When I Met You (An Amuto Love Story) ♬♥~Complete~♥♬

Chapter 16: Tara, Mai, and Questions Why?

"Tell her where I am?" asked Ikuto. "She is your sister."

"I know, but I had the feeling she's been with you long enough." Said Tara "She said it's only been a while since you disappeared."

"But Ikuto's been here a bit long now~nya." Said Yoru. Ikuto shot him a death glare.

"Eh?" asked Tara confused. "Didn't you have the whole afternoon with her?"

Ikuto sighed, no use in hiding it now. "Well…no, not exactly. I backed out after the first ten minutes of our conversation. More like, she was the one talking….and I just got bored listening."

"Oh…." Said Tara and then she smiled softly "You're still not comfortable around my siblings aren't you?"

"Um…no?" said Ikuto "No offense on you, but Mai and Ryo are….a bit difficult."

"Yes, I did notice Utau-san's face earlier. She didn't seem to like Ryo still." Said Tara. "I guess some things never change."

"True, and I highly doubt they ever will." Said Ikuto.

There was a short silence when… "Um…" Amu's voice was then heard in the background.

"Oh sorry, I forgot about your guest." Said Tara. She smiled and introduced herself "My name is Tara Misuzawa. A pleasure to meet you….um…"

"My names Amu, Amu Hi-.." before Amu could finish, Ikuto cut in.

"Just call her Amu." Said Ikuto. "She's not comfortable with people calling her by her last name." Ikuto stole a glance at Amu and sighed.

At first Amu was confused, but then she got the gist of it. She was just about to tell some stranger her last name and reveal her identity without her knowing. She slapped herself mentally, kept her cool outside character intact, and spoke "Nice to meet you."

"Oh, Um okay, it's nice to meet you too Amu-san." Said Tara with a smile.

"It's just Amu, I don't really mind." Said Amu returning a kind smile.

"Then you have to call me Tara." She told Amu.

"Of course!" Tsukasa was pleased to see that the two of them got along so quickly. It didn't surprise him much, but that's another thing to e happy about right?

"So? What's Mai doing now?" asked Ikuto out of the blue.

"Still looking for you. I hoped she wouldn't find you." Said Tara. "Have you been here this whole time?"

"Ikuto's always here~nya." Said Yoru, which got him another death glare from Ikuto.

"Oh? That's a bit of a surprise Ikuto-san, even for you." Said Tara with a smile. Ikuto didn't mind her knowing, he knew she could keep it, and he knew about the change she was talking about.

"Yes, it's been a long run for Ikuto-kun and Utau-chan hasn't it?" asked Tsukasa in agreement.

"I can say yes to that, I do hope Utau-san is alright." Said Tara with a sigh "Ryo said he was fully determined to win her heart now."

"Win her heart?" asked Amu "He's a suitor too?"

"Yes he is, my brother has been wanting an arranged marriage with her for years now." Said Tara "But she thinks otherwise."

"He's just blunt, he doesn't get that she isn't interested in him period." Said Ikuto "Same with Mai too."

"Yes, they are like that sometimes, I apologize I their behalf." Said Tara.

"You don't have to do that Tara-chan, you've done nothing wrong." Said Tsukasa.

"And I doubt it would change the way they are. You know your siblings, and I should be the one apologizing for how I treat them." Said Ikuto. He felt bad for making Tara apologize and he meant his apology too, but only to her. He didn't feel the need to apologize to Ryo or Mai at all.