IX - The Date
"I'm going to get you for this." Daisuke mutterd as he stared at Dark
in the rearview mirror of his car. He was parked on the curb outside
Sakura's apartment complex.
/Don't worry about a thing./ Dark said. /You look good and besides
you'll thank me later for this date./
Daisuke had to admit that it felt nice to date again, he was a bit
nervous but somehow it seemed better since Dark was in the back of
his mind.
/Daisuke.../
"Yes?" he asked.
/... Riku would have wanted this./ he said quietly.
/I don't want you to be lonely./ her words echoed in his heart.
"Its so hard." he whispered, "But I like the way I am."
/You won't enjoy it in a few years./ Dark said, /Your grandfather
felt the same. Sometimes being alone with old memories huts in the
long run./
"Next you'll be telling me you're doing this for my own good." he
muttered as he opened the car door.
/Of course!/ Dark said with smugness.
"Yeah I'll get you. You'll see." Daisuke said as he closed the car
door.
/Coming from you that's as close to thanks I'll get./ Dark said with
a chuckle.
"Daisuke-kun!" Kimiko exclaimed.
"Hello Kimi-chan." he said as he approached the door.
Kimiko met him at the door. "You look nice."
He smiled. "Thank you."
"Oh!" Kimiko exclaimed. "I get it!" she put the key in the
door, "Sneaky Sakura-chan she didn't mention anything about a date."
Daisuke chuckled. "You seem excited any ways."
Kimiko turned to Daisuke, "That's because she needs someone, she's so
lonely sometimes." she looked at him with eyes that seemed to say, /I
hope you're the one./ It was very un-Kimi-like for her to say
something so serious.
He smiled, "Sometimes being lonely is a good thing."
Kimiko smiled softly, "Sometimes deep down we don't want to be
lonely." she opened the door and called out, "Tadaima! Guess who I
found!"
Yuri came out of her room and smiled. She pointed to Sakura's door.
Kimiko hopped over and knocked on it, "Sakura-chan!"
"Haiii~!" she called. She opened the door and looked out, "Oh!" she
exclaimed. "You're early."
"Sorry." he said.
"Its alright." she said and closed the door.
Kimiko smiled at Daisuke, "Want something to drink?"
Daisuke nodded. He looked down at the coffee table and smiled. Among
Yuri's history magazines and Sakura's school books was an occasional
manga. He picked one up and flipped through it.
"I didn't know you liked manga." Kimiko said when she returned with
some tea.
Daisuke took the tea, "I like manga, but I don't read the kind where
its two guys kissing."
Yuri giggled.
"What's the appeal?" he asked.
Yuri smiled, "Cute guys, decent plot. I like the art mostly. Its like
any other manga really, but it just has guys."
"Ahhh." Daisuke said. He turned when he heard the sound of a door
open.
Sakura stood in front of her room with a smile.
Daisuke could not think. He just stared.
/Wake up!/ Dark exclaimed. /Don't stare at her!/
/Right./ Daisuke thought suddenly and looked down at his drink.
Dark muttered something about Daisuke and self control.
/What was that?/
/Nothing, but if you don't say something soon she'll think you're
weird./
Daisuke smiled at Sakura and said, "You look pretty."
Sakura's smile grew a bit brighter.
/I love her smile./ Daisuke thought.
/Wake up!/ Dark said again.
"Thank you." she said. "You- you look nice too."
He stood up and walked up to her, "Shall we go?"
She nodded.
"Bye bye!" Kimiko called as she closed the door behind them.
/Kimi-chan.../ Sakura thought nearly embarrassed.
Daisuke walked along side her, "I was thinking dinner and then I have
a surprise." he said.
Sakura nodded.
Daisuke took that moment to take in what she was wearing. A simple
cream colored coat over a black skirt, cream colored turtle neck and
a faded gold linen shirt over it. A ribbon ran through the shirt at
the neck and sleeves creating a gathered tied up effect that suited
her well. He realized that it was the first time he had seen her
wear a bright color.
/Yes very pretty./
/What do you mean?/ Daisuke asked slightly irritated.
/Just saying what you don't even want to think./ Dark said with a
chuckle.
"Daisuke-san?" Sakura asked.
