Digimon Fan Fiction ❯ Koushirou's Search! ❯ Mimi’s Quest! ( Chapter 18 )

Hi again everyone. As you can see, there were no notes and hardly any changes from the previous chapter. Took a while for that, eh? As you can see, Miyako is jealous of the ever so popular Mimi and Koushirou is jealous of the ever so popular Yamato, hence the title last chapter. lol Either way, Koushirou started acting like an idiot because he's jealous and just doesn't know it or understand it, rather. Oh yes, and originally, the entirety of the last chapter, was due to the fact that I had a writer's block at the time and just came up with some more conflict for Koushirou and Mimi. That chapter did help, though, as it allowed me to come up with stuff to write for this chapter, which is very “Mimi-centric”.

 

Now, for this chapter, Mimi heads over to Odaiba Elementary School. Expect to see a new original character and a couple of old ones. One could just call it a quest for her character, due to how adamant she is about it. I was also inspired by this chapter's title through Mimi's Adventure 02 character theme, Super Girl. I was pretty addicted to that song when I first heard it back then.

 

Now, as always, I do not own anything dealing with the Digimon series or franchise. Bandai and Toei have that honor, and as a reminder, here are the ages of the characters once again:

 

Jou: 16-17 (Year 10-11; First/second year of High School)

Taichi/Sora/Yamato: 15-16 (Year 09-10; Last year of Junior High School/First year of high school)

Koushirou/Mimi: 14-15 (Year 08-09; Second/Last year of Junior High School)

Miyako: 13-14 (Year 07-08; First/second year of Junior High School)

Takeru/Hikari/Daisuke/Ken: 12 (Year 06; Final year of Elementary/First year of Junior High School)

Iori: 10-11 (Year 04-05)

 

Chapter 18: Mimi's Quest!

 

Mimi rushed through the halls of Odaiba Junior High, her book bag in hand. Just like with Miyako, once Mimi put her mind to something, she would definitely do it! On her way out, she ignored pretty much everyone, but one voice seemed to stand out.

 

“Mimi-chan! Mimi-chan, wait up!” she heard a girl call excitedly to her. Mimi turned around to see Sora trying to catch up to her. “Mimi-chan, where are you running off to?”

 

Mimi noticed the look on Sora's face, ignoring the older girl's query. She looked as if she was itching to tell her something. “You seem so happy, what's wrong?”

 

“Oh Mimi-chan, it's so wonderful!”

 

“What's so wonderful?”

 

“I finally got asked!”

 

“Really!? By who?!”

 

“Taichi! He finally asked me today! I'd been waiting for him to ask me for a long time. I was thinking of going along as someone else's partner and had decided that if he didn't by today, that I would with the first guy who asked. He was lucky that he was the first guy to ask me today. He was pretty casual about the whole thing, actually…”

****

The lunch bell rang and Taichi gulped deeply. He walked up to Sora and asked her if she could join him out underneath the tree in the school yard instead of heading to the lunch room. Sora agreed.

 

During the walk, many thoughts ran through the nervous soccer player's head. `Should I ask in a goofy romantic way? No no, maybe I should give her some flowers and candy…but…then she might think something of it, although, White Day was a few days ago. I forgot about it until Hikari mentioned getting candies from some of the boys of her class. No no no! I can't do that. That's not like me. She'd definitely know something was up if I just showed up with candy and flowers for her. She'd view it as a late White Day gift. It's just a school function; it shouldn't be that big a deal asking.'

 

The boy, still debating on how he should ask his childhood friend to a potential romantic event, realized his time was up.

 

`Oh no! I'm too late! We're here!' He stopped sweating profusely, and grew determined. `It's now or never, Taichi! I just have to ask her and leave it at that! I've put this off long enough! I should have asked her back in November when it was official that we were having it!'

 

“So, Taichi,” Sora began, while messing with her hair, “why'd you want to meet here?” She really wanted her hairpins to stand out more than usual.

 

“H-hey, Sora,” the boy responded nervously. He mentally slapped himself. `Get a hold of yourself, Taichi! I need to calm down! Sora will never go along with me if she sees me acting like an idiot!' Composed, he responded, “Well, it's so nice out today, I decided that the two of us could have lunch together out here.”

