Disclaimer: If you still don't know that CLAMP owns Cardcaptor Sakura,.. SHAME ON YOU!! And also, I don't own the poem. I got it from a Filipino Website.. And the song: Lea Salonga sang it...
Friend of Mine...
I'll never say I love you
I'll never say I care
I'll never tell you how I feel
'Cause' I know you'll only despair.
Tomoyo Daidouji walked down the empty hallway of the Tomoeda Middle School. She likes to go to school early, to see the school without the noise of cries and laughter made by her fellow students. And to reminisce about what happened the day before, at this same hallway, without anyone bothering her.
The days I spent with you
Were the best times of my life
But the secret that I'm hiding
Is cutting me like a knife
She stopped by her best friend's locker, and opened it. There, she saw the neat way her best friend arranged his books, by height, and how he always kept it smelling fresh by hiding a small bar of Dove soap behind his books. She looked at his locker door, where he kept his after-school schedules and the due dates of his reports.
She smiled, as she saw their picture together. It was taken during a trip to England, behind them was his ancestral house. She remembered all the fun they had, and how they turned red, whenever someone would say that they were a cute couple.
She sighed, how she wished they were right. She opened her backpack and took the lunch she regularly prepares for him, and laid it neatly on the locker shelf.
You're smile is always the same
When you wave in the halls
Brotherly love and affection
But no romance at all
Tomoyo walked to her locker, and she saw her best friend standing beside her locker, obviously waiting for her.
"Hi Eriol!" She greeted cheerfully as she turned her combination lock.
"Hi, Tomoyo!!" Eriol said. He looked around and asked "Do you know when Kaho Mizuki goes to school?"
Tomoyo rolled her eyes, as she took out the things she needed for first period. Eriol Hiragiizawa is known for his big obsession for the auburn-haired Library Intern.
"I left your lunch at your locker," Tomoyo said, slamming the locker door. And walked to the library to study and think for a little bit.
"Tomoyo, are you mad at me?" Eriol ran to catch up to her.
"No," Tomoyo said walking faster, "Why would you think I am?"
"Well, you're walking like the devil's after you."
"He is," Tomoyo mumbled. Tomoyo knew Eriol since they were in diapers, and she could read him like a book and vice versa. What she couldn't understand is, why does he like a girl ten years older than him?!
"Well, if you're not, maybe we could go to the Music Room?" Eriol said, pulling Tomoyo to the other direction. "You really need to practice for the talent show, you know."
I'm wondering if I should tell you
How I really feel
'Cause this secret is torturing me slowly
And it's ur heart I want to steal
"So, what song should you sing?" Eriol asked, sitting down at the pianist's chair. Tomoyo sat with him.
"I don't know, I'm thinking of singing Somewhere Out There." Tomoyo shrugged, playing with some piano keys.
"You sang it before," Eriol said, looking through the music book. "How about this?" Eriol pointed out a song.
"Let's try," Tomoyo said, standing up so it will be easier to sing.
The beautiful melody started and Tomoyo sang.
"I've loved you ever since you are a friend of mine,
And babe, is this all we ever could be?
I've loved you then and I love you still
You're a friend of mine.
And babe this is all we ever could be,
You tell me things I never know,
I've shown you love you've never shown.
But then again when you cry,
I'm always at your side
You tell me about love you had
And I, listen very eagerly.
But deep inside you'll never see,
This feeling of emptiness.
It makes me feel sad,
but then again I'm glad."
Tomoyo's peaceful voice and Eriol's masterful melody, wrapped the whole room. It was beautiful, if only Eriol could see that the song was meant for him.
When the song ended, Tomoyo wiped a tear. It's a good thing, Eriol was concentrating at the notes.
"That was beautiful, Tomoyo!" Eriol said, clapping his hands. "You are inspired today."
Tomoyo looked at him and shook with laughter. She couldn't believe how dense he is.
"What? Do I have something on my face?" Eriol said, looking at his reflection on the piano.
"No, it's just that.." Tomoyo stopped herself, before she could destroy the beautiful friendship between them. "Oh never mind. It's a girl thing,"
Eriol nodded knowingly, but deep inside he was still confused.
The door opened and Kaho Mizuki went inside the Music Room.
"I should've known that the two of the most musical person on the school was making that beautiful sound." Kaho smiled at them.
Tomoyo looked at her best friend, and she could see his eyes go into a hypnotic trance. This guy is obviously OBSESSED!!
"Thank you, Kaho," Tomoyo said, hoping to take away the attention from Eriol and save the last bits of his dignity.
"Kaho," Eriol's voice dropped into an octave. "Would you like to eat lunch with me, today?"
The auburn-haired lady smiled and said "Yes, I'd love to,"
Tomoyo looked at both of them in shock, after a split-second,her eyes turned into a blank stare.
"Well, I have to get going," Tomoyo said, taking her backpack. "Hope you have a nice lunch!"
Tomoyo rushed through the door and went inside the nearest girl's bathroom.
I'll never say I love you
I'll never say I care
I'll never tell you how I feel
'Cause' I know you'll only despair.
Tomoyo opened her bestfriend's locker, and saw that his lunch was left untouched. She sighed, and took the blue box. I really should stop this ritual Tomoyo thought. She'll just give the lunch to her chauffeur's daughter, Lyna had an intense liking for her cakes. She looked at the locker door, and not surprisingly, their picture was covered by pictures of Kaho and Eriol together. And I really should stop visiting this locker.
After Eriol and Kaho went steady, Eriol's after-school schedule was filled with Kaho, Kaho, Kaho. He didn't even show up on the talent show, where he was supposed to play the piano for her! It was a good thing Touya was there to play for her, Touya was good. But, Eriol was better...
