Chapter 6

4 MONTHS

-TOMOYO-

We saw each other again, one week later, this time in Tokyo subway station. We had been texting each other during all week, so we had come with that perfectly planned outing. It was actually quite simple: I would wait for him at the subway station, and from there we'd walk towards Hibiya Park, where we would see the year end festival that would be held to celebrate new year. The only problem Eriol found, was the timings.

"The show's over at two in the morning." I said during a phone call, a couple of days before the date.

"There won't be any train at that time." He replied. "How much do you think a taxi from Tokyo to Shibuya would cost me?"

"Thousands." I said, but soon added. "But my mom says you can stay the night here."

"What?"

I shrugged my shoulders, although he couldn't see me.

"We're on a suite. We can ask for an extra bed, or maybe even ask for more bedsheets so you can sleep in the sofa."

"What does your mom think about this?"

"She's okay with it." And in order for him to see I wasn't making that up, I yelled. "Mom! Can Eriol-kun spend the night here, after we're done with the new year's festival at Hibiya Park?"

"Sure." She replied, loud enough so Eriol could hear through the speaker.

"You're not paying an extra room for me to stay there."

"So that means you take the sofa?"

Silence. I waited, as I played with my fingers.

"Okay." He finally gave up. "But that means I'll have to take a bag with my pijamas and another set of clothes… Maybe I should arrive a little bit early, so we can head to the hotel and I can leave my stuff there and don't carry it around the Park."

That's why I was at the subway station at seven sharp. I stopped next to the turnstiles, and waited for the train to arrive. It didn't take long, after all, Tokyo subway system was exceptional. I stood on my tippy toes, looking for him among all the people who stepped down the train, and when I saw him, I raised my arm, and happily said:

"Eriol!"

He looked around, and soon found me. He said hi too, and walking along all those people, he crossed the turnstiles and finally stopped next to me.

"Let's go to the hotel first, so you can leave your bag there." I said, and walked outside the station. To be honest, everything was quite close, so there was no need to take a bus or a cab, and we just kee twalking. We arrived after just a ten-minute walk. We were about to cross the street to get in, when Eriol stopped, and looked at the building, visibly surprised.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"This is a five-star hotel!" He whined. "I'm not going to let your mom to pay for an extra room for me!"

"You're lucky then, since I already told you you're sleeping on the sofa. Come on." I said, as I poked his ribs, playfully.

We finally made it to the reception, and a bellboy immediately came to help.

"Can you please take this to suite 1204?" I asked, as Eriol offered his backpack.

"T-Thanks." Eriol said, and since we weren't going to do anything else there, we walked out.

It was still early. Clock was just about to hit eight o'clock, and the event didn't start until ten. A simple question confirmed Eriol (just as me) hadn't had dinner yet, so we decided to go eat something first. Since he was still visibly uncomfortable of spending the night at an expensive five-star hotel, he offered to pay for dinner. However, since neither of us was really hungry, we ended up sitting outside a conbini store, eating tuna and shrimp onigiris.

"We better hurry." I said, as we threw the trash in the trashcan. "The place will soon be full."

And I was right. We were still five minutes away from Hibiya Park, but the streets were packed. Not as much as when we visited Shibuya 109, but it was definitely crowded. While we all were heading towards the same direction, if we simply let the crowd pull us we would surely end somewhere else, so I had no other option but to hold Eriol's hand, and head towards the Park.

We didn't manage to be front row, but at least we weren't at the back, and from where we were standing we could see the screens, and as soon as the music started, we also started having fun.

It was a full concert experience. A lot of famous artists started playing, and the whole crowd sung along every single song. Eriol and me included. The mood was contagious and we soon found ourselves cheering, jumping, and screaming like crazy.

It felt magical. Like a dream. We were just enjoying the moment; we were just being happy. Our worries about counters and countdowns and zeros, and soulmates… It was like if none of it mattered.

Those two hours came and went in a flash. When finally noticed the lights were dim, it was already time to being that collective countdown.

"Don't forget to make a wish!" One of the MCs said, as the public cheered.

"Ten!" The other MC started. "Nine!"

"Eight, seven!" The first MC continued.

"Six, five, four!"

"Three, two!" Eriol and I cheered, along with the rest of the audience.

