Title: An Excuse

Author: Katsumi Sinclair

Pairing(s): Amuto and slight Miru

Warning(s): None, really.

Rating: K+

Summary: "You come here a lot, don't you?" Instead of looking back at her, he directed his gaze up. "Everyday I come here. The violin is merely an excuse." "The violin...?"

Disclaimer: I do not own Shugo Chara or Shugo Chara Doki.

A/N: So no one gets confused, this chapter is just about the Charas. It's what basically takes place with them after Amu leaves them in the last chapter and runs into Ikuto.

An Excuse: Chapter Two: Miki's Tears, Yoru's Guilt

Amu seemed to have zoned out into her own thoughts as she and her three charas walked to the park. It had only taken a few minutes after Suu suggested they go, to arrive. The pink haired girl completely forgot all about her charas as she walked on further. Ran and Suu looked at each other quizzically, both thinking the same thing. Miki hadn't seemed to notice as she was still drawing in her sketch book.

"Where's Amu-chan going, desu?" Suu asked looking to where Amu had walked off.

Ran frowned. "I don't know. Maybe we should follow her..."

"Just leave her alone, she might want to be by herself or something." Ran and Suu looked at Miki surprised, they didn't think she had been listening to them.

"Miki?"

"What do you mean, desu?"

Miki sighed. "It's just that Amu needs some time to herself every once in a while. She's constantly doing work for the guardians or fighting Easter, that she never gets to actually think. Having us around doesn't exactly help either."

Suu gasped. "You mean we're just getting in Amu-chan's way?"

"Hey, that's not true!" Ran shouted.

Miki glared. "That isn't what I said. When Amu-chan gets time alone, she should be able to be alone. I'm not saying that it's just us either, we serve our purpose already, arduously at that. I just think that there are times when we don't need to be around Amu, and should just let her be on her own for a while." After finishing her explanation, Miki undoubtedly went back to sketching. Of course she as well as Ran and Suu hadn't expected her sketch book to be snatched away(again).

It only took less than a second for the thief to declare loudly: "What's this, nya?"

Miki visibly stiffened at the all too familiar voice. Her sister's noticed her action and desperately tried to get the book back before they saw anything. Ran leaped at the other. "Yoru, give it back!"

"Yeah, desu!" Luckily the cat hadn't seen what was on the page yet. Suu joined her sister at trying to pounce on him, Miki still hadn't done anything yet.

Yoru stuck his tongue out. "You're going to have to catch me if you want it back, nya!" The chara snickered as he flew away and into the many trees that surrounded the park. Ran and Suu immediately began chasing after him.

"Come on, Miki!" Ran shouted right before she disappeared into the expanse of trees. Miki snapped out of her stupor as she realized Ran's words. Seeing Suu disappear as well out of the corner of her eye, she hurriedly followed them into the woods.

Since night had already started to descend, it was even darker being in the large wooded area. As far as Miki could tell once she was in the trees, was that Ran and Suu must have been way ahead of her. Their voices sounded distant, indicating that they and Yoru had advanced deeper than she. They weren't extremely far away, but it took her a while before she could actually catch up with Suu.

The blue and green charas panted as they tried to keep up with Ran and Yoru. "How far does she plan to chase him, desu?!"

"Until she catches him." Miki replied bluntly. She was right too. It didn't matter that she and Suu were lagging behind, Ran and Yoru had tons more energy then both of them combined, and could keep going for who knows how long. Miki and Suu both knew this, so with as much strength as they could muster, they continually chased after the two, trying to really catch up to their sister and Yoru.

Ran scowled at the back of Yoru's head, she was right on his tail(not literally), chasing him. She faintly noticed that her other two sisters were way behind, as for now, she was trying to really focus on getting Miki's sketch book back from the blue cat. "Give me back that book, you stupid cat!"

Yoru turned his head to her, smirking. They were right next to each other and Ran was so close to getting the book back. "I told you, you can't have it back until you catch me, nya!"

"You thieving cat! That belongs to Miki, you had no right to take it from her!"

The smirk immediately vanished from Yoru's face. "Miki?"

