I don't own Digimon Adventure 02 characters.
And sorry in advance, and a warning – you're gonna start hating Hikari. O,o;
Love Headache
He was lying in his room. The shades were drawn and the door locked. The stereo was playing one of his favorite idols' cds.
It was Ishida Yamato's newest single.
A song that was, according to official sources, written for his significant other, and for the child they would have one day.
It was asking for forgiveness for never being there, and an undying declaration of love to both husband and adopted son.
Both loved and appreciated the song, and their forgiveness went without saying… most of the time.
As it was, alone and for the first time perhaps in his life, lonely, Takashi Takeru could understand his idol's words a little better.
A little.
"Takeru?"
Came his mother's voice from the other side of the door.
"Takeru, keep it down, the neighbors would complain again! Takeru?
He remained lying there, eyes blank and vacant. He gripped his cell phone tightly. The screen showed his now ex-boyfriend's number, but his fingers refused to press the 'send' button.
He sighed as the song switched, this one talking about a long lost love which had done the singer wrong. He used to like that song. Now, it made his heart ache and his stomach know.
Closing his eyes, he drifted off to a disturbed sleep.
–
The next day in school the boy dragged his feet, too deep in thought to even notice the people he accidentally walked into. He paid no attention as he made the all too well known way towards the classroom, not even noticing his name being called repeatedly.
"-eru?"
He walked on, oblivious.
"Take…"
But when the caller stood in front of him, waving her hand in front of his face, he could only feign ignorant so much.
"Ta-ke-ru!"
He blinked several times until the image in front of him focused into the well known face fitting the well known halls.
"Good morning, Hikari-chan."
The girl smiled at him sweetly, an odd glint in her eyes.
"You seem unbalanced today, Takeru-kun. Something on your mind?"
He wondered if she enjoyed the question, or if she truly didn't know. While avoiding the first option, he highly doubted the second.
"A lot of things."
He finally said, answering the question without answering it. The girl wrinkled her nose at him.
"Meanie."
"My private manners are hardly any concern of yours, Hikari…"
"Why?"
She asked innocently enough.
"Aren't we friends?"
'Friends'. He mused on the word. He had used the word so carelessly before, but now it all seemed like a big fat lie, like his relationship turned out to be (but then again, whose fault was it? He winced). When was the last time he and Hikari even talked like this? Or at all…
"It's pretty rare, for us to talk like that."
She blinked as he changed the subject.
"Rare? But we used to do it all the time!"
"But not anymore."
He said monotony, not looking at her. A few steps later he stopped, looking blankly back at her questioning expression.
"What do you want, Hikari-chan?"
She looked at him with eyes wide, the very portrait of hurt and embarrassment.
"Why… how harsh, Takeru-kun. Must I need something in order to talk to a friend?"
Satisfied with her performance, he reckoned, her expression changed to that resembling the lawyers he often saw on TV. The real ones, mind you, hardly the actors.
"There is something, however…"
"Out with it, we're gonna be late."
He said huskilly, wanting to get it over with. He suddenly felt dirty and violated.
"You talked to Miyako-chan yesterday."
She commented calmly. He eyed her cautiously.
"What about it?"
"What did you two talk about?"
He eyed her as though she just sprouted another head.
"What did we…"
The tears…
"Tell him Hikari's happy…"
How he remembered the tears…
A calm expression settled over his face.
"What did we talk about?"
Sticking his hands in his pockets, he leaned against the wall.
"A lot of things."
"A lot of things?"
She questioned, taking a step towards hi.
"A lot of things."
He answered calmly, an air of boredom to him.
"Such as?"
She asked in a girly voice, batting her lashes and pouting her lips. She was cute, he knew it. Down right gorgeous when she wanted to be. She obviously knew it too, but he felt father sorry for her. Had he been any other guy, it'd have worked for her. As it was, he just chuckled. She wasn't his type, what with being a girl and all.
"Well, the usual. Iori… you…"
He took a moment, knowing that her coming reaction will be a turning point in how he will see the girl from that moment on, and, maybe, how he should've seen her since a long time before.
"… Daisuke."
Her eyes widened so much they threatened to swallow the rest of her face. It was just for an instance, though, and she did her best to cover it up. But it was too late after all;
He saw.
"What… what about us?"
"Daisuke-kun… sure seems to be happy with Ken, doesn't he?"
He commented casually, and she calmed visibly.
"He sure does. I'm glad he and Ken met, they match each other so well."
He nodded.
