Disclaimer : I don't own CCS
Notes : I apologize for taking too long to update only a goddamn chapter. There are many issues that you may not be interested to hear. But here you go, the 13th chapter of The Misfortunate Tale. Not the best chapter, but I hope you can enjoy… And of course, thank you, thank you very much for those who reviewed, gave me encouragement via PM, and/or continued to have faith with this fic (Sorry I'm not being able to live up the expectation though…) : kingdomfantasyanime453, Death101- Fox Version, Malu Daidoji, Midnight Ghost, xXiNNERZxX, Karen, mysticalphoenix-avalon, Shana12, chainedheart999, SnowCharms, xiLynnx, tomoyo-amethyst, animefan88tv, ChEF purple burp, bshinigami, Forever Angelic, Krissy, JigokuAi, cheng, Shenhui, Aihsatan-Ellimac, meow, krazypig91, charizard-ex, weaponsmistress1010, red-onyx, Jensniffer, erilmerlin, Fuyumi-chan, and YPL. Thank you for all other readers too –you guys are what pumping me to write.
Special thanks to Aoi Itsuki who has helped me with this story in a whole. I modified and changed this chapter since the last revision, so I can't guarantee the remaining grammar & use of English. But thank you very, very much for being my super patient beta. I owe you A LOT.
Summary + Recap: Tomoyo agreed to help Eriol to get rid of his curse that made him unable to be with Kaho. The price she had to pay was to bear the bad lucks every time he 'romanced' her. As time passed, they grew fond of each other, although Eriol was still torn with his original goal to be with Kaho. Tomoyo finally fell in love with him and that freed him from his curse. Realizing that Eriol was to be with Kaho now that his curse was gone, Tomoyo drew back from his life slowly.
The Misfortunate Tale: Beauty and the Beast (Not)
Chapter 13: The Luck Factor
Nakuru Akizuki had once told Sakura that there were three ways to effectively mend a broken heart. The first was to have fun, the second was to keep being busy, and the third was to see another guy and hope the new romance blossoms.
Being a very concerned friend Sakura was, she had all the intentions to help Tomoyo recover. She knew that Tomoyo would eventually be able to heal herself, but she supposed sincerely helping wouldn't hurt anyone. Choosing from the limited options Nakuru had given her, Sakura knew that there was only one thing she could do: let Tomoyo have her fun. The second way was impossible. Tomoyo had always been a busy woman even prior to her heart break. Urging the nightingale to do more activities was certainly not a healthy option. And in Sakura's opinion, the third way was also not recommended. Tomoyo often had difficulty bringing relationships to a level above friendship.
Having fun in the amusement park together was the perfect solution in her mind. As they were queuing for the tickets, Sakura eagerly commented."This will be so much fun, Tomoyo-chan! The last time I went to amusement park was after our high school graduation. How about you?"
Tomoyo smiled back. "Well, the last time I went here was a couple of months ago with Eriol. He forced me here, actually."
Sakura's emerald eyes were still as readable as usual. Tomoyo could instantly see the Card captor's guilt for bringing the unwanted subject up. Above anything, she hated to see Sakura worry over her. Tomoyo had made it clear to Sakura how Eriol would probably be the first and the last guy she could ever love romantically. To mend a broken heart was not to deny her own though it didn't end happily, she would never trade it with anything else in the world. Smiling, the long-haired girl spoke again, "Don't worry, Sakura-chan. I'm alright. It was fun and it certainly is a good memory. Now that I think of it, I'm actually grateful that he forced me to go here back then. It was –"
The suddenly ringing phone interrupted her talk. Tomoyo glanced curiously to her cell phone but her amethyst eyes became stern once she saw the caller id.
"You ignored his call again," the Card Mistress pointed out once she witnessed how Tomoyo rejected Eriol's call...for the umpteenth times these past days. "Eriol-kun is a persistent guy, you know it. Refusing to meet him or ignoring his calls wouldn't make him stop. And I thought you wanted to remember him…"
"I do. But I just need him to give me more time before I can properly face him again."
