When Tomorrow Is Too Far
Chapter One: A Miserable Day
Kiku walked down the street, looking for a soccer field. Her long, dark hair was pulled back into two loose pig tails that bobbed as she walked along. Her soft green eyes were full of sorrow, and shined with unshed tears.
After a few minutes of walking, Kiku found the soccer field. She smiled a bit, then ran ahead, but soon slowed down. The closer she got, the clearer her view got, and she saw that there was someone sitting in the stands by the field. Kiku had no intention of having an audience, but when she saw the boy that was sitting there, and the distressed look in his eye, she couldn't leave.
"Excuse me, is this seat taken?" she asked as she approached.
The boy looked up. The tuft of thick brown hair moved, and revealed matching brown eyes. Kiku smiled at him.
"No, go ahead and sit," he sighed.
Being the "obedient" girl that she was, Kiku sat down next to him.
"How has life screwed you?" she asked.
The boy chuckled a little and shook his head.
"My so called best friend is going out with a girl I've liked for a long time now," he confessed.
Kiku nodded.
"That's pretty bad," she agreed. "But I have it worse. I just transferred here, third school this year, and everyone's treating me like I'm some sort of freak, because I space out a lot. I have no friends, my family doesn't sympathize with me, and no way out."
The boy nodded in response.
"Yep. That's worse," he said.
She smiled and held out her hand.
"I'm Kiku Tanaka," she said.
He took her hand.
"Taichi Yamagi."
Kiku thought for a second.
"You're in my art class, aren't you?" she asked. "I should have recognized you sooner, your hair's very distinct."
Taichi smiled.
"Yeah. You're not that easy to miss either," he said. "Not many high school girls wear their hair in pig tails........."
"Hey! It's not like they're on top of my head and stick out!" she exclaimed. "They're low and just to keep my hair out of my face!"
"Yeah, sure," Taichi agreed with a smirk.
Kiku leaned back, and noticed a soccer ball behind Taichi.
"Is that yours?" she inquired.
"Yeah," he said. "Why do you play?"
There was a shine in Kiku's eyes that wasn't from the tears.
"Oh yeah."
The two stood up and walked onto the soccer field, ball between them.
"Ready?" Kiku asked.
"On three," Taichi replied.
"One."
"Two."
"Three!"
Both charged after the ball, and Kiku got it. She went to kick the ball into Taichi's net, but he seemed to come out of no where to stop her. They went back and forth for an hour, neither scoring, but leaving the two teens panting, and kneeling on the muddy ground.
"You're....Better....Than.....I thought," Taichi said between gasps.
"You're....Okay....For a guy," Kiku admitted.
Both grinned at each other, but neither could get up. Kiku looked up at the sky, and her eyes seemed to glaze over. She became silent.
"Kiku?" Taichi said. "Kiku? Kiku?"
Taichi ran over to his fallen companion and waved a hand in front of her face; she didn't even blink.
"Oh my gosh, Kiku?!"
Unable to think of anything better to do, Taichi began to shake Kiku violently. As he did so, he could see what looked like a portal to the Digital World opening in the sky. Finally, she blinked and the portal disappeared.
"Taichi-san?" she said. "Is something wrong?"
Taichi gaped.
"You just, spaced out!" he exclaimed.
"I did?"
"Yeah!"
Taichi's eyes were full of worry for the girl, though he had just met her. Kiku just grinned and him and pushed some of her thick black bangs back.
"Then I won't do it again," she promised. "But I better be getting back home. The sun's setting and Mom and Dad are going to freak!"
Kiku began to walk off, then turned back around.
"I'll see you in art tomorrow, right?!" she yelled at him.
"Yeah!" Taichi yelled back. "See you then!"
Kiku smiled and waved before disappearing into the distance. Taichi sighed, then went back over to the stands where he had left his sports bag. He reached inside and pulled out a cell phone. After dialing a familiar number, he put the phone to his ear.
"Hello?"
"Hey, Koushiro," Taichi greeted.
"Hi. What do you need?"
"I just met a girl...." Tai began to say.
"Please Tai, I don't need the details," Koushiro said jokingly.
"It's not that. It's just that she spaced out, and didn't respond to anything...."
"I'm not Jou, Taichi," Koushiro reminded.
"I don't think it's a medical thing," Taichi assured. "I think that it's something that has to do with the Digital World."
Taichi frantically explained what had happened while Koushiro listened patiently. Finally, the story ended.
"I'll e-mail Gennai," Koushiro said. "And I'll call you when he writes back."
Tai nodded then hung up the phone, then packed up his stuff. He began walking back to his apartment, dragging his feet as he went.
There was a knocked on the door and Hikari ran to answer it. She found her brother standing there with his head against the wall.
"Taichi, what's wrong?" she asked.
"You know how Yamato and Sora are dating?" Tai asked.
Hikari nodded.
"Well, I finally found a girl who can replace Sora, only, she's connected to the Digital World, and it's probably not in a good way."
Hikari pouted in trying to sympathize with her brother.
"How can I help?"