Chapter Three
"You didn't answer it?"
Mimi sipped on her milk. "Not yet."
Jill rested her chin on a fist. "Because he didn't see you off, huh?"
"Not just that. He didn't even give me a reason." Mimi looked across the table to Jill. "I don't feel right writing back without bringing it up."
Jill looked to her tray. "Then bring it up."
Mimi crushed her milk carton in her grip. "I can't do that!"
"Why not?"
"I just...can't!"
Jill rose an eyebrow. "Some weird Japanese thing, huh?"
"Maybe." Mimi pulled out her wallet, and got out a picture. "I'm sure they've talked about it amongst themselves. I hope one of them will tell me what happened."
Jill reached across the table, and took a look at the photo. "...hmm...he looks like a heartbreaker."
Mimi rose an eyebrow. "He does? You Americans have weird taste in men."
"What?! Ths blue eyes scream 'love me'!" Jill turned the photo around to face Mimi, her index finger underneath Yamato's face.
Mimi waved her hands in front of her. "Yamato was there when I left! Jyou-kun was missing! Jyou-kun!"
"Oh." Jill blinked, and turned the photo around. "Which one,then?"
Mimi leaned over the table. "That one." She rested her finger next to Jyou's face.
Jill squinted, and pulled the photo closer. "...oh...the one whose arm your hugging?"
Mimi flatly glared to the side. "It was a cute pose."
"He looks kinda..."
"Dweeby?" Mimi smiled. "Not really. Maybe just a bit."
Jill handed back the photo. "You don't know what happened?"
Mimi shook her head. "And I'm not about to ask one of the others, they'll get the wrong idea or something."
Jill reached into her purse, and pulled out a plastic flower-shaped object.
Mimi blinked in curiosity as she watched Jill hunch over the table, pressing on a keypad on a few of the pteals. "What are you--?"
Jill looked up, and pulled one of Mimi's hands over. She pressed Mimi's index finger against a light blue button. A digital message trailed across a tiny display in English--
CHEER UP
Mimi's lips curled to a smile, and she held the toy. "How darling!"
"It's my flower memo." Jill smiled. "It's to send secret message between friends."
"Friends?" Mimil looked across the table to Jill. She looked down to the toy, and punched a message in on the tiny rubber keys. She held it up, and pushed the light blue button. "Forever Friend?"
Jill nodded. "Mm-hmm!"
Mimi beamed. "Ureshikatta." (translation-"I'm happy about that.")
"Huh?" Jill leaned forward.
Mimi shook her head. "Nandemo nai yo...nothing."
Jill rested herc hin on her fists. "So tell me more about your friends in Japan."
Mimi nervously laughed. "Prepare yourself to be bored."
Jill reached across the take the flower memo. "Now it's my turn to give you a message." She typed quickly. "Tell me more about..." She held up the flower memo. "Joe"
Mimi took the memo. "You spell it like this..." She handed it back to Jill. "Jyou"
"Oh...weird." Jill took the toy. "Anyway. Tell me about him. And all of them."
Mimi leaned back, and folded her arms. "What's there to tell?"
Mimi tossed her backpack on her bed. She sat at her desk, and let her arms fall limply at her side. With a heavy hand, she turned on the computer, and opened her mail.
It was still there. Not that she expected Jyou-kun's letter to be gone. But acknowledging it was supposed to make her feel better.
She still harored anger towards him. Didn't she have the right to?! Where was the apology?! Where were his reasons?!
She opened the letter, and inhaled a deep breath. She quickly closed it, and checked to see if she had any more mail.
From: Takenouchi Sora stakenouchi@piyo.co.jp
To: Tachikawa Mimi tachikawamimiusa@hotmail.com
Subject: Re:
Date: Tue, 31 Oct 2000 12:16:46
Dear Mimi,
Oh! You have no idea how happy I was to hear from you. I don't know if you heard this from Taichi or Yamato, but I was in this slump for a while. I'm out of it now, not a problem!
What's American school like? Is it uncomfortable wearing your shoes all day while working? I would think so.
