Author's Blabbering: Yes, I updated! And even before the official start of my second semester! Thank you, my ever so sweet beta-reader, Dana Daidouji, who tirelessly edited and reread this chapter. I know you're still quite busy with school work so good luck and I know you can do it! This chapter is for you… And for Sai-chan for giving me a wonderful present on my birthday!
Well, before everything else, I'd just like to tell everyone that I created an LJ account (little underscore kraehe) for my FF dot net account. Why? Because I couldn't help get irritated by the fact that I couldn't anymore answer your reviews. So, a fellow writer suggested this idea and I thought it was the best way to solve the problem. Anyway, just click the Homepage URL on my profile and if you want, you can 'friend' it. I will be placing all my teasers, comments, answers to your reviews and fics that would be coming out so I suggest you check it out as well. Feel free to rant and cajole me there (but of course, don't forget to place your reviews here as well!), I wouldn't mind. Of course, flames aren't part of those rants. As I've said, it will just be thrown at your faces or be used to roast marshmallows.
Now, this chapter is full of surprises. What are those surprises? Well, you just have to read and find out. Oh, and you guys are free to pelt me with tomatoes if didn't like those surprises.
CHAPTER 18: AFTER-OFFICE HOURS
Eriol was sitting on his comfy executive chair, staring outside the ceiling-high glass window of his office, a wine glass in his hand. It was already past working hours and he was still there, as usual. That habit of him staying up late in the office had stuck to his system already, feeling more comfortable inside the towers than his unit. Nakuru had always reprimanded him about staying in the office so late but then, at least he's not in a bar, drinking.
London was exquisite during the night, just like Paris. The lights were bright and sparkling, dotting the city with a multitude of colors, with river Thames resembling a sash of silvery and gleaming silk winding through London. It almost seemed like the city never sleeps.
As for him, he didn't want to go home yet. Going home would just mean a long and noisy rant from his cousin who seemed to have gotten fonder of berating him every now and then just because she's older. Besides, it was more relaxing in his office during after-office hours. No people interrupting him for his signature, no secretaries continuously shoving papers at him, no Li glaring at him for not speaking, no Nakuru shouting colorful insults at him for speaking, no Kaho ordering him this and that, no Tamara bothering the hell out of him with those 'official' court papers… And certainly no Tomoyo avoiding him.
Yeah, Daidouji…
With an inaudible, almost exasperated sigh, he cupped his chin, resting his elbow on the cushioned arm, stretching and crossing his legs. He wondered why she was still avoiding him like hell. Well, sure she's still staying in the same room with him, as long someone else's there. She's also smiling at him again once in a while, that slight, tight, forced Sorry-I'm-not-in-the-mood-for-friendly-conversations-today smile. But nothing's going to change the fact that she's avoiding him. She'd leave the room, making up excuses, if they became alone; she'd turn away or take another path whenever she'd see him walking towards her; she'd avoid his eyes during meetings and conferences; she'd even dash out of the elevator, saying she'd forgotten something, just to get away.
It's not like he's the spawn of Satan nor has a contagious and rare disease. He's not an axe-totting serial killer either or a mutant alien. And besides, hadn't they made up already? Well, yes if you call that supposed-conversation-turned-semi-argument making up. Still, they already made a compromise that they'd deal with their problem later. Tomoyo, however, is as stubborn as a mule.
Yeah, right. The not-so-stubborn guy spoke.
It was just so different without her by his side, chatting incessantly, her energy turned to the highest level. It was annoying at times but adorable as well. She'd tell him what happened to her that day, the latest fashion, a new cell phone brand she saw yesterday, even that cute new employee she met at the cafeteria. She'd berate him for working too hard or for taking her beloved pens away or she'd cajole him sweetly to treat her to lunch. Her mood was ever-changing, like a kaleidoscope: one minute she's jumping for joy, the next minute she's as pissed as hell. He was even missing those names she was calling him: Grumpy Old CEO, Snowman, Ice Blue Eyes… It was just different without her. Just plain boring. And it started that Christmas day…
And then, you had to retort during your conversation a few days ago!
And those words she accidentally told him… Her feelings for him? What did she mean by those words? Is that why she was avoiding him? Aside from the fact that she was offended by him in some way he didn't know? Because it meant something to her? Of course, those words meant a lot of things, depending on the person understanding them. To him, the message had a double meaning, but there's only one thing his mind was telling him, forcing him to acknowledge it. That Daidouji Tomoyo must be in lo—?
No! Eriol forced his train of thoughts to stop right there.
He shut his eyes in desperation to erase that thought in his mind. No, she cannot—scratch that, MUST not—have feelings like that for him. They've talked about this a lot of times—not just two or three, but more than he can count. She can't be… For one thing, it would definitely destabilize the corporation, which would be suicidal especially at a time like this. Another thing, it wouldn't look good for the both of them. That last rumor nearly shattered both of their careers. What more if the press confirmed that it's true? They'd probably have a field day. And besides, it's not like he feels the same way about her, right?
