-5-
The Ichijouji's apartment was silent except for the television that was running on the background and Ken's chopping of fruits on the counter. Taichi was leaning next to the boy while stealing bits and pieces of fruits off the bowl. They had arrived at the apartment almost an hour ago and Yamato had accompanied Daisuke to get a few more things for their chosen get-together. The rest of the chosen were on their way here too. Ken's parents knew about the digimon and often offered their house to host these kind of things so they could talk freely and didn't have to change their wording every five seconds, Taichi knew it was also because they loved to see Ken having friends over when for a long time they didn't even had that opportunity.
Taichi had offered to get the refreshments they wanted – Daisuke saying it was not enough food for them and the digimon combined, no matter that they wouldn't probably be able to open the gate to bring the digimon to the real world – but Yamato said it would be better if they both weren't shopping together or it could take forever. So, here he was, with Ken, stealing fruit from the bowl.
"If you keep stealing fruit from my bowl, I'll never finish chopping, you know, Sempai?"
Taichi stopped with the piece of strawberry halfway to his mouth, grinning at Ken. "Sorry, but I'm hungry already!" Ken just shook his head and kept chopping "Strawberries, peaches, kiwi, berries, oranges… what are you making anyway?"
"Anmitsu… Daisuke prepared the rest of the ingredients… I mean the Kanten jelly and the anko. I just had to add the fruits… but you keep eating them!"
"I said I was sorry, Ken-kun!" Taichi blushed, embarrassed "I didn't mean to" he looked around and noticed the silence once more "It's so quiet here. I'm not used to being so quiet in my house"
Ken laughed softly "It's not so quiet when Daisuke is around, believe me. Mama always says he has the loudest mouth she can imagine. It's a nice change, though. We're so used to being silent around the house that, when Daisuke is being loud, it's nice" he shook his head, blushing "I know it's weird, but since onii-chan… the house is not the same, so a little change of pace is always welcomed"
Taichi hummed. He could see the red on Ken's cheeks. He also had realized how much deeper the feelings the younger had on his best friend were. Taichi was sure Ken knew that too, but he didn't understand why they hadn't tried anything else. They would be perfect for each other. They were always by each other's side and helping the other with whatever they needed. He felt a pang in his heart when he realized that once upon a time, those were him and Yamato. They were the leaders going through the Digital World together and leading their team through really weird and dangerous adventures. Yamato was right by his side all the time and he couldn't see it any other way. He was envious of Daisuke and Ken in a way, because they weren't afraid to show their affection – even if they didn't take the ultimate step they should have long ago – and because they had an easy relationship. Yamato was the most complicated person in the world and, sometimes, Taichi couldn't even begin to understand what he should do to not push one of Yamato's buttons enough to make him bite his head off.
Ken had finished with the strawberries and was adding more oranges to the mix when Taichi couldn't help but ask "Have you told Daisuke how you really feel about him?" The knife slipped from the orange right through Ken's finger, the blood seeping almost immediately "Oh, man! I'm so sorry!"
The younger chosen didn't say anything, just moved to the sink and put the finger under the spray. Taichi watched as the blood stopped slowly and Ken grabbed a couple of paper towels to clean the cut. The brunette went to the bathroom to get the first aid kit – one of the first things Ichijouji-san had show them when he allowed his son to have sleepovers – and returned to Ken's side.
"I'm really sorry, Ken-kun. Sometimes I suffer from verbal diarrhea"
Ken laughed awkwardly "Don't worry, Taichi-sempai. It's not a bad cut" he put a band-aid on the cut and turned to look at him "You just surprised me, that's all"
"I didn't mean to, I swear. I was just… curious"
Ken didn't say anything else for a couple of minutes and looked at everything but Taichi before he whispered "…no" Taichi was sure he had made things so weird that Ken wouldn't even talk to him all day, so the fact that he got not only and answer but a confirmation of his feelings for Daisuke was shocking "I… don't want to ruin anything saying stuff that… I just want things the way they are"
Taichi couldn't help but agree, after all, he was the one that sulked when Yamato and Sora were in different classes than him because he wanted at least one of his friends with him on school hours. He was the one that tried to intimidate Takeru the first time he came for his sister to take her to lunch, even if Hikari always said it was as friends only, Taichi wasn't stupid, thank you. He was the one that avoided Nijishima-sensei because he didn't want to think of a future where he didn't have his friends sharing the same path every day.
"Have you?" Ken's soft voice broke through the gaze of Taichi's thoughts and he turned to look at Ken.
Sometimes Taichi could see a little of the Kaiser still on Ken's actions, even if he didn't do it on purpose. It was just the way he managed to shut down emotions and be a snarky teenager with ease when most of the time he was shy and sweet and kind. This was one of those times, he could see Ken's pose as straight as possible and staring at the fruit he was putting in bowls by the fridge.
