Thursday, June 19, 2008
Edited: Tuesday, December 21, 2010
In the previous chapter: Hikari got a glimpse of what life will be like post-palming Miyuki, and she's already sick of it. Fortunately, Miyako managed to cheer her up before she and Akari headed to Shibuya to buy CDs, and Hikari headed home where she finally got to see her brother, Taichi, and meet his friends, Sora, Mimi, Yamato, and Hideki.
Disclaimer: Don't own Digimon. Blah, blah, blah. I do own the Hershey's Factory though. (I wish.)
This chapter was inspired by the song "Hide and Seek" by Imogen Heap. The bolded lyrics featured during Takeru's dream sequence are taken from this song, which I also do not own. Enjoy the chapter!
All-American Girl
By ebacusta
Chapter 4:
Reveries of Forever
Mercifully, Takeru did not have to stay and watch clumsy underclassmen stagger around the gym. Instead, he headed home. By himself. It was the first time he'd been alone after school in a long time. 'Course, it wouldn't last. He'd invited his friends to come over to play video games. Still, for the time being, he had space to think.
He hurried home, eager to beat the rain, and made it successfully into the house just as the first drops began to fall. He took off his shoes, and ran a hand through his hair while untying his tie with the other.
"Mom?" he called, stepping into the front hall of the apartment. He was met by silence. His mom wasn't home. She was never home when he got in from school. Sometimes, she wasn't home until late in the evening. When he was younger, he used to wonder what she spent all her time doing when she was away from the house. 'She was a journalist. A journalist! Couldn't she do that at home with a journal?' he used to think. Now that he was older, he understood: journalists did a lot more than sit around and write in diaries. He yanked the tie from around his neck and began unbuttoning his shirt as he strolled into his room. He stripped off his school clothes and carelessly tossed them aside. He wouldn't have to touch those for two days. Inwardly, he celebrated as he rooted through his closet looking for a good relaxation outfit.
Though, he did need to wash his uniform.
He stopped rooting a moment, thinking about his new assignment. 'Darn it, Takeru. Can't leave well enough alone.' He would give himself a reason to touch those stiff clothes again. He'd do it now. Hurriedly, her pulled out a pair of cargo shorts, a long sleeve t-shirt, and a belt, putting each piece on in turn. The clothes were loose on him. Everything was loose on him. Though his body was definitely in shape—his six-pack (and Miyuki) would attest to that—he felt strange about wearing tight clothes that accentuated his lean figure. As if wearing such clothes was akin to flaunting his good fortune at being naturally good looking. He didn't want to seem conceited. He looped the belt through his pants and fastened it, before grabbing his laundry basket and uniform off the bed and trotting down the hall to the washing machine located in a shallow closet by the bathroom. These clothes needed washing anyway, and he only liked doing laundry once every couple weeks. After dumping his clothes in and starting the machine, he headed back into the living room.
"Let's see," he mumbled to himself, glancing at the clock. "The guys won't be here until six. I've got like half an hour to kill." He collapsed on the couch and picked up the remote control. "Guess I'll see what's on TV." The TV flicked to life and he began to scroll through the channels. "Boring. Boring. Stupid. News. Lame. This looks interesting." He paused on a cartoon showcasing creatures protecting their human partners with an assortment of colorful attacks as they fought off other, menacing creatures. He watched a minute and frowned. 'Is this the latest season of Pokémon?'
"Ice beam!" one of the creatures yelled, opening its mouth and letting a blue beam fire from its mouth towards the advancing enemy.
"That's the way, Geemon!" a blond boy yelped, pumping his fist in the air. Takeru smirked. Geemon. The channel changed as he resumed his channel surfing. Unfortunately, five minutes later, Takeru found himself staring at the wolf-like creature and his partner again. Nothing good was on.
Takeru wasn't sure when he fell asleep (he figured God had looked down and felt pity for the blond suffering from boredom on the couch), but he was thankful, and woke to the sound of someone pounding on his front door and his cell phone blaring music. His friends must have arrived.
Reaching out, he snatched his phone off the table and answered it with a barely coherent word, " 'Lo?"
"TK! Where are you? We're outside!" Toshi exclaimed. Takeru winced and pulled his phone away from his ear. Did Toshi always talk that loud?
"Bederinaminute," he mumbled.
"What?"
"I said 'I'll be there in a minute.'" He enunciated each syllable carefully to ensure Toshi would have no problems understanding him.
"Hmm. Aight!" Toshi hung up and Takeru let his head fall back onto the couch pillow. His eyes closed and opened slowly. He wanted to go back to sleep. If it wasn't for the incessant pounding on his door, he might have succeeded in doing just that. Groaning, he pushed off the couch, splashed some water on his face from the sink in the kitchen, and headed to the front door to let his pals in.
"TK! What took you so long?" Toshi practically yelled as he bounced into the apartment. "WHOO!" Takeru watched him go into the living room and then turned back to the others, a mix of horror and confusion etched across his face.
Ryuji shrugged. "You guess is as good as ours."
"I think he had an energy drink," Akari replied as he loped into the entry hall with the others. He was wearing a sweatband, and had it pushed back so that it restrained his jet-black hair. Or tried to restrain, anyway. Akari's hair was long, and spilled over the sweatband like ink, curving down towards his face. To ensure the most outrageous look possible, he'd gelled the back of his hair so it spiked up and out, fanning like a peacock's tail. His hands were buried in his pockets, his shoulders slumped. Despite his position, Takeru could clearly see what his friend was wearing and could not take his eyes away from it.
"Akari."
"Hmm?"
"What are you wearing?"
