Disclaimers: In Chapt. One, but they still apply here. I'm still not CLAMP and still not making a dime.
Author's Note: Xiao-Lang and Mei-Ling are the Cantonese pronunciations for Syaoran and Meiling. To find translations for the Japanese words (and no, I don't speak Japanese; I just love the way it sounds) please go to http://www.notredame.ac.jp/cgi-bin/jedi-inon It's tons of fun.

Note to note: I'm right about all this letter writing business! Hahaha! Watch the second CCS movie and marvel! I came up with this idea before I saw it. Sorry, I need to gloat. It was a great moment for me.

Dedicated: Still to Chelle-sama. Also to Tin, Sakura, Kit Spooner, Suppi-chan, and Card Captor Schuelter. They're some of my very favorite CCS authors and usually just reading their stuff makes me feel so accomplished (or, you know, inadequate) that I don't bother to work on my own. ^.~ Thanks.

NOTE: I don't know WHAT is up with the missing italics, spaces and weird font-changes. I've checked and double checked in two different browsers and four different versions of them. I don't have a clue. Chances are if the text is bigger than normal it was meant to be italics, though this doesn't seem to be holding true. I've contacted ff.net about it, so hopefully it'll get fixed. Thanks for your patience.

* * * (The Second Year After Leaving Tomoeda) * * *

Eriol was sitting with Spinel in the solarium when Ruby Moon came bounding in, slower than usual but definitely a 'bound', followed by Kaho. He smiled at both women pleasantly.

"Home already, Kaho? The trip must have ended early." He stood to hug her, but she drew away. He frowned. "Not a good trip?"

"You told Daidouji about the incident with Akizuki-san?" Her voice was tight and controlled. Possibly, he reflected, even angry. Spinel glanced at Ruby Moon and flew out of the room.

"I might have mentioned it, yes." This, he thought, was not the time to tell her about his frantic midnight ramble. "Any particular reason you ask?" He wasn't defensive, he told himself. He wasn't still hurt or angry over the fact that she'd gone home to Reed Manor while he'd stayed with Ruby Moon in the hospital.

"Because six Daidouji Toys trucks just pulled up at the gate and said that we had a delivery. SIX!" Ruby Moon was almost literally beside herself. "And I buzzed them in at the gate and they're pulling up to the door right now!"

Spinel met them at the door. "I believe Daidouji Tomoyo-san has sent us something."

She had, indeed, sent them something. A rather lot of something. Eriol counted over fifty bunches of balloons, weighted down with teddy bears, bags of sweets and dried fruits; the largest bunch was attached to a jigsaw puzzle. He grinned as Ruby Moon began to collect the cards attached to the balloons while Spinel hovered above, directing her movements through the forest of Mylar.

"Is there a letter in all of this?" Eriol laughed, crawling on the floor with Ruby Moon and pulling the gift tags off.

"If you put them all together, they should form a letter." Spinel said, smiling despite himself.

"Good idea Suppi!" Ruby Moon crowed, standing suddenly and disrupting the canopy. And so they began the work of laying the cards out, trying to find the correct order. Sometime in the excitement, Kaho left to unpack. Eventually, as Kaho finished and rejoined them, they had a finished product.

Haikei minna,

I was horrified to hear of Ruby Moon-san's accident and am very glad that everything turned out okay. I wish I could have been there during the crisis, but since I couldn't then I hope that these balloons will cheer you up for me.

Eriol-kun, I am very happy to be your friend, whenever you need one.

Keigu,

Tomoyo-san.

PS. I would be honored to help you in your new project, Eriol-kun.

"Tomoyo-san." Eriol grinned. "I'll have to write, right away."

"What 'new project' Eriol?" Kaho frowned. He didn't hear her; he was already in his study.

* * *

"Sakura-chan, you're putting in salt, not sugar." Tomoyo smiled and took the measuring cup from Sakura. "This is the first time that you're making chocolates for Li-kun, isn't it?"

"Un." Sakura muttered. "I need to get this right. He's so far away; this needs to be special." The Sweet suddenly glowed on the countertop. The Move must have brought it, because it hadn't been there before. Sakura didn't even blink. "I appreciate the offer, but I want to do this all on my own." She told the card as she dropped the bowl of candy sprinkles on the floor. "Mou! I need extra hands, Tomoyo-chan!" Mirror appeared in her true form and then slid into Sakura's. Tomoyo stared.

"I can help." The new Sakura said. "I would like to make a chocolate for Oniisama."

"Oniichan?!" Sakura, the original, yelped. Mirror-Sakura flushed.

