A/N: Apologies for the delay in update! And thank you for continuing to follow the story, despite the snail-pace updates.
…
Hiiragizawa Eriol felt the corner of his mouth twitch as the last couple of frames played, showing Magical Princess Sakura defeating the vampire magician on-screen. The CGI didn't have to do much to enhance the full moon that shone against the Tokyo Tower—Yue made sure the moon looked exquisite, perhaps as a way of making it up to his new mistress for putting her in such a dangerous situation earlier.
"I may have defeated you, but I know there are MORE enemies out there! So…" Kinomoto Sakura's forehead was scrunched up in all seriousness as she looked directly at the camera. "I need your help, boys and girls! Get your Sakura Costumes today, and together, let's defeat the forces of evil!" She topped her spiel off with a snappy V-sign with her right hand. "Sakura Power!"
Beside him, Akizuki Nakuru's eyes were shimmering in adoration. "Kyaaa! Where did all those years go? It's as if Touya's little sister never grew old! So cute!" She bent over the sofa to peer more closely at the tablet her master was holding. "Lemme see, lemme see—"
Cerberus, wearing a wide grin, popped up from the bottom of the screen and covered the entire lens, holding up a sign that said 'Visit us at .jp to learn more!'.
"Grrr, stupid stuffed animal show-off!" A vein popped on Nakuru's forehead. And before Eriol could react, the lunar guardian grabbed the device (which he recalled his delightful descendant loaned to him only with much convincing from his daughter from another lifetime) and started to rattle it angrily. "Return Touya's sister to me, you jaundiced monster! I didn't even get the chance to examine her beautiful skin—"
Shaking his head, Eriol grabbed his phone and dialed a number he had now come to memorize by heart.
"Sakura-chan? Hiiragizawa-kun?" The usually soft-spoken Daidouji Tomoyo sounded a bit out of breath, which suddenly made him feel, well, a bit uncomfortable.
Clearing his throat while silently castigating himself, he replied, "It's your friendly neighborhood second-best magician calling."
"Oh!" There was an uncertain pause, allowing him to notice the ambient noises of cars honking and streams of hoots, laughter, and chatter from the pedestrians. Last-minute hawking from food stalls about to close up for the evening could also be heard nearby.
He glanced at his leather wristwatch. It was roughly twenty minutes after 10 in the evening. "Did you just get out of class?" Tomoyo had BCC'd him when she submitted her thesis draft and marketing video to her adviser earlier today, so he knew they were going to discuss it during their class meeting at six.
But still, that conversation shouldn't take four hours, should it? His forehead creased in concern. "I hope your bodyguards are parked nearby." He observed the sound of traffic had started to decrease, which meant she was reaching a less-populated area of the town.
"Y-Yes, they are!" she replied hastily. "Listen, Hiiragizawa-kun, I'll call you back once I get home. I'm sorry but I just really, really need to go now."
"Certainly, but—" He wanted to ask her about her hand injury, as well as how her discussion with her thesis adviser went.
"I can't hear you, you're dropping out!"
"Your line sounds fine."
"No, it's NOT! I most definitely can't hear you at all!" she cried from the other end.
Eriol let out a deep sigh.
"Signal's choppy, I gotta go!"
Click! The line went dead, leaving the Londoner gaping at his phone, wondering what exactly just transpired in the conversation.
.
.
.
"Sorry, Hiiragizawa-kun!" murmured Daidouji Tomoyo as she pocketed her now turned-off phone. The truth was, her bodyguards expected her to be in Chiharu and Yamazaki's shared apartment at the moment, going over her fashion retail website makeover.
While her bodyguards acted more relaxed when she was in Sakura and Li's company, she knew they would quickly contact her mother abroad should it reach them that she was heading out this late to do a little sleuthing.
She gripped the strap of her bag tightly, recalling how her fingers clearly went through Hiiragizawa Eriol's body that night back in Tokyo Tower. It felt surreal to feel only cold, empty air where she could clearly see Eriol was. As if he never existed…
No.
