So Simple—The first book in the Lee and Ruki Saga

By Forever3330

Ruki walked cautiously into the park, looking around to make sure no one was following her. She looked around for the others, and sighed. Why hadn’t they specified where they were supposed to meet up? She silently made a note to bash Kazu on the head for his horrible directions.

Hearing voices ahead she smiled, a rare statement on her face. She jogged at a slow place to, and hid behind a tree. What would they be talking about?

"C’mon Lee-chan," Takato taunted. "I know you like her! The last time you saw her at school you were practically drooling!"

"Like you do over Juri-chan?" Lee asked, turning a slight shade of pink. "You make it so obvious Takato-chan."

"Oh, like you don’t?" Takato retorted.

"If I shouted out to the world I was in love with her, she wouldn’t notice. Pretty girls don’t exactly fall head over heels in love with me." Lee shrugged. "And I hide it much better then you…Last time you saw Juri-chan you were paralyzed."

Ruki blinked, her stomach turning over. That Takato liked Juri was nothing new; everyone but Juri knew that. But the news that Lee had a crush was new; very new. She decided she was getting bored and it was time to make her appearance. She stepped into view, walking up to them. "What are you losers doing now?"

"When will you stop calling us losers?!" Takato yelled.

"When you prove you aren’t." Ruki said, smirking and folding her arms.

"Haven’t we done that a hundred times?" Takato shouted.

"Ne."

"Guys…can you hold off the fight until later?" Lee asked, being ignored.

"Hi Takato-chan!" Juri stepped into view, Leomon, Terriormon, and Guilomon trailing behind her.

"H-hi Juri-chan." Takato said, blushing furiously.

"Takatomon?" Guilomon questioned.

"Hi Ruki-chan! Hi Lee-chan!" Juri smiled at Ruki. Since Ruki had taught her the Digimon card game, they had been like best friends.

"Hi Juri-chan." Ruki’s rare smile flashed across her face. "Tell your boyfriend here to back off will you?"

Takato turned redder. "Ruki!"

Juri blinked. "Oh, are you two at it again?"

"Harder then ever…" Lee said with a wistful smirk.

"Hey where are the others?" Takato asked, trying to change the subject.

"Oh, Kazu-chan had somewhere to go, so they went together." Juri smiled, then turned to Ruki. "Say Ruki-chan? How old are today? You told me last week your birthday was today."

"Thirteen." Ruki said in surprise. "Like you guys."

"Actually, I’m fourteen. My birthday was last week." Lee said. They had had a small party for him, all giving gifts.

"Today’s your birthday Ruki? Why didn’t you tell us? Now we’ll have to find a way to celebrate." Takato said cheerfully.

"Hai, but how?" Lee asked.

"I know! Why don’t we—" Juri started. "Ne." Ruki said.

"You don’t even know what she was going to say!" Takato protested.

"I don’t want a party." Ruki said forcefully.

The others stared for a moment. "You don’t mean that Ruki! Every kid wants a birthday party! It’s the best day of the year!" Takato said cheerfully.

"Ne. I don’t want a party. Its just another day, that’s all." Ruki said.

"C’mon Ruki! We’re your friends, why won’t you let us show you that?" Takato yelled.

"Ruki-chan." Juri said quietly, putting a hand on Takato’s shoulder. "Knowing your mom she would have forced you to have a party anyways. Why aren’t you home celebrating with her?"

Ruki cringed momentarily. "She’s on a business trip. Grandma went with her. It’s no big deal; now Renamon and I have the house to ourselves for a week, starting today."

"All the more reason to let us celebrate with you!" Takato shouted happily.

"Ne! I don’t want a party!"

"Sometimes you’re so cold Ruki!" Takato shouted.

For what seemed like an eternity they all stood there, looking at eachother, waiting for the explosion. Then it came.

"At least I don’t force people to do things they don’t want to do in a false friendship pretense! None of you are my friends if you can’t understand I just want to be alone!" Ruki turned and ran, a small slip of paper falling from her pocket, which only Lee noticed.

"C’mon guys, let’s go see a movie." Takato said coldly, looking at the others. Lee shook his head.

"You two go ahead, and take Terriormon. He likes the movies. I need to take a walk." Lee said with a smile.

"Okay…" Juri pulled Takato away, digimon following.

Lee picked up the paper and unfolded it, starting to read it, knowing it was Ruki’s handwriting.

My Party List:

Lee-chan and Terriormon ((Note: find a way to get the digimon in))

Juri-chan and Leomon

The annoying ones ((My new name for those two…))

Takato-chan and Guilomon

Renamon ((of course!))

Note to self: I have to admit I’m happy that I have people to invite this year; Renamon made me. Anyways, I’m sure we’ll find a way to get the digimon in.

Lee sighed. So Ruki had wanted a party. Her mother and Grandmother must have had to leave at the last second. He pocketed the note and started home; maybe he could give his friend a party. Even if it would only be him giving it.

************************************************************************

Ruki lay on her bed, staring at the ceiling. So what if she didn’t get a party? It would mean she could escape the countless dresses covered in lace her mother put on her. She had to admit that she enjoyed it; it meant her mother cared. She had been admitting a lot of things lately, since Juri and Renamon became her two best friends.

"Thinking?" Renamon asked lightly, appearing out of nowhere as always.

"Hai…" Ruki flipped over and hugged a pillow to her chest.

"They did try Ruki." Renamon said softly.

"I know, but can’t they leave me alone when I ask?" Ruki asked, frowning.

"Takato appears to have that problem still, event though it’s been almost three years. Lee has been cured mostly. Juri never had the problem…" Renamon mused.

"I know, it’s just annoying."

"Why didn’t you just let them celebrate?" Renamon asked.

"I don’t want their sympathy." Ruki replied weakly.

"I believe I’ll go out if you don’t mind; I want to pay Calamon a visit." Renamon said.

"I don’t mind; I’ll be fine alone." Ruki smiled. "Drop by Juri-chan’s and tell her I said hi, and sorry about how I acted. At least I didn’t yell at her…"

"I will. I wanted to train a bit with Leomon as well. I may be gone for a day or so…our battles are long." The digimon disappeared, with what might have been a smile.

The doorbell rang in a song titled ‘It’s a New Day’ her mother had gotten installed as the doorbell.

Ruki groaned and got up, noticing her clothes. She had changed into a long white nightgown when she got home, and had let her hair down in an attempt to dress herself up like her mother did, just because she missed it. "Oh well…It’s not like it’ll be anyone important."

Ruki padded down the hall to the door, and opened it to see Lee, who immediately blushed.

"Um, you look…is your mother back?" Lee asked, stumbling over the words, not used to the way Ruki looked, unless her mother was home.

"No." Ruki turned red. "I-I did it. My mother always dresses me up during my birthday."

Lee’s statement softened.

"What are you here for anyways? And what’s all that?" Ruki gestured to the two bags Lee had beside him.

Lee again turned red. "Well, uh. I came over, and maybe um, maybe I could stay here for a while? When your mother is gone? To keep you company I mean. I can wash clothes and cook and stuff, if you wanted…it’s the best present I could come up with on such short notice…"

Ruki blushed. "You want to stay here?"

"Um, that’s the general idea." Lee said, wincing at how stupid his request sounded. "I thought you might want company. If not I can go…"

"Ne, it’s okay!" Ruki exclaimed, surprising both Lee and herself. "I’ll just call my mom to ask if it’s okay with her. You can come in." She stood to the side, turning redder.

"Ar-arigato." Lee picked up his things and came in, dropping it where Ruki pointed.

"You’re we-welcome. I’ll just go call her now…" She started to rush out of the room, generally to change her clothes and call her mother, just turning around to flash Lee a quick smile.

"You look pretty, by the way." Lee said with a smile. "You should wear your hair like that more often." ************************************************************************

"Um, hi, mom?" Ruki asked.

"Hmm? Who’s this? I’m Ms. Nonaka’s manager." A woman’s voice said.

"I’m her daughter, Ruki." Ruki said. "May I please ask her a question?"

"Ruki-chan? Is that you? Oh, this is Anna, I’ll get her right away!" Anna seemed to say something to someone in the background, and then the voice changed to her mother’s.

"Ruki? Is something wrong dear? You know I’m sorry I left you on your birthday and—" Her mother started.

"It’s okay mom; really. I wanted to know if a friend of mine could stay until you come back?" Ruki winced, at the thought of what her mother’s reaction might be.

"Of course!" Her mother’s voice sounded relived. "I thought you might be calling to say you were doing horribly or something. You know I tried to get you to be allowed to come, but they simply said ‘no children’! Next year you’ll have the best time. Oh, I have to go, it’s the next photo shoot!" Her mother hung up the phone, airheaded as ever.

Ruki blinked. Then it hit her that Lee could stay the week. She smiled, feeling a little giddy, then calmed herself down. "I’d better get changed." She ran to her room, and opened her closet, prepared to get changed, but remembered the surprised look on Lee’s face. Whoever said she wasn’t pretty? She was probably a lot cuter then whoever Lee had a crush on. Ruki mentally hit herself. Why should she care who Lee liked? It was none of her business.

She grabbed some clothes she had never worn before, except when her mother forced her to. They were a light yellow pair of overalls with the word ‘cute’ embroidered onto the front. She put a plain whit t-shirt underneath and put on sandals, leaving her shades off. Ruki grabbed her digivice and slid it into a pocket along with her cards, then rushed back to tell Lee the news.

