Summary: "So you finally decided to pop the question, Yamato?"… "Yeah, but I'm going to need your help." Yamato enlists Taichi's help to buy Sora the perfect ring. Chaos ensures…

Disclaimer: Do you really think I own Digimon?

A/N: Well, here's my contribution to the sorato section. I've been itching to write a one-shot and Valentine's Day provided a perfect opportunity…please review and enjoy!

-How Hard Can it Be-

By theladyknight

Ishida Yamato smiled as the beautiful redhead sitting beside him sighed. "This is such a romantic film."

She was off in her own little world, but the blond man couldn't blame her at all. It really is a long flight to Miami

He, his girlfriend Takenouchi Sora, and close friends Yagami Taichi, and Tachikawa Mimi were on a flight to Miami, Florida, from their hometown of Odaiba, Japan.

Having recently graduated from the university, Yamato had an interview in Cape Canaveral a few days later concerning a position at NASA. The man, from a young age, had been secretly fascinated by the stars and outer space, one day hoping he would be able to travel up there. He was very close to making that dream a reality right now.

Yamato studied astronomy and the galaxy in college, getting a degree, and setting his sights on becoming an astronaut. At around the time he was slated to graduate, the head of the space exploration and astronomy departments at the university heard that NASA was looking for an international face to join a special mission. The twenty-three year old had been recommended for his superior grades, aptitude, and strong physical abilities. His professor had nominated him, and very shortly after, Yamato received a letter of acceptance. NASA asked him to come for a few days, just to make sure they had chosen the right man for the job and so he could meet the people he'd be working with. With the prepaid flight and accommodations provided by NASA, he immediately jumped on board.

So that's where he currently was, sitting on a plane over the Atlantic Ocean, watching the love of his life get teary-eyed over some American movie.

The blond glanced a couple seats back to where Taichi and Mimi sat. Tai was also a recent college grad. The former leader of the digidestined was pursuing a career that ironically rivaled that same role. He was an ambassador between the real and Digital Worlds, helping Gennai with many important tasks while at the same time working on his own. As Digimon had become quite common in the real world, so-called embassy's—a cross between a wildlife refuge full of multiple environments and terrains and an actual political embassy—had been popping up all over the world. Tai, as one of the more prominent ambassadors, frequently made stops at each center. Seeing that his best friend was heading to America and the plane trip with always better with someone else, Taichi opted to go too.

Mimi was sitting next to the aisle, a bit bored by the movie, obviously from the times she'd seen it before. She and her family were still living in New York and Mimi, having taken up a love for the culinary arts, was attending college in the Northeast. It was her dream to be a world-famous chef in the future. She was currently on winter break and had spent it with her friends in Japan. Since Yamato and Taichi were both flying to America, Mimi decided to go back with them. The group was planning on spending two days in Miami before everyone went their separate ways.

And lastly Sora. She was another graduate of the university with a degree in fashion design and business. At first everyone was confused about her choice of major. Who would have thought she'd ever choose that?

Sora had a love for drawing and as she got older, began growing fond of designing people and their attire. She'd always had a creative, visual mind, and it all came so naturally to her. Shopping trips with Mimi could also be part of the reason, but two things were for certain…she was very good at her craft, and everyone supported her.

Being that Sora had always wanted to go to the US, and because he didn't want to spend Valentine's Day without his girlfriend, Yamato invited her to join the group outing. They were going to spend two days in Miami before Yama and Sora headed to Cape Canaveral, Taichi took off for the nearest Digimon embassy, and Mimi traveled north to New York.

So here, sitting next to his girlfriend of quite some years on the plane, mind aimlessly wandering from the sappy film, the blond came to a life altering decision. It was completely random; he had no idea where it came from. But he knew it was right. It was finally time.

Yamato had been pondering this for a long time. He and Sora had first started dating casually around fourteen. She had been the one to ask him out in the first place, something their friends were always goading him about. A few months later, though, Yamato asked her to be his girlfriend, and they'd officially been together since.

