Omoidasu

-Remember-

Emotions and The Will to Forget

"Are you ok, Mimi?"

She didn't know the answer so the question was just left hanging. Taichi's news shocked her so much that Mimi, the Mimi, found it hard to speak. She didn't know if she was ok and partly, she didn't want to find out. Maybe Taichi was joking but when Mimi turned to look at him, he was looking the other way, with a very serious and pained expression on his face. Maybe this was just one big dream that turned into a nightmare and if it is, she wants to wake up.

"Let's just go. I'm tired." And no words were spoken for the rest of the trip. A girl looking lost and shattered, her best friend really worried, and the driver of the vehicle staring on the road. Michael can't do anything for he has no idea on how to do anything in this kind of situation. He has never felt what Yagami-san felt and what Mimi is feeling right now so they were accompanied by complete silence.

"Thank you. Just leave my bags over there."

Flopping down on the wide mattress, the young girl couldn't help but wonder why she really wanted to get away from her home. She was just escaping. Escaping from all the pain and sadness she felt just weeks ago. Nobody knew what happened then, except her and him, and she was grateful for she doesn't want anyone looking at her with sympathy, always asking if she was alright when it clearly shows she doesn't. She still wants to keep that reputation of hers back at home but her inner self, the one that have been with her since birth, thinks otherwise. Sure having a reputation makes people avoid you and it hurts her sometimes but it's like a refuge for her. No one will be too close, to know her too well, that it might get a little dangerous but the barricades around her heart has been melted and for the first time, she loved and lost.

Burying herself within the comfort of the white sheets, a decision has been made. She wanted to erase everything. She was too ignorant and her curiosity got to her and that's why she was in pain right now. It was the wrong thing to do, a mistake that no one should have meddled with. And for a while, Makino Ruki cried.

"I want to forget…"

Concealing a yawn, Takaishi Takeru stared blankly at a piece of paper. He was supposed to do his part of the song composition for the band but apparently, a pig in a tutu was distracting him and kept appearing in his mind. Maybe he has truly lost it or maybe it's just those late night "We Love Pigs" shows finally got in him. Takeru wasn't sure but whichever it is, he doesn't care. All he knew for sure is that if he didn't finish this thing soon, either Yamato or Taichi will have his head. Although he really didn't mind having a cat and mouse chase with them sometime soon, he still wants to make it out of the studio alive later on tomorrow (plus he's going to meet up with Hikari so he needs to looks decent).

Hikari. His childhood friend. Almost every senior digidestined (with the exception of Taichi of course) tried to set them up together, saying how cute and sweet they are together but Hikari often got mad whenever they did that so the teasing stopped. He, of course, didn't mind it at all since he did have a teeny weenie crush on her when they were kids but he was sure that it disappeared now (or that's what he kept saying to himself). He didn't know why but being near the Chosen of Light made him… happy and that's why he made a vow to himself to protect her, even if she doesn't want to. Maybe that's why they were always linked together. Him, being there as her protector and her, being his angel.

And seeing that the girl now is preoccupying his mind, Takeru is positive that he would never finish or even start on what he was supposed to do tonight. But hey, at least Hikari is a lot cuter and less… "disturbing" than pigs in tutus (although he did have a soft spot for pigs).

"Don't worry, we'll be fine… yes… of course!… no…. Ok, I promise to make Takeru eat tomatoes… yeah, love you too Mom. Bye!" and the conversation between mother and son has ended.

The lead singer/ guitar Ishida Yamato sighed while rubbing his throbbing head. He made an interesting fact that this was clearly not his day. First, he tripped on his brother's shoes, which were just scattered by the door. Second, he failed the latest exam from his Home Economics class (hey, how was he supposed to know where to place a thread on a sewing machine) and to top it all off, his mom called, saying that he should make Takeru eat that blasted vegetable (or is it a fruit? He could care less). Apparently, tomatoes and Takeru just doesn't agree. Takeru eating those things are like Daisuke and Miyako not fighting for one darn whole day! In short, it was impossible, no matter how much he hoped it wouldn't be. At times like these that he would say his newest and most favored line:

"This is preposterous!"

Deciding not to think of the matter anymore, Yamato stared at his guitar. He doesn't know why but the 19 year-old suddenly felt something he hasn't felt for a long time. Yearning. He has a need for someone right now, but he just didn't know who that someone is and what he needs from that person. Closing his eyes, Yamato suddenly remembered why this feeling was so familiar. He felt this when she went away. Could it be possible that she came back, after all these years?

"Ridiculous. What a silly idea for you to think of Yamato." But there was a nagging feeling somewhere inside of him. Maybe, just maybe, his wish did come true. After all those nights he prayed that the girl he loved will come back, those sleepless nights that he wished he can turn back time and tried to stop her from leaving, telling her he loved her and he couldn't be without his princess. Maybe she really did come back, after all these years…

"But it's too late now." The feeling that was kept hidden for years was gone now. Yamato is sure of it. And he'll be damned if she manages to seduce him once again (not like she seduced him in the first place but you get the picture).

He would not think of this matter ever again. So, he decided to try to focus his full attention on playing his guitar. Keyword: try, for his younger brother, who kept giggling like a schoolgirl who fell hopelessly in love with the cute teacher was distracting him, and of course, by the pink princess who just can't stop popping in his mind once in a while.