"Have I what, Ken-kun?"
"Told Yamato that you like him? As more than a friend, I mean" the fact that he was even asking this made Taichi know that Ken had somehow disconnected from his feelings to avoid being hurt or feeling too much. Taichi was shocked at the question, nonetheless, even if it was a little creepy the way Ken had asked, with no emotion in his voice.
"Who told you that?"
"No one had to. I'm good at watching people. And I've seen the way you look at Yamato-sempai. He's like a magnet for you. You always gravitate towards him, you know. Even if you are the leader, you always manage to have him by your side. You need him. You like him… and I don't want to overstep but, I'll say it's even more than that"
Taichi was speechless for a moment, Ken had managed to figure everything out… did that mean Yamato had too? "Uh…"
"I guess that means no…" A little warm had crept back into Ken's voice and Taichi was relieved he wouldn't have to explain to Daisuke that Ken was disconnected from his feelings because he was stupid and ran his mouth without thinking "You know, most people always say that you and Daisuke are basically clones because you're so much alike… but, I have to say, Yamato-sempai also has something in common with Daisuke"
"What?! Yamato and Daisuke are NOTHING alike" Taichi huffed while crossing his arms. He didn't feel anything more than brotherly affection towards Daisuke… he could point out all the differences between his best friend and his protégée.
"I didn't say they were alike, I said they had something in common" Ken replied with a smile, the fruit assembled perfectly in little bowls across the counter.
"And what would that be?" Taichi couldn't believe he was even asking that. But all this started because he was curious so he was going to take it to the end.
"They are both oblivious" Ken stated simply and Taichi stopped and stared at him.
He supposed he was right. Yamato often was oblivious about things going on in his life and around him. He didn't see Takeru flirting with Hikari at their meetings. He didn't see how Gabumon often tried to make him take better care of himself. He didn't see how everyone worried about him when his father would tell him he wasn't coming home. He didn't see how everyone flirted with him at school, making both Taichi and Sora play escapee artists between classes.
"They don't realize what's in front of them until something gives. Daisuke is a little better than Yamato-sempai. And he doesn't have the temper to deal with. However, if you really care about Yamato as I think you do, you should tell him, sempai. I'm sure you would be surprised at the answer"
Taichi couldn't help but tease Ken a little bit "Let's make a deal, I'll talk to Yamato when you talk to Daisuke" Ken blushed even harder now "What? It should be easier for you guys. I mean, you're attached to the hip already."
Ken opened his mouth to answer when Daisuke's voice interrupted him "Tadaima!"
Taichi sobered up and went to answer them "Okaerinasai!" Yamato also went into the kitchen, arms full of bags and boxes "I hope you found everything you wanted"
"And some more, Daisuke wanted to have double of everything and made me ran around the store a couple times. It was annoying" he answered, dropping everything on the table and scowling "Next time, you go with him"
"Hey! I offered to go with him, and you said it wasn't the best idea. It's totally your fault, you know?"
Daisuke carried all the items in his hands to the table, stopping for less than a second before going to Ken's side and looking at the bowls of fruit spread on the counter "Okay, Ken-chan, these look like they are ready to be photographed… I only asked you to chop some fruit"
"I did chop some fruit"
"But it looks so pretty, the girls won't want to eat it!" Daisuke whined and Ken looked at him with a smile, they all knew that Daisuke was only being overly dramatic. Ken shrugged and went to grab a couple of sodas from the fridge and Daisuke saw his wrapped finger "You cut yourself?!"
"Stop the drama, Dai. It was a small cut. It's all good now"
"But you hurt yourself… how did that happen?"
Taichi cringed, because if Ken told Daisuke it was because he had asked something at the wrong moment, Daisuke would probably be very angry with him. An angry Daisuke was frustrating, annoying and infuriating all at once.
"I was trying to cut a kiwi perfectly and I didn't see that my finger was on the way. It was a stupid mistake, Dai"
Taichi looked at the younger chosen with shock, he was sure Ken was going to give something away.
"Well, I still don't like it"
"Shut up and help me finish all this. The rest of the guys will be arriving soon and my parents won't like if their kitchen is in this state when they arrive later today"
Daisuke mock-saluted Ken and went to organize everything with Yamato and Taichi decided he could also be helpful and put his weight in the organizing too. Suddenly, there was a loud beep filling the apartment and Taichi looked around to find the source. Ken left the kitchen to go to his room and came back quickly, the beeping only intensifying. Daisuke pulled out his D-3 and Ken had his on his hand. Both were beeping constantly.
"What is happening?" Yamato asked, leaving the bags of sweets on the floor.
"I don't know. My D-3 is reacting to something!" Daisuke replied looking at his D-3 like it was a foreign object.
"Is it supposed to do that?" Taichi wondered, directing his question to Ken.