Tomoyo knew that Kinomoto-sensei and Touya knew about the Cards and the Guardians now, but she had the sensation that Touya had known long before Sakura-chan had breathed a word. He was sharp-eyed, especially regarding Sakura. She tilted her head and studied Mirror. Or, more precisely, Mirror's hair ribbons. Which she hadn't had before, Tomoyo was sure. She shifted and glanced at Sakura and then back at Mirror. Touya, she decided, was a very loving older brother; to more than one little sister. She smiled.

"It would be good to have help." She told Sakura, then turned to Mirror. "What shape do you want for Touya-san's chocolate?" Mirror beamed.

"O-okay…" Sakura stuttered. "Tomoyo-chan, who are you going to make chocolates for? Other than me, because you always make my chocolates at your house and when I said I wanted you to come over to make chocolates with me you said yes and you set up your video camera, you're not holding it." Sakura finished in a rush.

Tomoyo stirred her chocolate thoughtfully. She didn't know why, exactly, she was doing this. Making more chocolates than just those for Sakura, making them with Sakura rather than at her house. "Eriol-kun." She said at last. "And Ruby Moon and Spinel." She didn't want to make any for Mizuki-sensei. She didn't know why she felt that way either. "And Mizuki-sensei, I guess. I wouldn't want her to be left out."

"Mizuki-sensei doesn't like sweets, she really doesn't. Tomoyo-chan?" Sakura asked gently. "I know that you're sad that the person you love most doesn't love you back. I wish that you did have somebody who loved you most, so that you could love them most too." While Tomoyo blinked, Sakura went back to measuring, sugar this time.

"Tomoyo-chan? Can I ask you another question?" Tomoyo wasn't sure she should risk it, but nodded nonetheless. "Why do you call Akizuki-san 'Ruby Moon' all the time? I call Yukito-san 'Yukito-san' but not 'Yue-san' and I don't call Yue-san 'Yukito-san'."

"I think it's because Eriol-kun calls her Ruby Moon all the time." Tomoyo said, pouring chocolate to be molded. "And really, Ruby Moon isn't so different from Akizuki-san as Tsukishiro-san is from Yue-san. They're different people, even if they're alike in some ways, Tsukishiro-san and Yue-san, I mean. But Ruby Moon and Akizuki Nakuru are like looking at two different pictures of the same person. Spinel is just Spinel even when he's in his big form."

"Oh." Sakura shrugged. "I guess that makes sense. Akizuki-san always knew about Ruby Moon-san and Yukito-san didn't know about Yue-san. So they would be different from each other."

Mirror began to hum. "Cerberus-san says that Clow-sama must have loved Yue-san best because Spinel Sun-san is a lot like Yue-san. And that Ruby Moon-san is not at all like him because she is 'flighty and giggly and all she thinks about are stupid things like boys'. Do you think that's true? We always thought that Clow-sama loved them the same."

It was a lucky thing that Fujitaka was in the house to stop the chocolates from burning; Sakura and Tomoyo were laughing to hard to touch them without getting burnt.

* * *

Kaho had a plate of chocolate hearts sitting on his desk in the study when he came home from school. Eriol smiled. "I thought that you'd forgotten when I didn't find any chocolates in my locker."

She giggled as she stepped out from behind a set of bookshelves. "I didn't want to disrupt you at school." She leaned to kiss him, softly. "Happy Valentines Day, Eriol." She whispered. "I hope…"

"MAIL!" Nakuru chirruped, sliding into the study in her stocking feet. "There's mail!" Kaho blinked and drew away from Eriol.

"Akizuki-san, we have mail almost every day."

"Not from Tomoyo-chan!" Ruby Moon bubbled. "That's the only mail we're interested in." She handed a letter and a box to Eriol. "Open it! Openitopenitopenit!"

Spinel floated into the room, carrying the rest of the day's mail. "My fault. I laced her tea with brandy for her cough. Perhaps I shouldn't have. It seems to have an odd effect." Spinel snickered, his smile clearly reading 'payback'. Eriol grinned at both of them.

"So. Let's see what news there is." He smiled at Kaho and bit into one of her chocolates as he opened Tomoyo's letter and began to read.

Haikei Eriol-kun and Ruby Moon and Spinel,

Happy Valentines Day! This year Sakura-chan, Mirror-san, and I made our chocolates together. Sakura-chan had to make a huge batch of chocolates for everybody that she loves. I was only going to make one chocolate, but I decided that I wanted to send a Valentine's gift to my very good friends in England. I don't know what they do for Valentines in England but I decided that I don't want you to feel neglected when everybody in Tomoeda is celebrating. Plus I had a lot more ingredients than I needed. The dried fruits are for Spinel. Ruby Moon, please don't force your chocolates on Spinel or I might think that you didn't like them. And I worked very hard on them, just for you.

