Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon, nor do I own Renmi Igawa, who was created by CrestOfHealing for the Following the Footsteps of Destiny fanfiction challenge. Congratulations, CrestOfHealing! If you don't know, her story 'My Brother's Keeper' won the FTFOD challenge. If you haven't had a chance to read it, please do so as it focuses around Ami who doesn't get as much time in the story as the main characters, and if you have a chance I recommended reading all the other stories that were also submitted for the contest, as well. Renmi is CrestOfHealing's OC character.
A/N: Well, we are now at the chapter where we get to meet the sons and daughters of the Inoue children! (I'm talking about Yolei's siblings, of course) Now, not to worry, they won't be taking over the story or anything like that, but they'll probably be popping up every now and then for some scenes. They may only be side characters, but I hope you all like them. Speaking of that, I have to admit, I'm always a bit wary when it comes to creating new OC characters because you just never know how well they'll be received, so let me know what you guys think of them and let me know who your favorites are! We'll be getting to some more really interesting chapters in the near future and soon we'll be back on Infinity Mountain again where Dai will have the biggest test of his life to date! Enjoy! Also, I apologize if I have the eye colours of the Inoue siblings wrong. I have yet to find a picture that shows them close enough where you can see their eyes clearly, but I can change them if necessary.
Following the Footsteps of Destiny
Chapter 164: Home Away From Home
Sam Ichijouji
Odaiba, Japan, Earth
Standing alone in a dark, shadowy hallway, which was located on the fourth floor of the apartment building where the older brother of a certain lavender-haired Digidestined lived with his wife Kiyomi, Sam Ichijouji took a deep breath and he scrubbed vigorously at his cheeks, trying unsuccessfully to regain some control over his emotions. He wasn't quite sure how long he had been standing there gazing uncertainly at his uncle's front door, but the longer he stared at it, the more he wanted to turn around and run back the way he had come, his feet aching desperately to reach the safety of the elevators. In fact, his desire to return home was so powerful, he had to squeeze his eyes shut to prevent himself from crying out in pain and sorrow. Thankfully, since the corridor was completely deserted, no one had witnessed his frantic race down the hallway, nor had they heard his soft sobs, but at the moment his erratic behaviour and the way he had made a complete fool out of himself were the least of his concerns.
Even though he was no longer in Mickey's presence, he still could not help feeling as if he had somehow betrayed a friend who was one of the closest people in the world to him and the guilt he felt eating away at his heart was so strong, it literally made him feel sick to his stomach. Mickey was never going to forgive him for being so stupid, but despite how much he hated himself for snubbing the older twin, it was the heart wrenching sobs of his digimon partner that had affected him most of all, and even if Glimmermon ever did manage to forgive him, he knew he would never forget his partner's tears or the little digimon's desperate pleas for him to stay, desperate pleas he had completely ignored.
And it's all because of my father. I'm sorry, Glimmermon. I'm sorry I'm such a terrible partner, but...I had to leave. I couldn't stay because...because I don't deserve to have a partner like you.
Shaking his head, Sam leaned against the wall next to the front door of the Inoue apartment and he covered his face with his hands, his heart pounding rapidly in his chest. Now that his initial shock had worn off and he had had some time to think about everything that had happened in the Digital World that afternoon, including the truth about his father, instead of feeling better he only felt even worse, mostly due to the fact that, at the moment, he felt absolutely nothing at all. All of the anger, hatred, sorrow, sadness, and betrayal he had felt earlier were still swirling around inside of him like a raging tornado, but because there were so many things he wanted to feel, he wasn't quite sure which of his emotions he needed to express first in order to ease the pain in his heart. How was he supposed to feel after so many people he cared about had hurt him so deeply? He didn't know, and his inability to feel anything was ripping him apart inside.
