Ne dites pas Que Vous M'aimez
Chapter 1: Childhood Friends
By: Azure Rosas
*
Strolling through the streets of Paris, France, the 20 year old woman inhaled deeply. It was a winter's night in France and as she breathed, she could see her own breath in front of her. She stared forward with amethyst eyes and her wavy, pale violet hair swayed slightly to the side as she walked. She wore a pair of blue gloves that she dug into the pockets of her long brown trench coat. She shivered a bit and increased her strides to a quicker pace. The streets were dark, street lamps only there to light her way. But most of them were already flickering off. Eyes darting to the side, she came to an abrupt halt in front of a one story building. Lights could be seen beaming brightly through the window and above the door hung a sign that said: Monsieur Drake. Sighing with relief, glad that she finally made it, she pushed the door open and entered the building where she was immediately washed over with warmth.
Inside, people all sat at round, wooden tables as they chattered away merrily. A bar was set up at the back where Pierre Drake, the owner and bartender, cleaned out a glass with a wash cloth. Others sat at the booth of the bar and there was a stage set up to the right. On the stage at the moment was a lady who sat on a stool. She had white-blond hair that was held up in a neat and tight bun. Her eyes were closed as she delicately held the violin in her hands and played a sweet, soft, melody that echoed around the bar. Everyone then became silent and paid their attention to the performer.
Walking up to the booth, Tomoyo Daidouji took a seat on a stool in front of Pierre as she kept her attention on the violinist. "Bonjour, Monsieur Pierre."
He turned and looked at her as a smile crossed his chubby face, wrinkles suddenly appearing on his cheeks. He had grayish- black hair that was kept up and he looked at her with reddish brown eyes. "Bonjour, Mademoiselle Coretta. I'm glad you made it. I thought you weren't at first."
"Yeah. I thought I wouldn't make it either," Tomoyo, or Coretta as he called her, replied truthfully. "I was kept over time at work again."
"I see," Pierre said. "Would you like the usual?"
She shook her head in response. "No. Some hot chocolate would be nice though."
"Comin' right up!" Pierre Drake said in his French accent. "Just don't forget that you're up next after Mademoiselle Evelyn."
Tomoyo then returned her attention back to the blond haired woman, Evelyn, as she played her violin with such delicacy and grace. The sweet melody rang softly in her ears and she was suddenly entranced by the beauty of the music. The song she played held a hint of sadness; it sounded like a lone lark singing for its lost loved one. Pierre placed the cup of hot chocolate on the booth, snapping Tomoyo out of her trance. Taking the cup, she blew at it and carefully drank it so she wouldn't end up burning her own tongue. Then Evelyn's playing came to a halt and everyone in the pub broke into a round of applause. She stood up and curtsied before exiting off the stage.
"You're turn Miss. Coretta," Evelyn whispered to Tomoyo.
Nodding, Tomoyo stood up and removed her trench coat and gloves as she hung them on a coat hanger at the corner of the room. She now wore a simple dress. The top part of it clung tightly to her while the bottom part flared out a bit. The sleeves were a puffy white, actually, her whole dress was white. Her dress that she wore looked like one that was worn long ago back in the old days by women from England when America was just being discovered. Calmly walking on to the stage, she stood in front of a microphone that was held up by a pole. She smiled at everyone as the pianist behind her took a seat and began to play an enchanting melody that reminded everyone of a bell being rung. Taking in a deep breath, Tomoyo opened her mouth and began to sing.
-Ne dites pas que vous m'aimez
Je ne vous aime pas plus.
Et ne dites pas que vous avez besoin de moi. . .
Je veux juste que vous marchiez hors de la porte.
Svp. . . ne dites pas que vous m'aimez.-
The door in the bar opened and in stepped a 21 year old man. He had neatly kept midnight blue hair and his sapphire blue eyes seemed to twinkle as a smile crossed his face when hearing the beautiful voice of Tomoyo ringing around the pub. He walked up to the booth, and took a seat at one of the stools.
"What would you like, Sir?" Pierre questioned.
