Friday, July 10, 2009
Edited: Tuesday, December 28, 2010
In the previous chapter: Takeru broke it off with Miyuki, and Miyuki blames Hikari, much to Hikari's horror.
This chapter was partly inspired by "7 Things" by Miley Cyrus. Before we begin, I have a few things I want to make note of before I forget:
1) The italicized quotes could be confusing, but I think they're fairly self-explanatory. Don't try to figure out who's speaking, because it doesn't matter.
2) This chapter could get confusing because there were a lot of time jumps. The first portion takes place on Friday (it's a memory). After that italicized portion, we jump to Saturday where Chapter 7 left off, the section after that (the italicized quotes) takes place on Monday, and the rest of the chapter, starting with Miyu's mom is Tuesday.
3) This chapter is extremely long. You have been warned.
Disclaimer: Still don't own Digimon… You'd think my lawyers would have won our case against the original creators by now.
And with that, let's jump right in!
All-American Girl
By ebacusta
Chapter 8:
A Tale of Two Exes and the Reluctant Third Wheel
"What's the matter with you? You look like you just got dumped," a voice said. Miyuki turned from where she'd been watching TK walk away with his friends. Yumi strolled towards her, a smirk plastered across her face. She stopped and crossed her arms across her chest, glaring at the brunette confrontationally. "Of course," she added, "it could just be that trashy make up you're wearing. You look like you belong on a street corner in the red-light district."
Miyuki stared at her blankly. "Huh?" Shocked by what had just occurred, it took Miyuki a moment to pick up on the situation. For a split second, Todo Miyuki looked lost. Then she caught on and crossed her arms as well, snorting. "Oh please, Yumi. Don't try to distract people from your out-of-season accessories. Everyone knows loose socks and rolled skirts are so last year."
Yumi sneered at her. "Bug off, slut. My fashion sense is a thousand times better than yours. Why don't you run off and go cry to the lapdog of a boyfriend of yours, eh?" She called sarcastically over her shoulder as she began to move away, "Have a good weekend." She raised her hand in farewell and moved to join her friends.
Miyuki felt as if she'd been slapped. Yumi had knocked her off balance at the mention of Takeru, the image of his back walking away from her popping instantly into her mind again. But wait! That slimy whore was getting away. Miyuki had to have the last word. Her mind spun and reeled, helplessly. She had to think of something, but she couldn't focus. From the depths of her confused mind, she pulled the only insult she could and hurled it at Yumi's retreating figure. "Go die in a fire somewhere, Miyamoto!" That was it? That was all she could think of?
The reply came faster than Miyuki expected. "Go jump off a cliff, Todo."
What? How could she think that fast? Miyuki struggled with something else to say, but nothing came. All she could do was watch as Yumi walked away, her mouth opening and closing uselessly.
The screams echoed through the empty house as a glass sailed through the air and shattered seemingly effortlessly against the wall. Without pausing for a breath, the girl grabbed whatever was in her reach and flung it across the room. Pillows, stuffed animals, vases, shoes. She didn't care anymore. How could he?
She paused, her eyes flashing to the one remaining item on her desk. A photograph of the two of them at an amusement park. She picked it up and examined it a moment, a few tears dropping onto the glassy surface. She wiped it clean. How could he? A strangled sob wrenched itself from her throat. Quickly, she placed the picture frame back on the desk and doubled over, burying her face in her hands. She stayed like that a while, the tears dripping onto the floor between her fingers, the cries so violent and drawn out, she had to gasp for air between each one. Not sure why she tried though. What did it matter anymore?
How could he?
All at once, the despair turned to anger as rage bubbled up in her chest. She let out a scream, if it could be called that. It sounded more like a guttural yell than anything else; so unladylike, but to hell with that. She didn't care. Blindly, she grabbed at bottles and trays and flung them to the floor. Perfumes he'd given her, necklaces he hadn't, mirrors and trinkets. They cracked and broke upon impact, each noise of destruction giving her a sick feeling of satisfaction. She'd never forgive him. She'd never forgive him! Who did he think he was? With a yell of fury, she pushed the dresser over and listened with relish to loud crash it made when it hit the floor. It didn't break like she'd hoped, but the sound had been enough.
She crossed the room in quick strides, grabbing for her bed sheets, preparing to rip them off and fling them somewhere. She closed her hands on the fabric and instantly jerked them back as she felt a sharp pain in her palm. She turned her hand over to examine the cause. A piece of glass protruded from her palm surrounded by several other smaller cuts. She glanced back at the bed and saw the top of a vase, still mostly intact, lying in the center of the bed. It had been a beautiful vase once. Perfect in every way. Coveted, expensive, crafted with extreme care and tenderness—it was one of a kind. Tears sprung to her eyes again.
Okay, so maybe it was crazy to compare her relationship to a vase but it was true. They'd been perfect together. That's why she didn't understand! Angrily, ignoring the glass on the bed, she grabbed the sheets and yanked, sending glass shards flying everywhere, releasing the sheets mid throw so that they flew a few feet and fluttered to the ground. She watched the top of the vase as it moved elegantly through the air towards its ultimate demise. It struck the top of the desk and shattered. Right next to her photograph. It was oddly fitting.
Clumsily, she pulled the glass from her palm, cutting her other fingers in the process and discarded it carelessly to the side. The sickly sweet, jumbled smell of several perfumes met her nostrils, making her stomach churn unhappily. She suddenly felt a need to puke.
She turned away in distress and staggered through the destroyed room haphazardly. Blood from the cuts on her hands stained the carpet, forming a path of breadcrumbs to the corner she ultimately collapsed in, thrusting her back roughly against the wall and letting her legs give way beneath her so that she slid down the length of the wall to the floor, her hands covering her face again as she gave way to sobs.
How could you do this to me? She peered through her fingers at the room. Nothing was standing. All torn down and broken, just as he'd done to her. Everything, that is, but that photograph, surrounded by pieces of the vase as if they were sacrificial offerings to what used to be. The image blurred out of existence in a wave of hot, salty tears. I hate you.
"Miyuki's not here? Hey, Miyuki's not here."
"She's not? I hope she's okay."
"You think she's sick?"
"Haven't you heard? Miyuki and TK got in a fight."
"What? No way."
"They broke up."
"No way! Are you serious?"
"Yeah, Sachiko said she saw them get in this huge fight."
"During swim practice, Miyuki was yelling at him. I couldn't hear what she said, but I bet she was dumping him."
"I heard he dumped her."
"No way. No one dumps Miyuki. She's Miyuki."
"Miyuki's a bitch. Anyone with half a brain would have dumped her long ago. TK's just an idiot."
"Yumi said they broke up because Takeru didn't want to sleep with her."
"I don't think so. Miyu's implied they've been together a lot."
"Psst, hey. There he is."
"He's been happy lately. Not like someone who's just recently been dumped."
