Author's Note:

(nervous laugh) ... (more nervous laugh) Um um um... I honestly have no excuse for this, so enjoy.

Chapter 2: Inevitable Truths: Sora

Have you ever felt like your heart's been ripped out of you all of a sudden? Like, when you were in love with a guy for years, dreaming of him as your knight in shining armor that will save you from the tower that's kept you captive, and he's on his horse (or digimon as the case may be) and he's coming towards you, with lovestruck eyes ready to save you—but he entirely misses you and turns out that he has no feelings for you even the slightest?

That's how I feel. Having Mimi come back after so long... I was so happy that she would be; everyone was. I couldn't blame them, either. Mimi had been my best friend ever since we stepped foot into the Digital World with no way out. We fended for each other so many times. I love her as if she were my sister! But... like I said, everyone was happy to see her. Even my boyfriend.

Sora sighed deeply and readjusted herself on the bike rack with a pout. She looked over at her boyfriend. "When is Yagami-san going to come out? We promised to be the first ones to go over and pick Mimi up!"

Yamato smiled sheepishly. "He's probably just sleeping in. You know how much of an idiot the guy can be. Let me call—" His cellphone ringer went off. The blond pulled his cellphone out of his pocket and then blinked. He flashed the screen at his girlfriend. "Looks like he beat me to it. Hello?" He put the phone on his ear. His face twisted in dismay. "What do you mean, 'Where the hell am I'? Where the hell are you?"

His girlfriend sighed and rolled her eyes. She glared at Yamato with a puff. "You better tell Yagami-san to hurry up!"

"He's already at the airport," Yamato whispered. He shrugged sheepishly and went back to the phone. "But—what do you—we were going to get a ride with you, man! ...What do you mean just ride my bike? ...What do you mean highjack my dad's car?! Taichi!" He sighed and rolled his eyes and looked back at Sora. "Looks like he's excited to see his ex."

"I can tell, but that doesn't give him the right to leave us stranded here without a ride!" Sora frowned.

Yamato only smiled. He tugged on her hand sweetly. "Let's get moving."

—

"Hey, remember the time that Mimi had visited and we tried baking a cake, but the batter ended up exploding in your face?"

Yamato grimaced. "How could I forget? I'm still afraid of your cooking, thanks to you."

Sora giggled. She smiled happily and folded her arms. A gasp escaped her lips. "Ooh! What about the time she and I were bathing and you had walked in on us by accident?"

The blond stopped in his tracks. He felt his face darken as he smiled. "And to this day you haven't let me have a glimpse of that hot body of yours since."

"To this day you haven't made a move on me to," a grin spread across Sora's face. She dreamily sighed and closed her eyes. "Honestly, now that she's moving back... I remember the day that we were having a going-away party." A blush fell upon her face. "That was the day that I fell for you."

Yamato smiled. He kissed her softly and intertwined his hand with hers. "I had fallen for you long before that, Sora."

Sora opened her eyes and giggled. She put her finger upon her cheek in curiosity and then frowned. She pursed her lips. "Actually... that day... the details were pretty sketchy."

"Huh?" Yamato blinked and looked at his girlfriend in surprise. He stopped her in her tracks and frowned. "You're telling me that you seriously don't remember what happened?"

"Should I?" Sora shrugged. She smiled endearingly. "That day I found my prince. And you're still standing in front of me now, aren't you?"

Yamato took in a deep breath and sighed. He rolled his eyes and shook his head. "And here I thought that you've been ignoring him because you were still hurting. Sora... that day—"

"Sora-chan! Yamato-kun!"

The two cocked their heads. Yamato's jaw dropped as his eyes fixed on the girl standing only feet away from him. There was a light pink cowboy hat upon her head, allowing tuffs of her wavy caramel brown hair to frame her baby-doll face. Her arms were petite and small, pale and porcelain-colored as her skin. Her eyes showed exhaustion, but her beauty was still there. The girl's light summer dress fell upon her curves, reaching to mid-thigh as it stopped. "M-M-Mimi?!"

