Chapter 3

AN: Gomen!  Sorry for the delay on this chapter… I've had a serious case of writers block.. as you will notice this chapter is longer than the last, I got complaints on the length ;)  Thanks to all who reviewed!  Tis much appreciated!  Oh and I don't like flames so please please don't flame me.. even if you don't like it.  Warning this chapter doesn't have a whole lot of obvious Kenyako… but its still there.. this sorta builds the whole premise.. thanks!  Oh and Digimon is still mine ;)

"Wait till I get a hold of you!  I'll show you who's the wuss!"  Yamato yelled as he ran after the laughing girl, the bag flopping around on his shoulder.

Kayti quickly darted around a corner and paused waiting for him to follow; as soon as he rounded the corner she pounced on him sending them both to the ground and the bag to skid across the floor coming to a rest against the opposite wall.  "Wahaha!  I win!" she laughed triumphantly from on top of him.

Yamato growled, "Not yet!" Using all his weight, he managed to flip her over and pin her to the floor, his hands resting on the floor on either side of her head and his knees straddling her waist.  "Now whose won?"  His eyes narrowed as he stared down at her face.

Chuckling a bit Kayti conceded.  "I suppose you have."  Her mouth curling into a small smirk.

"You suppose??  You SUPPOSE??" Yamato growled and launched into a full out attack, his fingers dancing along her sides inciting a peal of laughter out of her.

"Aa! Dame dame! You win! You win!" she squealed as he tickled her mercilessly.

"HA!"  Slowly Yamato rose, a gloating smirk on his face as he crossed the hall and picked up the discarded bag.

Getting up as well Kayti dusted herself off and pouted.  "That wasn't fair, you cheated."

Yamato flashed her his most charming smile and said, "Alls fair in love and war," before starting off down the hall again.

"Hn!"  Kayti trailed along behind still pouting.  When she caught up to him she stuck her tongue out and pranced ahead.

"Oh that was mature!"

"Humph!"

Yamato rolled his eyes and decided to change the subject, maybe they could have a 5-minute conversation with out harassing each other, but then where was the fun in that?  "Soo… ya gonna come over and do your job?"  he asked, an evil smile playing along his lips.

She shot him a glance over her shoulder.  "Didn't we go over this last Friday?  I only work Sunday through Thursday."

"But I'm hungry!" he whined.

Sighing in exasperation she whirled around and gave him a slightly harassed look, propping her hands on her hips.  "Ishida, what do you normally do on my days off when I'm not cooking and cleaning for you two bachelors?"

He grinned and ran his eyes down her figure, she did look quite good today even if she was still in her school uniform.  The green skirt and green sailor-like top suited her well.  Raising his eyes back up to meet hers, Yamato smirked lazily and shrugged.  "Order in?"

Kayti rolled her eyes again sighing in frustration, she swore he was like this only with her and did it just to annoy her.  "Baka…" she muttered before turning and continuing down the dark hall.

"Does that mean you'll come?"

"Hn."

"Nice."

They walked in silence until they reached the front entrance of the school, then Kayti pushed the door open and stepped into the cool night air.  Shivering a bit she paused on steps that descended onto the sidewalk.  Faintly she heard her bag being unzipped and a rustling sound before a heavy uniform jacket was placed on her shoulders.  Smiling a bit in thanks she pushed her arms through the sleeves and let them drape all the way past the tips of her fingers.  Feeling a hand on the small of her back urging her forwards Kayti started to walk in the direction she was being lead.

Yamato glanced at the top of the head of the girl he was leading.  Most of her hair was covered in a green bandana –their school only let girls wear hair accessories that were their school colours.  He wondered at her sudden quietness.  "Why are you so quiet all of a sudden?" a teasing tone entering his voice.

A frown played over her face as her eyebrows furrowed in thought. "Yama-kun, do you think Miyako has any chance of impressing Ken?"

"With what?"

She sighed.  "With cheerleading of course, we told you that's why she's trying out."

Yamato shrugged and wondered what to tell her, he doubted his younger indigo haired friend would much appreciate his blabbing that he liked the purple haired computer geek –or rather former computer geek.  "Why?"

Turning her head she looked up at him, worry clouding her eyes.  "I just worry that she's doing all this for nothing.  If she does make the team and Ken could care less then she'll be miserable for the rest of the year, a cheerleader is only good when her hearts in it.  She really likes him you know."

"Why doesn't she just tell him?"  It seemed to him that both his friends were either incredibly shy or incredibly stupid, it was so obvious that they both liked each other.