I'm sorry to hear about those bullies. I wish I could help, but I'm sorry to say I'd be pretty worthless. I was never bullied...to be honest, in elementary school, I was a bit of a bully. But stand up to them! You shouldn't be pushed around! Why are the teachers allowing this?!
One other question. Humor me. IF you're fine, like you claim to be, why haven't you e-mailed Jyou back yet? He mentioned that he sent you an e-mail. Did he say something?
We miss you terribly. I miss you so much! Taichi's okay company, but he's so unavailable lately, his stupid soccer matches take up all of his time. ;; Hikari-chan's so sweet. Even when Taichi ignores me, she's always around wanting to chat with me. I wonder if she comprehends how far away you really are.
I've still got homework to do, so I'll let you go. Besides, I'm probably one of the excuses you're using to not write back to Jyou. Get to it! I know you've read it!
After you write him, write me back.
Sora
Mimi pulled her eyes away from her reflection in the computer screen, and furrowed her brow. She bent over to shut down the computer. No more tonight.
From: Tachikawa Mimi tachikawamimiusa@hotmail.com
To: Yagami Taichi taichiyagami@tsubasa.co.jp
Subject: From Mimi-chaaan!
Date: Wed, 1 Nov 2000 10:21:11
Haikei Taichi-san,
I hope this letter finds you well! You won't believe this, but soccer's really not that huge in America. The favorite sport here seems to be basketball. Go figure, huh? I personally don't like basketball here. They take it way too seriously at my school.
School's not really that fun. I mean, people on the whole are polite and all, but--it's not like I'm not trying to make friends or anything. What are these people intimidated by?
I've usually been one to make friends easily. I just don't get these Americans. They're so glamourous and stylish...you'd think they'd have a bit more confidence.
What have you been up to? I've heard from Sora that you're really hung up on soccer right now. Mmh..sounds like she's complaining, actually. Don't get too involved, okee? Just a word of advice from the ever-knowing Mimi-chan! ^^v
Love from the USA,
Mimi
Mimi sent the letter to taichi, and opened up Jyou's letter. She hit reply before she could hesitate.
From: Tachikawa Mimi tachikawamimiusa@hotmail.com
To: Kido Jyou kidojo@odaibamedical.ed.jp
Subject: re:
Date: Wed, 1 Nov 2000 11:21:11
Jyou-kun!! What a joy to hear from you! Thanks for writing soon! It was really great to see your name as the first to appear in my mailbox.
Especially after your no-show...Mimi thought as she continued typing.
I received an e-mail from Sora. I wrote her before reading your letter, actually. She was complaining about Taichi being all caught up in soccer or something. You seem to be concerned about her! ^.- But yeah, it's about Taichi.
Wow! Your second year of high school! Maybe I should start calling you "Jyou-sempai"! I like it, don't you, Jyou-sempai? ^.^
I can't believe you remember all that silly gushing by Daddy. ^^; Silly.
Anyhoo, I've got homework. Sorry I took so long to write you back. School stuff's been keeping me busy. Write back soon, Jyou-sempai!
Love from the USA,
Mimi
"Ooh...!" Sora leaned over Jyou's shoulder, and looked on the computer screen.
Taichi leaned over Jyou's other shoulder, and laughed.
Jyou flatly glared at the two as they chimed together: "Sem-pai!"
"Yamette yo..." Jyou turned off the screen, and walked away from the computer desk.
"Ooh! He's blushiiiing!" Sora teased.
"Chigau yo!" Jyou snapped back, his face red.
"Abunai, Sora-chan. Armorous high-schoolers tend to bite!" Taichi grinned, and Sora laughed.
"Do you want my help with your school work or not?!" Jyou threatened.
"Geez..." Sora turned back to her assignments.
Taichi muttered to Sora below his breath. "You'd think we'd hit a sore spot or something..."
"Hey Mimi."
Mimi looked up from her lunch. She and Jill were sitting on a concrete bench outside.
Jill was looking through Mimi's purse. "Do you love this guy?"
