Author's Note: I didn't really expect a lot for the first chapter but I'm glad some are enjoying this so far, and knowing that is enough to keep writing this. To those who reviewed, thank you very much! Here's chapter two!
Salad Days
Chapter Two
A Strange Change
"Well, that's the last one," said Taichi as he put down one of Mimi's belongings.
"I'm so tired, I think I need some painkillers," said Jyou, sitting down at the staircase. A little while, they took off the white sheets that covered the furniture and other fixtures of the house.
Yamato looked around Mimi's old house. The white paint had already faded over the years, turning into cream. It was only in the living room and bathroom where he reached in the old Tachikawa residence. He and Mimi weren't that close for him to go upstairs – unlike Taichi or Jyou.
He remembered going here with Taichi, Jyou, Koushiro, and Sora to fetch Mimi. Mrs. Tachikawa will offer them snacks, while Mr. Tachikawa will teasingly ask which of them Mimi's boyfriend is. Of course, Taichi will automatically respond out of nervousness and throw either him or Jyou as the bait. Mr. Tachikawa would laugh and threaten him not to hurt their little princess. Even now, he still wasn't sure if he was just joking. Mimi would go down, cladded in pink, and they'll leave the house once she kisses her parents goodbye.
Yamato snapped back from his thoughts as Sora called him.
"Are you alright, Yama-kun?" asked the now fully-energized ginger. He was growing anxious. He and Sora hadn't talked about their problems yet. He wasn't really sure how to act normal.
"Yeah.. I am. You feeling better?"
"Yeah.. I had some sleep earlier."
"Oh yeah, I need to give you something,"
"What is it?"
"It's from Mimi. She handed it to me earlier, said I should give it to you." Answered Yamato, as he took out the box.
Sora hesitantly took it and slowly opened. She felt mixed when she saw what was inside. Disappointed it wasn't from Yamato, but happy it was from Mimi. She has to thank Mimi for this. Mimi always thought about her despite that their friendship struggled with long distance relationship. But now that she's back, she swore to herself she'll make up for their lost time.
"Sora," hesitated Yamato, as his hand scratched his nape. "about yesterday.." he wanted to say something, but he was too afraid this would be another ratatatatata –
The girl sighed. "Yesterday.. I'm sorry I got angry."
"No, I should be the one who's apologizing. I'm really sorry."
"It's just that I didn't think it was going to be a big deal for you,"
"You know how I feel about it…"
"He's my friend too, Yamato." Her voice grew stern.
"I know he is," he assured, still feeling blue. "I just don't know how to feel when you two are together alone. You were with him at a park, dead midnight."
Sora breathed heavily and looked around to check if they're being eavesdropped. Everyone else was on their own, resting, while Mimi was in the kitchen to prepare some snacks.
"We were friends before this. We were all friends – you, me, and Taichi. And I wanted to be something more to you. Isn't that what should matter to you? I chose you, Yamato."
"And he chose you."
An angry Sora was like a time bomb. But she won't fuse today – not with Yamato's aggravation, and definitely not on front of everybody. She stared at her red sneakers. She didn't want to say it, but she had been thinking a lot of it recently, since they started getting in this rough patch.
"Did you even wonder if you actually 'chose' me?" she asked in a whisper. "That's enough for today. I'm going to help Mimi with the food. Let's talk again soon." She added, not letting Yamato make her reach her tipping point. Without another word from him she went on her way to the kitchen.
That definitely didn't go well, Yamato thought as he leaned against the wall. His gaze caught Taichi's empty eyes staring back at him.
"I'm sorry it's taking so long," apologized Mimi, as she stirred a bowl of melted chocolate. Sora smiled and shook her head.
"It's fine Mimi-chan. Everyone's getting rest. What exactly are we going to do with this though?" asked Sora, pointing out to the several bricks of chocolate.
"I'm making hot cocoa. The Spanish way!" she exclaimed. The redhead chuckled.
"What? It's true. This is how they do it... when there's no cocoa powder." giggled Mimi, as she minced them into smaller pieces. Sora took some bricks and chopped some too.
"Aren't there too many of this, Mi-chan?"
"Are they?"
"It feels so."
"I hoarded them from a pastry shop back at New York because, because, because, Sora-chan this is the best chocolate ever and I will make you fat with this! I remembered gaining five pounds last winter because of this!"
