Disclaimer: I do not own Card Captor Sakura, CLAMP does. Lucky them! (I also don't own the song Purachina, or Platinum, sung by Sakamoto Ma'aya. It's the third season opening theme.)
Aratamete (Over Again)
Chapter One
It was night in Tokyo. The lights lit up the entire city; no need for a moon. People were talking animatedly in restaurants, touring Shinto and Buddhist shrines, and, of course, going to the annual Hana (flower) Festival [1].
A young, dark-haired man stepped off a bus. He glanced around, seemingly reminiscing, and turned sharply towards the festival.
' Damn…where is she?' Suddenly his head jerked and he spun right. The man walked quickly, then slowed down in front of a teashop. He slowly entered, making sure to go relatively unnoticed. He quietly took a seat at the bar and focused his attention on the young woman at the karaoke machine. Her sweet, flowing voice filled the room as everyone watched, enchanted.
I'm a dreamer…
Hidden power
My world
is made of dreams, love, and worries.
But there are still things lying hidden
that I can't even imagine
Facing the sky, like all the different trees,
I'm gazing right at you.
I'm a dreamer...
Hidden power...
A world yet unseen...
No matter what awaits me there,
even if it's not the ideal,
I won't be afraid.
The birds travel on the wind
on a journey from today to tomorrow.
I want to tell you...I want to shout it...
I am but one entity in this world.
But like a prayer, like a star,
even with a small light, someday,
I want to be
stronger and stronger.
There are limitless possibilities,
right here in my grasp.
I want to find my dream... I want to make it come true...
There is nothing that I can't overcome,
if I only believe.
Just like singing, just like miracles,
"feelings" can change everything!
Without a doubt... Without a doubt...
It's almost surprising!
Once the young woman finished the song with a soft, fading ending, the audience was silent…then burst into loud applause, complete with catcalls and whistles. She smiled softly, and bowed, then exited the karaoke stage and gracefully walked over to the bar. Plopping herself on a seat next to the mysterious young man, she waved to the bartender, an old man with soft eyes and wrinkles gracing his features.
"Ah. Konbanwa, Tomoyo- chan! The usual, I suppose?"
"Hai. Arigato, Ojii-san." [2]
The bartender filled a small, clear glass with iced green tea, a slid it across the countertop to Tomoyo. She caught the glass, and held it, her arm resting on the table.
The teashop wasn't very crowded tonight; many possible customers were at the festival. Tomoyo and the young man were the only ones at the countertop, everyone else were on small marble tables.
"So, Tomoyo- chan, are you planning on going to the festival?" The bartender inquired, his eyes twinkling.
"No. I…I'm so busy nowadays that…I don't have time for such events." Tomoyo answered, a little sadly.
"Tomoyo-chan!" The bartender scolded, "You need to get out more! If you don't take it upon yourself to go, I'll force you to. Heaven knows you need it."
"D-demo…I…" Tomoyo stuttered. The young man leaned on the countertop, his brows furrowing.
"Tomoyo-chan, please listen to me. You are NOT too busy. You're not even doing anything these days! What's making you so busy anyways?" The bartender looked at her with curious eyes, awaiting a response to her question.
Tomoyo took a long sip of her drink, avoiding "Ojii-san"'s eyes. She stayed silent.
"Tomoyo-chan. Why won't you go anywhere? Parties, festivals, clubs… This teashop is the only somewhat social place you come to. Tomoyo-chan, you just stay in your huge mansion. I suppose you are very attached to it since you helped rebuild it, demo…Tomoyo-chan…" He ended with a sigh. Tomoyo spoke softly.
"I-I love the mansion…it reminds me of someone- someone that I haven't seen in a long time...I'm trying to find him, but-" The bartender and the young man started in surprise.
"Him?" The bartender inquired coyly.
"Ojiiiiiii-saaaan!" A red tinge had appeared on her cheeks. "But- yes, I am trying to find him. He disappeared to London, England, a long time ago…"
The young man spoke up. "Sixth grade, wasn't it, Daidouji-san?" Tomoyo whirled around to face the stranger. He was tall, yet not lean. His dark blue eyes twinkled in evil amusement, and his soft navy hair flowed freely over his eyes, giving the young man a mysterious air about him.
Tomoyo gasped in amazement. No one had ever called her "Daidouji-san" but…
"Eriol!?" He grinned and nodded, a slight smirk showing on his lips.
"The one and only, my dear Daidouji-san." Tomoyo blushed again. Not only had she neglected to put a suffix on his name, but also he had called her "my dear Daidouji-san"…which was quite typical of the sorcerer.
"So, Daidouji-san…moved into my mansion, did you? Ah, well, it certainly fits you." Tomoyo nodded, still in shock.
"I…I can't believe it's…you." She spoke softly, tears threatening. Eriol noticed this.
"Daidouji- san…you really didn't think that I wouldn't come back, after all we went through? Although I was hoping to see my cute ancestor again…" He chuckled evilly. Tomoyo giggled, her mood lightening dramatically.
"Oh, you would just LOVE that, now wouldn't you?" She mock-glared. Then she smiled. "Luckily for Li-kun, he's in China now…along with Sakura-chan. The wedding is in a few weeks, I think…" She looked thoughtful. "I'm the bride's maid, and, of course, her clothing designer." She winked cutely. "Got to have the best for my Sakura-chan!" Eriol laughed openly.
"Daidouji-san," he shook his head, "you haven't changed a bit." He smiled and met her happy eyes. "I'm glad." He swept her up in a huge hug, his somewhat large frame enveloping her delicate one. Tomoyo was shocked: Eriol had never been this…open before. She cleared her throat, and Eriol quickly set her down, yet not seeming to regret anything. "Hai, Daidouji-san?"
"Ano…Hiiragizawa-kun, would you like to come over for tea? Or perhaps a midnight snack?" Tomoyo inquired politely.
"Sure. Now?"
"Hai, now. Bye, Ojii-san!" She waved to the bartender, who had been listening to the conversation, engrossed, and occasionally chuckling.
"Bye, Tomoyo-chan! Remember what I said!" He called as she ran out of the shop with Eriol in tow. "…Because now…You don't have an excuse, "my dear Daidouji-san"." He chuckled once more and shook his head, then returned to wiping the counter.
AN: The next chapter will be a bit longer, I think. But comment/criticize/flame/praise.
Hai = yes
Ano… = hesitation word, like um…
Konbanwa = good evening
Arigato = thanks / thank you
[1]: A completely fictional event. I made it up for the purpose of this story. ^^
[2]: Ojii-san is similar to "grandfather" in English. The bartender is NOT her biological grandfather, just a very close friend, who Tomoyo considers her grandfather.
REVIEW,
-kat