Waiting, Book 1, Chapter 5:1
The hell Matt had been living is finally over. Ken is out of Matt's life for good. Matt can now put everything behind him and start over. But a certain gang seems to think differently... Taito. Sequel to Untold Secrets, but works as stand alone.
Digimon - NC-17 - English - Romance/Angst - Chapters: 14 - Words: 99633 - Updated: 11-21-05 - Published: 11-01-01
Disclaimer: Digimon is not mine. (Wow, surprisingly simple this time!) The song is Suerte, by Shakira. As I rule I generally dislike Spanish, but I love this song ^_^
Author's Notes: Nothing do to with the story, but does anyone here know Latin? If so, what does the following verse from a song mean?
|laudate omnes gentes laudate
|magnificat in secula
|et anima mea laudate
|magnificat in secula|
Oh, and something important you should know about Chapter 5. It's divided into two parts (posted separately). The first part is from Tai's pov, and the second will be written in the same form Untold Secrets was, switching back and forth from Matt's pov and Mr. Ishida's pov. But when chapter 6 starts, both parts will have ended up at the same spot. Just letting you know, so you won't get confused. ^_~
--->Translation:
|Whenever, wherever
|We're meant to be together
|I'll be there and you'll be near
|And that's the deal my dear
|Thereover, hereunder
|You've got me head over heels
|There's nothing left to fear
|If you really feel the way I feel|
Waiting
Chapter 5:Part 1-More Confessions
by: butterflie, formerly known as Crimson Goddess
*sequel to Untold Secrets*
|contigo mi vida
|quiero vivir la vida
|Y lo que me queda de vida
|quiero vivir contigo
|Ya sabes mi vida, estoy hasta el cuello por it,
|Y si sientes algo asi, quiero que te quedes junto a mi|
~
"Oh my God! Hoshiki, come here!"
"What is it Yashiko?"
"There's a boy here!"
"A boy?"
"Yeah! He's all bloody and stuff! And he's not moving!"
"He's not... dead, is he?"
"I don't ... think so. Just... just use your cell phone! Call an ambulance!"
~
I ran, my lungs feeling as if they were about to burst, but yet I didn't care. I needed this, needed any sort of distraction from the pain and dread I was feeling now.
Stupid Mr. Ishida. How could he be so cruel? How could he think I was corrupting my Yama? It was so unfair! What if he doesn't allow Matt to see me anymore? I don't think I could bear that. I need Matt too much. And he needs me too. Especially with all this shit going on in his life right now.
And just seeing him in school is not gonna be enough. School is too public. The only way I'd ever get to bring out my true feelings around him would be if we cut class to go to the old gym. And Matt couldn't afford to do that if he wanted to graduate.
This is not fair! Stupid Mr. Ishida! Why did he have to get back early anyway? Suddenly I collided head on with someone, and sent the both of us sprawling to the ground. I managed to knock my head pretty good on the concrete too. It's a wonder I didn't give myself a concussion.
"Ow, shit!" I muttered, rubbing my sore skull as I sat up painfully.
The other person groaned too, but seemed to be okay. As they stood I could see it was my little sister.
"Imoutochan?" I asked.
"Geez, Tai," she grumbled. "What's wrong with you? That really hurt and...." she trailed off as she caught sight of my tearstreaked face and disheveled look. "Oniisan?" she asked, concerned now. "What's wrong? Are you okay?"
I shook my head. "Not now. Not here. Let's go home first."
"Alright," she nodded, sensing whatever I had to say would be about Matt. She held out her hand, offering it to me. "'kaasan and 'tousan are out right now, so we can talk without worrying about them overhearing."
I took her hand and stood. "That's good."
Then we slowly headed home.
When we got there, the first thing she did was make me take a shower and change into fresh clothes. I protested, to no avail. "It'll make you feel better," she insisted, pushing me in the direction of the bathroom.
Sighing, I did as ordered. When I came out fifteen minutes later, feeling much better (I hate it when imouto is right!!!), I found she had ordered us a pizza, which had just arrived apparently.
After we were both settled on the couch, slice of pizza in hand and drinks nearby (she had water and I had nabbed one of 'kaasan's Fuzzy Navels-shame on me), she asked me what had happened and why I came back from Matt's early.
"You two didn't get in a fight did you? Because that really wouldn't be good for Matt right now."
"No, we didn't fight," I said.
"Then what happened?"
I took a deep breath.
"Well, Matt and I were lying on his bed, talking, and then I kissed him, and he kissed me back. We started making out, and I slid my hands under his shirt..."
"Tell me you didn't do what I think you did!"
"No, we didn't have sex if that's what you're thinking," I told her. "It was worse. Much, much worse."
"Matt freaked out?"
I shook my head. "His dad came home early and found us."
"Oh Tai," Kari said softly as I started to cry.
"He freaked out, got really mad at me, accused me of corrupting Matt and called me filth and I heard him tell Matt as I was leaving that all I wanted was to get Matt in bed.." here my voice broke, and I stopped talking.
Instead I just let Kari hold me as I cried.
After awhile I calmed down enough to say, "What if Mr. Ishida calls and tells mom and dad?"
"Would that really be so bad?" Kari asks. "Once you explain Mr. Ishida's misunderstanding, I don't think it would be such a big idea. I mean, you planned on telling them about you and Matt sometime anyways, right?"
"Well, yeah...... but I mean, 'kaasan already suspects anyway, so I know she wouldn't have a problem. It's 'tousan I'm worried about. I don't have any clue how he'd react to the fact that I'm gay and in love with my best guy friend. Not to mention I'd rather the both of them hear it from me than from an overwrought, pissed off Mr. Ishida who didn't even understand the situation."
Kari stared off into space, deep in thought. "Maybe you should consider telling 'kaasan and 'tousan before Mr. Ishida does."
"Then how I am going to explain why I can't currently see Matt?"
"I don't know. Do you have to tell them about Matt right now?"
"Kari, if I'm gonna tell them I'm gay, I have to tell them about Matt at the same time."
"Yeah... I guess."
We sat in defeated silence for a few moments, shoulders all slumped over in despair.
"Kari what am I gonna do?" I wailed at last. "This isn't fair! Why did his dad do that? He'd been so nice, even said I was good for Matt! I was actually convinced when Matt told him, he'd support us! And now this!"
Kari shrugged, clearly at a loss for what to say.
The phone rang.
I jumped, then cursed at it.
"Shutup! Whoever you are, go away!" Damn phone.
"Tai, yelling at a telephone is not going to help anything," Kari told me quietly.
"So?" I scowled at her.
She sighed, bringing her hands to her face and shaking her head.
The damn phone was still ringing.
"Oh, quit your hellish noise," I muttered, leaning over and answering it. <--Snitched from Anti-Me! gomen!
"Moshi moshi, Yagami residence. What do you want?" I snapped harshly into the receiver.
Kari winced.
"Yes, so nice to talk to you too," 'kaasan's voice said dryly.
"What, 'kaasan?" I asked, irritated.
"Geez. Listen,-"
"That's what I'm doing!"
"Taichi, stop it," Mom commanded. "Now listen to me. Your father and I are going to be home in a little bit. What I wanted to know was if you two had ate, or if you wanted us to bring you something home."
"We ordered pizza," I told her shortly.
"Alright. Well then we'll be home within ten minutes."
"Alright. Bye."
"Bai."
As I hung up, I caught her sigh. Oops. Oh well.
"'kaasan said she an' 'tousan should be home within ten minutes." I told Kari. "I don't want to face them, so I'm going to bed."
"Ok. well, good night."
I picked up my Fuzzy Navel and finished the rest in one swig, then disappeared to the room Kari and I shared. I had long since wanted my own room, but there wasn't enough room in the apartment, and sharing with my imoutochan wasn't all that bad, just a little annoying sometimes.
Alone in my room, left with nothing but my thoughts, I began the slow descent into hopeless despair.
How could Mr. Ishida have done that to us? I needed Matt! And what's worse, he needed me! Desperately! I know Matt tried to pretend otherwise, but sometimes I sensed I was the only thing that kept him from slipping into darkness. Didn't Mr. Ishida ever sense how much his son was suffering? I mean, he's there enough to see the way Matt is, isn't he? And wouldn't those nightmares and suicide attempts at least have give him a clue?
God, this is not fair.
I want to be with Matt so bad.
+-+-+-+
"Taichi? Taichi, where are you?"
I sighed as I heard Dad calling to me. I didn't feel like talking to him. I just wanted to be left alone.
"Taichi?"
Reluctantly I call out to him. "In here, otousan."
I hear his footsteps enter the room, and near the bed.
"Taichi? What are you doing on the top bunk? I thought Hikari slept there?"
I continued to stare at the wall as I spoke. "She does. I'm just up here for now."
"Oh. Why well don't you come down? It makes it easier for me to talk to you." "No. I don't want to."
"Allright."
There was a creak of springs, and I knew 'tousan had sat on the bottom bunk.
"Well?"
He sighed. "Taichi, your mother told me you were rather snappish on the phone when you talked to her. She said you sounded greatly upset, and she's worried about you. Is there something bothering you that you'd like to talk about?"
Great. Thanks to my mother's big mouth, my parents are going to be pestering me until I crack. They've done it before. Of course, that was way back when, and the issue wasn't nearly as major as this.
"Nan demo nai! Naze?" <---it's nothing! Why?
"I seriously doubt it's nothing, Taichi. However, I know I won't get anything out of you tonight. Goodnight."
"Night," I reply quietly as 'tousan leaves.
Just then the phone rings.
Shimatta! What if it's Mr. Ishida?!
