Tomoyo had to admit, he was good. Which made her dislike him even more. As the new "family" was sitting down to dinner, Tomoyo was very observant with the way Kurogane treated Sonomi. He did everything the perfect gentlemen would. Whether it was holding the chair out for her or listening to every word she said or using perfect manners, he did them all as if he were a prince. Tomoyo was almost jealous of how suited he was for her mother. She couldn't believe there was actually someone who was as polite as she was. It didn't seem like only half an hour ago that he was swearing in every direction possible. But with everything she was observing, something felt... off. There was a coldness that she felt between them. Coldness? Actually maybe it was a loneliness. Tomoyo then understood what drew them together, they were both terribly lonely. Her mother hadn't had someone to love in twenty years, and who knows if he lost someone important as well. Tears began to well in her eyes as she began to realize her own sadness in her heart. She had never felt as if someone had ever truly needed her. Sure she was well likeable but she had never been anybody's "most important person". While Sakura was her best friend, she had Syaoran and Touya and wasn't necessary in her life. The overwhelming emptiness she found her life to be was terrifying. When she looked up she saw both her mother and Kurogane staring at her with surprise and confusion in their eyes. Tomoyo pressed a hand up to her face and felt the waterfall leaving her eyes. Trying to laugh it off Tomoyo tried to remedy the situation. "Oh my, where did these come from? It must be my body trying to purge myself of the sadness I felt for judging you Kurogane. At first I couldn't believe that you were really in love with mother, but after the things I've done to you you still stuck around. Please accept my apology and I look forward to getting to know you." Tomoyo then bowed her head hoping that the excuse would work. She abruptly stood up from the table and walked back to her room.

Lying on her bed, she looked at the clock, hating how time moved slower when one wants to fall asleep. Deciding that she needed some fresh air she wandered out to her balcony. Sitting on the wall overlooking the garden she could see the majesty that appeared before her. The leaves were tinged silver by moonlight, and the stream that a certain someone had fallen in earlier appeared to be lit by fire. Owls would occasionally come in to view, along with the nocturnal animals that lived in her garden. She heard someone sigh down below. Testing to see who she thought it was she dropped a pebble onto the persons head. She knew that it was Kurogane because the hollow thud was followed by a "SHIT THAT HURT!"
"Kurogane this is twice in one day, I must be lucky, actually make that unlucky because now I have a stalker which is soon to be stepfather. I must apologize for whatever is making you feel as if you have to follow me."
"No don't, I hate apologies, and don't think i'm following you because i'm not."
"Then how do you explain this situation?"
"Coincidence"
"Ahh but you see I don't believe in such a thing. I believe that this meeting was caused by the fates."
"You sound just like my mother, she said the exact same thing."
"Said?"
At this Kurogane paused, Tomoyo immediately knew that he didn't want to talk about it. So she simply changed the topic, he could come to her if he ever wanted to talk about it.
"So has mother told you of our mission for tomorrow."
'Grunt'
"So I was thinking we should stop by the CLAMP atelier first because they're the best at their job."
"As long as they're the fastest, it could be wallmart for all I care."
"Oh yes quite fast, it should only take around three hours."
"Eh... EXCUSE ME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
"No need to shout, as long as you're patient and listen to their instructions we can be out of there by twelve if we leave by 8:00."
"But you said three hours!"
"Half and hour there and back."
Kurogane sat there with a look of dread on his face. He looked ready to keel over, his face even became tinged with green.
"Kurogane... has anyone ever told you that gullible is written on the celing?"
"Why would they... wait is that a custom in this part of Japan?"
"I think not"
Tomoyo gave him a minute to let it sink in, waiting for the shouting to come.
"THAT'S IT!"
Tomoyo burst into hysterics at his eruption until she saw Kurogane climbing the trellis up to her balcony.
"Wait, wait wait wait, what are you doing? Wait PUT ME DOWN. Are you crazy? You can't climb back down carying me! Stop it you're going to drop me! Wait don't go over there, no wait wait i'm sorry, I didn't mean it! Ah don't put me there it's really high! What if I fall?"
Kurogane had placed Tomoyo in the space between the top and the roof a a gazeebo. It was tall enough for her to sit comfertably and had white slats of wood connecting the top of the structure to the roof. The moon was glowing upon her face, illuminating it until her skin shined. She looked more like a god than a girl. Both stared at each other for a minute until Tomoyo slanted her eyes and said "Well, are you going to let me down or not?"
"I think I'm going to wait a little bit more."
"I'm going to call child protective services on you."
"You're an adult."
"More like 'I need an adult'."
"Why don't you like me?"
"When did I ever say that?"
"You don't have to say it, you look it."
"Do you really want the truth?"
"I'm a big boy, I can handle it."
"I hate how you're replacing father. I know you're not trying to be him, but you're taking the love my mother had for him for yourself. I want to believe that my mother truely loved him, and if she did then she wouldn't need you. Also the fact that you're twenty years younger than her makes me believe that you're just in it for the money than for her. I don't trust others easily, and I'm finding it hard to even begin to start with you."
Kurogane stoicly stared up at her. Tomoyo didn't look away but instead gazed solemnly back down at him.
"Ok, you can come down now, but do me a favor... jump."
"I think I'll wait until morning."
"Trust me... jump."
Tomoyo gave a sigh, she didn't want to wait up here any longer but she also didn't want to become a pancake. She looked down into his eyes, meeting his intense gaze and recognizing the pleading in them. She slowly closed her eyes, took a deep breath, said a small prayer, and quite simply, jumped.