Pink

Everything turned to its usual routine. Amu attended University and tried to kick everything that happened at her Birthday out of her head. Actually, she felt exhausted. Her mental and physical strengths were on their limits. Her heart felt like not hers but of some stranger’s. Luckily, it didn’t influence on her studying. She was still the best in her group. With the time flowing, June had finally come. It had been almost 2 months since Amu’s Birthday. During that period of time she didn’t hear from the dark-haired producer. It was like he didn’t exist. She couldn’t say that the thoughts of him didn’t cross her mind. They did, but the girl tried to block them. In reality, her heart was longing to see him, to talk to him as they usually did every time he brought Yoru to her house. Speaking of Yoru…Tsukiyomi hadn’t asked her to take care of the cat after his sudden proposal. Maybe he was giving her time to think? She didn’t know, but she missed the kitty and its unordinary owner in some way. After her next exam, the glamorous girl was about to head to her house when a sudden sound of her mobile phone sliced the silence of the University corridor. She was very surprised to receive a phone-call from her red-haired friend. Kuukai was inviting her to join him and Utau to some concert of symphonic orchestra. They would play classical music and also Kuukai mentioned that there would be one of his good friends playing. “Let’s go, Amu-chan! We’ve got a spare ticket. It will be great, I promise!” he told her by the phone. Amu was confused. She had never been to symphonic orchestra before and her single attendance to the opera in Paris didn’t count, and if not for a certain amethyst-eyed man, she would have never gone there in the first place. The remembrance of Tsukiyomi’s love to classics appeared in her pink head. Somehow, she wished to know what he found so appealing in this style of music. “Classics is in my veins,” she remembered his words. “I will go, Kuukai-kun. Thank you for the invitation,” she had finally said and turned off her mobile phone. 2 days later she was sitting in a huge hall of the Grand Culture Palace of Tokyo. That ‘some’ orchestra happened to be the famous London Symphonic Orchestra, actually, that came to Japan on their world tour. Amu sat beside Kuukai on a VIP balcony. She couldn’t even imagine that this little adventure of hers would look like she was some kind of celebrity, but she had no reason to complain. The girl enjoyed her place, since she could see the whole stage perfectly. The performance had finally begun. A host stood in the centre of the stage and started to tell about the program of the evening. After some minutes of speech, he invited a special guest to come on the stage. “Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to introduce our special guest—a talented musician and a professional violin-player—Tsukiyomi Ikuto-san!” The hall filled with loud applause as the young man came into the view and bowed to the public. He had a white violin and a bow in his left hand. Amu held a breath. Her heart tightened while her face was losing its colour. “Kuukai-kun,” she whispered to the man to her left, “you told me that your friend will be playing here. What is Tsukiyomi doing here?” Souhma turned his head to the girl and sent her a surprised look. “Yeah, my friend is the leading flute. Do you see the guy with long purple hair tied in a pony-tail? It’s Fujisaki Nagehiko. He used to be my classmate back at high-school. He was very good in music and after successfully passing a casting in England, he was invited to play in London Symphonic Orchestra.” Amu nodded comprehendingly as Souhma continued: “And Ikuto is the one who helped to organize this evening. He used to play in orchestra some years ago, but then he gave up on his career and started producing Utau. But I have to say the he is very good in playing the instrument…” “Oh,” she uttered softly in response, placing her eyes back on the man with midnight-blue hair. It was the first time she saw him dressed so strictly: a black tuxedo, snow-white shirt and a black bow around his neck. His hair was combed in an elegant hair-style. He looked very different without his usual bangs to Amu’s eyes, but that style didn’t worsen his handsome nature. If to be honest, she felt a little uncomfortable. She didn’t know that Ikuto would be there, not mentioning that he was invited on the stage as a special guest. The beauty clenched a program list in her fists nervously, but tried to calm down. He couldn’t see her because the hall was dark; the only light place in the whole room was the stage, so she had nothing to be afraid of, right? While she was struggling with her emotions, the concert began. Strong and powerful melody filled the air as the opening music started to play. According to the program list, that was now looked like it was chewed and splitted out, this melody was the main theme of a famous musical “The Phantom of the Opera”. Amu got paralyzed by the sound; it was so