I do not own Digimon.
Please don't take the title seriously, Kokuhaku is great!
This is a fic my heart made to avoid breaking after so many Koushiro-Mimi fights ;_; hope you enjoy it! please review :-)
Yamato was waiting outside of Koushiro's office. Koushiro wasn't inside, which felt odd as the boy had been sleeping there for the past few days. Koushiro had been working hard to come up with a solution for the infection and Meicoomon's disapperance. The Digimons had been locked inside the server room just in case, but Takeru had taken Patamon home that same morning. They got together to discuss it and decided there was no reason for them to stay all day in the server room, so they would pick their partners up at the end of each day and compromised to return them to Koushiro each morning, just like babies going to kindergarten.
So, there he was now. Waiting for Koushiro to appear for him to pick up his partner Gabumon. Suddenly, the elevator arrived at the office's floor, and a girl in a high school uniform came out.
- Mimi-san!
- Hey~! Why are you outside? – Mimi said approaching her friend - Don't want to face the tackless monster inside?
- You're only complicating things more.
- I'm not! He is tactless and turns to beast mode easily when confronted with it.
- Sigh. I'm just waiting for him.
- Eh? He's not inside?
- Nope.
- Are you sure? That doesn't sound like him at all. - Mimi started knocking on the door and calling for Koushiro – I guess we'll have to wait. So, what were you doing here by yourself?
- Thinking. – Yamato said while sitting down against the office door.
- About what? – Mimi joined him.
- The past days and what we're supposed to do.
- Mei-mei was feeling pretty bad for a few days – Mimi said watching the floor tiles - But thankfully Sora-san reached out for her!
- Yes, Sora has that ability of reaching out for people in all the right ways.
- Tell me more about Sora-san. – Mimi smiled slyly – You seem to really care for her.
- We're much alike in some way., but Sora has a pure heart.
- Hey~!
- Not like your child heart. She always puts others before herself. I wish I could reach out for her as she does for us.
- Why don't you do it?
- I don't know how to do it properly.
- Tundra, tundra!
- TSUNDERE.
- That! – Mimi smiled widely – You're too timid. Just go ahead. Try it on me.
- W-what? – Yamato blushed – I can't do that.
- Why not? You can always reach out for the boys, but I'm guessing you have never really tried to be friends with a girl, have you? We're only now starting to be friends and we've known each other for 6 years – she laughed heartily.
- I... – Yamato said embarrassed.
- Try reaching out for me. Imagine I'm Sora-san and I need support.
- I always support Sora.
- But you're not showing it clearly! What'd you do?
- I don't know.
Mimi crawled to Yamato and placed herself between his legs. At that exact moment the elevator arrived again, and a red-head boy carrying a bag full of oolong tea bottles stepped out, passing completely unnoticed by his friends.
- You get close to her, like this – Mimi said – and place a hand on her shoulder, squeezing it softly.
- A-alright. – he obeyed.
- You then hold her a little closer to you, but not much.
Yamato placed his other hand on Mimi's shoulder and held her. Koushiro was frozen watching them from the elevator entrance. He couldn't hear anything they were saying, but his eyes widened and he held his breath as Mimi leaned to Yamato.
- Then you look her deeply in the eyes and say what you have to say. – she said smiling.
- I like you. – Yamato blurted out loud.
The next moment, Yamato's face disappeared behind his hair, and turned bright red. 'I'm sorry' he murmured. Mimi blushed a little.
- That wasn't what you were supposed to say! – she flicked his forehead with her finger and giggled – You tundra!
Koushiro didn't wait to see what would happen next and walked straight to them.
- Ah, Koushiro! – Yamato said, noticing him approach. He stood up and gave his hand to Mimi to help her stand up as well - We were waiting for you!
- Were you, really? – Koushiro inquired, not facing any of them and opening his office door.
- Something's wrong? – Mimi asked, surprised by his tone.
- You came to pick the Digimons, right? Go ahead, I have work to do. – he said, walking fastly across the office and sitting at his desk.
- Thanks! – Yamato said, walking to the big screen – Gabumon, lets go!
Gabumon jumped from the screen. Yamato and his partner said their goodbyes to Koushiro and Mimi. Yamato smiled timidly and winked at her, while she waved goodbye.
- Mimi! – Palmon said from the server room – Are we going home?
- Yes! Wait just a minute. – she answered sweetly, and turned to Koushiro – Are you okay?
Koushiro didn't answer and continued to work on his computer.
- Hey! I'm talking to you! – she walked to him and rotated his chair to face her.
- Stop! I have more serious things to do right now! – he shouted from his spot.
