THE COURSE OF TRUE LOVE...
By Stiltzkin
Author's Note: Before I begin I like to thank the reviewer that wrote in their review to write this [story] for myself and let it take me where it wants to go. For the last few chapters I haven't been doing that, instead I have been writing to please two groups. For that reason writing this series became more of a burden then a joy to write to the point where I considered stop writing this story all together, but now I write where my Muse points. I know I have to disappoint one group sooner or later, and by the end of this chapter one of them would.
The moment I'd posted the previous chapter I instantly regretted putting Willis' prophecy in it. Call it a moment of fleeting sanity, but at the time it seemed like a good idea, but as soon as I posted it I found it clichéd, trite and a bad idea, hindsight is always twenty-twenty. I considered revising it, but I didn't find it fair to do so, no I made my bed and now I have to sleep in it. I also considered posting a note in this introduction to make it apocryphal, but that too wouldn't be fair. Oh well, as Dorris Day might say, que sera sera.
The prophecy isn't all that bad it does gives me direction, albeit the destination is still an unknown, the flip side is I no longer have the latitude that I once had with the characters. My challenge is: I have to find a plausible way to intricate Takeru's dream with Willis' apocalyptic one and his prophecy, that is the first part, not the second where Willis predicted that Hikari and Takeru were destined to be together. The story itself would end when Takeru leaves for America (that too is still up in the air) and that particular thread would be left unanswered. Furthermore the prophecy itself would be a tertiary element in the story and I'll try not to put too much emphasis on it. Once again, enjoy.
* * * * * * * * * *
"In the arithmetic of love,
one plus one equals everything,
and two minus one equals nothing."
- Mignon McLaughlin
* * * * * * * * * *
CHAPTER SIX: PROMISES AND OATHS.
Daisuke Motomiya was too excited to sleep; his plan to totally win over Hikari Kamiya totally consumed him. He knew that he needed sleep or he would pay the consequences later on in the day. Flopping on his bed he started to count sheep, he reached thirty-five before giving up. For the rest of the night he paced in his room to get tired, to no success.
His alarm clock blared with a vengeance, Daisuke rushed towards the alarm turning it off and in one swift motion picked up the phone and started dialling. He anxiously waited for the other end to answer. On the fifth ring, the phone picked up. "Hello, this is Davis Motomiya I came by yesterday evening and bought a necklace to have engraved. I was wondering when I could pick it up?" He asked waiting for the response. "An hour? Great I'll pick it up then." He said hanging up the phone.
"Yes!" He rejoiced doing a back flip in celebration. "Everything is coming along perfectly!" He gasped. "Just two more phone calls." He smiled picking up the phone.
* * * * * * * * * *
Taichi and Hikari were anxiously looking at each other from across the table. Their legs kept shaking underneath the kitchen table with apprehension. Their mother was experimenting with a new dish again, which scared them because they were often her guinea pigs. "Umm...Mom, what are you making?" Hikari asked with trepidation. The smell was making her nauseous; she looked at her brother and saw the green tinge on his skin.
"Liver flavoured wheat germ pancakes smothered in a light soy bean sauce." Their mother proudly announced. "The lady that came into my Health Food store told me that they go great with my beef jerky shakes you love so much." She added.
Taichi and Hikari had a rule of thumb to measure how adverse their mother's concoctions would taste. The longer the title of the dish the worse it would taste. When Taichi heard the title he almost had a cardiac.
"Umm...Mom I'm suddenly not feeling hungry." Taichi sheepishly declared.
His mother started to chuckle. "Oh, Tai sometimes you can be so funny." She replied not believing in her son. "You say that like you don't like my cooking." She smiled.
"Yeah...I'm a real...comedian." Taichi sarcastically agreed.
Suddenly the telephone rang. "It's for me!" They answered in unison dashing out of the kitchen like a bullet. They wrestled for the receiver for a couple of seconds when the cordless slipped out of Taichi hands and into Hikari's.
"Hello?" Hikari panted out of breath.
"Hey Kari it's Davis."
"Hi Davis." Hikari pronounced to her brother sticking out her tongue. "You're my hero." She smiled watching Taichi walking back to the kitchen.
"Really?" He gasped, then realized what she said and quickly cleared his throat. "I mean, of course I am." He proudly stated.
Hikari chuckled softly to herself. "What is it that you want?" She smiled.
"I forgot to ask you last night when I called, but my family is having a picnic today at noon and I was wondering if you would like to come." Daisuke asked.
"Noon?" Hikari asked with trepidation. "I'm sorry Davis, I already have plans. I love to have dinner with your family, or even better breakfast with you. If I have breakfast with you I'll be eternally grateful." She begged.
"Sorry Kari, I have plans for breakfast." He reluctantly told her. "But dinner sounds good you can come over at six if you like." Daisuke offered.
Hikari sighed with defeat. "I'll be there at six." She smiled.
"Great." Daisuke was beaming. "Could I speak with Tai?"
"Tai? Sure." She gasped confused why Daisuke would want to talk to her brother. "Tai! Davis wants to talk to you." She bellowed.
Taichi dashed out of the kitchen breaking the hundred-meter dash record and grabbed the cordless like it was a baton. "Davis man, you are so my hero." He gasped. Hikari chuckled to herself; she stayed by her brother wondering what Daisuke wanted with him.
"What's up with you two?" Daisuke asked. "Never mind." He sighed. "I know it's short notice but I need to talk to you." He sighed.
"Take as long as you like. The longer the better."
"Actually I need to talk to you in person." He sighed. "Do you think you can meet me at Sometaro for breakfast my treat?" He feebly asked.
"Breakfast?" Taichi gasped. "Sure I can make it to breakfast! Man, you're not my hero, you're my saviour." Taichi cried with joy dropping the phone. "Mom, can't stay Davis is buying me breakfast." He said dashing out the door so his mother wouldn't object.
Hikari gasped picking up the phone. "Davis if you truly love me you'll treat me to breakfast too." She said, but alas Daisuke had hung up.
"What was that?" Their mother bellowed from the kitchen.
"Tai had to go." Hikari replied. "That lucky scoundrel." She mumbled under her breath heading for the kitchen.
* * * * * * * * * *
The morning zephyr osculated his saturated naked torso; the breeze gently played with his golden hair. His heart was still beating rhythmically like African tribal drums and the bitter taste of adrenaline still stuck on his tongue. The memory of his reoccurring nightmare was still rummaging around his conscious mind.
The thought of his discussion with Willis yesterday was quickly expunged from his mind when the morning star twinkled out. Morning has broken and the larks were already singing their early song. Moving away, perhaps never to return had a strange effect on people, they become more nostalgic, every second seemed more intense and more important, time seems to flow more slowly and each moment treasured for it may be the last. It was no different for Takeru Takaishi he wanted to remember every second, every nuance, and every detail of the sunrise from his balcony so he would remember it forever.
He was so lost and enraptured with his thoughts that he didn't hear the telephone ringing in the background. Although his senses were in a state of hypersensitivity his mind was very selective to what he wanted to remember. His mother's hand on his shoulder startled him.
"It's for you, it's Davis." His mother smiled offering the cordless to him.
"Davis?" Takeru was genuinely surprised. "What's he doing up before noon?" He asked rhetorically.
"I didn't ask." His mother replied. "All he said was he wanted to talk to you." His mother sighed.
"I don't want to talk to him." He sighed.
"Takeru." His mother sternly replied pointing the phone to his face.
He exasperated and took the phone. "Hey Davis what's up?" He asked. In his peripheral vision he saw his mother wanting to leave to give him some privacy. He quickly, but gently stopped her from leaving by gripping her arm. It was his silent way of telling her that he wanted her to stay.
"Hey T.K." After two years of getting his name wrong, he finally gets it right, though he suspects that Hikari had some doing in that. It was still strange to hear his name emanating from his mouth. Part of him wished that he still called him T.A. or something like that. "Meet me at Sometaro in an hour for breakfast my treat." He demanded.
"What ever for?" Takeru sounded confused.
"Just be there. It's important I have something to show you." He exasperated hanging up the phone so Takeru couldn't argue with him edgewise. Takeru turned off the phone and looked at it contemplating. 'What are you up to Davis Motomiya?' He thought.
"Something wrong son?" His mother asked.
Takeru came out of his thoughts and sighed. "No, Davis just wanted to have breakfast with me." He sighed still in confusion.
"Oh that's very thoughtful of him." His mother replied.
"Too thoughtful." Takeru replied feeling sceptical about the whole meeting.
"You sound suspicious."
"It's just out of character for Davis that's all."
"People do change."
"Apparently." Takeru sighed. "There's a first for anything."
"So what do you want to talk about besides doing a character assassination of Daisuke Motomiya?" His mother asked.
"Isn't that enough?" He teased.
"Takeru." His mother said sternly.
"All right, all right." He sighed surrendered. "I'm going to tell Kari my feelings today." He finally sighed.
"You are?" His mother gasped.
"Yeah, you sound surprised."
"I am." She confessed. "What changed your mind?"
"Last night when you announced that we were moving to New York, you asked me if I was using your promotion as an excuse for running away. At first I wanted to go because it was the right thing to do, but then last night I looked beyond the visceral and realized that I was running away." Takeru sighed.
"Are you sure you want to do this?" His mother asked.
"Yeah." Takeru sighed. "If she doesn't feel the same way, at least I know how she feels and in doing so I would have complete closure." He sighed.
"A very enlightened view." She sighed. "What about your promises that prevented you from telling the last time we have this discussion?" She pointed out.
"Why are you suddenly discouraging me from telling Kari my feelings?"
"Because two days ago, on this very balcony, you told me that you rather live a life full of regret then rejection..."
"It's because two days ago, I couldn't conceive that we would be moving half way across the world!" Takeru exasperated; his voice a louder then he would have liked. "I'm sorry." He apologized for his outburst.
"It's okay." His mother quickly forgiven. "Please continue."
Takeru sighed. "It's just that two days ago I thought my time here in Odaiba was indefinite." He sighed. "I was being a little presumptuous by saying I was willing to live a life full of regret. In reality, I was willing to live a life of regret for a short time, perhaps a couple of days, a week, month, maybe a couple of years whenever Kari is no longer seeing anyone so I could tell her my feelings then. I'm twelve years old I could afford to wait for Kari for a couple of years." Takeru explained.
"Ah...I see now that we've moving away, your time is finite."
"You can say that." Takeru smiled. "We moving away to New York, probably never to return...I can't live a lifetime not knowing and damn the consequences and after-effects." He sighed.
"And your promises? You were so adamant in keeping them."
"I'm still am." Takeru sighed with frustration. "I wish I could do both, tell her my feelings and be able to keep my promises." He sighed.
"What is this promise of yours?"
"I can't say." Takeru sighed. "It's nothing bad I promise, it's just in this particular case it compromises my heart." He reassured his mother.
"Then you must prioritize which is more important, this promise of yours or your heart?" His mother advised.
"Hypothetically speaking, how would you prioritize a person's dying wish?" Takeru asked already dreading the answer.
"I'll try everything within my powers to complete them. Why? Is this hypothetical death wish not so hypothetical?" His mother asked.
"Let's just say that it's the only major obstacle standing in my way from telling Kari my feelings." Takeru sighed.
"I see so it's compromising your heart or breaking your oath to the dead?" His mother sighed. "I don't envy your decision." She sighed. "So what are you going to do?" She asked.
The suddenly an epiphany hit him, a new contingency he haven't considered. "I'm going to ask the next of kin for permission to break my promise. I just hope the dead would agree." He smiled. "I've better get going, I have to meet Davis for breakfast." He sighed. "Thanks for the talk mom." He smiled leaving.
* * * * * * * * * *
Sometaro is a quaint small restaurant specializing in Japanese pancakes, the building exterior is unpretentious but on the inside it looked surprising like Digitamamon's Diner except that in the middle of booths there were hotplates for self-serving pancakes.
The pancakes are savoury and delectable not to mention filling with several choices for ingredients, but more importantly since Daisuke was treating it was inexpensive, which is probably the reason he choose this particular restaurant.
Takeru almost missed the restaurant because there was no formal sign indicating that it was a place of business. He had almost forgotten that there was a bamboo-fenced garden and lantern outside to indicate the restaurant. Takeru crossed the threshold and circumspect the humble restaurant. To his surprise he saw Taichi sitting in one of the booths.
"Your mother's experimenting with breakfast again?" Takeru teased.
Taichi was surprised to see Takeru. "T.K." He smiled. "Yes, she is, thank God I found an excuse to escape." He beamed.
"So is Kari with you?" He asked hoping to she her.
"No, she couldn't find an excuse to get out of the house." Taichi gloated.
"Sounds ruthless of you not to include her in your plans." Takeru added.
"Well Davis didn't invite her." Taichi smiled. "He invited me, I would ask you to sit, but I think Davis wanted to talk to me in private." He pointed out hating to break the young boy's heart.
"Davis invited you too?" He asked sitting down across from the older boy. "Did he call you this morning and demand your presence?" Takeru asked.
"Demand?" Taichi chuckled. "I was out the door when he mentioned that he was treating me for breakfast." He smiled.
"Right, your mother's experimental cooking I forgot." Takeru sighed. "I wonder where he is, he's late."
"So what else is new?" Taichi sighed. "I wonder what he wants with the both of us?" He sighed trying to find a connection.
"Well whatever it is, I'm glad that we have some time alone." Takeru sighed. "I wanted to ask you something it's about the promise I made to your father on his deathbed." He sighed.
"You're going to tell me my father's last words." Taichi gasped with delight. Like his sister and their mother they wanted to know his last words, but he couldn't tell them because of the promise Takeru made to the dying Kamiya on his deathbed.
"Not exactly." Takeru sighed. "I'm sorry, but you know I promised your father that I wouldn't tell anyone." He painfully reminded his companion.
"Then why did you bring it up?" Taichi asked.
"I was wondering if you'd allow me to break it." Takeru replied.
"What?" Taichi gasped.
"Hey guys thanks for coming." Daisuke greeted. "Sorry I'm late got held up at the engravers." He explained noticing the tense moment between the two men.
"Engravers?" They asked in unison.
"Yeah, but that can wait." Daisuke sighed. "Are you two okay? It looks like you two were about to kill each other before I came in." He asked concerned.
"It's a private matter." Takeru sighed. "So why in the world did you drag us here for breakfast?" He tried to change the subject quickly.
"Right I called you two here to ask you something." Daisuke grinned.
"What is it?" Taichi asked.
"We're listening." Takeru added.
"I wanted to show you this first." Daisuke said giving the blue velvet box that he pulled out of his book bag to Taichi and waited patiently as he opened the box. "So what do you think?" He asked.
"It's beautiful, but I'm not an appraiser so I know you didn't ask me here to look at jewellery. So what's this about?" Taichi said giving the box back to Daisuke. In turn he passed it to Takeru for him to look at it.
"All in good time." Daisuke smiled.
"It has the crest of courage on it." Takeru remarked. It was a beautiful twenty-four karat gold chain with a locket shaped in a half heart with the crest of courage engraved on it. "Where's the other half?" He asked.
"Right here." Daisuke said leaning in to show Takeru the locket around his neck. Takeru delicately held the other half heart around his neck. "It's the crest of light." He gasped.
"Yeah." Daisuke blushed. Takeru thought it odd to see him blushing. "I want to give this to Kari when I ask her to be my girlfriend." He explained taking back the box.
"What?" Taichi's brotherly instincts kicked into overdrive.
"Before you kill me, may I remind you that I'm paying for breakfast." Daisuke reminded quickly.
"And he did get you out of your mother's experimental cooking this morning." Takeru reminded in Daisuke's defence. He was deeply pained by the shocking announcement that he didn't know how to react, but he did know one thing, he didn't want Taichi to kill him.
"Okay." Taichi sighed reluctantly sitting back down. "So why are we here?"
"I wanted to ask your blessing to be her boyfriend." Daisuke simple replied.
"My blessing?" Taichi gasped with confusion.
"Why would you want my blessing?" Takeru asked. "I understand why you want Tai's blessing, but why would you want my blessing?" Takeru asked trying to ignore the voice in his head that's telling him to say no, which increased the pain in heart by a hundred-fold.
"Well Kari considers you one of three men in her life, the first was her father, the second is Tai, and the third person is you and I really appreciate if you give me your blessing." Daisuke sheepishly answered. "So what do you guy say?" He asked anticipating their answers.
"What do you think T.K. should we give him our blessings?" Taichi meant the comment in jest to taunt Daisuke, but to Takeru he took him seriously. Taichi saw the look in his eye and knew that his sarcasm didn't get through to him and that he was genuinely pained by it. He wanted to apologize but he didn't feel right doing that in front of Daisuke.
Takeru exasperated with frustration. 'Why is he asking me that?' He thought trying very hard to hold his pain. He turned to look at Daisuke and saw his brown eyes twinkle with hope. 'Oh God I have the power to make or break his day.' He thought. 'But what about Kari? What does she want?' He sighed.
Takeru was trying to do three things, the first was to think of Hikari's needs and wants, the second was to hide the pain in his heart, and the third was to ignore the little voice in his head that told him to sabotage their relationship before it began.
"Well?" Daisuke asked.
He exasperated and took a deep breath. "Davis, I'm flattered that you wanted to ask my blessing to be with Kari, but you really don't need it. You don't need my permission or my blessing to go out with her. Kari has her own free will and has the right to decide whom she considers her boyfriend. She's not chattel Davis." Takeru sighed, he was stalling it was too painful for him to give the blessing first.
"I know Kari's not a cow, she's an angel."
Takeru exasperated. "Davis its chattel not cattle, chattel as in property." He explained.
"Ah...whatever, I'm not in school." Daisuke protested. "Do you give me your blessing or not?" He sighed with a hint of frustration in his voice.
"Yes Davis, if you want my blessing you have it, zealously, wholeheartedly, and enthusiastically." Takeru sighed overcompensating his true feelings hidden in his heart.
"Great." Daisuke smiled giving Takeru an uncharacteristic hug. "Thank you." He beamed with joy. "How about you Tai? Do you give me your blessing?" He asked waiting for his answer.
"As long as you don't hug me fine, you have my blessing." Taichi sighed.
"Thanks." He beamed jubilantly. "I can't wait to ask her." He smiled like a child on Christmas morning.
"When are you going to ask her?" Taichi asked calmly.
"I wanted to ask her today at lunch at my family picnic, but she said that she had plans without someone. Do you know what she's doing?" Daisuke asked the older sibling.
"No I don't." Taichi sighed.
"I do." Takeru interrupted. "She's meeting with me." He replied, above a whisper. "I'm sorry that I intruded with your plans, but I really needed to talk to her in person about a personal problem. I just needed to talk to my best friend." He sighed. "If you want I could rearrange my schedule..." He was in too much pain to know what he was doing, all he could think of was to do the honourable thing.
"No. She's coming over to dinner tonight, I think that's a better time to ask her any ways." Daisuke smiled, on any other average day he would be jealous that Hikari and Takeru would be meeting for a secret get together, but he was on cloud nine. "To be honest, it'll give me more time to prepare how I'm going to ask her." He smiled. "I just wish I knew how she'll answer." He smiled.
"Don't worry Davis." Takeru sighed. "She's going to say yes."
"How do you know?" Daisuke gasped with awe.
"She told me yesterday in the Digital World before your walk in the woods that the next time you asked her to be your girlfriend that she'll probably say yes." Takeru sighed, it broke his heart to tell him that, but he knew that it'd make Hikari happy.
"Really?" Daisuke smiled.
"Yeah...just don't tell her that I'd told you." He sighed.
"Thanks T.K." He smiled getting up. "I've got to go."
"What about breakfast?" Taichi asked.
"I'm too happy to eat." He said taking out his tan wallet and put enough money for the meal plus a generous tip on the table and without another word he left the humble restaurant.
The air was still filled with awe when Daisuke left. Takeru looked at Taichi; he suddenly needed to be alone and unsurprisingly lost his appetite. "If you'll excuse me Tai, I'm suddenly not feeling very hungry." He sighed getting up.
"Not so fast T.K." He stopped grabbing his wrist stopping him in his flight. "I wanted to apologize for earlier." He sighed. "I didn't mean to pass the responsibility to decide if Davis should get our blessing to you, I only meant it as a joke to keep Davis in suspense." He started to explain. "I thought you'll play along, but you took it seriously." Taichi sighed. "I'm very sorry."
Takeru chuckled to himself. "Kari's right, you're not very good at apologies, and you're forgiven." He smiled. "I really have to go." He sighed wanted to leave again.
"Not so fast." Taichi stopped him again grabbing his wrist. "Why are you asking me to break the promise you made to my dying father?" He asked in a solemn tone.
Takeru swore silently to himself. He had hoped that Taichi had forgotten about their previous discussion with all the excitement that Daisuke dropped that morning. He exasperated and wondered back into his seat drumming his index fingers on the edge of the table. "Some days I think the universe is conspiring against me." He finally sighed.
"What's wrong?"
"Look before I begin this conversation never existed."
"I can't promise anything without knowing what it is first." Taichi replied.
"Then this conversation is over." Takeru said getting up.
"Okay. I promise." Taichi exasperated. "But this better be good for asking what you just did." He sighed.
"I mentioned earlier that I wanted to talk to Kari this afternoon."
"Yeah. You said that you needed a best friend."
"Yeah for one part of the discussion."
"And the other?"
Takeru sighed taking a deep breath before continuing. "I wanted to tell Kari my feelings." He sighed.
"Which are?"
"I love her." He rushed the words quickly, but Taichi heard all of them.
Taichi contained his surprise within him. "You certainly picked a great time to tell her." He exasperated.
"Now you know why I think the universe is conspiring against me." He sighed.
"I doubt that." Taichi sighed. "Just probably picked a bad time to tell her that's all." He sighed. "But I don't understand how my father's dying request fit into your particular predicament." He said trying to get all the pieces to the puzzle together.
"It's your father's dying wish that's preventing me to tell her."
"I don't understand. You promise my father to never tell my sister that you love her?" He asked in a state of confusion. "My father would never ask anyone that." Taichi pointed out.
"No, your quite correct your father didn't ask me that." Takeru reassured a son's faith in his father. "Let me clarify my previous statement. I can't tell Kari my feelings now in this present situation because of the promise I made your father." He sighed.
"I see." Taichi sighed. "I wish I knew the specific of your promise." Takeru was about to interrupt, but Taichi stopped him. "I know you can't tell me nor do I expect you to." He sighed. "Wait a minute." A thought suddenly crept into his mind. "Why did you just give Davis your blessing to ask Kari to be his girlfriend?" He asked confused.
"I don't know." Takeru sighed. "She seems really happy being with him, and I love her enough to give her away." He added.
Taichi was shocked to see the level of maturity in such a young man. "One more question why now? This is the worse possible time you could tell my sister your feelings." Taichi sighed.
"I know." Takeru sighed. "Normally I would have waited for a more opportune time, but I don't have much time left." He sighed enigmatically.
"You're dying?" Taichi gasped fearing the worst.
"No." Takeru quickly corrected. "I'm moving to New York in a week, probably never to return, my mom got a promotion so I have to go." He sighed. "But before I leave I have to know if my feelings for Kari are reciprocate and if not then at least I know and have complete closure, but in order to do that..."
"You have to break my father's dying wish." Taichi sighed. "And so you came here to ask my permission to break it." He deduced.
"Yeah." Takeru sighed.
"Who says there's no more noble men left in the world?" Taichi asked rhetorically. "First Davis and now you." He sighed.
"Well I guess we're a dying breed." Takeru sighed. "Tai, you don't have to give me permission." He sighed. "I don't think I'm going to tell her."
"That you love her or that you're leaving?" Taichi asked.
"The former." Takeru sighed.
"I thought you might say that." Taichi sighed. "I guess it would be fruitless to ask you why." He sighed.
"I don't know." Takeru sighed. "They seem so happy to be together." He sighed. "Who am I to stand in the way of true love?" He asked rhetorically.
"Who says she won't be happier with you?"
"Did she say that?"
"Well...it's mainly hypothetical."
"Oh, I thought so." Takeru sighed crestfallen. "The fact of the matter is Kari sees me as a friend, while she's sees Davis as something more." He sighed.
"It's because you didn't give her any other reason to change her mind."
"And I'm not going to give her any reason to change her mind anytime soon." Takeru exasperated. "The fact of the matter is I was about to tell her about my feelings, that is until Davis made his announcement, now I'm just not so sure anymore." He sighed.
"You still can." Taichi pointed out. "You're meeting Kari for lunch, Davis meeting her for dinner, which gives you a six hour advantage." He sighed.
"Right after I set Davis up for victory and only to rob it from right under his nose at the last minute." Takeru sighed. "I wouldn't wish that fate on my enemies, not less Davis." He sighed.
"That's also true." Taichi sighed.
"Yeah." He sighed. "If you don't mind I'm not feeling particularly hungry and the truth of the matter is, I have this conversation one too many times this morning for my liking." He attempted to leave again.
"I give you permission!" Taichi directed that comment at Takeru, but continued to make his breakfast.
Takeru stopped in his track and returned to the booth slumping back into his seat. "Why? I told you that I'm not going to tell Kari my feelings." He sighed.
"That is of course, your prerogative, but I'm still giving you permission to break my father's dying wish only in this case." He sighed.
"May I ask way?"
"I know my father and I know you." Taichi sighed.
"Rather ambiguous reasoning." Takeru sighed.
"T.K., my father loved you like one of his own, he saw you grow up with Kari, saw how you protected her all those years, you've been a good friend, and he probably knew that you secretly love her." He smiled. Takeru blushed at the comment while Taichi smiled at him watching. "The last thing he wanted from this promise, whatever it is, was to hurt you. Furthermore, I don't think he wanted you to use his dying wish to cause you pain or grief. My father wanted for you what he wants for all his children: happiness." He sighed.
"Yeah, but unfortunately my happiness will tax others, included you sister."
"Sometimes making yourself happy does that." Taichi sighed.
"Yeah, well you have given me a lot to think about." Takeru sighed. "I've better be going now." He sighed getting up.
"I won't stop you this time." Taichi smiled.
"Thanks for letting me go and thanks for your help." Takeru sighed leaving the restaurant.
* * * * * * * * * *
"Our spot." Hikari whispered entering the small, isolated stone gazebo. She gazed through the latticework where she saw three ducks swam by. The hideaway was located in a secluded part of the park in the middle of a pond that was connected by a small boardwalk.
In their ten-year relationship Hikari and Takeru always had a common place to meet that held some special meaning for them, though the spot itself had change four times over the years, it always had two things in common it was always at the park and always shared some special meaning to them - a place when they needed to talk in private.
The Odaiba Park was a mutual stomping ground that was equidistant from their condominium buildings and school. Hikari had always thought it strange that they never named their spot; it was always called 'our spot' ever since they were young and they never thought of changing it, to do so always seemed sacrilegious.
Their mothers introduced them to their first spot, the sandbox in the small playground in the park. They would bring their children everyday for their play date when their brothers were at school and their husbands would be at work. Hikari and Takeru would play while their mothers would talk. They promised to always meet at the sandbox before they go off and play together.
Time moves inexorably onward, as time usually does. Without fail they would meet at the sandbox to play, pending the status of the weather, if it were too cold or unpleasant Takeru would go to her house. If they were sick the healthy would visit the sick.
Until one day when Hikari was five Takeru didn't show up. With tears in her eyes she went to her mother and asked why her best friend didn't come. In response, her mother told Hikari that he had moved to another city and would call when he gets there.
She didn't hear the last part, all she knew was her best friend in the whole world has moved away without saying goodbye. She didn't care to know the reason and didn't care all she knew was she cried for three days before hearing from Takeru again. The sandbox was no longer a happy place for her.
When Takeru returned that summer at the ripe age of six they changed their meeting spot to the swings at her request. It was still at the playground, but on the opposite side to the sandbox. Hikari liked it when Takeru would push her on the swings. She would try to touch the clouds with her toes imagining that she could fly. Everything seemed real and dreams always came true at that time.
By the time they were nine, a year after their first trip to the Digital World, they switched their spot again due to the fact that their brothers and the older digidestined kept on teasing them about being boyfriend and girlfriend which made that spot no longer private.
It took a long time to find another special spot; they were very particular for some odd reason. Eventually, they found secluded spot in the green house in the middle of the Botanical Garden. There was a particular loveseat where they sat surrounded by plants all year round. The first time they found their third spot they talked all day and watched the stars came out through the glass ceiling.
When Takeru return the summer when they were eleven he told Hikari the good news that he and his mother would be moving back to Odaiba that fall. Hikari was excited and that summer seemed like a perpetual celebration. She was later shocked to find out that they would be in the same class together. Their spot soon became redundant because they met everyday at school; instead their spot changed its meaning. Instead of a meeting spot it became a spot they go to when they need to unburden their souls.
This spot soon turned sour when one day Daisuke Motomiya followed them there, perhaps in a rage of jealousy of the quality time they shared together and ruined their spot perpetually. Hikari told him off because it was she who was bearing her soul to Takeru and stormed out of the Greenhouse. Hikari in grief ran aimlessly in the park, Takeru quickly followed and when he caught up to her. They stopped outside a secluded gazebo when it started to rain and decided to walk towards it where she cried on his shoulder all the burdens of her heart and thus their fourth spot came to be.
She looked at her watched and realized that she was still twenty minutes early. This morning she had a plethora of things in her mind, two that stuck out like a sore thumb. The first was the reason Takeru called this meeting she was genuinely worried about him. The second was why Daisuke asked her brother for breakfast and not her. The rest of the thoughts were superficial.
She was so deep in thought that she didn't hear arguing in the distant and the sound of ducks quacking their song in protest. She was still deep in thought when the fighting stopped and the quacking of ducks ceased. "Kari?" A voice scared her she knew it wasn't Takeru's. "What are you doing here?"
"Davis?" She gasped turning around in fright. "What are you doing here?"
"My family is having their picnic just over there." Daisuke pointed through the latticework. "I'm surprised you didn't hear Jun and I arguing." He teased. "Then I saw you here and...well here I am." He explained. "What are you doing here?" He reiterated his question.
"I'm not talking to you." Hikari turned her back to him.
"Why?" Daisuke asked.
"Do you know what I had for breakfast today?" She turned around.
"Oh if this is why I invited Tai to breakfast and not you..."
"A double serving of liver flavoured wheat germ pancakes smothered in a light soy bean sauce with beef jerky shakes to wash it down." Hikari replied not wanting to hear Daisuke's explanation.
"I have a simple explana...wheat germ what? How did it taste?"
"The way it sounds. What do you think?"
"Man, T.K. wasn't kidding when he said I saved Tai from your mother's cooking." Daisuke sighed offhandedly.
"You had breakfast with T.K. too? Why were you having breakfast with T.K. and my brother?" Hikari asked.
