Disclaimer-I don't own Digimon.
-------------------------------------
Smile For Me, Sing For Me...Just Don't Hurt Me
-------------------------------------
A bleak silence fell upon the area surrounding Kouichi. As far as he knew, it was extended a mile's radius. Yet just feet away, laughter could be heard.
"It isn't as easy as it seems, is it?" a gentle voice asked.
Not turning around, Kouichi lowered his head. "No," he answered, pocketing his D-Tector slowly. "It...it isn't. Is this how it feels when you see Kako? Like she's scanned you or something?"
Had Kouichi turned around, he would have seen the wry smile on Marise's face. The man walked up beside Kouichi and lifted his head to face the wind. "A storm seems to be approaching," he murmured thoughtfully. The two stood there in silence a while longer before Marise directly replied to the question. "I suppose...it would be the equivalent of that. Actually, the way I thought of it was more of the way you acted with your father, Kouichi." While he admitted this, Marise turned his head to see Kouichi's expression.
Shocked, Kouichi withdrew his hand from his pocket, leaving the D-Tector behind. "W-what?" he exclaimed softly.
Smiling, Mr. Saito explained, "I didn't know Kousei all that well. I did happen to see him after he walked away from that restaurant shortly before school began. There's a lot of hurt that can be found under the expression of someone, Kouichi. You would do well to remember that. For if we are hurt, the monsters within us are reawakened, and so would begin a time where we would attack all those who show insensitivity, whether intended or not. Some are able to control those monsters better than others." He paused there to let Kouichi soak the information.
"Are you saying...it was like I was insensitive to him?" Kouichi inquired, looking down again. His heart nearly skipped a beat. Does he hate me for that? Maybe that's how Marise feels...I guess...if someone did that to me, someone important to me, I would too, he mused, feeling an overwhelming amount of guilt crash down on him.
There was a dry chuckle. Still smiling gently, Marise corrected him quietly, "I'm saying you were insensitive to him. You had every right to be, as does Kako with me. Now you see, I need your help because of this." The smile became bright and wide.
Startled, Kouichi looked up in askance.
Nothing more was said from the boy as Marise explained, "I would like you to ask Kako to allow me to walk her home after school if she doesn't mind. There are things to be discussed that can never be fully covered, and before all of this I'd like her to know everything she possibly can! So will you, Kouichi?" He turned his facing to Kouichi, eyes dancing wildly with amusement as he anticipated the answer.
While he may not have been stuttering aloud, Kouichi's mind was filled with incomplete sentences. He wants-what can I-he-that-Kako wouldn't-what will-who, he, huh? Letting out a groan and shutting his eyes, Kouichi shook his head to clear it of all thoughts. "Um...yes, sure," he said in a confident tone, opening his eyes and gazing unsurely at Marise. Just what am I expected to do? The guilt came pouring down on him once again.
Marise just laughed, as if he knew this would happen. Clapping Kouichi on the back, he exclaimed, "Wonderful! I'll be waiting for her after school. That is, after I separate Hideki and Rai. The poor girl..." Muttering mainly to himself, Marise walked off.
'Monsters within us,' huh? I know what he means, Kouichi thought to himself. A part of him wanted to curl up then and there on the spot in a ball to defend himself, but he remembered Marise wanted him to talk to Kako. "Uh...s-so...where would she be...?" he suddenly stuttered, looking around him. Maybe I should call up Lowemon, he thought, but the thought of the digimon brought the memory of Duskmon back and Kouichi found himself immobilized by a painful feeling running through his veins.
Luckily, Kako appeared beside him, a small smile on her face. "Where would who be?" she inquired, regarding him with a curious look on her face. She didn't bother to hide her amusement as she continued, "You aren't cheating on me again, are you?"
"Are we a couple?" Kouichi suddenly asked, immediately regretting he did.
Kako was completely unaffected. "Um...that's...a great question! We should probably figure that out soon."
"We never did, huh?"
"Not really thoroughly."
Noticing they were getting off track, Kouichi cleared his throat and yelled, "So!"
"Huh?" Kako blinked.
"Um...so..." Kouichi said again, turning to face her for the first time. "S-so, uh, hey Kako?"
She smiled but said nothing, instead waiting for his question.
Swallowing, Kouichi continued, "How was your day today?" He mentally kicked himself for asking a question so stupid. Get to the point. That's what Duskmon would say, he told himself.
Suddenly confused, Kako shot him a genuinely odd look. "Kouichi," she murmured, "What are you talking about? I think you'd know how my day was today. You were with me practically the entire time." There seemed to be something she was holding back as she pressed her lips together with great effort, but Kouichi failed to notice.
Instead, Kouichi looked up at the sky and pointed to the first cloud he saw. "That cloud looks like a horse!" he commented with a laugh.
"...Kouichi..."
"A rabbit, then."
Kako shook her head.
"Ice cream cone...?"
Again, Kako shook her head. Before Kouichi could say anything more, she pressed a finger against his lips, stretching out her arm instead of walking up to him. "Shush," she ordered. Taking a deep breath, Kako told him, "I...overheard you and...M-...Mr...uh...Dad talk. You don't have to do that, you know..." Awkwardly, she dropped her hand to her side and looked away.
Rubbing the back of his neck, Kouichi smiled sheepishly. With an apologetic look on his face, he mumbled, "Sorry...didn't mean for that to happen. W-well, will you...?" Hope flashed through his eyes as he gazed expectantly at Kako.
