New story! :D Yay! This story may be a little AU (Alternate Universe, for those who don't know), but that's pretty much what fanfiction is about right?

Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon.

Edit - Thanks to Aster Selene for the correction on the parents' names!

Edit 2 : Because this is an Alternate Universe fic (which I would really like to emphasize), I want to clarify things with you before the fic actually starts: TK and Kari are both single children, hence no Matt or Tai in the family. Both are 5 years old in the year 1994. I am not going to bother being specific on exactly what their age is and what year they were born in the actual Digimon series, because this is an Alternate Universe. Both have parents alive and happily married, because in this universe, there was no divorce. (I will probably repeat this in every chapter, for my and your convenience.) Thank you for your patience. Now.. ON with the story!


Time. Some are racing against it. Others are just waiting for it. Life is Time. Love is Time. You either race for it, or wait for it. And sometimes, it just doesn't touch us at all. This is a story of one love that won neither the race or the patience. It is a love beyond time. It is Timeless.


Timeless

Chapter 1: The Beginning

By: Koumiko


1994

"AHHHH! TK!!!! Help me!" Little 5 year old Hikari Kamiya screamed as she ran frantically away from a large tree. "It's the dragon!"

A small blonde haired boy gallantly stepped in front of the running brunette, between the tree and the girl, wielding a toy sword.

"It's alright Hikari, I'll save you!" TK charged towards the cherry blossom tree, it becoming bigger in comparison to him as he ran closer.

"Hai --- yah!" He struck the root with his sword, swinging at the strong bark. His unaimed swings managed to hit one of the branches, filled with blooming cherry flowers. It snapped and landed squarely in front of the impersonating knight. He grinned, victorious.

"Yay! TK! You're my hero!" Hikari jumped up and down, and ran towards her knight. TK took the branch and gave it to her, bowing.

"Anything for the princess," he said proudly. Both giggled and sat underneath the tree. Hikari looked at the branch.

"Thank you, Knight Takeru," She said, kissing his cheek gently. "What would I do without you, Takeru?' She hugged him tightly.

"Don't worry about that, Hikari, I'll always be here with you," Takeru replied, hugging Hikari. They giggled again.

"Hikari! Takeru!" A voice called.

"Hello, mother!" Hikari exclaimed as an elegant woman walked into their view.

"Hello, Mrs. Kamiya," Takeru bowed.

"Come children, its time for supper. Takeru, your parents prepared us a lovely meal," Mrs. Kamiya said gently, holding out her hands, one for each child.

"Wow! I love Aunt's cooking!" Kari gleamed. Takeru smiled. The children skipped happily as Mrs. Kamiya led them to their estate.


Dinner between the Kamiyas and Takaishis was a regular gathering. Although the Kamiyas hired the Takaishis for housekeeping, the two families lived as if they were very good friends living in the same house. The children, Takeru and Hikari, have been best friends since they were born.

"So, has the move been finalized, Susumu?" Mr. Takaishi asked Mr. Kamiya.

"Yes, it has, Hiroaki," Susumu Kamiya replied. Hiroaki Takaishi looked glum as he looked at their children, chattering happily next to him. No one spoke for a while.

"Yuuko, have you told her?" Natsuko Takaishi asked sadly. Yuuko looked down at her bowl, picking at the rice with her chopsticks.

"No, I haven't." She whispered.

The children both stopped talking as they realized the gloomy atmosphere at the table. Hikari placed her hand on her mother's arm.

"Mama? What's wrong?" Yuuko looked at Hikari, mirroring each other's brown eyes.

"Nothing is wrong, Hikari. Why don't you go play with Takeru outside? We have to talk about some adult things anyways." Yuuko smiled at Hikari reassuringly. Both children looked at their parents with concern. Each face on the table forced a smile, and the children skipped outside, happy again.

"You must tell her, Yuuko. It's next week." TK's mother continued gently.

"I know, Natsuko. I just don't know how to do it. She will be crushed. She will miss him." Yuuko replied.

"She will be fine, Hikari is a strong girl. She can handle this." Hiroaki added. Susumu took Yuuko's hand.

"You must also tell Takeru. Tonight. We must tell them both together," Susumu said, looking only at Yuuko. Both Natsuko and Hiroaki nodded in agreement.


Later that night

Hikari and Takeru sat, sharing a large chair. Both were holding each other's hands, looking like children who were being scolded at.

"We're going away, Hikari," Yuuko said. "We are leaving home and going to the States."

"Really?" She turned to TK. "It's going to be a new adventure, TK!" Both children's eyes shone excitedly.

"Takeru," Hiroaki Takaishi interrupted. "We are not going with them."

The children stopped talking immediately.

"Kari, its only going to be us – you, papa, and I." Yuuko whispered. Hikari's eyes began to fill with tears. Yuuko also started getting teary eyed.

"No TK?"

"No TK." Yuuko repeated.

Hikari looked at TK, who was about to cry also.

"Why?" Hikari whispered, looking at her parents, searching for an answer.

"Hikari," Natsuko Takaishi spoke this time. She took Hikari's hand. "We will not go with you because right now, we have to take care of a few things here. But we promise you we will go after. Don't cry, we will meet you again."

These words seemed to reassure TK. He closed hs eyes and shook his head. When he opened his eyes again, they were filled with hope, but some sadness remained.

"See, Hika, we will visit! I promise!" He hugged the sobbing Hikari, calling her by his pet name for her. Hikari stopped crying and smiled at her best friend.

"Promise?"

"Promise." TK repeated. He hugged her tightly.


The next day

"Hikari?" Natsuko entered Hikari's bedroom, waking up Hikari.

"Yes, Aunt Natsuko?"

"I have a gift for you. Before you leave,"

Hikari sat up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. Natsuko pulled out a small wooden box, opening the metal clasp that held it closed. Inside sat a silver heart shaped pendant on a silver chain.

"This is to show that we will keep our promise to you, Hikari." Hikari looked at the necklace with awe. Her eyes widened further when Natsuko opened the pendant. Hikari gasped.

"It's a locket!" Hikari exclaimed. Natsuko smiled. She showed Hikari the inside. There was a candid picture of Takeru and her, laughing under the cherry tree.

"With this necklace Hikari, we promise we will see each other again. You will see Takeru again." Natsuko said confidently to Hikari, who was looking at her with teary eyes.

"Promise?" She asked.

"Promise," Natsuko replied, kissing Hikari on the forehead. She put the necklace on Hikari, it was a little long, but she knew Hikari would grow into it. "Now, lets go get some breakfast." Natsuko added. Hikari nodded and crawled off her bed. She clutched the locket in her hands. As they walked down the stairs to the dining table, she made a promise to herself: that she will wear this beautiful locket until the day she sees Takeru again.


See you next chapter! (please Review!) I think I may have made the kids act/sound too old for their age .. well, tell me what you think! Thanks!