They knew good things would come to an end. Years passed as an encounter makes them reevaluate their past lives together as memories are shared. To Sora it meant that no matter how long it's been she never got over it, she was still frail to his allure.
AN: This was actually written a few months ago but unfortunately my laptop was stolen with the story I had written, I was devastated. I've had this story in my head for years and I had just brought the courage to write it down, now it's gone but I decided to rewrite it a little differently. Hope you guys still enjoy.
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Still In Love with You
Sora tapped the cold steel bar she was holding on with a rash of irritation; she was getting really impatient of the people standing around her as if they couldn't find another pole to hold on to, they just had to get near her bubble and grab the pole she was next to.
She looked at her right side to see a sweaty, skinny man standing next to her checking her out. He grinned at her, showing uneven, yellow teeth. Sora gave him a disgusting look behind the big oversize sunglasses she wore to avoid eye contact with anyone. She quickly turned her head away and slowly turned her back to cover her chest. It was clearly obvious that he was looking down her shirt.
Pervert.
To prevent the other group of men from looking at her chest; she placed her portfolio on her torso to distort unwanted eyes. It helped.
If it wasn't for the taxi that arrived late this morning to pick her up from the hotel she was staying, (After clearly scheduling one exactly at the time she needed it.) she wouldn't be late to board the first train, then maybe she wouldn't feel so claustrophobic in this damn train or would she feel molested by the stares the guys in the train would throw at her. She would probably be there in Tokyo already, clearly on business of course.
However, there was a small itch inside her wanting to wonder off and see her old hometown, Odaiba, where she use to live. If she had any time left, she would see if her old friends were still around and catch up to the years she had missed.
It wasn't her intention to leave them all behind but it was the only way she could be what she wanted to be. It was a bit of a shock to everyone that the once ago tomboy, Sora, was going to be a famous fashion designer.
"That's crazy!" One of her friends had said, "You, of all people, want to be fashion designer?"
"Yes, what is so wrong with that? I've made my own clothes before; I mean they weren't girly but I know how to sow I made my old blue hat the one I use to wear when we were younger, do you remember it?"
"Yes, but still, it just doesn't seem, you!"
"Seriously, Taichi, I've changed since then; you thought that I would live to spend my life dedicated to soccer or tennis? Come on, sometimes we have to grow up a little and open our eyes to other options around us. Being a digidestined is not a full-time job; the time will come when they won't need us anymore and then what? Are you always going to consider soccer as your career?"
"As of now it seems to be my only option. It's the only thing I am good at."
"That's not true, you're lazy but I know if you put your mind into it you can accomplish what you are good at. You would make such a great leader to both nations, who knows; maybe you could get into politics."
That's what the redhead did, her mind was made up and she would be leaving her hometown to achieve and succeed.
8 years had passed since she left her nest and now she was returning back after studying away from home and traveling to different places to wherever her profession would send her. It had been fate that this time they were sending her home for the first time since she left.
Unfortunately, she was not pleased at the moment; she was stuck with a tight crowd inside this train; she had forgotten how crowded the underground trains were in Japan. She sighed again as she tried to push away the other man standing next to her for more space for herself.
Finally, the train was slowing down to its destination. The overly crowded people started to shift around as the train came to a halt. They grabbed their belongings before the doors began to open.
As Sora moved a little forward with the crowd, the passenger behind her (the one looking down her shirt), pushed her lightly; it gave the perverted man the opportunity to tightly squeeze her butt before rapidly leaving the train with a sneer. Sora tempestuously turned around but unfortunately she wasn't quick enough to slap him across the face; the guy was gone and someone else had pushed her in the back making Sora trip on someone's shoe. It caused her arms to release the portfolio on her hands and the inert object slowly falling to the floor. Sora hurryingly tried to retrieve the folder but the traffic of people moving in and out of the underground metro made it impossible for her to bend down and grab it without getting hit and bumped on her shoulders. When there was a slight chance for her to yank it out from prowling feet, another set of hands successfully attained the item and raised it. Sora removed her shades to look at the person who had salvaged her work.
"Oh, thank you," she said in relief as the stranger handled it to her. She was more grateful that the items inside didn't scattered around the train; that would have been very devastated and horrendous.
"Not a problem" the guy sweetly said with a gorgeous smile.
She looked at him once more as he did to her, all of the sudden his smile had vanished as his mouth quickly transformed in to a small 'o' shape, his eyes shockingly widen at the sight of the redhead. Sora's heartbeat increased rapidly as she stared at the familiar person in front of her.
