'My back is tingling

But I'm not scared'

"Hey, I'm back" but Takato's roommate couldn't even hear his own voice with the vacuum going at full blast. Annoyed, he unplugged it.

"What the-!…Jen!!" he bounded across the room to give his best friend a welcoming hug. "Welcome back! So how'ya been?!"

"Eh…" Jen started explaining some new sights he saw at Hong Kong but was interrupted by the phone. Takato picked it up for him.

"Hello?"

"Hi hunny!" Juri's voice squealed at the other end, piercing his ear.

"Oh hey…"

"Takato I'm bored! Let's go somewhere today…"

"Ah… Sorry I can't. I.. have to clean up the apartment today. Some, school friends are coming by to study..."

"Study on a Saturday?"

"Uh…yeah. Look, they're coming real soon. I've.. gotta-go-bye!" he gave a sigh when he hung up the phone, but then Jen spoke.

"I thought you said you would be broken up by the time I got back…"

Takato could only sigh again…

"You're hurting yourself if you keep being tied to her. She's using you…"

"I know…" he slumped on the floor. "You don't know how much I want too, but I can't…"

"You're whipped…" Jen's voice hit him as he left from the couch and began dragging his stuff to his room. "So, is someone actually coming or what?"

"Yeah" remembering, he jumped up and started to clean again. "This girl I met."

"Hey! So you are moving on!"

"No-no, not like that…" he spoke a little quietly, hating to disappoint his friend. "She's just coming by 'cause she wants to see my collection."

"You mean you actually found someone that likes digimon?" one of Jen's eyebrows lifted. "Did you meet her at some elementary school or something?"

Takato didn't comment after that, seemingly too busy to waste his time when she would be coming real soon. Although, that left Jen's mind to wander and be completely surprised when she arrived, who wasn't the short and chubby, seven-year-old he expected…

'Can you feel this?

This beat we make all our own'

"It's all over here, come on in!" he laughed as Ruki entered his room a little eagerly, turning back from time to time, because she could feel Jen's eye keep looking at her. "Oh don't mind him! He's just a little surprised… You're not exactly what he expected…"

"I don't quite understand…"

It slipped before he realized it did, "I didn't tell him how pretty you are…"

His face flushed when he heard his own words and snuffled laughs from Jen in the other room. He was so embarrass that he didn't dare turn around before he had all his boxes of toys conveniently cover his face. Taking his time so that he could cool off, he dropped it all on his bed right beside Ruki, and as she turned to look at the action figures, he couldn't help seeing just a hint of pink to her cheek.

"I thought you were lying…" she picked up a mint condition Omnimon, "Did you buy all these?"

"Most, but some are gifts and from kids that didn't want them anymore." He picked up one of the WarGreymon figures, showing her the lost shield wing on his back.

"Hmm…" He watched as she picked up his tin box, covered in worn stickers. With a tug she pried it open with her nails, revealing his cards. Each one had been put in their own protective plastic cover. "Is this your deck?"

Takato snickered a bit, and smirking quite evilly he pulled something from his back pocket, "I'm not that dumb, see? My completely perfect deck, unbeatable!"

Unfortunately, his big head became daunted once he came face to face with a real duel, her combos slicing him like cheese…

Takato moaned in defeat after five straight loses. Jen coming in to take a peek at all the noise. "Not that hard was it?"

"Not really…" Ruki said… a little disappointed.

Knowing he was beginning to get a little out of control, but still continuing, "Why don't you try Mr. Big Shot!"

Jen's eyes moved side to side, "Sorry, I'm retired… Besides, I'm only here to ask what kind of pizza you guys want. I'm feeling kind of hungry."

"Do you want to stick around to eat?" Takato's attention finally redirected to his guest. He could tell she was a little uncertain, "Or…"

"No! Sure, um…I'd like to stay," she fumbled. "I'm just not quite used to this."

"Used to what?" But before she was about to answer the buzzer rang, sending his stomach plummeting when he heard the voice that erupted from the intercom. It was Juri…

"Don't!" He swiftly ran to his door commanding Jen not to let her up.

He hissed back. "What am I supposed to say to her?!" They stood together, staring at the intercom, both not knowing what to do. It started to beat in a rhythmic tone, informing them that she was still there… "Man, why is she even here?"

"I don't know!"

"Tell her you have a date!"

"NO! I-!" From his side he could see Ruki emerging to figure out what was all the commotion. Stupidly, he pushed the button… "Er…Hello?"

"Takato?… I could have sworn that Jen answered…"

"Um yeah… He's back from his vacation…" then it clicked. "Real tired you know… Had to send him back to bed, too eager to talk to you ya-know?? (A glare from Jen aimed straight for him)…Heh heh.. Actually, we're both kind of tired, study group."

He released the button; an odd tension flew about as they awaited Juri's voice…

"Oh, well, if Jen's tired…" but before they could cheer. "Oh hey! One of the tenants opened up for me! Ha, I'm coming up!"

Takato slumped on the sink while Jen smacked his forehead. "AARGH! I could kick the guy who let her in!"

"For all this crap I'm going to have to go through, you're paying for the food." He slumped even farther when Jen started ordering for everything…

"Takato!!" he could barely support himself when Juri leaped out and wrapped her arms around his neck. But she stopped squeezing when she caught sight of Ruki. Pushing him harshly out of the way, and completely ignoring Jen, she skipped merrily to her. his insides started to churn. 'Oh, man… I bet she's already started thinking things…'

"Hi! My name's is Juri. Are you a friend of Jen's??" he could see Juri narrow the already small gap between herself and Ruki.

"..Not really…" Ruki shifted back.

"Oh… Then you're his girlfriend?" Jen gave a snort and Takato tried to laugh it off as he put a hand on her shoulder.

"Hahah… Juri, this is Ruki, she..ah, helped me a while back when I was stuck in a bind…"

"What kind of bind..?" For some reason Jen started laughing a little more loudly, but Takato didn't have time to glare.

"I'll tell you all about it later-"

"But I want to know now!" She grabbed a surprised Ruki by the arm and tugged her for information…

After thirty minutes of insults and witty remarks, Takato was finally given a break about the plastic gun when the food arrived. But what really made his night easier, was that all the greasy food made Juri want to go home… He felt that maybe an angel had thought he deserved a break…Little did he know it was the angel of death.

Takato stood behind the door, any second ready to close it on her. "It's really too bad you couldn't stay…"

"Oh I know Takato, it's just that I have this interview tomorrow, and well you know what spicy foods do to me."

"All too well…" then the inevitable happened… Takato was being pulled at his collar, and pulling the door with him so that the others hopefully couldn't see, was sucked into a kiss that almost made him lurch… He closed his eyes, 'I can't believe I used to like this?! Man, when did she start tasting like this???'

As fast as his muscles could retract, he stepped away and muffled a 'goodbye' through a closed door. Looking up he could see Jen smiling at him.

"You look kind of flustered there Takato, why don't you do some math? Always clears the head!" Jen threw a paper crane at him… but he knew what it was…the bill…