Author's Note: Thank you for those who took the time to read and review the fourth chapter! I'm really glad you're enjoying it. I would just like to add that Taiora and Takari are implied in this story aside from the main ship, in case that's a concern as to where the characters are going. Anyway, here's chapter four! Happy reading!

Salad Days

Chapter Four
Armistice

16th January 2015

"Is it okay if I bring Mimi-chan with me later?" asked Sora.

"It's okay, I don't mind," answered Yamato as he took a chopsticks-full of noodles. Yamato did as what Mimi had said the day she returned. For now, things had been going smoothly with Sora. He and Taichi made up the following day of Mimi coming back. He hadn't talked to her afterwards. "Takeru said he and Hikari will be coming, too."

It's been two weeks since Mimi's return. The New Year had already passed and school resumed. The snowfall had become lighter, and so did the tension between Sora, Yamato, and Taichi.

Sora smiled, being reminded of how Yamato and Mimi got closer the last get-together. Whenever she talked to Mimi on the phone, her best friend will always complain at how Yamato doesn't even teensy-weensy care for dear 'ol Mimi. With that, she will often encourage Yamato to be friendly with her best friend, to at least leave her a message on chat, but he'd just usually give him the 'I-don't-know-what-we'll-talk-about' excuse. It was nice to see him make an effort.

Not much longer, Taichi joined them, with his tray crowded with food. "I can't believe they ran out of shoyu already," complained Taichi, who got miso instead.

"You can have some of mine if you want," offered Yamato bluntly. Taichi checked over Yamato's soup. "But you already ate the chicken," complained Taichi. "Sora, Mimi-chan told me to remind you of today,"

"Don't worry. I didn't forget." Replied Sora as she bit off from her bread. Koushiro then joined their table and sat beside Sora.

"You're not going to eat noodles? Or rice?" asked Yamato, noticing Koushiro's tray.

"No.." replied Koushiro. "They have pork bread, hehe." He replied as he unwraps the bread.

"I know, I've wanted some pork bread for days," agreed Sora as she bit from her pastry.

School days have been less dramatic for Yamato. He and Sora haven't fought since then, and Taichi wasn't moping. It bothered him to bits. It's too fast to be okay.. he thought to himself. He found it unnatural. Of course, he'd prefer this eccentric harmonious chatter than arguing with Taichi or Sora. I'm becoming so paranoid.

Why is this so hard, thought Taichi. After an earful from Mimi and Hikari, it pushed him to finally start controlling his feelings and try moving on again from Sora. He admitted to himself that he was the one causing the problems after all. If only he wasn't smitten with Sora (not that he was not trying to remove it out of his system), Yamato would feel at ease. Some days he wished Yamato randomly punches him than to go through all these feelings instead. Taichi let out a sigh and gulped from his bottled water. How much of the water can I hold before it overflows the brim? He didn't like the fact that he was starting to think in metaphors.

"I guess everyone's right, nothing changed much here for three years," noted Mimi as she sipped from her tea. She stared outside the coffee shop, people-watching.

"People still cosplay, do gyaru-stuff, you know, the usual Harajuku people," said Jyou bluntly as he adjusted his glasses.

"In New York, things pass by so quickly,"

"How fast?"

"Let's say, a nine-months-old coffee shop gets demolished, and a new steakhouse replaces it in three months,"

Mimi took another sip. "That's why I'm so keen in trying everything out, wherever I am. I wouldn't want to miss anything." She reasoned, meaning every word of it. She looked at her cup, thinking how Michael and Cat were right now.

"Tell me, Mimi-chan," Her head shot right up to look at him.

"How do people at my age act? In New York, I mean," he asked. Mimi scrunched her eyebrows and looked up, pondering. She glanced back at Jyou, who was staring at the bonsai on their table.

"Well, most college students I've met act freely and recklessly," she answered. "While still being able to juggle their school stuff. One time Michael and I went to Wall Street and bumped on a med intern from Harvard," laughed Mimi. "It's actually a funny story since he was on his way to work and he was drunk in the daylight.." she continued on as Jyou patiently listened. But his head was also somewhere else.