Keigu,

Tomoyo-san

PS. I would have sent some for Mizuki-sensei, but Sakura-chan was most adamant that Mizuki-sensei didn't like candies, and I didn't know what I might send for her.

"Butterfly candies!" Nakuru trilled. "For Ruby Moon's wings!" She pawed through the destroyed box. "And look, she cut the fruits like butterflies for Suppi! Do you have butterflies too, Eriol?" She asked, and looked up when she got no answer. "Eriol?"

"Hm? No. No butterflies. Piano keys." He showed them the bar of chocolate, shaped like a keyboard. "Either she remembers the time we did music together or the time I chased her with a piano. It was the same day, anyway. Actually, this reminds me of something I was going to ask her…" He grinned suddenly. "Well. We shall have to see about finding an appropriate White Day present, won't we?"

Kaho didn't comment.

* * *

Tomoyo was well aware of Sakura, bouncing impatiently just outside the door of the music room, and was sorry about having to ignore her. But Matsu-sensei was asking for the impossible.

"Sensei, I would be honored to do a solo at the concert, however doing a new piece, an original piece…" Tomoyo sighed. "I don't know if I'd have time to learn a new piece, let alone write an original one."

Matsu-Sensei sighed too. "I still think it's a lovely idea. And it would stretch your boundaries, really challenge you. And you're such an exceptional student, Daidouji-san."

"Demo, demo, demo…Tomoyo-chan!" Sakura burst out. "What about that song that Eriol-kun sent to you! It's really pretty…the parts that you were playing before school. You could learn the words to that, couldn't you?"

Tomoyo winced. "Sakura-chan, it doesn't have words yet. That is why Eriol-kun sent it to me, to help with the words. And it isn't mine, I don't have permission to sing it at the concert."

"But you could get permission, right?" Matsu-sensei was quick to catch on to the mini-disaster.

"The song isn't finished. The words and the music both need work. It's still very new." Tomoyo thought quickly. "I could sing 'Gomenne' or 'Jinchouge'." She volunteered.

Sakura's eyes glittered hopefully. "You and Eriol-kun could finish the song before the Spring Concert, I know you could. And it would be so pretty and just like having Eriol-kun back in Tomoeda!"

"I'm sure your class would like that very much." Matsu-sensei agreed.

Tomoyo gave in to the inevitable. "I will try my hardest, Sensei." Sakura cheered as Tomoyo fished the sheet music out of her bag for the teacher to inspect. Eriol's letter fluttered out with it. Sakura picked it up, her eyes flashing over it.

Haikei Tomoyo-san,

There is no 'White Day' in England. Valentines Day is a day when friends give each other cards and gifts, both the boys and the girls. And it's hard to find white anything in England in the early spring. So you will have to make due with our pitiful, homemade offerings.

Ruby Moon made the chocolate, so be careful if you eat it. Spinel made the hair-ribbons (it's amazing how well he can tat lace with his claws, really) and I wrote the song. You'll notice that, yes, it is an unfinished song and, yes, you might say 'Eriol-kun, that's not much of a White Day gift' and you'd be semi-right. I was hoping that you might find time to help me finish the song. It needs words, and I think you have them. I also think I have the song in the wrong octave for your voice. Feel free to make any corrections you like.

Please, Tomoyo-san, the song has tormented me.

Keigu,

Eriol-kun

Sakura did a double take. "Eriol-kun sent you a White Day present?" She slid a sly look at Tomoyo, and the white ribbons in Tomoyo's hair. "Hoeeee." She giggled. "Tomoyo-chan, you didn't tell me."

"He sent it as a friend." She said calmly. "Because I sent him a 'just-friends' Valentine chocolate." She all but snatched the song away from Matsu-sensei. It was a very special song. Eriol, she knew, didn't send his music to just anybody. "I need to get home. Now." Maybe she could drown herself and spare herself some embarrassment.

* * *

He could, he supposed, blame it on something. He could. But Eriol had the feeling that Tomoyo-san would see through whatever excuse he gave her. But he liked to needle her a little bit. Just a little. And, he thought, she enjoyed needling him back.

Haikei Eriol-kun,

First, I must ask your permission to perform the song you sent me at the Spring Concert. Second I need you to finish picking with the melody as soon as possible. The Summer Concert is in less than three months. Matsu-sensei won't let me do a song I already know. She wants to 'test my limits' with a new and original song. And Sakura-chan overheard me playing part of the song before school. I don't mean to be rushed in this letter, but I've also been chosen to be the narrator and costume designer for the class musical. Remind me; why do I do these things?