"I dunno, I asked her the same thing, but she seems to think the way to get him to like her is if she's into a sport."  She said catching sight of Yamato's dark blue metallic Honda CRX. (AN: he drives that cause it popped into my head, and I don't know cars.. I only know that it's a sports car u.u;; )

"Cheerleading is a sport?" he asked with mock innocence.

Turning completely she punched him lightly in the gut.  "Ha ha very funny."

"I thought so." He replied with a thoughtful smirk.

Shaking her head she twirled around and walked with her hands behind her back.  "Anyway now Miya is trying her hardest to learn a sport and make a team, all to impress a guy."

Yamato snorted.  One dreamed and the other tried to become something she wasn't, kids these days, he shook his head.  "Well stop worrying your pretty little head off.  Miyako won't have any problem with Ken."

She turned her head and looked at him, hope filling her eyes.  "You think so?"

They stopped at his car, after unlocking the door he tweaked the end of her nose causing it to scrunch.  "I know so."  With that he walked to the other side of the car, unlocked the door and climbed in.  "Are you getting in or are you gonna walk all the way to my apartment?"

"Blah." She murmured and climbed into the car.

"So whatcha making for dinner?"

"ISHIDA!"

Laughing spilled out the windows as the car drove away into the night.

Kayti yawned and rubbed her eyes wearily as she stumbled through the door of the small café where their group usually met.  Kami she was tired… this non-stop training was going to kill her.  Really, why couldn't Miya just tell Ken the truth?  It wasn't that hard was it?  But then, she didn't really know, she hadn't ever told anyone she loved them.  Yawning again she caught sight of the group sitting at the far back, in a different booth than what they normally sat in – the normal one being occupied by grade schoolers.  Making a sound of indifference, Kayti dragged herself over to the booth.  Not looking who it was she shoved over she plunked herself down and allowed her head to land with a thunk on the table top.  Vaguely she heard greetings and giggles.

"Aa, Itami-san are you ok?" a deeper voice asked from beside her.

Looking up, her bleary eyes met blue eyes that were framed with royal blue hair.  "Jyou.  How many times do I have to tell you not to call me that?"

Jyou smiled and blushed at bit.  "Aa, gomen Kayti-san."

"Mleh." She plunked her head back down on the table.

"Is 'mleh' even a word?"  The unmistakable voice of Yagami Taichi quipped.

"It is now." Came the short reply.

Chuckling ensued among the five other teens.  Finally bring her head up off the table she looked around to see who was sitting around her. 

Directly across from her sat Tai, who had his arm slung around Sora who was next to him.  Beside Sora was Yamato who was studying her with a half smile/half frown.  Next was Koushiro who was typing away on his laptop – no surprise there, and directly next to her was Jyou who was still looking a bit worried.

"Are you sure you're ok?" Jyou asked reaching out to place his hand on her forehead.  "You look a bit sick."

At this Koushiro looked up from his laptop and frowned at her.  "Jyou is right, you don't look very good."

Kayti rolled her eyes.  "Gee thanks Kou-chan, that's good for the self-esteem."

"You know what I meant Kat-chan."

"Hai hai." She sighed and leaned her head back against the cushioned seat back.

She felt a hand take her wrist and press its fingers against it.  Cracking an eye open she saw Jyou looking at his watch taking her pulse.   "Well your pulse is normal and you don't have a fever."

"I could have told you that."

"Hmm my guess would be fatigue."  Jyou diagnosed as she let out another large yawn.

Stretching her arms over her head she shot a glare at Yamato.  "Ha, well I wonder why I'm tired, I had to stay up cooking for someone who is apparently unable to cook for himself."

All eyes turned to the blond musician who tried his best to look innocent.  Koushiro's eyes narrowed.  "Yamato, you made her work on her day off?"

Yamato shot Koushiro a scowl.  "I didn't make her.  Besides, that not the real reason she's tired.  I'm sure training Miyako everyday has had an effect on her."

"Huh?"  Four sets of eyes blinked simutaniously in confusion, while Kayti just groaned.  She knew telling Yamato was a big mistake.  The boy couldn't keep a secret to save his life.  "Baka… Didn't you swear you would not say a word?" violet eyes narrowed on the blond.

The blond shrugged and narrowed his eyes back.  "Yeah I did, but when it comes to your health all promises are off."

"What will Miyako-chan say when she finds out you opened your big blond mouth?"

Yamato leaned forward, placing his hands flat on the table.  "I.  Don't.  Care.  You're health is more important to me than some harmless promise I made to Miyako."  His tone becoming serious, emotion starting to creep into his voice.

Kayti took the same position as the blond musician.  They were leaning so far over the table their foreheads were nearly touching. 