The teenage boy straightened, allowing his tight black long-sleeve shirt to fall back in place. It buttoned only halfway down his torso and then stopped, baring his flat, muscled stomach for the whole world to see. The shirt flaps stretched to mid-thigh, making the shirt look like a jacket or coat. His legs were encased by a pair of skin-tight khaki pants, and though a belt encircled his waist, it did not hold up his pants. Rather, it hung off his hip uselessly, and crossed his body at a diagonal, drawing even more attention to his naked abdomen and making him appear even slimmer.
"What?" Takeru stared at him. "Oh this?" he asked, removing his hand from his pocket and pulling at the shirt. "Fumi thought it would look good on me. She bought it for me yesterday," he shrugged, returning his hand to his pocket, and then continued into the living room. Takeru turned to look at Ryuji and Daisuke. He appeared lost.
"Don't ask," Ryuji sighed, shaking his head. Takeru wanted to, but merely shut the door and headed into the living room with his two remaining companions. What was wrong with his friends?
"So, what do you guys want to play?" Takeru asked, opening the cabinet that held his game systems and video games. "We got Guitar Hero, Mario Kart, Wii Sports…" He listed off a couple more options, but the boys weren't listening. They were exchanging glances, sizing each other up.
"Wii Sports!" they interrupted him.
"In teams," Ryuji added as Takeru placed the game into the console and began throwing Wii remotes to his guests.
"Hmm… what do you say about Ryuji and Takeru versus me and Daisuke," Toshi asked.
"What game?" Takeru asked, sitting on the couch and navigating through the menu.
"Tennis," Daisuke piped up. Akari, meanwhile, perfectly content to watch, seated himself in a cushy chair where he would not be in harm's way.
"Hey, before we start, help me move this table. Mom'll kill me if anything in here gets broken, and I know you buffoons will crash into anything within a five foot radius of your bodies," Takeru chided as he carefully removed his mother's vases, lamps, books, and decorative candy bowls and put them on the kitchen counter. Toshi and Ryuji each grabbed an end of the table and moved it effortlessly to the wall, where it would be out of harm's way.
Dusting off his hands, Takeru rejoined his buddies and picked up his Wii remote, securing it to his arm. "Okay, you fools. Let's go."
After about 45 minutes of intense non-stop playing, the boys had begun to complain about hunger. Unhappy with the selection in Takeru's fridge, they'd decided to split the cost of a couple of pizzas. Twenty minutes later, they kicked Takeru and Daisuke out to go pick up the food.
"I'm telling you, TK. She can't stop thinking about me," Daisuke bragged as he and Takeru walked down the street.
Takeru looked at Daisuke with a bemused expression on his face. "Oh really? Do you guys talk on the phone every night?"
Daisuke frowned. "No. But I catch her looking at me with those beautiful red eyes all the time in class. I can tell that her heart longs for me. Dare I say that I've already won our little bet?"
Takeru laughed. "I wouldn't declare victory just yet. Look, there she is." He raised a hand and pointed at two girls strolling down the street towards them. One of them was Hikari, the other was a tall, beautiful, red-head girl, who Takeru vaguely recognized. Hikari appeared to be relating a story to her friend. As she concluded, the two girls burst into laughter. Takeru grunted as his stomach cramped painfully.
Daisuke didn't notice the barely audible sound his friend had made or that the blond had grabbed his stomach and doubled over slightly. The brunet grinned. "Watch and learn, small pint." Pushing Takeru to the side, he walked forward confidently and smiled. "Hikari!"
She stopped laughing and turned to him. Her thousand-watt smile faded as she stared at him, the wheels in her mind turning. Her mouth hung open slightly as she squinted her eyes, as if doing so would help her think of his name. After a minute, a shy, somewhat hesitant and apologetic smile crossed her face. "D-Dai…chi?"
A laugh caught in Takeru's throat. Instead of letting it out like he wanted to, he smiled at them, his shoulders shaking only slightly. Daisuke stared at her in silence a moment, clearly caught off guard by her response. "I'm sorry?" he said finally.
"I'm sorry, I don't recall… What was your name again?"
"Daisuke. It's Daisuke," he mumbled, looking slightly crestfallen.
Hikari's face went a bit pink with embarrassment. "I'm so sorry, Daisuke. So many names and faces. But I remember you. Yes. We saw each other the other day in Iris."
"Iris? Isn't that a cosmetics store?" Takeru asked, raising his eyebrow.
"Yeah. He was buying makeup for his girlfri—"
"Sister!" he exclaimed, cutting her off. "For my sister. I'm single, no girlfriend." He chuckled awkwardly. "And yes, that was me." Takeru could barely contain his laughter. This was just too much. Daisuke in a cosmetics store buying makeup for his sister? Yeah, and Takeru moonlighted as Superman.
"Yeah, your sister. Did she like the eye shadow shades we picked out for her?" Hikari asked, her eyes shining. She watched him carefully, genuinely interested in his response.
Daisuke's cheeks reddened. "Yeah. She loved them."
"That's wonderful!" Hikari exclaimed. "I'm so glad." The red-head beside the brunette cleared her throat, causing the shorter girl to jump. "Oh! I'm sorry. Forgive my rudeness; this is my friend, Sora."
Sora smiled and nodded her head at both of them. "Nice to meet you."
"Nice to meet you," Daisuke said.
Sora. Takeru's ears perked up. The name rung a bell. He studied her a moment and then suddenly it clicked. Takeru studied Sora. She'd changed a lot since he'd last seen her. "We've met before," Takeru answered, smiling. "It's nice to see you again, Sora."
"Likewise, Takeru," she replied.
"Well that's just great!" Hikari exclaimed clasping her hands together. They all exchanged looks as they stood together in silence, the hustle and bustle of Friday night activity continuing around them. "Um… well, we've got to go. I'll see you at school on Monday."