"Water," the stranger simply replied as he stared at the singing amethyst eyed lady from the corner of his eyes.
-I love you.
It's already hard to let you go.
I'll miss you.
But I must let you free.
So please don't make it harder. . .
Than it already is.-
Tomoyo met the gaze of the sapphire eyed man. They stared at each other for a while, then she tore her gaze away and looked at the back wall, as if she found it quite interesting.
-I just want you to forget me
And live on with your life.
You'll be happier without me. . .
Just trust me,
Et svp. . .
Ne dites pas que vous m'aimez.-
Pierre set the glass of water in front of the man as he eyed him. He's never seen the likes of this man before enter his bar. Who could he be? "Your water, Monsieur."
"Thank you," he said in a perfect French-accent, though an English one mingled with it.
"Are you new in town, sir? I've never seen you before," Pierre questioned, not being able to contain his curiosity.
"Yes. I'm new here. . . I just arrived," he answered.
-Ne dites pas que vous m'aimez
Je ne vous aime pas plus.
Et ne dites pas que vous avez besoin de moi. . .
Je veux juste que vous marchiez hors de la porte.
Svp. . . ne dites pas que vous m'aimez.-
"May I ask who she is?" the midnight haired guy asked, indicating Tomoyo.
"That's Mademoiselle Coretta Delamare," Pierre said.
"She has a lovely voice. . ."
"Indeed she does."
-Turn away my dear. . .
Forget all that's been said. . .
Please just leave me
And. . .
Ne dites pas que vous m'aimez.-
They all broke into a roar of applause. Tomoyo curtsied to them in a shy way as she walked off the stage. Evelyn greeted her with a wide grin.
"Excellent performance, Coretta! You were absolutely stunning!" she praised.
"Thank you, Evelyn. You were wonderful also," Tomoyo said while grinning back in return.
She then took her seat back at the booth which happened to be next to the stranger. She gulped down some of her hot chocolate which was now warm instead of hot. He took a sip from his water and then set it back on the table. He turned and faced Tomoyo with a mysterious smile.
"That was a splendid performance you put on."
Turning to face him, they looked at each other straight in the eye. For some reason, Tomoyo felt a feeling of familiarity around this stranger. She eyed him, as if trying to see even deeper into his soul. "Do I. . . . know you?"
"So. You've already forgotten about me. . ." he then added in a low whisper, ". . . Tomoyo."
Her eyes went wide in surprise as she gasped. "How'd you - Wait!" she instantly changed her dialect to Japanese. "Eriol!! Is it really you!?!"
He grinned at her. "You DO remember me after all!" he said in Japanese also. "Hai. It's me."
"Wh - What are you doing here?" Tomoyo questioned as she fought to regain her composure.
"That can be answered later," Eriol replied. "I'll need to talk to you later, but right now, let's catch up on things."
She blinked, then grinned while nodding in agreement. "Yes. Let's. . ."
Pierre eyed the two as they chatted away like good friends in a different dialect he couldn't understand. Always being the curious one as he was, he couldn't help but wonder what they were talking about and how they knew each other. Shrugging it off, he continued cleaning glass after glass.
"How long has it been since the last time we've seen each other?" Tomoyo remarked as she leaned against the booth and rested her elbows on them while looking up at the ceiling.
"About. .." Eriol began, "8? 9 years?"
She looked at him from the corner of her eyes. Out of those years, she's missed him terribly. Every day, he was all she could think about. Those past years seemed like lonely years without him. She then turned her gaze and looked at the ground. "I've missed you. I thought I would never see you again."
He smiled gently at her. "I missed you, too, Tomoyo-chan. But here I am!"
"What have you been up to all these years?"
"I've been busy. . . After I left Tomoeodo and returned to England, I took school courses over there. I haven't used magic since I left Japan, though. It gets boring living with only your Guardians."
"Speaking of 'Guardians.' How are Suppi-chan and Nakuru-san?"
"Spinel is still the same. Nakuru is more mature now, but she's still the same girl you knew back then. She has a job as a manager at some major business company in England."
