Forgotten Friendship, Remembered Love

Disclaimer: nope, don't own CCS. It still belongs to CLAMP.

Chapter 4 – Music to my Ears

Tomoyo happily skipped towards the music room clutching her music pieces to her chest.

'Sakura-chan is really kind! I'll return the favor to her somehow. Maybe I can design another outfit for her. Ooohh! I know! Maybe I can matchmake her and Li-san. But I still don't know him very well, although he does look very familiar. De ja vu, maybe? Hmm…'

By now, Tomoyo has almost reached the music room; only a couple of feet more to go. Suddenly, a soft, sweet melody was heard from the inside of the music room. The tune captivated Tomoyo instantly and had drawn her towards it as if she was hypnotized. She cautiously moved towards the door, taking great care not to make a sound; afraid that the music might stop.

'Who could be possibly playing that beautiful music? It's so beautiful and sounds so romantic. I think I'll open the door a bit and peek in.' Tomoyo slowly slid open the door and took a peek. 'Wow. He looks so young yet plays so well. From the looks of it, he looks my year. I've never seen him before so he must be new. I wonder what class he's in.' Tomoyo silently mused as she watched the young man play.

As the music slowed to an end, Tomoyo can't help but slide the door open fully and clap her hands softly in admiration. The young man seated in front of the piano looked mildly startled as he turned to Tomoyo. Now, Tomoyo can see his face fully. He had deep blue eyes that matched his navy hair. His glasses gave him the appearance of being wise and his smile showed signs of surprise and amusement, although he still maintained his calm and collect composure.

"That was absolutely wonderful!" Tomoyo exclaimed as she walked towards him. "You play really well for someone so young."

The boy stood up from his seat and bowed politely to Tomoyo. "Arigato gozaimasu, miss…"

"Oh! I'm Daidoji Tomoyo. Pleased to meet you. I'm really sorry for barging in like that. Your music just really caught my attention," Tomoyo apologized as she too bowed.

"The pleasure is mine, Miss Daidoji. I'm Hiragizawa Eriol, and please, don't apologize. You did not 'barge in' as you say," the boy said politely.

"I'm glad that you don't find me a disturbance," Tomoyo smiled at Eriol. "You must be new here, I haven't seen you before. Well, you've made quite a good first impression in coming this early."

"Thanks!" Eriol said as he flashed a charming smile towards Tomoyo. "I hope you wouldn't mind me asking you what you are doing here so early. I highly doubt that you came here just to meet me."

Eriol's smile switched into a playful smirk as Tomoyo let out a short series of giggles.

"I think I'm going to enjoy your company," Tomoyo explained after her short bout of giggles. "Especially with that humor of yours. I'm here early because I'm on classroom duty, but then my partner and best friend agreed to do it herself. So I went here to practice my music and then, of course, I met you."

"To practice, huh? So why don't you do so? I'll even help you if you want," Eriol offered to Tomoyo.

"Help me? Are you serious?" Tomoyo asked, not hiding her surprise.

"Only if you want me to," Eriol replied as he shrugged. "You're going to practice singing, right? I can play for you while you sing. It might help you."

"Wow, thanks! I really appreciate it," Tomoyo said.

"It's nothing. It'll help me pass off time," Eriol said coolly. "Let's get started, shall we?"

"Hai! Let's start with this one!" came Tomoyo's enthusiastic reply.

"Okay then."

As Eriol started the opening notes of the song, Tomoyo closed her eyes, feeling the soft melody wash over her. Suddenly, she began to sing, her beautiful and angelic voice intertwining with the melody magnificently. Eriol looked at her in wonder, his face showing utmost amazement but none through his music. As the song came to an end, Tomoyo opened her eyes and looked at Eriol, her expression clearly asking 'how was it?'

"You were amazing," came Eriol's immediate reply to her verbally unasked question.

"Arigato," Tomoyo thanked him sincerely.

"Let's continue then, I want to hear your angelic voice again," Eriol said, his reply not unaccompanied by a smile that would've made ordinary girls melt at the sight of it.

But then again, Tomoyo is not your ordinary girl so the smile did not produce the same effect from Tomoyo.

Instead Tomoyo just smiled as well and just as charmingly as Eriol had done. "Really?"

"Really."

And so they began again, Eriol playing the piano and Tomoyo singing. Neither noticed the minutes pass by. Both were so into the music that they were taken by surprise when they heard someone clap after their sixth song.

"The two of you make quite a great pair in my opinion," the person commented.

"Mizuki-sensei!" Tomoyo exclaimed in surprise. "Ohayo gozaimasu!"

"Ohayo gozaimasu. Mizuki-sensei," Eriol greeted politely.

"I'm glad to see you two getting along," Miss Mizuki said as she smiled. "I'm really sorry for you Tomoyo, but I'm afraid I'd have to steal your partner from you for now."

"Oh! It's nothing like that. Hiragizawa-kun just helped me practice my songs," Tomoyo explained.

"Daidoji-san is right, Mizuki-sensei." Eriol put in.

"Uh-huh, I'm sure she is Eriol," someone remarked in Chinese from behind Miss Mizuki. "Nice to see you again, Daidoji-san."

The said person stepped out from behind Miss Mizuki, revealing a certain amber-eyed boy with a slight smirk on his face. A smirk that went unnoticed by Tomoyo but did not go past his cousin.

"Li-kun!" Tomoyo greeted. "What was it that you just said?"

Eriol had his playful smirk on his face once again as he answered Tomoyo's question, "It was nothing Daidoji-san. Don't worry about it."

"Well, let's get going shall we? There are still a few more things I wish to talk about with the two of you," Miss Mizuki said.

"I guess we'll be seeing each other later on, Daidoji-san. It was nice practicing with you," Eriol said with a bow.

"Me too. I hope we'll do that again," Tomoyo replied with a smile.

Eriol joined Miss Mizuki and the still slightly smirking Syaoran at the doorway. Miss Mizuki and Syaoran had already gone out of the room and Eriol was about to follow suit when Tomoyo called out his name.

"Hiragizawa-kun! Chotto matte, onegai!"

Eriol paused and turned to look at Tomoyo. Tomoyo went to his side and asked, "Will you join our choir? You don't really have to sing, I was just wondering if you might want to play the piano four our choir. We have practice later on after school if you want to come."

Eriol smiled at her and said, "I'll think about it, Daidoji-san."

"Arigato gozaimasu, Hiragizawa-kun," Tomoyo thanked with a bow.

"Dewa mata," Eriol said as he began to walk towards Syaoran who was waiting for him a few feet away. He remembered something as he reached Syaoran and turned around once again to look at Tomoyo and called out, "Daidoji-san, please next time, call me Eriol. There's no need for such formalities and I know my last name can be quite a mouthful."

"Hai! Eriol-kun!" Tomoyo replied happily.

With that, Eriol and Syaoran picked up pace to catch up to their teacher who was waiting for them a little while further with that smile still on her face.

Japanese words:

Hai – yes

Arigato / Arigato gozaimasu – thank you very much

Ohayo / Ohayo gozaimasu – good morning

Chotto matte – wait a minute

Onegai – please

Dewa mata – see you later

Author's notes:

Hehehehe…… I'm back (finally!) I said I'd update sooner but… well, simply put, school is trying to kill me. There's so much work to be done at school and I'm super stressed. But hey, at least I still managed to update my story. Well I hope you like this chapter. It's mainly about Eriol and Tomoyo, and yes, they will be a pair here but it's still a long way off. Any suggestions in what you want to happen in the story? Thanks to all who read my story and to all those who reviewed! Ja ne!

P.S. PLEASE, PLEASE review! Thanks!