EXTREME Socialisation. [Tomi/Takahiro.]

"Wow, what a beautiful day it's been." Tomomi smiles as he looks to the sky. Tomomi is perched on a park bench, with Demimeramon stuffed in his backpack. Petermon seems to be resting underneath a tree in the shade. He looks over at the fairy digimon, and lets his mind wander. Was last night wrong?? Couldn't be. He felt so...free. What if Takahiro doesn't....Ugh. Tomomi lets out a sigh. His fears are getting to him. Less than five minutes away from Takahiro and the anxiety kicks back in. He opens his mouth to talk to Petermon. He knew Petermon would give him the truth, "Hey, Petermon...if you don't mind my asking..." There's a look of apparent nervousness on Tomomi's face, "What does Takahiro think of me? I mean...he doesn't find me a burden, does he?"

The sun shines down on Tomomi's face as he nervously awaits an answer.

"How long am I stuffed in here???" The Demimeramon inquires, but doesn't expect a reply. 

Tomomi rests his hands behind his head and stretches out a little, "No reason." He says with a sly smirk on his face. 

The day really wiped out Tomomi, though. Between being captured, slightly tortured, and jumping in front of a laser, Tomomi just wanted to rest...Maybe try some city pizza. His mind started to drift. What to do with all this new information? Digimon...living in Shibuya...Takahiro. Tomomi spent a long time processing all of this. What would his family think of all this?

"Tomi-chan!"

HIS FAMILY.

"Tomomi! There you are!" Ichirou said quiet happily. A pair of adults ran to the bench where Tomomi was sitting, as his heart appeared to stop beating. What are they doing out here? Ichirou was about six feet tall, with short, jet black hair. His eyes were blue, like his brother, but a darker, deeper blue. He was 28 years old, and had been living in Shibuya with his wife for about two years. 

Emiko was two years younger, putting her at 26. Coming from a line of wealthy businessmen, her courtship with Ichirou was very brief. The two had decided to marry three years ago. Ichirou's father only approved of this because Emiko came from wealth, the Mikitane family. Like her husband, she had jet black hair, which flowed down to hair waist. Hey eyes emited a warm honey glow, and her fashion sense was grand. Coming from money, she always had the ability to wear very complimenting outfits. 

"Tomomi, where on Earth have you been? I spoke with mother, and she has been worried!"

If only they knew I haven't been on Earth. Tomomi thought to himself with a slight laugh. But Ichirou was right. How could he possibly justify his actions? The only thing crossing his mind at the moment was that his father didn't call, his mother did.

"I was going to surprise you, Ichriou. I just...got lost!" He said with an innocent smile. Maybe mother didn't tell Ichirou what Tomomi has done. "Father...didn't call you?"

"It was weird, in all honesty. Father didn't want to talk to anyone. He was out in the field all day yesterday. What happened, Tomomi? Is everything okay?"

No. I ruined our family's legacy and father probably hates me.

"Yes...there's just something I need to take care of here, Ichirou. There are...questions....that can't be answered at home. Something only a city can provide the answers to." Emiko lowered her sunglasses, perfectly round, bright yellow sunglasses, and smiled at Tomomi. It was like she immediately understood. 

"Ichirou...perhaps Tomi-chan could stay with us until he...answers his questions." She winked at Tomomi, as he blushed ever so brightly. That's right, Tomomi told Emiko about Jouichirou. Tomomi actually trusted Emiko more than anyone in his immediate family, since she was so smart and ahead of the times. She was also incredibly good at keeping a secret. 

Ichirou scratched the top of his head with a slight frown, "This is kind of troublesome...but yes." He shrugs, "How can I stop my cute little brother from following his heart?" He runs Tomomi's head, messing up his hair, "You don't want to be a farmer do you?" 

Tomomi looked at him and wanted to cry a little. If only it was just that. "Yeah...I really like the city, Ichirou. I made some friends already, and they are great people! Would it be okay if....they come over for dinner tonight?"

Ichirou rubs his knuckles into the boy's head, "You just got here and are already planning parties...How many?"

It would just be Takahiro and Scout, right? Petermon should really stay at their house, possibly Kami as well. "Two. They are right around my age."

Tomomi looks at Takahiro and smiles brightly, how glad he was to be back! He wants to run up to him and see his new jacket and digivice...but these things couldn't be discussed with the current company. He turns to Ichirou and Emiko and says, "Ichirou, Emi-chan...this is my.." He had to take a pause. Crap, I almost said boyfriend...Okay Tomomi breath, keep your composure.. "This is my new friend, Takahiro." Phew! He got through that barely. Why did he almost say boyfriend? It's not like he even asked Takahiro if he liked him like that...let alone him being okay with it himself. 

Emiko knew what was going on from the moment Tomomi stuttered. She giggled lightly, "Tomo-chan always gets nervous with formalities." She bows ever so slightly, and notices a device in Takahiro's hand. Certainly not a cellphone. Probably has something to do with that strange character by the tree. Her poor husband probably believes it's an angsty teen in cosplay. Tomomi always said she should work for the police. "I'm Emiko Nakamura, the man who hasn't bowed yet is my husband, Ichirou Nakamura. Pleased to make your acquaintance, Takahiro."

Ichirou, flushed from his wife always being so strict on his manners, barely bows. He leaves his manners for work. "Nice to meet you Takahiro. Has my little brother been too much of a hassle?" Oh, I only almost got him killed this morning, Tomomi thought to himself. And Takahiro will probably say he wasn't at all. At least Tomomi felt like he came to Takahiro's rescue this morning.  

