A/N: This fanfiction uses hundreds of images and 11 pieces of fanart that I cannot add to FFN. If you would like to see those, please look up zuzsenpai on AO3 and search for this story.
May 12, 8:55 AM
Tsukishima Sogo High School - Room 3-A
Spring was a nice season. The air wasn't hot enough to be stifling, everyone seemed energized enough to go outside, and the cherry blossoms felt nostalgic— like a family member coming home after a long winter. Sure, spring was a nice season… for the most part. Because spring, specifically mid-May, brought with it midterm exams, the absolute bane of Daisuke's existence.
As a third-year, he only had a few midterms and finals left to go. But in his opinion, he couldn't be done with them quickly enough. If he could just fast forward instead of suffering through them, that would be awesome.
DAISUKE: ( There are Digimon who can control the flow of time. There's no way that could ever backfire, right? )
The only hitch to speeding up that process (other than having to contact a potentially chaotic Digimon), was that it would also speed up the amount of time he had left with his friends. And because of that, Daisuke would allow time to move at its regular pace, even if that meant struggling through a math midterm in real time. In ten months, Daisuke would graduate, and he would have to make a concerted effort to stay connected to the people who he's grown to care about as much as his own family. So it was important to spend as much time with them as possible now.
Setting aside the exams, Daisuke was having a remarkably good school year already. By some stroke of bizarre luck, his desk was surrounded by friends on three sides this semester.
Hikari sat at the desk behind him. He would have liked her to be in front of him, but beggars couldn't be choosers. Although he tried not to be as vocal about it these days, he still possessed the same romantic feelings for Hikari that he did when he was a kid. The girl was just… stunning in every way imaginable. She was sweet and honest and kind and strong in ways that truly counted. Daisuke's heart sped up just a little bit faster when Hikari Yagami was around, and he imagined that if he were a manga character, little hearts and bubbles would surround her every time she was in his presence.
Which was all the time, because she sat behind him. So maybe it was a good thing he wasn't in a manga, because that blond-haired loser would undoubtedly also notice those hearts and bubbles and make some sort of insufferable comment about it.
Said blond was seated in the desk directly next to Daisuke's. He was probably Daisuke's love rival, but since he was always so vague about whether or not he actually had romantic feelings for Hikari, it infuriated Daisuke to no end. Takeru was never obvious about anything, hiding himself behind those ridiculous hats most of the time. Annoyingly, Hikari seemed to always understand Takeru's language, easily falling into step with him and his cryptic bullshit.
DAISUKE: ( That smarmy asshole thinks he's so cool just because they've got matching angel Digimon… )
Daisuke still wasn't over that, though Ken liked to point out that V-mon could still evolve into a plethora of badass Digimon, including Magnamon.
And… he really shouldn't hate on the guy. Deep down, Daisuke cared about Takeru Takaishi. The boy could be a real menace sometimes, always making snide jokes and pushing his buttons and being just too chill for his own good. But he was also a beloved friend who'd been through hell in the Digital World alongside the rest of them.
And then came the person sitting directly in front of Daisuke. The man, the myth, the legend— Ken Ichijouji. Unbelievably, wonderfully, Ken's parents had made the decision back in middle school to let their son transfer to the public school system his friends went to. The public education— and Ken's academic reputation— was good enough that Ken would still make it into whatever University he applied to, but his parents' choice had been made mostly because they wanted to see him happy.
Daisuke never took his time with Ken for granted. He was truly a better person, a better leader with Ken around, and he would cherish the guy's friendship for as long as he could. He was someone Daisuke was going to miss the most when their group inevitably went their separate ways after high school.
His throat tightened a little just thinking about it.
DAISUKE: ( Damn, why do I gotta make myself sad right before an exam? )
Daisuke was so busy thinking about his friends that he didn't notice the teacher handing out the exam papers to the first student in every row. Ken turned around to give his friend a stack of papers, and immediately recognized Daisuke's glassy-eyed "not paying attention" look.
He gently tapped the top of Daisuke's hand with the papers. His cinnamon-haired friend didn't even have his pencil, eraser, or calculator out on his desk.
KEN: You should probably stop daydreaming if you want to survive the next hour.
DAISUKE: !
Daisuke blinked, then looked up and grinned at his friend.
DAISUKE: I was just going over equations in my head. I'm as prepared as they come, dude!
His voice was dripping with fake confidence as he tapped his finger on his temple. Ken rolled his eyes and pushed the test papers further onto Daisuke's desk.
KEN: Sure, I'll believe that when I see it.
Daisuke turned around to hand Hikari her test and smiled at her brightly, reveling in the excuse to get to talk to her, even for a second. She smiled back as she took the exam papers.
HIKARI: Thanks, Daisuke. Is there a reason you're grinning at me like that?
DAISUKE: No reason! Just happy to be here!
She raised an eyebrow at him.
HIKARI: On the day of a math exam?
DAISUKE: Well, maybe not because of that. But with you behind me, Hikari, my luck couldn't be better!
He shot her a thumbs up and Takeru snorted. Daisuke was tempted to ball up his test paper and chuck it at the guy's stupid blond head. Instead, Daisuke graciously ignored him and turned back around to start his exam.
DAISUKE: …
And promptly realized he forgot to get out his test-taking supplies. Daisuke rustled around in his bag until he found his calculator and a loose pencil. Being extremely disorganized wasn't really paying off in this situation, as he couldn't seem to find any erasers rolling around in the bottom of his school bag.
If he wanted to change any of his answers— which of course he would— Daisuke needed to borrow one.
He glanced at the back of Ken's head. His friend was hunched over and looked like he was already in "genius mode", completely absorbed in the test in front of him. Which meant he probably wouldn't respond to Daisuke if he asked to borrow his eraser.
So instead, he turned to Takeru.
DAISUKE: Yo, can I borrow your eraser?
TAKERU: No way, I'm terrible at math. I need this.
Hikari cleared her throat and Daisuke twisted around in his chair again to look at her.
HIKARI: Maybe you are in luck because I sit behind you. I have an extra one.
Daisuke felt ready to cry as the talented, brilliant, incredible Hikari Yagami passed off her extra eraser, their fingertips briefly touching in the process. The real luck was getting to see her beautiful smile twice in one morning.
HIKARI: My brother used to steal erasers from me all the time, so I always have multiple.
DAISUKE: Being like your brother isn't such a bad thing when it means I get to borrow Hikari's eraser.
TAKERU: Oh brother.
Takeru could take his shitty joke and shove it up the hat he most definitely had stuffed in his bag right now. Daisuke set the eraser in the top corner of his desk, ready to be used when he inevitably messed up a math problem.
…
And, as inevitability would have it, Daisuke messed up on a math problem. He picked up the eraser, then immediately dropped it back down on his desk like it was on fire. The boy stared down at it in shock and confusion.
DAISUKE: ( What the hell!? )
DAISUKE: ( Why does this eraser say "Ken" on it!? )
Not only that, but a little heart was drawn above the name. "Ken" was written in Romaji, and even with half of the letter "n" missing, it was blatantly obvious what the word was.
Daisuke's brain was going to melt. His heart was going to explode. His life— or his love life anyway— was about to fall into ruin.
DAISUKE: ( Hikari likes Ken? )
How could that be possible? She'd never shown even an iota of a sign that she liked Ken Ichijouji.
