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"And that is what happened!" Kari gasped and covered her mouth. "Oh my god Tai, no wonder you were so freaked when I woke you up!" Kari seemed to understand this much, and that was good. Tai didn't need to explain any more about that, but he did need to explain something else. "Hey Tai.... when you were going through your weird "episode" there.... you said something that I won't let you forget." Tai seemed a bit confused. "Well, what did I say!" said Tai, somewhat baffled. "OH come on, you know what I mean.... and you still can't say it. You are hopeless!" Tai didn't really remember what happened the night before very well, and was bewildered by the comment. "Kari, I really don't know.... I just remember not being able to save them, that's it!" Kari sighed, and rolled her eyes. "Are you telling the truth Tai?" "I swear it Kari, Scouts honour!" Kari laughed at this. "Tai, we don't have Scouts here, that's America!" Tai became a little agitated. "Alright," he said with sarcasm written all over his face. "On Sabre-Leomon's grave!" Kari seemed satisfied with this, and told him what he needed to hear. "Well, in your fit's of emotion..... you said "I LOVE YOU SORA!" Tai suddenly shuddered, and remembered everything. "OH man, you heard that!" said an embarrassed Tai! "Oh yes... heck, I wouldn't be surprised if Sora didn't hear you!" Tai turned a nice shade of red. "That isn't what I wanted you to hear..." said the now slumping Tai. "What are you talking about! This is perfect! We all knew you loved her.... maybe except Sora, and you couldn't say it! Now, you have, clear as day! You have to tell her Tai, you just go" "NO!!" said an enraged Tai. Kari slunked back a bit... seeming a bit afraid of Tai. Tai's eyes widened when he say the look on her face, and he slumped back into the couch. "Sorry Kari, I'm so sorry!" Tai started to look kinda sad.... and he continued. "It's just..... It's just....." Tai seemed to be searching for the words to best describe how he was feeling. "It's just that.... well..... I love her too much to tell her!" Kari was stunned by this.... he actually said he loved her! "Well then, why not?" pushed Kari, wanting to get what his true feelings were. Tai started to sob, just a little bit, as he talked. "Well..... she loves Matt now, and is happy." He paused to wipe some tears, and Kari sat down beside him on the couch. "She is alot happier with Matt than she ever was with me around. I just don't want to hurt her anymore.... and that means...... *Sniff* that means *sniff* that I gotta let her stay with Matt." Tai broke down, and leaned on Kari. Kari supported his weight, and started talking softly. "Oh my god Tai... I didn't know she meant that much to you. I see what you mean. But Tai, aren't you overlooking that maybe....... you owe her to tell her?" Tai looked up at her, with the red soaked chocolate brown eyes, and seemed to not understand! "Whatta you mean Kari?" said the broken down man. "Well, Sora waited for you, and decided not to anymore. You at least owe it to her that all the waiting wasn't for nothing, right? I mean, she probably feels bad deep inside, just like you!" Kari put her hair through his hair, and straightened it out, to produce that normal, wacky look it usually has. "Kari, I don't know if I can do it. I mean, wouldn't it just screw her up more?" Kari thought for a quick second, and gave a quick response. "Maybe..... but it'll be better in the long run if you do, I'm sure of that!" Tai still wasn't sure... not that if it was the right thing, but if he could do it! "I just don't know if I can physically do it! I mean, what if I choke and just end up hurting her to the point of no return.... then I can't even be her friend." He didn't like that thought, and almost began to sob again. "Hey, don't say that!" She tapped him on the chest. "You see that! That is where the crest of courage is.... right in your heart. You'll do it..... just like you always did!" With that, she left Tai alone to think of how he was to do this feat...... especially, when he wasn't sure what to do, or if he could do it!
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"He really did that! Wow... it's about damn time too!" said TK. Obviously, there was no way to avoid it.... Kari had to tell someone, and of course, it had to be T.K! "You promise you won't tell?" said a concerned Kari. TK crooked his neck down, and replied with a simple pleasant kiss. "You got my word Kari." Kari really loved the way TK liked to reply to her concerns. "You POSITIVE?" she said, with a coy look on her face. "Ok Kari, now you are just trying to get me to kiss you, aren't you?" Kari grabbed TK's collar, and made him sorta slouch over. "Boy, you are smart." she said, as she met with TK's lips. After the kiss, they put their arms around each other, and focused a little more on the problem with Tai. "I don't know who to root for! I mean, Tai and Sora are meant to be together.... but this is the first time in a long time I've seen Matt be 100% happy... and I don't want that to end either" A long sigh escaped TK's mouth, and a face of extreme relaxation replaced it. Kari just gave a little smile. "After what I heard..... there is no denying it now. Tai loves her more than life itself....." said a happy Kari. Together, they walked.... in no particular direction, no destination determined.
