I call this another sad attempt at a romantic fic. Never mind SongFic, I think all my attempts at romace are feeble. I heard this song halfway through and thought I'd write an Mimato or something to get out of my Taiora rut, then I heard the first verse and it was too Taiora for me to even attempt to change it to something else. So, here goes nothing.

Disclaimer
Me: Take it Joe.
Joe: Why do I have to read it? This is a Taiora.
Me: 'Cause Tai and Sora are too busy being in the story
Joe: So why can't someone else do it?
Me: Because they're all busy being in my other stories.
Joe: So you mean I'm NOT IN THEM?
Me: Yet, Joe. Not yet.
Joe: All right. She doesn't own anything. Not the Backstreet Boys-
Me: *dreamily* I wish...
Joe: Or Digimon. Was that good?
Me: *dreaming of BSB* Yeah....


How Did I Fall In Love With You? by the Backstreet Boys

^*Remember when we never needed each other
The best of friends like
Sister and brother
We understood we'd never be alone*^

"Sora! I'm open!"
Sora passed the soccer ball to Tai and they both ran up the field. Tai passed it back and Sora kicked it into the net.
"GOAL!" Tai screamed as the other team groaned in agony. Sora had scored the winning goal of the game and she hugged Tai and her team with joy. They'd won the championship. Tai lifted Sora on his shoulders and carried her around the field until his strength wore out and they both toppled to the ground, laughing. Everyone saw the two as inseperable, like siblings.

^*Those days are gone
Now I watch you so much*^

It was years after the soccer championship. Sora and Tai were now in high school, both had changed in many ways. Well, except Tai's hair maybe, but the carefree days of soccer, elementary school and just plain being a kid were over.

Tai watched Sora a lot these days. She was so much... different than she was when they were little. Not only was she taller, but Sora seemed more graceful, more alive, full of a certain spirit that Tai hadn't noticed before. It was mesmerizing to him.

^*The nights are long
And I need your touch *^

Tai had finally worked up the nerve to ask Sora out. She'd accepted, with that cheerful smile he adored. They'd gone to a movie, and then a long walk in the park.

"What are you thinking?" Sora asked.

"Huh?" Tai had zoned out.

"What are you thinking?" she repeated. "You've got that look on your face again."

*^I don't know what to say^*

Oh, just that you're the most beautiful thing in the world, Tai thought. But he said, "Nothing."

*^Never meant to feel this way
Don't want to be alone tonight^*

They walked in silence for a while, but Tai broke the night air with a confession. "Actually, I am thinking about something. Something about you..."

"About me?" Sora asked.

"Yeah," Tai said, blowing out a huge sigh. They sat on a park bench.

"Well, what is it?"

Tai took a deep breath. Spit it out, he told himself angrily. "I... I love you Sora."

Sora looked at him with a funny look. "You love me? I thought we were just friends," she said with a slightly angry tone. She got up and glared at Tai. "I don't think I can... Good bye." Sora began to leave, but Tai stood up and clamped his hand on her arm.

"Don't leave me Sora," Tai pleaded. "I had a bad feeling this would happen. I never meant to love you Sora. But I do. Please, don't leave me. I don't want to be alone."

^*What can I do to make you mine?
Falling so hard, so fast this time
What did I say, what did you do?
How did I fall in love with you?*^

Sora pressed her lips together tightly, still not looking at Tai. Tai didn't let go of her arm.

"What is it Sora?" he asked. "What is it I have to do for you to love me? I've fallen for you Sora. I don't know how. Something happened. I said something, you did something, we grow up and I fall in love. It's something I can't explain."

^*I hear your voice and I start to tremble
Brings back the child that I resemble*^

"Tai..." Sora started, her voice trailing off. Tai felt his free hand shake at the sound of her voice. It sounded so small, so young, and he was transpoted back to when he and Sora first met as six year olds. "I don't know -- I can't think of anything..." she trailed off.

^*I cannot pretend that we can still be friends
Don't want to be alone tonight*^

"We can't be friends Tai," Sora told him.

"Oh, Sora, don't say that," Tai said.

"No, Tai, please," she shot at him. "I can't..."

^*What can I do to make you mine?
Falling so hard, so fast this time
What did I say, what did you do?
How did I fall in love with you?*^

"Sora, don't do this to me, please," Tai said. "I love you, but I don't know why." He loosened his grip on her arm and walked around to face her. "I need you to help me figure out why."

^*Oh, I want to say this right
And it has to be tonight
Just need you to know
I don't want to end this night
I don't want to say good-bye
With you I want to spend
The rest of my life*^

"I just need you to, oh, how do I say this..." Tai started.

"Tell me later," Sora muttered.

"No, it needs to be now," Tai told her. "I want you to know that I don't want you to go. I want to stay with you. I don't want to say good bye."

"What do you mean?" Sora asked.

"I want to stay with you forever."

^*What can I do to make you mine?
Falling so hard, so fast this time
What did I say, what did you do?
How did I fall in love with you?*^

"Tai, I remembered something," Sora said.

"What is it?"

"This bench here," she said. "This is where we first met." She looked up into Tai's deep brown eyes.

"You're right," Tai smiled. "I remember it well..."

"Hey, whatcha doing?" the little boy asked.

"Nothing." The girl was sitting alone on the bench with a soccer ball.

"That's a cool soccer ball," Tai said.

"Thanks. I love soccer. But I just moved here and there's no one to play with," Sora sighed.

"I'll play," Tai volunteered.

"Really?" Sora's eyes brightened.

"Yeah! I love soccer too! Come on, let's play!" said Tai.

Sora smiled, grabbed her soccer ball and jumped off the bench, kicking the ball to her new friend.

*^What can I do to make you mine?
Falling so hard, so fast this time
Everything's changed, we never knew
How did I fall in love with you?*^

The boy was older now. He was with the same girl, same park, minus the soccer ball, but the friendship was still there.

"Everything's different now Tai," she murmured. "We didn't know we'd be friends for so long and I can't-"

Sora was cut off by a finger to her lips. Tai ran his hand over her hair and gently touched her cheek. "Shh, quiet now," he murmured. "You don't have to. I know what you're thinking, and you don't have to. Remember, I love you Sora. I always will."

Sora closed her eyes. She felt like she'd cry. Sora put her arms around Tai's waist and leaned into his chest. Tai embraced her in his strong arms, held her close and began to sing that song off the Backstreet Boy's new album, Black & Blue. "...how did I fall... In love... with you..." Sora couldn't stand it anymore.

"Because I love you too, Tai Kamiya," she said, answering the question he'd been asking all night.


That was hard to write. (Mainly because I was interrupted many times by people talking to me on my MSN Messenger) And also because I suck. :-P
~KK~