Thank you all that have been so supportive. ^_^
Disclaimer: This old man…he played two! I no own so you no sue! *haha…that was like, spur of the moment!*
Summary: *a little tease* Yes, in this chapter Mimi will probably arrive. I'm sorry for the wait and if this is boring you. Mimi returns to Japan. Matt falls in love with her and this time he's sure it's more than friendly. But, he thinks that she deserves better and tries to avoid any relationship conversations.
Time difference information provided by Worldtimeserver.com *Because I noticed how unrealistic some fics were on time difference from Japan to America :-/ *
On with the fic ^_^
- - -
Mimi got dressed that morning and went out on the balcony of her room with a cup of raspberry tea in her hand. She held the hot beverage with her shirt sleeves cupped around her hands to keep warm. A smile was permanently implanted on her lips as she recalled all of the wonderful times in Japan and what it would be like when she returned. Talking to T.K again, and hearing Matt's voice in the background was just too good to be true. It reminded her of the small stupid things. Like when T.K was little, Matt was always the one that kept him out of trouble. Ever since they were younger, there wasn't a time when she talked on the phone with Matt that she didn't hear T.K screaming for his brother in the background.
Mimi sighed happily and looked at her watch. It was 9:00 A.M 'Hm…It's 8 p.m there.' She leans both of her elbows on the rail. 'I wonder what they're doing now.' She gazed off to her huge front lawn. She was about two stories up. There wasn't a single dead strand of grass in her yard. '…without me…' she thought sadly. Thoughts of daily gatherings flowed to her mind. Evenings in the park, going to the movies, out to dinner, and even times when her and Matt would go to the ice cream parlor to talk about what was on either of their minds. Watermelon Sherbet was the first thing she thought of after the ice cream parlor. Matt's favorite flavor. And she more than distinctively remembered it.
She sipped her tea and then sighed. A puff of mist formed with her breath in the cold fall air. She shivered as the wind toyed with her hair gently. She turned on her heel, back into her heated room.
And it was just in time to hear the doorbell ring. Lifting a brow, she put her cup down on her computer desk, and went downstairs.
She heard her mother having a conversation with a familiar voice. Her friend Michael.
"Hello Michael!" Her mother happily exclaimed. Mimi giggled as soon as she heard her name. She lingered on the stairwell for a while before showing herself so she can listen to their conversation.
"Hey Mrs. Tachikawa."
"What brings you here?"
"I wanted to talk to Mimi about something, actually." He said politely.
"Mimi's up in her room!"
Michael laughs and nods. "Thank you!" He said before Mrs. Tachikawa gave an acknowledging nod. Mimi decided to run to him after her mother turned and left into the kitchen again.
"Hey Michael." She held out her arms and greeted him the same way she greeted all of her friends. With a hug.
"Hey Meems." Mimi winced. Since when did Michael call her that? Matt was the only one she ever let call her Meems. Shaking it off she turns to him and smiles. "My…we're looking lovely today as usual." Michael commented, glancing from her black boots to her casual black dress pants, to her pink 'Cheer Bear' sweater.
Mimi rolled her eyes. She was used to this by now with him. "Oh please. I took a shower and threw together an outfit to keep warm. It's not that great." She said, turning to her room. Michael instinctively followed her upstairs.
"Whatever you say Mimi." He sighs.
She reaches the top of the stairs and pushes the door open to her room. "So…what brings you here?" She asks sitting on her office chair. Michael takes a seat on her bed. He ran his hand coolly through his light blond hair. Not nervously, but smiling his usual smile.
"I got accepted into John Jay." He flashed her a toothy grin.
Mimi beamed with excitement. "I'm so happy for you! Congratulations!"
Michael laughed. "So now I can actually be close to you when I go away to school!"
Mimi frowned immediately. John Jay college was a New York college for Criminal Justice majoring and it was only a half hour away. How in the world would she tell him that she was going back to Japan for college?
"Michael.."
Michael saw her somber face and gave her a concerned look. "Mimi? What's wrong? Didn't you want me to-"
Mimi gasps. "No! Michael…you have the wrong idea…it's just…" She sighs. She rolls her chair over to her desk, noticing she still sat her mug there. Ignoring it, she opened the drawer and pulled out the acceptance letter. She handed it to him. "Here." They exchange glances as he stiffens the hand with the envelope in it. Mimi shifted her position uncomfortably. "W-well…" She stuttered. "-o..open I-it…" Swallowing hard, she watched Michael take his eyes off her to take the letter out of the envelope. He takes a moment to read it. This was ridiculous! She should be happy! He should be happy that she finally gets the college major she always wanted!
