Disclaimer- Me? Own Digimon? That's a funny one. I don't own Digimon.
----------------------------------------
Days Seem To Never Pass Without You By My Side
----------------------------------------
It had been almost a week since Kouji had been hit by the car. For that entire week, he had not once woken up.
And Kouichi was beginning to get worried.
Izumi had decided that she wouldn't discuss the matter of choosing Takuya or Kouji until Kouji recovered and had a firm belief he would.
Takuya, on the other hand, was grounded. To prevent from talking about the incident, he would constantly complain about lack of gaming time at school. During the afternoons, he would spend time in the hospital with Kouichi, doing homework and waiting for Kouji to wake up.
And Kouichi was sure to collect every single piece of homework Kouji had to do for the days he was absent.
But everyone was more worried about Kouji waking up than Kouji catching up on homework, even though Kouichi made it seem otherwise.
Today was no different.
"Takuya, give me the homework that you got for Kouji," Kouichi said, holding out his hand as he pulled up a chair next to Kouji's bed, sighing as he looked at his brother.
Takuya winced and obliged, then brought out his own homework. Yet he couldn't concentrate. "Wait…Kouichi, I'm confused…"
"Hm?" Kouichi looked over at the goggle boy's paper. "It's because you're doing the wrong page."
"No, I mean…Sumi. She told you, right?" Kouichi nodded. "Then…" Takuya murmured, "Why doesn't Kouji remember?"
"From what Dad told me, it somehow triggered a reaction in which the part of the brain that holds memory got hit and messed up…how to explain this so you understand…? He got a small form of 'amnesia,'" the older twin said, making air quotes.
A small murmur distracted the two, and both shot looks at Kouji, who shifted over in the bed.
Takuya was the first to talk. "You think he's…"
"Maybe."
Both boys sighed and continued to do their homework.
----------------------------------------------
Sumi walked through the dimly lit halls, shivering slightly as she touched the doorknob to Kouji's room. Drawing a breath, she turned the knob and pushed the door open. Inside, Takuya and Kouichi had fallen asleep on their homework, while Kouji was still unconscious.
"Kouji," Sumi murmured, walking over to his bed and leaving the door open carelessly. "Why do you have to be an idiotic dork who has to save people? Why can't you just be like Takuya?"
"Because Takuya would do the same thing," came another voice.
Sumi whirled around to find Izumi smiling sadly at her. "Oh...you..." she muttered, looking back at Kouji.
Izumi sighed and walked up to her. "It's because Takuya would have done the same for Kouji that Kouji saved him. I don't think it was necessarily 'saving.' More like...doing what a friend would do." Taking a seat in an empty chair, the blonde haired girl closed her eyes. "You know, it really confused me when I found out that you liked Kouji," she told Sumi. "I wasn't sure if I should continue to like him, or just...give up on him and hope he found you.
"But then I remembered I should at least give him a chance. I did feel guilty, because I didn't understand the concept of loving someone when I was with Takuya. Or maybe I did. I don't really think I did. Even if I didn't, I did when I started dating Kouji. And Takuya had given me that chance. In fact...I don't think I'd have gotten to know Kouji all that well if it wasn't for him.
"You know, he doesn't know your name, but he remembers you. All he could really talk about today was you. I think seeing you this year might have uncovered a few lost memories. You're really lucky, Sumi. I hope you two have a great life together," finished Izumi with a smile.
Turning around to face Izumi, Sumi asked, "But...what about you?"
"What about me? I have Takuya."
Frowning, Sumi shook her head. "But Kouji..." she started, "What about him?"
Biting her lip, Izumi sighed. "Kouji...I hope...will understand. I can't be with him. It's just not how it's supposed to be."
"I..."
"Izumi?" came a small whisper.
"Kouji? You're awake?" Izumi shot up and ran over to his bed, examining Kouji's condition. "How...do you feel?"
"Where's Kouichi?" came the struggled response.
