Note: Hey! Hey! Where are all my E x T fans? Where did they all go? I know, I know it's not turning out into an E x T fans, but you all have to understand that love can't be forgotten. Yes, I don't like Eriol and Kaho pairing, because it's just not right either, but I'm trying to follow up with the anime and the manga so I can't just ignore that kind of reality. Anyway, in this chapter, I promise you all there is going to have an Eriol and Tomoyo interaction here! ENJOY!
Chapter 8 - No More Pretending
It has been weeks already. Weeks that passed after that whole ordeal happened in China. Despite Tomoyo's protests to stay with Sakura after she lost half of her cards to Jiro, Fujitaka insisted that she went home to Japan, since she was graduating soon. He also felt she needed to get back or Daidoujii Sonomi will have his head. Eriol decided to bring Tomoyo to the airport, afraid that Jiro was nearby to take advantage of her, along with Nakuru and Spinel. When Tomoyo was safely in the airport, they bade her farewell and watched her fly home. Tomoyo closed her eyes and remembered that moment. After she came home, she was relieved to find her mother was not home yet. She was still back in America selling toys and if she had been back, Tomoyo would have explained everything to her.
"Ohayou, Tomoyo-chan!!!!" Tomoyo almost jumped, feeling an enormous weight upon her shoulders as she looked up to find Kana smiling at her. Misaki was not far behind her as she took her seat beside Tomoyo, giving her a curious look. Yukio gave her his best smile before sitting down on his usual seat, right behind Tomoyo. Upon noticing Tomoyo's agitated look, Kana removed her hand from her friend's shoulder and frowned. "Are you all right, Tomoyo-chan?"
Everything that has happened still gave her the chills. None of her friends knew that she had gone to China, though they were suspicious when she suddenly returned two days after without a word. Kana and Misaki both had asked her before, but she never answered and so they never questioned her anymore after that. They knew that whatever happened to her, she wanted to put it all behind her now. Though, sometimes, Tomoyo couldn't help but wonder what happened to Jiro. He hasn't appeared for weeks and she was beginning to feel edgy, thinking that he might have followed her to Japan so she could be his bait for Eriol. How can that be when Eriol was still in China? Her guess was he was probably still back in China to look for his brother and his long lost girlfriend. It was quite shocking when she heard from Eriol himself that Jiro was his adopted brother, when they were both completely different. Sometimes she couldn't help but miss Eriol. During those days he stayed, he was quite helpful towards her. He cooked for her, brought lunch to her when she had forgotten and sometimes she caught him carrying her back to bed when she fell asleep on the couch. It was a wonderful feeling, but she wished that it were Syaoran who was carrying her like a gentleman.
A hand interrupted her from her thoughts. It waved in front of her, startling her quite a bit. Tomoyo looked up and noticed Misaki was staring at her worriedly. "Tomoyo-chan? Daijobu deska? (Are you all right?)."
Tomoyo smiled. Of course she wasn't all right! Everyone has done so much for her, yet all she has ever done was smile and be kind and be generous. "Hai! (Of course!). Why would you think that I'm not all right?"
Kana and Misaki looked at each other. "Well, it seems just now, that you were out of this world. I'm worried about you," Kana spoke, sitting down on a seat across from Tomoyo. Misaki sat down in front of the girl, her usual spot and stared at her.
Tomoyo smiled again. She didn't need to be weak. She doesn't have to. Everyone around was strong at heart, while inside, she was crumbling to pieces. She has tried her hardest to smile for everyone, because if she cried in front of them, they will get worried and protective over her. She hated being weak. "I'm fine, Kana-chan, Misaki-chan! Really!" She glanced behind her where Yukio sat. She could tell he was also starting to get worried. "Yuki-kun, I'm fine!"
Yukio blushed and looked down at something on his desk for no apparent reason. He loved her smile and she smiled at him! Not the type of fake smile, but a real smile!
"Eh, ki ni shinai! (Never mind)," Misaki said, waving her hand. "Let's talk about something else now, ne?"
Kana and Tomoyo nodded in unison.
"Ah, do you have a dress ready, Tomoyo?" Misaki questioned, going back to her seat two rows in front of Kana. The rest of the students had already started to step inside as Tomoyo studied the people going in. Meiling and Yoshi entered, hand in hand. The Chinese girl waved when she noticed Tomoyo and smiled, sitting down beside her boyfriend on the far corner of the room.
"I have a nice dress! It's so kirei!!! (Beautiful!)" Kana replied, her eyes twinkling in delight. Misaki rolled her eyes.
"Not you, baka! I was talking to Tomoyo! I already know what your dress looks like!" Misaki looked at Tomoyo, who was still staring at somewhere. "Hello! Earth to Tomoyo!"
Tomoyo blinked. "Eh...? Hai? Nani?"
Misaki sighed. "The dress, Tomoyo!" She suddenly smiled. "Are you going to tell us or are we waiting until you wear it at the Grad Dance next week?" She glanced towards Yukio, winking at him. "I'm sure, Yukio wouldn't mind waiting, so he can ask you to dance then!"
Yukio blushed, glaring at his cousin. "Baka, kutabare! (drop dead, stupid!)" he mouthed, surprising his cousin. He grinned and went back to staring at his desk.
Tomoyo stared at Misaki as if she didn't know what she was talking about. "Nani?" She glanced at Kana, then back at Misaki. "What dance?"
Kana and Misaki looked at each other, and then stared back at Tomoyo.
Misaki slammed a hand down on Tomoyo's table, startling her. She grinned, thinking she was joking. "Hah, hah, Tomoyo. That's so funny. Seriously, do you have your dress?"
Tomoyo's eyes glowed, her memory coming back. "NANI?! Are you telling me that we have a week left until the actual Grad Dance?! Iiee!!!!!!"
"You're joking right? Tell me, you're joking!" Kana spoke, staring at her friend.
Tomoyo said nothing.
"NANI?!" Misaki yelled, surprising the whole class. The tall girl roughly placed her hands on Tomoyo's shoulders and shook her. "What are you talking about?! You mean to tell us that you completely forgot that our Grad Dance is next week?!" She stopped her shaking and looked at Tomoyo. Sweat poured from Tomoyo's face, telling her that it was all true. Tomoyo had completely forgotten. Misaki frowned. Tomoyo could tell by the way her friend was looking at her that Misaki began to feel concerned.