"Yamato?"
"Sora!" The blond idled at the sight of his long ago ex-girlfriend, "You- uh-you look great. How are you?" he earnestly uttered.
But before she could answer, the ongoing multitude of bodies continued to exit and aboard the train, pushing the old couple apart. Sora was faintly pushed outside the train while Yamato was forced inside to ride the train.
"Sora! Wait for me! I'll be back!" The blond shouted, trying to get a last glimpse of the girl before the door from the train closed.
Sora watched carefully as the last crowd of people got in and left her surroundings, the train began to move its engines, hauling into its next destination. She attentively saw how the blond with effort made his way into a nearby window; the look on his face was indistinct, she couldn't read the expression across his features, was he actually happy to see her? That face did not look like he was happy, or perhaps he was staggered at the moment as he made an attempt to sum up everything that had just happened at that instant. After all, it had been years since they last saw each other and such encounter after ages could affect a tremendous, unforeseen scene.
The train had gone and Sora's only motive at the moment was to stay motionless until a respond from inside her head could make up a decision. Unfortunately for her, her conscious wasn't making steadily decisions; instead it kept bringing back long ago memories of the man she could never forget, it made her blood throb down her body and into her dazed heart, bumping more blood that it regularly did.
That was definitely Yamato Ishida, her old flame. The only man she ever loved and for some unknown reason, she could never get over him. Yamato Ishida, the one who encouraged her to pursuit her dream and to become successful, the one who stood by her no matter what the irrelevant motive was that would bring her down to her own dark pit but he was there to pull her right out and save her from the despair in her heart. Seen him again made Sora realized that no matter how many years have passed, he never left her heart.
Realistic as it all was, she had to face the hard facts that even though they had met each other in the most unexpected way after years, it did not mean it would be the same or if there was a slight chance that they would get back together and it could work out again. She didn't need to think twice for her to assess the real problem at hand; due to her profession she did a lot of traveling, and rarely stayed in one place. It wasn't going to work out just like it didn't work out back when they use to date during college.
They were going to different college grounds; projects, homework and occasionally tests made it impossible to find time for themselves. Yamato had his band to worry about and rehearsals were a must, while Yamato had band concerts, Sora still had tennis tournaments and practice was a first priority. Not even holidays helped the couple to be reunited. Something always came up from either end and ended to cancelling plans. Quick calls were the only interaction they had over their first year of college.
It seemed easier to them in the past to save the Digital World and Earth from the grasps of evil Digimons than keeping up with their own relationship.
Before her mind decided to play another infamous memory of the two, she attained full initiative and pulled herself out from the flashback as she shook her head and fronted an intrepid face. Who was he to make her wait for him, the guy she tried her hardest to forget?
Truth be told, it wasn't like she wanted to forget him; she would be more than happy to see what the years have done with him, besides, in their past they were more than just a couple in love, they were best friends.
But then again, it was him, who, after a brief call, decided that it was not working out and it was for the best for them to break ties; it was he, the one who ended their relationship.
A part of her was delighted that she was able to see him again and she would probably use this opportunity to patch up on the things she didn't mean to say. Then the other part of her was furious for letting herself fall back into the poignant basin of her heartrending memories.
"Hey, I'm glad you called, I'm sorry I couldn't answer your texts, I've been busy this whole week and there is just no break with this woman!" she lightly complaint to Yamato on the phone about her professor.
"It is okay, don't worry, I've been busy myself too, and just like you I haven't had a moment to spare."
"Yeah, I hope your classes are going well, I have two tests tomorrow and a project due. How's everyone? Have you had a chance to talk to them? What about Gabumon? Have you talked to him?"
"Actually, I have not kept in touch with them, I'm pretty sure they are as busy as us and it's hard to find time to spend time all together, I'm certain that they are fine. As for the Digimon, I spoke to Koushiro and he told me they are doing fine, all of them, Piyomon sends you lots of love and she misses you."
"I miss her too, Tell her, soon we will be together once again and we will live happily together."
"I'll tell her that."
"Thank you, Yamato."
"Sora, I really miss you."
"I miss you more."
"Sora, I want you to know that I love you so much."
"I love you too."
There was a long pause, from the other end, the redhead could hear Yamato fidgeting on to something, she heard him breath heavily then sucked in some air as if he had something in his throat and he wanted to let it out.
