed to tangle everything. Perhaps, that garden was none other than an instrument of torture. Yeah, that must be it. People could starve to death during their searching for the exit. Amu’s pink eyebrow twitched several times when she stopped before another crossroad, identical to the previous one. You wonder if she tried to ask for help, don’t you? The funniest thing was that she did, but of course in vain. She was Japanese whose English was on the worst level you could ever imagine, not mentioning her French that was as round as zero. People just couldn’t understand a word from her attempt of explaining. And now, when she was on the edge of despair and distress, her day-off just couldn’t get any worse, could it? But it could. And the result of it appeared before her in its pure form of three unpleasant young men of eastern appearance. They started to chatter in unfamiliar language and poke some papers and flowers at Amu, almost at her face. She was caught off guard but collected herself immediately and tried to leave those strangers, but one of them grabbed her by the forearm and continued his monologue never forgetting to jab a piece of paper at her. Amu was starting panicking. She didn’t understand them and they didn’t understand her, moreover, she was trapped as one of those men was still holding her arm tightly. She didn’t know what to do. She had never been treated so harshly before and it was scaring her. The only thing she could think about to get rid of those brats was screaming. And she was really ready to open her mouth and make a loud squall but the next moment she heard someone’s voice that was actress and deep. She didn’t understand a word from what it said as it spoke French, but the result couldn’t but make her relieved. Those guys left her alone and vanished from her sight. Hinamori sighed in relief. She had to thank the man who helped her in that situation. The girl was about to turn around and meet her savior, but his next words dropped a bombshell on her head. “My-my, what an unexpected meeting. They say, the world is round and small and I’m starting to believe this proverb.” Her golden eyes widened to the size of spheres as she slowly turned her body to face the owner of that voice and make sure that she didn’t hear or see hallucinations. No. It was him. She could never confuse his self-satisfied impression and all too smug appearance with anybody else’s. His amethyst eyes were gazing at her half-jokingly and it caused her blood to boil in disapproval. “You!” He chuckled lightly. “Dear Amu, I have a name and I’m sure you know it. Don’t you think that your way of greeting is a little rude?” She gritted her teeth. She didn’t know why his appearance aggravated her every time she saw him. It was like that all the time. Whenever he was near, she felt alert. He was so confusing and mysterious! “What are you doing here, Tsukiyomi?” she asked him seriously, not moving from her position. “Wow, you remember my second name, Amu. I’m impressed,” he answered sarcastically, walking closer to the girl. “It’s very good though. You should get used to it since you will have the same one soon.” Her cheeks reddened and she didn’t know the reason why—was it anger or embarrassment? “I’m glad I met you here. It brightened my busy day in France,” he continued talking as nothing happened. “I asked you a question. What are you doing here, at this place and at this time?” her voice got more irritated. Ikuto sighed and gifted her with a knowing gaze. “I’m a businessmen, Amu. Our meeting is a coincidence. Today I’m in Paris, tomorrow I’m in Greece and the day after tomorrow I have to be in China. It’s my life.” Amu watched him carefully. Doubt could be read in her beautiful eyes. “Must be hard,” she commented, crossing her arms on her chest. “This is all for Utau’s sake. If I haven’t done this, she would have never being known in Europe. I’m her producer after all. But what are you doing here? Sightseeing? Or maybe you got lost in this green labyrinth? I also got lost here when I entered it for the first time some years ago, so there is nothing to be ashamed of, dear,” there was a mischievous smile on his lips as he said those last words. She chuckled and rolled her eyes. “Of course not. I’m admiring the view.” “Oh, so that’s how you call it, huh,” he smirked, tucking his hand into the pocket of his brand-new coat. “Alright then, I won’t disturb your cultural recreation. Till the next time, dear Amu-chan,” and he winked at her playfully before turning around and heading to the opposite direction. Hinamori was stunned; no she was indignant at him for his attitude. And what was it just that? A wink? Who did he think he was?! She puffed her cheeks in frustration, watching the back of his retreating form. She couldn’t believe that she had met him here of all places on Earth! Oh, how she wanted to get out of this green labyrinth and eat something! She couldn’t think straight because of a hunger and it was slowly pissing her off, since it made her see everything even in darker colours than it was in reality. Her stomach growled, just adding even