Disclaimer: Do I have to repeat it again and again? I said I don't own CCS nor its characters (although my onii-sama kept telling me I should place this if I don't want to be sued for plagiarism... heck! Like someone would!... right?... looks really nervous)

Author's Blabberings: I changed it like that since my onii-chan kept saying I blabber too much... (Mou, onii-chan! sometimes you're really rude!) Anyway... I want to thank everyone who reviewed! Man! You're all nice... not like my onii-chan who kept spouting mean words... (Yes! It's you, my dear kuya leander!) Anyway... back to you, my dear reviewers...

Maru-chan: I agree with you! I mean, Kaho's too old for him (gets away from Kaho fans) Tomoyo-chan's much better!

Sparkling Ruby: Yes, i'm updating... can't you see? (-.-)

Akizuki Sai: Thanks for the support! I finished the 7th! Thanks for your help!

Momo-chan: Eriol will be nice later on... Don't worry...

Kya Kurama: Er... I really like that part too... except my brothers say I overdid it...

mary: There will be a romantic scene LATER on... Just remind me to put it before I let Eriol-kun kill Tomoyo-chan (winks innocently)

Majah: Actually, I'm the slowest writer in the family. My oldest brother could write a very long novel in TWO weeks! And that's proofread already! Ahaha! I got into UP Diliman!(take that!)Well, I've been to a building with 40 floors (in singapore) and the view is really nice (unless you have vertigo)

Gurla-aya: You're lucky you only have two... I have FOUR! Imagine the torture! And to think, I'm the youngest (poor me!) Tsk, tsk! But they love me very much (gags) Just kidding, onii-chan!

Continuation of Author's blabberings: geez! here I go again... This is chappie 5. don't worry, it's not another drama... well, some parts... But my laconic, ever so snowie-like bro hates fluffiness, mushiness or any kind of sweet thingies that make people cry and go "AWWW!" he hates that. don't know why... That's why he never had a girlfriend even though he's like the cutest and most popular guy in his school (gags again!) Gomen ne, kuya lexus... I didn't mean to say that... I mean... Anyway... I've still got a lot of things to do... And that includes cleaning my room... I'm such a slob these days... And my mom scolds me for that ("And to think you're a girl!" those sort of things...) Well, life can't be perfect always, can it?

All right! Here goes...

CHAPTER 5: 'A' IS FOR ARGUMENTS, AIRPORTS AND APOLOGIES

Tomoyo groaned as she woke up late that Monday morning. She'd been studying, computing, calculating, organizing and signing file after file for 7 consecutive days already ever since she arrived in London that she barely had time to sleep every night. She knew this was part of her training as President but shouldn't the balancing, reviewing, liquidating and auditing be done by someone else in the Finance department? Shouldn't her job is just to ensure that everything is properly assessed and just sign?

Ignoring the pounding of her head, she rose, took a bath and changed into a pair of white Capri and a long-sleeved indigo blouse. She then hurriedly grabbed her purse and rushed down the staircase, holding onto the balustrade for support as she ran a brush through her hair. She was already late for work for 2 hours and she's going to get another long homily from Reverend Eriol Hiiragizawa about punctuality and tardiness. But when she entered the parlor to get her cell phone from the mantle, Eriol was there, in the flesh, reading a paperback.

"Good morning, Daidouji-san," he greeted acidly, not looking up from his book. "Do you have any idea what time it is?"

Tomoyo said nothing then quietly took her phone from the fireplace mantle and slid it in her pocket. "Sorry… I overslept…"

"Save your apologies later." He stood up stiffly and started for the entrance door. "Are you coming?"

She followed him to his car and in a few minutes, they were driving out of the estate and to downtown London. Eriol didn't comment on her clothes, as he usually did. He just kept quiet, his eyes glued on the road. Tomoyo then deduced he was pretty angry at her for oversleeping again.

"So sorry…" she apologized meekly. "I was so tired yesterday and I had to finish and fax the papers last night… Sorry again…"

"Li thought you were sick so he asked me to check on you."

"Were you disappointed to see me all right and well?"

Eriol didn't reply to that. Instead, he proceeded to scolding her. "You can't use that excuse whenever you wake up late! It is not a justifiable reason! Just because you were tired doesn't mean you could wake up late!" he chided. "A lot of people who work come home tired but they still manage to come to work on time!"

