Trust in Me

by Samantha Gold

Now seventeen, Takeru and Hikari's 2-year anniversary is approaching. Takeru is excitedly looking forward to it, when he starts to become suspicious of Ken and Hikari's relationship. Does she still love him? If she doesn't, will he be able to let her go?

Trust in Me
By Samantha Gold

Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters here within. None of them! They all belong to Toei and whoever created Digimon. Except for Naru, who I borrowed from Sailor Moon 'cause I didn't feel like being creative enough to make up my own saleslady...just read the story to get it.

Author's Note: Please R&R!

Japanese:
ototochan - little brother
oniisan/niisan - big brother
ne - sort of like the Canadian "eh?"
hai - yes
onegai - please
ja/ja ne - a casual goodbye, see you later
baka - fool, idiot
moshi moshi - how you answer the phone, hello
nani - what
gomen/gomen nasai - sorry, I'm so sorry
ohayo - good morning
tenshi - angel
kuibito - sweetheart, girlfriend/boyfriend, lover
aishiteru - I love you
arigato - thank you
-san - used for older people or people you're not close to/don't know very well
-kun - used for younger boys and close male friends
-chan - used for younger girls, close female friends, and boyfriends
* if there is no suffix, it signifies that someone does not want to disclose how close they are too someone, disrespect, or a very close relationship
* also note that the last names come first

The summer air was warm and seemed to create a blanket of heavy comfortableness over Japan. Walking down one of Odaiba's sunlit streets, a pair of brothers with hair as golden as the sun shining down that day could be found. The older of the two, Ishida Yamato, smiled at his ototochan, now seventeen, and shook his head in a mix of mirth and amusement.

"How long has it been again?" the twenty-year old asked.

"Two years," Takeru replied grinning and failing to hide his blush.

"Man…that's a long time."

He smiled boyishly. "I wish it was longer…I want to spend forever with her, oniisan."

"You're really serious about her, ne?"

"I want to marry her."

Yamato laughed. "Fine, but wait a little, will you? Don't whip out the rings and marriage proposals right away! I don't think I'm ready to have Taichi-kun for a brother-in-law quite yet."

"Don't worry, Yama-niisan, I'm not going to ask her yet. I don't think I'm ready," he said, his cheeks still rather pink. "But I do want to give her something special for our anniversary. Maybe a promise ring?"

"That's a good idea. So why do you need me?"

"Well, I wanted some help picking it out."

He snorted. "Are you crazy?! I'm awful at choosing those things. Why didn't you get Mimi-chan or Sora-chan to help you? Or Miyako-chan?"

"They might have told her. I don't want to risk her finding out…I want it to be a surprise."

Yamato rolled his eyes teasingly. "You and your romantic antics," he muttered.

The rest of the walk to the jewelry store continued in relative silence. Takeru's mind occupied him with fantasies of the joy on Hikari's face at seeing the ring. Yamato didn't appear to be thinking of anything in particular, but one could guess that a certain girl, who dyed her hair a new colour every week, was at the front of it…or perhaps it was his music. Perhaps both. You couldn't tell by looking at him.

The pair finally arrived at the jewelry store and entered. Takaishi shivered as a cold blast of air-conditioned air hit his bare arms as soon as he'd stepped over the store's threshold and noticed the hair on Ishida's arms standing up as well.

The store was almost uncomfortably quiet. The soft sound of classical music played faintly in the background, almost undetectable. Yamato let out a breath of air as he cased the place with a single look. He'd only been in here about a half-dozen times, had only purchased one of their expensive pieces less times than that.

'Takeru-ototochan must be really, really serious,' he thought.

A young girl with short red wavy hair approached them, a cheery smile on her face. "Ohayo," she greeted. "I'm Naru, may I help you?"

"Ohayo," Yamato mumbled in return.

"Ohayo," Takeru chirped. "I'd like to look at your rings."

"Certainly," she smiled and raised her eyebrows in a friendly fashion. She led him over to the section of glass casings, which held the rings. "Are you looking for an engagement ring?"

He shook his head bashfully. "Promise."

