Chapter 4
Kiyomi looked at Jason with a confused look on her face. 'I wonder what's wrong...' She thought as he tried to catch his breath before speaking.
"Matt, just, yelled at me. He said I had been sending out e-mails and was annoying Cassie for wrong reasons. Also, all today at school, all of your friends kept asking me questions, but now that I think of it, it seemed a little weird. I thought it was just because I'm a new kid and people wanna know more about me, but I'm not sure anymore." He stopped to take a breath as Kiyomi led him to a bench and set the eggs down next to her.
"I can't believe Matt would... oh wait. I can believe Matt would do that. Is there anything else?" Kiyomi looked up at him with caring eyes as he glared at her.
"No, that's it." He stated. She nodded.
"Don't worry, I'll see what's up with them." She smiled at him. "But, right, I've got to go home. My mom needs these eggs. I'll see you at school tomorrow." She waved at him and started to walk away. 'I can't believe they would do this . . . why didn't they tell me about this?' She thought to herself as she walked the rest of the way home.
She continued to think about it when she got home and walked into the kitchen.
"Hey honey, what's with the long face?" Her mom asked with a tone of concern as Kiyomi plopped down in the seat at the table. She fiddled with the idea of telling her.
"Nothing, just . . . I miss Dad a lot." She lied to her mom to let her mind wander.
"I'm sorry honey. He said that he'll be able to come here soon . . ." She reassured Kiyomi. Kiyomi nodded and sulked to her room where she automatically flopped on her bed. She rolled over quickly, deep in thought about what her next action should be.
"Got it." She told herself and quickly grabbed the phone near her bed. She wasn't quite sure what she was going to say, but she had a pretty good idea.
"Hello?" Cassie's voice rang through the phone.
"Hey, Cass, it's me Ki. Look, I've got to tell you something . . ." Kiyomi went on to tell her everything that Jason had told her, about how he felt, and how Matt had blew up at him.
"Do you know what's going on?" She asked finally, after finishing her segment.
"Huh? Oh, no. I . . . I don't." She said hesitantly.
"Are you sure?" Kiyomi asked again, just for reassurance from her best friend.
"Ki! You're my best friend! Why would I lie to you?" Cassie's voice sang through the phone, a nervous laugh finishing off.
"O.K. I understand." Kiyomi finally said, giving up on trying to find out what had been happening lately. She and Cassie hung up quickly and Kiyomi went on with her homework, while Cassie sat and her room and pondered to herself.
'How could Matt go back on his word like that?' She thought to herself as she paced around the room nervously. She had the tendency of doing that all the time. 'I don't really care as much for the fact that it was Jason that he yelled at, all though it did seem a little sudden and wrong, but, more so because he went back on his word . . . he promised me . . .' She glared at the picture of them sitting together in a picture on the wall, hugging.
"Oh Matt. " Cassie said to herself. She knew that the next day would be awkward.
The following day at school was awkward, as the several people that knew had expected. It was obvious that Cassie was trying to ignore Matt for his problems, while he tried to seem confused but knew the reason. He had seen Jason run off to Kiyomi the day before. Kiyomi could see the two, one being ignored, the other ignoring. She couldn't stand to see the two apart. Finally, she could no longer take it and pulled Matt aside. Kiyomi still hadn't talked to Matt about what happened, but she was determined. She saw him in the hallway and seized her chance.
"Matt, we need to talk, in private." She whispered to him and dragged him next to a nearby closet.
"What's up Ki?" He asked with a confused look on his face. His eyes were frightened, she could tell. He knew what she was going to ask him about.
"Matt, Jason told me what you did to him yesterday. That was wrong. I don't understand why every one of you guys have been doing these things lately! He's very nice! And he's . . . he's good to talk to . . ." Kiyomi couldn't believe it. In the middle of her sentence, she was fantasizing about Jason. Matt looked at her mischievously.
"What's going on?" He asked her. She blushed and looked down at the floor.
"Nothing, nothing. Anyway, he said something about e-mails, what was that all about?" She looked up at Matt with a straight face. He shuffled his feet and played with his backpack strap. 'How am I going to tell her this?'
