Kitty: So… the usual, ne?
To Mystical23: Thanks for the reviews, they made me laugh. I loved Daisuke-kun's and Hikari-chan's story, too. It actually wasn't premeditative. On my part, I mean. It just kinda popped out as I was writing and it made me laugh.
To SepherZmon: I don't know what I called you in my last chapter, but I glad you decided to review my story! And I hope you read a lot more Taishirou! There's a lot out there that are really good. My favorite is actually called 'Two-Way Street' and it's sooo good. It's not on though, so if you want to read it, you have to search for it on an engine.
To Rokutagrl: Thank you very much. I'm glad you think so!
To Erika: I just went back and looked at all my reviews (to see how many to each chap…I'm sorry, I'm pitiful… I also go back to see who reviewed me) and saw you on chapter two. I'm so sorry I never did this before! I remembered your review when I looked at it again, but I didn't remember your name! Then I realized that your screen name wasn't blue and underlined and was like, 'I must've overlooked it because of that!' So, thank you for your review in chapter two, and TaixIzzy does indeed rule!
To everyone: Has no one even wondered what's going on between Hikari-chan and Takeru-kun, or is it just too obvious? Well, you're about to find out anyway… oh, wait, no, you aren't…that's not until next chapter or the one after that.
Disclaimer: I do not own Digimon.
Chocolate Covered
Chapter Seven
Chocolate Covered Secrets
Yamato rose quickly, reaching forward and slamming his hand down on his alarm. It was still summer and he had set his alarm. A first for Ishiida, Yamato. He yawned and rubbed his eyes, kicking off covers. About two hours later, he was showered, hair-styled, dressed and ready to go. Koushirou-kun and Jyou-sempai were staring at him in astonishment, chopsticks and toast hovering forgotten in the air.
"Since when did you start getting up before the sun was directly over head?" Jyou-sempai blurted.
"I needed to get something important done today and decided to get an early start." Yamato explained vaguely, reaching for Koushirou-kun's toast. Koushirou-kun never finished his toast anyway. "Itadakimasu."
"You could ask, even if I was probably not going to eat it." Koushirou-kun scolded him with a smile.
"What's this 'something important' that you need to get done?" Jyou-sempai asked, remembering his chopsticks-full of scrambled cheese eggs.
Yamato had got quite a kick out of seeing Jyou-sempai and Koushirou-kun both eating scrambled eggs with chopsticks the other morning before Jyou-sempai moved in, but had spent the night. Eggs were easy to make, they said, and chopsticks cheaper to buy than forks and spoons. It wasn't exactly impossible to eat eggs with chopsticks. But it still made Yamato want to burst out laughing.
"Right." His lips twitched and quickly got a hold of himself. "I'm going to see Sora-chan." He watched as Koushirou-kun's face seemed to go carefully blank and his shoulders tightened slightly. It wouldn't have been noticeable if Yamato hadn't been looking for it. But he was.
"Oh? Tell her I said 'hi'." Jyou-sempai requested blithely. He continued to eat his breakfast.
"Hai…tell her I said so as well. Have a good day, Yamato-kun."
"Ja ne!"
&&&&&&&
Hikari left her room with a slight yawn.
"I shouldn't have stayed up so late last night with Dai-kun. Now, I'm going to look like the Monster from the Black Lagoon when I meet Takeru-kun for breakfast." Hikari muttered to herself. She stepped into the bathroom and started freshening up. After a grand total of five minutes, she was heading towards the front door towards her shoes pulling her shirt over her head. Nobody in her house was awake before ten unless they had work or school, and they all left before seven. Seeing as it was a quarter after eight, all was okay. Or so she thought.
She tugged her head through the neck of her shirt and saw a body lying against the couch, long legs spread over the floor, head tilted back weirdly, and mouth wide open. It looked like a dead version of her brother.
"AAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!" Hikari screamed and ran towards her dead-looking brother. "TAI!"
