from skybluescramble:
Thanks a lot for poochyyxx who sent reviews for the previous chapter. I give you a bear hug, hohoho. Here is the second chap, and I think I need your opinion for this one, too! Just read and review, please. :D
Enjoy the story. Go go go!!
DISCLAIMER:
Card Captor Sakura is NOT mine, no matter how many I swept my drool after seeing Kinomoto Touya and Hiiragizawa Eriol, it still belongs to CLAMP. How cruel :(
::Wordless, no. 2::
SUMMARY:
I leered at the door unconsciously, my stomach twitched in anticipation for someone who will heave in sight next. "He won't come, you know."
CHAPTER #2: Crossroad
SYAORAN jumped in surprise when he heard loud, deafening, cracking noises from the upstairs. His gaze shifted to Takashi and Hiro beside him, giving them do-you-know-what-are-those-sounds look. His buddies simply shrugged. No one had the idea. The three just arrived at Eriol's apartment and welcomed by strange noises by five seconds after entering the main door.
"I wonder what happens up there…" Takashi put on his evil grin.
"The neighbors must complain about this." Hiro agreed.
Syaoran stayed mute. Stepping on another stair, he sharpened his hearing sense. He—no, they—needed to know the source of those disturbing sounds. He took one more step, following the direction given by his instinct. The confused Takashi and Hiro stared at him questioningly, but they didn't say a word.
Step. Step. Step. And it led him to…
Eriol's chamber.
"I must have realized about this earlier." Syaoran shook his head in disbelief.
Takashi took a deep breath as he encouraged himself to raise an arm and knocked the wooden door. Knock.
No response.
"Louder," Hiro prompted.
Knock. Knock.
Still no response.
"Why don't you just try to open it?" Syaoran said impatiently, his arms crossed. Somehow… he could feel the atmosphere thickened. And the loud bang inside the certain chamber proved his theory.
With full force, Hiro turned the doorknob—only to realize that the action was unnecessary. His eyes grew wide. "It's not locked."
They rushed in together.
"Oh fck!" Takashi swore spontaneously, and if the other two weren't so shocked, they might do the same thing.
The apartment was all mess.
WORDless, no. 2
BIRD'S nest.
That word simply described Eriol's apartment right now. Honestly, the avian resident was even better. 'Chaos' was a total understatement. Broken chairs could be seen everywhere. Pillows are ripped up, remaining some furs flying around weightlessly. Tables were flipped down. Sharp pieces of ruined vas, mugs, and plates scattered here and there as if making a new layer of floor.
But the owner didn't care at all.
He maybe sat down in the bathroom, drenched under the shower, clothes stick on his skin like second skin, but from his gaze we could conclude that his mind was elsewhere. The blank expression drawn on his face… Oh my, what a pity.
Dull.
Empty.
Miserable.
"Son of a btch." Eriol muttered under his raging, uneven breath. He clenched both fists so tightly until his knuckles turned white, eyes burning with anger and misery. "How dare he touched Tomoyo…"
It was still clear in his memory. When he marched towards that jerky Rokuonji's car to continue the delayed confrontation between them yesterday, the sight which welcomed him was…
Was…
God, he didn't want to remember that. No more.
"Why?" He croaked, staring weakly to his left ring finger. The water dripping from his bangs blurred his vision. He sighed deeply as if a ground was going to cave in. Only dusts were piled up in his mind.
Eriol couldn't understand it.
He thought they were happy. And yes, they always laughed together. But—
"Eriol?!"
"Eriol? You okay? Where are you?"
"Shit! Where does this water come from? Geez~ what the heck is he doing? There's flood in the living room!"
"Check the bathroom! I'll see the kitchen."
Ah, those familiar voices. Takashi, Syaoran, and Hiro. No need to concern about me, you fool! Eriol mentally laughed before continuing his previous activity: swimming in his own thought. His own world. Ignoring his surroundings. Now, he was nothing but a heartbroken man who collapsed pathetically in the shower box, watching his reflection on the breaking glass with dull eyes.
"He doesn't know the truth, does he?" Hiro smiled bitterly as he leaned on the bathroom's doorframe. The faucet was still open, the flood was forgotten and they paid no care to their drenched shoes.
"No," was Syaoran's curt reply.
"And we are not allowed to tell him."
