Unsuspected

By

Marie Darkholme

Chapter Four – Ambushed

"So, I give this reunion for ended." Taichi suppressed a yawn. Finally the reunion was over. He wouldn't be able to take for much longer. One of the reasons he loved his job was because he had the opportunity of travelling through the world. That would bring some troubles to other things like a private life, but he had learned how to deal with it and especially now he loved going on business' trips. That is, until the actual part of the work begun. He just hated those boring first reunions were nothing was decided and people would just talk about nonsense for an endlessly time.

He stretched his arms as he left the building and the yawn he had suppressed earlier uncounted times was able to come out. The sky was amazingly clear for the beginning of the winter and he stared at it for a while. The sky was…so beautiful, so…amazing and quiet. Especially during the sunset when… He quickly obliged himself away from those thoughts. Flickering the case on his hands, he started his way back to the hotel.

After a deserved lunch and bath, he put on his sunglasses and his jeans and exited the room, prepared to take a long walk through New York. It had been a while since the last time he had been there. Some things had changed, but mostly, New York was the same. It would never change that much.

He entered a familiar cafeteria, one that he had found seven years ago, the last time he had been there. It was still in the same place and nothing had changed. As soon as he arrived, he recognized the same man who had served him at the counter. Sitting at a table, he asked for a coffee.

The cafeteria was strangely comfortable. Maybe it was the soft mix of pastel colours that abounded, along with the paintings. It was very clean and bright and like he had just thought, a good place for studying, judging by the auburn haired girl sitting at a table, books sprawled across it.

The bartender served her a hot chocolate and Taichi heard her thanking him before going back to her books. He tried to look more closely at what she was doing. It seemed to him that she had some draws and tissues over the table, but before he could thing whatever, the bartender approached him. He looked over to the list of things and simply decided for a coffee, turning back his attention to the girl. Unfortunately, the only thing he saw of her, was her hair disappearing and the cafeteria's door closing.

Sighing, he turned back to his coffee. It was the second time he saw that girl, since he was sure it was the same girl from the airport. Her hair was unmistakable. And it was the second time he wondered if that wasn't Sora he was seeing there. But now, it was too much of a coincidence. The girl was probably on business like him and had stayed in an hotel near the cafeteria like him, being that the only reason why he had met with her again.

He left a coin over the table and exited the cafeteria. The wind was slightly cold, he noticed. A shiver crossed his body making him shake. He had just turned the corner when he heard his name being called. The first time he ignored it, thinking he had just misheard. But when the voice seemed to approach and called clearly his name again, he turned.

"Long time, no see." A familiar face met his. Her bright pink streaked hair flowing around her, two bags on each hand. Mimi immediately put down the bags and involved him in a warm embrace. "How have you been Yagami, Taichi?" she asked as she let go of him. But Taichi was still too surprised to see how different she looked to say anything at all. "You are Yagami, Taichi?" Mimi took a step back, embarrassment starting to show on her face. "Oh my, don't tell me, you're not…"

"No, no, it's me Mimi. I'm just…" Taichi interrupted. "…surprised to see you." He smiled. The girl smiled back.

"Not as much as I am. After all, you do know I live here. You, on the other hand…what are you doing here?" she interrupted herself. He smiled.

"I'm here on a business trip." He replied with a sheepishly smile crossing his lips. There was a question bothering him, but he didn't have the courage to ask Mimi the answer.

"Hmm, a business trip…I see." The pink streaked girl mumbled. Then her face light up suddenly. "I know. How about you come and have dinner with us tonight?" she quickly asked, taking him by his arm. "I'm sure Sora will be happy to see you." She continued, dragging him into a store.

Taichi smiled. His answer had been given and he didn't even have had the need to ask.

"So, what do you say?" Mimi asked putting a dress in front of her. Taichi laughed.

"You haven't changed bit, have you?" he commented. "It suits you well."

"Not the dress, moron." She giggled. "The dinner. But of course it suits me well. I am, after all, an expert in fashion."

The question floated in his mind for a while. Dinner would be nice, but after six years and all that had happen, he wasn't sure of how he would feel to be around Sora again. Like she had said that night: everything had changed.