"Yeah," Takeru replied. "Have a good weekend."
"You too." They watched the two girls disappear into the crowd, chatting and laughing again as if they'd never been interrupted.
"Clearly she hasn't been able to get you out of her mind, Daisuke," Takeru broke the silence, laughing.
"Shut up," Daisuke replied, turning away from his blond friend. His face flushed a lovely shade of cherry red.
"And your meeting at Iris must have been fated. Not like you were stalking her or anything," Takeru continued as they started down the street again.
"Shut up."
"I mean really, Daisuke. You don't even like your sister. Why would you be buying her makeup? It sounds to me like you just used it as an excuse to get Hikari to talk to you."
"As much as I like to pretend Jun doesn't exist, it was her birthday. I couldn't just not get her something. So I went to Iris and Hikari helped me pick out a gift." Daisuke shoved his hand in his pockets, dejected that Hikari had not remembered him.
"Ah. Yes. And I can tell those long hours spent together after school paid off. She knows you like the back of her hand," Takeru chuckled.
"Shut up!" But Takeru couldn't hear his friend's angry exclamation. He was too busy hooting with laughter. What a great story to tell the guys when he got back home!
After two more hours of competitive Wii tennis playing, Takeru and his friends collapsed onto the furniture and flicked beads of sweat off their foreheads. "Well," Ryuji sighed as if he'd just run a marathon without breaking a sweat. "It was fun beating you guys." His friends grumbled. "Yep. Sometimes, you just can't help but lose."
"Oh, shut up," Toshi replied. Ryuji and Takeru laughed and pounded their fists together.
Akari grinned. "Upset that you came in last, Toshi?" he asked. Takeru and Ryuji had dominated the teams' bracket, but Akari had beaten them both in individuals. Toshi didn't respond. Instead, he made a face and turned away, crossing his arms.
"Don't cry to Mommy, Tosh," Ryuji said, looking at the boy with a mix of annoyance and indifference. Toshi ignored him, however. The boys were spared Toshi's dramatics when Daisuke's phone began to vibrate.
"Hey, g5 is playing in an open air concert in Hitsubiki Park!" Daisuke shooting straight up. The boys perked up at the mention of g5, an up-and-coming band consisting of four amazingly hot girls, and whose front man had them convinced she was the hottest thing to hit Earth since the sun.
"g5?" Ryuji repeated. "What are we doing hanging around here then?" He pushed himself to his feet and started towards the door. "I want to see them. Anyone care to join me?" The other boys didn't need much cajoling. They practically bit each others' heads off to get through the door. "TK, you coming?"
Takeru considered it a moment. It was no secret that the lead singer made him drool and he thought the bassist had some of the most amazing legs he'd ever seen. But for whatever reason, he wasn't feel shallow enough to truly enjoy the show. "Nah, I'll pass," he said, standing up. "I think I'll just move the furniture back and maybe turn in a little early. I feel kinda tired."
Ryuji regarded him like he'd suddenly grown a second head. "You must be to turn down a free show featuring g5. I hope you feel better, man." He headed towards the hallway where Daisuke had just poked his head back in to yell at Ryuji to hurry up. Ryuji paused a moment, "Oh, and TK. You need to man up. No male ever turns down a show to see hot girls throw themselves around a stage, acting completely crazy to music because he's tired. I'll let it slide this time, but make sure it never happens again."
Takeru laughed. "Thanks, Ryuji. I appreciate it."
Ryuji clicked his tongue at his best friend, winked, and headed into the hall. "See ya."
"Bye. Oh, and Ryuji!" Takeru called after him. "Real men don't wink. Work on it."
Takeru heard the boy chuckle as he opened the door. "Oh, shove it, Takaishi." Takeru snickered as the door closed. He reassembled his mother's living room, turned off his game system, and put away the parts, and then dropped onto the couch and kicked his feet up. He stared at the ceiling, allowing his mind to replay the day's events. It was fairly normal day. He'd walked to school with his girlfriend, spent break and lunch with her, and then kissed her goodbye at the end of the day when she'd gone to Cheer. But then, Ryuji and Takeru had decided to cut across the grounds to reach the front gate from the cheer practice room. In the process, they'd passed the swimming pool.
Yes. They'd passed the swimming pool.
And they had seen her.
The chain link fence rattled as my hand hooked on the metal. The sky was thick with dark clouds looming above us like oppressive shadows. The humidity was suffocating me. "I can't believe they're still out swimming," I said, glancing at the sky. The clouds looked like they'd burst open any second.
Ryuji stepped up beside me and rested his hand against the metal as well. The fence rattled again. "It's not raining yet," he shrugged. I cracked a smile. Ryuji was always like that, calm, reasonable, and logical—except when parties were involved. Then he became someone completely different. A stranger to his usual personality. Ryuji stared at the people trotting around the clear pool in skin tight bathing suits. His gaze remained steady, almost as if he were undressing them with his eyes, eager to see what they had to hide.
I knew he wasn't, but that was Ryuji. His stare was always penetrating and uncomfortable for those unused to the piercing gaze. A slight breeze picked up as we watched a girl stride towards the diving blocks. Her body oozed confidence. I could tell she owned the water.
"Hey, isn't that Hikari?" Ryuji suddenly piped, poking his finger through the space between the chain links, pointing at the girl, as she now stepped up onto the block. She paused, her hand resting on the goggles that hung around her neck for a quick moment. Then, she pulled the eye protectors into place and tucked her brown hair carefully into her swim cap. Instantly, I flashed back to Wednesday afternoon, when I'd held her lithe figure in my arms. Her brown hair was the color of creamy milk chocolate. I imagined it was as silky smooth as her skin. My cheeks began to burn at the thought of our previous encounter.
