Disclaimer : Card Captor Sakura belongs to CLAMP. I don't own CCS.
To Plug-N-Die: I'm sorry if I explained it the wrong way, but Eriol didn't plan to bring 'Kaho's back to life'. Yes, he wished to be reunited with Kaho –but her body and soul had died and could never 'bring her back'. He just wanted to transplant Kaho's memory (which he had sealed inside a certain magical chest using The Memory Card) to Tomoyo's body and soul. Queer, but that was his definition of 'bringing Kaho back to life'.
Recap : In the attempt to 'reincarnate' his Kaho, Hiiragizawa Eriol wished to erase Daidouji Tomoyo's memories. But apparently the spell didn't work as it was supposed to, and the two dark-haired were bound to live together –even when they disliked each other. 2 weeks had passed, and they encountered new trouble: how to explain her sudden disappearance to Syaoran and the others.
Mnemosyne's Labyrinth
Chapter 6
: : The Actress : :
She believed his plan wasn't exactly the successful product of his usual genius mind, and thus, Tomoyo was certain that Eriol's plan to tell Syaoran, Touya, or Yukito that they were 'lovers who lived together' was another thing for his sick amusement. Perhaps, his plan wasn't meant to give explanations to the three guys. Perhaps he just wanted to nourish his own ego by watching her say how she fell in love with him.
Let us welcome the madness of a Hiiragizawa once and again.
Dealing with those three guys, those certain three guys, had never been a problem to her. After all, she was Daidouji Tomoyo, one that could control and manipulate the thoughts of men (and women). Especially with Syaoran. Ever since the 4th grade, she seemed to be gifted to 'corrupt' the Chinese boy so. With Yukito, it could be handled pretty easily since the Bunny Rabbit was naturally a kind and (in the frank way of speaking) a little bit gullible. Although it had been much more difficult dealing with Touya, but Tomoyo was grateful that she had a calm and open-minded cousin. His tendency was to analyze and accept even the weirdest thing, thus, it had gone well with him.
But now,
Tomoyo wasn't that sure.
What would she say to them? She had disappeared from the society and lived in Eriol's house for 2 weeks, and then she was tasked to say that she fell in love with the certain magician?
"I hope you're a good actress, Daidouji-san. If your acting fails and those 3 guys sense that there might be something wrong behind, they won't let you stay with me. Worse, they'll see through my plan and never let me have your body,"
2 weeks ago, she almost couldn't understand his logic.
"Hiiragizawa-san, do you understand that I might just ruin the act in purpose so that you can never have my body?"
"You won't do that,"
"Why won't I?"
"Because you don't care about your life. You won't care what will happen to your body after your existence erased. And you might deny otherwise, Daidouji-san, but I know you. You truly don't care of what will happen to you afterwards,"
Perhaps she had founded that his queer logic had influenced her own way of thinking. Perhaps that was why she obliged to him so.
She mentally shuddered. If anyone said that the Daidouji could manipulate minds, they should see how the Hiiragizawa manipulated her mind.
"Ah, here we are," he proclaimed once they stood in front of the Kinomoto residence. "Brace yourself together, Daidouji-san. And I hope you show me a delightful show,"
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"You WHAT?"
The shocked Syaoran, the blinking Yukito, and the ever stoic Touya. Yes, those were the reaction she had expected anyway.
"You disappeared for 2 weeks, and then you show up saying that y-you're… in love with this bastard and want to stay the rest of your life with him?!" Syaoran exclaimed in bewilderment. His amber eyes showed blatant fury.
And to that certain anger and disbelief, Tomoyo had replied calmly, "Yes."
There was a thick burdening atmosphere in which Tomoyo failed to ignore. And even when she was uncomfortable (very, very uncomfortable), she tried to keep her mask intact and at the same time, calming her mind so that she could reply to those men's questions logically.
"B-but, Tomoyo-san…" Yukito began after no one gave any comments for one whole minute. "Don't you think it's a bit too soon? I mean… you two just met…"
"We're old friends. And we've been contacting each other for years even after Eriol-kun left to London,"
"But you two never met each other for more than 10 years! How can you say that you're in love with him?!"
"We met again 4 months ago at my mother's funeral. And I'm sorry for not letting you know earlier, but we start our relationship not so long after,"
"But to say you're in love with him is a completely different matter, Tomoyo. This… this is just…impossible," Syaoran muttered still with the message shown obviously on his face: I can't accept this.
"Syaoran-kun," the woman spoke after heaving a sigh. "When you love Sakura-chan, do you ever think that it is impossible?"
