WARNING: Kind of major changes in this chapter.
Disclaimer: I own nothing in this marvelous universe; it all belongs to Toei Animation, I believe.
Dedication: Bandgeek99. For reviewing my stories far more than I deserve.
Reviewers: N/A
Author's Note: In this story, the character's Japanese names are their full names and their American names are their nicknames. For example, Hikari Kamiya is Kari's full name, but everyone just calls her Kari.
Rating: T
Poll – Located above my profile. Please take!
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EvenAngelsFall02 has entered chatroom 'The plan'.
HopefulFury has entered chatroom 'The plan'.
EvenAngelsFall02: Hiya TK. You ready for me to brief you on the plan!?
HopefulFury: Hey, Kars. Yeah, i guess. Why am doing this again?
EvenAngelsFall02: Umm, maybe because your loving girlfriend asked you too. :P
HopefulFury: Oh yeah, that. Anyway, what do I have to do?
EvenAngelsFall02: Be nice! We just have to try to be his friend until his other friends see what they're missing!
HopefulFury: . . . What if they never see?
EvenAngelsFall02: Then we're stuck with him. Just kidding! I know they will. *smiles brightly*
HopefulFury: I sure hope so.
EvenAngelsFall02: Don't be such a jerk, Takashi. You don't even know him! :[
HopefulFury: That's the point! I don't want to know him!
EvenAngelsFall02: . . . You know if you end up liking him, I'll never let you live this down, right?
HopefulFury: Yeah, I know. I know…BUT I WON'T LIKE HIM!
EvenAngelsFall02: What's your problem TK? You're usually so nice! What's wrong with him? *crosses arms*
HopefulFury: God, I don't know! I just have this weird feeling in the pit of my stomach!
EvenAngelsFall02: Well, please work past it. I want the nice, sweet TK I know and love.
SoccerStar99 has entered chatroom 'The plan'.
SoccerStar99: Kari, mom says to get off the computer.
EvenAngelsFall02: Gosh, Tai! We live in the same house! Why don't you just come tell me YOURSELF?!
SoccerStar99: I'm talking to someone on IM right now, so I'd just thought I'd tell you (GOD!).
EvenAngelsFall02: Ohhh . . . is it Sora? *wink wink* YOU TWO ARE SO CUTE TOGETHER!
HopefulFury: Who's Sora, Tai? *nudge nudge*
SoccerStar99: Oh, hey TK (I'm ignoring your question). KARI, SHUT UP!
EvenAngelsFall02: Hehehe. I was right. You two are SO CUTE TOGETHER.
Lonewolf43 has entered chatroom 'The plan'.
Lonewolf43: TK! I have to talk to you, now!
EvenAngelsFall02: Hi, Matt! How are you?
Lonewolf43: Kari?
EvenAngelsFall02: Yep! :D
Lonewolf43: Why are you talking to my brother?
SoccerStar99: *sarcasm* Maybe 'cause they're dating. Just a guess, though. Could be wrong.
Lonewolf43: Tai?!
SoccerStar99: What's up Ishida?
Lonewolf43: I have to go. I'll call you later, TK. Bye.
Lonewolf43 has signed off.
SoccerStar99: Still the same old bastard.
HopefulFury: Watch it, Tai!
SoccerStar99: Sorry. But it doesn't change anything. He's still a bastard. Bye.
SoccerStar99 has signed off.
EvenAngelsFall02: *rolls eyes* Well, this is just great. I'm going to talk to Tai.
HopefulFury: Why? He's the one who's a jerk to my brother. What does it matter?
EvenAngelsFall02: Even if you can't tell, your brother really hurt him, Takeru. Good night.
EvenAngelsFall02 has signed off.
HopefulFury: Oh crap. She called me Takeru. She only does that when she's mad . . .
HopefulFury has signed off.
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"What is wrong with me?" Yolei exclaimed, throwing her pencil at the wall as she groaned in frustration. She had been attempting to do her homework for the last thirty minutes with no luck. She couldn't stop thinking about how messed up her life had become.
'What if Ken gets hurt because of this? I'll never be able to forgive myself . . . What if Davis is hurt? He was always so good at hiding his feelings when he was younger,' Yolei thought worriedly to herself.
