PS: This story is connected to "What Courage Means", that I wrote for Taichi's week.

Chapter 4: Fun Day
The temperature was already high for a typical spring day, especially so early in the morning. The breeze tried to mess with Hikari's long brown hair, but she had learned better and tied it on a high ponytail. She unlocked her car and watched Yamazaki get inside before doing so herself.
"Did you get everything we'll need?"
"Yes, mom." The seven-year old boy said in an annoyance tone and rolled his eyes. "You've asked this at least ten times already."
"I'm sorry. I just don't want to remember we forgot to pick something while we are going to Taichi's house."
"Everything's here, don't worry."
"Alright." She looked over her shoulder towards the back of her car while she took it out of its parking spot. "Let's go."

.

Takato was trying to open the door, but he was still too small to reach the doorknob and frowned with frustration. Taichi walked into the small hall to answer to it and his son ran to sit down on the couch with his arms folded in front of his chest. The man smiled at Takato's temper and then twisted the door open.
"Hello, sister."
"Hi." Hikari grinned. "Good morning."
"Good morning to you too." Taichi bent down a little to look at his nephew. "You get bigger each time I see you. How are you?"
"I'm good." Yamazaki hugged him. "What about you?"
"I'm good too." The older Yagami ruffled his hair and laughed.
"They do grow up fast." Hikari said while she made her way inside the apartment. "I feel like I gave birth to him yesterday."
"Time really flies by."
"Yeah, enjoy while you can because they grow up very fast."
"Oh I know it. Takato, come say hi to your aunt and cousin."
"No!"
"Did something happen?"
"Where are you good manners, little guy?" Taichi looked over his shoulder and then to his sister. "I'm sorry about that. He was frustrated because he couldn't reach the doorknob to open the door for you."
"That's funny. It reminds me of how someone used to be as a child."
"Shut up."
"It's so surreal how he's exactly your replica, physically and in personality." Hikari laughed. "Do you mind if I talk to him?"
"Be my guest." Taichi shrugged and watched her approach his son.
"Hey there, Takato." She knelt down in front of him, who was still frowning and with his arms folded. "Did you know your father was just like you when he was a child too?"
"Why are you trying to embarrass me in front of my son?"
"Shhh." Hikari made a gesture with her hand for him to be quiet, without taking her eyes from her nephew.
"Really?"
"Oh yes, he would lock himself in our bedroom and only open the door hours later. And you know what made him happy less angry?"
"What?"
"Going to the park for the whole day." Hikari poked him lightly and a subtle smile was formed on his lips. "Maybe this can help you feel happy too."
"Let's go, Takato. It will be fun."
Takato looked over to Taichi, like he was asking his father permission. Taichi simply shook his head affirmatively with a smile.
"You can go."
"Cool!"
"So go get ready. Yamazaki, go help him."
The child slipped from the couch and ran to his bedroom, followed closely by his cousin.
"Thanks for taking him out." Taichi thanked Hikari as he poured himself another cup of coffee. "Akiko and I try to take him to different places every weekend, but she had something to do today and wasn't going to be able to do it and neither would I. So I'm glad that you offered to do it."
"Anytime." Hikari smiled. "It's way harder when it's summer vacation. I've been there."
"How did you cope with it?"
"Well, Yamazaki wasn't as agitated as Takato, so it wasn't that difficult with him, actually. But I took turns with Katsuo."
Just when Taichi opened his mouth to say something, Yamazaki and Takato walked back in the living room and drew attention of the Yagami siblings.
"Mommy, we're ready."
"Okay then. Let's go." Hikari turned to Taichi. "I'll bring him back by four."
"Great. Thanks again, sister."
"You're welcome. See you later."

.

Hikari, Yamazaki and Takato walked into the park about an hour after they left Taichi's house. Takato could barely hold his smile and excitement when he saw all the attractions, but the rollercoaster drew his attention the most.
"Auntie Hikari, can we go in that one?"
"You want to go in a rollercoaster?"
"Yes!"
"I don't think I'm allowed to go with you." She turned to her son. "Sweetheart, can you go with him?"
"Sure." Yamazaki said. "But isn't he too little to be going in this?"
"It's a rollercoaster for children. I think it should be fine."
"Alright. Let's go, Takato."
"Don't let go of him any second, okay? Pay attention to him the whole time."
"I got it, mommy." He gave her a thumb up. "We'll be right back."

