Hello fellow Taishiro lovers,

You may have read my first upload of this story. I still have it up here on , but I'm doing a rewrite. I've gotten better at writing, and I've been busy writing original stuff, but now I'd like to revive this story in order to clear my block. I hope I can finish it this time.

There are many things very different in this version. Please re-read if you are a fan of the first one.

I've changed where this story was headed.

Coincidence

Chapter One: Hot Chocolate Eyes

On a cold winter's eve, a teenage boy of seventeen was strolling along the sidewalk in his neighborhood. The sun already set, and the sky was a deep black, highlighted with the bulbs of the city. There were never any stars out because of the thousands of folks burning energy, but it didn't matter in winter as the clouds would only blot out the sparkling wishes anyway.

Taichi wasn't one to stare up at the sky for more than a moment. His mind was usually filled with what he was going to do next, whether it was playing his favorite sport or lazing around in front of the television. However, he found himself more willing to stare deep into nothingness lately. He had something on his brain, but even he couldn't pinpoint what it was exactly.

So what was he doing out in the cold on a dark night? He volunteered to look for his little sister's roaming cat Miko. He didn't understand why the cat wandered off, but he was even more confused as to why Hikari whined to go find it every single time. He had to get used to his sister's overly caring attitude towards everything she held dear, but it did get overwhelming at times.

Every once in a while he remembered to call the cat's name and glance around, but he kept getting lost in his own thoughts. Well, he called them that, but they were very…vague. He wanted to understand why his concentration was slipping during every second of the day, but he just couldn't figure it out. He recalled his friend Koushiro comment that he might have developed ADHD, but he couldn't take it too seriously as it was meant as a joke. That Koushiro…not one for joking.

As the snow crunched under his shoes, he kept moving forward until he turned the corner to see another apartment building. His soft, chocolate-colored eyes lowered. "Hm… Izzy's place," he murmured, his warm breath a vapor as it escaped his lips. For some unknown reason, he wanted to walk up the many stairs and find the Izumi residence.

He needed to find Miko before his sister became more worried…

Without realizing it, he was already up the second flight of stairs. His right hand dragged along the freezing, metal railing as he nearly unconsciously made his way to his friend's home. Koushiro was a good friend since they returned from the Digital World. Not only did they discuss so much about what was going on with that aspect of their lives, but they also had private study nights (mostly for Taichi's benefit). They would talk friendlier with each other, even though Koushiro was nearly two years younger than he. Age didn't really separate them too much as the younger skipped two grades and was currently in Taichi's class.

"Tai!" a small voice called, waking Taichi from his thoughts. His body halted as he turned to glance behind him to see his redheaded friend. He was about halfway up the stairs, and Koushiro was rushing up the last flight to catch up. The younger boy's cheeks and nose were flushed from the winter air, and his mahogany spiky hair was a bold color against the dreary backdrop. He finally arrived on the flight of stairs Taichi was frozen at; he had a medium-sized paper bag in his hands. "Cat?" he asked with a smile.

Taichi couldn't really respond, let alone understand what was just asked…or said…? What did his friend just say? He was so caught up in staring at him for some reason. Why was he out in the cold? He looked so breathless like he'd been running; he shouldn't run in such freezing, dry air. So many things ran through his mind as he frowned.

Koushiro tilted his head to the right, "what's…wrong?"

Taichi blinked, finally snapping out of it, "h-huh? Nothing!" He suddenly felt unbalanced, but he caught himself on the railing before falling like an idiot.

Koushiro reached for him and grabbed at his shoulder, but his hand planted firmly on Taichi's chest. His dark eyes startled as he gasped, "careful!"

"I'm fine!" Taichi laughed it off as he stood up straighter, but his chest through his coat felt so warm as he tried to ignore the boy's hand on him.

"So," Koushiro started hesitantly as he let him go, "you never answered. Are you looking for the cat again? Or did…you come to visit?"

Taichi blurted out, "to see you of course!" He flinched as Koushiro's eyes lit up at the answer. He looked so happy to know that. "Well," he hummed in a guilty manner, "actually kind of both. I mean, I went looking for Miko, and I was this way, so I thought I would drop by and maybe warm up a bit?"

"Warm up a bit?" Koushiro repeated. "But you live a couple of blocks away."

"Well, I'm really cold, and I don't want to go all the way back home just to warm my hands and stuff and Kari will ask where the cat is and!" Taichi put his hand level to his face like a half prayer, "come on, buddy. Let me hang out for a minute or two?"

