Dedication: For Locke's Thief Princess, who requested a Ken/Hikari. And I was more than happy to oblige. I hope it meets expectations.

What triggers a memory? It can be a sight, a smell or a sound assaulting your mind, opening up things long since forgotten.

Or wounds long since healed over.

I had been digging around in my closet, and had come across a box filled with stuff from my childhood. My curiosity had been peaked, so I sat in the middle of my room and decided to go through it.

What better way to spend my last day at home reminiscing.

Tomorrow, I will leaving the country to attend school in America. It's been a bittersweet summer. As much as I am looking forward to traveling and seeing new people and places, part of me wants to desperately stay here. More specifically, it is my heart that wants to stay.

Because it belongs to a young woman whom I have fallen madly in love with.

Hikari Yagami, Keeper of Light, fellow digidestined and the best friend a person could ask for. God, how I will miss her.

I withdraw a few things from the box. I smile at the action figures and various other toys. There are but a few though. I had never been much for 'playing,' when I was younger, thanks to the dark spore. I try to remember what life had been like before I had changed.

I peer back into the box and I see something at the bottom, sticking out from under other things. Reaching in, I remove it. I hold it up to the light. It appears to be an ID bracelet.

I bring it close, trying to make out what is written on it. As I read the words, it feels as if I have been physically struck. The shock and surprise nearly overwhelm me. I can do nothing now but sit and recall the memories now invading my mind.

*Flashback*

A little boy clutched his mother's hand tightly, obviously frightened. He didn't like this place, not one bit. A strange lady had come up and put a plastic strip on his wrist with his name on it. His mother was wearing a badge with her name on it as well. The nurse had said that they were merely for identification purposes.

He looked upward at his mother. She was sad, very, very sad.

Something was wrong.

He had long ago stopped asking what exactly was going on. No one would answer him. All he knew was that he and his mother were waiting for his father to arrive.

Some time passes, but eventually the boy's father shows up. His mother runs and embraces him, the child forgotten.

He felt tears form at the corners of his eyes as he watched his parents. It was one more reminder that they seemed to care for his brother more than him.

Crying softly, he turned and walked down the huge, white hallway. He needed to get away.

When he reached the end of the hallway, he saw a door cracked open. It was dimly lit inside and appeared to be the perfect hiding place. Pushing the door open, he slipped inside. He walked over the wall, leaned against it, and slid down to the floor. Sobs wracked his body.

He had not been as alone as he thought. A young girl was lying on the room's only bed. Opening her eyes, she looked towards the sound. Her little, frail form sat up in the bed, contemplating the stranger. Gently, slowly she moved to the side, trying to get down. The bed was higher than she was tall and her legs dangled in the air for a moment before she dropped the few inches to the floor.

Her balance was unsteady as she tried to walk. Her balance kept shifting but she managed to remain upright. She made her way over to the little boy, taking a seat next to him.

His body shook with sobs, tears freely flowing from his blue/grey eyes. Placing a skinny arm around his shoulders, she tried to comfort him.

He glanced up in shock, not expecting the contact. He thought he had been alone.

"Who...who are you?" He couldn't keep his voice from shaking.

"Why were you crying?" Her eyes wide with curiosity.

The boy hastily wiped his eyes, slightly ashamed to be crying in front of a stranger. As he did so, he got a good look at his companion. She was his height, and if he had to guess, probably the same age. She was entirely too thin though, as a smock hung loosely on her frame. Her brown eyes were sunken and her skin was a ghostly shade. She was obviously not well. He suddenly felt very bad for disturbing her.

"I'm sorry....I'll go...." He made a movement to get up, but she stopped him.

"Please don't," she pleaded.

He looked at the sickly girl before him. She was trying to comfort him, despite being ill.

"Stay with me," she said.

The boy thought about it. She seemed so nice, and it did beat being alone. He then noticed she was shivering.

"You should be in bed, not on this cold floor with me..." he said, looking away. He didn't want to be responsible for hurting someone else.

She gave him a weak smile. "I'll go back if you'll come with me." The little girl extended her hand.

The little boy looked unsure for a moment, but took the offer. Both of them got up, and eventually clamored up onto the bed.

They laid on their sides facing each other.

