Previously…>
Perhaps he was meant to be a lonely bachelor…fated to be alone for the rest of his life…
+o0o+
Just thoughts…
Early the next day…>
"What are you doing?" he asked…
"I'm leaving…" she simply said, giving a small smile as she puts on her coat…
"You'll most likely get lost…" he joked…
"Perhaps...But I'll find my way," she said, blinking back the water in her eyes…
Touya sat on the couch with a glass of cool green tea and a salmon sandwich in both hands as he watched a rerun that he randomly chose…he rolled his eyes at the scene as he set his tea on the glass table and took a bite of the sandwich…
"Take good care of yourself, okay? ..." she bade farewell…
"You're joking right?" he managed to mutter, not believing what was happening. Her bitter smile told him she wasn't…
"I'll go now," she said turning towards the door…
"I love you," he blurted out, sounding like an attempt to stop her, to not go…
"Say those words when you mean them…" she said, so softly…
Say those words when you mean them…Upon hearing that statement, he stopped munching…he felt his stomach contorted…
He didn't quite understand those words…He knew what they meant, but he really didn't quite understand them at all…He swallowed the food…He averted his eyes back towards the television…
It was as if the show was mocking him…He sighed heavily…stupid show.
Who was he kidding…? Come to think of it, those words were true in a sense…he frowned…
It was too late of you to have said those words to the people you were involved with have longed for so long to hear…and now, you have screwed everything because of your stubbornness…You're in denial, dumbass.
He glided his fingers to his messy chocolate brown hair in annoyance…I think I'm gonna go out…better than watching stupid reruns…He looked out the window…it is a beautiful day…guess I could stroll around a bit…
Leaving his tea and sandwich on the living room table, he sauntered upstairs to his bedroom…took out a towel and casual attire from his closet…He placed his outfit on the bed and sauntered into the bathroom, towel and essentials in hand…
His first thought was to stop by the university...
+o0o+
That same morning…somewhere in Tomoeda…
The sound of a small bell echoed throughout a small bakeshop…>
"Welcome!" a young man with short, grey hair and wearing a pair of specs greeted a costumer with a welcoming smile…
"Good morning, Yukito-san!"
"Ah, Tomoyo-san. Good morning! What can I do for you?" Yukito pointed towards an empty tall stool by the counter…Tomoyo eagerly sat on it and took a menu…
"Hmm…let's see…I'd like a strawberry tart and one slice of carrot cake to go please…" she told the tall grey haired man…The man gave her a warm smile…"Comin' right up!" he exclaimed and left to get her orders…
As she sat by the counter, patiently waiting for her order…she heard the shop door open and closed gently…the small bell sounded once again…She turned and saw Eriol approaching her as the young sorcerer's eyes regarded the place…
"This is a nice place." He commented as he sat next to her…
"Glad you like it…" she said with a smile…Just then, Yukito came out carrying two boxes of pastries with him…Before he could hand them to Tomoyo, he noticed the midnight blue haired young man beside her…He stopped in his tracks as he regarded the familiar young man before him…
"Hello, Tsukishiro-san. It's nice to see you again." Eriol greeted him with a smile…upon realizing who it was, Yukito equally smiled back…
"You're Hiiragizawa-san, aren't you? It's nice to see you again as well." Yukito said as he handed the two boxes to Tomoyo…
"I see you're doing well here…this is a very nice bakeshop you have, Tsukishiro-san. When did you start doing business?" Eriol asked him…
"Oh, just a few months ago…I recently got my official title as a pastry chef, so here I am…I decided to put up a bakeshop, since that's what I love to eat…and cook as well." Yukito said with a chuckle…
"Yukito-san's pastries are the best. Not a single day that his bakeshop would go un-emptied. At the end of the day, all of his creations would be gone. It's getting quite a reputation around here." Tomoyo stated gleefully…
Yukito scratched his head unconsciously and gave out a small chuckle, blushing upon hearing her comments…"Nah, it's nothing really…I guess people really like my cooking…That's enough for me to see my costumers leave my shop, happy and contented."
"Good point."
"So where are you both off to today?" Yukito asked the two…
"I was thinking of stopping by the Tsukihime Shrine later this afternoon before I head back to England…But for this morning, Tomoyo and I will be heading to her office, then to the park." Eriol said…
"I gotta pick up a few things first before we go somewhere else…" Tomoyo informed her companion…
"Oh I see…I thought you will stay long…Okay. Have a nice day you two. And have a pleasant flight later, Hiiragizawa-san" Yukito told them…
"Thanks, Tsukishiro-san…Please say hi to Yue-san for me." Eriol bade his farewell…
"Ja ne!" the two uttered before they left the bakeshop…
---+---
-Hmf…I really don't quite like that kid…-
Wasn't he the reincarnation of Clow Reed?
-Yes…-
Oh I see…I didn't know Tomoyo-san and Hiiragizawa-san were together…
(Yukito felt Yue raise one eye brow…)
-Since when did you butt into other people's personal business?-
I wasn't implying it that way…
-hn.-
Honestly, Yue-san…
-Come to think of it, I think they were together back when they were in their elementary years…probably thought it was time they made it serious or something like that…-
I guess…but what about Mizuki-san? Weren't she and Hiiragizawa together as well?
(Yukito felt Yue frown…)
-Yuki, you're too nosy of other people's businesses for your own good…-
Don't tell me you're not the least bit curious about it…
-hmf.-
Hehehe…Typical of you, Yue-san…
-Just keep your thoughts to yourself, Yuki…-
(Yuki chuckled…)
Whatever you say, Yue-chan!
-Clamp it!-
---+---
………………
+o0o+
They sat next to each other on a grassy, shady area in the park…They sat in silence as they watched the cherry blossoms dance around them…Tomoyo took a quick glance at her companion who seemed to be too entranced with nature that surrounded them…He had that boyish smile on his lips…She smiled softly and returned her gaze towards something else…She unbeknownst started humming a soft melody…
-----+-----
I've known you for so long
You are a friend of mine…
But is this all we'd ever be…
I've loved you ever since
You are a friend of mine…
And babe is this all we ever could be…
Eriol slowly turned towards Tomoyo; regarding her with those midnight blue eyes of his…He smiled affectionately as he listened to her sing…
You tell me things I'll never know…
I'll show you love you've never shown…
And then again when you cry
I'm always at your side…
You tell me 'bout the love you've had
I listen very eagerly…
But deep inside you'll never see
This feeling of emptiness…
That makes me feel sad…
But then again I'm glad…
Tomoyo turned to face Eriol with a quite sad look in her eyes…but nonetheless, she gave him a small assuring smile as she continued on with her song…
I've known you all my life
You are a friend of mine…
I know this is how it's gonna be…
I've loved you then and I love you still
You're a friend of mine…
Now I know friends
Are all we ever could be…
But then again, then again
Then again I'm glad…
+This song is entitled 'Friend of Mine', sung by my favorite renowned Filipino-International Artist, Lea Salonga…+
-----+-----
"That song has quite an irony to it, don't you think?" Eriol said softly…eyeing her with pure affection…
"It does…but it is a beautiful song…" Tomoyo stated softly as well…She didn't stare into his eyes…She smiled to nothing or to no one in particular…Her amethyst eyes had that far away look…Eriol thought of saying something, but he stopped himself…He knew that whatever he had to say to her, nothing would change…She didn't say anything after that either…So he abandoned all else and just let the silence consume them…But it wasn't that silence of awkwardness…
None of that anymore existed between them…
Each knew that the silences between them were of contentment and forgiveness…
TBC…