Thank you for your support so far, particularly those who reviewed! Your comments really made me smile. If you've got some time, check out ToriiTama on Tumblr who has produced some lovely fan art: toriitama. tumblr post/ 147181278710/ takeru-leaned-against-his-older-brothers (just remove the spaces). The picture is from a later chapter, but I can't say it really gives anything away.
Chapter 2
"Boys, get up; it's time for school!"
Yamato rolled onto his back and slowly opened his eyes. The sun was barely peeking through the curtains. He brought his arm up to shield his eyes and let himself lay there for another moment, reminding himself of yesterday's events.
A sharp kick to his side pulled him back to the present. Yamato lifted his arm enough so that he could see the perpetrator, who had a cheeky grin spread across his face.
"Better get up soon or you'll miss breakfast."
Takeru almost got out of the room before Yamato yanked him back inside. Yamato pulled his younger brother into a chokehold and ran his knuckles through Takeru's hair.
"Ow, stop it! Mom!"
Yamato released Takeru and shoved his little brother out the door so he could get his clothes together. He walked all the way to the shower room before he heard his mother's call.
"Yamato, did you hurt your brother?"
"Only because Takeru kicked me first," he said before closing the door and turning on the shower.
He walked out, ready for school, to the smell of breakfast. Takeru had already sat down and was wolfing down his food with Patamon eating beside him.
"Is there anything left?" Yamato joked, watching his brother in amusement.
Takeru glared at him long enough for Yamato to notice, but quickly went back to his food. Before Yamato could sit down, Natsuko placed a bowl in front of him.
"Eat up quickly or you'll be late. Do you know where you're going?"
"Don't worry, I can figure out how to get to school from here."
"You could go with Miyako and her sister," Takeru suggested. "Chizuru's in your class, right?"
Natsuko brightened immediately. "Oh, that's a good idea!"
Yamato shrugged, but didn't protest against the suggestion as he dug into his food. It was strange being in a home with so much noise. He was used to his father grabbing lunch and running out the door and, if Yamato was lucky, he'd be reminded not to fail at school. Yamato quickly finished his breakfast, picked up his bowl and moved over to the sink. Takeru walked over with his and Patamon's bowls.
"Just put them on the side. I'll wash them."
"You sure? Thanks!"
Takeru gave Yamato a quick hug and then ran back to his room, Patamon following closely behind him.
"I made you a pack lunch."
Yamato glanced at the bag that sat on the side and then up to Natsuko. He smiled politely and thanked her before turning his attention back to the washing up as he finished off the last bowl.
"Thank you for breakfast."
"Of course. I was a little worried I hadn't made enough, what with two growing boys and a digimon to feed."
Yamato put his hand on the lunch, but didn't pick it up.
"Dad's condition… it isn't good, is it? That's why the doctor wanted to speak with you alone."
Natsuko froze, her lips parted. Slowly, she regained her composure.
"The doctors are hopeful…"
Yamato found himself remembering a similar conversation at a much earlier point in his life.
"Do you and Dad not love each other anymore?"
"Just because we argue, doesn't mean we don't love each other. Things will work out, you'll see."
He wondered if she believed her own words. Had she believed them back then? Unable to bring himself to say anything else, or even look at her again, Yamato picked up his lunchbox and walked away.
"Thanks for the food."
He left Natsuko standing alone in the middle of the kitchen.
"Ready to go?" Takeru asked brightly. He sobered when he saw Yamato's face. "Is everything all right?"
Yamato put a hand on Takeru's head to ruffle his hair. No need to worry him.
"Yeah, let's get going."
"Bye Mom!" Takeru called from behind him as the two walked outside the apartment.
"Takeru! Oh, hi Yamato."
Miyako, Iori and Chizuru were standing outside the apartment block. Iori watched the brothers with suspicion. Suddenly, Yamato was glad he would only have to deal with questions from the Inoue sisters.
"Good morning."
"I didn't know you were staying at your mom's, Yamato."
Yamato shrugged his shoulders with a smile, but said nothing.
"We'd better get going, Takeru," Iori reminded him.
"Right. We'll see you after school, Miyako."
"OK, have a good day you two!"
The first part of their journey was completely silent. Takeru was just beginning to wonder if he had done something to upset Iori when the younger boy spoke.
"Did something happen?"
Takeru was genuinely confused. "What do you mean?"
"Yamato never visits your house, let alone stays over for the night."
Takeru almost laughed. Trust Iori to notice something like that.
"Our father's in hospital, so Yamato's staying with us until he's finally released."
"Is it serious?"
"I'm not sure. I think Mom knows more than she's telling us."
"Everyone was worried when you didn't show up to school yesterday – well, some thought it was because of the concert you were a part of the night before, but Akira and the others said you left early."
Yamato shoved his hands in his pockets. It wasn't like his father's hospitalisation was a secret and it was likely to spread around the school by the end of the day anyway. At least this way he could quash any rumours.
"My dad collapsed on Wednesday night. I got the call sometime around three, so didn't end up sleeping much."
"I'm so sorry."
Miyako had been uncharacteristically silent through the conversation so far. Yamato glanced at her, trying to figure out what she might be thinking.
"So you're staying with your mother for a bit?"
Yamato turned his attention back to Chizuru.
"Yeah, at least until Dad is released."
"Do you want to copy my notes from yesterday? You can give them back to me before the end of school."
"Would you mind? Sora got most of my homework assignments from the teachers but I think they're expecting me to catch up without having done any classwork."
"Is he going to be all right?"
Both of the older teens turned to look at Miyako. Her voice had been so soft Yamato almost hadn't heard her.
"The doctors are hopeful he'll recover," he said, borrowing his mother's meaningless words.
Miyako merely nodded, still deep in thought.
"The event doesn't seem to have been picked up by the mainstream media."
"Maybe it was a computer glitch?"
Koushiro shot Taichi a withering look. Ever the peacemaker, Sora stepped between them.
"Should we investigate? Maybe it's not being reported because no one understands it."
"It's not too far away. I suppose we could have some of the younger Chosen take a look."
"Is this about that event from the night before last?"
The three turned just as Miyako stepped into the room, followed by Yamato carrying several notebooks. Sora raised an eyebrow at him.
