Eriol blinked once. Twice. His eyes never leaving the Daidouji heiress' apparently uninterested gaze. Bringing his right hand up slowly towards his chest in a gesture of mock pain, Eriol released a silent gasp. "Excruciatingly unbearable. This pain." He paused dramatically, tilting his head back to glance at the ceiling with hooded eyes.

"Farewell! Thou art too dear for my possessing. For how do I hold thee but by thy granting? The cause of this fair gift in me is wanting. And so-"

"Hiiragizawa-san."

Eriol brought his head back down to glance at the incredulous expression on the vice president's face. He chuckled as he brought his now interlaced hands on the table. "And just when I was getting to the good part."

Tomoyo was at a loss for words. She could never really tell when he was joking and when he was serious. "What exactly were you trying to achieve by quoting Shakespeare?"

"Ah, sonnet 87. The melancholic conclusion of an unrequited love. It fits the current mood don't you think?"

Tomoyo was speechless yet again, unsure of how to respond to this version of Eriol. "No. It doesn't. There wasn't any love from either of us to begin with."

"Ouch." Eriol winced, trying his best to conceal an underlying smirk. "And here I was doing you a favor."

Tomoyo scoffed. "A favor?"

"I figured you'd be shocked if you learned of the fact that I really couldn't care less about your opinion of me." Eriol's polite, distant smile was back in place. "I just didn't want to offend your ego, seeing as any other male from this school would have been devastatingly heartbroken at the sheer will of your rejection."

Tomoyo felt her eye twitch. Who was he trying to fool? He wasn't doing it for her merit. It was all for his own twisted amusement. "You think I'll fall for such an obvious lie?"

Eriol shrugged. "I'm well aware of your preferences, Daidouji-san."

Tomoyo folded her arms on her chest defensively. "That being?"

"Anyone with the name Kinomoto." Eriol teased. He watched with fascination at the sudden darkened expression of Tomoeda High's princess. "It was Sakura back in middle school, wasn't it?" He paused, offering a polite smile in contrast to the grim expression Tomoyo adorned. "And though it seems you've moved on from your innocent first love, you only ended up falling for your first love's older brother." Eriol shook his head at the hilarity of it all. "Such a pity."

Tomoyo released a long, silent breath. Never in her life did she expect Eriol to cross such a line. They were never even friends to begin with and yet here he was, exposing her deepest darkest secrets as if they've always been so conspicuous. She remained silent for a moment, recollecting her thoughts, not allowing herself to lash out. If Hiiragizawa wanted to play this game with her, then she would gladly oblige.

Eriol raised an eyebrow in interest at the sudden smirk Tomoyo sent his way. "You're amused."

"You seem to think you have everything figured out, don't you?" Tomoyo crossed one leg over another, facing Clow's reincarnation head on. "And yet you can't seem to get Mizuki Kaho out of Kinomoto Touya's grasp." Tomoyo felt vindicated as she watched the magician's smile drop down slowly into a scowl. "Four, five years they've been together?" She paused to mockingly inspect her fingernails. "Nearly two years since they've been engaged. The wedding is in three months. And yet, last I've heard you're still desperately trying to convince your lady love why she should be with you instead." Tomoyo paused for emphasis, enjoying the way she was making the century-old magician squirm under her gaze. "Who's pitiful now?"

Defiant amethyst orbs met calculating cinereal eyes. Neither were willing to back down. The setting sun was disappearing into the horizon and the now dimly lit student council office turned eerie and cold.

Eriol closed his eyes and released a scoff, allowing himself to lean back onto the cushion of his reclining chair. Eriol turned his gaze to the setting sun, tilting his chair to the side in the process. "Fair enough." He whispered silently.

Tomoyo blinked. Her defiant demeanor slowly faded as she stared at the figure of Hiiragizawa Eriol silently looking out the window. He had the back of his head to her but something about the scene before her emanated loneliness. She had to remind herself that it was Eriol who started everything and that she had only responded in retribution.

The sun had finally set, leaving the faint moonlight as the room's only source of illumination. Tomoyo wanted leave but for some strange reason she couldn't. Perhaps it was the guilt. Perhaps it was her ego. Or maybe perhaps she was enthralled by this side of Eriol she'd never seen before.

"Why do we fall in love with people who treat us like we're nothing?"

Tomoyo jumped in her seat, caught off guard by the sudden sound of Eriol's voice. Clearing her throat, she looked down, unsure of what to answer. She was no expert in love; and a part of her feels as if she was destined to a life of unrequited affections. But if there was something she learned throughout all these years, it was that love was a reflection of self-worth.

"We accept the love we think we deserve."

Eriol turned his attention back to the tiny woman before him. She was sitting with her knees together, one foot under the other. Her hands were still folded on her chest, her head tilted to one side. But her eyes were burning. Perhaps it was the ethereal light of the moon or the darkness of their surroundings, but never before had Eriol seen such a beautiful shade of amethyst.

Tomoyo raised an eyebrow in inquiry. Unsure of why the student council president had been staring at her wide-eyed.

The silent inquiry allowed Eriol to catch himself. "Stephen Chbosky." He added, as he cleared his throat.

Tomoyo nodded. "I'm glad your literary knowledge isn't limited to the early 1600s."

Eriol's mouth fell open at the insult. But it wasn't soon after that a melodic laugh followed suit.

"I was joking." Tomoyo added in between giggles.

"I can't believe you would make such a joke about my chronological age." Eriol shook his head, feigning disappointment. "Lifetimes of reincarnations aren't summative. Besides, I'm not that old."

