Author's notes: The 21st chapter is here; enjoy the story! Pointers:
Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon …lalala
From the Author:
First of all, the story's finally hitting Part 2, which means we're half way there! Okay, maybe the story is longwinded…Anyway, the story might get more intense now and our protagonists would soon be hitting their 3rd year. From then on, there would be more schemes, more savings…
Next, something you guys might look forward to…Romance. Tension will soon rise among the 4 friends. What will the final pairing be and how will the story end? You would probably need to read on to find out…
1 more thing to note, the estimated number of chapters for this story is around 35.
Summary: The friends celebrate Christmas together…
CHAPTER 21:
The Silent Night
"Tomorrow marks the end of term two!" Daisuke stretched himself while sitting on the chair. The 3 friends were up on the school roof like usual, but as winter approaches, the 3 of them felt rather cold sitting up there.
"I wonder when the snow's going to fall…" Hikari sighed.
"You're lucky enough that the punishment wasn't too severe…" Takeru yawned as he folded crossed his fingers behind his head. He then had his head lying on his hands, as he stared at the bright blue sky.
"Guess I'm lucky enough to escape huh?" She giggled weakly. "No one was injured back then…I only received a scolding from the Miyako-senpai…"
"Still, it's good that you're safe!" Daisuke sniffed. Takeru smirked and yawned again.
"Yup…" Hikari sighed. "Hmm…Today's Christmas Eve…right?"
"I think so…" Daisuke answered as he sat up and looked at the brunette.
"How about a gathering tomorrow with just the 3 of us…" Hikari asked.
"That sounds great!" Daisuke smiled. However in his mind, he had only thought about Hikari and him spending the night together.
"What about you, Takeru?" Hikari grinned at the blonde. The blonde looked away in disgust.
"I don't know…I will see how…" He yawned again.
"Hmm…How about meeting at the playground?" The brunette asked. Daisuke nodded immediately while Takeru yawned again.
"…Takeru!" Daisuke yelled. "Why are you always disagreeing here and there?!"
"No special reasons…I'm just being myself…" He stood up. "Well, I'm going home now…"
"Wait, wait! Come on…" Daisuke asked. Takeru smirked and walk away. Hikari frowned as she watched Takeru walking away; she could hardly forget the feeling she had that time…
-- -- --
Back in class…
The blonde picked up his bag, wanting to head home. Then, as he walked out of the classroom, he saw Catherine leaning by the wall. She looked as though she was waiting for someone. The lass looked up and noticed Takeru by the door. She looked nervous as the blonde walked pass her. Then, she followed him.
"Waiting for someone?" Takeru asked as he walked.
"Um…" Catherine nodded in agreement.
"Oh, then why are you following me?" The 2 of them walked out of the corridors and down the stairs to the well in front of the school gates.
The lass paused. "I was actually waiting for…you."
The blonde laughed. "Relax. I was just kidding on you. What's the matter?" The 2 of them sat down by the well.
The lass loosened herself more as she breathed hard. "Erm…there's an exhibition in Venus Fort that I would like to see, but they said that…"
"Sure…" Takeru said. He stood up and smiled at the lass.
"What do you mean?" Catherine asked.
"You're such a blur person…Come on, let's go. You're asking me to accompany you, right?" The blonde smirked.
"Ye-Yeah." She blushed and stood up.
"Well then, lead the way." He snapped as Catherine went ahead of him…
-- -- --
"Daisuke, why did you leave the control room on that day?" Hikari asked as the hot-head walked beside her.
"Err…"
"I'm not blaming you or anything…I was just…wondering." She sighed.
"Well, I had to go to the toilet that time…" He answered. "So, I forgot to close the doors."
"Hmm…Okay." She carried on walking. The 2 of them kept quiet then. Daisuke didn't know what to say, they were in awkward silence. Then, he cleared his throat and frowned.
"Hikari, what do you like?" He asked, trying not to look at the brunette.
"Oh…" She thought. "I like taking photos, with my mini-camera." She smiled.
"I see…" He nodded.
"Why are you asking?"
"Nothing, just asking…" Daisuke gulped.
"Well, that's some answer you have there…" She laughed.
"Yeah, sure!" He laughed along, breaking the awkward silence. "I will be there tomorrow, for the gathering."
"Hmm…good then." She sighed. "Just hope that that blonde would be there too…"
"…" Daisuke felt rather disheartened. "Hope so…"
-- -- --
At the park…
The 2 of them walked into the mall, and Catherine was fascinated by the place. It was like a palace of snow and ice. Everything was beautiful and with glowing blue lights shining everywhere. Catherine laughed and Takeru smirked.
"I miss France…" She touched one of the ice sculptures. It was a sculpture of a horse.
Takeru walked up slowly and smiled. "Have you ever thought about going back?"
"…" The lass withdrew her hands and sighed. "Actually, I'm going back tomorrow."