more fuel in an already burning fire by doing so. She had no strength to wander through this garden any farther. It was pointless anyway. She had already spent more than 2 hours here, just trying to find the exit. Oh boy, what should she do? If she didn’t find the exit any time soon she would starve here to death. The only proper answer to her musings was the most ridiculous that she had ever thought of. “But there’s a chance to get out of here,” the girl deducted mentally. And so, she began her journey…walking right behind a certain someone who happened to have midnight-blue hair and amethyst eyes. She hated herself for doing so; she tried her hardest not to think about a humiliating situation she had put herself in. Amu kept a ten steps’ distance between them. She hoped that he wouldn’t notice her presence… As if! Ikuto stopped his pace abruptly, causing her to freeze on her tracks as well. “I know that I’m a personification of every girl’s dreams and all, but don’t you think that stalking is not the right choice to tell me about it?” he said playfully not even turning to face her. Amu’s face reddened from anger. She clenched her fists, trying to control her temper, but it was very hard to do, since her eyebrow had already started to twitch. Meanwhile the young man swirled gracefully and laid his eyes on a tempered maiden, who looked like she was going to beat him up any second. Of course that fact made him only more self-satisfied. “If you think that your sense of humor is something you should be boasting around, then you are totally wrong. It doesn’t add anything good to your spoiled behavior! I don’t like it at all!” she cried in anger, using all her willpower not to start shouting in a public place. Oh, how he irritated her! “My-my, Amu,” he closed his eyes dramatically and waved a hand at her lightly, “you shouldn’t fight your feelings towards me. They are absolutely obvious.” “Stop this nonsense already!” Ikuto opened his amethyst pools and gifted her with a tempting gaze. “Then why did you follow me, dear? I thought you were going to continue your sightseeing.” That gaze…it made her feel uneasy. His eyes, they could make you sink in them and she was so afraid of becoming a victim of those mesmerizing eyes of his. Somehow, she didn’t feel all confident around him for some reason, he was a mystery and she didn’t think she wanted to solve it…just yet. Amu quickly averted her eyes from his face and looked at the green wall of the labyrinth. “I wasn’t following you. It seems that we have the same rout, that’s all,” the girl answered as a matter of factly, shrugging her shoulders. He didn’t say anything but continued staring at her, which made her feel even more tensed. She turned her head a little to glance at the tall guy only to meet that gaze of his again, that intimidated her so much. “W-what?” the beauty didn’t even realized that she said something. He just smiled handsomely, a smile that could make any girl go “kya-a-a!”, and outstretched his hand to her. “I believe you.” “Huh?” her eyes widened a little in surprise when she heard his smooth voice, not that naughty voice that irritated her so much, but the one that made shivers run down your spine. And Amu was on the edge of feeling those. “We have the same route, you said it yourself. So I suggest accompanying you to the exit, so that you won’t get into another trouble. Are you okay with it?” She didn’t know what to answer. A minute ago he treated her as if she was some kind of a little fool; he teased her and couldn’t get enough of doing so. But now he was looking at her with seriousness in his eyes and…what else was there? Maybe care? Only now did she notice how real and engaging his amethyst eyes looked. It hit her like a thunder in a cloudless sky. Something tightened in her chest. His gaze was too sincere and piercing to bear. The pink-haired girl broke their eye contact by lowering her head. She didn’t want to feel those special feelings towards this man! She didn’t want to feel them again! It was too painful! The only person she shared those beautiful feelings with was Tadase-kun, but…but… It hurt too much. This man had some kind of power over her; she didn’t know how long she would be able to stand against it. Right now, all she wanted was curling into a ball and seclude herself from the entire world. “Just take me out of this garden,” she said somewhat emotionlessly, not daring even to glance at her escort. She was so tired of all those thoughts and worries. Tsukiyomi’s face fell when he heard her broken voice. She sounded like a person who had lost any hope in her life. Lavender eyes widened a little at the realization. He couldn’t leave her in that state. He didn’t know why, but he felt like it was him, who made her remember something unpleasant. It wasn’t written in his genuine plan of winning her heart. Right now, she needed support and he was the only person who could afford it, even if the one who messed everything up was him from the beginning. “Deal,” he tried to sound cheerfully, though his heart felt the opposite. “But still I don’t get it, why did