Joe gazed out of his bedroom window. He was filled with thoughts of his
crush of many months, Mimi Takaichiwa. Beautiful Mimi, he thought, watching
the birds fly past. Beautiful Mimi, she looks great in anything. Joe
practically swoons every time the girl walks past him, and feels faint when
she speaks to him. What an honour to be able to speak to Mimi! If only, he
thought dreamily, Mimi was mine. But, Mimi had never seemed to have any
interest in Joe. She even seemed to get along better with nerdy, computer-
obsessed boys like Izzy. Koushirou Izumi. How was he able to speak to Mimi
without his knees going weak, or his whole body trembling like crazy?
During their long stay at Digiworld, Joe was able to interact with Mimi alone-a few times. He was pretty sure that they had gotten along quite well. Why, he had bravely volunteered to go along with Mimi when she wanted to leave the group for a while. He had been so worried for her then. How could Mimi survive in the then unstable Digiworld without any friends, any help? Not able to bear that thought any longer, he offered to go along with Mimi. His bravery had shocked even himself. While they were together, Joe felt that he had grown stronger, and that Mimi had too. He had felt so sympathetic towards her as she wept over Leomon's death, that he felt like crying too!
When they returned from Digiworld, Joe had gathered up enough courage to send a heart-shaped card to Mimi. She never replied. Joe had been kind of hurt. Was Mimi mad at him? Did she think the card was ugly? Had he done anything that offended her??
Joe had watched several serial dramas on TV before. In the shows, the males had to try very, very hard until the woman in their dreams fell for them. If I try hard enough, I can do it too, he thought. Someday, Mimi will like me too!
"Dad once told me all males have an inner charm to woo the girls they like," Joe murmured, finally turning back to his math homework. "I just haven't discovered how to use mine yet.
If only I was like Matt! Joe thought suddenly. Despite being so quiet, he's coolness attracts so many girls in school. He has no problems getting the girl he likes! I wish I was like Matt too! But how?
Then, it hit Joe. If he wanted to be like Matt, he had to know how to act like Matt. And to know how, he must of course ask the great Yamato Ishida himself!
Joe got up. He had wanted to finish his homework by that day, but that would wait, Joe decided. He rang up Matt, telling him that he was going over to his place and it was an emergency. Matt had sounded surprised, but had agreed.
It didn't take that long to reach Matt's house. Matt answered when Joe rang the doorbell. As Joe stepped into the rather messy house, with clothes strewn about, Matt said, "Sorry about the mess. I mean, your visit is kind of sudden. It's always like this, with only Dad and me."
"It's OK." Joe replied hurriedly.
"So, what's so urgent?" Matt asked, sitting down comfortably on a sofa and gesturing for Joe to sit down too.
Joe sat down awkwardly. Then, he burst out, "Matt, how do you get girls to like you?"
Matt stared at Joe for a while. Joe looked down at his knees. Then, Matt burst out laughing.
"Huh?" Joe asked, bewildered. "What's wrong?"
"You're asking me how to woo girls?" roared Matt. My senior of one year asking me how to woo girls?" He laughed even harder.
Joe felt slightly offended. "Please help me, Matt. It's incredibly important to me." He pleaded.
"Who is it?" Matt asked.
"Well, uh." To his horror, Joe felt himself turning red.
"I have to know, Joe." Matt told him in all seriousness. "I need to know what type of girl she is in order to help."
"She. likes pink, makeup, wears long frilly dresses, loves cute cuddly stuffed animals and squeals in a really cute way when she's happy. She's an only child, and she can get a bit spoilt, but she's really gentle and hates fighting and she's wonderful in every way." Joe told him. "Does that help?"
"I think so," Matt said, "She sounds a lot like Mimi, except for the wonderful and gentle bit. And Mimi doesn't sound cute when she squeals, she sounds like a hyena." Matt looked at Joe suspiciously. "It's not Mimi, is it?"
"Of course not!" Joe exclaimed hurriedly.
"Well, if I'm not wrong, girls like her like cool and handsome guys who don't speak much." Matt said, sounding like an expert. "You know, the usual tall, dark and handsome."
"I'm tall, but I'm certainly not dark or handsome." Joe moaned.
"I can see that," Matt said, smiling. "But you can improve yourself! To become darker, just get a tan! And I can help you in the handsome bit."
An hour later.
Joe and Matt emerged from the optical shop. Matt was grinning all over his face, and Joe was blinking rapidly. He no longer had glasses-Matt had made him wear contacts!
"Are you sure this will work?" Joe asked uncertainly.
"Yeah!" exclaimed Matt. "you look great!"