She took several steps away from him, walking backward. "I...I don't know..." Licking her lips, Kako gazed at the ground. "But...it's true."
"Huh?"
"It does hurt...a lot...this...even for me," Kako managed to say, letting out a sigh and brushing her hair back. "And...about Duskmon..."
Kouichi froze again.
"I'm...really, really sorry, Kouichi," Kako told him, stepping forward.
Looking out of the corner of his eye at a nearby bush, Kouichi mumbled, "Don't...let it get to you. He did deserve it. I mean, what with Piximon...and...everything..."
Biting her lip, Kako placed a hand on his shoulder gently. "M-maybe there was a point to killing Piximon if you think about it. Come on...we should meet up with everyone else before they start assuming. A-and I promise that I'll meet up with Mr. Sa-uh, I mean...my dad," she said hastily, hoping to get his mind off of things.
"Y-...yeah, I guess. Go ahead without me," Kouichi mumbled, nodding slowly. Kako walked off slowly, but surely. Sighing, Kouichi brought out his D-Tector and gazed at the blank screen. In his mind, he could picture Duskmon staring back at him. For the final time, Duskmon...good-bye. Even now, he could see that smile he had seen last on Duskmon's face.
-------------------------------------
The rest of the day was fairly normal. Kouichi occasionally allowed rude remarks about Ogata's lack of skill escape, but mostly kept to himself. There was almost no trouble the entire day, but as expected, the day ended with a bang as Kouichi 'accidentally' dropped his bag off the table and onto the floor along with his books. The bell rang, saving him in the nick of time.
"And you say I'm immature, Kouichi?" Kouji muttered exasperatedly as they exited the classroom. "Honestly, I think I ought to be vindicated here!"
Kouichi frowned. "No way, Kouji. You know in the long-shot I'm a lot more mature than you are," he scoffed. For affirmation, he looked to Kako, opening his mouth, but stopping mid-way. A sigh escaped him instead, and Kouichi placed a hand on Kako's shoulder, smiling down at her encouragingly as he murmured, "You know, you'll be fine."
Not meeting his eyes, Kako told him stiffly, "That...isn't what I'm worried about."
Unable to resist the conversation, Kouji jumped in. "Well then what is it?" he demanded, having been informed about the situation through passing notes with his brother who had been itching to scream out Ogata's faults. The notes had also been for Kouji's amusement.
"Nothing, okay? I...I'll talk to you later," Kako muttered, picking up her pace and leaving the twins behind.
Kouji looked at his brother and shook his head with an impish grin threatening to break through onto his features. Trying to resist, Kouji pressed his lips together. Someone's edgy, he observed, watching Kako run off. And their oh-so-dear friend is upset because of it. Kouji cleared his throat, noticing his brother gaze off into the distance without end. "Kouichi!" he finally barked when Kouichi refused to look away. "Let's get going."
-------------------------------------
She inhaled deeply, pressing her back against the tree. Please, let him leave, just let him leave, she thought, looking away from the sight of Marise looking at his watch-less wrist with great interest and instead lifting her chin up and shutting her eyes. I could...run away with everyone else, technically. There's enough of a crowd for that.
An amused chuckle sounded beside her. "Well, you certainly have some interesting ideas. I can't say that's the first time I've heard that before, though," Marise told her gently. His usual smile greeted Kako as she opened her eyes.
Oh, digimon help me, the girl prayed, staring at the man before her mutely.
"Shall we go?"
Still silent, she nodded and slung her backpack on her shoulder. Just...don't talk, and this will all go away. You're in a bad dream or something. It will be over soon. Again to herself, she repeated in her head, It will be over soon.
Marise let out a happy sigh and looked up at the sky. "A storm is brewing, wouldn't you say?" he inquired, eyes glued to a small cloud as it very slowly made its way across the sky.
The weather report said sunny. He's off. Morose, she looked at the gray cement ground.
"There are nice winds..." Marise's voice began to falter as he continued, "Lots of clouds...hardly any...sun..."
As he sighed and stopped talking, Kako looked up, startled by his lack of speech. Her eyes stuck to him, searching for a reason.
A pained expression appeared on Marise's face. Despite it all, there was a small, sad smile that was impossible to miss. Softly, he murmured, "Harumi often would ignore me like this. Even...even when we were dating...she'd just walk without a word. You definitely can be as stubborn as your mother. I always tried not talking to her, but I couldn't help it." By now, they had picked up their pace. Neither father nor daughter met eyes, but instead stared at the ground before them, one emotionless while the other looked troubled. "Maybe one day...she noticed. She was considerate, perhaps too considerate. Maybe one day someone can show you Kako, that want to be with you. The feeling that assures you that everything is okay, that someone is there for you. Someday soon..."
"M-Mom," Kako choked, trying to get the words out smoothly. Tears stung her eyes and she tried again. "Mom...told me that if you don't talk to anyone...if you push them away...they'll hate you..." she told him, fisting her hands.
Silently, he nodded, looking at her from the corner of his eyes.
Kako drew a breath and continued, "She...said...it is...harder to love than to hate...but so long as we try to love, that's what counts." Don't make me say anymore, she begged silently, shutting her eyes and stopping on the spot.