"The Fashion institute! …of Japan!?" He exclaims looking up to her. "Mimi! That means you're going back!" Mimi nods. "I…I…don't know what to say…" He stares at her with widened eyes for a second. She sighs uncontentedly…but then her face straightens out. To one that seemed angry. Michael was her very first friend when she'd moved to America. Why wasn't he happy for her? It wasn't like him to show no emotion at a time like this.
"Well, you can start by saying 'Gee Mimi…I'm happy for you!'" Mimi spat.
Michael gasped. "Mimi! It's not that I'm not happy for you…it's just…I'll miss you…"
Mimi's facial expression softens as her muscles relax. "I'll miss you too Michael…but I'll see you again."
Michael shakes his head. "It's not that…it's just…"
He pauses. Mimi attentively eyes his every nervous action. He started to fidget, unable to look her in the eye. Then by surprise, he gently took her hand. "I-I…guess I'll miss you more than I'm supposed to."
Mimi didn't know weather to blush and smile or to cry. Michael had liked her? Is that what he meant? "Yes…Mimi Tachikawa…I'm falling in lo-…"
"But for heavens sake Michael…" She jerks her hand back. "Don't use that word! You're only 17 years old." She says as sympathetic as she could. Her mother would have loved it if Michael were her boyfriend. She didn't like him like that. But if he'd said this about 5 months ago she would have begged to differ.
Michael sighs. "I know…I just guess I had to tell you before you left…"
Mimi smiles and gives him a small hug. Withdrawing, she keeps her hands on his shoulders. "We'll definitely keep in touch, right?" Michael nods. Mimi smiles again.
"Right! That's M'boy."
"If this is what you really want I'll support you."
Mimi's eyes wander to the picture beside her dresser again. It was the only picture she had. "Of coarse it's what I want…"
Michael follows her gaze. "Ah…I see."
She sighs. Then remembers what college he was going to. "Oh wow Michael! That means you're going to finally major in Forensics?"
Michael nods. "And you're going to design cloths?"
Mimi mockingly nods back. "Yup."
"Silly girl." Michael says as he throws a pillow at her. She catches it and winks.
"Oooh…you wouldn't have it any other way." Mimi's thoughts are most guiltily in another place. 'I wonder what Matt's doing…'
- - - -
Matt yawns and looks at his watch. It was 8:30 and he was tired. He sat in the booth of the ice cream parlor with his nose in one of his school books once again. He was reading a book about The Theory of Criminology. He awaited at the table for T.K, Tai, and Kari to go get ice cream. They'd all insisted on letting Matt review for his test tomorrow. Why it took 3 people to get ice cream was beyond him. But he wasn't complaining. He needed study time.
Side-tracked he looked out the window. A certain spot on the street caught his eye. It was the very bench that he'd caught Mimi crying under the day she found out she was moving.
~*Flashback*~
Mimi sat in the breezy night, thinking about things. Matt'd walked up to her and sat beside her, not giving her time to protest.
"Hey…you shouldn't cry like that…"
Mimi looked up at him with her tear-stained cheeks. "Yeah I know…my mascara is running." He took the bottom of his sleeve and wiped a bit of the black off from under her eyes. It surprised Mimi a little. "Silly…" She said somberly. "Now look at your sleeve."
"It's a small price to pay." He gives her his warmest smile. "Ya know…you shouldn't wear that stuff. You're naturally beautiful."
Mimi couldn't help but return the smile as her cheeks got hot and red with blush. "Thank you Matt…" Her eyes wearily looked at him.
"Don't thank me…I just wonder why you're so down in the dumps."
"Yama…my dad got promoted. We're moving to the United States…"
Yamato jumps back a little. His eyes widen and he looks at her with disbelief. The two just sat in a comfortable silence. He didn't know what to say.
"C-come on…" He stumbles for words after about 5 minutes. "I'll walk you home."
"I'd like that…" She smiles as sincerely as she could at that moment in time. The both of them got up. Matt's hand snuck hesitantly to Mimi's and for the first time, they held hands.
~*End Flashback*~
Matt shook the memory out of his head. 'It's over now Matt…Mimi's gone and you need to pass this test tomorrow.' He encouraged himself in his head. It was the only way he could get his mind off of everything. His thoughts were interrupted by Kari returning to the table. Though, Tai and T.K were back getting their ice cream, she knew that T.K was telling about Mimi's future arrival. But she tried her best to keep Matt from the counter.
"The Theory of Criminology?" She asks. Matt looks up and nods. "What's the Theory of Criminology?"
Matt laughs at the girl. "As their starting point, instead of asking what drives people to commit crime, The Theory of Criminology asks why do most people not commit crime."
Kari cocks a brow. Criminology wasn't as boring as she thought. "That's a change."
"Yes it is. And results are more accurate that way. Sometimes they even believe that the need to commit a crime is in their genes."
