I'm back! Here is 2nd chapter of the story. Enjoy…


REUNION

And here they meet again...

The next morning, Sora left early for the cottage. After 2 hours driving, she finally arrived. She hadn't been there since she got divorce with Tai. When they got married, Tai had brought her in the countryside and she had been amazed from the beauty of the landscape. Nothing had changed. All were the same. While she was watching around her, she saw the house and headed towards it. She was thinking only thing: what would be Tai's reaction when he would see her?

She was thinking that all the time that she didn't realize how close she had got to the house. She opened the outside door and got in. She was in the front yard of the house. She stopped and she stared around her. It hadn't changed much since the last time she had seen it. She went and knocked the door but nobody answered. 'Maybe Tai isn't in the house right now', thought Sora. But then she heard a noise from the back yard of the house. It was like someone was chopping something.

She went around the house and when she got to the back yard she saw Tai. He was there and he was chopping some woods. His back was facing her so he didn't see her. Sora didn't move. She just sat still and studied him as he continued chopping woods. After little time Sora approached him from behind and she stopped as she was closed to him.

Tai, who all this time hadn't seen Sora, felt someone behind him, stopped chopping woods and he turned around quickly. He was very surprised when he saw Sora. He froze at his place and he stayed staring at her. Sora stared him back. He had changed since the last time she had seen him. He was wearing jeans, a white T-shirt and an unbuttoned blue shirt. His hair was short as when they were married. The only difference was that he had a small brown beard around his mouth. He looked old and tired. It seemed that Tai was neglecting himself.

Tai stared her too. Three years hadn't done much to Sora; she was still as beautiful as he remembered- silky auburn hair that had obviously grown longer, beautiful crimson eyes, and practically flawless facial features. When he came back to reality, Tai turned around and started chopping woods again.

" What are you doing here Sora?" asked Tai coldly.

" I came here because… I wanted to see you," replied Sora. Tai didn't say anything and continued chopping woods so Sora continued. "How are you?''

" I'm fine thanks", said Tai coldly again. He continued chopping woods, his back facing Sora.

" That wasn't what I've learnt. I have heard that your health isn't so good lately". That seemed to get Tai's attention. He stopped chopping woods and turned around to face her.

" Who told you that?" he asked her. Tai stared at her waiting her answer but Sora didn't say anything. " It doesn't matter. I'm fine now. And not thanks to you", said Tai coldly. He was ready to turn around to continue what he was doing but Sora caught his arm and turned him around to face her.

" Are you? Are you sure that you're all right Tai?" asked Sora looking at his eyes. He had chocolate eyes, which had captivated her and made her to fall in love with him when she met him. They were always showing love for her. But this time when Sora looked at them, she couldn't see that love. The only she could see was emptiness. The only she could see was coldly eyes, which had lost their warmth they used to show.

" I'm fine, okay? Why do you care?" asked Tai.

Sora was hurt by his question. She thought he knew her well. Maybe 8 years of marriage weren't enough but they were together since childhood. At first, Tai was like a brother to her and she was like sister to him. But that changed when they grew up. Their feelings towards each other changed. Then they started working: Tai started working as Ambassador of Digital World and Sora as fashion designer. Both of them met success at their work and became famous in whole Japan. Both of them specially Tai had to make trips in all over the world and stopped seeing each other. But when they both returned back in Japan they met again and started dating. And then… one night Tai asked Sora to marry him. Sora, who didn't expect his proposal, she accepted to marry him without second thought. That day was one of the best Sora's days. She knew that Tai was the one. He was the man of her dreams, the man she waited to come.

After that, Tai and Sora invited their friends and announced the engagement to them, who didn't seem to surprise from that. They all knew that Tai and Sora would be together one day. They knew that one day they would settle in and start a family. They were very happy for them and congratulated them. After short time, started the preparations for the wedding. All were very happy, as the wedding's day finally had come. Both Tai and Sora were anxious and happy too that day. It was a big day for them. They knew that marriage was a big step. They would be united and live together for the rest of their life, until death would apart them.

