"I've got some bad news, Ken." Dr. Tanaka said in a clinically detached voice as she entered the lab. But her voice lacked the edge he was accustomed to associating with it. Ken turned around to face her. She smiled at his eagerness, but had a sad look in her eyes. Ken looked so ill already. How was he going to take this?
"Ken?"
Jolted out of his reminiscence, Ken whipped around to see the serious face of Dr. Tanaka, the head of the research lab where he was currently working. The credit he earned here would help him get his second doctorate, this time in genetics instead of physics.
"You look tired, Ken. You aren't overdoing it, are you?" She tilted her head and looked him over critically. She always worried.
"No, I'm fine. I just need to get this done." Ken returned his attention to the microscope. "I'm not going to be in tomorrow, remember?"
"Ah, that's right. The reunion with your old friends?"
"Yes." Ken nodded. Hikari set this up around the time I was thinking of doing the same thing... I wonder if we're having the same dreams. Or maybe she just wants to see her friends again. Or Daisuke.
"Well, I'm turning in for the night. Are you sure you don't want me to-"
"I'm fine, Dr. Tanaka. I had a checkup two days ago." Ken admonished, hiding a smile. "I'm going to Odaiba, not America."
"You remember the story I told you when we started this project, don't you, Ken?"
"Has something gone wrong, Dr. Tanaka?"
"It depends on who you ask."
"Well, don't wear yourself out." She rubbed his shoulders gently. "We still have a long way to go."
"I know that. I just need to get in touch with my friends again."
"Are you-?"
"Doctor!" Ken frowned at her. Dr. Tanaka raised her hands in surrender and left.
Why do I make such a mess? Ken thought irritably.
"Hikari!"
The bright faced young woman twirled around to see Ken smiling at her, hands in the pockets of a large red sweater. She brushed a lock of pretty brown hair out of her eyes and came running.
"Oh! It's been too long." Hikari squeezed him tightly. Ken found himself at a loss for words. "I've been able to talk to Take-chan on a daily basis and Miyako and Sora are always doing fun stuff... albeit with their crowd, but I kind of like that somehow. They're fun! ... but I haven't seen you or Daisuke or Iori for months!"
"We should hook up more often." Ken managed finally. He could feel his heart fluttering frantically. Why does she have to hold me so tight? Aren't I supposed to be jealous?
"I know. Ken chan..." Hikari looked at him intensely for a moment. "Can you..."
She turned from him abruptly and turned on the boom box she had brought to the hall they'd rented.
"Dance with me. I want to see if this music is okay." Hikari walked back over to him as the slow opening to the music played.
"I'm not much of a dancer." Ken apologized as Hikari swung him around to the sweet slow beat. She looked seriously into his eyes.
"I wasn't at first. But I caught on." She said calmly. "I bet you do to."
"Why is that?"
"Because you and I are so much alike."
You word and my word and your word is
Tomorrow today and yesterday
But it's a necessary evil
And you will find your way there
Your feelings and mine are all holy
She sighed softly. "You were trying to get a hold of me, weren't you, Ken? You're sensing something's off?"
Ken nodded worriedly. "Is that why you called the Digidestine back together?"
"Yes."
Because you love her, and you still love me
If I could be her
But I'm not her and she's not me
And you're somewhere different
The air seemed to sparkle as they danced together. Ken and Hikari looked into each other's eyes as if nothing had ever changed between them. Examining each other. Ken's hair was longer; he was taller. Hikari's face had matured; she was radiant. Her cheery brown eyes bore into him and began to melt away that chuck of ice that was eating way at his soul.
She's like me. Maybe I can deal with loneliness through friendship. I've done it before.
And just outside the door...
"I can't see, Iori!" Daisuke complained. "What are they doing?"
"They're just dancing, Daisuke. Don't get your panties in a bunch."
"How sweet." Miyako grinned, looking over at Sora, who nodded enthusiastically. "Just something about a boy who swings both ways."
"Ken's gotten tall." Sora said with a motherly smile.
On a different planet
And you still want it
The innocence
And it's an evil.
But the evil is necessary.
Hikari reached up and kissed Ken firmly on the lips. He could feel his ears turning red she once again pressed against him. He could feel her heart beating next to his.
"Nooo!" Daisuke groaned.
"Aww... Ken's first kiss. What a shock!" Miyako squealed. Iori chuckled.
"Nah, I bet Ken's been shocked millions of times by Daisuke kissing him."
"He isn't shocked at all, Iori!" Daisuke said firmly.
"You wanna rephrase that?" Takeru asked as he walked up to the group.
"No, T.O." Daisuke stuck his tongue out. Yamato cocked his head.
"What are you kids doing?"
"Daisuke is peeping at Ken and Hikari." Miyako explained. Taichi looked at her quizzically.
"Hikari? I thought she came early to set things up."
"That's what Ken said he was gonna do! Man, they plotted this."
Takeru rolled his eyes. "I doubt it. Ken's impossible to get a hold of. The other scientists where he works are really weird."
Yamato peeked into the room. "Are they going to come up for air? Wow, Ken's gotten tall."
Ken gasped as he finally pulled away. Hikari looked at him knowingly.
"You weren't thinking about doing the same thing?"
"Who are we asking?"
"Our volunteer surrogates. I don't think they have the same goals in mind that we do."
"Not that it matters, but... Hika, I have something I need to talk to you about."
"Knocku knocku!" Yamato yelled coming into the large room. "Miss me?"
Hikari blushed fiercely. "Yama-chan! Hi!"
The gang followed Matt's lead and piled into the room.
"Koushiro, Jyou, and Mimi should show up soon." Taichi explained. "I just talked to them. Jyou had to pick Mimi up at the airport."
"This is gonna be great." Miyako smiled holding onto Sora, and grabbing a handful of CDs to start playing. Sora gave her a smooch on the cheek then freed herself to talk to the older Digidestine.
Hikari inched back over to Ken, wary of Daisuke' eagle eye watching her. "You wanted to tell me something, Ken chan?"
"It can wait."
"Promise to dance with me again later." Hikari brushed his dark hair with a gentle hand and went to chat with Miyako. You aren't alone, Ken. I won't let you be.
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