Quickly, before 'kaasan or 'tousan or even imoutochan can pick up, I leap off the bed (twisting my ankle in the process dammit!) and snatch up the receiver. I press the talk button.
"Hello?" I ask breathlessly, and I realize that my heart is pounding and my palms are all sweaty. Great, I'm nervous. That's just wonderful.
I can hear the person on the other line swallow, then Mr. Ishida's incredibly nervous sounding voice says, "T-tai.. is Matt there?"
"No," I say flatly. Then I hang up, not wanting to talk to that bastard.
He calls right back.
Yanking the phone up again, I snarl, "What?"
"If he shows up... have him call me."
"Fuck you, you bastard. Why should I do any favor for you? I don't blame Matt for running off on you!" then I slam the phone back down, rage boiling up within me. It scares me a little. I don't know where it all came from.
The phone bounces back off the cradle, and I angrily pick it up and slam it back down again, only to have it bounce off once more. After several more tries, I give up and let it remain off the hook.
I'm not even worried about Matt now. Hell, he probably went to Takeru's or Ny's or Kenji's or Ratsuii's. Besides, I'm too busy stewing over Mr. Ishida to give Matt much thought.
A timid knock sounds at the door.
"What in hell do you want?" I growl, glaring at the closed door.
Cautiously, the door opens and 'kaasan peeks her head in. "Tai.. daijoubu ka?" she gives me a concerned look, and all the anger melts out of me.
I sink to my knees on the floor. "No," I mutter defeatedly. "I'm not."
She comes over to me and sits down next to me. (On the floor! I never figured 'kaasan would do something like that!)
"What's the matter?"
I don't answer, just stay silent for awhile, thinking things over. She waits patiently, not pressuring me in the least little bit.
Should I go ahead and tell her or shouldn't I? I don't exactly have Matt's approval, but still...
And she does already suspect something at least, although I'm not sure how much. Besides, I have nothing to lose.
Well. Not exactly true.
I could lose her support of me.
But still.
Dammit I don't know whether I should or not!
It's not that I really think she'd mind or anything... it's just that.. oh, I don't know!
Oh hell, screw it. I have nothing to lose. Just tell her and get it over with. "Okaasan...." I said ponderingly.
"Hai?"
"You remember that night you and otousan went out and dad told me not to screw those girls? And he expected me to laugh 'cept only I didn't cos I wasn't in the mood?"
"Hai..."
"Why were you looking at me funny? Do you like... think.. something about me.. or something?" I finished up, having trouble wording it just right.
To my surprise, 'kaasan flushed. "It wasn't important," she mumbled.
"No, I wanna know. Please. I won't get mad," I promised. she sighed, still introducing the world to that new shade of red on her face. "Well.. it's just.... I noticed the way you never have any girlfriends or talk to any girls other than Sora and Mimi.... and well..."
"You think I'm gay," I finished for her.
"Yes," she muttered, blushing a brighter shade of red. She reminded me somewhat of those giggly teenage freshman girls that were always trailing after Matt in the hallways at school, the same ones that never failed to miss one of his concerts.
"So are you?" she asked, looking back up at me.
I didn't respond, just stared at her, adopting a blank look on my face.
It was so simple. All I had to do was say one word. Yes.... and yet, now that she's offered up an opportunity, I can't. I just can't do it. I don't know why. God, I'm such a coward! It's no big deal! Lots of people are gay. I mean, look at the Chosen group for example. Out of everyone, Takeru, Yamato, Ken, myself, and Jyou are definitely gay. That's five people, and add Nyusumi making six. I also suspect Kari might be gay, or at least bisexual. Let's just say her interest in Miyako seems to be a little more than friends sometimes. Not to mention Mimi and Sora seem to have this thing for each other sometimes too. And then there's those other guys. Genjitsu, Keiichi, Sai, and a few others at school that I know of. So it's no big deal.
"Tai?"
"Huh?" I come out of my trance like state with a start, wondering how like I'd been silent.
"I asked if you were gay?"
I shook my head, not prepared to tell her the truth yet. "No, no I'm not. I just wondered if that's what you suspected of me, that's all. Well, I'm tired, I'd like to get some sleep now. Night okaasan."
She hesitated, then nodded. "Alright. Goodnight, Tai."
+-+-+-+
"mmm...... KARI?"
"Ow! Shit!" my sister muttered. I heard another thud, which had been what woke me in the first place.
"Kari? What are you doing?"
"Well, I was trying to find my way to the bed without having to turn on the light so I wouldn't wake you, but apparently that didn't work so well."
"Oh. Well, you can turn on the light. I don't mind."
"Ok."
I heard her moving around some more, then squinted my eyes some as a dim light filled the room. She had turned on the small lamp that was positioned on a small shelf on the wall at the end of the bunk bed. The lamp could be turned on/off my a switch on the wall near our regular light switch, or it could be turned on/off manually, meaning when she got up there she could still turn the light off and not have to ask me to do it.
Easily finding her way to the top bunk with the light now, Kari scrambled up there quickly, then switched off the light before laying down.
"Oyasumi," she whisphered, and I responded in same.
However, I couldn't get back to sleep, and I knew she wasn't asleep either because she wasn't breathing in that funny way she does when she is asleep. Thirty minutes had passed before I finally got the courage to speak up.
"Kari?" I asked into the darkness.
"Yeah?" she murmured drowsily.
"Um... do you like Miyako?"
"Yeah, of course, she's like, one of my best friends."
"No, I mean like do you like her, like the way I like Matt."
She was silent, and I was afraid I had either greatly offended her or she had finally drifted off, but just then she spoke.
"Yes," she said simply.
I nodded, though I knew very well she couldn't see me.
"Are you gay?"
"No."
Another simple, direct answer.
"Bisexual?"
"Yes."
"Oh." Then, "How come you never told me? You can't say you were afraid of how I'd react, knowing how I felt about Matt."
"No," she agreed. "It wasn't that. It was just... I was in denial, I guess. I knew it wasn't wrong, but I still didn't wanna be like that, someone who liked the same gender. And I knew you were afraid Matt would never like you back, and I feel the same way about Miyako, and then you had so many problems of your own, what with Matt and all, and I just.. I kept it secret. No one knew. Well, no one except Tailmon," she said, amending her statement, "and Tailmon was in the Digital World and I knew she would never tell anyone anyways and it was just easier to keep quiet, to pretend I liked guys in general and Takeru in specific although he and I both know we'll never be more than friends and so that's what I did. I maintained silence. I planned on telling you someday, after you came out to 'kaasan and 'tousan, you know, and after things with Matt settled down. It was just that I didn't feel ready yet."
"I see." And I did. I could understand some of her feelings completely, because it was the same stuff I used to feel.
"How did you figure it out?" she asked.
"I've always kind of suspected. Seeing the way you acted around Miyako sometimes.. and the way you were always spending a lot of time with her, well.. I just kinda guessed. And I got to thinking about it again today."
"Really?" she asked with interest.
"Yeah. I was thinking how much of a coward I am for not telling 'kaasan I'm gay, like I was afraid she would think it was wrong, and I guess I just got to thinking of all the gay people that I knew.. me, Matt, Ken, Takeru, Jyou, Nyusumi. And Sora and Mimi act like they like each other sometimes."
"Takeru's gay? And Jyou and Nyusumi?"
Oops.
"Y-You didn't know about Takeru and Jyou?" I asked her weakly.
"No."
"Well... don't tell I told. And don't tell you know about Nyusumi."
"Nyusumi... that guy in Matt's band, with the purple hair, right?"
"Right." I confirmed.
"I won't tell."
"Thanks."
Unseen, I smiled.
"Goodnight Kari."
"Night, Tai."
+-+-+-+
"Taichi!"
Blinking rapidly, I try to adjust my eyes to the light as 'tousan storms in my room and yanks the covers off me.
I let out a girlish shriek and quickly try to cover myself back up. Even though Kari and I shared a room and it wasn't the wisest thing to do, I usually slept devoid of clothes.
Dad blushes a little and tosses me my boxers, and I scramble up and yank them on quickly.
The sudden motion of standing makes me feel rather dizzy, and I sway a little. Before I can fall over, I sit back down on the bed.
"Ano.... what is it, otousan?" I ask, trying to think of what I could have done wrong. The only thing that comes to mind...
Matt. "It's already twelve! Are you going to sleep all day?"
A let out a silent sigh of relief.
"Saa.... n-no. Sorry, otousan."
He waves off my apology. "Mimi's here to see you."
"Mimi?"
"Hai. She's waiting in the living room. Should I tell her to come back here or will you go to her?"
"I-I'll go. Just tell her I'll be a few minutes."
"Allright." He left.
Mimi was here? Why? As far as I know, we hadn't made any plans. Actually, Matt and I were supposed to be doing something today, although I don't think we will be anymore.
Quickly I pulled on a pair of khaki's that I hoped were relatively clean. Then I went over to my dresser and searched for a clean shirt. The only one I could find was my shirt Matt affectionately calls my 'triangle shirt', due to the yellow triangle on it. I had first found this shirt around the time the new Chosen showed up a few years ago, and when I outgrew the original, I bought this one.
Every time I wore this shirt Matt would always tease me about it.
"What, you need a shirt to help you keep your shapes straight?" he'd ask.
I would just laugh and tell him "of course."
God.. Matt..... I want to see him. I already miss him so much... stupid Mr. Ishida..
After running a brush through my poofy hair (another term of Matt's), I open the door and head to the living room. Mimi is sitting (more like fidgeting) on our couch, and when I walk in, she looks up.
