Digimon Fan Fiction ❯ By My Decision ❯ Loathing and Lusting ( Chapter 4 )

[Notes:

Okay, I guess I'm not that late. This is a pretty uneventful chapter but a niiiiice introspectively-purposed one (kinda like Chapter 2), and it all leads up to the festival! And things will surely go to shit after the next chapter! That's the fun in it all, yes. I personally think I rushed the last few events here, but that's just me. I'm sure people will let me know if I fucked up that badly. XD

So, yes! I guess the second triangle has become all the more obvious by now. Except there's still an interesting little twist to it that I have yet to uncover! Think of it like the Hirokazu/Ruki/Ryo triangle's twist in Chapter 3. It's all good, it's all fun. I have lots of plans for the much, much later chapters as well. 02 twists, anyone? Completely unlike the 02 crossover I did in GV, though. None of the Adventure characters will probably be appearing, but I will make references! I listed it all out on my Deadjournal, so you can see for yourself unless you're…spoiler-sensitive or something. OH WELL!

Enjoy another chapter of the stupid-happy-fun! It won't be long before it all goes to hell! REALLY!!]

[POV - Takato]

For once, Friday didn't drag on forever. It didn't seem like it to me, at least. For 'Kazu, it probably lasted an eternity. Then again, he's naturally impatient. You could always tell with him, especially when he starts clawing at his desk and foaming at the mouth during class. Everyone else had been pretty calm about it, though. Even Kenta, who seemed more indifferent about it than anyone. Hirokazu came through for us, though, and he let Ruki and Ryo know about our plans. So it's official… we're all going. I just feel so nervous now… I don't see why, though. I've repeatedly told myself time and time again that this is not a date. Not for me, not for anyone…

There's just some things I can't stop thinking about, I guess. Ever since Juri told me to get a journal, I haven't been able to concentrate on anything but my problems. As for writing IN the journal, well… I keep making an honest effort, for Juri, but it's just not working for me. My thoughts usually die out by the third sentence or so, and I can't bring myself to care enough to complete it. I'm just not made for being a writer. Maybe I'd be better off making comics of my daily life… maybe that's how manga artists come to be…

I guess I'm a bit worried. And scared, not to mention paranoid… I've found myself paying a lot more attention to my friends than I ever have before. Specifically Juri and Jen… without having Digimon encounters to wonder about, I'm suddenly finding things out about my friends that I'd never before suspected. We're changing, I guess… or just growing up. We're preteens now, after all. It's just that everything's gone so fast, now. Hirokazu and Kenta had gotten together and then split up… now Hirokazu's in love AGAIN, with Ruki who's being chased after by Ryo, too. Juri seems as nice and mature as ever, and she's been pretty open about herself as far as I know… but how I feel about her is really getting to be a hindrance. It's already affecting my performance levels at my work, both at school and the kind of work I do for fun. But really, when is the best time to tell when you're ready to tell the girl you've been crushing on for years that you like her? Does it just hit you in an instant, or do you wait until it totally takes control of your life so you just finally DO it so you can move on?

As for Jenrya, well… he's an enigma in himself. We've grown to be really close friends, and we usually go to each other when we have a problem, but I never know what to do when Jen gets all distant and nervous like he's been lately. I don't think anyone does, really. Maybe it is good that Jen's becoming friends with Juri. I could sometimes use a second opinion when I'm trying to help him out… but he's MY best friend! Not Juri's! Why should she need to muddle into Jen's problems when she's got enough of her own and fulfilling her best friend duties with Ruki? I don't need her help. I can take care of Jenrya just fine on my own. Besides, it's not like I'm going around and helping Ruki whenever she has a temper tantrum. Frankly because Ruki scares me even after all this time, but still. Ruki's cynicism makes her not nice to be around. What the hell do Jenrya and Juri have in common, anyway…?