It was all real, the heart-pounding sensation of being held in his solid, steady arms when he rescued her from the perilous fall. As real as the realization that, after seeing Eriol up close and feeling his hand protectively wrapped around her waist, she could never look casually at him with the same eyes again.
Enough! She marched forward resolutely, towards the open soccer field which had just turned off its floodlights. We have a mission to complete tonight. Focus!
.
.
.
Kinomoto Touya's eyes narrowed as he scoped the lone approaching figure up ahead. And despite being unarmed save for a coach' whistle and a clipboard, he was not alarmed. He knew it was a woman, based on the graceful gait despite the obvious hurry in her pace. When she drew closer to him, he finally recognized her by the mass of plentiful raven curls and pair of silky purple eyes.
His little ojou-sama cousin, Daidouji Tomoyo.
What does she need from me? At best, they exchange polite pleasantries when they meet. He knew the cool, impeccable courtesy was part of her growing up and eventual transition to head of the Daidouji business empire. Even as a child, she had played the role with utmost adult-like commitment.
The only time he saw her ever shed off that façade was whenever she was with his younger sister. It was plain to see that Daidouji Tomoyo's sun rises and falls in Kinomoto Sakura's person.
He never spoke to anyone else about it—not even to Tsukishiro Yukito—because he felt it was disrespectful to how Tomoyo carefully kept her affection in check for the sake of her beloved's happiness.
Then it hit him. Did something happen to that little monster? It was the only reason his second cousin would seek him out herself. Without hesitation, he jogged straight towards her. "What happened?"
Her response to his question was another question. "Is Yukito-san with you?" she asked, forgetting her customary formalities.
A wave of relief flooded into Touya upon hearing that this was not about his troublesome imouto. "He's not. He has gone home ahead of me." he replied, shrugging his broad shoulders. "Yuki said his new roommates worry when he doesn't get home before 10."
Yukito recently informed him that he had temporarily moved out of his house because it was undergoing repairs, but he had a feeling that it had less to do with home improvement and more with the alter-ego that resided in him. More specifically, he could see this being masterminded by his little sister and that peculiar eyeglasses-wearing boy (who seemed to be in very good terms with his ex).
His gray-haired friend had cheerily reassured him that things should return to normal soon. Though given his family's affinity to magic and the strange strings of coincidences that he could only chalk up to fate, he knew Yukito's optimistic words were highly unlikely. Touya had known long enough to just give up on trying for any semblance of normalcy in his life.
"Is there something I can help you with?" he asked automatically, his coach mode still on, only to realize a few seconds later that he wasn't speaking with his players. Good lord, I really do need to take a breather from this job.
Oddly though, Tomoyo seemed to consider his answer for a bit. In the end, she gestured towards one of the benches. "Then if it won't trouble you, may I consult you about something, Touya-san?"
Whether it was due to the rare instance of hearing his cousin say his name, or the notion that he could possibly offer advice to a usually self-sufficient Daidouji Tomoyo, an intrigued Touya found himself nodding to her silently.
.
.
.
Initially, Tomoyo wanted to talk to Yue directly without Kero-chan knowing. That was why she made this specific, clandestine trip to town this time of night.
While she appreciated the friendliness and genuine concern the stuffed lion had for her, she was also aware of how Kero-chan was prone to being overly emotional with anything and everything that concerned its master from many lifetimes ago.
And while Yue loved Clow Reed no less, she could at least count on him to be more or less neutral towards the Clow reincarnation. She knew she could count on his pragmatic, rock-solid sensibilities. Plus, Mizuki-sensei distinctly pointed to him as the best person to ask regarding Hiiragizawa Eriol.
Instead, she had to bump into her second cousin, Kinomoto Touya.
At first, the handsome, solemn-looking man before her wasn't privy to Sakura's card mistress adventures, but he was silently aware that his younger sister was involved in something out of the ordinary. He never confronted her about it, though, save for a few brotherly reminders to not overdo things.
