Disclaimer : I don't own CCS
The Unchained Melody
Part 2
Eriol couldn't decide wheter he'd better waited Tomoyo to tell him what was going on, or just to run away and pretended that none of those weird things really happened. For what he realized, he was still standing at the very same spot. Too afraid to move, too afraid to speak, too afraid to do anything.
The Tomoyo who was standing behind him bowed her head. The tiredness was shown on her beautiful face. After sighing and managed to form a smile, she said, "Please sit there, Hiiragizawa-kun. And try to… relax yourself."
Reluctantly, he did what she had asked him to do. He tried to keep his gaze set on the wall. Not at the standing Tomoyo, nor the sleeping Tomoyo. Just on the wall.
A few minutes passed by. Eriol thought that the standing Tomoyo would say a thing or two, but she didn't. To break the ice that came between them, he finally decided to ask first. "A,are you two…er…twins?" he asked anything that seemed to make sense in his head –though he realized it did sound stupid after he said it.
"No,"
"T,then?"
The standing Tomoyo took some steps closer to him and sat on the same bed where the other Tomoyo was sleeping. "… sorry Hiira… Can I call you just Eriol? Hiiragizawa is too long to say,"
Nervously, he nodded.
"Okay, Eriol-kun… now what do you want to know?"
Eriol licked his dry lower lip. "…W,well…I,I…er… why there are two Tomoyo?"
The first Tomoyo looked at her other self. She sighed. "Not two Tomoyo, that's first thing you got to know. Well…, I, Tomoyo Daidouji was just the same ordinary girl. I didn't have any magical power or things like that. It just that…since I was little, I had a weak body. Leukimia, anyway."
He was surprised to hear it. She didn't look like a sick girl –really. And though he didn't know what was the relationship between what he wanted to know and what she was telling, he still litsened to her.
"Hospital was my 2nd house for this 21 years. The doctors were quite surprise that I could still alive until this age. They said it was medical miracle," she chuckled. "But then I became sick of chemotheraphy and decided to stop it since a few months ago. And since that, my disease become worse."
She sighed. "Mentally, I had prepared myself for this. Since the very beginning, I knew that I wouldn't be able to live long. And… as you see now, I got into a comma."
For the first time in his life, Eriol found difficulties in arranging his words. "B,but… then…w,why now y,you could be…here? Why there are 2 Tomoyo?!"
The awake raven haired girl replied. "I am Tomoyo Daidouji. The same one. I don't know how, but after I got into the comma, my spirit went out of my body. Or better I say, the spirit that was formed by my own unaccomplished wish. That spirit is what you see in me now,"
"My main body is still working and live, though. But since my body is weaken each days, My spirit form is weaken too,"
"And that's why you collapsed in front of my apartment today," Eriol guessed.
"Embarassing, but…yeah,"
Tomoyo didn't say anything else for the next few seconds, so Eriol dared himself to ask her. "Er… you said that you have unaccomplished wish. Can I know what is that?"
The violet eyed girl smiled tenderly before answering. Her eyes went wander to another place that seemed to be distant far away. "My mother –well she is dead now. But I still could remember how pretty she was when she wore the dress that my father had choosed for her. The dress was yellow, knee-length… very match with her brown hair. My mother kept saying that she wasn't the type of girl who would look good with that dress. But no. I think she really looked… like an angel. And since then…I really wanted to be a designer."
"A designer? That's your unfulfilled wish?"
She nodded. "That… and…another one."
"Another one?"
"Yes."
Eriol could feel how Tomoyo's sudden stare at him burned his cheek. Damn, he thought.
"Th…the another one is…," Tomoyo began. But then she shook her head. "No. I can't say that. That's my selfish wish."
"I think because it is selfish than you call it your wish, right?"
"Well… yes. But I still can't tell it –yet. Sorry,"
"You don't need to say sorry. I understand,"
She smiled. "Thanks. You really are a nice person. Nice and talented and lucky… I really do envy you, Eriol-kun."