"Yamato, what's wrong?"
"I just- I don't know. I don't know how to say this."
"Just say it how it is, because you are really scaring me."
"This is so cowardly of me to do, because it's over the phone but there was no other way. Sora, I don't think it's working out."
"You mean, school is not working out for you?"
"No, us, we, it's not working out. I barely get to talk to you, we are always busy; I have band practice every day, you still have tennis tournaments. It just pains me to not have you close to me."
"I can transfer to your school! I can talk to them see if I can change!"
"No, Sora, you have your career ahead of you, don't blow it."
"But I can make this work! I can quit school and instead I'll be a housewife."
"Don't say that! Sora, are you even listening to yourself? Don't throw away this huge opportunity you have just because of something we can't keep. I love you too much for you to throw your future away."
"If you really loved me then you wouldn't be doing this," her voice was breaking, the knot on her throat started to grow bigger; her eyes became more moist by the second as tears were ready to fall.
"I don't want to do this! But it just seem to be the best for the both of us-"
"The best for the both of us or the best for you?" there was no holding in the tears any longer, she let them slide down her ruddy cheeks, her vision blurred as her ruby eyes were covered with the salty watery substance.
"That's not what I meant, I-"
"No, I know exactly what you meant, and if that's the way you want it then have it! I gave myself to you! Did that mean anything to you?"
"Of course it did! Don't think everything we had was for granted, please don't cry."
"Don't tell me not to cry when you are easily giving up on something we had!"
"I'm sorry."
"Your sorry is not going to change anything, you already decided and if that's your decision then you no longer need me in your life. I hope you have a wonderful life, Yamato."
And before he said anything else she hung up and turned off her phone. She threw herself on her bed and let the wails of her despair suffocate on her pillow. She knew in the morning when she would wake up to open her puffy eyes, it will take a few seconds to realize that the memories were no dreams but scenes of last night's call and the tears would continue from where they left off when she cried herself to sleep that night.
A kind of heartbreak made her realize that it was for the best to not speak to him until she was definitely sure she was completely over him, which cause her to distant herself for a while from anyone who still had contact with him. It seemed rashly and selfish on her part but it was the only rational way to slay feelings for him completely. But who was she to joke? In every open opportunity in her mind she maintain, she was forced to think on the most intimate moments of their relationship, there was no peaceful time between her, her mind and her broken heart. Even dating again didn't help her to diminish the feeling she still had.
The first few days are always the toughest, she would tell herself.
When she knew there was no cure for his charm, she had to accept it and try to move on and live with it. However, there was a way to control it, and that was by working without taking a break because taking just one moment of herself would signify to letting down her defenses and to think about him and her relationship. It worked for years and she finally had the courage to say she no longer felt prisoner of his appeal, and after that she had not thought about him until now when she had him face to face.
She dismissed the thoughts in her head and headed towards a bench to settle down before deciding to leave. It was a bit too much to sink in. Maybe she should wait, just to see the outcome. She didn't want to see herself as childish or cynical just because it was something from years ago, they were both grown adults and it was time to act like one. It wasn't like she was gaining anything from it, just a small chat with a really good old friend.
Sora looked up to see her surroundings; the people came and left; her brain fickle suddenly as her memory retrieved into a scene years ago when she and Yamato walked into the crowd of the metro station, he carried most of her luggage while she carried the lighter weight.
"Are you nervous?" he asked.
"No, I am confident. I know I can do this."
"I know you can, I believe in you." Yamato stared at her with soft eyes as he slowly wrapped his arms around her waist for the last time; he kissed the top of her forehead, the feeling ran through her neck down to her body, he lifted her chin up so her eyes could meet his again and slowly his lips moved towards hers. Their lips kept pressed for a couple of seconds until Yamato pulled away, "I'll call you every night if I have to."
"I'll be waiting for your calls."
It was time to bore the train, Sora followed the crowd inside the metro; she got near a window to get a last look at her boyfriend. Yamato looked at her smiling back, his body leaned to one side while both hands were concealed in his front pockets of his pants. He hated goodbyes, they were unpleasant and awkward. Waving to her felt heartbreaking; Sora understood, she smiled warmly at him pressing both hands on the widow as the train began to shift forward, she waved and he stared lightly until the tunnel was completely black.
Sora's eyes began to adjust again to the present, ending the transition inside her head. It seemed to her that her memories pounced on her spontaneously without giving her a thought of warning. They were completely random and unorganized as if they were all cluttered in together inside one small square space and all of them wanted to get out at the same time.
