How long had it been since he'd known Amu now? It had to be close to 7 years now. Sure he had always teased her and whenever she was in trouble, he couldn't help but rush to her aid. How times change... Utau's comments about how he'd changed stuck with him longer than she probably assumed it would. He wasn't interested in any girls or dating for so long, but that changed with Amu. He knew that she struggled with how to feel for a good amount of time though, so he never wanted to make her feel uncomfortable or have to decide on what she felt too soon. There was no sense in rushing things.
The fact of the matter is he fell for her and it was quite unexpectedly. She had become important to him and while his tactics to keep the people he cared about safe were.... not ideal... He'd make her hate him if that's what it took to keep her safe. He'd act cold and distant to her or even Utau for that matter if it meant they wouldn't have to take the blunt of the damage. He'll do what he has to to keep them safe, no matter what. Thankfully there was no longer a need to behave the same way he had while in high school. Easter had been dealt with and were no longer a problem. Amu was safe.
It had taken a year or two after visiting for Yuu and Yukari's wedding to really track his father down. Turned out he was closer than Ikuto realized for a good chunk of the time, but it was nice to finally find his father. But he couldn't stay for long; after all, he had a promise to fulfill. He hadn't seen Yoru since, which was a shame, but he knew he was always with him in spirit. Now all that was left was to return to Amu.
Would she be ready to face her feelings head on? Would she know what she wanted finally? He couldn't say. She'd always been indecisive and even if it meant waiting longer, he would wait as long as she needed to understand how she felt. It wasn't until maybe a year that something happened. He'd won their bet.
He'd honestly forgotten about it for a long while, but it didn't keep him from using it to tease her. More than anything, he was glad that she finally figured out what she wanted. Fast forward a few more years and Amu had turned 20 a few months before. They'd dated over the few years and while he was content with how they were, Utau would not leave him alone about it. Just because Kukai had proposed to her and they had become engaged about a year ago did not mean that he needed to make that step.
.... But that's when Utau's constant nagging about he was bad at relationships and she wasn't sure why Amu had to patience to put up with him wouldn't leave him alone. He hadn't thought too much about the idea of it before too much, but he found himself thinking about it more and more. Would Amu even be ready for something like that? Would he? He wasn't sure. He knew that she was important to him and he'd become more dependent on having her around. Would she even want to? He wished Yoru was here to help him out with this; not that he'd have much to say. He'd probably just offer slightly disgusted opinions on the matter and go on his own way.
There comes a time in your life that you meet up with your dad to talk about it. He hadn't been able to spend much time with him, even after finding him, but he was at least around now. He really didn't know who else to turn to about something like this though. He already knew Tsukasa would just tease him endlessly and generally.... wouldn't really have anything useful to say about it. So here he was asking his dad on what to do; which he found to be humorous that Ikuto of all people was asking, but also proud of him. It took a long time to figure it out as well as get an engagement ring ready. Why did they have to be so expensive?
So here comes the time where Ikuto invites Amu to the old amusement park. There wasn't anything there anymore, but it was the sentiment that mattered. Even with it gone, this was an important place for him for his childhood as well as the memories he'd made with Amu over the time they'd known each other. Once Amu arrives, she'll probably be able to tell that today was different. He had no need to dress nice most of the time so he'd been pretty casual with his outfits overall. For an occasion like this though, casual would be out of place. Today he was wearing something different. He refused to wear a tie though, because that was overkill and... he just didn't like ties.
Ring box in one of his pockets, he just waited for her to show up, overlooking the late park.
Closed to Amu;
How long had it been since he'd known Amu now? It had to be close to 7 years now. Sure he had always teased her and whenever she was in trouble, he couldn't help but rush to her aid. How times change... Utau's comments about how he'd changed stuck with him longer than she probably assumed it would. He wasn't interested in any girls or dating for so long, but that changed with Amu. He knew that she struggled with how to feel for a good amount of time though, so he never wanted to make her feel uncomfortable or have to decide on what she felt too soon. There was no sense in rushing things.
The fact of the matter is he fell for her and it was quite unexpectedly. She had become important to him and while his tactics to keep the people he cared about safe were.... not ideal... He'd make her hate him if that's what it took to keep her safe. He'd act cold and distant to her or even Utau for that matter if it meant they wouldn't have to take the blunt of the damage. He'll do what he has to to keep them safe, no matter what. Thankfully there was no longer a need to behave the same way he had while in high school. Easter had been dealt with and were no longer a problem. Amu was safe.
It had taken a year or two after visiting for Yuu and Yukari's wedding to really track his father down. Turned out he was closer than Ikuto realized for a good chunk of the time, but it was nice to finally find his father. But he couldn't stay for long; after all, he had a promise to fulfill. He hadn't seen Yoru since, which was a shame, but he knew he was always with him in spirit. Now all that was left was to return to Amu.
Would she be ready to face her feelings head on? Would she know what she wanted finally? He couldn't say. She'd always been indecisive and even if it meant waiting longer, he would wait as long as she needed to understand how she felt. It wasn't until maybe a year that something happened. He'd won their bet.
He'd honestly forgotten about it for a long while, but it didn't keep him from using it to tease her. More than anything, he was glad that she finally figured out what she wanted. Fast forward a few more years and Amu had turned 20 a few months before. They'd dated over the few years and while he was content with how they were, Utau would not leave him alone about it. Just because Kukai had proposed to her and they had become engaged about a year ago did not mean that he needed to make that step.
.... But that's when Utau's constant nagging about he was bad at relationships and she wasn't sure why Amu had to patience to put up with him wouldn't leave him alone. He hadn't thought too much about the idea of it before too much, but he found himself thinking about it more and more. Would Amu even be ready for something like that? Would he? He wasn't sure. He knew that she was important to him and he'd become more dependent on having her around. Would she even want to? He wished Yoru was here to help him out with this; not that he'd have much to say. He'd probably just offer slightly disgusted opinions on the matter and go on his own way.
There comes a time in your life that you meet up with your dad to talk about it. He hadn't been able to spend much time with him, even after finding him, but he was at least around now. He really didn't know who else to turn to about something like this though. He already knew Tsukasa would just tease him endlessly and generally.... wouldn't really have anything useful to say about it. So here he was asking his dad on what to do; which he found to be humorous that Ikuto of all people was asking, but also proud of him. It took a long time to figure it out as well as get an engagement ring ready. Why did they have to be so expensive?
So here comes the time where Ikuto invites Amu to the old amusement park. There wasn't anything there anymore, but it was the sentiment that mattered. Even with it gone, this was an important place for him for his childhood as well as the memories he'd made with Amu over the time they'd known each other. Once Amu arrives, she'll probably be able to tell that today was different. He had no need to dress nice most of the time so he'd been pretty casual with his outfits overall. For an occasion like this though, casual would be out of place. Today he was wearing something different. He refused to wear a tie though, because that was overkill and... he just didn't like ties.
Ring box in one of his pockets, he just waited for her to show up, overlooking the late park.