So, this story is connected to "The Ties That Bond Us Together" (posted for DigiWeek 2022 - Day 6). The order of the events may be confusing, so I'll put them in order below.
- The first three scenes in this story (up to where Jou tells Himawari he can't go see their son's test for the soccer team).
- Takeru and his son talk and then he calls Jou (TTTBUT).
- Jou vents to Gomamon and then goes meet Takeru and Sora.
- They talk at the park near their homes (This scene is also on TTTBUT, but with some changes).
- Taichi and the kids teach Shuichi how to play soccer at the Digital World. (TTTBUT)
- Kenichi and Aiko watch he being made fun of and he succeeds on playing soccer later that day. (TTTBUT)
- Jou shows up at school to make it up to his son. Sora and Takeru watch everything from afar (TTTBUT).
- Jou and the children at the ice cream parlor. (TTTBUT)
- Jou tells Gomamon he's quitting his job.
- Jou reveals to his partner he's now a Digimon doctor.
I hope it's clear enough.
Day 6 - Pathway: Breaking Away
Little Shuichi walked into the kitchen in a very happy mood with his partner Pukamon beside him.
"Good morning, daddy."
"Good morning, son." Jou replied without looking away from the newspaper he was reading while drinking daily his black coffee.
"Can we go play in the park today?"
"I'm sorry, Shuichi. I have to work."
"Ah." The boy didn't bother hiding his disappointment and sighed deeply, but Jou was so concentrated in his reading that didn't even notice it.
"Your mother is off today, maybe she can go with you. Or maybe I can call uncle Taichi and ask him to take you with him and Takato."
"No, it's okay." He replied sadly and began to head back to his room. "Let's go, Pukamon."
"Shuichi, are you okay?" Pukamon flew next to his head. "Are you feeling upset about what just happened?"
"No." He shook his head, but knew he wouldn't be able to lie to his partner. "Daddy doesn't have free time. He works a lot."
"Don't be sad over this. I'm sure he will find some time for you soon."
"He doesn't care about me."
"Don't say that. Your father loves you."
"I wish he didn't have to work so much."
Gomamon listened to the whole conversation from the hall and looked at Jou still having his breakfast. He was going to have a serious talk with his partner.
.
"Jou?"
"What is it, Gomamon?" Jou asked without taking his eyes off the street.
"Don't you think you aren't spending time with your son lately?"
"What are you talking about?" He hit the brakes suddenly and looked at his partner. "I spend time with him. I just have a busy schedule and it's not often that I can do that. It's what means…"
"…being a doctor." Gomamon said a little annoyed. "I know. You say that quite a lot. The point here is that Shuichi misses you and thinks you don't like him."
"What? Did he tell you that?"
"No, I overheard him talking to Pukamon earlier."
"He knows I have a tight agenda."
"I understand that, but he's your son, Jou. He's just a child. I just don't want you to do something you may regret in the future. You won't get this time back. I know your job is very important to you, but what about Shuichi?"
"He's as important to me."
"Then don't you think it's about time you start showing it? He's growing up so fast and I wouldn't want you not to enjoy these years while you can."
"I'm trying to provide him a good and comfortable life, Gomamon."
"I know this, but what about showing affection for him? I'm sure that's all he needs."
"I'm not sure what you expect me to do. Cut some of my working hours?"
"That would be a solution, but there's more than that. You could just take him to the park tomorrow. I'm sure he will enjoy it, he just wants to spend time with his dad."
"I need to check my…" He looked at Gomamon, who gave him a death glare. "Alright, alright. I will take him to the park."
"Good."
.
A few days had gone by and Jou was in his bedroom when Himawari walked in and saw him wearing the clothes he usually does to go to work.
"What are you doing?"
"I'm getting ready to work." He looked at her and said like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Didn't you have a shift today too?"
"I did, but I managed to trade it."
"Why? Are you going somewhere?"
"You seriously don't remember it?" Her tone was annoyed and she sat on the bed.
"I'm asking, so I don't remember it."
"Of course you don't." She snapped at his rudeness. "You never remember anything that revolves around your son."
"Wait a moment, what is that supposed to mean?" Jou turned to his wife, waiting for her to say something.
Himawari took a deep breath. The last thing she wanted was to have an argument with him the day Shuichi is trying to get into the soccer team at school. "Shuichi has the soccer test today."
"Wait, isn't in on April 10th?"
"That's today."