"I'll tell you after you answer my question." He smiled. "What are you doing here? T.K. told me that you were suppose to meet for lunch." He pointed out.
"T.K. told you that we were meeting?"
"Yeah, over breakfast."
"And you're not jealous?"
"No, T.K. said that he needed his best friend."
Hikari was amazed how much Daisuke changed in a short period of time. A couple of days ago he would be fuming with jealousy when he heard Takeru would spend some time with her alone. "Yeah, he did this is our spot." She confessed.
"This is your place?" Daisuke gasped realizing what it was. "I'm sorry, I've better be going, I don't want to ruin another spot for you two." He gasped attempting to leave.
"We still have time." Hikari stopped him from leaving. "Enough time to tell me why you were having breakfast with my brother and best friend." She smiled wanting to know.
Daisuke exasperated and reached into his backpack and pulled out the blue velvet box out. "I wanted to give you this at dinner tonight, but I guess this is a good enough time then any." He smiled handing her the box.
"What is it?"
"Open it." He directed.
Hikari opened the velvet box and gasped at the content within. "It's beautiful." She gasped in awe looking at the golden half heart. "It has the crest of courage on it." She smiled.
"It's for you." Daisuke smiled. "I'm wearing the other half with the crest of light on it." He said showing the other half around his neck. "It's my way of telling you that we are two half hearts mending into one. It's also my way of asking you to be my girlfriend." Daisuke sheepishly asked.
Hikari gasped looking at him, her heart was doing summersaults that she almost forgot that she was angry with him. She couldn't believe what she heard. "Really?" Hikari smiled keeping her excitement in. "Wait a minute how does this connect with your breakfast with T.K. and Tai this morning?" She tentatively asked trying to keep Daisuke in suspense.
"I asked for their blessing for us to be a couple, they eventually said yes." Daisuke answered blushing. Hikari felt flattered that he went through all the trouble. "So what do you say? Will you be my girlfriend?" He asked with earnest sincerity.
Hikari waltzed towards him lift his chin and smiled. "Does this answer your question?" She smiled kissing him on the lips.
"So I assume that's a yes." Daisuke said breathless.
"You assume right." She smiled.
"Yes." Daisuke cheered lifting Hikari off the ground swinging her around the gazebo three times before letting her rest gently on the ground. "Here let me put this around your neck." He offered.
"Hold on, let me take off my camera first." She smiled unfastening the camera from her neck. Daisuke ceremoniously fasten the pendent around her neck.
"It looks perfect on you." He smiled looking at the pendant with the crest of courage seemed right around her neck. He kissed her again.
The kiss seemed to last for an eternity, she didn't want it to end, but she had to. "You've better get going, T.K. would be here soon." Hikari gasped panting out of breath.
"Yeah I know." Daisuke sighed. "I'll miss you terribly." He smirked.
"Then let this carry you through until then." Hikari kissed him again. "I'll see you tonight." She smiled. "Now go." She demanded.
She watched Daisuke leave the gazebo waited until he was out of earshot and squealed with exultation. She had her first boyfriend and she was dancing with joy. She couldn't wait until she tells Takeru all the good news.
"Hey Kari?"
"Davis, what are you doing here?" She blushed. "T.K. would be here soon." Hikari warned.
"I think he was." Daisuke said showing a white cap in his hand. "I found it just outside, I think it's T.K.'s." He explained.
Hikari gasped grabbing the hat. "It can't be T.K.'s, this hat means the world to him. He wouldn't just leave it unless..." She whispered.
"Unless?"
Hikari didn't hear Daisuke's question. She felt incredibly guilty she was supposed to be there for Takeru like he was always there for her when she needed him. Instead she was indulging into her own feelings.
She lifted the white cap to her nose and smelled it. It was his scent, he smelled like the ocean, fresh and crisp. There was no mistaking it now Takeru was there. 'How much did he see?' She thought to herself. Hikari was hurt that he so carelessly dropped it, especially because he was so particular about his hats. She remembered the day they got it for him.
* * * * * * * * * *
Three Years Ago...
"Catch me if you can." Hikari teased holding Takeru's green hat in her hand while sticking out her tongue for spite. She had a huge grin on her face running away from Takeru.
"Kari, I'm going to get you." Takeru playfully replied chasing her through the crowded pier trying to reclaim his property.
It was two years after their first adventure in the Digital World and Takeru came back to Odaiba for his summer vacation. The digidestined were having a wonderful day at the beach. That is, until Takeru decided to get back at Hikari for a previous prank she pulled on him earlier that morning.
While she was sleeping in the sun he threw a bucket of cold water on her. She gasped screaming seeing Takeru smiled. Knowing what he did, the ten-year-old girl started to chase the ten-year-old boy trying to get even with him, and she did when his Takeru's green hat flew off his head.
Takeru saw Hikari picking it up with a devilish twinkle in her eye. She smiled at him and started running away towards the pier. After ten minutes of running she was trapped on the high pier. She looked down and saw the blue ocean hundreds of feet below her.
"All right Kari, you have your fun. Please give my hat back." Takeru smiled slowly approaching her.
"Not so fast T.K." Hikari smiled stretching her hand dangling the green hat over the precipice.
"You wouldn't."
"Wouldn't I?" Hikari grinned devilishly.
"Okay, you win." Takeru sighed. "I'm sorry for messing with the Queen of Pranks." He smiled approaching her. "Now give me back the hat." He said slowly approaching her.
"Here you go." Hikari said giving the hat back to Takeru when suddenly a gust of strong wind blew the green hat from her hand and into the ocean below.
"No." Takeru said running towards the edge of the pier. It was too late his green hat was lost forever in the deep blue ocean. He was heartbroken.
"I'm so sorry T.K." Hikari gasped. "I didn't mean to..."
"That's okay." He replied, above a whisper. "It's just a hat - a hat my father bought me before my parents divorced." He replied running away, his eyes filled with tears.
"T.K. wait!" She shouted chasing after him, but it was too late, he was gone.
Hikari manage to find him in their secluded spot at the Botanical Garden at the park some distance away. She knew that she would find him there, he was quietly weeping, drowned in sadness. She approached him quietly. "T.K. Please don't cry." She whispered sitting down beside him putting her arm around him. "I'm sorry, I didn't know it meant so much to you." She sympathized.
"That's okay no one knew." Takeru said wiping his tears. "That hat means so much to me because it's the last thing in my life that reminds me of my family before my parent's divorce." He sighed.
"That's why you're so protective of it."
"Yeah." Takeru sighed. "I know it's silly it's just a hat, but it's the only emblem I have left to remind me of the time where Matt and my parents were living together. I was so young when they divorced five years ago...I'm starting to forget what's it like to live in a normal family." He sighed.
"And now it's gone." Hikari sighed.
"Yeah." Takeru sighed. "But I still have my memories, albeit fleeting."
"I'm sorry." She whispered putting her arm around him.
"That's okay." He smiled trying to reassure Hikari that she was forgiven.
Hikari smiled trying to fix the messy blond hair of her best friend. "Tell you what, I know it's not a substitute but I would like to buy you another hat." She smiled running her fingers through his hair.
"No that's okay." Takeru sighed. "I think I've grown out of hats."
"Well that's means you have to spend time to fix your hair in the morning." Hikari sighed. "Which means that you have to use stuff like mousse, gel and hairspray in your hair." She pointed out.
Takeru gasped knowing the very idea of putting all that junk in his hair didn't settle well with him and Hikari knew that. "Okay, let's go hat shopping." He sighed getting up extending his hand.
"I thought you see it my way." She smiled taking his hand.
They left the arboretum hand in hand returning to the beach to tell the rest of the digidestined where they were and where they were going. They headed to the nearest clothing shop on the boardwalk.
"This store seems good." Hikari suggested.
Takeru quickly glanced at the store. It was a humble store selling summer wears from hats to sandals and everything in-between. "All right." Takeru smiled. "It looks good." He said leading her into the store.
The store had a large assortment of hats that were haphazardly piled into a small mountain. Hikari and Takeru started to dig into the stack looking for the right hat for him.
"Are you sure you don't want the same hat?" Hikari asked.
"Yeah." Takeru sighed. "It won't be the same."
"Okay." Hikari smiled looking through the mountain of hats. "How about this?" Hikari asked putting a baseball hat on.
Takeru looked into the mirror that was nearby and sighed. "I don't know." He said indecisively. "It's a little too American for me." He sighed.
"Yeah, maybe you're right." Hikari sighed waltzing behind him. "I can't see your beautiful eyes underneath the peak." She sighed. "Maybe if we turned the hat like so." She demonstrated turning the bill of the hat to the end. "I heard all the cool Americans wear it like this." She smiled draping her arms lackadaisically over his shoulders. "What do you think?" She asked.
She saw a tuff of blond hair sprouting from hole where the clasp fastened. Takeru motioned his head around seeing it from all sides. "I don't know." He sighed. "It's just not me." He exasperated.
"Yeah, I think you're right." Hikari sighed. "Let's see what else we could find." She sighed taking the baseball cap off.
They returned to the mountain of hats and started digging searching scrupulously for Takeru's next hat. "Hey look what I found." Takeru smiled, putting on a child's hat with a tiny propeller on the top. "What do you think?" He said sarcastically.
Hikari laughed to herself. "If you expect me to buy that you, then you'll have to find yourself another best friend, because I won't be seen in public with you in that." She chuckled at the sight.
"That bad huh?" He smiled.
"It's up there." She smiled. "How about this?" She smiled taking the childish hat off and put another hat on him.
"I don't know." Takeru whined.
"Com'on give it a try." Hikari said dragging him towards the mirror. "What do you think?" She smiled.
"How does: 'Com'on little doggy,' sound to you?" Takeru asked seeing the reflection of him in a cowboy's hat.
"Too Western?" Hikari smiled.
"You think?" He asked sarcastically, taking off the gallon hat.
"Back to the drawing board." Hikari sighed.
They turned their attentions back towards the mountain of hats and started digging again. Takeru chuckled at the next hat he found. "Hey Kari, if you love the first hat, you'll love this." He smiled devilishly. "What do you think of this?" He said putting on the jester's hat he found.
Hikari chuckled at Takeru wearing the hat with three dropping arms with bells at the end, but what made her laugh was the funny face Takeru was making at her. "And I thought the first hat you picked out was bad." She managed to say through her laughter. The look of Takeru with his eyes crossed and his tongue to the side made her laugh to the point of suffocation.
"I wondered how many of those hats this store sell?" Takeru chuckled to himself, taking the hat off and continued his search.
"Maybe there's a big market for it?"
They stopped their search and raised their eyes to each other. They contemplated Hikari's explanation and in unison replied. "Nah." Shaking their heads and continued their search in suppressed laughter.
"Here I found something." Hikari said approaching Takeru. She put on the white hat on his head and ran her hands down his cheeks; she then started to fix his blond hair. "Wow, this is it." She smiled looking into his blue eyes. "This is so you." Hikari smiled having an urge to kiss him; she blushed and stopped herself before anything happened.
"Are you sure?" He said above a whisper, his face slightly red.
"Let's go check in the mirror." She quickly said guiding him towards it. "What do you think?" She smiled gently wrapping her arms around his waist and putting her head affectionately on his shoulder. "Do you like it?" She whispered.
"It's perfect." He smiled. "Let's go buy it." He turned looking at her.
"Okay." She smiled, heading towards the cash register where Hikari purchased the hat for her best friend and walked out to the boardwalk and enjoyed the sun. "How's the hat?"
"It's perfect, you sure know how to pick a hat." He smiled.
Hikari blushed looking down at her at her manual camera. She looked down on her simple disposable camera and saw that there were a few pictures left. "Hey T.K. I have a couple of pictures left in my camera why don't we use the rest of it on us and your new hat?" Hikari asked.
"Sounds good." He smiled.
"Excuse me ma'am, do you mind taking our picture?" Hikari asked.
* * * * * * * * * *
"Kari?" Daisuke had been calling her name for the last minute. "I ruined another sacred spot didn't I?" He replied, above a whisper. Still there was no answer. "Are you okay?" He asked touching her on the shoulder.
"No." She replied, her voice above a whisper. "I've failed him." She whispered.
"Who T.K.? I doubt that." Daisuke replied affectionately.
"You don't understand." She whispered. "T.K. has always been there for me when I needed him and he's rarely asked for my help and when he does I end up ignoring him for..." She couldn't bring herself to say it.
"Me." Daisuke replied sadly.
Hikari walked towards him and raised his chin. "For us." She corrected lifting his chin so their eyes would meet. "It's not your fault Davis." She reassured.
"Nor is it yours." He replied leaning towards her to reassure her with a kiss.
"You don't understand." Hikari said turning away breaking their embrace, unbeknownst of his attempts of his reassuring tactics. She ran towards the other end of the gazebo and looked out. "Have you ever had a friend that was always there for you no matter the time, circumstance or distance? That after being with him always made you feels better? That's always been a rock, a confident, an advisor, and comforter?" She asked.
"No." Daisuke confessed.
"Until you do, you can't imagine my pain of disappointing him." Hikari said. "I have to find to him, no matter what." She said running out.
"Hey." Daisuke said grabbing her arm. "Kari do you even know where T.K. is?"
"No." Hikari gasped holding her tears. "I have to follow my instincts, my head, and heart." She replied.
"How are you going to accomplish this?"
"By any means possible."
"Look Kari, let me go with you. I'm worried about you when you're in this state." He sighed. "I don't want you to do anything foolish while you're this delirious." He pointed out.
Hikari smiled and held his check. "Thanks for the offer, but you have to understand, I have to find him alone." She smiled.
"All right." Daisuke smiled. "Just be careful."
"I will." Hikari reassured. "I'll see you tonight." She quickly smiled kissing him goodbye and dashed out of the gazebo.
He ran after her for a couple of steps only to see her disappeared around the bend. "Good luck." He whispered to himself.
"Hey Dweeb, what did you do to your girlfriend?" He heard his sister yelled in the background. Daisuke sighed and slowly walked towards where his family was having their picnic. He didn't feel like fighting with his sister, instead he was worried about Hikari, who ironically was worried about someone else. He never imagined his greatest victory could taste so bitter.
* * * * * * * * * *
Takeru swayed slowly on the swing, the ambient sounds of serendipitous children playing around him didn't phased or soothed the new pain in his heart. He was in complete dismay at what he saw at their spot earlier. Daisuke and Hikari in a warm passionate kiss, he kissing her, but more painfully, she returning the favour. Try as he may, he could not get that image out of his mind.
In tears he dashed away, his white hat flying off in the process. Normally, he would stop to pick it up, but these weren't normal circumstances nor was he thinking properly, so he pressed on in his flight. He ran aimlessly through the park with nothing but his broken heart to guide him until all his feelings that was fuelling his flight has been exhausted.
His broken heart led him to the park where the laughter of children caught his attention, a sweet song calling him back to the past. A wave of nostalgia overwhelmed him bringing him to a time of pure innocence, of naiveté, of simplicity, he wished for that time.
Drying his tears he headed toward the sandbox and gently raked his fingertips through the sand. He smiled to himself looking at the sandbox; it was smaller then he remembered, then again, everything looked a lot bigger when he was three. The touch of the gravel was familiar; it brought an overabundance of all the good times they spent here, in their first spot, before the world decided to ruin that for them.
"Hey mister, you wanna play?" An innocent voice broke through his thoughts.
Takeru slowly glanced up towards the origin of the voice. It was odd to be called mister, he felt way too young to be called that. He gently glanced up to thank the child who invited him, but was flabbergasted by the sight.
"No, thank you." He smiled at the blue eye, blond hair boy wearing a golden St. Jude medallion around his neck. He quietly swore to himself, it was like a reflection of his past, the child resembled him greatly, but even more odd was his playing companion.
"Are you sure mister?" The brown eye brunette girl asked wearing a mauve baseball hat. "It's a lot of fun." She reassured with an angelic smile.
Except for the hat the little girl reminded him of Hikari. "Yes, I'm sure." He smiled. "A good friend of mine told me that it was more cool to wear your hat like this." Takeru smiled turning the baseball hat backwards.
"Yeah it does look cool." The blond hair boy commented.
"Thanks mister." The girl smiled with delight.
Even her smile reminded him of Hikari. "No problem." He smiled getting up and headed across the park to the swings. He didn't feel right letting his pain juxtaposed against such innocence.
He watched the children play in the sandbox from the swings. They were free of pain, oblivious to the evils of the world, but most importantly they didn't care. He wished he could feel that way again, but unfortunately putting the genie back into the bottle is significantly more difficult to do.
Being in the playground at the park and the fact he was moving made him more reflective then usual. His mind started to meander of the events of the morning. With Taichi's permission to break his father's dying wish he had no excuse preventing him to tell Hikari his feelings, that is except for Daisuke's feelings for her.
Although he didn't consider Daisuke one of his best friends, he was more than an acquaintance and certainly more then an average friend, but regardless of the definition of their relationship, he respected him. That fact alone agonized him to the point of insanity.
But it's all irrelevant now, his morning of contemplation, of debating, of playing basketball to clear his mind was all immaterial. It was also impertinent to say he found an American quarter and was so desperate for an answer that he decided to flip for it.
Heads he'll tell Hikari his feelings, tails he wouldn't. The first flip came out tails and accepted his destiny, then a second later he thought it best to make it two out of three. The next two flips came out heads and he too accepted that destiny, and then a second later he thought it best to make it three out of five. The next two flips were inconsequential because he knew whatever path the coin told him to do, he knew that there would be something in the back of his mind telling him the consequences of either action, so he decided to toss it into a fountain making a wish.
After hours of decision making, soul searching, coin flipping, and wishing he decided to let his heart guide him when he saw her next. He's going to allow his primal gut instinct to decide the path he should take and it did when he saw them kissing.
He watched the blond hair boy and the brown hair girl making a sandcastle in the sandbox and smiled. His mind drifted to the events of the pass four days and wondered if he would have done anything different, sadly his answer was no.
In his mind he did all the right things. He did the right thing when he lied to Hikari and his brother, who he really liked; he couldn't ruin Hikari's first date by telling her his feelings. He did the right thing by being courteous to Chastity Shiozaki on their double date; he couldn't treat Chastity like a leper just because she wasn't Hikari. It was unfortunate that Hikari mistook his civility as genuine feelings for her.
He did the right thing by keeping his promise to Hikari's father, especially when it compromises his heart. He did the right thing by telling his mother that she should take her promotion, he couldn't ruin his mother's lifelong dream for his wants. He did the right thing by giving Daisuke his blessing to ask Hikari to be his. He did the right thing by everyone in his little drama, yet that gave him little comfort. He was selfless to a fault, perhaps that his greatest vice as well as his greatest virtue.
"Give that back!" The screaming of the blond boy caught his attention. He glanced up to see the boy with fists in the air ready to defend himself against a bully twice his size for the girl's mauve hat.
"Who is she to you? Your girlfriend?" The bully teased the last two words.
"So what if she is! I'm not going to let you hurt her!"
"Phineas Eugene Fujiyama! You give back that hat young man!" The bully's mother came by rebuking her child. "And you apologize to the girl." She pointed out.
"But mom!" He whined looking at his mother to see her crossed eyes. "I'm sorry." He muttered above a whisper returning the purple hat to the little girl who sheepishly accepted it.
"Now for your punishment young man!" She said guiding her son by the ear. Takeru saw the boy scream in pain dragging her son away from the sandbox and out of the park.
'Phineas.' Takeru chuckled to himself. 'With a name like that no wonder he's a bully.' He sighed returning his attention to the boy and girl at the sandbox. 'He's got guts.' Takeru thought seeing the boy fixing the little girl's hat by putting it backwards. The girl smiled and hugged the little boy who protected her. 'Some things never changed.' Takeru smiled, the boy was not unlike him when he was that age. 'I wondered if he made a promise like I did with Sora?' He thought reminiscing.
* * * * * * * * * *
Five Years Ago...
Sora, Hikari and Takeru were trapped underneath the wooden floor. Their hearts were pounding with a vengeance when they heard Piedmon making his entrance. Like a big kid he taunted them out from their hiding spot, it was all a game to him, and unfortunately for Sora, Hikari and Takeru a deadly one.
"I think it's safe now." Sora whispered.
Like the universe wanting to prove her wrong, it did. A blade suddenly penetrated through the wooden floors hoping to pierce them. They ran screaming trying to avoid Piedmon's swords. Piedmon quickly jabbed the floor aimlessly and relentlessly trying to find the hidden humans taunting them along their way.
"Celestial Arrow! Run Kari!" Angewoman ordered.
"Hurry Sora! Wing Blaze!" Garudamon added to the fight.
Hikari and Sora's digimons respectively has given them time to find a way out. Their calls were a great comfort to them and they took advantage of it. A battle ensued the angel and guardian bird against the evil clown. They goal was simple to keep Piedmon busy from piercing the floors with his trump swords no matter the cost, which they paid the ultimate price.
With their distraction they manage to find their way out from beneath the wooden floor. They came out to only see Garudamon's giant claw trapped between floors as a large white handkerchief covered the giant bird digimon. While Angewoman moaned with pain as six trump swords pinned her angelic wings to the wall - trapped. The last thing the angel digimon would see is a fluttering white handkerchief approaching her and then...darkness.
Sora and Hikari screamed in horror as they saw their digimons transformed into key chains for Piedmon's collection. Now there were five, three humans and two digimons, Patamon and Gomamon who lost Jou earlier during a trapeze swing over a precipice, protected the two young children.
Sora being the eldest took charge. 'There's no time for grief.' She sighed looking at the two eight-year-olds. In return they looked at her with expectations in their eyes. "T.K. come here." Sora said forcefully.
"What is it?" Takeru ran to her.
She got to her on her knees so their eyes would be on a level plain. "I want you to take Kari and get out of here!"
"But what about you?"
"Listen to me! There isn't much time! Piedmon has the rest of our friends and if he gets to us we're doomed." She got up on her feet and his eyes followed hers. "T.K. please you're the only one that can protect Kari. You have to be brave now get going."
"I won't leave you!" Takeru said knowing what would happen if he did.
Sora put her hands on his shoulders. "Don't worry about me I'll be fine."
Takeru studied her face; he thought it odd that she was smiling at a time like this, perhaps to reassure him. Reluctantly he knew it was the right thing to do. "All right." He studied her face knowing that it may be the last time he'll see it.
"No matter what happens just keep running."
"Okay Sora, I promise that I'll do whatever I can to protect Kari." He said with determination.
"Right! Hurry! Go!" Sora gave her last three commands.
Takeru ran towards Hikari, looking at her with a smile. "Come on Kari." He gently took her hand. "Let's go!" He said running guiding her around the corner, he turned his head a saw Sora disappear in a white handkerchief as she threw something towards him. Now there were three.
* * * * * * * * * *
"Hey mister?" The young girl's voice sheepishly asked interrupted his thoughts. Takeru glanced up to see the brown hair girl with the mauve hat holding a handful of pink posies in her hand.
"Please call me Takeru, my friends call me T.K. you can call me that if you like." He smiled. "Just don't call me mister it makes me feel like my father, I'm not nearly as old." He shuddered sarcastically.
The two kids giggled. "My name is..."
"Jude." Takeru answered.
"How do you know that?" The young boy asked. "Are you psychic?"
"No." Takeru chuckled. "You're wearing a St. Jude medallion." He smiled pointing to the golden chain around his neck. Although Catholics were uncommon in Japan, Takeru had seen enough of them to know that parents generally give their children a medallion of the saint they're normally named after to protect them. "I believe he's the saint of hopeless causes." Takeru smiled.
"That's what my mom calls me when I get in trouble." Jude pointed out. "What does that mean?" He asked.
Takeru chuckled to himself and noticed that there was a pink posy in his right ear, something Hikari use to do for him, once upon a time. "Don't worry, your mother doesn't mean it." He smiled reassuringly.
"Oh, well my name is Jude Tomodachigai." Jude sighed dismissing the thought, as young boys like him often do. "My friends call me J.T. you can call me that if you want." He replied with his boyish smile.
"Okay." Takeru smiled finding the similarity between their names.
"My name is Akari Seijun, but all my friends call me..."
"Kari." Takeru smiled chuckling to himself, he couldn't believe the irony of their nicknames being the same.
"Yeah. You are psychic." Akari smiled.
"No just intuitive." Takeru sighed. "How can I help you?" He smiled changing the subject.
"We just wanted to give you these." Akari smiled. "You seemed pretty sad and we thought that these would cheer you up." She said handing the bouquet to him.
"Thank you." Takeru smiled taking the flowers smelling the amorous scent.
"Feeling better?" Jude asked.
"Yes, thank you." He smiled looking at the boy. "That's a pretty gutsy thing you did back there at the sandbox." He commented.
"Oh that." Jude sighed blushing. "I promise mom that I look over Kari when we're playing." He sighed. "But to tell you the truth I would have done it without promising mom." He smiled blushing. "You see I really like her." Jude whispered into Takeru's ear.
Takeru chuckled to himself at the boy's whisperings. "Well keep up the good job." He smiled.
"Jude!"
"Akari! Time to go home!"
"That's our mothers..."
"...we gotta go." Akari finished Jude's sentence, not unlike what he and Hikari did all those years ago.
"Here why don't you give these to your mothers? I'm sure they'll appreciated more then I would." Takeru pointed out giving the bouquet back to Akari.
"Are you sure?" She asked.
"Yeah." Takeru smiled. "Now get going." He smiled watching the two kids running towards their mothers' waiting arms. He was overjoyed to see their mothers' faces when they received the flowers their children had picked to cheer him up.
"Good luck kid, hope all your dreams come true." He sighed.
Takeru gently pushed making the swing he was sitting on sway a little. The slight pendulum motion helped him think. He silently chuckled to himself thinking of all the similarities Hikari and he had to that of Jude Tomodachigai and Akari Seijun. He made a similar promise to Sora about protecting Hikari all those years ago.
'I wish I hadn't made that promise.' He sighed, thinking. 'Perhaps her father wouldn't have noticed it and wouldn't make me promise that promise before he died.' He exasperated. 'No that wasn't fair. What choice did Sora have?' He rationalized. 'Besides like J.T. said I would have done it regardless.' He sighed. 'After all, Mr. Kamiya noticed.' He sighed remembering that particular memory.
* * * * * * * * * *
Three Months Ago...
"Hey T.K. wake up." A voice gently stirred him up.
"Just five more minutes mom." Takeru mumbled under his breath, he was having a good dream and didn't want to wake up.
"You slept enough." Taichi's voice rang through his head.
He gasped at the voice and opened his eyes with a vengeance. "Tai what are you doing here?" He asked full with concern. "Where am I?" He asked looking around the strange environment; he was not in his room.
"You're at Odaiba County General Hospital, my father..."
"I know." Takeru sighed. He sensed something pressing on his chest and smelled the scent of lavender and lilacs mixed in with formaldehyde. He looked down and saw Hikari sleeping on him. They were outstretched awkwardly on the chesterfield in the waiting room of the hospital.
They must have fallen asleep together while waiting for news of the progress of Hikari's father. He was glad that it was Spring Break because he could stay with her, but he never dreamed this would happen. "Tai I could explain this, it's not what it looks like." Takeru gasped with fear.
"Oh T.K." Hikari moaned affectionately making herself more comfortable on his chest. Takeru watched her movement and knew how that may look.
He turned to Taichi and gave him frightening looked. "Or sounds like." Takeru added knowing the possible sexual innuendoes that simple statement could have.
"Don't worry, I'm not going to kill you...yet." Taichi smiled devilishly when he added that last word. Takeru smiled hoping it was Taichi's dry sarcasm. "I know all you did was fall asleep waiting for news on my dad." Taichi explained.
"He's not..."
"No." Taichi sighed reassuring. "But I'm afraid soon."
"Then why..."
"He wants to talk to you." Taichi explained.
"Me? Why would he..."
"I don't know, he just does." Taichi explained. "So are you coming or are you going to ask more questions?" He asked rhetorically.
"I'm coming." Takeru exasperated, trying to gently ease Hikari off his body without waking her. "It appears it'll be more difficult then I'd thought it would be." Takeru sighed.
Taichi exasperated. "Hey Kari wake up." He whispered.
"Just five more minutes mom." Hikari mumbled sleepily, as she got more comfortable on Takeru's chest.
"Peas in a pod." Taichi mumbled under his breath. "You slept enough." Taichi's voice rang through her head.
Hikari gasped at her brother's voice and opened his eyes. She got up and realized that she fell asleep with Takeru. She glanced at Takeru then at Taichi then back at Takeru and at Taichi again. "Tai...Tai I could explain, it's not what it looks like." She stuttered.
Taichi chuckled to himself. "You know for something rather innocent you two seemed very guilty." He teased.
Hikari looked at Takeru and in return he gave her a reassuring smile. "You mean you're not mad with T.K. or going to kill him?" She asked feeling a little relieved.
"Not over this." Taichi smiled. "Coming T.K.?"
"Yeah." Takeru smiled getting up only to be stopped by Hikari holding his hand. He turned to look at her and saw concern in her eyes.
"Where are you going?"
Takeru smiled and got on his knees so that their eyes were on the same level. He held her hands and cupped her check. "Your father wants to see me." He smiled reassuringly. He saw worry in her eyes and saw her white teeth delicately biting her lower lip. Takeru smiled using his thumb to free her lower lip. "Your mother said biting you lip is a bad habit." He smiled whispering, still seeing concern in her eyes. "I'll be back soon. I'll promise." He smiled.
"Okay." She smiled reluctantly releasing his hand.
Takeru smiled taking a deep breath. He got up and walked with Taichi through the marbled halls. "So you two seem extra chummy lately." Taichi nonchalantly sighed.
"Perhaps, we're getting a little bit more closer, but I think there's a just reason for it, especially under these circumstances." Takeru explained. "You have a problem with that?" He teased.
"Don't confuse my comprehension of this situation as leniency, if you want to see my sister, you'll have to answer to me." Taichi pointed out with an overabundance of brotherly concern.
Takeru knew Taichi enough to know that his threat was idle; then again, he was getting on Daisuke's case more nowadays, especially when the conversation turns to his sister. He pondered that thought and turned into the private room where their father rested.
Takeru was shocked to see impending death coming, he's seen death before in the Digital World, but those deaths were generally quick, swift, and in an instant gone, but this was different, this was prolonged and he was scared to see death approaching so slowly.
"Dad, he's here." Taichi whispered sitting next to his ailing father holding his hand. "I'll leave you two alone." He smiled getting up.
His father kept his son's hand steadfast. "Before you go, I'll like to say a few things to you." He smiled.
"What is it?" Taichi said sitting back down.
"It's just a few things I wanted to say before I died."
"Dad, you all ready told me all the important stuff, like where to hide all the junk food in the house so mom wouldn't know." Taichi smiled.
