Chapter 3

Again it was the constant gasping which broke the silence and reminded Tai what he had to do.

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"OK, let me get this straight... you thought because of some proof you came up with that Matt is going to ask you out on a date?" Kari spoke in a dull voice rubbing her temple while trying to understand her friend's fantasy.

"Well... yes... don't you think so?" Sora asked very concerned.

"YOU and MATT?" Kari pointed out making her friend fill even more nervous and embarrassed.

"Oh, come on Hikari! I thought you were my friend...all I want is some solace! Its completely unfair..." voice rising. "I help everyone out with their personal troubles when they need me... and no one offers me help! Everyone is with someone, and I'm going to be the one left in the corner all alone as everybody starts to kiss and make out!" as a deep sigh came out. "Why can't I be happy for a change! I want to be happy! I want someone to comfort me when I am down and like me for me! I want to be loved damn it Kari! I...I...I... want... Matt" she burst out into sobs letting out some of her built-in pressures and neglects.

A long eerie silence hanged as Sora recomposed herself "Kari, please say something..." she managed to sniffle out.

"... Sora?"

"Yeah?"

"I hope you do understand that by you dating Matt it will mean" she told Sora with a straight and cold voice "that we'll be both dating the Ishida Brothers so we'll be almost like sisters!" Kari cried out in a blissful hysteria covering her head with the bed's blanket.

Sora took a few seconds before figuring out what her friend meant, but when she did grasp its message she finally smiled understanding that Kari's whole response towards Sora dating Matt was just her joking around. "Oh...stop it Hikari! You're making me embarrassed!" Sora had dug her head into her pillow to stop herself from getting overexcited about the subject. As for Kari, she was a bright red as she dreamed happily of the near future when all four would be together double-dating. They both squirmed at the thought of their two escorts. Both were popular, talented, caring, sensual and very handsome earning them many fans amongst the school's large female proportion. Kari and Sora knew both that competition was fierce for the boys and that Sora would have to act fast. With this they started a silly discussion over which brother was better. None gave in to the other.

Tai walked slowly the dark corridor. His room was at its end and with the door left ajar, light diffused with the blackness and emptiness of the passageway. A representation of the eternal conflict between good over evil in its simplest and yet most noticeable form. To one side, the joy and satiety of good in the form of light, to the other the hollowness and neglect of the dark evil. Terms which Tai was already familiar with during his leadership over the Digi-Destines where he would play these meanings over in his head to keep focused and sane during tough times. Usually it would help him choose the right decisions but lately he could only relate with the grey – where darkness and light mingled.

He heard whispering come from his sister, so he crept slowly from behind the door and peeked in from its opening. His eyes searched for her figure hidden underneath the blankets while his hands - hoisted onto the door's frame - stopped him from leaning in too much. From what he could gather it was either rumours about someone or just girlie gossips. Why was he hiding to hear this? Enough! He told himself and barged inside, throwing the door wide open and marching inside like a soldier. Kari surprised by the sound jumped up from the bed covers, dumb-stroked at her brother's imitation of a marching soldier.

"What are you doing?" she asked while covering the phone.

"Getting back to business Ma'am!" Tai stretched out his legs as he marched along.

"Whatever..." was her response after the slight tension between the two.

"Sorry about that...It was my stupid brother AGAIN!...What you want to talk to him? Now?...OK...I'll pass it to him... But we'll continue this little talk later OK!" Tai heard Kari's voice blackmailing the poor fool on the other side of the connection.

"Tai for you...it's Sora" she told him and threw the phone at him from her bed.

"Sora?" he replied to the phone.

"Hello, Tai! You good?" asked the cheery voice.

"Yeah...just tired from doing the literature assignment"

"Oh...hope you finish it soon. Sorry for bothering at this time of hour."

"It's OK" called the dull fatigued voice.

"..."

"..."

"What is it that you want to say to me?" the boy asked.

"Oh...Well it's that I am so... I'll tell you about it later, its getting way too late and we've got school." Sora stated "Or else I won't be able to wake up tomorrow morning.".

"...yeah...school"

"Well...good luck with your assignment and see you tomorrow!"

"...bye" said Taichi and switched off the phone.

"Well you're very lively!" Kari boasted sarcastically.

"Shut up you excuse for a monster!" he intentionally murmured loud enough to make her just hear it.

"OH YEAH? Monster AM I?" she protested "WELL TAKE THIS!" throwing her novel straight for Tai who had turned around unaware of the following.

WHACK!

"DANG! WHY YOU LITTLE..." cursing her for hitting his head with the edge of the book.

"Yes I'm SMALL but I can still kick your BUTT!" Kari scolded her older brother.

They both starred menacingly at each other ready to fight at any second, but the quarrel was short lived, as their mother walked in - raped up in a blanket - to settle down the noise and send her children to bed. "All right now both of you straight to bed! It's almost midnight and both of you have school tomorrow." She then helped Kari back into the blankets kissing her good night. Kari turned her back and went to sleep as her mother walked over to Tai, eyeing him for having started the row. "Really Taichi Kamiya fighting with your sister!" Tai saw Kari grinning at him from behind his mother. "And you go back to sleep young lady!" Mrs. Kamiya warned Kari without even turning. Shocked from how her mother was capable of perceiving her very own actions, Kari did as she was told. Tai too was a bit shocked, asking himself which witchcraft his mum had used to sense Kari's grinning. "Come on, bedtime" she told her son. "I still need to finish my homework..." Tai said turning to face the piece of paper with writing on it.

"No you should have done it before, its bed NOW!"

"But I'm almost done" he pleaded "and its due in tomorrow morning"

Mrs. Kamiya frowned, then smiled kissing her boy after having stroked his hair. How mature and responsible he has grown. Her thoughts formed tears in her eyes with the realisation of how much time had flown by, her baby had now grown. She hugged her son violently, trying to bring back the days when she could had held him close to her bosom. Tai struggled to free himself from her grip for a bit before subsiding, convincing himself that the film's influence had made his mother so sensitive. He wasn't too far away from the truth. She then walked towards the door where her husband was standing, awaiting her. She brushed past him. Mr. Kamiya followed her with his eyes. He then gave Tai a wave and silently went after his partner. Silence fell again upon the lone figure at the desk and so it remained for another hour.

Tai stood up, switched off the lamp and went to bed.

Plague notes: OK here's a shorter chapter. I promise that the next won't have this senseless amount of nothing written into it.

In the next chapter of Last 2 Know: a huge turning point to Taichi's sad story with some romantic scenes in between.

Ps. Highly likely to only come posted during Easter. Until then.

Fronti nulla fides = Facades destroy trust