DAISUKE: ( Have I chosen the wrong person as my love rival all this time? It was really Ken all along!? )
If he truly thought about it (which he was unfortunately forced to do now), it made sense. Ken was intelligent and interesting and kind and hot and honestly a much better choice as a boyfriend compared to Daisuke and Takeru. Daisuke didn't blame her for having romantic feelings for such a great guy.
A great guy that wasn't Daisuke. He felt a squeeze in his chest as his first love vanished in front of his very eyes. Literally, since Ken sat in front of him.
DAISUKE: ( I'm never gonna emotionally recover from this. )
Daisuke pulled his elbows up to rest on his desk, preparing to put his face in his hands. His confidence dropped to the floor. And so, ironically, did the eraser when his elbow hit it. All he could do was watch in horror as the eraser tumbled forward and down to the carpet next to Ken's desk.
Tragically, because Daisuke's ounce of luck had seriously run out, Ken apparently wasn't as deep into his test taking mode as previously assumed. The taller boy noticed the eraser out of the corner of his eye and immediately reached down to pick it up.
Ken turned around, holding the eraser up between his thumb and index finger, and squinted at it.
DAISUKE: ( He's looking at it! )
Their eyes locked for a long second. Then slowly, carefully, Ken set the eraser down on Daisuke's desk and turned back around.
DAISUKE: …
Daisuke was forced to wait out the rest of the exam in a terrifying limbo. Had Ken really seen what was written on the eraser? Had he comprehended what it meant? All Daisuke could do was try to focus on math problems for another 30 excruciating minutes.
DAISUKE: ( I failed that exam for sure… )
He thought, as he trudged up to the teacher's desk to hand in his finished exam, trying desperately to not make eye contact with any of his friends. When he slumped back into his seat, Ken spun around to face him.
KEN: …
DAISUKE: …
Their eyes met again, and Ken's face was etched with concern and confusion. For a brief moment, he could feel his friend's heart pounding. That phenomenon didn't happen too often anymore— only in rare circumstances when emotions were running high.
DAISUKE: ( Well, if he figured out what that eraser means, emotions are bound to be running high, so I don't blame him. )
Finally Ken spoke, his volume as low as possible.
KEN: …why do you have "Ken" with a heart written on your eraser?
The first thing that came to mind was denial.
DAISUKE: D-don't worry, dude. It's not mine.
Ken's brows furrowed.
KEN: Whose is it?
DAISUKE: Hi—
DAISUKE: !
DAISUKE: ( Shit! If I tell him, he's going to learn about Hikari's feelings! )
Hikari giving Daisuke this eraser was most likely an accident that she would be extremely embarrassed by. And judging by how she never gave any indication of those feelings for Ken before, Hikari probably wanted to keep that love hidden away deep in her heart.
DAISUKE: ( I need to protect Hikari's secret no matter what! )
DAISUKE: I uhh…
KEN: ?
DAISUKE: Actually…
DAISUKE: The eraser is mine.
KEN: !
KEN: Daisuke? Are you serious?
Ken sounded breathless, like he'd been punched in the gut. Clearly not reading the room, the teacher took that exact moment to tell them to be quiet. The taller boy turned around, but Daisuke noticed him running his hands nervously over his ponytail.
An awkward mix of embarrassment and uncharacteristic shyness overcame Daisuke. But he couldn't regret his actions— not when Hikari's feelings were on the line. He pulled the glasses off his forehead, threaded a hand through his hair, and groaned. A balled up paper hit him in the side of his burning face, obviously coming from Takeru, but the cinnamon-haired boy didn't react.
KEN: ( … )
Ken, on the other hand, well… his head was thoroughly scrambled. He'd finished the second half of his test on autopilot after seeing that eraser, but that was before he knew for sure it belonged to Daisuke. Now he had no idea how he was going to get through the rest of the school day.
He tried to make sense of this rationally, but came up empty handed as he scraped at the back of his mind for any kind of explanation for the words Daisuke had clearly spoken. Any explanation other than…
KEN: ( Daisuke Motomiya, my best friend… my jogress partner, someone I've been close with since elementary school… )
KEN: ( Seems to like me romantically. )
KEN: ( He could have denied the eraser was his, but he chose to tell me. )
KEN: ( That couldn't have been easy for him. He essentially just outed himself to me. )
Ken had experienced half a dozen girls confess to him since middle school, but never a boy. Never someone with such a profound history with him like Daisuke Motomiya. Ken had not been able to return the feelings of any of the girls who claimed to love him, but as they were only classmates, he could easily move on after their confessions.
But Daisuke… he couldn't just ignore this confession like he did the rest. Ken and Daisuke were inextricably linked as close friends and partners. They saw each other constantly outside of school, and Ken had always assumed that would continue for the rest of their lives.
KEN: ( But what exactly am I supposed to do about his feelings? )
The whole thing blindsided him. He considered himself close enough to Daisuke that he knew most of what made the guy tick. Hadn't Daisuke always expressed romantic inclinations toward Hikari Yagami? Had that stopped at some point without Ken realizing it?
Ken had never properly been in love. He honestly hadn't given it much thought over the years, assuming it would come to him someday when the time was right. But apparently Daisuke knew what love meant right now, and right now it meant Ken.
KEN: ( How does he know? What about me does he like exactly? )
He was self aware enough to know that his demeanor and intelligence and good looks were attractive to others. Girls would sometimes giggle when he walked by and whisper to their friends about him.
But Daisuke understood Ken much much deeper than that. Daisuke knew how to pull Ken into the light and bring out his true personality. Daisuke was his first real friend. Daisuke knew how to make him laugh. Daisuke had felt his heartbeat. If he was truly in love with Ken, it had to be deeper than surface level.
Ken drew in a long breath. He couldn't allow himself to dismiss his friend's feelings. That just wasn't fair to the other boy. Ken decided right then and there that he needed to have a talk with his friend. He needed to borrow some of Daisuke's bravery and confront this situation head-on, even if Ken was forced to tell him that he didn't feel the same way.
KEN: ( But what if I consider it…? )
He shook his head. Now that was a weird thought, though it wasn't as unwelcome as one would expect.
Their math period eventually ended, giving them a few minutes of free time before the next subject began. Ken left the classroom, presumably to use the restroom. Realizing he now had a perfect opportunity to talk to Hikari, Daisuke mustered up all the strength he had and lifted his head off the desk.
DAISUKE: Hikari…
HIKARI: ?
DAISUKE: Thanks for letting me borrow your eraser.
She took the school supply from her friend, but couldn't help noticing the horrible gloom emanating from him.
HIKARI: Daisuke, are you okay? You look sort of sick.
HIKARI: I know that test was hard, but I was with you when you studied for it and you seemed fine with the equations.
Daisuke's eyes flicked quickly down to the eraser in her hand, then back up at Hikari. Hikari followed his gaze and her heart stopped.
HIKARI: Oh!
She'd accidentally lent him this eraser. Hikari could feel a blush rising to her cheeks. She briefly glanced over at Takeru, who was busy talking to the person behind him, and lowered her voice to a whisper.
HIKARI: I guess it's too late to assume you didn't look at it.
Daisuke's usually bright smile was a little broken, and Hikari wasn't oblivious as to why. She knew her friend had always harbored a crush on her.
DAISUKE: I… saw it. I didn't say anything, don't worry.
Hikari gifted him with a genuinely grateful smile.
HIKARI: Thanks for thinking of me. This eraser is kind of embarrassing.
