Hey people! This story may sound familiar to some of you if you happened to read before.

It's a TAKARI fic I've came up with years ago, but after a chapter, I never seemed to be able to continue due to studies.

Blame the education system ;P

But anyways, IM BACK! (cheer! )

And I'm going to finish this story for you guys, no matter what!

Btw, I've edited A LOT, becos my writing style has changed over the years, but the story didn't, so PHEW (:

Pls R&R okay? I need the encouragement A LOT, this is still considered my first fic!

THANK YOU PEOPLE

I'm really sorry to my past readers that I didn't get to write this sooner..

Life's Just Not The Same

"Takeru, wake up! You're going to be late, young man!"

"But I'm in no mood for school…" The seventeen-year-old blonde mumbled, his eyes still shut tight.

"But you have to go to school! Exams are nearing alrea-"

"Alright, alright!" The teen rubbed his eyes. He took a short glance at the clock before groaning at what the clock read.

"Yes, so you better be up now!"

Stumbling out of his bed, the boy named Takeru Takaishi made a beeline for his washroom, leaving his worried mother in the room. Mrs Takaishi let out a sad sigh. It had been seven years already, but his dear son never seemed to like their new environment. They were all accommodating in a three-storey mansion now, and Takeru never seemed to have any social troubles in America, but why did he changed so drastically and still remained so for such a long period? Seven years! Mrs Takaishi again let out another sigh before exiting Takeru's room, shaking her head softly.

It was the love of a mother that led to the duo moving to America, New York – Mrs Takaishi wanted Takeru to get away from the other digidestines he knew from Odaiba. She knew it was cruel to do so, but she had feared that one day her beloved son might leave her by herself after a duet with more digital monsters. The day when Takeru and the rest of the digidestines from all around the world had battled the evil digital monster seven years ago had terrified Mrs Takaishi badly, resulting in her cruel decision to move them both to New York. Since then, Takeru never had been his good self anymore. The cheerful and optimistic Takeru Takaishi had morphed into a totally different person.

Takeru became messy and different. He never looked forward to attend school anymore, and his room was in such a horrible state with books, clothes and numerous unidentified objects strewn around, it would make one frown. What was more surprising was that the blonde teenager had abandoned his usual habit of wearing a hat or cap. But nevertheless, these things never prevent Takeru from being avoided by the opposite gender. Ruffled, messy blonde hair with those clear ocean-blue eyes, plus his basketball skills as a bonus, it's a natural babe-magnet! But who cares? Not Takeru. Weirdly, he never seemed interested in them. What's weirder was that girls reminded him of his past best friend…

After a quick wash up, Takeru pull on a plain blue shirt and a fresh pair of black jeans. Grabbing his bag, Takeru bid his mother good-bye. He unchained his bicycle and rode as fast as he could to his school.

Getting into a prestigious school in New York was not easy, but it was not a trouble with Mrs Natsuki, a family friend of the Takaishi household. With help from one of the more powerful household in the state, Takeru had no problem getting into one himself. The house that the two Takaishi were living in was also part of the gracious Natsuki family's help.

"Oh, great, what a 'lucky' day…" Takeru thought, his blue eyes peeped through the windows of his class—Mr Rogers' Algebra class, not a pleasant thing.

Taking a deep breath, Takeru tried sneaking in from the back door. Unfortunately, many stares gave him away.

"What are you doing, Takaishi?" Mr Rogers demanded when he saw Takeru down on his fours.

"I-I was just… looking for my lost pen!" Takeru hurriedly stood up, answering the question innocently.

"Really? I believe that you were not here at the beginning of the lesson."

Everyone in the class held their breaths. This was not the first time Takeru came late, and they knew what Mr Rogers had on his mind.

"DETENTION, Takaishi. In the Trophy Room!"

"WHAT!!" Takeru almost shouted, "You don't ask me to clean up that bloody hell room!"

The class suddenly turned noisy. Some of them defending Takeru, while others merely took the chance to throw nasty words at their least favourite teacher.

