Disclaimer- Ew, there's an eyelash in my sandwich. I don't own Digimon.
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Sometimes It's Best To Know
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The boys mentally prepared themselves as they gazed at one another, neither faltering as they slowly lowered their sticks, then lunged.
"Hideki Sakai and Kouji Minamoto! Would you two immature idiots quit it? MR. SAITO!" Kako eventually yelled, running out the door. Her eyes flashed at the clock momentarily as she headed to the front desk. Seven thirty-eight. Kouichi should be done with the sunrise by now…to prove me wrong, she thought just as she reached the front desk. "Mr. Sa-Kouichi…uh…wh-uh…" stuttered Kako as soon as she met eyes with the black haired boy.
Kouichi glanced at her, his gaze unwaveringly calm. After a few seconds, he inclined his head, but stayed silent.
From the back, the yells continued to gain volume.
"LOBO KENDO FURY!"
"WHAT THE HELL DO YOU HAVE ATTACK NAMES FOR, TWERP?"
"DON'T CALL ME A TWERP, OLD MAN!"
"OLD? ME! OLD? PIPSQUEAK, I'LL FLATTEN YOU INTO A PANCAKE!"
Kako winced as the threats continued, eventually dying down. The silence was soon replaced by crashing, and Kako could only guess they dented, or possibly shattered, the glass walls. Biting her lower lip, she turned to Kouichi, attempting to start a conversation, "So…Kouichi, have you seen Mr. Saito?"
He studied Kako for a moment before merely shrugging. As hard as he tried, and as desperate as he was to make amends with her, Kouichi still was unable to find his voice around Kako.
The two stood there, gazes locked until Mr. Saito came over with a book in hand. "Here it is, Kouichi," the bookstore owner announced, handing the book to Kouichi and accepting the money he received, "last copy, too."
Nodding in his thanks, Kouichi looked at the book in his hands, starting to leaf through it as he headed outside.
Don't go…please, Kako begged silently. Run after him, Kako! But despite what her mind told her, she could only watch as he turned the corner, tearing her heart out as he did. Maybe…he's…just… Kako bit back her emotions and turned to Mr. Saito. "What did he buy?" she asked softly, but curiously.
Mr. Saito smiled as he answered, "A strategy guide. It's a good thing I moved that fight to the spare room, otherwise all my glass windows would be shattered, don't you think?"
As he laughed, Kako nodded with a forced smile. "But…what if they weren't glass?"
"Well, people go to that café occasionally. Can't have them getting hurt, can I?"
Then, Mr. Saito's words took fool effect on Kako. "W-wait…you said strategy guide," she said slowly. "He games?"
Mr. Saito shrugged and simply told her, "Some people aren't what they seem."
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"Oww," Kouji winced as he exited the room. Hideki, equally injured, followed behind him, also groaning.
"If you hadn't kissed my sister…" Hideki yelped in pain as Kako kicked his shin.
Kouji let out an uneasy laugh and tried running off, but found he stumbled every time he tried, due to his many injuries. Instead, he merely gulped and offered a smile to Kako, who was fuming.
"You two are complete imbeciles! Honestly, what other two boys would irk each other to the point of a kendo match?" shrieked Kako, kicking Kouji's shin.
Letting out a groan, Kouji sank to his knees. "Well sorry! I annoy Kouichi to that point, but he's not as violent!"
"Th-" Kako struggled to get out the words at the thought of Kouichi. "That's not the point!"
Hideki shrugged. "As long as this twerp isn't dating you."
"Well I am! LOBO KENDO FURY!" Kouji shouted, stick in hand as he jumped to the attack.
"KOUJI MINAMOTO I'M GOING TO TELL EVERYONE WHAT YOU'RE UP TO IF YOU DON'T STOP!" Kako barked.
The stick stopped two inches from Hideki's face. Hideki's gaze was upon Kouji, unwavering, despite the threat the bandana head had posed.
Kouji dropped to the floor, landing on his feet and almost collapsing as he did. He stumbled forward, stopping in front of Kako and yanking slightly on her hand. "Can we go now?" he asked grumpily, wanting to get out of the bookstore as soon as possible. He felt uncomfortable with Hideki constantly glaring at him. It's not like he was in a serious relationship with Kako.
Kako turned to Hideki, who watched Kouji with a venomous glare. "Hideki…"
"What?" her brother snapped rudely.
She paused a second before murmuring, "I have my own life. Please, let me live it."
Hideki watched the two walk out the door before his gaze softened and he let out a sigh. "I don't want you to get hurt," he murmured. "I liked that Kouichi kid better…the twerp…he can defend himself…but he's up to something."
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Kouichi picked up the controller for the second time in his life. His eyes were glued on the television screen as he pressed the correct buttons to load the game without even having to look at the buttons even once. It just came naturally to him; it was as if he knew what to do.
And, although he didn't expect it, it gave him a serene feeling…a calm.
What he needed at the moment.
