Subtle Hints

by Dark Rubi-chan

Daisuke needs a date and Ken helps him find one. Rated for crossdressing, cussing, and shounen ai. Warning this is stupid. If you’re offended by stupidity don’t read this fic.

Disclaimer and Warnings: Digimon Adventures, along with any of its' characters do not belong to us. It all belongs to a bunch of people who we don't know. This is a non-profit Fan Fiction and it's just for entertainment purposes only. Also this is a shounen ai. Means guys liking guys and we don't mean in the friendship version. Don't like, don't read. Simple na? Oh and, flaming us isn't going to make us stop okay? So don't waste your time, people.

Note: For all that don't know Carrot Glaces is from a series called Bakuretsu Hunters. He is a girl crazy, skirt chaser. Kudou Youji is from Weiss Kreuz. A suave pimp daddy. I'm sorry but it's true. And finally Squall Leonheart is the hormone-less main character from the game Final Fantasy VIII. All are mentioned but none are seen, so it's not important if you don't know who they are.

No trees were hurt in the making of this story. Thank you. ^_^!

Subtle Hints

I, Motomiya Daisuke am a complete and utter idiot. I, single handily, have lost the most important person in my life. Ichijouji Ken. How did I lose Ken, you might ask. Well it's simple, I opened my big my mouth and thus ended up betraying him. Not to mention utterly humiliated him in front of so many people.

You may be asking yourself just how I have ended up in this sorry state that I'm in right now. Well, I'm going to tell you. And as I'm telling you this, I'm going to be hoping and praying that I can find Ken and straighten this out with him. I don't think I can keep on living if I don't get his forgiveness, even though I sure as hell don't deserve it.

It began a couple weeks ago in school, the class representative was announcing all the important events and such that were happening. One of the things she did was to remind the class about the rules and regulations of the school dance, which was going to happen on the Friday after the one that was coming up at the time, that is.

Now all I could think about was asking Hikari-chan to go with me. You know how much I was in love with her and all; it would have been a dream come true if I could enter that gym with Yagami Hikari at my side. Seeing everyone, especially Takeru's face, as we walked to the dance floor hand in hand. Just the mere thought of dancing with her made me feel like I floating on air.

I sighed happily and looked over at Hikari. She was so beautiful with her soft amber eyes and pretty, brown hair. And her laugh. Her laugh was like a thousand church bells ringing at once. I would of died happy in her arms, hell that was where I wanted to die. In Hikari's arms, surrounded by her warmth and love for me. I'm starting to realize how pathetic I've been for the past four years or so.

"Everyone stand!" The class rep. called as I decided that I would ask Hikari to the dance. I hadn't been planning to go to the dance at all. I usually couldn't stand those things. And how I hate to dress up, but I decided that if I could go with her then I could endure going to that thing. "Bow!"

I bowed to the teacher, my eyes always on Hikari. I watched the way her ear tails would hang and brush her rosy cheeks as she bowed. The sight of her beautiful face giving me the courage to ask her to that stupid dance. And it was a stupid dance; it cost me way too much.

After we finished we were finally dismissed, that's another thing I hate, that whole bowing thing to the teacher. I can't stand that woman, why should I have to show her any kind of respect? And I know she hates me, she's always glaring at me and I swear she just looking for an excuse to fail me. Well, I'm not going to give her the pleasure.

Oh sorry, I'm going off on a tangent here.

Anyway, as I was saying. After we were finally dismissed I followed Hikari out of class. She smiled at me and I smiled back. She began to talk about various thing—and I can't remember one word she said now that I think about it, but at that moment I thought she was the most perfect and intelligent human being to ever grace this planet—as we walked towards the front of school. That's where we always meet up with Takeru and Miyako. Even in high school Ken goes to a different school then us—one of those brain farms adults like to call a school—and Iroi was still in middle school, so it was usually just us four.

When we reached our usual waiting spot I began to think of a way to broach the subject of the school dance. Cause as you all know, a person can never be direct and ask someone out, you have to beat around the bush until there's no more bush to beat. So I began to flog the hypothetical vegetation into the ground.

"So Kari, how you been?" I knew that was the lamest thing I ever said the minute it left my mouth. I could just see myself hitting that bush. She turned and looked at me, a puzzled look on her pretty features.

"Fine, Daisuke-kun." She replied, her voice expressing her confusion. I smiled nervously at her.

"Good." I swear I was ready to bang my head against the wall.

The silence stretched between us and I found myself wondering where Takeru and Miyako were, that was about the time I started berating myself on being a coward.

I took a deep breath, steeling myself, then turned and looked at the angel next to me, which was playing with her spit. Now that I think about it Hikari has always been a very, very strange young girl, very strange. But for some reason I had always found it alluring. Okay, so I'm strange too, but I already knew that so it's not that big of a surprise.

Back to the story, I stared at her for a few seconds thinking about how she makes perfect spit bubbles before I spoke up again.

"It's a nice day, isn't it?" I said, again feeling like a complete idiot. I really am no good at this asking people out thing.

"Yeah, it is." She replied smiling softly, I was melting before that smile and she didn't seem to notice, but I was determined to make her notice.

"Hopefully it'll be this nice next Friday." I continued. She turned and looked at me as if she had finally found something that interested her. She nodded her head, her ear tails swaying. Absolutely beautiful, like an angel of light, that's what I always thought of her. But she might have been an angel but not my light; I learned that the hard way.

But now I'm getting ahead of myself, I really have an issue with concentrating on one thing, don't I?

"Next Friday?" She asked me, looking puzzled. "You're going to the dance?" I shrugged, trying to look cool and uncaring. I'm such an idiot.

"I might?" I told her, still trying to act as if I had a million other things I could do instead. You know, make it seem like you're popular and busy.

Just before she could say anything I heard laughter behind me, we both turned and there were Miyako and Takeru. I glared, it was like he knew that I was going to ask her out and he had to interrupt me. I swear I wanted to kill him.

"Oh please." Miyako laughed. "You might?" That's when I realized they were laughing at me. That pissed me off even more. "You aren't going to the dance." I wanted to hit her.

"How the hell would you know?" I hissed my tone venomous though she didn't seem to notice.

"Daisuke, you hate dances." Takeru reminded me, always stating the obvious. He wasn't laughing at me though, he just had this odd look on his face like he didn't believe it be possible for me to change my mind.

"He hates them because he doesn't have anyone to go with." Miyako said, that shrilled sound she called a laugh had died down, but I could still catch the amusement in her voice.

Now the intelligent thing would have been to shut up and ignore her crude remark. As I said before, it would have been an intelligent thing to do and as we all know, I am a moron. I rule on high and all other idiots look upon me with awe and can only dream of reaching up to my level of stupidity. Why do I say that you might ask, well instead of being the smart one and ignoring the comment I responded like an idiot.

"Oh yeah? How would you know?" I swear I had regressed about ten years by just using that one line. But there was no taking it back after I said it, so I just road with it. "I can get a date easy as that" I had snapped my fingers as I said that line. I swear I'm Kindergartner.

Miyako looked even more amused then before, I swear I wanted to hit her. "Pull your head out the clouds, Dai-chan," I hate that nickname. "Hikari won't be going to the dance with you. She's going with T.K."

Man, that was kick in the ass in more ways than one. Not only did Miyako expose the truth that I had been deftly ignoring for the past four years but she also crushed any hope I had of changing that little fact by saying that Takeru had asked her out. Damn he worked fast.

I looked at Hikari who only nodded sadly—pity. Then at Takeru, who was conveniently looking in a different direction, now I know why I got the digimental of courage. And finally at Miyako who had this really nasty, triumphant look on her face. As if she was enjoying crushing my heart under the heel of her expensive, Fifth Avenue boot.