His father chuckled. "Don't make me laugh, it hurts when I do." He sighed taking a laboriously breath to change the mood. "Seriously Tai, when I'm gone, you'll be the man of the house. I want you to take care of your mother and sister, watch over them, don't let your mom work too hard and don't give your mother a hard time you hear?" He asked.
"Yes dad." He smiled taking a last look at his father. "I'll be leaving you now." Taichi sighed getting up. "Don't take too long." Taichi whispered to Takeru before leaving the room.
The silence was short and unbearable; it was he, Taichi's father, and death. "Umm...I'm here Mr. Kamiya." He feebly said.
"Takeru, com'on in sit beside me." He replied hoarsely. Takeru silently made his way to the chair beside the bed and smiled. "It's so good to see you." He smiled watching the young boy sheepishly smiled back at him. "I just wanted to thank you for protecting Kari all these years and for being here for her these past two days." He smiled. "I'm sorry that you have to waste so much of your Spring Break to be here." He sighed laboriously.
"Don't be." Takeru finally spoke. "There would always be more holidays." He pointed out. "As for protecting Kari all these years, well...I made a promise a long time ago to always protect her." He sighed.
"The one you made with Sora five years ago?" Takeru was shocked that he knew and was about to open his mouth. "I saw it in the sky five years ago shortly after the Odaiba Fog incident." He pointed out. Takeru had forgotten that the whole world saw the battles of the Dark Masters and Apocalymon when the eight of them returned to the Digital World together. "Besides I think it's more than you honouring a promise...you love her don't you?" He probed.
"I don't know what..."
"Please don't insult a dying man's intelligence."
Takeru exasperated and smiled. "Okay, I love her." He sighed, feeling weird confessing his feelings to her dying father; it was the first time he told anyone his true feelings for Hikari. "I wanted to tell someone that for a long time." He smiled.
"Have you told her yet?"
"No." He sighed. "I wanted to tell her this Spring Break, but..."
"Ah...I see." He sighed painstakingly. "Tell her." He hoarsely said. "Take it from a dying man, it's better to live with rejection then regret." He said touching the boy's cheek. "Remember that." He smiled.
"I will." Takeru smiled.
"Don't let my death be your excuse for not telling my daughter you love her. Carpe Diem, Seize the Day, live in the moment." He smiled looking at the sapphire blue eyes of the child, he remembered the look of hope in them, and he remembered he once had that look for his wife so many years ago. "Takeru, there is something more that I wanted to talk to you about." He smiled weakly.
"Okay." Takeru exasperated following his direction.
"Before I say anything, this conversation is between us, okay?" He smiled as he watched the boy nod in affirmation. "Good." He smiled more laboriously. "This is an extension of the promise you made to Sora all those years ago." He sighed with pain. "I want you to continue to protect Kari, to be her guardian angel that you have been for the last five years, to always be there for her when she needs someone to confide in, to be the rock when she needs a shoulder to cry on, to always make her happy and prevent any pain in her life." He exasperated hoarsely using most of his strength to complete the sentence.
"I will." Takeru smiled reassuringly. "I promise that I'll do whatever I can to protect Kari." Takeru smiled holding his hand.
"I know you would." He smiled gasping the last of his life breath.
Takeru gasped noticing the glazed look in his eyes and the sound of the heart monitor making a single long high-pitched beep. Frighten he backed away knocking over the chair he was sitting on and leaned against the window that stopped him.
A plethora of doctors and nurses rushed in trying to revive him. It was too late - he was dead. He will always remember the last thing that was said sealing his fate. "Time of death, six thirty-three." The doctor sighed, turning off all the equipment. "I'm sorry son." The doctor's ambient voice echoed through his psyche, but all he saw was a white sheet draping over him.
* * * * * * * * * *
Takeru gasped with fear as something white draped over his eyes. "I'm sorry to scare you, but I've been calling your name for a while." A familiar voice replied with a hint of concern. He recognized the voice it was Hikari, he fixed his white hat and glanced up to see Hikari swaying gently in the opposite direction. "You've seemed to dropped it." She smiled.
"Yeah." He smiled trying to suppress his pain. It was odd seeing her and feeling pain by just looking at her, something he didn't realize could happen. The silence between them was cold and uncomfortable. He looked at her and his heartache deepened.
"So why here?" Hikari asked finally breaking the silence. "This hasn't been our spot since we were nine." She pointed out.
"I just wanted to come to a place that reminds me of a time where pain's a distant memory, where dreams come true, crushes were real, and the time was innocence and naïve." Takeru sighed.
Hikari smiled to herself and sighed. "You have a rather selective memory don't you?" She asked, not expecting an answer. "It's just that by the time we were nine, we weren't that innocent nor naïve. By the age of five we learn the pain of separation and we finally knew what the word divorce meant. By the age of eight we've seen death and destruction in the Digital World." She pointed out. "There's nothing innocent about all that."
"I know." Takeru sighed. "I was at the sandbox earlier, but there were kids playing so innocently there, I couldn't bring them down with my depression." Takeru smiled.
"Oh." Hikari smiled. She looked at her downcast friend and realized what was happening. "Chastity chose the other guy didn't she?" Hikari sighed reassuringly.
Takeru glanced at her trying to hide his surprise. He hadn't thought of that, quite frankly Chastity Shiozaki was the furthest thing on his mind. "Yeah, metaphorically you could say that." He sighed referring not to Chastity, but to Hikari.
"I'm sorry T.K. it's her lost." Hikari smiled reassuringly. "Do you want me to talk to her?" She asked.
"No." Takeru smiled. "It's over and I'll grow to accept it, but that's not the reason I wanted to meet you today." He sighed. "There were other things on my mind." He replied nonchalantly.
There was another air of silence, this time colder and more uncomfortable. For the first time in ten years Hikari didn't know what to do to cheer up her friend. "I'm sorry." Hikari said, above a whisper.
"For what?"
"For failing you, for not being there for you, like you always had for me."
"Silly girl, you haven't failed me." Takeru give a reassuring smile. "Besides I think you had good reasons for having other things on your mind." He smiled motioning on his neck; he was saddened not to see her camera there. "Are you happy?" He asked.
Hikari looked to her neck and blushed seeing that the necklace that Daisuke bought her was dangling over her pink shirt. "Extremely." She smiled.
"Really?" Takeru asked making a conscious effort to suppress his pain.
"Yeah." Hikari blushed with a slight smile. "If you told me a week ago that Davis and I would be exclusive I'd thought you're crazy. I mean Davis and I are complete opposites." She sighed with a chuckle. "Perhaps the old idiom is true: opposites attract." She smiled.
"Stranger things have happened." Takeru smiled.
Hikari chuckled in return. "Yeah, I don't know it's weird, Davis is loud, rash, obnoxious, and could be extremely annoying at times." She exasperated with a smile. "Yet he's also paradoxically sweet, caring, tender, and could be surprisingly passionate. He reminds me a lot of Tai, is that psychologically disturbing or what?" Hikari asked rhetorically.
"Freud wouldn't think so, but as for me I wouldn't want to picture it." Takeru pointed out with his smile.
Hikari chuckled at the response. "I don't know, Davis reminds me of someone else, someone more than Tai, I don't who." Hikari sighed. "I just can't put my finger on it, Davis reminds me of..." She sighed trying to figure it all out.
"Your father?"
"Yeah." Hikari gasped. "How do you do that?"
"Do what?" He smiled.
"Know what I'm thinking even when I don't." She smiled.
"You just needed another person's perspective." Takeru sighed. "Besides knowing you for a decade didn't harm either." He sighed retreating into his melancholy thoughts. For the likes of him he couldn't get the image of Hikari and Daisuke being together forever out of his mind.
"T.K. what are you thinking?" She asked. "Are you thinking that I'm using Davis to substitute the thought of losing my dad?" She asked.
"No, quite the opposite." Takeru smiled. "Why, are you thinking about that?"
"Not until you brought up the similarities between Davis and my father." Hikari replied with a hint of sadness. "Do you think I'm doing that? Do you think I'm using him?" She asked looking in his blue eyes with hope.
Takeru sighed thinking how he should respond. He looked into her brown eyes wondering what her soul was telling him. He had to tell the truth, no matter how bad it hurt him. "No." He said, his voice above a whisper. "You would have known the connection between Davis and your father sooner or later and deduced the obvious." He smiled reassuringly.
"Which is?"
"That you two were meant for each other." He sighed, his voice cracking with pain. He was surprised that he got that phrase out of his mouth. He was fighting with all his strength from allowing himself to cry both on the outside and inside.
"How can you be so sure?"
"When I was little my mother told me that girls generally marry boys that remind them of the fathers." Takeru smiled with a devilish thought in his mind. "So how does Mrs. Daisuke Motomiya sound to you?" He teased with a huge grimace on his face. He carefully got up from the swings and slowly took a couple of paces back.
Hikari gasped at the suggestion. "Takeru Takaishi you better take that back!" Looking at him at the swings to only see him up and about.
"You got to catch me first!" He smiled turning around and dashed towards the sandbox.
"Oh, I'm not letting you get away with that so easy." Hikari chuckled chasing after him. She followed him around the sandbox, up one end of the seesaw and down the other end. Then she climbed up the winding steps of the slide and then sledded after him before she ran out of breath. "Okay, I give!" Hikari panted seeing Takeru slowing down sitting underneath the shade of the willow waiting for her.
Takeru watched as she slowly walked towards him, catching her breath. "It's about time." He smiled taunting her as she sat next to him on the fresh green grass. "I've been here for ages." He smiled.
"Oh, you are so dead." Hikari smiled tackling Takeru on the crisp cool grass. Takeru was surprised by the attacked and pretty soon she was tickling him to ebb his athletic strength away. "Take it back."
"Never!" Takeru smiled, using the rest of his fleeting strength to get on top and tickled her in retaliation. He was on top of her and had an overwhelming urge to kiss her, but stopped himself when he saw the half-heart necklace with the crest of courage around her neck and realized what he was doing. He quickly got off of her and leaned against the willow closing his eyes.
Hikari asked seeing pain and guilt in his eyes before he got off of her. "T.K. what's wrong?" She asked sitting next to him. "It's not like you to give up on a tickling war before especially when you're winning." She smiled watching him leaning against the willow.
"Okay you win." Takeru replied nonchalantly. "I'll take it back you should definitely go with Mrs. Hikari Kamiya-Motomiya." He looked at her with a reassuring smile trying to hide his true feelings from her.
"You're asking for it aren't you?" Hikari smiled. "Do you really want a second tickling war?" She asked.
"No." He chuckled, it felt good laughing again; it's been a long time since he had a good, genuine laugh. "I'm sorry." He sighed changing his mood.
He hated to break his time of laughter short, but he had no choice. He had to tell Hikari that he would be moving, perhaps never to see her again. He turned to look at her and it pained him to see her beside him, knowing that it would be a long time until he would see this again, if ever.
"What's wrong?" She asked with concern.
"Nothing." Takeru sighed. "It just seems so trivial now, but I wanted to tell you the earth-shattering secret that I've been keeping from you for the last two days." He sighed.
"Why do I sense a "but" in that statement?"
"Because there is." Takeru sighed. "I was wrong, it's not the right time." He sighed sadly. It was the last part of his promise to Hikari's dying father that kept him from telling her his feelings. 'To always make her happy and prevent any pain in her life.' He still heard her father's dying voice in his mind.
He knew by telling her that he loved her would introduce a tidal wave of pain that would drown her, like it did with Sora when she had to choose between his brother and hers and although he had Taichi's permission to break this part of the promise, he couldn't. He looked at her angelic face; it was perfect in every way, but one thing. "You have an eyelash on your face." He whispered.
"Where?" Hikari asked trying to get it off.
"Here let me get it." He offered with a smile. He gently reached for face and with his index finger picked it up. He was about to blow it away when Hikari gently raised her hand to stop him.
"Don't blow away just yet." She smiled still holding his hand. The touch of her soft hand sent shivers of euphoria down Takeru's back. "Mimi told me that you can make a wish on a fallen eyelash." She smiled.
Takeru chuckled at the American superstition, but decided to take part of it regardless. "What should I wish for?" He asked.
"I don't know." Hikari sighed. "Whatever makes your heart happy." She suggested looking into his eyes.
He felt the preverbal dagger in his heart twist when he heard that suggestion. He couldn't have what would make his heart happy. His eyes slowly moved towards her. "What would you wish for?" He whispered with a smile.
"I don't think it works that way." Hikari smiled. "It's your wish."
"Yeah, but I wishing all the time." He smiled. "Every second, of every minute, of every hour, of every day." He replied trying to suppress the sadness in his voice. "So it'll be a waste on me." He sighed. "So please take the wish."
"All right. If you're sure." She smiled closing her eyes.
Hikari wondered what she would wish for, in her mind she had everything she ever wanted: a family, good friends, and now a boyfriend. Takeru watched her adoring face and smiled secretly to himself, hoping that she's wishing for the same thing as him, but knew she wasn't. She opened her eyes and blew her eyelash off his index finger. "So what did you wish for?" Takeru asked softly.
"Can't tell you or it won't come true." Hikari pointed out.
"Oh is that how it works." Takeru smiled. "I hope your wish comes true."
"Thanks." Hikari smiled. "What about you, did your wish come true?"
"I don't know." Takeru sighed. "I doubt it though." He sighed.
Hikari sensed sadness in his voice and sighed. "Everything's going to be all right." She smiled putting her hand on his shoulder reassuringly. "I promised." She smiled.
"Thanks." Takeru smiled.
At that Hikari's watch went off, she gasped at the time. "I've got to go, I have to get ready to have dinner with Davis' parents." She gasped.
"But Kari, there's something..."
"Look T.K." Hikari quickly interrupted him. "I understand this predicament of yours." She smiled reassuringly.
"You do?" Takeru was shocked.
"Yeah, this secret of yours." Hikari sighed. "I'll trust your judgement in when you want to tell me, but whatever it is T.K., I'll understand." She smiled. "Now I've got to get going." She sighed looking at her watch. "I'll see you tomorrow?"
"Sure." Takeru gasped. "But there's more that I..." Takeru scoffed with futility, it was too late she was gone. "...I'm leaving to New York at the end of the week, perhaps never to see you again." He sighed to himself. "Who'll guess that telling you that I'm leaving would be just as difficult as telling you that I love you." He sighed leaving the playground.
* * * * * * * * * *
Arranging flowers always put Sora's mind at ease especially when she's troubled, like today. Her thoughts had lingered about her time in the Digital World, especially about the fight with Yamato. 'How did things go wrong?' She sighed to herself.
She could still see the look in Taichi's eyes when she was caught in the act of giving Yamato some of her homemade cookies before his concert two Christmases ago. She saw hurt and comprehension in his eyes when he found out her feelings for Yamato. She thought that Taichi could handle that she and Yamato was together, but she was wrong.
After the defeat of Malo Myotismon and things started to get back to normal Taichi had a difficult time in hiding his feelings for her. He told her his feelings with an unexpected kiss in the park one day. It was unfortunate that Yamato caught them in the act.
She remembered the look in his eyes that day, he felt hurt, betrayed, by both his girlfriend and his best friend. She eventually explained to Yamato what happened in the park, but it was too late, she was in love with two men.
'What was I thinking?' She sighed, thinking that they would understand her feelings about dating both of them causally. She knew that it was too good to last and that it'll all end badly, and she was right.
The chimes hanging by the doorway resonated through the quiet flower shop interrupting her thoughts. She glanced up and smiled to see a familiar face. "T.K." She greeted. "How can I help you?"
"I was wondering if you have a pot of forget-me-nots." He smiled.
"I'm not sure, I'd have to check in the back." She smiled. "Are you sure you want forget-me-nots?" She asked.
"Yeah, why not?"
"It's just that forget-me-nots are perennials." Sora replied and saw confusion in her friend's face. "It's just that forget-me-nots only bloom in the spring and since it's summer it's out of season, plus the fact that it's not the most requested flower..."
"What are you trying to say?"
"It's going to be outrageously expensive." She pointed out.
"Oh." Takeru sighed. "It doesn't matter." He added sadly.
"T.K. what's wrong?" Sora asked. "Is it Kari?"
"In part." He sighed.
"You love her don't you?"
"My feelings towards Kari are unimportant, she's...unavailable." He sighed. "Besides I made a promise to...never mind." He sighed. The last thing he wanted to do was to get into that all over again.
"Promise?" She whispered to herself thinking what sort of promise would ask him to compromise his heart, and then it hit her. "T.K. if this the promise you made to me five years ago about protecting Kari, I didn't mean to protect her from emotional pain, though honourable, albeit misguided, that idea may be." She pointed out.
"No, it's not that." Takeru replied with reassurance. "It's just an extension of that promise to a dead friend, which is why I need the forget-me-nots. I think I'm going to pay him a visit." He smiled.
"I see." Sora smiled. "And I'm sorry." Sora sighed reassuringly. She couldn't blame Takeru for not telling Hikari his feeling, especially after her recent experiences with love triangles. "I'll go see if we have any forget-me-nots." Sora replied wanting to leave him alone with his feelings when the chimes by the door rang. She glanced up to see Daisuke.
"Hey Sora." Daisuke entered smiling with a boyish grin.
"Hey Davis." She greeted with a smile. "You seem happy."
"I am." He beamed.
Takeru turned around to see him walked towards the counter where they were standing. "Hey Davis." He greeted with a supporting smile.
"Hey T.K." Daisuke smiled back.
"I hear congratulations are in order." Takeru smiled extending his hand.
"Thanks." Daisuke smiled receiving his hand.
"Congratulations?" Sora asked, she had a feeling she knew what that was about, but wanted to confirmed them.
"This afternoon I asked Kari to be my girlfriend and she said yes." He announced with glee. "She's having dinner with my family tonight, I got her some white chocolates." He said showing the nicely wrapped box.
"Her favourite." Sora noted.
"I know." Daisuke smiled. "I just wish I knew why, I can't stand the stuff." He sighed. "Any ways, I pass by your flower shop and thought I'll give you some business." He pointed out.
"How thoughtful of you." Sora smiled. "What would you like?"
"I was thinking along the lines of a dozen long stem red roses." He smiled.
"Pink." Takeru interrupted curtly. "Pink roses are Kari's favourite." He pointed out.
"He's right." Sora replied wondering why Takeru would help Daisuke. "They are her favourites." She pointed out.
"Very well, pink it is." Daisuke smiled.
"All right." Sora smiled. "And congratulations." She smiled while in the corner of her eye she watched Takeru demeanour; he was obviously heartbroken and was hiding it very well. "I'll be back with your roses and forget-me-nots momentarily." She said retreating into the back.
The silence in the floral shop became cold and uncomfortable as the two men waited for their flowers. "So." Daisuke sighed breaking the silence. "I assume Kari found you." He said nonchalantly.
"What makes you say that?"
"She returned your hat that you dropped." He said pointed to his head. "That and she called earlier this afternoon and told me." Daisuke smiled. "Are you all right? Kari was quite in a state of frenzy when she noticed that you were there." He asked.
"I'll be fine." Takeru sighed. "She had the crazy notion that not being there for me was her fault." He chuckled to himself. "I reassured her that it wasn't her fault." He sighed.
"You and I both." Daisuke sighed. "It's rather my fault, I shouldn't have ask her then, but she is rather persistent when she wants to know what someone is hiding." He sighed.
"Don't be silly, it's not any more your fault then it is hers." Takeru sighed. "You saw your chance and you took it, unlike most people I know." Takeru whispered the last part to himself.
Daisuke was confused about the last addendum to the sentence, but quickly ignored it. "Well I hate it that I ruined yet another of your sacred spots." He sighed. "Did you two eventually find a new one?" He asked.
"No, an old one." He corrected enigmatically.
"An old one?" Daisuke whispered to himself. "What does that mean? Wait don't tell me, I don't want to ruin a third sacred spot." He replied quickly covering his ears.
Takeru chuckled to himself shaking his head, when Sora came from the storeroom. "Sorry T.K. I looked but couldn't find any...what's wrong with Davis?" Sora asked noticing Daisuke's hands on his ear.
"The answer to that question could fill volumes." Takeru mocked. "Thanks for looking Sora, I've better be going." He sighed and casually headed out of the flower shop.
"Hey T.K. wait up! I want to talk to you." Daisuke said paying Sora the money owed and grabbed the box of white chocolates and pink roses simultaneously. He dashed out of the door to see Takeru gone. "T.K.?" He yelled frivolously.
"You said you wanted to talk?" Takeru replied. Daisuke gasped and turned to where the voice emanated and saw the flaxen hair boy sitting on the bench outside the flower shop. "What about?" He smiled.
Daisuke sighed and sat beside him. "I thought you've left." He said quietly looking at his hands.
"I was about too, but I heard you."
"Yeah." Daisuke exasperated.
"So what do you want to talk about?" Takeru reiterated his question.
Daisuke looked at his shoes and sighed. "This is going to be harder then I thought." He whispered.
"What is?"
"Having more than a superficial conversation with you." Daisuke sighed.
"Superficial?"
"It means shallow or trivial."
"I know what it means." Takeru smiled to himself. "I'm surprised that you did." He teased.
"Ha, ha, very funny." Daisuke laughed dryly. "I suppose I deserved that."
"No, you didn't." Takeru sighed. "Take your time." He said making himself more comfortable on the bench and waited patiently.
Daisuke sighed to himself and took a deep breath. "You know Kari put me up to this." He sighed. "She told me that she wanted us to be better friends." He sighed.
Takeru chuckled to himself and sighed. "She told me the same thing yesterday." He sighed. "In her mind she thinks we just tolerate each other."
"Yeah, she said that we have an unsaid alliance, whatever that means." Daisuke sighed. "I don't know." Daisuke sighed. "Perhaps we do."
"Perhaps." Takeru sighed. "Is that what you want to talk about?"
"No." Daisuke exasperated. "Kari told me about Chastity, about her choosing the other guy over you." He sighed.
"Oh." Takeru sighed looking at his feet. "Thanks for your concern, but I'll be all right." He sighed.
"Regardless, I'm sorry." Daisuke sighed. "But you can't give up hope. I mean look at Kari and me, if I have given up hope, we would have never gotten together." Daisuke pointed out. "You can't do the same thing." He stressed.
"Hope." Takeru smiled. "What is that exactly?" He sighed rhetorically.
"Well...hope is the light at the end of a dark tunnel." Daisuke replied with a hint of confusion in his voice.
"Yeah." Takeru sighed. "But what is hope when his light is gone?" He mumbled under his breath trying to suppress his pain.
"What was that?"
"Nothing." Takeru sighed. "Just thinking out loud." He smiled. "Thanks for your advice, I'll take it under advisement." He smiled reassuringly.
"Good." Daisuke smiled taking a deep breath.
There was another moment of silence when he started to chuckle to himself. "What's so funny?" Takeru asked.
"It's nothing." Daisuke chuckled. "It's rather silly."
"Tell me." Takeru smiled. "I could use a good laugh."
"All right." Daisuke sighed. "This may be hard to believe, but before Kari and I got together I was extremely jealous of your relationship with her." Daisuke sighed.
"No!" Takeru sarcastically gasped.
"All right, so I was a little obvious." Daisuke sighed.
"A little?"
"Okay, a lot jealous." Daisuke sighed. "It's just that you and Kari have this amazing relationship that I thought no one could compete with." He sighed. "For example I ask her to be my girlfriend and then the next thing she does is go off looking for you." He sighed.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean for that to happen." Takeru apologized.
"It's not just that. I understand that." Daisuke sighed. "I mean you know her so well. You knew she likes white chocolate and prefers pink roses to red." He sighed. "You probably know her favourite perfume, poet, or what she puts in her coffee." He exasperated.
"Lust, Pablo Neruda, and she doesn't usually drink coffee, but when she does she takes it with a lot of sugar and a lot of milk." Takeru smiled.
"You see what I mean?" Daisuke exasperated. "You know everything about her."
"Not everything." Takeru smiled. "I know a lot, but not everything. It's just ten years worth of information that we constantly shared or take note with each other." He sighed. "Look Davis, part of the joy, the adventure of a relationship is finding something new in each other, like her favourite perfume, poet, or what she puts in her coffee." Takeru pointed out. "If anyone should be jealous it should be me." He smiled.
"You?"
"Yeah me and every guy that's not with her. You get this chance to share and explore something new with Kari that no one has ever been before." Takeru pointed out. "You'll be the first to experience her lips on yours, the feeling of her being in your arms, the touch of a familiar hand, and to know that someone who, in your words, looks like an angel loves you back." He smiled. "You'll be the first to explore all this, even before me." He pointed out stressing the last three words.
"Thanks." He smiled, being genuinely flabbergasted at what came out of Takeru's mouth. "May I ask you something personal?" He asked.
"Sure."
"Why haven't you and Kari gotten together? I mean all my friends thought I was crazy to chase after her because they thought that you two would end up together." Daisuke asked.
"I don't know." Takeru sighed. He thought of the last four days of him trying to tell Hikari his feelings. "I guess the right time never came up." He sighed entering a gaze.
"Do you love her?"
Takeru sighed thinking how he should answer this question, sparing Daisuke from being hurt; there wasn't any easy way. "My feelings for Kari are irrelevant." He sighed enigmatically.
"What don't you find Kari attractive?"
"I find her unavailable." Takeru sighed. "Listen Davis, do you love Kari and does she love you back?" He asked.
"Yes."
"Than have faith in that if nothing else." Takeru pointed out. "Trust in her and don't feel insecure by me, or by anyone." He smiled.
"Thanks." Daisuke smiled. "For our first profound conversation it wasn't so bad." He smiled.
"No it wasn't."
"I've better be going." Daisuke smiled getting up. "Thanks for the talk."
"No problem." Takeru sighed, thinking about the promises and oaths that he made over the last five years. "Hey Davis I know you love Kari, but are you happy with her?" He asked stopping his flight.
"Yeah, I am." He replied with a smile. "Why do you ask?"
"Just curious." Takeru sighed. "Davis I want you to promise me something."
"Sure, what?"
Takeru sighed and took a deep breath before beginning. "I want you to protect Kari, to be her guardian angel, to always be there for her when she needs someone to confide in, to be the rock when she needs a shoulder to cry on, to always make sure she's happy." Takeru repeated the promise he made to Hikari's father, but amended the last part.
"What?" Daisuke asked with confusion.
"Just humour me." He smiled.
"Yeah, I'll do everything in my power to be there for her."
"Thanks." Takeru smiled getting up. "You and I better get going, it's getting late." He smiled leaving in the opposite direction.
Daisuke watched the blond hair boy walking away from him and thought how strange it was for him to ask that promise. He shrugged his shoulders and sighed continuing his way home.
* * * * * * * * * *
The Odaiba Cemetery was ominously silent, not even the birds would sing in the solemn, sacred ground. It was a strange sensation when Takeru crossed the threshold of the burial ground, it was like he crossed into another dimension - something he's very familiar with. The sounds of cars moving, or people talking, and life just happening was dampened the moment he entered the cemetery, like there was a magical security blanket keeping the world out.
Takeru took note of the sensation and continued his way. He slowly meandered through the washed white tombstones being careful not to make a sound; he didn't want to break the unsaid prime directive in the sacred ground. He stopped looking left and right trying to figure out which way to go, he was lost, only for a moment, but a moment was all that was needed to have someone interrupted his thoughts.
"Takeru what are you doing here?"
The sound of the voice seemed strange in the graveyard. "Mrs. Kamiya." Takeru gasped seeing Hikari's mother standing before him. "I'm looking for your deceased husband." He sighed. "I need to talk to him. I seem to have forgotten where's he buried." He replied sheepishly.
"It's down there." She pointed to the general direction.
"Thank you." He smiled bowing with reverence and heading to where she pointed.
"Takeru are you feeling all right? Do you want to talk about it?" She gently and politely asked.
"No, but I'll be okay." Takeru sighed. "Thanks for the offer, but I really need to talk to your husband. Perhaps another time." He smiled.
"Sure." She replied. "Take all the time you need." She smiled putting her hand on his shoulder and then left.
Takeru watched Hikari's mother leave for a moment and sighed before turning right. He went towards a particular tomb, his destination and got to his knees. He slowly cleared the area of leaves and noticed a round stone and picked it up feeling it. In his peripheral vision he saw a fresh bouquet of red roses, left by his grieving wife. He kneeled before the tombstone for a long time figuring what he wanted to say.
"Hey Mr. Kamiya, it's me Takeru." He sighed. "I don't know if the dead could hear my thoughts and if they can't then I hope whoever or whatever is listening would humour me." He sighed.
"I don't know if you know what's going on in our lives, but things have changed in your daughter's life since we last talked three months ago." He sighed. "As you know, I didn't tell Kari how I feel for her. I thought it wasn't the right time to tell her, she needed time to grieve." He whispered. "You told me to live in the moment, but when the moment came for me to act it so fleetingly passed." He sighed. "She's found another to love her." His voice cracked.
"He's loud, rash, reckless, obnoxious, and extremely annoying." He chuckled to himself. "They're totally wrong for each other, but manage to find love with each other. Quite frankly he reminds me of you, no insult intended, the last thing I want to do is talk ill of the dead." He smiled. "They're happy, that's what important, and that's all I really care about." He sighed sadly.
"I kept my promise to the best of my abilities even to the point of compromising my heart. I just couldn't introduce pain in her life knowing that would happen if I told her my feelings. So I ignored my heart and kept your promise." He sighed on the verge of tears. "Well, that's not entirely true, I did ask your son this morning to break your promise in order to give me complete closure before I leave, but it seems that the best I would get is a partial one." He sighed wiping his tears.
"I'm leaving the country in about seven days, probably never to return." He sighed. "Don't worry, I've found a suitable replacement. He's young - emotionally, reckless at times, inexperience in taking the duty, but more importantly he loves her and besides I have a feeling that he'll quickly pick up on it." He sighed. "I have full confidence in his ability, he'll do a good job, perhaps better me." He sighed. "I'm sure that her lover in tandem with your ever protecting son would do a more then adequate job." He sighed.
"I've better be going, it's late." He whispered. "I just wanted to tell you that I've tied up all loose ends before I left, that is all the ends that I want to tied up." He sighed. "I don't believe in good-byes, it suggests and connotes that I'll never see you again, something I'm not sure of." He sighed. "Instead I'll say until we meet again, if not in this lifetime, then in the hereafter." He sighed putting the smooth rock in his hand on top of the tombstone and left.
* * * * * * * * * *
Monday nights at the Kamiya residences were a joyous time, in particular for the children. It was the times when their mother goes and spends some time with their deceased father, thus giving the children a chance to have their own dinners, a rather unhealthy one.
Taichi was doubly blessed to find out that his sister was having dinner at the Motomiya's, which means he could do and eat anything he wanted. The stereo was blaring with music, the television was on, and he was enjoying a deep pan pizza with everything all by himself. He was in paradise, but in every paradise there was always a forbidden fruit just waiting to be picked.
