A Short Story by Celestial_Mirror
I think about the first time…the first time
6:30 pm Friday, May 11, 2006
Kari Kamiya walked into her house after a long, hard day of school. She sighed loudly and put her backpack in her room where Gatomon was sleeping peacefully on the bed. She tiptoed into her bathroom and took a nice, long shower, put on a pretty, sleeveless pink dress with a strip cut out at the bottom, combed her brown hair down and curled her bangs. Picking up her white purse she declared “Mom, I’m ready for the dance!”
Mrs. Kamiya looked up from the magazine she was reading, “You look very pretty, Kari!” Kari blushed. Mrs. Kamiya and Kari opened the garage and hopped into the bronze Mini-Van. They rode away to the dance.
“Are you excited, Kari?” Mrs. Kamiya asked.
“Yeah…,” Kari said dreamily. There was only one thing in her mind. Takeru Takaishi. She had had a secret crush on him for years.
“That’s good,” Mrs. Kamiya interrupted the silence “I remember my first dance. It was so much fun!”
“Yeah…” Kari said, falling back into her trance.
“Kari, dear, is there something wrong?”
Kari shook her head no.
“Is there something you’d like to talk about?” Mrs. Kamiya asked concernedly.
Kari smiled at her and shook her head again.
“Will T.K. be at the dance?” Mrs. Kamiya asked calmly. Kari grinned and looked at her mom. Her mom got the drift. She smiled warmly.
They arrived at the school a few minutes later. “Goodbye Kari and,” She winked “Good luck!” She drove away.
Kari stepped in a room cluttered with people. She took a seat and began to think about T.K. Takaishi. She thought about the first time they met.
I thought I found someone who cared…for me
4:33 pm Friday, April 22, 2002
A young short brown haired girl laid her arm around a young dark haired boy on a hill. This was a perfect example of young love. He looked at her and then stood up. He began speaking meaningless words, and then stopped. The girl looked up at him curiously. He looked down at her sternly.
“Kari we need to talk…” The girl bit her lip. “I’m moving tomorrow…” The boy said.
The girl looked up at him blankly, “To where?”
“America,” he replied. Rain began to fall slowly.
“Y-You’re leaving me? Will I be able to contact you?”
“No…” He said calmly.
“Well, what about by mail?”
He clenched his fists. “No! Don’t you get it?! We’re breaking up! We won’t ever see each other again! Goodbye!”
“Davis, wait!” It began to pour. The boy ran off and the girl could no longer see her lover.
But things were not as they appeared…to be
She began to sob. The rain poured down her shivering body as fast as her tears did. Suddenly she felt a roof over her head and a coat on her shoulders.
Rainy Day Man
On your shoulder I cried
When my first brush with love
Left me shaking inside
She looked at him. He was a handsome young man with golden-blond hair. He was Takeru Takaishi. He put his arm around her and she buried her face on his shoulder. She clung to him, her body shivering.
Oh Rainy Day Man
Ever since I can remember…remember
Regaining consciousness, Kari found there was a hand being offered. She took it and looked up at the owner. Takeru Takaishi. He was in a white tuxedo. She smiled guiltily, realizing how much she had been thinking of him. He smiled back and they began to dance to a slow song, Rainy Day Man.
She blushed being in his strong arms looking into his handsome face. She couldn’t really remember a time when she didn’t want to be held tight by him.
Like a brother you’ve been strong… and true
Kari felt twirling and twirling. Suddenly she was bent backwards and the song ended. She looked at her dance partner curiously and gasped. It was Davis Motomiya. He laughed at her, “Hey, Kari! Remember me?”
She looked around her and saw T.K. growling at him “Uh, sure, yeah…Davis, Hi….”
“It’s been a long time, hasn’t it?” He said calmly.
She tried not to remember “Yeah, it has…”
“You’re as pretty as ever!”
She released herself from him “Uh, thanks…I guess.”
“Want to dance?” He said.
“Um, well, uh…,” She looked around for an excuse “I need to be getting home.” She left quickly.
