I don't own Digimon.

Hi everyone!! Woohoo!! It's the holidays!! YEAAHHHH!! I figured quite a few of you read the last chapter as soon as it came out, so you'll have realized it came out earlier than usual. That was because on the day when I normally update, I went to Sydney!! Yep. It was just a short holiday trip and it was fun!! I managed to reply to all your awesome reviews on the internet at the hotel.

So… here I am back at home, typing away.

Thankyou for all your reviews everyone!! I'm sure everyone is excited about what's gonna happen with Tai and his soon-to-be-broken promises!!

FFFD episode 21 coming right up!!

Read and review!! from emichii

Episode 21: You'll never be mine

Friday afternoon, last day of the Digidestined holiday trip

While everyone was busy packing and cleaning, Tai had already packed his bags. They were sitting neatly on the floor. Matt raised his eyebrows when he saw Tai all ready and everything.

"…Hey, Tai?" he asked.

"Yeah?"

Matt pointed at Tai's bags. "We're leaving tomorrow, Tai, you didn't have to pack the stuff you need for tonight."

Yeah, but I'm leaving today not tomorrow. Tai just shrugged and left the room. Matt stood there, feeling extremely concerned. Tai still hadn't returned to his old self, and Matt was more scared than ever that Tai would never be the same.

At four o'clock, Sora grabbed Tai's arm and started dragging him to the beach. Tai had been planning to sneak out then.

"Hey, what gives?" he asked, startled.

"Let's go!!" Sora said, "You promised, remember?"

"But the fireworks don't start till 7!!" Tai cried.

"I don't care," said Sora, pulling him out the door. "There's a lot of things we need to talk about."

Tai and Sora walked silently along the beach. Tai was uncomfortable. He knew he had to go right now! He had to quickly think up some crappy explanation and make a run for it!

But he and Sora were walking together on the beach. Sure, he knew it closely resembled one of his old abandoned fantasies, but… Tai's eyes were dark. I've already given up on you, Sora… because… I know that you'll never be mine.

Sora suddenly spoke up, "Tai… I just wanted to say that… I'm sorry… I haven't been keeping the promise."
"…huh?" Tai was startled out of his daze.

Sora was staring intently at the sand. Her face was warm and pink. "Tai… I'm just like Mimi… I fell in love with someone too."

Tai said nothing.

Tears started to form in Sora's eyes. "I knew I shouldn't have… and I know I've been such a hypocrite. I… I… was like, lecturing you about all of us breaking this promise… and you felt hurt then… though I'm not sure why… I'm so sorry, Tai… because I broke the promise too!"

Tai didn't look at Sora. He stood there, with emotions and thoughts tumbling wildly inside him. He tightened his fist. It is true, isn't it, Sora? You are in love with Matt… I had thought so before…

"I…knew it was really stupid of me…" Sora said, her voice trembling and the tears building in her eyes. "…so I tried my hardest to hide it, but I couldn't! I…I'm so horrible," Sora cried.

Tai felt in his heart great sadness for both him and Sora. He wanted to comfort her and he wanted to tell her everything was okay. But the darkness and hurt inside him kept him back.

"I know that he will never feel the same… so I told myself that I wouldn't let myself be hurt so badly. I said… I told myself… that I would never fall in love again! I won't… Never again will I let myself go through that pain… I don't want to feel this way… I never wanted to fall in love!! Because…" Sora's eyes spilled over with tears. They fell mercilessly from her eyes and hit the sand, making small damp spots on it.

"B-because I know that loving someone will only ever bring pain!!!"

Tai made no move to reach out for Sora and say anything helpful. His eyes were dark and full of anger and hatred. He was gone. The old Tai couldn't stay anymore… he had already known long ago that Sora would be like this. And that was why… that was why he had hid his secret for so long because he knew Sora wouldn't accept him.

Sora's cries were bitter and full of hurt. Tai stood unmoving in his spot. He watched her cry without any compassion. But suddenly, he felt a spark of the old him returning.

"What… are you talking about, Sora?" he said quietly. "Who said that he'd never feel the same? And… it's not like no-one else will fall for you…"

Sora raised her head and looked at him with red tearful eyes.

"Did you know… that you are dearly loved?" Tai went on. "…by someone who knows you will never feel the same… He… loves you more than anyone else in the whole entire world. He… holds you dearest to his heart and he once promised his friend he would never give up… but he can no longer think that way… because he knows its all just a fantasy in his head… he can't act like himself anymore because of this…"

Tai stared seriously at Sora. His heart felt heavy and full of dread. This girl… Sora… just standing in front of him and watching him with such sad eyes… Tai felt his heart throb…

Why…? I can't… even look at you the same anymore… all these promises I have broken… but I can't keep hiding like this… I…

I will no longer think that you'll ever be mine… but I still had that tiny bit of hope, I still wished that maybe… just maybe… somehow…

Tai stared down at the sand under his feet. "You know… Sora, this guy is… He… he can't help himself anymore… he's…"

Tai felt his heart break even more and the reality of the situation and everything he had said got to him. Tai felt like he had to leave. He couldn't handle anymore.

Just then, from some other part of the beach, the people who were preparing fireworks started giving one a test run, to make sure everything would be ready for the show two and a half hours from now.

"…he's me." Tai whispered and turned and ran.

The fireworks went off. Sora couldn't hear what Tai had said. She could only see his figure running away further and further.

"…What?" Sora cried. "What did you say, Tai?"

Tai just kept running, as hard as he could.

"Tai?? Tai!!" Sora cried.

Tai left Sora there at the beach. For some reason, this all reminded him of the other time he ran away from Sora. But it was also very different. The hurt he had felt before was back but hurt a lot more. He was running faster. His hurt was magnified so much more. And once again, those hated tears came back and ran down his face.

Tai's feet pounded hard on the pavement as he left the beach and ran down the path towards the train station. Tears had taken over him again and wrecked his body.

He glanced at his watch, tore into the station, threw his ticket at the bewildered station guy and ran into the waiting train.

The doors closed abruptly and the train started moving. Tai sat down dejectedly on a seat. He gazed out the window. Tai raised a hand to hurriedly brush away tears.

The train set off on its long journey to Odaiba.

Tai's spirit was quickly diminishing as he gazed into the distance out the window.

His eyes lowered.

Sora… our story is over…

AWWW!! You have no idea how long I have been planning and keeping this story in my head for!! But… this means FFFD is just about ending. It's okay, though, I'll give you guys notice of the story ending at the second-last chapter. That's what I do for most of my fics anyway.

Well… I'm exhausted. Aahh… this chapter has taken so much outta me... I gotta cheer myself up!! Hmm… did you now that originally this fic was gonna be called Friends Forever, Digidestined Forever? Then it would've been called FFDF. Before that, this fic might've even been called Between Friends.

Anyway… thanks for reading!! Please read and review!! Next chapter out next week!! Please check it out!!