Author's note: I think this is going to be the prologue of a much longer Daiyako story. I mean, I haven't really seen that many stories for it, despite its popularity in forums. So I thought, why not? I've liked the idea of the couple for a very long time. I'm going to leave this chapter up for a while, as a one-shot entry, and if a lot of people ask me to continue, I will. I have a few ideas in mind already, but I won't do it till I have about 5 reviews. I want to know my stories are being read, that's all. It's not really about being 'greedy' or anything, it's about not wanting to waste my time.

You know, it's really funny... the kinds of things that "get" to me. I've saved the world. On a few occasions, though saving the world is saving the world no matter how many times the cycle repeats itself. I've fought the meanest of mean Digimon, unclogged my brother's gross hair clumps from the drain, helped pull my best friend out of the darkness, used the Digital world as a dating service, snuck a candy bar from my parents' shop without paying, tried bribe my siblings to cover my shifts to go to the digital world despite my parents' blatant disapproval... What I mean is, I've done a lot, you know? Nothing should surprise me anymore. Nothing should make my heart race with fear and thrill and adrenaline all at once but a good battle and a race for time.

But none of that is happening now, so I don't really get it.

Aren't I stronger than this?

But then you come over. And you're laughing, smiling like you always are. Bright and cheerful, even if you are a bit of an idiot. Honest, innocent... if a bit foolish and annoying sometimes. So you're fire, burning up the insecurities that might form within that perfectly-shampooed head of yours. And I'm water, flowing and ebbing and slowly wearing down any opposition. But sometimes I get a bit out of control. Maybe we have that in common– our recklessness, love of danger, love of friends,...and our fear that we won't be able to handle it if it gets to be too much.

So maybe we aren't that different, after all...

Sometimes I think those differences define our worlds. I mean, c'mon! Get real. Guys like you don't like girls like me. Jocks and geeks don't mingle on the dating scene. And we've proved that, haven't we? Our constant bickering, and one-sided wars that Hikari and Takeru and Iori always have to break up? And it's resulted in some not-very-pretty outcomes, if I remember right.

Still got that bruise? I still say you deserved it.

But then... you hugged me. I was crying, and you kissed me. Not a movie kiss. You know, with the full tongue and make-out session that totally kills a moment. A sweet one. A quick one. And then you looked at me for a really long time before you hugged me. I never pushed you away. Everything in my mind that had been screaming against Sora and Taichi's idle teasing had been gagged, silenced by that peck on the lips. It didn't matter. My body, my mind was numb as we stood like that. It was raining, but we couldn't tell because of the tree we had sought shelter under running home from school.

I think it would've been a little more noticeable for each of us if not for the other.

I remember my mind screamed out one, single protest before it shut down.

BUT THIS IS DAISUKE-KUN!!

But did it matter who it was? Sure... I'd had crushes before. Ken, and Michael, and Wallace was really cute too. There was that adorable Russian boy me and Sora met, and a couple guys in my chem class that I pretty much promised myself to never look at again after almost exploding the classroom doing an experiment with them. But this... felt...different. Even though it was Daisuke-kun, it didn't feel awkward or strange.

It felt...right.

Once I thought that, my brain stopped fighting. I stopped caring. I leaned my face into your chest and cried. I didn't care if my glasses fogged up. I didn't care what anyone thought about Miyako Inoue crying to a kid a grade younger and a decade more immature. I cried because my efforts with Ken had failed– for now, anyways. I cried because I was happy you kissed me, and scared. All sorts of scared.

I mean, I was terrified of what Mantarou would do to this goggle-headed soccer freak!

And I just let it happen.

Why'd you have to kiss me? Why'd you have to stand there with me, let me cry, sigh and shelter me from the wind and rain as my body shook with tears? Why'd you have to prove to me what I already knew about you– that there was so much more than a dull-minded dolt sharing that brain of yours?

Why'd you have to make me fall in love with you, Daisuke?