beautiful and breathtaking at the same time. All her being could feel the rhythm and vibration and she really enjoyed the feeling. At that very moment Amu found out that she had never felt such strong and live emotions, when she listened to pop and rock music. Only those sounds of classics managed to make a revolution in her young heart. Her eyes caught the man who played the white violin with his eyes closed. “So, this is what he meant when he told me that classics lives forever and it will always be loved by the people no matter how much time passes by,” Amu thought listening to the concert. After an hour or so, the host had showed up on the stage again and announced: “We are very glad that you enjoy the evening, ladies and gentlemen. Now, I want to thank our organizator and dear friend—Tsukiyomi Ikuto-san—for his playing”. The said man stood up from his chair and bowed to the public, but instead of sitting back down, he walked to the microphone and said: “Arigato, minna-san, I’m very glad to be here today and play with such professional and just great musicians. It’s my honour,” with those words, he turned to the musicians and bowed to them in respect. Those clapped in response. Ikuto straightened himself and turned to the microphone again. “If you let me, I would like to play a melody that I composed especially for the queen of my heart. She hasn’t heard it yet and I don’t know if she likes it or not, but I want to make this present because I composed it from the bottom of my heart. I called it “For Her”. My fair lady, if you can hear me, I want you to know, that this melody is only for you.” He finished his emotional yet confident speech as the hall filled with loud applause. The young producer brought the violin to his chin and placed a bow on the strings. After taking a deep breath, he began to play. As the slow and pleasant music echoed in the giant room of the Culture Palace, the pink-haired maiden’s body tensed in disbelieve. She couldn’t comprehend anything. Was he referring to her person? No-no! It couldn’t be true! An ultimate shyness covered her as a thick blanket. Her face coloured bright pink in embarrassment, but as the music was played, the heroine’s heart was starting to melt. Those notes were magical. She could swear that she could hear a soundless song, the lyrics of which were telling her about his sincere feelings for her. His features changed with the music. At first his face was calm and concentrated, but with the turns in his music, it was getting more and more determinate, even desperate. His left hand was flying above the fingerboard, giving the birth to the beautiful sound. All his posture, his aura was showing the seriousness of his intentions. He wanted to be heard by her. He was declaring his true and eternal love to the girl who sat at the balcony with her teary eyes. Amu felt every change in his mood. His music was driving her crazy. The way he played so sincerely…it forced her to realize one single but very important thing. She loved this man, who made her feel those indescribable emotions through his touching playing. And when that comprehension had fallen on her like a giant snow-ball, the girl’s eyes started to lose hot pearls of crystal tears. Was she that stupid not realizing that she had fallen for that weird person whose music could make miracles happen? When? When did it happen? Since when had she fallen for him? She didn’t know how it could happen! The only one she wanted to be with was Tadase-kun but now… …how did it happen? But the worst thing was that she felt so ashamed. She had almost declined his proposal several months ago and he…he never tried to control her, to force her to give him the answer but gave her enough time, even knowing what her answer would be from the beginning. How could she look him in the eyes after that? She didn’t deserve loving someone like him. And the most ridiculous thing to her eyes was that she thought that her heart would never fall in love again after her dramatic relations with the blond biologist. But look at her now! Tsukiyomi had got her deeper than deep and she was fully unaware of that, as if she was constantly blind. How could it be that her heart was ready to love again? If only anyone knew how strong her wish not to be alone was! She wanted to be understood, she promised herself that she would wait for her kingdom to come when she broke up with Tadase. But wasn’t she selfish thinking of such things and getting them almost immediately? Another man…another life…would she be able to touch his hand and say “I love you” to the man she thought she would never think seriously of? His attention, his confession, his proposal…and finally this melody of his, that had opened her eyes and made her look at him from another angle, made her understand one sad verity. She was in love with him…but she had no right for this feeling. More tears escaped from her beautiful golden orbs. She was so scared that if he found out about her today’s discovery, she would burn in shame. The feeling of inconfidence and fear started suffocating her. A lump appeared in her throat and she realized that it was hard to breathe. Not staying to listen to Ikuto’s melody till the very end, she stood up quickly and left the small room of the VIP balcony, not forgetting to inform her friends that she needed to go to the lady’s room. But she never returned to the concert hall after that…