"Meet him once and after that, you can ask him to give you time. You can even ask him to leave you for good, if that's really what you want." Sakura sighed. They already had this debate two days prior. Sakura admitted that she didn't know what Eriol really had in mind, but she was certain that only if Tomoyo gave him chance to speak instead of running away, things would lead to a better solution
That was why Sakura agreed to his plan on the first place.
Even when she knew she was going to defy what her best friend had in mind.
Oh but well, that could wait.
"She rejected your call again?" Nakuru pointed out the obvious.
Eriol gave a curt nod. He was getting used to her avoiding him, but that never meant that he liked the idea. He was normally a patient man, but he had limits too. It wasn't that he wanted to justify his actions (he knew that it had been his own idiocy that made her avoid him in the first place). He knew that partially he deserved this –and even he deserved more hell rather that these slight annoyances. But he just wanted the girl to face the reality, even when the reality meant him. "I'm not going to wait anymore. This is too much."
Spinel stole a quick glance to its master. "You're not going to commit something illegal, are you?"
"Why, Spinel… Such distrust…" he commented briefly before exposing the smile that only proved the sun guardian's earlier remark.
"Just don't forget you're dealing with a Daidouji. Her bodyguards could chase you down," warned the feline.
"Well, she shouldn't forget that he's dealing with me in the first place." Eriol shrugged, grabbed a certain something from the drawer that made Nakuru giggled and Spinel sighed.
He just loved the expression she had when she first saw him again.
"Hello, Tomoyo."
She was a good actress –one that could swiftly mask her surprise and panic into one calm, smiling face. Had his eyes not been trained to see better, he would have thought she was not affected at all by his sudden presence.
"Hello, Eriol. Such a peculiar coincidence that you also choose to go to the amusement park today," the raven-haired girl softly and cynically said. Slowly, her eyes stole a glance to Sakura –who looked too fidgety to be totally innocent. Tomoyo tried to remind herself not to easily fall into Sakura's sweetness later in the future (though it would prove to be a hard task for her). "But, if you excuse us, Sakura and I –"
Eriol casually cut her speech. "Coincidence or not, you know you can't run away forever, Tomoyo."
Tomoyo sighed, grabbed Sakura's hand, and started to pull her away. "Have your fun and –"
Her words were interrupted again –that time not by his words, but rather by his action. Calmly, he had attached a handcuff to her wrist and attached the other to his own. "Oh, yes, Dear. I will have my fun."
Her violet eyes widened at the sight of her handcuffed wrist. In one quick moment though, Tomoyo regained back her poise and spoke to the man, "Release me, Hiiragizawa. Or I'll scream."
"Try that and I'll shut you up with a kiss," he warned back. "You don't really like public display of attention, do you? Or do you actually want me to kiss you here and now?"
Her patience was thinning. Tomoyo then turned to look at her cousin, who didn't really look like she wanted to offer any help. Quite the contrary, Sakura only smiled brightly and showed no other message than instant approval of the magician's action. Noticing that her cousin would never be a help in such situation, Tomoyo realized she could only depend on herself. She glanced at her wrist and knew physically she would never win. Manipulating a man as cunning as Hiiragizawa Eriol could also prove to be an ineffective way. Thus, negotiation and win-win solution was her only chance.
Tomoyo looked up calmly at the bespectacled man. "I'll go straight to the point. What do you want, Hiiragizawa?"
"From you? A lot of things, dear Daidouji."
"Greed is your newest sin after Pride?"
Eriol playfully answered, "It could also be Wrath, if you would not cooperate."
Tomoyo smiled just as dangerously. "What do you want?"
"Plenty. But for now, I just want you to accompany me," he replied as he swiftly linked his hand with hers. "Come."
Reluctantly, Tomoyo followed his lead. On the background, she could hear Sakura shouted 'Have fun!' and Tomoyo knew that she was losing the battle.
He took her first to the roller coaster ride.