Tomoyo frowned at him. "I am not working! I am studying!"

"That makes no difference!" he retorted. "Students go home tired as well but they still have time to complete their requirements and go to school on time!"

"What you're doing to me is torture! I have never experienced this kind of workload from any of my professors!" She folded her arms across her chest. "You like giving people hard time! You like giving people so many things to do that they couldn't anymore breathe! What do you think I am? A robot? I am not some machine who could operate anytime without rest or break!"

"Look here, what I'm doing here is for your sake! You need to become a capable President before I finally introduce you to the board!"

Tomoyo glared at him. "So that's it, isn't it?" she said hotly. "You want them to think you worked very hard just to teach this poor ignorant girl the basics on handling a large corporation! You just want them to be impressed!"

Eriol slammed on the brakes and rounded on her. It was too early in the morning to get angry but she was just asking for it. "What?" he demanded. "Are you really this narrow-minded? Why don't you appreciate once in a while what people do just for you? You only think about yourself. You, you, you, you. What about 'us'? What about 'them'?"

The raven-haired girl glared at him wordlessly then, with a huff, she turned to the window. She clenched her fists, her nails digging into her palms. She'd never been this angry, not even when she found about the truth about her existence a few weeks ago. When they arrived at the tower, she immediately got out of the car, slamming the door hard that Eriol thought the windows might shatter, and stormed inside the building, not bothering to wait for him. She climbed to Syaoran's office, startling the young man when she suddenly burst through the doors..

"That baka! That hateful and arrogant pig!" she blurted out angrily as she paced inside the room restlessly. "He is so infuriating!"

"Who? Hiiragizawa?" Syaoran asked blankly. When he saw her expression, he reverted to his brotherly instinct towards Tomoyo, looking immediately concerned over the girl. After all, he did promise Sakura that he'd take care of her. "What did that idiot do now?"

"Look, it's not my fault that I woke up so late today!" she argued, stopping from pacing. "I was working until late in the evening. I slept at 1 a.m. because I had to balance and check and review and sign those lousy papers and fax them back here to the office! Now that stupid jerk is blaming me and implying that I'm lazy!"

"Well, if you couldn't handle it, why don't you tell him?"

"Because he wouldn't even listen! He's as stubborn as a pig!" She raised her hands in exasperation. "He's saying that many working people go home tired in the evening and go to work the next day on time! But considering the amount of work I'm doing every single day as compared to what he gives to his secretary, it's like I'm working a week's worth of papers!"

Syaoran grimaced. "That's wrong. Doesn't he realize you need to rest as well?" he said slowly. "You're a human being too. Besides, you're different from him."

"I've tried to tell him that but he wouldn't listen!" she protested.

"He's really persistent and we can't change that fact no matter how hard we yell at him," Syaoran told her. "Just… Just keep up with him for a while… Try to do everything he tells you as much as possible."

Tomoyo stared at him. "And then?"

"If he keeps making you work overtime and you couldn't even rest, I suggest you complain immediately. We can't afford you to get sick of fatigue." He smiled at her assuredly. "He's not that evil anyway. Once he started seeing you're wearing out, he'll come to his senses."

"All right…"

And so, Tomoyo worked and worked and worked, just like what Syaoran advised her to. She did all her homework, finished them every night, gets a few hours' sleep and forced herself to rise early in the morning without complaints. She always came home with an exhausted body and her head always hurt. She knew she had overworked her body but she didn't care. As long as Eriol would realize how hard she was working.

It continued for a week but even after that, Hiiragizawa didn't soften. Instead, seeing her working hard, he increased her workload that she had to bring home the rest, along with her homework. And well, she barely slept every night. Finally, after a few more days, she cracked under pressure.

"Here!" Eriol dumped a stack of folders on her desk. "Make sure everything is balanced and audited properly. If you're finished reviewing them, you can sign them already."

Tomoyo didn't speak nor move. She just sat there, staring off into space. Annoyed, Eriol slammed a hand on her desk, nearly wrecking the neatly-stacked pile of paper on the table. She glared up at him. "What do you want now?"

"I want you to finish this," he replied, gesturing at the folders.