And you were right, the scale on the song is too low for me. I sing a soprano, but I can do mezzo-soprano too, if it's in the higher end. I've finished the words; it's what's taken me so long to get back to you. I've also changed bits and pieces of the melody to fit my voice better.

Thank you all for the lovely White Day presents. I like the song very much, even if it wasn't finished.

Keigu,

Tomoyo-san

He looked at the score he'd sent to Tomoyo. She had marked her changes in red ink and written the words in blue. He examined the changes for a few moments. Very few people really pushed at Daidouji Tomoyo. It was a crying shame, really. Snickering, he reached for Ruby Moon's stationary.

"What are you doing?" Ruby Moon asked, peeking over from her desk, where she was ignoring her history essay.

"More importantly, why are you snickering?" Spinel added from the top of the bookshelf.

"Fixing the mistakes Tomoyo made." Eriol told them. He began to hum.

Kaho, who had been standing in the doorway ever since the mail was brought in, walked past him and picked up the sheet music that Tomoyo had sent. "The song looks fine." She said, putting it down again. "I think your work on it is done, really." She bent to kiss Eriol on the head. "It's a lovely song."

Eriol grinned up at her. "It's not finished yet."

* * *

Haikei Tomoyo-san,

Really, you should try to test your limits. I've moved the song down on the bridge, and up one on the first lines of the second chorus. Also, I've changed some of the words. I'm all for songs that are light-hearted and cheery, but this one calls for some more emotion than 'bouncy and cute'. I've sent the changes. It should sound great at the Summer Concert.
And you do 'these things' because you're good at them, and everybody loves for you to do them. You also do them because you really like to, despite what you say to me. You just don't like the stress that goes with them. So, since misery loves company, I'll let you in on a secret. I'll be playing this song at my End of the School Year Concert. The soprano who'll be singing it (no, not in Japanese) won't do as good a job as you will. In fact, she's a tad tone deaf. Pray for me.
Keigu, Eriol-kun
Tomoyo glanced from the letter to the sheet music that Eriol had corrected and sent back. He'd marked over her corrections in green. He'd also changed more than 'some' of the words. She contemplated the letter again. The tone of it was light-hearted and exceedingly cheerful. Her eyes narrowed. Eriol-kun was playing innocent and sweet. And while he was occasionally very sweet, he wasn't innocent by a long shot. She picked up the phone.
"Sakura-chan, tell me I shouldn't do it." She instructed when Sakura answered the phone.
"Tomoyo-chan?"
"Tell me I shouldn't make the song sickeningly sweet and sugary." Tomoyo asked, with a smile. On the other end of the line, Sakura blinked.
"Tomoyo-chan? What happened?"
"Eriol-kun sent back the song. With changes. Some of them are good changes, but some he did just to see what I would do." Tomoyo explained.
Sakura's smile came down the line. "I think that you should make the song as good as you can. Even if Eriol-kun makes changes. You can make changes too, right? Don't make the song bad; you have to sing it soon. And besides, Eriol-kun really loves his music. You can tell from the way it sounds."

* * *

Kaho noticed Eriol's odd behavior. He knew she noticed and he wondered why she didn't ask about it. Normally his barely repressed excitement made her very curious. Especially since the first copy of his book had arrived the week before. True, it was a fairly dull book for anybody who didn't do magic and they'd known in advance that it was coming. He wondered, briefly, why she wasn't more interested in the fact that his excitement hadn't abated.
"There's MAIL, Eriol!" Ruby Moon caroled, caroming into the library where he was having tea with Kaho. Kaho set her teacup down gently. "There was mail yesterday, too, Akizuki-san." She murmured. "You didn't come running then." "There wasn't mail yesterday." Nakuru stated; eyeing Kaho as though she'd lost most, but possibly not all, of her marbles. She looked back at Eriol, already risen and heading for the door. "I put it on your desk." She said, unnecessarily.
"Thank you, Ruby Moon." He called, heading into the study. He tore into the envelope eagerly.
Haikei Eriol-kun,
You've made the song too dark and gloomy. It's very depressing. Not to worry, I've fixed it, and made the first verse slower. You must remember to thank Sakura-chan next time you write to her, as she talked me out of making the song into something a diabetic couldn't stomach without serious risks.
I wish you good luck in your performance. Perhaps you can find somebody to tape it. I would like to see how you play the song. Matsu-sensei has chosen Takako-san to accompany me, which was an action I protested. He is good, but I still would rather have used a tape as accompaniment. Mother is going to tape the concert again, and if you like I will send you a copy.
Keigu, Tomoyo-san
He laughed as he began to make his corrections to the music, speeding up the first verse again (though not as much as before) and changing the notes on some of the words, making some lower and some higher. He also added three lines at the end. He left most of Tomoyo's corrections alone. They made sense; he could hear the song in his head. It was turning out to be very nice. Grinning, he began to write his letter to Tomoyo.