"Wh-wha! Who screamed?" His head flew up and his eyes blinked furiously. It was then Hikari noticed the line of drool running down the side of his mouth.
"What were you DOING? I thought you were dead!" Hikari stomped into the living room and looked around. In front of Tai was only the TV with the screen all fuzzy like the end of a tape. She ejected the tape inside.
"H-HEY! You can't just-!"
"Chocolat? That American movie with Johnny Depp? Isn't it a girly movie?"
"It's none of your business!"
"Did you steal that from Mimi-san?"
"IIE! She left it here weeks ago." Tai blushed and tugged the cassette away from her.
"Why are you watching it?" She looked back at the TV and saw stacks of cassettes and DVDs all over the floor. She picked up another one. "Casanova?" She reached for a DVD. "FAREWELL MY CONCUBINE? What is this stuff? Why are watching romances, and most of them foreign?"
"I got them for a foreign language course…" He muttered looking away.
"School's over, Tai, until the week after next."
"I could have summer school…"
"That's what you told the people at the rental stores! I can't believe you! What are you doing?!"
"I want Izzy, all right! I thought maybe if I could…do something really special and stuff I could get him back. I got these…but had to think up an excuse so I wouldn't get laughed at. Would you believe how many accounts I opened last night in different stores so I could get all these?" He frowned angrily. "I don't see why you can't just rent a movie without getting a stupid membership card first."
"Tai…what are you talking about?"
"Izzy broke up with me remember?"
"Hai."
"Well, I'm going to find out why and change his mind. I need a little help, is all."
"Why couldn't you just ask someone?"
Tai's eyes went dark and his shoulders sagged.
"I don't have anyone, Kari. I broke up with Sora-chan, I can't ask Mimi-san because she's in love with him, I don't know Yamato-kun or Jyou-san enough to tell them about me being gay and asking for help, and you're always with Daisuke-kun or Takeru-san."
"Oh. Gomen nasai." She set down the movies and touched his hand. "Tell me anyway, okay? I'll make time for you when you need me, oniisan. I'll always be here for you, no matter what."
Tai smiled gratefully.
"Love ya, immouto."
"Love you, too, oniisan."
&&&&&&&
Sora smiled gently and nudged the heavy head of the flower just little bit more. The mister was on, and her face and hands were getting soaked, trails of water were trailing down her neck and arms tickling her skin softly, but she didn't mind too much. Working with the flowers in her mother's shop before it was open was soothing to her. Something she needed after yesterday. She closed her eyes and stepped back. Sunlight was streaming in through the windows and glass doors. Anybody could walk by, but she didn't care. She tilted her head all the back and stretched out her arms to her side. The sun warmed her chilled face and hands and she spun slowly, dreaming that she was flying, a bird in the dewy dawn. It was girly thing, silly, too, but something she had done since she was a child and when her father named her 'Birdie'.
"Birdie Biyo, how's my little bird?"
"Fly, fly, daddy!"
"Does my little Birdie Biyo want to fly?"
"Yes, hai! Dozo!"
"I guess, just for a little while…"
"YAY!" Strong arms lifted her up under her armpits into the air and the world began to spin slowly around her. Then faster and faster, the world spun around she screamed and whooped and whistled with delight.
Yamato watched her spinning slowly with wide eyes. She looked so sad and happy at the same time, so young, too. Her face was usually so serious and intensive, as if she had to be responsible all the time. He hadn't known her long, but this scene before him seemed private, like a secret she didn't want anyone to know. Something in him swelled and hummed as her pretty brown face glowed gold in the sunbeams. She seemed to be spinning in clouds, flying through the air, as the water vapor hovered in the air as it fed the plants. He didn't want to interrupt, he didn't want to see her red eyes fly open and grow blank after the instantaneous shock faded and she became embarrassed and withdrawn. So he watched in silence and awe as her moment gradually ended and she opened her eyes sluggishly. She smiled at the nodding heads of flowers in front of her and bent down to pick up her basket of gardening and arranging supplies.