She closed her eyes and sighed in frustration. When had her life become so complicated. "ARGH!" She screamed, hurling her open history book at the floor. She grabbed her pillow and screamed into it.
"Do you know what's wrong with her?" Yolei's eldest sister, Nanako, asked worriedly.
Meiko, Yolei's sister closest to her age, called out from the other room, "It's probably boy troubles!"
"I bet that's it. I wonder if someone broke up with her or rejected her or something. If it's that Motomiya kid, I'll kill him," Yuu, her brother, said threateningly while he formed a fist with his right hand.
Meiko rolled her eyes at her brother and spoke between the apple that she was carrying in her teeth. "Protective, aren't we? Someone will just have to go in there."
"I vote you!" Nanako exclaimed quickly and thumped her brother's head.
"Me too! Jeez, you didn't have to hit so hard. That's going to leave a mark," Yuu whined, directing his last comment towards Nanako as he pinched her on the arm.
Meiko rolled her eyes. "Fine, fine. I'll go. I'm the favorite sibling, anyway," she said haughtily before blowing a kiss and skipping into her youngest sister's room.
"Hey, Miya!" Meiko greeted as she hopped onto her sister's bed. She looked with amused eyes around her sister's disorderly room.
"Hey, Miya, what'd the room ever do to you?"
Yolei shot a glare at her sister and groaned. "Why are you making fun of me? This is so not funny."
Meiko grinned innocently at her little sister.
"Actually, it is quite amusing. The other two think you got dumped, but I think someone likes you," Meiko exclaimed in a sing song voice. "You were all flustered when you got home. It was so obvious," Meiko added on when she saw the incredulous look her sister was giving her.
Meiko swung her feet from side to side, letting the air rush between her toes.
Yolei was still staring at her with a lax expression. "How did you know that? I always knew you were freaky physic," Yolei said as she slapped her sister lightly on the arm.
Meiko grinned brightly at her younger sister. "I'll take that as a compliment," she said while Yolei rolled her eyes. "Anyway, who likes you? Is he hot? How old is he?! Give me some answers!" Meiko demanded as she grabbed Yolei by the shoulders and started shaking her.
Yolei narrowed her eyes at her sister. "Let go of me or I'm liable to hurt you," she threatened. Meiko giggled uncomfortably, but reluctantly let go of her grip on her sister and let her hands fall limply to her side.
"As I was saying, who exactly - ?"
"Ken," Yolei interrupted, "You know, one of my best friends, boy genius, has great hair . . . yeah, that one."
Meiko's eyes widened and she clapped her hands together excitedly. "You are so lucky, Miya! You get to be with the, like, hottest, smartest, guy in your grade! I'm so happy for you," Meiko gushed as she gave Yolei's shoulder a quick, congratulatory squeeze.
Yolei groaned and pushed her sister off. "Stop celebrating, Meiko! He likes me . . . that's the whole problem. I accidentally told him I liked him . . . but I don't think - no, I know - I don't."
Meiko looked at her sister with a confused expression on her face. "How can you accidentally tell someone you like them?"
"I tell you my problem and that's all you come up with?!"
Meiko grinned sheepishly. "Sorry, sorry."
"That's not even the half of it," Yolei admitted.
Meiko looked at her with a bewildered expression covering her normal happy features. "You're serious? What else is wrong? Gees, you're love life is screwed up, Miya!"
Yolei frowned. "I'm pretty sure that I have feelings for someone else . . ."
Meiko gasped, "Who?!"
"Davis . . ." Yolei admitted, whispering into her hands.
"Oh wow. Yolei," Meiko began timidly, "are you sure you're feelings for Davis are strong? I'm just asking because if their not . . . well then, you really shouldn't complicate the situation further."
Yolei sighed deeply, rubbing circles over her eyes with her hands. "I don't know! I just know that when I'm with him . . . I'm happy. Content, even. It's not like my normal crushes. Which consist mainly of 'Wow, you're hot! Let's make out!'. It's more like, 'When I'm with you I get these weird feelings in my stomach and my heart starts to flutter and my palms start sweating . . . and I love it.'"
Meiko bit her lip. "Well then, I guess you will have to complicate things."
