Too Hot to Handle

(Continued entry…)

After the usual summary of the day's happenings to Izumi's parents (leaving out the part about JP's proposal and the date), we went to the kitchen to have a late dinner though I didn't see how Zoë would be able to eat anything. Back at the garden, Takuya and Tomoki seemed to have lost their appetites and Junpei had informed everyone that if no one as interested in having dinner, then he was taking Izumi out for a bite to eat, as they were both hungry. Kōji went to drop Tomoki off home as he seemed too unstable to go home himself on his bicycle. I was to wait for Zoë to come back or her parents would get suspicious if I went back alone. Junpei offered me to go with them but I with clenched teeth told them that they should enjoy their first date alone. Kōichi, after asking five times if I would be ok handling a very distraught Takuya on my own finally decided to stay with us.

Back at the kitchen, I was surprised to see Zoë actually take her normal amount of dinner.

Didn't JP and Zoë already have dinner? I thought. My mind jumped to all sorts of places Junpei could have taken her and what they would've done.

Just as soon as her mother left the kitchen, Zoë emptied more than three quarters of her plate back in the bowl, and looked back at me, smiling, apparently unfelt by the daggers in my eyes.

"That JP sure knows his dates," Zoë says. I continue eating, ignoring her.

"You should've come with us you know, you would've enjoyed a lot. JP took me to this wonderful karaoke bar, the kind with the sound proof walls on every booth, and we ate to our heart's content and sang our hearts out," she teases, knowing my weakness for fast foods.

"Oh, excuse me if I preferred to stay back with Takuya. He has no girlfriend," I reply pointedly.

"Oh," Izumi says airily. "He should get one you know. All the girls I know, both from here and Italy, think he's some sort of god. He has his pick. But I simply don't see what they see in him," Izumi says shaking her head. I agreed but kept quiet, seething inwardly.

"Maybe he doesn't want just a random pick. Maybe he's actually waiting for the right person to come in his life."

Izumi laughs. "Oh, your so called theory of the One again! Listen, how do you expect to score when you don't even play the field?"

"Actually, I'd rather play pinball. Have bumps, tilts and bounces and all but just stick with one ball and do any means just to not let it fall."

"Awww… How can such an angel like you be friends with a steel hearted bitch like me? And I'm supposed to be Fairymon and you Mercuremon."

I didn't find this funny. I was spared to answer when Izumi's mother came back to put away the bowls and dishes. She frowned at Izumi's plate.

"Izumi, what's this? Why is your plate not clean?"

The mystery of why she had not dumped away the rest was solved as Izumi spoke next.

"I'm so full mamma!" she groans. "I had this jumbo ice cream on our way back home. Li ate two ice creams and I don't know how she finished it all." She rubs her stomach for effect.

"Uno stupido!" she scolds her daughter. "How many times have I told you to only take the amount you want to eat and not wasting anything? It's the same thing every day. Do you ever understand what I say?"

Zoë gets up and stretched. "Gome (sorry) mamma. Goodnight, my bed calls me."

Putting my dishes away in a hurry, I run to catch up with her.

"Just out of curiosity, how long do you plan on carrying this?'

She stifles a yawn. "I'm so sleepy. Oh, as long as I don't find someone totally sexy when school starts."

Just as we were sneaking back up, Zoë's father caught us and calls us over. Her mother came back from the kitchen. This time, there was no excuse; visitor's room for me. I tried protesting, that why would Ifeel congested, I share a room back home with two my sisters anyway. But being the hospitable people that they were, they wouldn't hear of it. They said they believed in keeping a person as comfortable as possible, and I couldn't argue back with them, though I'm not saying I didn't try, without sounding rude that is. But I really HAD to talk to Zoë. My problems were solved as I was lying sitting on my futon writing this when Zoë pushes the door open and upon closing it, I saw she had her pillow and sheet in hand and comes to rest beside me.

She giggles. "I knew you were too much of a goody-goody to dare try disobeying my parents."

"Well, I'm not free to disobey them like you are you know," I say.

She laughs. "Sometimes I wish I was in your place. Being an only child makes you want certain weird things, and besides, what's a sleepover without sleeping in the same room? Oh here's an idea. We should so totally have a pyjama party with all the guys. It's been such a long time since we've actually been together!"

"Ummm… Zoë… I don't think any parent in their right mind would allow that."

"Oh come on… It's not like we didn't sleep together all the time in the Digital World."

"I'm pretty sure that was different."

"Well, we could have something like an all-night party… Go bowling or something like that."

