Disclaimer: I do not own CCS or any of its characters. This story is dedicated to my good friend Yo-chan:D

Daidouji Tomoyo took a deep breath. The air was chilly but she didn't mind. It was winter. Isn't that to be expected?

She decided to take a vacation--a long one, in fact. Work had been hectic and the load suddenly became too much too bear. She realized that she was not the kind of person who can withstand pressure and heavy workload.

She realized she was not the person she used to be.

Tomoyo shook her head. Angst was trying to take over her once more. This day was too lovely to be ruined.

"Welcome back, Daidouji-sama." Echiko, the care taker of her family's rest house said as she bowed.

Tomoyo did likewise. The chauffeur was already taking her luggages inside the house. Snow was everywhere, and Tomoyo found it difficult to walk in her high-heeled boots. Her attire was akin to one of a powerful businesswoman's, for that was what she was.

A businesswoman who had no spare time to even eat a proper meal.

That was why she had decided during the fall that she would take an indefinite vacation. She wasn't sure when she would go back to work, but she had assured her colleagues that she would come back some day.

She just needed rest.

"Would you like tea, Daidouji-sama?" Echiko said. Even though the exterior of the house looked slightly worn and showed age, the interior looked as elegant as ever. It looked like it hadn't been touched for eight years.

Eight years. Has it been that long? Tomoyo thought to herself. As far as she can remember, the last time she stayed in this house was when she was sixteen.

"No thank you. But please, make one for Takeshi-san. I'm sure he'd want one." Tomoyo replied politely. She took off her gloves, scarf and coat and placed it on a nearby chair. She wandered up the stairs to the second floor. The second floor, much like the other parts of the house, looked pretty much the same. All the rooms were

closed, and the entire hallway was dark--the only light came from the window at the end of it.

The second floor didn't look as welcoming as the first.

"Did you hear? Someone's at the mansion!" A middle-aged woman, who was carrying a bag of groceries, said to another woman who was carrying a bag of groceries as well.

"You mean someone is actually staying in the mansion?" The other woman replied.

"Hai. I saw her with my own eyes! But it seems she's not with her mother..." The woman trailed off as she thought about speculating the current situation.

Unbeknownst to the two women, a young man nearby heard every word of their conversation.

And unbeknownst to the two women, their little conversation put a little smile on his face.

Tomoyo had to ask one of the maids to help her unpack. It's not that she brought a lot of clothes; she just couldn't stand being alone. She just realized that it was her first time staying in such a place without her mother. Her mother had been in pain for a long time. When Tomoyo turned eighteen, her mother complained about pain in various parts of her body. The pain gradually spread out to her entire body, until

she became bed ridden and wasn't able to walk anymore. From then on, it was Tomoyo who started running the toy company they owned. When her mother died, Tomoyo inherited everything she could possibly inherit.

"Dinner is ready, Daidouji-sama." Another maid said. Tomoyo got up. The maid who had been helping her had gone ahead. Tomoyo didn't really have an appetite to begin with, but it was her first time in a long time to eat dinner in a dining room.

Tomoyo changed into more comfortable clothes and as she did so, a man stood outside the gates of her rest house, a letter in one hand and a flower in the other.

The young raven-haired beauty barely got any sleep the night before. Aside from the terrible snow storm, the feeling of emptiness was eating her up once more. That awful feeling of loneliness kept her from sleeping; even the tears were no help.

Tomoyo got up from bed and made her way to the huge windows of her room. The drapes have been set aside and she got a perfect view of the streets in the small town. The town looked dreary. From her room she could see some of her maids shoveling snow from the driveway and the front yard.

"Daidouji-sama," A maid was knocking on the door. "Breakfast is ready."

Tomoyo sighed. Another day is about to start. She got a robe and got ready for the new day.

Tomoyo could already smell the scent of pancakes and peaches from the dining room. She had been thinking a lot during the past hour, and she realized she didn't have anything interesting to do today. As she took a seat, she couldn't help but notice the how orderly and neat everything was arranged. From the spoon and forks, to the pancakes on her plate. She also couldn't help but notice the withered rose and the piece of paper that looked as if it had been soaked. She was half-expecting to see a newspaper perched neatly on the table but she never expected this. If this was a way to cheer her up, it certainly took her interest. She looked questioningly at the odd gift and then to the maid at her side. The maid caught on. "We found it awhile ago in the mailbox as we were shoveling the front yard. We thought it must be something you've been expecting."

There was a look of utter confusion on the young businesswoman's face. She reached out for the folded piece of paper. She wasn't expecting anything at all. She unfolded the piece of paper.

I'm glad you've come back.

This is downright creepy, Tomoyo thought. She could feel the hair on her skin stand and goosebumps run through it. Who sent her this? No name was written. She looked at the maid. The maid perfectly looked innocent and clueless. Setting the note aside, she dismissed the maid and started eating her breakfast, her mind filled with thoughts and speculations about the note and who must've sent it.

Tsuzuku

Can anyone guess who the letter sender is? Anyway, R&R! Ciao!