Written in Our Stars

by skylark_of_autumn

Summary:

Centuries ago, Clow Reed, had weaved a web of magic that would shape the destinies of his creations as well as the humans whose lives got intertwined with them. However, the most accomplished sorcerer of all times had underestimated the most powerful form of magic, a force named love. Neither did he anticipate the extent that human hearts were willing to go to be with the one they loved. This is a story about how this unforeseen power called love completely changes the course of Clow's plans in connection to one of his finest creations, and two humans, one having extraordinary magical powers, and the other possessing no such magic.

Notes:

This is my first CCS fanfiction. I was overwhelmed by the desire to write this while re-watching the series, which was obviously a different feeling as compared to watching it as a kid. I am still trying to process why I wanted to write this so badly. I guess the pain in Yue's voice as he spoke to Eriol in that scene from Episode 70 was really tangible especially since it was coming from a stoic character, and it really got to me. I felt that he deserved better.

There seems to be a debate about whether Yukito and Yue should be considered as the same person or not, and I think that the anime series has points both in favor of the idea and against it. However, I felt that it leans a bit toward the idea that they were different people considering that Eriol told Yue that he did not anticipate the path that his temporary form's i.e. Yukito's heart took, while Yue's heart was obviously consumed with his longing for Clow at that point. To me, this suggests that they have different hearts and consciousnesses, and thus the underlying assumption of this fiction will be that Yukito and Yue are different persons.

Other than the obvious Touya-Yuki, this story will contain the eventual development of another relationship which I am not divulging explicitly at this point. It is not a common ship either.

Chapter 1: Encouragement

Summary:

Tomoyo has something to tell her cousin brother and his best friend.

Notes:

Hope you enjoy Tomoyo playing her usual part as a matchmaker.

A dark haired young boy sat by himself on a bench at the grounds of Tomoeda Elementary School on a Friday afternoon. Lunch break was just over, and his best friend had been called away to help with the activities of the basketball club a few minutes ago. His dark and expressive eyes gazed at the path ahead for a few moments, before drooping slightly. Had it been any other day, any other time, he would be preoccupied with kicking the soccer ball to the goal post at this time. However, since the events of the week before, he could hardly make it through all the academic classes of the day without falling asleep. Participation in extracurricular activities and especially sports was out of the question for at least a month, much to the dismay of the soccer club and his coach. Luckily, his best friend was almost constantly by his side, and helped him catch up with the parts of the lessons that he missed due to his present spell of dozing off in classes. 

“Touya onii-san,” a soft and melodious voice next to him forced the youngster to reopen his heavy eyelids. 

“Ah, Tomoyo,” he remarked in a tired voice as his eyes fell on the form of his cousin. 

“My choir teacher is absent today, so we got the class off. May I sit with you here for a while” The small girl dressed in the elementary school uniform asked politely. 

“Why do you need to ask?” Touya replied, pointing to the empty spaces beside him. “Go ahead,”

“Thank you,” Tomoyo smiled and sat down beside him. Ever since the events that transpired at the stately house of her classmate, Eriol Hiragizawa, she had been seeking an opportunity to speak with her best friend’s older brother, who was also her second cousin. Her best friend, Sakura was off to her cheerleading practice, while her choir practice got cancelled for the day, creating the perfect opportunity. 

“You are very fortunate, Touya onii-san,” Tomoyo said in a sweet voice, breaking the companionable silence between them. Touya was somewhat surprised. Tomoyo was generally a quiet girl, and did not interact with him much. He had expected that she would just sit with him reading something or taking random shots of the school ground with the video recorder that seemed to accompany her everywhere. 

“What, to have missed my soccer practice?” Touya replied with a chuckle. 

“No,” Tomoyo turned to face him and smiled. “To have a kind, caring and intelligent friend like Tsukishiro-san. Of course he is lucky to have you too. I mean, you are both so blessed to have each other,” Tomoyo explained. 

Touya could not speak for a while. His eyes were fixed on his younger cousin’s face. Touya was perceptive. He did not even need his magical powers to know that the girl before him understood a lot more than other kids of her age. She was his little sister’s best friend, and yet they were so different. The wisdom in her violet eyes was almost a contradiction to her young age. 

“I think that the way you both are always there for each other is absolutely wonderful,” Tomoyo spoke again, folding her hands together to fill up the lack of response from Touya’s end. 

“It is not that simple,” Touya finally answered, failing to control the blush that threatened to creep up the tan skin of his face. He was still unsure if he should be having this discussion with a fifth grader anyway. 

“Is it because of Yue-san that you say so?” Tomoyo asked. 

Touya badly wanted to be surprised, but the fact that he was not that surprised, surprised him in turn. This Tomoyo probably knew the secrets of area 51 and alien civilizations that existed beyond the solar system. Nothing was impossible coming from her, which was pretty remarkable, considering that on the surface she was an ordinary fifth grader, with no magical powers of her own. 

“How much do you know?,” Touya asked, unable to suppress the curiosity.

“Everything, right from the beginning when it all started. Sakura is my best friend after all,” Tomoyo answered with a smile. 

“Right,” mumbled Touya, internally dreading what she was going to ask next. 

“Regardless of Yue-san’s existence, Tsukishiro-san is Tsukishiro-san. Nothing could change that, Touya onii-san,” Tomoyo went back straight to the topic. It was clear that she came to him with a purpose. She then looked away to face the path ahead. “Not everyone in the world is blessed with the good fortune that the two of you have, you know,” she spoke in a slightly different tone of voice. 

Touya understood the implication of everything his cousin sister said. Just as Tomoyo had obviously picked up on the feelings that he harbored for his best friend, he was not oblivious to the one she had for hers either. However, Touya also understood that the two were somewhat different feelings despite their outwardly similar appearance. He was 17, and was about to turn 18 in a few days. Tomoyo was only 10 or 11. No matter how matured she acted, she was still a child. Touya was also quite mature from a very young age. His mother’s death made him grow up quickly in his mind. Nevertheless, he knew that what he felt for Yuki was different from what he had felt a few years ago for a completely different person. Tomoyo’s feelings for Sakura were probably similar to the latter rather than the former. However, she would not understand it if he or anyone else tried to explain it to her at that point. Certainly Sakura didn't when Yuki basically tried to explain the same thing to her, and moped for days. During those years, at the junction of childhood and maturity, those feelings seem very real and immutable. However, they do change eventually, well at least in most of the cases as he liked to think. Perhaps time will show her the difference one day , he thought. 

“It will be alright,” Touya said, not sure if he was encouraging Tomoyo or himself or both with those words. Tomoyo smiled cheerfully. 

“To-ya,” at that moment, a pale skinned boy wearing round spectacles and a bright smile on his face came running from the opposite direction, waving at them. He gracefully surmounted  the fence that separated grounds of the elementary school and the high school. 

“Oye, Yuki,” Touya called out in as much of an energetic voice he could muster. He did not want to worry Yuki needlessly after all that the poor boy went going through just a week ago. 

“They wanted me to teach some passes to some of the new members of the club. I tried my best to do it as quickly as possible. You alright?” He reached the bench where the other two were sitting, and bent down to face Touya with his hands on his knees. Tomoyo watched with a sparkle in her eyes as the two high school students seemed to only have eyes for each other. 

“Geez, of course I am,” Touya looked sideways and leaned back a little from his friend’s stare, obviously embarrassed a little. 

“I am glad,” Yukito said. Finally his eyes fell on the girl sitting beside his friend. “Daidouji-san, thanks for keeping Touya company,” he said in his characteristic polite manner. 

“No problem. I had the class off anyway, so I was the one who came looking for onii-san’s company,” Tomoyo replied, rivaling Yukito in the politeness of her speech. 

“I see. Ne, shall we go To-ya? Math class  starts in 10 minutes,” he said. 

“Hai,” the taller highschooler lifted himself from the bench with a half suppressed yawn.  “Ja ne, Daidouji-san,” Yukito waved back to Tomoyo as the two friends made their way to the fence. The same fence which Touya used to cross with a single leap only a week ago gave him some trouble this time. “Careful,” Tomoyo heard Tsukishiro-san say as he supported his friend. Once the two boys were inside their own school, Tomoyo saw her cousin stumble a bit, causing Tsukishiro-san to take his arm immediately. She smiled. Only a week ago, it was her onii-san doting on his friend in a similar manner, but their roles seem to have reversed so quickly. Tomoyo had seen these two grow with each other right before her eyes. She did not miss the gentle manner in which her cousin would support the weight of his friend’s head on his shoulder as he would fall asleep in random moments of the day, or the carefully prepared and packed snacks and desserts that he just happened to bring every other day to share with his friend, knowing that he loved everything pertaining to food. She had also been a witness to the soft longing in Tsukishiro-san’s stare everytime he looked at his friend, or that he only picked those part-time jobs which allowed him to be close to Touya onii-san. Tomoyo could always sense such things around her, and this time, even the oblivious Sakura-chan seemed to have finally caught on. She had never encouraged Sakura to confess her feelings to Tsukishiro-san since she knew that the person Tsukishiro-san liked the most was not her best friend. But Sakura went ahead and did that anyway, and while she was sad for the sorrow that her best friend experienced at Tsukishiro-san’s rejection, in a way she was also glad that the truth came out sooner rather than later. Sakura had mentioned that her former crush had confirmed that he considers someone else as his number one person. Tomoyo did not ask her who it was, there was no need when it was plain and clear as daylight before her.

As she watched the figures of the two boys at the distance disappearing into their school building Tomoyo felt that she would be happy if those two found happiness with each other. She was determined to help them in that task, and for that she had to make Tsukishiro-san her next target. She briefly  wondered if she could speak to his other form as well, but from what she had seen the angelic being thus far, it did not seem like an easy feat. Yue-san seemed almost unapproachable, in a polar contrast to Tsukishiro-san’s friendly personality. She shrugged the idea off for the present. Maybe later, maybe someday, she thought. 

Sakura had invited her two closest friends, Syaoran Li and Tomoyo Daidouji, as well as her elder brother and his best friend to attend the moon festival at the Tsukimine Shrine with her. At the festival, Yukito walked quietly beside his best friend, on their way to buy the drinks for the smaller kids as Sakura had requested them to. So much had happened within the past few days, with him finding out about his true identity as well as the fake memories of his past that he had been happily living with, Touya giving up his powers to sustain him and his true form, and Sakura confessing her feelings to him, it seemed like he would take forever to process everything. He had discussed most of it with Touya, who had only reassured him that everything will be alright in his usual supportive manner. However he had not yet told Touya what he told Sakura the other day. After all that Touya had done for him, he considered that it would be unfair to keep taking advantage of his kindness without being completely truthful to him about everything, which included his own feelings. 

“To-ya,” Yukito took the other boy’s arm despite the fact that he did not need his support this time. In fact, Touya looked a lot more energetic that evening, closer to his former self.

“Nani?” the taller boy said without turning his face. No reply followed immediately. He could sense the hesitation in the eyes behind the pair of round glasses. He took his other hand out of the pocket of his jacket and brought it up to cover Yukitio’s hand that rested on his elbow as they walked, in order to gently encourage him to continue.

“There is a second reason,” Yukito said. He seemed to draw in a deep breath before he spoke again. “There is another reason why I couldn’t return Sakura-chan’s feelings for me, other than not encouraging her childish crush,” he spoke hurriedly, seemingly desperate to finish the conversation as early as possible. He could feel that Touya’s dark brown eyes were intently observing his face by that time. 

“Yuki, I already told you, you need not explain anymore. If it was about your true form, Sakura already knew that you are not a human. She understands–,” Touya started. 

“No,” Yukito interrupted his friend abruptly. 

Touya’s eyes narrowed.. His friend was an extremely well-mannered boy, and it was not like him to speak before the other person had finished speaking, unless he had something really urgent to say. “Yuki,” he uttered his name in a low voice. 

“It is not about Sakura or my true form To-ya. It’s about–,” but before he could not complete his sentence, the panicked screams of several people reached their ears, and all the electric lights went out one by one. It seemed that there was a short circuit. 

“The circuit breakers for Tsukimine shrine are near the pond, right?” Touya asked worriedly. 

Yukito nodded, “Sakura-chan and the others are there, let’s go,” he firmly took his friend’s hand and started running in the direction of the pond. 

Later that evening, the group was returning from the Tsukimine shrine. The danger that threatened the festival had been taken care of, and Sakura managed to transform two Clow-cards, Thunder and Glow to Sakura-cards, with Syaoran’s help. Tomoyo was satisfied with the videos that she captured for the evening, and the way things were progressing between Sakura and Syaoran. She did her part in encouraging Syaoran to confess his feelings for she knew for certain that Syaoran was the only one who could heal Sakura’s heart. She wanted her friend to return to her usual cheerful self as soon as possible. At the same time, she was eagerly looking forward to executing part B of her plan. They were outside the main entrance of Tsukimine shrine. Tomoyo was supposed to be picked up from there by her family’s car. 

“Oh, looks like they are not here yet,” Tomoyo said, referring to her mother’s bodyguards and the car. 

“It is fine, we will wait,” Touya leant against the pillar of the entrance, and covered a yawn with the sleeve of the long jacket he was wearing. \

“It is fine if just one of us waits. I can stay with Daidouji-san till she gets picked up,” Syaoran offered generously. 

“That’s right. To-ya, you are tired again. Please go home with Sakura-chan. I will wait with Daidouji-san. Li-kun, you should return too,” Yukito said. 

“Oh, I am so sorry, I hope it is not a problem.” Tomoyo said with an apologetic face, her hands clasped together. Internally, she was actually grinning ear-to-ear that her plan was falling perfectly into place. She had asked her chauffeur and bodyguards to arrive a bit later on purpose. She knew Tsukishiro-san would take it upon himself to wait with her, considering Touya onii-chan would be tired, and Li-kun was much younger than the two of them. 

“No problem at all,” Yukito smiled gently to Tomoyo. “See you all later then,” he waved at the others. 

“See you tomorrow at school, Tomoyo-chan,” Sakura waved as she left with her brother and Syaoran. Tomoyo closely observed Yukito, as he gazed after his best friend, following his somewhat heavy steps with his eyes. Finally, when they disappeared at the next turn of the road, he looked up at the full moon shining above them. As she looked at him, for a split second, Tomoyo could almost see the perfect countenance of the moon guardian in the pale, innocent face of the boy beside her. But no, Yue-san would not manifest himself without any cause, she was fully aware of that. She then proceeded to put her plan into action. 

“You are really concerned about Touya onii-san, isn’t it?” she asked softly. 

“Huh?” Yukito drew his gaze back to the small girl’s face, somewhat surprised by the question. “I suppose I can’t help it. After all, Touya has done so much for me,” he said. 

“He is a really kind person,” Tomoyo added. 

“That is why I am thankful that I was able to meet him, to know him,” the grey haired boy replied, a content expression spreading over his delicate facial features. 

“But Touya onii-chan is shy,” the young girl stated, catching her companion by surprise the second time that evening. 

Yukito’s eyes widened behind his glasses. Did not Sakura-chan say the exact same thing in connection to her brother, when he admitted that Touya was his number one person? Was it possible that Daidouji-san also knew somehow? 

“Oh, please don’t worry, Sakura-chan didn’t tell me anything,” Tomoyo quickly said, seeing the look of shock in Yukito’s eyes. “I could tell by myself,” she added, 

“I see,” Yukito’s face relaxed. “I–, I suppose Touya has always been like that,” he said softly. 

“That is why, you should reach out to him even if he does not,” Tomoyo said earnestly. 

Yukito’s amber eyes seemed to glisten in the moonlight. “I want to. I suppose I should. But–,” he paused. How could he explain the reality of his situation to this small girl? 

“I like to think that Yue-san would understand,,” Tomoyo said. 

“Who is Yue-san?” Yukito asked. Was it someone else who was that close to Touya, and he just happened to not know? His heart ached at the thought. 

Tomoyo giggled, finally seeming like  the child that she was. “Your true form. You didn’t know his name?” she said in a sweet voice. 

“Oh,” Yukito relaxed at the knowledge that the thought he just had about someone else being close to Touya was just his imagination, but then tensed immediately. “How do you know?” he asked. 

“Oh, as Sakura-chan's best friend it is my privilege to record her wonderful magical adventures. Of course I would know,” Tomoyo said, placing a hand on her cheek. It almost seemed like she was taking pity on Yukito for his ignorance about everything. 

“Thank you for telling me my true form’s name, then,” Yukito smiled affably. 

“Of course. Although I have only seen Yue-san a few times, and he never talked to anyone other than Sakura-chan and Kero-chan, I still think he is a considerate person. He would understand,” Tomoyo reassured him. 

“I see,” Yukito replied. 

“That is why, please do your best for Touya onii-chan and yourself, okay?” Tomoyo said. 

“I will try,” Yukito gave her a faint smile. That evening, he really saw his best friend’s young cousin in a new light. He knew she was elegant and acted maturely, but he had never really observed before that she was so thoughtful and caring. At that moment, a car drove up next two them, and a woman in a black suit and dark sunglasses came out and waited, holding the door open. 

“That makes me happy. Thanks for waiting for me, Tsukishiro-san,” Tomoyo bowed respectfully, and started heading for the car. 

“Daidouji-san,” Yukito’s voice stopped her. He knelt to face her. “Arigato, Tomoyo-chan. I would like to return the kindness some day, when you need it,” he said, giving her a truly cheerful smile this time. 

“Hai,” Tomoyo said, happy that Tsukishiro-san addressed her using her first name. “Sayonara,” she waved as she stepped into the car. As the car drove off, Yukito started walking home, his mind somewhat dazed from everything. He knew that Tomoyo was a small girl who was blissfully unaware of the full extent of his problems, and that her words probably originated from her childlike wish of wanting to see everyone around her happy. Due to everything that occurred, Sakura, Touya, himself, and even the kid from Hong-Kong did not seem very happy lately. Nevertheless, Tomoyo’s words still gave him a strange feeling of serene hope and confidence. He silently prayed that he could find the strength to tell Touya what needed to be told.

Notes:

Please let me know your thoughts on the chapter in comments. It helps going forward, although I have no idea how active this fandom is.

If anyone has any idea about what the other major relationship would be, I would love to hear your thoughts. A hint is that there are hints in this chapter. It will be fun to see the surmises till we get there, and it is going to be a long story. Thanks for being with me.

Chapter 2: Hope

Summary:

Yukito and Touya share a hope for their future.

Notes:

Assumption for this story: Yukito and Yue are different persons who happen to time share their existence.

Reasons:
1. Eriol talks to Yue about Yukito's heart which implies that they do not possess the same hearts.
2. In the clear cards arc, Touya says "the power I gave you guys," implying that he is talking about two different persons.

The following evening, Touya was studying in his room with his best friend after dinner. They were both meritorious and hardworking students, and usually these study sessions went on quite smoothly. However, that day, Yukito found that his friend was fast asleep within less than an hour, his face buried in his physics textbook. The look of worry came back to the gray haired boy’s face. 

“To-ya,--,” Yukito nudged the boy seated at the adjacent edge of the table. “Oi Toya, wake up,” he said. 

“Let me sleep, Yuki,” the dark haired boy replied in a drowsy voice. 

“Absolutely not. We have the tests coming up next week. If your grades suffer because of this, I will never forgive myself,” Yukito stated. 

“You better not. I tried to tell you so many times before, but you never took it seriously. If you did and if that Akizuki wasn’t around, I would have given my powers to Yue at a more convenient time, long before the tests were around the corner,” Touya said. 

“I was such a fool, wasn’t I Toya,” Yukito replied quietly, gazing down on his math exercise. 

“Hey, I was only joking, okay,” this time Touya finally lifted his head from the desk and extended his hand to rummage the soft gray hair on his friend’s head. “That damn Akizuki and her constant interruptions caused me to nearly lose you,” he grumbled. 

“Arigato, Toya,” Yukito picked up his pencil with a smile and resumed solving the problem he was working on. 

“If you say thanks to your best friend, next time you need anything, I will refuse to give it,” Touya said, flipping the pages of his physics textbook to start a new chapter. Yukito only smiled that smile that made him look cuter than he already was. 

“Speaking of interruptions,” Touya looked up from his book only a moment afterwards. Yukito’s hand trembled a little at the suddenness, ruining his perfect handwriting at one spot. “You were saying something yesterday at the festival when the lights went out,” it seemed that his friend just recalled that part.

Yukito put down the pencil on the desk and steadied himself for what was about to come. “That day,--,” he paused for a moment. “That day, Sakura-chan asked me if there was someone whom I liked the most,” he said. 

Touya, who was calmly sitting with his elbow on the desk, and his face on the palm of his hand, only raised an eyebrow. 

“I said I did,” Yukito continued. 

“So?” Touya asked nonchalantly. 

Yukito looked up at Touya's face at the question. His  amber eyes were very still. “And you are not going to ask me who it is?” he answered with a question of his own. He wondered how Touya was being so calm in this situation when his heart felt that it had jumped up to his throat from his ribcage, and his hands and feet felt so cold. Is all these inconsequential to Toya then? He thought. 

“I think I already know that part,” Touya calmly responded. 

Yukito’s eyes widened, and his lips parted a little as if to speak, but no words came out. His held his own left hand tightly with his right one. 

“It is me, isn’t it Yuki?” Touya finally asked after enjoying his friend’s thoroughly confused and somewhat scared look. 

“It is,” Yukito responded in a shaky voice. 

“Good,” Touya said, and glanced at his textbook again. 

Yukito was astounded beyond words. He could not think clearly anymore. What was happening? He just confessed his feelings to his best friend and he was acting so casual about it? Good? What was that reply supposed to mean? Was it an acceptance? A rejection? If it was anyone else, he would think that they were mocking him, but Touya would never do such a thing. He decided to try one last time. “And it doesn’t bother you?” he asked, his voice breaking a little toward the end. 

Touya looked up. “Why would it bother me? Geez, Yuki, you are acting all nervous as if you are declaring your love to a girl you barely know and have a crush on,” he chuckled a bit. 

Suddenly, a realization dawned on Yukito. Could it be that Touya did not understand what he was trying to say? Because they were both boys, was it beyond Touya’s imagination that his best friend could have such feelings for him? He did refer to him as the person he liked the most. Friends do like each other right? In fact, they were best friends because they liked each other a lot. That must have been how Touya interpreted it. He sighed, reaching through his glasses to rub his stinging eyes with his fingers. It was strange though, that the farsighted Touya who saw through everything could not understand such a simple thing, especially when the topic came up in conjunction with Sakura’s confession.  He could play along, and pretend that what his friend understood was all that there was to the matter, but he did not feel like backing out anymore. If Touya was really that guileless, it would be unfair to deceive him any further. 

“Toya,” Yukito called in a determined voice. “You probably do not understand. That is exactly what I am doing. Well, not to a girl of course, and I believe that my feelings are far more deeper than a simple crush, but it is essentially that,” he paused, drawing his eyes away from his friend’s face and towards his folded hands. “Sumimasen, I need a glass of water,” he said, wanting to excuse himself from Touya's presence. It seemed that Touya was thinking how to respond. He had said what he needed to, and he knew Touya was too kind to reject him with hurtful words; he did not want to increase the burden his words must have created on his friend’s  mind by sticking around for an answer. He knew firsthand how bad it felt to reject someone’s feelings, especially when that person is someone you deeply care for. He never felt good each time he had to reject one of the several girls from junior high that he barely knew and who approached him with similar confessions, and when it came down to poor dear Sakura-chan, he had to place a stone on his own heart to be truthful with her. Touya had also faced similar situations several times in the past, so he knew that awful feeling all too well. 

Yukito got up from his spot at his friend’s desk and proceeded towards the door. As he was passing by Touya, a tanned arm reached up and held him by his wrist. “Yuki, there is water right beside your desk. And I understood you perfectly the first time itself,” his friend said in an even voice. 

Yukito finally dared to glance back at Touya's face to note a soft expression gracing his handsome features. “You did?” he almost stuttered. 

“Of course. You are quite easy to read. Especially if even that monster of a sister could eventually read your feelings. I wish she understood sooner though. Besides, there are hardly a few hours in a day when we are not together. Who else could it be?” the teenage boy said in a practical manner. 

“Then why didn’t you say anything? I thought–” Yukito started, but was interrupted by the other boy. 

“Yuki, did you already forget what I told you that day? Right after you fell from the balcony?”  Touya’s expressive brown eyes gazed intently at his friend’s delicate young face. 

“How can I forget that?” Yukito responded quietly. 

“I haven’t said those words to anybody else but you. Not even to Kaho. And I will never say those words again to another person who is not Yuki,” he pulled his friend’s wrist a bit to make him sit down beside him. “Is that elaborate enough for you to understand who the person most important to me is?” Touya said. 

“Toya,” Yukito said as he slumped beside his friend. His wrist was still held firmly in Touya’s grasp.

“Those girls from school who confessed to me asked me the same thing as Sakura asked of you. And my answer was the same as yours,” Touya finally removed his hand from Yukito’s wrist and looked down, his shy nature returning as the intense moment passed. He mentally thanked the heavens that it was only his best friend whom he fell in love with, and not someone he did not know well enough. If he had to say such things to such a person, he would have been half-dead halfway through it. 

So, Sakura chan was right after all,” Yukito’s pale fingers reached for Touya’s face.

“That monster,” Touya said. “But that makes you dumber than a monster, let that sink in,” his tone lightened as he spoke. 

“I was unsure. But Sakura-chan was wonderfully supportive of a brother who always calls her a monster though,” Yukito smiled after a long time. “To-ya,” he called his name with a pleasant lilt to his voice. The other boy did not answer. "Since  when?” he asked. 

“Huh? You mean–,” his friend fumbled for words. 

“Your feelings towards me,” Yukito explained. 

“Oh, that,” Touya ran his fingers through his sleek dark hair. “I guess it is difficult for me to say exactly. I mean we have always been together since you enrolled in our school, so it sort of, you know,--, just happened. I did not know it myself till I felt that your energy was fading away,” he answered, gently lowering his head to rest on Yukito's shoulder. 

“I guess it is the same for me. I liked spending time with you, but never thought much about it. You know Toya, when I thought that I was dying from some novel and incurable disease, the first thought that came to mind was that I would never see you again. I knew it then,” his friend said, as he drew his face nearer to Touya’s  till their foreheads touched. He brought up his other hand to rest on his friend’s broad shoulder. "How much I cared about you," he said in a whisper. 

The taller boy only closed his eyes as felt his face heating up from their closeness. It was true that they had always been close; he had often held Yuki in his arms during the phase when he was slowly fading away, ruffled his hair, and pulled his cheek. He also knew how they both felt about each other. Nevertheless, after having said it out aloud, being near to his Yuki like this somehow felt different. He could feel the other boy’s breath on his neck, and the warmth of his face next to his as he leaned down towards him. Suddenly, he heard a small gasp. He opened his eyes to see a horrified look on his friend’s face.

“Yuki,” he simply uttered his name, and waited for him to speak, lifting his head from his friend’s shoulder. 

“We are not alone, are we Toya?” Yukito asked aghast.

Touya decided to be honest with his friend. After all, it could not be helped. “No, that magical moon guardian or whoever is probably watching us from within you,” he replied simply. 

“Yue-san,” Yukito said in a whisper, not bothering to explain how he came to know the name of the moon guardian at that moment. 

“Yue? Yeah, I believe that’s the name he gave when we met,” Touya said.

“He is here with us, right?” Yukito asked again, as if to reaffirm the previous answer. . 

“I believe so. He did seem to know that I had told you that I do not want to see you disappear that time,” Touya replied. 

“I see,” Yukito sighed. “It makes sense. I am his temporary form after all. This form will no longer be needed one day,” his voice fell. 

“Yuki,” Touya placed an arm around Yukito’s shoulders and slowly pulled him against his chest in a gentle embrace. “You are more real to me than anybody else. I did not give away my powers to Yue for the sake of anyone’s temporary form. I did it for the person that is irreplaceable to me. Yue promised me that he will not allow you to disappear. I don’t think he will go back on his word,” he tried to reassure his friend. Poor Yuki would still need some time to process his reality. “I will be right back,” without waiting for an answer, he decided to allow his friend a bit of time to organize his thoughts. 

When Touya returned to his room a little later carrying a tray of two cups of tea and a snack, Yukito was still sitting motionless at the same spot. His glasses were placed on the desk before him and his hands covered his eyes. A look of concern passed on Touya’s face as he carefully placed the tray on the desk, and sat down beside the upset boy. “Yuki,” he called, placing a hand on his back. 

Yukito removed his hands from his face and looked at the boy he loved. Touya saw that the expressive amber eyes that would normally shine with a smile even when his lips did not smile were now devoid of any expression. They almost looked like Yue’s eyes, empty and hopeless. There were also two damp spots underneath his eyes, it looked like he had wiped away some tears just a moment ago. Touya’s heart tightened in his chest. He had never seen his best friend cry before, not even when he was about to fade away. 

“Why is it like this Toya? I thought I would be the happiest person in the world the day I hear from you the words that you told me today. And honestly, I could go mad with joy. Yet, why do I feel this pain in my heart? Why do I feel like I can sob all night, and yet it seems like someone is forcibly holding back my tears from within, making my eyes burn like hot flames? What is this feeling Toya?” Yukito asked. 

“Maybe you have been reading too many sappy love stories,” Touya chuckled in an attempt to cheer up his companion. “Our story is nothing like those,” he added softly. 

“Love. Yes, that would definitely explain why I feel such contentment. I want to be in love with you, be loved by you, more than anything else. But I do not want our relationship to be built upon Yue-san’s pain, upon Yue-san’s sadness. Is this the pain that Yue-san feels that I am feeling now?,” Yukito replied, two drops of tears finally rolling down his eyes, not caring anymore if his friend would tease him later about it. 

Touya did not answer immediately. He was gazing at the ceiling blankly, appearing to think something. “Toya, you don’t agree?” Yukito asked in a broken voice. 

“No Yuki, in fact I do,” Touya brought back his intense stare upon Yukito’s face. “You haven’t seen him, Yuki, I did. The empty look in his eyes made me shudder. I don’t know who this Clow Reed was or what caused Yue so much pain, but--,” he suddenly pulled his friend in his arms once again, and placed his chin on top of the shorter boy’s head, “I know that I would give anything to not see the same look in your eyes,” he said earnestly. 

“Toya, I have always been happy with you and Sakura-chan. You and your family, you all never gave me a reason to feel such emptiness,” Yukito said. 

“I wish I could tell you that the pain you feel is not true,” Touya continued, not paying much attention to Yukito’s earlier remark. “I wish I could be selfish and just banish this Yue from my mind and keep all of you just to myself, because that is what I indeed want,” his arms tightened around the slender form of the boy in his arms. “But I cannot do that when I know that Yue is as much of a victim in this situation as we are,” Touya sighed. “Maybe even more,” he ran a finger along each side of Yukito’s delicate face, wiping away the streaks left by his tears. “That is why I did not tell you anything. I knew that nothing will change between us at this point,” he finished. 

“You are saying that we cannot be together?” Yukito asked, the dismay evident in his voice. 

“Don’t be stupid. I said nothing will change at this point. But that does not mean that I shall give up the hope that one day I will be able to make you mine entirely,” Touya responded. 

“But how?” Yukito asked, raising his large eyes to Touya’s face. 

