Kitty: I'm just going to reply to my reviewers and laugh evilly (insert said laughter here) and start writing. Stupid hot Cheetos ®, I can't use all my fingers to type!

Iron Reaver: Once again, your review was great, and was perfect for me to explain the story a bit more. Tai's rapid mood swings- I believe- are a part of Tai's character right now. He's a confused, teenage boy: don't believe that just because they don't bleed outta places where the sun don't shine doesn't mean they don't have mood swings. Add in sexual preference confusion, guilt, and fear, and you get Tai-in-denial-and-in-love-with-a-boy­, a character who already is pretty…emotional, I guess. He doesn't like to hide emotions, when he's angry, grrrr, when he's sad, tears and 'I'm sorry' presents, when he's confused…hmmm…let's throw shit, yell a lot, and then feel bad about it. Thank you for your words of advice at the end, too. I'll do my best to keep it flowing, but I will take my time to make it the best it can be. I may be able to finish it before college, and that would be hella cool.

SageoWind: I love your enthusiasm. . You're going to hate me the most, I bet. LOL. … MUAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

Mystical: It is definitely not finished, I wasn't being coy. Muahahahahaha!

Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon. By the end of this chapter, you'll be saying thank GOD, because I would really fuck some people over.

Chocolate Covered

Chapter Five

Chocolate Covered Poison

Tai walked home slowly, a big, goofy grin on his face. Confusion was over, anger was all gone, and he finally got the kiss he'd been dreaming about since he was thirteen. Thirteen, the year he realized why he couldn't love Sora-chan, the year he remembered Izzy, the year he remembered the kiss and realized he wasn't an asexual goon. Having Izzy for a boyfriend means kissing and snuggling and stuff, right? His grin got goofier as he imagined snuggling with his short redhead on the couch watching a movie. Or cuddling on his bed, which was much better. Cuddling in bed sometimes leads to other things, like kissing and sexual frustration.

He dreamily wondered where the stairs up to his apartment had gone, because he didn't remember walking up them, and opened his front door.

"Tai? Is that you?" His mother asked looking around the doorway to the kitchen. "Tai? What happened? You look high…did you do drugs?"

"Iie." Tai kicked off his shoes and grinned at his mom. "Drugs aren't half as good as kissing."

"TAI!"

"You asked." He walked past her astonished face and sort of floated to his room. Kissing Izzy was better than drugs, and almost better than soccer, and he couldn't wait to do it again. He flopped onto his bed and sighed happily.

"Tai?"

"Yeah, Kari?"

"What happened? The last time I saw you, you were angrier than I've ever seen you." Kari sat down at the edge of his bed.

"I don't think I'll be angry again for a very, very, very long time. It feels great, Kari! To finally realize I can love somebody other than a figment of my imagination. I finally managed to tell him back, Kari. I can't believe I thought loving Izzy wouldn't be worth it."

"I'm very happy for you, Tai, even though I'm really confused and you have to tell me what happened, but first; wouldn't be worth what? Did you tell Sora-chan that you two weren't a couple anymore? Did Koushirou-san do the same to Mimi-san?" Hikari calmly and softly asked. By the end of her questioning, the happy dazed look was gone and replaced by a wild crazed look.

"DAMN IT! DAMN IT DAMN IT DAMN IT! I knew I forgot something!" Tai sat up and grabbed his bushy mane of hair with tightening fingers. He closed his eyes and dropped his head in between his raised knees.

"Tai, whoa, calm down. Think about Izzy-san, and only Izzy-san. Breathe…" Kari soothed, rubbing his back. "It's okay. You just have to explain to Sora-san calmly and truthfully. Sora-san has been your friends for sixteen years, Tai, she'll understand."

"But…but…what if she doesn't, Kari?" His brown eyes flew to hers as he raised his head. "She's my best friend, Kari; I don't want to hurt her." He dropped his hands in between his legs to his covers.

"If she doesn't, then she's not your best friend," answered Kari in a stern voice. Tai glanced at her startled.

"Nani?"

"Don't get me wrong, she won't like it. She probably will be hurt. It's only natural." Kari scooted closer and sat side by side with her brother. "But she was your friend first. If she can't understand that this will make you happier than you've ever been, then she's not a true friend. It doesn't matter if she doesn't like it, or if she's gets angry or hurt, but if she flat out refuses to allow to this happiness without your guilt, if she refuses to understand, then it is not your fault, but hers."

"That's harsh, Kari."