No wonder Nakuru calls you the Denial King!
He slightly frowned, shutting out his so-called conscience. So now, it's working against him also. Well, that's fine with him. But then… His conscience was never wrong about something, never failed him about something. So does that mean…?
He shook his head inwardly, his frown deepening. No, it doesn't mean anything! He firmly denied everything: denied that he was growing feelings for the raven-haired President, denied that he was finally realizing how different she is from the others, Kaho, Nakuru… No, he isn't falling for her. He can't fall for her. He can't lo—no, like anyone again. He was never capable of loving someone in the first place. It would only affect his judgment, career and life…
But, he knew, deep down inside him, a raw pain was slowly tearing him up. Something he couldn't explain. Even more painful than the last time he had felt it.
A loud crash from above him shattered his reverie and pulled him out of his thoughts rather abruptly. He nearly jumped to his feet, a frown on his features, his blue gaze never leaving the ceiling.
What the heck was that?
Surely there was no one upstairs, right? No one was left in the building except him and the janitor. But not even the janitor has the electronic keys to the conference room and the President's office. Only Tomoyo and him have those keys. And Li as well since Tomoyo had a habit of forgetting things. Of course, the President was already at home and so was Li, so that leaves just him… And someone else moving noisily upstairs.
So, it could either be an intruder or a ghost. He ruled out the latter one since, he argued, ghosts can't make loud sounds like that. Unless they're the same as those on the Japanese movies. Still, he ruled out supernatural occurrences. So it could only be an intruder… But if it was an intruder, then why hadn't the alarm system gone off?
Wondering what the heck caused that noise, Eriol got up from his seat, setting his glass on the table, to check it out. The corridor was dimly-lit as he walked down to the elevator. When he got to the conference hall above, there was no sign of anything nor anyone messing around inside. No broken glass, no strewn papers… The place was perfectly clean. And so, he decided it was the floor upstairs: the President's office.
He mentally kicked himself for not bringing anything, just in case there really is an intruder. He could've brought something, like his cell phone or even a paperweight to throw at the person. Still, there's nothing he can do. He couldn't go back now.
He crept towards the oak double doors of the Presidential chamber, careful not to make any sound that could give him away. The doorknob was surprisingly unlocked when he turned it and slowly, he opened the door slightly to peer inside, squinting in the dimly-lit room.
Tomoyo had left one of the lamps on her desk switched on again and it was the only source of light inside, aside from the moonlight passing through the clear glass behind the President's desk. Eriol mentally told himself to remind her about that again. Her absentmindedness adds quite a large sum to their electric bill.
Then, something caught his eye. A shadow was flitting around the desk, going through piles of papers and documents as if looking for something. There were pieces of broken glass on the floor and a dark stain on the carpet, but there was no sign of forced entry on the windows and the other doors. It was almost as if the intruder had came from inside. And it sure didn't bother to keep quiet.
Seeing that the intruder was rather busy searching through the files, Eriol decided to enter the room and bodily shoved the trespasser on the floor, placing an arm around its neck and a hand on its mouth, receiving a slap on the face and something hard hitting his right leg. Now he was sure it was a female just from the slap. He could hear her choking and gasping behind his hand.
"Mmph!"
There was a sudden flurry of movements from his captive, thrashing in his arms. Much to his annoyance, the head of his captive suddenly hit his jaw hard. He cursed hard as he bit his tongue in the incident.
"What the hell—"
Eriol dragged himself and his captive to the wall, one hand still on her mouth and another holding her wrists, ignoring the throbbing pain on his cheek, jaw and leg. Outside, the moon had just came out of the clouds and cast silvery light everywhere. Bright light flooded the entire room and it took Eriol a while to adjust his eyes to the sudden appearance of the light. Under the moonlight, what he saw made him freeze right there and then.
Daidouji Tomoyo was trapped in his arms, her mouth clamped behind his hand, and she was thrashing wildly, trying to get free. When she had seen her captor, her eyes narrowed into slits, trashing even more wildly. He immediately let her go, a dark blush of embarrassment rising to his neck, and took a step backwards. When she had finally gotten free from his grip, the young President rounded on him, her lilac orbs blazing with anger, breathing hard and rubbing the painful spot on top of her head and wrists.
"Are you insane?" she demanded breathlessly, rubbing her neck and head gently with her hands to relieve the pain. Angry was an understatement to describe how she looked that moment. It was more of livid plus enraged with a hint of outraged. "I nearly died of fright there! What the hell was that for?"
"What are you still doing here at this hour, Daidouji?" he countered, rubbing his painful jaw. All this time, it was Tomoyo who was making a racket. It wasn't a ghost or an intruder, just Tomoyo.
"I should ask you the same," she spat back angrily. "What the hell were you thinking, attacking me like I was some criminal?"
"I heard loud noises from up here so I checked it out," he reasoned out, frowning at her, massaging his raw cheek. Tomoyo sure had a strong arm and a hard palm. "I thought you were a burglar or something."
