A/N: Hi readers, this chapter took way longer than expected but here it is! It is much longer than the other chapters so hopefully it is up to expectations. Please drop me a little love note telling me anything you feel about this chapter! :)

To reviewers:
XxThe-Crest-of-AnubisxX - Hi again! I hope you are reading this chapter :) I adore the previous chapter too! :') Happy reading!
pandoraclock - Thanks! I'll try my best to show Hikari's emotions and thoughts :) It is indeed a challenge but the challenge was one of the reason why I chose to keep it this way :D
Digi-fanCatt - *prances/dances along* I hope this long chapter is good :D

It was Friday today.

Takeru looked at his reflection in the mirror, and a young man of near six feet tall stared back at him before a frown took over his clean shaven face for the umpteenth time. He looked down at the plain black tee and the pair of old jeans from three years ago that was constricting his breathing and shook his head.

Not this.

It was not an ordinary Friday. It was a Friday he had unknowingly been planning in his head for a long time; so long, he wasn't sure when he had been thinking about it. Scratching his head, he sauntered right back to his wardrobe. His blue eyes scanned his collection of hanged clothes, and then his head turned to look at the mess he had created on his bed with his other clothes scattered all over it. It was as if he had just walked straight into a movie scene when a girl had issues picking the right outfit for her date, except he was in the girl's shoes.

And it's not a real date.

It was true. Takeru would love to think of it as a date, but of course it wasn't. He had gone out possibly a million times with his best friend, and they were close to the point that no one bothered to tease them as an item anymore. But today Takeru would try to confess. He couldn't do it blatantly though. His brother had said so when they had dinner the day before. Yet if he were to be too discreet, she wouldn't have notice his affection.

Why is it so hard!

Takeru's right thumb absent-mindedly pushed each hanger to a side along the rod of the wardrobe. His mind drifted to his most recent meet up with his older sibling. He had found Yamato flipping through a big book at the corner of the sizable restaurant, no doubt engineering related, looking extremely stressed. The bright blond hair stood out so imminently amongst the crowd of darker hair patrons that it took Takeru mere seconds to spot his brother upon entering the place. The weather was evidently getting colder as November crept on them; Takeru had worn a grey hooded sweatshirt with jeans, while Yamato wore a black long sleeved turtleneck with matching dark jeans.

"Hey," Takeru greeted, taking his seat opposite Yamato.

The older male promptly shut his book, which made a soft 'thud' due to its weight. His eyes followed Takeru as the latter sat, and he smirked. "You're looking better than last time."

His brother looked tired; studies must have taken a toll on him. Yamato slid his book into his messenger bag that was on the floor, stifling a yawn. His worn-out appearance nonetheless did nothing to stop a pair of girls from stealing glances at him from across.

"Not as good as you look, apparently," Takeru grinned, his eyes diverting his brother's attention towards the female duo, who shrugged easily.

The server came by to take their orders. It was a restaurant that both brothers had patronized enough times, making deciding dinner choices very easy. After ordering, they handed their respective menus back to their server. Yamato turned his attention to his younger brother and smiled widely.

"Since you're looking less sulky than the last time… Do you… have a girlfriend now?!" Yamato inquired, his smile widening more than Takeru thought it could. "Who is she!"

Takeru made an audible groan so Yamato could take the hint. He really did not wish Yamato to start the evening with such a personal topic.

"Does that mean you don't want to tell me her name, or that she's not your girlfriend – yet?"

"Both?"

"Both!?" Yamato sounded genuinely shock, and it somewhat made Takeru feel bad for not being impressive enough to his brother.

"Both."

"She's making it difficult for you, huh?" Yamato questioned with a grin, although it sounded more like a confirmation. "I didn't know you are into the chase, 'keru."

"Wh…what do you do? To… know?" His hand jumped to his bed of hair awkwardly. "For sure?"

Yamato straightened up, his smile evidently remained. His tired face had brightened, welcoming of the topic of interest. "You want to know for sure? Kiss her. If she doesn't slap you then it's quite clear, isn't it." Yamato chuckled, earning him a friendly frown from Takeru.

"I'm serious Onii-chan…"

"I'm serious, too!" Yamato grinned. "Of course alternatively, get physically close to her, but be very subtle about it. Brush against her arms, bump into her hand, and make sure you look at her. Study her body language. You'll know if she's annoyed you did it, or she's going to get very shy about it. It's always a good sign if she's not annoyed."

"And?"