All she knew was her thoughts and flashbacks were disorderly and she couldn't make heads or tails on either leaving or staying.
She kept repeatedly asking herself, was it really worth the wait? Time seem to move too slow even for her, who usually had no spare time to waste. Now she sat there thinking how naïve she was to fall back again to the strings attached to him.
"I'm a fool," she mouthed to herself as she stared down the concrete with drawn eyes. Sora wasn't a person you would call vulnerable, she was strong, her guard always up. She never gave up no matter what arduous challenges were thrown at her. If someone could do it, it was her. She never let anyone pull her down to their level. Hostility came to her nature whenever someone came to her and impugned her motives. Sora wouldn't let any being break her walls.
Be that as it may, she was still frail to his allure; the sight of him had extracted her vulnerability like a wisp, completely coating the exterior of her so-guarded vanity.
An hour had passed and Yamato had not showed up yet. "I'm stupid for waiting, he's not going to show, he's lying. I mean why should I care? Right? I should just walk away and not look back!" Sora cursorily stopped herself before she continued to lose herself unprofessionally; it was the kind of influence he had over her without him even trying. What had she become at the sight of him?
On her last day in Odaiba, the couple decided to spend the whole day to themselves. And when the day came to an end, they would be one with the night. Bodies interlocked in the spread out white sheets of his bed. Tender kisses were exchanged once in a while. The subtle touch of his hands running down the side of Sora's naked body made her quiver. His lips ran on her bare shoulder, then streaming slowly down her backside.
Why? Why would her mind do such a thing to rewind back a memory that she had vaulted in her deep, most secretive part of her conscious. That was private and it was not supposed to be withdrawn. This was the sign she needed to prove she didn't have to wait for him. She rose from her seat and began to walk away, heels hitting back concrete, her portfolio in hand and purse over her shoulder, chin up as she began to build up her defenses once more without looking back.
From the distance she heard faint murmurs of people, swish blurs of random natives moved around to different places and from her imagination she heard a voice calling her, a voice slowly becoming audible.
"Sora!"
It wasn't her imagination. Yamato's voice cleared out from the crowd, he dodge people, zigzagging around them and even sprang away from incoming people just to reach out to the redhead. When he was finally a foot of distance from her, he began to catch his breath, his shoulders softly moved with the rhythm of his chest rising up and down as his respiratory system began to settle into tempo. Sora patiently waited until he was caught up completely, she softly stared at his posture and quickly examined it.
He hadn't change, appearance wise; he still had that strong august structure in his face that held such magnificent characteristics; his eyes were indelible, the blue tinge they carried were like pools of lust which draw you in and you would just drown of pure ecstasy. His fluorescent skin tone seemed to bounce off perfection. His God-like golden hair was shorter than usual, though they still carry the same trademark spikes he had when he was younger, it was vibrant when the sun reached out to touch them. During the years he seemed to grow a little taller, he was still slim, built with strong interior anatomy but his chest was a bit wider, Sora had to guess it may have been because of the transition between teenager to adult or probably due to working out and lifting a couple of weights.
"I'm sorry," he finally said with a contritely tone of voice. Sora didn't say anything back nor did she accept his apology, she just stared back at him with a slight emotion of jittery butterflies that bounced back and forth from the walls inside her inner self calling out to be set free.
"I'm sorry I made you wait."
"I was about to leave but you were able to catch up," she vacantly answered.
"I'm glad I did catch up to you," Yamato sincerely said trying to reach out into her eyes the ones he had missed so much. She took noticed of him staring at her and she automatically looked to her side to avoid contact with him. The old couple stiffed for a moment; a shady awkwardness lurked into their space until Yamato cleared his throat as the awkward moment slowly swift away. "Do you want to go get a cup of coffee or something to eat?" he shyly proposed rubbing the back of his head as if his nervousness would magically wipe away from his palm.
His out of character behavior made Sora smile lightly then letting out a giggle, "I'll tell you what, Ishida, as overrated as that question is and how unoriginal you were as to the only thing you could come up with after years of not seeing each other. I will accept in one condition, you will be the one to provide the check."
Yamato's thin lips suddenly spread wide upward, "It's a deal."
Sora and Yamato left the metro station out to the sunny afternoon traffic of people. They walked to their nearest destination located across the other side of the street; Yamato had promised they had the best coffee and tea around.