But I was to busy being hurt and angry to wonder why at the moment. And now that I look back I know the reason why, well I think I do. It was something in her eyes and maybe if I had paid more attention I wouldn't have shot back with such a stupid remark, I might have said something else. I would have saved Ken from such embarrassment.

But I didn't, and there's no way I would have noticed while I was so angry and hurt. And maybe it was originally Miyako's fault—in some strange sense—for not being straight forward with me and resulting to dirty tricks but what I said after that was my own stupid fault. No matter how much I try to deny it latter on. It was my fault.

"Who said I was going to ask Kari?" All I wanted to do was prove that I didn't just make a complete ass of myself, and that Miyako was wrong. For some strange reason I thought that that one question would settle things. It would prove that Miyako had been wrong even though she had hit the proverbial nail on the head. Maybe I deserved what happened next, my punishment for being an idiot and not being a stillborn like so many other lucky kids.

"Oh?" Miyako said, one delicate purple eyebrow raising, disappearing under the rim of her large rounded glass. Yes, she still wore those things, but now she dressed differently, more fashionably in, making the hideously dorky glasses part of some new trendy style. Her own look. "And who, may I ask, were you going to ask if it wasn't Kari?" There it was again, that spark in her eyes that I didn't notice until now.

"No one you know." Meaning that it wasn't anyone in the school since Miyako knew the whole student body from freshman to senior. Meaning that I was lying. It seems that the last time I learned new comebacks was when I was in second grade.

"Oh really, who is she?" Here it comes. I'm not even going to prepare you for this one.

"No one you'd know."

"Humor me."

"Kamiya Hikaru." Nope I'm not kidding, that's the name I used. Come on say it, I know you want to. I already know how lame and stupid that was, so you calling me an idiot or moron or baka won't hurt my feelings.

I remembered the silence that met me after I blurted out that name and then Miyako began to laugh or, as I like to call it, her mating call. She was laughing hard, her large breast (and believe you me, she blossomed in these four years. It was almost an over night change) bouncing as she did so. I swear she does that on purpose. I think she believes that me seeing her melon-sized boobs bouncing around like that would turn me into a blithering idiot. Little did she know that I was already one! Ha! Not as smart as she thinks she is.

I shifted my eyes from Miyako and the two separate entities on her chest to look at Hikari. She was giving me a look, one that said I can't believe you said that, Daisuke!' along with that was so lame' and I was entitled to agree with her. I could tell that she was dying to call me pathetic and sad.

I then looked towards Takeru who was still looking in a different direction, trying to blend in with the wall. Wuss.

"Kamiya Hikaru?" Miyako's laughter made me turn back to look at her. I narrowed my eyes and tried to look as serious as possible. "Oh c'mon Dai-chan, you could do better then that?"

"Are you insinuating that I'm lying." I learned that word on Hysteria two days before and had been dying to use it. Miyako raised her eyebrow again.

"Oh Dai-chan, you're so cute and innocent." She said while she walked closer to me. "So naïve and stupid." By now she was pinching my cheeks and I was seething. She leaned closer to me. "Do you really expect anyone to believe such a stupid lie! Kamiya Hikaru? Please." She rolled her eyes.

I pulled my face away from her claws and glared her down. Which wasn't much because it only had made her laugh even more. I was so pissed I was actually considering beating the smile of her face.

Hey! Don't look at me like that, I don't hit girls. How could I after watching my mom and dad, after watching her try to clean her wounds but her tears keeping her from doing so. I don't hit girls but I was considering it at the moment and that scares me so much, you have no idea!

I think that Takeru had noticed the danger Miyako was in because he finally decided to come out of his hiding place and put a hand on Miyako's shoulder. She looked at him.

"Miyako-chan enough, we know that he's lying you don't have to do this." Wrong thing to say Takaishi.

"I'm not lying!" I yelled completely frustrated and so angry that I didn't realize an escape from this insanity when I saw one.

Miyako turned to me, a wicked smile on her face. I was scared because I knew what she was going to say. I should have ran the other way, I should have just admitted the truth, I should have died during birth!

"All right, Dai-chan." Shouldn't hit girls, don't hit girls! I will not be like my father! "If your being honest then you wouldn't mind proving it. You'll come to the dance with Kamiya-san, ne? Prove to me that I'm wrong." With that, she left laughing like one of those evil women in Anime.

And I was screwed.

I had asked Ken for help after two days. I didn't do it on the exact same day because I had hoped that Miyako would forget all about it. I am naïve and innocent, no wait that just sugar coating the truth. I am a baka.

Anyway, I went to Ken's place hoping to find some kind of solution for this problem. I mean, Ken is a genius and my best friend, so why wouldn't he help me find some way out of this situation? I was positive that he'd be able to think of something that would save me from such humiliation. Kami-sama, if I had only known I'd just make it worse!

"Come in." Ken had said after I knocked on his door. I turned the doorknob and entered. I stepped inside and found my best friend sitting by the window, the light of the setting sun reflecting off his face, giving him this surreal look. His hair had grown longer in the past years, now brushing his shoulders; his deep blue eyes becoming smaller making him look more adult. But at that one moment with the light coming in through the window illuminating his pale features, I felt something stir in me that I really didn't understand. He look stunning surrounded by what seemed to be ethereal light.

He turned, resting twin blue oceans on me and I felt like I couldn't breathe though I didn't understand why. He had looked at me millions of times, why would that time be any different? I had dismissed it on the grounds that I was upset and most like delusional but now I think it wasn't the fault of the lighting but the way he's seem to practically glow as he looked at me.

"Daisuke, you're late." Ken chided, though his eyes were soft and expressed amusement. He stood and walked—more like glided—towards me, he took hold of my sleeve—something he's done since we were kids—and pulled me towards the middle of the room. There we sat down on the floor and he gave me an expectant look.

"What?" I asked. He rolled his eyes.

"You wanted me to help you with your homework." I had forgotten the reason I had given him so I could come over. I was so embarrassed about telling him what had really happened, that I thought up the lie about my homework giving me trouble, well it wasn't really I lie. I am an idiot in literature. But I guess I was still hopeful about Miyako forgetting or she'd tell me to forget it. And if she did forget I didn't want Ken to know what an idiotic thing I had done. His opinion of me is very important to me.

"So?" Ken asked. I looked at him for a long time, I had been debating telling him or not. I finally decided to tell him, considering that he was my best friend and I knew that Ken would be there for me no matter what, like he had been there for me when my life seem to be hitting the ground and going to splat. He cared and I knew that, which made me feel bad for not trusting him before.

"Ano" Ken arched an eyebrow, he knew that ano'. It was the ano' that meant I was going to do, say or ask for something and he wasn't going to like it. That one word was like the Tokyo warning alarms. Yup, the big monsters coming so you better use common sense and get the fuck out of here. To bad Ken's never been one for common sense.

"What is it?" He asked, sighing audibly.

I bit my lip and looked down, I was so embarrassed. Oi! Don't look at me like that! I do get embarrassed. Especially around Ken, I always want to show him my best side, though I really don't have one and he's already seen me at my worst. But I can't help but want him to think I'm not as dumb as I act. You know that there's something more then this idiotic grin and carefree attitude.

"You see what happened was" I began. He sighed and rolled his dark blue eyes, before giving the look. Yes, Ken has a look. It's real creepy look too; at least I think so. I think it's a look left over form his days as the Digimon Kaiser, cause the look tended to say you're trying my patience. Speak before I put a dark ring on you and make you lick my boot'. Okay so I'm over exaggerating, but it was a creepy look that he gave me when he wanted me to cut the crap.

I took a deep breath, exhaling audibly. My whole body slumping because the pressure of an invisible force. I silently thanked Ken for keeping quiet as I gathered the strength to tell him. Then I looked up at him and began my story.