"I see. . . And you? Are you working?"
"Yeah. . . I'm a cop now."
Tomoyo couldn't help but look surprised. "Well I'll be! Eriol Hirrigazawa. . .A cop! I never would've guessed!"
He chuckled good-humouredly. "You seem surprised."
"Of course I do! I thought you'd probably find some major as an evil scientist trying to destroy the world!" Tomoyo joked with a teasing grin. But she couldn't help but feel as if he weren't being COMPLETELY honest with her about his job.
"I thought about that but it sounded a bit dull," he joked a long with her. "What about you? When did you move here?"
"I moved here about 4 years ago," Tomoyo replied. "I took a job in performing at places and designing clothes."
"How's my half-daughter doing? Have you two been keeping in touch lately?"
Sadly shaking her head, Tomoyo sighed. "No. . . . She moved to Hong Kong to go after Li-kun a year before I moved here."
"Had you any news from them after that?"
She couldn't contain a grin. "Yeah. She called me a few months after she left and told me that her and Li-kun were engaged. They're probably married now with kids and living a happy life that they both deserve."
Eriol nodded in agreement. "Hai. I remember the old days. . .It was clear that they were in love but they were to stubborn and dense to realize that. . ."
Tomoyo giggled. "Yeah. They were so naïve."
"Especially my half-daughter," Eriol commented.
They both stared at each other, both remembering how dense and naïve Sakura was. Then, the next thing anyone knew, they broke into a round of laughter. She always made them laugh from her innocent comical confusion that she always displayed, and just thinking about it made them laugh. Everyone looked at them. Some thought they were crazy; others thought they were nuts; and most people simply wondered what the heck they found so amusing. The two childhood friends simply ignored their stares and continued on laughing.
Once they regained their composure, Tomoyo wiped away a tear that came to her eye from laughing so hard and long. She chuckled a bit while shaking her head. "I haven't laughed like that in a while."
"Hey Tomoyo. . . How come you moved here?" Eriol questioned.
A harden expression came on her face as she stared blankly at the ground. She didn't blink nor move. Instead, she gave away the impression that she was thinking about something painful from her past. Eriol looked at her in a worried way, thinking that he shouldn't have asked her that. But, he had to know. . . "Tell me, Tomoyo, what drove you to moving here!?"
She slowly shook her head and replied in a murmur, "Iie. . . I can't tell you. . ."
"And why not?" Eriol asked almost quickly and fiercely. He HAD to know!! "You have to tell me Tomoyo!"
"I can't, Eriol!!" Tomoyo exclaimed while tightly shutting her eyes, as if trying to block a memory that appeared in her mind. "I don't want to remember nor speak of it!"
He stood in front of her as he placed his hands on her shoulder and gently shook her. "Please, Tomoyo!!! You must tell me."
She stared up at him. "Why. . .? Why do you need to know?"
He opened and closed his mouth, but no reply came out. Turning his gaze away, he said, "I. . . I can't tell you."
"Well, then. I see that we both have our share of secrets. . ." Tomoyo pointed out, her face holding a serious look.
Eriol stared at her, almost in a sad way, his hands still on her shoulders. "Tomoyo. . . .Whatever happened to the days when we use to trust each other?"
Tears glazed over her amethyst eyes as she avoided his gaze. "I don't know, Eriol. I don't know. Things change over the years. . . People get farther and farther away. I haven't spoken nor seen you for 8 years. I can't simply just pretend that this is our child hood days and that I could trust you."
He gave her an almost hurt expression. "You use to trust me back then. Why the sudden change? How come you can't trust me now?"
"Because I don't know you anymore!" she cried out in distress. "And you don't know me anymore!"
Eriol bowed his head and brought his hands back down to his sides. It was hard to see what his expression was, considering that his bangs covered over his face. "I thought I knew you Tomoyo. . . I thought you trusted me. But like you said: People change. Don't you remember what I told you that day before I left?"