Marise stopped too in time with her, calmly looking up in front of him. A harsh breeze brushed by, stinging like a whip to the face. Noticing Kako cringe and step back, Marise murmured, "Sometimes, Kako, and I suggest you remember this, we must stand up to whatever is given to us. Shrinking in terror at the slightest things, say the wind..." He placed a hand on her back and pushed her forward. Kako stumbled forward and stood up straight, looking back at him with a furious look on her face. "Shrinking in terror at the slightest things is what will make people hate you. If you cannot support them, they cannot support you. It is easier to hate than love. It is easier to run than stand up." He paused before adding, "And I prefer to see you stand up."
For the first time, the two locked eyes, and Marise smiled. It was far from his usual gentle smile, but a true, meaningful smile. "Let's get you home," he murmured, walking up to Kako and looking down at her.
With eyes as that of a child, Kako watched her father as he took a step forward and looked back expectantly at her. Tears began to blur her vision with time. Don't...make me go alone. Running forward, Kako stuck by his side, grabbing a hold of his hand and walking slightly behind him. Please...for now...
Keep me safe.
-------------------------------------
The two reached the house in less than five minutes. Marise had apparently gotten the key from Hideki and was able to open the door. He allowed Kako in first before walking in after her and shutting the door.
"You know," Marise suddenly commented, "Hideki often told me I was too interested in my work. Before your mother and I married, we did a great amount of research on the history of the Digital World. It was crucial that we fully understood what was happening, because one wrong step would result in the destruction of all. I guess we were opposites that influenced each other, your mother and I...she would work all the time and I would slack, but after we married, our roles switched. Such is life I suppose." Snapping out of his daze, Marise motioned to the couch. "You should sit, you know," he told his daughter.
Kako shook her head and gazed at him, waiting for him to continue.
Shaking his head, Marise pointed to the couch. He nearly laughed as Kako pouted and reluctantly took a seat, furiously slamming her hand down on the spot next to her. He obliged and took a seat next to her.
Without prompting Marise leaned back against the couch and continued his story. "Often, after Hideki was born, Harumi told me I was concentrating too hard on our work. I tried to reason with her and myself that it was because she was occupied with Hideki. That was hardly the reason.
"I suppose we weren't the best of families as I had originally hoped. I devoted my weekends to Hideki completely, or at least attempted to. But wherever I went came with me a part of my research, or something I had to finish. Hideki accused me of ignoring your mother. He accused me of more...I must say, he had a bad tongue even at a young age. The only reason you grew up with him was because of a great amount of bribing from myself and even more, Gen.
"You know they say you only realize what you've lost until it's too late. I was lucky to get a month's advance. Two, actually. I spent a great deal of time before you were born concluding the research. Together, mind you, with your mother. There were a few loose ties here and there. I tried to patch up as much as possible. You were born, and I made sure that everything would be comfortable for Harumi. We divorced a month after, and for a few weeks, I visited to make sure everything was going okay.
"Harumi was pressured by her father and Gen, so we cut relations after her remarriage. I attended. It was...a mess, to say at the least. Rain, and the marriage was outside. The cake turned into slop, the tables..." Marise paused to do his best to fight back the grin that threatened to show.
Beside him, Kako covered her mouth. She could clearly picture a mess that involved her stepfather. For some odd reason, she could also see a young Hideki grinning impishly and terrorizing guests. Choked laughter escaped her, though she did her best to remain quiet.
Marise joined her laughter, chuckling himself. "Yes...and Hideki did his best to tamper with decorations and whatnot. He wanted everything to go perfectly wrong. Of course, I paid him for that too, but that will remain our secret, won't it?" the man added hastily, shooting Kako a weary look. "I recited a very long speech that made absolutely no sense to anyone at the wedding. Harumi was upset when she discovered the pact Hideki and I had made. I have a brilliant son...if he would just put his brilliance to use, it would be even better."
Kako nodded furiously in agreement. She opened her mouth, but stopped when Marise interrupted her, meeting her eyes with an apologetic look.
"Yet the entire time, for the entire month, I realized Hideki was one thing." Again pausing, Marise looked down at his hands and murmured, "The entire time, I knew that Hideki would never forget me. Harumi would never forget me, although she would push me away. But you would never know me. Whatever you saw of me that month after you were born would remain lodged deep in your memories. Although you had a great time in the spaghetti bath...and throwing spaghetti at me. Harumi told me it was my fault for attempting to feed you spaghetti at that age." He smiled at the memory. Bitterly, he said, "You see? It is true what they say. When I wanted you three the most, you couldn't be there. When I wanted to run to you, I couldn't. I can't say it would have been better that you weren't born, Kako. That wouldn't have been fair, and I would have missed so much. Do you plan on talking to me now?" He sounded almost desperate. "Do I have to say anything more...?"
Guiltily looking away from him, Kako mumbled something.
"Kako...please...?"
Louder, Kako mumbled the same words she had before in the same incoherent manner, rising to her feet and racing to her room. Exhausted from the effort, Marise sank back against the couch and shut his eyes. Perhaps I should try a different approach. Quietly, he stood up and walked to Kako's room, watching from the doorway and she buried her face in her pillow to null the cries.
Sighing, Marise murmured her name and a select few words to calm her. When the effect took place, he sat on the edge of the bed, rubbing her back and not leaving her side until finally, Kako fell asleep.
-------------------------------------
It had been not too long ago. Perhaps a month. Definitely before the break, but well after the start of March, Duskmon had come to Kako.
She had never thought of it in great detail, but Kako realized now, after having fallen asleep and woken up shortly before her father left the room, that it had been an incredibly important moment in her life. It was hardly important in terms of life and death, but in terms of discovering who she was working with, that talk had made all the difference.
