Chapter 1:

Tomoyo woke up with the same dream that's been haunting her nights since a month. It wasn't a frightening one to begin with, but quite opposite. To be specific, it was some erotic drama in which, she was being kissed and made love to in the earthiest sensual way by some masculine guy whose features were a blur to her.

She pushed any thought regarding the dream, when she first had it. But as it continued to haunt her night after night, she's compelled to think over it and she tried to draw something out of it. To speak the truth, she wasn't craving for any man's touch. For that matter, she's not even interested in men, at least for now. Currently she has her career to focus on, which bloomed and blossomed into a small empire of her own, ever since she won the title of "Young Generation Fashion Designer 2010". Yes, she won it at the starting of the year and she's been busy with the work so much that she hardly had time to think about men.

As she entered her bath, she continued to contemplate over the dream. When she had this dream for the first time, she thought she might be attracted to one of those athletic bodied men, who modeled for her and walked on the ramp, bare chested or almost naked except for small briefs.

But every one of them has fake tanned skin which was complete opposite to the man in her dreams. His skin was as pale and porcelain as hers. His body can neither be described as skinny and scrawny nor well-toned muscled athletic one. On top of it, the face was always blurry making it more mysterious and enticing. One thing was clear; he had long hair and it felt soft and good to touch in her dream. Everything felt so real that Tomoyo would sweat right through her night gown and has to wake up to wet her dried up throat at some earthy hour of night.

The surroundings were equally unsettling as the part of her dream took place on futon and who uses futon to sleep now a days when we can have any varieties of beds and cots coming up daily. Another thing was candles; the room held no electric lamps, only candles. Well it's easy to assume that in a romantic gesture they might have used candles but that's not the case. Not a single electric appliance was in sight. And what's with the room? No one lived in those kinds of rooms anymore. They were ancient. All and all the surroundings and the settings were so prehistoric that they belong to neither the present era nor the Meiji era.

So she decided that the dream was more of a fantasy her romantic heart might have cooked up taking after her love deprived life. She believed there's someone out there in the world that would love and cherish her the way how Syaoran cherishes her cousin Sakura; though she has to meet him yet.

Once again Tomoyo came up short as she chalked up all her male models, whose bodies she tried to match with the male body that tormented her dreams. Deciding that ruminating over the dream took her nowhere, she got ready to make in time for breakfast with her mother.

Ever since she declared that she wanted to become a fashion designer, Sonomi worked more hours on the Daidouji Corporation that she has little time for herself and her daughter. Whatever small time she could take out of her tight schedule, she devoted it to spend time with Tomoyo and in turn Tomoyo never complained reminding herself what it's costing her mother to even make that gesture, because sometimes Sonomi has to fly away overseas in the middle of the night regarding some project or Tomoyo has to go out of town meeting a film director or go along some music band to design their costumes for their concert.

"Ohayo Okaa-sama."

...

Eriol sat at his working desk in his opulent office and gazed out of the glass window that offered the view of river The Thames and the highly developed London city. So much has happened after his return form Tomoeda that he never turned back and thought of any incident that took place there during his stay.

The meeting which took place only few minutes ago made him think of Tomoeda for the first time after few years over a decade. He announced his desire to extend his desire towards east as it has already covered all over Europe. And he chose Japan specifically because of it well developed condition and their competitive levels at everything they did were high. Now, he let in all the memories of his stay at Tomoeda as he looked out of his window.

He was in touch with the current card mistress Sakura who made it impossible to ignore. He smiled to himself as he remembered her naivety. 'She's such a sweet little atom bomb' he thought to himself. Though Sakura gave him detailed information over hers and their common friends' life, he hardly paid any attention. He knows that she is bloomed into a beauty who gave most men wet dreams at night. Not that he is one of them. He has his own share of experience with glamorous and wealthy women about whom most men only dreamed about.

He has little regard for women in his life and he planned to leave it as it was. Women needed emotions that he's incapable of and so, he kept himself miles apart from those who betrayed even a speck of those feelings. He preferredwomen who have abundance of self-respect and independence. He like them hot and sexy but who also knew their role in his life, who wouldn't demand much of him and absolutely not one who has eyes of catching him in a wedlock.

Sakura, as he remembered the latest phone conversation with her : which was four months ago, informed him on her recent achievement of adding few more company names in her account of modelling work. Yes, she's become a well renowned model in Japan, for whose face almost all of the country's businesses thirst to hitch in their advertising. She also makes sure to keep him up-to-date about their mutual friends and their family.

Syaoran Li. Eriol smiled to himself as he thought of his, no scratch that, Clow's descendant and the current head of Li clan. As expected of him, he is the coolest head in the linage of the heads. He's reformed everything and expanded the Li clan's business all over China and now, he too was planning to launch his business in Japan. Since the day he got to know from Sakura four months ago, that Syaoran was planning on expanding his branches to Japan, Eriol had this plan brewing in his mind. Yes, Japan. That country would give him the challenges he itched for.

His life has fallen into a routine and discipline without any more challenges and difficulties, which he started his work with. As the days went smoothly he grew more and more restless. He ached for something new, challenging and demanding.

Ray Stuart, Eriol's general manager, entered the room after a slight knock on the door. He was a well-bred Londoner. Who wore suit, tie and whose hair is always groomed back from his face and not a fleck of it is out of place. "We contacted the Li Corporation as per your instructions and MR. Li is on line, wanting to talk to you".

As Eriol nodded his approval, Mr Ray left the room and his PA Miss. Ella Adkins connected the call to him.

"It's been a long time and I find it quite awkward talking to you after such a big gap." Syaoran's voice boomed from the other end. Eriol's smiled to himself again. 'Little wolf has a way with words'.

