Digimon Fan Fiction ❯ Secrets ❯ Chapter 3

"Daisuke, where are you?" Ken called out. He stopped and looked around the almost deserted streets of Odaiba, trying to find any sign of the maroon haired man. Where could he have gone?

Did I say something wrong? Ken asked himself still searching for Daisuke. Was it my breath?

Ken didn't know what to think. He thought the date had been going fine. They had gone to dinner, nothing fancy. A small restaurant, barely know and very inexpensive. But it was nice, it held a certain cozy air that Ken couldn't put his finger on. It was just nice. A place that held a romantic air. Soft lighting and flowers but no music; giving the feeling of romance but not expecting any.

After ordering dinner, they had spoken about everything and nothing at all. Simply enjoying the fact that they could speak freely, without worrying about impressing the other. Ken had loved that the most. The knowledge that Daisuke didn't care, never cared, if Ken was perfect and acted as such. That was what he always loved about Daisuke, the fact that he didn't care what Ken did.

"What ever floats your boat, man." Daisuke had said once, waving his hand in dismissal.

Ken loved Daisuke. He had for a every long time. Though at first, it had been attraction, lust, longing to touch that smooth, tanned skin. Then that changed, as he grew to know Daisuke better. He realized that Daisuke was everything he'd ever want in a person. Loyal, caring, sweet, carefree…

Everything I'm not.

And Daisuke knew that. Daisuke knew how reserved Ken was. He understood that there were reasons for Ken acting the way he did. He knew how easily it was for someone to hurt Ken and he always made sure to stay clear of painful areas. But Daisuke also tried to pull Ken out of his shell. He tried to show Ken the better side of life, the side that he wasn't so well acquainted with. Always showing him new things that he had never considered doing on his own.

Like when he took me Christmas caroling.

Ken had been apprehensive when Daisuke had first brought up the idea. Standing in front of some stranger's door and singing, wasn't his idea of a good time. Actually, Ken found it down right, embarrassing. And Daisuke knew it. The grin on his face told Ken that. Daisuke knew and didn't care and, was not giving up until Ken agreed to go with him.

"C'mon man, it'll be fun."

"No."

"Why?"

"Because it's not my idea of fun."

"And what is? Sitting around and writing another program? Where's your Christmas spirit?"

"I thought, you were an atheist?"

"I am, but you aren't. And anyway, who says, I'm going to be singing religious songs?"

"Daisuke, you make no sense."

Then he had grinned that grin that could make Ken turn into putty. And Ken did turn to putty. Daisuke taking complete advantage, even though he had no idea why Ken had turned to putty. But he was slowly beginning to realize, that it was just one of those Ken things that he had no control over and, most likely, would never be able to understand.

God, I had been so scared that night. But he took my hand. He actually took my hand!

But so had Takeru, who had also been invited by Daisuke. Daisuke, standing on one side and Takeru, standing on the other. Both had felt the fear the clutched Ken's heart and they held his hand, both at the same time. As if they were one mind, each taking hold of one of his hands and giving it a quick, reassuring squeeze as the door opened to reveal a little girl and her father.

Neither one let go. They held my hand right through the song. And bowed a little, together. As one.

Ken had to-was made to-admit that he, indeed, had fun on that night. Had fun going from house to house, some times annoying people other times not, with their singing. If one could call it that. He wasn't sure. Daisuke had a terrible voice and he tended to be louder then Ken and Takeru-drowning them out. While Takeru, in all honesty, sounded like a girl. Ken had been very surprised, but was happy that Takeru, at least, sounded like a girl who could sing. And Ken, well, he wasn't sure, one could never judge the way one's own voice sounded, but Daisuke had said he was good.

"More then good. Great!" Takeru had argued. Then he had made a comment about Daisuke's singing talents, or lack of. This in turn, annoyed Daisuke, who retorted by saying that Takeru sounded like he had been castrated as a child. That comment had begun the incessant arguing that, no matter how close, Takeru and Daisuke had became, could ruin any good time.

Or did it?

Ken wasn't sure. He still had fun that night. Singing, drinking hot chocolate, to keep warm, and doing so many other things. Never once was their a dull moment, when hanging out with Daisuke and Takeru, who at times, seemed to be Daisuke's accomplice.

