Sugar Pink: Hey everyone! Sorry for the lack of updates but school has started and everything is sort of hectic! Please forgive my lack of updates!
Once again, I felt a great rush of inspiration to start a new story! Please leave a review to let me know if you like it or not! This is just a trial chapter to see how it all goes! Please, please, please tell me what you think!
Disclaimer: I do no own CCS! Also, I got the idea for this story from a television series called "The Gateau Affairs."
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Prologue
Raindrops splashes against the window of a comfortable apartment. A woman 26 years of age sighed and tucked a stray strand of her red hair behind her pierced ear.
He's not coming home tonight again…
"Mommy, is Daddy home yet?" a small quiet voice piped up behind the woman. She turned around and managed a small smile for the little boy who just turned six tonight.
"I…I don't think so Ryuchi." the woman forced back tears. She lowered herself to her son's height and spoke the next words softly, yet with determination.
"Let's follow our plans, okay?"
"But…what about Daddy?" the little boy asked.
The woman hesitated. When she spoke again, her voice is sure.
"He won't be coming home."
"Can…we wait a bit longer, Mommy?"
"Mommy have waited for six years. I think that's long enough." the woman said.
Two hours later
"Syaoran, drive faster!" a man, 29 years of age, screamed at the amber eyed driver next to him who was stepping on the gas pedal with all his might.
"It's the fastest I can go, Eriol, dammit!" the 23 years old driver, Syaoran, shouted back. The windshield wipers swished back and forth, clearing the view for Syaoran as he sped his way down to the Tomoeda Airport.
"I can't believe I didn't take her words seriously…" Eriol flopped back on the passenger seat, a cake box cradled on his lap.
"Tonight will be your last chance, Eriol. I'm sick of you always staying at the bakery baking cakes and not come home until breakfast! I'm sick of you always flying half way around the world all time in your stupid baking contests! I don't care! Where were you when I was giving birth? Where were you when our son put on his kindergarten play? Where were you when our son cried because his daddy wasn't there? You were away at a cake bake off in Kyoto during the week of our anniversary. The day you came back to Tomoeda, you spent it at the bakery. Why do you always bake cakes, yet neglect to make one for our son's birthday! Why are your cookbooks and career more important than your family? I'm giving you one last chance Eriol. If you don't come home for dinner tonight, then don't come home ever again!
"Why didn't you go home for dinner then, you baka!" Syaoran scolded his friend while turning the wheel to make a right turn.
"I didn't think she would be serious!" Eriol screamed in frustration.
"Kaho, Ryuchi, I'm home!"
Silence greeted him in return. All lights were flickered off.
Don't tell me it's a blackout due to the storm, Eriol thought. He tried the light switch on the wall. The living room lights flickered on immediately.
The bedrooms were empty. Eriol frowned. Where could his wife and son be? A feeling of suspicion rose in his chest. He swung the closet doors open. To his shock, they were empty.
Eriol ran all over the house, looking for some sort of clue to his family's disappearance. To his relief--sort of--there was a note stuck on to kitchen counter.
Eriol,
I have placed this note here because I know it will be the first place you'll check. I have told you to come back for dinner. But you didn't. You have disappointed both me and Ryuchi. I'm sorry, but I'm afraid you just can't give me what I'm looking for in a husband, nor what Ryuchi is looking for in a dad. You value your career--which is a good thing--a bit too much. In fact, it seems like family is never of any importance to you.
That's not true! Eriol thought. His frown deepened.
For example, the note continued on did you know that Ryuchi had the chicken pox last week?
Eriol's azure eyes widened. Since when did Ryuchi had the chicken pox? How come he didn't know! With a sinking feeling, he began to realize that his wife was correct--he did neglect the family.
But I'll change! Eriol's mind raced as he continue to read the note. I won't be the same man…I will spend more time with Kaho and Ryuchi!
Ryuchi and I will board the flight to America tonight at 3:00 AM. I've already filed for a divorce with the lawyers. Please take this chance to further your career, as you no longer have the burden of us on your shoulders. Good luck.
Kaho.
Eriol stood frozen on the spot for a few seconds. When he regained his senses, he crumbled the note in his hands and turned on the oven. Getting out the equipment and ingredients, he started to bake, once again.
An hour later, the cake was finished. It was all chocolate, with three miniature figures carved out of white chocolate placed atop of the cake. It was miniatures of Eriol, Kaho and Ryuchi.
Eriol glanced at the clock. 2:15 AM. He immediately flipped open his cell phone and dialled a familiar number.