She kept her eyes closed as she remembered clearly what he told her that day. "Hai. . . I remember it all. . . You said you loved me. I told you I loved you. . . but. . ." she looked back up at him. "I don't love you anymore, Eriol!"
He stared back at her but she couldn't read any of his emotions. He was now blocking himself from her. "I understand. I accept that fact now but my feelings for you over the years never changed. . ."
Tomoyo turned her head away as she pushed herself past him and changed her dialect back to French. "I must go now. Au revoir Monsieur Hirrigazawa, Monsieur Pierre."
"Au revoir Mademoiselle Coretta!!" Pierre said as she grabbed her trench coat and put it on while pulling on her gloves. "You'll be here same time tomorrow, right?"
"Don't worry, I will," Tomoyo replied as she exited out of the bar and walked through the cold streets of Paris.
Eriol watched her leave. He tightly clenched his fist while gritting his teeth. Inhaling deeply then exhaling, he took his seat back on the stool and continued to drink his water. His eye brows were furrowed and an almost angry look was on his face. Pierre stopped himself from asking what they were talking about, finding that it's not his place to get into other people's affairs. He was confused though. First they were laughing, then they were nearly shouting at each other. What was going on between those two? Pierre let out a frustrated sigh as he set down the glass he was cleaning and picked up another one.
'Blah. . . I'm getting to old for this stuff. It's really none of my business on what happens between those two,' he thought silently to himself as he eyed Eriol. He never quite caught the stranger's name and while they were speaking in Japanese, he couldn't help but catch a few phrases that they kept on saying like: 'Eriol' and 'Tomoyo.' And when 'Coretta' left, she called him 'Hirrigazawa.' Could Hirrigazawa be his name? Or maybe it was his last? He shook his head and let out another air of frustration. 'Argh! Forget it! I'll never figure it out. . .'
Eriol stared at the clear water in the glass. A dark look was on his face and questions ran back and forth through his mind. 'Why did Tomoyo lie about her name? Why is she here in France? And. . .why did she move away from Tomoeodo!? I know she's keeping something from me, but what? Whatever it is. . . I know it'll help me to accomplish the task at hand. I just somehow have to get her to tell me EVERYTHING. . .' Digging into his pockets, he pulled out some money and slapped it against the booth before pushing the stool back and standing up. He stalked towards the door, opened it, and allowed it to close behind him as a wave of coldness enveloped him.
Ignoring the freezing weather of Paris, Eriol put his hands into the warmth of his pocket as he walked down the sidewalk; in search for Tomoyo. He just hoped she wasn't to far from him. And for some odd reason. . . he couldn't help but feel as if something bad were going to happen to the amethyst eyed woman. And his instincts, were usually never wrong.
Tomoyo kept her gaze on the cement ground as she continued her trek back to her apartment. Images of the sapphire eyed magician ran through her mind and she shook her head furiously to rid them. But they were like pictures glued in front of her eyes: never to leave her sight of vision.
'Damn it! Why can't I stop thinking of him!?! Why can't I get him out of my head!?!' she shouted angrily in her thoughts. She let out an air of breath and shuddered from the dampness and iciness of the weather. 'Why did he have to come back in the first place? Everything was better without him. . .' And yet, that sounded like a lie. Her heart felt lighter when she saw him. It use to feel heavy and broken; but now that he's back. . . Maybe things would be different. . . She let out a frustrated sigh and she was finally able to move those images of Eriol away. 'Quit thinking about him Tomoyo! Just because you loved him back then, that doesn't mean you have to love him now. . .right?' "And besides. . ." she muttered aloud, "he's probably already married by now. . ." Her heart wrenched at that and a greater weight was now on her shoulders.
"Well, well, well. . . Dear Tomoyo, it's so good to see you again."
Turning sharply around, she was interrupted from her thoughts by a voice that roused startlement and surprise to spring to her face. Her eyes went wide and the colour from her face was instantly drained. "YOU!"
-End of Chapter-
Azure Rosas: ^-^ This is my FIRST E+T fic and I sure hope you all enjoyed it!!! -bows- Well, please review and thank you!