…

O… kay, so maybe they do have a lot in common. Maybe more than I do with Jen. Or even Juri herself. But what does that matter? Diversity is fundamental in a good friendship! I mean, look at Hirokazu and Kenta-… well, maybe that's not a good example. Maybe Ruki and Juri would be better. They're polar opposites, right? … But… I'm not THAT different from Jenrya, am I? I mean, I never thought I was… we're definitely not identical, but we do share some of the same opinions, surely… just like Juri; some, but not too much…

Maybe my time to confess to Juri would be soon. Because I just realized I've been thinking about this for 10 minutes, and I could've spent that 10 minutes actually writing these thoughts down than just letting them drift in my head to be buried in the back of my brain until a later time.

"Why can't I go?" whined a familiar voice. I just smiled tiredly as I continued to fumble with some various clothes in my closet. Festivals are special occasions… and my parents did just get me a new kimono.

"You keep asking the same question," I noted. "And it's not like I'm going to give you an answer any different from my last one. You're just too big, Guilmon. If you were plush-sized like Terriermon, I might've considered it, but what exactly would you do in the festival, anyway?"

"I dunno," my partner responded after some seemingly deep thought. "What do you do in festivals?"

"Things Digimon as big as you probably can't do," I said cynically, but avoiding my sharpness in said cynicism. I'm not Ruki, you know. "Look, I know you, Guilmon, and knowing you, you're going to attack every food stand in the place, if you go on any of the rides, you'll probably break them either from your weight or your sheer strength, you're gonna scare the living daylights out of anyone you pass by, and you most likely won't be able to play any of the games. I'm not saying this to be mean, boy. I just really think if you go, you're gonna have a miserable time, and in turn you'll make it a miserable time for everyone else too, understand?"

"I guess so," was Guilmon's sullen response.

I sighed. "Jen's really looking forward to this, it's his first time out with us on something fun, and I don't want to ruin that for him." Emotional persuasion wasn't working on my Digimon, so I tried to be positive. "Look, I doubt Renamon, Terriermon, Gaurdromon, and the other Digimon would be coming anyway. You can always hang out with your fellow 'mon while you let us cut loose, right?"

That brought Guilmon's smile back. "Sure!"

Seeing this compromise work made me grin. "Great. I'll get you some extra bread tomorrow evening before I head out, okay? You can form a meeting with everyone and have your own kind of fun while we're gone. Just don't do anything we wouldn't want you doing, okay?"

"Okeedoke!"

"All right then," I said, finally finding my kimono and pulling it out from the other clothes in the closet. "So, what do you think?" I turned around and presented the kimono to Guilmon. There was certainly nothing flashy about it, and I liked it that way, as opposed to my last one, which was an icky pale yellow… this one was a dull light blue. Almost the color of my old parka that I wore in my Tamer days, but just a bit lighter in tint. My partner nodded in approval, but I expected him to do that, anyway.

"Why do you hafta wear that in the festival anyway?" Guilmon asked me curiously.

"Tradition," was my succinct response. "I think everyone's going to be wearing one tomorrow night. I wonder what Katou-san's would look like…"

What would hers look like? Probably really pretty, I bet. But how pretty, exactly? So pretty that it'll overwhelm me and make me turn as red as a beet? And make me stay like that for hours on end, even after the festival? Or would it be more modest? Because Juri's always been real modest. She's probably not the flashy type, either. Like me. Heheh… like me.

Or how about Jen? I rarely see him in something different. It was a big adjustment when he stopped wearing his vest early this year. He just tends to stick with one style of clothing. It'll be interesting to see him in a kimono… hopefully he didn't get one that looked like mine. Why am I worried about that, anyway?

I mean, it's just kimonos¸ geez.

"When're you gonna go?" Guilmon asked me.

"Sometime tomorrow afternoon, I guess," I figured. The festival doesn't really open up until the evening, but Hirokazu specifically wanted us there early do we could get first dibs on some of the activities. "I'll let you know when I get a call from someone signaling us to leave."

"Okay…" my Digimon had disappeared back into my closet without another word. I couldn't think of much else to say, myself.

I sat down on my bed, looking over to my journal, which was sitting at my desk. I contemplated taking some time to write in it before I went to bed (I need a good sleep before this big event, of course), but quickly I decided against it. I was tired of thinking in general. It gets exhausting to go through the psyche of Juri and Jenrya every other minute, you know? Writing about it might just be overdoing it a little.

Hell… all of my current entries so far FOCUS on them.