He nodded at her and then turned back around.
DAISUKE: ( Hikari is so wonderful. I definitely made the right decision to keep her secret. )
The rest of the morning dragged on as slowly as it possibly could. Daisuke spent most of it inside his own head, trying to make sense of everything that had happened. Setting aside the fact that he no longer had a chance with Hikari, his biggest problem was now Ken. The boy who thought Daisuke was in love with him and who would unfortunately have to continue thinking that until Hikari properly confessed to him and set the record straight.
But Daisuke really didn't want to think about the Ken situation right now. Not when he'd had his heart broken so miserably.
A few minutes before lunch, Ken reached back and surreptitiously handed him a note.
NOTE: Daisuke, can you meet me on the roof during lunch? - Ken
DAISUKE: ( The roof of the school… )
That was the most cliché place in the world to talk about romance. That fact couldn't possibly be lost on Ken, could it? He was a genius for god's sake.
The bell rang and Ken left the classroom again, followed by most of their other classmates. Takeru tried to engage Daisuke in conversation before exiting the classroom himself, but all Daisuke wanted to do was go home.
He wanted to grab V-mon and escape to the farthest corner of the Digital World, just to get away from… the only people who could absolutely find him in the farthest corner of the Digital World. Maybe Daisuke could jump on a plane to America instead, visit Mimi in New York, and go looking for some restaurants that could take him on as an apprentice.
DAISUKE: ( …that won't work. Today's only Monday, and we have more midterm exams tomorrow. )
DAISUKE: ( Everyone would notice if I skip school for the rest of the week. Including my parents. )
Could Daisuke survive until the weekend and then leave town? Could his heart handle four more days of Hikari liking Ken and Ken thinking Daisuke liked him? How much more Shakespearean could this ridiculous circumstance get?
He waited at his desk for another 20 minutes before finally hauling himself out of his chair. Daisuke's feet slowly carried him out the classroom door. His feet might have been working, but Daisuke's heart was frozen in place, unsure of what he was supposed to do about his feelings going forward.
DAISUKE: ( Continuing to love Hikari is probably a lost cause. Ken is so much more suited to her. )
DAISUKE: ( They can bond over being brooding and pensive and beautiful. )
DAISUKE: ( … )
DAISUKE: ( Except that… there's a chance Ken won't like her back. )
There was a true possibility that Ken did not have romantic feelings for her. It was a weirdly hopeful thought, even if it meant rejection for someone he cared about.
And honestly? Right now Ken was most definitely not thinking about Hikari. Not after Daisuke's "confession". Daisuke finally dared to let his mind wander away from his vanishing first love, instead focusing on what Ken must be dealing with right now.
May 12, 12:39 PM
Tsukishima Sogo High School - East Wing Roof
Daisuke continued shuffling through the hallways, which were graciously empty during the lunch hour. There was a conclusion he could be jumping to right now. He could be freaking out, thinking that Ken was disgusted with him. That he would "reject" Daisuke harshly and they would be forced to explain to V-mon and Wormmon why they were no longer on speaking terms.
But if Daisuke was known for one thing, it was putting faith in his friends. Ken thinking he had a crush on him was embarrassing for sure, but it wasn't going to be friendship-ending. Not after everything they'd been through together. And if Ken was known for one thing, it would certainly be kindness. He would reject Daisuke in the nicest way possible, and maybe they could put the whole thing behind them quickly.
DAISUKE: ( He's going to be a detective someday. Maybe he'll figure it out and we won't have to discuss anything. )
As he reached the top of the staircase that led to the roof, he grasped at that light at the end of the tunnel.
Daisuke blinked the midday sun out of his eyes. The air was unseasonably chilly for May, but as someone who overheated easily, cool air invigorated him. His eyes found Ken in the far corner of the roof, sitting cross-legged against the tall, chain link fence. Thankfully they were alone, most likely due to the temperature.
They stared at each other at a distance for a few long moments, then Daisuke joined him.
KEN: Hi.
DAISUKE: Hey.
KEN: I was worried you were just going to stand there staring at me.
DAISUKE: With your huge genius head in front of me all day, I stare at you enough as it is.
Ken looked away awkwardly.
DAISUKE: ( Oops, maybe that was a weird thing to say in this situation. )
KEN: …
DAISUKE: …
The silence between them was deafening. Ken was the one who invited him to the roof in the first place, but Daisuke, the more talkative of the two, figured he would have to start the conversation.
DAISUKE: Just forget about what I said earlier. We don't have to talk about it—
KEN: —I'm okay with it—
DAISUKE: Huh?
KEN: What?
DAISUKE: What did you just say? You're okay with…what exactly?
Ken rubbed the back of neck.
KEN: How do I say this?
KEN: …
KEN: I'm sorry you were outed to me in such a weird way, but…
KEN: You don't have to pretend you never had those feelings.
Daisuke's heart skipped a beat. He wondered if Ken noticed.
KEN: Those feelings are important to you, right?
DAISUKE: ( My feelings… )
KEN: I'm not sure I can give you a good reply, but…
DAISUKE: ( He's worried about my feelings… )
Hikari's angelic smile flashed before his eyes. All the painful thoughts of losing his first love came tumbling to the forefront of Daisuke's mind. Even if Ken was a little mixed-up, his intentions were good. And the kindness of his words spread through his chest.
His throat felt tight and sore. Tears formed in Daisuke's brown eyes and fell in silent streaks down his cheeks. Ken— bless him— immediately looked devastated for his friend.
DAISUKE: ( Ken's such an amazing person. I can definitely see how Hikari— )
DAISUKE: —fell in love with you.
Ken sat up straight when he heard Daisuke's words.
KEN: ( Did he just fall in love with me all over again!? )
The bell rang, indicating the end of the lunch period.
As he stood up, the taller boy reached out and grasped Daisuke's shoulder. Everything Ken had tried to figure out before this moment disappeared, replaced with heartache and concern for the closest friend he'd ever had. That weird thought from the back of Ken's mind floated forward.
KEN: Let me think about it properly. So wait for me, okay?
They both knew Ken disliked being late for class, so Daisuke found himself standing up and following him back inside. He tried to look normal on the surface, as if he hadn't just been crying— as if he hadn't just heard the most mind-boggling statement in existence.
Inside, Daisuke's mind and heart were battling to see which one would give out first.
DAISUKE: ( Ken's going to think about it. )
Daisuke had been prepared for a nice, smooth rejection from Ken… but any way you looked at it, that's definitely not what just happened.
DAISUKE: ( He's considering my feelings and reflecting on them! What am I supposed to do about that!? )
Ken, the brainiac that he was, was going to mull things over and examine himself to determine if he could return Daisuke's romantic feelings! And Daisuke was now forced to wait for Ken's response.
DAISUKE: ( I hope he uses his heart a little bit too, instead of just his brain. )
DAISUKE: ( … )
DAISUKE: ( WAIT A MINUTE! )
DAISUKE: ( I shouldn't be hoping for anything! He's contemplating feelings that don't exist on my end either! )
DAISUKE: ( … )
DAISUKE: ( But what if Ken ends up actually falling in love with me? )
Daisuke's heart, which had been acting traitorous the entire time he was with Ken, leapt excitedly at the thought.
DAISUKE: ( Why am I happy about that!? )
He supposed anybody would be at least slightly happy to know someone liked them. And that went double for Ken Ichijouji, since the guy was honestly just too amazing for his own good. Being happy about Ken liking him didn't actually mean anything. Daisuke continued to tell himself this until he believed it.
