Standard disclaimers apply.

…

Midnight Sonata

…

It had been a very busy day for Touya Kinimoto. First, he had to stay after classes for his club meeting -- he had somehow, unwillingly, become an officer – then next, he had to work both of his, and Yukito's shift in yet another one of those part-time jobs in a local café (Yukito had gone down with a slight flu and being the good friend he was, Touya offered to cover for him.).

It was a bad idea. The café's manager, who was rumored to be jealous of Touya and Yukito's good looks and popularity, had taken advantage of the situation. Instead of the usual 4-7 pm shift, Touya was generously given the extra two-hour overtime (without pay, of course.).

He went out of the quaint little café at about 9 pm. Still clad in his work uniform and apron, he took out the trash and prepared to close for the night. Upon finishing, he changed into his normal clothes, packed his work-related things in his knapsack and exited through the back door.

It was a pretty distant walk from his current workplace to his home. It was times like those that he felt sorry that he had forgotten to bring his bike. He was even sorrier that Yukito wasn't able to go to work and bask in the so-called attention the female customers give the two of them. It was quite irritating (but still somehow flattering) to have all those teenage, and even middle-aged girls giggle and flirt with them when they should have been ordering something to eat or drink.

He was now passing by Penguin Park, when he heard something strangely familiar…

Don't fret, for your love is safe with me

In my heart, it will always be

And if I may be out of sight

You'll see above, with the stars at night

I'll be forever watching, I'll be forever loving

I'll be forever dreaming, I'll be forever waiting

He stopped and glanced at the playground. The faint glow of the moonlight cast against the larger-than-life stone penguins created a serene and calm ambience. The chilly night wind blew and he zipped up his jacket just a little higher to keep him warm. And along with the breeze, came a sweet sound of a song, barely above a whisper.

Will tragedy fall? I may never know

But as long as you are there, my love, there is hope

Touya made his way across the shadows of the trees. He was curious to know to whom the voice belonged to. Finally, he saw a petite figure sitting alone under the moonlight. She sat comfortably, with her hands neatly folded at her lap and with her eyes closed. She wore a short-sleeved Chinese-styled silk shirt with a black skirt and shoes. Her hair, which swayed along with the wind, was pulled back into a ponytail. Touya hid behind the nearest tree and watched the spectacle unfold before him. He smiled. How could have he forgotten about her?

Time may stop and the sun may cease to shine

But as long as I'm yours and you are mine

I'll never stop smiling, I'll never stop dreaming

I'll never stop crying, I'll never stop waiting

She knew somebody was watching her although, she never expected it to be him of all people. She continued singing for a few more minutes then after the very last note, she stopped and directly looked at the tree he was hiding on. She smiled.

"The moon sure is beautiful tonight, neh, Kinimoto-san?"

Touya emerged from behind the tree and stepped into the concrete clearing.

"A little late to be out here, don't you agree… Daidouji-san?"

Tomoyo smiled serenely. "Quite right, Kinimoto-san."

"That still doesn't explain why on earth you're here in this time of night." he suddenly snapped.

She aptly ignored the last tone of his voice and politely answered his 'question'.

"I am always here this time of the year." she said enigmatically. Touya knitted his eyebrows, unsatisfied with the answer.

They stood there staring at each other for a long time. As he looked at her with her porcelain skin and flowing hair softly glowing in the moonlight; with her graceful and calm demeanor, he felt his heart skip a beat. It was as if he was in the presence of some ethereal being.

"You look very tired Kinimoto-san. Would you like to sit down?" she lightly patted the space beside her.

Touya shrugged and obliged, seeing nothing wrong with her offer. He dusted the cold stone and sat down. He leaned back to look at the starry sky.

"So, I heard from the bakemono that you're staying the night tomorrow." he said, attempting to strike a conversation.

She smiled peacefully. "Hai. Okasan will be out on a business trip. Sakura-chan thought that a sleepover would be a wonderful idea."

"Aren't you used to your mother going away most of the time?" he asked.

"Yes, I am quite used to it." she said softly.

"I see…" he closed his eyes.

After a while of comfortable silence, he turned his head to her.

"Will you sing for me?"

