I find it kind of funny that when I wrote the part that Crystal hated Takato, I broke up with my boyfriend.

Even though I planned this all out in my head, I really didn't expect anything like that. Half of this is actually how I feel at the moment...

Anyway, seventh chapter...


"Three days now..." I muttered under my breath, watching the clouds above my head.

Henry, Peter and I were at the park again, with Guilmon, Terriermon, Kakimon and Puppishumon hanging around. Crystal was avoiding me. I could never see her at all, but Henry and Rika did, for some reason. It was like she was purposely avoiding ME.

Then again, she did have good reason.

She had screamed that she hated me.

"Where is she?" I said, looking at Henry in the eyes. He had been leaning against the wall with a thoughtful look.

"It's not like she's a missing person you know," Henry closed his eyes.

"Yeah, but she ditches every single class she has with me."

"That isn't very many," Peter pointed out. He sat crosslegged on the floor. "You only had two classes with her."

"Still," I sighed, leaning against the wall opposite of Henry. "She's purposely avoiding me."

"Crystal probably has her reasons," Henry answered.

"It's kinda funny," Puppishumon said, padding up to me and sitting down near my feet. "She really liked you."

"What?" I looked at the small blue digimon. "She... liked me?"

"Wow, you JUST started catching on to that?" Henry said, looking at me.

My gaze turned to Henry. "You knew, too?"

"Well... no. I didn't know the whole time... I found out when I asked her to the dance yesterday."

I blinked, staring at Henry. "You... asked her... to the dance."

"Yeah," Henry closed his eyes. "I mean... I felt really bad for her... and she just ended up spilling the whole story, including that she really cared about you. Sorry Takato... I had been waiting for the right time to tell you."

Puppi tugged on the edge of my pant cuff, urging me for my attention. "She's almost ALWAYS liked you. Ever since she got here in Japan. She thought you were really cute... until you decided to ask her for dancing lessons, then her feelings got real deep. She told me stuff about you every night!"

"Not something to gloat about, Puppi." Peter commented. Then he turned to me. "Look, she had this huge thing for you. And it showed. A lot."

"How do you know this?" I asked him.

"Even though she and I came to Japan from different cities, we still knew each other, and we were like best friends. That's why we decided to go to Japan together," Peter explained. "But that's not important. She really did care. And she probably got bugged when she found out you liked her cousin, instead of her."

"Well it's not my fault! I really do like Rika! How am I supposed to contain my feelings for her?"

"The way I did, when I liked Rika?" Henry said quietly.

Everything was quiet as I tried to let that seep in. "You... had a crush on Rika?"

"Yeah," Henry looked me in the eye. "I didn't tell you because you were practically obsessed over her, and I didn't want to bug you about it."

"Jeez, I'm just learning more and more things every day," I muttered.

"Look, I can deal with it Takato," Henry reassured me. "It's just the fact that Crystal can't, and I think that's why she's staying away from you."

"So what am I supposed to do about it?" I sighed heavily. "I finally get to go to a dance with a girl that I really really like... and then this girl... she..."

"She what, Takato?" Peter said, looking at me.

I shook my head, and grabbed my backpack, which was sitting on the floor. "Eeh. I need some time to myself..."

I slung my backpack over my shoulder and started to walk away from the park. I had no real destination, I just wanted to think.

What was I supposed to do? I mean, I really REALLY liked Rika. And I really wanted to go to the dance with her. What was I gonna do, press rewind and ask Crystal instead?

I didn't really like Crystal the way I liked Rika. I hadn't spent five years, hoping that there'd be one day that I'd be able to tell her that I liked her for so long.

And yet... something about Crystal being so bothered, so sad about me going to the dance with her cousin made me feel disturbed.

I had spent two weeks with her, learning how to dance. I had learned little things about her, and she had learned things about me. There was something about her that made me feel like I had known her all my life.

Why did I have these feelings? They shouldn't be there, I thought. I really love Rika... so why am I so bothered that her cousin likes me, and that I had asked her cousin instead of her?

I walked all over town, trying to find the answers for the questions in my head. Cars zoomed by me, and people nudged against me, and yet I just felt alone. Nothing felt right at all.

Small memories of Crystal and me started to appear in my head as I walked. Small things, like when I stepped on her foot, or when she slipped on my stuff and ended up falling face-flat on the floor, and when I help her up. And her smile, when I helped her, and how always when I held her hand during the practice she blushed and looked flustered, trying her hardest to stop but she couldn't.

Memories of Rika and I started to float in, too. Constant reminders of how long I had waited to show her my feelings, and how I always ended up making myself a fool infront of her. How often that I just wanted to reach out for her hand and say, "Rika, I like you" but I couldn't. The memories I had of just being with her, and how happy I felt when I had finally told her my feelings for her.

As I drifted onwards, I could hear songs playing from radioes, and one caught my ear as I walked on.

And I'd give up forever to touch you
'Cause I know that you feel me somehow
You're the closest to heaven that I'll ever be
And I don't want to go home right now

And all I can taste is this moment
And all I can breathe is your life
'Cause sooner or later it's over
I just don't want to miss you tonight

And I don't want the world to see me
'Cause I don't think that they'd understand
When everything's made to be broken
I just want you to know who I am

I stopped in the middle of the sidewalk as passerby walked past me. I didn't care that people kept pushing me.

"Why, Crys..." I whispered to myself. I had so many emotions on my mind right now. I didn't know if I'd be able to sort them out.

I thought about Crystal, and the advice she had given me, and how I took it - but how she didn't really intend for me to take it, and how she got hurt by her own words. She felt the same way as I would have if Rika were to deny me.

I knew in my heart that this was just one of those times when I had to pick the right choice. Problem was, what would come out of it if I were to pick the wrong choice?

I looked up at the rooftops, and wondered what I would do about all of this, and as I gazed up at the buildings, I could've sworn I saw her silhouette dancing.


No, this isn't the end, if that's what you're thinking. It's almost over though... so enjoy while you can, I suppose.