"One!"

Fireworks filled the sky. More happy cheers also exploded in the air, as everybody hurried to hug whoever was standing next to them.

Eriol and I did the same. Unable to hold my happiness, I jumped into his arms, as I wished my wish to become true.

I want someone to love me for who I am. I want to love someone for who he is.

We didn't see each other during the rest of the holidays, although we did keep on texting daily. Eriol had gone back to Tomoeda the very next day, while me and my mom stayed in Tokyo for a couple more days. Mom said she wanted to make it up to me for the days she was busy with work, and so we spent the rest of the week just going shopping.

I came back to Tomoeda a few days before the classes started again. I had done my homework while my mom was working on Tokyo, so I didn't have much to do. That's why during those few days, I kept on thinking on that wish I had wished during new years' eve.

I wanted someone to love me. But, just as Eriol had said, I didn't want it to be just "someone". It's true I had mentioned black hair guys, but I had just said it without even thinking of it. Now, lying on my bed, looking at the ceiling, I could easily picture myself holding a blode's hand, the same way I could picture myself kissing a brunette, or even a redhead. Yet, after just a couple of seconds, I couldn't imagine anything else. Quite weird, if you ask me. It was so easy to imagine those fake scenarios, but after just a blink of an eye, all those imaginations felt like that: just an illusion, a fantasy, a dream.

I knew it was no use to sit down and make a list. Not only about physical appearances, but personality wise. A serious-minded boy? A fun guy? Someone dependable? Some good in maths, or in arts? In the end, I always came to the same conclusion I started with: I want someone to love me. I want to love someone.

I was starting to get obsessed.

Knowing that would only bring me trouble, the only conclusion I could come up with, was that if I could choose, I would pick someone who didn't have a soulmate, just like me.

"Tomoyo, Eriol!" Sakura's voice greeted us that Monday morning, when we were changing shoes in the locker area. "Did you have a nice holiday?"

"It was perfect." I said with a smile. Eriol nodded, also smiling, and his happy expression made my chest feel warm inside. "What about you?"

"It's been amazing!" she jumped, visibly excited. For a moment I thought she would go on detail about everything she did with Syaoran, but Sakura said. "Touya has found his soulmate!"

We both looked at her, visibly surprised. Touya, her older brother by six years, was a college student that wasn't that sociable to begin with. He was so serious, reserved, and for people who didn't know him, he might even look rude and scary.

"That's wonderful." I said, still shocked. "So, who's the lucky one? Has he introduced her to your dad?"

Sakura said no.

"He says he wants to introduce her to us, tonight." Was her reply. "Said something about a family gather, so I thought, besides my dad, Syaoran and me, maybe you two guys would want to join us too."

"Are you sure about this?" Eriol asked, visibly nervous. "I don't think Touya likes us that much…"

"Don't be silly." Sakura giggled. "Compared to Syaoran, he deeply appreciates you both.

"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked, but Sakura pretended she didn't listen to me, and continued.

"Touya says he'll take her around dinner time, so they should be home around seven. Do you mind arriving thirty minutes earlier? So we can surprise him.

Eriol and I looked at each other. I still wasn't so sure Touya Kinomoto would actually appreciate us being there, during such an important and intimate moment, but Sakura had already invited us, and rejecting her invitation would also be cruel…

"We'll be there, don't worry." I finally said.

"Six thirty, don't forget!" She smiled at us both, and hurried to class.

I, on the other hand, had to face Eriol, who quickly asked me.

"Are we?"

"You'll pick me up at six?" I asked, pretending nothing had happened.

"You're amazing." He whispered. I took it as a compliment.

"Let's look at the bright side." I said, as I closed my locker. "Maybe Touya's girlfriend has a sister or a friend she can introduce you to."

Despite everything, Eriol did pick me up at six o'clock. Well, six o'seven, but we left my place straight away, so we made it to the Kinomoto household just at six thirty-two, which seemed it didn't bother Sakura at all.

Obviously, Syaoran was already there.

"Need help with something?" I asked as we walked towards the kitchen, and I offered Sakura the strawberry shortcake I had brought with me.