"A burglar?" the dark-haired President burst out, pacing around, waving her hands wildly in the air. "A burglar? Do I even look like one?"
"You were sneaking around!" he retorted. "What was I supposed to think?"
"That maybe I still haven't gone home and was still trying to finish my work around here," she answered dryly, fixing her rumpled clothes and hair. She then threw him a disbelieving look, her mouth opening and closing in sheer frustration. "I can't believe you just assaulted me like that! I could get you to court, you know."
The young man let out an exasperated sigh just as the moon disappeared once more behind a cloud, engulfing them in dimness again. "I thought you were a burglar," he repeated impatiently. How many times does he have to tell her that?
She collapsed on her couch, gingerly rubbing the crown of her dark head. "Ow, that was painful," she remarked, swallowing a groan. "Your jaw's hard. Even harder than Evans's…"
Eriol went to her fridge, bumping himself painfully on the leg of a chair, and got her an ice pack from the freezer. "Sorry," he mumbled, placing it on top of her head, sitting on the couch's arm. She winced from the coldness as well as from the pain that shot down as it came in contact with her head. "It's your fault anyway. You shouldn't have thrashed like that."
"You idiot!" she retorted, glaring at him darkly. "You scared me back there! I thought you were a killer or rapist or something!"
"Do I look like a rapist to you?"
"No, but do I look like a burglar to you?"
Eriol sighed again, keeping the ice pack on her head with one hand. "Touché," he sarcastically said and she smirked at him. He waved a hand dismissively. "Look, I really thought you were some burglar since you were sneaking around. Sorry about what had happened."
"Can burglars rob an office 40 floors high above?" she shot back again, still bitter about her painful head, neck and wrists.
"With the technology nowadays, they can, and sorry!" he replied in annoyance, scowling in the darkness. "Now can we just leave the 'burglar' topic alone?"
She frowned at him. "No," she answered calmly. "I got hurt because of that 'burglar' topic so I will certainly not leave it alone." He growled at her, pressing the pack harder, and she cried out in pain. "Behave, Hiiragizawa-kun, or I might just get serious on filing an assault report on you. It isn't really that difficult, you know."
"All right, all right, you win!" Eriol raised one hand in defeat. "Now, can we permanently leave that 'burglar' topic already?"
"I still can't believe you mistook me for a burglar… Of all things!"
"Daidouji!"
Tomoyo giggled softly, slightly wincing in pain. She then let out a heavy sigh, lowering her gaze to her folded hands on her lap. "I should've just gone home," she mumbled quietly. "If I had gone home, I wouldn't have received this nasty headache."
Eriol chose not to retort on her remark about that nasty headache of hers, knowing it would just lead into another argument. "Anyway," he cleared his throat, catching her attention. That was when he realized she was still in the same room with him. Alone. And she wasn't running away. "Why are you still here? Shouldn't you be home by now?"
"I didn't finish my work earlier so I was forced to stay up here," she told him, a slight smile on her face although Eriol couldn't see it. "And I thought you'd gone home already."
"That was supposed to be my line." He slowly removed the ice pack and glanced at the top of her head, patting it gently. "Does it still hurt?"
"Not anymore, just a dull throb now."
They were silent after that, both finally conscious of their proximity to the other. But at least they couldn't see each other's faces and expression. Eriol was thinking of a way, any way, to keep Tomoyo in that same room with him. Not that he was scared of the dark or anything. He just wanted, well, to have company, that's all.
"So…" He cleared his throat once more. "Are you through with your work?"
"Well, kinda…"
"Kinda? What kind of an answer is that?"
"I don't know," he felt her shrug her shoulders. "I'm almost finished, I guess, except I dropped my pen a while ago and I couldn't find it."
"Is that why you were sneaking around?"
"I wasn't sneaking around, for your information!" She sounded indignant. "I was looking for my pen!"
"I didn't take it!"
"I know you didn't so don't be so defensive."
Eriol got up from his seat and groped on the walls for the light switch. When he found it, he turned it on, flooding the entire room with bright light. It took a while for them to adjust their sight to the change.
"I have every right to be defensive of myself," he replied nonchalantly as she walked over to her desk and surveyed the damage: broken glass, spilled water and strewn papers. It was really nothing serious. "You always accuse me of stealing your pens."
"Well, you have been stealing my pens, haven't you?" she countered, kneeling on the floor and picking up the shards of glass with a paper. "Isn't that why I bought you an entire set of pens which you consequently gave to me since, as you had said, you have no use for them?"
He went over to her and knelt beside her, helping her and trying to catch her eyes. "I wasn't stealing them, I was just—"
"Borrowing them without my permission," she finished for him with a wry smile. He scowled at her. "Hai, hai, Hiiragizawa-kun, I've heard that excuse a million times from you."
He returned her smile, except this didn't have any trace of wryness in it. Just a plain, friendly smile. "So, does that mean you've forgiven me with those pen incidents?"