Izumi pointed to the chair beside the bed, where Kouichi sat, resting his head on the bed for lack of a pillow. "Want me to wake him up?"
"Sure...and could you wake up Takuya, too? He got grounded, I assume?" It amazed Izumi that despite the fact that he was in the hospital, Kouji could make a joke.
Smiling, she nodded and gently shook Kouichi. "Hey, Kouichi...Kouji's awake..."
Almost immediately, Kouichi sat up. "I WAS AWAKE THE ENTIRE TIME! The-oh...he's awake? See? I TOLD YOU TAKUYA!" he yelled, crumpling up and throwing his math homework across the room, hitting Takuya's head.
Takuya groaned and nearly fell out of his chair. "I never said he wouldn't..."
"Don't tell me you made a bet on when I would wake up," Kouji grumbled, trying to ease himself to sit up. "What'd I miss?"
"Homework," Kouichi listed.
"Gaming time," Takuya shot back.
"Tomoki's birthday, but I gave him a gift for you."
"Kouichi tutoring Junpei."
"Izumi and Takuya back together, FINALLY."
"Sumi failing a test."
"Takuya reverting back to his stupid self."
"Me studying for that last math test and failing it anyway."
"Sumi...she...it wasn't Aono, was it?" Kouji murmured quietly. "What time is it?"
Kouichi chuckled. "Glad you have a few memories back. It's eight."
Kouji sighed. "I missed a lot."
"Not to mention the awesomest game released-"
"Shut up, Takuya, I don't wanna hear it," Kouichi groaned. "You talked about it all day today. 'Blah, blah, this!' and 'Blah, blah, that!' So shut it!"
Laughing softly, Kouji felt his forehead. "Did I lose a lot of blood?"
"Uhh...can we skip that subject?" Takuya asked hopefully.
"Sure. I feel dizzy just thinking about it," grumbled Kouji.
Izumi whacked Takuya lightly in the back of the head, whispering, "We're here, too!"
Snapping his fingers, Kouichi stood up. "I just remembered. I should go tell Mom that you woke up. Want anything to eat?"
Kouji shook his head. "Just sleep."
"Okay...if you're sure..." Kouichi sprinted out of the room to find a phone.
Takuya dug out his cell phone. "He could have just used this..."
Unless he's...planning something, Izumi thought with a smirk. "Okay, Kouji, well, Takuya and I have to go somewhere! We'll visit in a few minutes, though!"
Kouji raised an eyebrow. "Don't do anything you aren't supposed to!" he called out, grinning widely.
"SICKO!"
Smiling, Kouji watched as the two left, then turned to Sumi. "Uhh...hi."
Sumi's gaze on him faltered. "Hm," she murmured.
"Sumi...you're Aono's little sister, right?"
"So what if I am?"
"And that time...when I was little...there was a car incident, wasn't there?" Kouji asked softly.
"Maybe, maybe not."
Kouji attempted to stand up, but Sumi shot him a glare and told him, "Stay there if you know what's good for you. You're lucky we don't have the doctors in here already."
"Please, just tell me! I need someone to!" Kouji begged, getting a bit desperate.
"What's in it for me?"
"Anything! I don't know! What do you want?"
Seeing the look on his face, Sumi sighed and inclined her head. "Fine, I'll tell you."
Beaming happily, Kouji patted his head. "Where's my bandana?" he asked suddenly, yanking on strands of his hair, annoyed.
"Do you want me to tell you or not?" Sumi growled, casting him an irked glare.
Laughing nervously, the boy gulped and nodded.
Pulling up a chair and sitting down, Sumi closed her eyes. "Well...we met at that party, remember? The one your step mom threw. And then I tried scaring you."
Kouji closed his eyes in an attempt to remember. "Right..."
"But you ended up helping me up before I tripped over my dress. And so every time I came over, I did my best to make you miserable. And then that one day...After I found you were in Kendo, I decided to drag you off to this deserted alley so we could have a match. Only for some reason, there was a car...and you pushed me out of the way and got hit."