************************************************************************

Lee sat down on a ground-cushion, trying with all his might not to run out the door. Ruki hadn’t hit him so far; that was good. But who was to say she wasn’t just shocked, and was going to? He slapped himself mentally. Maybe he shouldn’t of come here in the first place; no, he shouldn’t of come here in the first place, but he had to do something.

Then he remembered the small smile Ruki had given him. That meant she must have been happy, hadn’t it? Oh, he didn’t really know anymore; his feelings were confusing him, as were his thoughts. He remembered what she had been wearing, turning red at the thought. The nightgown had been loose and flowing, tied just below the breast with a pink ribbon. Her hair had been down about her face, and hanging over her shoulders.

Her mouth had curved into a small surprised ‘o’ and her eyes were wide on her pale face. Lee again shook himself mentally; he shouldn’t be noticing things like this. It was just too strange to deal with right now. He was supposed to be the calm, unaffected one, the tamer who was never shaken. He was supposed to be only worrying about his family and Terriormon, his grades, his friends. Why, of all people, did he have to worry about Ruki?

That was such an energy sucking task that it took up all his time and attention. And he never even managed to protect her. She didn’t even notice him. Or maybe she did. When he told her to stop fighting with Takato the other day, she had. Or at least, she had hit him less hard.

"Lee-chan?" Ruki’s voice pulled him from his thoughts. "My mother said you could stay." She smiled tentatively. "You can use the guest room. It’s this way." She started walking, but not before Lee saw what she was wearing.

He turned red again. She looked like a normal girl.

"What is it?" Ruki asked as they reached the room, helping him carrying his luggage.

"Oh, um, nothing. Just glad I could stay!"

"Right…"

************************************************************************

Ruki finished making the small meal, a skill she had learned from her Grandmother. Hopefully it’ll be okay…she thought softly. Oh, why do I care? Her other half retorted. Why should I care what he thinks? Because I…There was a clatter as she dropped the glass of water she was holding. She watched the glass shatter, thinking how it was her father’s favorite, when he had been there. I…I…love him?! No, not me, I never, ever, would love someone as…as…weak, as much a loser, as sweet, as him! Sweet? I-I…I think I’ve gone crazy…

Admit it. The voices of Renamon and Juri combined said softly. Admit what you feel. I…I love him. And I really, truly do…She looked at her hands, the right one was bleeding, she noticed.

"Ruki-chan?" Lee’s voice called, as he came in. He saw the glass and girl on the floor, her hand bleeding, and paled. "Ruki-chan, are you okay?"

How could I not have known? She yelled at her mind, looking up at the concerned boy kneeling by her. I would have known…"Hai, I’m fine Lee-chan. Just bleeding…"

"You have a strange idea of being fine Ruki-chan." He chided, taking out his handkerchief and tying it around her hand. "That should hold it together until we get a bandage. Where do you keep them anyways?"

Ruki listened to every word, but didn’t answer, staring up at Lee’s grey eyes.

"Ruki-chan?" Lee looked back at the girl, and noticed something in the way she stared back, when she snapped out of it. He of course liked someone else, she mind shouted.

"Oh, in the closet over there…The middle shelf." She nodded in the direction of the closet.

Lee blinked. "Um, hai. Hold on." He got it after a few minutes then came back. He sorted quickly through the bandages, finding one the right size. "Here we go!" He took off the handkerchief and put the bandage on her hands, his movements quick and gentle. "Guess I’ll have to throw this thing out…It’s a little stained."

"No!" Ruki grabbed the handkerchief back. "I’ll wash it for you."

"I think the blood may stain…" Lee started.

"No arguments!" Ruki placed a finger to his lips. "I will wash it."

Lee blushed and noticed his heart had stopped beating only after Ruki took her hand away. "Um, what happened?"

"I…I just realized something important and dropped the glass." Ruki said softly, staring at the glass. "It was my father’s favorite, that’s what my mother said."

"I’m sorry! I-I, we can get you a new one, oh, that’ll never work, it’s not special enough…I…I…I’m sorry Ruki-chan. I’ve taken something away that can’t be replaced…"

"Don’t be silly, you weren’t even here!" Ruki said with a trembling smile. "I was just a klutz, that’s all."

Lee stared. In all the time he’d known Ruki, she’d never been a klutz.

She smiled brightly, making him melt. "If you feel so responsible for it, take me out to celebrate my birthday."

"But, I thought you didn’t want a party…" Lee protested.

"I didn’t, and don’t. A party is to crowded. This can just be an outing." Ruki said. "Unless…you don’t want to go?"

"Ne! I do!" Lee said, almost shouting. "I’ll just go grab my wallet…"

"I can pay…" Ruki offered.

"Ne!" Lee said. "I will."

"Thank you." Ruki gave a small smile.

"No problem. Momentai." Lee said, copying Terriermon’s voice.

Ruki laughed, and clutched her hands to her stomach. "You’ve got the voice exactly right!"

Lee smiled. "Thanks. I hear it so often it’s not even hard."

"I can’t do Renamon that well, and I’ve been with her as long as you!" Ruki dissolved again into giggles, making Lee stare, and join in.

************************************************************************

Ruki grasped onto Lee’s arm so she wouldn’t loose track of him, and followed him through the crowd. She clung closer, afraid of getting separated. "There’s so many people."

"Well, the play is supposed to be good, though I’m guessing most of them are for the new movie." Lee said with a smile, his face slightly red.

"Are we seeing either of them?" Ruki asked.

"We’re seeing the play." Lee said. "It’s a musical, a version of ‘Sleeping Beauty’. I heard it was good from my parents."

"It looks like we’re the only people our age here." Ruki observed.

"Hai, well I’d think most people our age want to see the new movie." He glanced down at Ruki, and his redness disappeared.

She smiled up at him, making his stomach flip. "Then we’re doing something original."

"H-hai." He turned a light shade of pink again as she slid her arm through his, even though there weren’t that many people in line for the play.

The doors opened and Ruki dragged Lee to the center of the front row and sat down. "This way we’ll have a good view." She explained. Older couples filled the seats around them and the lights turned low. "It’s starting!" Ruki whispered excitedly.

Lee looked to the stage and watched the play unfold.

Lee tried to keep his attention on the play the best he could, but couldn’t tear his eyes away from Ruki for longer then two minutes.

She was watching the play with her full attention, violet eyes wide. He felt hot wherever her hands touched his arm, when she clung to him as the play went on. For some reason beyond his knowledge she was showing him a different part of herself, opening like a book to his eyes.

He knew it with certainty, clearer then anything he’d ever known. He knew he loved her with more certainty then he’d ever known anything. He looked to the play again, and saw that it was already at the part where the prince was about to kiss Sleeping Beauty. He blushed and turned away, to face Ruki, and saw her staring back at him, lightly pink.

"I-I can’t watch…" She whispered softly. "I’ve never been kissed like that before, or any other way outside of the family. When someone finally kisses me, I want it to be a total surprise."

"Me too." Lee said just as softly, smiling.

"Maybe you could tell me when it’s over?" Ruki asked softly.

"I don’t want to look either!" Lee chided softly.

"Then how will I ever know what happens if you can’t tell me?" She laughed softly.

"Like this." Lee leaned over, bringing his lips to hers.

Ruki’s eyes widened in surprise, and she saw his eyes questioning, worried. Loving. She closed her eyes and pressed back, feeling only heat and warmth coming from his lips. Lee closed his eyes and slowly put his arms around Ruki, cautiously, hoping she really was okay with it.

Lee felt her arms slide around his neck, pulling his head closer, felt her heart beat perfectly in time with his. He felt her chest rise and fall against his, felt her hair brush his face. He heard the soft awing of the crowd. The soft awing of the crowd?!

Ruki and Lee quickly tore apart and looked about them to see even the actors watching them, stalled form taking their bows. The older couples around them smiled and laughed.

"Well, we’re glad our play got some of you folks involved!" The man at the microphone laughed.

Ruki and Lee turned redder, their hands still clasped together.

"Why don’t you two come out and take a bow? After another performance of course." The man joked softly, eyes twinkling.

The Sleeping Beauty princess reached down and pulled Ruki to the stage, as the Prince did for Lee.

The two tamers blushed, looking at eachother.

"C’mon now! Don’t be shy. We do this at every play! You two were just the lucky couple to be caught kissing." The Princess whispered to them.

Ruki looked up at Lee; scared he had just been caught up in the moment. He looked just as worried, half wondering if he should have kissed her at all. His heart quickly assured him it had been what he wanted. He again leaned forward, meeting Ruki’s lips with his.

She quickly slid her arms around his neck, and he slid his around her waist, as if it were only too natural. Ruki melded herself against Lee, feeling him accept her by melding himself.

Ruki pulled as close as she could; afraid in some part of her mind that he would let go and it would be over. That it had all been a dream her mind made up. Lee felt her squeeze him tighter and obeyed to her silent commands.

They quietly broke apart, each hearing applause.

"That was the best performance yet I’ll say! The prize is parts in the coming up play!" The announcer handed them envelopes. "Those have all the info. Now goodnight folks!" Ruki and Lee were guided out by the stream of the crowd, both still too shocked and afraid to say anything. ************************************************************************

Lee and Ruki walked side by side, both looking away from the other, lost in their own thoughts. Lee sighed and pulled Ruki towards the park entrance and guided her to a bench, making her sit down.

Ruki blushed at the contact and shied away.

"Ruki-chan…I’m really, truly sorry about what I did." Lee said softly, sitting on the ground beside the bench.

