Digimon Fan Fiction ❯ An Absence of Light ❯ Two Pair ( Chapter 2 )

 

Chapter 2: Two Pairs

 

 

Ruki was quite sure she'd never been in love before. She was fairly certain she never would be, either. And then, Juri had kissed her, and without even knowing why, she'd kissed back, eagerly. To her great surprise…it had felt right. Very right.

 

Juri apparently felt the same way, because she hadn't complained at all.

 

Currently, they were curled up on Ruki's bed, holding each other and not saying anything.

 

Without warning, Juri found her voice. “Ruki-chan?”

 

“Hmm?” Ruki asked, stroking Juri's hair absently.

 

Juri blushed. “I…was wondering about the dance. You know, on Friday?”

 

“What about it?”

 

“Well…do you think…you could go? With me?”

 

Ruki froze. “I could…I want to…but people will talk.”

 

“And when did you start caring about what people said?” Juri asked, a hopeful smile on her lips.

 

“Good point,” Ruki murmured, staring at Juri's lips. In her opinion, they definitely needed some more kissing, and pulled Juri closer to prove just that.

 

Again, Juri had no complaints.

 

* * * * *

 

Alice couldn't recall the last time a boy had offered to walk her home. She was certain that he hadn't been anywhere as nice as Takato, though. Or as cute. Suddenly inspired, she reached over and took his hand, squeezing it gently.

 

Takato looked down at their joined hands, then up at her face. His was noticeably red.

 

“Thanks for walking me home, Takato,” Alice said quietly.

 

He merely nodded, unable to form words just then.

 

“You know, when we first met, you called me Juri. Who is she to you?”

 

“Someone I thought I knew,” Takato answered glumly.

 

“I'm sorry,” Alice said, squeezing his hand again.

 

“It's okay. She made her choice, and I have to respect it.”

 

“You put yourself in incredible danger to help her. She should respect that.”

 

“It's…complex,” Takato sighed.

 

“It isn't. If she can't see what a good friend you are, then I feel sorry for her.”

 

He shook his head. “You don't understand. It…I mean…”

 

“Then make me understand,” Alice challenged him. “Give me one good reason Juri could possibly have not to respect you.”

 

Takato stood there for a long moment, and then shrugged. “I guess I can't,” he admitted.

 

“I bet she couldn't, either.” Alice smiled. “If she never comes around, you could hang out with me.”

 

Takato paused in shock. “Really?!”

 

“I don't make a habit of ignoring nice boys. It'd be fun to talk to someone about what it's like to be a Tamer. I guess you could say…I need you, Takato.”

 

Takato turned scarlet. “Um…wow…”

 

Alice giggled. “I'd better go the rest of the way by myself. My parents will get suspicious if I come home with a boy they've never seen.”

 

“Oh. Right.”

 

She smiled and came closer, giving him a soft kiss on the cheek. “See you later, Takato,” she whispered in his ear before walking away.

 

For the first time in weeks, Takato was definitely not thinking about Juri.

 

* * * * *

 

Lee Shuichon did not understand why everyone was so quiet, but she had a feeling it had something to do with Jenrya.

 

No one in her family spoke that much anymore, at least not to her. If she asked if she'd done something wrong, they were quick to reassure her she hadn't. But if she asked what was bothering Jenrya, no one had an answer for her (very odd, considering her big sister Jaarin never really stopped talking).

 

Jenrya had changed so much since the Reaper. He had always been soft-spoken before, but now he hardly spoke at all. His room was often locked, and even when he did emerge, he headed straight for the front door and was gone for hours.

 

Perhaps the rest of her family could deal with it, but Shuichon was still a child, and she could not. Jenrya was her big brother, and no matter how much he'd changed, she refused to believe that he was beyond her reach, however small it was.

 

And then one day, she found his room open…and all but stripped bare. Once she got over the shock, she ran to the living room to tell someone, and found him closing up a suitcase. The rest of his luggage stood near the door.

 

“Oniichan?” she asked softly.

 

Jenrya froze and slowly looked up. “Imouto,” he said just as softly, eyes his frighteningly distant.

 

“Where…where are you going, oniichan?” Shuichon whispered, already afraid of the answer.

 

He seemed hesitant to answer her. “Otousan has a cousin. I'm going to stay with him for a while.”

 

“…when will you be back?”

 

Jenrya stared at her for a long moment, and then looked at his suitcase.

 

“Oniichan…?” she pressed, her desperation obvious

 

“Go to your room, Shuichon. Please. I need to finish-”

 

“No!” she shrieked. “Tell me when you're coming back!”

 

“I'm not,” he said at last, unable to look at her.

 

“You….you're lying. You have to be…”

 

Jenrya closed his eyes. “Believe what you want, Shuichon. I won't be here when you wake up tomorrow.”

 

She shook her head. “What makes you think I'll be able to sleep, knowing you're out there somewhere, instead of down the hall from me where you're supposed to be?”

 

He looked wounded. “Imouto, I-”

 

“No,” she said firmly. “You don't get to call me that. Not unless you're staying.”

