Okies, here is the next chapter of Realities of Friendship.
… A few things get explained here, but not everything. Still, I would ask that you refrain from hurting me.
Hello, And Who Might You Be Again?
Taichi sighed and looked around at the stuffy, boring executives that crowded the large hall and tables. I knew this was going to be boring. Jeez, there is no way I would be here if I wasn't on the team, no matter how much of an honour it is to be invited.
"Here." Taichi looked over at Ryotu in surprise. He didn't even hear the other man approach. He held two glasses in his hands. "I figured you'd need something like this."
"Thanks." Taichi took the proffered drink and swallowed the scotch in one gulp, without even wincing at the taste. Ryotu looked slightly surprised.
"And I though I was nervous," he muttered. "Want me to grab you another one?"
"No I can get it. You go socialise with the others. I'll be hanging around the alcohol."
"Sure, whatever." Ryotu glanced at his friend worriedly once before joining his other teammates.
Taichi walked over in the direction of the bar, but before he got there he was suddenly accosted by someone.
"Taichi! It really is you!" Taichi groaned as he recognised the sound of that voice as well as the feel of those arms grabbing him tightly around his chest.
"Davis," Taichi wheezed. "Can you lay off a bit, I do need to breath you know."
"Sorry." Davis grinned sheepishly then let go of his idol. Taichi turned around to see the two younger digi-destined smiling at him.
Taichi grinned at them. "Hey, it's great to see you two. My, you both certainly have changed."
That was an understatement.
Instead of the usual mass of mahogany spikes, Daisuke now sported a short yet stylish do that managed, amazingly, to somehow keep his hair in line and him looking somewhat presentable. He was also taller, taller than Taichi even, the older boy noted with a wide-eyed glance. He was decked out in a dark blue suit with a black shirt and wide collar that was fashionable for these days. He was grinning in his usual Daisuke manner, but he looked older and more mature. It seemed that Daisuke had done quite a bit of growing while Taichi was gone, but there was still an air about him that reminded Taichi that the mischievous boy was still a part of this new Daisuke.
Ken was only slightly smaller than Daisuke now and he too looked older, although he already looked mature when he was younger so there wasn't much difference there, but he did look contented and more free than he had in those days. Having finally finished school and moving on to do what he wanted to do must have taken a huge burden off his shoulders. Physically also, Ken looked different. He had shorter hair than before and had it styled in a way that was slightly reminiscent of Yamato when he was younger, around eleven. He'd bulked up a bit and filled out, making him even look more handsome in his black suit and silk violet shirt than he had years ago. Now he no longer looked like such a stuck up nerd, as some had labeled him when he was younger. Which Taichi and the others thought was complete bull anyway.
Ken held out his hand for Taichi to shake. "It's great to see you Taichi. It's been a while."
Taichi took the offered hand. "It has." He smiled again and shook his head. "I seriously cannot believe how much you two have changed. It's amazing." He released Ken's hand, then with a sudden burst of emotion, he embraced the younger man. Then he grabbed Daisuke in a similar hug. "I missed you both, all of you. You have to fill me in on everything, on everyone. What's been happening."
Daisuke led them to a table and Ken and Taichi sat down while he went to get drinks. "Where should I begin?" Ken asked. "You've been gone for while."
"Kars. How is she?"
"She's great. She got a job at a magazine working as a photographer and column writer. She's earning a good living. She and TK have just bought their first apartment together. He's working on the magazine too as one of the writers and a co-editor. They actually started working part time with the magazine during their senior year and got full time jobs as soon as they left school."
"Wow, that's great." Then Taichi frowned. "Hold on a second … Takeru's living with my sister?!"
Ken nodded somewhat nervously. "Yeah. Come on Taichi, they'd been dating since they were thirteen. Do you seriously think that they wouldn't move in together having been with each other that long?"
Taichi glowered at him then nodded. "Yeah, I guess that's true. I'm glad that she's still with him. I trust Takeru, or at least I should. He hasn't changed that much has he?"
"No he's still the same TK we know and love."
"Who loves TK?" Davis asked curiously, putting their drinks on the table.
"Just talking about Kari Dai." Ken smiled warmly at Daisuke.
Taichi looked a bit uncomfortable and he cleared his throat nervously before he asked the next question. "So, are you two still …?"
"Yup!" Daisuke leaned over and gave Ken a hug. "Me and Ken are still going steady." He beamed as Ken started blushing then let go. "I really shouldn't do that too much in public. The team knows about us, but some of them are a still a bit nervous."
"They rest don't care because we're so good." Ken smiled smugly.
"Yeah, I'll say. I didn't get accepted onto the Kyoto team until I was twenty. I had to do at least two years in the second division. Actually, it was more like nineteen and a half. I started playing up when they needed new subs. Still, eighteen, you two are really good to have gotten so far, especially going straight out of school."