Tomoyo continued to chuckle, glad that the initial heavy atmosphere had shifted. How it happened, she wasn't exactly sure. But something about the way things felt right now were different. For some strange reason, she felt as if she and Eriol had become closer. As if they could actually be called friends now.

"I'm sorry." Eriol began.

Tomoyo failed to hide the surprise on her face.

"I never should have talked about your personal agendas like that." Eriol added.

Tomoyo nodded. "You're right. You shouldn't have." Came her initially curt tone, before her gaze downcasted. "I apologize as well." Tomoyo's voice turned quiet, her tone interlaced with embarrassment and guilt. "As a person who has experienced unrequited love, I never should have mocked you that way."

Tomoyo glanced back at Eriol only to find him looking back at her with a silent acceptance. They both found themselves smiling at the ridiculous series of events that had just transpired.

"And to think this all started with light hearted banter." Eriol added with mirth.

Tomoyo rolled her eyes. "Hey you were the one-"

Suddenly, the door flew open and a blinding light shone through. "What the hell are you kids doing here in the dark?!"

Tomoyo looked on in panic at the robust security guard waving his flashlight to and from her and Eriol. They've both been so engrossed in the conversation that neither of them bothered to turn on the lights. "I know what this looks like sir but trust me it isn't-"

"Both of you out this instant! You're too young to engage in such risqué behavior! Don't you kids worry about your future?" The security guard held the door open, motioning both of them out with his flashlight.

Tomoyo stood with her hands up in a gesture to calm the livid man before her. "But sir we really weren't-"

The robust guard pointed an accusing finger to and from Eriol and Tomoyo. "I'll make sure your parents know about-"

Tomoyo blinked in confusion at the sudden silence. "Sir?" She tilted her head to the side, slowly approaching the guard. "Sir? Are you alright?" He looked frozen, completely immobile where he stood.

Tomoyo turned around. "Hiira-" She stifled a scream at finding Eriol just an arm's width away from where she stood. Just when did he move out of his chair?

"You checked the entire school building and found nothing out of the ordinary." Eriol began. He was standing before the guard, his gaze sternly on the robust man's glazed eyes. "Now resume your usual routine."

With that command, the security guard nodded and left the room silently.

"What did you do?"

Eriol walked back to his table sorting out the documents he had yet to finish. "Eliminated unnecessary drama."

Tomoyo sneered in amusement at Eriol's choice of words. "You know you could have just explained that we're in the student council. The president is granted permission to hold a copy of all the room keys in the school premises, and working overtime isn't out of the ordinary."

Eriol paused to spare Tomoyo a glance. "True. But that would have taken longer than a few seconds, as well as the involvement of the school faculty. After all, there are only so many things a guy and a girl can do alone in a dark room." He grinned.

Tomoyo rolled her eyes. "Fine." Moving back to her cubicle, Tomoyo turned on her table lamp and began stuffing documents into her bag. She sighed. Looks like she'll be sleeping late again tonight. Closing the zipper of her backpack, she turned around to glance at Eriol only to see him still hard at work. "You're not leaving?"

Not bothering to spare Tomoyo a glance, Eriol replied curtly. "I don't like bringing work back home." Eriol continued to sign a few more documents when a comfortable light gradually illuminated the parchment he had been clutching. Glancing up, he saw a tiny purple lamp on his table.

"It's not good to read in the dark, Hiiragizawa-san."

"Oh…" Eriol fought a smirk as he bit his bottom lip. "Is this affection I'm sensing?"

Tomoyo raised an eyebrow at the teasing remark. "Don't flatter yourself, Hiiragizawa-san." With that, Tomoyo headed towards the door, not bothering to wait for a reply. Turning the knob, she heard Eriol call for her one more time.

"Daidouji-san."

Tomoyo sighed impatiently before sparing him a tired glance.

"Take care on the way home." Eriol allowed himself a small smile.

Tomoyo blinked, taken aback by the genuine gesture. She smirked. "Oh… Is this affection I'm sensing?"

Eriol failed to hold back a smirk. "You always have to have the last word, don't you?"

Tomoyo shrugged, a triumphant grin on her face.

"Don't flirt with me too much though, Daidouji-san." Eriol paused to rest his chin on the palm of his hand. "You might just fall for me."

All he got for a reply was the slam of the door.

Tomoyo rolled her eyes at the resounding laugh that seeped through the walls. She really couldn't understand what was going through that idiot magician's head.

Nearing the school exit, Tomoyo nodded towards one of her bodyguards waiting by the gate. She watched silently as a black Rolls-Royce Wraith made its way towards her. One of her guards nodded as she ushered Tomoyo into the vehicle.

As the car pulled away, Tomoyo couldn't help but glance back to the dimly lit student council office. She chuckled to herself. Who would have thought the day would come where she'd actually find Eriol Hiiragizawa interesting?

END!

I know it feels unfinished to some of you but I like ending it this way. I wrote this story with the idea of ending it with so much potential. Haha! I'm a big fan of open endings and I'm also a very lazy/busy person so even though I have a lot of ideas, I'm not able to put them to writing as much. Also, if you like Eriol and Tomoyo then you can check out my other finished story entitled "Eternity".

Also just to explain for intellectual property rights purposes and for those unfamiliar with the book, Stephen Chbosky is the author of 'Perks of being a Wallflower' and it is from that book that the line "We accept the love we think we deserve" came from. Also, Tomoyo teased Eriol about his knowledge in literature being limited to the early 1600s because it's the time Shakespeare had been alive, and well Eriol referenced sonnet 87 by Shakespeare so yeah.

Thank you for reading! Constructive criticism is much appreciated!