"Look, Kiyomi, me, Tai, and Cassie have been getting some . . . threatening letters." Matt stopped in mid-sentence. He had done what he promised to the other digi-destined he wouldn't do.
"What? How come you guys didn't tell me?" She looked concerned as she pushed his head up to look at her.
"Well, you see, we all suspected that it was Jason. Especially because Izzy said he got a transmission from Palmon that was cut off. The last thing she said was "J" the letter." Matt explained.
"What? Wait, I think I'm missing something . . ."
"No, you're not. That got our suspicions higher."
"Oh, so is that why you guys asked him strange questions all yesterday?"
"Yes."
"Well, then, what about you yelling at him? That was just wrong!"
"I couldn't help it! You know I get protective of Cassie! And, well, I guess to me, him being friendly put up a red flag. And, he came in the whole mess of things."
Kiyomi stared at Matt for a moment, soaking in all he had said.
"I can't believe all of you. I really can't." Kiyomi looked away. "How could all of you be so . . . I hate to put it this way, but, compassionless?"
Matt looked up at her with guilty eyes and a sad face. She looked back at him with a cold stare.
"Kiyomi, I'm sorry . . ." Matt hadn't said those words to anyone else but Cassie. Kiyomi gave Matt a hug and smiled as she pulled away.
"I can never stay mad at you guys." She smiled brighter, which made Matt smile for the first time in that whole conversation.
"I know." He replied and looked down the hallway. People were still scurrying around, which meant class didn't start for another good 3 minutes.
"Do you all really think Jason is that bad?" Kiyomi asked out of the blue. Matt glanced at her again.
"Honestly?" She nodded. "Well . . . yeah. But, it's just a guess." He replied. Kiyomi shrugged her shoulders.
"Well, I guess we should just play it by ear." She smiled and then added. "So, how are you and Cassie now?"
"We're ignoring each other."
"For the love of God man say you're sorry!" She told him with a sad look on her face. He looked down to his feet guilty.
"I can't! But, well..." He held out a long velvet covered box and opened it. It had a chain necklace inside. "I'm going to give this to her. For an apology." Kiyomi smiled.
"Good!" Kiyomi smiled at him and gave him a quick hug. "Do it soon!" The bell rang. "I've got to go, Eco. See ya at lunch!" She added and hustled down the hallway to her class.
"Hey Kiyomi! Over here!" Cassie called from the end of the room. Kiyomi shuffled her way around the other students and sat right next to her best friend.
"Hey, what's up?" Chirped Kiyomi as she plopped her Economics book in front of her.
"Ugh, I feel miserable . . ." Cassie stated with a groan.
"Aw! How come?" Kiyomi wrapped her arm around Cassie's shoulder.
"Because Matt went back on his word, when he had promised that he wouldn't! I've been ignoring him, and he seems so sad because of it . . ." She rested her head on Kiyomi's shoulder.
"Hey, hey, hey, everything will patch up! It always does! Just let it play out, ok?" Kiyomi said with a smile. 'Why do I feel weird? Like . . . like someone's watching me?' Kiyomi turned around but saw no one staring at her or Cassie. She shrugged it off and saw Jason come in the door.
"Ok. Fine..." Cassie plastered on a fake smile as Kiyomi waved Jason near them.
As Kiyomi said, the rest of the day they played it by ear, but something changed before lunch. Something, unexpected.
Cassie, Tai, Sora and Kiyomi were walking from their last class to their lockers before lunch.
"Ugh . . . I swear, if Mr. Rioshima could make Literature any more boring, I'd fall asleep!" Tai stated as he pulled his brown paper bagged lunch from his locker.
"You fall asleep anyway." Sora pointed at him matter-of-factly. They all laughed quickly and jogged over to the lunchroom, where Matt, Izzy, and Joe were already sitting.
They ate lunch in an awkward silence; even Tai was silent for the whole meal. No one wanted to say anything because of what had been happening the last few days.
That's how they left things for the rest of the day. Silent. Kiyomi and Cassie walked together on their way home, as usual.
"You know, I don't get it." Kiyomi just said, trying to get Cassie's attention.
