CHAPTER 9

"I see. And the shopping cart abandonment rate?" Tomoyo listened to the person on the other end of the line rattle off numbers for the three-month period. "Well, that's one silver lining, if you can call it that. At least our retargeting strategy worked. But we're not getting more visitors."

She surveyed the view from the second floor of the college building as the caller reassured her that it was normal for all businesses to go through plateaus, even for online boutiques such as hers.

"I understand… I guess I was just hoping I could include better numbers in my thesis," she admitted, hoping to conceal her disappointment. "It's almost the midterms, and my professor will be checking in on our progress very soon."

"Cheer up, Boss! We'll both do our best—you with the dresses, and I with the management of your website," he promised.

She laughed at that. "Stop calling me that, Yamazaki-kun. It is I who should be grateful that you've continued to give me a discounted rate for your web services despite your growing number of high-paying clients."

"You gave me my first break." His tone was at once earnest. "Even if you knew I was quite the storyteller during elementary, you still trusted me to deal with something as important as this."

"And that's exactly why you're great for the role," she explained. "Because people like you see the stories behind the mundane. You notice little things we don't, and you make us see it your way."

"Yeah but… Chiharu wonders at times if you aren't worried about the possibility of me lying to you about the real numbers of the site, or how much you're actually making," he confessed.

"I don't think you'd do that," she answered with a smile. "Lying about obvious things like money isn't a challenge worthy enough of Takashi Yamazaki's skills." And in her heart, she knew that for all Yamazaki's lies, there were certain things he would never, ever lie about. She saw it in the way he unfailingly regarded his childhood sweetheart Mihara Chiharu with unspoken sincerity.

"Ahh, this feels nostalgic!" Yamazaki exclaimed brightly. "I suddenly miss Hiiragizawa. Great guy—he sure knows how to keep a good story going! He often kinda reminds me of you."

"Me?" she echoed in surprise.

"In my beautiful soon-to-be wife's words, 'Tomoyo-chan and Hiiragizawa-kun could both see through your BS, but reacted to it differently'. She calls you a conscientious objector for not participating in my story-thons, while Hiiragizawa is a conspiring anarchist."

Touché, Chiharu-chan, thought Tomoyo amusedly.

"I remember one time when he was still studying here, I asked Hiiragizawa if he hasn't considered the possibility that you two weren't the same person in the past life because you two are so alike, and he told me it was impossible because he was already actually a reincarnation of the world's most powerful magician," recounted her former classmate happily.

"Ahaha!" She honestly didn't know how else to respond to that.

"He said you were more likely the reincarnated Demeter, the mother of kilometers. Without your past life, we would not have accurate maps and Christopher Columbus would have to discover Google first so we can have Google Maps. Haha, I kid!" She could hear conversations in the background now. "Chiharu, I'm sorry! Yes, I'm wasting Daidouji-san's time. Yes, I should really get started on the laundry which you needed yesterday."

There was a sound of something being shuffled, and then Chiharu's apologetic voice came on the line. "I am so sorry for Yamazaki's stupidity, Tomoyo-chan!"

"Ah, no worries! He was only cheering me up because it's the midterms," she replied, laughing a bit. "I hope you are doing well, Chiharu-chan!"

"I am!" her classmate responded enthusiastically. "Living in the city took me a bit of time getting used to, but I appreciate the fact that Yamazaki and I don't have to go on long commutes to and from the university every day. We even have time to take part-time jobs online!"

After a few more minutes of chat, both girls bade goodbye to each other. Tomoyo locked her phone, and then looked up to check on the skies again. "Well, it seems like the Golden Week weather is officially over," she thought.

She was about to keep her phone when it rang again. This time, it was Hiiragizawa Eriol's caller ID flashing on its screen. And for some reason she couldn't fathom, her heart skipped.

Ridiculous! She forced the confusing thoughts out of her mind and answered the phone. "H-Hello?"

"Ah, she answered!" An unfamiliar female voice cried in surprise from the other end of the line.