“Honestly, I don't know at this point. At this point, Sakura needs your other form and he has his own set of duties to fulfill. But maybe, one day all these will be behind us. Yuki, if I do not hope, you will never be mine, but I know that if I keep that hope in my heart then surely that day will come. I shall do whatever it takes,” Touya said in a resolute manner. 

“Toya, you really can, make anything possible, isn’t it,”  Yukito finally relaxed in Touya’s arms, His eyes shimmered with the hope that his friend's words were able to successfully transmit to his heart. “Then I will also wait for that day, and I will do my best to help you to accomplish that,” he stated. 

“Just don’t burden yourself too much alright? And stay with me until that day,” Touya said quietly. 

“There’s nothing else that I need beyond that. You know, I would stay with you forever if I could,” Yukito smiled. “Although, for now, I just want to know Yue-san a bit better. You know, he has been silently helping me since he took your powers,” he said. 

Touya raised an eyebrow at his friend. “Helping you? He did not reach out to me ahead of time, and I almost lost you that day when you fell off the balcony,” he muttered. 

“He is probably just shy, Toya. Somewhat like you,” the other boy giggled softly. 

“I am nothing like that brooding guy. Well, what’s he doing now? Tell me,” Touya demanded. 

“Nothing to be concerned about, Toya. Well, sometimes he takes care of the housework when I am asleep. I wake up to find the dishes done and rooms cleaned,” Yukito said cheerfully. 

“He doesn’t seem the type to do all that stuff. At least the one at our house does nothing but make desserts disappear. Are you sure that your house has not recently got haunted or something?” Touya remarked, cracking a small smile at the mental image of Yue vacuuming the floor. Somehow, it seemed like a hilarious scene. 

“Don’t be rude To-ya, he might be listening you know,” Yukito said. “Let’s try our best to help Yue-san, onegai?” he added. 

“Ah, if he ever bothers to tell us what his problem is, that is?,” Touya said. “Hey I brought tea, it is getting cold. He released his friend from his embrace, took a cup of tea from the tray and handed it to him. “Here, have this, dad baked an apple pie yesterday, he wanted you to have some,” he cut a piece of the slice of pie with a fork and brought it up to Yukito’s mouth. After having their tea and snack, they went back to their respective textbooks for the remainder of the evening.  

Later that night, Yukito quietly stood by the window in his bedroom. The moon shone in all its glory outside his window. Yue-san, I can never be truly happy with the person I love the most until you are too. Why are you suffering so? What can erase this pain? He tried to have a silent conversation with his other self. There was no answer in his head, just a deathly silence. 

Notes:

Please let me know what you think so far. Hope to see you again in the next chapter.

Chapter 3: Commitments

Summary:

Touya asks Yukito to give him something, and Yue receives an unusual request from his other form.

Notes:

Someday, I'd love to meet the other me - Yukito in Clear Card episode 4.

I would also love it if that happens. Let's see if we can make that happen in this story at least.

A tall and handsome young man in his mid twenties was working in a research lab one summer afternoon, when the phone in the pocket of his lab coat buzzed once. He waited to finish the procedure that he was performing, before removing the disposable gloves from his hands, and retrieving the phone. There was an unread text message under the name of Tsukishiro Yukito. 

Going home early today , the short message said. Kinomoto Touya scrunched his brows. Deciding that he had enough research done for the day, he proceeded to the room next to the laboratory to enter the data of the observations for the day, before changing the lab coat for a normal jacket and heading out. He waved a casual goodbye to the colleagues he met on his way out and ignored some of the glances of a group of undergraduate girls near the elevator. Once outside, he headed for the station located in the next block to take the train home. 

Touya took his phone out to see if it had received another message once he was on the train, but there was none. Fortunately for him, the train was not too crowded, so he got a seat for himself. The seat next to him was also empty. On many of the days, his best friend since high school would be sitting beside him on a ride home like this, chatting about something, munching on some of the snacks that he would have picked up on the way out. He would usually be hungry by afternoon, and sometimes sleepy. It amazed him that his friend managed to both eat and fall asleep within that short half an hour train ride back home, often using his shoulders as a head rest. However, it was still a relief to know that this fatigue was not induced by depleting magical energy, but by the stress of graduate school. Time really flew by when he was with Yuki, Touya thought. They had already completed college, and were on the track to complete their doctoral degrees at the university in less than a year's time. His younger sister who seemed to be in elementary school only yesterday was set to start her sophomore year in college the coming semester. 

However, Yukito had decided to return early from the university on that occasion. They were in different departments at the university, with Touya doing his doctoral thesis on analytical chemistry and Yukito on theoretical astronomy. Therefore, it was not possible to see each other much outside the lunch hour. However, they always tried to synchronize their time of arriving and leaving the campus as far as their schedule and work requirements would allow. But on that day, Yukito left without checking with him first. It troubled Touya a bit. His friend still had occasional phases when he doubted the reality of his existence and everything around him. During those times, Touya would steadfastly be beside him. Conversely, Touya himself had phases when he would be worried sick about his younger sister’s safety as she dealt with dangerous magical forces. Through those phases, his friend would comfort him with the assurance that Sakura was becoming stronger, and could control her powers better than ever. As more time passed, and his little sister continued to grow more powerful, and he had fewer and fewer occasions to worry for her safety. Besides, as his own powers returned gradually, he could sense that the brat from Hong Kong had himself become a lot more powerful. He went to the same college as Sakura, and as much as he despised that kid, he could not help but admit that the boy loved his sister truly, and would always protect her. That did not mean he would not resent him snatching away his role as his sister’s protector for the rest of his life. 

Once he got off the train at Tomoeda station, Touya retrieved his bike from the bike park and started biking towards their neighborhood. He knocked at the door of Yukito's house once he reached it. The door opened after a few seconds, and the boyish face of the young man he loved appeared on the other side. Yukito did not change much in all these years, and from his appearance one would guess that he was probably a year or two older than Syaoran, Sakura and Tomoyo. 

“Toya, I knew you would come here,” Yukito said sweetly, but his smile did not appear as bright as usual. 

“Yo, what was the hurry to return home?” he questioned. 

“I was tired Toya, and I didn't want to interrupt your work, I am sorry,” Yukito said as he turned back to walk inside. 

Touya closed the door behind him, and wrapped his arms around Yukito’s shoulders as he approached him from behind, “Baka,” he said. 

“Toya, your hands smell of ammonia,” Yukito scrunched his nose, trying to free himself. 

“I had worn gloves most of the time, and also washed them with soap before I left, you know,” Touya released the smaller man, bringing up his hands near his nose. He did not get a strong smell of the said chemical. Yukito was really sensitive when it came to such pungent chemical smells, while he had become habituated to them. Sometimes he wondered if Yuki’s heightened senses were due to the nature of his true form. 

“Those lab soaps are awful. Use mine in the bathroom,” Yukito said. 

“As your highness wishes,” Touya joked as he headed to the bathroom, where he found a lavender scented hand soap ready on the counter. He smiled softly. Yuki was still a delicate person with delicate tastes after all. 

When he returned to the living room, he saw Yukito sitting there with his laptop open before him, seemingly working on his thesis, “Toya, will you have dinner here? I have some,--” he started. 

“No, I had written on the board that I will be back for dinner tonight. I just came to see you,” the taller man interrupted his freind. 

“You just saw me at lunch,” Yukito smiled. 

“Yeah, but–,” Touya paused. “Everything okay, Yuki?” He asked straightforwardly. 

“I guess I have been spacing out, huh?” Yukito looked up at his friend’s face through his round glasses. Touya sat down beside him, and lightly touched his shoulder. 

“Tell me, Yuki,” Touya said. 

“I have been thinking, Toya,” Yukito replied slowly. “We will both finish graduate school in a matter of months, and then what?” he asked. 

“Have not decided yet, have you?” Touya asked the man he had been with for almost a decade. 

“There are other stakeholders when it comes to my decision,” Yukito replied, his eyes gazing down. 

“Yue,” Touya said. 

“Yes, and also yourself. You had been wanting to go to the US for post doctoral research right?” Yukito asked. 

Touya realized that his friend had seen him looking at the websites of different foreign universities on his laptop, and caught on. “I would not go anywhere without you,” he smiled. After all the time that they had been together, did Yuki still worry that he would leave him behind one day? Silly Yuki , Toya thought. 

“That is what worries me. After all, it is your dream,” Yukito quietly stated. 

“I won’t deny that it is. But we had another dream Yuki, the one involving us always staying with each other. I refuse to give that up,” Touya said. 

“You might regret it one day,” Yukito said. 

“Yuki, you know better than that,” Touya turned his face away, a bit hurt by this time. Yukito immediately reached out and held his hand. 

“No, you won’t. I know. I am sorry. It is I who will hate myself for standing in the way of the dreams of the person I love the most,” he told Touya. 

“Yuki, I won’t have you saying–,” Touya started but Yukito did not stop there. 

“No Toya, please listen to me. For too long you have bound yourself to a person whose very existence is fake. My memories, my background, my family, all of it. I never had a childhood or anyone to care for me. My grandparents were but a figment of my imagination, fabricated by magical powers. The only family that  I ever have known was yours, Toya. I mean, I don't even know why I am Tsukishiro Yukito,” he broke into a small sarcastic laugh. “Someone must have kindly picked that name for me; since I had no family, they must have been so very generous, ne Toya?” he paused.  

“Yuki, this type of sarcasm does not suit your character,” Toya gave him a displeased look. 

“Then tell me Toya, what can such a fake person like me give to you?” Yukito said. 

“Your name,” Touya said the first thing that came to his mind without thinking much.

“What?” Yuki asked, trying to process his friend’s strange reply. 

“Your last name; the name of the family you never had; I was hoping that you could give it to me someday if you like, so that you can have a real family, if you still believe that Sakura, dad and myself do not already think of you as our own,” he paused briefly, blushing a little. “And I quite like the name Tsukishiro, so I would like it to be mine someday,” he added. 

“Toya, you–,” Yukito started with wide eyes, but he was interrupted by the sound of the phone ringing. 

“Geez, who the hell calls at landline numbers nowadays,”  since Yukito kept sitting transfixed in his spot, Touya got up to answer the phone. 

“Moshi moshi,” the tall young man said when he picked up the receiver. 

“Touya-kun,” the shrill feminine voice at the other end of the line pierced his ears. 

“Akizuki,” Touya gritted his teeth in mock anger, but this was probably the first time in his life that he actually welcomed an interruption from the magical being who was Yue’s counterpart. “You could have dialed Yukito’s cell number. Why are you calling here?”  he asked. 

“Call me Nakuru,” there was a girly laughter at the other end of the line. “It is you whom I wanted to talk to. I had to take my chance since you always disconnect the line whenever I call you. I thought you might be here,” she laughed again. 

“Well, What do you want?” Touya asked. 

“Is Yue-san alright?” Nakuru or Ruby Moon asked. "He has not called Eriol in days," she elaborated. 

“Have not seen him in a while. Though, haven’t heard of any problems either,” Touya answered. 

“Good,” the small sigh that left Nakuru’s mouth did not escape Touya’s ear even over the noisy telephone line. “And your powers?”

“They are none of your concern. Now, good night, or rather morning,” he said and placed the receiver down with a thud, thinking about the time difference between the two countries. He turned back to see that Yukito had moved to stand behind him. His hand rested on the wall beside him, and there was a serene expression on his charming face. Normally Yuki would have protested against his rudeness to Akizuki and insisted that he called her again to apologize and see if she had anything more to say. Instead, he just stared at him, with something in his eyes that even Touya could not quite read despite being with him for so long. Damn , Touya thought, a very small part of him regretted having said his earlier words to Yukito, but for the most part he felt relieved to have conveyed them. 

“Kinomoto Touya,” Yukito finally said. “Did you just propose to marry me a moment ago?” he asked with a mischievous twinkle in his eyes. Again, something that was rare for his personality. 

“I wouldn’t be asking you to adopt me when I already have a dad, would I? How else would I get to have your last name?” Touya tried to crack a poor joke to cover up his embarrassment at the situation. 

“And you are serious?” Yukito blinked. 

“Have I ever been otherwise with you? But I do not mean it immediately. Right now, there is no way, I understand, but eventually; you cannot tease me about it until that time, alright? And please do not insist on inviting that damn Akizuki,” Touya gave a jumbled response. 

Yukito smiled warmly. He walked up right to the taller man, and leaned against his chest, placing his head on his shoulder. His hand reached up to clutch the lapels of Touya’s jacket. “You always find a way to make me stay, isn’t it Toya?” he said softly. 

“Yuki,” Touya encircled his beloved with his strong arms. 

“Still, it is quite surprising to me,” Yukito giggled lightly. “I had always imagined that you might ask me to become a part of your family some day, not the other way round,” he said. 

“It could work that way too, but I would rather give you something that you have always regretted not having since the day you found out about it,” Touya said. 

“Yes, Mr. Tsukishiro,” Yukito’s muffled laugh could be heard again. 

“Hey, no teasing you have to promise,” Touya said somberly. 

“Can’t do that sorry, but I will try,” Yukito raised his bright amber eyes to the face of the man who had been with him since the they were high school students and had kindly welcomed him to his heart and his home.. “We will always be best friends, right Toya? I mean I would want my husband to also be my best friend,” he said. 

Touya noticed that he was not the only one embarrassed, for a pretty color had appeared on the pale cheeks of the young man he held in his arms. He leaned his face down a bit and brushed the gray bangs from Yukito’s forehead to firmly press his lips there. Yuki looked so adorable, he simply could not resist, and did not care if Yue took offense in that simple form of affection. “Of course,” he replied. “You know Yuki, my dream of us going to the US for our postdoctoral careers is linked to my other dream of having you in my life,” he said. 

“What do you mean?” Yukito asked. 

“Yuki, it is not just about the career opportunities that we would have. In that country, we could legally marry each other and enjoy all the rights that any other married man and woman has, you see? There is nothing that I want more than to lawfully call you my husband one day,” Touya explained. 

Yukito’s eyes sparkled. “I understand,” he said. “It would be a dream for me too,” he said. “But how can I take away Yue-san from the place where he is supposed to be? I don’t think that I have that right,” he said. 

“Ah, that is something that we will have to figure out,” Touya said. 

“But when? I know you said that we should wait, but for how long Toya? It has been so many years. You have fully regained your powers, but we did not find a way,” Yukito said, desperation evident in his voice. 

“I really wish I had an answer to that,” Touya replied. “But at present, I don’t know. However, I am willing to wait even if I grow into an old man in the process,” Touya replied earnestly. 

“It would be so cruel to have your life ruined that way because of someone like me,” Yukito drew back and inhaled sharply. His eyes shimmered with a mist of moisture. He opened his mouth, about to follow up his previous sentence with some more words, but suddenly his eyes closed and his head fell back. A pair of glowing white wings enveloped his slender form soon and when they unfurled again, in his place stood the moon guardian in all his glory, white wings spread out, silver hair pooling at his feet, arms crossed on his chest, and a tiny scowl on his beautiful face. 

“Hey long time no see?” Touya greeted his best friend’s other form. 

“I am not obliged to pay you a visit,” the cold and husky voice replied. 

“Why do I have the pleasure of your presence then, Yue-sama?” Touya jested. . 

“The mawkish dialogs that you too were exchanging were getting on my nerves. It was like sitting through the performance of a poorly written medieval tragedy. I would have had a headache if I was capable of it,” Yue replied. 

“Well, I am sorry if I offended you. But I have some right too, when it comes to Yuki, you know,” Touya answered with a frown.

“I know. You have more right over him than myself or anybody else. That is why, I do not wish to stand between the two of you anymore. That is all I wanted to convey to you,”

“Well. you don’t really have a choice do you? After all, you are the true form, so you are always present within Yukito. But thanks for the consideration,” Touya replied half-heartedly. 

“I do have a choice. I can choose to erase my existence,” Yue replied brusquely. 

“What do you mean by that?” a look of confusion crossed Touya’s face. 

“It simply means that I do not wish to exist anymore,” Yue answered in an even tone. 

“Yue! What the hell are you talking about? I think I had made it clear that I would not allow you to take Yuki away from me. And didn’t you promise to protect Sakura when I took your powers? Did you not give me the word that you would protect Yuki and yourself? How dare you say that to me when I told you that I would be destroyed if anything happened to Sakura or Yuki,”  a livid Touya shouted. 

“Impatient and emotional creatures, that’s how you humans are,” Yue turned his face to the side dismissively, facing away from the man before him. “I never said that I will take Yukito with me. He has a right to exist, he has earned his place all through the years, I won’t deny him that. And I have kept my word, I have done my best to protect your sister whenever she needed me, but now she is powerful enough to not need my protection any longer. It is only I who wishes to go and it would be the best for everybody,” Yue explained. 

Touya did not seem reassured in the least bit, “Yue, what makes you think that you don’t have the right to exist too? What are you talking about? Suicide? Euthanasia? Well, I don’t care what it is, but I am not having any of that, and neither would Yuki or Sakura want such a horrible thing,” Touya was still furious. 

“Concepts like suicide and such do not apply to beings created purely from magic such as myself. I was not born, and hence I won’t die. I won’t feel anything the way mortals  do, which includes the pain and the regret that accompanies a mortal’s death. I was created for a purpose, and when that purpose is complete, it is only natural that I should cease to exist,” the moon guardian said in an emotionless voice. 

“That still does not justify such a thing,” Touya answered, his face stern. 

“Don’t be irrational,” Yue snapped at that point. 

“You are the one who is being irrational here, Yue. Didn’t I tell you earlier, that you are easy to read, much like Yuki? Despite how cold and distant you want to make yourself appear, I can easily tell that you have a heart, and a soul. Your heart is not that of a human, and yet it pains, am I right, Yue? Yuki says he feels just a bit of that pain sometimes. Is your pain so unbearable and the weight of your memories so heavy that you do not wish to exist anymore? You make it sound like you are taking a rational decision for the benefit of everyone else, and probably that is how you convince yourself as well. But in reality, all you want to do is run away from your pain, and seek salvation in the realm of non-existence. Well, this Clow Reed seems to have been a very mischievous person, and I would love to smack him in the face if I could, but I am sure even he did not intend to create a coward who ran away from his problems,” Touya said confidently, with a small smile on his lips.

“Enough,” Yue hissed through his teeth. “You have spoken enough,” his voice cracked just a little bit. “It’s useless to speak to you anymore on this, I am changing back,” he said. 

“Wait,” Touya reached out trying to grab his hand, but Yue had already started transforming back. Touya sighed. When the transformation was complete, innocent amber eyes gazed at his face. 

Yukito could easily see the look of distress on his friend’s face. “Should I ask what happened?” he asked gently. 

“That damn Yue! He appeared just to tell me that he wishes to disappear for our sake,” Touya almost growled. 

“Disappear?” Yukito blinked his eyes. 

“He says he wants his existence to be erased while keeping your form intact, so that the two of us could be together,” Touya elaborated.

Yukito gasped audibly, his hand reaching up to cover his mouth. “That’s not what I ever wanted, why would Yue-san think something like that? It makes me feel like an awful person.” he said. 

Touya extended his arms and placed his hand on Yukito’s shoulder. “Yuki, that’s not how you are, and Yue knows it well enough too. He knows that you would never want such a thing, and neither would I, regardless of how much I want you,” he said. 

“Toya we would never be happy with our lives if we stand by and watch Yue-san make such a sacrifice for our sake,” Yukito said plaintively. 

“Sacrifice my foot! That Yue is such an escapist. He is just using us as a pretext to get what he wants. I will never allow him to succeed in that plan,” Touya said firmly, his voice betraying his anger at the situation.  

“Why do you think he wants to disappear, Toya?” Yukito asked in a feeble voice. 

“I think that now that Sakura has grown stronger, and has that Hong Kong brat with her all the time, she does not need his protection anymore, which makes him feel that his existence is somewhat useless. He told me something which implies just that. And also –,” Touya paused.  

“And also he carries the burden of Clow-san’s memories, and that indescribable pain that accompanies it. His heart is probably overwhelmed by it,” Yukito completed his friend’s unfinished sentence. Through his frequent interaction with Keroberos, Yukito had obtained bits and pieces of the information about Yue’s strong attachment to Clow Reed, and had shared some of his findings with Touya at times. He did not care if his true form hated him for trying to dig into his past, for it was necessary to help that lonesome soul, something Yukito had been determined to do right from the beginning. 

Touya nodded in understanding, “that guy has lost his purpose in living in every way, even though he will never acknowledge it,” he said. 

“Do you think that we could help Yue-san find a purpose in this world, Toya?” Yukito asked hopefully. 

“A purpose? Like what?” Touya questioned. 

“You know, when I was about to disappear all those years ago, I wouldn’t have cared that I would no longer exist, had it not been for you. Your friendship, your company and your love made me want to continue living. And it still does the same job to this day. I cannot even think about leaving you or this world anymore,” the other young man answered quietly. 

“You mean if Yue could also love someone, he would not want to cease to exist so easily?” Touya said. 

“Yes, that would be ideal,” Yukito finally smiled. “Although, it need not even be a romantic relationship. It could be a close friend, a dog, a kitten, a horse, flowers, a hobby, volunteering for the underprivileged, or really anything that would make him want to keep living, and not leave; just someone or something that takes away the loneliness he has buried deep within himself,” he said in a desperate voice. 

“I don’t know. Does he not care for Sakura and Keroberos already in some way? Yet he wanted to leave them? I think he is just being selfish,” Touya answered. 

“He does, I am sure. However, Sakura-chan and Yue-san are not each other’s number one person, despite what Clow-san intended. I guess the two of them, Syaoran-kun, you and I have collectively ruined Clow-san’s plan,” Yukito laughed a little. 

“Serves him right. Preposterous of Clow to think that he can control people’s emotions like mere puppets,” Touya said scornfully. 

“My point was that Yue-san needs to find someone or something that he needs and that needs him back. Something that will occupy the number one spot in his life,” Yukito went back to the topic. 

“I suppose it might work. But I am not sure how it would happen, when all he does is keep dwelling in the past and wallow in the memories of a dead magician,” Touya said. 

“Then we have to bring him back to the present,” Yukito said with a smile. “I think I have an idea. Tell me Toya, how is Yue-san like?” he asked?

“He is distant, and reserved,” Touya answered. 

“I would have guessed so, But what I mean is what does he look like?” his friend asked again. 

“Almost unrealistically perfect, I would say. He looks like a piece of sculpture, like something that can only be created artificially to be flawless, in order to be admired from a safe distance,” Touya replied candidly. 

“Does that mean he looks like a human? Not like Kero-chan?” Yukito asked inquisitively. He had neglected to get that information from Keroberos thus far. 

“I have not seen the true form of that plush bear if he has one. But Yue is pretty much a human in appearance once he makes those large wings disappear that is. Although, I would still say that his hair is way too long to be realistic--,” he was interrupted by his friend’s voice. 

“That’s perfect. To-ya, all we need to do is free Yue-san from his past memories and bring him back to the present,” Yukito's expression turned jovial in a moment. 

“Huh?” Touya asked. “What’s your plan, Yuki?” 

“I want Yue-san to experience living in this world as I have, Toya. I want him to go out and interact with the world in his true form,” Yukito answered. “If he looks like a human even in his true form, it is all the more easier,” he said gleefully. 

Touya smiled. This is why he loved Yuki so much. The young man had such a deep empathy for everyone around him, something that had touched him profoundly. “I am not sure if that reclusive guy would find it agreeable though. He will dismiss me if I try to convince him,” he said with a chuckle. 

“I know, and you are not good with words, Toya. So, leave the task of convincing him to me,” Yukito suggested. 

“Well, you cannot really meet him, and he heard your plan anyway, and is probably cursing us both right now,” Touya said. 

In response Yukito pulled his friend's hand. “I know what I am doing Toya, it doesn’t matter if Yue-san knows already. Come with me,” he led the young man to the living room. Taking his cell phone from his pocket, he handed it to him. “Please record a video for me Toya,” he requested. 

Touya nodded, “Got you.” For the next five minutes or so, he recorded Yukito speaking to the camera. When Yukito was done with his small speech, he took the phone and connected it to his laptop. A video of him speaking popped up on the screen. 

“Just make him watch the video okay?” Yukito said, as his pale hands worked on connecting a headphone to his laptop. 

“I shall try my best, but your other form is such a stubborn guy, and proud to add to that,” Touya replied. 

“I am sorry for all the trouble we both cause you, I will be changing now,” Yukito smiled. A moment later the transformation was complete and before Yukito’s open laptop sat Yue, his face neutral, yet irritated. 

“You left without saying goodbye. Sorry, we had to call you back,” Touya chuckled. 

“Why are you both so concerned about me?” Yue asked coldly, pinning the young man before him with his sharp pale blue eyes. 

“Yue, for so many years you have seen me from within Yuki. If something were to happen to me, wouldn’t you be concerned at all?” Touya asked. 

The delicate lips on the pale face turned down a bit. “I suppose I would,” Yue answered. 

“Then think of our concern in the same way,” Touya said. “Now if you could please watch the video Yuki wanted you to see –,” he started. 

“I already heard all that he had to say, and it makes no difference to me. I have seen the world through Yukito’s eyes all these years. I have no such attachment which can hold me back,” Yue stated flatly. 

“Ah, yes, you have seen the world. You have seen Yuki’s world through those empty eyes of yours. It is the same as watching a movie that tells the story of a different person. You did not really experience anything on your own, other than the magical stuff you assisted Sakura with. How do you know that the world is not worth living in if you do not give it a chance?” Touya said. 

“I do not wish to partake in futile endeavors,” Yue responded. 

“Yuki told me it was not my job to convince you, and he was damn right. My job is to make sure that you watch the video, and I am going to make sure that I do that,” Touya said, as he moved to pick up the headphone lying on the table, and place it on the silvery head of the young man seated at the table. “Don’t you dare change back until it is finished, because each time you do, Yuki will recall you. I know my best friend that much, he will not let you escape so easily,” Touya glared at the moon guardian. He quietly hoped that Yuki’s words would do the job. Unlike him, his friend got along with everyone really well, and due to his amiable personality and politeness, people mostly had a hard time turning down a request from him. 

With an exasperated huff, Yue clicked on the play button on the screen before him. On the screen, appeared the familiar face of a charming young man with skin as pale as his own, but with a cheerful expression which could not have been more different than the solemn expression that perpetually characterized his appearance. 

“Yue-san,” the face on the screen smiled brightly and bowed a little. “Thank you for allowing me an opportunity to convey my words to you. I know that you don’t want to be held for long, and thereby, let me come straight to the point. Yue-san, the human world is not perfect, as you might have observed. Nevertheless, I cannot but appreciate the fact that there is still kindness, hope and joy to be found in this imperfect world, and I am ever thankful that because of you, I got to experience all that, and I ardently wish you could do the same. Sakura-chan, Kero-chan, Toya and I care for you very much, and while we cannot change what Clow-san had or had not done in the past, it troubles us all to see that you still dwell in the past. That is why Yue-san, I want you to take some time to explore the world as your true self, and I am sure that before long, you too will realize what I mean,” Yukito’s face in the video paused a bit at that point, and Yue narrowed his eyes. “Yue-san, I have wanted to meet you someday, ever since I learned about the duality of our existence. If there is magic powerful enough to erase the existence of someone as powerful as yourself, then there might also be magic powerful enough that can make us meet face-to-face as two separate persons, don’t you think so?” Yukito’s face on the screen continued. “I always knew that you were kind, and I appreciate that you thought about our happiness, but the way you suggested may not be the right one. Yue-san, before you take any decision, my humble request is that you give yourself ample chance to experience life. Perhaps the antidote of your pain is right before you and you do not even know it. I would be happy to make time for you to do that. Please allow yourself to experience  the world as Yue, and not merely observe it through Yukito. Please live, and not simply be alive. That’s all I had to say, thanks for your time,” the man on the screen bowed again as the video came to an end. Yue suppressed a small sigh.  There is only one type of magic which could separate our shared existences, and it has already disappeared from this world, he thought. Nevertheless, the words struck him somewhat differently than it did when he heard them while the video was being recorded. The face on the screen seemed to be directly looking at him, and he could see the earnestness in Yukito's eyes as he spoke. 

“Well?” Yue heard the deep voice of the man who loved his other form.

Yue lowered his head and his silver bangs shielded his blue eyes from view. “Once a week,” he whispered under his breath. Somehow, he felt that the look of disappointment and sorrow did not fit on the cheerful young face that was speaking to him a while ago through the video. If that is what made his guileless other form happy, then so be it. He could endure everything a bit longer. 

“What?” Touya asked, perplexed. 

“I agree to live in the real world in my true form for one day a week for an entire year. After a year from now, I shall decide if this experience of living that my other form is so fascinated with is really worth it or not,” Yue raised his eyes and replied in his usual stoic voice. 

“That’s a start, I will let Yuki know,” Touya said, relieved that the suggestion was not entirely dismissed by the proud man.

 “I am going back then,” Yue answered. When Yukito reappeared, he met the smile in Touya’s eyes. 

“Toya,” Yukito edged closer to the other man. “Did it go well?” he asked anxiously. 

“As well as you could expect,” Touya answered, placing a hand at the back of Yukito’s head. “Yue gave us a timeline, although he agreed to the plan,” he stated. 

“A timeline? What sort of timeline?” the gray haired youth asked. 

“He has agreed to live as his true form for one day a week for an year before he decides if the experience called life is worth his effort,” Touya replied with a frown. 

“I see,” Yukio quietly responded. “Don’t worry Toya,” he wrapped his arms around his friend cheerfully. “A lot can happen in a year. The two of us became close friends within a month, remember? Tomoyo-chan and Sakura-chan have been best friends since almost the day they met. I am sure everything would work out fine,” he said, as he leaned against his companion’s arm, with a peaceful expression on his face. 

Notes:

A bit longer chapter to make up for the delay in updating. Please let me know how it is going so far, and any thoughts on what could happen.

Chapter 4: Coincidence

Summary:

Tomoyo meets an old acquaintance at an unexpected place, and Touya gets some advice from his father.

Notes:

#1. All the children are grown up now, as you might have guessed from the previous chapter. Meiling, Tomoyo, Sakura and Syaoran are about 19, and Toya and Yukito are about 26. I would say Yue looks like about 23 in his true form, but I guess that is immaterial.

#2. I really do believe Kero-chan and Spinel-chan were having a long distance relationship from the things shown in the clear card arc. In the "Leave it to Kero" segment, we see two teddy bears labelled as "cat" and "bear". It appears as though they have exchanged those bears, and fans probably know what exchanging bears mean in the CCS universe. This is just one of several hints. It is probably the ship that no one asked for, hehe.

While reading this story please remember that while a part of it won't resemble canon, it is still written in the spirit of the CCS universe, where it is possible for any two people to fall in love. I am not sure if that is an agreeable concept in the context of the real world, but I think 85% of the relationships in CCS are quite wholesome, and the one that I am trying to develop here would surely be too.

A young girl entered the reading room of the Tomoeda Public Library one Saturday afternoon, her hands carrying three heavy volumes that she had just selected from the bookshelves. There was still about a month left before her college started again after summer break, so it was the perfect time for her to indulge herself in some pleasure reading. It was fortunately not too crowded, but someone sat at almost every desk near her. She looked around, mentally debating whether she should ask the person seated at the nearest desk for permission to sit there, or walk all the way down to the far end of the hall, where there was likely to be an unoccupied desk. As she took a step further, trying her best to see the far end of the hall, a strange sight caught her eyes. Someone with long silver hair, oddly resembling someone she knew, was sitting by himself next to an window towards the end of the hall, surrounded by several books. Yet, she also knew that it was improbable that the person she knew could be found in a place like this. So, her curiosity drew her closer to the strange sight. As she approached the person, she became more and more sure that the improbable event was in fact the truth. I wonder why he got the sudden urge to read books today, that too this form , she thought. As she was pondering over it, one of the books slipped from her fatigued arm and landed on the floor with a thud. She mentally reproached herself, and bent down to pick up the volume she had dropped on the floor. When she straightened herself and looked up, icy blue eyes were watching her from the desk ahead of her. 

