Hello everyone! I decided to keep the original chapters here and post the revised ones at AO3 only! I completely re-wrote the first chapter and you can find it by clicking on the link in my profile here. I hope you like this one! Please review!
Chapter 19: The Plan
I was putting the last snacks in a plate. The other six kids would be arriving anytime soon.
"This looks delicious." Taichi said as he grabbed a handful of a snack.
"You're not supposed to eat that yet. The rest of us may want to have it too."
"I bought a huge bag of it." He threw the snacks into his mouth. "There's plenty for everyone."
"Stop it." I slapped his hand lightly.
"Ouch." He immediately removed it and started rubbing the spot I had hit. "It was just another handful."
"I know you well enough to know this isn't true. In a few seconds you'd come for a third one and so on."
"This isn't true at all, is it mom?" Taichi asked our mom.
"Yes." She said absentmindedly.
"See?" I stuck my tongue at him.
"That's not fair! She was distracted."
"I don't care." I said playfully.
Not too long after that, the doorbell rang. I ran to answer it, coming across two blonde boys.
"Hello!" I said with a smile. "Please, come in!"
"Thank you." Takeru replied also with a smile and then he put Patamon aside to remove his snickers.
Yamato, on the other hand, removed his shoes with his foot and just nodded in my direction. I watched him as he went to talk to my brother.
"Don't mind him." Takeru spoke and I turned my attention to him. "He's just worried. How are you?"
I sighed. He knew me so well. "Honestly? I don't know. I'm still processing the events from yesterday."
"I know what you mean. I think it was a lot to all of us, but especially you."
"Yeah. I'm worried about Tailmon though. He was her best friend."
"Oh, that's right."
"She can't stop crying. I mean, there are moments where she's not crying and seems to be okay. I don't know how to help her, you know?"
"Some wounds are forever, no matter how hard you try."
"That's so deep! You should become a writer."
"Nah." He shook his head negatively. "I'll probably stick to basketball."
Taichi and Yamato were outside, leaned against the balcony wall and staring inside the apartment.
"So, it's finally summer!" My brother exclaimed happily. "I'm gonna have so much fun!"
"Sometimes you still feel like eleven."
"You're always so annoying."
"You're the one who always thinks everything's a joke."
They were about to jump into each other's throats. Takeru and I looked alarmed until the doorbell rang and I knew things would be alright.
"Hey." Koushiro said.
"Hey."
"Did you two come together?"
"We ran into each other in the street actually." Sora looked from Taichi to Yamato with a doubtful expression. "Were you two having a fight or something?"
"No." Both of them folded their arms and looked away at the same time.
The two red haired shared a look and sighed.
"Some things never change."
"Anyway, we need to come up with a plan to defeat the Kaiser for good."
"You're right. What do you think we should do?" Taichi addressed to Sora and Koushiro.
"I would love to go camping again." The girl said. "And no sudden climate change this time."
"That actually sounds like a good idea."
"I'm in!"
"Isn't Mimi coming?" Taichi asked.
"Oh, she's having lunch with her parents, since they came to spend the weekend here. She said she would be here soon though." Sora said. "Why though? You miss her already?"
She started laughing and soon was joined by Yamato and Koushiro.
"You too?" The brunette tried to play it cool, but he was visibly embarrassed.
"You're so in love with her, dude."
"You're the one to say it." He shot back and pointed to Sora. "The way you look at her? Don't think I don't notice it."
Both the red haired and the blonde felt their cheeks blush with embarrassment.
"Okay, this has gotten over the line." Koushiro stepped in and broke things off. "We have more important things to worry about right now."
"You're right."
"We should set a date for the camping and figure out how to go."
"Since we're all underage, I can ask my father to drive us. He will have to make two trips, though. Our car can only take about seven people at once."
"Can't we squeeze it to fit one more? We're eight."
"I guess so." Yamato shrugged.
"We also need to decide who's gonna join the fight and who's not."
"Where's Jou?"
"He didn't confirm he was coming or not. He's probably studying as always."
"So can we count him out?"
"It's summer! Who studies at this season?"
"Do you even know him at all?" Sora asked.
"Apparently not."
"So are we settled?"
"Yeah."
"I'll talk to my father and let you know how it goes. But we can reunite at my apartment tomorrow morning."
"Sounds like a deal."
"Well, then I guess we can eat now?" Sora asked. "I have to go soon and your mom's sushis look so delicious."
"They really do." Koushiro said with a red face because of his stomach growling.
"Oh sorry. I'll bring a tray over for us."
Sora played with some of her hair while she and the boys waited for him to come back.
"What's wrong?" Yamato asked beside her.
"Oh?" She looked at him confused.
"You play with your hair when you're nervous or apprehensive. Or you used to."
She smiled softly and blushed a little. "I still do, as you can tell. I'm trying to stop though."
"Your hair looks pretty." He said and then turned his attention, who had just arrived with the food.
About half an hour later, Sora was saying goodbye to my mother and thanking her for the food. Not too long after that, Yamato told Takeru he was leaving as well.
"Your brother is acting weird lately."
"He's just conflicted."
"Huh?" I looked at him with a puzzled expression.
"You'll find out soon, hopefully. Are you ready for tomorrow?"
"Not really. I didn't want it to get this far."
"It would have happened eventually."
"Yeah, I knew things would be tough as the time went by."
"Don't worry." He placed his hand on my shoulder and I looked at him. "We're all here to help. We're in this together."
I nodded and smiled. "Thank you."
Sora was about to open the front gate of Taichi's building when she heard her name being called. She looked over her shoulder and saw Yamato running towards her.
