A/N-This is Kouichi. Kaea's depressed. She's so pathetic sometimes! But I actually do kinda pity her. She doesn't own Digimon. She owns a terrible streak of failing Math tests.

Pulling Yourself Together Requires Help

"I'm home," Kouichi called out, opening the door and walking into the living room as the door slammed shut. To his surprise, Kouji was on the couch, lazily flipping through the channels with the remote loosely hanging out of his hand. "Hey, we have something called homework, genius."

"So do it," Kouji returned coldly.

Kouichi stared, puzzled. "Uh…did Izumi slap you?"

"Worse."

"Scream her head off at you?"

"Worse. Add Takuya."

"Uh…she got back with Takuya?" Kouichi asked hopefully.

Kouji stood up and glared at his brother. "NO. We kissed just as Takuya decided to come prancing around the corner, okay? So bug off!"

Kouichi watched his brother storm into his room. "Well sorry if this is my house," he muttered, heading into the kitchen before Kouji's words took full effect. Eyes widening, the older twin ran to his brother's room and started banging on the door as he yelled, "WHAT HAPPENED?"

Izumi poked at her food, her appetite long gone.

"Izumi, honey, if you don't eat, how do you expect to keep up your strength?" her mother asked.

"I'm not hungry," the girl mumbled, getting out of her seat. "I'm going to my room."

That wasn't supposed to have happened.

She was supposed to be with Takuya. Not Kouji. Kouji was just supposed to be there to make Takuya jealous.

Right?

Izumi shut the door to her room and collapsed face first on her bed. "Gods, I'm so stupid. Why did I let him kiss me? Why?"

Closing her eyes, Izumi let sleep overcome her.

Takuya stared at the door to his room, sitting on his bed with his arms crossed across his chest. Why am I mad? What did Izumi do? I ditched her, right? Kouji kissed her. It wasn't her fault. She didn't even kiss back. Why am I so mad, dammit!

Cursing to himself, Takuya got off his bed and walked over to his desk, deciding some computer time would help. As soon as he signed on to check his e-mail, the first letter in his inbox was from Kouji.

First he tells me to talk to her. And then he kisses her right in front of me. Oh, sure, I'm your best friend. We're buddies. That's why you're trying to ruin my life, he thought bitterly, nearly deleting the e-mail in his rage. Eventually, though, as soon as he was sure he had enough self-control to read it, he clicked on the e-mail and read it silently, his fists clenching as he did.

"Damn you, Kouji, you're so stupid. You expect me to believe that?" Takuya muttered angrily, deleting the e-mail. Kouji could do what he wanted. Izumi could do what she wanted. But Takuya wouldn't let them lie to him.

He wouldn't ever trust them again.

Sumi leaned against Takuya's door silently, listening as he muttered to himself and typed furiously on the computer, probably playing one of his random computer games. She wondered whose fault it really was-Takuya's, or Izumi's. Of course, knowing her cousin, it was probably his fault.

"Sumi, did Takuya yell at you today, too?" Takuya's little brother, Shinya asked.

Sumi looked at her younger cousin and smiled. "Nope. Takuya's just being crabby right now, Shinya. I think…I don't know why."

Shinya looked up at her and asked, "Why doesn't Izumi come over anymore? I like her! She's nice!"

Ignoring the tears that came to the edges of her eyes, Sumi replied, "She's probably busy. You know we all have school." With that reminder, Sumi retreated to her room. Stupid Takuya. I can't believe you broke her heart. Why the hell did I agree to help you?

Then again, the answer was obvious. The debt. She would repay it. No one saved her life and got nothing in return.

Kouji stared at his computer. At last, Takuya had replied to his e-mail. Somewhat relieved, he opened it and read it, his eyes widening as he murmured it to himself.

"Listen, Kouji, it's apparent to me that you don't consider our friendship that much as you keep lying to me. Stop lying. If you think I'm stupid…I NEVER SAID HE WAS STUPID! WHAT KIND OF REPLY IS THIS! THAT IDIOT! I WAS APOLOGIZING!" Kouji screamed angrily, tossing his math book against the wall.

Kouichi winced as he heard his twin begin to rant and throw a fit. "Honestly, how did this happen?" he muttered, chopping up the carrots into coins. "Takuya and Izumi were supposed to get back together, not hate each other and separate…"

Sighing, he threw the carrots into the pot and sat down in the chair by the table, wondering aloud, "Is everyone's life supposed to be messed up right now?"

The burning scent answered his question.

"Dinner yesterday was disgusting, Kouichi!" Kouji yelled, sticking out his tongue the next day as they walked to class.