 

Sora noticed that it was true, it was just the two of them, which she definitely didn't mind, but it was still a bit odd. Even Yamato wasn't around, and he normally always ate lunch, along with other students, with her and Taichi. Taichi had asked Yamato to keep everyone away for a while so that he could ask, which he did, scoring a date for himself as well with Mimi.

 

The two took a seat underneath the shady tree, the wind blowing gently. The two were quiet during their lunches, as both were pretty nervous. Sora had butterflies in her stomach, while Taichi's stomach was doing flip-flops. Both were hesitant on eating. Sora really wanted Taichi to ask her to the dance, but he still didn't seem to “get it” despite all the hints she'd been throwing at him since they'd found out about it. It took a short while longer, but he finally got the nerve to ask, but took his own advice and decided to act like he would normally.

 

“Yo, Sora, you have a partner to that dance yet?”

 

“No, do you?”

 

“No, so, want to go together?”

 

Sora smiled widely at him. “Of course! I thought you'd never ask!”

 

Taichi gave her his signature grin. “Cool…”

****

“Something else that was cute of him was that he noticed my hair when we were on our way back to class! The hairclips here are the ones he gave me for my 12th birthday, and I made a big deal over them, thinking he didn't like my hat. He said that they looked really nice. You should have seen his face when he said that, while scratching his nose! It was so adorable and you could tell that he was nervous, because he's never given me that type of a compliment before. He's given me compliments on my game playing, but that's about it.

 

“He also wants us to hang out later on, just the two of us. It's almost like a date! Isn't that cool?! This is the best early birthday gift I could have ever asked for! Taichi is finally seeing me as a girl and not as `one of the guys'!”

 

Sora finally calmed down, and realized that she was acting more like Mimi when it came to giving off news than Mimi was. As a matter of fact, she was acting a lot like Miyako.

 

“Oh, Mimi-chan, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to get carried away like that.”

 

“That's okay. I'm glad that you were asked out by Taichi-san. I actually had a feeling that he was the one you were waiting on.”

 

“Really? How?”

 

“Just a few small things you would do sometimes to get his attention or how you sometimes flirt with him, like when we went out to karaoke last week. I can't think of anything else right off, since I have to get going.”

 

“Where to? You never said did you?”

 

She shook her head. “I'm going to Odaiba Elementary School.”

 

“Why Odaiba Elementary?”

 

“Misayoshi-san used to teach there before she died,” Mimi reminded her. “I'm going to see what I can find out about her.”

 

“Oh, I see. Where's Koushirou-kun? Is he waiting for you outside?”

 

“I don't know and right now, I really don't care!”

 

The two walked out of the school after changing their shoes, and Mimi, of course, ignored the many love letters that were stuffed into her locker.

 

“So, if Koushirou-kun isn't out here, and if that statement of yours is any indication, I'm going to assume that the two of you had an argument over something.” Mimi's annoyed expression by the mentioning of “Koushirou” was all the evidence she needed. “What happened?”

 

Mimi explained all that had happened during lunch, and how Koushirou had treated her.

 

“That's not like him,” Sora stated in concern. “There must be something bothering him to act like that. You said that he was really curious about his biological mother, and yet, he doesn't seem to want to go to the place that could have a lot of personal information about her. As he would say, that `just doesn't compute'. I also couldn't see him being upset about your going to the dance, even though that remark he made is a bit odd…”

 

“That has to be completely out of the question. Yamato-san is his friend. He shouldn't be upset over that,” Mimi told her confidently. “Yamato-san is a great guy,” she smiled.

 

“If he had no incentive of going there, though, then what's making you go?”

 

“I guess, in a way, I'm hoping that I find something out about Misayoshi-san, like a photo, to cheer him up. I would go to the Tokyo Metropolitan Child Guidance Center, but there probably isn't anyone there who can actually tell us much about her. All they would have is basic information, nothing personal.

 

“When we went to Odaiba University, he seemed really upset that there were no photos of his father, but he's content now with that since he has finally seen him. Unfortunately, nothing for his mother and I'm sure it's depressing him. He's like a walking corpse. Every person we've spoken with who knew them, all said the same thing; that Koushirou looks a lot like his mother.

