Friendly Lovers

Disclaimer : I don't own Digimon and its characters. Bandai© owns them. This story is credited from 'My Little Bride'.

Chapter 18 (END) : That Wasn't A Game


Mimi was allowed to continue her studies.

It was good news for Mimi and Yamato for all the problems are already resolved.

Or so they think.

Months after the graduation, everything has been going smooth for Mimi and Yamato.

No hassles.

Yamato has become a songwriter/guitarist of some sort of band.

Mimi plans to pursue a culinary career after giving birth of her baby.

But there's no solid news about Tai and Sora.

TK and Kari are going strong as ever.

As for Kyoushiro, he's been doing well as a computer programmer.

Everybody believed that Miyako has interest with Kyoushiro but there's no proof that the two would end up.

Michael flew back to the US and promised to come back to Japan as soon as he is to be informed about the delivery of Mimi's baby.

"Hey," Yamato greeted as he entered the condominium.

Mimi looked up and smiled at Yamato.

"Hey there," she greeted back and stood up to give him a hug.

Yamato planted a small kiss on her lips.

"My back hurts," Mimi complained childishly, her arms clinging onto Yamato's neck.

"Aww, mommy's tired," Yamato played along.

Mimi laughed at Yamato's response and kissed him again.

"Shut up," she said.

The phone rang out of a sudden.

Yamato let go of Mimi and reached for the phone.

"Yes, this is Yamato," he said over the phone.

"It's me," a voice said.

Yamato's jaws dropped.


Kyoushiro was about to turn off his computer's CPU when the doorbell rang.

"Coming!" he called.

He immediately ran towards the door and twisted the doorknob.

Miyako was standing in front of him.

"Oh, hey," he greeted casually, a warm smile plastered on his face.

Miyako gulped.

"Hi," she greeted.

"Come in," he said.


Yamato was silent for about a couple of seconds.

"Daddy, who was it?" Mimi asked her husband.

"Is…it really you?" Yamato asked the caller.

"We haven't talked for months, dude," the caller said.

Yamato sighed.

"Taichi, where have you been?" Yamato asked. "Your dad's worried even Kari and your mother. Do you have to stay in America for that long?"

Mimi was shocked.

A worried look suddenly appeared on her face.

"I'm sorry," Taichi apologized. "It's just that…okay…let's just meet."

"Tell me where," he said.


Miyako sat awkwardly on Kyoushiro's sofa.

"Are you doing something? If there is, sorry if I have interrupted you---"

"No, don't worry," Kyoushiro said. "I'm not doing anything at all. You haven't interrupted me."

Miyako looked down at the floor.

"I want you to help me design some brochures," she said. "Well, my boss assigned me to make some brochures to attract people about buying our product."

"Well, I could help you with that," Kyoushiro agreed, with a reassuring smile.

"Uh…thanks," she said.

Kyoushiro stood up to turn his computer on.

But then he stopped himself from doing so and instead, he approached Miyako.

"Why are you so awkward around me?" Kyoushiro asked, his head bended down, leveling his face in front of hers.

Miyako looked away.

She bit her lip.

Kyoushiro smirked and then lifted up his head.

"Come, let's do your brochures," he said.


Yamato parked his car.

He immediately exited his car and entered that certain coffee shop they would usually have coffee breaks at.

Behind him was the nine-month pregnant Mimi, tailing his lead.

Upon entering the coffee shop, Yamato searched for a familiar face.

Until one guy raised his hand up.

"Taichi?" Mimi asked in disbelief.

Taichi looked more differently than before.

The clean-cut soccer guy was now a ragged, hairy guy sitting in a coffee shop.

As Yamato and Mimi slid in their chairs, Yamato immediately interrogated Taichi.

"Why do you look like this?" he asked.

Sure enough, Taichi has grown stubbles on his face. He was wearing a black shirt and pants.

His hair was dyed in highlights, his clean face grew a number of facial hair.

"I'm married," he said out of a sudden.


TK knocked on the Yagami's residence.

The maid opened the door.

"Hi, Sir TK," she greeted.

"Where's Kari?" he asked.

The maid frowned.

"She's in Sir Tai's room," she said as she let TK in.

TK sighed and proceeded upstairs to check up on Kari.

"Kari?" TK said.

Kari turned, a weak smiled plastered on her face. She was sitting up on her bed, obviously waking up late.

"How long has it been…since you saw me so helpless like this?" she asked.

