Disclaimer – I do not own Digimon. I do however own Marina, Scythe, and Toki.
Bitter Sweet Kiss-
It felt strange, watching her like this. It was not an action that he would normally condone, and it made him feel like a pervert peering through the shadows. He wasn't a pervert, of course, just curious. He wanted to know her, but was too afraid to get close, it would be like twisting a knife in a wound, and he didn't want any further hurt.
She twisted in her chair and giggled at another girl, who blushed in return. His heart fluttered. 'What could they be talking about?' He wondered. The teacher droned on about something unimportant, and he continued to ignore her monotone voice. His brother looked agitated, as he watched him watch her. Matt chose to ignore him. Although he knew Takeru had crushed on Hikari Yagami since he met her he didn't care. If T.K. hadn't made a move by now, then he never would.
Matt didn't know what Kari thought about him, and in all truths he had never been attracted to her that is, until now. He didn't understand what had changed. She was still Tiachi's sister, and Matt had known her since she was born. He had only recently come to realize that his feelings for her had changed, and the change was subtle at first. This new feeling caught him entirely by surprise.
The bell rang, echoing through the hallways and classrooms signaling the passing period. He took a moment to gather his things, so that her and her friends would be clear of the door by the time he walked out. Naturally though, he wasn't so lucky. Her friends bid their goodbyes and Kari went to talk to the teacher. Matt sighed. Couldn't anything go the way he wanted it to?
Kari leaned in to speak quietly to the teacher, who in turn looked surprise. "Why, Miss Kamiya, I did not know you were having problems." She said, faking interest.
"It's Yagami" Kari corrected "My parents got divorced; I live with my real dad now."
"Oh, I'm so sorry." The teacher said, looking saddened.
Matt pretended to pack his bag, taking exaggerated time to load a single spiral. "So do you think you could help me?" Kari asked, almost pleading.
"Well I don't know. I will see what I can do. I understand that this is a tough time for you, but you know my policy on extra credit." The teacher stated sternly, the wrinkles in her forehead creasing together.
Kari made a face. That was not the answer she had been looking for. "Alright, thank you then." She said, and then turned to walk away.
"Wait" The teacher said, and Kari paused in the doorway. "Why don't you get a Tudor? Someone who can help you understand what you are doing?"
Kari seemed to be thinking. "That would be perfect; do you have anyone in mind?" She asked, her spirits clearly lifted.
The teacher, Mrs. Vash gave a quick glance in Matt's direction. "Well I think I might." A smile played on her lips. "Yamato writes beautiful papers, and has an uncanny knack for the language and proper use of grammar. You should ask him."
Kari turned to him, and he tried to look occupied. "Did you ask me something?" He asked, trying to be nonchalant.
"Will you help me out in English? I just can't seem to get it." Kari asked almost pleadingly. This was his chance, and he was prepared to take it.
"Yeah I guess I could help you, though I am not that good." Mrs. Vash laughed.
"Don't be modest, Yamato." He felt his cheeks burn slightly. This was not the kind of attention he had been searching for.
"Yeah, I'll do it, sure. Bells about to ring." He said, slipping out the door, he was trying to avoid directly talking to Hikari.
At lunch he was completely lost in thought. His friends chattered on, none of them seemed to pick up on his annoyed mood. He wanted a chance to talk to Kari, but he didn't want it to be like this. He sighed. It couldn't be helped anyway. Kari sat on the other side of the cafeteria with Yolie, herself titled BFF, Ken, the local brainiac, Davis, who was just as in love with Kari as Matt's brother, Takeru, who was picking at his sandwich, and a short shy boy named Cody. From Matt's angle, the table looked quite crowded.
Yolie was an annoying slightly nerdy girl who was always trying to get into Kari's business; she also had a slight crush on Matt and Tai, who was Kari's older brother. As long as Yolie was around, there would be no private talking to Kari, who must have been talking about her English problems, because right at that moment she looked up at him.
She smiled slightly, and he turned away like a lovesick school girl. He wondered why he liked her so much. Two years ago (sophomore year) he was in love with a beautiful girl named Maria. She was a gorgeous girl who was completely different from everyone else. She was sweet and funny and kind, and when he was with her he thought things couldn't get any better. The day she told him she was pregnant was the happiest day of his life.
