Kitty: Okay, I think I'm back on track! I uploaded last night and I'm starting on the next chapter already! I hope I manage to do it alright. My mind has been so focused on Warforged and elves, I haven't been able to focus on Digimon. I will today! Too bad I only have an hour before class. And I need to fit eating in there somewhere…
This chapter is sooo short! I'm so sorry! The last chapter was supposed to be this one, but it just went too long! I should've ended last chapter earlier and let half of it be this chapter. *sigh* Whatever. It's done and the next chapters are going to be fast and furious. Hopefully.
Chocolate Covered
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chocolate Covered Liquor
Miyako felt her feet slamming into the concrete as she raced down the sidewalk after Ken. It almost hurt, sending darts of pain up her ankles and shins, but she didn't care. She'd catch up to that pretty-faced asshole and teach him a lesson he'd never forget. She grinned as her eyes finally found his shock of violet-blue hair turning a corner. She grabbed the side of the store on the corner he turned, using it to swing her momentum around, her purple hair swishing around her face.
"Ichijouji!" Miyako shrieked breathlessly.
In front of her, Ken stopped, turning slowly. The shock on his face was worth the stabbing pain in her chest as she bent over her knees and panted uncontrollably.
"Inoue? Did you follow… Are you all right?" Ken walked back towards her, trying to hide his worry as she continued to gasp for air. "Did you run after me? Are you stupid? You can't even breathe!"
"Sh-Shut… up!" Miyako gasped.
"Did you run after me just to say that?" Ken smirked, one eyebrow rising. "Since you went through all that trouble, I might as well help you sit down. I was on my way to the computer store, but you need chair more." He reached out to grab her hand.
Miyako smacked his hand and glared up at him, sweat running down her red face. "Don't you laugh at me!" she cried out. Ken frowned, his kindness folding away to where it belonged- where she couldn't refuse it or even remember he had it.
"I'll laugh all I want at an idiot. If you chased me down just to pant at me, next time bark instead speak."
Miyako growled and straightened. Her hand whipped through the air, but he quickly caught it.
"Do you enjoy being violent? I'm getting tired of it, Inoue. What the hell do you want?" Ken snapped, his violet eyes flaming.
"I'm tired of you being such an ass! You're rude and callous and I'm sick of it! I'm sick of hating you and you hating me!" Ken's eyes widened as her pretty hazel eyes shined. She looked away. "My glasses are fogging up, damn it."
"Inoue-san… I'm pretty sure we started this hating each other mutually. If you don't recall, you humiliated me in front of the entire eighth grade class."
"Because you humiliated me! You hurt me! I just wanted to be your damn friend and you went off and treated me like some crazy fangirl! You treated me like dirt!" Miyako retorted.
"I did not treat you like dirt! I told you I didn't want to be in your stupid club because I was having a bad day! You would've been just as rude!"
"It… It was different, Ken…" she whispered. He blinked and felt his chest tighten hearing her quiet voice speak his name. "I had such a major crush on you… and you just… squashed me flat. You didn't even look at me…"
"M-M… Inoue-san… I didn't know!" he shook his head and gathered his callousness around him like a cocoon. "You got over that crush easily enough. First with Wallace-san, then with Motomiya-san."
Miykao glared up at him, her eyes finally losing their sheen of tears. Sweat still glittered on her face and a horrible flush still left red patches on her skin, but he couldn't help but think how much he liked to look at her, even when her eyes cut through him.
"You're the stupidest, most idiotic, stupid asshole I've ever met!" Miyako shrieked.
"Then why the hell are you following me around?" Ken finally burst out, frustrated with himself and with her.
"Because, damn it, I can't help but love you!" Miyako shouted back. "If you hadn't been so stupid I would have told you years ago!"
"You don't love me! You already slept with Motomiya!"
"I can sleep with whoever the hell I want, jerkoff!"
"The hell you can!"
"If you don't want me, I'll sleep with whoever does!"
"If you become a whore don't come crying to me when they dump you anyway!"
"Asshole!"
"Whore!"
Miyako grabbed his collar and pulled him down. His eyes widened as they lips crashed together. Then, his eyes drifted closed and his arms wrapped around her waist. He could feel the relief pour through him like warm sake and he pulled her closer. Her arms went around his neck and she kissed him with everything she had. He could feel his blood whistled through his brain as he kissed those lips he wanted to kiss for years. God, how could he have wanted Hikari when Miyako had never left his mind? Their lips parted and their eyes met. He laid his forehead against hers, smiling as her glasses slid down her nose.
