Title: Ohayo!
Chapter 7: Confession
"Hiiragizawa-san, why do you want to quit?" Yuzai-sensei's brows furrow with concern. Eriol stares at the floor and bites his lower lips. After last week's incident, he knows, he really knows that he is no longer the same. He could never really satisfy himself with running around the basketball anymore. Heck, he couldn't even really stand for a very long time before migraine takes the best of him.
The young teacher lowers his body so that he'll be at the same level with his student that he cares for so much.
"Please, you can trust me with your problems," the teacher explains. "Yeah, our group will never be the same without you, Eriol" Asai says with a sad expression. Those sad eyes, forlorn expression that his friends give hurts him so much. He really wants to say that he didn't want to walk out of the arena but he couldn't ...... He forces himself to smile.
"I'm sure that you all will manage without me, ......" he says.
"NO!!" Ishida who keeps silent for the whole time shouts. His eyes wet with anger and sadness. "YOU ARE PART OF US!! HOW COULD WE GO ON WITHOUT YOU? YOU'RE SELFISH, ERIOL!! SELFISH!!" he cries out.
"Please understand, Ishida. It's for the best. After all, I will still continue to support you even I'm not in this group anymore." Eriol stares at his friend. "But things will change. It won't be the same anymore, right?" Ishida's voice is barely above whisper.
Eriol turns his back from his teacher and friends. He clenches his fist and walk out of the hall, knowing that things will never be the same anymore after he steps out of this place.
* * *
Yukito knocks the door softly. Eriol had been skipping meal and he didn't come out of room after he comes back from his school. That certainly worries him. He receives no reply. Yukito turns the doorknob, which is unlocked.
A few minutes ago, he receives a phone call from Syaoran. Syaoran told him that Eriol quits basketball team and tell him his guesses about the thing in Eriol's mind. Syaoran wants to do that by himself, unfortunately he has football practice that afternoon. It's lucky that Yukito's shift is over, so he could go home early.
Eriol sits on the bed with his knees drawn to his chest. He wears a white t-shirt and jeans up to his knees. His blue eyes show no emotions. He mutters something so softly that Yukito cannot catch what he says.
Yukito puts his hand on Eriol's hand, causing him to flinch and stares at him. Eriol puts up a fake smile, rather bitter.
"Are you okay?" Yukito stares at Eriol. Eriol nods his head.
"No, you're not. Tell me, how do you feel." Eriol's shoulder shakes slightly. It's clear that he tries to suppress his tears and pain.
"Why things could never turn my way? I ......I didn't ask for so many things. I just want to be happy with the ones that I love and have a life like any other normal teenagers. But unfortunately, my life is far from normal. Tell me, how many teenagers lead their life with staying in the hospital a week every month? How much guys lead such a pathetic life?"
"I want to tell her how I feel. I love her, damn it! But I can't tell her!! I know I will only bring problems to her. Why? Why all this things happen to me? I always try to push those thoughts away from my mind but I fail!!" He cries in Yukito's embrace. No longer able to withstand his emotional pain.
"I'm sorry because I'm a bother to all of you ......" he whispers softly as Yukito continue to stroke his nephew hair with care.
* * * "Hiiragizawa Eriol will replace Sayuri?" Yuzai-sensei asks with surprise. Tomoyo nods as the teacher smiles slightly.
"Good to hear that. After he comes out from the hospital, he refuses to join any clubs. It made me worry," The teacher explains. Tomoyo's eyes widen with surprise. Why didn't Eriol tell her about that? "And I want to ask you something Daidouji-chan." Tomoyo turns her head towards her teacher.
"What is Eriol's problem?" At once, Tomoyo's eyebrow furrows with confusion. * * *
Saturday ...
RRRINGGG!!
Eriol groans.
RRRINGGG!!
He closes his ears with pillow.
RRRRINGGGGG!!
He curses and grabs his alarm clock. It shows 11.00 a.m., which mean he is...
