Before I say anything else, let me just say this: WOO-HOO!!!!! I GOT OVER 100 REVIEWS!! This is the first fic I've written that's done that. I love you guys so much!!!!!!!

*clears throat* Well, now that that's out of the way, thank you all for your kind comments. I didn't actually mention this last chapter, but that song is my own, it's called Never Always. I wrote it specifically for this fic, but I've actually got music for it too.

Anyways, I'm sure that many of you can guess what I have in store for you with this chapter *hint, hint*, so I hope you enjoy it.

Reality Behind the Façade

Mimi stood on the edge of the small lake in Odaiba Park. At night, the lights of the city reflected off the calm surface and bathed the surroundings with an ethereal glow. It was so beautiful, and if there was anyone in the world who had a taste for aesthetics, it was Mimi.

It's so bright here, even at night and I should be squealing in delight at this beauty, but I'm not. I'm pining over the one thing I feel is even more beautiful than this.

"Mimi?" The sombre girl turned her head and her eyes widened.

"Sora?"

"Mimi, what are you doing here? Why did you just disappear like that?" Sora ran over to her friend worriedly. "Everyone's looking for you."

Mimi turned her head away so that Sora couldn't see the tears forming in her eyes. "I … I just felt like taking a walk."

"Mimi, don't lie to me." Sora gently grabbed her shoulder and turned her around. Her own eyes widened as she realised how upset her best friend was. "Mimi, you're crying. What's wrong?"

Mimi tried to break away, but Sora's grip was too strong. "Sora, please, just leave me alone."

"No, I can't. You're my best friend and I care about you more than anything in the world. Please tell me what's wrong so I can help you."

Mimi broke down, clinging to Sora's jacket. Sora drew her into an embrace and patted her on the back, whispering soothing words into her ear. After a while, Mimi's sobs subsided ands she drew back.

"I'm sorry Sora."

"Hey, there's no need, you know I'm always here for you." Sora gave her friend a gentle smile full of caring.

"I know, it's just that …"

"What?"

Mimi looked away. "I don't want to say anything."

Sora gave her an encouraging smile. "Why don't we go sit down? You don't have to say anything, I just want you to know that I am here if you want to talk" She led Mimi over to a bench nearby.

"Thank you, Sora." They listened to the muffled sounds of Odiaba at night and watched fireflies dance over the water before Mimi spoke again.

"Matt's last song was beautiful."

"Yeah, it was." Sora smiled. "And I think I know who inspired it."

Mimi smiled with her. "I know. I would have loved to have seen Tai's face when he heard that." Mimi pondered for a bit, her smile fading. "It was also really sad."

"Oh?"

"It reminded me of something."

"What?"

"How I couldn't be with the one I love." Mimi looked away lest Sora see in her eyes what she didn't want to yet reveal.

Sora looked at her sympathetically. "Oh." She also looked away. "I didn't know that you liked anyone."

Mimi heard the pain in Sora's voice, she tried to explain. "Sors, I just … I didn't really want anyone to know. Only Jyou —"

"You told Jyou and not me?" Sora whirled around to face her friend with a look of extreme hurt and rejection. "Why?"

"I couldn't tell you, it was just …"

"Just what Mimi? You would trust your old boyfriend instead of me? I'm your best friend, I lo—" Sora's eyes widened and she turned away quickly.

Mimi looked stunned. Did she almost say … Mimi studied her friend with a renewed hope. Sora looked close to tears. Guess I'll find out. "Sora? Please don't cry, I didn't mean to upset you."

"Then why didn't you tell me?"

"Because I wasn't sure how you'd react." Sora turned around to face her friend, confused. Mimi smiled and laughed quietly, all depression lifted from her face.

"What do you mean?"

Mimi blushed slightly and look at Sora from under her long eyelashes. "I love you."

Sora looked stunned for a moment then she smiled in delight. "You don't know how long I've wished for that to be true."

"About as long as me?" Mimi grinned shyly.

"Yeah, I guess so." Sora looked at her friend for a moment before leaning in slightly. "I've been waiting for just as long to do this," she whispered just before she touched her soft lips to Mimi's.

Both of them felt in bliss, existing only in that soft lingering touch of lips. Their heads were a whirl of emotions and lust and they clung to each other passionately and deepened the once gentle kiss.

Mimi broke away and looked at Sora breathlessly and flushing. Sora looked the same. She grinned at her friend and pulled her up from the bench, holding her in a tight embrace.

Mimi was in ecstasy even feeling only the merest touch of Sora's arms around her. She smiled and closed her eyes, ready to fall right into the pool of glee that bubbled inside her, when she heard something that made her laugh.

"By the way, I like your dress."