 

“The woman at the orphanage said that he was the splitting image of her with his red hair and I agree, even though I've never seen her. I saw his father, and they aren't too similar in looks. They only seem to share the same kind of build, and in some photos in the graduation album, he wore serious expressions, and Koushirou has that too. They also share the same, dark, blank mysterious eyes.”

 

“I guess that would bother most anyone, but is that really the only reason you're going? Are you sure there isn't more to it?” Sora wasn't sure if Mimi was being completely honest or not. Miyako had sent her an extensive text message during lunch about the kiss and the hug she'd given Koushirou. Sora didn't see it until after she got back to class after lunch.

 

“Of course that's all there is to it. What else could it be?”

 

“N-nothing,” Sora told her. `If she's not going to tell me about it, then I can't really say anything, since I'm technically not even supposed to know about it.'

 

“He even dropped his article about their deaths.”

 

“Wow, really?” Mimi handed Sora the article, who read over it. “Wow, this is so sad. So Misayoshi-san died in the hospital while Fukami-san died at the crash sight. Do you think that this could be the cause of his bad mood?”

 

“Who knows…” Sora handed the article back to Mimi, who pocked it. “I'm wondering now if I should just leave all of this alone.”

 

“Why do you feel that way? Koushirou-kun is your friend.”

 

“I just feel as if I'm being a bother worrying over him so much. I feel as if I'm nothing but an annoyance to him, which might explain why he was acting the way he was with me earlier.”

 

“I sincerely doubt that. You're just being yourself, which he should be used of since he is your friend. We're all used of that, and that's one of the things we like most about you. You're being very selfless right now, and you're putting the needs of someone else before yours. You were once the crest bearer of purity, and what you're doing now is really showing off how pure your heart and intentions truly are.” Sora gave her a reassuring smile. “You really were best suited for the Crest of Purity.”

 

“I guess you're right.” Mimi smiled back. “Thank you, Sora-san. You're always so caring and willing to help.”

 

“You're welcome. Glad to help.”

 

“You were really suited for the Crest of Love,” Mimi told her.

 

Sora laughed as they came to the end of the walkway they had been traveling on.

 

“Well, I'm going in this direction. I have to get ready to meet up with Taichi later, so sorry I can't go along with you.”

 

“Oh, that's okay. I'll be fine.”

 

“Okay, and don't worry. Everything will work out and Koushirou-kun will come around eventually.”

 

“I hope so. Well, see you later, Sora-san! I'll give you a call later on to see how things went and tell you what I find out.”

 

With that, Mimi continued her walk to Odaiba Elementary School. It didn't take her long to get there, as Odaiba Elementary School, Odaiba Junior High School, and Odaiba High School, were all pretty close to one another. After arriving at the school, and slipping into a pair of slippers provided for school visitors, she didn't know exactly where she should go since the thought hadn't even crossed her mind. `I guess I could go to the library.'

 

She headed in the direction of the library, but came to the computer lab first and just stopped there to reminisce. She smiled, thinking back to all of the good times she and the others had had when they were still students there, and also thought back to the time that she had come back to Odaiba to attend her cousin's wedding, and met Miyako, Daisuke, and Iori for the first time.

 

“Mimi-san?”

 

She turned to see that the one to call her name was a boy a little shorter than her, and along with him, was the same energetic girl that Hikari had met at Sora's party.

 

“Iori-kun?”

 

“Who's that?” the girl beside Iori asked.

 

“Eiji-san, this is Tachikawa Mimi-san. She's a second year at Odaiba Junior High.”

 

“Nice to meet you,” Eiji greeted.

 

“Mimi-san, this is Tezuka Eiji-san. She's in my class.”

 

“Hello.” Mimi thought for a moment, and decided to ignore the strangeness of a girl having the name Eiji. “Eiji-chan, do you have any older brothers?”

 

“No, I'm the oldest of my immediate family.”

 

“Strange, I met a boy a few nights ago by the name of Tezuka Eijiro-san. I guess that doesn't matter, though, since the name Tezuka is a bit common in some places.”

 

“Wait, what did he look like?” Mimi described the boy to her, which caused Eiji to smile. “That sounds like my older cousin! His father and my mother are siblings. I have their family name, but my younger brothers have my stepfather's name.”

 

`Interesting how she can talk so openly about her family like that, and the implication of how her parents are divorced.'

 

“Wow, what a small world, Eiji-chan! Your cousin is very nice.”

