Day 1 - Kindness/Greed/Selfishness: Kindness (And the Lack of it)
Ken looked at the drawing of his crest in his hands. Kindness. It had been a few months since he had to use it to save the Digital World and a couple more since Daisuke and the others defeated the Digimon Kaiser, but he still couldn't understand why he was given that crest. After all suffering and pain he had made a lot of Digimon and his now fellow Chosen Children go through, he didn't think he was worthy of such a virtue.
"Ken, what are you thinking about?" Wormmon lifted his head beside his partner and looked into his eyes. "That's a beautiful drawing. Did you draw it yourself?"
"No." He replied quietly without taking his eyes from it. "Hikari did."
There was a palpable pause, during which Ken bit his lower lip and contemplated to speak out what was on his mind with his partner.
"She's good at it, isn't she?"
"Yes, she's very talented. Wormmon?"
"What is it, Ken?"
"If I ask you something, will you promise to be honest with me?"
"Of course. I thought you weren't going to ask."
"Wait, you knew I was going to ask you something?" Ken looked at him surprised.
"Absolutely. I know you better than you think."
The boy couldn't help but smile and felt like a lot of weight was taken away from his shoulders. When he thought about it, it didn't seem so surprising that Wormmon knew it beforehand. It's a known fact humans and Digimon partners had a strong bond.
"What were you going to ask me?"
"Do you think I deserve the crest of kindness?"
"Definitely. There isn't anyone else worth of it than you. It's perfect for you."
"I'm not sure about it." He shut his eyes hard and winced at the mere thought of hurting other Digimon in the past. "I captured Taichi's Agumon and turned him evil. I made him fight his friends. I'm not worthy this crest."
"Yes, you are." Wormmon climbed on his body and stared into his eyes with determination. "They have forgiven you and you made peace with your past a few months ago. You've moved on and is trying to be a better person and to make up for what you did."
"That's true, but it isn't easy to forget sometimes. It's hard to look at them knowing it's all my fault. I don't deserve their sympathy."
"They all know by now there was someone else behind the Digimon Kaiser. Everything changed and I'm sure it's just a matter of time until they trust you."
"I hope so."
"I have absolutely no doubt you will all be friends within time, and it's going to be sooner than you think."
"I wish I could be as optimistic as you are."
"You will get there, I'm sure. But Ken… I never doubted you, not even for a second. I've always known this lovingly and sweet boy was hiding somewhere all along and now he's finally here."
"Wormmon." Ken couldn't help but smile kindly and felt his shoulders relax.
"I love you, Ken. I know you feel like some things were your fault, but they really weren't. And if you need someone to hold your hand and help you go through it, I'll be right here to go through it with you. I didn't let go back then and I'm not doing it now."
"Wormmon."
"You deserve to be happy. No one should be punished for something they had no idea they were doing for the rest of their lives. They deserve the chance to move on and learn from them, if they truly regret it."
"You're right."
"So if you need to, you should make peace with your past one more time. Maybe it'll make you feel better about it."
"I guess so." He shrugged, unsure.
"Why don't you get some rest? It's late."
"I'll try." Ken turned on his side and stared at the window across his room. "Good night, Wormmon."
"Good night."
.
"Ken?" Wormmon walked out his bedroom and joined his partner in the balcony. "What are you doing here? It's too cold."
"Is it? I haven't realized it."
"Here." He climbed over the boy and put a warm blanket over his shoulders. "It's not the ideal, but it should keep you warm a little."
"Thanks, Wormmon." Ken smiled gently at his Digimon and fixed the blanket over him.
"So what are you doing out here?"
"I was just thinking about the kids with the seeds. I feel like I have to do something. I can't help but feel responsible for their situation."
"But it's not your fault, Ken. They are being used by Oikawa just like you were."
"Another reason why I have to protect them no matter what. Who knows what can happen to do if he gets what he wants?"
"We're not gonna let that happen, I promise. And I'm sure neither will the rest of the Chosen Children. We're gonna find a way to turn things around."