She didn't even look at the files. She just glared at him long and hard, and then, she slapped him squarely on the face. Eriol staggered from the impact, a hand on his reddening cheek.

"How dare you? How dare you make me do this?" she retorted angrily. "I've been working nonstop 24-7! I was hoping you'd even try to contemplate what I'm doing! All I did was work, work and work! Is this what you were asked to do? Make me work to death?"

Eriol glared back at her. "What I'm doing is for your sake!"

"Ah, shut up! I've had enough of your excuses!" she snapped. "Do you even realize how many hours I sleep every night? Just 7 hours! 7 hours per week! I had to finish everything by the next day and wake up early so I wouldn't be late! How do you expect me to get some decent sleep when you give me a workload that is equal to a student's workload for a month?"

"Look here—"

"No, you look here! I'm so tired of this game we're playing! You're the boss and I'm the slave! Shouldn't it be the other way around? Like I'm the boss and you're the slave?"

"Daidouji-san—"

"STOP INTERRUPTING ME!"

Eriol scowled at her. "May I just remind you that you have already interrupted me twice! And let me tell you that you are not a slave! You are a student, as you had repeated several times to me already! I am teaching you so please cooperate!"

"I am cooperating! You, on the other hand, are abusing that!" She glared at him. "You know, I've been thinking that you might have a plan to use me after all! You must be trying to impress the board so they could promote you! It's so obvious how cold and calculating you are, using other people to get your way done!"

Eriol raised an eyebrow at her. "Your imagination never ceases to amaze me, Daidouji-san," he shot back irritably. "Why would I want to get promoted? For goodness' sake! Get promoted to where? The President's position?"

"That may well be your plan! I know how your mind works! You guys never plan for the near future! You plan for the future, already expecting things! You count your chicks even before they hatch!"

"Of course I do!" the dark-haired young man roared. "You think this all a game? You think holding a corporation is just like a walk in the park? My work in this building alone is 12 hours straight! I work as well when I'm home or during weekends! You're not only one who has a heavy workload here! And right now, I'm trying to fit you in my already tight schedule just for the sake of that freaking will! Why? Because I have to! Why? Because a lot of people's work and lives depend on you! Don't you even understand how much time your mother put into this? You think I'd let all of Madam Daidouji's efforts go to waste?"

Tomoyo looked so stunned at his words that none came out of her mouth. She just stood there, staring at him. She couldn't believe he just said those things to her. She didn't think he was as pressured as her as well.

Eriol clenched his fists and gritted his teeth. "If you're so tired doing all of these, then why don't you just go home?"

That shook her out of her trance. She paled at his words. "D-did you just ask me to leave?"

"I just did," he answered flatly. "Unless you can't comprehend anything anymore."

Tomoyo gaped at him for a minute then collected herself. "Fine." She glared at him then walked past him to the door, opening it with all her strength. "FINE! I'll go home! Back to Japan! Go find yourself another heiress! See if you'd find another with that personality of yours!"

She stomped out of the office, slamming her door close, and out to the lobby where she met Syaoran who was just about to get in an elevator. He quickly caught up with her.

"Wait! Where are you going?" he demanded as she hurried away. "Daidouji!"

"I'm going home!"

"What? Go home? Which home?"

"I'm going back to Japan!"

And with that, she was gone from the building, the doors closing mechanically behind her.

Cyrus picked up his young Mistress and drove her back home, glancing at her helpless form from the rearview mirror. Tomoyo immediately went up to her room, threw open her wardrobe and started throwing her clothes pell-mell inside a suitcase. She wasn't going to stay here any longer and let that stupid good-for-nothing jerk of a CEO torment her to death. No, she's much stronger than that. She won't let him get to her.

Actually, he already did. That's why you're leaving, ne? her conscience said wryly.

Just shut up!

Soon, Kaye, her personal maid, came up to her and helped her pack, neatly folding the clothes she had stuffed inside her suitcase. Tomoyo thanked her quietly and sat back down on her bed, feeling tired all of a sudden. But then again, who wouldn't? She had just released all of her negative energy on Eriol and walked out like some drama queen. She pressed her lips together and took out her cell phone. She had to call Sakura and tell her she's coming home. She just had to. Shakily, she started dialing.

"Moshi-moshi?"