He knocked smartly. She straightened up with a jerk and looked over her shoulder. She flushed seeing him, and he knew she was wondering if he had seen her. But she didn't know for sure, and only a little healthy worry was in her eyes as she walked towards the door.
"We aren't open yet. Did you need something important?" Sora-chan whispered.
"Why are you whispering?" Her face flushed again
"I didn't mean to. It's just…inside…it seems like I should be quiet…for the flowers." She explained uncomfortably.
"May I come inside? I don't think I'll understand otherwise." Smooth, very smooth, Ishiida. Sora-chan gnawed on her lower lip.
"I guess, sure. Just…it's all right if you don't understand…"
Yamato slipped into the still slightly dimmed store. She hadn't turned on the lights and had just let the sun filter in through the windows. The coolness of the vapor and soft warmth of the sunlight felt strange and refreshing at the same time. He paused and closed his eyes on instinct. He knew immediately why she felt the need to whisper, to spin and float in this cool warmth with flowers still slumbering around them.
"They need their beauty sleep. They won't be happy for the customers if they don't drink in every soothing moment they can before the sun wakes them up."
"Oh…how…poetic." Yamato opened his eyes to see Sora-chan gaping amazingly at him.
"I am a songwriter, too. I don't write all the lyrics, but I write a lot of them." I can feel something now…the something I felt as I watched her spin…here…there's a song here…with her.
"Oh, I knew that. I just…I didn't think a boy would understand. I mean…I don't think Tai would've understood."
"So you really like flowers?"
"After living with them all the time…it's hard not to like them." She frowned. "But I'm not really girly girly. I like soccer and tennis and getting dirty and sweaty. You think I'm some flower-loving lady who blushes and stammers. I can curse and scream and I snot all over myself when I cry."
"That's all very good to know. You see, I'm making lists about cute flowers girls and their hobbies. You say you snot all over yourself when you cry? That's a new one…" She glared at his smirk.
"It's not funny, I'm serious."
"So am I. Did you and Tai-kun break up?"
"N-Nani?"
"What happened that day you came over to our apartment? What's going on between you three?"
"I-I don't know what you're talking about."
"Don't lie to me, Sora-chan." He stepped up to her and wrapped his fingers around her upper arms. "I want to know what's going on."
"It's none of your business, Ishiida-sama!" Yamato's eyes narrowed.
"I'm making it my business! I won't let anyone get away with making my friends cry!"
"…he cried?" Sora-chan whimpered.
"Sora? Sora, what's going on? I heard shouting." An older woman's voice called out from the home through the door at the back of the store.
"N-nandemo, Okaasan! I…A… person I know walked by…I'm sorry if I woke you." Sora-chan called back, her red eyes looking away from Yamato's. He frowned.
"I'll be leaving then. I will be coming back, though, because something is hurting more than just Koushirou-kun and Tai-kun. Ja ne, Birdie."
"Wh-what did you call me?" Sora-chan gasped her face paling.
"Birdie. I saw you flying."
"Oh." Sora-chan blushed and Yamato walked out the door.
"Sora, who was it? Was it Tai-kun?"
"Iie…Tai-kun and I broke up yesterday."
"Nani?"
"I'll be right back." Sora ran out the door and ran towards the bright blonde hair down the sidewalk to her left.
"ISHIIDA-SAN!"
Yamato-san turned. She bit back a smile picturing his pale eyebrow rising.
"Tai-kun and I broke up!"
"What happened between you and Koushirou-kun?"
Sora turned and ran back into the flower shop. I don't want him to know! He'll hate me! I'll lose everyone I care about if I tell. I can't tell anybody…I know Izumi-san will keep it to himself, too. Sora rubbed her eyes with her forearm and closed the door behind her.
"You shouldn't run off like that, Sora. It isn't very lady-like."