Their relationship was good, but the two digidestined had been through their share of rough waters. Taichi, who had been supportive of their relationship from the start, although for awhile still carried a small crush on Sora, teased them about being the "perfect couple."

Sora and Yamato would always argue against it. They just both understood each other, starting with their time spent in the Digital World, growing through their teenage years, cumulating now in their early twenties. Their relationship was very strong and had endured quite a bit.

Officially, according to their friends Yagami Hikari and Inoue Miyako, both of whom kept up on the others' lives, they'd been together for about eight years. By now, people had made it their business to go out of their way, pestering and asking Yamato when he was going to propose.

However, the blond was never one to rush, especially in the area of love. Due to his parent's divorce and feeling of loneliness and isolation that still occasionally lingered in his heart, Yamato wanted to be very sure of what he'd be leaping into. Sora had never demanded anything about it, rather letting him take his time. He had always known how much he loved her, and in the past few weeks, knew the time was approaching. And sitting in his seat on the plane, he knew it was for sure.

"Sora, koi, I'm going to go back and talk to Taichi. I'll send Mimi up here."

"Okay," she replied, lips turning into a smile. "Have fun…"

Yamato stood up and wandered back a few rows behind him. "Hey Mimi, you look a little bored."

She rolled her eyes. "I've only seen this movie ten times. The first time was okay but, one time was plenty. And it doesn't help me that he's sleeping." She waved her manicured hand in the direction of the man sitting next to her.

The blond smiled. "Go up and sit next to Sora. I'm going to wake sleeping beauty up. I need to talk to him."

"Thanks!" Mimi's energetic nature had stayed with her as she'd grown up.

He took her seat when she stood up and headed to where he'd been sitting. "Taichi," Yamato tapped his friend on the shoulder. "Hey, Taichi, wake up. I need to talk to you."

The brunette groaned. "Five more minutes."

"Taichi," Yamato's voice raised a bit, "come on, man, I need to talk to you."

Chocolate eyes flashed open, and the man raked a hand through his now short hair. He'd finally decided to cut it. "What? I was sleeping!"

"Look, I was sitting next to Sora, just looking…"

"…if I know you, Yamato, you were gazing."

Rolling his cobalt eyes, Yamato sighed. "Will you just listen to me?" Silence followed and the blond lowered his voice a bit, fearful someone would hear him and tell the redhead, though he had no idea who the people around him were. "I was just watching her focusing on the movie. But I was just focusing on how peaceful and gorgeous she looks, how I want to spend the rest of my life seeing her and seeing her like that. Taichi, I realized something: I'm ready."

Taichi's mouth fell open. "So…so…so…you are?" Yamato nodded. "Damn man, it's about time."

"I expected that response."

Yamato watched, a grin finding its way to his best friend's face, as the brunette realized something. "So you finally decided to pop the question, Yamato? But let me guess, you obviously don't have a ring."

A nod told Tai that he'd guessed right. "I was thinking really hard about this, and I want to propose to her tomorrow night, Valentine's Day over in America." Now fully awake, the man let out a low whistle. "Look, you've been Sora's best friend since…well, since forever, and I need your help. I want to get her the perfect ring."

"Dude, Sora won't care whether the ring is perfect or not. All she's going to care is that you've finally gotten your ass around to asking her the question."

"I know that," Yamato ignored the second comment, "but I want her to have the best. Sora's been there for me for such a long time. Back in the digiworld she was the one who understood me best, and she's been there for me through some of the hardest things in my life. I feel like she deserves the best for putting up with me."

Taichi knew Yamato was being completely sincere. The blond had had a hard time opening up to them all in the first place, a result of his parent's divorce. He had been the loner, the Mr. Too-Cool during their digiworld adventure. He always wore a mask, concealing his emotions from the others, but somehow Sora was able to see through Yama's stony exterior and break through to him.

Once Ishida Yamato trusted someone, he trusted them very much. He and the others had gradually became friends, but his relationship with Sora had just slowly grown into something more. "It took you eight years to figure this out? You two have been dating forever!"