* * *

"Mimi!" Koushiro was wandering the streets near the auditorium, looking for the ditzy girl. I bet she just got lost and wandered into the other side of town. Koushiro didn't know why, but there was a slight tension between him and Mimi. He liked her as a friend and she was a really nice girl, but there was a nagging feeling in his stomach whenever he was around her that made him feel uneasy.

Which was probably why he wasn't looking as hard as he could for her.

Koushiro sighed and decided to check all of the still open cafes and restaurants in the vicinity. She probably did just go for coffee. He was about to walk into the nearest cafe when a familiar tall figure walked out.

Koushiro smiled. "Hey Jyou."

"Izzy, did you have any luck finding Mimi?"

"Oh, no I didn't." Koushiro sounded disappointed, but Jyou didn't take much notice, he was worried about Mimi.

"Damn, what if something happened to her. We have to keep looking." Koushiro grabbed Jyou's arm before he could walk off.

"Jyou, I've already looked that way. She's not there. Besides, I'm sure Mimi can look after herself, she did used to live here. I'm sure that not even she could get lost so easily."

Jyou looked unconvinced. "Kou, you don't understand. Mimi was going through some stuff. That song, what it said … I'm sure it just made things worse."

"Song?" Koushiro was really confused.

"Matt's song. Mimi's pining over someone and she can't get close, so I thought that the song might have made her feel even worse."

"But it was a love song. Doesn't Mimi usually like those things?" Koushiro was feeling even gloomier with every word that Jyou spoke.

"I guess, but a person like Mimi takes things hard. It's hard enough that Sora doesn't even see her —"

"Sora?" Now Koushiro was just confused. "What does Sora have to do with any of this?"

Jyou looked as though he had accidentally let a huge secret slip. "Damn, I shouldn't have said anything. Let's just look for Mimi." Jyou rushed off down the street.

Koushiro watched him leave with a frown. "Why does he care so much about her?" Koushiro felt guilty as he uttered those words. "Because she's a friend and she could be in trouble." He answered his own question with a sigh. "I'm the one acting strange. Why am I being such a jerk?" Koushiro followed after Jyou. It's almost as if I'm jealous of the attention he's paying her.

Koushiro froze as he thought of this. "No way," he whispered to the night. "I can't be … could I possibly … love him?" Koushiro thought this over aloud. "Let's see, irrational surges of jealousy, I always think of him when I'm in trouble, I feel kind of fluttery when he pays attention to me, I feel really guilty whenever I say something to hurt him." Koushiro counted these things off on his fingers and came to a conclusion.

"Yes, I'm in love with Jyou." Koushiro sighed and started running after his crush again. "Why did Miyako have to be right?" he muttered.

Koushiro turned onto a street that would lead into the park and halted. Jyou was exiting through the large gates, his face slightly red. "Jyou?" he called out. "Did you find her?"

Jyou walked over to him and flushed darker when he heard Koushiro's question. "Uh, Sora found her."

"Is she all right?"

"Oh I think she'll be just dandy." Jyou looked a bit nervous. "Do you think we could maybe go somewhere else right now? I'm feeling a bit strange."

"Sure." Koushiro started walking with Jyou beside him. "My place is nearby. Did you want to come over?"

"Thanks."

"So, why are you acting so weird?"

"Weird me? No, I'm not acting weird, nope, not a thing wrong, I'm always like this. You know me Izzy, I've always been a bit odd —"

"Jyou?" Izzy looked at him in determination. "I'm your best friend, are you going to tell me or not?"

Jyou sighed. "You just had to do the best friend thing. Okay I'll tell you, I mean, it's not like people won't know eventually after all they'd make it fairly obvious and it is kind of nice, not that I'd go for that sort of thing, but I like to see them happy, they look just so —"

"Jyou, you're babbling."

Jyou laughed. "Oh, yeah. Guess I am." He took a deep breath. "Mimi's in love with Sora."

"What?" Koushiro's eyes opened wide and he stumbled then regained his balance and looked over at Jyou incredulously. "Are you serious?"

"Totally. I went to look for her in the park and I found her there. With Sora."

"And?"

"They were …" he cleared his throat uncomfortably, "they were … um … well let's just say that Sora shared the same sentiments."

"Oh." Koushiro felt relieved. This means that she doesn't like Jyou! Is that why I've been so jealous of her? Because I thought she liked him? Koushiro smiled slightly at the absurdity of it. But Sora … wow, I never would have picked that. Now that I think about it, they would be rather nice together. Koushiro grinned. "I'm glad for them."

"You are?"

"Why should that surprise you?"

"I don't know. I always thought you had a bit of a crush on Sora."