He listened, his face completely blank as he did so. It was a sign that he was processing all the information. Trying to understand everything before making any comment or judgment. Ken's always like that, he has to know everything down to the most minuscule fact or he won't be happy.

There was a long silence after I finished telling him about my predicament. And I waited for him to give his advice.

"Man you're stupid." I already know that, you're not helping! So, Ken's not exactly the nicest person on the planet. I know, I know digimental of kindnesspure and utter crap! So anyway he sat there very quietly as if contemplating my predicament.

He might have a mean streak but he'd still help me. I think he's does the mean thing just so that he can make me feel better, whenever I get upset I get really depressed and worry way to much about it. So, I guess he's mean for my benefit, if that even makes sense. Then maybe he does deserve the digimental of kindness.

I watched him as he thought. You know he's kind of cute when he sits there thinking. His brows knit together and he gnaws on his bottom lip. He kinda looks like a chibi.

"Why don't you go to the mall and ask out a girl?" You know, it hadn't really dawned on me before, but that really works! Yeah, go to the mall. Man now I know why Ken's the genius. I'm not kidding, I actually thought it was a good idea, going to the mall and asking some random girl to pretend to be Kamiya Hikaru and go to the dance with me.

"You know that's a good idea, Ken! Thanks!" I shot up, really excited about the prospect of going to the mall and pulling a Carrot Glaces. I was so excited that I didn't really notice Ken sweatdrop and say:

"UmI was just kidding, Daisuke."

"Ja!!!!" With that I ran out. I hauled dust as I made my way over to the mall.

"Leaving so soon, Motomiya-san?" Ken's mother asked, lifting a tray of drinks so that I wouldn't tip them over. I ran right by her then stopped.

A thought had hit me, I couldn't just go to the mall and pick up chicks, you know I'm not exactly Ishida Yamato. I can just step into an area and be swapped by hormonal twelve year old girls like he can.

"Yamato, I love you!"

"Yamato, have my baby!"

"Yamato, be my baby daddy."

"Yamato, can I have your underwear?" I'm not making this up either, I was with him when it happened. Let's just say that Taichi wasn't too happy about this.

But now I'm getting side tracked, Yamato stories would take about a year to tell. So let me get back on the subject. I was passing Ken's mom right? And I thought, and I am proud of myself for thinking this, Ken's mom is a woman, right? So she should know about this stuff, right? Right, exactly. So I backtracked and ran to Ken's room.

"Daisuke?" Ken said looking around his mother when he heard me come in. "I thought you were going to the mall?"
I didn't respond to him, I went straight to Ken's mom.

"AnoKen's mom." I distinctly remember Ken sweatdropping at this.

"AnoIneedtogetadateforthedancesothatIprovetoMiyakothatIwasn'tlyingeventhoughIwas. SoIneedtogotovertothemallandgetadatebutbecauseI'mnotlikeYamatoandhavemillionsofgirlswantingtosleepwithmesoIneedyouradviceonwhattodo." All in one breath, yeah baby! I found my calling in life. I know, I know, sad. Tell me something I don't know.

I remember hearing a loud thump. I looked over and saw Ken laying on the floor twitching slightly—facevault.

"Okay I'll help you. Come with me to my room." She said to me happily. I was so happy she understood me. Genius runs in the family. Right.

So anyway we left Ken, distraught, on the floor and trekked to her room. Man let me tell you she has the biggest closet I have ever seen, and I've seen some pretty big closets. I can camp out in that thing. And it is filled with nothing but clothes like suits, leather straps, dresses, J-Rocker clothes, a few clown suits, Tommy sweaters, hippo costumes, and some skirtsKen's mom is messed up!

After she opened the closet she motioned for me to sit down on her bed. I walked over and sat down, it had been the first time I had actually sat down on a waterbed and I kept playing sea boat as she talked to me about outfits.

"Well, I know for a fact that ladies really dig a bad boy." I thought about this for a minute. Bad Boy eh? I never thought of that before. I thought it could work. I have to be the most naïve and gullible person that has ever been born. Now I know why Ken liked to pick on me as the Digimon Kaiser.

"But I am a bad boy." Yeah, I know, I'm an idiot. But I couldn't let her think that I was a wussy, even though I should have so that she wouldn't think I was a bad influence on Ken but eh, whatcha gonna do. Luckily for me, she didn't believe me.

She giggled for a few minutes. "Sure, Motomiya-san, you're a bad boy." She turned to Ken who had just walked in—how do moms do that! He didn't make a sound when he came in. Yet, the minute he came in she knew he was there. "Your friend is so cute. He thinks he's bad. Aww. You find the most adorable friends in the world." By now she was pinching my cheeks.

Ken snort, trying to hold in a laugh. I hate him sometimes. "Ah mother, what exactly are you doing?"

"Oh it's girl stuff darling, you wouldn't understand." Ken looked at his mom, then at me and fell over laughing. I really, really hate him. Oh yes Ichijouji, I will get my revenge against you. Oh wait, I can't. I already hurt his feelings and now I have to apologize. Yeah! That's the point of this whole monologue!

So anyway the bastard sat down next to me. I swear he does this just to laugh at me. But I realize that I like having him close to me. He's warm, well duh, but you know. A different kind of warm. Why am I telling you this? Back to the story.

I decided to ignore him but not completely and pay attention to his mom.

"I saw this on a TV once." She walked towards her closet and began to search for the needed clothing. "You need a black leather bomber jacket with feathers around the collar, and with the words bad to the bone' written on it." The sounds of Ken snorting with laughter chorused through the background. "And you get a nice crisp white T-shirt and tight black leather pants, with at least fourteen belts. Two around the waist and a the rest tied around the legs. Oh and don't forget the black boots and leather gloves."

"Yes, and maybe you could die your hair brown and get blue contacts along with a scar going diagonally across your face." Ken said still laughing.

"No, no. That's will take to long." His mom argued, "Anyway, his hair such a pretty shade of maroon. All he needs is a cow lick and shades." Ken rolled off the bed laughing. At the time it seemed like a good idea even though it kinda reminded me of Squall Leonheart but hey. Now the only problem was where was I going to get this stuff done? Stuff like this just doesn't fall into my lap.

Fortunately Ken's mom was one step ahead of me.

"I was saving this for Ken to wear when he got older but this is an emergency." Ken's mom said as she pulled the items out of her closet and plopped it right down on my lap. I look at Ken and he had the biggest sweatdrop I ever seen, in a while that is.

So after dragging a very reluctant Ken out of the room, I began to change. I looked at myself in the mirror and now I realize I looked like a fool. But at the time I was thinking that since Ken's mom was the mother of a genius then I guess it would work. Boy was I wrong!

Ken's mom was very excited to see me and now that I think about it, Ken looked kinda dazed and he kept looking at me funny. And now I understand why, but that comes later.

Ken's mom kept telling me how great I looked, gushing over me and fixing my clothing. Then she brought up the accursed cowlick. Yeah, I hated it, I mean I wasn't going to say anything and hurt her feelings and all. But come on! A cowlick!

She sat me down on the bed again and pulled out of hammerspace an economy sized bottle of styling gel. I never knew they came that big! She took some of the slop and slapped it on my hair and start sculpting like she was a kid with a spork and mash potatoes at school.

Oh, yeah this was after she took off my goggles. Which I only let Ken hold cause I was afraid something would happen to them.

This continued for about an hour. That was the most boring hour of my life, all the pushing and pulling and this and that. And I've actually sat through a conversation with Koushiro, Ken and Miyako about how fermented beans can make a computer run faster. Hey don't ask me I'm the idiot remember!

After Ken's mom finished, she held up a mirror in front of me and I looked at my reflection. I never took my eyes off of it. In the background I heard Ken snorting trying to hold in his laughter. I swear he makes sure he is always there when I do something stupid just so he can laugh at me.

