CHAPTER 5

Author Notes: This will be the LAST CHAPTER of my first story on Shugo Chara!. Thank you to all of you for the reviews and support I really appreciate them. They were my source of inspiration in writing this fan fic. See you all soon in the next fanfic!.

Two months have passed since their last encounter and the season is now winter. Christmas decorations were here, there and everywhere. Sleigh bells hang at the corner of the roof of some shops. A giant Christmas tree was placed near the main entrance of the biggest shopping mall in the city. People made a long line in front of the bakery shop to get their Christmas cake.

"I wonder why Japanese people celebrate Christmas by eating cake" Miki said.

"Well, I'd rather eat cake than gingerbread" Amu claimed.

She passed the bakery shop and entered a small young men clothing shop. It was full with girls of her age. Some of them were digging the tray full of gloves. Near the tray there was a board that says "All 1050 yen, tax included". Some of the girls were just wondering around while chatting with their friends about Christmas present for their beloved someone.

"Amu chan, I think this will look good on Ikuto san"

Ran pointed a black muffler with a red color cross design.

"Cool! Anyway, how much does it cost?"

"The price tag says three thousand yen"

Amu opened her wallet and ended up cold sweating when she found out that she only have two thousand yen left. She was heading to the exit door when suddenly she heard the announcement of time bargain.

"Attention to all customers in the store. All the products except those with 1050 yen tag on will be sold in one price which is two thousand yen starting from now. You have ten minutes left until the time bargain is over".

"Amu chan!" Ran screamed happily.

"Muffler, here I come!"

Amu ran back to the store and pushed the people who blocked her way. She was squeezed in the middle of her journey but at last she reached her goal and got her black muffler. She paid it at the cashier and had it wrapped as a gift with red and green ribbon before she went out from the store.

"You did it, Amu chan!" Miki said when they reached home.

"Yes, at last"

"The power of love is so strong desuu!" Suu added.

"I'm so tired"

Amu yawned and lays herself on her pink bed.

"So get tired easily these days, Amu" Ran claimed.

"Well, it seems like I'm not as healthy as I was back in elementary school"

Suddenly she felt nauseous that she began to cover her mouth with both of her hands. Then in a speed of light she ran the toilet and started vomiting.

"Amu chan, are you alright?" Miki asked anxiously.

"I feel sick"

"Did you catch a cold?"

"Maybe"

"Could it be that you are…"

"I don't know"

"Amu chan, you should have pregnancy check"

Ran opened the drawer on Amu's study desk and handed her the equipment. Amu nodded slowly and she went back to the toilet.

Fifteen minutes later

"Don't you think Amu's taking too long?" said Miki.

"She's been there for 15 minutes" Ran turned her head to the alarm clock on the desk.

"I have a bad feeling about this desuu" Suu concluded.

"Hey there, little fellows"

Ikuto greeted the charas as he jumped in from the window.

"Ikuto san! You shouldn't have come through the window" Ran scolded him.

"I did ring the bell but there was no answer. Anyway, where's my pink alligator?"

All the charas pointed their fingers to the toilet.

"Amu, I'm here!" Ikuto said cheerfully after knocking the door.

Silence

"Amu… are you okay?"

"No…(sobs)…(sniff)…"

"I'm coming in, Amu"

He opened the toilet and walked in. He saw her kneeling down on the floor with her face covered by both of her hands. She was sobbing like there is no tomorrow. He was going get himself closer to her so that he can comfort her when he saw the pregnancy check equipment just about ten centimeters from where she was kneeling. He could see the blue colored plus sign on it and finally realized the reason why she was sobbing so hard.

Ikuto lifted Amu from the floor in bridal style and was going to lay her on the bed but she didn't let go of her arms circling his neck.

"Amu, do you mind to release your grip on me 'coz I can't move freely"

"Ikuto" she ignored him.

"Yes?"

"I'm pregnant"

"I know. I just saw the thing on the floor"

"Could you postpone your journey to search for your father until I finish my high school education?"

"Amu…"

"Ikuto, I need to finish my education so that I can easily find work to support you during our journey. I bet there are more jobs for those who graduated high school than those who ended their path in junior high school"

"How if the teachers and other students in your school found out that you are…"

"Don't worry, Ikuto. I'll try my best to hide it so that they won't find out"

"I see. Anyway, when are you planning to tell your parents?"

"I'll tell them on the graduation day of my high school" she answered.

"I'm afraid that your father will throw knifes at me"

"I'll prevent him from doing that"

Amu smiled and released her grip on her boyfriend.

"I wonder how the baby will look like"

He played with her long pink hair.

"If he's a boy I think he'll have your hair"

She touched his front hair.

"And your eyes for sure"

He tilted her chin.

"What if she's a girl?"