Well, no point on dwelling about it. As big as the festival would be, nothing serious is going to happen between any of my friends. This wasn't the time or the place for such things yet. We'll just go in all as platonic friends, and we'll leave… as friends. Nothing more.

Time to sleep now.

[ POV - Nobody ]

Thankfully, the day of the festival had nothing but good weather bestowed upon it. Partly cloudy skies, a comfortable temperature of sixty-five degrees… all was to go well today in terms of weather. But since it was autumn, it would get chilly by the time the sun had set. The Tamers were all set on staying as late as they wanted to while they would be at the festival, just another ritual in the indulgence of freedom from their parents. A little cold would never shun them from that. No one, not even Kenta was expecting a mishap to unravel this outing into chaos. Even though there was plenty of material for a potential problem… namely, something between Hirokazu, Ruki, and Ryo, no one fretted much over it. Everybody was fully set on having a good time.

How oblivious they all were… their unawareness was practically a breeding ground for a situation to arise…

"Arigatou, I thought I'd have to walk the whole way!" Takato thanked in relief. It was in the middle of the afternoon and Jenrya, in all his humbleness, had offered Takato a ride to the festival via car. Rinchei was offering his siblings a ride; Jaarin, with her job responsibility jumped in on the opportunity, and convinced Jenrya to tag along, leaving their mother, father, and Shuichon to drive in at a later time. With one seat left available in the back, Jenrya called Takato up… thus, how this convenient ride turned out.

"I thought the same thing," Jenrya admitted. "I forgot Jaarin-neesan would be working at the festival, though. So this way, we'll be at the festival before anyone else."

"Hi, Takato!" Jaarin greeted cheerfully from her seat. "Ready to have fun?"

"I… guess so," Takato replied awkwardly. Even after spending so much time with Jenrya in his own house… the rest of the family members aside from Jenrya's parents sort of made him feel uncomfortable. Probably an only child thing.

By this time, Takato was in the car and Rinchei had driven off. The festival wasn't too far away. From the Matsuda Bakery, it would only be five minutes or so by car.

"I'm not intruding, am I?" Takato asked the Lee siblings. "Are you sure Shuichon didn't want to come with you…?"

"She's not old enough," Rinchei explained. "Plus, 'tousan and 'kaasan don't trust us well enough with her."

Jenrya rolled his eyes. "You two are just wild. Besides, she'd be driving us crazy in here before we even get to the festival."

"You really should have more tolerance to it by now," Jaarin advised. "You know, you weren't a perfect angel when you were her age, either!"

Takato, with no experience whatsoever in the sibling debates, could only sit there and watch the exchanges.

"Otousan and Okaasan said I was!" Jenrya claimed, frowning and folding his arms. "They just said I wasn't very social."

"You still aren't," Rinchei noted jokingly. "When I was your age, I'd have to cram in like 8 of my best friends into 'tousan's car to the festival."

"I didn't even need to escort my friends to the festival," Jaarin said happily. "They all liked me so much, they let me ride in their vans because they wanted to impress me… ah, it feels nice having so many friends to love and trust surrounding you."

Takato smiled slightly, only because he could fully vouch for Jaarin's opinion.

"Shuichon-neechan already has like three best friends she invites over to the house like, every other day, right?" Rinchei asked. "Jen… you're breaking the tradition."

"I have friends," Jenrya insisted. "Just in case you forgot, you just picked up one of them."

"But that's the only one we're picking up!" Jaarin reminded. "What about that Ruki girl, Jen? You're friends, ne?"

"Barely," Jenrya clarified. "Besides, she wouldn't want to come. She'd go off on a rant about how driving to the festival is for the weak and since she's so allegedly strong, she's going to walk the entire way and make it out like a big deal."

"She'd definitely say that," Takato defended. "To anyone."

"You've gotta have other friends, Jenrya," Rinchei said. "Not ALL of them would refuse a car ride…"

Jenrya's offended expressions changed to a smirk. "I'm just not so cruel to cram them all in a tiny, cruddy car, Oniisan."

With that, the car was significantly slowing down. Rinchei, looking clearly annoyed, turned his head to the back where Takato and Jenrya sat, and gave them both a sharp glare.

