AN: Hey minna! First of all, thank you so much for reading the first part of my fic. I never expected to get that much reviews! Hopefully, this chapter you will like more since the last one was kinda sad. As always, happy reading and please review!

And, I would like to say I'm sorry for the victims of the tragedy that occurred the last week.

Takeru: *big watery eyes* Kari does love me! She has too! *pulled a dandelion and started pulling petal after petal* She loves me, she loves me not. She loves me, she loves me not..

Taichi: *pats Takeru's back* I feel for you buddy. I really do.

Me: How about me? *points to self* I need comforting too since, I DONT OWN DIGIMON! How come nobody's patting my back?! *wails*

Yamato: Oh, it's okay. *pats my back*

Me: Thanks a lot Matt. I hope time will soon mend my broken heart for I cannot bear such pain any longer.

Yamato: *cocked an eyebrow* Uh... don't you think you're overreacting?

Me: No! *resumes crying*

~*

I Do... Not

~*

Last time:

" Kari-"

" Just get out!" she yelled

" No!" he protested. " I won't! Not until you tell me the real reason why!"

" Because I don't love you!"

~*

The tears seemed to stop pouring from his puffy, sapphire orbs all of a sudden. Her harsh words were like hard, painful blows striking straight through his already bleeding heart. He felt as though his lungs were being deflated, causing a malfunction to his breathing. She can't mean that. Surely he must've heard wrong.

" No," he whispered all the while shaking his head unconsciously, not believing a word she had said.

" I don't love you! Is that what you want to hear?!" Kari continued her hysterical fit.

" No Kari," he pleaded, voice hoarse and barely audible. " No. No Kari, I refuse to believe that!"

Hikari's face fell for only a mere second, betraying the mixed emotion of self-loathing and grieve that was carefully hidden behind the cold façade. Her change of emotion went unnoticed by Takeru's blurred vision.

" I will ask you again to please leave," she dictated, wiping the stream of tears from her cheeks.

" Kari no! I don't believe you!"

Takeru, too caught up with his emotions, pulled Hikari into a tight embrace, crushing the young woman's petite form in his muscular frame. Hikari, restraining the oncoming tears that will surely break free any second, tried to break loose of the steel hold he had on her.

She let out a small whimper before pushing him away and running up to her bedroom, leaving Takeru to mourn for his loss while she grieved on hers alone and unseen.

~*

Expressive, hazel eyes moved from left to right as the owner read furiously, engrossed with the book she had just purchased yesterday. Besides her even breathing, pages being turned, and the gasps that escaped her throat now and then, nothing was heard in the spacious living room. A thundering crash pulled the woman's attention back to reality. The tear-stained face of Takeru appeared on the door, not acknowledging her stunned presence as he came waltzing in.

Takeru exited the living room and strolled down the hall to his room, the woman in hot pursuit.

Slamming the door shut, he leaned on the wooden portal for support and broke down. A soft knocking on the door made him stop for a moment.

" T.K?" a gentle voice queried from the other side.

" Leave me alone Mimi, I would like to be alone for now!" he snapped rather harshly.

" It's okay T.K. I just want to help," she murmured.

Takeru's face hardened.

" I don't want any pity from you or anybody else."

" T.K. please. Just talk to me," she replied, a hint of worry and desperation in her voice.

He buried his face in his hands. He can't deal with this right now. He can't talk about it. Not right now. The jingling of the doorknob startled him as his persistent sister-in-law tried to open his door. Jumping up to his feet, he tried to wipe the tears that streamed down his cheeks. Mimi, who had managed to open the door, looked at him with a sympathetic look.

He didn't know what happened after that. Something just snapped inside of him as he once again broke down into helpless sobs. Mimi caught him in her gentle embrace as he collapsed on the floor.

" It's going to be alright," she assured, stroking his hair in attempt to calm him down.

" It hurts," he whimpered like a child. " It hurts so bad."

" I know," she whispered, tears in her eyes. " I know."

" It hurts," he repeated while holding onto her like there was no tomorrow.