"Hello, this is Kaho. I'm not here to answer your call right now, so--"
Eriol grumbled in frustration and hung up. Quickly, he dialled another familiar number. About seven rings later, a groggy voice answered.
"Who is it?"
Eriol tried to speak in a calm voice. "Syaoran, it's me. I need you to help me."
"…Eriol?"
"Hai. What are you doing?"
"Dude! I was sleeping! You know, that's what normal people do at…" there was a pause, "…2:17 AM!"
"Syaoran, I need you to help me. Kaho took the car. I need a lift to the airport."
"…What the hell are you talking about?"
"I need an lift to the airport. Please, I'm desperate."
Syaoran hesitated out of shock at the other end of the line. Eriol desperate? He's hardly ever desperate!
"Okay, I'll be right over. But you better explain to me what happened!"
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"It's okay! When she sees that cake you baked for her and Ryuchi, she'll melt! That cake reeks the theme of family love." Syaoran reassured his friend.
"Drive faster! It's already 2:43!" Eriol shouted. The light turned red. "Go past it!"
"WHAT? Are you insane?" Syaoran exclaimed.
"It's almost 3 in the morning! Who's there to kill!" Eriol exclaimed in return. Taking his advice, Syaoran sped past the red light safely. However, a siren was soon heard, and a police officer was soon on their tails.
"Dammit, look what happened, Eriol!" Syaoran got ready to pull aside to the curb.
"Ignore it! Keep going!"
"What!"
"I can't let her and especially Ryuchi walk out of my life like this, Syaoran!"
Grumbling, Syaoran took his friend's advice again and continued to drive faster, with the police keeping up with him.
Syaoran turned around in his seat to try to catch a glimpse of the officer. "Is he gone yet?"
"Syaoran, look out!" Eriol screamed. Syaoran's head whipped back around. Too late.
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A woman, 24 years old, strolled out the office calmly and stretched and yawned.
"Meiling, you've had a tiring night. Go home and rest away." A middle aged man said.
"I plan to, Dad." the young woman grinned. "Opening a new branch here in Tomoeda is really hard work. But luckily the construction should be done in two weeks."
The two walked out of the office. All of a sudden, they're greeted with an unpleasant scene.
"Dad! Our new branch! It's ruined!" Meiling screamed, jabbing a finger at the location where the almost finished construction was.
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"Oh God, are you okay?" Syaoran asked his friend.
"I'm fine." Eriol said, clutching the cake box in his hands tightly.
"You're not fine! Your forehead is bleeding!" Syaoran exclaimed. He gave himself a quick glance in the mirror. He was fine. No blood. He just felt a bit shook up from the car crash.
"What did we crash into?" Syaoran craned his head out the window to get a better view.
"I think we crashed into the new bakery that's about to be opened here in Tomoeda." Eriol said.
"You mean that fancy and expensive bakery branch! Oh God, please tell me not that! The owner is going to sue us! Look the damage we did!" Syaoran's amber eyes widen.
Sure enough, the car had crashed through the front doors, and was half way into the bakery itself. Tables and chairs and the walls inside were scratched.
Also, let's not forget that police officer.
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"Excuse me, we're the owners of this store that's about to be open. Can you tell us what happened?" Meiling stormed up to the officer in rage.
"Oh, you must be Miss Rae then. I'm sorry, but this drunken driver--"
"I'm not drunk!" Syaoran interrupted loudly.
"…this careless driver has crashed into your shop." the officer glared at Syaoran.
"I can obviously see that for myself! Our shop is about to be opened next week! I'm going to sue the pants off this guy!"
Syaoran gulped. "What!"
"I need to go." Eriol picked up his cake box and opened the car door.
"What!" Syaoran gasped again.
"I'm sorry, sir, but we cannot let you go. You must stay here until officers come to get you two and take you back to headquarters."
"You…you're Eriol Hiiwazigawa, aren't you?" the middle aged man, Meiling's father, said in awe. "The famous cake chef?"
Eriol gave a curt nod. "I really need to go, officer! My wife is at the airport and she will leave any moment--"
"You're not going anywhere until I sue you!" Meiling shrieked.
"No!" her daid interrupted. "We're not pressing any charges."
"We're not!" Meiling exclaimed.
"No. We're going to let these two young men go. We'll just postpone our opening date."
"If that's what you want sir. But you two will still need to stay." the officer said.
Eriol looked at his watch. 3:15 AM. He's too late. The cake box dropped from his hands to the ground; the beautiful masterpiece inside shattered.