"I know, but…" Ken stopped talking and looked over his shoulder when something inside his room started making noise. He realized right away his phone was ringing and buzzing over his desk. He quickly grabbed it and sat on his bed. "Hello?"
"Hi, Ken."
"Hikari, is everything alright?"
"Yes, everything's fine. I just wanted to check on you. I've seen how much you were affect about the children."
"We all did, to be honest."
"That's true, but you were more than us. Hold on a second." Hikari did something on her phone. "I think it worked."
"It did." Takeru's voice echoed in his bedroom. "Hello, Ken."
"Hi."
"Takeru and I were talking and we're worried about the kids, so we decided to go talk to Noriko's parents tomorrow. Maybe it will help."
"That's right. And we wanted to know if you'd like to come along."
"You want to talk to her parents?"
"At this point we need to try everything we can." Hikari spoke. "I'd rather try and fail than not trying at all and seeing Oikawa and his troupe get away with it without consequences."
"If you don't want to, it's fine too."
"Exactly. We understand it's a tough subject for you."
"No, no. I do." Ken said firmly. "What time are you planning on going?"
"At 9 a.m. It's not that early, but it's not late either."
"Great. Count me in."
"Cool."
"Eh.. Ken?" Hikari said unsure and bit her lower lip.
"Yeah?"
"Are you sure you're okay with this? I mean, you can count on us if you need. You know that, right?"
Takeru couldn't help but smile. "It's her way of saying she's worried about you."
"Thank you. I appreciate it."
"So I'll see you tomorrow?"
"Absolutely. I'll see you both tomorrow."
"Alright. Have a good night."
"Good night."
.
Ken was making his way out of college that Friday. He was supposed to meet Hikari, so they could go Christmas shopping together. He was waiting for her when he spotted a woman seemingly being harassed by a few boys men in the sidewalk.
"Hey!" He said firmly and loudly when he approached them. "Leave her alone."
"Mind your own business, old man."
"What did you call me?" He grabbed the man's collar and forced him to look at him.
"Chill out, man. We weren't doing anything bad."
"Do you even hear yourself right now?" He ground his teeth and hissed. "You all were harassing this woman."
"Ken?" Hikari's voice echoed in his ears and he loosened the man's collar a little, but still held it. "What's going on?"
"Hikari, it's not…"
"Were you fighting these guys?"
"No, no." He stood up and fixed his black shirt. "I was just warning them. Shall we go?"
"Sure." Hikari pressed her lips together, clearly not believing a word he had said.
Hikari was quiet the whole way to the mall, but Ken knew quite well she was still thinking about what she had witnessed fifteen minutes ago.
"I'm sorry. I don't know what happened. No, actually, I do. Those boys were harassing that woman and I couldn't stand still and ignore it."
"I get it, but did you have to beat them?"
"I didn't beat them."
"You were going to, had I not arrived at that moment."
"I'm sorry. I lost my mind, it won't happen again. I promise." He placed his hand over hers and squeezed it lightly.
"Okay, I believe you." She smiled kindly at him.
"Good, because I don't like fighting with you."
"I don't like it either."
They didn't realize they were staring at each other until the driver behind them honked and Ken turned his attention to the traffic ahead. Hikari couldn't stop laughing at what had just happened, and it didn't take him to long to join her.
"Are you sure you're okay with this?" Hikari asked when they walked into the mall together. "I know you don't like Christmas shopping that much."
"I like Christmas shopping, I just don't like spending hours and hours choosing what to buy."
"Well, today is your lucky day then. Your girlfriend doesn't like it either."
"That should make things easier then." Ken placed a hand on her hip and touched her right cheek with the other one. "Once we're done choosing each other's presents, how about we go to the movies or something?"
"That sounds perfect to me." She looked up at him and wrapped her arms around his waist. "I have a condition though."
"What condition?"
"We're gonna buy hamburgers, fries and milk-shake from a fast food store?"
"You want me to ditch my diet?"
"We can go jogging a little more over the week to make up for it. Besides, we barely eat junk food."
"You have a good point. Alright, let's do it."