During the queue, she noticed that people were looking at them curiously. She could not blame them. Who the hell would go to an amusement park being handcuffed to a smiling bastard? But before she could manipulate such situation to her advantage, Eriol had spoken to the young girl (who showed interest to their cuffed hand). "Oh this? It's my girlfriend's queer fetish. You know she's quite the –"
"Oh, don't you dare lie, Hiiragizawa or I will–"
"See? She has this dominatrix tendency over me. Not that I complain though."
Knowing how futile it would be to shut the reincarnation's words, Tomoyo just looked at the young girl and smiled sweetly. "Do not believe him. I do not have any dominative tendency over –"
"It's okay to be the dominating one," the other girl winked. "I totally understand you, if you know what I mean."
Tomoyo was about to let out another remark but Eriol had whispered next to her ears, "You know it's useless, Tomoyo. Just cut it off."
The Daidouji girl sighed. "What do you really want, Hiiragizawa? Showing your mightiness over me?"
He did not reply and just told her to walk some more steps as the queuing line had shortened. She reluctantly followed his saying and soon they were already inside the roller coaster ride. As the over-the-shoulders restrains were safely positioned, Eriol spoke again, "Do you remember what happened the last time we took this roller coaster ride?"
How could she forget? Thanks to his bad luck that followed him back then, the roller coaster was stopped midway on the vertical loop and she was forced to experience how it felt to be hung upside down in the air. "How could I forget?" she murmured, more to herself rather than to him. Eriol chuckled lightly and Tomoyo did not really like the hidden message behind that chuckle. She was so tempted to jump off the roller coaster but since the restraint was already put around her shoulders, she did not have the option to escape.
The train went forward and she could only hope he would not do anything stupid.
Oh, how she had just under emphasized her earlier statement.
Hiiragizawa Eriol did not just do something stupid, he did something irresponsible.
The screams of other passengers were deafening her ears, but she could not really blame them. Less than 10 seconds from the roller coaster's first slide, the train found itself in a very familiar position: stopping midway on the vertical loop. Her heart nearly skipped a beat at the sight of the ground numerous meters below her, her long hair was wildly tousled by the wind –even in their still position – , and her blood started to run to her head. It was nothing of comfort.
She had no fear of heights and she could easily compose herself. But that did not mean she liked the situation. She took a glance at Eriol, who looked much too calm even when he, too, was positioned upside down. "You have nothing to do with this, don't you? This is not…the continuation of your curse, is it?" she questioned loudly to her companion (she had to, as her voice was nothing to compare with the screams of other passengers).
"No, this has nothing to do with the curse, but it has something to do with me," he grinned evilly –and she immediately understood: it was his magic that made the roller coaster stopped midway.
"Eriol! Stop this madness at once!"
"3 times," he calmly spoke.
"What?"
Cruelly ignoring all the cries of other passengers, the dark-haired guy only looked at Tomoyo and implanted his evil smiling face. "3 times that you have rejected my flowers that I sent to you apologetically. That's not really nice. Now I want you to pay for it."
Her eyes widened at how…incredulous this man was. "Don't let other people into our problem! That's immature and –"
"If you want to save these people from their acute throat pain, obey me. Romance me. Kiss me on the cheek 3 times. Just like how you rejected my flowers 3 times," he spoke calmly, smilingly.
Tomoyo really could not believe what she just heard. "I'm sorry?"
"You heard me right. And you know I'm not easy to be compromised. Kiss me on the cheek. And I suggest you do it quick. You don't want that woman over there to turn blue any minute now…"
The heiress could only grit her teeth in anger but decided that she would not want to be responsible for the sickness of other people in the ride, so she reluctantly gave in to his joke. With much difficulty due to the restrains, she moved her body and laid 3 pecks on his right cheek.
"Good girl," Eriol said after she did his vile wish. He flicked his finger and the roller coaster moved back again. Cries and grateful prayers were heard around her. Once the train got back to its original starting point, stopped, and the restrains were pulled away, Tomoyo quickly stormed out of the car but found that she was still chained to Eriol, drawing her back close to him again.
She was really furious. "You are crazy! You could have hurt other people!" she spoke in one breath as they walked together out of the roller coaster ride.