- You'll have to tell me what's wrong with you first! – she replied, trying not to lose her temperament.
Koushiro looked at Mimi straight in the eyes and shouted: 'You're what's wrong with me!'
Jou had just entered the office and witnessed Koushiro's words. He automatically jumped to the place their friends were.
- HEY! What's happening in here? That's no way of talking to a friend, Koushiro!
Mimi, who had been petrified until that moment, managed to let go of the chair and answered him.
- It's okay. We're not friends.
- Mimi-kun!
- Let's go, Palmon. – she held her partner in her arms and left the office.
Jou could swear he saw some tears in her eyes. 'What... Happened?' he asked, falling down on a couch. Gomamon and Tentomon were worriedly watching their partners from the big screen. Koushiro was still looking at the place Mimi was standing a few seconds ago.
- What has she done for you to assault her like that?
- Mimi-san and Yamato-san.
- Eh?
- They're intimate.
- They're not that int-
- I saw them together.
- You saw them? – Jou was about to pass out from the shock – Mimi-kun and Yamato?
- Yes.
Koushiro was finally coming back to himself. He rotated his chair to the front and faced his computer, all his analysis on stand-by.
- But... What does that have to do with you two fighting again? – Jou asked.
- Friends fight – Koushiro quickly replied, trying to get back to work as soon as possible - Look at Yamato and Taichi.
- Didn't Mimi just say you're not friends..? – Jou pointed hesitantly.
The room suddenly got very silent. Gomamon and Tentomon shared an hesitant look.
- She did.
- Mimi-kun would never say something like that. – Jou shook his head - Why did you snap at her?
Koushiro was furiously typing on his computer. 'Jou-san, I have to work now. Please go home with Gomamon.'
- Sigh. I'll be here in the morning. Make sure you rest.
Jou and Gomamon went home, leaving Tentomon and Koushiro alone, as the other Digimons were already with their partners. Tentomon got out of the server room.
- Hey, Koushiro-han. What really happened out there?
- I already told Jou-san about it, you heard me.
- I did, but I want to know what you feel about it.
- I don't feel. Ever.
- That's not true at all. Koushiro-han, you feel a lot of things.
Koushiro didn't contest his partner.
- Are Mimi-han and Yamato-han a couple? – Tentomon continued.
- I don't know. – Koushiro was again typing frantically.
- Would you be sad if they were?
Koushiro stopped typing and considered the question.
'No' he answered.
- Why not?
- Because they're my friends. I'd be happy for them.
- Would you still like Mimi-han?
- What does that have to do with it?
- You like her and she seems to like Yamato-han.
- I want Mimi-san to be happy.
- I want you to be happy too, Koushiro-han.
- Thank you, Tentomon. – Koushiro gave his partner a weak smile and started working again.
Tentomon was worried about his partner, he had been having too much to handle lately. Koushiro was never an easy kid to deal with in respect to feelings. He usually keeps things for himself, observing more and speaking less, careful not to let many emotions pass through him. Tentomon decided he would ask Palmon and Gabumon what was up between their human partners, the next day. For now all he could do was to endure Koushiro's silence and aggressive typing through yet another night.
The next day, Jou appeared at Koushiro's office, bringing Gomamon and Palmon with him. The other digimons were already there.
- Palmon? Why are you coming with Jou-han? - Tentomon asked – Is Mimi-han okay?
- Mimi-kun asked me to bring her today – Jou answered – She... didn't want to come here just yet.
They could hear Koushiro grunting behind his desk.
- How are you today, Koushiro? – Jou addressed him.
- Koushiro-han worked all night. – Tentomon aswered – He's as usual.
- I see... I have to go now. Take care of him, Tentomon. See you both later Gomamon, Palmon.
- You're taking Palmon again later? – Koushiro startled.
- Y-yeah... – Jou gave his friend a weak smile and a nod, and left.
Palmon waved goodbye to her friend and turned to face Koushiro.
- Koushiro! Mimi was dejected all night! She even cried your name during her sleep.
Koushiro seemed shaken and apologised.
- Don't apologise to me. Apologise to Mimi!
Her behaviour reminded him of Mimi and he immediately reacted to it.
- There are more important things right now than being worried about feelings. – he said matter-of-factly – I'm sorry but I have to work now.