"I'm doing this purely out of kindness, you realize. If you have a problem, you can always step out of the car, and walk."

Takato shrunk back in his seat, with no urge to talk back whatsoever. He looked over to his friend, who also remained silent, but rather than being cowardly, was just glaring off at the side in defeat. Jaarin looked back at the two shortly after her older brother, specifically looking at Jenrya as well, in a guilt-inducing 'Don't-smart-off-to-your-brother-who's-doing-you-a-favor!' manner. At this point, for some reason Takato couldn't figure out, he noticed Jenrya was looking as if he was about to cry. He didn't fully understand… yet, he probably figured being ganged up on by your older brother and sister probably would be mildly upsetting.

After an uncomfortable moment or two of silence, both Jaarin and Rinchei pulled away and faced the front once again. The car was back at its normal speed. Takato exhaled a breath of relief, but only did it as quietly as possible. To draw attention from Jenrya's scary siblings might mean another hellish intimidating moment.

For the remainder of the ride, no one dared to say anything. Jenrya remained looking sullen and beaten.

Takato looked to Jenrya sadly… he just couldn't help but feel sorry for him. 'I guess sometimes, I don't realize how good I have it as an only child,' he thought.

Thankfully for all of them, they had arrived at the festival shortly after the argument. Everyone exited the car without saying a word, of course. Jaarin and Rinchei promptly went about their own separate ways; Takato and Jenrya went opposite the way those two went, both eager to be as far away from them as possible.

As soon as they were out of sight from each other, Takato finally broke the silence. "Jen…"

"Daijoubu," Jenrya assured Takato, regaining the soft, warm and friendly tone of voice his best friend was so accustomed to. "It happens all the time. I'm used to it."

Takato didn't feel all too well by knowing that. "It doesn't seem right, Jen-kun."

Jenrya only shrugged. "Maybe it's not. But I doubt it's much different from anyone else who has a brother or sister in the family. I guess you just don't understand how that goes sometimes…"

"Gomen," Takato apologized. "It's just that… it's bad enough you go through that in school sometimes. But to be treated like that at home… I couldn't take that."

"You'd be amazed at how well resistance holds up over the years," Jenrya told me. "I'm sure you can't take oppression the way I do. You never had the same lifestyle as me, Takato-kun."

"That makes sense, I guess," Takato admitted. But then a curiosity struck him. Lifestyles… 'Did Jen always have to live like this?'

Suddenly, something abruptly bulged within Jenrya's black kimono. Takato just stood there staring, eyes widened, while Jenrya just smiled slightly and reached inside from the neck of his kimono, pulling out a Terriermon on the verge of suffocating.

"You could've TOLD me to get out right when you got out of the car!"

Jenrya chuckled warmly as Terriermon attached himself to his back. "Sorry about that. I was a little mentally occupied."

"Jeeeen," Terriermon whined. "That's always your excuse! … Oh, hi Takato."

Takato blinked. "You… brought Terriermon. Jen, why did you bring him HERE?"

"Cause I said so," Terriermon answered smugly, complete with an overly wide smile.

"He wouldn't stop complaining until I let him come along," Jenrya said, sweatdropping. "Terriermon got to the point where he was making threats to me. And he is small, Takato… anyone passing us will just think he's a toy I won from here."

Takato didn't exactly pay attention to Jenrya's last sentence. "He was threatening you?"

On that cue, Jenrya eyed Terriermon. "I'm sure you want the pleasure of telling him."

"You know it," Terriermon exclaimed cheerfully. "I told Jen if he wouldn't let me go with him, I'd eat all the food in the house, wreck anything fragile in the living room, and chew every cord to his computer into itty bitty pieces!"

Takato's response was a silent, wide-eyed stare.

Jenrya paused before speaking. "Ah… I can't live without my computer."

Takato suddenly knew what pity was.

"Jen listens to reason, thankfully," Terriermon said. "So I got to go, and here I am! Guess you guys are gonna have to deal with that. But if you're really going so you can get a hot date with Juri, Takato, I totally understand, and I won't bug you so much!" And, like he totally understood Takato's position, gave him a wink.

