Chapter Four
With her throat aching in pain, Mimi ran through the hallway of her school, her back pack flaring wildly behind her. She had been running for the pass ten minutes, which wasn't doing any good to her dry throat, and every now and than, she would wish that she could stop by a water fountain and take a sip of the water.
Only few students were seen out in the hallways and they were also hurrying to get to their first class. The bell would be ringing soon and if Mimi didn't get to her class in time, she was sure that her art teacher would give her a detention like she would usually do to the students late for her class. Her teacher was just a mean-headed woman without any consideration of... well, anything. Or at least that's what Mimi thought of her as.
Mimi was well aware that her appearance didn't look too good at the moment with her hair tied in a messy pony tail and her green skirt of her school uniform wrinkled in few places. She had just gotten it out of the dryer this morning and had no choice but to wear it since she was in a hurry. She usually woke up on her own every morning even without an alarm clock and on the days that she didn't, her dad would always come knocking on her door, telling her to get ready for school. However this morning, thinking that Mimi was still mad at him for what had happened on the Sunday morning, her dad had left to go to work quietly, leaving a turkey sandwich on the kitchen table for her to take to school for lunch.
Mimi scowled slightly at the thought of her dad as her mind drifted off to the day before when Tai's mom had announced that she and her dad were getting married. Just the thought of them getting married gave a sick feeling to her stomach and she did not like it. Sure, they might be in love with each other but still, she couldn't find any happiness toward them. And she was fine with that.
After running for few more seconds, Mimi forcefully opened the door of her art room class just as the bell began ringing and let out a long sigh. She didn't think she'd actually make it.
"Mimi! Over here!"
Mimi looked around the room and found Sora and Tai sitting at a table in the back of the class room. Sora was smiling at her and Tai was well... he was looking at a crack on the wall as if it was the most interesting thing he had ever seen in his whole entire life. It was obvious that he was trying to avoid having any eye contact with her and Mimi couldn't blame him. They haven't spoken to each other since yesterday morning after she had stormed away to her room and she felt a little awkward being near him and he probably was too.
Mimi smiled back at Sora and made her way toward the empty seat next to her. This was the only class she had with Sora and Tai because they were a grade higher than her and somewhere deep in her mind, she was very thankful for that. She wanted to stay as far as she can from Tai so that they wouldn't have to talk about the whole marriage between their parents. She just didn't want to talk about any of that stuff yet. After all, Tai's going to be her stepbrother sometime in the future and after being very close friends with him for many years, she was afraid that they would lose their friendship and become distant toward one another. She knew they could still be friends and everything but... things wouldn't be the same for them. They are going to live in a same house, eat at the same table every day, be around each other more and...
"Mimi Tachikawa!"
Mimi jumped slightly in her seat and stared at her teacher who was peering down at her over her shoulder with a clip board in her hand. She was tapping her fingers on them which probably meant that she wasn't very happy. "I said, would you show me your homework?"
"Oh. Sure," said Mimi and she opened her back pack and digged her hand through it. Their home work was to simply draw anything that came to their minds and write a paragraph explaining their drawing. It wasn't really that hard but it did take her most of her afternoon yesterday.
Mimi stopped her searching through her back pack when she realized with nervousness that her sketch book wasn't inside her back pack. She was so late this morning from over sleeping that she had forgotten to bring it with her.
After putting on the sweetest smile that she could manage, Mimi looked up at her teacher. "It's at home... Can I show it to you tomorrow?"
"Hm... let's see," said her teacher while she pretended to be thinking very hard as if she was considering Mimi's question and for a moment, Mimi almost fell for her trick. "No," said her teacher sharply and she scrambled something on her clip board with her cheap looking pen. She probably stole it from the bank or something. "You have a detention this Friday after school. Come to my desk after class to receive your detention slip."
"But that's the day before our winter break! Come on, Mrs. Nazumi. You are my most favorite teacher in this whole world and none of my favorite teachers had ever given me a detention before!"
"Miss Tachikawa, would you like another detention?" said her teacher, narrowing her eyes. Oh well... At least she tried.
---
Mimi entered the cafeteria looking very angry with her lunch in her hand. The cafeteria was filled with students, but it wasn't very hard to find her friends because they usually sat at the same table near the windows. Grumbling, Mimi made her way toward her friends after almost bumping into few people and sat next to Matt, almost smashing down her lunch on the table which startled Matt, Izzy, Sora, Yolei, and Tai. They were all sitting in the same table.
"Mimi? What's up?" asked Sora, wanting to know the reason why her friend looked as if she was either going to blow up everyone on earth or just break down and commit suicide.
Mimi sighed. "I got two more detentions this Tuesday and Wednesday for falling asleep in my math class. I can't believe he gave two detentions just for falling asleep! That's three detentions this week."
"Why did you fall asleep? Didn't you get enough sleep last night?" asked Yolei as Mimi began taking her sandwich out of her lunch bag.
