Chapter 8! I forgot to add in the previous chapter that I updated my profile (Teehee!) so do go and check it out. Oh, and do you think Mimi is too out of character? I mean, she is supposed to be dramatic.
I do not own Digimon. Seriously.
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"Sincerity & Courage" – Speech
Sincerity & Courage – Thoughts
Sincerity & Courage – Narration by the character
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Steps to Romance – Chapter 8
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Mimi's POVI walked back into the living room happily, holding a luggage. Then I saw my mom and dad, their heads close together, eyes closed, looking dejected. And then I felt bad. Really bad. Before I could react, I accidentally dropped the luggage I was holding, hence alerting them to my presence. They looked shocked, then stood up, pasted a smile on their faces and exclaimed, "Let's move! Pack up, pack up!"
"Mom, dad. Forget it. Just accept the house."
"Huh?"
"You've already wanted a big house for such a long time, and furthermore, he gave it to you. However, this isn't a gift. This is a loan. A loan between the Tachikawa family and the Takuya Family. We borrowed money from them to buy this house! This way, you both won't be fired, and I have a reason to not stay in the Takuya Family's house. If we accept this gift, endless misfortune will be upon us." They were grinning.
"However, Meems, the price for this house isn't cheap. Even if your mom… sells herself, no one would want her."
There was a minute of silence.
"Oh well, nevermind. Leave it to me. I'll think of something." Since there's such a rich relative…
(Later in the day…)
"Borrow money? What for?" Grandpa asked.
"Well, poor people have poor people's reasons." I held up a form, "This is an I.O.U. form. Please affix a seal."
"Hmm. My own granddaughter even knows how to sign an I.O.U. to come and discuss a transaction with me." Grandpa said as he chuckled, "She's indeed my own granddaughter. However, Mimi, can you pay the loan in future? I gave your foster parents the house, a house which can be easily sold for over 275,000,000 yen."
"Over 275,000,000 yen?"
"For my own granddaughter's sake though, I will give you a discount. Hmm, 15,000,000 yen."
"Fine, fine. Affix the seal before it's too late to regret it."
"Gennai, the stamp." Gennai handed grandpa the stamp.
Suddenly, I had a vision of Gennai and grandpa laughing maniacally at me, saying, "Foolish child" over and over again.
I quickly slid my hand below the stamp to prevent grandpa from sealing the deal. Instead of the I.O.U., grandpa accidentally stamped my hand with the stamp.
"Ow!" I exclaimed, then pointed at him with my good hand, "Grandpa, you must be plotting something, right?"
"Hmm. Indeed a Takuya Family member. Reaction's fast. Since you regard it as a loan, there has to be a guarantor. And you're the guarantor."
"Me?"
"Before the 15,000,000 yen has been paid off, you have to stay here. The deadline is 5 years. You have to pay the loan within 5 years, or you'll have to marry my successor."
I stared at him in mute shock. "What? You want me to marry your successor?"
"The conditions are already very good. Instead of 275,000,000 yen, you only have to pay 15,000,000 yen, with no interest."
"Isn't that the same as selling my body?"
"Alright, I won't accept your terms. I only urge your parents to accept the house."
"No way, no way. If my parents accept the house, I'll have to stay here, and they can't acknowledge me as their daughter. Grandpa, you're too devious. You know that no matter what, I don't want to stay here."
"Now you know how excellent your blood relations are. This I.O.U. must be stamped."
"Let me think about it."
"You better think through it carefully to avoid saying in the future that grandpa tricked you."
Now this is weird. Doesn't grandpa want me to stay here? Now he's saying that as long as I have the 15,000,000 yen, I can leave. What is grandpa planning? I thought for awhile more. Oh, I got it! In the future if I marry another person, then I can surely move out. And then grandpa cannot control me anymore. However, if I and the Takuya Family Company successor and I get married, I'll be in grandpa's control forever. "Have you thought through it yet? The 15,000,000 yen is easy to earn, however, you can't get your foster parents' help, you have to depend on yourself." Grandpa really believes that I can't pay the 15,000,000 yen. However, I have a deadline of 5 years. If I work diligently, it's not impossible. Fine. I'll take the gamble."Okay, I've thought through it. Let's sign the agreement."
"Grandpa must remind you that if you can't pay off the loan in 5 years, you have to marry my successor. Don't come back in 5 days wanting to cancel our agreement."
"I definitely won't cancel our agreement."
"Then I'll tell you more information. You have met Taichi, right? Among the Takuya Family children, I am most pleased with him. He's very capable, good leadership skills, good personality. He is the top selection to be my successor."
"You said that Taichi has a good personality? Taichi Yagami? Grandpa, don't worry. If your successor has such a good personality and good conduct, I'll do everything I can. I do not want to marry your successor. In 5 years, I definitely can pay off the 15,000,000 yen. Grandpa, sign the agreement?"
He looked at loss for words, until he finally said, "Gennai. The stamp." And then he sealed the agreement. I walked off with it in a file, under my arm.
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Emp.'s POV "Gennai, what happened between Taichi and that child?"
"I think that Master Yagami knew that you were intending to join Miss Takuya and him together, so he's acting cold towards Miss Takuya."
"Have you heard of a saying, Gennai?"
"Is it the saying that the more you don't want something to happen, the more it'll happen?"
"Yes. That's life."
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Mimi's POVI heard grandpa and Head Manager Gennai telling me to wake up. When I opened my eyes, grandpa said, "Five years have already passed."
"So quickly?" I asked, rubbing my eyes.
"Yes. Since you were unable to pay the 15,000,000 yen, you have to marry my successor. You will marry Taichi today."
"Today?" More maniacal laughter. "Sigh. Since I couldn't pay back the 15,000,000 yen. Still, Taichi's handsome. Marrying him shouldn't be so bad."
"Really? Time can change a lot of things. Taichi, come in!" Suddenly, it felt as if the ground was shaking.
"What's happening?" And in walked Taichi. A very fat Taichi. "Taichi, what happened to you?"
"Taichi has been eating for all these 5 years. He has not stopped, so now he's this fat." Gennai explained, laughing maniacally.
"Alright, little fatty Taichi," grandpa started saying, "kiss Mimi!"
"Yes," Gennai added, "kiss her, not eat her!"
Taichi headed towards me. As he did, he suddenly fell, landing on me.
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MUAHAHHAHAHA. SUSPENSE. Well, read the next chapter to find out what's going on! ;)