"What?" She looked up at Kiyomi with a confused look.
"I don't get, how you guys can keep something from me. You always do it too! Just because I'm compassion, doesn't mean I can't handle stuff!" Kiyomi firmly stated.
"I'm almost positive that right now, I have no idea what you're talking about." Cassie replied.
"About the letters? The questioning? All of that! How could you guys keep things so important from me?" She asked with a sad look on her face.
"Kiyomi, I . . ." Cassie was speechless. She didn't know what to say to her best friend. Kiyomi stopped walking.
"Look, Cassie, don't worry about it. I already forgave all of you, just, when something happens, don't leave me out this time?" Kiyomi asked sincerely. Cassie nodded and hugged her best friend before walking past her. Kiyomi made a quick turn into her front doors of her apartment building, and up the stairs.
"Hey honey!" Her mom said and smiled brightly at her. Kiyomi didn't want to trouble her, so she smiled back as brightly.
"Mom, I'm tired. I'm gonna take a nap." Kiyomi walked from the hallway to her room, and was about to sleep, but heard her phone ringing.
"Hello?" She answered tiredly.
"Hey, it's me, Jason." Answered the familiar voice on the other side.
"Oh, hey. Whats up?"
"I was wondering if you wanted to go roller blading."
"Sure, when?"
"Saturday sound good?"
"Ok. See you tomorrow at school!" Kiyomi hung up and smiled to herself. She had felt this way before, but not so quickly. Nothing like this at least.
*(character change)*
Cassie finished on her way home, and went straight to her room to do her homework, but decided to check her mail first. She got a few e-mails from her friends, and yet another one from Unknown387@aol.com.
"Cassie,
So, I figure you and Matt are going to get back together, like you always do? Well, if you will, consider Shoyrumon. If you want him alive within the next few days or unharmed, I suggest you and Matt stay in the state you are now. Ok? Ok. Also, if you tell Matt about this e-mail, I will harm both Shoyrumon and Gabumon."
Cassie blinked back tears.
"No.. ." She whispered to herself sadly. "Matt."
She deleted the e-mail.
***
For the next few days, things stayed the same. If Matt tried to talk with Cassie, she'd make up an excuse to leave, each time hurting more and more. Then, one day, she thought of a marvelous idea.
"Tai, can I talk to you for a moment?" She pulled him over to her locker.
"Whats up Cass?" He asked. She explained the whole letter situation and why she was ignoring Matt.
"It didn't say that I couldn't tell you."
"I see."
"Please, don't tell Matt!" Cassie asked pleadingly. She felt bad that she had to do it in the first place.
"I won't, don't worry." Tai walked off. 'I'm going to get that Jason. . . now I'm sure it's him.' Tai thought to himself and walked down the hallway slowly. He glanced from side to side, trying to find Jason. He finally spotted him with Kiyomi.
"Jason, you, me, right now. I need to talk to you." Tai practically dragged Jason off to the men's room. Kiyomi followed as far as she could, all the while trying to calm Tai down, none of it doing any good.
"T-tai? Whats wrong?" Jason asked hesitantly. Tai steamed.
"Now I know for sure you've been doing all of this! The e-mails, especially the last one to Cassie!"
"What? Not you too!" Jason replied while backing as far to the wall as he could.
"Yes! Wait? Me too?" Tai pondered it for a moment but gave up. He lunged at Jason but Jason ducked below him and went under his legs.
"Please, Tai don't do this!" He asked pleadingly. "What have I been doing that makes all of you hate me?"
"You're trying to take over the other world! And trying to steal Cassie from Matt! She told me about that e-mail!" Jason stared shocked in his tracks.
"God I hate being the new kid!" He screamed and ran out of the bathroom knocking Kiyomi down. Tai stayed inside, trying to cool off, when Matt came out of one of the stalls.
"Oh, Kiyomi, I-I-I'm sorry!" Jason helped her up and they both blushed at the position they landed in. She was being held by her waist, his arms around her and their bodies almost pressed together.
"It's ok. . ." She replied, inches away from his face. Cassie was off, watching nearby, and was very close to the boy's bathroom when she heard Tai tell Matt, everything.