"I bet it's because he's dating that Hikari girl now. He already had some other girl lined up."
"What a slime."
"I heard that Hikari has been sleeping with him and she got mad because he wouldn't take her out on dates and threatened to tell Miyuki what they'd been doing if he didn't break it off with her."
"I saw them in the park together Saturday morning."
"They were just working on Kuriyama's comp project."
"Oh yeah. I was there when Mr. Kuriyama assigned the partners. Miyuki was pissed she and Takeru weren't together."
"I would be too. I can't believe Hikari's only been here three weeks and she's already dating the star basketball player. Who moves that fast?"
"Stupid, Hikari and TK aren't dating."
"I don't know. She looks pretty satisfied with herself if you ask me."
"Satisfied? She looks sad to me."
"I bet TK felt guilty after he broke up with Miyuki and dumped her too."
"She's such a whore—"
"Shhhh, here she comes."
Footsteps out in the hallway reminded the girl that there was life outside her room. Sadly, she thought. They paused outside her door and after a moment were followed by a hesitant knock. "Miyuki?" a tentative voice called softly through the door. Her mother. Bloodshot eyes opened slowly, blinking to readjust to the dark. Involuntarily, they shifted in the direction of the photograph. A ray of sun glanced right over the frame as it did every morning. Another knock and the door opened slightly, a slant of light from the hallway slashing across the floor.
The room looked as though it had been struck by a bomb. Though it was morning out, the room was dark save for a few stray rays of sun, faintly illuminating the mess on the floor, and now the light from the hallway. Everything was just as it had been left Saturday afternoon. Shattered, overturned, and in some cases, irreparable. Fortunate her mom hadn't opened the door enough to see anything. Listening to her bellyaching might have pushed the brunette over the edge. Miyuki remained just where she'd collapsed as well, unwilling to move. Her knees were pulled to her, legs crossed at the ankle. Her injured hand was tucked between her legs and her stomach, while the other was propped up on her knee, her face buried in its palm. What was the point? Nothing could ease this pain in her chest. He'd said he loved her. Hadn't he meant it? Tears welled up in her eyes again, as they always did when she thought of him, and spilled down her cheeks. Hadn't he meant it?
She blinked rapidly, partly to attempt to disperse the tears and partly in an attempt to soothe the stinging in her eyes. Traces of mascara streaks and smudged makeup were all over her face. A breakout was flaring up on her forehead and cheeks, reminders that she hadn't washed her face since Saturday morning and that the makeup she'd applied was still there, choking her pores. Aside from the ratty appearance of her face, her hair was stringy and dirty and she smelled like garbage, having not moved to bathe for days. A few stubborn curls tried to make themselves known, but their pathetic attempts succeeded in doing little other than making her hair look even more matted and disgusting. Her "cutest" outfit—a Yuki Ikamori dress, without a doubt the best article of clothing she owned—was ruined, stained with black drops of mascara and red drops of blood. It seemed fitting that it be destroyed along with everything else.
"Miyuki," her mother repeated. "Will you be going to school today?" Miyuki didn't answer, she didn't move. She hardly breathed. "I know you're upset, Miyuki, darling, but I wish you'd at least come down and eat. You haven't had any food or water for days, dear. Aren't you hungry?" Again she was met with silence. A silence that seemed to pain her more than anything else. "I hear you crying sometimes when I walk by. I wish you'd tell me what's bothering you, dear. We could talk about it." No response. "I'm worried about you, sweetie. And so is Natsue, even more so because you won't eat. Please come down and eat something." Even still, Miyuki did not feel inclined to answer. So she hadn't eaten in a while. She wasn't hungry anymore. Though she understood that her mother was worried, more than anything, she just wanted to be left alone. And if she starved to death, so be it. At least she'd have been released from her misery. Disheartened (Miyuki could tell from the heavy sigh she let out), her mother closed the door and shuffled away.
Thank you, she thought.
Natsue Todo stood in the kitchen glaring at the clock. An hour ago, Vesta Todo had returned from her morning visit to Miyuki's room in tears. Forty-five minutes ago, Natsue, like the good daughter she was, had convinced Vesta to go out for a relaxing day with friends to take her mind off everything. Forty minutes ago, Natsue, after seeing her mother off, had decided to let Miyuki have her space for the third day in a row. All she needed was time, her brain stressed. Thirty minutes ago, she'd changed her mind, writing that explanation off as a bunch of crap. What Miyuki needed was an intervention, and that's exactly what Natsue was going to give her. Twenty-nine minutes ago, Natsue had started making phone calls.
"Thank you for working us in on such short notice," Natsue said into the phone. "I really appreciate it. Have a good day."
She hung the phone up and slammed her coffee cup onto the counter, startling the maid tidying the kitchen behind her. Without a word, Natsue turned and stormed from the room, ignoring the maid's questions about whether everything was all right. She stomped up the steps and down the hall to Miyuki's room, twisting the door handle and flinging the door open. It slammed loudly against the wall as Natsue stepped inside the room and flicked on the light. She paused and took in the state of the room in seconds, before locating her sister in the corner.
"Miyuki, get up!"
Miyuki, who'd jumped at the sudden intrusion and cringed at the light, glared at her irritably from her corner. Natsue simply crossed her arms and stood her ground. "Miyuki, I don't know what happened, but I will not allow you to upset mother like this any further. Get up now, or I'm going to come over there and make you." Miyuki said nothing, praying against all odds that her silence would convince her sister to go away like it did for her soft-hearted mother, but Natsue, who was extremely willful, much like Miyuki herself, didn't budge. She waited a moment and then crossed the room without a word, wrinkling her nose as she grew close to the brunette in the corner.
"You smell like a garbage disposal. First order of business is a bath! This is unacceptable regardless of the circumstance," Natsue replied, leaning down and hooking her arms under Miyuki's armpits. Miyuki clamped her arms down and pulled herself down, trying to make it harder for Natsue to disturb her. She'd been determined to keep her silence, but with Natsue, if she didn't say something, the girl would go on doing as she pleased.
"Natsue, stop!" Miyuki exclaimed. Her voice came out croaky and quiet, husky after unuse. "Please, I just need to be left alone."
"No," Natsue replied, forcefully, yanking Miyuki up onto her knees and then finally wrestling the girl to her feet. "What you need is some serious retail therapy. And a major shower." Encouraged that she'd gotten the younger girl to her feet, Natsue started to drag her towards the bathroom when Miyuki suddenly slumped, converting every ounce that she had into dead weight. Natsue dropped her, and she made a break for the corner.
"If you insist on acting like a child, you'll be treated as one!" Natsue exclaimed, aggravated. She placed her hands firmly under Miyuki's armpits again and dragged her to the bathroom, turning on the water and working on fighting Miyuki out of her dress.
Miyuki's face flushed red with embarrassment. "Natsue!" she roared. "I'm perfectly capable of taking off my own clothes and taking a shower. Get out!"
