UNMEI (DESTINY)
CHAPTER 6
Maya handed Tomoyo a soda and sat down beside her on the park bench.
"Arigatou," Tomoyo said.
"I should be thanking you," Maya replied, taking a sip of her drink. "Thanks for asking me to spend the day with you."
"It was fun, wasn't it?" the younger girl smiled.
"Yup," Maya agreed. They had gone sightseeing, then shopping, and she enjoyed every minute of it.
"I wish…Hiiragizawa-kun and I…could spend time like this," Tomoyo sighed, color rushing to her cheeks.
"Ahh…a date, right?"
Tomoyo didn't answer.
"I'm sure he'll ask you out soon."
"He isn't really certain, yet, about what he feels for me," she said dejectedly.
"Did he tell you that?"
"Not exactly."
"How about you? Have you made up your mind about your feelings for him?"
"Yes," she answered truthfully. She had known, since the afternoon he held her hand and told her 'I'll protect you', that she loved him. She loved him because of his gentle nature and not because of the past they shared.
Maya removed her medallion and gave it to Tomoyo. "Here," she said.
"I couldn't possibly…"
"It was yours to begin with," she insisted.
"Thank you."
"Tomoyo-chan," Maya smiled encouragingly. "Ganbatte."
Maya and Tomoyo strode side-by-side along the sidewalk. They were on their way to Sakura's house to drop off the things they had gotten for her.
Maya sighed, wishing she could have given Tomoyo a better advice than what she had told the girl earlier. But what could she have possibly said? She hadn't had much experience concerning matters of the heart. She bet that Tomoyo probably knew more about it than she did.
'I should be ashamed of myself,' she thought, letting out another sigh.
She was seriously considering ways to help Tomoyo deal with her situation that she didn't immediately notice the person who blocked their path.
"Maya-san," Tomoyo said, calling her companion's attention.
"Huh? What is it?" Maya's brows shot up when she saw the boy standing before them. He was a head shorter than she, but he had the same copper hair and purple eyes. "Minoru…How can you be…?"
"It's nice to see you again, Oneesan." The lad smiled. "I don't have time to chat with you, though. I came for your friend," he said, motioning to Tomoyo.
He raised one hand and, in an instant, Clow Reed's symbol appeared beneath his feet. A pair of black wings grew from his back. He lowered his hand and directed it at Tomoyo, robbing her mind of consciousness and enveloping her body in dark flames. Then, he turned to Maya and pinned her in place with his gaze.
"Minoru…" Maya said as she tried to resist her brother's power. But the harder she attempted to fight, the weaker she became. She dropped on her hands and knees as she lost total control over her limbs.
She watched helplessly as the boy escaped with Tomoyo in tow. "Minoru…"
Eriol casually leafed through the pages of the book which Kaho had lent him. He had wanted to finish reading it before the end of the day, but he lost interest in completing the task because of a bad feeling he had been getting since early morning. He sighed, closing the hardbound novel and dropping it on the coffee table. He shut his eyes and leaned back in the armchair.
'Why can't I feel at ease?' he asked. 'Something seems wrong…'
The sound of the doorbell brought him out of his musings. He was about to get up when Kaho emerged from the kitchen.
"I'll get it," she said.
"Thank you," he smiled. He inhaled deeply, completely filling his lungs with air. He picked the book up from the table and decided to ignore the disturbing thoughts he has been having.
'It's probably nothing…'
"Eriol-kun!"
Kaho's call sent a chill up his spine, causing him to rush to the front door. He knew instantly when he saw Kaho cradling Maya's trembling frame that his instinct had been right. Something had definitely gone wrong.
Maya buried her face on the pillow and pulled the blanket more tightly around her body. It didn't calm her agitation, though. The shock of seeing her younger brother, whom she thought was dead, had already abated, but the fearsome glare he gave her left her restless. Tears started to form at her eyelids as she recalled the warmth that used to radiate from his eyes.
"Are you feeling better?" Eriol asked out of nowhere.
Maya quickly wiped the tears from her cheeks and sat up in bed. She didn't notice Eriol enter the room and was surprised by his sudden appearance.
"I'm sorry," she said.
"It's not your fault."
Maya's hands tightened around the bed sheets. She was remembering her brother's ominous black wings as he ran off with Tomoyo.
"Don't worry," Eriol said reassuringly. "We'll get her back."
"How is she?" Kaho asked Eriol as he came out of the guest room.
"She's finally sleeping," he replied, closing the door behind him. "I told her to stay with us for a few days. Please watch over her while I take care of---"
"I understand," Kaho smiled, meeting Eriol's determined gaze. "Go and search for Daidouji-san. I'll look after things here."
The black-winged youth flew over the house with a blue roof and alighted in front of its yellow-painted walls. He went inside, carrying the unconscious girl in his arms.
"Ah, Minoru, welcome back," a dark-haired man greeted him.
"I've brought her just as you ordered."
"Good," the man commented, ruffling the youth's auburn hair. "Please set her down in the bedroom."
The boy headed for the stairs but stopped at the foot of the steps. He turned back to his companion and said, "I saw Oneesan. When will she…?"
"Soon, Minoru. She'll be joining us soon," the man answered with a confident glint in his deep blue eyes.