The Digimons watched him attentively as he dove into his computers. The analysis wasn't going well. Gabumon signalled his friends to leave the office, and they all went outside to talk about the infection. When Koushiro noticed they were gone, a lot of things have changed already and the Digimons had made a backup plan to save their partners' world. Only Tentomon returned to Koushiro's office that afternoon. He found his partner near breakdown, as he finally understood that a change in coding was the source of the distortions and technological crashes. Even the operating system he himself had designed was overwritten. Still, he couldn't put his finger on what caused the change. Koushiro was blaming himself, feeling mediocre, incompetent and ignorant. Tentomon intervened and told him about their plan. A reboot. Koushiro immediately started working on his new analysis. At the same time, Meicoomon appeared in Odaiba.
The 7 Chosen Children ran to the spot where Meicoomon appeared and their Digimons started a battle against their most recent friend, trying to push her back into distortion. Meanwhile, Koushiro was still at his office. He had finished analysing the new distortion and concluded that it was Meicoomon the source of all the infections. Having this information and knowing about the reboot, he immediately draw a backup file with the Digimon's data. Koushiro ran to aid his friends. At the battlefield, the infections was already spreading. When all Digimons but one were infected, a countdown appeared on Koushiro's computer. Tentomon finally joined the battle, but wasn't a match for his infected partners.
- Koushiro-han, I didn't know anything about you when I first met you, and getting to know you was really, really fun. Knowing nothing is just a chance to learn new things, right?
- Tentomon...
- Please, keep learning new things and enjoying it.
His body was showing signs of infection.
- Please forgive me for not telling you before.
- Tentomon! – Koushiro cried desperately.
- Koushiro-han, sayonara.
His sacrifice enabled him to Ultimate evolve to Herculeskabuterimon, and he pushed everyone back into the distortion at the last second. And then, silence. Interrupted only by the sound of Mimi falling to the ground sobbing and Takery crying hard on his brother's arms.
A week had passed. All of the Chosen were feeling dejected, Koushiro didn't touch his computer for the whole time. Then, one day, he finally got the drive to do it. He sat at his office desk, the screens still showing the words "Reboot Complete". He logged in and start working on a way to see his partner again. Takeru knew he was trying to find a way to see them, so he brought him some snacks and drinks.
- They won't remember us... I-I couldn't protect Patamon...
- It's not about what you couldn't do, what matters is what you're going to do now.
- Yamato has told me something like that... – Takeru smiled weakly.
- Does he want to see Gabumon again?
- Yes. They had a conversation where Gabumon told him nothing would change in the future, that he would never forget about the Digital World. So Yamato wants to make sure Gabumon won't forget about him as well.
- That's it! – Koushiro agreed - H-How... How is Yamato-san doing?
- He's as motivated as you, I guess. He met Taichi-san the other day.
- Has he... met Mimi-san?
- Eh? No, I don't think so. He didn't even meet Sora-san, and... well, it's Sora.
- What about Sora-san?
- Have you forgot he likes her? – Takeru laughed – They're not together now, but he had always liked Sora-san.
- Yamato-san... But... Mimi-san...
- Don't worry about my brother, Koushiro-san. The only thing standing between you and Mimi-san is yourself.
- I've been a little harsh with her lately, haven't I? – Koushiro asked in a whisper, afraid of his answer. Thankfully Takeru was all understanding.
- Mimi's a strong girl – he smiled - But you should at least say you're sorry, if you care for her friendship.
- I will.
Later that day Koushiro called Taichi and met with him.
- Taichi-san, it's time for us to go there.
- I don't think we should.
- Don't you want to see Agumon again?! – Koushiro shouted.
- Leave it. It's better for everyone this way. – Taichi said turning his back and going home.
- Taichi-san!
Feeling discouraged, Koushiro went home and took a bath to calm himself.
'Knowing nothing is just a chance to learn new things.'
- Tentomon... – he murmured to himself – I won't give up. He immediately jumped out of the bathtub and got dressed.
- Koushiro? Are you leaving already? – his mother asked.
- Yes! – he almost didn't have time to answer her, as he ran outside.
Already at his office, he called Mimi.
- Hey, Mimi here – she answered.
- Mimi-san, let's go see them. – it was all he said to her.
- But Taichi doesn't want to go.
- What about you?
- I want to see Palmon again.
- Then it's settled. – he hung up.
Sora didn't answer Koushiro's call, but Jou was in for it. He knew Takeru and Yamato also agreed to go. As for Hikari, Koushiro didn't want the Yagami children to fight each other, so he decided not to call her. 'She'll go along if everyone's in, anyway'. He didn't call Meiko either, as she never went to the Digital World. 'How can she be a Chosen Children and never being called there before?'. There were still some things Koushiro didn't understand about the whole issue, but he didn't stress about it and gratefully accepted his ignorance as a chance to learn about it later. He resumed his work in no time. Meanwhile, Mimi was heading to his office building.