"Yeah, and she'll be really upset if you don't give it back!" Ran reached out for it, intending to take it back when Yoru pulled his arm away, distancing it further. "Yoru, I mean it! I'll never ever forgive you if you hurt Miki!"

Yoru frowned. "I wouldn't hurt Miki, nya."

Ran glowered. "You will if you don't give it back to her."

"What's so special about it anyway, nya?" Yoru stopped and Ran mirrored his actions. "It's not like there's some sorta big secret in here, or is there, nya?" There was a glint in his eye as Yoru looked from the drawing book and back at Ran.

Ran sensed what Yoru was thinking, about opening the book now that he thought something was in it, and lunged at him again. "Don't you dare open it!" The cat dodged the pink chara, diving swiftly behind a tree. Ran raced after him, the chase for the sketch book starting once again. "I swear it, Yoru! If you open that, I won't forgive you!" Ran yelled as she chased him around the tree in circles.

During one of the rounds around the tree, Yoru broke a small piece of a branch off. He threw it behind him at Ran as he shouted. "I'm not giving it back, nya!" The twig hit Ran square in the forehead, surprising her. She stumbled a bit in the air before regaining her balance again, ready to attack Yoru.

Yoru had done that intentionally, so she would stop chasing him. Now that she had stopped, he did so as well, anxious to open the sketch book and see what was inside. Ran looked up just in time to see Yoru slowly begin to open it, there was no way she'd be able to get it back from him now. Even so, she started racing at him, screaming. "No, don't!" But just as she reached out for it, Yoru had already opened it.

Simultaneously, Miki and Suu caught up right when Yoru opened it. Just like Ran had, Yoru's eyes widened as he flipped through each page. Suu gasped and Miki pulled her cap down, covering her eyes. Ran floated up to her sister looking ashamed. "I'm sorry I couldn't get it from him sooner, Miki."

"It's not your fault." She said this avoiding eye contact with everyone and staring down at the ground.

Ran glanced from her sister to Yoru, who still looked surprised as he stared at the sketch book. Her expression immediately changed from apologetic to furious. "You idiot! I told you not to open it, that it would hurt Miki, but you did anyway! Now look at her!"

Yoru slowly looked from the book to the almost emotionless looking chara. He suddenly felt really guilty for taking the sketch book in the first place. Miki looked really hurt that he had opened it, he should have really listened to Ran when she said not to. "Miki, I-"

"No! Don't even talk to her, after all the trouble and hurt you've caused her, you don't deserve to speak to our sister!" Ran was enraged with the troublesome cat.

Suu, who hadn't said anything yet, looked over at her sister. "Miki..." She floated over to her looking sorry for her sister. "Miki, are you alright?" Miki said nothing as Suu approached her, she could barely hear Ran's yells anymore. Suu carefully floated in front of her and pulled her cap up a little for eye contact. She almost gasped again when she saw that Miki was desperately trying to suppress the unrelenting tears cascading down her face. She quickly grabbed her sister, hugging her tightly for comfort.

When Ran and Yoru seemed to completely forget about the other two charas, and not notice that fact that Miki was crying, Suu angrily shouted. "Stop it, you two! You're too busy to even notice that Miki's crying!"

Ran and Yoru promptly stopped their bickering, stunned at Suu's words. They both looked to the chara being held in Suu's arms, who was sobbing quietly. Ran's reaction was immediate. "Miki!" She quickly left Yoru to go over to her sisters. Miki, noticing that everyone was now aware of her tears, pulled out of Suu's grasp. She turned away wiping at her eyes, in an attempt to stop the tears.

Yoru remained silent, knowing it was his doing that caused Miki to get upset. Although he really wanted nothing more then to comfort her at the moment, he knew it would be better to just stay out of it, so as not to cause any more harm than done.

As Suu began taking Miki back to Amu's house, Ran turned on the guilty cat. "I never want to see you again! I hope you're happy!" With that, the pink chara raced after her sisters, leaving Yoru still holding Miki's sketch book, feeling more guilty then he had ever been.

A/N: So this is what happened while Ikuto and Amu were having their little moment. I hope it wasn't bad or anything, please tell me what you think about it, and I hope to have the next chapter out soon!