Day 7 - Free Day: Second Chances

Taichi took a deep breath and buried his face in his hands. He didn't fully understand why suddenly Akiko told him she didn't want to be with him anymore. As far as he knew things were great between them.
"Can you say again what exactly happened?" Yuuko sat down beside her son.
He looked at his mother and began explaining everything again.

Taichi walked into Akiko's floor that night carrying a small bouquet in his hands. They were celebrating their first anniversary together and were going to have a romantic dinner at a nice restaurant and then going to the movies. He hid the flowers behind his back and knocked on her door. She answered it a few seconds later.
"Taichi, what are you doing here?" Her expression changed from happiness to disappoint in a matter of seconds.
"We agreed to go out today, remember? To celebrate our first anniversary."
"Oh right." She stepped aside. "Please come in."
"These are for you." Taichi finally showed her the flowers. "Happy one year anniversary."
"Thank you." Akiko forced herself to smile as she took the bouquet in her hands. "Happy one year anniversary. I'm sorry, I completely forgot about our date tonight."
"That's okay, we still have time." He looked at his watch. "If you get ready now, we'll make it in time for the reservation."
"Taichi, can we talk for a moment?" She said a little nervous.
"Okay, what's going on?"
"It's been fun spending this year with you, but I don't think I can do this any longer."
"Do what? Dating me?"
"Yes. I thought I was ready, but I realized I'm not. The truth is that I still haven't fully recovered from my last relationship and it's unfair to do this to you."
"I don't get it. Everything was fine until now."
"I know, I'm sorry." Akiko took a deep breath and moved two locks of her long black hair behind her ears. "I just can't do this."
"So what does this mean? Are you breaking up with me?"
"Yeah, I'm breaking up with you. I want you to know what I really tried, but I can't push myself when I'm not ready to commit. I don't want us to have any tension between us because I really like you as a friend and hope we can remain friends."
"I'm not sure if I can right now." Taichi said. "I really don't know what to think about all of this."
"I know it's a shock, and I should have said something sooner. It's all my fault."
"That's okay, don't worry about it." He quickly looked at the door. "So I guess I should go then."
"Yeah." Akiko looked at the flowers in her hands. "Do you want to…"
"No." He cut her off. "You can keep them. Consider this a last present from me."
"Okay. Thank you." She offered him a more sincere smile this time. "They're really beautiful."
"They are." He sighed. "So I guess this is it. I wish you the best."
"Me too. You're a great person, Taichi. I hope you don't think badly of me."
"I'll see you around, I guess. Take care."
"You too."

"It doesn't make any sense." Hikari said, to Taichi's surprise. He realized she must have sneaked in at some point when he was telling the story again. "She said she's not ready one year after you started dating?"
"That's beyond strange, but don't let it get to you. I know it's not an easy thing to do and everything is still recent, but you'll find someone else soon."
"Mom, can I?" Hikari looked at Yuuko and then knelt down in front of her brother. "Is there something I can do?"
"I'll be alright, Hikari. Don't worry."
"I just hate seeing you like this. But I also know it's part of life. I still wish I could do something to cheer you up." She squeezed his knees lightly. "Tanabata is coming soon, why don't we go to a one?"
"That's a wonderful idea, darling." Yuuko said excitedly.
"I appreciate it, Hikari, but I don't really want to hang out around people who are dating right now. I really like Katsuo and am happy for you, but I hope you understand me."
"I do, I do. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to push you to do this. I just wanted to help you."
"I know."

.

"I cannot believe you all managed to convince me to come here." Taichi complained angrily.
"Never doubt our power of persuasion." Sora bragged.
"What if Akiko shows up here? She doesn't live far."
"It's a summer night and a lot of people are here. I really doubt you will spot her in this crowd."
"Hikari is right."
"Why didn't Koushiro, Mimi and Jou come again?"
"Koushiro went to his parents' anniversary, Jou is working and Mimi had a date."
"Great, so I'm stuck with three couples. That makes me a third wheel three times."
"It's still going to be fun." Yamato said.
"For who?" Taichi shot him a death glare.
"Do you want to eat? I'm a little hungry."
"I wouldn't be opposed to eating."

