-1Prelude

"I'm sorry Amu. I can't go against my family no matter how hard I try, in the end I'm just a weakling."

"Tadase," Amu sobbed, holding onto him tighter, "please don't…we were about to get married too…"

Tadase gently pulled away from Amu, staring into her tear-filled eyes. "Amu, I didn't want for this to happen either." He gritted his teeth, "if I know who betrayed the Hinamori family I swear I won't rest till they're punished. Their the very reason why we are apart."

"Tadase," Amu began, "is there really no other way. Can you not-"

"Amu, I'm the only next heir to the Hotori family. I have my own family burdens to carry." Tadase looked away from Amu, "they won't allow me to marry the daughter of a rich families that destroyed. Especially now that both your parents have committed suicide and your little sister is missing. The Hinomori's families reputation is… I'm sorry."

Amu clasped her hands over her eyes, unable to stop the tears from falling out. She loved Tadase very much; since the day they were decided to be engaged, her heart was already convicted to be his wife. They were a perfect match, so why did something so terrible happen.

It all happened so suddenly. One day her father just came home and announced that the company was going bankrupt, that he was duped, tricked by the infamous swindler, Ikuto Tsukiyomi. Then everything was lost straight away, the house, the car. They had nowhere to go and unable to accept such failure, her parents committed suicide. Then there was her little sister that also went missing. It was terrible, it was a real horror movie to Amu but using her family and herself as the main cast. She thought she had Tadase and not all hope was gone but it reality proves otherwise. This is what it was like to loose everything.

"Don't be like this Amu," Tadase said flatly, "what is done is done. Live on."

Amu shook her head, "I've lost everything… you too… there's nothing left…"

Tadase leaned in and gave Amu a quick kiss on the forehead, "goodbye Amu."

Seeing Tadase leave, Amu's heart hurt and she couldn't control herself but launch forward and grab onto his arm, wanting so desperately to have him stay with her, "don't leave me Tadase. You love me don't you?"

Tadase looked at Amu, "yes I do. But it won't work."

"Tell me," Amu sobbed, "tell me what to do please. I only need to be a rich girl again to be with you so tell me how I can get money and status again… please Tadase I don't want to part from you. I'll do anything."

Tadase studied Amu for the moment. "There's no way you can do anything quick enough Amu. Give up."

"But Tadase, I can't," Amu protested, "I don't understand. We like each other - isn't that enough?" She hugged him.

Tadase glanced away from Amu and at his watch. He was in a hurry. He rummaged through his pocket, trying to look for something that can keep Amu calm, then he took out the red envelope. He stared at it, pressing his thin lips together, knowing this will probably destroy her further. Tadase pulled away from Amu and shoved the red envelope into Amu's hand, "take this and go."

"What is it?" Amu asked.

"It's an invitation to a game," Tadase said, "kind of like who wants to be a millionaire. Enter and if you win, you'll earn lots of money quickly then… you can restore your family status and we can be together again."

Amu looked at Tadase who gave her a quick kiss on the forehead again before really dashing off. She watched him getting into his car an disappearing from before her as the car drove off. He never looked back at her. She stared at the red envelope and wiping her tears she opened it. There was a red card inside that had nothing but an address and time written on. The time was tomorrow.

"Tadase," Amu whispered staring at the place where he went. Although she said she'd do anything, she really wasn't in the mood to participate in a game. She had no spirit in her to do anything. Moreover, if it was a game that required her to think, she'd loose straight away; she was too emotional, lost and confused. It was hopeless after all. Was there any point in her holding onto Tadase that was so far out of her reach now. Holding the red envelope loosely in her hand, Amu stumbled her way across the road towards the beach. It was as if heaven noticed her pain and was reflecting her feelings for her to the world, her sadness. The rain that now splashed onto her from above felt nice. It covered her entirely and made everything else around disappear. Her parents weren't wrong. Maybe she ought to disappear too. She began to take big steps into the sea. "I'm sorry Tadase. I'm the weak one not you. I can't play the game…I don't want to lose."

Amu closed her eyes and blindly walked out towards the sea. Each one of her steps getting bigger and bigger.

"Is walking out like this fun?"

Amu opened her eyes and looked through the rain to see a guy standing next to her. He smiled, his damp blue hair sticking to his face and his ocean-like eyes looking at her. She didn't answer, just stared deep back into his eyes which seemed to enchant her.

"Is it fun killing yourself?" he asked.

Amu didn't reply again.

"It's easy to kill yourself but its hard to live isn't it?" he continued to ask, "go ahead and keep walking. Its in a humans instinct to cheat and find the easiest route. Your just responding to your own nature."

"Are you killing yourself?" Amu finally asked.

The guy smiled again, "no. I just want to know what kind of a person are you."

Amu looked away from him, deciding that he was a weirdo or maybe a psycho. It was strange though. Her urge to walk out into the sea has disappeared completely. But she didn't want to return either.

"I'm…" Amu began, "your trying to say I'm weak if I walk out there aren't you. Then I guess not killing myself is the option I should take to show I'm strong."

"I never intended to influence your thoughts. But your right. I am implying that you're a fool if you kill yourself."

"What's the use in living if you don't have anything?" Amu asked.
"Are you betrayed?"

Amu hesitated but then just simply nodded. She was kind of betrayed, but by someone she didn't know, a swindler whose face she does not know, but the name Ikuto Tsukiyomi.

"If you're betrayed then there's even more of a reason to stay alive." he said. "Being betrayed is a blessing…"

"What?" Amu asked, thinking she had heard wrong.

"I've concluded on what kind of a person you are," he said, "you've got more than meets the eye but it depends on how you choose to live things out."

Amu didn't know why herself but she was beginning to get interested in what he was saying, or rather her occupation with him triggered something within her to change. She didn't understand this guy at all but somehow, she couldn't stop herself from wanting to talk to him. She also wanted to know what he was thinking, "What do you mean?"

"You want to know?" he asked with a smirk, "if we meet again then I'll tell you."

Amu gave him a weird look. He was more than strange. "I don't want to die anymore but it's unlikely we'll meet again." Amu finally stated.

"Not true," the guy said. He pointed at the red envelope and card in Amu's hand, "it depends on how you choose to live your life. I'll tell you then…"

Amu watched as the guy slowly walked back towards the beach. She clenched the red invitation in her hands. Who was that guy? Did he mean to say he would see her again in that game?

Amu turned around herself to walk back towards the sandy beach. "Tadase… I'll enter this game…wait for me…" She glanced around on the beach and repeated his phrase, "the path I choose…"