 

“Mimi-san, what are you doing here?”

 

“I'm working on a research project on an old teacher.”

 

“Research? What teacher?”

 

“An old teacher, Iori-kun. She was teaching here before you were even born, and passed away a long time ago.”

 

“Why would anyone want information on an old teacher?” asked Eiji.

 

“Well, surprisingly, I would. Like I said, it's for a research project.”

 

“Hm, maybe you could try asking one of the older instructors here,” Iori suggested.

 

“I guess that would make sense,” Mimi nodded. “Thank you, Iori-kun. Bye and nice meeting you, Eiji-chan!”

 

“She sure is a pretty girl and probably gets a lot of attention from boys, unlike me; I'm not pretty like her or Narumi-chan,” Eiji randomly said under her breath after Mimi had left them.

 

“Did you say something, Eiji-san?”

 

“Oh no, not at all,” she insisted with a nervous chuckle.

 

Mimi kept going and made her way to the teacher's room. A lot of students were hanging around since school had let out and were pretty much goofing off. They were all surprised to see a student Mimi's age there. A lot of the sixth-year boys were gawking at her.

 

“Excuse me.” She opened the door and entered the teacher's room. A few of the teachers were seated at their designated spots, drinking coffee and eating snacks. One teacher, though, caught Mimi's eye.

 

“Fujiyama-sensei!”

 

The man wearing the black-framed glasses turned at the calling of his name. “Mimi? Tachikawa Mimi?!” The man rose from his seat and made his way to the girl. “Wow, I haven't seen you in years! You're like an adult now!”

 

“It's nice to see you again, Fujiyama-sensei!”

 

“Now now, no need to call me sensei,” the man laughed.

 

“R-right, Fujiyama-san.” Referring to the man in such a fashion was just odd to her. It was such a habit to refer to him as sensei. “I'm surprised you still remember me. I just moved back to Japan last year.”

 

“Moved back?”

 

“I moved to New York a few years ago with my parents. I moved back to Odaiba last year, but they're still in New York.”

 

“Well, I guess that explains why I rarely ever saw you visit the school like the others. I remember all of you fairly well, anyway. How could I actually forget you and Yagami, and Takenouchi, and Izumi, and Kido, and Ishida? You were the only ones who chose to go elsewhere before heading home when you guys were at camp and we had to close up early. So, what brings you here?”

 

“Fujiyama-san, how long have you worked here?”

 

“I've been here since…the mid-80s. I was fresh out of college when I started teaching here. Why do you ask?”

 

“Well, I'm trying to find some information about a past instructor who used to teach here until her unexpected death in April of 1990. Hm, there's also a possibility that she'd stopped slightly before that.”

 

“Hm, a past instructor? A deceased one?” Mimi nodded. “I don't know of any teachers who died after you all left here…”

 

“April of 1990, Fujiyama-san.”

 

“Oh yeah, you did say that. Well, the only person I can think of is Misayoshi-san. She taught the first-year students. I wasn't very good friends with her or anything. We were just acquaintances who usually only hung out during special events.”

 

“That's the person I'm trying to find information on! Do you know anyone here in this school who can give me some information on her? She had to have had at least one good friend out of all of the faculty members here.”

 

“Hm, a lot of teachers have left since I first started here. Some have quit the profession to start up families and some have gone on to other schools to teach. Misayoshi-san was a very friendly person, so she did have some friends, but who is still around…” Mimi crossed her fingers hopefully. “She was pretty quiet, but did have a real knack for teaching.”

 

“If you can't think of anyone, it's okay.”

 

“No wait! Someone just came to mind!” the man nearly shouted, which caused Mimi to jump. “Nagataki Sui! She teaches 4th grade and has been here just as long as I have. I remember she and Misayoshi-san used to hang around together a lot. After her death, Nagataki-sensei took it worse than anyone else here. I would have to say that they were best friends.”

 

“Do you know where I could find her?”

 

“Well, since she's not at her desk in here, she's probably hanging around the library. She's usually always there after school writing out lesson plans or playing or whatever. She's always in the library. Seems the library is her safe haven. ”

 

“Oh thank you so much, Fujiyama-sensei…I mean, Fujiyama-san!!”

 

“Hehe, anytime,” he told her.