The music was too loud for Taichi to hear the rustling of keys behind the door. Had he heard the keys rustling he would have known that his mother was about to enter. The music suddenly stopped and Taichi quickly glanced to the stereo with his mother standing there with her hands on his waist. "What happened to the liver-tofu meatloaf I made for dinner?" She asked.
"Umm...it got burned when I tried to cook it?" Taichi futilely pointed out. "So I had to order this pizza." He quickly covered.
"Oh." She quickly sighed. "Then I suppose if I go into the kitchen I won't find my liver-tofu meatloaf in the fridge." She said heading for the kitchen.
Taichi gasped. "Umm...mom!" He yelled chasing after her. It was too late, his mother discovered that her liver-tofu meatloaf in the refrigerator uncooked. "I could explain..."
"Don't bother." His mother exasperated. "You'll just have a double portion tomorrow night for dinner." She smiled.
"Oh mom." Taichi whined chasing after her into the living room. "Do I have to?" He said seeing his mother turning off the television.
"One more word and I'll triple your portion." His mother replied. Taichi firmly claps his lips. She started to clean up the coffee table picking up the empty pizza box getting ready to throw it away. She exited the apartment to throw the pizza box down the garbage chute and moments later returned seeing her son reading.
She watched her son intently and pondered about the events that happened at the graveyard earlier. "Have you seen Takeru lately?" She asked nonchalantly.
Taichi glanced from his book and looked at his mother oddly. She has rarely asked about his friends and when she did, it was usually during dire circumstances. "I've seen him this morning." He replied with a hint of trepidation in his voice.
"How does he seem to you?"
"Occupied. Crestfallen." Taichi sighed. "Why do you ask?"
"I saw him today at the graveyard and I saw sadness in his eyes, a deep profound sadness." She sighed. "I've never seen anyone so sad." She sighed.
"At the graveyard?" Taichi gasped. "What was he doing there?"
"He just wanted to talk to your father." His mother simply replied. "Something, that you, his son, should consider doing one of these days." She pointed out.
"Not now mother, what did he want to talk about?"
"I don't know, I didn't ask. It wasn't my place." His mother replied. "Do you know what's going on?" She asked.
"Yes and I've given my word." He sighed putting his book down.
"Very well." She sighed. "It's just that I'm very worried about him."
"As am I." Taichi sighed. "As am I."
* * * * * * * * * *
Takeru came home to an emptied house; he was expecting his mother, but to find that he was alone. He ventured towards the answering machine and pressed it to hear his mother's familiar voice coming through telling him that she needed to go out to get more boxes. The second message was from Taichi, his message was ambiguous and opened, but he could tell in his tone that he was worried. 'His mother probably mentioned that I was at the cemetery.' He quickly rationalized.
He picked up the phone and contemplated whether to return his call. He decided against it placing the cordless back into it's rest and headed towards the cardboard box. Taking one, he sauntered to his room and started to pack - not things for New York because those things could wait, but things that remind him of her. He started to pack the gifts, knickknacks, trinkets and mementos, which she has given him or things they have shared or objects that reminded him of her over the last ten years.
Starting at the door he went clockwise through his room systematically picking up a trinket, a book, a memorabilia from their past that they shared. He was surprised to see how ten years of things could fit into one box so easily.
He waltzed towards his desk and saw that his mother had processed the film in her camera from their graduation not two days ago. It was an eight by eleven blow up of their posses after the service.
They were all dressed in black gowns Ken Ichijouji stood far left wearing his valedictorian tassels, next to him were him and Hikari Kamiya wearing the tassels of co-salutatorians. 'Something else we have in common.' He sighed, thinking touching her face with his fingers. To the far right was Daisuke Motomiya, his arms around her with a glimmer of hope in his eyes and a grin on his face.
He gracefully put the picture on his pillow and headed towards his bookshelf and pulled out a black scrapbook. He ran his fingers over the fading gold lettering on the cover. 'Memories.' He read in his mind. He returned to his bed and opened it.
There were a series of pictures of Hikari and Takeru together through the ages. Snapshots, candid pictures, faces, moments frozen in time for all eternity, capturing the essence for all prosperity. Today he had found these pictures rather odd; they only and always seemingly represent the joyous occasion of their lives, like all the sad moments, albeit few in occurrence, never existed.
The first eight by eleven picture was taken when they were three, nearly ten years ago. The two of them in a bathtub naked as the day they were born splashing around having the time of their lives. Takeru chuckled to himself thinking that Hikari was the first girl he saw naked. It was unfortunate that this was one of the memories he had forgotten over time. He sighed gently and turned the page.
The next eight by eleven picture was found a couple pages later. It was taken a year later on the fishing trip, the one Hikari crawled into his father's car. The one where they first called each other best friends and promised to tell each other everything. 'We were so young then.' He sighed. It was he and Hikari holding the ten-pound trout that she had caught. He was on the left and she on the right carrying the fish lengthwise. He could remember how heavy that fish was as they waited patiently for their fathers to take the picture.
The third eight by eleven picture was found on the following page. It was taken the day they returned from the fishing trip. It was a candid shot of them kissing on the lips. Takeru chuckled to himself seeing that moment frozen in time. It was a rather innocent kiss, a peck rather, but he still considered it his first. He still sighed wanting, wishing to have his first grown up kiss with her.
He remembered that day vividly; it was right after their fishing trip. His father wanted his brother and him to stay for the night because he wanted to talk to his wife about the divorce, which was still a new word in his vocabulary. Hikari noted how passionately her father kissing her mother and commented on it.
Later in her room they talked about kissing with childlike curiosity. They asked silly question like: 'How did they breath?' or 'Why their eyes were closed?' They concluded that it was gross, that's when Taichi came in and suggested that they shouldn't mock it until they tried it. With that their curiosity rose to a zenith and decided to do it to see what the big deal was.
Unbeknownst to them that Hikari's mother was passing by eavesdropping on their conversation. When they were about to do the deed she stealthy ran for her camera and took the picture. She then came in and started explaining what kisses was and what they meant. In passing she joked that they had to get married because they've kissed.
Unaware of sarcasm at their age they secretly planned their marriage ceremony. The next day Takeru stole his mother's platinum ring to use it as their wedding band. They were wed in the sandbox at the park with three stuff bears in the wedding party; a brown bear was the minister, and a white bear the maid of honour and a black bear as best man. Takeru chuckled to himself thinking that they were still married and turned the page.
The next eight by eleven appeared several pages later. It was the picture Andromon took after the battle with Apocalymon five years ago right after the storm of digieggs falling on the padded grounds of Primary Village when the Digital World was rebooted. They were twenty-one of them standing in three rows, humans and digimons alike.
The tallest stood in the back row to the left stood Gennai in his robotic suit standing shoulder to shoulder with Ogremon with his disfigured green face, and the single glowing red eye of Centaurmon, the mythical half horse, half human digimon of legendary lore.
The middle row consists of the older digidestined, Yamato, his older brother, Koushiro, Sora, Taichi, Mimi, and Jou in that particular order from left to right. The front row in the centre is where Hikari and Takeru was standing surrounded by their digimons with Elecmon, the custodian of Primary Village standing beside Hikari and in her hands the recently hatched Botamon. Takeru smiled remembering the good old days. He sighed and turned the page.
The fifth eight by eleven picture was found a couple of pages later and a couple of years later. It was taken two years later when they were ten, at the beach with the white hat that he was wearing, the one she bought for him that day. They were in their bathing suits standing on the boardwalk against the vista of blue waters and brown sand.
That was the first time he wanted to tell Hikari about his feelings for her. It was also the first day he heard the name of Daisuke Motomiya, though they never met, it was the first time he consider that another boy would like her, but worse she may like another boy. It was also the day that he decided to get her the digital camera she always wanted, the one she constantly wore around her neck, that is until recently. He remember that day vividly...
* * * * * * * * * *
Three Years Ago...
"Say cheese."
"Cheese." They said in unison as the picture was snapped.
"Another one for prosperity." Hikari asked.
"Kari." Takeru protested.
"That's okay, I don't mind." The old lady smiled. She waited until they were ready again and took the picture.
"Thank you." Takeru smiled approaching the lady as she handed the disposable camera to him.
"No problem." She smiled. "It's so good to see young love."
"Oh, we're not lovers." Hikari corrected. "We're best friends."
"Really? Well you two make such a cute couple you should think about it." She smiled pinching Takeru's cheek and continued on her way.
"Are you all right?" Hikari said nursing his pinched cheek.
"Yeah, I'll be fine." Takeru sighed sadly. He wanted to tell Hikari his feelings, but hearing her reiterate that they were best friends slightly wounded his ego. "We've better be getting back." He sighed. "Our brothers are probably worried about us." He pointed out.
"Could we stop at the Photo Shop on the way? I'll like to process this film."
"I don't know." Takeru sighed looking at his watch.
"It'll only take a half hour to get there and a hour to process." She smiled.
"Okay." Takeru caved.
They headed towards the Photo Shop watching the sunset and listening to the seagulls' unique call. He took a furtive glance at Hikari and saw the radiant, fading light dancing in her eyes. 'She looks like an angel.' He thought. 'I have to tell her my feelings.' He sighed taking a deep breath. "Hey Kari?" He started weakly.
"Yeah, T.K." She replied.
"Do you remember what the old lady said, the one who took our picture?" He asked, his voice cracking.
"No."
"Well she said...she called us...she thought that we're..."
Hikari stopped and raised his chin to meet her eyes. "T.K. what are you trying to say?" She smiled looking at him.
'This was harder then I thought.' He sighed fidgeting with his hands.
Hikari noticed that her friend was nervous about something and gently held his hand. Takeru felt the warmness of her hand and glanced into her eyes, they were comforting, like a sponge that absorbed all his anxieties away. "Just say it." She smiled with encouragement running a couple of her fingers through his blond sideburns.
Takeru looked into her eyes and his courage was re-energized. He sighed, took a deep breath and smiled. "Kari, there's something I've been meaning to tell you. Something that I wanted to tell you a long time. You see Kari I..."
"Hey Kari!" A loud voice emanated from the crowd.
Takeru saw her eyes dilated with fear when she heard the voice. "What's wrong?" He asked, forgetting what he wanted to tell her to tend to her fears.
"I'll explain later." Hikari said grabbing his hand. "We just have to get out of here." She sighed.
"But..."
"Now." She said pulling him towards the beach trying to get lost in the crowd.
"What is this all about?" Takeru asked still being pulled by Hikari.
"I'll explain later." She replied guiding her friend through the labyrinth of people on the beach.
They were running so fast that his new white hat flew off his head. He quickly broke away from Hikari and ran a couple of meters back to pick up his hat. Hikari returned with fear and shock still in her eyes. "What are you doing?" She panted. "We have to get out of here." She painted.
"Can't lose two hats in one day." He smiled picking up his white hat.
Hikari couldn't help but smiled at him, he looked so innocent, so hopeful. She walked towards him and placed the hat back on his head in the same manner she put it on at the thrift shop. "No we can't lose another one can we." She smiled. "I can't afford another one." She teased.
"Hey Kari!" The same voice emanated.
"Why is he so relentless?" Hikari exasperated.
"He?"
"I'll explain later." Hikari said grabbing his hand again. "First we have to get out of here." She said pulling Takeru towards an unknown direction.
He ran awkwardly pass the masses with his right hand being dragged with a panicky Hikari and the other on his head so his hat won't fly off again. They ran for another fifteen minutes where Hikari stopped to catch her breath.
"I think we lost him." She panted peering behind the beam, which held the pier above them. The sounds of waves crashing underneath the pier were stronger and more violent then those found on the open shore.
Takeru navigated pass the ankle high waters and held her hand gently. "What's wrong Kari?" He asked affectionately. "Who is this guy that's chasing after you?" Takeru asked trying to comfort her fears.
Hikari turned to see his worried eyes. "It's nothing, it's just some guy who has this colossal crush on me." She smiled reassuringly. "It's really all innocent." She sighed.
"So innocent that the sound of his voice makes you run and hide?" Takeru sighed. "He's not stocking you is he?" He asked with trepidation.
"Heaven's no, nothing like that." Hikari dismissed it with a laugh. "His name is Daisuke "Davis" Motomiya, he's a substitute striker on my brother's soccer team and was in my class last year. He noticed me one day and was infatuated ever since." She smiled.
"And this one hundred meter dash was for what? Exercise?"
"No, you have to know Davis. He's relentless, irrepressible, annoying, loud, obnoxious, rash something that I don't want to deal with today." She smiled reassuringly, but still saw concern in Takeru's eyes. She lifted up his chin so their eyes would meet. "Don't worry T.K." She smiled. "His life's goal is to kiss me and make me his girlfriend, that's all, it's all rather innocent." She smiled. "Why are you so defensive? Are you jealous?" She teased.
"Of course not." Takeru broke away. "I was just worried that this Davis could be stalking you or something, but if it's all innocent then it relieves my worries." He pointed out.
The moments those words escaped his mouth he knew he'd regretted it. It was a defence mechanism he built up over the years; from the constant teasing from the older digidestined about them being lovers. Now strangely, when he wanted to tell her his feelings he reverted back to his natural reactions. Then the epiphany hit him, what if she didn't like him in return, what if she liked one of presumably numerous men that was attracted to her.
"Oh, T.K. you said you wanted to tell me something before we were interrupted by Davis." Hikari asked remembering their conversation.
"What?"
"You said that there's something you've been meaning to tell me. Something that you wanted to tell me a long time?" She reiterated his words.
"Oh that." Takeru sighed sadly. "It's nothing." He sighed. "We've better get to the Photo Shop before it closes." He sighed sadly leading the way.
They walked towards the Photo Shop in complete silence, enjoying the sounds of people chattering, seagulls cawing, and the distant sounds of waves crashing upon the sand and enjoyed the familiarity of walking with a good friend.
"Hey T.K. you okay?" Hikari asked finally breaking the silence.
"Fine." Takeru sighed. "Why do you ask?"
"No reason." Hikari sighed. "You're just awfully quiet." She whispered.
"I'm just tired." Takeru sighed.
"Oh." Hikari sighed sadly. "Here we're are." She said turning into the shop. In her peripheral vision she saw something that caught her eye. She stopped and returned to the display window gazing through her eyes lit up.
"What are you looking at?" Takeru asked.
"It's a digital camera." Hikari awed. "It's the camera I always wanted, it's hand-sized, sleek, chrome, compact, and has a cord that I could hang around my neck...it's perfect." She admired.
"Should I leave you two alone?" Takeru teased.
"No." Hikari protested. "It's on sale too." She said glancing at the price tag. Takeru saw her heart sank when she did. "Too bad I can't afford it." She sighed sadly.
"You really want it don't you?" Takeru asked.
"It beats disposable cameras." Hikari sighed. "Oh well, perhaps next time." She sighed walking in. "Coming T.K.?" She asked.
"Yeah." Takeru smiled mischievously to himself. In his peripheral vision he saw a sign located in the corner of the window: HELP WANTED, which gave him an idea.
* * * * * * * * * *
"Packing all ready?" His mother's voice interrupted his thoughts. Takeru slowly raised his eyes looking at her and smiled.
"In a manner of speaking." Takeru replied enigmatically.
"What are you doing?"
"Taking a stroll down sentimentality lane." He smiled. "One tends to get nostalgic when one is about to leave his homeland of almost thirteen years." He sighed.
"I see." His mother sighed. "Care for some company?" She smiled sitting beside her son on his bed.
"Sure." Takeru sighed.
His mother peered over her son's shoulder and saw the picture he was looking at. "Is that the summer you got your new hat?" His mother asked.
"Yeah, it was also the summer where I took the job at the Photo Shop to pay for Kari's digital camera." He sighed.
"The one that's constantly around her neck?"
"Yeah." He sighed. "It was also the first time I wanted to tell my feelings for her." He sighed sadly.
"What happened?"
"I was foolish enough to believe that there might not be another person in her life." He sighed. "Before that moment in time I thought I was the only boy in her life, that I couldn't conceive that she may not reciprocate my feelings. I was wrong - wrong enough to drain my courage from telling her." He sighed.
"Is that why you were moping all year when you returned?"
"Was I that obvious?"
"Only when you think of her." She sighed.
"Yeah that summer was humbling." He sighed.
She watched her son carefully. He was looking at these picture with jaded eyes, his demeanour was quiet and expressionless, she knew that this trip down sentimentality lane was a front for something in his life and she had a good feeling what it may be.
"Are you done with this page?" Her son asked.
"Yeah." She sighed nonchalantly watching her son turn a couple of pages in the photographic essay that was his life. He was heartbroken and she knew that, she was so sure that Hikari would return his feelings. She noticed that her son was entranced with the photo on the page and glanced down to see another group picture it was the only picture on the page. "Is that the group picture after you defeated Malo Myotismon?" She probed.
"Yeah." Takeru sighed.
It was a simple group picture similar to the group picture Andromon took five years ago. The back row was occupied by the older digidestined, oddly enough in the same order as the one they took it five years ago, whether that was done by design or happenstance it didn't matter, it seemed right. The middle row was occupied by the six members of the second generation of digidestined while the rest of the digimon took the front row.
"I never get use to it." The comment surprise Takeru.
"Get use to what?" He asked looking at his mother.
"You saving worlds, jumping through dimensions like it was the norm. It's all so surreal, like it's a hilarious dream and that one day I'll wake up and all this is but a distant memory and you'll start to worried about normal adolescent things." She sighed looking at her son.
"I still have those worries too."
"I know, but saving worlds is a heavy burden, even for adults." She sighed. "Ever time you jump through that digiport I worry about you."
"I could take care of myself mom."
"I know you can." She sighed. "It's not that, I'm constantly worried about you, even in this world. It's just easier here, when you're in trouble we can run to each other when we need it, but I can't run to you and hold you when you're in trouble in the Digital World or any other dimensions that you jump to." She sighed.
"Patamon will always be there for me and if not there are my friends." He pointed out.
"I know, but a mother always worries even when you have kids of your own and I've grown old and blue." She smiled.
"And I'll visit you every weekend in the old journalist home." He teased.
"You better." She smiled thinking it was good to see her son smiling again, but she knew that that smile was fleeting, because she could tell in her son's eyes that he was in pain. Her son continued to flip a couple of pages in his photo album. In her peripheral vision she saw a picture that intrigued her and stopped her son from flipping the page. "Is that New York?" She asked pointing to another eight by eleven picture.
"Yeah it's a café near Mimi's house."
"You two seem rather intimate." She sighed seeing her son's right arm around Hikari's shoulder while his left hand showed the peace sign. Hikari's shoulders were narrow holding a grey laptop leaning against her son for support. They both supported an innocent, yet devious grin on their faces.
"Yeah." Takeru sighed. "It was a rouse for feeding Davis' jealous."
"A rouse?"
"It was no secret that Davis liked Kari back then. He announced it whenever he could." He sighed sadly, wishing he had that power. "And when he found out that Hikari and I would be spending the summer in New York visiting Mimi alone, he became so incredibly jealous." He sighed with a smile to himself.
"That's understandable." His mother sighed.
"Well Hikari wanted to send this picture to Davis to make him jealous. I was often the tool she used to make him jealous." Takeru scoffed chuckling to himself. "You know retrospectively, I think she rather enjoyed the chase." He sighed sadly.
His mother noticed that change in her son's attitude by the sound of his sigh. "What's wrong?" She asked thinking that that sigh was an invitation into his problems.
"Nothing, it's just that..." He exasperated with frustration and sighed clearing his mind to start over again. "Sometimes when she flirted with me to make Davis jealous part of me wanted to believe her advances were genuine, that she indeed shared the same feelings for me, but in my heart of hearts I knew that she had ulterior motives." He sighed sadly.
"Sounds like someone who doesn't deserve your love." His mother pointed out.
"I'm not entirely deserving of her love either." Takeru sighed. "I lied to her about my true feelings." He exasperated. "I don't blame her if she doesn't believe me when I do reveal them." He sighed.
"True." His mother sighed. "Why do you suppose you did that? I taught you better then that." She pointed out.
"I don't know." Takeru sighed. "It seemed like the right thing to do at the time." He chuckled to himself with disbelief. "Matt told me a long time ago that there is no difference between a wise man and a fool when they fall in love." He sighed.
"Love can do that to people." She pointed out.
"Still it's a poor excuse for deception." He sighed.
"I think you're being to hard on yourself." She sighed, holding her son and suddenly chuckled to herself. "To think I was worried." She smiled.
"I thought you were always worried." Takeru asked.
"Not about that, I'm always worried about your safety." His mother sighed with a smile. "I was worried about something entirely different." She sighed.
"What about?" Takeru asked with innocent eyes.
"I was about to pack some condoms in your suitcase." His mother blushed.
"Mom, we were eleven!" Takeru protested.
"Eleven going on twenty-one." His mother sighed. "You two were the most mature eleven year olds on the face of the planet." She sighed. "What's a mother to think when his son announces one day that he's spending a whole summer with a girl?" She sighed.
"That you should trust your son with a morsel of common sense, besides if we did anything it wouldn't be the first time we saw each other naked." He sighed.
"It's not!" His mother gasped. "When? Where? How?" She started to freak.
"Yeah, I have pictures." He said turning the photo album to the beginning of the scrapbook.
"Pictures!" She gasped. "Takeru Takaishi you are ground until you're twenty-one and when I mean twenty-one I mean biological twenty-one!" She replied losing control.
"Mom, it's rather innocent." He said showing his mother the picture of the two of them in a bathtub when they were three.
She saw the picture and blushed with embarrassment she was not prone to jump to conclusions particularly without all the facts and especially as a journalist, but when it concerns her son, well that a different category all together. "Oh." She sighed trying to regain her composure. "And this is the only time you saw her naked." She asked.
"I don't know." Takeru sighed. "I'm sure we took more baths together when I stayed over at the Kamiya's, but nothing pass the age of innocence." Takeru reassured his mother turning to find a blank page in his scrapbook.
"I'm sorry I've overreacted."
"That's okay." Takeru smiled. "You should have seen your face when I told you. It was priceless. I wish I had a camera to capture the moment." He sighed putting his graduation picture in the scrapbook.
"Is that your graduation picture?" She asked in hopes to change the nature of the conversation.
"Yeah." Takeru sighed. "Thanks for getting the picture developed so quickly." He said closing the scrapbook.
"No problem." She sighed.
"Could you put this scrapbook in the box?" Takeru asked.
"Sure." His mother smiled receiving the photo album and placed it in the box. She gazed into the box and sensed something wrong with the sight. It was not consistent with normal packing.
When one packs one usually bundled items with similar properties together, like books with books, dishes with dishes, but this was strangely chaotic yet systematic picked. She saw books, compact disks, gifts, knickknacks, trinkets and mementos with one common thread that encompassed everything: Hikari Kamiya. She gasped when she found out what her son was doing. She turned to her son and saw him took off his white hat and slowly folded it contemplating. "I'm sorry." She whispered.
Takeru knew what she meant. "That's okay." He sighed.
"Are you okay?"
"I'll be fine." He whispered.
His mother put her arm around his shoulders holding him. "I'm sorry that she didn't reciprocate your feelings." She sighed.
"I wouldn't know." Takeru sighed. "I didn't tell her."
"Why not?" She asked. "You didn't get permission to break the promise?" She asked with a hint of confusion.
"No I did, quite surprisingly in fact." Takeru sighed. "It's just that I was too late. Davis had already asked her to be his girlfriend." He sighed sadly.
"I'm sorry." His mother whispered; she hated to see her son like this. "What about complete closure? This morning you were so gung-ho about telling her, throwing caution to the wind and damned the consequences." She suggested sympathetically.
Takeru chuckled to himself. "Yeah, I'll learn to settle for partial closure, it's better then nothing." He sighed sadly wanting to cry. "You should have seen her mom, she was so happy, more happier then I ever saw her, I couldn't rob that from her." He began to weep.
"I'm sorry." His mother whispered holding him nurturing him allowing his tears to flow. Then she realized something; Takeru would have broken her heart regardless when he told her that he would be moving to New York. "Wait a minute did you tell Kari that you'll be moving soon?" She asked.
"No, not yet."
"Takeru!" His mother replied sternly.
"I'll tell her tomorrow after I tell Matt." He sighed. "Have you told dad yet?" He asked.
"No, not yet."
"Mother!" Her replied in the same tone as his mother seconds earlier.
"I have an appointment to tell your father tomorrow." She reassured. "So it seems we all have announcements to declare tomorrow." She replied sadly.
"Yeah." Her son sighed in the same tone.
"Com'on let's get out of here." She smiled. "I'm treating you to dinner."
"All right." Takeru smiled. "I'll be out in a minute." He sighed watching his mother leave his room. He slowly got up from his bed and headed towards the box that rested near his bed. He got to one knee and gave a last look at the contents of his past with her and gently placed his white hat with his other six pairs in the carton and pushed it under his bed and quietly left his room.
* * * * * * * * * *
Taichi stared aimlessly at the blank television thinking. Contemplating what has happened to Takeru and his sister that afternoon in the park. The speculations of what happened were killing his nerves and his fingernails were his chief victims to ease them.
There were certain facts he knew, but it was the speculations that drove him crazy. He knew that Takeru wanted to tell his sister his feelings and that he would be moving away, whether he told the former was still up to him. He also knew that he went to the cemetery to speak to his father for reasons he does not know. He also knew that Daisuke wanted to ask his sister to be his girlfriend six hours later and he knew that's where she was now, at the Motomiya's.
"This is driving me crazy!" He yelled with frustration.
"Are you all right son?" His mother asked popping her head from his room.
"I'm fine." Takeru sighed. "Just have to make a call." He replied picking up the phone and dialled Takeru's number. The phone rang four times before the machine picked up. "Ah!" He exasperated slamming the phone.
Taichi had found it odd that when he was waiting for someone that time seemed to flow significantly slower. He couldn't call Davis to check up on his sister, it wouldn't be right to interrupt their dinner, yet he was tempted to do so on more than a dozen occasions. Whatever outcome of his sister's day he knew one thing: she would be devastated.
His ears peaked up when he heard the rattling of keys outside their front door. He sat up straight and watched the door intently. He saw Hikari waltzed in with a huge grimace on her face, something he wasn't expecting. "Hello brother." She smiled. "Isn't life wonderful?" She beamed smelling the pink roses she held.
"You seem happy." Taichi commented tentatively watching his sister beaming and glowing with pure exultation as she twirled with jubilation showing off her flowers, but most importantly her attitude.
"Yeah, I am." Hikari beamed waltzing towards her room to put away the flowers and candy she was carrying, moments later she burst out of her room. "My boyfriend is so sweet, he bought me a dozen pink roses and a box of white chocolates, my favourites." She smiled waltzing towards her brother on the chesterfield that looked concern. "But to answer your question, of course I'm happy, why shouldn't I be?" She asked plopping herself on the chesterfield carelessly.
"No reason." Taichi sighed unconvincingly. "I thought your talk with T.K. would depress you." He pointed out tentatively. "You did talk to T.K. didn't you?" Taichi asked.
"Yeah, I talked to him after Davis asked me to be his girlfriend, but why do you..."
"Wait a minute." Taichi interrupted. "After? I thought your meeting with T.K. was before Davis' dinner?" He asked.
"Yeah our spot and Davis' family picnic spot was one and the same. I was there early waiting for T.K. when Davis saw me and seized the opportunity to ask me to be his girlfriend. Unfortunately T.K. witnessed our union and I felt guilty because it was suppose to be our time, but he understood and forgave me." Hikari explained. "But why should Chastity, the girl that he likes breaking his heart for another boy depress me?" Hikari pointed out. "I feel bad for him, but that's all." She pointed out.
"He told you Chastity broke his heart."
"Not really." Hikari sighed. "I deduced it."
"But he told me he liked..." Taichi stopped himself before he broke his promise to Takeru.
"Who?" Hikari asked with interested. "Who did he tell you he liked?" She reiterated her question.
"My mistake." Taichi smiled unconvincingly. "I've must have heard wrong when he told me. You know me and names couldn't get them right if my life depended on it." He laughed with embarrassment; he had realized that Hikari and Chastity were one in the same person.
"You still haven't answered my question." Hikari probed suspiciously. "Why would T.K.'s news depress me?" She asked.
"I can't say." Taichi sighed. "Are you sure that's there wasn't anything more that he wanted to talk to you about?" He probed.
"Like what?"
"I'm not at liberty to say." Taichi sighed reluctantly. "Just think! It's important!" He ordered.
"No I don't think..." Hikari gasped remembering something. "Now that you mention it, he did say he had a couple of things he wanted to speak to me about and Chastity wasn't one of them." She pointed out. "He said one was a secret which he didn't feel comfortable telling me anymore and the second..."
"Yes."
"He didn't say." Hikari sighed. "He was about to tell me when I told him I had to get ready for my dinner date with Davis and his family." She sighed. "Oh my God, I completely dismissed him." She gasped, and then she realized that her brother knew what he was about to tell her. She glanced to his eyes with anticipation. "What did T.K. wanted to tell me?" She asked.
"I can't say." Taichi sighed.
"Why not?"
Taichi exasperated to himself, he hated to be put into this situation, but worse he hated to rob his sister of her joy. "Kari normally I wouldn't be keeping something so critical from you, but I made a promise to T.K. and even if I didn't, it's not my place to tell you." He pointed out.
"Then whose place is it?" Hikari asked.
"I think you know the answer." Taichi sighed picking up the phone. "I think you better talk to him and really listen to him this time." He said placing the phone in her hands. "Good night." He whispered with a smile and headed to his room.
Hikari thanked her brother stared at the phone like it was a foreign object. She felt bad when she failed him once, but now she felt worse failing him twice. 'I hope he forgives me.' She sighed pressing one on her speed dial.
The phone rang four times before the answering machine picked up. She listened to the sound of Takeru's voice and wondered what could be so dire that made her brother such a nervous wreck. She didn't know what to say or how to say it so she hanged up before she had a chance to leave a message. She exasperated looking at the phone. "What did you really wanted to tell me today?" She asked rhetorically.
TO BE CONTINUED...
Disclaimer: [1] The names of persons, places, and events pertaining to Digimon: Digital Monster Animated Series is not my invention and is the property of Toei Animation, Bandi, and Saban Entertainment - no profit is gained from the writing of this series. [2] Sometaro is a real restaurant in Japan, which serves okonomiyaki (Japanese pancakes) and is mentioned in this story purely for a meeting place. The restaurant itself is opened from noon to ten, but for the purposes of this story it's opened for breakfast. [3] Takeru's flashback scene is taken from the first season, Digimon: Digital Monster episode, "Piedmon's Last Jest". [4] This is a fan fiction and as such names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author's imagination that is, those not mentioned in the previous clauses and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
By Stiltzkin
Author's Note: Before I begin I like to thank the reviewer that wrote in their review to write this [story] for myself and let it take me where it wants to go. For the last few chapters I haven't been doing that, instead I have been writing to please two groups. For that reason writing this series became more of a burden then a joy to write to the point where I considered stop writing this story all together, but now I write where my Muse points. I know I have to disappoint one group sooner or later, and by the end of this chapter one of them would.
