Kitty: Let's knock out the comments to you guys and gals, shall we?
To SageoWind: I hope you don't hate Sora-chan, or dislike her. She has reasons, and regrets, for what she's done. Don't think that she's too selfish, start thinking she's more scared. Btw, I'm so glad you cried! I soooo wanted someone to cry!
To Iron Reaver: How many times do I have to say your review made my day? I even made my boyfriend read it. I felt really good, like, my story is going to get better and better. At the same time, I'm kinda scared it won't live up to yours or my expectations…like my Angel's Feathers story for His Dark Materials. It got so good, my plot line got too weak, and it's been on hiatus for years! It's completely horrible too because it became too rushed and unedited. Anyway, I'm glad you agree Tai wasn't OOC, I was a little worried maybe I carried him too far, but it just seemed so right for him. I consider I'm a lot like him and overreact and cry and rage easily. I haven't suddenly decided I was in love with someone of the same sex, but I understand the feelings of confusion and guilt all too well. . Teenagers, gah.
To Cool-Hanyou: It was hard making her do such a stupid, selfish thing, I'll tell you that. But I felt for her a lot in the end. One of the times I almost cried was during the time she's was trying to convince herself it was what she had to do to be happy. Why couldn't she be a little bit selfish to find her happiness, too, ya know? I'm starting to really feel bad for Mimi-chan, too, when I usually just pair her off with Jyou-sempai or whoever is left, lol. I really really dislike Koumi.
To Rokutagrl: Don't you worry, things will work out. Here's a slight spoiler…I really hate unhappy endings and I've only written one story in my head (where they all get played out like a movie first) where the main character gets fucked real bad.
To SephrZmon (?): Thanks for fav authoring me! I'm glad you like CC and hope you continue to! Maybe I'll get a review from you in the end, heh heh? Lol.
Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon. Do you hate me yet for making Izzy-kun cry…a lot? Well, the angst hasn't ended yet.
Chocolate Covered
Chapter Six
Chocolate Covered Lies
Koushirou felt his eyes try to open with extreme effort. The sun hit his rapidly blinking eyes and he barely held back a groan. His head was aching and his eyes felt as puffy as fried mochi. He lifted a trembling hand to his forehead and licked his dry and salty lips.
What happened? He wondered vaguely trying to rise. He fell back down with a boneless flop.
"Tai…" His voice wavered through the still, cool air of his room. He pressed the heels of his hands against his eyeballs and felt his shoulders shake with dry, desperate heaves. There was nothing left in him to cry with, no tears left, not even saliva. A loud crash interrupted his self-pitying moment and he jerked up his head.
"TOUSAN! I said left! You just crashed into Koushirou-kohai's bookcase! His parents paid a lot for those!"
His parents…were leaving today.
Koushirou hopped off the bed and hurried across his room.
"Jyou-sempai, is that you?"
"Nani? Oh, hai!" Koushirou blinked rapidly once again as he watched Jyou-sempai struggle towards the room across the hallway from his, following a taller-which said something- blue-haired man. "I'm sorry about the noise. My parents were against the moving idea after I told them how long I knew you two. I convinced them I'm twenty years old and can choose for myself, so they had to go along. But they decided they would have to come along to meet you, Yamato-kohai, and your parents."
"My parents are still here?" Koushirou asked quickly.
"Hai. They're talking to my mom about your college classes."
"Oh, domo." He stopped and looked at Jyou-sempai carefully. "Why did you change your mind?"
"Because we're friends." The taller boy set down his box and laid a hand on his shoulder. "I don't know what happened, Koushirou-kun, but my place is here to make sure you're okay. Your parents and Yamato-kohai are worried as well."
Koushirou gave him an open-mouthed stare. He closed his mouth quickly, swallowed hard, and then smiled.
"Arigatu gozaimasu. You have no idea how much this means to me." Koushirou whispered.
"Maybe I'll find out one day. Until then, Koushirou-kohai, I'm your new roommate and new friend."
They smiled at each other and then Jyou-sempai grimaced.
"My box is a bit heavy and still requires moving, if you would excuse me?"
