I never really meant to write like this. I usually never write like this but after watching my first Gundam Wing episode with Heero almost dying with a puddle of blood. It kind of effect me to write like this and kind of give Iori a bit of Heero's personality, kind of.
New Life
Written by Krissy Ishida
Waking up to the morning sun, young Hida ran his fingers through his shorter hair. This was his usual way of combing his hair. New hair cut. New school. New home. New country. He let everything he knew behind and dared never to look back. That was his old life and this is his new life. He was always known as the youngest digidestined that wasn't old enough to understand what the other kids were doing. As far as he could remember, he was just a pain to watch over. A child forever. Nobody could see that he grew. He was no longer the childish youngster. He was now sixteen and matured starting a new life away from his own. Some say he is just running from his past while he would argue that he was running to a new future.
Before leaving to go to school, Iori stopped by to visit the newly made shrine. Paying his respects, he sighed looking into the pictures of his father Hida Hiroki and his grandfather. It really felt like he was a different boy without his grandfather watching over him like old times.
"Father. Grandfather. Today I will try to make you proud of me. I will no longer be a weak push over. It's time that Hida Iori fights back," he swore to himself.
Grabbing his lunch and his skateboard, he was about ready to go to school until another object caught his eye. A old picture from Odaiba. An old memory he wanted to forget. He sighed glaring into his once innocent eyes in the young Iori in the picture. Takeru playfully had his arm wrapped around his shoulder dropping his hat over the young boy's head. Hikari was smiling her usual delightful smile embracing Takeru in a hug he would never consider friends doing. Daisuke was leaning against Hikari's shoulder forcing himself into the squish picture. Kneeling below him was his best friend, his old love, Miyako with the traitor he could never trust wrapping his arm around hers. A memory he wished he had erased from his mind forever.
***
Fourteen year old Iori couldn't stop grinning this night. There was something special in the night that he couldn't really explain. Words couldn't explain what he was feeling that night. It was his and Miyako's five month anniversary. They learned to love each other more than friends regardless of their ages. He could always trust his Miyako no matter what. Trust is very important to the young loving boy. From his grandfather, he learned a lot about trust and relying on friends. He could trust all his friends even the newest friend to the team or so he thought he could.
"Miyako. I got us some soda," he smiled having two sodas in each of his hands.
Soon that smile faded and the soda crashed to the ground. Before his eyes, he couldn't believe it. His girlfriend and him. Why was he there? Why was he so eager to get close to her? Ken Ichijouji. He grind his teeth as Ken's hands seemed to belong on Miyako's waist. Ken mischievously grinned whispering something into Miyako's ear making her giggle. Then he got closer so close that they could feel each other's breath. A kiss. Ken Ichijouji, Digimon Kaizer, kissed his Miyako. The girl he loved for so long. The girl, Miyako, that kissed the friendly boy back. Tears were streaming down young Iori's eyes as his pure, innocent heart was broken, shattered in a million pieces. He couldn't go back to his loving Miyako's arms not after what she just did to him. Both of them now were kissing and hugging with their hands roaming throughout each other's bodies. He felt so betrayed, so angry, so sad. Finally realizing what she was doing, Miyako looked up and saw her boyfriend looking straight at her.
"Iori, I can explain," she said pulling away from Ken's grip.
"You don't have to explain anything. I get it. You obviously want me out of your life. Let me make it easier for you, Miyako. Good bye. I hope you live happily with Ken as you just proved you don't want to be with me. Have a great life," he mumbled so angrily and hurtfully.
"Iori, you don't understand. Let me explain."
"What is there for you to explain? I'm not a child that you can easily mold his mind into believing whatever you want him to believe. I should have seen it earlier. That is what you have always done to me in the past."
"Iori, I..."
"GOOD BYE!"
He ran off never to be seen again to the lavender haired girl. Never again did he want to see any of them, the digidestined. He was alone now. Nobody could stop him. His Mom already arranged to move to another country because of her job. In a couple of days, the Hida family would leave Japan. This he was going to mention to his friends but not any more. He wanted to disappear. He didn't want to be involved with them.
Arriving home with tears still falling from his eyes, he leaped on his head and held his pillow close to him smelling the scent of Miyako left behind from her last visit. Angrily, he threw the pillow against the wall hoping it would soar through and even be seen again. Instead the rock hard pillow made a huge sound and an indent in the wall. Worried about her son, Mrs. Hida rushed in and cuddled her crying son in her arms.
"Iori, are you okay? I was worried when I saw you crying when you got home. It was that Miyako girl, wasn't it? She broke your heart," she whispered in his ear trying to learn what made her son so upset.
"Mother, when are we leaving for America?" he finally spoke after choking from his sobs.
"In a week."
"Good. I'll start packing."
"Iori, please explain to me what just happened."
"All you need to know is that you don't have to worry about her ever coming over anymore. You don't have to worry about walking in on us kissing each other. I want to go to America now."
"I know you have been having a rough time ever since your Grandfather died, but Iori, please don't run away from your troubles."
"Who said anything about running away? I'm making her troubles go away."
Stubbornly, he buried his head in his pillow again drowning out the silence with his sobs. All that a mother could do right now was hold her son in her arms. She was worried he fell in love too soon. His heart wasn't matured enough to handle a heart break. She only hoped that this would never effect the kind Iori Hida that she held in his arms.
