The Miracle of a Courageous Light

Just One More Week.

The theatre and music students had all auditioned for the performance that was taking place before the winter ball. After the performance students were to take a little time to get ready for the ball. Yamato's band had agreed to provide musical entertainment for the last hour of the ball.

Taichi, Hikari, Takeru and Ken were all theatre students. Whilst the soccer matches were being played the senior theatre students, teachers and stage crew had decided on a full cast and posted it on the bulletin board near the reception crew.

"Hey Taichi, they listed the cast while you were playing." Hikari said as she sat down to dinner.

"Oh yeah? Get any good parts?" He asked, not looking up from his meal.

"Actually, you got one of the lead roles. You'll have to give up a lot of your free time to practise though. I mean, it's a pretty big performace."

"Me? A lead? I was asking about you for one thing. What's the play?" Taichi asked. Even the shock of getting a lead role wouldn't take his attention from his food.

"How could you forget big brother? It's 'A Midsummer Nights Dream'. And I just so happen to have gotten the role of Hernia. You, dear brother, will be playing Demertris-"

"Wait, isn't he like obsessed with Herwhatsherface?"

"Well, yeah, but she goes off with another guy, she's not interested in Demetris."

"That's okay then." Taichi nodded. "Who got the guy you're supposed to be in love with?" Hikari blushed.

"Actually, Takeru is." She smiled. That was when the boy raised his gaze from his food. He looked at Takeru and forced a half-smile.

"Oh." Was all he managed to say.

The next few weeks passed quickly. Taichi and the others were busy with the play, Yamato was tied up with his band, Daisuke and Ken were busy with Soccer as they had both made the Manor team and were going off to play nearby schools. This left Mimi and Koushiro at dinner by themselves before the rest of the group came to join them at dinner.

"Hey 'Shiro!" Mimi said as she approached from the table. He looked from the book he was scibbling in and smiled. He couldn't help but smile when he saw her. He'd tried over the last few weeks to tell her he liked her but everytime he tried some other guy came along and started flirting with her. He'd decided to give up, even though it was so difficult. He got that small pang of jealousy everytime Mimi was with another guy, and he couldn't do anything about it.

"I've been thinking…" She started. Koushiro put his pen down and looked back up at her, into her eyes. She had beautiful eyes, the were hazel with the finest touch of red around the edges. They matched her hair perfectly. "…me."

"Sorry Mimi, I didn't quite catch that." Koushiro said shaking himself out of his day dream. He looked up at her. 'Now is the time.' He thought to himself.

"Oh." She said. She looked down at her plate full of food. She seemed disapointed.

"Mimi, I've been wanting to tell you something for a while now." Koushiro said, looking away. 'No. Eye contact, that's the key. Eye contact.' He looked back at her and blushed. Her eyes were focused on him. "I was wondering, maybe, if you'd like to, I know its not for a while but-"

"It's not like you to not know what you're saying." Mimi smiled.

"Heh, well, would you like to go to the winter ball with me?" He asked, looking straight at her. At first, Mimi was shocked, but she smiled.

"That is what I just asked you, silly." She giggled. Koushiro blushed.

"I apologise."

"I will." Koushiro smiled. He looked at the girl next to him smiling back with every feature. She was beautiful and he was falling in love.

Hikari was sitting on the steps of the stage. She had a notebook in one hand and her script in the other. The rest of the cast had left for dinner but she felt at peace just sitting there thinking. Quietly, footsteps approached her from behind. Takeru sat down beside her.

"How're you coping? Hard work isn't it?" He said putting his own script next to him.

"I guess, but I'm enjoying it." Hikari turned her head to the boy sitting next to her. He smiled.

"Me too." They sat together in silence for a few moments before Takeru wrapped his arm around her waist. She rested her head against his shoulder. "I was wondering if you had someone to accompany you to the ball?"

"Accompany me? Since when were you all posh?" She asked, tilting her head to look into his eyes.

"Since that sounded like a good thing to ask." She giggled.

"I haven't, how about you?"

"Oh yeah, the girls are just lining up after me! Look, there's some of my dates now!" Takeru pointed to a group of the stage crew girls who were arguing with the director. Hikari poked her tongue out. "I lied." He said simply.

"I know."

"Well, would you like to go with me?" Takeru asked, looking down at the girl laying on his shoulder.

"Well, that depends."

"On what? I'm I really that bad?" He asked, holding his hands up. Hikari stood up and started walking down the steps. On the last one she turned.

"You'll have to ask my brother." She walked away, out of the theatre. Takeru's gaze followed her out of the door and he sighed.

"Look's like I'm going to have to speak to Taichi." He sighed again, picked up his script, and made his own way out of the theatre.

Before long the group were sat around the dinner table together, something they hadn't done in a while. The next trip to the city was in less than a week and the girls were excited about having the chance to go and buy a brand new dress.

"I'm sure you could help Yamato here find a lovely dress." Taichi laughed. The blonde frowned.

"At least, with my hair, I'd look good wearing a dress." Yamato leaned back in his chair and folded his hands behind his neck. "In fact, I think I'd like to see the day that you ever look better than me in casual clothes." The others looked at Taichi and laughed.

"Oh come on, it's true Taichi. He does dress better than you." Smiled Daisuke. Taichi pouted.

"That's not fair. He spends hours getting ready 'casually' as he says." Yamato smirked.

"Hey, I can't help it if I take pride in how I look!"

"It's not pride Ishida, it's called being V A I N."

"Wow, Yagami. That's a big word for you, and you spelt it. Well done." Yamato smirked. Taichi glared at him. The others laughed again.

