Last Edited: o8.12.o5

Note: To those who have read the old chapter two, I thought it wasn't necessary to add the scene, so I simply discarded it. Plus, I didn't intend to make Dai 'that' mean. The scene was about how Daisuke beat Takeru up and to leave 'his' girl alone. LOL. Haha, how embarrassing and humiliating…still can't get over that I actually put that chapter up.

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OFFICIALLY MISSING YOU

Chapter Two

(By Flipstahhz)

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A year had passed. Takeru Takaishi slowly drifted away from reality. He had no purpose anymore, and he even got himself questioning why he even existed. It was strange how from only one day, he had lost everything. He became dark and silent. Someone, he was the complete opposite to before the whole mess.

Ever since his parents were divorced, he had handles it strongly. Sure, he had his mother, but his mother always worked night shifts. Yamato only visited a few times each month since he was preoccupied with his Sora, school and his band.. That was probably why he had become so close to Hikari. Everyday, she would brighten his day. But without Hikari there to support him, he didn't have anything left.

And now...she was gone.

Well, not literally. It's just ever since Hikari and Daisuke had become the 'official' couple, their friendship slowly disappeared into oblivion. They had stopped talking all together, yet Takeru bravely held his head up and carried on...even though it hurt...

He hadn't. No he, wouldn't given up hope completeley.

But grasping onto hope wasn't that easy. Hoping was a difficult task, especially when he had little left.

Everyone was still amazed of how TK took everything without breaking, but they knew it was truly hurt inside. His brother had tried to help him numerous times, but TK was stubborn. TK only wanted to solve the problem all by himself…

But he wasn't going to give up on Kari no matter what…she was and had been a part of his life

What had then hit him was that it had taken him so many years just to realize that he was in love with her. And now he was filled with nothing but regret.

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The bell rang

Taichi Kamiya walked casually exited the room, but noticed something. His posture turned around swiftly suspiciously glaring at the blond whom was slowly making his way out the classroom behind him. Yamato Ishida avoided Tai and headed towards the door to meet Yolei, Sora and Cody.

Yamato had been expecting them after all…Taichi thought to himself.

It was hard to believe that Tai still held the grudge against Matt and Sora. He hadn't spoken to them for a whole year. It was strange what jealousy could do to a person. Grunting, the brown-headed boy walked the opposite direction from the other people.

Matt ignored him, paying his attention to his three friends. With a brief weak smile he greeted, "Hey guys! How are you all? "

"Cut the chase, Matt," Yolei sighed, " What did you want to tell us about TK?"

"Ahh, well you see…I think it's best if you speak to him yourselves…you know what I mean. See how he's goin' and all," Matt replied uncomfortably, "And he needs to tell you something…something he should have told you guys earlier."

"We figured. He never talks to us these days," Cody said shortly, " He's at the basketball court outside?"

"Yeah, he's always there," nodded Sora timidly.

"He plays bball to get his mind off things. To escape reality is what I always guessed," Yamato shrugged thinking of his younger brother in concern, "Ohh, and before you go…I'm just warning you that it's not going to be good news."

" Then let's get this over and done with," Yolei said straightforwardly without her usual ecstatic energy with a hint of suspiciousness in her tone.

The four approached the door that leaded to the basketball court outside.

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It was all ten against one on the court…

TK zoomed around the court, with his blonde hair flashing everywhere, with undeniable skill. From the corner of his intent eyes he saw something but ignored it, placing his focus back into the game. He quickly stole the ball off the opposing team and without trying still managed to get a hoop from the three-pointer mark.

"TIME OUT!" he called to his opponents.

They nodded and left the court for refreshments. With that, he pulled himself off the court and placed a dry towel around his neck. He then headed towards the group of people that had been watching him throughout the game.

"What?" TK said with not a hint of politeness in his tone of voice.

"Hello to you too," Yolei responded with a mock, bearing her teeth.

"Yeah," TK replied while rolling his sky blue eyes at them, " Why are you here? You never come …or in other words…What do you want?"

"TK, you'd better tell them…I thought you'd tell them by now.." Matt spoke seriously. " Stop acting like an idiot, they're your friends. I'm your brother. Show some respect, won't you?"

"Ohh! No wonder they came," TK said sarcastically, sternly gazing at his older brother and spoke icily to him, " You should have not told them."

"No he should have, or in fact...you should tell us what this is all about since Matt told us to ask you," Cody said sternly, "I don't know what's gotten into you...but why...why are you acting so..distant?"

"The guy you knew, Cody, is long gone…"

" Stop acting like a moron. TK, we came for a reason," Sora broke out growing rather impatient, " And you'd better tell us."