"Oh," Takeru looked slightly surprised. He grinned. "Well then, aren't you feeling happy?"
"I guess so…" Catherine frowned. Takeru decided to tease her a little bit.
"Or it's because…" He leaned closer. The lass blushed. "You will miss me." The lass fell down upon hearing this and she blushed, glowing red in her face.
"No-no!" She cried. "No such thing!"
"Hey," The blonde held out his hand. "I was just kidding, sorry." He grinned as he pulled the lass up. "Everyone's looking at you now."
"I'm sorry!" She bowed and made Takeru laughed.
"Come on, let's go." He said. Then, the 2 of them continued walking through the sculptures and paintings…
An hour or so later…
"I will go get us some food." She stood up and left the table. They were sitting down by the bench. Takeru watched as the lass ran to the ice-cream stand to get some ice-creams. He then glanced around until he noticed Catherine's phone left by her handbag.
He then picked it up out of curiosity.
"Hmm…Pink phone…" He chuckled as he turned the phone backwards. He saw a Purikura pasted right at the back. It was the picture they took sometime back; the one which Catherine wanted it special. Takeru looked for a moment.
Why did she paste it…there…
Then, just as he was about to take another look, Catherine ran towards him and took the phone away, as she blushed. "Your ice-cream," She held out.
"Oh, thanks…" He took the chocolate-flavored ice-cream and continued staring at the lass. The lass blushed again and apologized.
"Sorry…" Then, she sat down and put the phone aside. Takeru smiled and started eating his ice-cream. Then, for the rest of the day they had ice-creams and headed back home through the path of paintings and sculptures…
-- -- --
25th December 2007, Christmas, near evening…
"The number that you have dialed is currently unavailable, please try again later, thank you." Hikari groaned upon hearing this. She was on the bus, on her way to the meeting point.
She sighed. "Not again…Why isn't he picking up his phone…" Then, she alighted and walked towards the playground. As she walked, she took a glance at the clear and bright sky. It looked beautiful today. She stopped and continued staring. She grinned upon looking and then, the hot-head called out.
"Hikari!" He waved. The brunette looked down and walked towards his direction.
"Hey," She greeted.
"Hey! So are you ready?" He asked.
"Ready for what?" She frowned.
"Oh, nothing, sorry." He laughed. "I mean for the day…Yeah."
"Well, sure." She grinned. Daisuke grinned back at her as he scratched his head.
"Then, let's go celebrate!" He cheered and Hikari sighed.
"Let's wait for Takeru first." Daisuke looked rather disappointed hearing that.
"Okay…" Then, they waited…
-- -- --
At the airport…
-- -- --
Getting late…
"I will make 1 last call." She breathed hard and dialed the blonde's number. Daisuke yawned away as he sat by the swing. Meanwhile, Yamato just arrived home and he entered the room. He noticed Takeru's phone vibrating.
"That guy forgot to bring his phone along…" Then, he answered the call. "Hello?"
"Hey, Takeru…Wait…Who is this?" Hikari changed from excitement to confusion.
"Oh, Hikari? I'm Yamato."
"Yamato-san? Where's Takeru?"
"He had something to do…Is it important?" Yamato yawned.
"Oh, it's nothing, thank you." Hikari frowned.
"I can tell you where he is now though…" Hikari gulped.
"Oh…Okay, sure!"
-- -- --
Daisuke and Hikari stopped in front of a small looking house. It looked rather quiet as though no one was living in it. Daisuke groaned. "Is this really the place?"
"According to Yamato-san, this is it." She sighed. "Let's see if he's anywhere inside the apartment." Then, the 2 of them walked through the gates and looked around. Daisuke tried opening the door yet it was locked. Then, the brunette walked around to find someone lying down on the grass sleeping. He had a magazine covered over his face; he was wearing a white shirt along with jeans.
"Oh, so there he is…" Daisuke approached him and tapped him on the face. He sat up all of a sudden, looking tired and his hair in a mess.
"Wha-what?" He blinked his eyes and squinted. "Hikari…Daisuke?"
"Yup!" Hikari smiled.
The blonde stretched himself and yawned. "What are you guys…wait, how did you know I'm here?"
"Well, we had our ways of getting information…" Hikari grinned. The blonde sighed and stood up. Daisuke walked behind him.
"Where are you going?" The hot-head glanced at the apartment.
"Well…Would you rather sit outside or in here?" He smirked.
"…Okay." Then, the 3 of them headed into the small, empty-looking house. They sat in the living room, on the old-looking couch. The hot-head commented.
"This apartment looks rather old…"
"What do expect out of a house left untouched for 10 years?" Takeru yawned. "Besides, I would only visit this place once in a while…"
"Let's celebrate Christmas here." Hikari suggested. Takeru stared at her and then looked away.
