Part Three

Chapter 8

Disclaimer: I do not own digimon.

A/N: Yikes, last part of the whole 3-part story. I'm so proud! I might actually finish this one. LOL. It was about time I broke that never-finish-a-thing streak. Well... Yay for me, the ending of chapter 7 put me into a writer's block. It seemed like a really good turn-of-events for the final part, but... I lost my inspiration. LOL. Well, anyways... Onward!

Sora Takenouchi was in the same grade as both Yamato and Taiichi. She was Mimi's best friend and had been there, practically watching everything that happened, from the break-up to Taiichi's return. She had been there through everything, but what surprised her the most was how Mimi started going out with Yamato after Taiichi had left. And why was this you ask? Well, Sora liked Yamato. Mimi's such a bad friend, you might think, but Sora really brought this upon herself. She had never told Mimi that she liked Yamato; she had kept it to herself despite their close friendship, and now that Mimi and Yamato were going out, she regretted not telling her because she knew that if Mimi knew, she wouldn't have done anything to hurt her best friend.

But now Taiichi had come back into the picture, and though this might have seemed like a good opportunity for Sora to "get the guy", she didn't want Yamato to get hurt.

And now to get back to the story...

Sora had just seen Taiichi and Mimi together; she was crying and he was comforting her. But where was Yamato?

"How could she?" the red-headed girl thought as she ran, eyes burning from holding back the tears. "How could she hurt Yamato like this? Just because Taiichi comes back... It seems as though all her feelings for Yamato were fake! He doesn't deserve that..."

Suddenly, Sora caught a glimpse of the blonde-haired boy, walking around the corner of another one of the school's buildings. She quickly followed and she just as quickly halted to a stop once she turned the corner as well. Yamato was leaning against the building, eyes turned upward, looking at the sky. He sighed, not knowing that Sora was right there, but he quickly acknowledged her presence once he caught a glimpse of her through the corner of his eye. Three cheers for peripheral vision. He turned his head toward her and smiled a somber smile.

"Hey, Sora."

Sora couldn't hold it in any longer. Yamato seemed so miserable; everyone just seemed so miserable. And tear after tear escaped concomitantly to Sora's equally distressing sobs. Yamato's eyes widened, manifesting his shock, and he hesitantly took her into his arms, not knowing what to do. He patted her back comfortingly.

"Yamato," she gasped in between sobs. And he continued to hold her and keep her safe until her sobs died down.

"What's wrong?" he said softly, after he was pretty positive that she wouldn't break out into tears again.

"It'll sound stupid," Sora said as she shook her head. They both sat down, side-by-side, backs against the wall of the building.

"No it won't. I promise. What's wrong?"

Sora, who was looking at the ground, slowly lifted her head so her eyes met Yamato's, which were staring at her intently. She quickly looked back down, slightly flustered, before answering. "I was crying for you."

"Don't pity me," Yamato said darkly after a bit of silence. It was his turn to stare at the ground.

"I wasn't pitying you. It was... Well, it was more of disappointment in Mimi for how she's treating you. She hasn't been acting like how she was before... Taiichi..."

"That sure does sound like pity."

"It's not!" Sora pleaded, tears forming in her eyes again. An awkward silence passed before Sora regained her composure, took a deep breath, and started over. "What I mean to say is... Yamato, I like you."

It took a while before Yamato could comprehend this, and again his eyes widened in shock. He turned his averted his attention away from the ground and to Sora. "What?"

"Nevermind," Sora said quietly, avoiding his gaze.

"You... like me?"

She didn't feel comfortable talking anymore, so she simply nodded again.

"Since when?"

She shrugged because she knew that even if she tried, her mouth would betray her and she wouldn't be able to speak. Yamato just sighed. Another awkward silence passed before Sora decided to speak again.

"...I'm sorry," she whispered. Yamato was clearly startled.

"You shouldn't be," he replied, his voice soothing. "In fact, I should be the one who's sorry."

Sora looked up at him, eyes ready to glisten with hidden tears once more.

"I... I can't return your feelings. I don't know if I can. I love Mimi...-"

"-but she loves Taiichi-"

"-and even though she may not care for me as much as I care for her, I still can't help but-"

"-love her."

Sora sniffed, and sighed softly. "Yeah, I guess that pretty much sums up you and me, too, huh?"

They smiled at each other, and cue the inevitable hug here. Sora didn't know whether or not to take it as a pity hug, sympathy hug, or a genuine friend hug, but she embraced it all the same. She had finally revealed to him her true feelings, and he in turn told him how he felt, so there were no loose ends. That is, until...

"Y-Yamato."

And lo-and-behold! Mimi Tachikawa was standing before them, tears streaming down her cheeks. Of all the times during Sora and Yamato's encounter, Mimi chose this particular moment to find them, hugging... But Taiichi was behind her. She turned around, paused as she looked up at him and quickly walked past him, quickening her pace.

"Mi...Mimi!" Yamato and Taiichi yelled out in unison. Taiichi glanced at Yamato, and you could see indifference lingering in his eyes, and he quickly ran after Mimi. Yamato started pacing in the confined area of an invisible box he seemed to be trapped in. After running his hand through his hair a few times out of frustration, he groaned. He took a last look at sorry, eyes pleading for forgiveness and this was why: he ran after Taiichi and Mimi, leaving Sora to cry softly to herself, watching as everyone she thought was close to her left her behind.