Chapter 1: Childhood Friends
By: Azure Rosas
*
Strolling through the streets of Paris, France, the 20 year old woman inhaled deeply. It was a winter's night in France and as she breathed, she could see her own breath in front of her. She stared forward with amethyst eyes and her wavy, pale violet hair swayed slightly to the side as she walked. She wore a pair of blue gloves that she dug into the pockets of her long brown trench coat. She shivered a bit and increased her strides to a quicker pace. The streets were dark, street lamps only there to light her way. But most of them were already flickering off. Eyes darting to the side, she came to an abrupt halt in front of a one story building. Lights could be seen beaming brightly through the window and above the door hung a sign that said: Monsieur Drake. Sighing with relief, glad that she finally made it, she pushed the door open and entered the building where she was immediately washed over with warmth.
Inside, people all sat at round, wooden tables as they chattered away merrily. A bar was set up at the back where Pierre Drake, the owner and bartender, cleaned out a glass with a wash cloth. Others sat at the booth of the bar and there was a stage set up to the right. On the stage at the moment was a lady who sat on a stool. She had white-blond hair that was held up in a neat and tight bun. Her eyes were closed as she delicately held the violin in her hands and played a sweet, soft, melody that echoed around the bar. Everyone then became silent and paid their attention to the performer.
Walking up to the booth, Tomoyo Daidouji took a seat on a stool in front of Pierre as she kept her attention on the violinist. "Bonjour, Monsieur Pierre."
He turned and looked at her as a smile crossed his chubby face, wrinkles suddenly appearing on his cheeks. He had grayish- black hair that was kept up and he looked at her with reddish brown eyes. "Bonjour, Mademoiselle Coretta. I'm glad you made it. I thought you weren't at first."
"Yeah. I thought I wouldn't make it either," Tomoyo, or Coretta as he called her, replied truthfully. "I was kept over time at work again."
"I see," Pierre said. "Would you like the usual?"
She shook her head in response. "No. Some hot chocolate would be nice though."
"Comin' right up!" Pierre Drake said in his French accent. "Just don't forget that you're up next after Mademoiselle Evelyn."
Tomoyo then returned her attention back to the blond haired woman, Evelyn, as she played her violin with such delicacy and grace. The sweet melody rang softly in her ears and she was suddenly entranced by the beauty of the music. The song she played held a hint of sadness; it sounded like a lone lark singing for its lost loved one. Pierre placed the cup of hot chocolate on the booth, snapping Tomoyo out of her trance. Taking the cup, she blew at it and carefully drank it so she wouldn't end up burning her own tongue. Then Evelyn's playing came to a halt and everyone in the pub broke into a round of applause. She stood up and curtsied before exiting off the stage.
"You're turn Miss. Coretta," Evelyn whispered to Tomoyo.
Nodding, Tomoyo stood up and removed her trench coat and gloves as she hung them on a coat hanger at the corner of the room. She now wore a simple dress. The top part of it clung tightly to her while the bottom part flared out a bit. The sleeves were a puffy white, actually, her whole dress was white. Her dress that she wore looked like one that was worn long ago back in the old days by women from England when America was just being discovered. Calmly walking on to the stage, she stood in front of a microphone that was held up by a pole. She smiled at everyone as the pianist behind her took a seat and began to play an enchanting melody that reminded everyone of a bell being rung. Taking in a deep breath, Tomoyo opened her mouth and began to sing.
-Ne dites pas que vous m'aimez
Je ne vous aime pas plus.
Et ne dites pas que vous avez besoin de moi. . .
Je veux juste que vous marchiez hors de la porte.
Svp. . . ne dites pas que vous m'aimez.-
The door in the bar opened and in stepped a 21 year old man. He had neatly kept midnight blue hair and his sapphire blue eyes seemed to twinkle as a smile crossed his face when hearing the beautiful voice of Tomoyo ringing around the pub. He walked up to the booth, and took a seat at one of the stools.
"What would you like, Sir?" Pierre questioned.