"I couldn't sleep last night," answered Mimi, poking her turkey sandwich to make sure it was ok to eat. The sandwich she had just poked was on the kitchen table this morning with a note from her dad saying that he had made it for her to eat it for lunch, and seeing that she didn't have any time to pack her own lunch, she had stuffed it in her lunch bag with a chip and a soda. Her dad had always been bad at cooking and couldn't even fry eggs without making it greasy or burning it while making a big mess at the stove so how could she possibly trust this turkey sandwich wrapped inside a plastic bag? What if he had put egg shells in them by accident? Or worst, fish scales? Mimi frowned at that thought and pushed away her sandwich before deciding to munch on her chips instead. Better to be safe than sorry.
"Why not?" asked Izzy, looking at his lunch in disgust. He had bought school lunch today because he had forgotten to bring his lunch from home and he was terribly regretting for that. The pizza on his plate looked like it was soaked in grease for hours. Oh well. Maybe he could ask for Mimi's turkey sandwich since she doesn't seem to want to eat it.
"Well, I had a lot to think about. I mean, my dad and Tai's mom are..." Mimi quickly snapped her mouth shut before silently glancing at Tai, trying to ignore her friends who were waiting for her to finish her sentence. She had not told any of her friends that her dad and Tai's mom were going to get married yet and she was quite sure that Tai had also not told them anything by the look on everyone's faces.
"Your dad and Tai's mom are what?" asked Sora curiously. Everyone was now staring at her and it was starting to make her feel uncomfortable. She knew she had to tell them sooner or later, but she just didn't...
"They are getting married." All wide eyes turn to Tai.
"They are getting married?" said Sora and she saw Mimi slowly nodding her head with a blank expression. "Oh. That's great... isn't it?"
Mimi looked down at her chips. Should she just tell them the whole truth? About how her dad had been cheating on her mom with Tai's mom and about how much she dislikes her dad? But even if she did, would they understand her or would they just think of her as a selfish girl who can't even be happy that her dad's getting remarried? What is she suppose to do? She's just a teenage girl after all and not some perfect girl who has answers to everything.
"Yeah... I guess so," said Tai but deep inside of him, Tai did not feel the same. He didn't hate his mother or anything for ruining their once happy family by cheating on his dad with Mr. Tachikawa but the pain he had gained these last couple of months for worrying about Kari and his own life had made a great effect on him.
"Oh. Well, you guys don't look happy. Is there something wrong?" asked Matt, knowing fully well that something was troubling both Tai and Mimi.
"No. Nothing's wrong. I'm just... happy for them," said Mimi cheerfully, forcing a smile on her face. She knew lying was never a good thing but sometimes hiding the truth behind a lie made her feel more secure. It was much better than showing her real feelings and have people pity her.
"Well, all right..." said Yolei and she changed the subject to something else, knowing when to end a certain subject and start a new one.
--
It was after school and Mimi was walking home alone after she had parted with her friends out side of her school. Usually, she would walk home with them but it seemed everyone was busy today. Sora had to go and work at her mom's flower shop while Izzy and Joe stayed behind in school to do their after school actives. Tai had told her that he had a soccer practice which Mimi had thought was very weird because there weren't any outdoor sports this week or even this month. Besides, it's too cold outside and the school soccer field was still covered in snow. Besides them, Matt had to go to a meeting with his band members while Yolei went off to look for her older sister which left Mimi all alone to walk home by herself.
Even though Christmas was just a little over a week from today, the sun was shinning down on Mimi as if it was a bright summer day and she couldn't help but cover her eyes with her with her cold hands. Wearing gloves probably might have solved that problem but what was the point? Her hands would get warm again when she get home any ways.
"Ah!" A scream escaped from her lips as Mimi quickly reached for a nearest object which happened to be a mail box and held it as tightly as she could. She had tripped over a pile of snow and had nearly gotten herself to fall on her face. She could just imagine the look on everybody's faces as they laugh at her in school the next day with a big scrape on her head if she had fallen...
"Mimi?"
Mimi let go of the mail box and looked in front of her as well as her sides. Funny, she could have sworn that she had heard someone calling her name.
"Mimi!"
Mimi jumped and turned around sharply and gasped. There stood a woman with light brown hair tied in a low pony tail that she knew very well and Mimi's visions began to blur. "Mom!"
Without a second thought, Mimi jumped to her mom in a big hug. This couldn't be a dream, could it? No. Her mom here. She was actually here!
"Oh Mimi. I missed you so much!" cried Mimi's mom and the tears she had be holding back ran freely down her cheeks.
"I missed you too!" said Mimi and she took a step away from her mom to look at her face to face. "What are you doing here? I thought you were in Europe? Why did you leave in the first place without telling me? What have you-"
"Mimi, it's ok. Calm down," said Mimi's mom and Mimi nodded her head. She still could not believe her mom was standing right in front of her.
"We could go to my house and talk. It's just a minute away and dad's at work," said Mimi grabbing her mom's hand. It felt so nice to around her again.
"All right. Lead the way."
Mimi smiled and began to walk toward her home. Her dad was at work and would be until dinner so she wasn't very much worried about her mom being at her house. Not that she had any reason to be. "Mom? Aren't you suppose to be Europe?"
