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I don't own Digimon

Forbidden Love – Chapter  5 – Kenyako Part 1

Author's Notes: Yippee!!! My exams are finally over! Been having the writer's block all this while though, but I have returned. Nope, I haven dropped this story yet and updated would be slow. Changed and added some contents to this chapter. Hope ya enjoy it!

"Sir… Are you sure about this? You shouldn't be doing this. These worthless creatures really haven't done anything to deserve such treatment." With his right fist on his left chest, head slightly bowed as a sign of respect, General Shibayama tried to talk his lord out what he deemed as a naïve idea and act.

"General Shibayama, they… are not worthless creatures. They are my people, my citizens. Just like us, they are also children of Mizawa. How can you refer them to worthless creatures? If they are indeed so, are you implying that I am as worthless too?" the lord threw an angry glance at his general.

"No, sir. Definitely not!" the general answered quickly, taking a few steps backwards. The lord shifted his glance back to the land below him. "You are forgiven Shibayama, but I don't wish to hear such comments escaping from your lips again," the general gave a sigh of relief. "Now go get me some suitable clothing. I'm going down. And," the lord turned to face the soldiers and generals behind him, "I don't wish to see any of you following me and down at the village. Without my orders, no one is to step foot into the village. Hear me?"

"But Sir…" General Shibayama was about to protest against the idea but later, thought better of it after seeing his lord's expression and answered a 'yes' to his master's order reluctantly.

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You have come for me... finally... I am going to die... I am going to die..." Iori sobbed uncontrollably. All of us were taken aback by Iori's sudden outburst. Iori had always been one who can control and hide his feelings very well. Even when he received the news that he had contradicted that deadly disease he had yet to shed a tear. No one, not even Iori's family members could comprehend his unusually calmness towards the things happening around him. Having Iori crying was as rare as finding gold on the ground. We all looked at one another, not knowing how to comfort the poor boy. Luckily, hr stopped crying just as sudden as he had started.

       "I'm so sorry. I'm okay now. Sorry to have frightened any of you." Iori sat up on his bed, with his mother's help. "Are you sure you are okay, son? Don't bottle up all your feelings. It is good to let them out every now and then." Mrs. Hida had obviously been badly shocked by her own son a while ago and was now ruffling with her son's bowl-shaped hair. Iori nodded quietly. Catching Iori's signal for us to get his mother to go away for a while, Jyou and I made up the excuse of wanting to talk to her outside to discuss some issues in a bid to get her out of the room. Takeru was about to go out with us when Iori called out for him. " Mr. Takaishi, can you stay behind for a while? Since you are going to come over often now, why don't we have a little chat?" Takeru agreed and the rest of us went out.

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       Ken took a deep breath and then smiled with content when the sea breeze swept past him gently. He never knew air could smell so sweet, fresh and 'village'. He didn't know what other words will sound and fit the smell better than the word 'village'. The word just popped out from nowhere. After a while of pondering, he finally realized what that smell was. Lingering in the air was the smell of the simple lifestyle of the people living on this seashore; something he could never get to experience first-handedly himself. A surge of envy rose up. Ken made himself promise to come back to this place as often as he could.

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       "Been waiting for long?"

"It's about time you came, really."

"Really? But I came earlier you know."

"The earlier the better."

"Why? Some wish that I wouldn't come so soon."

"I'm suffering... and you know that."

"So you wish to board the earlier 'train' huh?"

"Yes."

"That's fine with me you know, it's just a sooner or later thing."

"Like what I've said earlier, the earlier the better."

"You are good you know. Not many can recognize me even when I am staring at them, right in their face."

"I'll take it as a compliment."

Takeru walked slowly towards the bed slowly and placed his hand on Iori's forehead. Iori closed his eyes with a little effort deliberately, a painful smile spreading across his face. Takeru closed his eyes too and chanted something under his breath and when he was done and drew back his hand, Iori's smile faded.

"Why?"

"The time has not yet come."

"You said it was fine with you."

"It's fine with me, but not for that old lady outside."

"What a disappointment."

"I see that you have lost the will to carry on."

"If you were me, you would have probably lost it sooner."

"How did you know it was me?"

"I don't know. I just knew it was you."

"Impressive."

"How long must I still suffer?"

"For another month?"

"Then why are you here?"

"I came to fulfill a promise."

"My suffering has reduced by a little, but you know it wouldn't last for long."

"I wouldn't break my work code for your sake."

"I'm such an ill-fated guy."

"But I can promise you that I wouldn't leave you here for even a second longer than you should be. This, I promise you."

"Thank you, Death."

"Your welcome, Iori."

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       "Things are not looking too well for Iori these days Mrs. Hida," as much as he hated it, Jyou had to tell the poor old woman the news. He knew her heart will wrench, but she has to learn of it sooner or later. She had to be emotionally prepared come what may. Mrs. Hida cupped her mouth with one hand and the other clenching to her shirt tightly, tears welling up in her eyes. The news had not only wrenched her heart, it had also broke mine. "I think Iori had already come to know of this himself and thus, causing him to break down just now." Jyou continued.

