chapterTHREE

"Just when were you planning on telling me?" he hissed, his normally gentle eyes a dark angry colour.

"I-I…"

"You were just going to drag me around like a toy, weren't you?" he asked, spitting the cold, bitter words at her. "I hope you had a good laugh."

"No! It wasn't like that," she said, on the verge of tears.

"No?" he said, his tone disbelieving, mocking.

"My parents…"

"Your parents? I'm so sick and tired of hearing about your fucking parents! Tell me this, did you agree to it?"

She looked down in shame, telling him all he needed to know. He scoffed at her and turned away. She grabbed his arm. "Please don't leave…"

He glared at her and pulled his arm away as if her touch was a hot, burning coal. "Don't touch me. Don't ever talk to me again. I hate you."

"No!" she cried again, the tears spilling this time. "Don't leave me…"

But the screeching of tires told her he was already…

Gone.

She sank down on her knees, her face a mixture of longing and regret. She waited for him to come back, to tell her he forgave her and everything would be okay. But he never came..

"Miss Daidouji?"

Tomoyo looked at her assistant, as if seeing her for the first time.

"We've stopped for almost five minutes."

Tomoyo looked out the window to see a big, looming building. She wanted so badly to get out of the car and march up to the building, but something held her back. Fear.

"Miss Daidouji?"

Tomoyo blinked. "Sorry. Drive on."

'You're such a coward. Just like last time,' she thought resentfully.

Sakura had thought maybe Syaoran was finally willing to acknowledge her. Talk to her at least. But was she ever wrong.

"Where are you going?" she asked. Not that she really cared, but without him in the apartment, things would be boring. She was already bored, but still…

"Work. You know, that place where people earn money. Maybe you've heard of it?"

She laughed. "Whoa, did you just make a joke?"

Syaoran resumed his angry face, as if making a joke was the last thing he wanted to do. "No, I think it's called sarcasm."

Sakura mocked sighed. "Gee, and I thought we were finally getting somewhere."

Syaoran rolled his eyes, making Sakura laugh again. "You look so girly when you do that."

This time, Syaoran couldn't resist smiling, even if the smile was small. 'Damn, someone could get addicted to that laugh.' He froze.

"What's wrong?" asked Sakura, sensing the sudden change. "It's okay to smile. You don't have to stop yourself or anything."

'What is she talking about?' Oh. Him smiling. She had thought he stopped because he was afraid of smiling? That girl was truly a freak.

"I'll be home before six," he said curtly. Somehow, he doubt she cared. Probably better off without him. Well, he was better off without her too. And her laugh. Her stupid laugh, that sweet, melodic sound that vibrated through his ears. Could anything be more annoying, besides Sakura herself? He didn't think so.

Absently, he wondered how Sakura and Tomoyo could be best friends, when they were complete opposites. Sakura was outspoken and said what was on her mind. Tomoyo preferred to think things through. She was more level-headed than Sakura, and definitely sane, unlike that craziness she called her best friend. He wouldn't be surprised if Sakura ended up in a psycho house one day. But then Tomoyo would probably drag him there to visit her.

He stopped suddenly at the last thought. It finally hit him how real it was. Him. Tomoyo. Together. For the rest of their lives. Could he really live like that? Probably. But he always felt a nagging in his chest, like something was wrong. If only he could figure out what it was.

Sakura sighed as the door closed behind Syaoran. What to do now? She circled the room, looking for something of interest. She smiled happily as she spotted photo albums, and pulled them out.

Gingerly, she lifted the cover and was greeted by the radiant, smiling face of Tomoyo and a less-happier Syaoran. Syaoran had his arm around Tomoyo and her arm was behind his back. They looked like the perfect couple.

She vaguely wondered what it would be like to be Tomoyo. To have everyone love her and not shoot her one-second smiles of bare recognition. But Sakura would never know the feeling. She would always be sloppy seconds.

She closed the album and set it back in place. Then, she leaned back and wondered if anyone would ever like her for her, not because she was Tomoyo's best friend.

As promised, Syaoran returned before six. With him were steaming boxes of take-out. Sakura set the table as Syaoran got the food ready. They both sat down to eat and nothing could be heard except for the scraping of chopsticks.

Out of desperation to get rid of the silence, Sakura asked, "How did you and Tomoyo meet?"

She realized that even though she and Tomoyo were best friends, she never heard much of Syaoran. A date here and there in their weekly telephone calls, and then an engagement. She had remembered that just before she met Syaoran, Tomoyo had had a boyfriend. Sakura wondered what happened to him.

"Our parents," was all Syaoran said.

"Oh."

The silence resumed.

"You look very happy together."

He looked up sharply. "Happiness can be deceiving.' "Well, we are engaged."

Sakura drew back at the sudden venom in his voice. She had never heard that in his voice. Ice maybe, but never what she heard just now…

"Sorry, bad day," he mumbled.

Sakura nodded in mutual agreement and wondered if the awkwardness between them would ever end.

Tomoyo wandered around Paris. Normally, shopping would take her mind off of things, but today seemed like an exception.

"Tomoyo Daidouji?"

Tomoyo looked around, but didn't see anyone she knew. Someone stepped around her. "Are you Tomoyo Daidouji?"

"Yes, have we met?" Tomoyo inquired, looking at the pretty brunette. She had never seen her in her life, if memory served her well.

The woman's cheeks flushed. "No. I'm Chiharu." She stuck out her hand, which Tomoyo shook. Her name seemed familiar, but the woman had just said they never met…

"I've been trying to contact you for ages!" Chiharu exclaimed.

Now Tomoyo was really confused. They had never met, and she had been trying to contact her?

"I've been trying to get a business deal with you. I own Chiharu Fashion Enterprises. Have you heard of it?"

Had she heard of it? No one living on this planet had not heard of it! "You're that Chiharu?" Tomoyo asked, her sad mood melting away.

"Yes. I've wanted to do an exclusion with you for a long time. I collect your stuff," she laughed, waving her Daidouji bag.

Tomoyo felt flattered that Chiharu, who practically owned the high-class fashion industry, was a big fan of her work. 'And she wants an exclusive with me!' she thought happily.

They felt the first drops of rain splatter. "How about we duck into a café?" Tomoyo suggested.

They entered the first café they saw, which was empty except for a few tourists. The hours ticked by as they discussed things and they discovered they had a lot in common.

Chiharu looked at her watch and groaned, disappointed. "I have lunch with my fiancé in an hour. Hey, maybe you can come with me!"

Tomoyo shook her head. "No way, I wouldn't want to intrude." She almost laughed as she realized how much she sounded like Sakura.

"It's no problem. After all, we see each other every day. You don't get to the famous Tomoyo Daidouji every day!" They both shared a laugh at this.

An hour later, Tomoyo found herself stepping into a restaurant with Chiharu at her side.

"Reservation for Hiirigiziwa," said Chiharu.

'Hiirigiziwa? It couldn't be…Please…not him…'

But it was too late. Chiharu was already leading her through the tables, stopping in one occupied by a blue-haired man.

And then Tomoyo saw the one person she had wanted to see more than anything.. And also the one she dreaded on everseeing again.