Dad...why didn't you trust me? Why didn't you tell me the truth, and why can't I stop caring, even after everything you've done? And, Ryoko...I thought you were my friend, but...it's not just you. If Dai had been in your place, he would have done the same thing and I'm sure Mickey, Matty, and Kara would have followed your example, as well. They pretty much admitted it earlier. I just don't know what to do. How can anyone expect me to just forget about the Emperor and move on with my life? I can't do that, and it hurts so much. I don't want to have to deal with this. I...I want things to go back to the way they were before, back to the beginning when the Emperor was nothing more than a shadow of the past...
It was a nice thought, but unfortunately neither the human world nor the Digital World worked that way and Sam knew that only all too well without being told. His father's past wasn't just going to go away, and somehow he was going to have to find a way to deal with the ghost of the Emperor, as much as he did not want to.
And somehow I don't think standing around in a dark hallway is going to help me very much. Well, I've come this far. There's no turning back now, and maybe being away from the others, especially my dad, will help me understand what it is I really want.
Besides, as much as he wanted to turn around and go home, the thought of confronting his family and friends again completely terrified him.
Glimmermon...you probably hate me for what I've done to you...
Wincing at his own depressing thoughts, Sam slowly took a step closer to his uncle's apartment, and sucking in a deep breath he knocked hesitantly on the door. At first he thought perhaps no one would be able to hear his weak greeting, but a moment later the door swung open and Sam found himself gazing into the curious gray eyes of his cousin, fourteen year old Taka Inoue. Dressed in a pair of long khaki cargo shorts, a striped beige, brown, and white long-sleeved shirt, and an orange t-shirt over top, it was obvious the older boy favoured the same colours as Taysuke when it came to his clothing, but the same could not be said for their hair. Whereas Taysuke's hair was undeniably bright orange, Taka's wind-blown tresses were dirty-blond, a sandy colour that perfectly complimented his sparkling gray eyes. His personality, though, much like Takara's younger brother, was the exact opposite of Sam's personality. Unlike the raven-haired Digidestined, Taka had a very light-hearted personality and he was incredibly easygoing, much like a certain troublemaker by the name of Renmi Igawa, though he didn't get into trouble half as much as Ren did. Then again, even Dai didn't get into trouble as often as the youngest of Sam's female cousins, and that was definitely saying something. It also explained why, out of Sam's entire extended family, Ren was closest to Taka, who was the most like her.
If you don't count Makku...
"Sam! What are you doing here?" Taka asked curiously, scratching his head in confusion. "Not that I'm not glad to see you, but..."
"Yo, Sam! What's up? Came to join the party, did you?" a voice coming from somewhere behind Taka suddenly shouted, the sound carrying out into the hallway.
Speaking of Makku...
Smiling for the first time since he had walked out on his parents and shaking his head in amusement, Sam poked his head into the small foyer and he spotted Taka's older brother, seventeen year old Makku Inoue, leaning against the wall next to the shoe rack, and judging by how many pairs of shoes were on the rack, it looked as if the Inoue family had company. "Hey, Makku."
Pushing away from the wall, Makku quickly moved towards him and he felt the older boy ruffle his dark hair, the usual trademark grin on the older boy's face already in place. Whereas Taka had his father's dirty-blond hair and his mother's gray eyes, Makku had Kiyomi's fiery red hair and Mantarou's amber eyes. Perched on the bridge of his nose were a pair of stylish glasses, and his red tresses were sticking up in all directions. Add in the lime-green polo shirt he was wearing with a pair of faded blue jeans, and you got Makku Inoue. In Sam's opinion, the best way to describe the older boy was to call him slightly crazy, though he was definitely crazy in a good way and he was even more easygoing than Taka.
"Ignore him," Taka laughed, rolling his eyes. "So...what's up, Sam? We weren't expecting to see you here today."
"You got that right," Makku agreed, cheerfully shoving his brother out of the way and running a hand through his outrageous hair. "Mom and Dad invited the whole extended family over for dinner tonight, but Aunt Yolei and Uncle Ken said they already had plans."
"We assumed that meant you, Miya, and Nao weren't coming either tonight," Taka added.
"Yeah, well...it's kind of...complicated. So, everyone else is here then?"