“Yue-san,”  the young lady smiled courteously as soon as she got her bearings back. “Nice to see you here,” she greeted, as if finding the magical moon guardian of the Clow cards at their town library was the most expected thing ever. Although she felt a little bit of curiosity, she did not ask why he was there, assuming it would appear rude to be inquisitive of  a person she barely knew. Honestly, she did not even know how to speak to Yue-san, and could not remember a time they had an actual conversation. However, since he had already seen her, as an acquaintance, it would be impolite to  simply walk away without greeting him. 

“Daidouji-san,” the silver haired young man returned her greeting as laconically as possible. It was a miracle that he even bothered to remember her name. Probably, it was due to the fact that she was Sakura’s best friend. 

“Do you mind if I sit at the other side of the desk?” Tomoyo asked, more due to the fact that her arms were tired of carrying the heavy books, than out of the desire to seek the company of the introverted person she was talking to. Yue silently nodded and gestured to the desk he was seated at. 

Tomoyo set down her burden on the desk as quietly as possible and seated herself diagonally from Yue across the desk. Once she was seated, she noticed Yue’s attire. He was not dressed in his usual white outfit, but in normal clothes,  which consisted of a trouser and a formal shirt. Of course his usual outfit would not be suitable to wear anywhere in real life other than at a costume party, which she was almost sure that he would never attend. However, it was still strange that he was wearing formal clothes on a Saturday afternoon. Nevertheless, it would probably have been stranger if she were to find Yue-san wearing a pair of jeans and a tee with a cap on his head. It seemed that like their personalities, the dressing style of Tsukishiro-san and Yue-san also had nothing in common. She noticed that the young man’s eyes were intently focused on the pages of the book before him. Suppressing a small giggle at the bizzareness of the situation, Tomoyo opened the cover of one of her books. 

Both Tomoyo and Yue continued to read their respective books in silence. The daylight faded into dusk, and the place gradually grew more empty as many of the library patrons who had been reading there started leaving one by one. Tomoyo had dozed off for a few moments as she rested her head on the desk before her. When her eyelids opened again to scan her surroundings, the person seated at the diagonally opposite to her was no longer there. Just like Yue-san to leave without saying a single word , Tomoyo thought. Unlike his other form, Yue was not one to care for pleasantries. She quickly glanced at her phone, it was 7:15 PM already. Tomoyo moved to gather her books and belongings, planning to check out a couple of volumes for reading at home over the week. Once the young girl working at the front desk had scanned the barcodes of the books that she wanted to check out and linked them to her online account, she placed them in her backpack, and headed out into the evening streets of Tomoeda, illuminated by the lonely streetlights. She hummed a tune in her throat as she walked to the nearest train station. Once she entered college, with great difficulty she had convinced her mother that it was alright for her to use the public transport just like everyone else. She had already received weird looks when an entourage of bodyguards would show up at the college to pick her up or drop her off. It made her stand out so much that many of the students started treating her differently from others. Except the group of friends she had grown up with right from elementary school, almost everyone else treated her with the civil deference of an important acquaintance rather than with the cordiality of a friend. It was something that Tomoyo never wanted, and when they were children, her social status never came in the way of making friends. However, people’s perception of the world changes as they grow older, and as humble as Tomoyo was, she could not really help it if people knew her as the daughter of the owner of a big company rather than through her own identity. 

Sonomi Daidouji had actually wanted to send her daughter abroad for education once she finished school, especially since she consistently received perfect grades throughout her school. However, Tomoyo could not bear the thought of staying so far away from all her friends and the quaint little town she grew up in just yet. She had requested her mother to allow her to enroll in a local college, assuring her that she would definitely be considering the other options if she decided to go to university for graduate studies. Fortunately, her mother was understanding enough in such matters. 

Everything all right with the cards and Sakura? Tomoyo typed a text message and sent it to Keroberos after she had boarded the train and claimed an empty seat. The appearance of Yue-san without any tangible purpose was by no means a standard event, so she could not help but worry about all her friends who were users of magic. 

“Tadaima,” Touya announced his presence as he returned home from his part time job that same evening. His father was at home and was setting up the dinner table with his sister’s help. 

“Okaerinasai, Touya-kun,” Fujitaka greeted cheerfully. He watched his son close the door after himself, slightly disappointed that Touya was not accompanied by the boy who had almost become the fourth member of his family over the years. 

When they sat down for dinner a bit later, Fujitaka brought up the topic again. “Tsukishiro-kun usually dines with us on the weekends. I wonder if he is doing alright,” he remarked thoughtfully. 

“He is doing fine, dad, just busy. He would be needed elsewhere on Saturdays from now on, but I am sure he will stop by sometime tomorrow,” Touya answered as truthfully as was possible without divulging the details pertaining to his friend's dual identity. Thankfully, while his father was very caring in a parental way, he was not overly curious about such things. Touya had the utmost respect for the man before him for everything that he had been silently doing for him and Yukito over the years. Indeed, Touya could not have given that lonely boy a place to come to anytime without feeling like an uninvited outsider had it not been for the unconditional support of his father and sister. 

Sakura however gave her brother a quizzical look. She knew well enough how much Yukito-san was partial to her dad’s cooking, and more importantly she was also aware of the yearning he had for spending time with all three of them during these family dinners. He would not simply miss it for a trivial task. “Oni-chan, were you being mean to Yukito-san?” she asked with a concerned expression on her face. 

“Geez, I don’t know why you keep holding on to such an idea. Has Yuki ever told you something like that?” Touya asked casually as he chewed his food. 

“He won’t, even if he is hurt, because he is so gentle,” Sakura defended the absent person.

“Don’t make foolish assumptions, monster,” Touya made a face at his little sister, who was not so little anymore. “Otherwise, I won’t be gentle at all with that brat whenever he is mean to you,” he said with a smirk. 

Sakura was swallowing a big rice ball. She clenched her fist into a ball and brought it down on the table loudly.. “Syaoran-kun has never been mean to me, and if he ever is, I wouldn’t tolerate it, because I am not as gentle as Yukito-san,” she said zealously as soon as she managed to gulp down the food. However, as soon as the words were spoken, both siblings realized that amidst their banter they had almost forgotten the quiet presence of their father who sat at the same table. However, it was not the first time that it had happened, and Touya was almost sure that through such unintentional subtle implications, his father kind of knew that the relationship his daughter had with that brat from Hong Kong was akin to what his son had with Yukito. Both the brother and sister were bashful enough to not bring these things up on purpose before their father though. Thus, an awkward silence followed, where Touya grabbed the glass of water, and gulped it down, trying to hide his blush, while an equally embarrassed Sakura muttered something about the food being delicious, and continued to stare at her plate as she resumed eating. 

Fujitaka smiled kindly at his two children, pretending to have not picked up on anything, “let me get the desserts. I made fruit custards today,” he said, adjusting his spectacles on his nose. 

“I want two servings,” Sakura piped up, relieved that their father changed the topic. Fujitaka simply smiled and went to the kitchen. Touya knew that the second serving would go into that yellow plushie’s stomach, and wondered if their father also silently knew that there was another non-human being who resided in their house. Afterall, the generous man always seemed to have extra desserts ready for Sakura to take up to that lazy sun guardian whose present life goals were to excel in every video game on the market, and pursue a long-distance relationship with another magical being named Spinel-sun through emails and video calls. If only the moon guardian were that carefree and played video games once in a while , Touya sighed, wondering whether Yue was having a good day while being out in the world in his true form. 

It was Touya’s turn to do the dishes after dinner that day. As he was setting down the dishes in the kitchen sink, he saw his father walk up to him. “Allow me to give you a hand, Touya-kun,” Fujitaka kindly offered. 

“There aren’t that many today dad, I will be done shortly. You can go and rest,” Touya resisted. 

“I insist, Touya-kun. You had to cover for me the day before yesterday when that unexpected dig came up,” Fujitaka smiled. This time, Touya also smiled and nodded. The two men started cleaning the dishes standing side by side. “Have you decided what you want to do once you earn your degree?” Fujitaka asked after a while. 

“Not yet dad, I am thinking about it,” Touya answered. 

“Is Tsukishiro-kun not in favor of going abroad for postdoctoral research?” Fujitaka asked again. “For a student of his caliber, securing such a position should be relatively easy,” he added. 

Touya felt somewhat perplexed, unsure how to explain the situation to his father. His father was an eminent professor and researcher in his field, and it was natural for him to expect that his son would come to him for academic career advice. He could not blame him if he had felt a little hurt that his son was not even willing to discuss his career options openly with him. “Well, not exactly. But Yuki has family obligations which require him to remain in Japan at the moment,” Touya finally answered as honestly as he could. 

“You are not planning to go abroad without Tsukishiro-kun, are you?” his father asked, his face more concerned this time. 

“That is not an option for me,” Touya quietly responded. 

“I thought so,” Fujitaka sighed softly. 

“We are still trying to figure it out. Some day, I hope that I will be able to share more encouraging information with you, dad. But we both do not know when it will happen, if at all, so please forgive me if I disappoint you in any way,” Touya said, a bit remorsefully

Fujitaka smiled, placing a gentle hand on his young son’s back. “It's not your career that I am worried about,” he said. 

Touya stopped scrubbing the plate in his hand, and turned a little to look at his father’s face. “Dad?” he asked, silently asking for an elaboration. 

“You are both great students, and I am sure that you both will do well, no matter where you live and whichever career path you choose. Rather, I am worried about your happiness, which a father cannot help but do. And as far as I could tell, that is connected to you being with Tsukishiro-kun,” Fujitaka told his son. 

“Is that what you truly want, dad?” Touya questioned, his voice barely above a whisper. 

Fujitaka could clearly see the emotions playing within the depths of the dark eyes of his son. “As I said, I want you to be happy. And of course, I want the same for Tsukishiro-kun. I am grateful that the two of you were able to know each other, and care for each other. Tsukishiro-kun’s disposition reminds me of Nadeshiko-san so often. I have been away from you and your sister due to my work much more than I would have liked. Without Tsukishiro-kun’s presence, I know that both Sakura and you would have been more lonely. That is why, sometimes, I find myself looking forward and taking comfort in the fact that a kind and gentle person like Nadeshiko-san will always be there for my son,” he explained. 

“Dad!” Touya quickly extended his hand and held his father’s arm for a moment before drawing it away. He was not a person who was outwardly emotional, and his shyness soon overcame him. “Thank you,” he said, and when those words were spoken, his father understood that they were from the very bottom of his heart. 

“Don’t thank me, Touya-kun, but seize the opportunity of happiness when it presents itself to you. As you must be aware, the US could provide a better life to the two of you than what is possible in this country at the present day,” Fujitaka reasoned. 

Touya lifted his hand to brush back the bangs from his forehead. His father was probably thinking that he was hesitating with regard to his relationship with Yuki because they were both men, and that there was some sort of disagreement between the two of them over the prospect of seeking opportunities abroad. His father managed to convey a lot without saying much at all, and the advice he offered was quite pragmatic, and has been the basis of Touya’s own reasoning for considering opportunities in that country. However, how could he explain to his father that the fact that Yuki and himself were both men was the least of their concerns at that point? How could he tell him that the young man his son was in love with was not even a human, without sounding like he had some serious mental issues? And to tell his father that the person whom he just compared to his beloved deceased wife was meant to only be a temporary form of an centuries old and yet naïve temperamental magical being? No, that would be beyond ridiculous. Besides, the secret was not only his to disclose it to others. Touya shook his head. 

“Did I say something wrong, Touya-kun? Perhaps, I spoke too much. I thought it was time that I told you these things. And I will do the same for your sister once I feel that the time is right for her,” Fujitaka stated, noticing his son’s gesture. 

“No dad, you said nothing wrong. In fact, I have been considering things along the same lines. And I will continue to do my best for everyone involved. Please, wish me luck,” Touya finally smiled genuinely, in order to reassure his father. 

“You always have done that Touya-kun. And I know you will succeed this time too,” Fujitaka lightly brushed his hand over his son’s dark brown hair. They were done washing the dishes, and Touya stacked them up and placed them on the countertop. “Come, let us finish drying these, and then we are all done,” he smiled back cheerfully. 

Tomoyo was getting ready to go to bed that night when the notification tone of her phone sounded. She stopped brushing her long hair, and looked at its screen. The sun guardian had finally replied, possibly while catching a break from his video games only when dessert arrived after dinner. They are all doing great. Why? Keroberos had written. 

Tomoyo placed a hand on her cheek and thought a bit about how to answer. She did not know if Sakura, Kero-chan and the others already knew that Yue-san was out in the world in his true form, and hence she was not sure if Yue-san would appreciate it if she passed on that information to others. After all, it was a mere coincidence that they happened to run into each other in the library. Who knew what went on in the mind of that mysterious person? It was none of her business anyway. She took her phone again and typed: just checking. Hey, I am planning to try a new cake recipe next weekend, want to try some? Once the message was sent, a reply came immediately. It was a large YAY, followed by a lot of happy emojis. Kero-chan never missed anything pertaining to food, especially sweet things. As Tomoyo predicted, the word “cake” was enough to make him completely forget the previous topic, which was what she wanted anyway. 

Tomoyo spent a lazy next week, reading the books she had borrowed from the library through Saturday. On Sunday, she baked a large black forest cake and went to her best friend’s place with it. Touya oni-san was not there when she arrived, but Tsukishiro-san was there, helping Fujitaka-san with dinner preparations. Sakura had just returned from her double date with Li-kun, the other couple being Chiharu-chan and Yamazaki-kun, and her face had sparkled from the happy memories of the day. Once Touya oni-san returned, they all had dinner together, and then it was Kero-chan’s turn to get the most awaited dessert. Of course, a perfect picture of the cake slice was snapped, and sent to Spinel Sun before the treat disappeared into the small creature’s big mouth. Tomoyo and Sakura chatted for an hour after dinner in Sakura’s room before Tomoyo left. Everything seemed to be perfectly normal in that household.

Tomoyo went back to the town library again on the following Saturday, to return the books that she had finished, and find new ones to read. She was roaming amongst the bookshelves of the fiction section, reading the titles and picking up the ones that seemed interesting. After flipping through their pages, she either placed it back on the racks, or kept it with herself if she felt that she had liked them enough to read further. She had already picked up two books in that manner, and was hunting for her third selection. A title placed on the topmost level of the rack caught her attention. Carefully balancing the weight of two heavy books which she held against her chest with her left arm, she stood on her tiptoes and reached out her right arm for the book, but her fingers did not quite reach it. Glancing around, she could not see portable wooden steps that were placed in every row for people to use to gain easier access to the top levels of the racks. Someone must have removed it. With a sigh of despair, she attempted to reach again, tiptoeing to an extent that she nearly lost her balance and would have fallen backward had not someone’s hand lightly caught one of her shoulder blades. 

“Thank you so–,” she turned her head to express her gratitude to the stranger who helped her, to find herself staring into icy blue eyes. “Yue-san?” she questioned, mouth slightly agape. 

“Which one?” the silver haired man asked. 

“I am sorry, what do you mean?” Tomoyo asked in bewilderment. 

Yue closed his eyes momentarily, as if annoyed that the girl did not get the question. “The book that you were intending to retrieve,” he explained. 

“Oh,” Tomoyo mentioned the title of the book she was reaching for. He speaks as if every additional word he uses will cost him one year from his eternal life, and expects everyone to understand it regardless, she thought rather wryly. Her eyes widened again as she watched Yue’s feet covered with black leather shoes leave the ground. “Yue-san,” she cautioned the moon guardian who was floating at least a foot above the ground in a low voice. “Someone might see you,” she said apprehensively. 

Yue had acquired the book that Tomoyo wanted. He calmly landed his feet on the ground again, unfazed by the feeling of alarm that characterized the countenance of the young girl. “There is no one else in this entire section at the moment,” he extended the book to the girl before him. 

“Thanks, you can sense it, I suppose?” Tomoyo asked as she took the book from Yue’s hand. The moon guardian nodded once, and started making his way out of the row of shelves. Tomoyo followed him back to the reading room, since she had also obtained all that she needed. She noticed that he held two books in his hands, and saw him take a seat next to the window once again. The reading room had plenty of unoccupied desks that afternoon, so there was no need to go over to Yue’s desk. Not that she would mind, but he seemed like a person who would prefer to be left alone for the most part. She placed her books on the nearest desk, and settled down. 

Tomoyo felt thirsty after a few hours, and went to the vending machine near the front desk to get herself something to drink. As she approached the vending machine, her gaze went through the large window between the machine and the front desk that opened to the adjacent lawn. There were a few large trees, and some benches beneath them for people to sit down and relax their eyes with the sight of the greenery, if they wanted to take a break from reading. All the benches were empty except one, where Yue-san was sitting. She glanced back to the front desk to find that someone else other than her was observing him intently. Tomoyo instantly recognized the dreamy look on the face of the young girl who worked at the front desk, probably as a part time job, as she gazed out of the window. Considering Yue-san's unworldly attractiveness, she sort of  expected that the sight of him would captivate the attention of most women. Smiling to herself, Tomoyo bought a second drink from the vending machine. She was somewhat put off by his aloofness in the morning, but she knew he was not being deliberately cold with her, it was just his basic nature to be like that. He did prevent her from falling and got that book for her, for which he deserved her gratitude.  

Tomoyo walked out to the lawn, carrying two cans of beverage. The setting sun on the western horizon was painting everything in its golden hue. She approached the bench where Yue-san sat. “Here,” she said, extending one of the beverage cans to the young man seated at the opposite edge of the bench. 

“I don’t drink,” Yue responded offhandedly, without turning his face to look at her. 

“Huh?” The reply caught Tomoyo by surprise. She drew back her hand, inspecting the label of the bottle curiously, wondering if somehow she got the wrong kind of drink. “This is just fruit flavored soda, not alcohol,” she tried to clarify. She was only nineteen, not even of the legal age to buy alcohol. Why on earth would Yue-san think that she would offer him an alcoholic drink out of nowhere? Besides, he did not even look at the beverage can. It did not make sense to the young girl. 

Yue realized that his words were misconstrued, since that statement also had a different implication to most humans. “I do not consume human beverages, or food,” he clarified, leaning back against the backrest of the bench, his gaze still fixed ahead of him. 

“I see,” Tomoyo finally sat down on the opposite edge of the bench. She wondered vaguely if Sakura knew about it. It was not that Yue-san was ever a topic of discussion between them, so probably she had no reason to tell her. “Kero-chan and Tsukishiro-san, they eat our food, so I had no idea,” she added

“The former one has no need for it and just happens to be a blithe creature who craves such unnecessary things. The latter however needs food for sustenance,” Yue informed. 

“Is that so?” Tomoyo said as she finally opened her own beverage can and took a sip. “I shall return the other one then, thanks for telling me,” she smiled brightly at the young man seated on the other side of the bench. A silence followed as expected. Tomoyo studied Yue out of the corner of her eyes as she sipped her soda. The long sleeves of his shirt were rolled up to his elbows, revealing his slender and pale forearms, and his hands were folded on his lap. The loose ponytail with which he usually tied the far ends of his long hair was looped over itself, probably to prevent it from brushing the dirt on the ground. He was a being designed to predominantly fly, as Tomoyo realized. While flying, it was not a problem if his hair went past his feet, but while walking the streets as a human, he had to make that practical adjustment. Even with the looped ponytail, his hair still reached to his knees. The earring with the bright blue jewel was still present on his left ear, and stood out in contrast to the pastel shade of his shirt. He was sitting with his eyes closed as if in meditation. 

“Do you like it here at the library, Yue-san?” Tomoyo asked hesitantly after a while, wondering if the question would annoy the reserved man. 

Yue opened his eyes slowly. “It is tolerable, since it is  quieter here than most other parts of the town,” he replied. When his other form had the strange idea of making him go out and explore the world in his true form, it did not take long for him to realize that the place where he would like to spend that one day of each week would be a library, away from the noise of the town. “And they do have compelling collections of older books here,” he added. 

“I am glad of that,” Tomoyo replied with a smile. For the first time she noticed Yue giving her a sideways glance out of the corner of his eyes. 

“You didn’t ask why I was here like this today and the day before,” the moon guardian remarked. 

“Why would I? I mean, was I expected to ask that?” Tomoyo turned her face fully towards Yue as she answered. 

“Does that mean you know the reason?” Yue followed up with another question. 

“Not really. I won’t deny that I was surprised when I saw you here the other day, simply because I have not seen you go anywhere in your true form. But at the same time, you are free to go wherever you wish to, and you just said that you liked reading things here. So, what's the problem?” the young girl responded. 

“It was my other form’s idea to let me experience the world as myself,” Yue quietly informed, not sure why he bothered to tell her. 

“I think it is a brilliant idea too. I hope you will soon be able to find other places and activities that you really like,” Tomoyo replied with a radiant smile. Taking the last sip of her drink, she stood up to go back inside to her reading. Surprisingly, Yue stood up too. The sun had already set, and the two made their way back to the reading room of the library in the soft glow of the twilight. When they were at the door, Yue held it open for her to pass through. The girl at the front desk must have observed them from inside, and gave Tomoyo a baffled look, before shifting her glance to her youthful companion. Yue gracefully walked back to his previous seat without sparing the poor girl a single look. 

As Tomoyo passed the girl in order to throw the empty can of drink in the trash, and return the unused can to the vending machine, she tried to give her reassuring smile. She observed that a badge pinned to her shirt carried the name of Hana. If she really set her heart on Yue-san, she would probably end up heartbroken. Nevertheless, Tomoyo knew that people could always change. She did not really have an opportunity to interact with Yue-san before that day, but during the brief moments that they conversed a while ago, she realized that although Yue-san was cold and distant, he had a certain civility in the way he spoke, which many youths of the present era lacked, and there was a certain degree of earnestness to his words. It was perhaps due to the fact that was actually from a different era, and had been put in a vegetative state until his awakening during the final judgment. While part of it was also true for Kero-chan, he seemed to have quickly adapted to everything in the modern world. On the contrary. talking to Yue-san was somewhat like talking to one of those characters from the classic fiction books that Tomoyo loved to read. She had a feeling that things were about to get interesting from there, and as a keen observer of such developments, Tomoyo was definitely excited. 

Notes:

Please leave a comment, as it really makes a difference while writing future chapters to know that there are folks other than me who are interested in it. I try to keep everyone in character in my stories, so please point out if you see any lapses. That would help me too. Thanks for your time.

Chapter 5: Moonrise

Summary:

Tomoyo reflects on her life under the light of the moon.

Notes:

Tomoyo sings the song Misty Moonlight together with Akiho in episode 6 of clear card.

Tomoyo was sitting alone on a bench outside the library the week after that. She had come to the library earlier that day, and her eyes were tired from reading all day, but she was not ready to return home just yet. There was nothing much to do at home anyway, with her mother being away on a business trip. During such times, she missed her carefree childhood, when such weekends would be spent either in the joyful company of friends, or in designing costumes and editing videos, which was her most favorite part. However, with maturity, all those preoccupations gradually slipped away from her. It was when they were in high school when her dear friend Meiling Li had finally told her something which shattered the illusions that she had for many years. 

“Tomoyo-san, you have to let it go,” the girl from Hong Kong who was visiting her friends in Japan had told her one afternoon, as Tomoyo was showing her a latest model of a drone camera that she was planning to deploy to capture Sakura and Syaoran’s lunch date on the next day. 

“Let go of what?”  she had asked, perplexed. 

“You have to stop letting your life revolve around Sakura-san,” Meiling had answered in a brutally honest manner that was only possible for her. 

“What do you mean? She is my best friend!” Tomoyo had said. 

“That is why it is all the more important for you to understand. Tomoyo-san, I really do want the two of you to remain best friends all your life, but there are boundaries in every relationship. It was different when we were little kids. While what you did seemed odd at that time, no one would take it seriously then. But we are grown-ups now. Tomoyo-san, please realize that there are moments of life which are too precious to be captured by a camera. There are smiles which you would only want the person most important to you to see, and words which are only meant for their ears. Ever heard the phrase that two is company, three is a crowd?” Meiling replied, quoting the saying in English.  

“Did someone say something?” Tomoyo had muttered, her eyes hidden from view. It was too painful to even think that her presence might have been an unwelcome nuisance in the life of her dearest friends. 

“No,” Meiling had said firmly. “Those two will never say anything. They both two care for you deeply, and will always welcome your company. But that doesn’t mean that they do not feel embarrassed,” she had paused. 

That was the first time in her life that Tomoyo’s tears had fallen in the presence of another person, “I just wanted Sakura-chan to be happy, nothing more,” she had said. 

Meiling had extended her hand and placed it on Tomoyo’s. “I care about you too, Tomoyo-san, but still I have to be truthful to you, even if you hate me after today,” she had said in a sad tone. 

“I would never hate you, Meiling-chan,” Tomoyo had said, and found herself pulled in her friend’s affectionate embrace the next moment. 

“Tomoyo-san, you truly are a wonderful person, and there I want only the best for you. You know, I always resented the fact that I did not possess any magic to help Syaoran. I thought that if I had such abilities he would like me better. But I was so wrong. It was only after I decided to let go of my childish infatuation with Syaoran, that I realized that there is a beautiful world out there waiting for me, and its colors were more vibrant than any magic could create. Do you remember that night when I had told you that I will cry for Syaoran till my eyes melt, so that I do not have to cry for him ever again?” Meiling had asked her gently, 

“Yes,” Tomoyo replied in a muffled voice. 

“You see, and I never did. It was after that night that I truly rediscovered myself bit by bit and found my own world. Tomoyo-san, I want you to discover your own world too,” the young girl had said that afternoon, with a wisdom which was beyond her years. And indeed, what a fine young lady Meiling has become, from the whining child she used to be. She excelled in her martial arts, winning tournaments around the world. She was also doing her major in psychology, and was involved in a lot of social work. Whenever she visited them in Japan she managed to radiate her boundless energy to everyone around her. 

However, letting go had not been easy for Tomoyo. Neither did it happen in one day. However, Meiling’s words had stuck to her, and the closer Sakura and Syaoran grew, the more Tomoyo withdrew herself from the picture. Little by little, Tomoyo had realized that she was trying to live within a fairy tale in real life, and she was unknowingly making Sakura and Syaoran the lead characters in that fairy tale. It had probably started as a little girl’s innocent fantasy, and grown with her, but she could not allow it to grow anymore. Maybe, the young cardcaptor and the boy she loved did not want to live within a fairytale after all, maybe all they wanted was a normal life like every other teenage couple who would go on ordinary dates, and talk about ordinary things for hours. Sakura and herself were  still best friends, and Tomoyo knew that they would never stop caring for each other. However, there were no more costumes to deck Sakura with, and no more cameras waiting ready to capture her every energetic smile. Tomoyo would still diligently play the role of a videographer during special events such as one of their friend’s birthdays, but that was about it. She forwarded those professionally captured videos to everyone who requested them, but never bothered to look at them twice. She still found herself watching the videos from her childhood  though, the ones that showed the Clow cards were captured, and the ones that showed them being converted to Sakura cards. This was one thing that she could not let go of yet, but perhaps, she hoped one day she will. 

Tomoyo opened her eyes slowly to behold the calm moon gazing upon her from just above the horizon, where it had just made its appearance. She closed her eyes again, and started humming a tune. Her song was probably the only thing that will always remain with her and comfort her like a quiet friend. The words followed soon after:

The light of the sunset grows dim over the field

The outlines of the mountains fade into the mist

In the calm spring breeze, I look up at the sky

A faint scent fills the air beneath the evening moon

 

The lights of the town, the colors of the forest

The people walking through the rice fields

The calls of frogs, the ringing of bells

All grow hazy in the misty moonlight

 

When Tomoyo’s eyes opened again, she was sure that she had seen two moons at the same time for the first time in her life;  one hung in the sky, while the other took the form of an austere young man who stood a few feet away from her. She brushed a hand over her hazy eyes, somewhat embarrassed that someone else had seen the raw emotions that must have played on her face as she sang the song. “You heard?” She tried to smile a little, not quite succeeding at it, as she spoke to the moon guardian. 

“Only the last part,” Yue responded, as he approached the bench and sat on the opposite end. “I don’t mind if you continue though,”  he added, turning his face away from her, but not before Tomoyo had noticed that the usually sharp pale blue eyes looked somewhat softer. 

Tomoyo smiled to herself. That was definitely Yue-san’s way of telling her that he liked her song, and would like to listen to it again. Without another word, she started singing the song from the beginning once again. 

As Yue heard the melodious  voice of the young girl fill the warm evening air, something seemed to stir deep within him, that had remained motionless for centuries. He could not exactly name the feeling, as it was neither happy, nor sad. It was not unpleasant, and yet it seemed somewhat painful. In a brief moment, almost his whole life played itself before his closed eyes, from his creation to the present moment. The times spend in the company of his former master, his passing away, his reawakening to judge his new master, his assistance to her in her subsequent magical endeavors, the things he experienced as he lay dormant within his other form, everything. Yue had heard many beautiful compositions from many different parts of the world in his lifetime. His previous master used to acquire them using the Song card, and sometimes command the magical card to play them back for their enjoyment. However, no note or harmony could reach that depth within his heart as this girl’s voice was reaching that evening. Was it because she was a human who could mix her melody with her emotions that the tune felt so rich and so different from what the Song card could render? All of a sudden, the renditions he had heard from the Song card seemed vapid to him, including the one that the Song had copied from Tomoyo herself. No magic can ever create such a divine melody, Yue thought. At the very next moment, his mind reprimanded him for entertaining such a ludicrous thoughts. What was he thinking, comparing the voice of an ordinary human girl to one of Clow Reed’s creations? As beautiful as it sounded now, this human would inevitably age, and her voice would break and turn hoarse. However, the Song will always be able to reproduce the tunes that it copied to perfection, even when this human ceased to exist. That is something which could only be achieved by magic, by the power of the magician who was known as Clow Reed. 

Unbeknownst to Tomoyo, a large car silently drew up just outside the lawn where they were seated, and a middle aged elegant woman rolled down the tinted window of the car and looked outside. She had asked her chauffeur to pull up beside the yard of the public library on hearing an extremely familiar voice while she was on the way back home. Sonomi Daidouji could clearly see her young daughter seated on a bench from across the street. Her hands were clasped together beneath her chin, and she was singing, in a voice which was neither too loud nor too soft. She seemed to have her eyes closed and thus to have taken no notice of the presence of the car. Her eyes narrowed as she observed the person seated on the other side of the bench; Sonomi would have thought that it was a woman by the sight of this person’s long silver hair glistening in the moonlight, but the height and physique of the person suggested that it was a man. What was her daughter doing with this person? Was it someone she knew? Someone she was possibly dating? But who would go to a library for a date? Besides, they sat on the opposite ends of the bench, and the space that they left between them could fit at least two other people. If they were on a date, probably, they wouldn’t sit so far apart from each other. Was it just a stranger who happened to be there? Would her daughter feel so comfortable to sing one of her most favorite songs in the presence of an unknown man? There was something strange about the two of them, which did not quite fit in with any of the conjectures that her mind could think of. 