"I-I know. It was just a joke Kazu-chan or somebody got you to play, right?" Ruki asked softly, voice trebling.

"No! I wanted to do that! I’ve wanted to do that for so long it hurts Ruki. But you didn’t want me too. I’m sorry I did…I can pack up and go home, if it makes it easier, but I can’t change time…I’m sorry I did it, but I’m…I’m happy too. I don’t know anymore Ruki. I’m so confused; I only know that I meant it, with everything…Ashiteru." He said it so simply, so sadly, that Ruki almost cried.

Ruki reached down and laid his head gently on her lap, running her hands through Lee’s dark hair. "I meant it too." She said softly. "That’s also why I broke the glass…I just…realized. I thought I hated you; god knows I thought you hated me. And then…It was just clear…and I knew. And I wished I could stop…you and Takato were talking about your crushes earlier…you couldn’t love me. So…I tried after that. But I can’t…I really, really can’t."

Lee leaned back against her legs, letting her play with his hair. "You heard that?"

"I was…spying. I just sort of wondered what you guys talked about when I wasn’t there. And I don’t get it…you’ve never acted like Takato described around me…did you…do you…love someone else?" Ruki let her hands wander through his hair.

"Ne." Lee reached up and caught her hands, holding them. He turned his head so he could see her. "Ever since I met you I’ve…felt strangely. I never really liked a girl like that. I’ve had crushes…but I never loved them. Ashiteru…Takato-chan…he thinks I like someone else. Alice. She’s a girl in our class. I guess I was a little like Takato-chan described the last time we saw her with Juri-chan…" Ruki’s hands tensed. "You were across the schoolground, looking…I suppose it sounds sappy, but you reminded me of an angel."

"You’re right." Ruki’s hands calmed, and traced the lines of his face. "It sounds sappy. My mother had probably dressed me up…"

"Actually, she hadn’t. You just looked like you always did…I guess that was when I realized I had a crush on you…I just realized I felt more…" Lee said, relaxing to Ruki’s touch.

"You liked me as I usually looked?" Ruki asked softly, feeling tears starting.

"Hai. You always look like an angel. Even more so when you were all dressed up in that nightgown…" Lee’s voice trailed off into silence as he felt Ruki’s hands stop their path.

"If you ever tell anyone about me actually owning that I’ll pound you to the pulp." Ruki said, all threat out of her voice, sliding off the bench to sit by him.

"Why would I tell anyone? I’d like to keep that little secret to myself." Lee laughed softly, then looked at Ruki’s tear-stained face. She leaned onto his shoulder and felt an arm reassuringly wrap around her.

"Ashiteru Lee." She whispered softly.

"I know. Ashiteru too Ruki." He responded.

"I know." Ruki said, inching her face closer to his.

************************************************************************

Ruki woke in the morning, yawning. She looked around quickly, but saw no trace of Lee. Had it been a dream? She remembered with such clarity falling asleep in his arms. They had both been wearing pajamas of course, just hugging tightly, as if they would loose eachother.

She had felt warm; safe. How could such a thing be a dream?

Ruki sniffed the air and smelt something. Pancakes. "Lee?" She whispered softly. She looked down at the white nightgown and shrugged, walking to the kitchen with a yawn, seeing a neat kitchen as usual, with Lee carefully flipping pancakes while singing a silly made-up tune. Ruki rolled her eyes with a soft smile, watching him for another ten minutes until he was done, leaning in the doorway all the while.

She came up silently behind him, and slipped her arms around his waist, making him jump slightly. "What are you doing Lee?" She asked sleepily.

He turned to see her. "I’m making breakfast." He smiled. "My mother taught me how to cook; I have to do it every so often when I baby-sit for Susi. Sleep well?"

"Hai." Ruki said softly, leaning against his chest. "Just one question."

"What is it?" Lee asked softly, stroking her copper hair.

"Was it all a dream? I really don’t think I could live if it weren’t." Ruki said just as softly.

Lee smiled and put his hand on her chin, tilting it up towards him. "Ne. It really wasn’t…funny to say that I was worried about the same thing." He knelt his head to hers and touched his lips to hers. Ruki melted into him, feeling drawn into the power he gave her. She opened her mouth a bit in a small gasp of surprise as he pushed her mouth softly open with his tongue, soft enough so that Ruki could resist if she wished. She opened her mouth to his and slipped her tongue inside of his, dancing over his mouth. She felt his hands moving around her back slowly moving farther down until they just reached below her back. Softly he pulled away, a little short of air.

Ruki smiled brightly and hugged him before letting go. "I-I’m glad it wasn’t. When I woke up, you weren’t there…"

Lee smiled. "I love holding you Ruki, but when I woke up I thought you might like breakfast. It did take me a while to pull myself away…about half an hour." He laughed softly.

"Ashiteru." She said, drinking in the power to say three little words that meant so much to both of them, the power that gave her heart a jump.

"Ashiteru too Ruki." Lee replied softly, taking in the same power. "Now how about some breakfast before we go out?"

"Go out where?" Ruki asked, sitting down.

"We have to go to Juri-chan’s house for her party. If you remember, its today." Lee said with a smile, serving Ruki a plate of pancakes.

"Oh." Ruki said softly.

"What’s wrong?" Lee asked, sitting down with his own food and the drinks.

"Well, I…I dunno." Ruki shifted in her seat playing with her fork. "I just sorta thought we could go out together without them. Not like we have to." She added quickly.

Lee smiled. "Of course we will. The party only lasts for an hour. Did you think I’d actually let you get away without doing anything special? I’m sure we’ll think of something." He started to eat, and chewed the first bite with a smile. "I think this may be one of my best batches. I’m actually starting to get good at this!"

Ruki laughed and took a bite. After swallowing she smiled. "You’re right. It’s good, but I really have nothing to compare it to but my own cooking. And my Grandmother’s."

"Well, you can cook tomorrow if you want to. Or I can. We have plenty of time." Lee smiled.

"More like a week." Ruki corrected. "You keep smiling so often I think your face might break." She teased.

"Like it isn’t the same with you?" Lee asked, smiling again. "I can’t help it! I’m just happy, that’s all. Now stop teasing and eat your breakfast young lady." He said in a stern voice, though his smile took away most of the affect.

"Only for you." Ruki said, stopping the chatter to eat.

Lee smiled softly and began to eat as well.

************************************************************************

Ruki came out in a pair of red jeans and a shirt that had ‘Cutie’ surrounded with heart on it. She grimaced at the clothes. "I don’t think Mom could have done worse…" Her hair was down about her shoulders, curling around Ruki’s face.

"Or better, if you ask me. I think you look cute, just like the shirt says." Lee informed her with a quick smile.

Ruki looked at him with a small smile, turning slightly pink. "Thanks…you look like you borrowed something that Kazu-chan would wear."

Lee was wearing a pair of tan pants, which were loose in the legs, but not much, and tight at the waist. His shirt had a picture of Miss Pretty Pants, which his sister had made him promise to wear. "Um…thanks…"

"Except for the shirt." Ruki added with an evil smile.

Lee groaned. "Are you gonna tease me about that the whole way? I can change after the party, but Suzi-chan’s gonna be there…And I did promise her I would wear it."

Ruki giggled. "How’d you ever get roped up into that?"

"I really don’t know…it just sort of…happened." Lee sighed.

"Aw, c’mon. You look cute, in a silly sort of way. But then again you always look cute…er, at least I think you do. Not like my opinion matters. I think." Ruki was turning redder by the second. "And…it was really nice of you to do something like that for your sister; you’re going to be teased a lot."

Lee looked at her again with a small smile. "Thanks. I know I’ll be teased a lot. It’s just that she looked so hopeful…"

"I think it runs in the family." Ruki said softly.

"What do you mean?" Lee asked. "I haven’t been able to rope you into anything."

"Not like you’ve tried." Ruki added. "But I think if you asked me to dance with you or something I would…and I can’t dance."

"Well, there’s something." He smiled cheerfully. "Now I have something to hold over you. I can dance, and you can’t!"

Ruki thwacked him on the head lightly. "Aw, be quiet already! You’ll just have to teach me, that’s all."

Lee laughed. "I will, don’t you worry. But it’s nice to know you’re not Miss Perfect. Takato-chan and I always thought we’d never find something you couldn’t do, or wouldn’t try with a vengeance."

Ruki frowned. "I still can’t believe he tried to force me to have a birthday party."

Lee sighed. "Well, I sorta did, coming here and everything. It just wasn’t a big party."

"But I wanted you to be here." Ruki argued. "I just don’t like big parties, that’s all. At least, not unless I actually care about someone there. I would’ve gone anyways, I suppose. Juri’s my best friend, just like Renamon, but in a different way." She sighed. "Now I’m all confused…"

"About what?" Lee asked softly.

"What I feel for everyone. I know its friendship, just different kinds and shades. Renamon is a really dark color, like a dark maroon. That means deep friendship, because we’re partners. Juri must be a dark purple. A different friendship, because we’re just best friends. Takato is a medium orange. I really can’t help disliking him." At Lee’s wince she paused. "I’ll try, I really will."

"Thanks." Lee said with a small smile.

"And you’re what I might call black; the darkest, deepest color I know of. Only you aren’t. I sort of feel…well, you’d be the darkest color I know of, because I love you."

Lee smiled. "I know. Ashiteru too, Ruki."

Ruki felt a shiver run down her spine with those words, only it was a good shiver. It made her feel giddy, and happy, and so many other things at the same time.