Tomoyo paused for a minute. "Kon-nichiwa, Sakura-chan! How are you?" she greeted, faking a bright tone.

"Tomoyo-chan! Ureshi! I'm so glad you called! We're starting to miss you here!" There a scuffle at the end of the line and Tomoyo could hear Sakura arguing with her brother. Not that it was something new, it still was comforting to Tomoyo to hear them both like that. "Shut up, onii-chan! … Anyway, Tomoyo-chan, how are you? How's London? Is it nice? When are you going to visit us? Did you meet the CEO already?"

Tomoyo smiled slightly. "Wait, one question at a time, Sakura-chan," she said lightly then bit her lip. "I'm okay… I'm fine."

"You don't sound fine to me. Is something wrong?"

The raven-haired heiress sighed inaudibly. Sometimes, Touya's sharp perception rubs on Sakura. "Actually, I called because of something…"

"Something? What is it?"

"Sakura-chan… I…"

"Did you really have to say that!" Syaoran snapped angrily as he stood inside Eriol's office, glaring at his hated CEO. He had just stormed inside with Nakuru who had found out as well that Tomoyo had just declared she's going back to Japan and that it was all her cousin's fault why. "How more idiotic can you get!"

"I didn't think she'd take the bait," Eriol replied calmly and the two gawked at him like he just spoke Celtic. "I was supposed to be doing a reverse psychology on her. Apparently, it didn't work."

"Obviously, it didn't! After all that work of convincing her to come here, it would just end up like this!" Syaoran snapped, trying hard to calm herself down. Too bad he couldn't. But then, Eriol should count himself lucky since the Li heir hadn't strangled him. Yet. "So what the bloody hell are you going to do now! She's probably on her way to the airport now!"

Eriol raised his brows at him, amused at his statement. "That is very unlikely since one would not immediately get a one-way trip ticket to Japan in just an hour!" he replied flatly. "Besides, she still has to have herself booked in a flight!"

"You know, you still don't have a clue that that girl could make impossible things happen possibly!"

"Okay, so that's a possibility now, getting a ticket and flight to Japan in just an hour! I'd worship her if she managed that!" Eriol said wryly. Syaoran scowled at him. "For God's sake, Li, get yourself together! She'll be back!"

"She'll be back? Are you even thinking, Hiiragizawa? Has your mind gone to sleep again? With all that you've done, I doubt she'd even want to step back in the lobby!"

Eriol turned to Syaoran passively, his eyes void of emotion. "What did I do, Li? C'mon, since you're so smart. Why don't you tell me."

"She's a female, for Pete's sake, Hiiragizawa! An XX-celled being! If you had the sense God had given to goose, then you would've known that she's a girl and she's more sensitive and emotional than us men!"

"I'm a guy! You have to point out everything to me." He shrugged.

Syaoran fought the urge of slapping Eriol's face to give him more sense. But then, that wouldn't be a good idea, unless he wanted himself to be thrown out the window from the 38th floor. Instead, he took a deep breath and calmed himself down. "Okay… Let's just assess the situation," he said in a strangely calm voice. "We have to think of a way to coax Tomoyo back."

"I have an idea!"

The two men turned mystified at Nakuru whom they seem to have forgotten with all the tension. Eriol looked at her in wonder and amusement. After all, it's quite a rare event when one witnesses Nakuru come up a fairly feasible plan.

"Okay, Nakuru, what is it?" Eriol asked nonchalantly. He was smiling at her like she just found a cure for cancer.

"I think, Eriol, that you should apologize."

The smiled on Eriol's face faded and turned into a scowl. Syaoran, on the other hand, was triumphantly grinning for two reasons: (1) Nakuru had finally thought of a feasible and highly doable idea, and (2) they succeeded yet again in infuriating the CEO. He wanted himself to suggest that but he doubted the blockhead would even listen. At least, when Nakuru did it, he was listening raptly. Obviously, he was expecting something he was not involved.

"I think Akizuki is right." Syaoran cleared his throat as a way to swallow and force and stifle his laughter. But apparently, he was making a poor job doing it. "I really think you should apologize."

Eriol now looked irritated to the nth level. "Me? Why should I apologize?"