-FLASHBACK-
Duskmon stood in the corner of the room, gazing out the window. The sunlight that managed to filter through the blinds grazed past his left side. The rest of him remained hidden in the shadows, calmly observing the outside world.
"You owe me that favor you know," Duskmon suddenly spoke up, though his eyes were glued out the window and it was more absentminded than intentional.
Unsure of what to say, Kako stopped putting away her books, almost thoughtfully. She told him after shrugging, "Yeah, what of it?"
Since she had fallen under his 'control' from their bet, Duskmon had often come to Kako's house, staring silently out the window of her room. He was silent, she hardly ever noticed and never made a fuss about it. Yet despite the silence, there was a heaviness to the air, and Kako could only guess what he thought about.
They stood there, mostly in silence as Kako continued packing up her homework. "Feelings," the digimon said again, in the same abrupt manner. "What is it like to have feelings?" he inquired, looking away from the window with a troubled look on his face.
Kako had been holding a literature book in her hand at the time and nearly dropped it on her foot as it left her hands. "Feelings?" she repeated, jaw dropping in disbelief.
If he wasn't hesitant before, Duskmon certainly was now. In an attempt to make himself look uninterested in the manner, he turned away. Voice low, he said, "I want to know what it's like to feel. Does it make you...weak?"
She couldn't help but burst into a smile, something she never expected to do around Duskmon. "Duskmon, who said feelings make you weak?" Kako inquired. "If anything, it depends on what you're feeling."
"What we're feeling...?"
I feel like I'm talking to a kid, Kako thought. She hid a smile and explained, "Sometimes, emotions can be dangerous. They make you strong, but they can make you overly strong, or dangerous to nothing but yourself, I guess is what people say. Like Kouichi. He tries to keep his emotions at bay, and he hardly lets anything out. But when he really wants to protect someone, when he really wants to beat his opponent or whatnot, he'll spend all of his energy, emotion, everything into that. I mean in my opinion, the whole 'stronger when you want to protect' is a bit cliché, but the next part to it makes sense."
"The next part?"
Nodding, Kako continued, "The one where they say you're weaker when you're angry or something? It's true. When you're angry, you never think straight. There's a difference between being angry and wanting to protect someone, the way people see it. Anger and hatred cloud the mind. Love forces you to think rationally... I never thought too much about that part."
There was a pause as Duskmon considered this. "You're saying, basically, that the wrong emotions at the wrong time can lead to one's downfall," he tried to summarize.
"Sure..."
"You don't know what you're talking about."
"Ya just noticed?" the girl retorted, slamming her binder on the table. "Listen, Duskmon. Feelings are feelings. We can't really control them, not forever. They come out in different ways, but they always show. It's only right that they come out. They don't make us weak, they don't make us strong, they just make us. Does that help?" Helplessly, she sighed and dropped her hands to her side, unsure of what else she could say to clarify things. As far as Kako was concerned, she had confused him even more.
Surprisingly, Duskmon nodded. His next question startled Kako even more. "Then," he began, gazing at her and piercing through her eyes with his own, "What would you...feel if you found out who your father was?"
His question evoked the most thoughtful silence Kako had entered that week. "I...I don't know" Kako admitted, amazed at her answer. She laughed. "I don't know! I really don't know. It's just a different matter. I guess maybe...scared. I'd be scared, I guess." Kako's smile slowly faded into a contemplating expression. I would be scared. I would be scared out of my wits, she told herself. And I would be scared.
"Would you feel weak?"
Kako nearly cursed aloud. Just stop with the questions, she wanted to yell, but instead said through gritted teeth, "Yeah...I guess I would."
Satisfied that he made his point, Duskmon inclined his head. "Thank you for your time," he said almost mockingly before disappearing into the shadows.
Yet his point stuck to Kako. She would feel weak. There was the possibility that she would be hurt if she ever found out. Yet she wanted to find out. She wanted to get hurt... None of it made any sense anymore.
Thank you, Duskmon, Kako thought, slamming her binder onto the floor and falling back on her bed. Now, she couldn't help but wonder.
Who?
-------------------------------------
Kouichi stopped as the screen loaded, revealing the pixelated form of Cloud standing beside the Highwind on the world map. Something just seemed to click to him, something he never realized before.That piece...
Very quickly, Kouichi rose to his feet, dropping the controller to the floor unintentionally, and then taking a step to his left. He stopped, realizing he was going nowhere. No, it made sense. It made perfect sense.
Cloud. Duskmon. Kouji. The piece hadn't connected as he had thought it would. Cloud hardly reminded him of himself. No, that was far from it. It was Duskmon. Duskmon and Kouji. The piece he thought had fit perfectly was merely the same on one side. The other three sides weren't as he expected.
I really don't know a lot about myself, Kouichi realized, withholding a bitter laugh. The entire time he had been so caught up in observing his brother, becoming his brother while his brother became someone else. Kouji's personality had seemed to fade and Kouichi desperately wanted to fill in the spaces.
And Kouji. Kouji and Duskmon were one and the same, almost alike save one side, which complemented the other's. They were even.
"But Duskmon's gone," Kouichi recognized fully for the first time that day. The blow hit him with full force as he collapsed backwards on the couch and screwed his eyes shut with a painful expression evident on his face. Guilt. Pain. Hate. Anger. He hated the negative feelings that were beginning to eat him whole, but that only hastened their workings.
Groaning, Kouichi lay himself down fully on the couch, ignoring the music, ignoring the game, ignoring the light from the TV. All he could see was the whiteness of the ceiling.
