Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon.

Chapter Seven: Breaking the Ground He Stands On

That evening Takeru could not stay still. No matter what he did or what position he made he could not shake the dread he felt in his stomach for tomorrow. Moreover, more than anything, he could not escape this irritation building inside of him waiting to lash out. He could not believe how frustrated and angry he felt about that day.

Whenever he closed his eyes he relived that moment where Hikari told him she wanted to put some distance between them. It hurt his heart far more than he realized, so much so he started to look at everything about himself with hate-filled eyes.

He had already shredded a few notebooks earlier venting out after not able to put his feelings to paper, but it was still not enough.

Just then, his phone buzzed, Takeru anxious to see if Hikari had texted him, but strangely it was her brother.

"Are you up?" the text simply asked.

Takeru quickly replied 'Yes', only for the text to immediately reply:

"Perfect. Get dressed. Meet me down at the Hanamoto Cafe."

Takeru threw on a sweater, glanced down at the sweetly sleeping Patamon all curled in his blanket.

He smiled, his heart lifted a bit and headed out letting his guard dog flying preangel slumber – err watch over the place.

Not half an hour passed before Takeru arrived at the cafe, Taichi waving once, Takeru coming over. He looked slack in just t-shirt and slacks, a single star t shirt reminiscent of their original adventure, but Taichi obviously having aged into nearly an adult.

"So," he said. "You've been making quite a ruckus not only at your school, but at mine to. And plenty of trouble for Yamato," he grinned.

"I guess that's what little brothers are for," he snickered back.

"True enough," he said, a waitress coming over to him. "Oh, I'll have the number two special please."

Takeru nodded, gave his menu up and declined anything.

"Not hungry?" Taichi asked. "I'm buying, which is something I don't say very often."

"You didn't invite me out just for a late dinner did you?" Takeru asked.

"Course not," he said leaning forward. He stared at Takeru for a little while, Takeru smiling trying to pass the time under his watchful gaze.

Not long after food had been brought over and Taichi enveloped himself with Yakisoba. "So, big day tomorrow for you isn't it?" he asked taking a mouthful.

"Yeah," he said. "I'm...a bit nervous."

"Do you actually think this girl will confess to you?"

"Hope so," he said inbetween Taichi's slurps. "Why do you ask?"

"Because," he said, "My sister has something to do with this. Apparently she's going to 'support' you being on the candidates before you make your decision?"

"That's what she agreed to," Takeru said not liking at all how he sounded.

"Do you love her?" he asked, Takeru not ready for that direct hit.

"Love her?"

"You know what I mean. Have feelings. Makes your heart pound. Anything like that?"

Takeru gripped his fist, doing his best to force a different smile on his face.

"Come on Taichi," he said trying to maintain control. "That's Hikari-chan. We've known each other for years. And you're her brother. If I loved Hikari-chan you would have known by now."

"You're not answering the question," Taichi said closed-eyed taking another chopstick full. "I just want a simple yes or no answer. Do you like my sister romantically? I know you like her as a friend, possibly more. But I have to know if there is more than that."

Takeru shifted a little bit, his eyebrows narrowing. "Say," he swallowed, "What if in the slightest possibility I did? How would you feel about that?"

"I would feel pissed you dragged my sister emotionally through a list of girl candidates only to practically give her a heart attack before you choose her. And you're still being evasive," he groaned. "Come on TK," he said calling him his old nickname. "Do you love my sister or not? I just want a simple answer."

Takeru sighed, laying down his pitiful smiling mask. "Before I answer," he said, "Whether yes or no I want you to promise me you won't tell her."

"Why not? Is it something you really have to hide? I'm the crest of courage here. You're the crest of depression as far as I see it," he said smugly. "Not much hope for you, is there?"

Takeru took that squarely on the chin, but did not get defensive. "I just don't want you to ruin tomorrow by telling her."

"I promise man to man I won't," he said. "Well?"

Takeru straightened up, stared at him as honestly as he could not even smiling. "Yes, I do," he said as clearly as he could.

"I thought so," Taichi said. "But now your next answer is going to decide if I will allow it. Are you ready?"

"Go for it," he said, Takeru not knowing where this side of him had actually come from.

"Then here I go. First question. What is it you are going to do after you or her confess to each other?"

"Apologize for putting her through all this nonsense."

"Good. Next question. Just what do you like about my sister? And don't give me how she looks. Any guy could say that. I want to know what you Takeru Takaishi like about her so much."

Takeru paused for a moment absorbing his question. "It's the little things," he said staring away as if looking at her. "I like how she is so caring about the feelings of other people and is so humble enough she even let's others express themselves even if she wants to...almost to a fault. She always tries her best at those things that no one else seems to notice as well," he said thinking about her.

"Like what?"

"Well, take you for instance."

"Me?"

"There are times when I noticed Hikari looks just a bit more tired. I asked her about it and she says she's been worried about you so she stayed up the other night making you dinner for the next night to make things easier for you."

"I still don't get the other part," Taichi said a bit puzzled.

"Ah, but here's the thing," Takeru said, his smile widening. "Most people are put off or look annoyed when they do something that makes them tired or goes out of their way for someone when it should put them at an inconvenience. But, not her," Takeru said still impressed. "When she said that to me she had the most beautiful smile on her face."