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Sora cheered as Matt suddenly went into a long solo. He sounded great like normal, thought Tai. He had taken Sora to the concert, because he had to practice before, and he does not like distractions. Sora had complained, but Matt had the perfect response. "If you were here, you think I'd get much practicing done?" Matt always had the smart, sexy little sayings. Sora ran over to him, gave him a peck on the cheek, and started out. "Hey Matt, I'll get Tai to take me over to your concert!" Matt replied with a simple "Yeah, whatever!"
Tai was surprised to get a call from Sora. He couldn't do what he wanted on the phone, it was one of those person to person things. She asked him to take her to Matt's concert, like always. He said yes, and they were off to listen to Matt. On the way their, Tai started to say something. "Sora, I have something I gotta tell you.... but I don't know what it will do..... to us..." Sora looked him in the eyes, and a look of almost fear crossed her face. "Well, what is it Tai?" Tai thought he could start telling her everything..... just as a car screeched by them, splashing Sora. "Oh god, my favourite outfit!" Tai immediately took of his jacket and placed it across her shoulders. As he came by, he got a whif of that hair he loved so much, and almost melted. "Oh Tai, you didn't need to do that. The inside of your jacket will get all wet" Tai was thinking ,if only I could be the one to give you my jacket on cold dates... I would use all the jackets in the world. "Nah, it's OK! Look at that sky. It's beautiful... a perfect day. I don't even know why I brought my jacket. To tell you the truth, I was a little warm in it. Now, it can serve a good use. IT can be used for you to warm up.... and hopefully to not ruin your favourite outfit." Sora smiled that smile that makes the world turn faster, and gave Tai a quick peck on the cheek. "That's sweet. Thank you Tai." Tai felt electricity from the peck. He wanted to feel the full electricity of a real kiss. He knew he had to say something, or do something before anything much else happened!
The concert ended, and Sora, as always, jumped onto the stage to give her main squeeze a squeeze. "Hey Matt, great show!" said Tai, with all the enthusiasm in the world. He, of course, meant it. He hated to admit it, but he thought Matt was really good. Tai cheered just as the rest of them did. "Oh, it was nothing that a future SUPER-STAR couldn't handle!" Sora gave him a small elbow to the gut. "A little ahead of yourself, aren't we?" said Sora. They were almost to kiss, when a man came from behind. "Matt, can I have a word with you?" Matt broke off the kiss before it started. "Well.... I suppose so, but who are you?" The man handed Matt a buisness card. "My name is Masahari Kojino, a record dealer. You got some great talent kid, and I'd like it if we could speak more about your future plans." Matt's eyes beamed with excitment. Sora sighed a little, and told Matt, "Matt, I'm gonna go on home. I can see this conversation will take awhile!" Matt looked at her for a moment, said "Thanks, call ya later?" and turned back to the record dealer.... all in one fluid motion, it seemed. Sora walked up to Tai. "Tai, can you walk me home? There are usually all these freaks and weirdo's out after late concerts, and I need a strong man with me to protect me" she said, half laughing. Tai flexed and said, "Well, if you need a big strong man, you got the right person!" A laugh came from behind. It was Kari. "Kari? You came to this? I thought you and TK had plans" Kari walked over to Tai, and said, "These were our plans. Just because we are younger than you guys doesn't mean we have to make younger plans than you!" Kari was almost yelling, when TK came from behind. "Ahh, don't worry about her Tai... she doesn't mean anything by it" Tai didn't take it seriously, and in fact, laughed a hearty laugh, which he hadn't done for quite awhile. "Well, we must be getting on our way," said Tai, escorting Sora off.
Tai acted like a fool almost all the way to Sora's house. He would walk in front of her, with his arms crossed, looking at everyone suspiciously. And if anyone came within 2 meters of Sora, he'd say something like "Move it! Watch the hands! HEY, I'm on to you" amoungst other stupid things. Tai had done something he hadn't done in a long time... and that was make Sora laugh. Sora's laughter was music to Tai's ears. He thought that an orchestra of angels couldn't even touch the voice of Sora.... nevermind the laugh! As they approached Sora's house, the heaven opened up, and a little shower started. "Well Mr. Bodyguard slash Meteor-ologist.... it seems that the forecasted beautiful weather was wrong!" Tai laughed to himself, and then said, "Well, at least you are gonna be alright... you still have my jacket. I'll be soaked by the time I get ho.... oh man!" He just noticed that Sora did not have the jacket on, but had it across her arm. "Man, it's gonna be a cold walk the rest of the way home!" Tai knew that the night was soon gonna get colder, and with rain, that meant a miserable walk. Sora then spoke up. "Well, since you've treated me to such a divine evening, why don't you just stick it out in my house until either your jacket is dry, or the rain let's up?" Tai was a little taken back by this.... and simply said , "sure"
As they got to the house, the rain turned into a storm, with lighting and thunder to boot. They had the jacket above their heads as they ran to the balcony. "Well, we are here!" said a soaked Sora. Tai was panting slightly, and responded "Yeah, guess so" Sora opened the door, and found that the power was out. "Oh great, now we can't use the dryer, guess you may just have to wait it out" Tai's heart jumped slightly, and slowly, they walked in.