"I don't know," she said, placing a finger under her chin thoughtfully. "I couldn't find my purple pen lately…"
"I didn't take it!"
Tomoyo giggled, resuming her work of picking up the last of the glass shards and wrapping them in several sheets of paper. "Relax. I know you haven't," she told him lightly, rising to her feet and dumping the shards in her wastebasket for the janitor to pick up tomorrow morning. "I lent it to Nakuru-chan a few days ago. And besides…" She paused, looking out her window with an unreadable expression. "It's been a while since you've been inside my office…"
Eriol continued to kneel on the floor, his palms flat on his knees, his eyes focused on the dark spot on the carpet. "Sorry…"
She turned to him, confused. "Excuse me?"
"I said, sorry…"
She smiled at him warmly. "I know, we're all busy as well, Hiiragizawa-kun, so you don't need to apologize—"
"It's not about that!" he cut her off quite abruptly and the young woman looked taken aback by his tone. He quickly subsided, averting his gaze to Tomoyo's portrait on the wall.
Her smile on the portrait was so different from the smile she was wearing right now. It was full of life, mirth and mischief, probably because he was there when the portrait was being made, scowling and barking at the poor harassed painter. She looked just like a child in that portrait, even though she was wearing a business suit and everything was so formal. It was the same smile she used to wear before.
Yeah, when everything was dandy and oh-so-fine!
"I'm sorry," he started again, still staring hard at the portrait. "I'm sorry for everything. You've been in constant conflict during the past weeks because of me…"
"But, Hiiragizawa-kun, you haven't done—"
"I know I have, Daidouji, so stop denying it," he said flatly and she stopped, pressing her lips together. "I know I've hurt you in some way I didn't know so I'm sorry. I really am. I was stupid to think that everything's just fine when in fact, you're not okay. I know I should've apologized to you earlier on but you wouldn't let me… and I just couldn't find the right words to say to you…" He clenched his fists. "So… So I'm sorry…"
Tomoyo said nothing for a while, just continued to gaze outside her window at the bright city lights. "You know, I've just realized and proven something right here, right now," she finally said, her voice awfully calm and light. He looked up at her wordlessly and found her smiling at the scenery outside, a pale hand resting on the clear glass.
"That you're really, truly, absolutely arrogant, Hiiragizawa-kun."
His gaze snapped up to her so hurriedly, realizing that she had just insulted him. He wanted to retort in retaliation when she had started speaking again. Eriol pursed his lips and waited for her explanation.
"You're so arrogant that you've even got the guts to claim that everything was your fault," she continued, her eyes still trained outside, her pale fingers tracing invisible patterns on the cool glass. "But I really shouldn't be surprised. After all, you only think about yourself, ne, Hiiragizawa-kun?"
"Daidouji—"
"You're so selfish that you wanted to blame yourself for everything that's been happening," she said, not missing a beat. "When obviously, it's not true." She paused, tapping her chin. "It's not true that everything's you fault." She then turned to him, her smile still intact. "Actually, several of them were mine."
"I still don't—"
"Heck, it's actually my fault, every bit of it," she babbled on, looking almost wistfully. "I was narrow-minded that I blamed you and myself for everything's that's been happening to me. But I realized I shouldn't blame you. After all, you've never done anything wrong to me. You've never done anything wrong at all. So, Hiiragizawa-kun, I have every right not to let you apologize to me for something you've never done."
He threw her a confused stare. "Hold on, I don't think we're thinking the same thoughts here, are we?"
Tomoyo stared at him then grinned. He obviously didn't have any idea what she was talking about. "That—" Her grin widened. "—is for me to know and for you to not know."
Eriol scowled at her. "That's not fair…"
"Look, Hiiragizawa-kun, we're not taking about the fairness of life here because, for all I know, life isn't unfair."
"Yeah?" he shot back. "Who told you that?"
The raven-haired lady frowned at him. "Life isn't unfair, Hiiragizawa-kun," she told him, her voice haughty. "It sucks. And I thought you knew that?"
"Oh, shut up!" he retorted, rising to his feet. Well, so much for drama. "What's this now? You're not blaming me anymore? But I don't even have a clue of what—"
Her frown turned to a smile again, her mischievous, mysterious, I've-got-a-secret-and-you-don't smile. "Again, that's for me to know and for you to not know, Hiiragizawa-kun."
"Still unfair, I see," he remarked dryly, a dark eyebrow raised, as he sprawled his tall self on the couch. "Not that I'm surprised."
"And you're just as bitter as before," she countered and he snorted in contempt. "Not to mention, rude." He scowled darkly at her and she giggled. "Look, Hiiragizawa-kun, we both have secrets: You have yours and I have mine. And last time I checked, I never knew any of your secrets, except that your fondness of cakes and sweets could rival that of Nakuru-chan's, so it's just fair that you don't know any of mine."
"So we're keeping secrets now, are we?" He raised an amused eyebrow at her.