"Tai!" she exclaims cheerfully, a big smile spreading across her face.
I grin at her. "Yo Mimi! What are you doing here? Didn't you hear about the sale down at the mall? All clothes are 50% off."
"Really?!" she cries.
I roll my eyes. "I was kidding, Mimi."
"Oh." She blushed. "Eto.... ano.... wanna go get some icecream?" she blurted. "I have to talk to you, and it would be easier if I wasn't around your family."
I shrug. "Sure. There's a really good icecream stand in the park. They sell the best icecream I've ever had."
"Great!" she says, relief etching across her features, as if she had been afraid I was going to say no.
She grabbed her purse and stood, then we headed out the door, talking about nothing in particular as we walked to the park.
The girl who sold us icecream smiled knowingly at us, irritating me slightly. Just because someone sees a guy and a girl doing something together, they always assume those people are an item. Can't a guy and girl be friends without having to date?
After buying the icecream, we walked off a little ways to a quiet spot in the park and sat on a bench, licking contentedly.
Finally I spoke up. "What was it you wanted to talk about, Mimi?"
She frowned, and started to speak, but had to stop as the sound of an ambulance siren came wailing by us.
When the sound had receded into the distance, she spoke again.
"Well.... Sora and I were talking, and we finally decided to tell everybody, and we chose you first."
"Tell me what?"
"Well.... ano... Sora and I.... we're dating," she told me, anxiously watching my face for some sort of reaction.
I grinned. "I knew it! I was even just thinking you two were together last night!"
"So... you're okay with it?"
"Sure!" I'd be a hypocrite if I weren't. "That's totally awesome Mimi! I'm really glad you two are together. You deserve each other."
She smiled softly. "Thanks Tai. Sora actually wanted to tell you herself, since you two are closer than you and I, but she didn't want to see your reaction if you were to take it badly."
"She shouldn't have worried. I'd never do that. I have no problem with gays." "I told her you probably wouldn't, considering...."
"Considering what?" I squawked, looking up from where I was busy licking off some icecream that had melted down my cone and onto my arm.
She blushed. "Well.... you and Matt.... you seem to be... well.... kinda close..."
I snorted. "I would've thought Sora would have picked upon on that long before you, especially since she's the one with the Crest of Love."
Mimi shrugged, flipping her pink hair behind her shoulders. "Sora was too busy being in love with me to really notice anyone else."
I let out a short laugh. "Who would've thought so many Chosen would be gay?" "Really," she agreed. "You, me, Sora, Matt, Ken....."
I nodded, although I said nothing about the other three Chosen that I knew of. Taking the last bite of her cone, Mimi stood and held out her hand.
I took it.
"Come on," she said. "Let's go."
"Where?" I ask.
"To celebrate. Let's go pick up Sora and Matt and go see a movie or something." I frown, my good mood rapidly dissipating. "We.. can't.. get Matt."
"Why not?"
"Well.... because Mr. Ishida found us.. kissing... and he-he freaked out."
"Oh," she said softly. "Well, I'm sure things will work out Tai."
"Yeah," I said softly, not bothering to voice my fears about how things would really turn out. "Well, shall we get Sora and go anyways?"
"Ha~i!"
+-+-+-+
"Bye bye Taichi!"
"Later!"
"Bye Mimi! Bye Sora!"
I waved as the two girls walked off, hand in hand. Then I went into my house and soon found Kari was waiting for me there.
"What's up?" I asked her once she got me into our room.
"'kaasan's been pestering me all day," she said seriously.
"About what?" I asked suspiciously.
"About whether your relationship with Matt was more than friendship, and whether I thought you were gay or not."
"What'dyoutellher?" I demanded, blurring my words together.
"I told her I was pretty sure you and Matt were just friends, and that I didn't know whether you were gay or not. I didn't want to give you away, but I didn't want to say I knew you were straight."
I sighed. "Damn. I guess I'll have to tell her and 'tousan soon."
"You really should, especially with this business with Matt."
"Yeah, yeah, yeah," I grumbled. "Wakatteru yo, Kari."
+-+-+-+
I told them after supper.
"...And then he actually had the nerve to ask me to stay six extra hours! There is no sense in that! I mean, refuse to give me a raise when-"
"Otousan? Okaasan?" I asked timidly, interrupting them.
'tousan paused, his fork midway to his mouth.
"Yes, Tai, dear?" 'kaasan asked, glancing at me.
"Can I talk to you?" I asked as I glanced at Kari.
"Why sure Tai. What is it?"
"Ano..... ano...."
"Taichi?" 'tousan asked curiously.
"Can we all go in the livingroom?" I asked nervously. "That is, if everyone's done eating?"
"I am," 'kaasan told me.
"So am I," 'tousan added, pushing his plate away. I glanced at it. It was more than half full of food.
Kari stood up. "Right. Well, I'll be in my room if-"
"No!" I cried.
Kari looked at me.
"Stay. I need your moral support."
"Allright." She shrugged, totally indifferent.
'kaasan and 'tousan stood up as well and walked into the livingroom, sitting on the couch.
Kari and I followed suit, cramming together on the couch. Kari grasped my hand tightly, sensing how nervous I was.
"Well, Taichi, what was it you wanted to say?"
"Ano....."
God I'm so nervous! I'm not worried about 'kaasan, at least not that much, but 'tousan is a different story.
"Well..... I'm... gay..." I whisphered.
'kaasan blinked.
As did 'tousan.
Kari gave my hand a squeeze.
"You're .. you're what?" 'tousan asked, struggling to understand.
"I'm gay," I said more loudly.
"Gay? As in, you like guys?"
"Yeah," I answered, half defiantly, half ashamed. "I like guys."
I heard 'tousan draw in a ragged breath.
'kaasan still hadn't said anything.
"Well.... this is a shock...." 'tousan murmured. "I mean.. I had always wondered why you hadn't found a girlfriend, but I just kinda assumed you were waiting for the right girl."
I shook my head.
"So are you okay with me?" I asked anxiously. "You don't hate me?"
'tousan looked appalled. "Hate you? Why would we hate you?"
"Well... because... some people don't like... gays..."
"No, we don't hate you Taichi. Admittedly, I'm surprised, but I can accept it." I let out a huge sigh of relief, then turned to 'kaasan.
"Are you okay with it too?" I asked her.
"Uso..."
"Huh?" I asked, atakenback.
"Yesterday, when I asked you, you said you were straight."
"I wasn't ready to tell you yet."
"I see... interesting..."
"A-and there's more.." I added hesitantly.
"More?" 'tousan asked suspiciously.
I nodded stiffly. "Yeah. I.. I'm currently involved with someone."
'kaasan raised her eyebrows. "By any chance would it be Matt?"
I blushed and looked at my lap. "Hai."
"Matt? Who's Matt?"
"Otousan, get a clue, would ya?" Kari asked, speaking up for the first time.
'tousan looked flustered. "Seriously, who is Matt?"
"Matt Ishida, best friend since I was eleven, where have you been the past six, almost seven years?"
"Oh, Yamato," he said, completely doing a 360 and totally understanding who I was talking about.
Kari gave him a strange look.
"You really don't have a clue, do you?" she said.
"But-but-but!" he spluttered.
I laughed, and so did mom and Kari, and I knew everything would be okay.
+-+-+-+
"Asashi."
...
"Asashi?" Sensei looked up from his desk and glanced around the room.
"Is Asashi not here?" he asked.
"No, I don't think he is here, sir," I called. "He wasn't in third form."
Sensei nodded and went back to the attendance.
"..and Yagami," he said, finishing up. "Allright, Friday we talked about the invasion of China by Japan in 1931. They invaded the province of Manchuria, as you'll remember and set up a certain type of government. Does anyone remember what this government was called?"
"A puppet government!" someone called out.
"Very good," Motokuri Sensei said, nodding. "And what does that mean?"
"It's a government controlled by an outside power."
"Right. So in other words, we had a government in China. This invasion of Manchuria violated the Kellogg-Briand peace pact, which we learned about earlier. This upset the League of Nations, but as they had no army they could do very little harm....."
As Motokuri Sensei droned on about the beginning of World War II in Asia, my mind slowly began drifting elsewhere. It's not that I necessarily found this class boring; in fact, I liked history. It's just that I couldn't stop thinking about Matt.
I had arrived homeroom this morning preparing to sneak off with him to the old gym during second, but when I got here, I found Matt hadn't showed up yet. And then he never showed up at all, and in third, he was still absent. The same with every other class of ours. Matt was missing, and nobody knew why he wasn't here. I know why Nyusumi wasn't here; Kenji had told me he got sick yesterday evening.
I thought back to Friday, when Mr. Ishida had called me looking for Matt.
I had just assumed Matt had gotten pissed and had run off, but maybe something had happened to him. But if that was so, wouldn't Mr. Ishida have told me? No, probably not. He seems to pretty much hate me now. Most likely Matt was found lying dead in some alleyway and Mr. Ishida didn't want to tell me out of spite.
That pissed me off, but there was nothing I could do. I just had to hope Matt had ran off, then come back home later and was merely sick. After all, he seemed to be exhausted all last week, and had even confessed to not feel-
"Well, Yagami-san?"
"Ummm.. Sir?" I asked, looking up, abandoning all thoughts of Matt quickly. Sensei sighed. "Yagami, try to pay attention, please. I'd prefer to see you graduate with all your friends than see you back in here next year."
"G-gomen nasai," I apologized, a faint blush staining my cheeks. "Now what was the question?"
"I asked you to tell me about Mussolini."