"Here, let me help you!"
&&&&&&&
Tai walked through the park near his house staring down at the ground and kicking pebbles.
"OI! Yagami-sensei, I'll see you in a few weeks, man!" yelled a voice. Tai looked up and flashed an automatic, empty, grin.
"Aoyama-kun, hey! Can't wait for soccer practice! Don't think I'll be going easy on you, it's going to be hard work from now on."
"Yeah, yeah. Give me enough time to find a girlfriend, at least." Luckily, the other first year had already run past on the errand that had sent him across Tai's path.
Otherwise, he would've seen the smile disappear and his captain's face crumble.
"You might not have been my friend when I went back…" he whispered.
"Tai-kun?" Tai turned at Sora-chan's voice. There wasn't guilt, or confusion… or anything left in him when he saw her worried eyes. "You called me a lot last night, but when I called back, you wouldn't answer. I called your house this morning and Hikari-san told me that you weren't feeling well and disappeared."
"I didn't feel like being around people." She didn't leave his side. "I meant you, too."
"I can't just leave you alone. Can you tell me what's wrong?"
"…"
"Tai-kun?"
"What were you doing last night that you couldn't answer me? It was important."
"I was with Mimi-chan. You know how excited she gets. She likes my opinion when she picks out clothes for dates. Izumi-san and Mimi-chan are going to the aquarium."
Tai flinched.
"Tai-kun, dozo!" She touched his elbow gently. He brushed her away.
"We need to break up."
"IIE! Tai-kun, what are you talking about?!" Her voice was shrill and panicked.
"Sora-chan, I can't even kiss you. I don't feel the same way about you and I can't. I've tried."
"It's only been a year!"
"A year too long!"
Silence fell between them.
"Doushite?" Sora finally whispered. "Why? Why can't you?"
"Because I'm in love with Izzy."
"Demo-" She cut herself off. "I thought you couldn't remember her?"
"Izzy's a boy. I'm going to track him down and make him go back out with me."
A light seemed to fill Tai up inside and he blinked rapidly. DUH!
"Exactly! That's exactly what I'll do. Maybe if I go see him I'll force him to tell me what's wrong? If that doesn't work, I'll do all that embarrassing crap they do on those cheesy romances!" He threw his fist in the air, the dead look gone from his face. He turned back to Sora and grasped her shoulders tightly, his brown eyes boring into hers. "Sora-chan, I'm sorry. I didn't mean what I said, but I can't sit here and explain. I've got to go think. I'm not good at this stupid crap. Damn it. I'm really sorry, I didn't want to hurt you, but we have to break up, okay? You were my best friend, Sora-chan. I want to be that again."
He ran off.
Sora remained rooted to the stop.
"Just like that, Tai? That's how it's going to end?" She blinked slowly. "After years of loving you, and helping you, and being there for you, and a year of trying to convince you I'm the best thing for you, and that's how you end it?"
Her fists clenched as her eyes squeezed shut.
"ALL I EVER WANTED WAS YOU! AFTER EVERYTHING WE'VE BEEN THROUGH, IT'S LIKE I'M NEVER EVEN THERE! BEST FRIEND, MY ASS! I TRIED SO HARD TO GIVE ALL I HAD TO YOU AND YOU DON'T EVEN CARE! YOU NEVER DID! I HATE YOU, YAGAMI! I HATE YOU!" She was sobbed hysterically by now, tears pouring down her face, sniffling as she felt snot begin to run. Her face was red from screaming and crying and her hair stuck to her cheeks, dark with salty tears. "You never even saw me. I've loved you so damn long and you never even saw me!" She fell to her knees and sobbed into the heels of her hands. "It's not fair! It's not fair! Why can't I be happy?!"
&&&&&&&
Mimi hummed as she brushed her hair slowly. She had used a bottle of beer for her hair last night (something her dad will make her regret once he catches her) and her hair was as shiny and silky looking as she was going to get it. It looked terrific. She set down her brushed.
"One hundred!"
She spun on her toes and stepped to the bed with quick, tiny steps on the balls of her feet. Her years of ballet were good for something: like expressing joy while looking for the prefect date outfit.