.

Hikari, Katsuo, Takeru and Kimi were on the line to get some food when the younger Yagami spotted Akiko with a group of friends not too far from them.
"Oh God."
"What happened?"
"Akiko is here."
"Damn it. What were the chances?"
"We need to take Taichi away from here without giving it away." Hikari was a little panicky over the situation.
"He will notice something is wrong."
"Well, we need to do something."
"Calm down, Hikari." Katsuo said gently. "The best thing to do is pretend we didn't see her if an accident meeting occurs."
"Can you imagine the awkward situation that will take place if they bump into each other?"
"This is a possibility." Takeru spoke and drew everyone's attention. "But it could also mean a second chance, don't you think?"
"Takeru always has this romantic view of everything."
"You don't seem to find it bad at other moments."
"Please, this is not the time for flirting." Hikari said a little annoyed. "We have a serious situation here."
"I agree with Takeru." Katsuo said. "Something good can come out of it."
"You think so?" The woman was surprised. "I didn't know you felt this way."
"Well, you gotta admit there could be a reason behind all of this. Worst case scenario, we just leave."
"I get the feeling this is a set-up. My brother is gonna hate me."
"He won't." Takeru said confidently. "If things go smoothly, everything will work out for them by the end of the night."
"Okay, you convinced me. Let's see how it goes."

.

"Should we go now?" Yamato asked Sora after he finished eating.
"Go where? Are you guys leaving?"
"No, we are just going to hang some papers on the tree."
"Oh I see. Make your own wishes."
"Yeah." Sora said in a somewhat insecure tone. "We…"
"Are we telling him?"
"You think this is a bad idea?" She looked at Yamato with uncertainty in her eyes. "He will find out one way or another."
"I suppose so. If you want to, go ahead."
"Why? What is it?"
"Yamato and I have been talking and we decided to start a family."
"Really?" Taichi was completely taken aback with the revelation.
"Well, we're just talking about it for now. I won't be going to other missions anytime soon and we think we're ready to have children."
"I'm happy for you too. I think you're going to be great parents."
"Thank you."
"We don't want to make you feel worse, so I hope you don't get upset with us."
"No, everything's fine."
"Good."
"So do you want to join us?"
"No, I'm fine." Taichi looked at his left for a moment and spotted Akiko on the opposite side of where they were, near to a tree hanging a pink paper. "You know what? I'm going to hang one too."

.

Akiko was absentmindedly placing her wishes on a tree when a pair of hands appeared in her field of vision. Her heart skipped a beat; she knew those hands way too well, even after two months away.
"Taichi."
"Hello, Akiko. It's been a while."
"It is. I wasn't expecting to see you here tonight."
"I wasn't going to come, but Hikari and my friends pretty much dragged me here."
"I see. It's good to see you."
"It's good to see you too."
"So I guess I'll see you around." Akiko turned around to leave.
"Hey, Akiko."
"Yes?"
"I was wondering if you wanted to hang out for a while."
"Sure." She smiled.
"Great."
"Aren't you going to tell Sora and Yamato?"
"No, I can find them later."
"Okay, then."
"So, do you want something to eat?" Taichi asked when they were passing by some food booths.
"I'm fine, thank you." Akiko smiled. "But if you want to get something for you, it's okay."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes, I'm sure."