She grinned. "Eh, demo... doesn't worry too much! I will get started on the dress soon and I'll be done by then!" Tomoyo glanced at her friends and smiled, feeling awkward with those words spoken. She hasn't even bought her fabric yet.
Kana stared at her and, as if reading her thoughts, leaned over to look closely into her eyes. "You haven't bought the fabric yet, have you?"
Tomoyo shook her head.
All at once, Kana and Misaki fell off their seats in a comical way. Yukio looked down at his cousin and sighed. "Oy! Baka! You are too dramatic over this whole thing! If Tomoyo will be finished by then, she will. Besides, she can always buy a dress!" He kicked Misaki's leg lightly and rolled his eyes.
Tomoyo thanked Yukio in her head for being considerate. She watched as Kana and Misaki lifted themselves up from the ground and sitting back down on the seats. Kana sighed and stared at Tomoyo.
"Demo... Tomoyo-chan, you are never forgetful! You always made your own dresses and that's what makes you unique!" Kana spoke, slouching slightly.
Misaki nodded. "Hai! Tomoyo-chan is always on time and remembers every little thing! Something must have happened to her. Ne... Tomoyo-chan?" She stared at her friend, who just shrugged and said nothing. She sighed. "Oh well, I guess Yukio is right. Tomoyo-chan can do anything!"
"Hai! Tomoyo-chan is the best!" Kana yelped, putting two thumbs up in the air.
Tomoyo smiled. There were many things they didn't know about her. In truth, she was not the best. She was not what they think she is to them. Tomoyo was not the perfect person they think her to be. Why would they think she was perfect? She was far behind being perfect OR unique!
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Class ended and the rest of the day was just getting over the other classes. The day went on as usual and Tomoyo found herself feeling lonely and depressed. The feeling was odd, even for her. She has never felt so sad and overwhelmed by everything. Her friends couldn't walk home with her, unlike the usual routine they had after school. Kana had to pick up her little sister from school, because her mother was stuck in babysitting more daycare kids. As a result, Satoshi Kana, had to take a different route to the elementary school. Misaki and Yukio had to get home early because one of their close cousins had a car accident. They were called down to the office during third period and were picked up by Yukio's father a few minutes later. Tomoyo had to get home on her own, and despite walking alone, she needed it. Alone was the best time for her to think things through without Misaki and Kana's nagging or Yukio's constant stares boring through her. She needed the time alone right now.
Tomoyo walked down the streets of Willow Hill Road, a quiet neighborhood that stretched as far as the large bridge that led to the Tenth Highway. Sakura blossoms fell from the trees, like beautiful pink snow dancing in the air. Tomoyo passed Cherry Park, where two or three children played in the sandbox and one girl swinging in the swings alone. She stopped to look at the girl on the swings. She could see her sadness and her loneliness, even though she was a few feet away from her. She frowned, now watching herself in the same position. How long must she sit on the swings by herself? As if answering her question, one boy stood up from the sandbox and walked over to the girl on the swings. He sat down on an empty swing beside her and began to talk to her. The girl smiled sweetly and laughed at whatever it was he had said. Tomoyo watched and watched, until she could no longer look anymore. When she was finished, she turned and walked out of the park's sight. She turned a corner and continued on down the same road where the Sakura blossoms now filled the streets with the petals. Tomoyo shivered as unsuspecting cold wind blew pass her bare neck. She wrapped her jacket tightly around her and watched the sun go down beyond. Tomoyo noticed a store to her right. Her favourite store, named after its famous fabric, the Silk Shop, gleamed towards her. She had almost forgotten to buy fabric for her dress. Tomoyo sighed, deciding on entering the shop with little hesitation.
Inside, she was greeted by a nice middle aged man, a man whom her mother had the privilege of working with before he got married and had a son about Tomoyo's age. Junetam Ishida smiled as Tomoyo entered the store, waving his hand at Daidouji-san's only daughter.
"Konnichiwa, Tomoyo-san!" Junetam spoke with a soft voice.
"Konnichiwa, Ishida-san!" Tomoyo replied back, with a wave and a grin. She heard the back door open. A handsome young man by the name of Hiromi, entered the shop, carrying two large boxes in his arms. When he noticed Tomoyo, he quickly set the boxes down on the counter and greeted her with a smile, much like his Otousan's (father).
"Ah, Tomoyo-san!" Hiromi spoke, grinning.
Tomoyo nodded and glanced at the choices of beautiful silk through the clear, glass counter. She spotted a beautiful purple shimmering silk and a pearly white. Tomoyo pointed to those two laying side-by-side and glanced up at Hiromi, who had already taken over his father. Junetam was spotted on the other side of the shop, putting away some items inside a cupboard. "Ano...Hiromi-san? Can I have these two silks? The pearly white and the shimmering purple?"
Hiromi nodded. "Hai! They are a wonderful choice, Tomoyo-san!" He opened the door to the glass counter and took out the two chosen silks, and then set it down in front of her on the table. "Are you adding more things to the dress you've made?"
Tomoyo gulped silently. She always forgets that Hiromi was the same age as her. Sometimes he acted mature, that she can never remember how old he was. AND, he goes to the same school as her. "Eto... I... Haven't made a dress yet." She smiled, trying to cover the disappointment in her face.
She expected him to frown and feel awkward, however, he just grinned and nodded. "I see." He put the two silks inside a beautiful paper bag, pressed the correct keys at the cash register and glanced back at Tomoyo. "That will be twenty eighty," he spoke, still grinning.
Tomoyo nodded and fished through her bag for the money, then handed the right amount to Hiromi. She bade him farewell, took the bag of silk from him and left the store. The sun, she noticed was still ready to fall behind the high mountains of Mount Fuji. She had no idea that staring at the park took her the longest time. Tomoyo glanced at her watch. It was almost six and she had to get home to make dinner for her mother who had called this morning that she was coming home before seven. She pressed her feet to go faster, almost to the point of running, but she knew she didn't need to. She was almost there. Tomoyo turned the corner, gasping in surprise when she bumped into someone. Her bag fell from her hands and her beautiful silks, thanks to Hiromi's handmaid lace that tied around the bag, stayed inside so it wouldn't fly out from the gusty wind. However, her books weren't all that lucky. They all fell at once on the ground, her papers scattered on the floor. She almost fell on her back, but a firm hand had held tightly unto her arm and kept her steady.
"Ah! Gomen! Gomen nasai!" Without looking at the stranger, she kneeled down to pick up her bag and closed her eyes, sighing in relief that the kind stranger had kept her from falling. "Arigatou Gozaimasu!"