"I know," Kouichi muttered.

Kouji continued, not caring that his twin was only half-paying attention. "And honestly! Takuya's got some problem! I apologize and he goes berserk! Seriously, he's misinterpreting every word I say on purpose!"

Rolling his eyes, Kouichi ignored Kouji, who began to go into great detail about how burnt dinner was yesterday. Instead, he walked over to Sumi. "Is Takuya as bad as that?"

Sumi shook her head. "Worse. He won't talk to anyone. He just glares," she replied with a depressed sigh.

Kouichi grumbled and kicked the ground in front of him, looking up just in time to see Izumi walk over to Takuya and practically bow down in front of him. "WHAT THE-!"

Wincing, Sumi hit her head against a nearby wall and waited.

"T-Takuya, about yesterday," Izumi started. "That…wasn't supposed to happen…"

Instead of replying, Takuya gazed down at Izumi coldly.

"I mean, I-…y-…"

"Listen, Izumi, if you're just going to lie to me some more, spare me," Takuya snapped icily.

Izumi looked up at him. "What? I'm not ly-"

Takuya snorted. "Yeah, you and everyone else. You're really wasting my time…" He pushed his way around her, ignoring the stares he received.

Kouji stopped his ranting and stared at Izumi, who had sunk to the floor on her knees. "I-…Izumi?" he stuttered, suddenly feeling incredibly guilty.

He was the one who had suddenly developed feelings for her.

He was the one who had kissed her.

He was the one at fault.

Staring at Izumi, Kouji was unsure of what to do. Should he comfort her? Or should he run?

Class was nothing to Izumi. The tears had long since dried up, but she still couldn't remain concentrated during class.

He hated her. Takuya really hated her.

She should have known he would, she should have expected it. But she kept hoping there would be a way…

And now Takuya was mad at Kouji also. None of this was supposed to happen. She hadn't intended for them to become worst enemies. All Izumi wanted was Takuya to apologize.

Why is he so mad at me? Is it because Kouji and I kissed? Is it because…Oh Takuya, why can't you just tell me? she wondered miserably.

Sighing, Izumi stared out the window until someone called her name, snapping her out of her stupor.

"MS. ORIMOTO," Mr. Amano yelled, slamming his pointer on the surface of the desk. "I don't really tolerate spacing out in my class."

Izumi stared at him wordlessly.

Finally, her teacher sighed. "Are you feeling well, Izumi?"

"I…I'm fine," she said finally, opening her book and looking at the page. "Really. I'm fine." She would ask Kouji today.

Maybe it was time to move on.

Takuya tapped his pencil on his desk, staring at the test in front of him. What the hell is the point of this? Oh, very interesting. I didn't know that. Who the hell cares what eighty-three divided by two to the eighth power is! I don't, he thought grumpily. He didn't know what to think anymore.

Looking at Izumi…the way he had talked to her…

Did he have any right to treat her like that? Obviously, Kouji didn't think so. From the moment class started, Takuya could feel the bandana head's glare on his back, waiting patiently for the right moment to lash out and scream at him, beat it into his head that Izumi was innocent. But Takuya knew she was.

So why the hell am I acting like a freaking idiot! Angrily, Takuya slammed his fist on the desk and stood up. "May I go to the nurse's office? I have a headache," he muttered, making his own way to the nurse's office without waiting for the teacher's approval. Maybe…just maybe he could apologize to Izumi.

Izumi had finally returned to normal minutes after she had been caught by Mr. Amano. Of course, it wasn't intended that she was spacing out. It just…happened. But now, she was puzzled as to why Kouichi was talking to Sumi. Their manner of speaking would have suggested that they knew each other for ages. Oh well. Things change, she thought dismissively with a smile.

That was when she wondered how much things had changed. Because at that moment, Takuya walked into the classroom, red-faced.

"Uh…Takuya, can I help you?" Mr. Amano asked, raising an eyebrow.

The goggle boy nodded. "Uhm, I need to talk to Izumi…"

Mr. Amano turned to Izumi and nodded. "No more than five minutes," he warned the two.

Izumi followed Takuya out into the hall, feeling her heart skip a beat. What was going to happen? Was he going to…

Could it be that they were getting back together?

Biting her lip, Izumi stared at the back of Takuya's head before forcing a smile as he turned around.

"Listen, Izumi, I…I-I'm sorry," Takuya burst, a fist hitting the wall. "I never meant to hurt you. I-I didn't even mean to…to yell at you this morning. Really, I didn't. It was just that…"

Izumi took a step back as he drew a breath. What am I doing? Why can't I just say it!