"How about 'how are you?' "Suggested Eriol, holding back the humour to himself. He could easily imagine Syaoron's face fuming with rage. For some reasons known only to Syaoron, Eriol seemed to get on his nerves."

There was only a second's pause before his reply came. "'And good to hear from you again' might also serve right." Eriol wasn't surprised. Without this spontaneity and light bolting sharp sense, Syaoron couldn't be at the position he presently enjoyed as the head of Li Corporation.

"Coming to the point, it's definitely pleasant knowing that the Hiiragizawa Enterprises is willing to be partners in business with Li's." Syaoron reached the main point of business with his same old straight forwardness. Eriol contemplated about teasing him more but decided he could antagonize him any other time he wanted from now on.

By the end of the conversation Eriol was fuelled with the energy he craved for. As the day's work concluded, he drove to The Thames to spend some time. As he sat on a bench, on the bank of The Thames, he looked towards the London Bridge and leaned back to enjoy the view. His phone buzzed and it displayed his current lady companion's image. He turned it off and enjoyed the warmth seeping into him as it always did when he sat there watching the water flow. His life was perfect. Everything was going how he wished rather than someone else's planned scheme. He's the owner of "Air Voice", a mobile networking company which he bought at the age of twenty one, the same year he got his dual degree in business administration from Kingston University of London.

Selling the shares which he earned since he came back from Tomoeda, he was able to buy a mobile networking company that was on the verge of auction for its depts. He thrived for tough competition, rivalry, tension, complications and most importantly challenges that no mere human can accomplish. This company provided him all those. He renamed it "Air Voice" and in three years it branches has spread all over Europe. Globalizing was one of the top tasks in his agenda and as he realized that half the work is done, his chest filled with pride.Pride:that was the only thing which kept him going currently. He has to prove to the world that he is 'The Eriol Hiiragizawa' and no shadow of any old freaky sorcerer. He was his own person and not a mere puppet in one's ploy mainly not in "His" schemes. The acid churned in the pit of his stomach, at even conjuring up his name.

He dragged his mind away from that thought before the old bitterness gnawed at the warmth and satisfaction he was feeling right now. Feeling content with his achievement, he reached his apartment, which he bought to distance himself from all those awful feelings that kept tormenting his soul for so long. While trying to open the door, he heard sounds of Nakuru and Spinel yelling out loud. He sighed; his guardians will not change even after a light year passes. As he opened the door, splash! He was greeted with a bucket full of cold water.

Standing before him was Nakuru with an empty bucket and a stricken expression on her face. Spinel came into vision, who just came out from his hiding place that is from behind Eriol.

"Baka…" Spinel murmured looking smugly at Nakuru.

Eriol simply shrugged out of his wet coat and brushed of Nakuru who was trying to dry him of with the towel that she carried on her shoulder.

"Gomen Eriol-sama, I was just trying to give this stupid cat a bath." Eriol mentally counted to ten and hung his face. He could hardly change the way they are.

"Pack the bags. We are flying to Japan tomorrow."

Spinel was about to fly towards Eriol when he took a punch in his face that sent him flying in opposite direction. He groaned and looked at Nakuru who was dancing and throwing punches in the air, singing her lungs out cheerfully "Yay! Yay! Japan… Japan… Japan!" She has stars in her eyes.

"You dunce,watch your steps... ahhh…" Nakuru took him and started twirling like a drunken monkey.

…

Eriol, holding his suitcase, came out of his room and stopped dead in his tracks. Three extremely bulged cases stood near the couch in the living room. Nakuru's face was few inches away from his face and she asked innocently "Master, will we be going to your house in Tomoeda?" Well, he wasn't surprised at all. He was accustomed to his, this moon guardian's unpredictable moves. Walking away from her he eyed the over loaded travelling cases warily. Spinel was crouched on one of them. "They are Nakuru's." Eriol stated matter-of-factly. Spinel merely nodded his head in agreement and lowered his head playing the role of plush toy that he wasn't.

The journey to Japan went smooth, but they were tired from the journey and jet lag. As Eriol opened the door, he was welcomed by dust and spider webs. Good thing that the furniture, at least, were covered with white clothing. He eyed Nakuru and wasn't surprised to see tears in her eyes. Well that's that. He decided as he hauled his suitcase to his room.

Not feeling very enthusiastic to clean the house, he declared that cleaning the minimal places should let them pass the night by. He set to clean his own while Nakuru and Spinel cleaned the kitchen and their own room. He fell asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow.

He was running along a path where he could neither see nor sense anything. It was dark and he had a very unpleasant feeling in his gut. He was calling out for someone, bellowing from the depths of his stomach but no voice came out. He couldn't hear his own voice; however he could sense the malice in the air. He could feel all the emotions running through him. He was angry, worried, confused and fear crept slowly over him.

He kept running the never ending road. He was still running when he heard that shriek. It was deafening, ear splitting and definitely belonged to a woman.

Eriol opened his eyes, taking ragged breaths. Sweat beads formed on his forehead. He looked at the unfamiliar surroundings and realization came slow to his mind.

As his breath calmed down, he lay awake in his bed, all the questions running in his head. What was all that about? Why? And where was he running? Who was crying? Why was he having these kinds of dreams after a decade?

Eriol turned on his side and tried to summon up some sleep. Next thing tomorrow morning, he is going to buy a new place to live in, where he wouldn't be haunted by such dreams again. As he made that decision he closed his eyes and managed to slip back into his sleep.

Author's note: Hi guys... I'm sorry that I took so long to upload my chapters, but I'm trying to re-edit my previous work as I'm finding them childish. hope you like this angle of the story though the storyline is same.