Chapter 4: Friends

When Jyou awoke the next morning, he felt immensely better. The fight seemed like a dream and he was even hopeful he could work it out. He even quickly developed a plan to somehow email his Dad a fake report card. But by mid-day, he realized how impossible that all seemed and he was flooded with thoughts again. Especially as it grew closer to Hikari's birthday party that evening. Jyou had thoroughly fought six months in advance to go and was glad he was able to celebrate with his friends. For awhile as he made his way to the Yagami apartment, he thought this would be a good chance for him to catch a break from everything, but then he saw Yamato and his heart sank. He was talking with Sora. Sora. It didn't make sense, especially after the Christmas incident.

"So, this is how you decide to meet with me? At Hikari's party? You can't talk to me over the phone or meet me alone in person? You have to do it here?" Sora questioned endlessly.

All Yamato did was approach her. Because what was he going to do? Ignore her the entire time? "Sora, I just needed time to think."

"Well, what are we going to do?"

"I'll..." Yamato started, feeling sick to his stomach, "I'll stay with you, Sora. I'm not one who doesn't take responsibility, you know that. Also, I can't abandon a friend."

"R-Really?" she smiled. Her eyes glossed over. "Yamato, you're so mature."

The blonde did blush a little. Sora embraced him. He wasn't sure what to do, really, so, as he saw Iori and Miyako approaching, he hugged her back. Then, she gently took his face in her hands and kissed him.

Yamato, you like to kiss me, right? I'm your mother, this is what sons do when they say goodbye to their mothers.

He kissed back, but more out of instinct than any actual feeling. It was far from passionate and eventually he found the sense to pull away. His face burned red with embarassment and anger.

"Hey, you two," Iori greeted.

"Wow, I didn't know you two got back together!" Miyako smiled. "I'm so glad you worked it out."

"Y-Yeah," Yamato faked a smile and pulled Sora up next to him. She giggled.

"Oh, hey Jyou!" Miyako called. "Come on, join the rest of us!"

Yamato closed his eyes. How much have you seen? He recognized Jyou's delicate footsteps and only opened his eyes when Jyou had met up with them. However, he couldn't look at those beautiful eyes. Jyou tried to give a smile.

So, you were just using me. I should have guessed. "So, when were you planning on telling everyone?"

"We wanted to surprise everyone..." Yamato replied.

"Come on, Hikari's waiting on us," Miyako said, leading the train of kids behind her. They all flowed into the apartment carrying gifts and eventually seperated into their cliques they had developed over the years.

Sora held close to Yamato, though, keeping him away from Jyou and Koushiro, who he usually mingled with. Instead, he found Taichi congradulating them. "I can't believe it, man. How long were you guys dating anyway?"

"How did you..." Yamato started. Sora made a noise next to him.

"I... may have told Taichi, too," Sora replied. "He wouldn't stop pestering me. You know how much of a bother he can be."

"Yeah..." Yamato responded.

"So, you're going to be a father. That's amazing," Taichi replied.

"My dream..." Yamato said cheerfully, even though he was really admitting his life fleeting away from him.

Jyou and Koushiro were standing at the far side of the room. "Jyou, is it just me or does this seem odd to you?"

"You're so observant," Jyou spat.

"I thought you two were dating... I didn't realize he was straight."

Jyou squeezed the plastic cup in his hands, sending juice flying over the edge, "What? You knew?"

Koushiro shrank back a little, "Well, yeah, Yamato and I talk online sometimes. I didn't tell anyone, though. He told me how you felt about it."

"Well, I wonder what other secrets he's been keeping from me," Jyou breathed.

"Maybe he doesn't want to disappoint his parents, either," Koushiro replied.

"No, you don't understand. This is Sora," Jyou demanded.

"Why is she different from any other girl?"

"For Yamato, this is... it doesn't make any sense... how can they be together?" Jyou hissed.

Koushiro watched the wrinkles forming in Jyou's face and sighed. "He seemed very happy with you, Jyou... if that's any consolation. You know how Yamato is. He probably couldn't explain to you what was going on. I mean, he just graduated and he's thinking about his future."

We had a future, Jyou screamed.

Then, Hikari gathered everyone's attention. She pulled Yamato and Sora over to her, a smile across her face, "Everyone, I know you're all here to celebrate me, but there's something I think everyone should know. Yamato and Sora are having a baby!"

Jyou almost choked. Koushiro rubbed his back lightly, but the taller one pulled away and went to the bathroom. He fell onto the sink and fought back all his emotions. He couldn't cry or scream. He couldn't draw unnecessary attention away from Yamato's moment. Jyou just watched himself try to catch his own breath as he tried to reason everything. I just need to relax, he thought, taking a pill from his pocket. Just to get through this party, that's all. No matter how I feel, Yamato had to have good reason for all this, just like Koushiro said. After this, I don't have to deal with them anymore and I won't need these anymore. I'll go home and I can focus on my studies like my father wants. He was right all along. Relationships just complicate things.

Yamato graciously thanked everyone for their thanks and was glad that Sora was being bombared enough with the usual baby questions that he could step aside for a cigarette. He went to the balcony and buried his face in his arms.

Koushiro joined him shortly after. "Yamato..." the other began. "What's going on?"

Sad, blue eyes turned to him, "Nothing, Koushiro... just go back inside."

"You would have told me about this," he whispered. "We're best friends."

"...Sora wanted me to keep it secret, okay?"

"Okay," Koushiro whispered, waving off a cloud of smoke. He stepped up to his friend and looked out over the street below with him. "Jyou's really hurt, you know."

"...yeah, well, we're fighting anyway. He can go feel fucking sorry for himself all he wants."

"Yamato," Koushiro demanded, "What is wrong with you?"

"Koushiro, go back inside."

"You love Jyou more than anything, Yamato. You're far from straight. I don't understand this and you know I'm going to figure this out."

"You're always making theories, but sometimes you're wrong," Yamato replied. "Like I said, Sora wanted to keep it secret until she was ready. Having a baby... it's a big deal. That's a little life inside her. One we owe the best possible existence." The blonde tapped away some ash, "We needed to make sure everyone else was on the same page."

"Oh... so your family knows, then?"

"Yeah. They know," Yamato remarked.

The glass door behind them opened again. Takeru smiled over at them. "Hey, Koushiro. Can my brother and I have a minute?"

"Sure," Koushiro replied, returning inside. Takeru shut the door behind him.

Yamato laughed, "What? Come to congradulate me, too?"

"Actually, I always hoped things would turn out this way," Takeru replied, taking a seat in the chair next to his brother. "Was this what you wanted to talk to me about so urgently the other day? You and Dad?"

Yamato stared into the distance, not looking at anything in particular. He thought, maybe, if God was there, he could glare at him. "Yeah, but like I told Koushiro... Sora wanted to tell everyone. I didn't have a right to."

"You must be happy. You can finally make the perfect family you always dreamed about," Takeru replied.

Yamato laughed again, once more burying his face in his arms. The heat of the cigarette was nearing the tips of his fingers. "Takeru, let's go get some cake, okay?"

"Sounds good," he replied and they headed back inside. Yamato scoured the room for Jyou, but didn't see him. Something's wrong, the blonde thought. He once imagined how his parents had felt when all the kids had disappeared into the Digital World. How scared they were that their children were missing. This was the sense that overcame him suddenly. Then Jyou appeared from the bathroom. His expression was fairly blank but when their eyes met, he just smiled.