" . . . Why?"
Meiko's normally bubbly features turned serious. "'Cause, Miya . . . this isn't the type of crush that will just go away. This is the type of crush that leads to love. And I for one, am not having my baby sister throw away could-be-love for something as stupid as drama!"
"But Meiko! I don't want to hurt Ken!"
Meiko crossed her arms. "Someone's going to get hurt here, Miya! It's unavoidable! I'm just hope it won't be you," Meiko added on softly.
"Too late," Yolei sniffed.
Meiko bit her lip and put her arm around her sister. "I'm sorry, Yolei. It will work out eventually."
Yolei let herself regress back to childhood - a time where she needed her big siblings more than anyone. "Promise?"
Meiko smiled kindly. "Yeah . . . I promise."
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(The next day at school)
"Class, start on your project! I have to sub in the art room," she sighed deeply as many students laughed (it was common knowledge art wasn't her forte). She glared them down slightly, but the smile tugging at the corner of her lips contradicted her hard look. "I know, I know. Ridiculous, isn't it? Either way," she continued, "I need you guys to be good until your sub gets here."
A young, smart blonde raised her hand.
Miss Bell sighed softly, but smiled kindly at the blonde. "Yes, Nicole?"
Nicole crossed her arms importantly. "I think this is going against procedure, Miss Bell. No disrespect," she added thoughtfully, "but I always thought all rooms have to be intended to by a teacher."
Miss Bell sighed audibly now. "Yeah, that is procedure. However, we are very, very short and personally I'd rather have an unattended group of Seniors - who are almost adults - then a unattended group of Freshman loose, wouldn't you?"
Nicole debated, chewing on her lip thoughtfully, before nodding. "Yeah. Good thinking, Miss Bell."
"Yeah, thanks," Miss Bell said dismissively. She perked up and waved goodbye. "Without further ado . . . I bid you adieu!"
"Wait!" Nicole called.
Miss Bell clenched her eyes together exasperatedly before turning around with a fake smile plastered on her face. "Yes, Nicole?"
"I'll watch over them for you, okay?"
Miss Bell smiled tightly at the blonde. "Sure. That'd be great, Nicole. Thank you."
"You're welcome!" Nicole yelled back, oblivious to her teacher's annoyance. Miss Bell finally left and Nicole turned on the class with an unexpected ferocity.
"You heard the lady," she bellowed. "Get in your groups!"
Kali, a bubbly girl who had gone to Mimi's elementary school, flittered across to Mimi. "Okay," she said importantly, "Emma, John, and I are going to start working on the research. Do you want to start on the graph with Matt?"
'No,' Mimi thought internally. She smiled. "Sure, Kali."
"'Kay . . . cool." Kali turned to Matt and smiled seductively. "Unless you want to me to help you guys," she said with a wink.
"I'm okay right now, Kali," Matt replied. "Maybe later."
Kali shrugged at him and turned around to work with the two others. Mimi rolled her eyes at the girl's antics and bit her lip to prevent a profanity slipping through her lips.
Matt smirked at Mimi's obvious discomfort. "Jealous, Mimi? Don't worry. I'm free Saturday. What do you say?" Matt closed his eyes after the words left his mouth. 'Well, I'm getting off to a great start. I decide I'm going to try to be nicer to them and this is what happens. Gees,' Matt thought dryly to himself.
"Shove off, Ishida," Mimi muttered weakly.
Matt's mouth flapped again, despite his decision to be nicer. "Yeah, that's not what you were saying a few years ago."
Mimi's eyes widened in shock, before flaming in anger. She turned to Matt shakily. "How dare you bring that up?" Mimi gasped. "I hate you. I hate you. I hate you," she repeated loudly.
Matt tried to look nonchalant. "Whatever." Internally, however, was a different story. 'Oh god. Why did I have to say that? She really does hate me now. I'm such an idiot,' he moaned to himself.
"Mimi, I'm sor - " Matt began to say.
Mimi glared at him. "Save it, Ishida. Let's just get this project done."
Matt could only nod. Mimi grabbed a pencil angrily, beginning to draw a rough sketch of the graph. She didn't look up to see what Matt was doing; at this point in time, she wouldn't have cared if he didn't do anything. Mimi bit her lip angrily. 'How could he say that? I knew he was jerk, but I didn't think he was . . . heartless. Didn't it mean anything to him?!'