"How cute! An aquarium visit and a light lunch afterwards. He has such a way with words and ideas! It's like he got them out of books instead of movies!" She giggled and pressed her face against her light blue tank top, squeezing it in her fists. "I wish Sora-chan would come over and tell me how I look."
Your earrings look really pretty.
Mimi shook her head furiously. Why did I think of that? Who said that anyway? It wasn't Koushirou-kun…he's never complimented me on my looks… She shrugged.
"I hear that all the time from loser high school boys." She told herself firmly. "Keep Koushirou-san and the date firmly in mind. He'll think you're a loony if you go off on mind trips like that all the time." She looked down at her shirt. "OH NO! I wrinkled it!"
&&&&&&
Hikari touched Takeru-kun's elbow lightly.
"I'm sure you're just being silly, Takeru-kun. You remember what happened last night?"
"Yeah, you told me, but it's so hard to believe, you know?"
"Hai." She smiled softly up at him. "It must be really scary."
"You're the greatest, Hikari-chan!" He threw his arms around her and buried his nose in her hair. "What could I ever do with out you?" Hikari giggled and hugged him back.
"You're just being silly!" Hikari repeated pulling away. She met his gaze squarely. "You promise to give it more thought?"
"I can't stop thinking about, Hikari-chan. It's a bit difficult, see?" Takeru-kun teased. She poked him in the side.
"You stop that!" He just laughed and threw his arm around her shoulders.
"How about some ice cream for the greatest girl around?"
"Takeru-kun!" Hikari laughed.
"Konnichi wa." Hikari stopped and turned. Daisuke-kun was staring angrily at her.
"Daisuke-kun!" Hikari's eyes widened and then she smiled quickly. "This is Takeru-kun. Takeru-kun, this is Daisuke-kun, my boyfriend."
"We've been dating for two years." Daisuke-kun enunciated.
"Yes, I know. Hikari-chan told me all about you, of course. She's really proud of you. She says you're one of the best soccer players in your year."
Daisuke-kun blushed and scratched his head.
"Not as good as Tai-sensei, though."
"One day, you might be…when he's sixty or something." Hikari joked. Daisuke-kun and Takeru-kun laughed.
"So, um…Dakeru-kun, was that it? Well, anyway, it's been good to meet you, but Hikari-chan and I need to go talk."
"His name is Takeru-kun, and you can't just show up and whisk me away, Daisuke-kun." Hikari snapped. Daisuke-kun glared.
"If you had told me the truth, I wouldn't have to 'whisk you away'. We'd all be hanging out together."
"I didn't want you to come, Daisuke-san. I needed to talk to Hikari-chan about something important and I didn't know you."
"But I wasn't even given the chance, Takai-kun."
"His name is Takeru!" Hikari shouted.
"Who cares? I don't!"
"Hey!"
"You lied to me, Hikari!" Daisuke ignored Takeru-kun's offended interjection. "You told me that you were going to be doing homework today! 'Maybe this evening we can hang out, Dai-kun.'" He imitated her girly voice…badly. "All you had to do was tell me the truth, now I feel like you're keeping something from me. And then I see you guys hugging and laughing and touching all over each other."
"We weren't touching each other all over. I hugged her!"
Once again, Takeru-kun was ignored.
"You'd want to come along, Daisuke, and I knew Takeru-kun wanted to talk about something important. It's private."
"Then, why couldn't you tell me that? Why couldn't you just explain to me-?"
"You should be able to trust me, Daisuke. Why would I do anything to hurt you?"
"Why would you lie to me?"
"Maybe we should go somewhere less public, you guys. People are starting to stare." Takeru-kun tried to interrupt. Seeing as the three of them had converged in the middle of a public sidewalk next to a popular candy store (where Daisuke-kun had been when they walked past), teenagers who enjoyed drama, children who were gaping at yelling 'big kids', and frustrated parents were indeed pausing along the way to stare back at the arguing couple.
"It's none of your business if I want to be with someone other than you! If I didn't think you'd go all whiny on me, I would tell you what I was doing!"