"No, truth." Kari sighed and closed her eyes. Tai wondered why she seemed to be in pain. "People can use your good heart against you, Tai. Without even meaning to, Sora-san will be able to make you feel like absolute scum just because you want to be happy and she can't help you be so. Especially because Izzy-san isn't a girl." Kari pointed out pragmatically. "I need you to understand before you talk to her that you will be hurting just as much as her. You'll think you have failed her because she does mean a lot to you and you might make her cry. It's not your fault you can't love her in the way she wants, it's just the way the cookie crumbles. You love Izzy-san; that should be what matters most."

"Kari…how…why…Kari?" Tai stammered in questioned. She understood his confusion, however, but merely smiled.

"Not now, Tai. My life is…getting complicated as well and I'm trying to deal with it, okay? Just…concentrate on your life first." Kari slid off the bed and walked out.

Tai frowned and debated on following her. He knew his sister, though, and knew she wouldn't tell him anything if he bugged her about it. She was a private person who hated her personal life being pried into without her permission. One of the reasons Tai was so befuddled by her relationship with Daisuke-kun was that Daisuke-kun that exactly the person to pry into her life and piss her off. When the bomb never went off the past two years of their relationship, instead just getting stronger and deeper, he let it go and decided a little prying from someone who cares a lot about her might be helpful sometimes.

&&&&&&&

Hikari stared down at her missed calls log and sighed.

Dai-kun 8

I have to call him back soon. I just feel so horrible. I don't want to lie to him, but if he asks the right questions, that's all I can do.

She dialed his number slowly and pressed the top of the phone against her lips. With a deep breath she hit 'talk' and placed the earpiece to her ear.

"HIKARI-CHAN! I've been calling all day! I finished cleaning my room at, like, four and wanted to go to the movie."

"I had made plans and forgot my phone at home, I'm sorry."

"Oh, okay. So whaddya do?" She could see him lay back in bed, a big goofy grin on his face.

"I hung out with Takeru-kun."

"…I thought you were gonna let us meet?"

"I am! But you were cleaning your room and I didn't want to call you and tell you my plans and make you feel bad." Hikari explained rapidly. "You know how you get when you feel like you're being left out."

Daisuke laughed good-naturedly.

"That's true; I'm a whiny little brat, ne?"

"Whiny little brat? More like the whiniest, littlest, brattiest brat ever." Hikari teased back.

"OI! I'm not that bad…well, sometimes…like when there's candy involved. So, when ya gonna meet up with him next? I'm cool for a while."

"Ano…tomorrow…" Her voice became small.

"Sugoi! When? I wanna tag along and say 'hey' to this guy. I know you like him if you hang out with him so much."

"Maa…" Hikari trailed off.

"Hikari-chan?" He was silent as well. Then, "You don't want me to come, do you?"

"It's not that I don't want you to come… but you can't." Hikari explained desperately.

"Why not?" His voice was hurt and a little…scared. Oh no, I knew it, he's going to start thinking that

"We're not doing anything, Dai-kun! We… just need to be alone tomorrow. We had something planned and he really doesn't want anyone else around."

"What are you going to do?" His voice was bland and low. Hikari winced.

"Nandemo."

"Hikari."

"It's nothing, I swear!" I sound so guilty.

"I have to go to bed."

"It's seven 'o' clock."

"Yeah, well, I'm tired from calling you a thousand times." The line went dead. Hikari pressed the top of the phone to her forehead as it flashed the number of minutes the call lasted.

Four.

&&&&&&&

Koushirou felt everything in him inflate into large floating balloons. He was surprised he wasn't lifted straight off the ground and levitating home. His feet skipped up the stairs and he opened the door with a triumphant swing. Yamato-kun and his parents were sitting in the living room watching the news. Jyou-sempai walked out of the kitchen as Koushirou kicked off his shoes, and Koushirou grinned widely.

"For someone who doesn't feel ready to move in, you come over enough."

Jyou-sempai blushed. "I was helping Yamato-kohai with school shopping and came over for dinner. I'm going home as soon as the news is over."

"I didn't say it was a bad thing, Jyou-sempai." Koushirou literally hopped over the step the separated the foyer from the hallway. "I feel like hot cocoa tonight."

"But it's over eighty degrees."

"Maybe I should go to the convenience store for some candy, or maybe a vendor. I feel like chocolate. I feel great, actually!" Koushirou walked to his room.

The others watched with shock as he skipped slightly every third or fourth step.