Sonomi soon realized that unlike her daughter, the young man with her was not oblivious to the presence of the car. His face turned halfway towards the road, and Sonomi saw a sharp and attractive face looking in the direction of the car. Sighing softly at the mystery, Sonomi signaled her driver to continue driving. 

Tomoyo brushed her hand over her eyes again as she finished her song. For some reason that she could not quite understand, this particular song had been lately making her feel extremely melancholic. “You seem wistful today, Daidouji-san,” Yue commented from the other side in a cool voice. 

“So do you. In fact, you seem like that every time I see you, Yue-san,” Tomoyo answered candidly. 

Yue turned his face towards her sharply. He stared at her for a few seconds, with a strange expression in his eyes. His lips parted a little bit, as if he wanted to say something. Then, he abruptly got up from his seat, and walked away into the darkness. Tomoyo sighed as she observed the vanishing figure of the moon guardian. It was not her job to try to understand this arrogant gentleman, and hence she did not try to stop him or call him back. She quietly gathered her things to head home. 

Tomoyo was surprised to find that her mother was at home when she returned home later that evening. “Konbanwa, okaa-san,” Tomoyo greeted her mother with a happy face. “I thought you were taking the flight to London this evening for your meeting next week,” she said. She had seen her mother leave for her office with her car loaded with her luggage that morning. Before leaving, she had hugged Tomoyo and stated that she would go to the airport directly from the office, and return home by the next weekend. 

Sonomi smiled. “I came to know that the organizers from the other companies had to reschedule it to two weeks later due to an unavoidable circumstance,” she informed. 

“I see. Will you have dinner at home then?” Tomoyo asked with cautious hope. 

“Yeah, it will be ready in a while. Come and sit with me until then, and then we will eat together,” Sonomi replied. Tomoyo gladly complied. 

“Oh Tomoyo,” Sonomi pulled her daughter into her arms as soon as the girl sat down beside her. “I wish I could be home more often with you,” she said. “How was your day?” she immediately asked. 

“It was well. I went to the library, and I think I found some really interesting books,” Tomoyo replied with a smile. 

“I think you might have also met an interesting person today, ne?” Sonomi ran her fingers through her daughter’s soft hair. 

“I did meet someone at the library,” Tomoyo looked up at her mother calmly. “How did you know?” she asked. 

“I saw the two of you sitting outside the library on my way back,” Sonomi said. 

“Why didn't you call me then?” Tomoyo was only mildly surprised. 

“I did not wish to interfere with your schedule. After all, my little daughter is all grown up now,” Sonomi ruffled the young girl’s hair a bit. 

“You would never be an interference, mother,” Tomoyo reassured her mother, holding her hand. 

Sonomi smiled and remained quiet for a while. “Ne, won't you tell me who the strange boy was?” she questioned after a while. 

“That was Yue-san. He is a close acquaintance of Sakura-chan, Toya onii-san and Tsukishiro-san. I have seen him come to this library a few times before,” Tomoyo responded evenly. Sonomi closely observed her daughter’s face for any signs of being flustered by the question, but there were none, much to her relief. On the contrary, she herself seemed to not know this person very well. Sonomi also felt reassured to know that her daughter was not with a complete stranger. From the description she gave, it seemed that the young fellow could be a friend of Toya and Tsukishiro-san. Sonomi thought he was probably another student who went to the same university. 

Sonomi remained silent for a while. She then lifted Tomoyo’s hand on her lap. “Tomoyo, my cousin and your aunt, Nadeshiko-chan married at a very young age, distressing grandpa and myself very much,” she said plaintively. 

“I know, mother,” Tomoyo said gently. 

“Tomoyo-chan, you are old enough now, so I am glad that I can discuss such matters with you more openly. Well, at that time, I was also angry at grandpa for refusing to see Nadeshiko-chan after she married Kinomoto sensei,” Sonomi said. “But after you were born, and we lost your father, I began to understand grandpa much better. I began to wonder what I would have done, and how I would have reacted if my own daughter were to leave me someday like that. The very thought scares me sometimes,” she added, her eyes gazing down on her lap. 

Tomoyo smiled silently. She knew exactly why her mother brought this up all of a sudden. She was worried after seeing her with Yue-san. Only if she knew who Yue-san was, and more importantly how he was, then probably she would not even give the matter a second thought. The idea of Yue-san taking away anyone from anyone through marriage was so inconceivable, it was almost funny. Also, it was very unlikely that she herself would ever want to marry a man, forget about marrying so suddenly. Tomoyo was not an impulsive person, unlike her cousin Sakura. She extended her hand and touched her mother’s hand. “Then allow me to take away that worry from you,” she said. “Please be assured that your daughter would never do anything that causes you pain,” she solemnly stated. 

“Arigatou, Tomoyo-chan.” Sonomi sighed, holding her hand. “You are so mature, Tomoyo-chan, something I wish Nadeshiko-chan was. But I guess it was her impulsiveness which made her what she was,” she finally smiled at her daughter. 

“Let’s go for dinner mother. I am a bit hungry,” Tomoyo said, in order to divert her mother’s mind from the memories of the precious cousin that the incident had stirred up within her. 

Notes:

It feels like this fandom is very passive, but it would certainly be helpful to receive feedback. Thanks for reading.

Chapter 6: Inevitability

Summary:

Tomoyo gets saved from a cruel fate.

Notes:

Since we do not yet know the full arc of the new characters introduced in clear card (Akiho and Kaito), I am trying to keep them out of this fiction for the most part, save mentions here and there. I assumed that they will eventually be allies to the original characters, since from what I have seen and heard, Kaito's actions seemed to be out of desperation rather than any true malevolent intent.

The summer vacation was finally over and everyone’s colleges started again for the next semester, which marked the start of the sophomore year for Sakura and her friends. One late evening on the weekend following the first week of class, Tomoyo was returning from her college campus. That week, their choir club met on Saturday in order to have the final practice for their performance in the formal welcome event for the freshmen that was scheduled on the coming Monday. Tomoyo was at the train station, waiting to board the train that would take her home. The platform was quite crowded, and Tomoyo stood near the edge trying to avoid the crowds as much as possible. The train was scheduled to arrive in less than a minute. Suddenly, she felt a sharp jerk at her elbow, where the strap of her purse was looped. With a horrified gasp, Tomoyo realized that she was being robbed of her purse. The miscreant had probably watched her from a distance, and waited for the opportune moment to make his move. He thought that since the train would arrive any second, he would be able to easily get away with the crime amidst the commotion of passengers boarding and deboarding the train. As the rogue scurried to get away with her bag, pushing the people before him, Tomoyo made a desperate attempt to regain her valuables. She lunged forward, extending her hand, and was able to take hold of the long strap. “Let go,” she screamed at the top of her voice. “Please, someone call a policeman,” she yelled again. The mugger was stunned for a moment, because he probably did not expect any resistance. He tried to yank the bag away from Tomoyo’s grasp, but she held on to it with both hands, refusing to let go. She pulled it towards herself with all her might and with both hands. The strap of the bag was at its limit, but before it could snap, the snatcher decided to let go of the other end, realizing that Tomoyo’s voice had attracted enough attention, and people were approaching them. The sudden release made Tomoyo lose her balance, and fall backward. Both of her feet left the support of the platform just as the loud whistle of the engine reached her ears. She heard the anxious shouts of the people on the platform and the world seemed to go dark before her eyes. However, in the next moment, she felt the swirl of air beneath her feet, and the sensation of being afloat for a split second. A pair of strong arms encircled her and pulled her hard by her waist and shoulders, making her fall in the opposite direction. 

When Tomoyo’s eyes opened she was lying on the platform on top of someone, with her purse between the two of them. The person who saved her still had an arm wrapped around her shoulders tightly. “You fool!” The deep silky voice that spoke those words gave away the identity of her savior before she could see his face. 

Tomoyo tried to raise herself from the ground and to ignore the harsh words of the man who just saved her from being run over by a train. If it was Tsukishiro-san instead of Yue-san, he would have never been so harsh in such a situation, or in any situation for that matter. But unfortunately for her, it was Yue-san. As she lifted herself off him, she could feel his heart, racing as fast as her own. Most people who had witnessed the near accident had boarded the train which was already departing with another shrill sound. Only a few altruistic folks stayed behind to check on them to make sure they were fine. “Are you both alright?” the few people who had gathered around them asked in anxious voices. 

“Hai,” Tomoyo replied politely as she sat up. “Yue-san?” she looked at the young man who was also trying to get up after her. He flinched as he tried to apply the weight of his body on one arm, and held it with the other, slowly standing to his feet. Tomoyo saw that his right forearm was badly bruised. 

At that moment, a policeman came up to them. Someone might have already reported the incident. Tomoyo calmly explained the situation to him, giving him the description of the man who tried to snatch her purse. The policeman noted down the information, and let them go in a few minutes. Tomoyo turned her attention to Yue as soon as the policeman was gone. “Yue-san, your arm is bruised,” she said. 

“It would be fine,” Yue tried to move his right arm without much success. From the way his lips pressed together, Tomoyo could tell that he was trying to suppress the pain. It was likely to be more than just a bruise

“It will be if it is treated properly. I am taking you to the medical center. We can take the next train, and get off at your station. There is one near Tsukishiro-san’s house; I mean near your house,” Tomoyo said decidedly. 

“You will get late. I can manage it by myself,” Yue tried to shake off the plan. 

“No,” Tomoyo replied firmly. “ You can barely move that arm right now. Don’t even think that I will leave you like this after what happened,” she said resolutely. 

Yue looked away with an annoyed expression on his face. “You did not receive any injury, right?” he said after several moments of silence. 

“I am fine. You are not hurt anywhere else, are you? Like your head or shoulders?” Tomoyo asked a bit anxiously. The silver haired man standing next to her shook his head.  

When the next train came after a few minutes, the two silently stepped in. It was not as crowded as the previous one. Yue took a window seat, and Tomoyo sat beside him. His wounded arm was next to her. Tomoyo pulled his forearm on her lap. She took a face wipe from her purse, and gently wiped it, cleaning the traces of blood from the bruise. Yue’s eyes widened slightly from her action, but he did not speak. Once she was done, he promptly withdrew his arm. As Tomoyo wiped the palms of her own hands, reddened and lightly scratched by being roughly brushed against the ground, she saw that Yue-san was silently staring at her hands. "You denied having an injury," he said. 

"Oh, this is very minor. It stings a bit, but does not really hurt," Tomoyo replied. "But yours--," suddenly, she seemed to remember something important. She hesitated for a moment and then signaled Yue to lower his face. Yue gave her a questioning look, but she repeated the gesture, insisting on her request. Finally Yue gave in and lowered his head, resting his forehead against the backrest of the seat before them 

Tomoyo leaned in. “Will they find out that you are not a human if they check your injury at the medical center?” she whispered with her mouth next to Yue's ear, wondering if that was the reason why Yue-san was reluctant to get his injury treated.

Yue understood that the girl wanted to be discreet about asking such a thing, in order to ensure that it was not overheard by nearby passengers. “No,” he briefly responded. 

“Absolutely sure?” Tomoyo could not shake off the concern. If Yue-san got into any kind of trouble for her sake, she would feel devastated. 

“Not unless they try to sequence my genome or something advanced like that,” Yue said. “A person possessing magical powers would be able to tell though,” he added. 

Tomoyo smiled a little. “No, I think they will just take an X-ray, since there might be a bone injury,” she said. "Let's hope that none of the doctors and nurses there are practitioners of magic," she said. 

Yue did not reply. Tomoyo watched his back covered by the silky  silver hair and the fabric of the gray shirt he wore, as he leaned forward against the seat before them. It seemed almost unreal to think now that two large wings appeared on either side of his back. She had earlier thought that his wings were a part of his body, but now it seemed they were just like the wings that Sakura’s cards, The Fly and Flight gave to her when summoned. That is why both Yue-san and Kero-chan were able to make their wings disappear at their will. She could not help but marvel at Clow san’s creations. At least superficially, the man seated next to her was no different from another human. 

“Yue-san, when I lost my balance, I am sure that both my feet had left the platform and were in the air for just a second. You used magic to keep me from falling, right?” she asked him in a hushed voice. 

“I was left with no other choice,” Yue answered without raising his head or looking at her. 

When the train came to a halt at their destination, Tomoyo carefully took the moon guardians right arm as they got off the train  in order to prevent random people from hitting it in their hurry to board the train. The medical center was right next to the station. Tomoyo smartly went in and described that  the person with her received an injury to the person at the front desk. Soon, they were sent in to see a doctor who decided to take an X-ray as Tomoyo had expected. Tomoyo waited outside during the process. 

After a while a nurse came out, and handed her an envelope. 

“It seems like there is a sprain near the elbow. Fortunately, the doctor could not detect any bone fractures. Just make sure he rests his arm, and your boyfriend should get better in a week,” the nurse smiled reassuringly. 

“Thank you,” Tomoyo returned her smile with formal politeness. “But he is not my,--” she left the sentence incomplete as someone else called the nurse, and she turned away from her to speak to that person. “Boyfriend,” Tomoyo finished the sentence to herself. She really disliked it when people just took the liberty of assuming things about complete strangers. Not that it mattered much to her, but she suspected that Yue-san would be very upset if he were to hear similar assumptions from this lady or anyone else. She saw him emerge from the doctor’s room at that moment, his right forearm tied with a compression bandage, and his left arm holding the strap of his bag, which was crossed across his chest. Tomoyo waited for him to complete the formalities at the front desk, and once he was done, they stepped out of the medical center. 

“The station is on the other side, it is getting late,” Yue said when he saw that the girl was still walking beside him.  

“I am going with you,” Tomoyo replied. 

That’s unnecessary,” Yue huffed as he took a step ahead of the girl next to him, hoping to shake off her company and send her home. 

“Look, Yue-san, it has been a long day for both of us, and I don’t really have the mood to argue with you about this. I have already asked my mother’s bodyguards to pick me up from Tsukishiro-san’s place, so you don’t have to be bothered about me safely getting home,” Tomoyo drew a deep breath as she paused momentarily. “Your house is also Tsukishiro-san’s house, and I know that I will never be unwelcomed there,” she added. 

Yue stared at her with still eyes for a moment. “Do as you please, then,” he resumed walking, and Tomoyo followed him. Until that day, Yue had paid almost no attention to the girl who was his master’s best friend. She used to accompany them on their magical quests years ago, and it was something which Yue had always considered as an unnecessary liability. People having no magical powers of their own ought to be kept out of such things in his opinion. However, during those days, the young girl largely managed to stay out of trouble and would be protected by Keroberos or Li Syaoran if needed. So, Yue never openly objected to her presence, and his own focus was always entirely on protecting his master and assisting her. However, that child seemed to have grown up to be quite a resolute and headstrong young lady. The Daidouji-san who accompanied him that evening was still usually the quiet spoken girl he had known her to be when she was in school. But it seemed that she had also developed another personality, and would not budge from her position when she decided to. In any case, he was aware that his other form was very fond of this young lady, and the two shared an amicable bond. 

When Yue had heard his master’s best friend’s unique voice calling out for help at the station earlier that evening, he had not thought twice before he made his way through the crowded platform trying to detect the source of that voice. However, before he could reach her, the miscreant had sensed someone was approaching to help the girl and decided to make his escape, giving up  hope of acquiring the valuables that the expensive purse contained. It was almost too late for Yue, as he saw Daidouji-san lose her balance and fall backward, first one of her feet leaving the platform and then the other. Yue remembered at that moment, all he could think about was the melody of Daidouji-san’s song that he had heard her sing the week before. All he knew at that point was that he wanted to hear that voice again. Yue had activated his magic at that very moment, and lunged forward, pulling the light frame of the girl against himself. Such a gifted voice did not deserve to be silenced prematurely. 

The two people reached Yukito and Yue’s house after a short walk, as it was only two blocks away from the station and medical center. Yue opened the door of his house and stepped inside, holding the door open for the girl with him. Tomoyo stepped inside with a slight feeling of unease. It was not that she wanted to do this, but she could not just leave without explaining the situation to Tsukishiro-san and Touya onii-san. She also wanted to find out if Tsukishiro-san had also got injured along with Yue-san. She glanced at her phone. She had already messaged her elder cousin, explaining the situation very briefly, and he had replied that he had excused himself from his part time work a bit earlier, and was heading over to Tsukishiro-san's house. She thought it would be less awkward for her if Yue-san had simply transformed back to Tsukishiro-san now that he was in his own house. But Yue-san showed no signs of doing that, as he knelt to untie his shoelaces, obviously having some difficulty doing it with his left hand alone. Tomoyo too removed her shoes and went and sat down at the edge of the large table. Once Yue had finished taking his shoes off, he calmly placed his bag on the desk and walked over to stand by a window. An uneasy silence fell between them as Tomoyo had expected. Touya onii-san, please be here soon , she silently prayed. 

There was an impatient knock on the door a couple of minutes later. Since Tomoyo was nearer to the door, she quickly got up to answer it. “Tomoyo,” a slightly panting Touya snatched her shoulders as soon as he saw her opening the door. “Are you all right?” he asked, his face barely concealing his anxiety. 

“I am fine, please don’t worry. Yue-san was hurt while saving me though. The doctor said he has sprained his arm,” Tomoyo answered. 

“Oh,” Touya marched into the room and approached Yue. “Let me see,” he said. But the stubborn young man tried to cross his arms across his chest defiantly, only succeeding in bringing his right arm halfway up. 

“It is fine now. It has been duly treated.” he answered. 

“What exactly happened?” the dark haired young man asked in a serious tone. 

“Someone tried to snatch my purse at the station. I lost my balance while trying to prevent it from happening, and was about to fall off the platform before an incoming train when Yue-san caught me. It was a thankful coincidence that he was there at the same time, and happened to hear me scream for help. But he fell on his outstretched arm while pulling me back, and that’s how he sprained it,” Tomoyo explained the incident in a factual manner. 

“Coincidence?” Touya slowly repeated the word. “There are no coincidences in this world, only inevitability,” he lips formed a half-smile. 

Tomoyo saw Yue-san turn his head towards her cousin at those words. He stared hard at him for a few moments and clenched his left fist. “I shall change back now. Daidouji-san’s people will be here soon,” he finally said in an icy tone. Silvery white wings engulfed his slender figure shortly, and after a while Yukito appeared in his place. Touya held his shoulders carefully as the gray haired young man opened his eyes. “Toya,” Yukito said in a soft voice as he oriented himself to his surroundings. 

“Yuki, you are not hurt anywhere right?” Touya asked cautiously. 

“No,” Yukito answered, still somewhat dazed. Tomoyo observed that Tsukishiro-san’s right arm was not bruised like Yue-san’s had been. Finally his eyes fell on Tomoyo. “Tomoyo-chan?” he questioned. 

Tomoyo explained the situation briefly once again, and Yukito listened to her attentively. “I am glad that both of you are safe,” he finally said with a relieved smile when she had finished talking. 

“Actually, I should have been more careful. Yue-san was hurt because of me. Please allow me to apologize,” Tomoyo bowed sincerely. 

“Tomoyo-chan,” she saw that Tsukishiro-san had a confused look on his face. “Do you think I wouldn’t have tried to protect you if I was there instead of Yue-san?” he asked. 

“What? No, of course not. I mean I know you much better than Yue-san, and you would always help others, not just me,” Tomoyo quickly answered, afraid that she was misunderstood. She still remembered Tsukishiro-san had shielded her with his own body when Earthy appeared many years ago. There was no way she would doubt his willingness to protect others. 

“Then why are you apologizing?” the pleasant sunny smile returned on Tsukishiro-san’s face. “Of course,  Yue-san is far more capable than I am  when it comes to protecting people. So, I am even more thankful that he was with you today instead of me,” he added. 

“Yuki’s right. You are no different than Sakura to both of us. So, don’t think anymore about it,” Her cousin said quietly, his dark eyes fondly watching the man beside him.  

Tomoyo nodded gratefully. She was a sister to Touya onii-san, and she knew that Tsukishiro-san considered Touya onii-san’s relations as his own, by virtue of the deep bond that they shared. Touya onii-san had always been the protective elder brother to their entire group of kids, and Tsukishiro-san had been the caring elder brother. What about Yue-san? Was she a sister to him too? She wondered if that was why Yue-san chose to save her. . 

“Yue-san means well, Tomoyo-chan. He doesn’t want to let people know that he cares, so please don't be upset by his words,” Yukito said. Tomoyo looked up at his face with a look of surprise. “I just thought that he might have said some stern words which made you apologize,” Tsukishiro-san added an explanation, running his hand through his fine gray hair as soon as he noticed her baffled expression.  

“I guess I cannot blame him for being angry,” Tomoyo quietly replied. 

“You know that this Yue behaves like a boy having a temper tantrum most of the time right? Geez, that Clow Reed must have really spoiled him, and even Sakura seems to do just that,” Touya complained about his sister’s moon guardian a bit. 

“To-ya,” Yukito tried to protest gently. “That’s not true. We should be thankful to Yue-san for saving Tomoyo-chan’s life today,” he said. 

“I am thankful. But I am not thankful for making her feel sorry for a situation which was no fault of hers,” Touya stated firmly. 

“Touya onii-san, Tsukishiro-san, I have a request,” Tomoyo folded her hands. “Please don’t say anything about the incident today to my mother, Fujitaka-san and Sakura-chan. I don’t want them to be worried. I have told my mother’s bodyguards that I was only visiting you today,” she said. 

Touya silently nodded with a small smile on his lips. Yukito placed a finger on his lips understandingly. “Sure, they won’t hear a word from us,” he smiled. As soon as Tomoyo thanked them, they all heard a car pull up outside the house. Touya opened the front door at the first knock to find a woman dressed in a black uniform waiting outside. 

“Oi Tomoyo, they are here for you,” Touya called his younger cousin. 

“Hai,” Tomoyo picked up the purse which was the cause of all her troubles that evening and headed to the door. Tsukishiro-san followed her outside to the small yard. “Thank you for everything,” she bowed politely.  

“Tomoyo-chan,” Tsukishiro-san surprised the young girl by pulling her into a light hug. “Thanks for teaching me the mousse cake recipe today. I am sorry that it took so long though, and you got delayed. It was so stupid of me to have not realized that I was out of chocolate chips,” he said. 

Tomoyo smiled, and placed an arm around Tsukishiro-san’s neck, returning the gesture. She relaxed a bit. Tsukishiro-san was so affectionate, so unlike his other self. And so present-minded too. To her mother’s employees, she was only here to teach Tsukishiro-san how to bake a special cake, when they ran out of a key ingredient, and an unplanned trip to the grocery store made them later than they anticipated. She was with her cousin and his best friend, everything was simple and normal.

“It is no problem at all. Please let me know how it turns out the next time when you make it by yourself,” Tomoyo said smiling, picking up the act quickly. They have both become experts in handling such situations mostly on account of the many secrets they had to keep for Sakura’s sake. 

“Thanks for having Daidouji-san today,” the woman who was the leader of Sonomi’s guards bowed and said respectfully as she closed the door of the Tomoyo after she stepped inside. The large car silently drove off soon after. 

“That was some splendid acting right there. Why weren’t you in the drama club again, Yuki?” Touya said with a chuckle, leaning on the doorpost from where he had observed the scene. 

“You think I convinced them?” Yukito said with a nervous laugh as he walked back towards the taller young man. 

“Ah, I wish I would have told our college drama club to force you to join. Tomoyo herself was pretty good too though,” Touya said as he followed Yukito back to the house. “Oi Yuki, I am staying here for the night,” he announced, closing the door behind himself. 

“Oh, To-ya, I am fine. Yue-san took most of the pain on himself. You don’t have to worry about me at all,” Yukito tried to reassure his companion. 

Touya raised an eyebrow. “Yuki, do you have a problem with me staying with you?” he asked. 

“No. Of course not! I didn’t mean,--” Yukito started. 

“Then I am staying,” Touya cut his friend off and squeezed his pale cheeks. “I have already called dad and told him on the way back,” he added. “Golly, I am hungry now. What would you like to have Yuki?” he asked, walking into the kitchen and opening the refrigerator as if it was his own home. 

Yukito lovingly watched Touya for a moment and then followed him into the kitchen. “Anything Mr. Tsukishiro would make me tonight,” he leaned his head on the taller man’s arm. 

“Oi, I told you to not tease me with that. Damn! I should have never told you that day,” Touya muttered, knocking Yukito’s head lightly with his knuckles. 

“Gomen ne, Toya. I can’t help it sometimes,” the gray haired man laughed sweetly. "But you cannot take them back anymore," he added. The world did not know yet except maybe the ones closest to them who could probably guess, but they both knew that they were each other’s fiancé by that time. If they had not already been that way before, Touya’s words that day pretty much sealed it. 

“I am making fried rice then. It seems you have all the ingredients,” Touya said, trying to the blush on his tanned face. 

“Oh I love your fried rice. Let me help you,” Yukito moved to set up the chopping board to chop the veggies for their dinner. 

Once they had their dinner, Touya spread out the extra futon next to Yukito’s and lay down. Yukito however sat on his futon and worked on his laptop. “Yuki, it is getting late,” Touya said after a while. 

“Sorry, Toya. I thought you were asleep. But maybe because the light is on you cannot fall asleep,” Yukito turned his head towards him. 

“I am fine,” Touya replied. “But you are having to work harder during the nights in order to give one full day a week to Yue, isn't it” he murmured. 

“Daijoubu Toya. He should have a life too, you know. This is the minimum I could do for him in exchange for what I have received,” Yukito looked up with a calm expression on his face. “Anyway, I suppose I should continue tomorrow morning,” he closed the laptop and placed it beside his bed. He reached for the light switch, turning it off, and then lay down pulling the covers over himself. 

Touya’s hand reached for his friend’s face and gently grabbed the glasses that Yukito wore, pulling the pair away. “You still forget to remove your glasses before you sleep. Damn, both you and that monster will remain kids it seems,” he chuckled. 

“And annoy you perpetually,” Yukito’s soft laughter could be heard in the dimly lit room. 

“That’s right,” Touya replied. However, he gently pulled his friend’s hand into his own, and held it on his chest. “Yuki,” he called his love’s name quietly. 

“What is it, Toya?” Yukito asked. 

“That time, when you said that Yue took the pain upon himself, what exactly did it mean?” Touya asked. “Does it mean that there was a chance that you could also get hurt if he had chosen to do something else?” he elaborated his question. 

“Well, it is hard to explain, but let me try. Yue-san can control how much of his sensations I can feel to a large extent. For instance, if he shared the pain that he experienced from his injury today with me, he would have felt it to a lesser extent. But he chose to not let me feel it at all,” Yukito responded. 

“Ah, typical of Yue,” Touya answered curtly, although inwardly grateful that Yue was selfless enough to protect his friend. 

“He is a proud man you know,” Yukito giggled a bit. “But sometimes he is unable to control it completely,” Yukito added in a more solemn voice. 

“Like when?” Touya asked, a bit curious. 

“At times when the pain is so severe and unbearable to him that it is overwhelming. Although he tries his best to keep it to himself, I am still able to feel just a small part of it,” Yukito said. Touya had a very good idea about where this was going, so he simply nodded his head. 

“You see Toya, I am not worried at all about the pain in his arm. It is the pain here that worries me,” Yukito touched his own chest with his free hand, and pointed to his heart.  Two drops of tears gathered in the corners of his eyes and rolled down his pale cheeks. 

Touya quickly raised a hand to brush them away. “Yuki,” he pressed his lips tenderly at the center of the soft palm of the hand that he cradled to his chest. “This pain will end one day, I have a feeling that it will,” he said softly. The rest of the world had only ever seen Yukito’s cheerful and comforting smiles. He was the only one in the world to see his Yuki’s tears, and have the privilege of  brushing them away. 

“I too want to hope, Toya, but the darker possibilities scare me so much,” Yukito said. 

Touya turned on his side to face his best friend. “Yuki, do you think that Tomoyo could,--” a slender finger landed on his lips before he could complete the sentence. 

“Not now Toya,” Yukito said cautiously. The two men exchanged a glance the meaning of which only they knew. They have been with each other for so long that they had sort of learned to read the unspoken messages in each other’s eyes. Hence, they were sure that Yue would be unable to decipher the silent message that passed between them. “Oyasuminasai, Toya,” Yukito said softly in a drowsy voice after a while. 

“Ah, sleep,” Touya gently patted his friend’s face before drawing his hand away. 

Tomoyo sat up on her bed a few hours after she had gone to sleep. There was a sound of a speeding train in her dream and a blinding flash of light. Her heart raced rapidly in her ribcage. Just a dream , she calmed herself and lay down once more. However, she was unable to go back to sleep. As she lay in her dark and silent bedroom, the reality of that evening’s incident slowly began to sink in. Had it not been for Yue-san’s intervention, she would not  be lying in her own bed tonight, but whatever remained of her body after the train had passed would probably have been inside the cold chest of some mortuary. Her poor mother who was on a flight that evening would have heard of the news of her demise once her flight landed in another country. Poor Sakura-chan would have cried her eyes out to a dumbstruck Li-kun and Keroberos. After a while Li-kun would have probably messaged or called Meiling-chan at Hong-Kong. Meiling-chan would have probably wiped her own tears after a very long time, and booked the next available flight to Tokyo. Akiho-chan, who had moved to Canada after high school, would have received no replies to her messages about scheduling a video call to practice a new song together, and got worried. Maybe after several days, when she would have finally received the news from Sakura-chan, she would have been upset and and ask Kaito-san to take her to Tokyo to be beside Sakura-chan. All of those unpleasant scenarios could be avoided because Yue-san had decided to step in at the right time. 

Tomoyo did not care much about what happened to herself, but the thought of hurting so many people wrenched her heart. After her father’s demise, shortly followed by aunt Nadeshiko-san’s death, her brave mother had learned to smile again and live for the sake of her only daughter. Only the other day, she had promised her mother that she would never do anything to cause her pain. To take away her only daughter’s life seemed to be too cruel. She could not afford to cause her mother that kind of grief. She could not let Sakura-chan feel the grief that her own mother had felt at the loss of her dearest friend and cousin. Yue-san had saved not just her, but so many other people in the process. And what did she do in return? She came away without even saying thanks to him. Yes, she apologized to Touya onii-san and Tsukishiro-san, but never once she uttered a word of thanks to the man who gave her another chance at life. Yue-san’s behavior has always been a bit haughty towards everyone, including Kero-chan, Li-kun and even towards Sakura-chan on occasions. Could she really expect him to treat her any differently? He probably panicked himself at that time which made him chide her by calling her a fool, even as he had held her by her shoulders tightly against himself as he pulled her away from certain death. She wondered why Touya onii-san said that whatever happened was an inevitability, and why Yue-san seemed so shocked at those words. 

Tomoyo pressed her face on her pillow, Arigatou, Yue-san , she whispered and two damp spots appeared on the pillow beneath her eyes. She wiped her eyes and sat up on her bed. She made up her mind that she would talk to Yue-san and thank him properly the next time she met him. It did not matter if he dismissed her, she would still do her part. She also really wanted to hear her mother’s voice at that moment. She picked up her phone and dialed her mother’s number. 

“Sonomi Daidouji speaking,” her mother answered in her professional voice. She must have answered the phone without looking at the screen to see who was calling. 

