"What is this?"
A petite, little, box with a dainty, red bow lay before me. Hearing my utterance, Daidouji-san looked up at and gave me a winsome smile.
"You've forgotten what day it is today?" she asked. I could hear the amusement lining her words. She must have seen my eyes glaze over, for she then gave a soft giggle, reminding me faintly of a small shimmering bell. "It's Valentines Day," she stated. My insides ran cold.
Valentines Day.
The day for lovers.
It reminded me of Kaho, someone I didn't wish to remember.
But, I didn't have a lover this year and I didn't want one.
Keeping back my bitter expression, I returned her smile genially.
The moment was interrupted by the sound of the door of the classroom sliding open and Sakura-san bounding inside, chirping her "Good Morning" to our classmates. My cute little descendant, as usual, followed closely behind her protectively.
As Daidouji-san walked over to greet her "Cherry Blossom", I focused my attention back on the tiny package on my desk. Tentatively, my slender fingers undid the bow of the box. Surprisingly, the ribbon slipped apart with ease.
I lifted the lid. Thin, gauzy tissue paper covered the inside of the box. I parted the paper to have a look at my gift.
A slow smile spread across my face. Nestled softly in the tissue was a small, round cake. The top was decorated with white frosting and sugar spun petals. Delighted, I placed the lid back over the pretty cake.
"Do you…like it?" a hesitant voice asked.
I looked up. I hadn't noticed that Daidouji-san had been watching me. She looked at me with uncertainty.
"It's beautiful, Daidouji-san." I assured her, "Almost too beautiful to eat."
"Nonsense." she said, modestly, "It's only a sponge cake." She smiled at me, pleased over my praise. "But, I knew you'd like it." Her smile widened. "Sakura-chan told me you liked sweet things."
So, she actually bothered to find out what I liked? I smiled at her, showing my pleasure at her gift. Her cheeks were rosy with contentment against her snow-white skin. Her eyes twinkling like stars across an amethyst sky.
"Daidouji." Li stated, breaking me from my study of Daidouji-san, "You spoil me." I shook my head, breaking myself from my reverie.
'It's too early to wax poetic.' I thought, silently reprimanding myself. She turned away from to smile at my descendant. 'Definitely too early.' I noticed he too was holding a box, not unlike my own, in his own hands.
"I knew you'd like the chocolates I made, Li-kun," she said, beaming. Sakura-san, from behind my little descendant, snatched a chocolate from his box. Paying no attention to my descendant's protests, she dropped it in her mouth with a sigh of dreamy bliss.
"Oishii…"
"Sakura-chan!" my cute little descendant whined. "They're my chocolates!" I smirked as my descendant proceeded to lecture her. I could do nothing but to admire Sakura-san's hold over him. God knows how protective Li Syaoran is of his chocolates.
"They're sweet, aren't they?" Daidouji-san turned to me, eyes soft. It hurt at little, seeing her like that. Her so in love with Sakura-san. Even if she said she was happy, with all her heart, said she was happy…
I knew that it was a lonely happiness.
===
I neatly slid my books into my satchel and swung it over my shoulder. Finally, the end of the school day. Love had definitely been all around, as had been the hormonal teenagers. Valentines Day was not my favorite day.
I walked slowly to my locker in no rush. The school day was at its end, but still many students hung about the halls. Unsuspecting, I opened my locker.
Boxes of chocolates, cards and dozens of roses that had been previously crammed into my locker, spilled out onto the hallway floor with a noisy clatter. The scene slowly registered in my mind.
'Shimatta.' Sighing, I knelt to the floor and proceeded to pick up the fallen proclamations of love. A girl's giggle made me turn my head. Daidouji-san stood there, smiling at me with suppressed mirth. As graceful as any swan, Daidouji-san arranged her skirts around her as she knelt beside me. Unasked, she began to pick up the Valentine presents from the floor.
Within a few moments, my originally slim book bag was bulging at the seams.
"Arigato gozaimasu, Daidouji-san." I said, standing up. She took my offered hand and rose to her feet.
"Dou itashimashite, Hiiragizawa-kun." she said with a smile. A dazzling one, if I might add. "I actually came here to see if you wanted to come to the festival with us, if you don't mind going in your uniform. All our friends are going."
All our friends were going. It would obviously be a Valentines festival. I weighed the pros and cons of the situation privately in my head. Spending time with my friends would be better than moping about the house, lamenting over my past love. But then again, this whole day was about love. And I would be adding to that by attending a festival dedicated to it.