"You know what? Talk about it when the time comes."

"Meaning?"

"Meaning, I want to continue where we left of. So you said you'll keep JP as your pet till someone totally smashing comes along. And what about the hots you've had for Kōji?"

She shrugs. "Oh, I just found him hot, that's it. If he still proposes me I'll accept. On trial of course. There's just something sexy about a guy who knows how to fight and can protect you from anyone who tries to harass you. But I don't see that happening, seeing as he's gay. Heavens forbid I'll not be the one ever to ask him out."

"Kōji's not gay!" I say, shocked.

She raises an eyebrow. "Anyone who doesn't fall head over heels for me is gay. This much has always been obvious," she says matter-of-factly.

I fume, because I know she speaks the truth. That only left Kōichi's sexuality in question as we were discussing Tommy's yesterday only. "What about Kōichi?" I ask.

"No, Kōichi's not gay. I see the way he looks at you."

"Kōichi doesn't look at me that differently from anyone. He looks at me the same way he looks at you!"

"No, I don't think so, not anymore, not after seeing you after all this time."

I seriously thought she had gone nuts. And crackers. But then again, she's not the first person tonight who has commented on it, although Takuya had only teased when Takuya, Kōichi and I were the only ones who had remained at the park. Deciding to ignore this comment for now, I press her further.

"Ok, whatever, so coming back to the initial topic. So you'd just use Kōji and then dump him when you're done with him and not even leave left-overs for the girl who might be his One."

She rolls her eyes. "Of course, coz I don't believe in this "the One" nonsense as passionately as you do."

"You are such a promiscuous bitch. If it was someone other than you," I say with venom, "I'd've said that you'd regret all your words and actions when you finally do meet your One. Or you would've already driven him away, refrained him from ever meeting you at all and making sense out of your mass of tangled love lives."

"I may come across a favourite candy once in a while, but you can't just spend all your life licking it without trying and tasting others. I'd rather try all the candies in the shop before deciding which one is my favourite."

"Someday Zoë, you will decide that you want the most expensive and valuable candy in the shop. You'll be wanting it so desperately, but then you'll find out that you're broke, and you just can't buy it. What'll you do then? Someone will buy it before you can come up with any money. And it'll be just gone. Vanished, and lost forever."

She laughs sweetly. "I can always steal. And what're friends for anyway? I'll just simply borrow some from you."

I shake my head, giving up. She is just impossible to deal with, or to make something actually pass by her head. She's just too damn stubborn, not unlike Takuya.

"You are so stubborn. You and Takuya are made for each other."

She laughs airily, breaking it with a huge yawn. "Now if you are done, I'd really like to get some sleep. Tonight drained a lot out of me, and my vocal cords are still sore from all the singing."

She turns her back on me, lifting the covers over her shoulder, leaving me staring at her blanketed back.

Seriously, sometimes I myself wonder how I can be best friends with someone like her. We're so different and hold so many different opinions in many ways.

Checking to see if she was safely asleep, I take out this notebook and am still writing as I'm not sleepy yet. And this is the only time I write, as I don't like people asking me questions about what I am writing or disturbing me when I'm in the process, even my best friends. Sometimes there's this limit.

I reflect upon what happened after JP and Zoë had left, leaving me, Takuya and Kōichi alone in the park.

"So I guess it's just us now," Kōichi says.

"Yeah," I mutter.

"So how're you holding up at Zoë's?" he says trying to make conversation.

"Pretty well," I say. "Her parents seem happy to have me as a guest, seeing Zoë's pretty much been the only one they've to take care of. They make me feel like their daughter only. Auntie even said she wishes I was her daughter too, as I seem to keep Zoë under control. Her words, not mine."

"Well, that's good. Ka-san (mother) is really happy to have Kōji as well. It was really with a heavy heart do-san (father) sent Kōji."

"Really? Why?"

"I think he must've felt he had handed both sons to my mother," Kōichi chuckles.

"Haha! Or maybe he felt that your mother will sue him for full custody."

Kōichi laughs. Even Takuya gives a dry chuckle and finally joins the conversation.

"Tell your mother she's free to have Shinya. I'll personally defend her case instead of me parents'!"

"She can have all my siblings!" I say.

We all laugh at the finally light mood.

Kōichi glances sideways at Takuya before saying, "Wow, it was weird about Zoë and JP."

"So weird!" I exclaim. "I thought Takuya liked her," I say looking at Takuya.

"Nah, if he'd've he would have said something." Kōichi looks at Takuya as well. "Wouldn't you've?"