The moment I'd posted the previous chapter I instantly regretted putting Willis' prophecy in it. Call it a moment of fleeting sanity, but at the time it seemed like a good idea, but as soon as I posted it I found it clichéd, trite and a bad idea, hindsight is always twenty-twenty. I considered revising it, but I didn't find it fair to do so, no I made my bed and now I have to sleep in it. I also considered posting a note in this introduction to make it apocryphal, but that too wouldn't be fair. Oh well, as Dorris Day might say, que sera sera.
The prophecy isn't all that bad it does gives me direction, albeit the destination is still an unknown, the flip side is I no longer have the latitude that I once had with the characters. My challenge is: I have to find a plausible way to intricate Takeru's dream with Willis' apocalyptic one and his prophecy, that is the first part, not the second where Willis predicted that Hikari and Takeru were destined to be together. The story itself would end when Takeru leaves for America (that too is still up in the air) and that particular thread would be left unanswered. Furthermore the prophecy itself would be a tertiary element in the story and I'll try not to put too much emphasis on it. Once again, enjoy.
* * * * * * * * * *
"In the arithmetic of love,
one plus one equals everything,
and two minus one equals nothing."
- Mignon McLaughlin
* * * * * * * * * *
CHAPTER SIX: PROMISES AND OATHS.
Daisuke Motomiya was too excited to sleep; his plan to totally win over Hikari Kamiya totally consumed him. He knew that he needed sleep or he would pay the consequences later on in the day. Flopping on his bed he started to count sheep, he reached thirty-five before giving up. For the rest of the night he paced in his room to get tired, to no success.
His alarm clock blared with a vengeance, Daisuke rushed towards the alarm turning it off and in one swift motion picked up the phone and started dialling. He anxiously waited for the other end to answer. On the fifth ring, the phone picked up. "Hello, this is Davis Motomiya I came by yesterday evening and bought a necklace to have engraved. I was wondering when I could pick it up?" He asked waiting for the response. "An hour? Great I'll pick it up then." He said hanging up the phone.
"Yes!" He rejoiced doing a back flip in celebration. "Everything is coming along perfectly!" He gasped. "Just two more phone calls." He smiled picking up the phone.
* * * * * * * * * *
Taichi and Hikari were anxiously looking at each other from across the table. Their legs kept shaking underneath the kitchen table with apprehension. Their mother was experimenting with a new dish again, which scared them because they were often her guinea pigs. "Umm...Mom, what are you making?" Hikari asked with trepidation. The smell was making her nauseous; she looked at her brother and saw the green tinge on his skin.
"Liver flavoured wheat germ pancakes smothered in a light soy bean sauce." Their mother proudly announced. "The lady that came into my Health Food store told me that they go great with my beef jerky shakes you love so much." She added.
Taichi and Hikari had a rule of thumb to measure how adverse their mother's concoctions would taste. The longer the title of the dish the worse it would taste. When Taichi heard the title he almost had a cardiac.
"Umm...Mom I'm suddenly not feeling hungry." Taichi sheepishly declared.
His mother started to chuckle. "Oh, Tai sometimes you can be so funny." She replied not believing in her son. "You say that like you don't like my cooking." She smiled.
"Yeah...I'm a real...comedian." Taichi sarcastically agreed.
Suddenly the telephone rang. "It's for me!" They answered in unison dashing out of the kitchen like a bullet. They wrestled for the receiver for a couple of seconds when the cordless slipped out of Taichi hands and into Hikari's.
"Hello?" Hikari panted out of breath.
"Hey Kari it's Davis."
"Hi Davis." Hikari pronounced to her brother sticking out her tongue. "You're my hero." She smiled watching Taichi walking back to the kitchen.
"Really?" He gasped, then realized what she said and quickly cleared his throat. "I mean, of course I am." He proudly stated.
Hikari chuckled softly to herself. "What is it that you want?" She smiled.
"I forgot to ask you last night when I called, but my family is having a picnic today at noon and I was wondering if you would like to come." Daisuke asked.
"Noon?" Hikari asked with trepidation. "I'm sorry Davis, I already have plans. I love to have dinner with your family, or even better breakfast with you. If I have breakfast with you I'll be eternally grateful." She begged.
"Sorry Kari, I have plans for breakfast." He reluctantly told her. "But dinner sounds good you can come over at six if you like." Daisuke offered.
Hikari sighed with defeat. "I'll be there at six." She smiled.
"Great." Daisuke was beaming. "Could I speak with Tai?"
"Tai? Sure." She gasped confused why Daisuke would want to talk to her brother. "Tai! Davis wants to talk to you." She bellowed.
Taichi dashed out of the kitchen breaking the hundred-meter dash record and grabbed the cordless like it was a baton. "Davis man, you are so my hero." He gasped. Hikari chuckled to herself; she stayed by her brother wondering what Daisuke wanted with him.
"What's up with you two?" Daisuke asked. "Never mind." He sighed. "I know it's short notice but I need to talk to you." He sighed.
"Take as long as you like. The longer the better."
"Actually I need to talk to you in person." He sighed. "Do you think you can meet me at Sometaro for breakfast my treat?" He feebly asked.
"Breakfast?" Taichi gasped. "Sure I can make it to breakfast! Man, you're not my hero, you're my saviour." Taichi cried with joy dropping the phone. "Mom, can't stay Davis is buying me breakfast." He said dashing out the door so his mother wouldn't object.
Hikari gasped picking up the phone. "Davis if you truly love me you'll treat me to breakfast too." She said, but alas Daisuke had hung up.
"What was that?" Their mother bellowed from the kitchen.
"Tai had to go." Hikari replied. "That lucky scoundrel." She mumbled under her breath heading for the kitchen.
* * * * * * * * * *
The morning zephyr osculated his saturated naked torso; the breeze gently played with his golden hair. His heart was still beating rhythmically like African tribal drums and the bitter taste of adrenaline still stuck on his tongue. The memory of his reoccurring nightmare was still rummaging around his conscious mind.
The thought of his discussion with Willis yesterday was quickly expunged from his mind when the morning star twinkled out. Morning has broken and the larks were already singing their early song. Moving away, perhaps never to return had a strange effect on people, they become more nostalgic, every second seemed more intense and more important, time seems to flow more slowly and each moment treasured for it may be the last. It was no different for Takeru Takaishi he wanted to remember every second, every nuance, and every detail of the sunrise from his balcony so he would remember it forever.
He was so lost and enraptured with his thoughts that he didn't hear the telephone ringing in the background. Although his senses were in a state of hypersensitivity his mind was very selective to what he wanted to remember. His mother's hand on his shoulder startled him.
"It's for you, it's Davis." His mother smiled offering the cordless to him.
"Davis?" Takeru was genuinely surprised. "What's he doing up before noon?" He asked rhetorically.
"I didn't ask." His mother replied. "All he said was he wanted to talk to you." His mother sighed.
"I don't want to talk to him." He sighed.
"Takeru." His mother sternly replied pointing the phone to his face.
He exasperated and took the phone. "Hey Davis what's up?" He asked. In his peripheral vision he saw his mother wanting to leave to give him some privacy. He quickly, but gently stopped her from leaving by gripping her arm. It was his silent way of telling her that he wanted her to stay.
"Hey T.K." After two years of getting his name wrong, he finally gets it right, though he suspects that Hikari had some doing in that. It was still strange to hear his name emanating from his mouth. Part of him wished that he still called him T.A. or something like that. "Meet me at Sometaro in an hour for breakfast my treat." He demanded.
"What ever for?" Takeru sounded confused.
"Just be there. It's important I have something to show you." He exasperated hanging up the phone so Takeru couldn't argue with him edgewise. Takeru turned off the phone and looked at it contemplating. 'What are you up to Davis Motomiya?' He thought.
"Something wrong son?" His mother asked.
Takeru came out of his thoughts and sighed. "No, Davis just wanted to have breakfast with me." He sighed still in confusion.
"Oh that's very thoughtful of him." His mother replied.
"Too thoughtful." Takeru replied feeling sceptical about the whole meeting.
"You sound suspicious."
"It's just out of character for Davis that's all."
"People do change."
"Apparently." Takeru sighed. "There's a first for anything."
"So what do you want to talk about besides doing a character assassination of Daisuke Motomiya?" His mother asked.
"Isn't that enough?" He teased.
"Takeru." His mother said sternly.
"All right, all right." He sighed surrendered. "I'm going to tell Kari my feelings today." He finally sighed.
"You are?" His mother gasped.
"Yeah, you sound surprised."
"I am." She confessed. "What changed your mind?"
"Last night when you announced that we were moving to New York, you asked me if I was using your promotion as an excuse for running away. At first I wanted to go because it was the right thing to do, but then last night I looked beyond the visceral and realized that I was running away." Takeru sighed.
"Are you sure you want to do this?" His mother asked.
"Yeah." Takeru sighed. "If she doesn't feel the same way, at least I know how she feels and in doing so I would have complete closure." He sighed.
"A very enlightened view." She sighed. "What about your promises that prevented you from telling the last time we have this discussion?" She pointed out.
"Why are you suddenly discouraging me from telling Kari my feelings?"
"Because two days ago, on this very balcony, you told me that you rather live a life full of regret then rejection..."
"It's because two days ago, I couldn't conceive that we would be moving half way across the world!" Takeru exasperated; his voice a louder then he would have liked. "I'm sorry." He apologized for his outburst.
"It's okay." His mother quickly forgiven. "Please continue."
Takeru sighed. "It's just that two days ago I thought my time here in Odaiba was indefinite." He sighed. "I was being a little presumptuous by saying I was willing to live a life full of regret. In reality, I was willing to live a life of regret for a short time, perhaps a couple of days, a week, month, maybe a couple of years whenever Kari is no longer seeing anyone so I could tell her my feelings then. I'm twelve years old I could afford to wait for Kari for a couple of years." Takeru explained.
"Ah...I see now that we've moving away, your time is finite."
"You can say that." Takeru smiled. "We moving away to New York, probably never to return...I can't live a lifetime not knowing and damn the consequences and after-effects." He sighed.
"And your promises? You were so adamant in keeping them."
"I'm still am." Takeru sighed with frustration. "I wish I could do both, tell her my feelings and be able to keep my promises." He sighed.
"What is this promise of yours?"
"I can't say." Takeru sighed. "It's nothing bad I promise, it's just in this particular case it compromises my heart." He reassured his mother.
"Then you must prioritize which is more important, this promise of yours or your heart?" His mother advised.
"Hypothetically speaking, how would you prioritize a person's dying wish?" Takeru asked already dreading the answer.
"I'll try everything within my powers to complete them. Why? Is this hypothetical death wish not so hypothetical?" His mother asked.
"Let's just say that it's the only major obstacle standing in my way from telling Kari my feelings." Takeru sighed.
"I see so it's compromising your heart or breaking your oath to the dead?" His mother sighed. "I don't envy your decision." She sighed. "So what are you going to do?" She asked.
The suddenly an epiphany hit him, a new contingency he haven't considered. "I'm going to ask the next of kin for permission to break my promise. I just hope the dead would agree." He smiled. "I've better get going, I have to meet Davis for breakfast." He sighed. "Thanks for the talk mom." He smiled leaving.
* * * * * * * * * *
Sometaro is a quaint small restaurant specializing in Japanese pancakes, the building exterior is unpretentious but on the inside it looked surprising like Digitamamon's Diner except that in the middle of booths there were hotplates for self-serving pancakes.
The pancakes are savoury and delectable not to mention filling with several choices for ingredients, but more importantly since Daisuke was treating it was inexpensive, which is probably the reason he choose this particular restaurant.
Takeru almost missed the restaurant because there was no formal sign indicating that it was a place of business. He had almost forgotten that there was a bamboo-fenced garden and lantern outside to indicate the restaurant. Takeru crossed the threshold and circumspect the humble restaurant. To his surprise he saw Taichi sitting in one of the booths.
"Your mother's experimenting with breakfast again?" Takeru teased.
Taichi was surprised to see Takeru. "T.K." He smiled. "Yes, she is, thank God I found an excuse to escape." He beamed.
"So is Kari with you?" He asked hoping to she her.
"No, she couldn't find an excuse to get out of the house." Taichi gloated.
"Sounds ruthless of you not to include her in your plans." Takeru added.
"Well Davis didn't invite her." Taichi smiled. "He invited me, I would ask you to sit, but I think Davis wanted to talk to me in private." He pointed out hating to break the young boy's heart.
"Davis invited you too?" He asked sitting down across from the older boy. "Did he call you this morning and demand your presence?" Takeru asked.
"Demand?" Taichi chuckled. "I was out the door when he mentioned that he was treating me for breakfast." He smiled.
"Right, your mother's experimental cooking I forgot." Takeru sighed. "I wonder where he is, he's late."
"So what else is new?" Taichi sighed. "I wonder what he wants with the both of us?" He sighed trying to find a connection.
"Well whatever it is, I'm glad that we have some time alone." Takeru sighed. "I wanted to ask you something it's about the promise I made to your father on his deathbed." He sighed.
"You're going to tell me my father's last words." Taichi gasped with delight. Like his sister and their mother they wanted to know his last words, but he couldn't tell them because of the promise Takeru made to the dying Kamiya on his deathbed.
"Not exactly." Takeru sighed. "I'm sorry, but you know I promised your father that I wouldn't tell anyone." He painfully reminded his companion.
"Then why did you bring it up?" Taichi asked.
"I was wondering if you'd allow me to break it." Takeru replied.
"What?" Taichi gasped.
"Hey guys thanks for coming." Daisuke greeted. "Sorry I'm late got held up at the engravers." He explained noticing the tense moment between the two men.
"Engravers?" They asked in unison.
"Yeah, but that can wait." Daisuke sighed. "Are you two okay? It looks like you two were about to kill each other before I came in." He asked concerned.
"It's a private matter." Takeru sighed. "So why in the world did you drag us here for breakfast?" He tried to change the subject quickly.
"Right I called you two here to ask you something." Daisuke grinned.
"What is it?" Taichi asked.
"We're listening." Takeru added.
"I wanted to show you this first." Daisuke said giving the blue velvet box that he pulled out of his book bag to Taichi and waited patiently as he opened the box. "So what do you think?" He asked.
"It's beautiful, but I'm not an appraiser so I know you didn't ask me here to look at jewellery. So what's this about?" Taichi said giving the box back to Daisuke. In turn he passed it to Takeru for him to look at it.
"All in good time." Daisuke smiled.
"It has the crest of courage on it." Takeru remarked. It was a beautiful twenty-four karat gold chain with a locket shaped in a half heart with the crest of courage engraved on it. "Where's the other half?" He asked.
"Right here." Daisuke said leaning in to show Takeru the locket around his neck. Takeru delicately held the other half heart around his neck. "It's the crest of light." He gasped.
"Yeah." Daisuke blushed. Takeru thought it odd to see him blushing. "I want to give this to Kari when I ask her to be my girlfriend." He explained taking back the box.
"What?" Taichi's brotherly instincts kicked into overdrive.
"Before you kill me, may I remind you that I'm paying for breakfast." Daisuke reminded quickly.
"And he did get you out of your mother's experimental cooking this morning." Takeru reminded in Daisuke's defence. He was deeply pained by the shocking announcement that he didn't know how to react, but he did know one thing, he didn't want Taichi to kill him.
"Okay." Taichi sighed reluctantly sitting back down. "So why are we here?"
"I wanted to ask your blessing to be her boyfriend." Daisuke simple replied.
"My blessing?" Taichi gasped with confusion.
"Why would you want my blessing?" Takeru asked. "I understand why you want Tai's blessing, but why would you want my blessing?" Takeru asked trying to ignore the voice in his head that's telling him to say no, which increased the pain in heart by a hundred-fold.
"Well Kari considers you one of three men in her life, the first was her father, the second is Tai, and the third person is you and I really appreciate if you give me your blessing." Daisuke sheepishly answered. "So what do you guy say?" He asked anticipating their answers.
"What do you think T.K. should we give him our blessings?" Taichi meant the comment in jest to taunt Daisuke, but to Takeru he took him seriously. Taichi saw the look in his eye and knew that his sarcasm didn't get through to him and that he was genuinely pained by it. He wanted to apologize but he didn't feel right doing that in front of Daisuke.
Takeru exasperated with frustration. 'Why is he asking me that?' He thought trying very hard to hold his pain. He turned to look at Daisuke and saw his brown eyes twinkle with hope. 'Oh God I have the power to make or break his day.' He thought. 'But what about Kari? What does she want?' He sighed.
Takeru was trying to do three things, the first was to think of Hikari's needs and wants, the second was to hide the pain in his heart, and the third was to ignore the little voice in his head that told him to sabotage their relationship before it began.
"Well?" Daisuke asked.
He exasperated and took a deep breath. "Davis, I'm flattered that you wanted to ask my blessing to be with Kari, but you really don't need it. You don't need my permission or my blessing to go out with her. Kari has her own free will and has the right to decide whom she considers her boyfriend. She's not chattel Davis." Takeru sighed, he was stalling it was too painful for him to give the blessing first.
"I know Kari's not a cow, she's an angel."
Takeru exasperated. "Davis its chattel not cattle, chattel as in property." He explained.
"Ah...whatever, I'm not in school." Daisuke protested. "Do you give me your blessing or not?" He sighed with a hint of frustration in his voice.
"Yes Davis, if you want my blessing you have it, zealously, wholeheartedly, and enthusiastically." Takeru sighed overcompensating his true feelings hidden in his heart.
"Great." Daisuke smiled giving Takeru an uncharacteristic hug. "Thank you." He beamed with joy. "How about you Tai? Do you give me your blessing?" He asked waiting for his answer.
"As long as you don't hug me fine, you have my blessing." Taichi sighed.
"Thanks." He beamed jubilantly. "I can't wait to ask her." He smiled like a child on Christmas morning.
"When are you going to ask her?" Taichi asked calmly.
"I wanted to ask her today at lunch at my family picnic, but she said that she had plans without someone. Do you know what she's doing?" Daisuke asked the older sibling.
"No I don't." Taichi sighed.
"I do." Takeru interrupted. "She's meeting with me." He replied, above a whisper. "I'm sorry that I intruded with your plans, but I really needed to talk to her in person about a personal problem. I just needed to talk to my best friend." He sighed. "If you want I could rearrange my schedule..." He was in too much pain to know what he was doing, all he could think of was to do the honourable thing.
"No. She's coming over to dinner tonight, I think that's a better time to ask her any ways." Daisuke smiled, on any other average day he would be jealous that Hikari and Takeru would be meeting for a secret get together, but he was on cloud nine. "To be honest, it'll give me more time to prepare how I'm going to ask her." He smiled. "I just wish I knew how she'll answer." He smiled.
"Don't worry Davis." Takeru sighed. "She's going to say yes."
"How do you know?" Daisuke gasped with awe.
"She told me yesterday in the Digital World before your walk in the woods that the next time you asked her to be your girlfriend that she'll probably say yes." Takeru sighed, it broke his heart to tell him that, but he knew that it'd make Hikari happy.
"Really?" Daisuke smiled.
"Yeah...just don't tell her that I'd told you." He sighed.
"Thanks T.K." He smiled getting up. "I've got to go."
"What about breakfast?" Taichi asked.
"I'm too happy to eat." He said taking out his tan wallet and put enough money for the meal plus a generous tip on the table and without another word he left the humble restaurant.
The air was still filled with awe when Daisuke left. Takeru looked at Taichi; he suddenly needed to be alone and unsurprisingly lost his appetite. "If you'll excuse me Tai, I'm suddenly not feeling very hungry." He sighed getting up.
"Not so fast T.K." He stopped grabbing his wrist stopping him in his flight. "I wanted to apologize for earlier." He sighed. "I didn't mean to pass the responsibility to decide if Davis should get our blessing to you, I only meant it as a joke to keep Davis in suspense." He started to explain. "I thought you'll play along, but you took it seriously." Taichi sighed. "I'm very sorry."
Takeru chuckled to himself. "Kari's right, you're not very good at apologies, and you're forgiven." He smiled. "I really have to go." He sighed wanted to leave again.
"Not so fast." Taichi stopped him again grabbing his wrist. "Why are you asking me to break the promise you made to my dying father?" He asked in a solemn tone.
Takeru swore silently to himself. He had hoped that Taichi had forgotten about their previous discussion with all the excitement that Daisuke dropped that morning. He exasperated and wondered back into his seat drumming his index fingers on the edge of the table. "Some days I think the universe is conspiring against me." He finally sighed.
"What's wrong?"
"Look before I begin this conversation never existed."
"I can't promise anything without knowing what it is first." Taichi replied.
"Then this conversation is over." Takeru said getting up.
"Okay. I promise." Taichi exasperated. "But this better be good for asking what you just did." He sighed.
"I mentioned earlier that I wanted to talk to Kari this afternoon."
"Yeah. You said that you needed a best friend."
"Yeah for one part of the discussion."
"And the other?"
Takeru sighed taking a deep breath before continuing. "I wanted to tell Kari my feelings." He sighed.
"Which are?"
"I love her." He rushed the words quickly, but Taichi heard all of them.
Taichi contained his surprise within him. "You certainly picked a great time to tell her." He exasperated.
"Now you know why I think the universe is conspiring against me." He sighed.
"I doubt that." Taichi sighed. "Just probably picked a bad time to tell her that's all." He sighed. "But I don't understand how my father's dying request fit into your particular predicament." He said trying to get all the pieces to the puzzle together.
"It's your father's dying wish that's preventing me to tell her."
"I don't understand. You promise my father to never tell my sister that you love her?" He asked in a state of confusion. "My father would never ask anyone that." Taichi pointed out.
"No, your quite correct your father didn't ask me that." Takeru reassured a son's faith in his father. "Let me clarify my previous statement. I can't tell Kari my feelings now in this present situation because of the promise I made your father." He sighed.
"I see." Taichi sighed. "I wish I knew the specific of your promise." Takeru was about to interrupt, but Taichi stopped him. "I know you can't tell me nor do I expect you to." He sighed. "Wait a minute." A thought suddenly crept into his mind. "Why did you just give Davis your blessing to ask Kari to be his girlfriend?" He asked confused.
"I don't know." Takeru sighed. "She seems really happy being with him, and I love her enough to give her away." He added.
Taichi was shocked to see the level of maturity in such a young man. "One more question why now? This is the worse possible time you could tell my sister your feelings." Taichi sighed.
"I know." Takeru sighed. "Normally I would have waited for a more opportune time, but I don't have much time left." He sighed enigmatically.
"You're dying?" Taichi gasped fearing the worst.
"No." Takeru quickly corrected. "I'm moving to New York in a week, probably never to return, my mom got a promotion so I have to go." He sighed. "But before I leave I have to know if my feelings for Kari are reciprocate and if not then at least I know and have complete closure, but in order to do that..."
"You have to break my father's dying wish." Taichi sighed. "And so you came here to ask my permission to break it." He deduced.
"Yeah." Takeru sighed.
"Who says there's no more noble men left in the world?" Taichi asked rhetorically. "First Davis and now you." He sighed.
"Well I guess we're a dying breed." Takeru sighed. "Tai, you don't have to give me permission." He sighed. "I don't think I'm going to tell her."
"That you love her or that you're leaving?" Taichi asked.
"The former." Takeru sighed.
"I thought you might say that." Taichi sighed. "I guess it would be fruitless to ask you why." He sighed.
"I don't know." Takeru sighed. "They seem so happy to be together." He sighed. "Who am I to stand in the way of true love?" He asked rhetorically.
"Who says she won't be happier with you?"
"Did she say that?"
"Well...it's mainly hypothetical."
"Oh, I thought so." Takeru sighed crestfallen. "The fact of the matter is Kari sees me as a friend, while she's sees Davis as something more." He sighed.
"It's because you didn't give her any other reason to change her mind."
"And I'm not going to give her any reason to change her mind anytime soon." Takeru exasperated. "The fact of the matter is I was about to tell her about my feelings, that is until Davis made his announcement, now I'm just not so sure anymore." He sighed.
"You still can." Taichi pointed out. "You're meeting Kari for lunch, Davis meeting her for dinner, which gives you a six hour advantage." He sighed.
"Right after I set Davis up for victory and only to rob it from right under his nose at the last minute." Takeru sighed. "I wouldn't wish that fate on my enemies, not less Davis." He sighed.
"That's also true." Taichi sighed.
"Yeah." He sighed. "If you don't mind I'm not feeling particularly hungry and the truth of the matter is, I have this conversation one too many times this morning for my liking." He attempted to leave again.
"I give you permission!" Taichi directed that comment at Takeru, but continued to make his breakfast.
Takeru stopped in his track and returned to the booth slumping back into his seat. "Why? I told you that I'm not going to tell Kari my feelings." He sighed.
"That is of course, your prerogative, but I'm still giving you permission to break my father's dying wish only in this case." He sighed.
"May I ask way?"
"I know my father and I know you." Taichi sighed.
"Rather ambiguous reasoning." Takeru sighed.
"T.K., my father loved you like one of his own, he saw you grow up with Kari, saw how you protected her all those years, you've been a good friend, and he probably knew that you secretly love her." He smiled. Takeru blushed at the comment while Taichi smiled at him watching. "The last thing he wanted from this promise, whatever it is, was to hurt you. Furthermore, I don't think he wanted you to use his dying wish to cause you pain or grief. My father wanted for you what he wants for all his children: happiness." He sighed.
"Yeah, but unfortunately my happiness will tax others, included you sister."
"Sometimes making yourself happy does that." Taichi sighed.
"Yeah, well you have given me a lot to think about." Takeru sighed. "I've better be going now." He sighed getting up.
"I won't stop you this time." Taichi smiled.
"Thanks for letting me go and thanks for your help." Takeru sighed leaving the restaurant.
* * * * * * * * * *
"Our spot." Hikari whispered entering the small, isolated stone gazebo. She gazed through the latticework where she saw three ducks swam by. The hideaway was located in a secluded part of the park in the middle of a pond that was connected by a small boardwalk.
In their ten-year relationship Hikari and Takeru always had a common place to meet that held some special meaning for them, though the spot itself had change four times over the years, it always had two things in common it was always at the park and always shared some special meaning to them - a place when they needed to talk in private.
The Odaiba Park was a mutual stomping ground that was equidistant from their condominium buildings and school. Hikari had always thought it strange that they never named their spot; it was always called 'our spot' ever since they were young and they never thought of changing it, to do so always seemed sacrilegious.
Their mothers introduced them to their first spot, the sandbox in the small playground in the park. They would bring their children everyday for their play date when their brothers were at school and their husbands would be at work. Hikari and Takeru would play while their mothers would talk. They promised to always meet at the sandbox before they go off and play together.
Time moves inexorably onward, as time usually does. Without fail they would meet at the sandbox to play, pending the status of the weather, if it were too cold or unpleasant Takeru would go to her house. If they were sick the healthy would visit the sick.
Until one day when Hikari was five Takeru didn't show up. With tears in her eyes she went to her mother and asked why her best friend didn't come. In response, her mother told Hikari that he had moved to another city and would call when he gets there.
She didn't hear the last part, all she knew was her best friend in the whole world has moved away without saying goodbye. She didn't care to know the reason and didn't care all she knew was she cried for three days before hearing from Takeru again. The sandbox was no longer a happy place for her.
When Takeru returned that summer at the ripe age of six they changed their meeting spot to the swings at her request. It was still at the playground, but on the opposite side to the sandbox. Hikari liked it when Takeru would push her on the swings. She would try to touch the clouds with her toes imagining that she could fly. Everything seemed real and dreams always came true at that time.
By the time they were nine, a year after their first trip to the Digital World, they switched their spot again due to the fact that their brothers and the older digidestined kept on teasing them about being boyfriend and girlfriend which made that spot no longer private.
It took a long time to find another special spot; they were very particular for some odd reason. Eventually, they found secluded spot in the green house in the middle of the Botanical Garden. There was a particular loveseat where they sat surrounded by plants all year round. The first time they found their third spot they talked all day and watched the stars came out through the glass ceiling.
When Takeru return the summer when they were eleven he told Hikari the good news that he and his mother would be moving back to Odaiba that fall. Hikari was excited and that summer seemed like a perpetual celebration. She was later shocked to find out that they would be in the same class together. Their spot soon became redundant because they met everyday at school; instead their spot changed its meaning. Instead of a meeting spot it became a spot they go to when they need to unburden their souls.
This spot soon turned sour when one day Daisuke Motomiya followed them there, perhaps in a rage of jealousy of the quality time they shared together and ruined their spot perpetually. Hikari told him off because it was she who was bearing her soul to Takeru and stormed out of the Greenhouse. Hikari in grief ran aimlessly in the park, Takeru quickly followed and when he caught up to her. They stopped outside a secluded gazebo when it started to rain and decided to walk towards it where she cried on his shoulder all the burdens of her heart and thus their fourth spot came to be.
She looked at her watched and realized that she was still twenty minutes early. This morning she had a plethora of things in her mind, two that stuck out like a sore thumb. The first was the reason Takeru called this meeting she was genuinely worried about him. The second was why Daisuke asked her brother for breakfast and not her. The rest of the thoughts were superficial.
She was so deep in thought that she didn't hear arguing in the distant and the sound of ducks quacking their song in protest. She was still deep in thought when the fighting stopped and the quacking of ducks ceased. "Kari?" A voice scared her she knew it wasn't Takeru's. "What are you doing here?"
"Davis?" She gasped turning around in fright. "What are you doing here?"
"My family is having their picnic just over there." Daisuke pointed through the latticework. "I'm surprised you didn't hear Jun and I arguing." He teased. "Then I saw you here and...well here I am." He explained. "What are you doing here?" He reiterated his question.
"I'm not talking to you." Hikari turned her back to him.
"Why?" Daisuke asked.
"Do you know what I had for breakfast today?" She turned around.
"Oh if this is why I invited Tai to breakfast and not you..."
"A double serving of liver flavoured wheat germ pancakes smothered in a light soy bean sauce with beef jerky shakes to wash it down." Hikari replied not wanting to hear Daisuke's explanation.
"I have a simple explana...wheat germ what? How did it taste?"
"The way it sounds. What do you think?"
"Man, T.K. wasn't kidding when he said I saved Tai from your mother's cooking." Daisuke sighed offhandedly.
"You had breakfast with T.K. too? Why were you having breakfast with T.K. and my brother?" Hikari asked.