***
"Iori! You are going to be late for school!" Mrs. Hida shouted from the kitchen.
He didn't respond. Quietly, he grabbed his skateboard and started running towards the door. Skillfully, he easily got rolling away on his board easily avoiding any obstacles that would pop up in his direction. He avoided many obstacles in his life. He left like he could take anything that life could throw at him. Iori Hida, stubborn rebel, the world could throw anything at him and he wouldn't care. Nothing could compare to the pain he felt when Miyako betrayed him. The pain was all he could think about for those two painful years. He learned to deal with it by not caring. He lost all emotions, love, anger, sadness, and pain. An icy cold stone heart he owned that wasn't going to hurt him again unlike the innocent heart full of love he once owned.
The school bell rang as he tripped into the hall way. Many students scurried to get to their classes while Iori calmly walked to his locker to dispose his skateboard. Slipping between the rush of students, Iori found some peace getting to his locker hidden in the corner. Opening his locker, there was nothing inside, no books, no pencils, no notes, no nothing. He jammed his skateboard inside his locker and grinned mischievously slamming the door to his locker closed. Two blue eyes grinned back at him.
"Late again Hida," he grinned.
"So are you, Evan," Iori smirked leaning against his locker.
"You are just looking for trouble, aren't you Hida?"
"What do you think?"
"I think I know you too well to know that once the principle peeks around the corner that you will dart into biology class."
Just as the blonde boy predicted, Iori and him slipped into the closest classroom not wanting to be caught by the suspecting principle. Panting, they did this as their daily routine to keep them on their toes throughout the whole day. Together they slapped their hands feeling proud of their latest stunt.
Finally turning around to see the set of 18 students eyes looking at them, both boys slumped down to their usual depressed selves. The whole classroom burst into laughter as Evan realized he fell on Iori's lap when they arrived. Disgusted and blushing in embarrassment, Iori pushed off the taller American boy off his lap as he got up. He could hear the laughs of everybody except for one certain girl he seemed to be staring at.
"Hida! Taylor!" the teacher barked at them.
The class roared with laughed as the two trouble makers blushed in front of the whole class.
"Yes, Mr. Testa?" Evan replied calmly trying to charm the teacher the way he charmed the girls.
"I didn't do anything," Iori instinctively replied.
"Both of you get to your seats before I decide to give you guys detention!" Mr. Testa warmed.
"Yes, Sir!" Evan shouted diving into his front seat next to the door.
"Gomen," Iori bowed to his teacher before approaching his seat in the third row.
"What?" his teacher blinked.
"Sorry," the girl Iori was seated next to explained.
"I would appreciate it if you two would never speak Japanese to me," Mr. Testa replied having difficultly just handling a room full of 20 sixteen year olds.
"Teach us stuff, Teach!" Evan shouted from his front seat.
"Back to taking the attendance."
Iori shyly smiled at the girl sitting next to him. She waved back handing him back the notes she burrowed the night before. Iori frantically scribbled a note as he still had the young girl's attention. A classmate sitting in front of him began to notice the frantic writing against the desk. Soon he turned around and grinned stealing the half written note.
"Hey!" Iori shouted reaching over for the note he cherished.
"Look everybody! Cody can write in English!" the teenage boy shouted standing on his desk raising the note for everybody to see.
"His name is Hida Iori," the girl scowled at the show off boy.
"Who cares. Nobody can say his name, let alone spell it. I like having him be called Cody just like Mr. Testa suggested!" the boy shouted facing towards the teacher.
"Leave me out of this, Drez. I only call him Cody because I can't pronounce his name," the teacher mumbled silently at the front.
"Drez, please stop it," the girl sighed again pulling at the boy's arm.
"What are you going to do, Reina? Speak to me until I die of boredom?" Drez joked having a roar of laughter from the class support him.
"Baka!" Reina shouted in front of him.
"I'm a cow in español. Moo. Moo!"
"Stop it, Drez! Or I will just have to," Evan shouted standing up at his desk.
"Or what Taylor? You will just threaten me? You are nothing but mouth, Taylor. Nothing but mouth. Let's see what this letter reads, shall we?" Drez shouted getting the whole class to agree with him.
"Yeah!" the class cheered throwing their studies aside.
"Kawaii Reina-chan," Drez started. "SNORE! What is kawaii? Chan? Is her last name Chan? Dude, we are in America now!"
Iori lowered his head trying to hide it behind his hood of his sweater but nothing seemed to work. It just made him stand out more. Evan was already seated again turning his attention away from the class bully. Reina stared blankly at Iori and smiled.
"Jumble words that I cannot even pronounce. Ah, here's an English word that we all know, house. Look another word in English, after. Let's finish off today's show and tell with the whole school! Japanese Cody is asking Japanese Reina on a date. How touching! Let's give a round of applause for the Japanese couple! You must be smart, Cody, to realize you should stick to your own kind because if you try to ask an American girl on a date in this small town, I will see to it that you won't be able to reproduce your kind!"
Pissed off from his rude behavior, Iori leaped on his desk face to face with his enemy. Quickly he snatched the note and handed it to Reina for her to read.
"Iori?" she asked in confusion.
"Read it in English," he order.