Ken told Daisuke he would consider his feelings properly, and that's exactly what he did over the next few weeks. He hoped that his natural ability to be inconspicuous worked in his favor, because Ken honestly couldn't stop watching his friend.
Unfortunately, Daisuke wasn't making it easy for him to conduct a proper analysis. The guy wasn't exactly ignoring him, but he wasn't acting normal either. Whenever Daisuke noticed Ken's eyes on him, he would look startled, like a deer in headlights. Sometimes his face would turn red and he would look down at the carpet like his shoes were the most interesting thing in the world.
KEN: ( Is that how someone in love is supposed to act? )
Strange, considering Daisuke hadn't acted like that around him before the confession. He hadn't even been that way with Hikari, during all those years he supposedly loved her.
He wondered if telling Daisuke he would consider his feelings put pressure on the other boy. Maybe he felt exposed. A few instances stood out to Ken as odd behavior that only made sense if Daisuke was hyper aware of him.
At one point after class, they had an exchange that went like this:
TAKERU: Daisuke got a higher score than Ken on the English midterm again. Pretty awesome if you ask me.
DAISUKE: Th-that doesn't mean anything!
KEN: ( What? He normally loves getting his ego stroked like that. )
Especially by Takeru who he usually butted heads with.
KEN: It means you're really good at English. You earned that high grade.
The usually confident Daisuke looked away from his friends, focusing his attention out the window.
DAISUKE: I dunno, man. Ken's a genius. Maybe he was distracted during the exam or something.
The blond snorted.
TAKERU: What on earth could possibly distract Ken during an exam? He's always "in the zone" during tests.
Takeru used air quotes. Daisuke blanched.
DAISUKE: Er uh, nothing I guess. Ken definitely didn't see anything during the exam!
TAKERU: What?
DAISUKE: Huh?
A week later, Ken and Daisuke ended up as partners in art class, with the assignment to sketch a portrait of each other using charcoal pencils. This gave Ken a perfect excuse to examine his friend fully— to try and make sense of how he felt about Daisuke aesthetically.
His hair was vibrant— like cinnamon and Japanese maple leaves, though none of the charcoal colors could quite match it. His eyes were bright and warm. Daisuke's current smile was awkward, however, but that was to be expected when the object of his affections was studying him so closely. But once Daisuke was able to concentrate properly on his art, he put on an adorable little pout as he squinted at his drawing.
KEN: ( Adorable? )
KEN: ( I guess Daisuke can be pretty cute sometimes… )
While his hair was certainly spiky, the rest of Daisuke's edges were soft. Ken created smooth, curvy lines with his charcoal pencil, making sure to get the other boy's pout just right.
Midway through the class, the teacher asked the students to share their progress with their partners. Daisuke looked taken aback by Ken's art.
DAISUKE: I don't think there are that many different colors in my hair, dude.
KEN: When the light hits it properly, I think it does.
Daisuke hid his face behind his drawing pad. His own charcoal drawing of Ken was all over the place, seemingly not spending too much time on one particular part of Ken's face. But the raw energy put into the art was so very Daisuke.
KEN: It's expressive for sure… but you're too impatient in drawing your lines.
Takeru leaned over to look at Daisuke's drawing, which earned the blond a scowl from the shorter boy.
TAKERU: I don't think you got Ken's good side, to be honest.
DAISUKE: Joke's on you— all of Ken's sides are his good side, obviously.
KEN: …
KEN: ( He's going to regret saying that in 5, 4, 3… )
DAISUKE: Ah! I mean it's not because he's super hot or anything!
Ken facepalmed, though it was partially to hide his smile. Takeru bit his bottom lip to keep from laughing. Daisuke's face stayed pink for the rest of the class. Ken took note of this and added a little color to Daisuke's cheeks in his sketch.
KEN: Definitely cute.
DAISUKE: …what?
KEN: Huh?
KEN: ( Did I say that out loud?! )
It was Ken's turn to be embarrassed, but Daisuke was the one whose heart was making noise right now.
So Daisuke was absolutely acting differently and tripping over his words because Ken was paying attention to him. Ken wished he could flip a switch and make everything normal again, like it was before the confession. But the thing was— he didn't want to forget about Daisuke's confession. His heart jumped in his chest every time Ken was reminded of it, and that was a new feeling he wanted to chase. He felt like he was making some sort of breakthrough this way.
For now, Daisuke would just have to deal with the added attention.
Daisuke honestly had no idea what got him safely through his midterm over the past two weeks, because all he could focus on was Ken focusing on him. He was grateful the guy sat in front of him in class, otherwise he was sure Ken's eyes would be boring holes into the back of his head.
(Black and white) KEN: Let me think about it properly. So wait for me, okay?
DAISUKE: ( Why did he have to go and take that so seriously!? )
It was absolute torture on Daisuke's heart, which sped up and did somersaults every time he noticed Ken watching him. He should have been more creeped out by the whole thing, but that traitorous heart seemed to like it. Daisuke had never had red cheeks so much in his whole life.
He wondered what was going through his friend's mind these days, when it came to Daisuke. To be honest, he could barely figure out what was going through his own mind. Ken would smile pleasantly at him, not unlike how he always did, and Daisuke would immediately ask himself:
DAISUKE: ( What should I do if, by some miracle, I do fall in love with him…? )
Would he be forced to confess to Ken for real? Or should he just leave it alone and wait for Ken's answer? Just how much was he going to have to prepare himself for the inevitability of Ken turning him down?
DAISUKE: ( … )
DAISUKE: ( Wait, what am I thinking!? This situation isn't going to happen, because I'm not supposed to have a crush on him! )
And he didn't. Have a crush, that is. But…
What would it be like if he did? Would it feel just like his love for Hikari? Would he see manga hearts floating around the guy? Would he treasure every glance, every touch, every smile, every moment Ken turned in his seat to talk to him?
DAISUKE: ( I kinda already do treasure those things. As friends, obviously. )
To say his heart was a little mixed up would be an understatement.
Daisuke continued to try acting normal around Ken, and by the end of two weeks, he was starting to get used to the attention. He wasn't planning on ever dating Ken, but he imagined it wouldn't be that difficult, as long as his heart didn't get too loud.
But his heart just kept acting of its own accord. And if Ken could hear it, that would negate any and all attempts at acting cool around him. The English exam results and the art class had been embarrassing, but the worst of it came when he finally got those dreaded math exam results back.
DAISUKE: Man, what do I even need math for anyway?
He hadn't realized he said that loud enough for others to hear, though sometimes it felt like Ken had super-hearing. He was going to make a superb detective in the future.
KEN: If you own a restaurant one day, you're going to need to know enough math to do your finances.
DAISUKE: Can't I just hire someone who's good at math to—
DAISUKE: Wait. Do you really think I'll have my own restaurant? You think I'll get that good at being a chef?
KEN: If you work hard at it, I think you have a really good chance.
Daisuke shot his friend a thumbs-up and an award-winning grin.
DAISUKE: Thanks, man. At least someone believes in me. My sister is absolutely convinced I won't graduate.
KEN: We can study together before the next math exam. You know, just so you're prepared for owning that restaurant.
DAISUKE: I already said, I'm paying you to do the finances!
KEN: Oh now I'm involved in this?
DAISUKE: You'll always be involved in my life one way or another.