"I'll tell you after you answer my question." He smiled. "What are you doing here? T.K. told me that you were suppose to meet for lunch." He pointed out.
"T.K. told you that we were meeting?"
"Yeah, over breakfast."
"And you're not jealous?"
"No, T.K. said that he needed his best friend."
Hikari was amazed how much Daisuke changed in a short period of time. A couple of days ago he would be fuming with jealousy when he heard Takeru would spend some time with her alone. "Yeah, he did this is our spot." She confessed.
"This is your place?" Daisuke gasped realizing what it was. "I'm sorry, I've better be going, I don't want to ruin another spot for you two." He gasped attempting to leave.
"We still have time." Hikari stopped him from leaving. "Enough time to tell me why you were having breakfast with my brother and best friend." She smiled wanting to know.
Daisuke exasperated and reached into his backpack and pulled out the blue velvet box out. "I wanted to give you this at dinner tonight, but I guess this is a good enough time then any." He smiled handing her the box.
"What is it?"
"Open it." He directed.
Hikari opened the velvet box and gasped at the content within. "It's beautiful." She gasped in awe looking at the golden half heart. "It has the crest of courage on it." She smiled.
"It's for you." Daisuke smiled. "I'm wearing the other half with the crest of light on it." He said showing the other half around his neck. "It's my way of telling you that we are two half hearts mending into one. It's also my way of asking you to be my girlfriend." Daisuke sheepishly asked.
Hikari gasped looking at him, her heart was doing summersaults that she almost forgot that she was angry with him. She couldn't believe what she heard. "Really?" Hikari smiled keeping her excitement in. "Wait a minute how does this connect with your breakfast with T.K. and Tai this morning?" She tentatively asked trying to keep Daisuke in suspense.
"I asked for their blessing for us to be a couple, they eventually said yes." Daisuke answered blushing. Hikari felt flattered that he went through all the trouble. "So what do you say? Will you be my girlfriend?" He asked with earnest sincerity.
Hikari waltzed towards him lift his chin and smiled. "Does this answer your question?" She smiled kissing him on the lips.
"So I assume that's a yes." Daisuke said breathless.
"You assume right." She smiled.
"Yes." Daisuke cheered lifting Hikari off the ground swinging her around the gazebo three times before letting her rest gently on the ground. "Here let me put this around your neck." He offered.
"Hold on, let me take off my camera first." She smiled unfastening the camera from her neck. Daisuke ceremoniously fasten the pendent around her neck.
"It looks perfect on you." He smiled looking at the pendant with the crest of courage seemed right around her neck. He kissed her again.
The kiss seemed to last for an eternity, she didn't want it to end, but she had to. "You've better get going, T.K. would be here soon." Hikari gasped panting out of breath.
"Yeah I know." Daisuke sighed. "I'll miss you terribly." He smirked.
"Then let this carry you through until then." Hikari kissed him again. "I'll see you tonight." She smiled. "Now go." She demanded.
She watched Daisuke leave the gazebo waited until he was out of earshot and squealed with exultation. She had her first boyfriend and she was dancing with joy. She couldn't wait until she tells Takeru all the good news.
"Hey Kari?"
"Davis, what are you doing here?" She blushed. "T.K. would be here soon." Hikari warned.
"I think he was." Daisuke said showing a white cap in his hand. "I found it just outside, I think it's T.K.'s." He explained.
Hikari gasped grabbing the hat. "It can't be T.K.'s, this hat means the world to him. He wouldn't just leave it unless..." She whispered.
"Unless?"
Hikari didn't hear Daisuke's question. She felt incredibly guilty she was supposed to be there for Takeru like he was always there for her when she needed him. Instead she was indulging into her own feelings.
She lifted the white cap to her nose and smelled it. It was his scent, he smelled like the ocean, fresh and crisp. There was no mistaking it now Takeru was there. 'How much did he see?' She thought to herself. Hikari was hurt that he so carelessly dropped it, especially because he was so particular about his hats. She remembered the day they got it for him.
* * * * * * * * * *
Three Years Ago...
"Catch me if you can." Hikari teased holding Takeru's green hat in her hand while sticking out her tongue for spite. She had a huge grin on her face running away from Takeru.
"Kari, I'm going to get you." Takeru playfully replied chasing her through the crowded pier trying to reclaim his property.
It was two years after their first adventure in the Digital World and Takeru came back to Odaiba for his summer vacation. The digidestined were having a wonderful day at the beach. That is, until Takeru decided to get back at Hikari for a previous prank she pulled on him earlier that morning.
While she was sleeping in the sun he threw a bucket of cold water on her. She gasped screaming seeing Takeru smiled. Knowing what he did, the ten-year-old girl started to chase the ten-year-old boy trying to get even with him, and she did when his Takeru's green hat flew off his head.
Takeru saw Hikari picking it up with a devilish twinkle in her eye. She smiled at him and started running away towards the pier. After ten minutes of running she was trapped on the high pier. She looked down and saw the blue ocean hundreds of feet below her.
"All right Kari, you have your fun. Please give my hat back." Takeru smiled slowly approaching her.
"Not so fast T.K." Hikari smiled stretching her hand dangling the green hat over the precipice.
"You wouldn't."
"Wouldn't I?" Hikari grinned devilishly.
"Okay, you win." Takeru sighed. "I'm sorry for messing with the Queen of Pranks." He smiled approaching her. "Now give me back the hat." He said slowly approaching her.
"Here you go." Hikari said giving the hat back to Takeru when suddenly a gust of strong wind blew the green hat from her hand and into the ocean below.
"No." Takeru said running towards the edge of the pier. It was too late his green hat was lost forever in the deep blue ocean. He was heartbroken.
"I'm so sorry T.K." Hikari gasped. "I didn't mean to..."
"That's okay." He replied, above a whisper. "It's just a hat - a hat my father bought me before my parents divorced." He replied running away, his eyes filled with tears.
"T.K. wait!" She shouted chasing after him, but it was too late, he was gone.
Hikari manage to find him in their secluded spot at the Botanical Garden at the park some distance away. She knew that she would find him there, he was quietly weeping, drowned in sadness. She approached him quietly. "T.K. Please don't cry." She whispered sitting down beside him putting her arm around him. "I'm sorry, I didn't know it meant so much to you." She sympathized.
"That's okay no one knew." Takeru said wiping his tears. "That hat means so much to me because it's the last thing in my life that reminds me of my family before my parent's divorce." He sighed.
"That's why you're so protective of it."
"Yeah." Takeru sighed. "I know it's silly it's just a hat, but it's the only emblem I have left to remind me of the time where Matt and my parents were living together. I was so young when they divorced five years ago...I'm starting to forget what's it like to live in a normal family." He sighed.
"And now it's gone." Hikari sighed.
"Yeah." Takeru sighed. "But I still have my memories, albeit fleeting."
"I'm sorry." She whispered putting her arm around him.
"That's okay." He smiled trying to reassure Hikari that she was forgiven.
Hikari smiled trying to fix the messy blond hair of her best friend. "Tell you what, I know it's not a substitute but I would like to buy you another hat." She smiled running her fingers through his hair.
"No that's okay." Takeru sighed. "I think I've grown out of hats."
"Well that's means you have to spend time to fix your hair in the morning." Hikari sighed. "Which means that you have to use stuff like mousse, gel and hairspray in your hair." She pointed out.
Takeru gasped knowing the very idea of putting all that junk in his hair didn't settle well with him and Hikari knew that. "Okay, let's go hat shopping." He sighed getting up extending his hand.
"I thought you see it my way." She smiled taking his hand.
They left the arboretum hand in hand returning to the beach to tell the rest of the digidestined where they were and where they were going. They headed to the nearest clothing shop on the boardwalk.
"This store seems good." Hikari suggested.
Takeru quickly glanced at the store. It was a humble store selling summer wears from hats to sandals and everything in-between. "All right." Takeru smiled. "It looks good." He said leading her into the store.
The store had a large assortment of hats that were haphazardly piled into a small mountain. Hikari and Takeru started to dig into the stack looking for the right hat for him.
"Are you sure you don't want the same hat?" Hikari asked.
"Yeah." Takeru sighed. "It won't be the same."
"Okay." Hikari smiled looking through the mountain of hats. "How about this?" Hikari asked putting a baseball hat on.
Takeru looked into the mirror that was nearby and sighed. "I don't know." He said indecisively. "It's a little too American for me." He sighed.
"Yeah, maybe you're right." Hikari sighed waltzing behind him. "I can't see your beautiful eyes underneath the peak." She sighed. "Maybe if we turned the hat like so." She demonstrated turning the bill of the hat to the end. "I heard all the cool Americans wear it like this." She smiled draping her arms lackadaisically over his shoulders. "What do you think?" She asked.
She saw a tuff of blond hair sprouting from hole where the clasp fastened. Takeru motioned his head around seeing it from all sides. "I don't know." He sighed. "It's just not me." He exasperated.
"Yeah, I think you're right." Hikari sighed. "Let's see what else we could find." She sighed taking the baseball cap off.
They returned to the mountain of hats and started digging searching scrupulously for Takeru's next hat. "Hey look what I found." Takeru smiled, putting on a child's hat with a tiny propeller on the top. "What do you think?" He said sarcastically.
Hikari laughed to herself. "If you expect me to buy that you, then you'll have to find yourself another best friend, because I won't be seen in public with you in that." She chuckled at the sight.
"That bad huh?" He smiled.
"It's up there." She smiled. "How about this?" She smiled taking the childish hat off and put another hat on him.
"I don't know." Takeru whined.
"Com'on give it a try." Hikari said dragging him towards the mirror. "What do you think?" She smiled.
"How does: 'Com'on little doggy,' sound to you?" Takeru asked seeing the reflection of him in a cowboy's hat.
"Too Western?" Hikari smiled.
"You think?" He asked sarcastically, taking off the gallon hat.
"Back to the drawing board." Hikari sighed.
They turned their attentions back towards the mountain of hats and started digging again. Takeru chuckled at the next hat he found. "Hey Kari, if you love the first hat, you'll love this." He smiled devilishly. "What do you think of this?" He said putting on the jester's hat he found.
Hikari chuckled at Takeru wearing the hat with three dropping arms with bells at the end, but what made her laugh was the funny face Takeru was making at her. "And I thought the first hat you picked out was bad." She managed to say through her laughter. The look of Takeru with his eyes crossed and his tongue to the side made her laugh to the point of suffocation.
"I wondered how many of those hats this store sell?" Takeru chuckled to himself, taking the hat off and continued his search.
"Maybe there's a big market for it?"
They stopped their search and raised their eyes to each other. They contemplated Hikari's explanation and in unison replied. "Nah." Shaking their heads and continued their search in suppressed laughter.
"Here I found something." Hikari said approaching Takeru. She put on the white hat on his head and ran her hands down his cheeks; she then started to fix his blond hair. "Wow, this is it." She smiled looking into his blue eyes. "This is so you." Hikari smiled having an urge to kiss him; she blushed and stopped herself before anything happened.
"Are you sure?" He said above a whisper, his face slightly red.
"Let's go check in the mirror." She quickly said guiding him towards it. "What do you think?" She smiled gently wrapping her arms around his waist and putting her head affectionately on his shoulder. "Do you like it?" She whispered.
"It's perfect." He smiled. "Let's go buy it." He turned looking at her.
"Okay." She smiled, heading towards the cash register where Hikari purchased the hat for her best friend and walked out to the boardwalk and enjoyed the sun. "How's the hat?"
"It's perfect, you sure know how to pick a hat." He smiled.
Hikari blushed looking down at her at her manual camera. She looked down on her simple disposable camera and saw that there were a few pictures left. "Hey T.K. I have a couple of pictures left in my camera why don't we use the rest of it on us and your new hat?" Hikari asked.
"Sounds good." He smiled.
"Excuse me ma'am, do you mind taking our picture?" Hikari asked.
* * * * * * * * * *
"Kari?" Daisuke had been calling her name for the last minute. "I ruined another sacred spot didn't I?" He replied, above a whisper. Still there was no answer. "Are you okay?" He asked touching her on the shoulder.
"No." She replied, her voice above a whisper. "I've failed him." She whispered.
"Who T.K.? I doubt that." Daisuke replied affectionately.
"You don't understand." She whispered. "T.K. has always been there for me when I needed him and he's rarely asked for my help and when he does I end up ignoring him for..." She couldn't bring herself to say it.
"Me." Daisuke replied sadly.
Hikari walked towards him and raised his chin. "For us." She corrected lifting his chin so their eyes would meet. "It's not your fault Davis." She reassured.
"Nor is it yours." He replied leaning towards her to reassure her with a kiss.
"You don't understand." Hikari said turning away breaking their embrace, unbeknownst of his attempts of his reassuring tactics. She ran towards the other end of the gazebo and looked out. "Have you ever had a friend that was always there for you no matter the time, circumstance or distance? That after being with him always made you feels better? That's always been a rock, a confident, an advisor, and comforter?" She asked.
"No." Daisuke confessed.
"Until you do, you can't imagine my pain of disappointing him." Hikari said. "I have to find to him, no matter what." She said running out.
"Hey." Daisuke said grabbing her arm. "Kari do you even know where T.K. is?"
"No." Hikari gasped holding her tears. "I have to follow my instincts, my head, and heart." She replied.
"How are you going to accomplish this?"
"By any means possible."
"Look Kari, let me go with you. I'm worried about you when you're in this state." He sighed. "I don't want you to do anything foolish while you're this delirious." He pointed out.
Hikari smiled and held his check. "Thanks for the offer, but you have to understand, I have to find him alone." She smiled.
"All right." Daisuke smiled. "Just be careful."
"I will." Hikari reassured. "I'll see you tonight." She quickly smiled kissing him goodbye and dashed out of the gazebo.
He ran after her for a couple of steps only to see her disappeared around the bend. "Good luck." He whispered to himself.
"Hey Dweeb, what did you do to your girlfriend?" He heard his sister yelled in the background. Daisuke sighed and slowly walked towards where his family was having their picnic. He didn't feel like fighting with his sister, instead he was worried about Hikari, who ironically was worried about someone else. He never imagined his greatest victory could taste so bitter.
* * * * * * * * * *
Takeru swayed slowly on the swing, the ambient sounds of serendipitous children playing around him didn't phased or soothed the new pain in his heart. He was in complete dismay at what he saw at their spot earlier. Daisuke and Hikari in a warm passionate kiss, he kissing her, but more painfully, she returning the favour. Try as he may, he could not get that image out of his mind.
In tears he dashed away, his white hat flying off in the process. Normally, he would stop to pick it up, but these weren't normal circumstances nor was he thinking properly, so he pressed on in his flight. He ran aimlessly through the park with nothing but his broken heart to guide him until all his feelings that was fuelling his flight has been exhausted.
His broken heart led him to the park where the laughter of children caught his attention, a sweet song calling him back to the past. A wave of nostalgia overwhelmed him bringing him to a time of pure innocence, of naiveté, of simplicity, he wished for that time.
Drying his tears he headed toward the sandbox and gently raked his fingertips through the sand. He smiled to himself looking at the sandbox; it was smaller then he remembered, then again, everything looked a lot bigger when he was three. The touch of the gravel was familiar; it brought an overabundance of all the good times they spent here, in their first spot, before the world decided to ruin that for them.
"Hey mister, you wanna play?" An innocent voice broke through his thoughts.
Takeru slowly glanced up towards the origin of the voice. It was odd to be called mister, he felt way too young to be called that. He gently glanced up to thank the child who invited him, but was flabbergasted by the sight.
"No, thank you." He smiled at the blue eye, blond hair boy wearing a golden St. Jude medallion around his neck. He quietly swore to himself, it was like a reflection of his past, the child resembled him greatly, but even more odd was his playing companion.
"Are you sure mister?" The brown eye brunette girl asked wearing a mauve baseball hat. "It's a lot of fun." She reassured with an angelic smile.
Except for the hat the little girl reminded him of Hikari. "Yes, I'm sure." He smiled. "A good friend of mine told me that it was more cool to wear your hat like this." Takeru smiled turning the baseball hat backwards.
"Yeah it does look cool." The blond hair boy commented.
"Thanks mister." The girl smiled with delight.
Even her smile reminded him of Hikari. "No problem." He smiled getting up and headed across the park to the swings. He didn't feel right letting his pain juxtaposed against such innocence.
He watched the children play in the sandbox from the swings. They were free of pain, oblivious to the evils of the world, but most importantly they didn't care. He wished he could feel that way again, but unfortunately putting the genie back into the bottle is significantly more difficult to do.
Being in the playground at the park and the fact he was moving made him more reflective then usual. His mind started to meander of the events of the morning. With Taichi's permission to break his father's dying wish he had no excuse preventing him to tell Hikari his feelings, that is except for Daisuke's feelings for her.
Although he didn't consider Daisuke one of his best friends, he was more than an acquaintance and certainly more then an average friend, but regardless of the definition of their relationship, he respected him. That fact alone agonized him to the point of insanity.
But it's all irrelevant now, his morning of contemplation, of debating, of playing basketball to clear his mind was all immaterial. It was also impertinent to say he found an American quarter and was so desperate for an answer that he decided to flip for it.
Heads he'll tell Hikari his feelings, tails he wouldn't. The first flip came out tails and accepted his destiny, then a second later he thought it best to make it two out of three. The next two flips came out heads and he too accepted that destiny, and then a second later he thought it best to make it three out of five. The next two flips were inconsequential because he knew whatever path the coin told him to do, he knew that there would be something in the back of his mind telling him the consequences of either action, so he decided to toss it into a fountain making a wish.
After hours of decision making, soul searching, coin flipping, and wishing he decided to let his heart guide him when he saw her next. He's going to allow his primal gut instinct to decide the path he should take and it did when he saw them kissing.
He watched the blond hair boy and the brown hair girl making a sandcastle in the sandbox and smiled. His mind drifted to the events of the pass four days and wondered if he would have done anything different, sadly his answer was no.
In his mind he did all the right things. He did the right thing when he lied to Hikari and his brother, who he really liked; he couldn't ruin Hikari's first date by telling her his feelings. He did the right thing by being courteous to Chastity Shiozaki on their double date; he couldn't treat Chastity like a leper just because she wasn't Hikari. It was unfortunate that Hikari mistook his civility as genuine feelings for her.
He did the right thing by keeping his promise to Hikari's father, especially when it compromises his heart. He did the right thing by telling his mother that she should take her promotion, he couldn't ruin his mother's lifelong dream for his wants. He did the right thing by giving Daisuke his blessing to ask Hikari to be his. He did the right thing by everyone in his little drama, yet that gave him little comfort. He was selfless to a fault, perhaps that his greatest vice as well as his greatest virtue.
"Give that back!" The screaming of the blond boy caught his attention. He glanced up to see the boy with fists in the air ready to defend himself against a bully twice his size for the girl's mauve hat.
"Who is she to you? Your girlfriend?" The bully teased the last two words.
"So what if she is! I'm not going to let you hurt her!"
"Phineas Eugene Fujiyama! You give back that hat young man!" The bully's mother came by rebuking her child. "And you apologize to the girl." She pointed out.
"But mom!" He whined looking at his mother to see her crossed eyes. "I'm sorry." He muttered above a whisper returning the purple hat to the little girl who sheepishly accepted it.
"Now for your punishment young man!" She said guiding her son by the ear. Takeru saw the boy scream in pain dragging her son away from the sandbox and out of the park.
'Phineas.' Takeru chuckled to himself. 'With a name like that no wonder he's a bully.' He sighed returning his attention to the boy and girl at the sandbox. 'He's got guts.' Takeru thought seeing the boy fixing the little girl's hat by putting it backwards. The girl smiled and hugged the little boy who protected her. 'Some things never changed.' Takeru smiled, the boy was not unlike him when he was that age. 'I wondered if he made a promise like I did with Sora?' He thought reminiscing.
* * * * * * * * * *
Five Years Ago...
Sora, Hikari and Takeru were trapped underneath the wooden floor. Their hearts were pounding with a vengeance when they heard Piedmon making his entrance. Like a big kid he taunted them out from their hiding spot, it was all a game to him, and unfortunately for Sora, Hikari and Takeru a deadly one.
"I think it's safe now." Sora whispered.
Like the universe wanting to prove her wrong, it did. A blade suddenly penetrated through the wooden floors hoping to pierce them. They ran screaming trying to avoid Piedmon's swords. Piedmon quickly jabbed the floor aimlessly and relentlessly trying to find the hidden humans taunting them along their way.
"Celestial Arrow! Run Kari!" Angewoman ordered.
"Hurry Sora! Wing Blaze!" Garudamon added to the fight.
Hikari and Sora's digimons respectively has given them time to find a way out. Their calls were a great comfort to them and they took advantage of it. A battle ensued the angel and guardian bird against the evil clown. They goal was simple to keep Piedmon busy from piercing the floors with his trump swords no matter the cost, which they paid the ultimate price.
With their distraction they manage to find their way out from beneath the wooden floor. They came out to only see Garudamon's giant claw trapped between floors as a large white handkerchief covered the giant bird digimon. While Angewoman moaned with pain as six trump swords pinned her angelic wings to the wall - trapped. The last thing the angel digimon would see is a fluttering white handkerchief approaching her and then...darkness.
Sora and Hikari screamed in horror as they saw their digimons transformed into key chains for Piedmon's collection. Now there were five, three humans and two digimons, Patamon and Gomamon who lost Jou earlier during a trapeze swing over a precipice, protected the two young children.
Sora being the eldest took charge. 'There's no time for grief.' She sighed looking at the two eight-year-olds. In return they looked at her with expectations in their eyes. "T.K. come here." Sora said forcefully.
"What is it?" Takeru ran to her.
She got to her on her knees so their eyes would be on a level plain. "I want you to take Kari and get out of here!"
"But what about you?"
"Listen to me! There isn't much time! Piedmon has the rest of our friends and if he gets to us we're doomed." She got up on her feet and his eyes followed hers. "T.K. please you're the only one that can protect Kari. You have to be brave now get going."
"I won't leave you!" Takeru said knowing what would happen if he did.
Sora put her hands on his shoulders. "Don't worry about me I'll be fine."
Takeru studied her face; he thought it odd that she was smiling at a time like this, perhaps to reassure him. Reluctantly he knew it was the right thing to do. "All right." He studied her face knowing that it may be the last time he'll see it.
"No matter what happens just keep running."
"Okay Sora, I promise that I'll do whatever I can to protect Kari." He said with determination.
"Right! Hurry! Go!" Sora gave her last three commands.
Takeru ran towards Hikari, looking at her with a smile. "Come on Kari." He gently took her hand. "Let's go!" He said running guiding her around the corner, he turned his head a saw Sora disappear in a white handkerchief as she threw something towards him. Now there were three.
* * * * * * * * * *
"Hey mister?" The young girl's voice sheepishly asked interrupted his thoughts. Takeru glanced up to see the brown hair girl with the mauve hat holding a handful of pink posies in her hand.
"Please call me Takeru, my friends call me T.K. you can call me that if you like." He smiled. "Just don't call me mister it makes me feel like my father, I'm not nearly as old." He shuddered sarcastically.
The two kids giggled. "My name is..."
"Jude." Takeru answered.
"How do you know that?" The young boy asked. "Are you psychic?"
"No." Takeru chuckled. "You're wearing a St. Jude medallion." He smiled pointing to the golden chain around his neck. Although Catholics were uncommon in Japan, Takeru had seen enough of them to know that parents generally give their children a medallion of the saint they're normally named after to protect them. "I believe he's the saint of hopeless causes." Takeru smiled.
"That's what my mom calls me when I get in trouble." Jude pointed out. "What does that mean?" He asked.
Takeru chuckled to himself and noticed that there was a pink posy in his right ear, something Hikari use to do for him, once upon a time. "Don't worry, your mother doesn't mean it." He smiled reassuringly.
"Oh, well my name is Jude Tomodachigai." Jude sighed dismissing the thought, as young boys like him often do. "My friends call me J.T. you can call me that if you want." He replied with his boyish smile.
"Okay." Takeru smiled finding the similarity between their names.
"My name is Akari Seijun, but all my friends call me..."
"Kari." Takeru smiled chuckling to himself, he couldn't believe the irony of their nicknames being the same.
"Yeah. You are psychic." Akari smiled.
"No just intuitive." Takeru sighed. "How can I help you?" He smiled changing the subject.
"We just wanted to give you these." Akari smiled. "You seemed pretty sad and we thought that these would cheer you up." She said handing the bouquet to him.
"Thank you." Takeru smiled taking the flowers smelling the amorous scent.
"Feeling better?" Jude asked.
"Yes, thank you." He smiled looking at the boy. "That's a pretty gutsy thing you did back there at the sandbox." He commented.
"Oh that." Jude sighed blushing. "I promise mom that I look over Kari when we're playing." He sighed. "But to tell you the truth I would have done it without promising mom." He smiled blushing. "You see I really like her." Jude whispered into Takeru's ear.
Takeru chuckled to himself at the boy's whisperings. "Well keep up the good job." He smiled.
"Jude!"
"Akari! Time to go home!"
"That's our mothers..."
"...we gotta go." Akari finished Jude's sentence, not unlike what he and Hikari did all those years ago.
"Here why don't you give these to your mothers? I'm sure they'll appreciated more then I would." Takeru pointed out giving the bouquet back to Akari.
"Are you sure?" She asked.
"Yeah." Takeru smiled. "Now get going." He smiled watching the two kids running towards their mothers' waiting arms. He was overjoyed to see their mothers' faces when they received the flowers their children had picked to cheer him up.
"Good luck kid, hope all your dreams come true." He sighed.
Takeru gently pushed making the swing he was sitting on sway a little. The slight pendulum motion helped him think. He silently chuckled to himself thinking of all the similarities Hikari and he had to that of Jude Tomodachigai and Akari Seijun. He made a similar promise to Sora about protecting Hikari all those years ago.
'I wish I hadn't made that promise.' He sighed, thinking. 'Perhaps her father wouldn't have noticed it and wouldn't make me promise that promise before he died.' He exasperated. 'No that wasn't fair. What choice did Sora have?' He rationalized. 'Besides like J.T. said I would have done it regardless.' He sighed. 'After all, Mr. Kamiya noticed.' He sighed remembering that particular memory.
* * * * * * * * * *
Three Months Ago...
"Hey T.K. wake up." A voice gently stirred him up.
"Just five more minutes mom." Takeru mumbled under his breath, he was having a good dream and didn't want to wake up.
"You slept enough." Taichi's voice rang through his head.
He gasped at the voice and opened his eyes with a vengeance. "Tai what are you doing here?" He asked full with concern. "Where am I?" He asked looking around the strange environment; he was not in his room.
"You're at Odaiba County General Hospital, my father..."
"I know." Takeru sighed. He sensed something pressing on his chest and smelled the scent of lavender and lilacs mixed in with formaldehyde. He looked down and saw Hikari sleeping on him. They were outstretched awkwardly on the chesterfield in the waiting room of the hospital.
They must have fallen asleep together while waiting for news of the progress of Hikari's father. He was glad that it was Spring Break because he could stay with her, but he never dreamed this would happen. "Tai I could explain this, it's not what it looks like." Takeru gasped with fear.
"Oh T.K." Hikari moaned affectionately making herself more comfortable on his chest. Takeru watched her movement and knew how that may look.
He turned to Taichi and gave him frightening looked. "Or sounds like." Takeru added knowing the possible sexual innuendoes that simple statement could have.
"Don't worry, I'm not going to kill you...yet." Taichi smiled devilishly when he added that last word. Takeru smiled hoping it was Taichi's dry sarcasm. "I know all you did was fall asleep waiting for news on my dad." Taichi explained.
"He's not..."
"No." Taichi sighed reassuring. "But I'm afraid soon."
"Then why..."
"He wants to talk to you." Taichi explained.
"Me? Why would he..."
"I don't know, he just does." Taichi explained. "So are you coming or are you going to ask more questions?" He asked rhetorically.
"I'm coming." Takeru exasperated, trying to gently ease Hikari off his body without waking her. "It appears it'll be more difficult then I'd thought it would be." Takeru sighed.
Taichi exasperated. "Hey Kari wake up." He whispered.
"Just five more minutes mom." Hikari mumbled sleepily, as she got more comfortable on Takeru's chest.
"Peas in a pod." Taichi mumbled under his breath. "You slept enough." Taichi's voice rang through her head.
Hikari gasped at her brother's voice and opened his eyes. She got up and realized that she fell asleep with Takeru. She glanced at Takeru then at Taichi then back at Takeru and at Taichi again. "Tai...Tai I could explain, it's not what it looks like." She stuttered.
Taichi chuckled to himself. "You know for something rather innocent you two seemed very guilty." He teased.
Hikari looked at Takeru and in return he gave her a reassuring smile. "You mean you're not mad with T.K. or going to kill him?" She asked feeling a little relieved.
"Not over this." Taichi smiled. "Coming T.K.?"
"Yeah." Takeru smiled getting up only to be stopped by Hikari holding his hand. He turned to look at her and saw concern in her eyes.
"Where are you going?"
Takeru smiled and got on his knees so that their eyes were on the same level. He held her hands and cupped her check. "Your father wants to see me." He smiled reassuringly. He saw worry in her eyes and saw her white teeth delicately biting her lower lip. Takeru smiled using his thumb to free her lower lip. "Your mother said biting you lip is a bad habit." He smiled whispering, still seeing concern in her eyes. "I'll be back soon. I'll promise." He smiled.
"Okay." She smiled reluctantly releasing his hand.
Takeru smiled taking a deep breath. He got up and walked with Taichi through the marbled halls. "So you two seem extra chummy lately." Taichi nonchalantly sighed.
"Perhaps, we're getting a little bit more closer, but I think there's a just reason for it, especially under these circumstances." Takeru explained. "You have a problem with that?" He teased.
"Don't confuse my comprehension of this situation as leniency, if you want to see my sister, you'll have to answer to me." Taichi pointed out with an overabundance of brotherly concern.
Takeru knew Taichi enough to know that his threat was idle; then again, he was getting on Daisuke's case more nowadays, especially when the conversation turns to his sister. He pondered that thought and turned into the private room where their father rested.
Takeru was shocked to see impending death coming, he's seen death before in the Digital World, but those deaths were generally quick, swift, and in an instant gone, but this was different, this was prolonged and he was scared to see death approaching so slowly.
"Dad, he's here." Taichi whispered sitting next to his ailing father holding his hand. "I'll leave you two alone." He smiled getting up.
His father kept his son's hand steadfast. "Before you go, I'll like to say a few things to you." He smiled.
"What is it?" Taichi said sitting back down.
"It's just a few things I wanted to say before I died."
"Dad, you all ready told me all the important stuff, like where to hide all the junk food in the house so mom wouldn't know." Taichi smiled.
