Kurai Kibo: Dark Hope Part Four: Troubling Secrets by: Yuki Tenshi

They were leading by one when Ichijouji Ken showed up. Takaishi Takeru tried not to run over and give him a hug. The two had been hiding their love for one another from friends and family for a few weeks now.

Motomiya Daisuke, one of the Digidestined team, said something about speaking too soon, so none other than the blonde boy noticed the smile his boyfriend gave him.

Then Yagami Hikari tapped him on the back. The blonde boy turned to the brunette girl behind him. "The game is going to start again soon. We need to take our seats." The blonde boy nodded and the group, Hikari, Takeru, Hida Iori, Inoue Miyako, and Yagami Taichi, went back to their seats.

When Daisuke tripped Ken, the blonde boy had a sudden urge to run over and hit the kid. Daisuke got on his nerves as it was!

Instead, Takeru waited until Daisuke and the others were talking to go check on his boyfriend, not caring what his friends thought.

"Ken-chan." A voice hissed next to Ken's ear.

He spun around in defense. When he saw it was Takeru he glared at the boy, who decided to sit down next to him. "Aren't your friends going to wonder where you went?" Ken hissed at Takeru.

"They'll never notice. Anyway, I think it's better I be over here then pounding the pulp out of Daisuke-san." Takeru growled. Ken calmed him with a hand on his shoulder. "I don't know why you play soccer. It's such a dangerous sport, even for you." The shorter boy said, looking at Ken's ankle. Ken flinched when Takeru touched it lightly. "Gomen nasai. Did that hurt?"

Ken glared at the boy. "Hai. Your friends are looking for you." He warned. Takeru ducked behind the bench Ken sat on as they walked over.

"Ichijouji-sama, did you happen to see a boy about my height with blonde hair and blue eyes? He's wearing his white hat, I think." Daisuke said to Ken, his friends staying back.

"Nai, Motomiya-sama. Gomen nasai. I hope you find him. If I see him, I'll send him your way though." Ken said, keeping his voice calm as Takeru rubbed his back.

"Arigatou." Daisuke walked back. "I told you Ken wouldn't know where he was, Miyako-san."

"Fine then, Daisuke-san. Do you have to be right about everything?!" Miyako argued.

"Do you always have to argue with me?!" Daisuke threw back.

Taichi stepped between the two. "You two! You're acting like chibi! We need to find Takeru-san if we're going. So split up." The group nodded and went in different directions.

When they all disappeared Takeru hopped back up on the bench. Ken glared at him. "Don't do that again." He grumbled.

Takeru did his best to look angelic. "What? What did I do this time?"

"You..." Ken started when he was cut off.

"I knew you were over here!" Miyako cried gleefully. Takeru's face fell as Miyako called the others over.

"What were you doing over here, Takeru-san?" Daisuke asked, angry at Miyako for being right. So was Takeru.

"I can sit here if I want. I was talking with Ichijouji-sama." Takeru said, using the more formal name for his boyfriend in front of his friends.

Hikari bent down to pick something off the ground in front of Takeru. When Takeru and Ken saw what it was, both went pale.

It was the Kaiser glasses Ken had given Takeru when they had made their little treaty. Ken still had Takeru's hat. He wore it when the two went out together. Takeru had started taking the glasses everywhere, keeping them in his bag. He hadn't noticed the tear in it's side.

*Chikusho! How did that rip get there?!* Takeru thought, glaring at both the bag and Hikari.

"Takeru-san. How did you end up with these?" Hikari asked softly. She watched the boy in front of her.

"I found them on the ground and wanted to see if I could get them tested for DNA." He grumbled.

Taichi took over. "Takeru-san, this isn't a game! Where did you get them, and why do you still have them?" The older boy glared at Takeru, then seemed to notice Ken. "Gomen nasai, Ichijouji-sama. If you like, we'll leave, or you can." The two boys watched each other for a few minutes.

"I'm staying, and this is getting interesting. Please, stay." Ken said politely. Takeru knew it was so he could help him if the need came.

Only they forgot one thing. Ken wasn't a Digidestined. "I think we need to have a talk with your oniisan, Takeru-san." Taichi said sternly, pulling Takeru up.

Takeru looked at Ken. "Help." He cried weakly.

Ken glared at the older boy. "Let him go, Yagami-sama!" He said, just barely able to keep his temper under control. Ken stood up, still kind of shaky from the cut on his ankle. Takeru could tell it was bothering him.

"Ken-san! Sit! You'll hurt yourself again!" Takeru cried, breaking free and forcing his boyfriend to sit back down. "Don't do that! You knew better too!"