"Hm?" Sora turned her head. A smile fell upon her face. "Mimi!"

The boy standing next to Mimi turned his head. Taichi smiled at the two farther away from them with an exhausted look. He waved his hand with a grin. "Bout time you guys made it!"

"Wow, I haven't seen her since the new kids defeated Myotismon!" Sora remarked. She turned her head over to Yamato with a reminiscent smile. "She's definitely grown from when we were just little kids, don't you think?"

"...Y-Yeah...," Yamato struggled to say. His eyes observed each and every light movement the young woman made. She was beautiful. She was gorgeous. Was it the same Mimi?

The smile on Sora's face faded away. She looked at her boyfriend peculiarly and rose her eyebrow. "Yamato...?"

Mimi ran up to the two of them, immediately tackling the Takenouchi into a hug. She breathed out, "I missed you guys so much! Do you know how rare it is that I get to see you as it is?"

Sora giggled and hugged her best friend back. "Well, you're back now. Just in time for school too!"

"Not for a few days," Mimi shook her head tiresomely and yawned. "I mean, come on, we were so last minute on our packing! ...Oh!" Mimi turned her head over to Yamato and smiled knowingly. "Yamato-kun! It's been such a long time since I've seen you!"

"S-Same here," the blond stammered. A blush fell upon his face as he looked at the girl. "You've certainly... grown."

"You too!" Mimi burst into a fit of giggles and compared both her height and his height. Jumping up, she stuck her tongue out and smiled. "You used to be so short compared to me, remember?"

"She said the same exact thing to me," Taichi chuckled as he walked up behind Mimi. He let out a laugh and put his hand around her waist affectionately. Pulling her in, he grinned whole-heartedly. "Isn't she so cute?"

The smile on Yamato's face faded. He looked at his best friend peculiarly. "So.. the two of you are going to pick it up where you left off?"

"Wha?" Taichi looked at the blond cluelessly. Finally, he grinned and shook his head. "No!"

Mimi shook her head and smiled. "Honestly, we're just friends now. Taichi-kun's a great guy and all, but I'm back in Japan now. How lame would it be to hook up with a guy who you broke up with before you left?"

"Very," Taichi agreed and pulled the girl closer, giving her a smooch on the cheek.

"Oh stop!" Mimi pushed him away playfully and pulled a lock of her hair behind her ear. She smiled at the boy mischievously. "Besides... rumor has it that you've already got a crush on a girl."

The grin on the boy's face disappeared under a blush. He rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment. "Wh-Who told you that?"

"Hikari, of course!" The younger teen smiled knowingly and winked. "You hook up with her yet?"

"Wait... you've got a crush on someone?" Yamato cut in immediately in surprise.

Taichi cocked his head and blinked. He smiled and nodded his head. "Of course. Guess it never came up, huh?"

"You're treating Sora well, right, Yamato?" Mimi said cheerfully. She intertwined both of her hands with the redhead and looked over at the blond. "She looks well."

A sigh of relief escaped Sora's lips. She nodded her head and cheerfully grinned. "It's not like he owns me, you know."

"R-Right...," Yamato stammered. He ran up to the two with a nervous laugh and patted Taichi's back roughly. "You know what? You came here pretty early and must be pretty tired. I'll carry the rest of the luggage for you! Come on, Mimi!"

The smile on Taichi's face disappeared into astonishment. He tucked his hands into his pockets and nodded his head slowly. "Um... okay."

Yamato put his arm around Mimi's shoulders as he shyly tried to make conversation with her. The two walked forward, not looking back even once.

Sora stared, long and hard. She sucked in her jaw and gritted her teeth, feeling rage boil at the pit of her stomach. She knew that other girls would be attracted to her boyfriend, but Yamato was attracted to Mimi right off the bat. He didn't even make an attempt to hide it! Sora jabbed her finger at Yamato and cocked her head angrily at Taichi. "Can you believe him?!"

Taichi turned his head to the girl in surprise. He shrugged nonchalantly. "I... guess." He tucked his hands into his pockets and looked back at the two.