All of a sudden a cup of Watermelon Sherbet was placed in the space between the book and his face. He looked up to see T.K, who'd placed it there and Tai who was smiling uncontrollably. Kari, knowing why, just laughed.
"Dude, why are you grinning like an idiot?"
"No reason…I uh-was just thinking how you're going to totally bomb that test tomorrow."
T.K sweat dropped. That was the single most stupid cover-up he'd ever heard. Tai took a seat next to Kari as did T.K next to Matt. They all had a long conversation about any random thing. Matt' s mind was off into his study's and Mimi. All T.K could think was; "Mission accomplished." He whispered to himself.
- - - -
Mimi and Michael were sitting on the bed listening to music. Michael sighs. Mimi looks up to him from reading the cover of the latest 'Teenage Wolves' album. "What's wrong, hun?"
He shakes his head. "I'm just going to miss you."
Mimi's eyes couldn't be sad. Though she was disappointed about leaving her family and Michael, she was way too excited to be seeing Matt.
"Oh…I'll miss you too…but it's not even definite that I'm going yet." She lied, knowing that even if her father couldn't book a ticket, she'd find away. She didn't apply to that college for nothing.
Suddenly they hear a knock on the door. "Come in!" Mimi calls, lowering the volume of her speaker system. Her father walks in the door.
"Hey precious." He says sadly.
Michael catches his somber expression.
"Yes daddy?"
"Pack your bags." He forges a smile. "You're going to Japan for college tomorrow night."
Mimi gasps. She runs to her father and throws her arms around his neck. Brightly she kisses his cheek. "Oh! Thank you so much daddy!"
"…no problem princess…" He pulls away from the embrace and puts his hands on Mimi's shoulders. Michael wiped a quick tear from his eye before Mimi could see it.
"Congratulations Mi-Chan."
She turns to Michael. "Thank you Michael."
Michael gives his most sincere smile.
"I promise you guys…this won't be forever."
Mimi's dad cocks a brow and puts his hands on his hips playfully. "Well I should hope not."
Mimi giggles and goes to her closet. She pulls a gigantic empty suitcase out of it. Then another smaller case and a carry-on bag. She'd used all of them and more in her move to America.
Winking, she said, "I'm not going to be needing that much, right?"
Michael puts his elbows on his knees and rests his head in his hands. He rolls his eyes. "Some things just never change." She shoots him a glare. "Mimi…not that much to you is like a thousand times less for me." Mimi just points her nose up in the air, attempting to act mad. She fails miserably though.
Her dad turns to walk out of the room. "I better tell your mother."
Mimi grins and nods. She proceeds to pile cloths on her desk that she might be taking to Japan. Michael just puts his hands behind his head and relaxes. 'Unbelievable.' He says to himself.
Mimi looks at her watch. "I better call Tai and Kari before they go to bed."
- - -
Meanwhile in Japan, Matt, Tai, Kari, and T.K entered the Yagami apartment once again. Tai flicked on the lights. "Hm…" Concluding that his parents weren't home yet he went to check the messages. "I'll call my mom's cell to see if you guys can sleep over."
T.K beamed while
Matt guiltily looked at Tai. He hated to spoil T.K's hopes like he did. "Taichi…I have school in the morning."
Tai shrugged. "It wouldn't be a problem…you have a test right?" Matt nodded. "Then you won't need any books."
"I'm not going to wake everybody in the household to go to school for an hour and a half. T.K can sleep over if he wants." T.K frowned. Matt knew how much he loved it when the four of them spent time together.
Kari rolls her eyes and slips off her shoes. "Oh stop it Matt…you overwork yourself too much and you need a break. I'm sure my parents wouldn't mind."
"I have to get up with you anyway. I have soccer practice anyway, man."
Matt looked as if he were consider it. But right when he opened his mouth to protest, Tai pressed play on the answering machine and it interrupted his train of thought.
Beeep! You have one new message.
"Hey Tai it's mom…I guess you went out with Matt and T.K again…before you even ask…yes they can spend the night. I just called to say I'll be home later than usual so don't expect me at my normal time. Love you! Talk to you later."
Tai grinned uncontrollably. "See? She even knew before we asked!"
Matt laughed. "T.K…what do you want to do?"
"I wanna stay here!" He exclaimed as he playfully clung to Tai's right arm. Matt nods. And Tai gives off a sheepishly cocky grin.
"I guess we're staying. You're lucky tomorrow's Saturday, squirt."
T.K rolled his eyes. He let got of Tai's arm along with Matt's old nickname. Some things you just couldn't protest with anymore.
The four silently went separate ways in the apartment. Kari went into her room, and Matt and T.K grabbed the remote and sat on the couch. Tai went into the kitchen.
"Angel's on tonight! You guys want popcorn or something so we can watch it?"
"Tai, we just had ice cream."
