A/N: Okay, enjoy the fluffy story of Eriol and Tomoyo :)
What happened in the Street of Castle Combe
By Jjampong
It's been a long time since the capturing of clow cards and flying and magical powers occured, it all seem like good ol' tales to reminisce with now that they've all grown up and have their own lives. At least well, Sakura and Shaoran did end up together, Chiharu and Yamazaki still in progress with their relationship, Meilin's on a blind date and Rika was still unto Mr. Terada. Nothing new really. And she, Tomoyo Daidouji recently held her concert in one of the places in England. And she spent her last three days wandering every street of the old Europe. She admits, it was tiring but worth the stride. After all, England never fail to amaze her when it comes to sight-seeing.
And now, here she is, almost done packing her things. 'Cheerio' England tomorrow. It's almost nine in the evening in Wiltshire, the place where she was staying at. Her last night, anyway… she should call Sakura.
"Hello," she greeted her friend when she answered the call. "Miss me?"
A soft chuckle was heard from the other line. "Of course, how was the concert? I thought you said it was just a hobby?"
"It was. And I deserve to have a break from the four-cornered wall-to-ceiling glass panel cell, my dear." She reached for her long camel coat and grab her russet boots.
"Oh yeah, by having a concert. I'm pretty sure aunt Sonomi's been busy lately, chasing after you. I heard you just left the company a week ago," Sakura replied. She can tell there's a hint of amusement in Sakura's voice, she knew her too well and all she could do in return was a carefree sneer. She too was amused by her friend's own assessment on her way of life.
It's true, singing was just one of her talents and she didn't wanna waste it. She already established her name in the world of Music since she entered high school by winning international competitions abroad. And as much as possible she doesn't want to be dormant. And she knew that one day, she will take over their business. She knew all of that and she's not planning to be a scapegoat.
"I didn't. I just had a vacation. So how's your sweet second honeymoon with your 'hubby'?" Oh God! Please tell me I didn't say that! That was too… way too uncool!
Sakura laughed. Never expected to hear such term from a composed and mild-mannered person as her. "I'll tell you but then you'll have to marry first because this is strictly no for singles."
"Very funny, Sakura. Anyway, enjoy yourself. Say hi for me to Shaoran. I gotta go! Farewell." She ended the call after Sakura said her goodbyes.
She fixed herself, looking at the full length mirror in her hotel room. With her ebony, wavy, flowing hair neatly spread across her shoulders and behind, the natural rosy cheeks and lips, she smiled. Quite satisfied with her reflection she went outside her suite for a one last walk in the famous street of Castle Combe in Wiltshire.
While having a leisure tread at the street, she noticed almost the people that she ran into were couples walking side by side, hand in hand. Old, young… she felt slight of jealousy. Now that she was surrounded by this kind of atmosphere it gave her time to think about her personal issues, her love life in particular.
Yes, she dated some guys but that's all. She'd never been into serious relationship before and it is kinda awkward. And ignorant about all this stuff loitering around her. All her life she just want to take Sakura's videos and all, she even assumed back then she was in love with her. Now that she's contemplating about it, she thought it would be best to take Sakura's advice. 'Find the one and get married.'
So Castle Combe is her starting point and she got… one night to search for the one. With the dim lights coming from the lampposts, it's amazing how romantic the ambiance of the place was. It's like taking a walk during 1880's, the medieval houses, and the bricked sidewalk. Maybe that's how the historian Melanie Backe-Hansen felt while she was strolling here too and made this street her favorite.
She came across with a two gentlemen, probably in their late twenties wearing both black three-piece suit with obvious interest displayed on their faces. In normal occasion she would not entertain them but tonight is a very special night.
"Good evening, mademoiselle," Greeted the man with the long hair, almost covering the side of his right cheek. Hmmm… sounds French.
"Out for a late night walk maybe?" The accent was recognizable when the second one spoke. He's from England, she supposed. Lovely accent, by the way.
"Good guess, sir." She answered with all civility for she was trained to do so. But then she forgot to put a 'hunch' that she wanted more extra tête-à-tête with them. Besides, these two gentlemen were quite a looker. But she screwed the chance! Blame her inexperience and now they just walked passed her.
She hit her forehead with her glove hand. Nice start! She looked around hoping to find another suitable lover for her sake. And thank goodness there's another one, alone and sitting on a bench near a tree, reading.
She let out a deep sigh, clearing her mind and focusing in her purpose tonight. She cannot afford leaving the country without a phone number of a guy! She's not getting any younger. And she need to prove to herself that she can allure a man!
She slowly approach the man. Thinking of excuses on how to get his attention because it will be too straightforward in the normal 'hitting' realm, right? She's not a guy, she's a lady and a lady should stay what a lady should be like and she's not taking any chances. Alas, she came up with the 'looking-for-direction' flirting methodology. She stood in front of him and make her presence known.