Nakuru sighed. Getting out an apology from Eriol was just as difficult as getting a rock to bleed. "Because you seemed to have said a few harsh words her way," she said patiently as if explaining to toddler that not eating vegetables was not wrong, just bad for their health.

"Besides." Syaoran had finally collected himself, fixing himself. "You wouldn't want to suffer Madam Daidouji's wrath from the other world, do you?"

Eriol slightly paled. "What are you talking about!"

"Hello, Earth to Hiiragizawa! You just sent her daughter packing for Japan!" Nakuru said matter-of-factly, shaking her head as if regretting something, a grimace on her face. "It seems Eriol hasn't seen the late President's wrath yet. You're quite lucky, Eriol."

"I agree." Syaoran nodded solemnly.

The blue-eyed Chief Executive Officer stared at the two in amusement and aggravation. He knew the two were just attacking his conscience so he would try to sweet-talk little Tomoyo Daidouji into coming back. Hah! Like he would do it anyway! He's got a pride way higher than the Eiffel Tower. There was just no way he'd coax the young girl back.

"Did you know what happened to the employee who upset the President?" Syaoran asked in a grave voice.

"Let me guess, he got fired," Eriol answered flatly, finding all of it ridiculous.

"Er, yes… But he was cursed. For all eternity!" Nakuru said in a melancholic voice. Syaoran let out an evil cackle. "Do you want that to happen to you, Eriol?"

The young man looked stumped and stared dismissively at them. "The two of you crackpots better get out of my office fast before I myself curse you!" He then started for his door. "And don't think I believe your lies of the President coming back to life just to haunt me. How ridiculous!"

"Hey! Where are you going?" Syaoran called after him, puzzled as to why he was suddenly leaving. "Aren't we the ones who are supposed to be leaving?"

"I'd give myself a favor and get away from the curse of your stupidity!" Eriol slammed the door behind him.

Tomoyo sighed for the nth time that afternoon as she continued to stare at her silver phone. It's been ages since she'd called Sakura. Actually only a few hours, but still, it felt like ages already. How she missed the bright voice of her cousin. That moment, she was in the parlor, waiting for some kind of sign or premonition if she'd continue her plan. Everything's already packed and prepared. She was ready to go. She just needed to wait for a sign!

She stood up and started pacing. After a while, she sighed yet again. If she were to burn every dollar for a sigh she made in the last few hours, her inheritance would've been reduced to ashes.

She glanced at her phone, now lying innocently on the couch, pressed her lips together. She was about to ignore it when it suddenly rang. Almost immediately, she pounced on it and stared at the person's name who's calling her. When she saw who it was, she sighed then lay it down. If she was to be given a dollar for every sigh she made for that person, she'd be richer than her parents.

The phone kept ringing but after a while, it finally stopped. Tomoyo gripped on her cell phone hard and made up her mind. Now, everything was clear. No more take backs!

Eriol left the office early then drove to Heathrow airport, although rather reluctantly. He knew, and kept telling himself, that it was impossible for Tomoyo to buy a plane ticket and book herself in the same day, but when he had called the manor that afternoon, Kaye had informed them that the young mistress had already left. With her things.

Now he realized what Syaoran meant when he said that the girl could make impossible things happen. Possibly.

He parked his car in the VIP lot (he was known all over the country, for goodness' sake) and rushed to the customer service desk. The moment he arrived there, several receptionists started giggling, commenting quite loudly on how he looked. He let out an exasperated sigh and approached one of the ladies.

"Ah, er, excuse me…" He tried but the girl seemed to be busy gossiping with the girl beside her. Obviously, it was about 'the cute guy who just came in and looked really rich'.

"Excuse me!" He slammed a hand on the desk impatiently, fighting the urge to let his anger out once more. But he knew one offended person was enough for one day. Immediately, they all fell silent. "Thank you! Now can I ask somebody to help me here?"

A girl smiled at him apprehensively as if he would suddenly pounce on her like a tiger. "Ah, yes, sir, may I help you?"

"I'd like to know if there's a certain girl named Tomoyo Amamiya who booked a flight to Japan today."

The girl typed on the computer. "And you are, sir?"

Eriol clenched his fists. "Why the bloody hell do you want to know?"

The girl winced at his tone. "It's… It's just that we're told not to give information to people unless they are a relative or someone whom the passenger knows…"

"I'm Hiiragizawa. Eriol Hiiragizawa. Tomoyo Amamiya is under my custody."