Tai came back into the living room with a bag of chips, taking a seat in between the two brothers. Matt just put his elbow on the arm rest and rubbed his head.
"Actually I think I'm going to skip Angel tonight…"
Tai and T.K gaped at Matt. "Onii-san…that's not like you to miss that show."
Matt shook his head. "The test tomorrow…It's just a big part of my grade."
T.K nodded. "Okay…hey! We'll record it for you if you want!"
"Thanks Teeks." He gets up and ruffles his brother's hair. T.K was just grateful Matt could stay over.
Tai gave Matt a look that plainly said, 'Whatever,' "It's your loss man!" He said, stuffing his mouth with chips. "Go see Kari about blankets for the night, kay?"
"Alright…see ya in the morning dude." He goes over and brushes the hair from Takeru's forehead clearing way so he can plant a kiss there. "Goodnight bro."
"Goodnight Yamato…sleep tight!" Matt turns to go into Tai and Kari's room and T.K calls after him; "Don't let the bedbugs bite and all that jazz!"
With a chuckle, Matt walks down the hallway.
As if on cue, the phone rings. With an arched brow Tai dumbfounded stares at it. T.K frustrated stares at him. "…it rings because it wants you to answer it."
Tai shook his head back into reality. "Oh! Right!" He goes over and picks up the phone. "Hello? …Mimi? Yes! It has been a while! How are things going? … good … good! … It's ironic that you would call because Matt and T.K are here right now…" T.K perked up and listened to the conversation, trying to pick up details.
"-No Matt's gone to bed. Something's seriously up with him. Yes T.K told me and hopefully you being here will change his dull attitude- - Yeah…Tomorrow evening? Alright! We'll meet up and reminisce when I pick you up then! That's great! I'll see you at the airport then! Bye!" He hung up the phone enthusiastically.
"Well?" T.K asked.
"She's arriving tomorrow evening. Operation 'Make-Matt-Happy' is underway!" He held up his hand and T.K met it with a high five.
----
Matt goes into Kari's room, seeing as it's open. She was already in her pajamas and making her bed. "Hey."
"Hey Kari…"
"In for the night?"
"Yeah…Test…" was all he can blurt out. He removed his shirt, revealing his sleek but still muscled chest. He took his pants off to reveal boxers and stole one of Tai's shirts out of the drawer. He'd been there so many times that he knew the whole place like he knew his own. "Really." Kari asks suspiciously. "No 'Angel' tonight?"
Matt gives a mock-reluctant sigh. "Will everybody stop making such a big deal out of me missing a dumb T.V show?"
"Dumb T.V show? Matt you haven't missed an episode since the beginning of the series."
Matt just coldly ignored her.
"You need blankets?" She asked, fighting the urge to add the word idiot to the sentence.
"Yes…please." He ran his hand coolly through his blond hair. Kari made her way to the linen closet in their room.
"What's the matter, Yamato?" She asked as if it were a fact he'd told her himself. Though she didn't ask, she didn't have to. Matt's cold side was coming out and it wasn't because of a criminology test that he was so obviously confident about passing.
"N-nothing…why ask?" Matt lied.
"Because nothing…and I mean nothing…in this world can make you miss 'Angel'. Unless of coarse there is something you aren't telling us." She pulls some blankets out of the closet and hands them to Matt. He hung his head slightly. He couldn't tell her that he was this bleak over a girl. "Come on Matt…you can tell me anything." She was right. He perks his head up and looks at her in the eye, catching one of her concerned 'Kari' looks. She wouldn't think any less of him.
"I guess so…It's just…when I was sitting in the ice cream parlor waiting for you guys, I had my head in the clouds. That's all…" He began to lay out the blankets on the floor for his and his brother's bed.
"Oh come on…aren't you going to tell me why?" She asks attentively.
"You're a persistent little thing." He alleged.
"Yup."
He shakes his head. "The memories of Mimi just came back to me that's all…"
Kari sat down on her bed. "Memories?"
"Yes…Memories."
She throws him two pillows just as he finishes. He placed one on his side, then one on T.K's. "Why are they Memories?"
"What?" He asks as if he misunderstood.
"You heard me. Why are they just memories? Mimi's not gone for good."
Matt didn't want to hear anymore. He just wanted to go to sleep so the pain would stop. He just lays on the 'bed' he'd made for himself on the floor and rested on his side. His back turned to her. "Goodnight Kari." He said aggressively
brushing her off and tucking his hands beneath his head.
Kari sighed. "You're stubborn…you know that?"
Matt was just quiet.
"She'd be real proud of you Matt." She turns off the lights from her place on the bottom bunk. "Good night."
"Good night Kari…" He whispered. He felt bad…but it just hurt so much. 'Why you, Mimi?' He thought to himself as he gazed up out the window to the stars.
