Somewhere Only We Know
I should've said goodbye.
She let her back slide down the seat. Waiting for hours on end had given her fatigue and a growing impatience. Mimi hated airports. One time she woke up in an airport in her pajamas with a bunch of strangers. Then she had to fight Digimon in those pajamas. Imagine trying to put up a tough front wearing pink frilly pajamas. She laughed at the thought.
What if they find me here?
This was the third time she decided to up and leave her friends in Japan without prior notice. The first time was when she went to Hawaii. When she came back Taichi and Koushirou went on and on about how the fate of the world rested on their shoulders and there she was in Hawaii chillaxing. Heh, "chillaxing." Mimi loved introducing new words from America to her fellow Digidestined. They didn't even care about her awesome tan. Guys are so dumb sometimes. The second time her dad had new business happenings in America, and he thought he'd bring the family along. Come to think of it, Mimi never really knew what her Dad did for a living. She tilted her head as she thought about it for a while. Something with numbers and coming home late and a briefcase. Oh well. As long as he gets home everyday.
She didn't know she was going to stay longer than a couple of weeks. Mimi thought she'd tell everybody all about New York when she got back after two weeks. Her family decided it was better to stay in New York. Business was better there and there are plenty of network connections and relatives to help them adjust. Mimi hated it when her parents did that. Say she's gonna stay at a place for a certain amount of time, then it turns out they "forgot to tell her" and plans changed. Same thing happened to summer camp. They told her she was going to go to a 6-week summer spa and resort program.
This was the third time now. She thought she'd come back after the September 11 event. The tragedy left her eager to see her friends and relatives in Japan. She remembered airport security being horrendous. She didn't care about all the paranoia about flights. She just wanted to go back as soon as possible. School was hectic, she remembered seeing people crying and everyone on their cell phones. All her friends back in Japan called or IM'ed her asking her if she was alright. She remembered Jyou calling her at 3 AM at night. He forgot about a thing called time zones. Boy did he get the brunt of all her stress. All that made her miss her friends more.
And now I'm leaving them without notice.
The thought was too unsettling. She sifted through her purse and took out her iPod. Her dad bought it for her a couple of months back in America. Mimi knew she could get the better stuff from her relatives in Japan way before any of her classmates, but her Dad insisted on the pink iPod. It felt odd turning down something expensive.
"I walked across an empty land
I knew the pathway like the back of my hand
I felt the earth beneath my feet
Sat by the river and it made me complete"
Her English was pretty good, but she did not fully understand nor know this song. Her New York friends wouldn't stop bothering her about it. The softness and droll of the singer's voice spilled a sad, hopeful drone into the pink box.
I really should've said goodbye.
Airports have a way of isolating a person into her own space, even though she's in a field of people. This empty, sad feeling of leaving and waiting.
But I'd probably cry like an idiot.
"Oh simple thing where have you gone
I'm getting old and I need something to rely on"
She lost herself in the song.
I just want to go away somewhere.
"Is this the place that I've been dreaming of-"
"Mimi?"
She startled.
"Yamato?" Weren't you supposed to be at band practice? You look exhausted.
"What happened?"
"Oh simple thing where have you gone
I'm getting old and I need something to rely on"
She sat up and took off her headphones. "What? Ah-" She then felt the coldness of tears crawling down her cheeks. How long have I? "Oh, it's nothing." She sniffled and cracked a weak smile.
"So tell me when you're gonna let me in
I'm getting tired and I need somewhere to begin"
Don't smile like that. You look stupid.
"Ah." Yamato was never good with comforting. But he was good at feeling things. Taichi often felt aggravated when she cried. Although often a lonely mission, Sora tried her best to comfort Mimi when she cried. Mimi always felt like she held everybody back when she cried. She felt like she wasn't on the same level with everybody when she cried. Yamato would just wait until she was done. Nothing more, nothing less. He knew everyone felt the same way. She was the only one honest enough to act on it. He stood planted to the ground for a while.
You weren't at school today. And there's no such thing as Greihnegsenhom Disease. God, even Koushirou missed that. He must be really used to tuning you out.
"So if you have a minute why don't we go
Talk about it somewhere only we know?"
