Stay Tuned As Life Continues

To say that Yamato woke up when his cell phone’s alarm clock went off would be an over statement. Still clinging onto the depths of sleep Yamato rolled off his side and opened and closed his cell phone. Yamato started to drift back to sleep when he realized his left arm was tingling and numb. Yamato tried to lift his arm to stretch it and wake it up. When he couldn’t, he took it as a sign to go back to sleep. So he rolled back over onto his side. It was then that Yamato woke up. His brother was still sleeping peacefully next to him. Yamato carefully jerked his arm from under his brother, and resumed watching his brother breath in and out, still asleep. Why was his brother in bed with him? Yamato stretched his arms, trying to awaken the one his brother had been laying on. His brain still too tired to think, Yamato tried to gently get out of bed, but that was easier said than done. For what Yamato’s brain was still too tired to remember was, that Yamato’s floor was entirely covered in boxes.

Yamato remembered now, Takeru and him had spent half the night packing boxes. It was when the room was filled with boxes that they realized that the futon mattress that Takeru usually slept on would no longer be able to fit. To spare Takeru from sleeping on the old lumpy couch, Yamato had suggested that his younger brother should just sleep with him. Yamato smiled at the thought. It was just like when they were both younger before their parent’s divorce. Takeru would sneak into Yamato’s bed, and when his older brother would protest, Takeru would just put on puppy eyes and complain of nightmares. Yamato stood there reminiscing about the past, and how the night before had brought back some of the closeness between his brother and him. But something was different, something felt out of place about the whole situation. But Yamato didn’t have the time to think about it then, he still had to shower and start breakfast before his friends showed up. So Yamato tip-toed over to his duffle bag and pulled some clean clothes out, as he slipped out the door he checked to make sure that his brother was still sleeping. Having seen that he was Yamato headed towards the shower.

Thirty minutes flew by as Yamato showered, got dressed and did his hair. It could have taken him longer but he cut it short because he still had to start breakfast. As Yamato strolled into the kitchen his father was leaning on the counter, a mug of fresh hot coffee steaming in his hands. Mr. Ishida looked very worn out, the bags under his eyes were numerous, his hair was starting to grey. Yamato knew his father worked too hard and too often for the television company, but he never heard his dad complain. He knew that was where he got his ability to bottle things up from the world, he only hoped that Takeru didn’t inherit the same trait.

Mr. Ishida opened a cupboard door and reached for the top shelf pulling a mug from it. He set it down on the counter next to the coffee pot. “Still like your coffee with cream and sugar?”, Mr. Ishida said as he poured the piping hot coffee into the mug.

“No, I take it black now.” Yamato said, walking over to his father to grab the mug he was now offering him.

“That’s my boy.” Mr. Ishida said as he handed the mug to his eldest son. “Your friends will be here soon. If you need help just holler.” Mr. Ishida then walked out of the kitchen.
Yamato raised the mug up to his mouth and took a big swig. The hot coffee burnt his mouth so he swallowed it down quickly, but much to his dismay it burnt going down as well. Yamato then started getting ready for cooking breakfast. But as he got out various pans, skillets bowls and knives he heard his bedroom door open and close, and not long after that the shower start. Yamato started peeling potatoes. Yamato had decided he wasn’t going to make the typical Japanese breakfast, instead he planned on a Full Breakfast. It seemed the only way he could convince all of his friends to arrive so early in the morning.

Yamato hadn’t even finished peeling the last potato before he heard the shower stop. It wasn’t long after that, that Takeru appeared in the kitchen. His shaggy blonde hair still dripping water onto his white t-shirt.

“Thanks for using all the hot water, Onii-chan.” Said Takeru as he walked over and grabbed his brother’s coffee mug.

“No problem Teeks, thanks for your help with breakfast.” Yamato said as he pulled the eggs out of the refrigerator.

Takeru ignored his brother and walked over to his mug of coffee. Takeru took a swig of the coffee and choked it down. He stuck his tongue out in disgust. “How do you and dad drink that stuff? Don’t you have taste buds?”

Yamato just laughed and thrusted the carton of eggs into his brother’s hand. “You don’t need it anyways, you’re young. Scramble those, keep two out for dad though he like his sunny side up.”

The kitchen was blurred with motion as the two brother quickly went about on a cooking frenzy. At five minutes till eight there was a knock on the door. The brothers stopped what they were doing and looked at each other, they hadn’t even realized that it was time for their friends to arrive. Takeru left the kitchen, to open the door. Yamato heard the door open and close, however he didn’t know who came in. He soon found out as he saw a familiar hand reaching for a slice of crispy brown bacon.

“Yagami Taichi! If you as so much touch that piece of bacon before everyone gets here I will cut your hand off.” Shouted Yamato picking up the knife he had been peeling potatoes with.