Kouji stared at Sumi for a long while, before bursting out into laughter.
Turning red, Sumi stood up and marched over to his bed. "What's so funny?"
"That's hilarious! What are you talking about? First you, and then Takuya! It runs in the family or something!" he cackled, clutching his stomach. "Oooh...it hurts..."
"It'll hurt in other places if you don't stop laughing," she threatened him.
"Relax! Have some fun in a while!" he smiled.
Sumi opened her mouth to say something, but quickly closed it and looked away, shrugging. "Whatever."
An uncomfortable silence befell the two.
Not knowing what to say, Sumi just stood there, looking out the window and watching the moon rise. Kouji, on the other hand, watched Sumi with a great interest.
"You know," he said suddenly, "you don't seem as scary as I remember you."
"People change."
"No, but I mean...you had that weird...look when I saw you yesterday. And-or, not yesterday. Last week...or...whenever I wasn't out cold. How long was I unconscious?"
Sumi rolled her eyes. "Can you ever stay on topic? You've been out for about a week."
"How long do teachers give us to make up homework?" he whimpered.
"FOR GOODNESS SAKES, DO YOU HAVE TO BE SO ANNOYING?" Sumi yelled suddenly, picking up Kouichi's textbook and attempting to hit Kouji with it.
Smirking, Kouji blocked it. "So why are you still in the same room with me, then, Sumi?"
Her calm act nearly shattered. I...he knows... she thought. He knows. "I...because. You deserve some company," she murmured dumbly.
"What about Kouichi? He's good company!"
"Idiot, he's not here. Don't you ever feel alone?" she snapped.
Kouji shrugged. "Not anymore. But it's obvious you do."
Sighing, Sumi closed her eyes. "It felt...weird...with you not there. But I suppose I can't really consider you close or anything-"
"Actually, I think you can."
She turned to him, a bit disturbed.
"What? No, I mean, come on! We knew each other when we were little, right? So we're pretty close!"
Boys have weird logic. Remember to hit him HARD when he feels better, she reminded herself, then headed to the door. "I'm going to get the doctor."
"Sumi...could you come here for a moment?" Kouji asked innocently.
Shrugging, she walked over. "What is it?"
He calmly sat there, staring at her before he motioned for her to come closer. Rolling her eyes, Sumi did as he requested, her face one of askance. "I..." he murmured, his hands on her shoulders and pulling her towards him, "just want to say thanks." As the last word came out of his mouth, he pressed his lips against her own, then released her. "'Night, Sumi."
Sumi stood there, her eyes wide in shock as she watched him lie back down and close his eyes. Dazed, she lifted a finger to her lips and walked out the door, forgetting all about getting the doctor.
-------------------------------------------------
Kouichi walked back into the room, finding his brother sitting up and looking out the window calmly. "New change in your mood again? Did the doctor come yet?" he asked his younger twin.
Kouji shook his head and turned to his brother. "Sumi said she'd get one, but she never did. Guess I scared her pretty bad," he joked.
"What'd you do?"
"Kissed her."
Smirking, Kouichi shook his head and tossed his brother a bandana. "Takuya stole your other one. It's his revenge for getting grounded. Want me to help you on your homework or did you magically finish it all?"
"I...finished...half. Yeah, half," Kouji repeated. "You can help me with the other half!"
Sorting through the papers, Kouichi let out an exasperated sigh. "Math...again? Honestly, just use the stupid quadratic formula!"
"BUT I DON'T GET THE QUADRATIC FORMULA!"
"SO LEARN TO GET IT!"
"BUT I DON'T WANT TO!"
"WELL YOU NEED TO!"
"NO!"
"YES!"
The doctor walked in and both boys stopped and burst into laughter.
Now to get him with Sumi, Kouichi thought with a grin.
------------------------------------
A/N-
Short chapter, crappy chapter. Wow, great combo for posting at 7:45 AM in the morning. Sorry. Next chapter will be more exciting, I promise. And the pairing…it's mucho obvious, right? Review or flame.