I do not own Digimon.

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"Sincerity & Courage" – Speech
Sincerity & Courage – Thoughts
Sincerity & Courage – Narration by the character

Steps to Romance – Chapter 14
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Taichi's POV

"You two young masters, don't worry. Miss Takuya's condition is extremely stable as long as she can keep breathing unimpeded, and rests well for awhile.

"Thank you, doctor." The doctor left, and I turned to Takeru.

"Teeks, go and see the doctor out."

"What about Mimi?"

"I'll look after her."

"Help me tell her that I'm sorry." I patted him on the back, then he left. I walked towards Mimi. She was lying on the bed, eyes still closed. I sat down next to her on the bed, each hand on either side of her. Then, I lifted my right hand, about to touch her forehead when I realised what I was doing, and stopped. What am I doing? Why am I so worried and nervous? She only fainted. Fortunately she's alright.

She slowly opened her eyes. "You're finally awake. Luckily, you're alright."

"How did I get here? I was just in the sauna, then I was about to go out to get some fresh air, and then I lost consciousness." She looked down. "My clothes!"

"Don't worry. I got a maid to change your clothes for you. I think you spent too long in the sauna, and passed out." She nodded. "Takeru told me to tell you that he's sorry."

"About that incident? Poor guy. Tell him that I forgive him, and that I'm sorry too."

"Oh, and tomorrow's the start of Takuya University's (Can't think of any other name! :x) new term. The class schedule already came out. I put it on your table. Oh, and I cancelled tonight's etiquette class, so have a good rest."

"Are you being so good to me because I fainted?"

"You're a very straight-forward (or should it be 'direct'?) person, so I'll be straight-forward with you too. I'll go back to being mean to you tomorrow."

This fellow really has a super defensive mind. Would it kill him to admit that he wants to treat me well? I should tell you about our engagement, and see what your reaction is. "I told grandpa that… I like you." He didn't answer. "So… he wants both of us to be engaged."

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Taichi's POV

I didn't know how to react. I felt… happy when she said that she liked me, but this would… I looked at the side table. Then I froze. There was a neo-print photo on it, showing Mimi and Yamato posing for the camera. Yamato.

I stood up. I felt unexpectedly calm. "You're not really thinking of marrying me. You know that I want to leave the Takuya family, so you intentionally asked for us to be engaged, didn't you? You knew that I wouldn't be able to escape this way. You want to punish me. Have I got it right?"

She frown, then sat up. "That's right. You said it correctly. I dislike you. I want to punish you."

"Great counter-attack. You won."

"Since it's like this, just go to grandpa and protest! Grandpa and Head Manager Gennai are already making the guest list."

"I'll pay money. Is 15,000,000 yen enough? I'm begging you to go and tell Emp. to cancel the engagement, okay? I know that I did things that made you angry, and I'm willing to apologise to you for that."

"Why must I be the one to say it? I can't go back on a promise. Besides, I've already told grandpa, and if I tell him that I want to cancel the engagement, he won't agree. You know how grandpa is like. I told him that I want to be engaged to you, then tell him that I don't want to be engaged to you, how will he love me again? He won't agree to it too. He'll be offended. I don't dare to think what he would do, will he send my parents to the North Pole this time?"

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Mimi's POV

Also, I've already accepted the money from Yamato, and given it to grandpa. Now there's no way.

"I don't know what you have done secretly, but believe me. In the end, the unfortunate one will be you. Think about it. Before it gets worse, go to Emp. and cancel the engagement." He stormed out of the room.

Oh no. Looks like I acted too impulsively. I didn't think of the consequences before agreeing. Based on grandpa's personality, when time comes, even if I have the 15,000,000 yen, he still won't let me go. Taichi's also weird. He knew that I was punishing him, yet he wasn't angry. According to the plan, he should have flew into a rage and gone to grandpa to cancel the engagement. What is he thinking? I had an idea of what he was thinking, but I didn't want to think about it. What am I thinking of doing? Thinking about it now, he hasn't been that bad to me. What was I thinking, to accept Yamato's money in order to punish Taichi? Now how can I continue this false marriage scam?