"I'm sorry," he whispered. "I didn't mean to hurt you or call you a whore."
"I didn't mean to humiliate you, either. But I won't take back the fact you're an asshole." Miyako grinned and he couldn't help but smile back.
"I won't take back the fact you can't sleep with anybody you like. Nobody else, got it?"
"Daisuke meant a lot to me… and I was so hurt… falling in love with two boys who both wanted the same girl… who wasn't me. I was grasping at straws and taking anything I could get. I sold myself short. But never again. You're not in love with her anymore, are you?" The pain and hope in her hazel eyes cut him to the quick and he cupped her still sweaty face.
"Of course I'm not. I gave up on loving her the moment we started dating, but I had to try… I had to try and love her anyway. I was grasping at straws, too, Miyako. I wanted to love someone, and Yagami-san needed someone to love her then."
Miyako smiled softly. "You gonna call me Miyako from now on?"
"If you call me Ken."
"I'll only call you Ichijouji if you piss me off, so that's your only warning." Ken grinned.
"I'll keep that in mind."
He tilted her face back up to his and kissed her again, wondering if he was ever going to get enough of her. He couldn't wait until their next fight.
&&&
Tai wiped the sweat from his forehead as he walked off stage. Leaving the blinding glare of stage lights was almost like going blind, and he stood in the wings, his bass hanging from his weary shoulders, blinking slowly and adjusting to the dim.
"Tai, over here."
Tai stumbled over to Yamato's voice, still rather blind, though everything was getting easier to see every second. All the guys were lounging on a huge couch set up in the hallway behind the stage. He frowned at the lack of space for him and pulled his bass over his head. The sounds of the crowd were still thundering behind him as he slumped onto the concrete in front of the couch. Tai's eyes fell on Yamato and in his increasing ability to see he noticed Yamato's face was tight and anxious.
"Are you all right?" Tai asked, his brown eyes glancing between the cell phone in Yamato's hand and his friend's face.
"Sora just texted me saying an emergency came up and she won't be coming by this weekend. She didn't even make it to the concert," Yamato replied, frowning and snapping his phone shut.
"What was the emergency? Is she all right? Is her mom all right?" Tai exclaimed, worried.
"She said she was fine, her mother, too. She wouldn't tell what the emergency was, though," Yamato sighed. "Maybe I should go to her house..."
"Nah, if she didn't tell you, she has a reason. You'll be hurting more than helping," Tai warned.
"Yeah, I guess you're right."
"The show went well," Tomo said from his slouched position on the other side of the couch.
"It went great!" Yotsuya crowed, throwing his arm in the air. He always seemed so energized after their concerts. Tai didn't know how he did it. "The party tonight is gonna be awesome. I'm glad I'm single again."
"Yoko-chan and I plan to have a night to ourselves, so you guys can enjoy the party without me," Tomo grinned. "I like having a girl to snuggle with every night."
"Whatever," Yostuya rolled his eyes. "You guys are coming, ne?" He turned to Tai and Yamato.
Yamato replied shook his head and tucked his phone in his pocket. "No… I don't really feel like it. I'm going to go home and sleep. Sora might need me and I want to be there for her call."
Tai shrugged. "I had a fight with Izzy this morning and I want to make it up to him. I'd rather just go home, too." I really hate fighting with Izzy. I want to make it better. He ran his hand through his hair and sighed.
"GAH! You are all wrapped around some chick's finger-well, and Izumi-san's." Yostuya quickly amended when Tai glared at him. "Where's the fun at? We're only college students and you guys are giving up on booze and parties already? Geez, Tai-san, you haven't even tried it yet!"
"Maybe next time. Izzy's more important."
"You two just fought this morning! You go and make up right now it'll be like the fight never happened and then what? It'll probably happen again! You need to let loose and have a little fun. You're so cooped up with your boyfriend you barely have time for fun for yourself! No wonder you two keep arguing about the same thing." Yostuya smirked. "It was about sex again, wasn't it?"
"Aw, shut up! It's not always about sex!" Tai whined.
"It's always about sex, Yagami." The other three of replied dryly. Tai grimaced.
"Me going out and getting drunk ain't gonna make it easier," Tai snapped.