"Why don’t we start off?" Lee asked offering his hand.

Ruki smiled, and nodded. She took his hand in her own and started to walk out the door with him. "Lee, tell me that again."

"Nani, ‘Why don’t we start off?’" He asked, closing the door behind them.

"Ne, the other one. The part before that." Ruki said, clinging closer.

"Oh!" Lee smiled. "Ashiteru Ruki."

She smiled, clutching his had tighter. "Ashiteru too Lee."

************************************************************************

"Geez, it took you two long enough to show up!" Takato said at the door. Then he paused, as if confused. "Hey, why’d you two show up together?"

Ruki dropped Lee’s hand. "He was enough of a gentleman to walk me." She went inside with a glare at Takato. "See you later Lee-chan. I have to go say hi to Juri-chan." She stopped when she was just out of sight, close enough to hear the two boys.

Takato frowned. "Okay, she’s being a little too nice. She’s up to something."

"Who says she can’t be nice?" Lee snapped, blushing lightly at Takato’s look.

"Well, you always go on and on about how we should all be friends with digimon. Ruki always opposed you." Takato pointed out.

"But she doesn’t anymore!" Lee said, not quite happy with where the conversation was going. "She and Renamon are great friends, and she gets along with the other digimon great."

"I guess." Takato frowned for another second. "Oh, Juri-chan invited Alice-chan to the party!"

"Who?" Lee asked, confused.

"Alice-chan. You know, the girl you have a crush on." Takato said.

"Actually, I have a crush on someone else. I never had a crush on Alice-san in the first place." Lee said, blushing.

"Really? Who? You know, I’m really glad you don’t have a crush on Ruki…I don’t think I could be friends with anyone who actually liked her like that, because of…well, we just don’t hit it off. Besides, she’s not even pretty."

"So you mean you would end our friendship if I liked Ruki?" Lee asked, calmly.

"Hai." Takato said, all too calmly. "But you don’t, so everything’s okay!"

"Actually—" Lee started.

"Lee, can you help me get down the cups from the kitchen? Juri asked me to get them." Ruki’s interruption was true, but also just a way to get Lee alone to talk.

"Hai." Lee gave a small wave to Takato, slightly glaring.

Ruki pulled him into the kitchen. "What are you doing? Do you want to ruin your friendship with Takato? He’s your best friend!"

"I know." Lee said. "But, we can’t really keep it a secret Ruki."

"We can and will." She said firmly. "At least until Takato can accept it."

"Ruki…"

"I won’t have you ruining your friendship over me! We can act out our usual fights; it’s not hard. We’ll just know we don’t actually mean the fighting." Ruki said softly.

"But he said you weren’t pretty." Lee complained softly.

"And who’s to say I am?"

"Well, I think you are." Lee told her.

"You love me you dummy!" She quickly calmed down. "And I love you. That’s one of the only reasons I won’t let you make a stupid mistake."

"Can I at least talk to Terriormon about it?"

Ruki raised an eyebrow.

"Okay, Okay, I know he would tell. But what are we gonna do Ruki? I really don’t think I can go through the day with you…not being near me."

"Nonsense. I’m always near you. Digimon meetings, remember?" Ruki said.

"You know what I mean."

"Hai, I know." She leaned against him, closing her eyes. "Just like this; being able to just feel things."

Lee quietly wrapped his arms around her and they stayed like that for a few minutes.

************************************************************************

Juri looked into the kitchen, suspecting it wouldn’t take Ruki that long to get some paper cups. She hid to the side when she saw Lee in the kitchen with Ruki, and turned red when she saw what they were doing. They were kissing! Of all things, she hadn’t expected this to be what was keeping Ruki.

What to do? Her mind thought softly. She walked back out to the dance floor, and came back to the kitchen, making sure to make plenty of noise as she came.

When she entered Ruki and Lee were at opposite ends of the room, red-faced.

"Hi guys!" She smiled quickly.

"Hi Juri-chan." Lee said in his quiet voice, while Ruki gave a small wave.

"I wanted to know what was taking so long with the cups; I guess you two were talking. About Digimon no doubt." Juri had supplied them with an answer and a subject to be talking about, so both nodded gratefully.

"We’ll get the cups right now Juri-chan." Ruki grabbed them with a small smile. "Sorry it took so long.

"Hai, we’re really sorry we worried you." Lee took the cups from Ruki and hurried out, Ruki behind him.

"Well…that was interesting." Juri followed the two with a grin.

************************************************************************

"Everyone! We’re going to play a game now." Juri said, smiling. The digimon were in the park playing, because they had other human guests.

"Oh, goody." Ruki said from beside Lee, almost making him laugh as she rolled her eyes.

"Ruki-chan, I take it you want to go first?" Juri raised her eyebrow.

"Sure Juri-chan." Ruki sat down in the circle as Juri gestured. "What’s the game?"

"Spin the bottle." Juri said with a bright-as-ever smile.

Ruki and Lee both looked at eachother from opposite ends. How could they kiss anyone but eachother?

Juri smiled at the guests’ confusion. "If it lands on a member of the opposite gender, you kiss them. If it’s someone of your own gender they get to choose who you get to kiss. Ruki spins first."

Ruki nodded slightly and took the bottle, spinning it gently. "Please…" she pleaded in a whisper.

Everyone stared as the bottle went around and around, finally coming to a stop on…Juri?

Juri smiled brightly. "Okay…Ruki-chan can kiss…Lee-chan."

Most people started to crack up, but noticed Juri had more to say. "It has to be a serious kiss. Now, put your arms around eachother and go."

Ruki gave Juri a small questioning glance, and saw her best friend nod, as if answering the question. Juri knew. Ruki smiled at Lee with her eyes, and made her mouth move into an statement of horror. "Juri-chan! How could you? Now I have to kiss the loser!"

"Like you could ever kiss!" Lee called from his place in the circle, his eyes smiling in the same way, his mouth frowning.

"A lot better then you I’m sure!" Ruki retorted, barely hearing the laughter around them.

"What would you wanna bet Miss Perfect?" Lee asked, a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

"My sunglasses." She told him, having them be the only things in her pocket. "And you?"

"My jacket." Lee said with a small shrug. "I like your glasses anyways.

"Stop stalling and get on with it!" Juri told them, pushing the two closer together.

"Well?" a voice called, unidentifiable.

Kazu laughed. "They can never do it!"

"Yeah, they hate eachother to much!" Takato agreed.

"C’mon, don’t ruin my party." Juri asked quietly.

"Well I can do it, but I don’t think she can." Lee said calmly.

"I can do anything you can, better then you!" Ruki said with a touch of her old temper.

Lee looked carefully at her eyes, and was relieved to see she was still acting. Her eyes seemed to be laughing. He leaned carefully into her, feeling once again the giddy meeting of lips.

"Arms!" Juri commanded.

Ruki’s seemingly reluctant arms slid eagerly around his neck, pulling him closer. Lee carefully placed his arms at her waist, as if afraid to hurt her. Again they had the weird sensation of their hearts beating exactly in time, warmth flooding to wherever they touched.

Ruki felt his carefulness and prompted him to hold her tighter with a small squeeze. Lee obeyed happily, pulling her as tight as he could.

Ruki pushed gently at his mouth with her tongue, just as he had, feeling him react with surprise, though no one else could possibly notice it. He opened his mouth to hers and let their tongues explore freely, and heard the sound of applause.

The two pulled apart, smiling slightly at eachother through their eyes.

"Er…that was…" Kazu started to comment.

Juri hit him on the head. "You can’t rate it since you didn’t do it!"

"Lee, I just thought of something!" Ruki whispered under her breath while Juri and Kazu argued. "The acting classes! We cans see eachother there, and they know what we feel."

"That’s right!" He whispered happily. "Then we could act normally there."

"What are you two whispering about?" Takato asked.

"Probably about who won that bet." Juri commented.

"And since it was me, I’ll take that jacket." Ruki said with a smile.

Lee almost laughed. "Fine, fine." He handed it to her. "Here you go."

"I’ll wear it everyday to remind you of your loss." Ruki said, putting it on.

"Gee, thanks."

************************************************************************

They walked out of the party half an hour later, hands in their pockets.

"After we get far enough away can we actually hold hands?" Lee asked, not to happy with the arrangement.

"Look at it this way; at least I didn’t land on another boy, besides you." Ruki said.

"Hai. Why did Juri do that anyways?" Lee mused.

"I think she knows…"

"How do you know that?"

"A girls’ intuition." Ruki said. "By the way, I owe you these." She pressed her sunglasses into his hands. "We both won the bet."

Lee blushed. "Well, you were the one who frenched me."

"And you have a problem with that? You did that on our third kiss, this morning." Ruki giggled and grabbed his hand, pulling him into the park.

"Where’re we going now?" Lee asked, following with her running pace.

Ruki stopped in front of the bench they had been sitting at last night. "Here."

"Why here?" Lee asked, sitting with Ruki on the ground by the bench, both leaning back against it.

"Because you told me you loved me here. And I told you. Someday when I grow up, I’ll buy this bench and dedicate it to us." Ruki said softly, running her hands through the grass.

Lee ran his left hand through her coppery hair. "I know…I know."

Ruki leaned against his shoulder, glad to have someone to talk to.

"If you want we could always scratch our names in there now." Lee said, taking out a pen.

Ruki smiled and nodded, pointing right at the seat where she wanted it. "There…"

Lee scratched their names in a heart, taking the time to make the heart. "I’m sorry. It’s not the best looking thing."