"Oh my god. My son's skipping." Izumi-san, the father, muttered. "I can deal with him being gay, but if he starts liking the color pink, I'm drawing the line.

"Honey, shut up." The mother Izumi-san hissed, jabbing his side.

Luckily, the two fellow Tokyo U students were too busy being shocked at Koushirou-san skipping and hopping.

A knock interrupted their shell-shocked state.

"I got it." Jyou-sempai offered automatically, still frozen in the hallway. He walked to the front door, his cup of tea still held in his hand. "Konbon wa. Sora-san, what are you doing here?"

Yamato-kun rose up from the couch and walked towards the door frowning.

"I need to speak with Izumi-san."

"Why do you need to speak with Koushirou-kohai's parents?"

"No, Koushirou-san, I need to speak with him."

"Oh, okay. He just got here and went to his room."

"All right." She shoved past the confused blue-haired man and stepped out of her shoes. She didn't even glance at Yamato-kun and continued her dogged pace to the back of the apartment.

"Nani?" Yamato-kun blurted.

"I don't know." Jyou-sempai adjusted his glasses.

&&&&&&

Tai dialed the number again and frowned.

"Why isn't Sora-chan answering? Damn it." Tai tossed his cell onto his bed and paced the room. "I need to talk to her!"

"Tai, dear? What's going on? Are you throwing stuff again?"

"NO! I'm just trying to get a hold of Sora-chan, but she's not answering!"

"Are you having troubles? You can talk to me. I might be able to help."

Tai looked hard at her.

"Yeah. You might be able to." He dropped onto his bed and his mom took a seat at his desk chair. "You see, matte…do you remember Izzy?"

"That little boy who ran away from home a long time ago? Didn't he move the next day?"

Tai gaped at her. "I should've just asked you. Wow. Damn."

"Tai, you should really stop cussing so much."

"Anyway, when I started dating Sora-chan, I wondered why I couldn't…I couldn't like her. Like, I didn't want to kiss her, or hold her hand, or anything. I thought maybe I was this asexual weirdo, but then I had this dream, ya know?"

"If this is about puberty, I'm getting you pamphlets."

"OKAASAN!"

"All right, all right, I'll shut up."

Tai continued to tell her how he figured out why, about Izzy and Izzy not being a girl, and finding Izzy and kissing Izzy, and now he had to break up with Sora-chan, but he couldn't figure out how to do it so she wouldn't be mad, or sad, or hurt, or…stuff.

His mother watched him talk and gesticulate wildly and frowned.

&&&&&&&

Koushirou opened his door, smiling widely. He blinked in confusion when Sora-san stood before him.

"Sora-san?" He automatically greeted.

"Konbon wa, Izzy-san."

"Nan-nani?"

&&&&&&&

"Taichi."

Tai looked up from the ground and met his mother gaze startled.

"Nani? Why'd ya call me Taichi?"

"We need to talk to your father about this."

"Doushite? Isn't this a girly thing?"

"It might've been, if Izzy wasn't a boy and you hadn't kissed him."

"Nani!?" Tai choked out.

"We need to have a family meeting."

Tai stared at her with an open mouth. I completely forgot my mom doesn't know I'm gay.

&&&&&&&&

"You-you know I'm Izzy?"

"I've known since Tai-kun ran into your face."

"Why didn't you say anything?" Koushirou demanded angrily. Sora-san stared hard at him.

"Are you really that clueless? Yamato-san knows…Tai-kun and I are dating."

Koushirou's eyes widened and he stumbled backwards. Sora-san stepped into his room and closed the door behind her.

"Nobody told me. I thought you two were best friends." Koushirou didn't notice her strange reddish eyes grow sad.

"We've known each other since we were in diapers, born in the same hospital and raised together. Our mothers were friends since middle school."

Koushirou fell onto his bed. "What…what do you want, Sora-san?"

"I want you to leave Tai-kun alone."

Koushirou looked up at her. "What if he remembered I'm Izzy?"

"I know he does. The fact he's been trying so hard to believe you're a girl proves it. I know Tai-kun very well." She leaned against the door and smiled sadly. "I've been watching him for years and years. I've been in love with him since I was a little girl. I'm comfortable with him and I can be me." She met Koushirou's eyes angrily. "No one is taking him away from, Koushirou-san."

"He can't be owned, Takenouchi-san." Koushirou stated with a hard look back at her. "If he decides to break up with you because he's not happy, there's nothing you can do about it."

