IMPORTANT NOTE: Good news and sad news... The author formerly known as Tachikawa IVIimi has retired her account :( but, I (going by K) have e-mailed her and gotten permission to continue her stories and she has sent me all of her notes and plans for most of her stories! I won't be writing for every story, because that's a lot to keep up with... sorry! But this has always been one of my favorites so I'm very excited to see it to the end! There will only be 1-2 more chapters left, but I hope you faithful readers enjoy my writings! :)

"Excuse me!"

Miyako flew past a young couple when she ran through the hospital doors and headed towards the corridor leading to the emergency waiting room. Her boots tracking brown snow, her scarf barely made its way around her neck and her keys bounced in her pockets with every stride. Yelling for people to move out of her way was the only thing she could do to keep her from bursting into tears, preparing herself for the worst news she might hear that day. She saw the "WAITING ROOM" sign ahead and threw the doors open to see Mimi pacing back and forth.

"OH thank goodness!" she exclaimed as they threw their arms around each other. "I-I was so scared—I received a call to get down here but I wasn't sure—I didn't know who—"

"I'm alright, I promise," She was bruised, a little sore, and came out with a few minor wounds. Mimi stroked her crying best friend's head. Mimi looked away in shame when Miyako started asking questions. "It was a car. It was my fault! I was… I didn't mean for any of this to happen. The nurse said that the doctor will be out soon… but, Yamato—he remembers, Miyako. I saw it in his eyes before the… he knows who he is now, who I am. But Michael…"

"Miss Tachikawa?"

Mimi rushed towards the doctor, "How is he? Will he be alright?"

"He has lost a great amount of blood and has a couple bruised ribs," the doctor answered. "It will take a couple months to fully recover, but he is a lucky man… we will monitor him carefully over the next few days."

A wave of relief and comfort swept over Mimi. "Would it be alright if I see him?" The doctor nodded and began to lead Mimi towards one of the rooms. She held her breath as she got closer to the door, only to have her heart sink when she caught sight of him.

"Michael," she breathed. Every step brought on a new wave of agony and guilt. Mimi examined the machines beside his bed and the beeping noises they made; gently tracing the tubes to his fingers, Mimi began to weep when she looked at Michael's face. His cheeks, freckled with minor cuts and bruises, were lacking in color, and a slow gasp escaped his lips with each breath he took.

"This is all my fault," she confessed softly. "This shouldn't have happened to you. What have I done? I just keep hurting you. I don't know if I could ever forgive myself for this…"

"You're not the only one," Mimi looked behind her to see Matt. He made his way to the other side of Michael's bed, his face reflecting the pain and guilt in hers. "How is he doing?"

Mimi stroked Michael's head, "The doctor said he will be alright. He will have to stay here for a little while."

Silence assumed its position in the room with the exception of the noise intervals the heart monitor would make. Matt watched as Mimi took a seat next to Michael, never letting go of his hand, and gazed at him with the most painful and worried look on her face. "This is wrong," he finally said and . "I was selfish. I wanted to be with you when I knew it was wrong… and I've not only hurt you again, but I'm hurting others as well too. This was because of me, Mimi."

"Matt…this wasn't your fault. I ran to you," Mimi looked at him in disbelief when he shook his head. She left her seat and walked towards him, taking his left hand into both of hers. She managed to form a small smile. "Hey, don't beat yourself up for this… I was the selfish one. The only mistake you made was walking away," she held his hand close to her face and gazed in his eyes. "Maybe I am such an awful person to be this selfish… I love you. And I want to be with only you, that hasn't changed, Matt."

Glancing over at Michael, Matt retrieved his hand from Mimi and inched back. "Matt. Don't you mean Yamato…" the look on Mimi's face read somewhere between confusion and relief, realizing there was still the huge part about his memory coming back that needed to be addressed. Matt looked down, digging his hand into his pocket until it came back with a small envelope. "Mimi… Yamato… A lot of things are still hazy, but I do remember… I remember you." He smiled, and so did she. From the envelope, Matt pulled out a ring.

"Matt," Mimi breathed as she examined the delicate band trapped between his thumb and index finger. It was a white gold band; elegant, with small diamonds clustered and around the bigger diamond perched at the top. It was perfect. "An engagement ring? Is it… was it for Shoji?" she held her breath, slowly descending to take a seat as she watched the young man hold the ring to his face, with a wistful concentration that sought and wrestled with the right words.

He sighed and she saw the water glisten in his eyes when they met hers. "I bought this ring to propose to Shoji a long time ago, but it never felt completely right to give it to her. I kept thinking it was because we were still a little young, I don't know… I love Shoji; she has done wrong, the worst for lying, and she will forever regret what she's done. But there's good to be found in her love too, I guess. Marrying her just wasn't right… but yesterday morning, I found myself putting this ring inside my pocket, when I was on my way to meet you."

Mimi watched him as he was saying every perfect line. "From the day we met Mimi Tachikawa, it seems that all I've ever done in my life is making my way to you. There are millions of people in this world and you've managed to make the same guy fall in love with you twice," he ended with a short but pained laugh.