Makku nodded, and leaning close to him the older boy whispered, "Yeah, and between you and me there are way too many women in this apartment. They're driving me crazy. You showed up just in time, buddy. We need to even the odds a little."
"Just because you and Hana don't get along doesn't mean you have to take it out on the rest of us," a voice snorted from the doorway leading into the living room.
Jerking up straight in surprise, Sam glanced over Taka's shoulder and he spotted his mischievous cousin, fourteen year old Renmi Igawa (affectionately called Ren) standing just inside the foyer with her hands on her hips. With amber eyes and dirty-blond hair the same colour as Taka's and that of her mother's falling over her right eye, the frown on her face was even more menacing than it otherwise would have been, and despite her obvious disapproval, the corners of her mouth were turned up in a small smile. Contrary to the right side of her head, the bangs on her left were held back by two green barrettes, and the rest of her hair was pulled back into a low ponytail that fell to her upper back, just between her shoulder blades. As for what she was wearing, her taste in clothing appeared to mirror that of Taka's because she wore a light green long-sleeved shirt with a white vest pulled over top and faded blue jeans. At the moment, she was wearing only her socks, but Sam knew from her taste that the pair of gray and blue sneakers on the shoe rack definitely belonged to her. In other words, both Ren and Taka were very casual, which emphasized the fact that Ren was a bit of a rebel and a tomboy. At school (the same school that Ami, Noah and all of her older cousins, including Miya, went to in fact) Ren shared a large circle of friends with Taka and she was known for her love of always wanting to be the centre of attention, especially when it came to kids who were younger than herself. Unfortunately for her, most of the attention she usually received was punishment for her habit of goofing off and pulling pranks on other people all the time. Like Dai, she seemed to have a knack for getting into trouble, and often she'd end up dragging Taka down with her, despite his resolve not to get involved in any of her crazy schemes. Surprisingly enough, though, despite being very outgoing, Ren had a tendency to act rather awkward around adults and kids who were older than herself, the exception being Makku, mostly because the red-headed teen never acted his age, or as Hana liked to say, he was incredibly immature.
"It's not my fault your sister is extremely annoying," Makku cheerfully replied, winking at his younger cousin.
Not surprisingly, Ren wrinkled her nose and she nodded in agreement. "You're right about that."
"Don't tell me you two have been picking on Hana again," Taka groaned, slapping a hand against his forehead.
"Well, we wouldn't have to if she wouldn't act like such a drama queen all the time! It's annoying and I bet you she does it on purpose just to bug me," Ren shot back, making a face.
Needless to say, Renmi Igawa was not a fan of drama, which explained why she was usually the first one to poke fun at someone who was fond of making a big dramatic production out of everything, Hana being a perfect example. Sam figured that was probably one of the reasons why he had never been particularly close to Ren, on top of the fact that he was much more well-behaved. He tended to get a little dramatic himself sometimes, and considering what had just happened with his father, he had a feeling Ren wouldn't put up with his behaviour the way Mickey had.
I don't know who I should feel sorry for the most, Ren or Hana!
As the oldest of the three children born to Emori and Chizuru Igawa, sixteen year old Hana Igawa was nothing like her younger sister Ren and even less like her younger brother, eight year old Hikaru Igawa, and seeing as how Ren was the middle child, it sort of explained why she always wanted to be the centre of attention, especially with an older sister like Hana to compete with.
Even Miya has trouble getting along with Hana, and she usually gets along with everyone!
The only person Hana didn't seem to annoy was sixteen year old Tamami Enomoto. Tamami was the oldest of two daughters born to Tatsuya and Momoe Enomoto, and although she wasn't the drama queen Hana was, the two of them were still surprisingly close. Tamami usually seemed more amused than irritated by Hana's antics, and unlike Ren, she took it all in good stride. Tamami's younger sister, fifteen year old Rumi Enomoto, also didn't get along all that well with Hana, but that could have something to do with the fact that she was much more quiet and thoughtful than Tamami.
She's kind of like Mickey, which is a nice change compared to the rest of my extended family.
