~*~
Ken and Yolei walked side by side. "I owe Tai a favor."
"So how are you going to repay him?"
"Well, from what I understand, Tai's looking for a girlfriend."
"Probably trying to get over Sora." Ken looked over at her, not sure of what she meant. "Digimon gossip," Yolei added. That seemed to clear things up. "So do you have anyone in mind?"
Ken sighed. "No."
"Maybe I can help."
"You know someone who might go out with him?"
"Yeah, I do..."
~*~
The pair stood outside Yolei's family's apartment door. "So...I'll e-mail you to set up a date?"
Yolei smiled. "Yeah."
"Good night." Ken kissed Yolei on the cheek, then turned and walked away with a wave.
Yolei watched him until he was out of sight. Then, with a sigh, she opened the door and walked inside.
~*~
The next day, Ken met up with Tai. "Hey Ken."
"Hi."
"So I hear things went well yesterday."
"Yeah, they did. Tai, can you meet a...uh...friend of mine later?"
"I guess so," the older boy replied.
"Great."
~*~
Later, Ken walked along the street, trying to catch sight of Yolei's exboyfriend, Kareshi. In his blue eyes there was a trace of anger. Having met Kareshi briefly before, he knew exactly who he was looking for.
BEGIN FLASHBACK
Yolei walked toward him, a boy at her side. "Hi, Ken," she called.
"Hi," Ken replied, slightly uncertain of what to say.
"This is Kareshi, my boyfriend."
"Hi."
"Hi." Ken noticed Kareshi looking at Yolei in a distrusting manner.
END FLASHBACK
Ken spotted Kareshi further up the street. "Hey, Kareshi!"
Kareshi turned. "Aren't you that Ken Ichijouji guy?"
"Yeah."
"So what do you want?"
"I just want to discuss a mutual acquantance with you."
"Hey, just because you're a genius doesn't mean you have to use fancy words."
Ken had a feeling Izzy got that a lot. He didn't bother to correct Kareshi's statement about Ken being a genius. Kareshi didn't need to know about the Dark Spore, after all. "I want to talk to you about a friend of ours."
~*~
Tai leaned against the table, waiting for Ken or his "friend". A few minutes passed and there was still no sign of Ken or his "friend".
"Excuse me."
Tai turned to see a girl with black hair with red highlights dyed into the waist-long strands. "Yeah?"
"I'm looking for Tai Kamiya."
Tai leapt to the conclusion that this was Ken's "friend". "I'm Tai Kamiya," he said, smiling at the girl.
"Oh good. I'm Oko."
~*~
Yolei stopped walking when she saw Ken and Kareshi. A shiver ran up her spine as she watched. She crept closer to them, then stopped and listened. "Oh, you mean Yolei?"
"Exactly," Ken answered. "Do you have any idea how much you hurt her?" The tone he used gave Yolei a clue of just what might happen. She looked first at Ken's slender frame, then at Kareshi's burlier frame.
Yolei gulped. **Ken doesn't stand a chance against Kareshi. I can't let him get hurt. But it's nice that he's standing up for me.** Yolei advanced toward Ken and Kareshi quickly now.
Kareshi shrugged. Fury seemed to erupt on Ken's face at the answer. "You...how could you be so heartless?"
Kareshi snarled. "Heartless? From what I've heard, you're more heartless than I am." Ken flinched at the verbal barb.
As Ken flinched, Kareshi drew back a fist. Knowing what would happen next, Yolei increased her speed again, even though there was no way she could reach Ken in time.
~*~
Tai took a sip of his soda. "So you're a friend of Ken's?"
A/N: Everybody seems to be drinking soda in this. First Yolei, now Tai...wonder if anyone else plans on a nice soda? And there's more to Oko than meets the eye...
Oko's dark eyes blinked. "No..."
Now it was Tai's turn to blink. His face held an expression of confusion. Oko continued, "I'm a classmate of Yolei's."
Tai's brown eyes blinked again, then he chuckled. "Okay, that makes sense."
"It does?"
Tai smiled. "Considering yesterday, it does indeed."
"Oh."
"So how did you meet Yolei?"
"I sit next to her in class."
"Oh. I should have guessed that."
~*~
A/N: Ken only gets hurt for storyline purposes. I have nothing against Ken, and actually he's one of my favorite characters.
Kareshi punhced Ken, who staggered backward. Yolei darted to Ken's side. With a baleful glare at Kareshi, Yolei wrapped her left arm around Ken and led him away.
"Yolei, let me go," Ken whispered.
"No," she replied firmly. "I'm not going to let you get hurt." Ken was silent. Yolei stepped in front of Ken. He heard the hiss of a swiftly intaken breath.
"What?"
"You've got a doozy of a black eye."
This worried Ken. "How am I supposed to explain this?"
Yolei sighed. "Just tell them the truth." She grabbed his arm. "Let's go."
"Go? Go where?"
"My apartment, silly. My parents aren't home right now, so we can take care of your eye."
"Are you sure they won't mind?"
"Positive."
~*~
A/N: Hawkmon, the instrument of lyrical work-ins and otherwise handy Digimon to have around. *grins*
Hawkmon had turned on music again. Yolei shook her head, wondering why the Digimon enjoyed music so much. She only half listened to it until one song came on. Then she stopped in her tracks.
