Note: /.../ «-- Daisuke's thoughts Dark's thoughts --» italics

-o-o-o-

Saa, me o tojite.
Chapter 8: Sayounara.



There was a knock at the door. Satoshi walked in the direction of the rather annoying rapping, already knowing whom the visitor was. Keiji Saga stood behind the doorframe, flanked by two serious-looking assistants. After inviting them inside, Satoshi kindly asked for them to help themselves freely around the apartment, while he and his guest had a little chat. Saga seemed suspicious of this, but he said nothing.

-o-

Dark had remained silent throughout the entirety of that Monday. Daisuke had become worried and a bit flustered, but it was now Tuesday and he had to forget all about his current problems and get ready for school. That was exactly what he was doing at the moment, actually, while he rehearsed over and over the speech he had prepared for Riku. Quite a long day, this Tuesday seemed to be.

Daisuke left in a rush, merely waving back at his relatives. He thought, as he held back a snicker, that his late arrivals at school were rather clichéd. Anyway, there wasn't much he could do to change that, since he was running a good few minutes late. And so he ran as fast as he could, praying that his teacher wouldn't be too punctual.

He got to his classroom just in time. Takeshi walked to greet him and caught him in a bone-crushing hug. He really wasn't in the mood to put up with the boy's antics, but he bit back his opinion and let him greet him as brutally as he fancied. As he started struggling to free himself from the weird embrace, he was surprised to see Satoshi's desk empty. But then again, remembering what the boy had told him on Saturday, it wasn't that strange. Sure, Satoshi was neither shy nor a coward, but even the toughest man on earth would feel a bit uncomfortable if he were in Satoshi's place, specially given the relation between the boys and their unwanted family legacies. He wondered for a while about the possible reasons for Satoshi's absence, before tearing his gaze from the empty spot. Unfortunately, that same gaze fell on his girlfriend, Riku.

"Niwa-kun!" she called happily as she approached him. Just like Takeshi had done, she caught him in a hug; this one, though, was softer and a lot sweeter. Daisuke wanted nothing but to be elsewhere. "How are you?" Riku asked with concern. She seemed to be studying his face; what she was looking for, Daisuke wasn't sure.

"I'm fine," he said and it was true. Well, half of it; while he was feeling well physically, he felt quite awful on the inside. Mostly because of the girl talking to him only inches from his face. /If only she had purple hair.../ he thought rather stupidly.

Dark could hear that thought, though he didn't comment on it. Instead, he contented himself with knowing that at least Daisuke was thinking of him -he couldn't think of anyone else they knew that had his hair-colour-. He probably missed him if he was trying to compare Riku with him, he imagined. He then thought the idea was rather odd, not to mention a bit sick, but promised himself he would consider the subject later. After all, he had nothing but endless time to waste... until his curse was broken. That was likely to happen soon, anyway; even if it ended his life as well. Either way, as Daisuke had once said, he would be free.

-o-

Classes ended too quickly, in Daisuke's opinion. He walked to Riku's desk, as he usually did, to ask her if she wanted him to walk her home. It was a pointless ritual, since she always expected him to do so and without him even having to ask the silly question. But that was the way Daisuke was, so polite and respectful.

They were walking side by side now, feeling uncomfortable around the other; that was something, Riku noticed, that had never happened before. There wasn't awkwardness between them, but tension. She became worried at once. Stopping in her tracks, she turned to Daisuke to ask if there was something wrong. Much to her displeasure, there was.

"Riku," Daisuke addressed her nervously, "there is something I meant to tell you." Those simple words had caught the girl's attention. She guided the both of them to a nearby park and sat on a bench, dragging Daisuke with her. Good thing they were well seated and physically comfortable, because the boy was feeling less confident with each second that passed. But soon enough, he brought himself to say what he intended to.

"Riku, I... I want..." he stammered with nervousness; a tightening knot in his stomach was making him sick. How could he tell her he didn't want to go out with her anymore? This was too difficult. "I think," he kept on stammering, "I think we should break up."

There, he'd said it. He regretted having done so, though, once he saw the look of utter sadness in Riku's eyes. He was, therefore, rather amazed when that wet glow turned into a serene, thoughtful glance. Riku covered his hands with her own and pierced the boy's eyes with the sweetness in hers. "I understand," she said. Daisuke could barely believe she had said such thing, but she kept speaking nonetheless. "You don't love me anymore?" It was more a statement than it was a question; she probably knew the answer, but wanted to reassure herself. Daisuke nodded, he couldn't find in himself the courage to speak the words aloud. He ought to give her an explanation, though.

"I'm sorry," he said, "but I... there is someone else." Fast and painless, he thought; a pitiful attempt at the explanation he intended to give her. "I don't know what to say, Riku, I'm sorry." He knew well enough that apologising wasn't going to make Riku feel any better, but the words flowed out of his mouth out of free will, it seemed. He avoided looking at her as he tried to muster up the courage to tell her he was in love with a boy.