"Kuso! I'm late!! I promised her that I'd go to her house by 10! Tomoyo will definitely kill me!" Eriol jumps out of his bed, takes a quick shower and rushes out of his house after greeting goodbye to Yukito and Syaoran.
"See you at the restaurant!!" He shouts to Syaoran on the road. Yukito smiles and shakes his head.
"Looks like we don't have to be so uptight about him anymore," Syaoran raises his hands on the air.
"Demo ..." Yukito adjusts his glasses. "Can his body cope with all that? He study in the morning and night, practice with Tomoyo and works in the afternoon. That'll use up so much energy."
Both of them lost of words.
"Ja...it's okay! I'll take good look at him," Syaoran smiles grimly because he knows how fake the words sounds.
* * *
Both of them practice in Tomoyo's music room. They sing for the 12th time of that day when a pair of male's feet steps into the room. Both looks up and a man's face comes into their vision. Tomoyo gasp. He smiles at both of them.
"You keep on practicing without me guiding you. Do you know annoyed I am at both of you?" Mr. Yuzai smiles to both of his students.
"We...we thought that you were very busy!!" Tomoyo stutters as Eriol nods. Later, he helps them with their practice. The practice continues well enough for the three of them.
* * *
The practice ends. Yuzai-sensei greets them goodbye and walks out of the room. Eriol stays for a while under Tomoyo's request. She serves him a piece of cake and tea.
Eriol's heart starts to beats madly. Just now it doesn't matter because he have something to concentrate on. Not to mention the fact that they are not alone just now. But now, it's only Tomoyo and him. He steals a glance at her. She smiles and laughs childishly when she sees a dog chases it's own tail.
"Eriol..." Tomoyo says after a while
"Hmm?" he looks up. He stares at her with his calm blue eyes. Tomoyo crosses her fingers.
"I love you."
Eriol stares into her eyes. His gaze doesn't waver, making Tomoyo feels as if he's looking though her.
"You shouldn't have say that ......" he closes his eyes and sighs.
Amethyst eyes widen with surprise. Tears falls from her eyes. "B-but why?"
"I will only hurt you, Tomoyo. Our relationship wouldn't end well..." He stands up and walks to the main door. Just when he opens it, a warm and lovely embrace wraps him from his back.
"I'm the one who decide whether I want to be hurt or not. And now, I choose to allow you hurt me..." She whispers. Eriol faces her and smiles softly. He feels as if a heavy weigh is being lifted from him. He kisses her in the lips.
He didn't need any words. Action speaks louder than that. She responds back and so, they're locked in each other's arms.
* * *
Syaoran and Sakura sit on a bench in a garden. They watch people pass them as they chats happily. Syaoran pulls her into a protective hug.
"... So, that's how he told her yesterday!" He explains. Sakura giggles.
"I know! Tomoyo called me last night. I'm so happy that she finally found someone that will always tries to protect her heart from breaking."
Syaoran frowns. "But he hesitates. He's still afraid that he'll drag her into his problems ..." Her emerald eyes turns dark.
"He wouldn't die ne?" Syaoran shrugs his shoulder and let out a heavy sigh. Sakura closes her eyes tightly and then reopen them again. Sakura pouts.
"Mou, Syao-kun! You pay too much attention to him!" Syaoran laughs.
"Ah!! At last, my Princess Sakura starts to feel jealous! I feel proud that she'll feel this way towards a lowly servant like me ..." Sakura punches his arm playfully as their laughter rings in the air.
* * *
Syaoran stares at Eriol who wipes the table. Eriol puts his hand on his forehead. His world looks blurry and dim, everywhere around him feels like spinning. His head aches dully. A sharp pain suddenly stabs his head. He slowly sits on one of the restaurant's chair and rubs his forehead with both of his palm.
Syaoran approaches Eriol slowly and pats his shoulder.
"Oi, Daijoubu da yo (Hey, are you alright)?"
Eriol looks up and smiles wearily. "Ne, don't worry. I'm simply having a migraine."
Syaoran raises his eyebrow. "Simply-having-migraine?" Eriol nods his head. He winces again as the pain gets intense. Syaoran shakes his head and sighes.
