The Trouble Causing Letter
Author's Note: This is a side story to Home Away From Home. You needn't have read it in order to enjoy, however, there are a few things you must know in order to fully appreciate it.
1.) Daisuke told Takeru that he was okay with T.K. asking Hikari out, claiming that he doesn't really have a crush on her any more.
2.) Takeru and Yamato are moving to New York with their father for one year.
3.) Before T.K. leaves his friends to head to the airport, he gives Hikari a letter.
And with no further ado, I present The Trouble Causing Letter, a side story to Home Away From Home. Enjoy!
"Look at me, my deft perception must be off again. Cause this hurts deeper than I thought it did. It has not healed with time. It just shot done my spine." -Rest In Pieces by Saliva
"T-this is for you." Takaishi Takeru stuttered cutely as he handed me a folded piece of paper. He gently placed it in the palm of my hand and curled my fingers around it. My heartbeat raced a little and I felt my cheeks go hot.
I smiled and as if it was no big deal I replied, "I'll look at it later."
He stepped away to look at all of us one last time, his cheeks were flushed and he was having trouble meeting my eyes. I'd consider it cute if it wasn't going to be the last time I'd make eye contact with him for a year. I found myself fighting off tears as our eyes met one final time before he got into his mother's car with our chorus of good-byes trailing after them. It was hard to think that I wouldn't see him tomorrow, or the day after. A whole year until we'd meet again...
I bet he doesn't know he has the prettiest azure eyes. Childhood innocence still linger in them. Such a pretty color...
I turned around to face the others while stuffing the folded piece of paper in my capries. Motomiya Daisuke had his back turned to us looking out across the street. Ichijouji Ken was leaning against the apartment's brick wall watching him with a look of concern. Hida Iori and Inoue Miyako were chatting quietly looking a bit somber. I could relate to them in one aspect, but knowing there was a note in my pocket from the guy I've like for a majority of my life I couldn't help but feel elated.
"...I should get back home. I told Jun I'd help her clean." Davis sighed miserably. Ken raised his eyebrows at his best friend.
"You guys are on speaking terms?"
"Yeah, why wouldn't we be?" Davis asked turning to face the boy genius.
"Well... You know, that incident that took place at her party." Ken murmured quickly. Daisuke blinked at him as to say 'What are you talking about?'.
"What did you do this time Davis?" Miyako asked agitated. "Your poor sister, how does she put up with you?"
"How does she put up with /me/? Shouldn't you be asking how I put up with /her/?!" The goggle headed boy spat at the glasses wearing girl. Miyako rolled her eyes at him and he stuck his tongue out at her.
"You guys are so childish." Iori commented in a disapproving manner.
"If you're on your way home Davis, I'll be happy to accompany you." I told Davis who had put his hands behind his head and was staring at the ground. He looked up at me with a blank expression.
"...Actually, I just remembered I have to stop at the store to pick up something for mom..." Davis remarked directly after my proposal. I was a little taken back by it, but forced a smile.
"...Oh, well that's alright." I replied to him sort of unsure on what else to say. I wondered why he was acting so strange all of the sudden. He was quite happy a few minutes ago...
"You three should head home." Iori gestured to Davis, Ken, and I. "It's almost dinner time."
"Yeah, I should probably go catch the bus." Ken sighed. "And call my parents so they know I'm on my way home and haven't been kidnaped." He shook his head. "They can be too over protective sometimes."
I knew how he felt, Taichi could be like that. "Well, I guess I'll see you guys at school tomorrow." I said. Then with a smile, "Sayonara!"
We said our good-byes and I headed up the street, Iori and Miyako went into their apartment complex, and Ken headed in the opposite direction of me to the bus stop. Davis was the only one who lingered. I frowned at this, but I didn't know exactly what to do. I really did have to be getting home, I told my brother I'd help him clean the house before our parents got back from our grandmother's.
"He'll be okay tomorrow." I tried to reassure myself. Pushing my worry aside I gently touched my pants pocket to see if the note was still there. It was and an automatic smile surfaced. I ran the rest of the way home.