He was struck by her question. And after long moments of silence, he finally responded, "No,"
Tomoyo smiled and touched the guy's hand. "Then it is the same with me. It is not impossible for me to fall in love with Eriol-kun,"
"But –"
"He saves me, Syaoran-kun. After… after Sakura's death, after my mother's death… I thought I couldn't go on with my life. But he… he makes me through all the hard times. I want to spend my whole life together with him,"
"You mean… you two are getting married?" exclaimed Yukito.
"…Perhaps. I don't know. But I will spend the rest of my life with him,"
Silence.
"Is that true?"
Tomoyo looked up to see that it was finally her big cousin speaking. "Yes, Touya-kun. It's true,"
"I want to hear it from Hiiragizawa's mouth,"
All eyes were set on the London magician.
With a gentle smile still plastered, the referred man replied, "Yes. It is true, Kinomoto-san,"
"Do you love Tomoyo?"
"I do. If not, why did we decide to spend our life together?"
Touya's brown eyes studied the blue eyes of Eriol as if trying to detect any lies or mischief in him.
The smallest part of her hoped that her cousin would find so.
…
But no.
Touya exhaled a deep breath and slowly dragged his body away and seated himself back on the sofa of the Kinomoto's living room.
"You come, finally reappear, specially to say this?"
"Yes. And I also come to say that there might be a possibility that Eriol and I may not stay in Tomoeda anymore,"
"You're leaving, Tomoyo-san?" inquired Yukito.
"We're planning to. We don't know the exact time, but in 6 months, perhaps,"
"So, is this a farewell? Are you leaving us too?"
It felt like an iron hand had gripped on her heart.
Leaving them…
That was what she was going to do right?
Even without Eriol and his offering, she was still going to leave them. At least, that had been her plan – that was why she had tried to kill herself…
She knew she would miss them dearly but…
She had never thought that she would feel this… guilty.
And slightly, so slightly, she even thought about telling the three of them the truth, she thought about ruining Eriol's plan, she thought about fighting her life back…
But…
But…
Living will be too painful…
"You guys don't need to worry," she finally replied. "I will be at good care,"
Syaoran sensed the certain tone. "So this is really a farewell?"
Tomoyo sensed her own voice cracked and she didn't even dare to reply Syaoran's question straightly. "I… I really, really love you all guys… but I… I want to search for my own happiness. I want… I want to have my peace. Let me… let me find it,"
"… I know that I… might not express myself well. Even with Sakura, I'm still… well… I'm sure you know the case better," muttered Syaoran. "But Tomoyo… you're my… favorite girl after Sakura. I… well…I…"he grabbed her arm and pulled her into a hug.
And to feel…
Such warmth…
Such care.
Such love –brotherly love…
Syaoran's voice was coarse and muffled, but Tomoyo could still hear what he said:
"Just… take a really good care of yourself, ne?"
The tenderness engulfed her greatly, and soon, she found herself crying and showing her weak side for the first time in front of Syaoran Li.
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"I expected you to say it in a more… love-sick way, but that wasn't a bad acting. You managed to infuse lies to their brain. Good. At least now we don't have to worry about other people and their nosy tendencies. It will just be me and you, Daidouji-san. Isn't that romantic?" the Clow's incarnation spoke on their way back walking to the Hiiragizawa manor.
"Yes, it is romantic," she said in dead pan voice.
He chuckled. "Are you always like this to your date?"
"I don't even remember ever being your date, Hiiragizawa," she said with sweet-saccharine smile.
"But now the world and other people will know us the Hiiragizawa-Daidouji pair,"
"Even that I already told Syaoran, Yukito, and Touya, rumors won't spread this fast, Hiiragizawa-san,"
"Let us just pretend then. And besides… My descendent along with Kinomoto-san and Tsukihiro-san… they're watching us,"
"What? What do you –" she tried to look back but his hand suddenly gripped on the back of her neck, and moving her head to look at him.
"Don't be so obvious, Daidouji-san. Who would be that stupid to look back right after they sensed someone was following?"
"…Point taken, Hiiragizawa-san. Now let go of my neck, please? Or else they would think that you have a murdering intention toward me instead of loving me,"
"Sure," his voice slurred and his hand slowly released its grip from the neck. His hand crept slowly and tantalizingly down on her back before looking for her hand and held it. "This will do fine, won't it, Daidouji-san?"
"Decent enough. Thank you,"
Eriol gazed down at the woman whose personality was contradicting in most way.
She was strong yet weak.
Wise yet foolish.
Naïve yet sarcastic.
Such a twisted woman.
A woman whose body he had fallen in love with.
Perhaps, it was such a disgrace to his deceased lover. Kaho left him for only 6 months, and yet, Eriol had claimed how another woman had managed to captivate him so.