"Oh... umm..." I thought for a second. "Well, the failure to stop Japan from invading China encouraged him to plan aggressive actions of his own."
"Very good, Yagami-san. What else can you tell me?"
Sensei looked impressed, and I looked back up at him nervously. I knew this stuff, I just didn't like showing the teachers I was smarter than I pretended to be. By fooling teachers into thinking you're a lazy, setback, popular kid, they were more inclined to go easy on you, and you could get away with a lot more stuff. At least, you could here at Odaiba High. I don't know about other schools.
"Well.. um.. he came to power in 1922, and had always dreamed of building an Italian colonial empire in Africa. Unfortunately, most of Africa belonged to the British and French territories."
I stopped talking there and looked up at him, hoping he would find that enough. He did.
"That was pretty impressive, Yagami-san. I'm surprised you knew that much. Now," he said, facing the class again, "who can tell me what country was one of Africa's four remaining independent nations."
Silence. I knew, but I didn't feel like showing myself to be even smarter, so I kept my mouth silent.
"Nobody? I'll give you a hint. This country resisted an earlier Italian attempt at invasion in the 1890's."
"Ethiopia!"
"Right. Now, Mussolini knew this and had sworn to avenge that defeat. So in October 1935.."
I tried hard to pay attention the rest of the class period, but I found it very hard. I just couldn't concentrate. I kept going back to that phone conversation with Matt's dad, and what he said earlier when he was kicking me out of the house.
T-tai.. is Matt there?
He had sounded incredibly nervous when he called, not angry and full of hate for me like he should have. And he obviously never told my parents, otherwise they wouldn't have been surprised when I came out to them. So it was very strange. Especially considering the insults he hurled at me.
Get out, you filth! I won't let you corrupt my son anymore! You've done enough already!
Filth. Filth. He called me filth! I am not filth.
(a/n: they call me.. Mr. Pig!!! Sorry, luv the Lion King!! ^_^ Watching it right now. Seen it tons of times and I *still* cry!)
How could he think that I would 'corrupt his son', as he so put it. It's not like I made Matt gay! He was already gay! And I didn't make him like me either. Just because I told him I liked him doesn't mean that Matt would have to like me in return. Mr. Ishida should know that. So why in hell doesn't he?
+-+-+-+
"Hello, Asashi residence, Emiko speaking." <---Hello, Asashi residence, Emiko speaking.
"Ano.. hi Emiko-san. This is Taichi."
"Taichi-san?" she asked, sounding uncertain.
"Hai. Do you remember me? I was at your house the other day with Ny. The guy with the poofy hair?"
"Poofy..hair? ..Oh! Oh, right! I remember you!"
"Yeah. Um, listen. Is Ny there right now?"
"No, actually he's not."
"Where is he then?"
"He's at the hospital."
"What?! The hospital? Why?"
"He got really sick. 'kaasan freaked out. She took him to the hospital. Turns out he's got appendicitis. They'll have to take his appendix out, obviously."
"That's terrible! Is he okay?"
"He's holding up pretty well. He's scheduled for surgery tomorrow. I'm going to visit him in a few minutes, actually. Would you like to come?"
"Yeah! Sure, that's be great! Where should I meet you?"
"Well, the hospital's close to our house. Why don't you just come here? Can you remember how to get here?"
"Yeah. I'll be there, then. It will take me about twenty minutes to get there though."
"I'll wait."
"K, thanks," I said, hanging up.
I headed into the kitchen, intent on finding Kari and telling her to tell 'kaasan where I was going. Instead I found 'kaasan herself, busy cooking chicken for what looked like chicken teriyaki.
"Naa....okaasan.. I'm going out for awhile, okay?"
"Where are you going?" she asked, turning around and smiling at me.
"Nyusumi's in the hospital with appendicitis. I'm going with his twin sister Emiko to visit him. I don't know when I'll be back. I just wanted to let you know. Is it okay?"
"Yeah. Be careful, okay?"
"Sure. Bai, okaasan."
"Bai, Tai dear." She waved as I went out the door.
Tai dear. I sometimes wonder why she and 'tousan didn't call me Tai dear instead of Taichi. 'kaasan certainly uses it enough.
(a/n: they call me Mr. Pig!!!! Sorry, I'm at that part ^_^ I'll shutup now.)
About twenty five minutes later, I was greeting Emiko in front of her house.
"Hey, ready to go?"
"Yeah. What room is he in?"
"Um.. 421."
"Oh."
We walked the ten minutes to the hospital mostly in silence, making a few comments here and there, as we really didn't know each other. Most of the stuff we discussed revolved around Nyusumi.
Emiko also warned me that Nyusumi would probably be very scared, he didn't like hospitals.
When I asked her why, she grew silent, and I worried that I had said something wrong. After a few minutes I spoke up. "Ano... gomen nasai.. should I not have said that?"
"No, it's okay. It's just.. when Nyusumi and I were very little, our mother had to go into the hospital because she got sick. Well, when this happened, 'tousan would have us stay with a babysitter until he got back from visiting mom. Well, one day he couldn't get anyone to watch us, so he brought us up to the hospital and left us in the waiting room. Well, after awhile, Ny got bored and wandered off. We were only about five or six, so we didn't know we weren't supposed to enter other hospital rooms. Anyways, Ny entered a hospital room with a little three year old boy. The boy didn't have any hair and he was hooked up to all kinds of machines and was breathing in ragged gasps. Ny got fascinated by them and went over to look at them. He reached out his hand to touch one, and just as he did, the heart monitor went flat. Ny knows he had nothing to do with that boys death, but he always feels like he did something wrong when he touched the machine and that it killed that boy. Ever since he's always been scared of hospitals."
I was silent for a long while, digesting this information. Several minutes later I said, "When he and I went to go visit Matt in the hospital, I thought he looked rather nervous and slightly frightened. I always just assumed it was because he was worried about Matt."
"He probably was, he and Matt are really close, but that wouldn't have been the reason why he was scared."
"God.... poor Nyusumi. That must have left a deep scar. You weren't there?"
"I didn't follow him. Ny told me about it years later."
"Oh... poor Ny," I murmured again.
We walked the rest of the way in silence, all the way up to when Emiko was knocking on Ny's door.
"Nyusumi? It's Emiko!" she called, rapping lightly on his closed door.
"Come in," he called to us weakly.
Emiko opened the door and we went in. The room, so different from the bright hospital rooms Matt stays in, was exactly like crappy made for tv movies depicted them. The lights were off and the curtains were all drawn, so the room was very dark. Ny was lying in the middle of a huge orthopedic bed (although why they gave him one was beyond me-maybe they ran out of regular beds to put him in), looking rather pale and feeble.
Ny doesn't get sick very often, so maybe when he does it's always more serious than most peoples' sicknesses.
"Hey Emiko," he greeted. Then he spotted me. "Oh, uh, hey Tai," he said, blushing.
I smiled, but narrowed my eyes. Why was he blushing? Unless he was embarrassed about that kiss between him and Matt of course.. well, whatever. Nyusumi has always been strange.
"So what are you guys doing here?" he asked us.
Emiko shrugged. "Just visiting, I suppose. Curious to see how you were holding up."
"Not the greatest, but I'm surviving at the very least," he said quietly.
"That's good."
"Yeah."
They grew silent, and presently Ny turned to me.
"So, does Matt know why I was absent?" he asked me.
I shook my head. "I don't think he even knows you're not in school. He was absent today too."
"Hm... that's strange. Wonder why?"
"I don't know. I haven't seen him since Friday."
"Oh, really? I thought you two had big plans for this weekend?"
"Err.. well... that.. changed," I said hesitantly.
"Why?"
"Just cos."
"Oh," he said. I could see the curiosity in his eyes, but it was obvious to everybody in this room that I didn't want to talk about it, so he didn't press.
"Well... what'd we do in classes today?"
"Um.. We share Algebra II and European History, right?"
"Yeah, but I have the same Biology, Literature, and Japanese teachers as you, so.."
"Really? I didn't know that. Well... lessee... Algebra II, didn't pay attention, Japanese, that test, Literature, slept through that, History, didn't pay attention. Something about Japan's invasion of China causing World War II in Asia. And Biology, didn't pay attention," I told him sheepishly.
"TAICHI! HOW IS THAT SUPPOSED TO HELP ME?!!?" Ny shouted irritably.
"Uh... sorry?"
"Grr.." He growled and glared at me.
"Gomen gomen!" I yelped. "I can't help it!"
Nyusumi just rolled his eyes.
We all chatted a bit longer, then I told Emiko and Ny I had to get home soon and that I'd visit Ny tomorrow.
Then I left.
As I walking by room 423, I remembered that had been the room Matt had occupied the last time he was in. Curious to see who was in there now, I glanced in.
A boy with blonde hair was lying in the bed. As a matter of fact, I thought at first it was Yama himself, but then I realized that had to impossible.
Still, I had this strange feeling, so I stepped in the room a little closer, trying to be silent as possible.
That was ruined, however, when I tripped over my own feet.
"Ack! Damn!" I said.
The boy turned.
Once glance at those ice cold blue eyes, and I let out a shriek loud enough to wake my dead grandfather buried thousands of miles away in Antarctica, under the cold snow. He had been buried alive under an avalanche and never found.
"Matt!" I yelled, running over to him. "What in hell are you doing in here?!!"