"Chizuru gave me her notes to write up. I wanted to give them back to her before class."
He pulled up a seat and spread out his books in front of him, concentrating on his work while keeping an ear out for their conversation.
"Yes," Koushiro replied to Miyako's earlier question. "There doesn't seem to be any event that correlates with it."
"Hmm…"
The zipper to Miyako's bag undid itself and Poromon jumped out to sit on one of the computer desks.
"But what about BlackWarGreymon's seal?"
"It's been weakening rapidly for the last month." Koushiro explained. "So the gate over Odaiba may reopen soon."
"That would make our lives a little easier," said Miyako.
The younger Chosen had been returning to the Digital World every so often to check up on things, however, it was much more difficult than it should have been because they were unable to easily open a gate in their own homes.
"Unfortunately, BlackWarGreymon's seal has caused more disruption than expected."
"No one realised what the consequences would be and it's unlikely we could have stopped him even if we had," Sora reasoned.
Taichi glanced up at the clock. "Class is going to start in a few minutes. We'll keep this between us for now. A trip to the Digital World might be in order," he said, his attention on Miyako.
"I'm on it."
"And I'll guard the computer room," Poromon added.
Koushiro and Miyako were the first to leave. Taichi hung back enough to see Sora speaking quietly to Yamato. He couldn't hear the words, but he heard the concern in her voice. Almost as one, they turned to look at him and Taichi gave a nod of encouragement.
They'd all get through this somehow.
Yamato pushed the door open to the Takaishi household, completely exhausted. Band practice had lasted later than usual and he'd wanted to drop by his apartment to check on things. Wearily, Yamato kicked off his shoes and made his way straight towards Takeru's room.
"You're home late."
Natsuko was standing in the kitchen area with a large spoon in her hand. The smell of cooking hit Yamato almost instantly. He felt his stomach growl.
"Yeah, sorry, I had a few things to do," he replied as he stepped into his brother's room.
One thing that Yamato had found unnerving was that everything was so bright and clean. It wasn't that he and his dad lived in filth, but there were certain days when they were both busy that neither would do the dishes or clothes would just be put over chairs until the laundry was done. There was something refreshing about coming home and not have to do any cleaning up or cooking. Unfortunately, there was still homework to finish, so Yamato grabbed his book bag and headed out to the dining room table.
"May I do my homework here?"
"Of course! Do you have much work to catch up on?"
"Not really. Chizuru let me copy her notes during the day, so I just need to finish my homework."
"Chizuru… that's Miyako's sister, correct?"
"Yeah."
When his mother didn't say anything more, Yamato looked up to see her concentrating on dinner. He felt a smile creep onto his lips as he turned his concentration back to his homework.
It was another couple of hours before the door opened again, by which time Yamato had finished dinner and Natsuko had retired to her office.
"I'm home!"
Yamato finished the last of his homework and looked up just as Patamon flew into the room.
"How'd it go?"
"Everything's still looking good. There wasn't anything unusual in the Digital World, but we've told everyone to keep an eye out for trouble.
"Oikawa's life energy has done a lot to restore the Digital World," Takeru added. "You should visit again when you have time."
"Did you see Gabumon?"
Takeru look apologetic. "Not this time, sorry."
Yamato felt a pang of guilt. Between band practice and being in his final year of middle school, it had been a while since he'd managed to visit his friend. As if sensing his deteriorating mood, Takeru spoke again.
"We can let you know next time we're going if you'd like?"
"Yeah."
"Takeru, have you two had anything to eat?" Natsuko asked as she stepped out from her office.
"Miyako and Ken brought some food along, so we're fine thanks."
"All right, you three come in and help me out, then."
Yamato looked to his younger brother for an explanation, but Takeru merely smirked back, obviously enjoying that he understood what was happening more than his older brother. They began walking toward the office when Takeru stopped and whispered in Yamato's ear.
"You might want to put you books in my room first. Mom gets really angry if things are left out."
Yamato looked back at the pile of books strewn across the table. He silently communicated his thanks and went to put his books away. No reason to cause trouble this early into his stay (especially when he had no idea if or when he would go home).
When he finally reached the office, Yamato was surprised to find Takeru and Natsuko apparently deep in thought. Patamon sat on top of Takeru's head, concentrating intently on the screen.
"I'm telling you, Mom, it's A."
"Are you sure? I thought I remembered hearing C somewhere before…"
"What are you doing?" Yamato asked nervously, feeling a little out of place.
Takeru grinned at him. "News quiz."
"I need to keep up to date with even the obscure stories, so this gives me something to focus on."
"This means we finally have someone to break the deadlock if we disagree. Patamon doesn't like getting involved."
Yamato laughed. "I'm not sure I'll be much use."
Despite his comment, Yamato was good at the music and, surprisingly, the science and technology news. They ended up with a higher score than usual and Yamato resolved to keep a closer eye on the news in the future.
"I'm telling you, girls are crazy. She just can't take the hint."
Kai's friend on the other line offered a few words of sympathy, but couldn't think of a solution to his girl problem. He dodged around a couple walking along the same path as him before he found himself in a more secluded area of the park. He barely glanced at the view across the water to Tokyo, having seen it so many times before.
"Maybe Kyo would pretend to be my girlfriend for a bit, what d'ya think?"
He stopped, all of his concentration on his phone conversation.
"I don't like her; she's just a friend!"
Kai laughed. "Yeah what- argh!"
He yanked the phone away from his ear as it emitted a high-pitched screech. He stared at his phone as the screen flashed several times before cutting out. The sound disappeared almost as suddenly as it had appeared. Kai frowned at the device.
"Don't tell me it's broken."
Kai stopped suddenly when he noticed the deathly silence around him. He couldn't hear a single person nearby and found himself glancing around in an attempt to find any sign of human life. He stopped and snorted at his own behaviour; there was nothing to be afraid of! With a roll of his eyes, Kai began making his way up one of the paths towards a more populated area when he saw a shadow move out of the corner of his eye.
He jumped around, glancing around wildly to see if he could catch a glimpse of whatever was out there, but he couldn't see anything unusual. Kai frowned, annoyed that he had gotten scared so easily. With one last look around, he turned back to his chosen route.