A small smile crept up Joe's face. "Really?
Matt laughed. "Really!"
Joe grinned too.
During the next two weeks, Joe worked hard. Matt had drawn up a list of things Joe needed to do to improve himself and to get Mimi's (well, Matt didn't know who it was) liking. Joe went to the school aerobics gym for the first time in his life and had a glimpse of the people who went there. Tall, tanned and muscular male students were working out. When Joe had entered, they had stared at him as though he was an ant about to be squashed. Nervously, Joe booked a machine and started working out too.
Joe also jogged more often, half an hour every day after school at the beach. This, as Matt had said, would help Joe to become more muscular and could help in the tanning thing as well.
Joe also learnt to behave well. In front of the mirror at home, he tried out several postures, and settled with one Matt always used when he acted cool. Though his parents had nearly murdered him for spending his allowance on contacts, and his brothers wouldn't stop teasing him, Joe began to feel that it was worth it. He was starting to have a tan now! Of course, he still had no visible muscles. But Joe was satisfied.
One day, Matt approached Joe.
"My grooming has really helped you a lot," Matt said. "You owe me a meal, Joe!"
Later, as Matt polished off the plate of fried chicken wings Joe had bought for him, Matt said, "It's time you ask your girl out, Joe. Who is it?"
"Not telling." Joe trailed off. "Do you think it's really time to ask Mi-my crush out?"
Matt nodded. "If you have mastered the cool way of standing and speaking, you're ready."
That evening (It was a Friday), Joe phoned Mimi.
"Hello?" Mimi! It was Mimi that answered! Joe felt himself tremble. "This is Joe." He said.
"Oh, hi Joe." Was it his imagination, or did Mimi sound disappointed? "What's up?"
"I was just wondering if you're free tomorrow afternoon." Joe said, trying to be casual.
Silence. Then, Mimi said, "I think so. why?"
"Would you like to go for lunch together? I mean, just to relax and stuff. I know this great restaurant." Joe stopped himself. Don't babble! He commanded.
"Ok then." Mimi sounded neutral. Not delighted, not upset. "I'll meet you at noon tomorrow at your void deck then."
"No, I'll wait at YOUR house's void deck." Joe spoke up quickly. Matt had told him that this would be wiser. It'd sound more gentlemanly, that is.
"Sure then. Well, bye. See ya." Mimi told him, then hung up.
Joe was elated. "She accepted! She accepted!" He screamed like a hyperactive monkey, hopping around his room. He pulled out his brand new pants and his best, most expensive black coloured shirt, grinning broadly. He had found his inner charm after all! Joe had never felt so happy before.
The next day, Joe arrived at the meeting point ten minutes early. I'm Joe Kido, tanned, and glass-free, and not looking too bad, and I'm going out for lunch with my crush, Joe thought happily.
Just then, he saw Mimi. She was dressed rather plainly, wearing a pink coloured shirt with a pink skirt. Joe waved her over.
Mimi raised her eyebrows when she saw Joe. "No glasses." She said, sounding amazed. "Yep." Joe said, smiling slightly.
"Nice clothes." She continued.
"I'm honoured." Joe said, then added hurriedly, "You too."
"Thanks." Mimi said. "Let's go."
The restaurant they were going to was recommended by Matt. Matt had told him that they served great beef noodles.
"They serve great beef noodles here." Joe told Mimi when they entered the restaurant and sat down. He heard a strange snicker from a corner of the room. He turned and saw two huddled figures behind a newspaper, sniggering loudly. Weirdoes, Joe thought, ignoring them.
"I don't eat beef, you know." Mimi told him primly.
"Huh?" Joe felt slightly flustered. "Then we'll order something else."
Joe scanned the menu, but every meal had beef in it! Then Joe realised something-this restaurant was a beef restaurant! Joe cursed inwardly.
Mimi looked irritated. She muttered something under her breath, then ordered orange juice. Joe did the same, feeling nervous.
The sniggering grew louder. Joe frowned. The waiter served the orange juice. It tasted quite okay, and Mimi seemed to have cheered up a little. Then Joe decided to tell Mimi a joke.
".and the guy said, 'Who are you?' " Joe finished. He was laughing like crazy, but Mimi just stared at him. To complete his joke, Joe waved his hands wildly-
--And knocked Mimi's glass of orange juice all over her shirt.
Joe gasped, horrified. "Mimi! I'm sorry!" He grabbed some tissue, trying to clear the mess, but only made the smudge even worse.
Mimi glared at him. "I just remembered I have another appointment, Joe. Bye." She said coolly before stalking off.
