I Think I'm In Love with My Bestfriend's Boyfriend

Author's Notes: Again, pardon me if the previous chapter was junk. There were complications that prevented me from completing it on time and with a better length.

Well, so to say I did a little better in this chapter in my opinion. But that isn't important: I NEED YOURS! You are the important readers…what you think matters. Compliments, constructive criticisms and comments: please do honestly review.

Disclaimer: All characters and places are property of the manga-ka CLAMP and companies related to it. Only the plot and story is my intellectual product.

Chapter Six: Resurrection

"Eriol, there has been important news!" Nakuru shouted, running down the porch steps to the garden in order to catch up with the disappearing shadow.

"I'm sorry Nakuru, I haven't got much time till the postman leaves for today…the international service should be quick, but demanding in schedule." yelled Eriol back, rushing swiftly into the fog of the evening. In his hand was a delicately sealed letter.

Nakuru sighed, giving up. Her friend would have to know about it later.

…………………………………………………………

"Really? You actually knew each other from before?" Tomoyo inquired, having calmed down from the hyperactivity of the last day. The picnic yesterday went quite smoothly, excluding the eerie silence.

Two flustered sets of eyes looked off confusedly to the side, nodding cautiously as if the answer could cause oblivion.

"That's very interesting then…Syaoran, Sakura…strange though." continued the black-haired girl.

One lifted an eyebrow and one gulped in anxiety. "Why would that be strange, Tomoyo-chan?" asked Syaoran in a small voice.

"Oh, nothing. Usually everyone Sakura meets in school also knows me. We almost never separated, really." Tomoyo started on their friendship, until an unsure look rested on her face.

"Well, there was that one year when I went to Tokyo…Sakura-chan here never really liked to talk about it. Hmm, maybe she didn't find you interesting enough, ne?" And so came the teasing.

'I'm sure I have that mixed up letter addressed to her laying around somewhere in my room…' thought Syaoran with a bit of paranoia. 'I don't think such a scrap of paper would be of much of a problem if I take care never to accidentally bring it, or anything…'

"I didn't think it was important enough-" Sakura half-yelled out, using the second immediate idea in mind. The first?

'Oh, I didn't tell you because I suffered much depression during those days. What with Syaoran showing up, then dating my best friend-when-you-were-gone, then disappearing back to Hong Kong, then reappearing to become your latest date and all…not too fascinating, either way…' Sakura silently pondered, feeling a bit of doubt from her own thoughts.

Even though Sakura sounded casual enough, it wasn't too subtle not to cause a flash of questioning in Syaoran. Was he really that insignificant? Would thinks have driven the less tragic way if he had given that letter just an hour earlier?

Tomoyo's nagging snapped him out of his wondering, "You didn't think it was important either to mention that you recognized Sakura? And I think I asked you to call her for me then, too…"

She was referring to the day before yesterday, when they met by chance at the park. True, he had seen Sakura, spoke to her even. But only in the effect of time did he truly realize what kind of paradox had come to his life.

"Oh, I just forgot to tell you about that." Was the simple, but not entirely truthful answer.

Looking unhappy, both just turned back to Tomoyo's smile for comfort and didn't say another word to each other the whole day.

Sakura was struck by a blaze of self-doubt.

…………………………………………………………

The next day, the pen and paper were at meeting once more…only this time it wasn't in the diary. After all, Sakura was surprised by an envelope that arrived on her doorstep, following that visit to Tomoyo's.

To a dear Sakura Kinomoto,

Greatest wishes to you and your life, Sakura-san. This is Eriol Hiiragizawa…unfortunately, things have prevented me from communicating in a more convenient way. The phone lines have been broken and the payphones here are terribly expensive to Japan. Besides, they don't connect well.

Although the issues with the taxes I'm dealing with are bleak, I would be grateful if you would keep me informed of wonderful little Tomoeda. If it wouldn't be a bother, tell me about your everyday as if I was there beside you; then hope that the mailman be quick lightning on foot! Please lend me your valuable time to send a twinkle of happiness to me. I do hope all this trouble will end soon.

Sincerely, Eriol H.

…………………………………………………………

Flashback

Eriol was walking slowly back home after his mad dash to the mail post. The night mist hung heavily in the air and there were stray raindrops randomly attacking from the sky. The whole scene of after-dusk streets was composed of gloomy dark colors and deep blurry black lines, the usually blossoming roses on the sidewalks refusing to flaunt their bright colors. Newly-lit lamps were not sufficient enough to brighten more than a few meager yards.

"Just like clear dark, mysterious eyes…" murmured Eriol, remembering the woman he met years ago…

"Just like yours." A strange voice said.

Turning back sharply, he saw the outline of a figure facing towards him. In the dim light he could not make out who it really was, but there was something about that voice he found familiar.

"Eriol Hiiragizawa. It's been so long."

Could it be?

Impossible.

But…yet…

A ghost perhaps?

"No - not a ghost, Eriol," continued the voice, "it's really me."

At this Eriol could not hold back. Turning sharply, he saw what he thought he would never see ever again.

"Kaho!"

End of Flashback

"I…I still…" stuttered a bewildered Eriol, his already-light skin having turned a sickly gray-white. Shaking fingers slowly brought up the warm cup of tea to cold lips, drops of the liquid falling over the side as a result of unstable. At a loss of words, the red-haired woman beside him added, "-can't believe it?"

Sighing, he replied a nervous "Yes".

In contrast to the quavering figure beside her Kaho Mizuki was a calm figure of kindness. She sat as if there was nothing peculiar at all about reappearing to her long-lost dear (after supposedly being dead).