"Almost too well, ne? They see each other every day, all day. I'm starting to get worried, he's been missing soccer practices lately."
"Ken's ulterior motive?"
Hikari laughed.
"Might've been, had he been attending his own practices and games. Wouldn't have put it beneath him, though, what with what he did to Miyako on her last game… or you want to tell me you forgot, even after being the first to sear he would die by your hands?"
The girl looked away, her arms crossed.
"Well, it was the spur of the moment. He makes Daisuke happy, and that's what matters, doesn't it?"
"Even at the expense of your dear Miyako's happiness?"
She turned to look at him with exceptionally cold eyes.
"What does that supposed to mean?"
He looked down the hall, spotting the very same girl about whom they were talking. As though to support him, she looked miserable, almost as much as she had been the previous day under the sakura tree. Maybe more, he reckoned. Sometimes, not crying can do that.
"She's miserable without him, ya know."
As on cue, Daisuke showed up next to Miyako, his bright smile a painful contrast to her blank expression. As though not seeing, he went on to tell her about something enthusiastically, waving his arms and all. Takeru would've sword he heard Ken's name carried even over the crowded hall's noise.
"So what? She doesn't need him."
Hikari said, a frown on her face as a hopeful, though cautious smile rose to Miyako's lips. She said something to Daisuke, a question apparently, as there was a moment of nothing as she expected a reply.
"Don't say that, he's her best friend."
As though to back him up, Daisuke offered his very best… apologetic… smile, as he… apparently turned her offer down.
"Some best friend he is, hurting her like that."
And as though to back her up this time, there was a minute in which hurt was written all over Miyako's face, before she smiled awkwardly and ran off.
Not knowing what to do, Daisuke looked around but by the time he spotted Takeru and Hikari, neither were looking at him… or seemly remotely approachable.
"Just a minute ago you were over joyd he was with Ken, but now you're made at him for it."
"I am not…"
"Why else would he be distancing himself from her like that?"
"Maybe he finally realized the truth…"
"What truth? What truth, Hikari!"
"That she doesn't need nor want him!"
"Want? … Her tears sure are telling otherwise!"
The two raised their voices, but the attention they were receiving didn't make them stop.
"What do you know about her tears!"
Hikari accused.
"Why do you even care, anyway? You two were never close to one another."
She turned her back to him, an obviously superior air to her.
"The only times when you even looked at Miyako were when it had something in it for you… so what is it now? Did Iori dearest promise to reconsider if you made Miyako feel better?"
"Leave him out of this!"
He backed at her, fists clenched.
"Iori has nothing to do with this! The things I do, or don't, don't concern him in the least!"
"Maybe that's the problem here then."
She said calmly, her eyes closed in a serene, pondering manner.
"What… what do you mean?"
She poked her chin.
"Well, if it were someone I truly cared for, I'd make sure everything I did concerned him, revolved around him… or her, mind you…"
She commented as though on an after thought.
"…like that, I'd know that at least I'm ok. That I'm not doing anything wrong, and that if I did, she'd be right there so we can talk it over and work it out. Or…"
"Or… that it's her fault."
Takeru finished coldly. Hikari smiled.
"Exactly."
"But what about the other person?"
He asked through partially clenched teeth. She blinked.
"Pardon?"
"Forcing yourself on the other person like that… taking such a hold over their life… you make them your everything, but don't you expect the same in return? Unless they willfully give it to you, you don't have a right to ask that of them!"
He panted as an unexplained rage filled him, glaring at her with deep contempt neither knew where it came from. She continued to look calm and collected.
"I don't think a lonely loser such as yourself has a right to talk to me about those things like that."
His eyes widened as she turned her back to him, heading towards the classroom.
"After all, I'm not the one who lost the one he loved the most, am I? Or is it… that you just got so pissed off you lost Daisuke Iori couldn't put up with you anymore?"
"Shut up!"
He screamed at her, his eyes storming with emotions. Her grin widened.
"Don't worry, I'll make your precious Iori's precious Miyako happy. After all, she is my everything… and I'm hers."
As she disappeared from sight, a different girl filled Takeru's mind's eye.
It was a girl who would always smile, always laugh. Was always full of energy and happiness.
He now saw that very same girl turn away from the one who had been her best friend in years, biting her lip painfully. He now saw her falling to her knees, fists clenched, the sakura petals falling around her as the tears fell from her eyes.
"She's happy… you're ignoring me…"
Feeling his anger boil and explode, he kicked the nearest trash can with a growl, sending its contents flying.