Hey everyone! I'm sorry for the three year waiting :(
This is chapter isn't as good as I wanted to, but I promised I will make it up for next ones. I tried not to turn this chapter into a Sorato story, but you'll see I failed miserably lol. I'll be giving the other characters more focus as the story goes, and not so much into romance. Anyway, I hope you enjoy reading this!

Chapter 17: Girls And Boys
Two weeks had gone by since we defeated the Kaiser and rescued Piyomon and Agumon from him. We all agreed to visit the Digital World once a week. We can't always go together because of our schedules, but we try our best.

*****
Sora and Mimi were sitting on the bench, watching the male soccer team practice.
"Everything looks so peaceful now." The pink haired girl said.
"Yes, I'm glad the Kaiser returned to his senses."
"Where do you think he is now?"
"I don't know." The tennis player embraced her legs and pulled them close to her chest. "So you and Taichi, huh?"
Mimi couldn't help but laugh. "Is that so surprising?"
"You want me to be honest or not?"
"Honesty is always good."
"Well, a little. But I think you two make a cute couple."
"Thank you, Sora." Mimi smiled and sighed. "But I wish we could define what we are. We make out and it's amazing…"
"Save me the details." Sora joked, smiling.
"Sorry! I didn't mean to embarrass you."
"It's okay, Mimi. You were saying…?"
"I don't think we can be considered a couple, but we're not affairs either."
"It's so hard to figure out what you are, isn't it?"
"So much!" Mimi threw her hands in the air with exasperation.
"Maybe you should ask him, who knows? You can end up labelling what you two have."
"Maybe you're right. So what about you and Yamato?"
"Ah well…" Sora moved uncomfortably. "Nothing happened since our kiss in the Digital World. Neither one of us brought the subject back, so I guess that's it. We are two friends who kissed once. No big deal."
"You don't mean that."
"Yes, I do."
"It's written all over your face. You want to be with him."
"Mimi, it's better this way. It would be too awkward for everyone if we didn't last."
"There you go with this idea again." The pink haired girl rolled her eyes.
"Excuse me?! It's a pretty plausible idea. Yamato agrees with it as well."
"Of course he would. I still think you two are throwing your happiness away. I just hope it's not too late when you regret it."
"Time will tell if Yamato and I are meant to be."
"It has already told both of you. You are just too stubborn to realize and admit it."
"Alright." Sora squeezed her knees lightly with her hands and stood up when she saw Taichi coming. "I'll leave you two alone. You have a lot of talking to do." She winked and Mimi blushed.
"Hey girls."
"Hi." The tennis player smiled. "I'll catch up with you later. Bye."

*****
Sora was walking towards the locker area when the drama teacher approached her.
"Hello, Mrs. Takenouchi."
"Hi, Mrs. Mizuno. Is everything alright?"
"I need two actors for my new play."
"You mean, aside the ones you have?"
"I was thinking maybe you could do an audition."
"Me?" She closed her locker and turned to the teacher with a confused look. "But I didn't apply for drama classes."
"I know. But Mr. Fujitaka and I made an agreement that students who got a detention during one of his classes would have to join the cast for a play."
"Mrs. Mizuno, with the due respect, I was never on a play. I know nothing about it."
"That shouldn't be a problem, we can work on that."
Sora sighed. There was no way she could escape that.
"What's the play?"

*****
"You have to be kidding me!" Yamato said loudly with disbelief.
"I wish I was. I couldn't believe it either."
"I have never been on a play before."
"It shouldn't be so hard for you. I mean, you know what it's like to be on a stage. You've played on the school festival before."
"But playing, not being on a play."
"Well, either way we're gonna have to do it."
"It's just this play, right?"
"Yes, Yamato." Sora replied with annoyance. "One detention. One play."
"Okay, but we can't tell Taichi about this. He's gonna be on our case for weeks."
"I know, but he's gonna find out eventually."
"Yeah, but we will be about to go on stage by then."
"Do you really think this will work?"
"Unless you tell him, yes."
"Fine! I won't tell him. I'm embarrassed myself. You had to talk to me during class and get me into detention."
"Now it's my fault?!"
"Yes! You annoy me so much! Why can't you just leave me alone?"
"Why don't YOU leave me alone?"
"That's what I'm going to do now. I have to help my mother at the Flower Shop anyway."
"Wait." Yamato said and Sora stopped right away, without turning around. "I'm sorry."
"No, you're right. I have to leave you alone."
"I didn't mean to hurt you. I'm sorry."
"Let's just be polite to each other, for the sake of everyone else."
"Is that what you want?"
"I'm thinking about the group. It doesn't matter what I think."
"Sor, you know I like…"
"Don't call me Sor." She interrupted him. "My name is Sora. Let's not use nicknames with each other."
"Whatever you want to."
"Great." She threw her bag over her shoulders. "I'll see you around."
Yamato raised his hand, but decided to go his own way.