He didn't feel afraid of the spirit girl in front of him again. But her last statement really confused him. "Envy? What do you have to envy of me? I am just a loser,"
Tomoyo sighed. "You don't know how lucky you are… to have a healthy body. To have a power to do your dreams…," she then looked directly at him. "Don't blame your dream for what happened to your fiancee, Eriol-kun. What happened to her was something that human couldn't stop. It was an accident,"
"No, it wasn't. I am the one who caused it. I am the one who bring the misery to her!" he shouted –at the same time felt guilty since he saw the glint of pain on her eyes.
"W,well…," she managed to smile. "I,I'm sorry. I have no rights to say those things. I'm sorry,"
He sighed. "Er… actually I have one question left. Well… er… what is the relation of all of these with me? I mean, I know I'm the one who want to know the secret, but how could I see you? You're spirit and I have no magical power or what so…,"
"Well…I assume that's because my unfulfilled…," she paused.
"H,hey are you okay?" Eriol recognized that symptom.
Breathless, she replied. "I, I don't know… Something r,really hurt inside m.my body…," Tomoyo started to sweat. "I think that's because of using my power unwisely… I,I…,"
Suddenly an alarm was ringing hysterically.
"G,go…," said the lovely plum blossom. "The alarm is to detect any changing in my main body's condition. Go… the doctors will be here soon…,"
He was standing still.
"Go!"
Reluctanly, he did. From the corner of his eyes, he could see that the spirit of Tomoyo began to disappear.
As he was out of her room, he saw a group of doctor was coming and got into Tomoyo's room. They were too panic to see that there was a stranger standing in front of her room. The door was soon closed. Eriol couldn't see anything. He could only hear the dread voices of the doctor who tried to make the situation become better.
He felt his heart skipped a beat. It must be hard for her… fighting her disease… It must be hard…
Eriol turned back and was about to walk away when he bumped into somebody. He looked up and saw a handsome man around 40 with black hair and clear blue eyes. "S,sorry sir… I didn't watch my…,"
The man just shook his head and said it was alright. He also did apologize but when he got the better view of Eriol he gasped. "Y,you must be Eriol Hiiragizawa!"
It was quite an awkward situation for Eriol. Espescially after the man whom he had hit, said, "I'm Kyo Daidouji. Tomoyo's father,"
- - - - -
"Well, perhaps you will wonder who is Tomoyo and what is her relationship with you," Kyo Daidouji began as he and Eriol sat on the couch in Hospital's waiting room.
"Actually, no. I know Tomoyo from… er… from…,"
Kyo stared at the young boy beside him. "From her spirit?"
Eriol immediately widened his eyes. "You know?"
"Yes. Her spirit sometimes come to me and we have some talks,"
"O,oh," Eriol nervously nodded. Tomoyo and all her mysteries. He became used of that.
"My daughter… really loves your music. She litsened to your CD everyday –before she stucked into a comma."
The young boy didn't know what to say. But Kyo seemed not to be bother of that silence.
"Hiiragizawa-san… what do you think is the best? Die and rest peacefully or to keep live on and having all the consequences? Tomoyo… choosed to keep live on. She… decided to take all the risks by herself. She fought by herself…,"
Eriol realized that though how strong and friendly Kyo seemed to be, he really did feel depressed from the bottom of his heart.
"Before she was comma, she said that she was ready for the operation of her disease. The operation's date has been settled. She wanted it to be on her mother's birthdate –which will be the day after tomorrow. She said it was for her present to her mother."
"The doctors said how high the risk was, but she kept insisted. Sometimes, I really want her to give up. I don't want to see her suffering again. I… I just want her to…to…," Kyo didn't finish his words. He just gritted his teeth.
"But I'm sure you've got to be proud of your daughter,"
Kyo seemed to be surprised. He stared at Eriol with pain on his clear blue eyes. But there was also hope on them. "Indeed yes. I am…very proud of her."