Yamato glared at his best friend. "We weren't together for a full eight years."

"My bad," Taichi answered sardonically, "seven years and fifty weeks."

"Tai, she and I broke up and weren't together for like a year."

It was Taichi's turn to roll his eyes. "Why'd you two break-up anyway? I can't really remember."

"She said some things. I said some things. But it was all in the past." It was clear the blond wanted to avoid the subject. The two had broken up after a dumb fight about Yamato's band, The Teen-Age Wolves. That year apart was hell for Yamato, and he knew Sora felt the same. They'd both tried dating others but in the end, knew they were meant for each other.

"We'll be arriving in warm, sunny Miami in approximately thirty minutes." the pilot's rich voice filled the air.

"Okay," Yamato looked at his friend, "here's the plan…"

---

"So how are you two lovely ladies this morning?" Yamato greeted as he and Taichi walked down to the lobby of their hotel where the girls were waiting.

Mimi smiled. "We're pretty good." Taichi and Yamato walked, or ran in the brunette's case, over to the continental breakfast area. "And they say it takes women a long time."

"You're telling me," Sora replied. But knowing Yamato and knowing Taichi…I'd say it puts that stereotype to rest. "So what are our plans for the day?" she asked, the guys joining up with them once again.

Taichi leaned over to Yamato's ear and through a mouthful of food whispered, "Three, two, one…"

"I was thinking the beach." Mimi replied, causing both Taichi and Yamato to start coughing. The look on their faces is priceless! "Well, of course, after we go shopping for a couple of hours!"

Yamato let out a laugh. "I was worried there was something wrong with you, Meems. Well, Tai and I have some errands to run of our own."

"Really?" Sora asked raising an eyebrow at her boyfriend's mysterious tone of voice. "What for?"

"It's a surprise." Yamato winked at her. "You'll just have to find out later." He looked down at his clock, now adjusted to the new time zone. It's 10:00 right now. How about we all meet back here at the lobby around 7:00. I have dinner reservations for us at the Pilar restaurant." (Not mine!)

"Us too?" Taichi asked, gesturing to Mimi and himself.

"Why not?"

Taichi gave him a look as if he said the sky was green. "It's Valentine's Day."

Mimi let out a squeal. "Ooh, it is! Sora, we're going to hurry our asses up shopping and get down to the beach. Maybe there'll be a bunch of hot guys!"

Sora gave a nervous laugh. "Meems, I've got a boyfriend…"

"…who's standing right next to you." Yamato couldn't help but butt in.

"My mistake. I guess I'm the only one here who is single."

"Women," Taichi mouthed to Yamato, "well, I guess this gives me an excuse to buy Keiko a gift." Taichi had been dating one of the girls from his psychology class. He and Keiko had been going out for around five months.

"So you're going to buy me a present, Yama-kun?" Sora asked.

He smiled. "I guess you'll just have to wait and see. Come on, Taichi, we've got a lot to do…"

---

"I really hope the girls don't decide to come to this mall."

"Relax, from what I've heard there are so many malls and stores around Miami there's no chance we'll run into them."

Yamato's face paled, and he pulled Taichi behind a rack of clothes in the store they were currently meandering through. "I see someone with pink hair."

Tai gasped dramatically. "You're joking, right?"

Yamato's expression was blank. "…yeah…"

The brunette let out a sigh and punched his friend on the shoulder. "That wasn't funny." They walked out the store, heading for the nearest jewelry one.

"I thought it was." Yamato stopped, staring at the sign in front of them. "I think this may be a good place to start."

"Tiffany's and Co." (Definitely not mine!) Tai read the sign and let out a whistle. Yamato meanwhile began walking into the store. "I really hope you remembered your credit card, Yama."

"Why, hello!" a woman who appeared to be in her late twenties proclaimed. She smiled brightly, cherry lips decked out in a bit too much lipstick. "How may I help you two men? Is there something special you're looking for?" she smiled coyly in their direction.