"It might. You've never tried it," Yostuya pointed out.
"He might be right, Tai-san," Tomo said suddenly. "You always go straight back to Izumi-san and make up as soon as possible. You don't take the time to get your head straight, go out and do something to make yourself feel better. Sometimes, after a fight, the best thing to do is to go out and do something without your gir-boyfriend."
"If you go back tonight, Tai, you guys might have the same fight all over again. You should go out and clear your head. I'm sure Koushirou-kun will appreciate the distance, too. You always make him feel guilty when you fight. You should make up after everything has cooled down," Yamato added.
"But it's been a whole day. I'm fine!"
"Maybe Koushirou-kun isn't?"
Tai frowned and plucked at the strings on his guitar. "You think so?"
Yamato laughed. "Go drink your libido away. You won't be horny at all tomorrow with a hangover." The other guys joined in and Tai punched Yamato's knee.
"You're going to have a great time, Tai-san! I'll make sure you don't get too trashed," Yostuya promised.
"Yeah, yeah. Lemme text Izzy," Tai muttered, pulling out his own cell phone.
"Whipped, all of you, whipped!" Yostuya rolled his eyes heavenward in exasperation.
Izzy, I'm goin to the party tonight. Guys say it'll be better if I cool down. Tomorrow we can talk. You cool with that?
If you think it's better, then yes, I think you should go. Have fun and tomorrow we'll talk again. And Taichi? I'm sorry.
I'm sorry, too, Izzy I'll be home asap tomorrow.
Tai snapped his phone shut and stuck it in his pocket, feeling relieved. "I'm ready to go!"
&&&
Koushirou smiled and set his phone down. We keep messing up, but we don't break. A part of me thought that this would never last, that it's just some silly dream to find a little boy I met only once when I was four and expect to live happily ever after, but… maybe it can really happen.
Koushirou got up and headed to the bathroom. What he needed was a few hours of web-surfing and a good night's sleep. He wondered vaguely how well he was going to sleep without Tai beside him; he hadn't slept without him in a very long time.
"It's going to be kind of lonely…" He whispered to himself. But it'll probably be for the best… just for tonight.
&&&
Iori, Takeru, Saiwa, Wallace, and Tsuchiyo left the concert laughing and joking. Iori suddenly frowned as they entered the train station.
"I thought she'd be here…"
"Iori-chan?" Takeru asked, wrapping one arm around his waist. "What's wrong?"
"It's Miyako-san. When she didn't meet up with us in the concert, I thought she just couldn't find us and she'd be here waiting. I need to call her to make sure she's not in trouble," Iori explained, looking for a payphone.
"Just use my cell, Iori." Takeru offered.
"Iori-kun right, Miyako came back never." Wallace frowned. "Ken with Miyako have a fight? I thought they date by now. She a lot liked him."
"It…It's kind of a long, ridiculous story," Iori told him as the phone rang in his ear. "She can tell you- Miyako-san? Yes, it's me. Are you all right? You never came back- Oh. Honto desu ka? Will he be walking you home? I don't think- I'm not- Miyako-san, shut up! Yes, okay. Good night. And go home!" Iori hung up and rolled his eyes. "I never know what's going to happen next with her."
"What happened? Did they make up?" Saiwa asked excitedly.
"They did indeed. She's over at his house right now having dinner with his parents," Iori said. The other three boys laughed.
"They didn't waste time, did they?" Takeru joked.
"One minute she hates him, the next she's already having dates with his parents. She's crazy and so is he!" Tsuchiyo laughed.
"I think it's romantic!" Saiwa sighed. "Having a secret crush on someone for years but being too scared of being hurt so you keep it all bottled inside and then poof! One day you're suddenly together! Just like a shoujo!" Tsuchiyo blushed slightly and Wallace mussed Saiwa hair.
"So cute, little flower-girl is," Wallace teased. Saiwa blushed and twisted the hem of her sweater.
"Oh no! Miyako-san's clothes!" Saiwa exclaimed. "I have to give them back!"
"Just give them back tomorrow, Saiwa-san. Miykao-san won't care if you keep them for the night." Iori assured her.
"I should remember to wash them. It's the least I can do…"
"We should all get going. It's pretty late and I know you middle-schoolers have curfews." Takeru laughed.
