Disclaimer: I don't own CCS

Once and Again

.Chapter 9. Case of Idiocy

"…Yeah, yeah. Okay. I'll go home as fast as I could find your specially requested custard cream. Get rest and don't move too much," Eriol's eyes traveled to the upper section of the shelves in that supermarket.

"Suuuree, Eriol-sama! Get back home soon!!" and the hyperactive Nakuru disconnected the call.

He put back the cell phone inside his coat's pocket and stroll the trolley down on the corridor of the supermarket. Afternoon shopping had somehow become part of his routine the couple of months back. Not that he complained. It had been much more peaceful here in London. What he remembered, in Tomoeda, he had always been busied handling his counseling company, and tired himself with countless big projects until late at night. Now that he had given over the management of the big company to his trusted men and thus made his earning 'only' by the stocks he had on the company (and he wouldn't protest, since the income made by the stocks had more than provided a simple, comfortable life in London), he had finally had the chance to spend 3 hours lazily in the public library or to played the newest game downloaded from the internet from dusk until dawn. Spinel had said that he was wasting his time over, but Eriol's retort was that all these were required to reach the tranquility of mind.

At that, the Sun Guardian didn't have another word against. Among all, he and Nakuru were the ones who knew how much priceless a tranquility of mind for their master at the times.

Mostly, after him deciding to leave his life in Tomoeda.

His love.

Eriol snapped his thoughts away. He wasn't flying himself miles away from Tomoeda just to remember his old life.

Just to remember her…

But he couldn't deny it. Through the distances were made, it seemed just as hard to get that peace of mind.

His heart still ached, and sometimes he would play dumb just to numb his senses. He would go and place that goofy smile of him at day, spending times until the next morning at the night club, doing everything –anything – to get her out of his mind.

Even after 10 months not seeing her, she still haunted him. Every breathing seconds…

The funny and scary thing was he seemed to start having imaginations. Like seeing her on this supermarket here in London, walking her trolley to his direction, fresh and warm –like spring breeze…

"Long time no see, Eriol."

He blinked his indigo eyes a few times, and almost let out a sarcastic chuckle.

Good, she haunted him until here?!

With the suddenly hoarse voice and rigid posture, he greeted back to the fine woman in front of him. "Yes… long time no see, Tomoyo."

---

"Hot Latte, please," she said gracefully to the waiter at the small café nearby.

"And you, Sir?"

"Black coffee,"

The waiter took the order and then soon left the two reunited alone.

London was cloudy that day. Rain will pour down soon, he thought as letting his eyes gazed up at the sky outside –practically doing anything except looking at the woman seated on the chair in front.

"Sakura's daughter would turn 6 month next week. You'll come back to Tomoeda for the celebration, won't you?" she asked lightly as the opening of the conversation.

At the thought of being polite, he turned his attention towards her and replied, "Yes. I have promised her to,"

"Great. You really should see Tsubaki-chan. She's such an adorable baby. You'd definitely fall in love with her,"

"Of course," he replied flatly.

Silence enveloped them both.

"So… how's life?" she asked after a couple of deafening silence passed.

"Fine,"

"Work?"

"Fine,"

"Spinel and Nakuru –"

" –are just fine,"

"And you?"

"…"

The waiter then appeared again, placing down both' orders and left after asking if he could get them anything else –which was politely refused by Tomoyo.

He took a sip on his coffee, and she could only examine him.

"Still addicted to caffeine, I see,"

"Can't live without it," he finally provided her with a longer reply. "So…what business brings you here?"

"Kaze wants to enlarge the distribution of his company here. And I help him doing the research before he could start the business."

To Eriol's dismay, he could still feel his back stiffened at the mention of his name. "I see. Lover's business, eh?"

Tomoyo looked at him straight in the eyes and soon caught the sentiment he had. Exhaling a breath, she then spoke again. "We aren't lovers,"

"Husband and wife, then?"

