Chapter Text
In the summer of 1999, Ichijouji Ken encountered a Digimon for the first time—a small, green Leafmon.
Ichijouji Satoshi was the kind of child parents would refer to as "the neighbor's kid." Whether it was academics, sports, or anything else, he excelled and ranked at the top of his class. Having such an older brother must have been a blessing... right? In stark contrast to this model student was his younger brother, Ichijouji Ken—an entirely ordinary child, no different from any other kid his age.
Perhaps it was because of his averageness that his family paid more attention to Ichijouji Satoshi, and even classmates preferred his older brother. Even parents they encountered would only notice the bespectacled boy and not the one trailing behind him.
"If only Brother would die." The moment this thought emerged, it startled Ichijouji Ken. How could he think such a thing? That was his brother, his closest and most admired sibling... This idea was like a poisonous seed, sprouting abruptly from the darkest corner of his heart, carrying a cold, sharp malice. Ichijouji Ken was frightened by his own thought, his body trembling almost imperceptibly. He subconsciously bit his lower lip, as if trying to force the terrible idea back down.
The Ichijouji family wasn’t particularly well-off, so a single small computer was enough for both children to share. At that moment, he was using the computer with his brother. The glow of the screen reflected off his brother’s focused profile, and Ichijouji Ken stared blankly at it. Resting his chin in his hand, he wasn’t sure what was going through his mind.
"Ken." Ichijouji Satoshi turned to look at him. "What are you thinking about?" "Huh? Oh, nothing..." Ichijouji Ken turned away petulantly, making Satoshi laugh. He patted Ken’s head and said, "I’ll play with you as soon as I finish this, okay?" Ken didn’t respond, and after a long pause, he murmured almost inaudibly, "Brother, please don’t push yourself so hard anymore..." Ichijouji Satoshi didn’t hear him, completely absorbed in his own world.
In the summer of 1999, Yamaaki Ryou went to the Ichijouji house to play. As it happened, Ichijouji Satoshi wasn’t home, and a mysterious email popped up on the computer. Ichijouji Ken was pulled into the world of Digimon.