"Who is this, please? Is the owner of this phone with you?" she asked, bewildered.

"Daidouji Tomoyo-san? Is this Daidouji-san?" the female asked.

"Yes, speaking." She was growing worried now. "Why do you have my friend's phone?" Urgency was unmistakable in her voice.

"W-We're from Towa University as well," the caller stammered. "My classmates and I were walking to the next building when we saw an unconscious stranger by the curb. We found his phone and saw your number in the contacts list, so we thought we'd let you know."

"Hey, I think he's coming around!" Another girl excitedly exclaimed in the background.

"I-I'll be right over! Can you please tell me where you are now?" She carefully listened for the location as she briskly covered the last flight of stairs leading to the school lobby. Fortunately, it was only a few minutes of walking from where she was.

She spotted a small crowd of students and hurried towards it. One of the girls noticed her and waved to her as a greeting.

In the middle of the circle sat Eriol Hiiragizawa, sheepishly rubbing the back of his head. He was holding a water bottle—likely from one of the students who found him. When his blue eyes met her gaze, his smile brightened. "Good afternoon, Daidouji-san!"

She sank into a kneeling position so they'd be in the same height. "What happened to you, Hiiragizawa-kun? What are you doing here?" She placed the back of her hand on his forehead to assess his temperature. To her relief, it felt normal.

"I was reading the book while waiting for you, but I got bored of the excitable, two-year-old inner goddess that possessed the heroine, so I just decided to sleep," he reasoned.

All eyes darted to the paperback beside him, then back at him, completely mystified.

"Why didn't you pick a better sleeping spot than a sidewalk?" Tomoyo wanted to know.

"This IS the best place," he insisted. "I didn't even have to move and stuff."

She rolled her eyes. "Why do I have this feeling that the stupid inner goddess from the book had possessed you, too?"

"Anou… should we call a doctor?" One of the students behind them piped in.

"No, thank you. I'm fine, just a little sleepy," Eriol told the crowd politely.

"Everyone," Tomoyo bowed to them gratefully, "Thank you so much for taking care of my friend."

The students looked startled by the sight of the heiress to the famed Daidouji business empire bowing humbly before them. "A-Ahh! I-It's no problem at all! Daidouji-san, it's our pleasure to help!"

"We do have to go, though," said another student, looking at his wristwatch. "Our professor must already be wondering where we are."

"I apologize for delaying you from class." Eriol offered them all a rueful smile.

Tomoyo noticed two of the female students were furiously whispering at each other. Finally, one pushed the other, and the latter mustered her guts to approach Eriol. "Umm, would you like to exchange numbers? You know, in case this happens again."

"Towa University is rather large. It's easy to get lost in it," her friend added helpfully.

Tomoyo's eyes went to her friend automatically. Sensing her look, he chuckled and turned to the women. "I would if I could, but you see, my cell phone sim is terribly unusual. It can only take a maximum of two saved contacts, and call only these two numbers."

Tomoyo felt her jaw drop.

"What kind of sim is that?" chorused the group, astonished.

"These sims are what most of us use in England," he replied casually.

"England?"

"He's a foreigner!"

"Yes. England manufactures what we call Trusted Trio sims, meaning you can only add two other names to your phonebook, with the third one as the number of the Queen herself as a way to show your devotion to her monarchy," he explained earnestly. "This compels us to put only the names we trust the most, because as you know, England has many, many spies. Have you heard of James Bond?"

"That's too bad! How about e-mails?" the other student pressed.

"All our online activities are tracked by and for the eternal glory of the monarchy," he said mournfully. "I would hate for you to be involved in our nation's affairs."

"If that's the case, we just hope to see you another time then." His admirer finally accepted defeat, and got up to wave at him. "Till then, Mr. Spy. Daidouji-san, take care!"

"Bye!" Tomoyo waved at them as they departed. Once they were gone, she turned to him, her eyebrow arched.