"Dearest Reina. How's your family doing? Still tough, huh? If you aren't feeling that great about your foster parents, maybe you can sleep over at my house. I would be gone tonight for a school project I'm going after school so you and mother would have the whole house to yourselves. If you need company with somebody your age, I'm sure Evan will join you and hopefully I will swing over later in the night hopefully not awaking you. With love, Hida Iori," Reina read out loud.
"Same thing, Cody. That note just prove that you feel something towards her!" Drez shouted pushing his finger against Iori's chest.
"That I have feelings to care about a friend's well being, Drez!" Iori shouted back at him removing the finger pounding at his chest.
"You want to make something of this, Hida?"
"You don't know what you are getting yourself into, Drez."
"Try me. I'm going to give you such a beating, you will be crying back home to Japan in no time."
"Heh. Let's see who's ass is going to be whipped."
Leaping off the desk, the two boys never took their eyes off each other. Students slowly backed their desk away from the arguing boys as far as possible. Many desk were jammed together near the walls as a circle formed around the two boys. The irresponsible teacher ducked behind his desk only peaking out to see who will succeed in the fight.
Soon the crowd began to chant, "Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight!"
Pushing their way to the front of the crowd, Reina and Evan hoped to get a better view of their friend. Iori had his eyes glued to the prey circling around him never keeping his feet still. Up and down he began to bounce making him ready for anything Drez threw at him. Drez grinned with a grin so sly and cunning you could also tell something wasn't going to go as they planned.
"Aaarrrgghhh!!" Drez shouted giving an intimidated scream trying to break off the kendo warrior's concentration.
Lunching at him with a two knuckle punch, Iori stepped to the side watching the bigger boy miss him by an inch. Dazed and confused wondering why his fist wasn't rammed into his chest, Drez slowly got back on his feet watching the boy bounce up and down. Inching his way closer to the fight, Evan conjured up a ruler from the nearest desk and threw the yard stick at the warrior boy. Iori turned his head to put his attention more towards the object flying at his way. Seeing that Iori was now distracted for a short time, Drez decided to make his move again. Too clumsily, he tackled the smaller boy sending both of them crashing down on a pile of desk. Salty. Sticky. Red blood stained Iori's shirt but it wasn't his. He looked up at the boy that just tackled him to see that he clumsily rammed his face into the edge of a desk. Having his opponent weaker, Iori shoved off the bigger boy and stood up clutching the yard stick in his hand. One. Two. Three. Iori replayed the familiar kendo movements that his Grandfather once taught before. A jab to his stomach, Drez's blood dripping at the end of the ruler because of Iori's attempt at his face, and a quick movement stunning Drez having him on the floor. The class was shocked that their best football player was being beaten by a smaller Japanese boy. Drawing back as a finishing move, Iori positioned the stick at a ready position holding Drez against the floor by his foot. Two friend excitedly cheered never doubting their warrior would be wounded from this battle.
The classroom door opened. The class soon scurried to the walls revealing the two boys their were circled around. Mr. Testa finally popped his head from under his desk to see the principle of the school staring down at him. Standing up with courage, Iori still stood having his prey whimpering at the bottom of his foot. The principle approached the warrior boy carefully.
"Hida Iori!" he shouted taking the bloody yard stick out of his right hand.
"Mr. Yoshiana," Iori replied never changing his blank expression.
"You have really out done yourself. The art of kendo is not to be used for proving a bully that you are tough."
"How did-"
"I know a lot about you Hida Iori. Now, Mr. Testa, I suggest you get your class back in order. You three, take Drez to the nurse's office. Hida Iori, Kaihana Reina, and Taylor Evan come with me to my office."
Stepping off his victorious prey, Iori grimly followed after the principle showing great honor and respect towards him. Not wanting to disobey anymore rules, Reina and Evan quickly scurried behind Iori's death trail. They had no clue why they had to escort Iori to the principle's office. Iori, himself, began to feel a little guilt dragging his friends with him.
The three young adults sat down in the principle's office admiring how his office looked over the beautiful west cost view. Upset with Iori's recent behavior, Mr. Yoshiana paced back and forth behind his desk trying to think of a suitable punishment for the rebellious leader.
"My punishment will be serve, Sir," Iori solemnly spoke looking straight into his enemy's eyes.
"Yes, it will," he muttered to himself.
"I will perform it with great honor and do my best to satisfy you."
"I know you will. That's why I can't punish you for you action."
"Excuse me, Sir."
"I always punish you giving you the toughest tasks I could ever give to a child following the American laws but you always return to my office grinning with pride and more confident in conquering the school."
"What do you have planned for me, Sir?"
"Your friends."
"My friends?"
"I see that giving you no admiration and treating you with tough love is making your heart cold and harder. Maybe if I shower you with sprinkles, you will soften. The mighty rock will crumble to the persistent, gentle flowing of water drops."
"I choose not to follow this quest!"
"See, Iori? You look at everything as a challenge or a quest but this is not something like that. This is more harder and challenging."
"What would that be, Sir?"
"Learning to rely on your friends, trust them, acknowledge their loyalty, and let your friendship grow."
The rebellious warrior kept quiet not wanting to mention what happened to his earlier friendship that caused him to move out to this horrible hole to live in. There was no possible way he could do that anymore. He was already betrayed and heart broken by two of his friends. He didn't want his two new friends to do the same. His heart had to stay cold. That was the only thing that was keeping him from becoming weak again, weak to the powers of love. Slowly he was developing a crush on his girl friend, Reina, but forcefully denied it not wanting to fall in love with a friend again. There was no chance he was going to risk walking in on Reina cheating on him with Evan. There was no way he was going to allow himself to become his old self. This was his new life. He is the new Iori that he liked or thought he liked.