"Will you be coming?" she asked.
I came back to reality with a jolt. I looked at Daidouji-san. She stood there, politely awaiting my answer. Hesitantly, I nodded. She smiled. If I weren't personally involved with magic, I would be the first to say the effect of Daidouji-san's smile is supernatural. Beautiful, kind…
And real.
===
It was crowded. And noisy. With loving couples to be found everywhere.
Wonderful.
Not too surprising, though. What was surprising was that I was actually enjoying myself. Maybe it was because of the weather? It was a really beautiful day. Clear, azure skies without even a trace of a cloud.
Maybe it was the joyous attitude of everyone around me? Laughter, gleeful shouts…
Happiness everywhere.
Or maybe it was because I had been left in Daidouji-san's company. And none too subtly either. I remember those glances from our classmates, those knowing, calculating looks. They obviously thought the cake had meant more that it did.
Funnily enough, they had ditched us outside a chapel, set up for the more serious couples. How…droll.
I glanced at my companion out of the corner of my eye. She was looking in the distance, evidently searching for "lost" friends.
"They're not very inconspicuous, are they?" she asked, dryly. Her eyes were still focused in the distance.
"No, they're not." I sighed. "You'd think, after all the matchmaking we've put them through, they would have learnt something." I said, shaking my head in disappointment. She laughed softly and turned to gaze at me, thoughtfully.
"Oh well. I'm kind of glad anyway," she divulged to me quietly. I was not expecting that.
"W-wha---"
"Let's use this time while we have it, okay? Since we're here." She grinned, wolfishly, changing the subject. "And I can always get Sakura-chan and Li-kun back later."
"With my help, of course." I added.
"Of course." she agreed. I bowed to her, elaborately and deeply, offering my arm. I was left in the company of Daidouji-san. I would have to make an effort to be charming. She curtsied as much as she could, with the short length of her skirt, which I always thought showed an expansive amount of leg...
I suppressed a blush and stopped that particular train of thought. Being a hormonal teenager wasn't a pleasant experience, but it was something I welcomed. Clow Reed had been born old. Being a child, an adolescent, a teenager…that is what he had missed out on. A normal life. Daidouji-san accepted my offered arm with polite and easy grace. Feeling bold, I reached out and clasped her hand in my own. It was soft, warm and oddly comforting. The startled turn of her head nearly made me smirk. But she didn't refused. In fact, she didn't say anything at all.
We searched the stalls around us, looking eagerly for any objects of interest. Many trinkets caught my eye and more than once, I found myself thinking how each one would look lovely on the girl beside me. At least I was thinking enough to win her a bear from one of the shooting galleries and a cute one at that. I walked beside Daidouji-san in somewhat of a daze after though. I forced myself to think about things other than Daidouji-san's warm presence at my side, or how well her hand fit into mine. It would do neither of us any good if I kept at it.
"Oi! You two seem like a loving couple." Breaking from my daze, my eyes focused onto the lean man standing before us. Somewhere along the line we had broken away from the crowd and towards the quieter part of the festival.
"Nani? Us?" Daidouji-san questioned, obviously as confused as I was.
"Yeah! You're our last couple so hurry it up!" And without another word, he grabbed one hand from us both and promptly dragged us away from the festivities.
"But…" My attempts to explain that Daidouji-san and I were just friends didn't seem to reached the man. He continued to pull us along hurriedly until we had reached what seemed like the back of stage. We were constantly dodging stagehands and sidestepping wires as we were pulled along by the strange man. I wasn't nearly as skilled as that man was in the dodging department. Finally, we came to a stop just outside of what seemed to be a curtain. I didn't have a very good feeling about it.
"Alright, one more thing we have to clear up. Fill out these forms. Quickly now." Annoyed, I hastily filled out the form. I noticed it had many strange questions printed on it. The question ranged from asking what my favourite flower was to asking what pets I own. What a useless form.
"Now can you tell us why you've drag us here?" Daidouji-san asked, handing back her filled form. Without answering the question, the man started to push us in the direction of the stage.
"Sorry, Daidouji, we've got no time. Just play along!" And with that, we were shoved out onto the stage, clueless of our situation. The first thing I noticed was that the sky was starting to darken somewhat. But it soon became clear to us as the announcer began to introduce the event. I smiled at the crowd nervously. It was embarrassing to say in the least.