"I'm still looking, at the moment," Yamato answered, not bothering to look up. His gaze was instead fixed upon the wide array of rings.

She batted her eyelashes, false eyelashes in Taichi's opinion, in their direction. "Well, let me know if you need any help or find what you're looking for."

Taichi's mouth dropped. "Um, don't you think he's taken if he's buying a ring?"

Yamato looked up and met the puzzled expression of the clerk. She let out a nervous laugh, flipping her platinum blond curls over her shoulder. "I wasn't talking to him. I was addressing you…"

The brunette's eyes widened and cheeks tinted crimson in embarrassment. "Oh,"

"He's taken too," Yamato replied, rolling his eyes at the fact his best friend was too dumbstruck to respond.

The clerk bit her lip at the new development. "Oh, I see. You're buying the ring for him!"

Both Taichi and Yamato's eyes met at once, looking away instantaneously. "No! He has a girlfriend and I have a girlfriend! We're not…" The brunette finally found his voice. "…that's just…no…his girlfriend is soon to be his fiancée!"

It was the clerk's turn to blush. "Oh, sorry about that one. Here, I'll show you the ring selection."

She began pointing at different rings, pulling some out of their shelves for Yamato to examine a bit more closely. "How about this one, Taichi? Do you think Sora would like it?"

Taichi looked at the expression on Yamato's face. His best friend was looking like a little child whose parent was either going to offer him candy as a reward for being good or reprimand him for making a bad mistake. "It's too big."

Yamato sighed. Okay, onto the next one. There are plenty of rings in here. I'm sure I'll find the right one soon. I mean, how hard can it be?

"Too small,"

Yamato groaned and began sifting through the pile of rings. He looked through an array of large and small rings, and the saleswoman kept putting out more. "This one?"

"Too cheap. Next."

The blonde's shoulders fell. His eyes spotted something after another ten minutes, and he offered it to Taichi. "I like this one."

Tai took one look at the ring. "It's too expensive!"

"If I wanted the advice of a picky person, I could have asked Mimi to come." Yamato grumbled under his breath. He picked up another ring that he'd seen earlier, and held it in his hand.

"Dude! That thing's way too shiny! Sora would go blind just looking at it!"…

Yamato groaned. I think I've looked at about every ring in the store. We've been out here for about two freaking hours! "Taichi, Sora isn't this picky!" Yamato tried to keep his anger in tow, but it always seemed to find a way of jumping out, ready to attack.

"I know, but as her best friend, I know what she likes and what she doesn't."

Yamato snickered. "I've only been her boyfriend for a whole…"

"Do you want my help or not?"

"I'm starting to think no!" The blond reached for another ring.

"Yama, what girl would want that ring? The diamond's too small."

Yamato clenched his eyes shut and took a deep breath. "That's it, Tai, I'm not listening to anymore of your dumb commentary. Sora won't care about any of those things. This is Sora we're talking about. She'll like the ring regardless. I just want it to be special. And if it's going to be special, I'm going to choose it."

He walked around to the side of the counter, studying the many other rings carefully. Taichi watched his friend, a smile playing on the brunette's lips. I really hope he finds one.

Yamato called the saleswoman over and pointed to one. "Right there, please."

She grinned at him and pulled it out of the display case. The ring was gold all around and had a medium glimmering diamond encompassed by a light bluish trimming that blended so well with the diamond, one would think the diamond was two colors. "That's a fine choice sir. What size would you be needing this in and how soon?"

"Today, preferably." The woman's smile faltered a bit. "And this size."

She took the silver band from Yamato. "How'd you get that? Isn't that Sora's promise ring?"

The blond winked at his friend. "I borrowed it from her when we went to watch television in the girl's room last night."

Taichi snorted. "Yeah, I bet she knows you borrowed it too." Yama gave him a warning glance and the brunette immediately shut up.