The whiteness of the ceiling. Like in Kanaye's house, Kouichi thought glumly, before sitting up with a start.
Kanaye's house. The white. The windows that couldn't be, he realized, slowly pushing himself off the couch. The controller was wound up, the TV turned off, the memory cards and CD taken out in less than five minutes.
Another piece of the puzzle fit. There was no window. It couldn't have been. A hologram, maybe? Kouichi continued to guess quietly to himself as he absentmindedly pulled on his jacket while slipping on his shoes. Several times, he nearly fell over, but that didn't stop him.
What finally did stop him appeared the second he opened the door. In front of him stood Kouji, whose hand was reached out towards where the doorknob would have been. The shoes were slipped off in a tired, surrendering fashion before being kicked to the side. The jacket remained on. "Kouji..." Kouichi did his best to sound enthusiastic, but the fatigue got to him.
"Nice to see you too. Out of my way, I'm busy. Were you going somewhere?" Kouji inquired quickly, pushing his brother out of the way and quickly removing his shoes. He was halfway towards his room when he turned around expectantly awaiting his answer.
"Um...no..."
"Oh, okay."
Kouichi watched lamely as his brother ran into his room. Instead of heading out, Kouichi shut the door and plopped back down on the couch. It could wait. Until tomorrow, Kouichi told himself as his eyes began to close slowly. I'll just take a small nap right now...
-------------------------------------
That morning, Kouichi was beyond convinced Kako's life was miserable and she hated him for forcing her to take that day to talk to her father. The fact that Kako rushed into class a second after he had those thoughts and the bell rang intensified them ten fold. So caught up in his dismay, Kouichi gazed down at his desk, whereas if he had looked up, he would have seen a cheerful, but tired smile on Kako's face as she took her seat.
Because of the thoughts that Kako hated him, Kouichi did his best to avoid her any chance he got. She just pities me, he told himself, because I can't get anything right. To everyone's utter amazement, even Ogata's, he remained silent throughout the entire class period. Kouichi even slowed down his work pace, hoping he could stay in at lunch if he didn't finish.
Unfortunately for him, he finished and Ogata wouldn't let him stay in, even though he claimed to need to finish a step of the last problem.
"I don't care, Kimura. It's perfectly fine, even if it's no excuse for me to deduct points. You're a horrible liar, now get out of my room!" snapped the teacher, shoving Kouichi out with a push and slamming the door shut.
Kouichi slouched as he hung his head, unable to bear the thought of seeing Kako while moving away from Ogata's classroom. Maybe I should just spend all of eternity in the boy's restroom, he thought. She can't get me there. I really hope she can't get me there. When the thought began to scare him, Kouichi decided against hiding in the restrooms. If only our lockers were large enough...
He sighed and stopped in his place, nearly jumping as a girl exclaimed, "Kouichi, there you are!" Immediately, Kouichi froze and waited for the angry hit to his head, squeezing his eyes shut in anticipation.
Nothing came.
Surprised, Kouichi opened his eyes and looked around, finding Kako behind him. Before he could fully turn around, she threw her arms around his neck, pulling him back. "You've been ignoring me for the entire day! What's up with you?" demanded Kako, only pulling harder as he struggled to release himself from her hold.
"Uck-I...K-Kako!" Kouichi gasped, prying her hands away and turning around. "Stop trying to kill me!" He pointed at her accusingly as he continued, "I know you hate me, but you can kill me after school!"
"Huh? Hate you?" Kako repeated. She looked genuinely confused, much to Kouichi's surprise.
The boy was taken aback. Slowly, he asked, "Y-you...you aren't mad at me?"
"I'm mad at you for ignoring me, but...why would I be mad at you?"
"N-never mind," Kouichi said quickly, looking away as he felt his face heat up. Way to go, Kouichi. Still doubtful of the people you care about.
Kako shook her head and looked around. Noting the few people that passed by, she grabbed a hold of Kouichi's hand and began running through the halls, searching a place where no one would bother them.
The two eventually found themselves in the far back of the school, where the field and the bleachers were, along with back of the building where the masquerade had taken place. It was on the back of this wall where Kako and Kouichi sat down and lay back, trying to catch their breath.
"Y-you...what was that about?" Kouichi finally rasped, swallowing a mouthful of air and nearly choking in consequence.
While Kouichi did his best to stop choking, Kako opened her backpack and withdrew something, which she covered with her arms. "I...talked to Dad last night...after...complications. And he told me I could tell you a few things."
Kouichi fell silent and waited for her to continue. Noting this, Kako inhaled deeply before continuing, "See that day where I found out Mr. S-I mean, Dad was my dad was when I decided to ask Rai about what I had wanted to ask you for a while in Hawaii. Because the diary said that Hideki was supposed to die and Rai said she was supposed to die, I figured they couldn't both die; it didn't make sense. I asked Rai and I guess she didn't want anyone to know.
"Apparently before, during, and after their marriage, my parents worked a lot on researching the Digital World. That's what a lot of Dad's diary is, and if it really interests you, you can read it. Hideki spent all of last night reading the research notes. There are a few pages here and there, some for other people to read and whatnot. He has some scarily interesting things in there, and it makes me wonder if Mom ever read...
"That's besides the point. Dad's as egotistical as every other guy out there!" Kako suddenly exclaimed, slamming one fist on the palm of her other hand.
Kouichi opened his mouth, then stopped and stared blankly at Kako. "Exactly what does that have to do with any of this?"
