Started: February 1, 2001
Finished: February 24, 2001
Revised: January 9, 2005

"You Know It's Love"
Part 2: Schemers

There were significant changes to Ken Ichijouji and Daisuke Motomiya's home-lives within the next week; Ken found himself walking home alone or going straight to Odaiba Elementary after school, while Daisuke noted an almost eerie silence at home with Jun always out. The two Chosen Children found themselves victims to enthusiastic stories from their older siblings at the dinner table, and then after dinner as well. They remained quiet in their sufferings however, not letting their friends know of their siblings sudden interest in each other -- for lack of a better term, as Ken would often say.

Of course, it was inevitable that a curious Yamato Ishida would approach Daisuke.

"Konbanwa, Yamato!" greeted Daisuke, seeing the blonde standing at the sidelines after soccer practice one day. "What's up?"

Yamato smiled that small smile of his, hands buried in his pockets as he spoke. "I wanted to talk to you about your sister, Daisuke," he said seriously.

"Jun?" Daisuke silently cursed and began to shift uncomfortably. "Uh … what about her?"

"I haven't seen her around lately," replied the Chosen of Friendship. "Is she off on a trip or something?"

"… Uh, no." Daisuke pulled the towel slung around his neck off, stuffing it in his bag. Chibimon had decided to sleep in at home for the day. "She's still here. Just … busy."

The blue-eyed fourteen-year-old arched a delicate brow. "Busy? What's she up to? Daisuke, don't you lie to me."

Sighing a defeated sigh, the younger boy nodded. "Okay, it's like this: Jun and Ken's bro are friends or something -- Jun doesn't know -- and they tease the heck out of each other every time they see each other. 'Thing is, they've been seeing each other all week and Jun doesn't talk about anything else but Ken's brother -- whose name I don't know even though I'm best buds with Ken -- and it's really getting annoying since I have to put up with it every night at the dinner table--"

"Okay, okay!" Yamato waved his hands in front of him in order to stop the rambling Chosen. "I get the picture! … Geez, Jun's got herself a new obsession?"

"I dunno if I'd call it an 'obsession,'" replied Daisuke. "Ken's bro seems to like the attention… Either that, or he's really quiet in his suffering; Ken doesn't hear him complain about her at all."

"Now that's odd," mused Yamato. He smirked as he rolled his shoulders. "They probably like each other, then. Are they going out?"

Daisuke's eyes widened in horror at the thought. "My sister … dating someone!? Especially my best friend's brother?! You've gotta be kidding!" He stopped, a frown developing on his face. "… Actually, that's not as bad as I thought before. It's just … weird."

Yamato chuckled quietly at the uncertain look on Daisuke's face. "Don't worry; I bet things will go back to the way they were after awhile. Just don't be surprised if Jun and Osamu start seeing each other regularly."

"Duly noted," sighed Daisuke. He picked up his soccer bag and looked strangely at his friend. "You sure are taking this calmly; I thought you'd be dancing or something after hearing Jun's not interested anymore…"

If Daisuke didn't know any better, he could have sworn Yamato's eyes glittered at the remark. "… Truth be told, Daisuke, I'm wildly ecstatic," the older Chosen said. "I'm just containing it right now."

x x x x x

As Yamato had foretold, the flow of life returned to normal within another week. Ken walked home with Osamu and Daisuke complained about Jun's shrieks as she used the telephone or watched TV. Everything seemed to have regained its normality, until…

Ken pulled windbreakers over his soccer shorts, brushing back a stray lock of hair that made its way between his eyes. He reverently picked Minomon up off of his bed, careful to keep him out of Osamu's sight as he put him into his soccer bag. Osamu shifted in his elevated bed over the entrance to the balcony, shutting the book he had been reading as he looked over to his brother.

"Soccer game?" Osamu queried dryly. "Good luck, Ken-chan."

The younger Ichijouji zipped his bag halfway as he met the elder's gaze. "It's a game against Odaiba, niichan; they're still trying to figure out that tie."

Osamu nodded slowly. "Good luck, then."

"… Aren't you coming?"

A frown marred Osamu's face at the question. "No; I've got lots of homework tonight. Maybe some other time, Ken-chan…"

Even as Osamu looked away and reopened his book, he could feel Ken's eyes on him. Lots of homework? wondered the soccer player of the family, picking up his soccer bag without looking. Lots of homework for Osamu-chan usually takes less than an hour… "Well … okay," Ken murmured.

Maybe I was wrong… Maybe Osamu doesn't like Jun after all…

x x x x x

Daisuke waved at Ken urgently as the slightly-older Chosen Child arrived at the soccer field. Ken walked quickly to his best friend, a frown etched on his sharp face. "Osamu didn't come," he reported bluntly.

