Last Edited: 29.12.o5
Written: o4.1o.o5
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Do You Still Think of Me?
PART TWO – Picking up the fragments
Chapter Two
By Flipstahhz
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Creases of lines appeared on Mimi Tachikawa's forehead as she nauseatingly breathed in and out. She tightly gripped her brush as she stroked her coffee-colored strands of hair. The corset showed off her slim frame, and she was beginning to think whether her appearance mattered considering she had the urge to vomit every five minutes. She felt her body being pulled in front of the mirror. Mimi gazed at her pale face before gazing at her outfit. The dress looked both casual and formal at the same time, being made of a material floral patterned satin. The dress also possessed straps that dug into her shoulders.
" It's beautifu-"
" You're beautiful," Sora smiled brightly. " You look so gorgeous, Meems!"
" Sora…you're the one that made the dress! Thanks, I'd be nothing without you Sorrrr!" she squealed in delight and gave her friend and embrace. " I didn't even know you could design clothing…you hid me from this secret talent all along?"
"Perhaps…" she replied thoughtfully pondering with a finger on her chin in a mocking way towards her the other lady – her best friend. As they both stared in the mirror at their reflections, Sora fastened a small blushing flower into Mimi's wavy mass of hair.
That day Sora was attired in a gypsy long skirt and a scarlet silk formal top that contrasted vibrantly against her auburn shaded hair that was pulled back into a small bun, just for the occasion. Mimi stared into her eyes…even though it may have had been a while since they had had a reunion; she still understood her friend…Sora could hide nothing from her.
" You're scared, aren't you?" Mimi gazed her friend's reflection.
" Scared…?" Sora repeated in ambiguity twirling the remaining strands of hair that had fallen out of the bun with her fingers. " I think I am…"
" Yamato's coming today," Mimi concluded. " Just be normal…act normal. Everything will be fine. I thought everything would be settled back in high school…didn't know you guys would drag it this long."
" I wasn't ready."
" You were scared. Like you are now," Mimi said as if she were stating the obvious, hands on hips.
" Haha…it's your special day…and we're talking about my matters," Sora shook her head. " Don't worry about me…and worry about today!"
" It makes me sick," Mimi laughed as she let out another gasp for air. " I have no clue why people invented corsets."
" It looks good on you."
" I feel like a fried chicken," she giggled. " Why don't you go make your way there, Sora. I'll be coming out soon. Get some refreshments or something, Taichi's probably got it all prepared already…the guests were meant to be there half an hour ago."
" Yeah, I will. I think it's a good time for you to recollect as well. You need time to yourself, anyway," Sora said in agreement. " Take care and see you later, Meems. And don't trip, you might get grass stains on your dress!"
Mimi gave a nod with a small smirk playing on her thin lips. Sora Takenouchi stepped out of the house and decided to walk to the venue that was only a few minutes away from Mimi's home. When she arrived at the park she was caught by surprise of how beautiful the place was set up just for the special event. She had always thought that Tai and Mimi having engagement in a park would be original and down to earth, but she didn't think that it would look this spectacular!
The grass was stained a lush green as different pigments of flowers spread out variously. White plastic sheds were put up with tables, refreshments and food underneath it. She praised the lord that the weather was fine for the event, though she had a light pink nose since it way spring, the hay fever season. From the looks of it, many people were already there socializing, speaking and awaiting for the presence of the two celebrants.
Noticing that she couldn't find or recognize anyone at the party, she sat herself down onto one of the seats available and poured herself lemonade. Mimi had made sure to not make the event an 'non-alcoholic function' considering it was in the afternoon, children were running around the park like crazy and she didn't want any drunks ruining the special day.
Her sepia colored eyes bored onto the pure white bunch of daisies inside the glass vase in the middle of the table. She brought her hand to one of them and fiddled with it between her fingers with a little yawn.
" Excuse me, Ms.?"
She gazed up focusing on the person who had interrupted her weariness. A man with jet-black hair was staring back at her, with his large camera strapped around his neck. A photographer, she thought.
" Yes?" she inquired.
" Would you like to join in the photo? Mrs. Takaishi assumed that you would want to join them," he smiled gesturing to a small cluster of people blissfully chattering on the other side of the shed.
" Of course! Certainly," she grinned in response and followed the man's lead.
" Mrs. Takaishi, she has accepted," he carried the same smile with a little bow.
