AN: All right, after having quite a few people suggest Mimi to Tai I feel it is my responsibility to perhaps take it into thought. The problem is, I am not the Michi reader. Seriously, I think the idea of Mimi and Joe together or even with Izzy satisfies me more than thinking that Tai and Mimi got together. I like Taioras and Soratos, it's kind of the only pairings in Digimon I truly support. Not including Takeru and Kari, cuz they're always cute.
So now the question is, if Mimi doesn't get Tai, who does? No one? Hm… I'm not quite sure myself. However, I can compromise. I've decided to start a new fic, it'll be a Sorato (maybe the one after will be a Taiora). In the next story, I am willing to have Tai and Mimi get together in it, but just not in this fic. I might have Joe come in somewhere…
If you were really hoping for a Michi here, I'm terribly sorry, but you could always read my next fic! *hint hint. ^ ^
EDITED NOTE: Though this is the revised chapter 18, the story isn't much different, but definitely more detailed and less rushed, (at least in my opinion) and I added a portion at the bottom. About the Mimi x Izzy or Mimi x Joe issue, I've decided to change my plans. This chapter hints a Mimi x Joe side story, but I will add Izzy into it later and at the very end of the entire story (hopefully I will finish one day), I will write two endings for Mimi x Joe and Mimi x Izzy fans. I hope that's good enough for everyone.
Disclaimer: Digimon = not mine.
Chapter XVIII – Prelude
About a week after the dance, Sora and Yamato presented their chemistry project before the class like many other pairings did and received most possibly the highest grade in the class. Mr. Chin had looked proudly at the two brightest students of his classes and said, "I wouldn't have expected anything less from you two." As a treat, Yamato had taken Sora out for some ice cream after school, despite the bitter cold weather.
Classes progressed on as usual and the couple's grades were kept at steady 90's. Surprisingly, regardless of the constant distraction that took the form of an auburn haired girl in five of his classes, Yamato had managed to keep up his grades and not do anything that would jeopardize their relationship by the time Christmas vacation drew near. [AN: All right… I really need to stop skipping ahead… heh… but come on, don't tell me that school doesn't pass by that quickly.] By then, Headmaster Ishida had grown accustomed to the idea of Yamato and Sora together, though still not supportive.
Math class, last period of the day, Sora's math teacher had gone on vacation early, since there was only one more day of school before the vacation. Mimi, sitting in the seat adjacent to Sora's was talking excitedly with Sora, updating her on the latest news floating around the school.
"Oh Sora! The drama club is going to do their annual play, this year it's A Midsummer's Night Dream. Would you consider auditioning for us? You don't have to be in the club. Oh please, Sora!" Mimi persisted.
The auburn haired girl turned to look at her friend with a raised brow. "Mimi, since when were u in the drama club?"
"It looks great on your permanent record!"
"All right Mimi, spill it. I know you well enough after sitting next to you in this class everyday that you really haven't worried one bit over your college application."
The pink haired girl blushed prettily, "Well okay Sora, you see, there's this guy in the club…"
The redhead tossed back her silken strands and laughed loudly, "I knew it! Tell me all about it!"
"Okay, do you know Joe?"
"Kido?"
Mimi nodded her head, confirming it. "Well you see… I kind of always thought he was kinda cute…"
"OooooOOoOoOoo Mimi!" Sora laughed genuinely for her friend. "So, you like him right? How did that happen?"
"Well at first I thought he was cute and then I dropped some papers on the floor in the halls when everyone was rushing, and he was such a gentleman! He got down on his knees and-"
"Proposed!" Giving a small tentative laugh the redhead motioned for the other girl to go on. "Sorry, I just had to say that, continue."
The pink haired girl giggled before returning to her story, "Right, so he got down on his knees and picked up everything for me. I know it might sound silly, but it's just the small things that matter."
Sora nodded understandingly, "I agree completely, Mimi. So I guess you're in the play? Well that's obvious, I mean, who are you in the play?"
"No one knows yet, we're all going to audition soon, but Sora I'd really like it if you would audition too. It's a love story you know, and I'm sure you can get that prince charming of yours to audition as well."
The redhead laughed, "If Yama's in the play, it'll sell out for sure. The place will be filled with girls that just want to look at him."
"Well true, but it's still a kinda advertisement, no?" There was a slight pause when Mimi glanced up at the clock, "The bell's going to ring at any second, Sora."
"Great, I have to do some last minute shopping for people tomorrow… heh…"
"Aw, bad Sora! Neglecting your friends like that!" The energetic girl joked.
"I got yours already!"
"Me too, and you better like it, Takenouchi!"
"I'll love anything you give me, Mimi."
Another short pause followed, broken by Mimi speaking in a softer tone. "Hey Sora?"
"Yes?"
"I was just kind of wondering… please don't be offended or anything, but do you ever get kind of… I don't know, kind of uneasy or insecure about Yamato and all his fans?"
Smiling kindly Sora turned to face the wall in front of her, "I'm not offended. To tell you the truth, I trust him and everything, but I don't trust the girls. It gets me kind of nervous sometimes, you know?"
"Mm hm-" Mimi's reply was cut off by the ringing of the last bell of the day. "Oh there's the bell." Walking out of the classroom with Sora, the pink haired girl spotted Yamato leaning casually against a wall waiting for the redhead and quickly said goodbye and left.
"Bye Mimi!" Sora called after her friend. Walking over to Yamato she smiled sweetly and took the hand that he offered out for her to hold.
"What were you guys talking about?" He asked, kissing her softly on the cheek and whispering the words into her ear.
"You."
"Me?"
"Mm hm." Sora laughed and dragged Yamato towards her locker.