However, he couldn't let go of the feeling he was being watched. As he continued up the path (at a faster pace this time), he noticed a strange-looking woman standing in his way. He stopped in his tracks as she stepped out from the shadows.
Takeru woke up to the soft strumming of a guitar. It was finally Sunday and light was shining through his curtains. Takeru kept his eyes closed as his older brother lightly plucked the strings, transitioning fluidly from one song to the next. He could almost pretend their family was back together.
"Maybe you and Dad can stay here until he gets better."
The strumming ceased almost immediately.
"I'm not sure if that'll work out."
Takeru turned over to look at his older brother. He was staring down at his guitar, touching the strings, but not enough to hear any sound.
"Why not? You won't be able to take care of Dad on your own when he gets out."
Yamato finally looked up to meet Takeru's eyes.
"Takeru, you know they divorced for a reason, right?"
"That was ages ago! They get along so well now and it would only be until Dad gets better. Mom was really upset when she heard what happened."
Yamato looked at him sadly and stood up without a word. He placed his guitar on its stand in the corner and opened the door.
"I'm making breakfast. You want anything?"
"No thanks," Takeru sulked.
Yamato shut the door softly behind him. Patamon, who had been silently watching the exchange, came to sit on Takeru's head.
"It's gotta be hard for him."
Takeru fidgeted with the bedsheets, a scowl on his face.
"Why's that?"
"I mean, he never visits, right? We always go there. And suddenly he's living here, but it's not for good reasons."
Takeru held his arms out for Patamon to fly down. He then hugged his partner close.
When Takeru finally left his room, he walked into the smell of cooking. Yamato was sitting at the table reading a book and looking a little annoyed. Figuring Yamato was upset at him, Takeru moved towards the kitchen where his mother was frying some eggs.
"Smells good."
She smiled back at him. "Want some? It'll be ready in a minute." She turned enough so that Yamato was in her line of sight. "Yamato, could you set the table for me?"
He glanced at her blankly from his book and, with a sigh, put in a bookmark and walked into the kitchen. Hoping to put his brother in a better mood, Takeru offered to set the table as well.
"You can make sure your room is tidy. I want us to leave as soon as breakfast is over."
Takeru rolled his eyes good-naturedly. "OK."
By the time he came back in, Patamon resting on his head, his family were sat down at the table with breakfast laid out between them. Takeru could almost pretend Dad was just sitting in the office, tidying up the last of his work before coming in to join them. He sat down next to his brother across from the only empty seat. Patamon glided onto the table, in front of the extra bowl set out.
As they started eating, Patamon caught Takeru's eye. He glanced at Takeru's mother and older brother, who both seemed to be stubbornly concentrating on their food. Takeru frowned. Hadn't Yamato said he would cook this morning?
"So," he said, attempting to break the oppressive silence, "what's the plan for today?"
"Yamato can't stay on a futon forever, so I thought we would look for a bed."
"Is there enough space?"
"That's what we'll need to find out."
"It's only been a few days," Yamato interjected, not looking at either of them.
Takeru felt his heart sink. Something was definitely wrong. Their mother sighed audibly and Yamato tensed.
"We're just going to look. That way if you do stay longer we won't have to spend time rushing around."
Yamato gave her a look of displeasure, but didn't say anything further.
They ate the rest of their meal in silence and went shopping in silence. Takeru soon regretted leaving Patamon at home and made himself act twice as cheerful to try to make up for the tension between his mother and brother. When their mother suggested one bed, Yamato would quietly walk towards another. Takeru could only stand by as the silent battle of wills continued from shop to shop.
They were walking down one of the less busy streets when Yamato stopped. Both Takeru and his mother turned to look at him. Yamato pulled out his phone.
"Visiting hours are starting soon."
Yamato felt his feet drag the closer they got to his father's room. Takeru walked ahead, seemingly excited to visit Dad, even if he was unconscious in hospital. Natsuko somehow seemed to understand his slowly deteriorating mood and hadn't even tried to talk about his stubborn refusal earlier in the day.
They reached the ward his father had just been moved to and checked in at the nurses' station before visiting his room. There were three other occupants, all similarly unconscious, however his father was the only one with his head bandaged. Yamato stood at the entrance to the room while Takeru went to sit by Hiroaki's side. Natsuko hovered at the end of the bed, looking nervous.
It was the first time Yamato had seen him in nearly a week. Both had been so busy with their own lives in the preceding days that the only reason Yamato had known someone else occupied the house was the gradual disappearance of food and the increase in dirty dishes.
He wouldn't admit it to Natsuko or Takeru, but he couldn't remember the last time he physically saw his father.
Natsuko cleared her throat awkwardly. "I'm going to speak with the nurses."
She left before either boy could say anything to stop her. Yamato followed her out with his eyes, silently wishing he could follow her without looking like a coward. Instead, he focused his attention on Takeru as he spoke softly with their father, filling him in on everything they'd done since he had entered hospital. He didn't seem to mind that their father would most-likely not remember a word he said.
They stayed like that for what felt like forever – Takeru holding their father's hand and speaking words of reassurance while Yamato remained pinned to the wall like a coward. Finally, Natsuko stuck her head back in the room. She glanced between Takeru and Yamato and, noticing that Yamato hadn't moved since she'd left, softly called to Takeru.
"How about we let Yamato have a little time alone?"
Takeru looked from his mother to his older brother and Yamato braced himself against the wall to stop himself from fidgeting. He hated how Takeru smiled brightly at him and gave one last goodbye to their father before walking out with Natsuko. How could Takeru act mature and understanding while Yamato felt so twisted up inside?
Yamato concentrated on their retreating footsteps until they were lost in the general noises of the hospital. Finally, he looked directly at his father's body, appearing to sleep peacefully on his hospital bed. Yamato stayed where he was, watching from a distance the steady rise and fall of his father's chest in time with the machines that were keeping him alive.
When Yamato had stayed long enough that he figured his brother and Natsuko wouldn't question his arrival, he pushed himself off the wall. Yamato spared one last look at his father before he fled the room.
"Taichi!"
Taichi looked up to see Daisuke waving enthusiastically. They'd agreed to meet outside their apartments before the soccer game.
"Is Sora here yet?"
