Ken looks at me and I could tell he could see straight through my plan. "Kari, I don't think that would be the absolute safest thing to do."

"What is it?" Davis says stupidly.

I roll my eyes and lean over towards Ken. "Just trust me, please."

Ken sighs in defeat. "Okay, just tell me one thing. Don't use this as a key for revenge."

I laugh. "Wasn't even thinking about that."

"Oh really…"

"Yes, Ken." I reply. "Really."

            All of the Digi-destine leave Izzy's place and I start to walk home. It began to slowly drizzle, that gradually increased to a pouring rain. Being the idiot I can be, I had forgotten to bring an umbrella along, even though there was a chance for rain. So, I still stroll along, getting drenched to the bone. My shoes slush in the puddles that were being formed quite quickly on the sides of the sidewalks and were draining gradually into the gutters. I was so used to the sound of the pitter-patter against my head, I didn't notice that someone had put an umbrella over my head. I look beside me and there stood TK. He smiled back.

"Hey."

"Hi, TK."

TK bends down a little bit so he could see my face better. "You okay?"

"Why you ask?" I say.

"You're face looks a little flushed. You really shouldn't be walking out in the rain like this without something to cover your head. You may catch a cold." TK said.

"I'll be fine." I choke.

TK chuckles to himself shortly and puts an arm around my shoulder. "What is this courageous and marvelous plan of yours?"

I instantly flick his arm off of me. "It's not your place to ask me."
TK stops walking but I keep going, exiting the coverage of his green umbrella. "Wait!"

"Leave me alone, TK!" I yell to the wind blowing against me, only making the water run faster down my face. "Leave me alone!"

He runs and walks backwards in front of me so he could face me. He puts his hand on my shoulder to make me stop and talk. "Kari, what's the matter?"

"It's not your place to ask me!" I repeat. I start babbling off random things I had on my mind. I shook my head and screamed and yelled and trashed my fist at him a few times. "All you do is talk about that b*tch!" I finish.

"Kari!" TK says in ultimate surprise that such a word escaped my lips.

 He takes his hand and slaps me across the face. I turn my face again to look into his eyes. My brow furrows all by itself and my scowl I could feel grow across my face was uncomfortable. My fists were clenched and the rain still ran down my face along with a few haphazard tears. My breath was heavy and my temper high. The mucus that had rose in my throat was thick and hard to swallow, but I manage so I could speak.

"You don't have any clue, TK! Your mind is completely dense! All this time I thought you were the smartest of the group when it came to action. But look at you now. Look at you! You're nothing but a stupid and drunk b*stard who is so driven by this piece of crap," I take out the crystal and it starts to glow, "You don't even take a second to think about me and the others. You don't have any clue, TK! You don't know how I feel!"

            With that, I ran off. I had no idea what impelled me to say such things to TK. I don't usually swear, at least, I try not to. I was still holding on to the crystal, shimmering in the rain. Thunder strikes behind me, causing me to jump and shriek. I keep on running through the flashes of lightning and sheets of rain. I suddenly feel myself colliding into something pretty solid, but still soft. A pair of hands grasp my arms and shake me slightly.

"Hey! Are you alright?" Came a young man's voice.

            I look up and see a boy with brown hair that was tossed around and clumsily combed. He carried no umbrella, like myself, so his hair was shaded darker at the top. He had very deep blue eyes. They were like the sea after a storm. His tan skin looks so shiny when it was wet and he wore a white t-shirt that had a blue stripe going across the front and kaki shorts. I couldn't stop crying, I wanted to say excuse me, or sorry, or even a thank you. I coughed a few times before he took a silk handkerchief out of his pocket and handed it to me. I wiped off my face and cleared my eyes. Handing it back with a tiny thanks and an added hick-up.

"I'm so sorry." I say when I finally find my voice.

"Don't even worry about it." His accent was very nice, as well as his tone, surprisingly deep. "Are you alright?"

"No, not really. But I'll get over it sooner or later." I try to smile.

"Care to talk about it?" He takes my shoulder and leads me into a near by café.

"It's okay, really." I impose.

"No, I want to apologize for running into you like that." The boy says.