"I call Yukito-san. You MUST go home early and I wont accept ANY protest," his tone firm. Eriol tries to argue back but Syaoran merely walk away and calls Yukito with his cell phone.
* * *
"Ne, Kazuma-kun, Where is Eriol?" Tomoyo asks one of Eriol's working companions. She turns her head around. Funny, she didn't see Syaoran too.
Kazuma runs his head through his hair. He had promised Syaoran just now that he wouldn't tell Tomoyo about Eriol being unwell. Looks like he has to lie to this lady.
"Ano (Umm)...both Eriol and Syaoran changes shift with Kurogane and Fye. So, that's mean they'll work early morning tomorrow," Kazuma laughs nervously. Tomoyo smiles and shakes his head.
"Have anyone told you what a bad liar you are?" Kazuma's face fell. Tomoyo breathes deeply. "Where is Eriol?"
"Home. He looks kinda pale just now..." Tomoyo looks perplexed. Things gets so jumbled up in her mind. Didn't Eriol tell her that he completely heals from his bronchitis before? Why does it sound like it's getting worse instead of healing faster?
* * *
Yukito goes into Eriol's room. Eriol is lying on bed with his back facing Syaoran as Syaoran rubs his back. Eriol has been coughing badly since he came home. The sapphire-eyed boy occasionally clutches his stomach when his cough is deep and painful.
His body temperature is high and his body is wet with sweat. Yukito stares at his nephew with worry. If this goes on much longer...Eriol may not be able to withstand the pain anymore. Hopefully, the fever will broke tonight...
He approaches Eriol with a smile.
"Have you given him the medicine?" He asks Syaoran. Syaoran nods.
"But, it doesn't seem to take it's usual effect anymore..." he says with worry. Yukito sighs. He takes out an injection needle and injects Eriol. A few minutes later, Eriol falls into a fitful sleep as his pale white face keep on frowning with pain.
"It has gone that bad?" Syaoran asks with frustration. Yukito merely nods.
~Tsuzuku~
"Hiiragizawa-san, why do you want to quit?" Yuzai-sensei's brows furrow with concern. Eriol stares at the floor and bites his lower lips. After last week's incident, he knows, he really knows that he is no longer the same. He could never really satisfy himself with running around the basketball anymore. Heck, he couldn't even really stand for a very long time before migraine takes the best of him.
The young teacher lowers his body so that he'll be at the same level with his student that he cares for so much.
"Please, you can trust me with your problems," the teacher explains. "Yeah, our group will never be the same without you, Eriol" Asai says with a sad expression. Those sad eyes, forlorn expression that his friends give hurts him so much. He really wants to say that he didn't want to walk out of the arena but he couldn't ...... He forces himself to smile.
"I'm sure that you all will manage without me, ......" he says.
"NO!!" Ishida who keeps silent for the whole time shouts. His eyes wet with anger and sadness. "YOU ARE PART OF US!! HOW COULD WE GO ON WITHOUT YOU? YOU'RE SELFISH, ERIOL!! SELFISH!!" he cries out.
"Please understand, Ishida. It's for the best. After all, I will still continue to support you even I'm not in this group anymore." Eriol stares at his friend. "But things will change. It won't be the same anymore, right?" Ishida's voice is barely above whisper.
Eriol turns his back from his teacher and friends. He clenches his fist and walk out of the hall, knowing that things will never be the same anymore after he steps out of this place.
* * *
Yukito knocks the door softly. Eriol had been skipping meal and he didn't come out of room after he comes back from his school. That certainly worries him. He receives no reply. Yukito turns the doorknob, which is unlocked.
A few minutes ago, he receives a phone call from Syaoran. Syaoran told him that Eriol quits basketball team and tell him his guesses about the thing in Eriol's mind. Syaoran wants to do that by himself, unfortunately he has football practice that afternoon. It's lucky that Yukito's shift is over, so he could go home early.