Daisuke shook his head, looking confused. "Not yet. Isn't she coming with Yamato?"
"Yamato and Takeru were going shopping with Ms Takaishi. I think they were going to stop by the hospital to visit Mr Ishida."
"Oh."
Taichi's attention turned to the entrance of Sora's apartment block, waiting for her to step through the gates.
"Hey, Taichi?"
"Yeah?"
"Do you think I should do something – about Takeru, I mean."
"Like what?"
Someone pushed the gate open, but it wasn't Sora. Taichi tapped his foot in irritation before looking down at his phone. Where was she?
"I don't know," Daisuke responded with a shrug. "Comfort him? What's it like to have a father you barely see end up in hospital?"
Taichi paused and really looked at Daisuke, who fidgeted under his gaze. People always commented how similar they were to each other, but Taichi knew Daisuke was far more considerate than he had been at that age. For a moment, he forgot his agitation and focused solely on his protégé.
"How about doing an activity that he enjoys? Being in different schools means that you should put in the effort to see each other outside more often. Don't just meet up because of the Digital World."
Taichi hadn't meant to sound so wistful, but he'd rather Daisuke and his friends didn't make the same mistakes he and the others had. Sometimes Taichi worried that the Digital World was the only thing keeping them together.
"What're you guys still doing here? I said to go ahead without me."
Sora stopped in front of the boys, looking between them with curiosity. Frowning, Taichi looked at his digivice. He felt his heart stop.
"I'm gonna be late! Why didn't you say something?" he asked Daisuke.
Daisuke held up his hands. "I thought you knew what time it was."
Without another word, Taichi took off in a sprint, with Daisuke and Sora close behind him.
Yamato was already at the game by the time the three of them arrived. He seemed a little subdued, but Taichi figured that wasn't too surprising given the circumstances.
"I thought I was going to have to force myself to watch a soccer game on my own."
"I know soccer just isn't the same without me," Taichi retorted, slapping Yamato on the back as he walked past. "Now sit back and watch the perfect sports human in action."
"Where on Earth did he get that nickname?"
"Not sure," Sora said between deep breaths, "but whoever they are, they have a lot to answer for."
Daisuke grinned at the two older Chosen. "I think it sounds pretty cool!"
"Have a good day at school!"
The door closed and Natsuko was once again left with a peacefully quiet house. It had been nearly two weeks since Yamato had moved in and nothing about it had gone as smoothly as she would have liked. She couldn't understand why he still wanted to cook, when she could easily do that. Did he not like what she made?
The novelty of the boys living in the same house together was also quickly wearing off and being replaced with a need for space. If Yamato living with them was going to become long-term, then Natsuko knew she would need to find enough space for them all.
She did a final proofread of the article she wrote up last night, correcting any typos that she had previously missed, and sent the document to her boss. It was met with an almost instant reply.
"Check the hospitals in Odaiba. Someone seems to be trying to cover something up."
Natsuko shut down her computer, her thoughts immediately going to Hiroaki. Was there something more to the situation than the doctors had implied? She thought of Yamato, who was finally beginning to open up to her, and felt horrible for wanting her ex-husband to stay in hospital just a little longer so she could get to know their eldest son better.
The journey to Rainbow Hospital wasn't long. Natsuko calmly walked up the path, past the hedgerows and the sound of a trickling fountain to the main entrance. As she stepped through the doors, Natsuko looked around the waiting room, but little seemed out of the ordinary. She glanced at the clock, noticing that visiting hours for Hiroaki's ward were open.
She walked down the increasingly familiar corridors to get to her ex-husband's room. Some patients she passed already had visiting families, while others sat in their rooms alone. Finally, she reached Hiroaki's room only to find an empty bed.
Natsuko felt as if her heart had just dropped into her stomach. She pulled out her mobile phone, wondering if she'd missed a call. Surely they'd tell her first if something had happened. Taking calming breaths, Natsuko looked around frantically for the nurse's station.
"Where's Hiroaki Ishida?" she asked, startling the nurse on duty.
The young woman looked shell-shocked, but one of her colleagues quickly recovered for her.
"Please calm down. Mr Ishida has been moved into another ward."
"Why?"
The nurses glanced at each other nervously and Natsuko suddenly remembered why she had originally come to the hospital.
"Can someone take me to see him?"
One of the nurses stood and beckoned Natsuko to follow. The two walked through several wards, making so many turns it sometimes felt as if they were turning back on themselves. Finally, the two women arrived in an area with a chamber ahead and what looked like a security guard standing at the entrance.
Without a word, the guard stepped aside to let them through. Natsuko put on the scrubs and face mask as instructed. Only when the nurse was satisfied, did she open the door leading away from the guard and into a new corridor.
Everyone was wearing scrubs from children to adults. Several had their faces pressed to the glass, staring at loved ones lying in bed. Natsuko glanced from one side to the next, wondering when she would see her ex-husband's face.
She froze when she finally saw him – head wrapped up from his fall and looking pale against the sheets. Natsuko went to take a step forward, but realised the nurse had not bothered to stop. She took one last look at Hiroaki and made her choice. There was little she could do for him by just staring forlornly through a window, but she could find answers.
It wasn't much further before they reached the floor's nurse station. The duty nurse looked from her colleague to Natsuko and gave a silent nod.
"Dr Chang is in his office."
The nurse showed her to the relevant room and knocked on the door. They waited for the affirmative sound from inside before the nurse opened the door and ushered Natsuko inside, closing it behind her.
Dr Chang sat pouring over what looked like detailed notes. As his name suggested, he was ethnically Chinese. Dark rimmed glasses framed his eyes and his jet black hair was cut short. After a moment, he sorted the notes back into a pile and turned to face Natsuko.
"Please have a seat, Mrs…"
"Ms Takaishi," she corrected.
He frowned at the name and looked through his records. "We don't have anyone by the name of Takaishi here."
"My former husband is Hiroaki Ishida. I'm here on behalf of my son."
Dr Chang eyed her suspiciously, but Natsuko was used to remaining calm under pressure. She knew Yamato would be angry with her for using him to get information, but Natsuko wasn't doing this solely to get an exclusive article.
"Is there anything you can tell me?"
"You're a reporter, aren't you?"
