Author's Note: Michi story (Mimi x Taichi), they're all around 16/15 years old, and summer's just starting. Uploading it mostly because I'm itching to know what readers will think! Review if you want to read more, or if you want to hate on me, or if you just want to say Hi! If people like it, I will make more :).

Sweet 'N Salty

A tick, and a tock… a tick, and a tock. The pattern repeated over and over until the brown haired teenager noticed the passing of time. "Tick tock, tick tock, tick tock," he worded while giving his body a lazy shift of position. Tai Kamiya lay on the maroon couch poised in his living room; distraught, defeated. He tried to look at the clock that hung on the wall opposite from him, but struggled and finally decided to just sit up. "3:47," Tai said with a long sigh; it was probably steaming hot outside, the sun at its highest point. He then slumped back to his couch. Once relaxed, the teen tried his hardest to shun the memories that flooded back, as if they were begging for his attention; a lithe body pressed against his… heaving breathing… a yearning for release… dread for the consequences that would follow—with a slap to his forehead Tai stopped himself. He knew sulking about what had happened was not about to change anything, in fact, it might make things worse if he just sat and waited.

He grabbed his wireless house phone and half-mindedly searched for a specific number in the address book. Mimi Tachikawa, his thumb lingered on the green Call button, but after one last thought he refrained himself and scrolled up to the number above, Matt Ishida. Without the slightest hesitation Tai pressed the Call button and put the phone up to his ear, waiting for the dial and for his childhood friend to pick up. He heard someone picking up and sucked air in instinctively, not yet sure if he was ready to open up.

"Yeah?"

Tai recognized T.K.'s voice and answered, "Hey T.K., it's Tai. Is Matt there?"

"Oh hey Tai—bitch! I saw that! That was my campaign, quit cheating you two!" The boy on the other side of the receiver exclaimed loudly; Tai could hear loud laughing and shooting in the background. "Oh sorry 'bout that, Davis came over and we're playing on the Xbox and them two think they can cheat just cause I'm on the phone." T.K. accentuated the last phrase, to insinuate that they were still cheating regardless of his previous outburst.

"Can I speak to Matt?" Had Tai not been so frustrated he would have envied them and want to join in, but right now he felt anything but social.

"Yeah, yeah, hold on." He waited for a while and let out a relieved sigh when he heard his best friend's voice on the other side of the receiver.

"Tai?"

"Hi Matt," the brunette paused, as if wanting to postpone the situation.

"Yeah what do you want?" Matt asked bluntly.

An incredulous smile graced his lips at Matt's response and he just replied, "Uh, I wanna talk to you. Let's meet at Sweet 'N Salty?" Tai mentioned their usual hangout place—coffee, desserts, and sandwiches; what more could they possibly need?

He heard Matt yawn, "Well can't you tell me now? Davis needs to get his ass kicked in this game, which by the way you should totally check out—"

"No! I need to tell you in person, it's important…"

"Alright alright, I'll be there in fifteen." There was a pause, and both teens hung up without even bothering to say bye, as usual.

Tai Kamiya rose to his feet and ran to his bedroom. He quickly changed clothes and departed towards the urban café. Just as he had predicted, the day felt anything but pleasant. Don't get him wrong, he loved sunny weather, but the hot summer temperature did not make him feel compelled to go out to a friendly soccer match, to hang out with his friends, or to even have to walk all the way to Sweet 'N Salty. Tai scratched his unruly mane as he waited by the bus stop, being torn between feeling eager to arrive to his destination—for the teen already felt his tanned face being burned even more by the sun—and feeling hesitant to talk to his best friend. He mentally called himself a chicken and decided to simply go on with his life.

The two teenagers met and greeted a few stores away from the café, but decided to leave the "good stuff" for later when they would be enjoying a cold frappuccino in the air-conditioned atmosphere. Tai was surprised to see one of Matt's classmates, Joshua Enna, tagging along, but did not say much of it, since he was a quiet boy whose presence Tai did not mind. Once they approached the shop Tai recognized two familiar faces sitting outside; as if they were unaffected by the hot sun, Mimi Tachikawa and Sora Takenouchi sat on one of the many tables outside, wearing big sunglasses and sipping on cold tea. Before he could stop his best friend, the blond reached towards the two girls and gave Sora a quick peck on the lips—for they had recently started a relationship—and Mimi a warm Hi and a hug. With a sigh Tai followed after him and just offered them an awkward Hello.

"You guys are here!" Sora seemed surprised; Mimi just looked away and played with her keychain.

"Yeah but we're not crazy like you so we'll just sit inside like normal people." Matt waved them off and entered the coffee shop; Tai was eager to follow. They placed their order, bought their drinks, and settled on one of the empty tables. After a while, noting that Tai was not about to start the conversation, Matt said, "Ok this better be good. I gave all my ammunition to T.K. so he could beat the little bastard; who knew Davis would be so good at shooting games…"

The brunette laughed awkwardly and finally decided to speak, "It's weird. I don't know how to say it…" He looked away.

"Tai. Really. Stop acting gay. I mean it," said Matt with half a laugh.

The teen smiled, leaned forward, and spoke softly, "I had sex with Mimi." There. He'd say it. He went and screwed up and had sex with his other best friend; the best friend who now probably hated him and wanted nothing to do with him.