"Okay," she said sweetly. "Do you have anything in particular in mind?"

Again, he shook his head. "I'm hoping for something simple yet elegant."

"You mean cheap," his brother smirked.

Takeru shot him a look, then returned his attention to the redheaded girl who was talking about some of the rings.

"What about that one?" he interrupted her, pointing to a silver ring with what appeared to be a pink crystal flower on it – a flower that looked suspiciously like the crest of light.

"That one is twenty-four thousand yen," she told him. "Would you like to see it?"

"Hai, onegai."

She went around to the other side of the case and, producing a key, opened it. She took out the attractive band and placed it into his palm delicately.

"The band is made of twenty karat silver and the jewels are pink sapphires."

"It's perfect," he breathed. "Yama-niisan? What do you think?"

Yamato smiled. "I'm sure she'll love it."

"I'll take it," Takeru grinned, paying no attention to the expensive price. As far as he was concerned, his angel was more than worth it.

Naru took the ring and went about boxing it appropriately and so on. She rang up the sale and Takeru paid her. She handed him the tiny velvet package and bid him a nice day. He returned the polite farewell and the pair of brothers left the store, stepping into the hot air of Odaiba's sunny streets.

"Arigato, 'niisan!"

"I don't know what you're talking about," Yamato shrugged "I didn't do anything. You did everything yourself."

"Well, it was nice to have someone with me."

"Oh, no problem. I've got to jet though, band practice."

"As usual," Takeru smiled. "Ja ne!"

"Ja, ototochan!"

The brothers parted ways. Takeru continued down the road, running a hand through his hair every now and then, which was uncomfortably heated by the sun. He almost wished he still wore his old bucket hat, but reflected that Hikari seemed to like him better without it.

Thinking of Hikari, he could swear he heard her laugh. He paused in his step. Actually, he was positive that he had just heard the musical sound of her giggling. With a toothy smile, he quickened his pace, altering his path to cross hers.

She was just around the corner, he was sure, and just as he had almost reached it, he heard voices, and paused.

"Don't tell Takeru, okay?" he heard her say.

His smile faltered at that – she always called him "'Keru-chan", then slowly faded to a frown when he heard the reply.

"Of course not, Hikari-chan," Ken said. "I may not be a genius anymore, but I'm not a baka!"

She laughed. "I know," she assured him. Takeru heard the sound of lips smacking and shivered, his blood suddenly feeling cold despite the sunny atmosphere. Without waiting to hear more, he turned and quickly hurried back the way he'd come, heading straight for home.

* * * * *

Takeru did his best to forget what he'd heard that day as their two-year anniversary approached, but he began to notice a million little things that he never had before, and they all seemed to gather in the pit of his stomach, making him fear losing her more and more.

He sat in his bedroom, the promise ring he'd bought her three weeks earlier held tightly in his hand. He turned his eyes from the picture he'd been staring at.

It was of he and Hikari on their one-year anniversary, his arms wrapped around her midriff from behind, his head on her shoulder. Her hands rested on his arms, they both had big smiles on their faces and their eyes twinkled warmly with the glow of love. Did she still love him?, he wondered. He wasn't sure anymore.

He fixed his gaze instead on the tiny promise band. He fidgeted with it, before holding it up so that he could stare at the small flower-like crystal. Light… She had always been his. Ever since they'd met at eight years of age and quickly be come friends, she had always been able to bring light to his world, inspiring his hope.

He picked up the phone and dialed her number; he'd known it by heart since he had been twelve years old. The sound of her picking up the phone greeted his ears.

"Moshi moshi," she said. "Ken?"

Without thought, he just hung up. Why was she expecting his call? She was always around him now. Was she…was she being unfaithful to him? He didn't want to think about it, couldn't bear the thought, yet he couldn't seem to stop.

Just the other day, they had gone over to her apartment after a date. He'd glanced at the phone when they got there, the display saying that she had one new message – from "Ichijoji K".

In and of itself, a voicemail was hardly incriminating, but a few days before that he'd run into them together on the street, which was bad enough, but it was even worse, for she was in his embrace.