"I'm asking you, Reina and Evan, to shower Iori with friendship, loyalty, reliability, and trustworthiness. Can I rely on the two of you to succeed in this mission?" the principle continued to spoke.
The two friend nodded in agreement.
"Great. Now I don't want to see you get into more trouble today, Iori. You kids should run off to class now. I think I have made your math teachers mad long enough."
The three friends rushed out of the office feeling like they were lucky to ever survive an encounter like that. In silence, they each parted their way as they were separated into different math groups. Iori and Reina headed together towards trigonometry as Evan disappeared to geometry. Together in silence they walked as Reina and Evan tried to think of the best way to break Iori's rough outer shell while Iori tried to formulate a way to stay rocky hard until the end.
"Ew! Mystery meat again!" Evan shouted chucking his lunch in the nearest trash can.
Iori and Reina were already seated at a table which all the students seem to avoid. It was like they were infected with some kind of contagious disease. Nobody would seat in the tables close to them. That's the way Iori liked it. He was lone with his only two other friends. He seemed to enjoy the loneliness but Reina and Evan hated it. They only sat next to Iori to support and stick with him. Reina couldn't attach herself to any cliques that she wanted to join so it was obvious that if she wanted any friends, she had to be Iori's friend. Evan with his blonde hair and icy blue eyes could attach himself to any clique but decided to hang out with the two Japanese new students. Reina giggled using her baby blue chopsticks to take a sushi roll from Iori's lunch. He sighed and took some noodles from her lunch. Evan licked his lips hungrily at the two's lunches.
"Evan, you are drooling on my sushi," Iori sighed pushing two rolls towards his hungry friend.
"You can have some noodles," Reina suggested separating her lunch equally into two.
"Thank you guys! You must be really lucky to eat this stuff everyday," Evan shouted pigging out on the sushi given to him.
Iori looked at him in disgust, "Must you eat like that?"
"Try using a fork or chopsticks, not your hands," Reina suggested.
"Oh, yeah," Evan replied taking one of Iori's extra chopsticks and skillfully picked up some noodles.
"You wouldn't think it's great to have this kind of food every day. After a while you get bored of it," Iori sighed.
"But it beats some American food my foster parents give me. I would love to live in Japan. I would love to see Japan," Reina sighed pushing all her lunch towards Evan.
"Maybe you will get to some day. I could take you."
"You will, Iori?"
"Sure. I lost all my other friends in Japan and it's not actual fun hanging out at old favorite places without a friend."
"You're a great friend, Iori."
"I wouldn't call myself great."
"You have to take me, too! I need to get in touch with my Japanese background!" Evan shouted gulping up the last of Reina's noodles.
"You?" Iori and Reina together replied.
"I'm a very small percent of Japanese that's why I am the only person in this small town that would want to hang out with you," Evan explained blushing a bit.
In the small town of Helpers Field, it was rare to have any new comers settle there. It was the same usual people that live there. Nobody wanted to leave and nobody wanted to come. Usually the children of the town scare away the new residence having the record of having a new neighbor stay for a couple of months. Everybody was the same, same race. It was unusual to have somebody from Asian background to move in, somebody like Hida Iori. Never leaving and currently resident for two years, Iori was determined to never be scared away. He had to put up with the teasing and pranks as long as he could remember. Evan was the first person and friend he ever met here that was not from Asian blood. As long as he could remember, there was four of them, outsiders. Iori, Evans, Reina, and Daichi. After six months, Daichi couldn't take it anymore so his family left. Reina couldn't leave no matter how much she wanted to. Reina was transferred to this small little town because her foster parents could no longer watch over her. Just two more years and she would be free to move out. Just two more years of suffering. Once Mrs. Hida offered Iori to move back to Japan but he refused. His excuse was to stay here until Reina was able to leave. He didn't want her to suffer alone. Even though Iori grew hard and rebellious over the years, he still had a soft side for sticking up for friends. He just couldn't learn how to trust them or rely on them. He could never learn to love them. Iori Hida forgot how to love but slowly he was gaining courage, friendship, hope, and sincerity back. Never as he ever lost the characteristic from the crest of knowledge and light. It was love and reliability he had to learn all over again.
With Evan finishing off their foods, Iori and his friends were about to head towards the library for extra study. As much as Iori wanted to run the other way from the library, he only did this because Reina wanted to. He doesn't realize it now but he would do anything for the beautiful long, dark haired Reina. Evan would usually try to think up of an excuse to ditch library time but he would have nowhere to go except to be with his friends.
"Ready for the library?" Reina asked standing up and flipping her hair behind her shoulder.
Iori stood up after her but couldn't peel his eyes off her. She giggled waving her hand in front of Iori to discover no response from the staring boy.
"Iori, Dude. Stop staring and just ask her out already," Evan whispered in his ear.
Snapping out of his trance, Iori grabbed his friends collar and lifted him up to his face, "I can't and never refer to that ever again!"
"Boys, stop it. Friends don't fight," Reina replied gentling pulling Iori off.