Emiko sees the disappointment Takahiro has in them finding Tomomi. They probably were having a great time until the adults showed up. He puts her arm around Ichirou's, "Sweetie. Let's leave the boys to enjoy their day together. What matters is that Tomi-chan is here and safe. You can tell your mother that we'll watch him for a while." Emiko's the best sister-in-law ever. She always knows what's up.

"Right..." Ichirou says, disgruntled. He rubs his knuckles in Tomomi's hair one more time for nostalgic purposes, "Next time you run away, let me know you're okay idiot." He says with a smile. Tomomi can only reply with little brother whining, "Tatatatata!"

The two bow off, as Emiko says, "It was nice to meet you Takahiro. I'm sure we'll see you later." 

"Later...Dinner's at 7. Don't be late and make my wife's food go cold." Ichirou finishes off as he walks away. 

As they pass Tomomi, Emiko looks at him and puts a thumb up, "Good catch!" she says lightly, with a wink. Tomomi does nothing but blush. She was super good at being subtle, and only he would know what she meant. "Sid you say something, Emi-chan?" Ichirou inquired. Emiko giggled lightly, "Nothing sweetie, let's go get some food for the market."

As the two walked away, Tomomi looked at Takahiro and put his hands behind his head, nervous that he might have heard Emiko's words. He wanted to get off topic, "How did it go, Taka-kun?" His voice was lighter than normal. 

"Wow! That's so much cooler than mine!" Tomomi admitted, he was a little jealous. Pretty neat that the colors matched Petermon well. He looked at his own digivice. Blue and white matched him, but was a weird choice for Candlemon. Well, you never know what will happen. 

Tomomi blushed...His brother likes to make assumptions, and since Ichirou and Emiko went to go get food, he'd best bring at least two people home. Of course, Takahiro had to be one of them. Emi-chan approves of him! 

"Well...we bumped into each other here. My mother called Ichirou, so he knew I was missing. Thankfully Emi-chan was with him...she has a tendency to diffuse things." He smiles lightly, Emi-chan likes him. She's a great judge of character. "But, I invited you and Scout to dinner tonight...is that okay? I want them to get to know you, Takahiro." His problems didn't lay with his brother and sister-in-law at all. "They are good people...I was just so afraid of Ichirou sending me back to Kyoto. My parents will not be there."

It's probably because Emi-chan thinks you'd be a great... He wasn't going to say that. Tomomi walks right past Takahiro with a childish grin, "All the friends I made in Kyoto were hicks. She's a city girl, so she probably liked that I was friends with someone who is smart. Those are the type of people you want to be friends with for a long time." Tag, Takahiro. You're it. 

Tomomi couldn't quite understand how nice Takahiro was to him, but he sure enjoyed the gesture! "You're really kind Taka-kun. I'll keep that option open for sure. But as long as my parents aren't here, and Ichirou isn't kicking me out, I'll be fine." He said with a bright smile. "I wouldn't mind another sleepover to the tune of Bon Jovi, though!" Tomomi actually liked it. His English was very poor, but the guitars were very well-played. And Bon Jovi's voice was nice to listen to. "We can stay out and go right to my brothers, if that's okay with you?" Tomomi absolutely loved spending time with Takahiro. If he could spend every second with him, he would. 

Takahiro didn't let up on the "Good Catch" comment. So, what do you do when the cat's poking his head out of the bag? Start laughing! Make it a light-hearted joke. Tomomi puts his arm around Takahiro, "You're way too smart for me, Taka-kun!! And..we have the same side batteries. If it's as much of a big deal here as it is in the country, I'd be carrying you down a very sad and dark road." Play it off Tomomi! You got this. See if he thinks we are a problem. That would settle it.

The cultural shock, and the realization of Tomomi's words overtook him all at once. What did he just do? Tomomi stopped dead in his tracks, and just stared at Takahiro. Tomomi hurt him..badly. The look in his grey eyes is piercing. On fire. Takahiro just shattered Tomomi's mind in a few sentences. The city was so different. How could this not be an issue. Tell him, Tomomi. Maybe he'll get it. His eyes water, he can't even get a word out.

"Takahiro...I don't understand...This is something people get murdered for in Kyoto...for how I...are you...am I...I...I just know..." He starts to panic. His head is pounding, the darkness in his heart is taking hold. For every part of Tomomi's brain has to hold him back from putting his arms around Takahiro and doing what he's wanted to do since Demimeramon bumped them into one another. But it was wrong, wasn't it? Takahiro doesn't think so. Demimeramon knew he had to hold back what he says, but he couldn't let Tomomi destroy himself over this. 

Demimeramon flew out of Tomomi's bag. Tomomi stares in absolute fear. What is he going to do? What is he going to say? "Takahiro...Tomi loves you more than a friend."

That's it, it's over. Tomomi could only look at Takahiro's face in shame. Why did he use the word love. 

"Tomi wants to be with you, Takahiro! He just doesn't know how. His parents made him afraid."

Tomomi can't let this little ball of fire speak for him. But Demimeramon was right. Tomomi just falls to the ground. He wanted to yell at Takahiro for making him feel this way. But he was beyond that. He craved the feeling Takahiro made him feel. All Tomomi could muster up was a pathetic little whisper. "Takahiro...please don't leave me."