But hey, at least…
He didn't love Daidouji Tomoyo.
That girl… was…okay actually. One that had twisted personality, but twist was not a thing he abhorred –for he, himself , admitted how his own personality matched or even surpassed her own twist. Besides, to judge in any view, Tomoyo was very ideal for a companion. She was sweet, kind, smart, loyal, and most importantly… she was almost like him in every departments.
So why don't you just move on?
… Move on?
…
Silly.
That would just be an act of disloyalty to Kaho. The red-haired was the one he swore to love, and he…
He just didn't have any place in his heart for other people.
Not even for that funny, sweet, kind woman whose self… intrigued him so.
Yes.
Not even for Tomoyo.
Just think of her as a… shell. She was just a random someone who was fortunate enough to be born in such a perfect shell. He fell in love with that shell. And Kaho, the one that he claimed to love for real… he would fit her in that perfect shell of Daidouji Tomoyo.
The perfect shell…
This perfect hand…
The perfect face…
He imagined her as his ever beautiful Venus. She was his reason now. She was…
His sense suddenly alarmed him, shaking him off his trance.
"Daidouji-san, watch out!"
His body moved in reflex and he pulled her hand harder, swirling her, while his other hand grabbed on her back and hauled her body closer to him.
The damn car rushed passes them, not even realizing that it might have just harmed a soul or two.
Eriol cursed the car under his breath and after so, he snapped at the girl. "Look where you're walking! You almost got hit by a car!"
Tomoyo's face, although still showing the slightest hint of surprise, looked pretty calm for someone whose life almost be taken away. Clearing her throat, she then replied almost in robotic manner, "I'm sorry, I wasn't really paying attention. But thank you for saving me, Hiiragizawa-san,"
It then hit him.
This was the woman who didn't even care for her own life nor body.
"Ah. Look. They aren't following us anymore," Tomoyo pointed casually referring to the Syaoran, Yukito, Touya trio. "You can –"
Gritting his teeth in anger, Eriol then pinned both her arms to the nearest wall. The street was vacant and nobody was there to witness his sudden act of roughness. "You may… not care about your life anymore. You may choose to live the rest of your life as a doll or what so ever, but… take a fucking care of this body! I own you now! And I will not let you destroy your own body!!"
His sapphire eyes glinted in clear fury and she gazed back at him with the same sternness.
The same fury.
"You… don't own me,"
He laughed his cruel laugh. "Daidouji-san let me refresh your memory. We had a deal. I promise to take away all your painful memories, and as the exchange, I will own you,"
"My misery hasn't been lifted yet, I still remember those painful things. So you can't claim me for the other end of the deal,"
"It's just the matter of time, Daidouji-san. You are still mine. And I don't let anyone, not even you yourself, to hurt or to break my…" he caressed the skin of her bare arm. "Property,"
With elegance coating her every movements, Tomoyo slapped his wandering hand. "Don't touch me, Hiiragizawa-san,"
But Hiiragizawa Eriol was a persistent young man.
Persistent, and of course, insane.
Stubbornly he grabbed a fistful of her hair and she yelped in automatic pain, fearing that he would repeat his crazy intention that he had done weeks ago. But all he did was only holding her ebony locks tightly and kissed it. "I can touch you anywhere I want to,"
Again, she released her own hair from his grip. "You can't," she stated with the same stubbornness.
He smirked. "You may pretend so, Daidouji-san. Enjoy the privilege for…" he paused to count. "Around 5 more months. After that, you will officially be mine,"
His smirk then turned into his usual fake polite smile. "I still need to buy some things. You sure can find your own way back to our home, can't you?"
"Of course, Hiiragizawa-san," Tomoyo muttered with every sickness she could express.
"Well then, good day, Daidouji-san," he bowed in civil manner.
"Good day," and she turned around to head back to her own prison.
To Be Continued
A/n: I do notice that this fiction doesn't get a favored responds. And I tried not to mind it, but I'm a review-whore, so… oh well… : D…
But don't worry, for those who patiently wait for each chapter (THANK YOU!), I will finish this story, no matter how little the amount of reviews I'm getting. Unless a virus attacks my computer (or if there's other unpreventable reasoning) that is.
On the other hand, the lack of reviews does make me think that perhaps there is really something wrong with this fanfics. If you know/notice that certain 'wrongness', please, you can tell me (and I hope you tell me), because I'm someone who takes critics and I'll try to fix my mistakes. Thank you.
Nothing much happened in this chapter, but I wish to see you all in the next chapter –where the story will (supposedly) take a more interesting turn!