Prior to that, Ichijouji Ken and Motomiya Daisuke came back to their apartment late for they played soccer 12 hours straight. Right now, they were debating about something that is totally nonsense that you would find it very surprising that the Ichijouji Ken is actually participating in this kind of argument.

"I swear Ken, the egg came first!"

"No Daisuke, the chicken came first."

"If the chicken came first then where did it come from?"

"Same thing. If the egg came first, where did it come from?"

"Er… the chicken?"

"Exactly."

"But still! It's still impossible that the chicken came first since the chicken comes from the egg!"

"Come on Daisuke, think about it. If the egg came first then it would probably be squashed or have been eaten before it hatched!"

"Well, maybe the egg was hidden really good! And besides, if the chicken came first then shouldn't it have been eaten by a dinosaur or something?"

"There weren't chickens at that time Daisuke. And even if there were, they're just relatives that are probably as big as Greymon."

"… the egg still came first!"

The prodigy stared at his best friend for a long, long time. He knows that no matter what he says, Daisuke will just stick with his belief (well, at least he believed that there were no chickens in the time of the dinosaurs… and that's a start). Giving off a sigh of fatigue, Ken waved his hand dismissively and let his friend win this time. After all, he didn't really know which came first and he just decided to disagree with Daisuke just for the heck of it (plus, he wanted his friend to win at least once against him).

"All right! So, what do you want to eat? We have… ramen, ramen, and more ramen! Plus that pizza you just insisted on buying. I mean, ramen can be eaten any day, anytime! Furthermore—"

"Fine! I get it already! We'll have ramen again tonight." And while Daisuke walked victoriously to the kitchen, his partner was on his way to his room when he noticed that the new message light of their answering machine is blinking. Thinking it was an important matter, Ken immediately pressed the "play" button and the younger Yagami's voice filled the hall (which caught Daisuke's undivided attention).

"Hey Daisuke-san and Ken-san! It's Hikari. I'm guessing that you two are out again and playing huh? I swear, once way or another, the two of you will get sick if you guys keep torturing yourself like that! Oh right, it's not torture for you two, it fun. And you two don't even eat proper meals! All you eat are ramen, ramen and oh, more ramen! Just don't say I didn't warn you guys if any of you got sick. Well, anyway… my brother and me arranged all the digidestineds to meet at our place tomorrow for dinner. Someone—no, actually there's two—old friends that decided to come and visit us! Hope you could come! Oh and, one of them is a good cook so there will be good food for all of us. Well, hope to see you two there!"

The two soccer players blinked while Ken played the other message.

"Oops, sorry about that. I got cut off. Anyway, Daisuke-san! When you two come tomorrow, can you bring back my camera and the money you owe me? It's been 8 months……… and yeah. Well, that's it! I still need to call the rest to see you two!"

"Well" Ken looked at Daisuke who was sheepishly rubbing the back of his head. There were a few minutes of silence after the hyperactive girl ended her message and that's when the prodigy stared at their leader with the I-can't-believe-you-owe-Hikari-money look. "I guess we won't be eating ramen tomorrow huh?" And Daisuke laughed, Ken shook his head, and the ramen was forgotten.

"I can't believe it! Mimi's back!"

Takenouchi Sora smiled at her overenthusiastic friend. Inoue Miyako insisted on staying at Sora's for the night when they received the message from their old friend. While Miyako was jumping with joy, her companion was the opposite. It's not like she's angry that Mimi came back, it's just that she's wondering if Mimi will be mad at her. She figured Taichi would've told Mimi about her relationship with Yamato and she always knew that her best friend really liked the blonde but she couldn't help it. She didn't really expect that she too, would fall for the carrier of Friendship. And it's also not her fault that she and Yamato really liked each other's company so… why did she feel guilty?

"Sora? Is something bothering you?" And seeing the eyes of the one older than her, Miyako figured that Sora was worried and… scared. It doesn't take a genius to figure that out. It was the same look that she had when they were about to tell Taichi about her and Yamato 2 years ago.

"Miyako… do you think—"

"No." Giving her a reassuring smile, Miyako walked over to Sora and gave her a friendly hug. She couldn't blame Sora for worrying. "You know Mimi isn't like that. maybe she'll get depressed for sometime but she's not that kind of person to be mad or hold a grudge against a friend."

"You're right…"

Odaiba is beautiful. It was almost midnight and yet, the city seems too alive just like New York but here, it's different. Somehow, the city is very… relaxing, no matter how bright it is outside. There wasn't much noise here and she missed this quiet yet lovely place. It has been such a long time since she was gone from this place. So many changes have occurred. This city is like new to her now, not that city where she was born and grew up in. Everything changed and she missed so much.

"So much that I can't even bare it anymore." Mimi buried her face on her knees, remembering what Taichi told her at the airport. It was shocking, really. She never expected that thinks like these would happen. Mimi thought that everything would be fine when she arrived but now, it turned greatly. Why does it have to happen like this? Didn't they know that the reason why she can't love someone else is because her heart is still tied to him? Didn't they know that every time she was alone, she kept thinking about him? Wondering if he's well or if he was thinking about her too? Staring out the city again, Mimi let a tear drop from her face. She didn't want to cry but she can't help it. She just wanted the pain to go away.

As the clock by her bedside struck 12, the girl with amber eyes fell asleep by the window, muttering one word… over and over again in her sleep.

"Why…?"

Next Chapter: Revelations and Meetings

Thank you to those who read the first chapter. Please review.