The redhead heartily laughed. She really missed being with Mimi. For the most part, Sora owed her for teaching her the 'girly stuff' that soon she had found useful. Right when Mimi left, she made a habit of pampering herself. Her relationship with her dearest mother already healed, but it still felt odd to bond with her. More importantly, she really couldn't bring herself to talk about boys with her mother. Sora remembered one time that she, Mimi, and Hikari had a sleepover at her place. She remembered how she used to secretly fancy her best friend Taichi, and how Mimi complained a lot about the boys – Jyou's too anxious, Koushiro's too serious, Yamato's too different; she'd follow this usually with an advice for Hikari, which Takeru might grow into a smart boy, and therefore she should catch up with him. Hikari will usually be interested but then retreat to a blank expression.
Anyway, Sora grew out of her fancy eventually – but this was definitely a thorn in Yamato's side.
A weak smile on her face – we were just kids.
Mimi was relieved Sora was already awake. With Sora having spent the whole ride asleep, Mimi could only do nothing else but interact with the rest and cope with their changes. The sudden metamorphoses of everyone else seemed to have taken her aback. Takeru and Hikari grew out of their little shoes, no longer the kids whom she played hide and seek with – they're now smitten with each other instead. Jyou – oh, good 'ol Jyou – back then she only thought of him as a kid trying to be mature. But now here he is, a medical student at one of the most refined schools in Japan. And lastly, what bothered her most out of today, was the painfully obvious rift between Taichi and Yamato. She thought that throughout the countless times they swore each other off to hell, and punched each other in the face, they'd still be as strong as ever. Koushiro and Sora didn't seem to change.
With that, she was anxious to ask Sora about the goings-on.
"Ne, Sora-chan, how are things going?" It wasn't that she didn't have a clue—but her being away for three-to-four years still made her feel she missed out a lot.
"What do you mean what's going on? As you can see, Sora is Sora as Japan is Japan," assured Sora.
"I haven't seen everyone for a long time though. And I haven't talked much to anyone else except you, Jyou, and Takeru, when I was in New York. I didn't have much time to log on to my laptop often since Michael, Cat and I always go around the boroughs – and my parents always take me to their out-of-town trips," told Mimi. The redhead stared as the strawberry-haired girl kept on talking. Mimi got more down-to-earth, no longer the high-pitched, pushover Mimi, but she was still bubbly as ever. She really did seem to have a wonderful time, and America did really well with her. In fact, Sora slightly felt like this best friend of hers is a foreigner, with her pink hair and Vogue-catalogue-ish get-up. Not that Mimi looked weirder than the people in Harajuku.. Sora giggled at the thought. She didn't have the words to describe Mimi, but certainly it wasn't just her clothes.
"Well enough about me, Sora-chan! How are things here, what have I missed apart from you and Yama's lovey-dovey togetherness?" Mimi asked with enthusiasm. Sora paused chopping the cocoa and sighed.
Mimi looked at Sora. She felt like she accidentally stepped on a stray kitten with her stiletto. "Sora-chan?"
Sora felt her eyes watering. Ahh. Not here.. Oh.. Come on. She reprimanded herself. Maybe she did have to tell this to someone.
"You sure have a way in keeping your tongue held," told Takeru to his brother. He, Yamato, and Hikari were sitting on the couch, just adjacent to the other where Koushiro, Taichi and Jyou were sleeping.
"You know I didn't mean it that way," replied Yamato.
"I know, but you know.. Since you and Sora got together, Taichi-kun acts like you broke up with him," said Takeru matter-of-factly as he turned to Hikari. "What does Taichi-san tell you, Kari-chan?"
"Nothing, really. He doesn't tell me anything at all even if I ask. I asked onii-chan once on how he felt with Yama-kun and Sora-chan. He said he's cool with it," Said Hikari, glancing at her brother. "Although, it's evident he's not cool with it at all." She added.
"I asked him about that too, even before dating Sora. He said the same thing," said Yamato. "Why can't he just be sincere with it to begin with? Seriously.. I don't know what to do." He said, slapping his palm on his forehead.
Hikari and Takeru sighed out of helplessness.
"They were together yesterday." The older blonde whispered, his eyes covering the back of his hand.
