Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Digimon seasons or any of its characters. The plotline is based off a Manga titled "Penguin Brothers", which has not been licensed in America. I don't own that either.
Shades of Gray: Chapter 14
"So in the end you got your memory back," Koushiro smiled.
Sora scowled. "Something's still missing." Something about Yamato and Taichi…
"Sora!" Mimi's voice screeched as she slid the door open. "My house. Chocolates. After school, got it?"
The girl sweatdropped. "Uh. . .Okay?"
The pink-haired girl gave a thumbs-up and dashed off. Sora blinked with beady eyes.
"Tomorrow's the Odaiba Chocolate Festival." Koushiro explained. "Usually the girls give chocolates to the guy – or guys – they like. Before, the Whites gave white chocolates to the admired, and the Blacks gave milk or dark chocolates to theirs. I bet tomorrow will be happier than before since they don't have these restrictions." He smiled.
"That's good to hear," the redhead female said. I guess I'll be making chocolates for all my friends!
Who would've known Mimi worked miracles in the kitchen?
Sora stared in awe at her pink-haired friend. Not only could Mimi sing and put on a good outfit, but she was apparently a pro at cooking.
"Mimi, my chocolate looks weird…" Miyako's eye twitched.
Hikari glanced over at her bowl and laughed nervously. "It doesn't look that bad…"
"Compared to yours, yes, it looks quite bad," the lavender-haired girl sighed.
Sora smiled. "It's okay Miyako, cooking takes practice."
"Isn't this your first time?" Miyako asked with an arched brow.
She pursed her lips and nodded meekly, earning a sweatdrop and glare from Miyako. "But it's not that… good looking."
"You must have very high expectations then," Hikari mumbled as she looked at Sora's pan-filled chocolates. They were thin and circular, as if imitating a cookie. Some were milk chocolates, while others were dark chocolates. Each one of them, however, were either swirled or dotted intricately with white chocolate.
"Why are there so many?" Mimi inquired. "You must love this guy loads!"
"They're not just for me…" Sora said. "It's for everyone I cherish," she smiled.
By they time they were done, all the chocolates they had made themselves were wrapped. Sora had placed hers in colorful origami boxes and decorated them with ribbons. Mimi had hers placed in a small white gift bag. Hikari placed her chocolates on a place and wrapped it professionally with cellophane and ribbons. Miyako placed hers in a heart-shaped box.
All of them sighed in relief as their job was completed. Though they had just wanted to purchase chocolates – Mimi insisted on baking them – so that they were "filled with love."
"I should be getting home," Sora said as she glanced at her watch. "It's getting late."
"So I was thinking, we should move to New York City about a month after your school ends," Uncle Yuta said casually over breakfast that next day. Sora was stacking her boxed chocolates in her bag for easy carrying. The girl glanced over to her Uncle who was occupying himself with a newspaper.
"Sure, I guess." The girl's thoughts were jumbled. Was everything going to end so soon, just when she remembered everything? Her dad was so eager to see her, though. . .
Yuta eyed his niece by peering above the edge of the newspaper. She grabbed the handle of the bag and walked to the door. "I won't be home for dinner, Sora, so don't wait for me."
"'Kay," And the door slammed shut.
He sighed, putting the newspaper down. He had come to the conclusion that it was hard being an uncle.
Sora walked through the school grounds, which were now filled with game and concession stands. The balloons had made the educational center more festive. Everything was still in the process of being set up.
"Sora-chan!" someone sang, and who other than Mimi? The happy girl bounced her way over to her redheaded friend. "Looks fun, huh?"
She nodded. "Yeah, I can't wait to see the end result! Oh yeah…" she pulled out a pink origami box from her bag. "Not that you weren't expecting this, but these are for you, Mimi-chan."
The bubbly girl happily took the chocolate. "Thanks, Sora! Want to help me find Koushiro?"
Her skin went pale. "Eh? The chocolates are for Koushiro?"
"Yup!" And before she could say anymore, she found herself being dragged by the wrist.
She does like him! Koushiro, I hope you get it through your head that you two are meant to be!
