Otoko No Chigiri
Pledge II: Honesty (Kitagawa Kenta)
This is our first "reunion" since our partners returned, two years ago. I'm with Hirokazu as we walk to the park. We're holding it at the same spot we said goodbye to them, Takato's idea. ...I think Takato is sort of hoping that they'll magically reappear or something. Well, I know he doesn't really believe that'll happen but...He's the guy who created his Digimon, if he says "they might come back out of nowhere," even as a joke, I'll give him the benefit of the doubt!
I miss MarineAngemon so much, even though we weren't partners for all that long...He grew on me, that little pink mega of love. I had the... ...Um... "Cutesiest" partner (Ruki prefers the term "gayest"), but...He was amazing, my best Digi-friend. Not that he'd replace Hirokazu as my best friend ever...
...No...Hirokazu isn't my best friend...We're...so much more than that, I mean, we...We've been friends since birth. He's been in every class I've ever had, we always go to the same school, if one of us ditches we both ditch. Though that's usually because it's Hirokazu's idea - I go along for the ride and get in just as much trouble...But Hirokazu makes it worth it.
I've known Takato a long time, too, but...Takato and I aren't nearly as close, Hirokazu an I. I don't think "best friends" is enough to describe how close we are...
...Especially in one way. One that, um, Hirokazu hates talking about...
...Hirokazu was my first kiss. W-We...said it didn't count but...Not too long ago, I decided that, for me, it did. I came to the conclusion that...
...I...
...I like Hirokazu. A lot. And I-I don't like girls, I like...guys. I noticed it in the past year or so, after the Digital World...A lot of it had to do with that kiss, actually. N-Not that I think it "made me" this way, but... I-I would daydream about it and smile, sometimes...Um... "Embelish" the incident. Nothing dirty or anything, just...
...Instead of screaming "gross," I...kiss back and Hirokazu...doesn't mind. The kiss lasts for more than a few seconds and, in the end, he says, "I love you, Kenta." Of course, since Ruki was there, she usually spoils the moment and shouts, "Get a room!" I-I can't...really forget that Ruki was there, she's the reason it happened...
...Thank you, Ruki.
I'm not all that upset about it, though. I was a little scared at first but as long as I keep it a secret, I'm happy. As long as no-one suspects me as..."that way," I'm just...Kenta. I find it weirder that I'm so calm about it than the fact I...like my best friend so much. I admit, I...I don't want to use the word "love." That's...too much right now. I just really, really, really, really, reeeaaally like Hirokazu-kun...
...And I don't think he'd like it very much if I ever told him.
...Otoko Shibuki...
Hirokazu and I approach the spot, Takato, Jen and Ruki are already there. They're setting out food and drinks on a picnic table. "...Hey, Kenta-kun," Hirokazu speaks up, turning to me with his 'I'm the great Hirokazu' smile. I...'really like'...that smile. "I was thinking of the Digital World the other day, y'know, with this whole thing coming up and all."
I nod.
"...What's your favorite memory from back then? I mean, besides getting your partner. I mean...being Gaurdromon's Tamer was...I-I can't describe how happy I was, Kenta. Of course, you know what I mean..."
"...I had a mega level partner," I smirk. That was unexpected to say the least. My partner was mega level. It looked as harmless as Culumon but...Looks are deceiving. Especially if your name is MarineAngemon! He's as deadly as he is adorable! ...Okay, he's mostly adorable, not so much deadly by most mega standards. His attacks were all "love-based" after all... ...I-I wish he had a "Cupid's Arrow" attack or something, something that...would 'help' my 'situation' with Hirokazu...
Hirokazu laughs, "Hey, don't forget who still beats that mega with his champion at cards..." Hirokazu is one of the best card players these days, except his 'genius' strategies are...a little easy to figure out if you know him well enough like I do. I'm actually pretty good against him, but...Not many other people.
But, still, he can beat MarineAngemon with Guardromon...But it usually comes down to mere chance on his part. I just play along, since...I know how much Hirokazu loves to win, especially a victory like that. I like seeing Hirokazu give me that smile.
"Only if I feel merciful," I joke. Hirokazu gives me a mock-frown.
"Oh, Kenta, you should not have said that...We are so going to have a couple card games now. I'm gonna make you regret those words!"
"Ready when you are, Hirokazu-kun," I reply, reaching for the card pack in my coat pocket.
"But, answer my question first: What's your favorite memory?" He asks as we approach.