Had Tai not been so distraught he would have laughed at the choking Matt that struggled with his drink in front of him. "What?" The blond exclaimed.

"Don't be so loud, damn it!"

"Really?" The teen ignored Tai's pleads to be quiet, "but you guys weren't even together! Were you together? I didn't even know you liked her!"

Was he kidding him? He loved her. Of course, no one but himself knew that. And now he made the stupidest mistake. Way to work on a relationship… "No, we never dated, Matt." Tai admitted quietly.

"When did that happen?" Matt was still awestruck.

"Uh… during Izzy's party two days ago." Tai could still remember it like it was yesterday, because indeed it was just two nights ago. Izzy had hosted his birthday party in his beach house last Friday, to which all the Digidestined and a handful of his school friends attended. Tai went with Mimi, Matt, and Sora as a group, and naturally, since they were dating, Matt and Sora parted, leaving Mimi to hang around with him. Their flirting was just a spur of the moment, and it unexpectedly led to something greater. They drifted to a small, quiet lounge on the second floor of the beach house, and sparks flew and things happened. Tai knew he would regret what he was doing, but his utter affection towards his best friend prevented him from stopping, and she was welcoming his caresses so very much…

Matt's loud sigh snapped him back from his reverie and he felt himself blush at his memories. "But how? And why? Were you guys drunk? I don't recall Izzy having alcohol…"

Tai's eyes trailed to Joshua and he was thankful that the teen was more interested in his text messages than in the current conversation. "Matt, it just happened, Ok? We were talking and stuff and we kissed and we made out and the next thing I know our clothes are all over the place…" And the ocean breeze flowing from the opened window felt so refreshing against my bare flesh, and Mimi looked so calm and open and beautiful, and I wanted her to stay there, like a porcelain doll under my mercy, he wanted to say, but stopped himself before he sounded anymore like a fag than he already did.

"It feels awkward, huh? Have you guys talked ever since?" His best friend seemed more sympathetic now.

The brown haired teen shrugged before replying, "The next morning she wasn't there anymore. I dressed and went downstairs and one of Izzy's friends gave me a ride back to town." Almost everyone spent the night in the beach house. Tai was amused that he had to watch his footing, or he might had stepped on a sleeping guest. He searched everywhere for Mimi, but apparently she had left with Sora that same night; with a sunken feeling he realized that he had not even heard her leave. "I was too scared to call her, but I sent her a text message the next morning. She didn't reply. That's why I'm worried."

"Damn," Matt choked a laugh.

"What am I supposed to do now? What do you do after you have sex with your best friend?"

"You tell me; I have no experience on that subject," his blond friend admitted with a helpless shrug. Matt noticed his gaze past the café's tall windows, upon Mimi, and suggested, "Just don't be a coward and go talk to her. Ask her how she feels about it. There, you can start from that."

Tai took a sip from his frappuccino and shook his head. "You don't get it Matt. It's like I can't look at her in the eyes anymore, like I took advantage of her or something like that…"

"Did you? Did you take advantage of her?" Matt's question lingered a little longer than he would have preferred.

"I don't know." Again, his heart sank. That was exactly what kept him up last night. He did not know if he had taken advantage of her in her moment of weakness. And if he did, he didn't know if he would be able to live with himself because of it. Mimi and Tai used to share absolute respect and trust for each other, but he felt as if the crystal glass that was their trust had suddenly been smashed against the floor, shattering to hundreds of pieces; almost impossible to mend. He pondered for a couple of seconds, and was half frustrated and half relieved when the two girls stood to leave. Sora walked in, while Mimi stood outside next to the door, he then realized just how awkward she must have been feeling all this time as well.

Matt left his chair to give Sora a quick hug. "We're going to see Yolei at the creamery, and then I have work," she explained. The boys waved their goodbyes and watched her depart with Mimi.

"Does anyone else know?" Matt asked after a while.

The brown haired teen shrugged and replied helplessly, "Maybe Sora, or I don't know, whoever Mimi talked to. I haven't told anyone else." The boy looked down, beating himself up for complicating—what he used to call—his perfect life. "I guess I should phone her tonight. I mean I can't avoid her forever, right?" Matt nodded. "And the sooner I do it the better it'll be for everyone."

"And who knows, maybe she's not as upset as you about it," Matt added encouragingly, but somehow Tai knew that that was not the case.

Tai glanced at his wrist watch and almost choked on his frappuccino at the realization that he was going to be late for work. "Dude I have to go," said Tai while he stepped away from his chair.

"What? Why?" Asked Matt flabbergasted; Tai hadn't even finished his drink.

"I'm working at the pool now, as a lifeguard. I have to be there until eight tonight," Tai grinned at the look Matt was giving him.

"A lifeguard at the pool? But school isn't even out yet!" Matt rose from his seat as well.

Tai waved Joshua goodbye, who was still busily texting. "Yeah but the pools are open anyways. I'll see you tomorrow at school, Matt. Thanks for everything." The teen exclaimed before walking out of the coffee shop. Behind him, he heard Matt say, "remember to call her!" Tai stepped out of the establishment with a grim feeling; summer had just started, and he could already tell how much it would suck for him.

Digimon, and it's characters, do not belong to me. This was made for leisure and nonprofit purposes only.