Her panicking must've been obvious, because Takuya continued as fast as he could. "Please don't be mad at me! I didn't mean any of it. But Kouji told me you two were acting and then I thought that you still hated me and I was going to talk to you and then I saw you two kiss and I didn't really know what to make of it and-"

"Takuya…I…" Izumi started, then closed her mouth. Confused and angry, she opened her mouth several times more, trying to get the words out of her mouth. "I…I-"

"Y-yeah?"

"I can't love you," she blurted, her hands flying to her mouth. WHAT AM I SAYING!

Takuya stared at her, his mouth open, his eyes wide in shock for a few seconds before he turned around. "Oh. W-well, uhm, anyway, I'm…I'm sorry," he murmured, slinking back to class.

"No, Takuya, wait!" cried Izumi, grabbing his hands. "I…I didn't mean it, I mean, I-"

She was at a loss for words even more as he turned around. Even though there were tears trickling down his cheeks, he still smiled.

He smiled at her.

Izumi wanted to die at that very moment. "Takuya…" she murmured, looking down. "I never meant for any of this to happen. Really, I didn't. It's just…I couldn't accept the fact that you had moved on. I should have, though. I really should have. Maybe then this wouldn't have happened. Maybe then-"

"I never did move on, Izumi. My plan was the same as yours. Sumi's my cousin, in case Kouichi didn't already tell you. I just thought…you'd know…" He fell quiet again. "I hope you and Kouji have fun. I'll talk to you later, I guess."

Yet again, she wanted to die. He was letting her go. "No, Takuya-"

"I've got to go to class," he interrupted, walking off and leaving her in the hall, confused, hurt and angry.

How could I have been so stupid? Takuya thought as he entered the classroom glumly. I'm an idiot. A big, stupid, idiot. Oh well. More time for games…

His life was completely over.

Smiling, Takuya sat down in his seat and looked at the math test. These are all easy, he thought, finishing each and every single one of them easily. It amazed him how idiotic he could be.

Izumi stared down at her hands. How had she done it? How was it that she could take his heart and break it?

At least Takuya had apologized.

Takuya apologized for all he had done. In the end, it was all her fault. For the first time in a long time, Izumi felt cold…alone…

Alone in the dark.

That's where she had always been. Without friends, without anyone who loved her, she was alone. She always tried making friends, acting as polite as possible, smiled despite her pain…

But she caused everyone else pain. It was no wonder they had hated her. She didn't deserve friends. She deserved to be alone.

Izumi wiped her eyes before walking into the classroom, completely calm. I guess I don't have a choice anymore. I'll just have to talk to Kouji…that's what Takuya would want, right?

Maybe it was for the best.

She was finally moving on.

Kouji walked home alone, trying to process the events that had happened throughout the day. Takuya had started off completely angry, then by the math test, he had turned glum. After that, he became clumsy. He failed to block a goal from the other team during P.E., couldn't even pass the ball properly, and got the wind knocked out of him.

"Makes one wonder if he even made it to the Nurse's office," Kouji joked to himself, smiling. The smile disappeared quickly. "I wonder, though…if…"

Quickly, Kouji turned around hearing the noisy footsteps. "What the-" he yelped, looking around.

Izumi appeared from around the corner and ran up to him, stopping two steps in front of him before falling to her knees to catch her breath. "K-Kouji…I…I need to talk to you," she said, standing up. "Please?"

Kouji closed his mouth, gulped and nodded. "Er…sure. Izumi are y-"

Before he could finish, she threw herself at him, her hands resting on his shoulders as she sobbed into his chest. "I pushed him away, Kouji…I hurt him," she cried, her wails becoming louder by the second.

It was times like these that Kouji wished he were alone again.

It was times like these where he regretted having met anyone. That he regretted all the stupid mistakes he had caused.

And this was the biggest mistake he regretted so far.

Slowly and somewhat stiffly, Kouji wrapped his arms around her. "I…I'm sorry, Izumi," he whispered. I'm sorry for all I did to hurt you…

A/N-Ah, Kouji, you're kinda stupid.

.:Kouji:. SHADDUP. Oy, the live journal link is what again?

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Ehehe…I'm still depressed. Whoops. .:scratches head:. I think I made myself even more depressed. Review if you will and tell me what you prefer, Takumi or Kouzumi! (I'm more of a Takumi fan myself) I'll be having a bit of both, FYI, because, well…that's how the story is. Anyway, sorry I took forever to update! Review or Flame!