"What do you mean?"
"They went to Ueno Park. At the dead of the night."
"Why? And how did you find out?"
"I don't know. Sora said she just bumped on him while she was on her way home. She phoned me right after."
"So what's the problem?"
Yamato fell silent before saying – "I got jealous? Then we fought about it."
Takeru sighed. "But you do know they're also best friends.. They've been friends longer than you and Taichi are."
"I know.. But.."
"But what?"
Yamato removed his hand from his face. He was now staring at the ceiling. Mimi will be cleaning up a lot, he thought. He looked at Takeru.
"But, I always feel that Sora always liked Taichi more." The older blonde breathed. The younger Yagami wrinkled her brows. How could that even be? If Sora did love her brother more, they would have been together already – but no. Yamato-kun, you are wrong, she thought.
"I hope you don't mind me saying this, but I am confused and disturbed at how you got to that conclusion, Yamato-kun." said Hikari.
The older blonde let out another sigh. He just didn't have the words. "It's hard to say. It's a gut feeling."
Taichi woke up and suddenly stood from his seat. With a glance at his best friend, he turned around to go to the kitchen. Not for long Jyou and Koushiro woke up.
He might have heard us, Yamato wondered. Wait, it doesn't matter if he did.
Takeru raised a brow as Hikari rolled her eyes away. "My dear brother, you have a terrible intuition," commented Takeru.
Yamato didn't expect much of them to understand. He really needed someone appropriate to talk to about this. Maybe Jyou? Nah.. he thought. It should be someone with relationship experience.
Another sigh. He couldn't say it out loud, but it was just so painfully obvious for him that Sora likes Taichi. It's the glint in her eyes that tell him all. That, or he's just really a jealous bastard. This fact surprisingly took him aback. This feeling is so fucked up..
"Sorry to keep you guys waiting. I've already turned on the floor heater," Mimi entered the room, carrying a tray with mugs. "Thank you so much for fetching me. Especially to Jyou-kun," she said, placing the tray on the dusty table.
"It's fine Mimi-chan. But really. I do hope you'll tell me at least two days earlier next time!" said Jyou, who was only informed of her return by a call from Taichi this early morning. He had to cancel his meeting with the researchers back at the university. Sora came out of the kitchen with the snacks. Not for long, Taichi followed.
Yamato looked away. He made up his mind that he definitely won't be dealing with Sora for the rest of the day. His eyes fixated on Mimi instead.
"I wonder if the telly still works.." muttered Mimi, plugging in the old TV box and fixing the antenna.
"I can't believe you're back here again, Mi-chan," said Koushiro. Mimi got up from the floor and took the remote control. "I can't believe it too, I thought I was going to stay in America for good," she grinned.
"Why did you come back though?" asked Koushiro after taking a gulp of the hot chocolate from the mug. "You never really told anyone why, specifically."
"I asked."
"You asked to come back?"
"Yeah."
"But why?"
"I just wanted to."
"So your parents were definitely okay with you living here alone in Japan?"
"Yep."
Koushiro raised an eyebrow. "That's strange.." It is, because it wasn't okay, thought Mimi. But she already made up her mind not to tell anyone.
"Strange indeed, but Mi-chan seems to have grown up into a fine, young lady," taunted Taichi as he posed in a girly fashion. "because seriously, Mimi, you look quite funny." Everyone actually agreed on that point.
The television was still functioning, thank goodness. Mimi flipped it on NHK Newsline for weather report. She glared at Taichi. "Now what does that supposed to mean?!"
"I think he meant the way you dress," said Jyou.
"Or the way you talk," said Takeru, noting on her Japanese. Mimi's pronunciation of the consonant "l" was so perfect she couldn't let out a strong "r" sound anymore.
"Or your mannerisms, because you're using a lot of hand gestures so far," said Hikari.
"It's the hair," pointed out Yamato. He still wasn't used to her pink hair.
Mimi scrunched her brows, showing the well-known Tachikawa scowl. Sora laughed. "Well, you still look pretty even when you do that, Mimi-chan." Said Sora, taking a seat beside Jyou.
"In what way am I funny? I'm just wearing this designer trench coat! Yes, I know, I started wearing clothes that are not pink. And I still am speaking in Japanese, aren't I? And what's wrong with my behavior? Do I use a lot of hand gestures now? I blame Michael on that if ever. Also, what's so wrong with my hair, it's always been pink! People all over this country do it!" exclaimed Mimi.