Minutes later they discovered Koushiro in the computer lab. Big surprise. Mimi shoved Sora in first, nudging her at the side while cocking her head in the direction of her bag.
"Hey Koushiro," Sora said, laughing nervously. She placed a black origami box next to his computer. "These are for you."
Jet black eyes blinked at the treats. "Why, thank you Sora. . ." He sweatdropped as he noticed the bag filled with many more boxes of chocolates. "You know, it's supposed to be for only one person."
"I know, but, there's so many people I care about, I wanted everyone to have one."
"But!" Mimi piped as she held out her white gift bag. "These were made just for you!"
Sora couldn't help but roll her eyes. Mimi had made it seem like Sora's gift wasn't that special at all. The redhead had intended for everyone one of her chocolate receivers to be happy.
"Thanks, Mimi," he smiled with a slight blush on his cheeks.
"What time are we going out for dinner, again?"
"Ehhh?" Sora's eyes widened. "Hold it. Rewind and hit play. Did she just ask what time you guys are going on a date?"
"Actually, it was just dinner, but," Koushiro's face turned redder, "yes, we are dating…"
"Since when?"
"A long while ago…" Mimi's eyes looked up as she tried to recollect the time.
"But, Koushiro---" Sora almost blurted out, but stopped herself. Told me he had feelings for me? Not that I'm jealous, or anything. This is great!
The boy grinned. "It was a ploy, not a very good one, but Mimi insisted. She wanted you and Yamato get together, or something. . .She was suspicious of how Yamato always seemed to come to your rescue, so we decided to make it interesting by making me like you, and having Yamato know about it. I think it riled Yamato quite a bit."
Sora's eye twitched. "Mimi. . ."
The girl laughed nervously as she inched towards the door. "Oh, you know, forgive and forget! Ahahaha. . ."
"Is there one for Yamato?" the boy asked Sora.
She nodded, "Of course. . ."
"I don't want it," Yamato said coldly.
Sora wanted to strangle him but instead almost crumbled her nice blue origami box.
"Even Sora's wouldn't work. . ." a girl whispered from behind.
"I thought if he accepted Takenouchi's, then there'd be no reason to reject us, but now look what's happened!"
Many female voices arose from behind Sora. She stared straight at him as he walked away. She had already delivered a box to everyone she had made chocolates for, except. . .
"New girl!" Taichi called from afar. More whispers arose as he ruffled the girl's hair and snatched the box of sweets. "I haven't been getting any of these today. Weird."
"Those aren't for you!" she stood on her tip toes and jumped in attempts to retrieve her gift, but he was simply too tall for her to reach. Finally, she dug into her bag and pulled an orange box for him. "These are yours, okay? Give me that one back."
He shrugged and threw the blue box at her. "Thanks, Sora!"
She grumbled as she caught the item. "You're welcome. Um. . .Can I talk to you over lunch?"
Taichi nodded, and both of them went on their way to the cafeteria.
Taichi strolled his way over to the sushi line and Sora followed. He was making his way to the front until she grabbed his sleeve and made him stay put. "Taichi, wait in line like the other people!"
He mumbled a few curse words, but complied with what Sora said. Yamato had come in from the other side and noticed the two waiting in line. It was unusual for Taichi to wait in line, but he knew it was all because of the girl standing next to him.
"I heard Taichi's become less frightening because of Sora," Jyou commented as he saw the blonde boy take a glance to the sushi line.
Yamato's azure eyes didn't falter. They were still and calm. Jyou knew him better. Behind that cool façade Yamato was feeling sad. He had rarely seen Yamato put on a smile.
"I've lost my appetite," the ex-White leader stated and headed towards the exit, leaving Jyou behind.
As Sora took a seat across Taichi she popped a Philadelphia Roll into her mouth. "Taichi, what happened to us in first grade?"
"Huh? You don't remember?" he snapped his wooden chopsticks in half and took a piece of sushi into his mouth.
"Some things are still fuzzy to me," she frowned. "Why aren't you two friends anymore?"
Taichi took his sweet time chewing a tiny piece of Californian Roll, as if trying to avoid the question. He winced at Sora's glare and swallowed. "Okay, okay, I'll tell you."