End Part 5:1
Author's Notes: That's the end of Tai's pov for this chapter. The second part to this chapter will start with Mr. Ishida's pov, right after Matt just ran out. And like I said earlier, it will switch povs between Matt and Mr. Ishida, and then Chapter 6 will start up with Matt turning to face Tai in the hospital (the scene I just ended w/) and it will be his (Matt's) pov. So, just to clear all that up!
part five:two
Digimon - NC-17 - English - Romance/Angst - Chapters: 14 - Words: 99633 - Updated: 11-21-05 - Published: 11-01-01
Disclaimer: Digimon is not mine. (Wow, surprisingly simple this time!) The song is Suerte, by Shakira. As I rule I generally dislike Spanish, but I love this song ^_^
Author's Notes: Nothing do to with the story, but does anyone here know Latin? If so, what does the following verse from a song mean?
|laudate omnes gentes laudate
|magnificat in secula
|et anima mea laudate
|magnificat in secula|
Oh, and something important you should know about Chapter 5. It's divided into two parts (posted separately). The first part is from Tai's pov, and the second will be written in the same form Untold Secrets was, switching back and forth from Matt's pov and Mr. Ishida's pov. But when chapter 6 starts, both parts will have ended up at the same spot. Just letting you know, so you won't get confused. ^_~
--->Translation:
|Whenever, wherever
|We're meant to be together
|I'll be there and you'll be near
|And that's the deal my dear
|Thereover, hereunder
|You've got me head over heels
|There's nothing left to fear
|If you really feel the way I feel|
Waiting
Chapter 5:Part 1-More Confessions
by: butterflie, formerly known as Crimson Goddess
*sequel to Untold Secrets*
|contigo mi vida
|quiero vivir la vida
|Y lo que me queda de vida
|quiero vivir contigo
|Ya sabes mi vida, estoy hasta el cuello por it,
|Y si sientes algo asi, quiero que te quedes junto a mi|
~
"Oh my God! Hoshiki, come here!"
"What is it Yashiko?"
"There's a boy here!"
"A boy?"
"Yeah! He's all bloody and stuff! And he's not moving!"
"He's not... dead, is he?"
"I don't ... think so. Just... just use your cell phone! Call an ambulance!"
~
I ran, my lungs feeling as if they were about to burst, but yet I didn't care. I needed this, needed any sort of distraction from the pain and dread I was feeling now.
Stupid Mr. Ishida. How could he be so cruel? How could he think I was corrupting my Yama? It was so unfair! What if he doesn't allow Matt to see me anymore? I don't think I could bear that. I need Matt too much. And he needs me too. Especially with all this shit going on in his life right now.
And just seeing him in school is not gonna be enough. School is too public. The only way I'd ever get to bring out my true feelings around him would be if we cut class to go to the old gym. And Matt couldn't afford to do that if he wanted to graduate.
This is not fair! Stupid Mr. Ishida! Why did he have to get back early anyway? Suddenly I collided head on with someone, and sent the both of us sprawling to the ground. I managed to knock my head pretty good on the concrete too. It's a wonder I didn't give myself a concussion.
"Ow, shit!" I muttered, rubbing my sore skull as I sat up painfully.
The other person groaned too, but seemed to be okay. As they stood I could see it was my little sister.
"Imoutochan?" I asked.
"Geez, Tai," she grumbled. "What's wrong with you? That really hurt and...." she trailed off as she caught sight of my tearstreaked face and disheveled look. "Oniisan?" she asked, concerned now. "What's wrong? Are you okay?"
I shook my head. "Not now. Not here. Let's go home first."
"Alright," she nodded, sensing whatever I had to say would be about Matt. She held out her hand, offering it to me. "'kaasan and 'tousan are out right now, so we can talk without worrying about them overhearing."
I took her hand and stood. "That's good."
Then we slowly headed home.
When we got there, the first thing she did was make me take a shower and change into fresh clothes. I protested, to no avail. "It'll make you feel better," she insisted, pushing me in the direction of the bathroom.
Sighing, I did as ordered. When I came out fifteen minutes later, feeling much better (I hate it when imouto is right!!!), I found she had ordered us a pizza, which had just arrived apparently.
After we were both settled on the couch, slice of pizza in hand and drinks nearby (she had water and I had nabbed one of 'kaasan's Fuzzy Navels-shame on me), she asked me what had happened and why I came back from Matt's early.
"You two didn't get in a fight did you? Because that really wouldn't be good for Matt right now."
"No, we didn't fight," I said.
"Then what happened?"
I took a deep breath.
"Well, Matt and I were lying on his bed, talking, and then I kissed him, and he kissed me back. We started making out, and I slid my hands under his shirt..."
"Tell me you didn't do what I think you did!"
"No, we didn't have sex if that's what you're thinking," I told her. "It was worse. Much, much worse."
"Matt freaked out?"
I shook my head. "His dad came home early and found us."
"Oh Tai," Kari said softly as I started to cry.
"He freaked out, got really mad at me, accused me of corrupting Matt and called me filth and I heard him tell Matt as I was leaving that all I wanted was to get Matt in bed.." here my voice broke, and I stopped talking.
Instead I just let Kari hold me as I cried.
After awhile I calmed down enough to say, "What if Mr. Ishida calls and tells mom and dad?"
"Would that really be so bad?" Kari asks. "Once you explain Mr. Ishida's misunderstanding, I don't think it would be such a big idea. I mean, you planned on telling them about you and Matt sometime anyways, right?"
"Well, yeah...... but I mean, 'kaasan already suspects anyway, so I know she wouldn't have a problem. It's 'tousan I'm worried about. I don't have any clue how he'd react to the fact that I'm gay and in love with my best guy friend. Not to mention I'd rather the both of them hear it from me than from an overwrought, pissed off Mr. Ishida who didn't even understand the situation."
Kari stared off into space, deep in thought. "Maybe you should consider telling 'kaasan and 'tousan before Mr. Ishida does."
"Then how I am going to explain why I can't currently see Matt?"
"I don't know. Do you have to tell them about Matt right now?"
"Kari, if I'm gonna tell them I'm gay, I have to tell them about Matt at the same time."
"Yeah... I guess."
We sat in defeated silence for a few moments, shoulders all slumped over in despair.
"Kari what am I gonna do?" I wailed at last. "This isn't fair! Why did his dad do that? He'd been so nice, even said I was good for Matt! I was actually convinced when Matt told him, he'd support us! And now this!"
Kari shrugged, clearly at a loss for what to say.
The phone rang.
I jumped, then cursed at it.
"Shutup! Whoever you are, go away!" Damn phone.
"Tai, yelling at a telephone is not going to help anything," Kari told me quietly.
"So?" I scowled at her.
She sighed, bringing her hands to her face and shaking her head.
The damn phone was still ringing.
"Oh, quit your hellish noise," I muttered, leaning over and answering it. <--Snitched from Anti-Me! gomen!
"Moshi moshi, Yagami residence. What do you want?" I snapped harshly into the receiver.
Kari winced.
"Yes, so nice to talk to you too," 'kaasan's voice said dryly.
"What, 'kaasan?" I asked, irritated.
"Geez. Listen,-"
"That's what I'm doing!"
"Taichi, stop it," Mom commanded. "Now listen to me. Your father and I are going to be home in a little bit. What I wanted to know was if you two had ate, or if you wanted us to bring you something home."
"We ordered pizza," I told her shortly.
"Alright. Well then we'll be home within ten minutes."
"Alright. Bye."
"Bai."
As I hung up, I caught her sigh. Oops. Oh well.
"'kaasan said she an' 'tousan should be home within ten minutes." I told Kari. "I don't want to face them, so I'm going to bed."
"Ok. well, good night."
I picked up my Fuzzy Navel and finished the rest in one swig, then disappeared to the room Kari and I shared. I had long since wanted my own room, but there wasn't enough room in the apartment, and sharing with my imoutochan wasn't all that bad, just a little annoying sometimes.
Alone in my room, left with nothing but my thoughts, I began the slow descent into hopeless despair.
How could Mr. Ishida have done that to us? I needed Matt! And what's worse, he needed me! Desperately! I know Matt tried to pretend otherwise, but sometimes I sensed I was the only thing that kept him from slipping into darkness. Didn't Mr. Ishida ever sense how much his son was suffering? I mean, he's there enough to see the way Matt is, isn't he? And wouldn't those nightmares and suicide attempts at least have give him a clue?
God, this is not fair.
I want to be with Matt so bad.
+-+-+-+
"Taichi? Taichi, where are you?"
I sighed as I heard Dad calling to me. I didn't feel like talking to him. I just wanted to be left alone.
"Taichi?"
Reluctantly I call out to him. "In here, otousan."
I hear his footsteps enter the room, and near the bed.
"Taichi? What are you doing on the top bunk? I thought Hikari slept there?"
I continued to stare at the wall as I spoke. "She does. I'm just up here for now."
"Oh. Why well don't you come down? It makes it easier for me to talk to you." "No. I don't want to."
"Allright."
There was a creak of springs, and I knew 'tousan had sat on the bottom bunk.
"Well?"
He sighed. "Taichi, your mother told me you were rather snappish on the phone when you talked to her. She said you sounded greatly upset, and she's worried about you. Is there something bothering you that you'd like to talk about?"
Great. Thanks to my mother's big mouth, my parents are going to be pestering me until I crack. They've done it before. Of course, that was way back when, and the issue wasn't nearly as major as this.
"Nan demo nai! Naze?" <---it's nothing! Why?
"I seriously doubt it's nothing, Taichi. However, I know I won't get anything out of you tonight. Goodnight."
"Night," I reply quietly as 'tousan leaves.
Just then the phone rings.
Shimatta! What if it's Mr. Ishida?!
Quickly, before 'kaasan or 'tousan or even imoutochan can pick up, I leap off the bed (twisting my ankle in the process dammit!) and snatch up the receiver. I press the talk button.