Tomoyo studied his face, not quite expecting such a request. From his penetrating cinnamon-colored eyes to his well-chiseled nose, she tried to see what was really going on inside him. She gave him a slight nod, closed her eyes again and proceeded to sing with the lovely sound that is her voice. Upon hearing the beautiful melody, Touya felt a sudden sense of peace wash over him. Before he knew it, he was drifting off to sleep.

Tomoyo smiled at the sight of him sleeping. Noticing that he was in danger of falling off balance, she reached out for him and gingerly placed his head on her lap. She took a deep breath and continued singing the slow lullaby.

…

Touya woke up at the sudden chill of the wind. He felt somebody running their hand through his hair and saw that it was Tomoyo, who was falling asleep herself. He felt his scalp tingle upon contact with her fingers. He remained immobile, silently appreciating her presence, this woman-child.

He cautiously checked his watch and was genuinely surprised to see that it was already half-past eleven (half-past eleven!). He grabbed Tomoyo's hand that was entangled with his hair and sat up. She was already sleeping peacefully when he leaned towards her and softly whispered in her ear:

"Wake up, Daidouji-san."

He gave her a little nudge on the shoulder but it was futile. He saw her hand, which he was still holding, had lost its rosy color and was deathly pale. He also noticed that she was slightly shivering and that goosebumps had appeared on her bare arms. He quickly removed his jacket and placed it on her shoulders. Ignoring his body's sudden protest to the cold, he cautiously picked her up bridal style (he couldn't believe how light she was) and held her close to keep her warm. Checking for anything that may be forgotten, he proceeded to carry her home.

He had arrived at the front gates of the Daidouji mansion in record time. His limbs had somewhat gone numb due to the cold, but it didn't matter at the moment. Barely managing to press the intercom without managing to wake up Tomoyo, an image of a serious-looking woman appeared in the screen and spoke in a stiff and formal manner.

"Daidouji Residence. Please state your business."

"Kindly tell Sonomi-san that Touya Kinimoto is here with her daughter." he said to the screen.

The woman's expression of surprise and relief was expertly hidden behind her pitch-black sunglasses. She nodded curtly and pressed the button that opened the gate.

After a short walk, he was welcomed at the front door by two maids who quickly ushered him inside. They politely gestured at a nearby room.

"Hai. Please wait here. Sonomi-sama will be with you shortly."

"That wouldn't be necessary." A female voice came from behind them. Touya turned to see Sonomi Daidouji, one of the most powerful women in the industry, gracefully walk down the stairs. She was still on her business outfit – which looked like it was newly ironed and probably was in the exact same state it was that morning – along with three-inch stilettos and traces of make-up on her face. A very relieved look was now gracing her features.

"Touya-kun, thank you so much for bringing Tomoyo safely home." she said in a grateful tone. "I've already sent some of my people to find her a couple of hours ago."

She then turned back to one of the maids and gestured her to take Tomoyo's sleeping form but Touya took a step back and shook his head.

"It might be a better idea if I'll just be the one to take her upstairs. She's very tired." he said.

Sonomi nodded. "Yes, you're right. Her room is upstairs, follow me."

She silently led him up the magnificent marble staircase and across the luxurious interior of her home. Touya noted the dozens of other doors that probably led to a dozen of other empty rooms. He realized how lonely it must be for Tomoyo when her mother was not around.

And to think that she was always smiling…

"Well, here we are." Sonomi said, interrupting his train of thought. She noiselessly opened the door and showed him her daughter's room.

It was far more simple than he had imagined it would be. Pastel yellow walls, a modestly-sized closet… one would find it hard to expect that it was a room of a rich woman's daughter. Touya turned back to Sonomi and saw her prepare the bed.

"Touya-kun, here."

He nodded and carried Tomoyo over her bed. He laid her there carefully as if she was this fragile, porcelain doll. He could see the mother affection coming from the older woman as she tenderly took off her daughter's sandals. She reached out, pulled the covers over her and gently touched her face. She sighed and promptly stood up, making Touya follow suit.

When they came out of the room, Sonomi insisted that they have a cup of coffee at the kitchen. Minutes later, they were silently sitting on a breakfast counter, enjoying their hot drink. Sonomi placed her warm mug down.

"Again, thank you for bringing her home." she said.