A friendly host took the couple into a small table for two and passed out menus. A few minutes had passed while they waited for the polite waitress to take their order when Sora realized that she no longer felt nervous around him and that she had let her guard slightly open to let Yamato in for a cup of tea. She still kept her gaze down at the menu to keep her eyes from wondering around to the blond; she quirked one eyebrow to make her look like she was interested in the menu. In the meantime, she didn't know that the blond had been looking at her the whole time since they left the metro, he worried that if he looked away for just a slight second she would walk away.
"I haven't been here in a while, I really don't know what to get. Everything seems to be good, what do you recommend, Yamato?" she had finally looked up from her menu as she caught him staring at her, Yamato bashfully blurted something turning to his own menu, which he hadn't look at yet, "err-, um- Their green tea here is really good! The tempura is really good too; I'm guessing you still like miso soup?"
He remembers.
"Yes, miso soup is still my favorite. Wow, you still remember?" She added impressed at his memory.
"I never forgot."
The redhead looked back at her menu to hide the ruddy color of her cheeks; the waitress had just appeared making Sora feel at ease, when they had ordered from the menu and they were finally out of the decision of what to eat, Yamato placed his arms on top of the table crossing them and facing Sora.
"So tell me Sora, what brought you back here to Tokyo," he curiously asked.
"Faith decided to play Wheel of Fortune on me, it spun the wheel and it landed on "back home," she amused.
Yamato lightly chuckled at her reply, after years it seemed she still had some sense of humor in her.
"Actually, I'm here strictly on business only; the designing company I work for decided to host a fashion festival here in Tokyo this year. Ironically, I was chosen to do the designs and to be in charge of it. I was on my way to turn in some designs to where it will be located at; it's actually on one of Tokyo's design colleges I attended before I moved to London."
"So you are just going to stay here for a few days?" he eagerly spoke, Sora could have sworn there was a hint of disappointment in his tone of voice.
"Yes, like I said, its only business related that I am here then I have to go back to my studio in London."
"Oh, well, I guess that means we have to catch up to those years in a couple of hours," he proposed to the redhead. At the same time the waitress had brought their drinks; Sora made space for the waitress to gracefully pour tea on her cup, she grabbed the cup and placed it on her lips and lightly took a sip, she stare back at the greenish liquid substance of her drink; a small tea stalk floated vertically upright in her cup making the tea do riffles as she lightly stared at her own reflection. At this Sora smiled at it knowing very well what laid before her.
"What are you smiling at?" the blond curiously asked pushing up and eyebrow.
"Oh, it's nothing, so back to what we were talking. What have you been up to?"
Yamato slowly put down his small cup of sake on the table, (Sora thought it was a little too early for that)"After I left from college, I made my career at becoming an Astronaut so I joined Japan's Aerospace Exploration Agency; right now I'm still in training."
"Wow! A Spaceman, that's interesting," Sora's eyes slowly widen as she nodded her head of approval.
Yamato chuckled, "I'm not sure if you are actually interested or you are being sarcastic."
"Oh, no, I mean it, that's very cool; or should I say 'it is out of this world'!" she joked as she widen her smile.
All he could do at the moment was laugh at the corniness from Sora, "Well then, thanks I guess."
"You're welcome, Spaceman. But, whatever happened to your band? Weren't you going to be a Rock-star your whole life?"
"A wise woman once said, 'sometimes we have to grow up a little and open our eyes to other options around us.'"
Sora lightly blushed, Yamato grinned; she knew the wise woman was her. What made her face redden was the fact that he remembered the words she had said.
"My band mates and I tried to be the next big pop sensation in Japan, but as we got older we realized that this wasn't really what we wanted, we had potential, and so we split and went our different ways. After a lot of consideration I knew I wanted to be an Astronaut."
"Hmm, I see. That's great that you found what you were meant to be, I am happy things turned well for you."
"I should give you some credit for it, you inspired me to achieve something this great, if you could be successful then so could I. Not only did you inspire me, you were able to show our other friends that they too can attain their greatness."
"What? No, I didn't do anything- I-"
"Sora, stop being modest, even Taichi turned his motives around and listened to your advice."
"How is our old friend anyways?" Sora asked at the mention of the brunette, he had lost touch with him after she graduated from college.
"Hard-headed as always, and always hungry, but besides that, he took your suggestion and went into politics, he has his campaign up and running."
Sora was relief to hear that her old childhood friend was doing great, she softly laughed at the thought of him eating his all time favorite meal, "That's Taichi; he's probably sneezing at the moment right now."
