Digimon Fan Fiction ❯ The Dating Game ❯ The First Date ( Chapter 2 )

The Dating Game

Chapter Two: The First Date

* * *

Ken paced around the park nervously. Why was he so nervous? He can't every remember being as nervous as he was now. He was only spending some time with Yolei, a very good friend of his. Even when they were battling the fiercest digimon back in the days, he was always the fairly calm and cool-headed one. This was different though. This time, the creature that he was meeting was more dangerous than any digimon he could ever battle in the digital world. She invoked something in him that he had never felt before in his life. It was something more personal than friendship and felt twice as special. Sighing, he leaned and rested his head against a tree, feeling more nervous by the second.

Yolei crossed the street towards the park, half running but still at a fast pace. She felt extremely nervous yet equally happy at the same time. Well, why shouldn't she be? The guy of her dreams had just asked her out. Last night and that morning, she had spent hours picking a perfect outfit for her first date with Ken. She still could hardly believe he did. Reaching the park, she set down on the rock-paved path. It was a beautiful day; she was so happy that she could actually hear the birds singing. Either there was birds singing or she was so happy she was hearing things. Then, she saw him, leaning against a tree with his back towards her. Her heart suddenly started to beat faster, at the same rate as it was yesterday. He was so extremely handsome and cute and sweet and the keeper of every good adjective there was. Yolei hurriedly straightened her hair and her sleeveless baby blue shirt. Planting a smile on her face, she sneaked up behind him.

Ken was lost in his thoughts when he felt a tapping on his shoulder. Turning around, he came face to face with Yolei. His heart skipped a beat at the realization they were as close as they were yesterday. Taking a step back, he smiled slightly at her, trying best not to appear nervous. "Hello Yolei," he said.

"Hey Ken," she answered, blushing slightly and looking downwards. An odd silence followed with both of them being too shy to say anything.

'Tell her how pretty she looks you idiot,' the little voice in his head shouted. He didn't want to give her such a bland compliment because Yolei didn't just look pretty; she looked beautiful. But, he didn't tell her that. "You look nice," was how it came out.

Even though it was a compliment from Ken, Yolei still couldn't believe it, nice? She had spent hours picking out the blue shirt and a long skirt with a slit in the front and all he could say was she looked nice? So, why did he asked her out in the first place, did he had any feelings for her? The other side of her mind told her not to wonder so much this early on in the date. "Thank you," she answered, hoping she didn't look too disappointed, though she was. Her smile wasn't as big as it was a minute ago. Silence followed again. Yolei suddenly realized that she was going to be the one initiating conversation since Ken was always rather quiet. "What are you planning for us to do today?"

"I was thinking about maybe going on a boat ride down by the lake. If that's what you want to do, I mean, we can always do something different." Ken replied.

Yolei's eyes lit up, she scratched out what her head was thinking before. That was rather romantic and it would let her spend time with Ken in a place where there was no one watching or listening in. "No no, a boat ride would be great!"

Ken couldn't help but smile slightly at Yolei's expression. It was one of her trademark ones but still, she always looked so cute when she did that. "Alright, let's go." They looked at each other and smiled as they walked side by side down the path, considerably close and hands untouching.

* * *

"The love boat," the person on the loudspeaker sang, "Will soon be making another run. All aboard!"

Ken and Yolei made way towards a boat that was floating towards the dock. It stopped and the person rowing it ushered for them to step on. "Careful Yolei," Ken said as Yolei stepped into the boat, it rocked slightly as she set foot on it. Yolei gasped and grabbed the first thing she could reach, which happened to be Ken's shirt. His arms flew out of their own accord and steadied her. Trying to keep the blush from his cheek, he helped her onto the boat.

"Oh, sorry," she said. Looking up at him, she blushed and released his shirt

Ken had gulped when he saw the boat sight, suddenly realizing why this was a good place for a date, as Matt had said when Ken had called him for ideas a few nights before. Matt was nice enough not to persist asking who Ken was asking out, good thing too since he didn't want anyone to know just yet.