Mimi leaned over to look at the long strip of photos Jillwas looking at. It was four different photos--taken a few weeks prior to her departure. The top one was of her and Jyou each doing a victory v; in the one below it, Jyou looked quite casual, and Mimi had a dark glare on her face. Mimi giggled at this--he was pinching her cheek, and tugging on it!
Mimi took the strip of photos, and smiled. "I love this!"
The third photo had Mimi with Jyou's glasses, looking quite intellectual. Jyou's arms almost blocked the photo as he was trying to get them back. The final photo had Mimi holding onto Jyou's arm with a nice smile.
Actually, they both smiled nicely. Mimi shrugged, and smiled gently.
Jill tapped on Mimi's back. "Mimi."
Mimi looked up. "Yeah?"
Jill gave Mimi a worried look. "We should move."
Mimi noticed the 4FF sending them the usual warning glares. Mimi sighed, and lifted her lunch off of her lap. She crossed her legs, and set it back. She sent a look back to the four girls, and continued eating. "Let them stand."
Jill gasped. "Are you crazy?!"
Mimi dug into her purse, and dug for the flower memo. As she pulled it out, her Digivice fell onto the concrete.
Jill picked it up, and handed it to Mimi. "This looks like a boy's toy to me..."
Mimi shakily took the Digivice, and dropped it back in her purse. "Oh! I...it's one of my keepsakes from Japan!"
"Ooh! Can you show me how it works?!" Jill eyes brightened up.
Mimi began to enter something into the flower memo. "I never answered your question!"
"Hmm?" Jill blinked as Mimi set the plastic flower in her hand, and stood.
"See you after school?" Mimi waved, "We'll walk home together!"
"Okay!" Jill called, and watched Mimi head towards the building. She looked down to the flower memo, and pressed the pale blue rubber button to display the message:
"Jyou-kun ga dai--suki!"
"Jyou-kun ga daisuki?" Jill blinked in confusion. "What's that mean?! S'not fair using Japanese!" she jerked her head up. "Hey Mi--!" She was cut off in seeing the 4FF in front of her.
"Off the bench." a girl with long, tow-blonde hair bluntly ordered.
Jill immediately complied, and the four girls seated themselves at the bench.
"Warn your friend. After school today we're reclaiming this bench." a red-headed member of the clique smiled.
"We're not standing for another lunch period." a raven-tressed member retorted.
Then sit on the curb, dangit...Jill thought, but said nothing.
The tow-haired girl looked again at Jill. "Well? Go on to your class!"
Jill stiffened, and spun on her heel to leave.
"Oh, yeah!"
Jill frozed, and the fourth member of the 4FF, a blonde girl with gray eyes spoke.
"Don't try anything. Your little brother and I have the same gym period. I'd hate to see him have an accident!"
Jill didn't reply. She heard the four girls quietly laugh as she headed towards the main building.
Mimi waited at the bridge just outside the school gates. She rested her purse on her lap, and fiddled with the zipper idly. She leaned against the handrails, and sighed. "I guess Jill's the late type..." Her gaze drifted to the pillars on each side of the gate. She heard the clock chime four-thirty, and "hmm"-ed. "Maa! Atashi no kaeru!" (translation: "Well! I guess I'll go home!") She pushed herself off the bridge, and saw four figures next to her.
"C'mon Jill! Let's stop by the comic book store on the way home!" Jill's little brother begged as they walked closer to the gate.
"Not a chance! You're already running me late!" Jill closed her eyes and answered authoritavely.
"Aww--!" the boy whined.
Jill and her brother were just about to turn on the pillar, but a voice proved them to do otherwise.
"You have a lot of nerve talking like that."
Jill pulled her brother close, and hid behind the pillar. "Ian, stay back!"
The two were silent. Jill clung onto the pillar, and slowly peeked around the corner to look.
Mimi glared at the four girls cornering her. A hand flew across her face, and she yelped. She grabbed her cheek, and looked to the red-head who slapped her.
"Wipe that look off your face, Princess!" the red-head bitterly ordered.