Nothing was said between them after that. The only sound that was heard was Takeru's sniffling and the deafening sound of his heart as it slowly crumbled into a heap of rubble that only he could hear.

~*

Trying to forget Takeru's expression was hard, as Hikari soon found out. Everywhere she looked she see his unbelieving face as she said those cruel, untrue words.

Groaning, she pushed herself off the bed and went to her private bathroom to wash her face.

She had to get out of the blasted room sometime. She had spent the entire week locked up in there, doing nothing but cry her eyes out. Taichi, though more than a little worried about his young sister, did not dare to intrude her privacy. She needed some time alone, that he knows, but sometimes he couldn't help the urge to go up there and drag her out.

Watching television did not help at all to ease his worries about his sister. Frustrated, he flicked the remote and turned off the t.v. just as Hikari walked through the living room doorway and flopped herself on the couch with his brother. Snatching the remote control from her brother, who's apparently surprised at her sudden arrival, she switched the television on.

Hikari, aware of the looks her brother is giving her as she switch the channel, cleared her throat and declared with a laugh, " Chill Tai, blink for crying out loud."

Hikari's statement brought the dazed Taichi back to reality, as he slowly averted his gaze from her. Unable to believe what he saw, he looked at the corner of his eyes just to see his sister's usual happy face masked with a serious one.

" Jeez Kari," he sighed, " about time you get out of that room."

She just shrugged.

" Matt called, you know," he informed. " Seems like Takeru's in no better sha-"

" Please, can we not talk about it?" she asked, cutting his sentence short. " I'm so tired of thinking about it."

" No, I think we should talk," Tai persisted, turning fully to her.

Hikari rolled her eyes and sighed loudly before getting up from her seat and preparing to leave, in attempt to avoid the subject. Taichi's hand shot up, grabbing her wrist and pulling her back to her seat.

" Let go, Tai!" she ordered, trying to squirm her wrist out of his steel grasp.

Her brother's expression was a mix of sympathy and accusation.

" You lied to him Kari," he whispered.

" I don't care," she cried.

" Why do you do this?"

" Because I can!" she shot back. Hot tears prick at the back of her eyes which she refuse to release, as she tried to pry her hand from Tai.

Taichi, unable to deal with his sister's attitude, grabbed her other hand and forced her to look at him.

" Don't you ever give up?!" he bellowed. " You are so content seeing other people find their happy ending while you sit there and watch yours slip away!"

" You should talk! How come you never chased after your happy ending?!" she sobbed, tears running down her face.

He was speechless for a moment.

" Huh Tai? I'll tell you why. Because you were a coward! You were scared too! Just like me!"

" Don't you bring up that subject," he threatened.

Hikari, unfazed by his words chuckled bitterly.

" Oh yeah, you are Tai. Because if you weren't, you should be with her right this minute!"

" You don't know what your talking about!" he shouted in protest, jumping to his feet.

" Oh, I do know what I'm talking about, Tai."

She looked at him with eyes filled with hatred.

" What happened to you?" he whispered.

The look of disappointment on Taichi's face broke her heart. Collapsing on the floor, she cried, holding onto her brother who, fortunately, caught her.

" I love him so much Tai!" she cried, burying her face in his shoulders. " I love him so much."

" Then why did you lie to him?" he whispered as tears streamed down his handsome face.

" Because I'm scared," she hiccuped.

Taichi sighed, rubbing her back for comfort.

" You're not the only one who's scared. Can't you see that T.K's afraid too? But he's willing to go for it and risk his heart to the pain he'll have to go through. I think all he wants is for you to give your relationship a chance to move on to the next level."

" I don't want to get hurt. And I certainly don't want to hurt him," she reasoned.

" But don't you realize that that is exactly what you're doing to him now?" he questioned softly.

Hikari did not answer that. She already knew the answer, and she did not like it at all.

" I am so cruel," she whimpered.

" No," he said, " just a coward."

Hikari had to giggle at his comment, despite her current condition. Taichi's face brightened as he watched his sister's eyes dance in mirth.

" You are so mean," she teased. " But thanks."