"Poor Aeris," he murmured, "must be tough losing your mom and knowing that psychos are after you because you have special abilities. Then again…" He quickly saved as he heard footsteps at the door. "More interesting than my life."
Kouichi turned off the PS2 and headed to his room, shutting the door just as he heard his brother and Kako enter.
"KOUICHI! WHERE ARE THE BAND-AIDS?" Kouji yelled, sinking onto the couch.
Kako shut the door and leaned against it, feeling somewhat uncomfortable knowing that Kouichi was in the same room as her.
In the meantime, Kouichi walked out of his room and headed to the bathroom to get the band-aids. As he walked into the living room, he tossed the box to his brother. "Band-aids or bandanas?"
"Shaddup," Kouji grumbled, fumbling to open the box.
Smirking, the older twin muttered, "More like you need to be mummified. What did you do, now?"
Scowling when he found no suitable bandage for his wounds, Kouji threw the box at his twin and growled, "I challenged Hideki to a kendo match. Sue me."
Kouichi couldn't help but laugh as he skillfully intercepted the box. "Wow, that's just stupid. Don't tell me you didn't know he was the school's regional champion in his senior year."
"WHAT?" Kouji stood up angrily, his face flushing red. He turned somewhat stiffly to Kako, who was staring at the ceiling and whistling. "You didn't tell me?"
She just shrugged and looked at the floor. "I tried to warn you," mumbled Kako, avoiding Kouichi's surprised gaze.
Swallowing, Kouichi headed to the kitchen and asked awkwardly, "So…are…you guys hungry?"
"I am! Sheez, what do I have to do? RESEARCH EVERYONE? THIS IS INSANE!" Kouji complained, storming to his room and slamming the door.
What about the bet? Oh well, all the more blackmail, Kako thought with a small smile. Biting her lip, she gathered her courage and walked into the kitchen. "So…"
"I couldn't get it," Kouichi murmured softly.
Kako's eyes widened. What…is he talking to me?
"The sunrise," the boy continued, looking at her with a straight face, "I couldn't get it."
Opening her mouth, Kako was about to say something before she shut her mouth, closed her eyes and shook her head. "No, I lied, you know," she commented with a light laugh. "Sunsets are the hardest to draw. I just wanted you to look at a sunrise for once."
Kouichi fell silent, unable to say anymore. What do I say, he thought, to get over this?
"D-do you need any help?" Kako asked suddenly, blushing lightly.
He turned to her, puzzled. "I…uh…if you'd like to help, you can."
Kako nodded.
"Okay, sure." Help me…save me…from this…
Despite the fact that they were closer than they had been in days, Kouichi fell as if he were still sinking much like a rock in the sea.
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"YES! SUGAR! CAKE!" Kouji cheered as soon as Kouichi announced the food was ready.
Kako sat at the table quietly as Kouichi brought over the cake he had made. She contemplated whether or not Kouichi was still angry with her, but found the topic incredibly hard to figure out. Instead, she watched Kouji intently, hoping there would be ways she could avoid him.
After all, knowing that he was only acting that way because of a bet meant he was dangerous after all.
Kouji quickly cut a slice for himself, then Kako and Kouichi. However, Kouichi quickly took the rest of the cake away.
"No more today," was all he said before putting his slice away with the rest of the cake.
A baffled look appeared on Kako's face. "You're not going to eat any?"
Kouichi just shrugged. "It's best if I don't." When he realized she was still confused, he sighed, "I'm still sick."
"Oh…" Kako murmured, looking at her slice, completely uninterested.
Kouichi headed to the living room and turned on the PS2, starting to play as Kouji quickly finished his cake and attempted to get seconds. Shaking her head with a small smile, Kako passed the bandana boy her untouched cake. "Go ahead and eat it. I'm not that hungry right now," she told him, picking herself up and walking over to the couch to see what Kouichi was doing.
Kouji complied happily, quickly finishing his second slice, and placing the dishes in the sink so he could join Kako in staring at his brother. Quietly, after disposing of the dishes, he crept up to her and whispered, "Weird, isn't it?"
Completely caught off guard, Kako nearly yelped, but stopped herself in time. Instead, she turned around with wide eyes, then nodded, still shocked. "He's better than you…"
"HUH! OH REALLY? WELL-" Kouji started.
At this point, Kouichi had frozen and realized they were watching him. Turning around, he twitched nervously, glaring at his brother. "What?"
"Uh…" Kouji stuttered for a long time. "HI!"
Kako mentally slapped her forehead. Idiot…
"I just realized," Kouichi said calmly, "that you still haven't done your lit project that we were supposed to finish over the break."
Kouji froze, his eyes widened as his jaw fell.
"Not to mention all the math homework you so conveniently left at home…"
A wince. Kako watched Kouji, amused at how easily he was tortured when it came to homework. Great, so if he annoys me, I remind him of homework! Thank gods there's Kouichi, she thought with a small smile.
Another voice in her head snickered, Makes you wish you weren't being an idiot, huh?