Daisuke…is…is…

Daisuke was a free spirit. There was no other way to describe him. He was always finding new ways to get the full life experience, as if he was afraid that it would all one-day disappear. As if he was afraid that he would, one-day wake up and find out it had all been a dream.

"There you are, Daisuke!" Ken said when he found the other man sitting by a bench, grinning. "Where did you go? Why did you go?"

"I thought you'd follow me, Ken." Daisuke said, ignoring Ken's questions. Purposely? Ken didn't know. Daisuke had always been a mystery to him.

So much depth in those chocolate eyes.

"I was surprised, when I couldn't see you behind me." Daisuke continued motioning for Ken to sit.

"How I am suppose to know that you wanted me to follow you?" Ken asked, taking the offered seat and unconsciously moving a little closer to the red head.

Daisuke grinned. "Whenever I run, I wish to be followed." For some reason Ken felt like there was truth to that sentence. Some unspoken truth. He also felt like he would be following those words later in life-no sooner. He didn't know, was it some sort of premonition?

He looked over at Daisuke, who was looking up at the sky, a small frown on his face. Ken was once more confused.

"I wish all the lights would just turn off." Daisuke said all of a sudden.

"Why?"

"So, that I could see stars." Ken smiled and looked up at the star-less sky. The sky was black-or was it a dark blue, he was never good with colors-as it always was. There were never any stars seen in the city, the city's generated light wouldn't allow it. It saddened him as a child, but he had grown to live with it, until he never thought about it again. Apparently, Daisuke hadn't.

Or is it just on a whim that he cares now?

Unpredictable Daisuke, he changed his mind as many times as he changed lovers. That thought stun. Did Daisuke care for him like a boyfriend? Did he wish for something more permanent or was it just something he was doing on a whim?

I was the one who had wanted this to be a date.

Was he just doing it to please Ken? Did he just want to quench some new curiosity?

Why must I always ruin things with my constant analyzing?

It was true. Ken did analyze things way too much. He always wanted to find out everything, learn every little secret, until there was nothing else left.

"Until all the mystery is gone and, it's all boring." Takeru had said that once to him, when they had gone to a magic show. Takeru had always adored magic, ever since he was a child. But Ken had found it trivial. He already knew how most tricks worked, or could make a logical assumption. He had done a lot of research on magic when he younger, when he was still the Kaiser. The Kaiser had always been obsessed with knowing everything, never wanting to be left out of loop, knowing all the secrets. Even more so then Ken did.

This of course had annoyed Takeru, who simply liked to enjoy and not discover the secrets. He liked pretending, even though he knew it was an illusion.

"Of course I know it's not real, Ken." He had said, "What kinda idiot do you take me for?" At that comment Ken had become flustered, apologizing quickly. "Calm down Ken, I'm only kidding. You should learn to be more easy-going. Don't take things so literally, you'll have a heart attack by the age of twenty five, if you don't!"

He knew Takeru was right, he knew Daisuke was right-for the red head had said it too, even more so then Takeru.

Shit, I think all the Chosen have said it to me, at least, once!

He smiled, happy to know that they put up with it. Even if it did annoy them, they put up with his over-analyzing, overly logical, reserved personality. They never became angry, though they did tell him when he was getting out of bounds.

I have good friends.

It was a truth that came to him at that exact moment. As if someone had placed the last piece to intricate puzzle. He could see everything. He realized the truth that had been sitting in the back of his subconscious, waiting to be discovered, realized, brought to the light.

And it's all thanks to you.

He looked at the other man, who was still looking up at the sky. Daisuke had saved his soul. Daisuke had brought him out of the darkness. Daisuke had given him everything. Another chance at redemption, forgiveness, friendship, so much joy.

Daisuke, the gruff looking kid with burgundy colored hair and large chocolate eyes. Daisuke, the kid that could open his mouth, drive his foot right into. Daisuke, the man with the caring smile, the boy who had held him one night, so long ago, when he had cried. The one who he had hurt so badly as the Kaiser, and was held so closely to as Ken. He was everything to Ken. His savior, his protector, his best friend.