Both of them believed that only death would apart them. But that didn't happen. After 8 years marriage they started falling apart the one of the other. Sora believed that Tai himself and his job had separated them. He was returning home late, tired and he was forgetting serious appointments. She reached in the point to believe that Tai was caring only for his job and not for her, the woman he had married with and had told her that he loved and wanted to share his life with. She thought that he was pushing her away, and one day she didn't stand it any more: she asked Tai to give her divorce. At her surprise Tai decided to give her the divorce without refusal. Deep inside her Sora believed that Tai would refuse to give her divorce and he would want to reunite, but that didn't happen. He let her free. And so each one them followed his own path… until today. It seemed that after 3 years their paths crossed again.

" Why do you care about me?" asked Tai again. Sora didn't answer him. 'Because… I still love you' she wanted to tell him but she hesitated. It seemed that Mimi was right. Tai indeed had changed. He wasn't the kind and happy man he used to be. Now he was cold, miserable and it seemed that he didn't love her any more.

" All right if you don't have anything to tell me… Now if you don't mind I have work to do: I must chop these woods" he said as he turned around and started chopping woods again. Sora realized that she shouldn't have come from the beginning and decided to leave.

" You're right. I shouldn't have come here. When I was told that you weren't good I worried. I… It doesn't matter. It seemed that I wasted my time by coming here. Anyway it doesn't matter. Good-bye Tai!" she said and started to leave. Tai heard all Sora told him but didn't do anything to prevent her from leaving. He remained chopping woods.

" I heard that a storm is coming from west," said Tai making Sora stop.

" What?"

" I heard in the morning that a storm is coming from west. You will 'meet' the storm before you arrive back in Tokyo," replied Tai, his back still facing Sora.

" Thanks you warned me. I will take into my consideration," said Sora ironically.

" I'm serious. Don't you feel it? The smell… If you haven't noticed weather has changed", said Tai and pointed at the sky. Sora looked at the sky. Tai was right.

All this time they were talking and they didn't notice that weather had changed. The sun, which was shining before now had been hidden behind dark gray clouds. Wind was becoming stronger, the birds began to behave strangely and strong wind started blowing. All these were marks that storm, which did not abstain a lot, was approaching.

" It's going to rain," said and turned around, this time facing Sora. "I don't think that you should drive with this weather. It could be dangerous", said Tai looking sometimes at the sky and then back at Sora. All this time Sora was staring at him. She was surprised from his words. 'What is he doing? Will he ask me to stay?' she thought. They continued, staring at each other when some drops of rain started falling.

" See. I was right."

" Yes. You were", replied Sora.

Tai stared back at her and headed towards her. Sora didn't know what he was planning to do. She surprised when she saw him heading towards her. But Tai passed her and headed towards house. Sora didn't follow him. She stayed at her position doing nothing. She was only standing there, getting wet from the rain, which was becoming stronger while time was passing. She was still standing there when she heard Tai calling her. She turned around and saw him standing at the house's back door.

" Will you come in or you prefer to stay there, getting wet?" he asked her. Sora came back to reality and headed towards the house.

When she got into the house, Tai closed the door behind her. They were in the kitchen. Sora remembered that the house's back door was leading to the house's kitchen. She looked around her and headed towards the door, which as she remembered, was leading at the living room. She got in the living room and moved in the side of the room where there was the fireplace. She stopped and looked around her. The decoration was still the same. Nothing had changed. All were the same… except of one thing: all the photos of her and him and from their marriage were missing. It seemed that Tai had hidden them or he had dropped them away. Probably he didn't want anything to remind him of her. Her thoughts were cut from Tai, who appeared in the living room.

" You're lucky. Now it's raining a lot. You can't even see with that rain. I told you that you wouldn't anticipate returning back at Tokyo in time."

" I guess you were right," said Sora and continued observing the house.

" What? "

" Nothing. I see that you haven't change the house. It's almost the same."

" Yes, I like it as it is and I decided not to make any changes. Some people told me to sell it but I didn't want that. I have… lots of memories here," said Tai and paused.