I continued to look at my reflection thinking that I looked retarded and trying to figure out a way to convince Ken's mother—nicely—that this is stupid. The hair, I mean, not the outfit. But I guess I didn't need to because the minute I arched an eyebrow, that's when my hair went, puff, and went right back to normal. My hair defies all laws of physics. Even though I don't understand physics I know it defies its' laws.

Ken started to laugh at me at that point while his mom complained about my hair and how much time she spent on it. I wasn't saying a word, cause I know Ken's mom. One word—any word—it doesn't even have to be encouraging and we'll be at it again. And she'll find some new thing to make it stick this time. Can you imagine me with a cowlick! I looked like a nerd! Me a nerd, that's like the biggest oxymoron.

Ken finally composed himself enough to hand me my goggles back. And just as I was about to put them on and leave Ken's mom got another idea. Something so stupid and embarrassing that my mind has blocked it from my access area. In other words, I can't remember.

So I was on my way to the mall to pick me up some hot chicks.

I walked proudly up to the large glass mall doors and checked myself out. I looked like a complete and utter moron buthey whatcha gonna do? I opened the huge glass doors and stepped inside the cool, air-conditioned mall. I spied a pretty little thing sitting by the waterspout. Sorry but the symptoms of the jacket have not left me yet.

So anyway, I walked over there in a wanna-be suave Kudou Youji style, even though I kinda messed up and fell on my facebut that's a different story.

When I stood up, the cute little thing had walked away. But I could see her nice booty heading towards the lingerie store. The hunt continued.

I had never before been in a lingerie store. It was like stepping into a new world, full of soft color and frilly things and it smelled real nice. I'm not kidding; usually the smell of new clothes makes me gag but this smelled nice like freshly baked pound cake.

Anyway I had my prey in my sights. She was looking at a green laced, black leather teddy. This chick was kinky.

So I quickly darted behind one of the nearby racks. I grabbed on to the clothes to get a better look at my prey. She accidentally dropped the teddy and bent over to pick it up. Let me tell you, that was nicest piece of ass I have ever seen.

As I was busy checking her backside out, I didn't notice anyone come up behind me. That was until this person tapped my back and asked the most annoying question ever known to shopping-dom: "May I help you, sir?"

Of all the times! I swear it's like they never heard of browsing! But anyway, I turned really slowly and looked at her, my mind going like a mile a minute trying to think of something to say.

"Ahjust looking. Thanks." The woman gave that look, but she didn't get to say anything because a panty decided it would nest on my head. And I, well, blushed. Oi! Don't look at me like that! You'd blush too if something like that happened to youwell unless you were a girl or gay. Just shut up.

"Would you like to purchase that, sir?" The sales woman asked with that look on her face that just said you little hentai'.

I raised my eyes and looked at the panty sitting on my head and blushed. I pulled it off my head really quickly, crumpling it behind my back and smiling, a big cheesy smile, at her.

"Buy what?" I asked, feigning ignorance. The sales clerk sweatdropped and walked back to the front of the store muttering to herself.

I sighed; turning back to my prey but she was gone. So I started looking for her. I mean, she couldn't have gotten to far away.

Anyway suddenly someone tapped me on the shoulder. I turned around and said really loudly, "LADY, I DON'T WANT ANY PANTIES!" Then I saw him; well actually I kinda saw his crouch. Then I looked up, and up, and upand up, and I saw his face. Let me tell you, he was a huge Mo' fo.

He looked down at me with the meanest scowl I had ever seen; it was like I had just stolen his favorite jelly donut. I tried not to laugh at that thought. Well, he was big! He looked like he could put four Dunkin' Donut out of business in ten secondsand still be hungry!

Yes, he was that big and he was looking down at me like I was fresh piece of meat. I tell you something, that's fucking scary.

He didn't eat me though; he threw me out the store.

That little incident didn't really stop me from my chase. But I'm not really going to get into all the girls that I asked out, all the smacks in the face, all the stores I've been banned from etc., etc., etc. Let's just say it was one of those days you never want to live or relive in my case.

Well I actually did relive it a couple of times cause I kept going back for about three days. Hey! Don't look at me like that! I was desperate.

So, I had just wasted a week and still had no girl, a lot of bruise but no girl. And I did the only thing I could do, I went to Ken. I realize now that I rely on him way too much. And he always helps me and never asks for anything in return. And now I've completely screwed him over. I'm an idiot! I'm a babbling idiot!

Anyway, the day after the third day of girl chasing I went back to Ken's place. Ken's mom let me in and told me that Ken was in his room. I smiled at her and walked towards Ken's room. I was so dejected that I didn't notice the sounds that were coming from his room. Because if I had heard the noise, I would have never opened that door without knocking first.

I opened that door and—

"I'm a Survivor! What! I'm not going to give up! What!"

—there was Ichijouji Ken dancing to I'm a Survivor. I'll tell you one thing that's something I was not expecting.

"I'm not gon' stop! What! I'm gonna work harder! What!"

Not only was he singing but he was dancing, shaking his tiny, round butt around the room, waving his arms, eyes closed and sing off key.

"I'm a survivor! What! I'm gonna make it! What!"

He looked so funny and adorable that I could interrupt him. I decide to just wait until he was done and leaned against the wall watching.

"I'm a survivor! What! Keep on surviving! Wha—!"

At that moment he opened his eyes and saw me there. A few things happened after that moment.

One, he blushed. Two, he blushed even harder. Three, he glared and blushed. Which really didn't effect me much. You know the blush kind of negates the glare. And finally four, which was the ever predictable threat.

"You tell anyone and I'll rip your head off and use it as a door stop." It still didn't effect me—it usually would have but not this time—how could it! He looked so cute with that large blush going across his face. "So what do you want?"

Well I went through the whole story of the mall. You know the big, burly men, the whacking of sorts, the girls, etc. After I finished he laughed and laughed.

"You know when I said that, I was joking." I froze and my jaw dropped.

"WHAT?!" You know Ken is so mean. The bastard laughed meagain. I glared at him and he just laughed.

"Hey! Don't look at me like that!" he said, still laughing. "I tried to tell you I was kidding, but you wouldn't listen. You were to busy becoming Squall Leonheart to hear me say it."

"WHEN?!" At that moment Ken looked at me like I was the most pitiful person in the universe. To tell you the truth, I thought so too.

He sighed, "Forget it. Let's just find a way of getting you out of this mess."

I nodded and sat down next to him. We were silent for a long time as we tried to think of a way to save my ass from the evil Miyako. You know I can't bring myself to hate her even if she did screw me overno I screwed myself but she helped! If I hadn't of agreed to bring my so-called date to the party I would not have gotten into that mess.

Suddenly, at that moment, my brain started to work. I got the best idea yetat least so I thoughtat the time. I don't know why I thought of it either but I said, "Why don't you be my date?"

Ken broke out of his thinking and said, "WhaWHAT?!"

"SeeYou can be my date!" I was so excited about it. Ken had this strange look on his face that at the time I had not understood. But now I understand what the look meant and I hate myself for being so insensitive.

"Daisuke, are you mad?" Ken asked slightly flustered.

"No! It could work. All I need is a date to prove that I have someone!" I was so happy that I had forgotten a huge part of the original problem, which Ken so kindly remind me of right at that moment.

"Motomiya, have you forgotten that you need a date to play Kamiya Hikaru!" Ken said slightly annoyed. "And unless you haven't noticed Kamiya Hikaru is suppose to be a girl, something I am not!"

That really had me stumped. But then another "bright" idea came to my head. I'm just full of these lately. "Well you look like a girl—" This is when Ken glared at me. "—I mean a little make up and a dress. And from an angle—" I tilted my head. "—No! Not even! A dress, a cute hair do, you don't even need make up! You'd look like a real hot girl!"