"Yes?" he asked.
"Isn't this your car?"
He turned and laughed a bit nervously, "Yes, sorry about that." he
pulled on a bit of courage from Dark and said, "I was so busy
admiring you, I missed the car."
Sakura looked down at her purse and said, "Tha-thank you." she said
softly.
/Nice./ Dark said.
Daisuke smiled.
A short drive later they were seated next to a window studying menus.
Sakura took this moment to take a good look at him.
Daisuke was reading the menu intently oblivious to the fact that she
was trying to peer at him over her menu. He wore a black turtle neck
sweater and a pair of dark blue jeans. It made his red hair stand out
more. His fingers drummed the edge the menu absentmindedly as he
browsed it. She noticed he had long almost graceful fingers. She
wondered how hands so nice could withstand the grueling work of judo.
"Ready?" he asked raising his eyes off the menu.
"Oh! Yes." she said as she quickly glanced at her menu. She gave her
order to the waiter and busied herself with her napkin as Daisuke
gave his.
Daisuke noticed that she dropped eye contact with him. He bit back a
sigh. "I-"
"How is your foot?" she asked.
He smiled, "Better."
She smiled back, "So when are you competing?"
"Not for a while." he said, "I need to work my muscles back up a bit
and then I'll rejoin the team at the end of the season."
"Pity." she said."You missed so much by then."
He shrugged, "Its not a big deal." he said. "I heal fast."
"So how did you learn judo?"
"My family taught me."
"Oh? Is it a particular school? Style?" she asked.
"Yes." he said.
Sakura opened her mouth to say something but she was interrupted by
the waiter who set bowls of soup down.
"In the end it doesn't matter." he said, "I used to compete when I
was younger."
/And the stolen pieces to prove it./ Dark said with a laugh.
Sakura nodded.
"And you? Why did you join the team?"
Sakura blew on her soup, "I was naturally flexible and athletic."
"Ahhh," he said. "I know the feeling."
"Joining the team seemed like a good idea to refine my skills." she
said.
"Was this for cheerleading?" Daisuke asked.
She looked down at her soup and gave it a stir, "Yes." she said after
a few turns of the spoon.
/It was more for catching cards./ she mentally answered.
"Cheerleading naturally went to gym." Daisuke said.
She nodded.
"I know the feeling." he said.
/This isn't so bad./
/No its not./ Daisuke replied.
Their bowls were replaced by their dinners. Daisuke was very
uncomfortable in the silence. He swallowed his food and
said, "Sakura-san."
She looked up at him her green eyes focused on him.
/Oh.../
/Sometimes you're still fourteen./ Dark muttered.
"How is your dinner?" he managed to say normally.
She smiled, "I like it. What about yours?"
"Its very good." he said.
/Offer her some./ Dark said.
/O-offer?/
/Hold out the fork and say 'Would you like to try some?'/ Dark said.
"Would you like to try?" Daisuke asked.
Sakura chewed a bit and then said, "All right."
/Where would you be with out me?/ Dark asked with a tone of
satisfaction.
"Yatta!" Sakura exclaimed clapping her hands.
"You sir, make this game look easy." said the barker.
/This is a walk in the park compared with what I have to do to steal
things./ Dark said with a bored sigh.
The surprise after dinner turned out to be a trip around an amusement
park. He had racked his brain for something fun to do with Sakura
and his very absent roommate managed to be in the same room with him
to mention the new amusement park.
'Take her to the new park!' Kentarou said.
'What park?'
'Well I guess an art history major wouldn't look at more current
works of art,' Kentarou joked, 'I took my girlfriend there, she loved
it!'
Daisuke smiled at his roommate and threw a rolled up pair of socks at
him, 'Thanks for the date suggestion, I won't kill you for the bad
joke.' he said.
He laughed as he took the winged plush bunny. He turned to Sakura and
held the bunny out.
"For me?" she asked.
He nodded, "Of course." he said.
Sakura stared at him for a moment, then at the bunny and took it. She
smiled, "Thank you. How did you make it look so easy?"
He shrugged, "Its nothing." he lied, "The game is tricky but its easy
to figure out the trick." Daisuke smiled at her, "Want to try?" he
held a ball up.