"Sure." He smiled, putting his hands n his pockets.

"Great." Mimi sung happily as she paid the dress, adding another bag to her four bag collection. "I'll ask Sora to go and pick you up. By the way, where are you staying?" they had now exited the store and Mimi was making sure she hadn't forgot anything.

"At the Melià New York Hotel." He quickly answered. The girl nodded, searching through her purse for something.

"Okay, then I'll…oh, shit, I forgot my cell." She cursed. Giving Taichi a sheepish smile, she closed her purse quickly. "I'll have Sora to get you, but give me your cell number just in case I change something. But you have to write it down since I forgot my cell." She excused herself.

"Let's do it this way. You give me your number and I'll send you a message with mine." Taichi quickly solved the problem. Nowadays he didn't carry pens or notebooks. He had a small electronic agenda where he noted everything he needed. Mimi said him her number and marked the meeting hour, after which they said goodbye to each other.

While Taichi went back to his hotel, Mimi continued her shopping for another hour. She was planning the night minutely. Nothing could be left behind. The menu had already been decided and she had bought everything she needed. The only thing left to do was preparing dinner and telling Sora about her guest. She arrived home, two hours before the time she had agreed Sora to meet Taichi. The auburn haired was already at home. She was helping Ai with her homework, when Mimi opened the door.

"Hello!" she greeted happily. "I'm home."

"I'm doing my homework, Aunt Mimi." The little girl called from her room. "I've learned the L today. Now I know how to write Lily." She heard Sora calming her down.

"C'mon, do your homework. Mommy needs to talk with Aunt Mimi, so I'll check them when you're finished." Sora caressed her daughter's hair.

"Can I go and watch anime after it, mommy?" Ai asked. Sora nodded and kissed her forehead.

When Sora entered the room, Mimi was finishing unpacking her new dresses, shirts, skirts and scarves, among other accessories and clothes. The auburn haired sat on the small couch on the bed's bottom and waited patiently for Mimi to finish unpacking, but before she could say whatever, Mimi started.

"We have a guest tonight." She informed. Sora eyed her curious.

"A guest! Who?" she asked interested. Mimi smirked.

"I bet you can't guess." Mimi mocked. The auburn haired smacked her on the shoulder when she sat by her side on the couch.

"C'mon, tell me. Who's coming?" she asked. Mimi shook her head. There was silence between them while the auburn haired stared at her friend, trying to make her spill the beans. However, Mimi was determined to make it a secret. They were interrupted by the sound of Mimi's cell phone beeping. "You have a message." Sora replied as she stood. "If you don't want to tell me it's okay. What about dinner?"

"I'll make it. You just try to look beautiful." Mimi shouted to the kitchen as she noted Taichi's cell phone number in her own phone. She grinned happily. There was just one thing missing. She stood up and walked into the kitchen where Sora was eating an apple. "You'll have to pick up my guest, since I'm doing dinner and all." she informed her auburn friend as she turned her back to put some shops over the counter. Sora snarled.

"I hope you aren't trying finding me a date again." Sora walked to her side. Mimi smirked as she walked to the fridge and stuffed a lettuce into the fridge, avoiding her on purpose. Sora sighed. "So, what time to I have to go pick this mystery guest up?"

Mimi looked at her watch. "In about two hours." She quickly informed. "Now, go get ready and leave dinner with Mimi." and with that final statement, Mimi pushed Sora off the kitchen and closed the door behind her, exhibiting a huge smirk.

"Hey!" Sora complained when she felt the door being shut after her. "What should I wear? Casual or formal?" she continued slightly annoyed. On the other side of the door, Mimi put on a thoughtful look.

"Casual but formal." She replied and returned to her preparations.

Sora left pacing rather furious with her matchmaker friend. She was sure this was going to be one of those annoying dinners where Mimi would present her another annoying man. Dating was definitely not in her priorities. She had more important things to worry about. No one would ever equal… she shook the name away from her mind, remembering that hair from the airport. She sighed as she reached Ai's room. The little girl was now occupied playing with the new doll her mother had brought her from Paris.