Ken had this look on his face that expressed how confused he was, it was like he couldn't decide on either being insulated and angry or blush at a compliment. He decide on both from what I could tell. He blushed and glared. Ah Ken, the Kaiser of multitasking emotions.

"ARE YOU INSANE!" Ken asked me, "AND WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT?"

I can't help but snicker now at the look that was on his face. He looked so indignant. He really is adorable. And always made me happy to see an expression other then sorrow on his pale features.

Maybe that's why I have always been drawn to him, because I've always felt a need to pull him out of the shit he likes to wallow in. Because I never want to see him suffer, because I want him to smile at me, because his smiles warm me to the core.

I am a fool.

At the time I wasn't exactly paying attention to the fact that being near Ken did things to me that were suppose to happen when around Hikari. At the time all I wanted to do was convince Ken into dressing up like a girl and going with me to the dance as Kamiya Hikaru.

Now that, my friends, is a task! It's almost as hard as getting my neechan to realize that Yamato is gay. Which is also an impossible task since the girl's already caught Yamato in a passionate embrace with Taichi and Jun still thinks that he will one day be with her. And I thought I was delusional!

Enough of my stupid sister and back to the story.

"Nothingjust you'd make a hot girlthat's all." I answered him, "And NO I'm not insane!"

Ken gave me this look (yeah, he's just full of looks) that said I'm going to hit you' and I just smiled at him. A smile that usually seemed to calm him down, which it did.

"SoooWill you do it?" I asked in my sweetest tone, that even makes me sick when I hear it.

"NO!" He glared at me after he practically yelled that word at me. Then sat breathing a bit hard as I tried to collect my thoughts. Not because I was taken aback by his yelling or anything, but because I had to find a way to get Ken in a dress.

It was my last resort, I had no other way of getting out of this mess without having to say I was wrong and that I lied. I should have said that but I couldn't, my pride wouldn't let me. So I had to get Ken into a skirt. I just had to.

"Why not?" He gave me another look when I said that. "I mean, it's not like you will lose your masculinity or anything. The Irish and Scots wear skirts and they're the manliest men I know."

Ken sighed. "Daisuke, I'm not Irish or Scottish. I'm Japanese besides when they wear skirts they aren't pretending to be women. I will be! And I don't wanna!"

You know Ken is the most stubborn person I have ever met. To think he actually wanted to help me out. He just loves to see me embarrase myself.

"Butbut it's only for one night!"

"No"

"C'mon, you won't even have to shave your legs or anything!"

"NO!"

"I'd do it for you."

"No you wouldn't!"

"Okay so I wouldn't butC'mon be nice!"

Ken looked about ready to bash his head into a wall either that or beat me senseless. I'm kinda glad I never got to find out which one.

"Ken, please!"

"Don't beg it's demeaning."

"C'mon please, I'll do anything you say."

"" He seemed to be considering this. "Anything?"

"Yes, anything!"

His eyes got this really unnatural glint in them when I said that. I kinda felt like I was digging my own grave.

"Are you sure? Anything I want?"

He was giving me an escape at that one moment, but damn I was so stupid that I didn't use it. I just nodded my head vigorously, the glint in his eyes beginning to shine. He looked scary, almost like a snake about to strike a mouse. But I didn't think much of it at the time.

"All right." Insert evil Grinch, I'm-about-to steal-Christmas grin right here. "You have to be my slave for a week. And do anything, and I mean anything, I say. Promise?"

That was the creepiest grin I have ever seen Ken make, even from his Digimon Kaiser days. But I decided to ignore the grin and complied with the request. After I complied Ken's eyes were practically glittering like a bobcat that just found the juiciest piece of meat in the desert.

Okay, so Ken had agreed which made me ecstatic. I was blissfully unaware of the fact that I could have just sold my soul to the devil. Well at least he's a cute devil. I had actually thought those words on that day and they scared me shitless. So I decided to think of something else, my usual tactic when something makes me uncomfortable.

"Okay, so we need to get you some new clothes." I said, "You need a skirt—something really sexy."

"What? Sexy?"

"Yeah, I'm trying to smite Miyako so I can't take a homely girl to the dance." I explained. He rolled his eyes at me.

"Sexy? How can I make—no—how can I wear anything sexy? I don't have theequipment for looking sexy in dresses!" He looked quite flustered at the moment.

"What are you talking about? I think you can look sexy if you wanted to." I have no idea why I said that at that moment and what the hell I was thinking but that's not important.

Ken blushed, I mean he was so bright he could guide ships in a fog bank. I think he noticed me looking at him, so he blushed some more, if possible.

I sighed, and shook my head. Then laughed a little at how ridiculous this whole thing was. Well actually, I was laughing at an image of an angry Ken in bad make-up, horrible blond wig, pink, frilly, puffy skirt and fish net panty hoes.

"What's so funny?" Ken asked, he was a bit irritable. Hey, it's understandable.

"Nothing, don't worry." I laughed.

Since we couldn't very well ask Ken's mom to dress her son up like a girl. The next day Ken and I went back to the mall. Surprisingly they let me back in after that horrible Carrot escapade. I guess they didn't recognize me without all the leather and feathers.

So anyway we headed to the first store, Bambi's Pink Palace. And I am not kidding that is the actual name of the store. Creepy isn't it? Ken looked like he was going to barf right there on the floor and tried to shrink back in fearI guess. So I had to grab his hand and pull him into the store.

We stepped into the store and it was pink. Though it wouldn't have been all that bad if it was just pink, but it seems that who ever owned the store had a thing for Bambi. He was every where. Plastered over the walls, hanging from the ceiling, the carpeting had little Bambi prints on it, and even the store clerks had to wear little deer ears. I'll tell you one thing, it was scary. So scary that Ken actually clutched my hand tighter.

"Are you sure this is a dress store, Daisuke?" Ken whispered, almost afraid to speak any louder. "It kind of looks like a children store."

"Nope. Look dresses." I pointed with my free hand at all the skirts and things. Ken nodded slowly and continued to follow. He kept looking in all directions as we walked, as if he was afraid some big, burly, evil thing would come out and eat him.

"Well here we go." I said reaching for the first dress that touched my fingers. Ken let go to catch the pink piece of cloth. I took a few others and threw them to him.

"Ano" Ken whispered, "Daisuke, are you sure about this?"

"Positive." I said without turning around to catch the look on his face.

We reached another one of the racks of clothing and stopped. I didn't exactly rummage through the racks or look at them for that matter. I just grabbed and tossed, calling out for Ken to catch them.

"Daisuke!" Ken said. He took a deep breath, steeling himself, I think. That store had effected him greatly. I had found one of Ken's weakness—girly clothing stores. "Wouldn't it be a good idea to get the clothes in my size? This is a triple X, I am no where near that size."

I laughed and turned my head to look at him. He looked slightly annoyed but more scared of the store, then anything else. He raised his hands and gave me back the dresses, which according to him were all way to big for him. I smiled sheepishly at him, one hand scratching the back of my head.

After a while, Ken seemed to get over his fear, either that or he was going to ignore it and concentrate on being angry with me. Which seemed to be working because it did look like he was trying to glare at me. But the simple fact of him still being afraid of the store kind of diluted it.

We moved from the rack that said size triple X in big, black, letters and walked towards a smaller section. Which apparently all the clothes their were all to small for Ken to wear. Annoyed, I turned and looked at him.

"Ken, just what is your size?" I asked. He shrugged.

"I don't know." I gave him a look this time. "I don't usually wear girls' clothes, Daisuke!"

I looked at him to try to estimate his size. I know this is kind of irrelevant but Ken has really cute waistline, kind of small and petite like a girl. Actually he's really thin, if it hadn't been for the fact that I have been to his house for dinner and seen the boy eat I would have thought he was anorexic.