The boats were a small vessel yet big enough to carry a couple. Both of them blushed when they saw it; it was one of those boats you read about in romance novels. There was a person rowing it and a large umbrella big enough for two. On top of that, there was music playing from the dock that could be heard even when floating on the lake. It's not that he didn't want to spend time all alone with Yolei but just not this early in the date. Good thing there was someone else there. He wanted to take it slow and not be too forward. Ken had looked over at Yolei, who was smiling at the sight and that lifted his heart up. She was actually happy with the setting and that was all that mattered.

They took their seat on the boat, both under the shade of the umbrella but at a distance from each other. As they pulled away from the dock, Yolei sat and fidgeted with the hem of her skirt. From the corner of her eye, she glanced at Ken who was looking in the other direction. Slowly, she moved over closer beside him and rested her hand next to his, though not on it.

"It's so pretty here," she said, looking at him.

"Yes, very." Ken turned to look at her. Then, they both looked away.

"It was nice of you to take me here, you didn't have to."

"I thought this would be a nice place for our date today." He stopped, shocked. Did he just say date? He wished it really was a date but what if Yolei didn't think it was? He cast a side glance at Yolei and was relieved to find no shocked expression, just a smile.

Yolei suddenly felt relieved, this really was a date and it wasn't any of the other things she had considered. "So this is a date."

Ken blushed and looked away, "Yes." Yolei, realizing how shy Ken was on these kinds of subjects decided to leave it at that. There was silence one again between them. The music from the dock floated through the air.

You fill up my senses

Like a night in the forest…

Both of them blushed upon hearing the lyrics. It made the boat ride even more awkward than it already was. Yolei rested her head in her hands (which was now on her lap) and her eyes looked over to her left and she saw a couple sitting close with their heads on each other's shoulder. She inwardly sighed, if only…well, it was too soon anyway. Maybe she and Ken will be like that soon. She was practically praying for them to last that long.

"So, how have you been?" She asked, making another attempt at conversation.

"I've been fine. What about you?"

"Well, nothing's happened to me lately while so much stuff is happening to everyone else." Seeing that he was actually listening, she continued. "Like last week, my oldest sister, Momoe, just broke up with her latest boyfriend and my other sister, Chizuru just got a new boyfriend. And my brother just proposed to his girlfriend that he's been dating for 3 years ever since he entered university. But they're waiting until they're out of school before getting married and I don't get why he doesn't ask her then." Yolei stopped and looked at Ken, who as intently listening to her. "Now I'm blabbing again, I'm sorry."

"No, that's alright, please continue."

"So, in conclusion, something's happening to everyone and nothing's happening to me. But I guess it's all right, I mean, I didn't have exactly a normal life ever since I found out I was a digidestined. Now that I've gotten it back, I still haven't gotten used to it. Don't you ever feel weird that there isn't anything more we need to do, that there's nothing for you to save and protect? I guess normal is a good thing but…I don't know, my thoughts are all jumbled up." 'Especially when you're around,' she thought to herself.

"Don't worry, that happens to me sometimes too." Ken said reassuringly. Yolei looked at him surprised.

"You? Mr. Ex-Prodigy who is always the calm one in the most terrible situations. Well, I've never heard that one before," she teased.

Ken smiled and said, "Well, not always. Remember when we were battling Malomyotismon, I wasn't exactly calm. I was the one that needed the most help in waking up from his illusions. You guys had to go and pull me out of there."

"Yes but you were also the one, besides Davis, who was willing to fight him."

"I was still scared though and Davis wasn't so you should say that he's the one that's calm."

"He's not logical headed though, he jumps into things first before thinking about it. Then, to show you that he's not scared, he's the one to take the stand and fight. I know he's my friend and everything but sometimes, he's can be really impulsive. You were the most levelheaded one in all of us. You get scared but you put it away to do the things that are necessary to you to do."

Ken was amazed; she thought that about him? "I don't really think I am. The reason I was fighting wasn't because I was courageous or anything, I thought that if I assist in the fighting, it would help repent my past sins. But, I don't think I'll ever be able to pay for all the things I've done." He looked downwards. His mood changed abruptly due to old memories resurfacing. Sometimes thinking about all that has happened to him still made him rather sad.

"Oh, I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have brought that up." She said, feeling guilty herself. 'Gods, I'm so stupid, he's still sad about it. What do you wanna do Yolei? Have him go for another swim in the dark ocean?' The thought of that place made Yolei inwardly shudder, it had frightened her to no ends the last time that had happen. It was more than two years ago but the memories were still fresh in her mind. She just didn't want anything like that to happen to Ken anymore.