And I love him. Kore kara zutto... itsumademo

Daisuke looked at Ken and grinned. He abruptly, sat up and stretched his legs and arms, moaning a little at the feeling. He once more looked at Ken, his smile never leaving.

"Look at this." He said motioning to the bench and the streets.

"Excuse me?" Ken asked watching as Daisuke stood.

"It's all my fault." Daisuke said, ignoring Ken's question. He crossed his arms across his chest and tapped his foot. His brown eyes closing, making him look deep in thought.

"Daisuke…?" Ken was confused, to say the least. Daisuke opened his eyes and looked at him.

"The boredom!" Daisuke threw his arms up as if exasperated. "And it's my fault too, babbling about the stars." He snorted. "You must be bored out of your mind, listening to my romantic babble."

Ken chuckled. "Trust me Daisuke, I have no problem sitting here and listening to anything you say."

Daisuke froze, his face becoming blank. Ken was confused again. What had happened? Why was Daisuke looking at him with such unreadable features? Why did he seem so tense, so afraid?

It didn't last long, after a few seconds, Daisuke looked as if he had just dismissed something as silly and, smiled at the other man. What it was, Ken didn't know? Turning his body, so that Ken could see his back, Daisuke raised his arms.

"Oh great Dionysus!" Daisuke called out, his head tilted skyward. "Grant us your blessing and rid us of this boredom, which plagues an otherwise festive evening."

There was a long silence.

Afterwards, Daisuke dropped his arms and turned towards Ken.

"The bastard didn't reply." Ken laughed at the expression on his face, at the utter stupidity of his actions.

"Baka."

Daisuke grinned, taking hold of Ken's hand and pulling him from the seat. He began to pull the distraught man down the street.

"Daisuke, where are we going?"

Daisuke stopped and turned his head and looked at Ken. He placed his hands on the other man's shoulders and sighed, while shaking his head.

"What?"

"Ken, are you going senile or something?"

"What? Daisuke!"

That grin again. "C'mon, let's go do something interesting."

"And what do you have in mind?"

Daisuke shrugged his shoulders. Then he turned. "Ever heard the expression 'where ever the wind takes you'?"

"Yes, but what does that have to do with anything?"

"Everything!" And with that he was off, Ken right behind him. This was going to be an interesting night. Ken smiled, wondering if he would get a kiss at the end of the night or not.

***

The TV blared loudly, some random J-rock video playing. Jun smiled brightly and jumped onto the coffee table, her socks almost making her slip on the smooth surface. She thanked God that her parents weren't home and began to shake her hips, waving her arms widely to the fast beat song.

It was her moment, no one was home and she could do anything she wanted-as long as it didn't get her in trouble. Moving over a bit on the table, she began to singing along with the TV. Her favorite Japanese rock group, Siam Shade, was playing their latest release. A song by the name of No! Marionette. And of course, like every other song by the group, Jun had gone wild over it.

Her room was plastered with pictures of the group; she had the collection of Rurouni Kenshin episodes that had featured them singing the ending song. She loved them, not just one of the singer, like the vocalist, Hideki, whose voice was so unique and beautiful. She loved each and everyone one of the band members. Hideki, Kazuma, Daita, Natin and, Junji. If she could, she would steal them all and make them her love slaves. And sometimes, late at night during her random bouts of insomnia, she could be found on her bed with a notebook in her lap and a pencil in held between her teeth, think-no, plotting-how to make that dream come true. Siam Shade, her lovers.

She giggled madly at the thought.

"You are the shed!" She yelled out with the vocalist, closing her eyes tightly and pointing to nothing in particular. "Ohhhh! Ne- chotto kiitekure angel. Yake ni chikagoro migatte na koto bakari iunda-"

She bounced off the table and continued to dance around the room, the remote control doubling as her microphone. She imagined herself sing with them, grinning widely as she moved around the room. This was her song, she adored it. The lyrics, the music, the voices, everything. Siam Shade was her world…well, not really, but it was nice to pretend that she had no problems at all. That her life was so perfect and easy, that they could be her world.

It was always fun to pretend.