"Daisuke," she interrupted him. "I can't lie to you, you know." She half-smiled in a sad way, as he tilted the boy's chin so he would meet her gaze. "I am really sad and if there were anything I could do to change the way things are, believe me, I would do it. But I can't make you love me, especially now that you like someone else."

Neither uttered a syllable after that. Daisuke was glad for the understanding silence between them and so was Riku, though in a more painful way. She didn't want to understand anything, she really loved Daisuke, after all. She supposed she ought to be happy to have him as a friend, which was an understated agreement they both had.

After that while in which no one spoke, Daisuke stood up. Holding out his hand for Riku to take, he waited for her to stand up as well. Surprisingly at ease with each other, they walked together until it was time to part ways.

/All in all,/ Daisuke thought contentedly to himself, /that went rather well./

-o-

Saga contorted his mouth into a sneer. "WHAT?" he shrieked with disbelief. Satoshi only kept his arms and legs crossed, his face as expressionless as usual. He said nothing, instead expecting Saga to understand by himself. "You expect me to apologise to Daisuke Niwa?"

"Exactly. And if I weren't working for the police, I'd ask you to apologise to Dark as well."

"Why?"

"Well, that's obvious," he said calmly. "Because these photographs only serve to either make the boy's life even more difficult than it already is, or get you in jail for stalking."

If Saga had been angry before, he was now full of hatred. His face had gone chalky-white and his mouth tightened into a thin line. "Why are you doing this?"

"That's none of your business," Satoshi was still calm, his tone never faltering. "But I will tell you, though, because you're intelligent enough to keep your mouth shut." Saga was all ears. "My only purpose in life," he stated with that cold serenity of his, "is to catch Dark. I would go to any lengths to do so, but I can't drag the boy with him." Saga had never really understood the thief's story, if he was honest with himself, but he was willing to and that was enough to keep his attention fixed on the young man sitting in front of him.

"Believe it or not," Satoshi carried on, "there is a curse bonding them; that much I'm sure you've found out about." Saga nodded, annoyed. "I have to first break the curse, separate those two personalities into two different bodies and then catch Dark. It's that simple, though when merely speaking about it, it looks stupidly easier."

"So, what you want me to do is to simply back off?"

"Yes," he nodded for emphasis, "and I also want you to do me a favour." Saga looked as if he were about to throw up. At seeing his look, Satoshi added in a more amused tone "I think your freedom is worth your co-operation."

Saga wanted to strangle the man then and there but suppressed the urge to do it. Instead he nodded his agreement and Satoshi smirked. "What I want you to do" he said as he shoved his right hand into his pocket, "is -when you meet Niwa to apologise- to give him this key." He let the golden item fall onto Saga's outstretched hand and added, as an afterthought, "he'll know what it means."

Saga narrowed his eyes at Satoshi as he stood up. He didn't think he'd ever hated someone as much as he hated him at the time. But anyway, he could not argue with him, considering his position in the police forces. So, pocketing the key in his white leather jacket, he made his way to the front door where Funabashi and the other man were waiting for him. Satoshi followed close and let him out; neither said a word to the other.

-o-

Daisuke arrived home feeling strangely light. It was as if his feet were floating and he had no idea why. He supposed it had to do with the immense weight he'd taken off his shoulders, but dismissed the subject, anyway. Though he was feeling rather well, he still wanted Dark to talk to him. He'd even considered looking for him in his mind, like that one time a couple of days ago, but changed his mind. This time, Dark himself would have to come out of his protective shell. He didn't have the right, he thought, of forcing him to come back when he himself had been the one to put him at shame. Or so he imagined; he really wasn't sure of the reason why Dark had been so upset.

Still, Daisuke missed the thief dearly.

He opened the front door, ready for the usual display of traps. Jumping here and ducking there, left, right, left, left and he was finally in the hall of his home. Emiko came rushing to get him in a hug and congratulated him on an excellent performance. Kosuke shook his head behind his wife and Daiki grinned like the proud grandfather he was.

Daisuke followed his mother to the kitchen where he had a late lunch. Everyone was staring at him, silently wondering why his mood had suddenly changed. His mother, being the insufferable meddler he loved so much, was the first to inquire him.

"How was school today, honey?" She asked with that suspicious grin on her face.

"Fine," he said. It wasn't a lie, nor the entire truth either. He wasn't sure he could tell her what had happened with Riku after classes.

"I don't know... you look a lot better than you have in days." Daisuke froze. She was going to say it any minute... "Did something good happen with Riku-chan?"

That's it. Daisuke closed his eyes and relaxed. Serenely, in a way reminiscent of Satoshi Hiwatari, he looked up into the faces of his relatives and told them that Riku and him had broken up. Daiki and Kosuke both seemed surprised by the news, but Emiko... she was the personification of calm. It was as though she knew something like this would happen, even when Daisuke's revelation hadn't been exactly what she had expected. But she had a look on her face that made the boy feel slightly uneasy. He was right in feeling that way.