"I'm sure you are," Natsue replied, calmly, pulling the Yuki Ikamori dress over Miyuki's head and tossing it in the garbage. "We'll have to get a replacement for that dress, because it looked really cute on you. Oh?" she asked, catching sight of Miyuki's scabs. "And what the hell have you done to your hands? Look, they're all infected. Now we'll have to go to the doctor. I thought I saw blood in there on the carpet. Come on, get in the shower." Fully undressed, Natsue shoved her sister under the stream of (too) hot water, grabbed the soap and started scrubbing, first under her arms, then her chest and torso, followed by her back and legs. Grabbing Miyuki's container of face wash off the counter, she squirted the grapefruit-scented gel into her hands, rubbed them together and attacked Miyuki's face with them, scrubbing off the impurities with a wash cloth.
Miyuki felt like she was six again, but she couldn't convince Natsue to leave, because Natsue knew her sister well enough to know that as soon as she left the room, Miyuki was going right back into the corner. She sighed. It would be nice to smell human again though, especially since she didn't have to put in any of the work. After making sure no area had been missed, Miyuki rinsed herself off and stepped from the shower into Natsue's waiting toweled arms. Patting Miyuki dry, Natsue dragged the girl from the bathroom to her closet and made her stand there, while Natsue picked out an outfit—a sundress mini, gladiator sandals, and an assortment of bangles and bracelets. She dressed the younger girl and guided her back to the bathroom where she put on Miyuki's face for her. She then attacked Miyuki's hands with alcohol, washing them clean and wrapping them with bandages.
"Finished," she sighed, straightening from where she'd been taping the gauze. She grabbed her sister and spun her around so that she was facing the mirror. "See that? See how much better you look?" Miyuki looked, and she saw. She did indeed look better, fresh-faced, clean, put together. Like she used to. She glanced at Natsue's face in the mirror to find her older sister smiling back at her, warmly. She was about to tear up again when Natsue turned her back around and took to dabbing her lips with lip gloss.
"Now listen," she said. "From your earlier state, I'd say you're having boy troubles. Am I right?" Miyuki nodded mutely. "I'm guessing you've just broken up?" Miyuki nodded again. "Well, whoever he was just made the worst mistake of his life," Natsue assured her with a smile. "But how do you plan to win him back when you smell like a farm and look like crap? When you look good, you feel good. So here's what we're going to do today. I'm taking you to get pampered. The spa for massages, facials, and manipedis; the hair salon for a new haircut; the tan salo to spruce up your tan—that'll be quick, we don't want you to get dark like one of those ganguros," she emphasized, disdain practically dripping off the word. She continued, "And then to the shops to do some major credit card damage. My one rule for the day is that you are not allowed to mention, talk, or even think about this dumbass that dumped you, which means crying is prohibited. There will be plenty of time for that later when we lard around eating junk food and watching sad movies. Got it?" Miyuki nodded a third time, awed that her sister had already planned the day out in such detail. Natsue beamed at her. She brushed Miyuki's hair back into a ponytail, working out the tangles and the curls so that it looked somewhat decent, and then pinned back her bangs. "Good, then let's go."
Hikari sighed and collapsed on the couch melodramatically. She sank into the soft cushions heavily, welcoming the sensation of almost being swallowed up. "I'm so glad school's over," she moaned, flinging a hand over her face. "I don't think I can take the gawking and whispering anymore."
Miyako smiled sympathetically from where she stood at the entrance to the Yagami living room. "It's hard being the center of attention, especially when you're sharing the spotlight with Miyuki."
Hikari pushed herself up onto her elbows and nodded. "That's for sure." Her eyes widened when she realized Miyako hadn't sat down yet. "Oh! Miyako, please make yourself at home. I've been a terrible host. Can I get you anything to drink?" she asked, getting off the couch. Hesitantly, Miyako considered the plush chair she stood beside before scooting around to the front of the chair and carefully lowering herself into the cushion. Hikari couldn't help but laugh. "It won't bite you, Miyako!" Miyako's face flushed with embarrassment.
"So what can I get you? We've got water, milk, juice, and these gross vitamin shake things my mom insists make your body stronger." She ticked off each item off on her fingers as she mentioned it. "I think we may have some soda too."
"Um…water sounds great," Miyako replied, meekly.
"Water? You got it," Hikari replied, heading around the couch and passing through the dining room to the kitchen in the back. She hummed softly as she pulled the glass down from the cabinet and filled the cup with the cool, clear liquid. It felt great to be in friendly company again. Something had changed since Friday and somehow Hikari had been dragged right in the middle of it.
The water felt wonderful. After the humiliation of the morning, Hikari had worried that she wouldn't want to get near any large collection of water, less she experience a repeat see-through shirt incident, but now she knew she needn't have bothered wasting her time with such supercilious concerns. Being in the familiar again was just what she needed to deal with the unfamiliar territory in which she was treading. Sure, she'd experienced girls like Miyuki before. Alexandria had come up with all sorts of ridiculous ways to try and make Hikari's life hell back in America, but Alexandria had just done it because she disliked Hikari and her friends. Not because she believed one of them was trying to steal her boyfriend. For that reason, Hikari assumed, Miyuki's attacks were much more vicious than Alexandria's had been. And, of course, it didn't help that she didn't have Angela and Miranda for backup.
The shrill whistle sliced through the air with measured precision. So piercing its sound, even with her ears clogged with water, the brunette could still hear it loud and clear. She stopped floating, allowing her bottom to sink down into the water as she righted herself and paddled leisurely towards the wall. Coach wanted to do a few warm up heats in the lanes and she was starting with the end of the alphabet, which meant Hikari would be first. Nodding, she pulled herself up out of the pool and climbed onto her starting block. The sun was out, shining brightly, warming the late summer air. A short blow on the whistle alerted the swimmers it was time to prepare, while another longer blow told them to start the heat.
After swimming the customary 200 meter warm up, Hikari joined Miyako on the bleachers, wrapping herself in a towel while she waited for the others to finish up. A sudden wave of hushed voices and giggles swept over the group of girls seated on the metal benches.
"Look over there. Isn't that Takeru?"
"Who's that with him?"
"Miyuki, of course."
Against her better judgment, Hikari looked. The two seemed embroiled in a serious conversation. The kind of conversation that requested a measure of privacy.
"I wish I could hear what they're talking about. Probably making plans for tonight, don't you think?"
"I don't know about that. I can't really see their faces that well, but I can tell you I don't see any smiles." From Miyuki's emphatic hand gestures, Hikari concluded they were probably in some sort of fight. She turned away, feeling rude.
"Guys, don't stare," she said, resting her chin in her hands. "Give them some privacy."
"Privacy?" a girl with dark brown hair named Sachiko from the class next to Hikari's asked. "Aren't you the least bit curious as to what they're talking about?"