"Hai it is!" Ruki hugged him. "Because it tells everyone who looks here that we love eachother. Not like anyone comes here, but at least we know it."

Lee smiled. "That’s true. Where do you want to go today?"

"Let’s stay here in the park." Ruki said. "We can walk around for a while."

"As you wish." Lee said cheerfully.

************************************************************************

Ruki lay out on the grass, face towards the sky. "I found a whale."

"And I found lots of marshmallows." Lee said besides her, looking up at the sky.

Ruki laughed. "That sounds more like something I would say."

"Well, maybe you’re rubbing off on me. Oh, it’s getting dark." Lee glanced at his watch. "It’s nine-o-clock already."

"Should we go home?"

"I dunno…"

"Look!" Ruki pointed up at the sky, directly at a shooting star.

"Make a wish." Lee said, already closing his eyes and doing so.

Ruki clasped her hands together and shut her eyes, wishes flying through her mind until she found the perfect one and made it.

"What’d you wish for?" Lee asked softly.

"Can’t tell, or it won’t come true." Ruki replied. "What’d you wish for?"

"I have the same answer you just gave me!" Lee replied, laughing.

"Oh."

"May I have this dance?" Lee got up and made an exaggerated bow, smiling. Music was coming from a restaurant somewhere nearby.

"Of course!" Ruki got up slowly, having learned earlier in the day how to dance. Or do a waltz at least.

Lee smiled and twirled her around. He pulled her closer as the dance went on, their feet dancing alone, while their eyes just stared into the others’.

"Five more days…" Ruki said softly, finishing the dance as the song ended.

************************************************************************

Lee quietly carried Ruki into the house, being careful not to wake her. "You had to stay out to watch your fish swim about the pond…" He laughed lightly and tucked her into her bed.

She yawned, eyes opening. "Of course…my Grandmother always does it at night. I go along with her. She says it’s tucking the fishies in."

Lee smiled. "Hai, well you need some sleep now, Angel."

Ruki tugged at his arm. "You have to hold me." She said plaintively.

Lee sighed and pulled up the covers, sliding in. He slowly wrapped his arms around her, and she fell asleep. She must have been tired…he thought as he felt her chest rise in time with his. He looked at her head of copper, closed violet eyes, cute stern face. He knew that most people would say this match was doomed, but he really and truly didn’t think he could have lived without knowing this side of Ruki. She always shut people out, keeping her heart locked away. How he got in, he didn’t know, but he hoped he could always keep the key to her heart.

************************************************************************

Renamon looked at the two sleeping tamers, arms wrapped around eachother. She noted wryly that they were still wearing yesterday’s clothes. She shook her head with a sigh. She was glad for Ruki, she really was, but what if one of them got hurt? In the digital world…the other would most likely be out of control.

The digimon shook her head and disappeared, deciding she and Leomon could always train some more.

************************************************************************

Ruki awoke in Lee’s arms, with the boy asleep. She glanced at the clock and rolled her eyes, remembering they had school today. She looked at Lee to wake him up and saw his tousled dark hair. She sighed, and snuggled closer into his hold, feeling his arms tighten protectively.

"Ruki…" he whispered softly, still asleep.

Ruki turned pink, then smiled. He’s dreaming about me? She felt giddy, but quickly calmed herself down, reminding her giddy half she had school. "Lee…?"

Lee moaned softly and opened his eyes. "Morning Ruki."

"We have school today, Lee. It’s time to get up."

The dark-haired boy nodded. "I know. Can’t we just stay here a few more minutes?"

"If you want to miss breakfast." Ruki told him, perfectly happy to snuggle into his hold as far as she could.

"I’m fine with it if you are." Lee said with a smile, running his hands through her hair.

"Well, I’m fine with it." Ruki tilted her head up and gave him a smile.

"Hai, and since you’re a girl, you’re smarter then I am. At not just staying here and cuddling all day." Lee joked softly.

"Probably not, I just have more control. But I’m quickly losing it, and seriously considering calling in sick. So stop looking so cute!" Ruki scolded softly.

"I really doubt looking cute right now, but if you say so. You aren’t helping much either." Lee smiled.

"We should get going now…" Ruki said softly, sighing.

"Okay, but can I ask for one thing?"

"What?" Ruki asked.

"Just one kiss?"

"Of course."

Lee leaned his mouth to Ruki’s and they met.

************************************************************************

Terriormon sighed. Lee hadn’t been home in a while now. He was going to stay with a friend for a week. But why had Lee turned red when he asked whom and vehemently protested to Terriormon coming along?

Renamon had stopped by a few times and given him hints, but they weren’t very helpful. And reading Lee’s diary didn’t work either. His last entry was as follows:

Dear Diary,

I really think I may have gone crazy lately, but I feel fine…so what’s the matter with me? I mean, I’m falling for her. That’s just not like me…I can’t even speak normally to her anymore. I have to put on a face to stop myself from blurting out anything dumb, but I manage to anyways. As a result I’ve been yelling at her a lot more often and we’ve been arguing. It’s making Takato-chan really angry. Ruki seems to think of me as more of a loser. I can’t stand it! Why would Ruki think of me in such a way? I know she thinks of me no diffrently from Takato-chan. Ruki doesn’t seem to want to get close to any of us boys, though she’s closer to Renamon and Juri-chan now. Calamon still follows her around trying to get her to laugh. Of course, Renamon is always there, so it’s hard to say anything without being stopped by a well-timed interruption. Then there’s the copper hair. I can’t help but stare at it…I think silly things, like what it feels and smells like. And the violet eyes. I stare at her eyes and she thinks I’m weirder, but I really can’t help it. I made a wish upon a star the other night, that I would figure out what I feel. I hope it comes true.

Yours Truly,

*Lee Jenrya*

Then there was a small drawing.

Terriormon thought it was a pretty face, but he really didn’t know whom it was. Without the smile it might have been Ruki, but Ruki hardly ever smiled.

************************************************************************

Ruki stared straight ahead all through class, bored. She started to doodle on her paper, a sketchy picture of Lee with Terriormon on his head.

"Miss Nonaka?" The teacher asked, surprised. Ruki hardly ever daydreamed. "Perhaps you would like to join the class?" The teacher took the drawing and almost fainted. "A-A boy? Ruki, we were starting to think you weren’t normal! Congratulations! But you will get a detention. Nice picture though!" The teacher tacked it to the bulletin board with a bright smile.

Ruki sweatdropped, but she couldn’t get her mind off Lee for the entire class. She kept reliving the past two days second for second.

************************************************************************

Lee couldn’t help but keep his mind all on Ruki throughout all his classes, eagerly awaiting the time when they would meet for a Digi-tamers meeting. His teachers constantly rebuked him and the dark-haired boy ended up with a detention. Takato somehow got a detention, as did Juri, for arguing he shouldn’t get one, and the annoying ones, as Ruki called them. He laughed silently at her name for them.

Slowly he turned red as he relived the past two days, remembering this morning. Did I actually moan when she said my name?! He turned redder by the second. It wasn’t helping at all that Takato had told Alice Lee liked her when Lee didn’t. He couldn’t. He loved Ruki with all of himself. There wasn’t any room left over to love anyone but her. He hoped Terriormon was doing okay…but then, he had left him with Takato after all. No matter how angry he was at someone, Takato would never harm a Digimon.

He blushed a bit again. What if digimon liked the digimon of the tamer their tamer liked? Had that even made sense? Was he making sense? Lee started banging his head on his desk, confused.

"Mr. Jenrya! Really! This is detention! Please stop it at once!" The teacher glared at him and he went as red as was possible.

"Sorry." Lee squeaked, not being used to being the one in trouble. That was usually Takato’s job.

Takato snickered; thinking it would be Alice that Lee was thinking off.

Lee glared at him, shutting Takato up, while Juri just watched knowingly.

************************************************************************

Juri pulled Lee to the side of the building by a tree, letting Takato go on ahead. Lee looked at her with a question in his eyes, and she smiled.

"You love Ruki-chan." She said simply.

Lee turned red. "Ah…um…h-how do you know?"

"I saw you two kissing in the kitchen at my party. Plus Ruki-chan’s been smiling a lot lately, as have you. I know my friends, and I’m not oblivious as everyone thinks, like Takato-chan is." Ruki said softly. "I know who likes who, and who hates who. I watch. Takato-chan likes me, while I don’t like him like that. I may someday, but not now. You like Ruki-chan and she likes you, Lee-chan. The annoying ones, as Ruki-chan calls them, like any girl that can walk. Ryo-chan likes Ruki-chan though, so be careful. And Alice-san likes you. I like someone, but I’ll never tell you who it is."

Lee hesitated them nodded. "We probably should have been more careful there." He said ruefully. "If Takato finds out, we’re toast. Or our friendship is, rather."

"I know. I’m not quite sure why he hates Ruki-chan so much. Leomon doesn’t know either, and he knows more then me. He says you’re staying at Ruki-chan’s house. Is it really true you’ve been sleeping together?"

"Hai—" Lee saw her look. "Not like that! We stay fully clothed! We just hold on to eachother! It’s called hugging!"

"Oh, good." She breathed out a sigh of relief. "I didn’t think you would be so stupid. So that’s all you’ve been doing?"

"Well, we…uh…kiss…" Lee squeaked.

Juri smiled. "I know that. How far have you gotten in that area? French kisses?"

He just nodded, so brightly red he was unable to speak.