"Calm down. Geez, you're still too uptight. I know my limit. Nobody's going to die or get injured."
"No, you don't know your limit! What if somebody get traumatized? It's a good thing nobody even puked!"
"Don't worry, I have cast a hypnotic chant on them prior to the ride. That regardless of whatever they experienced, they would only feel as if they were doing the normal roller coaster ride. Simply put, stopping the roller coaster would only mentally affect us…and perhaps that poor roller coasters technician. Happy now?"
"No," she replied. "Release me. Now."
"I'm afraid I can't," he said with a grin as he continued to lead her to another ride in the amusement park. "Ah, here's the water ride. You remember what happened the last time we took this water ride?"
Tomoyo paled. She remembered perfectly that she had almost gotten drowned in the water ride during her last visit with him. "…so this is payback. You want to kill me. You want to drown me to death."
"Of course not, but I would love to make you…hmm, let's see… for rejecting my calls for 67 times…what should be a fitting punishment, hmm?"
She stared at Eriol with clear disbelief. "You're crazy. No, you're an evil, sadistic, loathsome monster…"
The magician only laughed. "I am, am I not? That should teach you a lesson. Do not mess up with me. I am a very vengeful person."
By the time the sun set, Tomoyo almost ran out of energy. Not only due to the physical exhaustion of wandering around the amusement park the whole day, but also for the stress of being chained to a guy who seemed to gain fun by seeing her miserable.
Hiiragizawa Eriol was a hell of a crazy lunatic.
That guy forced her to cling to his arm desperately for 67 minutes if she did not want to be drowned in the water ride; he also forced her to shower him with praiseful words for 8 full minutes (for the 8 letters she refused to read) if she did not want to be continuously chased by a crazy guy from the bumper ride; he made her wear the fake cat ears and tail for 128 minutes (for the 128 texts that she did not respond) if she didn't want to be publicly humiliated during the carousel ride (As if cat ears weren't public humiliation enough); he made her do lots of intimate things to even out her cold treatments.
Inside, she couldn't believe she had let herself –a Daidouji – to be treated that way! Goodness, she rejected his letters, refused to answer his call, turned away all the flowers for his own good! She genuinely wanted him to be happy and this was how he repaid her? She swore that she would think of a way to avenge this…humiliation one day. But for now on, she would just go with his rhythm, followed his queer ideas, and satisfied his fetish.
"You're sure you want to take these cat ears off? They honestly look good on you," he commented with a playful pout. They were already inside the Ferris-wheel ride. The carriage moved slowly and the cheerful children song was played in the background.
Tomoyo gave him an icy glare. "You must think this is funny." She silently wondered what else he might order her to do inside this Ferris Wheel Ride.
Eriol grinned. "It's hilarious."
"It's not," she countered. "Wait for my revenge. One day I'll force you to walk around town using only Tarzan's outfit, how's that?"
He responded with a naughty smirk. "That's quite kinky, Daidouji. I always know you're the type to secretly have weird sexual fantasy."
She blushed at his remark. "I-I d-don't!"
He laughed again and ruffled her hair affectionately. "Kidding, To-chan. Come on, what other ride should we enjoy after this?"
"We? It's only you who enjoyed this."
"Nuh, there you lie again. You clearly laugh and smile a lot more than you've been throughout the week. I know that because I stalk you," he laughingly told her.
She thought that he was too cheerful for his own good.
Putting aside his undeniably boosted ego to have that much control over her, she couldn't really understand why he really didn't look…affected at their relationship. Didn't he feel at the very least awkward? Remorseful?
Because she did. Although she may not show it (as she was a good actress herself), his presence next to her already made her nervous beyond belief. The more he smiled, the more she wanted to curse herself of how she just loved to hear his carefree smile (when the smile was never hers). When he initiated his touches, all part of her body tingled, but she felt guilty to Kaho because she shouldn't feel that way.
Why he seemed not to remember? Their relationship was not always about happy things, did he really forget all those pain that were there?