OooooO

Midori Hinamori was talking by the phone when her daughter stormed into the corridor, took off her shoes and ran upstairs. The mother’s heart was telling the woman that something was wrong with her older child. She finished the conversation quickly and walked to the first floor where Amu’s room was located. The door was opened a little and Midori-san entered the girl’s private place and sat on the edge of the pink bed, her daughter was currently lying on with her face buried into a pillow. “Amu, dear, what happened? Did anyone offend you?” A silent sob escaped the girl’s mouth as she shook her head in negation. “Then why are you so upset?” a gentle hand lay on the pink-haired maiden’s head, stroking it soothingly. Amu lifted her face from the pillow a little and whined: “Mama, I love him…” and after saying those words she burst into tears again. The woman arched her eyebrows synchronically in bewilderment. “Who?” Amu tried to control her body from shaking, but it was impossible. Her nervous system was on its limit. She threw herself into her mother’s arms and hugged the dear parent as if it could save her from her distress. “Tsukiyomi Ikuto…I realized it at the concert.” “Tsukiyomi-san?” there was no end to Midori’s surprise. She held her daughter in her arms, rocking her from side to side in order to calm her down. “Does he know?” Amu sniffed and barely whispered: “He proposed to me and I have almost declined his feelings… I am such a fool, mama,” a long and heavy sigh escaped her lips. “But when? When did he do that, Amu?” her mom continued her demanding. “It was at my Birthday”. “That long ago? And you didn’t tell us?” “Mama, I didn’t take him seriously. But today I realized that I need him. My heart is tearing apart! I could never imagine that I would fall for such weird person”. “Calm down, dear,” Midori stoked the girl’s cheek kindly. “Artistic people are always a little different from the others. Look at your dad. He looks insane to his colleagues, but I love him for his uniqueness, for his personality. It’s great that your feelings are mutual. Sometimes love comes unexpectedly. The same happened to you. I am very happy that your heart is healed and ready to love again, Amu. You said that you realized your feelings for him at the concert. What could have happened that you ran back home in tears?” Amu looked down on her knees and uttered quietly: “I didn’t know that he would be there. He played with the orchestra and then he suddenly declared that he composed a melody for his beloved and he dedicated it to her. The melody was so beautiful and emotional that I forgot how to breathe. Suddenly, I found out that the man on the stage was not just a friend or boss to me. I got jealous with the girl he dedicated that melody to. Isn’t it ridiculous? I got jealous with myself! And I felt scared because of all those special emotions I feel towards him. My heart sees him not as a boss or a comrade, but as a dear and beloved man. I don’t remember falling for him, mama! When did he manage to conquer my heart?” Hinamori –san stroked her child’s head lovingly and said: “Amu, you have to talk to him and tell how you feel,” she advised. The girl’s eyes widened in terror. “No! I can’t!” “You can, Amu,” the woman insisted. “He didn’t fear to tell you about his feelings, did he? Moreover Tsukiyomi-san is a brave person to make such an important step as a proposal. It shows that his intentions towards you are pure very serious.” “Mom, I’m scared to start new relations with someone after my bitter experience with Tadase-kun. I feel so ashamed to confess to Tsukiyomi. He is older and he is a successful producer when I’m just an ordinary girl from a common family. We belong to different social worlds…” “But when he was proposing to you, he didn’t see those barriers you are trying to hide behind now. And also he didn’t get scared to go on that stage and demonstrate the music he composed for you. I am more than sure that if he had your agreement for the marriage, he would have called the name of the girl he composed that melody for. But he didn’t do that because he was thinking of you and your feelings. He is a very responsible and sensitive man, that Tsukiyomi-san. Think about it, Amu. I am sure that you must talk to him. It will be right and fair towards him”. With those words the lady of the house stood up and kissed her daughter on the cheek. “I’ll think about it,” Amu said unsurely, not looking at her parent.”Emm…thank you for listening, mama.” Midori nodded in response and walked out of the room. Little did anyone know that Midori Hinamori decided to help her daughter’s happiness.