“Okaa-san, it’s me,” Tomoyo said softly. 

“Tomoyo-chan, you are still awake?” Sonomi’s voice sounded surprised. 

“No, I had slept. But I woke up for some reason, and thought your flight might have landed,” Tomoyo answered. 

“Yeah, we just landed at Heathrow. At the immigration queue now,” Sonomi said. 

“I am glad to hear that okaa-san,” Tomoyo said. 

“Sweetie, is everything alright?” Sonomi asked. She traveled a lot for her work, both within Japan and to countries abroad. It was such a regular part of her life that her daughter was completely accustomed to it. During such business trips, it was not normal for her to call in the middle of the night to make sure she has reached her destination. 

“Daijoubu, okaa-san. I was just bored because I could not go back to sleep immediately. But I will try now. Have a successful trip,” Tomoyo tried to make her voice sound as jolly as possible. 

“I will call you later after I reach the hotel. Sweet dreams, Tomoyo-chan,” Sonomi said. However, despite her mother’s wish, Tomoyo lay awake with a strange restlessness for the rest of the night after hanging up the call. 

Notes:

At this point, it should be easier to guess where I am going with this Thanks to all those who have been following the story. It would be encouraging to hear your thoughts.

Chapter 7: Gratitude

Summary:

A simple word of thanks turns into an unexpected but revealing conversation for both Yue and Tomoyo.

Notes:

I think we have reached about the mid point of this story. I made up the part about Akizuki Nakuru choosing a career in journalism because I felt that with her special talent of snooping on people, she would do well in that career. Also, it fits well with her exuberant nature.

I also assumed that the Akiho-Yuna-Momo's arc will be over by the time Sakura and her friends are done with high school, so everyone will know about Momo's identity and her true form; these three have moved to another country but kept in touch with the folks in Japan in this fiction, just like Eriol's group.

For the first time, Tomoyo’s eyes actively searched for Yue when she entered the reading area of Tomoeda public library on the following Saturday. Soon, she was able to locate him seated at the corner desk. She went to his desk, politely greeted him and sat down with the book she had just selected from the library's stacks. The only acknowledgement to her greeting was a slight tilt of the silver head of the young man seated across the desk from her. She wanted to tell him everything that she had planned, but hesitated to start a conversation for two reasons; first, they were in a silent zone, and second Yue-san seemed so engrossed in the pages of his volume that it was hard to disturb him without feeling guilty. So, Tomoyo began to read, while waiting for a more suitable opportunity.

About thirty minutes later, Yue rose from his seat, and walked to the stacks section. Tomoyo quietly followed him after a minute. She saw Yue-san walk into the foreign languages section. HIs eyes scanned the shelves and picked a volume. He supported the book on his left forearm and flipped a few pages with his right. It seemed he could move his right arm better than what she had seen last week, although the compression bandage was still in place.

“Ano, Yue-san,” Tomoyo spoke as she approached the tall man.

“Is there anything that you need?” Yue said without looking at the young girl.

“Perhaps a little bit of your time,” Tomoyo smiled a little.

“Why?” Yue looked up from the pages this time.

“Just to tell you that–,” Tomoyo was cut off by another voice.

“Young lady,” a stern looking woman who looked to be in her mid fifties approached them, pushing a small cart of books. “The library is no place for idle gossip,” she pointed to the sign above them bearing the word silence.

Tomoyo’s face was hot with embarrassment. Due to her impatience, she had forgotten to lower her voice while speaking. “Sumimasen, I shall be more careful,” she bowed. Tomoyo usually had perfect manners, and it was very rare for her to get called out for bad behavior.

“Young people! Will they ever learn,” the strict lady bearing the badge of a librarian muttered, slowly pushing the cart full of books to the next shelf.

Yue found the flustered expression on Tomoyo’s face quite amusing, though his facial expression did not change in the slightest. However, on seeing the look of disappointment within her deep violet eyes, he placed the book in his hand back on the shelf with an inward sigh. “Follow me,” he said in a voice barely above a whisper as he turned towards the door at the back. Tomoyo did as she was told, and the two of them stepped out into the deserted backyard of the library. The afternoon was not sunny and bright that day, but quite the opposite. Rather, gray clouds lazily drifted around in the murky sky above them, and a feeling of dampness hung in the air. 

“Yue-san, about last Saturday,--” Tomoyo started when they had walked some distance away from the large library building.

“You had been reckless on that occasion,” Yue said in a dispassionate voice.

There he goes! Tomoyo thought. Yue-san started admonishing her once again even before she had a chance to say anything. It seemed that her fortune on that day was to get reprimanded by more than just one person. However, this time Tomoyo was determined to maintain her composure and dignity. “Well, I was not actually wanting to jump before the train, just to let you know,” she protested.

“Was the purse worth risking your life over?” Yue asked rhetorically.

“I had my phone inside it, which contained the recordings of the choir that we rehearsed that day. I was responsible for sharing the audio file with everyone else in the group when I got home. It was important to me, and the whole group,” Tomoyo explained.

“I don’t care what was inside. Just don’t do such a heedless thing ever again,” Yue said. You will sing hundreds of such songs if you live, silly girl, he said in his mind. “Those miscreants are armed quite often,” he added in a cautionary voice. 

Tomoyo smiled as her mind grasped the hidden concern in Yue's words. She realized that if Yue-san chastised someone, it was out of his solicitude for them. She did not know why, but her heart felt a little lighter at the realization, even though she was yet to receive a single kind word from the person who saved her that day. The vague feeling was almost as if a small patch of sunshine or a happy little bird had entered the silent chamber of her heart.

“Yue-san, I owe my life to you for that incident. Please allow me to express my deepest gratitude for protecting me,” she bowed before him, and held that posture. .

“There’s no need to thank me, Daidouji-san. I was merely acting in the best interests of my master,” Yue said. “She would not be able to bear the dreadful thing that was about to happen to her friend,” he added.

Tomoyo lifted her head and straightened her backbone. “Is that all Yue-san? Is there nothing that you care about beyond your duty towards Sakura-chan?” she asked. The tiny drop of sunshine in her heart had left almost as soon as it had arrived, leaving it dark and cold once again. 

“My duty towards my master is my foremost obligation. I won’t deny it,” Yue answered passively.

“So, if there was someone else instead of me in that situation who was not Sakura-chan’s friend, would you have let them meet their end in such a horrid way?” Tomoyo asked, lifting up her chin to stare straight at the face of her friend's moon guardian. 

“I didn’t say that,” the taciturn man briefly answered.

“Then why don't you just say that you wanted to save me or anyone else who could have been at my place that time without involving Sakura-chan? You are not a heartless person, Yue-san, despite what you try to show. Why do you bring up Sakura-chan to justify your own actions? Why do you try to avoid accountability on your part? She did not even want to be your master, do you remember? She wanted to be friends with you.” Tomoyo said in a soft but firm voice. 

“I haven’t forgotten that part. However, she did not dissolve our contract either. As long as that remains in place, I am bound by my duty. Just calling ourselves friends won’t change facts,” Yue responded, irritated at this point.

Tomoyo did not expect that the conversation would take such a confrontational turn, but now that it did, there was no backing out of it. “What contract?” she asked.

“It is a bond forged by magic between a magician who uses that magic and the beings who draw their power from the same magic either directly or indirectly. You have no magical powers yourself. Obviously, you won’t understand,” Yue tried to dismiss the young girl.

“You are right. I am just an ordinary person who is not knowledgeable on such matters.. However, I don’t need any magic to understand that Yue-san is just as kind as Tsukishiro-san is. However, you are afraid to admit it,” Tomoyo said. Yue turned his face and looked away from her without a word, so she continued. “Afraid of what? Of other people or yourself? You think that people might take advantage of your kindness to hurt you, don’t you? You are scared of attachments because you think that they will eventually leave you behind. Isn’t that why you shut everyone out and dwell with nothing but your memories of Clow-san?" Tomoyo paused for a moment and took a deep breath. "I may have no powers myself, but I consider myself fortunate enough to know several individuals who are like yourself. Yet, they are so different.  Kero-chan and Spinel-san now share their hobbies. Spinel-san has become a gamer, and Kero-chan has become a reader. More importantly, they have each other. Akizuki-san has become a successful journalist. Momo-san loves visiting new places and indulging herself with exotic chocolates. All of them are trying to live the best of their lives despite this so called contract that you speak of. Why is it that it is only you who have made assisting Sakura-chan the sole purpose of your life?” 

“I was created with a certain objective. My own choices are next to inconsequential,” Yue replied in a stony voice. "Besides none of the other beings you mentioned  exist in a state of duality between their true and false forms," he added. 

“I think it was wrong of Clow-san, because you are not a mechanical doll who would only exist to fulfill his whimsical and irrelevant objectives. You are a sentient being who deserves to have a choice regarding your one life. Tsukishiro-san was also created for the very same purpose, but he decided to own his own life and to make his own choices. Why can’t you, Yue-san?" Tomoyo said, a little breathlessly. 

“Daidouji-san, you might be overstepping your boundaries at this point,” Yue said in a steely voice, finally deciding to warn the young lady. In truth, he did not expect the soft spoken Daidouji-san to be so forthright, so her words sort of caught him off guard. Her cousin had said similar things to him in the past. He had simply avoided confrontation at that point by transforming to his other self. However, that was not an option at the present moment, since he had promised to face the world in his true form for at least one day a week. Yue sighed, probably this was part of facing the world. The very name of Clow Reed stirred up the ever familiar pang in his chest. 

“You can chide me all you want, but I will still say what I feel is right, because I want the person who saved me to find peace and happiness. Yue-san, please stop living for someone who has passed away years ago. Please try to break the cage of memories that you have created around yourselves. Please, just live for yourself,” Tomoyo said earnestly.

Yue turned his face to look at Tomoyo once again. Tomoyo saw that his mysterious blue eyes were fixed on her face. He did not speak for a while. Tomoyo finally looked down, unable to hold his gaze any longer. Finally, he spoke again.

“Were you able to do all of that yourself, Daidouji-san? Were you truly able to let go of the past and break your own cage? Haven’t you been living for others throughout your own life? Have you ever allowed yourself the opportunity to live for yourself?” Yue said sharply. 

Tomoyo’s head shot up, her wide eyes fell on the angelic face of the man before her. “I have been happy with my life, and–,”

“Everyday, you try to convince yourself that you are happy with the happiness of everyone else around you. Yet, when it comes to yourself, you have nothing to look forward to, but you dare not admit it to yourself,” Yue cut her off promptly. He took a step towards her, still pinning her with his gaze. Tomoyo tried to look away, but Yue extended his arm and caught her chin between his right thumb and forefinger. “Am I wrong?” he asked. 

“I don’t know,--” Tomoyo gazed down at their feet suddenly wishing that she would have just stopped at saying thanks and excused herself right after Yue-san said that he had saved her due to his duty towards Sakura-chan. How did this person who had barely interacted with her in the past know of such things which she did not quite understand herself? He spoke as if he was analyzing the character from a book or a movie. Tomoyo felt that perhaps his vicarious experience as his other form gave him an unique perspective of looking at the lives of Tsukishiro-san's close acquaintances

Yue sighed a little at Tomoyo's discomfited reply, and withdrew his fingers from her chin “Unlike me, you are a human, Daidouji-san. Unlike mine, your life was meant to be different from the start; one that is filled with hope for the future, not devoid of it,” he said in a gentler tone.

Tomoyo had bravely endured Yue’s trenchant words that far, but the sudden softness of his tone snapped something within her. She rushed past him and went to stand before a nearby tree, her back to him. Yue saw that Daidouji-san placed her hand on the bark of the tree. It appeared that she needed to gather her thoughts. It was difficult to tell if she was crying or trying to fight back her tears, but he suspected that she might be, although she was standing very still. The thought of her crying made him feel a bit uneasy. Neither of them said anything for a while.

“At least, I am trying, you know,” Tomoyo finally spoke again.. “I have been trying to do all those things you said for years. It’s hard, but I will keep trying,” she said. From the broken voice of the girl, Yue knew she was indeed in tears. He felt at a loss. Humans were such strange creatures, especially women. His young master had cried in his presence a few times in the past, but she was still a child during those times, and it was easier to console her. Yue had absolutely no idea how to make the tears of a grown person stop. He walked over to the tree where Tomoyo stood.

“I was just being honest with you as you had been with me. It was not my intention to cause you pain,” Yue said.

“I know,” it was Tomoyo's turn to be succinct this time

“Perhaps it was not my place to say these things. Will you accept my apology?” Yue asked. Tomoyo slowly turned to face the moon guardian, who noticed the streaks of tears running down her pretty face.

“You have said or done nothing wrong, so I cannot accept it. Neither will I apologize for what I have said, because they are true as well. We are not that different after all, Yue-san,” Tomoyo leaned her back against the trunk of the tree, and closed her eyes. More tears rolled down her cheeks. At that moment, small raindrops started falling from the sky on the pair.

Yue’s blue eyes stared up at the overcast sky. “We should go inside. It’s starting to rain,” he suggested.

“Please go ahead without me,” Tomoyo said. Now that her tears had forced their way out of her eyes, she needed them to fall till the burden on her heart felt lighter. Being the perfect girl who everyone could always count on had taken its toll on her, and she was thoroughly exhausted. For years, she had offered the shoulder to cry on to anyone who needed it. She did it for Sakura-chan, for Meiling-chan, for Akiho-chan, and she was thankful that they found comfort in her quiet company. However, the sorrows she had been quietly absorbing from others gradually accumulated in her own heart. Her classmates saw her as the ever happy elite girl who lived in a huge mansion, enjoying the perfect life that rivaled that of a princess. They had no idea how much the stately silence of the mansion suffocated her at times as she sat there in the company of her books and videos. They could never imagine that the girl who dwelt within those walls often had dreams about living in a small home where voices and laughters echoed from room to room, and the aroma of a delicious dinner being cooked wafted throughout the house. Of course, Tomoyo never voiced such thoughts to anyone. She did not even dare to think them aloud in her own mind. Wanting anything for herself had always felt something akin to ungrateful to her, and Tomoyo was used to putting her own wishes aside to the point that she placed herself aside in most situations. Regardless, Yue-san saw through her life, and described it for what it was, a cage. Yes, the perfect life surrounding her that the average girl could only dream of was nothing more than a golden cage within which she confined her own existence. She did not even have the strength to fight back her tears anymore, and she could not go inside the library crying like this. People would think that she and Yue-san just had a lover’s quarrel or something like that. Let the rain come down hard. Tomoyo did not care anymore.

The rain however did not come down hard. Instead it started drizzling at a languid pace. Tomoyo partially opened her misty eyes, expecting to find that Yue-san had gone back inside. Instead, her gaze landed on the sea green hue of his shirt, the outline of the white buttons there appearing distorted due to her hazy vision. How awkward it must be for him to watch her cry like this. She half-expected him to go back to chiding her for being so silly and emotional for no reason. But he did not speak. Instead it seemed that the pale arms crossed on his chest were starting to glow. Is he going to transform back to Tsukishiro-san right now? Tomoyo’s mind panicked. He must have grown tired of seeing her shed tears. She would be mortified if Tsukishiro-san saw her crying like that, and being the caring person that he was, he would definitely be very concerned. Having Yue-san see this weak side of her was bad enough, but he was sort of like a disinterested audience, who had no direct part in her life. However, showing such a weakness to someone from her direct social circle would shatter the image of the calm, composed and restrained young lady that they all had of her. She hurriedly lifted her hands to wipe her eyes, thinking hard of a suitable excuse to give Tsukishiro-san for being in such a pitiable state when he appeared before her a moment later.

However, when the silvery-white wings unfurled themselves from the form of the young man they had been enclosing, the color of the eyes that looked at Tomoyo remained pale blue instead of changing to amber. The ethereal form that stood before her was dressed in white silken robes fringed with light blue hems, and tied with the violet sash at the waist. The huge pair of wings stooped lower and formed a dome like shape around her, shielding her body from the drizzle outside.

“It’s just you again,” Tomoyo smiled, feeling a huge relief wash over her. More tears rolled down her cheeks at the same time. She had not seen Yue-san like this for a very long time.

Yue reached out and gracefully flicked away a drop of tear from the corner of her long eyelashes. “Don’t cry,” he said, “Your tears would make my master sad. If there is something that makes you unhappy, try to let it go,” he added in a neutral tone. Tomoyo permitted herself to shed the last few drops of her tears as she stood under that tree, shielded from the rain by Yue-san’s angelic wings on that dreary day. Yue-san had placed his hand on the bark of the tree beside her face. The wind picked up a bit, blowing some of her loose hair on her face and tugged at the ends of the long silken cape that draped his right shoulder.

“I will continue to try as I said,” Tomoyo answered. “But you have to try harder, Yue-san. You are not really putting any effort at the moment,” she said, slowly composing herself, and finding her way back to the initial topic of their conversation. Once again, Yue had brought up Sakura to explain why he did not want her to cry, so it just made it easy for her to go back there. “Let us both try to break our own cages, Yue-san,” Tomoyo said, placing her calm gaze on his face. “And let us support each other in the process as true friends. Let each of us start living our lives for our own selves,” Tomoyo extended her right hand to him as she spoke the final sentence. She closed her eyes and waited for him to respond.

Yue stared at the dainty hand held out for him to take. Daidouji-san was extending a hand of friendship to him. After a moment, Tomoyo felt a soft and light touch on her palm. Yue-san had merely brought the tips of his long fingers in contact with her hand. He did not place his hand in hers, as if still hesitating to accept her friendship. Tomoyo opened her eyes and smiled, wrapping her own fingers around his longer ones gently. “See, that’s a start. Just take one small step at a time, and one day everything will be fine,” she assured.

Notes:

Please leave a comment if the story has been interesting to you so far. Would love to hear what you are expecting to happen next.

Chapter 8: Wishes

Summary:

Tomoyo makes a wish upon the autumn moon at the Tsukimine shrine, and persuades Yue to make one as well. But are their wishes really different?

Notes:

The lines of the poetry used in this chapter are not mine, and taken from a very well known verse.

I am practicing using some Japanese phrases in this fiction. I assume that most people who watch the anime with Japanese audio and subtitles are already familiar with them. All are very common phrases, but if someone has any difficulty in following them, please feel free to let me know.

The moon mirror pond at the local shrine was shown in episode 67 of the original series.

“Ohayō Gozaimasu, Yue-san,” Tomoyo said softly as she peered over the moon guardian's shoulder as she spoke, catching a quick glance at the book that he was reading. Her eyes met with foreign alphabets on its pages. It was 10 AM in the morning and on that day she arrived at the library earlier than usual. She had thought that Yue-san might not be there at that time, since in the previous occasions she had only seen him there in the afternoons. However, upon seeing the silver haired man, seated with his back towards the entrance, she had walked up to him. 

“Ohayō,” Yue returned the greeting briefly without turning to look at her. Tomoyo walked around the table, and took the seat across from him. She gave him a pleasant smile, when his blue eyes fell on her face for an instant. Tomoyo had come to the library to return a few books. It was not meant to be a regular pleasure reading day for her, since her midterm exams were scheduled in the following week, and she wanted to utilize the time to study, even though she was mostly prepared. Tomoyo quietly retrieved a mathematics textbook and an exercise book from the backpack she carried that day, and started working on the problems that she had marked during her study session the night before. She worked her way through a few problems in group theory, before proceeding to solve the ones on partial differential equations. She finished the first two problems, but got stuck on the third one. She tried a few different approaches that she could think of, only to scratch them out in the end. After about fifteen minutes of trying, she was still left without a solution, as she sat there tapping her head lightly with the pencil in her hand. 

“Perhaps I can try?” Tomoyo heard Yue-san’s smooth voice next to her. She looked up to see him standing next to her. Tomoyo extended her exercise book to Yue wordlessly, a little embarrassed that she could not solve the problem on her own, but also curious about what Yue-san intended to do with it. Yue lightly plucked the pencil out of Tomoyo’s loose grip, and proceeded to write on a fresh page of Tomoyo’s exercise book. He leaned forward a little bit in order to write while standing, and some of his long silver locks fell over his shoulders and on the table. It took him a few minutes to write a full page. When he was done, he straightened himself and gently slided the exercise book back to Tomoyo. “Is that the solution you were looking for, Daidouji-san?” he asked. 

Tomoyo quickly glanced at the neat handwriting on the page which contained the solution of the problem derived in a stepwise manner. “That’s it!” Tomoyo exclaimed. “Why did I not see it before?” she muttered. “It’s perfect, arigato, Yue-san,” she beamed at him. 

Yue nodded, and was about to walk away. “Wait,” she called. “But how could you–,” she started speaking. 

“Yukito has a minor in mathematics,” Yue responded, anticipating the question he was about to be asked before Tomoyo could finish it. He headed towards the stairs that went upstairs to the stack room of the library. 

Sugoi na! Tomoyo thought as she stared after him. Tomoyo remembered that Yukito-san and Toya onii-san both had minors in mathematics when they were undergraduate students. She had picked the same minor for herself,  along with computer science for her major studies.. She realized that since Yue-san’s consciousness is always active within Yukito-san, he automatically learns whatever his other form does. She saw him returning with a couple of books in his arms after a while. Although she had more questions on the matter, she ducked her head, and focused on solving the remaining problems instead for the moment. After all, she did not want to be upbraided by a librarian again for talking too much in the reading area.  

Around half past noon, Tomoyo got up to leave. “Ja ne, Yue-san. I have my midterms starting from next week, so I would take my leave earlier today,” she informed him. 

Yue said nothing at first, but that was the response Tomoyo expected from him anyway. However, she heard his voice as she bowed and turned around to leave. “Study well for your exams,” he said in a monotone. Tomoyo turned her face and briefly smiled before leaving the library. 

The following Saturday, Tomoyo and Yue were leaving the library at the same time in the evening. Tomoyo waited behind Yue to check out the three books that she had picked for herself that day. She saw that Yue-san carried only one book with himself. He handed the book and a library card to the staff at the counter before him. The young girl named Hana was at the counter that evening. 

“Excuse me, does this card belong to someone else? The photo on it does not exactly match with you,” Tomoyo heard the girl say, who looked at the library card in her hand and then to Yue-san’s face with an enchanted expression in her dark eyes. 

“I have used it before. Is that a problem?” Yue asked. 

“No, normally it would not be. But this card has expired this week. I am afraid we cannot issue new books with it unless it is renewed by the person who is the actual owner of the card,” the girl informed with professional politeness. 

“I see,” Yue took back the expired card that belonged to Yukito, and was about to move away from the counter, when the library assistant called again. 

“Wait, may I know who it belongs to?” she asked. 

“I think you have just read the name of that person on the card,” Yue answered in mild annoyance. 

The young girl was a bit disconcerted by the stony reply. “No, I don’t mean the name. I mean how do you–,” she stuttered a bit under Yue’s cold and intimidating stare. “I mean is Tsukishiro-san, your brother?” she finally gathered the courage to continue. 

Tomoyo saw that Yue-san’s brows furrowed at the question, and his gaze turned colder. Tomoyo decided to step in at that point. “His friend,” she took a step forward and stood beside Yue, facing the girl at the counter. “Tsukishiro-san is his friend,” she said with a smile. 

“Oh, for some reason I thought they looked somewhat similar,” the girl replied. “Anyway, since you seem to be a regular here, I would be very happy to assist you to make a library card in your own name. All we would need is a proof of your identity,” the girl said hurriedly, perhaps excited that she finally had a chance to talk to the handsome young man.. “If you could please fill this form for me, and,--” 

“There’s no need,” Yue cut her off, and turned away, leaving a gaping Hana-san staring after him. As Tomoyo saw Yue-san walk away, she felt something tighten in her chest. She realized that Yue-san had no official document to offer as proof of his existence. 

“Thanks for offering to help,” Tomoyo turned to the girl before her. “I would like to get that book issued in my name, along with these three,” she placed the books that she carried on the counter and pointed to the Yue-san had placed there before her. She then took out her own library card and gave it to the girl. 

“The book he wanted to check out, it is in a foreign language,” Hana-san said, as she scanned her card. She still looked somewhat dazed. 

“Yes. I believe it is Greek from the letters on the cover,” Tomoyo smiled. 

“Is he from another country?” Hana-san asked. Tomoyo could plainly see that the young library assistant took quite a keen interest in the mysterious man who have been paying a weekly visit to the establishment lately. However, she was not sure how to answer the question. She had heard that Clow Reed came to Japan from another country with Yue-san and Kero-chan a long time ago. Did that make Yue-san a foreigner? She honestly did not know. 

“Yue-san had lived abroad for a considerable amount of time,” Tomoyo decided it was best to circumvent the question, offering an indirect answer instead. She looked over her shoulders to find that the young man had already disappeared from sight. 

“Sō ka,” the young girl said, her eyes shining with wonder. She looked at the screen before her for a moment and then looked at Tomoyo again. “But, Daidouji-san, since our checkout limit is five books at a time, you can only check out three more today,” she informed. 

“Oh, right, sumimasen,” Tomoyo said. She had almost forgotten that she still had two more books from the library at home. “Then please exclude this one,” Tomoyo set aside one of the three books she had picked for herself without hesitation. The young assistant sighed a little bit, and issued her the three books that she requested. Tomoyo thanked her and left the building with the book that she checked out for Yue in her hands. When she was on the street outside the library, she saw the outline of the figure of a tall man with long silver hair that shone in the street lights walking some distance ahead of her on the sidewalk. “Yue-san,” she called out loud enough for him to hear, walking fast to catch up to him. He stopped at the sound of her voice. He then calmly leaned against a lamppost waiting for her to catch up. 

“For you, Yue-san,” Tomoyo held up both her hands to him and offered the book as she approached him a few moments later. 

“You didn’t have to, Daidouji-san,” Yue said. Tomoyo saw that the street light reflected off his eyes like a golden flicker in the pale blue orbs. 

“I know, but I wanted to. For the sake of a friend,” Tomoyo smiled. Yue wordlessly took the book from her hands and placed it inside the small bag crossed over his shoulders. As she walked beside him on the sidewalk, Tomoyo felt happy that she was able to help her newest friend that day, even though it was a very small thing. 

“You really know a lot of foreign languages, right Yue-san?” Tomoyo asked. 

“As a user of magic, I was taught several of the ancient languages,” Yue informed.

“By Clow-san?” Tomoyo asked softly. She received no answer, but the absence of an answer was her answer. She glanced up to see that Yue-san's face was obscured by the shadow of a nearby building, making the expression on it indecipherable to her. Tomoyo realized that her question might have hit a sensitive nerve with the moon guardian. “Well, I couldn’t read much last week due to the exams. I cannot wait to indulge myself with these books,” Tomoyo added in a cheery voice hoping to change the topic. 

“I hope you fared well in the examinations,” Yue spoke again after a long silence. 

“Yes, hopefully I did fine, though I do not have my scores yet. Thanks for your help with the math problem the other day,” Tomoyo said. 

“You can thank my other form for that,” Yue replied. 

“So, you have automatically learned everything that Tsukishiro-san did?” Tomoyo suddenly remembered the question that she had from the day before, and thought it was a good opportunity to ask. 

“If my consciousness was awake during that particular learning activity, then yes,” Yue answered. 

“Were there times when it wasn’t?” Tomoyo asked, her curiosity piquing. 

“A few of his classes were quite uninteresting to me, so I slept through them and barely learned anything. I also placed my consciousness to sleep during all the times he had to take an examination,” Yue said. 

“Is that so?” Tomoyo said. “Was it to help Tsukishiro-san to concentrate better?” she asked. 

“I did my best to not interfere in Yukito’s life,” Yue responded. 

“You did not help even during his archery competitions?” Tomoyo asked again. 

“Whatever Yukito has achieved is completely through his own skill and effort. I played no part in that. Hence, I do not wish to be held accountable for either his successes or his failures,” Yue replied evenly. 

“I see. I am sure Tsukishiro-san greatly appreciates everything that you did,” Tomoyo said. She felt that the man walking beside her was truly an amazing person to have dealt with such a complicated situation so honorably. If he so wished, he could have chosen to permanently remain in his true form, snatching away the life Tsukishiro-san lived, and along with it the person that Touya onii-san loved so dearly. But Yue-san let his true form take the back seat instead, so that Tsukishiro-san’s life could be as close to normal as possible. Tomoyo was also delighted that they seemed to be having an actual conversation that day,  instead of his usual monosyllabic responses. She had been sort of indifferent to her best friend’s stoical protector through the years. But as she got to know him better in the past weeks, she felt that she already liked Yue-san a lot more than she once used to. 

The two had reached the train station. They did not talk much when they boarded the train. Yue’s station came before Tomoyo’s. However, after he had got off the train at his station, and walked a few steps towards the exit, he turned around instinctively at the familiar sound of the light steps behind him, and the familiar light floral scent that he associated with Tomoyo’s perfume. Tomoyo stopped as she saw Yue-san staring at her. 

“Oh, don’t worry about me at all. I am not coming to bother you or Tsukishiro-san today,” Yue saw the girl wave her hands with a smile. “I got off here as I wanted to visit the Tsukimine shrine,” she explained as she walked up to Yue. 

“For the autumn moon festival?” Yue questioned. 

“Yes,” Tomoyo said cheerfully as she walked beside Yue. 

“I suppose your friends will be meeting you there,” the moon guardian said. 

“Actually, we haven’t made any plans this year, but since the festival is popular in our town, I might even meet someone from my class while I am there. It is more exciting that way,” Tomoyo replied. 

Yue silently glanced at the time on his phone. It was already past 8:30 PM, and somehow, he did not like the idea of Daidouji-san going alone to the festival so late in the evening. And who knew how long she was planning to stay there. From what he had observed through Yukito’s experiences while working at all kinds of odd part time jobs, shady characters always lurked around in such crowded places and festivals. If it had been his young master, he would have directly opposed the idea, but with Daidouji-san, he had no right to interfere in her life and decisions. 

“See you next week, Yue-san,” Tomoyo waved her hand and was about to take the other way, when she heard Yue-san call her. 

“Daidouji-san,” he took a step towards her. “Would it be an intrusion if I were to accompany you?” he asked a little hesitantly. 

“To the festival? Of course not. But I thought you don’t like noisy and crowded places,” Tomoyo answered. 

“I don’t. That’s why I thought that perhaps it is better to allow myself to face such a situation while I am in this form,” Yue said, looking to the other side. 

Tomoyo had a big smile on her face. She really did not expect that Yue-san would want to come with her to such a place. “Then let’s go,” she eagerly grabbed Yue’s slender hand with both of hers, which startled Yue a bit, as his blue eyes drifted back to her face. At once, Tomoyo’s self consciousness returned, and she let go of his hand. “Sorry, I mean let us be on our way then,”  she said. Yue nodded and they started walking. Be careful Tomoyo, Yue-san is not Sakura-chan or Meiling-chan , Tomoyo scolded herself in her mind. She had called Yue-san her friend, and it felt natural to treat him like one. But in her enthusiasm, she had forgotten that she was not hanging out with one of the girls. Tomoyo never had a very close friendship with a man; although she considered Li-Kun, Hiiragizawa-kun and Yamazaki-kun as her good friends, she would always be in the company of one or more of the girls whenever she was with them, so it never bothered her. Had she been in a situation where she had to spend time on her own with a man, she would have felt quite uneasy about it. With Yue-san, she did not feel that way, since she knew he was not a human. It almost felt as easy as if she was with Sakura-chan, Akiho-chan or Meiling-chan. Nevertheless, human or not, Tomoyo realized that it was better to maintain the appropriate boundaries, since to everyone else around them Yue-san was a regular man. 