Though Maria failed to mention that she went to New York every two weeks to have illegal experiments conducted on her. When the time came for her to give birth, she died abruptly and seemingly without cause, due to the experiments. It broke Matt, almost completely. Maria's two boys died similar deaths less than five days after being born, leaving the girls Scythe and Toki.
Since Matt was a single teenage father who went to school and didn't have a steady job, Maria's mother agreed to take one of the girls until he could support her. Which left him to make the horrible choice of letting Scythe go live with her grandmother.
After Maria's death, Matt was virtually alone. He wasn't sure what went on that following year, but he knew that many people described him as 'un-responsive.' He attempted suicide on more than one occasion and eventually Maria's grandmother took Toki away as well, forcing him into further depression.
Kari had been the only one who seemed to care, the only one who noticed his pain. She was T.K.s best friend at the time (they had somewhat grown apart during the last few years) and she came over to Matt's house often. Even when her and T.k. drifted apart, she still dropped by Matt's house unexpectedly to see if he was alright. Every time she came by she smiled that sweet sympathetic smile that she only used when around him.
They had started to become very close, but she and Matt had also seemed to drift apart recently. She wanted to give him space to recover, I mean how was she to know that space was the last thing he wanted, or needed. He was lonely, and the loneliness only made the depression that much more painful. He shook his head, trying to clear his thoughts. He was going to visit his daughters today and didn't want them to pick up on his particularly sour mood.
He didn't want to go alone. It was a well known fact that Maria's mom, Katrina disliked him. She blamed him for Maria's death, since she didn't know about the experiments. She always gave him dirty looks when he came, and was harsh to Scythe because she resembled him so much. He needed backup, and Kari had always been the most logical answer. He stood up, dropped his tray in the trashcan by the exit and made his way over to her table.
Most of her friends were gone now, leaving only her, Yolie and Cody. She and Yolie seemed to be deep in conversation about Ken Ichijoji (one of Yolie's many crushes.) Cody was forcing himself to eat the last of the food on his tray, despite the fact that it obviously pained him to do so. Yolie was the first one to notice Matt, and her face contorted in horror. She elbowed Kari as nonchalantly as possible. Kari turned, looking as surprised as Yolie seemed to be.
Matt took the seat beside Cody, on the opposite end of the table from the two girls. He was well aware of the stares he was getting from his friends on the other side of the cafeteria, particularly Tiachi and Sora.
"Hey, Matt" Kari greeted with a smile.
"Hey" He said, thinking of where he could go with this conversation. Kari was one of the only people who knew he had two children of his own (since Maria dropped out of school after learning that she was pregnant.)
When he didn't say any more, Kari asked "Do you need something?" She asked, looking genuinely concerned.
"Yeah, I was wondering if you were up for a car trip this afternoon." He asked, as tactfully as possible.
"To where?" She asked. Either she was playing along with his silly question, or she really didn't know what he was implying. He almost rolled his eyes, and then thought better of it.
"To Tokyo" He said "Or at least to the outskirt of Tokyo." Matt lived in Obida, which meant a good two hours separated him from his children.
Kari gave him a disapproving look "It's a school night." She reminded him. Yolie watched, not knowing what to think of their exchange. Which meant that she would have some cross-examining to do when Matt left the table.
He sighed. "I know, but I have to take care of some business, and I don't want to be fed to the sharks alone." He wasn't sure if she was getting the idea, or if he was going to have to wink at her before she got the clue. "Plus you need help with your essay; I can help you on the way to Tokyo and on the way back. It's only a two hour drive, if we left after school we could be back by eight or so."
Dawning finally lit her face. "Yeah, sure I will go." She smiled "Wait for me at the soccer field, Tai has my cell phone." She said.
"Ok" Matt said, standing up and exiting the cafeteria. He could imagine what problems he just caused Kari, regarding her friend Yolie. He wondered if Kari had it in her to lie for him, but then again he figured people would find out about his girls eventually.
The soccer field was behind the school. It was average size, and smelled of freshly mown grass. The metal bleachers were poorly out of shape and desperately needed replacing. Kari sat on the third row, chatting animatedly on her cell phone. The soccer team practiced a few yards away, kicking black and white balls back and forth.
