Here's another chapter with a flashback. Thanks for the reviews! Some of you were wondering why I update so quickly. The reason why I update so quickly is because I don't have anything to do here at home, so I usually spend most of my time in front of the computer typing, typing, & typing. And, like I said before, I based my stories on books I've read & it makes it a lot easier for me to write it.

Kuruta – it's all right, at least you took time to review this one. Thanks! Mimato-4eva – that's why chapter 3 was titled I'm Beginning to See. Matt's a bit overprotective when it comes to other guys. Koumi – say that to yourself! Maybe you're the one who thinks you know everything. Luvfaytdestini – wow! This is great! I give credit to Rachelle! She's really excited about this isn't she? I think she'll be mentioned in this chapter. Riven – thanks, I do try my best to put great endings. Zionne – there will be a lot more to come, s stay tuned. Dyra – thanks for reading all my Mimato fics. Keep R&R! Angel – Aw, I'm sorry to hear that. It's his lost, you know, because you're a great girl & he let you go. Its okay to change your hair style or hair color every once in a while, but don't ever change yourself. Remember this, what matters most is what's on the inside. Oh, my gosh! I'm starting to sound like my mom!...Anyways, thanks for the cheer! You're the best!

Chapter Five: A Realization – Part2

By the following weekend, Mimi's nerves were shot to hell & back. The whole town was taking about the wonderful romance between Yamato Ishida & that 'pretty Tachikawa girl'. And Joe Kido had been visiting her in shop every now & then.

Things weren't quite going the way she expected...not the she knew what to expect in the first place. And then there was Sora. Sora, whom she say every day & who asked her every moment possible. Saturday proved to be no different.

"So, how's it going, then?"

Mimi sighed & shook her head. "You ask me this every day & every day I tell you the same thing...FINE."

Sora sat down beside her & looked her in the face. "If everything was fine you wouldn't look this bad. You look exhausted, Mimi, & you keep telling me it's 'fine' when it's not. Aren't things working out between you & Matt?"

"No, it's not that. It's just..." She struggled to find an excuse & couldn't, not this time. "I guess I'm just confused."

"About you & Matt or about Joe Kido?"

Mimi laughed tightly. "I thought I liked Joe Kido but I was wrong about that. The more I see him, the more...I don't know...smarmy I find him."

"Mmm, he's a bit too slick if you ask me." Sora smiled sympathetically & rubbed her friend's arm. "And Matt?"

"Now that's another story." Her fingers rubbed her temples. "Where should I begin?"

"He kissed you again?"

Boy did he ever. "Oh, yeah, he did that all right."

Sora smile broadly. "Goodness & you just don't know what to do about that, do you?"

Now, that was an understatement. As usual, even without the story, Sora was close to the mark. "We're not the same anymore, Sora, & I hate that. I miss the fun we used to have. I just don't know how to get it back."

"On a scale of one to ten?"

Mimi looked confused. "What?"

"On a scale of one to ten, how did the kiss rate?"

"If you're going to make fun, Sora, I swear I'm leaving."

Sora shook her head. "No, I'm completely serious. I need to know how you rated the kiss. It gives me an idea on how big your problem is. Anyway, this is your shop too, so you can't just leave."

Mimi blinked at her friend in amazement, then shrugged her shoulders & thought for a moment. On a scale of one to ten. She thought about their last kiss far too much on sleepless nights, so it didn't take long for her to rate it. Her tone was as deadpan as her face when she spoke.

"About fifteen."

"Damn it, I just always thought it would be."

"Sora, this isn't helping!"

"Sorry," she looked more serious. "Have you ever been kissed above eight before?"

"No."

"So now you've got the oldest of problems to deal with here. Would you sacrifice your friendship for what will be the most amazing lovemaking of your life? Or would you hang onto the friendship with it possibly never being the same again because you always wondered whether it would have been the best lovemaking of your life?"

"Correct me if that's not a lose/lose situation you just quoted there, Oprah. I thought you were supposed to be helping."

Sora nodded. "I am. I was just thinking out loud. In fact, here's another one. Do you love him?"

"What did you say?" Mimi couldn't believe what she'd just been asked. "Did you just ask me if I LOVE him? What the hell kind of question is that? It's Matt we're talking about here, not some guy I've been out on a blind date with."