not you buy a map of this maze? Those guys tried so hard to sell it to you,” and he started to walk, making her come back to reality from her little trance. “W-wait…you mean that those punks were sellers?” she looked at his back with widened eyes. “Aha,” he hummed, not slowing his pace. Amu’s mood darkened even more, but still she decided to follow the presumptuous guy. She narrowed her golden eyes and shut her lips tightly not to burst out everything that she thought about him. They walked in silence for some time. Well, it was quite unusual, if to be honest, since she remembered him always rambling about random stuff during their previous meetings. Hmm, if to think properly, that stuff couldn’t be called random because it always concerned her and his plans on her. Really, what was he thinking that she was some kind of a doll that he could just take and use in his own profit? Those thoughts only worsen the girl’s impressions about the guy; they were not that good from the beginning though. After some time of wandering, they reached a secluded area with a fountain in the middle. It was decorated with two statues of ancient Greek characters—Orpheus, that was kissing his beloved Eurydice. There were several couples in this little area that were sitting on the benches, admiring the view of the fountain and holding hands while doing so. A romantic atmosphere was flying in the air and Amu felt like she was tricked by a certain someone. When she was about to open her mouth and say something harsh to her guide, he stopped suddenly and looked up at the fountain. “This is the centre of the labyrinth, now it won’t be so hard to find the exit,” she heard him say. “Excuse me,” her voice sounded threatening, “does that mean that you didn’t know where it was from the beginning?” Tsukiyomi turned to face her only to gift her with a sheepish smile. “I have been here only twice. The only orienteer that helped me to find the exit the last time was this “Fountain of Lovers”, so I concentrated on finding it first.” Amu’s jaw dropped literary. There she was, standing next to a person she entrusted herself to in order to escape this green trap, and now he was telling her that he didn’t know where the exit was! Could this day get any worse?! She didn’t say anything; she just turned away from him and walked towards a nearly vacant bench, which stood right in front of kissing statuses. Ikuto blinked twice. He didn’t get what was wrong with her. Only when he noticed how she sat on a bench and lifted her feet a little, he understood what happened. He immediately appeared before the pink-haired damsel in distress and offered her a reassuring smile. “Sorry for making you walk so far, those high-heels must be killing you, ne?” She sighed deeply but didn’t look up at him or say anything. She didn’t know how she felt, maybe she was angry, depressed, tired or just too hungry to start another pointless argue with him. A long sigh escaped her lungs again. And he felt that she wasn’t in the mood to stand his teasing. Somehow, looking at her sad profile made him want to wipe that expression away from her lovely face, which was made only to show bright smiles. He remembered her face at his sister’s wedding; it was shining with so many emotions. It was the most beautiful face that he had ever met in his whole life. And now…now it looked so lost and broken. And a part of his mind was telling him that one of the reasons of the girl’s misery was him. Truth to be told, it felt…terrible. “Do you know where to go now?” her melodic voice reached his ears, interrupting his train of thoughts. Well, maybe he still had a chance? If not, she wouldn’t be talking to him right now, would she? “Yes,” was his quick but confident reply. “Let’s go then.” “Do your feet still hurt? Maybe you should rest a little longer?” she was taken aback by hearing his compassionate voice. The girl unconsciously looked up and laid her eyes on a tall young man, that was looking at her in return. His sincere question and careful gaze brought a tiny blush on her cheeks. “I-I’m fine…” she murmured, averting her eyes away from his face in a shy manner, that couldn’t go past Ikuto’s sharp mirrors of soul. “The exit is not that far, so we don’t need to rush. Iko ka?” and his outstretched hand appeared before her face. She wasn’t sure if she really wanted to answer his gesture of help, but she felt so tired and indifferent right now that she didn’t pay attention when her cold hand laid itself on his warm awaiting palm. The moment their skins touched, his hand squeezed hers gently yet securely. Ikuto helped her to stand up, but the moment she gained a vertical position, her hand slipped away from his grasp, as if she didn’t want his company. It upset him, but of course, he didn’t show it. And the pink lover faced a dilemma of the day. His warm hand felt so nice against her cold skin, that it made her remember those precious moments, when Tadase-kun would take her freezing hands in his and warm them with his hot breath. She wasn’t a winter type, that was why she always got cold in streets during a cold season