Digimon Fan Fiction ❯ Mixed Feelings ❯ Closer to You ( Chapter 5 )

Mixed Feelings 5

Close to You

When Mimi woke up the next day, still sleepy but a bit refreshed, she wondered whom to see first. Should she call them all over so she could see her friends at once or see them one at a time? She groaned as she finished drying her hair.

'Maybe I should've called them first,' she thought, 'everyone's so busy now.'

She was back in Japan for the next 2 weeks, that was plenty of time to visit everyone and see how they were doing. She took her purse and walked out of her hotel room. There was a complimentary breakfast downstairs at 6-10, but she woke up at 11:30 and she was starving. The last thing she ate was the granola bar on her flight from Hawaii to Tokyo. Her stomach growling, she walked to the closest restaurant for lunch and who happened to be coming out was Izzy. He didn't see her coming and nor did she see him and they bumped into each other. He fell on top of her and they crashed to the ground.

"Oh I'm so sorry," Mimi began, "I wasn't paying attention."

"No, that's okay," Izzy insisted, "it was my fault Mimi. MIMI!"

"Izzy?" They stared blankly at each other and Izzy pushed himself up and pulled her too her feet. "Wow…fancy seeing you like this."

Izzy blushed, "Yeah…I'm sorry about that. I was in a hurry. Just stopped here for some coffee."

"How are you doing?"

"I'm good."

Mimi cocked your head, "no you're not."

"What?"

"You look…tired."

"Yeah, I work all the time. Plus school."

"It's the holidays."

"I know…I just have Christmas and New Years off from work." Izzy yawned; despite he just had strong black coffee. "Yesterday was the last day of school, until the third."

"Well, I just got in last night," she said, "and I slept in. Care to join me for lunch?"

"We'd have to make a rain check," he said, "on my way to work."

"Before noon?"

He sighed, "Yeah, I work swings mostly. Ten, sometimes twelve hour shifts, especially now that school's over."

"Izzy, what is it that you do?" she questioned. "Do you work for the FBI or something?"

Izzy laughed tiredly and then coughed, "No, Mimi. I work in an office. Data-entry."

"When is your shift over?" she asked.

"Eleven."

She gasped, "My gosh, you're going to kill yourself! You look…well, I've seen you looking better."

"I know, that's why I couldn't see Yolei."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. She's going to school in Kyoto," he explained, "she called me two days ago and asked if I could see her but I couldn't get the time off. I can just see my parents for Christmas."

"So, you and Yolei are--"

"Yeah, yeah we are," Izzy said. "Look, Mimi, sorry I really have to go now."

Mimi smiled and hugged Izzy, "well, you take care okay? I don't want you dying while I'm here!"

Izzy chuckled and yawned, waving tiredly to her as he went to his car, fumbled for his keys and drove away. Mimi sighed and walked into the restaurant to eat her lunch alone, praying that Izzy would get to work without falling asleep.

***

As Sora began new sketches, there was a knock at the door. She sighed, "I'd might as well give Matt his own key by now." Stretching, she went to the door, "Matt, remind me to make a copy of my key!" she said as she opened it.

"Well, if that would get me into the door faster," Mimi said, "but I'm not Matt!"

Sora gasped, "Mimi! Wow, when did you get in?"

"Yesterday."

"Come in!" she shut the door and hugged her old friend. "Wow, it's been some time, hasn't it?"

"I know," Mimi said, "I kinda miss the evil digimon crisis, it's the only thing that keeps the team together. I had a hard time tracking you down. I went to your mother's flower shop and she told me where you live."

"Uh-huh, it's not much right now," Sora groaned, "hard without a roommate."

"I see," Mimi took a seat and noticed her sketches, "wow, these are gorgeous, Sora!"

"Oh, they're not finished," Sora said.

"I didn't know you could draw."

"Well, I…kinda developed it," Sora blushed slightly, "now I'm in fashion and designing school."

