Taichi watched the two blondes approach from his window. They didn't notice it, but Taichi watched, noting how, even now, after all they'd been through, they still leaned in towards each other, not letting the crowds part them on their way.

Hikari glanced over at her brother, her eyes filling with tears as she looked at him. /This is hard enough on me...but since he's the older one, what's hard for me, is almost impossible for him. I hope that Takeru and Yamato can do something...it's so hard.../

A knock came on the door, and Taichi was jolted out of his dreamlike state. "Hikari, can you get the door?" he asked gently, forcing a smile onto his face as he turned around.

"Sure!" she replied, doing the same. They both knew that it was fake, but they both needed that slim reassurance, the pretending that it was ok. That facade was all that kept them sane it seemed.

Hi, Takeru, Yamato! Hikari greeted the brothers, and ushered Takeru towards her room.

Yamato looked at Taichi, his eyes narrowing. /Who does he think he's fooling with that smile?/

As soon as the door to Hikari's room closed, however, the smile faded away, and Taichi sunk down onto the couch. Yamato understood at once, and for the first time in so long, he felt his heart go out to another person.

It's good to see you, Yama, Taichi said, trying to start a conversation.

Yamato just nodded, his mind still trying to understand what was going on around here. This whole world seemed to be made up of secrets and lies.

Taichi, why did you call me? Yamato asked, curious for the reason, and wanting to help Taichi the way he wanted to be helped, but couldn't trust enough to be.

I need you to help me find out what happened to my parents, Yama. If they're... Taichi trailed off, unable to continue for a moment, then forced the words. Dead, I need to know. I need to know, so I can help Hikari.

Yamato thought about this for a moment, debating on what to do. He knew that Taichi's parents were probably dead, or else they would've sent word, but he couldn't tell Taichi that. Yet, there was nothing that he could do, except agree. Taichi had helped him, and it would be unfair if he did anything less for his friend. /Friend...I haven't used that word in so long.../

"I'll try, Taichi, but I can't promise anything," he told him, his sapphire eyes downcast. /I can try to help Taichi, but I need help of my own right now! If they're back together...no, I can't think about that. I have to do that on my own. I can't let Takeru get involved in it. He wouldn't...couldn't understand what's happened./

"Arigatou, Yama. How's your life going?"

*******************************************************

Hikari sat with Takeru in silence for a while, neither one ready to say anything to the other, but both knowing that they couldn't just let silence set in.

"So..." Hikari began, brushing her brown hair back behind her ear nervously.

"So..." Takeru asked, his eyes downcast, the ground being observed very carefully.

"How's everything?"

"I don't understand what's wrong with Yama," Takeru blurted out.

Hikari was a bit taken aback by her friends sudden outburst, but was calm about it. "What don't you understand, Takeru-chan?" she asked softly, not wanting to make him uncomfortable.

"I told him...about Mom and Dad seeing each other," he began, his hand finding Hikari's in his discomfort.

"And?" Hikari asked, wanting to know how Yamato had taken it. She had known for a while, being the first person that Takeru had told, but Yamato should have been first. Indeed, he would have been first, had he let Takeru talk to him.

"He acted strange...scared almost. As if something was wrong with them being together. As if...it was dangerous that they were together."

Hikari made a mental note of this, trying to understand what was going on. /Taichi...I hope you're getting further with Yamato, then I am with Takeru. He's so scared...both of them in their own ways. Yet...while they need help, so do we. Why isn't the world fair?/

"And...he said something once...a long time ago...I barely remember. But...it was something about never letting THEM hurt me. I didn't know what he meant then, but I think he was talking about our parents," Takeru confessed, a need for reassurance staring out through his eyes.

Hikari gently patted Takeru's hand, and whispered comforting words to him, hoping that one day there'd be peace in the world, enough that things like this wouldn't happen to people like Takeru, people who were too good to get caught up in things like this.

*******************************************************

A mailman walked up the flights of stairs, and started slipping letters into the mailboxes. He stopped when he got to the Kamiya residence, looking at the letter in his hand.

The letter was stained with blood that began to flow again, down his arm. He cried out once, as the venom in that blood sunk into his skin. As he fell to the ground, the letter drifted through the mail opening.