 

After thanking the man once more, she made her way to the library, leaving him a tad bit bewildered, as Mimi hadn't really given a reason as to why she needed that information in the first place…

****

Odaiba Elementary School Library…

 

Sitting at one of the library tables, were two women, obviously teachers of the school: Nagataki Sui and Sayuki Yuriko.

 

“It's getting more and more stressful every year when it comes to teaching, don't you think, Yuriko-san?” a stout woman asked.

 

“No kidding!” Ms. Sayuki laughed. “I actually had three students come to class today late from lunch!”

 

“How?” The woman had pulled out a game board, and started to set game pieces upon it. “The students eat their lunches in the classroom.”

 

“I have no idea, but it seems that the children have been a bit more disruptive lately.”

 

“It's probably because of the upcoming vacation.” She wrote a couple of things down on a sheet of paper, and put it away. “So, Yuriko-san, want to play a game of chess?”

 

“I noticed you were setting it up. Trying to trap me here, I see,” she joked. “Anyway, I would, but I can't. I have a dinner to get to today. I have to take my children to my ex-husband's place for dinner tonight. They insisted.”

 

“I guess it's just another feeble attempt to try and get you and your ex-husband back together.”

 

“Yeah, what else could it be,” she sighed. “Those children of mine just can't understand that our not being together is much better than our actually being together, especially my oldest daughter who constantly insists that I must've done something wrong for that ex of mine to act in the way that he did. If he wants to be with all the women he possibly can, let him. I don't want to be with someone who is constantly unfaithful. I stayed with him for years hoping that he would change, but I lost my patience over the entire situation, and if they can't see that, then too bad for them.”

 

“All of that sounds so complicated, though.”

 

“It is, but what can I do, right?” The woman stood. “Well, I'll talk to you later, Sui-san,” Ms. Sayuki told her friend. “I'll give you a call tonight after dinner to let you know how it goes.”

 

“Alright, talk to you later,” Ms. Nagataki called to the woman. She then sighed sadly, and uttered, “Miki-chan would've played a game…”

 

Right after Ms. Sayuki left, Mimi walked into the empty library. She knew of Nagataki, but couldn't remember what she looked like. She had never had her as an instructor when she was a student there. The only person she saw in the library was the librarian behind the desk, reading the newspaper, and a stout, aqua-green-haired woman sitting at one of the tables with a chessboard set up in front of her, looking a bit gloomy. She then saw her start putting everything away. Mimi wasn't too certain if she wanted to approach this woman or not, but she decided to go on and do so anyway after the woman had finished putting away all the chess pieces and the board.

 

“Excuse me,” she bowed, “my name is Tachikawa Mimi, and I need a bit of help.”

 

The woman looked up at the girl, and forced on a gentle smile. “What's the matter? What can I help you with?”

 

“I'm sorry if I am bothering you, but I am looking for Nagataki Sui-san. I have to speak with her, and I was told by Fujiyama-sensei that she would probably be in here.”

 

“Well, you've found me.”

 

“Ah, so you're Nagataki-san! I'm very glad.”

 

“Have a seat.” Mimi sat down across from her. “So, what do you want to speak with me about?”

 

“I am working on a school project that requires me to do some research on an instructor who used to teach here. I asked around and was told that you knew her best.”

 

“Who exactly are you referring to?”

 

Mimi pulled out the copy of the article, and shakily handed it to Ms. Nagataki. “The woman mentioned in this article, Misayoshi Miki-san. She used to teach here a long time ago until she passed away.” Ms. Nagataki grew quiet as she looked over the article. “I'm sorry!” Mimi hastily apologized, now wondering if it was a bad idea to come to Odaiba Elementary after all.

 

“That's okay,” she told her quietly, handing it back to her. “Please follow me.”

 

Ms. Nagataki led Mimi to her classroom. Once in, she shut the door behind her and took out an extra adult-sized chair for Mimi. While she was doing this, Mimi was looking out at the student desks and their chairs, and how small they seemed to be now.

 

“Here you go,” she offered.

 

“Thank you very much.” Mimi took a seat in the chair while Ms. Nagataki took a seat at the desk.

 

“Miki-chan was a great teacher, and a great friend. It's sad how her life was cut so short.”