Ken grinned sheepishly. "I forgot. Gomen nasai, Takeru-san."

"You two are friends?!" Daisuke cried, amazed.

Takeru turned to face his friends. "He and I used to be next door neighbors. He already knows about the Digital World and I'm not leaving." He turned back to Ken. "And you aren't getting back up!" Takeru sat on the bench and glared at his friends.

Patamon flew up, Tailmon not too far behind. "You were the shadow at the park that day!" He exclaimed, landing on Takeru's hat. Takeru blushed, remembering that day.

"Hai. I was the shadow in the park, Patamon-san. Go play with the others." Ken grumped. Patamon flew over to join the other Digimon.

Hikari was looking from the glasses to Ken and back again. She stepped up. "Would you mind putting these on, Ichijouji-sama?" She asked.

Takeru intercepted the glasses. "They're mine, so give them back. Quit accusing my friend of being the Kaiser, Hikari-san. He isn't." Takeru put the glasses back in his bag and put it back on the ground. Then he noticed Taichi was typing something on his D-terminal. *Please tell me he's not calling oniisan.* Takeru prayed, hoping.

Taichi turned back to the group. "Yamato-san should be here any second now." He told them triumpantly.

"I'm dead." Takeru grumbled, putting his head in his hands.

"If you weren't so darn stubborn, I wouldn't have need to call Yamato-san." Taichi reminded him, recieving a look from both Takeru and Ken.

When Yamato got there, he and Taichi had a whispered conference. Then he came over to interrogate Takeru.

"Let me see the glasses, ototo." Yamato ordered, holding out his hand. All he got in return was a very angry look from Takeru and a glance from Ken. The older boy sighed, looking back at Taichi he nodded.

Takeru saw the nod and his eyes widened. He grabbed the glasses out of his bag and tossed them to Yamato before he did anything. Yamato grinned as he handed the glasses to Taichi for examination.

Ken leaned down, next to Takeru's ear. "I have work to do." Ken mumbled, Takeru nodding reluctantly. Takeru didn't like what Ken did, but he didn't want Ken here when Yamato yelled at him either.

Takeru stood up and walked over to the two older boys. "Oniisan, Taichi- san. Ken-san needs to go somewhere."

Taichi looked over at the boy. "He needs to try these on first." He said, showing the glasses.

"He needs to take the next bus." Takeru argued.

"I'll try them on." Ken said dryly. He got up and stood next to Takeru. "If you'll let Takeru-san alone about this whole issue." Ken glared at Yamato and Taichi.

Takeru found himself shaking his head. *Ken-chan... nai... don't... do... it...* Takeru thought to his boyfriend. He leaned over and put his mouth next to Ken's ear. "I'm not letting you do this, Ken-chan!" Takeru whispered to the taller boy.

Ken looked over at Takeru, then back at the two senior Digidestined. "You let Takeru-san out of this, now." That evil tone was in Ken's voice. The others froze in surprise. Ken walked up and took his glasses from the two boys. Then he walked over to his stuff and got out his laptop. They all stood, frozen.

"Ken-chan, please..." Takeru tried.

"Are you coming or staying. We still have our truce either way, Takeru- chan." His face softened slightly.

Takeru looked around at the circle of friends, but all were still frozen. He looked at Patamon. The look in his eyes said he was staying. He sighed and turned back to his boyfriend. "I'm staying." Takeru said quietly.

If Ken was upset, he didn't show it. "Then stay." Ken tossed Takeru the glasses that had caused all this and went though his computer and to the Digital World.

Takeru looked at his friends. "Gomen nasai. If you want, I'll leave."

"Nai. You're useful." Daisuke stated.

Takeru turned around and headed for the laptop. "Where are you going?" Yamato called.

"With Ken-chan." The younger of the two brothers called back, picking up his bag. Yamato ran over to close the laptop and keep his brother from leaving as Taichi and the others yelled at Daisuke.

:~*~:

In the end, Takeru stayed, but only under the agreement that if the others didn't pump him for info, he wouldn't go stay with Ken. The little peace was made and the war against the Digital World continued.

If Takeru didn't want to fight, he didn't have to. That was the one thing both the Digidestined and the Kaiser had said, many times. So Takeru was usually at home or helping with repairs to other villages that had been hit by the Kaiser.

*I still hope, dark as it may be. I don't care, I still hope. Dark hope.* ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~

That one had a few unexpected turns, ne? I think so! It surprised me what happened in the end! This is the part that really breaks away from the 02 storyline, as you may have noticed. A lot of the future battles are the same, or close to it, as in 02, just without Takeru. I have no idea where this story is going now, so don't bug me about it, K?!