Disclaimer : I don't own CCS. CCS is owned by CLAMP.
Notes : Thank you for the reviews, critics, comments for the previous Chapter 2: Midnight Ghost, jHeyTTernallie, Malu Daidoji, kingdomfantasyanime453, Death101-Fox Version, asga, cheng, dude, periods, Property of Eriol, bshinigami, CHeRRybLoSSoM361, Nils, SnowCharms!
Summary : Once upon a time, with a Cursed Man and the soon-to-be Cursed Woman. Set 9 years post CCS series.
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The Misfortunate Tale: Beauty and the Beast (Not)
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:: Chapter 3 : :
Absolute Normality
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Monday came fast and Tomoyo woke up that morning to be reminded of her obligation as a college student. She got up, took the shower, and prepared herself before coming down to have breakfast. Her mother was already in the dining room, and Tomoyo was mildly surprised with this. Usually, Sonomi was either still asleep or already went to work. Taking a seat on her usual chair, she then greeted the CEO, "Morning, Mother,"
"Morning, Tomoyo,"
They paused talking for a couple of first bites of their breakfast meal. When they resumed talking, the talk was started by Sonomi. She pretty much could guess what she would say.
"I'm sorry that I will have to leave you again,"
It was pointless to ask on what occasion: another multi-billion dollar project abroad that required more than 2 weeks business-trip. "Where to?"
"Prague,"
"Beautiful,"
"Yes. One of my Vice was proposing that we open new branch there. And a local businessman had showed interest in this project,"
"That's good,"
"I'm not sure how long the trip will be this time, because there's a plan to go visit our branches in England and France as well," she informed.
"No problem, Mother. I can take care of myself,"
"Of course, Dear,"
Another silence was carried on. Tomoyo glanced at her wristwatch. She still had plenty of time before her first class started this morning. Good. She reviewed her plan for that day: do the college activities until 2.30 PM, then go to the public library to search for her next assignment at 3 PM, go back to home and finish knitting the scarf for Sakura (for the annual gift to celebrate the day they first meeting in the 3rd Grade… which would be…the day after) until 6 PM, take bath, have dinner, and perhaps have her own spare time for the next 1 hour, do the essay project (due next week) at 7 PM until 8 PM, and afterwards she would be free.
Perfect.
"By the way, has he called?"
"Who, Mother?"
"Hiiragizawa-san?"
At the mention of his name (and the happy twinkles on her mother's eyes when speaking that bastard's name), Tomoyo let out suppressed growl before resuming her normal comments. "Hiiragizawa-san? No, he hasn't called," she said as silently saying 'Thank God'. "Why should he anyway?" she continued.
"I thought you like him and he likes you?" Sonomi inquired. "He's really a good man. Polite, charming, and very down to earth. I really hope that you two can –"
"–No, there's no way," Tomoyo cut in.
"But he's –"
" –not the way you think he is, Mother. Trust me,"
"Well, nobody's perfect, Dear. Perhaps if you get to know him better you will like –"
"–I won't like him," she assured.
Sonomi chuckled. "Careful with that, young lady," she said as wiping her lips delicately with the napkin. "I've got to go now. Take a good care of yourself, okay?" The CEO then stood up and gave a light peck on her daughter's cheek.
"I will. You too, Mother,"
The short-haired woman then waved one more time to her sole daughter before walking out of the mansion. Her limousine was ready to take her to the airport.
Done with her breakfast, Tomoyo then continued her daily agenda to ride to the campus. The street was pretty vacant and it was generally a beautiful morning…
… But the little chat she had with her mother back at home did a little shake on her mind's tranquility. It helped her memory to travel back to her mother's party 2 days prior. It had felt like a clouded dream. Well, her mother's parties always looked like mere haze, but the latest one was…
… almost surreal.
When she woke up earlier this morning (and even up until now, when she was parking her car on her university's parking lot), Tomoyo still couldn't exactly believe Eriol's words back in the party. A man with Curse? So, okay, she had witnessed the evidence, and perhaps, even if she truly believed it, she just wanted to refuse believing it.
Like, curses?
Bad lucks?
She knew magic was not a foreign affair in her life, but this was too much 'Beauty and the Beast' look-a-like. She simply just hated parody.
Thankfully enough, she was out of this matter. Eriol was considerate enough to leave her out of the problem. She did feel sorry about him (and genuinely felt guilty too). She wished she could help him, if only it didn't put her life at stake.