Takato's face looked absolutely scrambled in embarrassment. "This ISN'T a date, Terriermon." He looked to Jenrya, his gestures just begging his best friend for some backup.

"Ah, he's right," Jenrya said quickly, as he immediately sensed Takato's need for help. "We've already discussed it all in school, and we said this trip wouldn't be a date for anybody!"

"Aw, what a load of crap," Terriermon muttered. "How could you turn the possibility down?! You could get her EASILY by tonight! Heck, either of you could!"

Takato froze at that very moment, from that comment. While it was true, he was missing out on a big opportunity… did Terriermon just confirm his absolute worst fear? His best friend after the girl Takato himself was obsessed over for years?

Jenrya immediately frowned. "Don't even think about it, Terriermon."

Takato mentally sighed a breath of relief.

"I'm having a hard enough time as it is just by being her good friend. To be her boyfriend, well… I'd have to know her a lot better for that."

Takato felt as if his heart just stopped.

"So," Terriermon said slyly. "You've thought about it?"

Jenrya shook his head. "Of course not. Takato-kun's known her much longer. I think he'd manage with Juri-san much better than I ever could, anyway. I wouldn't interfere with them."

That made Takato feel a little better, but still fairly light-headed.

Terriermon leaped onto his partner's head and leaned over to get a good look at his face, albeit from an upside-down perspective.

"Your mouth says no, but your hormones say yes," he concluded.

After hearing that, Takato had fainted.

[POV - Ruki]

Well, this was definitely a first. Yes indeed, a first for my life.

There were four people accompanying me to this goddamn festival. Four! What in the hell did I do to have this kind of company?! Sure, I wanted to come with Juri, but having Ryo, Hirokazu, and Kenta tag along for the ride?!

Just what were they thinking?!

Okay, I can't say I completely mind the attention I'm getting from this… I suppose it's better than everyone hating me, like they did before. Still, I never wanted to be smothered by a bunch of people I have to call 'acquaintances'. Especially if some are people I still can't stand. Since we're walking, that makes this trek to the festival that more long and painful.

I knew I should've just went to the stupid mall…

"Daijoubu, Ruki-chan? You look like you're mad at something."

I just realized I'd been scowling this whole time. And now everyone was staring at me. "Oh… I'm not mad. No… sorry, Juri-chan."

Juri smiled at me, clad in her olive green kimono. "You seem to have a lot on your mind."

"Not too much," I assured.

"If you have a problem, you wouldn't mind telling us, right?" Hirokazu asked, in his stupid, unassuming tone. "We're all buddies here!"

"I'm not telling YOU." I snapped at him. "And I don't have a problem!"

Hirokazu was wearing this hiddeous brown kimono. Well, it wasn't so much as ugly as it was just boring… and bringing out EVERY annoying quality of that stupid Rooster Head. God, why can't he just get hit by a truck or something?! Then I wouldn't have to look at his stupid head anymore…

"For someone who doesn't have a problem, you seem to be making a big deal out of it," Ryo noted, in his own retarded elderly know-it-all way. He thinks he's so perfect. I should give him perfect. A perfect castration. He won't be so proud of himself then, now would he?

"Just shut up!" I shouted. "Everyone just shut up! Juri can talk, but the rest of you aren't allowed to speak to me! If you piss me off again, I'm just going to turn the other way and go home! I'm NOT in the mood to be tried today."

All the boys had significantly backed off by this point. Juri looked quite aghast at my outburst.

I tried to smile again. "Didn't mean to go overboard so soon. Gomen, Juri-chan."

"I understand… I guess," Juri said, with a hint of uncertainty in her voice. "You seem kind of tense."

"That's just my way of staying on guard," I explained. "Boys are vicious monsters when they want to be."

Juri giggled. "If you say so, Ruki-chan. I just hope you have fun. I'm sure nobody will spoil it for you."

