This took longer than expected, haven't been up to writing lately. Wow! I was blown away by the response I got to the ridiculously long A/N I posted! Will try real hard not to disappoint any of you! This chapter is a Kari POV. Never fear, PrincessJaded, Mimi will get plenty chapter time!

To sakuraMae07, I'll be looking out for your first fic! Oh, just so you know, it's pronounced 'Rena' as in 'Raina'. :) Can't wait for your story!

Disclaimer: Don't own digimon or anything slightly related to Bride Wars or Monster-in-law.

Prologue

Kari Yagami paced herself as she walked down the aisle toward the chapel altar holding a small bouquet of white lilies. Her beautiful face beamed with a brilliant smile that set her dark copper brown eyes alight. All the guests' smiling faces were upon her. Kari reached the altar where an anxious groom awaited. He adjusted his collar nervously. Kari stepped off to the side with the other bridesmaid, Rena. Takeru winked at her with a smile. He and Daisuke were both Best man.

The wedding march began to play as finally the bride floated down the aisle. She was a vision in a white satin dress with her plum colored hair piled up high on her head in an extravagant up style held together by ribbons. Miyako had captured the attention of the waiting crowd, enrapturing them with her striking appearance. Miyako couldn't have been happier marrying her childhood friend and love of her life, Ken Ichijoji. Being apart of her friends' special day meant the world to Kari, and she couldn't wait for when it would be her turn! She adored weddings. If only her boyfriend Takeru would get a move on and ask her already! After all, she had caught the bridal bouquet before 'Kenyako' –Kari found it easier to combine both their names when speaking about the pair-left the wedding reception! That had to count for something, right?

Chapter one

It's a beautiful life-as told by Kari Yagami

Two weeks after 'Kenyako's' wedding…

Although it was rainy and cloudy outside, the sun was shining in my world today! Alright, so the sun always shines in my world! It doesn't take much to make me happy. What really put a mega-watt smile on my face this grey Valentine's Day morning was the exquisite bunch of red roses waiting for me on my office desk.

"Flowers? For me? I wonder who they're from." I gasped dramatically pretending I hadn't the foggiest clue who'd sent them. I snapped up the tiny pink card that came with the roses and felt my heart soar with cupid's uselessly small wings as I read it.

My sweet Takeru, or TK as only I would call him, had sent me the flowers with the promise that he would give me the rest of my Valentine gift if I accompanied him to dinner at Chez Rouge. I'm such a sap for romance! Could this day get any better?

"Hikari. Have those pictures for one of the magazines arrived yet?" My boss Catherine popped her head through the doorway and caught me doing a happy dance around my desk…She gave me a look which confirmed she thought I was deranged.

I sat down at my desk, feeling real stupid. "Um, ah…I'll get right on it." My mind was flustered now, and I fumbled through the things on my desk for the paper work. Catherine lingered in the doorway.

"I have a new assignment for you. A client requested photographs of Tachikawa Mimi. You know; that singer and model? Anyway, they need you to take pictures or find some of her for her upcoming biography." Catherine enjoyed making me suffer by loading me with tons of work. Sometimes being head photographer at a major photographic design company was exhausting.

"Consider it done." I chirped with a nod. Watching her leave, I wondered how she walked in her short, tight restricting skirt and high Prada heels. Catherine's features looked harsh with her fair hair pulled back into that tight bun.

Catherine was as French as they came; the only thing lacking was the accent. She'd lost it after dating my twenty-four year old diplomat brother Tai. Go figure. It hadn't been the best of arrangements. But, like all of Tai's many, many, many, many girlfriends, she didn't last one lunar cycle. He'd dumped her, she'd thrown a hissy fit of epic proportions, and so life goes on… The sound of my ringing phone dragged me out of my reverie.

"Hi Rena! How are things at the Embassy?" Getting a call from my best friend each morning for a good gossip was one of the many highlights of my day. Rena worked as Tai's PA at the Japanese Embassy. We've been friends since childhood.

"Busy as always. I actually managed to avoid Daisuke considering it's Valentine's Day and he'll be looking for me with more fervor than usual! By the way, I can't talk too long; believe it or not, I actually have work to do!"

"You always say that and we end up talking for at least an hour!" I had to laugh at her. "Has Willis asked you out yet??"

"He's been pretty quiet today. Unlike Dai! Seriously, Kari, ever since you and Takeru became an item Daisuke's been driving me insane! Just the other day he cornered me outside Tai's office! If it weren't for your brother wanting his morning coffee and throwing Daisuke into the elevator to send him back to his floor…" She trailed off for dramatic effect.

"Typical day at the office, right?" I could only imagine Tai hauling Daisuke off and shoving him in the elevator! "Oh, did TK tell you? He's taking me out tonight! I can hardly wait! He sent me roses. He's so perfect!" I sighed dreamily.

