AN-Does anyone else really miss this show? Only two seasons with these characters… I think that they shouldn't have switched it up. Not that I didn't like the other seasons, but I just LOVED the first two. Sigh. Well, I guess this is why we have stories like this, right? May not be accurate, but hell, I'm amused. Oh, yeah, I'd like to apologize for any grammar errors or mistakes made in any of the chapters. I just sit down and type, and look it over once for structure and spell check once (computer just won't believe me that Sora is spelled right, damn it!), so mistakes may pop up. I'm just really too lazy to fix them. I'm sure you understand, but more to the point, you probably want the story to start, so here you go!

You Win Some, You Lose Some

Tai stood at his locker putting his books away at the end of school. In five short hours, he would be on his first date with Sora. His heart beat a little harder. This had been his dream for years, even before he realized it. That smart, sporty red head who-

"Hey Tai, can I talk with you a second?" Matt asked

-Who had an ex-boyfriend that happened to be Tai's best friend. How was he supposed to tell him? He couldn't lie. Tai took a deep breath, figuring that letting Matt beat him to a pulp was the best way to go.

"Matt, I-"

"Asked Sora out on a date for today? I know, that's what I want to talk about," Matt said, with a friendly smile on his face.

Tai frowned in confusion. Was this some sort of new strategy Matt had to fight better? Lure the opponent into a false sense of security?

"Tai, I know that you asked her because Shinji was talking about doing it," Matt smiled even bigger as Tai looked really confused. "So you asked her out on friendly date so that Shinji couldn't. Tai, you are the best friend a guy could have. You knew I just couldn't handle Sora dating someone new so fast. Who knows what I would do to the guy…" Matt trailed off, looking menacing.

"Er, yeah, well, no problem! What are friends for, huh?" Tai said, scratching his head nervously.

"Not dating ex-girlfriends and getting the crap beat out of them by me, that's what," Matt answered, laughing and oblivious to Tai's discomfort.

Tai chuckled, slightly frightened.

Maybe getting beat into a pulp wasn't the way he wanted to go. He would tell Matt when he was more ready to hear about Sora in a new relationship. Till then, what he didn't suspect couldn't hurt him.


"Thank you so much for giving me a ride home from school, Tai. I can't believe I missed the bus," Mimi said as she slid into the passenger seat next to Tai.

"No problem, Mimi," Tai replied, smiling a little too happily.

Mimi looked at him a little oddly, but then turned her attention to a billboard advertising some product that she thought was 'absolutely adorable!'.

Tai sighed, grateful Mimi hadn't questioned him. The truth was he wasn't sure why, but the thought of Mimi dating Matt didn't sit well with him. He couldn't get it out of his head ever since two days ago when he had asked Sora out at the window. He, of course, was being the biggest hypocrite alive, dating Sora, but for some reason he couldn't stop scowling every time he heard their names mentioned in the same sentence.

"So, how was your day today?" Tai asked in a neutral tone.

"Oh, you know, full of boring classes. Nothing really exciting happened," she said, shrugging and smiling as the sun hit her face.

Tai temporarily forgot his point as he watched her from the corner of his eye. She always looked so carefree, so pretty…

Tai shook himself and continued talking. "Oh, nothing exciting happened? What about your little private singing practice with Matt at lunch?" he asked, in what he tried to be a neutral voice, but came out accusing and a little angry.

When Matt had casually mentioned it after his thank you to Tai earlier, he had tried brushing it off. But it sat with him through practice and now he couldn't stop from asking her what had happened.

All of the happiness Mimi had the moment before vanished from her face. She looked at him, coldly evaluating him.

What the hell? He feels he can give me shit?

Mimi recovered, smiling lightly. "It was great. Are you looking forward to your date with Sora tonight?"

Tai stiffened. He had assumed that Matt was the only one who knew. Mimi must have read the look on his face, because she continued.

"Don't worry. I'm the only other person who knows. Who knows the whole truth," She said, staring out the window. Tai opened his mouth, but she cut him off saying, "Don't worry, I won't tell Matt. I'll let you do that when you two are ready."