“I am not very fond of big crowds and noisy places either,” Tomoyo said as they walked in the direction of the shrine. 

“Then why do you insist on visiting such a place?” Yue asked. 

“To wish upon the autumn moon. I do it on this day every year. It has become an annual tradition for me,” Tomoyo informed softly. 

Yue did not say anything further. They walked in silence till they reached the shrine, decorated with festival lights and bright colors. In the areas surrounding it, temporary stalls were set up, and all sorts of people crowded before them. All the food stalls and game stalls were quite familiar to Tomoyo. They were not the reason for her visit. So, she took the path that led to the moon mirror pond of the shrine with Yue. The crowd was much thinner at that place, with hardly anyone near the edge of the water. Tomoyo walked over to the wooden pier and glanced at the silver reflection of the full moon on the water. Every year, she found it a bit strange that while the festival was for honoring the moon, a majority of the people would just be engrossed in the food and the entertainment that the festival had to offer. She looked up at the moon in the sky and spoke softly:

“ Tender is the night,

And haply the Queen-Moon is on her throne,

Cluster'd around by all her starry Fays.” 

Tomoyo heard footsteps as she recited the lines from the famous English poetry. Turning her head back from the sky she saw Yue-san was leaning against the wooden railing of the pier. His pale face kissed by the moonlight was turned towards the reflection of the moon in the water, as he spoke in clear English:

“ But here there is no light,

Save what from heaven is with the breezes blown

Through verdurous glooms and winding mossy ways.”

“Yue-san,” Tomoyo softly said as she heard him pick up the verse from where she had left. Here there is no light, Tomoyo wondered why someone whose power symbolized the moon itself felt something like that. 

“It used to be one of his favorite poems too,” Yue muttered. It seemed that he was speaking to himself rather than to her. Tomoyo did not have to ask to know who this person was that he was talking about. She was sure it was the half British and half Chinese magician who brought him to this world, and whose memory haunted him still. Even though he was not looking at her, Tomoyo could clearly see the dark shadow of immense pain cross the beautiful face that rivaled the beauty of the moon

“Yue-san, this full moon of autumn has granted me a wish every single year, since Sakura-chan told me of its significance when we were in the fifth grade,” Tomoyo said.

“The reflection of the moon is used for fortune telling, not for altering fortunes as far as I know,” Yue turned to look at her, regaining his usual indifferent expression. 

“Yes, that’s what Sakura-chan said too. But that evening, when I heard of it, there was something that I really wanted. So, I made my wish right here, and it came true. At that point, I had thought it was just a coincidence. So, I tried again next year just to check, and my wish was fulfilled again. And so, the tradition continued year after year,” Tomoyo explained. 

“Make one this year too then,” Yue said nonchalantly. 

Tomoyo smiled sweetly and folded her hands as she gazed at the circular shadow of the celestial orb on the surface of the pond, rippling in the gentle autumn breeze. Many years ago, Tomoyo had stood at the same spot and wished for Sakura-chan and Li-kun’s happiness. She had wished for many other people in the years that followed. This year, she had not decided on a wish beforehand, as she had nothing particular on her mind. But after she saw that look on Yue-san’s face, she was sure of what she wanted. Please, let Yue-san find the happiness that he deserves , she soundlessly proclaimed her heart's wish to the bright autumn moon. 

As Yue watched Tomoyo stand with folded hands at the edge of the pier, humming a tune in a soft voice, a few more lines from that same poetry whose lines they both recited a while back buzzed in his head. 

Now more than ever seems it rich to die,

To cease upon the midnight with no pain,

While thou art pouring forth thy soul abroad

In such an ecstasy!

Still wouldst thou sing --

Perhaps in less than a year from now, he would silently cease to exist with no pain. He did not have the privilege of embracing the extravagant phenomenon that was known as death in the human world. There will be no mortal remains to return to the earth or offer to the fire, no funerals to conduct, and no dear ones to mourn the event. He would simply fade into the stillness of the midnight air.  Perhaps it will sadden the few humans who had the misfortune of knowing him, but they will soon forget it like an image seen in a reverie. Daidouji-san would probably come here again next autumn to make another wish, either alone or with someone else. She would probably stand at the same spot, and sing the same tune. He would no longer be there to hear her melodious voice. Why did Daidouji-san have to recite  words from the poem which were long lost to his ears? Why did he come with her to a place like this anyway? Why did he feel the need to protect her? Was it a desire to protect the life that he had snatched away from the maws of death that day at the train station? Or was it because her soul was so pure? Or was it because of the divine quality of her music? Yue did not know the answers. He could not deny two things though. One, when he saved Daidouji-san  from certain death that day, he had felt that his existence was not entirely purposeless after a very long time. His existence, despite being someone’s whim, had been useful in saving the life of a human who was in no way connected to their magical world. And second, Daidouji-san’s mellifluous voice calmed his restless soul. His heart seemed to rejoice with the ecstasy of her music and stop aching as long as he could hear her sing; he had never experienced such tranquility since his original master’s demise.  That is why, Yue felt that he could leave with no regrets if that night were to be his last. 

Tomoyo walked over to where Yue-san stood on the pier. She hopped on to the wide ledge of the railing and sat, with her feet dangling in the air beneath her long ocean blue skirt. “You came with me because you were worried about my safety, ne Yue-san?” Tomoyo said. 

Yue looked in the other direction. Sometimes it felt like there was nothing which one could keep from this girl. She was practically a mind reader. 

“You don’t have to be embarrassed, Yue-san. By this time, you should just accept that you are extremely bad at hiding things,” Tomoyo laughed softly. “But you don’t have to worry about me either. You see, I may not have the combat skills of Meiling-chan and Li-kun, or magical abilities like Sakura-chan, but I can defend myself just fine,” she said. 

“I saw an instance of your defense skills at the station the other day,” Yue reminded her. 

“I was taken by surprise that day. I am usually better than that, you'll see. But I am still glad that you came along. And I will be even happier if you made a wish on the moon too,” Tomoyo said. That was the real reason that she did not oppose when Yue said that he wanted to accompany her. She wanted him to wish on the moon that night. 

“I have nothing to wish for,” Yue replied in his reticent manner. 

“There must be something that you want, right?” Tomoyo said. Yue saw that her face was full of hope and disappointment at the same time. 

“Very well, then. My wish is that you get whatever you wished for today,” Yue told her. 

Tomoyo blinked for a full second, and then a smile appeared on her lips. “Truly? You mean it?” she asked. Yue nodded in agreement. 

“And you won’t even ask what my wish is?” Tomoyo asked. 

“I don’t care to know," Yue replied. 

“Then please make the wish properly. Fold your hands and bow your head,” Tomoyo said. 

“Daidouji-san, I didn’t expect you to be so superstitious about these things,” Yue tried to protest. 

“I will tell you what it was when it comes true, then you will be the one to tell me whether it is just superstition or not. Now please do as I say,” Tomoyo was adamant. Yue sighed and proceeded to the edge of the water. He did as Tomoyo told him to, wordlessly conveying his wish. When he turned back, Tomoyo seemed to be glowing with happiness. 

“Thank you so much,” she bowed. “But I don't wish to waste much more of your time. Let us head back,” she said. 

While on the way back, the delicious aroma from the food stalls that wafted through the air made Tomoyo feel a bit hungry. She asked Yue to wait for a few minutes in order to quickly buy a sweet crepe that she could munch on while making her way back to the train station. As she requested the item she wanted and waited for it to be prepared, she felt the touch of a greasy hand on her own hand that she had placed on the counter of the stall. She turned her face quickly to find herself facing a pair of youths, probably in their mid twenties, with a loathsome expression on their faces. Tomoyo pulled back her hand sharply, but apparently, the men were not deterred. 

“Young lady, let us to buy you something to eat,” the taller of the two fellows said. The air around the two reeked of alcohol. 

“No thank you,” Tomoyo said firmly as she took a step backward from the disagreeable men, sticking one hand inside her purse. Disgusting , she thought. 

“We insist,” the other fellow said in mock politeness. “She looks like one of those princess types,” he whispered to his companion, but Tomoyo heard it quite clearly. “It seems that it is your first time here,” he said again, and laughed in a vile manner. 

Tomoyo swiftly grabbed the crepe that was ready for her, took out a currency note and placed it on the counter as payment for the food.  She then turned towards the rowdy boys, and smiled the most amicable smile that she could muster. “No, it isn’t my first time,” she said. “But I can help make it your last, if you want me to,” she took a step ahead and stepped on the foot of the taller fellow firmly, pressing down hard. The guy shrieked in pain. “Oops, sorry, did I hurt you by accident? Please accept my apology,” she bowed politely and walked away from the stall. She made her way to Yue-san, who stood nearby. From the way his eyes narrowed and his jaws tightened, Tomoyo was sure he had observed the entire incident. 

“Inebriated scoundrels,” Yue said under his breath as she approached him, his steely cold eyes watching the two men, one staggering away, and the other staggering and also limping slightly. “Now do you see why I didn’t want you to come alone?” his eyes shifted to Tomoyo’s face. 

“I am not a fifth grader, Yue-san. It was nothing that I could not have anticipated. I handled them myself, didn't I?” Tomoyo raised her face to look at him. 

“That you did,” Yue replied. In fact, he had to admit to himself that she did it quite admirably, without even shouting, panicking or creating a scene. “But what if you were alone and they tried to follow you on the way back?” he asked. 

“Then I would have stabbed their arms with this,” Tomoyo said, taking out a sharp pin that was at least three inches long from her purse and showing it to him. She placed it back inside and calmly took a bite of her crepe. Yue was somewhat surprised. He had not quite imagined that the soft-spoken, sweet Daidouji-san would talk about hurting someone physically like it was no big deal to her. It was also surprising that she did not even bat an eyelid as she stomped on the foot of that man. But dishonorable men like that deserved that kind of treatment, and Yue was quite satisfied with Tomoyo’s attitude in that regard. 

“Oh, I also have this taser, and some other gadgets and tools in my purse. So, don’t worry about me, all right?” Tomoyo smiled. She was in fact thankful that Yue-san did not try to be a hero saving a damsel in distress in the situation that transpired a while ago. He respected her independence, and believed that she could save herself, while still keeping an watchful eye on her. 

“Understood,” Yue said with a soft sigh. Daidouji Tomoyo was another element altogether. He saw that she finished her food and rubbed off the crumbs from the corner of her lips. She tossed the wrapper inside a trash can as they turned the corner of the street. She then turned her head to speak to him. 

“Yue-san, one of those men tried to hold my hand. Right now, I am feeling as if I want to wash it  with water and soap right away. But since that is not possible right now, if you held this hand for a second, I think I would feel normal again,” Tomoyo said. 

Yue turned his head towards her at the strange request. “Really, Daidouji-san, I have no such purifying powers,” he replied. 

“I am not talking about that,” Tomoyo said in a low voice, looking down at the road. “It is because your touch is different from what I felt due to that rogue,” she added. Yue had a vague idea about what she was trying to say, but he did not know how to put that into words. 

“Daidouji-san, how can you be so sure that I am not like those men?” Yue asked after thinking for a moment. 

“Because I know it,” Tomoyo suddenly seemed to have lost the enthusiasm for talking. 

“Is it because you know my other form well enough?” Yue asked. 

“No, it has nothing to do with your other form. Tsukishiro-san could have been an angel and it was still possible that you were a fiend. But you are not. I can see that whenever I look into your eyes. Yue-san, I know people when I see them. Don’t ask me how, because I don’t know myself,” Tomoyo said. “But I understand if you find what I said to be weird,”  she added. They had reached the crossing where their ways would diverge. The way to the station was to their left, while one had to take the right to reach Yue and Yukito’s home. “I shall take my leave here, oyasumi, Yue-san,” Tomoyo bowed. 

A small, almost imperceptible smile appeared at the corners of Yue’s lips. He extended his arm and took Tomoyo’s right  hand into his own as she had requested. “I am taking you to the station, Daidouji-san. It is quite late,” he told her.   

Notes:

Sorry if some parts were a bit depressing. Comments and feedback are always appreciated.

Chapter 9: Dreams

Summary:

Yue has to take a temporary break from his library visits on Saturdays. In the meanwhile, Touya and Tomoyo have distinct strange dreams.

On a Sunday afternoon, Yukito sat beside his sick friend as he lay on the bed. Touya had been in bed with a fever since Friday evening, which worried his best friend to some extent, as sickness was not something common for the sturdy youth. He gently stroked the brown hair of the young man. 

Touya opened his eyes slowly, and looked around, his gaze lacking its characteristic sharpness. “Yuki,” he muttered slowly, lifting his hand up to the face that was leaning close to him. 

“Toya! Your fever seems to be subsiding, thank kami sama,” Yukito smiled. Touya’s eyes closed again, but his knuckles were tracing lazy circles on one side of Yukito’s pale face. He seemed to be on the boundary between sleep and wakefulness. His other hand went to rest on the back of Yukito’s head, his fingers buried in his soft hair. Yukito felt that Touya was drawing his face dangerously close to his own. His breath almost stopped, and when their lips were less than an inch away from each other, with almost an inhuman amount of willpower, he placed his hands on either side  of Touya’s head and pushed his body backwards. Touya’s hands slumped on either side of his body, but his eyes remained closed. Yukito stood up, and went to stand beside the window, looking out to the dull gray street below. He felt awful. It felt like he was the most cruel person on earth to have denied Touya something as simple as a kiss after all that they have been through together. Yet, giving in to that desire would be an equally cruel thing to do to Yue-san. In the end, he chose to be kind to Yue-san at Touya’s expense. After all, it was because of him that he met Touya in the first place. Forgive my selfishness, Touya, Yukito felt his eyes burn with the prick of repressed tears. 

“Yuki,” he heard his name being called, this time in a clearer voice. Glancing back, he saw that Touya had sat up on the bed, and was extending an arm out for him to take. He immediately turned from the window and went to him, taking Touya's hand in both of his. 

“Man,  I can't believe that I slept through all morning and afternoon,” Touya said. 

“You have been running quite a high fever since last night,” Yukito said. “But it has gone down quite a bit since this afternoon, how are you feeling?” he asked, as he sat beside his lifelong companion. 

 Fortunately, Touya did not notice that his friend was avoiding his gaze. He encircled Yukito’s slender frame with both arms from the back, and ducked his head a little to place his chin on his Yuki's shoulder. “Better,” he said in a heavy voice. To Yukito's relief, he seemed to have no recollection of the awkward moment from before. Yukito moved one of his hands to rest on his friend’s forearm.

“Actually, I had a dream, which made me feel better,” Touya spoke again slowly. 

“Must have been a really good dream then. Did you see your mother?” Yukito asked gently. 

“Nope. I dreamt of us. We were alone, and we were happy. You were happy, Yuki, in a way I have never seen before,” Touya responded. 

“And Yue san? What about him?” Yukito asked, his voice quivering  with an unspoken apprehension. 

“He was not with us, but I was certain that he did not disappear from the world. Otherwise, you would never be happy in the way I saw you in that dream,” Touya smiled. 

“Thank goodness,” Yukito finally relaxed and leaned back against Touya’s embrace. “Do you think it can happen someday? Can I really meet Yue-san face to face?” he asked, tightening his fingers around his friend’s broad wrist. 

“I don’t know, Yuki. But what I do know is that now I am more hopeful of it than I ever was,” Touya answered. Yukito was about to reply when the doorbell rang. 

“Is Sakura-chan back so soon?” Yukito said, glancing at the wall clock. 

“The monster has the key, dummy. Also, she does not get dropped off by a car and a chauffeur. Now figure who it can be,” Touya said. 

“Oh, Tomoyo-chan is here,” Yukito smiled. “Your senses are so good despite your illness, that’s a good sign I guess. I will go answer the door, get more rest, alright?” he turned his head and brushed his lips lightly on the tanned face of his number one person before making his way out of the room. 

“Konnichiwa,” Tomoyo greeted and bowed, maintaining her usual perfect manners as she beheld a slightly tired looking Tsukishiro-san behind the front door of the Kinomoto residence. 

“Konnichiwa, Tomoyo-chan. Come right in. Touya rightly guessed it was you,” Yukito welcomed the young girl with a smile. 

Tomoyo returned the smile and walked in, expecting to see her cousin close by. When she saw that the living room and the adjacent kitchen was vacant, she glanced back at the young man who was closing the door behind her. 

“Where is Touya onii-san then?” Tomoyo asked. 

“Touya has been sick with a fever these last two days. That’s why Sakura-chan had to swap his chores for today. Oh by the way, she went out to do some grocery shopping half an hour ago. She should be back in another ten minutes or so,” Yukito informed. 

“Oh, I had no idea. I should have called before coming today. It must be an inconvenient time for a visit,” Tomoyo said. 

“Daijobu, Tomoyo-chan. Touya seems to be on the way to recovery, and everyone in this house is always happy to see you. Let’s have some tea while we wait for Sakura-chan to return, ne?”  Yukito suggested. 

A while later, they were sitting on the couch sipping their tea. “You know, it was none other than Yue-san who urged me come here yesterday,” Yukito said. “I suppose he could sense my restlessness upon hearing about Touya’s illness. I had transformed to let him have the day to himself, but he just wrote two words on a piece of paper, basically ordering me to stay beside Touya, and transformed back,” Yukito chuckled. 

“That’s Yue-sama for you,” Tomoyo laughed lightly, joining in the mirth. Well, that explained why she did not find Yue-san at the library the day before. But Yukito’s eyes turned serious soon afterwards. “For all the sacrifices both Yue-san and Touya have always made for me, I sometimes feel that I have failed them both,” he set down the cup on the table before. 

Tomoyo thought carefully for a moment, trying to assess Tsukishiro-san’s state of mind. “There are multiple ways to look at a situation, you know,” she suggested calmly. 

“It is hard for me to look at it in any other way, Tomoyo-chan. Even after giving up his powers for me, Touya still faces an uncertain future due to me. Because of the dual nature of my existence, I cannot impart our relationship with the same stability as an actual human could have done in my place. And poor Yue-san, he could hardly be himself all this time out of the concern of not getting in the way of my life. He had agreed to take just one day of the week for himself. I feel I had taken that away from him on this occasion,” Yukito leaned his head back in mild frustration as he spoke. 

“Touya onii-san gave up his powers to save the person who is irreplaceable to him. Since you were that person, Yue-san’s existence could be sustained. Thus, Yue-san feels bound by his honor to return the favor to both of you in every way possible. I am sure you have also made your share of sacrifices in this, because if you paid no heed to Yue-san, and just did what your heart wanted to do, then you wouldn’t even have felt the lack of stability in your relationship that you speak of. Please consider my words, Tsukishiro-san,” Tomoyo said earnestly. 

Yukito finally smiled at the young girl’s wise words. “You seem to have everything figured out, Tomoyo-chan,”

“I could understand things better after becoming Yue-san’s friend. It gave me a new perspective,” Tomoyo mentioned. 

“I wonder if I will ever have the honor of becoming Yue-sama’s friend,” Yukito said. 

“He is not like you at all,” Tomoyo said emphatically, the motion of her head swinging the long wavy locks that were tied in low ponytails on either side of her head. “He is even more serious than Li-kun and Touya onii-san, and he still scolds me often. But still I–,” Tomoyo halted in her speech abruptly. 

“But still what?” Yukito questioned. 

“There’s someone at the door. Sakura-chan must have returned,” Tomoyo quickly said to hide the awkwardness of the unfinished sentence, as she heard someone turn the key into the front door. In a rare moment of heedlessness, she was about to disclose more than her rational mind deemed to be appropriate. If it was just Tsukishiro-san, it would not have been a problem. How could she forget that Yue-san was also literally there, right with them? 

The distraction had served its intended purpose, for Yukito had stood up from his seat. The person who walked into the room a moment later was not Sakura, but the eminent professor of archeology, his face serious but kind, his hair now sporting some streaks of gray. 

“Okaerinasai,” Yukito greeted the older man. 

Tomoyo stood up and bowed respectfully. “ Ohayō gozaimasu, Kinomoto-san,” she said.  

“Tomoyo-chan, ohayō. Hope you are doing well,” Fujitaka smiled at his niece. “Give my regards to Sonomi-san,” he said. “Sakura is not back yet?” he turned towards Yukito with the question. 

Yukito shook his head. 

"Well, since Tomoyo-chan is here, I will take care of the dinner preparations, so that the two of you can talk when she returns,” Fujitaka offered kindly. 

“Oh, but you must be very busy. If she has chores, I can help her too, we can talk while working,” Tomoyo said hurriedly. 

“Mattaku, your friend has been working hard since the last two days, with Touya being sick and myself having an article submission deadline to meet this morning. I am sure she needs a break,” Fujitaka insisted. “And Tsukishiro-san, thanks for taking care of Touya for us,” he said to the young man. He glanced for a moment at the photograph of his late wife on the table. “I wish Nadeshiko-san had a chance to meet you. She would be so very happy for both of you,” he remarked, almost to himself. Tomoyo smiled, realizing Tsukishiro-san’s relationship with Touya onii-san basically had the blessings of the entire family. In fact, he seemed already very much a part of the family. The positive energy that this family always radiated was one of the many reasons Tomoyo loved to visit them often. 

Sakura returned huffing and puffing with her hands full of grocery bags shortly. It turned out that she had run into Yamazaki Takashi at the supermarket, who held her up with his usual fanciful stories for a good fifteen minutes, before his flow was disrupted by a call from Mihara Chiharu. Yamazaki-kun and Chiharu chan were still going strong as a couple, from kindergarten to college, and Tomoyo found it absolutely lovely that she knew a lot of people who had such strong commitments to their relationships in the modern age of casual dating and frivolous flings. After they had gone upstairs to Sakura’s room, her friend opened her backpack to reveal Kero-chan inside, happily munching some chocolates that she had placed inside. 

“There goes my allowance money,” Sakura sighed, lifting the small magical creature by the scruff of his neck. “This is why you wanted to go to the store with me, right?” she rolled her eyes at her sun guardian. 

“It’s Clow’s fault really for leaving his entire fortune with Yuki-bunny and that sullen Yue who barely even uses his share. If he left me with some inheritance, no one would be able to accuse me of being a freeloader,” Keroberos complained, fluttering out of the backpack, hogging as many chocolates and candies for himself as his little arms could carry. 

“My, Clow-san, did some really horrible things, didn’t he?” Tomoyo said jestingly as she sat down on the floor beside her friend’s bed. 

“Never seen a person more sly than Clow. I am glad that he made Yue the way he is though. For all the inheritance that he got, he can never taste a single edible item. I am glad that he is missing out on the best part of life,” Keroberos stuck out his tongue in a cute way, before popping another candy into his mouth.

“Kero-chan, don’t be so mean. Yue-san was made to be above such earthly things. That’s a good thing in my opinion,” Sakura stated. 

"There were some evil magicians known for killing or weakening the familiars of their rivals by poisoning their food. I guess Clow decided to eliminate that chance when he created Yue," Kero remarked. 

As for Tomoyo, it was certainly not helping her that the conversations seemed to be turning towards the topic of the moon guardian in one way or another since she came to Sakura's house that afternoon.  However, her curiosity got the better of her. “Kero-chan, what would happen if Yue-san tried to eat something? Would there be a serious consequence?” she asked, remembering the time Yue-san told her that he cannot eat or drink any human food. 

“Probably food would just feel like chewing a mouthful of sand to him. But who knows?” Kero answered casually and started checking his phone, probably anticipating a text or message from the other sun guardian who lived abroad. 

After that, Sakura and Tomoyo talked until dinner time, sharing a week’s worth of stories and updates. Sakura wanted her to stay for dinner, but Tomoyo refused, saying that she had made dinner plans with her mother. Things like making a dinner plan with one’s parent seemed somewhat weird to Sakura earlier, but as she grew up, she came to understand the dynamics of Tomoyo’s family a bit better. She understood that Sonomi-san had to balance her dual role as a parent and an extremely busy executive who was in charge of a company, and hence responsible for the livelihoods of many other people. Several times in a week, she had to host her associates for lunch or dinner, leaving less time for her family. At other times, she would be traveling. That’s why both Tomoyo-chan and her mother never missed a chance of being with each other on weekends whenever they had a chance. Although her own father was very busy himself, his academic role did not entail such formalities as having to host lunches and dinners, which is why he seemed to be able to spend more time with his family than Sonomi-san could. 

“Say bye to Touya onii-san and Tsukishiro-san for me,” Tomoyo said as they exited Sakura’s bedroom. 

“Why don’t you say that yourself? Come,” Sakura pulled her best friend’s hand and led her to the adjacent bedroom that belonged to her elder brother. 

Touya was resting, with Yukito sitting beside his lying form, when the door cracked open, and his sister’s face peered inside. 

“Sakura-chan, Tomoyo-chan, come inside,” Yukito called affably. 

“Tomoyo-chan is leaving and wants to say bye to you both,” Sakura announced, stepping inside the room followed by Tomoyo. 

“Get well soon, Touya onii-san,” Tomoyo said gently. Her cousin only nodded and gave her a half smile from his bed. Tomoyo noticed that he was firmly holding one of Tsukishiro san’s hands in his, and did not let go even in their presence. 

“Onii-chan has been clingy like this to Yukito-san since he came to look after him,” Sakura giggled as they both headed downstairs shortly. “It is silly, but cute,” she grinned. 

“I think he has the subconscious fear that Tsukishiro-san might disappear into thin air if he takes his eyes off him for more than a moment,” Tomoyo whispered with a chuckle. 

While having dinner with Sonomi later that evening, Tomoyo noticed that her mother looked paler and more fatigued than usual. She decided to ask about her health once they finished eating, as Sonomi seemed to be enjoying telling her about the latest venture of her company. However, while getting up from the table, Sonomi’s steps faltered, and she narrowly prevented herself from falling by clutching the back of the chair she was sitting on. 

“Okaa-san, are you alright?” Tomoyo rushed beside her mother, and placed her hand on her back to support her. 

“Ah, Tomoyo-chan, I must have been very tired,” Sonomi tried to convince her daughter that she was fine. 

“No, that was not just fatigue. You were feeling dizzy,” Tomoyo stated, her forehead furrowed with worry. 

“Just a little bit. Sorry to make you worry, Tomoyo-chan. ” Sonomi wanted to reassure her daughter. 

“Okaa-san, please, you have to stop overworking like this. I am scared that your health will give in if you continue maintaining such a hectic schedule,” Tomoyo entreated. 

Sonomi lovingly pulled her daughter closer to herself with both arms. “Tomoyo-chan, it appears your mom is growing older, just like everyone else. But don’t worry, I won’t leave you abruptly like your otou-san. Unlike him, I want to be around long enough to see my girl finding her place in the world,” she kissed her daughter's forehead. 

“Otou-san had no choice in the matter, mother, but you do. You have to be more careful,” Tomoyo clutched Sonomi’s hand. She made her mother promise that she would go see a doctor soon, and take a vacation as soon as her upcoming business deal was finalized before Sonomi retired for the night. 

As the week progressed, Tomoyo found herself thinking about Yue-san on and off amidst her daily activities. It seemed like she had not seen him for a very long time even though it had just been over a week. She found herself looking forward to the following Saturday. Even worse, she found herself binging through the old videos of her best friend’s adventures in capturing the Clow cards, and their subsequent conversions to Sakura cards, secretly hoping to catch glimpses of Yue-san here and there. During those days, Sakura was the sole focus of her world, so obviously Yue-san was just a minor side character in most of those videos. He had never been too fond of the camera either, and always preferred to stay out of its field of view whenever possible. Even then, Tomoyo would pause the video during the short time segments in which he appeared to watch his actions more closely. She would then close her eyes and try to memorize every detail of his exquisite young face. She would think that none of the costumes her hands had ever designed could match the elegance of the white and blue silk attire that accentuated Yue-san’s ethereal charm.  Her mind tried to justify to herself that she was just studying his face because she wanted to understand his character better in order to be able to help him more, and that she liked his attire because she appreciated fine fashion. But Tomoyo was not a guileless girl who could be fooled by such reasons. Nature had gifted her with a keen understanding of human thoughts and emotions, and she had spent years studying similar things in others. She knew very well where the trail of her recent thoughts led to; it went right up to a precarious edge that Tomoyo was too scared to even think of walking. However, it seemed that she was unable to stop and turn back nonetheless. She was scared of the reality that she had started liking Yue-san way more than she was supposed to, and it seemed that there was very little she could do about it. Her panicked mind continued its futile attempts to hide from itself throughout the week. 

On the evening of that Friday, Tomoyo was in the kitchen of the huge mansion that was her family home, trying to decide what dessert recipe she should make for dinner, when an attendant came in and announced that Tsukishiro-san had come to see her. When she went to her personal parlor, she found that the young man was standing in front of the medium sized screen on the wall opposite to the couch where she was seated a while ago. The screen displayed a paused video, showing Sakura in a battle costume, Keroberos in his smaller form, and Yue. Of the three, Sakura and Kero faced each other, seemingly in the middle of a conversation, while Yue’s placid face was turned towards the camera. Tomoyo had forgotten to turn off the screen when she left the room. 

“Tsukishiro-san,” she called hesitantly. 

“Touya was right. His eyes really seem to hide the emptiness of the sky within them,” Tsukishiro-san seemed to not notice her presence as he muttered, his eyes fixed on the image of the young man clad in white, who was his true form. 

Tomoyo did not know what to say, since she was not certain that the words were spoken to her in the first place. Yukito turned to the girl in a moment though. “Tomoyo-chan, sorry for calling on you so suddenly. Yue-san asked me to return you the book that you had lent him,” he announced the purpose of his visit, retrieving a book from the backpack he carried, and placing it on the low table before the couch. Tomoyo looked at the book and then back to his young face with a quizzical expression. 

“I wanted to cover for Touya at his part time work this week so that he gets a chance to recover fully, with Yue-san’s permission of course. As the book is due tomorrow, Yue-san instructed me to return it to you with his thanks,” Yukito explained. 

So he would not be there tomorrow , Tomoyo thought, an odd mix of relief and disappointment sweeping over her at the same time. “I hope Touya onii-chan is better now,” Tomoyo looked at the book. “Did Yue-san have time to finish the book?” 

“Oh yes, I believe he did. He transforms during my sleeping hours to get such things done occasionally,” Yukito smiled. “I am glad that I came. You know, this is the first time that I really got to see my other form,” Yukito said, fixing his eyes on the screen once again. "If I am correct in assuming that this is Yue-san," he pointed to the screen. 

“That's right. But, these older videos are of low quality,” Tomoyo took a step towards the screen, brows furrowing to scrutinize the screen. “Quite unsatisfactory at places. You can see all sorts of noise and compression artifacts. Her fingers pointed to some blocky regions on the screen that depicted parts of the sky in the backdrop as well as some jagged edges of the trees in the background. “I was thinking about using AI to enhance their visual quality,” she explained tactfully. 

“That’s a good idea to better preserve your childhood memories, Tomoyo-chan,” Yukito said. “In our field many people are now using similar AI tools to enhance and re-analyze the pictures taken by older telescopes, which has led to some surprising revelations,” Yukito said. He even proceeded to cite some examples from the journal articles he had read on the topic. 

