Chapter Two: Not Easy
¤Taichi POV¤
"Tai-koi! You're here!" Sora-chan got up from the bench she was sitting on, and she flew to me. I mean that almost literally. I was knock nearly off my feet!
"Whoa! Sora, take it easy!" My arms wrapped around her waist, more on instinct to regain momentum than anything else. "You nearly knock the wind outta me."
She just laughed. "Can you blame me? It took you long enough to get here!" Not long enough, sadly. "But at least you aren't late." Yeah, about that...
"Sora, we need to talk." Wow. What's with the bold statement? Guess I really want to get this over with, and the direct approach is normally the best way to do it. Plus, I can use the excuse of the break up to crash the Izumi's to seek comfort and...
Bad Taichi, bad! You are about to break a friend's heart! It's no time for fantasizing!
Sorry Yamato.
"Of course!" Sora beamed. I raise a brow. Is that suppose to be the standard reaction? I always thought it was 'what about?' or if they sense a problem, 'Is something wrong?' or 'Is everything okay?' if they already know something's off. "It's been awhile since we got to actually talk." Oi. I mentally face palmed. Was that what she was getting at? Sora is a lot more observant than that! What gives? She is not making this easy. "The last time we got real time for ourselves was about four months ago, then you got busy!" She chuckled. "Which I find funny, because you usually whine to me about spending time together and I say I have homework, and you don't care a bit for that." Man, why is she so babbly today? Or has she always been like this and I was just too focus on being in love with her that I hadn't notice?
Well, Koushirou always did say I usually miss the important details... Wow. I can't go through a minute without letting him in my thought pattern.
Taking a sit on the bench. She patted the space beside her. With a forced smile, I sat down reluctantly. Sora beamed at me and brought out a bento of my favorites. I groan inwardly. While I appreciate the oh-so-girlfriend act, I think that not only is she making this less easy, but she is also making this rock-hard! I take the bento politely and ate it in a regular pace. Sora watches me with bright eyes, I try avoiding it by watching the swans over at the pond infront of us. Which did not make things easier. Two swans had their necks intwined in a heart form, and I swallow. The scenery is romantic, really, no wonder Sora chose this spot. It almost screamed 'You cannot possibly ever think of breaking up!' Too bad I am. And it's natural that I tense up a bit when she hugs my arm, like usual.
Only now I wish it was Koushirou...
I sigh, with that thought, I slip my arm out of Sora's hold.
She looks alarmed, "Koi? Is everything all right?" Sure, now she got it right.
"Sora, I meant... We need to talk. As in, you know, talk." I put emphasize on the word, looking straight at her now. And I think she's sensing the seriousness because, you know, she sighs and tears her gaze away from me.
"Tai-koi, I know what you meant the moment you said talk," you did, huh? Well, like I said she was observant. Maybe she just dreaded it as much as I did and tried to negate it. This was never easy to talk about.
"Sora, listen,"
"No, Taichi, you listen. I know... It has been awhile since we got intimate, and that leads your mind to many sorts of odd ideas." Yeah, no chiz. "But Tai-koi, I... I'm really not ready for this step of our relationship."
She lost me a bit at that one. Step, huh? Well, it is a step down so I guess it is counted as a step, plus, most first relationships go through that. And no one can ever be ready for that. "I understand, Sora, it's hard. But it's for the best..."
Sora looks at me incredelously, "Best? Are you serious, Taichi?! Control your hormones, baka!"
And now she has completely lost me. "Huh?"
"Taichi," Sora huffs indignantly. "I miss you as much as you miss me but..." Um, Sora? I don't think we're on the same page at all anymore. Where is she going with this? It doesn't even sound remotely like she's trying to convince me to not break up with her.
Not that I think she could, though.
"But I'm not about to lose my virginity to you yet just for you to have a hold on me!"
FACE PALM.
FACE PALM.
FACE PALM.
OF ALL TIMES FOR HER TO LEAVE HER INTUITION AT HOME!
"I mean, yeah, I want to hold onto something, too. An assurance that you are mine and I am yours when we don't see but..."
This has to stop, I have to end this, right now. I hold her shoulder. "This is not about sex!" I don't even think I'm ready to do that to Koushirou! Forget that I don't think he's gay or that I have a shot, but I'm not even eighteen yet! Plus, do I even need to mention I had no clue how guys do it?