"And, when you're quite sure she might feel the same way, do something bolder. Hold her hand, or whatever fits the situation. It's quite hard to be systematic, you know."

Takeru slowly nodded as he processed the invaluable information he had just learned. He had so many questions to ask, but he couldn't trust himself, so he conveniently took his cup of warm tea on the table and sipped.

"I'm assuming you're not close to this girl," Yamato continued. "Because being too subtle won't work on a girl you're very close to, like Hika–"

Takeru choked on his tea and coughed loudly upon almost hearing Hikari's name. His sudden coughing caused Yamato to stop mid-way in his sentence to laugh at Takeru's misfortune. The younger of the duo quickly placed his tea down while he tried his very best to stop his incessant coughing, his body shook gently from the attempts.

"Not cool bro," Yamato laughed, showing no signs of learning Takeru's true feelings. "Hikari may not be the girl, but you didn't need to have that big of a reaction! She's a really good catch, too."

Takeru smiled the same awkward smile he gave his brother as he snapped away from his thoughts. The rest of the night went way less tensed, but he could not shake off the words his brother had said. Hikari was a great catch, there was no doubt about that. The countless of guys going after her was evident enough. He stared into nothingness, thinking that if he were to mess this up, he would end up like all the guys that wooed her – rejected. But he had more to lose. He had a decade of friendship at stake here.

If I don't at least try, I'll have more to lose...

He returned to looking through his clothes and spotted a dark denim shirt tucked right at the back. Takeru smiled, remembering that it was a two-year-old gift from his best friend. She had spilt water over their chemistry report in senior high right before class ended, the water rendering their writings illegible. Fear took over her then, and he could still recall the panic in her eyes as their teacher approached them.

At that time, they had no time to plan their excuses, so Takeru immediately took full responsibility for the spillage and apologized. Their teacher was not the least impressed, demanding him to stay back after school to re-do the report without Hikari's assistance, because his 'carelessness' should not have wasted others' efforts. Hikari felt so guilty that she gifted him the denim top a few days later, thanking him for always covering her mistakes and mess.

Takeru took off the black shirt he was wearing and flung it to his bed, before slipping into the long sleeved denim top. What used to be rather loose two years ago had now fitted him, his muscles filling out the shirt nicely. He had a change of bottoms to a pair of navy-blue jeans, and rolled back the cuffs of his sleeves as he walked towards the mirror. His hands attempted to smooth the material of his shirt as he examined his twelfth choice.

The male in the mirror looked right back at him. The blues brought out the colour of his eyes, while his darker ensemble made his light hair stand out handsomely. It was casual but not too shabby. At least, he didn't look like he intentionally dressed up for their 267th hangout.

A quick glance at the clock tells him that it was 10.30am. Takeru took in a deep breath and rubbed his clammy palms against the sides of his jeans. Scrambling about his room, Takeru grabbed his wallet, keys, and phone, all the while mentally checking off his itinerary.

Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photography, Shibuya, across the Rainbow Bridge, Gotouchi Men Matsuri, home. Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photography, Shibuya, across the Rainbow Bridge, Gotouchi Men Matsuri, home.

He was about to leave his room when he smacked his forehead – he had almost forgotten! Beside his bed was a small gift bag, waiting patiently to be picked. Like any typical boy, he had resorted to gifting as a way to ease his awkward approach towards a confession. Of course, he wasn't sure it would help, but he knew she had always wanted an instant camera, so why not? It could be about time they each have one another's mini-sized instant photos in their wallets. The blond took the gift along, grinning at the thought.

His heart skipped a beat as he made his way out of his apartment and down to the building's main road. He was light-headed. Takeru had an idea how he wanted the day to go, but whenever he thought of confessing his affection to his best friend, his stomach would began to flip and twist uncomfortably, sending him disarray. Trying his hardest to ignore his anxieties, he clumsily hailed a cab and got in, only to regret a minute later knowing that he could have taken a slower route by bus.

Takeru stared out of the window as their ride flew past trees and buildings, lost in his own thoughts. He wondered if Yamato knew, and whether Taichi would mind. If all goes well, how would Daisuke feel now that they are close friends? If she said yes, would it change the dynamic of their current relationship? He was so busy thinking, he did not realized they had reached his destination until the cab stopped. His heart skipped again.

"Thank you, I have the exact amount."

"Thank you, have a pleasant day!" The cab driver graciously accepted his fare.

The door closed with a soft 'thud' and Takeru spun around, greeted by the looming towers. He rubbed his sweaty palms against his pants again and strode towards the lift. Some days going to the Yagami's residence felt like going back to his second home, but today felt strangely odd. He tugged at his collar, wondering if it was the shirt obstructing his breathing.