" Watch it, Mr. Photographer she's already married! TJ might hurt you!" Sora observed a man with brown hair that furiously spiked up, jeer at already wedded couple.
" Hey Sora!" Sora then turned her attention the person who had wanted her to be there.
" Hey yourself, Mrs. Takaishi!" she beamed.
'Mrs. Takaishi's ' hair had grown a bit longer since she had last seen her but she still appeared with the same wistful smile that had stolen Takeru with. She still found it rather amusing when people referred Hikari as Mrs. Takaishi … she still hadn't adjusted to it. It was cute that Tai's sister had married young to one of her closest childhood friends. And that it was earlier than her brother as well. Though, she couldn't catch sight of where her husband was. She hadn't seen Takeru in a while either.
" Now, would you please introduce me to this astonishing woman?" the man with brown hair trumped up a lopsided smile.
" She's too old for you," Hikari sneered, hitting her friend on the arm playfully. " Daisuke, meet Sora Takenouchi. And Sora, meet Daisuke Motomiya."
The pair both exchanged introductions and had the typical 'familiarizing with each other' conversation for a few minutes. His surname Motomiya then struck her…
" You wouldn't be related to Jun, would you?" she queried.
" She's my sister!" he laughed. " How do you know her?"
" We used to be a old friend in High School," she replied. " Some girl that was head over heels for Yamato."
" You were a fan of TJ's big brother too, ey?" he snickered. Before Sora had the chance to deny it he continued, the man did talk quite a lot … " Well, Jun's not interested in Yamato anymore, so that makes him free for any lady. Jun's actually dating this doctor…I think his name is Jyou."
" Jyou?" Hikari jumped into the conversation. " I didn't know that!"
Prior to Hikari jumping in, the photographer gave a cough. The three hadn't realized that he had been there all along and pardoned themselves with apologies. It was a good thing that the photographer was a nice man.
Hikari, Daisuke and Sora took about three snapshots (since Hikari and Sora wanted re-shots because Daisuke was mucking around too much. Daisuke fought back that they were vain cause three pictures were to many. Then Hikari accused back that it would be one picture for each of them. Sora agreed with Hikari. Daisuke decided he would leave since it was two against one, muttering as he left that 'it wasn't fair.')
Sora suddenly noticed another familiar person – Kent (one of Yamato's friends that used to be part of the Teenage Wolves) – she was about to head towards him but then felt as is she was being pulled back. She stared down at tiny hands pulling her skirt and an ecstatic grin smeared onto her facial expression. She swiftly, yet carefully, scooped the two-year-old little boy from the ground and affectionately cradled him in his arms as he began shrieking with excitement.
" Let me go sista Sorahhh!" he gave a high-pitched squeal, laughing bubbly with his big striking azure eyes twinkling.
She ruffled the boys brown hair and set him to safety, back onto the solid grassy ground. " Sure, kiddo!"
" Hi Sora! Guess little Steven's content in seeing you again!" the new person laughed as he rested a hand on Hikari's shoulder.
" Of course, TK," Sora laughed along with Steven's father. " I'm the one that ends up babysitting when you two want to go off on dates."
" Let's go to da pwaygrund now!" the tyke was now pulling her away from the group.
" Is it okay?" she asked Hikari.
" Yeah, just keep an eye on him…he's always jumpy especially when he sees a set of swings," the boy's mother advised.
" Come on then!" Sora giggled. " Let's go then Stevie!"
The woman and child walked together hand-in-hand.
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As usual, he was coming late…
He could picture the annoyance in Taichi's face at that moment and could also hear him saying, " My best friend is late for my own Engagement Party."
Yamato chuckled to himself.
He had to finish writing up his music classes' reports that were due that Monday. He thought it would be a better idea to get it out of the way so he'd have a better time at the party, instead of worrying and dwelling over his student's reports. Being a teacher wasn't as easy as he had anticipated. When he had first chosen the career and started teaching he realized there were consequences in his choice. He eventually got over it considering he was happy teaching the subject that he adored.
He parked the car, got out and began to make his way to where he could hear the noise coming from in the park. He walked past the thick strips of green and couldn't help but smile when he saw the playground that Mimi, Tai and Sora would hangout when they were much younger.
