"Mimi-Chan!" Shoji squealed as she ran in the classroom. "I have the greatest news you'll ever hear—well, I will ever hear but you can be happy with me!" she laughed, taking Mimi's hands and jumping up and down.

Mimi smiled as she regained her balance, "What has gotten into you, Shoji?"

Her friend grinned, "Oh…well, as you already know Yama-kun didn't meet me for coffee yesterday. He just said he had somewhere else to be."

"Well, he must have had an excellent reason."

"Yes," Clasping her hands together, Shoji beamed, "and now I think I know why. I think he has fallen in love with me!"

"What!" Mimi almost fell back at the sudden outburst. She felt herself getting red, Matt and Shoji? But he said he didn't like her, or, at least that what I thought he said. Oh, this is a great way to start my morning…she felt her forehead and smiled, and she really did mean it for her friend, "How do you know that? I mean, he did cancel his plans with you..."

Shoji sat down on the desk beside Mimi's, "Yes, well, I was pretty upset about that but I heard from Serena who heard it from Koji that Yamato likes someone—and I mean really like someone. And it has to be me, after all, he barely really talks to any girl but you and me—and we both know you don't like him like that."

"Shoji," Mimi began, pursing her lips and glided her finger across the table.

Putting her finger to her chin, Shoji replied, "You know, this is exactly like one of those dramas, Mimi-Chan…a mysterious boy transfers in the middle of the year, the local popular girl falls in love with him, he ignores every other girl and asks her out then, on the way realizes his feelings for her then suddenly is too scared and shy to talk to her."

"You are basing your theory off a soap opera?" Mimi laughed softly, loving her friend's crazy ideas. "Well, I guess, if you need any help with proving your theories, don't hesitate to come to me."

"Oh, Mimi, you're such a good friend!" Shoji exclaimed and hugged her, not catching the sarcasm in Mimi's words. "I knew you were my best friend for a reason!"

"Good morning, Ishida-kun," all the girls flirtatiously greeted when the door slid open and in walked Yamato. He smiled a greeting which sent the girls into hysteric giggle fits.

"Good morning, Yama-kun!" Shoji sung as Yamato took his seat behind them.

Yamato smiled sheepishly; surprised she wasn't upset with him. He glanced in front of him, "Mimi. How are you?"

Mimi's lips curled up, "Don't you mean tell you how I am?"

Shoji watched as the two began laughing at some private joke she obviously wasn't in on. She shot Mimi a small envious glare then turned to Yamato, "So, Yama-kun, I hear you are the talk of the school again—though that's not really surprising being how popular and handsome you are…"

Yamato rubbed his head, "What are they saying now?"

Shoji blushed, "Mm, oh nothing that important…"

Mimi watched as Shoji began a playful conversation and showered Yamato with attention. When she saw Shoji put her hand on Yamato's arm she decided to turn around and face the window; she had grown accustomed to Shoji fencing Mimi out of her conversation with Yamato by now, and she didn't like how uneasy it made her feel to watch Yamato give someone else his entire attention. It was confusing to Mimi, after Yamato told her that he didn't share Shoji's feelings for him, and yet he would still smile and welcome her flirtatious ways.


After school Mimi stood waiting near the school fountain for Shoji so they could walk home from school and study together, but after the third time she had glanced at her watch Shoji was still nowhere to be seen. Rocking her heels back and forth, Mimi fixated on the grip she had on her bag until she heard someone walking towards the gate and saw Yamato walking.

Her feet got to a running start but Mimi stopped herself and slide behind the side of a wall. She scowled at herself, "Why did I have to fall for Yamato? Shoji likes him, they're my friends, I should be happy... but why is it so easy for me to feel jealous whenever I see them together?" Mimi shook her head. I thought that maybe he can like me, too. He said he couldn't like Shoji and I allowed my imagination to put the idea in my head.

"I thought we belonged together," Mimi leaned the back of her head against the wall. "After we talked yesterday I actually began to think you cared for me, and only me…and how you talk to me, it seemed like I saw a side to you that no one else does and…No! I shouldn't be thinking this way!" she smacked her head twice with the palm of her hand, as if trying to get the thought to come out. "Stop that, Mimi, you should just abandon your feelings for him—maybe I'm just feeling alone and jealous of what the other girls have. Yes, I am. That's it, I don't love Yamato Ishida! And, It's my duty to help my best friends Shoji and Matt to be together!" Right...


Yamato turned his head when he heard Shoji calling after him; he stopped to allow her to catch up. "Shoji, is something the matter?"

Shoji smiled and blushed, "I thought we could walk home together, you do owe me a date in exchange for our having coffee together."

Yamato forced a smile, just when I was safe and alone, "Ano…why not, Shoji, I do owe you something. C'mon," he grabbed her hand as they began walking across the busy roads.

Shoji's eyes were practically illuminating with stars at Yamato. He's holding my hand! Oh, Mimi has no idea how lucky I am, she thought, Maybe I don't need her help after all, I'm going to tell Yamato I love him the moment we are alone…yes.