"Yes I am, but that's not the primary reason I'm here," Natsuko insisted. "Please, what might have caused this?"
Dr Chang sighed and removed his glasses in order massage the bridge of his nose. Slowly he replaced them, taking a moment to finally begin speaking.
"Honestly, we're not sure what we're dealing with. The quarantine is likely to be unnecessary, but until we have some idea what's causing this, we hope that it will help to put the public's mind at ease when news finally gets out," he said, giving Natsuko a pointed look.
"How many hospitals are affected?"
"From what we can assume, almost all the cases have been within Odiaba, with only a handful in other prefectures. Although, it has been difficult to properly diagnose the patients."
"And why's that?" Natsuko asked, bringing out a pad of paper.
Dr Chang glanced at the pad, but no longer seemed bothered that Natsuko was beginning to take notes. "Some, like your ex-husband, have all the symptoms of a heart attack. Others appear to have collapsed from exhaustion, despite friends and family reporting they seemed fine only a few hours before. Also, most of the victims are young and healthy with only a tiny number having underlying health issues. In other words, it goes against almost every virus I know of."
"What do you think it is?"
Dr Chang sighed. "Don't put this on record, but I think someone is attacking these people. If the victims had been stabbed or showed some signs out outer distress, the police would have come to that conclusion already."
"What kind of weapon could cause distress on the inner organs without causing any outward damage?"
Dr Chang looked at her over the rims of his glasses. "Now you understand why none of our hypotheses make sense."
Natsuko wrote down the last of her notes and stood up when she realised he had nothing more to tell her. "Thank you for all your help, Dr Chang. Is it possible to obtain a list of victims?"
Dr Chang stood up as well. "You'll need to speak with the public relations team. I can have one of the nurses take you there."
"I would appreciate that."
As she turned to leave, Dr Chang stopped her.
"Please don't report any of what we've spoken about. I don't want to lose my job."
"I told you, I came here mainly for my son. I'll only report what your public relations team tells me; although, I may use the rumours I've heard here to press for more information."
Dr Chang nodded, seemingly satisfied with her answer. "Until your next visit, Ms Takaishi."
"Thank you for meeting with me Dr Chang. You have been very helpful."
She left with a final bow of thanks, before heading directly to the public relations section of the hospital.
Takeru tapped his pen rapidly against the paper in agitation. His assignment was due tomorrow and he couldn't concentrate! He stood up, sliding his chair backwards, and marched over to his bedroom. He wrenched the door open.
"Would you stop it?"
Immediately, Yamato stopped plucking at his bass and looked up.
"What's wrong?"
"It's very difficult to concentrate when you're playing the same notes over and over again."
"We've got an event we're playing at in a few weeks, so I need to make sure I remember all the songs."
"Well, I've got homework to finish by tomorrow, which is more important than your band sounding good."
Yamato scoffed at him, standing up to put his bass away carefully.
"Maybe if you hadn't left it to the last minute, you wouldn't be so stressed."
Takeru glared at his older brother, but knew he had a point. It was bad, he knew, but Takeru didn't work well until it was close to the deadline.
"Can't you find somewhere else to practice for tonight?"
Yamato packed up his equipment and slung his bass over his shoulder.
"As a matter of fact I can, but next time let me know in advance so I'm not wasting my time."
He walked out the door and the house was finally silent.
The essay was much easier to finish once Yamato had gone. Mom still hadn't come back from whatever she was investigating, so Takeru had the apartment to himself. After proofreading it one last time, Takeru printed out his essay and put it in his bag, before flopping down onto his bed. Patamon followed him, curling up on Takeru's chest when he finally settled down. He made a satisfied hum as Takeru idly stroked his long bat-like ears.
"I thought it would be easier than this."
Takeru felt Patamon shift a little on his chest.
"What would?"
"Yamato living here."
Patamon was the only one who had seen Takeru's deepest desire when BelialVamdemon put the Chosen Children under his spell.
"Remember the Digital World? You two fought then."
"Yeah, but that's because I was just a little kid. We're both teenagers now."
Takeru looked out towards his window.
"Only kids are allowed to fight."
Yamato turned the key in the lock and slowly pushed the front door open, careful to make as little sound as possible. He had found a secluded park and gone through the notes on his own until it was nearly dark. He paused and turned a little when he heard footsteps behind him.
Natsuko stopped in her tracks, her surprise evident, but silently stepped through the door and took off her shoes. She glanced at the bass slung over his back, but said nothing.
Yamato watched with curiosity as Natsuko put her coat away and then picked up her bag, which was filled with papers, placing it in her office. Yamato quietly put his bass in Takeru's room and carefully closed the door so not to disturb his brother's sleep. He listened as Natsuko unpacked her bag. Whether it was due to pride or nervousness, Yamato couldn't bring himself to ask her why she was late. Instead, he walked into the office and leaned against the doorframe, hoping that she would initiate the conversation.
"I visited the hospital today. Hir… your father was moved to a quarantine ward. Apparently, there have been several cases recently of lone pedestrians collapsing late at night. Doctors are concerned it might be a new virus, but currently don't have enough evidence to be certain."
Natsuko finally pulled her laptop out and set it next to the computer. Yamato took a deep breath.
"Is it just Rainbow Hospital?"
"Several victims have been brought to hospitals around Odaiba and the surrounding area. I believe that's why they were initially working on the assumption it was caused by a virus."
"Wouldn't a virus have a source point?"
"Potentially. I think that's what the investigators are now trying to find." Natsuko tapped a large stack of papers. "The hospital was kind enough to release the names of all the victims. Maybe knowing a bit more information about them will help us learn something about the cause…" she trailed off just as her stomach rumbled.
Yamato looked at her, keeping his expression deliberately blank. Slowly her cheeks began turning pink.
"I'll make dinner."
Natsuko stood up in protest, but he cut her off with a sharp look, his knuckles gripping the doorframe so hard they turned white.
"We need to figure out what's going on, and you know what you're doing."
Natsuko slowly sat down again as Yamato disappeared from the door. A little nervous what her son would make, she tried to put that thought to the back of her mind as she gathered her list of victims and began her research. Since there were few leads, she aimed to find as much information as she could about each patient.
