"Sorry about this Ichijouji…Sorry… I didn't mean to…. Well… Uuuummm… You were the one that… Well… Anyway…"

Kouichi's voice was hoarse from all the crying before. His usual pale cheeks were pink, half from the tears, half from the embarrassment of crying in front of his new friend.

"Nah… That's fine Kimura, I really don't mind"

After more than half an hour of painful wails from Kouichi, (they had to skip the next class for that) Ken had managed to calm the boy down. Kouichi was still sobbing, but his breath has slowed down and he has started to get a hold of himself now.

Both of them were still sitting in the shades of the trees at the school ground, half-eaten lunch boxes were cast aside, forgotten. Kouichi was now resting his head at Ken's shoulder, while Ken's arm was around his shoulder, gently caressing it with his thumb, effectively calming Kouichi down. Realizing their situation, Kouichi's blush grew a few shades darker

"I'm still… err… Sorry…"

The blue haired boy chuckled a bit, Kouichi looked terribly like him just a year ago. He grasped Kouichi's shoulder a little bit tighter and asked,

"Yeah… Are you alright now?"

Kouichi blew his nose with a hankie and nodded weakly,

"Un… Thanks a lot Ichijouji… I feel so much better now"

"No worries…"

Ken, believing that his friend's okay now, released the boy's thin figure. He patted Kouichi's bushy hair,

"Don't keep it in okay? You'll need to let out all of your frustrations in once in a while; it'll make you feel better afterwards"

"Yeah… I guess you're right… Hehehhe…. Thanks again…"

The boys giggled at each other's face, finding the incident a bit funny now that Kouichi had calmed down,

"Well? What do we do now?" Ken asked

"Huh…?"

"Hmm the class have already started long ago you know…"

"Wha…? Really…?" Kouichi checked his wristwatch finding that Ken's indeed correct.

"Okay… again… I'm sorry okay? I'm so so sorry"

"No need to apologize Kimura, that's totally fine"

Kouichi frowned as he played with his fingers nervously, "Nah… I mean… I'm sorry for breaking your record of being the perfect student… Haha… You're skipping class now because of me" the warrior of darkness blushed

"Pffftttt…" Ken muffled a laugh, "Hahahhaha that's alright! Well I guess a single missed class wouldn't damaged our perfect final marks, hmm?" He once again ran his hand in the other boy's dark silky hair

"Hmm…. I guess…" Kouichi smiled sweetly, he closed his eyes, savoring the soothing sensation of Ken's hand on his scalp. He slowly rested his head on Ken's shoulder again,

"Once again… Ichijouji… Thank you very much…" he murmured

"No problem…"

"Once again… A catastrophe… will occurred in the digital world soon…" said Seraphimon, his grey-and-purple armor shined through his five pairs of wings as he moved on the moonlight-shined balcony of his majestic castle, to his two partners, the equally beautiful as she is angelic Ophanimon, and the powerful bestial digimon Cherubimon.

A rounded mirror was on their side, showing pictures of Kouichi, walking together with Ken

"I am quiet worried by it Seraphimon, for it is not only the enemy of our world, but the strong ones from our parallel universe…." Lady Ophanimon said

"And to think these incident started since long time ago… How could we let this happen…? It has started ever since before our legendary warrior came to digimon world…" Cherubimon finished her sentences

"Indeed… How is that we didn't know that Lucemon himself has a vessel from the real world… He kept parts his spirit on that human child's body"

"And to have the vessel tied so closely with the warrior of darkness himself… I can't believe it… Why is fate playing against this boy's life? As if he's not suffered enough" the celestial rabbit put one of his paw on his head and sighed in frustration

"You are certainly right Cherubimon, oh Seraphimon, will the little dark one be fine? Should we summon him to the digital world at once? I think the human world will be too dangerous for that little one…. He needs protection… And also the little girl he's protecting…"

"I have thought about that myself, my dear…"

"As much as I care about the boy, I don't think it is needed…"

"Cherubimon?"

"I've known Kouichi personally before, that kid, even if he doesn't show it, is certainly strong. Maybe even stronger than the other… That girl… Is a very important person to him, he'll protect her with his life now that he has the spirit of darkness in his grasp…"

"I understand at your confidence, my friend, but it is not unfair for both of them, if they don't understand what's happening to their life it is? I think the idea of bringing them both here will be wise just for giving them the history of this affair"

"I understand…"

"And what about the other children Seraphimon? Will we call them here also?" Ophanimon asked

"Not yet, my dear, it is not the time for them yet…"

"How about the chosen children from the other side? They have involuntarily taken their place in our battle…"

"They have right… Now that we find out that their enemy also takes place as Lucemon's ally…"

"Ne, Ichijouji?" Kouichi said, as he rode his bike. Same as that morning, Ken's was latched onto his shoulder.

"What?"

"Was it true? When you were taken into the darkness Wormmon had died to purify your heart?"

"Ah… " Ken closed his eyes, absorbing the feeling of the wind blowing his hair back

"Umm… Sorry for asking… You don't have to answer it…"

"Nah… That's fine… It's true Kimura… He sacrificed himself for me to see that light… Wormmon…"

"I'm so sorry…"

"…"

They rode their way in silence once more, Kouichi deep in his thought again,

"Ichijouji?"

"Hmm?"

"Y'know… Even after Kouji purified me… There were times at night when everybody's asleep; I'd be awake and thought about the other guys… I felt…. That my hands are still stained by their bloods… y'know? Like how could I do those things to another human being? It was pretty rough back then… And I just felt that I still can't forgive myself even now… To be absorbed by my hatred so deeply…"

Ken sighed and grasped Kouchi's shoulder tighter, "Kimura… I was like that also… At that time… When Wormmon was given back to me… I kept thinking, do I really deserve him back like this? Do I deserve their friendship?"