OooooO

Utau wasn’t stupid even if she felt like a blonde right now. Her sense of deduction couldn’t fail her. Ikuto was hiding something form her. “Don’t try to stop me, Kuukai! I must beat some piece of mind in my brother,” the pop-star warned, walking down a long corridor in order to find her older sibling. “Oh, common, beauty! Why are you so angry?” the man was walking beside her, trying to cool down her burning aura. “Leave Ikuto alone. He knows what he is doing.” “Exactly, hubby!” the blonde stopped on her tracks and turned to look at him wildly. “He doesn’t know what he has already done!” It was true, after the concert they couldn’t find their pink-haired friend anywhere, as if she had vanished. Utau was worried about Amu. She noticed that she hurried to retreat during the melody Ikuto was playing. And who was that fair lady of his heart in the first place?! There were some secrets and Utau hated to be left behind. Amu’s reaction was the perfect proof that Ikuto had done something stupid on his own. “I will break his neck!” she cried out, storming into a room, with a table “Tsukiyomi” on it. The moment she entered the room, the pop-singer saw her brother talking by his cell phone with a concentrated expression on his face. In his right hand there was an opened small pink box with a sparkling ring in it. Both Souhmas’ jaws dropped on the floor at the view. “I understand. Thank you very much. My gratitude has no limits for your help, Hinamori-san,” Ikuto said politely in a tube. “I’ll fix this situation. Your daughter will be happy, I promise you that. Thank you for informing me about those questions. Yes, you have my word. Good-bye, okaa-san”. And after those words he pushed a “disconnect” button. The young man held his gaze on the small ring a little longer before closing the box and putting it in his pocket, close to his heart. He acted as if he didn’t notice his sister’s presence…or ignored everyone and everything. Utau watched as he put the violin case on his shoulder and turned to leave. The fact that he wasn’t even thinking of explaining himself made her blood boil in her veins. She was about to open her mouth and interrogate her older sibling about the entire situation concerning Amu, but her intentions were ruined but a sudden grip on her forearm. Kuukai grabbed his wife’s arm and pulled her out of the star-room back in a corridor, not paying any attention to her loud curses. His hold tightened as he suddenly turned her in his arms and silenced the sharp-tongued woman with a passionate kiss on her red full lips. At that very moment the young producer walked out of his star-room and headed to the back entrance of the building. His and Souhma’s eyes locked for a second as Ikuto sent him a grateful look which the other man returned with a wink. At first she showed her objections by beating her husband’s firm chest with her little fists, but as the kiss grew deeper and more emotional, the amethyst-eyed diva started to lose her senses. Her head got dizzy as all she could feel was her beloved man’s spicy lips on hers. The woman didn’t even notice how she closed her eyes in pleasure. Utau embraced his strong back as she let him swirl her in his skillful arms and press her body to the wall. A moment later Souhma broke their passionate kiss, letting go of his beautiful wife’s swollen lips. His breathing was heavy and it fanned her face with hot and moist air. Utau opened her clouded eyes. Her mind was still flying in a dreamland, but the subconsciousness was telling her that she had forgotten about something important. “Kuukai…” she almost moaned his name, “where is my brother?” The said man grinned at her, still trying to catch his breath after their little intimate moment. “Beauty, leave him alone. Let him build his happiness with his own hands,” he said in a hoarse voice. “And what concerns us, why don’t we continue our date at the restaurant?” “But…” she had no chance to finish as she felt his hands lay on her slim waist while his hot lips started to whisper in her very ear. “And after that we may continue what we’ve started here, ne? You look so alluring in this violet dress, sweetheart, that I feel like I start losing control…” The young woman’s face coloured bright red after hearing such emotional speech, but she had no strength to fight back the temptation. After all they hadn’t seen each other for two long weeks due to her concerts in Singapore. She missed him as much as he missed her. A nod of agreement was a response to his offer.