The shorter boy nodded. "Neither did Jun," he replied, scratching his head. "What's going on? I was almost sure they had a thing for each other…"

"So was I…" Ken crossed his arms and looked skyward, his face melting with thoughtfulness. After a few moments of silence, he stated, "They must really like each other."

"Huh?"

Ken flashed his friend a grin, bursting into logic that sent Daisuke's mind spinning. "You see, only people that really like each other will do things like that; they're denying themselves because they're confused!"

"… What?!"

Shaking his head, the Child of Kindness grabbed hold of his friend's arm and began dragging him from the stadium. Daisuke gaped in confusion, looking back at the two soccer teams that seemed oblivious to their parting. "Ken!!" The brown-haired Chosen squeezed hard on the other's wrist, managing to loosen his grip as they reached the top of the stone steps. "Where're we going?! What about the game??"

Ken only glanced at the soccer field down below for a moment, then shrugged. "Isn't it obvious that we're only going to tie again?" he queried. "We've gotta get your sister and my brother together!"

Daisuke's eyes widened even more, and Ken again dragged the boy away from their game. "… Since when did you start playing Cupid, Ken…?" Daisuke muttered as they turned a corner.

"Since the idea came to me that this'll be a great opportunity for blackmail," was the indigo-haired boy's breezy reply.

A whoop tore through the air at that. "Blackmail Jun?? Aw, yeah, count me in!" There was an excited lilt to Daisuke's step after that. "Ken, you are evil!" Admiration was evident in the child's voice.

Ken could only smirk, buffing his fingernails against his soccer jersey in an overplay of arrogance as they walked on.

x x x x x

Jun blinked as she heard the front door slam, turning off the TV before standing up and entering the hallway. Her eyes widened at the sight of her little brother, seething vehemently and dusty from a brawl of some sort. The younger Motomiya lifted his head, revealing a dirt-smudged face and blazing eyes.

"Daisuke! What happened to you?" She hurried to her brother's side, looking him over again to make sure she wasn't dreaming.

"T-- that jerk!" Daisuke hissed. He stamped his foot angrily, then continued. "He got all pissed off 'cuz of the game and-- and attacked me!"

The fourteen-year-old girl's eyes narrowed for a moment. "Attacked you? Who??" Whoever did this to my little bro's gonna pay in spades…

"Ichijouji. Ken Ichijouji."

Those same eyes that had narrowed seconds before widened in shock. "Osamu's brother?! Aren't you two, like, best friends or something?"

"Not anymore!" roared the furious boy. "I'm never talking to him again!"

Something twisted inside of Jun at those words. If he hates Ken … I won't have a reason to see that arrogant brother of his… Hold on, is that a good or bad thing? After Jun mentally persuaded herself that it would be a bad thing to not be able to tease Osamu Ichijouji, she said, "… So, did you guys win?"

"We tied!!"

x x x x x

Osamu looked up from his computer as the door opened swiftly, revealing his bedraggled younger brother, who growled in greeting. Shutting down the computer, the fourteen-year-old stood up to give his full attention to his brother. "Ken, what happened? You look horrible!"

"Daisuke Motomiya happened to me!" seethed Ken, shooting daggers at the far wall. "He tried to pummel me into the ground after that last game!! Why weren't you there, Osamu?!"

The older Ichijouji stared in horror as angry tears streamed down his brother's face. Unable to think of anything better to do, Osamu wrapped his arms around Ken and held him as he sobbed bitterly. "Why didn't you just defend yourself?" Osamu queried. "You haven't been taking Judo lessons for nothing, you know!"

"Would you want to fight your best friend!?" retorted the distraught boy, his face partially buried in his older brother's shoulder.

Osamu tried to imagine himself punching Koushiro, failing miserably. "… Do you want to talk about it? Should we tell Mama and Papa?"

Ken shook his head, slowly pulling out of the embrace and straightening. "C-- can you handle it, Osamu-chan? I don't want Mama and Papa getting involved in this…"

Sighing, Osamu nodded. "That's fine; I understand. I'll go call them up."

As Osamu left the room, he failed to notice the smile of triumph growing on his teary-eyed brother's face.

x x x x x

Daisuke tried his best to look hurt as he marched down the soccer bleachers, holding an umbrella over his head. It had begun to rain before they left the apartment, forcing the two siblings into rainwear for their trek. Jun tugged at her slicker hood as she spied the soccer field below. Her younger brother pointed off to the right, causing her to avert her gaze.

A familiar pair was coming their way, across the lowest of the bleachers.

Jun shifted uncomfortably, not liking the stern look Osamu Ichijouji was giving her and her little brother. Where was that funny smile of his? That glint of mischief and humor?

Those were gone, replaced by a serious, quietly furious face that she didn't like being on the receiving end of.

"Jun, Daisuke," Osamu greeted firmly, standing protectively in front of his younger brother. Ken's face was unreadable -- something that also unnerved Jun.