Matt hopped up the bleachers and plopped down beside her. She didn't acknowledge him, just continued talking. "You still don't believe me?" She asked, sounding astonished. "How much more proof do you want?" She giggled slightly.
Matt watched Tai, his best friend, wave at him from the field. Davis and Ken were watching Kari also, and Matt wondered if they knew who she was talking to and what she was talking about. He pretended not to listen to her, but she was difficult to ignore. "Oh yeah well that is different, stop trying to change the subject!" She yelped suddenly, a bright red blush crossing her face.
She laughed and then paused to listen; apparently what the other person had said set her off. "Oh, well of course he is…but really, Davis is just as good looking." She rolled her eyes. "Don't be ridiculous. Look, we will talk about this later, I am going to Tokyo. I will text you when I get there." She paused again then added "Ok, thanks. Talk to you later, bye." She shut her phone and dropped it in her pink purse.
In a slight movement she gave the thumbs up to either Davis or Ken (Matt couldn't tell which) and they high fived each other. She rolled her eyes at them, and then finally turned to Matt. "Hey" He greeted her "Ready to go now?" He asked.
"Yeah, Sorry about that." She didn't explain, but his curiosity compelled him to ask.
"Who were you talking to?"
"Oh, just Yolie. I won some tickets to something tonight and I wanted her to ask Ken to accompany her." She rethought what she had said "Well, Ken wanted me to convince her. I swear the guys a genius, but brainless when it comes to girls." She chuckled again. "I thought it would be a cute way for them to both confess their love for each other." She glanced back at the two boys "Davis is in on my plan as well." She said, watching the two celebrate on the field.
"Is that so" He said, uninterested. He didn't really know Ken, therefore he didn't care.
Once they arrived at his rusty grey pickup Kari moaned. "What?" He asked, watching her face turn to a frown.
"Were not going to make it to Tokyo in this!" She whined as she waved her hand at his car for emphasis. It was true; his truck had seen better days.
"Well what do you suggest we do? Ride the bus?" He asked. He couldn't afford anything better, and it hurt that she had poked fun at him.
She chuckled. Apparently she was in a really good mood. "I was just playing. You're so sensitive." She teased "But really, I wanted to ride in style." She held out her hand and let a set of keys dangle seductively from her fingers.
"Whose car?" He asked, surprised.
"I called my brother earlier, not Tai of course, you don't know him and I don't really know what he does but apparently he is fairly rich." Matt wasn't aware that Kari and Tai had a half-brother. Of course, he also didn't know that her parents had gotten a divorce and that Mr. Kamiya was not her real dad. Apparently Matt wasn't the only one keeping secrets. "He feared for my safety, trying to make it to Tokyo in that thing so he offered me his car."
"Where is it?" He asked simply. He remembered the last time Kari and him had ridden to Tokyo in his truck and had ended up stranded there for two days, while a local mechanic worked on his trucks engine.
"My dad's house, naturally. You don't want to leave your truck at the school do you?" She had a point. He finally gave in.
"Fine, but I am driving."
She laughed again "You wish." She said, climbing into the passenger seat. He turned the ignition on and followed her somewhat vague directions to her new house, though it would have been better described as a mansion. It had been three stories and four spots in the garage, only one of which was filled. The yard seemed to go on for miles, and it was surrounded by Japanese style houses, which stood in stark contrast to the large Victorian style of Kari's father's house. It looked very out-of-place, almost as if he had been flown here from France.
Matt let out a low whistle "You aren't kidding." He said, staring in awe at the humongous house.
"You're actually the first person, besides Tai, to see this place. I like to keep the fact that my mom and dad split up when I was two to myself. No one knows that Tiachi is actually my half-brother." She said. Matt felt happy, knowing that she had somewhat let him into her life. Though now he knew her secret, and she knew his so it wasn't much of an exchange.
A red haired male, who couldn't have been more than twenty seven, came bounding across the lawn. He looked so strikingly like Kari, yet completely different. It was almost eerie. He had the exact same features as her, yet his skin was paler, his eyes were a lighter shade of red, his hair was blood red rather than auburn, and he was taller and skinnier than her.
She hopped out of the car and went to greet him. He beat her to it "Hey sis" He said, pecking her on the cheek.