"I have a lot of time! My mother gave me all the way until one 'o' clock because of the concert." Saiwa hurriedly put in, flushing heavily. "You don't have to go home so early because of me!"
"He was just joking, Saiwa, jeez. Besides, you couldn't stay up that late if you tried. You're already looking half-dead." Tsuchiyo pointed out. Saiwa glared at him angrily. Iori elbowed him roughly and Tsuchiyo cleared his throat. "You're a v-very c-cute kinda half-dead?" He attempted to apologize.
Takeru and Wallace snorted and quickly looked away, trying hard not to laugh.
"You're a very stupid kinda idiot, aren't you?" Saiwa snapped, imitating his slang. "And don't call me Saiwa! It's Akizuki to you!"
"Prude."
"Eat dirt." Saiwa crossed her arms over her chest and averted her face. "I'm not talking to you for the rest of the night." She frowned harder. "But thank you for the concert ticket. I enjoyed myself."
Tsuchiyo rolled his eyes. "Well, at least there's that."
"An hour until one, ne? We want go to cake shop in Odaiba?" Wallace quickly asked.
"I would love to," Saiwa accepted eagerly.
"I'm just going home," Tsuchiyo mumbled.
"We'll come, too. My mother said as long as I'm with Takeru, I can come home whenever I want to. She trusts you a lot, Takeru."
"I'm glad she does. That means more time for me." Takeru gave Iori an extra squeeze before finally unwrapping his arm from around his waist. The bullet train slid into the station and they all climbed aboard.
&&&
"Are you sure you're all right? You said you were cramping earlier, did the hot water bottle help?" Sora asked, tucking Mimi in bed and smoothing Mimi's chestnut hair off her forehead.
"Yes, Kaasan, I feel much better." Mimi smiled. "Thank you so much, for everything."
Sora laid the back of her hand on Mimi's forehead to check for fever, just in case, and then smiled. "I didn't do much at all. You should've come to me a lot sooner. Remember, Monday at noon we're going to see Doctor Seikawa and you need as much rest as possible. Make sure you tell me if you feel even a little bit of pain, okay? Especially if it's in your lower belly."
"Un," Mimi nodded and then frowned softly. "Yamato-san isn't upset, is he? I wouldn't let you explain and I know he was texting a lot."
"He said it was alright and that he was going home so if I needed him I can call. He knows me well enough that he can trust me. Don't worry. What about Jyou-san, Mimi? I know he called earlier."
"He called to say he was working late and to enjoy the concert without him," Mimi sniffled slightly. "I could probably be nine months pregnant and he wouldn't even notice, Sora. He's so busy! Most of the time I'm okay with it, really, I am! Whenever we're together he always makes me feel so special and loved, like I'm the most important person in the world to him, but those times together are getting so little now. I miss him, Sora. And I'm scared… I'm scared if I tell him, it'll just get worse!" Mimi closed her eyes and turned her face to the pillow. "I didn't… I didn't want to say anything… because it hurts so much to think about… how much I'm second-no, third place to him."
"Oh, Meems." Sora bent over and hugged Mimi close. "You really need to tell him these things. Jyou-san is so hopeless and clueless, you told me so yourself, but he does love you desperately. You need to tell him how much his actions hurt you. You being pregnant will be quite the eye-opener, Mimi. He'll realize how much he doesn't pay attention and how much he needs to when he realizes you're pregnant right underneath his nose!" Sora couldn't help but smile. "And he's a doctor. Well, doctor-in-training."
Mimi chuckled weakly. "That is kinda stupid. Stupid Jyou."
"You will talk to him then? How about tomorrow? I'll be there with you if you need me to be."
"Yes… all right. Thank you, Sora. I'd really appreciate it if you were there. We'll call him as soon as we eat breakfast. Is that all right?"
"Un! Now go to sleep. I'll be right here next to you on the futon."
"Are you sure you don't want the bed?"
"Go to sleep, Mimi."
Mimi giggled and then snuggled into the pillow, wiping the tears from her cheeks.
&&&
Tai sighed as he sank into the sagging couch older than he was himself. It smelled like it, too. At least it did two hours ago. Alcohol seemed to do funny things to his sense of smell. People were wandering past him, some stopping to sit next to him, others not even realizing the couch was there and flopping onto the ground a few feet away.