Mimi's mom nodded her head, while gazing at the street signs and the stores that were open. It had only been five month since she had last seen this place but everything seemed so different. Maybe it was because she had seen and been to many new places at Europe that were so much more different than this place that she had once called home since she was a kid, but it didn't really matter to her at the moment. What mattered to her was that she was with her daughter. "Yes, but I came back because I missed you so much. I felt terrible for leaving and my boss had let me off on a one week vacation."
"What do you do there? Oh, and when did you arrive here by the way?"
"I'm a cashier at a large Japanese restaurant, and I'll be staying at your aunt's house for a while until I go back in a week. I just got here a couple of hours ago."
"Than why didn't you call me? Why did you leave without telling me? And why are you going back?" asked Mimi, trying her best to make her voice sound even. She was sad that her mom would be going back but she didn't want to waste her time being all gloomy and sad while her mom was going to go back in a week. It would just be a big waste of time.
As Mimi's mom answered all of her questions, something that Mimi wasn't planning to tell her mom today stumbled out by accident and Mimi couldn't help but mentally call herself stupid. She had just told her mom that her dad was getting remarried to Tai's mom.
"Oh, is he now?" asked Mimi's mom as if she wasn't very interested but deep inside, she was a little shocked. She knew her ex-husband had been cheating on her with Tai's mom but she had never thought they would get married. "Well... it's his life. He can go and do whatever he wants for all care."
Mimi looked up at her mom in surprise as she saw a ting of sadness in her mom's eyes before it quickly disappeared. It was as if her mom was upset... But upset about what? Her mom can't be still in love her dad, could she? No! That's impossible. Although... her mom had been in love with her dad for many years since she had met him in college and love doesn't just fade away easily, does it? Maybe she's still in love with him...
"Hey mom, we're here!" said Mimi stopping in front of a brick house and her mom looked at the house with her brows raised. There were no pretty signs or whatever at the front door, no nice looking curtains on the windows and there weren't any decorations outside of the house, making the house looked like it was being occupied by dead bodies. So this is where Mimi lived with her dad... In a dull looking house that seemed to be filled with nothing but coldness.
Mimi digged through her back pack before she got her key out and went up to her front door to insert the key while her mom stood behind her. When a clicking sound was made, indicating that the door was now unlocked, she went in and almost dropped her back pack in shock.
"Dad! What are you doing here?" yelled Mimi and Mimi's mom's eyes turned wide before she turned around to the other side so she won't have to face Mimi's dad. She hasn't expected to see him again. That's why she had left to Europe. To move on and start a new fresh life and hope that she would never have to see the man she had once called her husband. What was she going to do now?
Mr. Tachikawa who had been drinking some tea took a small sip before speaking. "I took a late lunch break today and thought I'd eat at home. Who's that person behind you?"
Mimi moved aside and her mom turned around to face him. Oh well. She knew she would have to see him again at one time or another.
Mr. Tachikawa's mouth and eyes opened wide in shock and just for a second, Mimi wondered how much she would make the people in her neighborhood laugh if she took a picture of him to make many copies before posting them around her neighborhood. Her dad would probably go around wearing a paper bag with two holes for his eyes so no one would recognize him until the day he decides to move far away from the city.
But sadly... Mimi was in no situation to take any pictures. "Jasmine! W-what are you doing here?"
"I came to see Mimi. Is there a problem with that?"
"N-no! I just thought you'd be in Europe!"
Mimi's mom glared at him. "It's none of your business and wipe that ridiculous look on your face, won't you?" Mimi's dad opened his mouth to say something but Mimi's mom didn't even have to listen to what he was going to say to know what was on his mind. He wanted her to leave. "Mimi, I should get going. I'll come back to see you tomorrow."
"But mom... You just came back today!"
"Don't worry. I promise I'll see you tomorrow."
"Well... Alright. Bye." Mimi's mom smiled sweetly at her and gave her a hug before leaving the house.
As soon as Mimi's mom was outside and the door behind her closed, she sighed and leaned against the house. She had wanted to spend all of her time with Mimi today but her mind kept telling her that it'd be best if she stayed as far away as she could from her ex-husband. He had hurt her so much in more ways than anyone could possibly imagine. After all, she had trusted him, loved him and stayed by him and yet he had gone off with another woman who just happened be someone she knew. Laura Hinamori. The mother of Mimi's two close friends. The woman she had once considered as a friend.
---
Tai had begun walking home few minutes after Mimi had left. He had lied to her that he had to stay behind at school because of his soccer practice since he knew everyone was busy and had their own things to do after school. Which meant he had to walk home with Mimi. Alone. And he knew if he had to walk with her, they would eventually talk about her dad and his mom and getting married and he did not talk about it.
He wasn't sure what they needed to talk about but he knew that he just wanted to be left alone for a while and that was exactly what he was doing now. He was avoiding people. Especially Mimi because whenever he was near her, he would sometimes feel nervous for no reason and it was beginning to bug the hell out of him. He would never admit this to anything but that day when Mimi had bumped into him while he and his friends were having a snow fight, he had felt his face heating up a little. Why had that happened?
"Ow!" Tai's hand immediately went over to his forehead and glared at whatever had just killed some of his brain cells. However, his glare turned into confusion as he stared at his apartment door. He was so deep in his thoughts that he hasn't realized that he was home already.