"Well, actually, after you left, a few scouts came along to the weekend games and the school tournaments and we were both picked as potentials for the Tokyo club. They'd kept an eye on us ever since and they offered us the positions when we graduated. Then we were spotted by the coach a few months ago and put on the top of the subs list for the first division." Daisuke laughed. "Man, we sure are lucky."
Ken smiled amusedly at Daisuke's delight then looked over at Taichi. "What about you? How did you get picked for the Kyoto team?"
"Well, actually I was offered a college scholarship in Kyoto through the soccer team. Obviously there was a good chance I could get picked, so I took the opportunity and left three years ago. Sure enough, I was there for like three weeks and the asked me to play in second division for a while. The next year I became the captain for the second division and I played up a few times when they needed subs. The next year I was picked for the first division and now I'm vice-captain for Kyoto. I guess I'm just as lucky as you two."
"Sure are" Daisuke agreed. "So that's where you went when you left. Everyone got kind of freaked when you left so suddenly like that. You didn't tell anyone or contact anyone for ages. We thought you and Matt ran off some place."
Taichi stilled suddenly and looked down at the table, a closed expression coming over his face. "Yeah, I'm really sorry for that. How did Kars react?"
"Badly." Daisuke looked at him morosely. "She refused to come out of her room for over a week. After Takeru managed to persuade her to come out, she still wouldn't talk to us at all for almost a month. Actually, I'm amazed that Takeru was in a state to help Kari as well as dealing himself."
Ken gave Daisuke a glare that shut him up. Taichi looked away, his eyes stinging with tears as he was suddenly reminded of everything that happened three years ago. He cleared his throat and looked over at Daisuke, thinking of a way to change the subject. "Hey, why did you say that 'it really is you' when you saw me earlier?"
"Well Takeru called and said that he saw you at his bar and I didn't believe him until I saw you here today."
"Takeru? A bar?"
"Yeah. Takeru also works part time at a bar near his apartment."
"Really?" Taichi thought for a second. When did he go to a bar? His eyes widened. Of course, on that first night back here with Ryotu. The bartender had looked kind of familiar.
"Woah, that was Takeru? Really long hair, glasses, goatee?" Ken and Daisuke nodded. "Wow, he's changed a lot. He's so tall and lanky. Although, TK has always been a bit like that." Taichi laughed softly and shook his head. "I leave you guys for three years and you change so much that I barely recognise you." Taichi smiled then thought of something and paled. "Did he call Kars?"
"No." Daisuke looked suddenly furious and Taichi was taken aback by the swift change in his friend. "I told him that you should have called her if you were back in town."
Taichi looked away from him guiltily. "Davis, I ... it's just ... things have been kind of weird."
"She's your sister Taichi. She deserves to know you're back."
"I know, but —"
"No buts!" Daisuke slammed his fist down on the table, startling both Taichi and Ken. "Don't try and weasel out of this. You messed up three years ago and scared the shit out of everyone. Don't you dare try and justify not calling her or your family and friends, you mean so much to us Taichi, you had no idea what we went through when you left."
"I'm sure that you missed Yamato a lot more when he disappeared," Taichi spat nastily at Daisuke. His eyes widened as Daisuke and Ken flinched from him. "Oh, gods Davis, Ken, I'm so sorry, I just ... I ..." Taichi shook his head, feeling tears coming to his eyes again. "I'm sorry. I've got to go." He got up and walked away from them and over to his team.
Violet and cinnamon eyes watched him leave sadly.
"Jeez, why the hell does he always act like that?" Daisuke demanded angrily of his boyfriend. "He hasn't changed a bit."
"You're wrong, Dai. He has changed, but not necessarily for the better." Ken studied the brunette with a thoughtful gaze. "I think there's more to what happened three years ago than we thought."
"You mean with Yamato? I noticed that. I thought they left together."
"So did I. And I think that Kari believed that too. That was the only reason why she started talking to anyone again, she thought they were happy."
"Maybe that's why he won't talk to her yet."
"If we weren't in the opposing team, coming here today, I don't think that anyone would have even known he was back." Ken shook his head sadly. "I wish that things could go back to the way they were before."
"I just wish we knew what the hell was going on."
* * *
The sleek black limousine pulled up out front of the stylish and expensive hotel located in the middle of Tokyo to pick up five very important and famous people.
Well, four famous people and their well-known and respected manager.
Inside the long car, there was excited talk during the ride, these people were after all going to be guests at a very exclusive luncheon for the prequel to one of the biggest sporting events in Japan for this year.
Only one pair of sapphire eyes didn't look excited to be going. They instead stared moodily out of the tinted windows at the familiar streets of the Tokyo city and inner-city suburbs. The blond those eyes belonged to smiled as they passed by Tokyo tower and the large television studio where quite a few memories had taken place. As they pulled up to the large civics centre where the luncheon was to be held, he steeled himself and took a deep breath.