Sora took a sip of water and focused her attention on him. "I'm listening."
"You were very special to us, Yamato and me, you know? You brought Yamato to me because I was social, or something. And we played together a lot, or at least, us two played soccer a lot, and you and Yamato had your own thing," the boy took a sip of soda and continued. "And though you were very special to me, I think in Yamato's heart. . .you were even more special. You opened his heart, and you protected him. . .Until you moved away suddenly. It was all bad timing, Sora, but I'm not blaming you."
I left because of my trauma. . .The redhead looked down at her half-eaten plate. I let Yamato down. . .
"I protected Yamato after you left. . .or at least, I tried to. He turned cold, just like he was before he met you. But I found out that it wasn't because you left. It was because my mother had been ripping his family apart."
Sora looked up. "Your mom?"
"Ken told me Hikari explained it to you. You know how my mother is the leader of the Kamiya Clan? Well, turned out she had tried to recruit Yamato's mom. His father wasn't too happy about that, and they began to fight a lot. I think Yamato broke when they got divorced. . .not just because of the separation from his mom, but also from the separation of his brother, Takeru. And even earlier before that, the separation from you. But Yamato wasn't the only one injured when you left. Hikari and Takeru were sad too. You cared for them so much when they were little."
The girl blinked as a jingle sounded at the end of his story. Taichi searched his pockets and revealed a slick black cell phone. "I'm needed right now. . .Sorry Sora, I'll talk to you later, okay?"
Taichi left the girl behind, dumping the remains of his lunch in the trashcan and tossing the tray on top of the bin. He flipped his phone open. "Hey."
"What did you tell her?"
"Everything she wanted to know," the boy said casually.
"I need to speak with you."
He scoffed. "Really? This is new. The Yamato wants to actually have a chat?" Taichi opened the door to the courtyard and looked around. "Where are you?"
"Here," and the phone clicked. A hand was placed on Taichi's shoulder. "Let's talk over there."
He winced in surprise but followed the blond over to the corner. Yamato took a seat while the other remained standing.
"You know, you should be happy she remembers us. I know you like her, and all that," the boy said.
"I'm not happy because you're still here," Yamato said coldly.
"Listen, I'm sorry about what my mom did, okay? I told you this a million times. You shouldn't be angry at me for it."
Yamato snorted and grinned. "Your mother. . .had nothing to do with the divorce."
"It was a lie?"
"You know nothing, huh?" He clenched his fist and threw something at him.
Taichi caught it one-handedly, "A knife. . .?"
"I bring it with me at all times, to protect myself. . ."
"Why is that? Don't you have such a nice life, being so independent, with a hard-working father and a loving brother? You have lots of money because of your dad's status as the president of his company. You're the top of the class and respected by the school. Even as your best friend, back then. . .I cannot even compare."
"You think my life is picture perfect?" Yamato glared at him with piercing eyes. "My family. . .split up because of the countless arguments my parents had. There was no one to look after me. . .and worse, I couldn't even look after Takeru the way I wanted to."
"Why did you tell me it was my mom who did it?"
"It was more convenient to ruin your life that way," he said. "When we both agreed to the White and Black leader business, I was finding an opportunity to damage your life. I envied you. The more foolish you were, the happier I was."
Taichi frowned. "I know you hated me a great deal since we were little after the divorce, but if there's something you should hate, it should be your family!" He closed his eyes and tried to remain calm. "This stuff you're saying is not surprising at all."
Just seeing his face. . .makes me angry Yamato thought. He took a glance at his leg. "Your leg injury. It prevented you from playing your beloved soccer, didn't it?"
He nodded. It acted up again when Sora and I were being chased. . .
"What if I told you that I planned it?"
Taichi gripped the knife in his possession, and flicked it open. "I'm gonna kill you!"
Yamato's grin was wiped away when someone had lunged forward in front of him. Taichi's chocolate eyes widened as the blade etched into the skin of another. It had stabbed a bit away from the center of the stomach. His hands were covered in blood, as were her delicate digits, which had stopped the blade from going deeper.
"Sora. . ."
To Be Continued. . .