Still rubbing his head, he searched inside his pocket and got out a key. He inserted the key and opened the door and froze. Blinking once, he immediately walked through the door and closed it at the sight of his mother, Kari and his grandmother. They were all sitting around the small living room, looking very serious and there were tears in Kari's eyes although she did not let them fall.
"What's going on?" asked Tai and his grandmother looked at him as if that was the most stupidest question she had ever been asked.
"I came to take Kari away," said his grandmother and Tai looked from his mother to Kari. No... She can't be taking Kari away! She was his sister and even though they may not be the richest people in the world or have the most perfect family, he couldn't let Kari go. Kari is his sister and he would do anything for her. Anything.
"But... You can't do that!" Because of all the events that had taken place the last few days, he had completely forgotten about the letter that Kari had received from their grandmother last week...
"Oh yes I can. I got these papers from my lawyer and all your mother needs to do it sign it and she'll be taken care under my name." His grandmother grabbed her purse and took out few sheets of paper with a pen and handed them over to his mom. His mom refused to look at them though and threw them on the table.
"But why are you taking her away? Why now?" asked Tai, trying to think of a way to change his grand mother's mind. He knew his grand mother was a very stubborn person but if he could somehow make her see that taking Kari away with her isn't a very good idea, than maybe he she would just leave Kari here and go back home. Just maybe.
"Tai, listen to me. I've noticed that every time I had visited here for the last couple of months, Kari has been getting thinner and thinner. I just want her to be healthy and have a good life and since you're older than Kari and can take care of yourself, things would be much better if Kari lives with me. She could go to one of the best schools in my town and get the good education she needs. And deserves."
"Mom, Kari is not going!" said Tai's mom for the first time he'd been in the house. She looked like she was going to blow up in steams.
"Yes, I'm not going. I want to stay here," said Kari quietly before looking up to face her grandmother with a sureness in her eyes. She wanted to stay here with her friends, her mom and her brother. This place was her home and she was not going to leave.
"But Kari-"
"No. Grandma, I'm staying."
Tai's grandmother looked around the room fanatically. She came all the way here to take Kari with her to live with her for her own good and this is what she gets? How rude of everyone.
"I'm worry for Kari. Can't you guys see that?"
"Mom, don't worry," said Tai's mom curtly, "Kari will be taken a good care of once I get married. She and Tai will have a father and-"
"You're getting married?" asked their grandmother with wide eyes. It seems that their mom hasn't told their grandmother about anything but who can blame her? Her grandmother was probably one the world's most self-centered person. "Why didn't you tell me before? Who is he? Is he rich? Where does he work?"
Mrs. Hinamori rolled her eyes. She knew her mom would be like this and that was exactly the reason why she had neglected to tell her until now. "Mom, just go back home. I have to go back to work. And don't ever tell me sign that dumb paper again to take Kari."
Mrs. Hinamori stood up from her seat and took her mothers hand and tugged on them, signaling for her to leave. She knew she wasn't being very polite, but she didn't think she'd be able to stand another minute of being in the same room as her.
Kari and Tai's grandmother huffed, knowing that she was not wanted at her daughter's house. "I'll be glad to leave! I just can't understand how you can live in this crummy old apartment!" She grabbed the papers on the table and her pen and shoved them in her purse before turning back to her daughter with a smile. "But before I leave, tell me about this men your marrying to."
"I told you, I have to go to work. You'll meet him... eventually. Now, please go home. I know I don't make much money and I know Im not the world's best mother but I can take care of both Kari and Tai on my own."
"Alright! Don't be so rude! If you weren't my daughter, I would have-"
"Mom! Please, just go!" yelled Mrs. Hinamori unexpectedly which caused Tai's grandmother to bring her hand up to her chest in shock. She hasn't expected for her daughter to yell at her like that.
"Didn't I teach you that yelling to someone older than you was rude when you were young?"
"But you do it all the time, my sweet mother," said Mrs. Hinamori, putting on a smile and quickly lead her mom towards the door.
Tai couldn't help but sigh. His mom and his grandmother were so different... Too different.
When the door closed as soon as his grandmother was out the door, Mrs. Hinamori sighed and went to sit next to Kari. She gently patted her back and hugged her tightly. "Don't worry Kari. She won't take you away. Now, I got to go back to work. Stay home and don't go outside. It's really cold."
Mrs. Hinamori stood up from the couch and grabbed her jacket and keys before going out the door without saying another word. Even though she had been trying hard to pretend as if nothing had happened, small glitters of tears were shown in her eyes and Tai had noticed it.
"Kari?" spoke Tai gently as he walked towards her and he almost wished a hole would appear below him and take him away. Tears were silently creeping down her cheeks and he wasn't very sure what he could do to make them go away.
Maybe it would have been best for her if she had left with her grandmother... She'd surely get a good education, and be more happy. Besides, even though he was her brother, he felt as if he didn't deserve to be... A real brother wouldn't let his sister go through so much pain, would he?
Tai slowly lifted his hand and reached towards Kari to gently move her hair out of her eyes, but Kari quickly stood up before saying "I'm going to my room," and walked away.
