AN:

Not much reviews, but hey that's okay! I'm kinda liking where this story is heading myself! P And the last paragraph of Chapter ten, well that was a bit of an afterthought..... ha ha, an authors shouldn't really say thing like that about their story, should they? Well, I'm not a serious writer or anything, so I like flying by the seat of my pants. (I always wanted to say that!!)

Although I am making this up as I go along, that doesn't mean I don't have the bigger picture in mind. Meaning I know how I want the story to end, i know all the big details and secrets I want to reveal later on, I'm just working on all the little things you know?! So, the Eriol and Tomoyo thing is confusing 'cause that's how I want it to be. I mean that's the whole mystery to my story that ultimately affects everyone in this story. I've already said too much!!! bye!!

Looksmart

Chapter eleven

By mad NUTZ

It was lunchtime, she hated this part of the day the most. Usually it would be spent with Sakura as they would laugh about any little thing. She sighed, staring off into space while she unconsciously played with her food. It wasn't like she couldn't sit with anybody else, but in a way she didn't want to sit next to anybody else. It was her way of punishing herself as she sought redemption.

"Hey, cheer up!" Tomoyo knew who it was by the sound of their voice. She glanced up to confirm her conclusion as her attention went back to her cold tray of food.

Li sat across from her as he watched how pathetic she became. It was amazing how such a brilliant and beautiful girl became the equivalent of a pile of crap. 'Does Sakura really mean that much to her?' he thought to himself. But he already knew the answer to that question.

"Ai-ya!" He rubbed his head in frustration. "Snap out of it!"

Tomoyo say there unaffected by his out burst. She continued to play with her food without ever looking up at him into his eyes.

"I've noticed," she began to speak, "that you and Sakura are becoming very close."

"Mmm-hmm." Li nodded as he slouched over the able.

"So how is she?" Tomoyo looked up at him, the sadness she felt was evident in her dull gray eyes. Li was taken aback as he was surprised at how dead she seemed. His cheerful attitude dispersed as he became somewhat serious.

"She's the same old happy and klutzy person, but you can still sense her reluctance for being happy." This caught Tomoyo's attention. "She's still mad about you and Eriol as you already know. I can feel she wants to forgive you, but she can't; however, she won't let herself be happy either. She feels guilty about abandoning you. So, you see Tomoyo, she still cares for you very much." Li fumbled with his words, for it was hard for him to articulate his analyzation into words.

Tomoyo grinned for the first time in many weeks. "I am glad that you have not changed much, Syoaran-chan."

"Ha ha," Li laughed awkwardly as he became embarrassed from being in font of such a beautiful girl. "Well, just trying to get some fun before serving a life sentence." He chuckled once more.

"Nani?"

"On another topic, you should speak to my cousin."

Tomoyo felt the sorrow building up insider her. Even now, she doesn't show her emotions, not even to Li.

"You know I cannot do that. You of all people-"

"Tomoyo." Li's voice was firm. "You don't know the whole story about what happened three years ago. Although, he has told me not to interfere with his problems I can no longer wait for him to slowly gain your trust back. This has now affected someone who was not involved in the very beginning."

"You mean Sakura?" Li nodded as Tomoyo came to a slow realization. She had always known Li to be caring but very hesitant about the people he trusts with good reason. But Sakura, she was somehow different with him and she understood why.

"You say Eriol's situation unexpectedly affected another, but aren't you involving her in this as well? I know you have the best of intentions, Syoaran-chan, but I do not want to see her in my position. Her heart is already so fragile."

"Unlike my cousin, I know what I am doing." Tomoyo gave a simple smile in response.

"Even though you behave very differently, you are very much still the same person."

"Will you talk with Eriol?"

"I suppose I will. Knowing the truth may ease my heart, but I doubt it will change anything between us. And what of Sakura? To truly mend things between us that would mean that I would have to tell her of my past with Eriol, and in the process tell the truth about you, too.

"Baka!" he said playfully. "Tell her the truth or don't, either way I can take care of myself. Do not compare me with my stupid cousin. But don't underestimate Sakura's will and strength. She is much more resilient than you realize."

"Syoaran-chan must love her very much." Tomoyo smiled very brightly. Li sat there turning a bright red from head to toe.

"Baka!!" He yelled turning away from Tomoyo.

"I am very glad for you!"

"That's enough, okay?" Li had never felt so vulnerable before. "Since I made smile do me a favor? Don't walk around like a zombie anymore. I feel very embarrassed to admit that I use to be in love with you." Tomoyo nodded as Li grinned back as a silent agreement occurred between them. He got up from his seat and left her with more determination than ever.

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"I am so hungry!!" Sakura whined as her stomach growled very loudly. She held her stomach hoping the pain would disappear.