"No matter how hard it is to keep our mouth closed."
"Actually… I can't stand seeing him like that."
Takashi nodded. He was about to say the exact same thing but Hiro was faster. "I know it may sound a bit gay-ish, but I miss the old Eriol."
"We all do, Takashi." Syaoran patted his friend's shoulder. "We all do."
WORDless, no. 2
"IT must be the effect of chemotherapy."
I tilted my head up to the man in white coat. "Pardon me?"
"You asked me about the hair fall thing, right?"
"O-oh…"
"You alright?"
I nodded immediately. "Yeah. Sorry… I was just a bit spaced out, Doctor."
He examined me with his eyes. Checking whether I lied or not, maybe. "Also, you need some rest. I'd recommend that you get hospitalized for several days."
My brows knitted. 'Several days' holds more than one meaning. A week, a month, a year or more, it can be regarded as 'several days'. "How long it will be exactly?"
"I still can't make an assumption. It will take as long as you need it. If you're getting better, it will end pretty sooner."
Somehow this statement didn't enlighten me at all.
"I would like to speak with your parents."
"Of course."
And that was the last thing I reminisced when the flashback session ended. Closing my eyes, I inhaled deeply, enjoying the sensation of oxygen filling. In this lonely silence, vaguely I heard bird's chirping out there. And the soft noises that coming from people's activities. Three big windows beside my bed were bathed in warm sunlight. So bright. So beautiful. So peaceful.
Knock knock.
Huh? I blinked in confusion. Who's coming this early?
Mom was on his duty—working, I mean. She left since dawn because she had an appointment to attend. Yeah... you know, meeting and other yadda yadda stuffs. Being the chairwoman of Daidouji Toy company took more than two-third portion of her time—and Sakura-chan had some subjects in her college. She told me last night (via Syaoran) that she may not come before noon. So, if we eliminated those two… could it be the nurse?
Knock knock.
"Come in!"
"Hello, Tomoyo." Takashi entered.
"Sorry for disturbing your beauty rest." Followed by Syaoran.
"Hey! Why am I carrying these stuff alone? You jerk, help me!" The slightly closed door was burst open, revealing a breathless Hiro. His arms were busy dealing with lots of paper bags—I guessed those were all food. Boys.
"Oh man, be a little more quiet!" This time was Rei's voice. I gaped in awe at my ward which suddenly felt so… crowded. I leered at the door unconsciously, my stomach twitched in anticipation for someone who will heave in sight next.
"He won't come, you know."
My head turned to Rei. "W-what?"
"He won't come." He stated, gazing against my eyes with pure sympathy. I gulped, it is as if you are being stabbed on the chest by rusty dagger. I knew he knows whoever I was hoping to appear. Eriol.
Rei spoke again. "You had said by yourself that we can't tell him about this."
"Yeah."
"So don't expect him to be here."
I shifted on my bed nervously. "I know. Can't help it, Rokuonji." This statement earned a slight worried gesture from his lips.
"When is your operation?" Takashi interjected.
"Ten hours later," I flashed a smile before changing the topic. "Why are you guys here this early? How about college? The lecturers would be mad if you're skipping class."
Hiro rose from his seat and grabbed another blueberry pie from the paper bag. "We don't have any classes for today."
"Oh," I exhaled in relief. "That's good."
"Didn't you notice all these ammunitions?" Syaoran pointed at their gigantic paper bags, grinning widely. "We've prepared ourselves to accompany you all day long. No time to worry about your operation, Tomoyo. You'll be fine."
I hoped he didn't say that only for my comfort.
WORDless, no. 2
SIXTY minutes before the surgery.
Takashi walked along the corridor with burdened feelings. Stopping his pace in front of Tomoyo's ward door, he pulled it open soundlessly and stared at the young girl chatting happily with his friends. A smile plastered on her face, but deep down he knew she had wounds. She had unspoken nightmares. She had fears which rip apart her courage inside. She needed her biggest motivation and reason of living right now…
But the problem is, she herself wouldn't let them meet.
She wouldn't let that certain person to see her suffering.
But this day could be the last day of her life… if the surgery didn't succeed.
"I can't stay still." He inhaled a long breath while talking to himself. He moved towards the nearest window and swiftly pressed some number at his cell-phone's keypad. After that, he pushed the button with telephone symbol drawn on it.