She then wrapped him in her warm embrace and kissing his soft, moist cheeks before whispering, " I'm going to get my happy ending back. Maybe it's not too late to go after yours."

He smiled as his sister released him and ran upstairs to her room.

" Maybe I will."

~*

Hikari fiddled with her heart shaped necklace nervously, which was given to her by Takeru on her 18th birthday. She was standing outside Yamato and Mimi's house where Takeru was living.

Taking a deep breath, she straightened up and proceeded walking toward the front door. After reaching her destination, she closed her eyes for a moment to calm herself, and pressed the doorbell. A few moments have passed before someone opened the door.

That someone was Takeru Ishida, still wearing his pajama in the middle of the afternoon, with tousled blonde hair and bloodshot eyes, which widen in surprise when he saw the figure standing at the door.

" Hi," Hikari greeted softly, head bowed.

Takeru prepared to close the door mostly because he doesn't want to look at her and partially because he doesn't want her to see him looking like a wreck.

" T.K. just let me explain," she pleaded.

" You don't have to Kari," he said coldly, which crushed Hikari immensely.

" Well," she whispered, " I guess I deserve that."

Takeru stepped aside from the door, indicating her to go in.

Glancing at her wearing bell bottom jeans and yellow sweater underneath her black winter jacket, he thought, ' I look like crap."

He combed his hair with his hands.

" Umm..." Hikari began nervously, turning around to face him.

" Please sit down," offered Takeru, trying to sound as calm as possible when all the while all he wanted to do was cry as that dreadful day kept repeating in his mind.

" No, no that's alright," was her reply.

An awkward silence enveloped them as Takeru stared intently at her, trying to restrain the expected tears, and Hikari, finding the floor more interesting than her companion.

Takeru, unable to bear the tension between them, drew a shaky breath before whispering, " You don't have to say anything. I've already accepted your decision."

The hint of hopelessness in his voice broke her heart, knowing that she was the one who did this to him.

" I'm sorry!" she cried as she flung herself to Takeru, who was caught off guard. " I'm so sorry I ever said that. I was stupid, cruel, and heartless. I didn't consider your feelings, and now I'm just so," she paused, looking for the right word, " sorry."

" Kari-" he began.

" Please forgive me T.K.," she pleaded, cutting him short. " I love you so much."

She tightened her embrace around him, emphasizing her feelings.

" I just want you to hear me say that," she whimpered as she let go of him and started for the door. " Goodbye."

Takeru turned around, gazing lovingly at her retreating form. He smiled tearfully and quickly followed her outside.

" I don't believe you," he called out.

Hikari stopped in her tracks, powerless to stop the tears that ran freely down her face. She turned around just to be greeted by Takeru's short, sweet kiss, and a tight hug.

" I don't believe, you want to say goodbye to me," he whispered.

It was as if tons of bricks were lifted from her life. Her heart seemed to flutter into the heavens as she sighed contently in his arms, tears of happiness running down her cheeks as she wrap her arms around him tightly.

" No," she mumbled in his shoulder, " I don't suppose I do."

Takeru lifted her up and swung her around and around, her laughter ringing in his ears like music. He finally put her down the ground, gazing at her with all the love he felt radiating from his sapphire eyes.

" Please say you'll be mine forever?" he said softly.

She sighed heavily. " I can't."

Takeru's face fell. Hikari hid her glee underneath the serious mask before continuing.

" Because I want to be with you for all eternity," she said with a smile.

Takeru's face broke into a huge grin.

" Well," he began, " you do realize that is corny, right?".

Hikari laughed out loud, eyes glittering in happiness.

" Yeah, but not as corny as your proposal."

Takeru frowned cutely.

" Hey! You don't really think it was corny, do you?" he asked, a tinge of hope in his voice.

" No," Hikari replied, shaking her head. " It was... romantic."

~*

AN: So guys, what'd you think? Pretty good? Better than nothing? Wasted your time reading? Well, it was a sucky fic. I should know. Tell me what you think, okay?

Bye and God Bless Everyone!

~hugz~

angel joy87