"Hi, good evening. Please excuse me for the intrusion but do you know where the ahm…" Oh my goodness, words! Words! Where they'd go when you needed them?! Think! Think! Oh God, stay calm. She cleared her throat because it began to dry. "The… ah… Brandenburg gate. Yes. Do you know where I can find the Brandenburg gate?" She asked graciously with a slight frowning of her eyebrows. It was more to herself. She didn't even know where she'd get that idea. It was the first thing that came up in her mind. She didn't even know where that is! Or maybe it was just some figment of her imagination.
The young man raised his head and turned his eyes to her. She was about to say something but she was shocked upon seeing the familiar face of the guy she tried to hit on. The pair of glasses, his playful gray eyes, his dark blue hair and pale skin… and he's Eriol Hiiragizawa! Her former classmate and reincarnation of Clow Reed himself. Not that she cared about the reincarnation thing, but that's not the point. The point is she was trying to flirt with him and it would be too embarrassing if she say another word. She flushed at the thought. Not that she had a thing for him just at the thought. Now why does it sound so defensive?
But, strange… he was not surprised at all to see her there. But then again, he was a sorcerer after all. He already knows what's going to happen. Wait, he's not a fortune teller… But he does magic anyway.
"Hiiragizawa-kun, I'm surprised to see you here," that's all she could say at the moment. She tried to regain her composure.
"Nice to see you too Miss Daidouji. It's not very surprising if we bumped each other in England because I live here." Hiiragizawa's smiling face eased up the tense she was feeling right now.
"Oh right. You're right, Hiiragizawa-kun. It sure is a small world. I think the last time I saw you was Sakura-chan's wedding… three years ago?"
He nodded and put the book at the side. She was a little guilty of the thought that she disturbed his quality time with his book. He gestured that she could take a seat if she wants but she just politely refused the offer. She will not be long enough, anyway. The search, remember! But when she looked again at those dazzling gray eyes something tells here she should stay a little bit longer, which is weird.
"A... Ahm, so where do you live?" She tried to break off the moment of silence between them.
She's fully aware that Hiiragizawa was staring at her intently. "Winchester."
"Okay, how's… your wife?" Believe her, it's just a friendly question.
She heard him chuckle with his fingers slightly brushing the corner of his mouth. "You never fail to amuse me Miss Daidouji but I do hope she will be fine."
She can feel the heat from her cheeks. She knew pretty well that she's blushing. What was I thinking?!
But suddenly Hiiragizawa came to face her. Her thoughts went haywire when his piercing eyes made contact with her own. "To be honest, I know of your intention this evening, based on what I've observe. The reason I'm not surprised to see you was I already saw you walking down the streets earlier. You've made quite a ruckus actually."
She arched her eyebrows trying to understand what he meant in his last sentence. "I believe, I've been quite modest in my leisure stride. As much as possible, I don't want to cause any disturbances with any person in particular." She said a matter-of-fact. How dare to accuse me like that!
He laughed at her response which made her irritated all of sudden.
"No, Miss Daidouji. I think you misinterpreted what I meant was, you look so beautiful while taking your walk downtown and everybody's been talking about you. I've heard it and am a witness too," he told her.
She was taken aback of what he just said, eyes locked on his gaze. She was running out of words. She felt like she just finished joining a 10-kilometer marathon race because of the fast beating of her heart. What's going on with her system?! Is it the effect of being single for too long?
It was just an empty-flattery but why is it affecting her so much?
"You were watching me?" She asked. She wanted to hear some more from him.
"Yes. For a little while now. Then you came towards me. I pretended to be unaware that I'm going to be your next target." A haughty grin was seen in his face. She scowled at him, realizing he knew already what she's been up to.
"Those were not my intentions! Not for you, of course. I was just… just trying to have a nice conversation with… them." She tried to explain but her excuses were too lame, it doesn't sound very convincing.
Hiiragizawa still catching his breath from laughing too hard. She was too embarrassed to show her face so she tucked herself in, in her camel coat. It's getting pretty cold, too.
"You're ridiculous. I'm going." She was about to turnaround when Hiiragizawa captured her hand with his. She looked at him in question.
"Let's have a drink." It was a statement. He did not wait for her answer, he just pulled her all the way to the nearest pub across the street. She just followed him. He ordered both margarita for the two of them.
They drink in silence. No one dared to speak. The upbeat music doesn't seem to bother them because they both fell to oblivion. She couldn't tell what's blowing on his mind right now. Hiiragizawa was a strange man after all.
It was nearly eleven when she decided to call it a night. That's how long they've been drinking at the pub but she knew she's not drunk, it was only cocktail anyway. Well, there are men who showed interest at her back at the bar and Hiiragizawa didn't mind at all. She felt kind of disappointed though for some reason she couldn't understand. She never felt the same way either back when they were still in graders. So why now? She must be tired.