At the mention of his name, the girl immediately went to the back office hurriedly. Eriol tapped his fingers on the desk, waiting. After a few minutes, the girl came out once more, now followed by an older man. Probably the same age as Kaho. He guessed he was the supervisor, the one in charge there.

" Mr. Hiiragizawa, a pleasure to meet you," the man said holding out a hand to him. Eriol shook it politely. He really didn't have the time for pleasantries. "I'm Ronald Kennedy, the supervisor. Maria had told me you were looking for a young lady. A special friend perhaps?"

"Not quite," Eriol answered curtly. "Anyway, I think I'd like to know what the answer to my inquiry is."

Maria typed again in the computer. "I'm sorry, sir, but her name doesn't appear. I'm afraid she hasn't booked herself yet."

"Are you sure? Can you check the earlier flights?"

She typed again and after a while, she shook her head. "We only have one flight for today and it leaves in an hour. She's not on our list." Eriol frowned. "If you want, sir, we could ask the security to keep an eye out for her and I could check our other flights to Japan at Stansted and Gatwick airports."

"Yes, that'd be nice," he replied stiffly. Eriol gave her the descriptions and his cell phone number and the girl jotted it down on a notepad. "Thanks."

"We'll contact you when we find her."

Eriol walked back to the waiting lounge and sat on its blue leather couch. He felt relieved when he heard that Tomoyo's name wasn't there, but deep down inside him, he was still worried that she might've went to Gatwick or Stansted airport. Sometimes, he hated London for having three airports!

Wait, worried? Me? About that little girl who couldn't even bother to take care of herself?

He stopped and crossed his legs as he slouched on the seat. He must be really mental to even come here searching for a girl whom nobody knows. It's like searching a shiny silver schilling in a wishing fountain in the middle of the city. He just wished that Tomoyo hadn't gone to the other airports nor booked herself in any flight going to any country. Or else, someone would have to restrain Syaoran from committing homicide. With Eriol as the victim.

Eriol didn't know how long he was sitting there, staring at the white ceiling of the lounge and pondering if he should go home and give up, but he soon feel asleep, most likely because of exhaustion and lack of sleep. He really had to work out on how to get back his lost sleeping time. He'd always been sleeping for only a few hours, trying to finish all his paperwork for the day. He's a very organized guy and surely didn't want a mass of paper covering the top of his desk, unlike some people namely Li Syaoran and Akizuki Nakuru. Kaho once mentioned that he could almost wallpaper his office with all the papers he's handling.

"Hiiragizawa-kun. Hiiragizawa-kun, wake up."

His blue eyes opened into slits and found Tomoyo standing beside him, waking him up. He decided that he must be dreaming. After all, the young Daidouji heiress would never try to be gentle and soft-spoken when it comes to him. Usually, it's the opposite.

"Hiiragizawa-kun! Hiiragizawa-kun!" She kept calling his name. "Wake up, Hiiragizawa-kun!" The young man felt himself being lifted to his feet and an arm supported him. "Hiiragizawa-kun, for heaven's sake, wake up! And I suggest you should go on a diet! You're heavy!"

"Wha—" He had barely, groggily said it when his knee painfully collided with the metal frame of the couch where he was seated. He yelped as white-hot pain climbed up from his knee. "Ow! Oh, God, my bloody knee!" He was finally awake, much to Tomoyo's relief, who had an arm wrapped around his shoulders and was trying hard not to stumble. "Tomoyo, you are really here!"

She rolled her eyes at him. "No, I'm her twin sister. Can't you tell?" she said wryly. "I'm glad that Sleeping Beauty has finally woken up!"

"What are you doing here?"

"Duh! And I thought it was perfectly obvious! I'm taking an eccentric and stupid guy back to his home sweet home!"

"No, I mean, what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be back in Japan?"

"Yeah, that reminds me, you still owe me an apology for trying to shoo me away," she said brightly, limping because of his weight. "Anyway, I was going back but I changed my mind. I mean, it's nice to have a vacation here and London isn't bad—Hiiragizawa, stand up properly or I'll leave you here to have an intimate contact with the floor!" she snapped, heaving him.

