It all started on that day, that sad December evening at Matt's concert, that's where I lost her.
Now I know what you're thinking "Tai, you're young, athletic, and not bad looking, you'll get over it! You'll find someone new!" But that's the problem, I won't and I can't.
It's been a good three months from that day, we fought, and we saved the world yet again by defeating Malomyotismon. Our partner Digimon get to stay by our sides forever now and for that I'm thankful, if I didn't have Agumon I don't know where I'd be. The others are pleased as well, it's a lot different seeing Digimon everywhere in our own human world (Good Digimon I mean) but none of us are complaining we love our friends and they love us.
After our fight against Malomyotismon a lot of us got scattered around. Mimi stay in America so we don't see much of her, except on the occasional video chat, Izzy and Joe are both going to college at Tokyo University, Joe's gonna be a doctor and Izzy is learning even more about computers and different systems. Izzy's my roommate so I see him plenty of him but I haven't seen the son of the crest of reliability much at all, maybe once since we separated.
T.K. and Kari are both still in high school and living at home, they started dating shortly after everyone was safe. It didn't take much getting used to for me, they had played all the time when they were younger, it was only a matter of time before they were officially a couple. T.K. is a great kid and I know he'll take care of Kari; he's still awkward around me though, like he think I hate him. Ok maybe I did lie on the protective big brother thing on him early and thick, but he should have figured out that we're cool now.
Oh me? Nah you don't want to know what I've been up to…but I guess I can tell you anyway. Truthfully? I haven't been doing much, I play a lot of soccer and basketball now a days, it keeps my mind off of things, Agumon is almost able to handle a basketball without popping it! (Seriously I went through like 20 of them) and he's getting better at soccer too. I'm glad he's here, having a partner is nice, it's just the simple thought that no matter what happens with your human friends you've always got your Digimon, and that's where I'm at. I've grown a little distant in the past three months, not outwardly talking to many people, Kari is getting really worried about me I can tell, and Izzy knows something is wrong but he hasn't said anything about it yet, I'm waiting for that conversation to happen any day now.
And then there's Matt… Matt is the one who took Sora from me, he's the reason that she can't be with me. I should hate him. But I don't. He's my best friend and we still hang out sometimes, he even offered me a spot in his band (Puberty really improved my singing voice!) I'm still mulling that offer over in my head, it would be a lot of work, but it would be nice to be a part of something again. Soccer season is over anyway, I played my first year at Tokyo University-Odaiba Branch and things went pretty well, I get to play at the main campus this year if I keep my grades up, but things are looking pretty promising. I'm getting scouted by pro teams, but my heart isn't really in it. I feel like I'm a walking dead man all the time, it just doesn't seem normal, I want to smile but I can't seem to…
"What are you thinking Tai? Is it Sora again?" My favorite orange dinosaur asks me innocently, genuinely concerned for me, he's one of the few who knows how hard all of the change has been on me. I reach down and pat him calmly on the top of his head
"Just about everyone my good friend." I sigh, I miss the good old days when we were a team, a real team that did everything together, and we all felt like we belonged to something more important, Izzy still receives fan mail from time to time, from kids wanting to get to know the 'original' Digidestined. He usually lets us know and forwards the message to us, and then he'll answer.
I wipe some of the fog off of my goggles, they were a gift from Sora, and I wear them everyday, sometimes I regret giving my old ones to Davis, but now that I have these things aren't so bad. These and my Crest of Courage are currently hanging around my neck, the two things that still feel normal.
Back in the old days this is where Sora and I would come to play soccer it wasn't too far from my apartment, I didn't want to move too far from home, but the place was filled with memories. Both of us racing back and forth, both going all out but still having the time of our lives. I'll never admit it out loud but we were equals then, not anymore, I had continued my love of the sport while she had gone on to do other things, her latest endeavor being the fashion industry.
"Stop thinking about her damnit," I think to myself as the sun starts to set. But I can't help it, that smile is engraved in my mind forever, and so is her rejection.
"No, I wanna be available in case Matt is free afterwards." God I hate those words, but I don't hate their owner. I seem to be unable to hate both of them, we were the ones that kept everyone safe in the Digital world and we grew closer in that time, it was like a team within the team. And Matt and I's adventure in the internet that ended in the creation of Omnimon only served to solidify that friendship.
I've leveled out a bit from our adventures, I still like to think of myself a good leader, but sometimes I wonder, I mean c'mon I can't even live up to my crest. Hmph, Courage…
I have no homework or work to do tonight, and Izzy's going to be out of the house. I suppose I could whip up Agumon and I a quick dinner and then we could watch a movie, or maybe I could call someone? But who?
"What do you wanna do tonight pal?" I decide to ask him, he sits roughly on the grass and holds his claw to his chin.
"Hmm, well Tai we could always go to that buffet! And eat hamburgers!"
"You wanna go to a buffet to eat hamburgers? Haha If you want it so bad I can just cook it for you." I shake my head in disbelief. Ushering him back to the apartment we pass few kids with Digimon at the in-training level, it was slightly adorable at how excited they were. I do hope they take care of them though.
We enter my apartment through the front door throwing my jacket to the side I silently set to work making a few hamburgers from scratch. I drift slowly back into my thoughts.
"So what do I do about Sora?" I've been asking myself this questions for months now without a real answer. "I can't stop loving her…it doesn't work like that.. but I know that if she needed me I'd be there in a second…"
"Tai! What's this word on your Calender?" Agumon pointed to today's date where a little memo was chicken scratched.
"Huh?" I ask as I move from my post, squinting my eyes to try and make out my illegible writing. "Kar….Kari….Kari's B-day?" I read quizzically trying to decide what the words mean.
"Oh crap! It's Kari's birthday tonight!" I exclaim as I realize. I sprint to the counter and glare at the clock, "I've got 20 minutes to be there! C'mon Agumon let's go!"
I rip my jacket off the floor and take off out the door, Agumon in close tow. As soon as we were set in the car I punched the accelerator and we were off.