"Anything else?" Taichi said, his tone not impressed.

"...What else can I say?" Takeru said whimsically. "The way she smiles. The kindness radiating from her. She can hide herself so easily, but she can see through others just as easily. I can't hide anything from that girl," he said snickering.

Taichi looked down as if still considering him.

"Tell me, when did you first start to like her?"

"I've always liked Hikari-chan," Takeru said instinctively.

"No, I mean like how a man likes a woman Takeru."

Takeru had to take some time about that one!

"...You're going to laugh when I tell you," he said covering his hat with his head.

Taichi managed to smirk. "You're going to have to tell me eventually, why not just get it over with now?"

Takeru could not help but chuckle. "It was when you and my brother were fighting in the digital world."

"Huh?" Taichi said, dumbfounded so much his elbow slipped from off it and he banged his forehead on it. He groaned raising his head, a couple painful tears coming down from it. "Continue," he muttered.

"When my brother had lost it and you and him were going at it I lost track of Hikari while you were fighting. I was so concerned about my brother it just slipped my mind seeing you both wail on each other. But, when I realized she wasn't near us I panicked slightly. It didn't take long for me to realize where she was, but right then, I realized I cared way too much for someone I had not met that long ago."

"Hmmm," Taichi said staring at him. "Go on."

Takeru nodded. "I guess you could say she really grew on me after that. When she got sick I felt terrified. When we had our first conversation together I was ecstatic. I didn't realize it for awhile, but I really liked her back then," he said recalling the days with fondness.

"...I see," Taichi said. "Then I have a couple final questions, and this is going to get personal but I have to ask them."

"Ok," Takeru said swallowing a little bit. Taichi had never looked so serious.

"Have you hugged any other girls?"

"Just family."

"Kissed any other girls?"

"Why would I hug any other girls and not kiss them? Unless you mean French custom. That doesn't seem-"

"-SLEPT with any girls?"

Takeru stared at him a bit taken aback. "Just what kind of guy do you take me-"

"-Answer the question," Taichi said stone-faced.

Takeru covered his hand with his eye. "This is embarrassing to say," he said, "But there was this time, back in elementary school."

"Elementary?!"

Takeru nodded his head all serious. "It was early in the afternoon. All the kids were busy with some projects and there was this other girl right beside me focusing on her studies. We lied down together."

"What?!" Taichi said surprised. "Takeru!"

"...And fell asleep...in kindergarten."

Taichi stared at him, his eyes trying to register what he was hearing.

"You brat!" he scolded taking his hand and scrunching up Takeru's hair just like Yamato did when he was trying to cover up about Patamon's infection.

"I had you going there for a minute didn't I?" he grinned ignoring the pain in his head.

"Dammit you piss me off!" he growled, Takeru finally having his head released like a claw machine grappling on a prize inside a machine.

Taichi's eyes twitched staring at him a bit oddly as if wondering still about him.

"Do you have any other questions?" Takeru asked.

Taichi leaned forward. "Just one," he said. "If, in the tiniest, remote, minuscule, possible way Hikari does return your feelings what can you say that will make me think you will even stay with her."

"What do you mean?"

Taichi scooted forward and closed his eyes placing both of his arms crossed on the table. "It's like this. People have their own interests and different goals in life. Even close friends can become distant and grow apart. Let's say for example after this you get a scholarship to France for example and Hikari gets-I don't know-called to Hokkaido. Could you withstand being apart for so long? Or would you break it off?"

"I never thought about that question," Takeru said thinking deeply about it. "Realistically speaking, if that did happen and I met someone I would have to ask myself if this is truly what I want. People separate all the time. Children get damaged like me and my brother. It might even be in our blood," he said concentrating. "...But, there is one thing I can say for that..."

"And what is that, Takeru?"

"...I couldn't imagine being with any other girl even after all the ones I've dated," he smiled. "Not many of them I would consider friends. Some I might consider acquaintances, but I've never felt the same feelings I feel for Hikari-chan. It's like," he said still wondering why he could be so open now about this, "whenever I go out I imagine Hikari-chan is there, and I see a few of those qualities I like about her, but, it's not her."

"I get it," Taichi said nodding his head. "It's like you're getting a pepperoni slice off of a pizza, but you don't want just the pepperoni, you want the whole slice!"

"...Never thought about it like that," Takeru snickered, "But it's still the same."

Taichi seemed to loosen up a bit, Takeru noticing he stared at him differently. "You're not just the same bratty little kid watching out for her any more are you?" he said observing him.

Takeru glanced back up pretending he did not hear him. "Hm? What was that?"

"Nothing," he said closing his eyes briefly. "I should get going," he said getting up. "Thanks for coming out here on short notice."

"It's no trouble," he replied. "I had a feeling it was about Hikari-chan anyway."

Taichi nodded his head and got up to leave, but stopped looking over his shoulder. "Don't push her too hard," he cautioned. "She's been doing her best to make it through this, but I'm worried it might be too much for her."

Takeru took a moment to take in his words and nodded his head making a fist. "I understand. Leave her to me."