Sora chuckled beneath her arm.
&&&&&&&
Yamato scowled down at the sidewalk and dug his fists deeper into his pockets.
"Yama-niichan?" His head jerked up. His little brother was standing before him, and Hikari-san was standing next to him. Both were wearing faces of concern.
"Are you okay?"
"I'm fine, Take-kun. I'm just a little angry." His eyes darted to Hikari-san's. "Do you know what's up with Koushirou-kun, Tai-kun, and Sora-chan?"
Her amber eyes looked away.
"It's not my business to tell."
Yamato gritted his teeth. "What are you two doing? Don't you have a boyfriend or something?" He ground out.
"We were having breakfast. Dai-kun knows that."
"Hmph."
"Want us to walk you home?"
"Sure…" Yamato shrugged. They fell in step with him, asking about his band, his next gig, and how living with Jyou-sempai and Koushirou-kun was. He slowly mellowed out as they chattered on gaily.
He was still angry, though.
&&&&&&&
"That's not too far from here. Do you think I should meet you, however? We will see you soon, then, Hida-kun."
"Hida-kun? Who's that, Koushirou-kohai?"
"A young man I met a couple days ago. He… is a very special young man and he gave me his phone number so we could meet again." Koushirou-kun explained the best he could.
"All right. I'm sure he's a great kid."
The door swung open and a livid Yamato-kun stormed in. Takeru-san and Hikari-san walked in behind him, looking concerned. Koushirou walked through the opening of the kitchen and hurried to get tea set up. Yamato-kun followed him in with his hands dragging through is hair.
"What happened, Yamato-kohai?" Jyou-sempai asked as he walked towards the fridge for juice.
"Apparently, Sora-chan and Tai-kun have broken up."
"N-nani?!" Koushirou squeaked. He moved away from the hot stove prudently.
"But she won't tell me what you two talked about." His piercing blue eyes met Koushirou's.
"It's nothing." His black eyes darted away.
"You and Tai-kun…there's something between you two. Is he the one you came to Odaiba for?"
Koushirou's felt his face pale. "That's none of your business."
"Why do you people keep saying that?! It's my business when my friends are getting hurt! You, Tai-kun, Sora-chan, what ever is between you three is hurting all of you and worrying all of us! What about Mimi-chan?!"
Koushirou looked down and his hands and sighed.
"I'm going to end our attachment."
"NANI?!" Jyou-sempai jolted out of the chair he had just sat in.
"She…she said something that…I can't… I feel like I'm taking advantage of her feelings. I… I know I can't feel for her the way she does for me. Thus, I have been contemplating ending the relationship."
"You-You can't just dump her! She's crazy about you!" Jyou-sempai protested, waving his arms wildly.
"That's exactly why I should. If I 'dump' her soon, then she should be able to move on. She's young, pretty, and very… vivacious. She'll be able to get another more besotted boyfriend than me fairly quickly." Koushirou pointed out. "I'm not good for her. I don't want to give her false hope to my feelings."
"It's because of Tai-kun! He's sending you flowers for a reason! Tell me, damn it!" Yamato-kun slammed his palms down on the table's surface as he yelled angrily. Koushirou looked up at him amazed.
"Is it so important to you to know?"
"Yes! You cried, Koushirou-kun! You cried at least three times since I've met you, and all because of that big-haired dork!"
"You need to stay out of my personal life, Ishiida." Koushirou replied coldly.
"Damn it, Koushirou-kun! Don't talk to me like that! I'm trying to help! You all are hurting yourselves for no reason, or for stupid reasons! The only one who seems to know what he wants is that stupid dork!"
"STOP CALLING TAI A DORK!" Koushirou-kun finally yelled back, cheeks flushing angrily. "Do not call him that again, or any other name you want to use." Black eyes glared into icy blue.
Jyou-sempai took a step back as the waves of tension and anger flowed between the two young men.