Koushiro choked on a laugh. "Are you serious? Me? And Sora? That's preposterous." Koushiro laughed out loud.

Jyou looked a bit ruffled at his friend's laughter. "Well, it was an honest mistake."

"Oh, Jyou I'm sorry, I didn't mean to insult you. It's just that, I've never imagined myself with Sora. She's just a really good friend."

"Oh, that's okay. Even I can be wrong sometimes." Jyou looked away and pondered his next question carefully. "Well, if you don't like Sora, then who do you like?"

Koushiro blushed slightly and looked away uncomfortably. What do I tell him? "Uh, well, you see …" Koushiro looked around for some sort of distraction. "Oh, look, there's my apartment. Come on." He grabbed Jyou by the wrist and dragged him quickly over to the building. "We'll have to take the stairs because the elevator's still being repaired. Good thing I live on the second floor instead of the eleventh."

Jyou smiled at Koushiro's evasion tactics. He can't avoid the question forever. I only wish … Jyou sighed under his breath and entered the building with Koushiro still holding onto his wrist. At least I can get this close to him.

It wasn't until they reached Koushiro's door that he realised that he had been holding Jyou's hand the whole way up. He quickly released it and fumbled in his pockets for his keys, keeping his head down so that Jyou couldn't see the blush forming on his cheeks. Gods, what must he think?

Jyou was actually regretting losing the contact. A look of disappointment crossed his features that Koushiro missed while he fumbled. I wonder why he's so embarrassed. Although, Koushiro was never one to be touched. He's not like Taichi or Yamato with his friends, he always kept his distance. I guess I should be grateful that he allowed me that much contact.

Koushiro finally managed to get the door open and let Jyou enter the dark hallway. Koushiro locked the door behind him and went to turn on the light switch, only to find that the light had blown. "Damn," he muttered.

"Izzy? Where's another light switch?" Jyou called out in front of him at the other end of the hallway.

"Hang on, I'll be there in a second." Koushiro made his way over to where he thought Jyou was and stumbled on something. "Ah!"

"Izzy?" Jyou turned around as he heard a yell and something fell on him, knocking him over. "Ow!"

"Jyou?" Jyou tried to peer into the darkness.

"Izzy, is that you on top of me?"

"Sorry, I tripped. Are you all right?"

"I'm fine. Where's your living room light switch?"

"Hang on, I'll go and turn it on." Jyou felt a pressure on his stomach as Koushiro levered himself off of Jyou. Jyou got up once he was sure Koushiro was off him and moved to the side where he thought he would be out of the way.

"I know it's around here somewhere," Koushiro was muttering nearby, feeling along the walls. He ran into Jyou.

"Ow!"

"Sorry."

"Don't worry about it."

"Sure." Koushiro felt along the other side of Jyou. "Aha! I found it." He leaned over to turn it on and fell slightly into Jyou.

The room was suddenly filled with light and Jyou could see Koushiro's blush.

"Jyou, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean … uh that is … I tripped and … I uh …" Koushiro didn't realise he was still leaning against Jyou as he babbled.

"Izzy," Jyou tried to interrupt, holding his friend steady with a hand on his shoulder. "Koushiro? Kou?" Jyou sighed, not able to get anywhere and decided to do what he felt like doing in the first place. He leaned down slightly and kissed Koushiro.

Koushiro immediately shut up and leaned into the kiss, not hesitating as Jyou thought he would, deepening it almost automatically and drawing Jyou down closer to him.

Without breaking the kiss, Koushiro started leading Jyou back towards his room.

Jyou noticed this and broke off. "Kou, don't —"

"My parents aren't home yet and I'd rather not have them walk into the room only to find us like this." Koushiro looked up at Jyou and smiled impishly. "What did you think I was doing?"

Jyou blushed. "Never mind." Then he smiled down at Koushiro. "So … why don't we go back to what we were doing."

"As soon as we reach my room." There was no hesitation for either of them as they dashed down the hallway to Koushiro's room and locked the door behind them.

* * *

I wonder what everyone else is up to. Miyako sighed and looked over at Iori. "Do you sometimes get the feeling that we miss out on a lot?"

"All the time," Iori muttered. "Miyako, can we go home now? I'm kind of tired."

Miyako sighed. "Sure," she agreed half-heartedly. "Everyone else is with someone special. I feel kind of left out."

Iori looked a bit hurt. "You're with me."

Miyako smiled. "And you're very special. You're probably the only one I can count on not to desert me when I'm alone."

"But you're not alone. You've been with me all night." Iori gave up as he realised that Miyako wasn't talking about that kind of loneliness. He looked up at her and smiled gently. "Miyako, I'm sure you'll find someone who will want to be with you too one day."