"Hi, Osamu … Ken," Jun murmured. She tried to concentrate her thoughts on the situation at hand instead of her discomfort around the two Ichijoujis. Ken beat up Daisuke. Get that through your thick skull! You've gotta focus…

"Do you mind if we get out of the rain?"

Ken's voice caused Jun to blink hard, her eyes falling on the gray-jacketed boy. She nodded slowly. "… All right, yeah, that's a good idea," she sighed. Ken turned and led the way to a small shed to the corner of the soccer field that was used to store extra soccer nets and the like. Without a lock on the thick door, the shed was accessible to virtually anyone. Jun frowned at the sight of the small structure. "Is that a bit small for all of us?"

Daisuke spoke up from behind her. "This isn't the time to complain, Jun."

Great, there I go again with worrying over everything but the real situation…

Ken pushed at the door, which swung open with ease. "Ladies first," he said quietly, his eyes on the only girl in the group.

Jun entered the shed without another thought, noting the boxes of inflatable soccer balls and extra soccer goal nets. Osamu was right behind her, his blue raincoat's accumulated rainwater adding to Jun's on the concrete floor. They were silent together, taking in their surroundings with slight frowns.

And then the door slammed shut behind them, engulfing them in semi-darkness.

"What the hell--!?" Osamu swung around to face the shut door, water from his coat hitting Jun in the face. "What's going on here?!" He tried to pull at the door, finding resistance from the other side.

From beyond the door, Jun could hear her brother's voice. "Hurry up, Ken; your bro's trying to open the door!"

Her eyes widened as she realized what was going on: Daisuke and Ken were going to bolt the two of them in the shed!

The red-haired girl joined the indigo-haired boy at the door, trying to pull at the door as well. "Daisuke, you jerk!" she screeched. "Open the door, now!"

"Shove that bar in there!" Ken was ordering from the other side.

"Ken-- oh, my God, don't you dare…!!" There was the unmistakable sound of metal rubbing against metal, the shrieks of something being wedged into the door handle distorting any and all coherent thoughts. "Ken!!"

"Daisuke!!" Jun began to beat on the thick door, adding a few kicks for good measure. "Open up!!"

Several moments later, Osamu drifted away from the door to sit heavily on a box of inflatable soccer balls, pulling off his hood and taking off his glasses to clean them. He watched Jun continue to kick and throw threats, his mind not processing the scene.

Finally, Jun stopped her futile beatings and simply shouted to the two boys that were, hopefully, still watching the door. "Daisuke, open the door!! I'll scream!!"

Osamu lowered his head into his hands, rubbing his temples wearily. "You've been screaming."

Jun turned swiftly on her heels, her enraged expression faltering and then crumbling completely at the sight that greeted her. Osamu gave the girl a slightly-pained look, sitting there with his wet hair dripping and his glasses dotted with raindrops from her wheeling around sharply. Shaking his head, the boy took off his raincoat and tossed it onto another box a few feet away from him. Jun's raincoat soon joined his, its owner sitting down on a box of soccer goal nets near Osamu.

"… I can't believe this," she muttered. "I would've expected this from Dai, but how could he have dragged Ken into doing this?"

Drying off his glasses for a second time, Osamu smiled wryly. "Ken's no angel," he remarked lightly. "In fact, I'd say he's spontaneous in some ways; he'll follow any wild idea that he likes."

x x x x x

Ken twitched as he overheard Osamu's remark. He leaned backwards and away from the shed, careful to keep under its roofing to avoid the rain. "Spontaneous?" he repeated to his partner in crime.

Daisuke still held his umbrella over his head, pulling at his raincoat with one hand. "Hey, I'd say he's right," he shrugged. "You're sure no angel, either."

x x x x x

"Why in the world would they do this?" Osamu sighed, his voice muffled by his hands. "There's just no logical reason for any of this…"

Jun tried to rock in her seat, trying to keep warm in her short-sleeved shirt. "Well, maybe there's an illogical reason, then," she replied. When Osamu looked her way in confusion, the girl grinned weakly. "Daisuke's not exactly the logical type, you know? He probably hatched some sort of half-brained scheme that only he would understand. Somewhere along the way, Ken got involved."

x x x x x

"Half-brained?!" Daisuke prepared to throttle the door with his free hand. "What's that supposed to mean??"

Ken rolled his eyes, dragging the younger boy away from the door. "Be quiet," he ordered. "We're trying to listen in, aren't we?"

Daisuke pouted slightly, then relaxed. He propped his umbrella back up and laid down under it, trying to concentrate his attention on the falling rain instead of the words traded between his sister and Ken's brother.

x x x x x

Osamu couldn't keep the frown off his face as he looked up. He could have sworn he had heard a voice beyond the door… Knowing Ken, he's probably hanging around and eavesdropping. But what's there to eavesdrop on? His eyes focused on the only other person in the room, catching the quiet gleam in bluish orbs.