.

Hikari kept her camera up the whole time, registering all the moments she could. She couldn't help but smile seeing how happy her nephew looked as he screamed in happiness and lifted his arms almost during the entire ride. Her son, on the other hand, seemed like he was going to pass out.
"So, how was it?"
"It was amazing!" Takato said cheerfully. "I want to go again."
"Please, no. I don't think I can ever go there again."
"You didn't think it was fun?"
"Not really. Too many twists for me. Mommy, can we eat now?"
"Are you hungry already?" Hikari checked her watch. "It's still eleven o'clock."
"We had breakfast earlier than usual."
"Alright, we can stop for a snack before having actual lunch."

The place was so crowded that it took Hikari a long time to find a place for them to sit and eat.
"So Takato, how's school?" She asked after she sat down.
"It's good." Takato took a small sip of his strawberry milkshake. "I had to do a drawing this week."
"Really? What did you draw?"
"A big garden with flowers." He stretched his arms to show how big it was. "The sun was shining and a little different."
"A different color?"
"No, I found a drawing on daddy's desk of something that looked like the sun and took it to school. My teacher loved it and said I could use it in the drawing."
"I see." Hikari tried to sound as steady as she could, but something inside her was saying this so-called sun was actually the Crest of Courage that belonged to her brother. "Was it a beautiful drawing? The one you found on your father's desk?"
"Yeah!" Takato ate another bite of his hamburger. "There were some triangles around the sun. It's really cool."
"That's different and so awesome." She had no doubt about it anymore. It was indeed his crest. "Did you show him already?"
"Not really. I want to."
"I think you should." Hikari grabbed his hands softly and smiled gently at him. "I'm sure he will love it."
"You think so?"
"Of course. I have no doubt he'd want to see it."
"Mommy, can we go in a Ferris wheel now?"
"You want to go in a Ferris wheel?"
"Yeah, it's the best thing ever."
"Ah…" Hikari hesitated and looked around. There was no way she could escape this. "Okay, but just one ride."

Hikari was as static as possible in her seat during the entire ride, unlike Yamazaki and Takato, who couldn't stay away from the window and were absolutely astonished with the view from the inside. She couldn't remember exactly at which point she became so afraid of height, since she loved going to the Ferris wheel when she was a child and teenager, but it was somewhere during her pregnancy.
"Mom, you should come here and see this view." Yamazaki looked over his shoulder towards her. "It's so beautiful."
"I know, but I think I'm going to stay here."
"Are you afraid of going in a Ferris wheel?"
"No, but it's moving a little too much."
"It's barely moving, mommy. You don't have to be afraid of it." He turned his attention back to the window. "This view is so cool! We can see almost the entire Tokyo from here."
"That's true. It's even more beautiful at night, with all the lights from the city."
"Have you been in one at night?"
"Yes, I have. The one near our apartment. My first date with your father was there."
"So cool."
"It really was." Hikari reminisced the memories in her mind.

Hikari took a while to adjust to the ground again after they left the Ferris wheel, unlike the children, who took off running.
"Boys, wait up! You can get lost if you keep running like this."
Yamazaki quickly grabbed his cousin's hand and forced him to stop and wait for his mother.
"I'm sorry, mommy."
"That's okay." She said as she got near them. "Thanks for holding Takato for me." She held his other hand. "So do you two want some cotton candy?"
"I do!" Both children said excitedly together.
"Great, let's get some and then go back home."

Hikari and the boys were heading to her car while eating their cotton candies. She had bought a pink one while the boys went for rainbow ones.
"So, did you two enjoy our day together?"
"I did." Takato said excitedly. "It was so much fun, auntie Hikari."
"I'm glad to hear that." She smiled as she put the seat belt over him. "I had fun too. We should do it more often."
"Yes!"
"Are you okay, sweetheart?" Hikari addressed to her son. "Do you need anything?"
"No, mommy. I'm okay."
"Good." She closed the back door of the car after he got in and went to seat in the driver's seat, drying her sticky fingers in a tissue. "Time to go home."