The look Ken gave him was soft and fond, but somehow powerful enough to hit Daisuke straight in the chest like a thunderbolt.
KEN: Are you okay?
DAISUKE: Huh? Uhh, of course I'm okay. Why?
Ken pointed to Daisuke's chest. They both knew what that gesture meant.
DAISUKE: T-that's obviously you hearing your own heartbeat, dude. I'm totally chill right now. Chiller than a caterpillar.
The taller boy shot him a doubtful look.
KEN: I personally know a caterpillar who actually isn't all that chill.
DAISUKE: That's why I said I'm chiller than him!
That earned Daisuke an eyeroll which still gave off a certain air of fondness.
May 24, 1:37 PM
Tokyo Tower, nearby park
Miyako started her engineering program at university only the previous month, but she already missed getting to see her friends every day. Her dorm wasn't too far from Tokyo Tower, so she asked them to come visit her one Saturday afternoon when the weather was nice. She also wanted the excuse to ask Iori about his first semester of high school, since he was never very forthcoming in texts.
She almost cried when she saw her friends turn the corner and step onto the grass. When they got close enough, Miyako threw her arms around Iori and squeezed him tightly.
MIYAKO: It's been so long!
Iori muttered into her shoulder.
IORI: It's only been a month and a half.
Oh, he was getting taller!
MIYAKO: Right! And that's definitely too long! We should start video chatting every other day!
DAISUKE: Do you think you'll forget what we look like or something?
Miyako punched Daisuke in the shoulder.
MIYAKO: It'll be a cold day in hell when I forget your ridiculous mug.
Hikari and Takeru both laughed, and Miyako immediately noticed them wearing similar sun hats.
MIYAKO: ( I wonder if anything will happen between those two this year. )
Hikari and Takeru sat together on the same side of the picnic table across from Miyako, Iori and Ken. Daisuke spread out on a blanket next to them, along with the Digimon.
They immediately launched into a conversation about Iori, and how the seniors in kendo club wanted him to basically run the show. Miyako didn't consider herself a master in observational skills, but she couldn't help noticing how Ken was only pretending to listen to their conversation as he strangely focused most of his attention on Daisuke.
MIYAKO: ( Or maybe he's just looking at the Digimon? )
MIYAKO: Hey, so guess what, you guys! Even though I'll miss you more than I already do…
MIYAKO: I'm thinking of studying abroad next year!
HIKARI: That sounds like a wonderful idea! Where are you thinking of going?
Miyako rubbed her chin.
MIYAKO: Not sure yet. Europe would be nice— Spain's definitely on the table.
DAISUKE: You could always study abroad in America.
She chuckled.
MIYAKO: Daisuke, what's with you and America? You sound just like Mimi!
KEN: He's thinking of going to New York after he graduates.
DAISUKE: !
DAISUKE: How did you know that? I haven't told anyone yet.
KEN: It's not that hard to figure out based on the things you say.
Hikari giggled behind her hand.
HIKARI: I love how Ken always knows Daisuke more than anyone.
Daisuke shot Hikari a strange, confused look. Ken on the other hand— his cheeks and the tips of his ears were turning red.
MIYAKO: ( Oh? Ken's embarrassed by that? He's been best friends with Daisuke for years. )
MIYAKO: ( It only makes sense that he would know a lot about him. )
Daisuke changed the subject quickly, which was also a little bit peculiar. But Ken kept watching him with a soft, curious expression on his face. If Miyako didn't know any better, she'd suspect Ken had a little bit of a crush on Daisuke.
MIYAKO: ( That can't possibly be true. )
After a late lunch, the group— led by Daisuke— found themselves in a nearby tourist shop. Their fearless leader bought a blue hooded sweatshirt with a picture of Tokyo Tower printed on the back. And of course, he had to argue with Takeru about it.
TAKERU: Why would you buy something like that when you're from here?
DAISUKE: You just don't understand what fashion is.
TAKERU: That explains nothing. It's like living in London and having a giant Big Ben stamped across your chest.
Ken cleared his throat and they all turned to look at him.
KEN: It's not fashionable in the least.
DAISUKE: Hey!
KEN: But he wants to show it off then he goes to America.
DAISUKE: …
TAKERU: With seconds on the clock, it's a three-pointer from Ken!
Daisuke pouted a little and stared at the sidewalk outside the shop.
DAISUKE: You don't… have to know everything about me. Can't I be mysterious for once?
KEN: Do you really need to be? I think I'm mysterious enough for the both of us.
For a moment there, Miyako thought Daisuke was legitimately upset. But then he cracked a smile and started laughing. He looked up at Ken with a bright grin, which caught Ken off guard for a moment. The taller boy stared at him for half a second, then matched his friend's smile.
MIYAKO: ( Okay these two have turned the level way up. )
Miyako arrived today curious about the relationship between Hikari and Takeru, but was left completely blindsided by the obvious thing blossoming between Daisuke and Ken.
MIYAKO: ( I never expected romance between them, but maybe I should have… )
As they wandered down the street toward the train station, Daisuke and Takeru bickered good-naturedly. It made Miyako nostalgic for the old days, just a bit, even though she knew life back then wasn't always a walk in the park.
MIYAKO: ( I guess it's not easy now, either. But in a different way. )
Ken was watching Daisuke again as they trekked down the sidewalk. When Iori and Hikari were far enough in front of them, Miyako pulled Ken back to talk to him. Thankfully Minomon and Poromon were bouncing along ahead of them with the other Digimon. Ken gave Miyako a confused look.
MIYAKO: You're suddenly awfully quiet. Usually you're the one trying to break up Daisuke and Takeru's arguments.
KEN: Can they really be considered arguments when Takeru is always 100% correct?
MIYAKO: Ohhhhh! Don't let Daisuke hear you say that! He expects you of all people to be on his side.
Ken rolled his eyes.
KEN: Why "me of all people".
MIYAKO: Well, aside from the fact that you're jogress partners…
MIYAKO: …
KEN: ?
MIYAKO: There's something different going on between you and Daisuke.
Ken didn't look as shocked as she expected. Though his face did turn red again.
KEN: Is it that obvious?
MIYAKO: Pretty much. Surprising for you, considering how "mysterious" you claim to be.
KEN: Honestly I'm not trying to hide it.
MIYAKO: What is "it" exactly?
KEN: …
Ken drew in a deep breath and they both stopped walking.
KEN: Something happened recently that forced me to reevaluate how I feel about him.
MIYAKO: I'm assuming in a good way?
KEN: I… don't know yet. I'm hoping it turns out good. It's hard to know at this point.
MIYAKO: That smile he gave you earlier seemed like something good.
Ken nodded, though his brows were furrowed.
MIYAKO: Don't think too hard on it, Mr. Psychoanalysis. Let your emotions do the thinking on this one.
MIYAKO: And don't hide those emotions away once you understand them, okay?
That was probably easier said than done for the former boy genius. Ken wasn't always forthcoming with what he was feeling— but Daisuke was— and maybe, hopefully, the boy had rubbed off on Ken after all these years.
May 24, 4:30 PM
Southbound Train from Tokyo Tower
Miyako bid them farewell at the station, and Iori took a different line to get some shopping done, leaving Daisuke, Ken, Hikari and Takeru to take the train home. They would arrive in Tamachi first, where Ken would get off, and then the train would take the other three out to Odaiba.