"Then what is it about?" Sora blinks in confusion. "You been acting strange the moment you arrive. Something must be wrong."
At least she got that down.
"Sora... You might hate me for this but..." I sighed. "Don't be mad, okay? Or if that's too much to ask... Just... Hear me out, okay? Can you do that for me?"
"Taichi... You're scaring me, what are you talking about?"
"Something's... Different about me. I... I've change, somehow... Is this making any sense?"
"Not one bit, no..." Sora managed to say in a squeaky frightened voice. She looked like a deer caught in the heedlights, and I own the car.
I heaved a sigh. "I'm really sorry, Sora. I... I can't keep this up, it's unfair to keep doing this to you..." I look at her as she shudders. I see tears in her eyes. "You deserve to be treated right." I reach to catch a tear but Sora grabs my wrist with a desperate grip.
"Who is she?"
Wait. She? Oh no, don't tell me... Please don't let it go there...
"Who did you cheat me with? WHO FORCED YOU TO KNOCK HER UP?! I WILL MAKE SURE SHE UNDERSTANDS YOU ARE MINE!"
Agh. And it went there. Isn't this hard enough already?
This is gonna get worse before it even progresses to get remotely good. "I love you, Tai-koi! I don't care if you did what you did! Love is all about taking the pain with the pleasure, right? I want to take it all for you! (A/N: That was not how I planned to word it! The story wrote itself! Swear! I'm no gutter dweller!) I don't want to let you go, whoever this girl is, please... I won't allow her to take you fro-"
"I'M BI! I LIKE A GUY!"
Sora stops her babbling but her mouth remains open as she opts to gape at me. Well, fanastic. I screwed up because that might not be the best way to break it to her... Or break up with her. Then again, let's be honest, there really is no best way, let alone easy, to say 'It's over. "You... You're... What?"
"Erm, I'm bi? As in, I like... Both girls and guys?" Or one guy, really.
Sora sputters and chokes on a sob, like her mind couldn't easily process the idea of me being bi, or liking guys, whatever. Well, I didn't exactly accept the idea readily either. "No."
I blink. "Huh? Sora?"
"NO! I AM NOT LOSING YOU TO ANYONE, MOST ESPECIALLY NOT TO A BOY I DON'T EVEN KNOW!"
Erm, so you're saying it's cool if it's a boy you do know? I decided it was best not to voice that obnoxious question. (A/N: Nice use of Obnoxious, Tai) "Look... Sora, I didn't mean for this to happen. It just kinda... Did." I told her, putting the unfinished bento aside. UNFINISHED. It seems like the impossibles are happening today: [1]Taking a long showers instead of taking a hot bath, [2]Being on time for a meeting, [3]Sora leaving her intuition at home, [4]Breaking up with Sora when I always thought I had more potential of being the dumpee between us, [5]Unfinished Bento when I'm around. I even finish mom's pathetic excuse for bento lunch whenever she does make 'em. "Don't take it the wrong way, I still love you, but... This guy, he's amazing."
Sora looks at me and I flinch at the bitterness. Well, honestly, what did I expect? How else was one gonna take this? I just thought it'd be different with Sora and I; we were best friends before anything else. "Who's the guy, Taichi? Are you gonna end up together after this?"
"No, I haven't told him anything yet..." I answer honestly. But... "I don't think I should tell you who it is while you're mad at me," I know I owe her that much, but I'm not about to blow my chance with Koushirou, no matter how slim or how Sora puts a guilt trip on me. I'll just give it time before I act upon it.
I'd give it a week.
Whack!
Ow, Yamato!
Don't Yamato me!
Okay, okay! Fine! Two weeks?
Try again.
A month then.
Good enough.
Man, I didn't know a mind can bruise.
It can't, baka. It's called a headache.
Sora heaved a sigh. "I suppose it doesn't make a difference at this point, if you tell me who it is or not," It doesn't? What doesn't make a difference? Is that a good thing? I fidget nervously, waiting for what she'll say next. "There is no way I'm letting you go that easily! I will find out who you like, Tai-koi, and so help me if I have to give up my Crest," Uh, Sora? We already did that? And why would you need to... "I will not let you have him or be with him! I will stop you from pursuing him!"
I felt like I've been burned by Piyomon's Magical Fire. "Sora! That isn't fair! I love him!"