The doorbell rang suddenly, making them all jump and the tension to break with the boys' gazes.Hikari-san and Takeru-san eyed each other edgily.
"It must be Hida-kun." Koushirou rose from the table and the two older boys heard the front door open.
"Konnichi wa, Izumi-san. I believe this is yours."
"Another one?" Koushirou's amazed voice cried out. Jyou-sempai and Yamato-kun hurried to the foyer and peered around the young redhead's shoulders. On the place mat next to Hida-kun's feet, sat a rather large, misshapen, handmade, brown teddy bear. Across its lap lay a bouquet of white roses again. A large note card was pinned to his almost round ear stating 'My name is Tai, please. Aishiteru, Kou-koishii.'
"That's pretty awesome for a…er…jock…to think of."
"He made that for me? That bear? He made it?" Koushirou stammered staring down at the misshapen doll.
"It sure does look like it." Jyou-sempai agreed.
Koushirou fell to his knees and pulled the bear of into his arm, his cheek pressing against the top of its head. The roses fell to the ground with a light flop, petals scattering over the cement and woven mat.
"I can't believe Tai pulled that off. I told him to watch Cardcaptor Sakura as a joke…" Hikari-san muttered, her voice filled with awe and humor.
"Of course your name is Tai." Koushirou whispered.
"Izumi-san, daijoubou desu ka?"
"Daijoubou desu. Don't mind me. I've been…rather emotional lately." Koushirou rose quickly to his feet, his teddy bear still in his arms and one hand clutching the roses. "Come on inside."
Koushirou barely caught Takeru-san nudging Hikari-san with his elbow.
"Koushirou-san, who's your friend?" She smiled at the short, serious faced boy.
"Oh! I'm sorry! I became sidetracked." He looked down at the stuffed animal in his arms and the roses in his hand.
"No problem. I'm sure we can introduce ourselves just fine." Takeru-kun jumped in quickly. He held out his hand to Hida-kun and smiled beautifully.
"I'm Takashi, Takeru."
"I'm H-H-Hi-Hida, Iori." Hida-kun finally managed to force out as a blush bloomed over his nose and cheeks. Koushirou hummed slightly as he looked for the perfect vase for his new bouquet of roses.
This is nice, having flowers and gifts so unexpectedly. He looked own at the card with a fond smile.
Yamato watched him after introducing himself to Hida-kun with narrowed eyes.
It's said 'Aishiteru, Kou-koishii.' I was right. There's something between them!
&&&&&&&&
Tai chewed his fingernail as he frowned at the now-paused screen.
"Tai, are you going to be done soon? I don't like my living room covered in videos." His mother's voice cut through his contemplations.
"Gomen ne." He looked up and grinned absently. "Just having a brainstorm, see what happens?"
"Tai." His mother shook her head and smiled. "Any luck."
"I think so. He liked the bear. I saw." He grinned. "I may get through after a couple more tries. Maybe Kari will have some info when she gets back, she was there, too."
"Oh? Good, I was wondering where she was going. Is she spending time with that blonde boy again?"
"Yeah." He frowned suddenly. "Kaasan?"
"Hai?"
"How m'I going to top that bear?"
His mother laughed.
&&&&&&&&
Iori blushed as Takeru-san (as he insisted he be called) brushed accidentally against his arm. His arm was burning where Takeru-san's fingers had brushed against him. Takeru-san was as beautiful as an angel, all gold and smiles and blue eyes. The most beautiful angel he'd ever seen…or well, imagined. His blonde hair was so fluffy and unkempt, he had to continually resist the urge to brush his fingers over it, and push it out of his big, baby blue eyes. His lips were so pretty, smiling at him, moving as he talk to him. Everything was pretty about Takeru-san, and so…shiny.
"So, you're only nine?"
"H-Hai." I wish I could be any age you wanted me to be. I feel like such a little baby now!
"You seem so much older. Your eyes are so serious, and your mouth, too."