Tomoyo smiled as she listened to the young man speaking passionately about his subject, glad that she was able to turn an uncomfortable situation into an erudite discussion. It was a good thing that her presence of mind never left her side no matter how agitated she was internally. Also, thankfully, more people were present in the still frame on the screen than just Yue-san. Tsukishiro-san or Yue-san probably would not suspect anything unusual about it. 

"I can share the copies of the dvds if you would like to watch them," she offered. 

"Tomoyo-chan, you are very kind. However, I want to find out more about Yue-san with my own eyes in real-time, rather through any recorded digital media. I want to hear his voice with my own ears, be able to shake his hand, get to know his personality, his mannerisms, everything. The videos will take away some of that anticipation, so I would rather not watch them at this point. It is better that I have something to look forward to, ne?" Yukito said. 

"I understand completely, Tsukishiro-san," Tomoyo replied. 

When Yukito left a while later, Tomoyo sat on the couch staring at the book at the table that Yue-san had returned to her. A small pout appeared on her lips. There was no one in the room when she talked with Tsukishiro-san. Yue-san could have easily appeared before her, at least for a moment, but he did not bother. It was only natural though, someone like her was probably inconsequential to him anyway. Even when it came to Sakura, Yue-san did not manifest himself unless she really needed his help or advice. As her initial disappointment dissipated, Tomoyo slowly realized she was being unreasonable in her judgement of the man. Yue-san had told her earlier that he made it a point to stay out of Tsukishiro-san’s life as much as possible, except on the the one day of the week he had agreed to spend in his true form. Returning the book to her was just a mundane task which did not require Yue-san’s presence, so he simply kept himself out of the way. It probably had nothing to do with wanting or not wanting to interact with her. 

That night, Tomoyo awakened from a dream that she had already seen about twice before. The first time she had barely thought about it, while she dismissed the second occurrence as a coincidence. However, when it happened for a third time, she could not just shrug it off like the previous two occassions. Also, although the dreams started similarly on three occasions, she finally realized that there was a subtle progression. In her dream, Tomoyo saw herself sitting on a hill, surrounded by tall grases and some wildflowers. She was gazing up at the sky. No, rather, she was gazing up at the beautiful blue moon that adorned the sky. That was all that she had seen the first time. The second time, she saw dark clouds appear from nowhere and shroud the moon. In the third dream that she just woke up from, the clouds dissipated as suddenly as they had appeared, revealing the luminous orb once again. However, when the moon came out from the cover of the clouds, it was not a full circle anymore, but missed a small sliver at the top. It seemed that the clouds had broken off the small segment and carried it away. 

Tomoyo sighed and walked out to the balcony adjoining her bedroom. She was well aware of the importance of dreams in the world of magic. She knew how the many progressive dreams that her friends Sakura and Akiho had over the years acted as harbingers of the incidents that followed soon after. Why me? She asked the silent darkness. She was totally a normal girl with no magical powers of her own. What did she have to do with such portentous dreams? The dream symbolically pointed towards Yue-san. It was not hard for her to figure out that part from the image of the moon. Yet, what was she supposed to do for him? She was unable to understand that on her own, and seeking the counsel of people like Hiragizawa-kun or Kaito-san who were experts in the knowledge of magic was also not an option due to the potential risk of divulging her own feelings about the topic to them. Tomoyo was prepared to make almost any sacrifice required of her to help the man who saved her life, but she feared that her good wishes were not enough, and she had no other power to alter the cruel reality of Yue-san’s life. The restlessness of her thoughts about Yue-san were evolving into a problem by itself. 

Tomoyo covered her face with her hands, wondering why her life got intertwined with magical elements in the first place. She could just have been a normal girl, blissfully unaware of the existence of magic, its beauty, and its dangers. She could have dated a normal person, fallen in love with them one day, and moved on. Yet, she never felt any desire for such things and she did not for a moment regret knowing a single one of the magical beings and the humans with magical capabilities who have become a part of her life. Tomoyo gazed at the stars, wondering what strange and twisted fate was written for her in those giant balls of fire that flickered as tiny lights in the night sky.

Notes:

Apologies for the delay, but have no doubt that the story will be completed. Comments are very much appreciated, and thanks to everyone who had commented till this point.

Chapter 10: Crisis

Summary:

Tomoyo faces a difficult situation.

Tomoyo sat in the library with an open book before her, and turmoil raging through her mind. Across the table from her, Yue was focused on his reading. They had not met in the library for nearly a month, as Tomoyo purposely avoided coming there for two consecutive weeks after Yue remained absent himself for the prior two weeks, in order to allow Yukito to be there for Toya while he was ill and recovering. Tomoyo had nurtured a small hope that if she did not see Yue-san long enough, the strange feelings that she had been having would go away on their own. Unfortunately, that did not happen, and she went about spending the previous weekends in a listless and unproductive manner. Quite contrarily, the very sight of Yue-san after so many days gave her a strange feeling of calmness somewhere deep within her, even though her rational mind kept screaming at her. Her mind had to constantly remind her not to look in his direction, not to take notice of the slight sheen of his long silver hair, or the shade of his buttoned shirt, which on that occasion matched perfectly with the color of his eyes, not to pay any attention to the way his long pale fingers turned the pages of the book at regular intervals.  Yue-san continued to read, unperturbed of her inner struggle and hopefully unaware of its very existence. 

Tomoyo closed the book before her and lowered her head on top of it. I should leave , she told herself, and yet it seemed that she had lost the will to even get up. How pathetic, she rebuked herself. 

Yue watched the girl before him out of the corner of his eyes. She seemed to have fallen fast asleep. Many people liked to take short naps while reading, including himself whenever he read at home at least, so at first he did not think much of it. However, the young lady had way exceeded the limit of an usual napping break. She had not opened her eyes for almost an hour by that time, as her head rested on top of a thick book, her wavy hair framing her pretty and composed face. Yue had observed that the screen of her phone which lay at an arm’s reach from her had flashed several times, but she was yet to notice it.  He wondered if she was feeling alright. 

“Daidouji-san,” Yue called in a low voice, finally deciding to rouse the sleeping princess. At least, she seemed like one in that state. There was no answer. He could not call any louder since they were inside a library. So, he extended his hand, and tapped her head lightly with the knuckle of his forefinger. 

Tomoyo raised her head slowly and looked at Yue. “Yes?” she said in her usual poised manner. 

“You should go home if you are not feeling well,” Yue said. 

“Gomen ne, I must have distracted you. I am not unwell,” Tomoyo said, but decided to leave anyway. 

Yue had turned his attention back to the page of his book. While Tomoyo was collecting her things and putting them back in her bag, he told her to check her phone. “Someone was trying to reach you,” he said, without looking up from his book. Tomoyo thanked him and lifted her phone from the reading desk. A few moments later, Yue looked up at the sound of a soft thud to find that Tomoyo’s bag had fallen from her hands and she had collapsed back on the chair. She seemed to have turned very pale, and Yue thought he saw the shadow of fear in her deep violet eyes which were usually clear like crystals. He immediately rose from his seat and moved beside her. 

“Daidouji-san what’s the matter?” Tomoyo heard Yue-san’s voice as he leaned over her, his arm resting on the back of her chair. 

“I need to get to the hospital,” Tomoyo answered in a slightly shaky voice, holding up her phone for Yue to see the screen. 

Yue saw and processed all the required information in a flash. There were notifications for numerous missed calls and messages. The latest message was from her mother’s personal security staff, urging her to immediately come to a hospital halfway across the town where her mother had been rushed to following a medical emergency. 

“I need to leave,” Tomoyo picked her bag, and for the first time in her life she turned away from him without a proper bow. She proceeded to the counter to return the books in her bag. There was no time to get them issued. Unfortunately, there were three other folks waiting in the line before her. 

“Sumimasen,--,” Tomoyo tried to get the attention of the young guy before her, but the fellow had earphones plugged in his ears, and did not hear her. She felt a light touch on her shoulder and turned to see that Yue-san was beside her. 

With a firm step, Yue cut the line and stood before the young fellow, who opened his mouth to protest. “She has an emergency situation, so please excuse us,” Yue-san said politely, but firmly, bowing slightly. The one at the front just got done, and the only other person in front of them in the queue had also heard his words, and stepped aside voluntarily for them.  

“Good afternoon,” the young assistant named Hana,  greeted them (especially Yue-san) with her best smile. “Can I see your card please?” she extended her hand to Tomoyo. She seemed to not have heard Yue-san’s words a moment ago. 

“Not needed as she’s returning everything,” Yue-san swiftly opened her backpack and took out the two volumes inside it, placing it on the desk. “Please return them to the shelves along with this,” he placed the one he had been reading on the counter along with the ones Tomoyo had selected. 

“What?” The staff seemed shocked. “But wait, this counter is for book loans only. You have to place them back in the shelves yourself if you don’t wish to loan them. I can’t do that –,” she stuttered at the cold stare from Yue’s piercing blue eyes.

“Daidouji-san,” Yue was not willing to waste another word or second with the assistant girl. “Come with me,” he took Tomoyo’s hand firmly and started walking away from the front desk. People turned their heads at them, but he paid them no heed. 

Once they were outside the library, Yue took his phone from his pocket and turned the screen on. “Yue-san?” Tomoyo called anxiously. The soft hand that he still held trembled a little.

“There’s no time to walk all the way to the station and take the train. The hospital is not near the station either, so I have requested a cab online. It should be here in a minute or two,”  Yue explained calmly. 

“You already did? What about the address?” Tomoyo asked. 

“I have it,” Yue answered. “I shall take you there,” he added. 

Tomoyo did not let go of Yue’s hand even when the cab arrived. So, Yue sat in the back seat with her, reminding the driver once of their destination address. Tomoyo’s fingers curled around his hand tightly, and they felt cold to the touch. Yue realized that the poor girl was doing her best to be brave. But when the traffic signal turned red at the crossing, she started to get agitated, and fidgeted with her phone in her other hand. 

“You should call them if you are anxious,” Yue suggested. 

“Hai,” Tomoyo said, but Yue noticed the tremor of the dainty fingers that were held his hand, as well as the ones that operated the phone. She is scared to find out , he realized. Unlike his easygoing young master, the young lady beside him was a proud person, and did not easily confess to needing help even when she really needed it. 

“Let me talk,” Yue held out his hand. It seemed to him that Daidouji-san was relieved and quickly thrusted the phone onto his palm. Yue dialed the number on the screen and waited, 

“Daidouji-san is presently with me, and we are heading there,” Yue said on the phone when a female voice answered the call. 

“Yokatta!,” the voice on the other end of the line exclaimed. “My colleague and I have been trying to reach Miss Daidouji over the past two hours. Since we did not know her location, we could not send a car,“ Sonomi’s security employee said on the phone. 

“I understand,” Yue said. “Please tell me everything,” he requested. He listened in silence for the next few moments, feeling Tomoyo’s anxious eyes fixated on his face the entire time. “We expect to reach within twenty minutes approximately,” he said before disconnecting the call and handing the phone back to its owner. 

“It is not the worst, is it?” Tomoyo’s voice trembled audibly this time. She was looking down at her feet. 

“No, it isn’t,” Yue pressed her hand gently to assure her that he was telling the truth. 

Tomoyo shifted in her seat to move closer to him. “Please tell me that it is not a road accident, Yue-san,” she said. 

“No,” Yue sighed. Why would she think of a road accident out of all the things that could have happened? . He was not sure if he should be the one to break the bad news about her mother to her. While texting her, her mother’s employee had not mentioned what type of medical emergency it was, probably because she did not want the young girl to start panicking before she reached there. However, playing guessing games was also not doing any good to her mental state at that time. Yue decided to tell her. Whatever her reaction was, he would protect her with everything he had. That was the reason why he was there for her. “I was told that your mother suffered a heart attack on her way back from work,” he told her. 

For a moment, Tomoyo became completely still. Her breath, the slight tremor of her hands, the motion of her eyelids, everything stopped for an instant. “Oh,” in the next moment, Yue felt the girl turn her head, and bury her face between his neck and shoulders. She released her hold on his hand, and brought her other hand up to clutch the fabric of his shirt near his collar. “Sixteen missed calls and twenty-three messages!” she said in a muffled voice.. “I am such a fool. I would have been there beside my poor mother already if I had not allowed myself to go astray,” she said. 

Yue could only place an arm around the distressed girl’s shoulder. She had taken a nap for almost an hour, and probably even before that she had not checked her phone for some time. It was not an unforgivable error by any means, and could have happened to anyone, especially inside a library. So, Yue did not get why she described it as going astray, but kept quiet knowing that telling her to be gentle to herself would not be of much use at that point. She was polite, disciplined, a model student, a gifted singer, and above all possessed a pure heart that had selflessly cared for every other person she had met on her path. She was the type of girl every parent would wish their child to become. Why would she go astray? Yue was clueless. Even at that moment, Daidouji-san did not cry. Yes, she was holding onto him, but she was trying her best to compose herself. She was taking heavy breaths, and Yue could feel the rapid palpitation of the pulse in her throat. 

“Thanks for trusting me, Yue-san,” Yue heard her say after a while when her breath had steadied. She probably referred to the fact that he deemed it fit to not hold back the information from her until they reached, but nevertheless, it was a strange way to put it. 

“That can wait. For now, we have arrived,” Yue said. 

At the hospital, Tomoyo was able to quickly meet the two ladies who worked as her mother’s personal security staff. They told her that Sonomi collapsed while leaving the office, and was rushed to the hospital immediately. The doctors had already taken the required diagnostic tests, and determined it necessary to conduct an emergency surgical procedure. The unconscious Sonomi was taken in for the surgery a short while ago, before Tomoyo arrived. So, there was not much to do but to wait for the medical procedure to complete and hope for the best. 

Tomoyo was sitting in the waiting area, her body and mind quite numb from stress. She was leaning against Yue’s arm with her eyes closed, lightly resting her head on his shoulder when Touya arrived at the scene. 

“Oye Tomoyo,” the dark haired young man called his second cousin taking the empty seat beside her. 

Tomoyo opened her eyes and straightened her posture at the sound of the familiar voice. “Touya onii-san?” She seemed surprised. “How did you,--?” 

“Yue messaged me and told me everything,” Touya answered before she could finish. Tomoyo’s eyes were filled with gratitude for the two men. “Touya onii-san, Yue-san, you didn’t have to --,” 

“I thought you might need some help,” this time Yue cut her off, his face passive as always. From folks that are actually humans, unlike me , he thought to himself. 

“How is Sonomi-san?” Touya asked gently. 

“She is in surgery now. She will be alright. Okaa-san is strong,” Tomoyo said, keeping her hand over her heart. 

“Tomoyo, is there anyone else that you would like to inform?” Touya questioned. 

Tomoyo thought for maybe two seconds and shook her head. “I will be alright,” she tried to smile faintly. Touya closed his eyes for a moment. She had heard from Sakura that Tomoyo’s family did not have many close relatives. 

After the surgery was complete, they were allowed to speak to the surgeon. Tomoyo could not speak much, and Touya did most of the talking. The cardiac surgeon informed them that he expected his patient to recover, though he could only confirm after conducting more tests once the patient recovered from the effects of the anesthesia. Tomoyo saw her mother briefly when she was shifted to the ICU after the surgery. Yue kept an eye on the girl, but as expected, she conducted herself with composure. The nurse in charge of her mother for the night informed them that the patient might regain consciousness early the next morning. 

“Yue, can you take Tomoyo to our house, so she can rest for the night? I have informed Sakura already,” Touya approached Yue and touched his shoulder lightly,” Yue nodded, but his eyes did not leave Tomoyo who stood nearby, leaning against a wall. 

“I want to stay with Okaa-san,” she protested, having heard Touya’s words. 

“Tomoyo, it is late, and you seem to be quite on the edge. Besides, dad is heading here right now. He insisted on it when I called, so I just gave him the location. Dad and I will stay here for the night. Come back tomorrow morning with Sakura,” Touya said. 

“Touya onii-san, please –,” Tomoyo started protesting once again. 

“Oye Yue, Tomoyo calls you her friend right? Make her understand what is good for her,” Touya interrupted, speaking to Yue instead. 

Yue quietly walked over to Tomoyo and stood before her, “Daidouji-san, I too think that you should let the elders handle things here for now. You have had a long day,” he said calmly. 

Tomoyo looked up to find that piercing stare in Yue-san’s pale blue eyes. There was something in that gaze due to which she could not protest. “Wakarimashita,” she said. “But I have already let go of my mother’s car for the night as it was past the normal duty hours for her staff,” she informed. 

“I shall ensure that you get back safely,” Yue said. Tomoyo nodded and approached her cousin. 

“Thanks for helping out my mother and me, Touya onii-san. Please give my thanks to Fujitaka-san,” she bowed. Touya placed a hand on her lowered head. “Go home and rest,” he said. Even in this state, she never forgets the pleasantries , Yue thought. 

“It might take a while to get a cab at this time of the night,” Tomoyo remarked quietly once they were inside the elevator. Yue leaned back, with his hands inside the pockets of his trousers. He did not reply immediately. 

“I can take you to the master’s home faster, if you want,” he said once they were outside the main building of the hospital. 

“Are you going to fly us there?” Tomoyo asked. As expected, she guessed Yue’s intention right away, and also seemed to be fine with the idea. So, Yue led her to a secluded spot on one side of the building. Tomoyo saw the large wings appear on either side of his back and envelop his form. When they unfurled, Yue-san stood there in his splendid white attire instead of the formal clothes he was wearing a moment ago. 

“Daidouji-san, do you trust me?” Yue asked, a bit of hesitation evident in his blue eyes. 

“Mochiron,” Tomoyo answered taking a step towards him

The beautiful winged guardian took another step towards her. The two of them were standing very close when Yue-san placed his hands on her shoulders, and taking the cue, Tomoyo placed her hands on the armor on his chest. “If you feel any fear or discomfort for any reason, you are to tell me immediately,” he said in an instructive voice. 

Tomoyo nodded, as she felt her feet lose contact with the ground below them. One of Yue-san’s strongest powers was his ability to locally manipulate the gravitational force.  Tomoyo of course had no magic of her own, but was experienced with its usage. She had flown on Sakura’s magical key wand several times. Flying with Yue-san was hence not a big deal to her. In fact, the way he held her was more comfortable than trying to balance herself on Sakura’s wand. However, if it had been an usual occasion, and her mind had not been so numb with worry and fear, she would have had very different thoughts and feelings about being flown by Yue-san. But it was not likely that Yue-san would have flown her in an usual situation anyway. 

Yue carefully ascended to the tops of the trees and the buildings. He felt the girl in his arms lean in and place her face on the armor on his chest. “Are you feeling alright?” he asked, wanting to make sure. 

“I am not scared,” the answer came in a muffled voice, but a light arm looped itself around his neck nonetheless. 

For a while, Tomoyo heard no sounds but the flutter of Yue-san’s strong wings cutting the air as they headed in the direction of her best friend’s house. 

When Sakura opened the front door of her house at the sound of the doorbell, she saw her moon guardian standing on the porch with a protective arm around her best friend’s shoulder. Tomoyo’s face was expressionless, but she looked like someone returning from a battlefield. 

“Tomoyo-chan,” Sakura said softly, her countenance hardly concealing the concern that she felt. 

Tomoyo walked into the living room and sat down. Keroberos hovered around her. “Oi Tomoyo, you don’t look good. Do you want something to eat? Or to drink perhaps?” he asked in a worried manner. 

“I think I would like to go to bed, if that is alright,” Tomoyo said, getting up from her seat. 

“Of course it is. I have laid out the futon in the bedroom. But Tomoyo-chan, since you haven’t had a meal --,,” Sakura started. 

“I think it is better to let her be for now,” Yue intervened. 

“Wakatta,” Sakura said. Tomoyo had started climbing up the stairs that led to Sakura’s bedroom on the second floor. “Yue-san, thanks for taking care of Tomoyo-chan today, and for bringing her here,” she bowed to him and proceeded to ask him about her aunt Sonomi’s medical state. Yue told her whatever he had heard at the hospital. 

A while later, Sakura went up to her bedroom to find Tomoyo laying on the futon, her face pressed against the pillow. She had pulled the sheets up to her face, so only her pale forehead was visible. 

“Ah, poor Tomoyo,” Keroberos came and sat beside her, patting the girl’s head with his soft paw. 

“Yue-san, will you stay here for the night?” Sakura asked Yue who had followed her upstairs, and was quietly watching Tomoyo from the doorway. 

“Iie, I should go home. Yukito has a paper to write tomorrow morning,” Yue answered.

“I thought onii-chan asked you to stay,” Sakura looked somewhat disappointed. 

Yue thought for a moment. He understood that his young master was also worried, and if Tomoyo’s mother’s condition were to become worse, it might be too much to handle for her by herself. He entered the room and knelt beside Tomoyo to place a hand on her forehead. “Fine, I will leave in the morning,” he said. 

“Arigatou, Yue-san. Please use onii-chan’s room to rest for the night,” Sakura said, evidently happy that he changed his mind. 

“The couch downstairs is fine for me,”  he said as he left the room to allow the girls to rest. 

Tomoyo woke up from a stupor-like state after some time, and sat up on her futon. The room was quiet and dark. Sakura was asleep on the bed, and Keroberos was in his own little bed in one of the dresser chests. The back of her throat was scorching with thirst. Tomoyo quietly slipped out of the room and descended the stairs to make her way to the kitchen to get a drink of water. On her way, she caught a glimpse of Yue-san's lying form on the living room couch. She walked inside the kitchen as quietly as possible, and retrieved a glass from the shelf. As she moved to fill the glass with water, her elbow hit something on the kitchen counter in the dark, knocking it to the floor. The sound of smashing glass shattered the silence of the night, and Tomoyo froze at the spot. 

“Daidouji-san?” Tomoyo heard a somewhat sleepy voice as Yue-san’s tall silhouette drew closer to the entrance of the kitchen. “What are you doing in the dark?” he flipped the light switch, illuminating the kitchen of the Kinomoto household. Tomoyo saw a pale finger rubbing at the corner of an eye as he gazed at the shattered pieces of glass between them, which had once been a pudding cup. 

“I am really sorry,” Tomoyo bowed low in embarrassment. “I just came to get a glass of water and,--”

“It wasn’t your fault, but an act of mischief performed by Keroberos to leave his unwashed dessert cup at the edge of the counter,” Yue narrowed his eyes spitefully towards the pieces of the broken cup on the floor. If it was another day, Tomoyo would have giggled at his facial expression and the interesting choice of words. “You should have turned the light on though,” Yue added. 

“I was afraid that I might awaken you if I did that,” Tomoyo said. She placed the glass in her hand on the counter.  “I can clean this up quickly,” she knelt and extended her hand to pick up the shards. 

Yue moved quickly and caught the girl’s arm before her fingers could come in contact with the pieces of broken glass. His fingers tightly clasped Tomoyo’s wrist, their arms forming a bridge over the space of the floor where the broken pieces had scattered. “Are you out of your mind? You don’t clean broken glass with your bare hands, princess!” Yue snapped. 

“Yue-san,” at the sound of Tomoyo’s pained and low voice, Yue felt that he ought to have been gentler with Tomoyo, considering the stuff that she has been going through since that evening. He realized that although the young heiress to the fortunes of the Daidouji family excelled at tasks like baking and sewing, growing up in a house full of maids and attendants, she perhaps never had to do any cleaning and dusting. 

“I mean it is dangerous,” the moon guardian’s eyelids fluttered when he looked at Tomoyo’s face. “Hold my hand and try to step over this part of the floor,” he held her hand, to guide her step across the area where the sharp pieces of glass stuck out menacingly. Tomoyo took a long stride and crossed the area, almost bumping into Yue. He steadied her with another hand on her shoulder and stepped aside. “Wait in the living room till I clean it,” he said. Tomoyo did not have the usual energy to argue with him that night. She gave a curt bow, and left the kitchen. 

Tomoyo dragged her weary body to the couch in the living room. She could hear Yue-san cleaning up the floor in the adjacent kitchen. A while later, Yue came to the living room, carrying a small tray in his hand. He quietly placed the tray on the table before Tomoyo and moved away to turn on a light. Tomoyo eagerly grabbed the glass of water from the tray and gulped down the cool liquid inside. The burning sensation in her throat subsided, but her eyes continued to burn. 

Yue came over and seated himself at the edge of the table before her, his blue eyes fixated on the pale countenance of the distressed young girl before him. “Daidouji-san, you are hurting yourself. I will not allow it,” he finally said after a short sigh. 

“What do you mean,” Tomoyo asked quietly. 

Yue did not respond verbally. Instead, he extended his hand and caught Tomoyo’s chin between his thumb and index finger, tilting up her face. “The tears that you have been fighting back since this evening have made your eyes bloodshot,” he observed. “It would be easier on your mind and body to just let them fall,” he added. 

“I don’t want to --” Tomoyo started. 

“It’s not about what you want, it’s about what you need at the moment,” Yue sounded annoyed. “It is not like I haven’t seen your tears before, but if my presence makes you uncomfortable to express how you really feel, I shall leave you alone to do so,” he withdrew his hand from Tomoyo’s face and was about to get up. 

“Matte kudasai,” Tomoyo finally found the resolve to reach out and catch hold of Yue-san’s right hand with both of her own. “Matte, Yue-san,” she said as she lowered her face on the armor of the moon guardian, her hands grasping a fist full of the fine silken cloth that draped his right shoulder and upper arm, its length trailing down to his feet. Finally warm tears ran down Tomoyo’s dry cheeks and fell on the blue stone embedded in his intricate armor. They fell unrestrained like drops of rain on a scorched desert. 

Yue said nothing but placed an arm lightly around Tomoyo’s shoulders and a hand over her head. Tomoyo too did not speak or sob, but silent tears continued to flow from her eyes. Yue stayed very still and held Tomoyo like that. During those moments, he felt as if he was truly living, and not merely alive, as Tomoyo had once wanted him to. Since his awakening, the world had never felt more real to Yue than the feel of the soft texture of Tomoyo’s dark wavy hair beneath his fingers, the light weight of her forehead leaning against his chest, and the soft but firm grip of her fingers on the cape at his right elbow. It seemed that his purposeless existence was a comfort to the distraught girl at that moment. Even though the situation was hardly something that Yue would rationally describe as pleasant, the knowledge that a person from the real world needed him, even if it was for a short while, filled the ever present void within his heart. It seemed the real people around Daidouji-san did not really understand her well enough for whatever reasons even though they cared for her. They just expected her to be an impeccable character who was strong-willed and sensible against all odds, and she simply succumbed to the pressure of that expectation every time.However, she had held his hand and had asked him to stay with her in a moment like this. She trusted him to see the real her that was scared and sad, along with those tears which no one else could see hidden behind her eyes. 

When all the tears had escaped Tomoyo’s eyes, Yue drew back very slowly. Watery violet eyes that seemed to resemble the bottomless depth of the ocean to Yue momentarily looked into his icy blue ones, before drifting their gaze downwards. Tomoyo felt a little bashful for being so vulnerable around Yue-san, but somehow she was glad that it happened. What she just did certainly felt a lot better than crying to herself on her pillow, which was what would have happened had Touya not insisted that she spent the night at Sakura’s home  instead of returning to her own.  

“You might need some replenishment in the form of food,” Yue remarked quietly, pointing to the tray that he had brought earlier. “Have something if you can,” he added. 

Tomoyo finally noticed that the tray contained a glass of milk, some cookies, and a neatly arranged stack of tissues. Tomoyo took a few tissues and wiped the streaks of tears from her eyes and face first. She realized that after that catharsis, she felt both hungry and sleepy at the same time. The man who was passively sitting before her, looking straight ahead at the wall, seemed to be a perfectionist in the way he had arranged and brought everything for her. It seemed that Yue-san knew exactly the things that she needed most at that hour. Tomoyo quietly started to finish the food on the tray. 

When she had finished the small snack, she was about to pick up the empty tray and glasses from the table, when Yue told her to leave them there. “I am extremely sorry to bother you like this,” she bowed in apology before the angelic being. She felt Yue rest his hand momentarily on her head before pulling it back. 

“Your rest would be more beneficial than your apology,” he said in his formal taciturn manner. Tomoyo bowed again and went to the stairs to go up to her best friend’s room for the remainder of the night.

“Dad, can you drop me off at Yuki’s place?” Touya asked his father who was driving the car, while they were returning from the hospital early in the morning. The father and son had left after Sakura and Tomoyo arrived there in the morning. 

“Of course,” Fujitaka smiled kindly, understanding that after a long day, like the one they just had, people wanted to return to the ones they loved the most. When he was of his son’s age, he was already married, and looked forward to returning to his dear Nadeshiko each evening. “Poor Tomoyo-chan looked troubled, I hope she and Sakura-chan will be alright by themselves,” he said with fatherly concern, as he drove carefully. 

“Tomoyo seemed worse last night, so it was still better than I expected,” Touya replied. 

“Yeah, Sonomi-san could open her eyes this morning, so that must have cheered her up a bit,” Fujitaka replied. “I was glad that your friend came along to help her last night though,” he said. 

“Yue is more like a friend of Yukito,” his son answered nonchalantly, yawning softly. 

“Yue? It is strange that I have never met him before even though Tsukishiro-san spends so much time with you,” Fujitaka remarked. 

“That’s because he is a recluse and does not want to come out often,” Touya said. There was nothing untruthful in that statement. Dad, you have no idea, he thought about his clueless father. It seemed like several people  want to meet Yue these days, he pondered. 

“If that is the case, then Yue-san must really care about Tomoyo-chan,” Fujitaka said. Touya saw the small smile, in the corner of his father’s lips as he pulled up before Yukito's house. 

Touya got out of the car. “I shall be back by afternoon. Get some rest, dad,” he said. 

“You too, Touya-kun. See you later,” Fujitaka drove off. 

“Toya, I was expecting you,” Yukito said after he answered the door. 

“Sakura had called you?” Touya asked as he entered the room, and sat down. 

“I called her a while ago, since Yue-san had left me a note before transforming back,” Yukito sat down beside him and showed him a writing pad. Touya knew that it contained short exchanges of words between Yukito and Yue. He did not pay much attention to it. 

“Yuki,” Touya’s head slumped on Yukito’s shoulder as he wrapped his arms around the young man he was in love with. 

“You must be tired, Toya. Do you want some coffee?” Yukito asked kindly. 

“I want to get some sleep for a while,” Touya’s head fell on Yukito’s lap, and his eyes closed. His handsome face looked serene.  “Too bad you have that paper to complete soon, or else, I wouldn’t have to let you go,” he said. 

“I can give you ten minutes,” Yukito laughed a little bit. 

“That won’t do, for I want you forever. You know that, right?” Touya said casually. 

“Toya,” Yukito sighed. “I will give it to you the day I have ownership of it,” he said. Touya pulled his hand and pressed his lips on the center of the pale skin of his palm. Yukito closed his eyes momentarily. 

“Sonomi-san seemed like a strong person, so it must have been a shock to poor Tomoyo-chan. I hope she gets better soon,” Yukito said after a while, brushing the stray hairs that fell on Touya’s forehead. “I am glad that Yue-san was there with Tomoyo-chan though,” he said. 

“Yuki, you know Yue seemed to have changed a bit. For the first time, I did not see him showing that bratty attitude he has. It was almost like he was being mature and responsible,” Touya said slowly. 

“I always told you he was kind, didn’t I? Also, people change when they truly care for someone. You were also a hot headed and cynical high schooler when we met, remember?” Yukito smiled. 