"That's right, your mom said something about that," Mimi recalled. "Wow, these are good. Can't wait until they're made. I'd love to wear a few of these numbers down the catwalk!"

"They're that good?"

Mimi nodded, "Yeah, you keep this up, Sora and I bet you can go national with this…even worldwide. You can be famous!

"Wow!" Sora exclaimed. "Thank you!"

"You're welcome."

"So, did you see anyone else today?" Sora asked.

"I saw Izzy on the way to lunch today," she replied. "I slept in. I was so tired when I got here last night, but I couldn't look as tired as Izzy did today."

Sora nodded, "Yeah, he's a pretty busy guy. I don't think he'll come to my New Year's Eve party. Matt and I were looking forward to having it a big bash." She sighed, "but it might just be us for New Year's. He's losing his drummer and he's quitting the music business."

"Matt and you?" Mimi asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah."

"I always thought that you…you and Tai would hit it off." Mimi said with a frown, "You two were…"

"Well, we didn't," Sora muttered, "so drop it." She got up, folded her arms and turned away.

"Hey, hey, I'm sorry. Where's this coming from?" Mimi stood up too.

Sora let out a big sigh and turned around. "Mimi, I--I made a big mistake," her voice broke, "Tai cared, he really did and I…left him for his best friend. Part of me wished that we can become close but…it's too late now."

"What are you talking about?" Mimi demanded, "It's not too late! Don't you care about his feelings?"

"Of course I do! Back when we were kids…things were so different you know. WE were such good friends; the greatest and then, we kinda drifted a part. I left the soccer team, became a tennis player--"

"I never understood why."

"I don't expect anyone to," Sora sighed, wiping a tear a way. "I started to feel something more than friendship for Tai, but I was afraid of ruining what we had together. I just wanted to stay good friends, so I quit soccer and started tennis. Then something between Matt and I happened. It was different than anything Tai and I had."

"You never Tai told this?" Mimi asked.

"Not even Matt knows."

Mimi groaned, "I've missed so much while I've been away."

"Hey, relax, Mimi," Sora said, "everything's okay."

"You loved Tai, didn't you?" Mimi questioned.

"Well--I…"

"Come on, I've seen the way you looked at him, I know how mad you got when I told you he threw up in your hat--"

"You'd be mad too if someone threw up in your hat!" Sora yelled.

"Hey, you should've looked inside before you put it on!" Mimi shot back, "give the guy a break! He loved you, Sora, the least you could do is level with him! And we're taking care of that now!" she grabbed Sora's hand.

"Mimi, what are you doing?" Sora demanded.

"We're going to Tai, and you're going to tell him everything your heart feels!" she pulled Sora out of the apartment and down to her rental car.

"But Mimi, you don't understand! Tai and I already talked!" Sora pulled her hand away.

"Did you tell him your feelings?"

"No."

"Then he still has to know." Mimi said, "Get in." She opened the door and tried to push her friend in.

"But he talked to me about his," Sora started, "and he doesn't--"

"Sora, quit making excuses!" Mimi snapped, "we are not kids anymore, we are adults, finding our place in the world. Now, GET IN THE CAR!"

Sora squeaked and sat in the car as Mimi went to the driver's side. She started the car and pulled onto the street. "Now, where does he live?"

"You'd probably find him at his work," Sora replied softly.

"Where does he work?"

"Downtown…at city hall."

"City hall? What is he doing there?"

"He's um, trying out for politics," Sora explained.

"Politics? Tai, doing…politics? I've been in New York too long…" Mimi groaned as they drove to city hall. It was a silent drive. Sora didn't want to open her mouth, because she still couldn't believe she was on her way to see Tai and she was wondering how she was going to face him. If she made one more excuse, Mimi would blow her top again. Mimi would comment a bit how Japan changed or didn't change off and on as they continued to city hall. They got out of the car, Sora quite reluctantly and they went to his floor. Sora stayed in the elevator and Mimi pushed her out.