"But it was me who ran into you." I reply, a smidge confused.

"All the contrary." He smiles at me. "Plus, you look like you could use something nice and hot to drink. You're shivering all over. Coffee? Hot tea? Cocoa?"

"Cocoa wouldn't be too bad." I say shyly.

"Cocoa it is."

            We find a booth  by the window and sit down. I feel so rude, sitting in this nice leather booth in sopping wet clothes. I still sniff a little bit and a tear suddenly falls down my cheek. I grab my napkin and swipe it away. The boy looks at me with much concern. I could see it on his face. The waitress comes back with two huge mugs of steaming hot Cocoa and I stir in the whipped cream that was on top.

"Thank you again." I said.

"Don't even think about it." The boy replies. "I know you must think I'm weird."

"Just a little." I admit. "I don't mean any offense, but not many people I run into like that end up taking me to a café for a drink."

"I know what you mean." The boy says back. "What's your name?"

"My name is Kari."

"Kari, huh. That's pretty." The boy replies and I feel my face heat up.

"What's yours?" I ask.

He looks at me with those lovely blue eyes. "Hiroto."

I laugh. "That's pretty."

Hiroto laughs along. "Anyways, if you don't mind me asking, what was the matter when you bumped into me, Kari?"
Just the memory of it made me tear up again.

"I'm sorry!" Hiroto says instantaneously. "I didn't mean to intrude your privacy. I shouldn't have even asked. It's none of my business."

"I don't mind." I reply. "Maybe it would be good to get this off my chest to someone besides my big brother."

"Oh," Hiroto sighs. "So you've already told someone about this?"

"Not the complete story, no. When I ran into you, I was just finishing up something with TK that just made me so upset."

"TK?"  Hiroto questions.

"His real name is Takeru. He just uses TK as a nickname." I explain.

"Oh,"

"He's been my friend for what seems like forever. And just recently, he's been constantly attracted to this other girl and…"

Hiroto nods. "I see how it is."

My eyes get bigger. "It's not like that at all."

"I'm sorry, Kari." Hiroto said. "I just know how you feel."

"You do?"

Hiroto sighs even deeper. "I hang around with a group of kids that, well, are Digi-destines."

"Really!?" I exclaim. "So do I."

"So, you have a Digimon as well?" Hiroto asks.

"Yes, I do."

"That's cool. Anyways, there was this girl in the group who I was quite attached to." Hiroto stirs his Cocoa lazily. "Her name was Mana. She was so unbelievably beautiful, I was a fool to think I could ever earn her heart. She was friendly and kind and loved her Digimon. That's until we ran into a new Digi-destined, Yutah. I was no match to his hugely build body and stunning looks. She went crazy and I was just left behind. I tried to confront her, but when I did, she exploded in my face."

"That's mostly how it worked with me as well." I say.

"That's crazily a coincident."

"True, very true." I reply. "I've never seen TK act so strange." I bit my lower lip.

"Ah, Mana." Hiroto groans. "I'll never forget her face."

"She's gone?"

Hiroto looks out the window sadly. "There was an accident. Her father was driving her to school so she could practice the play they were putting on. A driver had run a red light and rammed right into the passenger side of the car." Hiroto had to take a short break. He takes a sip of the Cocoa. "She got beat up pretty damn bad. Excuse me," I nod. "And she was in the hospital for a while afterwards. I saw her at least once a day, if I could. I brought her flowers and cards and other gifts. She thanked me a lot and said how sorry she was for treating me like such trash. But I knew she still loved Yutah. He'd visit her constantly too. In the accident, one of her legs was broken. The surgery to set the bone was about a week later and apparently something went wrong. Some of the marrow in her bone got into her blood stream and went straight to her heart, stopping it."

"I'm so sorry." I felt like crying again.

"Damn, she was only 14!" Hiroto buries his head in his hands furiously.

I look out the window. Hiroto's problem was so much worse compared to mine. I wouldn't know what I'd do if I lost TK. To my great surprise, as I looked out the window, TK passed by. Seeing me in there he stopped walking and just stared at me. The whites around his eyes were pink. Hiroto looks up from his hands and looks at the him as well, but doesn't say a word. TK glances shortly at him and nods, then continues on his way.