Pain? What pain to begin with? You're the only one feeling the pain, her mind reminded her. He's not the one heartbroken, you are. He gets to be together with Mizuki Kaho whom he loves very dearly, and you're never gonna be together with the one you love…
"Tomoyo, the ghost house will close soon. Why don't we go there after this ride and –"
"I'm going home after this," she cut his words.
"No, you're not. You still owe me 24 hugs for all those meeting requests you rejected and 37 –"
"Eriol, please."
His grin faded immediately. "Hey, are you alright?"
There was true worry in his tone, but it did not calm her at all. On the contrary, it hurt her more to sense his kindness to her.
"You're not sick, are you?" he quickly pressed his palm over her temples. "We'll take some rests after this. Perhaps you have minor dehydration and –"
"I'm not sick," Tomoyo replied. "But I need to go home."
Despite all his playful remarks earlier, he nodded immediately. "I understand. I'll take you home immediately after –"
"No, you…"she looked up to see him. "You don't have to take me home. I… honestly just don't want you to be near me."
He was silenced. "…Why?"
At his honest inquiry, she blurted out, "For God Sakes, Eriol! Don't pretend that it didn't happen!" She was not angry at him, she was angry at how she could not erase her own feeling. This wouldn't have mattered if she had not been in love with Hiiragizawa Eriol. But she had been, she was, and would continue to do so. The fact would not change though. He would never be hers, and she would curse herself if she ever wished for something that was not hers to begin with. Didn't she promise herself, and him, that she would be happy for his happiness? If he stayed like this, she could break her promise and that was the least she wanted to do.
"About what, Tomoyo?" he slowly questioned.
"Y-your curse has been lifted. You really have no need to do all of this kindness to me anymore. Don't pretend…don't make me think as if I still have the chance because I…" she sighed. "Because I can't do this to you. To her."
"To who?"
"Mizuki-san!" she cried, almost frustrated at the way that Eriol just couldn't seem to see what she meant, what she feared. "You are hers and she was yours now. I-I don't want to disturb you both, I truly wish for your happiness with her. So please, don't make me a nasty, disgusting person, Eriol. Mizuki-san needs you and –"
"What does Kaho have to do with us?" he cut her. "We already broke up. Well, technically, we were never a couple to begin with, but both she and I have reached the same conclusion about our feelings…"
She blinked. "What?"
"I somehow already sense that's the trivial reason why you avoided me these past few days." Eriol sighed. "I should have told you earlier. Oh wait, I did try to tell you. It's just that you're too cowardice to face me," he cynically retorted.
"I…"
The bespectacled man shrugged. "And actually, my last meeting with Kaho have made me realize who the girl I truly love is," Eriol explained as he looked deep at her violet eyes.
The intensity of the look spoke the message louder than words and she tried to calm her rapidly beating heart. He didn't need to say anything to let her know whom he was talking about.
Her reply came in a stutter. "Y-you're joking."
"Do I look like I'm joking?"
"I knew you'd do this."
"Do what?"
"Saying t-those things. Having pity for me. Trying to cheer me with words that you don't really mean. Making me happy even though it's only out of guilt. I told you that I really don't deserve this happiness and –"
"How could you think that you, of all people, don't deserve happiness?" he grunted. He was started to get tired of this. And he inwardly wondered whether she was not tired of all of these too. Why was she so much in denial? "In this world, your happiness is what I wish for the most. And it's actually...within your grasp. You just have to take what is already there for you. It is what you earned, Tomoyo. Your selflessness and your kindness... those are what made you deserve the happiness. And those..." he smiled gently as he cupped her cheek. "...are things that made me fall in love with you in the first place."
And before she could murmur any words of disbelief, he moved forward to kiss her.
Her violet eyes widened. Seconds passed and she still couldn't believe what he was doing. He kissed her softly, gently. She was his precious person and he made sure she knew it with the kiss. He ended the kiss calmly and retracted back. His eyes glinted in satisfaction upon looking at her dumbfounded expression.