TK laughed softly, sitting on her bedside. "Helpless?"

"You know…when oniichan left…I don't know...the house seemed very lifeless," she said.

TK reached out, caressing her face as gently as he could.

"Everything will be all right," he reassured.


"You can't be married without even informing anybody, damn it," Yamato said.

The waiter appeared.

"We'll call you later," Mimi said politely.

Yamato ran his fingers through his hair, frustrated.

"Uncle and auntie are worrying about you and most especially Kari," Yamato said. "And you didn't even inform them that you're married!"

"Matt, Sora's pregnant that time and her parents wanted me to marry her!" Taichi said.

Mimi looked up.

"But…you love her, don't you?" she asked.

"Of course, yes. In fact, her parents told me that if I don't love her, there's no need for me to marry her," Tai said.

Yamato rested his arms on the table.

"Now, why did you come back here in Japan?" he asked.

"I came with Sora. I want to introduce her to mom and dad and Kari too," he said. "But…I don't know if they'd ever accept me back because…I was gone for a long time."

Yamato sighed.

"We'll come with you tomorrow," he said. "Where's Sora?"

"I left her in the hotel," he said. "She said she's not ready to face some familiar people yet."

Mimi looked at Tai.

"We'll help you," she said.


That night, while Yamato was making his wife some coffee, he heard Mimi groaning.

He put down the coffee cup on the table and approached their room.

"Princess?" he asked.

"Matt," she said in slight agony. "I think I'm in labor."

Yamato stood there with a blank look on his face. "Huh?"

"Just send me to the hospital, damn it!" she screamed in frustration.


Kyoushiro knocked on Miyako's door.

Miyako's hair is covered with a shower cap, her face with a facemask and she was wearing a purple robe.

"Miyako Inoue?" Kyoushiro asked.

"Huh? Uh…Kyoushiro!" Miyako blushed upon seeing Kyoushiro standing in front of her door, holding her newly printed brochures.

"Here," he said. "I might have interrupted your beauty rituals, sorry."

As Miyako received the brochures, she fell silent.

Kyoushiro just stood there waiting for something.

"No 'thank you'?" he asked.

Miyako looked up in a sudden, realizing she hasn't thanked him yet.

"Thank you," she said.

Kyoushiro smiled at her and turned.

As he approached his car, he waved his hand.


Mimi was asked to rest in the hospital 'til she delivers her baby.

The hospital room door opened.

Yamato was resting his head on Mimi's ward bed.

"Hi, my little princess," Mr. Tachikawa said, approaching the ward bed.

Yamato lifted his head up and gave Mr. and Mrs. Tachikawa a slight bow.

"Hi, dad," she greeted.

"How are you?" Mrs. Tachikawa asked.

"I feel heavy," she replied.

Yamato giggled.

"She looked like she swallowed a big watermelon, huh?" Mr. Tachikawa commented.

Mrs. Tachikawa pulled her husband's hair.

"Just shut up, sweetheart," she said.

Mimi and Yamato giggled.


Taichi sat on a couch facing the window when Sora slid out of the covers and approached him.

"Tai…what did Yamato and Mimi say?" she asked, worried.

"Meems said they'll help us," he said.

Sora sighed, her hands trembling as she put them on Tai's shoulders.

Tai caressed one of her hands.

"Don't be tensed," he said. "It'll be all fine."


Yamato watched over Mimi as she softly slumbers on her hospital bed. A smile came across his face. Suddenly, he remembered something.

He fished his pocket for his cell phone and started dialing Tai's number.

After a few rings, he answered.

"Is this you, Matt?" he asked on the other line.

"Yes, it's me," Yamato replied.

"Is there any problem?" Tai asked nervously.

"No, Mimi's just in labor," Yamato said. "And I guess she couldn't come with us."

"Oh, that's a bit bad to hear yet we'll be visiting there tomorrow," Tai replied.

"Isn't…Sora pregnant too?" he asked.

"Yeah…four months later than Mimi," Tai said, a soft smile creeping on his lips as he said this.

They fell silent for a while, contemplating on what to say next.

"Taichi," Yamato spoke.

"Nani?" Taichi asked.

"I hope things would be cleared tomorrow," he said. "I want Mimi to deliver the baby not worrying about at least anything. And…I'd be glad if the same thing goes for you and Sora."