"You want to bet. I had four friends that loved to fight each other," Iori started.
"And yet another story brought to you by Hida Iori," Evan joked slumping back down in his seat.
"Taichi and Yamato were rivals from the first time they ever met. They would fight at most anytime they had the chance to. Soon enough, they became the best of friends. Daisuke and Takeru were similar. You would suspect that from Takeru growing up learning from his brother's examples. They would fight also, usually after the same girl, but now they are good friends."
"How do you know all these people?" Reina asked.
"Remember, I'm one of the original chosen children," Iori smiled winking at her.
"Cody once again bragging how he is one of the original chosen children. I bet that is just a lie!" a voice came from behind him.
"Leave us alone, Drez!" Evan shouted leaping from his seat again.
"Since Cody likes to stick to his chosen child story, let's see how good he really is," Drez taunted wanting vengeance from the boy that beat him during first period.
"Digimon aren't used in that way, Drez," Iori hissed standing up to the taller boy.
"After school, you, me, and our digimon. You got that? You better not run, Cody, after all I know where you live. I know where your little girlfriend lives also."
"I'm not his girlfriend," Reina shouted back at him.
"Don't forget this invitation," Drez grinned leaping across some lunch tables retreating from the dork group.
"We will be there!" Evan shouted at the top of his lungs waving a fist at him.
Worriedly Iori sat back down at the table. Reina put a comforting hand on his shoulder while Evan sat next to his depressed friend. Sighing and banging his head against the table, Iori wanted to be alone right now to sort out his problem.
"Iori, stop that please. You will lose a couple of brain cells," Reina muttered bringing up Iori's face to look at her. "I know you are in a tough situation right now but I'm here supporting you. You are not alone, Iori. Evan and I can help you."
"Did I do something wrong?" Evan asked regretting shouting those last words.
"Digimon weren't supposed to be used this way. They are not fighting beings," Iori mumbled.
"Don't worry. I'm sure with your experience as a chosen child, you can beat that bully, Drez," Reina assured him not wanting him to lose self-confident.
"Today I wanted to prove to my Father and Grandfather that I wouldn't be such a push over. I never thought it would go this far," Iori continued to mutter to himself.
"No problem. You can beat that Drez guy just like Reina said," Evan grinned in enthusiasm. "Besides, we will be there to look out after you. That what friends are for. We look out for each other. You will see. You will beat that Drez.
"That's what I'm afraid of. What if I end up hurting Drez's digimon beyond repair?" Iori hissed at his friends.
"I'm sure you won't do that, Iori. I know you well enough to know you have a soft, loving heart hidden in that icy one of yours," Reina smiled placing her hand over his heart.
The both of them just sat there. Iori was shocked as Reina placed her hand against his chest. Her hand felt warm, friendly, comforting, like love. Never before as he experience Miyako touch him like that. Just feeling her one hand on his chest made him want to feel what it was like to be in both of her arms, maybe he would feel loved and less alone. Making a move, Iori took her hand off his chest and pulled Reina in closer towards him. She smiled and looked deep into his eyes trying to find that soft, caring Iori that was lost long ago. Closer he leaned in wanting to feel his lips against hers. Surprised and shock, Reina allowed him to continue. Watching behind them, Evan had a huge smile across his face never thinking Iori had it in him to kiss the girl he secretly had a crush on. Closer Iori got feeling her breath against his face, then he stopped and pulled back.
"Iori?" Reina called to him in confusion thinking he might like her.
He just sadly turned away looking towards the door, "I'm sorry Reina."
"Wait! Iori!" Reina shouted.
"Hey! Hida!" Evan shouted.
Iori was already running towards the door. The school parted to let the running boy through as he disappeared out of the cafeteria and out of the view of his friends.
Disappointed in what he was about to do, Iori leaned his back against the wall staring up towards the ceiling. Memories of his Miyako from the past flood his head and Ken. He couldn't be hurt like that by a friend anymore. The pain of a broken heart was too unbearable to ever be experienced again. Feeling better off alone and nobody realizing he was alive, Iori sat on the cold floor with his back still against the wall. He curled up his knees to his chest and tried to block out the feelings inside of him. The feelings, the same ones he felt before about Miyako but this was different. The feelings were stronger and more passionate. Something he haven't quiet felt before. There was something different in Reina that made her more special than Miyako. He wanted to be with Reina. He wanted her in his arms, to feel his lips against hers, to be hers. No. He wasn't going to allow it. What happened before will never happened again. Not only he lost a girlfriend with Miyako but he lost a best friend in his life. Miyako was his best friend, his girlfriend, somebody he was supposed to trust forever or come for help. He didn't want to lose another best friend like Miyako. If he ever got involved with Reina and things didn't work out, he didn't want to lose her friendship. Confused trying to sort out his problems, Iori closed his eyes and ignored the bell calling students back to their classes. It was another class with Mr. Testa so nobody would care if he attended class or not. This feelings. They just wouldn't stop bothering him. He wanted to block them out but also wanted to embrace them.
"Iori, why did you run away like that?" a comforting voice asked him.
"Reina, what are you doing here?" Iori asked looking up at the visitor watching over him.
"I had a feeling you were here. You always said your locker was a gate away from reality."
"No, I didn't. All I said was that my locker was in a corner that blocks everybody from seeing me."
"Same difference."