"Which one is his office?" Mimi asked.

"I don't know. I've never been here."

They went to the front desk and asked for Tai Kamiya.

"We're friends of Tai," Mimi said. "Can we see him? He's not busy, is he?"

"He might be." The woman said. "Did you have an appointment, miss?"

"Appointment?" Mimi gasped, "Appointment? We don't need a friggin' appointment! We are his friends! Listen to me, girly, I am…a model in training. If you do not let us in, I'll strut down your backside like it's the red carpet! Miss Takenouchi has something very important to say Mr. Kamiya and we're not leaving this building until he hears what she has to say!"

Sora groaned, "Oh, Mimi…"

"I'm not bluffing either." Mimi muttered, "I'm the most sincere woman on the planet!"

The woman swallowed hard and pointed to the left, "Mr--Mr. Kamiya's office is just down that hall. Room 319."

"Thank you." Mimi said, taking Sora's arm. "Come on, Sora."

"You didn't have to tell her that," Sora said.

"Sora, this is in the name of love," Mimi insisted, "you've got to do, what you've got to do."

"But I really don't have to!" she cried ad they got closer to his office. She felt her chest tighten up. Step by step, closer, closer. She'd soon be there. "Listen, I'm happy with Matt, really I am and Tai doesn't' care what I've got to say, he's already--"

"Too late, we've already here." Mimi grinned and knocked on the office.

"It's open," Tai's voice came through.

Mimi opened the door and stepped in, "Hello, Tai!"

"Mimi?" Tai turned around in his chair, "Mimi! Wow, welcome back!" He went to greet her with an embrace, "it's been so long! We've got a lot of catching up to do! How ya been? How's life in the big apple?"

Mimi cuckled, "we'll have plenty of time to talk about me. Right now, someone wants to talk to you." She turned to Sora and pushed her to him.

"Oh, Sora," Tai said softly.

"Tai."

There was a silence. Mimi nudged Sora to get going.

"Tai, listen," Sora began, "there's uh, something I have to tell you."

"Make it quick," Tai said, going back to his desk, "I'm busy."

"We were very good friends when were kids, Tai," Sora told him, walking up to his desk. "And I was happy."

"Yeah, I was too," Tai said, "and I thought we were more than just good friends. But I guess I'm the only one who felt that way, huh, Sora?"

Mimi blinked. Why was Tai acting so cold?

"I understand how you feel Tai," Sora said with a sniff, "and I'm sorry for how I acted. I also felt…that way…about you."

Tai looked up from his paper work, "you did?"

Sora nodded, "yes, after we came back from the digital world. It was some time after the hairpin deal."

"How many times to I have to apologize for that?" Tai demanded.

"Hairpin?" Mimi asked, "what's this about a hairpin?"

"Oh, it was after Sora's birthday. I gave her a hair pin and she thought I didn't like her hat or hair."

"You couldn't' thank him?" Mimi asked.

"It was a hair pin!" Sora exclaimed.

"Where was I?"

"In Hawaii, while there was an evil digimon on the network."

"I remember that! How come you didn't try to contact me? I would've helped!"

"You were in Hawaii, Mimi, how could I?" Tai demanded.

"My dad has a cell phone. You could've used that!"

"Mimi, can I finish please?" Sora asked.

"A crisis always happens when I'm away," Mimi groaned to herself.

"Tai, I did care for you. Almost the way you did for me. But, it was too late." Sora said, "I couldn't go back because those feelings I had for you faded when…when…"

"When Matt came into the picture," Tai answered for her.

"I'm sorry, Tai," Sora said, "I am, so sorry to put you into that pain. I should've said something sooner but I was just a stupid kid. I didn't understand anything about love."

"No, you didn't," Tai sighed, "even though you felt it every time you saw me, you didn't understand. When you got the crest of love and believed it wasn't for you, you didn't understand. It wouldn't glow because you…didn't want to feel love for anyone but yourself!"