Once they entered the train, Takeru and Hikari took two empty seats together, leaving Ken and Daisuke to grab the only other open seats across from them. The Digimon settled into their laps. He wasn't sure if it was just his imagination or maybe the crowdedness of the car they'd chosen, but their two friends seemed to be sitting closer together than usual. Hikari wasn't quite leaning against Takeru, but she was mere centimeters away from doing so.
Daisuke didn't feel that usual ache in his heart when he saw them like this, though he did feel a little sorry for both of them. Daisuke wondered if Takeru knew that Hikari liked someone else. If he did, would he have let her sit next to Ken? The cinnamon-haired boy felt a weird sensation in his chest when he thought about how lucky he was to get to sit next to Ken instead.
DAISUKE: ( Wait, why would that be lucky? I should be rooting for Hikari! )
Ken's observations had been in full swing today, and it had Daisuke's mind and heart whirring. He tried to act natural about it as much as he could, but, as everyone seemed to like pointing out, Daisuke couldn't be surreptitious about anything. He always reacted before thinking, getting flustered about Ken's attention before realizing he should probably hide something like that.
The skin on Daisuke's upper arm brushed against Ken's, and it sent a jolt of something through his chest. If he was going to survive the next few minutes until they reached Tamachi Station, Daisuke would have to figure out a way to separate the two of them.
The answer seemed relatively easy— Daisuke reached into his shopping bag, took out the new sweatshirt, and pulled it over his head, making sure not to dislodge his favorite sunglasses in the process.
Ken elbowed him.
KEN: Are you cold? You, the guy who wears shorts in January?
DAISUKE: Gotta mix it up a bit if I want you to think I'm mysterious.
KEN: Why am I supposed to find you mysterious, exactly?
DAISUKE: Because it makes me cool.
KEN: I still think you're cool, even if you're the most obvious person in the world.
DAISUKE: Oh yeah? And what am I being obvious about?
KEN: That you actually do get cold sometimes.
If this small amount of fabric was supposed to be putting some space between them, why was Daisuke's heart still pounding?
DAISUKE: ( Why the hell is my heart beating so loud? We're just talking normally! )
KEN: ( Why is his heart beating so loud? )
Daisuke pulled the hood over his head.
DAISUKE: Chibimon is the one who's cold, right Chibimon? You totally want to curl up in this sweatshirt with me.
He stared into Chibimon's eyes, hoping the little blue Digimon would take the hint and go along with him. Unfortunately none of the humans were able to psychically communicate with their Digimon to that extent. A woman stood up from the seat next to Daisuke's and Chibimon immediately jumped into it.
CHIBIMON: Nope! I'm not cold at all! But I definitely saw you shiver a minute ago!
DAISUKE: ( That was because Ken touched me… )
DAISUKE: Chibimon! Don't blow up my spot like that!
Ken chuckled and a feeling of warmth spread across Daisuke's chest.
KEN: Why does everything you two do have to turn into such a circus?
DAISUKE: You love it.
The taller boy visibly swallowed. Daisuke absolutely could have worded that differently, but his brain once again was slower than his mouth. He closed his eyes and tried to make sense of what he was feeling right now.
DAISUKE: ( It's nice to have Ken to joke around with. If we were dating, that at least wouldn't change. )
The question that seemed to bounce around his head constantly these days came to the forefront of his mind, like a fortune in a magic 8 ball.
(black and white) DAISUKE: ( What should I do if, by some miracle, I do fall in love with him…? )
DAISUKE: ( I'm not supposed to want him as my boyfriend. That would be a huge problem for Hikari. )
DAISUKE: ( And probably for Ken too, since I'm a guy. )
DAISUKE: ( Though he hasn't turned me down yet… )
DAISUKE: ( If he's still considering it, maybe I should speed up the process to get it over and done with. )
It didn't take much for Daisuke to muster up enough bravery to take that chance. If Ken didn't like it, it would at least help him make that decision to turn down Daisuke's (totally non-existent) feelings.
With his eyes still closed, Daisuke rested his head on Ken's shoulder, pretending to be asleep.
DAISUKE: ( I didn't want to touch him before, but now it's all I can think about doing. )
This felt amazing— giving in to their closeness and letting go of his heart's worries. Ken's heart, on the other hand, could be heard from a mile away.
DAISUKE: ( Good. Now he can have a taste of his own medicine. )
Ken sat ramrod straight in his seat the moment he felt Daisuke's weight against him.
KEN: ( How can this guy fall asleep so quickly!? )
He could feel warmth radiating from his friend, and if the train weren't so loud, he could probably have heard Daisuke's breathing. After an entire afternoon of observing Daisuke, after every affectionate smile and silly comment, this was what sent Ken into overdrive.
KEN: ( Why am I so conscious of him now? )
KEN: ( I used to be aware of his heartbeat because of our bond, but why does this feel different from that? )
(black and white) MIYAKO: Let your emotions do the thinking.
KEN: ( That's easier said than done when you have a brain that wants to analyze everything. )
And so Ken thought, trying to pull together everything he'd learned about his own feelings for Daisuke over the past few weeks. Ken found Daisuke cute, hilarious, and magnetic. He was someone to believe in— to cheer on— and Ken adored learning secrets about him, even if their friends were starting to notice how close that made the two of them.
Ken wondered, as Daisuke's heartbeat slowed and their shoulders pressed together, if this was the moment he should decide to give Daisuke's confession a chance. Could Ken Ichijouji really fall in love? It had always seemed out of reach, but…
But loving Daisuke didn't sound too difficult, if he was being honest with himself. Their early friendship, though eventful and confusing at times, came easier than either of them had expected. Could falling in love with him be that way too?
KEN: ( You're getting ahead of yourself. You don't have to be in love with him just because he has feelings for you. )
But the thought of Daisuke having romantic feelings for him was oddly exciting. It was a good thing the shorter boy was sleeping, because Ken's heart skipped a beat, and he didn't want anyone else to hear it.
KEN: ( I'm… happy that he likes me? That's quite a realization. )
Ken finally let his emotions do the thinking as they flooded his senses. The train briefly escaped aboveground, letting the bright May sun flood in through the windows for a few seconds, before the dark subway walls enclosed it again.
Daisuke's hood had slipped off to reveal his vibrant hair, and the sunlight hit it in just the right way— highlighting the rich reds and deep purples that those charcoal pencils couldn't do justice.
What Ken found in that moment of sunlight, was clarity.
KEN: ( I'm also excited to let him know I like him back. )
The realization was freeing, as if his heart was waiting for a reason to be in love with the other boy. As if it had been longing for a sign. And that eraser had to have been the weirdest sign of them all, but Ken knew now that it was always supposed to happen this way. They had grown close as friends, but had stalled, like a train waiting to disembark. And this was the moment Ken and Daisuke's journey could begin again, growing close as something else.
Ken looked out the window and recognized that his stop would be coming up in a few minutes. But he really, really didn't want to wake Daisuke up.
Takeru, of course, had no problem disturbing their fearless leader. When the train came to a stop at the station just before Tamachi, the blond stood up and quickly set his sun hat on Daisuke's head.
Daisuke stirred, but kept his eyes closed and his shoulder against Ken's.
DAISUKE: Mmnn, is Chibimon on my head?
KEN: No he is not.
Ken spoke softly, since Daisuke was still so close to him.
DAISUKE: …
DAISUKE: Is Ken Ichijouji touching my hair?
KEN: N-no.