"Sorry I didn't make it to your mother's party last Saturday,"
Tomoyo looked up and found out that she was face to face with the nice-looking man with green eyes and reddish brown hair. Ah, Mister Araide Kaze from the Science department who dumped her just a day before the party (and who also dumped her for a woman much older 7 years ago –when they were 14). How nice of him to greet her? Come to think of it, he was the source of trouble. If only he hadn't one-sidedly, all-so-suddenly, cancelled his appointment with Tomoyo, she wouldn't have been forced to call up for that cursed and conniving Hiiragizawa Eriol.
"You're still mad," concluded Kaze when noting that the raven-haired girl hadn't said anything.
"... Well, honestly you did create me a mess back then, Kaze,"
The emerald-eyed laughed nervously. "I-I know. And I will make it up to you. I really feel bad for cancelling it, Tomoyo,"
Tomoyo smiled softly. "I'll forgive you if you treat me something sometimes,"
A cheeky, almost childish smile was formed wide on the man's face. "Of course. Thank you very much. And I'm sorry, again,"
"Don't be,"
"Thanks. And, er… I just want to say that…Er…making sure that everything's good between us?
"Sure,"
"Thank goodness. So, I'd better go. My class will start soon. Bye!"
"Bye," she said with a nod. Checking her wristwatch again, Tomoyo then realized that she had better headed to her class too. She was about to take the first step up stairs when a glimpse of familiar dark hair caught her attention.
She stopped her track and literally had a double-take in examining his feature.
Hiiragizawa Eriol.
Standing with all his charm there on her university.
He seemed to notice her, because his blue eyes lit in recognition and he approached the raven-haired who was standing near the stairs in the tensed manner.
What…
"What are you doing here?" she questioned, and perhaps it sounded harsher than she naturally intended.
Eriol feigned a look of hurt as he spoke back to her, "You seem displeased to find me here, Daidouji-san,"
"N-no, I don't mean that –"she half-lied. "I-I just… am wondering…"
He eased his standing position and replied, "I'm taking my master's degree here. Tomoeda University is one of the most reputable universities in Japan, I want to enrich my knowledge here,"
"Ah, I see," Tomoyo said as deliberating whether his answer was a good sign or not. It was good to know that he had an academic reasoning behind his sudden presence here, but on the other hand, it just proved that she would be seeing him around more often.
Well, it wasn't exactly a bad idea –Hiiragizawa was after all, a very charming and pleasant persona –, but honestly?
She preferred not to see Hiiragizawa Eriol unless it was really, really necessary.
Apparently and fortunately, the English gentleman seemed to have the similar idea. Because, after less than a minute idle chat, the guy then excused himself and walked away from her. She exhaled a relief sigh and was about to turn around and head to her first class when she caught the sight of him –talking to a girl senior to her in the college. Tomoyo decided to pay no heed, but she somehow had a feeling that that day wouldn't be her best day in campus.
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It looked like her feeling was right after all.
By the time she went to the campus cafeteria for lunch break, she already heard these talks:
A girl fell from the stairs after she accompanied a handsome dark-haired.
Another girl was already in hospital (broke her arm or something) after she offered help to a new transfer college student.
Then another girl –who was known to be the smartest and the most diligent one in the academy – weirdly just lost her essay assignment due that day. Few minutes prior, she was spotted talking rather heatedly about supernatural things with an unknown bespectacled man.
Then Sakura-chan, her dear Sakura-chan… was now accused for cheating on exam.
There was NO way that Sakura could cheat on exam. Heck, that girl had always preferred to have an F score on her test sheet than to cheat.
So, repeat after: There was NO way that Sakura could cheat.
And to strengthen Tomoyo's suspicion, she did catch Eriol kissed Sakura's hand just minutes before the professor called for her.
To sum it up, these weird occurrences consisted of 3 things: Girl, bad luck, and the encounter/contact with the highly-suspected Hiiragizawa Eriol.
Tomoyo took a deep breath. She had just tried to convince the Anthropology Professor (anthropology –the subject in which Sakura was blindly accused for something she hadn't done) that Kinomoto Sakura was guiltless. Tomoyo began with stating facts (that Sakura was really one of the candidate for that year's best student) and witnesses (herself and 3 other people whom she had dragged and chased all way through the campus hall) to remove the false charge off her cousin. She even needed to put her Daidouji name as the guarantee that Sakura had never and would never cheat on tests (or at any other things). And after one whole hour of heated debate, the Professor took his accusation off.
