Dinner and a Song

Chapter 2: Deal?

Tomoyo was at the park at ten o'clock reading a book and smiling to the married men and woman with there kids and the teenagers running through the park to go swimming. Tomoyo sat in her favorite white short summer dress in her white heals and a big straw sun hat from home. It was 12:30 in the afternoon and Eriol hadn't shown yet. Tomoyo sighed annoyed by his lateness, she knew he heard that message. Tomoyo closed her book and stood up. "Have it your way." She said to herself angry. Tomoyo began walking. "MISS DAIDOJI!"

Tomoyo turned around seeing Eriol running toward her. Tomoyo folded her arms. "Your twenty minutes late." She spat. "Excuse my lateness, miss. I forget I had a early meeting with my staff about the menu's and I had to pick some table clothes." Eriol finished and rubbed his neck. "Really?" Tomoyo said and raising an unconvincing eyebrow. "True story." Eriol said and looked away nervously. "Well, I expected as a businessman you'd be more serious. City people." She sighed and began walking. Eriol walked a little faster to catch up to her. "City people?" Eriol said. "Yes, people like you." She smiled. Eriol was confused but he still walked with her. And he noticed her overwhelming beauty in the daylight in her white short summer dress.

"Nice hat." He said. "Thank you." Tomoyo said not looking to him as they exited the park. "So where are we going?" He asked putting his hands in his suit pants. "Just follow me." She said and they crossed the street. Tomoyo stopped at an old beach cafe and smiled. "Hey." She smiled sweetly. "I'll have a private table, I have some business." The waiter nodded and he bowed and took Tomoyo's hand. "I have just the place for you Tomoyo." He said. Tomoyo smiled. "Well, I knew you would."

Eriol looked to the man that was holding Tomoyo's hand and then to Tomoyo who was smiling. What kind of restaurant was this? It smelled like fried food and perfume. The waiter opened the Japanese sliding doors and helped her in the small booth. Tomoyo slipped off her heel and sat one the comfy pillow. Eriol took his shoes off and sat to. The waited bowed again and handed them menu's. "Just ring the bell." He smiled and shut the door. Tomoyo put her menu down and stood taking off her hat letting her long raven black flowing hair out of her hat.

Eriol blushed as she shock it and then sat back down. "I knew that wasn't your real hair." He said in shock still staring at her hair and the face. "I wear the wig for protection, we get a lot of jerks in there." She said. Eriol nodded becoming more and more overwhelmed by her beauty. "Oh, well then to business." Eriol said taking out his blackberry from his jacket pocket. "Now, I wanted you for opening night and special occasions but of course it's your choice." He said. Eriol looked up to Tomoyo who was looking at the menu.

"Are you listening?" He asked. Tomoyo looked up and smiled. "Yes, but I'm not worried about details, how much are you paying me? because I don't sing for free, at least not here." She smiled. "Oh, right, I haven't really thought of a price, what would be fair to you?" He asked. "Three thousand yen, including tips and costumes." She smiled. "No, scratch the costumes."

Eriol really had a stroke. "Is that a problem, surely you can afford more?" Tomoyo said seriously. Eriol sighed getting himself together. "Well, That was surprising." He said. "Us country people don't have all the luxury's you have and we work twenty times as hard as the normal businessman, and you think your stressed. We have to work with low wages and save every penny were worth to get by, so you think about that, either you have me as your singer at your restaurant or not." She finished quickly.

Eriol sighed and put his elbows on the table and rested his head in his hands. "Okay, so were speaking technical." He said. Tomoyo nodded and folded her arms. Eriol rang the bell and the waiter opened the door after a moment. "I'll have your fries, pepper only and some water." He said. The waiter nodded writing down his order. "I'll have with his having, salt and pepper and so cheese on the side." She said. The waited nodded and shut the door. "Well, then how about this, I pay you 3,500 yen for your performances, including tips and a two hour break to yourself." He said. Tomoyo flipped back her hair making Eriol blush as he picked up his cold glass of water and drinking it to calm himself. "Mmm, you drive a hard bargain Hiiragizawa, but," Tomoyo paused. The doors opened again and the waiter sat down there orders.