"Have you finished your homework, pumpkin?" she asked as she nested near the playing child. Ai nodded pointing to the notebook over the large desk. Sora picked the notebook and verified happily that all the exercises were correct. She turned her eyes to the girl again. She had his hair, no doubt about there; that messy mass of brown hair that so much characterized Taichi when he was younger. Of course, over the years he had managed to tame it better. Still, it continued to be messy and yet fluffy.

Walking to her room, she closed the door and curled into a little person ball on the bed. Closing her eyes, she could almost feel his arms around her, hushing her. Of course she had been with other men after him. Still, nothing seemed to be able to make her forget that night. Nothing could make her forget the taste of his lips and his perfume over her…

She shook her head and stood. "Let's get ready to pick up the guest." She mumbled in the darkness of the room, and even though it was still much time to go, she started getting dress.

The woman in the attendance counter was annoying him to say the least. It had been clearly more than fifteen minutes and still she couldn't attend him.

"Excuse me, but I have to get ready for a dinner and I would like to have my card." He complained again. The girl with big brown eyes and long blond hair launched him a distressed look. She was clearly new in the serving the customer thing.

"I'm…very…very sorry sir, but I can't seem to find…your card. Are you sure you left it here?" she asked, her voice shaking nervously. Taichi sighed.

"Look, try to relax. Yes I'm sure I…"

"Hey, you girl, you gave me the wrong card…" an angry customer pushed Taichi and almost grabbed the blonde's neck. "There I was trying to get into my room when I see it's the 271 that I have and not the 217. Are you trying to make a stupid out of me, girl?" the man approached dangerously the counter, making the blond step back. "The manager will surely have a note about this in his desk tomorrow. Now give me my card."

The girl quickly searched for the 217 card and fearfully handed it to the angry man that left the other card over the counter with a roar. The girl tried hard not to burst out crying. The brown haired picked his card and smiled to her and trying to calm her down. He eventually managed to take her to the bar and make her drink a cup of tea. When he was done, it was almost time to meet Sora. By just remembering it, it turned out to be slightly difficult to get the card to pass on the door.

He tried to calm himself with a cold shower that shook all the bones he had. Staring at the clothes in his small bag, he chose casual yet slightly formal clothes: a pair of black tissue pants with a loose white chemise and a black overcoat. Looking into the mirror, he couldn't help noticing that if the pants were green and he wasn't wearing the overcoat they would look like his school uniform. He splattered some aftershave over his half made bear. Taking three deep breaths and making sure nothing was missing, he exited the door of his room, left the card with a man substituting the blond girl on the attendance counter and stood outside.

The night was starting to fill with clouds and the moon was nowhere to be seen. He noticed how there were no visible stars in the sky. In Japan he could see the stars. The clouds covered the last clean space he could see in the gaps between the buildings. Now he was sure it was going to rain.

After about ten minutes of waiting, a black car stopped in front of the hotel's door. He disguisedly looked into the car, trying to see the driver. His heart had a sudden shock when he recognized Sora in the driver's seat. Trying to control his pounding heart, he approached the car and…Sora opened the door from inside the car.

"Sorry I'm late. Traffic was horrid and…" she stopped in middle sentence seeing a familiar person entering to the passenger seat. There was silence. A deep, uncomfortable silence as Sora looked completely stunned to Taichi. As for the brown haired, he was more astonished with her look. Her long hair, partially caught in the two sides of the head with two small hairclips; her black shirt, tightened to her always perfect body; her lips, enhance by a soft tone of pink lip gloss and her unforgettable auburn eyes, burning behind a small thread of black eyeliner.

"Hello Sora." He greeted, breaking the uncomfortable silence. She avoided his eyes. Her heart was racing. Was it possible that he was even hotter than what she remembered? That his chocolate eyes could look yet more beautiful and astonishing? Was it possible that he was really there and not just her imagination?

"Hello…Taichi."

Hi people, sorry for the delate, but now it's here, but IO really got to go, or my mom will definately kill me.

Sayonara minna