Starshine

Hikari leaned up against the side of a building marred by graffiti and enjoyed the warm summer sunshine. It had been over two years since that fateful August day and well over a year since Tailmon and the rest of their partners had come to live with them in the real world for good. It brought a smile to her face as she watched her partner now, sparring with Angemon so that they could both maintain their fighting skills even though the Digital World had shown them nothing but static for a while now.

It had taken some work to find an area of the city where people rarely went. The tall decaying buildings surrounding them gave the two Digimon room to maneuver as they tested their skills on one another. They had an easier time sparring at someplace out in the country, such as where Takeru's grandmother lived, but this was the best they could find in the city.

Takeru stood beside Hikari's side, close enough that their shoulders nearly brushed. She would occasionally look over at him and smile. Lately, she noticed that often times when he returned the gesture, her insides would constrict in a way that was anything but painful.

Hikari would have liked for the four of them to spend more time together, even if it was most often to help their partners train. It was a pity that it was always necessary for one or both of them needed to take the train in order for them to meet up. They made up for it by constantly being in contact via email, but it was not quite the same as standing as close together as they were now, comfortable even in silence.

"I wonder when we'll go back," Takeru said, his soft voice startling Hikari out of her thoughts.

Of course, Hikari knew exactly what Takeru was referring to. Invariably, one of them would bring it up every so often. All of the Chosen, both children and Digimon, could not help but wonder when the Digital World would open up to them again. It was a rhetorical question, as none of them had the answer.

"Whenever the Digital World needs us again," Hikari said just as softly. That was the only thing they were certain of. They were the Chosen Children, and the Digital World needed them just as much as they needed the Digital World. They only truly realized how much it meant to them when they could no longer return.

Takeru let out a soft, thoughtful hum as his eyes turned towards the sky. Hikari watched her out of the corner of her eyes, wondering what he was thinking about now. Was he remembering the things he experienced on their journey, or imagining what it would be like to return now that they were older and more mature?

"I wonder how different it'll be when we go back," Hikari said.

Takeru inclined his head towards her, letting out an inquisitive hum to let her know that he wanted her to continue with her thought without interruption.

Hikari closed her eyes and listened to the sound of their partners scuffling and calling out attacks. "I know it probably looks different now. It just feels like we were so much younger when we were there. Even if it looks exactly the same, it won't be the same." She opened her eyes to look at Takeru. "At least, that's what I think."

"I think you're right," Takeru said. A quiet chuckle escaped him as a crooked smile formed on his lips. "Sometimes it feels like it's been twelve years instead of two."

"We grew up pretty quickly, didn't we?" Hikari did not mean to take the conversation someplace so serious, and she almost regretted asking when she saw the subtle change in Takeru's eyes.

Takeru nodded, his gaze distant, as though seeing something unpleasant. "Yeah." A moment later, the tension in his expression eased and he was smiling again. "But I don't think that's entirely a bad thing, do you?"

For a moment, Hikari watched Tailmon throw a punch at Angemon, who deflected it with his staff. From a distance, the two appeared to be locked in a life or death struggle, but she could see the smiles on their faces as they regarded each other with great respect and affection. She could not imagine her life without Tailmon, or any of the other Digimon in it.

Hikari also noted, as she looked back at Takeru's face, that she did not want to imagine life without him or any of her other friends either.

Slowly, Hikari shook her head, wearing a gentle smile. "I'm thankful. No matter how bad things got… No matter how bad they might get in the future… I don't regret becoming a Chosen Child. I never will."

"Same here," Takeru said, his tone as soft as the expression on his face.

A comfortable silence settled between them once more and Hikari basked in it. The warm sun and breezes that slid between the buildings or were generated by their partners' attacks created a nice contrast. It seemed to be a perfect day.

An unusually strong gust brushed against Hikari, whipping her hair around. She straightened up to brush her bangs away from her eyes, but they did not seem to want to stay. She realized a moment later that her hairclip was missing.

Takeru blinked when he noticed Hikari focusing on the ground rather than the sparring match. "What is it?"

"My hairclip got loose," Hikari said with a sigh. "I think it fell down somewhere around here." With how small the clip was, she doubted that she would ever find it among the wild patches of tall grass and the numerous bits of garbage lying about.

Fortunately, Hikari was proven wrong after about a minute, as Takeru held up his hand with triumph. "Found it!"

Hikari smiled as she watched Takeru use his shirt to wipe off her hairclip. "Thanks, Takeru." She reached out for the clip, but he brought it towards her face.

"Allow me," Takeru said as their eyes met.

Something in his gaze compelled Hikari to stand still, watching him as his fingers gently ran through her hair and slid the clip back into place. She could have sworn that those warm fingers of his lingered far longer than was entirely necessary, but even still they seemed to disappear all too soon.

Takeru leaned back a little too quickly for her taste. "There you go."

The sun felt especially warm on Hikari's face, but she ignored it and relaxed back against the wall, a smile on her face. She really loved gentle summer days like these.

"Thanks, Takeru."