She continued her movements around her apartment, oblivious to anything but the sound of the guitar and Hideki's voice. Her body shaking to the beat of the song, she had always been a good dancer. And she had always enjoyed dancing, her way of escaping the tortures of the world. She was happy, like she always was when hearing a song by the group, they could lift her spirits no matter how low they were.

The sound of the door slamming shut, brought her back from the song induced euphoria she was in, and she looked towards the hallway, that lead to the front door. She watched, with no small amount of surprise, as her brother ran in and, right past her into his room-never once saying a word. Shutting the door behind him.

Something wasn't right with that. Sixteen-year-old boys didn't run into their rooms like their boyfriends had just dumped them. Well maybe Daisuke did…but not on a regular bases (and never did the loss of a lover bother him, something he had acquired from days better left forgotten). She turned back towards the TV, watching as her favorite group continued to sing and sighed, her shoulders slumping. With a quick wave and five kisses-blown to each member-she turned off the TV and walked towards her baby brother's room to find out what had happened.

It can't be about Hikari. She thought, knocking softly on the door. They broke up months ago. Maybe someone had picked on him? No, Daisuke never acts like that when he gets picked on. But if they had-She grinned maliciously-they'll be my new test dummy for that new wrestling move I just learned. And people say you learn nothing from TV.

Snickering madly, she knocked again. There had been no response the first time, but she knew that Daisuke just needed a moment to gather up his wits. He hated to be seen acting weak. It reminded him too much of when had been younger, of when he had not been able to save his innocence because he had been weak.

"Daisuke, I'm coming in?" She turned the doorknob to find Daisuke sitting by the windowsill. There was a yo-yo in his hand, which he played with every few seconds. Jun sighed.

The yo-yos out. It must be bad.

Some people, when upset, ate cookie dough and ice cream, others wrote poetry or painted pictures, others still, would go on mass killing sprees. Daisuke would play with a yo-yo. That was his comfort item. Something that had bewildered Jun to know end. But who was she to judge? She, who spoke to stuffed Tyrannosaurus Rex named Pippy, when she was extremely upset.

"Daisuke…?" Even after years of practice Jun still could not find away to broach the subject of Daisuke's pains. It was always hard for her, a part of her telling her to leave it alone, that it would only hurt more if she brought it up again. And another part of her, telling her that if she didn't bring it up, the wound would never heal and her brother would be in pain.

And, come hell and high water, she would always make sure that Daisuke was not in pain. So, she took a deep breath and move towards Daisuke who still had not looked at her.

"What is it?" She had also learned long ago, that when in came to Daisuke, being direct was always the best solution, no matter how much it hurt to do it.

It didn't take long, which didn't surprise Jun at all. Jun knew that if one caught Daisuke while the wound was fresh, and by fresh she meant the blood had yet time to clot. They could get any information out of him. But if one waited to long, then he'd begin to make defense, make lies, and try to forget and then the wound would never heal, just wait for the most inappropriate moments to sting again.

So when, Daisuke's eyes began to water slightly and his face began to contort into one of pain, she wasn't surprised. Jun went into action, quickly, taking her brother in her arms and rubbing his back soothingly, swearing that she'd kill the person who hurt him.

"Shh…it's all right. I'm here." She whispered to the boy sobbing wildly in her arms. Jun felt Daisuke shake his head against her shoulders.

"No, you won't…" He sounded so dejected that it almost hurt her to listen to him. "Not after you find out what I've done. You won't like me anymore. You'll all hate me, you, Otousama, Okaasama, all of you!"

With that he pushed away from Jun, who had been stunned by this declaration. She watch him stand and walk towards his bed. He rubbed his eyes and began to play with the yo-yo, watching as it went up and down, then stop and, spin near the ground or go around the world. Daisuke knew many yo-yo tricks; he had a lot of time-reasons-to learn them.

Jun took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. She had no idea what her brother was talking about. She had never seen him act like that, never heard his voice take such a venomous tone. But the tone wasn't directed to her, it was towards himself. He was angry with himself.

Why?

She didn't know. But she would find out. It was her duty as Daisuke's sister to find out what stupidity had seeped in to his brain and flush it out.