"Iiee, Tomoyo-chan! No need to apologize, it was my fault in the first place," came a deep, soft spoken and familiar voice. It has been a while since she heard his voice. "I wasn't looking where I was going."
She looked up and stared into the eyes of Eriol Hiragizawa, smiling back at her. "Ano... Eriol-kun? I thought you went back to England?" Tomoyo smiled at him and watched the tall boy pick up all the papers in a speedy pace. When he had gathered all of them, he put them all in one pile and gently stuffed them inside one binder, then collected the second binder in his hands. When he was finished, he stood up and handed them to Tomoyo, who was still surprised by his sudden appearance.
Eriol shook his head with his response to her question. "Iiee... After I left China, I decided to come back here to visit the rest of my old classmates, but I told Nakuru and Spinel to go back to England. I told them I had some business to take care of."
Tomoyo nodded, knowing what he was talking about. "Jiro, ne?" she asked, looking at him. They began to walk down together the streets of Pine Crest, then turned one block from their elementary school.
Eriol nodded. "That and some other things." He glanced at Tomoyo and smiled. It seems she had no idea about them.
When they made it to the Daidouji driveway, Tomoyo realized then that Eriol had walked her all the way there. She looked at the tall boy and smiled. "You walked me all the way here and I thank you for that."
The tall teen grinned. "It was my pleasure walking you home. It's very dangerous walking by your self. I thought you usually walk with your friends from school?"
Tomoyo nodded. "They do, but they had more important stuff to do."
Eriol noticed the disappointment in Tomoyo's eyes. Tomoyo, why do you let yourself suffer? He thought. All was silent for a moment, until....
GROAN! Tomoyo glanced at Eriol and arched an eyebrow at him. The taller boy just shrugged and grinned. "I haven't really eaten yet since this afternoon," he replied.
Tomoyo giggled. "Well, I would gladly invite you over for dinner," she suggested. "Demo... I haven't really cooked anything yet and okasan's coming home soon, so..."
"I'll help you cook," Eriol said.
"Really?" Tomoyo asked, looking up at him with hopeful eyes.
"You are so kawaii when you look at me like that," Eriol commented softly, making Tomoyo blush. "Now..." He glanced at the closed gate in front of them. "Are we going to cook out here or...?" Eriol paused and looked at the girl.
Tomoyo gasped, rubbing the back of her neck nervously. "Oh right!" she responded, laughing.
****************
"I'm home!!!" They heard the front door open and small clicking footsteps echoing the hallway of the Daidouji mansion. Tomoyo welcomed her mother with a loving hug, while Eriol watched with amusement at the bond between mother and daughter.
"Okaeri nasai! (welcome home!)" Tomoyo said, unwrapping herself from her mother's embrace. "Okasan, it looks like we have a guest for dinner tonight," she told her.
Daidouji Sonomi looked at her daughter strangely. "Nani?" She looked pass her daughter and noticed a tall young man hiding behind Tomoyo, though, he wasn't quite hiding, since his head could still be seen from where her daughter was standing. "What's this? I go away for a month and you already have a boyfriend?" Sonomi joked, looking at her daughter suspiciously.
Tomoyo blushed, sweat pouring from the sides of her face nervously. Why do people think that so much? "Iiee, Okasan. Remember Eriol Hiragizawa? He came here in Elementary and went to school with us in Tomoeda."
Sonomi gently put her suitcases down beside her on the floor and studied the boy carefully. She looked him up and down, trying to remember exactly the boy that Tomoyo said about. "So, you are Eriol," Tomoyo's mother spoke. She wasn't quite sure if she was correct, but she saw him one time at the family picnic, accompanied by a strange looking girl with long, purplish hair. "I'm not sure if I'm right, but did you come one time at the family picnic all those years ago?"
Eriol nodded. "Hai! I don't quite remember it either, but I was there and saw Tomoyo sing a beautiful song." He turned to Tomoyo. "What was that song you sang?"
Tomoyo blushed and shook her head. "I don't remember really..." She paused and looked at her mother. "Well, since you do remember him, I'm sure you wouldn't mind, Okasan?"
Sonomi nodded. "Of course not." She walked pass the two and entered the kitchen cautiously. Nicely prepared meals were already on the table, her favourite dessert and appetizers were all there and Sonomi couldn't help but feel overjoyed. She clasped her hands together, her eyes twinkling in delight. "Ahhhh.... The food looks delicious!"
Tomoyo glanced at Eriol. "Well, without, Eriol-kun, I wouldn't have been able to finish making dinner before you came home and without him, the dinner would never have been this great!"
Daidouji Sonomi sat down on her usual spot on the dining table, one closest to the door and insisted that Eriol and Tomoyo sit as well. Her daughter sat on the opposite side of her, while Eriol, with his choice, sat down to the left of Tomoyo. Sonomi noticed the strangest look she has ever seen on Eriol. She wasn't sure if it was adoration or just plain friendliness towards Tomoyo. Tomoyo smiled back at him. Strangely enough for her, Sonomi has never seen her daughter smile so much. She never stayed long enough to watch her daughter carefully when she left for school, since she was never home to watch. Nuriko reported to her once that Tomoyo seemed depressed lately ever since Sakura and Syaoran left for China. At that time, Sonomi was in Canada, selling one of the most popular toys. All the reports given to her were always how Tomoyo never smiled as much as she did when she was nine or ten, but Sonomi suspected sometimes that her daughter was just hiding it behind her smile. Now, as she watched Tomoyo, the smile on her face was that of a real smile. Something she has never actually seen on her daughter. Sonomi glanced at the boy sitting beside her. He was speaking to her and making her laugh. Something about the boy made her daughter feel better. It was the closeness they had, the bond they shared that both of them are too blind to see.
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Dinner ended quickly than it had started. Tomoyo and Eriol, with Sonomi's suggestion, decided to go for a little walk in the warmest night in Tomoeda. Eriol thanked Sonomi for having him over for dinner, while she thanked him for helping Tomoyo with the dinner. They all exchanged their 'thank you's' before the two left for a night walk. They talked maybe for hours about everything, the memories in Tomoeda, Sakura's card capturing days, Tomoyo's videotapes of her and even shared their most precious secrets to each other. Tomoyo shared her childhood secrets mostly, about how she felt when her parents divorced. She chose to forget the painful memories of feeling neglected when her father remarried again and had two sons, both now thirteen. Eriol revealed things that only she knew. He spoke of his dreams of becoming a pianist when he was a child or maybe a writer. It was something both Tomoyo and Eriol had never done all their lives. It was as if they were old friends. They promised each other not to discuss the most touching subjects, ones that involved the people they love. The happiest days were the most inviting for both of them. During those talks, Tomoyo felt she knew Eriol better and Eriol felt he knew Tomoyo better as well from everything she has told him.