(Well, except for instances that involved Li Syaoran, that is.)
And Tomoyo respected that about him. Sakura was his mother's most tangible memory left after the latter's untimely death, making her his most important treasure. It was no easy feat to stay in the sidelines and watch her from afar as the emerald-eyed girl grew up to make her own choices in life, some she was sure he didn't wholly agree with but supported fully nonetheless.
If she would be reborn in another lifetime, no doubt she would be grateful if she could have someone like Kinomoto Touya to be her big brother, too.
She clasped her hands together on her lap. "Back in elementary, Sakura-chan told me that Yukito-san used to encounter frequent dizzy spells and fell asleep a lot."
He nodded, a hint of surprise on the topic. After all, that was nearly a decade ago, and he was careful never to talk about it with his sister around. He was sure she would end up blaming herself again for not being strong enough for her wards.
"Sakura-chan said… Sakura-chan said that in order to save him, you had to…" Her words trailed off nervously.
"… give up my spiritual powers so Yue can continue living," he finished for her helpfully.
"…i-it's still surprising to hear someone else other than Sakura-chan and Li-kun talk about Yue-san," she stammered after a pause.
He narrowed his eyes. "Oh, really? Did you seriously think a bunch of ten-year-old brats can hide something like that from me for so long? If you do, I apologize to Auntie, but I'll have to whack her daughter senseless with my clipboard."
Tomoyo burst into a fit of giggles, and in that moment, to him, she properly looked her age. Not the polite but impersonal oujo-sama, but a bright, bubbly young woman still prone to momentary girlishness. "Oh, Sakura-chan tried SO hard to keep it from you!" she added, wiping a solitary tear from her cheek.
"That idiot." He grinned, recalling how his little sister frantically hushed the stuffed toy and hid the winged lunar guardian in her bedroom whenever he dropped by to check on her.
"Did Yue-san ever get to tell you why he started losing his power?" she asked, sounding thoughtful once again.
Touya turned to the sky pensively, where a waxing moon was overhead. "He told me that it was the fate of those born as Moons. They could only borrow someone else's light, and so can only live for as long as their source can sustain them."
"Then… if you weren't able to supply Yue-san with the powers that he needed…"
"It wouldn't have been good," he admitted. "Yuki disappearing inch by inch... it's something I never want to witness again."
Her mind flashed with the frightening prospect of seeing the person she loved the most slowly vanishing right before her very eyes. And once more, the memory of her fingers passing cleanly through Eriol returned to her like an unwanted visitor.
Touya was speaking again, more freely this time. It was as if he was just finding relief from talking to someone else about that awful episode. "Yuki didn't want me to know, but each time, he would come back, looking weaker than the last.
"And I was always worried… always worrying what would happen to him next time... or if there would even be a next time at all." Touya jaw set tightly upon recollecting those days. Many years had passed since then, but she could clearly see the painful helplessness he must have felt during that time.
Instinctively, she got up from the bench so that she was looking down on his stooped, distressed form. Then gently, she placed her palm on his hair and stroked his disheveled hair soothingly.
He looked up, startled by her touch.
"You did well for Yukito-san," she spoke softly, giving him a light, finishing double pat on the head. "I am really glad you told me about this."
For a moment, he was stunned, and could only gape openly at her with his wide brown eyes. Then, "You really do look like her, now more than ever," he murmured in awe, and for a moment, she felt the longing gaze of a lonely boy who was forced to grow up too soon.
Yet just as quickly, his brows furrowed. "But I distinctly remember you saying that you want to consult with me, NOT the other way around."
"Oh well." A sheepish smile dawned on her face. "It's quite alright. What you've shared was plenty helpful."
As she initially suspected, Eriol was indeed disappearing. And while she still didn't understand why the reincarnation of the most powerful mage in history would suddenly start losing his own power, it didn't matter as much as finding another source to keep him from disappearing for good.
