Chapter Thirty

A few weeks later, we were gathered in Kukai's livingroom, Daichi and the other Guardian's all playing outside on the balcony as Utau sat proudly beside her boyfriend on his couch.

After the incident with Asuka, thankfully Yaya only walked away with a broken arm, but she didn't seem to let that get in her way of eating sweets! She was positioned at the kitchen table munching on the snacks Su and I made for the party.

Ikuto sat to my left on the floor, Rima to my right as Nagi every once and awhile would catch me staring at them. For some reason, I couldn't quite get over the feeling that maybe those two would make such a cute couple! Plus, he just reminded me so much of his sister that I couldn't help but stare when I would start to miss her.

"Man, I wish Nadeshiko was here! She has missed so much." I lowered my head, Nagi clearing his throat when Rima elbowed him in the side. Abruptly, she stood and grabbed his hand, then mine, and jerked us to our feet.

Wrapping her arms around my waist, she hide her cherub face into my shoulder before speaking out to Nagi.

"Tell her, she deserves to know after everything that has happened."

Blinking, I scratched the back of my head, taking a glance around the room as everyone seemed to look away; trying to avoid making eye contact with me.

"Oh, I know what this is about! You two are dating and you're trying to tell me!" Rima stiffened, her face jerking back from my body with wide eyes.

"N-No?!" She blushed furiously, shoving face back into my shirt to hide the obvious flush.

"Rima-chan, do you like me?" He asked, a brow raising as a smile crossed his handsome features.

"D-Don't try to change the subject! Tell her, it should come from you."

"Nagi," my tone was low, filled with worry as I watched him shift his weight. His uncomfortable fidgeting as he ran a hand through his hair somehow made my breakfast want to come back up. Don't tell me he is going to leave like Nadeshiko as well. I don't know what I'll do with both of them gone!

"Amu-chan, about Nadeshiko." Pulling out a hair-scrunchie from his pocket, he tied back his long purple tresses, giving a smile that only Nadeshiko herself could perform.

"That's amazing! You've really got her down to a tee, it's mind-blowing how much you two are alike."

"No, Amu, you're not understanding me." He sighed, then pulled back his hair even more showing Temari who was hiding under the pony tail. She waved, and he answered my question in Nadeshiko's voice before I could open my mouth. "Yes, I'm Nadeshiko. I'm sorry, I wanted to tell you from the beginning when I got back from my trip, but you seemed like you needed me still and I couldn't bear to let you down so..." her voice trailed off as she fell back into being Nagi, a hand lifting to hide his face as if he couldn't watch my rejection.

I stood there for a moment, not really knowing how to react. I felt hurt that he took this long to tell me, but a part of me also felt happy that she has been here during everything. I didn't know what to do, and my mouth spoke before my brain had time to work.

"You've kept this from me the whole time!?"

"Amu, I'm really sorry. I didn't want to hurt yo- oomf!"

I tackled him in a hug, knocking him over as we toppled to the floor. There, I squeezed Nadeshiko, no, Nagihiko tightly as I let the thought that my best friend was a boy settle in my brain. Huh, Nagi was the best of both worlds then; who would have thought?

"I still love you to death Nagi, don't ever keep something like this from me again! We're supposed to be best friends, I've missed hanging out with Nadeshiko, she was my first real friend and now that I know she's you I want us to go back to that close friendship."

He tilted his head, sitting up with me as he regained his outer character, rubbing the back of his head.

"Huh? You want me to go back to being Nadeshiko?"

"No," I touched his shoulder, smiling warmly. "I want you to be yourself. Whether it is Nadeshiko, or Nagihiko, I just want our friendship to go back to how it was when we told each other everything."

Rima huffed, crossing her arms as she plopped down at my side, glaring at Nagi. Feeling her cute jealousy, I pulled her into a hug as well.

"Don't worry, Rima, you're still my best friend too."

Pleased with this, she smiled and nuzzled into the hug.

"And Yaya?!" Yuiki asked from the kitchen still, stuffing another eclair into her mouth.