"That's what you get for being late this morning AND missing the detention after school yesterday!!" Li chuckled as he taunted Sakura. She cursed the new school rules, if you miss your detentions and continue to be late, they take away your lunch period. (AN: Which explains why Li approached Tomoyo so freely. Oh, the plot thickens!!)

"Shut up!" She looked over to smack Li in the face but she stopped as soon as she saw how adorable he looked laughing. Although, it was freezing cold outside Sakura felt very warm. "Baka..." her voice in a faint whisper.

"I was sorta surprised myself that you were late this morning. You had been coming in early and doing very well in Algebra class. So, what kept you in bed this morning?" His voice was very sneaky and devilish and she knew exactly what he was implying.

"No... nothing!" She responded immediately and turned her face away, so he would not see her blush. She suddenly became very hot as she felt Li get close to her and drape his arm over her shoulders.

"Hmm... so it was THAT kind of a dream? Still thinking about my poor old cousin are we?"

"Absolutely not!" Sakura still hid her face afraid that Li might realize her feelings. 'Although he's perversive, he's still very intuitive.' she warned herself.

"Hoe?!" Li said picking up on one of Sakura's trademark traits. "You're in love with somebody else?!" Li got very jealous much to his dismay. Sakura being in love with his cousin was one thing, but somebody he didn't know and probably doesn't have respect for is a different story.

"Don't speak so loudly! Someone might overhear us!"

"Who is he?" Li completely ignored her. He was very interested in who this guy is.

"It's nobody! Let's talk about something else."

"Do I know him? If I do, he better wish I don't know where he lives!!"

'What's up with him?' she asked herself. 'He can't honestly be jealous!' Sakura looked over to Li who was now pouting and looked very angry at the same time. 'He IS jealous!! Baka, if he only knew that I dreamt about him...'

"Stop pouting!"

"I am NOT! As your friend, it is my duty to protect you from the evil perverse men in this world!"

'Friend, huh?' Sakura thought disappointedly.

"Li-baka! You're the only perverse man here."

Li looked over and noticed how quiet she had gotten. 'I must've really pissed her off. But still, if Eriol can't have her, if I can't have her, then nobody else should.' Li became resolute in driving away any other man who was interested in her. After all, Sakura is so cute he didn't know how any other guy could resist her charm.

"Gomen, I just don't want to see you with anybody else." Li said very honestly. Sakura hid her face with her scarf as she blushed a scarlet red.

"Un," Sakura nodded as they walked the rest of the way to her house in silence.

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Ding, ding, ding!

"Eriol-kun! Can you open the door please? I need to get ready for my date!!" Meilin screamed from inside her room.

"Hai!" Eriol yelled back. He got up off from the couch and walked over to the door. He was shocked to see who was at his door. Eriol took a step back and didn't say a word, just stared in awe and hoped that this wasn't one of his many dreams.

"Ohayo." Her voice was soft and low and she looked away from his face.

"Tomoyo?" He felt his chest fill with so many emotions that it began to hurt, but he didn't mind. This was the kind of pain that he would endure for her.

All the bitterness and hatred she felt for him had melted away at the sight of his face. In a moment in time, all the memories they shared together rushed back to her as well as the sadness that came with it. Soon, all her courage faded away into the void in her heart.

"Gomen!" She turned to run quickly away from him. "This is a mistake!" However, Eriol would not let her go this time and never again. His hand, with a quick reflex, grabbed onto her shoulder making her halt in her exact spot. Tomoyo turned to face him as he gritted his teeth in ager. He had done this to her, the person he loves the most in the world. She stared up at him, her eyes overflowing with tears.

"Eriol-kun?" Meilin yelled as she exited her bedroom. "Who is it at the door?" She stopped when she realized who it was. "Tomoyo?" Sensing the awkward and serious atmosphere in her usually cheerful apartment she knew she had to leave, even if her date has not arrived yet. "I'll leave the two of you alone," she said as she got her coat and things, then left the house. As she was on her way out she gave a comforting smile to Eriol. He knew it was her way of wishing him good luck.

They stood there for a while, not knowing what to do or to say. For the first time, Eriol was at a loss of words. He imagined this moment for so long that he began to think it would never come. But there she was, standing in front of him and he didn't know what to say.

"Are you going to let me in?" She finally spoke, still avoiding eye contact with him.

"Hai, gomen." Eriol moved aside to let her pass. She entered and sat on the sofa as he sat at the opposite end. Tomoyo looked at the book on the coffee table as she picked it up and looked at the cover for the title.

"Romeo and Juliet?"

"Uh, I was reading it when you rang the doorbell."

"My favorite story," she whispered as her fingertips ran along the surface of the book. "This was how we first met."

"Yeah, we were both looking for it in the book store. And you bumped into me by accident." A smile formed on his face, remembering the moment when their life had changed.

"It wasn't by accident," Tomoyo laughed lightly, "I ran into you on purpose! But I did not think you would be pushed over so easily!"