"That's not true!" Sora exclaimed, tears running down her cheeks.

"Isn't it?" Tai demanded. "It had to come to the point where your digimon got hurt to protect your pathetic life for her to digivovle to ultimate!"

Mimi was also crying. "Tai, we all had to do things for our crests to work."

"I know," Tai said with a frown. "I had to be coward before I could show courage and that's what got you into trouble, Sora. If I just knew what my crest stood for then you wouldn't have gotten into danger. Of course, I got brave and Metal Greymon took care of Etemon, but that wasn't enough to impress you, was it? No matter what I did…you had to…you had to…"

In just the nick of time, Jun entered. "Tai, I've got these copies you--" she looked up from the copies and eyed Sora. "oh, hello, Sora."

"Jun."

"Jun, isn't that Davis' older sister?" Mimi asked.

Jun nodded, "yes. Jun Motimiya." She made her voice kind for Mimi and even shook her hand. "You're probably one of his digidestined friends?"

"Yeah, I'm from New York." Mimi replied, "So, you work here too?"

"Yes," she said, going to Tai's desk and placing the copies down. Tai's head was turned down and she saw tears in his eyes. He turned the chair around. "I'm Tai's partner."

"Partner?" Mimi asked.

"Yes," Jun said, "since yesterday. And I've got to tell you," she turned around, "it's been just great, huh Tai?"

"You bet," was his quiet answer. He was wiping away his tears.

"And it's only going to be greater."

"Yeah," Tai said.

"Do you ladies need anything else?" Jun asked.

"No, no," Sora shook her head, "I'll go now. Mimi's here only for two weeks and we've got some catching up to do."

"You do that," Jun said, "My partner and I have some important work to do."

"It was nice to meet you, Miss Motimiya," Mimi said as she and Sora left the office.

"You too."

The moment they were gone, Jun sat on Tai's desk, and put her hand on the back of the chair. "Tai?"

"Your timing couldn't have been more perfect," Tai said, turning back around.

"What was she doing here?" Jun demanded.

"Oh, Jun," Tai groaned, "she came in here to drudge up the past, open old wounds."

"Why didn't you tell her to leave? Or, you could've paged someone to get here out of here."

He shrugged, "I guess I wanted to hear what she had to say. She did feel for me, but it doesn't matter now. All that pain started to rise up, pain that I thought I put behind me years ago. If you didn't come in when you did, I would've lost it." He grasped her hand and squeeze it. "You're a lifesaver, Jun."

"You want some water, coffee or something?" she asked, giving a squeeze in return as she touched his face with her hand.

"No, Jun, I don't want water or coffee," he groaned, "that's not going to make me feel better. I just...want you. I want you to stay here and don't leave me in the cold like Sora did, okay? We also became good friends and if--"

"Shh," she put her finger to his lips to silence him, "Tai, we're partners. I signed a contract with you and, baby, I'm not going anywhere."

Tai smiled, "It shouldn't still hurt, but…it does. It hurts even more now 'cause I know for sure she felt the same way and she never would have told me if Mimi hadn't dragged her over here. But it's too late and that's what bothers me, Jun. Maybe if I told her all I wanted to tell back when I had a thousand chances, things would've been different. I was happy when I woke up this morning, happy 'cause I'd be starting a new job and we'd be partners, but now, Jun…I feel so horrible! So empty!"

Tai began to sob into one hand as he let go of Jun so he could pound the desk.

"Tai," Jun mumbled.

"Why…why do I have to be such a coward?" he demanded himself, "I thought…I thought that damned crest of courage would change everything, everything cowardly about me! But I'm still a coward and I'll always will be!"