They walked down to Penguin Park, a suggestion Eriol gave to Tomoyo, because it was the only place that made him feel comfortable to talk about things. Tomoyo didn't mind that much, so she went with the plan. When they arrived, Tomoyo ran ahead of Eriol and skipped towards the swings like a little child. She sat down on the center swing and moved her legs slowly. Eriol walked behind her and began to push her, to Tomoyo's surprise. They were quiet for a moment, until Eriol broke his promise and began to ask her questions she dreaded to answer.
"How are you feeling, Tomoyo? Do you still feel hurt about everything?"
Tomoyo glanced up at Eriol. "What do you mean?" At first she didn't understand and once she did, she wished now she didn't. She felt Eriol pushing her gently on the swings, the warm wind tickling her bare neck. She looked away from him and stared ahead at the empty street.
Eriol grabbed the chains of the swings to stop her from swinging and looked down on her. "Stop pretending to be hurt, Tomoyo. I know you're still hurt about Syaoran and Sakura getting engaged..." He paused. He had forgotten that Tomoyo never knew about their engagement. Ahhh, crap! He thought. He glanced at her. The girl was not moving, she seemed petrified, or frozen in shock with the news. Eriol slapped himself mentally for being inconsiderate with his words.
Tomoyo pressed her feet on the ground to stop swinging and stood up, making no attempts to look at Eriol whatsoever. She walked to the bench quietly and sat down, her head bowed down and her bangs covering the sadness on her face. "Why... Why did you have to say that, Eriol?"
"I thought you knew," Eriol lied. He knew that Syaoran never spoke to her about it, because his young descendant was smart enough to know that Tomoyo has been in love with him for the longest time.
The girl said nothing for a moment, then looked up with tearful eyes. Her face was swollen with redness from crying and her mouth relaxed into a frown. "Of all the people, Eriol Hiragizawa should know how I feel." She stood up, clenching her fists at her sides and began to walk away.
Eriol ran to her and when he had caught up to her, he grabbed her arm gently and pulled her back so he could see her face. "Tomoyo-chan, is running away the only thing you can ever do?"
Tomoyo attempted to release herself from his grip, but Eriol wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her in for an embrace. "Tomoyo-chan," he whispered. "There's no need to hide now. Tell me how you feel. I'm here for you." To his surprise and with all her strength, Tomoyo pushed him with both her hands. Eriol fell down on his rear, still shocked and confused by the girl's actions. With one last glance towards him, Tomoyo turned and walked away.
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She didn't know what she was doing. She had walked maybe for about four hours already. It was now past midnight, but Tomoyo didn't care. She just wanted to be alone right now, without Eriol's constant pressure about how she felt. Why would he care? Pity. That is what all he ever thought to anyone he knew. He felt pity for her. Pity that she felt alone for the very first time. The storm clouds began to hover overhead. Then, rain began to pour wildly on her tired self. Self consciously, without a care in the world, Tomoyo continued to walk through the cold rain. She was shivering, but she ignored all of it for the sake of wanting to run away from everything else.
'Tomoyo, why do you do this to yourself?' a voice spoke in her head.
Eriol's voice came back to haunt her mind. 'There's no need to hide now. Tell me how you feel. I'm here for you.'
Tomoyo remembered how she pushed him as hard as she could. She felt guilty for that, but there was no time to ponder that, as she thought about Syaoran and Sakura's wedding. How can she have loved Syaoran? She betrayed her only best friend in the whole world. "Gomen nasai, Sakura," she whispered to herself. If she felt sorry, why does she feel she's not at all?
Jealousy.
For the first time in all her life, she felt jealousy for the only girl who has been her friend since kindergarten. The rain continued to pour. It now soaked through her purple sundress. Her hair was now disheveled from the strong winds, mixed with the rain. It rained even harder now as she entered one of the secluded woods in Tomoeda.
****************
He cursed and kicked himself for being such a bastard! "Damn it!" he swore, stuffing his hands in his pockets. The rain was pouring, but to him it didn't matter. He just thought of the rain as God's punishment for being such a baka towards Tomoyo-chan. Eriol, what were you doing embracing her like that? He told himself. What was in his mind? He didn't love the girl. Did he? Eriol shook his head. How can he be in love with Tomoyo when they have nothing in common at all? He had Kaho.
"Come to think of it, Kaho hasn't been in my mind for days," he whispered. "Aggh! Baka!" He slapped a hard hand on his forehead and closed his eyes. Tomoyo WAS special. For years she was there when Sakura needed help. She was her support, but every time Tomoyo felt hurt, she would just smile and pretend like nothing happened. Eriol saw the real sadness in Tomoyo's eyes, but when he was ready to comfort her, he was already too late. She was ashamed of who she was. "Tomoyo..." He murmured.
"Hiragizawa-kun! Hiragizawa-kun!" Eriol paused, looking around for the source of the voice. He turned behind him and noticed a very concerned Sonomi Daidouji running towards him with an umbrella. She seemed panicked and Eriol knew something must have happened to Tomoyo.
"Daidouji-san!" Eriol spoke, his eyes widening in shock. "What's going on?"
Sonomi finally caught up with him. She took a deep breath before opening her mouth to speak. "Tomoyo never home, Eriol-san! Where is she?"
Eriol looked at her. "I don't know what you're talking about. I thought she went home on her own after..." he paused, not wanting to bring that subject up again.
The woman shook her head. "Iiee! She never came home, Eriol-san! I thought maybe she was still with you!"
The young man said nothing.
Sonomi frowned. "She hasn't been home for an hour now. Where could she have gone? I'm beginning to feel worried!" She looked around frantically.
Eriol placed a hand on her shoulder to calm the woman down. "You have to calm down, Daidouji-san... I'll look for her somewhere in the park. She couldn't have gone far. You can start looking for her around the neighborhood."
Sonomi nodded. "Hai." She turned with a pounding heart. Eriol watched her speed up just a little bit as she turned a corner and then disappear behind the building. Eriol turned around to face the well known Tomoeda forest parks. The rain poured even madder than before on him and the storm clouds began to darken the skies blacker. Eriol felt a sign from the skies. Something was amiss and he had to find Tomoyo soon, before anything else happens.