~*~
I watched everyone leave. A few short minutes ago all of us, including Takeru, had all been together, laughing and enjoying our only day off. Now, our group just kind of dissimilated. I waited outside the apartment till Kari was gone from sight. I was suddenly hurt and unsure of how I'd be able to act around her. I mean, just a few days ago I told one of my best friends that he could ask the girl of my dreams out, and then he leaves!
Okay, I did tell him that I didn't /really/ like her any more and that I think /she/ likes him. It seemed okay at the time. My chances with Yagami Hikari were over, and now, my perfect opportunity to try and win her over is off limits.
What the hell?
Why do things like this always happen to me? I mean, true I'm not as obsessed over Kari as I was say a year or two ago, but I do still like her. Just a little crush, no harm in that is there? I slap my forehead and drag my hand done my face. Yes there is a problem with this. She. Is. Off. Limits. There is no sense in liking someone who can not return your feelings. Then why can't I just get over her and move on? Let me find some other cute girl who's caring and sincere and likes to play soccer and has a good head on her shoulders.
Which, may I kindly remind myself, do not exist. Kari is the only one I know like that. This has been another moment of the Adolescence Sitcom. Joy.
I thought if T.K. and Kari went out and I was around them I'd get use to the idea and move on, yet still be great friends with both of them. How was I suppose to know that a mere week later one of my best friends was not only going to get the girl he and I both wanted, but move away in the process for a year. This enables me to spend as much alone time with Kari as I want. Under different circumstances this would've been my dream come true, but it's not under different circumstances which makes this very bad.
Did I mention I hate this?
I kicked a rock into the street disgruntled and walk down the same side walk Kari walked down. I felt bad for lying to her. I didn't need to go to the store to get something for my mom and even if Jun payed me a million bucks there is no way in hell I'd help her clean out her closet. I followed a pebble that I kicked in front of me the rest of the way home. It was probably the nicest day of April so far, but I was too preoccupied in my thoughts to notice. It could've been raining for all I cared.
I opened the door to my apartment and saw cloths flying from Jun's doorway. After taking my sneakers off I peeked inside to let her know I was home. A vibrant pink shirt attacked me as I approached the doorframe. "Nice to see you too." I mutter as I drop the shirt disdainfully on the ground.
"We ordered in tonight." Jun replied with hands on her hips. She stood in the middle of her room with various cloths piles surrounding her with her lips meshed to one side of her cheek in a thought.
"Okay, so did they go to pick it up?" I asked referring to our parents after a brief moment of silence.
"What do you think?" My sister asked bending down at a bunch of pink cloths. I wrinkled my nose as I caught a whiff of whatever new perfume my deranged sister was using. "Yeah, they just left a few minutes ago to Sakura's."
"Oookay, well I'll be in the living room." I quickly left her doorway and decided maybe some video games would give me something to do. I hadn't played a roleplay in awhile, maybe I'd test my wits.
I threw in a random game Ken lent me and began tackling the project at hand.
~*~
"Tai, I'm home!" I called throughout the house as I took off my shoes.
"You're just in time, mom and dad just called and should be here in a few!" Came my brother's voice from the living room.
I walked into the small living room to see my brother quickly hiding magazines underneath the table and hastily squirting the table with cleaner and wiping it away before it's molecules could begin to tackle dust.
"Um, Tai? That's window cleaner." I told him noticing the cleaner's label.
"Doesn't matter." He grunted as he tossed the dirty rag into the kitchen. "Do you think you could get the vacuum out? I told mom I'd vacuum the place." I nodded and headed for the closet.
"So, what did you and Yamato-san do today?" I asked as I went to plug the vacuum in.
"Nothing out of the ordinary." Tai replied now furiously scrubbing away at the kitchen counters with the same rag he'd thrown in there. "The whole gang got together, even Joe managed to get early dismissed from Junku to at least see him off at the airport." [1]
"Well that was nice." I yelled over the noise of the vacuum. A few minutes of nothing but the sound of the vacuum cleaner let the two of us realize we were not alone in losing one of our best friends.
