Challenges of Tomorrow: A New Day Awaits ~SEQUEL~

Chapter 13: The Depressing Aftermath

The Depressing Aftermath

Kukai ran towards the place where Amu was "supposed" to meet Ikuto. He was already panting and running out of breath, due to the fact that was too worried to think of anything else. He ran and ran, and eventually, he got to the spot, but found it empty.

"Ikuto? Oi Tsukiyomi!" he called. But no one answered. He sighed, he knew it, he was too late.

Kukai looked around the area and his mouth dropped when he saw Ikuto's violin case sticking out one of the nearby bushes. From where he was standing, he was lucky to have noticed it to begin with, whoever hid it definitely didn't want it to be found.

He picked up the case and held it up. "Something's definitely wrong. There's no way he'd ever leave this lying around here…what happened to you Ikuto?" he asked with a depressed sigh.

"Better take this to the palace before they come looking for me too…" he walked off back to the palace, not knowing how in the world he'd tell Amu that Ikuto was gone.

Back at the palace, Amu, Utau and her parents were feeling very uneasy. They've called in Yoru, Tadase, Lulu, Kairi, Yukairi and Yuu to meet them in the throne room. Tsukasa said he would soon follow when Kukai had returned. They waited patiently, and Amu was beginning to be filled with worry. Minutes later, the door opened to reveal Tsukasa with a small piece of paper in his hand, then followed Kukai, with Ikuto's violin.

"Kukai!" Utau went over to her fiancée and examined what he was holding. She could immediately tell that it was Ikuto's. "Where's Ikuto?" she asked.

Kukai shook his head sadly, "He wasn't there." He answered and showed everyone what he was carrying "I found this, it was hidden in the bushes. He wasn't there, the violin is inside."

"Ikuto wasn't there? Where is he?" Amu asked, she was getting frantic.

Not knowing how to answer her "Sorry Hinamori…" was the only thing Kukai could say to his dear friend.

"Ikuto-nii…disappeared?" asked Tadase.

Tsukasa stepped forward "No, he didn't just disappear Tadase. I would like all of you to take a good look at this." He held out the price of paper in his hand.

"And what might that be?" asked Souko, she was getting worried. Anything could have happened to her son, and they couldn't do a thing.

"I searched Amu-chan's room while I was waiting for Kukai-kun. I found this in her bedside table." Tsukasa then turned to face Utau and Kukai "Utau-chan mentioned to her parents that Amu-chan left a letter for Ikuto to read, and I believe this is the supposed letter."

Utau took the paper from Tsukasa and read its contents. After reading, she turned to everyone and stated "This has to be it." She faced Amu and asked "Were you the one who wrote this Amu?"

Amu looked at the note, and shook her head "I don't know anything about this."

"Then it seems to be quite clear." Kairi suddenly spoke up "It seems that we've been set up."

"Kairi?" asked Amu "What do you mean?"

"Simple, Ikuto-san saw that letter when he wasn't supposed to. Seeing as you didn't write it, it would seem that someone placed it there on purpose." Said Kairi and then he sighed "Which means that Ikuto-san's disappearance was no accident t either. It may appear that he was forcibly taken rather than he just disappeared."

"Oh my! Tsukasa we have to find him, he could be anywhere, who knows what could have happened to him." Souko was now panicking, she didn't want to begin to imagine what could have happened to her dear son.