       "Are you certain about this Jyou? Aunt Hida has a weak heart, I really do. I have already lost my husband to the sea; I cannot afford to lose Iori as well. Should I really do, I will die. I will die for sure Jyou! Please, do examine him again, I beg of you. Maybe you have made an error or something! Please! Please!" Mrs. Hida pleaded between sobs. Trying to hold back my eyes and grief, I tried to calm the poor mother down. "If… if your are right about what you have said, how… how much more time does Iori have?" though knowing full well that the answer will deal Mrs. Hida with another blow and reluctant to ask the question myself, I still did. Life and Death, as my parents have often said, were predestined. Mrs. Hida looked at me in shock before shifting her glance to Jyou instead. "How much longer?" she asked. "If my father's prediction wasn't wrong; exactly one more month. I urge you, Mrs. Hida, to treasure this period well. Do whatever you can for Iori so that he… he goes without much regret. Meanwhile, I will examine Iori again, as you have requested. But do be prepared for the worst that the new report will be of no difference from this one." Mrs. Hida nodded before slumping to the floor as if she had all her bones and muscles removed. Looking at Mrs. Hida carefully, I come to notice that she had lost a lot of weight and haggard. I remembered her a slim young housewife who had a husband who loved her dearly and a filial son. Where has the old Mrs. Hida gone? I finally reached my limit and rushed out of the Hida's household. I must not cry in front of Mrs. Hida. All of us have to be strong for her. We have to.

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       "Come back this instant, Miyako! You will get it from me if I lay my hands on ya I warn ya. Give me back my letter! Stupid Miyako!" Daisuke was running and screaming and yelling after Miyako like a mad man. Miyako, on the other hand, was taking it all easy. "Come get me you moron! Haha! I shall show this to Hikari! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" before Miyako knew anything, she was already on her butt. "Ouch!" she moaned. "Why do I keep bumbling into things? The other day was the branch of the old tree. A few days ago, it was Takeru. Now who is it!" she yelled in frustration before shooting up to see who had had the nerve of knocking into her and to her surprise, a teen almost as good-looking as Takeru looked down at her, still in shock. He recovered fairly quickly and immediately extended a hand to Miyako, wanting to help her up. "I'm so sorry. I saw you coming but I had thought that you would just run past me. I seriously didn't know you were going to knock into me. Please, let me help you up."

       Miyako took his hand and her gaze had never left the boy standing right before me. "Finally! I've got ya. Don't you dare show this letter to Hikari yet I tell ya. What are you doing? Who… Who are you?!" Daisuke asked rudely. " Don't be rude Daisuke, here, you can have your letter back." And with that she shoved the letter into Daisuke's face and pushed him away with her free hand, still not shifting her gaze away from the boy before her. Though the boy's clothing look dirty and he had some dirt on his face, it didn't affect or hide his delicate features the least bit. She felt a little uncomfortable all of a sudden. Not from the fall. It was as though she had just drunk a cup of warm water and the heat was slowly rising up to her head from her stomach. She recognized such feelings as love. "Pardon me, I am Ken and I am on a backpack travel. Are you hurt or anything miss?" Ken introduced himself politely. Miyako shook her head, "I am Miyako." She replied sweetly. Daisuke couldn't help but to stare at Miyako; they had practically known each other for as long as fifteen years and never had he once heard Miyako speak so softly and sweetly. He couldn't help but to shiver a little. 'Poor chap. No one deserves such punishment no matter how much wrong they did,' and with that, Daisuke prayed for Ken. "I'm so sorry I didn't know you were in front of me. please, come over to my place for a drink. This is my form of apology." With her hands clamped together at the right side of her cheek and head slightly tilted to the side to rest on her hands, Miyako began her 'apology' sweetly. Never once had she shifted those 'dreamy' stares at Ken. Before Ken had the chance of refusing her kind offers, he was literally dragged off by Miyako. He shot Daisuke a look of despair but Daisuke merely shrugged his shoulders and gave him a 'you-better-follow-what-she-says-if-not-who-knows-what-will-happen-to-you' look. Snapping his fingers, as if recalling something, Daisuke shouted, "Hikari! The love lett…" he looked around him frantically, suddenly aware of his surrounding. He cupped his mouth before mumbling to himself, "Must give Hikari the letter. Once she read it, she would rush into my arms and never leave me again." He then imitated what the both of them would do. Squeaking in a high-pitch voice, he began, "Oh Daisuke! How sweet of you to write such a letter for me. Please accept me as your girlfriend!" He then chuckled evilly in a cartoon manner. "Hikari! I'm coming for ya!"

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       "Stop crying you stupid girl! Stop it! You are so useless. You had contradicted the same disease years ago yet you recovered. So why aren't you able to recall anything, anything at all?!" I berated myself and hit the tree that was supporting me repeatedly, the blows getting harder and harder each time. A hand was placed on my shoulder and I turned round to face Jyou helplessly. " I recovered…" I whispered, with tears brimming in my eyes, "I'm the only one who survived from that cursed disease. But why wasn't I able to recall what exactly happened to me on that night to help Iori?" Jyou shook his head sadly and tried to convince me that perhaps I was too young to remember anything, but that only added on to my guilt. A thought suddenly came to mind and I gripped Jyou's arms firmly. "Maybe Iori would be like me! Maybe a miracle will appear and Iori would be able to escape Death like I once did years back?" Rays of hope were finally shining through; or that was what I thought. Jyou took me by my shoulders and reluctantly explained to me, "Everyone would hope for that to happen, Hikari. But miracles don't always happen. Don't give yourself or anyone else false hopes. It would hurt even more if that miracle doesn't take place." Shocked to hear that from Jyou, I let go of his arms and retreated a few steps back and sobbed harder than before and slumped onto the ground. "In the face of adversity," I started after a while and looked up at Jyou, "there's nothing wrong with hope."

Author's Notes: Please, be a considerate reader and review.