"Good friends. Nothing more than good friends," she sipped on her warming latte.

He eyed her in doubt, but decided not to press her on the subject… at least not at this current second. Glancing at the raining view, he then sighed. "I can't stay long. I have to go now," he spoke in a flat tone. Eriol knew he was… somewhat pathetic, but he just couldn't face Tomoyo right now. This is all so soon, too soon… Standing up and putting some amount of money for both orders, he quickly put on his coat and muttered quickly, "Meet you at Sakura's daughter –"

"Eriol," she called for him.

He paused.

Tomoyo rested her suddenly weary back on the cushion behind her. Her calm visage slowly turned into a tired one. Slowly, she began, "Do you really hate me?"

So stunned he was at her question, that he didn't answer her.

"I've been… looking for you, Eriol. Some first months after your sudden disappearance, I practically bugged people asking for your presence, "she chuckled in cynic. "Until one day I realized that you just didn't want to see me anymore, that I stopped searching. But I had hope, Eriol. I said to myself that if we really meant to be together, then it would be God's way and we would find our path toward each other,"

"And now we've met," she continued –her amethyst eyes conveyed between the light of hope and plain sinister.

She didn't continue her words, and he assumed that she was waiting for him to say anything.

"Tomoyo, I… –"

I just don't want to hurt you again…

" –I can't…"

Her gaze was stoic as she cut his words. "I understand. Silly me to think that we could start it all over again," standing up gracefully she then walked passed him towards the café's exit. "Only, Eriol… Back then at the airport, I didn't go with Kaze,"

Something in his heart tinged. "…Why?"

"Because I chose you, idiot."

His eyes widened at that and when he turned around, Tomoyo had exited the café.

At the distant, he could hear Nakuru's words to him some time ago.

"Don't throw away your chance and the chance of the person that you love to be happy by just mere idiocy, Eriol-sama,"

"Are you calling me an idiot, Ruby Moon?"

"Honestly, Master? Yes, you're the epitome of the idiocy itself,"

"Damn it," he muttered under his breath when noticing that she was no longer in sight. Eriol was not quite finished with the grumping, but the cell phone inside his pocket had rung. Hesitantly he answered it. "Yes?"

"Hey. It's me,"

----

"You know I hate this kind of thing, Kaze,"

The Araide guy laughed heartedly at her raven haired friend. "Come on, Tomoyo. One marriage failure doesn't mean that you have to lock yourself up for the rest of your life,"

"But you know I hate blind date. It hadn't gone well the last time you hooked me up with just another of your comrades,"

"That had been my mistake, but trust me with this one, Tomoyo. Just give it a shot, okay?" Kaze said as ruffling her ebony locks. "Got to go now. Emily's waiting. You do good, okay?"

"Geez, I'm almost 30 and yet you still treat me like that,"

Kaze grinned and began to walk away.

"Kaze,"

"Hn?"

She stared intently at him, and he had known her enough to understand what she was going to say.

"Of course, Tomoyo. We're always be friends forever,"

A smile graced her lips. It had always been claming to know that even though Kaze had already had a fiancée, he would always be there for her, as she would do too for him.

"Say hi to Emily from me. Tell her that she could do her gown's fitting tomorrow,"

"Will do,"

"And remind me to kick your ass if you mess it with the blind date this time,"

"Just say the prayer yourself, Daidouji," he grinned as walking out of the fancy restaurant. She smiled slowly, and was planning to return to her window-gazing activity, but the deep voice she heard next prevented her to.

"Such a waste for the fine lady to spend time alone,"

Her eyes glazed coldly at the dark haired man who was now sitting very comfortably at the in front of her. "I would have someone accompany me in a couple of moments. So, mind to get off, Hiiragizawa? You're sitting on his chair,"

"Ah. But I've got this special invitation to escort a certain Daidouji lady. So I am at the right place afterall,"

After noting herself to give Kaze a smack for setting her up with someone whom she really didn't want to meet, Tomoyo calmly spoke to the bespectacled man. "I never mean it to be rude, Eriol. But honestly, if this is your idea of having fun by annoying a person, then sorry, count me out," she said as standing up preparing to leave, only stopped when his hand held her wrist.