A lot more people were dancing anywhere they could stand to blaring music that made Tai's head pound. A couple hours ago he also had a headache, but that went away with his sense of smell, too. Most of the people walking or dancing past had a cup in hand. He watched the party through a blurred haze, grinning stupidly. Everything felt warmer this way, and nicer, too. And funnier. A lot funnier. He couldn't help but laugh for no other reason than because everything was funnier right now. Warm liquid splashed over the brim of his plastic cup onto his hand and jeans and it only made him laugh harder. The sickly sweet smell of beer and wine filled the crowded apartment. It was probable it always smelled that way, with all the alcohol soaked into the thick carpet. The couch sagged unexpectedly right next to him, and Tai turned. His eyes widened in shock.
"Izzy! Whad you do heyah?" Tai slurred. For some reason he felt acutely ashamed, but he couldn't remember why. He eyed the plastic cup in his hand wondering if the liquid inside was the reason.
"Aw, so cute, Taichi. You did it again." Purred a quiet, soft voice. Izzy leaned forward, his lips pouting cutely. For some reason they looked a lot redder than usual, and fuller. His dark lashes looked thicker and longer, too. And his black eyes… looked so sad.
"Don' beh thad." Tai slurred, cupping Izzy's sad and oddly more colorful face. His thumb ran over the soft, smooth skin along the edge of Izzy's delicate cheekbone.
"You're too cute," Izzy whispered, his voice oddly higher and silkier, like a girl's. Tai stared at Izzy's chest, wondering what was wrong with it. "Are you havin' fun, Taichi? Doesn' seem like the kinda place you'd hang at."
Izzy was talking rather funny, too. Like he had an Osaka accent or something. Weird. Tai dropped his strangely-offensive cup. It rolled over the carpet, splashing over his tennis shoes.
"'M havin' moah fun now." Tai wrapped his arms around Izzy's waist and pulled him onto his lap. Izzy's pretty mouth, still looking kinda weird, formed an 'O' of surprise. Tai nuzzled his nose into Izzy's thick red hair, barely registering the way it tickled his collarbone. Izzy's arms wrapped around Tai's neck, his thin fingers running through Tai's hair just like always. Tai sighed happily, wishing he could smell Izzy's familiar scent.
"I'm havin' fun, too. I looked all over for you, Taichi."
"Weally?" Tai ran his hands up Izzy's sides, grinning as Izzy jumped and shivered. He was always so ticklish.
"Yes. Taichi, kiss me, tell me you love me. Tell me I'm your Izzy," Izzy whispered.
Taichi looked up and blinked blearily at Izzy, his brows lowering. "Ah courth yo'ah Izzy. Courth Ah luff you. Ah thorry Ah yelled."
"It's a'right. Kiss me now, Taichi." Izzy grasped his shirt and pulled him forward. Izzy's mouth was slick and wet beneath his own. Maybe that's why it looked so red. Taichi poured himself into the kiss, wondering why he was so relieved everything was okay. Were they fighting? He couldn't remember. His hands ran up Izzy's stomach and over his chest. His hands stopped and he pulled away, blinking confusedly.
"Izzy… why do you haff… Izzy, do you haff boobs?" Tai asked, puzzled. Izzy wriggled off his lap, making a burning sensation run through Tai body. He stumbled off of the couch, eager to pull Izzy back and keep on kissing him. Even if he had boobs. That was weird right? Izzy didn't have boobs.
Then, Izzy grasped his hands and pulled him forward. Their lips crashed together and Tai moaned as Izzy's slim body pressed against his own. For some reason Izzy felt so much softer, but the skin beneath his fingers was satiny smooth and almost as pale as milk. It was thick and soft hair twisted in his fists, though the hair was long and swinging past Izzy's shoulders. The lips kissing his were the same, though wetter and, maybe, they tasted kinda like fruit. There was something wrong here… it had to do with the way Izzy's lip tasted, the way his body felt, the way his hair swung long and free.
Then, Izzy was leading him away, his dark eyes filled with the desire and hunger Tai always loved to see. Tonight… tonight… he was going to finally have Izzy. Izzy came to forgive him and give him what Tai had craved for years. Tai was trembling with need by the time Izzy led him out the party and down the dark street. Tai noticed blankly a lot of leg was showing under Izzy's skirt. How odd. Izzy did have some nice legs, though.