"Hey!" Eriol said cheerfully, "So, you're going to take away that lunch?"
"Yeah, I guess. Lyna would like it," Tomoyo shrugged. "How are you and Kaho?"
"Well, fine," Eriol said.
"Okay, good!" Tomoyo said, she felt that this conversation was awkward. She miss the good old days, when they would talk just about anything, even Eriol's wet dreams, and will never feel awkward with each other. I guess having your best friend have another special person in life is hard, especially if you love him.
"Tomoyo, could you help me?" Eriol asked
"Depends on what kind of help," Tomoyo said
"I need you to help me, um, findanengagementringforKaho." Eriol said in one breath. Tomoyo heard it, and her heart broke into a million pieces. But she has to be strong.
"I don't know, maybe you should ask Sakura for that kind of job," With that, Tomoyo walked away.
#############################################
"Sakura, I don't know what to do!" Tomoyo cried at her friend's lap. "I love him, but he doesn't reciprocate that love!"
"Tomoyo, I don't know what to say," Sakura said, taking a brush and brushing Tomoyo's long hair.
"sniff I just hope Eriol and I never met Kaho. Better yet, I hope I never met Eriol and Kaho." Tomoyo said, she's more calm now.
"We could do nothing about the situatuon, right now," Sakura said, "But I know that a Malt Frapuccino, my treat, can help boost your morale!"
"Okay," Tomoyo agreed and she went to the bathroom to make herself look more representable.
Sakura and Tomoyo went inside the coffee shop. Sakura asked Tomoyo to look for a seat and Tomoyo agreed, she took the seat besides the window. When Sakura came holding two Malt Frapuccino, Tomoyo saw a familiar auburn-haired woman. Sakura gasped in the background and Tomoyo guessed that Sakura saw what she saw too.
There was Kaho Mizuki and a guy, who was not certainly Eriol.
"Tomoyo, we should take a picture of this!" Sakura whispered, taking her camera phone, she took a picture of the happy couple. The guy called for a cab, and when the taxi arrived, he opened the door and kissed Kaho fully on the lips.
"Holy Macaroni! We should tell Eriol, about this!" Sakura said, drinking half of the Frap in one gulp.
"Sakura, what if that was her cousin? Let's not jump into any conclusions!" Tomoyo said, trying to be calm, but she couldn't.
"You never play Tonsil-Hockey with your cousin!" Sakura said.
"I believe this is not our business anymore," Tomoyo said seriously "Sakura, please don't tell Eriol what we just saw. I know how painful a heartbreak can be, and I don't want him to feel that!"
"Kaho is cheating on him!! And you don't want to tell him the truth?!" Sakura shrieked, gaining stares from the few people in the coffee shop. She blushed, and bowed her head.
"Exactly,"
"But, you're making Eriol look like a fool!!" Sakura whispered.
"Just as they say, 'ignorance is bliss,'" Tomoyo said firmly, "This is none of our business, and we should stay out of it."
Sakura heard Tomoyo's shut-up-and-don't-dare-contradict-me-because-you-know-I-will-win-so-don't-bother voice. A voice that Tomoyo inherited from her mother, that makes magnates all over the world shake in their boots, so imagine the effect of this voice on a regular person.
"Okay, whatever you say Tomoyo," Sakura said, sipping what was left of her Frapuccino.
It was raining on a Saturday night. Tomoyo sat on the living room, she's all alone inside an enormous house, since she gave the day off to all of her servants. She sat there, sketching a wedding gown. She figured that Eriol would ask her to design the gowns for his wedding, so she better start now.
She sat there, tears are filling up her eyes. Tomoyo felt like a child's toy, she'll be important in one person's life for a while, then after that she'll be thrown away. She sighed, life was never fair, especially hers.
She woke up from her reverie when the doorbell rang. She stood up wondering who will be up this time of the night. When she opened the door, there was her blue-eyed friend. On his tuxedo and all wet. Apparently, he walked to her house.
"May I come in?" Eriol asked, his voice begging.
Tomoyo nodded, she opened the door wider and went upstairs and took some fresh set of clothes and a towel, she always kept in stock some large t-shirts and sweatpants in case of emergencies. She put all these things in the bathroom.
"Eriol, go upstairs to the bathroom to change." Tomoyo told him, as she walked to the kitchen to make some hot cocoa. She watched Eriol stagger upstairs. He looks like he was on a daze, and that he's about to fall soon. When he's safely on the bathroom, Tomoyo took out the cookies she baked this afternoon, and set them carefully on the living room table.
Eriol emerged from the bathroom, wearing the clothes Tomoyo set for him, and went downstairs. He sat down on the couch, Tomoyo offered him a cup of cocoa, and he gratefully accepted. They sat there on silence for a few minutes, just sipping the steaming cocoa.
"Kaho met someone else," Eriol said, breaking the tensed silence.
"How are you feeling?" Tomoyo said, looking at her best friend.
"Terrible," Eriol's eyes was filled with pain and sorrow. "I've always planned a future with Kaho, I've always dreamt that after 3 years, my house will be filled with Eriol and Kaho Jr's. Now that dream is gone." Eriol said, tears streaming down his face.
"Eriol," Tomoyo said, standing up to sit beside him, she hugged him. Wishing she could take all the pain away from her very best friend.
"Always remember that I'm here, and that I will never leave you," Tomoyo whispered.
A new chapter of their life has opened. A new beginning, another start. Things may have changed a bit, but they'll always be friends.
Fin
AN: This fic was inspired by my friend and her friend. And watch out for my series: OH, STUPID LOVE!!! It will be released this June.
PLEASE READ AND REVIEW!!!