His father chuckled. "Don't make me laugh, it hurts when I do." He sighed taking a laboriously breath to change the mood. "Seriously Tai, when I'm gone, you'll be the man of the house. I want you to take care of your mother and sister, watch over them, don't let your mom work too hard and don't give your mother a hard time you hear?" He asked.
"Yes dad." He smiled taking a last look at his father. "I'll be leaving you now." Taichi sighed getting up. "Don't take too long." Taichi whispered to Takeru before leaving the room.
The silence was short and unbearable; it was he, Taichi's father, and death. "Umm...I'm here Mr. Kamiya." He feebly said.
"Takeru, com'on in sit beside me." He replied hoarsely. Takeru silently made his way to the chair beside the bed and smiled. "It's so good to see you." He smiled watching the young boy sheepishly smiled back at him. "I just wanted to thank you for protecting Kari all these years and for being here for her these past two days." He smiled. "I'm sorry that you have to waste so much of your Spring Break to be here." He sighed laboriously.
"Don't be." Takeru finally spoke. "There would always be more holidays." He pointed out. "As for protecting Kari all these years, well...I made a promise a long time ago to always protect her." He sighed.
"The one you made with Sora five years ago?" Takeru was shocked that he knew and was about to open his mouth. "I saw it in the sky five years ago shortly after the Odaiba Fog incident." He pointed out. Takeru had forgotten that the whole world saw the battles of the Dark Masters and Apocalymon when the eight of them returned to the Digital World together. "Besides I think it's more than you honouring a promise...you love her don't you?" He probed.
"I don't know what..."
"Please don't insult a dying man's intelligence."
Takeru exasperated and smiled. "Okay, I love her." He sighed, feeling weird confessing his feelings to her dying father; it was the first time he told anyone his true feelings for Hikari. "I wanted to tell someone that for a long time." He smiled.
"Have you told her yet?"
"No." He sighed. "I wanted to tell her this Spring Break, but..."
"Ah...I see." He sighed painstakingly. "Tell her." He hoarsely said. "Take it from a dying man, it's better to live with rejection then regret." He said touching the boy's cheek. "Remember that." He smiled.
"I will." Takeru smiled.
"Don't let my death be your excuse for not telling my daughter you love her. Carpe Diem, Seize the Day, live in the moment." He smiled looking at the sapphire blue eyes of the child, he remembered the look of hope in them, and he remembered he once had that look for his wife so many years ago. "Takeru, there is something more that I wanted to talk to you about." He smiled weakly.
"Okay." Takeru exasperated following his direction.
"Before I say anything, this conversation is between us, okay?" He smiled as he watched the boy nod in affirmation. "Good." He smiled more laboriously. "This is an extension of the promise you made to Sora all those years ago." He sighed with pain. "I want you to continue to protect Kari, to be her guardian angel that you have been for the last five years, to always be there for her when she needs someone to confide in, to be the rock when she needs a shoulder to cry on, to always make her happy and prevent any pain in her life." He exasperated hoarsely using most of his strength to complete the sentence.
"I will." Takeru smiled reassuringly. "I promise that I'll do whatever I can to protect Kari." Takeru smiled holding his hand.
"I know you would." He smiled gasping the last of his life breath.
Takeru gasped noticing the glazed look in his eyes and the sound of the heart monitor making a single long high-pitched beep. Frighten he backed away knocking over the chair he was sitting on and leaned against the window that stopped him.
A plethora of doctors and nurses rushed in trying to revive him. It was too late - he was dead. He will always remember the last thing that was said sealing his fate. "Time of death, six thirty-three." The doctor sighed, turning off all the equipment. "I'm sorry son." The doctor's ambient voice echoed through his psyche, but all he saw was a white sheet draping over him.
* * * * * * * * * *
Takeru gasped with fear as something white draped over his eyes. "I'm sorry to scare you, but I've been calling your name for a while." A familiar voice replied with a hint of concern. He recognized the voice it was Hikari, he fixed his white hat and glanced up to see Hikari swaying gently in the opposite direction. "You've seemed to dropped it." She smiled.
"Yeah." He smiled trying to suppress his pain. It was odd seeing her and feeling pain by just looking at her, something he didn't realize could happen. The silence between them was cold and uncomfortable. He looked at her and his heartache deepened.
"So why here?" Hikari asked finally breaking the silence. "This hasn't been our spot since we were nine." She pointed out.
"I just wanted to come to a place that reminds me of a time where pain's a distant memory, where dreams come true, crushes were real, and the time was innocence and naïve." Takeru sighed.
Hikari smiled to herself and sighed. "You have a rather selective memory don't you?" She asked, not expecting an answer. "It's just that by the time we were nine, we weren't that innocent nor naïve. By the age of five we learn the pain of separation and we finally knew what the word divorce meant. By the age of eight we've seen death and destruction in the Digital World." She pointed out. "There's nothing innocent about all that."
"I know." Takeru sighed. "I was at the sandbox earlier, but there were kids playing so innocently there, I couldn't bring them down with my depression." Takeru smiled.
"Oh." Hikari smiled. She looked at her downcast friend and realized what was happening. "Chastity chose the other guy didn't she?" Hikari sighed reassuringly.
Takeru glanced at her trying to hide his surprise. He hadn't thought of that, quite frankly Chastity Shiozaki was the furthest thing on his mind. "Yeah, metaphorically you could say that." He sighed referring not to Chastity, but to Hikari.
"I'm sorry T.K. it's her lost." Hikari smiled reassuringly. "Do you want me to talk to her?" She asked.
"No." Takeru smiled. "It's over and I'll grow to accept it, but that's not the reason I wanted to meet you today." He sighed. "There were other things on my mind." He replied nonchalantly.
There was another air of silence, this time colder and more uncomfortable. For the first time in ten years Hikari didn't know what to do to cheer up her friend. "I'm sorry." Hikari said, above a whisper.
"For what?"
"For failing you, for not being there for you, like you always had for me."
"Silly girl, you haven't failed me." Takeru give a reassuring smile. "Besides I think you had good reasons for having other things on your mind." He smiled motioning on his neck; he was saddened not to see her camera there. "Are you happy?" He asked.
Hikari looked to her neck and blushed seeing that the necklace that Daisuke bought her was dangling over her pink shirt. "Extremely." She smiled.
"Really?" Takeru asked making a conscious effort to suppress his pain.
"Yeah." Hikari blushed with a slight smile. "If you told me a week ago that Davis and I would be exclusive I'd thought you're crazy. I mean Davis and I are complete opposites." She sighed with a chuckle. "Perhaps the old idiom is true: opposites attract." She smiled.
"Stranger things have happened." Takeru smiled.
Hikari chuckled in return. "Yeah, I don't know it's weird, Davis is loud, rash, obnoxious, and could be extremely annoying at times." She exasperated with a smile. "Yet he's also paradoxically sweet, caring, tender, and could be surprisingly passionate. He reminds me a lot of Tai, is that psychologically disturbing or what?" Hikari asked rhetorically.
"Freud wouldn't think so, but as for me I wouldn't want to picture it." Takeru pointed out with his smile.
Hikari chuckled at the response. "I don't know, Davis reminds me of someone else, someone more than Tai, I don't who." Hikari sighed. "I just can't put my finger on it, Davis reminds me of..." She sighed trying to figure it all out.
"Your father?"
"Yeah." Hikari gasped. "How do you do that?"
"Do what?" He smiled.
"Know what I'm thinking even when I don't." She smiled.
"You just needed another person's perspective." Takeru sighed. "Besides knowing you for a decade didn't harm either." He sighed retreating into his melancholy thoughts. For the likes of him he couldn't get the image of Hikari and Daisuke being together forever out of his mind.
"T.K. what are you thinking?" She asked. "Are you thinking that I'm using Davis to substitute the thought of losing my dad?" She asked.
"No, quite the opposite." Takeru smiled. "Why, are you thinking about that?"
"Not until you brought up the similarities between Davis and my father." Hikari replied with a hint of sadness. "Do you think I'm doing that? Do you think I'm using him?" She asked looking in his blue eyes with hope.
Takeru sighed thinking how he should respond. He looked into her brown eyes wondering what her soul was telling him. He had to tell the truth, no matter how bad it hurt him. "No." He said, his voice above a whisper. "You would have known the connection between Davis and your father sooner or later and deduced the obvious." He smiled reassuringly.
"Which is?"
"That you two were meant for each other." He sighed, his voice cracking with pain. He was surprised that he got that phrase out of his mouth. He was fighting with all his strength from allowing himself to cry both on the outside and inside.
"How can you be so sure?"
"When I was little my mother told me that girls generally marry boys that remind them of the fathers." Takeru smiled with a devilish thought in his mind. "So how does Mrs. Daisuke Motomiya sound to you?" He teased with a huge grimace on his face. He carefully got up from the swings and slowly took a couple of paces back.
Hikari gasped at the suggestion. "Takeru Takaishi you better take that back!" Looking at him at the swings to only see him up and about.
"You got to catch me first!" He smiled turning around and dashed towards the sandbox.
"Oh, I'm not letting you get away with that so easy." Hikari chuckled chasing after him. She followed him around the sandbox, up one end of the seesaw and down the other end. Then she climbed up the winding steps of the slide and then sledded after him before she ran out of breath. "Okay, I give!" Hikari panted seeing Takeru slowing down sitting underneath the shade of the willow waiting for her.
Takeru watched as she slowly walked towards him, catching her breath. "It's about time." He smiled taunting her as she sat next to him on the fresh green grass. "I've been here for ages." He smiled.
"Oh, you are so dead." Hikari smiled tackling Takeru on the crisp cool grass. Takeru was surprised by the attacked and pretty soon she was tickling him to ebb his athletic strength away. "Take it back."
"Never!" Takeru smiled, using the rest of his fleeting strength to get on top and tickled her in retaliation. He was on top of her and had an overwhelming urge to kiss her, but stopped himself when he saw the half-heart necklace with the crest of courage around her neck and realized what he was doing. He quickly got off of her and leaned against the willow closing his eyes.
Hikari asked seeing pain and guilt in his eyes before he got off of her. "T.K. what's wrong?" She asked sitting next to him. "It's not like you to give up on a tickling war before especially when you're winning." She smiled watching him leaning against the willow.
"Okay you win." Takeru replied nonchalantly. "I'll take it back you should definitely go with Mrs. Hikari Kamiya-Motomiya." He looked at her with a reassuring smile trying to hide his true feelings from her.
"You're asking for it aren't you?" Hikari smiled. "Do you really want a second tickling war?" She asked.
"No." He chuckled, it felt good laughing again; it's been a long time since he had a good, genuine laugh. "I'm sorry." He sighed changing his mood.
He hated to break his time of laughter short, but he had no choice. He had to tell Hikari that he would be moving, perhaps never to see her again. He turned to look at her and it pained him to see her beside him, knowing that it would be a long time until he would see this again, if ever.
"What's wrong?" She asked with concern.
"Nothing." Takeru sighed. "It just seems so trivial now, but I wanted to tell you the earth-shattering secret that I've been keeping from you for the last two days." He sighed.
"Why do I sense a "but" in that statement?"
"Because there is." Takeru sighed. "I was wrong, it's not the right time." He sighed sadly. It was the last part of his promise to Hikari's dying father that kept him from telling her his feelings. 'To always make her happy and prevent any pain in her life.' He still heard her father's dying voice in his mind.
He knew by telling her that he loved her would introduce a tidal wave of pain that would drown her, like it did with Sora when she had to choose between his brother and hers and although he had Taichi's permission to break this part of the promise, he couldn't. He looked at her angelic face; it was perfect in every way, but one thing. "You have an eyelash on your face." He whispered.
"Where?" Hikari asked trying to get it off.
"Here let me get it." He offered with a smile. He gently reached for face and with his index finger picked it up. He was about to blow it away when Hikari gently raised her hand to stop him.
"Don't blow away just yet." She smiled still holding his hand. The touch of her soft hand sent shivers of euphoria down Takeru's back. "Mimi told me that you can make a wish on a fallen eyelash." She smiled.
Takeru chuckled at the American superstition, but decided to take part of it regardless. "What should I wish for?" He asked.
"I don't know." Hikari sighed. "Whatever makes your heart happy." She suggested looking into his eyes.
He felt the preverbal dagger in his heart twist when he heard that suggestion. He couldn't have what would make his heart happy. His eyes slowly moved towards her. "What would you wish for?" He whispered with a smile.
"I don't think it works that way." Hikari smiled. "It's your wish."
"Yeah, but I wishing all the time." He smiled. "Every second, of every minute, of every hour, of every day." He replied trying to suppress the sadness in his voice. "So it'll be a waste on me." He sighed. "So please take the wish."
"All right. If you're sure." She smiled closing her eyes.
Hikari wondered what she would wish for, in her mind she had everything she ever wanted: a family, good friends, and now a boyfriend. Takeru watched her adoring face and smiled secretly to himself, hoping that she's wishing for the same thing as him, but knew she wasn't. She opened her eyes and blew her eyelash off his index finger. "So what did you wish for?" Takeru asked softly.
"Can't tell you or it won't come true." Hikari pointed out.
"Oh is that how it works." Takeru smiled. "I hope your wish comes true."
"Thanks." Hikari smiled. "What about you, did your wish come true?"
"I don't know." Takeru sighed. "I doubt it though." He sighed.
Hikari sensed sadness in his voice and sighed. "Everything's going to be all right." She smiled putting her hand on his shoulder reassuringly. "I promised." She smiled.
"Thanks." Takeru smiled.
At that Hikari's watch went off, she gasped at the time. "I've got to go, I have to get ready to have dinner with Davis' parents." She gasped.
"But Kari, there's something..."
"Look T.K." Hikari quickly interrupted him. "I understand this predicament of yours." She smiled reassuringly.
"You do?" Takeru was shocked.
"Yeah, this secret of yours." Hikari sighed. "I'll trust your judgement in when you want to tell me, but whatever it is T.K., I'll understand." She smiled. "Now I've got to get going." She sighed looking at her watch. "I'll see you tomorrow?"
"Sure." Takeru gasped. "But there's more that I..." Takeru scoffed with futility, it was too late she was gone. "...I'm leaving to New York at the end of the week, perhaps never to see you again." He sighed to himself. "Who'll guess that telling you that I'm leaving would be just as difficult as telling you that I love you." He sighed leaving the playground.
* * * * * * * * * *
Arranging flowers always put Sora's mind at ease especially when she's troubled, like today. Her thoughts had lingered about her time in the Digital World, especially about the fight with Yamato. 'How did things go wrong?' She sighed to herself.
She could still see the look in Taichi's eyes when she was caught in the act of giving Yamato some of her homemade cookies before his concert two Christmases ago. She saw hurt and comprehension in his eyes when he found out her feelings for Yamato. She thought that Taichi could handle that she and Yamato was together, but she was wrong.
After the defeat of Malo Myotismon and things started to get back to normal Taichi had a difficult time in hiding his feelings for her. He told her his feelings with an unexpected kiss in the park one day. It was unfortunate that Yamato caught them in the act.
She remembered the look in his eyes that day, he felt hurt, betrayed, by both his girlfriend and his best friend. She eventually explained to Yamato what happened in the park, but it was too late, she was in love with two men.
'What was I thinking?' She sighed, thinking that they would understand her feelings about dating both of them causally. She knew that it was too good to last and that it'll all end badly, and she was right.
The chimes hanging by the doorway resonated through the quiet flower shop interrupting her thoughts. She glanced up and smiled to see a familiar face. "T.K." She greeted. "How can I help you?"
"I was wondering if you have a pot of forget-me-nots." He smiled.
"I'm not sure, I'd have to check in the back." She smiled. "Are you sure you want forget-me-nots?" She asked.
"Yeah, why not?"
"It's just that forget-me-nots are perennials." Sora replied and saw confusion in her friend's face. "It's just that forget-me-nots only bloom in the spring and since it's summer it's out of season, plus the fact that it's not the most requested flower..."
"What are you trying to say?"
"It's going to be outrageously expensive." She pointed out.
"Oh." Takeru sighed. "It doesn't matter." He added sadly.
"T.K. what's wrong?" Sora asked. "Is it Kari?"
"In part." He sighed.
"You love her don't you?"
"My feelings towards Kari are unimportant, she's...unavailable." He sighed. "Besides I made a promise to...never mind." He sighed. The last thing he wanted to do was to get into that all over again.
"Promise?" She whispered to herself thinking what sort of promise would ask him to compromise his heart, and then it hit her. "T.K. if this the promise you made to me five years ago about protecting Kari, I didn't mean to protect her from emotional pain, though honourable, albeit misguided, that idea may be." She pointed out.
"No, it's not that." Takeru replied with reassurance. "It's just an extension of that promise to a dead friend, which is why I need the forget-me-nots. I think I'm going to pay him a visit." He smiled.
"I see." Sora smiled. "And I'm sorry." Sora sighed reassuringly. She couldn't blame Takeru for not telling Hikari his feeling, especially after her recent experiences with love triangles. "I'll go see if we have any forget-me-nots." Sora replied wanting to leave him alone with his feelings when the chimes by the door rang. She glanced up to see Daisuke.
"Hey Sora." Daisuke entered smiling with a boyish grin.
"Hey Davis." She greeted with a smile. "You seem happy."
"I am." He beamed.
Takeru turned around to see him walked towards the counter where they were standing. "Hey Davis." He greeted with a supporting smile.
"Hey T.K." Daisuke smiled back.
"I hear congratulations are in order." Takeru smiled extending his hand.
"Thanks." Daisuke smiled receiving his hand.
"Congratulations?" Sora asked, she had a feeling she knew what that was about, but wanted to confirmed them.
"This afternoon I asked Kari to be my girlfriend and she said yes." He announced with glee. "She's having dinner with my family tonight, I got her some white chocolates." He said showing the nicely wrapped box.
"Her favourite." Sora noted.
"I know." Daisuke smiled. "I just wish I knew why, I can't stand the stuff." He sighed. "Any ways, I pass by your flower shop and thought I'll give you some business." He pointed out.
"How thoughtful of you." Sora smiled. "What would you like?"
"I was thinking along the lines of a dozen long stem red roses." He smiled.
"Pink." Takeru interrupted curtly. "Pink roses are Kari's favourite." He pointed out.
"He's right." Sora replied wondering why Takeru would help Daisuke. "They are her favourites." She pointed out.
"Very well, pink it is." Daisuke smiled.
"All right." Sora smiled. "And congratulations." She smiled while in the corner of her eye she watched Takeru demeanour; he was obviously heartbroken and was hiding it very well. "I'll be back with your roses and forget-me-nots momentarily." She said retreating into the back.
The silence in the floral shop became cold and uncomfortable as the two men waited for their flowers. "So." Daisuke sighed breaking the silence. "I assume Kari found you." He said nonchalantly.
"What makes you say that?"
"She returned your hat that you dropped." He said pointed to his head. "That and she called earlier this afternoon and told me." Daisuke smiled. "Are you all right? Kari was quite in a state of frenzy when she noticed that you were there." He asked.
"I'll be fine." Takeru sighed. "She had the crazy notion that not being there for me was her fault." He chuckled to himself. "I reassured her that it wasn't her fault." He sighed.
"You and I both." Daisuke sighed. "It's rather my fault, I shouldn't have ask her then, but she is rather persistent when she wants to know what someone is hiding." He sighed.
"Don't be silly, it's not any more your fault then it is hers." Takeru sighed. "You saw your chance and you took it, unlike most people I know." Takeru whispered the last part to himself.
Daisuke was confused about the last addendum to the sentence, but quickly ignored it. "Well I hate it that I ruined yet another of your sacred spots." He sighed. "Did you two eventually find a new one?" He asked.
"No, an old one." He corrected enigmatically.
"An old one?" Daisuke whispered to himself. "What does that mean? Wait don't tell me, I don't want to ruin a third sacred spot." He replied quickly covering his ears.
Takeru chuckled to himself shaking his head, when Sora came from the storeroom. "Sorry T.K. I looked but couldn't find any...what's wrong with Davis?" Sora asked noticing Daisuke's hands on his ear.
"The answer to that question could fill volumes." Takeru mocked. "Thanks for looking Sora, I've better be going." He sighed and casually headed out of the flower shop.
"Hey T.K. wait up! I want to talk to you." Daisuke said paying Sora the money owed and grabbed the box of white chocolates and pink roses simultaneously. He dashed out of the door to see Takeru gone. "T.K.?" He yelled frivolously.
"You said you wanted to talk?" Takeru replied. Daisuke gasped and turned to where the voice emanated and saw the flaxen hair boy sitting on the bench outside the flower shop. "What about?" He smiled.
Daisuke sighed and sat beside him. "I thought you've left." He said quietly looking at his hands.
"I was about too, but I heard you."
"Yeah." Daisuke exasperated.
"So what do you want to talk about?" Takeru reiterated his question.
Daisuke looked at his shoes and sighed. "This is going to be harder then I thought." He whispered.
"What is?"
"Having more than a superficial conversation with you." Daisuke sighed.
"Superficial?"
"It means shallow or trivial."
"I know what it means." Takeru smiled to himself. "I'm surprised that you did." He teased.
"Ha, ha, very funny." Daisuke laughed dryly. "I suppose I deserved that."
"No, you didn't." Takeru sighed. "Take your time." He said making himself more comfortable on the bench and waited patiently.
Daisuke sighed to himself and took a deep breath. "You know Kari put me up to this." He sighed. "She told me that she wanted us to be better friends." He sighed.
Takeru chuckled to himself and sighed. "She told me the same thing yesterday." He sighed. "In her mind she thinks we just tolerate each other."
"Yeah, she said that we have an unsaid alliance, whatever that means." Daisuke sighed. "I don't know." Daisuke sighed. "Perhaps we do."
"Perhaps." Takeru sighed. "Is that what you want to talk about?"
"No." Daisuke exasperated. "Kari told me about Chastity, about her choosing the other guy over you." He sighed.
"Oh." Takeru sighed looking at his feet. "Thanks for your concern, but I'll be all right." He sighed.
"Regardless, I'm sorry." Daisuke sighed. "But you can't give up hope. I mean look at Kari and me, if I have given up hope, we would have never gotten together." Daisuke pointed out. "You can't do the same thing." He stressed.
"Hope." Takeru smiled. "What is that exactly?" He sighed rhetorically.
"Well...hope is the light at the end of a dark tunnel." Daisuke replied with a hint of confusion in his voice.
"Yeah." Takeru sighed. "But what is hope when his light is gone?" He mumbled under his breath trying to suppress his pain.
"What was that?"
"Nothing." Takeru sighed. "Just thinking out loud." He smiled. "Thanks for your advice, I'll take it under advisement." He smiled reassuringly.
"Good." Daisuke smiled taking a deep breath.
There was another moment of silence when he started to chuckle to himself. "What's so funny?" Takeru asked.
"It's nothing." Daisuke chuckled. "It's rather silly."
"Tell me." Takeru smiled. "I could use a good laugh."
"All right." Daisuke sighed. "This may be hard to believe, but before Kari and I got together I was extremely jealous of your relationship with her." Daisuke sighed.
"No!" Takeru sarcastically gasped.
"All right, so I was a little obvious." Daisuke sighed.
"A little?"
"Okay, a lot jealous." Daisuke sighed. "It's just that you and Kari have this amazing relationship that I thought no one could compete with." He sighed. "For example I ask her to be my girlfriend and then the next thing she does is go off looking for you." He sighed.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean for that to happen." Takeru apologized.
"It's not just that. I understand that." Daisuke sighed. "I mean you know her so well. You knew she likes white chocolate and prefers pink roses to red." He sighed. "You probably know her favourite perfume, poet, or what she puts in her coffee." He exasperated.
"Lust, Pablo Neruda, and she doesn't usually drink coffee, but when she does she takes it with a lot of sugar and a lot of milk." Takeru smiled.
"You see what I mean?" Daisuke exasperated. "You know everything about her."
"Not everything." Takeru smiled. "I know a lot, but not everything. It's just ten years worth of information that we constantly shared or take note with each other." He sighed. "Look Davis, part of the joy, the adventure of a relationship is finding something new in each other, like her favourite perfume, poet, or what she puts in her coffee." Takeru pointed out. "If anyone should be jealous it should be me." He smiled.
"You?"
"Yeah me and every guy that's not with her. You get this chance to share and explore something new with Kari that no one has ever been before." Takeru pointed out. "You'll be the first to experience her lips on yours, the feeling of her being in your arms, the touch of a familiar hand, and to know that someone who, in your words, looks like an angel loves you back." He smiled. "You'll be the first to explore all this, even before me." He pointed out stressing the last three words.
"Thanks." He smiled, being genuinely flabbergasted at what came out of Takeru's mouth. "May I ask you something personal?" He asked.
"Sure."
"Why haven't you and Kari gotten together? I mean all my friends thought I was crazy to chase after her because they thought that you two would end up together." Daisuke asked.
"I don't know." Takeru sighed. He thought of the last four days of him trying to tell Hikari his feelings. "I guess the right time never came up." He sighed entering a gaze.
"Do you love her?"
Takeru sighed thinking how he should answer this question, sparing Daisuke from being hurt; there wasn't any easy way. "My feelings for Kari are irrelevant." He sighed enigmatically.
"What don't you find Kari attractive?"
"I find her unavailable." Takeru sighed. "Listen Davis, do you love Kari and does she love you back?" He asked.
"Yes."
"Than have faith in that if nothing else." Takeru pointed out. "Trust in her and don't feel insecure by me, or by anyone." He smiled.
"Thanks." Daisuke smiled. "For our first profound conversation it wasn't so bad." He smiled.
"No it wasn't."
"I've better be going." Daisuke smiled getting up. "Thanks for the talk."
"No problem." Takeru sighed, thinking about the promises and oaths that he made over the last five years. "Hey Davis I know you love Kari, but are you happy with her?" He asked stopping his flight.
"Yeah, I am." He replied with a smile. "Why do you ask?"
"Just curious." Takeru sighed. "Davis I want you to promise me something."
"Sure, what?"
Takeru sighed and took a deep breath before beginning. "I want you to protect Kari, to be her guardian angel, to always be there for her when she needs someone to confide in, to be the rock when she needs a shoulder to cry on, to always make sure she's happy." Takeru repeated the promise he made to Hikari's father, but amended the last part.
"What?" Daisuke asked with confusion.
"Just humour me." He smiled.
"Yeah, I'll do everything in my power to be there for her."
"Thanks." Takeru smiled getting up. "You and I better get going, it's getting late." He smiled leaving in the opposite direction.
Daisuke watched the blond hair boy walking away from him and thought how strange it was for him to ask that promise. He shrugged his shoulders and sighed continuing his way home.
* * * * * * * * * *
The Odaiba Cemetery was ominously silent, not even the birds would sing in the solemn, sacred ground. It was a strange sensation when Takeru crossed the threshold of the burial ground, it was like he crossed into another dimension - something he's very familiar with. The sounds of cars moving, or people talking, and life just happening was dampened the moment he entered the cemetery, like there was a magical security blanket keeping the world out.
Takeru took note of the sensation and continued his way. He slowly meandered through the washed white tombstones being careful not to make a sound; he didn't want to break the unsaid prime directive in the sacred ground. He stopped looking left and right trying to figure out which way to go, he was lost, only for a moment, but a moment was all that was needed to have someone interrupted his thoughts.
"Takeru what are you doing here?"
The sound of the voice seemed strange in the graveyard. "Mrs. Kamiya." Takeru gasped seeing Hikari's mother standing before him. "I'm looking for your deceased husband." He sighed. "I need to talk to him. I seem to have forgotten where's he buried." He replied sheepishly.
"It's down there." She pointed to the general direction.
"Thank you." He smiled bowing with reverence and heading to where she pointed.
"Takeru are you feeling all right? Do you want to talk about it?" She gently and politely asked.
"No, but I'll be okay." Takeru sighed. "Thanks for the offer, but I really need to talk to your husband. Perhaps another time." He smiled.
"Sure." She replied. "Take all the time you need." She smiled putting her hand on his shoulder and then left.
Takeru watched Hikari's mother leave for a moment and sighed before turning right. He went towards a particular tomb, his destination and got to his knees. He slowly cleared the area of leaves and noticed a round stone and picked it up feeling it. In his peripheral vision he saw a fresh bouquet of red roses, left by his grieving wife. He kneeled before the tombstone for a long time figuring what he wanted to say.
"Hey Mr. Kamiya, it's me Takeru." He sighed. "I don't know if the dead could hear my thoughts and if they can't then I hope whoever or whatever is listening would humour me." He sighed.
"I don't know if you know what's going on in our lives, but things have changed in your daughter's life since we last talked three months ago." He sighed. "As you know, I didn't tell Kari how I feel for her. I thought it wasn't the right time to tell her, she needed time to grieve." He whispered. "You told me to live in the moment, but when the moment came for me to act it so fleetingly passed." He sighed. "She's found another to love her." His voice cracked.
"He's loud, rash, reckless, obnoxious, and extremely annoying." He chuckled to himself. "They're totally wrong for each other, but manage to find love with each other. Quite frankly he reminds me of you, no insult intended, the last thing I want to do is talk ill of the dead." He smiled. "They're happy, that's what important, and that's all I really care about." He sighed sadly.
"I kept my promise to the best of my abilities even to the point of compromising my heart. I just couldn't introduce pain in her life knowing that would happen if I told her my feelings. So I ignored my heart and kept your promise." He sighed on the verge of tears. "Well, that's not entirely true, I did ask your son this morning to break your promise in order to give me complete closure before I leave, but it seems that the best I would get is a partial one." He sighed wiping his tears.
"I'm leaving the country in about seven days, probably never to return." He sighed. "Don't worry, I've found a suitable replacement. He's young - emotionally, reckless at times, inexperience in taking the duty, but more importantly he loves her and besides I have a feeling that he'll quickly pick up on it." He sighed. "I have full confidence in his ability, he'll do a good job, perhaps better me." He sighed. "I'm sure that her lover in tandem with your ever protecting son would do a more then adequate job." He sighed.
"I've better be going, it's late." He whispered. "I just wanted to tell you that I've tied up all loose ends before I left, that is all the ends that I want to tied up." He sighed. "I don't believe in good-byes, it suggests and connotes that I'll never see you again, something I'm not sure of." He sighed. "Instead I'll say until we meet again, if not in this lifetime, then in the hereafter." He sighed putting the smooth rock in his hand on top of the tombstone and left.
* * * * * * * * * *
Monday nights at the Kamiya residences were a joyous time, in particular for the children. It was the times when their mother goes and spends some time with their deceased father, thus giving the children a chance to have their own dinners, a rather unhealthy one.
Taichi was doubly blessed to find out that his sister was having dinner at the Motomiya's, which means he could do and eat anything he wanted. The stereo was blaring with music, the television was on, and he was enjoying a deep pan pizza with everything all by himself. He was in paradise, but in every paradise there was always a forbidden fruit just waiting to be picked.