GoodGurl: Wooh! Finally! Finish this chapter! Well, that's all folks! See you on the next chappy! :D SAYONARA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Chapter 8 - No More Pretending
It has been weeks already. Weeks that passed after that whole ordeal happened in China. Despite Tomoyo's protests to stay with Sakura after she lost half of her cards to Jiro, Fujitaka insisted that she went home to Japan, since she was graduating soon. He also felt she needed to get back or Daidoujii Sonomi will have his head. Eriol decided to bring Tomoyo to the airport, afraid that Jiro was nearby to take advantage of her, along with Nakuru and Spinel. When Tomoyo was safely in the airport, they bade her farewell and watched her fly home. Tomoyo closed her eyes and remembered that moment. After she came home, she was relieved to find her mother was not home yet. She was still back in America selling toys and if she had been back, Tomoyo would have explained everything to her.
"Ohayou, Tomoyo-chan!!!!" Tomoyo almost jumped, feeling an enormous weight upon her shoulders as she looked up to find Kana smiling at her. Misaki was not far behind her as she took her seat beside Tomoyo, giving her a curious look. Yukio gave her his best smile before sitting down on his usual seat, right behind Tomoyo. Upon noticing Tomoyo's agitated look, Kana removed her hand from her friend's shoulder and frowned. "Are you all right, Tomoyo-chan?"
Everything that has happened still gave her the chills. None of her friends knew that she had gone to China, though they were suspicious when she suddenly returned two days after without a word. Kana and Misaki both had asked her before, but she never answered and so they never questioned her anymore after that. They knew that whatever happened to her, she wanted to put it all behind her now. Though, sometimes, Tomoyo couldn't help but wonder what happened to Jiro. He hasn't appeared for weeks and she was beginning to feel edgy, thinking that he might have followed her to Japan so she could be his bait for Eriol. How can that be when Eriol was still in China? Her guess was he was probably still back in China to look for his brother and his long lost girlfriend. It was quite shocking when she heard from Eriol himself that Jiro was his adopted brother, when they were both completely different. Sometimes she couldn't help but miss Eriol. During those days he stayed, he was quite helpful towards her. He cooked for her, brought lunch to her when she had forgotten and sometimes she caught him carrying her back to bed when she fell asleep on the couch. It was a wonderful feeling, but she wished that it were Syaoran who was carrying her like a gentleman.
A hand interrupted her from her thoughts. It waved in front of her, startling her quite a bit. Tomoyo looked up and noticed Misaki was staring at her worriedly. "Tomoyo-chan? Daijobu deska? (Are you all right?)."
Tomoyo smiled. Of course she wasn't all right! Everyone has done so much for her, yet all she has ever done was smile and be kind and be generous. "Hai! (Of course!). Why would you think that I'm not all right?"
Kana and Misaki looked at each other. "Well, it seems just now, that you were out of this world. I'm worried about you," Kana spoke, sitting down on a seat across from Tomoyo. Misaki sat down in front of the girl, her usual spot and stared at her.
Tomoyo smiled again. She didn't need to be weak. She doesn't have to. Everyone around was strong at heart, while inside, she was crumbling to pieces. She has tried her hardest to smile for everyone, because if she cried in front of them, they will get worried and protective over her. She hated being weak. "I'm fine, Kana-chan, Misaki-chan! Really!" She glanced behind her where Yukio sat. She could tell he was also starting to get worried. "Yuki-kun, I'm fine!"
Yukio blushed and looked down at something on his desk for no apparent reason. He loved her smile and she smiled at him! Not the type of fake smile, but a real smile!
"Eh, ki ni shinai! (Never mind)," Misaki said, waving her hand. "Let's talk about something else now, ne?"
Kana and Tomoyo nodded in unison.
"Ah, do you have a dress ready, Tomoyo?" Misaki questioned, going back to her seat two rows in front of Kana. The rest of the students had already started to step inside as Tomoyo studied the people going in. Meiling and Yoshi entered, hand in hand. The Chinese girl waved when she noticed Tomoyo and smiled, sitting down beside her boyfriend on the far corner of the room.
"I have a nice dress! It's so kirei!!! (Beautiful!)" Kana replied, her eyes twinkling in delight. Misaki rolled her eyes.
"Not you, baka! I was talking to Tomoyo! I already know what your dress looks like!" Misaki looked at Tomoyo, who was still staring at somewhere. "Hello! Earth to Tomoyo!"
Tomoyo blinked. "Eh...? Hai? Nani?"
Misaki sighed. "The dress, Tomoyo!" She suddenly smiled. "Are you going to tell us or are we waiting until you wear it at the Grad Dance next week?" She glanced towards Yukio, winking at him. "I'm sure, Yukio wouldn't mind waiting, so he can ask you to dance then!"
Yukio blushed, glaring at his cousin. "Baka, kutabare! (drop dead, stupid!)" he mouthed, surprising his cousin. He grinned and went back to staring at his desk.
Tomoyo stared at Misaki as if she didn't know what she was talking about. "Nani?" She glanced at Kana, then back at Misaki. "What dance?"
Kana and Misaki looked at each other, and then stared back at Tomoyo.
Misaki slammed a hand down on Tomoyo's table, startling her. She grinned, thinking she was joking. "Hah, hah, Tomoyo. That's so funny. Seriously, do you have your dress?"
Tomoyo's eyes glowed, her memory coming back. "NANI?! Are you telling me that we have a week left until the actual Grad Dance?! Iiee!!!!!!"
"You're joking right? Tell me, you're joking!" Kana spoke, staring at her friend.
Tomoyo said nothing.
"NANI?!" Misaki yelled, surprising the whole class. The tall girl roughly placed her hands on Tomoyo's shoulders and shook her. "What are you talking about?! You mean to tell us that you completely forgot that our Grad Dance is next week?!" She stopped her shaking and looked at Tomoyo. Sweat poured from Tomoyo's face, telling her that it was all true. Tomoyo had completely forgotten. Misaki frowned. Tomoyo could tell by the way her friend was looking at her that Misaki began to feel concerned.
She grinned. "Eh, demo... doesn't worry too much! I will get started on the dress soon and I'll be done by then!" Tomoyo glanced at her friends and smiled, feeling awkward with those words spoken. She hasn't even bought her fabric yet.
Kana stared at her and, as if reading her thoughts, leaned over to look closely into her eyes. "You haven't bought the fabric yet, have you?"
