Kate: Kouzumi and Koukou (brotherly) I have no idea how I deserved so many reviews for chapter three but thankies to all! You've inspired me to continue even with my life now lacking of digimon frontiers...
To chibi minamoto & neofilly: I wasn't really going to reply to the reviews but yours surprised me. Anyway, this is most likely NOT going to be a Takumi fic because... well frankly, I don't support Takumi myself. But just for your sake, I think we're going to put Junpei in our story, so there might be a one sided Junzumi ^-~ hope you two don't mind!
To Izumi-Star: since you asked a question, we considered if they were or if they weren't, and Kat says yes, so yes it is, that Kouji and Izumi are girlfriend/boyfriend. Thanks for bringing that up though! I had never thought of it when I wrote it.
To FireDemonOfTheUnderwolrd: *raises eyebrow* er... I don't have much to say to you, but this fic is going to have to be Koukou (brotherly mind you--so sorry) because the plot is basically: why am I telling you?? *glares* you almost made me tell you! ARGH!! *clamps mouth shut* .
To RoseniteHuntress, LonelyWindFairy, Palmon, KoujiGirl, Angichi, & Ankoku-Ookami: Thanks for reviewing! It meant a lot to me! Oh... and sorry for the slow progress. I think I might've promised to write one during the winter break, so here I am, to write you another chappie WITHOUT Kat's help. *glares at Kat* Oh well...
By they way, Late Merry Xmas and a Late Happy New Year! *blush*
Kat: ^_^ fun fun... *stalks Kate around* We discussed more of the story (this chapter) buuut...need ending ideas now :P "If" we're going to end it this soon that is.
Safety Precaution: There will be no Junpei bashing in this one, because I personally don't have anything against him. Even with this, I refuse to write Junzumi because I just find that hard to work with... sorry to all disappointed fans. (Kat: even better! Let's leave him out totally :P nah...he'll appear)
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Chapter Four:
"Izumi, get over here," Takuya cried deafeningly as he jumped up from his seat ecstatically.
"Shhhhh!" A wave of heads turned to them and glared.
"Sorry," Izumi bowed her head in apology, and then turned to glare at him. He smiled sheepishly, then turned and pointed to the computer screen where the Kouji and Kouichi's birth records were visible.
"Takuya, you found them!" Izumi shrieked just as energetically.
"Shhhhh!" All eyes were on them again. They quickly apologized, after being severely scolded by the librarian who threatened to kick them out if they were to disturb her again.
"Their profiles, it's so... similar," Izumi cocked her head to one side as she scrolled down the screen.
"Similar? They're practically identical," Takuya rolled his eyes. "Hey, if you look here, you'll see that their parents are..."
~*~
"What would you like my good man?" a red spiked-haired boy asked him kindly as he continued to brandish a glass. Kouji collapsed on the seat listlessly, listening to the endless cheering of the dancers on the disco stage.
'What am I doing here?' he thought dully as the young man watched him with concern. He waved his hand in front of him, as if to seek his attention.
"You okay?" he asked. Kouji nodded, making the boy grin as he reached to grab another glass.
"You look familiar. Where have I seen you before?" he asked. After waiting for response, and not receive one, he introduced himself.
"My name's Junpei." Junpei shoved a glass of wine in front of him, causing him to look suddenly alert.
"Er... I don't drink." Kouji replied nervously, pushing the glass away as a few snobby girls approached.
"Junpei, please?" He handed them a bottle of what seemed like red wine. They smiled at him, batting their eyelashes playfully.
"Go now! I have a business to run." Junpei replied irritably, although obviously enjoying the attention.
"Who's this?" One of them turned and placed their hand on Kouji's shoulder. Kouji quickly waved it off and glared at her.
"Oh, feisty," she grinned, "you new around here?"
"Junpei, would you like to introduce your little friend to us?" another asked haughtily. Junpei shrugged.
"We just met. I don't really know him myself," Junpei frowned, seeing Kouji's unhappy expression. "Why don't you girls go dance a bit. I'll introduce you to him later."
The girls pouted, but were quick to realize they were unwanted and left them in peace.
"Why d'you look so down kid?" Junpei questioned. Kouji looked away.
"It was a girl who did this to you wasn't it?" Junpei smirked. Kouji's eyebrow twitched dangerously, as he tried his best to ignore the comment.
"Yeah, I get that all the time. What did she do? Cheat you on or something?" Junpei continued, while wiping another cup dry. Kouji turned abruptly to stare at him.
"Mind your own business," he retorted, eyebrows arched with pure frustration. Junpei just smiled casually, as he raised his arms and signaled an innocent surrender. Kouji shook his head impulsively.
"You have anything to drink?" Kouji sighed, trying to lighten the topic. Junpei turned and listed the cabinets.
"What would you like? Vernaccia, Italian grape wine...Sparkling, some sort of German wine... Eiswein, it's an Austrian drink. Or would you like some beer of some sort, um let's see... White Water Wheat, that's Virginian... or-"
"Um... just water's fine," Kouji muttered. Junpei raised his eyebrow.