Smiling, she took a seat next to the gloomy boy. Closer Reina moved but Iori would equally back away. Figuring she would never win against him, she decided to stay seated where she was no matter how far her friend was to her.
"Iori, why didn't you kiss me back there when you had the chance?" Reina asked breaking the silence.
She looked at the silent boy and decided she better do most of the talking because he looked like he didn't want to say a single word.
"I like you, Iori. And I think you like me but that stubborn cold heart of yours tells you that you don't. What happened to the kind hearted Iori I met in the digital world long ago? In the outside, you act so cold that I don't even recognize you anymore but I know that deep inside of you, you have that soft kind heart that befriended me a year ago. Iori, if you only listen to that small voice of reason inside of you then maybe you can forget about this cold hearted Iori who doesn't have a care in the world. I missed the old Iori that would never hurt a being smaller or bigger than him. The old Iori would never draw blood from his enemies and let him go unharmed. But...I guess I'm just wasting my breath and time. It is obvious that you won't listen to that kind heart and trust me again. I guess I should just be leaving you alone. Please do me this one favor, try to learn to trust, love, and care again. I'll be waiting for you for the day when you learn to love again."
Brushing her hair behind her shoulder, the young girl decided to get up from her cold seat and head towards her class. Letting her strong words absorb in his mind, Iori looked up at Reina with those same innocent caring eyes from long ago. He quickly got up and caught the girl's arm before she had the chance to leave. Looking straight into his eyes hoping that he might have changed, Reina smiled getting closer to Iori without him backing away. He smiled and softly, gently he kissed her on the lips not wanting to let go of her. His lips felt like feathers or rose petals against hers. He felt like he belonged with her, to be with her forever as if they were made for each other. As they pulled away, Iori smiled and placed his hand around her waist escorting her back to class.
"The reason why I didn't kiss you earlier because I wanted this kiss to be special just between us, alone together," Iori whispered in her ear talking with his soft caring heart.
"Oh, Iori, it was a very special kiss," she replied leaving a kiss on his cheek before going their separate ways.
Standing at the designated meeting place, Iori stood having his D-3 ready and Armadillomon at his side. Not wanting to watch their friend fight, Reina and Evan disappeared from the school. The last school bell rang as the school closed down for the day. Iori still stood standing, waiting, wanting to get this fight over with.
"Maybe he won't come," Armadillomon suggested.
"Hyper heat!"
A beam of heat struck Iori in the back sending him flying towards the ground. Armadillomon rushed to the side of his fallen friend trying to aid to his wounds. Ripping a part of his shirt, Iori wrapped it tightly around the arm that was pierced by a sharp object lying on the ground. He looked at the strange item wondering how it got there in the first place. It's not everyday a bend rusty nail is lying around on school ground. Drez threw his head back and laughed patting his digimon on the head for a good deed. He picked up the two devices that dropped on the floor and kept it in his pockets knowing Iori couldn't fight without them.
"Did my little Cyclonemon hurt Cody?" Drez teased talking as if he was speaking to a small child.
"Hyper heat!"
Another heat beam shot at Iori sending him flying to the back wall of the school echoing with a sound of bone cracking throughout the school campus. Drez continued to call on his digimon to attack not caring whether the Japanese boy would survive. All that mattered to him was getting revenge for the embarrassment and injuries from the earlier fight.
Attack after attack, Iori was tossed around like a rag doll entertaining the sick minded bully. Almost passing out from the last attack, Iori was lying at the foot of his opponent with blood escaping from every fresh wound on his body.
"See what happens when somebody tries to stand up before me? I'm always right and you are always wrong. Around here, I'm like god. I control this school. Nobody makes a fool out of me and gets away with it. Do you hear me, Cody? This is your day of reconciliation for what you have done to me. Don't you ever try to stick up for yourself ever again, Cody," Drez laughed stepping over the weak body before him. "Now bow down before me and ask for my forgiveness and I will let you live."
"I will never give up to you," Iori spat a mouth full of blood on his enemy's shoes.
"Bad move, Cody. Courage never got anybody anywhere."
"You will fall."
"Do I sense a bit of hope?"
"Because now I understand. I can't fight you alone. My friends will be there to help me."
"What friends? You don't have any friends. You are just believing in false hopes. I don't know what Evan and Reina have been telling you but they don't have the courage to face me."
"Wrong, Drez. We would never leave our friend here to be beat up by the likes of you," Evan shouted leaping over the school fence holding out his D-3 in his hands.
"What are you going to do to me, Evan? You couldn't fight me even if you wanted to. You don't have the guts to," Drez taunted.
"Veedramon!" Evan called to the blue creature behind him.
"V-nova blast."
A huge blue ball of fire knocked the virus type digimon out cold making him de-digivolve to his rookie form as Gizimon. Evan cheered at his accomplishment. This was the first time he has ever done anything by himself. Signaling his digimon to retrieve to two stolen items, Iori's D-3 and Digi Terminal was dropped into Evan's hands while his digimon held down the troublesome bully making him feel powerless to attack. Slipping through the fence, Reina rushed to the side of Iori carefully lifting his head up and cradling him on her lap hoping that he was still okay.
"I knew you would come," Iori coughed looking up at the angel watching over him.
"Of course, I would come. I couldn't leave you alone here and get yourself into this kind of condition," Reina whispered combing Iori's hair away from his eyes.