And the previous week… The list of events seemed endless. They were all minor, but when lumped together, they were enough to make you lose your mind. As it was, Takeru began to doubt his.

'I've got to do something,' he thought desperately, his heart aching painfully in his chest. What would he do if he lost her? If she chose someone else over him?

* * * * *

Yamato sat on Takeru's couch, a cup of tea in his hand as he watched his ototochan pace back and forth, most likely wearing a hole in the carpet. Takeru was frustrated to near-tears as he explained his problem to Yama, making sure to mention every event worth mentioning that had transpired over the past three weeks – and even a few that weren't.

"What should I do?" the young blonde-haired boy asked weakly, his shoulders sagging. "Our anniversary is in three days…"

"Talk to her," Yamato advised simply.

"Nani? Now?"

"Why not?"

"Because…because what if she tells me that…you know…"

"You mean, what if she tells you something you don't want to hear?"

Takeru nodded. "I can't lose her, Yama-niisan, I can't…"

Yamato stood up and awkwardly hugged his younger brother. Takeru squeezed him as though his life depended on it, feeling very weak. After a few minutes he gained enough control over himself to release Yamato.

"I'm going to sleep on it," he told his oniisan quietly. His sigh was heartfelt. "Maybe I'll feel a little more courageous in the morning."

* * * * *

Takaishi Takeru's sleep was fitful that night. After tossing and turning for nine hours, he finally gave up and got out of bed, groaning at the sight of the beginning of yet another beautiful summer day, seriously contrasting with his dark mood.

'Would it be too much to ask for a little rain once in a while?!" he wondered mutinously.

Stumbling into the shower, he washed quickly. He toweled off, then wrapped the towel around his waist, grabbing a second one for around his neck, which he then used to gently dry his hair with. He kept it over his shoulders as he went through his morning routine, focusing on the tedious rituals so as to keep his mind off of his bigger problem.

It didn't work very well, but it was enough to distract him such that the sharp pain in his chest was reduced to a dull ache and the sinking feeling in his gut became an unsettled stomach. Not much of an improvement, but it would do.

He dialed the number to the Yagami's. The phone rang four times before Taichi picked up.

"Moshi moshi," he said tiredly.

"Taichi-san? This is Takeru. Can I speak to Hikari-chan please?"

"Takeru-kun, do you have any idea how early it is?!"

"Gomen nasai, Taichi-san, it's important."

He sighed. "Hold on a second."

The phone clicked as Takeru was put on hold. A few moments later, a sleepy-sounding Hikari came on the line.

"Ohayo, 'Keru-chan," she said warmly, despite her fatigue.

"Ohayo, Tenshi," he murmured softly. "Can I…can I come over?"

"Now?"

"Hai."

"Okay," she agreed quietly. "Just a warning," she added in a happiness-tinged voice, "I might still be in my pajamas. Is that okay with you?"

He couldn't help laughing lightly. "I'm sure you'll still be beautiful."

She smiled, "See you soon, 'Keru-chan."

"Ja ne, Tenshi."

He waited for the click of her phone before replacing his in its cradle. He felt a little better about seeing Hikari now that he had talked to her, and that had dispelled his nervousness somewhat.

No matter what, he told himself, he wanted her to be happy. Above all else, above everything including his own happiness, he wanted what was best for her. And if it meant that he had to let her go…well, he'd have to do it. He wasn't sure how he'd ever manage the feat, but he'd find the strength somewhere inside of him, should he need it. His new decision, however, didn't stop him from hoping and praying that he wouldn't have to.

* * * * *

His light knocking at the Yagami door was rewarded with the sight of his angelic girlfriend opening it in her pajamas, just as she had warned. Her hair, longer than it had been at twelve, and reaching almost to her shoulders, had been clipped back, indicating that she had taken a few minutes to fuss with her appearance while he was on his way over.

She let him in, rising on tiptoe to kiss him affectionately on the lips in greeting. He found himself stilling at her touch, the feel of her lips on his reminding of the kiss he had heard almost a month prior, and he couldn't bring himself to return it. The dormant feelings in his stomach rose up in full force.