"Ha! Yeah, great, our meals our here, I was hungry."
"Itadakimasu!" both said in unison. They took the opportunity of silence to enjoy their meals, at some point they would make small talk, then resumed to their food. When plates were emptied, the couple decided to stay and chat some more, they talked about work, their adventures, their battles together, about their friends and their silly moments they had witness; their future jobs.
Mimi had miraculous achieve the culinary arts and now was the head chef of this famous restaurant; her next goal for the future was having her own cooking show. Koushiro was more to himself; private and quiet and only he knew exactly what he was doing, from what Yamato could tell Sora, he was up to something big and it had to do with computers and the Digital World. Jyou made use of his medical knowledge to helping injured Digimon. Hikari was a student-teacher at the moment on the road to being a teacher. Takeru majored on Literature and he was writing the first page of his first book, at the moment he had writer's block. They talked about a lot of things but they never talked about their relationship; that was a confined subject.
"Do you remember that time when Taichi accidentally stepped on Digimon poop and he couldn't scrape it off?"
"My goodness, the look on Mimi's face was priceless!" Sora laughed, "and then Taichi took the shoe off and started chasing her around with it, we just stood there laughing. Then Taichi tripped on a root of a tree and fell hard on his face."
"It never gets old." The blond had fiddle with his napkin when something made him look at his watch, "Oh is it that time already? When you're catching up time surely flies fast."
Sora looked outside the window and saw the sky had become darker and the moon was in midway towards its usual position, she looked at her watch as well and saw the small hand pointing at 8 and the longer one a little after 12. She dug inside her purse and checked her phone; she had a few missed calls, one voicemail and some texts.
"Oh, crap, I forgot to call back my supervisor. I'll have to call back later, probably wondering if I turned in the sketches, which I forgot to do. Oh well, I'm not worried."
"Is she your boss?"
"He," she corrected him as she put her phone back, "and yes, we've worked together for years now. We go together on business events but I came solo this time, he had to take care of some things back home before he can arrive to Japan."
"You two live together?" Yamato queried while looking at his own drink and taking a small sip.
Sora chuckled, "No, we don't live together."
"So, is he like your boyfriend or something?"
At the added question, Sora burst out laughing, "Oh, no! I've never considered him more than just a working partner and I know for sure he feels the same way. He's a good man but we've never been more."
"Oh, okay, um, I know I'm being a little forward but are you currently dating anyone?"
"No," she flatly said, "I'm single, but I've dated before, though I only did date to get rid of pestering men who never left me alone, I would agreed on one date and if they blew it, there was not going to be a second one. My rules were simple, no guys in my apartment, and no kiss on the first date, no constant texting or calling. Dating for me was just a waste of my time after college."
"Wow, sounds tough for the guys, a lot of restrictions."
"Yeah, guys would call me a heartless woman, and I knew from there that they never knew me at all, but that wasn't always the case; there was this guy I dated for a few months, he was sweet and patient with me, he would take me home, take me out to eat, he was a gentleman and also very good looking but I just couldn't go pass the phase of just dating and I knew he wanted more than just dates, and I said no."
"Why did you say no?"
Her eyes began to derange a little, it seemed to blur out a little of her vision, her heart started to accelerate, making her blood run towards the surface of her cheeks; she began to feel a little sweaty from her hands; causing the nervous feeling to shake her. Sora had gotten this far without feeling anxiety over his ex-boyfriend and now he had gone over the line and asked something she wasn't expecting.
Why did she say no?
Even though the guy was a sweetheart to her; walking her to her place after dark, being supportive about her decisions, she just couldn't find it in her heart to love him the way he loved her. She couldn't find the love she was capable of giving to a complete stranger she never took the time to actually know.
She looked straight at Yamato and the answer was at plain sight staring back at her. "Uh, I was just busy with my career I didn't want him to be a distraction," she lied.
"I understand, I went through the same thing myself. Dating but not being serious about a relationship. I just couldn't find the time to ever get serious about a relationship."
"I know," Sora added brutally.
It had been already too late to catch what she just said, her intention wasn't to respond in a cruel expression but it had slip out of her mind and unconsciously said it without a second thought. She saw how Yamato looked at her with a shocked appearance of guilt; his shoulders had tense up but then flex down as if he had shrugged off a load. He stayed silent for a minute as he looked down to his left shoulder and contemplated about something then looked back at Sora to say something back but the redhead interrupted before he mouthed his first words.