*****
"Hello!" I said happily as I opened the door.
"I didn't even ring your bell, how did you know I was here?" Takeru blinked as he took in the "surprise".
"I was at the balcony and saw you and…"
"…And you calculated the time I would spend to get here."
"That's right."
"Typical." He rolled his eyes and smiled.
"Hey, don't judge me!"
"I'm not judging. You are so predictable."
"I'm not! Stop saying that!" I folded my arms and frowned.
"Oh come on, don't pretend to be offended." Takeru smiled and talked it off.
"Let's just get to study."

*****
"So…" Taichi tried to break the ice as he walked Mimi home.
"So… you didn't have to bring me home. I know it's far from where you live."
"It's okay. I wanted to. Besides, it's dangerous for a girl to walk alone."
"Excuse me?"
"It wasn't supposed to sound like that."
"I'm a freaking Destined! Mimi pulled a lock of her hair behind her ear angrily. "I have dealt with worse things in the Digital World."
"I know. I know."
"Goodbye, Taichi."
"Mimi, wait!"
"I have homework to do. You should go home." She said over her shoulder and closed the door of her building.

*****
Sora was leaning against the balcony wall, looking at the night sky, as she reminisced the conversations with Mimi and with Yamato. She was so caught up on her thoughts that didn't even hear her best friend accidentally slamming the hall door.
"Sora!"
She jumped at the hand on her shoulder and her heart raced.
"Get away from me!"
"Gosh, you had to be way into your thoughts not to hear the door slamming."
"You slammed the door again, Taichi?! After all these years, how can you still not know it's heavy?"
"I was caught up on my problems too."
"Sometimes it sucks to be a teenager, huh?" She turned to face the sky again.
"Tell me about it." He sighed. "I wish I was still a kid sometimes. I didn't have to worry about responsibilities. Or girls."
"I knew it had to do with Mimi! Is this why you came back at this time?"
"I walked her home."
"That's nice of you."
"And then she got mad over something I said and stormed off."
Sora sighed in exasperation. "Let me guess… you said it was dangerous for her to go home alone at this time?"
"Exactly! I wasn't trying to be mean or anything. It really is."
"You should know by now that Mimi doesn't like being told these things. You know how it was at the Digital World back then."
"Yes, I know."
"I think you meant well, but I also think that she has to prove to herself she can do it alone."
"I see."
"So, did you two talk?"
"I wanted to, but she got mad before."
"Well, she will come around. You will have other chances."
"I know." He leaned his back against the wall. "What about you and Yamato?"
She sighed. "What about it?"
"There's something going on between you two. Don't even dare to say there isn't."
"Fine. I'm only telling you because you're my best friend, but don't even think of making a fuss out of it."
"Come on! You know I don't do this." He protested. "Well, not that much."
"Right." Sora mocked. "We kissed. A couple of times."
"What?!" He yelled. "Why didn't you tell me?"
"Hadn't I told you not to make a big deal of it?"
"I'm sorry. But it is a big deal! My two best friends!"
"It was probably a spur of the moment. You know, an affair or something."
"Of course."
"Is that irony? I'm being realist."
"If you say so."
"I'm not enjoying your sarcasm. Just tell me what you want to say already."
"Well, I think you're wasting your opportunity."
"Oh no… not you too."
"Hey, you asked my opinion."
"Look, Yamato and I are nothing alike. There's no way we could work."
"Says who? Maybe by being opposites that it will work."
"Maybe. Maybe not."
"Just think about it."
"There's nothing to think about."
"Okay, then. There's no need to freak out. Do what you think is best for you." Taichi walked and stopped beside his best friend, putting his arms over the balcony wall. "I just want you to be happy, Sora. Maybe Yamato is the one to make you happy. I believe you know more than me how you two are similar. I think deep down you know that, you just don't want to admit." He looked at her and noticed she was standing still in her position, as if she was absorbing what he was saying. "Okay, I have to go. Mom must be worried I didn't come back and I have to study for the test."
"Damn, I forgot about it." Sora sighed. "I have to go as well. If you have any doubts or questions about the subject, you can call me."
"Thanks. You've always been the best history student among the three of us."
"Yeah, I'm a little better at subjects that don't involve calculations." She said with a smile. "They annoy me."
"I'm not fond of them either."
"Yamato is the best at math and physics than us." Sora looked at Taichi and decided to change the subject. "Okay, now I really have to go."
"Okay, I'll see you tomorrow. Bye."
"Bye. See you."

