A/N: This isn't a sequel to The Apology. This and The Apology are one shots. I might do a chaptered story one day, but right now I just feel like doing short pieces. Mimoe fans should like this, and it has Koumoe. If you don't know what that is, you'll figure it out. You know who the main couple is if you got here by the drop downs.
Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon. Um, would this really hold up in court?
Pelted by the heavy drops cascading furiously from the heavens, a tall, slim figure dashed across a busy intersection. Several honks sounded as the young man narrowly avoided being mowed down by a speeding pickup, but he just barreled on, not even taking the time to throw an angry glance over his shoulder. Once on the sidewalk, he slowed a little, trying to give himself a chance to catch his breath.
*Gasp* "Aw man, there it is!" He muttered, gathering his last bit of rapidly fleeting energy and sprinting down the street. 'Come on, Matt. You can make it,' He thought, giving one final push, deftly dodging between and around people that he passed. He'd only barely reached a sign that read Odaiba 5 - To terminal, before a huge lumbering vehicle slowed to a stop right in front of him. Once the doors opened, he stepped onto the bus, slid some change into the coin deck, gave the driver a quick nod, and collapsed into the first seat available. "Mmm," he groaned, thinking, 'that's what I get for trusting Joe to pick me up. His car is almost as bad as mine.' Joe Kido was usually quite reliable, but the same could not be said for the young med. student's "Ol' Chitty Chitty" as he often called it. It had been three months since Matt's own vehicle had given out, and left him committed to bumming rides off friends, and public transportation.
He looked around at all the tired, irritable faces of his fellow passengers, and sighed. Yep, it had been one terribly long week, and he was more than happy to have it over with. Turning away from the solemn group, he pushed a shock of damp flaxen hair from his eyes, and set his cobalt gaze upon the scenery that was galloping past his rain spattered window. Soon busy, rain slicked, city streets turned into clean, quiet, residential ones. Huge sign boards were replaced by hibiscus and blossoming cherry trees; convenience stores and parking lots by cozy homes and manicured lawns. He smiled a little to himself. He enjoyed his and his dad's new place in the suburbs much better than their old tiny apartment. It was just one of the improvements they'd been able to make, since his father had become a top investigative reporter for the highest rated international all news network. Matt's not having to work four jobs had been another.
He'd been forced to take on two more jobs to help his parents foot the bill for the surgeries and physical therapy when his younger, half brother T.K. was injured in a freak boating accident. He quit school, not having enough time for it after adding modeling and landscaping clerk, at a home improvement store, to his repertoire. Already front man of his band, renamed Underdog, and gaming music composer for his friend Izzy's fledgling games and software company, his schedule was too tight for anything else. His brother had almost fully recovered now, and his parents finally had everything under control financially. So, he gladly gave up his job as landscaping wizard, but not before nabbing a small scholarship from the company. Now back in school, he was training in computer electronics.
He sat up a little, noting the small red house he often admired on his way home. 'Just a few more blocks,' he thought, but the ring of his cell phone interrupted his thoughts.
"Hello, Ishida speaking," he answered in his usual mild tone.
"Hey Matt," a cheery voice acknowledged.
"Joe. You stood me up," Matt feigned annoyance.
"Yeah, about that. I'm sorry, but you know Ol' Chitty. She blew another head gasket."
"Man, it's all right. I'm just kidding around," Matt assured.
"Okay. I'm so glad you understand," the older boy replied, sounding quite relieved. "Um, there's something else. Do you think you could pick up Meem's dress from the shop tomorrow? I wouldn't ask, but the dress rehearsal is at five. I don't think I can get over there and back in time, since I'd have to take the subway."
"Sure, it's fine. Just tell me where to go." After taking the directions down on the back of a flyer that had been left on the seat behind him, Matt asked, "Anything else?"
"Um, no. That's all. Look Matt, you're the best, doing all of this for us."
"Man, it's not a problem. You guys are my friends, and I know you would do the same for me."
"And, you're sure that you're okay with this?"
"Yes! Of course I'm okay. This has nothing to do with what happened between . . . I wanna do this for you guys, so stop asking!"
"All right, All right. Just checking. Well, I'll see ya there, and remember to be in your tux when you get there."
"I'll remember. See ya." Matt hung up his phone, and placed it back in his jacket. He reached up and pressed the button to request a stop. Once the bus pulled over, he got up and gave a quick wave to the driver before stepping off onto the soaking sidewalk.
The rain hadn't let up, even a little, during his long ride. He paid it little mind. Hiking up the collar of his long dark jacket, he began plodding obliviously through the puddles that spotted his path. He was quickly becoming lost in thought about the things Joe had alluded to during their conversation. He had been truthful, for the most part. He really did want to help Joe and Mimi. It was only that sometimes he'd think of the two of them and get struck with faint envy. Sure, he'd moved on from his romance with Sora Takenouchi; stopped thinking of himself as her boyfriend long ago, even before she ended it. He knew that she'd only waited as long as she did, because she wanted to support him and his family while they were dealing with all of the problems with T.K. So, he'd prepared himself. He wasn't shocked, or bitter, Sora was right. They had mistaken their love for each other for something different from the friendship that it was. That didn't make it hurt any less. He had come to depend on her, to need her, and he'd made some plans, had dreams. Sometimes, Joe and Mimi, they just reminded him of some of those dreams.
"Matt?" An airy feminine voice called, breaking his train of thought. He stopped, a smile lighting up his thoughtful face with immediate recognition, before he even turned to see the woman running up to him.
"Jun. Hi," he yelled back heartily. All of his previous thoughts vanished.