“Kari, wait!” T.K. called after her. Davis smirked. T.K. turned and glared at him. He turned around again and went after her.
You’ve been the one to see me through
Kari stood out side softly crying. It was raining once more. T.K. came up behind her. “Kari, I-”
Kari interrupted him “Leave me alone T.K..”
T.K. looked at her shocked, “Kari-”
“Just leave me alone…”
“All right…” He backed away and went into the school again. Kari’s mother picked her up from school and they went back home. Kari sobbed harder than she ever had.
The next day Davis was introduced as the new foreign exchange student. He took a seat next to Kari. He tried to talk to her but she wouldn’t reply. She wouldn’t speak to anyone. During their lunch option Kari sat glumly on the bench.
“What’s wrong, Kari?” TK asked her.
“Nothing…” Kari said glumly.
“Yes, something is wrong. Please tell me!” He urged her.
Rainy Day Man
She looked into his eyes, “It’s Davis. When I was younger, I was so in love with him. He broke my heart. If I fall in love with him again, I’ll be heart-broken once more.” Suddenly they heard thunder and rain soon began to fall. They ran for shelter.
“Don’t worry, Kari. I’ll protect you from that.”
“TK…” Kari started. It wasn’t something TK could physically protect her from. She looked into his deep blue eyes and once again was lost in them. He was still that little boy who she had cried upon and she loved him all the more.
You’re much more than a friend
-Loved him! Had she been so blind? All this time she had been worrying about Davis and ignored what was truly in her heart. TK and she had something special, something she and Davis never had. It wasn’t a great friendship or anything. It was so much more. She truly loved him. She was filled with the greatest passion for one man, Takeru Takaishi.
“I-I…” The bell rang and they headed down the hall for 6th period. Kari sighed, her face breaking out into a smile. “Meet me in the parking lot after school,” Kari whispered heading into their French Class. Kari and TK quickly took their seats at opposite ends of the room.
Madam Hickman quickly entered the room. “Bonjour, my class,” She said warmly.
“Bonjour, Madam Hickman,” Was the familiar reply.
“Take out your homework assignment,” she said pulling up her stool and sitting on it elegantly. Kari shuffled through her backpack trying to find it. Had she forgotten to do it?
“Now numéro un, Cynthia,” Madame Hickman pointed at the redhead behind Kari.
“Les Alpes, the Alps,” Cynthia said with a chilling disposition.
Where is it? Kari thought to herself.
“Mademoiselle Kari, numéro deux,” Madame Hickman said looking to her. Kari couldn’t hear her for her head was stuck in her backpack. The girl next to her poked her.
“Huh…?” Kari said pulling her head out of her backpack.
“Mademoiselle Kari, Répétez S’il vous plaît!” Madame Hickman said disappointedly at her. The room was so quiet Madam Hickman’s voice echoed through the room. All eyes were on Kari.
“I, uh, don’t know what the question is,” Kai said embarrassedly.
“What are les Pyrénées?” Madame Hickman said rather sweetly but sternly.
“They’re the uh…, the uh…”
“Kari where is your homework paper?”
“I can’t find it!”
“Then please step out into the hall and redo it.”
“Yes, Madame Hickman.”
As she stepped out in the hall she heard Madame Hickman’s voice once more. “Does anyone else know the answer? How about you Andrea?”
“The Pyrenees.”
“That is correct.”
Kari sighed as she sat down on the floor. When school was over what would she say to TK?
“Oh, T.K. I love you passionately!”
“I love you too, Kari.” And then they’d just start making out. Kari giggled at the absurdity of the whole thing.
“Hmm, uh, yeah…uh…uno? No…” Kari looked across to see Davis.
“Davis?! What are you doing here?” Kari asked.
“Huh?” He looked up at her “Oh hi Kari…I’m…just doing my Spanish that’s all.”
“Did you forget your homework as well?” Kari mumbled scanning down the pages of her textbook.
“Yep…,” He said then paused “Kari do you hate me or something?”
She looked at him curiously. “What? Of course not, Davis.”