The strong smell of food brought Natsuko from her research trance. She looked up at the clock only to see that forty-five minutes had passed. Yamato placed the bowl of steaming hot food on the edge of her desk, making sure she noticed it before letting go. He then grabbed a chair with his now-free hand and sat down next to her with his food.
Natsuko remembered her husband's cooking from when they were students. The fact that Yamato's cooking looked edible was a surprise in itself. It wasn't that she didn't trust her son, but he hadn't had the best of teachers.
She brought the first mouthful to her lips and paused to glance at her son from the corner of her eye. He was ignoring her completely, instead focusing on his food as he read through the notes Natsuko had left out. Steeling herself, Natsuko took a bite.
"Too salty?"
Yamato hadn't even turned to look at her, but had somehow seen a reaction. Natsuko blinked in confusion. His words took a moment to catch up with her and she caught herself making a funny face.
"Oh! No, not at all," she insisted. "This is very good."
Yamato looked at her out of the corner of his eye with a dubious expression.
"You don't have to pretend you like it."
"I do, it's just –" Natsuko blushed. "I'm surprised how good it tastes."
Yamato sighed. "Didn't think a workaholic and his son could eat well?"
Guilt felt like a weight in her stomach. "That's not what I…"
"Don't worry, almost everyone thinks that about us."
Natsuko didn't want to be like everyone else. Takeru had mentioned having dinner with their father, but she had always assumed they'd had take-out or gone to a restaurant. She wondered how Hiroaki had managed to raise a son who was so much better than him at cooking.
"I'm sorry."
Yamato shrugged. "It's fine."
He moved his now empty bowl back onto the tray and picked up the paper he had been reading.
"How much information do you have so far?"
Natsuko knew her words had hurt him, but couldn't think of a way to make things better, so she decided to put those thoughts aside and work on the case. She turned her laptop screen towards him.
"Here is what the hospital's press team has released," she said, handing him a piece of paper. "I managed to get a little information from some of my contacts about a number of the victims: their ages, where they collapsed, etc. I'm not sure how useful any of it is, though."
Yamato sat back with the papers in one hand and held his bowl in the other. As he continued to read, he seemed to relax more. A thoughtful expression crossed his face. Natsuko caught herself staring.
"You remind me of your father right now."
Yamato sucked in a breath, but didn't say anything. Despite her better judgement, Natsuko found herself continuing to speak.
"He's always been good at looking into the fine detail. Of course, he'd get so wrapped up in pursuing a lead that he'd forget about the rest of his job, or that it was his turn to cook…"
Natsuko was so focused on her memories of Hiroaki that she almost forgot Yamato was listening next to her.
"I think the part I hated most about our divorce was watching those traits I once admired become the things I despised him for."
Yamato let the silence hang for a moment before speaking.
"Whenever we were out together, people would always ask who my mother was. I can't remember anyone comparing me to him."
"It's human nature to focus on someone's differences. They'll always focus on what makes you foreign to them rather than who you are."
Slowly, Yamato turned back to his reading and Natsuko found herself watching him a moment longer before returning to her own work. The two read documents in silence, with Natsuko highlighting and making notes where appropriate.
"I haven't reached the end of the list, but did all the victims collapse alone?" He leafed through the pages as Natsuko stared. "It seems a little strange no one has shown any symptoms before collapsing and then found alone…"
Yamato handed the documents over to Natsuko, who hastily flipped through them to confirm Yamato's statement. None of them collapsed near any witnesses and every one was found in a public location.
Yamato snorted softly. "I know that look."
Natsuko shook herself out of her daze just as Yamato was picking up the now-empty bowls.
"Dad would get it too. You're on to something."
"I might be," she said diplomatically.
He stacked the bowls together and smiled at her. "I'll leave you to it, then."
"Thank you, Yamato."
He paused for a moment before he closed the door behind him.
With new vigour, Natsuko began making notes. When she finally summarised the information in an easy-to-read format, she sent it to her editor along with the supplementary materials as evidence. Before she logged off her computer, Natsuko received a message from him telling her to run with the story.
Naomi wasn't sure why she had bothered to stay late. She knew the company didn't take her seriously and working a few longer hours wasn't going to change their minds. As she stepped away from the busy streets, the sound of her clipped walk was the only thing that could be heard.
She stopped at the entrance to the street that she walked down every night. Every light was out, with only a thin sliver of a moon above lighting the sky. Naomi paused, wondering if she should take a longer route home. The pain on the backs of her heels made her decision – walking around would tear up her feet even worse than they already were.
She resumed her journey, pulling out her phone just in case. Only the sound of her footsteps filled the street as she continued to walk. Naomi pulled her shoulders back to make herself more confident, so that she looked less of an easy target.
Suddenly, her phone screeched. Naomi looked down just as the screen went blank. A light that had been off, flickered on again briefly before dying out. Naomi quickly turned to look back the way she had come, her heart hammered inside her chest. It wouldn't be far to run back.
A shadow moved out of the corner of her eye and Naomi looked around wildly. Just as she was about to run away, the condition of her feet be damned, she spotted the figure of a woman.
She was framed by the streetlights that were on further up the road. Naomi couldn't see the woman very well from afar, but she looked beautiful with a long dress and dark hair elegantly tied up. Naomi felt a wave of relief wash over her.
"Mind if we walk together? This street is a little creepy."
The woman turned at the sound of Naomi's voice and beckoned her over.
Yamato waved goodbye to Taichi and Sora as he stepped into class. He shoved his hands in his pockets and gave one or two friendly nods to those who made eye contact with him. He sat down at his desk and stifled a yawn, still tired from the previous night.
"So they're saying it's not a virus?"
"The media can't make up its mind what's wrong with these people. Just don't believe any of it!"
"Did you read the article properly? It suggested no one has a clue what's wrong – only ideas."
Yamato stood up, his chair scraping against the floor, and walked over to the group. One of the students saw him coming over and placed an arm over the article to cover it.
"Hey, Yamato."
"So what's the latest story the media have come up with?"
Several of the students glanced at each other nervously. Slowly one slid the article from under her classmate's arm and held it out for Yamato to see.
"There's a bunch of different theories going on, but this article puts them all together and gives a good idea which are the most likely. It's a bit of a relief that it's unlikely to be contagious."