Takuya sighs lightly. "Not really. What I thought I had for her wasn't serious or anything. But I admit I had just thought about giving it a shot with her you know? See if it worked out. Not that I had much chance anyway, I know she doesn't take her relations seriously."

"You're right about that," I hurry to put in. "She'll no doubt break up with him within the week."

"Yeah, and then you can ask her out Takuya," Kōichi adds helpfully.

Takuya shakes his head, giving what appeared to be a forced chuckle. "Nah. These things are scary, chasing after a girl. I don't think I like anyone being able to control me that way. Besides, there's always this thing about being friends before. Who knows if she inevitably breaks up with me, will I still be able to look at her the same? I mean come on, I'm a dude. You can't make me forget what I've…"

"Hush!" Kōichi interrupts him, throwing me a sidelong glance. When I understood the gesture, I hit Takuya's arm. It always strikes me funny when they act like that, forgetting that I'm – a girl - sitting in their midst, and I as usual have to act dumb and pretend that I haven't heard or understood when they let slip some really nasty code worded language.

"Ow! I only meant it's much better and easier of thinking about her in the lines of sisterly instead of as a hot babe."

Kōichi nods in agreement. I smack him again. Everyone knows how I feel about words like "chick" and "babe", yet they continue to let it slip out some times.

"I'm going to pretend that you didn't say a lot and I didn't hear a lot. But yeah, you are right about the friend part. It'll be so weird if you guys won't be friends anymore. I tried grilling her about this only last night about this for JP but she refused to understand. She says they both are smart and mature enough not to involve friendships with relationships"

"I know," Kōichi says. "But there's also the thing about mutual friends, like all of us. Look at Kōji for example. He thinks of Li and Zoë both as sisters. Imagine if Li and I ever started going out. I'm his brother. It'd definitely be weird for him to be around us anymore, not knowing whose side to take. So how'd we know to take JP's side or Zoë's when they do break up?"

Takuya snapped his head up, a wicked glint in his eyes.

"Kimura, did you just say what I think you said?"

Kōichi blinks "Gome?"

Takuya points at me and Kōichi, index finger pinned at me and middle finger a little raised pointed at Kōichi. Guys are so… crude. That wasn't all. His fingers were apart, but then he kept repeatedly hitting them together like a miniature sock puppet being moved to speak. I felt my ears boiling like they do whenever I'm caught with my hand inside the cookie jar or, like in this case, when I'm embarrassedly immobilised. Or in other words, blushing. But I don't blush, no way. Only my ears heat up. I know this coz whenever it happens I touch them and they feel hot.

"You just said to imagine you with Li."

Kōichi is a bit too slow, and he's confused why my face appears to be flushed. Because I don't blush, it is so beneath me.

"So?" he says, confused.

"Must you be so dense? You just accidentally confessed us your… uhhh… secret desire!" Takuya says, controlling his language in front of me thank Allah! I don't know how much more I could've taken.

Kōichi blinked at least two or three times. Then his cheek starts twitching their habitual way. His mouth gaped open and his face brightened. I guess blushing is not beneath him.

"No… No! That's so not what I…" He stops as Takuya was laughing so hard.

"NO! I just said to imagine if…"

"You and her get together," Takuya completes, still laughing and clutching his sides at Kōichi's expression.

"Yes! I mean no! Kami no, you've got me confused on purpose!"

Looking at Takuya laugh a few giggles escape me. This laugh of Takuya's really seemed genuine, unlike the fake and half-hearted chuckles he was giving earlier. Kōichi and I were both relieved to see him get right back on the track, coz even he smiled weakly. There on, we weren't nervous as what to speak anymore and didn't have to fight to make conversation.

We talked, cracked jokes and had our time. Then we went to the playground of Midtown Garden and on the swings like little kids. Takuya and Kōichi thought they could scare me by pushing me too far too fast but on the contrary I screamed in delight. Kōichi went on the slide after helping a few kids on it first. Takuya went right into the jungle gym type thing and shouted, "Boo!" scaring the hell out of the kids who ran screaming out.

Then we went to the mini basketball court and started playing. Kōichi got tired after a while as he claims he is out of practice and has been really more of a nerd bookish type lately coz he intends to get a full academic scholarship to University of Tokyo with board and tuition. But I didn't see how he'd willingly leave his mother alone, but as we were in such a joyful mood I didn't want to spoil it by bringing it up. Who knows, maybe he was just making excuses anyway.