of the year. Tadase knew that and always tried to warm her up by hugging her or blowing warm air on her fragile hands. Those memories were so dear yet so painful. If only he came here with her, maybe they could fix their dying relations. But look at her now—walking hand in hand with another man when she hadn’t gotten over her first love yet. What type of a girl was she after that by committing such actions? “I have a brilliant idea!” Amu’s eyebrow arched when she heard an oh- so- enthusiastic voice of her escort. “Sit down,” he ordered politely and pushed her back into a sitting position. “Why?” was her dry question, but then her eyes widened to no limits as she saw him dropping down on his knees in front of her and taking her legs in his hands. “W-what do you think you are doing?!” she screamed. It was beyond any measures of propriety! And then she heard his serious answer. “I can’t let a lady suffer any further, so I have to eliminate these torturers,” and when those words left his mouth, Amu witnessed as her cute pink high-heels were rooted out of their perfect places in her expensive stylish high-boots without a mercy. The shock was so huge that the girl couldn’t utter a sound. Her mouth hung open as she froze in terror. Meanwhile, a young and wealthy man, also known as Tsukiyomi Ikuto, stood up and placed two pink high-heels in the pocket of his black coat. “Now we can go,” he concluded with a smile, offering his hand to the bewildered maiden again. She stared at him for some seconds, as if he was some kind of an alien and then a croaky whine escaped her mouth. It sounded so funny, that the guy’s smile widened, he didn’t plan it though. “Do-do-do you know how much they cost?” she held her breath for a moment and then screamed as if it could turn her boots into their original design again. “You are insane! I can’t believe you dared to do that!” “Don’t’ complain, Amu. I’ll buy you a new pair, but now we have to go. Common,” and without any warning, he took her by the arm gently and pulled her into a vertical position. “You are the cruelest man I’ve ever met!” she continued whining, walking next to him. Her arm was still in his careful grasp. “Why did you have to do it? They were my favourite…” Ikuto rolled his eyes, but said nothing. He let her talk all her regrets out, so that she wouldn’t do it later. Complaining and buzzing about her great loss, she slightly noticed that her feet stopped hurting. If to be honest, that pain was really killing her. She didn’t think that she would stuck in that garden for such a long time, if she did, she would have put her favourite heel- less boots on, but now… she had another pair of heel-less boots and it didn’t make her all that happy about the fact. After 10 minutes of walking they had finally reached the exit, that looked exactly like the entrance. “Finally!” exclaimed the girl in delight and then she heard a loud war call that came from her stomach. And it didn’t sound as happy as her exclamation. The most terrible thing was that she wasn’t the only one who heard that annoying sound. But he didn’t comment and it startled her. She was sure he would be stinging remarks as always, but none of them came. Instead of that the guy walked her to the central street and caught a taxi. When they got in the yellow car, Ikuto told something to the driver using French language and they drove to some destination, unknown to Amu. “Where are we going?” she decided that she had all rights to know the answer to that question. “Don’t worry, I’m not kidnapping you,” he uttered, dialing some number on his cell-phone. She caught a glimpse of the wallpaper on the display. Her eyebrow twitched in amazement. There was a picture of a blooming sakura…and everyone knew that the colour of a blooming sakura was… …pink… By the moment she came to her senses, he had already hung up. And the next moment the car stopped smoothly. “Je vous remercie!” Amu heard her escort saying to the driver, giving him his credit card. When they stepped out of the taxi, Ikuto looked at the girl and gave her a sincere smile, that puzzled her to no limits. “Let me treat you to some dinner.” “But…how did you…” she was really surprised that he knew her greatest wish to eat something, but then she decided to hide her emotions. It was just…she didn’t want him to start thinking of anything unnecessary, like he always did. And so, the girl asked him a direct question. “I thought you are too busy for that,” and she crossed her arms on her chest, looking at him with a challenge in her golden orbs. He chuckled and blinded her with a shiny smile. “My dear Amu, for you I would climb the mountains high and it doesn’t matter if I have any important meetings at the moment, I can’t leave the lady of my heart to starve in an unfamiliar city.” Well, even if those words sounded like his another stupid joke to her ears, they managed to summon a bright blush on her face nevertheless. And while she was too taken aback by his sudden declaration, the young man took her by the forearm politely and walked her to the entrance of an expensively-looking restaurant.