Well, I looked him over and estimated him to be a size medium small. I nodded to myself in satisfaction and dragged Ken over the right section. And there once more, I began to throw clothes at him without paying much attention to what they looked like.

"Daisuke, I don't mean to be rude but these clothes suck." Ken said to me. I turned around to see Ken frowning at me. "I'm insulted that you wouldn't think I have a better fashion sense." I froze.

"Huh?" At that moment my hand had a dress, ready to launch it at him. Ken just rolled his eyes and dumped the clothes back on me. I mean literally, he walked over to me and threw the clothes on my head.

He then pushed me aside and began to look for something that suited him better. After a while he turned to me and looked at me with this sad look on his face.

"I can't believe I'm in this store. " He said pointing to the Bambi print covered carpet. "Shopping for girls' clothes. And if it weren't bad enough, it's girls' clothes I'm going to have to wear."

He shook his head and sighed, giving me one good glare before turning back to look for the right dress. I shrugged at his comment muttering about how he had agreed to do this and shouldn't be complaining. He glared at me again, apparently he had heard me.

We were there for quite a while. Ken has to be the pickiest person I have ever met in my whole entire life. He liked nothing! Everything was too ugly or the wrong color or it didn't look good on him. I was starting to wonder if he really was a girl and just never told me.

After what seemed like hours he finally pulled out a purple gown and he looked at it for a few minutes. I wasn't sure what he was thinking at the moment, he looked so deep in thought.

Following a lot of scrutiny he turned and walked towards the dressing room never to come out againwell not really. But it sure as hell took him long enough to put that thing on.

"Are you coming out or not?" I asked. So I'm impatient, big deal!

"Quiet!" he barked back at me. "I'm dressing!" God he is so slow. It's like shopping with a real woman.

Anyway after more exchanges of words between him and I, the dressing room door slowly opened. I was totally taken aback by the sight of him. He was dressed in a halter-topped gown with a matching scarf draped lightly over his slender arms. He turned around once and asked me what I thought.

"Gah!" was all that came out of my mouth.

Ken put his hands on his hips making him look even more appealing and scowled at me.

"What type of answer is GAH!'" He said, "It's for your dance. I need an answer here, Daisuke. What do you think?"

After taking a few quick breaths and reminding myself that I like Hikari, I told him what I thought.

"It's a nice dress." I replied not knowing really what to say. I guess it was the wrong answer cause Ichijouji was glaring at me.

"Daisuke, how does it look on me?" he asked. I shrugged.

"I don't know."

"Daisuke!"

"Fine! You look fine! You are one sexy, hot mama! Happy now!"

"I loathe you." With that said he walked back into the dressing room. What did I say wrong? I thought that was a complement.

Ken was pissed off at me the rest of the day (well more then he was before). We bought the dress and the saleslady gave us the funniest look. Ken called her closed-minded bitch. I had no idea why and I wasn't going to ask.

After we left Bambi's house of terror, we walked towards a shoe store and bought something that matched with the dress. Ken shops for shoes faster for some reason. Then we had to buy the boobs that he was going to wear. He was really pissy around that time and just around ticked off when we were getting the make up. He calmed down slightly when we went for any other accessories. We didn't need to buy jewelry though; we used my mom's.

Needless to say Ken was not someone you wanted to be around that the time. He was pissed, I could have sworn he was going to start twitching. But to be completely honest I think a part of him liked doing that.

Now's the moment you've been waiting for folks. The night of the dance!

I went to pick up Ken because he said that he wasn't walking and that I better bring a cab and of course I was paying. He told me this on the day we went shopping and I wasn't going to tell him no when he was in that state. He looked ready to blow once.

I knocked on the door and a split second later it swung open to reveal Ken's mom. She had the biggest, most cheesiest smile on her face. From what Ken had told me she had found out about Ken's little cross-dressing endeavor and didn't really mind. She was just happy that he was happy though he did try to explain the situation to her but she wasn't listening. All she knew was that he little, baby, boy was going on his first date.

"Oh Daisuke-san, you look so cute!!!" She gushed as she yanked me into the apartment.

"Ahthanks." I said, swatting her hands away. What is it with moms and touching, anyway?

"Where's Ken?" I asked looking around for those glaring eyes.

"Oh, he's in his room." She said. I nodded and started towards his door when she grabbed me and pulled me back with the strength of ten mommies wrestling on Christmas day for the last Hiroshi the Bazooka carrying Ninja™. "You can't see him yet! He's not ready yet. You can't see him until he's out."

"Umwe're not getting married." I told. I swear the look she gave me was screaming out all in due time'.

"Of course not, sweetie." I didn't exactly feel comforted after she said that. "Now come here so I can take some pictures."

Before I could object, she yanked me over to the side and started snapping pictures out of nowhere. The only thing I saw was flashing lights. It was like I was a model at a photo shoot, which wouldn't be so bad now that I think about it.

Ken came out after she had run out of film. But quick as The Flash™ she had another roll in and was blinding the poor boy while squealing about how cute he was and how pretty his hair looked and all that other crap moms like to babble about.

"Mother, please stop." He said in a low voice. She, of course, didn't listen and continued to snap pictures like he was on a runway for vogue or something.

After a while the endless snapping seem to stop. I think she ran out of film again. But before I could get a word out to Ken, she pushed us both together and started snapping pictures again.

"Oh my god, you two are so adorable together!" She said, still taking pictures from any angle possible.

"Didn't you tell her that we weren't really on a date?" I had asked.

"Yes, but she has some sort of mental block over that one piece of information." He replied dryly.

"Oh! My baby's socializing and every thing!" She was saying. "I'm so happy!" Another snap. "Oh Ken, you picked out such a cute little boyfriend."

I remember distinctly a large blush going across my face at that moment.

"MOTHER!" Ken cried out indignantly. She giggled and continued to snap pictures until she finally ran out.

Ken's mom ran off to get more film (how many pictures did she really need) and finally left us alone.

I turned and looked at Ken who was once more glaring at me. He blamed this whole thing on me while walking towards the couch where he sat down and continued to grumble.

That's when I got my first look at Ken for that evening. He was, in one word, breathtaking. He made such a pretty girl that I couldn't even remember Hikari's name.

He was wearing that purple halter-top dress thing that he had bought and it brought out all the right curves (even the ones that are not suppose to be there, for a guy at least). His hair was help up by long, elegant pins to make a twist, with strands of curled hair framing his face. His face was touched with a soft amount of make up. Eye liner, rogue, and raspberry lipstick, not a lot though, just enough to show off his pouty lips.

He stood, when his mom came back in the room, picking up the silk scarf and draping it over his gloved arms. His silver jewels making a soft jingling or clanging sound as he moved.

"Now Ken, when you get to the dance I want you to take lots and lots of pictures for me." Ken's mom said handing him the camera.

"Yes Mother." Ken said and I snickered. Ken heard me and glared, but it looked so sexy on his face that I didn't mind that he glared at me. I've lost count of how many times I told myself I wasn't gay during these past few days

It took us forever to get Ken's mom to stop gushing over us and let us leave but we finally did. She waved at us from the doorstep, reminding me what time Ken had to be home and not to over step my bounds. God, parents are unbelievable.

The gym looked like the gym when we approached it at first. But then when we got to the entrance there was a guard standing in front of a gate entirely adorned with white and light blue balloons, following some sort of pattern. We passed through the gate and the entire gym looked like it was illuminated with candles. You know that soft, warm glow that makes you all warm and buttery inside. The tables were set up to either side of the gym. In the middle of the floor there were a few people dancing to the music the DJ supplied. A thousand tiny lights fell on us as the disco ball came down. It looked like something out of a storybook.

Ken gripped my arm as we went further inside. I knew he was uncomfortable, he's not the social type, never was never will be. And all those eyes on him were bothering him, even if he had been on TV before, the attention that the Digimon Kaiser craved and needed to survive would kill Ken. It's weird really, but knowing this I placed my hand over his hand and told him it was going to be all right. Then I made lame joke.