"No, but there's something you can do."

"Why would I help you lie to him? I've already told him I love him, and I won't take it back, Takenouchi-san."

"Then that makes you selfish."

"You're just as selfish, refusing to let him choose."

"I'm thinking about him, Izumi-san!" Takenouchi-san snapped. "Do you know what's going to happen when it gets out that he's fucking gay? Do you have any idea?"

Koushirou blinked.

"Iie…"

"You don't know anything about his life and you're so close to fucking it up, Izumi!" Takenouchi-san pushed away from the wall and threw her hands in the air.

"Tell me, Takenouchi."

&&&&&&&&

"Can we just get this over with so you can stop staring at me like I've grown a second head?" Tai snapped, leaning back in his chair. His parents frowned.

"Just because you're sixteen doesn't mean you're an adult. You will continue to speak to us with respect."

"How about, I haven't respected you guys since you left me alone with Kari when she was three and I was five. Great job, real shibby." Tai remarked sarcastically. His parents twisted uncomfortably and frowned.

"You know we had no choice, Tai. But that's not the issue here, Tai." His mother reminded him shortly. "We need to discuss your … relationship with this Izzy boy."

"His name is Izumi, Koushirou."

"Right, this Izumi kid. You do know how this will affect your life, don't you? Have you even thought about the consequences?"

"You have no idea. I decided being happy was worth it. I'll be getting out of school in three years. The other kids will get over it eventually."

"Exactly, eventually. You know what happens before the end of that eventually?" His father butted in. "You'll be harassed at school, your teachers won't respect you anymore, your team mates will look at you different and maybe even ignore you as team captain. You've been working hard for that title since you started your first year of middle school and you got it before high school started."

"Yeah, and I'm the best there is. My teammates won't forget that so easily. If they do, I'll be cheering when they lose every game or almost everyone. My teachers don't really like me that much anyway."

"You may not be the top of your class, but you aren't stupid." His mother protested.

"I sleep in class and sneak in food. I ditch class all the time, too."

"Well…that doesn't-"

"You think that people will accept it so readily? You're a popular young man, I know, but people aren't going to accept it with open arms immediately."

"I know, Otousan. But when they see how serious I am, they'll get over it. I won't be throwing Izzy in their face, either. He'll be in college and the hazing won't be real bad, if any."

"What about Sora-chan, Tai?" His mother asked. He finally showed some regret.

"I haven't been able to feel…like this about her at all. Not in the year we've been dating. I…only Izzy makes me feel anything at all. And being with him…just for a few moments…I feel really happy. Just thinking about him makes me calmer and happier and…better."

&&&&&&&

"He's really popular, Izumi. He's the captain of the soccer team, too. If he just comes out gay, do you realize how many people will be against him? His team mates might ignore him completely! He could lose his captaincy, even get kicked off the team. Izumi, he loves soccer. He's a first year high school student and already captain! He could lose the scholarship his coach was telling him about. His parents are really poor. Did you know they left Hikari-san and Tai-kun alone when they were only five and three and made him baby-sit her? He knew how to cook eggs and bacon by his fifth birthday because he had to feed her himself while his parents were working."

"I… I didn't know."

"No, you didn't." Takenouchi-san snapped. "You how he'll be ostracized before we even start our first high school year? You may be fine, being a college student in Tokyo, but Tai-kun is going to be stuck in the middle of a public high school in Odaiba. We aren't completely backward here, but it'll be at least a year of slander and bullying for him. He'll handle it, don't you think he couldn't!" Takenouchi-san waved a finger in his face. "But he doesn't have to; he'll be doing it for you. That's why you're selfish, Izumi. You waltz back into his life after ten years and don't even think about how much it can hurt him, being in love with you."

Koushirou looked down at the floor.

"What can I do? I love him, Takenouchi. He told me…" Koushirou trailed off and tightened his finger. Those words would stay with him now, his comfort when he was alone. "Does Mimi-san really think she's in love with me? Are you doing this for her, too?"

"Hai. I've…I've never seen her so crazy over a guy before, at least not in the same way. She thinks about everything she does for you and waits at her phone every night waiting for you to call her or wondering if she should call you."

"I shouldn't be with her anymore. It'll hurt her. I can't love her back. I dated her thinking…thinking I could like her, thinking I could get over Tai…but now? I just can't." Not remembering his lips and his words and smile.

"What happened today? Did he find you?"