"So, it was a surprise to see you here." Taichi said after he sat on a bench beside Akiko.
"I say the same about you." She sighed. "My friends pretty much dragged me here, even if I told them I didn't really want to come."
"The same thing happened to me." He took a bit of his hot dog. "But now I'm glad they pushed me to do it. It's been fun."
"I know. It really is. I have to admit I was a little shocked and surprised you put a paper on a tree. I mean, it's only been almost two months."
"Look who's talking." He couldn't help but smile.
"I guess I deserve that." Akiko smiled too. "I'm sorry again."
"For what?"
"For breaking up with you the way I did. I know it wasn't a good thing to do it on our first anniversary. It was insensitive of me. So I'm sorry."
"That's okay, Akiko." Taichi reached for her hand and held it within his. "It's in the past, so let's leave it there."
"Okay, we can leave it there."
"Thank you. So…" He bit his lower lip, unsure whether to bring what he wanted to say up or not. Eventually he decided to take his chances. "Don't you think it's a coincidence we both are here?"
"If you look at it romantically, yes. But I don't know, it can be a coincidence. However… it's something I believe in."
"I still love you."
"What?"
"I still love you. I'm sorry, but I do. I love you and I miss you. I said I was sorry, but I'm really not. This is how I feel and I'm not…"
"I love you too."
"Wait, what?"
"I love you too." Akiko repeated with a smile, but didn't look at him. "I've been thinking about you a lot lately and I might have made a mistake."
"What does that mean?"
"Clueless as always." Her smile turned into a soft giggle. "I think what I mean is pretty much self-explanatory, isn't it?"
"It is, but I'm having quite a hard time believing it."
"It doesn't surprise me really." She said lightly and placed her hands over her knees before standing up. "Well, I guess I'll see you around."
"Akiko, wait." Taichi grabbed her hand and turned her around.
"What?"
"I hope you forgive me for doing this, but…" He pulled her towards him and kissed him on the lips passionately.
Akiko wrapped her arms around him while she responded to the kiss with the same intensity as him.
"There's nothing to forgive you for." She said after they pulled away from each other. "Because I wanted to this too."
"So where does this leave us?" Taichi asked; his arms still around her.
"I think it means we are getting back together."
"I like the sound of that." He leaned over and kissed her again.

.

"Looks like Taichi's wish already came true." Sora stated with a smile before she sat on a bench beside Yamato.
"Yeah, it was really fast."
"I've always known they would get back together. It was just a matter of time."
"They are meant to be."
"Where's Taichi?" Hikari asked as she and her small group joined them.
"Yamato and I went to hang some papers on a tree and lost him. I'm sorry."
"Oh God, we need to find him before he finds Akiko."
"Hikari, calm down. You agreed to give them the benefit of the doubt, remember?"
"I know, but I still get nervous over this. I can't help it."
"What's going on?" Sora asked.
"Hikari is worried Taichi may run into Akiko and that it would cause an awkward moment between them."
"He found her."
"What?!"
"If I have to guess, I'd say he purposely went to hang his paper on the same tree she was, so he could have a chance to talk to her."
"That was what I was afraid of."
"What were you afraid of, sister?" Taichi stopped beside Hikari with Akiko by his side.
Hikari couldn't help but glance down and notice they were holding hands. She then looked up at him and smiled. "Nothing."
"So I have something to tell you." He said and exchanged looks with his girlfriend. "We do, actually. We got back together."
"That's great, Taichi." Sora said happily. "We are happy for you."
"Thank you."
"So it looks like Tanabata has been great to all of us this year, doesn't it?"
"That's what it seems."
"Why do you think that?"
"Well…" Takeru replied. "Taichi and Akiko are back together, Yamato and Sora are starting their own family and…"
"Wait, what?" Hikari asked surprised. "When did that happen? Are you pregnant?"
"No." Sora shook her head negatively. "We only brought the subject up, but I think we are both ready."
"That's great news!" The brunette cheered. "It's good to see our group getting bigger."
"It really is."
"I told you that could mean a second chance." Takeru addressed to Hikari. "You didn't have a reason to be worried."
"You're right." She smiled. "Everything turned out for the best."
"Thank you for pushing me to come here tonight, Hikari. Things would have been completely different if you hadn't."
"You don't need to thank me, Taichi. I'm glad things worked out with you. But you're welcome."
"So, who's up for movies? I saw there's a good one at the moment."
"I am. I mean, we are. It should be fun."
"Yamazaki is staying with mom, so we're in too."
Taichi let everyone walk before him and watched them proudly. He never really believed in second chances before, but he was starting to change his mind.