- - - -
Tomoeda City Hall was a big place. But after seeing the amount of people there, that place seemed to be very small. People, not just from the city of Tomoeda –but from another city and even other countries, filled that place.
Eriol looked at the people from a room on the 3rd floor of the City Hall. "Wow. I don't expect it to be this many,"
"Are you kidding me?! When Eriol Hiiragizawa performs a concert, the tickets are always sold out! Espescially if this is your first appearing after 3 years!" said his manager. A blond haired guy with green eyes and a thin line of moustache.
"Well… it just that, I thought this concert was a bit unprepared. It was only yesterday that I told you about this and now…wow."
"Well, yes. You insisted that this concert has to be today. That's quite stressing me. But if I can't do this, then my job as your manager will be taken," he smiled proudly. "Anyway, prepare yourself. The concert is about to begin. Good luck." And with that Eriol saw his manager shut the door closed.
The sapphire eyed boy sighed. To him, after 3 years, this is such a big step. He didn't exactly know what was on his mind when he called his manager and told him that he was ready to play the piano again. In fact, until now he didn't really sure if he was ready.
The thought of how Tomoyo was the one who made him… embarassed. How a sick girl like her still fought her disease to fulfill her dream. When he, a guy who is able to do his dream, just ran away from his own paranoid.
He had to admit that he still felt sorry about Kaho. But Tomoyo was right. It was something that he couldn't change. He did a mistake by leaving his dream. And now that he had to abillity to fix his problems, he wanted to do it. Maybe after this he would help Kaho to fix her problems. But for now, he had to make sure fix his own problem.
Eriol looked out of the window where he could see the concert room. People had sat on their seat –impatiently yelling for his name. His gaze then moved at the stage, where there, his grand piano placed. He didn't know why but at that time he suddenly felt scared. He was afraid.
"I can't do this," he murmured.
"Why can't?" came a voice. Eriol turned around and he found Tomoyo's spirit was standing. He didn't know why but now everytime he saw Tomoyo, he felt his heart was beating faster.
"Why can't you, Eriol?"
"I…I… don't know,"
She giggled.
He smiled. Seeing her make him feel calmer. "Why are you here? Your operation is tonight, right?"
"Yes. That's why I came now. I'm sorry that I can't see your concert, Eriol. I have to get back to my own body."
Her mentioning of 'concert' made his stomatch hurt. Like it was filled with snakes or things like that. Weird. A couple of years ago, he didn't feel any pre-concert jitters. But that was a couple of years ago. "I,I'm not sure if I'm doing a right thing."
Tomoyo grabbed his hands and held them. "Don't worry. You can do it. I believe it. Your music brought miracles to anyone who heard it. I'm sure that your music would bring miracle to your own self too,"
"But I…,"
"You love it, right?"
"Eh?"
"You love music right? You love the piano. I can see it from your eyes, Eriol-kun."
His eyes softened. How could I forget? How could I forget that? I love the piano, I love music, I love…
His gaze set on Tomoyo.
That's impossible, he thought as he shook his head.
The knocks on the door jolted him. "Eriol! Are you ready?! We'll begin the concert in 5 minutes!" he heard his manager's voice behind the door.
"Yeah! I'll be out just a few minutes again!" Eriol shouted back at the door. After hearing his manager said 'okay' and leaved, the dark haired boy returned his gaze to Tomoyo. "You know why I want the concert to be tonight?" After he saw Tomoyo shook his head, he continued, "I believe that you'll fight your disease with all the strenth you have. And this concert, I present it for you, for your braveness, and for what you have done to me,"
She smiled gratefully which replied with his smile too. Eriol then leaned forward and gave a quick kiss on her lips.
Tomoyo blushed. "E,Eriol? Wh,what did that mean?"
