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A New Leaf: Courage

Phone Call

"Yagami Taichi, are you still working on that project?"

Taichi looked up from his writing just long enough to register that it was half past two in the morning, grunted tiredly, and set pen back to paper. His younger sister Hikari tutted and sat next to him on the sofa. "I know I've said this before, but if you didn't leave it all until the last minute…" She left the reprimand hanging disapprovingly in the air.

"I had a lot on," Taichi excused himself lamely. "And anyhow, shouldn't ten-year-old little girls be in bed at this time of night?"

Shrugging, Hikari stood and went through to the kitchen. "I couldn't sleep," she called through, "and I thought I'd get a glass of water. Are you nearly done?"

"Not really," Taichi admitted, pulling his trademark blue sweatband from his forehead and pushing his untidy hair back out of his face. He snapped the goggles back into place determinedly. "It's going to be an all-nighter, I think."

Hikari reappeared in the kitchen doorway, sipping at her glass of water. She looked as though she was about to say something, but at that precise moment the telephone rang. Taichi and Hikari stared first at it, then at each other. Who could be ringing at this hour?

Hikari quickly set down her drink and picked up the receiver. "Moshi moshi, Yagami residence," she said politely into the telephone. Taichi watched her facial expression intently, trying to gauge who the caller might be. His sister's eyes widened and her eyes sought out his. "Yamato? No, I'm afraid he isn't here…"

Taichi's book slid from his lap to the floor, and his lips parted in astonishment as a frown furrowed his brow. "Who is it?" he hissed, but Hikari only waved a hand at him impatiently and turned away.

"Of course," she was saying, "but I don't think it's very likely he'll come here. We don't see him around much anymore," she added, trying to sound diplomatic about it. "No, it's no problem. Taichi and I were awake anyway. I'm sure he's all right, Ishida-sama. Yes, I will. Oyasumi nasai."

Hikari replaced the receiver carefully, and stared at Taichi in utter dumbfoundment. "Yamato-sempai's gone missing," she said in measured tones. "That was his otousan."

Taichi's frown deepened to a scowl. "Well, what's he ringing here for?" he demanded rudely. "Yamato and I haven't spoken to each other in months – almost a year, in fact. Why should he turn up here?"

"Perhaps Ishida-san's tried everywhere else, and couldn't find him," Hikari suggested quietly. She was naturally concerned about the older boy, but knew that Taichi was unlikely to share her concern. Even as she thought this, Taichi snorted contemptuously.

"He's just gone off somewhere in a huff for the sake of being rebellious," he scoffed, "that's Yamato all over. He'll come back soon enough if he's ignored. It's attention-seeking, that's all."

Hikari decided it would be wisest to keep her thoughts about Taichi's attitude to herself. Picking up her water, she bade her brother goodnight and slipped from the room. Taichi snorted a couple more times, just for good measure, then retrieved his work from the floor and threw himself back into it with angry vigour.

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No Koushiro yet. Short, too. Chapter two will be longer and more exciting, promise! Ti x