"Fair?! What's fair! Was it fair for you to put off hanging out with me beyond the confines of school for months?! Was it fair that when you finally opt to see me, you break my heart?! Was any of that fair?!" She shrieked at me, I politely held back the urge to cover my ears. "YOU LOVE HIM?! DAMN IT, TAICHI, I LOVED YOU FIRST! YOU LOVED ME FIRST! You're not even sure if he loves you, whoever he is, and I'll make sure it stays that way!"
The next thing I knew, Sora threw her bento at me and with the leftover food falling to the ground turned on her heels and ran away from me. "Sora! Wait!" But she was long gone... Actually, no. I could've ran after her, and I would've been able to catch up. I'm not the soccer star for nothing. Thing is, I didn't really want to. Forget that she needed her space, I'm thinking about what she said about Koushirou and making sure it stays that way that he doesn't like me.
If it is that way. But I don't want to hope.
The thing is, I believe her. Why would Kou-kun like me? I'm a dumb jock who can't even stay straight long enough to keep a girlfriend when I just got one. But I don't want to give up without trying. I want to know if I do have a chance.
Problem is, I can't even seek comfort from Koushirou without making sure Sora doesn't find out. But damn, do I want to see him. I guess it can't be helped, I still need to talk to someone about this. I pulled out my phone while picking up the bento.
"Moshi moshi?"
"Yamato? It's Taichi. Can I come over?"
"Sorry man, I'm on my way to Koushirou's now with Jyou-sempai for some tutor in calligraphy and..."
THAT'S IT! If I go to his place with other guys, Sora wouldn't know which he was! Just what the doctor ordered! And Jyou's a future doctor XD
"Cool. I need practice on my call-watcha-ma-call-it, too. I'm on my way!"
"Whoa! Oh no you don't! You can't just-"
Yamato pauses as I suddenly come face to face with Jyou and him.
"Crap."
I grin. Yamato scowls. Jyou face palms.
"Taichi, whatever you got to say to me better be good or so help me, I am showing the whole class the pictures of Koushirou-kun and yourself during our boys night four months ago!"
I wince. Meaning Sora will know, so I really got to spill everything cause that's the only thing considered 'good' for Yamato. But he can't know...
"Then I suggest you tell Koushirou we'll be a tad late."
My two friends made a look at me.
This day is not an easy one,
"Is that Sora-chan's bento?"
Nope, NOT EASY, at all.
¤End of POV¤ -
A girl leads Sora to her pink room and lets her cry into her pink Hello Kitty Pillow as she cries her tears away. She sat beside, waiting, even though all she wants to do today is go see Koushirou and flirt.
"I need him! I have to get him back! I have to!"
The girl frowns. She knew Sora meant Taichi, him breaking up with Sora is all she understood so far. And she was ready to hit the damn lumox, she already found him irritating that moment four months ago, now he made her best friend cry. What is he playing at?
"Sora-chan I'm lost, how about you start from the beginning?" She said perkily but she didn't feel perky.
Sora took a breath. Before she explained. To say her friend is stun was an understatement. When Sora finish, her friend got on the most serious expression Sora has ever seen her have.
"I think I know who he likes, don't worry, I'll make sure he has zero chances with him and get you two back together. Just help me in return."
If that's the only way for me to have Koushirou all for myself. She thought.
A/N: There! That was longer than the first, wasn't it? Don't hate Sora. I don't think all girls would turn all desperate or helpless at a break up and consider being a tad psychotic or diabolical, but I think it can happen. Sora has the Crest of Love so once she understood that in the series she could feel love to great extremes and the pain that comes with it the same way. I do not want her mistaken as the enemy here, however, I might make her annoying. And if anyone cares, the real Yamato has no idea he's Taichi's conscience. Review and tell me your thoughts about Sora, the break up, the unnamed but obvious friend, and conscience Yamato, etc. I love to be praised but I'm more particular of your thoughts.
As a side note, in Japan, baka means something liken to idiot. In my country, it means cow. I know, right? What up with that? Does that mean cows are stupid? Let me ask my friend (sort of) Buford of Phineas and Ferb,
Buford: Man, this Cows are dumb
Pertaining to how cows can talk but only say moo. Who's the baka there?
And the
FACE PALM
FACE PALM
FACE PALM!
bit is not mine. It is by awesome author Cuore Ridente. Love her ficcs, especially Samson. That's where I got the bit.