"Humph," Mimi said quietly to herself. 'And how could he tell that I was jealous? I wasn't that obvious, was I? The only other people who could tell . . .' Mimi bit her lip tighter, playing uselessly with the skin. She had to stop that thought right there; there was no point in thinking about things that she couldn't do anything about.
She closed her eyes tightly, lost in her thoughts as she absently reached out to grab a pencil. She jumped slightly when she felt a warm, soft surface instead of the cool, smooth one she was expecting. She looked up, confused . . . only to be met with equally surprised cerulean eyes staring back at her. She retracted her hand quickly, as did Matt.
Matt looked down quickly. 'God, I hope Mimi didn't see me blush,' Matt thought to himself as he stared intently at his slightly shaking - 'no, not shaking,' he reminded himself, 'just twitching.' - hands.
He sneaked a quick glance at Mimi, but couldn't read her facial expression; her hair was completely covering her in his line of vision. 'I have to fix this,' he told himself. 'I have to try to fix things between Mimi . . . and my friends.' He nodded to himself, determined. It couldn't be that hard.
. . . Could it?
Mimi turned her back on Matt, quickly grabbing her purse and shuffling around until she found her compact mirror. She flipped it opened and checked her appearance quickly in the mirror. She cursed herself internally as she saw a light, pink blush flushing her cheeks. 'Why am I blushing?' She thought to herself angrily. 'I shouldn't have any feelings for him . . . except distaste. After everything he did . . . how can I still respond to him like this?'
"I know what I'm going to do," she whispered barely audibly to herself. She smiled in satisfaction. She wasn't going to let Matt Ishida hold her back anymore. Mimi Tachikawa was going to take back what she always wanted . . . screw the consequences.
Mimi smiled contently to herself.
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"TK!" Kari yelled happily across the lunchroom. Her blonde boyfriend looked up briefly from his calculus homework (which he was trying to finish by next period) and smiled at her. Kari ran across the lunchroom, dodging various students and teachers, and hugged her boyfriend around the neck.
TK smiled to himself before turning around and returning Kari's hug. "And why are you so happy today?" He inquired with a mischievous twinkle playing in his eyes.
Kari smiled at his offhand joke and whacked him in the arm. "I know you know! Today's the day were going to meet Davis. I'm so excited! Do you think he'll like us? Do you think he'll like me? Hmm, my hair looks weird. Do you think he'll like my outfit?" Kari babbled.
TK growled jokingly at Kari. "Hey, you better not look too good. I don't want him getting any wrong ideas."
Kari laughed at her boyfriend and playfully ruffled his blonde hair. "Aww, how cute! TK is jealous!" Kari winked at him. "Don't worry, I'll always love you, baby," she teased.
TK grimaced at her. "You know I hate pet names."
Kari smiled brightly at her boyfriend. "Yep! That's why I do it!" Her smile dropped out of her face and a look of determination set across her features.
"Enough messing around; it's time to work! We need to go find Davis," Kari demanded, pulling TK up. TK sighed and fixed his hair, but willingly let himself get pulled by his girlfriend as she started searching the cafeteria.
Meanwhile, Yolei was always looking around the cafeteria. She had her eyes peeled for both her boyfriend (no matter how weird it was to say that) and Davis. If she found either one of them, she was going to pounce. She needed to talk to Davis and Ken was her boyfriend.
"Eww," she grimaced delicately as she took another bite of the gross cafeteria food.
"Hey, Yolei," Ken greeted. He paused before shyly pressing his lip gently to Yolei's cheek. He pulled away nervously, but soon started laughing at Yolei's red face. He smiled gratefully.
Yolei smiled shakily even though her face was still flaming. "H-hey Ken," Yolei greeted, trying to sound nonchalant, but failing.
Ken smiled sweetly at her and took a seat next to her (still managing to avoid Davis's usual spot). He took a bit of his corn before shyly placing his hand on her leg. Yolei's eyes snapped open before falling shut again. 'It actually doesn't feel bad,' Yolei thought to herself.