"No, I'm not," Hikari replied. "And you shouldn't be either. It's none of you guys' business." She had almost convinced her teammates to stop being goosegogs when a sudden outburst from Miyuki drew their attention and they went back to their spying activities. Hikari looked too. More startled and worried than curious. Was everything all right? Had something happened to one of them? But when Hikari saw Miyuki's slumped, defeated posture, she couldn't help but feel like she was intruding again. The girl was clearly upset, and Takeru was just walking away, back towards his friends waiting for him by the trees.
"Oooh, what do you think just happened?"
"Oh my god, they got in a fight. That's so weird. They never get in fights. They're always so happy together."
"Not true. From what I heard, they got in a fight last Friday too and Takeru didn't call her all weekend."
"Damn, Friday just isn't their day, huh?"
But Hikari had a sinking feeling it was more than just a regular fight. Miyuki had looked too upset for that to be the only thing bothering her. Something major had happened. When she glanced at Miyako, she could see her friend felt the same way.
As it turned out, Hikari had been right. It was much more than just a fight. Pouring a glass of juice for herself, Hikari took the two drinks back into the family room and handed the water to Miyako, sitting stiffly in the reading chair she'd taken a seat in.
"Miyako, relax. We're not greeting royalty tonight, I promise," Hikari replied.
Miyako jumped and took the water. "Thanks. And it's not that, I just… I've never been to your house before. In fact, I didn't even know you lived in a house! It's so beautiful. I don't want to mess anything up."
"House or not, people live here and things are bound to be ruined. Don't worry about it," Hikari grinned. Miyako smiled back. "So anyway, what did you want to do today?"
The lilac-haired girl shrugged and took a gulp of her water. "I'm up for anything really."
"Really? Would you mind accompanying me while I look for a job?"
"Sure!" Miyako brightened. "Actually, I need a job too. I've been buying so many CDs and such lately, that my allowance can't take the strain anymore and mom's simply not willing to give me any more money."
Hikari laughed. "So it works out then. My mom's been riding me about getting a job since we came to Japan. Something about 'birthing responsibilities in today's teenagers' or something like that." Miyako nodded seriously. "Hmm, I don't really want to go job hunting in my uniform though. Why don't we change before we go? You can borrow some of my clothes if you like."
"That last store looked pretty good, huh?" Hikari emphasized as she crossed her arms loosely across her abdomen. After much discussion, she had finally settled on a heather gray jersey top, which could be worn two ways. She chose to wear it off the shoulder on her left side, exposing part of her collarbone as it swooped across her chest. She'd belted it, bringing the length up a little so that it hit just above mid-thigh. To complete the look, she'd put on long black leggings that stopped just at her ankle and selected a pair of black and white ballet flats to tie the outfit all together. Miyako had gone for an even more casual look. A long graphic tee featuring the name of a band that, according to Hikari, was quite popular in America, a pair of slim-fitting (on Miyako anyway), dark-wash jeans, and a pair of white, flat slouch boots worn mostly to hide the awkward place in which the denim hem hit on her legs, considering Miyako was taller than Hikari.
"Mm-hmm," Miyako nodded. "And I saw some cute things in there. I could use the discount to buy them. Yep, definitely had potential."
"Potential?" Hikari blurted, incredulously. "Miyako, why don't you just admit it? You want to work at a music store. We've gone into so many amazing clothing and makeup stores today and not one of them has impressed you enough to want to fill out an application."
"A begger can't pick and choose," Miyako recited, though a hint of color had rushed to her cheeks.
"Well you are one high-maintenance beggar than, my dear friend," Hikari snickered.
"I'm not being that picky!" the bespectacled girl defended herself.
"Sure, sure. Tomorrow, after school, we're going to Shibuya to get you some applications from a few of the choice music meccas they have there. Pretend all you want, but I know what you like."
Miyako smiled. This was supposed to be about Hikari finding a job, not Miyako, but the brunette had instantly incorporated her into the whole process, determined to help Miyako find a job before she took one herself. "Thanks. That sounds great."
Hikari grinned as they crossed the street into the park. "Mind you, you can't take this long to find a place you want to work. I've got to be back at school by 5:45 for sports fest practice." The sound of yells and laughter wafted through the air.
"Beehive, watch where you're going!" a voice exclaimed.
"Move it or lose it, pansy!" a familiar voice replied. The two girls paused a minute and turned to see the source. A group of boys involved in an intense game of soccer, half wearing shirts, the other half not. Though they were smiling and joking with each other, Hikari could tell both teams wanted to win.
"Hey, I think that's Akari over there," Miyako said squinting and pointing at pair of trees several hundred feet away.
Hikari squinted with her, shielding her eyes from the setting sun. "I think you're right. These guys are pretty good." In particular, two players= caught her eye. A shirtless brown haired boy she could recognize as Daisuke, evidently affectionately named 'Beehive' by his soccer friends, and a blue haired boy, fully clothed, who was running along the length of their makeshift field trying to get at the ball by tripping up Daisuke. 'Beehive' grunted, bashed into the blue-haired boy and made his shot. It sailed easily between the two trees they'd been using as goal posts and headed straight towards the girls, hitting the ground and bouncing the rest of the way to where they stood. Miyako knelt to pick up the ball.
"Oh, hey, Hikari! Who's your friend?" Daisuke greeted as he jogged up to them to retrieve the ball.
"Hi," Hikari smiled. "This is Miyako."
"Nice to meet you," Miyako said, holding the ball out to him. "But we've kind of met before."
Daisuke looked puzzled a minute as he accepted the ball and muttered a word of thanks. "Have we…? Oh wait, I think you're right. Yeah. You were with Akari that one day, right? Then it's great to see you again. I didn't know you were friends with Hikari. Miyako, you're a third-year, right? How'd you two meet?"
Miyako nodded. "Yep. We met at swim team tryouts."
"Well, before that," Hikari corrected. "In the nurse's office."
"Oh yeah? I'd totally forgotten about that," the older girl laughed.
The boys in the game, curious to know what was taking Daisuke so long to get the ball called out to him. "Oi, Daisuke! Hurry up and bring back the ball!"
"Yeah, taking your time won't help you beat us, you primadonna!"
"Shut up!" Daisuke yelled over his shoulder. "You pansies don't do anything. If it weren't for Ken, we'd be mopping the floor with you guys."
"If you're gonna gab with your girl friends, throw us the ball and we'll go on without you!" another boy taunted.
"Hey, who's that you're talking to?" a bare-chested boy Hikari just noticed and identified as Ryuji called.
"It's Hikari and her friend, Miyako!" Daisuke returned.
"Hey guys, let's take a break," Ryuji suggested as he jogged over to the pile of shirts waiting under a tree and rooted around to find his. Reluctantly, the boys agreed and shuffled off to the side to drink swigs of water from water bottles or from the water fountain not too far away from their selected playing spot. Akari joined him from way on the other side of the field, grabbing his shirt and pulling it on over his head as Ryuji snatched his and the two boys jogged towards them. The blue haired boy followed.