"What did you say?"
"How irresistibly hot you are."
"About time you noticed how lucky you are." The blonde joked, wrapping his arms around Sora's waist as she unlocked her locker.
"You're modest, Ishida." A voice said behind them, and the couple turned to face Taichi standing against a locker.
"Hey Tai." Sora greeted, giving him a radiant smile.
"Hey, where are you guys going after school today?" The chestnut haired one asked.
Pausing to think for a moment Yamato turned to Sora. "Anywhere she goes."
After closing her locker and putting on her coat, Sora turned to inform the two of her plans. "I need to do some last minute shopping for tomorrow, and then I need to go home to finish a project. Sorry guys, can't hang out for long today."
"Whose present do you need to get?" The blonde singer asked, meanwhile putting on his own coat.
"Erm… don't say anything but I'm really having trouble of what to get Jamie and Aki."
"Get Aki a metronome and Jamie a cymbal pad."
"You sure?." Sora replied.
Tai spoke up, "Ishida's right, Jamie's had his eye on this Yamaha 2-zone cymbal pad for a long time, says that he's tired of the metal one he has now. And Aki's been thinking about a metronome to help his practicing."
"How much?" The auburn haired girl looked down at the floor.
Tai paused to calculate the prices, "All right, I think the cymbal pad is around 90 dollars, tax included and I think the metronome is around another 90."
Sora couldn't keep her eyes from widening, "I don't have 180 dollars!"
"Perfect, I didn't get them anything yet either. I was planning on doing it today too. I'll just split it with you." Yamato suggested.
"Yo, me too! I thought for sure someone was going to get them the metronome and cymbal pad since the two of them hinted it so badly. But apparently that's what everyone else thought too, so I know that the others got each other something different." Tai added in.
"That sounds pretty good, we'll split the two presents three way." Yamato concluded.
Finding her way to the staircase, Sora motioned impatiently for the boys to follow.
Half an hour later, the trio found themselves staring in the window of the music store in the nearby mall.
"That's the metronome," Tai pointed out to a black device that had a light up screen. "Completely digital, even speaks (it counts out loud), wide variety of settings, and it tunes guitars and basses too."
"And that's the cymbal pad," Yamato informed the girl, motioning towards a black triangularly shaped pad. "It's a Yamaha 2-zone cymbal pad, allows choke effect, and generates an acoustic cymbal sound at the tap of a drumstick."
"Guys, you sound like you're selling it." Sora commented, while walking into the store, leaving the two boys outside, staring at the eye candy.
4:30 pm, the trio emerged from the music store in the mall, triumphant with their gifts. Sora checked her watch, "Guys, I have to go home to work on a project, and I also need to wrap some presents."
"You have time for food?" Tai asked.
"Kamiya, is that all you think about?" The blonde singer said, the tone of his words letting the other boy know it was just a joke.
Taichi laughed, "We'll just say it's a large percentage."
The auburn haired girl who had been watching the two boys exchange words decided to lead the way to the nearby eatery in the large mall, packed with people. "Come on, let's hurry up and eat."
* * * * *
Sora sat in front of a large stretch canvas in her penthouse. She sighed and stretched her arms to take a pause from her tedious 'project'. Looking around, she spotted the presents for her friends on the nearby glass table. During the time that the three had been eating in the mall, the guys had automatically decided that Sora was to be the one to take the two additional presents home and wrap them, claiming that "girls are neater than boys." The auburn haired girl laughed softly, her silken waves gently swaying about with her laughter. Those two would say anything if it meant getting less work.
It wasn't ever really necessary for Yamato to do so. With one look he could make possibly any female do anything he wanted them to. Girls fought just for a chance to touch him; perhaps he was just too popular. But that wasn't what drew Sora to Yamato. She had been asked out before in her former school by some of the most popular guys and turned them down. They had been stuck up, egotistical, spoiled even. Yamato was kind, down-to-earth, thoughtful, sweet, charming, funny, smart, practically everything anyone could ever hope for. His flawless features were definitely an added bonus.
She never really understood why Yamato had chosen her to be his first girlfriend. Wait scratch that, not girlfriend, but the first girl that he dated. She didn't have any of that "radiating beauty;" she wasn't funny, sweet, and at times, she even doubted her own kindness. Was she even the first girl to date Yamato? A guy like that, he had to have dated many girls. But even as Sora contemplated the thoughts in her head, she just couldn't doubt Yamato's words. Never having been a child of luck, perhaps it favored her now.
Squeezing out the last of the white oil paint she had left, Sora picked up her nylon brush and returned to her painting with high hopes for the next day. She and Yamato had both decided that since they would see each other during the break, they would give one another their presents then. Tomorrow, Sora would have to bring presents for Tai, Jamie, Aki, Mimi, and Jeff. She even prepared a little gift to send to her mother in Japan- a beautiful gold bracelet that had taken her forever to save up for.
While dipping her brush in the pthalo blue [Yes, that's a real color, lol, pronounced as thay-lo], her mind wandered back to Yamato and what he could possibly be doing at the moment.
* * *
Yamato stared up at the stars from his position on his bed. The curtains were pulled apart, allowing the blonde to casually gaze out to the darkened skies. Looking around his room, he sighed. It was still the plain and boring cell it always was; in an attempt to add some 'personality' to the room, Yamato had left the paint mark on the wall, where Sora had flung it by accident. Subconsciously, a smile crept onto his features, Sora…
He had reserved her present and was planning to go retrieve it sometime during the vacation, before Christmas Eve. The blonde smiled wider, the vacation was going to be great.
AN: Okay Chapter 18, finally done! (Again), now onto the next chapter! Pleeeeease.