Out of the seven cousins he shared with his siblings, Taka, Rumi, and Makku were the three he felt the closest to, Taka being his first choice when it came to spilling his secrets, and because of that he often hung out with them the most whenever he went to visit his aunts and uncles. Despite the fact that Taka was Ren's partner in crime, he was also surprisingly sympathetic and that's what Sam liked about him the most.
I wonder what he would say about my father, but even if I did tell him about the Digital World, I doubt he would ever believe me...
"Hiya, Sammy! I didn't think we'd be seeing you today," Ren suddenly piped up, startling Sam out of his thoughts. "Talk about waiting until the last minute. The rest of us were just thinking about leaving soon."
"Only because your mom's tired of the way you keep harassing everyone," Makku snorted.
Ignoring the red-haired teenager, Ren slowly moved further into the room, and frowning slightly, she crossed her arms over her chest. "Where's the rest of your family? I thought Aunt Yolei said you guys were busy today."
"Uh...well...it's kind of a long story..."
"Really?"
Sam felt his face heat up, and trying desperately to avoid his cousin's eyes, he quickly averted his gaze, his heart pounding frantically in his chest. Uncertain of how to respond, he nervously twisted his hands together and he turned instead to smile hopefully at the Inoue children. "Hey, guys, do you think your parents would mind if I stayed for the night?"
Taka and Makku glanced curiously at each other before turning to look at him, and frowning in confusion Taka said slowly, "Not at all, but..."
"What? You don't want me here?"
"Of course we do!" Makku insisted, giving him a warm smile. "Better you than Hana."
"Just be glad you don't have to live with her," Ren joked, punching Makku lightly in the arm.
Biting his lip, Sam gazed uncertainly at his feet, but he quickly lifted his head again when he suddenly felt Taka's hand on his arm. "Come on, Sam, you know you can always share my room. It's just...you usually don't ask at the last minute."
"And what's with the look on your face?" Ren asked, rolling her eyes. "Please don't tell me you're going to start acting like Hana."
"Where are Uncle Mantarou and Aunt Kiyomi?"
"In the living room with the rest of the adults. Why?"
"Sam, are you feeling okay?" Makku asked, looking a bit concerned.
"As if I didn't already have to deal with Hana!" Renmi groaned.
Ignoring his cousins, Sam quickly made his way into the living room and he came to an abrupt stop when he spotted Mantarou and Kiyomi sitting on the forest green love seat. His aunts, Momoe and Chizuru, were sitting on the sofa next to Chizuru's husband, Emori, and Momoe's husband, Tatsuya, was sitting in the arm chair. In the left-hand corner of the room furthest from the door, Hana and Tamami were sitting on the floor across from one another, and both of them were talking in soft whispers. Curled up on the floor in front of the sliding glass door that led out onto the balcony, Rumi sat with her chin resting in her hands and a thick book propped up against her knees, the expression on her face clearly stating she was completely absorbed in whatever it was she was reading. Sprawled out on the beige carpet next to Rumi, Hikaru was playing with the Inoue family pet, a fluffy white cat Kiyomi had named Flurry.
All of them looked so happy, with the exception of Hana, and the smiles on their faces were enough to make Sam feel completely miserable.
How can they be laughing when I feel like my whole world is falling apart? It's just not fair...
"Sam!" Mantarou suddenly shouted, leaping to his feet and moving swiftly towards the raven-haired Digidestined and his three cousins.
Sam let Mantarou ruffle his dark tresses, and holding tightly to the straps on his backpack, he gave his uncle a weak smile. "Hey, Uncle."
"Hey, little buddy, what's up? I didn't expect to see you here. Yolei totally ditched us earlier when we asked her if you guys wanted to join us for dinner this evening. She said something about having to work, but personally I think that was just an excuse to hide the fact that she didn't want to put up with me tonight. It's been a while since you've spent some time over here. We were starting to miss you."
