Hikari and Takeru had only been in the same class for months, yet there was no one else in the school she was closer to. It wasn’t that they knew everything about each other, but they didn’t need to.
Takeru always knew when Hikari was down, and had a talent for picking the best gifts for her. Franchises she didn’t even know he knew she liked, necklaces that instantly fit her aesthetic, sweets she’d never reject.
And in turn, she could just as easily read and adjust to his moods and attitudes.
So strong was their bond, it came as a shock, to her, to him, likely to all their observers, when Takeru nonchalantly kicked a soccer ball to her feet.
Hikari instantly retreated.
“I-I don’t play.” She said simply.
Takeru blinked.
“You don’t play?”
It was a ludicrous statement. Hikari knew every rule of the sport. Could be just as loud as her brother in calling out the referees when she felt they made an incorrect call.
She was also intricately linked to the soccer club. Having assisted the team readily when she and Taichi shared the same school. It was how she met Daisuke. It was how she’d met Sora. It was even how she met Koushiro.
And while she wasn’t n Sora or Taichi’s level, Hikari was still an athlete. She could handle herself in other sports.
And yet, she didn’t play. That wasn’t a lie.
Takeru looked at her, attempting to solve her riddle. “Well, could you pass the ball back?”
Hikari glanced at the ball, then at her feet. She felt woozy. She reached down and scooped the ball up with her hands, throwing it to her best friend.
It was too much to ask for that to be the end of that. Takeru had let the subject drop, but only because there were other people about. Two days later Hikari found herself cornered, with a well-intentioned blond and a bag of soccer balls.
“Takeru, if we’re going to waste time, couldn’t we spend it destroying dark towers?” she asked.
He saw right through her on that. “we already agreed to take a break from that. Relaxation is important as well.”
She didn’t feel very relaxed.
“I don’t play.”
“You don’t? or maybe you won’t? or maybe you can’t?” he set a ball down, about a yard in front of her. “Can Hikari not kick a ball?”
She felt part of herself rise to the challenge and the rest fall. “It’s not about can.” She said simply.
“Ohh? Well then, if you can get this ball in the net before we have to leave, I’ll spend the extra time treating you to that ice cream place you like so much. But you gotta kick it. No hands.”
Of course, he knew what tempted her the most. “Takeru… it doesn’t matter. I don’t play.”
“I’m not asking you to play, I’m asking you to kick. What’s the worst that can happen?”
Sirens, bright lights, doctors yelling words she couldn’t understand. An angry mother, a tearful father, a frightened brother.
“You never know.”
Takeru sized her up. “is the ball going to turn into a dinosaur? Or maybe an evil robot? I don’t recall those stopping you before.”
She twitched. “it’s different.”
“Well, maybe it can be the same?” Takeru said. “Maybe this ball is Ladydevimon.”
Hikari brought a hand to stifle a giggle. “What?”
“it is. It’s her head.”
“Takeru…”
“It’s her head. She sat there taunting you, and she called Angewomon a goodie two shoes. Are you going to let her get away with that? Come on Hikari kick her -”
“Takeru!” Hikari said. “Why are you doing this?”
“Because you can’t go through your entire life scared to kick a ball Hikari. You want to be a teacher when you grow up, you’ll have to help kids learn as well.”
“That’s when I’m an adult.”
“You can’t put it off forever,” Takeru said. “Look at you, I’ve seen you do incredible things. Things no other kid can say. And you can’t kick a soccer ball? Where’s the girl who was antagonizing a perfect-level she-devil.”
Hikari paused. She looked down at the ball, and did her best to do as Taekru directed. Imagining the ball was actually that hag’s head. She sulked up until the ball was right in front of her right foot, curled her knee, closed her eyes, and let it go.
It was not the most accurate kick in the world. Not by far. But of the two kicks of the soccer ball she’d taken in her life, it was by far the least disastrous.
We are deeply sorry for being a little late in our schedule, but we're finally revealing the dates and prompts for Hikari Week! This year, it will take place from June 18 to 24 and we chose School & Education as the general theme, so all prompts will have a connection to them. However, you don't need to create content related to school or education, as the prompts can be interpreted in many ways.
Prompts List:
Day 1: Teaching/Learning/Tutoring/Studying
Day 2: Dancing
Day 3: Extra Activities
Day 4: Sports
Day 5: Cultural Events
Day 6: Graduation
Day 7: Vacation/Day off
Following our schedule, we'll be having walk-throughs about each day to help those who need. If you have any questions, feel free to DM us or send an ask.
Hikari was a sickly child, and her teachers were always very kind to her despite all the school she missed, which is when/why she decided to become a teacher.
In middle/high school she often tutors Daisuke and Takeru when they fall behind, she thinks of it as practice.
She does multiple 'classes' for new Chosen, but finds herself quite unprepared for the width of relationships. not everyone's bond was forged by being droped into a strange world and forced to codepend to exist
In college she doubts whether being a teacher is what she wants to do in life. she likes kids, but not so much her classes
In her second year as a teacher she questions how much she likes the kids
By year five she's glad she never gave up.
She is the go to babysitter when the other Chosen need one because she's good with kids.
Hikari rarely refuses, and she does enjoy keeping up with all the kids, but really wishes they would explore other options
Especially since babysitting the kids means babysitting Digimon as well.
She is scarily good at recognizing previous students. Yes, she hasn't seen you since you were five, she still knows.
People expect the latter to wain as years go by and more students pile up. It doesn't. Twenty-thrity years later she can still pick out old students on the street.
The 2nd Hikari Week is officially here! Tag us or use the hashtags #HikariWeek23 or #HikariWeek in your posts for day 1! We'll be going through them throughout the day!