"Is it?" He rubbed his hands on his face. "I thought it was next Friday. I completely lost track of time."
"We still have a few minutes if you hurry up."
"I won't be able to go, Himawari."
"What? Why not?"
"I can't ditch work in such a short time. I won't be able to find someone who can cover for me. I'm sorry."
"But it's our son. I'm sure they will understand."
"I know. But I can't just take a day off like this. It will overload all the staff on call today."
"Right." Himawari bit her lower lip and stood up.
"I'm sorry. I promise I'll make it up to him."
"You really don't get it, do you?" She turned around and looked right into his eyes. "Being sorry and making up for him later won't change the fact you weren't there to see him."
"I already said I'm sorry! I don't know what else I can do."
"You don't have to do anything." She turned around and began to leave the bedroom. "Just don't regret when it's too late."
Jou dropped his head in frustration. He mentally blamed himself for messing up the dates and having to miss his son's soccer test, but there was nothing he could do at the point to change that.
"Let's go, Gomamon."
"Jou." The Digimon didn't know what to say or do in that situation.
"We're gonna be late for work."
"You really can't get someone to cover your shift?"
"I suppose I could, but it's my responsibility."
"So are you just going to disappoint your son like that?"
"He will understand. I'll talk to him later and explain my reasons."
"I…"
"I know you agree with Himawari and I don't really want to talk about it. So can we just go?"
"Sure." Gomamon said simply, defeated.
.
Jou felt really dizzy after talking to Takeru on the phone. He didn't really realize how much his absence had affected Shuichi, even though both Gomamon and Himawari warned him about it. He had his face hidden in his hands when his partner walked in.
"Jou, what's going on?"
"You were right all along."
"What?" Gomamon blinked with surprise.
"Takeru just called me saying some students made fun of Shuichi at school today because he's not good at playing soccer."
"That's terrible. What are you going to do?"
"I'm going to talk to him and apologize for not being a good father to him."
"You are a good father to him, Jou." Gomamon comforted him. "You just didn't realize Shuichi don't need your money. He needs you to be there."
"If only I wasn't so stubborn and listened to you and Himawari, this wouldn't have happened."
"Hey, I don't want you to blame yourself over this, okay?" He said firmly and Jou couldn't help but look at him, surprised. "Now you have the chance to try and make things better. I'm sure your son will forgive you."
"I hope so too." He stood up.
"Where are you going?"
"I'm going to meet Takeru nearby. He's going to tell me more about what happened and then I'll apologize to my son."
"Alright."
Jou was sitting on a swing with his face buried in his hands. He didn't think there was a time he felt so powerless and useless since he had a child. He just didn't know how to help him.
"I feel bad for telling you the way I did." Takeru said apologetically. "I should have been more understanding."
"Oh no, don't feel bad." Jou said quickly, exchanging glances with the youngest member of the Chosen Children. "Actually, I need to thank you for making me realize I wasn't being the ideal father to my son. The father I wanted to be."
"Jou."
"What are you going to do now?"
"I will talk to him and hope he can forgive me."
"I can talk to Hikari and see if she can do something about it. It's easier for her to keep an eye on him since she works there." Sora offered.
"She's busy enough already with her class. I can't ask her to do that."
"Kenichi would be more than willing to do it. He's blaming himself for not doing anything the first time around."
"Aiko is worried too. She said he declined when she offered him some of the food I had made for her and he never does that. She also wants to do something to cheer him up."
"Why don't you just teach him how to play soccer?"
"My working schedule is messed up. Whenever I'm not working, I just want to take some rest or study, so I can get updated on new techniques and procedures. And now I'm regretting it because I realized I don't have time to spend with my son."
"Medical routine is tough. I'm sure he knows that." Sora assured him.
"It doesn't change the fact I'm not being a good father to Shuichi."
"Would you drop it? You aren't a bad father to him at all. You're an amazing one."
"Sora is right. We've all seen how much you love and take care of him ever since he was born. Don't ever believe otherwise."
"Thanks for trying to cheer me up, but I couldn't get my own son to open up to me."
"He's a shy boy, so it wouldn't be that easy of a task. Yamato and I go through the same with Kouji, so I know what it's like."
"That's true, I can confirm that."
"Thanks for trying to cheer me up, but I have to do this on my own."
"Okay." Sora said. "We'll be here if you need anything."
"Thank you. It means a lot to me."
.
"Dad, weren't you going to work today?" Shuichi asked after he finished his ice cream.