Kiyomi looked at Jason with a confused look on her face. 'I wonder what's wrong...' She thought as he tried to catch his breath before speaking.
"Matt, just, yelled at me. He said I had been sending out e-mails and was annoying Cassie for wrong reasons. Also, all today at school, all of your friends kept asking me questions, but now that I think of it, it seemed a little weird. I thought it was just because I'm a new kid and people wanna know more about me, but I'm not sure anymore." He stopped to take a breath as Kiyomi led him to a bench and set the eggs down next to her.
"I can't believe Matt would... oh wait. I can believe Matt would do that. Is there anything else?" Kiyomi looked up at him with caring eyes as he glared at her.
"No, that's it." He stated. She nodded.
"Don't worry, I'll see what's up with them." She smiled at him. "But, right, I've got to go home. My mom needs these eggs. I'll see you at school tomorrow." She waved at him and started to walk away. 'I can't believe they would do this . . . why didn't they tell me about this?' She thought to herself as she walked the rest of the way home.
She continued to think about it when she got home and walked into the kitchen.
"Hey honey, what's with the long face?" Her mom asked with a tone of concern as Kiyomi plopped down in the seat at the table. She fiddled with the idea of telling her.
"Nothing, just . . . I miss Dad a lot." She lied to her mom to let her mind wander.
"I'm sorry honey. He said that he'll be able to come here soon . . ." She reassured Kiyomi. Kiyomi nodded and sulked to her room where she automatically flopped on her bed. She rolled over quickly, deep in thought about what her next action should be.
"Got it." She told herself and quickly grabbed the phone near her bed. She wasn't quite sure what she was going to say, but she had a pretty good idea.
"Hello?" Cassie's voice rang through the phone.
"Hey, Cass, it's me Ki. Look, I've got to tell you something . . ." Kiyomi went on to tell her everything that Jason had told her, about how he felt, and how Matt had blew up at him.
"Do you know what's going on?" She asked finally, after finishing her segment.
"Huh? Oh, no. I . . . I don't." She said hesitantly.
"Are you sure?" Kiyomi asked again, just for reassurance from her best friend.
"Ki! You're my best friend! Why would I lie to you?" Cassie's voice sang through the phone, a nervous laugh finishing off.
"O.K. I understand." Kiyomi finally said, giving up on trying to find out what had been happening lately. She and Cassie hung up quickly and Kiyomi went on with her homework, while Cassie sat and her room and pondered to herself.
'How could Matt go back on his word like that?' She thought to herself as she paced around the room nervously. She had the tendency of doing that all the time. 'I don't really care as much for the fact that it was Jason that he yelled at, all though it did seem a little sudden and wrong, but, more so because he went back on his word . . . he promised me . . .' She glared at the picture of them sitting together in a picture on the wall, hugging.
"Oh Matt. " Cassie said to herself. She knew that the next day would be awkward.
The following day at school was awkward, as the several people that knew had expected. It was obvious that Cassie was trying to ignore Matt for his problems, while he tried to seem confused but knew the reason. He had seen Jason run off to Kiyomi the day before. Kiyomi could see the two, one being ignored, the other ignoring. She couldn't stand to see the two apart. Finally, she could no longer take it and pulled Matt aside. Kiyomi still hadn't talked to Matt about what happened, but she was determined. She saw him in the hallway and seized her chance.
"Matt, we need to talk, in private." She whispered to him and dragged him next to a nearby closet.
"What's up Ki?" He asked with a confused look on his face. His eyes were frightened, she could tell. He knew what she was going to ask him about.
"Matt, Jason told me what you did to him yesterday. That was wrong. I don't understand why every one of you guys have been doing these things lately! He's very nice! And he's . . . he's good to talk to . . ." Kiyomi couldn't believe it. In the middle of her sentence, she was fantasizing about Jason. Matt looked at her mischievously.
"What's going on?" He asked her. She blushed and looked down at the floor.
"Nothing, nothing. Anyway, he said something about e-mails, what was that all about?" She looked up at Matt with a straight face. He shuffled his feet and played with his backpack strap. 'How am I going to tell her this?'