* * *

Haikei Tomoyo-san,

You're supposed to be stretching your limits. I've taken the liberty of fixing the tempo and I've changed some of the movement in the second verse. I think the song is just about finished.

Ruby Moon is already coming to watch me play, but I don't trust her with a video camera. Do you think Spinel could manage a camera? Or would he be too obvious? Currently I plan to have him stuffed into Ruby Moon's jacket, unless you have a better idea.

Keigu,

Eriol-kun

Tomoyo picked up her pen and began slashing out the last chorus. She smiled as she changed the notes in the second paragraph. "You were the one who didn't want 'bouncy'." She informed the music. Sonomi stared.

"Tomoyo? Is that your song for the Summer Concert?"

"Yes, it is. It's almost finished." Tomoyo smiled at her mother. "Eriol-kun made a few mistakes." She began to hum the newest version of the song. "I've fixed them."

* * *

Eriol was humming as he made his way back from the Post Box on the corner. It was the newest-new version of his and Tomoyo's song. He opened the front door at the same time he opened his mouth to sing. Kaho caught him in a hug before he could start.

"You were very cute, dancing your way back from the Post Box." She informed him. "What were you mailing out? More lies for Takashi-kun?"

He grinned broadly. "Nope. Mail for Tomoyo-san."

Kaho drew back, without letting him go. "Really? It must have been a short letter."

"She sent me a short letter." He informed her, still sparking with laughter. He fished it out of his pocket and handed it to Kaho to read.

Haikei Eriol-kun,

I've fixed the massacre you made of the second verse and removed the last chorus entirely. I think you were right about the end needing something more, but I'm currently at a loss as to what exactly. If I come up with something for the end, I'll be sure to let you know. Stop hurting my White Day present.

And have Spinel sit on Ruby Moon's shoulder. When Ruby Moon leans forward to 'look' through the eyepiece her hair (if she leaves it down) will hide Spinel so that he can do the actual work with the camera.

Keigu,

Tomoyo-san

Kaho re-read the letter. The words and the tone were at odds. "Well," She said at last. "Daidouji-chan sounds very busy." Eriol's grin became a full blown 'beam'.

"She is. Plus, we're arguing." Eriol ducked out of Kaho's arms and began to waltz his way to his music room. "Yozora ni matataku negaiboshi...me wo tojite mata ashita." he sang on his way. "Close your eyes, until tomorrow."

* * *

Haikei Tomoyo-san,

I didn't hurt your White Day present. You did, when you killed the ending chorus. Thankfully, I've found a good replacement for it. I like it. I think it brings the song full circle. I've left your other changes as they are, because they sound beautiful when I play it. And now, somewhat unhappily, I think our song is finished.

And because Takako-san just wouldn't understand the work and heartache that went into this song, and therefore not do it proper justice, I've made you a tape. Please forgive Ruby Moon's commentary throughout. She tends to get emotional over the oddest things.

Keigu,

Eriol-kun

Tomoyo folded the letter with a smile, closing her eyes to listen to the rich sounds of Eriol's piano as it moved into the close of the song. He was right, it was beautiful. But there was one thing that he was wrong about…

"Tomoyo-san, it's time to go to the rehearsal for the musical!" One of her bodyguards called.

"I'll be right there!" She called, grabbing her pen and a piece of paper. "I need a moment to finish this." She wrote, paused and wrote again. She grabbed an envelope and headed for the waiting car. "We'll need to stop at a Post Box on the way. This needs to go out as soon as possible."

* * *

Eriol hadn't look at the mail in quite that way since the delivery of the balloons in the winter. Touched, and sweetly vulnerable. Kaho stared at him openly, one eyebrow quirked slightly in irritation. And Ruby Moon was not helping matters by bouncing around, insisting that Eriol play the song one more time. Spinel, perched on Eriol's shoulder, was smiling at the letter and the by now multi-colored sheet music.

Eriol smiled at Kaho. "It's finished." He told her. She'd been, he thought, very disrupted by the excitement of writing the song. Especially in addition to the work he'd been putting into helping Spinel and Ruby Moon learn to use the camcorder.