She shrugged her shoulders. "Aren't we all entitled to that privilege?" she asked him lightly. "And besides…" Her smile suddenly grew smaller until it almost seemed as if she was smiling to herself. "It's really nothing special if you ask me…"
Eriol stared at her for a moment, taking in her smile and expression. At the moment, he knew everything was already all right between them. He was just too stupid not to notice perhaps. Either that, or Tomoyo's way of showing that everything's fine is through running away. Whatever it is, he was glad inwardly that there was no conflict anymore between them. At least, that's what he thought.
He crossed his long legs, looking thoughtful, weighing the half-melted ice pack on his hand, as she crouched on the floor again in search of her beloved pen. He let out a sigh as she continued to grope around the corners blindly.
"Look, if you're desperate to find that pen of yours to finish your work, why don't you just borrow mine for the time being?"
She raised her head just above the desk to look at him. "That's because I thought you didn't have any, seeing that you're always stealing mine."
That ticked another nerve in Eriol's patience but he kept his smile frozen on his face. Tomoyo noticed the tightening of his jaw muscles and she stifled a laugh behind her hand. "I do have one, Daidouji. You're not the only person in the world that has the privilege to buy a pen, you know."
"Oh, really?" Her smile was toothy now, with a hint of teasing. "Let me borrow it then."
Eriol slipped his hand in his jacket to get his pen… Which he couldn't find there. He patted his pockets, wondering where his new fountain pain had gone to, ignoring the widening smirk on the young President's face. He knew that he had first placed it on his desk before Nakuru had left his office to go home and…
"Oi, Eriol! Eriol? Eriol, if you won't snap out of it, I'm going to take this lovely pen of yours! … Fine, you're asking for it!"
The young man wanted to run a hand down his face, but then, it would be so un-Eriol-like. Instead, he opted to just clench his fists, gritting his teeth, muttering curses directed towards his cinnamon-eyed cousin under his breath.
"So, where's your pen now, Hiiragizawa-kun?" Tomoyo asked lightly, her voice layered thickly with sarcasm. "Did it fall in my pen pot this time?"
"No, it was taken away by my intelligent cousin, Nakuru," he replied flatly, loathing the derisive smirk painted on his boss's lips. "Just like your purple pen."
She clicked her tongue and shook her head. "I lent it to Nakuru-chan, my purple pen," she told him slowly like a teacher to a preschooler. "She took yours. Or rather, she borrowed it, except without your permission." She laughed carelessly, her head disappearing under her desk once more. "It must be karma, Hiiragizawa-kun—Aha! I found it!"
"I don't believe in karma."
"You don't?" Tomoyo stood up, brushing the lint and dirt from her skirt and stockings. "Now, that's something." She took a seat behind her desk and started signing the rest of documents she had left as fast as she could. "I didn't know you don't believe in those things."
Eriol watched her work, still talking about karma and the sorts, admiring how she had changed ever since she had arrived in London. He thought she was a spoiled brat, judging the way she had acted that evening, someone who didn't think of others, always complaining, always ranting, ignoring people's feelings. But he was quite wrong about that when he had seen her work and interact in the office.
She was hardworking and bright and cheerful and everyone loved her for that. She was the balancer in the strict and meticulous atmosphere in the board room, quite the opposite of him. And aside from that, what he admires most about her is her strong will and determination, fighting for her principles and not letting other people push her around. But sometimes, she acts first before thinking, using his mouth or other body parts to get her way done, just like what had happened in the meeting a few days ago.
"Which reminds me, Daidouji," he started thoughtfully, his gaze turned to the ceiling. "Why did you punch Evans again, aside from the fact that he's annoying since we all know that? I mean, I've never seen you punch someone before as retaliation."
She didn't look up from her work, just continued her signing. "Oh, that? Well, he's being bitter again, I guess, that's why he started ranting, and I thought the best solution for him to lose that bitterness is to punch him."
"He's bitter? About what?"
"Didn't you know?" she asked nonchalantly, her voice normal and even. "He proposed to me a week ago."
Eriol swore he heard the bones in his neck made a sound when he had suddenly swiveled his head to look, or more like, glare at her in indignation and confusion. "What?"
"Er… He… had asked me to marry him." It was more like an inquiry than a statement, judging the way Tomoyo had said it to Eriol.
"What?"
"Same monosyllabic words for replies." She smiled at him briefly, almost apologetically. "So, I guess you didn't know, huh?"
"Obviously! Why was I not informed of this?" he demanded, rising to his feet, and walked over to her, pacing in front of her desk. "He proposed to you and I didn't have a single clue about it?" She stared at him, puzzled by his reaction. She obviously wasn't expecting him to burst out like that. Of course, Li did, but not Eriol. "Why didn't anyone tell me about it? Why wasn't I informed?"
He was speaking italics now, Tomoyo noticed. "Look, Hiiragizawa-kun," she began slowly, trying to calm him down with her voice. "Nakuru-chan and Li-kun thought it would be better if you didn't know."