"Why are you so pressed into believing that Daisuke's the mastermind behind us being locked in here?" he asked, out of the blue. "From the way you've been carrying on, Jun, I'm beginning to think that you want to blame Daisuke for this whole thing."

There was a heavy silence following his words, one which Jun didn't break.

The young boy genius scratched the back of his neck awkwardly. "… Sorry, that was pretty rude of me. I don't even know you well enough to make accusations."

Jun shook her head, resting her hands between her knees as she replied. "Actually, I should be more sorry than you, Osamu. I got all competitive over Daisuke's soccer game to get to you; I wanted to see what the prodigy of Odaiba was really like. If I'd just kept my big mouth shut, we wouldn't be in this mess!" She shivered, raising one hand to rub one cold arm. "I'm always doing stupid things, saying stupid things… It must really run in the family or something…"

A small smile graced the boy's face. "You … wanted to get to know me?" he said quietly. "… I'm flattered."

"'Flattered?'" repeated Jun. Her head was still bowed sadly. "That can't be right; you're Osamu Ichijouji! You have scores of admirers that would like to get at you!"

"That's true, but how many have made the effort to befriend me?" When Jun gave him a startled look, he laughed quietly. "You're the first person that's tried to get my attention through indirect competition … and I liked the feeling. I felt like someone was treating me like a regular person for once; Ken-chan's the only one who does that for me. It was a wonderful gesture, Jun."

Those shining eyes disappeared from sight again, this time behind closed eyelids. What am I supposed to say? Jun demanded of herself, shuddering. I can't say that I wanted him to like me; how absolutely shallow is that? But … it's true. I've been working towards that smile of his, that beautiful glint in his eyes … from the very start. I'm horrible… He's saying all these nice things about me and none of them are true…

The next thing Jun knew, something thick and warm was being wrapped around her shoulders.

Her eyes opened immediately, blinking at the boy who now sat next to her. Within the time she had closed and opened her eyes, Osamu had closed the gap between them and stripped off his sweater, putting it over her without a word. A close-lipped smile greeted her. "Why do you keep hiding those beautiful eyes?"

Beautiful? Did Osamu Ichijouji just call her beautiful? Jun blushed, barely managing to keep down the fangirlish glee that was building up inside of her. "Thank you," she managed. "Osamu … I've been totally dishonest with you. My real drive was to see you smile, like you are now. I … don't think I was thinking about being your friend throughout the whole thing. I mean, I wanted to get to know you, but--"

Osamu raised a hand to stop the girl from continuing, knowing she would babble on if given half a chance. "I think I know what you mean," he said quietly. He removed his glasses, lowering his gaze to patiently clean the lenses on his dark blue turtleneck. "You weren't going for simplicity, were you?"

Jun watched the indigo-haired boy, a pang of guilt streaking through her. His voice had dropped to a toneless whisper, leaving her wondering. Is he angry? Is he crushed? … He must be crushed; I mean, I just told him I wasn't interested in being his friend…

Before Jun could choke out an apology, Osamu raised his gaze to look at her again. Her heart skipped a beat as she stared at those violet eyes, which showed off their beauty without the restraints of glasses. He seriously needs to consider contacts, she found herself thinking.

"… I've been looking at your eyes since the first day I met you, Jun," Osamu said, his voice smooth and calming. "Nothing about them has changed between then and now; there's still that honesty, that hope, that wonder… Those eyes haven't lied to me once yet. So there's no need to apologize; even if you haven't said anything, your eyes have."

"Osamu…"

One finger came to rest on Jun's lips. "No more words. You might contradict yourself, Jun-chan."

An endearment. An actual endearment, one without some hidden meaning that was to be thrown in her face at a later day. At least, she hoped not. She sat there, staring at the boy as his face moved closer … closer…

x x x x x

Ken pressed himself against the wall, his eyebrows drawing together in concentration. Daisuke did the same thing his best friend did, straining to hear anymore words between their siblings. After half a minute of trying, Daisuke fell back on the concrete and sighed. "They're not talkin' anymore, Ken," he said firmly.

"I … don't get it," Ken muttered, pushing away from the wall and looking at Daisuke. "I could've sworn they liked each other. Why'd they stop talking now?"

Daisuke shrugged, again watching the falling rain. "Maybe you were wrong for once."

Unbeknownst to the two boys, their older siblings were locked in a passionate kiss inside their prison, neither intending to break the moment of absolute bliss.

Notes:
As you can probably tell, Ken's a bit out-of-character throughout this story. Of course, that's completely understandable; he has his older brother about and, unlike most AUs that I've seen, he competes against him instead of floundering in his misery and contempt.