so, second chap and still working title . . . give a suggestion if you have a spare minute. and if someone is interested: happoshu is low malt beer and chuhai is a flavored drink with low alcohol content (i think its sort of cider without soda). now i'll know more than chan, san or kawai . .
2.
It was indeed a perfect Friday – warm enough to be outside without a jacket plus a cloudless sky with the sun painting the school yard pale yellow made Daisuke curl up his lips unconsciously. Before he noticed that, he was fully grinning. He indeed got only one point, but Daisuke didn't bother to crowd his mind with something as unnecessary. It was the geeky girl's concern.
Shinya was walking next to him her backpack ready to slip from her right shoulder and swinging the clarinet case. She was swearing too much for a girl in his opinion and imitating every Mr. Morou's phrase addressed to her.
"'I really hoped to see you next year, but now, heh, I will need to think about it now.' What the fuck does he want from me? To become a computernik addicted to that box, dammit!" and Daisuke responded with something between "Ah" and "Mh" to show that he was listening.
He was surprised to see Hikari waiting for him at the gates and even more, when Takeru with two more of their classmates, Tsutomu and a tall for a Japanese, black haired boy named Toshio, shouted:
"Hurry up, will ya!"
Daisuke approached them with a raised eyebrow Shinya a few steps behind and Kari needed to say only three words for him to understand what it was all about.
"Let's go drinking."
He almost smirked because it was Kari, who said so. Kari, who last year was against every substance, which contained at least a degree of alcohol. For a moment Daisuke wondered, when had the rapid change come, and shrugged. Maybe it wasn't that sudden, but he just overlooked her. Missed it, like he already missed other things, while playing soccer. He found himself starting to feel guilty about it and stopped right on time before it began to ruin tings. He planned to have a great time and pulled round his backpack flattening it.
"Okay, mine's nearly empty."
Takeru pulled his own bag from the ground saying his was full of books. "I know what to do with them unlike Dai." he scoffed.
"Bullshit!"
"Ha! I don't use them for a table." Takeru raised his voice sneering and Daisuke shouted even louder in response making a wry face:
"Ha! You wouldn't score a goal even from two meters!" he put his hand into the pocket of his uniform trousers and pulled it out again. "Admit it! You! Cant'! Pla-!"
"Quit screaming, dumbass!" now not only Takeru, but all of the teenagers roared.
"Hey! Who's screaming? Am I screaming!" Daisuke laughed trying to shout even harder and jumped backwards, when saw Tsutomu pull out a cell phone from Toshio's hands with the one protesting.
Now Shinya's "Throw something at him!" mixed with the boy's hey's.
"Man, chuck something at that idiot!"
It wasn't that he always acted this way, all his friends knew this. Like they knew that Daisuke had these emotional burst outs and acted like a joker, when he felt like it. If not for soccer, which took most of his unused energy, he would have his friends back away one after another. Luckily for him they didn't. And the loud mouth would successfully continue making an ass of himself if their literature teacher wouldn't appear on the school yard and shoo them off.
"We're very sorry for him. A hard day, his turtle died." giggled Hikari trying to talk serious and Takeru's lips twitched at the last phrase. "Have a nice weekend."
Daisuke nodded in agreement pushing back the 'Why, the fuck, a turtle?' thought and tried to look innocent as possible. He grinned widely pulling both of his arms behind him and tilting his head on the side:
"Forgive my nervous breakdown. I will get over it till Monday."
The teacher only fixed her purse on her shoulder, "You don't say?" she smiled and left. The six teenagers just looked at each other before heading to the opposite direction.
----------
The stand closest to the park appeared to be one of the old ones, which were disappearing from the city one after another rather quickly. The dirty green paint came off in places and unregistered metal could be seen making the booth look worse than it already was.
"An alloy surely." announced Daisuke in a sensible tone lightly kicking the wall, "Total crap."
Takeru just rolled his eyes and Tsutomu said, of course it was.
"Hey, people work in there." frowned Hikari and both teens just raised their hands in defense before she could rant about social differences and intolerance. Of course not being serious about it and chuckle after her monolog, but Daisuke didn't get if she meant that for real anymore. He assumed she finally became more laid back. 'Be less concerned and save your nerve cells that way!' Hikari did chuckle, though.