"Well, you don't look Japanese at all now," teased Koushiro. "Not saying it's a bad thing though." He added.
"It's not like you guys haven't changed too you know," Mimi pointed out, restraining to be an emotional ball of feelings.
"Well, you were away for three years... we did grow up and went through puberty but nothing drastic," replied Taichi. "but be chill, you look really nice."
Mimi smiled at Taichi and sat next to Takeru, who was also beside Yamato. The group fell silent as they watched the news.
"Huh. Shoji Mai looks prettier," commented Mimi as she watched the weather reporter.
"She's always been like that," smirked Yamato. "Tachikawa, you're so strange."
Mimi didn't reply. Apart from the shock that Yamato was the one who replied to her compliment, she also didn't have the words with his statement.
"Well, more importantly, the weather doesn't look friendly," said Jyou. "We should go home."
"Easy for you to say, Jyou-kun. You just live at the other end of the street!" exclaimed Taichi. Taichi (along with Hikari), Sora, and Takeru lived at the other side of town. Yamato's was a couple of blocks away but just in a walking distance. Koushiro lived in the same street as Yamato's.
Sora turned to Mimi. "Will you be okay alone, Mi-chan? I could accompany you here and help you fix your things," the redhead offered. She needed a distraction. She thought it would be better for her to stay away from thinking about her blonde-haired, blue-eyed lover tonight.
"Is it Sora-chan? Is it? Are you sure? Okay!" Mimi grabbed Sora by the shoulders and hugged her.
"Can I tag along too, Mimi-chan, Sora-chan?" pleaded Hikari.
"Wait, that means I should stay here too!" cut in Taichi. Excitement filled in Mimi. She thought of a seemingly brilliant idea: "Why don't we all sleep over! The guys could use my parents' old room while we girls stay in my old room. And I'll just call in for pizza!"
I doubt there's delivery service with this storm, thought Yamato. The snow was already reached the elevated garden at the front porch, about two-feet deep.
"I'm okay with it. What about you, aniki?" asked Takeru. He was enthusiastic as Mimi. This was the first time they'd all be together again.
"I guess I don't have a choice," the older blonde replied. Yamato won't admit it, but he liked the idea too.
"It's like camping again. Back during the days at the DigiWorld," said Koushiro. Silence came when everyone felt spot on. Yamato let himself a small smile. Like him, Koushiro never said much. But when he did, he knew the right words.
Jyou sighed, feeling defeated. He wasn't going to complain tonight though. Koushiro was right. Today felt exactly the same – the days when he still felt young. "Fine," Jyou agreed. He glanced at the ceiling and horror painted his face. "But we should definitely clean up. I don't want to get allergies!"
Author's Note: Yes, I gave Yamato and Taichi very ugly flaws, and not Sora (but of course, she's not perfect either). I am really bothered at how all three of them were so "cool" with it. While some loved and found perfection with it, I think there's a really interesting flipside on the whole Yamato/Sora/Taichi love triangle – because based from their characterizations alone (along with potential behavior), a Sorato break-up may still have happened, and Taichi/Sora may still have happened (without anyone being a rebound). Anyway I know I'm just rambling right now, but I'm going to try my best to make that idea more understandable with this story. As for the pairing Mimato, I still don't understand how they can be too incompatible for romance. Yamato may be reclusive while Mimi might be a social butterfly, and yes, they lacked a lot of screen time in terms of canon, but that doesn't mean they can't connect on a romantic level. I'm trying to write something that even if Digimon Adventure Tri will just push more of Sorato, this story can still be enjoyable and make Mimato fans feel that being a supporter of this camp is not crazy and foolish (pardon my ramblings, I will continue this rant in the next chapter).
I'm realizing how this story is quite slow-paced. I intended to take things slow at the beginning before the really juicy Yamato and Mimi moments, but I think I need to find balance to it, since I have come to find out that I write really long chapters (I'm already working on chapter 4, chapter 3 just needs a little bit of editing)– I am just as excited as you guys are to find some Mimato moments, after all. :-)
I'm all in for your reviews, suggestions, comments. Again, thanks for reading! Keep on Mimato!