"Look at you!" She shook her head disapprovingly from underneath her large powder blue umbrella once she reached him, "Completely soaked."
He shrugged, and gave a sheepish grin, pushing a clump of matted hair from his eyes. "Forgot about the forecast." She sighed, rolling her sable colored eyes, but returned his grin.
"Well, you're about as wet as you can get, but I guess I'll still walk you home. Maybe you'll have dried a little by then."
"You don't have to do that," he protested. The Motimiyas lived only about a block from where they were standing. In contrast, Matt still had a little over a half a mile to go, but Jun was already committed.
"Here." She handed him the umbrella, as he was considerably taller than her.
"Fine."
They resumed walking, only a few moments of silence passing before Jun asked, "So, how is Joe doing?" Matt turned to look at her.
"Pretty well, actually. Tai and I thought he'd be a basket case by now, but he's actually calmer than I think either of us would be in the same situation."
"That's because he has no reservations. I can tell. They're both completely ready for this." Matt smiled at her conviction on the matter. He'd gotten to know Jun quite well, since his move to the neighborhood. At first he stayed about as far away from her as possible, and she hadn't bothered him at all during his courtship of Sora. Eventually, however, circumstances kept bringing them together. Her younger brother was one of his brother's best friends . . . and his, though sometimes he hated to admit it. And she was Izzy's girlfriend's best friend. They had to run into each other. They'd both grown up quite a bit over the past five years, and nowadays he actually considered her a friend. A good friend. Someone he was more and more eager to spend time with as of late. He knew she felt the same way.
Just then a loud sputtering sounded abruptly from the street. They both turned and watched as an old beat up compact lurched and shuddered to a stop in the middle of the momentarily empty street. The driver slapped the steering wheel in exasperation before attempting to crank the car again. It started on the third try, and with a look of great relief the driver took a turn down a side street. The car slowly drew away from them and disappeared, but not before letting out a loud backfire in farewell.
"She's driving my car," Matt commented with a grin once the street had fallen quiet again. Jun chuckled.
"Nah, hers still moves." He pretended to be offended for a moment, then laughed. As his laughter died down it occurred to him that the initial smile he'd given from when she joined him earlier had never faded entirely. He was beginning to notice that he was often that way around her.
"It's nice," he spoke, only half aware he'd uttered the
words aloud. "What you were saying before," he quickly added after she threw him
a questioning glance. "To be so confident, feel so sure about everything . .
about each other. . ." he trailed off before shifting his eyes back to her to find her looking intently at him.
"Must be . . .," she replied, a tentatively thoughtful smile on her face. Her lips remained parted as if she were preparing to say something else, and Matt felt a subtle anticipation hitch up somewhere in him. But, contrary to her usual boldness, her gaze faltered, she closed her mouth, and quickly turned to look at the sidewalk ahead.
He turned his attention to the view ahead as well, and changed the subject. "Is Davis gonna get back from your Grandma's in time to make the rehearsal?" She shook her head apologetically.
"No. He's been delayed. His flight doesn't leave until four p.m. tomorrow."
"Well, that's okay. Joe and Mimi will understand." She opened her mouth to reply, but suddenly a hard gust of wind hit them and the umbrella, yanking it up and twisting its spokes.
"Oh," Jun fretted as Matt tried to straighten out the now useless umbrella.
"Sorry Jun, it's broken," Matt said, finally giving up.
"Man, I would suggest that we walk back to my house, but we've come so far that it wouldn't make sense now." She sighed and took the umbrella, her mouth turning in a slight pout. Matt nodded. She was right. They we're closer to his home than to hers now.
"Lets go on to my house. My dad will be home," he noted, looking up at the dimming gray sky. "You can borrow some of my clothes once we get there, and he can drive you home. Come on." He nudged her when she continued to stare dejectedly at the ground.
"Okay," she sighed with a smile. Then, without thinking, he lifted a hand to the tip of her nose to wipe away a drop of rain. Her eyes widened. He became aware of himself and quickly drew his hand back, but she caught it in her own, turning her dusky gaze to his icy one. He hesitated a moment, taking in the sight of her all drenched and getting wetter by the second. Her coral hair had fallen to her shoulders in loose, wavy tendrils. Her lips and cheeks wore a slight rosy blush. Most passers by probably found their appearances comical, but he found her breathtaking. She had always been pretty to him, even before they were friends. Often, over the past few months, he thought that the word beautiful aptly described her, but at this moment he was at a loss of words for what he saw. He ran the back of his hand over her cool satiny cheek. She pulled the hand to her lips, brushing them lightly against his palm. Faint traces of warmth flooded into the tips of his fingers. There didn't seem to be anything around them anymore. No rain, no street, no houses, just the two of them alone and spellbound.
'That's what it's like . . . ,' he thought, leaning over to rest a kiss on her forehead, before pulling her into a firm embrace, 'a spell.' After a while he felt her tremble.
"You cold?" He finally murmured.
"No," she breathed against his chest. A moment later, "Matt?"
"Uh huh?" He mumbled.
"What's happening?"
"I...don't know . . . but I like it."
"Me too," she whispered. It was then that both noticed that the rain had stopped. He felt her shiver again. This time he pulled away.
"Come on, we've got to get home, and into some dry clothes," he spoke up.
"Yeah," she breathed, nodding her head vigorously, as if trying to shake off a daze. He placed an arm around her shoulders, and they started walking again. "Look at that." She tried to summon the casual, airy tone her voice had previously held. "It rains just long enough to ruin my umbrella and drench us both . . . Strange, huh?"
"Yeah," he agreed with a smile, taking the wrecked umbrella from her, and tossing it into someone's garbage can as they passed. "Funny that."