What kinda garbage is he talking about? She thought while walking towards him. She took a seat next to him, grabbing on to his shirt and forcing him to stay in place. He looked at her with large, brown eyes; the pain was immense, so strong. She felt like she could reach out and touch it.

"Otouto-chan, explain yourself." She said running her fingers through his hair. "I don't understand. Why do you think we'd stop loving you?"

A sniffle was heard, before there was a long silence. Then in a voice so low she almost missed it, he said:

"I'm a pervert."

Jun blinked, her brows touching as she contemplated this.

"So am I." Daisuke turned quickly, eyes wide with surprise.

"You are?" Jun nodded smiling.

"Why are you so surprised? You've called me that a million times. 'Hentai!' 'Jun…ecchi!' Remember?"

Daisuke looked at his sister, then wailed loudly, throwing his face into the pillow. Jun blinked, confused. Something was wrong. Daisuke wouldn't get so upset for being a pervert. Unless, he didn't mean it in the normal sense.

Ohhhh! Jun's eyes widened as it finally hit her. She turned her head back to her brother who still had his face deep in the large, white pillow. She smiled softly.

"Oh, Daisuke…" She whispered, climbing onto the bed. She crawled towards her bother's prone body and climbed on top of him. She lowered her body so that, she was pressed against his back as she rubbed his side. It was a comforting gesture, a protective embrace. It had always made the boy feel better feeling someone's warmth around him, holding him tightly, without wanting something in return. Feeling Jun's warmth all around him made him feel so safe and secure and, Jun knew this too well.

"'Neechan…" was his whimpered response. She smiled softly, still rubbing his sides.

"I understand now." Another whimper. She smiled. "Great! Now, I have someone to check out guys with!"

Daisuke's head shot up so quickly that Jun was almost hit. He wiggled around, until he was laying on his back and Jun on his chest. He looked at her ,wide eyed, as she grinned at him.

"But…but. How? You don't care!"

"Why should I?"

Again a long silence. Daisuke looked away from his sister's eyes as Jun fiddled with his shirt. It was comforting, as it always was. The way Jun and Daisuke fit together made him feel things that he didn't understand.

Loved.

Yes, that was the word. He felt loved, loved by a family. He had a mother and a father and a sister. All which cared about him and now…now he had ruined it by being so perverted. So disgusting and wrong.

"I'm not the prefect son." He whispered again. Jun frowned.

"Huh?"

"I have to be the perfect son."

"Daisuke, not to be rude or anything, but you've never exactly achieved that."

"But I'm even farther from it! How can I-I can't pay you back!"

Jun stared at him for a long time. She was so confused. She had no idea what to think. What to do! She never knew that her brother thought this way.

She sighed and wrapped her arms around his waist.

"Otouto-chan no baka." She whispered, then giggled softly. "They won't care…I don't care. You will not care. Be whom you want. Do what you want. And be happy."

"But…'neechan!" Jun frowned raising her head and glaring down at her brother. He swallowed audibly. Jun was scary when she was mad. And she hated it when people told her she was wrong. He had seen it first hand. Hell had no fury like an angry Motomiya Jun.

After a few more seconds of glaring, she sat up. Her legs straddling his waist and her arms crossed over her chest.

"Daisuke, I am going to say something very, very sappy." She began after a long while. He looked at her as she looked down at him, her face expressing extreme discomfort. Most likely form having to say what she was going to say.

She sighed again. "When we first brought you here you were so sad. So different. Extremely quiet, timid. You seemed to follow that whole 'speak when spoken too', 'children should be seen and not heard' thing. It annoyed the shit out of us, but we lived with it. Why? Because we knew you had to get use to having a free will. And it pained us knowing that you had to learn how to use something that's, suppose to be, natural.

"You've never told us what really happened to you, back then. The only things we've ever known, came from the case files and the police statements and stuff. We understood that you wanted to put all that behind you, so we never pushed. Or asked questions. We let you do things on your own. And at times we wondered if that made us seem like a heartless family-"

Daisuke's eyes widened at her last words. His head shaking as denied her words. Telling her that they were never heartless, that they were wonderful people. That they had saved his life.

