"What happened, Hikari?" Taichi asked as he neared me while I leaned against the car, flaring out across the parking lot.

Nothing I want to talk about I signed, turning my head away from him.

"Hikari. It can't be nothing if you are this upset about it," Taichi said with a sigh of irritation.

I didn't say it was nothing. I said it was nothing I wanted to talk about. I knew I was being stubborn and I was probable annoying Taichi, but right now I just wanted to be alone.

"Hikari..." Taichi's voice held worry and he had one hand up, reaching out for me, but that soon dropped to his side. "Well, you know where I am if you want to talk."

I felt a tear fall down. Tacihi was always here for me, even if I was being annoying or stubborn. I stepped away from the car and grabbed Taichi's shirt before he was out of reach. He turned to me and didn't say anything, he already knew what was going to happen. Taichi knew me to well, even for his own good. You don't think I'm dumb. Do you? I signed, looking up at Taichi.

"'Kar," Taichi smiled, using my childhood nickname, "you are anything but dumb. Whoever said you were is the dumb one."

I know but it still hurt. Why do people think I'm stupid just because I can't talk? I asked, wiping away a few tears that were there. I was not going to cry! What they said may have hurt, but I was stronger than that. Emotional and moody I may be, according to Taichi and Mom, but I could also control this emotions. I didn't let Taichi answer but instead continued to sign, telling him what happened.

"Wait! Wait! Hikari, you're going to fast for me. I'm not used to using sign language all the time, like you. I need time to process things. Let me get Sora. I'm sure she can go as fast as you," Taichi said, stopping me from my story. I nodded, telling him to get Sora, which he turned and jogged away to do. As he entered the gym, I suddenly felt alone, distant. My brother, though I love him and I know he loves me, he can't even keep up with me because he doesn't have to us sign language all the time. He can talk to people, like everyone else in our school. I couldn't even have a full conversation with Taichi, talking quickly like he can with Sora or Mimi. Anger took over than. How was I suppose to have a secret conversation with Taichi if he had to get someone to translate for him!?

I wanted to scream, but I knew I couldn't. The sickness I'd had, my illness, it had infected a lot of me, my vocal cords being the worse. They were completely useless now. I couldn't even make a squeaking sound. The only noise that came out of my mouth was the sound of my breath and coughing made a sound. I couldn't even hum. I leaned against the car, back to it, and I slid down, hugging my knees when I hit the ground, burying my face from site. My brown hair hung to the sides, as I could feel it tickling my arms. I sat that way, thinking to myself, even as I heard Taichi and Sora approach.

"Hey, Hikari. You ok?" Sora's voice soothed me, making me look up. As I was thinking, I couldn't really see why what they had said affected me so much, but it did, and it hurt. And now Sora was asking if I was ok, but I couldn't really answer that question, as I had no clue.

I don't know if I am or not. What they said shouldn't have affected me, as it shouldn't have mattered, but it did and now, I paused, not exactly sure where I was going, but Sora waited for me to gather my thoughts and finish, now I don't know what to do. I made a complete idiot of myself in there and now they will all probable think I'm a... a witch or something!

Sora giggled at this and as I thought over what I'd just said, I, too, felt like laughing. It was rather funny now that I realize what I'd said. "I understand, Hikari, but since when do you care what people think of you? This isn't about what they think of you. I thought that you knew that. Besides, it's never to late to make things better."

I nodded. She was right. I couldn't let them bother me. You know what. You're right. I won't let them get to me! Sora, come with me.

"Hey, where ya going?" Taichi asked, as he knew what I'd told Sora. That he could pick up, as it wasn't as fast as before. "I thought you were going to tell me what was wrong."

Later. I have some other stuff to do. Besides, who else will help Koushiro? Their is no sign language for Koushiro, so my friends and I invented words for the names. Koushiro's name was a "K" followed by the symbol for a computer. None of you can, you've all got other stuff to do. But right now, I need Sora to help me. Sora's name was an "S" followed by sister. Taichi's name was a "T" followed by brother. No laughing. I was six when we came up with these, so spare me the simplicity speech, please.

"Alright," Taichi sighed but gave a smile. "We'd better get back inside. They need our help getting ready. Besides, I think Daisuke wants to let go of the ladder by now."

Sora laughed as we headed back towards the school. Apparently they'd left Daisuke holding the ladder, probable because of Taichi's keen talking skills. That, or he promised Daisuke a cupcake if he held it for him. After all, the saying goes, the way to a man's heart is through his stomach, but with Daisuke, offering food made you his hero.

Taichi opened the door for us and we walked in, nodding our thanks to him as we did so. The minute we entered the school though, I tugged at Sora's shirt and headed towards the stage. Sora knew to follow and I could hear her footsteps echoing mine. Mimi looked over from her spot on top of the ladder and gave me a smile. I smiled back and gave a quick wave.

"So... just what are you going to do?" Sora asked as we climbed on stage, me having to boost myself up while standing with my back to the stage because of my skirt. Sora, who was in jeans, just got a jump started and hauled herself up. Once up, I took off my jacket and set it next to Koushiro, then told him I would be right back. I turned to Sora then to answer.

I need you to translate what I'm going to say. I told her as I scanned the stage. Haku was talking to the boy who'd insulted me earlier and another guy, the bass player I believe. I walked over, nibbling my lower lip as I did so. I was nervous, for many reasons. I'd never been that great around the opposite sex, not counting my friends because they were all like brothers and I'd grown up around most of them. Boys like Haku were the ones that got to me. He was older and by that, taller, and he was cute.

