. A F r i e n d .

Disclaimer: I don't own CCS and am not related to any part of it.

Summary: Looks at the trials and hardships of two friends, as they go through the most confusing chapter of their lives, experiencing refreshing and new; never felt before emotions.

Before

We met at the age of seven, introduced to each other by our parents. They were old friends and they told us that we had been baptised together.

Eriol-san stuck out his hand and said, "Hi, I'm Hiiragizawa Eriol. What's your name?".

It was so cute, I couldn't help laughing. He had one hand tucked shyly behind him, the other awkwardly holding out for me to shake.

Mother nudged me and I shook his hand with great amusement.

"My name's Tomoyo. Daidouji Tomoyo. Pleased to meet you."

After that introduction, we became fast friends. I was either at the Hiiragizawa's kingdom or him at mine. Occasionally, Sakura-chan joined us to play, but that was only once in a while as Sakura-chan lived quite a distance from us. We didn't mind and popped her a surprise visit or two every fortnight. Anyway, Sakura-chan always had her Syaoran-kun with her, so it didn't get her lonely.

Eriol-san accompanied me everywhere. Our servants started calling us The Twins for some reason. We grew up together, going through life with one supporting the other. Mother's friends mistook us for siblings and gasped when they knew of the truth.

Anyway, Eriol-san turned eighteen two months ago. It's going to be my turn in a few weeks time, and I'm not particularly excited over it. It means I'll have to find a prince to marry soon, it's only proper to get married as soon as possible. Every other princess had to do the same when they reached eighteen. It's not fair how princes like Eriol-san has another two years till they too are obliged to find a bride.

Suffocating. That's what I call it. Mother is pressuring me to choose a partner at the ball of my eighteenth. She's invited all the so-called eligible bachelors of kingdoms in the whole of Japan. The largest and fanciest ball in Japan's history. That's my mother. Always going for the best or nothing at all.

I came back from my thoughts to find Eriol-san sprawled on the grass beside Li-kun and Sakura-chan. It was one of those days when all of us could be united to spend the days together. Eriol-san was dozing off under the shade of the tree while Sakura-chan and Li-kun were having a mini picnic.

I crept over to where Eriol-san was, motioning the others to keep quiet. Just as I was about to give him the fright of his life, that I-know-it-all sorceror opened his eyes.

"Darn," I muttered under my breath. He was no fun. Always waking up at the last moment.

"I can feel you Tomoyo-san. I've told you a million times but you just won't listen."

"It's not fair! Next time, just act like you can't feel me or something. Yes?" I grumbled.

"Hai, hai, hai."

The idiot then slumped back to his sleeping position and closed his eyes once more. I joined Sakura-chan and Li-kun at their little feast and sat down to Sakura-chan's grinning face. "Let me try," she whispered.

Sakura-chan mumbled a few words and then snuck up on Eriol-san. "ERIOL-KUN!!!!!!!" she screamed at the top of her lungs.

"Nani?!?!?!?!"

Eriol-san looked frazzled, hysterical almost. Sakura-chan must have cloaked her aura. Looking at my best friend's bewildered face, I started laughing uncontrollably. Li-kun however, was rolling on the grass, hollering about how stupid Eriol-san looked.

Then started the chase between Eriol-san and Sakura-chan. Sakura-chan used one of her cards and managed to get away. By the time they came back to our spot, Eriol-san was huffing and puffing, sour from the embarrassment.

I went over to pat his back and gave him a glass of water to calm him down. Still grinning, I sat down on the grass beside him. "Better luck next time Eriol-san."

Eriol-san just shot me one of his mock death glares and pouted. For an eighteen-year old, he still looked cute when he pouted. Not many people could pull it off other than Sakura-chan, they would just end up looking quite pathetic.

The sun was slowly setting and a maid came out to call us to get ready for dinner. We picked ourselves up from the comforting grass to change for the re-uniting dinner between four kingdoms.