October 2008 – A Slight Lack of Ambition

Inoue Miyako here!

Due to certain circumstances going on right now, I'm not exactly a senior to Daisuke and the others anymore! Daisuke was teasing me all about it here and there. Hmph, I'd like to see him in a similar situation!

Oh, but by "Daisuke and the others" I don't mean Iori. That would be a bit embarrassing...but even Iori's trying his hardest! I guess that means I can't let up either, huh...

Unless I put my all into it, I'm going to fall even further behind. Inoue Miyako charges full speed ahead!

"Hey. You're slacking."

The five members of the study group, huddled around the table, were spending their hours in a side room of the library. The room was supposedly soundproof, and Miyako could only hope so given that the amount of ruckus from the combined noises of the Digimon playing around and the kids making conversation while slacking off was probably bound to disturb anyone in the area within reasonable earshot.

"You shouldn't be so strict on them, Miyako-san," said Hawkmon.

"That's easy for you to say when you aren't the ones who need to study."

"But I'm so tired..." complained Daisuke. "It's not like the exam's tomorrow or anything. Let us off the hook, just a bit, for now..."

"Doesn't matter! The Center is not the kind of test that you can just cram for at the last minute! So get back to work!"

"Hm, well, she has a point," said Takeru. "The exam date's getting closer and we need to pick up our pace a bit. But then, Miyako-san, I think you need to let us have a break once in a while..."

Miyako sighed.

"Well, all of you are my responsibility! If all of you do horribly on the Center despite the fact I've taken it and I've been here to help you out, that'd just be shameful..."

"But you know, Miyako," said Daisuke, "you shouldn't be so on us about this...I mean, we're studying, but as long as we don't slack off entirely, we're not going to do absolutely dreadful, you know..."

"That's not a good attitude to have!" yelled Miyako indignantly. "You're the one who said you give everything you've got just yesterday in that soccer match!"

Acknowledging Miyako's argument, Daisuke sighed in irritation and opened the book.

"Daisuke-kun, are there any universities you're particularly interested in?" said Takeru.

"Hm?"

Daisuke didn't even turn his head up from the book to face him, only acknowledging the question with the fact he'd stopped twirling his pen. "Well, I told you all, I want to open a ramen shop. If this whole university thing doesn't work out, I'm probably going to find a chef to work under..."

"That's pretty bold," said Takeru.

"It's Daisuke, I'm sure he can do it!" said V-mon, lazily eating a chocolate pastry underneath Daisuke's chair.

"I mean, it's not that I'm trying to half-ass school or slack off, or anything like that. But the important part is that I can make a good bowl of ramen," said Daisuke. "So, I mean, even if I do great in school, my real focus should be making the best ramen in the world. No point in making ramen if the ramen isn't good, right?"

"Maybe you're right, but you shouldn't completely give up on school," said Ken.

"So then what about you guys? I bet you guys are all gunning for top universities or something. You're all too smart for me..."

There was an awkward silence among the group. Miyako didn't feel a need to reiterate what she was doing – everyone present already knew more than well enough her intent for the year – but it was clear that nobody else in the vicinity had really put all that much thought into it other than the general list of what they were applying to.

Finally, Hikari broke the silence - "I'm aiming for a spot for a university for teachers..."

"Hikari's going to be a wonderful teacher someday," said Tailmon.

"In the future, there are going to be children who will grow up with Digimon, so I want to make sure I can take care of them well..."

"I'm sure you'll be great, Hikari-chan," said Daisuke. "So then. Takeru?"

"I'm applying to a handful of different universities," said Takeru. "I'd ideally like to get into somewhere with a good humanities department, though I'm not entirely sure where to specialize."

Daisuke gave a sage nod, while Miyako followed up with "Any reason for humanities in particular?"

"Hm, nothing in particular, just a gut feeling."

Takeru was giving his usual easygoing smile, and it would have been easy to fall into the trap that he was projecting about that being the case, of him legitimately having "just a gut feeling" – but the glance he was exchanging with Patamon gave him away immediately. Miyako shot a quick glance at Hikari and Ken – they seemed to have noticed as well – but Daisuke was utterly oblivious, and Miyako wondered what Iori would think if he were present.

As it was, however, Takeru didn't seem eager to divulge the reason for whatever personal purpose, and so Daisuke and Miyako turned their attentions to Ken.

"You've been working pretty hard, Ken," said Daisuke. "Trying to get into Todai as well? It'd be pretty cool if both you and Miyako could go."

Ken laughed, half nervously.

"Well, to be honest...I'm not entirely sure. I've been thinking of a lot of options, but I'm not sure if any of them fit."

"Really? The way you work so hard, I thought you'd have something in mind," said Daisuke. "Well, I guess it's not a huge thing to worry about since we're so young, as long as you know you're working towards something in the end."

Ken nodded. "Well, I mean...I at least know I want to do something helpful, for everyone, and for the Digimon..."

Daisuke and Miyako stared at Ken in awe.

"...So pure-hearted," said Miyako.

"That's our Ken," said Daisuke.

Now slightly more at ease, Ken laughed a bit as Daisuke adjusted awkwardly in his seat.

"...but my point still stands, you know, you guys are all so good at this school thing. If I'm going to make the kind of ramen that puts a smile on the face of everyone who eats it, I need to make better ramen, I somehow feel like I should be spending more time on the ramen than the food..."

"Still, though..." said Ken.

Miyako sighed – or, more accurately, she let out a huge groan of exasperation that caused everyone to become startled (to the point where Chibimon, who was eating a bar of chocolate on the table, fell off entirely).

"You know, Daisuke, you ought to not be more flippant about this whole thing..."

"Eh? And what do you mean by that?"

"I mean, I don't think you should just throw away one idea just because it sounds inconvenient, you know?"

Daisuke made an expression that Miyako recognized deeply – the one where he wanted to acknowledge her point, but couldn't do so out of still wanting to look cool.

"Well, think about it, Daisuke," said Ken, "she does have a point, I mean – even if it doesn't help you cook much, something like a business degree might be helpful for setting up a ramen shop. Or even if it's not like that, you'll probably get some helpful use out of it."

"...man, you two are way too smart on me. I need to be careful around you two when both of you are around..."

But despite what he had just said, he willingly went back to studying the book. Miyako smirked; she loved being right, especially when Daisuke was involved.