Tomoyo shook her head.
All at once, Kana and Misaki fell off their seats in a comical way. Yukio looked down at his cousin and sighed. "Oy! Baka! You are too dramatic over this whole thing! If Tomoyo will be finished by then, she will. Besides, she can always buy a dress!" He kicked Misaki's leg lightly and rolled his eyes.
Tomoyo thanked Yukio in her head for being considerate. She watched as Kana and Misaki lifted themselves up from the ground and sitting back down on the seats. Kana sighed and stared at Tomoyo.
"Demo... Tomoyo-chan, you are never forgetful! You always made your own dresses and that's what makes you unique!" Kana spoke, slouching slightly.
Misaki nodded. "Hai! Tomoyo-chan is always on time and remembers every little thing! Something must have happened to her. Ne... Tomoyo-chan?" She stared at her friend, who just shrugged and said nothing. She sighed. "Oh well, I guess Yukio is right. Tomoyo-chan can do anything!"
"Hai! Tomoyo-chan is the best!" Kana yelped, putting two thumbs up in the air.
Tomoyo smiled. There were many things they didn't know about her. In truth, she was not the best. She was not what they think she is to them. Tomoyo was not the perfect person they think her to be. Why would they think she was perfect? She was far behind being perfect OR unique!
****************
Class ended and the rest of the day was just getting over the other classes. The day went on as usual and Tomoyo found herself feeling lonely and depressed. The feeling was odd, even for her. She has never felt so sad and overwhelmed by everything. Her friends couldn't walk home with her, unlike the usual routine they had after school. Kana had to pick up her little sister from school, because her mother was stuck in babysitting more daycare kids. As a result, Satoshi Kana, had to take a different route to the elementary school. Misaki and Yukio had to get home early because one of their close cousins had a car accident. They were called down to the office during third period and were picked up by Yukio's father a few minutes later. Tomoyo had to get home on her own, and despite walking alone, she needed it. Alone was the best time for her to think things through without Misaki and Kana's nagging or Yukio's constant stares boring through her. She needed the time alone right now.
Tomoyo walked down the streets of Willow Hill Road, a quiet neighborhood that stretched as far as the large bridge that led to the Tenth Highway. Sakura blossoms fell from the trees, like beautiful pink snow dancing in the air. Tomoyo passed Cherry Park, where two or three children played in the sandbox and one girl swinging in the swings alone. She stopped to look at the girl on the swings. She could see her sadness and her loneliness, even though she was a few feet away from her. She frowned, now watching herself in the same position. How long must she sit on the swings by herself? As if answering her question, one boy stood up from the sandbox and walked over to the girl on the swings. He sat down on an empty swing beside her and began to talk to her. The girl smiled sweetly and laughed at whatever it was he had said. Tomoyo watched and watched, until she could no longer look anymore. When she was finished, she turned and walked out of the park's sight. She turned a corner and continued on down the same road where the Sakura blossoms now filled the streets with the petals. Tomoyo shivered as unsuspecting cold wind blew pass her bare neck. She wrapped her jacket tightly around her and watched the sun go down beyond. Tomoyo noticed a store to her right. Her favourite store, named after its famous fabric, the Silk Shop, gleamed towards her. She had almost forgotten to buy fabric for her dress. Tomoyo sighed, deciding on entering the shop with little hesitation.
Inside, she was greeted by a nice middle aged man, a man whom her mother had the privilege of working with before he got married and had a son about Tomoyo's age. Junetam Ishida smiled as Tomoyo entered the store, waving his hand at Daidouji-san's only daughter.
"Konnichiwa, Tomoyo-san!" Junetam spoke with a soft voice.
"Konnichiwa, Ishida-san!" Tomoyo replied back, with a wave and a grin. She heard the back door open. A handsome young man by the name of Hiromi, entered the shop, carrying two large boxes in his arms. When he noticed Tomoyo, he quickly set the boxes down on the counter and greeted her with a smile, much like his Otousan's (father).
"Ah, Tomoyo-san!" Hiromi spoke, grinning.
Tomoyo nodded and glanced at the choices of beautiful silk through the clear, glass counter. She spotted a beautiful purple shimmering silk and a pearly white. Tomoyo pointed to those two laying side-by-side and glanced up at Hiromi, who had already taken over his father. Junetam was spotted on the other side of the shop, putting away some items inside a cupboard. "Ano...Hiromi-san? Can I have these two silks? The pearly white and the shimmering purple?"
Hiromi nodded. "Hai! They are a wonderful choice, Tomoyo-san!" He opened the door to the glass counter and took out the two chosen silks, and then set it down in front of her on the table. "Are you adding more things to the dress you've made?"
Tomoyo gulped silently. She always forgets that Hiromi was the same age as her. Sometimes he acted mature, that she can never remember how old he was. AND, he goes to the same school as her. "Eto... I... Haven't made a dress yet." She smiled, trying to cover the disappointment in her face.
She expected him to frown and feel awkward, however, he just grinned and nodded. "I see." He put the two silks inside a beautiful paper bag, pressed the correct keys at the cash register and glanced back at Tomoyo. "That will be twenty eighty," he spoke, still grinning.
Tomoyo nodded and fished through her bag for the money, then handed the right amount to Hiromi. She bade him farewell, took the bag of silk from him and left the store. The sun, she noticed was still ready to fall behind the high mountains of Mount Fuji. She had no idea that staring at the park took her the longest time. Tomoyo glanced at her watch. It was almost six and she had to get home to make dinner for her mother who had called this morning that she was coming home before seven. She pressed her feet to go faster, almost to the point of running, but she knew she didn't need to. She was almost there. Tomoyo turned the corner, gasping in surprise when she bumped into someone. Her bag fell from her hands and her beautiful silks, thanks to Hiromi's handmaid lace that tied around the bag, stayed inside so it wouldn't fly out from the gusty wind. However, her books weren't all that lucky. They all fell at once on the ground, her papers scattered on the floor. She almost fell on her back, but a firm hand had held tightly unto her arm and kept her steady.
"Ah! Gomen! Gomen nasai!" Without looking at the stranger, she kneeled down to pick up her bag and closed her eyes, sighing in relief that the kind stranger had kept her from falling. "Arigatou Gozaimasu!"
"Iiee, Tomoyo-chan! No need to apologize, it was my fault in the first place," came a deep, soft spoken and familiar voice. It has been a while since she heard his voice. "I wasn't looking where I was going."