Koushiro smiled again, "you know I don't mind, Tai." He stepped around him to get to the third floor where he lived, "come on."

Taichi followed him intently like a child following their favorite character. He didn't know why this felt so exciting, because he went to Koushiro's home many times, some at night in fact. It just wasn't anything special, but then again it was… It always seemed special when he was in the younger boy's room alone with him. Before he could finish that thought, his friend opened the apartment door to his home.

"I'm back, Mom," Koushiro called as they entered. He and Taichi slipped off their shoes. "Tai was looking for his runaway cat and in the process became a stay," he added as his mother walked into the area to greet them.

His mother Kae smiled at Taichi, "so nice to see you as always, Tai." She giggled a little as she took the paper bag from her son, "both of you have pink faces. I bet you are freezing. If you two would like, I can whip up some hot chocolate. It's no trouble." She looked at their guest, "how about it, Tai?"

Taichi loved the Izumi's cooking; he could eat there every day if he could. His friend's mom really knew how to do it all from food to beverages to desserts. "I would love some!" he answered with a proper bow.

Kae carried her paper bag into the kitchen as she added, "I will bring it to you when it's done. Shouldn't be but a minute!"

Koushiro led his friend to his bedroom where his computer was the only light until he flipped the overhead bulb on. His room was a neat and clean as ever. He slipped off his thick fleece hoodie and sighed, "You should consider some sort of tracking device for it."

Taichi's head was in soft, marshmallow clouds of hot cocoa dreams. "Huh?" he murmured as he slipped off his coat.

"For your cat," Koushiro chuckled when he sat in his computer chair.

"Kari's cat," Taichi nearly snapped. "Man, it's not a big deal that it runs off, but she's in my face whining, Tai! Tai! Miko's gone! Where could she be? Miko! Miko!"

Koushiro snickered into his hand while he watched his friend fuss, "at least you and Kari get to have pets. My father is too allergic to animal dander and can't be in contact with it."

Taichi dropped his coat on the floor before sitting on Koushiro's bed. He sighed, "you're not missing much."

The computer made a notification sound, and Koushiro turned to it to click on a pop-up window. He smiled to himself as he began typing.

Taichi stared at him intently. He felt funny…sort of strange that his friend suddenly cut his attention to the computer. He took a deep breath and smirked, "so…whatcha doing?"

Koushiro answered simply, "talking to my American friend Wallace."

"Who?" Taichi asked with a pout.

"I told you about him, remember? He's a digidestened like us, but his egg produced twins instead of one digimon."

Taichi felt something weird in his gut, "oh, you mean that kid. Yeah, back when we saved the world from-"

The door opened, and Kae stepped in with two mugs, "warmth is served, boys. I put extra cream in yours, Tai."

"Oh, thank you so much!" Taichi gasped happily as he took his.

"You're welcome, dear," she said, sitting her son's on his desk. She then walked out, "have fun, boys!"

"Thanks, Mom," Koushiro called softly as his attention wasn't exactly with anything except his dialogue with Wallace.

Taichi blew into his mug before taking a sip. It was amazing! He sighed as it was still too hot to enjoy. He glanced at his friend again and continued his thought, "as I was saying, you know…when you and I saved the world." His expression hardened as he was being ignored, "together!"

Koushiro flinched and looked at his guest, "yeah! Yeah, I know. Wait, what?" He was very confused now.

Taichi cut his eyes away, "nothing."

Koushiro frowned at his friend's pout. Taichi always had a way of making him feel horrible yet so wanted at the same time. "What is up with you now?" he asked.

"I said nothing," Taichi muttered. He then added dramatically, "just how am I supposed to feel when I came over to hang out, and you're talking to someone else?"

Dark eyes couldn't leave the sight of the immature teen on his bed. He smiled and hummed, "oh don't worry."

Taichi blinked and arched a brow at him, "about what?"

Koushiro smiled nervously, "you seem a little anxious that I'm talking to Wallace, but well…after Tentomon, you're my top friend."

Taichi gazed at him with a blank expression, "I am?" He honestly never thought about whom Koushiro's best friend was, but he really had no idea it would be him. Was it really true? Why was he so excited about it?

"We've been through so much together. I mean, the only reason I went to camp that fateful year was because you invited me."

Taichi felt like wincing; back then it was his mother who told him to invite the awkward younger kid in his futbol club.