The music was too loud for Taichi to hear the rustling of keys behind the door. Had he heard the keys rustling he would have known that his mother was about to enter. The music suddenly stopped and Taichi quickly glanced to the stereo with his mother standing there with her hands on his waist. "What happened to the liver-tofu meatloaf I made for dinner?" She asked.
"Umm...it got burned when I tried to cook it?" Taichi futilely pointed out. "So I had to order this pizza." He quickly covered.
"Oh." She quickly sighed. "Then I suppose if I go into the kitchen I won't find my liver-tofu meatloaf in the fridge." She said heading for the kitchen.
Taichi gasped. "Umm...mom!" He yelled chasing after her. It was too late, his mother discovered that her liver-tofu meatloaf in the refrigerator uncooked. "I could explain..."
"Don't bother." His mother exasperated. "You'll just have a double portion tomorrow night for dinner." She smiled.
"Oh mom." Taichi whined chasing after her into the living room. "Do I have to?" He said seeing his mother turning off the television.
"One more word and I'll triple your portion." His mother replied. Taichi firmly claps his lips. She started to clean up the coffee table picking up the empty pizza box getting ready to throw it away. She exited the apartment to throw the pizza box down the garbage chute and moments later returned seeing her son reading.
She watched her son intently and pondered about the events that happened at the graveyard earlier. "Have you seen Takeru lately?" She asked nonchalantly.
Taichi glanced from his book and looked at his mother oddly. She has rarely asked about his friends and when she did, it was usually during dire circumstances. "I've seen him this morning." He replied with a hint of trepidation in his voice.
"How does he seem to you?"
"Occupied. Crestfallen." Taichi sighed. "Why do you ask?"
"I saw him today at the graveyard and I saw sadness in his eyes, a deep profound sadness." She sighed. "I've never seen anyone so sad." She sighed.
"At the graveyard?" Taichi gasped. "What was he doing there?"
"He just wanted to talk to your father." His mother simply replied. "Something, that you, his son, should consider doing one of these days." She pointed out.
"Not now mother, what did he want to talk about?"
"I don't know, I didn't ask. It wasn't my place." His mother replied. "Do you know what's going on?" She asked.
"Yes and I've given my word." He sighed putting his book down.
"Very well." She sighed. "It's just that I'm very worried about him."
"As am I." Taichi sighed. "As am I."
* * * * * * * * * *
Takeru came home to an emptied house; he was expecting his mother, but to find that he was alone. He ventured towards the answering machine and pressed it to hear his mother's familiar voice coming through telling him that she needed to go out to get more boxes. The second message was from Taichi, his message was ambiguous and opened, but he could tell in his tone that he was worried. 'His mother probably mentioned that I was at the cemetery.' He quickly rationalized.
He picked up the phone and contemplated whether to return his call. He decided against it placing the cordless back into it's rest and headed towards the cardboard box. Taking one, he sauntered to his room and started to pack - not things for New York because those things could wait, but things that remind him of her. He started to pack the gifts, knickknacks, trinkets and mementos, which she has given him or things they have shared or objects that reminded him of her over the last ten years.
Starting at the door he went clockwise through his room systematically picking up a trinket, a book, a memorabilia from their past that they shared. He was surprised to see how ten years of things could fit into one box so easily.
He waltzed towards his desk and saw that his mother had processed the film in her camera from their graduation not two days ago. It was an eight by eleven blow up of their posses after the service.
They were all dressed in black gowns Ken Ichijouji stood far left wearing his valedictorian tassels, next to him were him and Hikari Kamiya wearing the tassels of co-salutatorians. 'Something else we have in common.' He sighed, thinking touching her face with his fingers. To the far right was Daisuke Motomiya, his arms around her with a glimmer of hope in his eyes and a grin on his face.
He gracefully put the picture on his pillow and headed towards his bookshelf and pulled out a black scrapbook. He ran his fingers over the fading gold lettering on the cover. 'Memories.' He read in his mind. He returned to his bed and opened it.
There were a series of pictures of Hikari and Takeru together through the ages. Snapshots, candid pictures, faces, moments frozen in time for all eternity, capturing the essence for all prosperity. Today he had found these pictures rather odd; they only and always seemingly represent the joyous occasion of their lives, like all the sad moments, albeit few in occurrence, never existed.
The first eight by eleven picture was taken when they were three, nearly ten years ago. The two of them in a bathtub naked as the day they were born splashing around having the time of their lives. Takeru chuckled to himself thinking that Hikari was the first girl he saw naked. It was unfortunate that this was one of the memories he had forgotten over time. He sighed gently and turned the page.
The next eight by eleven picture was found a couple pages later. It was taken a year later on the fishing trip, the one Hikari crawled into his father's car. The one where they first called each other best friends and promised to tell each other everything. 'We were so young then.' He sighed. It was he and Hikari holding the ten-pound trout that she had caught. He was on the left and she on the right carrying the fish lengthwise. He could remember how heavy that fish was as they waited patiently for their fathers to take the picture.
The third eight by eleven picture was found on the following page. It was taken the day they returned from the fishing trip. It was a candid shot of them kissing on the lips. Takeru chuckled to himself seeing that moment frozen in time. It was a rather innocent kiss, a peck rather, but he still considered it his first. He still sighed wanting, wishing to have his first grown up kiss with her.
He remembered that day vividly; it was right after their fishing trip. His father wanted his brother and him to stay for the night because he wanted to talk to his wife about the divorce, which was still a new word in his vocabulary. Hikari noted how passionately her father kissing her mother and commented on it.
Later in her room they talked about kissing with childlike curiosity. They asked silly question like: 'How did they breath?' or 'Why their eyes were closed?' They concluded that it was gross, that's when Taichi came in and suggested that they shouldn't mock it until they tried it. With that their curiosity rose to a zenith and decided to do it to see what the big deal was.
Unbeknownst to them that Hikari's mother was passing by eavesdropping on their conversation. When they were about to do the deed she stealthy ran for her camera and took the picture. She then came in and started explaining what kisses was and what they meant. In passing she joked that they had to get married because they've kissed.
Unaware of sarcasm at their age they secretly planned their marriage ceremony. The next day Takeru stole his mother's platinum ring to use it as their wedding band. They were wed in the sandbox at the park with three stuff bears in the wedding party; a brown bear was the minister, and a white bear the maid of honour and a black bear as best man. Takeru chuckled to himself thinking that they were still married and turned the page.
The next eight by eleven appeared several pages later. It was the picture Andromon took after the battle with Apocalymon five years ago right after the storm of digieggs falling on the padded grounds of Primary Village when the Digital World was rebooted. They were twenty-one of them standing in three rows, humans and digimons alike.
The tallest stood in the back row to the left stood Gennai in his robotic suit standing shoulder to shoulder with Ogremon with his disfigured green face, and the single glowing red eye of Centaurmon, the mythical half horse, half human digimon of legendary lore.
The middle row consists of the older digidestined, Yamato, his older brother, Koushiro, Sora, Taichi, Mimi, and Jou in that particular order from left to right. The front row in the centre is where Hikari and Takeru was standing surrounded by their digimons with Elecmon, the custodian of Primary Village standing beside Hikari and in her hands the recently hatched Botamon. Takeru smiled remembering the good old days. He sighed and turned the page.
The fifth eight by eleven picture was found a couple of pages later and a couple of years later. It was taken two years later when they were ten, at the beach with the white hat that he was wearing, the one she bought for him that day. They were in their bathing suits standing on the boardwalk against the vista of blue waters and brown sand.
That was the first time he wanted to tell Hikari about his feelings for her. It was also the first day he heard the name of Daisuke Motomiya, though they never met, it was the first time he consider that another boy would like her, but worse she may like another boy. It was also the day that he decided to get her the digital camera she always wanted, the one she constantly wore around her neck, that is until recently. He remember that day vividly...
* * * * * * * * * *
Three Years Ago...
"Say cheese."
"Cheese." They said in unison as the picture was snapped.
"Another one for prosperity." Hikari asked.
"Kari." Takeru protested.
"That's okay, I don't mind." The old lady smiled. She waited until they were ready again and took the picture.
"Thank you." Takeru smiled approaching the lady as she handed the disposable camera to him.
"No problem." She smiled. "It's so good to see young love."
"Oh, we're not lovers." Hikari corrected. "We're best friends."
"Really? Well you two make such a cute couple you should think about it." She smiled pinching Takeru's cheek and continued on her way.
"Are you all right?" Hikari said nursing his pinched cheek.
"Yeah, I'll be fine." Takeru sighed sadly. He wanted to tell Hikari his feelings, but hearing her reiterate that they were best friends slightly wounded his ego. "We've better be getting back." He sighed. "Our brothers are probably worried about us." He pointed out.
"Could we stop at the Photo Shop on the way? I'll like to process this film."
"I don't know." Takeru sighed looking at his watch.
"It'll only take a half hour to get there and a hour to process." She smiled.
"Okay." Takeru caved.
They headed towards the Photo Shop watching the sunset and listening to the seagulls' unique call. He took a furtive glance at Hikari and saw the radiant, fading light dancing in her eyes. 'She looks like an angel.' He thought. 'I have to tell her my feelings.' He sighed taking a deep breath. "Hey Kari?" He started weakly.
"Yeah, T.K." She replied.
"Do you remember what the old lady said, the one who took our picture?" He asked, his voice cracking.
"No."
"Well she said...she called us...she thought that we're..."
Hikari stopped and raised his chin to meet her eyes. "T.K. what are you trying to say?" She smiled looking at him.
'This was harder then I thought.' He sighed fidgeting with his hands.
Hikari noticed that her friend was nervous about something and gently held his hand. Takeru felt the warmness of her hand and glanced into her eyes, they were comforting, like a sponge that absorbed all his anxieties away. "Just say it." She smiled with encouragement running a couple of her fingers through his blond sideburns.
Takeru looked into her eyes and his courage was re-energized. He sighed, took a deep breath and smiled. "Kari, there's something I've been meaning to tell you. Something that I wanted to tell you a long time. You see Kari I..."
"Hey Kari!" A loud voice emanated from the crowd.
Takeru saw her eyes dilated with fear when she heard the voice. "What's wrong?" He asked, forgetting what he wanted to tell her to tend to her fears.
"I'll explain later." Hikari said grabbing his hand. "We just have to get out of here." She sighed.
"But..."
"Now." She said pulling him towards the beach trying to get lost in the crowd.
"What is this all about?" Takeru asked still being pulled by Hikari.
"I'll explain later." She replied guiding her friend through the labyrinth of people on the beach.
They were running so fast that his new white hat flew off his head. He quickly broke away from Hikari and ran a couple of meters back to pick up his hat. Hikari returned with fear and shock still in her eyes. "What are you doing?" She panted. "We have to get out of here." She painted.
"Can't lose two hats in one day." He smiled picking up his white hat.
Hikari couldn't help but smiled at him, he looked so innocent, so hopeful. She walked towards him and placed the hat back on his head in the same manner she put it on at the thrift shop. "No we can't lose another one can we." She smiled. "I can't afford another one." She teased.
"Hey Kari!" The same voice emanated.
"Why is he so relentless?" Hikari exasperated.
"He?"
"I'll explain later." Hikari said grabbing his hand again. "First we have to get out of here." She said pulling Takeru towards an unknown direction.
He ran awkwardly pass the masses with his right hand being dragged with a panicky Hikari and the other on his head so his hat won't fly off again. They ran for another fifteen minutes where Hikari stopped to catch her breath.
"I think we lost him." She panted peering behind the beam, which held the pier above them. The sounds of waves crashing underneath the pier were stronger and more violent then those found on the open shore.
Takeru navigated pass the ankle high waters and held her hand gently. "What's wrong Kari?" He asked affectionately. "Who is this guy that's chasing after you?" Takeru asked trying to comfort her fears.
Hikari turned to see his worried eyes. "It's nothing, it's just some guy who has this colossal crush on me." She smiled reassuringly. "It's really all innocent." She sighed.
"So innocent that the sound of his voice makes you run and hide?" Takeru sighed. "He's not stocking you is he?" He asked with trepidation.
"Heaven's no, nothing like that." Hikari dismissed it with a laugh. "His name is Daisuke "Davis" Motomiya, he's a substitute striker on my brother's soccer team and was in my class last year. He noticed me one day and was infatuated ever since." She smiled.
"And this one hundred meter dash was for what? Exercise?"
"No, you have to know Davis. He's relentless, irrepressible, annoying, loud, obnoxious, rash something that I don't want to deal with today." She smiled reassuringly, but still saw concern in Takeru's eyes. She lifted up his chin so their eyes would meet. "Don't worry T.K." She smiled. "His life's goal is to kiss me and make me his girlfriend, that's all, it's all rather innocent." She smiled. "Why are you so defensive? Are you jealous?" She teased.
"Of course not." Takeru broke away. "I was just worried that this Davis could be stalking you or something, but if it's all innocent then it relieves my worries." He pointed out.
The moments those words escaped his mouth he knew he'd regretted it. It was a defence mechanism he built up over the years; from the constant teasing from the older digidestined about them being lovers. Now strangely, when he wanted to tell her his feelings he reverted back to his natural reactions. Then the epiphany hit him, what if she didn't like him in return, what if she liked one of presumably numerous men that was attracted to her.
"Oh, T.K. you said you wanted to tell me something before we were interrupted by Davis." Hikari asked remembering their conversation.
"What?"
"You said that there's something you've been meaning to tell me. Something that you wanted to tell me a long time?" She reiterated his words.
"Oh that." Takeru sighed sadly. "It's nothing." He sighed. "We've better get to the Photo Shop before it closes." He sighed sadly leading the way.
They walked towards the Photo Shop in complete silence, enjoying the sounds of people chattering, seagulls cawing, and the distant sounds of waves crashing upon the sand and enjoyed the familiarity of walking with a good friend.
"Hey T.K. you okay?" Hikari asked finally breaking the silence.
"Fine." Takeru sighed. "Why do you ask?"
"No reason." Hikari sighed. "You're just awfully quiet." She whispered.
"I'm just tired." Takeru sighed.
"Oh." Hikari sighed sadly. "Here we're are." She said turning into the shop. In her peripheral vision she saw something that caught her eye. She stopped and returned to the display window gazing through her eyes lit up.
"What are you looking at?" Takeru asked.
"It's a digital camera." Hikari awed. "It's the camera I always wanted, it's hand-sized, sleek, chrome, compact, and has a cord that I could hang around my neck...it's perfect." She admired.
"Should I leave you two alone?" Takeru teased.
"No." Hikari protested. "It's on sale too." She said glancing at the price tag. Takeru saw her heart sank when she did. "Too bad I can't afford it." She sighed sadly.
"You really want it don't you?" Takeru asked.
"It beats disposable cameras." Hikari sighed. "Oh well, perhaps next time." She sighed walking in. "Coming T.K.?" She asked.
"Yeah." Takeru smiled mischievously to himself. In his peripheral vision he saw a sign located in the corner of the window: HELP WANTED, which gave him an idea.
* * * * * * * * * *
"Packing all ready?" His mother's voice interrupted his thoughts. Takeru slowly raised his eyes looking at her and smiled.
"In a manner of speaking." Takeru replied enigmatically.
"What are you doing?"
"Taking a stroll down sentimentality lane." He smiled. "One tends to get nostalgic when one is about to leave his homeland of almost thirteen years." He sighed.
"I see." His mother sighed. "Care for some company?" She smiled sitting beside her son on his bed.
"Sure." Takeru sighed.
His mother peered over her son's shoulder and saw the picture he was looking at. "Is that the summer you got your new hat?" His mother asked.
"Yeah, it was also the summer where I took the job at the Photo Shop to pay for Kari's digital camera." He sighed.
"The one that's constantly around her neck?"
"Yeah." He sighed. "It was also the first time I wanted to tell my feelings for her." He sighed sadly.
"What happened?"
"I was foolish enough to believe that there might not be another person in her life." He sighed. "Before that moment in time I thought I was the only boy in her life, that I couldn't conceive that she may not reciprocate my feelings. I was wrong - wrong enough to drain my courage from telling her." He sighed.
"Is that why you were moping all year when you returned?"
"Was I that obvious?"
"Only when you think of her." She sighed.
"Yeah that summer was humbling." He sighed.
She watched her son carefully. He was looking at these picture with jaded eyes, his demeanour was quiet and expressionless, she knew that this trip down sentimentality lane was a front for something in his life and she had a good feeling what it may be.
"Are you done with this page?" Her son asked.
"Yeah." She sighed nonchalantly watching her son turn a couple of pages in the photographic essay that was his life. He was heartbroken and she knew that, she was so sure that Hikari would return his feelings. She noticed that her son was entranced with the photo on the page and glanced down to see another group picture it was the only picture on the page. "Is that the group picture after you defeated Malo Myotismon?" She probed.
"Yeah." Takeru sighed.
It was a simple group picture similar to the group picture Andromon took five years ago. The back row was occupied by the older digidestined, oddly enough in the same order as the one they took it five years ago, whether that was done by design or happenstance it didn't matter, it seemed right. The middle row was occupied by the six members of the second generation of digidestined while the rest of the digimon took the front row.
"I never get use to it." The comment surprise Takeru.
"Get use to what?" He asked looking at his mother.
"You saving worlds, jumping through dimensions like it was the norm. It's all so surreal, like it's a hilarious dream and that one day I'll wake up and all this is but a distant memory and you'll start to worried about normal adolescent things." She sighed looking at her son.
"I still have those worries too."
"I know, but saving worlds is a heavy burden, even for adults." She sighed. "Ever time you jump through that digiport I worry about you."
"I could take care of myself mom."
"I know you can." She sighed. "It's not that, I'm constantly worried about you, even in this world. It's just easier here, when you're in trouble we can run to each other when we need it, but I can't run to you and hold you when you're in trouble in the Digital World or any other dimensions that you jump to." She sighed.
"Patamon will always be there for me and if not there are my friends." He pointed out.
"I know, but a mother always worries even when you have kids of your own and I've grown old and blue." She smiled.
"And I'll visit you every weekend in the old journalist home." He teased.
"You better." She smiled thinking it was good to see her son smiling again, but she knew that that smile was fleeting, because she could tell in her son's eyes that he was in pain. Her son continued to flip a couple of pages in his photo album. In her peripheral vision she saw a picture that intrigued her and stopped her son from flipping the page. "Is that New York?" She asked pointing to another eight by eleven picture.
"Yeah it's a café near Mimi's house."
"You two seem rather intimate." She sighed seeing her son's right arm around Hikari's shoulder while his left hand showed the peace sign. Hikari's shoulders were narrow holding a grey laptop leaning against her son for support. They both supported an innocent, yet devious grin on their faces.
"Yeah." Takeru sighed. "It was a rouse for feeding Davis' jealous."
"A rouse?"
"It was no secret that Davis liked Kari back then. He announced it whenever he could." He sighed sadly, wishing he had that power. "And when he found out that Hikari and I would be spending the summer in New York visiting Mimi alone, he became so incredibly jealous." He sighed with a smile to himself.
"That's understandable." His mother sighed.
"Well Hikari wanted to send this picture to Davis to make him jealous. I was often the tool she used to make him jealous." Takeru scoffed chuckling to himself. "You know retrospectively, I think she rather enjoyed the chase." He sighed sadly.
His mother noticed that change in her son's attitude by the sound of his sigh. "What's wrong?" She asked thinking that that sigh was an invitation into his problems.
"Nothing, it's just that..." He exasperated with frustration and sighed clearing his mind to start over again. "Sometimes when she flirted with me to make Davis jealous part of me wanted to believe her advances were genuine, that she indeed shared the same feelings for me, but in my heart of hearts I knew that she had ulterior motives." He sighed sadly.
"Sounds like someone who doesn't deserve your love." His mother pointed out.
"I'm not entirely deserving of her love either." Takeru sighed. "I lied to her about my true feelings." He exasperated. "I don't blame her if she doesn't believe me when I do reveal them." He sighed.
"True." His mother sighed. "Why do you suppose you did that? I taught you better then that." She pointed out.
"I don't know." Takeru sighed. "It seemed like the right thing to do at the time." He chuckled to himself with disbelief. "Matt told me a long time ago that there is no difference between a wise man and a fool when they fall in love." He sighed.
"Love can do that to people." She pointed out.
"Still it's a poor excuse for deception." He sighed.
"I think you're being to hard on yourself." She sighed, holding her son and suddenly chuckled to herself. "To think I was worried." She smiled.
"I thought you were always worried." Takeru asked.
"Not about that, I'm always worried about your safety." His mother sighed with a smile. "I was worried about something entirely different." She sighed.
"What about?" Takeru asked with innocent eyes.
"I was about to pack some condoms in your suitcase." His mother blushed.
"Mom, we were eleven!" Takeru protested.
"Eleven going on twenty-one." His mother sighed. "You two were the most mature eleven year olds on the face of the planet." She sighed. "What's a mother to think when his son announces one day that he's spending a whole summer with a girl?" She sighed.
"That you should trust your son with a morsel of common sense, besides if we did anything it wouldn't be the first time we saw each other naked." He sighed.
"It's not!" His mother gasped. "When? Where? How?" She started to freak.
"Yeah, I have pictures." He said turning the photo album to the beginning of the scrapbook.
"Pictures!" She gasped. "Takeru Takaishi you are ground until you're twenty-one and when I mean twenty-one I mean biological twenty-one!" She replied losing control.
"Mom, it's rather innocent." He said showing his mother the picture of the two of them in a bathtub when they were three.
She saw the picture and blushed with embarrassment she was not prone to jump to conclusions particularly without all the facts and especially as a journalist, but when it concerns her son, well that a different category all together. "Oh." She sighed trying to regain her composure. "And this is the only time you saw her naked." She asked.
"I don't know." Takeru sighed. "I'm sure we took more baths together when I stayed over at the Kamiya's, but nothing pass the age of innocence." Takeru reassured his mother turning to find a blank page in his scrapbook.
"I'm sorry I've overreacted."
"That's okay." Takeru smiled. "You should have seen your face when I told you. It was priceless. I wish I had a camera to capture the moment." He sighed putting his graduation picture in the scrapbook.
"Is that your graduation picture?" She asked in hopes to change the nature of the conversation.
"Yeah." Takeru sighed. "Thanks for getting the picture developed so quickly." He said closing the scrapbook.
"No problem." She sighed.
"Could you put this scrapbook in the box?" Takeru asked.
"Sure." His mother smiled receiving the photo album and placed it in the box. She gazed into the box and sensed something wrong with the sight. It was not consistent with normal packing.
When one packs one usually bundled items with similar properties together, like books with books, dishes with dishes, but this was strangely chaotic yet systematic picked. She saw books, compact disks, gifts, knickknacks, trinkets and mementos with one common thread that encompassed everything: Hikari Kamiya. She gasped when she found out what her son was doing. She turned to her son and saw him took off his white hat and slowly folded it contemplating. "I'm sorry." She whispered.
Takeru knew what she meant. "That's okay." He sighed.
"Are you okay?"
"I'll be fine." He whispered.
His mother put her arm around his shoulders holding him. "I'm sorry that she didn't reciprocate your feelings." She sighed.
"I wouldn't know." Takeru sighed. "I didn't tell her."
"Why not?" She asked. "You didn't get permission to break the promise?" She asked with a hint of confusion.
"No I did, quite surprisingly in fact." Takeru sighed. "It's just that I was too late. Davis had already asked her to be his girlfriend." He sighed sadly.
"I'm sorry." His mother whispered; she hated to see her son like this. "What about complete closure? This morning you were so gung-ho about telling her, throwing caution to the wind and damned the consequences." She suggested sympathetically.
Takeru chuckled to himself. "Yeah, I'll learn to settle for partial closure, it's better then nothing." He sighed sadly wanting to cry. "You should have seen her mom, she was so happy, more happier then I ever saw her, I couldn't rob that from her." He began to weep.
"I'm sorry." His mother whispered holding him nurturing him allowing his tears to flow. Then she realized something; Takeru would have broken her heart regardless when he told her that he would be moving to New York. "Wait a minute did you tell Kari that you'll be moving soon?" She asked.
"No, not yet."
"Takeru!" His mother replied sternly.
"I'll tell her tomorrow after I tell Matt." He sighed. "Have you told dad yet?" He asked.
"No, not yet."
"Mother!" Her replied in the same tone as his mother seconds earlier.
"I have an appointment to tell your father tomorrow." She reassured. "So it seems we all have announcements to declare tomorrow." She replied sadly.
"Yeah." Her son sighed in the same tone.
"Com'on let's get out of here." She smiled. "I'm treating you to dinner."
"All right." Takeru smiled. "I'll be out in a minute." He sighed watching his mother leave his room. He slowly got up from his bed and headed towards the box that rested near his bed. He got to one knee and gave a last look at the contents of his past with her and gently placed his white hat with his other six pairs in the carton and pushed it under his bed and quietly left his room.
* * * * * * * * * *
Taichi stared aimlessly at the blank television thinking. Contemplating what has happened to Takeru and his sister that afternoon in the park. The speculations of what happened were killing his nerves and his fingernails were his chief victims to ease them.
There were certain facts he knew, but it was the speculations that drove him crazy. He knew that Takeru wanted to tell his sister his feelings and that he would be moving away, whether he told the former was still up to him. He also knew that he went to the cemetery to speak to his father for reasons he does not know. He also knew that Daisuke wanted to ask his sister to be his girlfriend six hours later and he knew that's where she was now, at the Motomiya's.
"This is driving me crazy!" He yelled with frustration.
"Are you all right son?" His mother asked popping her head from his room.
"I'm fine." Takeru sighed. "Just have to make a call." He replied picking up the phone and dialled Takeru's number. The phone rang four times before the machine picked up. "Ah!" He exasperated slamming the phone.
Taichi had found it odd that when he was waiting for someone that time seemed to flow significantly slower. He couldn't call Davis to check up on his sister, it wouldn't be right to interrupt their dinner, yet he was tempted to do so on more than a dozen occasions. Whatever outcome of his sister's day he knew one thing: she would be devastated.
His ears peaked up when he heard the rattling of keys outside their front door. He sat up straight and watched the door intently. He saw Hikari waltzed in with a huge grimace on her face, something he wasn't expecting. "Hello brother." She smiled. "Isn't life wonderful?" She beamed smelling the pink roses she held.
"You seem happy." Taichi commented tentatively watching his sister beaming and glowing with pure exultation as she twirled with jubilation showing off her flowers, but most importantly her attitude.
"Yeah, I am." Hikari beamed waltzing towards her room to put away the flowers and candy she was carrying, moments later she burst out of her room. "My boyfriend is so sweet, he bought me a dozen pink roses and a box of white chocolates, my favourites." She smiled waltzing towards her brother on the chesterfield that looked concern. "But to answer your question, of course I'm happy, why shouldn't I be?" She asked plopping herself on the chesterfield carelessly.
"No reason." Taichi sighed unconvincingly. "I thought your talk with T.K. would depress you." He pointed out tentatively. "You did talk to T.K. didn't you?" Taichi asked.
"Yeah, I talked to him after Davis asked me to be his girlfriend, but why do you..."
"Wait a minute." Taichi interrupted. "After? I thought your meeting with T.K. was before Davis' dinner?" He asked.
"Yeah our spot and Davis' family picnic spot was one and the same. I was there early waiting for T.K. when Davis saw me and seized the opportunity to ask me to be his girlfriend. Unfortunately T.K. witnessed our union and I felt guilty because it was suppose to be our time, but he understood and forgave me." Hikari explained. "But why should Chastity, the girl that he likes breaking his heart for another boy depress me?" Hikari pointed out. "I feel bad for him, but that's all." She pointed out.
"He told you Chastity broke his heart."
"Not really." Hikari sighed. "I deduced it."
"But he told me he liked..." Taichi stopped himself before he broke his promise to Takeru.
"Who?" Hikari asked with interested. "Who did he tell you he liked?" She reiterated her question.
"My mistake." Taichi smiled unconvincingly. "I've must have heard wrong when he told me. You know me and names couldn't get them right if my life depended on it." He laughed with embarrassment; he had realized that Hikari and Chastity were one in the same person.
"You still haven't answered my question." Hikari probed suspiciously. "Why would T.K.'s news depress me?" She asked.
"I can't say." Taichi sighed. "Are you sure that's there wasn't anything more that he wanted to talk to you about?" He probed.
"Like what?"
"I'm not at liberty to say." Taichi sighed reluctantly. "Just think! It's important!" He ordered.
"No I don't think..." Hikari gasped remembering something. "Now that you mention it, he did say he had a couple of things he wanted to speak to me about and Chastity wasn't one of them." She pointed out. "He said one was a secret which he didn't feel comfortable telling me anymore and the second..."
"Yes."
"He didn't say." Hikari sighed. "He was about to tell me when I told him I had to get ready for my dinner date with Davis and his family." She sighed. "Oh my God, I completely dismissed him." She gasped, and then she realized that her brother knew what he was about to tell her. She glanced to his eyes with anticipation. "What did T.K. wanted to tell me?" She asked.
"I can't say." Taichi sighed.
"Why not?"
Taichi exasperated to himself, he hated to be put into this situation, but worse he hated to rob his sister of her joy. "Kari normally I wouldn't be keeping something so critical from you, but I made a promise to T.K. and even if I didn't, it's not my place to tell you." He pointed out.
"Then whose place is it?" Hikari asked.
"I think you know the answer." Taichi sighed picking up the phone. "I think you better talk to him and really listen to him this time." He said placing the phone in her hands. "Good night." He whispered with a smile and headed to his room.
Hikari thanked her brother stared at the phone like it was a foreign object. She felt bad when she failed him once, but now she felt worse failing him twice. 'I hope he forgives me.' She sighed pressing one on her speed dial.
The phone rang four times before the answering machine picked up. She listened to the sound of Takeru's voice and wondered what could be so dire that made her brother such a nervous wreck. She didn't know what to say or how to say it so she hanged up before she had a chance to leave a message. She exasperated looking at the phone. "What did you really wanted to tell me today?" She asked rhetorically.
TO BE CONTINUED...
Disclaimer: [1] The names of persons, places, and events pertaining to Digimon: Digital Monster Animated Series is not my invention and is the property of Toei Animation, Bandi, and Saban Entertainment - no profit is gained from the writing of this series. [2] Sometaro is a real restaurant in Japan, which serves okonomiyaki (Japanese pancakes) and is mentioned in this story purely for a meeting place. The restaurant itself is opened from noon to ten, but for the purposes of this story it's opened for breakfast. [3] Takeru's flashback scene is taken from the first season, Digimon: Digital Monster episode, "Piedmon's Last Jest". [4] This is a fan fiction and as such names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author's imagination that is, those not mentioned in the previous clauses and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