 

“Then…I'm sorry, Shuichon.” He picked up the suitcase and walked out.

 

Shuichon watched him go and sat down on the couch.

 

Eventually, he came back to get the others. Each time, he said nothing, barely even looking at her. Soon, there was only his jacket and books left.

 

Shuichon collected them and waited by the door. When he returned, she held them out.

 

Wordlessly, he accepted them.

 

“If you pass my oniichan in the hall,” she said, glaring up at him, “tell him I'm moving into his room.”

 

Jenrya stared at her, then kneeled and put down his books. “Shuichon.”

 

She looked away.

 

He reached out and took her small hand, running his thumb gently over the back of it. “I know you're angry with me, and though I don't like it, I will live with it. If you won't see me as your brother anymore…again, it's upsetting, but I will live with it. Because I have to, Shuichon. There are some things in this world I hope you will never have to experience. Maybe by losing…your brother, you will come to understand what it means to love, be loved, and be betrayed by one you love. Maybe you'll treasure the family and friends you have left even more because of this.”

 

“Because of this,” she whispered, finally looking at him, “I will hate you forever.”

 

Jenrya continued to stare at her, but the hurt registered in his eyes. “That hate will only doom me to love you even more, Shuichon. Whether you want it or not, you have my heart.” He squeezed her hand lightly, kissed her forehead, then picked up his books and turned around. “If you see Terriermon before I do,” he said quietly over his shoulder, “take good care of him.”

 

Then he was gone.

 

* * * * *

 

Takato's sole reason for going to the dance was to find out who would be on Juri's arm.

 

He was surprised for exactly ten seconds.

 

But he could not bring himself to hate Ruki. She had done nothing worthy of his hatred. All things considered, if Takato had to choose someone else to be with Juri, Ruki would've been at the top of the list (had he known of her preference for girls beforehand, anyway). He knew for a fact that she would guard Juri with her life, if need be.

 

He wasn't sure what he felt for Juri anymore. It was not love, nor hate, nor even regret. Whatever it was, it hurt to look at her.

 

After an hour, he finally left the room and stepped into the hallway to collect himself.

 

A moment later, Ruki appeared, looking gorgeous in her dark blue dress. “Takato?”

 

“Ruki.” Takato thought it odd that had they not faced the Reaper together, they would never have been this comfortable with each other. “You look nice.”

 

Ruki, never one to lie, was blunt. “You look horrible.” She offered him a cup. “Punch?”

 

He thanked her and gulped it down without tasting it.

 

“Listen. I didn't think you'd show up, but now that you have…if you want Juri and I to leave-”

 

“Don't,” he said at once. “Juri should enjoy this. She…deserves it. She deserves you.”

 

Ruki frowned. “I don't get you, Takato. You're torn up inside and out, and all you can think about is Juri's happiness. And don't you dare feed me that `I'm-happy-if-she's-happy' crap, either.”

 

Takato thought for a moment. “I'm not happy. But Juri is. And if that's what it takes to keep her happy…so be it. I know you'll be good to her, Ruki. That's what counts.”

 

She touched his shoulder. “Are we still friends?”

 

“Of course. But are you sure Juri won't have a problem with that?”

 

Ruki smirked. “I'll just point out she wouldn't be alive if it weren't for you. That usually works.”

 

Takato shook his head and smiled. “Don't ever change, Ruki.”

 

“I hadn't planned on it.” She peered at him closely. “You sure you're okay?”

 

“I guess so.”

 

“Would a dance help, Takato?” asked a voice behind them.

 

The new voice did not belong to Juri. But it still had the same effect. Takato's eyes widened, and his mouth worked without making a sound.

 

Ruki grinned. “I think your dance card just opened up.” She elbowed Takato before going back inside.

 

Takato took a deep breath. “Alice…you…you're…”

 

“I'm here,” Alice said simply, her black gown shimmering as she took his arm. “And I'm sure you meant to ask me to be your date tonight, but it just slipped your mind. Right?”

 

Takato stared at her. “Yes,” he said at last. “How stupid of me.”

 

“I forgive you, as long as you're willing to dance with me. I didn't get all dolled up for nothing.”

 

“But…are you sure you-”

 

“Takato. If you ask me that again, I might not kiss you when this date is over.”

 

Takato grinned. “Sorry, Alice.”

 

“I know you are. Now, let's dance.”

 

* * * * *

 

Jenrya had barely been on the train for ten minutes, but he'd already sent detailed e-mails to Takato and Ruki, explaining where he was going, why, and that he would keep in touch. He didn't expect immediate replies, knowing they might be at the dance.

 

The e-mail to Shuichon had taken an hour to complete, and he was greatly distressed to find it had been deleted upon arrival. He would try again later, when she was less likely to be mad. But he didn't get his hopes up. It was difficult to keep in mind that she was only this upset because she loved him so much.

 

For the first leg of the train ride, Jenrya was alone. At the first stop, a woman and her young daughter joined him. Glad of the company and tired of brooding, he was perhaps too polite, to the point where he'd let the girl play Mahjong on his laptop. She was very careful with it, and only very nearly dropped it twice.