"You never told me what you were doing here?" Her voice was soft, welcoming.

Not looking at her, he sighed, trying to fight the tears that threatened to return. After a moment, he spoke. "I'm here because my brother...my brother had an accident."

Her brow creased in concern. "Is he all right?"

"I don't know. They won't tell me anything. My mom and dad are really sad though. I...I don't know what to do..."

She realized his discomfort and tried to steer the conversation into less dire territory. "I have a brother too."

"Oh?"

"Yup. If you see a kid with a soccer ball and messy chocolate colored hair, that would be him. He hangs out a lot with a girl with red hair and a blue hat." Her face brightened considerably when she spoke about her big brother. The moment passed though and the elated look was replaced with one of worry. "He thinks it's his fault that I'm in here."

"Why?"

"I'm always getting sick. They haven't quite figured out exactly why yet. My brother feels that it's his job to protect me. But he can't protect me from this. I love him, but I don't understand how to tell him that it's not because of anything he did that I ended up this way."

The boy nodded in understanding. "We seem to have a lot in common. My brother was protective of me. And it's my fault that he ended up on the hospital."

She looked at him with questioning eyes.

"I made a wish....I wished he would disappear....And now I'm afraid he's gone....." his voice was barely above a whisper.

The girl placed her small arms around him and drew him into a hug. She spoke softly.

"I may not be able to get it through my brother's thick skull, but I can definitely tell you that it's not your fault."

"But..."

"Shhh. Listen to me. Have you ever wished upon a star?"

"Yes...several times," he was hesitant, caught off guard by the question.

"And did all of those wishes come true?"

"No."

"Wishing something to happen doesn't guarantee that that something will happen. Whatever happened to your brother occurred regardless of what you wished or thought. You can't beat yourself up over something you had no control over." She leaned in close and gave him a kiss on his forehead. "You have to forgive yourself."

He closed his eyes. That small gesture of comfort made him feel a lot better. Although her words made sense, he could not forgive himself just yet. But maybe one day....

The young girl's eyelids began to close as she tried to stifle a yawn.

"What's your name?" he asked softly.

The little girl lifted her right wrist and showed him a plastic band. It hung very loosely, the name obscured. After considering it a moment, she removed it and slipped it onto his wrist.

"Hikari," he whispered, reading the name off the band.

He subsequently removed his wrist band and placed it on her wrist.

"Ken," she said with a smile.

Holding onto each other tightly, Hikari drifted off as Ken watched her. He shifted his gaze to the bracelet on his wrist. Hikari was a fitting name her. She had been his light when all was dark and seemed lost.

*End Flashback*

It had been her, one and the same, who had helped me. She had been gravely ill, but gave it no second thought when she helped me. It is just one of the many qualities that makes her so endearing to so many.

And it's one of the reasons I love her.

After the discovery, I made up my mind then and there to see her. I had been planning on it anyway, but this firmed my resolve to try and tell her how I felt.

I chuckle to myself, as I continue walking. Is it possible to meet your soul mate when you are only five years old?

Apparently it was.

I clutch the box in my pocket a little tighter. Inside are two things. One is the hospital bracelet she gave me. The other is a bracelet I had commissioned for her. We had been walking one day and passed by the store. She had commented on how lovely it was, and how it reminded her of her grandmother because she had had one similar. I spent the better part of the summer working full time, and part time at a second job, to afford it.

Maybe it's too extravagant to give to someone who is just a friend. But you didn't see the way her face lit up when she saw it. I would do anything to see her that happy.

I reached her apartment in a matter of minutes. My heart was fluttering inside my chest like a million butterflies. I am always nervous, whenever I'm near her. I raised a shaking hand and knocked on the door.

Only a moment passed before the door opened. She stood there, as lovely as ever. She opened her mouth to say something but was stopped as someone stepped into view.

Takeru picked her up and swung her around a few times. He then gave her a quick kiss. She hit him playfully as he put her down on the ground. She hung on Takeru's arm, smiling like I've only seen a few times.

I suppose it was only a matter of time before those two had got together. I can't really say it wasn't expected, everyone had always pegged them for ending up together. Perhaps I should have said something before. I guess I'm paying for it now.

She was so happy. She looks at him the way I wish she'd look at me. With a look of pure love.