As Joe watched Mimi stomp off, he felt crushed and really stupid. It was all his fault that this lunch was spoilt. First they had come to a restaurant which served nothing Mimi liked, then he had to spill juice all over her. The sniggering in the corner of the room grew into laughter. Joe lost it. He stormed over, and grabbed the newspaper-and got the shock of his life. Tai and Matt were staring at him innocently.
During their long stay at Digiworld, Joe was able to interact with Mimi alone-a few times. He was pretty sure that they had gotten along quite well. Why, he had bravely volunteered to go along with Mimi when she wanted to leave the group for a while. He had been so worried for her then. How could Mimi survive in the then unstable Digiworld without any friends, any help? Not able to bear that thought any longer, he offered to go along with Mimi. His bravery had shocked even himself. While they were together, Joe felt that he had grown stronger, and that Mimi had too. He had felt so sympathetic towards her as she wept over Leomon's death, that he felt like crying too!
When they returned from Digiworld, Joe had gathered up enough courage to send a heart-shaped card to Mimi. She never replied. Joe had been kind of hurt. Was Mimi mad at him? Did she think the card was ugly? Had he done anything that offended her??
Joe had watched several serial dramas on TV before. In the shows, the males had to try very, very hard until the woman in their dreams fell for them. If I try hard enough, I can do it too, he thought. Someday, Mimi will like me too!
"Dad once told me all males have an inner charm to woo the girls they like," Joe murmured, finally turning back to his math homework. "I just haven't discovered how to use mine yet.
If only I was like Matt! Joe thought suddenly. Despite being so quiet, he's coolness attracts so many girls in school. He has no problems getting the girl he likes! I wish I was like Matt too! But how?
Then, it hit Joe. If he wanted to be like Matt, he had to know how to act like Matt. And to know how, he must of course ask the great Yamato Ishida himself!
Joe got up. He had wanted to finish his homework by that day, but that would wait, Joe decided. He rang up Matt, telling him that he was going over to his place and it was an emergency. Matt had sounded surprised, but had agreed.
It didn't take that long to reach Matt's house. Matt answered when Joe rang the doorbell. As Joe stepped into the rather messy house, with clothes strewn about, Matt said, "Sorry about the mess. I mean, your visit is kind of sudden. It's always like this, with only Dad and me."
"It's OK." Joe replied hurriedly.
"So, what's so urgent?" Matt asked, sitting down comfortably on a sofa and gesturing for Joe to sit down too.
Joe sat down awkwardly. Then, he burst out, "Matt, how do you get girls to like you?"
Matt stared at Joe for a while. Joe looked down at his knees. Then, Matt burst out laughing.
"Huh?" Joe asked, bewildered. "What's wrong?"
"You're asking me how to woo girls?" roared Matt. My senior of one year asking me how to woo girls?" He laughed even harder.
Joe felt slightly offended. "Please help me, Matt. It's incredibly important to me." He pleaded.
"Who is it?" Matt asked.
"Well, uh." To his horror, Joe felt himself turning red.
"I have to know, Joe." Matt told him in all seriousness. "I need to know what type of girl she is in order to help."
"She. likes pink, makeup, wears long frilly dresses, loves cute cuddly stuffed animals and squeals in a really cute way when she's happy. She's an only child, and she can get a bit spoilt, but she's really gentle and hates fighting and she's wonderful in every way." Joe told him. "Does that help?"
"I think so," Matt said, "She sounds a lot like Mimi, except for the wonderful and gentle bit. And Mimi doesn't sound cute when she squeals, she sounds like a hyena." Matt looked at Joe suspiciously. "It's not Mimi, is it?"
"Of course not!" Joe exclaimed hurriedly.
"Well, if I'm not wrong, girls like her like cool and handsome guys who don't speak much." Matt said, sounding like an expert. "You know, the usual tall, dark and handsome."
"I'm tall, but I'm certainly not dark or handsome." Joe moaned.
"I can see that," Matt said, smiling. "But you can improve yourself! To become darker, just get a tan! And I can help you in the handsome bit."
An hour later.
Joe and Matt emerged from the optical shop. Matt was grinning all over his face, and Joe was blinking rapidly. He no longer had glasses-Matt had made him wear contacts!
"Are you sure this will work?" Joe asked uncertainly.
"Yeah!" exclaimed Matt. "you look great!"
A small smile crept up Joe's face. "Really?
Matt laughed. "Really!"
Joe grinned too.
During the next two weeks, Joe worked hard. Matt had drawn up a list of things Joe needed to do to improve himself and to get Mimi's (well, Matt didn't know who it was) liking. Joe went to the school aerobics gym for the first time in his life and had a glimpse of the people who went there. Tall, tanned and muscular male students were working out. When Joe had entered, they had stared at him as though he was an ant about to be squashed. Nervously, Joe booked a machine and started working out too.