Looking indignant, Kako insisted, "Everything! You'd think he would be as modest as y-I mean, as...a modest person, but he isn't!" She quickly covered the item resting her lap again, but by now, Kouichi had gotten a good look at it and didn't need much else to know what it was. "Anyway, Hideki was supposedly an angel when he was little-" She was cut off in mid-sentence.
Beside her, the boy shot Kako a warning look. "Kako," Kouichi growled.
Kako quickly changed topics. Undaunted, she informed him even further, "Piximon was supposed to watch over me, yeah, but his main point was to open a gate to the Digital World in Hawaii, because Lucemon was supposed to have created some artificial gate by then, but something about Takuya...then there was a bunch of junk about Chaos being the root of the 'shadow system' and stuff about who's who and what's what. Hey, did you know Shinya, Naoko, Fujitaka, Ai and Kanaye are Grumblemon, Ranamon, Mercuremon, LadyDevimon and Devimon respectively? Poor Shinya. He's so awesome, but he's stuck with a bunch of losers." The girl shook her head and allowed part of the item in her hands to be revealed in the bright light that shone down on them and washed the blacktop.
"And the egg-"
She smoothly interrupted him and said, "Has a more important role than you do. It's Lobomon, I'm sure, and Piximon had to make sure we would get it. We can tell Rai and Hideki, but no one else. You know, it's kind of like a family..." Kako trailed off, musing this possibility in her head.
Kouichi shot her a confused look that prompted Kako to explain. Handing him the egg, she pointed to herself and Kouichi. "So you see, it's like this. I'm supposed to take care of the egg, but you're supposed to take care of me and the egg! Get it? Wow...it's kind of like we're it's parents..." Her hands dropped to her side as she gazed endlessly at the egg.
"U-uh..." stuttered Kouichi, doing his best not to drop the egg. Parents...?
Kako looked up at him. "Hm?"
There was some more staring and stuttering. Swallowing, Kouichi finally asked, "Um...that was the best analogy you could come up with?" The slight hint of fear that was held in his eyes was easily ignored by Kako.
Understanding his point, Kako began to feel the warmth rush to her cheeks. She, too, began to stutter as she tried to explain herself. "W-well, see, I mean, I didn't m-mean...uh, tha-that is to say-" She cut herself off as heavy footsteps and mutterings were heard.
The two exchanged panicking looks. Startled, Kouichi shoved the egg towards Kako, who had been reaching for her bag, which was placed behind her. Just as Kako brought the backpack in front of her, Kouichi leaned forward again, quickly pressing his lips against hers as he aided her in placing the egg in her backpack. Kako nearly fell back in surprise, and by the look in Kouichi's eyes, she could tell he was equally surprised.
The footsteps stopped and an awkward silence ensued. Kouichi stiffly pulled away seconds after the egg was securely in the bag, and shut his eyes, letting out a small breath. Putting on his most casual of looks, Kouichi turned around and waved to the newcomer.
"Kouji! How are you?" the boy laughed, wanting to cry now that he knew who had stumbled upon them. "Beautiful weather we're having, huh?" The laugh continued to echo for a few more breaths, until Kouichi allowed it to fade with a nervous edge to it.
Staring blankly from Kako to Kouichi, Kouji tried to comprehend the situation and his best plan to counter it. Several times, he opened his mouth. Several times, he closed his mouth. Finally, Kouji shook his head. "I'll...bother you two later. Just don't...uh, never mind," he muttered in an awkward tone before turning on his heel and quickly walking away.
Kako and Kouichi held their breath, waiting for the footsteps to fade. To double-check, Kouichi stood up and raced over to check around the corner. When all was clear, he trudged over towards Kako and collapsed on the spot. "That...was close," he breathed.
"Wh-what was that about?" Kako asked. Alarmed, she scooted away from Kouichi. There was no clue of what to think about, merely a great amount of confusion and distrust.
Reddening, Kouichi scrambled to his feet and exclaimed, "I didn't mean it!" Almost defensively, he added, "It was just so he wouldn't be suspicious and bug us about this later! I mean, kissing's one thing, but making a fuss over someone's backpack? Especially considering it's yours." Before he could continue any longer, Kouichi realized his suddenly defensive manner and his hands fisted by his side. Stepping back, he allowed his arms to relax and shut his eyes. "I didn't mean it like that," he murmured.
The girl just groaned. "We're so weird," she muttered to herself, shutting her eyes and leaning against the wall.
"Ditto."
"But...really, Kouichi." He opened his eyes to find Kako half-smilingly ask him, "Why?"
A heavy sigh passed his lips. Shaking his head, Kouichi took a seat again and murmured, "I don't know...I really, really don't know." Kako rose to her feet, diverting Kouichi's attention from the heating blacktop.
"You know, I must've taken off five layers. Dad said there was going to be a storm, so I figured, hey, why not wear eighty billion sweaters? But it's sweltering hot..." Looking down, Kako beamed. "But it's better than not being prepared! At least I know Dad must've been lying!" she laughed, adjusting her backpack so it was more comfortable against her back. "Anyway, I'm going to head back to class. You'll be with us for the rest of the year, right?"
I hope...unless I die from idiocy. Aloud, Kouichi told her with a nod, "That's the plan."
Kako looked at him with a curious look on her face. It was completely unreadable. "Wanna head back with me, then?" she inquired, taking a few steps back.
Although Kouichi made a move to get up, he shook his head. "I'll...wait a while longer," he said.