Tai couldn't kill him if he would just make a stop for five minutes…
Yamato packed his hesitation aside and approached the playground. In an instant he recognized the female figure flying up and down the swings. He didn't want to bump into her this early in the party. He wasn't ready. But hell knew when he'd ever be…
He frowned at how cowardly he had become and stepped closer. The floral grassy scenery matched well, and he was glad that the grey clouds had cleared out and had let the sun's rays shine down upon them. Her oblivious daydreaming facial expression still remained the same, but a simper was painted on her lips. The way she looked it appeared as if she had matured quite a lot. She looked more beautiful.
It was like he had fallen for her all over again…
Memories flooded back into his mind in a tremendous speed. Life looked much more magnificent than it had been before. He knew that she'd be there…and he wasn't intending to let her go again. Even though he wasn't sure if she were married or had a steady boyfriend…there was no way in hell that he was going to put himself in more strife than he already had. He promised Grace. He promised himself.
But something stopped him…
A little child laid there, rocking in her tender arms. He gargled with laughter, as the pair would feel the waft of wind hitting against them as they swung up and down the swings. He could just make out that the toddler. The kid had a mass of brown hair and…blue eyes…just like him. He felt like chocking. He closed his own eyes.
If what he had assumed years back really happened…then this was? No…it couldn't be. The boy wouldn't have brown hair then…then who else could it be? Did Sora get married and have a child to some other man? That was impossible, Tai or Mimi would have at least mentioned something about it…this was beyond the absurd…
" Y-Yamato?"
He opened his eyes again, knowing that he wasn't in a dream. Sora was really there, as well as the child.
He supplied a fake grin and walked towards her. " Hello Sora, how have you been?"
" I thought you were Takeru at first!" she said.
Takeru?
He watched Sora pull the boy to sit comfortably on her lap as they both faced towards him now, " Stevie honey, meet Yamato he's your –"
" Father…" he ended for her.
Sora stared at him in shock. " Yamato, what are you talking about?"
" You didn't tell me, Sora! Why didn't you tell me that….what…eh…we did at the Graduation Party!" he said rather flustered. " Why did you raise him up yourself…this is…"
" Matt," she said firmly. " Calm down."
" How can I calm down? He's my son, and I – I didn't even know it!" he said with hurt and panic. So his suspicions were correct. The boy 'Stevie' was really his son…
" You're not my daddy!" The boy grumbled angrily.
" But –"
" Yamato, listen," she hissed impatiently at his abruptness, waving her palms in the air to silence him. Matt hadn't heard her say his name this many times in the past two minutes he was there. He would have felt privileged if it were in a better time… " Stop jumping to conclusions! Whatever happened back at the Graduation Party…nothing happened! You just got pissed –"
The little boy said an 'umma'. But Sora continued…
" You got drunk and sick. I looked after you and took off your shirt because you were heating up pretty badly. I slept beside you because I was worn out, that night. End of story," she explained. She then tilted her head back, as if she was going to become sick.
" Sora? S-Sora are you okay?"
He scowled when he watched the woman clamp up in laughter. Steven happily laughed along, not quite understanding the situation and why she was laughing. " Sora, darn it! It's not funny. I thought …"
It was as if the ice was finally broken. Even though the pair had maintained a steady relationship back in high school, it felt as if just meeting on that day was much stronger than it ever had been.
" So…who's this kid?" Yamato asked. " Yours?"
" Matt, you're the one of the biggest idiots."
" Thanks for the compliment."
" I can't believe you don't even acknowledge that this is TK and Kari's son," she muffled out. " Your nephew!"
" I…guess I never met him," Yamato stroked the kid's back gently. Steven had already vanished into the world of dreams and was snoozing comfortably on Sora's lap. " Didn't know I was away this long…"
Sora stared up at him, recollecting Matt's features when she realized how close he was to her. She could just sense the feint smell of cologne and couldn't help but grin when she noticed that he was wearing a formal suit. Something she hadn't seen him attired in before… He appeared different too. His hair was cut shorter and was gelled down (not untamable as it had been before) and he carried himself more confidently with a straight back. He had transformed into a man for the past four years she hadn't seen him…
" … didn't we?"
" Pardon?" she whispered, feeling her throat tense up. " Sort of drifted away."
" Like you always do," he said. " Don't you remember…this was the place…back in grade 6 where you told me you wanted to be…"
" I remember," she said softly. " How could I forget?"
" Must be fate."