Joe also jogged more often, half an hour every day after school at the beach. This, as Matt had said, would help Joe to become more muscular and could help in the tanning thing as well.
Joe also learnt to behave well. In front of the mirror at home, he tried out several postures, and settled with one Matt always used when he acted cool. Though his parents had nearly murdered him for spending his allowance on contacts, and his brothers wouldn't stop teasing him, Joe began to feel that it was worth it. He was starting to have a tan now! Of course, he still had no visible muscles. But Joe was satisfied.
One day, Matt approached Joe.
"My grooming has really helped you a lot," Matt said. "You owe me a meal, Joe!"
Later, as Matt polished off the plate of fried chicken wings Joe had bought for him, Matt said, "It's time you ask your girl out, Joe. Who is it?"
"Not telling." Joe trailed off. "Do you think it's really time to ask Mi-my crush out?"
Matt nodded. "If you have mastered the cool way of standing and speaking, you're ready."
That evening (It was a Friday), Joe phoned Mimi.
"Hello?" Mimi! It was Mimi that answered! Joe felt himself tremble. "This is Joe." He said.
"Oh, hi Joe." Was it his imagination, or did Mimi sound disappointed? "What's up?"
"I was just wondering if you're free tomorrow afternoon." Joe said, trying to be casual.
Silence. Then, Mimi said, "I think so. why?"
"Would you like to go for lunch together? I mean, just to relax and stuff. I know this great restaurant." Joe stopped himself. Don't babble! He commanded.
"Ok then." Mimi sounded neutral. Not delighted, not upset. "I'll meet you at noon tomorrow at your void deck then."
"No, I'll wait at YOUR house's void deck." Joe spoke up quickly. Matt had told him that this would be wiser. It'd sound more gentlemanly, that is.
"Sure then. Well, bye. See ya." Mimi told him, then hung up.
Joe was elated. "She accepted! She accepted!" He screamed like a hyperactive monkey, hopping around his room. He pulled out his brand new pants and his best, most expensive black coloured shirt, grinning broadly. He had found his inner charm after all! Joe had never felt so happy before.
The next day, Joe arrived at the meeting point ten minutes early. I'm Joe Kido, tanned, and glass-free, and not looking too bad, and I'm going out for lunch with my crush, Joe thought happily.
Just then, he saw Mimi. She was dressed rather plainly, wearing a pink coloured shirt with a pink skirt. Joe waved her over.
Mimi raised her eyebrows when she saw Joe. "No glasses." She said, sounding amazed. "Yep." Joe said, smiling slightly.
"Nice clothes." She continued.
"I'm honoured." Joe said, then added hurriedly, "You too."
"Thanks." Mimi said. "Let's go."
The restaurant they were going to was recommended by Matt. Matt had told him that they served great beef noodles.
"They serve great beef noodles here." Joe told Mimi when they entered the restaurant and sat down. He heard a strange snicker from a corner of the room. He turned and saw two huddled figures behind a newspaper, sniggering loudly. Weirdoes, Joe thought, ignoring them.
"I don't eat beef, you know." Mimi told him primly.
"Huh?" Joe felt slightly flustered. "Then we'll order something else."
Joe scanned the menu, but every meal had beef in it! Then Joe realised something-this restaurant was a beef restaurant! Joe cursed inwardly.
Mimi looked irritated. She muttered something under her breath, then ordered orange juice. Joe did the same, feeling nervous.
The sniggering grew louder. Joe frowned. The waiter served the orange juice. It tasted quite okay, and Mimi seemed to have cheered up a little. Then Joe decided to tell Mimi a joke.
".and the guy said, 'Who are you?' " Joe finished. He was laughing like crazy, but Mimi just stared at him. To complete his joke, Joe waved his hands wildly-
--And knocked Mimi's glass of orange juice all over her shirt.
Joe gasped, horrified. "Mimi! I'm sorry!" He grabbed some tissue, trying to clear the mess, but only made the smudge even worse.
Mimi glared at him. "I just remembered I have another appointment, Joe. Bye." She said coolly before stalking off.
As Joe watched Mimi stomp off, he felt crushed and really stupid. It was all his fault that this lunch was spoilt. First they had come to a restaurant which served nothing Mimi liked, then he had to spill juice all over her. The sniggering in the corner of the room grew into laughter. Joe lost it. He stormed over, and grabbed the newspaper-and got the shock of his life. Tai and Matt were staring at him innocently.