"Glad you get it." she smiled and pulled her arm around Shinya's, "I can imagine what a disordered pigsty was the government before women came! Right?"
Daisuke just pouted and the other boys started laughing, "Oh yeah, of course! Miyako told so, right?"
"Do women have a right to order? I'll have to speak to my advisers." Dai grinned widely and turned to Tsutomu, "Well, your opinion?"
Tomu grinned in return announcing "Vote!"
All four hands raised "So. Since the weaker race is voteless everything's clear."
Shinya threw an insult towards them, when she heard it, smacking Daisuke's occiput and Hikari wept a disappointed "How could you?" to Takeru after that. The blond only shrugged smiling sheepishly at both girls.
"Yeah, so I'll be going then" said Shinya of a sudden tugging at Daisuke's jacket so he would turn towards her. Daisuke didn't understand why it was that necessary. He only shrugged still rubbing his head and thought whether to order to stay or leave it like she wanted. He couldn't remember wherever the others invited her to come, she just went along with them or the same direction, but all in all they didn't disagree. The teen pointed at the clarinet case instead of bethinking what to say.
"Music school?" he asked and she nodded with a hint of regret, "Yeah, but maybe I shouldn't go . . ."
Daisuke shrugged again, but luckily Hikari was there for him. She insisted Shinya to come even though her parents surely would mind.
"You probably aren't going out a lot b'cos of music? You should really." smiled Kari and Shinya laughed:
"Oh yeah, I'm sure my folks won't mind! Just like yours!"
"You should be with your classmates more." agreed the others, "Who's better than the classmates?"
"Suuure. The classmates!" the girl amplified smiling and Daisuke found himself glad for her also. Glad that none of the guys (and it wasn't in Hikari's nature to treat a person the way they didn't deserve) thought she couldn't stay with them and didn't out her.
"So. Who wants what?" he asked searching for money in his back pockets.
"Ha! Like someone would sell you!" teased Takeru and Daisuke immediately responded "Like of course!"
"I'll have two cans of chuhai. Lemon and strawberry." announced Kari interrupting both of them. "How much is it?"
"Depends on the prices. And it's cheaper at the stands. Around 240 yen I guess." for her surprise responded Toshio. He stayed quite most of the time, but was intensively writing to someone on his cell phone. Now the device was lazily resting in his right hand and the boys weren't focused on the screen.
He smiled at Hikari with a slack smile saying he will have beer, but returned to his initial stage, when the phone vibrated again.
"God, I thought that junk finally went off!" shouted Daisuke excited after the bet with Takeru, that the stallholder will sale him anything they wanted, "So. Hand the cash then!"
He could only wish the picking and counting went quicker. He had to wait for at least five to and fro trips to the stall before everyone made up their minds and the teenager grew more and more irritated with each go. He held both of his hands in his pockets tapping the fingers impatiently and after a few minute snarled, "Hurry up!"
The others only glared at Daisuke arguing with him, where was the rush. The boy only stuck his tongue out showing his middle finger.
"Here, hold my jacket." he said shoving it onto Takeru, but he spread his arms instead of catching and scoffed, "Whoops!"
"Hey!" Daisuke growled and the blond laughed a reply.
"What 'hey'!" he teased picking up the green clothing and dusting it, "Not a speck of dust, see?"
"I can't be in a uniform, you know!" and Dai grabbed Hikari by her sleeve dragging her with him before the girl said anything. She freed her arm easily though and stepped back a "what the fuck" printed on her pace.
"Kari, be my girlfriend for two minutes." he asked rather quietly if compared to the loud notes he always spoke. Hikari and not only she raised both of her eyebrows inquiringly "I'll look older!" he added rising his voice again.
Tsutomu was in the middle of telling a joke about his cousins, when they came back with their backpacks full. Daisuke had his shirt unbuttoned showing a gray tank top and his maroonish bangs fell on his eyes making him look if not older then harder to guess his age. He grinned in satisfaction:
"I told you. I sa-" but Kari interrupted him complaining "It's heavy, you know."
She freed her right arm from the strap and spun the bag in front of her.
"Who'll carry it?" smiled Kari at the three boys, "Don't worry, I'll take yours."
