Well guys, this is my first submission. I hope you like it. I'd like some helpful feedback if at all possible . It starts off a bit slow, but it'll pick up soon.

A loud, beeping noise filled the air, killing off the serene calm of the early morning. Takuya Kanbara stirred slowly, his mouth making a vexed wince at the disturbance, his mind dimly aware that his alarm clock was sounding off. His groggy head realizing that the painful pulse would not end if he did not press the snooze alarm, he slowly sat up and blindly felt around for it. Finally finding it, he hit it with a vigor he did not know he had. The deed done, he momentarily considered laying back down and sleeping for just a bit more, but he quickly through that notion out of his mind when he realized it was already 7:30 am. He suddenly realized that he had forgot to set his alarm back a half hour.

" Oh my god, I'm late!" He shouted to himself. Finding an inner strength he never though possible, he lithely jumped out of his bed and made a dash for his dresser.

Takuya was a nineteen year old Japanese boy, built thin but toned , with somewhat long brown hair and matching brown eyes. Fresh out of High school, his parents had rented him out a cheap one room apartment near the local college he had enrolled in. He had completed his first semester, but due to miss-communications and problems outside of his control, he wouldn't be able to attend this term. While he knew he should be trying to find a job, he still got a monthly allowance from his family and did not feel like going through the effort getting a job required. Lately, he spent most of his free time hanging out with his five closest friends. Two of those friends were enrolled in the same college as he was, and it was with those friends he was supposed to meet in fifteen minutes at a nearby Starbucks.

It was especially important to him because today was the last day of winter break , and so his friends would no longer have as much free time. Drawing strength from his desire to socialize, he was able to push past his drowsiness and get dressed in record time. He put on a yellow t-shirt with a simple black symbol on the front, a pair of green skinny jeans, a pair of red Vans skate shoes, and a black leather jacket. Finding his wallet amidst the clothes strewn across the bare wood floor, he picked it up and put it in his back pocket. He burst out of his room, nearly forgetting to lock the door, and ran towards the elevator. He rapidly pressed the down button, but when the elevator didn't reach him fast enough, he just ran to the stairwell and ran down the three floors to the ground floor.

Finally out on the sidewalk, he broke out in a full sprint in the direction of the coffee house, grimly noticing that Vans are not the best running shoes. After what seemed like ages, he finally made it to the front door of the Starbucks. After gingerly opening the door and stumbling inside, Takuya paused to catch his breath, resting his hands heavily right above his kneecaps.

"Nicely done Takuya!" called out a playful feminine voice from behind him. "And you're only 10 minutes late. That's a new record for you!" Takuya wheeled around, and standing right behind him was Zoe Orimoto, and standing coolly beside her was their other friend Koji Minamoto, with a bemused smirk on his face.

"Let me guess, didn't set your alarm clock, did you?" He said in a pseudo-chastising tone.

" Yeah, well you guys are crazy, getting up so early" Takuya replied. "How am I supposed to adjust to that?" He stared both of them for a few seconds down with a vaguely annoyed look on his face, when he couldn't keep from smiling any longer. The three of them broke out in a shot fit of laughter.

A smile still on his face, Takuya gave a happy glance at his friends. Koji was a little bit taller than Takuya and had long black hair and piercing blue eyes. He was thinly built with somewhat effeminate features, but one look into his eyes revealed that he was not one to be messed with. He wore a green t-shirt, with an unbuttoned blue patterned flannel shirt over it, and a pair of form fitting blue jeans and black work boots. But Takuya's eyes rested on Zoe. She was of medium height, with long, straight blonde hair that came down just below her shoulder blades. Her eyes were a shade of emerald green, and seemed to shine warmly in any light. As for her body, she was well proportioned; not overly endowed, but enough to still be curvy . She was very thin, but didn't look bony or unhealthy. She was wearing a familiar outfit, with a pink hat and matching vest, with a blue horizontal striped shirt that came down to just above her midriff. While she usually wore a pink skirt with this ensemble, today she work lavender chino shorts instead, with nearly matching purple Chuck Taylors on her size ten feet. She was good looking and had a personality to match, and unfortunately, Takuya was in love with her...

" Takuya, are you okay? You're kinda zoning out, did you get enough sleep last night?" Zoe said, breaking Takuya out of his stupor.

He shook his head quickly, clearing his mind. "Yeah, sorry, I didn't get to bed till about 2 last night."

