Chapter 4: Memories and Presents

                                    

                                          
Yamato thought he was so smart with his little teasing games and his secretive facade. Ken had to admit it was amusing, yet quite annoying. Ken never liked surprises and usually people told him after he pressed on. Not his Yama, though. He had to give him credit; Yamato sure knows how to surprise people without giving anything away.
                          
Ken followed Yamato as they walk deeper into cave. The scenery of the cave was breathtaking. Ken didn't know how but the caves natural lighting and atmosphere seemed to make their date even more romantic. He was aware he was starting to sound like a lovesick girl. He didn't care.
                          
 After months of depressing therapy sessions, panic attacks, and nightmares he finally felt free and alive. He felt like that this anniversary date was just what he needed. He needed a day away from his current hell and pain. He needed to get away from everyone who kept suffocating him, mostly those of the younger Chosen Children and his over overprotective grandmother.
                          
Ken was grateful that he had people looking out him. He knew they were only looking for his well being and all, but he just wish they could knock down their protective streak a few notches. It was bad enough that his grandmother was constantly watching him and making sure he's properly taken care of. Fretting over the smallest cut or bruise he gets from time to time. It was as if she was afraid he would break or something.
                          
Despite his grandmother's over protectiveness, Ken couldn't help but feel happy though. Having someone constantly hovering over him seemed to fill the gaping whole in his heart that his parents were suppose to fill. Ken, honestly, actually enjoyed being taken care of. He enjoyed the way his grandmother made sure he was well fed, bathed, educated, protected, and loved. He loved how she always made her famous green tea and chocolate chip cookies whenever he needed cheering up or something to munch on. He loved how she treated him and Wormmon like they were her own children. And the best part of all he loved how she approved of his boyfriend.
                          
He remembered he was terrified when he first introduced Yamato to her. He had just gotten out of the hospital and was still physically healing from his father's attack and was emotionally drained from trying to cope with his disownment. He didn't know how she would react. He had expected her to hate him, to shun him, to tell him that he was nothing to her and for him to leave her sight. That's what his mother did. What makes his grandmother any different? She was his mother's mother after all.
                          
For once, Ken was glad he was wrong. His grandmother was nothing like this mother. She smiled motherly at him, something his own mother never directed towards him. He felt very happy by this. His own mother was never a mother towards him. In fact, she had a habit of abusing him as well. So it surprised him when his grandmother suddenly hugged the both of them with tearful eyes. 
                          
To say that he was frightened by her reaction was an understatement. He was so terrified that he was shaking and whimpering uncontrollably. It wasn't until she kissed his cheek, and murmured that she was so happy that he found his soul mate, when he finally settled down. When she finally let go she kiss his cheek again and told him that she was not going to hurt him like her daughter did. Ken saw the disappointment in her eyes but he didn't comment. He didn't want to talk about the people that had abused and disowned him.
                          
Ken's mind shifted to his mother and he winced as memories replayed in his head like a movie. He saw his mother and father yelling at him for not get an A  and whipping him because of it. He saw them hitting and beating him until he apologies for having different opinions and views. He saw them telling him that he will not eat supper and locked him in his room, totally unaware that his digimon had stashed a months worth of food for them. He saw his mother's hard face when she slapped him and called him a wuss and a faggot. He saw his father's angry face when he attacked him in front of Yamato. He even saw them announcing in the hospital that he was no longer their son; that they were disowning him.