Koushiro entered the school's computer room. He sudenly stopped as he saw Mimi on the other side of the room. They eyes met, but it was the girl who quickly broke contact. Koushiro blushed a little and stared at his shoes.
'Mimi's mad' – he thought to himself – 'That's odd'.
He approached her to say hi:
- Hello Mimi-san. – said him, sitting down in a chair next to her.
- Hi. – said Mimi without moving her eyes away from the computer screen.
- Do you need help with anything? – Koushiro asked.
- No. – Mimi answered. She then thought she might have been too rude. – Sorry. I'm writing an e-mail to Michael so he can tell the Digidestined in America what happened to Meicoomon. We are not sure what follows, right? So they might as well be alert.
- That's... a very good idea, Mimi-san. – replied Koushiro, somewhat surprised.
- Yes. Sometimes I'm not as jikochuu as you might think I am.
- Uhm... I... I-I'm sorry – said Koushiro. – I didn't mean to make you sad. I don't think of you as a bad person, I-I just...
Mimi interrupted him:
- What exactly do you think of me, Koushiro?
Koushiro was taken by surprise. He did not know exactly what, or even how, he thought of Mimi. Lately his feelings seemed to have changed towards her. He always kept contact with her when she was living in America, and he was the one that texted her to come to Taichi's game. But seeing her here, so changed in looks, but with the same old noisy, irrational, impulsive,... sweet and bubbly personality...!
- I...
- You don't really know, do you? I thought you had learnt to like me, or at least to tolerate my presence around you. When you came to the Daters caffe the other day, I was so happy! But then the distortion happened, and Leomon... – her voice broke.
'I can't cry in front of Koushiro-kun. I don't want to give him any more reasons to find me weak and useless. No, I won't cry.' – Mimi thought to herself.
- Mimi-san... – Mimi crying was the last thing Koushiro needed at this time.
- After the past events you just disappeared. – the girl continued. – Sure, we had two meetings since then. But you were so focused on your computer analysing data, that you didn't even notice how everyone's feeling! Hikari's been sick, Takeru doesn't leave her side. Taichi's more anxious about all this than ever. Sora can't keep things together because even she is having doubts we can do it. Jou's finally compromised with us, but is lacking a direction to follow. Yamato's barricated home to avoid venting on everyone.
- Mimi-sa...
- I don't know what to do. So I wrote Michael for help. Even on the other side of the world he still is more present than...
- Me. – Koushiro said.
- It was you who said it. – Mimi said, smiling a little. 'Maybe Koushiro still has some conscience on what surrounds him', she thought.
- I'm sorry, Mimi-san. – Koushiro held her hand.
None of them was surprised or awkward about it. Somehow it was the only thing that made sense in all the chaos their lives were in. They both felt secured. Mimi had felt it before, when they were kids, holding on Koushiro, on the tree where Pinochimon had put them. But now it was different, he intentionally seeked her hand. They stayed like that for a few seconds, untill they noticed other students looking surprised at them.
- Don't run away from us. From me. – Mimi asked quietly. – Don't lose yourself on your computer. Or else, let me help you with it.
- Mimi-san... The last time you "helped" me with it, I woke up with several books up on my head.
Mimi chuckled reviving that moment. Seeing Mimi smiling really made Koushiro relaxed.
- Let's go home and work together. I'll let you know first-handed what I've discovered in my analysis. – Koushiro said, standing up.
- Your home, or my home? – Mimi said playfully. Her lips widening in a big smile.
- M-mi-mi-san!
- I was just kidding! You know I like to tease you, Koushiro-kun.
Koushiro knew, and he didn't like it at all. Everytime she teases him, his face just turns bright red and his palms get all sweaty. He always has the feeling that she actually enjoys seeing him nervous. What else could lead a girl to tease a boy so mercilessly? 'Girls are evil beings' – he thought.
They left the school and headed to Izumi's.