Suspiciously, I looked over behind us where Hirokazu, Ryo, and Kenta were huddled together in their own private conversation. Probably talking about how scary I am. If that's so, I don't really care. I couldn't give two shits of what they think, because what they think holds no importance to me, nor any relevance to the truth. But what if that wasn't it? What if they were conspiring against me, plotting to do some horrible prank on me? Or even worse, what if they're talking about how they're going to try and kiss me before the festival's over? …Ew, god… no, I can't let that happen. I can't let something so immature get in the way of my own fun. I was already cooking up my own ways to make Jenrya's time a living hell, so they'd better not be planning anything…

"I have my doubts," I whispered to Juri. "I'm not letting my guard down for a second." I looked back to the front, and prayed silently that this walk would end soon. I tried my best to focus my listening on what the boys were discussing…

They'd better not ruin this day for me. If they do, I'll plunge them in a nightmare world from which there is no return. Hope they like nightmare worlds! Nobody fucks with Ruki Makino.

Nobody.

[POV - Nobody]

"Can't you guys feel it?" Kenta wailed as quietly as he possibly could. "It's that aura again. Ruki has an aura from hell. If you two try to put the moves on her, that's where you're going to end up! Hell!"

"Relax, Kenta," Ryo said comfortably, looking much more calm than the other two men. "This is a good time to remember Terriermon's words of wisdom: Moumantai! Makino just likes to inject fear into those that she feels threaten her safety. It's all just a defense mechanism. Nobody's going to hell."

"I don't get it, Ryo-sama," Hirokazu said tiredly. "I didn't even do anything to her or say anything insulting and she just blows up like that. She doesn't view me as anything more than someone out to get her…"

"She likes you," Ryo assured. "Like I said, her defense is on High Alert today. She thinks we're going to try and make this out to be like a date, after all. She doesn't trust us."

Kenta looked a little confused. "I thought you guys were going to try and make it out like a date."

"Ah…"

Ryo smirked and slung his arm around Hirokazu. "Well, it certainly can be a date if Ruki wishes it so!"

"Sou," Hirokazu agreed sheepishly. He smiled slightly. "That's why we have to get her in a good mood, right?"

"Exactly," Ryo agreed. "Though I'm not sure what exactly you're supposed to do to get on Ruki's good side. Normally, to make a girl happy, you'd win presents for her, but I'm not sure if Ruki's that kind of person. I'll just have to find out when we get there."

"I'm sure you will," Hirokazu said in his supporting manner, but all the while felt a little sullen that Ryo's forgotten all about his competition.

"Well, just don't get killed, you two," Kenta warned. "I still don't trust her. And I sure as hell don't trust being in love with her, either." Feeling stuffy, he stretched out his gray kimono out a tad. "Love can be a really misguiding, misleading thing to your doom; I learned that the hard way."

"I said I was sorry!" Hirokazu insisted. "How was I to know love could change its ways on its own like that? You shouldn't let one lousy breakup cloud your judgment on the whole thing in general, Kenta-kun. Plenty of fish out there in the sea, right Ryo?"

"You could say that, yeah," Ryo grinned. "But you can't say people like Ruki come a dime a dozen."

"Hell no…"

"Maybe you should try being the dumpee for once," Kenta muttered to himself.

"Ruki's kimono looks really nice…"

"Where do you think she got it from, Ryo?"

"Wouldn't be surprised if she made it herself…"

"Ah," Hirokazu sighed. "She would, if she's so multi-talented."

"We still need to get her to sing," Ryo reminded. "She was being stingy about that for her birthday."

"One step at a time there, Ryo-sama!" Hirokazu urged. "She may be wonderful, but she's still a walking atomic bomb!"

"That she is," Ryo concurred. "That's what makes her exciting."

"Yeah," Hirokazu's grin was growing wider by the minute. "I just can't wait to do things with her…"

Kenta sweatdropped, suddenly finding himself kicked out of the conversation. "Um, could we not talk about Ruki for like, two seconds, maybe?"

"What's your plan, 'Kazu?"

"I totally have no idea…"

"That's not a good way to go about her, you know," Ryo informed. "You're heading into her like you would a Digimon battle, and that's a pretty horrible correlation once you think about it."

"I know," said Hirokazu. "But I never did like making plans. Wasn't my field… too much thinking involved."

"Guess it's up to me, then…"

Hirokazu smirked. "Hey, don't count me out yet."