 

Soon it was after midnight, and the woman had long since dozed off. Jenrya, much to his own surprise, passed the time by asking the girl about herself. She seemed to perk up once she realized he was interested in her, and something in her eagerness made Jenrya wonder if perhaps she liked him a bit more than he liked her. He chuckled at the thought of her friends teasing her about `like-liking' an older boy she barely even knew.

 

At some point, the girl began glancing down at his feet constantly. By the time Jenrya noticed, she had begun to stare while she was talking. Finally, he had to ask what she was looking at.

 

“You dropped your bunny rabbit,” she replied, reaching down to retrieve it.

 

Jenrya's mouth went dry as she stood up, cuddling Terriermon in her arms.

 

“He's cute,” she announced, brushing some dust from his ears. “Can I play with him?”

 

Jenrya's first thought was to say no, recalling Terriermon's encounters with Shuichon. But his partner Digimon winked at him, so he said, “Sure, but be careful. He likes it when you stroke his ears.”

 

He started to write Takato and tell him the good news, but decided against it. It would only remind him that Guilmon wasn't there, and Jenrya didn't want to upset anyone else he was close to.

 

At the next stop, the woman thanked Jenrya for his kindness, and the girl said goodbye to him and Terriermon both before leaving with her mother.

 

The instant they were gone, Terriermon sat up and dusted himself off. “Well, that wasn't so bad,” he admitted. “It was actually kinda nice.”

 

Jenrya just gaped at him.

 

Terriermon pouted. “Don't be in a rush to welcome me back or anything. I'm only your best friend.”

 

Jenrya quickly found his voice. “Sorry. I…I guess I'm still in shock. How did you…?”

 

“What? You think I'm just gonna sit at home while my best buddy runs off to become a monk?”

 

“Terriermon…” he said in a warning tone.

 

“Hey, I'm not knocking it or anything! I'm just saying, if you're doing this because of Saint Galgomon, it's just a name, y'know.”

 

“That's not why, Terriermon.” He paused. “It's…complicated.”

 

“If you say so.” Terriermon flopped across Jenrya's lap. “So, how are Takato and Ruki?”

 

“Fine, last time I checked.”

 

“The family?”

 

Jenrya hesitated, and his Digimon picked up on it.

 

“You didn't do anything rash like leave without saying goodbye did you? Wait. They DO know you're going, don't they?!”

 

“Of COURSE they know. It's just…not everyone wanted me to go.”

 

“They wouldn't be family if they didn't.” Terriermon thought for a moment. “Shuichon take it okay?”

 

“…not really.”

 

Terriermon scowled up at him. “What did you do THIS time?”

 

“I couldn't help it; she didn't want me to go. But I had to do this, and I honestly tried to explain it to her.”

 

“Jen-kun, she's just a kid. And your baby sister, no less.”

 

“I KNOW that, Terriermon. I didn't want to make her so upset. There was just…no other way. It would've been worse if I hadn't told her anything at all.”

 

“I should've gotten back sooner,” Terriermon sighed. “Maybe I could've smoothed it over.”

 

“Too late now,” Jenrya sighed. “She already hates me.”

 

“Aren't you being a little overdramatic?”

 

“Her words, not mine.”

 

“…Jen-kun, you REALLY gotta start talking to me before you do stuff like this.”

 

He smiled faintly. “Now I will, Terriermon,” Jenrya promised, rubbing the Digimon's head.

 

“Good.” Terriermon sighed heavily and closed his eyes as his Tamer stroked his head. “So. You're not gonna be a total stick in the mud after this monk business, are you?”

 

“…there really isn't an `after' for this type of thing, Terriermon.”

 

“Oh. But you're not gonna change much, are you?”

 

Jenrya thought about that. “I wouldn't think so. It will require some major dedication…but many of their practices are things I either already do or have wanted to do for some time.”

 

“Like no fighting?”

 

“Yes.”

 

“I can deal with that. But how am I gonna keep from getting fat?”

 

“Who says you're not there now?” Jenrya teased.

 

“Watch it, buddy. I'll remember this stuff when you're a monk who can't make comebacks.”

 

* * * * *

 

Next Chapter: Impmon & Culumon get drafted for rescue detail, Shuichon develops an odd ability, and Impmon gets a job.

 

Oniichan / Oniisan - older brother

Imouto - younger sister

Otousan - father

Jen-kun - same as Jenrya, kinda. Personal names are often shortened and get -chan and -kun tacked onto them, especially if the speaker is a child. Terriermon gets away with it because he's especially close to Jenrya, and a bit lazy. Hirokazu's friends would probably call him Kazu-kun (which explains where the nickname came from). When Shuichon gets older, she might continue to refer to Jenrya as oniichan, or sometimes switch to Jenrya-oniisan to be more formal.

 

Jaarin is Jenrya & Shuichon's older sister. In the US dub, she reminds Shuichon when her favorite TV show “Renard the Dinosaur” is on. Rinchei is the older brother (possibly the eldest child, tallest if nothing else), and only has one line in the whole series. I've only seen two or three screencaps of him myself.