Despite how terrible he felt, Sam couldn't help himself from laughing at his uncle's humorous jokes about the youngest sibling of the Inoue family, and although Sam knew his mother wouldn't have appreciated Mantarou's comments very much, he was deeply grateful for being given a reason to smile again. Dressed in jeans and a yellow t-shirt, Mantarou was every bit as casual as his sons when it came to his clothing, and combined with his short, dirty-blond hair, amber eyes and glasses, he looked like he could still be a college student.
Well, if you ignore the lines around his eyes.
"It's good to see you again, Sam," Kiyomi said warmly, moving swiftly towards him and pulling him into a quick hug. "Are Miya and Nao here, too?"
"No, they're still at home, but...I'm sure they'd love to be here right now. More than you know..."
"That's too bad. If you don't mind me asking, how come you're here so late in the evening, especially since you have school tomorrow?"
Like Mantarou, Kiyomi was a very easygoing person and she had a wonderfully light-hearted personality, which like Makku completely contrasted the shade of her shiny tresses. With long, fiery red hair and sparkling gray eyes, she was the kind of person who could be picked out easily in a crowd. Dressed in a deep turquoise shirt with three-quarter length sleeves and white capris pants, she looked quite stunning and classy standing next to her husband, but what Sam liked about her the most was her sympathetic silver gaze. She had the same eyes as Taka, which explained why the older boy was someone Sam felt he could confine in. "I just...wanted to see everyone. Mom and Dad already said it was okay for me to come here so...um...I was wondering if maybe I could stay for the night?"
"Of course you can, though I don't think Taka has cleaned his room in about three months, so if you feel a bit claustrophobic in there feel free to yell at him. It's not like he ever listens to me!" Kiyomi laughed, rolling her eyes and sending her youngest son a disapproving look.
"But if I clean it up then I won't know where anything is anymore!" Taka protested.
"That's just a convenient excuse not to do any work and you know it."
"It's true!"
Giving his cousin a sympathetic pat on the shoulder, Sam turned to face his other aunts and uncles, who had all somehow managed to crowd around him without him noticing their presence, and he gave them all what he hoped was a cheerful smile. "Hey, guys."
"Sam, it's so good to see you again! I can't believe Yolei turned down Mantarou's offer," Chizuru said disapprovingly, pulling him into a hug. "It's been a while since we've all had a chance to spend time together."
"I guess."
"What was she thinking? Oh well, at least you're here. That's what counts," Chizuru snorted, dismissing Yolei with a wave of her hand.
Sam returned his aunt's hug with as much enthusiasm as he could muster, and he shrugged his shoulders in response to her amusing compliment. Dressed in black slacks and a white button up blouse lined with green, blue, and black vertical stripes, Chizuru's amber eyes were beaming at him from behind her glasses, but he didn't feel much like smiling back at her. With short, dirty-blond hair, roughly the same colour as Mantarou's, she looked a lot like an older, more sophisticated version of Ren, if you ignored the fact that Renmi didn't share her mother's taste in clothing or hairstyles, nor did she wear glasses.
Standing next to Chizuru, Ren's father, Emori Igawa, was wearing a dark blue dress shirt with a matching blue and black tie and a pair of black dress pants. His raven hair and deep blue eyes sparkled under the living room lights and the warm smile on his face matched the twinkle in his sapphire gaze. "Hello, Sam. How are you doing? You should come and visit more often. If you did, I'm sure you'd be a great influence on Renmi, and considering her recent behaviour, I think it's pretty safe to say she needs all the help she can get!"
"Hey! How was I supposed to know that guy was standing right below the balcony!" Ren complained, glaring at her father. "Besides, it's Makku's fault! He's the one who dared me to do it."
"Whoa, hey! Don't drag me down with you!" Makku yelped, cowering behind Taka to avoid his mother's glare.
Letting out a loud sniff, Chizuru placed her hands on her hips and she glared at her younger daughter. "So, you were the one throwing eggs off Mantarou's and Kiyomi's balcony earlier this afternoon. I should have known it was you. It was, wasn't it?"
"Er...would you believe me if I said it wasn't?"
"I think it's a little too late for that," Taka muttered.
"What am I going to do with you?" Chizuru sighed, shaking her head at her daughter.