"FINE! Class, settle down and zip it up! This time I'll excuse you Takaishi, but if THERE'S a next time, you'll have to go straight to the headmaster's office! Now young man, get back to your seat immediately!" Ordered Mr Rogers.

Smirking, Takeru made a few high-fives with some of his classmates before going back to his seat.

The day went by very slowly, just like any other day. Unlike some of his hardworking classmates, Takeru had his mind wandering elsewhere, while the teacher's lectures slowly tune out. He remembered the day when his mother had finally decided to move over to Odaiba, and the day when he realized he happened to be transferred to the school Hikari was schooling in. What was better was that they happened to be seated next to each other in the same class! A faint smile surfaced on Takeru's lips. Everything seemed wonderful back in Odaiba—being with his brother and father, meeting all the friends that he had met due to their wild digimon adventures, and knowing a dear friend Hikari Yagami… Why must he be in America? Cut away from his Odaiba pals, confiscated of his digi-gadgets? He felt sorry for Patamon, he felt sorry for Yagami, he felt sorry for his family back in Odaiba and his friends, but who he really felt sorry for, was he himself…

When school ended, the seventeen-year-old was already tired. He could not wait to get back home and rest, but when he approached the school gates, he saw a group of familiar faces.

"Hey pretty boy! Hang out with us today?" A slim and refined-looking girl asked when she spotted Takeru, shouting over just so that Takeru could hear what she said.

"Nah, I'm heading towards the court…" Lied Takeru with a grin.

The girl frowned. She was standing at a feet shorter than Takeru, and her hair was a natural reddish-brown. Her forest-green eyes showed signs of disappointment upon hearing Takeru's replies.

Takeru let out a laugh and shook his head lightly at the girl, "I don't understand, Cass! Don't you care about your image? Your family's?"

The girl named Cassie lifted an eyebrow, "Image?"

"Yes! Cassie Natsuki, the only descendent of Mr and Mrs Natsuki, who happens to be one of the more influential families in this region!" Takeru said, at the same time taking in that Cass was dressed in a white tube top, brown mini skirt and a pair of brown high boots. With a good figure and refined looks, Cass was dressed to kill.

"Never occur to me, as long as you're around…" Cass whispered to Takeru as she closed the gap between them, leaning against his well-toned body.

Takeru chuckled, not at all bothered by the closeness between Cass and him. Takeru was used to girls frequently throwing themselves at him, and he was so used to it that they never affect him anymore. Before, he would always turned pink and began to tremble, but now it was no big deal for the boy.

"Cut that out, man! It's giving me the creeps!" Damien Connor, part of the gathered group groaned loudly.

"You're just jealous, Dayn!" Cass shot back with a smile, "Learn from our pretty boy!"

"Yada yada, let's give T.K a break alright? Tomorrow's his big day!" Wallace who happened to be in the same school joined in the conversation.

"Thanks, man, Wallace!" Takeru gave a grateful smile before stretching his arms, "I'll see you guys tomorrow night, kay!" With that, he gave a big wave to the group and took his leave. The big group cheered, whistled and shouted 'byes' loudly, making his exit seemed like a big thing.

Popular, he is. Happy, I'm afraid not.

"Mom, I'm back." Takeru shouted loudly, just so that his mother could hear. With that, he headed straight to his room. Almost immediately, Takeru plopped down onto his bed after throwing his bag on the messed up floor and lay still, staring hard at the ceiling.

"Tomorrow, I'll be eighteenth," he thought to himself, hoping to cheer both he and his life up, but sadly, he doubt that he would be any happier living in America than in Odaiba.

"And everything would remain the same…"

I'm done! YAY so happy!

Anyways, if you're satisfied with the story (or not)

pls pls PLEASE review ?

it's just a tiny favour you can do to make me happy!

Thank you!

Tentomon: Yes, please make appledips happy. Just a click and she's happy! Isn't that fun? Works like a robot! flies around crazily