Sora held up her hands in front of her. "Okay, okay, calm down. I know you care about him; I've always known that. You were like some loyal dog when you first found out I had a crush on him. What I mean is, do you love him love him? You know…the big one."

"Don't be stupid. He kissed me twice & you expect me to fall head over heels in love with him? This is Matt. I can't fall in love with Matt. It would be like…damn, I don't know…like falling in love with a big brother."

"Matt's not your brother, Mimi." Sora walked over & hugged her friend as best as she could with eight months worth of baby on the way. "You want my advice? You go with the flow & let things happen naturally. If you two aren't meant to be together, then there's nothing you can do to stop that except lie to yourself. He's a great man, Mimi, & if you're not meant to be then it's the biggest test of your friendship you'll ever have. All friendships have to change & grow, and when you think about it, it would change anyway when you two marry other people. So just wait & see & stop killing yourself over this."

The words echoed through Mimi's head & she wondered what Sora would think if she knew the whole story. It was a bit difficult to let things happen naturally when everything they did was a lie to begin with. She had never, for one moment, expected that their dumb-ass bet would be so challenging, or so dangerous. But then how could she have possibly known that kissing him would have such an effect on her?

There was a chance that the forfeit for this bet could be larger than she wanted to pay. She could lose her very best friend…forever.

Flashback

A couple of months after Mimi's party – 10 years ago (Matt 19, Mimi 18)

He was sick of dating bimbos. It was the only type of girl he seemed to spend any time with these days & he was bored. Bored & seemed to be lost ever since Mimi's birthday party. At least he was dating someone to cover up the fact that he was obsessed with Mimi's relationship with Michael.

This sudden realization he had about Mimi Tachikawa being an attractive & sexy female wasn't natural. As if these nineteen-year-old hormones weren't enough to be dealing with. His nether regions reacted every time his best friend walked past.

But it wasn't just his newfound realization of how she looked…not if he was honest with himself. It was the fact that she had less time for him now that she was seeing Michael. Before, they always talked on the phone & write notes to each other, but now she talked on the phone to Michael & send notes to Michael. It was only natural for two couples to do that, but Matt was jealous as hell.

"Hey, stranger." The voice sounded close to his ear, making him jump with surprise. Turning around, he was met with a familiar smile & an immediate hug. Great, now all he had to do was think about her & she appeared. That would help. "What are you doing here?"

"Well, that's one heck of a welcome." She sat down on the wide edge of his father's desk. "Remind me to visit you more often."

Immediately matt felt guilty. It wasn't her fault he was being so immature. It was up to him to try & control himself more. Besides, who was he to stop her from being happy? If she had to spend time with someone else, he was glad it was his other friend. Michael was a good guy. And surely, playing the martyr is much better than playing the wounded person?

"It's just that you don't normally come down here, Tachikawa, that's all." He waved around his father's office. "It's the only place I'm normally safe from you."

Mimi raised an eyebrow and then stuck her tongue out at him. "Jerk."

"Yup, that's me." He glanced down at her white shirt & sweatpants, and the tennis racket at her feet. "Playing for the Wimbledon, are you?"

"Something like that. I'll just wait & see if I manage to beat Michael in another game first."

"Ah," Matt turned back to filing his cabinet. "So you're playing at the club?"

Mimi studied the back of his head. Either it was her imagination or Matt's tone was cold. She noticed he'd been acting strange recently. "What's up, Ishida?"

Now, that was a great question. He smiled wryly. "Why on earth would you ask that?"

"It's just…" she thought for a moment, "did I do something to annoy you?"

"You always annoy me."

"It's just that…you're not yourself at the moment."

There was silence for a moment as the wheels turned in Mimi's head. She knew she'd been spending a lot of time with Michael & less time with her best friend. But that was natural, wasn't it? Ever since Michael went with Matt on holiday last summer she'd been obsessed with him. And now they were together, but did she hurt Matt's feelings by spending less time with him? "Have I been ignoring you?"

Matt took a deep breath & turned around again. He noted the look in her eye, the concern. He felt lower than a moss. "It's okay, you're crazy about that stupid friend of mine &, believe me, he has my sympathy." He smiled encouragingly.

"It's just that I can't remember the last time we talked."

"We talked yesterday."

"I said 'Hi' before you put Michael on the phone. It's hardly the same thing."