"She's getting ready to swim!" Ryuji's voice brought me jarringly from my reverie.
Hikari knelt on the block, and pushed her rear into the air. Dread settled like rocks in my stomach, forcing a painful cramp. What was that? Nerves? Though it seemed unlikely, she was against three other people. Perhaps I was just getting a bit needlessly competitive. What were they doing anyway? Speed trials?
"READY!" I heard the coach yell. Another cramp. "SET! GO!" I gripped the fence and pulled myself against it, as if the close proximity would help me see the race better. She dived into the water like a tiger and tore through the blue liquid ferociously, splitting it effortlessly. My eyes were glued to her as she drew a bit ahead of her competitors.
'Faster,' I thought, urgently. 'Faster. Faster.' She had to win. Nobody knew what to expect from her. She could outrun them all without breaking a sweat. She could become the new queen. Fumiko hadn't lied. Hikari was fast. Her arms arched and dipped into the water, her head snapped to the side as her mouth gaped open, sucking in air. Such power. Such grace. Such determination. She was like a cherry blossom tree. Wispy, wiry limbs that could withstand the elements, topped with, of course, the beautiful cherry blossoms. Behind her pretty face, I sensed a wealth of inner strength.
Her hand tagged the wall, and she surfaced, gasping for air, but grinning at the same time as she lifted her goggles off her face, pulling herself out of the pool, water running down her body, dripping onto the ground.
She could win. She could become the new queen.
And strangely, I realized that I wanted her to. But become the new queen of what? A feeling of queasiness swept through my body. Why did I suddenly feel like I was betraying someone? I let go of the fence and turned away, distraught. "Let's go, Ryuji."
Ryuji turned to me. "What?" he asked incredulously. "She was incredible! How can you want to leave? We could stay and watch another heat."
I shuddered at the thought. If I stayed here any longer, I was going to lose my lunch. "I'm going home," I said, walking away. "See you in a little bit."
The cherry blossom.
He closed his eyes and took in a slow deep breath. The feeling of betrayal still haunted him. He just wanted to go to sleep and forget. He took in another deep breath and let it out slowly. Just as he was drifting off, a sharp knock on the door jolted his senses to full alert. His eyes snapped open and he glanced at the clock. 10:00. Who could be calling at this hour? His friends would be at the concert by now.
The knock came again and Takeru pushed himself off the couch and headed into the front hall. "Who is it?" he called, unlatching the door and pulling it open.
The sight in front of him caught him off guard. "It's me!" the girl standing at the door jam exclaimed, smiling from ear to ear.
"Miyuki," Takeru gasped in disbelief. "What are you doing here?"
"I thought maybe you'd like to take me out to a movie," she replied, stepping into the front hall and pushing the door shut behind her. "And maybe we could grab a bite to eat as well." She smiled up at him, and Takeru felt his heart speed up. She really was gorgeous. When she looked up at him through her lashes like that, Takeru felt the air leave his lungs. He wanted to stay home and sleep, but he couldn't say no.
"All right. Lemme grab my wallet," he said and headed into his room.
"That was an awesome movie!" Miyuki gushed as she exited the theater with her boyfriend. Takeru begged to differ, but said nothing. Instead, he stared up at the lights and blinked rapidly, trying to get his eyes to adjust. Takeru hadn't enjoyed the movie at all. Miyuki had dragged him to John Tucker Must Die. In other words, a chick flick. Was she trying to emasculate him? Takeru's masculinity didn't feel any less threatened when he turned around and saw girl after girl after girl leaving the theater behind him, all chattering about the movies charm (and its charming leading man). "I completely identify with Kate," Miyuki continued, grabbing Takeru's arm and leaning against him. Her voice sounded like the whine of an animal faking injury. "We are like the same person."
'You're nothing like Kate,' Takeru thought. 'Kate was a sincere girl who got caught up in trouble. You probably would have come up with the plan to torture John and then executed it all by yourself.' He grimaced when he realized that he sadly knew the story of the film.
"A nobody who turned into a somebody after three girls, who weren't good enough for the hottie, got dumped and forced her to join them in their plan for revenge," Miyuki sighed. "Girls at school try to do that to me too." Takeru looked around for a trashcan into which he could hurl. Wasn't she the one typically bullying people to do her bidding? She'd completely tilted the movie and turned herself into some tragic heroine.
'I don't think you were ever a nobody, Miyu. You would have died before sinking to that level,' Takeru thought. But… at least she had fun. She seemed to glow with enthusiasm as she cast her peers in various roles.
"And you are Scott," she said, tapping his nose gently with finger. "My knight in shining armor." She smiled widely at him, and snuggled her nose against his. Takeru was horrified. Next thing he knew, they'd be getting manicures together. He eyed the people walking around them, trying to make sure none of them saw him standing there, snuggling like a two-year-old with his girlfriend. He didn't know why the act embarrassed him, but it did.
"Miyu, stop it," he said, turning away. "People are watching." Miyuki was surprised at first. He'd just pushed her away! But when she saw the faint blush on his cheeks, visible only because they still stood in the theater's lighted complex, she couldn't help but smile. He was embarrassed. How cute!
"Oh snookems, you don't have to feel embarrassed about snuggling with me. I'm the hottest girl here. The guys'll forgive you." But would they? Takeru returned her smile with a watered down, less enthusiastic version. He wasn't so sure. Anyway, best to take his mind off it. "So, where do you want to eat?" he asked.
"Hmm… I'd kill for some Italian," she said, fluttering her eyes at him.
Takeru looked at his watch. "I don't think there will be any Italian restaurants open at this time of night, Miyu."