"Hey," Ryuji smiled as they slowed. He still had his shirt off. He'd been letting it swing loosely in his hand as he came over to join them. He turned the shirt rightside-out and pulled it on over his head, obscuring the view of his sculpted chest. Hikari blushed.
"Hi. You guys are pretty good out there," she added. "Daisuke, you've got a mean kick."
"Oh, thanks." He rubbed the back of his neck, slightly embarrassed.
"You too," she added, glancing at the blue-haired boy waiting silently behind Daisuke. "I haven't seen you play that much, but you definitely have the speed."
"Thank you, Miss…" the boy replied.
"Oh! I'm sorry," Daisuke apologized, quickly. "I haven't introduced you guys. This is Ichijouji Ken. Ken, this is my classmate, Yagami Hikari, and her friend, Miyako."
"Inoue Miyako," Miyako clarified, leaning forward slightly. "Ichijouji Ken... Weren't you on that soccer team...what's it called? Domachi? Tamacha?"
Ken laughed. "Tamachi? Yes, I was. That was a long time ago though."
Miyako nodded. "Yeah, that was it. My sisters really liked you. Watched every game of yours they could. Anyway, it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance."
"Seconded," Hikari piped up, holding her hand out for Ken to shake. The group of Japanese teenagers stared at it a minute in silence until Ken, finally, accepted the hand, shaking it firmly.
"Okay, guys, why the judgment?" she asked, trying to keep the heat from her cheeks. "You guys shake hands here, don't you?" she stammered.
"Shake hands?" Ryuji asked. "As in…" He held his hand out to Akari and Akari grasped it firmly, giving it a strong shake.
"Duh. Isn't that what I just did?" Hikari nodded.
"Er… we don't. Our dads do," Ryuji responded.
"In business meetings," Daisuke added.
"Too formal, then?" Hikari mumbled.
"At least among friends," Ryuji said, sidling up to her and throwing his arms around her shoulders. Her heart leapt into her throat as color rushed to her cheeks. She looked away, her face burning.
Ken laughed again. "It's quite all right. You say 'here' as if you're from somewhere else."
"Yeah, I just moved back from America."
"Really? America?" Ken repeated, his eyebrows rising. "That's a long way from here. What brought you back?"
"My dad's job. Same thing that took us over there. I was born in Japan. We moved right after my first grade year," Hikari replied.
"Oh, that's really cool," Ken nodded.
"Hey, you big-haired numbskull! Give us the ball!" one of the boys interrupted loudly in their direction. After their quick five-minute water break, the guys were ready to get back into the game. They didn't have all the time in the world, after all. It was almost time for dinner.
"Try not to trip catching it, sissy boy!" Daisuke shot back as he turned and dropped the ball from his grasp, sending it sailing towards the group of waiting guys with a swift kick. "Sorry about that."
"No problem," the girls shrugged.
"So, what are you two up to?" Ryuji asked. "You both look really nice, dressed up like that and all. Any special reason?"
"Special reason?" Hikari asked.
"Does job searching count?" Miyako supplemented.
Ryuji chuckled. "Sure, why not?"
"Job searching, huh?" Akari asked. "Anything in particular?"
"Not really," Hikari replied. "Mom's been trying to 'encourage' me to get a job ever since we got here. I figured it was probably time. Wouldn't want her to give herself high blood pressure from the stress of worrying about me."
"No, definitely wouldn't want that," Ryuji agreed. The group moved off to the side of the game, watching as the boys raced up and down the field trying to score points against the other team.
"So what school do you go to, Ken? Are you a second year too?" Hikari asked.
"Yes, I'm a second year, but I go to a private school on the mainland," Ken replied. "I don't actually live in Odaiba."
"Oh, so that must be really different than a school here, huh?" When she noticed that others blankly staring at her, she hastened to clarify her statement. "I just mean… Well, I used to go to a private school when I lived overseas. It was totally different from schools in Japan. Our school's really clean and it's got a lot of the same amenities. Really, the only difference is it doesn't look as nice as my school in California did. No decorations really. Kind of plain. So if a public school here is practically like my private school in California, I can't imagine what a private school here would be like."
Ken smiled, "It's not that different, I don't think. Next time we have an event though, I'll invite you so you guys can see."
"That would be awesome," Miyako exclaimed.
They sat with the boys a while and talked about various things until the boys decided they wanted to go face off one final time before the game had to end and got up, shedding their shirts as necessary to join their respective teams again. Hikari and Miyako stayed until the game ended about forty minutes later and stood as the boys approached, holding out their shirts.
"Thanks," Akari said, taking his black shirt from Miyako. "You hungry?"
Miyako glanced at Hikari, before looking back at him and saying, "I don't know about everyone else, but I'm famished."
"Same," Ryuji agreed. He turned to Hikari. "How about you?"
"I'm not gonna lie, I would settle for eating a small cow right about now," Hikari confessed.
Ryuji laughed. "Goodness, the lady's got an appetite too!"
Hikari flushed. "Don't say it like that!" she scolded. "You make me sound like a pig."
He merely grinned back at her and answered in a posh European-sounding accent as he started walking towards the edge of the park. "But I'm afraid t'is true, m'lady. You have admitted your affinity for ingesting petite animals."
"Ryuji!" Hikari exclaimed. He laughed at her outrage.
"More importantly," Ken asked, "where are we going to eat? I may have to agree with Hikari on this one."
"Don't worry about it. I've got a place in mind. It's nearby too," Ryuji replied.
"Oi! Beehive. Where are you headed, you muppet?" one of the boys yelled from a tree across the way.
"We're going to eat! You want to come?"
The boys exchanged glances and nodded, racing after Daisuke and his friends. "Who are these ladies?" one asked as they joined them, his dark hair falling flirtatiously in front of his left eye.
"Hikari and Miyako," Daisuke replied, indicating the two girls. "But they wouldn't be interested in lazy bums like you."
"Oh shove it, Motimiya," the boy said again. He turned his attention to the newly introduced girls and spoke, "My name's Mamoru."
"Oh, nice to meet you."
"Hikari, huh? You're the new student from America, right?"
"Uh, yeah, that's me."
"I'm from the class next door. Class 2-B."
"Oh, yeah. Sorry, I haven't even met everyone in my own class yet, so I haven't quite made it next door."
"No worries. I've been hearing a lot about you, so it's nice to meet you face-to-face at last," Mamoru replied.
"Heard things?" Hikari asked. Her heart sank. "Nothing too kind, I'm guessing."
Mamoru shrugged. "Some bad, but not all."
"Say," Miyako piped up from across the group where she was engrossed in a conversation with Akari and Ken. "Isn't someone missing from your group? Where's Takeru?"
"Takeru? Oh he's at work," Ryuji answered. "Too bad too."