"Please don't go,"

She felt really fed up. Of all times… Sighing, "What do you want?"

He slowly smiled. "Protecting you, seeing your smile, making you happy, comforting you… Doing anything as long as it is with you and for you alone…In short, being with you again, Tomoyo."

"Why would you?"

"Because I love you,"

She chuckled darkly. Why he said it now? Why not back in their marriage time? Why not back then in the airport? Why not just a few hours ago?! "Damn it, Eriol. You don't even know me,"

"… you're right. Other than the way you smile when you're designing the clothes, or the way you hum Disney's song when you're cooking, or the way your nose wrinkle in dislike when tasting black coffee, or when you secretly weep at the silly soap opera you watch on Sunday morning," he grinned before continuing, "Or when you cry yourself to sleep in night because of me, or when you have those content smile when we actually do stuffs together, and… many, many other things… yes, Tomoyo. I might not know you that much," he paused and giving her a small box. "But I want to find out more of you,"

The lilac eyed woman opened the box in slight stutter. Her eyes then widened.

"And I want you to be my wife once again, Tomoyo."

Inside the box, was a simple-shaped diamond ring.

Her old wedding ring.

"Marry me, Tomoyo."

-----

"Hiiragizawa, your next client's session will begin in 5 minutes. Quickly say goodbye to your wife and do your job," whispered the half-aged lady to her staff.

Mouthing the words 'a moment' to his aged boss, Kotori-san, with the extra topping another Hiiragizawa's smile, Eriol then spoke back to his cell phone. "I'll be home a bit late tonight, Hon. Tell Kaze-chan that I'll go watch his baseball play tomorrow. He's asleep? Well, kiss him goodnight for me…"

"Hiiragizawa…" Kotori-san warned more as impatiently tapping her shoes, but giving up for some moment as she decided to sit and read the magazine instead.

"You bought new lingerie? Nice. Just make sure you're still awake when I'm home, okay? Oh, and wear those Manolo's shoes, Hon. Love seeing you in it. See you later," he then ended up the call. "Sorry, Kotori-san. But I –"

"Don't worry. I'm pretty much used to your lovey dovey. Now, do your job and hare a secret or two to the not so lucky couple," said Kotori-san as she walked out of his office to call Eriol's next client.

The dark haired man looked down to the picture he had of his loved family. With him, Tomoyo, and their 6 year old son. Not the most perfect…

But his most precious…

He smiled gently before sitting himself on the cushion when the quarreling couple walked into his office.

"Mr. and Mrs. Hiyono, good evening. I'm Hiiragizawa Eriol, your marriage counselor. How may I help you?"

End.

A/n : And… there, the epilogue and the closing of 'Once and Again'. This is the story where I came up with the most versions first. I actually really like the idea of this story. My regret is that I couldn't pull out the real emotions of the characters and yeah… that I rushed it. Sorry for those who think that I just go over things again and again. I know I repeat things like Eriol-Tomoyo pull-push relationship, but I just got to do it for the sake of the story. And the airport delay…I did that to give lessons for Eriol. He couldn't just get Tomoyo after all he had done towards her, but supposedly his waiting worth it? -.

Lastly, thank you for sticking with this story until the very end. Thank you for all the reviews, compliments, critics, flames, anything.. Appreciate all of those. Love you guys.

Next project:

It is a story about Eriol and Tomoyo who were both broken-hearted and shared the same 'grudge'. Kaho as Eriol's ex. and Touya as Tomoyo's love interest were going out together. Albeit the dislike towards each other, Eriol and Tomoyo agreed to work together, to win back what they thought originally belonged to them.

Will post them after finished with the editing.

Till then,

Pinboo.