He's looking at my mouth? At my eyes? He's so much prettier to look at.
Everybody but Izumi-san, Takeru-san, and Iori were trying hard not to smile as Iori gazed, silent and befuddled, up at Takeru-kun, still flushing slightly.
"Would anybody like tea?" Izumi-san abruptly asked, rising from his sitting position on the living room floor.
More chuckles, from Iori and Takeru-san as well, were suppressed. Everybody still had full cups from the first three times Izumi-san had refilled their cups when really he wanted to check on his roses.
&&&&&&&
Your secrets won't last long… Yamato thought to himself watching Koushirou-kun leave with Hida-kun. It was past time for the nine-year-old to be home.
His younger brother rose after the door closed and helped Hikari-san to her feet. He smiled happily at her.
"Let's go, Hikari-chan. I need to talk to you."
"As usual." Hikari-san poked his side, but willingly put her hand in his and walked towards the door. "We have to go to Dai-kun's like I promised."
"Yeah, yeah." He sighed with annoyance- earning himself another poke in the side.
&&&&&&&&
Dai-kun looked out his window as boredom began to loom unbearably. He had had a game of soccer with his friends, but Tai-sensei was missing again. After a refreshing shower, all that was left to the day was nothing, besides a 'maybe' visit from Hikari-chan. She had called the night before to say she would be spending a lot of time with Takeru-kun starting with breakfast, but since he was going to be playing soccer, it was okay. Until the sun was close to setting and she never showed up to spend the rest of the evening cuddling and watching a movie on the brand-new TV in his room.
His black-brown eyes fell upon two figures walking hand-in-hand and rushed to the window. Sure enough, it was Tao-san and Hikari-chan, laughing and talking. They neared the entrance and turned to face each other. Daisuke watched with amazement as a strange scene met his eyes.
Takuto-san had captured Hikari-chan's hands with his own and was bent over a little to meet her eyes. She shook her head and he let her go and gripped his hair. He swung back around and cupped her face with his hands. She pulled his hands away laughing and said something. They began to spin around, holding each other's hands tightly. Then, they stopped, almost collapsing, and, to Daisuke's horror, Tateshi-san wrapped his arms around her waist, spun around some more and kissed her straight on the lips. She pulled away and threw back her head to laugh.
Something broke inside Daisuke's chest.
What just happened? What happened? Did she keep something from me again? Did she lie? Is she secretly with that guy? What's going on? I'm so confused! Daisuke pushed away from the window and spun around. He clenched his fists and stared at the floor, breathing deeply. It took all of his willpower to not throw his new TV into the wall out of sheer confusion.
"WHAT'S GOING ON?" Daisuke screamed.
Behind him, Takeru-san and Hikari-chan separated and waved.
&&&&&&
Because I posted this chapter before I read all the chapter six reviews, when I went back to re-read and re-edit it, I decided to finish putting in a word to those who reviewed chapter six and got missed.
To Cool-Hanyou: Your review seemed like it just came flying out of your mouth without breathing. Of course, lack of periods might be why, lol, just teasing. I still got the sense that it was all a big compliment, and am very pleased. Sora will do her best not to hurt people, but sometimes wanting to be happy for yourself does that. There's a very fine line between selfishness and love, some people step over it without realizing it.
To SageoWind: I was a bit confused when I read your review...Kou told Mimi what? I had to go back and then smack myself in forehead. He told her that, duh. As for Yamora, we'll have to see if Sora realizes what will make her truly happy, now won't we?
To IronReaver: That was shortest review you've ever given me and the most...gratifying. Maybe with this new edited version, it will be perfect? Thank you so much for such high praise!!!
Takouji-Tomato: Are you Shya-chen? If you are! ALLU RIGHT BACK! If not, well, then...I dunno. But, either way, thank you for finally looking me up and reviewing my story. I hope I get more every now and then and you continue to enjoy it.
