*ERRATA: In the first part, I had Miyako in the same class as Takeru, Daisuke and Hikari. As ‘Relaxing Pikachu’ pointed out, she’s a year ahead of them and, had I been thinking, I would have remembered the fieldtrip episode. Sorry about that!*

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EDUCATING MR MOTOMIYA

PART 4

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While Taichi was fetching Hikari for him, Daisuke was getting nervous. It was one thing to pursue Hikari when he knew he had no chance of getting her; it was quite another to have her telephone him to ask him out on a date. She had had to repeat herself about five times until he was sure that he was neither hallucinating nor dreaming. He still was not certain whether someone would pinch him and he would wake up in his bed. After all, she had never shown the slightest interest in him. In fact, she had cut him down cold on every occasion when he had tried to make his feelings known to her. When Takeru had moved to Odaiba, he had been able to guess the reason for that. For months now, the two had been joined at the hip and he did not buy their best friends act. Why had Hikari changed her mind all of a sudden?

Come on, Daisuke. Don’t overthink this. You’ve been waiting for this chance all your life and you’ve made sure everything is perfect for her. Better go through everything one more time, though. Suit? He smoothed the smart, black tuxedo that he had worn for his grandmother’s last birthday and straightened the matching bowtie. Flowers? He glanced down at the bunch of white and pink daisies in his hand. Miyako had told him they were Hikari’s favourite, once she had recovered from the shock of hearing he had a date with her. Money? He patted his pocket to reassure himself that he had brought his wallet and that it was thick enough to cover the expensive restaurant to which he had planned to take her. You’re okay, Daisuke. You’re going to be okay tonight. He was just beginning to feel a little more at ease when Hikari came around the corner and ripped apart whatever shreds of confidence he had been able to put together.

It was not that she said or did anything, so much as she looked it. Her brown eyes were very large and very luminous in her pretty face, and there was a shy half-smile on her lips. He barely noticed the angry-looking Tailmon stalking at her heels, tail swishing behind her, blue eyes narrowed into slits. She is so beautiful! This can’t be real! I have to be dreaming! Not sure whether he wanted to wake up, he grasped a fold of skin between his thumb and index finger, then squeezed until he yelped with pain. I’m not! But if I’m not . . . Oh boy . . . .

"Hi, Daisuke. Uh, why are you pinching yourself?"

"Hika . . .Hika . . ."

"Do you need a glass of water for those hiccups, Daisuke?" V-Mon inquired innocently. In keeping with his human partner’s suit, the little Digimon had a red bowtie around his neck. His blue skin had been scrubbed until it squeaked, while he had polished his horn to a gleam. He also had brought a bouquet for Tailmon, although his was a little bunch of catnip and not daisies.

"Flowers," Daisuke thrust out the daisies towards his date, "You take. Now. Please. Yes?"

"How did you know I love daisies?" Hikari said with a delighted grin, carefully placing them in a vase on the table, "Thank you, Daisuke."

"I brought some for you too," V-mon chirruped, handing the catnip to Tailmon. Even though he sounded more confident than his partner, a rosy blush stained his white cheeks and he was scuffing the carpet with his feet. The other Digimon gave the posy a disinterested sniff before tossing it onto the table next to the vase.

"Thanks," she said without enthusiasm, "Can we go now, Hikari?"

With a rueful expression on her face, "I think I’m underdressed for wherever Daisuke is planning to take us, Tail."

"No! No! Perfect! You are! Yes, you are! Come! We go now!" he blurted.

"Give me a second to grab my jacket, Yoda, and I’ll be with you," Hikari said with a little laugh, disappearing around the corner again. Daisuke sank his face into his hands with a low groan. He had made a perfect fool of himself in front of Hikari. Why does my brain always have to disconnect itself from my mouth when she’s around?

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