Placing her hands behind her back, Ren shrugged her shoulders and she grinned sheepishly at her mother. "You have to admit, it was funny when one of the eggs cracked open on his head!"
"So...that's what he was yelling about when he came to the door earlier. I wondered," Mantarou said thoughtfully. "He was ranting and raving so much I couldn't even understand what he was trying to say."
"I thought so. That would explain why you slammed the door in his face," Kiyomi said dryly. "You do know he lives on the bottom floor, don't you? How much do you want to bet he's never going to let us forget what happened to him today?"
"Hey, it's not our fault!"
"No, it's Renmi's fault," Chizuru muttered, turning to frown at her daughter. "You should go to him and apologize. Honestly, Ren, sometimes I think you should have been Mantarou's child instead of mine."
Glancing at Renmi, Mantarou scratched his head in confusion and he gave Chizuru a suspicious look. "Why do I feel like I should be insulted?"
"Ignore them, Sam," Momoe interrupted, pulling him away from Chizuru and wrapping her arm around his shoulders. The oldest female of the Inoue siblings was wearing a long blue skirt with yellow flowers on it and a matching yellow tank top. Her dark brown hair, which now hung just past her shoulders, was partially pulled back in a silver clip and her amber eyes were peering at him from behind a pair of blue-rimmed glasses.
Standing on Momoe's right was her husband, Tatsuya Enomoto, whose sunny blond hair and bright green eyes made Sam think of Angelicmon, though despite sharing the same hair and eye colour the two didn't look anything alike. Like Mantarou, Tatsuya was wearing dark blue jeans, but his orange and white striped polo shirt made him look more like an adult than Mantarou's yellow t-shirt, despite the fact that he was younger than his brother-in-law.
It doesn't seem to matter where I am. Even when I want to get away from the Digital World, I still can't stop myself from thinking about it...
"We were just on our way out the door, but now that you're here, I think it's only fair if we stick around a little while longer," Tatsuya said, winking at him and placing a hand on his shoulder. "Rumi was asking about you earlier. I'm sure she'll be happy to spend some time with you."
"If you can get her attention that is," Momoe laughed, turning to smile fondly at her younger daughter.
At the sound of her name, fifteen year old Rumi Enomoto lifted her head and she carelessly tossed aside the book she had been reading, her lips curving into a shy smile. With long blond hair the same shade as her dad's and bright amber eyes hiding behind a pair of red-rimmed glasses, Sam couldn't help but marvel at how much she reminded him of a female version of Mickey, though Mickey obviously didn't wear glasses. It wasn't that the two of them looked all that much alike, it was more the fact that she seemed to radiate the same kind of innocence, which was emphasized by her sweet, caring personality and her shy smile. Dressed in a light pink hoodie, with the lacy hem of her long white tank top poking out underneath, and a pair of light blue jeans, she looked very comfortable in her own skin, and Sam had no doubt she owned the pair of pink flip-flops that were sitting on the shoe rack by the door. Her shiny blond hair fell to the middle of her back and despite the fact that her long bangs were constantly falling into her eyes, they didn't appear to cause her any discomfort. In fact, Sam secretly suspected she liked her long bangs because they gave her an excuse to hide her embarrassment whenever someone would say something that made her blush.
Which happens a lot since Makku and the others like to tease her all the time.
"Sam, I'm glad you're here," Rumi said softly, leaping lightly to her feet and coming over to join him. "It's been awhile since we've seen each other."
"Yeah, I know. I'm really sorry about that, but...I've just...I've been kind of...busy lately."
"Nao didn't come with you?" Hikaru asked, looking slightly disappointed.
"No, he's still at home."
"Well that's dumb. He should have come with."
Sam sent the younger boy an apologetic smile, but instead of smiling in return Hikaru merely scowled at him and went back to teasing the cat.
I swear one day he's going to be as bad as Ren, if not worse.