(The next day)

I was sleeping soundly went someone shouted 'Miss Takuya!' into my ear.

I sat up. "What is it?"

"Miss Takuya, today is the first day of school. Did you forget?"

"It's still early. I'm so tired. I spent the whole night thinking about something." I laid back down on my bed.

"Miss Takuya, Emp. has specifically ordered us to make sure that you become a fresh, cool, bright, and beautiful new student. Therefore, we have prepared the spa for you."

I didn't reply. Suddenly, I heard the snap of fingers, and several maids giving some kind of war cry as they charged towards me.

"What? I don't want to take off my clothes! I'll do it myself! Go away!"

I ended up in the hall, wearing a school uniform. It was made up of a long, sleeveless woolen shirt (purple with an argyle pattern covering the top one-third and was coloured grey and white), over a white dress shirt, grey tie, and left only 5 inches of the khaki-greyish coloured skirt to be able to be seen. Next, it was paired with black socks which only reached below the knees, followed by white school shoes. The two guys were wearing similar outfits, only that the woolen shirt was the length of an ordinary tee-shirt, and that they wore pants instead of a skirt. Yagami Hikari stood between Taichi and Takeru, wearing the a different uniform, which looked similar to Takeru's. So Hikari and Takeru aren't attending Takuya University?

"Look at our Mimi," grandpa said, "What a slim and graceful stance she has. Right, Gennai?"

"Yes!"

"Can anyone tell me why a university student still wears a uniform?"

"Miss Takuya, Takuya University is an outstanding, traditional school. Uniforms represent rigorous discipline. This is why Takuya University is capable of nurturing and training one's moral character, politics, and entrepreneurism."

Grandpa gestured at him to stop, then asked, "Mimi, you don't like the uniform? If you don't like it, Gennai, call the Headmaster and tell him to tell the students that they can wear what they want to school, starting from tomorrow."

"There's no need! I love the uniform, I was just wondering why. Who designed them, by the way?"

"The daughter of Takenouchi Haruhiko and Takenouchi Toshiko, Takenouchi Sora. They are an old family friend."

"Oh."

He walked up to Taichi, Yamato, Takeru, and Hikari. "The four of you need to look after Mimi, especially Taichi. Mimi's your fiancée, she's unfamiliar with the place. You must guide her well."

"Emp., did I hear wrongly? Who's Mimi's fiancé?" Hikari asked.

"I forgot to tell you guys that I've decided to let Mimi marry Taichi." Hikari looked overjoyed. "The only thing obstructing them now is their status as students, so I've decided to let them be engaged first. So now you know, Mimi is Taichi's fiancée."

"Congratulations, Tai. Mimi's a good girl, you must treat her well." Yamato told Taichi warmly.

"Taichi, I have already decided when Mimi and your engagement party should be. It'll be the 1st of the next month (I hope you don't mind, Evil-Chibi-Tiffy). I'll introduce Mimi, and then announce the engagement then. With both of these announcements, happiness descents on the house, a good omen. During this period of time, Mimi's Etiquette, Dance, and everything else, I'll let you supervise. Also, every day when leaving school, she must be in the same car as you, personally escorted by you, do you understand? Okay. Go and attend school." Emp. and Head Manager Gennai left.

"Mimi," Hikari went up to me, smiling warmly. "I'm Yagami Hikari, Taichi's little sister. I'm sorry that I didn't introduce myself earlier. I'm sure we'll be great friends though." I saw her necklace on her neck, with the crest of Light on it (I described it earlier, in chapter 1). Next, I looked at Takeru. I hadn't noticed before, but on his finger was a ring with the crest of Hope on it. It was something like a rectangle which slowly got wider nearer to its base, and then its base was wavy, and on top of the rectangle was a circle with 5 triangles surrounding it, and it looked the sun.