"Finished? Just now?" She asked, frowning. "What other corrections could Daidouji-chan have made? It was wonderful to begin with."

Eriol rose, bringing the letter to where she stood in the door. "But it wasn't half the song that it is now." He was positively glowing with happiness. "And she didn't change anything. She added something. The title. She named the song after us."

Kaho took the paper. "She named it 'Hiiragizawa and Daidouji'?" She asked archly. Eriol winced at the sharpness of her tone. The song, this song, made him sensitive.

"No, no, Kaho. She named it 'Mata Ashita'. For us. See?" He asked, happily. Kaho merely raised both eyebrows and shook her head. "Because that's how we wrote it. Each of us waiting for the next week to see it." He smiled again. "'Until Tomorrow', you see?" He stepped back as Kaho reached to take Tomoyo's letter from his other hand. But he didn't protest as she read it, even though she'd never really seemed to want to read his letters before.

Haikei Eriol-kun,

The song wasn't quite finished. You forgot to give it a name. So I gave it one, which you may change if you like. I know that the song isn't really about us, but as it's our first song together, I thought that it should carry a least a small part of us in it; I named it for the way that it was written, because we had to wait for each other.

Thank you all for the tape. You play beautifully. Ruby Moon has a perfect right to get 'all emotional'.

Keigu,

Tomoyo-san

Kaho left without saying anything more; Eriol thought about going after her until Ruby Moon called his attention to the piano and his promise to play the song one last time for her, before anybody else could hear it.

* * *

Eriol was, once again, bouncing with excitement. Kaho eyed him thoughtfully. "You've had mail from Daidouji-chan, have you?" She asked, walking into the study. Eriol blinked. It was becoming a rare thing for Kaho to come into the study; she said, often, that she preferred to leave him in peace with his work.

"No." His grin was blinding. "No, news from Yamazaki-kun." He positively beamed. "Wonderful news."

"Are you going to tell us, or just hug it to yourself." Kaho smiled.

"I can't tell you. He made me promise." Eriol's smile, if anything, brightened more. "I'll tell you when everybody else finds out."

Kaho hugged him. "Ah, then you were waiting for me to come home? Sweet, but you didn't have to wait up."

Eriol hugged her back. "I wasn't. I need to catch Tomoyo-san before she goes to school." He frowned as Kaho stepped back out of his arms. "Do you think it's too early yet?"

"You're going to tell Daidouji-chan? But not us?" She asked.

"No. Not really. Not tell her." He said, brows drawing together. Eyes still on Kaho, he picked up the phone and began to dial. "But I do need to talk to her. She needs to know about today."

"It's probably too early. Daidouji-chan probably gets driven to school and wouldn't be awake yet." Kaho said, turning to leave the room.

"Tomoyo-san walks to school, as long as it's not raining." Eriol muttered distractedly, now concentrating on the last few digits. "She's probably ready to leave by now, breakfast is always finished early on Monday's. She has Choir in the morning."

"You know when breakfast is and how she goes to school?" Kaho's voice distracted him from the phone for a moment. "I suppose she knows how you spend your days as well?" Eriol nodded and covered the phone.

"There was toast on one of her letters. She apologized. As for the other: Probably. We do talk about what we do during the—Is Tomoyo-san there?" He cut himself off. Kaho left without waiting to hear more.

* * *

"Tomoyo-chan, it was so lucky that you had your camera in school today!" Sakura was nearly dancing in the streets. "I can't believe Yamazaki-kun and Chiharu-chan are engaged!" Sakura grabbed Tomoyo's hands. "The first in our class to get engaged! Hanyaan!"

"They're certainly the first to announce their engagement." Tomoyo agreed, turning the camera on Sakura. "Do you think you'll be next?" Sakura, predictably, blushed hard.

"Tomoyo-chaaaaan." She kept blushing. "Syaoran-kun and I haven't talked about it." Tomoyo turned the camera off.

"But he's trying to come back from Hong Kong for you, again, for good. I think it must mean something, Sakura-chan." She smiled and took pity on her friend. "And it wasn't luck that I brought my camera. Eriol-kun called me this morning and told me that, quote: You'll want to bring it. There's a surprise waiting for today." Tomoyo laughed. "I thought he was talking about the book."

"You knew about the book too?" Sakura stopped, astounded. "Tomoyo-chan, how often do you and Eriol-kun talk?"

"I've been helping Eriol-kun decide which stories to send to the editors. I've known about this book since before Yamazaki did." Tomoyo laughed. "And we don't talk often. Today was the first time he called me. We write a lot; once a week or more." Tomoyo stopped walking when it looked like Sakura wasn't going to join her. "Sakura-chan?"