"Water," the stranger simply replied as he stared at the singing amethyst eyed lady from the corner of his eyes.
-I love you.
It's already hard to let you go.
I'll miss you.
But I must let you free.
So please don't make it harder. . .
Than it already is.-
Tomoyo met the gaze of the sapphire eyed man. They stared at each other for a while, then she tore her gaze away and looked at the back wall, as if she found it quite interesting.
-I just want you to forget me
And live on with your life.
You'll be happier without me. . .
Just trust me,
Et svp. . .
Ne dites pas que vous m'aimez.-
Pierre set the glass of water in front of the man as he eyed him. He's never seen the likes of this man before enter his bar. Who could he be? "Your water, Monsieur."
"Thank you," he said in a perfect French-accent, though an English one mingled with it.
"Are you new in town, sir? I've never seen you before," Pierre questioned, not being able to contain his curiosity.
"Yes. I'm new here. . . I just arrived," he answered.
-Ne dites pas que vous m'aimez
Je ne vous aime pas plus.
Et ne dites pas que vous avez besoin de moi. . .
Je veux juste que vous marchiez hors de la porte.
Svp. . . ne dites pas que vous m'aimez.-
"May I ask who she is?" the midnight haired guy asked, indicating Tomoyo.
"That's Mademoiselle Coretta Delamare," Pierre said.
"She has a lovely voice. . ."
"Indeed she does."
-Turn away my dear. . .
Forget all that's been said. . .
Please just leave me
And. . .
Ne dites pas que vous m'aimez.-
They all broke into a roar of applause. Tomoyo curtsied to them in a shy way as she walked off the stage. Evelyn greeted her with a wide grin.
"Excellent performance, Coretta! You were absolutely stunning!" she praised.
"Thank you, Evelyn. You were wonderful also," Tomoyo said while grinning back in return.
She then took her seat back at the booth which happened to be next to the stranger. She gulped down some of her hot chocolate which was now warm instead of hot. He took a sip from his water and then set it back on the table. He turned and faced Tomoyo with a mysterious smile.
"That was a splendid performance you put on."
Turning to face him, they looked at each other straight in the eye. For some reason, Tomoyo felt a feeling of familiarity around this stranger. She eyed him, as if trying to see even deeper into his soul. "Do I. . . . know you?"
"So. You've already forgotten about me. . ." he then added in a low whisper, ". . . Tomoyo."
Her eyes went wide in surprise as she gasped. "How'd you - Wait!" she instantly changed her dialect to Japanese. "Eriol!! Is it really you!?!"
He grinned at her. "You DO remember me after all!" he said in Japanese also. "Hai. It's me."
"Wh - What are you doing here?" Tomoyo questioned as she fought to regain her composure.
"That can be answered later," Eriol replied. "I'll need to talk to you later, but right now, let's catch up on things."
She blinked, then grinned while nodding in agreement. "Yes. Let's. . ."
Pierre eyed the two as they chatted away like good friends in a different dialect he couldn't understand. Always being the curious one as he was, he couldn't help but wonder what they were talking about and how they knew each other. Shrugging it off, he continued cleaning glass after glass.
"How long has it been since the last time we've seen each other?" Tomoyo remarked as she leaned against the booth and rested her elbows on them while looking up at the ceiling.
"About. .." Eriol began, "8? 9 years?"
She looked at him from the corner of her eyes. Out of those years, she's missed him terribly. Every day, he was all she could think about. Those past years seemed like lonely years without him. She then turned her gaze and looked at the ground. "I've missed you. I thought I would never see you again."
He smiled gently at her. "I missed you, too, Tomoyo-chan. But here I am!"
"What have you been up to all these years?"
"I've been busy. . . After I left Tomoeodo and returned to England, I took school courses over there. I haven't used magic since I left Japan, though. It gets boring living with only your Guardians."
"Speaking of 'Guardians.' How are Suppi-chan and Nakuru-san?"
"Spinel is still the same. Nakuru is more mature now, but she's still the same girl you knew back then. She has a job as a manager at some major business company in England."
