Chapter Text
For three months now, day by day, Mimi had managed to hold back from telling the big news to all of her friends. It had been one of the toughest, most grueling tasks imaginable given how much she loved to talk, but she did it. And now that she and her family were only ten days away from heading back to Japan, she was ready to spread the good news.
As delicious as dinner was that night, getting through it had all felt absolutely grueling. She just wanted to finish and run into her room and start figuring out all her plans for her first day back in Odaiba. Even if she would be exhausted from the fourteen hour flight, nothing would stop her from spending that first afternoon with the friends she had to leave behind years ago. Even if she had visited in the past and even if she had made sure to keep up with frequent calls and texts, nothing would be as good as being back with her friends.
And she’d miss her friends here in New York, of course, and she’d still keep up with them, but with everything she went through with the other DigiDestined… there was no replacing that. Never. Mimi knew the bond she held with them was one of the most important ones in her life, and her chest felt warm and light at the thought of spending easy afternoons with them again. Trips to the Digital World and after school hangouts, girls’ nights and sleepovers, and simple early evenings spent sitting in silence with her loved ones.
And as she zoomed off to her room after helping clean up, her entire being felt light as she thought about the quiet moments she would soon have with the person she was most excited to see. The long blue hair she was so surprised to see when he had grown it out the first time, the glasses he adjusted just so whenever his attention was laser-focused on his notebook, and the gentle red flush and the way he tugged at his collar whenever she teased him.
The brunette settled into the chair at her desk and grabbed her phone, then scrolled through her contacts. A soft smile came on her face as she saw the name of the person she was most looking forward to giving the news to as she pressed the call button.
Sure, the time difference was killer, and sure, it was super late over in Japan, but whenever Mimi called, Joe was there, guaranteed to pick up.
“Come on, Joe Kido…” she grumbled under her breath while she fiddled with the ends of her hair. The wait felt absolutely unbearable, and with how long she’d already kept this a secret, she was sure that when (not if, when) Joe picked up she’d instantly blurt it out. She wanted to scream it to the heavens. She wanted all of her friends to know so they could start making plans for her homecoming.
Ring… ring… ring…
“Joe, hurry up and pick up…” she mumbled to herself.
If for some reason he didn’t pick up she would start to tell the others, but she so badly wanted him to be the first to know. He had to be the first to know. There was so much to talk about, so much to plan, and so much catching up to do in the past year-and-a-half or so since she last visited Odaiba when Diaboromon popped back up. As she waited, the brunette’s eyes flitted towards the corkboard that hung above her desk, focusing on one picture in particular: one of her and Joe shortly after their second trip to the Digital World.
Ring… ring… ring…
It was at her birthday party and she had managed to convince him to take a picture with her. Her arms were around his neck, having pulled him down to be closer to her height and their faces were smushed together. He was bright red, but still held a big smile on his face, just like she did.
After so long of being so far apart, maybe they could finally have a chance for that relationship she knew they both wanted deep down. It had always lingered in the air around them, but with how busy he had been with school and how she had been whisked away to New York for her dad’s new job, everything was left unsaid.
Ring… ring… ri—
“Mimi?”
“Joe!”
As soon as she heard his voice, even through the crackly static of her cell phone, the smile on her face grew even wider. This was real. She was really about to tell him she was moving back to Odaiba.
“What’s up? You haven’t called this late in a while.”
Mimi stifled back a giggle. Of course, she knew he wasn’t upset about that in the slightest. Honestly, she had a feeling she could call him at three in the morning and he wouldn’t be mad at her.
At this point, though, Mimi knew she couldn’t hold it back any longer, and the floodgates burst open.
“I have really big news!” she squealed with excitement.
“What’s the news, Meems?”
“Guess who’s coming back to Odaibaaaaaaaa!” she sang out. She held her breath, waiting for reaction, and judging by how it took him a few minutes to say anything, she was pleased by the fact that he seemed to be stunned silent.
“R-Really?”
He finally spoke and now Mimi was doing everything she could to hold back from popping out of her chair.
“Yeah! We’re coming in next Sunday! I’m going to be attending school in Japan again!”
“Wait, you’re moving back!? Th-that’s incredible, Mimi! You’re going to be back! And so soon! I can’t wait!”
“Me either!”
She felt absolutely moon-eyed, and in those moments she couldn’t stop herself from thinking about the reunion they would soon have. Were it not for the fact that she was on the phone with Joe, Mimi would’ve been happy to get lost in her own daydreaming.
“You’ll be there, right? On the day I’m back?”
He had to be, he just had to be. Was she excited to see everyone else? Of course she was, but she so badly wanted to see him— had to see him.
“I’ll definitely be there.”
“Really?”
It wasn’t that she didn’t believe him, but…
“It won’t interrupt anything you have for school, will it?”
Mimi’s stomach twisted into tight knots as she waited for him to speak, more and more afraid that something would happen the day of that would prevent him from being there. If he had something else to prioritize, she would understand, but…
“I wouldn’t miss this for anything. I’ll be there, I promise.”
A tidal wave of relief washed over her in an instant. The thought of how sad she would be if he wasn’t there to greet her… she didn’t have to worry about that. A gentle sigh fell from her lips, and she was glad he wasn’t there to see the tears that were starting to prick at the corner of her eyes.