Eriol smirked. "Something very precious. Well, I have to go now, Tomoyo. You believe that I can do this, then I believe that you can fight your disease too. Good luck," he said as he headed to the door. He was about to went out of the room when he heard her calling him again.
"Eriol… my other wish was… to be able to hear your music again," she began. "But then I guess… it's not just your music," Tomoyo added still with blush on her cheeks.
He just smiled. "We'll fight together, okay?" After she nodded, he went out of the dressing room and headed to the stage.
- - - - -
As his figure bathed by the spotlight, the crowd below the stage started to scream. He chuckled. He wasn't a pop idol, but still he could make a sensation as if he was one. After bowing to the audience, he took some steps to the grand piano at the center of the stage.
Eriol placed his fingers on the white piano's key. The audience waited in hope, but after some minutes passed without any melody, they began to fill the hall with some curious chattering. They waitaed in anxiousness.
The boy who sat in front of the piano wasn't feeling any better. His fingers trembled. I can't do this. I can't do this…
But somehow, the trembles stopped. Something warm was holding him from behind. And even that he couldn't see it (nor did the audience), he knew who it was.
You can do it, I believe that.
He exhaled a deep breath and tried to calm himself down. And before he could even realized, his fingers had danced on the piano keys. The enchanting melody came out of the piano and soon mesmerized the audience.
Eriol had to admit that he felt… inspired. He felt every vibrates of passion, of thrill ran fastly through his fingers. He enjoyed it. He loved it.
A smile formed on his face.
Well, I guess you're right, Tomoyo.
- - - The next day, Hospital- - -
It was the day after the concert and Eriol was on his way to the hospital. He actually wanted to visit Tomoyo immediately after the concert, but his manager made him stay for the press conference.
Eriol quickly ran to the corridor where Tomoyo's room was. The bouqet of lavender flower was ready on his hand. He now just need to knock on the door and made sure that she was alright. That the operation was successful. That he was able to see her again.
He opened the door, and to his surprise, there was nobody in her room. He felt blood rushed hard to his head. What about if the operation failed? What about if…
"Hey, what are you doing there?!"
Eriol turned around and faced a hard-faced nurse with brown hair. The nurse frowned and snapped him again. "What are you doing here?!"
"I am a visitor. Wh,where is the patient in this room?"
The nurse looked at her patients' data board. "Ms. Tomoyo Daidouji?"
"Yes! Her! Where is she?! How was the operation?"
"Are you Mr. Eriol Hiiragizawa?" she said as she raised an eyebrow.
It was his turn to frown. "Er, yes. It's me,"
"Ms.Daidouji leaved this to you," the nurse handed him a letter.
He took it and said, "Thanks. How was the operation?"
"It went well,"
Eriol sighed in relief. "I'm glad. So… where is she now?"
The nurse didn't reply. She just walked out of the room and said, "Just read the letter."
After making sure the nurse had left, Eriol opened the letter and began to read.
Eriol-kun
Congratulations for the concert! I didn't see it, but I'm sure you can do it! Anyway, my operation was succeed. Thanks for your support!
He smiled and continued to read the letter.
But I still have to do some therapy to make sure the leukimia won't come back. So, after the operation, my dad planned to bring me to America for more intensive care. I'm sorry that I have to leave without telling you first.
I'll still need to continue my fighting and so do you. Wish you good luck and thank you for everything, Eriol-kun…
See you again…With love, Tomoyo Daidouji
Just that. That was the end of the letter.
Though his heart wrenched, he still folded it and put it into his coat. He sighed. He regretted her leaving, but he was sure that he could meet her again.
For she was the one who gave him warmth
For she was the one who gave him strength
For she was the one who had opened his heart and mind
And someday… just for her
He would play his unchained melody.
The EndA/n : Sorry if the story isn't that good. Lack of romance, ne? Well, I'm not making romance as the main point of this story. But since E/T pairing is just so that damn irresistable I still give one kissing scene. Review, I will appreciate it very much!