"You're early today."Tomoyo commented when she saw Eriol on the front door.
He smiled dryly."I got fired."He loosened his tie as he plopped down his seat.
Her eyebrow arched inquiringly.
"Ms.Elisa wants me to be her beau."he explained."I said no,and I told her I already have a woman in my house."
Tomoyo laughed."Why didn't you just humor her so you could keep your job?"
"What?And let a poor sweet girl like her live on false hope?"he asked in mock horror.He sniffed the air."Something smells good.What's for dinner tonight?"
"Spaghetti and meatballs."she replied."And my special salad."
He grinned."Ah,how you manage to budget the meager amount I give you and still present me a meal fit for a king is still a mystery to me."
"And that will forever remain to be one,Eriol.Let's just say,it's one of the special skills only women like me possess."she bantered."Now let's head to the dinner table.It must have been one rough day for you."
"You can say that again."he muttered as he followed her.He then noticed Tomoyo's sudden silence."What is it,Tomoyo?"
She forced a smile."Please don't mind me.I just..remembered something."
"Are you feeling well?"He touched her forehead with concern."Do you want me to take you to the doctor?"
"No,please sit down,Eriol.I'm ok."she replied.
He reluctantly sat down but he didn't pick up the spoon.Instead he said,"Join me for dinner."
"No thank-"
"I will not take no for an answer.If you won't eat then I won't eat too."
She laughed."Ok."She got a plate and sat down beside him."You're really gifted in the art of blackmail."
"I prefer to call it 'the art of convincing'."he replied coyly.
Minutes later,Eriol glanced at Tomoyo who was twirling the spaghetti around but was not making a move to eat it.He put his fork down."Tomoyo,you're not eating."
She looked up,startled."H-Huh?"
He sighed."Tomoyo,please stop worrying me.Tell me what is wrong."
She blinked."Y-You're..worried?"That's the first time she ever heard him say that.
He laughed uneasily."O-Of course."
"Then don't.I-I was just thinking..it's Li's birthday tonight."she explained.
Eriol looked at the calendar.July 13.Suddenly the food tasted like dead leaves to him."So that's why our dinner was extra special tonight."he scowled.
She vigorously shook her head."No,it's not true."
He wiped his mouth with a napkin and stood up."Get dressed."
Her violet eyes looked up at him puzzled.
A tiny smile crept up his face."I'm taking you out tonight."
"Did you enjoy the concert?"Eriol asked as he and Tomoyo walked home from the park where an open air concert was held.
She nodded enthusiastically."Yes,the songs were great,but I especially liked the third one with a violin accompaniment-"
As she talked,Eriol only looked at her fondly.He didn't know the exact reason why he suddenly took her out tonight.All he knew was he's determined to cheer Tomoyo up and make her forget Li through his company.
"-this talk made me hungry.Why don't we get some ice cream?"she suggested.
He nodded."Alright,what do you want?"
"Chocolate!"
He smiled."Then let's go get that cone."
Soon they were together under the starry sky as they ate their just-bought dessert.
Tomoyo twirled around happily."The night is so beautiful!"
"You're beautiful too."he said softly.
She stopped twirling around and looked at him."Huh?"
"I said,you're beautiful."he repeated as he walked towards her."Very beautiful."
Her face turned pink."N-No one has ever told me that before."
He looked surprised."Really?Either they're blind or they're idiots."
Her face turned into a deeper shade of red."I-I..d-dont know what to say.."She stepped away,laughing nervously as she did so."R-Really..this is-"Suddenly she tripped and fell down the ground.
Eriol rushed to her side and helped her up."Hey are you ok?"
She felt his arm around her shoulder but she didn't dare look up.She knew how close they were,and they were never this close before."Don't look up!"she counseled herself."Don't look up or you might do something that you'll regret later."She looked down at her ice cream on the ground instead.
He followed her gaze.He then handed her his own."Here."
She looked up and found herself looking at the clearest blue eyes she had ever seen."T-Thanks."But she didn't make a move to get the ice cream.She just closed her eyes in anticipation and waited.
Eriol felt his throat go dry."Tomoyo.."he bent down,but hesitated.He looked at her again and gulped."She's waiting."he told himself.
He tipped her chin up,unsure of what to do next.No,he must first be sure whether Tomoyo really wants this or not."Tomoyo?"
"Li?"she whispered.
Eriol felt like he was slapped.He released her."I am not Li."he snapped coldly.
Tomoyo's eyes flapped open in surprise."Haah?"She stepped back,the colors rushing out of her face.
He ran his fingers through his hair in quiet anger.Damn her!he thought.God,why did the mere mention of one name caused him so much pain?
Hurt?He's hurt?was it his male pride and ego that got hurt,or did she wound something else in him?He didn't know,and he didn't want to know anymore.
"I-I'm really sorry,Eriol."her voice was barely above a whisper.
Sorry?She's sorry?That's all she can say?He exhaled sharply."Nice to know you finally recalled my name."his words dripped with sarcasm.
Tomoyo flinched."I'm sorry."
Go to hell!He wanted to shout,but he merely turned to the direction of his car wordlessly.He was afraid he might scream at her and hurt her.He berated himself.After what she did,why was he still concerned about he feelings?And then again,if he opens his mouth,he might just..