...Crap, I-I can't...give him the real one: Jijimon and Babamon's place. But...I-I...
"Hirokazu, Kenta!" Thank you, Takato...You gave me time to think.
'Hey, Takato," Hirokazu turns and waves. "You up for some card games? Kenta insulted my honor!"
Takato nods. "Always!"
Hirokazu and I go to the table Jen is setting out food on, we give him a hand unloading a cooler. Ruki sits off to the side, organizing her cards.
"Ruki, aren't you gonna help?" Hirokazu speaks up.
"Ryou and Juri are coming, and you two are here with Goggles," Ruki replies. "I'm making sure I have all my best cards." Ruki and Ryou are the best among us when it comes to cards, best among anyone. Takato, Juri and Hirokazu are pretty good...Especially Juri, she learned a lot...
...She tends to play Leomon and his evolutions, though. I-I...feel really guilty if I beat her when she's using Leomon. I've even gone as far as losing in purpose, even though she told me it's only a game and she wouldn't get upset...
...If I lost MarineAngemon that way, I...I know I could never look at another Digimon card or game again. I wouldn't...want to be reminded of my lost partner. I don't know how Juri does it!
Hirokazu finishes setting out food with Jen, Takato and I. During that time, Juri and Ryou show up...That's all of us. Shiuchon usually doesn't join in, she's too young and has her own thing...I know Jen got her a Terriermon and Lopmon pair of plush dolls...She kinda carries Lopmon around, still, even though she's a little old...Actually, she does what Jen did with Terriermon - The Lopmon sits on her shoulders, but as a real stuffed toy...
...Jen also has his own Terriermon plush for sentimental reasons but... ...I think he sometimes has it next to him on his bed while he sleeps like Terriermon used to. I don't judge, though...I'd do the same with a MarineAngemon plush doll.
Hirokazu starts organizing a card tournament of sorts: We all play winner until a champion is declared...Which'll be Ruki or Ryou. That match is always good to watch!
As Hirokazu starts his game with Takato and we watch, he speaks up, "Hey, Takato, I've been asking Kenta-Well, I still haven't gotten an answer," he eyes me. C-Crap, I gotta think of something...FAST! "But I wanna ask all you guys...What's your favorite memory of the Digital World? And for Kenta and me, we don't count getting our partners, has to be something else. I mean, the partner thing is obviously our favorite memory!" Oh, good...He's...asking the others.
"...Hm...Um, Jen and I meeting Shibumi-san," Takato says. "Even though it was...really scary at first. But after that...Wow. I mean, it was...like flying and...I-It was just amazing!" Yeah, I mean...I-I'd be going crazy just from the idea of being trapped like that and then...Jen came up with...the most insane idea out there to escape! A-And it worked!
Takato actually considered taking scuba lessons after the Digital World because of it. He wanted to 'fly underwater' again and that's the closest he'll get in the real world. He doesn't have the money for it, though... Jen's certified, amazingly enough, we learned that from his recount of the Okinawa trip. I so wish we could've gone on that...I mean, wow! They met freakin' Omegamon!
"Yeah, dude..." Hirokazu looks to Jen. "H-How did you get the balls to actually try breathing water like that? E-Especially if you were wrong! I mean...dude, I thought you were joking when you first told us that part!" We all did, I mean...Jen, water doesn't work that way! ...Usually...
"...I...sort of meditated like my shifu taught me," Jen replies. "It's hard to explain, but...I made myself believe it would work and...Thankfully, it did. The fact my Dad said it would work also helped a lot. If anyone knew about the physics of the Digital World, it'd be him."
"I wish we could go back to the Digital World even more now," Hirokazu smirks. "I mean...Think of how much fun a day at the beach would be that way!"
Takato laughs, nodding. "Yeah, that would be amazing!"
"Don't forget, that memory is also when you signed my name with hearts and stupid crap like that," Ruki speaks up. Takato lets out a nervous laugh...Yeah, Takato didn't want to worry our parents so he impersonated us in some messages. We didn't mind, of course! ...Except Ruki, Takato signed her name with a heart and...Um...Takato, what were you thinking when you did that, exactly? Did you get hit on the head or something?
...I'm amazed she didn't make him eat that communication device after that.
"What about you, Ruki?" Hirokazu asks, laying down a card.
Ruki smirks...Oh, I think I know what she's going to say. Just from that look on her face. This is...going to be interesting...Um...High time everyone heard about it, I guess. "Pucker up, Shiota." She makes a kissy-kissy face.
