Author's Note: Hola mis amigos! let me just apologize in advance, this isn't my favorite chapter so sorry. :(
oh, and thank you to the two readers who commented on the last chapter! madjack! (Thank you! don't woory about J.P. he'll be fine, not as fine as your J.P. haha but still) and Pranksta! (Thank you!)
enjoy!
Disclaimer: actually i got Digimon as a Christmas gift so i need no disclaimer (haha i wish)
Confrontation doesn't always bring a solution to the problem,
but until you confront the problem, there will be no solution. - James Baldwin
"I hate the first day, It's always the same," Kouichi muttered to himself as he waited outside his apartment complex.
"Not this time, Kouji and I will be here to save the day." Zoe said as she approached, striking a superhero-like pose. Kouichi simply shook his head and rolled his eyes.
"Come on." Kouichi chuckled as he and Zoe made their way towards Takuya's house. The two were going to meet the others at Takuya's, the closest house to the school, and walk together.
------
"Scaramouch, Scaramouch will you do the fandango." Takuya sang off key as he juggled his soccer ball. "'bout time, we're gonna be late," he said as he caught the ball and waved to his friends.
"We have plenty of time." Zoe said dismissively as she and Kouichi approached.
"Wow Z, you look lovely," J.P. gushed causing Zoe to chuckle good-naturedly and the others to roll their eyes.
"Can we just get going?" Kouji grumbled as he stood up and made his way in the direction of the school.
"Smile Kouji, you have us," Takuya said as he threw his arm around Kouji's shoulder. Kouji simply shrugged him off and the five, Tommy's school started forty minutes after the others', made their way towards their schools.
"Why don't you go back to your song," Kouji grumbled sarcastically once they were half way to the school and Takuya's excessive chatter was finally annoying him.
"Now just for that I will, come on Jeep! Scaramouch, Scaramouch will you do the fandango" Takuya sang enthusiastically and signaled for J.P. to continue.
"Thunderbolt and lightning- very very frightening me" J.P. sang as he threw his arm around Takuya's shoulder who pointed to Kouji.
"No," Kouji growled. J.P. and Takuya exchanged mischievous looks and threw their arms around either of Kouji's sides.
"Come on," J.P. whined.
"Never." Kouji said as he shoved J.P. off him.
"Please." Takuya pleaded, imitating Tommy's puppy-dog eyes.
"I'll kill you," he hissed as he shoved Takuya to the ground.
"Fine, Kouichi!" Takuya said, standing up and startling Kouichi out of his drifting thoughts. Kouichi looked from Kouji who was looking rather annoyed to J.P. and Takuya who were wearing encouraging expressions.
"Galileo?" Kouichi laughed shaking his head.
"Galileo Figaro- magnifico!" J.P. and Takuya sang in unison as the school came into sight.
"I can't believe they got you to do that." Kouji muttered under his breath to Kouichi.
"Lighten up Kouji." Zoe laughed as she mock-conducted J.P. and Takuya's performance.
"I'll see you guys later." J.P. said as he continued down the street to the high school.
"I hate being new." Zoe whispered to Kouji once they entered the school.
"It'll be fine." Kouji whispered back, smiling slightly as the group divided to find their lockers.
The whole group didn't reconnect until their last period class. Kouichi was already in the classroom when Takuya entered. "How were we able to go to the same school and never know each other?" Takuya laughed as he sat down next to Kouichi.
"I guess I'm just a quiet kid. It's easier that way sometimes." Kouichi said as Kouji stormed into the classroom.
"How's it going?" Takuya asked after exchanging worried glances with Kouichi.
"Miserably. I swear to god that girl with pigtails is following me." Kouji mumbled as he glared at a group of girls giggling in the corner.
"Aww does someone have a little admirer?" Takuya joked while jabbing Kouji's shoulder.
"Poke me again." he hissed as Zoe joined them looking gloomy.
"Ok jeez. Well your's must be going better right Zoe?" Takuya asked with little hope in his voice.
"I wish, all I did was smile at Kouichi in the hall and I swear this girl gave me the death glare. And the next period her and her little mob of clones where 'whispering' some pretty rude comments. And of course she would be in this class." Zoe sighed as she noticed the girl sitting a few rows away.
"Just ignore it." Takuya said dismissively.
"Easy for you to say goggle-head." she muttered, resting her head on the desk.
"You'll get used to her." Kouichi reassured her.
"But all I did was smile at you!" she sighed, sitting up again.
"She's like that with everybody don't let her bother you." he whispered as the teacher began the lesson.
-----
"Kouichi, I think we need to talk to our father." Kouji said as soon as the end bell rang and the class began to file out of the room. Zoe and Takuya stared at him in shock while Kouichi continued to pack up his books without looking at his brother.
"You heard what he said." Kouichi said with just a hint of sadness in his voice.
"So you're telling me that you're OK with not knowing why he said that?" Kouji asked even though he already knew the answer.
"Well not really," he mumbled, still trying his best to focus on his books.
"Come on Zoe, let's meet J.P." Takuya whispered, dragging Zoe from the nearly empty classroom.
