The Book
The Book

Written by: Snow Illusion

Dedicated to: All the Taiora fans out there!

That was the day when Tai realized that he loved Sora. The day that she was taken away from him, the day that she was captured by Datamon. His tiny little thirteen year-old heart was broken, his only love taken away from him. And he didn't even get to tell her how he felt.

He cried, the only way he could release the darkness swelling up in him. The salty tears stained his shirt and cracked his face, but he didn't care. He didn't care that everyone was watching, he didn't care that at that exact moment Matt was thinking what a big baby he was, no, he didn't care about anything like that. He only cared that Sora was in his arms, and he was holding her tightly. That he would tilt her perfect face to his, and kiss her with his red lips. He knew that would say more than words ever could.

Thankfully, he had rescued her from Datamon. But did he ever get to hold her in his arms? Did he ever tilt her perfect face to his, and kiss her with his red lips? No, he didn't. He was a coward, and a big one. Too infatuated by what he was feeling. He thought that Sora didn't love him back. He didn't know how wrong he was.

***

It had been four years since that little accident, and still Tai hadn't told Sora how he felt. He told himself that he was going to tell Sora the next time. But that next time never came, for he got too scared.

            "That's it…" he told himself, kicking the stones on the way to Sora's apartment. "I'm going to tell Sora I love her whether it kills me."

            He started to run, he couldn't wait any longer to tell her. His heart was aching with love, and he knew it was going to burst if he couldn't say it.

            Finally reaching the door, he anxiously rang the doorbell. Mrs. Takenouchi answered the door.

            "Well, hello Taichi. What brings you to the Takenouchi place?" she asked, her innocent smile reaching to her eyes.

            "Hi, is Sora here?" he replied, jumping on the balls of his feet trying to look past Mrs. Takenouchi to see in the apartment.

            "No, I'm sorry she isn't. I think she went out looking out for you, she said she had something very important to tell you…wait, where are you going!?!"

"Thanks Mrs. Takenouchi!" he yelled back, he knew that Sora was going to tell him that she loved him. Yes, this was his day.

***

It had been hours since he started searching for his soon-to-be love. He had almost given up when a shine of crimson hair shone his way.

            He looked across the blackened sky to the other side of the street, where he saw Sora, all tightly bundled in winter clothes.

            "Hey Sora!" he cried across. Again, salty shimmering tears seemed to skid down his peached color face. 

"Tai!" she replied, her own silent streams drowning across.

She started to run towards him, but something was wrong. Tai noticed it all too soon.

"Sora, watch out!!!!!!!"

And in a second, the pick-up truck had hit her.

***

Tai waited outside the hospital room, to afraid to find what was in there. He had found Sora's mangled body under the black truck without its light's on. He called the ambulance, but they had gotten there in about a half an hour. Too long.

She was unconscious by the time they pulled her out. They radioed a helicopter, then she was flown to the nearest hospital.

He tore off, racing down the streets of Odaiba.

"Sora…" He cried, his tears flowing behind him as he ran as faster then he ever could before. "How could I let this happen!?!" he screamed out into the world.

Tai had gotten there when they were pulling Sora out of the operating room.

"How bad is it?" he asked, hoping with all his might that it was good news. The doctor shook his head.

"No!!" he screamed, his knees weakening as the world blacked out beneath him.  

When Tai had finally regained consciousness, he got up from bed, and asked the receptionists where Sora Takenouchi's room was.

"Four B," the snotty receptionist replied. A look of complete curiosity crossed his face.

The receptionist sighed. "Take the elevator to the fifth floor."

"Thanks," he said, running the speed of light to the elevator. Tai reached the fifth floor only to find out that it was I.C.U. Once again, tears started to well up in his chocolate brown eyes. He held them back as he reached the door.

Tai pulled out his hand to the doorknob, but stopped. What if she was hurt so badly there were tubes sticking out of her? What if some of her limbs were amputated?

No, he shook the demented thoughts from his head. But even if it was so, she would always be Sora, the same person he loved.

He walked in to see Sora wrapped up in a white sheet. No tubes were there, and all her ligaments were still attached. She was breathing very slowly, her eyes closed.

"Hi Sora," he said very shakily, tear drops falling on the blanket. She moved a little bit. "Sorry."

Tai pulled up a chair. "Hey, Sora, I just want to say…" he started to choke on his own tears. "Please don't go Sora…You can't go…I love you too much…" he couldn't take it anymore. He collapsed upon her, his tears soaking the clean white blanket. "No Sora, you can't go! You're too young! Please Sora! Can't you hear me! I love you! I love you so much! Please don't go Sora…I love you Sora Takenouchi…don't die…don't die on me now. We haven't gotten married or had kids, you see. Isn't that what's supposed to happen? Please Sora…I love you…"

He got up and gently laid a kiss on her tender lips. He smiled a weak smile as waves of his tears stained his face. "I'll be back…" he whispered to her deathly body. "Don't worry…"

***

Sora died the next day.

***

The mournful Tai walked over to the now deceased Sora Takenouchi's apartment to pick up any stuff she left for him.

            "I've come to pick up Sora's stuff," he replied mournfully as Mrs. Takenouchi opened the door.

            Tai went straight into her room, picking up anything that reminded him of Sora. Picking up soon went into tossing, and tossing soon went into destroying.

            "No Sora! Why did you have to leave me!" he screamed at the ceiling, tears of sadness overflowing him once again. He slumped to the ground, holding a book close to his heart.

            "Why…why…why…?" he kept asking himself over and over. After about five minutes, the crying ceased as he looked at the book he was holding. It read:

To My Beloved Taichi

He started to open it, being careful not to rip any pages.

To My Beloved Taichi: In this book, I've kept all the times we had, hoping one day that you would find this and know

How I feel about you…

Oh Taichi, I love you so much…

I just hope one day you'll find this book and

Realize I love you with all my heart.

Taichi Kamiya, I love you.

                             ~Sora Takenouchi (a.k.a Kamiya. [tee-hee!])

He cried, except now it was tears of joyfulness. She had loved him back. He was right, but now a deeper sadness lengthened him. He never got to tell her how he felt.

            Tai turned the pages, finding pictures of him and Sora. He laughed at the one where eight year-old Sora had pushed her ice cream cone in his face. He couldn't believe that Sora had kept something like this.

            He gently closed the book, stuffing it in his coat. Tai closed the door to her room and started for the door.

"Are you okay, Tai? What happened?" Mrs. Takenouchi cried to the now leaving Tai. Tai pretended not to here and casually walked out the front door.

            He was happy, even if Sora didn't know how he felt. Although, somehow he know she did know how he felt.

            "Sora…" he whispered to the wind. At least now he could die a happy man.