"You don't think we've heard the things you've said about us?" the tallest of the girls, the one with short black hair, stepped forward. "If you've got a problem, tell us to our faces, coward!"
The two blondes each took one of her arms, and pulled them back. Mimi looked still to the one iwth ebony hair, her face as stern as she could keep it.
"Easy for you to say, you've three to your advantage." Mimi smiled. "Who's the coward here?"
"SHUT UP!" the red-head swiped at Mimi.
Mimi winched and shut her eyes. The girl threw her purse to the asphalt. Mimi opened her eyes, and saw her purse on the side of the street, its contents spilled out for a good three feet.
The black-haired girl crouched over Mimi's purse, and Mimi watched in horrified anticipation.
Ian looked out from behind Jill, and she pushed him back.
"You move an inch, and we'll make your new color combo black and blue." the ash-tressed girl tightened her hold on Mimi's arm.
The girl over her purse picked up the strip of two-shot photos with Jyou, and snorted a laugh. "Is this the boy you left behind in Japan?! I would've thought a girl with such a high opinion of herself would've been able to find a better-looking boyfriend."
Mimi furrowed her brow, and felt a jab of anger in her chest.
The other blonde holding her other arm laughed. "His parents are probably rich or something."
"That's probably it!"
Mimi struggled, tears coming to her eyes as she suffered the insult. "Shut up! Shut up! You don't know anything! You know nothing, you idiots!"
Jill gasped at Mimi's outburst.
"Quiet!" the red-head dug a fist into Mimi's stomach.
Mimi hunched over, but lifted her head to show undefeat. "That wasn't...very...ladylike."
"How about this?" the raven-tressed girl held up the strip of photos, and ripped it down the middle.
Mimi looked on with an expression of shock. The tears lining her eyes spilled onto her cheeks. "...iya..." she squeaked.
Jill clutched onto Ian's shoulders as they watched the girls inflict more harm on Mimi.
Mimi was released, and she fell face-down on the sidewalk. She pushed herself up, and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. She turned to the school gate, and saw Jill pull back behind the pillar with her brother.
"What's this?"
Mimi's look quickly shot back to the girl rummaging through her purse. The girl held up her Digivice. Mimi froze, afraid that any sudden movement might cause more harm to it than good.
"Oh, isn't this one of the little toys you play with your friend?" the girl stood, and faced Mimi. "Well?"
Before Mimi could answer, the girl threw the Digivice at the bridge. Mimi turned around, and saw it bounce off the handrail with a deafening crack. She made a desperate outcry as she jumped up to run to the bridge. She looked over, and saw it fal onto the paved bottom of the ditch below. "PALMON!!!" she cried, and began to run to the end of the bridge.
"Hey-!" the two blondes jumped, but the red-head stopped them. "Don't worry about it. We're done with her for now."
Mimi turned to her side, and began to climb down the hill next to the ditch. Her mascara ran in black veins down her face. Her knees hit the cement bottom of the ditch, and she wiped away her tears in a frantic movement. She swept the pieces of her Digivice into a pile, her head spinning. "Palmon...minna...Sora...Jyou-kun..." she whimpered, and held the severed fragments in her hands. Her hsaking hands blurred as the tears filled her eyes again. She began to whimper, and her tears began to stream down her cheeks. She threw herself onto the pavement, and wept bitterly in her arms.
She didn't know how much time passed before a hand softly touched her shoulder. She jerked her head up with a yelp, and the hand drew back.
"Hey, I won't hurt you, hon." a young woman in her early twenties leaned over Mimi.
Mimi's tears had ceased. She blinked, her eyelids stinging.
"C'mon, girl." the woman's frosted curls reached her chin, and her long red nails complimented her bronzed skin. "Let's make tracks before the real weirdos come out."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ew! Ewewewewew! I'm soooo sorry! This story is getting kinda slow...I'm drawing a blank lately, and I'm working on other Mimoe stories as well. ^^ Anyhoo, r&r, I'd really appreciate it. ^^; (I know what it is! I need more "Hana Yori Dango"!!!)
Mimi