"So, give me the details! How does it feel? Taste? It does have a taste, right?" As Lee was about to faint, Ruki walked up.

"Oh, leave him be Juri-chan! It’s not nice." Juri giggled and Ruki went on. "Come over for dinner tonight and I’ll tell you so Lee doesn’t faint. Or turn any redder." Ruki was lightly pink as well.

Juri smiled. "Hai, well, you’ll come out eventually, won’t you?"

"When Takato-chan can accept it." Lee said, less red.

"Good. Otherwise he may find out the hard way."

"Unfortunately, the hard way may be the easy way in this case Juri-chan." Ruki said softly, leaning against Lee’s arm.

"What do you mean?" Juri and Lee asked together.

"You know how Takato has been really mean towards me in the past month?" The other two nodded. "Well, we all know he wouldn’t have acted like this towards a relationship between Lee and myself before then."

"Hai, it’s really unlike Takato-chan." Lee agreed softly.

"Well, it’s sorta because he…spied on Juri." Ruki said softly.

"How would that have anything to do with you Ruki?" Lee asked.

"Juri-chan? You mind telling him please?" Ruki asked softly.

Juri cleared her throat. "I’m really sorry, but before last month, Ruki-chan and Ryo-chan were arguing, and I tried to stop them. The only way I could do that was to give them a really big shock. So I sorta…IsortasaidthatIwasinlovewithRuki." Juri said quickly turning red.

"She isn’t." Ruki assured Lee as she felt him tense. "She likes Ryo. Who likes me. Whom I don’t like. It’s just that Takato heard and…well, you get the picture. Tears, shouting, Ryo and I finally stopped fighting."

"I think he perfectly wondrous!" Juri went star-eyed.

"You can have him." Ruki informed her friend. "I don’t want him."

"Ruki…you can’t give away someone who’s in love with you." Lee said.

"Would you rather I tell him the truth and set CyberDraman on you?" Ruki asked.

"Er, on second though Juri-chan can have him!" Lee agreed quickly.

Juri had already gone.

"She disappears like Renamon sometimes." Ruki said approvingly.

"Hey Ruki…"

"Hai Lee?"

"Do you like Ryo at all?" Lee asked.

"No. As a friend maybe, but not like he likes me. This is all getting too confusing!" Ruki leaned into Lee’s chest with a sigh.

"I can agree with you on that…I can agree with you on that." Lee ran his hands through her hair.

************************************************************************

Takato glared at Ruki as she came out, Lee behind her. How could a girl like her, or a girl even, take away Juri? And why was Lee always so near her nowadays? Ruki was one of those girls, wasn’t she?

"Hi Lee-chan!" He called out with a fake smile. "Hi Juri-chan! Took you guys long enough!"

"Isn’t Ryo-chan supposed to come to this meeting?" Juri asked, frowning.

"Yeah." Kazu said. "Isn’t he great? I mean, he can even beat Ruki-chan!" Two rocks immediately hit Kazu, though everyone was too busy laughing to worry whom threw them.

"Um, Kazu-chan, could you stop saying how great I am please?" Ryo came into view, CyberDraman following.

"Hai, you’re making me sick…" Ruki glared in Kazu’s general direction and leaned against a tree, arms crossed.

"Hi Ruki-chan!" Ryo walked up to her. "How are you today?"

Ruki put on a fake cheerful voice. "Great! Why, ever since you came in I’ve been magnificent!" Everyone could hear the dripping sarcasm she put into the words.

Ryo laughed good-naturedly. "Anyone who can actually tame you would be one heck of a guy!"

"Or girl." Takato muttered under his breath.

"What was that?" Lee asked, glaring at Takato.

"Nothing!" Takato smiled, whistling innocently.

Ryo blinked, then smiled again. "I’m glad I’m in this world again. Hey, Ruki-chan, would you mind terribly my asking you to dinner?"

"Hai!" Ruki and Lee snapped.

"Take Juri-chan. I’m sure she’d love to go." Ruki finished.

"Hai, that’d be great!" Juri smiled.

"Nah, I guess Ruki-chan wouldn’t want a date, so I’ll just eat alone…with CyberDraman of course." Ryo said cheerfully.

"Though I don’t see why Lee would actually care if Ryo went to dinner, it’s cool when you guys speak together!" Kazu said. The other annoying one was amazingly quiet. ((I forgot his name! ^^’’’))

"Hai, why would you care?" Ryo asked, still smiling.

"We have to study for a project tonight. Together." Lee said, smiling a fake smile.

"Oh. So you’re not girlfriend and boyfriend I take it?" Ryo asked.

"Of course not!" Takato said for them.

"Then you wouldn’t mind?" Ryo asked.

"Mind what?" Ruki asked in confusion.

"This." Ryo leaned forward with a smile still on his face, and his lips met Ruki’s eagerly. He pushed himself against her on the tree, and Ruki was too shocked to do anything. Ruki froze, unable to move as things ran through her head, and Ryo took that as acceptance of him and pushed through her lips with his tongue.

Lee saw everything happen, as if in slow motion, and was just as frozen as Ruki. Then he saw her eyes widen, and Ryo’s tongue trying to get through; and succeeding.

Ryo pushed himself further against Ruki, and slid a hand just between her legs, making her glow red.

Ryo immediately fell to the ground, punched by Lee, who was glowering with anger. Lee rammed his knee into the other boy’s stomach as he tried to get up, and the two were soon engaged in a common fistfight.

Juri ran up from her frozen position and knelt by Ruki, whispering things to her, making Takato glower. The annoying ones fainted.

************************************************************************

Ruki fell to the ground, sliding down the tree. Her hand flew to her mouth, wiping it, but the dirty taste was still there. She might have been flattered last week, or even three days ago, but someone had kissed her other then Lee.

She felt dirty and wrong. He had been wrong, from what Grandma said. It was wrong to touch someone there. It was wrong.

And then there was him trying to stick his tongue in her mouth. He hadn’t pushed lightly, in the almost testing way Lee had. It hadn’t been a question. It had been a violation of what she felt.

When Lee did things he hadn’t gone that far, not touching her there, and not doing anything without her consent.

Ruki didn’t feel so happy, so giddy, about the few kisses Lee had exchanged with her, about him holding her and rocking her to sleep. What if he did what Ryo had done?

She wouldn’t, and couldn’t resist. She had tried, but she wasn’t strong enough to push away. Ruki heard comforting words and phrases in her ear and felt herself being rocked; by Juri no doubt. He had pushed when he touched her there, violating what was right to do. She didn’t really know if it was even right to do the small things she and Lee had done now.

She looked past Juri’s comforting and sisterly grasp and saw Lee and Ryo. Lee was yelling something. Gone was the calm outside; now he was just anger and fury with Ryo. And it scared her; to see the calm lost so fast. Because of her.

Ryo wasn’t smiling anymore, and he didn’t look happy. He was bleeding, Ruki realized. Both boys were. They were fighting, because of her.

"Shhh, shhh, shhh. Calm down Ruki-chan, everything will be fine." Juri whispered, rocking her friend back and forth. "Renamon’s trying to calm down CyberDraman; she and Terriormon and keeping him under control. Lee-chan has Ryo down; shhh, shhh, shhh."

Ruki couldn’t say anything; just listen and cry. Just listen and cry.

************************************************************************

Lee looked at Ryo in a new way; hatred. He’d never really hated anyone that much before. "How could you do that?!"

Ryo glared. "You said you weren’t her boyfriend!"

"That’s not an answer! It doesn’t matter if I am or I’m not! That was wrong! You touched her! No one, no one, should be touched in that way!"

"She didn’t try to stop me!" Ryo shouted back.

"And you took that as a ‘Hai, violate me all you want’?" Lee shouted back.

"All we did was what you saw! Nothing else!"

"I hate to think what you would have done if she had agreed to go out with you!"

"A lot more then you could ever do, that’s for sure. I’m outta here…" Ryo stalked away, CyberDraman behind him.

************************************************************************

Lee quickly turned around and ran up to Ruki. "Ruki! Are you alright?"

Ruki stared up at him in utter horror, and cringed nearer to Juri. Juri had been crying, and looked oddly confused.

Of course, Lee thought, I would scare her…I’m a boy. After what Ryo tried to do I don’t blame her. And Juri-chan just found out that her crush is a jerk.

"Juri-chan can you help me get Ruki home? I don’t think she’ll be able to stand being touched by boys at all." Lee asked softly.

"Hai." Juri pulled Ruki to her feet. "C’mon Ruki-chan…time to go home now."

Ruki clutched Juri’s helping arm and followed, giving never a back glance.

************************************************************************

Ruki woke up in her own bed, alone. She carefully looked at her arm where Ryo had grabbed her. The bruise was healing. She looked around for any signs of others and saw none. Sniffing slightly she noticed the smell of hot soup and the door opened, to show a sleepy Lee. He didn’t seem to notice she was awake, and set the tray carefully down on her bedside table. He looked at her and smiled in surprise.

"Ruki! You’re awake!" There were circles under his eyes, and his dark hair was mussed. "You slept the whole night away. I brought you some soup and some tea. After crying as much as you did you’ll need it." The boy looked at her with a kind smile, yet she shrank back.

He might try what Ryo did…her mind told her softly, every single little thing.

"Ruki? I’m not going to hurt you…if you don’t want me to I won’t touch you at all. See? No touchy!" Lee held up his hands with that stupid goofy grin and put them behind his back. Bowing he turned and left.