Koushiro continued as he picked up his mug and stared at it, "And even if I do argue with you, I know it's okay, because you always come off as completely apologetic. I don't feel like someone you have to speak to. We get along well enough, and if I had to pick one of the digidestined to be in a panic room with, you'd be my first choice."

Taichi wondered if his friend was blushing or just still pink-faced from the cold. He let a small smile slip, "thanks." He sipped his hot chocolate and hummed happily.

"Sorry for getting emotional. I just felt like I had to reassure you," Koushiro mumbled as he took a sip of his, too.

"Emotional?" Taichi chuckled; his friend's dense perception of human talk never ceased to amuse him. "Don't be sorry. I mean, yeah, you don't have to reassure me. I was just being jealous. That's all."

"Jealous?" Koushiro piped curiously.

Taichi felt his ears and face heat up as he flinched again. "Jealous? Did I say that?" he blurted out.

Koushiro nodded silently, still waiting for clarification.

Taichi could feel his face getting red. Why did he feel this way? He was so embarrassed. He quickly tried to explain, "I think of you like a really close friend. And well, you're my best friend, too, so I was just…yeah."

"I am?" Koushiro mimicked Taichi's earlier shock.

"Yeah, I mean, thought Matt and I would hang out more, even more with Sora, but… Well Matt has his new band, and Sora is into tennis now. Kari isn't much to hang out with now that she and TK are closer. So I really only hang out with you in my spare time…. Unless you count my futbol friends, but I don't think they count."

Koushiro smiled warmly at him, "thanks, Tai."

Taichi began to feel that feeling he had before Koushiro found him outside. It was like an urge or something. It felt like the time he had a crush on Sora and wanted to tackle her in order to make her see him. Koushiro had the softest eyes when he looked at him, and now it was so…

Turning his drink up and gulping it down, Taichi stood up and fanned his burning tongue.

Koushiro blinked, "what are you-"

"I gotta go!" Taichi snapped as he set the mug on Koushiro's desk before grabbing his coat and running out of the boy's room.

Koushiro bolted up and followed him all the way to the door, where his friend was hastily putting on his shoes, "what's wrong?"

"Nothing!" Taichi snapped nervously as he barely got his shoes on his feet. He opened the door to leave, "thanks for having me, but I really gotta go. Sorry! Sorry, I'll see you tomorrow at school, Kourshiro!"

"Leaving already, Tai?" Kae asked as she poked her head out of the kitchen.

"Thanks for the drink! It was great!" Taichi called out as he exited the door and shut it behind him.

Koushiro was left to stare at it in confusion. He let a smile slip as he wrung his shirt with his nervous hands, "he…called me Koushiro…"

Taichi hurried down the stairs and threw his arms into his coat to actually wear it. He nearly ran down every flight until he slipped and tumbled off of the last two steps. He hit the concrete face-first with a huff. His body was on fire, so it didn't faze him. He scurried to his feet and began running towards his home.

His heart was beating so hard…so fast…

It wasn't long before his lungs felt the ache of dry air. It hurt so much to keep running, but he didn't want to stop. He wanted to get as far away as he could, but he also didn't want to go home yet. He slowed to a trot and panted heavily as he hissed out the pain in his lungs.

Why?

Why did he feel that way towards Koushiro. He was so confused as to why he felt so distant from his life, but now that he figured out the cause of it…he was totally lost in confusion. He felt about Koushiro how he felt about Sora years ago. He always wanted to be around him, had him on his mind every waking moment…

He found himself standing against the brick of his apartment building. He didn't have the cat; he couldn't go inside yet.

His back slid down the side of the building as he lowered to sit in the snow. It was freezing, but he didn't care. He looked up at the sky, still void of color. His shaking hand ran through his hair, which was a bit damp from all the sweating he didn't realize he was doing.

He liked Koushiro…in a very bad way.

Panting, he felt his courage slip away from his very soul as he squeezed his eyes shut tightly. He lowered his head and hugged his knees as he tried to forget, but he couldn't. He couldn't turn away from what he just realized.

First of all, thanks for showing interest.

Second, if I screw up some names, please tell me. For example, I have named Koushiro's mom Kae, becasue I found in a wikia. If she had an official name, please let me know. That goes for any other parents' names I come across.

(Unlike the first version of this story, Taichi realizes very quickly that he has feelings for Koushiro. I also made them older and in the same class.)

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