"Nandemo." Koushirou spat angrily. She took a step back, hitting the wall at his rage. It disappeared in an instant. "Sumimasen." He dropped his face in his hands.

"Izumi-san…" Takenouchi-san whispered, suddenly feeling horrible and disgusting. I'm hurting them; I'm going to hurt them so much. He isn't going to love me, I should stop now. She knew it was too late now, the poison was already inside him and it would be in Izumi-san every time he was with Tai-kun. "C-call him, Izumi-san. End it now. Whatever happened today, end it now." She choked out.

She spun around and flung open the door. She ran from the apartment, stooping to grab her shoes and continue running out the front door in only her socks. She could feel the desperate sobs welling up in her and tears were filming her strange eyes.

He's the only one for me, I had to do it. There is no one else who will ever love me for me, who I can be myself with. I don't want to be lonely forever! I want to be with Tai-kun forever and be happy, too. I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry! Please, forgive me! Sora hid her face with her hair and sobbed.

&&&&&&&

"Tai-kun, how can you know that this boy is the one you want to give up everything for?" His father sighed. His son's words struck a chord inside him. It was the exact way he felt about his wife, a feeling he never lost, through all the years a scrimping and arguments and anger, he still loved his wife more than he could possibly put in words, besides that she made him happier, better, and calmer.

"I'm not going to give up everything." His brown eyes looked dark…and hurt. "I'm not going to give up on my family. No matter what you guys have done, you've done your best. We're not the richest, hell, we barely make middle-class, but I know how you guys were sneaking into our room after lights out and kissed us and tucked us in and made sure we were okay. I love you both; you're my mom and dad. I love Izzy, the same way you love each other. I feel…great, now. I've been so confused, trying to be "straight" and "normal", for you guys the most. His parents accept him, onegai, onegai, accept me, too." Tai begged his eyes serious.

His parents looked at each other and rose. They walked around the table and wrapped their arms around their only son, and their first child.

"We only want what is best for, Tai. If you really feel like this will make you happy, we'll try our best to feel happy for you." His mother told him.

"It'll be strange, and it'll take me a very long time, son. But I'll do my best. I think I understand."

"Arigatu gozaimasu!" Tai exclaimed, tears falling down his face. "I was so scared. I could deal with all, but it would hurt coming home where you both hate me!"

"We could never hate you, Tai. Never!" His mother cried out, hugging him tighter.

"You're our son. Don't be stupid. And you better keep up your grades above failing and stay on the soccer team. You need that scholarship."

"Yeah, yeah. Whatever, same rules, right?" Tai joked.

"Which reminds me; you're grounded." His mother said suddenly.

"NANI?"

"You cussed, you're grounded."

"Damn it!"

His parents laughed.

"You just aren't going to learn, are you?"

The phone rang suddenly and Tai jumped up.

"Maybe it's Sora-chan! Or Izzy." His face broke into a grin and he leapt towards the phone.

"Moshi moshi. Izzy! Great, I have great news. You'll never believe this, my parents- Izzy? What's up? Daijoubou desu ka?"

&&&&&

Izzy slowly typed in Tai's number and hit 'talk'. Don't answer, don't answer, please. If I see you, maybe you can change my mind. Don't answer the phone, please! Koushirou pleaded silently with all his heart.

The phone picked up and Tai's voice drifted over the line.

"Moshi moshi."

"It's me, Koushirou."

"Izzy! Great, I have great news!" His voice was excited. Koushirou swallowed hard.

"You'll never believe this, my parents-"

"Tai-san. I have to talk to you about something."

"…Izzy? What's up? Daijoubou desu ka?" His voice was worried and Koushirou felt his heart begin to tear.

"We can't be together."

"Nani?"

"We can't, I can't. I've got too much to lose."

"What, but I thought your parents…?"

"My parents are one thing, but my life is another." Koushirou voice was calm, though his hands were shaking. "I'm in the middle of a brand new life and a brand new school. I have college and living expenses, and I need a job. I don't have time to have a boyfriend or worry about how he's getting hazed in his high school. What if it gets out I'm gay, too? My career opportunities will begin to disappear. I'm in a field of learning that's not very advanced in the sexual preference area. Highly intelligent scientists with limited views are going to be my associates." I'm lying out of my teeth. "A lot of options are going to be closed to me because of my high school boyfriend, and I can't risk it. I've worked too hard to get where I am now."

"Why does that seem messed up? Izzy, what aren't you telling me?" Tai's voice was getting louder with panic.