The woman examining the ring let out a light chuckle, bringing them both to the situation at hand. "I'd say this is a coincidence or something, but this ring happens to be almost the exact same size as the one you gave me, sir. With a few alterations, you should be taking this ring home in no time…"

Another hour later, both sick and tired of the uncomfortable chairs the store had to offer, Yamato and Taichi were standing at the register. "That'll be…" Taichi's mouth dropped at the price of the ring and Yamato bore a smirk. "Would you be paying in cash or card, sir?"

"Card." The blond answered immediately. He pulled out his billfold but suddenly a look of horror etched itself onto Yamato's face. "Tai…Tai…I forgot my credit card."

"You what? How are you going to pay for it?" the brunette asked incredulously. "I'm sure you don't have that amount in cash in your pocket at the moment. Are you sure you don't have it with you? You're not kidding."

Yamato couldn't help it; he couldn't keep a straight face anymore. Bursting out laughing, the blond pulled a credit card out. "You should know by now not to believe everything I tell you, baka."

Taichi's heart rate, which had gone off to the races, slowly relaxed to its normal speed. "You're just lucky you did have it. Because if you didn't, I would have had some great blackmail on you…"

---

"Wow," Sora smiled, stepping out of the rent-a-car. "Nice place."

She linked her hand through Yamato's, and he beamed down at her. "I'd say I chose well."

"Definitely," Taichi was already licking his lips.

Mimi rolled her eyes. "People had better not assume we're together." She addressed the brunette while they followed the other two inside.

"Reservations under Ishida."

Taichi looked at Mimi in horror. "They'd better not think we're together!"

The group followed the waiter to their table. They all sat down at the circular table, Yamato next to Sora, then Mimi, and finally Taichi. "Here are your menus. I'll be back to check on you in a bit."

Sora leaned back in her chair, taking a sip of the wine Yamato had requested when he'd made the reservations. She laughed, and tapped him on the shoulder. "We could have brought Piyomon and Gabumon. They wouldn't have been out of place."

Indeed there were a few different digital monsters present with their partners. "But if we did, they would rack up a higher bill than Tai." Yama whispered, tickling Sora's ear with his hot breath.

"Oh well, they're probably being pretty well entertained." Mimi pointed out.

Taichi nodded. "Knowing them, they're having a lot of fun at the party Tentomon and Gomamon were throwing." The two Digimon had informed all their friends they were trying their claws/flippers at a dinner party. All the Digimon had been invited. Both Sora and Yamato's partners had expressed interest in coming to America, particularly Gabumon, but already guaranteed Tentomon they'd be there.

"Well," Mimi bluntly replied, "there's food there. They'll enjoy the party no matter what."

Sora studied her menu. "That's for sure." The waiter approached again. "And speaking of food…"

"It's a beautiful night out." Sora followed her boyfriend outside, and soon they were both focusing on the blanket of stars above them.

He took her hand in his while feeling his pocket to make sure the ring box was in there. "I agree. And hopefully one day soon I'll be able to go up there."

They sat down on a bench just outside the restaurant, not noticing there were two people watching them. "Taichi, why did you drag me out here?"

"You're not going to want to miss this." He promised, talking to Mimi while pulling out his camera.

"What's that for?"

He grinned. "You'll just have to wait and see…"

"I know they'll love you, Yama. You're the perfect person for the job. I just don't want you to have to move."

Yamato sighed. "It's most likely part of the job."

She sadly agreed, casually looking at her free hand. "I just want to be with you. And to make things worse, that promise ring you gave me, which gives me so much hope…I think I lost it." While she was talking, the blond silently slipped a hand into his pocket, pulling out the box. "I feel so bad."

He intertwined their fingers, and after taking the ring out with as little sound as possible, placed it on her finger. "How does a new ring sound?"

Sora gasped and glanced down at her hand. "Oh my…Yama…you bought me a new promise ring? It looks just like my old one." She gave him a questioning look.

He had closed his eyes and was grinning, anticipating her reaction. Then it sunk in. "Yea…wait a minute? Promise ring?"