..cry.
to be continued
He smiled dryly."I got fired."He loosened his tie as he plopped down his seat.
Her eyebrow arched inquiringly.
"Ms.Elisa wants me to be her beau."he explained."I said no,and I told her I already have a woman in my house."
Tomoyo laughed."Why didn't you just humor her so you could keep your job?"
"What?And let a poor sweet girl like her live on false hope?"he asked in mock horror.He sniffed the air."Something smells good.What's for dinner tonight?"
"Spaghetti and meatballs."she replied."And my special salad."
He grinned."Ah,how you manage to budget the meager amount I give you and still present me a meal fit for a king is still a mystery to me."
"And that will forever remain to be one,Eriol.Let's just say,it's one of the special skills only women like me possess."she bantered."Now let's head to the dinner table.It must have been one rough day for you."
"You can say that again."he muttered as he followed her.He then noticed Tomoyo's sudden silence."What is it,Tomoyo?"
She forced a smile."Please don't mind me.I just..remembered something."
"Are you feeling well?"He touched her forehead with concern."Do you want me to take you to the doctor?"
"No,please sit down,Eriol.I'm ok."she replied.
He reluctantly sat down but he didn't pick up the spoon.Instead he said,"Join me for dinner."
"No thank-"
"I will not take no for an answer.If you won't eat then I won't eat too."
She laughed."Ok."She got a plate and sat down beside him."You're really gifted in the art of blackmail."
"I prefer to call it 'the art of convincing'."he replied coyly.
Minutes later,Eriol glanced at Tomoyo who was twirling the spaghetti around but was not making a move to eat it.He put his fork down."Tomoyo,you're not eating."
She looked up,startled."H-Huh?"
He sighed."Tomoyo,please stop worrying me.Tell me what is wrong."
She blinked."Y-You're..worried?"That's the first time she ever heard him say that.
He laughed uneasily."O-Of course."
"Then don't.I-I was just thinking..it's Li's birthday tonight."she explained.
Eriol looked at the calendar.July 13.Suddenly the food tasted like dead leaves to him."So that's why our dinner was extra special tonight."he scowled.
She vigorously shook her head."No,it's not true."
He wiped his mouth with a napkin and stood up."Get dressed."
Her violet eyes looked up at him puzzled.
A tiny smile crept up his face."I'm taking you out tonight."
"Did you enjoy the concert?"Eriol asked as he and Tomoyo walked home from the park where an open air concert was held.
She nodded enthusiastically."Yes,the songs were great,but I especially liked the third one with a violin accompaniment-"
As she talked,Eriol only looked at her fondly.He didn't know the exact reason why he suddenly took her out tonight.All he knew was he's determined to cheer Tomoyo up and make her forget Li through his company.
"-this talk made me hungry.Why don't we get some ice cream?"she suggested.
He nodded."Alright,what do you want?"
"Chocolate!"
He smiled."Then let's go get that cone."
Soon they were together under the starry sky as they ate their just-bought dessert.
Tomoyo twirled around happily."The night is so beautiful!"
"You're beautiful too."he said softly.
She stopped twirling around and looked at him."Huh?"
"I said,you're beautiful."he repeated as he walked towards her."Very beautiful."
Her face turned pink."N-No one has ever told me that before."
He looked surprised."Really?Either they're blind or they're idiots."
Her face turned into a deeper shade of red."I-I..d-dont know what to say.."She stepped away,laughing nervously as she did so."R-Really..this is-"Suddenly she tripped and fell down the ground.
Eriol rushed to her side and helped her up."Hey are you ok?"
She felt his arm around her shoulder but she didn't dare look up.She knew how close they were,and they were never this close before."Don't look up!"she counseled herself."Don't look up or you might do something that you'll regret later."She looked down at her ice cream on the ground instead.
He followed her gaze.He then handed her his own."Here."
She looked up and found herself looking at the clearest blue eyes she had ever seen."T-Thanks."But she didn't make a move to get the ice cream.She just closed her eyes in anticipation and waited.
Eriol felt his throat go dry."Tomoyo.."he bent down,but hesitated.He looked at her again and gulped."She's waiting."he told himself.
He tipped her chin up,unsure of what to do next.No,he must first be sure whether Tomoyo really wants this or not."Tomoyo?"
"Li?"she whispered.
Eriol felt like he was slapped.He released her."I am not Li."he snapped coldly.
Tomoyo's eyes flapped open in surprise."Haah?"She stepped back,the colors rushing out of her face.
He ran his fingers through his hair in quiet anger.Damn her!he thought.God,why did the mere mention of one name caused him so much pain?
Hurt?He's hurt?was it his male pride and ego that got hurt,or did she wound something else in him?He didn't know,and he didn't want to know anymore.
"I-I'm really sorry,Eriol."her voice was barely above a whisper.
Sorry?She's sorry?That's all she can say?He exhaled sharply."Nice to know you finally recalled my name."his words dripped with sarcasm.
Tomoyo flinched."I'm sorry."
Go to hell!He wanted to shout,but he merely turned to the direction of his car wordlessly.He was afraid he might scream at her and hurt her.He berated himself.After what she did,why was he still concerned about he feelings?And then again,if he opens his mouth,he might just..
..cry.
to be continued