"Yeah! C'mon it's not only her shit!" supported Shinya and looked at Takeru expectedly. He made a muffled noise shrugging and fixed his hat on the blond locks. Now he didn't wear it everyday as he used to and not because Daisuke called it idiotic all the time. Takeru found it silly as most of his acts in the past, but he did put it on occasionally just to annoy his friend.
"Well . . . since you suggested carrying." Tsutomu suddenly patted him on the shoulder. The boy just shrugged again and tossed the jacket back to Daisuke exchanging the bags with Hikari in the process.
He made a comment on the backpack being entirely new before shouting, "Dai, don't fall over from the heaviness, okay!"
----------
It didn't take too long and much effort to find an empty spot – Daiba Park wasn't crowded as the Seaside or Shiokaze. The place was not far from the track with the grass not being entirely burned out and the bushes trashed. It even had an old table with a few tree logs surrounding it. Daisuke threw his bag on the ground stretching his back afterwards and sat on the table.
"It will be perfect if the rain won't fall." said Hikari sitting on one of the balks and tucking her leg under the other's tight.
"Of course it won't. I'm here after all!" Daisuke jumped up, but Tsutomu caught him by the arm pinning it behind his back. He laughed as the teenager whined.
"Full of ourselves, ain't we?" but he had to let go, when Daiskuke screamed "Aaaaah! Rape! Rape!"
"Shut up!" the others tried to overscream him. And they did shut him up or more Daisuke stopped himself. He took the bottles out throwing them to Tomu, who already went back to his spot at the log, and Toshio before he opened his own, "Cheers, rappers!"
"You know–" started Shinya, but waved her hand without finishing the phrase, "Where's my happoshu?"
Takeru was unpacking Kari's bag, a red one with a plush, blue bunny hanging on its ear; he shouted a "Yeah!" back to her and passed the can Shinya nearly missing it. That made him smile though without any chaff. He knew a comment about her clumsiness was unnecessary and he had no intent to make one in the first place. He even wasn't someone, who teased others unless it was Daisuke. In his opinion the other just asked for derisions.
Takeru opened the Kirin bottle and took a big gulp before giving Kari her backpack.
"So, how was the assignment?" he asked her, but Daisuke, excited for getting a chance to complain, jumped towards the two almost stamping on Takeru's foot.
"Watch out!" he growled pushing the others leg away, but it was nothing to the boy. He was too eager to say everything he thought of his teacher the last hour. The audience was waiting and Daisuke didn't bother wherever they were captive or not.
"Man, it was rubbish. Fucking hard and that jerk Morou! Right Kari?"
"Yeah, it wasn't easy. But thanks, you helped me understand a bit." Hikari smiled at the blond, but looked at Daisuke again not wanting to be rude. The boy just carried on his rants and sipped the beer very now and then.
"I asked Ken, but he was too busy to help!" he said unbothered that he was forgotten for more than five seconds.
"He has stuff to do."
"I know he has! In fact he has far too much to do. And unnecessary!"
"I see . . ."
"It's actually nothing. I don't need to learn that shit. It's just, I mean he could help 'cos he's my friend. Unlike others." Dai emphasized and glared at Tsutomu. Tomu just grinned in return. He lazily stood up and patted him on the shoulder still smiling.
"But you know my nerves ain't iron, Dai."
"I don't get that crap. Only the mathematics actions. You just could–!"
"Ha! So ya totally failed! I thought so my unintelligent friend." Tomu taunted punching Daisuke on the back. He laughed, when the boy almost threw himself on Takeru while trying to grab his hand. He even attempted to kick Tsutomu's knee, but had to hold on to the blond's arm for support. Tomu only backed away though letting Daisuke fall between Takeru and Hikari dragging Tomu down with him.
It would be the sole moment of quiet they had while being with the spiky-haired fool if not for two characters, apparently standing away from them, cracked up reminding in what moronic situation they were in. Toshio, with his hands not occupied with the cell phone anymore, was leaning on the table and laughing as he hasn't been the whole week. Shinya also didn't try to hide her loud giggles.
"I d i o t !" she said sitting on the table, "Get up maybe?"
"Sure. Damn, I spilled the beer! " Daisuke threw Tsutomu off of him and almost pushed Takeru from their untraditional bench. The blond moved aside letting him get up, but Daisuke poked him more saying he needed room.
"Poke. I lost half of my holy drink."
"Quit groping me."