"Uh… I don't think so. It only did that when we were in the Digital World and were in danger…"
"Or when we found our digimentals… but, Ken wasn't with us yet"
Ken frowned and stared at the black D-3 "What if there's something wrong?"
Yamato had his phone out without anyone noticing and, after a beep, he said "Takeru said that both Miyako and Iori's D-3s beeped as well. But not theirs…"
Taichi looked at his digivice "Neither did ours"
"I think we should try to open the gate. Maybe our digimon are in danger or need us for something" Ken said, softly, while turning his D-3 around like it would give him the answer.
"Okay, let's do that!" Daisuke went into the bedroom and pulled Ken's laptop – his latest gift from his parents – and opened the gate. "Digital gate, open!" and the gate turned green. "Yes!"
Yamato stopped him "I'm gonna text the rest of the guys, so they know and try to meet us there"
Daisuke was vibrating with energy and Taichi was too. Ken was by Daisuke's side and he showed him a grin so big that Ken couldn't help but smile too "We're gonna see Wormmon and Veemon, Ken-chan!"
Yamato said the rest would try to meet them there, because Miyako opened a gate in her laptop and Koushiro did too. Only Jyou was missing and that was nothing new. Daisuke pointed his D-3 at the screen and, after a few seconds they all followed.
A bright light enveloped them and suddenly, Taichi's ears popped like he had been underwater all this time.
.
.
.
Where was he?
.
.
Wasn't he doing something… important?
.
.
What…?
.
.
Why was he in his bedroom with the windows closed and feeling like his mind was completely mush over something…?
.
.
There was a blank in Taichi's mind… and he wasn't sure why. But he was hungry and maybe it was time to find some food.
Taichi felt like his limbs were under cold water when he woke up. He realized he was in Yamato's living room, having fallen asleep on the couch after returning from the hospital, a day after going to the digital world. The digieggs were already with their owners, but Taichi didn't want to stay at the hospital and make the Ichijoujis and the Motomiyas even more upset by asking questions every once in a while.
But Taichi didn't want to go home just yet. He talked with his mom as soon as they returned to the Ishida's apartment and explained that he was with Yamato and that we would get home later. His mother didn't actually give him any trouble except to say that his father expected him for dinner on Friday… and it was Wednesday today.
It wasn't unusual for him to expend several days at Yamato's… or vice versa. Their parents were used to it by now. More often than not, Hikari and Takeru were with them. As long as there was no report on them misbehaving anywhere, they were good. They used to be more at the Yagami's because their parents were there. Takeru and Yamato's parents were often out of the house until long hours of the night, even more now that they were older, so they always managed to meet at one of those apartments when they wanted to be adult-free for the moment.
What was that dream? It was only a dream, right? Then why does it feel so real?
"You look like you're trying to solve an algebra equation or something?" Yamato's voice made him startle and almost fall from the couch. "What's the matter?"
"I just had a dream… that it doesn't feel like a dream…" Taichi replied, watching Yamato arch an eyebrow in question "I can't explain it. It's like I remembered something and… can't understand if it's real or not"
Yamato came to his side on the sofa and sat down "I've been there. What was it?"
Taichi didn't want to say exactly what the dream was about, but he wanted to figure this out "I… we were at the Ichijouji's for a meeting… and something happened with the D-3s… the guys opened the gate… but…"
"What?"
"I can't remember anything else. The next thing that happened in my dream was me in my room wondering what I was doing there but drawing a blank… was that… real?"
"It can be… can you figure out when that happened if it was real?" Yamato wondered, trying to figure out what the dream meant.
"I don't know… it seems like the day the rest of the guys… went to the digital world without us. The day they…"
"Disappeared…"
"Exactly… can that be real?"
"I can't be sure either, Taichi… but it feels… real somehow…" Yamato mused, scratching the back of his neck "It feels weird… like I should also remember what you're saying"
"You were with Daisuke at the market… buying more stuff because he thought it wasn't enough. I stayed at the apartment with Ken-kun and when you got there you told me that I must go with Daisuke when that happened again"
"Yeah, that feels real, somehow… especially me annoyed at Daisuke" They both laughed softly, Taichi falling back against the back of the couch.
"I feel like we disappointed them somehow. Like we should have been there when they went to the Digital World. That they shouldn't have disappeared like that, you know? That feeling was there when I found them and it's even more distinctive now after that dream…"
"We'll figure this all out, I promise" Yamato looked like he wanted to do something but was restraining himself.
Taichi was about to ask Yamato what they could do to investigate this sooner when the ring of the house phone made them both jump. Yamato went to get it, Taichi close on his heels.
"Moshi-moshi?" Taichi put the ear next to Yamato's. He wanted to know who was calling.
"Onii-chan? You need to come here immediately!"
Takeru's voice made a cold shiver run down his spine "What happened, otouto?"
"Daisuke's awake!"