"You are always giving us stupid ideas…" Takeru stretched again as he lied down. Then, Hikari chuckled.
"Well, just do it…" Daisuke nodded while the blonde couldn't be bothered with her.
"Whatever you want…"
-- -- --
At night…
Hikari had bought food from the stalls nearby and they were cooking it. "This looks good." Daisuke praised as he licked.
"Yeah." Hikari laughed. Takeru yawned again as he stared at the food.
"I will go out for a while…" Takeru stood up and sat on the chair in the plain grass area he had lied down on earlier. Then, the brunette sighed.
"I'm going to the toilet for a while…" She stood up and went upstairs. Daisuke looked around and then he stood up as well, walking towards the blonde.
He took a chair along and sat beside Takeru. "What are you looking at?"
"Something you will never understand…" He answered lifelessly.
"…" Daisuke coughed. Then, the 2 boys sat down there, keeping quiet.
"What's wrong…" Takeru asked as he continued staring at the stars glittering high up in the sky.
"Sometimes…I just get so jealous of you…"
The blonde then looked at Daisuke, frowning away. "What are you saying…"
"You're always…always…in her mind."
"Who are you---"
"Hikari." Daisuke turned to face the blonde. Takeru sighed.
"Stop saying stupid things…Come on, Dai---"
"I'm not…Saying stupid and mindless things." The hot-head was firm in his words. Takeru had never seen him so serious-looking before. He was bewildered.
"…" Takeru kept quiet.
"I..." He paused. "I like Hikari." These words froze Takeru. He never really noticed that coming.
"…You're…serious?"
"Yes, I'm not joking..." The hot-head's eyes explained it all, the fire burning in it.
"…" Takeru looked up.
"And if you were to ever like Hikari…or anyone else does…I will fight with them…"
"Daisuke…" Takeru sighed. "You don't have to…"
"I'm serious in everything I'm saying now…" Daisuke continued. "I like her…and I will fight in order to have her…"
"…" Takeru listened.
"Whenever she's being drag into troubles…I want to share her pain, but I can't…I would feel the pain in my heart…I really do…"
"…Daisuke…" Takeru muttered. Then, a feminine voice called out. The 2 boys turned and saw Hikari kneeling beside the food. She was calling them.
"Hey, the food's ready to eat!" The brunette cheered. Daisuke stood up and sighed. Then, he walked towards the brunette and started helping himself with the food. Takeru sniggered and then walked into the apartment…
-- -- --
Later that night…
"…" Daisuke fell asleep after the heavy meal. Hikari and Takeru were the only ones awake in the apartment.
"Look at him, snoring away like a pig…" Takeru remarked. Hikari smiled.
"It's okay, let's go outside and chat…" The brunette stood up and went outside, sitting on the grass. Takeru stared for a while and then headed out and sat beside the brunette.
The 2 of them gazed at the stars high up in the night sky. They were beautiful, glittering high up. Hikari grinned from time to time. Takeru smirked upon seeing her silly face. "Have you ever…wondered why there are stars in the sky?"
"…" Takeru kept quiet.
The brunette sighed. "Guess you never did."
"Maybe they represent hope…and light." The blonde said as he lied down for a wider view.
"Hope…and light?"
"Yes…If every star was made out of human's dreams and wishes…then that would be hope…" Hikari nodded as she listened.
"It is hope that's keeping us alive…If men were to never dream, maybe this world would be in darkness. Every hope has a light of its own, guiding us towards our goal and dream, shining our way towards them…"
"…Where did you learn all these?" Hikari grimaced at the blonde.
"No one taught me…it's my principle of life." He yawned.
"Hmm…" Hikari hummed. "Say, were you the one who brought me home that night?"
"…" Takeru stopped, he gulped. "I don't know anything…"
"You know, you're real bad at lying too." She teased. The blonde sat up and cleared his throat.
"Whatever…"
"Thank you…" She smiled. "For all you've done to help me."
"…" Takeru looked away.
"And I just want to let you know…I felt comfortable, lying on your back." She chuckled. The blonde turned slightly to look at the brunette. He glowed a little red in the face. "Thank you, for being my nanny."
He coughed and coughed. Hikari cracked upon seeing Takeru coughing away on the floor. Then, Takeru got back on his ground and cleared his throat. Then, he felt a sudden chill on his hands. He looked up and realized tons of snowflakes falling.
"It's…" Hikari muttered.
"Snowing…" Takeru stared. The small tiny snowflakes scurried down the night sky, slowly covering the view to the stars. The sky was white, brilliantly colored. It looked so beautiful just like in a fairytale. The lands were soon covered in white and the night sky in patches of white and black. The sky was showered in white…
"It looks so beautiful…" Hikari watched.
"Yeah…" Takeru nodded as they continued watching the snow fall…
TO BE CONTINUED
A/N: Okay, I'm done with this chapter, tada! Here you go, do read and review. Thank you!