When he had reached her place and was about to ring the bell, the door started to tremble lightly, as if someone was right behind fumbling with it. Sure enough, the door slowly opened to reveal his best friend. She carefully slipped through the gap of the door, a finger placed on her lips.

"Hey!" Takeru greeted in a voice as soft as he could manage.

"Hey," she greeted back in a low whisper. Her smile was playful and her eyes were twinkling with mischievousness. "Mom's home! Can't let her know I'm ditching classes!"

Takeru laughed. He love how excited she gets when she broke her set of rules which would have meant nothing to most people their age. "Ready?"

"10 hours ago," the brunette smirked as she cautiously closed the door behind her. They were about to walk towards the lift when she held onto his arm gently to stop him. He inhaled sharply at her sudden touch, while she stood before him, observing his outfit. "I remember this! Is… it?"

He nodded, his smile framing his face.

She smiled back, her slender fingers adjusting his shirt collar before she smoothed his shirt, oblivious to his stare and the tenseness of his body as she did so. He swallowed hard. Takeru could feel the blood rushing to his neck and threatening to show on his face. Hikari tilted her head and looked at him, her brown eyes softened. For a second, he wanted to pull her in and kiss her.

"It looks really good on you."

"Of course." He replied after a pause with a smirk. As always, she rolled her eyes but her smile gave her away.

They strolled towards the old lift that was still at their level, her tan sling bag wanting to slip off her shoulder each time she moved.

"Where're we going?"

"You'll see."

Takeru hid nervousness well. If it showed, he would have been a wreck. The pounding of his heart against his chest was loud and heavy, making it hard for him to control his breathing.

"You're being so sneaky!" Hikari eyed him suspiciously with a grin. They had reached ground level and were moving towards the nearest train station. "Do you know how hard it is for me to find something to wear? I wasn't sure if this is fine." She tugged at her cream crop sweater and gave her denim shorts a quick look. Takeru's eyes followed hers and he inadvertently blushed.

"You look… nice," he said. He knew his brain was not functioning anymore.

"Thanks Teeks, but I was more unsure of whether it's appropriate… Where are we going?" She tried again, smiling sweetly at him. It was hard for him to keep secrets from her.

"You're so persistent, I give up," Takeru sighed in mock defeat, his hands held high above his head like he had surrendered, the gift bag on his right swaying lightly, catching her attention. He grinned broadly watching her curiosity peaked. "I thought we should go to the Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of–"

"Photography! YES!" The brunette exclaimed, almost leaping off the ground. Her enthusiasm had attracted a few turns from passerbys. Takeru laughed as his companion turned crimson almost immediately from the tiny attention she had garnered.

"And then we can pop by Shibuya with this," he handed her the bag. "I thought you might like it."

She took the little gift bag, which weighed heavier than it had looked. A tape had sealed the bag from the content it held and she eyed him suspiciously, a smile playing on her lips. "Did you do something terrible and you're trying to make up for it?"

"I can't give you a present if I wanted to?" He raised his brows and tucked his hands into his side pockets, acting nonchalant.

"No… no, you're being suspicious…" She said confidently albeit unsure, the same smile widening.

"Well… if you insist, I can always bring it back and ask for a refund–"

"No way!" She laughed. The brunette took the tape off the bag neatly. He watched her being meticulous and graceful with the unwrapping of the squared mystery the bag held; he would have just ripped it open.

When the unwrapping revealed a boxed instax camera, she couldn't believe her eyes. Her small hands held onto the box, turning it back and forth. The camera was fully baby pink – her favourite shade.

"Wow, Teeks! Thank you!" She gave him a quick hug, exiting the embrace before he could return it back. "I always wanted one!"

Inside, Takeru winced at his missed opportunity for intimacy. However, on the exterior, the boy acted as cool as a cucumber. "I'm glad you like it. There're films too, we can snap some at Shibuya."

She smiled widely, full of gratitude, whilst hugging the gift close to her heart. "Let's go!"

The best of friends took the train towards the Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photography. It was one of the many things Takeru loved about living in Odaiba – the island in Tokyo Bay was away from the hustle and bustle of Tokyo's crowd, yet when they were to ever run out of places to go within the island, the bigger city was a short train ride away.