OooooO

After studies Amu was heading back home through the little public garden. It was the only way leading to the area she lived. She liked to walk down the bridge and watch as swans swam in the lake. The weather was warm and sunny. Her pink blouse and skirt made a perfect contrast with the green scenery of the public garden. But despite wonderful weather and warm breeze, the girl’s thoughts were far away from the place. She was musing about her mother’s words, that she had told her the previous day. Maybe she really needed to talk to him, but she had no courage to look in his eyes and explain her sudden insight. She felt so insecure and lost. It was funny, at first her heart had been broken by Tadase’s indifferent attitude, and now her heart felt the same way because it was in love with another boy. No, Tsukiyomi wasn’t a boy; he was an adult in all aspects. He was a real man and that fact was scaring her the most. She felt like a kindergartener beside him. He was tall while she could barely reach his shoulder line. Amu was depressed. No matter how her heart felt towards the handsome producer, there were too many “buts” between their worlds. She walked some more, thinking about her cruel fate, when an interesting image caught her attention. The girl noticed a group of cheerful children gathered together in one place near a fountain. But the very thing that interested her the most was a bunch of bright pink balloons high in the air that hovered over those children. Amu stopped on her tracks and watched carefully as the kids started to walk away by turns, waving their good-byes to someone. When the children disappeared from the view, the glamourette was shocked to recognize the person who held those pink balloons. A snow-white suit, black silky shirt, bright-pink tie—his appearance made a great contrast with the surroundings. Midnight-blue hair, sparkling amethyst eyes and a boyish smile, which was sent directly at her, made Amu’s heart tighten in her chest and start beating uncontrollably fast. She wanted to run away, but she perfectly understood that there was no place to hide from his mesmerizing charisma. Her knees started shaking as her mind was about to give up. And he… his gaze turned eternally gentle when he noticed her presence. She stood in several meters away from him-- all lost and confused. It seemed that she was afraid of making a move. Ikuto smiled handsomely at her and there was a change in her expression. Her eyes reflected a longing feeling, but she bit her lower lip in uncertainty. The next moment she saw him holding out his hand to her. It was the same hand he was holding the ribbons of the balloons. Amu tensed her eyesight to see what he was clenching between his fingers, and when she finally acknowledged the object, the girl felt a swirl of butterflies in her stomach. It was a ring, that same sparkling ring he had offered her once. Amu didn’t notice as her legs started to walk towards the man. She realized it only when he was in some centimeters away from her. She felt like charmed by the beauty of the small platinum jewelry in his hand. The pink lover slowly lifted her eyes to look at the man who was mutely asking her to become his other half for the second time. His gentle and kind gaze was calming. Oh, how mysterious his eyes were! She felt like she wanted to drown in their depths and never ever gain freedom again. Was she that madly in love with this man, that her heart was almost ready to give her all to him? His velvet and confident voice brought her back to reality. “Why do you fear to long for my love, Amu?” while saying that, he reached for her right hand. “If your heart could hear the melody yesterday, then these feelings can’t be wrong.” His words opened her eyes. She remembered the tune he played for her the previous day and she realized right away, that her brain was defeated, that her independence was deleted completely. Now it was her heart that had finally got a right to speak out. “I am not a match for you, Tsukiyomi-san,” she breathed out and burst into bitter tears, covering the lower part of her face with her free hand. The young man looked at her instantly before taking her right hand and wearing a ring on her wedding finger. “Let me choose myself what is good for me and what is not. I love you, Amu,” he confessed sincerely and wrapped his arms around the crying girl, pressing her shaking body to his firm chest. “Will you marry me, my little pink bird?” He asked his question in her ear in a quiet voice. To his great surprise and unexpectedness, he felt as her hands placed themselves around his shoulders and hugged him tenderly in return. Then she lifted her face from his chest and looked at him with her glittering golden eyes. The image of her teary yet gorgeous face took his breath away. “I will. I heard you yesterday and my feelings can’t fail me. I love you, Tsukiyomi-san. I don’t know how and when it happened, but you conquered my heart and saved me from my misery”. His amethyst eyes reflected nothing but overwhelming love, after he heard her shy confession. The tall man slowly bent his head down to her lovely face. “Please, call me Ikuto…” he whispered before landing his smooth lips on her little innocent mouth. The kiss was as sweet as strawberry cocktail. The world around them coloured pink. He couldn’t get enough of her sweet scent as he continued their first pure kiss. Pink became his favourite colour when he met this unique girl. Pink was the colour of his love for her. But also he loved pink because it was the colour of her aura that she radiated. Their lips parted slowly as they both took a long inhale. Ikuto pressed his forehead to hers and stared into her golden eyes that were sparkling brighter than the sun itself. There was no need to speak. Their hearts continued the conversation through their mirrors of soul. Right now these young people didn’t notice anything in this world. They didn’t care about their surroundings. There were only them and a bunch of bright-pink balloons that were tied to the ring on Amu’s wedding finger.