Disclaimer: This old man…he played two! I no own so you no sue! *haha…that was like, spur of the moment!*
Summary: *a little tease* Yes, in this chapter Mimi will probably arrive. I'm sorry for the wait and if this is boring you. Mimi returns to Japan. Matt falls in love with her and this time he's sure it's more than friendly. But, he thinks that she deserves better and tries to avoid any relationship conversations.
Time difference information provided by Worldtimeserver.com *Because I noticed how unrealistic some fics were on time difference from Japan to America :-/ *
On with the fic ^_^
- - -
Mimi got dressed that morning and went out on the balcony of her room with a cup of raspberry tea in her hand. She held the hot beverage with her shirt sleeves cupped around her hands to keep warm. A smile was permanently implanted on her lips as she recalled all of the wonderful times in Japan and what it would be like when she returned. Talking to T.K again, and hearing Matt's voice in the background was just too good to be true. It reminded her of the small stupid things. Like when T.K was little, Matt was always the one that kept him out of trouble. Ever since they were younger, there wasn't a time when she talked on the phone with Matt that she didn't hear T.K screaming for his brother in the background.
Mimi sighed happily and looked at her watch. It was 9:00 A.M 'Hm…It's 8 p.m there.' She leans both of her elbows on the rail. 'I wonder what they're doing now.' She gazed off to her huge front lawn. She was about two stories up. There wasn't a single dead strand of grass in her yard. '…without me…' she thought sadly. Thoughts of daily gatherings flowed to her mind. Evenings in the park, going to the movies, out to dinner, and even times when her and Matt would go to the ice cream parlor to talk about what was on either of their minds. Watermelon Sherbet was the first thing she thought of after the ice cream parlor. Matt's favorite flavor. And she more than distinctively remembered it.
She sipped her tea and then sighed. A puff of mist formed with her breath in the cold fall air. She shivered as the wind toyed with her hair gently. She turned on her heel, back into her heated room.
And it was just in time to hear the doorbell ring. Lifting a brow, she put her cup down on her computer desk, and went downstairs.
She heard her mother having a conversation with a familiar voice. Her friend Michael.
"Hello Michael!" Her mother happily exclaimed. Mimi giggled as soon as she heard her name. She lingered on the stairwell for a while before showing herself so she can listen to their conversation.
"Hey Mrs. Tachikawa."
"What brings you here?"
"I wanted to talk to Mimi about something, actually." He said politely.
"Mimi's up in her room!"
Michael laughs and nods. "Thank you!" He said before Mrs. Tachikawa gave an acknowledging nod. Mimi decided to run to him after her mother turned and left into the kitchen again.
"Hey Michael." She held out her arms and greeted him the same way she greeted all of her friends. With a hug.
"Hey Meems." Mimi winced. Since when did Michael call her that? Matt was the only one she ever let call her Meems. Shaking it off she turns to him and smiles. "My…we're looking lovely today as usual." Michael commented, glancing from her black boots to her casual black dress pants, to her pink 'Cheer Bear' sweater.
Mimi rolled her eyes. She was used to this by now with him. "Oh please. I took a shower and threw together an outfit to keep warm. It's not that great." She said, turning to her room. Michael instinctively followed her upstairs.
"Whatever you say Mimi." He sighs.
She reaches the top of the stairs and pushes the door open to her room. "So…what brings you here?" She asks sitting on her office chair. Michael takes a seat on her bed. He ran his hand coolly through his light blond hair. Not nervously, but smiling his usual smile.
"I got accepted into John Jay." He flashed her a toothy grin.
Mimi beamed with excitement. "I'm so happy for you! Congratulations!"
Michael laughed. "So now I can actually be close to you when I go away to school!"
Mimi frowned immediately. John Jay college was a New York college for Criminal Justice majoring and it was only a half hour away. How in the world would she tell him that she was going back to Japan for college?
"Michael.."
Michael saw her somber face and gave her a concerned look. "Mimi? What's wrong? Didn't you want me to-"
Mimi gasps. "No! Michael…you have the wrong idea…it's just…" She sighs. She rolls her chair over to her desk, noticing she still sat her mug there. Ignoring it, she opened the drawer and pulled out the acceptance letter. She handed it to him. "Here." They exchange glances as he stiffens the hand with the envelope in it. Mimi shifted her position uncomfortably. "W-well…" She stuttered. "-o..open I-it…" Swallowing hard, she watched Michael take his eyes off her to take the letter out of the envelope. He takes a moment to read it. This was ridiculous! She should be happy! He should be happy that she finally gets the college major she always wanted!