DAISUKE: Those are the only allowed options.
TAKERU: Why is Ken touching your hair an "allowed option", but not me?
KEN: ( Takeru Takaishi, asking the real questions. )
Daisuke slowly opened his eyes and reached up with his free arm to pull off the hat. He groaned.
DAISUKE: I have Takaishi germs! I'm going to turn into a tool!
TAKERU: That doesn't answer my question.
The cinnamon-haired boy huffed.
DAISUKE: Because you're a huge loser and Ken is awesome, that's why.
Ken couldn't help himself— he burst out laughing. Daisuke chuckled deeply against his side, and it filled Ken with more happiness than he ever thought he'd experience.
As he stood up with Minomon and exited the train, he briefly glanced back over his shoulder at Daisuke Motomiya. The boy noticed this, tilted his head, then smiled brighter than the sun he'd seen only a few minutes ago.
And that was the clincher.
KEN: ( Looks like he won't have to wait for me any longer. )
May 26, 7:43 AM
Tsukishima Sogo High School - Third Year Lockers
Daisuke arrived at school on Monday morning unusually early. And he immediately regretted it when he reached his locker and found Takeru leaning against it, wearing possibly the worst hat he'd ever had the misfortune of seeing with his own eyes.
DAISUKE: Move, dumbass.
TAKERU: I've connected the two dots.
DAISUKE: ( He didn't connect shit! )
TAKERU: I've connected them.
DAISUKE: I didn't even respond to you!
Takeru backed away from Daisuke's locker, but was clearly not going to leave him alone.
DAISUKE: Why am I not surprised you have a Sherlock Holmes hat?
TAKERU: You're having a disagreement with Ken, but you're pretending nothing's wrong and acting weird about it.
DAISUKE: Give it up, Ken's a way better detective than you'll ever be.
TAKERU: Am I wrong? Then could it be the opposite of a disagreement?
DAISUKE: What's the opposite of a disagreement?
TAKERU: Agreement.
DAISUKE: Holy shit, Takaishi. Why the hell would I be acting weird around him because we agree on something?
TAKERU: Because you haven't confessed to him about your agreement.
DAISUKE: Wrong again, Jerk-eru. I confessed to him two weeks ago.
TAKERU: You're going to regret saying that in three… two…
Daisuke threw up his arms.
DAISUKE: Well what was I supposed to do!? The eraser said "Ken" on it!
TAKERU: Hm?
DAISUKE: !
He blanched and his heart caught in his throat.
DAISUKE: Oh shit. Forget I said anything.
TAKERU: An eraser, huh?
Takeru rubbed his chin in thought.
DAISUKE: …
TAKERU: Did it by any chance say "Ken" with a heart above it?
DAISUKE: I plead the fifth, Your Honor!
The boy standing across from Daisuke grinned and tipped his stupid hat.
TAKERU: I'm a detective right now, not a judge. And I'm already deducing that you classically jumped to conclusions.
DAISUKE: What the hell do you mean?
TAKERU: That eraser is actually mine.
Daisuke's entire brain exploded.
DAISUKE: So you're the one who likes Ken? How many love rivals do I have!?
Takeru's eyes widened, but he didn't respond to that.
TAKERU: ( Daisuke doesn't realize what he just admitted to. )
The blond launched into an explanation, hoping to keep his friend's brain from leaking out his ears.
TAKERU: When I was a kid, I tried to write "Takeru" in Romaji on that eraser, but I ran out of room before I got to the letter "u".
TAKERU: It ended up just saying "Taker". I got really annoyed, so Patamon drew a little heart on it to make me feel better.
TAKERU: Hikari borrowed the eraser once and thought it was cute, so I told her she could keep it.
TAKERU: Apparently her brother stole it at one point and used up the "ta" part, rendering it useless as a keepsake.
Daisuke's brows were raised high on his forehead.
DAISUKE: So… now it just says "ken".
TAKERU: Technically it says "ker", but yeah.
He thought back to what the eraser looked like, in his mind's eye, and realized that Takeru's story completely checked out.
TAKERU: I can't believe you thought Hikari was in love with Ken.
DAISUKE: …
Something slid into place in Daisuke's mind, though deep down he already knew.
DAISUKE: Hikari likes you, doesn't she?
Takeru smiled and removed his hat, placing it gently inside his locker.
TAKERU: I sure hope she does, since we've been dating since last year.
Daisuke began to cough.
DAISUKE: You could've fooled me!
DAISUKE: Damnit Takaishi! If you'd been a little more lovey-dovey with your girlfriend, none of this would have happened!
TAKERU: None of what?
Takeru played dumb, but of course he knew exactly what was going on between Daisuke and Ken. Their behavior the past two weeks had been painfully obvious. Daisuke pouted and looked away.
DAISUKE: Whatever. So Hikari's heart has been captured by a blond dork with three closets full of hats.
DAISUKE: I'm not as depressed about that as I thought I would be.
TAKERU: Do you want my opinion?
DAISUKE: Absolutely not. Am I going to get it anyway?
TAKERU: You like someone else, right?
DAISUKE: …
DAISUKE: How could I possibly like someone else so quickly after I was forced to get over Hikari?
The now hat-less blond shrugged and closed his locker.
TAKERU: Because you've probably liked that person longer than you realized.
The bell rang and Daisuke followed Takeru into classroom 3-A. As he pulled out his pencil and calculator to prepare for first period math class, he couldn't shake what his friend had just suggested.
DAISUKE: ( But I don't actually like Ken romantically. It was just a misunderstanding. )
DAISUKE: ( Ken's supposed to think about it, turn me down, and then things will go back to normal. )
But it wasn't lost on Daisuke how much his heart soared upon learning that none of his friends actually had romantic feelings for Ken.
(black and white) DAISUKE: ( What should I do if, by some miracle, I do fall in love with him…? )
May 26, 8:33 AM
Tsukishima Sogo High School - Room 3-A
Ken stood up to solve an equation on the board, and Daisuke found himself staring at the back of Ken's head, at that ponytail he had resting at the center of his neck. Even though the school frowned at outrageous hairstyles for boys, Ken still grew it out.
DAISUKE: ( Because I told him it would look good on him. )
DAISUKE: ( …and I was right, as usual. It does look good on him. )
The point being, Ken— former boy genius and current academic darling of Tsukishima Sogo— trusted Daisuke enough that it didn't matter what the school administration said about his hair.
Before he could ponder this any further, Daisuke felt a finger poke him in the shoulder from behind.
HIKARI: Daisuke?
He turned around to face Hikari, and was surprised to see her holding an eraser. The eraser.
DAISUKE: …
Daisuke sighed and whispered to her:
DAISUKE: Takeru told you what I thought that eraser said, didn't he?
She nodded.
HIKARI: I guess I should say I'm honored that you would keep my feelings a secret to the point of outing yourself.
DAISUKE: Hey, you're my friend. I would do anything for you.
Hikari's smile was beautiful. He hoped Takeru cherished it whenever he saw it.
She reached out and held the eraser closer to Daisuke.
DAISUKE: Are you giving this to me? Normally I would treasure a gift from Hikari, but…
DAISUKE: I don't think I want an eraser with the name of your boyfriend on it.
DAISUKE: ( Especially not after my heart was broken because of it! )
HIKARI: The eraser means something to you now. It should be yours.