Takuya however was really pumped up and wanted to continue playing. Being in the basketball team back home, I knew I could whip his butt, so it was with confidence I came back to have a one on one battle with Takuya. Unfortunately for me, Takuya turns out to be as much of a basketball player as football. It was perfectly understandable, seeing as when I tried out for the basketball team in school I turned out to be a little short of natural thanks to my homing skills in football only where I played defender and goalie sometimes in matches with other kids in my area. However, what we played back home was more of futsal without any rules at our local playground. The jerk gave me a very tough and sweaty battle.

Just when I thought my kidneys were going to explode, I was saved when more people came to play. Takuya and I couldn't hog the court, as that's what we virtually had been doing anyway. We were offered to join and be captains of opposing teams and carry on our battle in a team match. Takuya politely declines, talking to all the guys and girls on first name basis. Takuya turns out to be a regular, in a park of the district where Zoë lives. Why am I not surprised?

Then we had the jumbo ice creams which Izumi lied to her mother about having herself. We were licking these when JP and Zoë came back. I stole a sideways glance at Takuya to check his reaction. He had a smile on his face as he and Kōichi went and thumped JP on his back. While they had their usual drone of meaningless guy talk, I looked at Zoë. She really did look like she had a nice time judging by her flushed cheeks. I tried to make out if there had been any kissing or touching, but her face gave away nothing. A mark of professionalism, just like JP's, though I strongly suspect JP's more… Graphical… in his reviews while talking to guys. I think he will spare any or all descriptions of Zoë to our gang, as it was like dating the sister of your friends. And you don't tell how your date went or what you did to your date's siblings. At least, I hope JP won't do anything to embarrass Zoë. He has always appeared to have held a special place for Zoe in his heart.

JP insisted on dropping us girls off. He had his car again which he had brought on his way back from his first date of today. And it wasn't the same girl who he had taken out yesterday. Don't ask, don't tell he had said at the time, but only because Zoë and I were present. I shudder to think of what would happen to his poor girlfriends if he really is deciding on settling down with Zoë.

I couldn't say anything as JP opened the door for Zoë to sit up front of him, as she is now his official "girlfriend". Nor could I say anything when he raised her hands to his lips, even as we all watched.

The ride back was uneventful for me. JP held Zoë's hand. Then he put his hand on her lap, then knee, then around her shoulders. The whole process kept repeating, much to my agony. When we got home, JP looks at me expectantly, waiting for me to exit the car. But I can be just as stubborn. I stared rudely back. JP sighs, as Zoë giggled. He leaned and kissed her on the cheek, then rushed out to open the door for Zoë. I kept an eagle eye on them as I got out by myself as well. He held her hand till we reached the door then pecked her on the lips. There was nothing more he could do with me breathing down their necks, but this really is something new. JP is never shy in front of any of us when it comes to his girls, and actually enjoys PDA. He had to leave before we could ring the bell, to avoid suspicion.

I am still fuming as I get more comfortable on the futon, finally getting ready to sleep. In the last words of this entry, I express my concern about the future. I just hope that Zoë or JP doesn't hurt anyone so badly to divide our whole group. That really won't be cool. And neither of them can then say I didn't warn them. I'll be the first to say I-told-you-so.

6th April '08, Zoë's room, 11:59 pm

This will be a short entry. It's because if Zoë's parents catch us before we have a chance to properly dream up an excuse, we'll be dead. And it's all Zoë's fault; her and her raging hormones.

Zoë was late from her date yesterday also, but we were still able to reach home only a little after 10:30 pm. Zoë's curfew – and mine also since I'm spending the last night at her house – is at 10:00 pm. We had some explaining to do and summarising the day's events carefully, we were able to get away with it. But now? Not much of a chance. Why? We reached home only 5 minutes ago. Reach is probably not the best choice of words. Sneaking in is more appropriate.

Zoë seriously crossed her limits this time. I remember it being past 11 and we STILL aren't home yet. And don't think I had forgotten about the downtown traffic we'll be inevitably hitting in the always clogged streets of Tokyo. I was worried sick, and I couldn't stop pacing like a big anxious feline creature. The guys had all stayed behind for me, and I was really glad of the company. But why wasn't she here yet? I mentally kept screaming. Her parents are so going to kill us. And it was my third and last night even.

I kicked a big stone angrily, causing my nerves to throb. I kneeled with clenched teeth to see if I had broken any nails. The guys were all looking at me bemused. Of course, they're guys, they can never understand about girls' restrictions, having never been imposed on them. Sure they have their own restrictions but they're non serious and guys are easily able to worm out of it. Girls? Not so easily.