Taichi bit his lip, somehow moved of what Yamato was saying. He felt pity for himself…and for Sora. The sophisticated Sora Takenouchi turned into a wife of a ragged, good-for-nothing (that's what Taichi thinks) guy who did not bother deciding his and her future when he took the chance of following her in America.

"Tai?" Yamato called.

"Y-Yeah, everything's going to be fine…I know it would," he said.

Yamato grinned, taking a glimpse of the sleeping Mimi who seemed to be more comfortable in her sleep.

"See you tomorrow," Yamato said, hanging up.

Once and for all, the remaining problems in their lives should not be relentlessly settled away. Small problems can get bigger but still, bigger problems can gradually dissolve in time too.


Kari descended the stairs as she prepared her self for breakfast. A long while has been since the family happily took breakfast as their daily routine.

When Taichi left Japan carelessly, the family seemed to drift.

Their father, a bit disappointed and a bit ashamed of what Tai did, seemed to get mad every once in a while.

Their levelheaded mother became even more absentminded than she was before.

Life goes on for Kari but obviously, she was the one who was struck the most. She grew up depending on Taichi most of the time. Though TK's presence is as important as Tai's, it wasn't that of an impact for her.

She still does her daily routine but she would blurt 'oniichan' every now and then for no reason at all.

As she was taking her seat, the phone rang.

"Yagami Residence," she spoke.

"Hi honey, it's TK," the caller said.

"Oh hi," she greeted softly.

"Let's have breakfast downtown, I'll fetch you there," he said.


Tai and Sora looked awkward in front of Yamato but Yamato didn't seem bothered at all. Kyoushiro was with them, casually seated next to Yamato in a certain café.

"I'm sure if we let Kari know the news first, the next steps would be easier, right?" Kyoushiro assured.

They were waiting for TK---as planned.

"Yeah sure," Tai replied, a shaky tone in his voice.

Yamato observed Taichi and then Sora.

"Long time, no see Sora," he spoke.

Sora looked up.

"It has been…" she said meekly, stroking her tummy. "How is Mimi?"

"She's as stubborn as ever," Yamato said. "If I didn't leave the hospital earlier, she'd insist to come…she's one stubborn princess."

Sensing how happy Yamato was when they talked about Mimi was enough to be assured how happy they are.

"Oniichan?" a frail voice spoke.

Taichi stood up from his seat.

"Kari! Kari-chan!" he exclaimed, shortening his distance from his sister as he gave her a tight hug.

Kari hugged back, returning the longing feeling Tai is currently giving her.

"How are you? Did you really leave for America? Why-Why did you leave us here? Why do you look like this?" she asked frantically as soon as she pulled off from her brother's hug.

"You'd have to help me…" Taichi spoke.

"What are you---" but Kari stopped as soon as she saw the pregnant Sora.

"Sora-san…" Kari said.

"Hi Hikari," she greeted.

TK slid his arm around Kari. "Don't call her Sora-san."

Kari looked up at TK. "What?"

Yamato chuckled. "She's your sister now."

Kari turned to the awkward Taichi.

"Oniichan…you're so…you look more like a thug than the clean-cut soccer player I knew before," she said, a hint of sob in her voice.

Then she turned to Sora. "Sora-san, um, I mean…oneechan…welcome back."


Yamato returned to the hospital only to be thrown a glare from Mimi.

"Wh-What's the problem, prin---?"

A pillow smacked right on his face.

"Don't you 'princess' me! Where did you go!" she asked, demanding for an answer right away.

"Are you really in labor? Women in labor should be feeling pain right now…but you're---"

Another pillow smacked on his face.

"Answer me!" she asked in a frustrated manner.

"Okay, okay I went to fix some things with Tai," he said.

"You should've told me!" Mimi shrieked.

Yamato rolled his eyes, expecting this to happen. He leaned over and kissed her, softly massaging her lips as to calm her up. Mimi's shoulders seem to sag slowly and the tense in her body seem to fade away.

He pulled away. "I'd die if anything happens to you or the baby, so please understand."

Mimi bowed her head, feeling bad of what she had done. "Sorry, daddy."

"It's okay, mommy," he assured, softly chuckling.

"So, what happened earlier?" she asked, her hand fiddling with Yamato's fingers.

"After informing Kyoushiro, TK and Kari about the news, we let Kari and Tai talk it out with their family," he said. "Sora was there too---she's pregnant."

"Oh yeah, Tai informed us yesterday," she said.

"It has been 13 hours of labor for you, my princess," Yamato informed. "Anytime soon, you'll be delivering our baby so prepare your self."