She sighed, melodramatically. "Then, I guess I'll settle for a burger. But you owe me an Italian dinner."
"Sure," Takeru smiled, and they set off down the street. It didn't take them long to reach the burger place. They were seated, and soon after placed their orders.
Miyuki quickly fell back into her role casting. "The cheerleader would definitely be played by Miyako. She's full of herself and thinks she's amazing when she really is just stupid. Thinks she's good at sports when she sucks. And, she thinks she's pretty when she's ugly." Takeru winced. Personally, Takeru thought Miyuki would have fit that role better. For one, she actually was Cheer captain, and another, she was really pretty, and like the character in the movie, she thought that she had a right to the best player on the basketball team because she was Cheer captain
"Yumi would be a good person to fill the role of that vapid girl. After all, Yumi's just a pretty face. A pretty face after spending hours in front of the mirror, of course," Miyuki added, smiling to herself. She rested her head in her hand, and sipped her shake, daintily. Of course Miyuki would never hand a true compliment to her archnemesis. It would always be a backwards—an insult disguised as a compliment. Miyuki continued, "She had a third eye today. Did you see it, Takeru? It was throbbing. I swear it was alive. If it wasn't so greasy, we could probably live on it when the Earth is destroyed by global warming."
Takeru didn't say anything. He just nodded, somewhat grossed out by the image of a pulsing, greasy pimple she'd just put in his head. He had seen Yumi today. And he knew that the pimple—did she even have one? He hadn't noticed—did not even remotely resemble Miyuki's description. Their food arrived and he just stared at it. He wasn't even hungry anymore. He supposed he could take it home for his mother.
"Hmm… now, who to cast for the smart, overachieving, artistic slut?" She tapped her finger against her cheek in wonder, really pondering her quandary.
Takeru swallowed roughly. That was more than just a little bit harsh. "I… I don't think that's a fair representation of her character," he mumbled, hoarsely.
"What?" Miyuki asked, leaning forward. "I didn't hear you."
"Carrie. She wasn't like that," Takeru replied. "Yeah, she was smart and artistic, and true she was an overachiever, but she wasn't a slut. Beth was closer to a slut than she was. Carrie was classy."
Miyuki snorted and scoffed. "Oh please. She probably spends her life holding her legs open. That's probably why her legs are so fat. They're bulging with muscle." She crinkled her nose and shuddered, ever so slightly.
"Where do you even get that?" Takeru asked. "There was no indication in the movie that she was like that at all."
"Takeru. I spend my life around girls like her. I know how they act. They're all the same. They pretend to be goody-goody, smarty-pants, but really, they'll bend over for anything that moves," Miyuki smirked knowingly.
Takeru's stomach cramped. He grunted and motioned to the waiter to get him a box and bring the check. As usual, Miyuki hadn't even touched her food. He dropped his hand beneath the table and rested it against his stomach, sighing. His masculinity was long gone.
"Ah!" Miyuki exclaimed, snapping her fingers suddenly. "I know the perfect person to play Carrie." Oh, Takeru really didn't want to hear it. He suspected she'd name Chieko, the poor girl who practically washed Miyuki's feet clean with her tongue, as Carrie, because Miyuki constantly told him the girl would sleep with every boy in school if Miyuki told her too. Personally, he didn't feel that was a good thing for Miyuki to brag about. He picked up his drink and gulped some down. "Yagami Hikari."
The liquid caught in his throat and spewed from his mouth. Miyuki looked at the puddle of soda beside her, her mouth curved downward in disgust. "Ew, Takeru!" she exclaimed, but he was too busy choking and coughing to reply.
"WHAT?" he finally gasped out, gripping the edge of the table in disbelief. "Yagami Hikari? Where do you get off with that one?"
Miyuki looked at him disinterested. "Takeru, please. She's from California, she clearly thinks she's better than anyone else, and she's a loser who has nothing better to do than kiss Yumi's bum and do homework. She gets perfects scores on like everything, and she loves all the attention she gets from all the guys. She's probably gonna get nailed by one this weekend." Takeru's stomach wretched slightly, and his brow furrowed deeper and deeper with each word she said.
"Miyuki! That's ridiculous! You're just mad that she didn't want to join your little posse!" he snapped suddenly.
Miyuki looked taken aback. She didn't say anything as her face contorted into several different expressions. She was trying to understand. "Excuse me?" she finally choked out.
"You heard me. Miyuki, you're being silly. The school does not have to be divided into people who support you and people who don't. You insulted her friend this morning and then expected her to fall down and kiss your feet? Why would she? You were so rude. Why do you always act like this?"
Miyuki's face turned bright red, and Takeru knew it was from anger. But whether she clutched the table to stabilize herself or to fling it at him remained a mystery. Her eyes narrowed. "Why do I always act like what?" she spat, daring him to answer her.
He was on thin ice, he could tell. But for once, he didn't care. "Like a jerk?" Takeru shot back.
Miyuki's mouth fell open. "I'm a jerk? She's the jerk! I did nothing wrong, and she completely humiliated me."
"She didn't do anything except defend her friend! If you ever bothered to really talk to her, you'd know that she's a nice person. A really nice person who has a genuine interest in the people around her." 'Which is definitely more than I can say for you right now.' He almost said she was like a cherry blossom tree, but decided it would make him sound a little strange, and perhaps give the impression he'd been thinking about her a lot. Which he hadn't.
"Are you standing up for her?" Miyuki seethed.
"Yeah. Yeah, I am," Takeru replied, standing up. "I'm outta here." He flung several bills on the table and stomped from the restaurant. He new she was going to be mad at him, but even though he knew he should, he just couldn't bring himself to care.