"No, Yagami-san!" That earned a flinch from the brunette. Sora squirmed and folded her arms. "Yama and I have been in a relationship since the beginning of middle school! He's turned down every single girl there was, but as soon as my best friend comes into the picture, he stops with me and.. her... and... UGH!"

"It's just an attraction," Taichi protested. He shrugged his shoulders and looked over at Mimi seriously. "Besides, I was just like that too around her. We all just miss Mimi a lot and you know that." Looking back at the redhead from the corner of his eye, he awkwardly put in, "Besides... I know a few girls that are prettier than her."

"Who?" Sora bluntly snapped. She hugged herself, looking back to her boyfriend and never taking her sight off of him.

Taichi flinched again. A blush fell upon his face as he darted his eyes away from her. In a quiet murmur, he replied, "Well... you..."

The frown on the redhead's face disappeared. She smiled and looked over at him with a sigh. "Thanks." A sigh escaped Taichi's lips. "Hey, about that crush of yours..." He held it again. A grin played on her face. "Who is it?"

"Someone..."

"Someone I know?"

"Uh... yeah...," Taichi looked back at the shorter teen and shrugged. He observed her. "A redhead, our grade."

"Seriously? Redheads are rare at our school," Sora smiled knowingly and put her hands behind her back. "How long have you known her?"

Taichi shrugged. "We grew up together."

"That's cute!" Sora turned her head back to the luggage area. Her smile disappeared as soon as she couldn't find sight of her boyfriend, nor her best friend. She felt as if someone had just punched her in the stomach. Tears were ready to form in her eyes, not stopping even once. "Th-They're gone..."

Taichi leaned forward, immediately seeing her tears. He stiffened, numbly patting her on the back. She turned to him slowly, a disdainful look on her face. He sighed and tried his best to smile sympathetically. "I'll give you a ride home."

When you're a little girl, your father wraps his arms around you, calling you his "little princess." As you gradually grow older, you start wondering when you feel trapped, "Where's my knight in shining armor?" You grow from being that little princess to being a young Helen of Troy with many suitors but only one of them can be your one true love? Please tell me... if it isn't the prince who understood me the best after all these years, who is it?

The week past by quickly within a blink of an eye. Monday morning was here once more and Sora could only sigh in relief, having Yamato's arms over her all over again. Mimi hadn't enrolled to this school until today, having to unpack all of her belongings. That, Sora was very happy about.

Said redhead smiled before intertwining her hand in Yamato's and gently kissing him. She sighed dreamily before leaning into her boyfriend's chest. "Can you believe it? The original chosen children all in one place once again. It's fantastic!"

"Not as great as you," Yamato gave one of his famous Ishida grins, gently pressing his forehead against hers. "I've been working on a new song for your birthday."

"Really?" Sora couldn't help but return the grin. She felt herself crumble under him, giving the tiniest of squirms as he caressed her cheek. "Can you get any more perfect?"

"Heh," Yamato kissed her again. "Those eyes... those lips... those sexy sexy hips..." As if on cue, Yamato pinched her side, causing her to jump into his arms immediately. He let out a light laugh. "You are so cute when you do that."

"You're so mean when you do that!" Sora retorted. She blushed and squirmed as Yamato ran his hands along her hips.

Gasps were heard the minute after she said that. The couple turned their heads inquisitively, suddenly noticing that everyone had their faces peering out the window. "Taichi-kun's got a girlfriend!"

"What? No way," Yamato only rolled his eyes. He made his way through the crowd, Sora following. The blond's eyebrows quirked in surprise.

Taichi got out of the driver's seat before opening the passenger door. Sora only giggled before shaking her head. "It's just Mimi. The two of them used to date but other than that—...Yamato?" The minute Sora's eyes set sight on her boyfriend's face, she noticed the tension between his shoulders and the longing sight in his eyes. Sora could tell the jealousy that was burning in that intense blue glare, feeling the same emotion in the gut of her stomach. She touched Yamato's hand carefully. "Yamato."