"I see. . . And you? Are you working?"
"Yeah. . . I'm a cop now."
Tomoyo couldn't help but look surprised. "Well I'll be! Eriol Hirrigazawa. . .A cop! I never would've guessed!"
He chuckled good-humouredly. "You seem surprised."
"Of course I do! I thought you'd probably find some major as an evil scientist trying to destroy the world!" Tomoyo joked with a teasing grin. But she couldn't help but feel as if he weren't being COMPLETELY honest with her about his job.
"I thought about that but it sounded a bit dull," he joked a long with her. "What about you? When did you move here?"
"I moved here about 4 years ago," Tomoyo replied. "I took a job in performing at places and designing clothes."
"How's my half-daughter doing? Have you two been keeping in touch lately?"
Sadly shaking her head, Tomoyo sighed. "No. . . . She moved to Hong Kong to go after Li-kun a year before I moved here."
"Had you any news from them after that?"
She couldn't contain a grin. "Yeah. She called me a few months after she left and told me that her and Li-kun were engaged. They're probably married now with kids and living a happy life that they both deserve."
Eriol nodded in agreement. "Hai. I remember the old days. . .It was clear that they were in love but they were to stubborn and dense to realize that. . ."
Tomoyo giggled. "Yeah. They were so naïve."
"Especially my half-daughter," Eriol commented.
They both stared at each other, both remembering how dense and naïve Sakura was. Then, the next thing anyone knew, they broke into a round of laughter. She always made them laugh from her innocent comical confusion that she always displayed, and just thinking about it made them laugh. Everyone looked at them. Some thought they were crazy; others thought they were nuts; and most people simply wondered what the heck they found so amusing. The two childhood friends simply ignored their stares and continued on laughing.
Once they regained their composure, Tomoyo wiped away a tear that came to her eye from laughing so hard and long. She chuckled a bit while shaking her head. "I haven't laughed like that in a while."
"Hey Tomoyo. . . How come you moved here?" Eriol questioned.
A harden expression came on her face as she stared blankly at the ground. She didn't blink nor move. Instead, she gave away the impression that she was thinking about something painful from her past. Eriol looked at her in a worried way, thinking that he shouldn't have asked her that. But, he had to know. . . "Tell me, Tomoyo, what drove you to moving here!?"
She slowly shook her head and replied in a murmur, "Iie. . . I can't tell you. . ."
"And why not?" Eriol asked almost quickly and fiercely. He HAD to know!! "You have to tell me Tomoyo!"
"I can't, Eriol!!" Tomoyo exclaimed while tightly shutting her eyes, as if trying to block a memory that appeared in her mind. "I don't want to remember nor speak of it!"
He stood in front of her as he placed his hands on her shoulder and gently shook her. "Please, Tomoyo!!! You must tell me."
She stared up at him. "Why. . .? Why do you need to know?"
He opened and closed his mouth, but no reply came out. Turning his gaze away, he said, "I. . . I can't tell you."
"Well, then. I see that we both have our share of secrets. . ." Tomoyo pointed out, her face holding a serious look.
Eriol stared at her, almost in a sad way, his hands still on her shoulders. "Tomoyo. . . .Whatever happened to the days when we use to trust each other?"
Tears glazed over her amethyst eyes as she avoided his gaze. "I don't know, Eriol. I don't know. Things change over the years. . . People get farther and farther away. I haven't spoken nor seen you for 8 years. I can't simply just pretend that this is our child hood days and that I could trust you."
He gave her an almost hurt expression. "You use to trust me back then. Why the sudden change? How come you can't trust me now?"
"Because I don't know you anymore!" she cried out in distress. "And you don't know me anymore!"
Eriol bowed his head and brought his hands back down to his sides. It was hard to see what his expression was, considering that his bangs covered over his face. "I thought I knew you Tomoyo. . . I thought you trusted me. But like you said: People change. Don't you remember what I told you that day before I left?"