Today, he had chosen the museum for a getaway. He knew she adored the place, but could barely visit it for various reasons – a while back she was too young to travel by herself, then there were times when classes and after-school activities were taking too much time. Like most museums, the Metropolitan Museum of Photography's exhibits changes periodically. This day, the museum featured various local artistes' sculptures and local photographers' work. Hikari explored one exhibit followed by another, while Takeru trailed.

He didn't have the eye for photography like she did, but she had always taught him something new each time they were out with her camera. She pointed out the techniques employed by each photographer to him as he stood close, trying his best to understand. Usually, it was easy. After all, Takeru dabbled with arts through creative writing. But not today. Today, concentrating on photography techniques became a lot harder with his mind filled up with romantic how-tos and what-ifs.

It was a roller coaster of emotions for Takeru. Whenever the eighteen-year-old stood extremely close to her any time she stopped, his head would turn light as air, his breath momentarily stopped. His fingers were inches from hers, barely touching, and then she would move away to the next display, as if deliberately making it challenging for him. In truth, Takeru felt hopeless and at a loss. He cared too much for her feelings – more than his – to want to force her to feel the same way he did. After near two hours of exploring and no romantic progress, she suggested to lunch at a fusion café nearby.

After lunch, Takeru led her to Shibuya. Despite it being a weekday, the popular shopping and entertainment district was jam-packed; the railway station was congested, the streets crowding, and every juncture busy with men, women, and children alike. Afraid to lose sight of one another, the brunette stayed close to him. As they made their way through the crowd, her arms occasionally brushed past his. Whenever a passerby were to come too close to her, his hand would find its way to her waist and pull her in. They were so close he could feel the heat radiating off her body, driving him crazy.

It didn't take her long to find a subject for her first instant photo. When she took out her gift and pointed it at a group of teenage boys dressed up in dark ensemble, heavily accented with chains, Takeru then remembered their purpose at Shibuya. They strolled along alleyways and walked past varying heights of skyscrapers, stopping every so often to take a few photos. Hikari was extremely comfortable behind her new camera amidst the unfamiliar setting, her spirits high. To her keen eye, the graffiti and sticker art blanketing Shibuya was a perfect backdrop for snapshots.

"Come on Teeks, let's take a picture together," Hikari said after scanning the area, her voice cheery.

The brunette tugged Takeru's arm as she motioned for him to have a photo taken with her. Before he could have said anything, Hikari had closed their distance. She looped her arm around his, while her other hand angled the camera at 45 degrees high from them. He looked at her, taking in her floral scent and her sweet smile posed for the camera. The pulse of his blood flowing through his veins in his ears grew loud. He smiled at her, wondering if this meant something.

Click. The shutter sounded, disrupting his thoughts and concerns. A photo slowly emerged from the top of the camera, plain as paper before colours slowly showed. He took the photo with his free hand and pocketed it; Takeru knew he hadn't looked at the camera in the previous photo. He wanted her to keep a proper one, so he took the camera and posed for their photo for the second time round, his smile as serene as the ocean, as wide as the Moon.

When evening approached, it was time to head back to Odaiba. They took a train to the north side of the Rainbow Bridge so that they could walk across her favourite Odaiba attraction. By the time they had gotten to the bridge, the Sun was beginning to set. The winds were cutting deeper into their skins as they strolled. The Rainbow Bridge may be a tourist attraction, but its ability to attract bouts of strong winds as night falls had made the authorities closed off access after set timings. Takeru was almost certain they wouldn't have made it to the bridge before the walkway sealed; the hours had gone by too quickly when he was with her.

The blond looked at his best friend for approval. This was her favourite place to go in Odaiba, but knowing this fact did not beat seeing the peaceful and contented expression she carried on her face as they walked, unaffected by the occasional loud swooshing sounds made by passing vehicles on their right.

"It's cold today," she said, stifling a yawn through smiles.

The cold was testing their tolerance. Takeru scanned the walkway and noticed they were the only foolish ones without outerwear. Hikari was now hugging herself, rubbing the sides of her arms occasionally to keep warm. He knew it was a perfect moment for him to initiate anything romantic. He had watched it in countless movies and shows with the same old plot, but who knew the lack of originality in drama plots could come to good use? When Hikari let her arms by her sides, he knew he had to do it.

He gingerly took her hand and gently wrapped his fingers around it. Takeru held onto his breath, not daring to breathe. He had tried to keep a straight face, staring intently at the back of a man who was walking in front. The small of her hand in his, and how little warmth it had, made him extremely self-conscious. His hold on her tightened ever the slightest. Thank goodness for the cool air, for he could feel the burning in his cheeks. And of course, for the excuse to hold her hand.