'I really should be mad at him for being such a...' she didn't finish her thoughts, as she passed by a groceries' store and something else popped into her mind. She entered the store and bought a bottle of oolong tea. 'But I can't be mad after all he's done for us'. She entered the building and went up to his office. Koushiro was, as always, typing in his computer. Mimi went there with the purpose of checking on him and reconcile, but now she wasn't so sure she should interrupt him. The room wasn't as messy as Jou mentioned to her before, but there were some wraps and bottles scattered on the coffee table and on his desk. Mimi cleaned the table first and silently approached his desk. Koushiro's eyes were fixed on his laptop. She put the empty bottles on the plastic bag, and place the bottle she purchased on his desk. She was turning around to leave when a hand grabbed her wrist.
- Mimi-san...
A pair of tired black eyes were now fixed on her.
- H-hey...
- When did you get here?
- A few minutes ago. I brought you this. – she pointed to the new oolong tea bottle next to him.
Koushiro's tired eyes widened as he looked from the new bottle to Mimi, and from Mimi to the plastic bag full of empty bottles and wraps.
- Thank you.
He finally let go of her wrist.
- It was the least I could do, you did all the rest. The hardest parts, really.
Koushiro only nodded.
- I'm surprised you even noticed I was here.
- It's hard not to notice you, Mimi-san. – he immediately regretted his words and Mimi blushed a little – I-I mean... You were too close. I MEAN...
- I'm glad to know you actually notice your surroundings - Mimi giggled.
- I do... I... – Koushiro sighed – Am sorry for what I said to you the other day. I saw you and Yamato, and...
- Jealous? – Mimi smirked and touched his hand.
- T-That's not it! – he said looking away.
- Just to get things clear, I was helping Yamato-san. He wanted to reach out for Sora-san in a clearer way, to let her know...
- Let her know what?
- Koushiro-kun, you're too innocent and cute. – she giggled.
- Ehhh?
Her tone suddenly got very serious.
- I'm sorry I said we're not friends. I missed being around you these days.
- With everything going on, you wouldn't get much of my attention.
- Do I ever get it? – Mimi sighed – But that's not the point! I missed you and you don't seem to have noticed I wasn't around.
Koushiro sighed a little annoyed by her egocentrism, and squeezed her hand lightly.
- But I did. – he assured her.
Mimi seemed satisfied. 'Eh, it's the best I ever got from him.'
- I'll leave you now. – she said smiling and turning away from him.
- N-no, you can stay!
- I have to dispose the garbage and it seems it's going to rain any minute. I have to hurry home. I'll see you later! – she waved him goodbye and hopped all the way to the exit.
Koushiro was bewildered watching his office's door closing behind her. He lied back on his chair and noticed the new bottle of tea on his desk. He couldn't avoid to smile while taking a sip of his favourite beverage.
Meanwhile, Taichi was at the soccer field, even though his mind was elsewhere, trying to convince himself with poor made up excuses. It was starting to pour, but he didn't seem to notice.
Suddenly, a whistle sound.
It repeated again, and again, and again.
And Taichi ran after that dear sound that reminded him of something he had forgotten somewhere along the years. Hikari, who was at the field waiting for her brother, ran after him.
Mimi and Jou. Sora and Yamato. Takeru and Koushiro. They all heard the whistle.
- If we wait... We'll become adults before seeing them again.
All of the seven smiled at him.
- Let's go, Taichi-san.
The following day they met at their high school with Himekawa-san and Nishijima-sensei to inform them of their decision to go to the Digital World. Himekawa supported their decision and immediately started to arrange things. At the end of the day they all met at the place the last battle occurred. They opened the gate with a mysterious D-3 Himekawa gave them, using the power of their Crests.
- What's wrong? – Mimi asked after seeing Sora frown.
- It's a bit scary... – the red-head replied.
- You know, I figured that I should work hard so Gomamon can't laugh at me the next time I see him. - Jou said, happily.
- Eh? - nobody really got what he meant. Classic Jou-senpai.
Yamato approached Sora and placed his hand on her shoulder – It's all right.
Sora was taken by surprise and blushed a little, but after looking deeply into his eyes and sharing a assuring look with Taichi, she finally conceded. Mimi was happily smiling at those two dorky friends of hers, thinking they were really cute blushing to one another, when she noticed two black eyes closely watching her. Koushiro shyly smiled at her and brushed the back of his hand lightly against hers. Mimi blushed a little and contemplated the possibility of her being a dork as well. She promptly flashed a smile back at Koushiro, making him to remove his hand and blush furiously. Then, they all faced the golden opening hovering a few meters ahead and moved forward to it, being transported, at last, to the Digital World.