Author's Note: I do the best I can to spell check but English is my second language so please forgive any mistakes you might find that I missed.
A Reason to Smile
By Chibinaoka
Ever since our adventures as Tamers, we had grown much closer. We walked to school together, even though we went to different schools and we spent a lot of weekends just spending time with our fellow teammates. It wasn't unusual for me to run into her. But for some reason today was different. I decided to make my way trough a small park. I could see her from a distance simply sitting on a bench. A smile appeared on my lips and I picked up the pace. I don't know why I was rushing, I just wanted to see her and say hello. When I was only a few feet away from her, I stopped and simply looked at her. Her school bag lay at her feet. Her head was low and her back slightly arched. Her hands where folded on her knees as her eyes stared blankly ahead. At first I though she was sad and I couldn't help but frown. But as I observed her longer, I could tell she wasn't sad. She was thinking. She had a tendency to drift in her own little world sometimes. I found myself constantly snapping her out of her daydreaming and then we both laughed about it. But to be honest, I was also concerned when she did so.
I wanted to go up to her and smile while I asked her how she was. But I couldn't move. I kept staring at those eyes of hers. They where so deep and expressive. When she was happy, they would sparkle like stars and when she was sad, they seemed to fog up. From where I was standing I could only see a mixture of both in them. Finally I managed to take a step forward in her direction.
Her name escaped my mouth as I stood beside her. Slowly she lifted her head and a faint smile appeared on her face.
"Hello Ruki. I'm sorry, I was daydreaming again"
Juri smiled. Her smile was so sincere that I returned it. I sat down beside her and leaned back as I looked up at the sky.
"So what or who where you daydreaming about this time"
I noticed from the corner of my eye that she place herself in the same position I was.
"Nothing and nobody really. I was just thinking"
I closed my eyes.
"Thinking of what"
When Juri's answer didn't come immediately after my question I opened my eyes and looked at her. Once again she was lost in her own little world.
"I was thinking...I was thinking about how our lives have changed so much since our time in the Digital World"
I sat up straight while she stayed leaned back and I simply listened to her attentively.
"We've lost and gained so much from that time"
Her eyes slowly blinked.
"We've grown up, Juri"
Juri smiled.
"That true. But I'm not sure I have as much as the rest of you. You. You on the other hand have changed a lot, Ruki"
I shook my head in disagreement with what she said. I disliked it when she put herself down. "That's not true, Juri. You've changed too. You're a lot stronger then when I first met you"
I could tell that she believed what I said and didn't dismiss my words a shallow encouragement by the smile that appeared on her face. She even began to blush.
"I like to think I've gotten stronger. I hope to be as strong as you someday Ruki." Juri sat up and turned to me.
"I know I smile a lot more then I use to. I've always seemed like a happy person but now I find I smile only when I want to. You smile a lot more too, Ruki"
I couldn't help but blush and it made Juri giggle.
"You have a nice smile Ruki and I always wonder why you don't show it more often. I mean I see you smile when you're among friends but you rarely show your true smile"
I felt myself blush deeper and I couldn't understand why which made me blush even more. "I smile when I'm with you"
The words just slipped out of my mouth and I was a little worried at what Juri might think. But deep inside I was also happy I had said so.
"I like to see you smile, Ruki. I also appreciate the friendship you've given me"
Juri's eyes were now looking deep into mine. I could tell she was being sincere.
I was at a lost for words.
Juri was special. I never though I could ever have a friend like her and now I had one sitting next to me, smiling. I wanted to tell her that I was happy she and I where friends and that I hope we stayed good friends for a long time. But I couldn't manage to get out these words. Instead I got closer and hugged Juri. I knew she understood how I felt when she hugged me back.
Breaking the hug, I smiled at Juri.
"I love and care for you. I'll always have a reason to smile if you're around"
My words made Juri smile. But this smile was different. It was the type of smile that you only showed when you where truly happy.
The End