“Well you never speak to me or joke with me or eat lunch next to me,” He said sounding pitiful. Kari sighed and rolled her eyes. Though she had never quite realized it she suddenly discovered what kind of person Davis was. From all the time she had loved him she never really thought about what he was like.
She had her own version of Davis. Now with the shield uncovered from her eyes she saw him as a person not a beau. A very pathetic person.
“I was just not feeling good. I like you a lot Davis.”
He perked his head upward, “Well would you want to go out like…”
“On a date?”
“Yeah!”
“Davis, we need to talk,” Kari said feeling particularly perturbed. His playboy attitude didn’t affect her anymore.
“I-,” suddenly the bell rang and Kari packed her stuff. As Davis was leaving Kari quickly called out to him, “Davis! Meet me after school at the parking lot.”
The day went very slowly. Kari kept on looking at the clock apprehensively. Davis she could deal with. T.K. she wouldn’t know what to say.
“T.K. I’ve had this secret crush on you for years.”
“Yes I know.”
“You do?”
“Yes and I like someone else!”
“Who?!”
“Yolei!”
Kari shuddered at the thought. And just what if T.K. like someone else? Someone like Yolei? Someone who was better, and smarter, and prettier, and funnier, and more athletic than Kari? And what if he liked older girls like Sora or Mimi or girls even older?
By her telling him, would it utterly destroy their relationship? She might break his heart and ruin their friendship. He would hate her. Could she take such a risk? She couldn’t bear to hurt him like that.
The minutes flew by and Kari shuddered at the thought of the end of school. Could she tell T.K.? Was she strong enough to take the consequences?
Suddenly the bell rang! Kari’s heart leaped out of her chest. This was it!
She walked past the halls, gaining speed at every minute. Once or twice she bumped into someone and made them drop everything, yet she was too caught up in her own problems to notice.
She raced through the doors! She was outside! What was she to do? Everything rushed past her. Her heart felt like it had stopped beating.
Kari walked to a shaded bench in a partially hedged area, the tension retarding her movements. She dropped down, her eyes beginning to flood. She couldn’t do this! She couldn’t break TK’s heart.
The tears streamed past her cheeks as she buried her head in her skirt. What was next?
Suddenly she saw a face poke up. “Kari?”
She looked to see Davis, “Davis?”
“Yeah, it’s me. Have you been crying?”
“I-I-well-it’s just-,”
“Is something wrong Kari?”
“N-No”
“Kari, please tell me”
“What do you mean?”
He sat down next to her. “Kari…,” He said slowly.
Her head dropped. “Davis, let’s talk.”
“What do you call what we’re doing now?”
“I-I…I don’t know…I guess I meant like a serious talk.”
“Yeah…OK…shoot,”
“Davis, I-I…,” she stopped. Here was the moment. Could she fail? No one would bail her out now. Say you don’t love him, say it!!!! Kari thought to herself. Could she? What if she did? What if…
“I-I-,” The words came out choking her. Did she love Davis? She looked over at the building to see T.K. then looked at Davis then back at T.K.. Did she really love T.K.? What made T.K. more special than Davis?
“I-I,” she stopped. T.K. was looking for her. Should he find her? Which should she give her heart to? Did T.K. need it or…did she need T.K.? Who was it that comforted Kari? T.K.. Who had always been there for her? T.K.! Who knew when she was down? T.K.! A peace came over her. She did love TK! No matter what, he had always been there for her. He had her heart.
“I-…Davis, I want to be your friend,” she said, the words no longer choking her.
“Nothing more?”
“Nothing more,” she said quietly. They were both silent. “Davis…are you…”
“Mad?”
“Are you?”
“No, I could never be. I want you’re happiness. Whether it’s with me or another man. Give T.K. my congrats,” he said more mature than he had ever been.
Kari threw her arms around him. “Davis, thank you so much!” She jumped out of her seat and then stopped. She turned and gave him a kiss on the cheek.
Yet as she turned to walk to T.K., she saw no one. She looked around frantically. Where had he gone? He must be at his house she thought.