"Thanks, sweetheart." Tomoyo said sweetly making the young waiter blush shutting the door. Tomoyo picked up a fry and dipped it in the creamy cheese and ate it. "Fine, we have a deal." She said looking away from Eriol. "Good, not we can talk scheduling." He said. "No, no, no, hold your horses. Like you said I sing only on opening night and special occasions." She smiled. Eriol took a fry and ate surprised at the prefect texture of the fry.

"Deal." He said.

"So, tell me about yourself, I usually like knowing my new boss before the first work day." Tomoyo said politely. Eriol was confused at her change of tone, first it was annoyed, then sweet to the waiter, then business like, then angry, and now sweet and polite, he wasn't usually use to the mood swing-ness of women, but she was different. "Well, I'm twenty-two and I love cooking." He began. Tomoyo nodded listening. "What made you want to be a chef in the beginning?" She asked. Eriol was shocked again. No one had ever asked him that question. "Well, I remember being in France on my own when I was seven with some orphanages and I saw these men making pies and chocolates, one of the men invited me over so I snuck away from my group and joined them, the desert I learn to making was Chocolate truffles, and I've been baking ever since, I found cooking later, but I still loved baking cakes and sweet things even more, so I studied as hard as I could and took jobs at fancy restaurants and then one day I got an old cook book that I wrote my cooking tips in published when I was fifteen and everything just sailed from there." He finished and then ate another fry.

"Amazing, from chocolate truffles to a book and then a restaurant." Tomoyo said truly interested. Eriol nodded eating another fry. "And you?" He asked. "Well, I was born in a small town and I've lived there ever since I was little, I had friends and family and a little beach to myself, but ever since I was little I wanted to perform on stage, opera, theater, I loved singing and dancing so much, after I finished school I came here to Tokyo for fulfill my dream, things at home are hard so my Mom and I grew most of our food and made our cloth. So every pay check I get, I put a little away to send to Mother, she's living by herself and she gets sick sometimes, so I just do my best and sing at little places." She paused.

Eriol was really interested in the story she was telling. How could a country girl be this beautiful? "It got me by but just barely. I work a lot, it's not that I'm not use to it by now but I'd like a nice vacation one day soon. But living in the city is okay, although not everything here is as nice as the people in the country, they always want to get to the point so quickly, like in relationships, but that's pretty much my story in a nut shell." She finished. Eriol nodded. "You don't look like your from the country." He said. "What?" Tomoyo asked confused. "I mean your not ugly like normal country women." He said. "What is that supposed to mean." Tomoyo said getting angry and confused.

"Damn, that came out wrong, um . . . what I meant to say your not ugly." He paused and groaned. 'Why am I spazzing?' he thought. Tomoyo folded her arms. "You mean I don't look like one of those country talking, missing one front tooth, frizzy haired, women?" Tomoyo said. Eriol sighed. "I mean on offense." He said. Tomoyo sighed. "It's to be expected." She said. Eriol and Tomoyo were silent for a moment. "I'm sorry, Miss Daidoji." He said softly looking for her. Tomoyo smiled brightly. "Please call me Tomoyo, that Miss stuff makes me sound old."

Eriol nodded. "Now, that we have that finished," Tomoyo said eating her last fry. "I have to get to work." She smiled. "Work?" Eriol said surprised and slightly disappointed. Tomoyo nodded. "I told you, I work a lot." She said opened the door and slipping on her shoes. Eriol offered her his hand helping her down. Tomoyo smiled to his gentlemanly behavior and took his hand. Eriol's hand went hot at the touch of her smooth skin. Tomoyo walked up the counter and paid the bill. Eriol wanted to but he didn't want her thinking that he thought she was completely helpless.