Jun grinned and covered her brother's mouth with the palm of her hand. She shook her head, telling him to let her finish. Daisuke nodded but she didn't remove her hand.

"So, we wondered if we were bad or heartless. But when you'd smile, really brightly, or disagree with us, then that made it all worth it. Hell, as long as we knew it was really what you wanted, when you agreed with us it was great. Why? Because we knew that you were changing. That what that man-" Daisuke closed his eyes and Jun bit her lip. "-that man, did to you was losing it's power. But now you say this!

"It's like we failed or something. If you're afraid to be different because of getting us mad or not being able to pay us back, and whatever other shit is running through your mind, it hurts. Kami-sama, all we ever cared about was seeing you happy. It's important to us. More important then seeing you get married to some beautiful girl and having the perfect family!

"We don't care. You wanna pay us back? Date whomever the hell you want. Do whatever the hell you want. And just come and visit us every once in a while. Or you could always take care of mom and dad when they get old and stuff. They don't wanna live in a home and I don't feel like changing their diapers."

"Ew! Aneki that's gross!" Daisuke laughed. Jun laughed back. She knew that line would help bring up his spirits.

Moving so she wasn't sitting on his stomach anymore, she pulled him into a sitting position and held him tightly. His arms, tentatively, wrapping her into the tender embrace. Jun smiled at her brother.

"So, who is it?" Jun asked, wanting to change the subject. Even though, she knew it wasn't over. Not by a long run. It took too long for Daisuke to give up something like that, but she knew that with a little more convincing and a lot of support, he would change his mind and be happy again.

"Nani?" Daisuke asked pulling away from her. She grinned and scooted closer to him, her eyes gleaming with an almost unnatural light.

"Who brought out these so-called: unnatural feelings form my brother?" Daisuke looked away. "Daisuke!" Still nothing. "Daisuke, if you don't tell me I'm going to tickle you."

When she received silence as a respond, she grinned and jumped on her brother. Her fingers gliding over his stomach and sides. Daisuke laughed, trying to push his sister away, begging for her to stop. Though he knew she wasn't going to until she received the answer she wanted.

Throwing her off, he ran out of his room and down the hall, Jun in hot pursuit. Jun grinned; everything was going back to normal.

She laughed at how stupid that sounded.

***

Daisuke smiled and continued to move down the streets, his movements reminiscent to some graceful dance. He turned, eyes seeming to gleam with happiness, and looked at Ken who smiled softly at him. Motioning to be followed, Daisuke turned and continued his movements down the streets.

He seems to have no problems. Ken thought feeling a bit envious. Daisuke always seemed so carefree, so free of pain and troubles. He wondered if the boy's problems were any bigger then normal teenage angst, rent problems, or what colors to use for the new design that Wallace needed.

Daisuke stopped in front of a closed store and looked at it for a long moment. Ken, stopping next to him, turned and looked at what had caught Daisuke's eyes.

It was dark, so Ken, at first could not tell what was the store's purpose. On closer inspection, he realized it was a small flower shop. Ken turned his head towards Daisuke who was squinting, a little, as if trying to see something.

"I shop here sometimes." Daisuke said, answering Ken's silent question. Ken smiled.

"You buy flowers?" He asked a bit surprised. Daisuke turned to him and frowned.

"Yes, I buy flowers." Daisuke huffed moving closer to the store and peering inside. "I'm a painter, I like to paint still life, a lot. And, I sometimes combined the flowers to make an original one."

"For Wallace?" Daisuke grinned and nodded.

"Yeah, I also like to add them into my paintings." Ken nodded, his mind flashing back to all the paintings, that he had seen, that had different types of plant life in them. "Usually for there meanings, though."

"You study the meanings of flowers?" Daisuke turned and smiled at him, nodding. "Why didn't you ever tell me?"

"Because I don't tell you everything." Was the simple reply; Ken nodded, understanding it. Though it did bother him a bit that he was never told. And again there was a nagging feeling that there was more to that one sentence. That Daisuke was telling him something that held a deeper truth. "Hey, be happy, you're the first to find out!"