Kouichi didn't answer, giving Ken chance to continue,

"But in some point, I managed to find out something…"

"What is it?"

"Taking in your mistakes and your errors, meaning that you finally believed that you've really done those mistakes, and the only thing that you can do, is to improve yourself"

"I see…."

When they finally arrived at Kouichi's house, just before they enter the door, Kouichi's hand found its way to Ken's,

"Yeah… I guess you're right…"

The two boys entered the kitchen, finding it empty. On the fridge's door, there was a note from Kouichi's aunt, saying she's out meeting her editor and wont be back until late at night,

"Just go to my room Ichijouji, I'll make some tea"

"Okay…"

Ken walked upstairs, when he passed the room with the pink and blue streaks colored door, he opened a crack, finding Ai sound asleep in her nap under the lacy mosquito net that was hung on the ceiling, wrapped up in her pink cherry patterned comforter on her bed. His trusty partner, in the form of the bug warrior was standing on the corner of her all-pink room, really sticking out with his dark color, later Ken realized that there were pink ribbons and imitation pearl necklaces and bracelets on his proud insect warrior, making him let out a snort. Little girls always have their way around, obviously.

When Ken opened the door a little bit bigger, he realized that half of the room was not made for little girl at all. Bordered by a pink-and-blue cupboard, was an obviously boy's room. That side was painted blue with red streaks, contrasting Ai's pink, lace-patterned wall. A red racecar bed was on the corner, mirroring Ai's white, wooden, one on the other side of the room. The toy cars and trucks were perfectly lined up in a blue shelf on the side of a room, completely different from Ai's white one, where the girl's toys were a little bit messy and misplaced, as if she put it there herself. On that side of the room, it seems that no child has ever lived there.

Stingmon nodded to Ken and he answered it with a smile. He regressed back to his caterpillar form, and let out a hushed happy cheer

"Ken-chan!" He whispered, trying not to wake the girl up. He then hopped his way to his friend's arms quietly and Ken closed the door gently.

"Thank you for your hard work today Wormmon" the digimon nuzzled his head to Ken's chest as he carried his friend to Kouichi's room while petting his head

"Phew! I knew it! Taking care of a girl is difficult!" Wormmon wriggled out of the pearls that were still on his body. Ken helped it out of it and laugh

They entered Kouichi's room. It was pretty painted grey and blue with some white streaks in some strategically places. His grey bed was placed in the corner, near the glass veranda door that was connected with Ai's slide door, leading to a closet. Kouichi's desk was full of book but perfectly tidy, mirroring his personality. Quarter of that side of the room's wall, was carved into shelves, where it was full with encyclopedias, novels, and manga where they were arranged neatly by their titles. On the corner of the other side, there was a TV set with a PlayStation 2, with a black low table and seat cushions in front of it.

Ken stared at the shelf, very interested in Kouichi's collection while Wormmon made himself comfortable in one of the cushion. The boy chose of Kouichi's mystery novel and sat by Wormmon's side starting to read the book. Not long after that, the door cracked opened, revealing Kouichi carrying a tray full with three mugs of milk tea and three slices of strawberry shortcake,

"Kouichi-kun!" Wormmon yelled gleefully, happy at the sight of the treat. The boy chuckled and set the tray on the table while Wormmon eyed him with shiny puppy eyes. Ken put a hand on the caterpillar's head, "Hey, be patient Wormmon"

Kouichi continued to chuckled while he set the snack, "That's alright" He put a plate of the cake and the mug at Wormmon's side and said, "Thank you for taking care of Ai today Wormmon, here's your treat!"

Wormmon squealed, he waited impatiently as Ken cut a bite size portion of the cake with a fork and held it out to his purple insect-like mouth,

"Hmmmmmm… It's soooo yummy Kouichi-kuuun"

Kouichi took a sip on his tea and smile, "Thank you. My aunt made it yesterday"

Ken let Wormmon ate by himself while he ate his portion of the cake, "Wow it's really is good Kimura! Your aunt's great cook!"

"Hahaha…"

"This is a nice room you got here Kimura!"

"Yeah, when I moved here, my aunt specially designed this room for me.. She wants me to settle here quick"

"I hope you don't mind if I borrowed this book home?"

"Oh? Sure! That's a great one! Have you ever read the…"

Kouichi and Ken were lost in a deep talk about Kouichi's novel collection, when Ken remembered something,

"Hey Kimura?"

"Hmm?" Kouichi said as he finished the last of his cream-coated strawberry

"Umm… Sorry if I ask, well, I peeked into Ai-chan's room… And I wanna ask... Does she have.. well… a brother?"

Kouichi freezed at Ken's question he stopped chewing his strawberry and his hold of his fork tensed a bit.

"Kimura?"

Kouichi swallowed the food and stared blankly at his plate, "Yeah… she had a twin… It was half Makoto's room…"

"Makoto…?"

"Three years ago Makoto disappeared…"

TBC

A/N Hoooo Boy I really really love writing those heavily ho-yay coated moment of Kouichi and Ken XD XD XD Love it!

So Sorry about the delay hahhaha no reasoning in this one, I'm just too lazy I'm ashamed of my laziness XD

This chapter basically deepened Kouichi and Ken's relationship hmm? What do you think?

Boy, Tamara Caitlyn, you're so close on guessing the event of this story XD

The description of Kouichi's room is my dream dream room, hehehhe and Ai's was my dream room when I was a little girl :D

Please R&R ^^