Eriol sits on the bed with his knees drawn to his chest. He wears a white t-shirt and jeans up to his knees. His blue eyes show no emotions. He mutters something so softly that Yukito cannot catch what he says.
Yukito puts his hand on Eriol's hand, causing him to flinch and stares at him. Eriol puts up a fake smile, rather bitter.
"Are you okay?" Yukito stares at Eriol. Eriol nods his head.
"No, you're not. Tell me, how do you feel." Eriol's shoulder shakes slightly. It's clear that he tries to suppress his tears and pain.
"Why things could never turn my way? I ......I didn't ask for so many things. I just want to be happy with the ones that I love and have a life like any other normal teenagers. But unfortunately, my life is far from normal. Tell me, how many teenagers lead their life with staying in the hospital a week every month? How much guys lead such a pathetic life?"
"I want to tell her how I feel. I love her, damn it! But I can't tell her!! I know I will only bring problems to her. Why? Why all this things happen to me? I always try to push those thoughts away from my mind but I fail!!" He cries in Yukito's embrace. No longer able to withstand his emotional pain.
"I'm sorry because I'm a bother to all of you ......" he whispers softly as Yukito continue to stroke his nephew hair with care.
* * * "Hiiragizawa Eriol will replace Sayuri?" Yuzai-sensei asks with surprise. Tomoyo nods as the teacher smiles slightly.
"Good to hear that. After he comes out from the hospital, he refuses to join any clubs. It made me worry," The teacher explains. Tomoyo's eyes widen with surprise. Why didn't Eriol tell her about that? "And I want to ask you something Daidouji-chan." Tomoyo turns her head towards her teacher.
"What is Eriol's problem?" At once, Tomoyo's eyebrow furrows with confusion. * * *
Saturday ...
RRRINGGG!!
Eriol groans.
RRRINGGG!!
He closes his ears with pillow.
RRRRINGGGGG!!
He curses and grabs his alarm clock. It shows 11.00 a.m., which mean he is...
"Kuso! I'm late!! I promised her that I'd go to her house by 10! Tomoyo will definitely kill me!" Eriol jumps out of his bed, takes a quick shower and rushes out of his house after greeting goodbye to Yukito and Syaoran.
"See you at the restaurant!!" He shouts to Syaoran on the road. Yukito smiles and shakes his head.
"Looks like we don't have to be so uptight about him anymore," Syaoran raises his hands on the air.
"Demo ..." Yukito adjusts his glasses. "Can his body cope with all that? He study in the morning and night, practice with Tomoyo and works in the afternoon. That'll use up so much energy."
Both of them lost of words.
"Ja...it's okay! I'll take good look at him," Syaoran smiles grimly because he knows how fake the words sounds.
* * *
Both of them practice in Tomoyo's music room. They sing for the 12th time of that day when a pair of male's feet steps into the room. Both looks up and a man's face comes into their vision. Tomoyo gasp. He smiles at both of them.
"You keep on practicing without me guiding you. Do you know annoyed I am at both of you?" Mr. Yuzai smiles to both of his students.
"We...we thought that you were very busy!!" Tomoyo stutters as Eriol nods. Later, he helps them with their practice. The practice continues well enough for the three of them.
* * *
The practice ends. Yuzai-sensei greets them goodbye and walks out of the room. Eriol stays for a while under Tomoyo's request. She serves him a piece of cake and tea.
Eriol's heart starts to beats madly. Just now it doesn't matter because he have something to concentrate on. Not to mention the fact that they are not alone just now. But now, it's only Tomoyo and him. He steals a glance at her. She smiles and laughs childishly when she sees a dog chases it's own tail.
"Eriol..." Tomoyo says after a while
"Hmm?" he looks up. He stares at her with his calm blue eyes. Tomoyo crosses her fingers.
"I love you."
Eriol stares into her eyes. His gaze doesn't waver, making Tomoyo feels as if he's looking though her.
"You shouldn't have say that ......" he closes his eyes and sighs.
Amethyst eyes widen with surprise. Tears falls from her eyes. "B-but why?"