"Mimi-chan, do you think I can get in Harvard med?" he asked out of the blue. He'd been meaning to aim higher, trying to get out his own mediocrity. What else can he achieve, aside from being just another Dr. Kido? She was cut off from her New York tale, and was a bit shaken from the question.

"I really wouldn't know Jyou-kun, I haven't tried," she giggled, taking another sip. Jyou grunted at Mimi's non-seriousness and rolled his eyes. Mimi smirked. "But I believe you can,"

The boy with glasses smiled, tapping on his mug. "I'm going to try then," he said.

What? Wouldn't that mean Jyou will leave Japan? I just got here for goodness' sake, Mimi's smile disappeared for a while then tried to grin. "Okay, I'm going to ask Michael!"

"Okay. I'll take you to Sora-chan's school in a bit," he said, looking at his watch. "You guys are going to watch Yamato-kun's band practice, right?" She nodded, feeling like a child. Jyou, her dearest Kido Jyou, was now an adult.

Mimi had her brow arched in a perfectly curved angle along with a lopsided grin the whole time she watched Yamato play the first three songs. Taichi and Sora were perplexed, not having a clue what Yamato was singing about. It turned out Koushiro knew the song. She swore she could hear him sing a few lines. Hikari knew too, thanks to a recommendation from Takeru – whom was singing out loud along with Yamato the whole time.

Yamato told the rest of the band to take a break. His band members went in the recording room as Yamato went over to Sora.

"Were those new songs?" asked Sora as she handed him a bottle of water. He shook his head and wiped the sweat off of his face. "Those were the songs of a band I discovered from Tachika – Mimi," he answered.

"I didn't think you'd like them, to be honest," laughed Mimi.

"Yeah, you always get angry whenever I play my 'obscure' songs too loud," added Takeru, noting on the times his brother told him how weird his music taste is.

"I thought they were new songs, they sound new and refreshing. Only, I couldn't understand what you were saying," said Sora with a giggle.

"It's really hard, since the band sings the songs in a very intricate British accent," pointed out Koushiro.

"Yeah, I'm just messing up with the lyrics too. I listened to that band for days and it took me seven days to be familiar with some of the lyrics," said Yamato as he opened the bottled water. He looked at Taichi. He felt the tension, but was comforted when the brunet gave him his thumbs-up.

"I'm glad you're trying something new then," complimented Sora as she planted a kiss on his cheek. The blond goofily smiled. "I'll just go to the restroom, okay," said Sora, as she left with Hikari. Yamato looked around, seeing whom to talk to. Taichi and Takeru were both engrossed in watching Koushiro play from his phone. He caught Mimi staring at him.

"Nice English, Yamato-kun," teased Mimi, who was still amused. Yamato turned to Mimi and sat at the empty seat beside her. He stared at her face intently, she was increasingly becoming uneasy. "With a face from a movie scene, or magazine, you know what I mean," Mimi blushed as he sang, but immediately shook the feeling.

"You're almost there, Yamato-kun," giggled Mimi. Yamato grinned and ran a hand through his hair. "I seriously can't get them right," he said. "It's challenging me, frankly,"

"Being Japanese is a handicap to begin with," said Mimi. "I commend your band though, you guys sounded a lot like them, except for the vocals,"

"Yeah, I need to work on it," said Yamato.

"Why don't you try easier English bands?" Yamato smirked at her suggestion.

"No, there's no such thing as 'easier English bands' for a Japanese musician like me," said Yamato. She laughed along with him. Silence took over when laughter died, and both started to feel uncomfortable.

"Oh yeah," Yamato took out the guitar pick from his pocket and showed it to Mimi. "Thanks," he said. Mimi turned into a deeper shade of red upon seeing it. Facing her was the little message she engraved there.

"Aniki," called out Takeru, leaving Mimi unable to respond. Yamato went over to his little brother.

