"It is our belief that creating a stable portal between the real world and the Digital World would help increase research funding. By using this portal as a source of transport and subsequently as a source of tourism, we can use the private sector to increase our capacity to understand the Digital World..."
The fifty people in the auditorium didn't look impressed. They never were. Privatization of the Digital World just had too many issues to be a legitimate process. I kept tapping my pencil's eraser on the table, waiting for the inevitable result to the presentation. And yet, things were...better.
I went to a bar after my talk with Matt last night and cleared my head with some grade-A sake. Then I went home, crashed on my sofa, and got a good night's sleep. Still, I really didn't have the patience to be sitting here next to a bunch of sweaty, old men. The same conclusion would be reached. Again and again. The government wanted to protect the Digital World from greedy companies and rash action. Even as much research as everyone poured into it, not a lot was known. No one in a power position wanted to upset the balance and have a relapse of MaloMyotismon.
It made my job easier.
I felt my pocket buzz for the millionth time that morning. I never gave an answer to good, old Mr. Ishida. And I wasn't going to. It didn't matter how many times he tried to send me pleas or threats or whatever else he could come up with. I still hadn't thought about it. I had other things that were more important than getting involved in their personal lives.
This wasn't about finances or anything simple that I could even solve. I didn't know what happened in their marriage. They had two kids, some fights, some good times...and that's about all I knew. I tried to stay out of it.
My phone buzzed, and I had enough. Getting up with an apologetic nod to the lady speaker, I exited the auditorium and answered the phone.
"What. Do. You. Wa-"
"I hope this isn't a bad time."
I stopped. I was yelling at the wrong person. "Sorry, Kari. I thought you were...you know what? It doesn't matter. Sorry about not calling last night. Got busy. Agumon and his Cosmopolitan magazines. He had all these quizzes that he wanted me to take to figure out what kind of Mr. Right I am. Something about trying to get me back on the market."
"You're a terrible liar. I don't know why you even try."
"I know..."
I pouted for no one in particular and leaned against the wall.
"So how's the last three months treated you," I asked.
I felt bad for yelling. I did. I just hoped that she wouldn't pry. Once everyone knew that I knew, my sanity would be at stake. Joe, Izzy...okay, so maybe not them, but Mimi and TK and Davis would all want to know how I was going to handle the situation. Would I be the savior of Sora and Matt's marriage, Tai Kamiya, or I would swoop in to take a woman I'm no longer interested in?
"Good. I've got some exciting news. You want to meet me? Have a quick lunch, maybe?"
"Sure. I'm taking off for the rest of the day, anyway."
I could hear her smiling on the other side, "Awesome. I'm in the mood for some pizza. Meet me at Nara's Pizzeria?"
"Yeah. I'll see you soon," I said, closing the phone and stuffing it back in my pocket.
I sighed and banged the back of my head softly against the brick. I would need a miracle if I was going to get through lunch without a mention of the word divorce or Matt or Sora or some combination of all three.
Kari always had a reason for the things she did. The pizzeria wasn't an exception. We ate there a lot as children. And we ate there a lot after we came back from the Digital World for the first time.
Swallowing, I realized enough was enough. I got up and left the Digital World Relations building, heading for the nearest bus stop. It only took me about twenty minutes to get where I needed to. The pizzeria was about four blocks away, but I figured I could use the walk.
Not even a block into it, and I knew there would be no miracle.
"Mommy! Mommy! Look! It's Matt! He's so coooool! I want to grow up and be just like him!"
I had to grit my teeth on that last one. I looked up at the billboard with the blonde man's ugly mug pasted on it. The stupid narcissist had these done on a regular basis because he thought he made a great role model for the kids.
"Kid," I said, patting the little tot on the shoulder. "Be who you want to be. Not him."
Poor thing looked so confused. I almost felt the urge to apologize until he stuck out his tongue and ran around in circles. "What do you know, Mister Meany! You're just jealous that you didn't grow up as cool as Matt!"
The mother couldn't ignore her son at this point. She shushed him and apologized, but the bitter taste stayed. I walked across the street, trying to put the whole incident behind me. I knew it was moot. The world always had to complicate my life in some little way. It always had. Ever since I clasped my hands around my Digivice and got sucked into the Digital World.
When I finally came face to face with my sister, she jumped up from the table and gave me a tight squeeze. I returned it, taking in the scent of lilacs in her hair. I almost felt at home for a minute until the strong, pizza aroma took over. My stomach growled.
"Let's get you something to eat," she said, backing off and motioning to a server.
I took a seat and placed my phone on the table, "You said you had exciting news."
"I do. I'm-"
"Welcome to Nara's Pizzeria. What can I get you guys to drink?"
Kari's face was red, and she was glancing away from me and away from the server. I smiled. She looked adorable. Something about what she wanted to say, she didn't want anyone else to hear. The anticipation slowly melting her.
"You're what," I asked, my smiling turning into a more devious grin.
"Shush, Tai," she said before turning to the guy. "I'll take water and this idiot will take water too."
I burst out laughing. She slapped the back of my hand in immediate response. It stung, but it was worth it. The server left to go get the water, leaving Kari feeling safe enough to tell me whatever it was she wanted to tell me.
"I'm-"
And like magic, my phone started to buzz. Kari grabbed it then looked at the incoming message. Matt. Her face died in an instant. I wasn't going to hear the exciting news. That would have to wait until after this divorce stuff had been discussed. Even the server bringing us our water and taking our order wouldn't stop the bullet train into oblivion. Just couldn't.
"Has he been doing this to you all day," she asked, a hint of peppery hostility in her voice. She almost sounded like a bulldog protecting her master.
After a slight nod, I answered, "I made the mistake of going to see him last night."
"And what did he say?"
"That he wanted me to talk to Sora and try to fix...well something. Do whatever I could."
She sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "I knew this would happen. I told TK that it would too, but he promised it wouldn't. I shouldn't have listened. I should have made him talk to Matt or something."
This. This was what I was trying to avoid. Matt and Sora divorcing would resonate throughout the rest of the Digidestined. A line would be drawn down the middle and neutral parties would be hard to come by.
"Kari, promise me you won't blame TK for any of this," I said, getting up from the table.
"Where are you going?"
"I have something I need to do."
I needed to talk to the last person in the whole world I wanted to talk to. If I didn't do something, we'd be fighting each other from here on out. And the longer things went, the more bitter they'd get.
"What about my news?"
"I'm sorry," I said, leaning in and giving her a kiss on the forehead. "It'll have to wait for a bit longer. You know that this is important."
She nodded and wrapped her arms around my waist. With a final, "Good luck," from her, I set off on foot.