Kari tuned to Matt "This is my brother, Kane." She explained.
"Nice to meet you, I'm Yamato." Matt said, shaking Kane's hand.
"Cool" He answered. He seemed almost childish. "Nice to meet you too. You're here for the car, right?" He asked, turning back to Kari.
She nodded "Where is it?" She asked. Matt looked at the sleek, foreign, red sports car which occupied the garage, it sparkled in the sunlight enticingly.
"It's out back with the old ones. I was exchanging a few parts for fun." He answered, glancing back at the house.
Kari rolled her eye "Nothing that will get us stranded, I hope?" Kari asked. I felt like I was stepping into a world where I didn't belong, where everything was perfect and everyone knew exactly what was going on except me, the outsider.
"No way! My mechanic skills may just be developing, but I would never do something I didn't think was safe." He even acted like her, half playful like the world was one big joke. Though, just like Hikari his teasing seemed to be a feat so people couldn't see the pain behind the mask.
"Alright, if your sure." She didn't look convinced.
He took them around back, which looked over a lake, completing the surreal scenery of the mansion and the surrounding area. Broken cars littered the yard, all with their hood up, and random parts sat around waiting to be of some use. In the center of the wreckage was a brand new black sports car called a Solstice. He informed us that it was imported. "I have an obsession with sports cars." He explained.
Matt admired it, this car but his truck to shame and he wondered what his brother did for a living, and what the other two cars that probably filled the empty spaces looked like. Kari bid her brother goodbye, after getting permission to let Matt drive. "Just make sure you take care of her, she is my baby." Kane said, winking at Matt.
The power of the car overwhelmed him for a few miles, until he got used to it. They drove in silence, listening to meaningless rock songs. It wasn't awkward, just the silence of a guy concentration on driving and a girl enjoying the scenery. It was comfortable. The countryside between Obida and Tokyo was astounding, and Kari seemed transfixed by it. She didn't even mention the English paper.
It only took two hours of nonstop driving to reach the outskirts of Tokyo. Katrina Kolula lived in an old Japanese style house, typical in the feudal ages. It was well manicured and never looked as old as it really is. Katrina was anal about cleanliness and presentation, which is probably why she never liked Matt.
Katrina herself was sitting on the porch with a book, Toki, a brown haired girl with dark skin and deep brown eyes sat beside her, watching intently. Toki watched as they pulled up. Kari and Katrina had already met one, and from what Matt could gather, Katrina liked Kari. She thought Kari was a responsible young adult with real promise.
Neither of the girls moved, just watched as Matt and Kari approached. Matt dreaded what Katrina would say to Kari. The last time they had met was at Maria's funeral; Matt had invited Kari for moral support.
Kari and Matt got out of the car and went to greet them. Katrina smiled like she cared "Good evening, did you have a nice drive?" She asked, a false smile playing on her lips.
"Yeah it was great." Matt said, trying to be as kind as possibly, so as not to rock to boat.
"Well that is good to hear. What was your name again?" She asked, peering at Kari with a half truly curious look and a half disgusted look.
"Oh it's Hikari Yagami. Nice to see you again." Kari said, as sweet and perky as always.
"That's right. Girls, don't be rude, come over here and say hello." She said. Toki immediately did as she was told, beaming.
"Good evening!" She mimicked, a smile spreading across the entirety of her face.
Matt smiled at her and sat lightly on the bottom porch steps. He opened his arms and hugged the girl tightly "Hey Toki! How have you been since the last time I saw you?" He asked.
"I've been great! Granny says I'm doing really well with my studies and that I'm very smart." She bragged. Scythe, who was sitting a ways away on the other side of the porch. She peered at them through the corner of her eyes. Once Matt released Toki, who still blabber on about her day, he turned to Scythe. "Well, aren't you going to come over here and say hi?"
Matt hated that Scythe was so much like him. He knew that, because of her genetically inherited shyness that she would be a difficult child, just like he had been. She glanced at him, then stood up reluctantly and sauntered across the porch. She stopped in front of him, her head down, which allowed her hair to cover her eyes. Matt didn't mind her shyness and pulled her into a hug anyway. She didn't struggle or refuse. Toki continued talking, now directing her conversation at Kari, who giggled at her and let Toki sit in her lap.