"Oh, so now I'm whiny!?"
"You've always been whiny, Daisuke!"
"And you've always been such a little saint!"
"And that's supposed to be an insult?"
"YES! Darn it, Hikari, you can't just blow me off and not tell me and expect I'm not going to care! I was going to surprise you today!"
Hikari closed her mouth before shouting again.
"You were?"
"I was going to buy you flowers and candy, for being whiny about Totoki-san." Daisuke-kun showed her the huge box of sweets he had just finished buying.
"Takeru-kun." Hikari muttered. "I'm so sorry, Dai-kun. You're right. I was being secretive and rude." She reached out and clasped the hands holding the plastic bag. "I'm very, very sorry."
Daisuke-kun looked down at his feet.
"I dunno…I think…I can't trust you anymore. You keep lying to me, Hikari…about another guy, too." Hikari and Takeru-kun exchanged a meaningful look.
"Takeru-kun is just my friend, nothing more."
"Yeah, I mean, she may be a really awesome person, but she isn't my type. It was my fault she hasn't been telling the truth. I've been asking her to keep it a secret for awhile…I just need some privacy. Gomen nasai." Takeru-kun bowed his palms flat against his thighs.
Daisuke-kun looked closely at the pair them, contrite and honest-faced. Hikari-chan had never lied to Daisuke before. Maybe it just for a little…until her new friend could be more open about himself.
"All right, but I want to know what's going on between you two."
"That's something I can't tell you. However, I can tell you when I'm going to see Takeru-kun. Honestly."
"Well, that's something." Daisuke-kun sighed with a shrug of his shoulders. "I think I'll keep this candy to myself, though."
"OI! That's not fair, Dai-kun! You got it for me!" Hikari protested.
"Yeah, well, you made me angry." Dai-kun stuck out his tongue and pulled out the large red, heart-shaped box and barely opened up one side and peeped in. "I think I see caramels…oooh, and almond nougat…"
"Dai-kun! That's not fair!" Hikari laughed as she leaped for the box. Daisuke-kun leaped back and waved it over his head.
"If you come over to my house before I eat them all, you can have some. See you later, ja ne!"
"BAKA!" Hikari shouted after him. She giggled behind her hand when he smashed into an innocent passerby.
"Hikari-chan?"
Hikari turned to a worried looking Takeru-kun.
"I'm really messing up your relationship with Daisuke-san, aren't I?"
"Iie! This has been all my fault! I've been confusing him and making him worry. He has such low self-confidence in himself, though you wouldn't believe after seeing all the bravado he just exudes." She smiled fondly thinking of it. "He's thinks I'm really special and liked me ever since kindergarten. He used to bring me frogs and pull my hair. Then, he started giving me his favorite snacks and following me around. I was so annoyed by him for years…I almost hated him…" She linked her arm with Takeru-kun's and began to walk towards his house, their destination.
"Well? What happened?" Takeru-kun urged her after her long pause. She blushed and smiled.
"He saw some cheesy romance from Europe or America…I think his sister made him watch it. He was only ten and got the idea that if you forced a girl to kiss you, she would fall in love with you."
Takeru-kun gaped at her. "He didn't!"
"Oh, yes, he did. He cornered me on the playground, grabbed my face and gave me the most horrible kiss ever."
"Oh my god…" Takeru-kun groaned. Hikari giggled.
"Luckily for him…I thought it was the sweetest, stupidest, cutest thing ever. And…something inside me just kind of sparked, like a light bulb busting instead just lighting up over my head. I was filled with these little pops and cracks and I went all fuzzy feeling. When the teachers pulled him away and put him in detention, I just stood there like a loon, staring off into space, wondering what had happened to me. The next day he tried to apologize and I kissed him back, a little bit better, too, I might add." Hikari added smugly. "We ended up in detention, smiling and blushing and trying to catch each other eye and looking away every time we did. We've been inseparable ever since."
"That's really cute."
"Isn't though?"
"But…um…because you did end up falling in love with him…does he think…?"