"That's okay." The look on his face, trying to hide the pain, made Yolei put her hand on his shoulder. He turned to her and met her eyes, filled with kindness and another emotion he couldn't name.

"It wasn't your fault anyways, you were under control. Besides, you've helped all of us done a lot of good. Now, just try to promise me that you won't become so down that you'll go take another swim in the dark ocean. Remember, always have happy thoughts." She smiled at him and he took that smile to store in his mental collection of happy thoughts.

"I promise, happy thoughts. Besides, the dark ocean is too cold to swim in anyways," he joked. Yolei giggled at his little joke and they looked at each other without saying a word.

Yolei leaned in towards him a little bit. Ken, in return, moved a little closer to her and his head moved in towards hers. Every logical dating tip mysteriously disappeared, including the one about avoiding kissing on the first date. Their heads moved closer until their noses were almost touching. Suddenly, the boat gave a sharp lurch and the two teens quickly separating, trying to wipe away every remnant of what just happened from their heads.

"Sorry about that," the man rowing the boat said. Yolei wanted to strangle the man for interrupting her special moment with Ken. This has been happening a lot and it was becoming very irritating.

Meanwhile, Ken was blushing from what he and Yolei almost did. He hoped she hadn't noticed; this would definitely ruin their relationship. Well, their relationship as a couple. Who knows how something like that might affect their friendship. If she allowed him a second date, he would need to keep his emotions in check as not to be too forward. 'Take it slow,' he thought to himself, 'no rushing.'

Yolei hoped Ken didn't notice what had just almost occurred between them. She had actually wanted to kiss him very much but now, she realized that she should be slow with him if she wants to continue having a relationship. 'Fine,' Yolei thought to herself, 'slow and steady wins the race. Great, now I sound like Cody.'

Suddenly, Yolei saw something from the corner of her eyes. She moved over to where she was sitting before and saw a family of swans floating on the water. There was a white mother swan and a black father swan with their 3 adorable white babies and one black one. "Aw, how cute!" She exclaimed, "Look Ken." He moved over and looked over her shoulders, but his eyes weren't on the swans however.

Then, the black baby swan stopped and looked at them. It chirped out a "Honk," with a voice not fully developed yet and made it sound as adorable as it looked. Its curious eyes were on Ken and Yolei's face. She just wanted to reach out and pick it up. Yolei reached out with her hands to touch it. She was half standing up and was leaning over the water.

"Yolei, I don't think you should do that," Ken advised, he didn't want her to fall in the water. "The mother is very protective of her babies. Besides, it's not safe to stand on a boat"

"Oh, okay." She was going to sit down again when the boat shook from their weight being on one side of it. The next thing she knew, Yolei was falling forward and the water came up towards her. Ken instantly reached out and tried grabbing her but all he got was air. Her whole body disappeared into the water with a loud splash. The boat tipped slightly again before being level on the water. Couples from nearby boats turned their heads to look at Ken quizzically, wondering what that splash was and why he was alone.

Ken furiously leaned over to see if he could spot any trace of purple. "Yolei!" He called out and was preparing to jump in after her when he finally saw her head come up. She coughed and gagged, who knows how clean the water was. 'I think some got in my mouth.' The thought made her want to gag some more. "Ken, where are you?" she asked, cursing her glasses. It was not doing her any good with water on it. She couldn't see a thing. Then, Yolei felt a pair of hands grab hers and pull her towards something.

"That's all right, I've got you," Ken's voice said to her. Her arms, one by one, encircled his neck as he pulled her up. She didn't realized how close they were until after she had been out of the water for a few seconds. Her head started to clear up and with it, a sense of decency.

'Oh dear, I'm practically hugging Ken,' she thought, 'Well, at least being clumsy has its charms.' Her cheeks burned. Finally, Yolei was completely out of the water and in the boat again. "Are you all right?" He asked her, thankful that she couldn't see him blushing since she was on laying on top of him.

"I'm fine," she croaked, getting up and removing her glasses. She cleared her throat before talking again. "Sorry about that, I guess I should try to be more careful next time." 'If there is a next time,' her brain scornfully said. 'Yolei, that had to be the most stupid thing you have ever done. Add one more to the list of stupid things.'

