Part one: Her Secret

Chapter Seven: One Slip

Kari sat down upon the black leather of the hair stylists chair, not quite sure what had just occurred. Had Tai somehow managed to arrange this after simply hearing her pass commentary on a pair of banners? She shook her head. Trust her brother to discern that she'd longed to dye her hair from something so innocuous. A laugh threatened to escape from her lips, that was him all over. No one would ever understand her, or know her mind the way he did. Even after such a long time of limited interactions, they had both slipped back into their old selves with ease today. And it had felt so comfortable, like putting on an old pair of jeans that you loved and finding that they still fit perfectly, that she'd barely bothered to rain herself in. Needless to say, the sealed box in the back of her head that contained the alarm bell had since been reinforced with a thick steel outer shell and submerged in concrete.

When the turquoise haired girl walked over towards her, Kari felt a strong pang of guilt. Tai would be using the money for his new boots to pay for this she reasoned. Not to mention the heap of trouble that would no doubt land upon him when their parents got home on Monday. She would not be spared their mothers wrath, but Tai would ensure he took the brunt of it. While it was a nice gesture and she would thank him for it, Kari decided that she needed to put a stop to this.

"Ok, so what's it to be?" Teiko said cheerfully as she placed her hands on Kari's shoulders.

She opened her mouth to say, 'I'm really sorry to waste your time, but I can't have anything done,' except the words, "I'm not sure," escaped instead.

When she felt the girl run her hands through her hair, she knew that her chance to leave and spare Tai the expense had gone, she wanted this too much. She saw the devilish smile on the girls face reflected in the large mirror.

"This is your first time, isn't it?"

Kari knew it was not really a question but answered anyway, "yes."

"Then here's what I suggest, if you're not sure what exactly it is that you want," Teiko then leaned in and whispered in her ear, "close your eyes, relax and don't open them until I say so. I guarantee you'll like what you see when you do."

"…Ok…" she replied tentatively, unsure if this was the right thing to do or not. However, she had a feeling that if she didn't, she might bolt the second she caught a glimpse of dye. Not because she was scared or didn't want it, but because she could still feel the volatile bubble of guilt hanging above her head, waiting for the smallest shock to burst and rain down upon her.

"It's settled then," Teiko said with bubbling enthusiasm like Kari were a fresh canvas for her to paint on. Which, in all honesty, she was. "I won't cut your hair as it's already quite short. However, I'll layer it slightly and make the ends a bit choppy. It'll really make the whole thing work. Now, close your eyes."

Kari did as she was bid. In the darkness, she tried to let go of her guilt-driven misgivings as she felt Teiko spray water onto her hair. She called to mind the opening notes of Tubular bells side one and started playing it from memory. All the while feeling like a rag doll as the stylist tilted her head this way and that and pulled at different parts of her hair. Descending deeper into the music and getting hung up in surprisingly few places, she began to feel less aware as the sounds of the salon drifted further from her comprehension. When her mind had finished its rendition of the first piece of music, she simply started another. While they were too complex for her to recount exactly, her mind did a decent enough job. She had no concept of how much time passed before...

"Ok, you can open your eyes, Kari."

It took a moment for the girl's voice to register with her. So much so that she felt Teiko tap her on the shoulder. "You can open your eyes now, Kari," she laughed.

Ok, here goes, Kari said to herself. One, two... she opened her eyes. Her jaw practically hit the checkerboard floor and her eyes widened. She couldn't believe that the girl in the mirror was her. Her once straight cut chocolate brown hair was now bright orange on top, that faded into yellow and eventually blonde at her now choppy tips. Teiko had made her look like a lit match; exactly what she had said she'd wanted in her excitement.

"So, what do you think?"

"I love it," she whispered as a tear slipped down her cheek, "thank you."

She looked over to the waiting area where Tai was standing up. This must have cost him a small fortune. Rubbing the tear from her cheek, she followed Teiko back towards the front of the shop.

"Wow," Tai breathed, "Kari, you look fantastic. Do you like it?"

Without thinking, she threw her arms around his shoulders, "I love it, but you really shouldn't have. What about your boots?"

"My old ones will just have to make do for now," he replied, before turning to Teiko, "you've really improved since you butchered my hair," he laughed.

"No one could butcher that mess," the girl replied in amusement. She then turned to Kari, "maybe it should be you bringing this one in next time."

"Maybe I will," she chuckled.

Both girls turned and grinned evilly at her brother, "I've always wondered what you'd look like with short hair, Tai."

"Me too."

Her brother glanced between them, a worried expression starting to spread across his face, "my hair's fine just the way it is!"

"Maybe that won't be for you to decide," Teiko then said in a slightly seductive tone that Kari did not like, "you now owe me a favour, Kamiya."

"Why don't I pay you and we call it even?"

As Tai reached into his pocket for his wallet, Kari kept her eyes fixed on the turquoise haired girl. Until today, she thought she'd known about all of her brother's friends. For it had become clear that they were more than just old school acquaintances. Was it possible that they had dated? She made a mental note to enquire at some point. It seemed that Tai had his share of secrets too. She watched her brother pull out his ATM card and hand it over. Moving to stand beside him, she craned her neck to try and see just how much he had spent on her, only Tai seemed to anticipate this and moved to block her view.