She looked up and stared into the eyes of Eriol Hiragizawa, smiling back at her. "Ano... Eriol-kun? I thought you went back to England?" Tomoyo smiled at him and watched the tall boy pick up all the papers in a speedy pace. When he had gathered all of them, he put them all in one pile and gently stuffed them inside one binder, then collected the second binder in his hands. When he was finished, he stood up and handed them to Tomoyo, who was still surprised by his sudden appearance.
Eriol shook his head with his response to her question. "Iiee... After I left China, I decided to come back here to visit the rest of my old classmates, but I told Nakuru and Spinel to go back to England. I told them I had some business to take care of."
Tomoyo nodded, knowing what he was talking about. "Jiro, ne?" she asked, looking at him. They began to walk down together the streets of Pine Crest, then turned one block from their elementary school.
Eriol nodded. "That and some other things." He glanced at Tomoyo and smiled. It seems she had no idea about them.
When they made it to the Daidouji driveway, Tomoyo realized then that Eriol had walked her all the way there. She looked at the tall boy and smiled. "You walked me all the way here and I thank you for that."
The tall teen grinned. "It was my pleasure walking you home. It's very dangerous walking by your self. I thought you usually walk with your friends from school?"
Tomoyo nodded. "They do, but they had more important stuff to do."
Eriol noticed the disappointment in Tomoyo's eyes. Tomoyo, why do you let yourself suffer? He thought. All was silent for a moment, until....
GROAN! Tomoyo glanced at Eriol and arched an eyebrow at him. The taller boy just shrugged and grinned. "I haven't really eaten yet since this afternoon," he replied.
Tomoyo giggled. "Well, I would gladly invite you over for dinner," she suggested. "Demo... I haven't really cooked anything yet and okasan's coming home soon, so..."
"I'll help you cook," Eriol said.
"Really?" Tomoyo asked, looking up at him with hopeful eyes.
"You are so kawaii when you look at me like that," Eriol commented softly, making Tomoyo blush. "Now..." He glanced at the closed gate in front of them. "Are we going to cook out here or...?" Eriol paused and looked at the girl.
Tomoyo gasped, rubbing the back of her neck nervously. "Oh right!" she responded, laughing.
****************
"I'm home!!!" They heard the front door open and small clicking footsteps echoing the hallway of the Daidouji mansion. Tomoyo welcomed her mother with a loving hug, while Eriol watched with amusement at the bond between mother and daughter.
"Okaeri nasai! (welcome home!)" Tomoyo said, unwrapping herself from her mother's embrace. "Okasan, it looks like we have a guest for dinner tonight," she told her.
Daidouji Sonomi looked at her daughter strangely. "Nani?" She looked pass her daughter and noticed a tall young man hiding behind Tomoyo, though, he wasn't quite hiding, since his head could still be seen from where her daughter was standing. "What's this? I go away for a month and you already have a boyfriend?" Sonomi joked, looking at her daughter suspiciously.
Tomoyo blushed, sweat pouring from the sides of her face nervously. Why do people think that so much? "Iiee, Okasan. Remember Eriol Hiragizawa? He came here in Elementary and went to school with us in Tomoeda."
Sonomi gently put her suitcases down beside her on the floor and studied the boy carefully. She looked him up and down, trying to remember exactly the boy that Tomoyo said about. "So, you are Eriol," Tomoyo's mother spoke. She wasn't quite sure if she was correct, but she saw him one time at the family picnic, accompanied by a strange looking girl with long, purplish hair. "I'm not sure if I'm right, but did you come one time at the family picnic all those years ago?"
Eriol nodded. "Hai! I don't quite remember it either, but I was there and saw Tomoyo sing a beautiful song." He turned to Tomoyo. "What was that song you sang?"
Tomoyo blushed and shook her head. "I don't remember really..." She paused and looked at her mother. "Well, since you do remember him, I'm sure you wouldn't mind, Okasan?"
Sonomi nodded. "Of course not." She walked pass the two and entered the kitchen cautiously. Nicely prepared meals were already on the table, her favourite dessert and appetizers were all there and Sonomi couldn't help but feel overjoyed. She clasped her hands together, her eyes twinkling in delight. "Ahhhh.... The food looks delicious!"
Tomoyo glanced at Eriol. "Well, without, Eriol-kun, I wouldn't have been able to finish making dinner before you came home and without him, the dinner would never have been this great!"
Daidouji Sonomi sat down on her usual spot on the dining table, one closest to the door and insisted that Eriol and Tomoyo sit as well. Her daughter sat on the opposite side of her, while Eriol, with his choice, sat down to the left of Tomoyo. Sonomi noticed the strangest look she has ever seen on Eriol. She wasn't sure if it was adoration or just plain friendliness towards Tomoyo. Tomoyo smiled back at him. Strangely enough for her, Sonomi has never seen her daughter smile so much. She never stayed long enough to watch her daughter carefully when she left for school, since she was never home to watch. Nuriko reported to her once that Tomoyo seemed depressed lately ever since Sakura and Syaoran left for China. At that time, Sonomi was in Canada, selling one of the most popular toys. All the reports given to her were always how Tomoyo never smiled as much as she did when she was nine or ten, but Sonomi suspected sometimes that her daughter was just hiding it behind her smile. Now, as she watched Tomoyo, the smile on her face was that of a real smile. Something she has never actually seen on her daughter. Sonomi glanced at the boy sitting beside her. He was speaking to her and making her laugh. Something about the boy made her daughter feel better. It was the closeness they had, the bond they shared that both of them are too blind to see.
****************
Dinner ended quickly than it had started. Tomoyo and Eriol, with Sonomi's suggestion, decided to go for a little walk in the warmest night in Tomoeda. Eriol thanked Sonomi for having him over for dinner, while she thanked him for helping Tomoyo with the dinner. They all exchanged their 'thank you's' before the two left for a night walk. They talked maybe for hours about everything, the memories in Tomoeda, Sakura's card capturing days, Tomoyo's videotapes of her and even shared their most precious secrets to each other. Tomoyo shared her childhood secrets mostly, about how she felt when her parents divorced. She chose to forget the painful memories of feeling neglected when her father remarried again and had two sons, both now thirteen. Eriol revealed things that only she knew. He spoke of his dreams of becoming a pianist when he was a child or maybe a writer. It was something both Tomoyo and Eriol had never done all their lives. It was as if they were old friends. They promised each other not to discuss the most touching subjects, ones that involved the people they love. The happiest days were the most inviting for both of them. During those talks, Tomoyo felt she knew Eriol better and Eriol felt he knew Tomoyo better as well from everything she has told him.