"You're not a coward, Tai!" Jun exclaimed, lifting his face up, "you're not!" She scooted closer to him and pulled her head into her arms. His face was buried into her collarbone as he sobbed. She took in a deep, labored and emotional breath. "Oh, Tai, you're no coward. You can't be. No way a coward could make it this far." She stroked his hair, which used to be thick and big, but it was now cut. Tai felt the warmth of her bosom and her understanding flowing into him. He put an arm around her back and sniffed. It felt good to be near her, near anyone. It didn't matter that it wasn't Sora. What mattered was he was getting affection, love and understanding from someone.

"Now, I may not know anything about digimon, or digidestined, digivices or crests," she began, pressing her cheek into his hair, "I didn't bother to ask my brother about it. I was too busy thinking about boys and music and other things, but I know, that you got that crest of courage for a reason. It was being saved for someone courageous enough to come and get it. I know you're brave. That's why Davis looks up to you so much and that's probably why he got that…that digiegg of courage thing. I'm not a digidestined, Tai and I probably never will be. The digital world is a mysterious place and I never cared to ask my brother about it. Don't you dare call yourself a coward again, Tai Kamiya, because I wouldn't have become your partner if you were one!"

He sobbed again, but not just because of the pain he had felt when Sora came to see him. He was happy, relieved and moved by Jun's words.

"If anyone's a coward, if anyone's stupid, it had to me to think that Matt and I would ever be together," Jun said, "there were tons of other girls crazy about him. I wasted almost a year of my life crushing on him, but that's over now because, my good friend, we are partners. We don't have to worry about anyone else. There is no one else, Tai. Just us. We can build a wild future. I know we can." She pushed his head back to look into his chocolate brown eyes, "and we will. She's gone, Tai. But at least you know. That's what matters, right? It might have happened too late, but you know that Sora felt the same way about you."

He nodded, "you're right, Jun." He said softly.

"It'll take some getting used to, some time," Jun said, "but you're not alone, Tai. I'm here with you. We're partners and we've got to share each other's burdens and joys."

"Yeah. Thanks." He embraced her tightly and kissed her. "You're the best, Jun."

****

"I didn't know he was partners with anyone," Mimi said as they drove back.

"I tried to tell you," Sora groaned.

"Jun Motimiya…didn't she used to have a crush on Matt?"

"Yeah, then she started to have a thing for Jim."

"Jim? Joe's brother?"

"It didn't last long," Sora explained, "he started to like Momoe instead. Yolei's sister and Jun's best friend."

"How did Jun take it?" Mimi asked.

"Well, she wasn't mad enough to break her friendship with Momoe. They're roommates. I guess Jun made peace with it."

"And now…she's with Tai," Mimi sighed, "well, I guess it makes sense. She's Davis' sister and you know how he idolizes him."

"If they get any closer it would change any chance he has for Kari, that's for sure."

"He never had a chance," Mimi muttered, "Kari and TK are tight like a rubber band. You should've seen them when they came over to visit me while I was in New York. You and Tai used to be like that."

"Hell we were!" Sora exclaimed.

"Okay, maybe not just like Kari and TK," Mimi rephrased, "they're not afraid to be honest with their feelings. They've been close since Kari joined the group. Okay, maybe it was too late to tell Tai how you feel, but you did it. You should be relieved."

"But I don't. I feel so guilty, Mimi. Tai told me his feelings for me a while back. He was with Jun, they were trying to make Matt and me jealous. You should've seen Tai, he was so hurt, like he was just then in the office. If Jun didn't come in when she did, Tai would've broken down sobbing, I knew he would've." Sora leaned back into the seat.

"You should feel happy for him."

"Happy?" Sora turned to her.

"Yeah, she cares for him."

"They're just partners."

"Maybe just now," Mimi said, "but they'll get closer, I'm sure of it. I bet she's comforting him this very minute, treating him to a chocolate sundae to calm him down." Mimi grinned, "ice cream always makes me feel better, you want some?"

"Sure, why not?" Sora smiled.

"I'm glad to be back," Mimi said, cruising down the road.

"I'm glad you are too."