Ken huffed, but quickly got over his annoyance and looked over, at one of flowers on the display window. His eyes narrowed slightly as he tried to identify the plant. Moving closer, he could better distinguish the plant. It was purple, at least that was what he could tell, it was quite dark in the store. Yes, it was purple and there were many buds hanging off a green stem. The buds hung down so it resembled a bell, and it's curled so it looked like they wanted to touch the outside of the flower bud.

"Bluebell."

"It looks purple."

A shrug. "I didn't name it."

Daisuke walked over to Ken and leaned forward, brown eyes scrutinizing the flower. Ken smiled a bit, enjoy the close proximity to the other boy. They were close, there shoulders brushing, and though this had happened before, many times actually, Ken couldn't help the small blush that crept across his face.

"I wish it was brighter." Daisuke said. "Then I could tell for sure."
"Purple." Daisuke chuckled and turned his face to look at Ken.

"Kindness." Ken arched an eyebrow as Daisuke continued to chuckle.

"What about it?"

"I'm just amused that you decided to scrutinize a flower that one of its meanings is: kindness." Ken smiled and shrugged.

"It follows me everywhere I go." Ken said softly looking back at the flower. Daisuke looked at him for a moment, then shrugged. He knew what the other was thinking.

"I see no irony in it." Daisuke said, smiling. Ken nodded, pushing some hair out of his eyes.

There was a long moment of silence.

"What else does it mean?" Ken asked looking over at Daisuke who had been examining another flower.

"Huh?"

"The bluebell. You said it had more meanings."

Daisuke nodded, then began to think, his eyebrows touching as he scanned his mind. Ken smiled, find the look of intense concentration very cute.

"Constancy" Daisuke said. He was silent again, his teeth nibbling on his lower lip as he thought. "Uhh…humility and everlasting love." The final meaning was said softly, brown eyes softening a bit and thoughtful smile appearing on his face.

Ken looked on curiously at the change in Daisuke's facial expression. He couldn't help wonder what had brought that look on his face. What Daisuke had remembered and Ken felt a little jealous.

Everlasting love.

Whose? Was Daisuke in love? That didn't seem right. Daisuke loved no one; he usually scuffed the idea of love ever reaching him. He supposedly lived for the moment, not wanting to be tied down, not letting anyone in.

Why do I even bother?

"Jun has a bluebell pressed in a one of her books." Daisuke finally spoke smiling at Ken. A knowing look in his eyes. "I just remembered who gave it to her." His smiling turned into a goofy grin and Ken found himself inquiring on whom. "

"Ichijouji Osamu." Daisuke said chuckling softly. "You're brother was a big ol' sap."

Ken's eyes widened at the information. His brother? His brother had loved Jun? Then everything seemed the click. The last few months before his brother's death, he had not been home as much. Heading off somewhere and not letting Ken come with him. That had actually been the reason why Ken was able to take the Digivice and go into the Digital World that time, because Osamu had been out again, doing something.

"What are those, Oniisan?" Identical blue eyes, framed by black glasses, looked down at him warmly. Osamu smiled at his brother, patting his head.

"Bluebells." He said. "There a present for someone." And with that he had left, leaving Ken curious on whom would get the flowers. He had planned to ask when Osamu returned, but never got the chance because he had been caught after his trip to the Digital world. He had angered his brother, he had been yelled out, he had been angry. And then…

Bluebells…everlasting love…Motomiya Jun. Oniisan was in love with Jun?

Why hadn't he been told? Why didn't he know? Daisuke knew, why not him? He had so many questions. Jun knew apart of his bother that Ken would never know. He felt jealous, envious, and even a bit guilty. He had never completely gotten over the feeling that his brother's death was his fault, even though he knew how silly that was.

"Yo Ken, c'mon." Daisuke said waving his hand frantically in front of Ken's eyes. When Ken blinked, Daisuke stepped back, looking a bit guilty "I'm sorry, I ruined it by bring up your brother."

Ken shook his head. "No it didn't. I was just surprised. I never knew."

Daisuke nodded. "It's odd how things work out. 'neechan and your brother dating and then me and you."

Ken smiled, shaking his head following Daisuke who had decided to start walking again.

Was it this hard for you Oniisan? Was Jun this much of a challenge?

TBC…