Or maybe more than a friend for me.
"Hey Tai, I'm going to go lay down for awhile. I had a long day." I told my brother as I wand the vacuum cord up and put it away.
I was anxious to read the note that lay untouched in my pocket. I wanted to have complete solitude and a place to either squeal into my pillow from delight or silently cry myself into an uneasy rest. After all, I didn't really know if this letter was what I thought it was. For all I know T.K could have given one to everyone.
"Okay, I'm almost done anyway." Tai replied putting the cleaner back under the sink and dumping the rag in it. Quietly I retreated to my room (Tai and I no longer shared one) and shut the door almost completely.
I stood in the middle of the white walled room and stuck my hand in my pocket to fish out the folded piece of paper. Grasping it I pulled it out and stared at it for a moment, heart racing in anticipation. Other than my heartbeat it was very quiet. I took a deep breath before unfolding the note. I gently crossed the room to sit on my bed as I began to read.
[Dear Kari,]
His handwriting was neatly printed, which made me smile. His handwriting usually looked like chicken scratch, only a few being able to read it.
[I've wanted to tell you for a long time that I've liked you. I've liked you since elementary school. Sometimes I led myself to believe that you might've liked me too, but I could never allow myself to believe it could be true. It seemed doubtful to get my hopes up unless I knew the truth... But, I never had the guts to ask. I couldn't as much as I wanted to. I guess I was afraid of rejection.]
Isn't everyone? I think we all are, but-
[But I guess it's a chance that everyone needs to take if they ever want to find out.]
I smiled at this. He was absolutely right.
[We've known each other for a long time and have shared so many things together. Could I ask of you for something?]
My heart began to race and my face started to feel very warm.
[Can you wait for me?
I love you.]
I fell on my back in a euphoria of happiness. Yes Takaishi Takeru. Yes, I can wait for you.
~*~
An alarm went off.
I cracked my eyes open and saw blurry red numbers on the night stand next to me. I closed my eyes again and brought my right arm to my face and rubbed the sleeping crust out of my eyes. Reopening them I noted it was in the early am, time to get ready for school.
I really didn't want to go. Could I play sick today? Skip?
No, a voice in the back of my mind told me. I had soccer practice. The others might think there's something wrong. No, nothing was wrong except a battle I thought I had gotten over. I stayed up all night last night replaying the scene T.K. exchanged his note to Kari with her caring, beautiful smile. I remember I felt like throwing up at that moment. Did I? No, I smiled, slapped my buddy's back a few times and saw him drive away.
What a nightmare.
I threw the blankets off my half naked body and proceeded to the adjacent bathroom my sister and I shared. Surprisingly, Jun wasn't occupying it. I shrugged and turned the shower on. Stepping in I allowed the hot, steamy water to engulf me in a warm embrace. It allowed me to break away from the cold reality that I had not been able to win Hikari's heart, that I didn't have the guts to.
What a mockery.
The crest of courage? I had that again why? Okay, so I faced an undefeatable opponent head on, and sure, I'd risk my life to save the lives of other people, but how does that compare to not admitting /officially/ and /sincerely/ that I liked someone? What courage does that show?
Oh well, doesn't matter much now does it? I turned the water off and dried before heading back into my room and throwing on my wrinkled uniform. I looked at the goggles my idol, Yagami Taichi, had given me a few years ago. For some odd reason I didn't feel like wearing them today, like I wasn't worthy of them. I stood there staring at them for a few minutes until there was a knock at my door making me jump.
"Daisuke, honey? You almost ready?" It was my mom.
"Yeah." I replied. I picked up my backpack and headed towards my bedroom door. Hand on the doorknob, I gave one last forlorn look at my most treasured possession.
Not today. I'm not worthy today.
I opened the door and shut it behind me soundlessly
To Be Continued....