"Water? Oh please, here let me choose for you," Junpei turned and traced his finger down the catalog. Here, Beaujolais, French champagne. I've taken a liking to it. It's made from red grape and has a fresh, fruity flavour. Here try it." Junpei handed him a glass of dark reddish purple liquid.
Kate: Hey! I'm not making this up. I did a lot of research on every one of those types of wines. Even the flavour thing of that Beaujolais thing is accurate!!!!!!!
Kouji looked at it uncertainly. If his manager was here, he would never even allow him to touch the drink forget taste it.
"I don't really know..."
"Aw... come on. Just a taste won't hurt you, trust me."
Kouji lifted the glass and swirled it lightly with his hand, before taking a small whiff of it. Cautiously, he tasted it. Junpei raised his eyebrow.
"Are you sure you haven't drunk before?" Junpei narrowed his eyes, suspiciously.
Kouji rolled his eyes. "Yes, I'm quite sure of what I've done and not done thank you very much." Junpei grinned, and offered him a refill.
~*~
Kate: This is for Katrina's sake. She wanted to know what happened to Kouji's manager.
Kat: no…I just happened to "notice" that Kouji's manager didn't even know about the car accident, the hospital, where on earth Kouji is…etc. :P
"zzzZZZZZ..."
"Sir, please wake up," the chairboy of the hotel shook Kouji's manager by the shoulders. The man snorted in his sleep, unaware of this interruption.
"Sir, please," the chairboy groaned weakly before taking a deep breath.
"WAKE UP SIR!!"
The manager jumped out of his bed, alarmed, and stared at the chairman with uttermost hate.
"What do you want boy?" he spat, while searching around to find his slippers. The chairboy looked down awkwardly, and replied, "It's almost nightfall, sir, and there still is no sign of Kouji Minamoto."
"WHAT?" he roared, and threw his pillow at the frightened young man. The manager started grumbling under his breath, as he reached for his cell phone.
"You have missed... Eight...phone calls from... Kouji Minamoto." The phone called.
"EIGHT PHONE CALLS?" the manager roared, outraged. "You, Chairboy! Find out where the calls were made and send a ride out to pick up Kouji..." He barked, "...MOVE!"
"Y-yes, sir." The boy stammered and he hurriedly scrambled out of sight.
~*~
+Flashback+
"Calm down young man. Your mother is currently under the observation. She's being carefully watched around the clock. She'll be going to the U.S. in a few hours," the doctor told him after he ran breathlessly to the appointment clerk as if someone had died. Kouichi had just handed him a check, and was informed that his mother's condition had suddenly gotten worse.
"We give her treatment once the specialists arrive in New York." He continued, "Do not worry."
"New York?" Kouichi spluttered. "What's she going there for?"
"Apparently, her condition is not stable, so we think its best that we let her be treated with the best care. In her case, U.S.A was the only option," the doctor replied, while shooing him out of the hospital. "Now go have fun. It's not right for a youngster, such as yourself, to be worried so much."
"How long is she going to be gone?" Kouichi asked abruptly. He frowned at the idea of his mother being "shipped" to the U.S. without even her consent, but didn't argue if it really was for the best.
"At the least, three months..."
+End of Flashback+
Kouichi was appalled. 'Three months?' he thought weakly at the thought of not seeing his mother for that long. Miserably, he kicked a pebble and watched it fall of the curb and onto the busy road.
The sky was getting quite dark but he didn't feel like going home yet. Kouichi continued his way on the path, aimlessly. He heard some shouting and rude language being used. Looking up, he noticed he was near the country's so-called most famous pub.
Suddenly, a car horn honked repeatedly behind him. He ignored it and averted the path, choosing to avoid the pub.
Someone tapped him on the shoulder. Confused, he turned around.
"Let's go, sir. Your manager's waiting." When the boy didn't respond, the man began nudging him towards the dark limousine.
"Hey! I don't even know you. You have the wrong person."
"You think I would mistake someone for another? It's my job to find people." With that, he herded Kouichi into the limo and shut the door.
"I'm not—"
'He's drunk, obviously...' The man thought to himself, '...Couldn't even recognize me. His chauffer for what—almost a year now?' He shook his head disapprovingly at the pub and got into the car.
~*~
"Where could they be?" Izumi muttered. She and Takuya had gone to the hospital just to find out that Kouji had stormed out and Kouichi had left shortly after paying for his mother's operation.
"Maybe Kouji's gone back to the hotel..." Takuya responded, helpfully, as they walked slowly out the hospital entrance. "It is starting to get dark..." Izumi brightened.
"Let's go then!" She waved at a passing taxi and the two headed downtown.
Authors' Note:
Kat: heeey! Where's Kouichi gone? *brightens* Owell, for all of you non-Kouichi fans. WE DON'T HAVE TO WORRY, DO WE?! Jkjk :P *keeps Kate away from the keyboard* I hope his mother's going to be okay though...
Kate: psh. So you did write something. Big deal Kat... after all, I wrote like...80% of it. :P:P
Kat: YOU GOT ALL THE INTERESTING PARTS, THAT'S Y!! :\ unfair. I had to resolve almost everything. Thanx for all the reviews!! R+R!