She shook her head, "Its all right I'm bad at those things."
He smiled, "That's hard to believe coming from a person that is
naturally athletic."
Sakura blushed. "You've been listening to Kimi-chan too much." she
said.
"No," he said as he put the balls down, "this is from natural
observation."
Sakura felt her heart skip a beat.
/If this keeps up, soon, just seeing him smile will make my day./ she
felt her heart turn cold with fear.
She had to end it.
"Sakura-san." Daisuke said, "Why don't we go for a ride on the ferris
wheel?"
She nodded.
Minutes later they were seated in the open car. Sakura placed the
bunny between them.
"I can hold him if you'd like." Daisuke said.
She shook her head, "Usagi-san looks nice there." she smiled.
/I love her smile./
/She's been smiling more often./ Dark said.
Daisuke smiled back at her, /Yes, I never noticed this./
/Or maybe she just thinks you're weird./
/Gee thanks. I'd like to think I picked up some pointers and looks
from you./ Daisuke said.
/I'm flattered!/
Sakura looked up at the sky, "Do you think..." she whispered, "that
the dead look down at us from above?"
Daisuke looked up, "I'd like to think that they're closer to us."
"Onii-chan would say the same. He and my oto-san see- I mean swear
that they can feel my okaa-san around them."
"You miss your mother a lot?" he asked.
She nodded. "Yes, but I learned to live with out a mother. Its hard
at times but you get used to it."
"I know the feeling." Daisuke said, "My father came back when I was
fourteen, I had never seen my father until then."
"Was it weird?" she asked. "Having your father suddenly come into
your life?"
"Not really." he said, "He became a very nice man, I saw why my
mother loved him very much. He adored her."
Sakura smiled softly, "That's so sweet." she sighed, "Oto-san would
say the same about okaa-san. He may not show it on the outside, but I
can tell by the way he looks at her picture that he misses her very
much. I love my oto-san even more for being both mother and father to
me." she made a face, "My onii-chan too. He made it his
responsibility to make sure that I never had a reason to cry. Of
course we both know how hard a responsibility that is to fulfill."
"We're a like then." Daisuke whispered. "We both grew up with only
one parent."
She nodded.
Silence. Daisuke smiled as the wheel took them higher.
"Daisuke-san." she said softly.
"Yes?"
"What's it like to have a mother?"
"Very nice." he said. "My mother is very loving, she has a very big
heart." he smiled, "she wanted a son very badly, when she had me she
was so happy."
"It must be nice to have that kind of love." she said.
"It must be nice to have a brother."
She made the same face at the mention of her brother, "He's annoying
and very overbearing, threatening that he will come and drag me home."
Daisuke laughed. "But he must have some good points."
"Well..." she smiled and looked at him, "its not bad, onii-chan is
someone I can always depend on."
Daisuke smiled.
"Oh! We're going back down!" she said.
"My stomach always lurches when we drop." he said.
Sakura laughed, "Me too!"
/I love her laugh./ Daisuke thought suddenly. /I want to hear more./
He walked her to her door.
"Thank you for the wonderful evening," Sakura said.
He smiled down at her, "The pleasure was all mine." he said. "I-"
Sakura dug into her purse for her keys. She fished them out and
smiled, "Well..."
"Well..."
"Thank you..." she said.
"You all ready said that." he said.
Sakura ducked her head, "Yes..."
"So..." he said letting his voice trail off.
She looked up at him, "I'll see you around!" she pushed the key into
the lock.
"Sakura-san." his hand wrapped itself around her arm.
She turned, hand still on the key.
He kissed her cheek and let go. "Goodnight."
She smiled at him, "Goodnight."
He watched as she opened the door and went in, smiling as she closed
the door.
Daisuke sighed.
/Something was off?/ Dark asked.
"I think..." Daisuke said as he got into his car and turned it on. "I
came on too strong." He glanced into the rearview mirror where Dark
looked back at him.
/I don't think so./ Dark said.
"This must be her first date in months." Daisuke said as he drove
home.
/A girl like her?/
"Looks can be deceiving." Daisuke said with a chuckle. "We Niwas
should know that better than anybody."
Dark laughed.