Kako stepped back, shutting her eyes as the voice laughed. She shook her head and opened her eyes to watch Kouji try to wrestle the controller out of Kouichi's hands. "Wh…you know, you're going to end up breaking it!" she snapped, glaring at the twins.
Both of them stared at her until Kouichi let go, removed his game and memory card, and left for his room without a word.
Kouji on the other hand, turned off his PS2 and rolled up the controller, smirking triumphantly. He turned to Kako with an amused smile, then walked up to her. "You're pretty good."
"What are you talking about?" Kako asked, doubly baffled by Kouji's comment and Kouichi's behavior. Yet, inside, her heart was sinking. He still hates me…
But Kouji just laughed. "That's the only time I've seen Kouichi act like that. He just shuts up and goes to a secluded corner. And yet, it's only around you."
Kako pointed out in her defense, "He does that around all girls."
"Yes, but he glares at them."
"He-well…he…u-what's your point?" snapped the girl, suddenly annoyed.
"You'll see. But now, I think we need to have a small talk…"
Kako swallowed. She didn't especially like this side of Kouji.
Not when things were going to get serious again.
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Kouichi sat on his bed, leaning against the wall with his eyes shut to calm himself. A breeze managed to blow through his window, causing the shutters, which were drawn down, to rattle a bit.
It was then that he opened his eyes, shrinking into the shadows as he did. He curled up into a small ball, hugging his knees and resting his head on his kneecaps. Kouichi shivered, suddenly scared.
Darkness is only bad when you make it bad! That was what Patamon had told him shortly after Kouji had defeated him in the digital world. Yet, even after he had gotten the true spirits of darkness, Kouichi couldn't help but feel that there was a small piece of him that was threatening to let darkness swallow him.
And even after coming out of the digital world, he felt it. He had tried to ignore the feeling for four years, but no matter what Kouichi did to repent, it was there, and he knew it.
Whimpering as he heard the door shut, Kouichi realized Kouji and Kako must have gone out again, and so got out of bed and sat on the floor, examining the quick sketch of the sunrise he had made. It was a shade of bright colors fit for a sunset, making Kouichi wonder why he couldn't find peace in the light pastels of a sunrise. He had intentionally changed the picture, thinking that pastel colors didn't fit a sunrise, but instead, he had created it into a sunset.
It's because darkness ends everything, he thought glumly, pushing the picture under his bed. Right now, all he wanted to do was go to the digital world and never come back. Maybe there he would have a peaceful life.
Picking himself up, Kouichi moved to his desk, where a small box sat. "Kako told me not to open it until my birthday," he murmured softly, fingering the box. Slowly withdrawing his hand, he sighed.
He couldn't wait anymore. Even now, especially considering he was still sick, Kouichi swore he even heard voices that drove him crazy. Shadows leapt at him, came alive and tried to drag him in. But above all, he still heard that same laugh.
Lucemon's laugh.
And it refused to end.
Letting out an angry cry, Kouichi slammed his fist into the wall above his table, ignoring the pain that surged up his arm. Maybe it's time to go ask him again, Kouichi thought, rubbing his fist absentmindedly.
He walked out the door, letting out a small cough and ignoring the pain in his chest. Maybe some fresh air would do him some good.
Fresh air, and someone to tell him what was going on.
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Kako followed Kouji outside and to the park, lagging behind on purpose.
Please don't let him open it yet, please not yet, please not yet, please, not yet, please, she repeated in her head, over and over again that she didn't hear Kouji call her name.
"Kako Sakai, are you in there?" Kouji asked, exasperated as he waved a hand in front of her face.
Surprised, she stepped back. "Huh? Wh-oh…what?"
He rolled his eyes and yanked her towards him, saying in a low voice, "We need to talk."
"About…?"
"You."
"What about me?" she growled, trying to yank her hand free. GET TO THE POINT AND LET GO OF MY HAND.
Kouji tightened his grip. "You and Kouichi. I want to know why you really rejected him."
Keeping a cool face, she replied, "Oh, I'll use the same reason why you refuse to tell me why you want to hurt him like this."
"I'm not hurting him, I'm helping him," Kouji countered, unfazed. "Now tell me."
Kako gasped as he tightened his grip even more. "Let me go! What are you trying to do, break my wrist?"
"If need be, yes."
She glared at him before attempting to kick him. But Kouji quickly stopped her by tightening his grip again. Biting her lip to ignore the pain, Kako muttered, "Fine, just let go."
Satisfied, Kouji loosened his grip considerably and waited for his answer. "Yes?"
"I…I d-don't…want…Kouichi to…k-…" Kako stuttered, unable to find the words. Swallowing, she looked up at Kouji with tear filled eyes. "You see, it starts with my family…"
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A/N-
That was incredibly stupid.
But I'm getting to the point. Joy. What with homework, guard practice and Taekwon-Do, I'm completely behind in everything. So…I may take a while in posting chapters. Sorry. It's not intentional, it's school, something that's incredibly annoying and needs to stop tormenting the lives of children of all ages.
But yeah, sorry about the crappy chapter. I'll make up for it with the next one.
Review or Flame.