Chapter 3: A Prank Meant to Change Everything

Sakura never felt so sad about her friend's situation. The media had known that Tomoyo was going to exhibit her latest conceptions in one of Eriol's territories. Being the best friend of Tomoyo, as well as the image model her company, Kinomoto Sakura had every right to know what happens to her friend. Every so often, she'd hear that Tomoyo and Eriol had successfully conquered new fashion territories. For example, Eriol has stolen a fashion territory from Tomoyo or the other way around. However, one thing is for certain, Japan is Tomoyo's and England is Eriol's.

Those two, she thought, they'll never stop. Like two warring lords, they'd do anything to get what they want. Like what I'm going to do. I'm going to get those to back together.

She knew there was something going on. Even if she never saw it. Not even if the two never showed it. Aside their arguments, they regarded each other with high respect and deep emotion. Only Tomoyo stopped believing that it was the same old Eriol she knew. Probably Tomoyo wasn't used to England.

++++++

"Thank you Sakura!" Tomoyo said. She had assigned Sakura to give out the invitations for the by-invitation party. She told Sakura not to do anything stupid but Sakura just hopped in her car and drove away.

"So I've delivered everything!" Sakura exclaimed. She was driving all day, delivering out the letters. Of course, she also took a quick ride to Hong Kong to personally give Syaoran his invitation. Sakura was already rich enough to have her own private jet.

"Hey! What's this?" she took out an envelope. It turned out to be an extra invitation. Tomoyo mustn't have noticed it. "What am I going to do with you?" she asked with a smirk.

++++++

"Hey Tomoyo! It's Sakura," the caller said.

"Sakura? Oh its you!" Tomoyo groggily replied. Then she took a look at her clock. "What the heck are you calling for? It's the middle of the night!" she almost shouted.

"It's still 9 p.m. here in Hong Kong," she said.

"Oh," Tomoyo replied as if Sakura being in Hong Kong was nothing out of the ordinary. Tomoyo was used to Sakura's sudden urge to travel every now and then. "What do you want?"

"I've discovered that one invitation was left without a name, and Tomoyo, Tomoyo-chan? Are you still there?" Sakura said.

"Huh? Of course, sorry," she was falling asleep again.

Good, Sakura thought. "Well, since you need to sleep, I'm going to make this quick."

"Uh-huh, go ahead," Tomoyo was so drowsy she couldn't care for a minute.

"I'm going to invite another friend," Sakura said. "If that's okay with you."

"Sure, whatever, just let me sleep," Tomoyo agreed without thinking.

"Oyasumi-nasai!" she lowered down the phone. She faced Syaoran who was sitting next to her on the couch. "What did she say?" he asked.

"She agreed at once!" Sakura laughed. "Now I have an excuse," she giggled.

"Sometimes, I still couldn't figure out what goes in your head," he said, pulling Sakura to him.

++++++

"Congratulations Ms. Daidouji!"

"What are your plans after this?"

"Your latest creations would be the next craze!"

Dozen of admirers and members of the press crowded Tomoyo as she stepped out of the hotel. Flashes from cameras, microphones, tape recorders, and flowers were held out in the way of Tomoyo as she and Sakura made their way to the car.

"Whew! I'm glad that was over!" Tomoyo breathed as they were rolling out of sight.

"But it so great!" Sakura said gleefully. "Imagine all the attention, your show was such a blast! And to think you're going to grace the pages of every fashion magazine in the world!"

"All that flattery has made me queasy," Tomoyo smiled. "Yet there's still something that's been bothering me."

"And that would be?"

"Nothing! Let's forget about that and turn our attention to the party!" Tomoyo said.

"Sure! Whatever you say!" Sakura said.

++++++

"Naoko-chan!"

"Tomoyo-chan!"

"Chiharu-chan and Yamazaki-kun?"

"Hai Tomoyo-chan!"

"Rika! Where's Terada-sensei?"

"He couldn't make it because he had an earlier appointment."

"That's okay!"

The party had turned out to be magnificent. The food was sumptuous, the drinks kept flowing, and the music was great.

Tomoyo had sat down with her old friends. That's weird, she thought. She looked at her left. There was an extra setting.

"Why is there-"

"Looks like this night is very fashionable!" Naoko observed. "Everywhere you look, people looked hip and cool."

"Because they are in the presence of the world's greatest designers!"

"And speaking of great designers…"

"Good evening Ms. Daidouji."

Tomoyo turned around. Right in front of her was the very face of Eriol Hiiragizawa. "It is a great pleasure of being invited by you. By the way, your designs were very-"

"Don't bother saying anything, Mr. Hiiragizawa. And I don't remember any invi-"

Eriol showed her an invitation. It looked very authentic to be a fake. Besides Eriol wouldn't do such an unscrupulous thing. He wasn't desperate enough.

"Sakura, could I talk to you outside?"

"Sure!"

"Excuse us."

++++++

"What? You said it was okay!" Sakura stood up defiantly.

"I didn't agree to anything such as this!" Tomoyo glared at her.

"Hello! I called you up and I told you there was a spare invitation."

"But I told you not to do anything stupid, right?"

"I didn't do anything stupid. I just did what I think is right!"

Their voices started to rise. Passing attendants started to look in their direction.

"What you thought was right!"

"Because I wanted you to be okay!" Sakura controlled her voice.

"But I am okay! What else do you expect?"

"I just thought it was best if you could settle your differences," Sakura said.

"You didn't even think of what I'd feel!" Tomoyo's voice was quivering.

"But I thought-"

"Then why did you do it!" Tomoyo ran off.

Nice going Sakura, the model thought, next time try messing up her fashion show okay?

++++++

Tomoyo didn't bother going back to the party. Instead, she went back to her hotel suite. No one was going to force her to face the crowd there.

How could she do this to me? I was really feeling good and it turns out to be hell. Of all the people Sakura invites, it just had to be him! Didn't she even think that this is Hiiragizawa's territory! I almost won, Sakura, you just had to wreck my night!

And Tomoyo cried into her pillow until she fell asleep.