He didn't know how long it took, but they finally made it back to Izzy's apartment. It didn't seem familiar, but it was dark, and his eyes were filled with Izzy. Izzy's mouth was on his again and they fell down, down, down. Tai groaned as Izzy's slim, silky legs wrapped around his waist. Where'd his clothes go? As Izzy's mouth kissed him breathless and Izzy's tiny, soft hands ran down his chest, faint alarm bells were filling his mind. Then everything got warmer and his mind exploded into thousands of pieces. He could hear Izzy's voice, so weird and girly, whispering his name and other things he couldn't understand. It sounded kinda like "Sorry." He stroked Izzy's hair and mumbled reassuringly. He couldn't remember what he said.
Fruit… why did Izzy taste like fruit? Didn't he… taste like… onigiri? Chocolate covered onigiri…
Izzy tilted back his head because Tai was taller and tilted his head a bit to side so their noses wouldn't get in the way. Lips pressed together and their eyes closed, vaguely remembering that's what parents do.
Tai tasted rice and chocolate on Izzy's lips.
"Taichi… Taichi, don't hate me in the morning." Izzy pleaded, running his fingers through Tai's hair. "You… you have to know… I need you. I have to love you. I have to have you. Please, Taichi, don't hate me."
Tai's mind was sunk deep into sleep, a half-frown on his face.
&&&
Jyou ran his hand over his face, his glasses dangling from his opposite hand. His forehead was pressed to the cool glass of the vending machine. He had been contemplating how much he really wanted that bag of chips. He had been less tired five minutes ago, though. Now he just wanted to fall into a huddle and fall asleep until his eyes opened by themselves, not when his alarm told him to.
"Kido-kohai!" A loud voice exclaimed, jarring Jyou's bubble of quiet like a train wreck.
"H-Hai, S-Sempai?" Jyou stuttered, pushing away form the vending machine and swaying unsteadily.
"Have you been here since the Kamigawa case?"
"K-kamigawa? Wasn't that yesterday?" Jyou asked blearily.
"Techincally, yes. It's past midnight! What are you doing?"
"There were so many… people kept asking for help…" Jyou mumbled. He stared at the glasses in his hand and wondered how the hell he was supposed to put them back on.
"Kido-kohai…" Kurisma, Arisa, a doctor at Odaiba Medical Center, smiled fondly and hooked Jyou's glasses behind his ears and settled them on his nose. Her brown eyes had once matched her hair, but now her chin-length hair was shot with grey. Fine lines fanned out from the corners of her eyes and lined her mouth softly. "Don't you have a pretty girlfriend waiting for you at home?"
"Sh-She's sick."
"What are you doing here, then, silly." Kurisma flicked his forehead with her finger. "Go home, don't come back tomorrow, and go see her. She probably misses you. You're still an intern, Kido-kohai, don't work so much, or you'll burn out before you graduate. We don't expect this much work from you, Kido-kohai."
"B-but… I want to be here," Jyou protested wearily.
"You'll want to be here a lot more on Wednesday, when you've taken a break and slept a few more hours. Actually, I hope you want to be with your girlfriend more. You're going to make her break up with you if you keep ditching her." Kurisma warned. Jyou frowned.
"I don't want Mimi to break up with me. I want to marry her."
"Then go and spend time with her. Go!" Kurisma pushed him towards the men's locker room. "Don't come back until Wednesday, which is when you're scheduled to be here anyway!"
"All right…" Jyou pushed open the swinging door and headed towards his locker. He smiled slightly. I miss Mimi. I hope she's feeling better. I'll go see her as soon as I wake up.
Outside the locker room, Kurisma pulled aside an older man who had been heading towards the locker room behind Jyou.
"Tanaka-san, could you make sure Jyou makes it to the train station tonight? He's exhausted and I'm worried about him. He might fall asleep on the side of the road."
"I'll take him all the way home, Kurisma-san. No worries. Odaiba isn't so big I can't spare a few extra minutes seeing the poor boy home. Works himself to death, doesn't he?"
"He does. He needs to be watched, or he'll end up one those doctors that sleep on the empty stretchers. Or on the benches in the locker rooms."
"He may be doing that now." Tanaka laughed. "Should I call the hospital once I see him home?"
"I'll trust you, Tanaka-san. Thank you and have a good night." Kurisma gratefully sighed.
"No problem. Good night, Kurisma-san."
Fifteen minutes later, the elderly Tanaka led the stumbling, much taller and younger Jyou out the hospital doors towards the train station.