She raced to T.K.’s house. She knocked on the door enthusiastically and stopped to catch her breath. A woman opened the door.
“Hello, Kari”
“Hello, Mrs. Takaishi. Is T.K. here?”
“Oh, sorry, you just missed him,”
“I did?”
“Yes, dear,”
“Do you know where he is?”
“Probably at…” she pondered, “I think he’s at Cody’s!”
“All right. Thanks Mrs. Takaishi,” Kari left hurriedly. It was either now or never
She rushed over to Cody’s. Looking for T.K. to tell him she had a secret crush on him for years sure was good for exercise!
She knocked on the wooden door and waited for a while. Cody quickly opened the door, “Hello? Oh, hey Kari!”
“Hi Cody! Is T.K. here?”
“Oh, sorry you just missed him?”
“Again? Man, he stays at places very short periods of time.”
“Well he was just returning my Geometry book”
“Oh…”
“I think he went home.”
“Thanks, Cody!” She rushed off in T.K.’s direction once more. Soon she was panting at the front door.
“Yes?”
“Is T.K. home?’
“He just left, sweet”
“Again?!”
“Yeah. He didn’t tell me where he was going…he sounded upset”
“But I- I just,” her eyes filled with tears, “just wanted to…-,” Kari turned around and headed to the door, “I-I gotta go…” She rushed out the door. Mrs. Takaishi just stood there.
“I wonder if those kids will ever stop hurting each other like that,” She said quietly. “I wonder if they will ever learn…”
I would give anything just to see you again
Where was T.K. when you needed to tell him something important? Something really important. Where was T.K. when you found the strength to tell him you cared more than anything about him? When you wanted to tell him the things you had dreamed of for so long…where?
Kari ran to the hill, where he had first appeared in her life. A white gazebo stood at the top. It looked old and neglected; the opposite of how it had looked 4 years ago.
She felt a drop fall upon her shoulder. Was it her own tear or the rain? Another fell. That one was her own. Her eyes broke out into an ocean of sorry and in the darkness the young girl cried.
The rain fell softly upon, as if it were taking pity. Suddenly there was a thunderclap and the rain fell harder. Lightning flashed in anger, the rain poured down.
Suddenly Kari felt an umbrella over her head and a coat over her shoulders. Her face broke out into the largest grin she had ever given. Could it be…?
Oh Rainy Day Man
She turned around only to see, the Rainy Day Man! “T.K. You’re here!” His face was red, too. Had he been crying?
“Kari…I’m…happy for you and Davis…”
“You’re what?!”
“You know…happy that…you and…”
“T.K. nothing is going on between me and Davis. Nothing ever will.”
“What? But I…you kissed him!”
“Once in a lifetime thing…Davis let me go…My sign of gratitude,” Her eyes began to water again, but this time with tears of joy.
“What do you mean? Sign of gratitude…? What do you mean he let you go?” His face was so close to hers, his curiosity compelled her.
“My heart wasn’t leading me to Davis, it was…” She stopped, her heart skipped a beat. Say it Kari! Now or Never! Her lips trembled.
“It was what…?”
“My heart lead me to…,” she stopped, “you”
“To me!?” T.K. said shocked. Was this what Kari dreaded? Did he…?
“T.K., I’ve loved you from the start! And…I’ve been so blind to think that if Davis came back, he would replace you in my heart! I love you so much!” Kari blurted, the tears came faster.
He was silent. Kari sobbed, “I’m so sorry T.K.!”
She turned but he caught her. She turned to him slowly. “What’s to be sorry about? Kari, I love you, too. I always have and I always will. I love everything about you. I want to be with you for eternity. I have always dreamed you would tell me this.”
How long had she waited for those words? “Really,” she whispered, shaking from the cold.
He drew her into his arms and pulled her into a passionate kiss. The one kiss that completed her dreams. The one kiss, in the arms of her Rainy Day Man.
A/N: How did you like it? It was my first songfic. The reason why it took so long is because I have a short attention span for my stories and I skip around a lot.