"Hello Hikari. I'm sure we'll be great friends too." I smiled.

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Hikari's POV

"Big brother's acting kind of weird." I said, as I got into Takeru's car, painted yellow and green. "Before this, he did not like all of Emp.'s arrangements. However, when Emp. announced that he and Mimi were getting engaged, he didn't protest at all. Not that I'm not happy about it, but still."

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Mimi's POV

I walked towards Taichi's car, not knowing if I should get in or not. Next, Takeru drove off with Hikari. I walked to Yamato's car. "Mimi, isn't Tai waiting for you in the car? Do you need something from me?"

"I was just thinking if we should call off the plans before things get worse."

"Why? Didn't you promise me? Are you trying to go back on your promise?"

"It's because…"

"It's fine. You can stop at anytime. I won't protest. As long as you give me back the deposit that I gave you. Then I'll treat it as if it never happened."

"You already know that I gave the money to grandpa."

"So? Taking the money and not doing what's promised? Isn't that unreasonable? Mimi, what happened when Tai took care of you yesterday, I already heard about some of it. I know that you're kind-hearted, but…"

He drove off. I got into Taichi's car, and we drove towards the school.

Originally, I thought that as long as I pay grandpa the money I owe him, I'll be able to leave the Takuya family. That's why I promised to punish Taichi. However now, I find that he isn't so bad. To punish him like this makes me feel uneasy.

"Your complexion doesn't look good. Are you feeling uncomfortable? If you're feeling uncomfortable, don't force yourself to go to school."

"It's alright. My head doesn't hurt anymore." I looked at him, and managed a smile.

"That's good."

Why are you pretending like nothing happened? Did you forget that you're engaged? I looked at him. He looked at me, and gave me a small smile, slightly like his usual cocky smiles. I gave him a small smile, meaning it this time.

Finally, we reached the school. We got out of the car, only to be greeted by the school's Headmaster.

"The Takuya University is obviously, owned by the Takuya family. Some even call it the Takuya family's study room. Headmaster, I'm leaving her to you. Take her around to have a look around." Taichi said.

"Yes. Roll out the red carpet!"

"No need! There's no need to be so extravagant." I told them quickly, shocked. I was led into my classroom. Then, the students were told to stand. Then they gestured to a huge white, marble desk at the front of the classroom.

"This… this is my desk?"

"Yes. Do you want it to be bigger?"

"No, but isn't it a little too excessive?"

Apparently not. Apparently that had a juice mixer near for me, my own personal maid from the Takuya family, and a 5-star chef cooking my school meals for me. I tried getting them to be less formal towards me, and to call me 'Mimi' instead of 'Miss Takuya', but instead they ended up calling me 'Miss Mimi'. Sigh.

Later, when I got back home and changed, and then went to grandpa's room.

"You're back! How was the first day of school? Grandpa runs a pretty good school, no?"

"Pretty good? Really? Today, a classmate made fun of me, saying that I didn't study the topics before, and that the teacher was sucking up to me, and some security guards appeared and just carried him away!" And I remembered how the teacher said that he just 'requested for a break… family problems', followed by more mutterings about 'yes, he requested a break…'. "Aren't you guys being too over the top? Are you guys an underground gang or something?"

"Miss Takuya, we just gave him a verbal warning to ensure that he doesn't harm you."

"You also can't do it that way. I just want to make some friends at the school. If you guys do that, they'll treat me like the plague!"

"Mimi, do you really want to make friends?"

"Normal people need friends."

"Okay then. Grandpa understands. What happened today won't happen again. Just study well in school, and make some friends, okay?"

"Then, pinky swear! Whoever breaks the promise will be a pig!"

"Isn't that too childish?"

"It won't! If you promise me, then pinky swear."

"Grandpa has signed so many contracts, but never one like this. Okay, the one that breaks it…"

"Will be a pig!"

We pinky sweared.

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Do you think Taichi and Mimi have good chemistry? :x