OooooO

They ate in silence. He would say some compliments to her from time to time, but she was too tensed to answer. The dinner was very delicious and it felt so good to fill her stomach with hot and good-tasting food, but at the same time the girl couldn’t rid of a strange feeling in her chest. Being with this man was wrong. Lately, she discovered that his presence was too affective, that she started to feel something and she didn’t like it, since the feeling was very close to that she had had towards a certain blond-haired biologist. The amethyst-eyed man’s compliments only added more confusion to her already tangled thoughts. She couldn’t say that it was unpleasant to hear them, quite the contrary if to be honest, and that fact was scaring her. Was she falling for this rich and unpredictable freak? “It can’t be true! I must have gone insane!” the girl cried in her mind. “Are you alright?” his velvet voice, filled with concern, interrupted her train of twisted thoughts. “You look somewhat…troubled, I’d say.” Amu lifted her eyes and met his instant gaze. It was really filled with concern. But gratefully, this time she didn’t feel anything unusual towards her male company. “Maybe I think too much. Only look at him… I can’t fall in love with this man. It’s ridiculous! We are too different and I don’t want to!” But no matter how hard her mind tried to make her believe those thoughts, the girl didn’t feel so sure about it inside. He continued intimidating her with those looks and remarks, and she thought that she was on the edge of going crazy. “Amu?” he addressed himself to the pink-haired teenager after not receiving any answer to his previous question from her. “Is everything alright?” How did he do it?! Why did that gentle and concerned tone of his voice affected her so much? It was the man who spoiled her precious high-boots without a mercy! How could her stomach feel so many butterflies after hearing his voice when he committed such a terrible crime?! He deserved punishment!!! Amu was ready to tear her hair out of her head in frustration, but she gritted her teeth and made a deep inhale instead. “I’m fine,” was her dry reply after which she continued to eat silently. “To me you look like you are going to kill someone, if to be honest. But if you insist that it’s your natural condition, let it be then.” And he also continued to eat silently. Slowly Amu’s blood started boiling with fury. He had just described her like she was some kind of a maniac! Moreover, he said that it was her natural condition! And that was the man she thought she started to have some beautiful feeling for? The very one she wanted to kill right now was him! “You know, I really think that you should see a doctor,” he said, suddenly standing from his chair a little and reaching his hand towards her face. A moment later his warm palm lay on her forehead. That simple yet confusing gesture of his casted all her aggression away. Her eyes met his in a mute question. “I don’t like that you are so flushed. I hope you didn’t catch a cold,” he explained and took his hand away from her pink face. Now she felt twice confused. He was the one who made her feel so furious and then so vulnerable. She couldn’t understand the reasons of his actions. When he touched her forehead, she unconsciously held her breath and felt her cheeks getting even hotter. Maybe she was really ill? It could have explained the wavering of her awareness then. But still Amu was very surprised and touched at the same time that he noticed the changes in her health condition. Was he really that worried about her well-being? “I…I think I’m fine, just a little tired,” the girl tried to add some confidence to her voice, but it turned out to sound more timidly than she expected. “Hmm…” the young man put an elbow on the table and lay his chin on his palm. His gaze was soft and kind, but there was something more…something deeper than that. “How about listening to some classical music?” Amu knotted her eyebrows in confusion. “Excuse me?” He smiled handsomely at her. “I know that you are not a classical type when it comes to music, but believe me, it helps to relax a lot. So, how about going to the opera?” She blinked once, then twice, and then there was a short pause before her mouth opened to produce a sound again. “With you?” Ikuto