" So, do I," replied Sora, staring at Tai. He stared back at her trying to understand. 'What is she doing here?' he thought. 'Why did she come here?'

He stared back at her and continued, " So… Are you hungry?" he asked her.

" I must admit that I am. I haven't eaten anything in the morning."

" Okay. Go upstairs and pack your stuff while I'll make something to eat," said Tai and went back to the kitchen.

When he left, Sora headed upstairs. She remembered the house very well. Upstairs had 3 bedrooms, each bedroom with its bathroom and some stairs which lead in the house's loft. When she went upstairs, she walked through the hall to decide which room will be her bedroom, as long she would stay there. There was a long corridor, which had 5 doors. She passed the first door because she remembered that this door wasn't leading to a bedroom. She stopped in the second door and opened the door slowly. She stared inside and understood that it was Tai's bedroom. But she knew this bedroom very well. She used to sleep here too. It was their bedroom. She had lots of memories… mostly from that room. Good and bad memories.

Memories from then when they were wedded and were shared everything.

That room like the other house hadn't changed. It was a big bedroom, which included a big bed, a wardrobe in the corner of the room and some other pieces of furniture. That room had also a small balcony, whose view from there was amazing.

After she stared at the room for short time, she left closing the door behind her and headed at the other rooms. Soon after she observed them all very carefully she chose the room, which was in the next to Tai's room. Her room was almost like the other rooms. It had different decoration from the other rooms and had also a balcony.

When she settled some stuff she had brought with her, she went downstairs again. A nice smell was coming from the kitchen. When she pushed aside the door that led to the kitchen, she saw that Tai had already cooked and had served lunch. He was cleaning the mess he had made. When he turned around he saw Sora standing at the door.

" Oh, I was ready to call you. Food is ready," said Tai and both of them sat at the table to enjoy their lunch. During lunch neither Tai nor Sora was speaking. Sora had to admit Tai's cooking skills had improved exceptionally in the past couple of years. The kitchen no longer reeked of smoke, and his food was nowhere near burnt. Sometimes she felt Tai's gaze but when she turned to look at him, he looked away.

" Well, how is work?" asked Tai.

" Very well I can tell. We have extended and we have set up some department stores of our company in Paris, London."

" Good. Good…"

" And how about you? "

" What about me? "

" What's your plan? "

" The only thing I want now is Joe's permission so I can return back to work. I can't continue staying here and doing almost nothing. I can't wait to return back to work."

" That job again. It's always about your job. Still the same, right Tai?"

" What do you mean by that?"

" Nothing, I just say that you haven't changed much."

" Let's stop talking about the past or anything", said Tai.

" Why? What do you want to avoid Tai?"

" Nothing. I have nothing to avoid, okay?"

" Really? Then why I think the opposite?" asked Sora. This time both of them were in the verge of arguing. Her last remark caught Tai off-guard, but he refused to let her win.

" You're wrong. Maybe you don't know me as well as you might think you do," said Tai coldly and continued eating his food. Sora stopped eating and stared at him, surprised from his last comment. She couldn't believe he had just told her that. Even after 8 years of marriage?

" Maybe because youdidn't give me the chance to know you better. Even we have lived together for 8 years," said Sora as she stood up. Tai stared back at her as he was watching her leaving from the kitchen. She only stopped at the door to tell him "maybe it was a mistake. The marriage and the whole situation…"

" Finally you understand it? I have realized it since the divorce, Sor," replied Tai. Sora was shocked. She couldn't believe it. That man sitting there was Tai, the man she loved, married and still loved with all her heart? She closed her eyes, not letting herself cry. Not in front of him. She took a big breath, opened her eyes again and with all the courage that had left in her told him something last before she went upstairs to her bedroom.

" If only you knew Tai. If only you knew…" she whispered and left, leaving Tai alone at the kitchen and without wondering if he had heard her last comment.


To be continued…

I know it's a short chapter but I hope you like it. I'm waiting for your reviews. I will be back soon!