"Hello?" I ask breathlessly, and I realize that my heart is pounding and my palms are all sweaty. Great, I'm nervous. That's just wonderful.
I can hear the person on the other line swallow, then Mr. Ishida's incredibly nervous sounding voice says, "T-tai.. is Matt there?"
"No," I say flatly. Then I hang up, not wanting to talk to that bastard.
He calls right back.
Yanking the phone up again, I snarl, "What?"
"If he shows up... have him call me."
"Fuck you, you bastard. Why should I do any favor for you? I don't blame Matt for running off on you!" then I slam the phone back down, rage boiling up within me. It scares me a little. I don't know where it all came from.
The phone bounces back off the cradle, and I angrily pick it up and slam it back down again, only to have it bounce off once more. After several more tries, I give up and let it remain off the hook.
I'm not even worried about Matt now. Hell, he probably went to Takeru's or Ny's or Kenji's or Ratsuii's. Besides, I'm too busy stewing over Mr. Ishida to give Matt much thought.
A timid knock sounds at the door.
"What in hell do you want?" I growl, glaring at the closed door.
Cautiously, the door opens and 'kaasan peeks her head in. "Tai.. daijoubu ka?" she gives me a concerned look, and all the anger melts out of me.
I sink to my knees on the floor. "No," I mutter defeatedly. "I'm not."
She comes over to me and sits down next to me. (On the floor! I never figured 'kaasan would do something like that!)
"What's the matter?"
I don't answer, just stay silent for awhile, thinking things over. She waits patiently, not pressuring me in the least little bit.
Should I go ahead and tell her or shouldn't I? I don't exactly have Matt's approval, but still...
And she does already suspect something at least, although I'm not sure how much. Besides, I have nothing to lose.
Well. Not exactly true.
I could lose her support of me.
But still.
Dammit I don't know whether I should or not!
It's not that I really think she'd mind or anything... it's just that.. oh, I don't know!
Oh hell, screw it. I have nothing to lose. Just tell her and get it over with. "Okaasan...." I said ponderingly.
"Hai?"
"You remember that night you and otousan went out and dad told me not to screw those girls? And he expected me to laugh 'cept only I didn't cos I wasn't in the mood?"
"Hai..."
"Why were you looking at me funny? Do you like... think.. something about me.. or something?" I finished up, having trouble wording it just right.
To my surprise, 'kaasan flushed. "It wasn't important," she mumbled.
"No, I wanna know. Please. I won't get mad," I promised. she sighed, still introducing the world to that new shade of red on her face. "Well.. it's just.... I noticed the way you never have any girlfriends or talk to any girls other than Sora and Mimi.... and well..."
"You think I'm gay," I finished for her.
"Yes," she muttered, blushing a brighter shade of red. She reminded me somewhat of those giggly teenage freshman girls that were always trailing after Matt in the hallways at school, the same ones that never failed to miss one of his concerts.
"So are you?" she asked, looking back up at me.
I didn't respond, just stared at her, adopting a blank look on my face.
It was so simple. All I had to do was say one word. Yes.... and yet, now that she's offered up an opportunity, I can't. I just can't do it. I don't know why. God, I'm such a coward! It's no big deal! Lots of people are gay. I mean, look at the Chosen group for example. Out of everyone, Takeru, Yamato, Ken, myself, and Jyou are definitely gay. That's five people, and add Nyusumi making six. I also suspect Kari might be gay, or at least bisexual. Let's just say her interest in Miyako seems to be a little more than friends sometimes. Not to mention Mimi and Sora seem to have this thing for each other sometimes too. And then there's those other guys. Genjitsu, Keiichi, Sai, and a few others at school that I know of. So it's no big deal.
"Tai?"
"Huh?" I come out of my trance like state with a start, wondering how like I'd been silent.
"I asked if you were gay?"
I shook my head, not prepared to tell her the truth yet. "No, no I'm not. I just wondered if that's what you suspected of me, that's all. Well, I'm tired, I'd like to get some sleep now. Night okaasan."
She hesitated, then nodded. "Alright. Goodnight, Tai."
+-+-+-+
"mmm...... KARI?"
"Ow! Shit!" my sister muttered. I heard another thud, which had been what woke me in the first place.
"Kari? What are you doing?"
"Well, I was trying to find my way to the bed without having to turn on the light so I wouldn't wake you, but apparently that didn't work so well."
"Oh. Well, you can turn on the light. I don't mind."
"Ok."
I heard her moving around some more, then squinted my eyes some as a dim light filled the room. She had turned on the small lamp that was positioned on a small shelf on the wall at the end of the bunk bed. The lamp could be turned on/off my a switch on the wall near our regular light switch, or it could be turned on/off manually, meaning when she got up there she could still turn the light off and not have to ask me to do it.
Easily finding her way to the top bunk with the light now, Kari scrambled up there quickly, then switched off the light before laying down.
"Oyasumi," she whisphered, and I responded in same.
However, I couldn't get back to sleep, and I knew she wasn't asleep either because she wasn't breathing in that funny way she does when she is asleep. Thirty minutes had passed before I finally got the courage to speak up.
"Kari?" I asked into the darkness.
"Yeah?" she murmured drowsily.
"Um... do you like Miyako?"
"Yeah, of course, she's like, one of my best friends."
"No, I mean like do you like her, like the way I like Matt."
She was silent, and I was afraid I had either greatly offended her or she had finally drifted off, but just then she spoke.
"Yes," she said simply.
I nodded, though I knew very well she couldn't see me.
"Are you gay?"
"No."
Another simple, direct answer.
"Bisexual?"
"Yes."
"Oh." Then, "How come you never told me? You can't say you were afraid of how I'd react, knowing how I felt about Matt."
"No," she agreed. "It wasn't that. It was just... I was in denial, I guess. I knew it wasn't wrong, but I still didn't wanna be like that, someone who liked the same gender. And I knew you were afraid Matt would never like you back, and I feel the same way about Miyako, and then you had so many problems of your own, what with Matt and all, and I just.. I kept it secret. No one knew. Well, no one except Tailmon," she said, amending her statement, "and Tailmon was in the Digital World and I knew she would never tell anyone anyways and it was just easier to keep quiet, to pretend I liked guys in general and Takeru in specific although he and I both know we'll never be more than friends and so that's what I did. I maintained silence. I planned on telling you someday, after you came out to 'kaasan and 'tousan, you know, and after things with Matt settled down. It was just that I didn't feel ready yet."
"I see." And I did. I could understand some of her feelings completely, because it was the same stuff I used to feel.
"How did you figure it out?" she asked.
"I've always kind of suspected. Seeing the way you acted around Miyako sometimes.. and the way you were always spending a lot of time with her, well.. I just kinda guessed. And I got to thinking about it again today."
"Really?" she asked with interest.
"Yeah. I was thinking how much of a coward I am for not telling 'kaasan I'm gay, like I was afraid she would think it was wrong, and I guess I just got to thinking of all the gay people that I knew.. me, Matt, Ken, Takeru, Jyou, Nyusumi. And Sora and Mimi act like they like each other sometimes."
"Takeru's gay? And Jyou and Nyusumi?"
Oops.
"Y-You didn't know about Takeru and Jyou?" I asked her weakly.
"No."
"Well... don't tell I told. And don't tell you know about Nyusumi."
"Nyusumi... that guy in Matt's band, with the purple hair, right?"
"Right." I confirmed.
"I won't tell."
"Thanks."
Unseen, I smiled.
"Goodnight Kari."
"Night, Tai."
+-+-+-+
"Taichi!"
Blinking rapidly, I try to adjust my eyes to the light as 'tousan storms in my room and yanks the covers off me.
I let out a girlish shriek and quickly try to cover myself back up. Even though Kari and I shared a room and it wasn't the wisest thing to do, I usually slept devoid of clothes.
Dad blushes a little and tosses me my boxers, and I scramble up and yank them on quickly.
The sudden motion of standing makes me feel rather dizzy, and I sway a little. Before I can fall over, I sit back down on the bed.
"Ano.... what is it, otousan?" I ask, trying to think of what I could have done wrong. The only thing that comes to mind...
Matt. "It's already twelve! Are you going to sleep all day?"
A let out a silent sigh of relief.
"Saa.... n-no. Sorry, otousan."
He waves off my apology. "Mimi's here to see you."
"Mimi?"
"Hai. She's waiting in the living room. Should I tell her to come back here or will you go to her?"
"I-I'll go. Just tell her I'll be a few minutes."
"Allright." He left.
Mimi was here? Why? As far as I know, we hadn't made any plans. Actually, Matt and I were supposed to be doing something today, although I don't think we will be anymore.
Quickly I pulled on a pair of khaki's that I hoped were relatively clean. Then I went over to my dresser and searched for a clean shirt. The only one I could find was my shirt Matt affectionately calls my 'triangle shirt', due to the yellow triangle on it. I had first found this shirt around the time the new Chosen showed up a few years ago, and when I outgrew the original, I bought this one.
Every time I wore this shirt Matt would always tease me about it.
"What, you need a shirt to help you keep your shapes straight?" he'd ask.
I would just laugh and tell him "of course."
God.. Matt..... I want to see him. I already miss him so much... stupid Mr. Ishida..
After running a brush through my poofy hair (another term of Matt's), I open the door and head to the living room. Mimi is sitting (more like fidgeting) on our couch, and when I walk in, she looks up.
"Tai!" she exclaims cheerfully, a big smile spreading across her face.