Listening to Kako's footsteps fade just as Kouji's had, Kouichi began to wonder a number of things. Why? Why is it that I suddenly feel like a complete stranger to the world? He winced as he rose to his feet and slipped on his backpack. If the days had ever been kind to him at all, today was hardly the day.
They say there's a silence before the storm, Kouichi realized with a laugh, but I think the storm's just trying to get through.
And yet, it all seemed to be going the same way.
-------------------------------------
Kanaye felt a ripping sensation run through him, threatening to tear him limb from limb, slowly, with excruciating pain. Grabbing a nearby doorknob was all he could do to prevent himself from falling to the floor, writhing and screaming in pain.
Damn you, Lucemon, the boy thought, letting out a shaky breath and inhaling. Nothing he could think of would stop the pain he had been feeling for the past week. Gardening, plotting, snapping at Ai and the others, nothing.
The pain left almost abruptly when someone else entered the corridor. Immediately Kanaye straightened his posture and turned around. "Kimura," he greeted the other boy casually, trying to keep his composure.
Startled, Kouichi looked up from the floor and found Kanaye with his usual annoyed glare. "Huh? Oh...hi..." he mumbled lamely. Sweeping the area around them with his eyes, Kouichi tried to find a possible escape.
"Your girlfriend seems happy..."
A pained look found it's way on Kouichi's face. Slow and awkward, he tried to explain, "She isn't...my girlfriend."
"That's hardly my concern."
"Um, yeah..." Kouichi looked away, gazing through the window of a nearby classroom. Uncertain of whether to stay or leave, he determined it was just best to wait for the bell as his savior.
Kanaye seemed keen on making a conversation, and Kouichi decided it was only polite to comply. Almost absentmindedly and to himself, Kanaye muttered, "She seemed a bit down the day before..." Instead of looking at Kouichi, he looked to the floor for an answer. The gears began to turn in his head, trying to produce a solution to his problem.
Adjusting his sleeves, Kouichi shrugged. While he wanted to explain, he doubted Kako would want him to, and so to avoid the topic, said instead, "I guess she's just like that. Really spontaneous, even with feelings..." He even laughed at the end of this, but it sounded more nervous than anything.
Of course, Kanaye thought, smiling inwardly. Carefully, he pulled up his right sleeve past his wrist, then let it back down, doing this all with his left hand. Again, he pulled it up and let it go. Several more times, he did this, creating a distraction for Kouichi as Kanaye looked away and said with a sigh, "Such is the way of girls. Ai threw the most obnoxious fit a few days ago..."
As Kanaye had wanted, Kouichi caught sight of what lay below the sleeve of Kanaye's right arm. His eyes focused on the revealing and covering of what looked like a black wristband, at least two inches wide. There was only a side view of it from where Kouichi stood, but he could see the slightest hint of something attached on top.
"...and so I told her if she didn't keep her act up, we'd cancel our reservations. You'd be surprised to know..." Kanaye continued to talk undaunted by Kouichi being distracted. His eyes quickly darted Kouichi and back to the floor. Understanding what it was that he saw in Kouichi's eyes, Kanaye turned his arm so the rest of the wristband was visible when he pulled up his sleeve, pretending it to be a nervous tic.
If Kouichi had been paying attention at the start, the words didn't exist anymore. His breath came out as a choke and his heart threatened to stop before hammering painfully in his chest. Atop the black of the cloth lay a black crystal embedded in a silver backing to be properly attached to the wristband. It resembled the same crystal Kouichi had seen in Kanaye's sword weeks ago. Mentally, the boy noted this and looked up at Kanaye (who by now had been looking up at Kouichi instead of down at the floor), pretending to be interested in his story. Yet the distracted look in his eyes gave him away.
Hiding a triumphant smile, Kanaye continued in an annoyed tone, "and so we had to go anyway, but when we got there, she dumped the entire bowl of soup on my head. I suggest once you two get too familiar with each other, that you don't go to fancy restaurants that cost anything above twenty dollars." Kanaye let go of his sleeve.
"I wasn't planning to take her anywhere, anyway! She's not my girlfriend," Kouichi groaned, letting out an exasperated sigh. "Even if she was, I've known her for a while, so she'd dump a bowl of soup on my head for nothing, no matter what the case was."
The smile was threatening to show. At that moment, as if on cue, the bell rang, and Kanaye allowed it to show, masking it as a sneer. "Well, I'll see you in class, Kimura," he said, walking past Kouichi.
Class is the other way, Kouichi thought to himself, walking in the direction opposite of Kanaye. What's with him?
-------------------------------------
Letting out another sigh, Hideki placed down the diary. The words he had been reading for the past hour and a half rang in his head.
'It is not Rai that is meant to die, but Hideki.'
He didn't care. He didn't care at all. He had known very well since Kako was born. He accepted that he would die. And yet, a part of him felt like he was afraid.
When he talked to Rai yesterday, as Marise had asked him to, a sudden fear instilled itself in Hideki. He would leave so many behind, even if it was just Kako or the twerps, or his games and weapons...he would leave Rai.
Rai, who meant just as much to him as Kako or even the rest of his family. Kako would take his death hard, but she would be fine. Kouichi and the others would make sure of that, Hideki knew that well. But he couldn't even begin to fathom what she would be thinking...what she was thinking now. Then again, would she care?
Hideki pushed away from the desk and stood up, letting out a sigh and hoping his cares would go with it. Kako was due home any minute with their father, and Gen would be coming home from a business trip at night. He wanted silence, but that silence wasn't here.