"Though it'll be great if you can tell me how to save someone," she murmured absent-mindedly. Silence ensued.
"Don't lose sight of it."
Her head snapped up in attention. "I-I'm sorry?"
Touya consciously ran his hand at the back of his head. "I don't know what and who you want to save. But in soccer, the first thing you remember when making a save is to keep your eyes on the ball. You will make better decisions and have a bigger chance of saving it when you know where it's going." He halted when he saw the speechless woman gaping at him. "Sorry. You didn't need to hear a soccer lecture at this time—"
"No, no! That's actually…" She broke into a light chuckle. "I appreciated that advice. Thank you, Touya-san."
He rolled his eyes. "You don't know how much I fear having to talk to my sister like this one day."
"Then I hope I served as a good practice person?"
"I think this is one of those things I cannot personally get better at, even with daily practice."
.
.
.
"Thank you for walking me all the way here." Tomoyo smiled shyly at Touya as they arrived at the familiar busy intersection again. He walked beside her, pushing his bike along.
"No problem," he replied quickly. "But are you sure you don't want me to accompany you back to your place? I don't think you have your bodyguards with you tonight." His big brother instincts were sharper than ever, making Tomoyo sweatdrop.
"Don't tell my mother." She pressed her hands together in a begging position. "I'm meeting a couple of friends for a round of drinks." She hated to lie to him, but it was the only way she knew he would let her go off alone.
The dark-haired male still looked reluctant, but not wanting to stop a single woman at her prime from socializing with friends, he let it go. "Message me or Sakura when you get home, or I'll call Auntie."
Where did our newly-formed bond go, Touya-san? But she waved cheerfully at him. "I will, thank you very much!" She turned to walk away.
"One more thing…"
She paused and looked back at him expectantly, and was startled when he threw his denim jacket to her. Fortunately, she was able to catch it perfectly in her arms.
"See? Good save, goalie," Touya said reassuringly. You'll be fine!
Tomoyo beamed at him gratefully in return.
.
.
.
Tomoyo-chan, your bodyguards are doing a stakeout in front of our apartment! Our neighbors are starting to get suspicious, HELP! (T.T)
After reading Chiharu's cry for help on the LINE app, Tomoyo began hurriedly composing an apologetic message as she walked towards the train station. Just then, she caught something on her peripheral view.
A woman with long, flowing red hair.
Was that…?
She looked up, but the woman was gone.
Tomoyo instantly forgot about Chiharu—and everything else for that matter- as she frantically turned side to side, searching for that noticeable mop of scarlet. Yet in the thinning crowd, she only found exhausted, dark-haired men and women rushing to grab the last few train rides.
Did I just imagine things?
"Daidouji-san!"
She turned behind her and saw Hiiragizawa Eriol heading towards her, a mix of worry and relief on his handsome face.
"H-Hiiragizawa-kun?" What is he doing here? Why is he here? She was about to take a step towards him when she remembered the red-haired woman she saw.
She froze in indecision, debating silently whether to tell the Londoner what she just saw. If she told him, would he seek Mizuki Kaho out? Or would he not take her seriously?
Eyes on the ball, she reminded herself, fixing her gaze onto him.
And her heart skipped a beat.
She realized it had been several days since she last saw him. Last time, he was ashen-faced and weak. She was grateful to see he showed none of those signs tonight. The colors have returned to his face, his every step towards her strong and sure.
She noticed quite a few admiring glances following him as he drew closer to her. And she couldn't blame them—even when just wearing a plain navy light jacket and dark gray trousers, Hiiragizawa Eriol's piercing blue eyes and commanding presence made him effortlessly stand out in the crowd.
He reached her at last. "Daidouji-san, I beg of you, have mercy on your poor friend's soul!" he pleaded before she could say anything. "Don't leave for night excursions without your bodyguards. Your hand has barely had time to fully heal—dear Lord, where is it?"
Like a child meekly showing her parents her less-than-stellar quiz score, she slowly held her hand out.