held back a chuckle. She was something. He expected any reaction and any question from her side, but this one just made him bewildered at how timid she was after all. He nodded, not changing his current pose. Her eyes widened for a second before she dropped her gaze on her plate. “I think I should go back to the hotel. I don’t really feel like listening to someone’s howling.” Tsukiyomi had to bit his lower lip in order not to burst out into laughter. She had no clue what a real opera was! After taking control over his emotion, he cleared his throat and said: “I have to help you. You can’t live your life thinking that the opera is a place where people squall and scream. By the way, I thought you would be more interested in that, since the very music I’m offering you to listen is “Carmen”.” “The one you had in your car back in Japan?” she asked, a spark of interest showed in her eyes. He nodded again, smiling with a corner of his perfect lips. “I was invited to this cultural event, and they gave me an extra ticket in case I bring an escort with me. So, would you like to spend this evening listening to some classics? “Carmen” is staged once in 3 months here, I think you should go for it.” There was a pregnant silence for some seconds. Amu was trying to measure all pros and cons. On one hand she wanted to go and see what “Carmen” really was. She liked the music she heard in his car, but of course she had never admitted it out loud. But on the other hand, his presence was too alarming. She couldn’t relax when he was near, especially when he was looking at her with indescribable emotions in his lavender eyes. “But it’s staged only once in 3 months…it’s a chance of a lifetime…” The temptation was too strong to resist. Hinamori looked up at her company and sighed. If she wanted to visit the opera, she had to overstep herself. “The art requires sacrifices…” she told herself mentally and gave her answer: “Alright. I will go with you. But don’t even dare to think that I’m doing it because of your solitude.” “Of course not, dear,” was his mysterious answer, before he took a glass of red wine from the table and brought it to his lips, never leaving his eyes from her petite frame. She didn’t like when he was doing that. She hated when he was staring at her like that. Amu breathed out and asked in annoyance. “What?!” The young man scanned her with his evaluating eyes. “Sorry to tell you this, but your toilette is not suitable for our visit to opera.” Amu blinked at him several times before her anger and embarrassment showed themselves to the world. “How dare you, pervert!” Ikuto just rolled his eyes and sighed sarcastically. “Why did I have a feeling that you would not understand the meaning of my thought? I said that your clothes are too casual for a cultural event. No, don’t get me wrong. You look very lovely in this pink trouser suit, but it’s not good for the evening.” Well, now she was on the edge of giving up on everything and just going back to her hotel room. Why was it always so hard when it came to him? “Then I won’t go. Closure.” “It won’t do. We will try to fix it,” he declared and raised a hand. A waiter approached their table almost immediately. “L'addition, s'il vous plaît!” The bill was given and paid. The couple left the restaurant almost in a hurry. “Where are we going?” the girl asked, panting a little. His long legs walked just too fast for her and it was hard to keep the pace. Ikuto looked down at her and smiled, not stopping his tracks. “We have to do everything before the performance starts.” While Amu was musing about the meaning of those last words of his, Ikuto managed to catch a yellow taxi. After they sat in the car, the famous Japanese pop-star’s producer ordered: “La maison de couture Chanel, s'il vous plaît” she heard him say. The girl noted that she really like the way he spoke French. His voice got softer and gained some special appeal. “Oui, monsieur.” After 20 minutes of driving they had finally reached the destination. They got out of the car and Amu’s eyes grew bigger than an apple when she saw the name of the building, her escort was gently pushing her into. “Ch-ch-chanel?!” was the last panicky words the street could hear, before the girl’s frame was hidden behind glassy doors of the most famous house of fashion in the world.