He hadn't realized he was holding out his hand until Hikari pressed the eraser into his open palm. He closed his fingers over it and felt his heartbeat speed up. But this time it wasn't because he had just touched Hikari's hand.
Daisuke turned back around just in time to see Ken brush his ponytail to the side, letting it rest on his shoulder as he continued to work through the math problem. The taller boy's hair looked even better when he did that. Daisuke was grateful for the current unimpeded view.
DAISUKE: ( … )
The realization was mundane— as mundane as math class itself— which was quite the opposite of how things normally went in Daisuke's often extraordinary life. Instead of being called to save a burning building in the Digital World, it was almost like a small brick slid into place to complete a house.
DAISUKE: ( I love him. )
No manga hearts or bubbles. Just love.
Ken finished writing on the board and began walking back to his seat. When he reached his desk, their eyes met. Daisuke knew his cheeks were red— there was nothing he could do about it, especially not with the boy he most definitely had a crush on staring directly at him with his slate blue eyes.
Ken broke his gaze and slid into his seat. A minute later, Daisuke watched as the other boy passed a note back to him without looking.
NOTE: Let's go to the roof again at lunch. - Ken
May 26, 12:16 PM
Tsukishima Sogo High School - East Wing Roof
Irony was a funny little thing. Just two weeks ago, Daisuke had prepared himself for a nice, smooth rejection, hoping his high school life would go back to it's regularly scheduled programming. But as he climbed the stairs to the roof today, with the same thought on his mind as the last time, he dreaded Ken's answer.
So maybe irony wasn't funny. Maybe it was just sad. Daisuke tried to find the humor in it anyway.
DAISUKE: ( At least it'll be an interesting story to tell the Digimon. )
As he stepped out into the sunlight, also just like last time, Ken's eyes met Daisuke's from the other side of the roof. The breeze tousled his friend's hair. It reminded him of Ken's wind-swept locks after a battle in the Digital World, or after Wormmon would crawl up his back and rub his face in his human partner's neck. Daisuke felt an intense wave of fondness come crashing over him.
Oh he loved Ken alright, and this interaction was going to suck.
He joined Ken on the ground, leaning against the chain link fence and making sure to keep a few feet of distance between them. The déjà vu hit him like a ton of bricks.
KEN: …
DAISUKE: …
KEN: Daisuke?
Ken said his name so quietly, he almost didn't hear it.
DAISUKE: Yeah?
KEN: Why do you like me romantically?
DAISUKE: …
DAISUKE: Why do I like you?
Ken nodded. Daisuke tried to relax. He pulled his knees up to his chest and smiled down at his shoes.
DAISUKE: I think it's your hair.
KEN: My— what?
KEN: ( That's weirdly superficial. )
DAISUKE: You grew out your hair for me, and I came to realize how many other things you've done for me over the years.
DAISUKE: You really were the first friend I ever cared about as much as my family.
DAISUKE: When you transferred to our school, I couldn't stop smiling every time I thought about how lucky I was,
DAISUKE: to get to spent more time with you.
DAISUKE: And I guess at some point… those feelings of friendship branched off into some else entirely.
Panic struck him for a brief moment and he immediately looked over at Ken, who had his gaze fixed to the sky.
DAISUKE: But that doesn't mean I won't continue being friends with you, just because of those feelings!
DAISUKE: I totally still love you as a friend too.
KEN: …
Ken was obviously stalling, so Daisuke ripped off the bandaid.
DAISUKE: Ken, it's okay. I know you've been trying hard, but you don't have to consider my feelings anymore.
DAISUKE: You can leave it alone.
The shorter boy squeezed his eyes shut, waiting anxiously for the reply. For Ken to tell him that he's relieved he doesn't have to deal with this situation anymore.
KEN: Daisuke…
Ken said his name again, but this time his voice was stronger, more resolute. A moment later Daisuke felt a cool hand touch his forehead. He startled.
KEN: I can't leave you alone. Not now.
DAISUKE: ( He's already comforting me. Here comes the rejection… )
His heart ached, and the pain was so much worse than when he gave up on loving Hikari. Ken rustled his hair for a second before pulling his hand away.
DAISUKE: You don't have to comfort—
KEN: —I love you—
DAISUKE: —Huh!?—
KEN: Oh not this again.
Ken drew in a shaky breath, then did what Daisuke considered unthinkable. He leaned over and pressed his lips to Daisuke's. It took him a moment to process what was happening, and by the time he did, Ken had already pulled away.
Daisuke could have passed out right there on the rooftop of the school.
KEN: ...
KEN: I uhhh…
DAISUKE: …
He noticed Ken's eyes flicker down to his lips, and then, miraculously, they were kissing again. Daisuke found himself grasping Ken's shirt sleeve, holding onto the moment like his life depended on it. Or, his love life anyway.
When they broke apart, Daisuke had stars in his eyes. Ken swallowed, his heart swimming in a mixture of happiness and nerves. He assumed Daisuke would be the one to make the first comment, and sure enough, he was.
DAISUKE: I… did not expect you to do that. Twice. But wow are you good at it.
KEN: I… thanks?
Silence, then—
DAISUKE: Why did you ask me about why I love you, if you already had an answer for me?
Ken calmed his breathing— in and out, in and out.
KEN: I'm not always great at telling others about my feelings.
KEN: Psychologically speaking, other people's feelings are so much easier to understand than my own.
KEN: I wanted to hear your reasoning, because I knew you could put into words the exact emotions I was feeling for you.
Daisuke smiled softly and touched his own lips.
DAISUKE: Your actions spoke WAY louder than my words, dude.
The taller boy chuckled, and the last of the nerves in his chest evaporated.
DAISUKE: So… you really have romantic feelings for me? You know you don't have to like me just because—
Ken interrupted him again.
KEN: It's not like you to be so negative.
KEN: I've always had some sort of feelings for you. Hatred, then reluctant friendship, then partnership, then real friendship.
KEN: But that morphed into something else, just like yours did.
KEN: Though it took me a while— or I guess an event like seeing that eraser— to realize it.
Daisuke bit his bottom lip. Then he pulled the eraser out of his pocket and reached out to tap Ken's hand with it. A moment later, they were holding hands, with the eraser right in the middle of both of their palms.
"Ken", the eraser so clearly and obviously said. With a heart.
DAISUKE: Well, I guess Jerk-eru was right for once.
KEN: He's right more often than that. But what, pray tell, were you arguing about this time?
DAISUKE: It wasn't an argument. He told me:
(Black and white) TAKERU: You've probably liked that person longer than you realized.
KEN: When did you realize?
DAISUKE: ( There's no way I could tell him it was only this morning! )
DAISUKE: When I noticed how sexy your hair is.
Another small laugh escaped Ken's lips.
KEN: What's with you and my hair!?
DAISUKE: You're into my hair too, don't lie! I saw you with that dopey smile on your face when you were drawing me in art class!
With his free hand, Ken leaned across Daisuke and ruffled his cinnamon hair again. But this time Daisuke was prepared. He slipped his arm around Ken's back and pulled him in for another kiss, a much longer one this time.
The rest of their final year of high school was going to be filled with challenges— exams and otherwise— no doubt about it. But it would also be filled with stolen kisses and fond smiles and preparations to visit each other in the Digital World when they lived apart. And most importantly, inside jokes about the time two people fell in love because of an eraser.
A/N: Please let me know what you thought! Again, there is a lot of fanart associated with this story, so please check it out on zuzsenpai on AO3.