“Thank you,” she whispered to him as she blinked those tears away. She quickly moved her other hand over the speaker for a moment to make sure Joe couldn’t hear the deep breath she took. She swallowed down another happy cry before she spoke, “I can’t wait to see you.”
“I can’t wait to see you, too.”
Those words had her heart swell in an instant. She so badly wanted to say something— anything— about how she wanted them to finally take that chance and have a relationship, but she also wanted to save that moment for when they were with each other. A perfect moment just for them.
“I bet everyone else is excited to see you, too, huh?” he asked with a gentle chuckle. Mimi smiled to herself and shook her head.
“I mean, I’m sure they will be! You were the first person I told,” she said, unable to help from laughing gently.
“W-wait, I was? Really?”
She rolled her eyes playfully as a fond smile found its way on her face, “Is that really a surprise?” she asked.
“Well, I guess not, but I just imagined you would’ve gone in alphabetical order.”
She could just so clearly imagine the way he scratched his cheek in thought while he spoke.
“Oh, Joe,” she tutted, “Of course you were going to be the first one I told. I’m going to start texting everyone else, though. I just wanted to let you know the big news first.”
His obliviousness was so adorable and sweet and so Joe Kido. She couldn’t believe that after all of this time he would think he wouldn’t be the first one to be told big Mimi Tachikawa news.
“Thanks, Mimi… that means a lot.”
“You don’t have to thank me,” she chirped sweetly, “I need to check again when we land and all of that, but when I do I’ll let you and everyone else know.”
“Sounds good! I’ll see you then!”
Mimi smiled to herself, “Yeah… I’ll see you then, Joe.”
She was about to hang up, staying on the call for a few extra moments just to enjoy his presence over the phone, but he quickly spoke up again.
“Oh, Mimi! Do you think you could text me your flight number when you look it up? Just so that way I can make sure it's on time and everything.”
Mimi blinked, “Oh! Yeah! I didn’t even think of that! I’ll get that to you as soon as I find out! Good thinking!”
“Oh, uh, thanks! You know me, I just want to be as prepared as I can be!”
His nervous, awkward chuckle was one she had come to know well in the years knowing him and it was endearing as ever.
A part of Mimi wanted to find some excuse to keep talking to him, but he was probably tired and she didn’t want him to stay up any later than he had to— even if he’d probably still be up studying after this call.
“So… I’ll see you soon,” she said softly.
“See you soon, Meems.”
The call ended and the young woman set her phone on her desk, then placed her elbows on the desk, letting her chin rest on the balls of her hands.
It was only ten days away. Ten days that would undoubtedly be painfully, excruciatingly long, but that wait would be worth it. She felt like she was on cloud nine, and Joe Kido was at the center of it.
This was a second chance Mimi didn’t think she would get until she could go back for college— or even after— and she wasn’t going to waste it.
She looked behind her at her room, boxes scattered about that were half-filled with stuffed animals, room decorations, and autumn and winter clothing that had been tucked away deep in her closet months ago.
“This is going to be a buuuuuuuuuuuusy week…” she mumbled to herself.
She’d have to ask about the flight later, but for now, tackling more of this packing was probably the best course of action.
She shot up from her chair and darted to the other end of her room, starting to check what she had packed in some of the boxes already.
Mimi wasted no time in going over her things, quickly getting lost in the process of packing. She had been meticulous about it all, making sure everything was in the right place and no clothes were packed too early.
She hadn’t heard when her father gently knocked on the door, or that he padded into the room to watch her scurrying between different boxes to pack things away. He couldn’t help but smile and laugh gently at the sight.
“I didn’t expect you to zoom through dinner just to come in and start packing.”
Mimi’s head whipped around and she grinned at his comment.
“I didn’t either!”
“That excited to go back and see your old friends?” he asked.
Mimi nodded, “Mhm.”
Excited was an understatement. She could’ve easily talked her dad’s ear off about it, and she was sure that in the lead up to the flight she would say plenty.
“I’m so happy we’re moving back to Odaiba,” she said.
“I’m glad,” he beamed, “It’ll be good to be back home again.”
Home…
“It will! I’m just so happy to see everyone!”
To return home. Not just to Odaiba, but to her closest friends.
“Hey dad, can you let me know all the flight information? I want to give it to my friends so they can know when we come in and stuff!”
“That’s a great idea, princess. Are they going to come and see you when we get there?” he asked.
“Oh, I’d love that!”
“Even if they come to see you when you’re all tired after that plane ride?” he asked playfully, though that didn’t deter Mimi in the slightest.
She still held that big smile on her face, “I could be asleep and I’d be happy to see them when we land!”
Her father let out a hearty laugh, “And I’m sure they’ll be just as happy to see you even if you’re asleep,” he said, then paused for a beat, “I need to get a few things done, but just let us know if you need anything, ok? Oh, and make sure you aren’t up too late packing!”
“I won’t, papa,” she nodded.
Once they said their good nights and her father left, Mimi stood up and surveyed her room again. It wouldn’t be that long until they’d have to start shipping off their things… There was so much to do before the big day, but that just spurred her on more.
Between coming back to Odaiba, reuniting with her friends, and her talk with Joe, there was a lot on her plate to prepare for.
But when Mimi Tachikawa set her mind to something, she wouldn’t rest until it was perfect, and this was something she couldn’t— wouldn’t— let go wrong.