She kept her eyes closed as she remembered clearly what he told her that day. "Hai. . . I remember it all. . . You said you loved me. I told you I loved you. . . but. . ." she looked back up at him. "I don't love you anymore, Eriol!"
He stared back at her but she couldn't read any of his emotions. He was now blocking himself from her. "I understand. I accept that fact now but my feelings for you over the years never changed. . ."
Tomoyo turned her head away as she pushed herself past him and changed her dialect back to French. "I must go now. Au revoir Monsieur Hirrigazawa, Monsieur Pierre."
"Au revoir Mademoiselle Coretta!!" Pierre said as she grabbed her trench coat and put it on while pulling on her gloves. "You'll be here same time tomorrow, right?"
"Don't worry, I will," Tomoyo replied as she exited out of the bar and walked through the cold streets of Paris.
Eriol watched her leave. He tightly clenched his fist while gritting his teeth. Inhaling deeply then exhaling, he took his seat back on the stool and continued to drink his water. His eye brows were furrowed and an almost angry look was on his face. Pierre stopped himself from asking what they were talking about, finding that it's not his place to get into other people's affairs. He was confused though. First they were laughing, then they were nearly shouting at each other. What was going on between those two? Pierre let out a frustrated sigh as he set down the glass he was cleaning and picked up another one.
'Blah. . . I'm getting to old for this stuff. It's really none of my business on what happens between those two,' he thought silently to himself as he eyed Eriol. He never quite caught the stranger's name and while they were speaking in Japanese, he couldn't help but catch a few phrases that they kept on saying like: 'Eriol' and 'Tomoyo.' And when 'Coretta' left, she called him 'Hirrigazawa.' Could Hirrigazawa be his name? Or maybe it was his last? He shook his head and let out another air of frustration. 'Argh! Forget it! I'll never figure it out. . .'
Eriol stared at the clear water in the glass. A dark look was on his face and questions ran back and forth through his mind. 'Why did Tomoyo lie about her name? Why is she here in France? And. . .why did she move away from Tomoeodo!? I know she's keeping something from me, but what? Whatever it is. . . I know it'll help me to accomplish the task at hand. I just somehow have to get her to tell me EVERYTHING. . .' Digging into his pockets, he pulled out some money and slapped it against the booth before pushing the stool back and standing up. He stalked towards the door, opened it, and allowed it to close behind him as a wave of coldness enveloped him.
Ignoring the freezing weather of Paris, Eriol put his hands into the warmth of his pocket as he walked down the sidewalk; in search for Tomoyo. He just hoped she wasn't to far from him. And for some odd reason. . . he couldn't help but feel as if something bad were going to happen to the amethyst eyed woman. And his instincts, were usually never wrong.
Tomoyo kept her gaze on the cement ground as she continued her trek back to her apartment. Images of the sapphire eyed magician ran through her mind and she shook her head furiously to rid them. But they were like pictures glued in front of her eyes: never to leave her sight of vision.
'Damn it! Why can't I stop thinking of him!?! Why can't I get him out of my head!?!' she shouted angrily in her thoughts. She let out an air of breath and shuddered from the dampness and iciness of the weather. 'Why did he have to come back in the first place? Everything was better without him. . .' And yet, that sounded like a lie. Her heart felt lighter when she saw him. It use to feel heavy and broken; but now that he's back. . . Maybe things would be different. . . She let out a frustrated sigh and she was finally able to move those images of Eriol away. 'Quit thinking about him Tomoyo! Just because you loved him back then, that doesn't mean you have to love him now. . .right?' "And besides. . ." she muttered aloud, "he's probably already married by now. . ." Her heart wrenched at that and a greater weight was now on her shoulders.
"Well, well, well. . . Dear Tomoyo, it's so good to see you again."
Turning sharply around, she was interrupted from her thoughts by a voice that roused startlement and surprise to spring to her face. Her eyes went wide and the colour from her face was instantly drained. "YOU!"
-End of Chapter-
Azure Rosas: ^-^ This is my FIRST E+T fic and I sure hope you all enjoyed it!!! -bows- Well, please review and thank you!