Tai pulled into the parking ramp for Mimi's apartment. She hopped out, but stood outside the car so they could continue talking.

"Mimi, I don't know what to say to you."

Mimi shrugged. "Tai, I know that you wanted Sora for a really long time. Remember when you told me that you liked her so much that you could let her be with who ever made her happy? I've always admired that, Tai. I want to be that strong." She paused, then looked at him straight in the eye, and smiled friendly at him. "I'm happy for you and Sora, Tai. Just try not to hurt Matt too badly."

"Thank you," was all Tai could manage.

Mimi smiled and then walked to the stairs. Tai watched her go and laughed to himself quietly and bitterly. The only girl whose thoughts he wished he could hear, and she was the only one who controlled her thoughts around him.

Tai pulled out of the garage. Both of his two closest friends had approved of his date with Sora, but he felt worse than if Matt would have hit him, or Mimi yelled at him. It was ironic how winning could feel so much like losing.


"Oh! I've heard really good things about 'Love and Lies'. What do you think?" Sora asked, turning to Tai.

"Uh, isn't that a chick flick or something?" Tai said, looking at the poster for the movie skeptically.

"Guys and their fear of emotions. Come one, it will be great!" Sora laughed, pulling Tai toward the ticket booth. He couldn't help but smile back. He gave the ticket man the money and they walked into the theater.

Tai instantly realized that going to a movie where the majority of the viewers were female was a very bad idea.

Ugh, all of this butter is going to add on five pounds!

I wonder if he'll put his arm around me.

That guy smells horrible. Why does he have to sit next to me?

That girl is wearing the most adorable gray skirt! Oh, but that other girl needs to go to the mall. I bought that same skirt two years ago. It is so out of fashion now…

Tai cringed slightly at all of the voices invading his mind. Sora didn't seem to notice as she led them to their seats.

The movie started soon after, and the thoughts drifted away as the girls' attention went to the screen. Tai sighed and slid a little further down into his seat. He had never really liked these emotional movies about love. It amazed him how all of the women could be so engrossed in it.

Half way through the movie, though, Tai realized that the women didn't just turn off their brains and focus on the film.

For example, the couple in front of them. The girl frowned as the man on screen said some cutting words to the female lead in a fight. She looked at her date, who was pretending to look at the screen, but his eyes were glazed over, showing he was really daydreaming.

Hojo never says anything horrible like that to me, even when we are fighting. I don't think he has a truly mean bone in his body. I wish I could be like that. God, I love him so much…

She leaned her head on his shoulder and continued watching the movie, a smile on her face. The man continued pretending to watch the movie.

Another couple three rows ahead and to the right looked like they were watching the movie, but…

Why doesn't he try to hold my hand? Doesn't he know I like him? That actor up there has no problem showing affection. Maybe if I make my hand more accessible…

She moved her hand to the arm rest, but the guy didn't notice. She sighed and went back to the movie.

Tai watched the audience in awe. As a guy he had no idea that a movie brought out all these thoughts in women. Those men had no idea that the woman next to them liked them and wanted to get closer, that this movie made them realize feelings and emotions in their own lives.

Tai looked at Sora out of the corner of his eye. She was smiling at the screen, but turned and looked at Tai, who pretended to be watching the movie.

I'm so glad to be here with Tai…

She was slightly startled when Tai's hand gently took her own. She blushed, but then relaxed again and started watching the movie. Tai watched her out of the corner of his eye again, as Sora smiled giddily and tightened her hold on his hand.

There were definitely going to be more chick flicks in his life from now on.


"So you liked the movie?" Sora asked as Tai walked her to her apartment.

"Yeah. I guess I realized something I never thought of before. It's not so much the plot, but all of the emotions that you experience that are important."

"Yeah, it is," Sora replied, tightening her hold on his arm.

He's so sensitive and sweet. I can't believe I never really noticed this before…

They reached her building and the stood facing each other.

"You don't have to walk me up. It's a couple floors, and all," Sora explained.

"Okay, if you are sure. I had a great time."

"Me too. Night, Tai."

"See you on Monday."