"She'll have your pink hair and my eyes"

Ikuto concluded as he kissed Amu gently on the lips then he left the trace of kisses from her jaw down to her neck.

"Ikuto… I…I'm afraid that we can't go further than this"

She pushed him away slowly.

"No need to worry, Amu. To make love during pregnancy won't bring any harm to the baby"

"You perverted pussy cat"

"If you don't want me to continue than push me away"

He said as he continued his work on her. She suppressed a weak moan and let him have her for the rest of the night.

Amu slipped her over-sized sweater through her arms and grabbed her bag from the study desk. Thanks to the cold weather that she has been able to hide the fact through her thick and over-sized clothes. At last today is her high school graduation day.

"Are you ready, Amu chan?"

Midori's voice echoed from below the stairs.

"I'll be there soon, mom!" Amu answered.

She rushed downstairs as fast as she could then she went inside the car where her mother was waiting. She sat at the passenger seat and fastened her seat belt. Midori turned the engine and started to drive the car out of their house.

"Mom…"

"Yes, dear?"

"I'm sorry that I yelled and said horrible things to you a couple months ago"

"It's okay"

"I have another thing to tell you, mom"

"About you being hospitalized because of dengue fever for a week?"

"H-how did you know about that?"

Midori smiled and continued her sentence.

"It looks like you have a nice boyfriend, Amu"

"W-what do you mean?"

"Well, a boy who introduced himself as Tsukiyomi Ikuto called me on the day you collapsed. I was going to visit you at the hospital but he urged me not to do it because it's your wish. He told me to trust him and he promised me that he'll take care of you during your stay at the hospital. Moreover, he even gave reports on your condition every day until your last day at the hospital to me"

Amu covered her blushing face with both of her hands. Finally, she found out the reason why Ikuto always excused himself to make a phone call to his so-called music school students to give extra lecture. It was her mom, not a music school student.

"Since today is your graduation day why don't you ask him to come to our house so that we can have dinner together?" Midori suggested.

"Yes, mom. He's in Kyoto today for promoting his orchestra so I'll call him later"

"Congratulations for graduating high school, Amu"

Ikuto kissed her forehead when Amu picked him up at the nearest train station from her home. He handed her a small bouquet of pink roses as her graduation gift.

"Thank you, Ikuto" she blushed red when she received her gift.

"Man, I feel nervous" he cleaned the dirt on his black suits.

"You don't have to, mom is nice"

"What if your dad comes out of nowhere suddenly?"

"Err… you better run for your life"

Amu opened the entrance door of her house and was surprised to death when she saw the man who sat beside her mom.

"Welcome home, my sweet little girl!"

Tsumugu screamed happily and ran toward Amu to hug her.

"D-Dad!"

"Yes, sweet heart. Daddy is here"

"H-Hi, Mr. Hinamori"

Ikuto greeted Amu's father nervously.

"Who is this young man, Amu?"

Tsumugu gave Ikuto his best death glare of the history.

"My name is Tsukiyomi Ikuto" he said then he bowed politely.

"Sit down, everyone"

Midori commanded them while she set the dishes on the table.

Ikuto sat down nervously beside Amu.

"Everyone, I have an announcement to tell all of you" Amu said.

"Go on, oneechan" Ami answered.

"I've been dating Ikuto since junior high school"

"What?"

Tsumugu's face turned red like a mad bull in cartoon.

"And… I'm now two months pregnant with his kid"

"Oh my God!" Midori gasped.

"You! How dare you harm my so very precious daughter?"

Tsumugu grabbed Ikuto on his shirt and was going to punch him when Amu blocked his way.

"Stay away, Amu dear"

"I won't until you release my boyfriend, dad"

"He has ruined your life, Amu"

"No!. In fact he has brighten up my life with his love"

Amu pushed her father away and released Ikuto from his grip.

"Mr. Hinamori, I love your daughter and I'm here to ask for your permission to marry her" Ikuto explained.

"Hell no!, young man. I can't give my daughter away to a jobless person like you"

"For your information, I'm not jobless. I'm a member of an orchestra and I have confidence that I can afford the living expense for the two of us. I promise that I will make her happy"

"Nonsense!"

Tsumugu said as he slapped Ikuto on his right cheek.

"Ikuto!" Amu screamed scarily.

"I'm okay, Amu. No need to worry"

Ikuto caressed her fingers.

"You just have to give up on my daughter, young man" Tsumugu continued.

"Stop it, you all!" Midori yelled.

"Stay away from this, Midori. It's me and his problem" Tsumugu pointed at Ikuto.

To everyone surprises Ikuto kneeled down with both of his knee and arms on the floor.

"Mr. Hinamori, I apologize for what I have done to your daughter"

"If apology is enough to solve all the problems police won't exist in this world, young man!"

"Please stop it, dad!" Amu cried out loudly, tears falling on both of her cheek.