 

“So both you and Misayoshi-san were very good friends?” Mimi asked, feeling silly for even bothering to ask, given how Ms. Nagataki had obviously addressed Ms. Misayoshi.

 

“We were childhood friends, the best of friends. We grew up together, attended the same schools and everything. We even both went to Toudai together and came here to teach together.

 

“I came to this school first, and then I suggested that she should start teaching since she gets along with children so well. At first, she wasn't sure if she should, but I persuaded her to, since she did have her teaching license. There was an opening here, and with her background, she was more than qualified to teach.

 

“We had a lot in common, like books for one. She loved to read, which was a good thing, because Miki-chan was a dreamer and very imaginative. She could have made a great writer. She was always pondering and hoping for the best. She was very optimistic and could find the good in almost anything and everyone, even though she never had a real family, until she met Satoru-san.”

 

She sniffled a bit, as she made herself continue on. “One of our favorite things to do together was to play chess, even though I was a terrible player, but I did learn from her. She loved the game, as well as *shougi, but not as much as regular chess. She was a great strategic thinker.”

 

`Hm, just like Koushirou. He's a strategic thinker too, and usually plans ahead. Our time in the Digital World showed that, even when he ignored me in that temple, but I don't know if he knows how to play chess.'

 

“I sit around, sometimes, with the chessboard all set up, hoping that someday, Miki-chan will come back to play a game with me,” she laughed a bit. “I know she's moved on to a better place, but it's still nice to dream.”

 

Ms. Nagataki had some newly fallen tears streaming down her cheeks, but wiped them away before continuing on.

 

“She would always play as the black pieces, never the white. She would never go first. She always liked to keep an eye on her opponent's opening move, and then start to formulate a plan to counter it from there. She was such a remarkable player. I've never actually seen her lose. You could say that she was a chess genius.”

 

Mimi continued to listen attentively. She felt sorry for her as she continued on. It really seemed that the two were very close to one another. At least that ruled out the theory that Misayoshi had grown up fully alone. She obviously had Ms. Nagataki.

 

“The one thing Miki-chan wanted more than anything was a family, a real family. She loved children so much and it really showed. I knew that she would make a great mother someday, if she became one, and she told me once, `Sui-chan, if I ever have a child, I would like for you to become a secondary guardian to it, if something was to happen to either me or Satoru-san'.

 

“Then it finally happens one day! She and Satoru-san were blessed with their first child. I wasn't around when she had the child because both of them were out of the country. When they came back, I got to see the baby. He was so adorable! He looked like a nice balanced mix of the both of them back then, but that red hair of his stuck out tremendously, which is what Miki-chan was known for. It's just so tragic that she and Satoru-san were killed! The only one to survive was their son.

 

“I was willing to adopt him, but I couldn't because I wasn't a blood relative, and my becoming his legal guardian if something happened to Miki-chan and Satoru-san was never legalized.

 

“After that, I was never informed on Little Koushirou's status or if he was placed with another family or not. Growing up in an orphanage is depressing and having to go from foster family to foster family is equally upsetting since you hope that you, eventually, are adopted. We both met as young children at the orphanage in Shinagawa. We remained friends, though, and she would always go to the same schools as I even if the school was out of her way. We promised each other back then when we were still both five years old that we would be friends forever.” She lowered her head sadly. “I didn't even get to say goodbye to her…”

 

After that, Ms. Nagataki broke down and cried. Mimi went through her book bag, and pulled out a Kleenex. She handed it to the woman who was trying her best to calm down.

 

“Thank you,” she sniffled slightly while wiping away her tears. “I'm sorry about that. Even though I know she's moved on, I still grow upset at times over it.”

 

“That's okay, I understand.”

 

“Why are you so curious about her?”

 

“I know her son.”

 

“You know where Little Koushirou is?! You know him?!”

 

“Yeah, I do. As a matter of fact, he's a very good friend of mine, and for the past so many years of his life, he's always wondered about his real mother and father. We started this search a few days ago, and we found out a lot about Fukami-san, but not too much on Misayoshi-san. He was starting to get discouraged since he hadn't found out much about his mother.”

 

“So, Little Koushirou is okay?!”

 

“He sure is,” Mimi smiled.

 

“Where does he live?! What school does he go to and what schools has he been to?! I need details! Please tell me everything.” Mimi promptly answered the woman's questions. “Here! He went to school here!”