Hirokazu goes pale. "Er...R-Ruki...Not cool...Please, not that!"
"...Pucker up?" Ryou laughs, looking to Ruki. "Y-You...kissed Hirokazu in the Digital World?"
"Hell no," Ruki shakes her head, giving Ryou a disgusted look. "I am not into Hirokazu, Ryou. Don't even joke about that! Hirokazu and Kenta sucked face." She says with a smirk.
...It was more like our lips meeting and then screaming once we realized what was happening. We 'sucked face' for all of two seconds...Hirokazu's lips weren't even fully on my lips, like...Only the right half of my mouth...
...Still counts, though! Ha ha ha...Hirokazu gets really embarrassed if it comes up, which isn't often for...obvious reasons. I've talked about it maybe twice since we got back from the Digital World. Once before I realized how I felt, once after... ...And, um, any more and I'm worried he might suspect me.
...But, if Ruki wants to talk about it... I-I actually...don't mind if the others know. Hirokazu will make sure to assert the fact we're both straight...
...Even if he's only half right.
"RUKI!" Hirokazu shouts, standing up. "I-I did not kiss Kenta! You kicked me on top of him and-"
"-And your lips happened to meet, you gazed into each others' eyes and you whispered 'I love you, with all my heart, Kenta-chan.'" Ruki finishes for Hirokazu. ...Ruki, h-have you...been reading my thoughts...?
Hirokazu lets out a loud scream. Takato and Jen have their jaws down, Juri is...trying so hard not to laugh, Ryou...isn't trying not to laugh, he's just laughing. "Okay, before anyone says anything! I am NOT gay!" Hirokazu shouts. Yep, he's...Hirokazu, after all. Otoko Shibuki! ...I-I...just hope he's...not too grossed out at the idea of homosexuality...
...Now's a good time to find out. Okama Shibuki!
"I dunno, you two are what I like to call the 'Ambiguously Gay Tamers,'" Ruki replies, Hirokazu gives her a dirty look. "I'm so happy I got to help you with your feelings for Kenta..."
"I-I don't...have feelings for Kenta! N-Not like that, I mean!" Hirokazu looks to me. "S-Seriously, Kenta, I-I didn't...do that on purpose!"
I nod, trying to...hide the little bit of disappointment in how he's acting. ...I...I guess if I ever told Hirokazu I count him as my first kiss, he wouldn't take it well at all...I-I...don't want to lose him as a friend.
...I-I'm not mad, though. Otoko Shibuki...Hirokazu believes in that song, he's a man. A real man... I don't think I count as a 'real man' anymore, by Otoko Shibuki's standards, at least. ...I'm...
...I'm gay. And...I really like Hirokazu...But...
...He's obviously straight, no matter what Ruki says.
"...Kenta, what's your favorite memory, I-I wanna change the subject!" Hirokazu groans, his face is bright red.
"Um...Hirokazu, we...We don't think you're gay," Takato speaks up. Thanks, Takato...I know if I ever told anyone, you might be the first. "And, if you were-"
"I'm not," Hirokazu states.
"I-I know, but...If-"
"Kenta, favorite memory, now!" Hirokazu shouts. ...Hirokazu... ...I wish this didn't bother you so much...
"Um... ...I-I don't think you want my answer," I look away. Screw it, I can't really think of anything except Jijimon and Babamon's place. Just deny the kiss.
Ruki smirks, "Kenta and Hirokazu, sitting in a tree-"
"SHUT-THE-HELL-UP-RU-U-KI!" Hirokazu screams to the tune of the song. We all laugh. He looks to me with a confused look. "Y-You...actually want to call that your favorite memory? D-Dude!"
"I-I don't mean that part of it!" I shout, a little...too defensively. "I mean...Jijimon and Babamon's place was...a ton of fun."
"...Yeah, it was," Hirokazu shrugs, looking away. "A-Aside from...the incident."
"...Yeah...The incident," I nod, looking away, I try to hide how...upset I'm getting. I-I thought I could handle his reaction better, I knew he'd be like this but... ...I'm really not happy with how worked up Hirokazu is over talking about that kiss. It's...mostly because this is the first time the others have heard about it, though. We never told them for obvious reasons. I'm amazed Ruki kept it a secret so long.
The...tournament goes on, Ruki makes a few more jokes, Hirokazu shouts at her and she laughs. Ruki's just having fun today, I guess. I don't mind, Ruki...has her fun. She's really nice, she's not the cold hearted girl from before...Once you get to know her. She's great if you're on her good side, she just likes to make fun of us all. I guess.