"Look, Kiyomi, me, Tai, and Cassie have been getting some . . . threatening letters." Matt stopped in mid-sentence. He had done what he promised to the other digi-destined he wouldn't do.
"What? How come you guys didn't tell me?" She looked concerned as she pushed his head up to look at her.
"Well, you see, we all suspected that it was Jason. Especially because Izzy said he got a transmission from Palmon that was cut off. The last thing she said was "J" the letter." Matt explained.
"What? Wait, I think I'm missing something . . ."
"No, you're not. That got our suspicions higher."
"Oh, so is that why you guys asked him strange questions all yesterday?"
"Yes."
"Well, then, what about you yelling at him? That was just wrong!"
"I couldn't help it! You know I get protective of Cassie! And, well, I guess to me, him being friendly put up a red flag. And, he came in the whole mess of things."
Kiyomi stared at Matt for a moment, soaking in all he had said.
"I can't believe all of you. I really can't." Kiyomi looked away. "How could all of you be so . . . I hate to put it this way, but, compassionless?"
Matt looked up at her with guilty eyes and a sad face. She looked back at him with a cold stare.
"Kiyomi, I'm sorry . . ." Matt hadn't said those words to anyone else but Cassie. Kiyomi gave Matt a hug and smiled as she pulled away.
"I can never stay mad at you guys." She smiled brighter, which made Matt smile for the first time in that whole conversation.
"I know." He replied and looked down the hallway. People were still scurrying around, which meant class didn't start for another good 3 minutes.
"Do you all really think Jason is that bad?" Kiyomi asked out of the blue. Matt glanced at her again.
"Honestly?" She nodded. "Well . . . yeah. But, it's just a guess." He replied. Kiyomi shrugged her shoulders.
"Well, I guess we should just play it by ear." She smiled and then added. "So, how are you and Cassie now?"
"We're ignoring each other."
"For the love of God man say you're sorry!" She told him with a sad look on her face. He looked down to his feet guilty.
"I can't! But, well..." He held out a long velvet covered box and opened it. It had a chain necklace inside. "I'm going to give this to her. For an apology." Kiyomi smiled.
"Good!" Kiyomi smiled at him and gave him a quick hug. "Do it soon!" The bell rang. "I've got to go, Eco. See ya at lunch!" She added and hustled down the hallway to her class.
"Hey Kiyomi! Over here!" Cassie called from the end of the room. Kiyomi shuffled her way around the other students and sat right next to her best friend.
"Hey, what's up?" Chirped Kiyomi as she plopped her Economics book in front of her.
"Ugh, I feel miserable . . ." Cassie stated with a groan.
"Aw! How come?" Kiyomi wrapped her arm around Cassie's shoulder.
"Because Matt went back on his word, when he had promised that he wouldn't! I've been ignoring him, and he seems so sad because of it . . ." She rested her head on Kiyomi's shoulder.
"Hey, hey, hey, everything will patch up! It always does! Just let it play out, ok?" Kiyomi said with a smile. 'Why do I feel weird? Like . . . like someone's watching me?' Kiyomi turned around but saw no one staring at her or Cassie. She shrugged it off and saw Jason come in the door.
"Ok. Fine..." Cassie plastered on a fake smile as Kiyomi waved Jason near them.
As Kiyomi said, the rest of the day they played it by ear, but something changed before lunch. Something, unexpected.
Cassie, Tai, Sora and Kiyomi were walking from their last class to their lockers before lunch.
"Ugh . . . I swear, if Mr. Rioshima could make Literature any more boring, I'd fall asleep!" Tai stated as he pulled his brown paper bagged lunch from his locker.
"You fall asleep anyway." Sora pointed at him matter-of-factly. They all laughed quickly and jogged over to the lunchroom, where Matt, Izzy, and Joe were already sitting.
They ate lunch in an awkward silence; even Tai was silent for the whole meal. No one wanted to say anything because of what had been happening the last few days.
That's how they left things for the rest of the day. Silent. Kiyomi and Cassie walked together on their way home, as usual.
"You know, I don't get it." Kiyomi just said, trying to get Cassie's attention.