"It's difficult to do that when your knee is shooting with pain!" he retorted through gritted teeth.

"It's called karma, for being rude and loud! You know, what goes around, comes around?"

They continued to imitate a three-legged race until they reached the parking lot where Eriol's car was parked. Tomoyo insisted they get a wheelchair for him but Eriol kept arguing that he could walk. Just not that moment. She helped him get into the passenger seat then took the keys from his jacket pocket, calmly arguing that he couldn't drive with such a serious injury. She'd be his driver, for the time being.

"How long was I asleep?" he asked, running a hand through his midnight blue hair.

Tomoyo studied her watch for a minute before inserting and turning the key in the ignition. "Hmm… approximately… 10 hours… I'm not sure…" She saw him gape at her. "Syaoran-kun called and told me he couldn't contact you. You left the office at 5 p.m. and since then, your whereabouts were unknown… Anyway, just to inform you, it's already 4 in the morning."

"What? But how did you find me?"

"I don't know… Instinct, I guess… Besides, we've already searched the whole city all night just for you! You were special. Don't you feel overjoyed by that?" He snorted and she grinned. "Of course, I never thought that you were going to stop me from leaving!"

"In your dreams!"

Tomoyo was indifferent. "Mean and rude, as usual. And to think I'd saved you from those airport guards," she exclaimed, faking an indignant tone. "They were about to throw you on runway if I didn't stop them, you know."

"You and your punch lines!" he snapped, glaring out the window.

"I was expecting something, you know…" she said slowly, her voice even. "But I guess I shouldn't be expecting too much…"

Eriol averted her eyes. "Sorry…" he mumbled almost inaudibly. "I didn't think you'd… you'd be serious…"

She blinked at him then laughed softly Now that was something, Hiiragizawa apologizing. She should tell this to Syaoran and Nakuru. "I wasn't waiting for your apology," she replied, stopping at an intersection. "Although it's really nice to hear them from a dirty-mouthed individual like you."

"Well, that's the last time you'll hear that word come out from me!"

She chuckled. "So uncouth and a CEO at that," she said pointedly. "No matter. Anyway, have you guessed it yet?"

"Er, thanks for saving me from the airport security guys." It came out more like an inquiry than a statement. She laughed softly again. "That's not it, right?"

"Think harder!"

They soon arrived at the Daidouji manor. Yawning, Tomoyo got out of the car and trudged back to the manor. But she hasn't even gone 5 paces when she heard Eriol yelling in exasperation. She stopped, realizing his knee was slightly paralyzed with pain, and went back laughing.

"How hospitable of you!" he growled, his voice layered thick with sarcasm.

"You know, I think I liked you better without your mouth," she commented as they climbed the stone steps. Eriol's leg suddenly got dragged on the step and he yelped once more in pain, followed by a series of colorful profanities. "Tsk, tsk! You should wash your mouth with soap! Do you kiss people with that dirty mouth, Hiiragizawa-kun?"

"Shut up!"

"Sorry I couldn't drive you back to your unit. I'm just too sleepy…"

"Whatever…"

"Make yourself at home. Kaye-chan will take care of you while I just get dressed for work."

"You're still going to work?"

"Hmm… Now that you've mentioned it, maybe I should think about it first."

She deposited him on the couch and started for entryway of the parlor. But before she could leave completely, he called her back. Tomoyo looked around at him. Eriol hesitated but shook his head. "Just want to say thanks…"

"For what? For saving you?"

"No… For not leaving…"

"Snowman!" she snapped before starting to walk away, a smile gracing her features.

Review, review, review... Comments, suggestions and inquiries are allowed... And no flames (Even though i keep saying that, my own brother sends me flames on my email! What a heartless person!)

The next chapter is already finished. As well as the next after it. Am I not great? (No, Danix, you're not! That would be the words my brother will tell me.) Anyway... Just... Just... Geez... I forgot what I was supposed to say... Anyway... If I do remember it, I'll just post it on the next chapter.

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Preview of next chapter: Age differences, Power suit crisis and Frustrations in the conference room

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She pouted at him, realizing what he's trying to imply. "Hiiragizawa-kun, is that the way to compliment your girlfriend?" she said dryly. "If I'd known you better, I'd say you never had a girlfriend all your life!"

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Well, see you next time! Ja ne!