With her throat aching in pain, Mimi ran through the hallway of her school, her back pack flaring wildly behind her. She had been running for the pass ten minutes, which wasn't doing any good to her dry throat, and every now and than, she would wish that she could stop by a water fountain and take a sip of the water.
Only few students were seen out in the hallways and they were also hurrying to get to their first class. The bell would be ringing soon and if Mimi didn't get to her class in time, she was sure that her art teacher would give her a detention like she would usually do to the students late for her class. Her teacher was just a mean-headed woman without any consideration of... well, anything. Or at least that's what Mimi thought of her as.
Mimi was well aware that her appearance didn't look too good at the moment with her hair tied in a messy pony tail and her green skirt of her school uniform wrinkled in few places. She had just gotten it out of the dryer this morning and had no choice but to wear it since she was in a hurry. She usually woke up on her own every morning even without an alarm clock and on the days that she didn't, her dad would always come knocking on her door, telling her to get ready for school. However this morning, thinking that Mimi was still mad at him for what had happened on the Sunday morning, her dad had left to go to work quietly, leaving a turkey sandwich on the kitchen table for her to take to school for lunch.
Mimi scowled slightly at the thought of her dad as her mind drifted off to the day before when Tai's mom had announced that she and her dad were getting married. Just the thought of them getting married gave a sick feeling to her stomach and she did not like it. Sure, they might be in love with each other but still, she couldn't find any happiness toward them. And she was fine with that.
After running for few more seconds, Mimi forcefully opened the door of her art room class just as the bell began ringing and let out a long sigh. She didn't think she'd actually make it.
"Mimi! Over here!"
Mimi looked around the room and found Sora and Tai sitting at a table in the back of the class room. Sora was smiling at her and Tai was well... he was looking at a crack on the wall as if it was the most interesting thing he had ever seen in his whole entire life. It was obvious that he was trying to avoid having any eye contact with her and Mimi couldn't blame him. They haven't spoken to each other since yesterday morning after she had stormed away to her room and she felt a little awkward being near him and he probably was too.
Mimi smiled back at Sora and made her way toward the empty seat next to her. This was the only class she had with Sora and Tai because they were a grade higher than her and somewhere deep in her mind, she was very thankful for that. She wanted to stay as far as she can from Tai so that they wouldn't have to talk about the whole marriage between their parents. She just didn't want to talk about any of that stuff yet. After all, Tai's going to be her stepbrother sometime in the future and after being very close friends with him for many years, she was afraid that they would lose their friendship and become distant toward one another. She knew they could still be friends and everything but... things wouldn't be the same for them. They are going to live in a same house, eat at the same table every day, be around each other more and...
"Mimi Tachikawa!"
Mimi jumped slightly in her seat and stared at her teacher who was peering down at her over her shoulder with a clip board in her hand. She was tapping her fingers on them which probably meant that she wasn't very happy. "I said, would you show me your homework?"
"Oh. Sure," said Mimi and she opened her back pack and digged her hand through it. Their home work was to simply draw anything that came to their minds and write a paragraph explaining their drawing. It wasn't really that hard but it did take her most of her afternoon yesterday.
Mimi stopped her searching through her back pack when she realized with nervousness that her sketch book wasn't inside her back pack. She was so late this morning from over sleeping that she had forgotten to bring it with her.
After putting on the sweetest smile that she could manage, Mimi looked up at her teacher. "It's at home... Can I show it to you tomorrow?"
"Hm... let's see," said her teacher while she pretended to be thinking very hard as if she was considering Mimi's question and for a moment, Mimi almost fell for her trick. "No," said her teacher sharply and she scrambled something on her clip board with her cheap looking pen. She probably stole it from the bank or something. "You have a detention this Friday after school. Come to my desk after class to receive your detention slip."
"But that's the day before our winter break! Come on, Mrs. Nazumi. You are my most favorite teacher in this whole world and none of my favorite teachers had ever given me a detention before!"
"Miss Tachikawa, would you like another detention?" said her teacher, narrowing her eyes. Oh well... At least she tried.
---
Mimi entered the cafeteria looking very angry with her lunch in her hand. The cafeteria was filled with students, but it wasn't very hard to find her friends because they usually sat at the same table near the windows. Grumbling, Mimi made her way toward her friends after almost bumping into few people and sat next to Matt, almost smashing down her lunch on the table which startled Matt, Izzy, Sora, Yolei, and Tai. They were all sitting in the same table.
"Mimi? What's up?" asked Sora, wanting to know the reason why her friend looked as if she was either going to blow up everyone on earth or just break down and commit suicide.
Mimi sighed. "I got two more detentions this Tuesday and Wednesday for falling asleep in my math class. I can't believe he gave two detentions just for falling asleep! That's three detentions this week."
"Why did you fall asleep? Didn't you get enough sleep last night?" asked Yolei as Mimi began taking her sandwich out of her lunch bag.