"Thanks, Tomoyo-chan…" murmured Sakura after the two left the Professors' room. "If it weren't for you, then I would be doomed. The Professor will make me fail this semester,"
"Don't worry, Sakura. You're innocent after all. I believe you,"
The Cherry Blossom nodded, although still lacking her usual spirit. "I don't cheat… I never cheat…"
"I know," she sighed. "It's not your fault,"
"It's nobody's fault. This is just one big misunderstanding,"
Glancing at her sad friend, Tomoyo really did try her best to control her patience.
"No, Sakura-chan. I know who's really in charge for this. And trust me, for you, I will set the justice,"
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"Apparently, I thought too highly of you, Hiiragizawa-san,"
He was bending down –trying to get something from his dark blue car – and backing her. Upon hearing her distinctive voice, he let himself to form a small smirk before turning around and greeted the 'sweetly-smiling' raven-haired lady. "What do you mean, Daidouji-san?" he said as closing his car's door and had his full attention towards the lady.
She took one step closer –careful not to step on the mud hole (It had been raining an hour ago) so that she would not spill her white skirt. After fixing her position, she questioned him again. "Why did you do it?"
"Did what?"
"Harming Sakura," she paused, her eyes tried to spot any reactions he was giving upon hearing the emerald-eyed girl's name. "She was accused for a crime she did not do. And I know it just has something to do with you and your curses. I know you kissed her hand in your 'supposedly polite manner'." Tomoyo then snorted disapprovingly. "Isn't she like a daughter to you? I know you're not exactly the kindest guy in the world, but I sincerely thought that you cared for her. But I was wrong and –"
"… I didn't mean to do it," he admitted. "I was so glad to see Sakura again –we didn't have much time back then in your mother's party. And kissing her hand was like… a reflex,"
"Well your reflex was harming someone really precious to me, Hiiragizawa-san,"
"I know," Eriol spoke earnestly. "And I truly apologize. I will say it myself to Sakura, of course,"
"You have to," she warned him, still not completely believing his words.
The man sighed. "Look, Daidouji-san… I really didn't mean to do any harm to her. With Sakura, it was unintentional,"
"…. So with the other girls, they were intentional?"
He took a second to deliberate before replying, "You left me no choice,"
Her eyebrows slightly raised in questioning manner upon hearing the accusing tone of his. "Since when do I become attached to your problem?"
"Since you rejected my offer last Saturday," he said in somewhat frustrated statement. "I didn't travel back to Tomoeda for nothing, Daidouji-san. I want to end this curse immediately. I want to be together with Kaho again, don't you get it?"
"I…" she sighed. She found it almost unbelievable that he was turning the position. Her earlier intention was to snap at him for harming Sakura, but Eriol managed to somehow making her as the one to blame. She realized that he was trying to make her guilty. He actually didn't need to do it –Tomoyo was guilty enough, and she somehow had her sympathy for him. But then again, what could she do? Proposing herself to be the victim?
No.
He shifted the thick books in his hands before replying, "So you must see that I need to do those 'harmful things' towards the girls. I don't have any choice,"
"But that's cruel. You made other people suffer for you own happiness," she complained.
His blue eyes glinted in what she could easily tell as anger. "I've never asked for this curse!"
It silenced her.
And after few ticking, mute seconds…
"I'm sorry," she murmured.
Eriol calmed down and pressed his hand on his forehead. "No, I'm sorry too. I shouldn't have snapped like that,"
"Isn't there any other way? Any other… less harmful way than to set those girls on bad lucks?"
"If there was, then I wouldn't be doing these, right? Daidouji-san, I hate to hurt a woman. But sometimes… I just have to be villain character, that's all,"
"So you will continue your curse-spreading acts?" she questioned, horrified. "These girls are innocent… Every of those girls you plan to hurt are innocent…They know nothing about the curse…"
"Well, you do know something about the curse,"
She was staring at him with mouth slightly opened. She really couldn't believe him! "Don't start this again, Hiiragizawa-san. I –"
"–You have nothing to do with my problem," he grinned deviously. "So step back and let me take care of this curse in my own way,"
"You mean, by targeting these girls? Here, in Tomoeda?"