"Good evening ladies and gentlemen! Welcome to this year's Valentine's Day Couples Competition!" the announcer proclaimed. Oh. No. Surely this wasn't happening. Daidouji-san looked about as shocked as I was.
"Eriol-kun, Tomoyo-chan! You both entered in the competition, too?" After hearing that oh so familiar voice, it was only then that I turned to survey the other couples standing on the stage with us.
"Sakura-san!" I exclaimed, showing slight astonishment. If I hadn't been so surprised, I might have wondered how Sakura-san persuaded my cute little descendant to join this contest. He didn't seem very pleased to be there. Then again, my cute little descendant rarely showed any emotions.
"Sakura-chan! We didn't enter!" Daidouji-san protested.
"Hiiragizawa and Daidouji. I never expected it, that's for sure." My cute little descendant was smirking. I tried to object.
"It's not what---"
"Now let's begin with the first trial!" interrupted the announcer. I sighed. It was useless to try and explain anything now. "Can we have one person from each couple step forward please!"
"We might as well play along, like that man said." Daidouji-san informed me softly. She sighed. "The school gossips are going to have a field day." She offered me a small smile. Her hand slipped form mine as she strode forward to stand near the announcer. I hadn't even realised that I had still been holding it. The announcer moved along to the side of the stage and revealed a number of various coloured booths.
"Now, each of the chosen partners are to pick a booth." I, of course, was not allowed to see the choosing process. I knew it must have something to do with guessing which booth your partner would be standing in. When I was allowed to turn back, only the hands were showing out from the booths. Ah, I was so close in my assumption. "Will you be able to tell which hand belongs to your partner?" asked the announcer. I watched in amusement as people tried in vain to find their other half. Some were confident in their decisions and found their lovers quickly. Other just stumbled along, clueless to whose hand was whose and sometimes blundering in their choice. Sakura-san walked straight to Li-kun's booth without even a glance at the others. Seeing as how their auras wound around each other, it was no surprise to me, though they probably weren't even aware of it themselves.
Soon after that, it came to my turn. I scanned the array of hands with interest.
Pick out which hand was Daidouji-san's? I had been holding it in my own for most of the day, so surely I would be able to pick it out, right? I remembered that her skin was the colour of ivory.
Confidently, I walked to one of the designated booths. Tomoyo was inside it, I knew. I grasp the hand in my own. Her hands were warm and soft; I could easily imagine holding them in my own for the rest of my life. I knelt and kissed her knuckles lightly. Letting the door swing open, I looked inside with anticipation. I was amused to see her cheeks were pink with embarrassment.
"Hiiragizawa-kun…"
===
We were both put through many strange trials, all of which were supposed to, in some way, prove how much we loved each other. I was surprised how many we passed together.
"Now, we shall tally the points as see which of these couples are the most loving!" I sighed inwardly. I was glad it was finally finishing. It hadn't been a boring affair, but it had definitely been terribly tacky and corny. And the announcer had started to get on my nerves. Daidouji-san and I waited patiently off to the side along with many other couples. Finally, the tally board was revealed.
[8th] Yane & Hontaro
[7th] Feraru & Yukaku
[6th] Maruni & Hiko
[5th] Degawa & Derai
[4th] Sakue & Rakite
[3rd] Unrei & Sakaru
[2nd] Kinomoto & Li
[1st] Daidouji & Hiiragizawa
Daidouji-san's eyes were wide. My eyes were wide. We were both stunned and that's an understatement. Even if I was the reincarnation of Clow Reed, there was no method for me to stop the blush from rising to my cheeks. I was a shade a pink that I had frequently seen worn by my cute little descendant. The horror of that thought alone scared me.
But at least I wasn't alone. Daidouji-san couldn't help but blush either. And you'd think that was the worst of it all. Being showered by flower petals and streamers and being openly praised by an annoying announcer was nothing compared to what was waiting for us backstage.
===
"Hiiragizawa-san. What do you think you're doing, courting my daughter behind my back?"
Daidouji Sonomi was, to put it politely, less than pleased. I was sure I was going to be killed. Her foot was tapping the ground in measured beats and her glare was something to be reckoned with. But, what surprised me most was that Fujitaka-san present also. Did he have a bone to pick on the so-called "relationship" of Daidouji-san and I, as well? Warily, I looked around. I could try and make a run for it, I thought. Maybe I could get away. Maybe I could save myself from her wrath. Maybe Daidouji-sama didn't have bodyguards ready to shoot me at every exit if I tried to escape. Just maybe.