"I've prepared my self since the day I married you," she said, giving him a wink.

"Yeah right," he said, rolling his eyes.

Suddenly, the door opened.

"Hello guys," Miyako greeted.

"Oh, Miyako-chan," Mimi greeted.

But it wasn't just Miyako---Matt's parents are there with their grandpa.

"Your grandpa will say something to the both of you so we'll be excusing our selves first," Mrs. Ishida said, motioning her husband and Miyako to leave the room together with her.

Mimi grinned at her grandpa.

"Grandpa…" she spoke.

Yamato gave his seat to Grandpa.

"A l-lot h-has hap-pened to the two of y-you," Grandpa spoke rather weakly, struggling to speak for the sake of giving them a message he had wanted to tell them for so long. "A-and I-I m-must ad-mit…y-you guys we-were great!"

He chuckled softly, although it turned out to be a very hoarse chuckle.

"You know, grandpa," Yamato spoke. "If you haven't initiated the marriage we wouldn't know how much we have loved each other."

Mimi looked over at Yamato.

"Yes, grandpa…you were the one who started it all," Mimi said. "Although I was very reluctant at first, it was a very great experience---an unforgettable one, that is."

Grandpa coughed hard then he caught up with his breathing.

"I-I w-was just re-repaying yo-your gra-grandpa Ya-ma-to /cough," he said. "But then…it /cough/ be-ne-fit-ted /cough/ me as well…for I-I'm /cough/ go-ing to have a /cough/ great grandson…"

He chuckled once again but all his coughs were making Mimi and Yamato worry.

"I to-told you be-before how /cough/ sho-short I-I'll be li-living…I guess…I want to see my great gra-grandson be-before I pa-pass away…" he said.

"Grandpa, don't talk like that," Mimi said.

Yamato looked away, feeling very sorry for grandpa as he was in verge of tears.

"My li-little prin-cess…" he softly spoke. "You-You've grown ve-very /cough/ well, my dear."

"Grandpa, just rest, I can't…bear to hear you struggle anymore," Yamato suggested.

"No, Yama-to…you'll ne-never know what'll hap-pen /cough," he said.

"Grandpa," Mimi called. "I love you so much."

She broke into tears, a crybaby she was. Feeling mixed up and everything, Mimi sobbed helplessly.

Yamato heaved a heavy sigh, trying to console himself either.

"That wasn't a ga-game, wa-wasn't it?" Grandpa asked.

Yamato grinned, knowing what he was pertaining to.

"At first, I thought fate was playing with our lives," he said. "Now? I don't think so. I'm far too engrossed in loving Mimi to ever think about the complications we had before."

Grandpa gave him a satisfied grin.

Yamato helped him up from his seat and assisted him to walk over Mimi.

Grandpa gave Mimi a soft hug. "You-You'll be a gre-great mother, I be-believe that /cough/."

Mimi managed to give him a smile. "I'll have to believe that as well."

The agreement Mimi's grandpa and Yamato's grandpa made was the most wonderful thing ever existed for the both of them. If it weren't for those guys, they wouldn't have been married at all---they wouldn't have discovered their feelings for each other.

A few hours later, Mimi gave birth of a healthy young boy---blue-eyed just like Yamato and brown-haired just like Mimi.

She was employed in a restaurant as its resident patisserie while Yamato wrote songs for Jyou's company.

Tai and Sora had a baby boy as well. Tai agreed to train under his father's supervision once again to make up for the loss he created for the past year. Sora did not think of working again, thinking that she needs to learn the household basics far more than being a career woman she was before.

Kari and TK were engaged. It was nothing to be shocked about, anyway.

Kyoushiro and Miyako are dating but no signs of actual commitment yet.

The couple that started out as friends but ended up, as lovers were surprised of how much has happened in just a year. When grandpa passed away, both were depressed but they were very grateful of him.

They were destined to love each other---may it be as friends or as a man and wife.

That wasn't a game---it was love.

Fin.


Author's Notes: For Pete's sake! It has been several months since I actually had time to process the last chapter. Thanks to those who took time to review and actually, fell in love with my story. I was planning to do one more yet there have to be suggestions from you for me to make another one.

I was really motivated when I saw how many people have reviewed my story from day one up to now…guys, thank you so much. Thanks for showing PATIENCE and appreciation. It's really touching.

I hope you liked the ending.

 Dien