"Thank God you're still here!" He said as he placed his hands on his knees and recovered his breath.
"Yamato?!" She said a little confused. "Is the reunion over already?"
"No, I left earlier." His face turned into a little shade of pink.
The girl felt her hands sweat and her cheeks burn. This has been happening quite a lot whenever they are around each other.
"Listen, I'm sorry for what Taichi said earlier today."
"I'm the one who needs to apologize. I've been his best friend for years now and I know how he can be." Sora said and then realized it. "I didn't mean that you weren't close to him, by the way."
"It's okay, I get it. What you said is true."
"Still, I didn't have to be mean about it."
"Don't worry about it." He reassured her with a smile.
"You have practice with the band?"
"Not today. We've been practicing a lot lately and decided to take a week off."
"I see."
"What are you up to?"
"Oh, I'm just going to buy some things for the camping. You can never have enough food with Taichi and Agumon."
"That's true."
Sora looked down and sighed.
"What's wrong?"
"I was just thinking about we're going to face now."
"What about it?"
"Do you think we have what it takes to win?"
"I don't know." He looked up at the sky. "But it's something we have to do."
"Yeah."
"Don't worry." He placed a hand on her shoulder. "We got this. We did it three years ago and will do it this time too."
She looked at him and smiled. "I hope so."
"You need some company to buy the stuff for tomorrow?" Yamato asked and his cheeks turned a little pink.
The girl took a few seconds to answer because she was also embarrassed.
"I would love that." She finally managed to say.
The blonde smiled and they headed to the supermarket.
Taichi and Koushiro decided to visit Jou later that day. Like always, he spends most of his days studying, even on vacations. Even the doorbell didn't take him away from his bedroom and he waited for Shuu to answer it for him.
"Jou, your friends are here." Shuu yelled from the hall.
The boy looked puzzled at the sudden visit, but stood up and went to greet them anyway.
"Taichi, Koushiro, hey! I'm surprised to see you here."
"We came to see you. It's been a while."
"Did something happen?"
"We are going camping and want you to go with us. It's gonna be fun."
"I don't know."
"Come on. Jou." Taichi insisted. "It's summer. Everyone deserves a break."
"That's true."
"So that means you're going?"
"I didn't say that."
"Everybody misses you."
"That's not the only reason why you two came here, is that?"
"What?"
"Taichi, we should tell him the truth."
"Okay."
"As you know, there's a new threat in the Digital World and we are planning on ending it completely."
"We need as much help as we could."
"Can we count on you?"
"I don't know." He shrugged.
"Well, in case you change your mind, we'll be leaving tomorrow."
"Are we really giving up that easily?"
"Taichi, there's nothing else we can do. We can't force Jou to go along with us."
"Yeah, you're right."
"We hope you can join us."
"I'll think about it and let you know."
"Alright."
Jou closed the door after his friends left and made his way back to his room.
"Are you going with them?" Shuu asked him.
"Probably not. I intend to study all summer."
"What if Gomamon needs you?"
The boy stopped what he was doing. "What?"
"Imagine him seeing everyone fighting and him not being able to because you aren't there?"
It was almost 6pm when Sora and Yamato were walking to her building, carrying some bags.
"Thank you for joining me. I wouldn't be able to bring so many bags alone."
"You're welcome." He said with a smile. "It's great to have something to do now that we're having a summer break."
"I know the feeling. I miss playing tennis already."
"How's it going by the way?"
"Well, since I didn't sign up for any competitions lately, I'm just going to keep practicing for next year."
"That's good. Are you going to try for Wimbledon again? I know this year's has been a disaster for you and I'm sorry for that."
"It's okay." Sora replied. "I wouldn't be able to concentrate knowing Piyomon was in danger and I couldn't help her."
"Did your mother get really angry at you?"
"Yeah. I wasn't surprised though. I guess I would be too." She looked down and then at him. "What about you, though? The Fall Festival is coming soon. Are you going to play with your band?"
"Probably. I don't know yet."
"You should. A lot of people love their songs."
"Do you?" He asked with a smirk.
"What?!" Her face turned bright red. "They are cool song. And you're a very good singer and guitar player."
Yamato stopped in front of her and their eyes feel on each other's ones. Sora felt her heart beating faster, as if she knew what he wanted to do. Deep down, she wanted too and had been wishing for it for quite a while. The blonde took a few steps towards her and grabbed her hand.
"Yamato."
"I'm sorry." He gave a step back and released her hand as he realized what he was doing. Maybe it was just something in his mind, but he thought he saw a flash of disappointment in her eyes.
"It's okay." She said dully. "I can take the bags upstairs. I don't want to bother you and take more of your time that I already have."
"Are you sure?" He asked her and she nodded in response. "Okay."
He hugged her without knowing he was doing it and the scent from her hair filled his nose. He quickly broke away from her as he heard a loud scream coming from several meters away.
"You two finally got together!" Mimi said cheerfully as she approached them. "It was about time."
"What are you talking about?" Sora asked.
"You having a romantic moment, of course."
"There was no romantic moment. He was just hugging me because I'm his friend, right Yamato?" Sora turned to her side to talk to him, but he wasn't there anymore. "Where did he go?"
"I have no idea."
"I think you scared him. I'll send him a message when we get upstairs."
"Your mother is really okay with me staying over tonight?"
"Yeah, she is." The red haired girl smiled. "We can bake a cake and watch a movie."
"That sounds great! But Sora…"
"What?"
"Did you and Yamato spend the whole afternoon together?"
Her cheeks blushed heavily. "Let's just go upstairs."