"Thanks Iori." Miyako smiled back at him. "Personally, I'd love to meet a guy who's as dependable and sweet as you."

"Maybe you will one day." Iori smiled and started walking.

Miyako watched him and smiled. "I hope so," she whispered and followed her young friend home.

* * *

Taichi waited until everyone started to leave before he walked backstage.

Ken and Daisuke had left after saying a very quick goodbye to him and barely a word to the others. Taichi didn't particularly want to wonder why they were in such a hurry, he was just glad that they left so quickly.

Hikari had been waiting with him for Takeru. He was walking her home after he said goodbye to his brother. Taichi farewelled them, with a warning to Takeru that if anything happened to Hikari he would be begging for death, and steeled himself for what was coming next.

He walked backstage and waved to the rest of the band members as they packed up and left, leaving only one person backstage sitting on an amp leaning against a wall.

Yamato.

This was it, the time for truth.

Can't truth wait a while?

"Taichi?" Too late. Taichi smiled and moved closer to his friend.

"Hey Yamato." Taichi paused to think of something to say. "Er, great performance."

"I guess. We could have done better. I wasn't concentrating enough at first." Yamato looked at him hopefully.

"I liked the last song though. You seemed to be concentrating fine for that"

"You really liked it?"

"Yeah, it was beautiful." Taichi smiled at Yamato's modest blush. "Did you … did you write it for … me?"

Yamato stiffened then looked directly at Taichi. There were no deceptions in his eyes as he spoke. "Yes, I did."

Taichi let out a loud breath. "Wow. That makes it even more intense." Taichi ran a hand through his thick hair. He looked over at Yamato and moved over to sit beside him.

"Yama, I have something to say."

Yamato looked up at Taichi. "First, I want to apologise. I didn't really mean to say those things and hurt you like that."

"Yama, no, I want to say sorry. I shouldn't have asked you that stupid question. It was totally my fault and I'm sorry that I almost broke my vow."

"Nothing will come between us." Yamato whispered the vow they made to each other on the rocks by the lake. "Nothing serious has yet."

"It could have. Without Davis' help I never would have realised what an ass I was being." Taichi thought back to the younger goggle-headed boy and smiled, remembering some of the advice Diasuke gave him — some of his own advce was thrown in there too. Taichi decided to follow it.

Taichi looked up at Yamato and was caught by those sparkling blue pools. "Yama, I … I never told you about my fantasy did I?"

Yamato shook his head. He looked at Taichi curiously. "Are you going to tell me now?"

Taichi nodded and Yamato grinned.

"So, spill."

"I didn't actually have a planned out setting like you did, I could only imagine the person I wanted to share my first kiss with."

"Who?" Yamato was waiting breathlessly for the information, his heart beating furiously in his chest. Gods, please … does he feel that way too?

Taichi leaned in closer, his eyes drifting closed. "Yama, the only person I could ever imagine kissing is you. Not for a bet, and not for a joke, but because I love you so much and I want to show you how much you mean to me."

Yamato smiled and leaned in also. "How much do I mean to you then?"

"Quite a lot."

"Then show me."

Taichi closed his eyes and paced a soft, unsure kiss on Yamato's lips. Yamato leaned in closer, his eyes drifting shut also, and pushed back tentatively, then more forcefully. He put a hand behind Taichi's head and opened his mouth to let Taichi's gently probing tongue inside his mouth.

Taichi drew Yamato closer to him by pulling on his waist. Yamato complied with him and rearranged himself so that he was siting on Taichi's lap and leaning down, passionately locking lips and moaning in pleasure at the delightful feelings surging through him.

Taichi could only tighten his grip as he felt his desire for Yamato rising and only with great reluctance he pulled away and gasped for breath, still holding his love close to him.

Yamato took in deep breaths and looked down at Taichi with a desiring lust-filled smile. "Even if I didn't love you as much as I do, that would have changed my mind."

Taichi grinned. "I get that all the time." He cradled Yamato's head and brought it close so that he could whisper teasingly in his ear, "So you love me do you?"

"Didn't you hear the song?" Yamato asked cheekily.

"Maybe, but I could have missed some. Show me instead of singing to me, like I did." Taichi tried to draw him back down for another kiss, but Yamato moved his head to the side and placed teasing touches of his lips down Taichi's jawline and neck.

He moved his head and whispered back to Taichi, "Not here. I couldn't possibly do all I want to do in a public place." He licked Taichi's cheek and grinned as Taichi blushed.

"Maybe later then." Taichi smiled mischievously at him.

"Definitely." Yamato grinned and captured Taichi's lips in another passionate kiss.

"Gods how I love you Yama."

"I love you too Tai-chan."

AN: There, you got three kisses instead of just one.