.

The trio made their way up to the Yagami residence in the late afternoon. Takato was drifting to sleep until the elevator stopped in the floor the apartment was. Then he got off Hikari's lap and ran towards his house, but he once again couldn't reach the doorknob.
"I got this." Hikari got closer seconds later and twisted it open. "There you go."
"Daddy!" Takato came running inside the house and threw himself into his father's arms, making him fall to the ground.
"Hey kid!" Taichi grabbed him in his arms and lifted him a little. "How was your stroll to the park with auntie Hikari and your cousin Yamazaki?"
"It was so cool! I had so much fun."
"Really? I'm happy to hear that."
"That's true, he really did have so much fun." Hikari said. "He's so little but he has so much energy. He reminds me so much of you when you were a little older than him."
"Well, you can't deny the DNA." He said playfully.
"I guess not." She joined her brother on the laughter.
"What did you there?"
"I went to a small rollercoaster with Yamazaki and then we tried to get some stuffed toys, but auntie Hikari is so bad at it."
"Hey! You said you weren't going to say it." She started tickling her nephew.
"Sorry, auntie Hikari." Takato burst into laughter.
"You see what I have to deal with here?"
"Not anywhere near as much as I do." Taichi shot back in a light tone and smiled. "What about you, Yamazaki? Did you have fun?"
"I did. The Ferris wheel was the best."
"Isn't it? We should really go the one we have nearby."
"We should!" The child said excitedly.
"What is it? Let's get the younger Yagami worried and scared to death day?"
"Oh come on, sis. You should really try going in the Ferris Wheel again."
"I could, but not today. Someday, maybe." She sighed. "I should really go home, I'm dead tired."
"Alright." Taichi stood up and walked to Hikari. "I'll walk you to the door."
"Thank you."
"Thanks for spending the day with Takato, Hikari."
"You're welcome, Taichi." Hikari smiled. "He's a very agitated child, but also very lovely."
"Yeah, it takes quite some energy to keep up with him. Akiko complains about it sometimes."
"I totally get her. I have to deal with a few kids like him, so I know how to deal with them. Alright, Yamazaki, say bye to your uncle."
"Bye uncle Taichi." Yamazaki hugged him.
"Bye, kiddo." Taichi hugged him back. "Do you want to sleep over next weekend? We can have some pizza and bake a cake together."
"Can I, mommy?" He looked up at his mother.
"Sure. It's totally fine by me, if Akiko has no problem with it."
"I'm sure she won't. She loves having him here too."
"Good, then it's settled. I'll see you next weekend then."
"Of course. Thanks again."
"You're welcome." Hikari said over her shoulder and then turned around. "Oh I almost forgot, Takato said he did a drawing at school a couple of days ago and wants to give it to you."
"A drawing?"
"Yeah. He said he found a drawing of your Crest on your desk and took it to school. He also said his teacher loved it."
"So that's where that picture was."
"How did you find one anyway? You don't have your Crest anymore."
"I drew it in my laptop and had it printed. I had no idea Takato would sneak into my home office and get it."
"Well, he wants to show it to you, but is unsure. So maybe you can subtly mention it to him."
"I will do that."
"But don't tell him I told you about it. I promised him I'd keep it a secret."
"Okay, I won't tell him you told me. Thanks for informing me about it."
"You're not talking to a business partner, Taichi." Hikari teased with a smile.
"I guess it was better than me, I'm sorry." He couldn't help but smile too.
"That's okay."
"Do you want to stay for dinner tonight? Akiko wants to go for Italian food."
"I'd love to." She looked down at Yamazaki, who was yawning. "But it's been a tiring day to all of us. I just want to go home and sleep until tomorrow. Besides, Katsuo should be going back home soon."
"Alright then."
"We can definitely do something next weekend though. Yamazaki is going to sleep over then."
"Great."
"I'll see you then." Hikari placed her hands on her son's shoulders. "Say bye to your uncle."
"Bye uncle Taichi."
"Bye, kiddo." Taichi watched them head towards the elevator before closing the door of his apartment.