Without any hesitation, Mimi rushed to Matt's arms. The two fit together in a tight embrace, unleashing everything that has been deeply buried during their time apart. "You have no idea how happy this makes me, Yamato," she smiled and spoke softly, lightly touching his cheek. "I have missed you so much, you were my best friend and now—" she allowed her eyes to close as she leaned in closer to meet his lips, but was taken by surprise when she felt Matt touch her shoulders and tilted her back. She looked up to see a soft but tortured look on his face.

He hesitated then looked towards Michael. "I know how you feel—but this is wrong too. Sugai, he is a good man; a kind man who has been there with you through everything and through the pain that Yamato—I have caused you."

Mimi began shaking her head and grabbed his arms, "No…"

"Yes! All I've done is hurt you, Mimi. Michael has and always will want to take care of you," he said. With a sad smile, he cupped her chin in his hand and sighed. "I love you, Mimi Tachikawa. I've always had and you will have a special place in my heart forever. Thanks to you, I have my memory back… and now I can start retracing my life and figure out the rest of my memory that I have been missing all these years. Mimi, because of you, I am Yamato once more."

Mimi observed the smile on his face, the sadness in his eyes, and grateful words he was giving her, but she couldn't help but realize the direction the conversation was going would inevitably leave her without Yamato in her life once again. She assertively shook her head and stomped her foot.

Matt continued, not letting her go just yet, "Please don't be angry with me. You're the bravest and kindest person I have ever met… and you have the love of a great man. You must honor the promise you made to Michael to marry him, and not let me interfere with your life and happiness anymore."

"That's not true! You are the one I want to spend my life with, the one who will make me the happiest," she argued. "Do you think I've spent so much of my time and energy making you remember, only to let you disappear again? I don't understand why we should have to let each other go when we have finally found each other."

"And it's a wonderful miracle that we did. But all my existence, even when you believed I was dead, it's only caused you sadness. Now… now you can finally close that chapter in your life, knowing that I'm alive and regaining my memory. You are free to love again, Mimi…"

"I choose you. I have always chosen you. Why won't you allow yourself to be with me?"

Seeing her begin to cry again in front of him, because of him, was something Matt had grown tired of seeing. What good is a part of my memory to her… everything inside of me loves her, but I'm still not the Yamato she loves, and I have to let her go. Matt slowly closes the gap between them and touches her cheek, "Far longer than forever, remember, I'll still love you." And with those last words, he kisses her.

Yamato. Mimi jerks her head up from the arm of the chair, blinking a few times to familiarize herself with her surroundings, noticing that she was still in the hospital.

"Hi there, sleepy head," Mimi turns her head and meets Michael's smiling face. He lets out a muffled laugh.

"Michael," she raised her hand but stopped short when she realized there had been something enclosed in her fist. Unraveling her fingers, she was surprised to find Matt's ring.

Michael watched in confusion as Mimi began to cry. "What is it, what's wrong?"

He's really gone. It's as if it was all a dream, like none of it ever happened now. She felt her cheeks grow warm and shut her eyes tightly in hopes to subdue the tears, closing her hand securely around the ring as if it was her heart inside, threatening to shatter all over the floor.

"Mimi?"

She took a deep breath before opening her eyes. "Yes," she replied sweetly and quickly took Michael's hand with her free one to quiet his concern. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to just start crying… how are you feeling?"

Michael smiled weakly, taking deep breathes between his words, "I think SooJin is going to be upset that he can't have my office now," with those words, Mimi's eyes began to fill with tears once more and she began to apologize. "Stop, Mimi, you don't… don't blame yourself. Don't. I don't know what I would have done with myself if you got hurt."

"I would have received what I deserved, for hurting you," she replied, hanging her head to avoid his eyes. "You shouldn't have gotten hurt like that, Michael, please forgive me." Mimi mumbled a goodbye and began to stand up from her seat when Michael squeezed her hand.

"Are you alright? Did I do something wrong?" he asked.

Mimi stared at him in disbelief and shook her head, "You? Michael—you're lying in a hospital bed with a broken rib because of me! You should be angry with me, not asking if I'm alright."

"Don't leave, Mimi," unable to find the words to say, Mimi allowed him to gently pull her close. When she only remained silent and staring at his hand holding hers, Michael's face grew concerned when he remembered that the reason he had found her in near danger on the street was because she had left him… to chase after Matt. He glanced around the room and to the closed door before returning to disheartened look on Mimi's face. Maybe he has left after all, he surmised.

The sound of Michael's voice broke Mimi's concentration from feeling the ring in her hand.

"I don't want to make you feel torn anymore, Mimi," he began. "I'm not going to pretend that you haven't fallen for another man, but I'm not going to cower down and give you up so easily… unless you ask me to."

Mimi quickly looked up to meet his face, surprised at his words. "Michael…"

"You and I belong together, Mimi, you have always known that," he continued, his voice growing stronger with his confidence. "I, I know that everything that has happened lately has made you question us, and I understand that you have also developed feelings for Matt…"

Feeling touched by his strong feelings towards her, Mimi found herself smiling at Michael and squeezing his hand. "I'm still here, Mimi, and I won't leave you. I love you, and I want you to be my wife."