A/N: Hahahahahahaha This is surprisingly longer, don't you agree? Hihi Thank you to Property of Eriol, uvr-B1u5H'd and Fon-chan for the reviews. They inspired me to make a swift(?) update. Really. So thank you, thank you, thank you to those who still support this fic.


Act 28, Winter

It had been more than a week since the news about her supposed engagement was announced in national television and newspapers. As the days progress her apprehension could only grow, mounting to the brim of her self-control. No amount of distraction could make her forget of the situation. Thankfully, no one in the Amamiya mansion had said anything about hearing any news, not even Eriol who had an uncanny sense at times.

Run. Run far away from here before you bring everyone down with you, her rational mind ordered, and the idea had become too appealing in the past few days.

She secured a scarf around her neck, neatly covering the lower part of her face before pushing herself out of the library. The chill hadn't improved but the darkness had long since shrouded the whole town. Without the dancing merry lights the town plaza and the buildings simply looked lifeless again.

Is running away the only option I have?

The former heiress rubbed her eyes carefully. These grey contacts were becoming too dry because of the cold.

Is it right to keep on doing this?

In the past year, she had wondered if changing her destiny was worth it. When they visited a local shrine on New Year's day, the former heiress prayed for her freedom. Sonomi had created this illusory independence, making sure she completely understood that living out of the Daidōji household really meant suffering and regret. Tomoyo realized later that she was still being played. The only advantage that she had right now was the fact that her mother couldn't find her as of the moment.

"A penny for your thoughts."

She snapped out of her daydream with a startled look in her eyes. That familiar lean figure was quite a sight in the dimness.

"Hiiragizawa-san," she mumbled in recognition before she bowed to the man who broke her stupor. There was a questioning tilt in her voice as she said his name.

"Konban wa," Eriol greeted, bowing back. He was casually leaning against the metal side bars that lined the street, arms folded to his chest. Even though he had a trench coat and a warm scarf snuggled to his body, it was known to the former heiress that it wasn't safe for him to be out in the cold for too long.

"What are you doing here?" The kohai couldn't help but ask. The senpai was supposed to be home, rehearsing for the preliminaries the next day, but he was anyway leisurely lounging in that side of the road.

Haze came out when the dark-haired pianist exhaled.

"I was in the area." After carefully considering the reply, he explained vaguely with that piercing stare of his. Eriol had not worn his glasses because the mist was just going to fog them.

There weren't a lot of people out at this time of the night, and the temperature had indeed dropped a few more degrees.

She held that gaze for a few seconds before readjusting her scarf. A distraction would be good in a time like this, and she didn't know why it was suddenly awkward between them.

"And I wanted to see you, Aya-san," the senpai added in a noncommittal manner without moving from his spot, distinctly using her false name even when they were alone in the sidewalk.

It had been a while that anybody ever said that without the implication of threat. The last time had been from her mother's guards and she ended up having that bruise on the face. She inwardly cringed at the hundred possibilities of what her mother would do when she got hold of her again. Sonomi would probably beat her up first then lock her up in a closet if she was still conscious just like how she always did before.

Her boots made an ugly crunching sound as she stepped forward, the noise masking the erratic beating of her heart. This agitation was harder to control.

"Sō desu ne."

Straightening up his stance, the dark-haired man stood taller. Despite being unwell recently, he hadn't looked like his lanky self like she had first met him. He was much sturdier in a different way, too. There existed a particular air about him that couldn't be overlooked but she couldn't anyway pinpoint.

"Are you alright?" His concerned tone almost made her consider. The former heiress couldn't make up her mind about what to do, and she was sorely tempted to reveal her situation to the only person whom she knew would understand. However, her consideration still won out, and Tomoyo couldn't burden Eriol at this time most especially when he had his first competition to concentrate on, ultimately leaving him in the dark about the circumstances.

"Of course."

The smile that agonizingly stretched her face was seriously fake but this man would not be able to tell with the scarf that hid her lips.

The pianist stared at her again, the same way he had studied her face just a few minutes ago with those azure eyes deeply fixed at her dull grey orbs.

It was like déjà vu of that one autumn night in her dorm room, a slow and sad repeat of the past. And if Eriol were to let go of it right then, she would shut herself again from the world.

A stray strand of black hair thrashed along with the gust of cold wind, an inevitability like this numbing conversation.

Ask me again. Please.

She surprised herself with this repulsive desperation but she could only look away with a horrified blush on her porcelain face that was fortunately hard to make out in the shadows.

Much to her dismay, Eriol hadn't asked again but he had swiftly moved closer and laid a gentle hand on her head. It was a strange comfort that he was offering to her, as if he knew that she needed him. This behavior was confusedly different from the first time she saw him that night.

"Let's go home, Daidōji-san," he whispered as he leaned over to her level. "Mozart-kun is going to worry if his Tomoyo-chan have been out in the cold for too long."

Their faces were too close that she could feel his warm breath, this proximity making her extremely conscious of herself.

She blinked rapidly. Was the action caused by this intimacy or his last statement, she couldn't tell.

"Mozart-kun?" Her confusion was priceless.

"Un. I named the doll you made Mozart-kun," he answered with an amusing nod, trying his best to look serious despite the smile that he was hopelessly fighting to hide. He was his playful self again, the suspecting aura melting effortlessly like snowflakes on her hand. This sapphire-eyed pianist had his way of cheering her up. It was funny that she could only be truly distracted this way.

Her blush was probably more evident now that Eriol had chosen to stand this close. The way he mentioned her name was just as flattering. Before she could stop herself from the embarrassment, the warmth on her face had spread remarkably throughout her body.

Maybe there is still hope.

"Let's go home, Hiiragizawa-san."

It was the first time she ever felt good in days.