"Hey Tai!" Yamato called out the window, completely ignoring her. A grin that seemed virulently fake from all those years Sora had spent with him appeared on his face before he let out a chuckle. "You two aren't doing anything in there, were you?"

The two cocked their heads toward the window immediately. Taichi grinned as Mimi giggled and shook his head. "About as much fun as you and Sora, just without the kissing and the groping!" As if on cue, he flinched the second Mimi pinched his butt. He let out a small laugh. "All right, maybe a little groping."

That, to simply put it, drove Yamato crazy. In a low, jealous tone that only Sora could hear, he angrily murmured, "Fucking bastard..."

"...Yamato." To say the least, Sora couldn't tolerate it up to this point. She pulled the boy by his shirt angrily and locked eyes into a glare. "What the hell is your problem?!"

"What are you talking about?" Yamato looked over to her in utter surprise. "He's being a—"

"A gentleman, at least more than you," Sora jabbed her finger harshly at his chest before crossing her arms. "I'm your girlfriend, not Mimi!"

"I know that—"

"Then why aren't you acting like that?" If Sora hadn't been arguing with her boyfriend, who she had thought she loved as long as she did, she would have had a smirk of triumph on his face as Yamato's face tinged such an embarrassed pink. That was—if that was what the blush was for. Sora gritted her teeth, tossing her head over her shoulder and stomping back to her desk. "Forget it!"

"W-Wait! Sora!" Yamato ran after her and cursed under his breath about the humiliating scene unfolding.

Sora cocked her head back over to him, eyes as fierce as an Amazon's as she hissed in the angriest tone ever, "I said forget it."

—

The morning past by quickly, hour after hour. Sora felt herself cooling off with each waking second and caught her breath. She honestly felt the guilt churning in her stomach now as the angry fight between the couple replayed in her head like a broken record. Whenever she felt eyes embedding themselves in the back of her flaming red hair, she turned her head the first chance she got, only to see that Yamato had his eyes plastered on his work.

Lunch came quickly, much to Sora's relief. The class broke up either through the doors with bentous in their hands, except for Sora. She took two bentou that were in her desk and searched around immediately for Yamato.

No avail.

Sora breathed uneasily now, playing the worst image in her head as she closed her eyes. No. "I have the crest of love," Sora muttered under her breath comfortingly. "So if he still loves me—then let it rain or something to prove it." She looked up into the air and only frowned, seeing that the sky was clear and cloud-free. She would have blushed now, feeling silly through her own imagination.

Sora cocked her head into a different direction. Her heart stood still in her chest as she saw Yamato peering over the shoulder of none other than her best friend, Mimi. He smiled at her teasingly the same way he did when he was around her and Mimi smiled back before bursting into a fit of giggles.

She squeezed the bentou in her hands tightly before rushing back into the hallways, tears ready to fall out of her eyes. Was it over? Were they really not going to be able to mend their silly fight? Was it going to stay the way it was? "No..." she murmured quietly. "No!"

Plop!

The redhead fell to the ground immediately, having had bumped into something hard. She hiccuped, not wanting to get up. Her legs curled up into her chest and she felt as if she were a little girl again.

"Sora?" Sora kept her eyes shut, knowing only there was someone hovering over her—a boy—and that he was concerned. He was silent at first, before setting his hand on her shoulder, his voice soft. "What the hell happened to you?" She shrugged his hand off roughly, but he kept it in place. In a stern tone, he muttered, "Sora, look at me."

"No," she weakly snapped.

"Please?" The callused hand ran up her shoulder and gently into her hair. He cupped her cheek and brought her face up until she saw two caramel brown eyes. Taichi. He smiled at her sympathetically and sat down on the marble floor along with the bentou she had dropped in his lap. He chuckled softly, pulling locks of orange hair out of her face and wiped tears out of her face. "Anyone ever tell you you look better when you're not crying?"

Sora sniffled, looking in a different direction. Quietly and awkwardly, she croaked, "Not really."