Despite the fact that Hikaru was becoming quite the rebel, he was surprisingly fond of Nao, which was odd considering the fact that the two cousins couldn't be any more different from each other if they tried. Though Hikaru didn't quite have Ren's knack for getting into trouble, Sam was sure the boy's spirit and love for adventure would eventually get the better of him in the not so distant future. In many ways, he reminded Sam a little of Tai. Dressed in long jean shorts, a gray t-shirt with white bands around the sleeves, and a black baseball cap sitting backwards on his head, Hikaru had Chizuru's dirty-blond hair and Emori's bright blue eyes, but despite the fact that he looked like both of his parents, he didn't really seem to act like either one of them.
No wonder Nao acts so shy around him, but Hikaru doesn't seem to mind. He might not even notice, which wouldn't surprise me. Hikaru tends not to pick up on things like that. Poor Nao. When we visit Emori and Chizuru, Hikaru's always dragging him along on some new adventure!
"What happened, Sam? Did Uncle Ken and Aunt Yolei kick you out of the house?" Tamami joked, coming up beside him so suddenly he almost jumped about three feet in the air, his heart leaping into his throat.
"Tamami! Don't scare me like that!"
"What do you mean? It's not like you couldn't see me coming."
Considering Tamami's appearance, Sam had to admit she was quite right about that. Unlike her sister Rumi, Tamami had Momoe's medium-length dark brown hair and Tatsuya's bright green eyes. The longest layers of her shiny tresses were dyed a shocking shade of pink and she wore a short pink skirt over black capris tights. To complete her outfit, she wore a long gray t-shirt with tiny pink flowers all over it that matched the colour of her skirt. Even though she was barefoot at the moment, Sam was sure the pink ballet-style shoes sitting on the rack by the door belonged to her .
"You're enough to scare anyone, Tams," Makku joked, ruffling his cousin's pink and brown tresses.
Rolling her eyes, Tamami pushed Makku's hand away, and Sam felt her arms wrap around him in an enthusiastic hug. "It's too bad Miya couldn't come, but you're just as good."
"Thanks, Tams."
"Besides, even I need a break from Hana once in a while," she whispered confidentially in his ear.
Speaking of Hana...
Glancing over Tamami's shoulder, Sam spotted his cousin Hana Igawa standing next to Rumi with several crumpled tissues in her hand. Her amber eyes, which she had inherited from Chizuru, looked suspiciously tearful, and although Sam didn't know what her problem was, he had a strong feeling he was going to find out, whether he wanted to or not.
"Hello, Sam," Hana said mournfully, shaking her head. "I hope your day was better than mine, but I'm sure it was. After all, nobody could have had a worse day than me."
I wouldn't bet on that if I were you.
Without thinking, Sam accidentally blurted, "Why? What happened?"
"You had to ask, didn't you!" Renmi groaned, slapping a hand against her forehead.
"Only the worst thing that's ever happened to me in my entire life!" Hana cried, flinging her tissues into a nearby trash can. "It all started when-"
"Come on, guys, let's go talk in my room," Taka interrupted, motioning them all towards the back of the apartment. "It's getting too crowded in here."
"Just remember, your aunts, uncles, and cousins can't stay too much longer," Kiyomi warned. "Ren and the others have school tomorrow."
"Like we need to be reminded," Ren complained.
"I don't know what you're so upset about. It's not like you actually do any work when you're at school!" Hana said coldly, clearly annoyed at being interrupted.
With shiny black hair the same colour as Emori's pulled back behind her head and held up by at least thirty bobby pins, Hana was the opposite of her sister even in the way she looked. Like several of her cousins, Hana's eyesight was questionable, but instead of wearing glasses she had chosen to wear eye contacts. Dressed in a short black skirt, a dark purple tank top and a black shrug worn over top of her shirt, Hana's taste in clothing was much more feminine than Ren's, and Sam was quite positive she was the owner of the black knee-length boots sitting on the shoe rack.
"Do we really have to listen to Hana again?" Makku groaned, flopping down on Taka's bed and shoving a pillow behind his back.