Three years later…
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The Gateau Affairs
By Sugar Pink
Ages
Eriol 32
Tomoyo 28
Syaoran 26
Sakura 25
Meiling 27
Kaho 29
Chapter 1: A New Beginning
"There! This is my masterpiece!" a 28 years old girl beamed proudly, showing off a cake that's newly decorated. She sighed as she brush a strand of dark hair away wiped her hands on her apron.
"Sakura! Come try cake!" the girl said, her amethyst eyes shining.
Another girl, at the age of 25, peeped from the kitchen door.
"…Do I have to, Tomoyo?" she asked.
"Come on!" the violet haired girl, Tomoyo, dragged her cousin and best friend, Sakura, into the kitchen. Tomoyo grabbed a knife and sliced a portion of the cake out.
"Try it!" she shoved the plate at Sakura.
Sakura gulped and hesitantly took the plate from her cousin. She took a small bite and slowly chewed. Her emerald green eyes widen.
"So, how is it?" Tomoyo asked excitedly.
"It's um…an improvement from last night." Sakura said, swallowing. Frowning, Tomoyo tried the cake herself.
"This is awful! And it's actually an improvement?" she sighed and threw the cake away.
"Aww, Tomoyo, don't be so upset! Just keep trying! You can do it!" Sakura gave her cousin a reassuring smile.
"Thanks, Sakura-chan. Well, I guess it's back to work again if I want to have something ready for the town bake sale today!" Tomoyo sighed.
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"They offered you a job at Honeydew?" an amber eyed man, 26 years of age with chocolate coloured hair, gasped. "Aren't they mad that we crashed into their shop three years ago?"
"I don't know." a navy blue haired man named Eriol, 32 years of age, shrugged.
"Well, I guess I can see why. I mean, you do have the title Cake Master. You're internationally famous! No wonder they want you to work for them. Honeydew is a internationally famous bakery…with you as their main chef, their name will be even more shiny!" the amber eyed young man, by the name of Syaoran said. "Did you accept?"
"Yes." Eriol said.
Syaoran sat up. "But I thought you sort of…you know…stopped baking cakes after…you know…Kaho…you know…"
"Xing Rae said he can help me find her. And Ryuchi. But only if take the job." Eriol said.
"Xing Rae? The father of that cranky Meiling Rae? How can he help you? Just because he's the owner of Honeydew, he can't do everything. I mean, it's been three years since they left already."
Flashback
"Honeydew has many branches all over the world, with more than a dozen employees in each one. I'm sure I can help you locate the person, or people, you are looking for. We're internationally famous. Wherever you wife and son is, I'm sure there's a Honeydew branch near them."
End of flashback
"Sounds farfetched to me." Syaoran snorted as Eriol told him what Xing Rae had said that morning.
Eriol picked up his jacket.
"Where are you going?" Syaoran asked.
"Going to check out the Tomoeda bake sale sponsored by Honeydew." was all Eriol said.
"Hey, I'll go too!"
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"Why isn't anyone buying my cake?" Tomoyo frowned. She had baked a chocolate cake, with family as a theme. The cake was in the shape of a heart, and had three miniature figurines made out of white chocolate.
It was of a mother, father, and a child.
"Just give it some time, Tomoyo-chan!" Sakura reassured. "I'll go get us some sodas, ok?"
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"Wow, parking here is really bad. Look at all these cars. How about you get off first and I'll find a space?" Syaoran said.
"Okay then. Call me if you can't find me later. Lots of people are here today since the bake sale is sponsored by Honeydew." Eriol said.
"Gotcha, dude." Syaoran grinned as Eriol unbuckled his seatbelt and left the car. Syaoran hummed to himself and continued to drive around for a parking space. Finally, after a long time, he found one.
Getting out of his car, he began to stroll towards the bake sale. Suddenly, in front of him, he saw a girl with auburn dressed in a pink shirt and a long white skirt. She was carrying a bag, and apparently, there was a hole in it. A soda can fell out of the bag and started to roll away without her noticing.
Syaoran ran up, caught the soda, and was about to shout to the girl. However, she was already too far ahead. Shrugging, he opened the can and took a large gulp.
"Mm…orange." he grinned.
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Sakura smiled as she continued to walk back to the bake sale. Feeling a bit too thirsty, she decided she'll have to drink her soda first without Tomoyo. Reaching into the bag, she realized there's only one can and a huge hole in the bag.
"Hey!" she exclaimed. Looking around her surroundings for the missing can, her emerald green eyes caught sight of a young man with brown hair drinking the exact same soda she had bought!
"You! You took my soda and drank it!" Sakura exclaimed when Syaoran walked by her.