“But Yamato!”, whines Taichi, “I haven’t really eaten since lunch yesterday. Mom made tuna eggplant meatloaf smoothies for dinner last night, not even Miko would eat it.”

“If you’ve waited this long you can wait five more minutes Taichi.” Said Yamato still holding the knife.
Takeru, who had been watching the two friends argue over food decided that he would enter the fray. “Onii-chan, your hash browns are burning.”

With a yelp from Yamato turned around to flip his hash browns. With his brother’s back turned Takeru quickly reached and snagged a slice of bacon. He handed it to Taichi who promptly ate it and left the kitchen, to join his sister who was in the living room.

“Need any more help Yamato?” Takeru asked his older brother.

“No, I think I’ve got this covered, go entertain the guest, and let the others in.”
Yamato stayed in the kitchen as his brother went back out to the living room. He heard more knocking at the door and people ushered in. Takeru and Taichi came back into the kitchen. “Koushiro, Jyou and Sora are here. They want tea and coffee.” Said Taichi.

“The coffee is ready, the tea will have to wait. Taichi will you put the water on?” asked Yamato as he was pouring pancake mix onto a hot griddle.

As Taichi searched for a teapot, Takeru grabbed a mug and filled it with coffee and walked out to deliver it. Finding the teapot Taichi walked over by Yamato where the sink was, to fill the pot up. Yamato checked to make sure they were alone in the kitchen before asking his best friend, “Taichi, do you know what’s wrong with Takeru?”

“Huh?” asked Taichi as he stopped the water flowing into the pot and put it on the remaining burner on the stove.

“I’m pretty sure there is something wrong with Takeru, but he won’t tell me. I don’t know if Dad knows or not, but if he does know he’s not telling me either.”

“If you don’t know what’s wrong with him, Yamato. How am I supposed to?” asked Taichi

“I don’t know. I was hoping maybe he said something to Hikari, and then she said something to you.”

“Well if Hikari knows something, she hasn’t just come right out and said it. Which if he does want to keep whatever is bothering him a secret, I don’t think Hikari would just walk around blabbing about it.”
Yamato stopped what he was doing and hung his head down, his shoulders slumped and his arms by his side.“What if it’s me that’s bothering him Taichi?”

“How could you even think that Yamato? You’re his older brother, he loves you.” Taichi said while he placed a hand on Yamato’s shoulder

“We’re not as close as we used to be Taichi. What if he is thinking I’m abandoning him? That I’m packing up and moving and I’m never going to see him again?”

“You two have been through a lot together Yamato, we all have. I’m sure he has enough faith in you and knows you well enough that you’d never do anything to hurt him. Besides, you’re not moving that far. Heck actually we’re going to be a few blocks closer to the train station, so we’re actually moving closer to here.”

“You may be right Taichi, but will you do me a favor?”

“You know I’d do anything for you Yamato.”

“Will you ask Hikari if she knows anything?”

Before Taichi could answer Yamato, a high pitched whistle came out of the teapot. Taichi grabbed it off the burner and grabbed a couple teacups.

With more knocks on the door the last of the local digi-destined arrived. Hearing that the last of the guests had arrived, Yamato starting bring out the mountains of food Takeru and him had made. Yamato smiled as his friends rushed over to the table and quickly helped themselves to the eggs, hash browns, bacon, pancakes, toast. Yamato saw his father slip into the kitchen and grab his private plate, before returning to his room. Yamato didn’t know for sure, but he suspected his father was still trying to do work.

With talk of college, soccer games, the latest movie, and of course the tastiness of blonde brothers’ cooking breakfast was quickly eaten in fine company. As Yamato started clearing plates, he volunteered Taichi to help him with dishes. Once they were alone in the kitchen, Yamato didn’t hesitate to ask Taichi, “So did Hikari know anything.”

There was a pause. Yamato thought this was fishy, whenever he started asking questions about Takeru, people paused. He could see the wheels turning under the brunette hair. “Nope she didn’t know anything, and didn’t think anything was wrong with. She did tell me a funny joke though. Want to hear it?”

But before Yamato could object, Taichi continued, “ Did you hear about the red ship and the blue ship that collided?” Yamato stared at his friend blankly. “Both crews were marooned. Get it marooned. You know, red and blue……Marooned….”Taichi laughed and rubbed the back of his head.

Yamato knew Taichi all too well. Taichi knew the truth alright, but he didn’t want to, or couldn’t tell Yamato, so he was trying to take change the subject. So Yamato thought about it. “If Takeru doesn’t trust me enough to tell me, I won’t be gaining any trust snooping around. I’m sure he’ll tell me in due time. Besides, atleast some people know what is wrong with him, maybe they can help him where I’ve failed.” So with his mind settled, Yamato laughed along with his friend, both trying to cling to a lie.