Just as I was fearing Auntie was going to call my mother back home and my mother will demand my return by the very next flight even if my family had their scheduled flight tomorrow, headlights pierced the darkened street. They were back. Letting out an angry sigh-scream of relief, I ran to the car waving goodbye to the guys barely half-turning, my dupatta flying off my shoulders. I opened the car door before it could properly stop and got inside the air conditioned vehicle. I simple couldn't believe the smile I saw on Zoë's face. She knew more than me about how much trouble we could both be in.

"Orimoto Izumi!" I yell. "What the hell is the meaning of this? Where the heck WERE you guys?"

I looked accusingly at JP. JP held his hands over the steering wheel in a gesture of surrender and looked at me in the rear-view mirror.

"Gommenasai (I'm sorry) Li-chan. We just lost track of time."

"Fine loss of time!" I said, unable to stop myself yelling. "Do you know how much trouble are we in or have you lost track of that too?"

I turn to Zoë. "Your mother has already called me three to four times!"

"Oh, she called me at least 6 to 7 times," she answers my yelling totally calmly. "You didn't answer did you?"

"Of course I didn't! How could I have? If she would've asked me to give you the phone or something, what the hell would I've said then?"

"Good then. I have a plan Li. You don't have to yell."

"HOW CAN YOU EXPECT ME NOT TO YELL?" I shrieked, my voice growing more and more pitchy with every syllable.

"Wow, you scare too easily."

I remained quiet now, trying to succumb inside myself all the nasty words I had rehearsed to throw at them.

We came from behind her house, not upfront where we could be seen from the front window where a light was still on. JP had his headlights off and slowed his engine to a crawl as to not make much noise, and parked behind Zoë's red Ferrari. We got out after JP kissed her just like last night in front of me. I couldn't see any point of the trouble of coming from the back way, as we would soon have to barge in from the front door anyway as soon as we gathered enough nerve and a ready excuse. But Zoë took my hand and let me towards the side grill with staircase beside the dumpster and which Takuya and the twins had climbed over that day. I thought she intended for us to climb over the grill as well, so I pushed back my sleeves. But Zoë took out a butterfly keychain from her purse and opened the door, locking it behind her. Then upon climbing the steps and reaching the door, Zoë simply used another key from the chain and unlocked that door as well. She pulled the pink curtains aside and we moved the dresser a little, and half jumped through it and quickly covering our tracks.

Some of my stuff and clothes were in Zoë's room only, curled up in a ball I had been too lazy to fold properly and put it back in my overnight bag. My laziness for once proved to be lucky, as there was no way in hell I would risk stepping out of her room and running into her parents. I extricated my night suit from the ball and Zoë and I both changed out of our clothes in record time.

As we lay down to sleep, I question Zoë.

"What are we going to tell your parents?"

"Nothing," she says simply.

"Sure, and they're so gonna let us get away with just "nothing"."

"I'll tell them we were both so tired we went to sleep directly."

"And how and when did we come back?"

"They mustn't have heard us, we'll say."

"Zoë, I'm pretty sure your parents are not that dumb."

"Well, we thought they were asleep, so we opened the door really carefully and slowly with my key instead of ringing the bell and waking them up. Then we came directly here. Come on they'll not really say anything, not as long as you're here. Besides, we're kids. Kids break curfews all the time."

"Won't they think we were up to something bad and suspicious?"

"Li, my parents are not like your parents."

"I know, but still. I'm scared I might not be allowed to visit anymore or something."

"Jesus Li, you worry too much. Now go to sleep and forget all this. And stop worrying. Now, goodnight."

"Goodnight Zoë." I say, dropping the topic.

Is it just me, or Zoë's getting serious? And this was just the second day. Does she really like him? Or is she just falling for JP's allure? But I know JP and I don't really think he'll not use Zoë like this. Besides, it's not like Zoë's inexperienced. On the contrary she has plenty of experience. She sees stuff around her all the time – heck, she's frown up in Italy. And then there are all her stories and her boyfriends whom she remembers only coz she's kept them "numbered". Even JP's like that. I know it's absurd, but I wonder if he really is serious when he said he can make them both settle down.

7th April '08, Monday, 3:17 pm

Izumi was lying on her stomach on her bed, the end of her pen pushing against her chin, trying to decide which subjects to take when we start school tomorrow as we all barged in led by Lili who had let us in. This caused her to jump through the roof. I assume she was in what she'd call her "worst"… Her dad's old shirt and flappers, hair pushed back in a ponytail tied by a rubber band to prevent them getting on her face. It's obvious she hasn't changed since waking up.