"Of course, you too Yaya!"

"Since we're on confessions, don't you have something to tell them, Amu," Ikuto said tilting his head back to stare at the ceiling. Leaning back on both palms as a leg stretched out across the floor lazily.

"Ack!" I had completely forgot. The proposal. I had already talked to my family about it, and of course father wasn't too thrilled, but they accepted my choice. I've been waiting for the right time to tell everyone else, and I guess it's now or never.

"Uhm, you guys, there is something Ikuto and I have meant to tell you. We're... getting married in the early summer."

"What?!" Tadase-kun was the first to react by a vocal response. The other's responses were either mouths dropping, some shocked gasps, or my favorite, Yaya choking on her pastry before screaming, "huh," with her mouth full.

"Aye, Tadase, I want you to be the best man." Ikuto's voice was low, but audible as he continued to stare at the ceiling, his eyes falling down on to the shocked prince moments later.

"I-Ikuto-nee-san," Tadase murmured, scratching his cheek as he thought about the honor.

"Eh? If you're not interested I'm sure someone else will fill in."

"N-No! I would be happy to!" Clearing his throat, he regained his outer character and repeated himself more clearly this time. "I would love to."

Happy with that answer, Ikuto smirked and closed his eyes, laying back to lounge out on the floor in the sun. I was surprised Utau wasn't going off, but then again, she looked like she was in a state of shock and I feared she wasn't breathing.

...

May came, and the closer the wedding got the more planning had to be done.

We had all graduated, all but Yaya who had one last year left, and though we hardly got to see each other anymore we still made plans every weekend to meet up and discuss Guardian meetings as well as hang out as friends.

Hinari and Tadase to this day are not on speaking terms. Though he has forgiven her, she still felt guilty and is now living somewhere in Europe to find herself.

By the way, I never did find my phone. Ikuto insisted I be on his plan so I was given an all too expensive phone that I would rather not get into right now.

And believe it or not, Utau stepped in demanding that she do the planning for the wedding. So really when I said there was a lot of planning for me to do, well, I was lucky that I even got to pick out my dress and the color scheme. She seemed to be so ahead of everything that I didn't have to bat an eye lash.

I'll give her credit though, the wedding was beautiful. Everything had been perfectly thought out, and was absolutely breath-taking.

An outside wedding at first wasn't something I wanted, but I'm glad she talked me into it because I could not have thought of a more elegant atmosphere.

Underneath a long canopy of weeping willows, and cherry blossom trees, rows of chairs filled with our friends and family members stretched out with eagerly awaiting faces.

By now, every once and awhile you would catch a firefly light the sky as the sun started to set against the backdrop, casting a gorgeous orange shadow over the white satin arches that guided the white carpet walkway for the aisle.

Utau even made sure the flower girl had dropped white rose petal's mixed with blue Forget-me-not's since the theme was indigo to match Ikuto.

Even the soothing sound of a babbling brook not to far from the location calmed my nerves, and it was just as the sun finally set that we said our vows.

The way he looked in the candle light made my heart stop. This was utterly perfect and I couldn't have asked for a more amazing wedding. Though, as long as Ikuto was there, it wouldn't have mattered where or how just as long as it was him saying, I do.

The reception was just as stunning as the ceremony, strung in the trees were lamps lit by candles, and above everyone's head dangled white lights under a white canopy; flickering to look as though stars where within arms reach.

I could say we all lived happily every after, but that's too cliché and would also mean our story has come to an end.

No, our lives are just now starting, and this is no happily ever after. It's just the beginning of something far greater.

I ended it here,

because in all honesty I'm not sure where to go at this point.

From the start, I had planned on making Asuka and Hinari evil,

and now that's been taken care of not much is left to do.

Personally, I think it's a good ending.

The way I left it, you can use your imagination

to add whatever you would like their outcome to be.

Babies, and all that good stuff.

I want to thank everyone from the bottom of my heart

who has taken time to read this story;

and even those who have stuck with me since chapter one.

You guys are the best, and I love each and every one of you!