"The two of you were made for each other. If he doesn't ask you that all important question soon, I'll beat him to a pulp!" She laughed. Both of us knew that was a physical impossibility. Rena had been close friends with TK from our younger days.

"Speaking of couples Kari, have you met Tai's new girlfriend?"

"I haven't. You know my 'no fraternizing' policy, Rena. I don't want to get attached." I casually browsed through a photography website on my computer. My policy of 'no fraternizing' helped me to be objective when I had to comfort Tai after a break-up. In hindsight, the relationship didn't last long enough for any sort of 'attachment' to develop. It suddenly occurred to me that Rena had become quiet.

"You don't know? Um, you might want to rethink your policy on this one…" Rena sounded uneasy. And what did she mean by 'you don't know'? What was she hiding from me? I straightened in my chair.

"What are you talking about? Tai goes through girlfriends like pandas go through bamboo. I'll give this new girlfriend of his three weeks at the most."

"Kari, he's engaged."

~x~

As for the sun shining in my world? Yeah well, there was a damn solar eclipse! How could my brother get engaged and not tell me? I'm his sister for crying out loud! Was I not important enough? Rena didn't even know who his new fiancee was! Catherine came in twenty minutes after I'd received the outrageous news only to see me frozen at my desk, jaw hanging, eyes wide as saucers and unseeing. The phone receiver was still glued to my ear. Not wanting to catch whatever it was she thought I had, Catherine sent me home from work for the rest of the day.

~x~

The number you have dialed is unavailable. Please try again later

"Why won't you pick up?!" This was the 36th time I'd tried to call Tai. He was probably out with his new fiancée. Even when thinking it the word sounded anomalous! I stared blankly at the TV.

"And in entertainment news today, Tokyo's sweetheart, Tachikawa Mimi has announced her engagement to…"

Hearing the word 'engagement' made me switch the channels angrily.

At least Mimi had the decency to announce something so important! My rage-filled trail of thoughts was broken by the realization that TK was going to pick me up in an hour and I wasn't even close to being ready! Jumping up and dashing to my room, I decided to put this whole engagement issue behind me and simply enjoy a romantic evening with the man of my dreams.

~x~

"You look beautiful as always." TK smiled as I gazed at him. The candlelight set off the violet in his azure blue eyes.

"Flattery will get you everywhere, Takaishi." I flashed him a demure smile. I wore a burgundy strapless dress with my long hair left down to cascade over my shoulders. I soaked up the restaurant atmosphere. The low drone of talking people and the soothing sounds of background music moved me to another world. My eyes surveyed the surroundings, and came to rest on a familiar face…

"I still haven't given you the rest of your Valentine gift yet. Kari, you know how special you are to me. You are the most extraordinary woman I have ever met, and I knew from the start that you were the one I was meant to be with forever."

TK was talking, but I wasn't paying much attention. I was in a state of disbelief at what I was seeing… A brunette man with roguish good looks was seated not too far away.

Taichi? Here? And who's that with him?

TK nervously dug in his stylish black jacket pocket for something. It was probably nothing, and I was too focused on something else to find out if I was right. I was pretty sure that the handsome young man seated on the other side of the restaurant was my brother Tai. But who was that woman he was with? I craned my neck to the side to look past TK and get a better view.

Long, honey gold brown hair and of course, she's got super model looks…who is she? My eyes strained to see. Tai was laughing, and the woman smiled at him brightly. That smile… I could've sworn I'd seen her somewhere before.

"Kari, is something wrong? What are you looking at?" TK noticed that I was staring at something behind him. He turned around in his seat to follow my gaze. I took a sip of wine and shrugged my shoulders, faking a sudden lack of interest.

"Is that Tai? And what is he doing here with Mimi?" A bemused TK wondered out loud.

Mimi…Mimi? MIMI!! The name echoed in my head. My mind reeled, and then it all came together. Horror gripped me with a sudden chill!

Swallowing my mouthful of wine too quickly with astonishment, I started to cough and gasp for air. TK got up and was at my side in an instant, patting my back with a worried frown on his face. Once I regained my breath I managed to choke out the words:

"Mimi?! As in Tachikawa Mimi?" Heartbreaker Mimi?

Oh sweet mother of…It can't be!

Author's notes: Hmm… I don't know how well this chapter went… I'm pretty sure it sucked… next chapter will be better!! Sorry if I disappointed any of you! I tried my best to make it a really intriguing first chapter that draws you in! This fic won't all be in character POV. Seeing that Kari is one of the main characters, I thought it would be good to put in her POV for the first chapter. Reviews aren't entirely necessary, but hey, I love receiving them none the less! So please tell me what you think! The more reviews, the quicker I'll update this!