After we play cards for a few hours, we leave at sunset. Hirokazu and I are the first to head out, actually, Hirokazu can't really take any more 'ambiguously gay tamers' jokes from Ruki...Even Ryou joined it at one point.
Hirokazu and I walk together, he's been quiet since we left and Ruki asked if we were going to hold hands. "...Hirokazu, um...Can I ask you a question?" I...I gotta know and...please, Hirokazu, don't suspect anything from this.
"What is it?"
"...Why does that...incident bother you so much? I mean...You were...going crazy, more or less."
"I-I just...didn't want the others to know about it! I-I'm...I don't want them to think I'm...Y'know..." Hirokazu replies, shaking his head and looking forward as he walks with a frown. "I-I mean...H-How did you feel when she told everyone?"
"Um... ...I-I was annoyed but..." I shrug. "N-No-one but Ruki thinks we're...y'know."
"Yeah, but...Just Ruki is...too many people, Kenta," Hirokazu shakes his head. "I-I am so pissed at her right now..."
"...Me...too..." I let out a quiet sigh.
"...Kenta?"
"...N-Nothing, I just...I'm a little pissed, too, now that I think about it." Not really...I understand Hirokazu's reaction. He's...Hirokazu Shiota, he's manly as hell. No way he's gay, he'd never kiss another guy and enjoy it...
...Kenta Kitagawa on the other hand...Would kiss another guy and enjoy it. A lot. ...He even did kiss another guy. Once.
...I'm sorry, Hirokazu-kun...But...I swear I had no choice in this. I really didn't. Once...I realized that this...was just who I am, I...I stopped fighting it. I'm gay and I can't change...
...Though, I admit, I sometimes...wish I could. Because...
...I want to be with Hirokazu so badly, I-I almost wish I was born as Keiko Kitagawa like my parents planned if I was a girl. My Mom told me, after Hirokazu was born his Mom and her joked that, if I was a girl, they would try to set us up. When I first heard that story again after I realized I was gay...I felt a little happy that my Mom actually once had the idea of trying to set me up with Hirokazu...Even though it was before I was born and "only if it's a girl." Hirokazu might have loved Keiko...
...Of course, knowing my luck, if I was Keiko, Keiko would have a thing for Ruki or Juri. I know you, Universe! I know you don't like me that much! You made me fall in love with Hirokazu after all. Besides, I don't want to be a girl. No offense to girls but...I'm happy being a guy, even a gay guy...
...Except for one detail: I will never be with Hirokazu. That kiss int he Digital World is...the closest I'll have to the real thing.
I look to Hirokazu as we walk, I admire his appearance in the light of the setting sun. He's covered in golden light and it makes him...look so amazing, because he's "the great" Hirokazu...And Hirokazu is amazing, to me at least. My heart beats a little faster, I can't help but smile at him as he's looking away...
...I can at least admire you from a distance, Hirokazu. That's better than nothing, I guess...
Ori's Notes:
Kenta and Hirokazu, landing in the dirt...Hirokazu kissed Kenta, so he hits on a skirt! First comes denial. For a long while! Then comes a confession and a smile!
...Okay, that probably sucked more than I think it does. I dunno, I liked writing Ruki and Hirokazu's dialogue when it came to the kiss.
And, like I've said, I really can't picture Kenta as remotely straight. He's Kenta, Kenta is gay. Very, very gay. He's also one of my favorite characters. I like nerdy characters with glasses and Kenta definitely qualifies as nerdy. Kenta's cool!
Oh, and Kenta's line: Okama Shibuki - This is a pun. Otoko means "Man," Okama is a term for homosexual men. So for "Manly Flying Spit," replace the word "Manly..."
I'm having fun with Ruki and Hirokazu's characters in this one, though. And Kenta's POV is always fun to write!
Taiki's Notes:
I feel so bad for Kenta, having to listen to Hirokazu go on and on about how straight he is. Ori, that's just mean! Then again, Kenta's one of your favorite characters so of course you're being mean to him!
Still, I am glad to see a Hirokenta project from you. Not to imply I'm tired of Jenkato, of course! Jenrya and Takato are destined to be together! So, um, any chance of a Jenkato side-plot, Ori? I know, you don't want to do 'cast full of gay' anymore but they are made for each other after all!
Ha ha ha, couldn't help but ask!
-Taiki Matsuki