"Let's just find Miyako and get the hell out of here." Ken said. I nodded. As stated before, I really am not one for dances. Or anyplace where I have to wear things that don't consist of sneakers and T-shirts are places I won't want to go.

"I wonder where she is." I said out loud, and as if on cue:

"Well, well. What a surprise to see you here, Dai-chan." Miyako said walking towards us, Hikari and Takeru in tow. I rolled my eyes.

"I'm glad you were able to come, Daisuke-kun." Hikari said smiling at me. She then turned to Ken. "And you are?"

Ken looked thoughtful for a moment. "Kamiya Hikaru." He finally said in a falsetto.

It was quite amusing to watch all three of them. Their faces ranged from surprise to disbelief to awestruck then finally to acceptance, well at least Takeru and Hikari went that way. Miyako made a couple other faces but let's not get into that.

After that Takeru kinda eyed Ken funny, I couldn't help but chuckle as Ken immediately turned and looked at something else. I wonder if Hikari noticed that.

Hikari started to talk to Ken, who wasn't exactly thrilled. Ken never really like Kari. Don't really know why though. Always frowning when I talk about her.

But luckily, Ken kept his temper in check, especially when she commented about his figure. Boy, I thought he was going to kill her when she said he was to thin (though it doesn't bother him when anyone else says it to him). Luckily all that happened was that his eyes narrowed, his voice deepened, and his grip on my arm tightened so much that it cut all blood flow.

Boy, I was glad when Hikari decided to excuse herself to get a drink. Ken's grip slowly slackened. I could feel my blood flow returning back to normal.

"Dai-chan, can I talk to you for a minute?" Miyako said with hints of something sinister in her voice. Man, it sounded creepy. But for some reason Ken had no intention of letting me go. He squeezed my arm once again cutting off the blood flow.

"In private." She echoed looking straight at Ken with a bright glint in her eyes. Ken and Miyako glared at each other but it was kinda funny because they were both trying to be nice about it at the same time.

The tension was as thick as homemade butter when Takeru interrupted them.

"Don't worry, Daisuke. I'll take Hikaru-chan off your hands." He said eyeing Ken again. I could feel Ken's grip tightening even harderif that was possible.

"No, that's quite all right." Ken said through clenched teeth.

"Aw, c'mon. What are you going to do while those two are talking?" Takeru asked.

"They're not going to go talking." Ken said turning to me and making sure only I could hear him. I grinned weakly at the look on his face. "Are they?"

By that time all I wanted was to be able to feel the blood flowing through my arm again so I turned back to Miyako and nodded my consent. I swear Ken was going to break my arm right there.

"Y'know, Hikaru-chan." I said turning to him. "I need you to let go of my arm so I can go talk to Miyako." His grip tightened. He looked at me with a face that said Don't do this to me.'

I didn't know why I did it, I think it was because of the face he was making. Seeing those large blue eyes staring down at me. Well, whatever the reason, I leaned up and kissed his forehead.

"I'll be back in a second, okay?" He was so surprised that his grip on my arm loosened enough for me to make my escape. Though instead of celebrating I was in complete shock from what I had just done. I mean, dude!, I just kissed Ken, my best friend! That's not something that you do everyday.

But I wasn't really upset just surprised. It felt nice to kiss him. Now, I really wish I could do it again. Though at the time I wasn't thinking those words.

If Miyako's eyes could burn a hole through someone, Ken would have had a hole as big as Mexico in him then. And if Ken could do the same thing, I guess, Takeru would have a hole as big as Soviet Union, before it broke up, as Takeru whisked' him away.

Now it was just me and Miyako. One on one. By the look on her face I figured it wasn't going to be all fine and dandy.

A long silence stretched between us, she was looking at me and I was thinking about Ken. Surprise, surprise. He was the only thing I could think about this whole night.

"So, what do you want to talk to me about?" I asked, glancing back at Ken who was now dancing with Takeru. And did he look mighty pissed.

"Well Dai-chan, I'm surprised that you brought that type of girl." Miyako said with this mischievous look. I gave her an odd look. I had no idea what she was talking about and I voiced this.

She grinned at me. "Well." She sang out, with a new innocent look on her face. I should have seen that as a warning but as I stated before, I am an idiot. "I can't really say anything because I don't know her." She stopped for a moment looking about the room and then at Ken who was still dancing with Takeru, a little too closely I might add.

She leaned in closer to me. "She seems scankish."

"Scankish?" I repeated. She nodded at me.

"Yes, scankish. I mean look at her." She continued, "She looks like she's the type that likes a good time." I swear she was about to say wink wink nudge nudge.

"She's not like that." I said trying my best to defend Ken's honor but failing miserably.

"Right. You believe that. To bad you don't have a girl like me, which you can't because I like Ken." My eyes grew wide and I knew she could see the dumbfounded expression on my face.

"You like Ken?" I asked. I was shocked beyond belief. It wasn't something I was expecting. Miyako hit on everyone but Ken, especially after realizing that he tends to have a stick up the ass during parties and she's overly social. She had told me that they weren't right for each other.

"Since when?" I asked her folding my arms over my chest. My fists clenching and on clenching around the fabric of my shirt. She sighed audibly and now that I think about it, it was melodramatic.

"Since forever." She replied smiling at me. "He's so prefect. His eyes, his hair, his soft skin and he is so smart, remember he is considered a genius."

I had really stopped listening after she had said "his soft skin". All could think about was that she had touched him, and I kept wondering why that bothered me so much. And all could I think about was making Miyako give up her feelings for Ken.

I don't know why it bothered me so much, I mean Ken has no affection towards her what so ever.

"I don't know why you like Ken anyway." I said hoping to divert her away from Ken, I don't know why. I mean I should have been happy for him, right? I should have been happy that Miyako found some interest in him, right? Right? "He has no emotions what so ever. He wouldn't know love if it hit him in the face. He's like a monster, remember? You said it yourself when he was our enemy."

After I had said those words I regretted it. Just a short distance away Ken stood. They say that a person's eyes are a window into their soul and right at that moment I could see Ken's breaking. He looked so pained and all I could do was stare. I had no idea what to do.

But it seemed Ken did, he just walked right passed me, a cold chill running up my spine. And still, all I could do was stare after his retreating figure as he walked out of the school.

I couldn't tear my eyes away from the exit. He left because of me. It was my fault. It's my fault alone. That's why I decided I had to go after him. What I'll say when I catch him, if I ever do, I don't know. But whatever it was I had to make him forgive me.

And this is where I am now. This is why I've been running down the school grounds. I've been searching for the one important person to me. The person I hurt so badly.

I can't find him on the school grounds, so I stop. I have to think of a place where Ken could go. I know he couldn't have gone home yet. For one he lives on the other side of river and I know he wouldn't want to go home yet and face his mother. So I continue to look around and see a large park.

The Park!

It was the only logical place I could think of. Where else can he go? There aren't that many places near the school.

In side the park I look around to see if I can see any sign that maybe Ken has been by, like I don't know, a mutilated squirrel or something. Ken becomes violent when he's pissed. Unfortunately I see nothing to indicate his presence.

I run deeper into the park following the South road. I see no sight of Ken, only an old guy standing next to the lamppost.

Maybe I should ask himHe might knowright? Well it's better then running around blindly. Like I just didshut up.

I walk towards the man and the closer I get the more intense the smell of putrid stuff gets. He reeks like boiled bologna and steamed sardines. Trust me, I have smelled this before.

He also looked like he hasn't seen a shower since the dark ages, but I guess that explains the smell. He's wearing dark rags that look like they've been underneath a moving truck for fifteen hours. But regardless of how he looks and smells I have to ask him about Ken.