Takeru knew nothing of what he was doing, nor did he know what he should do now that he had taken the plunge. His mind and heart were racing at full speeds in a million different directions. He didn't think he remembered how to breathe. She was not reacting. Should he say something? For a very long moment, all he could hear were the thundering sounds of cars driving past them and the slightest quivering of the ground from the impact.

Why is she still so quiet?

He stole glances at her. Hikari's face was flushing from the unexpected intimacy. She had not looked at him either, and had instead, channeled her attention to the roads. Takeru's heart was pumping louder against his chest knowing she had not pulled away. His brother had said that this was a good sign. He continued to look at the man in front, his head giddy with happiness, and his face wearing a smile that stretched from ear to ear. He was slowly finding his breath again.

The pair walked in complete silence. Takeru wanted the bridge to go on forever. The wind could continue to blow and the temperature could drop for all he cared. He was feeling warm and fuzzy inside, and grinning like a fool. He could have sworn some people walking in opposite direction towards them were staring strangely at him, but what do they know? He was holding onto the hand of the girl he liked, and she had not resisted.

When they had reached the end of Rainbow Bridge, she slowly but surely slipped her hand out of his hold. "Thank you Teeks, I'm fine now…"

"No… worries," he said, trying his best to mask his disappointment. He wondered if she knew what he was trying to tell her through his actions.

"Have you ever wondered… what's beyond our lives at Odaiba?" She asked quietly.

"What… do you mean?"

"Look at this bridge… It has been here for as long as I can remember… like how long I've become comfortable with my life here at Odaiba. Do you ever… wonder? About what else is out there? Mimi had adjusted so well so far away, and now Daisuke had moved to Fukuoka all by himself. I know it sounds crazy, but – what if this whole place… isn't for me?"

She looked him in the eyes, a sad smile lingering as they stepped away from the bridge and into Odaiba. Takeru swallowed hard. She was definitely very happy before, why did she suddenly turn so serious? Did he do something wrong? What was she trying to say? Was she trying to tell him something? It didn't sound good.

"People don't change, Kari…" He said, uneasy. He wasn't sure what was going through her head. "You can go anywhere in this world, but you can never change who you are… No matter how far you wish to go, your family will still love you, and I will still be looking out for you…"

"Yea… I just… don't know if I want that anymore…"

Takeru fell silent. Her words were neither cold nor insulting, but they had created an invisible wall between him and her, like the one she had unintentionally fenced up years ago. Had he triggered objectionable feelings and thoughts in her? He looked at her, and then at the Odaiba scene laid out in front of him. He couldn't see what was so terrible being here. Odaiba was his home, and he was surrounded by loved ones.

"Sorry Teeks, I just had to ruin it. Today was truly beautiful, thank you! I think I haven't had that much fun since University started," Hikari smirked, but her eyes were giving her away.

He saw through her easily and wished he couldn't. He wanted her to be happy and thought that he could be the reason for her happiness, but her words suggested otherwise. Takeru was downright confused. The boy thought everything had went really well; she had been extremely comfortable with his intimacies, all of which he believed he hadn't done before. He was following his brother's advice. Did he overlook something?

"Always an honour to get Hikari Yagami to skip school," Takeru smirked back in spite of his confusion and aching heart.

For a brief moment, the blond lad was contented, for his words had made her giggled. She hugged herself as another gust of wind blew. The sky was dimming, its darkness countered by the countless street lamps slowly flickering on. Hikari folded her arms to keep warm, and Takeru promptly wanted to remove his own coat for her, only to realize he wasn't wearing one – for the second time. He frowned. If only he could find the same excuse to hold her hand again…

"Sorry Kari, I didn't bring my coat."

She shook her head lightly with a smile, signifying it was not a big deal. As she faced him, the lights along the bridge came on in a myriad of colours. She gasped in delight and span Takeru so he could see it. Even though they lived on the island, they rarely chanced upon its seven colours in November, much less spotting it lighting up at such close proximity. The Rainbow Bridge would only light up a few times a year for special occasions, and he would like to think that it lighted up for her.

She looked on like a child who had just discovered lights for the first time, her eyes fixated at the luminescence. Unlike her, he only had eyes for her. He didn't think Hikari wanted to leave Odaiba; she just didn't know what she truly wanted. He took a step closer, closing their distance. She turned to look at him, beaming. He hesitated on holding her hand or brushing her stray hairs behind her ear. She was so beautiful. He didn't want to ruin it, so he smiled back.