"And why is that?"
"Because they thought that if you'd find out, you'd have that dark aura whirling around you again just like now," she retorted calmly. He said nothing, just glared at her, and she let out an exasperated sigh. "Stop glaring at me like that. It wasn't like I was the one who proposed!" Still, he kept his glower fixed on her. "I don't know what's gotten into you after you heard that news, but before you can bite my head off and kill everyone you see, let me just tell you that I didn't accept his proposal. And that's the reason why he's being bitter to me. Happy?"
"…You didn't?"
Tomoyo gave him a flat, irritated look then raised her left hand for him to see. "Do you see an engagement ring, Hiiragizawa-kun?"
"…No."
She rolled her eyes at him, shuffling the documents and placing them in a brown envelope. "You sound disappointed. Were you expecting me to accept his proposal?"
"What?"
"Excuse me but I'm not that desperate to get a fiancé or boyfriend, Hiiragizawa-kun," she replied, not meeting his eyes. "And even if I was, I wouldn't choose Evans for crying out loud. Touya-kun would probably kill me if I did that, Sakura-chan would hate me, Nakuru-chan would send me to an asylum and Li-kun would probably kill Evans." She paused, looking at the ceiling thoughtfully. "Actually, he nearly killed Evans when he had found out about it."
"I didn't see any broken limb on the bastard," Eriol remarked dryly.
"Nearly, Hiiragizawa-kun," she said patiently. "I did say 'nearly', didn't I?" She then stared at him, a dark eyebrow raised, confusion written all over her face. "I know it's amusing to see you lose your head like that, but I'm just curious why your reaction is so… so different from what I expected."
He tilted his head to one side, his blue eyes narrowed into slits. "Care to expound?"
She smiled slightly, a finger under her chin. "Well, Li-kun's reaction I can understand since Sakura-chan asked him to, you know, act like my big brother. Nakuru-chan's reaction was also something I expected—"
"Does it involve an 'eew' and a 'he's got some guts to do that'?"
"Pretty much, but still, we all know how Nakuru-chan hates Evans, and hate is still an understatement for her," she told him cheerily. "Anyway, yours is just, I don't know, something I didn't expect."
"What? You didn't expect me to burst out and demand like that?"
"Well, yeah…"
Eriol wondered if he's really the one who's narrow-minded and dense or if Tomoyo is too. "Obviously, I've got every right to be annoyed and demand and rant about this issue," he replied crossly, folding his arms, glaring down at her. "For one, I'm your semi-guardian and I surely won't let you marry a bastard like Evans. Not only would it taint the names Daidouji and Amamiya, he'd probably throw all your money down the drain in just a year. And who knows what he'd do to you."
Tomoyo nodded in agreement. "Hmm, point taken, but hadn't he already met my fist?"
He ignored her comment. "Next, you're my boss, and even though I know it's not right for me to meddle in your private business, I don't want someone like Evans to take over the corporation, since after all, after marriage, it would be a conjugal property. I bet the corporation would fall after a week if he becomes President."
"I guess kaa-san would haunt you for the rest of your life if you permitted that to happen."
"Yeah, probably," he said then added as an afterthought. "I heard she can get pretty violent when infuriated."
She grinned toothily at him. "Like me then?"
Again, he ignored her. "And last—"
But much to his disdain, a loud ringing broke Eriol's statement and he glared darkly at the flashing red light from the telephone. Tomoyo looked at the telephone, puzzled, then glanced at her wrist watch. It was already nearly midnight. Why would anyone call the President at her office in the middle of the night?
"Why don't you answer it?" Eriol pulled her out of her thoughts, staring at her weirdly.
She shrugged. "Aren't you alarmed that my phone is ringing in the middle of the night?"
"No," he answered flatly. "My phone rings almost every midnight."
"I mean, in the office? Isn't it weird that someone knows that we're still here?"
Eriol threw her an annoyed look, watching the slightly rising of the sides of her lips. "Don't give me that look, Daidouji," he told her sternly. Her lips quirked to an innocent smile. "You know I don't believe in ghosts and those kinds of stuff so don't you even dare."
She raised her hands in the air. "I wasn't going to say anything like that," she said with a grin, stifling a giggle as she answered the phone. "Moshi-moshi?"
He surveyed her for a minute as she listened at the handset, nodding slightly, her lips quirking madly again. She then met his blue gaze and smirked at him, the kind of smirk that warns him to run for the hills and hide. "What is it?"
"It's for you." She reached out and pressed the speaker button. He leaned forward, a slim eyebrow cocked. "He's all yours… Nakuru-chan!"
There was a moment of silence then… Eriol was sure his glasses would break at the sound of Nakuru's voice, screaming hoarse over the telephone. He drew to his full height, tugging at his ear lobe, and ignored Tomoyo who was laughing hard in her seat as Nakuru scolded her younger cousin for staying up late in the office again.
