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Puzzle Pieces

[Chapter 5]

surprise! (or not)

*.*.*.*

"I don't know what you're getting so worked up about Koushiro, everything's going to be fine."

Taichi pushed the last of the furniture toward the edge of their living room. Observing the newly formed expanse, he nodded affirmatively. "This should work."

"I know, I know," Koushiro agreed as he bent down to connect the wires of the sound system. He tested the speakers a few times to confirm everything was working properly before rising up to face Taichi. "I'm not worked up, I'm just—"

"What?"

Koushiro stayed silent.

"Look, you've been on edge almost all week and you finished finals on Tuesday." Taichi looked at his friend, eyes skeptical. "You know you can tell me if something's wrong, right?"

"Okay. I'll tell you, but you have to swear not to tell anyone else because Takeru made me promise to keep it a surprise."

"How old are we, nine?"

"Look—" Koushiro frowned. "I just – I'm hoping maybe you'll know best whether this is something to worry about or not."

"Well, then spit it out."

Koushiro took a deep breath.

"Yamato's coming tonight."

It took all that Taichi had not to noticeably flinch at the name. He tried to come up with a quick response, but he seemed to have inexplicably lost all motor skills. After what felt like years, he managed to utter a faint, "Oh."

"Yeah."

Regaining control of his limbs, he feigned indifference. "About time he came back! I'm surprised Mr. Rockstar even remembers us anymore, no one's heard from him in ages." He broke eye contact with Koushiro and moved to the kitchen to organize the drinks for later that night.

"So… do you think everything's going to be okay?"

"Of course it will, everyone will be tickled pink to see him again," he called over the noise of the clinking bottles. "You'd better be careful, he might steal all of your thunder."

"You know what I mean," came the redhead's response, sounding much closer than Taichi had expected it to. He turned to see that Koushiro had followed him into the kitchen.

"She'll be fine," Taichi sighed. "It's been, what, three years? I'd be more worried if Ryuki showed up."

Koushiro leaned against the kitchen cabinet. "It's just, she never really— Mimi always said— well… you know her best. Are you sure?"

"I haven't talked to her about Yamato in years. If Takeru thinks it's okay for them to be around each other, then I'm sure it'll be fine. He'd know better than I would," he said, offering what he hoped was a reassuring smile.

"Okay then."

Koushiro pushed himself off of the counter and hesitated.

"I— I tried to tell her, you know."

"I'm guessing you didn't get very far," Taichi joked as he finished shoving the last of the beers in the refrigerator.

"Do you think I should have?"

"You're the genius, Koushiro, not me."

"Not when it comes to people! She's your best friend."

Taichi threw away the excess grocery bags and met Koushiro's stare. "Sora will be fine, she's a big girl. If anything, maybe it's better she doesn't know so she doesn't have time to stress out and make it a bigger deal than it actually is. You know how she gets when she thinks too much."

"Was that too hard to say?" Koushiro smirked.

"Go pull out the folding table for tonight, moron."

*.*.*.*