Miyuki sputtered as she watched him go. She stood up and called after him, "Takeru. Takeru!" He didn't even acknowledge her voice. Instead, he pushed through the restaurant door and let it slam shut behind him. She stared at the door in disbelief. Takeru had just yelled at her. He had just walked out in the middle of their date. He had just stood up for her. That self-centered, no-good, boyfriend-stealing whore. There was no end to the things Miyuki was feeling, but she could identify one above the others.
She felt angry. She felt sad. She felt confused. But most of all, Miyuki felt betrayed.
He lay in complete darkness, his body feeling weightless. Where was he? Squinting into the darkness, he tossed his head from side to side, trying to see something—anything that might tell him where he was. Was he flying?
He sat up. Or at least he thought he sat up, he couldn't tell. Staggering to his feet, he stood stark still, waiting for something to jump out of the shadows and maul him to death. Instead, a flash of light caught his eye, and he spun around to face it. A girl was standing there, glowing, her big red eyes shining with happiness as she smiled.
"Hikari?" he asked. His voice echoed into the darkness. The room he stood in must have been large and empty.
"Takeru," she said, walking toward him. He felt like he should say something, but nothing came to mind until she was standing right in front of him. Ba-dump. Ba-dump. Ba-dump. What was that noise? He turned his head in both directions again, tensing should he need to protect her from something. She stood on her tip-toes and wrapped her arms around his neck pulling him down to her height as she embraced him. Ba-dump. Ba-dump. Ba-dump. "Thank you."
"For what?" he asked when she pulled away and looked at him. She nodded her head and stared over his shoulder until he turned around. A boy emerged from the black background, staring straight at him. Takeru peered at him, and then jerked back, surprised. "That's me." His clone's eyes were swimming with some unidentifiable emotion. Anguish, perhaps? Takeru frowned. Hikari thanked him for himself? "Hikari, wha—?" he began, but stopped when he turned around. Hikari was nowhere to be found.
Ba-dump. Ba-dump. Ba-dump.
What was that noise! Takeru spun in a circle, desperate to find its source. His eyes landed on his unmoving companion. Ba-dump. Ba-dump. Ba-dump. There was something in his chest. Takeru strained to see what it was. As he approached his look-alike, his breath caught in his throat. A hole. There was a hole in chest. Takeru could see his heart beating steadily. Takeru looked up at himself, his face the picture of confusion. "You too," the boy in front of him said. He looked down at his own chest and saw the same hole revealing his own heart.
Ba-dump. Ba-dump. Ba-dump.
"But why?" he asked. "I don't understand." But the boy did not answer. Instead, he stared over Takeru's shoulder, until the boy hesitantly turned around, afraid of what he might see. Another girl had appeared in the darkness, though her eyes were filled with sadness. "Miyuki." He glanced over his shoulder to see if his double had remained, but he too had disappeared.
Ba-dump. Ba-dump. Ba-dump.
"Hey. What's that you've got in your hand?" he asked his girlfriend. Whatever it was, it was pulsing in her grasp. Ba-dump. Ba-dump. Ba-dump. The noise sounded far away now.
Mmm, whatcha say?
Mmm, that you only meant well?
Well, of course you did.
Takeru looked down and panicked. "That's my heart!"
"I know," Miyuki replied, giving him a small smile.
"Why did you take it?"
"I didn't. You gave it to me. I have only the best hopes for it." She cupped it in her hands, and gazed down at it as a mother might gaze at her child.
Mmm, whatcha say?
Mmm, that it's all for the best.
Of course it is.
"But I need that," Takeru pleaded. He felt empty. He placed his hand to his chest. It felt hollow. "I can't… I can't feel anything."
"It's for the best that you don't. Then you'll never leave me," Miyuki replied. "I love you, Takeru. I would never do anything to hurt you. I just want to protect us."
Mmm, whatcha say?
Mmm, this is just what we need,
You decided this.
"No," Takeru gasped. "I don't… I don't want to be like this. I need it… I need it." He felt as if he should have been crying, as if maybe tears would get her to change her mind. But all he could do was contort his face to show the intense distress he felt at being separated from the organ that kept him alive. All his tears were beating in her hands.
"This is what we need, Takeru. No one will ever be able to take you away from me," Miyuki smiled. "Now we can be together forever."
Mmm, whatcha say?
Hmm, what did she say?
"Forever?" Takeru asked.
Her smile warmed, as if she knew he was warming up to the idea himself. "Forever." The word echoed in the darkness as she faded from view. Unlike a normal echo, however, the word did not decrease in volume each time it repeated. It stayed strong, pounding against his skull, begging for entry.
He didn't understand. 'Forever? Forever is impossible,' he thought. 'Mom and Dad couldn't last for forever…. Mom and Dad.' Instantly, the wall of night in front of him flickered to life, as if it was a television, and he'd just hit the power button. It replayed several scenes of his early life: when his parents had been married, when the fighting started, and finally when they decided to divorce.
Divorce. Pain. Everything around him flashed, and filled with color. He turned around and saw he was standing in the park he passed everyday on his way to school. And there were two little blond boys playing in the grass. He'd stepped into a memory?
"Come on, Takeru. We have to go home. It's almost dinner time," the taller of the two children said.
Yamato.
The younger Takeru poked out his lip. "I don't want to go home, Yamato. Mom and Dad are always mad at each other. And they fight."
"Things happen like that sometimes, Takeru. It'll be okay," Yamato replied, though his own eyes betrayed his true feelings.
'He lied,' Takeru realized in surprise. 'He knew it wasn't going to work out.' Takeru wasn't sure why that shocked him like it did, but he'd always put stock in the fact that Yamato had trusted their marriage would work until the end. He'd always believed that Yamato had been just as stunned by their separation as he had. But Yamato had known all along.