"We don't have to hide it anymore, do we?" Daisuke wrapped his free arm over Takeru's shoulder, but the poor guy wriggled out. He poured the last drops into his mouth and shook the bottle hoping to find something.
"Comfort me. Did I mention how this hat looks good on you?" he said and Takeru glared at him smacking Daisuke's head already the second time this day.
"What's wrong with you today" asked both Tsutomu and Takeru. Daisuke let out a sigh turning around to Hikari.
"Kari, don't be so quiet, you know!"
The girl just gave him an amused look, "So misunderstood, Dai."
When she long ago met him, she couldn't understand did Daisuke act his way naturally or he was like that purposely. But now, everyone, who once got to know him, had no doubt about his person. You had to face it or get lost. She gave Daisuke a smile and he gave one in return not knowing, why he got it, but having his pride arise even higher.
----------
The whole place around him seemed blurry and too fast going. It felt like a mere blink took him a minute and Daisuke became afraid that he will miss something. It felt like slow motion and, hell, he couldn't even tell what exactly it was. The ground was unsteady as the table with the logs. Even the trees were. He didn't like them now and was positive he would bump into one if he would try to run there.
Even if Daisuke didn't trust the logs he sat between Hikari and Shinya. She moved closer to him after his action and hoped neither he nor Kari notice it, but Daisuke didn't care about it at all. Someone, he wasn't sure wherever it was Tsutomu's or others voice, was telling about a crazy woman, who once accosted them. He caught only the half of the speech, but still laughed every time they stopped talking. Daisuke did thought for a second, why it were only the funny or disgusting things they talked about, when being together. But it didn't matter as long it was hilarious.
It was barely five o'clock and Daisuke had more than enough time to sober up. He didn't mind the feeling that much though, it were his parents, who would be infuriated. He already knew, if he happened to have kids, he would explain about alcohol, sex and other in the early age and let them make their own decisions (as long it wasn't about having a child at thirteen, of course), instead of regretting he didn't forbid things, he wouldn't appreciate, and spent enough time with his kids.
Daisuke smiled at his reasoning. It wasn't that often for him to muse and he knew, what Takeru would say if he heard him – 'It is rare for you to think at all, Dai.' He stopped himself in time before he insulted the boy just of pure habit.
Daisuke stood up after a few minutes and looked at the clear, static sky for stability before asking if anyone had chips or crackers.
"No! We didn't by them." said Hikari and chuckled, "Don't you remember?"
"Ha ha, no. that's why I asked."
"Aha." she shrugged forgetting about his question and laughed at the words she heard from Tsutomu not feeling guilty for ignoring the boy as she would have another time.
Takeru and Toshio were hid behind a cloud of smoke discussing a new movie, when Daisuke approached them. He couldn't simply stay in one spot for long, despite feeling unsteady each time he moved. Toshio was saying a bunch of arguments, why the film was a disgrace to his eyes, and the blond countered every one of them just for fun.
"Can I finish?" Dai interrupted Takeru already taking the cigarette out of his hand.
"Like you'd care if I say no." he answered annoyed and blew smoke into his face, "Choke."
But Daisuke inhaled turning away from the two, "I'm saving your life! You own me."
He sucked on it for a bit before taking another drag and sat on the table observing his friends. He felt somewhat distant though being a few meter away, more over in front of every one. And he didn't give a damn. Apathy wrapped his mind like a warm blanket and Daisuke thought it was bliss. He didn't need them now, it was perfect just like that. Let them chat about pedophiles and monomania . . .
R i i i i i n g , r i i i i i n g
The emotion Daisuke fancied was ripped out of him and replaced with laud ringing coming from his backpack. It was left lying on the trampled ground dusty with the digivice sticking out and laughing at him. He glared at it and cursed quietly.
His digivice that meant so much. The same blue and white with a few modifications made by Koushiro. He picked it up taking the last drag and throwing out the stub and frowned, when he saw the caller's name.
"Ken!" Daisuke exclaimed bringing the device to his ear as long as everyone's attention, "Hi! So, what's up?"
"I just wanted to be sure you remember that the performance starts at half past six."
He gulped trying hard to recall what did Ken mean. His temples started to sting, but it was worth it. Or perhaps it was better not to remember at all. The ill-fitting memory came back making Daisuke kick the tables leg in frustration and hit his foot.
"Shit!"