"He does." Hikari burst out laughing. "He's very careful around girls now, and tries not to put himself in a situation where he might accidentally kiss someone. It's quite funny, actually. He really wanted to be in the school drama production for the cultural fair, but it was Romeo and Juliet, so he screamed to the teacher that he would not be Romeo unless I was Juliet. The whole class laughed at him, but he was dead serious. Even though he was a shoo-in for Romeo, he ended up being Benvolio instead because he refused to kiss Juliet."
Takeru-kun chuckled and pulled his arm away from Hikari's and searched for his key in his pocket.
"I'll see you tomorrow, ne?"
"Hai! Ja ne!" Hikari walked away, wondering how her brother was doing.
&&&&&&&
Tai's fist pounded into the door loudly. He was so excited he couldn't contain himself or hold anything back. If he thought rationally at all, he'd turned tail and run for it and there was no way he was going to do that.
He wasn't a coward, damn it.
The door opened and Tai thrust his arms forward, his eyes closed tight, and his cheeks flaming red.
"These are for you! My mom says white roses mean pure love, so I got these!" Tai shouted loudly.
"Wow, thanks. I didn't think you were a fan, Tai-kun."
Tai looked up, blinking rapidly. His cheeks flushed more as he stared into cool, slanted blue eyes over a confused, smug smirk.
"They are for you. Damn it, isn't this Koushirou-kun's house?"
"It is his apartment, yes. I live here…so does Jyou-sempai actually. Why are you giving Koushirou-kun white roses?" A pale blonde eyebrow rose with the question.
"NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS!" Tai voice shrilled a bit at the end and his eyes looked over Yamato-kun's shoulder. "Where is he anyway?"
"He went with his parents to the airport and then met up with Mimi-san at the aquarium in Tokyo."
There were a lot of aquariums in Tokyo.
Tai sighed and the flowers dropped to his side.
"Can I leave these somewhere?"
"Hai. I think Koushirou-kun has a vase in the kitchen. His mom really thinks of everything, you know. She made about two weeks of already prepped food for us. All we have to do is heat it up and dig in. It's amazing! Doesn't taste like leftovers at all."
"Great, really."
"Konnichi wa, Tai-san." Jyou-sempai stopped and eyed the young man curiously. "Why do you have flowers?"
"They're for Koushirou-kun." Yamato-kun said quickly before Tai could make up an excuse. Jyou-sempai blinked.
"Doushite?"
"NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS!" He shouted again, without the shrilly part at the end, and blushed furiously. "I just want to put them in water and go, okay?"
"Okay." Jyou-sempai continued to the living room, still with a befuddled, blank look on his face.
Tai ran out as soon as the flowers were safely set on the foyer sideboard.
"That's strange…I thought Tai-kun was dating Sora-chan?" Yamato-kun mused as Tai ran off, the door still vibrating from the slam.
"He is… or was… I just want to know why he gave flowers to Koushirou-kohai. Maybe he did Tai-san a favor or something?"
"Or something." Yamato-kun agreed. "I think I should call Sora-chan." He walked back to his room where his cell was resting on his desk.
&&&&&&&&&
Mimi-san watched with delight as penguins jumped into the brilliant blue water of the tank before them. They darted and spun and flipped through the water.
"I wonder if they ever get bored with so little room." Mimi-san pondered, her bright brown eyes still following one the more playful penguin's progress.
"I'm sure they find it satisfying, if not always exciting." Koushirou assured her. He looked own at the map. "I would like to see the tropical fish if you don't mind."
"Oh, no, I'd love to. They all so pretty and colorful! Like models on a runway, almost." Mimi-san replied excitedly. Koushirou thought about it and nodded.
"I concur. They are quite like models displaying their newest fashions." They moved towards the exhibit.
"Why are you so stuffy around me?" Mimi-san asked suddenly they neared the viewing glass.
"Pardon me?"
"You use all these strange words and keep your back all straight and stuff. It's like you're a completely different person when it's just us two."
"I…I didn't realize." Koushirou honestly answered. I guess being around Tai just made me…looser. "I normally speak like this with others. When we first met, however, we were with more than just a party of two. One-on-one conversation is a bit less comfortable, actually, then being with a large group where speaking fast is more effective."