Sora started to turn, but suddenly Tai called her back.

"Wait, I have something for you," he said, digging around in his pocket. He grabbed her hand and laid something in her palm. He grinned at her and then ran off.

Sora looked at the piece of candy and the note taped to it and smiled ecstatically.

"Your good night kiss, sweet just like you- Tai"


"What! Give me a break, ref! That was a foul! Are you blind?" Sora yelled fiercely.

"That twerp almost took out Ken, and the ref calls nothing. This is so unfair," Yolie muttered, pouting.

It was the championship game versus Kaibara High. It was quite different from last week's game. It was tied three to three with only five minutes to go. Tai had been playing his best ever, but Kaibara seemed much better as a whole, and Tai couldn't keep up. The group of digidestined were all cheering as loud as they could, even Mimi who didn't understand what was happening half of the time.

"It's okay, as long as they don't get the ball again, we could go into over time…" TK pointed out. Kaibara High, of course, found this to be the perfect time to steal the ball away from a player and head toward the goal.

"Figures," stated TK.

Within seconds the ball had been kicked and soared through the posts, just out of the reach of the goalie. A buzzer sounded, indicating the end of the game.

The crowd on the other side of the field erupted in cheers. The digidestined stood there in disbelief.

"We lost?" Kari asked, confused.

"Yeah, but we played as hard as we could. Tai especially. The team shouldn't feel bad," Matt pointed out.

It didn't appear to be that way as the team wearily made its way to the locker rooms after congratulating the other team.

'Poor guys' thought TK, Matt, Joe, Izzy and Cody.

'Poor Ken' thought Kari and Yolie.

'Poor Tai' thought Sora.

Mimi, on the other hand, had already left the stands without anyone noticing.


Tai had given a speech to the players in the locker room, and was happy to seem most of them seemed cheered up. They had played extremely well, after all. Tai even managed to sound somewhat cheerful when his friends greeted him after the game. But now that he was alone, walking through a park on his way home, he could let his disappointment flood over him.

What now? Those scouts wouldn't want him anymore after he just lost. The JNT had been so close, a dream that had almost come true, and now it was snatched away again. All of those practices, all of that work…

Tai stopped suddenly when he saw a familiar figure sitting on the swing set to his left. Mimi smiled at him sympathetically.

"Why are you… How did you…?" Tai started.

"Know you were going to be here? Well, you always take this way home when you are walking, and I figured at this point in your walk you would be beating yourself up about the game, and you would need someone to cheer you up. Come sit down," Mimi said, motioning to the swing beside her. He sat down and sighed.

"I don't really want to talk about it," Tai said quietly, looking at the ground.

"Its okay, you don't have to. I can read your mind, anyway," Mimi replied.

Tai looked up startled. "You can?"

"Yeah, just like you can read mine," she said, and Tai realized she was joking.

Or at least he thought she was, but was amazed when she got off her swing and stood behind him, wrapping her arms around his neck and resting her chin on his head.

'She may not be able to read my thoughts, but she is damn good at knowing what I need,' Tai thought.

Oh, Tai. You played so wonderfully today, like always. Don't be to angry with yourself. Everything will work out, I know it will. I believe in you…

Tai smiled weakly and leaned against Mimi, relaxing in her hold. He didn't know how long they stayed like that, but it made Tai feel better than he could have imagined, maybe even better than winning that game. As he gently rested his cheek against her arm, he realized something.

It was ironic how losing could feel so much like winning.


AN- So there you go! His first date with Sora. Wasn't the kiss thing cute? If only guys really did that sort of thing… Well, anywho, it is bad of Tai to lie to Matt, but things will get sorted out…eventually. Stay tuned for the next chapter, when the forth chapter of the curse is completed!

Oh, and I realized I made a mistake that might be confusing later. Tai, Sora and Matt are all supposed to be seniors. This doesn't make sense though because if Sora and Matt had their one year anniversary, that means that they would only be sophomores or juniors, which is not the case. So, just to let you know, there was a mistake, but they are seniors.

Please keep on reviewing! I just love it!

Starlilly