"Kari, do you know that boy?" Hiroto asks.

"Yes, Hiroto, I do." I reply. "That boy is TK." I stare down at my hands, a little frustrated with myself. "I better get going."

"Do you have to? Did I say something wrong?" Hiroto says.

"No, that's not it." I look up at him. "It's just I feel I need to apologize before anything else bad happens."

"Oh, I see." Hiroto nods his head. "Well, I wish you the best of luck, Kari."

"Thank you." I stand to leave when I stop and I feel my heart race faster then it already was.

"What is it, Kari? Your eyes got so big all of a sudden." Hiroto notices.

"Oh, my." My voice squeaks and I feel my hands shaking. "I … I dropped the crystal! It's not in my camera case anymore!"

"Crystal?"
I shake my head a few times. "I can't believe this! The gang is going to kill me. I took it out and shoved it in TK's face, then I ran off. I must have dropped it when I was running. That means it's still on the street!"

"Crystal?" Hiroto asks again.

"I'll explain later. Thanks again for the Cocoa. I'll see you later!" I run out the door and back the way I came.

            It was still raining, but it was only  slight mist. I run clumsily, bumping into people occasionally. I say sorry, but rush on. I look feverishly on the ground everywhere. I didn't know when I had dropped it, so it could be anywhere. Hopefully, I thought, TK picked it up on his way the opposite way. So, still panicking, I run towards Izzy's place. I knock on the door impatiently and his mother answers it.

"Ah, Miss Kamiya. You feeling all right? You look a little flushed."

"May I speak with Izzy, please?" I ask frantically. "It's sort of urgent."

"Certainly," Izzy's mom says. "He's in his room."

I take off my shoes at the door and go to Izzy's room where I found him sitting at the computer as usual. "Izzy!"

Izzy turns around, pretty frightened at first, but then he notices that it's me. "Kari, what's the matter?"

"I'm so sorry!" I sob. "I'm so sorry!"

"What is it? Tell me already." Izzy said a little annoyed.

I try to look him square in the eye, but couldn't. "I'm so very sorry. I…I lost my temper and was running away."

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"I dropped the crystal!" I scream.

"WHAT!?" Izzy exclaims.

"I'm sorry! I looked up and down the street, but I couldn't find it." I explain.

Izzy groans and grabs at his hair. "With any luck, it didn't get picked up by anyone against us. When did you realize it was gone?"

"Well, I was in the café with Hiroto and when I stood to leave, my camera case felt so much lighter then I remembered. Then it came to me: I had the crystal in my hand when I ran off, so it must have slipped." I say.

"Hiroto?" Izzy asks.

"He's just a guy I bumped into. I told him I dropped the crystal and he was as confused as anybody would be." I said.

"Go home." Izzy says flatly. "Call up some of the Digi-destined, and so will I. We'll ask them if they've seen it anywhere."

"Okay." I turn to leave. "I'm sorry, Izzy. I'm incredibly sorry."

"Don't just apologize to me," Izzy returns. "Apologize to the rest of the gang if we can't find it."

I took that as such an insult, it made me cry again. I leave anyways before Izzy could see my face. I walk slowly home and don't even bother to have dinner, which was already out on the table. I grab the cordless phone and go into my room to call up some of the Digi-destine. I was hoping with all my might that Izzy would call TK. I call Cody first, then Davis. He was glad to hear from me, but not about the crystal. I called Yolei, but she said that Izzy had already talked to her. That only left Ken and TK. Ken told me the same Yolei did.

I sigh heavily as I reach for the index card with TK's number on it. It rings two times when Matt answers. "Hi, Matt. This is Kari. Is TK home?"

"Sure, let me get him." Matt replies.

"Thanks." It takes a minute, but I hear TK's mellow but callous 'hello' from the other end. He knew it was me alright.

"Hello, TK. This is Kari. I just wanted to ask you something." I say.

TK waits a while. "Yes?"

"Well, um, earlier today, after I got done talking with you…" I pause as the thought makes me choke.