"Oh. All right," the younger boy acquiesced and stood, brushing the dirt off his knees. Yamato started walking, stuffing his hand in his pockets. "Do you think we can get some ice cream on the way home?" Takeru yelled after his brother, running to catch up with him.
Yamato hesitated. "I dunno… Mom wouldn't like you eating before dinner."
"Please? Please, please, please," Takeru begged.
"I don't think that's a good idea, little T. But we can get some tomorrow." That wasn't good enough. Takeru wanted some today! But Yamato just shook his head. Takeru pouted and pushed his lip out, intent on making sure Yamato knew Takeru was mad at him. As a result, he wasn't paying attention to the ground, so he tripped over crack in the sidewalk and skinned his knee. His mind didn't even register what had just happened until large tears welled up in his eyes and began to trek down his cheeks.
"Takeru!" Yamato rushed to his side. He wasn't bleeding, but it still hurt. But Yamato bent down and brushed his lips against Takeru's dirty knee. Takeru stopped crying, and sniffled, as Yamato smiled up at him. "Does it feel better?" Takeru nodded, rubbing his hand against his eye. Yamato's smile widened. "Good," he said, standing up. He bent down and helped Takeru to his feet, brushing off his knee. He led the shorter boy into a convience store bathroom and washed his knee. "You've been so strong. I bet that really hurt," Yamato said, sympathetically. Takeru nodded, sniffling. "How 'bout that ice cream now?"
Takeru grinned widely. "Okay!" Yamato held his hand out and Takeru clasped it. Together, they began walking down the street, into a blinding white light.
"Wait!" the older Takeru exclaimed racing after the younger versions of himself and his brother. He wanted to see more. They'd really connected when they were younger, but now, he didn't really talk to his brother, much less see him. But the white light enveloped him, and he found himself blinded by it.
Takeru woke up, bleary eyed as usual. He sat straight up, and rubbed his eyes, trying to focus them. Man, that sunlight was annoying, shining right in his face. His hair jutted from his head like dangerous spikes, ready to impale anything that came too close. He thought back to the dream he'd just waken from.
'Yamato.'
He studied the wall in wonder a moment and then threw back his covers and stumbled toward the closet. He hadn't seen his brother in a while. Perhaps it was time to pay him a visit. "Mom?" he yelled out in the off chance she might be home. "Mom?" Bah. Pulling on his pants and shirt, he shuffled out and down the hall. Maybe she was still sleeping, he thought as he poked his head into her room. The bed was still perfectly made up as it had been the night before. 'Or maybe she never came home.' Grumbling, Takeru slammed the door and headed into the kitchen for some breakfast. A single piece of paper was lying on the otherwise immaculately clean counter.
"A note?" he wondered aloud, picking it up.
Takeru, the note began, Thank you for the burger last night. You are such a thoughtful son. I don't know what I would do without you. I truly appreciate you, and love you more than words can convey. Enjoy your Saturday. Love, Mom.
Takeru smiled and folded the note and placed it in his pocket. Sure he knew his mother loved him, but reassurance was always nice.
An hour later, Takeru stood outside his brother's apartment, pounding on the door. It wasn't that early. Yamato should have been up by now. The blond sighed and looked around, feeling slightly stupid. Maybe he should have called to make sure Yamato was going to be home. What if he'd stayed out late or if he'd spent the night somewhere else? Another thought dawned on him, filling him with terror. Or, even worse, what if he was here with a girl? Maybe that's what was taking him so long; he was trying to get dressed.
Takeru shuddered. Oh god. Why had he thought about that? Now he had all these disgusting images in his head. "Ugh. I need to leave." He turned and hurried down the hall just as he heard the door open behind him.
"Takeru?" a deep voice asked. He turned to see who had called him. Yamato had poked his head through the door and was now staring at his visitor.
"Yamato," Takeru replied. "What's up?"
"Not much. Did you need something?"
"No. I just stopped by. I thought we could hang out today, but if you're otherwise occupied, I'll go."
"No, no. Come in. I'm not busy at all," Yamato replied, stepping aside and holding the door open.
"I didn't wake you, did I?" Takeru asked, entering the apartment and looking around. He hadn't visited this place in a while.
"Er, no. I was just… uh…"
"Yamato!" a feminine voice yelled from the depths of the apartment.
Oh god. A girl!
Takeru's face turned beet red as he turned to make a beeline for the door. How embarrassing would it be to meet the younger sibling on the morning after?
"Takeru, where are you going?" Yamato asked, clamping his hand onto Takeru's shoulder.
Takeru stammered, trying to cool the heat in his cheeks. "I didn't realize—I'll just go. It's awkward. I mean, I'm sure she's pretty, but meeting her now? I'm sorry."
Yamato stared at him as if Takeru had just asked him what the square root of 72,361 was. "Dude, what are you talking about?"
"Oh. Hey Takeru!" the feminine voice exclaimed from behind him. The younger boy glanced over his shoulder and breathed a sigh of relief. Ah! Good. It was Sora, Yamato's roommate's girlfriend.
"Hey Sora," Takeru replied. "And I wasn't talking about anything, Yamato." He turned his attention back to the female standing at the end of the entrance hall. "How are you, Sora?"
"I'm good, thank you. And you? You're here kind of early," she said with a broad smile.
Takeru shrugged. "Yeah. I had a…" Hold up. Saying he'd had a dream about Yamato was not cool. Definitely creepy, definitely weird. 'Quick, Takeru. Think of something else!' "Akari, Ryuji, and them were over last night and we played some video games. Just reminded me of Yamato. I thought I'd stop by."