Takeru looked stern and curious, his arms crossed. "What?" asked Yamato as he sat down beside him. His younger brother faced him and looked at him intently at the eyes.

"Are you flirting with Mimi-chan?" he whispered. Yamato scowled. "Of course not," The other blond squinted his eyes, obviously doubting his motives.

"Why on earth did you even think I am flirting with her?"

"Because.."

"Because..?"

Takeru couldn't point at anything solidifying. To him, it just seemed that way. Maybe he's just reading too much from it. He was a kid with an exceptional imagination after all. "Nothing," Takeru answered.

"You're being weird," pointed out Yamato. "You're always weird, but today you're weirder," he added.

"I'm just checking," replied Takeru. "You two just seemed friendlier to each other. It's an unusual sight,"

"Yeah.. She helped me out with Sora,"

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"How?"

"None of your business. I'm going to meet up with the band, we'll be playing in a minute or two," Yamato stood up and patted his little brother's head. "Behave yourself," He sped to the recording room, where his band members were hanging out. They were listening to the practice of their recordings, and laughing at Yamato's British Engrish.

"You guys can stop now,"

"But Yama-kun," Shinji, his bassist, couldn't resist. The rest of the band just kept giggling and chuckling, mimicking Yamato's singing, 'til the song stopped playing.

"Okay, we're done now, Ishida," Hiroyuki, the drummer, said. He looked through the window which showed the other room. "Say, who's that girl?" he was pointing at Mimi.

"Yeah, who is she? I've never seen her before," piped Shinji.

"She's hella pretty," said Keisuke, the guitarist. The three of them were gazing at Mimi, already calling dibs in their heads.

"That's Tachikawa Mimi. She's my –" wait. Is she an old friend, or a new friend? Is it too assuming of him to say they're friends? Well, anyway..

"Anyway. No, you can't date her," warned Yamato. Their eyes shot Yamato with daggers. "And why not?" asked Shinji.

"Because she's a very old friend of mine," he said, cautiously. He didn't really know what to call Mimi other than that. "How come you've never gone out with her?" asked Keisuke. "I mean, look at her. She's so pretty,"

Oh I pretty hell know she is, thought Yamato, having already admitted that to himself since he knew her. Discomforted, he told them to bug off. "Look at her all you want but you can't make any moves on her. Sora will kill you guys,"

They grunted. All of them went out of the room and headed their way back to the studio. Yamato was still unsure. Why wouldn't he allow any of them to make a move on her? Because they're bad boyfriends, reasoned Yamato. Yeah, that could be it. He was just protecting Mimi. And on their way, before he picked up his guitar, he realized that if there was anything Mimi was to him before being his friend, she was merely an acquaintance and a childhood crush.

"How's Taichi so far?" Sora asked, after leaving the cubicle to re-apply her lip balm. "I think he and Yamato had already made up but.. I'm not sure if he's really okay,"

Hikari felt really uncomfortable. Sora has been a sister to her the whole time. She knew she didn't have to choose a side, but she didn't like being treated as some sort of their intelligence officer. Taichi was always emotionally pent-up. It's always been told that he and Mimi were similar—both sociable, always willing to help – but the difference was that Taichi wasn't good at opening up about his personal feelings. Prying is futile; she tried countless of times. How the hell could she know what her brother's thinking about? "Onii-chan's fine, Sora-chan," she assured. The redhead didn't seem convinced.

"I'm just so worried," said Sora. "He and Yamato are okay now, but it seems as if he started avoiding me, too,"

"I really don't know," it was so hard to lie to Sora. But she needed to perfect this one. "I think he's really okay now though. He and Yamato hang out at our place during the weekend," Sora bit her lip.

"Don't worry about onii-chan, Sora-chan. Just focus on your relationship with Yamato-kun," she said with a smile. Saying those words felt odd, insincere. The older girl finally gave in, nodded.