"It's getting late and I need to get back, I'll have to call my supervisor later and I'll just send the designs tomorrow." She began to pick up her things from the table, Yamato called the waitress for the check, momentarily after Sora got up, she arrived and he paid.
"If its okay with you, I would like to escort you back to the metro station," he cautiously suggested and waited for her permission.
Sora thought about it, it was getting late and she didn't want to return unaccompanied at night, and Yamato seemed to fit well to be a guardian.
"Yeah, that's fine," she finally answered as they both exit the café. She had made the whole thing uncomfortable now and she couldn't even look at him straight in the eye.
Just being around him this whole time gave her nostalgia for her old life as they talked about old pictured memories while avoiding mentioning about their relationship history, but she could tell Yamato itched to say something about it. Interrupting him seemed to be the best choice to stop further aches.
On their way to the metro stating that awkwardness had returned and settled in between them. While they waited for the green light to indicate it was safe to cross the street, Yamato looked at the black night tinted with white blotches.
"It's a nice clear night."
"It is," Sora agreed as she also looked up.
"One day I'll be able to reach beyond the infinite sky and touch it."
"I know you can, I believe in you."
Yamato's gaze returned back to earth and on Sora's pretty face, she had a smile on that made Yamato's heart run. It was just like that time years ago.
After reaching inside the underground metro and arrived to the platform Sora had to board, they stood beside a pillar until the train arrived.
"You don't have to stay, I'll be fine."
"I know I don't have to but I want to. I want to see that you get in safe until the train leaves."
There was another long pause in between.
"You know, if it wasn't for that taxi being late this morning, I would have been on time and not on the train with that man who made me drop my stuff and I would have walked out without any delays. You and I would have just barely rubbed shoulders and never had this moment to ourselves after years," she raised her chin up to look at his face, "It could have been faith."
Yamato's look was forlorn; inside of him he was hurting and Sora could see that in his weary eyes. The anguish regret was burden on the surface of his chest and it appeared to do damage through the years; he just couldn't hold it in.
"Sora, I'm sorry. I'm sorry for damaging what we had. I was a fool, a jackass for ever thinking that being away from you would make things, our future together, any better. I don't know what I was thinking and I've spent all these years contemplating how much I regret it. And I know it's a little too late to ever patch up the ripped seam between us. I just want you to accept my apology so my mind can be at ease. I don't ask you to give me another chance or am I proving myself I can be a better man, just a simple forgiveness will suffice and then I can forever move along with the feeling of content that I was able to see you again at least one more time and you were able to forgive my idiocy." Year's worth of words had finally emerged to the open.
The redhead was speechless; she couldn't find the words to blurt out or how to respond to so much assertion. Should she be happy to such confession and just forgive him? Something she was hoping for from deep down in her vaulted thoughts. And maybe, maybe they can start fresh all over again. Or should she be upset and just leave?
"Yamato, I-"she uttered, her eyes wondered down to her heels. From the distance they heard the train pass by, blurring in to the background setting.
He knew it was too good to be true. He knew she was never going to forgive him. He didn't deserve getting an apology after all he made her go through.
Both stood in silence while their surroundings became louder by the minute as the people began to enter or exit the train.
"I guess you have to go," he finally said after waiting for a reply and not getting one in return.
"Yeah, it was nice seeing you again, Yamato."
"It was nice having this moment with you, Sora. Um- Before you go, can I ask you for one last favor?"
"What is this last favor?"
"A hug, for old time's sake."
Sora's shoulders relaxed as she spread a smile across her face, "Sure, old friend."
They grew closer and both their arms wrapped each other's bodies. Sora's need of comfort had finally appeared to the touch warmth of his body pressed against hers, and it made her realized how much she missed his touch, his smell, how much she missed moments like these.
Yamato tightened the hug as it lasted for another whole minute then they parted and looked at each other.
"Take care, Ishida, who knows, faith brought us back together it might bring us back again."
"I'll like that."
Sora turned to proceed towards the rest of the crowd inside. This was it, the end of her encounter and it may never happen again. Like she had said, faith might make them bump to each other in the future but it would probably be too late for something more. It was nice while it lasted.
Having contact of someone from long ago also made her realized how much her life was empty, incomplete, how much she needed this, It shouldn't end like this.