"I couldn't sleep last night," answered Mimi, poking her turkey sandwich to make sure it was ok to eat. The sandwich she had just poked was on the kitchen table this morning with a note from her dad saying that he had made it for her to eat it for lunch, and seeing that she didn't have any time to pack her own lunch, she had stuffed it in her lunch bag with a chip and a soda. Her dad had always been bad at cooking and couldn't even fry eggs without making it greasy or burning it while making a big mess at the stove so how could she possibly trust this turkey sandwich wrapped inside a plastic bag? What if he had put egg shells in them by accident? Or worst, fish scales? Mimi frowned at that thought and pushed away her sandwich before deciding to munch on her chips instead. Better to be safe than sorry.
"Why not?" asked Izzy, looking at his lunch in disgust. He had bought school lunch today because he had forgotten to bring his lunch from home and he was terribly regretting for that. The pizza on his plate looked like it was soaked in grease for hours. Oh well. Maybe he could ask for Mimi's turkey sandwich since she doesn't seem to want to eat it.
"Well, I had a lot to think about. I mean, my dad and Tai's mom are..." Mimi quickly snapped her mouth shut before silently glancing at Tai, trying to ignore her friends who were waiting for her to finish her sentence. She had not told any of her friends that her dad and Tai's mom were going to get married yet and she was quite sure that Tai had also not told them anything by the look on everyone's faces.
"Your dad and Tai's mom are what?" asked Sora curiously. Everyone was now staring at her and it was starting to make her feel uncomfortable. She knew she had to tell them sooner or later, but she just didn't...
"They are getting married." All wide eyes turn to Tai.
"They are getting married?" said Sora and she saw Mimi slowly nodding her head with a blank expression. "Oh. That's great... isn't it?"
Mimi looked down at her chips. Should she just tell them the whole truth? About how her dad had been cheating on her mom with Tai's mom and about how much she dislikes her dad? But even if she did, would they understand her or would they just think of her as a selfish girl who can't even be happy that her dad's getting remarried? What is she suppose to do? She's just a teenage girl after all and not some perfect girl who has answers to everything.
"Yeah... I guess so," said Tai but deep inside of him, Tai did not feel the same. He didn't hate his mother or anything for ruining their once happy family by cheating on his dad with Mr. Tachikawa but the pain he had gained these last couple of months for worrying about Kari and his own life had made a great effect on him.
"Oh. Well, you guys don't look happy. Is there something wrong?" asked Matt, knowing fully well that something was troubling both Tai and Mimi.
"No. Nothing's wrong. I'm just... happy for them," said Mimi cheerfully, forcing a smile on her face. She knew lying was never a good thing but sometimes hiding the truth behind a lie made her feel more secure. It was much better than showing her real feelings and have people pity her.
"Well, all right..." said Yolei and she changed the subject to something else, knowing when to end a certain subject and start a new one.
--
It was after school and Mimi was walking home alone after she had parted with her friends out side of her school. Usually, she would walk home with them but it seemed everyone was busy today. Sora had to go and work at her mom's flower shop while Izzy and Joe stayed behind in school to do their after school actives. Tai had told her that he had a soccer practice which Mimi had thought was very weird because there weren't any outdoor sports this week or even this month. Besides, it's too cold outside and the school soccer field was still covered in snow. Besides them, Matt had to go to a meeting with his band members while Yolei went off to look for her older sister which left Mimi all alone to walk home by herself.
Even though Christmas was just a little over a week from today, the sun was shinning down on Mimi as if it was a bright summer day and she couldn't help but cover her eyes with her with her cold hands. Wearing gloves probably might have solved that problem but what was the point? Her hands would get warm again when she get home any ways.
"Ah!" A scream escaped from her lips as Mimi quickly reached for a nearest object which happened to be a mail box and held it as tightly as she could. She had tripped over a pile of snow and had nearly gotten herself to fall on her face. She could just imagine the look on everybody's faces as they laugh at her in school the next day with a big scrape on her head if she had fallen...
"Mimi?"
Mimi let go of the mail box and looked in front of her as well as her sides. Funny, she could have sworn that she had heard someone calling her name.
"Mimi!"
Mimi jumped and turned around sharply and gasped. There stood a woman with light brown hair tied in a low pony tail that she knew very well and Mimi's visions began to blur. "Mom!"
Without a second thought, Mimi jumped to her mom in a big hug. This couldn't be a dream, could it? No. Her mom here. She was actually here!
"Oh Mimi. I missed you so much!" cried Mimi's mom and the tears she had be holding back ran freely down her cheeks.
"I missed you too!" said Mimi and she took a step away from her mom to look at her face to face. "What are you doing here? I thought you were in Europe? Why did you leave in the first place without telling me? What have you-"
"Mimi, it's ok. Calm down," said Mimi's mom and Mimi nodded her head. She still could not believe her mom was standing right in front of her.
"We could go to my house and talk. It's just a minute away and dad's at work," said Mimi grabbing her mom's hand. It felt so nice to around her again.
"All right. Lead the way."
Mimi smiled and began to walk toward her home. Her dad was at work and would be until dinner so she wasn't very much worried about her mom being at her house. Not that she had any reason to be. "Mom? Aren't you suppose to be Europe?"