Koushirou sucked in his breath and closed his eyes tightly.

"Please, refer to me as Koushirou-san."

"Izzy?! Izzy, don't you hang up!"

"I have some studying to do for my classes that start soon. I do have to go."

"Are you still going to go out with Mimi-chan? Are you doing this for Mimi-chan?!"

"Good night, Taichi-san."

"Izzy!"

He pushed the button and the line went dead beneath his hand.

&&&&&&&

Tai felt worry creep into him as Izzy voice quietly interrupted his words. He began to explain lowly and slowly and calmly how they couldn't be together and Tai felt the ground disappear beneath him. He fell to the ground with loud thump. Izzy continued to speak. Something is wrong. Something is so wrong. What's wrong? What's going on?

"Why does that seem messed up? Izzy, what aren't you telling me?" His voice came out strange; what was wrong with it? He couldn't tell…there was something wrong and he couldn't tell.

He saw his parents walked forward out of the corner of his eye.

"Please, refer to me as Koushirou-san."

If Tai had been standing, he would've fallen again. His legs were boneless and his hands were getting numb, everything was getting numb. It was building up inside him and words were difficult to form. There was something final about Izzy's words.

"Izzy?! Izzy, don't you hang up!" Tai ordered, searching for a reason, any reason why Izzy was leaving. Why was Izzy leaving him?

"I have some studying to do for my classes that start soon. I do have to go." He sounds so damn calm! Why is he so effing calm?!

"Are you still going out with Mimi-chan?" Tai raised himself to his feet awkwardly, clutching the phone. Don't leave me! Izzy, don't hang up! Tell me what's wrong! "Are you doing this for Mimi-chan?" That has to be it! He doesn't want her to be heartbroken over him!

"Good night, Taichi-san."

Tai flinched away from the phone and then pressed it immediately back.

"Izzy!" The line went dead in his hand.

"He dumped me. What happened? What effing happened?" Tai muttered staring at the phone as if he had dreamed it. "That couldn't have happened. What happened?"

"Tai?"

"Kaasan…kaasan, I think Izzy just broke up with me. Kaasan…" He turned to her with blank eyes. "Kaasan, why'd he break up with me? He told me he loved me…"

"Come here, honey." His mother held open her arms and he ran to her and cried onto her shirt like he was a child again.

"Kaasan, I don't understand! I don't understand, Kaasan!"

"Shh, shh, it'll be okay, honey. It'll be okay. Call him back tomorrow. Go to sleep and tomorrow call him back. Maybe something happened. Maybe…maybe he'll change his mind, dear. Just talk to him after you calm down, okay? Just cry it out and call him tomorrow, okay?"

"I don't understand! Kaasan, kaasan, I… I think he meant it, Kaasan. I'm so confused. I thought it would be over, but it's worse now, Kaasan!" Tai sobbed wildly, clutching her tightly.

"Let's go to bed, okay? C'mon, c'mon, dear, come with me, Tai."

He let her lead him away as his dad returned to the kitchen to get a cool cloth to lay over Tai's eyes.

Hikari returned to her room. During the 'interview', she had snuck out to listen and then overheard the phone call. He's right, something happened. I remember the look on Koushirou-san's face when Tai said Izzy was a girl. He couldn't have just broken up with him for nothing. She met her mother's eyes over her brother's head before she went through her doorway. Her mother was confused, almost relieved, guilty, and in pain for her son. How can she feel so much with one look? Hikari wondered. It must really suck to be a parent sometimes.

&&&&&&&

Koushirou fell face first onto his bed, pressing his face against his pillow, muffling his sobs. It had been the hardest thing he'd ever done to tell Tai that they couldn't be together. To the very end, Tai had been screaming his name, making up any reason as to why Koushirou was hurting him on purpose.

I just want to close my eyes and never wake up! It hurts, it hurts so much! I'm so sorry, Tai. Gomen nasai, gomen nasai, gomen nasai, gomen nasai…

He continued his litany of apologies until he cried himself to sleep.

&&&&&&&&&

Kitty: I know, I know, so shoujo! This happens all the time. But it makes sense!

Do you hate me now? I almost cried twice! I'm hoping someone at least gets teary for these two boys. 'Specially for Tai, he's going through some emo turmoil he is so not used to. Not a very introverted person and all. I better get some good reviews or I'll do worse. I swear! …I feel really sad… and I don't feel like going through the chapter over again and feeling crappy, so just tell me if I used new Japanese you don't know.