As I said, I would do anything to make her happy. Even if it means sacrificing my own happiness.

I had to let her go.

"Hello Hikari. Takeru." I said politely, reverting slightly to the shy boy I had once been.

She relinquished her hold of Takeru and wrapped her arms around me. "Ken! I'm so glad I got to see you one last time before you went away."

I returned the hug, and in some ways it was the hardest thing I've ever had to do. It just helped to all ready break my weakened heart.

She stepped back and looked at me. Her gaze was intense and I could almost feel myself start to squirm. I had to get out of there.

"Ken? What's wrong?"

I could never hide anything from her, except how I really felt. Even now, I don't think the barriers I had spent a life time building could have withstood the onslaught from the look she gave me.

"I just came by to give you this." I produced the box from my pocket.

"What for?" she asked, obviously surprised.

"Just because. You're my best friend and I wanted to say thank you."

"I don't understand. What do you want to thank me for?"

The tears were threatening to break as I took a step backwards. "You'll know," I said cryptically.

She looked at me, confusion and concern creased her features. I gave her a small, weak smile. It's a hard thing to do while your heart is breaking.

"Good-bye," I whispered as I turned and walked away.

***

Hikari watched him go and when he was out of sight she shut the door to her apartment. She then went over to the couch and sat down. looking intently at the box Ken had given her.

"So? Are you going to open it?" Takeru asked.

"In a moment," she said with a smile. "I'm trying to figure out what it is." Possibilities ran through her mind. When she had run out of ideas, she opened the box. The lid snapped open with a resounding click of the hinge. As she saw what was inside, she gasped and brought her hand to her mouth in shock.

Inside was a platinum band, encrusted with pale pink stones. Lifting her other hand, she shakily removed it.

Takeru's eyebrows went sky high in surprise. "Wow," was all he could say.

"It's beautiful," Hikari whispered to no one in particular. She slipped it on her wrist, admiring it. Something tugged at her memory. She vaguely recalled looking at this bracelet in the store.

"That must have cost a nice chunk of change," Takeru commented.

Hikari couldn't believe that Ken had given her something this beautiful, and terribly expensive. And all for no reason in particular. She had no idea what to do or say. This was wholly unexpected.

As she continued to stare at the gift, something else caught her eye in the lid of the box. Reaching in, she removed a plastic covered strip and stared at it with curiosity.

"What is that?" Takeru asked. "It looks kind of like those bands we used to wear when we went to amusement parks."

Squinting, she peered at it. "I don't think it's that. I can almost make out something.....It says....Odaiba Memorial Hospital."

"Why would Ken give you an old hospital ID band?"

Hikari ignored the question and rotated the band. What she saw next nearly made her heart stop.

The name imprinted on it was Hikari Yagami and the date was August 1987. That had been thirteen years ago.

Her eyes went wide in recognition. Grabbing both bracelets, she ran to her bedroom. Making a beeline for her closet, she began to dig furiously. Takeru followed a moment later, slightly concerned at Hikari's behavior.

"What are you doing?"

She didn't answer, but simply kept rummaging around. After a few moments she withdrew what looked like a child's jewelry box. Opening it up, she dug around inside.

She found what she was looking for and lifted up a hospital bracelet similar to the one she had in her hand. On it was the name Ken Ichijouji and the date of August 1987.

Getting up again, she brushed by Takeru and went for the phone.

***

I couldn't stay there, not under her relenting gaze. I ran all the way home. It had felt like a knife in my heart to see them together like that. I wanted to be happy for her. Happy that she found someone to love who loved her in return.

I just couldn't though.

I reached my room and closed the door, mere seconds before collapsing to the floor. I hugged my knees to my chest as hot tears coursed down my cheeks. I've never felt so much pain.

The phone rang just then, drowning out the sounds of my sorrows. I glanced at it, trying to will it to be silent. To leave me in peace, or in torment.

The phone continued to ring.

And I let it.

The End?

More Author's Notes: Okay, here's the deal. Lately, I've been on a continuation kick. So, if any of you want, I'll continue with the story. If not, the ending will stand as it is now.

"Some memories are realities, and are better than anything that can ever happen to one again." - Willa Cather, My Antonia