"I got it all under control, no worries." Sakura replied, as she took the cake and placed it inside the fridge. "Although I got no idea how are we going to manage to eat dinner together…"

I looked at the dinner table. There were eight chairs, fighting with each other to make their way to the tiny table, which at much could handle just six. We would definitely sit tight.

"Touya says he's five minutes away. Oh, good afternoon kids." Said professor Kinomoto as he walked into the kitchen. Eriol and I replied politely. "I think it would be best to wait on the living room. It's a bit more spacious than here."

Sakura and Syaoran sat on the long side of the L sofa, while Eriol and I did the same at the other side, leaving Mr. Kinomoto sitting on the middle. Professor Kinomoto then offered us something to drink, and also some fresh baked cookies. He also managed to keep us entertained with a nice conversation during those five minutes, that when we heard the front door open, indicating Touya and his soulmate were here, all of us couldn't help but jump, visibly startled.

He stopped at the living room's door frame, just five seconds later. He seemed surprised about the amount of people who was already waiting for them, and I swear I saw him give a murderous look to Sakura. Still, he didn't say anything, and after sighing deeply, he said to no one:

"I'll let them in."

He turned around and walked back the corridor. Four seconds later, at the doorframe, there were standing three people. Touya, and two men who both had platinum greyish hair, and skin as pale as snow. Touya was the tallest of the trio, but definitely the other two guys were also quite tall. On his right, one of the men had short hair, and round glasses. On his right, the other man had long hair, tied in a low ponytail. Considering these genetic traits, it was obviously the both men were related; they must be twins, or at least, brothers.

"Ok then, family." He said Touya, looking at Eriol and me, whom we were obviously not related to them at all. "I want you to introduce you to my soulmate, Yukito Tsukishiro."

The man with the glasses bowed to all of us, as he smiled us warmly.

"So nice to meet you, Yukito." Said professor Kinomoto, as he stood up and hurried to shake hands with him.

"This is my younger brother, Yue." Said Yukito, pointing to the other men, who also bowed, although his aura didn't felt half as warm as Yukito's. "Touya said we were about to introduce our families, so I thought inviting him too would be the best…"

"It's okay, the more the merrier. Sakura also invited some of her friends."

"Hiragizawa Eriol."

"Daidouji Tomoyo." We both hurried and introduced ourselves.

"You must be hungry." Said professor Kinomoto, and pushed us all to the dining room.

I got no idea how we fit around the table, or how we managed to eat without hitting each other, but we did.

In the end, in order to stop torturing ourselves that way, professor Kinomoto said it would be best to eat dessert at the living room, and after Sakura and Touya offered to serve us cake and coffee, we all went back to the living room once again. Syaoran, Eriol, Yue and I ended up sitting side by side, in an utter silence that felt so awkward.

I was sitting between Eriol and Yue, trying to think of something so say so to lighten the mood (especially since Eriol was sitting beside Syaoran), when something caught my eye, and unable to contain myself, I said:

"I see your counter has hit zero."

Yue side eyed me. Well, he actually looked at my counter, since he soon replied:

"I see yours hasn't."

Don't know why, but I hid my hand, which made him look at me, visibly intrigued. Once again, I had exposed my secret. I couldn't help but sigh.

"I think it's broken." I said, trying to make it sound casual.

"Mine too." He replied, and before I could even think of asking what he meant with that, he continued. "The girl who made it reach zero… I'm sure she wasn't the one."

"Did you broke up?" I asked, unable to control my curiosity. Yue simply nodded.

"Last summer. It's better this way."

I bit my lip. Was this a divine intervention telling me I had an opportunity with a person who was as broken as me? I looked at my right, and couldn't help but think about Eriol. He needed someone too.

That night, as we were saying goodbye, I discretely approached Li, and asked him:

"Do you have any girl friends you can introduce to Eriol?"

Syaoran looked at me, visibly confused. Doing my best not to expose my best friend, I added:

"His counter is still ages away from hitting zero. I thought it would be best for him to know someone and gain some experience…"

Syaoran seemed to believe me, since after thinking about it for a hot minute, he finally replied:

"I have a cousin. Her counter still says ten years. I think she also needs some practice, since she's not that kind or approachable."

"Good." I said. Although that didn't felt good at all.

Leaving this update here, so you can enjoy, same as your weekend.

We're half way of the story, so please bear with me (?