'This isn't fair to Ken,' Yolei reminded herself. 'I can't have him get hurt my mistake. I won't let him,' she thought to determinedly.
She gently pushed his hand off and stood up. "I'm sorry," she apologized, "but I have to the bathroom." Yolei started walking from her seat, heading towards the girl's bathrooms.
"Yolei, wait. Look at Davis," Ken said, his eyes transfixed on a sight that he wouldn't have imagined in his wildest dreams.
Yolei turned around quickly. "Ken, what are you talking about . . ." Yolei's voice faded off and her eyes widened. In the middle of the cafeteria, Kari Kamiya was hugging Davis (who looked rather red and uncomfortable). Yolei watched numbly as Davis laughed stiffly before placing hesitant hands on Kari's back and hugging her back quickly.
"I never thought," Ken started, but didn't continue. It didn't matter; Yolei knew what he was going to say.
"Me neither," Yolei agreed, falling back into her seat next to Ken.
TK Takashi's scowl dropped the same second Kari's hands dropped off of Davis and he started smiling. Yolei watched as Davis seemingly cracked a joke, of which both laughed at. She saw him take a seat at the table they usually sat at (alone, Yolei observed) and the smiles that were playing at everyone's faces. 'Davis looks so happy,' Yolei thought stiffly. 'Doesn't he miss us?!' She suddenly thought.
Yolei crossed her arms grumpily. For some reason, she was suddenly ticked off. At the world, at Davis, at their situation . . . but mostly at herself.
Tai, Sora, Izzy, Joe, and a few of their other friends sat at their regular table (the table they had laid claim on all the way back in Freshman year).
"I don't think I'm ever going to be able to ask a girl out!" Joe complained, flicking a piece of lint off his shirt.
Izzy nodded mechanically. "I wouldn't say that, Joe. In fact, it's probable that you will grow out of your shyness soon. After all, most people really show their true colors in college and we're headed there in only - "
Tai smiled dryly at his intellectual friend. "Spare us the lecture, Professor Izumi."
The red-head blushed slightly and Tai grinned, slinging an arm around his friend.
Izzy glared slightly at Tai. "I don't think it's very normal to insult someone and then try to act all nice to them, Tai."
Tai retracted his arm and put them up in the air in a 'who me?' gesture. "Hey, hey. I never insulted you. Actually, when you think about it, I complimented you. So there!" Tai added on childishly.
Izzy opened his mouth to retort, but closed it again and puzzled over Tai's logic. "I guess you're right," he finally managed.
"You know it," Tai responded easily. Izzy rolled his eyes at his friend and joined the other's on their conversation of the exams that were coming up in coming weeks.
"Hey, Sor'," Tai greeted, turning around so that he was facing his . . . Tai scrunched up his face. What exactly was she?
Sora smiled back at him, a light blush covering her cheeks as she remembered the kisses they shared yesterday. 'You're acting like a schoolgirl,' Sora berated herself. 'Get a hold of yourself and talk!'
"Hey," Sora said lamely, groaning at herself internally.
However, Tai didn't seem to notice because he just grinned at her. "So . . . how's life?"
Sora smiled. "It's good."
Tai smacked his lips uncomfortably. "Yep," he exclaimed, popping the 'p' at the end.
She smiled at him, "Tai, do you want to talk about what happened last night?"
The brunet smiled at her gratefully. "Yeah. I mean, you're important to me and I wouldn't want to loose you over something," Tai trailed off and resisted the urge to face palm. 'Just like me to run my mouth,' he thought to himself.
Sora blushed lightly. "You're important to me, too," she admitted.
Tai smiled and leaned down carefully so that his lips were once again covering her own. Neither noticed the shocked expression on their tablemates faces (Tai had yet to tell Izzy and Joe what happened yesterday).
Joe opened his mouth to say something, but a new voice broke in.
"Ohh! Who's this?!"
Tai and Sora broke apart and Tai looked around the table confusedly.
"Who said," Tai started, but the words died on his lips. Standing to the right of him, in all of her feminine glory was . . .
"Mimi?!"
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Ugh! *rants about how she hates this chapter*
Please review! I know it doesn't take a long time to read, but it did take a fair amount of time to write. It would mean so much to me!!