"I will only hurt you, Tomoyo. Our relationship wouldn't end well..." He stands up and walks to the main door. Just when he opens it, a warm and lovely embrace wraps him from his back.
"I'm the one who decide whether I want to be hurt or not. And now, I choose to allow you hurt me..." She whispers. Eriol faces her and smiles softly. He feels as if a heavy weigh is being lifted from him. He kisses her in the lips.
He didn't need any words. Action speaks louder than that. She responds back and so, they're locked in each other's arms.
* * *
Syaoran and Sakura sit on a bench in a garden. They watch people pass them as they chats happily. Syaoran pulls her into a protective hug.
"... So, that's how he told her yesterday!" He explains. Sakura giggles.
"I know! Tomoyo called me last night. I'm so happy that she finally found someone that will always tries to protect her heart from breaking."
Syaoran frowns. "But he hesitates. He's still afraid that he'll drag her into his problems ..." Her emerald eyes turns dark.
"He wouldn't die ne?" Syaoran shrugs his shoulder and let out a heavy sigh. Sakura closes her eyes tightly and then reopen them again. Sakura pouts.
"Mou, Syao-kun! You pay too much attention to him!" Syaoran laughs.
"Ah!! At last, my Princess Sakura starts to feel jealous! I feel proud that she'll feel this way towards a lowly servant like me ..." Sakura punches his arm playfully as their laughter rings in the air.
* * *
Syaoran stares at Eriol who wipes the table. Eriol puts his hand on his forehead. His world looks blurry and dim, everywhere around him feels like spinning. His head aches dully. A sharp pain suddenly stabs his head. He slowly sits on one of the restaurant's chair and rubs his forehead with both of his palm.
Syaoran approaches Eriol slowly and pats his shoulder.
"Oi, Daijoubu da yo (Hey, are you alright)?"
Eriol looks up and smiles wearily. "Ne, don't worry. I'm simply having a migraine."
Syaoran raises his eyebrow. "Simply-having-migraine?" Eriol nods his head. He winces again as the pain gets intense. Syaoran shakes his head and sighes.
"I call Yukito-san. You MUST go home early and I wont accept ANY protest," his tone firm. Eriol tries to argue back but Syaoran merely walk away and calls Yukito with his cell phone.
* * *
"Ne, Kazuma-kun, Where is Eriol?" Tomoyo asks one of Eriol's working companions. She turns her head around. Funny, she didn't see Syaoran too.
Kazuma runs his head through his hair. He had promised Syaoran just now that he wouldn't tell Tomoyo about Eriol being unwell. Looks like he has to lie to this lady.
"Ano (Umm)...both Eriol and Syaoran changes shift with Kurogane and Fye. So, that's mean they'll work early morning tomorrow," Kazuma laughs nervously. Tomoyo smiles and shakes his head.
"Have anyone told you what a bad liar you are?" Kazuma's face fell. Tomoyo breathes deeply. "Where is Eriol?"
"Home. He looks kinda pale just now..." Tomoyo looks perplexed. Things gets so jumbled up in her mind. Didn't Eriol tell her that he completely heals from his bronchitis before? Why does it sound like it's getting worse instead of healing faster?
* * *
Yukito goes into Eriol's room. Eriol is lying on bed with his back facing Syaoran as Syaoran rubs his back. Eriol has been coughing badly since he came home. The sapphire-eyed boy occasionally clutches his stomach when his cough is deep and painful.
His body temperature is high and his body is wet with sweat. Yukito stares at his nephew with worry. If this goes on much longer...Eriol may not be able to withstand the pain anymore. Hopefully, the fever will broke tonight...
He approaches Eriol with a smile.
"Have you given him the medicine?" He asks Syaoran. Syaoran nods.
"But, it doesn't seem to take it's usual effect anymore..." he says with worry. Yukito sighs. He takes out an injection needle and injects Eriol. A few minutes later, Eriol falls into a fitful sleep as his pale white face keep on frowning with pain.
"It has gone that bad?" Syaoran asks with frustration. Yukito merely nods.
~Tsuzuku~