"Scythe isn't as good as me; she doesn't pay attention and always gets scolded." Toki glared triumphantly at her sister. It was obvious that they didn't get along.
The minute Matt released Toki went to sit in his lap. Kari moved to sit on the grass and called Scythe over. "So is she your new girlfriend?" Katrina asked, watching Kari coax Scythe into her lap. Matt tried not to blush.
"No, she is just a friend." Matt answered.
"I figured. The next girlfriend you get will be a prostitute." Matt ignored her comments; he was used to the verbal abuse he always had to endure when around Katrina.
Scythe finally sat in Kari's lap, and they talked quietly to each other. Toki sat on Matt's lap, jealous that Scythe was getting more attention than her. Katrina asked, growing snappy.
"Not long, there's school tomorrow, so I have to get her back home." He answered, motioning towards Kari. "Can they stay with me this weekend? Or at least one of them?" She couldn't refuse the offer.
"Take Scythe, she is always causing me trouble. You should have only had one." She snapped.
"It wasn't really my choice." Matt countered.
Katrina made a face, unable to remark. "If you want one of them, then take her."
The rest of the day passed with snide comments and secretive remarks. Matt entertained Toki for most of the day, and Kari played quietly with Scythe. When the clock struck four Matt and Kari loaded up and headed back to Obida.
"I'm glad that's over! I hope she didn't hurt your feeling." Matt asked, trying to see Kari's expression while still remaining on the road. (He was one of those drivers who couldn't get distracted without veering off the road.
"No, she didn't talk much to me. Scythe is adorable though, she was so sweet the whole time." Matt wondered why there was a hint of sadness on her face. He had to ask her.
"Why do you look so sad?" He knew it was really none of his business, but she had helped him when he was depressed, why couldn't he do the same for her.
Kari smiled faintly "It's just that I am in an all guy household at home, and hanging out with Scythe made me realize just how lonely I am." She answered.
Matt hadn't been expecting her answer, of all the reasons she could have been sad. "You're lonely?" He asked.
She shrugged. "Yeah, I can't believe it either, but come to think of it, my dad and brother are always at work, and Yolie can't ever come over because her parents are weird. Besides, even if she did come over, we never really have serious conversations. I need another friend." She chuckled.
"You know you can always talk to me. I owe you a lot, so anytime you need me, I'm willing to hang out." He did owe her, but that wasn't what made him comment.
"Thanks." She said, and then the awkward silence surrounded them. The seconds ticked by. "Hey, can I spend the night tonight?" She asked, suddenly.
Matt nearly ran off the road after hearing her comment. "W-what?" He stuttered.
Her phone rang before she could elaborate. "Hello?" The sun faded, lighting the sky with pink. She made a face. "Oh, hey T.K." Kari listened intently on the other end, nodding every once in a while although she knew he couldn't see her. Matt could only imagine what T.K. was saying right now.
"My parents just got a divorce, and I just dumped Davis. I am sorry T.K. but I have other things to deal with right now." She said, calmly. "Oh, well yeah I am but why is that important?" She asked, glancing in Matt's direction. "No, we went to Tokyo." She said.
Her phone flashed red, signaling that she was getting another call. "I'm sorry T.K. my brother is calling, I have to go. I will talk to you tomorrow at school." Kari said, hanging up on T.K. Kari had a brief conversation with Kane, mostly consisting of if the car drove alright before he bid her goodnight.
"Were you serious about wanting to spend the night? Why?" He asked, pulling up in front of her new home.
"Of course I was, my brother wont be home today and I don't like staying in the house alone. You said you would talk anytime I wanted didn't you?" She wasn't playing a card, she looked genuinely lonely.
"Where is your father?" Matt asked as he walked with her to his truck.
"He is never at home." Kari said "Me and my brother have been living alone, basically. It is ok though, as I am sure you noticed we are paternal twins, so we make good roommates." She said with a smile.
He shrugged "If you really want to stay with me then get in." He said, climbing into the truck. Kari beamed, then gracefully loped across the yard and into the house, returning a moment later with a back pack. It was obvious that she had been planning this all along. "I see you were prepared." He commented.
