Chapter 11: The Return (Part 1)

It was 7:15 in the morning when Yuji went inside the building. "Geez! Tomoyo will definitely scold me!" he told to himself. He was in such rush that he doesn't have time to look around. But as he turned left to go to Tomoyo's office, all of a sudden, he got bumped to someone."

Yuji and that person fell on the floor, together with those folders that Yuji carry. The person whom he bumped was surprised by what happened. Then he immediately apologized to Yuji. "A...are you hurt...sir? Sorry... I'm so clumsy..." He then picked up the folders for Yuji.

"No, that's fine. it's my fault since I'm not looking around." He then picked some of the paper that fell inside the folders, and when he looked the person whom he bumped, he frozed and just stared at that person for a bit. That person was Eriol.

Yuji felt something weird, like he met this person before. Both of them were on the floor, staring at each other, as if time stopped upon them.

"S...sir..." Eriol said, while reaching the folders to him. Yuji immediately grabbed it and both stood up. "Again, I'm very sorry. And thank you for helping me pick these up." Yuji said.

"Okay then... I'll go now.." Eriol responded, as he walked outside. Yuji, however, continues to stare at him as Eriol walks outside. Then he felt something, as if his body is being jolted. he's not sure thought on what it was. But then, he remembered that he has to see Tomoyo right away. "Heck!" He snapped. Then, he rushed to Tomoyo's office.

Yuji was in front of Tomoyo's room. He knows how time conscious she is, but he thought she might understand since he slept very late last night after his father's burial. He knocked on the door thrice, but no one is answering. He turned the knob, but it looks like it's still locked. Eventually, he saw Tomoyo running through the hallway, carrying some paper works and her hand bag. "My gosh! So sorry, I'm late!" she said. "You know whta? There has been an accident right across the intersection in Shibuya. What's worse is that it involves a huge delivery truck and it turned upside down, so the vehicles there were literally piled-up! Thankfully, I managed to find a short cut after being stuck for 40 minutes. So, here I am!" She then opened her bag, get the room's key, and opened the door. Yuji just looked at her. "Why are you looking at me like that? Do I have dirt on my face?"

"No..." he said "Well, I've been waiting for you."

"Oh, I'm very very sorry." she said. "You know that I am not like this - it's just because of that freak accident that's why I'm late. Anyways, let's go inside. We'll have to discuss our agenda for today, then I'll let you meet the trainees."

"Oh, sure! Can't wait." he replied. Both went inside.

Tomoyo was getting something on in the drawer on her desk, in which she gave to Yuji. "This is the schedule of activities for this month before the restaurant's opening. Please read it carefully, and don't miss any of those." She also gave him a key. " Also, you'll be using the office three rooms away from mine. It's spacious so you'll be comfortable there."

"I don't need a spacious office." Yuji told her. "But thanks, anyway." He also noticed that Syaoran was not with her. "By the way... where is your secretary? Because I always see you together. Will he be late?"

"No." She answered. "He won't be here. He has to attend to some family matters. His mom will be arriving from China."

"Ah...so you will be all alone."

- "Not really, I can still manage myself if he's not around. Plus, I have my employees here to keep me company. But if you want, you can be my secretary while he's not here."

"No, thank you. I'd rather stand in the corner and watch the paint dry than become your secretary"

- "Yuji, you're mean!"

"Just kidding! Anyway, when shall I meet class."

- "Any moment from now. Their class starts a 8. For now, you may take your morning coffee..."

"Could you join me?"

- "Nah. I have to meet with the trainer before the class starts. You may go now, and come back before eight."

"But I want to have coffee with you..."

- "We'll do it next time. See you later." Tomoyo stood up and went outside to meet with Kouichi. Yuji was all alone in the room. "Hah! You're still the Tomoyo I used to know." he told himself. He also stood up and left the room.

Tomoyo was waliking through the hallway when she saw Eriol. "Oh, You're here! Traffic is so heavy outside. Good thing you came early!" she said.

"I took another route, that's why I was here early... Good morning... Ma'am." he greeted her.

"I see... But hey, what's with that awkward greeting, and how many time should I tell you to call me Tomoyo?" she asked him.

Eriol did not respond. He also noticed that Syaoran is not with her. "Your secretary is not here...

"By the way, i'll meet with Kouichi to discuss about the changes that we will apply during your training. We will open the restaurant four weeks from now." Then, she grabbed Eriol's left hand. "Do your best shot, okay?"

"Uh... um... I will..." he nodded

"Good boy! I'll go now, see you at class." Tomoyo is about to leave when Eriol called her.

"Tomoyo..."

She turned her back, and looked at Eriol. She felt like it was the first time that he called her by her name. "... Why?"

Eriol was hesitant to ask her about the kiss she gave him last week when she visited his family. "A... about last week... You visited our place, right?"

"Yes, I did." Tomoyo said. "Why? Is there a problem? I don't think your father got mad at you because of my sudden visit to your house."

"No... that's not it..." He immediately replied. He's about to ask her about the kiss when Tomoyo was called by Kouichi. "Your trainer is calling me. I have to talk to him first. Let's talk later, okay?" Tomoyo ran towards Kouichi. Eriol felt disappointed, as it was his chance to make things clear with him. he really wants to know her true feelings towards her, but he missed that chance.

Meanwhile, at Syaoran's apartment...

They were sitting down in the living room. With him is Mei-hua, his grandmother, and a lady that seems to be familiar. His grandmother is convincing him to go back to China. "So... You came here in Japan, and visited me early in the morning just for this?" Syaoran asked his Grandmother.

"Don't take this thing as if it's non-sense." His grandmother said.

"You got it, Grandma... It's non-sense!" he replied. "Why should I marry someone that I don't like?"

"You should do this for our family's future. We want you to have a family within our blood line whether you like it or not." She pointed out. "Our relatives are worried because of the way you act. So it's up for us to decide what's good for you."

"You cannot dictate my future, grandma." Syaoran responded

"Yes, we can." His grandmother replied back. "We let you be alone for a while until you realize your mistakes, but you're hard-headed. So we've decided to let Mei-ling live with you."

Syaoran was surprised. "What? You will let my cousin live with me? Well, I'm renting this apartment!"

His grandmother put an envelope on the table. "Take a look..." she said. Syaoran opened it, and read the letter. To his surprise, his unit he's renting is now under her grandma's name. "I've talked to the apartment manager for several week just to convince him to take over your apartment. I''ll be renting this five times compared to what you're paying. And as a part of my contract with the apartment manager, I also asked him to keep an eye on you just to make sure that you will never leave this apartment. Now you don't have a choice... or do you?"

Syaoran closed his fists with anger. "You..."

"I'm just thinking about your future." His grandmother told him. He looked at Mei-ling who's just sipping a cup of tea, and gave her a fierce look.

Yay! Mei-ling is here! What will happen to Syaoran and Sakura? Find out on the next chapter!

UnitedOsprey1991, Thank you for your feedback! By the way, you will find out who is Yuji's brother as the story continues. Thank you as well, James Birdsong for the nice feedback.

That's all that we have for today! Have a nice day!