He looked around cautiously.
Waiting for someone to pick up his call.
And after the fourth try…
"Hello?" Came a response.
Takashi straightened his posture. "Eriol? Is that you?"
Eriol chuckled. "I think so. You don't believe it? Fine. Hiiragizawa speaking. Happy?"
"I need to talk."
"Just spit it out."
"No, Hiiragizawa. You listen. It's not as simple as you imagine."
On the other side, Eriol's shoulder stiffened. The tone Takashi used wasn't ordinary. He only put up that charismatic-and-serious tone when they were in dangerous situation. Or urgent. Even critical. Anything that screamed 'BAD' in capital letters.
Sorry, Tomoyo. Takashi mentally apologized.
WORDless, no. 2
THE street was crowded. Full with busy-looking people who attempted to walk as fast as possible. There, Eriol was strolling around, all alone. His face showed no expression, just blank. Resembling a zombie. It was possible to him to stay like that if his cell-phone did not ring so loudly, making him jumped in shock.
"Damn…." He tried to calm his thumping chest while shoving hand into his pants' pocket. He glanced at the LCD before pressing the answer button. "Hello?" He said lazily.
"Eriol? Is that you?" It was Takashi.
Eriol chuckled weakly. "I think so. You don't believe it? Fine. Hiiragizawa speaking. Happy?"
"I need to talk."
"Just spit it out." Eriol retorted. He guessed it would be another bunch of unimportant or silly advice that told him not to sink only because of a broken heart. They didn't understand! That jerk called Rei stole Tomoyo from him. His girl, his angel, his spirit, his motivator, his savior, his life…
"No, Hiiragizawa. You listen. It's not as simple as you imagine."
Suddenly Eriol's shoulders became stiff. Something was gone wrong, he realized. It wasn't the tone Takashi used when he was going to tell neither jokes nor advice. That tone and 'Hiiragizawa' were unofficial things he declared as a sign of 'something bad'. And if Eriol ignored whatever Takashi was going to tell him, he would regret it on the very next day. Guaranteed.
"What happened?"
"Look," Takashi started, then paused. "I don't know where I should start, but the outline is like this."
Eriol sounded confused. "Like what?"
"Can you please let me finish first?" Takashi's voice rose along with his temper. "You don't have much time left, you know!"
"Me? What does this kind of thing has to do with me?"
"It's about Tomoyo."
"I don't want to hear anything about her."
"Oh, you do." Eriol was sure he could feel Takashi smirking on the other side of the phone. "And don't you dare to hang up, it's more than important."
"Go ahead."
"Well," Takashi cleared his throat, before speaking again. "You don't have to be angry with her, Eriol. She didn't cheat on you. Also, it means that Rei didn't steal her from you. They conspired together. It was all fake... and arranged."
"What the heck?" Eriol unconsciously shouted at his cell-phone. "It was just act? A sham? No way."
"I'm telling the truth, Eriol. Honestly she told me not to divulge this, but I can't."
"So, why?" Eriol demanded. "Why did they pretend those stupid scenarios? Tell me, Yamazaki, or I will—"
"The young Daidouji wanted you to leave her."
"WHAT??!"
Eriol roared in such a loud, deafening voice that made Takashi automatically distanced the cell-phone from his earlobe to prevent eardrum damage. "You're overreacting," he murmured, but unfortunately Eriol didn't seem to catch that part.
"Why she wanted me to leave?"
"Tomoyo has a disease, Eriol. She doesn't want you to be sad because of her sickness. She doesn't want to be a burden for you."
"What disease?" He snapped.
"Brain cancer."
Brain cancer. Brain cancer. BRAIN CANCER.
Eriol stopped dead in his tracks, his clutch on the cell-phone suddenly became so fragile, almost vulnerable. Thank God he was still sane enough to stand right and hear Takashi's next saying. "That's why I call you and explain the real situation. Tomoyo will have an operation today, at Internist Hospital. She needs you, Eriol!"
Silence.
"You have—" Takashi peeked at his wristwatch, "—twenty minutes to go."
Silence more.
"Eriol? You still there?"
Tut….Tut…. tut…
Takashi huffed, messing his spiky brown hair while staring helplessly at his cell-phone. His expression was unreadable. "He hung up."
to be continued