"Great." Hikari stood on her toes and kissed him briefly. "We can meet in front of the fountain in about an hour and a half?"
"That sounds good to me. Try not to miss me that much."
"I can't guarantee anything, but I'll try." She smiled.
.
Ken started going through some stores, looking for the perfect Christmas presents for Hikari. They haven't set a price limit, but he decided to spend about 2500 yen on them. He thought it should be enough to buy two or three presents. So first he stopped by at a stationery store and bought her a very beautiful agenda he's seen. She'd been getting a new one each year since she started college, so she wouldn't forget her exam dates or assignments dates. He counted the change and had more than enough to buy her two more presents.
Next, he went to a clothing store to see if he could find something Hikari'd like. She loved wearing winter hats during the season and had quite a collection of them, but he still thought another one would be nice. He found a lilac one that would match her pink coat perfectly. He still had quite some money, so then he went to a bookstore and bought two books she'd be eager to read, but haven't yet.
.
After buying everything he wanted to, he headed to the fountain to wait for her. There was a coffee shop near where he was and the smell of hot black coffee filled his nostrils. It didn't take long for Hikari to arrive with a couple of bags too, as well as a bag from a fast food and two cups of milk-shake. Ken stood up the moment he saw her.
"You bought it already?"
"Yeah, I passed by one and thought 'why not?' Thank you." She added when he grabbed the cups of milk-shake from her hands. "I hope I got the one you wanted, by the way."
"You did." He took a sip of his vanilla and strawberry drink. "I think we should take these bags to our car, so we don't have to carry them around."
"Oh." Hikari looked at her hands, feeling a little stupid for not thinking of it beforehand. "I should've really waited to buy food. Now they'll freeze when we go outside."
"Don't worry." Ken grabbed the bags she was holding and then handed her his milk-shake. "I'll take them to the car. I'll be right back."
"But…"
"It's much warmer here. I don't want you to risk getting sick."
"Okay, I'll be here."
.
Hikari was spreading her Christmas' presents under Ken's tree when he walked in. She stood up the following second and smiled widely at him, holding a large package wrapped in a Holiday themed red paper.
"Can we exchange gifts now? I'm really curious to know what you think of what I got you."
"How much was it?"
"What?" She blinked a few times, taken completely by surprised. "Does it matter?"
"I just wanted to know if it didn't cost more than we established when we went shopping for them."
"We didn't establish how much we were going to spend on them. Why are you worked up with them, by the way?"
"It's just money that could be well spent."
"It was well spent though. It was spent on you. Also, what's going on with you? You were never this greed before."
"I'm sorry, I'm just thinking ahead."
"Ken," She put the package away and grabbed his hands softly. "I completely get it and agree with you, but it's Christmas. It's okay to spend a little more on yourself or on people you love. Of course you'll have to be reasonable and not spend all your money, but it's okay to let loose."
"You're right, you're right. I feel stupid now."
"Don't feel. We're all learning here." She grabbed the present and handed to him. "Come on, open it. I think you will like it."
"Okay." Ken grabbed it and sat down next to the Christmas tree. He noticed she had done the same through the corner of his eyes. He tore the paper off and came across a full set of working out related stuff. "Wow, there are a lot of things to do exercise with here."
"I know, I thought I'd put them all together in just one package. I thought they'd come in handy because you love jogging in the morning and in the ending of the afternoon too. Now you can have a suit just for that."
"I don't know what to say." He put his hoodie over his thighs and looked at her, before leaning over and kissing her briefly. "Thank you."
"You're welcome." Hikari smiled and gave him the next gift.
"No, it's your turn now." He took it away and placed one of the presents he had bought in her hands.
"Alright." She looked down and ran her hands through it. "I don't even need to open this to know it's a new agenda."
"Sweetie, if you keep guessing it right before you open your gift will take away all the fun of it."
"I'm sorry." She laughed while she leaned over towards the second gift she got him. "I promise I'll guess it wrong next time."
"That's much better." He smiled and proceeded on opening his second Christmas present.