Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I do not own digimon.

A/N: Whew, this feels kind of good. Relieving. Awesome. Wonderful. Yes, success! I've continued, yet again! I really should stop stopping…? Did that make sense? Well anyways, I can't wait until I get to the chapter after this one because I'm planning on a not-so-unexpected twist. I think it's kind of cliché, but why not take that turn, you know?

Oh yeah, by the way... I did NOT know that you could reply to reviews /)- I think I should, starting this chapter because it's kind of... late to reply to the other ones XD Like... months and years and ages too late. Soo... fanfic-ho!

The irony of it all was that they sat in the same exact places they sat when they had last met at this park on this bench. Mimi smiled solemnly to herself as she and Taiichi sat together, as similar to "old times" as it could have been. Taiichi continued to incessantly observe her; it was as though he felt like he had to make up for all the time he lost away from her.

"You were crying." He said it matter-of-factly, with just the right amount of sympathy, worry, and carelessness. He knew that Mimi would not want to focus on her crying, but he also knew that she would want to hear at least some compassion. Mimi looked up at him, surprised at what he said, and slightly embarrassed because the way he spoke was perfection.

"What?"

"You were crying," he repeated. She looked at him confused and he continued. "It's because your eyes are still red… Not to mention the fact that I'm here." She looked at him with a tinge of respect. Despite the years they had spent apart, he could still read her like a book.

"That's not true," she said. He had been looking up at the sky. It was already dark out and there were a few stars in the sky.

"Oh, really? It's all right, I won't get mad." Taiichi smiled at her, mischievously. She playfully punched him in the shoulder in return.

"Fine, it's all your fault so now you need to make up for it."

"So hitting me isn't enough for you anymore, huh?" He laughed, and so did she. She stopped before he did though, and hesitated before speaking again.

"I missed you so much, you know," she whispered, suddenly finding her dress quite amusing.

"I hoped for as much," Taiichi said turning his attention back to the stars. "I missed you, too."

"I figured as much," Mimi replied, giggling. She glanced sideways at the boy, who was laughing, and smiled to herself again. Mimi was worried when he suddenly stopped laughing, though, and a grim expression appeared on his face.

"So you and Yamato, huh?" She stayed quiet and he continued, "I'm happy for you guys. Yamato's my friend and he's a great guy, and you're my friend…-"

Taiichi grimaced as he said this and Mimi flinched, but he felt a need to continue or else the awkwardness would suffice in the rest of the conversation.

"-and you are a wonderful, beautiful person."

"Thank you" was all Mimi could muster up.

"I hope you're happy with him. Wait, let me rephrase that, 'I know that you are happy with him.'" Mimi nodded in agreement. "But that doesn't mean that we can't be friends again."

Mimi grinned. "Of course not. In fact, seeing as how you still know me after all this time, I think that you have clearly earned the best friend role."

"Awesome. That's how it should be." Both knew the levels of their disappointment when they spoke of being merely friends, but it had to be that way considering Mimi and Yamato's serious relationship. They decided that it was all right to hang around each other and go on outings as friends, so starting the next they at school, they were as inseparable as friends could get. Just friends.

"Hey, wait up, Yamato!" Mimi was running after her boyfriend, happy after the night's events. It was lunch-time, and she and Taiichi had agreed that she should spend it with Yamato. "Where are you going?"

Yamato stopped and looked back at her. "Oh... nowhere. Just felt like walking around. You don't have to come... really." He added the last bit to emphasize how unnecessary it was for her. She surprised him with a smile however.

"But I want to come with you." He melted inside, feeling unable to resist the words of the girl he loved, but knowing that he had to.

"No, it's fine. I actually feel like being alone right now."

"Oh," was all Mimi was able to say, disappointed. "Alright then. I'll talk to you later...?"

"Yeah, sure." Then Yamato silently, and not to mention slowly, walked away. Mimi turned away as well, and walked back to where she came from, somehow running into Taiichi as they both turned a corner.

"Whoa, there. Where are you headed off to?" Taiichi smiled, unaware of the girl's disappointment. She lifted her head, and his smile melted away into a look of worry as he saw tears streaming down her cheeks. "Oh, jeez, are you okay?" He grabbed her shoulders and tried making eye contact, though failing as Mimi continually avoided his gaze. She shook her head in response to his question, and he quickly took her into his arms. There was soon a plethora of kids walking past them, so Taiichi quickly led her to a more secluded area in the grass.

Taiichi sat Mimi down on a clean area, and he sat himself down in front of her. He let her cry to herself for a while, and waited until the tears subsided a bit before attempting to talk to her again.

"What happened?" She shook her head, sobbing silently. He asked again, and received the same response. He took a different approach. "Why not?" She looked up and their eyes met for the first time during this encounter.

"Because you'll think it's your fault... but it's not." Taiichi was shocked at this, and could therefore not be able to pursue the answers he sought from her. After a few seconds of silence, she looked back down, fully cured of her sobs while he was still paralyzed.

"How would you know if I would think that? Do you think it's my fault?" Taiichi spoke quietly. Mimi looked up again, and she was the one paralyzed in shock this time.

"N-no," she stuttered. "It's just that... Yamato." Realization dawned upon the boy; realization of why Mimi thought he would think it was his fault, realization about why she was crying in the first place. But what was Yamato's problem? Was he jealous? Insecure?

"What about Yamato?"

"He's been so secretive lately, and he doesn't want me to be with him. Like, today for instance, he was heading off somewhere, and I wanted to come with him, but he told me he wanted to be alone. And I don't think this is a one time thing. This will probably last a while."

"Don't doubt him. He probably just needs time to adjust to... the changes around here." Taiichi concluded, trying to comfort her as well as himself with the thought. Mimi was right, he did feel slightly guilty for whatever negative things happen with Mimi and Yamato. They were his best friends, after all. He took her into his arms again, for she had once again started crying. "Hopefully," he thought, "hopefully everything turns out okay."

The two, whom were now rocking back and forth as the boy continued to comfort the girl, didn't notice a red-headed girl watching them. They didn't notice the girl who stood up from the bench near the grass, and they didn't notice as she hurried away, tears forming in her eyes.

"Where's Yamato?"