Emiko gently grabbed him by the arm and forced him to look at her -and only her-. She remained quiet for a while, simply staring into her son's eyes which held a look of mild concern mixed with a tinge of sadness. "Why did you two break up?" she asked, making sure that she wouldn't be easily fooled.

"Because," Daisuke stammered just like he had done when speaking with Riku. "I don't love her anymore."

"Oh," was all she said. Then, she looked into Kosuke's eyes and the man understood; soon, both him and Daiki had left the room to leave mother and son alone. "Are you sure of what your feelings are?"

Daisuke didn't want to talk about things like that with her mother, but it seemed he had no other choice. He nodded and Emiko sighed. "Why the sudden change? I thought you were in love with her."

"I was," he stated. He kept trying to avoid her mother's gaze, but it was as if he were glued to her eyes. "I..." but he never finished the sentence. Emiko winced as tears started falling down her son's cheeks. She hugged him tightly and let him sob on her shoulder.

"What happened to you, Daisuke?" she asked, fighting her own tears. "You've been acting so strange lately... I want to help you, Daisuke, but I can't do so unless you tell me what is wrong." Daisuke only kept crying; his mother, patiently awaited for him to feel better before asking further.

Daisuke shrugged himself free of the embrace as he wiped the tears off his face with the sleeve of his shirt. Looking up into her mother's eyes, he felt it was time to confess. "I've fallen in love with someone else," he said. Emiko brightened up slightly, though she was still looking miserable, utterly worried about her beloved son.

"Daisuke, there's nothing wrong in that," she caressed the boy's cheeks lovingly. "You are only fourteen, you can't expect to find true love at once."

"But," Daisuke interrupted her, "I think I have; this time for sure."

Emiko stared at him with a wide grin on her face; her son was too innocent... "Are you sure you have, Daisuke? How do you know this person is your soulmate?"

"I know," the boy started saying, still wiping off his face with the back of his hand. "I know, because I've never felt this way before. I... never imagined I could feel this way either." He then added, as an afterthought, "It is completely different from anything I've felt before."

"What makes it different?"

The inquiries were starting to make Daisuke feel uncomfortable, even more than he already was. But, somehow, he knew that once he'd told his mother what he was going through emotionally, he'd feel better. Just like had happened when he told Riku.

"It's different because... I never thought I could feel like this for someone like..." he stammered again, blushing furiously, then took a deep breath and spat it out /fast and painless/ "...someone like him."

Emiko deadpanned, making Daisuke regret his words. "Him?" she asked for reassurance; Daisuke nodded. "Him," she stated, almost as if tasting the word. "You've fallen in love... with a boy?" Once again, Daisuke nodded; he barely knew where he'd got the courage to do so. "Daisuke," her features relaxed and she smiled. "Is this why you've been so sad?"

"That... and also..." he rubbed frantically at his forehead. He had no idea how he was still talking to her instead of running away and hiding in his closet. "What makes me sad," he said, "is that this guy can't return my feelings."

"He can't? That is impossible, Daisuke, he may not like you but is not because he can't, but because he's simply not attracted to you." Daisuke shook his head. "How is that then? I'm sorry, Daisuke, but I don't understand."

"He can't return my feelings because..." he was going to say it. He knew he would. Not intentionally, but it'd only take a slip of his tongue to say his name. "He just can't. He's... cursed."

At those words, Emiko obviously thought of one boy: Satoshi Hiwatari. As if reading her mind, Daisuke told her "it's not Satoshi." She sighed with relief, making Daisuke snicker. "Enough information," she added mockingly.

"Whoever this boy is, you have to tell him how you feel." Daisuke went red from head to toes, his hair matching the colour of his cheeks. Surely she wasn't expecting him to confess his feelings to... "Don't be sad, Daisuke," she said, hugging her son close to her chest once again. "You never choose who you fall in love with," she added wisely, showing a face Daisuke rarely saw. "Being in love is something beautiful, despite of whom you've fallen in love with." She pierced through her son's eyes with her sweet stare, almost bringing him to tears.

"You have to tell him how you feel, Daisuke," she repeated. "And don't be scared or ashamed, even rejection can be positive. It works as a signal, letting you know that you have to move on." Daisuke thought that her words didn't make sense, but said nothing about it. "Go on, Daisuke, you'll only feel better once you talk to him; think about it."

Then, she let Daisuke go. The boy smiled at her, a genuine smile full of love and gratitude. "Thank you," he said to her, to make his point clearer. He walked to his room then, promising himself that he would think about everything his mother had told him. He had to make up his mind once and for all; was he going to finally tell Dark he loved him?

-o-o-o- That's it, people; eighth chapter done, only two or three more to go. We're getting closer...
The end is near, so beware.
Will Daisuke let Dark know of his feelings?????
Will Dark ever return those feelings?????
Will I ever stop using the word 'feelings'?????
All of this questions and more will be answered in the next chapter... I guess.
Thanks to the people who reviewed last chapter, I love you!!!!!!!!!!!!
Review! Review! Review!