Yamato stood at the last pillar; he hated saying goodbyes, they were unpleasant and awkward. He leaned towards the pillar both hands in his pockets. He hoped for Sora to appear on the window to see him stare back with a smile, but she was nowhere near a window, he thought it was for the best if she wasn't through glass because it would just be heartbreaking. The train began to pick up motion and slowly darted into the tunnel until it was completely dark. Yamato stared lightly and then turned around to make his exit, as he took a few steps forward he heard his name being called.
He quickly turned around and saw the redhead standing at least a few feet away. She stood with a smile, bag over shoulder, portfolio in hand. Yamato was bewildered at the sight. He thought she was gone for good and that she would not see her again.
"You know why I said no to the other guy? Why I couldn't date another man?"
Yamato lightly took a few steps forward as did the redhead, slowly moving towards the middle.
"Because no matter what I did to get over you, it didn't matter, you were always in my head. I guess what I am trying to say is I'm still in love with you."
The blond rushed towards her and eagerly cupped her face and kissed her naked lips. Sora threw her arms around his neck and kissed him back, their lips moved passionately around, keenly to catch up to all the kisses they had missed and for a moment they stopped to breathe. The blond rested his forehead against hers while their breathing caught up, he kissed the bridge of her forehead and looked at her for a moment, "I've dreamt about the moment when we could have this again."
"So have I," Sora whispered as she moved her lips towards his.
"Does this mean you forgive me?"
"It means I want to kiss you tonight until we can no longer keep up then fall asleep in each other's arms, and when I wake up you'll be the first one I see and then I'll kiss you good morning for the rest of our days."
Perhaps it was Faith that brought them back together; maybe Faith was worn-out of waiting for Love and Friendship to reconsider what they once held so passionately, so pure; something that was meant to be.
Faith took a risk when it spun the wheel and got lucky. It played with the strings of destiny and modified two thin strings to meet together once again with rearranged events that weren't planned to make play.
Faith sure knows how to play its tricks, how to go incognito when no one is around, without knowing who really is concealed under a mask.
Only Faith will know that on a nice clear night, two lovers reconsidered their differences and spend that night together in his apartment after they both left the metro.
She felt nervous but she knew well that she was not going to regret her decision. She had forgiven him because she foresaw providence with the man she took a chance with.
Yamato gently kissed her lips, his hand slowly moved to the end of her bare shoulder, fiddling with the strap of her tank top as he slowly descend it down to her arm, his lips slowly moved down to her jaw to her neck and on her shoulder as a trail of kisses were imperceptibly tattooed on her skin, the sensual feeling ran down her spine.
Her hands wondered to the small round buttons of his shirt and she began to dispatch them from their holes. The shirt fell down to the floor and so did hers. Keenness for the touch of their bare skins made the process of removing attire faster.
Soon they were nude from top to bottom, the blond slowly descended her to his bed as he followed her down without breaking the kiss, his palm rested on one of her breasts; at his touch it aroused her gradually. He ran his hand on her waist; his lips found their way down to her smooth skin leaving a trace of nibbles on the way down to her naval. She lightly whimpered at the touch and the feeling she hadn't had in years. Both hands slid down to her clamped thighs, he slightly opened them. He looked at her for a second for a response, her rosy face glossed from the moonlight, and with a slow nod to indicate she was ready, she gave permission.
The feeble touch of flawless skin rubbing against skin will continue for minutes on until both in unison reach the high peak of ecstasy. He would rest on his side while she would slowly moved towards his position and caress the top of his chest, more kisses would be exchange, coming in first slowly and tenderly then regularly altering to quickly and passionate causing it to course to a second count. A cycle would be completed until both of them finally became exhausted and fell asleep in each other's arms.
The next morning when she wakes up as her vision adjusts she will be wrapped in white sheets and the first thing she will see lying next to her will be Yamato Ishida, the man she never forgot and when he opens his eyes and sees her, the first thing she would do is kiss him good morning.
/END/
Whaaa! I meant to update this weeks ago but Tumblr has been a constant distraction, it's hard to keep my eyes away from there, not only that but I got into a new fandom called Homestuck and I've been hooked since then. Also, I'm having internet connection issues and it's hard to update in time due to shitty internet. I hope you guys enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it. I would appreciate some reviews and feedback. There might be a few errors here and there but I hope they are not major. I don't have a beta so I have to revise it myself, me alone. But, if you know someone who is available or someone who is interested of being my beta let me know. Thanks again! Now I am off to continue writing the next chapter of Under the Same Roof.