Yamato went to read the article, but froze when he saw his mother's name at the top. His fingers crinkled the paper as his knuckles turned white. Seeing his agitation, the girl firmly yanked it away from him with a smile that didn't reach her eyes.
"Sorry, it was a bit insensitive of us to discuss this in front of you."
"Forget about it."
Yamato turned away before they could say anything else, his hair shielding his eyes from view. He sat down back at his seat and stared straight ahead until the end of class.
The whistle blew loudly, echoing around the gymnasium. At once, the two central players jumped up, both trying to get to the ball first. The crowd around Iori roared, cheering for their preferred team. However, Iori continued to sit with Upamon on his lap, unable to see anything until those in front of him had sat down again.
Iori watched Takeru chatting to a couple of girls from his class. They seemed to be talking about the upcoming game, offering Takeru encouraging words. Upamon glanced up at Iori before finally speaking.
"Aren't you gonna go talk to him?"
"In a minute."
The girls began walking away, waving to Takeru as they went. Seeing his chance, Iori stood up and walked quickly over to his jogress partner.
"Oh, hey Iori," Takeru greeted. "Is Patamon with you?"
"Last time we saw him was in the computer room," Upamon responded before Iori could form a reply.
However, Takeru didn't seem bothered by his answer. Instead, he focused his attention on Iori.
"You wanted to speak with me about something?"
"I… I was curious as to how you were coping."
"Can't say I feel much pressure. We've been practicing hard, so as long as we put in our best effort, I don't really care about the outcome."
"I meant with Yamato living with you."
Takeru sighed, but didn't seem upset, merely resigned. "I guess I can't avoid the subject with you, huh?"
"You should talk to someone, even if it's not me."
"Ichijouji emailed me and offered the same thing. We're doing fine. It's not like this is a long-term arrangement."
"Has there been any update on your father's condition?"
Takeru shook his head and began walking towards the gymnasium. Iori followed.
"Not really. I think they're still trying to figure out what's wrong with him."
Suddenly Takeru stopped in his tracks.
"It's never big things that annoy me. He'll leave a shirt lying on the floor, forget to tidy something away or play music at annoying hours. There such stupid things to get upset about, especially since we're finally living together again… but I just can't help myself."
"Have you talked to him about it?"
Takeru sighed. "Not yet. I keep putting it off, hoping he'll initiate the conversation. After all, I know there are things I'm doing that get on his nerves as well."
"You shouldn't wait too long. I doubt Yamato will say anything unless he's upset, so you should both talk about it before then."
Takeru chuckled. "How can you be so mature about this?"
Iori shared a smile with him. "It's easier for an outsider to remain objective in these situations."
"Well, I'm glad to have you then."
Shoes screeched along the court as the players made quick turns. Suddenly, Takeru knocked the ball out of his opponent's hands and straight towards his teammate. The crowd cheered and Iori smiled as Takeru and his team ran down the other end of the court and scored easily, taking them into the lead.
"Why do the players keep bouncing the ball?"
Iori hushed Upamon, but not before the person next to him sent them a funny look. Iori kept his eyes on the court, trying not to blush from embarrassment. When the attention moved away from him, Iori bent down so he was as close to Upamon without touching him.
"It's part of the rules. You can only hold the ball for a limited number of steps, so players have to bounce it in order to get to the other end of the court. If you stop, you have to pass the ball before you can go anywhere."
"That sounds like a lot of rules. I like kendo more."
Iori chuckled at his partner, glad Upamon appreciated kendo over basketball. Iori sat up when he saw movement out of the corner of his eye.
Miyako was waving to him enthusiastically with Yamato standing behind her, hands in his pockets. The two slowly made their way over, squeezing themselves into the bleachers. Fortunately, Iori had left them some space.
Yamato leaned in between Iori and Miyako as she released Poromon from her bag. "Who's winning?"
"We're ahead by four points," Iori replied just before the other team scored.
They sat watching the game, which became tenser by the minute as the two teams traded points, neither pulling ahead more than six from the other. There were several times when Miyako and Iori had to grab their digimon when they got too excited.
Takeru was a good leader for the team, shouting out orders and providing encouraging words whether they did well or badly on a point. As they reached the final minute, sweat was pouring down his forehead, causing his hair to stick to his skin. The whistle blew for a time out with both teams tied and thirty seconds remaining while the other team had possession. Both teams huddled together.
"Ah! This is way too intense!" Miyako said, squeezing Poromon between her hands.
Iori and Upamon winced at Poromon's treatment, but Yamato wasn't paying attention, instead focusing on his younger brother who was speaking with the coach. The whistle blew to signal the end of the timeout and the players returned to the court.
They quickly resumed play and the other team did their best to wind down the clock. Takeru and the rest of the defence kept up the pressure, so that no one behind the three-point line seemed to feel comfortable taking the shot. With only a few seconds to go on the shot clock, one of the opposing players finally made a drive for the basket, scoring an easy two points just before the buzzer. Twelve seconds remaining.
Another timeout was called and the kids all huddled together. The audience was on the edge of their seats. Iori held Upamon tightly in his lap, while Miyako was much more vocal in her support, shouting for Takeru to win. Several girls in the audience echoed her words of encouragement directed towards Takeru.
At the sound of his name, Takeru looked towards Miyako and noticed his brother sitting behind her. He nodded grimly before getting into position. The whistle blew once more.
The defence was strong from the start. They were keen to force an error before the home team could even get close to the basket. However, Takeru and the others were prepared for it and as the clock quickly wound down, one of the players finally passed Takeru the ball.
Takeru, the star player of the match, went straight for the basket, only to be stopped by two defenders. Everyone held their breath as Takeru crouched down to take the shot for two points… only to bounce it behind him to his teammate who had been left unguarded. His teammate quickly jumped up for the shot, which ricocheted a little around the rim before falling through the net. The buzzer sounded as it fell through. The three point shot was enough to get them the victory they needed. The audience erupted in cheers.
"That was awesome! You guys were really amazing back there."
Takeru laughed. "Yeah, for a time I was a little worried our plan wouldn't work, but I guess they had to try to stop me because my shooting record was the best in the game."