"It was a clinical misconception…though it gave me quite a fright when I came to myself and my family said that you took off on another plane," narrated Kaho, looking slightly amused at the recollection. "Of course, it was more of a fright when I figured out why."

Slouching down in his old living room couch, Eriol finally gave in. "All right, all right: there is no correct explanation for all this happening anyway."

While Eriol indeed felt a glorious (if not ghost-wary) elation at this very much unexpected turn. Too much time had passed since his sunny-rain days with Mizuki Kaho. Those wonderful memories were, he had to admit, fading away into dreams in the dark crossroads of reality in his mind.

Too much time indeed…it seemed like things weren't the same anymore. And he was right: things would never be the same again.

"I expect you've gone down a separate walk by now, Eriol."

"Yes…in a way, but not so much. That street in which I'm walking into isn't too brightly-lit…"

Kaho was aware of Eriol's first special one. Tomoyo Daidouji…and that name had formed into a strange sixth sense in herself. On the other hand, Eriol was referring to his uncertainty of the future. He saw a vague tomorrow in his friend, Sakura…but he could still feel the phantom hope a first love left in its wake.

"I'm not sure about anything, Kaho."

"Surely things can't be the same way with us…"

"No, I'm certain things shall be!" protested Eriol…though even he himself was not sure.

"Perhaps…yet I don't think. I can feel our strings untying themselves, Eriol."

"Perhaps…"

…………………………………………………………

January 22 (Sunday)

For the first time in a long time, I have a very low level of self-pity.

For the first time in an even longer time, I feel guilty.

Why? Well…I feel guilty because it's like I'm intruding on my best friend and her best boy friend. I'm like a third wheel on a bicycle rolling gently down the hill: they don't need me.

But like I said before, I have a low level of self-pity. Still, it remains there (Doesn't it seem cemented into myself?). Nothing can be right. I don't know what evil deed I've done to be forced to watch such a blossoming love thrive before me - one that is not meant to be mine.

Yet…I can be at ease. As I've said countless times before, I am quite content at the present. I am at ease because I can be with him. I am there personally to see to it that he is well and happy. This Sakura Kinomoto can see that Syaoran is deserving of such a trustworthy, caring Tomoyo in his life.

But yet again…there is that guilt. Am I really in control of the romantic Sakura Kinomoto that I buried long ago?

…………………………………………………………

Yet again Sakura Kinomoto was in her writing seat. Scribbling away at her secretive and emotional diary, she herself was immersed in a sea of doubt. After finishing that first reply to Eriol, full of daily happenings - even dipping a bit into her issues - she realized the indecision that coated everything.

What would be the way? Would this fog of mystery disperse and reveal the path on which to tread?

Days later, another confusing shadow arrived in her life. It was another letter.

To a dear Sakura,

This is Eriol. I hope you've been doing fine…seems like everything there is quite confusing for you. It's the same for me…very, very confusing.

I hope you will understand me well enough, as my sharing would be bewildering. As a matter of fact, I still am, very much.

The woman I told you about, Kaho Mizuki…she's come back to life. Literally. Well, not literally. It was a big misconception - it turns out she didn't pass away after all!

Although most of the things about the estate have already been settled, there are a few tighter knots I need to fix (see aforementioned). At least I rest assured that the old-fashioned way of mail is still reliable, and that we will be able to communicate in the weeks to come.

I shall be seeing you and Tomoeda in a month at most - I need to absorb everything that's happened... In the meantime let us keep in touch, correct?

With much hope,

Eriol H.

…………………………………………………………

Another set of days passed. Day in, another problem Eriol solves…day out, another problem to solve. Then finally…another, more complicated problem.

Or was it more of a sign?

Kaho Mizuki dropped by the Hiiragizawa property that afternoon to find Eriol shocked and looking sickly-white once more. This time was different, though - he seemed like a mix between sorrowful disbelief and thrilled I'm-so-lucky.

"Eriol? Are you alright? Do you have a fever?" inquired Kaho worriedly, switching into a motherly mode.

When he didn't reply, she went into a frenzy, during which she still kept a calm, soothing voice.

"That look on your face…dear me, did you get yourself drunk? Oh…no…maybe you somehow took some form of drug…"

At that more drastic reasoning Eriol tried his best to stand up. "No, no, Kaho," he said, his effort going only as far as sitting up straight, "…it's just something that I've discovered."

Pointing toward the coffee table, he requested that she see the paper beside the saucer of steamy black fluid.

My treasured friend Eriol,

That is wonderful! One day we could meet, Mizuki-san and I. It would be great, the three of us together on a sunny day, right?

More news about life here: Syaoran is still with my best friend. To be honest I don't feel more than an occasional tinge of jealousy…because I know that he is deserving of the most compassionate person I know.

I know now what happened to that other girl. It turns out she passed away too, because of a sickness from polluted rain - though I'm sure poor Syaoran won't be meeting her suddenly on a dark evening, because he attended her funeral. Yet he's quite lucky - Tomoyo's so kind to him.

Oh, right! Let me tell you about my friend. Tomoyo is that friend who went to Tokyo before, the year I met Syaoran. She loves video cameras, costume making (she made many of my dresses for parties!), baking cakes and cute things. Tomoyo is the best friend someone could have…Syaoran's fortunate to have an understanding one like her!

Still, there's that inevitable jealousy, I guess.

Hopefully things would even out good on your side of the globe. It looks like you're handling everything great, so see you soon!

Best wishes,

Sakura-chan

Kaho Mizuki slowly put the pink stationery papers down. Things were definitely peculiar…things would definitely never be the same again.