"The Fashion institute! …of Japan!?" He exclaims looking up to her. "Mimi! That means you're going back!" Mimi nods. "I…I…don't know what to say…" He stares at her with widened eyes for a second. She sighs uncontentedly…but then her face straightens out. To one that seemed angry. Michael was her very first friend when she'd moved to America. Why wasn't he happy for her? It wasn't like him to show no emotion at a time like this.
"Well, you can start by saying 'Gee Mimi…I'm happy for you!'" Mimi spat.
Michael gasped. "Mimi! It's not that I'm not happy for you…it's just…I'll miss you…"
Mimi's facial expression softens as her muscles relax. "I'll miss you too Michael…but I'll see you again."
Michael shakes his head. "It's not that…it's just…"
He pauses. Mimi attentively eyes his every nervous action. He started to fidget, unable to look her in the eye. Then by surprise, he gently took her hand. "I-I…guess I'll miss you more than I'm supposed to."
Mimi didn't know weather to blush and smile or to cry. Michael had liked her? Is that what he meant? "Yes…Mimi Tachikawa…I'm falling in lo-…"
"But for heavens sake Michael…" She jerks her hand back. "Don't use that word! You're only 17 years old." She says as sympathetic as she could. Her mother would have loved it if Michael were her boyfriend. She didn't like him like that. But if he'd said this about 5 months ago she would have begged to differ.
Michael sighs. "I know…I just guess I had to tell you before you left…"
Mimi smiles and gives him a small hug. Withdrawing, she keeps her hands on his shoulders. "We'll definitely keep in touch, right?" Michael nods. Mimi smiles again.
"Right! That's M'boy."
"If this is what you really want I'll support you."
Mimi's eyes wander to the picture beside her dresser again. It was the only picture she had. "Of coarse it's what I want…"
Michael follows her gaze. "Ah…I see."
She sighs. Then remembers what college he was going to. "Oh wow Michael! That means you're going to finally major in Forensics?"
Michael nods. "And you're going to design cloths?"
Mimi mockingly nods back. "Yup."
"Silly girl." Michael says as he throws a pillow at her. She catches it and winks.
"Oooh…you wouldn't have it any other way." Mimi's thoughts are most guiltily in another place. 'I wonder what Matt's doing…'
- - - -
Matt yawns and looks at his watch. It was 8:30 and he was tired. He sat in the booth of the ice cream parlor with his nose in one of his school books once again. He was reading a book about The Theory of Criminology. He awaited at the table for T.K, Tai, and Kari to go get ice cream. They'd all insisted on letting Matt review for his test tomorrow. Why it took 3 people to get ice cream was beyond him. But he wasn't complaining. He needed study time.
Side-tracked he looked out the window. A certain spot on the street caught his eye. It was the very bench that he'd caught Mimi crying under the day she found out she was moving.
~*Flashback*~
Mimi sat in the breezy night, thinking about things. Matt'd walked up to her and sat beside her, not giving her time to protest.
"Hey…you shouldn't cry like that…"
Mimi looked up at him with her tear-stained cheeks. "Yeah I know…my mascara is running." He took the bottom of his sleeve and wiped a bit of the black off from under her eyes. It surprised Mimi a little. "Silly…" She said somberly. "Now look at your sleeve."
"It's a small price to pay." He gives her his warmest smile. "Ya know…you shouldn't wear that stuff. You're naturally beautiful."
Mimi couldn't help but return the smile as her cheeks got hot and red with blush. "Thank you Matt…" Her eyes wearily looked at him.
"Don't thank me…I just wonder why you're so down in the dumps."
"Yama…my dad got promoted. We're moving to the United States…"
Yamato jumps back a little. His eyes widen and he looks at her with disbelief. The two just sat in a comfortable silence. He didn't know what to say.
"C-come on…" He stumbles for words after about 5 minutes. "I'll walk you home."
"I'd like that…" She smiles as sincerely as she could at that moment in time. The both of them got up. Matt's hand snuck hesitantly to Mimi's and for the first time, they held hands.
~*End Flashback*~
Matt shook the memory out of his head. 'It's over now Matt…Mimi's gone and you need to pass this test tomorrow.' He encouraged himself in his head. It was the only way he could get his mind off of everything. His thoughts were interrupted by Kari returning to the table. Though, Tai and T.K were back getting their ice cream, she knew that T.K was telling about Mimi's future arrival. But she tried her best to keep Matt from the counter.
"The Theory of Criminology?" She asks. Matt looks up and nods. "What's the Theory of Criminology?"
Matt laughs at the girl. "As their starting point, instead of asking what drives people to commit crime, The Theory of Criminology asks why do most people not commit crime."
Kari cocks a brow. Criminology wasn't as boring as she thought. "That's a change."
"Yes it is. And results are more accurate that way. Sometimes they even believe that the need to commit a crime is in their genes."