"Yes, about that." TK continued for me. "I'm ,uh, sorry I slapped you like that. It wasn't very nice and I kinda lost my head."

"Oh, that's perfectly alright. I deserved it." I said. "But, have you by chance seen the blue crystal around?"

"The Blue Crystal?" TK tries to recall. "Oh, um, no I haven't. Why?"

I take a deep breath. "I dropped it."

"You dropped it?!" TK almost yells.

"Yes, I'm so sorry I did. I called everybody and so did Izzy, but we had no luck. I thought, seeing you were the last person I called, you'd have." I say.

TK sighs. "No, I haven't. You should call that brown-boy and ask him if he has."

I scowl. "You just leave Hiroto out of this, TK. He has nothing to do with it. He just wanted to say sorry for bumping into me."

"Oh, sure." TK talks like he was rolling his eyes.

"TK!" I moan grievingly.

"From what I saw, looks like you made him cry too."

I gasp to myself. TK probably didn't even know what he just said, for I heard him cough on the other end and curse under his breath. "TK." I say faintly.

TK's voice was shaky. "I gotta get going. I'll see you later. Ja'Ne."

"Ja'Ne." I reply back.

I hang up and lay back on my pillow. 'From what I saw, looks like you made him cry too'.  I had made TK cry? I cry myself. Tai knocks on my door and I tell him he can't come in. He asked why, I just made up a lie that I was changing.

"I'm coming in anyway." Tai announces and comes in. He sees me lying on my bed and he sighs. "You're not changing."

"I was lying." I reply.

"What's wrong now? Every time I come in here you're crying." Tai says.

"Shut up!" I roll over and bury my head in my pillow.

"Aw, come on, Kari! You're turning more into a girl every day." Tai comes to sit down on my bed.

"Isn't that what I am?" I ask stupidly.

"It's just a saying, Kari, Sheesh." Tai sighs, then sounds like he has an idea. "Is it something that TK did again?"
I was silent for a second. "… Maybe."

Tai sighs heavier. "What'd you do?"

"It wasn't all me!" I sit up. "I just…called him a senseless b*stard."

Tai coughs into his fist. "Um, that could be why."

"But you don't understand! He was being one! He didn't care about anybody but himself!" I scream.

"And you wanted him to care about you." Tai counters.

That shoved the words right back into my mouth. "He said I had made him cry."

"Directly?"

"No, he kind of said it on accident." I reply. "He said, 'From what I saw, looks like you made him cry too'."

"Who too?" Tai says quickly.

"This guy a bumped into, but that's not the point! I didn't make Hiroto cry, but I made TK cry! TK is more important to me then Hiroto." I said.

"Of course he is, you've known him longer. Do I have to give you the same speech I did last time. Now can we hurry this session up, I gotta go play some soccer with the gang." Tai reports.

I shake my head no. "But why is everything now-a-days have to be so complicated and not going my way!"

"It's life, Kari. I know I've been told that millions of time in my life and ignored it, but you can't. You're not like me." Tai was almost complimenting me. "I don't blame you for saying TK was a senseless b*stard. I commend you on it actually. Heck, everyone is a one sometime in their life. They're just not always informed on it."

"Thanks, Tai. I think I better get some sleep." I say.

"Okay, I'll see you in the morning, or afternoon. With these midnight games, I don't know if I'll get up before three p.m." Tai laughs.

"Oyasumi Nasai." I wish.

"Oyasumi Nasai." He replies and leaves.

            I change into my pajamas and slip under my sheets.  Tai always seemed to make me feel better, even though he was a pain in the butt most the time. I guess big brothers are good for something after all. I just wish right now TK could be like that big brother. But he was more like an elementary crush. You want to be near them, and still can't stand the pressure because you feel you're going to say something stupid. Today was a day I hope not to repeat soon. I hate yelling and I hate lying. I hate crying in front of my brother and friends. I hate to loose their trust by foolishly dropping an awfully valuable object that we will eventually need. But at least I had made a new friend; Hiroto. He and I shared some stuff in common, and it was nice. I have a strange feeling it won't be the last time I see him. Why? Because He and I have experienced both of those worlds. Ours, and the Digimon's, which was about to face one awkward disaster.