"I'll follow you in the car if you don't mind." He just shrugged at her, started the engine and followed the black sports car out of the driveway. Once he was home they headed up the stairs to his apartment. He was supposedly living with his dad, but he was never home. T.K. stopped by every once in a while when he fought with Nancy (his mom.)
Kari had been over loads of times, so she was used to the ragtag shape of the place. Three bachelors weren't exactly what you would call holly-homemakers. There was random crap strewn out everywhere, mostly consisting of clothes and pizza boxes, soda cans and old editions of rock magazines. There was something, which remained un-located in the kitchen which had apparently rotted and was emitting a rather foul smell. Jack, Matt's big German Sheppard was enjoying himself by rolling spastically on the floor, littering it with fur.
Kari giggled "It never changes here, does it?" She asked. He shook his head.
"I don't ever have time to clean up, and T.K. doesn't think it is his job to clean here, and as you know dad is never home so what's the point?" He picked up a few objects and tossed them into the kitchen. "I don't usually have guests, so there is no reason to clean." He added. That seemed to be his philosophy about everything; there is no reason to do it, so why should I?
Kari shook her head. "I'm surprised you don't get sick living like this." She shoved a pile of dirty clothes and beer bottles off the couch and onto the floor so she could sit down. He sat down beside her.
"Can I ask you a question?" He asked, beginning to turn red. He was never one to voice his feelings, but this was something he had to know.
"Sure, anything." Kari said, picking up a random magazine on the table. She immediately put it back down, her own face turning red.
"Do you like anyone right now?" He asked, trying to be tactful. "Like Davis or something?"
"Where did this question come from?" She asked. He gave her a look that said 'stop avoiding the question and she rolled her eyes at him.' "Alright alright, well if I did like someone, it wouldn't be Davis. He is more like my brother. Why do you think I dumped him? I mean Davis is great but he is just not…what I'm looking for, I suppose." She said.
"Like you need another brother." Matt said, rolling his eyes. "Tai is bad enough." They both laughed. "So if you did like someone, who would it be?"
"I am not going to tell you unless you guess, but you are going to have to be more creative than Ken." She said. She had stood up and was now tossing different things into piles. He stood up and began helping her.
He thought long and hard, but nothing came to mind. "Yolie?" He guessed, in a vain attempt to convince her to tell him.
"Well there was that one time…" She cut off and broke into giggles, obviously teasing him.
"Then I have got no one." He said, trying to battle Jack for a half-empty box of moldy pizza. The dog didn't seem like he was going to give it up.
"You tell me something, Matt" She said, changing the subject. "How are you going to live with your children in this place?" She asked, continuing her cleaning spree.
"I hope that by the time I get them back, I live in a place that is better suited for them to grow up in." He said. He loved his children, and wanted them to have the best of life. He didn't want them to be forced to replay his own pathetic childhood. She was smiling at him now. "What?" He asked. Her staring was embarrassing.
"It's just cute is all; I think you are going to make a great father." She said.
Matt made a face at her "If I ever get the chance, you mean?" He said. Katrina would happily give him Scythe, but he wanted both his children. She had no right to keep them.
"You will" Kari said, she had almost finished sorting the junk in the living room, and had moved on to the kitchen. "If anything I think Katrina likes me, so I might be able to persuade her." She said.
Matt followed her into the kitchen "Yeah maybe, but she hates me and I think her hate for me over-weighs her respect for you." He said.
She stopped and turned around "You will graduate this year won't you?" She asked.
He nodded at her. "Yeah, I will graduate. What does that have to do with anything?"
"I'm graduating this year too. Me and T.K. made it into the honors program, and are graduating a year early." Matt still didn't understand where she was trying to go with this.
"Yeah, and your point would be?" He asked, smiling at her.
"When I graduate then I want to help you get your girls back." Kari stated matter-of-factly. "I will make it my mission." She said, holding her hand out to him so that they could shake on it.
Matt took her hand and shook it "Thank you, Kari."
A/n- Alright I hope you all enjoyed the first chapter. Now that I have introduced most of the OC characters I can get along with the story. The next chapter will be mostly about the second generation digidestin' (I.E. Kari, T.K. Davis, Ken, Yolie, and Cody) Anyway read and review and remember, NO FLAMES.