I laugh. "Hahaha! It looks like Li is being a terrible influence on you."

"Hey!" Li says. True, she herself was wearing what she almost usually wears; baggy capris, her older brother's T-shirt and her trade mark dupatta which she wore like a scarf in front of her, both sides of chiffon falling over her chest and matching the colour of her capris, giving the appearance of almost choking her. Her long uncombed hair was in a bun, classic Japanese style. She had obviously thought it was a waste of time to comb her hair and tie it properly, and it is a mystery if she has changed since waking up or not. It is hard to believe that someone as small and lazy as her played was packed with suppressed energy.

She would be really pretty if she wore a short skirt for once in her life and lost the dupatta cascading down her chest and styles her hair, like she did on Friday, and trims the split ends which she claims she likes. Even her eyebrows aren't threaded like practically every girl you see nowadays, which actually is serving to display innocence and modesty, like she didn't actually show enough of that. I think the correct term is making an effort.

I will never tell her - because that is just something you don't tell girls, even the ones closest to you - that Kōji and I boxed three guys straight in the jaw for yelling obscenities about her chest size yesterday, obscenities which we can only thank kami-sama she didn't hear and spoil her… innocence.

I don't know why needle-thin girls like Zoë even call her fat, she's perfectly fine. In fact, girls like Zoë would actually look much better if they didn't always make themselves starve to death and instead actually develop more curves. She's like a baby sister I don't have and most probably never will have.

"Ummm… Just give me two minutes," Zoë says.

Without waiting for anyone to answer, she runs to the toilet just a few steps away. And true to her word, she emerges out of it exactly two minutes later, hair combed and pulled back in a catcher and wearing a full sleeved grassland green crinkly Georgette shirt over black skinny jeans.

She must obviously have emergency outfits and stuff in there. This girl is ready for anything. We wouldn't even have seen her in her previous condition if we had announced our visit in advance or even bothered to knock at her door. She's the one who'll actually like guys complimenting her and dropping to her feet every second, like two certain examples present in this room. No boy would ever resist trying to get in her pants. She's the one who always looks her very best every time, I sincerely doubt if she even needs to make an effort. She doesn't need to apply any make-up; her European mother's creamy white skin was what she had inherited. She's the one who doesn't normally apply a shred of eye make-up except mascara. Because she knows doesn't needto spoil her lustrous emerald green eyes by applying anything. She's intelligent enough to know they'll just make her look like an alley cat. Even though she paled in comparison to Li in the uhhh… upper part, she made it up plenty with her lower part, with long slender legs just waiting to be felt and rubbed. Every nerve in her body practically screamed sex appeal.

"Hey, I liked you better that way," I pout, acting disappointed.

"Hey," JP says, putting an arm around her territorially and bringing her closer to him, her head brushing his neck. Something I would never be able to do as easily.

"Awww…" Zoë says, extricating herself from around JP skilfully. "Here's to loving me unconditionally." With that she kisses my cheek. Both mine and JP's face turned red.

"Zoë…" JP tries to begin, but is stopped short when she threw a perfectly adorable smile his way.

I always struggle in vain to prevent the effects Zoë has on me. I, Kanbara Takuya of all people, am not a sucker for looks. It's this guy thing in me, no doubt. Besides, Zoë isn't even my type. She is so not the type to compromise. We would totally go nowhere, who knows better than me that she is impossible to control? She has all her picks, and I am no doubt dead bottom in her list. Heck, she is older than me and never lets me forget it. She's even taller than me. Everyone sees me as the joyful buddy, the one who led them all back in the Digital World. They expect me to always make the right decisions, not knowing what I'm going through inside. Even I don't know what I'm going through inside. I just know that Zoë is hot. Too hot to handle. And like all hot girls, she doesn't give a damn about what others will say.

It's not like I am interested in getting in her pants. I just don't think JP deserves her. He only ever wants girls for sex. And Zoë… No matter how many boys she plays or claims to sleep with, she still has that innocent look on her which she hides. I just feel that way, because I never could and still can't stand ever seeing her hurt. I'm going to protect the little of that innocence which she has left.

That's right. I'm going to break JP and Zoë up hurting her in the least possible way and blame it all on JP. I'm going to bring all his faults in the light and make it like no one would ever know I was responsible. I have a plan.

Uh-oh! Why don't I like the sound of that? What is Takuya planning? Nothing short of utter disaster I hope! XD