"I'm going to get you for this." Daisuke mutterd as he stared at Dark
in the rearview mirror of his car. He was parked on the curb outside
Sakura's apartment complex.
/Don't worry about a thing./ Dark said. /You look good and besides
you'll thank me later for this date./
Daisuke had to admit that it felt nice to date again, he was a bit
nervous but somehow it seemed better since Dark was in the back of
his mind.
/Daisuke.../
"Yes?" he asked.
/... Riku would have wanted this./ he said quietly.
/I don't want you to be lonely./ her words echoed in his heart.
"Its so hard." he whispered, "But I like the way I am."
/You won't enjoy it in a few years./ Dark said, /Your grandfather
felt the same. Sometimes being alone with old memories huts in the
long run./
"Next you'll be telling me you're doing this for my own good." he
muttered as he opened the car door.
/Of course!/ Dark said with smugness.
"Yeah I'll get you. You'll see." Daisuke said as he closed the car
door.
/Coming from you that's as close to thanks I'll get./ Dark said with
a chuckle.
"Daisuke-kun!" Kimiko exclaimed.
"Hello Kimi-chan." he said as he approached the door.
Kimiko met him at the door. "You look nice."
He smiled. "Thank you."
"Oh!" Kimiko exclaimed. "I get it!" she put the key in the
door, "Sneaky Sakura-chan she didn't mention anything about a date."
Daisuke chuckled. "You seem excited any ways."
Kimiko turned to Daisuke, "That's because she needs someone, she's so
lonely sometimes." she looked at him with eyes that seemed to say, /I
hope you're the one./ It was very un-Kimi-like for her to say
something so serious.
He smiled, "Sometimes being lonely is a good thing."
Kimiko smiled softly, "Sometimes deep down we don't want to be
lonely." she opened the door and called out, "Tadaima! Guess who I
found!"
Yuri came out of her room and smiled. She pointed to Sakura's door.
Kimiko hopped over and knocked on it, "Sakura-chan!"
"Haiii~!" she called. She opened the door and looked out, "Oh!" she
exclaimed. "You're early."
"Sorry." he said.
"Its alright." she said and closed the door.
Kimiko smiled at Daisuke, "Want something to drink?"
Daisuke nodded. He looked down at the coffee table and smiled. Among
Yuri's history magazines and Sakura's school books was an occasional
manga. He picked one up and flipped through it.
"I didn't know you liked manga." Kimiko said when she returned with
some tea.
Daisuke took the tea, "I like manga, but I don't read the kind where
its two guys kissing."
Yuri giggled.
"What's the appeal?" he asked.
Yuri smiled, "Cute guys, decent plot. I like the art mostly. Its like
any other manga really, but it just has guys."
"Ahhh." Daisuke said. He turned when he heard the sound of a door
open.
Sakura stood in front of her room with a smile.
Daisuke could not think. He just stared.
/Wake up!/ Dark exclaimed. /Don't stare at her!/
/Right./ Daisuke thought suddenly and looked down at his drink.
Dark muttered something about Daisuke and self control.
/What was that?/
/Nothing, but if you don't say something soon she'll think you're
weird./
Daisuke smiled at Sakura and said, "You look pretty."
Sakura's smile grew a bit brighter.
/I love her smile./ Daisuke thought.
/Wake up!/ Dark said again.
"Thank you." she said. "You- you look nice too."
He stood up and walked up to her, "Shall we go?"
She nodded.
"Bye bye!" Kimiko called as she closed the door behind them.
/Kimi-chan.../ Sakura thought nearly embarrassed.
Daisuke walked along side her, "I was thinking dinner and then I have
a surprise." he said.
Sakura nodded.
Daisuke took that moment to take in what she was wearing. A simple
cream colored coat over a black skirt, cream colored turtle neck and
a faded gold linen shirt over it. A ribbon ran through the shirt at
the neck and sleeves creating a gathered tied up effect that suited
her well. He realized that it was the first time he had seen her
wear a bright color.
/Yes very pretty./
/What do you mean?/ Daisuke asked slightly irritated.
/Just saying what you don't even want to think./ Dark said with a
chuckle.
"Daisuke-san?" Sakura asked.