OooooO

Ikuto was talking to his sister while the lady of his heart was changing in a dress-room. “I know it, I won’t screw up, don’t worry,” he was telling into the receiver of his cell-phone. “Ikuto, I’m helping you because you’re my brother. If Kuukai finds out that I’m a part of this game, he will get mad with me! Amu is like a little sister to him, he cares about her very much…” “I told you not to worry, Utau, and besides, it’s not a game,” he sighed and sat on a soft sofa in the hall of the shop. His eyes were filled with many emotions and solitude was among them. “I think that I am serious, I have never felt this way about anyone else before.” “I pray for the rightness of your words. Please, take care of her. I have to go, Kuukai is waiting. Good luck!” And his sister’s voice disappeared in the tube. The young man sat there for some minutes, his face was blank as he was looking at the cell-phone in his hands aimlessly. It was the moment when he could think about their difficult relations. No matter how strong his wish to be with her was, Amu was still trying to avoid him. Somehow, he wasn’t so sure about his strategy anymore. Teasing the pink-lover brought him a lot of joy but every time he saw her hurt expression, his heart would tear apart. At those moments he wanted to do only one thing—wrap his arms around her and hug her tightly so that she would know that she was not alone, that he was there for her. But then his mind would stop him by asking a single question that Ikuto couldn’t find an answer to. Would his arms be strong enough to lead her to the light? He knew what she had been through, he knew those tears that she tried to hide, even though she had never showed them in his presence. Oh, how he wanted to prove his trust in her, to stand right by her side! But could he give her everything she wanted, everything she needed? The young man closed his eyes and breathed out heavily. “Will my arms be strong enough to take her through all this mess and lead her to happiness? She deserves it more than anyone…” He really felt something special towards the fragile pink-haired girl. But he had never experienced those kinds of emotions before. Could it be the love that gave the strength to go on, to keep on chasing your dreams and wishes? He had never thought that loving someone would be so pleasant and painful at the same time. Absorbed with his own thoughts, he didn’t notice as the door of the dress-room had opened and the lady of his thoughts came out. Only when the seller exclaimed in amazement, the young producer averted his eyes from his hands and laid them on the person who was standing in the middle of the house of fashion. “Le fantastique!” cried the French woman, clapping her hands in admiration. And it was true. When he saw the golden-eyed girl in a long sleeveless light-violet dress, he forgot how to breathe. It couldn’t be reality. Such gorgeous creatures couldn’t live in our imperfect world. She was like an angel that came from heaven and entered his heart, sending all his doubts away. The very moment their eyes met, he realized that even if he wasn’t the one who was meant to make her happy, he had to become that person no matter what. And he would do it for sure. He would cast all her fears and uncertainties away, make her forget the past and would show the world in those bright colours he saw it himself. His heart was overwhelmed with a strong wish to make her happy, to bring that beautiful smile on her face again, the smile that he still couldn’t erase from his memory since the very day of his sister’s wedding. “You look gorgeous, Amu…” Ikuto breathed out with adoration. Her face flushed a little at his compliment. “I..I tried to ask them to bring something pink-coloured but they gave me this dress instead. I kinda don’t like violet,” she tried to answer calmly, but her trembling voice was showing her embarrassment. Tsukiyomi stood up from the sofa and approached the beauty. He didn’t feel the floor under his feet, he felt like flying and that feeling was enjoyable, he noted. “You are gorgeous, Amu. And this dress suits you very much.” He said the truth. The dress added elegance to the girl’s features and she looked like a noble lady of a high society. But what surprised Ikuto the most was the fact that even in violet she looked like she was wearing pink. She made him love this colour, at first he thought that he had gone insane, but now he was glad that he had met this maiden who had had her unique and unchangeable style. “Your dress looks pink to me,” amethyst eyes shone in a gentle smile. “I guess you two are inseparable.” “It looks pink to you only because it glows with the shade of pink,” Amu pouted trying to hide her blush. He was doing it to her again. His velvet and sincere voice was guilty for sending pleasant shivers run down her body. As pleasant as it was, the girl couldn’t but feel scared again. Why did he have this kind of power over her? She was afraid of falling for someone else. She wasn’t ready and she didn’t want to feel all that pain again, all that betrayal, to hear sweet lies and end up with a broken heart in the end again. Fear was like a tree that grew inside of her, silently devouring the beauty of the feelings, she knew, people called love. “No,” he shook his head with a smile, “it looks pink because it’s the air around you that makes it look this way. You are like sakura, Amu, always in blossom, and it’s you who radiate this warm pink light.” Amu looked up at him hesitantly. His young face was glowing with wisdom and goodness. She didn’t know what to say, his words had touched her heart deeply. No one had ever told her anything like that before. Moreover, no one had ever shared her love for pink colour until she met this strange guy, with eyes that looked like pure amethysts in the sun. He was the first person who didn’t think of her as if she was some kind of a freak, who knew only one colour in the world. “I…” she tried to say but the sound was cramp and hoarse from overwhelming emotions. “Arigato,” this word was said in a whisper. “You are welcome,” he replied genially, taking her gloved hand in his and leaving a light kiss on the back side of her palm. Amu lowered her head to hide the result of her embarrassment on her face. Somehow, that kind of action from his side didn’t feel so wrong and disgusting anymore…