"...Only if she says so," he winked taking his leave.

It had been a long hard night for Hikari. Tomorrow Takeru would have his big reveal. She lay awake, her eyes bloodshot staring at the ceiling wondering about all of the events that had transpired. Ever since Takeru talked about his plan to get the girl he liked to confess to him she had been stressed out so much she thought she had lost a couple years of her remaining life. And yet, for every step forward she made to try to get Takeru to understand how she felt, the larger the gap became between the two of them.

"Hikari?" Tailmon asked, Tailmon crawling underneath the covers up just below her neck. "You look really pale. Are you feeling ok?"

"I'll be ok Tailmon," she said with a wry smile trying to hold back a slight cough. Yes, she had felt dizzy, lightheaded, and felt like she could barely breathe, but this had to be normal. It had to be because it matched all of the check boxes Sora, Mimi and Miya had told her about when it comes to recognizing the feeling of being in love.

"I'm sure after tomorrow I'll recover," she said her voice heavy, "But…" she said folding both of her arms around her eyes. "...I can't stop thinking about him. It's never hurt this much."

She felt Tailmon's soft paw on her wrist gently caressing her. "Takeru would be an idiot to choose another girl over you," Tailmon said checking her other paw with claws. "I'll use him as my scratching post if he breaks your heart Hikari."

She managed to chuckle a little bit, before they quickly ended up turning into bitter tears and hushed sobs as she fell into the night, only her feline companion helping her withstand the despair.

It was the last day. Between bites of oatmeal and a cup of coffee Takeru wished this day would never arrive, but also that it would be finally over. He fumbled in his pocket for his phone, a list of ten girls there that had become the finalists of his drama of his own making.

He knew each of the girls by name, their face's flashing in his mind each time he thought of them. But the last and best, Hikari Yagami, had such a sweet ring to it, Takeru could not help but feel his anxiety slowly leave him knowing he would have to make himself vulnerable this time.

Just then the doorbell rang, Takeru answering it only to see his brother there with Sora. "We got like ten minutes," he said, Sora smiling cheerfully.

"We're going to be cheering for you Takeru-kun. It takes a lot of guts to confess to the girl you love," she said absolutely giddy. "I just know this girl will make you more happy than anyone in the world. Especially if it's Hikari," she grinned, Takeru's smile twitching as if she was gently pushing him in the right direction.

"About that," he said. "I'm glad you could come over. I kind of need you to smack me upside the head," he confessed.

Yamato sighed heavily. "What did you do now?"

"It's not about something I did Yamato," he said seriously. "No, this is about something I'm going to do."

A brief ten minutes had passed which seemed like an hour by the time Takeru was done explaining himself.

"You're crazy," Yamato scowled. "Do you really think Hikari Yagami will return your feelings if you try to pull THAT crazy stunt? She might even want to not be friends with you anymore," he warned.

"I'm aware brother," Takeru smiled. "But, I hate to admit it, I'll find some way of making excuses and not act if I get the opportunity," he said sitting down, leaning back, and closing his eyes taking a breath. "But, with your help, I will have to follow through otherwise I can't go back."

"...Just by having me read your secret to Hikari? Why do you have to keep it a secret? Why can't you just tell me now?"

"Because," Takeru swallowed. "You'll be shocked. But if you read it now it won't do you any good delivering it to her. Even you won't be able to tell her without pitying or feeling sympathy for her," he said grabbing a letter he had been working on last night.

"Hey," he groaned staring icy daggers at him. "I'm not that mean. I'm just straight up unlike you."

"With a grain of salt of course," Sora chided in. "But I don't understand Takeru-kun. Why haven't you told Hikari-chan this secret, err whatever it is? Is it that bad?"

Takeru closed his eyes and put his forearm over them... He couldn't tell them now. He couldn't tell them her secret that not even SHE knew about. Come to think of it, although he did love her was this the real reason why he went through all of this in the first place? It started to make a little bit more sense the more he tried to arrange things.

"Rest assured," Yamato said becoming more level-headed, "I'll agree to this crazy plan of yours. I don't know how this all fits together, but if you're shouldering it the most I can do is support you as long as I am ok with it," he said placing one hand in his pocket.

Takeru breathed a slight sigh of relief.

"With that being said," Sora interrupted, "We've got to get going now. We're looking forward to hearing all about it Takeru-kun."

Takeru smiled and waved his goodbye as they left. Things were moving in motion all in preparation for this day. Taichi had given a mixed blessing. Yamato and Sora begrudgingly were going along with it. And he was about to confess to Hikari today to tell her how he feels. But...he couldn't shake the feeling for all of this, getting to where he was today- He was about to lose it all.

But, even realizing that, in the big scheme of things he did not mind. It was only a few months until Hikari turned seventeen, and then, what would it matter anyway?

He waited a few minutes, gathered his bag and placed his hand on the doorknob to leave when a voice echoed into his mind clearer than the day he had even heard it making him suddenly feel ice cold:

"...Her hour is approaching…"

He hesitated, his blood turning cold, his heart growing hollow as he opened the door.

One thing today could be certain: He did not have a lot of time.