"Finally I was able to rely on my friends when I got into trouble."
"I knew you would be able to find yourself once again."
"Now there's a certain fight I have to finish."
"No, rest. You are still weak."
"I can't have Evan fight alone. He can't take care of himself let alone go to the bathroom without help."
Stubbornly Iori got to his feet and approached his enemy staring up at him. Evan backed away and placed his friend's two items back in his possession. Iori gripped his Digi Terminal tightly ready to bash the head of Drez with it.
"Now tell him what we have been discussing about," Evan warned to the weaken bully.
"I'm sorry, Iori, and I will stop bothering you. Happy, Evan?" Drez spat on the blonde's shoes.
"Say it with meaning like you really mean it."
"I'm not truly sorry for what I did. I would do it again. The only difference is that I would bring some of my friends to back me up."
"You don't have to apologize to me," Iori said kneeling down next to the boy on the ground.
"Iori?" Evan asked getting concerned about what his friend was about to do.
Drawing out a dagger hidden under his shirt, Iori held the weapon up to the bully's throat pushing the cold, hard steal against the soft flesh. Over come with fear, Drez couldn't move and was scared to even breath feeling the blade cutting into him deeper and deeper.
"Iori! Dude! I'm really sorry! Just don't take my life!" Drez pleaded for mercy.
"Why should I? You were about to kill me," Iori hissed pushing the blade harder.
"I promise I won't bother you anymore. I'll get the whole school to be on your side. I will leave you and your friends alone."
"I can see your lips moving but all I hear is blah, blah, blah."
"Iori, get a grip. He doesn't deserve this," Evan shouted trying to pull his friend's arm away from the already surrendering boy. "He gives up. He won't attack you anymore."
"But he needs punishment, permanent punishment. This isn't just for revenge. This is so no kid like me has to ever be tormented with people like him," Iori laughed at the first sigh of blood dripping from the blade.
"Iori, this is not like you. What happened to the kind hearted boy I kissed earlier this afternoon?" Reina asked rushing to his side looking deep into his eyes.
Falling weak by his emotions again, Iori withdraw from his prey and dropped the weapon falling under the spell of the lovely lady before him. Evan quickly recovered the weapon and discarded it in the nearest bushes. Trying to cover up the huge mistake his friend almost made, Evan ripped part of his shirt and pressed hard at the surface deep wound bleeding from Drez's neck. Drez accepted the kind stranger's help and allowed him to be taken to the hospital with his digimon closely hopping behind. All evidence of the fight was cleared away as Evan and Drez left the scene taking everything away with them leaving Reina and Iori alone to sort things out.
Letting his emotions get the best of him, Iori fell towards the angel before him feeling victorious and proud but Reina was not all amused by his actions. Her hand toughly slapped him across the face leaving a red mark hurting him more than the bruised bones and the open wounds. Grabbing a hold of himself again, Iori's legs fell weak as he crashed on the ground unable to hold himself steady. His hands were now twitching as his whole body began to break down. Reina knelt before him and stared sternly into his eyes. She could finally see the young Iori Hida she knew well but he was sad and truly sorry for his deeds. Water filled up in Iori's eyes as no tears wanted to fall. Helpless, weak, and confused from what just happened, Iori fell into Reina's arms crying on her shoulder. She gently pat him on the back and hugged him back trying to make him feel better.
"What have I done? I'm like a mad killer ready to destroy anything in my way," Iori sobbed. "I didn't want to be like this. All I wanted was not to be hurt by love again. I never wanted to be so cold hearted that I would even consider taking a life."
"But that's behind us now. You changed, Iori," Reina muttered in his ear.
"For how long? You saw me this afternoon. I was kind and a caring gentlemen for the last period of school and tonight I went on an all out hate war. I don't want to be what I have become."
"Shhh. It's okay. I don't believe you are growing colder but you are becoming your old self again, the Iori Hida I know all too well. I can help you. That's what I'm here for. I will help you find your way back and learn from your mistakes. I will help you learn to love again."
"Thank you, Reina. You are always there when I need you."
"Like how you are always there when I need you. You, see? You never really fully changed because you were always looking after me when I need help. Now, it's my turn to watch over you. Iori, you mean so much to me and I'm going to do everything that I can do to make you happy again. Now let's get you home. You had a long hard day."
Slowly, she got him back on his feet and tried to get him walking but he stumbled over his feet once and again. Armadillomon followed after the caring couple also making a promise to look after Iori. For the first time in two years, Iori finally felt loved and able to trust the people he loved the most.
***
Laughing from completing their last class of their senior year, the group of friends decided to walk down the school's hallways still as students before their big day, their graduation. Finally having books in his lockers, Iori gathered his books for the last time and stuffed him in his backpack. Over the year, he has changed dramatically but old habits do die hard. Even with his professional new look and neat hair cut unlike the one he had last time, Iori still loved to carry his skateboard around trying to grind any object when he had the chance to. Neatly parting her hair a certain direction, Reina smiled and snuggled up in the warm arm wrapped around her. Iori smiled back loving to hold his girlfriend in his arms forever. Evan playfully slammed every locker they passed trying to absorb every last memory he could obtain in his already crowded educated mind. As the new member to their group of friends, Drez cut between the Japanese couple and dropped his arms around his two friends.
"Who would ever thought we would end up friends? Right, Cody?" Drez joked with Iori.
