Author's Notes

This is actually a collection of fragments, not an actual story. Together, they do map out a story, but it's not from beginning to end-actually, that's a bad way of phrasing it. More like it's in discrete blocks rather than a continuous stream which you're probably used to. Somewhat similar to my story Regrowth, only it isn't quite as amusing.

Enjoy, and tell me what you think.

Broken Glass

You can't just take broken pieces and stick them together. They will never stick for one, and that attempt could just break them further. Especially if they fall apart again.

Kouji M & Kouichi K

Fragment 1

Kouji looked at his brother, reading from his text. He did that a lot, reading newspapers, school textbooks and any appropriate book in the library he would get his hands on.

It wasn't anything new. He always read a lot, but he would always put it aside in favour to talk to his brother and friends, and listen to them. He read a lot more often now.

There had been a lot to talk about at first. The first eleven years of their life which had been spent apart or lost in a haze of developing memory. There were truths to bring out into the open, gaps to fill and lies to expose. But as the exhilarating euphoria faded as normalcy returned and they began to carry on with their normal lives, they both found that it wasn't so easy to merge the two worlds together as it was for others.

Perhaps because others didn't have the family issue they had. Perhaps because they didn't share the infallible connection between life and dark. Or perhaps they weren't twins with a Siamese soul that had already been once forced to live apart and almost, in consequence, brought the destruction of both. It didn't matter which. There situation was different than anyone could ever understand.

Now, years after their adventures in the Digital World, they were starting to drift apart. It was an inevitable process; the real world always swung away the fruits it bore. But even while they were brothers, twins, the real world beckoned too them too, and they could not refuse. It was impossible to stay together constantly. Different interests. Different homes. Different communities outside each other and their immediate friends.

He knew he should accept that. But he couldn't. He looked at his brother again, reading away the sunshine. He was content the way he was. Why could he be too? Why was it that it wasn't enough for his company to simply be there?

But it wasn't. It wasn't enough. Perhaps they shouldn't have been separated. But they had. And he, he could not allow himself to be separated another time. Even if it was impossible.

'Ni-san-' he began, before cutting himself off.

Kouichi looked at him. 'Hai Kouji?'

Once a time, he used to smile when he said that. Now it was just a neutral expression.

He was there. It wasn't enough, because it had already been torn once. But it would have to be.

'When are you leaving?'

The other looked up at the sun. 'Not for awhile.'

Good. Let that while never come. But it would; he knew that. They couldn't forever be together.