I grin at her. "Yo Mimi! What are you doing here? Didn't you hear about the sale down at the mall? All clothes are 50% off."
"Really?!" she cries.
I roll my eyes. "I was kidding, Mimi."
"Oh." She blushed. "Eto.... ano.... wanna go get some icecream?" she blurted. "I have to talk to you, and it would be easier if I wasn't around your family."
I shrug. "Sure. There's a really good icecream stand in the park. They sell the best icecream I've ever had."
"Great!" she says, relief etching across her features, as if she had been afraid I was going to say no.
She grabbed her purse and stood, then we headed out the door, talking about nothing in particular as we walked to the park.
The girl who sold us icecream smiled knowingly at us, irritating me slightly. Just because someone sees a guy and a girl doing something together, they always assume those people are an item. Can't a guy and girl be friends without having to date?
After buying the icecream, we walked off a little ways to a quiet spot in the park and sat on a bench, licking contentedly.
Finally I spoke up. "What was it you wanted to talk about, Mimi?"
She frowned, and started to speak, but had to stop as the sound of an ambulance siren came wailing by us.
When the sound had receded into the distance, she spoke again.
"Well.... Sora and I were talking, and we finally decided to tell everybody, and we chose you first."
"Tell me what?"
"Well.... ano... Sora and I.... we're dating," she told me, anxiously watching my face for some sort of reaction.
I grinned. "I knew it! I was even just thinking you two were together last night!"
"So... you're okay with it?"
"Sure!" I'd be a hypocrite if I weren't. "That's totally awesome Mimi! I'm really glad you two are together. You deserve each other."
She smiled softly. "Thanks Tai. Sora actually wanted to tell you herself, since you two are closer than you and I, but she didn't want to see your reaction if you were to take it badly."
"She shouldn't have worried. I'd never do that. I have no problem with gays." "I told her you probably wouldn't, considering...."
"Considering what?" I squawked, looking up from where I was busy licking off some icecream that had melted down my cone and onto my arm.
She blushed. "Well.... you and Matt.... you seem to be... well.... kinda close..."
I snorted. "I would've thought Sora would have picked upon on that long before you, especially since she's the one with the Crest of Love."
Mimi shrugged, flipping her pink hair behind her shoulders. "Sora was too busy being in love with me to really notice anyone else."
I let out a short laugh. "Who would've thought so many Chosen would be gay?" "Really," she agreed. "You, me, Sora, Matt, Ken....."
I nodded, although I said nothing about the other three Chosen that I knew of. Taking the last bite of her cone, Mimi stood and held out her hand.
I took it.
"Come on," she said. "Let's go."
"Where?" I ask.
"To celebrate. Let's go pick up Sora and Matt and go see a movie or something." I frown, my good mood rapidly dissipating. "We.. can't.. get Matt."
"Why not?"
"Well.... because Mr. Ishida found us.. kissing... and he-he freaked out."
"Oh," she said softly. "Well, I'm sure things will work out Tai."
"Yeah," I said softly, not bothering to voice my fears about how things would really turn out. "Well, shall we get Sora and go anyways?"
"Ha~i!"
+-+-+-+
"Bye bye Taichi!"
"Later!"
"Bye Mimi! Bye Sora!"
I waved as the two girls walked off, hand in hand. Then I went into my house and soon found Kari was waiting for me there.
"What's up?" I asked her once she got me into our room.
"'kaasan's been pestering me all day," she said seriously.
"About what?" I asked suspiciously.
"About whether your relationship with Matt was more than friendship, and whether I thought you were gay or not."
"What'dyoutellher?" I demanded, blurring my words together.
"I told her I was pretty sure you and Matt were just friends, and that I didn't know whether you were gay or not. I didn't want to give you away, but I didn't want to say I knew you were straight."
I sighed. "Damn. I guess I'll have to tell her and 'tousan soon."
"You really should, especially with this business with Matt."
"Yeah, yeah, yeah," I grumbled. "Wakatteru yo, Kari."
+-+-+-+
I told them after supper.
"...And then he actually had the nerve to ask me to stay six extra hours! There is no sense in that! I mean, refuse to give me a raise when-"
"Otousan? Okaasan?" I asked timidly, interrupting them.
'tousan paused, his fork midway to his mouth.
"Yes, Tai, dear?" 'kaasan asked, glancing at me.
"Can I talk to you?" I asked as I glanced at Kari.
"Why sure Tai. What is it?"
"Ano..... ano...."
"Taichi?" 'tousan asked curiously.
"Can we all go in the livingroom?" I asked nervously. "That is, if everyone's done eating?"
"I am," 'kaasan told me.
"So am I," 'tousan added, pushing his plate away. I glanced at it. It was more than half full of food.
Kari stood up. "Right. Well, I'll be in my room if-"
"No!" I cried.
Kari looked at me.
"Stay. I need your moral support."
"Allright." She shrugged, totally indifferent.
'kaasan and 'tousan stood up as well and walked into the livingroom, sitting on the couch.
Kari and I followed suit, cramming together on the couch. Kari grasped my hand tightly, sensing how nervous I was.
"Well, Taichi, what was it you wanted to say?"
"Ano....."
God I'm so nervous! I'm not worried about 'kaasan, at least not that much, but 'tousan is a different story.
"Well..... I'm... gay..." I whisphered.
'kaasan blinked.
As did 'tousan.
Kari gave my hand a squeeze.
"You're .. you're what?" 'tousan asked, struggling to understand.
"I'm gay," I said more loudly.
"Gay? As in, you like guys?"
"Yeah," I answered, half defiantly, half ashamed. "I like guys."
I heard 'tousan draw in a ragged breath.
'kaasan still hadn't said anything.
"Well.... this is a shock...." 'tousan murmured. "I mean.. I had always wondered why you hadn't found a girlfriend, but I just kinda assumed you were waiting for the right girl."
I shook my head.
"So are you okay with me?" I asked anxiously. "You don't hate me?"
'tousan looked appalled. "Hate you? Why would we hate you?"
"Well... because... some people don't like... gays..."
"No, we don't hate you Taichi. Admittedly, I'm surprised, but I can accept it." I let out a huge sigh of relief, then turned to 'kaasan.
"Are you okay with it too?" I asked her.
"Uso..."
"Huh?" I asked, atakenback.
"Yesterday, when I asked you, you said you were straight."
"I wasn't ready to tell you yet."
"I see... interesting..."
"A-and there's more.." I added hesitantly.
"More?" 'tousan asked suspiciously.
I nodded stiffly. "Yeah. I.. I'm currently involved with someone."
'kaasan raised her eyebrows. "By any chance would it be Matt?"
I blushed and looked at my lap. "Hai."
"Matt? Who's Matt?"
"Otousan, get a clue, would ya?" Kari asked, speaking up for the first time.
'tousan looked flustered. "Seriously, who is Matt?"
"Matt Ishida, best friend since I was eleven, where have you been the past six, almost seven years?"
"Oh, Yamato," he said, completely doing a 360 and totally understanding who I was talking about.
Kari gave him a strange look.
"You really don't have a clue, do you?" she said.
"But-but-but!" he spluttered.
I laughed, and so did mom and Kari, and I knew everything would be okay.
+-+-+-+
"Asashi."
...
"Asashi?" Sensei looked up from his desk and glanced around the room.
"Is Asashi not here?" he asked.
"No, I don't think he is here, sir," I called. "He wasn't in third form."
Sensei nodded and went back to the attendance.
"..and Yagami," he said, finishing up. "Allright, Friday we talked about the invasion of China by Japan in 1931. They invaded the province of Manchuria, as you'll remember and set up a certain type of government. Does anyone remember what this government was called?"
"A puppet government!" someone called out.
"Very good," Motokuri Sensei said, nodding. "And what does that mean?"
"It's a government controlled by an outside power."
"Right. So in other words, we had a government in China. This invasion of Manchuria violated the Kellogg-Briand peace pact, which we learned about earlier. This upset the League of Nations, but as they had no army they could do very little harm....."
As Motokuri Sensei droned on about the beginning of World War II in Asia, my mind slowly began drifting elsewhere. It's not that I necessarily found this class boring; in fact, I liked history. It's just that I couldn't stop thinking about Matt.
I had arrived homeroom this morning preparing to sneak off with him to the old gym during second, but when I got here, I found Matt hadn't showed up yet. And then he never showed up at all, and in third, he was still absent. The same with every other class of ours. Matt was missing, and nobody knew why he wasn't here. I know why Nyusumi wasn't here; Kenji had told me he got sick yesterday evening.
I thought back to Friday, when Mr. Ishida had called me looking for Matt.
I had just assumed Matt had gotten pissed and had run off, but maybe something had happened to him. But if that was so, wouldn't Mr. Ishida have told me? No, probably not. He seems to pretty much hate me now. Most likely Matt was found lying dead in some alleyway and Mr. Ishida didn't want to tell me out of spite.
That pissed me off, but there was nothing I could do. I just had to hope Matt had ran off, then come back home later and was merely sick. After all, he seemed to be exhausted all last week, and had even confessed to not feel-
"Well, Yagami-san?"
"Ummm.. Sir?" I asked, looking up, abandoning all thoughts of Matt quickly. Sensei sighed. "Yagami, try to pay attention, please. I'd prefer to see you graduate with all your friends than see you back in here next year."
"G-gomen nasai," I apologized, a faint blush staining my cheeks. "Now what was the question?"
"I asked you to tell me about Mussolini."
"Oh... umm..." I thought for a second. "Well, the failure to stop Japan from invading China encouraged him to plan aggressive actions of his own."
"Very good, Yagami-san. What else can you tell me?"