Once the transaction had concluded, Teiko held out his receipt and said, "you still owe me that favour, Kamiya."

Tai took the slip of paper and stored it safely in his wallet where she would not be able to see it, lest she later decide to pickpocket him. Resigned to not finding out, she turned and looked at herself in a full-length mirror that hung on the wall. It was still impossible to comprehend that the girl in the reflection was her. She ran a hand through a few choppy strands that transitioned from orange to yellow to blonde. Their mother would go ballistic when she saw her. Perhaps it was feelings of teenage rebellion stirring within her, but seeing a reflection that now truly looked like herself meant that she did not care. This was the person she wanted to be.

"Ready to go?" Tai asked as he rejoined her.

"Yeah."

"See you later, Kari," Teiko said to her before she turned to look at Tai and winked, "I'll be in touch."

On that note, the siblings departed the salon, however, not before Kari felt a slight pang of jealousy. It was late afternoon now and the sun had started its slow descent towards the horizon. In a peaceful quiet, they walked to the nearest subway station and boarded the first train heading in the direction of home. Kari sat beside the window and could not help but stare at the partial reflection of herself. Despite her misgivings yesterday, she had thoroughly enjoyed spending the day with Tai without letting her true feelings show. If only she could continue to have such a close relationship with him. Unfortunately, she knew it would inevitably become too painful for her to be around him.

##

It was almost dinner time when Kari and Tai arrived back home. Still elated by her surprise trip to the hair salon, Kari insisted on making dinner. After a quick search through the cupboards and fridge, she cobbled together enough ingredients to make ramen. A singular peak under the lid of the casserole dish that sat in the fridge had been enough to convince her she needed to go shopping tomorrow, lest they want to end up with food poisoning. However, tonight she could make do with what she had. From her position behind the kitchen counter, she could watch her brother lounge on the sofa; he was reading a manga. For now, her high was enough to quash any thought regarding how wrong her current feelings were. Just gazing longingly at her brothers mass of chocolate hair filled her with a desire to go over to him and start rubbing her hands through it. Something primal began to stir inside her as she began adding spices to her broth mix. How she would love to rip Tai's shirt off and caress his muscular torso. She shuddered at the thought of their naked bodies intertwining as their wandering hands explored each other. It would be exquisite.

The need to slice chicken necessitated that she break off her lustful gaze unless she wished to lose a finger. Eyes now fixed on the poultry, she realised that her breathing had become slightly erratic. It took a long, slow inhale and exhale to help regulate it. She fantasized about Tai often, however, typically when lying underneath the covers of her bed. This was not the time nor place, she reminded herself firmly. She still had the rest of the evening to get through while in her brother's company. If she allowed her imagination such free reign it would lead her to disaster. She kept her eyes focused on the food for the rest of the meal preparations.

When it was eventually time to call Tai to the dinner table, she found her brother ravenous; nothing new there. A small smile formed on Kari's lips as she watched him practically inhale the ramen. It made her happy to know that he enjoyed her cooking. She ate her own in a more civilised manner and could not help but feel slightly proud at how it had turned out. By the time she had finished, Tai had already consumed seconds and offered to help her clear up.

"So what are we going to listen to?" he asked once the final pans had been dried and put away.

"Let's go find out," she replied enthusiastically.

Kari felt a light flutter in her heart, yet at the same time butterflies in her stomach at the thought of sharing something that had come to mean so much to her. This sort of music was not for everyone. What if Tai didn't like it? Or worse yet, what if he thought it so bad that he began to laugh at her? For a moment the thought of saying she'd changed her mind, taking her new CDs and barricading herself in her room crossed her mind. However, when she picked them up off the coffee table, she felt a hand touch her shoulder.

"Don't be afraid to share with me. I'd never mock something you care so much about. You know that, right?" Tai said in her ear.

His words instantly dispelled the feelings of doubt that had just snuck up on her. Even if her brother did not like her music, he would not judge her. "I know," she replied, hoping her tone masked her moment of uncertainty.

He offered her a hand, which she took. His palms felt rough against her smooth ones, however, as his long fingers wrapped themselves around her slender hand she felt a warmth akin to that of being safe inside her room. Tai allowed her to lead him across the apartment and into her bedroom. While they had shared the room for years, once Tai had moved into the old office room, it had quickly become her own personal sanctuary. Somewhere she could hide away from the world and be herself in all her sinful glory. Only you would never be able to tell that by just looking at it. The walls were bare and painted in the same neutral colours they had always been. Her desk surface was neat and the bed made properly. Indeed it looked more like the living quarters of a lone individual in their forties, rather than the bedroom of a sixteen-year-old girl.

"Do you like your room this way?" Tai asked as he followed her inside.

"What's wrong with it?" she retorted, sounding slightly defensive.

Tai looked her up and down, "it doesn't exactly feel like the room of a girl that looks like a lit match."

She bit her lip, knowing that he was completely right. When she failed to answer, he then said, "you really have been keeping yourself bottled up, haven't you?"