"Yes?" he asked.
"Isn't this your car?"
He turned and laughed a bit nervously, "Yes, sorry about that." he
pulled on a bit of courage from Dark and said, "I was so busy
admiring you, I missed the car."
Sakura looked down at her purse and said, "Tha-thank you." she said
softly.
/Nice./ Dark said.
Daisuke smiled.
A short drive later they were seated next to a window studying menus.
Sakura took this moment to take a good look at him.
Daisuke was reading the menu intently oblivious to the fact that she
was trying to peer at him over her menu. He wore a black turtle neck
sweater and a pair of dark blue jeans. It made his red hair stand out
more. His fingers drummed the edge the menu absentmindedly as he
browsed it. She noticed he had long almost graceful fingers. She
wondered how hands so nice could withstand the grueling work of judo.
"Ready?" he asked raising his eyes off the menu.
"Oh! Yes." she said as she quickly glanced at her menu. She gave her
order to the waiter and busied herself with her napkin as Daisuke
gave his.
Daisuke noticed that she dropped eye contact with him. He bit back a
sigh. "I-"
"How is your foot?" she asked.
He smiled, "Better."
She smiled back, "So when are you competing?"
"Not for a while." he said, "I need to work my muscles back up a bit
and then I'll rejoin the team at the end of the season."
"Pity." she said."You missed so much by then."
He shrugged, "Its not a big deal." he said. "I heal fast."
"So how did you learn judo?"
"My family taught me."
"Oh? Is it a particular school? Style?" she asked.
"Yes." he said.
Sakura opened her mouth to say something but she was interrupted by
the waiter who set bowls of soup down.
"In the end it doesn't matter." he said, "I used to compete when I
was younger."
/And the stolen pieces to prove it./ Dark said with a laugh.
Sakura nodded.
"And you? Why did you join the team?"
Sakura blew on her soup, "I was naturally flexible and athletic."
"Ahhh," he said. "I know the feeling."
"Joining the team seemed like a good idea to refine my skills." she
said.
"Was this for cheerleading?" Daisuke asked.
She looked down at her soup and gave it a stir, "Yes." she said after
a few turns of the spoon.
/It was more for catching cards./ she mentally answered.
"Cheerleading naturally went to gym." Daisuke said.
She nodded.
"I know the feeling." he said.
/This isn't so bad./
/No its not./ Daisuke replied.
Their bowls were replaced by their dinners. Daisuke was very
uncomfortable in the silence. He swallowed his food and
said, "Sakura-san."
She looked up at him her green eyes focused on him.
/Oh.../
/Sometimes you're still fourteen./ Dark muttered.
"How is your dinner?" he managed to say normally.
She smiled, "I like it. What about yours?"
"Its very good." he said.
/Offer her some./ Dark said.
/O-offer?/
/Hold out the fork and say 'Would you like to try some?'/ Dark said.
"Would you like to try?" Daisuke asked.
Sakura chewed a bit and then said, "All right."
/Where would you be with out me?/ Dark asked with a tone of
satisfaction.
"Yatta!" Sakura exclaimed clapping her hands.
"You sir, make this game look easy." said the barker.
/This is a walk in the park compared with what I have to do to steal
things./ Dark said with a bored sigh.
The surprise after dinner turned out to be a trip around an amusement
park. He had racked his brain for something fun to do with Sakura
and his very absent roommate managed to be in the same room with him
to mention the new amusement park.
'Take her to the new park!' Kentarou said.
'What park?'
'Well I guess an art history major wouldn't look at more current
works of art,' Kentarou joked, 'I took my girlfriend there, she loved
it!'
Daisuke smiled at his roommate and threw a rolled up pair of socks at
him, 'Thanks for the date suggestion, I won't kill you for the bad
joke.' he said.
He laughed as he took the winged plush bunny. He turned to Sakura and
held the bunny out.
"For me?" she asked.
He nodded, "Of course." he said.
Sakura stared at him for a moment, then at the bunny and took it. She
smiled, "Thank you. How did you make it look so easy?"
He shrugged, "Its nothing." he lied, "The game is tricky but its easy
to figure out the trick." Daisuke smiled at her, "Want to try?" he
held a ball up.