"—the hell you're thinking, you idiot? I thought you'd fell over Thames or someone had kidnapped you! You're not even answering your phone! What do you think they're made for, display? I swear, I'll die first before I finally see you come home early without me forcing you to come home! And if you're not home in 10 minutes, you'll be locked out of the unit! If that happens, I'll call Li and tell him not to let you in his own pad!"
"Like he would anyway," Eriol muttered under his breath, hating how pesky Nakuru can get. But even before he could respond spitefully, there was resounding click and a busy tone. "Dammit, she didn't even let me defend for myself!"
Tomoyo giggled, wiping the tears of mirth from the corner of her eyes. "Wow, Nakuru-chan's worst than a mother, isn't she?"
She had barely spoken when the phone rang shrilly again, startling the wits out of the two executives. Eriol growled slightly as Tomoyo pressed the speaker button again without batting an eyelash.
"And you better take Tomoyo-chan home! If something happens to her because of your stupidity and narrow-mindedness, you can answer to her older cousin, me and Li! We'll certainly have your head placed on a pike, you hear me!"
Yet again, Nakuru hung up without waiting for his response, shredding the last of Eriol's patience into bits and pieces.
"Are you sure she's not your wife?" Tomoyo asked, fighting back the urge to laugh loudly at his face.
"Shut up and just finish your work."
"Mizuki told me they found some information about Tamara," Eriol told her, checking his cell phone for any more messages. "And Li told me she's the reason why you can't sleep at night, Tamara."
They were on their way towards the Daidouji manor, taking the longer route as Tomoyo had asked as an excuse to admire the night lights. Although reluctant since he didn't want to sleep somewhere else that evening, Eriol agreed. After all, he might just lose the chance to talk with her freely again. He might not be able to do this again tomorrow.
Tomoyo smiled slightly at him. "Well, I've got every right to worry about her, ne?" she said with a yawn. "She's trying to take my corporation from me."
"Yes, but didn't Mizuki tell you to leave everything to them?" he asked her. "Don't you trust her?"
She leaned her head on the fiberglass window, biting her lower lip. "It's not that, Hiiragizawa-kun," she answered quietly. "I always feel like I'm not doing anything at all and yet, I'm always the target. I feel so helpless with all of you around me that I'm afraid if you're all gone, I won't be able to stand by myself anymore. I can't always be dependent, right?"
"Still, you should leave this to us," Eriol told her calmly. "Always remember that your burden isn't always meant just for you. That's why we're here, so that we could help and support you."
"Thank you…" She suddenly looked up and glanced at him when his phone started beeping again. Another message. "Your phone sure does ring even after midnight."
"It's from Mizuki," he said absently, glancing once in a while at the message. "She says not to strain yourself and that you should take care of yourself and…" He suddenly stopped and she looked at him, puzzled by his broken statement.
"And what, Hiiragizawa-kun?"
He shook his head, tossing his phone at the back seat. "…And nothing."
She nodded again and looked out the window, remembering what she heard in the phone call she got from Nakuru at the cemetery. She glanced at him once more, wondering if she should ask it or not.
"Erm… Hiiragizawa-kun, I know this is quite rude to ask all of a sudden but… I just heard this, okay?" When she saw his nod, Tomoyo continued slowly, her lilac eyes trained on the dashboard, her fingers fiddling with the pendant her mother gave her. "I-I just want to confirm it with you…" He nodded again and this time, he gave her a bemused look. "Will you… Will you tell me… What happened between you and Kaho-san that day?" Eriol glanced at her, pressing his lips together, and she blushed under his steady gaze. "Something did happen, right? I mean, I saw Kaho-san there just in a, well, blanket and—"
"Yes," he admitted, swallowing inwardly, not meeting her gaze. At the corner of his eyes, he saw her hung her head, her hands falling limply on her lap. "Mizuki and I had been in an on and off relationship since the beginning of time…"
"It's that long, huh?" He heard her laugh softly which seemed forced to him. "So did you love her?"
"…I did," he replied again, hating the way his voice sounds final with every tone. "But then, I've proven and realized last Christmas, that I don't love her anymore. At least, not in a romantic way anymore. It wasn't the same as before…"
"And who do you love now, Evans?" She giggled lightly behind a hand, trying to lift the slowly mounting tension.
He managed a small smile. "Would you get jealous if I say 'yes'?"
Tomoyo stared at him in disbelief then giggled, her laughter filling the car. "No, of course not! You can have him if you want. Why would I anyway?"
"In case you're still thinking if you'd accept his proposal."
She swatted him on the arm rather sharply and he cried out in exasperation and pain. She pouted. "You deserve that anyway! That was just plain mean!"
"So, anyway, the point is," he continued, rubbing gingerly the red mark on his pale arm. "I don't feel the same way I had felt for her in the past anymore." Tomoyo nodded in understanding, turning once more to the dashboard, her grin slowly fading into a slight smile. "To be honest with you, I don't feel anything except… except…"
She looked up, her eyes blank. "Lust?"