Hikari noticed the way his body stiffened and that he did not return it. She pulled away and looked at him. "What's wrong?"

"We need to talk," he said slowly. "Is there somewhere we can go to be in private?"

"We can go to my room," she nodded, blinking back tears that she hoped he wouldn't notice. He had spoken so ominously that it scared her. And the words 'we need to talk' were almost never good things.

He slipped his shoes off and followed her to her bedroom, which had been a small sitting room when they were children, but she had been given it when her parents decided that she was old enough to merit a private bedroom.

Once inside, he sat on her bed while she closed the door behind them, biting her lip in worry. She walked over and sat beside him, her hands in her lap, where she gazed wordlessly, unaware that her posture was almost an exact mirror of his.

A few moments passed in silence before he spoke up, "About a month ago, I was walking down the street, when I heard you laughing. I stopped when I was just around the corner and I heard you talking to Ken," he informed her, his voice quiet. He looked at her, but couldn't make out her reaction, so he continued. "I heard you two kiss."

Her head shot up almost violently and she immediately opened her mouth to protest, but he held up a silencing hand.

"Over the past month, almost every time I've seen you it's been with him. Every time I glance at your phone, I see that he's called; I pass you in the streets, and your hugging him; I call you and you're expecting him."

"Keru-chan," she broke in.

He cut her off. "Hikari-chan, I love you more than anything, and if you want to be with Ken you could have just told me. I can't say that I'd understand, but I'd deal okay with it. I just want you to be happy…"

"Keru-chan, will you just let me speak?!"

He nodded. "Hai, speak."

She swallowed. "As you know, our anniversary is in two days. I've been looking for your present for a while now and Ken has been using his connections to help me." She paused. "I did kiss him a month ago, but it was just a peck on the cheek, to thank him. The day you called and hung up was the day I was expecting his call about your present. It was getting close to our anniversary and I was anxious because there had been delays and I wanted to be able to give it to you on time…

"There's more than that though," she continued. "I love you too, Keru-chan, and you'll always be the best friend I have, but since we started dating, there have been things that I haven't really been able to talk to you about."

"What can't you talk to me about?"

"You, for one thing," she couldn't help giggling softly. "And if I started talking about guys I'm pretty sure now – before I only suspected – that you'd go into a jealous fit!" She gave him a small smile. "Ken and I have happened to grow close, over the past few months especially, because we have a lot in common and he's easy to talk to, but we're just friends. Besides, I don't like him that way."

"You don't?" he asked hopefully.

"Of course not! I love you, silly! If you want me to be happy, then you'd better never leave me because you make me happy."

Takeru's eyes became watery as he whispered, "Gomen, Tenshi, gomen nasai. I don't deserve you."

"Don't turn this into a soap opera, Keru-chan," Hikari said, hugging him. "You do deserve me. We deserve each other…" He hugged her back, feeling incredible guilt at having ever doubted her fidelity. She broke off the embrace and murmured, "I wanted to save this until our anniversary…but now I want to give it you."

"It's okay, Tenshi, you don't have to."

"I want to," she told him, getting off the bed and walking over to her closet. She slid open the door and rose onto her tiptoes to take a large square box wrapped in yellow paper off of the shelf. Holding it under one arm, she slid the door closed again, and came over to Takeru. She handed him the box. "Happy anniversary."

He accepted the box from her, gently peeling the large baby pink envelope off of the box. It read "Keru-chan" in Hikari's fanciest writing and he opened it first, reading her letter.

Dear Keru-chan

Happy anniversary, kuibito. It's been two years that we've been together – two years since our oniisan's were able to make us look beyond our nerves and our fears to our love for one another. Aishiteru, Keru-chan, with all my heart and I know that no matter what happens, I always will. We have been through so much together, from our frightening times in the Digital World to the equally scary year we spent in Nozokiri-sensei's math class. It means so much to me to know that I can always rely on you to be there for me. Nine years of friendship, two years of love, and I hope both will extend throughout our lives. I love you, always and forever.