All of a sudden a cup of Watermelon Sherbet was placed in the space between the book and his face. He looked up to see T.K, who'd placed it there and Tai who was smiling uncontrollably. Kari, knowing why, just laughed.
"Dude, why are you grinning like an idiot?"
"No reason…I uh-was just thinking how you're going to totally bomb that test tomorrow."
T.K sweat dropped. That was the single most stupid cover-up he'd ever heard. Tai took a seat next to Kari as did T.K next to Matt. They all had a long conversation about any random thing. Matt' s mind was off into his study's and Mimi. All T.K could think was; "Mission accomplished." He whispered to himself.
- - - -
Mimi and Michael were sitting on the bed listening to music. Michael sighs. Mimi looks up to him from reading the cover of the latest 'Teenage Wolves' album. "What's wrong, hun?"
He shakes his head. "I'm just going to miss you."
Mimi's eyes couldn't be sad. Though she was disappointed about leaving her family and Michael, she was way too excited to be seeing Matt.
"Oh…I'll miss you too…but it's not even definite that I'm going yet." She lied, knowing that even if her father couldn't book a ticket, she'd find away. She didn't apply to that college for nothing.
Suddenly they hear a knock on the door. "Come in!" Mimi calls, lowering the volume of her speaker system. Her father walks in the door.
"Hey precious." He says sadly.
Michael catches his somber expression.
"Yes daddy?"
"Pack your bags." He forges a smile. "You're going to Japan for college tomorrow night."
Mimi gasps. She runs to her father and throws her arms around his neck. Brightly she kisses his cheek. "Oh! Thank you so much daddy!"
"…no problem princess…" He pulls away from the embrace and puts his hands on Mimi's shoulders. Michael wiped a quick tear from his eye before Mimi could see it.
"Congratulations Mi-Chan."
She turns to Michael. "Thank you Michael."
Michael gives his most sincere smile.
"I promise you guys…this won't be forever."
Mimi's dad cocks a brow and puts his hands on his hips playfully. "Well I should hope not."
Mimi giggles and goes to her closet. She pulls a gigantic empty suitcase out of it. Then another smaller case and a carry-on bag. She'd used all of them and more in her move to America.
Winking, she said, "I'm not going to be needing that much, right?"
Michael puts his elbows on his knees and rests his head in his hands. He rolls his eyes. "Some things just never change." She shoots him a glare. "Mimi…not that much to you is like a thousand times less for me." Mimi just points her nose up in the air, attempting to act mad. She fails miserably though.
Her dad turns to walk out of the room. "I better tell your mother."
Mimi grins and nods. She proceeds to pile cloths on her desk that she might be taking to Japan. Michael just puts his hands behind his head and relaxes. 'Unbelievable.' He says to himself.
Mimi looks at her watch. "I better call Tai and Kari before they go to bed."
- - -
Meanwhile in Japan, Matt, Tai, Kari, and T.K entered the Yagami apartment once again. Tai flicked on the lights. "Hm…" Concluding that his parents weren't home yet he went to check the messages. "I'll call my mom's cell to see if you guys can sleep over."
T.K beamed while
Matt guiltily looked at Tai. He hated to spoil T.K's hopes like he did. "Taichi…I have school in the morning."
Tai shrugged. "It wouldn't be a problem…you have a test right?" Matt nodded. "Then you won't need any books."
"I'm not going to wake everybody in the household to go to school for an hour and a half. T.K can sleep over if he wants." T.K frowned. Matt knew how much he loved it when the four of them spent time together.
Kari rolls her eyes and slips off her shoes. "Oh stop it Matt…you overwork yourself too much and you need a break. I'm sure my parents wouldn't mind."
"I have to get up with you anyway. I have soccer practice anyway, man."
Matt looked as if he were consider it. But right when he opened his mouth to protest, Tai pressed play on the answering machine and it interrupted his train of thought.
Beeep! You have one new message.
"Hey Tai it's mom…I guess you went out with Matt and T.K again…before you even ask…yes they can spend the night. I just called to say I'll be home later than usual so don't expect me at my normal time. Love you! Talk to you later."
Tai grinned uncontrollably. "See? She even knew before we asked!"
Matt laughed. "T.K…what do you want to do?"
"I wanna stay here!" He exclaimed as he playfully clung to Tai's right arm. Matt nods. And Tai gives off a sheepishly cocky grin.
"I guess we're staying. You're lucky tomorrow's Saturday, squirt."
T.K rolled his eyes. He let got of Tai's arm along with Matt's old nickname. Some things you just couldn't protest with anymore.
The four silently went separate ways in the apartment. Kari went into her room, and Matt and T.K grabbed the remote and sat on the couch. Tai went into the kitchen.
"Angel's on tonight! You guys want popcorn or something so we can watch it?"
"Tai, we just had ice cream."