"I-in case you forgot, you really don't have to romance me anymore, you know. Your curse is gone. K-kissing me won't mean anything."
Eriol sighed in clear irritation. "What else do I need to say to make you believe that I love you, Daidouji Tomoyo?" He saw the pretty blush that adorned her cheeks but he decided to continue his words. "Yes, you heard me right. I. Love. You. I'm sorry for all the pain I've caused you. I know that I might not have been the best thing in your life. In fact, I know that I have led you to many unpleasant situations in the past, but let me make it up for you. I'll repay you," he murmured as he held her hands. "What you only need to do is to allow me to love you. And I promise, I'll repay you back with all the luck you could ever wish in your life."
Her body turned limp and she felt like her feet had turned to jelly. Even when she was sitting inside the Ferris Wheel ride, she suddenly just felt… totally helpless. "I-I can't believe it…"
"You need proof?" he playfully inquired.
Tomoyo quickly returned back to her senses. "N-no. But I just –"
He cut her words by kissing her hand. And in the next second, he magically popped out a bouquet of flower and gently shoved it to her. "First luck."
Before Tomoyo could reply with anything, the bespectacled man laid another kiss on her forehead. And just as magically, he popped a box of chocolate from his other hand. "Second luck."
Again, her words were interrupted as he pulled her down to an embrace. She yelped a little but he only used the opportunity to try slipping a beautiful golden necklace around her neck. It was hard to do with the handcuffs between their wrists. He unlocked the cuff first before he clasped the necklace. "Third luck," he grinned. "You believe me now?"
Her blush was hard to conceal, but Tomoyo tried to maintain her poise, "That you're a good magician who can shower a girl with marvelous gifts?"
He laughed. "…that… and much more. But most importantly…" He had said it, but he would say it again. He didn't care how many times. He didn't care that he might have bored her already. He didn't care that she might only want to shut her ears from embarassment. She needed to know. He needed her to know. "I love you very much, Daidouji Tomoyo. That's what you ever need to believe."
She had always been afraid to achieve her own happiness. Perhaps she had been afraid of karma. Perhaps she had been a masochist. But Eriol had made her see, that what she only needed to do was to accept. To accept her happiness, to accept her right. They were all right. Happiness was there within her grasp; she just needed to allow herself to bring it close.
"...I believe you, Hiiragizawa Eriol," she stated calmly, yet firmly. "And thank you very much."
Eriol faked a tired sigh. "There. You could have done this faster. You should have made things easier in the first place, you know."
"What? You're sorry that you have to bribe me with all these wonderful gifts?" she joked.
"Nuh, those gifts don't matter. In fact..." he paused momentarily to lay another kiss, this time on her lips. This time, more passionate. This time...more intoxicating... "There is still the fourth luck," he announced.
She didn't quite understand at first but one gentle squeeze around her fingers made her focus her attention there. Her eyes widened in surprise upon seeing the small red ribbon that was tied around her ring finger.
"It's not a real one," he commented. "But someday, if you allow me, I'll present you the real ring and make you the luckiest woman in the world."
Tomoyo slowly grinned. "Very confident, Mister Hiiragizawa. Are you not sure that it is you who could be the luckiest man in the world?"
"If you allow me, then either way is fine," he murmured before pulling her into another deep kiss.
And one day, with a real ring and a real proposal
"Would you marry me and make me the luckiest man on earth?"
"Only when you make me the luckiest woman on earth."
The End
Finished : June 13, 2011(12.55 AM)
Final Edit : July 24, 2011
A/N : This chapter makes me feel like a failure. But I'll be an even worse failure if I refuse to update any longer. There are times when I hate this fic so much that I just can't stand to even re-read the fic, much less rewrite it. But I promise to finish the story, so, here it goes: the final chapter. I'm sorry I cannot present you a better ending, but I hope this will at the very least satisfy your curiosity of the conclusion of their relationship.
And if you don't mind… will you read my newest ExT one shot? It's entitled "The Red Thread" and it's my more (hopefully) mature depiction of ExT relationship. I sort of hope it could make up for this fic. T-T