CLICK!

The two turned in the direction of the door, hearing a small sound and seeing something light up briefly.

"I'll be right back." The blond furiously marched over to the door, and hidden behind a small tree, found the culprit. "What do we have here?"

Taichi gulped and let out a forced laugh. "Oh, Yama…what's up?"

Mimi glanced between the two in confusion. "You know damn well what's up. I asked you to keep the promise ring so I wouldn't get it mixed up, but you switched them on me! Now give me the other one."

A guilty look crossed its way onto Taichi's face while he searched his pockets. "…Yama, there's a slight problem…"

The blonde's face paled and his hands balled up into fists. "Yagami Taichi, this is not funny!"

Suddenly Tai's face cracked up. He pulled the ring out of his pants pocket and handed it to Yamato. "That's for all the times you scared me today."

Glaring at him, Yamato took the ring and headed back to Sora. "Under any other circumstances, I probably would have laughed."

Mimi faced the brunette next to her. "That was mean. I take it he's finally going to propose to her?" Taichi nodded. "He would have killed you if you lost the ring. It had to be expensive."

Tai laughed again. "It was."

He whispered the amount into Mimi's ear. "Holy shit! I guess that's his way of showing her he's really ready…"

Sora stood up, smiling a knowing grin, as Yamato returned. "You get everything sorted out?"

"Yeah," he grinned. "Sor, I love you more than I thought I could ever love anyone." This wasn't the way he'd planned to propose, but then again he never pictured Taichi switching the rings on him either. It must be fate. Getting down on one knee, he grinned his best, most sincere smile. "I love you. Be my wife."

Her face lit up in a huge smile. Tears of joy began to form in her eyes as he finally said the words she'd been anxiously awaiting for awhile now. "Of course, Yamato! I wouldn't have it any other way!"

He placed the ring on her finger, and their lips met passionately as they stood up. He kissed her harder, knowing he wasn't going to back out of his decision for anything. This is right and the way it should be. She brushed her lips against him harder, and neither of them heard Mimi begin to cry in the background. They were lost in each other and their happiness. Sora pulled away as she ran out of breath, glancing at the ring adorning her finger.

"It's beautiful, Yama-kun. I love it, and I love you."

He couldn't keep the large, California-sized grin off his face. "I'm glad. It took me a long time, but I finally found the right one."

Yamato wiped a tear off her cheek as they headed hand in hand over to where Tai was trying to comfort a now hysterical Mimi. "That was so romantic! And it was so…oh, I HAVE TO CALL HIKARI AND PASS ON THE NEWS!"

Mimi frantically dug through her purse, finding her cell phone, and calling the younger girl up. "You had to know that was coming." Tai laughed. "Congratulations you two."

"Thanks," Sora smiled, hugging her oldest friend.

They heard a scream from the phone and automatically assumed Hikari had told whoever else was with her. "Yama, Takeru wants to talk to you." She held up the cell phone to the blond. Tai joined him, occasionally ripping the phone away from Yamato, to tell Takeru his side of the story.

As Yamato talked to his brother, listened to Takeru goad him about "finally" asking Sora the question, and hearing Taichi's commentary; Mimi pulled Sora aside. Trying to fight her grin, she whispered, "I almost burst out laughing when Taichi told me Yamato was going to propose."

Sora grinned too, wiping the remaining tears away from her eyes. "They don't know that we already knew."

Mimi laughed and hugged her friend. "Who would have thought we'd end up in the exact same mall, the exact same time they were there? I mean, Miami's got hundred's of stores yet the four of us all chose the same one! It must be fate!"

The redhead laughed and once again glanced at the gorgeous ring. She then looked over at her fiancée and best friend, both of whom were exuberantly filling Takeru in on all the details. "They don't need to know we saw them go into the jewelry store. What they don't know won't hurt them..."

The End!

A/N: Well, I hope you all enjoyed this, and I'd love to hear what you think! Have a Happy Valentine's Day and please review!