Tai came back into the living room with a bag of chips, taking a seat in between the two brothers. Matt just put his elbow on the arm rest and rubbed his head.
"Actually I think I'm going to skip Angel tonight…"
Tai and T.K gaped at Matt. "Onii-san…that's not like you to miss that show."
Matt shook his head. "The test tomorrow…It's just a big part of my grade."
T.K nodded. "Okay…hey! We'll record it for you if you want!"
"Thanks Teeks." He gets up and ruffles his brother's hair. T.K was just grateful Matt could stay over.
Tai gave Matt a look that plainly said, 'Whatever,' "It's your loss man!" He said, stuffing his mouth with chips. "Go see Kari about blankets for the night, kay?"
"Alright…see ya in the morning dude." He goes over and brushes the hair from Takeru's forehead clearing way so he can plant a kiss there. "Goodnight bro."
"Goodnight Yamato…sleep tight!" Matt turns to go into Tai and Kari's room and T.K calls after him; "Don't let the bedbugs bite and all that jazz!"
With a chuckle, Matt walks down the hallway.
As if on cue, the phone rings. With an arched brow Tai dumbfounded stares at it. T.K frustrated stares at him. "…it rings because it wants you to answer it."
Tai shook his head back into reality. "Oh! Right!" He goes over and picks up the phone. "Hello? …Mimi? Yes! It has been a while! How are things going? … good … good! … It's ironic that you would call because Matt and T.K are here right now…" T.K perked up and listened to the conversation, trying to pick up details.
"-No Matt's gone to bed. Something's seriously up with him. Yes T.K told me and hopefully you being here will change his dull attitude- - Yeah…Tomorrow evening? Alright! We'll meet up and reminisce when I pick you up then! That's great! I'll see you at the airport then! Bye!" He hung up the phone enthusiastically.
"Well?" T.K asked.
"She's arriving tomorrow evening. Operation 'Make-Matt-Happy' is underway!" He held up his hand and T.K met it with a high five.
----
Matt goes into Kari's room, seeing as it's open. She was already in her pajamas and making her bed. "Hey."
"Hey Kari…"
"In for the night?"
"Yeah…Test…" was all he can blurt out. He removed his shirt, revealing his sleek but still muscled chest. He took his pants off to reveal boxers and stole one of Tai's shirts out of the drawer. He'd been there so many times that he knew the whole place like he knew his own. "Really." Kari asks suspiciously. "No 'Angel' tonight?"
Matt gives a mock-reluctant sigh. "Will everybody stop making such a big deal out of me missing a dumb T.V show?"
"Dumb T.V show? Matt you haven't missed an episode since the beginning of the series."
Matt just coldly ignored her.
"You need blankets?" She asked, fighting the urge to add the word idiot to the sentence.
"Yes…please." He ran his hand coolly through his blond hair. Kari made her way to the linen closet in their room.
"What's the matter, Yamato?" She asked as if it were a fact he'd told her himself. Though she didn't ask, she didn't have to. Matt's cold side was coming out and it wasn't because of a criminology test that he was so obviously confident about passing.
"N-nothing…why ask?" Matt lied.
"Because nothing…and I mean nothing…in this world can make you miss 'Angel'. Unless of coarse there is something you aren't telling us." She pulls some blankets out of the closet and hands them to Matt. He hung his head slightly. He couldn't tell her that he was this bleak over a girl. "Come on Matt…you can tell me anything." She was right. He perks his head up and looks at her in the eye, catching one of her concerned 'Kari' looks. She wouldn't think any less of him.
"I guess so…It's just…when I was sitting in the ice cream parlor waiting for you guys, I had my head in the clouds. That's all…" He began to lay out the blankets on the floor for his and his brother's bed.
"Oh come on…aren't you going to tell me why?" She asks attentively.
"You're a persistent little thing." He alleged.
"Yup."
He shakes his head. "The memories of Mimi just came back to me that's all…"
Kari sat down on her bed. "Memories?"
"Yes…Memories."
She throws him two pillows just as he finishes. He placed one on his side, then one on T.K's. "Why are they Memories?"
"What?" He asks as if he misunderstood.
"You heard me. Why are they just memories? Mimi's not gone for good."
Matt didn't want to hear anymore. He just wanted to go to sleep so the pain would stop. He just lays on the 'bed' he'd made for himself on the floor and rested on his side. His back turned to her. "Goodnight Kari." He said aggressively
brushing her off and tucking his hands beneath his head.
Kari sighed. "You're stubborn…you know that?"
Matt was just quiet.
"She'd be real proud of you Matt." She turns off the lights from her place on the bottom bunk. "Good night."
"Good night Kari…" He whispered. He felt bad…but it just hurt so much. 'Why you, Mimi?' He thought to himself as he gazed up out the window to the stars.