Kenta just stared for a few more moments and sighed. He'd become completely invisible to his own friends. Once again. Cautiously, he walked a little faster, to keep pace with the girls just ahead, and made absolute sure to walk over to Juri's side, not Ruki's.

"Mind if I crash with you two the rest of the way?" Kenta mumbled miserably. "You guys won't at least forget I exist."

"It's horrible that they'd leave you out like that," Juri sympathized. "Sure, you can walk with us. Ne, Ruki?"

Ruki frowned momentarily, then shrugged. "He's not after me. So I don't care."

Kenta just rolled his eyes. "Thanks."

[POV - Takato]

I guess the others really were walking the rest of the way. Oh well. I'm sure they're not enjoying their time any more than Jen and I. Heh, he was kind enough to run off and get cotton candy for the three of us while we waited. And cotton candy was good, considering I've been spending all year living off cookies and cake. Such thick, heavy desserts they were…

"So, you left Guilmon behind, huh?" Jenrya said as he sat on a bench with me. "Terriermon and I weren't expecting him to be here, anyway."

"He'd definitely wreck the place," Terriermon commented. "You did a wise thing."

I just nodded in agreement. "You think anyone else will bring their Digimon? I kinda promised Guilmon he'd have some buddies to play with while I was gone for the day."

"You're kidding, right?" Terriermon smiled. "Culumon will be around. Heck, I can't imagine any other Digimon that could conceivably get away with coming here, save for MarineAngemon."

"I don't think Kenta was set on taking him," Jenrya recalled. "And if Impmon came here, this place would be burnt to ashes before the night would be over, so he couldn't be going."

I counted on my fingers, all of Guilmon's possible playmates. …Seemed like there'd be more than enough to keep him busy all day. "Good point. Arigatou, I don't feel so bad about it now."

"That's what I was aiming for," Jenrya told me, smiling. "Now, if everyone would just hurry up and get here…"

"Moumantai," Terriermon chimed. "I think I see 'em right now!"

I peered off into the distance, and sure enough, I saw Ruki, Juri, Kenta, Hirokazu, and Ryo, all in a group together, approaching our way, and quickly. Seems like they've spotted us, too. When they were close enough to clearly see, I could tell by the face expressions that Kenta just wanted to be in and out of here as quickly as he could. Ruki didn't seem happy to be here at all. But she did have a pretty, navy kimono on.

"I like your kimono, Ruki," I said when they finally reached us. I was trying to sound as innocent as I could.

Ruki just looked away, folded her arms, and walked past me. "Nobody likes an ass-kisser, Matsuda."

… Okay. My ritual of being nice to Ruki ended right then. She's pissed. REALLY pissed.

Hirokazu and Ryo looked reasonably excited enough. Ready to jump out of their kimonos, it almost seemed like. And that scared me. Hirokazu can get really hyper when he's that excited.

Thus explains that situation when he annihilated my room… Grr. Can't think about that now. The last person in the group was coming up to me.

Juri looked… wow. I can't really describe how she looked, but… ah… sweaty palms… burning face…

"Hi, Takato-chan!"

I felt like I just melted. I slumped over, suddenly out of energy, but I could still stand up. Twas a total waste of time trying to get my eyes off Juri and that wonderful kimono she was wearing. Damn, damn, damn! How am I going to prevent myself from acting like this all night?!

"Hiya," I slurred out with a happy sigh. I could barely tell, but Jenrya was looking down on me, sweatdropping.

"Good afternoon, Juri-san," he greeted her, in a much more gentlemanly fashion than me. Argh…

"The same to you," Juri said back. She bowed to Jenrya… and I guess to me, too. But how was I to tell? I was still in a dazed state, struck by Juri's gorgeous… everything!

"Are we done with our dumb greetings?" Hirokazu asked impatiently. "Greetings take up time! Come on, let's go!"

I straightened up, Hirokazu's voice bringing me back down from space, finally. "Sou, let's all go and do what we planned to do! This is what we've been waiting for!"

"Freedom from our parents for one night," Jenrya said longingly.

"Unsupervised and uncensored!" Ryo exclaimed.

All together, we set foot inside. The booths, the games, the rides, the events… all waiting for us to get into.

All waiting for us to make a story out of. Our story.

[TBC]