"You made Yamazaki-kun SO proud back there, Hiiragizawa-kun. Those are college students, though. They'll fact-check your words online in a jiffy." She tipped her chin. "But on second thought, they'll most likely just check in Wikipedia, which you can easily edit to match your story."

"Had they insisted to give me their numbers, I probably would have just deleted them anyway," he replied breezily. "You'd probably make sure I do, too, based on the way you were looking at me that time."

"Ridiculous." She looked away from him, determined to hide the heat rising to her cheeks. "I'm more concerned about what you are suddenly doing here in the campus."

"Well, you told me that I should get more sunshine, so I thought I'd drop by and see you," he explained cheerfully.

She bit her lip guiltily. It wasn't her words entirely; she merely parroted Mizuki Kaho's request from her last e-mail. But he didn't need to know that. Yet.

After reading the woman's e-mail numerous times, she came to the conclusion that her former teacher was still in love with her enigmatic classmate. What she didn't know yet was the reason they separated ways.

And despite his aversion to discussing Kaho, what she was able to put together from Eriol's occasional slips was that he thought she left him for another man that society deemed more suitable for her age.

It's just a huge misunderstanding, and I know I can help them get back together. Just like that time when she phoned Sakura to let her know that Li Syaoran was leaving for Hongkong that morning…

"I also brought the book with me," Eriol said eagerly, showing her his book. "I had just renewed my loan at the library."

She turned to him. Wearing a dark blue long-sleeved shirt and khaki pants, she decided he looked a lot like another former faculty heartthrob she knew—if Kinomoto Fujitaka would be caught dead holding proudly a smutty novel, that is.

But despite the semblance, she was sure her heart never raced this way before. She didn't understand why her heart did for him: Hiiragizawa Eriol, her former childhood acquaintance and now good friend and trusted ally.

"Daidouji-san?" he prompted, startling her.

"Y-Yes?"

"I was asking if you'd like to hear the current chapter I'm on." He looked at her concernedly. "Is something wrong?"

"I-It's no fun to read on a concrete curb. There's a nearby park over there" She got up hastily, and then offered him her hand. "Come on."

He looked up at her and accepted her hand, smiling warmly as he did so.

…..

"I feel so relieved. For a minute there, I thought I ended up at Tomoeda Elementary School instead," Eriol began as they headed for the patch of greens not too far ahead.

She walked several steps ahead of him, just so he wouldn't see her as she struggled to settle her emotions down. "You'd definitely know you're in the wrong school if cops suddenly turn up and arrest you for stalking children. And having that book with you will definitely not help your case."

"That's true. And then after a little digging, they'll find out that right after I moved in, I got a job working with underage choir girls," he added thoughtfully.

"They don't even have to investigate, seeing how happy you are to volunteer these pieces of information yourself," she noted wryly. "Speaking of which, I'd like to remind you that because of the midterms preparation and the school field trips, we will not be having choir practices for the time being."

"I'll miss the girls for sure. So what will you be doing then?" he asked curiously.

"My thesis," she answered, grateful that she got her composure back. "I have to work on getting more customers to shop on the site."

"What did your market research say? Who's your market?" he asked.

"Little girls and their moms. But people seem to see my design as too whimsical… too costume-y." She crossed her arms over her chest, sighing. "They're saying there's nothing else they can do with the outfit once the novelty passes. It just gets stuck at the back of the closet after a week."

"Well, I can see their point. Sort of," he added quickly when he heard Tomoyo sigh loudly again. "Think about your first client. What did she do with those outfits you made for her?"

"Sakura-chan? Let me think." She recalled asking her cousin the same question. "She told me she keeps them in her closet, too."

Eriol scratched his head sheepishly when he saw his friend now looked even gloomier. "I'm sure it's because she wants to preserve it. It's too special for everyday life."

"Too special… for everyday life…" echoed Tomoyo, frowning thoughtfully.

"Tell me your price point."