Ruki sniffed. Everything was so confusing; It already had been but now it was more so then ever. She was afraid of Lee; she was afraid of boys in general now. And she still loved him. Just less openly.

************************************************************************

"How is she Lee-chan?" Juri sipped the tea Lee had made her with a concerned look.

"She’ll be fine, I hope. I leave in four days. She still hasn’t said a word to me, and she shies away from any contact, emotionally and physically." Lee frowned, sipping his own tea. "How are you Juri-chan? It was a bit to handle for you as well, I’m guessing."

"I’m…okay. Just worried about Ruki-chan now. My family doesn’t have any idea about all of this, so they can’t help. Leomon isn’t exactly understanding about this, but he tries. You help sometimes, but you’re just not a girl. Ruki-chan hasn’t talked to me, but I go on and on about all that happens. She listens, and I can touch her fine, doing her hair and such. She’s the only girl I have to help me in this situation, so I don’t think my emotional wounds will heal until she helps them too."

Lee nodded.

"How are you Lee-chan?" Juri asked softly.

"I’m fine. I just…"

"You can’t help still loving her? And you can’t get close…hmm."

"Juri-chan, you know what I’m talking about, like always."

"Of course Lee-chan. Why shouldn’t I? Just become her friend again. If both of you then mutually want a relationship, you can have one."

"I wish it was that simple Juri-chan."

"But it is Lee-chan. It’s so simple you can’t even see it."

************************************************************************

Ruki looked over the fishpond, again ‘tucking the fishies in’.

"Ruki-chan?" Lee came up behind her, careful to stay out of her five feet of personal space. "Ruki-chan, can we be friends again? We never have to be more if you don’t want to be, ever. But can we at least be friends?" His voice sounded pitiful, almost like he was begging her.

Ruki’s voice was raspy and rarely used now, over the past two days. "On one condition."

"Anything."

"Never hurt me…"

"I never would."

************************************************************************

Ruki listened to Lee’s voice going on reading some fairy-tale. He seemed happy enough to read, so Ruki gladly let him; as long as he was doing something.

She had had plenty on time to think. Thoughts had come and gone, but one stuck. She was pitiful. She shrank away from the whole human race because of one pathetic boy. Whom she would gladly knock out if she got the chance. The phone rang, interrupting her thoughts of how to torture Ryo.

"Hello, Nonaka residence!" Lee said cheerfully. "Ms. Nonaka? Oh, This is Lee Jenrya; I’m the friend who’s staying over. Your daughter? I’m afraid she’s sick, but I’m going to help her get better. Mm-hmm. Hai. I know. Hai. What? Um, sure, I can. Um bye?" He hung up the phone. "Um, Ruki-chan?"

"What?" The girl asked in her old cross voice.

Lee smiled. "Um, your mother can’t come home for another month or two. She’s asked me to stay. She’s going to New York or something, big photo shoot."

Ruki blinked. Was this good or bad? "Take me to our bench please."

Lee stared. "But you’re sick Ruki-chan! You shouldn’t be going—"

"Please Lee?"

"Alright."

************************************************************************

Lee carefully set Ruki down on the bench, then sat on the ground.

"Lee?"

"Hai Ruki-chan?"

"Stop using the chan please Lee."

"I thought we were friends…"

"We are. Just call me Ruki like you used to, please."

"Hai Ruki."

"Do you remember the two times we came here so far?"

"Hai. How could I forget them? I mean, uh, um, hai!"

Ruki giggled. "Um, hai. Why didn’t you put the word ‘forever’ in there, like others usually do?"

Lee sighed. "Because I didn’t think you could really ever love me forever. And…you didn’t."

Ruki paled. "What do you mean?"

Lee smiled softly, looking at the sky. "Remember when we made a wish on the shooting stars that came by? I wished you would love me forever, and no one else. Silly waste of a wish is what you would say; I know, because your voice talks to me every second of every day. I love you every second of every day. And I can’t stop no matter how hard I try. I don’t even want to. You’re one of the most important things in my life that keeps me anchored to myself, so as not to float away. Ashiteru Ruki."

"Lee…"

"You don’t have to say anything; if being friends if the most we can be, I’ll do so. Just so I can make sure you’re all right." Lee said softly.

"Can you tell me something Lee?"

"Anything."

"Has this all been a dream?"

He smiled up at her ruefully. "Ne."

"Then I’ve been wasting my time."

Lee winced. "I know I’m worthless, but isn’t that harsh?"

Ruki reached down and grabbed his head, pulling him up to meet her lips. She pulled away. "Not you! Ryo. I should have punched him out like you did…the next time I see him…"

Lee’s grey eyes stared through her. "Ruki? Is that you?" He asked weakly.

Ruki laughed and tumbled down on top of him. "Who else would it be?"

"You’re back! Geez, you’ve been acting strangely, that’s all." Lee held her tight.

"I guess I just needed a little shock, that’s all." She smiled. "Now are you going to chatter some more or what?"

"Depends on what the what is." Lee smiled.

"What is you shutting up and kissing me, you dummy!" Ruki smiled back.

"I’ll take what." Lee said softly, leaning closer.

************************************************************************

Ruki tugged at Lee’s arm, hoping he would eventually notice.

"Whaaaaat?" Lee asked, waking up.

"Two things! One, I want to visit Juri-chan and thank her for the flowers she put in my room while I was sick, and two, Let’s go out today. Please?" Ruki grinned and flopped on the bed beside him.

"Don’t we also have a Digi-tamers meeting?" Lee threw a pillow at her.

"Hey! What was that for?" Rika asked, not seeing it in time to dodge it.

"For waking me up." Lee said, not managing to duck under the pillow she clobbered him with.

************************************************************************

Juri smiled sweetly at the two as they asked to come in, and showed them to her room. "Ruki-chan, it’s good to see you’re back to normal."

"Normal as in beating me up…" Lee muttered evilly, earning a smile from Ruki.

"You’re the one who started it." A feather wafted out of Lee’s hair and he glared at it. "And I just happened to win." Ruki smiled.

"Which is so not fair." Lee said in a cheerful tone, clasping her hands in his under the table.

Juri frowned, confused. "Um, nani?"

"We had a fight." Ruki explained.

"Yeah, a pillow fight." Lee took a feather from Ruki’s hair and set it down.

Juri laughed. "Well, that sounds juvenile, more like something Takato-chan would do."

Ruki frowned slightly, but smiled when Juri raised an eyebrow. "Anyways Juri-chan, I wanted to thank you for the flowers."

"Sure Ruki-chan. I thought you might like something bright." Juri smiled. "Now I have a new crush, just so you guys know."

"Um, who?" Lee asked, earning a glare from Ruki.

"Chris-chan! He’s new in school." She smiled cheerfully. "Oh, did you hear that our schools are combining for the Valentine’s Day Dance? That way you two can go together, if you come out by then."

The two looked at eachother uncomfortably. "Hey Juri-chan?" Ruki asked softly. "When we grow up someday are you going to help me with my wedding?" Lee fell over at this point, and Juri went starry-eyed.

"Of course! If you help me with mine. We can both be maids of honor!" Juri smiled.

"Er…Lee?" Ruki sweatdropped.

"Boys…" Juri said with a long-suffering sigh.

************************************************************************

Lee walked in silence beside Ruki, thinking.

"Lee? Are you upset about what I asked Juri-chan? It’s not like you’re ever gonna have to marry me. I just meant someday, if I ever get married."

"Ne! It’s not that! It’s just that…I think it would be nice…if…if…someday we got married…b-but I would come to your wedding too, even if it weren’t me you were marrying."

"Lee…when we each made a wish on the star, I wished for the same thing. Maybe there really is magic, and maybe not, but I’m never going to have my wedding without it being exactly as I’ve imagined it."

"Which would be?" Lee asked, curious in spite of himself.

"My mom is going to do my dress; that’s like her life-long dream. Juri-chan will be the maid of honor, and she’ll wear something mom makes…The annoying ones will be…well, making trouble. And you I can imagine perfectly, because I’m going to choose your outfit." Ruki explained, and rambled on about decorations and peach blossom flowers. "And when you propose, if this ever happens, you’d do it right on the bench we always go to; our bench. And it’d be dedicated to us when we do it, so we’ll talk, nervous, and then you ask. My dream is really fantasy-like though."

"Why?" Lee asked, frowning.

"Because, how will anything like that ever happen so perfectly?"

************************************************************************

Lee sighed, sitting on their bench, as Ruki called it, waiting for the other Digi-tamers.

"Er…Lee Jenrya, right?" A blonde girl sat next to him, smiling.

"Hai. Alice, right?"

"Hai!" She smiled brightly. "I was just wondering what’s wrong. You look sort of down."

"I do?" Lee blinked, unsure of what to be thinking.

"Hai, it’s almost like it’s less bright over here. Oh, look at the tree!" Lee looked where Alice pointed and saw above them a peach blossom tree, the kind Ruki liked. Now that he looked he could see why…

"It’s beautiful." He said softly, thinking about everything Ruki had described.

"Hai." Alice smiled. "I’m more of a plum blossom girl myself."

Ruki hadn’t exactly come right out and said she hated them, just glared at the plum blossom flowers once. "I don’t really like them."

"Oh, that’s too bad." Alice frowned. "Say, do you want to know something?"

"Hai." Lee stared off at a peach blossom, thinking.

"I know who you like." Alice’s words had Lee’s head turned in a second.

"You do?!" Lee hoped she hadn’t told Takato.