I'll ask Dad for the keys, he decided, plopping down on his bed and gazing at the dark ceiling above him. For some odd reason, Hideki had decided from a very young age that all his ceilings were to be painted black, and to that day, it kept with him. Maybe I should repaint it yellow.
For minutes, all that could be heard was the ticking of the clock that had been fastened on the wall just above his desk. There was no breeze, no cars, no laughter, no footsteps. Just time. Finally, Hideki let go the breath he hadn't realized he was holding back, and shut his eyes when all other noises resumed.
Yesterday Rai hadn't exactly welcomed him in the classroom. With a simple remark about how she didn't need an assistant, she had hoped to get him away. Hideki, bored at the moment, decided an assistant would be all the better, and did his best to play the part. Eventually, after several accidents with graduated cylinders and test tubes breaking (a count of two and five respectively), Rai took Hideki by the hand as would an angry mother with a crying child, and dragged him out of the room, slamming the door behind them. For several minutes, she yelled at him nonstop, not caring who heard, only that no one came out of the room or passed by the hall. And her last words were what hurt Hideki the most. 'Friend or not, Hideki, I don't care for you one bit. Just leave me be.'
He had done as she asked. He didn't like it, but he had felt a certain obligation, as he had when she was with him always, by his side, laughing. The same need to protect her and her wishes drove Hideki away, and left Rai alone in the hall, the only mission on her mind to get back to work.
A slam of the door awakened Hideki from his thoughts. "Hideki, where are you?" called out the impatient voice of Kako.
"I'm sleeping. Bug me later, kid. It's your turn to make dinner, anyway," Hideki snapped back in return, lazy and loud.
"Okay...I guess you don't want these letters, then."
Hideki sat up and turned his head to his little sister, who stood at the doorway with two papers in her hand. "Letters?" he repeated, about to stand up.
Grinning impishly, Kako waved the letters around as she made elaborate gestures and told him, "Of course, Rai told me to give this to you, but it's not that important. You can sleep first and read later." A giggle very nearly escaped her as she turned around with the letters raised above her head.
Growling angrily and jumping to his feet, Hideki snapped, "You little-little...girl..." for lack of a better insult, he paused after his struggle for words and then continued, "Your stupid diary'll be made public to the entire world when I get my chance!"
"KEEP SAYING THAT!" Kako threw the letters at him before running to her room and slamming the door behind her.
That left Hideki to fumble with the flimsy papers that quickly cut the air and hit the ground. He struggled to peel them off the carpet floor and gaze at the writing. One was from Kouichi, and this was made plain and clear from the large letters that looked as if they were scrawled quickly, or so Hideki guessed by their messy nature. Hideki worked on the staple of the second letter. It had been written with some thought, and at the bottom of the page, Hideki saw Rai's name written in clean, blue ink.
Save the best for last, he told him self positively, wandering dreamily to his room as he decided to read Kouichi's first. It didn't take him too long, and he eventually found himself musing quietly to himself, "So Kanaye's controlling his sword through some jewel thing..." There were other things that Hideki chose to ignore. He carelessly tossed Kouichi's note to the side and began to read Rai's. Whatever smile he had held at the beginning soon melted away. Hideki's grip on the paper tightened, crumpling its sides. When he reached the finish, he let out a loud curse, crumpled the paper and threw it away from him, not caring the least that it rolled out of his room. Hideki slammed the door and threw himself face down on his bed, burying his face into his pillow. For now, it felt as if that was all he could do, but he so badly wished there was more.
-------------------------------------
"Is it done?" the lady asked, impatiently tapping a finger on her other arm.
The boy nodded but quickly added, "It will take some time, you realize. This isn't some one-day thing. It will take hours now, especially since everything has to be redone."
A rare smile graced her lips. "I know."
This surprised him. Raising an eyebrow, Kanaye inquired, "Change of heart, Ophanimon?"
"Hardly. This isn't your business. I take it we'll have to wait two days plus?" Rai asked instead, the smile immediately fading into a stolid look.
Not one to be so easily deterred, Kanaye said, "Yes, two days plus. So I take it you had a fight with him again?"
She was quiet for a while. "You saw," she finally spoke quietly, looking away as she told him, "We just aren't seeing things the same. Hardly something that matters."
"But it's more than that, isn't it?"
"Don't wander where you aren't supposed to, Devimon," Rai hissed, turning away from him fully. "This isn't of your concern, now leave." She made a motion to the door.
Smirking, Kanaye bowed mockingly. "Well, milady, I'll see you in two days."
Rai snorted in disgust. Folding her arms and turning back around, she reminded him, "Unfortunately sooner."
"So true." Kanaye paused in front of the door and added, "I suggest you spend your time carefully. You wouldn't want to waste a moment, would you? And you know as well as I that either of us would be in dire trouble for this."
"Of course, which is why you ought to be careful," Rai cut in, waving an impatient hand in his direction. "Just go."
Adding another mock bow, Kanaye made his exit, finding that despite the fact that he seemed calm and normal, his trembling fingers that twisted the doorknob gave away every ounce of anxiousness he held within him.
-------------------------------------
A/N-
Plotting out chaps, reading more, STAR test up, gaming, homework, random work around the house. Next chap will be up soon, very hopefully, unless I decide to go in super detail mode (like this one).
Thank you very much for the reviews:
GemmaniGirl, Lady Hikari-Yami
Review or PM or Flame.