She cited her price range. Eriol nodded. "It's reasonable, knowing the quality of the costumes you've given Sakura-san. They've stood the test of time AND the trials of Clow Reed, haven't they?"

"Of course! Nothing less than the best for my Sakura-chan!" Her lavender eyes sparkled dreamily. "I did my best to make one costume per card so I can help Sakura-chan preserve a distinct memory for each dress."

"Then maybe you should do the same for your other customers," he suggested.

"What do you mean?"

"They will never see how special your creations are in everyday context, simply because they aren't meant to be seen that way," he continued, shaking his head. "Your dresses are fantasies, so that's how you should market them. Don't give them away so generously; there are tons of outfits out there that are meant to be worn everyday. Let them know that wearing your fashion is a privilege."

"I get it." She cupped her hands together. "I am not designing for them: my collection is for Sakura-chan alone. I should rent them out, not sell them! I can offer them at lower costs then, but still keep my profits because I will still have the dresses in the end."

He nodded. "Think of it this way: cleaning expenses are minimal compared to designing new dresses from scratch. You just have to make sure you've covered the most common sizes. If the dress is not available, it will show up as borrowed, like in the library catalog."

"I like that!" She clasped his hands with hers in delight. "You are wonderful, Hiiragizawa-kun!"

"Thank you—"

"I can use my old card captor videos to promote my collection—they'll probably think it's all visual effects anyway. And then…" Her mind was working overtime with ideas, so she took out her phone and stylus. She started jotting as quickly as she could to transcribe her explosion of ideas.

Meanwhile, Eriol sat down the grass and whipped out his novel. He dutifully maintained his silence, letting his friend work quietly on her ideas.

"Hiiragizawa-kun!"

He glanced at her. "Yes, Daidouji-san?"

"I've long wanted to ask you this but," she cupped her hands together and bowed before him beseechingly, "would you mind if I design a costume for you as well?"

"For me?" He pointed to himself in surprise.

She nodded vehemently. "Since I first saw your flowing black robes, I was itching to replace some of the details on it with laces, ribbons, or colored cords. I wanted to see how you look if we try a different headgear, or whether other colors besides black will suit you. Please say 'yes', Hiiragizawa-kun!"

"If it'll make you happy—"

"YES! Absolutely!"

"—then I shall only be too happy to oblige." He gave her a small bow. "When will you be taking my measurements?

"Wonderful—huh?" She played with her stylus nervously. "I-I was actually thinking of scaling down the outfit to a kid's size, so you showing me your costume should work out alright."

"Ah, but I would love to have an outfit personally designed by the Daidouji Tomoyo-san! You did one for the Little Wolf, didn't you?" he asked.

"Well, if you feel so strongly about this, then… would you mind appearing on a video wearing the outfit? If so, I can design an adult-sized costume for Sakura-chan, too! We can stage a photo shoot for the front page of the online store, and a short promo video that we can share via social media. What do you think?" Without waiting for his response, she jotted down Naoko Yanagisawa's name, and then labeled it 'director'.

"Whatever you think is best, Daidouji-san," he replied sincerely.

"Oh, I also need to talk to Yamazaki to prepare the site back-end for the pivot!" She added this to her to-do list.

"Yamazaki?"

"My website admin and your storytelling partner in crime," she supplied. "Which reminds me… he said you once called me the 'reincarnation of the goddess, Demeter'. Is that true?"

"Ah, he still remembers!" Eriol exclaimed in delight. "Have you heard of Demeter's story before?"

"I may have, but tell me anyway."

"First, close your eyes," he instructed, which she did so obediently. She felt something touch her forehead, and instantly, her mind pictured a beautiful Grecian palace.

Eriol began to narrate. "Once upon a time in Greece, gods and goddesses ruled over the world. Most of them did so in a selfish, vain, and proud way, except for the very few. One of those handfuls is Demeter, the kindest of all the Olympian goddess." Right on cue, a woman appeared in front of the palace.