"You write that much to each other?" Sakura asked, staring hard at her friend. Tomoyo nodded and Sakura launched herself at her, grabbing her in a hug. "Tomoyo-chan! Why didn't you tell me? I'm so happy for you!"

Tomoyo accept the hug, as she had no other choice. "Sakura-chan? Tell you what?"

"About Eriol-kun and you!" Sakura hugged her tighter. "I'm so glad that you have somebody who loves you best! And that you love him too! I kept thinking that you must be so sad, since I can't love you like you want me too and because I have Syaoran-kun. Oh, Tomoyo-chan. I'm so happy!"

Tomoyo stroked Sakura's hair in shock. "Sakura-chan? I'm going to have to shatter some of these notions." She warned gently.

* * *

"And then Tomoyo-chan writes 'In other news, Takashi-kun, in preparation for this year's festival and in memoriam of last year's, has come up with a story involving earthquakes and festivals. It includes impoverished villages, giant moles and sugar cakes. I suggest you ask him for the rest of the story.'" Ruby Moon read.

"Yeah? That's a good one." Eriol muttered, pulling at a piece of ribbon.

"It is. Maybe you can use that one." Eriol shook his head and Ruby Moon continued reading. "'I don't think I ever properly thanked you for coming to help us last year. I think, sometimes, that you blame yourself for not showing up until after Sakura-chan sealed the Void card. But without your information, Sakura-chan could not have done her best.'"

Eriol's head came up and he eyed his Guardian suspiciously. "She did not write that."

"She did so." Ruby Moon lifted the letter so that he could see it. "Besides, if they really were mad that you didn't help more, cute little Li Xiao-Lang would have put poison in your tea at the party. Tomoyo-chan finishes it 'If you would like, I could send you the information on this year's festival. However since your first book is coming out for the public soon, we will all understand if you cannot make it. I will send you the tapes if you can't. --Keigu, Tomoyo-san.'"

"You won't be able to make it, I don't think. The publisher wants you available for signings and a question-answer session." Mizuki informed them from the door.

"We'll have to look into the dates." Eriol muttered. "We might be able to manage it."

"Do you want me to start writing a reply to her, Eriol? Eriol, if you keep moving that way, you'll twist poor Suppi's head right off."

"Gaaahik." Spinel agreed.

Eriol stopped moving. "I'll write to her myself, when I'm done here."

Spinel sighed. "We won't ever be done in here. We've been stuck in this since last night."

Kaho stepped out of the way as Nakuru went for paper and a writing board. She didn't say anything. Eriol tried out his most charming smile on her.

"Eriol, don't move that arm!" Spinel wheezed as Kaho made no move to free them.

"I'm going to write first, and then you can tell me what you want to say to her." Ruby Moon announced, sitting down on the floor.

"'Haikei, Tomoyo-chan,'" She muttered. "'I get to write to you because Eriol and Suppi-chan are stuck in the cat's-cradle room. They're stuck really, really good this time, too. It's been six hours! And Eriol said a whole lot of nasty words. If I could reach him, I'd have to wash his mouth out with soap.'"

"Don't tell her that!" Eriol muttered, struggling to get out of the ribbons entangling him. "Spinel, help me."

"I can't. My claws can't reach anything."

"Spinel Sun, change to your true form and help me, damn it."

"I can't do that without your legs popping off."

"'The cat's-cradle room is a big, empty room with only ribbons crossing all over the place. Eriol and Suppi play huge, elaborate games in here with the string. I like it because it makes pretty patterns with the colors.'" Ruby Moon continued with relish. "'I'm not allowed to get them down when they get stuck because Eriol really wants to beat Suppi, only he can't because Suppi is a cat and it's his game. Mizuki-sensei won't get them down because she says it's too childish that they even have this room.'"

"Akizuki-san, Daidouji-chan doesn't need to know all this. Eriol can write to her later." Kaho reprimanded.

"Eriol likes to write to Tomoyo-chan right away." Nakuru protested, still absorbed in her task. "'Don't worry, eventually Eriol and Suppi will get out. Even if it means Suppi is drunk and strange for days and we have to buy all new ribbons for the room. Does Touya-kun miss me a lot?'"

"Ruby Moon, help us!" Eriol called, now upside-down.

"I can't help you. That's the rules. 'I don't like my school here as much as I liked school in Tomoeda. The uniforms aren't as cute and all the cute boys are too short.' Okay, I'm done with my part! What did you want to say?"

"Akizuki-san, really. Eriol will write later." Kaho sighed.