"What, really? Well, you had took me by surprise." Their warm moment had came and went like the wind blowing out a candle. Eriol looked over at Tomoyo who had now begun to cry. He wanted to comfort her, he wanted to hold her more than anything else.

"Why? Why did things turn out like this?" She asked herself as she started to cry uncontrollably.

"Those things I said to you, before you left back to Japan, they weren't true. I had no choice, you have to believe me."

"That's it? That's the truth Li was talking about?!"

"So," Eriol said quickly realizing her reason for seeing him, "you're here because he asked you to?"

"He didn't ask me! He told me that there was something I should know that happened three years ago. I came over because I needed to know the truth. I deserve that much."

"Even if I do tell you what really happened we can never be together, can we?" Tomoyo sat there in silence, afraid to say the truth, but Eriol already knew the answer to that question from the very moment he set foot in Japan.

"All right." Tomoyo looked over to see the pained expression on his face. The cool and composed Eriol she had always known was now trembling next to her.

"I'll tell you the truth."

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"Okay, that's it for today!" Li forced a smile as he closed the text book. Sakura had noticed how quiet he became since the moment they entered her house. She convinced herself that it was her imagination and tried to act as normal as possible.

"So, I should get going." Li said as he began packing up his back pack.

"Hoe?!" He had always stayed over for another hour or two after finishing a lesson with her. This confirmed what she had suspected earlier. So, maybe he's a little jealous but it's not like the dream meant anything drastic. She has a little crush on him that's all. He's been there to comfort her when she was really hurting over Eriol, and somehow he became important to her.

"You're going, already? Is it because of Touya? He's not going to be back from work 'til later." He just smiled at her, that fake smile of his. It really pissed her off.

"No, it isn't because of him. I thought I should just go home and take a nap." Suddenly his phone began to ring. Li reached into his pocket and read the text message he just received.

DONT GO HOME ERIOL HAS A VISITOR!!

It was from Meilin. Li sighed as he tilted his head over to the side.

"What happened?" She asked.

"Nothing," Li said as he put down his back pack, "it seems Meilin has her boyfriend over and told me not to disturb them."

"Oh!" Sakura blushed thinking what Meilin and her boyfriend do when they're alone. 'No,' she thought. 'When did I become a hentai?!' all the while flashbacks of her dream from the previous night go through her mind. She daringly looked up at Li who somehow looked very handsome under the dim fluorescent lights in her hallway. 'Eh?!' Her heart began to race as she looked away from his gaze.

'What is up with this girl?' he thought looking bewildered.

"You okay Sakura?"

"H-Hai!"

"Aww, you're so cute when your nervous like this!" Li began to walk over to her. The sound of his footsteps, in her mind, were the equivalence of a elephant's footstep. Each step became louder as he neared her. 'No...' she began to think. 'No, please don't kiss me!' Remembering when he said he would always kiss her when he thought she was very cute.

"NOOOO!!"

"Ow, what the hell???!!!!!!!!!" Li laid on the floor as he covered his right cheek.

"Eh?" Sakura was confused as to how he ended up on the floor. Then realizes her fist was still in mid-air. "Li-kun!" she ran to rush by his but instead trips on herself and falls flat on the floor.

"Ai-ya!" Sakura moans as she tries to push herself off the floor. "Gomen, Li, I am such a--" She suddenly realizes is very warm and soft as opposed to it always being hard and cold. She opened her eyes to see a crimson faced Li underneath her,

Her mind was telling her to get up, to get away from him, but her body and her heart were telling her something different. Sakura remembered feeling this same way in her dream. The sensation she felt when their skin touched, it was identical.

"Sakura..." Li's eyes were fixated to hers as he felt something new. In that moment he realized that he had more than just a crush on her, more than just liking her very much. 'Is this love?' he questioned himself. His hand found its way to the side of her face and began to stroke her silky hair.

"Li-kun?" Her arms were becoming weak from the overwhelming emotions.

"I like how you said my name."

Sakura closed her eyes and Li pulled her in closer to him.

"YOU BASTARD!!!!!!!!!!!"

"Touya?!" Sakura screamed as he came storming in while Li filled with anger.

"How dare you interrupt us, you homo!"

"WHAT?! What did you call me??"

"Don't think I didn't see you with that very cute gray haired person walking into a hotel."

"WHA-??How did you?? Sakura?!?" Touya looked at her for a reaction.

"What's so wrong with him walking into a hotel together, Li-kun??"

'This girl is SO stupid!' Li sweat dropped. While Touya cried happily that his little sister was still so innocent and oblivious to the world around her.

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AN: ha ha... so umm, what do you think?? I rushed the last part with the whole homo thing, I've read too much Hana-Kimi for my own good. (poor Nakatsu thinks he's gay XD....) And I finally added a Eriol and Tomoyo scene!! I'm planning to add Meilin in sometime later also!! Yeah so tell me what you guys think!!