The filing cabinet drawer closed as he leaned back, folding his arms across his chest. "Okay, so what do you want to know?"

"How's life, Ishida? Still dating the lovely Susie?" She fluttered her eyelashes at him.

This made him laugh. "She had her good points."

Mimi arched an eyebrow. "I've noticed that most boys spend their time talking to two of those 'good' points."

"Jealousy, jealousy."

She glanced down at her chest. "Well, they do say that anything more than a handful is a waste."

Matt laughed again. "And where did get that?"

"Why, from you, of course."

"I have never said that to you!"

"No," she blinked innocently up at him. "But you said it to Michael about that girl in the bar a couple of weeks ago."

"Eavesdroppers never hear anything good, you know."

Mimi smiled. "Maybe… So, anyway, is she wife material? Because you know you better get a move on if you're going to have those twelve children before the deadline."

He smiled at the memory of an old dare, when Mimi had bet that he'd be married with twelve kids by the time he turned thirty-five. Married & settled onto his family's business just as his parents had always planned. Looking away, he returned to his filing. "I don't think so."

"Well, you better keep looking if you're going to produce a son & heir for this dynasty of yours."

"Yeah, well, I hardly think it's a dynasty."

Mimi persisted. "Aw, c'mon, Ishida, everywhere I look these days a house is being built by Ishida & Son."

"Business is good."

Even though she was reflecting on how much nicer Matt's hair was short, Mimi still managed to notice the chill in his voice. "Okay, this would be a bad thing because…?"

Matt gave a sigh. "I don't want it, Meems."

His words momentarily silenced her. "You're kidding?"

"God, I wish I was."

Mimi stared at his back. "Look at me."

Slowly, very slowly, he turned to face her. Shoving his clenched fists into his pockets, he looked into her eyes. "I thought you, of all people, might have known."

She shook her head. "Not a clue, but you're doing that whole business management course & all. Why do that if you aren't getting ready for all this?"

"I guess I thought it would make my dad happy." He shook his head. "You should see his face when he talks about Ishida & Son. He's worked his whole life for this."

Mimi's heart wrenched for him. "Oh, God, what will you do?"

He smiled. "You know what, I have no idea."

"You have to tell him."

"How?" his smile disappeared.

Silence.

"You see, you don't know either." He turned back to his filing. "I'll just stay here until I grow old & die from boredom."

Mimi knew how much Matt loved his parents. She knew how honest, open & loyal he was with them. Both of them were the only child, & her parents often teased him about being the perfect child. And in many ways, he was.

She couldn't remember a time when there had been anything but pride in their eyes when they looked at him. So it was no great surprise that he would do just about anything to not hurt or disappoint them. He was the nicest person she knew & her heart twisted for him.

Matt heard her soft movements as she walked over to him. He felt the warmth of her small hand as it rested on his shoulder. He turned to look at her.

"They wouldn't want you to spend your life doing something that made you miserable."

"And throwing their hard work back at them won't make them miserable, right?" His tone was sarcastic.

Mimi put her arms around his waist & hugged him. "They love you & they'll get over it. You need to find out what you're meant to do with your own life."

Matt hesitated for a moment before wrapping his arms around her to return the hug. "I don't want to hurt them, Meems."

She lifted her head from his chest & looked up into his eyes. "This will work out just don't lie to yourself about it. It's not you, Matt. You're the most honest person I know."

He stared down into her shimmering eyes. Mimi was so special to him. She was the only person he could trust to tell his secrets to. He knew she'd stand by him, no matter what he decided to do, & he loved her for that. All these feelings he was having were just hormones. At his stage of life, he couldn't look at any woman without having some sort of reaction. That was all it was…hormones. What he already had with his best friend was all that mattered.

End of Flashback

Mimi's rat was winning the race. She squealed in delight as it made its way down the plastic maze to its piece of cheese a split second before Matt's rat.

"I don't believe it," Matt muttered over her shoulder. "What do you do? Train rats or something? How many times have you won now?"

She grinned back at him. "Five, count them & weep."

"You know the trainer, don't you?'

"Yeah, sure, that's it, Ishida. "Trying her best to keep a straight face, she blinked. "I search all around for rat trainers so I can win that very important 'fifty-cent' bet. It's how I make a living, you know."