Checking her watch for the final time, Mimi began walking. I wonder why Shoji didn't show up. I hope nothing bad happened. Knowing Shoji she's probably off chasing some new boy she bumped into. Mimi let out a stifled laugh, "Yes, that's it…" she murmured as began heading home, the light snow beginning to fall again as night approached.


"That was awesome!" Shoji exclaimed and clung tighter onto Yamato's arm as they walked down the streets and into Shoji's neighborhood. "Who knew you could sing like that?"

"Hmm…" Mimi hummed softly to herself as she finally neared Shoji's neighborhood, hoping to take a peek at Shoji's house to see if she had made it home. She glanced down at her watch, "8:05…she should definitely be home," her head quickly perked up when she heard a familiar voice, quickly recognizing it as Shoji's. Mimi quickened her steps and smiled in relief but stopped when she saw that Shoji was not alone. Matt? Mimi ducked behind the trees so that she wouldn't be seen.

Yamato grinned and slightly blushed, "Well, that's the last time I let you take me to a Karaoke bar!" he chuckled.

"But you really can sing, Yama-kun," Shoji said, bathing herself in the magic of the moment.

Yamato stirred uneasily, "Shoji."

"Yes, Yama-kun?" Shoji bit her lip, this is it.

This is it, Yamato thought, "Could you please not call me that?"

"Why not, Yama-kun?" Shoji's eyebrows came together.

"Because," Yamato gently took her hands off, "well, I don't really feel comfortable being called that. Sorry."

Shoji frowned, "Oh…Mimi calls you Matt, and you're okay with that?"

"Well, Mimi's a different case," as soon as he said that Matt stopped and wished he hadn't, he looked off to his side. "I mean, I just told her to call me that instead of Yamato. It's not that I don't like you calling me that it's just that," he smiled seeing Shoji's face, "why don't I just take you home now?"

"Yes!" Mimi whispered. I'm a special case here—no, what am I saying, I made a promise to get them together not me and Matt…stupid, stupid…

Suddenly Shoji felt lost and stepped back. Did Yamato just turn her down? What's Mimi doing in the picture and what she calls Matt? Shoji looked at the boy who was now walking beside her—untouched and unaffected of her presence. Okay, Shoji, maybe if you just say everything in the open he'll react differently, she cheered herself on, and maybe Mimi doesn't have anything to do with this. Maybe he's just, scared…like I've said before. Shoji picked herself up and stopped in her tracks.

"Shoji? Is something wrong?" Yamato asked and looked back at her.

"Yamato," here goes, "I think I'm in love with you."

Yamato almost fell back, "W-what? Shoji, what do you mean?"

Shoji stepped closer, "No, I am in love with you, Yamato Ishida, ever since the first time I ever heard your name. And meeting you, getting to know you, you were everything I thought you'd be and more, everyday I find myself falling more and more in love with you."

Mimi sank to the ground, "W-what…she's in love?" she felt her face getting hot and her eyes being clouded with tears. She heard Yamato's voice, I don't need to hear this…Matt confessing his love to Shoji, I thought he didn't like her. She stood up, "I-I guess Shoji doesn't need my help after all…I…I can't stand this," she said to herself and quickly hoisted her bag closer before running off.

Yamato arched a brow, "Shoji, you shouldn't be saying this…did you tell this to Mimi?" he asked, afraid of what she might say.

"Mimi? What does she have to do with this? Yamato, aren't you hearing me!" Shoji said. "Why are you pushing me away, Yamato? I love you; I've always had and always will."

"But didn't you talk to Mimi about this?"

Shoji stared at him and threw her hand to her side, "Why? Yamato, stop bringing her into this she has nothing do to with us!"

"But there is no us," Yamato answered more sternly, taking a step forward.

Shoji took his arm, "What are you talking about! This morning I just heard that you were in love from someone in our school! And what about this afternoon? How much fun we had," she inched closer and put her hand on his cheek. "I love you, Yamato. Why don't you feel the same way?"

"Shoji, let go," Shoji looked brokenheartedly at the eyes that wouldn't even look down at her; this was certainly not the Yamato anyone has seen before.

"Why!" Shoji yelled as the tears began streaming down her cheeks. "Yamato, why are you doing this?"

He paused and sighed, "Because, I love someone else," Yamato finally did look at her in a way that made Shoji's hand slip away from him, "I'm sorry, Shoji, I really am. But, I can't love you or return any of your feelings because I'm already in love with someone else, and have been," he explained smiling. "This girl, I'm sure, is the only one I can love and protect for the rest of my life now—no matter how childish that may sound or how short of a time I've known her, I want to love her with all my heart."

And without hearing another reply from Shoji, Yamato decided that should be his cue to leave and so he was until Shoji spoke up. "Huh?"

Shoji tugged at the edge of her skirt, "Well, don't you think I at least deserve to know who she is?"

Yamato took a deep breath and met her eyes.