The Challenge: Part Four When Ken got back to the apartment it was just like they had left it. His calls for Daisuke came back unanswered and Ken guessed he had not returned home yet.
“Sure, he breaks up with *me* and then goes out to mope,” he said to no one in particular. Ken had meant it as an almost bitter recrimination, but some how it rang hollow in the empty apartment. The truth of the matter was that that Ken was worried about Daisuke. Something had driven him to this and Ken really wanted to know what.
[Cut to Dai-chan]
Daisuke was not really sure why he had come over here. Its not like they really had anything in common or that they knew each other exceptionally well. In fact, Daisuke was relieved when Iori’s mother answered the door because it meant that he could at least get inside before he had to explain himself.
Iori seemed a little bit shocked to see him. To be honest, he had grown away from the rest of the digidestined, partly because he had always bee a little too young to fully participate in the ‘activities’ of the older digidestined which were usually initiated by Yamato, Taichi or both and partly because he was just too damned strait-laced for his own good. ‘He must wreak havoc on his college roommate,’ Daisuke thought. It had been close to four months since Daisuke had last seen Iori.
Iori lead Daisuke back to his old room where he had been working on a model of some sort and after offering Daisuke a chair, he went back to work. Daisuke studied the model. It was incredibly complex. What was Iori studying again? Architecture? No, that did not sound right. But he knew better than ask if he wanted to avoid offending the boy. Well, apparently it was going to be up to Daisuke to start this conversation. Great.
“I broke up with Ken,” he offered tentatively. Iori did not say a word but the look he sent Daisuke’s way spoke books. Iori had made it pretty clear from the beginning that he did not approve of Ken and Daisuke’s relationship, but was willing to remain silent if they were. Daisuke ran a hand through his already wind blown hair. Maybe he should of thought about that before coming over here. But then, he had not really thought at all. Thinking is what got him into this mess. After a few seconds, Iori’s attention turned back to his work.
Daisuke pulled his legs up onto the chair so that he could rest his head on his knees. After a while he heard Iori’s rather hefty sigh.
“Why?” Iori finally asked.
“I don’t know. I mean…at the time I thought it was for the best…” the snort Iori gave at this was enough to convince Daisuke that he agreed, “but now I’m not so sure.” After a few moments it became clear that Daisuke was not going to continue.
“And Ken?” Iori asked.
“He left,” Daisuke replied softly, “He just said bye and he left.”
“Look, Daisuke,” Iori told him, “It seems to me that you got every thing you wanted. You’ve made your bed, now lie in it,” and with that he went back to work, studiously ignoring Daisuke until he got the hint and left.
The Challenge: Part Five
Ken answered the rather insistent knock on their front door. Miyako was standing there looking slightly flushed, upset even. ‘Great,’ he thought, ‘was today the day the whole world was going to fall to pieces?’
“Hey, Ken,” she said before he could ask here what was wrong. “Is Daisuke here? I really need to talk to him.”
“Daisuke?” Ken questioned. Miyako let out a pent up sigh.
“Yes! Daisuke. Daisuke. You know…they guy your dating. The one who lives here, too?” Ken cringed at her response. She was obviously getting more and more upset with each second that ticked by. She had begun flailing her arms about in that way that had always made him nervous. I took an involuntary step backwards.
“No. I mean he went for a walk or something.” Ken shook his head, trying his best to remove the cobwebs and fog that seemed to have taken up residence there. ‘What is going on?’ he thought. This was just too coincidental to be a coincidence.
“Miyako, is there something you know that you’re not telling me? Did Daisuke say anything to you?” Now it was Miyako’s turn to look cornered.
“Huh? No. I mean, don’t worry about it.” Ken continued to study her as if he did not believe what she was telling him. “Look,” she continued, “If he comes back just tell him I’m not sure anymore.” She looked at Ken again; his face was filled with look that ranged from heart broken fear to concern. “Or, hell, just tell him, err, tell him I said that I was wrong and really, really stupid. Ok? Just tell him that.” Ken still did not have a clue what was going on, but the truth was beginning to scratch its way out. Miyako took his moment of stunned silence as a chance to escape and was already half way to the stairwell before he could call out for her to come back. She did not act as if she had heard him.
Daisuke watched the entire exchange from under the lamp on the other side of the street. He could well imagine what she was telling Ken. Daisuke caught Miyako’s eyes as she darted out the apartment complex. She immediately ducked her head and began hurrying along the street. His eyes were drawn back to the balcony were Ken was studying him intently, no doubt having been alerted to his presence by Miyako’s hasty departure. Daisuke turned and started down the street. There was little point in going up there now.
‘Shit!’ thought Ken, ‘What the hell is going on?’
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