"I was, but I took the day off." Jou replied with a large grin.
"What? But you'll lose your job."
"Don't worry about it. I have bank hours to use. Now, who wants more ice cream?"
All the children started talking at the same time and Jou thought he was going crazy with all the noise.
"Uncle Jou." Aiko said while she ate her blueberry ice cream. "Did you know what happened today?"
"No, what is it?"
"Shuichi was very good at soccer today."
"Oh I heard him telling Kenichi about it outside school earlier today." He turned to his son. "Is this true?"
"Y-Yes." The boy blushed a little and fixed his glasses.
"That's wonderful, son! Now you'll get to try again and this time you're going to get it."
"Thank you, daddy." Shuichi blushed more.
Jou ruffled his son's blue hair and then looked around. "Is everyone finished here? Can we go now?"
"Sure." Some of the kids said together and they all started heading to the exit.
Jou looked through the rear view mirror inside his car and noticed all of the children were sleeping at the backseats.
"They've had quite a long day." Gomamon said after he noticed his partner checking on them the way he could.
"They really did."
"I think you did an amazing thing today. I'm proud of you."
"Thank you, Gomamon." He couldn't help but smile. "And I don't mean just for this. I never really thanked you for trying to open my eyes, though I kept on being stubborn."
"Jou."
"I mean it. That's why I came to a decision."
"What decision? Does it have to do with the fact you skipped work today?"
"I don't know what you're talking about. I didn't skip work today."
"Please, you had a day off yesterday. You had a shift today."
"You got me." Jou took a deep breath.
"So what did you decide?"
"I'm quitting my job."
"What?!" Gomamon said alarmed. "But Jou… how are supposed to help Himawari with money?"
"I got it all figured out, don't worry." The man looked at him when they stopped at the red lights. "I already have another job."
"You do?" The Digimon raised his eyebrows. "Which one?"
"You'll find out very soon." Jou simply winked at him and focused on the traffic ahead again.
.
"Jou, what are we doing here?" Gomamon looked around the place he knows quite well. He always felt going to the Digital World.
"I thought we could spend some time here today. Don't you miss this place?"
"I do. I miss it a lot. But I still don't understand why we came here alone. We usually only come to celebrate something with everyone else."
"That's true, but I wanted to take a look at my new workplace."
"Huh? What are you talking about, Jou?"
"I'm going to work in the Digital World now. I'm going to be a Digimon doctor."
"What?!" Gomamon asked surprised. "When did that happen?"
"Remember that I told you a few days ago that I had quit my job and had another one? That's the one."
"But you are still going to work at the hospital."
"I made an agreement with the administration to work until the end of this month."
"Wow… I definitely wasn't expecting this."
"I had to do what it takes to spend more time with Shuichi and not miss other important moments of his life."
"I think that's great, Jou. I'm so happy for you. How did you get this job?"
"I was talking to Taichi about the Digital World and this came up. I immediately thought it was perfect and thought 'why not'?"
"It's going to be a fresh start for you. How do you feel about this?"
"Honestly, I feel amazing. I feel relieved I'm going to have a more flexible schedule and will be able to do other things and spend more time with my family and friends. Besides, I'll get to work with Taichi and Koushiro sometimes."
"Seems like your mind is already made up."
"It is." Jou smiled. "I just wanted to tell you this."
"I'm very proud of you, Jou. I knew you would do the right thing in the end."
"Thanks, Gomamon. I was hoping I could count on you in this new beginning."
"Of course you can! You don't even need to ask, you know I'll always be here for you."
"Yes, I do. And I say the same about you." He stretched his hand towards his partner and they shook hands.
"Do Himawari and Shuichi already know about this decision?"
"No, I wanted to wait until everything was settled first. I'm going to tell them tonight though."
"Well, we should get going then. Soon enough the sun is going to set and you don't want to be late for dinner."
"You're right." Jou stood up. "Let's go."
"Wait a second."
"What is it?"
"I'm hearing something." Gomamon started walking away.
"Hearing what?"
"I'm not sure. All I know is that it's coming from this direction."
"Gomamon, wait!" Jou followed his partner until he stopped near some tree bushes that had fallen down. "This bag is heavy."
"Just like a I thought. It's a Digimon."
"What?" He bent down and started removing the bushes away, so he could see the injured Digimon better.
"Looks like your new job is going to start today." The Digimon stated and helped his partner the way he could.