"Well, Ishida, as this is never going to be put to the test I suggest we stop talking about it." Taichi said, eating the last of his meal.

"How do you know it wont be put to the test?" Yamato asked, leaning folding. Taichi looked at him, stood and rested the palms of his hands on the table.

"What are you suggesting?"

"That you go to the Ball with me." Yamato said, but it wasn't really what he meant to say, he blushed and quickly got up to leave. Taichi sat back down smiling. 'So, what does this mean' He thought to himself.

He waited for the others to finish their meals and walked back to the living quarters with them. He figured this way would give Yamato a little time to think about what he'd said at dinner. Of course, Taichi didn't want him to change his mind.

He walked into his room and sat down on his bed. Yamato wasn't there yet. 'He's probably with his band or something.' He went into the bathroom and started running himself a shower before changing his mind and running a bath instead. Sometimes, he found baths much more relaxing than showers.

Just as he was drying himself he heard a key turn in the door and Yamato walked in. Taichi tied the towel around his waist they didn't speak as they walked past each other. Taichi went back to his bed and started reading a few lines from his script. He'd been good at learning his lines, which surprised him as he usually had a really bad memory. This time he was aiming to impress a certain blonde. He had worked out that if Yamato was able to impress Taichi as much as he did with his dancing then Taichi wanted to do the same and impress Yamato with his acting.

Yamato came out of the bathroom and sat on his own bed. Taichi looked up from his script, the boy was looking at him.

"You know at dinner-" Taichi began but Yamato cut him off.

"Yes, I actually asked you, but neither of us have to wear a dress." He blushed and brought his legs up on the bed. He gently took his guitar case off the bed and put it down on the floor. Taichi stared at him for a few seconds.

"I was looking forward to seeing you in a dress." Taichi pouted. Yamato laughed and got into his bed.

"Good night Taichi." He turned off his lamp, signalling he would ignore anymore comments the brunette wanted to make. Taichi laughed to himself and went back to his lines.

The day that the group were going to be back in the city approached quickly. There were two weeks left of the term before the winter ball and the excitement was evident inside the Manor. The new students had something they probably hadn't done before and the older students had a chance to get out of lessons and do something they enjoyed. Most lead theatre students had been excused from some of their lessons. They were told they still needed to catch up on the work, however, which none of them seemed to have a problem with.

Everyone was ready and waiting to go. At 11 am eight double decker coaches pulled into the Manor's drive. This particular trip was spread over three days. Anyone who wanted to go into the city could to buy whatever they needed, but students were only allowed into the city once, for four hours.

Hikari and Mimi were stood with the girls they had met during the time at the Manor. Taichi had met them a few times but never really bothered to have any conversation with them, which wasn't usually like him. He'd been so busy with trying to maintain a C average in his class work and learn his lines. He still managed to eat as much as possible during meal times, however.

The boys had decided that four hours was plenty of time to shop for there tuxedo's and eat a decent lunch. All except Yamato. He was sat next to Taichi, who could tell something was bugging him.

"You know, when you share a room with someone you get to learn all there little habits." He said turning to the blonde next to him. Yamato was staring out of the window. "You've either not slept at all last night, or you've got so much caffeine in your system you're about to go crazy." Yamato nodded and started looking at his hands, turning them over and over and staring. His eyes were wide. "Why are you so nervous?" Yamato said nothing but stopped switching his hands over. He took a few deep breaths.

The coach pulled to a stop and Yamato found he had to get off the coach and go. He had three outfits to buy. One for the play, one for his bands gig and another for the winter ball. He almost ran off the coach. He turned just as Taichi and the others got off.

"Four hours? Back here?" Taichi nodded as Yamato walked as quickly as he could into the city centre.

"That boy will never cease to amaze me." Taichi said shaking his head. "Well, lets go!" He led the boys into shop after shop before everyone had bought the outfits they wanted. Even though almost everyone had bought something from a different store, the outfits all looked the same apart from a few colour changes. They were eating lunch two hours after they'd entered the city. The girls joined them half hour later, surprising themselves that they had brought everything they needed for the winter ball. Yamato, however, was still shopping in the city. He stuck to his word and met them on the coach home, several shopping bags in hand.

Taichi said nothing until he and Yamato were alone that night in their room. He took a deep breath and looked over at the boy who was neatly folding his clothes and putting them away. Taichi hadn't even caught a glimpse of Yamato's clothes for the winter ball. He sighed.

"Can I ask you something?" He asked as Yamato put away his last shirt.

"Sure." He replied, picking up the bags and putting them into a bigger bag under his bed.

"Firstly." Taichi began "Why in the world do you keep your shopping bags?" He asked with his eyebrows raised.

"Well, I don't really remember my mother much, but that's what she used to do all the time. I guess it's a habit." he shrugged. Taichi nodded.

"I see. Are you gay?" Yamato paused and turned to look at Taichi. He hung his head and sat down.

"Excuse me?"

"Are you gay?" Taichi asked again simply.

"I heard you!" Yamato snapped. "Ah, sorry. I shouldn't have snapped-"

"It's okay. I got my answer."

"You did?"

"Yep." Taichi nodded, picking up his post from his desk and opened it. A letter from Sora and a package from Miyako containing all his favourite magazines that he wasn't able to get out at the Manor.

"Well?" Yamato asked looking up at the boy.

"You are."

"I am?"

"Yep." Taichi nodded then laughed.

"I am." Yamato looked down at his hands, blushing.

"Yes, you are, and so am I. Now hush, I'm trying to read."

AN: Yep, a little longer than the last two chapters. I was going to add in the winter ball here, but I thought this was a good ending point. Review please! I'd like to get up to twenty before I update the next chapter! Thankyou!