Once I reached them, all of them had their backs to me, I reached out and tugged on Haku's shirt, like I'd done earlier. He knew it was me, I could tell by the way his shoulders sort of stiffened briefly before he turned to me and in doing so, the other turned too. I looked over to Sora, who nodded. Once I got the ok, I started to sign.

Sora translated. "Hey, I think we got off on the wrong foot. I wanted to say sorry, or rather, have Sora tell you I'm sorry, since I can't exactly. Anyway, I'm sorry for getting angry earlier. It's hard for me to communicate with you guys, as I can't talk, but I can hear you just fine. By the way, my name is Yamagi Hikari." as Sora said this, I extended my hand to shake his, and to my surprise, he took my hand and shook it, and to my even bigger surprise, he smiled.

"Yeah, well, I wasn't exactly kind myself. The name's Haku. This is Hisao," he pointed to the guy I hadn't seen until now, "and this is Kyo." This time he pointed to the guy who called me dumb. "I'm sorry too, but I admit, it takes guts to come and apologize."

I found myself smiling back at him. I guess he wasn't so bad. I signed again and Sora spoke. "Ok. Glad that we understand each other. Well, I have to go help Koushiro, so I guess I'll see you later." He nodded and I walked away. Sora and I parted as soon as I reached Koushiro.

"Nice, Hikari," Koushiro smiled at me as I sat next to him. "Trust me, it's better not to make enemies with upper classman."

I rolled my eyes. I don't think they would have done anything to me to begin with, but then again, you could never know what morals other people held as compared to mine. I grabbed some cords and set to work separating them and then putting the Velcro strips around them to keep them neat once they were back in the box.

A few minutes into the work I heard footsteps. I looked over my shoulder to see Yamato walking over. I went back to my work. I didn't need pity anymore. I'd taken care of it myself, without his help. Just because he was my brothers' best friend he thought he needed to pity me? I'm just fine not talking, though I do dream of talking, I can live without it. I've managed for ten years, I can last the rest of my life.

Yamato plopped down next to me and grab a group of cords, starting to help us sort. After a few minutes of silence, he turned to me, ready to talk. I knew he'd come over to say something. Not like he would honestly just sit here and help. "Hey, listen Hikari." Yeah, like I had any other choice. Not like I could interrupt him or anything. "I'm sorry about earlier. Obviously you can handle it yourself. I was just... just trying to help. I didn't, did I?" Yamato looked at me to see my answer. I shook my head no. He apologized, yet I was still mad at him. This confused me. I wasn't the kind of person to stay mad at anyone, so why did Yamato make me so angry? "Well, like I said, I'm sorry. I guess I figured I should try and help because, ya know, you're Taichi's sister and all and I guess..." he trailed off, but I knew what he was going to say anyway. I'm Taichi's sister and as such he's got to try and help me when Taichi can't. Well, it isn't his job to be my brother and I didn't need his help. Granted, at the time, I was glad he helped, at least until I saw the pity. I didn't need pity and I wasn't going to accept Yamato's apology. "Are... are we cool?"

I looked at him, and I mean really looked at him. I'd never really looked at Yamato before, as I'd rarely seen him, and I'd never seen him this up close. His eyes were an icy blue, cold and distant, though he didn't sound it. His eyes hid something and though they looked threatening, they also held sadness and loss. Something I could relate to. His eyes were so different from Takeru's happy, open eyes that were filled with so much life and hope. His hair was much like Takeru's, only Yamato's hair wasn't hidden under a hat, but rather, styled and neat looking, while still looking messy. It was like an organized mess (much like Taichi's room, or so he tells Mom) and was a beautiful blond, almost a golden color under the stage lights. He wore loose fitting jeans with a rip in the right knee and his shirt was plain black and didn't cling on him, but seemed to flow over him instead. He looked so casual, calm, cool, yet sophisticated, all at the same time. He was Takeru's polar opposite, yet this two brothers shared the same blood. It almost seemed unlikely. Taichi and I weren't exactly twins ourselves, but we had some interests and were brother and sister enough, but Yamato just looked like someone to be related more to Ken than Takeru, with his sophisticated look.

As I was looking Yamato over, I noticed that he, too, was looking me over. I wondered what his thoughts were as I lifted my eyes to look back at his. Our eyes locked and I saw that sadness again, the something hidden deep beneith that cold, distant front. I wondered what he saw in my eyes and I had an urge to ask, but I wasn't going to. Even with all this, I was still angry at him, yet for a reason I didn't know. Though, I felt myself blush as the realization that he had just looked me over actually settled into my mind.

"So, we cool?" Yamato asked again, holding out his hand for me to shake. I looked at the hand and thought for a minute. Shaking it would be lying, but if I didn't it would be rude. I decided to shake his hand, as I knew I would eventually be "cool" with him, be it in ten minutes or twenty years. I was only half lying as I shook his hand. "Cool. Here, I'll help you finish, because I need Koushiro to start hooking up the speaker system."

"Alright, can do. I've been waiting for you to ask," Koushiro said as he handed me his cords and stood, streatched, then headed to set up the speaker system, leaving me with Yamato. Though, I must admit, it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. Yamato didn't try to talk with me. We just sat in silence and wrapped cords.

In a few hours this place would be packed with kids who had come to hear Yamato play and to be honest, I was excited myself. I loved music and I wanted to see if Yamato was just as good as my favorite bands. Whether I liked him as a person or not, I still wasn't sure.