OooooO

The performance flew in a blink of an eye. Amu was so impressed by the actors and singers, that Ikuto decided to add more happiness to the object of his affection. When he gave her the main singer’s autograph, she gifted him with the most breathtaking smile he had ever seen in his life. His heart skipped a beat, when she said her genial “thank you so much” to him. But the most precious moment was when she began to cry during the opera. The plot affected her so much, that it had hit a sensitive side of hers. Her golden orbs filled with tears and soon they started losing hot and salty pearls. He offered his clean handkerchief and she took it gratefully. Now this little piece of fabric was the most precious thing he had, because it was soaked with the shiny tears of the lady of his heart. Even if he had had some doubts about his feelings back in Chanel’s, now he was 100% sure that he was really in love with Hinamori Amu. This evening helped him to realize a lot of things he thought he would never be able to understand. When they reached the hotel she was staying at, Ikuto helped her to get out of the car by offering his hand to her. To his great surprise she gave him her little hand, as if intrusting herself to him. Could it be that they would finally step on the next level of their relations and call themselves friends? He hoped for the best. The taxi drove away, leaving the couple standing in the illuminated street. The night had fallen on Paris hours ago, and the puffy snow was falling from the starry sky. Ikuto didn’t think of himself as a romantic type, but now he could swear that he had never seen such beautiful weather in his whole life. “I…” he heard her unsure voice. Then he stepped closer to her petite frame to hear what she was going to say clearly. “I wanted to thank you for taking me to the opera. I don’t think I will have a chance to attend such event in the near future.” “It was my pleasure. I’m glad you agreed to spend this evening with me by listening to some classics,” he chuckled lightly before offering her another warm smile. “I wish we could visit the “Fountain of Lovers” together again someday.” She didn’t reply to that statement. If to be honest, she didn’t know what to answer. But all she knew that for some odd reason, she didn’t want to say “no”. “I…I…” He leaned closer as if he wanted to be the only one who would listen to her words. But right before he was ready to hear the special emphasis of her answer, he received a portion of disappointment. “I have to go, it’s pretty late already. Again, thank you for the dress and everything,” she spoke quickly, so that he would have no chance to interrupt her. The midnight-haired producer sighed heavily. “You deserve much more than just a piece of fabric, Amu…” his words sounded sad and it made her look up at him again. Yes, his face showed a shade of misery, but she couldn’t understand why. “Um…” And there they were again, not knowing what to tell each other, it was not in Ikuto’s style though. They stood like that for a minute or so before a tiny sound interrupted their uncomfortable silence. The sound repeated and it made the couple look from side to side in order to find the source of the…mewing? Amu was the first on who noticed a little black ball by the guy’s feet. “Look!” she exclaimed, pointing at the puffy creature on the snowy ground. The young man looked down and saw a little black kitten that was looking at him right in the eyes. “Meow!” Ikuto blinked once, then twice. But the creature continued piercing him with its bright-yellow eyes. It even poked his leg with its little black paw. And while the young producer was thinking of what to do, his escort exclaimed in delight. “It’s so cute! But it must be cold and hungry! Poor thing!” Only then Ikuto could break the eye contact with the animal, which was continuing its demanding by meowing endlessly and tapping Tsukiyomi’s leg. “I’ll take care of him, don’t worry. Go and rest, Amu. I’m glad I have met you today. Thank you for sharing your fee time with me. Till our next meeting in Japan!” And after saying those last words, he bent down and took the black kitten in his hands and then put it in the safest place he had—in his bosom. Amu was pleasantly surprised by his actions. He wasn’t disgusted about dirt and possible diseases that the kitten could have, but instead of that he covered it with his clean and expensive coat. This deed of his impressed the pink-haired girl very much. “What are you planning to do?” she asked almost in time before he turned to leave. “I think I should take it to a veterinarian, it’s pretty late though. Don’t worry, I’ll think of something!” and he gifted her with a new kind of a smile—a boyish one, that she hadn’t seen playing on his face before. “Um…take care then,” the maiden wished doubtfully. “Good night, Amu.” And after those words he turned and walked in a hurried pace towards the traffic light. She watched his retreating form for some minutes before he disappeared from her sight. In tangled feelings she returned to her hotel-room.