Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon.

When they say you're not that strong
Well you're not that weak
It's not your fault
When you climb up to your hill
Up to your place
I hope you're well
There's nothing left to prove
Nothing I won't do
Nothing like the pain
I feel for you
Nothing left to hide
Nothing left to fear
I am always here
-"Not Enough," Our Lady Peace

Not Enough
Chapter Nineteen

The Ichijouji family was interesting to say the least.

From what Taichi had observed over the past few days they members of the household communicated through the servants employed for them. As he had witnessed the most common way for one of the three to get a message to another was to have a maid relay it to that person and than carry a reply back to the sender.

Mrs. Ichijouji was rarely ever at home, preferring to spend time in several different countries on business, and when she was present was acted in the manner of her son, reservedly. Mr. Ichijouji was far more talkative, however, and at dinner delighted in listing all the accomplishments Ken could have achieved if he had applied himself as much as his late older brother, Osamu.

Osamu had apparently been three years older than Ken and had been a child prodigy. He had died at a young age when he had been tragically struck by a car and as from the viewpoint of a casual observer it seemed that the couple had switched all their dreams and plans for Osamu directly to Ken. Which apparently included an engagement to Mimi of the servants could be considered knowledgeable of the situation. And they usually were…

"When you have a background like mine or Ken's your parents are like that," commented Mimi. "Families like ours have reputations and expectations that you have to live up to. It gets a little overwhelming sometimes…

As his family was not a part of the leisure class anymore, since his father had been all but disowned when he had married Taichi's mother, there was nothing he could add to that statement. He had been just about to question her more especially about the engagement when Ken had walked in at that moment and their conversation had turned to other things.

Taichi actually liked Ken. The younger man was an executive in his father's massive newspaper and was set to later take over the company when the later retired. Refreshingly he was free of the condensation of his parents and was an interesting speaker.

"So Taichi I hear you and Mimi've met up before this," he said as he threw himself into a reclining chair. Taichi was seated on a second chair and Mimi stood in front of a window, her back to them. "How'd that happen?"

Taichi grinned and secretly glanced at the woman out of the corner of his eye. "We met at a party where her behavior left a lot of room for improvement."

Ken arched an eyebrow and Mimi visibly stiffened. "Really?" asked the navy haired man. "That doesn't sound like Mimi…"

"But it was. She isolated herself for most of the party was snapped at anyone that tried to talk to her. The only people she spent any time with at all were Sora and Michael."

The younger male blinked as the brunette woman turned around. "It's very hard for me to get along with people I don't know," she defended. "I say things without thinking and hurt people without meaning to. I…don't know how to stop."

"You know I don't play soccer as well as I used to anymore," stated Taichi out of the blue, taking the other two by surprise. "It's not because I'm out of shape or anything but I don't have time to play anymore. I have to find time to practice."

Mimi smiled softly at him with an unreadable expression on her face.

"So Taichi, tell us about yourself," prodded Mr. Ichijouji as the four sat around the long rectangular table for dinner. They had just gotten through the main meal of salmon and were just starting on dessert, chocolate cake, when the question had come up.

He blinked and the head of the family continued, "I only know about your position in that company. You want me to fund this company, but how can I when I no nothing about you?"

"What do I-,"

"A person's character reflects the status of their work, I find. Now what do you like to do?"

"This and that," he answered evasively. "More this than that."

The man frowned and Taichi suppressed the urge to smirk; Mr. Ichijouji had the air of a man not used to being defied. He had such an aurora of elitism clinging to him that Taichi felt a small amount of satisfaction at defying him.

Though Mr. Ichijouji was smiling obviously enjoying the rare show of courage in his presence and Ken was staring at Taichi with blatant admiration and a tiny bit of envy. Mimi appeared like she was fighting not to laugh and she hastily turned an escaped giggle into a cough.

"You have a backbone, Taichi. I respect that…if only you could rub off on my lazy son. He could be great if he just applied himself…"

Ken blushed a light pink and busied himself with finishing his slice of cake and Mimi rolled her eyes to the ceiling but placed a comforting hand over his. Taichi could tell that even though she wore the perfect mask of pleasantry she was inwardly quaking with annoyance at the man's pride.

So was he…

Author's Notes: Okay that's all for now. What do you all think of Ken? Please read and review.