"I'll believe you then," she said. "I hope you will still tell me if something goes wrong," she said. "Taichi may seem like he's really a carefree guy, but he's not as open as he is when it comes to his feelings,"

I agree, Hikari thought. Without anymore of Taichi, they went back to the studio, the band already in their places for another round of songs.

After a couple of mispronounced lyrics from replaying the songs earlier, The Teenage Wolves went back to play their original stuff. Mimi's insides were probably squealing louder than Sora's when Yamato sang his song for his girlfriend. This was the first time Mimi heard Yamato sing live, and in Japanese. Takeru told her that band practices had never gone by without Yamato singing Sora's song, "Tobira". Maybe she could get Yamato to sing with her some Kyary Pamyu Pamyu songs, she wondered.

Mimi noticed that the couple maintained eye-contact the whole time. She looked over Sora's blank expression, yet with a gleaming, vibrant face.

Lucky Sora, she thought. Oh, how Mimi wished she had a lover like that. She was yet to meet the person who'd be as willing and loving, despite her laundry list of almost lovers and ex-boyfriends. Her smile fell.

"Takeru-kun, Kari-chan," called out Mimi. Band practice just ended, and Yamato had already started packing while the rest waited. It turned out Sora and Yamato are going to have a date. Mimi didn't feel like being the annoying third wheeler with them, and wondered if she could be so with Takeru and Hikari instead – despite not being a couple, technically. But still, it's obvious they like each other, reasoned Mimi.

The pair approached Mimi, curious.

"Let's get takoyaki or something, what do you say?" offered Mimi. Taichi crept behind her and laughed his heart out.

"You sound like you're still talking to kindergarteners," he said.

"Oh, we don't mind, onii-chan, we like free stuff," giggled Hikari.

"Well I did get stuck with it. Kari-chan and Takeru-kun will always be eight-years old to me!" exclaimed Mimi. "Say, you should come along with us, Kou-kun, Tai-kun!" she offered, remembering Taichi's facial expression from earlier. Also, she hadn't spent any time with him yet since her return.

"Okay," agreed Koushiro. "I'm done with homework anyway,"

"What do you guys plan to do?" a pumped up Taichi asked. They all looked at each other, searching for answers.

"Well, what do we do, Mi-chan?" asked Takeru.

"I don't really know, I actually just wanted to go out, hehe," answered Mimi. She spent her first few weeks back in Japan going out and taking Jyou. Sora, Takeru, and Hikari to familiar places that excited her, though her friends already find them mundane. Takeru and Hikari took her to Tokyo Disneyland last Saturday, and she did miss the eccentric Mickey Mouse merchandise and goodies they sold here compared to the L.A. and Florida counterparts.

"We're going to leave now, Mimi-chan," said Sora. She had her arm linked on to Yamato's. Yamato looked at them. "Where are you guys going?" he asked.

"Oh, Mimi-chan wants to go out," answered Takeru. "We're trying to figure out where," Yamato noticed Taichi was coming with them too.

"But it's five already," said Sora. "and you've already went out earlier, Mi-chan,"

"I know Sora-chan, but there's just so much to see! I still haven't felt that homey Japanese feel! I need to get used to it!" exclaimed Mimi. "Back in New York, Michael, Cat, and I will be going around town trying new things until we frequented those places! I've become so familiar with the Big Apple,"

"Then let's go somewhere we all haven't gone to before," suggested Taichi. Though.. I'm not sure there's such a place..

She wanted to join them. But this was the first time she and Yamato are going to have a date this year. She felt left out nonetheless. She didn't know that Yamato felt the same. "I hope you all enjoy then! Tell me all about it, Mi-chan!" she and Yamato waved goodbye at them and left.

Mimi turned to the rest. "So... where to?"

Yamato and Sora hadn't uttered a single word since they ordered their food in a quaint restaurant that served a variety of pasta. Sora was watching Yamato as he gobbled up, obviously tired and hungry from earlier. We're okay now, nothing could screw that up, thought Sora.

"Yamato-kun," He didn't look up to her and continued eating. This annoyed her a bit. "What do you want to do next?"