She heard the boy softly chuckle before the two of them were swept into a deep silence. Sora buried her face into her arms. It felt like hours went by with the two there, barely uttering a word with Taichi's hard eyes against her side.

She peered once or twice, taking note of his face before he looked away and into his own wistful thoughts. He occasionally got up, chatting and snickering in the mischievous way when someone passed by in the hallway, but never left her side. Observing him, she finally came up with her conclusion.

"Why do you talk to everyone else so normally but so quiet with me?" Sora's innocent, muffled voice came. She looked at him through a mess of flaming hair. Taichi was needless to say, glad that she was too preoccupied by her own problem to notice the sudden red upon his cheeks.

"Well... you're a girl."

"Five of them passed and you were perfectly fine with them. They all confessed to you and you shrugged them off."

"W-Well..." It was silent as Taichi stared at the floor, as if his answer was embedded there. His face darkened slightly. "They weren't a miserable mess like you are now."

"Thanks."

"What I meant is," Taichi quickly said, his cheeks darkening as if he were a little kid again, "I don't leave my friends in the dark hurting like that."

Sora only laughed, tossing her head back weakly and closing her eyes. "We've barely talked to each other since after we came back from the Digital World."

"Y-Yeah...," Taichi muttered, as if he wanted to say something else. He peered at the girl from the corner of his eye. "So you want to talk about this?"

She only smiled, shaking her head. She took in a deep breath. "It's... nothing, really. Just..."

"Just?"

"Ever since Mimi came back from America, Yamato's been all over her and forgets I'm even next to him!" Sora tossed her hands up into the air and sighed in exasperation. She shook her head and closed her eyes. "I mean, just this morning, we were talking so intimately with each other, but when you and Mimi got out of your car... he was... was..."

"All over her?" Taichi suggested.

"Don't help."

Taichi chuckled cheekily and grinned. "Deal." He turned his head back to the girl, the same wistful look back on his face as she blew her bangs out of her face. His eyebrows furrowed into a mixture of captivation and awe before setting his hand beside Sora's. "Think about it this way."

Sora turned to him, a hopeless expression already fixed on her face.

"You're the flame that sparks his interest and you're the cherry on top of his ice cream sundae. You're the missing puzzle piece that found him, not the other way around." Taichi smiled at her as her face became the one that mixed with awe and captivation.

She only smiled before rolling her eyes. "You got that off of one of his songs."

"I know."

"And you memorized it?"

"I wrote it," Taichi narrowed his eyes, the intense stare suddenly causing the redhead's breath to stop. Taichi shrugged, taking a look at the bentou. "I help Yamato out with a lot of songs. Somehow he says I'm somewhat of a romanticist if I shut up and think."

"Romanticist...?" Sora's cheeks suddenly flared and she squirmed. "S-So... all of the songs he's written me...?"

"Mm. Helped him, duh." Taichi muttered, eyes still fixated on them. He turned his head and saw her blush darken. He arched his eyebrow. "What?"

"B-But..."

"I think about the girl I like," Taichi quickly quipped, feeling his cheeks burn as he said that. He shrugged his shoulders and gave her a reassuring look. "I don't stalk you. Honest."

"Good," Sora breathed. She couldn't help but shake the slight disappointment in her chest. She stared at the bentou and arched her eyebrow. "Having fun eating that?"

"Considering how skinny you are? I don't think you'll be able to gulp two of these down," Taichi shrugged as he broke apart the disposable chopsticks. He gestured towards the window. "And considering the damn bastard, I think it's better payback if he doesn't get to eat any of this."

"...kay." Sora quietly said.

Taichi looked at her from the corner of his eye. He felt himself blush again before setting the other bentou in her lap. "Eat. You'll be pretty horrible during tennis without any energy."

"Got it," Sora sputtered, clumsily catching the bentou. She stared at the slim chopsticks placed inside before breaking them apart.

"You're an awesome cook, Takenouchi."

"Thanks." A smile played on Sora's face, superfluously content to notice the small storm cloud outside.