"Er, Demeter looks a bit too familiar," commented Tomoyo, noting the goddess' long raven curls, creamy white skin, and large violet eyes.

"Nonsense," chirped Eriol. "But if you insist…"

The scene was replaced by a pitch black screen with white text. It stated: This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

"Thank you, Hiiragizawa-kun. This is most reassuring, indeed." she said dryly.

"So, where was I… ah, yes!" The scene returned to the goddess, but this time she was surrounded by farmers and their families. "Demeter is beloved by mankind because she bestowed upon them the gift of the harvest. She was worshipped as the nurturer of mankind, and was one of the few immortals to truly empathize with the mortals' experience of suffering and grief."

The goddess eyed the ground beneath her sadly, as Eriol continued, "Because she has experienced these feelings herself."

"Sakura-chan!" gushed Tomoyo when her cousin's doppelganger appeared in her vision, wearing a flowing Grecian gown the color of the sun.

"This is Persephone, Demeter's daughter and the person she loves the most." The brown-haired girl was picking flowers in the meadows as she hummed, and Tomoyo felt fondness envelop her heart as she watched. "She was cheerful, carefree, and spirited, so it was no wonder that she soon caught the eye of another god."

"Li-kun…?" Tomoyo's brows furrowed when Li Syaoran appeared, wearing a black Chinese armor with flowing dark robes.

"His name was Hades, god of the underworld. He couldn't help fall but fall in love with Sakura-san, er, Persephone, so when he had the chance, he grabbed her and dragged her off to the underworld!"

Tomoyo's eyes narrowed when she saw the scenery change. "Hiiragizawa-kun, why does the underworld have the Hong Kong Disneyland theme park, for some reason?"

"I told you, this is a work of fiction."

"Fine."

The scene changed to Demeter, walking determinedly as the moon and the sun alternated above her. "Demeter traveled the world day and night, never eating or resting, searching in futility for the person she loves the most."

"While she was away, all the crops died and the earth became barren. The world saw a winter that never ended. Seeing the potential catastrophe it would cause, Zeus asked Hades to allow Persephone to return."

"And of course, you'd have to be Zeus," she remarked, noting the blue-haired, bespectacled male in flowing white robes. "You're also supposed to hold a lightning bolt, not have it as a scar on your forehead."

"My story, my characters," he said dismissively. "So anyway, Zeus sent Hermes to have a chariot prepared to take Persephone home." The scene changed to an airport, where a blushing Sakura and Syaoran stood.

Wei, holding one winged staff on his other arm, used his other hand to give pomegranate seeds to his master. After which, he retreated to give the two some private time to say their farewells.

"Those seeds… can I have it?" asked Persephone tentatively.

The god of underworld blushed, and handed them to her. Their hands met and touched, and the scene faded into white.

Tomoyo watched wordlessly as she witnessed the moments Sakura and Li shared, from the day he first met as her rival, to the day that they exchanged a pinkie swear before the last battle with Eriol. Li-kun loves her… he really loves her so. A tear fell from her eye. And he will continue to take care of her and love her forever. And she will do the same for him. Because she loves him so much.

"I'll see you again, right?" Persephone's voice was the last thing she heard before the vision disappeared.

Tomoyo slowly opened her eyes, automatically wiping the wayward tears on her cheeks, only to let out a small gasp.

Eriol's forehead was touching hers, his hands gently holding both sides of her head so they could maintain their position and not lose their shared vision. His long, pale fingers were buried beneath her raven cascades of curls. His eyes were still shut tight, yet he sensed her trembling gaze on him.

"It's all right," he murmured soothingly. "I wanted you to remember why you sacrificed your feelings. It isn't just for Sakura-san. It's also for Li Syaoran as well, for loving her this much. I assure you that they both know this, and are better people because of it."

She nodded tearfully. Suddenly feeling exhausted, she buried her face on his shoulders and sobbed quietly. Mercifully, he maintained his silence, content to show his commiseration by holding her close.

…

TO BE CONTINUED