"What? Can you prove that?" Syaoran smirked. He continued to walk.
"You--you--!" Sakura exclaimed, at a lost for words, as Syaoran walked by her and into the bake fair.
"Argh!"
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Tomoyo stood by herself, feeling quite nervous as this stranger examine her cake. Sure, he's quite good looking with his midnight blue hair and azure eyes and stylish glasses, but still!
"Um, excuse me, sir?" she asked, after he spent 10 minutes observing her creation.
Without saying a word, the man whipped out money and handed it to her.
"Your decoration is done nicely. I'll take it. Give me a knife." was all the man said.
"Huh? What?" Tomoyo said numbly. Was he buying her cake! Finally, someone who appreciates her baking! Wait…what did he say?
"A knife!" Tomoyo exclaimed.
"To cut the cake." Eriol said.
"Oh!" Tomoyo blushed, feeling quite embarrassed. "Sure." she handed him a knife, a plate and a fork.
Eek! He's going to eat it here and now!
Eriol gently placed a piece in his mouth and chewed. Then he glared at her.
"You call this a cake! It's garbage! Look at this!" he used the fork to split his slice in half, revealing the middle. "The fruits are not fresh. And you have obviously used too much flour, making the whole pastry taste like dough with absolutely no flavour at all! And from the texture of take cake, I can tell you didn't beat the eggs enough! This cake is an embarrassment to bakers everywhere!"
Tomoyo's violet eyes widened and began to water.
Sighing, Eriol, left his plate on the table, and walked off, leaving Tomoyo with the money he had left and the half eaten cake.
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"Eriol! So glad you can make it!" Xing Rae grinned.
"Thanks." Eriol smiled. "Hello, Miss Rae." he said politely to Meiling. She 'hmphed' him and turned away.
"Don't worry about her. She's just a bit sore that you're going to be our new top chef. She still remembers that incident three years ago." Xing Rae chuckled.
"I'm awfully sorry about--"
"Now, now! It's all good!" Then Xing Rae leaned in closer and whispered, "Actually, my daughter is also sore because I insisted on firing Daisuke."
"Who's Daisuke?" Eriol asked perplexly.
"Oh, just some baker from Paris that Meiling hired to take the position of top baker in the Honeydew kitchen. He's been with us for three years. I've never been too fond of him." Xing Rae said in a low voice. Then, with a loud and cheery voice, he said,
"Come, I'll have to introduce you to the public as our new top chef at Honeydew!" Xing Rae said good naturally, gesturing for Eriol to follow him and Meiling to the stage set up at the front of the bake fair.
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That was a spunky girl, Syaoran grinned, drinking the last drop of the orange soda. Throwing the can away in a recycle bin, he heard the loud announcement, telling everyone to gather at the stage because Xing Rae, owner of Honeydew cooperation, is introducing the new top chef.
"Guess it's Eriol's time to shine." Syaoran shrugged and walked towards the stage. There, around the stage, were where most people were. On the stage were Xing Rae, Meiling, and, of course, Eriol, the famous Cake Master.
There were other Honeydew employees and chefs on stage too.
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Sakura grumbled silently on stage when she thought of the jerk who drank her soda. Dressed in the yellow and white Honeydew sales uniform, she stood along with all the other employees on the stage.
"And I'm happy to say that Sakura Kinomoto is our head salesperson at Honeydew. So, drop by Honeydew and let her sale you a cake!" Xing Rae grinned, introducing her to the public. She hastily forgot about the brown haired jerk as she heard the public clap for her.
Yes, Sakura is starting on her new job at Honeydew. Her job is a salesperson, and the top/managerial salesperson at that!
Suddenly, her eyes caught sight of the same brown haired jerk in the crowd.
Oh god, it's him…
No way! She's the top salesperson at Honeydew! Darn, that means whenever I go in to buy a cake, I'll see her!
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"…and this year, I'm proud to announce that internationally famous Cake Master Eriol Hiirazgaiwa will be joining our warm and friendly Honeydew family as the top cake chef in the kitchen. So please, come by Honeydew to try out Chef Hiirazigawa's delicious cakes! Eriol will start his job tomorrow!"
Tomoyo craned her neck to get a better view of the man Xing Rae was introducing. Her violet eyes widen.
No way…
The top baker, and internationally famous Cake Master Eriol Hiirazigawa, had tasted her cake!
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Sugar Pink: Yay! First chapter is done! REMEMBER TO TELL ME WHAT YOU GUYS THINK! Leave a review! Until a next time, dear readers!