Just another performance. Be happy and thankful that you're the one singing the national anthem on television before the biggest sporting event for the year. It is an honour after all.
"You ready to make a good impression Yamato?"
The blond got out of the limousine and smiled brightly. "I always am."
* * *
Taichi sighed as he downed his fifth or sixth drink. He wasn't quite sure how many it had been, things were starting to get a bit fuzzy.
Taichi tried to grab another one, but Ryotu stopped him. Taichi glared at his friend, but he just looked calmly back at him. "I think you've had enough, considering it's barely past noon."
"Fine," Taichi growled and slumped back in his seat at the table he as now sitting at with his team.
Ryotu looked at him curiously. "Why are you so gloomy all of sudden?"
"I just remembered why I left this place three years ago," Taichi muttered.
Ryotu nodded in understanding. "Meeting with your old friends go sour?"
"Big time."
"Should I leave you alone?"
"If you want. Or you cane stay and get put off by my extremely grumpy mood."
"I think I'll leave you to your thoughts."
"Appreciated." Ryotu was about to go when their coach suddenly approached his team with a huge smile forestalling the movement.
"Good, you're all here. The CEO is going around meeting the two teams with some of his guests. He'll be coming here after he finished with the Tokyo team." Everyone craned their necks to see a large balding man in an expensive suit as well as a few other official looking people greeting members of the Tokyo team. There were also five others who looked slightly out of place with them.
Taichi frowned. There was something very familiar about the tall blond one who was greeting Daisuke and Ken. Why do they looked so shocked and so happy to see him? I guess that everyone else is kind of excited to see them here too for some reason, but there's something different with them ... wait a second. He's embracing them?! Who the hell is he? Unless ...
Taichi paled and looked away.
"Hey who's that?" Ryotu asked as the officials now approached them. Taichi still wasn't looking at them, his breathing had quickened slightly and he tried to look as uninterested as possible.
"Who? The blond guy and the others? They're the band who'll be playing at half time and will be doing the national anthem."
"Woah, hang on, is that —"
"Konichiwa," a loud nasal voice intoned politely. The Kyoto soccer team rose and bowed in the direction of the CEO of the Japanese National Soccer Association and his officials and guests. "I must say I am pleased to once again be greeting the Kyoto team before the finals. It has been a while since you've made it to finals."
"Yes, sir that is true. However, we do have a fantastic team this year."
"So I had heard. I've heard much about one young player in particular. Where is your young vice-captain? I would very much like to meet this extraordinary player."
"Of course." The Kyoto coach gestured for Taichi to approach them. Taichi exhaled in nervousness and looked over at the officials then sighed in relief. Thank the gods. I seriously thought for a minute that it really was him here. Taichi grinned and waked over to his coach.
He bowed to the CEO and officials and greeted them formally. They smiled at his politeness.
"Ah, so this is the famous young Yagami. It is a pleasure to meet you after hearing so much about you."
"And it is a very large honour to meet you sir." Taichi bowed at the compliment and couldn't help smiling despite the butterflies in his stomach. "I must say, I am enjoying this luncheon very much."
"I am pleased." The CEO seemed very impressed with what he saw in Taichi. "I hear that you grew up in Tokyo. Why did you chose to play for Kyoto?"
"I guess it was the first opportunity I got. I had actually visited Kyoto once before with a friend and was also very impressed with the city itself."
"It must be nice to be home again though."
"Yes, very much so." When is this going to be over? Gods, I sweating like a pig from nervousness. Taichi didn't let any of his nerves show on his face, he just continued smiling politely.
"Ah," the CEO finally looked away as a few more people approached them. "Good, there is someone I would like you all to meet."
Taichi froze as he saw who was approaching them.
That figure haunted his dreams. The smile that played about those lips was all he thought of. Those deep blue eyes twinkling laughingly in the light still caused his stomach to knot up. He could still feel echoes of those soft golden strands whispering over his skin as he stared at the approaching god before him.
"It is him!" The spell was broken and Taichi glanced over at the grinning Ryotu. "I never dreamed I would ever meet him."
The golden haired god turned his smiling face as he heard what Ryotu had said. But the smile faded slightly and his eyes widened as his gaze was captured by something else.
The CEO smiled as he turned, oblivious to the strange look on his guest's face. "May I present the front man for the famous band, the Teenage Wolves, Ishida Yamato."
"Oh gods," Taichi whispered as he stared directly into the familiar blue eyes of his beloved.
AN: You're probably going to forget my earlier plea and hurt me, aren't you? Think of it in terms of length, this chapter was rather long and I had to cut it off somewhere.
… you're not going to buy that are you?
Also, sorry if I got the Japanese soccer association wrong, I really have little idea what I'm talking about when it comes to sports and associations. Especially those outside of Australia (where I live).