"Right…I'm moving out of Odaiba tonight," he stated, not looking at them, grinning artificially to the ground.

But they really knew, that deep down inside he was actually frowning..

"Where to?"

"Somewhere far," he smirked, staring straight at them gaining his composure back.

"No, he's moving to Tamachi, where Ken lives. It's cause Mom changed her job again. She's typing for the local newspaper on fashion," Matt properly answered the question for TK.

"AND YOU TELL US NOW?" exploded Yolei in nothing but frustration. She was about to jump him, but luckily Sora was restraining her from doing so.

"I'll come visit once in a while, " TK gave a sly smile, " But not as much as Ken."

"But Ken hardly visits.." Sora glared.

"Exactly. Enough said, I'm going back to the game," TK said in a hurry and wandered away from them.

"Whatta JERK!" huffed Yolei, " C'mon Cody let's go! That boy's got some serious attitude problems! Tai should give him a few whacks!"

They all stared at her and she waved her palms out. " Eh…never mind what I just said." Yolei knew about the fight as well as everyone else there did.

Soon, Yolei and Cody left leaving Sora and Matt behind.

"You leaving yet?" Sora asked curiously.

"Not yet Sor…I need to talk to him."

"Sure thing Matt," she nodded with understanding then pointed at a specific direction, " I'll be over there talking with some of my friends."

"Thanks Sor."

"Don't worry about it.." she whispered sadly. " Anything's worth getting the old Takeru back..."

Yamato watched his brother playing the basketball with guilt filling his cloudy eyes…he knew he hadn't been there for his brother all the time…he even noticed that TK had a few inches to reach his height.

TK has grown a lot these past years…He's learnt everything all by himself…without my company…

The game had ended and Matt tapped TK on his shoulder, " We need to talk, bro."

TK nodded glumly not looking up to his older sibling.

"What happened to you? I know you've got feelings towards Hikari, with all your heart, but you've got to let her go," Matt said angrily, "You can't keep going on like this! I don't like seeing you beat yourself up!"

Takeru looked as if he was about to say 'Kari will always be in my heart…I'll never let her go' but instead he remained silent…

"You've changed. You're not yourself…you're not my younger brother anymore. Why is all your hope being taken over by despair? You know, I used to be like you…hiding all my feelings inside. I know the results for sure. All it does is build up inside and you're stuck with carrying that burden around all the time. And I definitely don't want you to feel the irony of it."

It was obvious that Matt was worried about of what TK was turning into…what he was becoming…

"TK, don't you dare avoid me. Like you've ignored everybody else. Fine, go avoid everyone else. But..I'm your brother! I understand what you're going through…And I'm probably the only one that understands you best at the moment...please Takeru..don't do this to me..." Matt begged. It was very unusual to see Matt desperate before…

You'll never know what I'm going through…

"For everyone's sake stop doing this! I want you to come back…the old happy TK full of life! Who loved life to the extreme! The boy that helped me enjoy and understand everything…I know that I haven't been a good brother but please TK…speak to me, " Matt spoke furiously as the words tumbled out of his mouth, "Takeru…please."

Matt pulled TK against the tree, by his collar, and his tough blue eyes stared at the replica of his. In Takeru's glaring eyes, Matt saw nothing joyful in them but: pain, hatred, bemusement, sadness and anger all mixed together. " TK?"

"YAMATO PUT HIM DOWN!" Sora yelled from where she was standing.

Matt didn't listen but whispered to TK so only he could hear, " I'm so sorry Takeru…I'm so sorry I failed you as an older brother."

Quietly, Yamato let go of TK's collar and left him there…underneath the autumn leaves of the tree. Matt, on the other hand, stormed off with a single tear falling down onto his pale face. The tear dropped silently onto the ground.

This was the first time Takeru had seen his brother cry…

"Yamato, I should be the one who's sorry," TK spoke numbly, staring after his brother. " But right now, I need to be on my own."

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Hikari Kamiya sat there amazed. She had heard it all. She was sitting from behind the tree the whole time.

What had just happened?

She and Daisuke had had another fight and all she wanted was to have some time to herself to think things through…and not to think of Takeru…but as usual that wasn't possible. Especially when she had just witnessed what had happened between TK and Yamato just then. Whenever she fought with Daisuke it had to do with Takeru because she always brought up memories about the person she still cared for…

Takeru...

That name...it haunted her so much...did she still carry a flame for him? She wondered. But being revealed to what happened was a shock to her system.

TK was leaving and it was all her fault.

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