"I guess…" She looked up at a bright yellow and blue striped fish floating past. "Koushirou-san…what do you feel for me?"
"Nani?" His voice cracked slightly.
"Do you like me?"
"I enjoy your company immensely." He hedged truthfully.
"That's not what I asked, Koushirou-san." She placed herself in front of him, the exotic waterscape glowing behind her. "I…I truly believe I love you, Koushirou-san!" She blushed and curled her fingers into fists. "I want to know how you feel about me, Koushirou-san. You're always so distant and smart-sounding and like you barely notice me sometimes. Or always seem to be looking somewhere else!" Hands fell onto her shoulders and she looked at him- fortunately, she wore flip-flops and her barely being barely taller didn't show.
"I have only known you a very short time, Mimi-san. I'm not a very spontaneous person to most extents. While I'm flattered by your words, I feel to return them would be dishonest and hurtful."
"Do you think you could ever love me too?"
Iie. "Hai…maybe…you're a very good person, Mimi-san." But you're not Tai.
She smiled brightly up at him, her eyes shining wetly, thought the tears -thankfully- didn't fall.
&&&&&&&
Yamato hit the 'end' button for the sixth time. Six times he had called her, and six times her cell rang until the voicemail picked up. Something had to be wrong…something had to have happened.
But he could find out today. There was still unpacking to do, and his band met later that night.
And Koushirou-kun was going to home at any minute and see the flowers. Yamato smirked at the thought.
The door opened and Yamato quickly rose from the couch.
"Hello! I'm home!"
"Hey, stud."
"Sumimasen?" Koushirou-kun looked up from pulling of his shoes.
He noticed the bouquet of white roses.
"Who are the roses for?"
"You."
"Me?"
"Yup, you."
"From who?"
Yamato grinned.
"Taichi Yagami."
Koushirou-kun's face went a little white.
"Nani?" His soft voice breathed out.
"Taichi Yagami came over and left a bouquet of white roses." He leaned against the wall, his smirk getting wider. "Did you know white roses mean 'pure love'? That's what he told me anyway…when he didn't look up and realize I had opened the door instead of you."
"B-but…But he couldn't have."
Yamato's smirk began to fade as Koushirou-kun's face began to get whiter and fill with bewildered sorrow and painful hope.
"After what I said, he couldn't have done it." His reached a shaking hand and touched the white petals of one the roses. "He…really left them for me? He told you exactly that?" His black eyes were shining hotly when they met Yamato's gaze and bore into him.
"Yeah. He said they meant pure love and told us they were for you. And that is was none of our business why." He deliberately added, hoping to get an answer.
Instead, Koushirou-kun hugged the roses to his chest, on shoe off and the other still half-on, and sobbed into the petals.
"I'm so sorry, Tai." He whispered hoarsely.
"What happened? Koushirou-kun, what's going on?" Yamato hurried towards his hysterically sobbing friend.
"Nothing! Nothing, it's none of your business!" He shouted at Yamato jerking away his arm.
He ran to his room limping because of his still half-on sneaker.
Jyou-sempai poked his head out of the kitchen with a confused frown. In his hand he held the rice spatula.
"What happened? Was that Koushirou-kohai? Did he tell you what the flowers were for?"
"No…but I have a suspicion."
"Honto?"
"Hai…but it's going to have to wait until tomorrow." He met Jyou-sempai's anxious gaze with his own worried eyes. "Can you watch Koushirou-kun tomorrow and make sure he doesn't upset himself while I check something out?"
"If you fill me in afterwards."
"Deal."
"Deal."
&&&&&&&
Kitty: I'm sorry this took me so long! I would've been done so sooner, like by two days, but I started watching amvs and reading Princess and the Goblins because I didn't really feel like writing for more than two hours for the third night straight. But I got it done and I'm really proud of it. I really glad it's going on a slower pace than it started on. Next chapter, Iori-kun comes back…
I wonder how much happy there is besides that…? Hmm…maybe one more happy…
If you are confused by any Japanese, or see that I've been using it wrong again, please tell me!