Mimi's mom nodded her head, while gazing at the street signs and the stores that were open. It had only been five month since she had last seen this place but everything seemed so different. Maybe it was because she had seen and been to many new places at Europe that were so much more different than this place that she had once called home since she was a kid, but it didn't really matter to her at the moment. What mattered to her was that she was with her daughter. "Yes, but I came back because I missed you so much. I felt terrible for leaving and my boss had let me off on a one week vacation."
"What do you do there? Oh, and when did you arrive here by the way?"
"I'm a cashier at a large Japanese restaurant, and I'll be staying at your aunt's house for a while until I go back in a week. I just got here a couple of hours ago."
"Than why didn't you call me? Why did you leave without telling me? And why are you going back?" asked Mimi, trying her best to make her voice sound even. She was sad that her mom would be going back but she didn't want to waste her time being all gloomy and sad while her mom was going to go back in a week. It would just be a big waste of time.
As Mimi's mom answered all of her questions, something that Mimi wasn't planning to tell her mom today stumbled out by accident and Mimi couldn't help but mentally call herself stupid. She had just told her mom that her dad was getting remarried to Tai's mom.
"Oh, is he now?" asked Mimi's mom as if she wasn't very interested but deep inside, she was a little shocked. She knew her ex-husband had been cheating on her with Tai's mom but she had never thought they would get married. "Well... it's his life. He can go and do whatever he wants for all care."
Mimi looked up at her mom in surprise as she saw a ting of sadness in her mom's eyes before it quickly disappeared. It was as if her mom was upset... But upset about what? Her mom can't be still in love her dad, could she? No! That's impossible. Although... her mom had been in love with her dad for many years since she had met him in college and love doesn't just fade away easily, does it? Maybe she's still in love with him...
"Hey mom, we're here!" said Mimi stopping in front of a brick house and her mom looked at the house with her brows raised. There were no pretty signs or whatever at the front door, no nice looking curtains on the windows and there weren't any decorations outside of the house, making the house looked like it was being occupied by dead bodies. So this is where Mimi lived with her dad... In a dull looking house that seemed to be filled with nothing but coldness.
Mimi digged through her back pack before she got her key out and went up to her front door to insert the key while her mom stood behind her. When a clicking sound was made, indicating that the door was now unlocked, she went in and almost dropped her back pack in shock.
"Dad! What are you doing here?" yelled Mimi and Mimi's mom's eyes turned wide before she turned around to the other side so she won't have to face Mimi's dad. She hasn't expected to see him again. That's why she had left to Europe. To move on and start a new fresh life and hope that she would never have to see the man she had once called her husband. What was she going to do now?
Mr. Tachikawa who had been drinking some tea took a small sip before speaking. "I took a late lunch break today and thought I'd eat at home. Who's that person behind you?"
Mimi moved aside and her mom turned around to face him. Oh well. She knew she would have to see him again at one time or another.
Mr. Tachikawa's mouth and eyes opened wide in shock and just for a second, Mimi wondered how much she would make the people in her neighborhood laugh if she took a picture of him to make many copies before posting them around her neighborhood. Her dad would probably go around wearing a paper bag with two holes for his eyes so no one would recognize him until the day he decides to move far away from the city.
But sadly... Mimi was in no situation to take any pictures. "Jasmine! W-what are you doing here?"
"I came to see Mimi. Is there a problem with that?"
"N-no! I just thought you'd be in Europe!"
Mimi's mom glared at him. "It's none of your business and wipe that ridiculous look on your face, won't you?" Mimi's dad opened his mouth to say something but Mimi's mom didn't even have to listen to what he was going to say to know what was on his mind. He wanted her to leave. "Mimi, I should get going. I'll come back to see you tomorrow."
"But mom... You just came back today!"
"Don't worry. I promise I'll see you tomorrow."
"Well... Alright. Bye." Mimi's mom smiled sweetly at her and gave her a hug before leaving the house.
As soon as Mimi's mom was outside and the door behind her closed, she sighed and leaned against the house. She had wanted to spend all of her time with Mimi today but her mind kept telling her that it'd be best if she stayed as far away as she could from her ex-husband. He had hurt her so much in more ways than anyone could possibly imagine. After all, she had trusted him, loved him and stayed by him and yet he had gone off with another woman who just happened be someone she knew. Laura Hinamori. The mother of Mimi's two close friends. The woman she had once considered as a friend.
---
Tai had begun walking home few minutes after Mimi had left. He had lied to her that he had to stay behind at school because of his soccer practice since he knew everyone was busy and had their own things to do after school. Which meant he had to walk home with Mimi. Alone. And he knew if he had to walk with her, they would eventually talk about her dad and his mom and getting married and he did not talk about it.
He wasn't sure what they needed to talk about but he knew that he just wanted to be left alone for a while and that was exactly what he was doing now. He was avoiding people. Especially Mimi because whenever he was near her, he would sometimes feel nervous for no reason and it was beginning to bug the hell out of him. He would never admit this to anything but that day when Mimi had bumped into him while he and his friends were having a snow fight, he had felt his face heating up a little. Why had that happened?
"Ow!" Tai's hand immediately went over to his forehead and glared at whatever had just killed some of his brain cells. However, his glare turned into confusion as he stared at his apartment door. He was so deep in his thoughts that he hasn't realized that he was home already.