She shook her head, "Its all right I'm bad at those things."
He smiled, "That's hard to believe coming from a person that is
naturally athletic."
Sakura blushed. "You've been listening to Kimi-chan too much." she
said.
"No," he said as he put the balls down, "this is from natural
observation."
Sakura felt her heart skip a beat.
/If this keeps up, soon, just seeing him smile will make my day./ she
felt her heart turn cold with fear.
She had to end it.
"Sakura-san." Daisuke said, "Why don't we go for a ride on the ferris
wheel?"
She nodded.
Minutes later they were seated in the open car. Sakura placed the
bunny between them.
"I can hold him if you'd like." Daisuke said.
She shook her head, "Usagi-san looks nice there." she smiled.
/I love her smile./
/She's been smiling more often./ Dark said.
Daisuke smiled back at her, /Yes, I never noticed this./
/Or maybe she just thinks you're weird./
/Gee thanks. I'd like to think I picked up some pointers and looks
from you./ Daisuke said.
/I'm flattered!/
Sakura looked up at the sky, "Do you think..." she whispered, "that
the dead look down at us from above?"
Daisuke looked up, "I'd like to think that they're closer to us."
"Onii-chan would say the same. He and my oto-san see- I mean swear
that they can feel my okaa-san around them."
"You miss your mother a lot?" he asked.
She nodded. "Yes, but I learned to live with out a mother. Its hard
at times but you get used to it."
"I know the feeling." Daisuke said, "My father came back when I was
fourteen, I had never seen my father until then."
"Was it weird?" she asked. "Having your father suddenly come into
your life?"
"Not really." he said, "He became a very nice man, I saw why my
mother loved him very much. He adored her."
Sakura smiled softly, "That's so sweet." she sighed, "Oto-san would
say the same about okaa-san. He may not show it on the outside, but I
can tell by the way he looks at her picture that he misses her very
much. I love my oto-san even more for being both mother and father to
me." she made a face, "My onii-chan too. He made it his
responsibility to make sure that I never had a reason to cry. Of
course we both know how hard a responsibility that is to fulfill."
"We're a like then." Daisuke whispered. "We both grew up with only
one parent."
She nodded.
Silence. Daisuke smiled as the wheel took them higher.
"Daisuke-san." she said softly.
"Yes?"
"What's it like to have a mother?"
"Very nice." he said. "My mother is very loving, she has a very big
heart." he smiled, "she wanted a son very badly, when she had me she
was so happy."
"It must be nice to have that kind of love." she said.
"It must be nice to have a brother."
She made the same face at the mention of her brother, "He's annoying
and very overbearing, threatening that he will come and drag me home."
Daisuke laughed. "But he must have some good points."
"Well..." she smiled and looked at him, "its not bad, onii-chan is
someone I can always depend on."
Daisuke smiled.
"Oh! We're going back down!" she said.
"My stomach always lurches when we drop." he said.
Sakura laughed, "Me too!"
/I love her laugh./ Daisuke thought suddenly. /I want to hear more./
He walked her to her door.
"Thank you for the wonderful evening," Sakura said.
He smiled down at her, "The pleasure was all mine." he said. "I-"
Sakura dug into her purse for her keys. She fished them out and
smiled, "Well..."
"Well..."
"Thank you..." she said.
"You all ready said that." he said.
Sakura ducked her head, "Yes..."
"So..." he said letting his voice trail off.
She looked up at him, "I'll see you around!" she pushed the key into
the lock.
"Sakura-san." his hand wrapped itself around her arm.
She turned, hand still on the key.
He kissed her cheek and let go. "Goodnight."
She smiled at him, "Goodnight."
He watched as she opened the door and went in, smiling as she closed
the door.
Daisuke sighed.
/Something was off?/ Dark asked.
"I think..." Daisuke said as he got into his car and turned it on. "I
came on too strong." He glanced into the rearview mirror where Dark
looked back at him.
/I don't think so./ Dark said.
"This must be her first date in months." Daisuke said as he drove
home.
/A girl like her?/
"Looks can be deceiving." Daisuke said with a chuckle. "We Niwas
should know that better than anybody."
Dark laughed.