Tomoyo smiled at the sun touched her face. "Well, it was a pleasure doing business with you and I'm looking forward to tomorrow night." She smiled. Eriol nodded. "Oh, and one more thing, I can chose the songs right?" She said. Eriol just nodded not being able to speak seeing her hair shine in the sun. "Perfect." She smiled. Eriol blushed and looked away and patted his cheeks trying to get in business like tone together. "Well, I'll be leaving, Mr. Hiiragizawa." Tomoyo bowed and walked off leaving Eriol in his spot watching her walk away. "Call me Eriol." He said to himself as Tomoyo lightly jogged across the street.

The day couldn't have gone any quicker. Tomoyo finished her shift at her job and was heading home. Her voice was a little hoarse from singing opera, it was classic night and it had been a while since she sung opera, told ya it was a strange restaurant. Tomoyo opened her apartment door and stepped over her mountain of shoes and into her messy place. Tomoyo stopped and looked around. "I've gotta clean." She sighed. Tomoyo walked over to her answering machine and began picking up her dirty clothes. "You have one new message." It said.

"Good evening, Tomoyo," Eriol voice rang in the machine. Tomoyo sighed. 'I haven't even started and his already calling me.' She thought annoyed. "This is a little short notice but I wanted to tell you there have been a change in plans, I'd like to tell you everything right now on your machine but since you might be busy, I think it best we do it face-to-face, tomorrow morning at my place, which is on Kino Ave, apartment 50. Good evening."

The machine went beep and Tomoyo looked to the machine. "At his place?" She thought. "He better not try anything."

Eriol in the meantime was looking out his bedroom window, he couldn't help liking Tomoyo's wit from this afternoon, she was so proud and polite, not the way normal women would act. Eriol felt compelled to break her to see if she was as tough as she thought she was. Eriol smirked. 'This should be interesting.' He thought. Eriol walked over to his bed and picked up his phone and dialed for Syaoran. "Hello?" Syaoran said on the other line laughing. "Syaoran stop playing with Sakura, I have to talk to you, it's serious." He said. Eriol heard Sakura squeal and Syaoran laughed. "SYAORAN YOU BLOODY MORON IT'S SERIOUS!" He shouted. This was a daily thing, Syaoran and Sakura played a lot more since they got married and it was really annoyed from Eriol who wanted to talk with his best friend.

"Honey, I have to talk with Eriol." Syaoran said on the other line. Eriol heard Sakura complaining. "Fine." She sighed. Syaoran sighed. "What?" He said annoyed. "Remember that singer?" He said. "Yeah, what about her?" Syaoran asked. "Well, she has long black hair and she's from the country." Eriol said. It was silent on the other line for a moment. "So." Syaoran finally said. "And?" Eriol said back.

"You called me to tell me she has long black hair and she from the country side?"

"No, it's her spark I've called you about, she acts like a cool confident women, and I don't believe it."

"So what's wrong with confidence?"

"I've invited her over for breakfast."

"God, Eriol your too much to the point."

"No, you slimy bugger, I didn't invite her over for that."

"Then what?"

"I don't know, I just wanted to see if she has that confidence in the morning, you know women, moody." Eriol heard Syaoran scoffed in disbelief. Eriol suddenly didn't understand the reason he called Syaoran. "You want to see if she's a morning person?" Syaoran said. Eriol rubbed the back of his neck. "I feel stupid, I don't know why I felt like calling you." Eriol said in a confused serious tone. "Eriol are you okay?" Syaoran asked just as confused. "I don't understand why I felt so compelled to ring you up." He said. Syaoran and Eriol were silent for a moment. Eriol sighed and looked to his watch. "Eriol, your acting weird, man." Syaoran said finally. "Well, I've always been weird, but I guess this calls for the expression 'takes the cake.'" He said. "Man, just chill out, anyway I gotta go." Syaoran said and hung up.

Eriol closed his cell phone and sighed once more and walked over his bed and sat on the edge. "I do need to chill." He thought.

Sorry everyone for taking so long to update, I'm glad everyone liked the first chapter, this one is a little shorter and I'll update ASAP. So tell me what you all think, I love hearing from you.

Peace.

Sakura123