They walked down to Penguin Park, a suggestion Eriol gave to Tomoyo, because it was the only place that made him feel comfortable to talk about things. Tomoyo didn't mind that much, so she went with the plan. When they arrived, Tomoyo ran ahead of Eriol and skipped towards the swings like a little child. She sat down on the center swing and moved her legs slowly. Eriol walked behind her and began to push her, to Tomoyo's surprise. They were quiet for a moment, until Eriol broke his promise and began to ask her questions she dreaded to answer.
"How are you feeling, Tomoyo? Do you still feel hurt about everything?"
Tomoyo glanced up at Eriol. "What do you mean?" At first she didn't understand and once she did, she wished now she didn't. She felt Eriol pushing her gently on the swings, the warm wind tickling her bare neck. She looked away from him and stared ahead at the empty street.
Eriol grabbed the chains of the swings to stop her from swinging and looked down on her. "Stop pretending to be hurt, Tomoyo. I know you're still hurt about Syaoran and Sakura getting engaged..." He paused. He had forgotten that Tomoyo never knew about their engagement. Ahhh, crap! He thought. He glanced at her. The girl was not moving, she seemed petrified, or frozen in shock with the news. Eriol slapped himself mentally for being inconsiderate with his words.
Tomoyo pressed her feet on the ground to stop swinging and stood up, making no attempts to look at Eriol whatsoever. She walked to the bench quietly and sat down, her head bowed down and her bangs covering the sadness on her face. "Why... Why did you have to say that, Eriol?"
"I thought you knew," Eriol lied. He knew that Syaoran never spoke to her about it, because his young descendant was smart enough to know that Tomoyo has been in love with him for the longest time.
The girl said nothing for a moment, then looked up with tearful eyes. Her face was swollen with redness from crying and her mouth relaxed into a frown. "Of all the people, Eriol Hiragizawa should know how I feel." She stood up, clenching her fists at her sides and began to walk away.
Eriol ran to her and when he had caught up to her, he grabbed her arm gently and pulled her back so he could see her face. "Tomoyo-chan, is running away the only thing you can ever do?"
Tomoyo attempted to release herself from his grip, but Eriol wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her in for an embrace. "Tomoyo-chan," he whispered. "There's no need to hide now. Tell me how you feel. I'm here for you." To his surprise and with all her strength, Tomoyo pushed him with both her hands. Eriol fell down on his rear, still shocked and confused by the girl's actions. With one last glance towards him, Tomoyo turned and walked away.
****************
She didn't know what she was doing. She had walked maybe for about four hours already. It was now past midnight, but Tomoyo didn't care. She just wanted to be alone right now, without Eriol's constant pressure about how she felt. Why would he care? Pity. That is what all he ever thought to anyone he knew. He felt pity for her. Pity that she felt alone for the very first time. The storm clouds began to hover overhead. Then, rain began to pour wildly on her tired self. Self consciously, without a care in the world, Tomoyo continued to walk through the cold rain. She was shivering, but she ignored all of it for the sake of wanting to run away from everything else.
'Tomoyo, why do you do this to yourself?' a voice spoke in her head.
Eriol's voice came back to haunt her mind. 'There's no need to hide now. Tell me how you feel. I'm here for you.'
Tomoyo remembered how she pushed him as hard as she could. She felt guilty for that, but there was no time to ponder that, as she thought about Syaoran and Sakura's wedding. How can she have loved Syaoran? She betrayed her only best friend in the whole world. "Gomen nasai, Sakura," she whispered to herself. If she felt sorry, why does she feel she's not at all?
Jealousy.
For the first time in all her life, she felt jealousy for the only girl who has been her friend since kindergarten. The rain continued to pour. It now soaked through her purple sundress. Her hair was now disheveled from the strong winds, mixed with the rain. It rained even harder now as she entered one of the secluded woods in Tomoeda.
****************
He cursed and kicked himself for being such a bastard! "Damn it!" he swore, stuffing his hands in his pockets. The rain was pouring, but to him it didn't matter. He just thought of the rain as God's punishment for being such a baka towards Tomoyo-chan. Eriol, what were you doing embracing her like that? He told himself. What was in his mind? He didn't love the girl. Did he? Eriol shook his head. How can he be in love with Tomoyo when they have nothing in common at all? He had Kaho.
"Come to think of it, Kaho hasn't been in my mind for days," he whispered. "Aggh! Baka!" He slapped a hard hand on his forehead and closed his eyes. Tomoyo WAS special. For years she was there when Sakura needed help. She was her support, but every time Tomoyo felt hurt, she would just smile and pretend like nothing happened. Eriol saw the real sadness in Tomoyo's eyes, but when he was ready to comfort her, he was already too late. She was ashamed of who she was. "Tomoyo..." He murmured.
"Hiragizawa-kun! Hiragizawa-kun!" Eriol paused, looking around for the source of the voice. He turned behind him and noticed a very concerned Sonomi Daidouji running towards him with an umbrella. She seemed panicked and Eriol knew something must have happened to Tomoyo.
"Daidouji-san!" Eriol spoke, his eyes widening in shock. "What's going on?"
Sonomi finally caught up with him. She took a deep breath before opening her mouth to speak. "Tomoyo never home, Eriol-san! Where is she?"
Eriol looked at her. "I don't know what you're talking about. I thought she went home on her own after..." he paused, not wanting to bring that subject up again.
The woman shook her head. "Iiee! She never came home, Eriol-san! I thought maybe she was still with you!"
The young man said nothing.
Sonomi frowned. "She hasn't been home for an hour now. Where could she have gone? I'm beginning to feel worried!" She looked around frantically.
Eriol placed a hand on her shoulder to calm the woman down. "You have to calm down, Daidouji-san... I'll look for her somewhere in the park. She couldn't have gone far. You can start looking for her around the neighborhood."
Sonomi nodded. "Hai." She turned with a pounding heart. Eriol watched her speed up just a little bit as she turned a corner and then disappear behind the building. Eriol turned around to face the well known Tomoeda forest parks. The rain poured even madder than before on him and the storm clouds began to darken the skies blacker. Eriol felt a sign from the skies. Something was amiss and he had to find Tomoyo soon, before anything else happens.
GoodGurl: Wooh! Finally! Finish this chapter! Well, that's all folks! See you on the next chappy! :D SAYONARA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!