"Ano." I know, shut up. The guy doesn't look at me he keeps looking at the tree and grumbling. "Eto"

He continues to ignore me so I step closer to him. I can now hear what he's saying. He's talking to the tree.

"Whaddya mean it ma fault!" he slurs, "I didn' do nothin'. Christopher Columbus did it!" What?

"Okay, I know I promise ta get ya som' hot dogzthe cops tol' me I couldn' get no hot dogz. Ya shoulda saw tha pretty gir's there."

Huh? What? Right.

"Ano" I say again. He's still not listen. "OI BUM-SAN, I'M TALKIN' TO YOU!" He turns and looks at me.

"Oooh. I like ya, boy. So pretty." The old man says to me. "Christopher Columbus stol' ma my pogo stic' now I cant get Tree-chan som' o dem hot dogz."

YeeeahI slowly take a step back, careful not to make any sudden movements.

"I'm really sorry about your loss." I say trying to keep him from getting upset with me. "Ahhave you seen a guy—I mean girl—about yay tall, with dark blue hair and a purple skirt dress thing." He's looking at me like I'm out of focus or something.

"Ooh pretty boy, yes pretty boy. He stol' ma stic'." Did he just say Ken stole his stick?

"Okay, did you see—"

"Caw, caw, caw." I turn to see another man walk by cawing like a crow. You know, I just remembered that all the weirdoes come out at night.

"OI!" I scream at the other guy, for some reason I think he's saner then the other guy.

He turns and looks at me, cawing again. I think he just asked me what I wanted. Don't ask me how I understand him I just do. Hey, it was either him or the old smelly guy.

I ask him if he's seen Ken and he nods cawing at me again. Then points towards the general direction of the playground. I thank him and he caws in return. Then a bolt down the direction that I was given.

I find Ken a few feet away from the playground. He seems to have ripped his dress so that there are to long slits on his sides and thrown his shoes to the side. He's in some battle stance he learned in Judo class and after a few seconds he kicks the tree. And he kicks it again. And again. And again. And again. I think he's been doing this for a while.

To be honest, I'm scared to get near him at the moment. And I really sympathize with the tree. But I rather he not to kick me.

I have to do this I know I do. Breath. Walk. Right foot up left down. Yeah there you go.

"Ken." I call after a few minutes. He stops so I know he's heard me. "Ken" Wow! Was that a roundhouse kick? I didn't know he could do that! I really feel bad for that tree.

"Ken" I don't really know what to say to him. And he's not looking at me. He's just standing there with his back to me. His fist clenching and unclenching. I wish he would hit me so we could just get this over with and we could be friends again.

"I'm really sorry for what happened" I say looking down at the grass below me. He says nothing to me. "Ken, look at me."

He turns and looks, no glares, at me. But that's not what's affecting me. It's the fact that I know he's been crying. His eyes are all large and puffy and his mascara is running down his face. He wipes his nose as he continues to stare at me.

"What?" he snaps. I say nothing, just stare at him. He sighs. "Just forget it, Daisuke. Just leave." With that said he just turns around again.

"But Ken"

"Just go away."

"No!" I walk towards him, which in my opinion is like a personal health hazard at the moment. But the hell do I care, I'm the stupid one that acts before he thinks, right?

Taking hold of his arm, I turn him again. Not letting go of his arm, I stare straight in his eyes.

"Let go."

"No."

"Daisuke. Let. Me. Go."

"Ken—"

THUMP!

What the Hell happened? One minute I'm standing holding Ken's arm. The next he grabbed my wrist and here I am on the floor staring up at him. Hey, is he wearing green panties?

And now he's leaving. Can't let him leave. I get up and chase off after him.

"Ken!" I call out after him, running after him. He's not stopping actually he's starting to run off. "Ken! Chotto!"

I continue to run after him, but I just remembered that Ken's faster then I am. I start to run faster and then I leap towards him and land right on top of him. He's not really happy about this and he struggles. So we end up falling to the ground.

"Get off me, damnit!" He yells.

"No!" I yell back. "Not until you listen to me!"

" Haven't you've said enough!"

"No! Fuck Ken, let me talk! If you don't like what you hear you can kick my ass!"

Well he stopped struggling.

"Fine talk." He says. Thank god.

I take a deep breath and well stare at him. I don't know what to say! Well, I do but I don't know how to say it. And the fact that I'm on top of him, holding down his wrists isn't helping either.

"Daisuke, say something or I'm really going to kick your ass." I glare at him.

"You can't do it until I say something that you don't like."

"You've already done that."

"Ohyeah." I sigh. "Look I'm sorry about that I didn't mean it. I—I just freaked." He arches an eyebrow and I explain it to him. I tell him everything. I tell him about my talk with Miyako and how I felt when she said she wanted Ken. I tell him that I was jealous, because that's what I was. I tell him that I only said those things because I didn't want her to be with him, because I did.

"Because I want to be you're lover, not her." I say to him.

Then I get off of him and sit down next to him. He's completely silent and his eyes are wide with shook. I sit there quietly waiting for the inevitable. I know he's going to kick my ass. I know he's not happy that I just told him I liked him. It's only a matter of time. I wonder how hard he'll hit me. Or if he'll do one of those weird Judo moves on me. Yeah, that would hurt.

But surprisingly he hasn'tHe's Laughing???! Yeah, he is laughing. Maybe he's laughing because he has gone insane and he is thinking of ways to kill me.

He sits up and looks at me after he stops laughing. "What did you say?" he asks. Oh yeah now I'm scared.

"Dai suki." I close my eyes and wait for the blow. Instead I feel his soft lips on mine. He's Kissing Me!!!!! Why the hell is he kissing me! He can't like me back. It's impossible. He's suppose to hit me and I'm suppose to hear how much he hates me and how I'm a pervert and a sicko for liking him. Not this! This is so unreal, so shojou manga-ish, so wonderful. It's just not right, wonderful things don't happen.

He pulls away. "Daisuke?" Oh that's right, I didn't kiss back!

"I'm sorry." I say. "I was just wasn't expecting you toyou knowreciprocate." He laughs.

"God, you're so dumb." He says. He kisses me again. It's a quick peck. "Dai suki." He says it each time he kisses me on the lips, still laughing.

I smile brightly, wrapping my arms and kiss him deeply. Right now I'm ecstatic. We continue kissing until I hear strange mumbling from behind us. We look over and see that old man from before looking at us.

"Oooh. Pretty boys." He slurs. "Have ya seen ma pogo stick. I needs it so I can ge' back ta Christopher Columbus' mother ship and get the hot dogz fo' Tree-chan."

Silence. Wind blows by and I swear I see a tumble weed blow by from the corner of my eye as we stare at this guy.

"Daisuke?" Ken asks. I grab his hand a stand up, pulling him with me.

"Just run Ken." I tell him pulling him away. "Just run and don't make direct eye contact."

"Wait pretty boys!" He yells behind us.

We didn't stop and continue running, laughing and sometimes even stopping to kiss. But at least we were happy and my stupidity didn't lose me my best friend—which I'm going apologize to again and again. So, I didn't get Hikari in the end. But I think that I still beat Takeru in the lover department. Ken's much better then her and his hips aren't as wide as hers.

Owari

Author's Notes: Yes, we actually did come across a weird, smelly, old guy mumbling something about a hospital, Christopher Columbus, losing something and pretty girls. It was a creepy sight and we walked the other way. We also came across the Birdman. Yes, he did caw. We have seen him five times since. So beware my friends. You never know when or where you'll come across these two. They strike when you least expect it especially traveling through China-town (New York City). BWAH HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! I'm done now.

Author's notes #2: She's the crazy one, remember that. Though it is true about the two weird guys. But she's still just as crazy. Stop glaring at me, you! It's true and you know it!