"Hai. Me…" Alice leaned forwards, kissing Lee straight on the mouth, then pulling away. She looked up in surprise at something ahead of her, making Lee turn.

Ruki stood there, mouth trembling, and simply ran off. "Ruki!" Lee called, standing. "Wait up!" But she was already gone. "Ruki…"

Alice glared. "Um, I just kissed you and all you can do is yell at your friend?"

"That wasn’t my friend, That was the girl I like!" Lee shouted at her. "If Takato had any brains he would know it!" Alice ran off in a different direction, leaving a confused Lee.

Great…he thought. Just great.

************************************************************************

Ruki saw Alice lean in to kiss Lee, and saw him not move, then look up. He’d shouted for her to stop, but what was the use? He had broken the promise; he’d hurt her. She bumped into Juri, making both of them fall down.

"Ruki-chan, what’s wrong?" Juri helped her friend up.

"I-I-I saw L-lee k-kissing A-a-alice!" Ruki sputtered, crying.

"What?" Juri asked, surprised. "But he loves you."

"T-that’s w-w-wh-a-at I t-thought!" Ruki cried.

"That…that jerk! How could he?" Juri shouted, making Takato come up.

"Um…Juri-chan, why is Ruki crying?" Takato asked, frowning.

"Lee was a jerk!" Juri yelled. "He has offended all women!"

"Uh…try that again?"

"Lee kissed Alice-chan." Juri said calmly.

Ruki went on crying.

"Um. Er. I think I’ll go now…"

************************************************************************

Terriormon looked at Lee who was on his bed, writing something, erasing and muttering. "Momentai."

"What?" Lee looked up, and Terriormon noticed he had circles beneath his eyes.

"I said momentai. I don’t know what you’re worried about Lee, but you look like you haven’t slept for days."

"I haven’t." Lee said softly, slamming his head into his pillow over and over again.

Humans sure do act strange…Terriormon thought, sweatdropping.

"Honey?" Lee’s mother came in, and Terriormon immediately looked like a stuffed animal. "Oh my, honey, stop that! You’ll hurt yourself!"

"I deserve it…" Lee said miserably.

"What could you possibly do to deserve that?"

"The girl I love saw me get kissed by some weirdo Takato told liked me." Lee went back to banging his head.

"Well don’t just stand there man!" Lee’s mother was suddenly dressed in battle clothes. "This is war! You’ll get her back if you try. You just need to get in touch with your female side to find out how to get her back!"

Lee fell over. "Mom…you’re scaring me."

Lee’s mother went back to normal. "Well, good luck hun!"

"I’ll need it…"

"You like someone Lee?" Terriormon asked.

"…"

************************************************************************

Ruki let Juri brush out her hair while she talked about the Valentine’s Day Dance. "It’s tonight Ruki-chan! You should really come. Please?"

"What if Lee’s there?" She asked softly.

"Then you can ignore him. C’mon I’d feel lonely without my sister there."

"But we’re not sisters…" Ruki protested with a smile.

"Well, it feels like it, so there." Juri smiled. "Besides, we can get all dressed up in some of your clothes…if I can borrow some. You have two rooms full of clothes…"

"You can." Ruki said. "It’s just that I…"

"Still love him? Yeah, I had this talk with Lee too. He was confused on what to do when you were…out of it."

"Juri-chan. You really are a sister to me, you know that? You are to all of us." Ruki said affectionately.

"Chris-chan too." Juri sighed. "I wish he could just see I like him like him!"

"Juri…can I ask you a question?"

"Hai Ruki. What is it?"

"Well…"

************************************************************************

Lee sighed, playing with his hands. "Are you absolutely totally sure I can do this?" He asked Kazu. ((Er…advice from Kazu…there’s a scary thought. Really.))

Kazu nodded. "Um, hai! You won’t get in trouble either. We made sure that you could, didn’t we Ryan?" He nudged the boy next to him.

"Uh, hai!" Ryan nodded.

Lee sweatdropped. "You didn’t?"

Kazu laughed. "Just trying to scare you. It’s actually okay with the Principal. We are the entertainment crew after all; after getting caught playing Digimon cards during class." Both of the troublemakers laughed.

"Anyways, you’re up last. Ruki-chan is doing something with Juri-chan and this other girl Meg. Just thought you might want to know. And Takato-chan is doing…" Ryan flipped through a list of names. "Um…’the giant talking box?’"

Lee and Kazu fell over.

"So, Kazu, go get our lights people to take their places! Tonight’s the big night. Hey Lee, you mind handing out flowers to anyone who enters? We’re short on people." Ryan said.

Lee smiled, and nodded. "Hai. Just point me there."

************************************************************************

Ruki glanced herself over again. "Juri-chan, I don’t look like me…"

"Of course you do Ruki-chan. You are you, so whatever you look like looks like you. Anyways, you look nice. Thanks for letting me borrow this dress!"

"Arigato Juri-chan."

Ruki again eyed herself. Her copper hair was down about her face in a wavy style that Juri had done, almost reminding Ruki of her mother’s hair. Her lips were a light shade of pink, as always, and she was wearing blush ((which Juri had forced upon Ruki.)).

Her dress was a slim light pink gown with cloth roses on the straps. It was plain, but she still looked different, and was even wearing white high-heels.

Juri had permed her hair, and was wearing eyeshadow and lipstick as well as blush. Juri had chosen a wide-skirted white gown, with red and pink beads sewn all over it in intricate designs.

"You remember our whole act?" Juri asked.

"Hai. You?"

"Always."

Meg came out ((she’s just made up to be there.)) wearing a long tan skirt and white blouse, brown hair about her shoulders as usual. Her features weren’t very memorable, but she was playing the piano for their piece. "I have all my music." She said in a soft voice.

"Then let’s go!" Juri dragged both of the others out the door.

************************************************************************

"Okay!" The announcer, clothed in a tuxedo like all the boys and men, popped out of no where, making the Principal fall over on stage. "Um, sorry Miss!"

"No…problem." The principal crawled away.

"The first act is Takato and the amazing Giant Box!" The announcer sweatdropped. "Who knows what THAT is…"

Takato came out dragging a big box. "Okay, my box can talk!"

Everyone fell over.

"Ne, seriously! Who’s the man, box?"

"But my name is Guilomon, Takatomon!" The box responded.

Takato was pushed off the stage.

"Er, okay! The next act is by three lovely ladies who call themselves…The Muses?" The announcer looked confused.

Meg walked out and took her seat at the piano, while a red Ruki and normal Juri took the microphones.

"This song is dedicated to anyone who’s ever been hurt. It’s titled ‘And so…’" Juri said quietly.

Meg started to play, and Juri started to sing. "Ice and rain, hail and snow, I’ve always had somewhere to go…" She stopped and the lights focused on Ruki and Juri.

((I’m doing it in a different form for the song now.))

Ruki: Until now…tell me why I’m lost and why I’m scared, please. ((She closes her eyes while singing, redness fading away.))

Juri: ‘Cause over my heart soon ice shall freeze. ((She goes to the opposite side of the stage from Ruki.))

Ruki: And so I’m scared, and so I’m hurt, and so I cry…((the light change to purple around her.))

Juri: And sometimes upon the hard and frozen ground I wish I could lie.

Ruki: And so I cry, and so I weep, getting never a wink of sleep. ((Stretches out her right arm to audience))

Juri: And so I’m tired, and so I’ll freeze…without you there’s no warmth in me. ((Crosses her arms over her chest.))

Ruki: And so I lie, and say it’s okay. Say you never mattered to me anyways. ((Her arms drop to her sides.))

Juri: But unfortunately…

Ruki: It’s far from the truth. I wish I could be…((Goes to center stage.))

Juri: Again the one you love. It’s so hard for me! ((Goes to center stage with Ruki.))

Ruki: And so I cry, and so I weep, getting never a wink of sleep. ((Reaches out and puts her microphone back on the stand.))

Juri: And so I’m tired, and so I’ll freeze…without you there’s no warmth in me. ((does the same.))

Ruki: Please, if you must truly go away…grant me my last request this day.

Juri: Not to live and not to die…How can I hold my fears at bay?

Ruki: One last kiss, I beg of thee. Just some more warmth to share with me.

Juri: Oh can’t you see?

Ruki: With your kiss, I feel strong, like you’ll never do me wrong.

Juri: But I was wrong, and they were right…I have no more inner sight.

Ruki: Warmth from you spreads to me, filling me with ecstasy…

Juri: But never again…You said goodbye.

Ruki: And so I cry, and so I weep, getting never a wink of sleep.

Juri: Until the day when I fade away, and never come again.

Ruki: And even then, my spirit shall cry.

Juri: Because I think of only you inside.

Ruki: And so I cry, and so I weep, getting never a wink of sleep.

((Back to normal format now!))

"Hey, that was good!" The announcer said after a loud applause from the audience, smiling.

Can that song possibly be about me? Lee thought softly, blushing. Ruki sings really well…

Next were a firebreather, a clown, and a psychic. Then came Lee, who was pushed on stage by Kazu.

"Now we have Lee Jenrya who is singing a song!" The announcer said, making Lee turn redder.

He came up the microphone, and there was an awkward silence. Lee cleared his throat, after getting hit by a pencil Kazu threw. Quite a few people laughed. "Um, this song is titled ‘So Simple.’ I have to thank Kazu, who…er…got a band together to play the music."

Kazu smiled and waved from the guitar he was going to play.

((Back to the song format! ::sighs:: ))