Now that you are out of my life,
I'm so much better
You thought that I'd be weak without ya,
but I'm stronger
You thought that I'd be broke without ya,
but I'm richer
You thought that I'd be sad without ya,
I laugh harder
You thought I wouldn't grow without ya,
now I'm wiser
You thought that I'd be helpless without ya,
but I'm smarter
You thought that I'd be stressed without ya,
but I'm chillin'
You thought I wouldn't sell without ya,
sold 9 million
I'm a survivor (what),
I'm not gonna give up (what)
I'm not gon' stop (what),
I'm gonna work harder (what)
I'm a survivor (what), I'm gonna make it
(what)
I'm a survivor (what), keep on survivin' (what)
Thought I couldn't breath without ya,
I'm inhalin'
You thought I couldn't see without ya,
perfect vision
You thought I couldn't last without ya,
but I'm lastin'
You thought that I would die without ya,
but I'm livin'
Thought that I would fail without ya,
but I'm on top
Thought that it would be over by now,
but it won't stop
Thought that I would self destruct,
but I'm still here
Even in my years to come,
I'm still gonna be here
I'm a survivor (what),
I'm not gonna give up (what)
I'm not gon' stop (what),
I'm gonna work harder (what)
I'm a survivor (what), I'm gonna make it
(what)
I'm a survivor (what), keep on survivin' (what)
I'm wishin' you the best,
pray that you are blessed
Much success, no stress, and lots of happiness
(I'm better than that)
I'm not gonna blast you on the radio
(I'm better than that) I'm not gonna lie on you or yo family, yo
(I'm better than that)
I'm not gonna hate on you in the magazine
(I'm better than that)
I'm not gonna compromise my christianity
(I'm better than that)
You know I'm not gonna diss you on the internet
('Cause my mama taught me better than that)
I'm a survivor (what),
I'm not gonna give up (what)
I'm not gon' stop (what),
I'm gonna work harder (what)
I'm a survivor (what), I'm gonna make it
(what)
I'm a survivor (what), keep on survivin' (what)
After all of the darkness and sadness,
soon comes happiness
If I surround myself with positive things,
I'll gain posterity
I'm a survivor (what),
I'm not gonna give up (what)
I'm not gon' stop (what),
I'm gonna work harder (what)
I'm a survivor (what), I'm gonna make it
(what)
I'm a survivor (what), keep on survivin' (what)
I'm a survivor (what),
I'm not gonna give up (what)
I'm not gon' stop (what),
I'm gonna work harder (what)
I'm a survivor (what), I'm gonna make it
(what)
I'm a survivor (what), keep on survivin' (what)
"Yolei, are you alright?"
Yolei turned to face Ken. He held ice over his black eye. "I'm fine, but I just remembered something I have to do. Do you mind if I leave you here for a little while?"
Ken shook his head, setting his hair swinging. Yolei noticed he was careful to keep the ice where it was. "But what if your family comes back?"
"They won't," she replied with blunt honesty. "I'll return quickly," Yolei added, then walked to the door. "I promise." Then she left.
~*~
Tai walked along the street. He moved in a state of bliss that nothing seemed to penetrate, not even the sight of Matt and Sora.
Oko seemed to be such a sweet person. For a younger girl, she fascinated Tai in a way no girl had since Sora. **Wonder how she feels about me,** Tai mused. **I hope she likes me,** he added.
A/N: *blinks* What was I thinking here? *points to the earlier note that there is more to Oko than meets the eye* The key word here is SEEMED.
~*~
Yolei strode angrily toward Kareshi. "Hey, Kareshi!"
Her exboyfriend turned to face her. "What do you want?"
"I have to talk to you. Now!"
A/N: Look out, Yolei's pissed...
Surprised at Yolei's tone, Kareshi slowly walked toward her. "What is it?"
"Kareshi, you had no right to hurt Ken like that," Yolei snapped. "It shouldn't matter how much he got you angry! That still didn't give you the right--"
"Why do you care," Kareshi asked softly, his voice penetrating Yolei's outrage.
It took Yolei a few moments to answer, almost as if she asked herself the same question. "Because," Yolei answered, "he's my boyfriend."
Kareshi smirked. "I knew it," he said.
Yolei was not pleased with Kareshi's cockiness, so again she snapped at him. "My relationship to Ken is none of your concern! You know what, Kareshi? I'm GLAD you broke up with me. After all, if you hadn't, I never would have realized how nice Ken is compared to YOU!" She whirled to walk away. Kareshi said nothing. Then Yolei stalked off.
~*~
Ken looked up as the door opened. It was Yolei. She looked a little weary, but Ken had no idea why. "Are you alright?"
Yolei sighed. "I'm fine. How's your eye?"
"As good as it's going to be for a while."
Yolei nodded. "Then are you ready to go home?"
"I guess."
Yolei smiled as she looped her arm around his. "Then let's go explain to your parents how you got that black eye."
~*~
Sorry 'bout the long wait, but between writer's block, reluctance to hurt Ken, and the return of the Evil Homework Gods, it took me a while to write this and get it ready for posting. Read and review, please.