Still rubbing his head, he searched inside his pocket and got out a key. He inserted the key and opened the door and froze. Blinking once, he immediately walked through the door and closed it at the sight of his mother, Kari and his grandmother. They were all sitting around the small living room, looking very serious and there were tears in Kari's eyes although she did not let them fall.
"What's going on?" asked Tai and his grandmother looked at him as if that was the most stupidest question she had ever been asked.
"I came to take Kari away," said his grandmother and Tai looked from his mother to Kari. No... She can't be taking Kari away! She was his sister and even though they may not be the richest people in the world or have the most perfect family, he couldn't let Kari go. Kari is his sister and he would do anything for her. Anything.
"But... You can't do that!" Because of all the events that had taken place the last few days, he had completely forgotten about the letter that Kari had received from their grandmother last week...
"Oh yes I can. I got these papers from my lawyer and all your mother needs to do it sign it and she'll be taken care under my name." His grandmother grabbed her purse and took out few sheets of paper with a pen and handed them over to his mom. His mom refused to look at them though and threw them on the table.
"But why are you taking her away? Why now?" asked Tai, trying to think of a way to change his grand mother's mind. He knew his grand mother was a very stubborn person but if he could somehow make her see that taking Kari away with her isn't a very good idea, than maybe he she would just leave Kari here and go back home. Just maybe.
"Tai, listen to me. I've noticed that every time I had visited here for the last couple of months, Kari has been getting thinner and thinner. I just want her to be healthy and have a good life and since you're older than Kari and can take care of yourself, things would be much better if Kari lives with me. She could go to one of the best schools in my town and get the good education she needs. And deserves."
"Mom, Kari is not going!" said Tai's mom for the first time he'd been in the house. She looked like she was going to blow up in steams.
"Yes, I'm not going. I want to stay here," said Kari quietly before looking up to face her grandmother with a sureness in her eyes. She wanted to stay here with her friends, her mom and her brother. This place was her home and she was not going to leave.
"But Kari-"
"No. Grandma, I'm staying."
Tai's grandmother looked around the room fanatically. She came all the way here to take Kari with her to live with her for her own good and this is what she gets? How rude of everyone.
"I'm worry for Kari. Can't you guys see that?"
"Mom, don't worry," said Tai's mom curtly, "Kari will be taken a good care of once I get married. She and Tai will have a father and-"
"You're getting married?" asked their grandmother with wide eyes. It seems that their mom hasn't told their grandmother about anything but who can blame her? Her grandmother was probably one the world's most self-centered person. "Why didn't you tell me before? Who is he? Is he rich? Where does he work?"
Mrs. Hinamori rolled her eyes. She knew her mom would be like this and that was exactly the reason why she had neglected to tell her until now. "Mom, just go back home. I have to go back to work. And don't ever tell me sign that dumb paper again to take Kari."
Mrs. Hinamori stood up from her seat and took her mothers hand and tugged on them, signaling for her to leave. She knew she wasn't being very polite, but she didn't think she'd be able to stand another minute of being in the same room as her.
Kari and Tai's grandmother huffed, knowing that she was not wanted at her daughter's house. "I'll be glad to leave! I just can't understand how you can live in this crummy old apartment!" She grabbed the papers on the table and her pen and shoved them in her purse before turning back to her daughter with a smile. "But before I leave, tell me about this men your marrying to."
"I told you, I have to go to work. You'll meet him... eventually. Now, please go home. I know I don't make much money and I know Im not the world's best mother but I can take care of both Kari and Tai on my own."
"Alright! Don't be so rude! If you weren't my daughter, I would have-"
"Mom! Please, just go!" yelled Mrs. Hinamori unexpectedly which caused Tai's grandmother to bring her hand up to her chest in shock. She hasn't expected for her daughter to yell at her like that.
"Didn't I teach you that yelling to someone older than you was rude when you were young?"
"But you do it all the time, my sweet mother," said Mrs. Hinamori, putting on a smile and quickly lead her mom towards the door.
Tai couldn't help but sigh. His mom and his grandmother were so different... Too different.
When the door closed as soon as his grandmother was out the door, Mrs. Hinamori sighed and went to sit next to Kari. She gently patted her back and hugged her tightly. "Don't worry Kari. She won't take you away. Now, I got to go back to work. Stay home and don't go outside. It's really cold."
Mrs. Hinamori stood up from the couch and grabbed her jacket and keys before going out the door without saying another word. Even though she had been trying hard to pretend as if nothing had happened, small glitters of tears were shown in her eyes and Tai had noticed it.
"Kari?" spoke Tai gently as he walked towards her and he almost wished a hole would appear below him and take him away. Tears were silently creeping down her cheeks and he wasn't very sure what he could do to make them go away.
Maybe it would have been best for her if she had left with her grandmother... She'd surely get a good education, and be more happy. Besides, even though he was her brother, he felt as if he didn't deserve to be... A real brother wouldn't let his sister go through so much pain, would he?
Tai slowly lifted his hand and reached towards Kari to gently move her hair out of her eyes, but Kari quickly stood up before saying "I'm going to my room," and walked away.