He decided to sit next to her.
He's seen her cry plenty of times, but no one really knew what to say. She's the type that wears her heart on her sleeve. He could sense feelings, but he can't understand them. She leaving for New York alone and didn't tell anybody a thing.
"Why didn't you say anything?"
"This could be the end of everything
So why don't we go
Somewhere only we know?"
The PA system crackled, a woman's soft voice announced, "Your attention please, United Flight 801 to New York is now boarding from Gate 24."
"Somewhere only we know?"
"I always mail postcards when I get there anyway." Her fake smile picked at her lips. She looked at the floor.
Look at me.
That's not like you.
"Oh simple thing where have you gone
I'm getting old and I need something to rely on"
Mimi placed a hand over her mouth. "I'm sorry," she said, slowly nodding her head left and right. Her eyes melted hurt into water. "I'm really sorry."
"It's okay."
"I have to go. My flight." She sniffled and wiped her eyes. She stood up and gathered her things.
"So tell me when you're gonna let me in
I'm getting tired and I need somewhere to begin"
"Oh. Okay." He stood up. "Here." He handed her a handkerchief.
"Oh, thank you." She laughed, half-embarrassed at herself.
That fake smile again.
"Cry all you want." Her vulnerable eyes grew large in surprise. "We were all born with it. It's only normal."
"Oh." She cracked another smiled and looked downwards to the floor.
Might as well think of some parting words. "Well, everyone will miss your brutal honest-"
"Th-Thank you."
She lowered her neck, hiding her face in his chest. She sniffled and let out squeaky, staccato gasps. His body tensed up as first, Mimi could tell. His chest stiffened, and his hands startled in surprise. But he tried to relax himself.
"So if you have a minute why don't we go
Talk about it somewhere only we know?"
He felt ridiculous the way he just ruined his "lone wolf" image. He tried to save himself by replying. "It's okay. Calm down." And he stood there, waiting until she was done. Nothing more, nothing less.
"This could be the end of everything"
"Mimi, you might be late for your flight"
"I don't wanna go-"
"Mimi!"
She lifted her head. "I'm sorry. I know you gave me the handkerchief, but-" She laughed, feeling a little silly. Then she heaved a sigh to settle herself. They looked at each other and exchanged a half-smile, half-laugh. "So...um, goodbye."
And Mimi started her way to fading into the crowd.
"So why don't we go,
So why don't we go"
With his eyes averted, one of Yamato's arms reached out and grabbed her shoulder, giving it a gentle tug.
Stop pretending you're so tough.
She turned around, giving him an appreciative smile. As well as an exaggerating pose. One hand behind her head, one hand on her waist. Her curves jutting out in the most ridiculous way.
"HA! I KNEW IT! You couldn't resist me so you just HAD to find me!" She let out a hyperactive evil laugh.
"Wha-OH WHATEVER!" He looked honestly shocked.
Mimi looked surprised at first, but grinned at how stupid the self-proclaimed Cool One looked. It was only an inside joke within the Digidestined that Mimi claimed every guy in the group had a crush on her. She could tell Yamato tried to laugh away his embarrassment in jerky intervals. "Next time I come back you're gonna get beat in Karaoke Revolution." Everyone knew of the Great Karaoke Battle stalemate, 49-49. Even seniors in Jyou's school were debating who the winner might be.
Yamato opened his arms in a mockingly defensive gesture. "Bring it! I'm game." They both smiled (Yamato kind of smirked), and she set out towards the line.
"This could be the end of everything
So why don't we go
Somewhere only we know?"
"Say goodbye to everyone for me!"
"Nope. You do that."
"Fine." She made a face at him, smiled, then waved. "Bye!"
"Somewhere only we know?"
"Bye." Yamato waved back. And she was gone.
Yamato started his way back. Late for band practice. Maybe he'll just tell them he came down with the Greihnegsenhom disease.
"Somewhere only we know."
A/N: The song is by Keane, "Somewhere Only We Know." I don't own Keane or Digimon. The triple+ spaces between paragraphs indicate silence/waiting.
btw Greihnegsenhom Green Eggs and Ham