Her palm was neatly wrapped in gauze, yet she saw his forehead still crease in concern. Was there something objectionable about the way her injury was dressed? Something that offended the sensibilities of the once-greatest sorcerer in the world?
"Pardon me," he muttered before gently lifting her hand closer to his face for inspection. "Have you gone to the hospital? What did they say?" he asked urgently.
"T-They said I can take the bandages off by tomorrow," she answered, unable to tear her eyes away from him and her hand, which he was holding on to very carefully.
"That's good." But he did not let go of her hand yet—not that she was complaining. "Pray tell, what was it so urgent that you had to make this night trip to town, Daidouji-san?" he wanted to know.
"Uh… I wanted to surprise Yue-san…" That should work with him, right? Bonding with his former guardians?
Oddly, he didn't look well too pleased. "And since I don't see Yue, I suppose the surprise did not happen?"
"It did not," she affirmed. "I met Touya-san, though, and we got to talk about him and Yukito-san." Which was somewhat true. She never once mentioned Hiiragizawa Eriol's worrisome disappearing incidents in the conversation, though she ended up learning more about what was causing them to happen.
"I certainly hope he walked you to the station."
"He did! He even lent me this!" She eagerly showed him the denim jacket under her arm. Great, I got proof!
For some reason, he still looked less than thrilled. He slung off his jacket and draped it gently over her shoulders. "Use this. It'll fit you better."
"Um…" But she did not protest further. Gingerly, she slipped her slender arms into both sleeves, all the while silently enjoying the chamomile scent she had grown to be fond of.
"The train's here."
"Right."
"If I may." Tentatively, he held her elbow to guide her as the coach pulled up in front of them.
And he refused to let go, even long after he had found them seats.
.
.
.
They were still several stations away, so Eriol had elected to take a quick nap. She, on the other hand, was busy chatting with Chiharu and apologizing profusely for the ruckus her bodyguards had caused. She assured her friend that she was on her way with Hiiragizawa Eriol tagging along.
Amazing! How did he find you? :p
Honestly, Tomoyo didn't know, either. She never told anyone where she was going except for a vague FYI to Chiharu. She typed:
He's a magician, I guess?
Chiharu's reply was quick. Then has he put you under his spell, hmmmmmm? :3
She stifled a laugh at the cheesy teasing. But she probably may not have done enough, as the male beside her stirred.
"You're laughing, Daidouji-san," he murmured, eyes still closed. "If I may hazard a guess, it would have to be my snoring, isn't it?"
"N-No," she said quickly, closing the chat app despite the fact that Eriol wasn't going to see the thread anyway. "I was just wondering how you knew which station to find me."
He shrugged. "Who knows?"
"Did you use your magic?" she pressed.
"That would have been convenient."
"So then…"
"When we were talking on the phone, I heard the oncoming traffic and ambient noises from nearby food stalls. I tried to think of foodie areas near traffic where younger people hang out, because the crowd sounded boisterous," he explained, eyes still closed. "At the same time, it should be near a place where it can get quiet enough to hear the sound of crickets, which meant patches of city green. I put two and two together, and realized those boisterous young people are players from the soccer field where they practice nightly."
She was impressed. "Not bad, Detective! Do you always listen so intently during your calls?" She meant the latter line as a joke.
"Only with you." He slightly opened his eyes and peered at her through his sleepy lids.
Her mouth dropped open in surprise.
"Because, as your ally, I need to hear the words you couldn't speak," he explained, "Otherwise, I wouldn't be of much use to you."
And I, as your ally with neither magic nor spiritual powers to speak of… what can I offer in return to you?
"You can still stay with me even if you don't end up being very useful, you know?" She meant to say it light-heartedly, but her voice came out too tightly to claim jest. Because, in truth, she was the one who was powerless—the one who was afraid she had no utility to even try and save him.
"That's comforting to hear," he murmured smilingly.
/ TO BE CONTINUED /