*****
Taichi walked in and saw a familiar pair of shoes when he put his flip flops on. He couldn't help but smile.
"Looks like we have a guest for dinner."
"Yes." Yuuko dried her hands. "Takeru and Hikari are studying in her room."
"You allowed them to study in her bedroom?"
"I did. Why?"
"They might do anything other than study." He said in a rather playful tone.
"Oh, for God's sake, Taichi. They are eleven. If you think they would do something in that room, you should get some help."
"It was a joke, mom. Geez."
"Well, go shower. Then we can eat."
"Alright." He grabbed his bag and went to his bedroom.

*****
The history book and the notebook were opened, but for some reason Sora couldn't focus on studying. She was biting the pen as her mind relived the memories that happened earlier that day. She began to wonder if Taichi and Mimi were right all along. Was she really throwing away her chance to be happy? The girl was so into her thoughts that didn't even see when the computer screen turned on and Piyomon appeared. She had to call Sora rather loudly to get her partner's attention.
"Oh, Piyomon! I'm so sorry, I didn't hear you!"
"I noticed that."
"Is everything okay?" Sora ignored her partner's hurtful tone.
"Yes, everything is fine here. I just wanted to talk to you."
"Well, ok. I mean, I can't stay much because I have to study for a test."
"I don't want to interrupt you. I can come back later."
"No!" Sora nearly screamed. "I kind of need to talk to you too."
"Really?" Piyomon's face brightened.
"Yeah. I need an advice about something. Or someone."
"Are you having problems with someone?"
"Yeah." She shrugged. "Almost everyone thinks I'm being stubborn and it got me thinking."
"Okay."
"Alright." Sora pushed the chair aside, put the pillow on the floor and sat on it with her legs crossed. "So…"
"I agree with them."
"What?" She looked at Piyomon in shock and blinked hard. "I didn't even begin to tell you what it was."
"You don't have to. It's written all over your face."
"Your ability to read my expressions never fails to amaze me."
The pink bird smiled in a lovely way. "I've known you for a few years now. I always observed you and your expressions."
Sora shook her head at her partner's answer. "Okay, so…" She pressed her hands together. "You know I've been having some issues with Yamato, right?"
"Yeah, and I think you're being stubborn."
"Oh my God, Piyomon! You're on fire tonight!"
"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to embarrass you." She quickly apologized.
"No, it's okay. Everyone thinks so, as I said." She paused for a breath. "I'm angry at him because he made me get a detention and now we have to be on a play together."
"That's cool! I mean, not getting the detention, but being on a play."
"I guess." She shrugged. "I'm still angry at him for that."
"Sora, can I ask you something?"
"Sure. You can ask me anything you want."
"Why are you pushing him away like that? It seems to me that he's putting so much effort to reach to you and you just keep denying your own feelings and shutting him out."
The red haired girl finally seemed to understand what was really happening.

So what did you think? I might write the next chapter as my version of the Odaiba Memorial episode, from 02. I think it will be fun, so who knows? What about Sora and Yamato being on a play? I know what play I want them to be, but it's a secret. If it works out the way I expect, I'll link it to the Christmas' episode. Please leave a review, it's really important to me. Also, if you haven't read "Once Upon an Encounter", go read it please. There'll be an update very soon. Thanks xoxo