He poked her in the ribs with one long finger. "Well, in that case it's you round." He guided her toward the table where Sora & Tai were waiting. "Just try to remember your friends when you become famous & well-known all over the world."

Mimi slid onto the seat beside Sora & grinned widely. "Ishida got trashed & he hates it."

He leaned over her head. "You know what they say…Lucky in rat racing, unlucky in love. Which is why even if I lose, I win." He winked & kissed the top of Mimi's head.

Sora laughed at her two friends. "You two just never stop, do you?"

Tai nodded. "I don't think I remember a time when you to agreed on anything."

"Hey, everything's fine when she was away."

"Yamato Ishida! That was not nice. You know very well how much we missed her."

Mimi nudged him lightly on the stomach, grinning when he overreacted at the pain. "Some people just don't appreciate their dearest & closest friend. Deep inside, he'd miss me when I go back to America."

She glanced up at him from the corner of her eyes. Looking down at her, he seemed to be thinking of something, & a variety of emotions flickered across his expressive eyes. Then he nodded. "If you went back, I'd miss you even more than I missed you before."

They stared at each other & then Matt smiled over at Sora. "That's the cheesiest stuff you're getting out of me tonight, gang. Anyone want anything from the bar?"

Tai accompanied him as he left the table. Mimi's & Sora's eyes followed them as they left. Then Sora smiled at her friend. "Well, things look okay with you two tonight. Did you guys talk already?"

"Nope," they hardly had time to speak at all in their rush to go home & change after work. It was the first night of the town's festival activities & they decided to go to Bailey's Bar. "But you're right, we ARE having fun tonight. It's the kind of silly, fun-thing we used to do. Having you guys here is helping, too."

"He really did, you know." Sora sipped at her juice. "I mean, he really did miss you. A blind man could have seen it."

Mimi studied him from a distance. "You think?"

"Oh, yes, he was seriously good at his work, mind you. Things wouldn't run as smoothly out there now if it hadn't been for all his organizing. But he wasn't the same man he is now."

"Really?"

Sora shook her head. "Come on now; don't tell me you're not interested in what was happening while you were away. You kept in touch with him in all those six years, didn't you?"

She nodded. There had been letter & phone calls every Christmas and birthdays. She might have been on the other side of the world, but Mimi had never forgotten where she came from or the people who meant so much to her. It was part of the reason why she wanted to come home.

"Okay, so what did I miss, then?' She turned to look at her friend. "He never did get around to telling me about any mad affairs he had."

Sora tilted her head slightly, examining Mimi's face. "You don't honestly think he was a hermit, do you?"

Her eyes were drawn back to the bar. "No, I guess I never really thought about it."

"Because you don't think of him in that way, right?"

"I guess."

"And what about now?"

She sighed. She really did want to know. "Okay, tell me, who was he seeing while I was away?"

"Well, there were a few girls he went out with on a night like this. I think Rachelle Song even managed a kiss or two on New Year's Eve."

Mimi thought for a moment, a frown creasing her forehead. "There were a few in Kyoto. I know he saw one of them for nearly a year in his mid-twenties."

"What was she like?"

"Gorgeous…in a plastic doll kind of way."

"A bit like Jun, then." Sora nodded to the bar.

Mimi looked around & saw Jun pushing her very visible cleavage towards Matt's chest as she looked up at him from beneath, obviously, fake long lashed. Swallowing the remainder of the wine in her glass, Mimi glanced at Sora & smiled. "Excuse me, I think I need to be somewhere."

Laughter followed her from the table. "Go get her, girl!"

AN: Man, I can't believe how long that flashback turned out. By the way, in this story, Matt is an only child, his parents weren't divorced & they're quite well-off. (PnkSaKuRaSyAoRaNS2 – did I spell your name right? There's more to come for you later on.) wink! wink!

Don't forget to review!

Just4reviews – hey, how's it going? It's so nice to hear from you again. Well, I did just turn 18 so maybe I'm in the starting stage of maturity. You'll be surprised to find a lot of kissing scenes here. nae-ne – thanks for the review! Keep R&R! Kaye – wow! That is so cool! Can you speak Tagalog? Anyways, Mimi is a bit clueless, but she's going to realize it soon. Only time will tell. Cole the Demon Hunter – cool name! This Joe is the same Joe we all know from DG, only he's way cooler & not nerdy.