Takeru sighed as he wiped off the café's counter for what seemed like the thirtieth time that evening. He hated working Tuesday nights, because next to nothing was ever going on in the restaurant. Then again, he supposed that was a blessing. If he worked Fridays or Saturdays, he'd miss out on everything, and that would just be social suicide. Almost as bad as dumping Miyuki. He sighed again. She'd sounded so miserable on the phone when she'd called him on Saturday evening. He felt bad. Maybe he should give her another chance—
"Takaishi, your friends here to see ya!" Junoshi, the cook, said from behind the blond as he wiped his hands on a dish towel.
Takeru looked up as the door opened and blanched. Ryuji traipsed in, followed by Hikari, Mamoru, Daisuke, Daisuke's random soccer buddies, Ken, Miyako, and Akari. He cursed and ducked down instantly, pretending as if he had to tie his shoe. His friends were here. Friends, plural! And it wasn't just his closest pals, the people who would understand if they saw him in a nasty, moldy green, muck covered apron wearing his lame straight arrow uniform—a button up shirt with a pair of black pants. Forget working on Saturdays. If these people saw him, especially with the buzz about his breakup flying around, why he was done for! He'd kept the place he worked a secret for a reason. He didn't want to try and chat up his classmates while he looked and felt so ridiculously stupid. Maybe he could just hang in the back and help Junoshi until they left. Yeah, that just might work, except—shoot! He could see Motoki making a break for the back himself. Takeru would just have to beat him ther—
"Taikaishi, I want you to go take care of those costumers," Hiroshi, the owner's husband, said from where he was taking a break in a booth. His wife, Megara, the actual owner of PB's Café, was home sick with a nasty stomach virus, so he was filling in for her.
"But sir, what about—"
"Now, Takaishi," Hiroshi replied, raggedly. He was tired. Taking care of his wife's business and his wife at the same time on top of doing his own work had left him exhausted and beyond reasoning.
"Yes sir," he sighed. He finished "tying" his shoe and stood, glumly.
"Takeru! There you are!" Ryuji exclaimed, waving at him giddily from where they'd settled down in the plush chairs surrounding the coffee table in the corner where live musicians often played on the weekends. Takeru shot him a death glare. Ryuji. Of course, he should have known he was behind it from the moment that brunet had stepped through the door. He'd been in front—the ring leader. Clearly, Ryuji was trying to destroy him. Takeru would never forgive him.
The others turned to look at him and he felt a sudden urge to duck down and hide again. What if word got out as to where he worked? Nevermind looking like a loser. After what had gone down on Friday and Miyuki's non-presence at school, Miyuki's girlfriends would be ready to tear him limb from limb. Plus, from what Takeru had heard, nobody had been able to get ahold of her. Yes, her lackeys would stalk him to his job and cause so much trouble for Hiroshi and Meg that they would have no choice but to let Takeru go.
Another wave of boiling anger swept over him. That idiot. Screw forgiveness, Takeru was going to kill him. Fighting his urge to flee, Takeru knelt down calmly and dug out a handful of menus. Calm, smile, strangle Ryuji later, and go…
"Hey guys, welcome to PB's Café. Can I start you out with something to drink?" He glanced around the table at his friends, lowering his eyes when he reached Hikari and again when they passed over Akari. How could he look either of them in the eye? He felt guilty on both counts. Akari had been so supportive of Takeru breaking up with Miyuki. But knowing Takeru's tendency towards soft-heartedness, he'd made the blond promise he would never second guess his decision. Akari believed strongly in following your instinct—particularly those first gut reactions you experience because "every reaction after the initial usually comes not from your own heart, but from the influence of others," and it went without saying that Akari was a major proponent of marching to the beat of your own drum. And Hikari…well, somehow, he'd dragged her into something she had nothing to do with, or rather, Miyuki had, and it was making her life unnecessarily difficult. As if moving thousands of miles from everything with which she was familiar wasn't hard enough already.
The bell on the door tinkled softly behind him. "Hey everyone," an equally soft, familiar voice said. "Sorry I'm late." He glanced over his shoulder and saw Fumiko crossing the empty café to join their relaxed gathering. She was dressed in a billowy, black ruffled top, mid-thigh length shorts, and sandals. In her hair she wore a thin metal headband adorned with a bright yellow flower on the left.
"No worries," Ryuji said. She slid into the seat next to him and he leaned over to peck her on the forehead in greeting. Takeru watched Daisuke's soccer mates' mouths flapped open and smiled.
"Hey Fumi," he said, kissing her on the temple. He wasn't exactly sure when the kissing had started. At first, they'd just taken to occasionally kissing her forehead to annoy Akari, who dislike any male touching his sister. But the closer the group got, the more Fumiko became like a little sister to them, and then it had become a habit on their part and expected on hers, so it had stuck, and Akari now viewed it as their promise to protect her. At least they'd better, or they could expect to have their necks broken the next time he saw them.
"Hi, TK," she replied, returning the smile.
"What can I get you to drink?" he asked.
Takeru had foolishly hoped his friends would leave after eating. They didn't. Instead, they decided to sit around and chat a while before ordering dessert. Of course. Why would he ever have thought otherwise? As he collected some of the empty glasses and plates strewn about the table, he couldn't help but glare murderously at the side of Ryuji's head, turned to tell Fumiko and the soccer boys a story.
"I'm sorry," Hikari said suddenly, interrupting his violent thoughts of revenge.
"What?" Takeru replied, jerking slightly. She'd surprised him, starting the conversation so randomly and with such puzzling words. "Sorry? For what?"
"I know you don't want us to be here. It's weird serving your friends."
"Oh, no, it's not that," Takeru replied, pausing in his work. "Though, Daisuke is kind of a slob when he eats. I just…" He stopped again, trying to think of how he could voice his concerns without sounding paranoid. "It's just complicated is all," he concluded finally.
"Ah," she said. He excused himself to take the dirty dishes back to the kitchen where Motoki was grumpily washing them. Takeru couldn't help but gloat. That's what you get for trying to skip out on work, the blond thought. Ahhh. There was a sense of cosmic justice in the world after all. He headed back out front, preparing to gather more dishes when he noticed Hikari sitting quietly in her seat, watching the others talk animatedly around her. He frowned. He felt like he had to say something.
"You look nice today," he remarked.
"What? Oh thanks," she said, tucking one leg under her bottom.
"Sure, no problem," he replied, perching on the arm rest of an empty chair. "How's the day been? Post-school, I mean."
"Pretty good. After swim practice, Miyako came over and we went job hunting. Ran into those guys at the park and decided to hang out with them."
"Playing soccer?" Hikari nodded and Takeru sighed. "I'm jealous."
"Boring day on the job, huh?" she asked, sympathetically.
Takeru cracked a smile. "What are you talking about? This place is so busy I can hardly find time to blink between orders."
Hikari chuckled. "I'm surprised it's so quiet, actually. The food here's really good."