"It does seem impossible almost," Reina giggled
"You want to hear impossible. Having Evan actually going to a University and passing high school is impossible," Iori teased wanting to have his girlfriend back in his arms.
"Yeah, that does sound impossible. Me in a University? Funny. HEY!" Evan shouted finally realizing that his friends were joking around with him again.
"Same old Evan. Bright at studying yet still slow," Iori grinned tossing a ball of paper at his blonde friend's head.
"You are so going to get it, Iori. If only you weren't leaving for Japan, I would take you on right here, right now sending you straight to the hospital leaving you so beaten up that you would be in a comma missing your flight," Evan threatened tossing the piece of paper back at his friend.
"Nobody is sending Cody to the hospital, not when I'm around to protect him," Drez joked squeezing his friend harder.
"Need air," Iori choked.
"Sorry," Drez replied releasing his friend from his death grip.
Reina just giggled wondering to herself how she became friends with those three boys in the first place.
Finally stepping out to the front of the school, Reina and Iori held their hands together and waved one of their many last good-byes to their two friends. Evan jokingly wiped a tear and pretend to sob loudly on Drez's shirt. The four friends laughed to themselves not wanting to let go of the moment.
"Hope you two live happily together in Japan," Evan smiled, "and have many children!"
"What? Children?" Iori gasped almost having a heart attack.
"Maybe some day but we aren't getting married, Evan. We are just moving to Japan together. Anything to get away from my foster parents," Reina explained giggling at Iori's reaction.
"Uh, right," Iori mumbled still trying to get the thought of having children out of his head.
"Take good care of Iori and keep him out of trouble. Too bad I wouldn't be there to still look after him," Drez joked giving Reina a hug good bye.
"Okay," she smiled.
"Yeah. Yeah," Iori sighed opening the car door for his girlfriend to get in the car.
"He's just jealous," Reina giggled stepping into the car.
"Am not!" Iori shouted like a small child being accused of liking a girl.
"We sure will miss you guys," Evan waved.
"We will miss you, too," Reina waved back.
"Evan, stay out of trouble. And watch out for Drez, I have a feeling he will steal your girlfriend," Iori warned before stepping into his car.
"Drez wouldn't do that to me. Right, Drez?" Evan smiled.
"Uh...yeah," Drez blankly answered.
"Uh, yeah? What takes you so long to say uh, yeah?"
"I was thinking."
"Thinking about stealing my girl!"
"No, just thinking."
"You better be thinking."
"Be good boys. Bye!" Reina waved for the last time as a student while Iori drove.
Relaxing from the last final day of school work, Reina decided to turn on the radio as Iori tried to keep his eyes on the road. As usual there was traffic on the way to the Hida apartment where Mrs. Hida was waiting for their arrival home. In a few days, they would be graduating. In a few weeks, they would be moving to Japan and Iori would be able to see his old friends again. Disturbing the music between the two, Iori's cell phone rang. Reina reached over and picked it up not wanting her boyfriend to be disturbed while driving.
"Hello? Kaihana Reina speaking," she answered.
"Hello? This is an old friend of Iori. May I be able to speak with him?" a famine voice called from the other line.
"Iori, it's for you," Reina whispered cupping her hand over the receiver.
"Who is it?" Iori asked taking his eyes off the road because the traffic wasn't moving.
"May I know who's speaking?" Reina asked over the phone.
"Inoue Miyako."
"Somebody by the name of Inoue Miyako," Reina whispered to Iori.
"What?! Tell her I'm not here!" Iori nervously jumped out of his seat.
"I'm sorry. He's currently busy. Would you like to leave a message?" Reina asked on the phone.
"No, not really. Just tell him I called. It took me four years to find this number. Well, thank you," Miyako answered.
"No problem. Four years, huh? That's unbelievable."
"I know. By the way, who am I speaking to?"
"I'm Iori's girlfriend."
"Interesting. I am very interested to meet you, Reina. Take care of Iori for me and never break his heart or else you will never hear from him in four years. Good bye. Take care."
"Good bye."
Reina hanged up the phone and noticed Iori was staring at her trying to listen in on the conversation. She crossly put on her serious face as Iori began to back away and worry.
"Miyako sounds like a nice person," Reina spoke.
"She is," Iori nervously answered.
"She warned me to never break your heart or else I might never hear from you again for four years."
"Uh."
"Iori, tell me what's that all about."
"Nothing really."
"Uh-huh. You were involved with her."
"She was my old girlfriend when I was fourteen. I kind of didn't tell her or anybody else that I was moving to America."
"Hida Iori, you better not do that to me or Evan and Drez or else I will have to put you in the hospital myself!"
"Don't worry about it. I'm sure it would never happen because I love you too much and I will never let got of you no matter what."
"I love you, too. When we get to Japan, you have to show me to all of your friends because I don't think it is very nice to just leave them without telling them whatever happened to you."
"Okay. I will."
Iori handed her a group picture he stored in his wallet and pointed out who Inoue Miyako was. Reina jealously stared into the eyes on the lavender haired girl trying to uncover what kind of a personality she had and if she was ever going to take her Iori away from her. Slowly he began to show her the whole group of chosen children to her. Just seeing them in the picture and hearing small stories about them, Reina felt closer to them and closer to full filling her dream to go to Japan.