"Since I'm already here, then yes, here in Tomoeda will do fine,"
"You're very cruel…"
"It is not my own fault that I sadly have to be here in Tomoeda,"
"You mean it's my fault?"
He didn't say anything and just adjusted his poised smile back.
The Heiress sighed. "This is not fair. Not fair for anybody,"
"Like I said, I have no choice."
And Tomoyo stood there silenced once again.
…
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…
And after what seemed to be a very, very long time, she spoke up,
"Fine,"
"Fine what?"
She sighed reluctantly. "I'm partially responsible for this. I dragged you back here to Tomoeda, and I don't want any of those other girls to be harmed. But then again, asking you to stop seems pointless –you love Mizuki-san too much, apparently. So…well…"
Eriol waited her to continue the words, but his eye already shone in expecting fashion.
"I…er…" Tomoyo mumbled. "I agree to help you,"
"Help me to…" he asked for confirmation.
"You may use me to lift the curses," she muttered quickly, as if hoping that this wasn't her mouth speaking. Glancing up to watch him, she then quickly added, "But I hope you still keep that oath to prote –"
"I will," he said. Mirth was evident in his sapphire eyes. "I will protect you. I promise," he gave a reassuring smile before proceeding, "Now, Daidouji-san, we now only need several short procedure to magically bind you to me. By this, the Curse will know that you will be that one girl that I choose to help me erase the Curse. Close your eyes and give me your hand," Eriol instructed and gently took her hand. With the same way as last one, he made the symbolic Hour glass to appear again and carefully placing it on Tomoyo's palm. He later spoke foreign languages –she presumed it was the spell – and placed his hand on the top of the hourglass.
Due to her closed eyes, Tomoyo couldn't see what sort of thing that actually happened, but she could feel the slow breeze of cold air encircling her –encircling them. The wind twirled faster and faster, until she found it almost hard to breathe until –
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Good luck. You're going to need it.
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So…cynical.
"It's done. You can open your eyes," Eriol announced as taking the hourglass back again. "You are now already bounded as the one chosen girl to help me erase the Curse. Thank you for your cooperation, Daidouji-san. I really do appreciate it,"
She cautiously cracked an eye open, as if afraid that an explosion would occur. "You… I assume that you already did have this ritual to the other girls, didn't you? You risk them knowing magic is involved behind this?"
"Of course not. I admitted that I did several easy hypnotist tasks to make them forget about the certain procedure,"
Tomoyo rose an interested eyebrow. "I already start to regret doing this. But as long as you –"
"Protect you with all my heart, I will," he said as giving her his casual grin. When he noticed that her face didn't form a replying smile, Eriol added, "You want proof?"
"What proo –wait, no! You don't have to –!"
He kissed her on the forehead.
Blush crept its way towards her cheek and quickly followed by alarmed reflex. She looked left, right, behind, up, below –she tried to search her surrounding – to spot any upcoming danger, any upcoming bad luck…
…
None.
Straightening up, Tomoyo then slowly turned her attention back to the Hiiragizawa and asked him. "Why isn't there any…?"
He shrugged as looking at the hourglass. None of the sands' granules were falling down. No effect. "Well, the curse doesn't always happen all the time, Daidouji-san. Although that I suggest you to remain careful, since we don't know when or where the bad luck will occur…"
She let out a nervous laugh. "Goodbye normal life…"
Eriol laughed (and she thought that it was really not his place to laugh her misery out). "Yes, goodbye to your old perfectly-planned out life, Daidouji-san,"
"I'd better go now," she said. Translated better as 'I'd better get you out of my sight now'.
The Hiiragizawa waved. "Good day, Daidouji-san. Take care of yourself,"
Her manner had never left her, so she did the same farewell. "Yes, good day, Hiiragizawa-san. Take care," she said tiredly before turning around and walking on the parking lot to her car. She was about to open the door of her car when she noticed something.
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Eriol watched the Hourglass again and noticed that just then, a noticeable amount of sand has fallen down. Chuckling, he then muttered to himself. "Sorry for the miscalculation, Daidouji-san"
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Her car's tire was deflated.
Great.
Just great.
She always had her car checked every morning, so there was minimum risk of her having a flat tire. She could pretty much guess where this bad luck came from.
Slapping a hand to her forehead, she realized that many things had gone out of plan that day.
No, so many things had gone out of her life's plan that day –her life's plan to lead a normal life.
Ha, normal…
She would have to say goodbye to that certain plan.
: : To Be Continued : :