"Oh yeah? You wanna play some video games?" the older boy asked. Takeru shrugged and followed his older brother down the hall into the kitchen. "Lemme finish eating. Have you had anything?"
"Yeah, I ate at home," Takeru replied.
"All right. You want something to drink? Can I tempt you with a beer? If not, we've got milk, water, and orange juice," Yamato listed, studying the contents of the refrigerator.
"I'll take the beer."
"Good choice," Yamato grinned, pulling back clutching two beers in his right hand. He knocked the refrigerator door shut with his hip and handed one of the brown bottles to his younger sibling.
"Thanks," Takeru said, popping the lid off the bottle and putting it to his lips. He poured some of the amber liquid down his throats and licked his lips as he grabbed a seat beside his brother.
"Yamato," Sora chided from the doorway. "I can't believe you're drinking beer right now. It's ten-thirty in the morning."
Yamato shrugged. "Beer is beer. Getting drunk before noon is the real tragedy." He tipped his beer to the red-head and took a long gulp of it.
"But with cereal?" Sora asked, her nose crinkling.
He laughed. "Oh Sora. It's good. C'mere." He waved her over and offered her the bowl. She looked between the cornflakes and her blonde friend to see if he was serious. He merely smiled and shoveled several spoonfuls into his mouth and chewed happily, before washing it down with another swig of alcohol. "See? I did it. Go on."
Sora regarded him with disbelief one more time, but when all she saw was Yamato's encouraging smile, she leaned down and stuffed a large helping of cereal into her mouth and followed quickly with swallow of beer from Yamato's bottle.
"Hey, what's going on?" a new voice asked. Takeru glanced to the door where Yamato's roommate stood, his chocolate brown hair completely out of control as usual.
"Sora's trying our signature breakfast, Taichi," Yamato laughed, watching as Sora chewed and swallowed, her face scrunched up in distaste.
"Oh really?" Taichi asked, stepping into the room to lean on the counter. He grinned at Sora as well. "How do you like it?"
"Ah!" she gasped after swallowing the repulsive mixture. "That was disgusting! I can't believe you eat that every day." Her mouth frowned in revulsion. "Ugh, god. I think I'm gonna puke."
The two older boys just laughed. "It's an acquired taste, I guess," Taichi shrugged, grabbing his own brown bottle from the refrigerator. "Here, come have some juice to get the taste out of your mouth." Sora grunted, grabbed the juice carton from her boyfriend and poured the orange liquid into her mouth without a cup.
"Oh, becoming one of the boys, eh?" Yamato chuckled.
"No!" Sora exclaimed, repulsed. "I didn't let my lips touch the carton. You boys just lay your mouth on it and slobber all over the place. You don't eat things like beer and cereal for breakfast do you, Takeru?"
Takeru shook his head, an easy smile on his face. "No way. That just sounds gross."
"Ah. Because you haven't tried it yet," Taichi replied, waving Takeru's opinion aside. "You can't knock it 'til you've tried it."
"Well I've tried it, and I think you're both insane," Sora replied, definitively.
Takeru laughed as Yamato leaned across the counter and dumped what remained in his cereal bowl into the sink and flushed it down the drain with some water. "Have you been here long?" Takeru asked.
"Who me?" Sora asked, pointing at herself. Takeru nodded. "Nah. I just stopped by this morning to drop something off for Tai's sister. I'm on my way to a shopping date with Mimi." She glanced at the clock on the wall and snagged her purse off the counter. "A shopping date that I'm late for." She hugged Yamato and Takeru before smooching Taichi. "I'll catch you nasties later." She brushed some lint of the brunet's shirt, who smiled warmly at her in gratitude. Sora returned the expression of thanks, and headed out of the kitchen into the hall. "Bye guys! Remember! Drunk before noon is a tragedy!"
"Here, here!" Yamato yelled after her, raising his beer bottle.
"But before one o'clock is a different story!" Taichi chimed in, raising his bottle as well.
They heard the door open and Sora's voice one more time. "Ugh. Takeru, don't let your brother's bad habits rub off on you," she called, and the door shut behind her.
Yamato and Taichi eyed each other and shared a private smirk before leaning towards Takeru and tipping their bottles towards the middle. Takeru added his to the mix, and they clinked them together.
"Here, here," Yamato said again.
o-o-o-o-o
Thanks to Takerus Lost Angel, joeshen, Final Genesis, Storyteller of dimensions, Shire Folk, Pebbles, and LiLTakariGirl aka YamiAro for reviewing.
joeshen: Well, yeah. But now he has this whole chapter to himself.
Storyteller of dimensions: This is well over 8,000 words long, and it's all from Takeru's point of view. Is that enough for you? :) And don't worry. They'll find out eventually. And thanks for the idea! I think I have a little something in mind, but I'm still mulling it over a bit.
Shire Folk: Sure. And thanks for the compliments. I like the instant messaging scenes too.
Pebbles: Haha. Yeah. Friendship is at its best when you lay claim to your friend's belongings should she or he meet an untimely demise. (Did that make any sense? I'm still picking the sleep snot out of my eyes.) I'm excited about Miyako and Akari as well. The only thing is, I worry if I'm getting his personality and his style and his appearance to come across the way I want it too. I hope so.
LiLTakariGirl aka YamiAro: Yeah, you did see that. e.e; That's so embarrassing! I can't believe I did that. I'll fix it ASAP. I seem to have a penchant for names beginning with 'M' because I keep coming up with more and using them and they all sound so similar. I also slipped up and used Matt twice when I meant to use Yamato. I don't know where my mind was when I wrote that chapter.
Preview of chapter 5: Takeru tries to apologize to Miyuki, but she just ignores him to disastrous ends.
Look forward to it!