"He doesn't want anything to do with me. I can respect that." Kouichi muttered as he walked to their lockers.
"Yeah well I can't." Kouji said when he caught up to his brother. The two collected their things without another word until Kouichi sighed deeply and closed his locker.
"I know I'm gonna regret this but I guess it does need to done," Kouichi said, finally looking at his brother. "Let's go now." Kouji simply nodded and shut his locker.
----
The twins stood staring at the Minamoto's front door, Kouji knew his brother needed time and he was willing to give him all he needed. Both heads turned when they heard footsteps sounding behind them.
"Um, well how's it going?" Takuya chuckled while rubbing the back of his head. He, J.P., Zoe and Tommy were all standing at the end of Kouji's driveway with looks on their faces as though they were small children with their hands caught in the cookie jar. "Fine we were curious and Zoe said that we should go to support Kouichi." Takuya said in defeat.
"I did not," Zoe exclaimed looking oddly embarrassed while avoiding everyone's eyes. Kouichi smiled weakly and took one final deep breath as he made his way towards his brother's house. Kouji opened the door to find his father sitting at the dinning room table going over miscellaneous papers.
"Dad, we need to talk" Kouji said in a cold tone.
"Can it wait? I need to get this done," his dad said without looking up.
"Damn it Dad, it can't wait," Kouji nearly growled.
His father looked up with curiosity at his son's outburst; when his eyes fell on Kouichi he set his pen down and stood up slowly. Kouichi couldn't help but retreat a few steps until his back was against the wall.
"And?" Kouji said, still glaring at his father.
"And what?" his father said rubbing his temples, as though deep in thought.
"And he's your son! Isn't that enough?" Kouji said in a slightly disgusted voice
-----
"I can't take this anymore!" Takuya said after a mere ten minutes of waiting.
"This could take a while Takky we just have to wait patiently," J.P. said as he and Tommy continued their game of tick-tack-toe in the dirt. Takuya merely sighed and continued to pace.
"I hope everything works out…ugh I hate not knowing," Zoe said sinking to the ground next to Tommy. Moments later Kouichi came walking quickly from the house. Soon after Kouji slammed the door and quickly following. The three exchanged confused glances and ran to catch up with the twins who were now running.
Kouichi continued without looking back until he reached his favorite spot where he would always go to clear him mind or if he just needed alone time. It was a quiet riverbank on the outskirts of town where no one seemed to go except him. When the others met up with the twins Kouji was standing a few feet away from his brother glaring at the ground.
"Kouji, what's going on?" Takuya asked, slightly out of breath.
"My father is a jackass." Kouji grumbled. His statement was met with confused looks so he continued, "He thinks we're going to ruin his business. He thinks it will look bad for the CEO to have been lying to the world for who knows how long. He just stood for a while staring at us then said that we look like our mother. If it gets out he's simply going to say that we're half brother that our mother had an affair and that's why they divorced, I'm also supposed to cut off all contact with Kouichi," he chuckled coldly. "Like that's gonna happen."
They turned to face Kouichi who sat glaring at his reflection in the river. He regretted ever listening to his grandmother, he hated himself for following Kouji that day and more than anything, he hated going down those stairs.
"Kouichi?" he heard a voice call his name but who called it was unimportant he was unfocused and upset. "He's ashamed of me but why? I did nothing." He felt a familiar hand on his shoulder but still nothing registered.
"You know we'll always be here for you," It was a different voice familiar but unrecognizable; he shut eyes to them.
The six sat in silence for well over an hour until Tommy broke the silence "If it'll make you feel better Kouichi we could make that son of a bitch's life hell." Everyone turned to stare at the young boy.
"Not that I'm not proud of you but where did you learn that?" Takuya asked in shock.
"From you," Tommy shrugged and Kouichi couldn't hold in his laughter. When he began laughing the others felt a wave of relief and joined him.
After a few more hours of talking and joking, they were interrupted by someone's stomach growling loudly.
"Ugh J.P." Takuya laughed as he shoved his friend.
"What? It wasn't me," J.P yelled defensively as he shoved back.
"Actually it was me," Zoe blushed deeply as they all burst into laughter
"Okay let's get going," Takuya gasped through his laughter. All six began to make their way back to the city when Zoe pulled Kouichi aside.
"Are you going to be alright?" she whispered to her dark haired friend concern evident in her eyes.
"I am," he began slowly staring at his feet, "At first I didn't think I would be for a while. It's an odd feeling but I'll be OK, I promise. Yeah it sucks to be unwanted by my father but I have Kouji and my mom and you guys. Things always seem to work out for us so I'm not that worried."
She beamed at him and hugged him softly "We'll always be here for you," she whispered.
"Hurry up you two," Kouji called from a slight distance
Kouichi quickly let go and blushed deeply as J.P glared at him with malice.
Author's Note: blah, that was a bad chapter and for that i am truly sorry. it'll get better i promise. the next chapter introduces the issue in the digital world (i think, i'm to tired to check right now hahah) anyways, i hope you all enjoyed it! see you next chapter
~I hope you had a happy holiday! and i hope you have a happy new year!~