She was now crossing the bridge in the street of the Castle Combe when she noticed the beautiful reflection of the moon in the flowing stream. She looked up and see the perfectly round shape moon just above the clouds. It so peaceful, she couldn't help but smile.
"Miss Daidouji…"
"Ahhhh!" She nearly had a heart attack when she heard a male voice behind her. She turned around to see Hiiragizawa looking down at her few meters away. "Goodness me, Hiiragizawa-kun you should give a girl some warning if you want to talk to her from behind, okay? Don't sneak on me like that."
"I'm sorry."
She let out a sigh before returning his gaze. Her heart started beating fast when she saw the stern look on Hiiragizawa's face plus the fact that he looks so inexplicably handsome with the dim light coming from the lampposts of the street and the moon seems to emit strange atmosphere between them. She was drawn to him. She blamed the moon for that and the margarita.
Hiiragizawa adjusted his glasses. "The truth is… I was surprised to see you here in the streets tonight." he began.
She can't comprehend it too well, still captivated with him. "Yes, you already said that. I guess. I think back at the—"
"Listen, Tomoyo-chan." He closed the distance between them leaving few millimeters away. He gripped her shoulders with his warm hands. Forcing her to listen to what he'll gonna say deliberately making her blushed. And he called me Tomoyo-chan!
"I know this is weird but I think you and I should be together." Her mouth fell to the floor.
"I don't know why but I've been thinking about this past few years, you know. My relationship with Kaho was… I mean, I do love her but there are so many signs that she's not the one for me. I was like, whoa… Is love isn't enough for marriage? I mean, even Clow Reed himself doesn't know the answer. It was very frustrating, really and Kaho broke our engagement because am not myself. I'm still seeking for something… reaching out for someone I don't know. But then you came along…" He was looking intently in Tomoyo's eyes.
"Is that a bad thing…? I…" Eriol silenced her with his hand.
"Not yet… And then you came along, wandering in the streets of Castle Combe. Looking so beautiful… So free and your hair dancing along with the wind I don't know why I'd even notice that." He gently touched the strands of her hair and brought it close to his nose. "The way you walk, the way you tucked your hair behind your ear… the way you eat the cake inside that little bakery shop, your laugh, your smile and even the blushing of your cheeks. I noticed them all. With just that, I feel contented."
"You're creepy…" But inside she was overflowing with joy. His words were perfect. So this is LOVE…
"Look who's talking. You've been filming Miss Kinomoto the whole time and you're still obsessed with her until now. Now, who's creepy?" He put his arms around her.
"I still don't get it." She just want to make sure if he's really serious in his sudden confession because she swore she would murder him if this was all a joke.
"I was praying that I would find the answers here in Wiltshire. I couldn't believe the heavens granted it so soon. And you were trying to flirt me. Like what you did with those two gentlemen but blow the chance." Eriol was grinning from ear to ear.
"What a conceited man! I was really asking for directions! I'm not flirting with you!" She tried to get off from his hold but to no avail. Instead, he wrapped his arms tighter.
"Really? So You're going to Berlin this late? Brandenburg gate, huh." Laughter was dancing in his eyes while staring at her, she couldn't help but give in to this wonderful young man.
"Well, that's the first thing my mind suggested. What can I say?" This man really…
"Say you love me," Eriol almost a plea… She looked into his gray eyes and it reflected her emotions just the same.
"You love me."
With fainted laughter he kissed her fully on the mouth. She on the other hand, accepted him with all her heart. Maybe, all this time she had this unnamed, hidden feelings for Eriol Hiiragizawa because if there's none, she would not let this man entered her life. And definitely would not let him kiss her.
She put her arms around his neck as he deepened the kiss. She was no expert in this field but she tried her best to equal this man's skill in the art of kissing. Finding the one is over… She already found it. So when the kiss ended they were both panting. He was holding her so close to his heart.
"Seriously, say you… love me. Because I…" He was still catching his breath. "I love you. And I'll marry you, anytime, right here, right now. Under the moon as our witness. God, you're so beautiful!"
She just laughed at him and tiptoed planting feathery kisses all over his face. "I will always love you, Eriol Hiiragizawa."
He lifted her up from the ground, circled her in the air and kissed her again under the moonlight at the streets of Castle Combe.
Distant chattering:
Eriol: I want to turn all those bastards into frog who trifled with you back at the pub.
Tomoyo: You're just jealous.
Eriol: I AM JEALOUS!
Tomoyo: Okay, c'mon it's late. And I still need to tell Sakura about this.
Eriol: I'll turn Sakura as well.
Tomoyo: Don't you dare.
Eriol: Okay, just kiss me and I'll shut up.
*end*