Kari looked down at her feet, "I guess so."

She felt one of Tai's index fingers lift her chin up and found herself gazing into those beautiful chocolate brown eyes. He then ran a finger through her hair, "I think the Gatomon's well and truly out of the bag now," he smiled, "so where are you hiding your CDs?"

Kari bent down and pulled a small box out from under her bed. Opening it she offered it out to him so he could take a look at the neatly stacked collection of jewel cases. She watched anxiously as he flicked through them.

"How about this one?" he then said, pulling out her copy of Oldfield's Amarok.

Unable to contain herself, Kari started to laugh. While it had only been a one in six shot, only he could have picked that particular album first time. She shook her head, "unless you want your virgin ears to bleed, not that one."

Tai laughed, "is it that bad?"

"No. It's actually quite good. However, it's very difficult to get into. I didn't go near it for a week after my first listen!" She was not sure if he quite understood, but that would soon change.

Tai shook his head and smiled, " why don't you pick then."

Kari thought for a moment, her finger sliding over the spines of the CD cases. It was strange, she thought, for her to be the experienced one. To be the one introducing him to something new. Eventually, she opted for the same jumping off point she'd had; Tubular bells. It wasn't her favourite but captured the essence of the musical style perfectly. If he didn't like this, he wouldn't like any of the others.

"Let's start at the beginning," she said, pulling the album out of the box. "This is the first one I heard." She slid her newest additions inside and then closed the lid.

"Sounds good," Tai replied, "why don't we go sit in the living room and put it on the Hi-Fi system?"

She glanced over at the small CD player and speakers that sat on her desk. Since her musical preferences had changed, she'd barely used it. Preferring instead to use her mp3 player; it guaranteed privacy. The Hi-Fi in the living room would make the album sound a lot better. "Ok," she nodded, having to remind herself that they were the only ones in the house. They headed back to the living room where she turned on the stereo and inserted the CD. Sitting down on the sofa she picked up the remote control.

"Any words of wisdom?" Tai asked.

"Close your eyes, relax and try to forget what you think you know about music," she said with a smile. Following her own advice, she made herself comfortable and pressed play.

Just shy of fifty minutes passed with the music the only sound to fill the room. Being able to listen to the album on a proper Hi-Fi system had been heaven for Kari. When it ended she let out a serene sigh. And she'd thought it had sounded good before. Opening her eyes she glanced over at her brother. Moment of truth time.

"So, what did you think?" she asked tentatively. Like she'd just offered up part of her own soul for him to inspect and pass judgement over.

She watched as Tai opened his own eyes and turned to look at her, "did you feel as though your mind had just been blown and that everything you thought you knew about music was a lie?"

She laughed, "pretty much. I had no clue what I was getting myself into when I bought the album."

"I only thought classical stuff lasted that long."

"That was the first thing that got me when I looked at the back of the case and saw it was only two tracks," Kari replied. While it had blown his mind, she still needed to know if he liked it or not, so she pressed, "so, did you like it?"

A few seconds of silence kept her on the metaphorical edge of her seat before Tai answered, "I think... I actually did. The first part certainly."

She let out a breath that she'd been unaware of holding. He actually liked it. Her heart fluttered at the thought of the musical adventure they could share. Tonight might just be the start of something wonderful. Inside the back of her head, the now steel reinforced and concrete-clad box that held the alarm bell had just been dumped overboard. Taking with it the part of her brain that, for her own sanity, had decided it was best to distance herself from him.

"The second half gets a little fruity, doesn't it."

Tai laughed, "that's one way of putting it. So, are all his albums like that?"

"Most of the ones I've got are. However, he went through a phase of doing more regular songs on some of them." The elation of having someone to share with was steadily rising and she found herself feeling slightly giddy. "Can we listen to another one?"

"Sure, go for it."

Kari couldn't contain herself and practically threw herself on top of Tai, wrapping her arms around his broad shoulders.

Catching him off guard, her brother let out a loud, "WAH! Kari!" as the pair almost fell off of the sofa. When he regained his composure, Tai looked her in the eye, "I don't think I've seen you this animated in a long time."

She punched him playfully in the arm, "you've spent that much time studying I don't think you've seen anything animated for a long time."

He gave her a mischievous look, "maybe your right. However, since all I've got here is you, I guess I'll just have to make you more animated."

"Tai don't you DARE!"

Kari burst into hysterics as, for the second time in as many days, Tai began to tickle her armpits. Squirming in his grip, she futilely tried to free herself only to pitch them both over the edge of the sofa. For the next minute or so, the siblings found themselves locked in a furious wrestling match as they rolled around the floor. Much like they used to when they were kids, typically over who got control of the TV remote. Unfortunately, as was often the case all those years ago, Kari found herself pinned on her back under the sheer weight of her brother. Both were laughing amid panted breaths. When she could see straight once more, she found her face mere inches from Tai's. Helplessly she became transfixed by his eyes. Those big, beautiful chocolate eyes that held so much warmth that she just wanted to lose herself in them. Without a thought for the consequences, Kari succumbed to her innermost desires. Lifting her head off of the wooden floor she brought her lips up to meet Tai's and kissed him.