A/N: I think I was too concerned with the development of the plot that I've sacrificed the quality of the fanfic. But I tried my best. If there are any trite words, sentences, whatever, please point it out to me. I'm a little slower this past few days, you see. I dedicate this chapter to Anonymous Amethyst. I appreciate your support very much. Mwah!
Act 11, Autumn
Perhaps it was not Terada's unfortunate news or the headmaster's implicit urging but his own clamorous sixth sense that prompted him to literally run after Daidōji Tomoyo. Something was surely happening again. He knew it, and whatever it was, it must certainly involved the attractive amethyst-eyed dorm mate.
It was one of those few times when he couldn't break free of the stubborn feeling of edginess, a troublesome agitation that further burned his already exhausted lungs, and he wondered how he even got himself concerned about these things when he was supposed to be only a bystander to the events, a passive observer. That was just what he liked to keep on believing, but once more he was vulnerably drawn to her, much more than the last time. Hiiragizawa Eriol didn't understand why it was happening again and again, and what was worst, he couldn't help himself.
Cold sweat had carefully formed on his temples, anticipation making his head light. Finally, he was freed from the constricting atmosphere of the train station in just a few steps.
Eriol had always been a very patient person but tonight he was particularly intolerant of the limitations of his own feet and his poor eyesight.
How could she have disappeared so fast? The dark-haired pianist mentally cursed as he rounded the bend, gasping for more air and squinting persistently. His glasses had suddenly fogged in the bitter cold just when he only had the girl's flowing raven hair for a guide in recognizing her among the rushing pedestrians ahead.
At last Eriol could distinguish Tomoyo's familiar petite figure swiftly advancing to a curve several yards away from his right. This time he was sure the girl was headed for Aoiya, and despite the stream of high school girls to her general direction, she wasn't showing any signs of stopping.
When he finally called out her name and Tomoyo jerked in surprise to the source of his cry, two men in uniform suits had suddenly emerged to corner her. It would not seem like the kohai was in danger in public but the men who surrounded her looked suspicious enough especially with the vaguely disguised proximity. They didn't seem to allow the dark-haired girl any freedom to move.
By now dusk had completely broken through the clear heavens, and the roads had begun to appear busier in the rush hour.
"Oi. What are you doing standing behind the ginkgo, Hiiragizawa?"
Of all places to make an appearance Syaoran Li just had to drive around this particular block.
"Li, Daidōji-san is in trouble." He stood too far to be able to understand what his kohai and her dubious companions were talking about, but it was the inherent element of his own words that made his stomach constrict painfully. Did he mean to get too involved he couldn't quite tell for now.
The pointed look on Eriol's Chinese friend prompted him to uncomfortably stir in his position just as Tomoyo and the men escorting her started moving to the solitary car nearby. Consequently, Syaoran followed the pianist's gaze and noted the stiffness in Tomoyo's movements. There had been no apparent struggle at the moment.
"Get in." He would have scoffed at the sight of the indigo scarf whirled haphazardly about Eriol's neck if he didn't look so serious right then.
"Follow them." Eriol almost seemed to have barked at him as the dark-haired man caught himself in a violent fit of coughs. The prickling pain was quite excruciating that tears had formed in the corners of his eyes as he instinctively leaned back on the passenger's seat in attempt to subdue the uncomfortable ripple in his chest.
Not now. Kami-sama, not now.
That alarmed expression on Syaoran's face was interestingly priceless that Eriol nearly laughed.
"Maa ii deshō," he managed to assure in between shallow breaths and clumsy grin. "I've had worse."
"Baka! You know better than to run around with only those clothes on," his best friend reprimanded him before throwing his spare coat to azure-eyed man on his left. "If anything happens to you, Kinomoto-sensei will have my head."
If they weren't caught in such somber situation Eriol had already jeered at Syaoran about his seemingly uncharacteristic concern.
"Daidōji-san would be the death of you. I guess you dying isn't such a bad idea after all. I'll even thank that girl for doing me a favor."
"I am not going to die, and would you please just follow that car?" The dark and twisted humor of the Chinese's words effectively eased the tension he created between them, and yet Eriol couldn't resist rolling his eyes at that.
"What is happening, Hiiragizawa?"
"I don't know. That's what I'd like to find out."
"I never knew you're this interested in her."
"I am not interested in her," he automatically defended himself just before he bit his tongue to the words.
That just have to be the most blatant lie you have said, his mind hissed sooner than he could stop the derision.
"We are stalking her. Are you even aware of that?"
"She's acting strange, Li. Terada-sensei told me Daidōji-san's just resigned this afternoon because she's moving away from Tomoeda. Do you know what that means?" Eriol hated the way his voice betrayed his frustration. He wasn't always this irrational over something, but speculating about the Tomoyo Daidōji riddle was driving him mad.
"Actually, no. Enlighten me why you should be so concerned that she is moving away."
She's running away from somebody, Eriol darkly asserted in his head, unaware of his friend's last statement. And it's her mother. Why is she running away from her mother?
An awkward silence hung in the air when the bespectacled pianist shifted his attention to the active road to end the discussion. But of course, Eriol was actually appraising recent events. Her flawless English, that particular stormy weekend and that questionable bruise on his mysterious kohai's face stuck in his head.
If Syaoran wasn't entirely convinced of his best friend's perverse and incomplete argument why they should be worried about something that could be potentially meaningless, he reserved his opinion to himself.
They had cleverly kept an unassuming distance from the expensive car they were trailing.
"You really like Daidōji-san." When the Chinese said this it had been as if he was astounded to have uncovered a very important truth and was amused of it. Those amber eyes made a swift examination on the bespectacled man's features, wanting to catch something in there.
"Didn't we just go over this, Li? I told you it's not like that," his azure-eyed friend said, exasperation laced in that low voice despite the stoic expression on his face. For the first time since he took the passenger seat, Eriol looked away from the street, relocating interest to the passing scenery in his left.
Another wave of cough was threatening to return, but he had to make deep breaths again to appease the impending tremor.
"Come on. You've been acting strange yourself. The great Eriol Hiiragizawa is never the one to do something this—"
"Stupid?" He challenged, eyes narrowing dangerously. Syaoran's implication was quickly wearing his patience thin.
"I was going for reckless, but stupid sounds more appropriate now that you mentioned it."
"I would really like to hit you in the head if only you're not driving."
"Shimeta," Syaoran easily dropped his teasing, however still obviously enjoying the pianist's useless denial. "Jaa, what if all this is a fluke?"
They were back to the fundamental questions again.
What if Tomoyo Daidōji just have to be somewhere else?
"What if you're worried over nothing?" The Chinese asked the moment Tomoyo's company pulled over the side of the street. They had driven right in front of the apartment and there was still no sign of struggle even when Tomoyo was lead inside the building.
What if your theories are wrong?
The noise of his restless heartbeat drowned the dying sound of the engine.
"I just hope my instincts are wrong, Li."
A/N: OK, so why is Eriol sitting on Syaoran's left? In Japan, the driver is on the right side of the car, and the passenger is on the left. Actually, I can be wrong. LOL :) I hope you didn't get confused by it.
Quick Notes:
oi – "Hey!"
kami-sama – God
maa ii deshō – "It's alright."
baka - stupid
shimeta – "Fine."