With love, light, and hope,
Your Tenshi,
Hikari

Takeru's eyes stung as they filled with tears, this time happy ones. 'I haven't cried this much since that first time in the Digital World!' He turned to Hikari and embraced her warmly. "Aishiteru," he murmured over and over into her soft chestnut hair.

She held him tightly and buried her head into the comfort of his chest. "I know," she whispered. "I know…"

When they had finally held each other for a sufficient time, they released their hold and Takeru unwrapped his present. He carefully unstuck each piece of tap from the corners of the box, then peeled away the paper and set it aside, keeping it entirely in tact. Hikari laughed softly at his meticulous habit. Takeru opened the white box and pushed away the snowy tissue paper within it to find…a basketball?

Apparently, he had spoken his surprise aloud, for she said, "Take it out, 'Keru-chan." He did. "Now, turn it over." He did that too.

"Wow," he murmured, impressed. The other side of the ball read:

To Hope
Keep on playin'!
Allen Iverson

It was in English, but Takeru had been forced to learn a bit of the language in school, and could read the message with relative ease.

"I don't know much about basketball," Hikari admitted. "But Ken told me that he's the best player playing right now. I tried to get you Michael Jordan because he's supposed to be the best ever and he's the only one I really know, but it didn't really work out…But Ken was able to use his connections from before to help me get this."

"Domo arigato, Tenshi."

"So you like it?" she smiled.

"I love it," he assured her, kissing her lips tenderly. "But not as much as I love you."

Her smile grew at that.

Takeru reached into his pocket then and pulled out the little pink box that contained Hikari's present. "Since I got to open my present early, I think it's only fair that you get to open mine." And with that, he handed her hers.

She accepted the present, opening her package much the same way Takeru had, and now it was his turn to chuckle at her cute habit. She snapped open the tiny jewelry box and gasped at the beautiful ring.

"It's a promise ring," Takeru explained quietly. "I don't have a beautiful card for you, but I can promise you that no matter what I'll always love you and I'll always be here for you." He swallowed the sudden lump that had formed in his throat. "I want to spend the rest of my life with you, Tenshi, and I know that we're too young to get married, but I hope that…maybe one day…"

She threw her arms around him, the ring box still clutched tightly in one hand, and kissed him fiercely on the lips, happy tears sneaking out of the corners of her eyes. When their mouths separated, many minutes later, she murmured, "Hai, Keru-chan…and arigato. Aishiteru."

"Aishiteru," he echoed back happily.

"Put it on me?" she asked, handing him the ring box. He opened the box and gracefully took the ring from it. He took her hand in his and, in one elegant motion, slid the band onto her ring finger, effectively claiming her as his.

She smiled at him, then said, "Now, get out of here. I'm still in my pajamas, I've got to get dressed!"

Laughing, he complied. He walked out into the main room to find Taichi sleepily watching television, scratching his stomach and yawning loudly. He chuckled as he sat down on the opposite sofa. His brother was no better…

Hikari came out of her room a few moments later, looking positively angelic in a sleeveless white shirt and a short denim skirt. He stood to meet her when the phone rang. She held up a finger. "Hold that thought," she smiled.

Takeru nodded and she went over to answer the phone.

"Moshi moshi."

He didn't pay much attention to the rest of the conversation, but instead retreated into his head and the world of thoughts within it, which, at the moment, mostly consisted of Hikari flying to him on angel wings. His Tenshi…

The sight of her before him pulled him from his dream world, however. "Keru-chan?"

"Yeah?"

"Did you talk to Yamato-san about your, um, worries?" she asked, a little nervously. "About you and me? …And Ken?"

He nodded. "Why?"

"That was Ken on the phone," Hikari explained. "He said to tell you, and I quote, 'your damn brother is over here and he's ready to beat me over the head with his guitar. Get him to stop!'"

Takeru sweat-dropped. "I'll be back…" he promised her, kissing her quickly before running out the door to stop his oniisan before Ken ended up dead.

'Well, at least he gives good advice…'

THE END

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