"Tell Tomoyo-san that I already know all about the moles and the sugar cakes and did she know that mountains were once the sites of ancient festivals that the moles had tried to get to? The top of Mount Everest is made out of sweets that the festival-patrons tried to save."

"'…tried to save…'is that all, Eriol?" Ruby Moon blinked as Kaho strode past her and stuffed a cookie into Spinel's mouth.

"Tell her that I'll write more later. I might have to go to the hospital tonight."

* * *

Haikei Eriol-kun,

Wonderful news! Li-kun is coming back to Tomoeda next term! Sakura-chan had a phone call from him last night and he told her that he is being allowed to finish his schooling in Japan, with us. Meiling-chan might be joining him, he said, but I don't think she will. She hasn't told him about her new boyfriend yet.

Sakura-chan said nothing about an engagement, and of course there are only a handful of us who know that Sakura-chan and Li-kun are involved, but I think that moving back to Tomoeda is a very big step, don't you agree? Sakura-chan is so excited that I don't think she even slept last night. Which made it very easy for me to extract her promise that I could tape the big reunion scene. I intend to have my camera ready on the first day of the new term, too. Would you like a copy of both tapes? I thought you might, as you had as much to do with their relationship as I did.

Keigu,

Tomoyo-san

PS. I might feel badly about telling you Sakura-chan's big news, but Sakura-chan will probably not be able to think of writing to anybody for a very long time. Have I mentioned that she's excited?

Eriol grinned broadly. "Medetashi," he murmured. He wished for a moment that Tomoyo-san were there, instead of her letter. He had the overwhelming urge to hug somebody, most especially to hug Tomoyo-san for doing so much to see his relative and his prodigy together.

"Nani?" Ruby Moon muttered crossly, bent over her books. "What's so great?" She lifted her head to blink owlishly at him. His grin was blazingly happy.

"Xiao-Lang is going to be staying in Tomoeda for the rest of his schooling." Eriol braced himself as Ruby Moon flung herself on him exuberantly.

"Mono-SUGOI!" She shrieked, squeezing him. "He and Sakura-chan are so sweet together. And now they'll be together all the time. Oh, oh, oh, is Tomoyo-chan going to send us tapes of them being all shy and embarrased and kawaii?"

Eriol laughed again. "So she says." He hugged her back.

"So who says what?" Kaho asked, not venturing into the room. "I thought you were working on 'Magick Discoveries of the Modern World in Archeological Finds'." She tilted her head.

"He was." Spinel said from, coming in from the kitchen. "Until I brought him the mail."

"Word from the publisher?" Kaho asked. She looked too upset to really think it was from his publisher, Eriol thought. He knew that usually Kaho was much more excited to hear from the companies publishing his serious works. He was right in his assumption. "Or more great news from Tomoeda?"

"It IS great news!" Nakuru chirped. "Xiao-Lang is coming to be with his Sakura-chan! Forever!"

"Or at least until University." Spinel agreed, browsing over the letter on Eriol's desk.

A soft, happy smile lit Kaho's face, changing her demeanor entirely. "Sakura-chan wrote? Why didn't I see the letter?" She beamed.

"Oh, not Sakura-san." Eriol said, holding the letter out to Kaho. "Tomoyo-san wrote." He blinked as Kaho stepped back. He looked at the letter in his hand. "She says that Sakura-san is really excited, on cloud nine." He told her, smiling, wanting her to smile again. "She didn't think Sakura-san would even think to write anybody, she's so happy."

Kaho stepped into the hallway without looking at the letter. "I'm going to write to Sakura-chan and tell her how happy I am for her. This is truly great news for her." She turned and walked away. "I'll be in the solarium, if you'd like to join me." She offered.

"Okay." He said. "I'll just write Tomoyo-san first, and then I'll join you in writing Sakura-san." Kaho didn't answer him, though he'd seen her pause while he spoke. He lowered his hand and the still-proffered letter

* * *

Glossary of sorts. Again, you should know some of these words by now.

Demo: But...
Medetashi: A way of saying 'great!' or 'wonderful!'
Nani: What?
Monosugoi: Wonderful! Great! Super!
Kawaii: Cute, sweet, precious, darling etc.
Minna: Everyone, everybody. It's pretty multi-use.
Oniichan/Oniisama: Big brother (Sakura uses the first, pretty informal and cute, Mirror uses the second, formal and more respectful)
Un: Yup. A short, simple way of saying 'yes'.
Hanyaan: It's a Sakura word like 'hoe'. This one kind of implies a 'sweeeeeeeeeet' mixed with pink, cuddly, babies and fluffy-kitty feelings.