 

“Yeah, only his family name was changed after he was adopted. It is now Izumi, and throughout this search, he still hasn't seen any photos of his mother. We couldn't find one, even when going through the Graduation Album from the University of Tokyo.”

 

“Oh, yeah, Miki-chan was an odd one. She really hated taking photos, as she felt it drew too much attention to her. How she became that way was beyond both me and Satoru-san. We feel that it may have had something to do with her past, as she had no memory of her former life. You know, we figured it was a repressed memory. Back then, it was pretty much encouraged to forget about your past life and to embrace your new one, but of course with older children, it's pretty difficult to do that unless you genuinely suffered some type of memory loss maybe from a traumatic experience or an accident. Most adopted children go throughout their lives without even knowing they're adopted given how young they were when actually taken in. There's usually no need to share that, and it was also somewhat negative.”

 

“Negative? What's wrong with being adopted?”

 

“Well, for some, they have the feeling of never fitting in with the adopted family, and some feel that they're poisoning or tainting that family's name by not being a real blood relative.”

 

`Could this be what Koushirou was referring to? Did he really feel this way all this time?'

 

“Anyway, as for Miki-chan, she was a very private person and she also didn't participate in any clubs, because she spent most of her time, aside from studying, volunteering. I know she graduated at the top of our class, but she purposely missed out on the class photo and her individual one and never made it up. Even though she hated it, I'm sure she's ended up in some without her knowing, like maybe back in elementary school or maybe during a class trip. Satoru-san and I both respected her choice, though.”

 

“Wow, she's very private,” Mimi noted. `Koushirou's not like that, at least. I wonder what happened to her for her to have hated taking photos to that extent.'

 

“I really would love to see her son again. I've always wanted a family, but I was never blessed with the ability to, so adoption would be my only option.”

 

“Ah, the time! I'm sorry, Nagataki-san, but I have to go.” She stood and bowed. “Thank you for everything you've told me. I really appreciate the time you took out of your schedule for me.”

 

She started towards the door, but she called back to her. “Tachikawa-san, wait a moment.”

 

She opened up her desk drawer and pulled out three sheets of what looked to be shiny paper from where Mimi was standing. She made her way back to Ms. Nagataki. She handed the sheets to Mimi, who looked over them, and couldn't help but smile. “I want you to give these to Little Koushi,” the woman instructed. “Chibi Koushi is what Miki-chan used to call him.” She felt her eyes watering again.

 

Mimi nodded.

 

“Please inform him that he was wanted, and that I would have taken him in if the rules weren't so strict back then.”

 

“Thank you very much, Nagataki-san. I'll definitely tell him!”

 

The woman told her a few more things in regards to what she had given her. Mimi left the school, and had a feeling that what she was about to share with Koushirou would cheer him up tremendously…

 

Author's Note

 

Note 1: Shougi is Japanese Chess. The concept is kind of the same as regular chess, but more difficult, imo.

 

Fic Chapter Changes

 

Originally, I had Sora cut Mimi off after asking where she was running to, due to how excited she was, but felt that wasn't very “Sora-like”.

 

I changed the location as to where Taichi asked Sora to the dance. Originally, it was in the lunch room. I felt that outside on a bright, sunny day would work nicer.

 

This is a change I made early on…Mimi being more concerned over her grade for her part in the project as opposed to her helping out of the goodness of her heart and the fact that Koushirou is a friend.

 

Had Sora offer to go with Mimi to Odaiba Elementary School but give a reason as to why she couldn't. I didn't do this originally. They just parted ways at the intersection.

 

Changed Sui's surname from “Hanada” to “Nagataki”. To spell out Nagataki, one would use the Kanji character for eternal (naga) + the Kanji character for waterfall (taki). Eternal Waterfall. Just wanted something “water like” for her name and “Hanada” wasn't very original, getting right down to it. I left her given name alone, as that's very water oriented.

 

Gave Ms. Sayuki a full name. Originally, she was just referred to as “Ms. Sayuki” and “Sayuki-san”. Decided to give her a given name.

 

I decided to give a reason as to why finding a photo of Miki was so difficult. I didn't for the original version of this fic, as I actually forgot to! See why I feel the original version of this fic is so…well…awful?