Author's note: Before anything else, I wanna say that SORATO ROCKS! WOO! If you're reading this because you wandered into my profile after reading Area IV, then be prepared for a big change in genre. Keep in mind this is my first fanfic. As always, don't forget to review. (And drop me a note about whether you want me to use the characters' Japanese names or dub names. I'll be using the dub names for now.) Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Digimon and its characters belong to Toei and whichever company that did the dub. Please remember that, for I'm too lazy to post the disclaimer again in the later chapters.

Prologue

The last time I saw Matt was on middle school graduation day, when everybody was crying and saying their goodbyes. I remember that day particularly well. Poor Mimi was sobbing because she was leaving for America in a few days. It was her who got the rest of us all started. Of the Digidestined, Tai, Izzy, and I were the only ones who were going on to Odiba High School next year. Joe will be there also, but he was a grade ahead of us.

Just until a month ago, we all had thought that Matt would be coming with us as well. Everybody was surprised when he told us that his dad had proposed marriage to a coworker. We were even more surprised when he told us that the wedding would take place just three weeks from then, and the new family would be moving to Tokyo after school ends.

I was crushed when Matt broke the news to us, especially since Mimi was moving away as well. Before that, I had always thought of the Digidestined gang as an indestructible team. Matt, Tai, and I were pretty close friends, since after our adventured in the Digital World, Matt began to show his true colors. He was still a little shy around most people, still a little unsure of how much of himself to show, but Tai and I helped him. We tried to take him wherever we went, and that included our soccer practice. Matt would get bored after watching us for ten minutes and walk off to his favorite bench in the park, where he played his harmonica. We found him there one day after practice, grumbling about some old lady who had thrown him some coins.

Occasionally, Matt relapsed into his depressive state. I always felt it was my duty to cheer him up. Tai was a little awkward when it came to that, as was demonstrated by the time he tried to cheer me up about my crest in the Digital World. I sometimes felt sort of like a mother to both of them. That was all right with me, I guess, but I still wished they would act their ages more, and not make me feel so old.

No doubt about it, Matt was cute. Perhaps that was another reason why I was so apt to make him happy - I loved his smile. I had a hunch about the number of girls that would be stopping by his locker, if only he was more outgoing. Tai was always trying to hook him up with some girl or another, but he gave up after one girl stood Matt up. Maybe I was glad that I was one of the few girls that Matt could trust. Maybe I was even secretly happy that I got to have him to myself for the most part. But I always pushed those thoughts away as best as I could. Matt needed me as a friend, as the mother that he didn't have, not as his girlfriend.

After graduation at school, we Digidestined had a party at Izzy's place. We had a great time. At the end, we promised each other - especially Mimi and Matt - that we'd keep in touch and visit each other from time to time.

At first it was easy, as once every week we would all get into a chat room and chat until our fingers were tired. Summer came and went. When school started again, we fell back into our regular routines, and out communications lagged. The most noticeable was Matt. Apparently, his stepmom had enrolled him in a number of classes and extracurricular activities. I went online one night, saw his screen name in the "Online" list, and clicked on it immediately. Hey blondie. I typed. How's it going? His reply didn't come for a good five minutes. I can't talk Sor. I got so much work to do… and I'm not supposed to be online anyway. There was a brief pause. I'm sorry Sor. I was still reading his message when he signed off. After that night, I never saw him online again.

The weeks passed by, as did the months and the years. I tried less and less to get in touch with Matt. He hardly ever got in touch with me - because he was so busy, I supposed. In eleventh grade, I was surprised to see a newspaper article that mentioned him. Matt had apparently joined a local band called the Teenage Wolves, which had its share of popularity among the fangirls of Tokyo. I considered going to one of his show with some friends, but I was busy too. Between school, college applications, exams, and the flower shoppe, I had barely five hours of sleep every night.

So in a way, I had to let go of my protectiveness, affection, maybe even love for Yamato Ishida. I knew that he was growing up and didn't necessarily need me anymore, although in my mind, he always remained the shy and sensitive boy from middle school. That's why I was so surprised when I met him again...

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