His words barely registered, and his tone didn't register at all as she bit back,  "My health isn't an issue here.  You swore to Miyako that you wouldn't tell anyone that she was trying out for the cheerleading team, but you did anyway!  You couldn't keep a secret to save your life!"

"Ok first off, your health is the issue here, if you hadn't have been training her day and night you wouldn't look like you haven't eaten or slept properly in a month.  And second off, I didn't tell anyone she was trying out for the cheerleading team.  You did, all I said was that you were training her!"  By this time the pair was standing, leaning over the table and practically screaming at each other while their friends watched on in confusion. 

Suddenly as fast as the fight had started it died.  Kayti paled and sunk back into the cushion of the booth seat, a look of pure mortification crossing her face as she stared at the blank tabletop.  He was right.  Everything that she was accusing him of, opening his mouth, betraying a friend, she herself was even more guilty of!  What had she done?

Un beknownst to her tears gathered in the corner of her eyes and she began to sob quietly into her hands.  Everyone around her was stunned into silence.  What just happened?

"Hey hey now… it's not that big a deal… don't cry!" Tai tried to comfort, reaching over the table to pat her shoulder.

Koushirou shook himself out of his shock then sent Yamato a withering glare that read now look what you've done, before trying to reach around Jyou to comfort his best friend.

Yamato blinked in surprise.  He hadn't expected her to start crying, in reality he had expected her to get even more angry at his accusation that she had betrayed her friend.  Slowly coming out of his revery he caught the glare Koushirou sent him and shot one back in answer.  Shoving slightly at Sora's shoulder, Sora took the hint and pushed Tai out of the booth to let Yamato out.

Once out Yamato crossed quickly and knelt down beside the sobbing girl.  Carefully he reached out and placed a hand on her convulsing shoulder.  "Go-gomen  Kayti… I didn't mean it…"

To his and everyone else's surprise Kayti let out a loud sob then threw herself into the young musicians arms and sobbed against his chest.  "I-Iie!  You're right Yamato.  It was me that told them.  I betrayed Miyako… not you, forgive me."

Cautiously Yamato wrapped his arms around her shivering figure, hugging her against his chest.  "For what?" he said softly.  "I started the argument."

A sniffle was his only response as he felt his shirt get a little damp with her tears.  The other four looked on, concern etched on their faces. 

Koushirou cursed silently.  Why couldn't he have been sitting beside her like he always was?  Then she would be crying on his shoulder and he wouldn't feel so helpless.  Why did it have to be Yamato that she cried on?  Why not Jyou?  Damn life wasn't fair to red headed computer geeks.

Jyou watched with sympathy.  "Kayti-san, it really isn't that bad. We wont tell anyone, we promise, right guys?"

The other three nodded in response.  "Yeah, and besides who cares if Miyako is trying out for cheerleading?  Why the big secret?" Tai asked scratching his head in confusion.

Yamato shot Tai a don't go there look and Sora punched him in the arm.  "What??" Tai exclaimed rubbing his shoulder.

Slowly Kayti's sobs subsided being replaced by quiet hiccups, but she didn't let go of the death grip she had on Yamato's shirt.  Lifting her head, she turned it a bit to look at the group behind her.  "You won't say anything till after tryouts on Monday?"

"No." they chorused as a group.

"You swear?"

"I swear." Said Jyou.

"Me too." Followed Koushirou, smiling at Kayti, "You can trust me."

"Wont tell a soul!" Tai laughed, winking at her.

"Of course I wont say anything.  But what I don't understand is why I wasn't informed before!  My instincts say Kari's in on this too." Sora narrowed her eyes.  "You're not getting off that easy.  You're going to explain everything today!"  Sora raised her fist threateningly.

Kayti smiled nervously.  "Ahh hai!"  Turning back to Yamato she blushed.  "Ah…arigatou, Yamato-kun.  Gomen for crying on you."  Standing up, she dashed some the tears from her eyes.  "Look I got your shirt all wet!  Gomen nasai!"

Yamato closed his eyes and stood up as well.  Opening then he reached out and flicked the last tear away smiling.  "Don't apologize Kat-chan, its just a shirt."  He sent her a smile that made her knees weak, her blush intensified, turning her whole face red.  "Besides… you're the one who has to wash it anyway."  The smile was replaced quickly by a grin, and the emotion in his eyes replaced by a glint of mischief.

She stood stunned for a moment then clenched her fists in rage.  "YAMATO NO BAKA!!"

She was just about to hit him when Sora grabbed her arm and pulled her to the door, waving behind them.  "When I said you were gonna tell me today, I meant today!  Ja!" 

With that the two girls disappeared out the door.