"Well?" she asked in what seemed to be a calm tone. I wasn't fooled.
Tap, tap, tap.
"Well you see, Daidouji-sama, I'm not really courting your daughter." I started. An eyebrow was raised.
Tap, tap, tap.
"And why not?" I tried not to cringe from her dangerous tone. Maybe that wasn't the best way to start.
"We're just friends, okaa-san!" Daidouji-san tried to explain. Daidouji-sama seemed incredulous.
"How do you explain coming first in that couples' competition then?" That, I didn't have an answer for. Only God knows how we were able to win that competition. I was doomed. I was surely doomed. Daidouji-sama wasn't likely to want to kill her own daughter. I, on the other hand, was of no real importance to her.
"The producer dragged us in. We had no choice, really." was my pathetic attempt at an argument. I was sure Daidouji-sama wouldn't believe anything we told her. Heck, all the evidence was against us anyway. The couples' competition, the various witnesses who said to have seen us about, the unfamiliar, but cute, bear nestled in Daidouji-san's arms. Somewhere in the dark recesses of my mind, I wished faintly that I had written a will beforehand.
Before Daidouji-sama could start a tirade, she was stopped short by the hand falling on her shoulder. Fujitaka-san. My unlikely saviour. A man who loved to tease Daidouji-sama more than anything. Well, besides Daidouji-sama herself.
"Sonomi-kun. I think they are telling the truth." He motioned towards us with his hand. "If they were dating, don't you think Tomoyo-san's bodyguards would have informed you? As I know it, you never let her leave the house without them." Fujitaka-san reasoned. Daidouji-sama opened her mouth to argue, but shut it again soon after. She was fuming.
"Kinomoto-sensei…" A hand slipped into mine and tugged gently. As an argument between Fujitaka-san and Daidouji-sama sprang up, Daidouji-san and I crept away, trying very hard not to alert the older adults.
"Okaa-san seems pretty angry today." Daidouji-san noted when were safely out of danger's range, then giggled. "She probably thinks you're trying to steal me away!" Another blush stained my cheeks. It certainly wasn't my day.
"Daidouji-sa---"
"Oi, English gaijin!" Nope, it certainly wasn't my day. I turned slowly as something similar to lead dropped in my stomach. Kinomoto Touya wasn't a very happy man. Then again, he never seemed very happy when my cute little descendant and I were around. His eyes narrowed at me as he tried to burn a hole through my head with his glare. I smiled cheerfully in response. He stared at our linked hands, then at my face and then back to our hands again. "Gaijin..." he growled.
"Onii-chan! What's going on?" And of course it was just my luck that Sakura-san and my cute little descendant also decided to show up at that moment.
"I'm saving Tomoyo-chan from making the biggest mistake of her life." he told her. I frowned.
"Hey, I'm not---"
"Eriol-kun can date Tomoyo-chan if he wants!" Sakura-san exclaimed hotly, resting her hands on her hips. "Mou, you're so protective!" Kinomoto-san rolled his eyes.
"Me? Protective? Hey, I'm trying to better your lives here!"
"Scaring away our boyfriends isn't bettering our lives, onii-chan!"
"It sure as hell sounds like a good idea to me."
"Sister complex." a voice commented as a fight between brother and sister began. Daidouji-san had left my side to go support Sakura-san. I turned and was met with Yukito-san's smiling face. "You and Tomoyo-chan are good at hiding things. I didn't know you two were a couple."
I sighed for the umpteenth time that day. "Daidouji-san and I are just friends." I told him. I had been saying that a lot, too.
"Really? Just friends?" he asked. His expression turned thoughtful. "But…" he continued, "You can see why they think those things though, can't you?" Guessing from his words, I assumed he was hinting that our classmates had already thought of us as a couple even before this day. The wheels were turning in my head as I thought this over. I recalled all the things that had happened that day when I was with her. I was happy, through the good and the bad. I was definitely not in love with her like everyone had thought, but…
I glanced at her again from the corner of my eye and couldn't help but smile into the darkness.
I was definitely getting there.
====
Owari
====
a.n
Sailor Moon inspired the competition. ^_^ I'm sorry if there are many mistakes. I wanted this fiction out before Valentine's Day, so I couldn't really send it to my beta-reader. Oh, and excuse the OOCness. I just wanted to write a sweet one-shot fiction. Who knows? Maybe I'll write another for White Day. ^_^
Disclaimer: I do not own anything Card Captor Sakura related.