"No problem." he replied, getting a tad bit uncomfortable with the overflowing gratitude.

Silence.

"You found her in Penguin Park, didn't you?" she suddenly asked.

Touya looked at her, amazed. "Yeah. How did you know?"

"It's her father's death anniversary today." she revealed, looking out the window and into the distance, with a sad smile on her lips. "He passed away a few years ago. We were both by his side at that time and even though we were all inseparable, Tomoyo never cried. I remember that day so well… her face was completely blank except for her eyes. It expressed all the sadness and pain that she felt from losing him. And after it as all over, she suddenly came up to me and asked if we can go to Penguin Park, the place where her Papa proposed to me."

"When we got there, we sat on a stone bench while she held my hand. I was about to tell her that we were going back home but then she started singing… It was the lullaby her Papa used to sing to her… and that's when I saw her tears… It broke my heart to see my daughter that way. The next year came and she asked me again if we could go back to the park. When I told her that I couldn't or rather, didn't want to go, she just smiled at me and said: 'It's ok, Mama. I understand.' "

Sonomi laughed bitterly and wiped the tear that clung to her eyes.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Touya-kun. You didn't need to hear that." she apologized. Touya shook his head.

"No, it's ok. I… understand." he said, in a rather faraway voice. Somehow, he found himself thinking of his own mother.

Sonomi had probably interpreted his thoughts because the next thing she said was:

"They look almost alike, Nadeshiko and Tomoyo. Even in their attitude… Of course, no offense to you or Sakura-chan."

"It's ok." he agreed silently. "I think so too…"

"Well, it's getting late and your father might be worried sick about you. If you wait here, I'll just tell my driver --" Sonomi said as she stood up. She was, however, cut off by Touya.

"No, it's fine. I'll walk home."

"Nonsense, Touya-kun. Your house is ages from here!"

"It's ok, Sonomi-san. I'll manage."

Seeing that she won't be able to change his mind anytime soon, she sighed in defeat.

"Fine, but in one condition: You will call your father and tell him where you are and why. Deal?" she took out her mobile phone from her pocket and held it out to him.

His conversation with his father was quite short. Fujitaka Kinimoto was not the type of parent who overly worries about his children. When Touya told him about his predicament, he didn't ask for any excuses and even quipped that Sonomi probably didn't want him to leave. Touya smiled.

"Ok Dad. I'll be home in half an hour."

"Be careful."

"I will. Bye." he hung up, closed the phone and gave it back to Sonomi.

"I should get going." he said. "Thank you for the coffee, Sonomi-san."

"Are you sure you don't want a ride home?" she asked again as she accompanied him to the door.

Touya turned to leave. "I'm sure. Goodnight." With that, he promptly left and started walking home.

Back inside the mansion, Tomoyo smiled. She sighed deeply in her sleep and snuggled against the jacket that smelled faintly of him.

…

Touya went home late again the next night. Although, not as late as the previous one. He passed by his sister's door and heard giggles. One was loud and boisterous while the other was soft and gentle. He paused for a moment as he stared at the wooden door. Shrugging off the giddy sensation inside him, he shook his head and went to his room.

…

He heard soft knocks coming from his door as he studied for another exam. He opened it and was mildly surprised to see Tomoyo in her nightgown. She stood in the hallway holding a familiar jacket. When she held it out to him, he slowly grabbed it, touching her delicate hands in the process.

Strangely enough, neither of them pulled away. It was as if time stopped and that they were the only ones that existed. They stayed like that for another minute until she whispered a word of thanks and returned her hands to her sides…

What happened next was utterly unexplainable. Everything seemed to happen so quick and yet so slow at the same time. As she was about to go back to her best friend's room, he reached for her hand and pulled her back to him. He slowly tilted her chin up and placed a tender kiss upon her lips.

When he pulled away, he took the chance to stare at her face. Her eyes were closed and her lips were still slightly parted. When she finally opened her eyes, she stared back at him, though only for a moment.

"Goodnight… Touya.' she whispered.

"Goodnight… Tomoyo." he whispered back.

And as he looked at her form go down the hall and enter the room, he couldn't help but feel all the peace, happiness and contentment in the world.

…

Yuri-chan's note: Fluffy. Tell me what you think. Reviews are very much appreciated.

Thank You.