Hellooo. I know it's been like eight months, but the explanation's at the bottom so you can just enjoy the chapter now, and find out after.

Enjoy.

Amu looked out to her right in a daze, her palm placed under her chin supporting herself with her elbow. She seemed distant and unresponsive.

"Uhm... Hinamori-san?" A young woman poked her with her finger, causing Amu to flinch. "What do you need Saaya?"

"Can you help me with this?" Saaya asked, gesturing towards a pile of hair on the floor. She had just finished giving this woman with extraordinary long hair a bobcut. Amu sighed as she glared at Saaya.

"I'm the receptionist Saaya, I don't sweep hair off the floors." Saaya always would try to have Amu do her dirty work.

Amu worked in a hair and nail salon that was a few blocks away from her apartment. She used the money to buy books for school and necessities. The work was a pain to have, but the owner was a family friend and her pay wasn't something to complain about.

Saaya scoffed. "I bet Yaya would do it for me," she said. "Yaya!"

"Yeah?" A girl with auburn hair tied up in two small pigtails entered the lobby. Saaya smiled at her intentionally.

"If you sweep this up for me, I'll give you a manicure," she offered. Yaya beamed. "No problem!" She swiped the broom from the wall to her right and got started on the floor. Amu's glare towards Saaya hardened.

"You didn't offer me a manicure." Not like she ever did.

Saaya ignored her as she went to set up her desk. Amu rolled her eyes as she turned her attention towards her computer. Her eyes shifted down to the time, noticing that there were only two more appointments left on her shift. The realization made her smile as her phone vibrated. She pulled it out of her pocket and opened the message she received.

I think it actually is possible to die from pure boredom. This lecture is going to be the death of me.

Her smile widened unintentionally. Ikuto and her had been exchanging texts and calls ever since the time they spent together at the coffee shop the month before. They even had lunch a week ago. She prepped herself before replying.

You only have an hour and a half left. You can do it!

After sending it, she realized that Kukai hadn't texted back in hours. She sighed. Texting him again won't make him text back faster; she learned that the hard way. He was supposed to pick her up from work so she hoped that he would respond before she got off.

She sighed once again before steering her attention back to her computer and browsed the internet as she waited for the next appointment.

"Kukai, I'm really starting to get sick of you faking on me like this. This is not how a boyfriend should act." She sneered at his voicemail before slamming her phone shut. She's been waiting for him to pick her up for an hour now, and he wasn't answering his phone.

She could feel tears starting to cover her eyes. She felt neglected and not cared for. Why does he keep doing this?

...Could he be cheating?

She shook the thought before calling the first person that came to mind.

"Amu?"

"Please tell me you're not busy."

Ikuto drove in silence as he settled in the awkward vibe that Amu gave off. She hasn't said a word since she got into his car and he had been driving for fifteen minutes. He wasn't even sure of where he was going.

He wiggled his fingers around the steering wheel for at least the fifth time. His eyes would shift to her hesitantly a couple times a minute. He wasn't sure if he should talk to her yet.

She seemed really upset and blank faced. She didn't seem to care where they were going, either.

He sighed internally. Maybe she needs to be cheered up?

He looked at his surroundings and noticed that there was an ice cream shop a block ahead. Wasting no time, he aimed towards that very location.

Amu's daze was interrupted after noticing the car was turning off. Was she home? She looked up and immediately knew she wasn't. She was in the opposite direction; not that she cared. She didn't tell Ikuto where to go so she wasn't complaining, but she did question it.

"Why are we at an ice cream shop?"

"You hungry?"

She shifted her eyes to her feet. "I appreciate the offer, but-"

"Just come on," he said, stepping out of the car and walking over to her door. She didn't even get a chance to object as he pulled her out gently by her hand. "You need a change in atmosphere."

She looked at him as he lead her inside. She felt a little relieved that he saved her; she fought back a smile.

Once they were seated, a waiter came up to their table. "Would you like to try our special? It's the caramel cookie dough sundae, with nuts sprinkled on top."

"No, thank you," Ikuto replied. "I'll just have two scoops of chocolate in a waffle cone." He looked at Amu, gesturing that it was her turn. "I'll have a strawberry milkshake please."

"Would you like whip cream on that?" he asked with a smile. Amu nodded. "Yes, please," she replied as he took they're menus.

"I'll be right out."

"So tell me what's bothering you," Ikuto said as he took a lick from his ice cream. Amu sank back in her chair. "I really don't want to get into it."

"It's about Kukai, isn't it," he suggested. He knew about the problems that they were having, and it seemed that he was the thing that was causing her the most stress.

"Yeah... He was supposed to pick me up from work, but..." He knew the rest.

Kukai was starting to do this more and more often and it was starting to really depress her. She could feel herself drifting further and further away from him. She hasn't seen him in two weeks just because he would always bail on her. His excuses were starting to repeat, and she was starting to get sick of it.

Ikuto knew this as well, but he didn't want to pry too much. He didn't know Kukai's side, but it sounded like to him that he was seeing someone else. That had to be the only conclusion.

He looked at Amu as she started to tear up. "Maybe he doesn't like me anymore..."

Ikuto's eyebrows slanted upwards, a feeling of sadness washed over him. He hated seeing her like this, and he could also start to feel anger towards Kukai. Why would be do this to her? She didn't seem like a bad person, and he was usually good at reading people.

Without thinking about it, he reached over the table and wiped her tear away with his index finger. He couldn't help but to also push the hair out of her face, making his face a few inches away from hers. It was something that shocked both of them; Amu the most. They couldn't help but to pause for a few seconds before Ikuto pulled himself away.

Amu felt her heart starting to beat as her cheeks started to heat up. "I-I should go home..."

Ikuto looked to the floor. "Thats fine, I'll take you."

She nodded as she excused herself to the bathroom while Ikuto paid.

When she was finished she met him outside to be greeted by snow. She stood behind him as she saw him look up to the sky. He seemed entranced by the snow and the night; it made her not want to bother him.

But she couldn't help but to walk up next him. She looked up as well and saw how beautiful it really was. The first snow of the year was always the prettiest.

Ikuto felt her presence next him, and it was comforting. The winter time was always the most lonely for him for some reason.

He was shocked to feel her head fall on his shoulder.

"Don't overthink this. I-I'm just cold." She just needed a presence.

He didn't respond. He just stayed still and let himself comfort her, just by being there.

Tadaa. I also need to write up this chapter to MD. Honestly, I'm having so much trouble with that story. But I'll figure it out.

I'm so sorry this took so long to upload. I really have to say, this year kicked my ass. I'm eighteen years old, a college student, I have two jobs, and I'm also going through some really deep personal issues.

I've been really really low lately. I was hospitalized in June this year because I was making my mother worried. I'm still going through stuff but I'm trying the best I can to push through and find a light at the end of this tunnel. But I do have to say, it gets harder and harder each day.

Thank you for being so patient. You're amazing and it's so good to see that I still get reviews every once in a while even though I haven't uploaded anything since April.

I'll try my best not to take too long to upload again.

Thank you again.