"You can hit me until you're satisfied, Mr. Hinamori but before that please hear my explanation"

"Shut up, noisy boy!"

"I love Amu from the bottom of my heart and I want to spend the rest of my life together with her. I know a sinner like me doesn't have any right to ask someone a favor but I beg for your permission for me to marry your daughter"

Ikuto bowed as low as he could. His forehead nearly touched the floor.

"What do you think of him, Amu?" Tsumu turned his look at his daughter.

"I love him, dad. I could not think of living in a world without him"

Amu said as she leaned forward and hugged Ikuto's shoulder.

Tsumugu was silenced for a while before he gave his answer.

"Make sure you keep your promise, Mr. Tsukiyomi"

"So is that means…" Ikuto asked after he turned his head up.

"You have my blessing"

"Thank you so much, Mr. Hinamori!"

Ikuto bowed deeply for the second time that day.

"I'm gonna have a big brother and a niece or nephew!" Ami said happily.

"And I'm gonna be a grandmother" Midori added cheerfully.

"Thank you, Dad… Mom… Ami" Amu said between her sobs.

Ikuto closed the door behind him and sat on Amu's bed.

"Please forgive my dad, Ikuto for he just a hysterical person"

Amu opened the first aid box and took out cotton and disinfectant medicines to take care of his injury.

"Never…ouch!...mind…ouch!... about that" Ikuto answered while whining from the pain.

She put a small band aid on the corner of his lips and closed her first aid box.

"You were brave back there, Ikuto. I'm so proud of you"

"Thanks, I thought I was going to lose my life back there"

She smiled and handed him a box of present with red and green ribbons on it.

"I know it's too late but I wish you a merry Christmas, Ikuto"

"Wow!, my Christmas present!" he beamed in joy.

He opened it quickly and smiled happily as he circled his new muffler around his neck.

"How do I look?" he asked.

"You look great!"

"Thank you, Amu" he gave her a quick peck on the lips.

A couple months later.

"Try to push harder, Mrs. Tsukiyomi" the doctor commanded.

Amu panted as she strengthened her grip on her husband's hand.

She has been fighting for her delivery for almost eight hours and she was losing her strength.

"Amu, I'm here for you" Ikuto who stood beside her held her hand tightly.

"I…ku…to…(pants)… it… hurts…(pants)" she said with tears clinging from her eyes.

"Take a deep breath and give it another try, honey" he whispered.

Amu nodded and tried harder but the pain was too strong for her to bear.

She screamed in pain.

"Don't waste your energy, Mrs. Tsukiyomi!. You should push instead of screaming" the doctor scolded her.

She tried her best to adjust her breath. All parts of her body were aching like they have been whipped by a rod several times.

She was trembling badly and her cheeks were wet by her own tears.

"Amu, pull yourself together"

Ikuto caressed her head gently.

"I can't… Ikuto… it hurts…."

"I believe that you can do it. Trust yourself, Amu"

She pushed as hard as she could with all the power she had and gave a relief sigh when she heard the baby cried.

"Congratulations to both of you. Your baby is a girl" the doctor showed the baby.

"You did a great work, honey" Ikuto placed a kiss on her forehead.

About thirty minutes later a nurse brings the baby girl to Amu's hospital room.

"Oh my God, such a cute baby!" Ami said happily.

"She has Ikuto's hair and Amu's eyes" Midori added.

"I bet she'll be a beautiful girl when she grows up" Tsumugu said.

"Let's go outside and give the happy couple their private time"

Ami pulled the arms of her parents and drag them outside the room.

"But I haven't even hug my granddaughter yet" Midori protested.

"You can do it later, mom"

Ami answered as they all leave Amu and Ikuto with their baby in the room.

"Look she's sleeping"

She showed the sleeping baby to him.

"Sleep tight, dear"

He kissed the baby on her forehead.

"Her nose and her lips look exactly like yours, Ikuto"

"Moreover she has your eyes, Amu"

"Thank you for being there by my side"

She placed the sleeping baby on her lap and kissed him on his cheek.

"Amu…" said the blushing Ikuto.

"Yes?"

"I'm ready to have the next baby whenever you are" he smirked.

She smiled and pinched him on his nose.

"This song is dedicated to Mrs. Tsukiyomi Amu and Mr. Tsukiyomi Ikuto from the sender who refers him or herself as guardians"

The broadcaster's voice echoed from the radio on the table next to the hospital bed.

"Guardians?" Ikuto scratched his head.

"It must be Nadeshiko and the others"

Amu smiled happily.

"We are lucky people to have nice friends".

He leaned forward to get closer to her.

"I love you, Amu and I'll try my best to make you the happiest bride on earth"

"I love you too, Ikuto"

They share a long and passionate kiss along with the background music that echoes from the radio. A lovely song of which title is "Nagai Aida" by Kiroro.

THE END