He stopped at a red light, even though there were no more cars passing and driving by. He didn't speak for a while, tapping his fingers on the steering wheel, his eyes lowered and hidden. "Of course, I couldn't tell her that," he said quietly. "It'd break her heart and I don't want that to happen. She'd probably cry again for the millionth time and I'd feel guilty again… You must be thinking what a jerk I am."
"You've always been a jerk, Hiiragizawa-kun," she joked softly. "Always."
"Yeah, Nakuru and Li told me that a lot of times."
"And I have as well, don't you remember?" She smiled at him gently, her eyes twinkling under the moonlight. "Anyway, I know I haven't got any right to say this, especially to you and Kaho-san, but it's the only thing I could say right now." She folded her hands on her lap, her silver bracelet tinkling.
"Touya-kun told me that it's all right if your love for a certain person doesn't last long. It just means that you'll find someone else, someone that you'll cherish and love even more. If all the love in the world would last forever, how then would we find the right one for us?"
"Daidouji…"
"So it's all right to move on, Hiiragizawa-kun. It's all right to tell Kaho-san that it's all over, that you both have to let go. There's nothing wrong with it. I'm not trying to get in between the both of you but I'm concerned about you and Kaho-san. It would actually help the both of you a lot, especially if you don't feel anything anymore except lust. If you won't do it, you might just end up hurting Kaho-san and yourself. Isn't that what you're avoiding, hurting Kaho-san?"
She pressed her lips together, fighting the urge to cry in front of her CEO, ignoring the searing pain inside her. "And, you know what, from what I've been observing these past few days, I'm sure that Kaho-san made the first move and had let go already. She probably just didn't tell you, as she's fearing that she'd hurt you too. Don't you think it's time for you to do the same as well?"
They arrived at the Daidouji manor where several maids and bodyguards were already waiting at the doorway for their young Mistress. Eriol killed the engine in the driveway for a while, waiting for Tomoyo to unclasp her seatbelt.
"Daidouji," he began and she looked up at him, surprised by his call. "…Thanks."
Then, much to his surprise, she leaned forward and gave him a warm hug. He could smell the faint scent of lilacs and vanilla in her hair and lavender on her skin, loving how warm and soft she is. "Thank you for telling me, Hiiragizawa-kun," she murmured. "I never expected you to tell me but you did. So thank you for trusting me, Hiiragizawa-kun."
"Daidouji—"
"Don't worry, I'm sure everything will be all right now," she told him, pulling away with a bright smile. "Ne, Hiiragizawa-kun?"
He smiled at her faintly. "So, you're not worried of Tamara anymore?"
She shook her head. "I'm not," she said lightly. "She doesn't have anyone but I have Li-kun, Nakuru-chan, Yukito-san and Kaho-san with me, as well as, you." She then unlocked the door and glanced at him briefly. "You better go straight home. Nakuru-chan might seriously lock you out and I really hate people knocking at my door at one or two in the morning."
"Nakuru doesn't even have my electronic key."
She smirked. "You sure about that?" When he started patting his jacket again in search of his card key, she laughed softly. "I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"
"Right," he replied and Tomoyo stepped out of the car, assisted by her bodyguards. "Ah, wait, Daidouji!"
She turned to him, a hand on the door, a frown etched on her forehead. He reached out for her hand and pressed something in her palm, closing her fingers over it. "Here, it's yours so I'm returning it to you."
"What—" She opened her hand and there, nestled in a lavender paper, the magnolia brooch he gave her on Christmas, still sparkling and glinting under the light. "Demo, Hiiragizawa-kun—"
"Take it or I'll throw it in the river on my way home. I haven't broken a promise yet and there's no way I'd allow you to make me break one," he told her with a gentle smile. She stared at him, stunned by his words. "I'll start on that garden of yours in spring."
She bit her lower lip, choosing her words carefully, and Eriol watched her warily, afraid that she might shout at him again and more afraid that she might cry. Much to his relief, she smiled back at him. "But you have broken a promise, remember? When you promised to pick Li up at the airport, you didn't do it."
Eriol stopped and frowned in thought. "That… doesn't count as a promise, from what I recall."
She giggled. "Li-kun should hear you say that!"
"Hey, don't make me stop myself from starting that garden of yours!"
She nodded slightly, her lips pressed together, her smile slowly fading into a faint one, the same sad one she had used just a few weeks ago. "In spring, huh?" she said softly, not meeting his eyes. "I hope I see it before I leave…" And without warning, she closed the door with a gentle push and left for the manor, not glancing back at him.
Eriol sat frozen on his seat. "Leave…?" He raised his eyes to her retreating figure, remembering her downcast expression and quiet tone, and realization hit him like a pile of bricks. Their agreement was only 6 months and she only has 2 months left.
"Dammit, she's leaving in March!"
Review, review, review! And check out the answers to your reviews at the journal!
P.S. And read my other fics… especially the new one, Heaven Sent. It's another ExT fic and Tomoyo's kinda OOC there… shrugs But still…