" I don't believe in fate," she objected, dismissing the idea.
" Yet you daydream…you're still the same."
" And so are you," she replied as she began to swing higher. He took the swing next to her and sat there together, reminiscing.
" Don't you feel old now?" he croaked as he stared at the ground and began pushing himself that he was in the same level as swings as Sora.
She stayed silent for a bit before she responded, " We're in between. Both innocent and growing to become more mature. We're not that old…you know? But humans are never accomplished. They learn new things every day."
" Yeah, I guess…" his eyes lifted his eyes and glanced at her. She stared at him questioningly when he chuckled. " I haven't spoken to you for a long time…it's different. You're not as modest and shy, but more confident in yourself. You used to shy off –"
" What are you implying?" she arched an eyebrow in threat.
" I'm implying that…" he said with twinges of both amusement and seriousness to his tone, " that you're a woman now…"
"In a good way? Or in the way…you were a tomboy and now I see you wearing a skirt?" she laughed. He chuckled again, her laugh made him.
" I'll let you decide on that," he spoke up then jumped off the swing and offered a hand to her. " I think we should get back in now, we've been here long enough and I haven't met Mr. Kamiya and his fiancé."
She nodded in agreement, accepting his hand as she rested one of her arms around Steven's sleeping body.
" Here, let me," he provided both his arms and she handed the child to him. With ease he placed the boy over his shoulder and made a wince when he realized that he was bound to have drool on his brand new ironed suit.
When the three arrived back to the plastic white sheds, Steven had already woken up and demanded to be put down by a 'stranger' and hyperactively ran off to his parents.
" Stevie likes me better than his uncle," Sora pointed out.
Yamato chuckled pleasantly.
As the pair stepped into the sheds, they were both greeted with the lush smells of delicious foods and spices and the jazzy music filtering from the live band.
" The music's great," Yamato commented as he felt someone nudge him in the ribs.
" Not that good. I mean, seriously Yama," the man spoke sarcastically. " We were it, back then- - those were the days. Our band kicked ass, we were wayyy better than that band performing!"
" Hey Kent!" he greeted.
" You know, it would have been better if you visited once in a while, bro," Kent responded, folding his arms together trying to look like he was sulking. " I'd better leave you lovebirds alone…farewell…catch up with you later!"
Sora blushed. Matt sniggered. As they stared at the small dance floor they saw that Mimi and Taichi were already at it, dancing closely together as they stared directly at each other in the eyes. Both their best friend's must have had arrived when Stevie and they were at the playground.
" They're so in love," it was Sora's turn to comment. " Finally…they're getting married."
" Yeah," Matt grinned proudly. He hadn't felt this happy since Hikari and TK announced that they were getting married and that Tai would become his brother-in-law. He was also ecstatic because he was standing right beside Sora...
At last
my love has come along
my lonely days over
and life is like a song
Ooh At last
the skies above are blue
well my heart was wrapped up in clover
the night I looked at you
I found a dream
that I could speak to
a dream that I could call my own
I found a thrill
to press my cheek to
a thrill that I have never known
" The song's beautiful," she whispered, eyeing Mimi and Tai dance. She couldn't restrain the smile forming on her face.
" It's called At Last by Etta James," Matt uttered knowingly. " One of the best classical love songs."
" It's great," she complimented again, raising her neck upwards to regard him. " What do you think?"
You smile
you smile
oh and then the spell was cast
and here we are in heaven
for you are mine at last
I found a dream
that I could speak to
a dream that I
could call my own
I found a thrill
to press my cheek to
a thrill that I have never known
" I think…that we should join our best friends and dance alongside with them," he said forming the plot in his mind. " What do you say?"
" Certainly," She said, trying to hide the thrill and adrenaline of emotions.
" For Mimi and Tai?"
" For Mimi and Tai," she stated the reply.
She linked her arm into his and dragged him onto the overflowing dance floor. He placed his arm around her waist, as she cupped her left hand on his right shoulder. Yamato brought his head down and lightly jibed into her ear. "And…for us."
You smile
you smile
oh and then the spell was cast
and here we are in heaven
for you are mine at last
ooo yea
you are mine
you are mine
at last
at last
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Song Used: (As Yamato mentioned) The song used is 'At Last' by Etta James. It's a classical that I do NOT own. It's one of my favourite classics…relaxing, calming and as described before… 'beautiful.'