Sensei looked impressed, and I looked back up at him nervously. I knew this stuff, I just didn't like showing the teachers I was smarter than I pretended to be. By fooling teachers into thinking you're a lazy, setback, popular kid, they were more inclined to go easy on you, and you could get away with a lot more stuff. At least, you could here at Odaiba High. I don't know about other schools.
"Well.. um.. he came to power in 1922, and had always dreamed of building an Italian colonial empire in Africa. Unfortunately, most of Africa belonged to the British and French territories."
I stopped talking there and looked up at him, hoping he would find that enough. He did.
"That was pretty impressive, Yagami-san. I'm surprised you knew that much. Now," he said, facing the class again, "who can tell me what country was one of Africa's four remaining independent nations."
Silence. I knew, but I didn't feel like showing myself to be even smarter, so I kept my mouth silent.
"Nobody? I'll give you a hint. This country resisted an earlier Italian attempt at invasion in the 1890's."
"Ethiopia!"
"Right. Now, Mussolini knew this and had sworn to avenge that defeat. So in October 1935.."
I tried hard to pay attention the rest of the class period, but I found it very hard. I just couldn't concentrate. I kept going back to that phone conversation with Matt's dad, and what he said earlier when he was kicking me out of the house.
T-tai.. is Matt there?
He had sounded incredibly nervous when he called, not angry and full of hate for me like he should have. And he obviously never told my parents, otherwise they wouldn't have been surprised when I came out to them. So it was very strange. Especially considering the insults he hurled at me.
Get out, you filth! I won't let you corrupt my son anymore! You've done enough already!
Filth. Filth. He called me filth! I am not filth.
(a/n: they call me.. Mr. Pig!!! Sorry, luv the Lion King!! ^_^ Watching it right now. Seen it tons of times and I *still* cry!)
How could he think that I would 'corrupt his son', as he so put it. It's not like I made Matt gay! He was already gay! And I didn't make him like me either. Just because I told him I liked him doesn't mean that Matt would have to like me in return. Mr. Ishida should know that. So why in hell doesn't he?
+-+-+-+
"Hello, Asashi residence, Emiko speaking." <---Hello, Asashi residence, Emiko speaking.
"Ano.. hi Emiko-san. This is Taichi."
"Taichi-san?" she asked, sounding uncertain.
"Hai. Do you remember me? I was at your house the other day with Ny. The guy with the poofy hair?"
"Poofy..hair? ..Oh! Oh, right! I remember you!"
"Yeah. Um, listen. Is Ny there right now?"
"No, actually he's not."
"Where is he then?"
"He's at the hospital."
"What?! The hospital? Why?"
"He got really sick. 'kaasan freaked out. She took him to the hospital. Turns out he's got appendicitis. They'll have to take his appendix out, obviously."
"That's terrible! Is he okay?"
"He's holding up pretty well. He's scheduled for surgery tomorrow. I'm going to visit him in a few minutes, actually. Would you like to come?"
"Yeah! Sure, that's be great! Where should I meet you?"
"Well, the hospital's close to our house. Why don't you just come here? Can you remember how to get here?"
"Yeah. I'll be there, then. It will take me about twenty minutes to get there though."
"I'll wait."
"K, thanks," I said, hanging up.
I headed into the kitchen, intent on finding Kari and telling her to tell 'kaasan where I was going. Instead I found 'kaasan herself, busy cooking chicken for what looked like chicken teriyaki.
"Naa....okaasan.. I'm going out for awhile, okay?"
"Where are you going?" she asked, turning around and smiling at me.
"Nyusumi's in the hospital with appendicitis. I'm going with his twin sister Emiko to visit him. I don't know when I'll be back. I just wanted to let you know. Is it okay?"
"Yeah. Be careful, okay?"
"Sure. Bai, okaasan."
"Bai, Tai dear." She waved as I went out the door.
Tai dear. I sometimes wonder why she and 'tousan didn't call me Tai dear instead of Taichi. 'kaasan certainly uses it enough.
(a/n: they call me Mr. Pig!!!! Sorry, I'm at that part ^_^ I'll shutup now.)
About twenty five minutes later, I was greeting Emiko in front of her house.
"Hey, ready to go?"
"Yeah. What room is he in?"
"Um.. 421."
"Oh."
We walked the ten minutes to the hospital mostly in silence, making a few comments here and there, as we really didn't know each other. Most of the stuff we discussed revolved around Nyusumi.
Emiko also warned me that Nyusumi would probably be very scared, he didn't like hospitals.
When I asked her why, she grew silent, and I worried that I had said something wrong. After a few minutes I spoke up. "Ano... gomen nasai.. should I not have said that?"
"No, it's okay. It's just.. when Nyusumi and I were very little, our mother had to go into the hospital because she got sick. Well, when this happened, 'tousan would have us stay with a babysitter until he got back from visiting mom. Well, one day he couldn't get anyone to watch us, so he brought us up to the hospital and left us in the waiting room. Well, after awhile, Ny got bored and wandered off. We were only about five or six, so we didn't know we weren't supposed to enter other hospital rooms. Anyways, Ny entered a hospital room with a little three year old boy. The boy didn't have any hair and he was hooked up to all kinds of machines and was breathing in ragged gasps. Ny got fascinated by them and went over to look at them. He reached out his hand to touch one, and just as he did, the heart monitor went flat. Ny knows he had nothing to do with that boys death, but he always feels like he did something wrong when he touched the machine and that it killed that boy. Ever since he's always been scared of hospitals."
I was silent for a long while, digesting this information. Several minutes later I said, "When he and I went to go visit Matt in the hospital, I thought he looked rather nervous and slightly frightened. I always just assumed it was because he was worried about Matt."
"He probably was, he and Matt are really close, but that wouldn't have been the reason why he was scared."
"God.... poor Nyusumi. That must have left a deep scar. You weren't there?"
"I didn't follow him. Ny told me about it years later."
"Oh... poor Ny," I murmured again.
We walked the rest of the way in silence, all the way up to when Emiko was knocking on Ny's door.
"Nyusumi? It's Emiko!" she called, rapping lightly on his closed door.
"Come in," he called to us weakly.
Emiko opened the door and we went in. The room, so different from the bright hospital rooms Matt stays in, was exactly like crappy made for tv movies depicted them. The lights were off and the curtains were all drawn, so the room was very dark. Ny was lying in the middle of a huge orthopedic bed (although why they gave him one was beyond me-maybe they ran out of regular beds to put him in), looking rather pale and feeble.
Ny doesn't get sick very often, so maybe when he does it's always more serious than most peoples' sicknesses.
"Hey Emiko," he greeted. Then he spotted me. "Oh, uh, hey Tai," he said, blushing.
I smiled, but narrowed my eyes. Why was he blushing? Unless he was embarrassed about that kiss between him and Matt of course.. well, whatever. Nyusumi has always been strange.
"So what are you guys doing here?" he asked us.
Emiko shrugged. "Just visiting, I suppose. Curious to see how you were holding up."
"Not the greatest, but I'm surviving at the very least," he said quietly.
"That's good."
"Yeah."
They grew silent, and presently Ny turned to me.
"So, does Matt know why I was absent?" he asked me.
I shook my head. "I don't think he even knows you're not in school. He was absent today too."
"Hm... that's strange. Wonder why?"
"I don't know. I haven't seen him since Friday."
"Oh, really? I thought you two had big plans for this weekend?"
"Err.. well... that.. changed," I said hesitantly.
"Why?"
"Just cos."
"Oh," he said. I could see the curiosity in his eyes, but it was obvious to everybody in this room that I didn't want to talk about it, so he didn't press.
"Well... what'd we do in classes today?"
"Um.. We share Algebra II and European History, right?"
"Yeah, but I have the same Biology, Literature, and Japanese teachers as you, so.."
"Really? I didn't know that. Well... lessee... Algebra II, didn't pay attention, Japanese, that test, Literature, slept through that, History, didn't pay attention. Something about Japan's invasion of China causing World War II in Asia. And Biology, didn't pay attention," I told him sheepishly.
"TAICHI! HOW IS THAT SUPPOSED TO HELP ME?!!?" Ny shouted irritably.
"Uh... sorry?"
"Grr.." He growled and glared at me.
"Gomen gomen!" I yelped. "I can't help it!"
Nyusumi just rolled his eyes.
We all chatted a bit longer, then I told Emiko and Ny I had to get home soon and that I'd visit Ny tomorrow.
Then I left.
As I walking by room 423, I remembered that had been the room Matt had occupied the last time he was in. Curious to see who was in there now, I glanced in.
A boy with blonde hair was lying in the bed. As a matter of fact, I thought at first it was Yama himself, but then I realized that had to impossible.
Still, I had this strange feeling, so I stepped in the room a little closer, trying to be silent as possible.
That was ruined, however, when I tripped over my own feet.
"Ack! Damn!" I said.
The boy turned.
Once glance at those ice cold blue eyes, and I let out a shriek loud enough to wake my dead grandfather buried thousands of miles away in Antarctica, under the cold snow. He had been buried alive under an avalanche and never found.
"Matt!" I yelled, running over to him. "What in hell are you doing in here?!!"
End Part 5:1
Author's Notes: That's the end of Tai's pov for this chapter. The second part to this chapter will start with Mr. Ishida's pov, right after Matt just ran out. And like I said earlier, it will switch povs between Matt and Mr. Ishida, and then Chapter 6 will start up with Matt turning to face Tai in the hospital (the scene I just ended w/) and it will be his (Matt's) pov. So, just to clear all that up!
part five:two