"It's even better when Meg's here. She's the owner, but unfortunately, she's been out sick with a stomach bug. She's an amazing chef; she loves to experiment, but I've never tasted anything that came out of her kitchen that I didn't like."
"Wow, that sounds amazing," Hikari agreed. "So you like working here then?"
"Yeah, it's nice here. Meg's great. She's so flexible about work hours and such, and when I don't have any customers, she doesn't mind if I do homework, though I'll admit that doesn't happen too often. Usually it's not this quiet, at least not when I'm here. I don't typically work Tuesdays," Takeru replied.
"How long have you worked here?"
"Almost a year."
"Wow, that's a long time. Are you saving up for something? If you don't mind my asking."
"Oh no, it's all right. When I first started, I was. For a video game system, but I bought that a while ago. Afterwards, I just used it as a way to fund my dates with Miyu."
"Oh, Miyuki." The conversation fell into an awkward silence as neither of them certain how to continue. Takeru unsure if he should have mentioned her and Hikari unsure if talking about her would upset him. He'd looked so sad when he said her name. "Do you miss her?" she asked at last.
"Sometimes," he admitted. "As weird as that sounds. I know she's put you through hell since you've been here. Sorry."
"It's not your fault really," Hikari shrugged it off. "And it's not that weird. If you've been with someone for a while and suddenly he or she isn't there… Regardless of the reason you separated, sometimes you'll miss them…" She trailed off.
"Had to leave someone behind, huh?"
Hikari nodded. "That's probably the best way to put it. I don't mean to pry, but… do you regret breaking it off?"
Takeru shook his head. "The only thing I regret is that somehow, during this whole thing, you've been misrepresented. So many people are jumping to conclusions about who you are without even getting to know you, and that's a horrible thing. I'm sorry." Hikari stared at him in silence, her eyes slightly widened in an emotion he could not identify. "Oh god, that was a really rude thing to say. What I meant was that only time will tell whether Miyu was the girl for me, but until such knowledge comes to pass, I won't worry about it."
"Good way to look at it. What are you going to do now? With all the extra money you know have available?" she asked.
Takeru thought a moment and then shrugged. "I don't know. I guess I'll start saving again. Maybe get my mom a present. Anyway, I should probably get back to work. It was great talking to you."
"Same to you," she returned, watching as he headed back into the kitchen.
Thirty minutes later, when his friends had finally left, Takeru began to clear the table of its dirty dishes. He found a few coins sprinkled here and there at everyone's spots and pocketed them as his tip money, which fortunately, Meg let him keep without forcing him to share. Where Davis had sat, it looked like he'd just taken parts of his food, crushed it in his fist and sprinkled the crumbs on the table. Akari's place was marked by a stack of bowls, showing that he had taken full advantage of the all-you-can eat soup special he'd ordered. Daisuke's friends had several plates cleared so well, it seemed as though they'd licked the plates clean when they were done. Half a sandwich remained where Fumiko had sat; Miyako's place had no sandwich, but it did have the remains of the fries she'd ordered with it and a half-empty cup of tea. And where Hikari had been—Takeru stopped. Hikari's place was perfectly clean. There was no plate, no cup, not so much as a crumb. Instead, sitting in the middle of her spot was a folded ¥2000 note. He picked up the bill and unfolded it. Though there was no message with it, he knew what it was for. He folded the bill again and pocketed it with a smile.
ShoeBunny91:Well, I finally got a picture of Ryuji.
SurferBabeXOXO: For real? He's the guy you like, right?
ShoeBunny91: I wouldn't say I like like him. I mean, he's a friend.
SurferBabeXOXO: Right, Hikari. And Tony's like a brother to me. Just admit that you like like the boy. And then let me see this picture. You need to know if I approve of him or not before you can fully crush on him.
Hikari rolled her eyes, but typed a response.
ShoeBunny91: Of course, Angela.
SurferBabeXOXO: And don't roll your eyes at me.
ShoeBunny91: I didn't!
SurferBabeXOXO: And Tony's not my boyfriend.
ShoeBunny91: You keep bringing up Tony. Did something happened with you two?
SurferBabeXOXO: You'll find out about that later. Right now, I want to see this Ryuji boy!
ShoeBunny91: Okay, okay. Just give me a sec.
ShoeBunny91 want to send SurferBabeXOXO file: . Waiting for user to accept transfer.
Transfer completed. SurferBabeXOXO has received the file.
SurferBabeXOXO: Oooo my gosh, he's cute! I approve, I approve x100! But who's the other girl in the picture?
ShoeBunny91: It's good to see that it doesn't take much to appease you, oh great one. And that's my friend, Miyako that I told you about.
SurferBabeXOXO: Oh, shut up. Of course there's a long list of criteria that a guy must meet before he earns my approval. But from what you've told me about him, it sounds like he meets said criteria, so he's good to go. When I come visit, I'll have to meet him in person though, that goes without saying.
ShoeBunny91: Certainly. Now, you've seen Ryuji. Tell me what Tony did.
SurferBabeXOXO: Oh, what didin't Tony do? You know yesterday was our one year anniversary. So, I go outside, because he's picking me up, and find my car totally decked out with window paint and balloons, proclaiming our anniversary to the world. He picks me up in the morning with breakfast waiting in his car. Breakfast HE COOKED mind you. He gives me a small present in the car, which turns out to be a bracelet. Get to school, find another present in my locker, a personalized teddy bear with my name and a profession of his love for me on it. He convinced Mr. Hutchins to write a math problem centering around our anniversary on the math test—which was a pain to solve, but still really sweet. Then at lunch, he gives me ANOTHER present, and it's a book filled with pictures and "Remember when…" memories. And then, later, he takes me to dinner and gives me ANOTHER present which was that Pucci scarf I've been wanting. I mean, he's just so awesome, I didn't know what to say.
ShoeBunny91: Oh wow, that sounds amazing. That's great, Angie! Who knew Tony could be so sweet?
SurferBabeXOXO: I know, right? Half the time I was talking about the Pucci scarf, I didn't think he was really listening. You know, earwax had clogged up the ear, but he had been listening. I'm so happy, I can't get him off of my mind!
ShoeBunny91: I don't blame you. It sounds so romantic. I'm so jealous.
SurferBabeXOXO: Speaking of jealousy, how's life post-breakup?
ShoeBunny91: Well, right now it's bearable. Nobody's seen or heard from Miyuki since the incident, so her posse's kinda unsure of how to go about attacking me, so it's mostly just sitting through glares and gossip.
SurferBabeXOXO: Well that's good at least. What I don't understand is how she blamed you for all this in the first place. If you ask me, it sounds like she brought it upon herself being a bitch and all. It's just like with Alexandria. No matter how mean she is to you, you can appease yourself by knowing that someday soon, her fake boob will drop right off her chest leaving her with nothing but a pair of awkwardly knobby knees that knock together when she walks.