Damn. He thought. I was staring. I hope she bought that stupid excuse. Not that its not true. But I don't want to creep her out.

"Uh, guys I don't know about you, but I'm sorta thirsty, can we get our drinks now?" Koji interjected. Zoe and Takuya both looked at him apologetically. And they moved up to the counter to place their order.

"I'd like an iced coffee" said Koji.

"And a mocha frappe, extra chocolate" added Zoe.

" And I want a pumpkin spice latte" Takuya continued.

The female barista gave them a slightly surly look. " one at a time, I can't keep up with all of you at once!" She looked over at Takuya "And I'd expect better manners from you Takky!"

Takuya looked up halfheartedly. "Oh. Hi Kimi." he forced out.

" You know each other?" Zoe asked.

" Yeah, she's my third cousin, or something. We used to play a lot when I was younger." he replied. Zoe got a better look at the barista and noticed that she did in fact look a lot like Takuya, if a bit older and female.

"Haven't seen the kid in ages." Kimi went on. " So Takuya, this your girlfriend or something?"

Takuya gave him a look that could best be described as half 'why would you do this to me?' and half 'I'm going to kill you later', and for her part, Kimi visibly regretted the question

"Nah" Zoe responded sarcastically. " We're actually married. Right now, we're on our honeymoon, and in a half hour, we'll be on a plane straight to Hawaii!" She then grinned playfully.

" Oh really now? Well, if you're married to him I hope you don't mind a lazy, messy husband." Kimi said this and then gave a wry smile of her own. "Well, I better get those drinks" and with that, she got back to work, leaving behind an awkward silence until she finished. After paying her and giving a decent tip, they proceeded to sit down in a corner

I really wish she hadn't said that. Takuya thought. I really don't want Zoe to know how much I like her, that would completely ruin our friendship. Unless she likes me back... no, she'd never like me. Not with someone like Koji around.

Such a lack of confidence was atypical for Takuya. 8 years ago, when Takuya first met his friends, he had been their leader . They were all called together to go on a quest in a strange land known as the Digital World., and Takuya had stepped up to be their leader. After a few mishaps, he had grown into the position. Confidence was never a problem for him. He could and did stare down horrifying monsters without blinking, but Zoe presented a new problem.

She's the only girl I've ever liked. He mused. I knew that after traveling with her for a few days. I didn't feel all that nervous around her until after we got back. What's wrong with me?

His meditations were suddenly interrupted by Zoe asking him "So, you couldn't get back in class for this semester?"

"Uh... no. It's kinda annoying actually. I hope they get it sorted out by next semester"

" Huh, well you can still come to our study group with me and Koji right?"

" Of course! I mean, it's not like I have all that much to do anyway is it. And speaking of Koji, you seem awfully quiet today."

"I'm always quiet." Koji replied in deadpan

"Oh, yeah." Takuya continued. " Have either of you heard from JP? He's transferred to that school in America right?"

" I heard from him the other night." Zoe chipped in. "He says he's doing okay, but it takes a lot of adjusting." For a moment she looked lost in thought, and almost sad. As if sensing the quiet, she quickly asked. " Hey Koji, how's Koichi doing?"

Koichi was Koji's brother who he had first found out about and met 8 years prior in the Digital World. "He's doing okay. He's spending this year at my Dad's place. I'm dorming on campus, so I won't be able to see him much, but I'm sure we'll keep in touch."

They continued conversing in this manner for about two hours, occasionally pausing to sip at their drinks. All three of them had clearly happy looks upon their faces. No matter any differences or problems with each other they might have had, they were all still the closest of friends.

" Well boys" Zoe said after a good long while. "Its been fun., but I've actually got to go to the campus bookstore. I forgot to buy two of my text books." She then gave them both warm hugs ( in Takuya's mind it seemed like she lingered more on Koji) and started to walk out the Starbucks. "See you both tomorrow!"

"Wait up, Zoe." Koji said. "I've got something I need out of the bookstore too. I'll walk you there."

"Aww thanks." she replied. They then both walked out on their way, not noticing the resigned look on Takuya's face. Seemingly out of nowhere, Kimi popped up from behind him.

"You look like a sad puppy." She said surprisingly softly. " C'mon. I'll buy you a drink." She then gave him a quick hug and got him another mocha. After drinking half of it, he walked out of the door and began a sad walk home.