"Are you sure you didn't want to celebrate with the team?" asked Iori.
"I can do that when we win the championships. Right now, I'd rather hang out with you guys."
Miyako grinned. "Aww does that mean you'll be treating us?"
"I thought it was supposed to be the other way around!"
"Takeru," Patamon called from the top of his partner's head, "I'm hungry."
Yamato walked silently behind them, his hands in his pockets. At Takeru's outburst he stopped in his tracks. The younger three stopped and turned around.
"Do you want ice cream?"
"Ice cream!" the digimon shouted.
Yamato closed the door softly behind him as Takeru announced their presence to their mother and Patamon immediately flew towards the kitchen. Takeru took off his hat and then laid his shoes neatly next to the others. It was a stark contrast to the mess of shoes that would normally greet Yamato when he arrived back home, that is, if there were any shoes at all. He shook the sobering thoughts from his mind and put his hand on Takeru's head – he immediately withdrew it in disgust.
"You need a shower."
Takeru swiped at Yamato's arm. "I told you the showers were broken. You're the one who forgot."
"What'll Mom say when she sees you dripping sweat on her tidy floor?"
Takeru rolled his eyes and grabbed his gym bag, which had all his toiletries in it. He gave Yamato a pointed look as he stepped into the bathroom and kept eye contact until he shut the door. Yamato chuckled at his behaviour, but sobered the moment he saw his mother working in her office. With one guilty glance towards the shower room, Yamato walked purposefully into Natsuko's office.
Natsuko was sitting at her computer typing out another article. She looked up from her work when Yamato stepped in, slowly closing the door behind him.
"How was school today?"
Her smile slowly disappeared when she noticed how serious Yamato seemed with his arms crossed over his chest as he leaned against the doorframe.
"Is something wrong?"
"I read the article you wrote."
Natsuko froze the moment she heard the steel in his voice.
"Did you visit the hospital to see Dad or just so you could play the part of the distressed relative in order to get a story?"
"Yamato…"
"It isn't a difficult question."
"I received a tip-off about a quarantine ward in the hospital. I decided to visit your father at the same time. I had no idea he was one of the victims until I got there."
"So you were there for work," Yamato summarised curtly.
"I was there for both! I wanted to check on him, which is why I visited that hospital rather than any of the others. When I found out he had been moved into quarantine, I asked one of the doctors for information."
Yamato snorted, his tone derisive.
Natsuko stood up quickly, feeling angry and defensive. "Is it so hard for you to believe I was concerned for your father while also doing my job?"
"Could you have gotten that information without Dad being there?" he asked, ignoring her question.
"Everything I published was information freely available to any journalist asking the right questions. Why is it so difficult for you to accept I'm actually concerned about you and your father?"
"Why? Because it's not like you did anything last time."
Natsuko's mouth opened and closed again, but no sound escaped. Yamato watched with bitter satisfaction as the realisation dawned on her face. He turned away, having seen enough.
He wasn't naïve like Takeru; he didn't hold any hope that his parents would get back together. Yamato stormed into Takeru's bedroom, making straight for the desk, and started yanking out his science homework from his school bag. He angrily swiped away tears before they fell. No, he wasn't naïve enough to think his parents would ever get back together…
…but he had somehow hoped they could at least care about each other again.
"Miyako, do you mind stopping by my apartment with me? That computer is faulty again."
Miyako finished off her ice cream with a satisfied smile. "Again? Maybe you should think about getting a new one."
"I'm not sure we can afford one right now. Unfortunately, it's not a high priority."
Miyako's face fell and she stared at Iori sympathetically. "My sister has an old computer I think she wants to replace. I'll have a look at it and see if I can fix it up for you. In the meantime, let's see what I can do about that old thing."
Miyako waved enthusiastically to Iori's mother as they walked past the kitchen and into the computer room. Iori picked up the phone to dial Miyako's family to let them know she would be staying at his house for dinner, while Miyako turned on the computer. Poromon and Upamon jumped up onto the bed and began playing around.
Iori returned just as Miyako began taking out an emergency pack from her school bag. She turned off the computer again (which wasn't responding anyway) and disconnected it from the power.
"I think you're the only person I know who carries a soldering iron in her bag."
Miyako grinned. "Hey, it comes in handy. You know the number of things I've been able to fix with this at school?"
Iori sat down, quietly watching Miyako work. He admired the way she was able to take things apart and put them back together even better than she found them. His mother dropped in with drinks to let them know dinner would be ready in a few minutes.
"Are you enjoying middle school?"
Miyako tugged at one of the connections and, noticing it was loose, began soldering the wire more securely. She gave it another gentle tug after it had cooled and smiled, happy with her work.
"I like it a lot in some ways. I hadn't realised how much I'd stopped socialising with my classmates since our adventures in the Digital World started, so I'm glad to be mending some of those bonds." She paused for a moment to look over her shoulder at him. "How about you? Have you managed to make any friends your age?"
"You sound like my mother," Iori grumbled softly. "There's a new girl in our class who I get along with. She's popular with everyone so I have a group of friends I enjoy being with. You don't need to worry."
"Glad to hear it."
Mrs Hida popped her head into the office. "Dinner's ready you two."
Miyako put the case back on. "We'll test it after dinner, but hopefully I can breathe a little life into it."
Yamato sat at Takeru's desk, headphones covering his ears and playing classical music. As he worked through the next Physics question, Yamato could almost pretend he was back at home, waiting for Dad to return from work. Through the music, he heard his younger brother shouting at him. Yamato removed his headphones to indicate he was listening.
"Dinner's ready."
Yamato stared at his paper, willing himself back to his old room. However, it was no use; the spell had already been broken.
"I'll be there when I'm finished."
"Mom says you have a minute."
Yamato gripped his pencil tight with frustration. There was no point continuing to work since the rest of the problems would take him at least twenty minutes. Once Takeru had left, Yamato stood up angrily, pushing back the chair so it scraped against the floor. He stood there for a moment, taking deep breaths to calm himself down.
He told himself he missed the days when he didn't have to follow anyone else's schedule, but there was more to his annoyance than being forced to eat dinner at an inconvenient time.
Please let me know what you think. Part 3 will be released in a few days time.