"I don't know, what do you want to do?"

"I don't know either, "

"Hmm… Well I thought of something, but I don't think we can do it now,"

"Oh, what is it?"

"Ice skating?"

"I don't know how to."

"I'll teach you."

"Okay."

Another silence. What is this, thought Sora. Yamato had always been like this, being misunderstood by a lot, except her. Sometimes hot and mostly cold, she accepted that fact when she became his girlfriend. But now that didn't seem to be the case.

She remembered two weeks ago Yamato came by her house on a snowy Sunday, with a written apology and an acoustic guitar on hand, ready for a song. With tears on her face she welcomed him in her arms, he too was crying – they planted kisses on each other and spent the rest of that Sunday unclothed, caressing each other on her bed. On that day, he made her feel that he loved her, the same way he did three years ago. By the end of the day it felt like most of the times they kissed and made up; out with the guilt and in with the anxiety.

"Sora," called out Yamato. "Are you okay?"

She stared into his deep blue eyes. No matter how much of a jerk he could seem to be or how much her insecurities tell her he didn't love her same, or how she always seems to be the one giving everything, she would keep on loving him as long as her heart could.

"Sora?"

Oh, how she wanted to spit those words on his face. "Ahh," she was dazing off again. "I'm sorry." Ahh.. I should take some rest and stop worrying about this.. The last thing she wanted to happen today was a fight.

She was silent the whole time, and this worried Yamato. What could she be thinking? He thought. He wondered if he did anything wrong. Today seemed to be a good day, they were okay at school, Sora's been cheerful with everyone, but here was his lover seemingly out of it. Maybe she feels ill or something..

"Can you take me home now?"

Disappointment was obvious in his face. But he didn't want to pry. "Okay." He took the bill, paid it, and grabbed Sora's hand. She squeezed his hand back.

The whole trip from there to her house was silent. But they didn't need the words. They were both anticipating, dreading the seemingly inevitable ever since the rough patch – but neither wanted to do it. Maybe, just maybe if they keep staying, keep on trying, things would eventually be okay. They thought about what could possibly push them to end it; they didn't know. And so, they'd stay together while fearing it.

She squeezed his hand. He squeezes back. They needed more time.

Less than an hour, they were already at the doorstep. Sora, dressed with a thick red coat and a white scarf, looked to her shoes. "Thank you for today," she whispered.

Yamato nodded. She turned her back from him. "Wait."

"What?"

"Is there something wrong?" No, let me correct that: "Did I do something wrong?"

She felt guilty. "No, you didn't, Yamato-kun."

Unconvinced, he was. "You can tell me anything, okay?"

She can't. "Okay."

Still unconvinced. "You know I love you, right?"

God, if only she could make herself believe on that right now. "I do. I love you. I'll see you on Monday, Yamato-kun," She does love him. At least that was still true, she thought.

"See you," Yamato let her hand go as she entered the house. He stayed out of her porch for a few minutes, thinking. He walked on his way back to the station, rode a train to Palette Town. There was definitely something wrong. When they made up two weeks ago, he asked her to have minimal contact with Taichi. She agreed, and she looked as determined as he was to keep them from falling apart – but maybe she was just pretending, doing it to appease to his selfishness. And what if she is? thought Yamato. The tug of war between his polarizing feelings remained.

It was eight in the evening and snow started to fall. His black coat, his hair already powdered since he got off the train. Aimless on a Friday night, he thought he could distract himself for a while with some video games at Tokyo Leisureland. After all, he wouldn't be able to not think about Sora in his sleep later.

"Yamato-kun?" came a familiar voice.

He looked up, surprised, torn if he was or was not glad to see this person at this delicate time.

"Tachikawa,"

Author's Note: Truth to be told I don't know when I'd update next, I'm kind of stuck as I go along the fifth chapter, but I hope things go well. Comments, suggestions, criticism, random messages (anything really, aside from spam and pairing-hate comments) are welcomed!