"What?" She looked up at Kiyomi with a confused look.
"I don't get, how you guys can keep something from me. You always do it too! Just because I'm compassion, doesn't mean I can't handle stuff!" Kiyomi firmly stated.
"I'm almost positive that right now, I have no idea what you're talking about." Cassie replied.
"About the letters? The questioning? All of that! How could you guys keep things so important from me?" She asked with a sad look on her face.
"Kiyomi, I . . ." Cassie was speechless. She didn't know what to say to her best friend. Kiyomi stopped walking.
"Look, Cassie, don't worry about it. I already forgave all of you, just, when something happens, don't leave me out this time?" Kiyomi asked sincerely. Cassie nodded and hugged her best friend before walking past her. Kiyomi made a quick turn into her front doors of her apartment building, and up the stairs.
"Hey honey!" Her mom said and smiled brightly at her. Kiyomi didn't want to trouble her, so she smiled back as brightly.
"Mom, I'm tired. I'm gonna take a nap." Kiyomi walked from the hallway to her room, and was about to sleep, but heard her phone ringing.
"Hello?" She answered tiredly.
"Hey, it's me, Jason." Answered the familiar voice on the other side.
"Oh, hey. Whats up?"
"I was wondering if you wanted to go roller blading."
"Sure, when?"
"Saturday sound good?"
"Ok. See you tomorrow at school!" Kiyomi hung up and smiled to herself. She had felt this way before, but not so quickly. Nothing like this at least.
*(character change)*
Cassie finished on her way home, and went straight to her room to do her homework, but decided to check her mail first. She got a few e-mails from her friends, and yet another one from Unknown387@aol.com.
"Cassie,
So, I figure you and Matt are going to get back together, like you always do? Well, if you will, consider Shoyrumon. If you want him alive within the next few days or unharmed, I suggest you and Matt stay in the state you are now. Ok? Ok. Also, if you tell Matt about this e-mail, I will harm both Shoyrumon and Gabumon."
Cassie blinked back tears.
"No.. ." She whispered to herself sadly. "Matt."
She deleted the e-mail.
***
For the next few days, things stayed the same. If Matt tried to talk with Cassie, she'd make up an excuse to leave, each time hurting more and more. Then, one day, she thought of a marvelous idea.
"Tai, can I talk to you for a moment?" She pulled him over to her locker.
"Whats up Cass?" He asked. She explained the whole letter situation and why she was ignoring Matt.
"It didn't say that I couldn't tell you."
"I see."
"Please, don't tell Matt!" Cassie asked pleadingly. She felt bad that she had to do it in the first place.
"I won't, don't worry." Tai walked off. 'I'm going to get that Jason. . . now I'm sure it's him.' Tai thought to himself and walked down the hallway slowly. He glanced from side to side, trying to find Jason. He finally spotted him with Kiyomi.
"Jason, you, me, right now. I need to talk to you." Tai practically dragged Jason off to the men's room. Kiyomi followed as far as she could, all the while trying to calm Tai down, none of it doing any good.
"T-tai? Whats wrong?" Jason asked hesitantly. Tai steamed.
"Now I know for sure you've been doing all of this! The e-mails, especially the last one to Cassie!"
"What? Not you too!" Jason replied while backing as far to the wall as he could.
"Yes! Wait? Me too?" Tai pondered it for a moment but gave up. He lunged at Jason but Jason ducked below him and went under his legs.
"Please, Tai don't do this!" He asked pleadingly. "What have I been doing that makes all of you hate me?"
"You're trying to take over the other world! And trying to steal Cassie from Matt! She told me about that e-mail!" Jason stared shocked in his tracks.
"God I hate being the new kid!" He screamed and ran out of the bathroom knocking Kiyomi down. Tai stayed inside, trying to cool off, when Matt came out of one of the stalls.
"Oh, Kiyomi, I-I-I'm sorry!" Jason helped her up and they both blushed at the position they landed in. She was being held by her waist, his arms around her and their bodies almost pressed together.
"It's ok. . ." She replied, inches away from his face. Cassie was off, watching nearby, and was very close to the boy's bathroom when she heard Tai tell Matt, everything.