SurferBabeXOXO: *boobs
ShoeBunny91: haha. Angie, that's mean.
SurferBabeXOXO: You know you've thought it too. Don't pretend like you haven't.
SurferBabeXOXO: Though, it would be funnier if only one boob fell off.
ShoeBunny91: You are beyond strange, Angela. Anyway, I'm glad all's going well with Tony. How's Chase?
SurferBabeXOXO: Chase is Chase. I don't know how else to describe him.
ShoeBunny91: I'm not sure there is another way to describe him.
ShoeBunny91: Hmm, I have a picture of Takeru too if you want to see.
SurferBabeXOXO: Of course I want to see! I want to know what this turd looks like so when I visit I know just who to kill.
ShoeBunny91: A) You use some of the weirdest expression known to mankind, and B) Takeru's a really nice guy. It's Miyuki that's the problem.
ShoeBunny91 wants to send SurferBabeXOXO file: . Waiting for user to accept transfer.
Transfer completed. SurferBabeXOXO has received the file.
ShoeBunny91: We ended up eating dinner at the place where he works today, and he was really kinda sweet. He apologized for the whole Miyuki-wants-to-kill-you fiasco. And he's a talented writer.
SurferBabeXOXO: This is the guy who was dating Miyuki?
SurferBabeXOXO: You did that one homework assignment with him, right?
ShoeBunny91: Yep, that's the one.
SurferBabeXOXO: Wow, he's really cute too. I can see why Miyuki wouldn't want to let him go. Even still, he's going to have to shape up if he's going to continue bringing trouble to my best friend's door. I'd tell you to warn him of his impending doom, but then that might give him a fair chance. And we can't have that, can we? :)
ShoeBunny91: Ugh. And I thought Miranda was the crazy one. Go to school.
SurferBabeXOXO: You may kick me out now, Hikari. But I'll always be watching. And I've got a memory like a steel trap. Now that I know who he is…I'll never forget his face.
ShoeBunny91: Thank you, Master Don. Now go. And try not to think about Alexandria's fake boobs today.
SurferBabeXOXO: I make no promises. You never know, today just may be the day.
SurferBabeXOXO: Knobby knees, that's all I'm sayin'. ;)
o-o-o-o-o
Incidentally, I think I'm in love with Natsue. Also, at the original time of writing this chapter, 2000 yen was roughly equivalent to $20. It's like $20 and some change.
Thanks, of course, to all my reviewers! I appreciate you all so much. Thanks to MagickCaster, authorgal282, Kyo, rgr, Uchiha-Kirara, Anonymous, Nightshroud19, TheSlyFoxofPeanutButterness, Satotadashi, Final Genesis, musiclover9419, TopazledHannah-kun, butterflyangellover14, Takerus Lost Angel, twiinklestar, Storyteller of dimensions, sasukichan, LoneWolfVampire13, joeshen, and Shire Folk. I also want to thank those who expressed their sentiments over the passing of my grandfather. It was extremely kind of you. Thanks so much.
MagickCaster: Yes, I understand what you mean. Originally, more parts of the canon Digimon universe made it into this fic, but when I set out to write this, I said I'd do a normal high school fic, and I was quickly letting my imagination run wild, so I ended up cutting it all out entirely. They may make a cameo somewhere, but I can't promise anything. We'll see how the story goes.
authorgal282: Reading your review when it came through on my email definitely made my day – like a breath of fresh air. I'm so glad you enjoy reading this story. I enjoy writing it. Except when I get writer's block.
Kyo: Yeah, I definitely see what you're saying about the flow of time. It's a bit quick. I guess Takeru's whole deal was passivity. Despite seeing the type of girl Miyuki was, he constantly allowed himself to overlook it for the sake of avoiding a confrontation with her; it made his life a lot easier to just keep her happy. Still, I could see how it could get confusing. And I see what you mean about the breakup. To me, his breaking point was the water incident with Hikari. For the first time, I think he really understood just how much she was hurting people, for no apparent reason. And I know that makes him sound kind of dim, but really most of the people she attacked he didn't hang out with afterwards, you know what I mean? So he never really saw how she affected them. I may just be setting myself up for a wonderful taste of my foot though.
And you're completely right about Hikari and Miyako. The idea was they had so much in common that they just struck it right off and were like long lost BFFs. A stretch, I know. And yes, it's only been two weeks since the story started. This chapter begins the third. I admit. The bullying is totally out of proportion for the amount of time that's passed; I was hoping no would notice because I have no excuse for that. -nervous laughter- Anyway, no offense taken. The fact that you paid such close attention to the story actually makes me really happy. I'll have to be more careful in the future. Thanks!
Uchiha-Kirara: I thoroughly enjoyed reading your review. It was so long and comprehensive. I loved the whole thing, constructive criticism (which is always welcome, by the way) and all. You brought up valid points, so I'll keep them in mind as I continue with the story. There is a conversation between TK and Kari in this chapter. And in next chapter or two, there will be more. I'm in the process of reworking the story arc, so I can't speak passed that, but most likely the chapters after that will have Takari moments as well. As for TK and Kari finding out their brothers are best friends/roommates. I had a big unveiling moment planned for it, but I may change it now. I haven't decided yet. And consider yourself lucky. There were definitely people like Miyuki at my high school. Not as overtly physically cruel as she is, but definitely as verbally mean. None of it was ever directed towards me though, thankfully. Point taken. Drama's officially been added to genre.
Anonymous: Yeah, I'm definitely treasuring this review for the rest of my life. Thanks.
Final Genesis: Ironically, after writing that chapter, "Apologize" came on the radio so much at work that I'm fairly certain I never want to hear it again. Or at least not for a long time.
TopazledHannah-kun: I just loved your choice of words for TK and Kari's future, because that's exactly what's going to happen! Afufufufufu~
twiinklestar: Thanks for catching that error. I can't remember now, but I think I already fixed it. That was so frustrating. I spent days pouring over that chapter to make sure I got out every glitch and I missed something as simple as that. Argh! And no, Takeru does not know yet.
Storyteller of dimensions: Miyu's totally a 1-D character. I'd wrote her that way intentionally at first, but I'm starting to change my mind. Now that her fairytale's been turned upside down, it will hopefully provide the opportunity to flesh her out more. Or at least her sister with whom I'm now in love.
LoneWolfVampire13: You paid me such a wonderful compliment. Thank you! -returns e-hug- My condolences to your friend though. I can't imagine what losing her father must have been like.
joeshen: I just love reading your reviews. You always get me so excited to write! Even if the writing comes out like crap sometimes.
Shire Folk: Haha, indeed. But I think Hikari may need the Grace of Valar more than I do. I may lend it to her for a while.
Preview of chapter 9: Hikari receives a package from America, and, tired of being bullied, decides to stand up to Miyuki to get back a present of significant importance to her.
Coming soon!