"Miss, are you all right?" The boatman asked. "I'm terribly sorry about that."

"That's all right, I think we should head back now," Yolei answered, crossing her arms over her chest. Her shirt was stuck to her skin and her hair was wet and matted down, sticking to the shirt. She needed to go home and change. And maybe take another bath for that matter. She didn't trust the water being that clean. Great, and this was her favorite skirt too. "What do you think Ken?"

"Alright, that's a good idea." He sat down beside her again, his front also rather wet from pulling Yolei's soaked form from the water. "Here, why don't you wear my jacket, you don't want to catch anything." Taking off the outer garment, he placed it around her shoulder.

"Thanks." She wrapped it closer around herself and felt suddenly very warm, despite the fact that she just took a dip in the lake. 'Oh my god, I'm wearing Ken's clothes.' She had never done something embarrassing yet have something equally good happen to her afterwards. And this was very good. The jacket felt so warm too and it smelled nicely of distinct cologne. Hmm, the water must be affecting her sense of smell.

The way back to the dock passed in comfortable silence since none of them could find any words to say to each other. Then, on the way to Yolei's apartment, conversation was considerably much. They talked about little things that didn't really matter, what happened at school, at home, and just what's happening in their life in general.

"And that's why I got a C+ on my Algebra test. I hate math and I don't think it likes me, neither does my teacher." Yolei said, explaining about her grade on her latest math test. According to her, a C was bad. According to everyone else, a C was okay, it wasn't that bad.

"A C's not that bad," Ken replied, trying to cheer her up. He rarely got C's on anything but still; he shouldn't make her feel bad.

"Yeah right, it's easy to say that when you're a genius and did have everything come easy for you at one point. I have to ask though, what was it like, being a boy genius and all." Ken was silent for a moment, looking at nothing in particular as he vaguely tried to remember how it was like. That seemed such a long time ago that he was that smart

"Well, there was so much publicity. I was always on TV and when I wasn't, there were always people surrounding me, trying to intrude in my life. Now that I think about it, the whole experience of it was suffocating since everyone only knew me as 'The Rocket,' or 'Ken Ichijouji: Boy Genius.' No one saw me as just normal Ken. Everything was easy but than, I didn't have any friends and I was always lonely when I came back to the real world." He stopped before continuing. "Than, when the spore was deactivated, it took some time to adjust and after a while, people at school started to actually talk to me like I was a normal person like them." Ken stopped when he saw the look of utter amazement on Yolei's face. Bewildered, he asked, "What is it?"

She started giggling at his expression. Than, clearing her throat, she replied. "It's just that you're never the one for long answers. Usually, you answer in one or two sentences and sum it up as quickly as possible. I never knew you could give a lengthy explanation."

He smiled a bit. "Well, as someone once said, 'you learn something new everyday.' Besides, you pick up someone's habit after being around them a particular amount of time."

Yolei couldn't figure out if it was a compliment to her or an insult. But before she could muse about that further, they reached the front door of the Inoue's apartment complex. "Thanks for walking me home. I'm sorry that our date ended so early, clumsiness pops in at the worst time."

"It was the least that I can do. Besides, it's partly my fault that you fell in the water."

She smiled, "Fine than, if anyone ask, I'll just say it was your fault." Yolei took out the key from the pocket of her skirt and placed it in the keyhole inside the knob. Ken stood there silently, watching her. What was keeping him back? The time that he spent with her today was priceless and he wanted to spend some more time with her. Letting out a breath, he called out her name.

"Yolei." She turned around with a questioning look in her eyes. "Would you like to accompany me to the carnival next week?"

A smile bloomed across her features, "Sure, I'd love too." She replied rather quickly. Yolei was going to ask him but it looks like he had beaten her to it. They just stood there for a while, looking at each other before Ken stepped away, and breaking eye contact. Yolei blinked a few times. "So, I'll see you than. Bye Ken." She opened the door and waved good-bye before closing it behind her. Leaning against it inside, she waited till Ken's footsteps died before running to her room screaming, "Hawkmon! Ken just asked me out again!" As she hugged his jacket closer to herself, a single, almost evil, thought rolled through her head, 'Maybe this time I can get a chance to kiss him.'