Hikaru quickly scrambled onto the bed beside the older boy, and Flurry, who had followed them into the room, happily curled herself into Hikaru's lap. Surprisingly, she began to purr loudly, having forgiven the young troublemaker for teasing her earlier. Though nobody, except possibly Sam and Rumi, understood why, for some reason Hikaru seem to idolize Makku, and recognizing the younger boy as a possible partner in crime, Makku had been only too happy to take him on as an apprentice, much to Hana's disgust.
Not that Makku's presence really makes all that much of a difference. Hikaru also looks up to Ren and she's even worse than Makku!
"As I was saying before I was so rudely interrupted," Hana snapped, glancing meaningfully at Taka before sitting down gracefully on the bed next to Hikaru, "I had the worse day ever and no one even cares how I feel!"
Trying desperately not to groan in frustration, Sam sat down on the bed between Ren and Rumi, and he turned to look at his distressed cousin."I got that part already. What I want to know is why you're so upset."
"M-my boyfriend broke up with me today!"
"Gee, I wonder why," Ren muttered, wrinkling her nose and elbowing Taka lightly in the ribs.
Instead of replying, Taka, who was sitting on Makku's other side, merely ignored Ren, though he was unable to stop himself from shaking his head in amusement.
"Cheer up, Hana," Tamami said cheerfully, patting her friend's shoulder and settling herself on the bed next to Rumi. "If you ask me, I think you're better off without him. Once he has a new girlfriend, you-"
As soon as the words were out of Tamami's mouth, Hana promptly burst into tears and she buried her face in one of Taka's pillows. Clearly she did not like the thought of her ex-boyfriend hooking up with some other girl and seeing as how she was so busy crying her eyes out, it wasn't surprising she failed to notice the silly faces Ren was making behind her back.
"Uh...was it something I said?" Tamami asked, twirling a strand of pink hair around her finger and frowning curiously at her best friend.
"Okay, moving on," Makku interrupted, cheerfully ignoring Hana's sobs, "what's up with you, Sam? Come on, spill. You must have come here without the others for a reason."
"I...uh.."
"Sam, are you okay?" Rumi asked softly, leaning close to him and gazing anxiously into his eyes. "You seem really sad. Did something happen?"
"N-no, I'm fine.."
"You're lying," Hikaru said bluntly, pointing an accusing finger at him.
"Rumi and Hikaru are right. You don't seem at all like yourself today," Taka said slowly, studying him closely. "What's wrong, Sam? You can tell us."
How can I tell any of you about the Emperor and the Digital World when there's no way you'll believe me? Because I was so stupid earlier, I don't even have Glimmermon here to back up my story...
And yet, even though he had wanted to get away from the Digital World and all those associated with it, for reasons he could not explain, all of a sudden he felt a desperate need to tell the others what was bothering him.
"Sam?" Taka asked hesitantly, reaching out to place a gentle hand on his arm.
"Oh no, you really are going to start acting like Hana!" Ren joked, throwing up her hands. "Come on, Sam, you look like your favorite pet just died. It can't be that bad."
Try worse.
Unable to stop the tears from welling up in his deep blue eyes, Sam quickly turned away from Ren, determined to avoid any more of her teasing remarks. "You won't believe me. None of you will."
"Is that what you think?" Makku asked, looking offended.
"You know we'd believe anything you have to say," Tamami said encouragingly. "Besides, it's easy to tell when you're lying."
"Just like you were a minute ago!" Hikaru said triumphantly.
"I could tell something was wrong as soon as you came into the living room," Rumi said quietly. "Please, Sam? We want to help."
"I noticed it, too," Taka added, giving him a sympathetic smile. "Right when I opened the door. You know you can trust us, don't you?"
They were all staring at him, every single one of them, including the cat. Even Hana had stopped crying long enough to gaze curiously at him and all of a sudden he knew he couldn't keep the Digital World a secret anymore. Even if they laughed at him, it wouldn't matter. He had to talk about his father. If he didn't, he was sure he woud go crazy.
"I...I guess I should start from the beginning. It was all Gennai's fault. If he had never sent Piximon and that stupid e-mail..."