“I am serious Yuki,” Touya threw a light punch towards his friend, in protest of the adjectives Yukito just used to describe his earlier self. “Yuki, you said you can feel Yue’s heart. The change  seemed too good to be true,” Touya said. 

“Toya, I have always lived with feeling his pain, but still there are things that I can’t tell. I doubt if Yue-san himself understands everything completely yet. The same might be true for Tomoyo-chan as well,” Yukito stated. “But Toya, Yue-san, is definitely returning to the present from his painful past, thanks to Tomoyo-chan,” he added.  

“Is it alright that we are discussing this?” Touya asked with a bit of concern. 

“Don’t worry. Yue-san seems to be asleep at the moment. I don’t remember if he had ever been this calm before,” Yukito’s sweet smiling face made Touya want to pull him into a kiss then and there, but that would probably mean waking Yue, so he did not act on that impulse. 

“Hmm,” Touya said. “If Yue regains his lost purpose, it will be so much easier to solve this problem once and for all,” he remarked pensively. 

 

Notes:

Thanks for reading. I would greatly appreciate your feedback.

Chapter 11: Moonstruck

Notes:

All right folks, TomoYue it is! Also, updated the relationship tag! Yay!😊

A day later, Tomoyo was sitting on the open terrace adjoining her living room and gazing blankly at the stars that had just appeared in the moonless evening sky, when an attendant walked in to announce the arrival of Tsukishiro-san. 

“Konbanwa, Tomoyo chan. Thanks for letting me visit you today,” the gray haired young man greeted the girl with a smile. “How’s Daidouji-san doing today?” he asked, referring to her mother. 

“Konbanwa, Tsukishiro-san. I am happy to let you know that oka-san is recovering fast. She was able to talk more today, and tomorrow she is coming home from the hospital,” Tomoyo responded with a smile as she approached her visitor. 

“Yokatta, you must be so relieved now,” Yukito said.  “How are you doing yourself?” he focused his kind amber eyes on her face. 

“Hai, genki desu. I am always good,” Tomoyo chuckled softly.

“Is that true, Tomoyo-chan?” Yukito lifted his hand and placed it on Tomoyo’s head. “You know since the moment I heard of the incident with Daidouji-san, I have been wanting to see you,”  he said calmly. 

“I am so sorry to have worried you,” Tomoyo replied quickly. “But I was really lucky that I had so many people to help me. There was Sakura-chan, Touya oni-san and of course Fujitaka-san, and–,” Tomoyo stopped. 

“And Yue-san, right?” Yukito finished the sentence for her. Tomoyo nodded quietly. 

“Someone else has been very concerned about you. So, I will let him see you for a while, all right?” Yukito spoke gently. By the time he finished talking, the hand on Tomoyo’s head had already started to glow. Tomoyo stepped back and gazed at the magical sight of his transformation, until her eyes were locked with icy blue eyes once again. 

“Daidouji-san,” a steely voice sounded in Tomoyo’s ears, making her bashfully aware of the fact that she had probably stared into those mesmerizing eyes a bit longer than appropriate. 

“Yue-san,” she bowed quickly. “Thanks for visiting,” she added. 

“I am not the one visiting, and neither did I say that I was very concerned,” came the airy response from the moon guardian as he made his ethereal wings disappear. 

Tomoyo’s jawline hardened. “Right. I might have forgotten that you are only mildly concerned because Sakura-chan would be sad if I am unhappy. Thanks for reminding me again,” Tomoyo said in an unusually sardonic tone.  

“I did not say that either, Daidouji-san,” Yue said, taking a step closer to her. “Are you angry with me for some reason?” he asked. 

“I don’t think I have the privilege of being angry with someone like you,” Tomoyo responded, stepping away from the young man before her and proceeding to sit on the couch at the edge of the terrace. She reprimanded herself inwardly for her own foolishness. Yue-san was being his usual aloof and impassive self.  It was so unreasonable of her to expect him to be any different for her. Even if he did care, it was not like he would be willing to openly admit it. 

Yue huffed. “Look Daidouji-san, it was Yukito’s decision to visit you and transform for no reason. As I had mentioned before, I do not interfere in his life, and the choices he makes therein. If you didn't want to see me right now you should have told him so. In any case, I should probably leave,” he turned away. 

“I am a really ungrateful person, isn’t it Yue-san?” Yue heard the girl's voice as he was about to change back. He stopped the process and walked over to where she was sitting, somehow appearing more frail and forlorn than she has ever seemed to him before that evening. He silently observed her for a few seconds, as she kept her head lowered and looked down on her lap. 

Tomoyo felt Yue-san touch the top of her head gently. He then started tilting it back slowly with his hand till his sharp blue eyes could scan her unobstructed face. The thin lines of his silver brows furrowed a little bit. “I see,” he finally remarked. “You are not angry with me. Rather, you are upset with yourself,” he stated. 

“I deserve to be,” Tomoyo lowered her head again as Yue-san removed his hand from her crown. 

“Why?” the moon guardian questioned as he took a seat beside the human girl, 

“Because it happened because of me. Yue-san, my mother is suffering now, because I failed to notice it,” Tomoyo said in an anguished voice. 

“Your taking the phone calls earlier would hardly have made a difference to her condition,” Yue said. 

“You are right, and that’s why it is not that part that bothers me the most,” Tomoyo said. “Yue-san, you see I had seen oka-san appearing increasingly exhausted lately. I saw her nearly pass out as we were talking one time. Yet, I thought they were nothing more than the fatigue from her long work hours. If only I had known; if only I had paid more attention and taken her to see a doctor sooner,--” Tomoyo’s voice trailed off. She placed her fingers over Yue-san’s hand that rested in the space between them. 

“That does not make you accountable for what happened. You are majoring in computer science, not medical science,” Yue commented. 

“Your kindness makes you look past my faults,” Tomoyo said, ignoring her friend's attempt at wry humor. “Anyone would have noticed the signs of something seriously wrong with oka-san’s health unless they were selfishly self-absorbed like I was. Also part of me refused to see it. My mind did not even want to process the thought that something might happen with mother after what had happened with my father,” Tomoyo said. 

Yue had no idea about the last part of Tomoyo’s sentence that was connected to her past, but he realized it was not the best time to ask her about it, as he felta few warm drops of tears that fell on his hand from Tomoyo’s eyes. Not that he was very curious anyway. He moved his hand and held the soft, feminine hand securely between his palm and fingers. “Only a fool would say that,” he remarked. 

“You speak as if you know everything,” Tomoyo said amidst her tears. 

“I do, because I was that fool once,” Yue responded calmly. 

“What are you saying, Yue-san?” Tomoyo was clearly caught by surprise. The proud Yue-san calling himself a fool? She was not sure if she had even heard him correctly. She tried to focus her teary eyes on the beautiful face of the moon guardian who sat beside her. 

“When Clow passed away, I had similar thoughts. I thought that maybe there was something that I could I have done to make him stay; that I didn’t try enough and –,” 

“Yue-san,” Tomoyo raised her hand and touched Yue’s face for the first time. “Please, you don’t have to talk about things that pain you for my sake,” she pleaded. 

“It is alright now, Daidouji-san. It is alright since I realized that had it not been for Keroberos and I, Clow would have left the world much earlier than he did. I may not know everything, but I feel it might be similar in case of your mother too. You are not the reason that she is suffering now. You are the reason that she has lived a meaningful and productive life so far,” Yue said. 

“Maybe you are right. Maybe one day, I shall also see the truth in your words. But today, I am still foolish,” Tomoyo leaned against him. Yue extended his arms and pulled her closer against his chest. The sobbing girl tucked her face beneath his chin, one side of her face against his collarbone. “Still scared,” she mumbled. 

“Daidouji-san’s doctors are trying their best, isn’t it? Just now you told Yukito that your mother is recovering, and you are always great,” Yue said softly, touching her hair gently. 

“Tsukishiro-san is not a stoic like Yue-san,” Tomoyo muttered. "Mother is doing better, yes, but I do not want to overwhelm Tsukishiro-san with my silly fears," she added. 

Yue did not reply. He turned his gaze to the sky and allowed Tomoyo to cry on his shoulder yet again. It was getting cooler with nightfall, and a cold gust of wind blew past them, making Tomoyo shiver ever so slightly.  

“Daidouji-san, you should go inside where it is warmer,” Yue said. 

“Not yet, please,” Tomoyo said, her voice muffled by the fabric of the silken drape that covered Yue’s shoulder. Yue remained silent. 

“You are not going to scold me?” Tomoyo asked. It seemed that she did not expect Yue-san to just give in without an argument. 

“No, because there is something better than I can do,” Yue replied. The large silvery white wings reappeared on either side of Yue’s back and extended forward to shroud the girl he held in his arms. Instantly, Tomoyo felt the chill of the evening air being replaced by the warmth of Yue-san’s impressive wings. Tomoyo closed her eyes and sighed, allowing the tears to fall freely from her eyes. It felt so comfortable to be held by Yue-san like that. It was almost as if she was asleep in her own warm and comfy bed, dreaming a sad dream; one that would make her smile later, realizing that it was just a dream. 

At length, the clock in the adjacent room struck the beginning of the next hour. At the sound, Tomoyo finally raised her head and looked up, to meet the pair of light blue eyes that were watching her cautiously. It was hard to tell what Yue-san was thinking. As she continued to look into his eyes, she felt as if she was falling endlessly through the never ending expanse of the blue sky. It was not an unpleasant feeling, but it made her extremely scared. Tomoyo felt that if she looked into those eyes a moment longer, she would fall till she hit the ground and shatter into a thousand pieces that no one will ever be able to find. 

Tomoyo closed her eyes at that moment. Touya onii-san was right. Yue-san’s eyes are like the empty skies. 

Yue also forced his eyes shut at the same time. Her eyes, deep as the bottomless ocean . 

Yue did not want his consciousness to drown in the bottomless depth of those violet eyes that sparkled a little with tears. Daidouji-san is just another human , he had to remind himself. A mortal, like Clow. Only fools make the same mistake again and again, and Yue had convinced himself that he was no longer a fool. 

A last few drops of tears slid past Tomoyo’s shut eyelids. Yue-san had really awakened things that Tomoyo had carefully coaxed to lie dormant in her heart all these years. The first among these was her sorrow. Yue-san had told her that she should not unnecessarily suppress her grief and lately, it seemed that if she felt sad and he was near, she could not stop her tears, which is something that has never happened earlier. The second thing that her closeness with Yue-san had stirred in her heart were the feelings that Tomoyo thought she had banished for a lifetime, and would never have for anyone. It left her feeling quite helpless and miserable, since she could not understand why she felt so differently about Tsukishiro-san and Yue-san. Tsukishiro-san was like the older brother she never had, and had always been that way. Yet, despite her best attempts, her heart refused to accept Yue-san in the same way. How could she possibly explain why the alter ego of a man who was like a brother to her made her heart feel so restless? It seemed wrong by all means. Yet, at that moment, Tomoyo could feel the strength of the lean arms around her shoulders and the jagged fringes of Yue-san’s feathery wings that brushed lightly on her back, making her spine tingle a bit. Despite the many things that tormented her mind, everything felt right about being held in Yue-san’s arms like that. It was so nice to be enveloped by the soft warmth of his wings that she wished she did not have to let him go anytime soon. It gave her a sense of protection and comfort that she had never experienced before. 

At last, Tomoyo reopened her eyes and pulled herself back a bit to look at Yue’s face. “I ended up making you endure my silly sobbing again. Gomen ne,” she told the moon guardian. 

Yue's eyelids also fluttered open at the sound of her voice. The pale blue orbs framed by long eyelashes looked soft as he gazed at her. “Maybe, I will become accustomed to it if it keeps happening,” he said as wiped the tears from the girl’s face with his hand.  He stood on his feet and Tomoyo followed suit. 

“Thanks for staying to console a fool like me,” Tomoyo said, looking at the reflection of her face at the blue stone on Yue-san’s armor that shone even in the dim light of the terrace. She looked as terrible as someone who had just bawled her eyes out. 

Yue placed a light hand on Tomoyo’s right shoulder. “Daidouji-san, if you need anything, do not hesitate to reach out to Yukito,” he told her. 

Tomoyo nodded. It seemed Yue-san wanted his other form to help her, and it was only natural. Tsukishiro-san was compassionate and smart. Yet, the words stung somewhere deep in her heart. Perhaps, he wants to have nothing to do with me after all, but is too kind to tell it directly , she thought. 

“Go back inside. I shall depart once you do,” Yue said. Tomoyo did not argue further. She bowed politely, bidding him good night and left the terrace. When she turned back from the door, the moon guardian had already spread his large wings in the night sky. 

***********************************************************************************************************************************************

The next day, Tomoyo heard that her mother was back from the hospital once she got home after her classes. She had missed two days of classes, so Sonomi herself insisted that she started attending them again. Tomoyo quickly changed and rushed to her mother’s room. She peeked inside to see that her mother was quietly sitting on her bed, holding a photo frame. 

“Oka-san, I am so glad to have you back home,” Tomoyo entered the room with a smile. 

“Ah, Tomoyo-chan okaeri-nasai,” Sonomi greeted, quickly putting away the frame that held an old photograph of an younger, livelier version of herself smiling proudly at the dark haired young man beside her, and the baby held lovingly in his arms; her late husband and their daughter. 

“Mother, you have to promise that you won’t start working until the doctor says it is fine to. Also, when you do, no more later nighters and traveling every other week. Onegai,” Tomoyo pleaded, sitting down on the edge of her mothers bed. 

“Hai hai. I am sorry to have scared you, Tomoyo-chan. You had to miss your classes too to stay at the hospital for the last two days,” Sonomi said. 

“That is fine oka-san. And everyone helped me so much so I was fine,” Tomoyo said. 

“Speaking of which, I heard you were with that strange silver-haired boy that evening,” Sonomi said. 

“Yes, we were both at the library, and Yue-san offered to accompany me to the hospital when I told him what happened,” Tomoyo said. The chief of her mothers personal bodyguards, Akane-san, has been working with their family for many years, and consequently she has developed some sort of a friendship with her mother that extended beyond their professional relationship. She had sort of expected that Akane-san would tell her mother about the strange boy who accompanied the heir of the Daidouji family, and her mother would bring up the topic sooner or later. 

“Since the day I saw that boy with you, I knew that he would take you from me someday,” Sonomi huffed, biting her lower lip. 

Tomoyo did not expect her mother to be so straightforward so soon. She sounded exactly like Touya oni-san when talking about Syaoran-kun. “Oka-san, Yue-san has no such intentions or even feelings for me. You are worrying unnecessarily. He is just a kind friend to me,” Tomoyo said firmly. 

“Tomoyo-chan, even kind people leave, and when they do, the sadness that they leave behind lasts for a lifetime,” Sonomi said quietly, her eyes shifting back to the framed photo resting on the desk by her bedside. “That is what bothers me,” she turned her face back to Tomoyo. “I trust your judgment, and if you say that this Yue-san of yours is a kind person, I have no reason to disbelieve it. However, should I not be concerned that my young daughter who never even went on a date with any of the boys from her class or anyone else, has now developed such a weakness for a strange fellow who I know nothing about?” Sonomi continued. 

“Oka-san, I just wish Yue-san to be happy, since he deserves to be,” Tomoyo told her mother. "That's the extent of what you call as weakness," she added. 

“Even at the cost of your own happiness, I presume” Sonomi sighed. “Seriously, Tomoyo-chan do you think you can keep running away from your own feelings forever?” the red haired lady asked. 

“I will always do what is best for everyone. For Touya onii-san, Tsukishiro-san and Yue-san. Oka-san, please rest assured that I won’t do anything rash. I promised you, remember?” Tomoyo said. 

“I believe you Tomoyo-chan,” Sonomi lifted her daughter's hand and kissed it softly. “But your selflessness is what makes me worried. Also, I don’t understand what this new silver-haired boy has got to do with Touya-kun and Tsukishiro-kun. I hope he is not trying to cause a rift between the two of them,” Sonomi looked and sounded displeased, once again not bothering to say Yue’s name. 

“Yue-san would never do such a thing. But he and Tsukishiro-san are bound by the same strange family issue which they need to resolve before either of them can move on. I am sorry that I cannot tell you more right now. It is kind of personal to them and very complicated,” Tomoyo tried her best to explain without divulging anything. 

“Family issues, huh?” Sonomi said. “I thought Tsukishiro-kun did not have much of a family. I suppose that explains why he and Touya-kun are not engaged yet despite being together for so long. I hoped it would be smooth for them since Kinomoto sensei is not against it. In fact, he seems to think that Tsukishiro-kun is the only one who would make his son happy,” Sonomi reflected. 

“Hontou? Fujitaka-san said that? And you knew about Touya onii-san and Tsukishiro-san? ” Tomoyo was more pleasantly surprised this time. 

“Ah, I have known about them for years. Also, Kinomoto sensei is very supportive. Perhaps not all of us parents are as foolish and old school as you young people seem to think. When our children really like someone, we can tell,” Sonomi laughed lightly, ruffling the neatly plaited hair on Tomoyo’s head with her hand. 

Finally Tomoyo smiled, leaning into her mother’s loving touch. “They are both amazing in the way they have always loved and protected each other,” she said. 

“But now, Tsukishiro-kun’s distant and absent family stands in their way. Mattaku, it is just unfortunate that some families are still so orthodox that they create such problems if two people want to be together. I would have understood if they were his parents who raised him and everything, but these distant relatives are nothing but annoying. I am glad that we don’t have any,” Sonomi remarked. 

Tomoyo sighed, realizing it was better to let her mother cling on to that vague notion for now. She put her arms around her mother. “Oka-san, one day, when everything settles down and everyone is happy, I want to tell you everything about why Yue-san is so important to me and why I did what I am doing now. Until then, please pray that I remain strong,” Tomoyo said. 

“So be it, Tomoyo-chan. And I will also pray that my own daughter also finds her happiness that day,” Sonomi said, placing her hand on Tomoyo’s head once again. 

*************************************************************************************************************************************************

Two weeks later, Tomoyo opened her tired eyes slowly to find herself on the train. There were few people on board as it was the weekend, and late evening already. The pale skinned, silver haired young man beside her glanced at her through the corner of his eyes, but did not speak. She found that her head was resting on his shoulder with one side of her body leaning against his arm, and her hand was at his elbow. The week of the final examinations that concluded the day before had been stressful and Tomoyo had to study extra hours to make up for missing some classes so close to the exams. She realized that she must have dozed off on Yue-san on their way back from the library due to the lack of sufficient sleep over the past week. Even the night before, she had that weird dream again, which kept her awake for the rest of the night. The moon in her dream has grown smaller again, and the uneasy feeling that it evoked had only grown stronger. 

The train slowed down, as a robotic female voice announced the arrival of the next station. Tomoyo looked at Yue-san with wide eyes, realizing that the train had already left his station behind it a while ago. “Why didn’t you get off yet?” she asked. 

“Since you were asleep and holding me like this,” with his sharp eyes, Yue pointed at Tomoyo’s hand which was still on his elbow. 

“Gomen, Yue-san,” Tomoyo immediately withdrew her hand and bowed, her head almost touching her lap. “You should have just called me,” she said. Tomoyo knew that if she were sitting next to a stranger, she could not have just dozed off like that no matter how tired she felt. But with Yue-san, she always felt a strange sense of calmness, which had lulled her to sleep on that occasion. “At least you can get off now,” she added as the train came to a stop next to a mostly empty platform. 

Yue showed no interest in leaving his seat. “I will do that at your station. So, you can relax till we arrive there,” Yue said. He had not failed to notice the dark circles beneath Tomoyo’s eyes and her weariness in general throughout the day. The poor girl had been having a hard time recently, and even if he had awakened her and got off the train at his station, there was still a chance that she might fall asleep again and miss her own station. 

Tomoyo  leaned her head back against Yue’s shoulder as the train started to move again. “I have been giving you so much trouble lately, Yue-san,” she sighed apologetically.

Yue did not speak but lifted his opposite hand to touch Tomoyo’s face for a brief moment. It was a simple, reassuring gesture that conveyed the silent message that it was all right, but the impact it had on the young girl was much greater. As soon as Yue’s fingers made contact with her face, it seemed to Tomoyo that a spark of electricity flowed through her entire body and made her numb. The scary truth that had been chasing her steadily over the past few months, slowly but patiently reducing the distance between itself and her each time she and Yue-san met, snatched the moment to finally catch up to her and block her path. To Tomoyo, it felt like hitting a wall on which it was written in bold letters that she was deeply in love with Yue-san at that point and there was nowhere to escape. No more running away from her feelings while trying her best to fool herself, no more trying to avoid meeting him in the hope that she could forget. All those strategies were rendered futile before the terrific force of her love that emanated from her heart and became ingrained in her soul and her very existence. Tomoyo’s breath hitched and a small sound escaped her throat, causing Yue-san to turn his eyes towards her again. She covered her mouth with her hand and nodded to signal that she was alright.

Once she had composed herself relatively from the initial shock of the realization, Tomoyo carefully analyzed the situation. It was not something totally unexpected. The more she got to know Yue-san, the more sure she was that her heart would fall for him someday. She knew it was not the girly kind of crush that she has witnessed girls around her having. No, that was never a possibility. She had never blushed before Yue-san to this day, and her heart never raced in his presence. In fact, the tranquility she felt by simply being by his side suggested quite the opposite. In fact, a crush would have been a more favorable situation, as they were short-lived by their very nature. Neither was it just an attraction towards his captivating handsomeness, that would dissipate if she did not see him for a few months or few years. It was definitely not the kind of feelings that she had when she thought Sakura was cute in her elementary and middle school. Rather, Tomoyo understood well enough that what she felt was the deepest, warmest, saddest and most hopeless kind of love that was there to last at least a lifetime. 

Tomoyo always believed that it was impossible that she would ever fall for a man. She never spared a second glance at the most popular senpai from her school and college and remained indifferent to the movie stars whose charming smiles made girls of her age swoon. Her attitude towards boys was friendly, but aloof, and she had often overheard her classmates gossip about how Daidouji-san would never go out with anyone. She was partly grateful for such gossip, as it discouraged most boys from asking her out, and the few who were foolish enough to ignore the warnings from their classmates were politely turned down. But Yue-san was different, Tomoyo thought as she felt the softness of the peach colored fabric of his shirt against her cheek, and inhaled the vanilla snow cone like scent that characterized Yue-san. Yue-san was a man, but not an ordinary human. He was both beautiful and graceful, delicate and sensitive. He possessed the very traits that Tomoyo admired, and his integrity, his offhanded kindness and his terse but sincere words were enough to make her moonstruck by the man whose powers reflected the pure aura of the moon. The man who sat next to her, gazing out of the window with a placid expression on his face would always be the most important person in her life. 

It troubled Tomoyo a bit to consider what Yue-san would think if he found out about her true feelings. He had known her since she was an elementary school kid. Would he consider her having such feelings for him as repulsive and distasteful? Yet Tomoyo knew that there was nothing disgusting about her feelings for him, despite the somewhat strange circumstances of their acquaintance. At the core of her feelings was still the desire to see Yue-san happy, and besides they only started getting to know each other properly a few months ago, not when she was a child. Tomoyo could tell that he did not dislike her company, and even cared for her in a way which did not quite seem to her like the big brother type of concern that his other form held for her. Of course, he never displayed any romantic interest in her either. Had the two of them been the only stakeholders in their relationship, she would have confessed her feelings to him at that very instant she realized them. She would have probably held his hand and told him softly that she loved him endlessly when the train stopped at the previous station and he refused to deboard for her sake. But that was not to be, because there was Tsukishiro-san and Touya onii-san and their selfless love for each other. Even if Yue-san returned her feelings, what were they to do about it? How could she get to be with Yue-san without taking Tsukishiro-san away from Touya onii-san? She knew that neither she nor Yue-san could be that selfish after knowing what the two best friends who loved each other had been through. Rather, her feelings might just open the Pandora's box and jeopardize whatever little peace and stability the other three people in question had in their lives. This is why the truth was scary to her in the first place. 

Tomoyo clenched her fists. Why can’t I just be like a normal girl and do what everyone else does? Why is my fate so sadistic? I once thought I liked someone only to learn a few months later that she is my cousin! And now I find myself in love with someone who is an alternate form of the man that my other cousin is in love with! Can even kami-sama help me out of this horrible mess?  For the first time, Tomoyo felt a certain extent of  anger against Clow Reed’s cruel plan of fusing the identities of two different persons into one. 

Yue kept a watch over Tomoyo out of the corner of his eyes. The girl looked even paler than she did that afternoon, and she winced slightly as if she was in some sort of pain. He had known Tomoyo well enough to understand that the girl wouldn't tell him anything even if he asked what was bothering her. Thankfully, he had decided not to leave her midway. It was better to ensure that she reached home safely since she did not look well. Her hands were clutching the fabric of his shirt sleeve again, and her eyes remained shut while she rested against him, as the train rumbled on towards its destination. It seemed that the young girl was getting quite used to having him around, and the thought did not please him very much. Daidouji-san, you fool! You held me like this today, and I could not leave. But for how long? Will you stop me from leaving tomorrow? Or the day after that? Or the next day? I have to leave within a year, Daidouji-san, so please don’t hold onto me like this. I don't want to hurt you Daidouji-san, I don't want you to know the same pain that Clow has left me with, Yue wanted to scream in Tomoyo's ears, but all that came out of his mouth was a soft sigh.    

Notes:

Please don't be shy of commenting. There is still a significant amount of this story left. It would be helpful to know what people think of TomoYue since it is not a popular ship. Till next time.

Chapter 12: Gifts

Summary:

Yue receives a holiday present from Tomoyo.

Notes:

Sorry for the delay, I wish that I could have updated it sooner. Please enjoy the chapter.

The winter holidays finally arrived,  and along with it, came a much anticipated visit from Sakura and Tomoyo’s dear friend who resided in Hong-Kong. The two girls were waiting for their friend in the arrival area of Tokyo international airport. Meiling’s flight got delayed by two hours due to the holiday season rush, and what was scheduled to be a late evening arrival was now pushing well into the night. Sakura was impatiently tapping her foot on the ground when her phone rang. Her face cheered up when she saw the name on the screen. After talking for a minute, she disconnected the call. 

“Meiling-chan’s flight has just landed. She still has to go through immigration and baggage claim, though,” Sakura informed her best friend. 

“That will easily be over thirty more minutes, especially at this time of the year,” Tomoyo sighed. 

About forty-five minutes later, the two friends caught sight of their third friend. The slim, athletic looking girl clad in a white jacket over blue jeans, waved energetically to them, and quickened her pace, pushing along her luggage. At the next instant, Tomoyo and Sakura were pulled into a crushing embrace. “Finally,” Meiling almost screamed in excitement. 

“Welcome again, Meiling-chan,” Sakura said, nearly choking in Meiling’s hug. 

“Hope you had a pleasant flight,” Tomoyo said. 

“Nope, there was a screaming baby in the opposite seat, who wouldn’t shut up for all four hours,” Meiling said. “My head felt like it was going to explode,” she added.  

Sakura and Tomoyo giggled in unison, and Meiling pulled back, releasing the other two girls from her arms. At that moment, a round head of an yellow plushie bear popped up from Sakura’s handbag. “Yo, Meiling kozo, did you get those cookies that I texted you about?” the sun guardian said. 

“Hi Nuigurumi, you have gone fatter. Don’t you think that you should cut down on your calories?” Meiling patted the head. 

“Who are you calling fat, you lousy brat?” Kero gritted his teeth, trying hard to repress a scream. 

“Kero-chan, stay put. People will see,” Sakura tried to hurriedly stuff back the mischievous critter inside her bag. 

“You two haven’t changed one bit in one year,” Meiling laughed a little. Then she turned to Tomoyo with a more serious expression on her face. “Sonomi-san is doing much better right?” she asked. 

“Yes, thankfully,” Tomoyo answered with a smile. 

“Then why does it not show on your face?” Meiling asked. 

“I have not been sleeping well lately, maybe that’s why,” Tomoyo tried to evade any suspicion on Meiling’s part by answering promptly. 

“That’s true, Tomoyo-chan studied hard and topped her class the third time in a row,” Sakura answered, looking at her best friend with pride and admiration. 

“Come on now, let’s get inside the car, or Meiling-chan will catch a cold,” Tomoyo placed her hands on the back of her two friends, trying to direct them towards the black car which waited for them in the pick up area.  She still did not feel comfortable when people discussed her accomplishments before her. 

“It is so chilly, now that you mention it,” Meiling wrapped her arms around herself as she spoke. The Hong Kong girl never quite got used to Japan’s colder climate. 

The following Saturday, Tomoyo stood on the cold pavement outside the town library, staring at the imposing building. The prospect of walking in and finding Yue-san sitting at his usual spot with a book before him was something she both dreaded and wanted at the same time. She breathed out a puff of air that mixed with the frosty morning air. 

“Are you going to stand here and sigh all day or go inside?” Tomoyo’s head turned sharply at the sound of the familiar voice. 

“Meiling-chan,” she exclaimed. “What are you doing here?” she asked. 

“Just came to say hi to Yue-san. Tsukishiro-san mentioned that he takes his own form on Saturdays and spends most of the time here.” The raven haired girl replied, pointing at the library. “Sakura had some grocery shopping to do, and I convinced Syaoran to take her to a movie date afterwards,” she added with a grin. 

“Soka,” Tomoyo reflected. It did not seem that Meiling-chan’s sudden interest in meeting Yue-san was totally unrelated with everything she heard from Tomoyo herself and others about her recent interactions with Yue-san. If she finds out about my feelings though, Tomoyo felt nervous

“ Ikimashou?” Meiling said excitedly. 

“Hai,” Tomoyo said, and the two girls started walking towards the library building. It was the holiday season, and not many people were inside, barring the few avid readers like Yue-san himself. The young library assistant, Hana-san, was hovering around Yue-san’s desk, presumably trying to strike up some small talk with the handsome man. Yue maintained a passive face, but his eyes betrayed his irritation. 

Meiling rushed towards Yue’s desk, all but shoving the library assistant aside. “Yue-san, hope you have not forgotten about me,” she said in a voice that revealed her excitement on meeting the moon guardian, but defied the etiquette of a library’s reading room. 

“Li-san,” Yue said in a modulated voice. 

“Just call me Meiling, ok,” the young girl had picked up Yue’s hand that rested on the desk and was shaking it quite vigorously by that point. Yue was quite surprised, although his face remained stoical. “I wanted to meet you so much so that I could thank you for taking care of Tomoyo-chan when Sonomi-san–,”

“Ojou-san,” Meiling was cut off by a strict voice behind them. She dropped Yue’s hand and looked back to stare into a pair of stern eyes behind eyeglasses.  “I shall have to ask both of you to leave for creating unnecessary noise,” the elderly librarian said in an authoritative voice. 

“I was not even speaking,” Yue responded coldly. 

“That’s right,” the young assistant muttered, but was only met with a sharp glare from her superior. 

“Please allow me to apologize on behalf of my friend,” Tomoyo bowed swiftly. “Actually, she lives in another country. So, she is just happy to meet everyone after a long time –,” she tried to explain but was interrupted. 

“And you think that this library is a place for your high school reunions?” the lady did not relent. “In fact, you young lady, and that senpai of yours had broken the rule more than once. A few weeks back you two had reportedly left without replacing the books you did not check out in their proper shelves,” she said, adjusting her glasses on her sharp nose. 

“Ano, Daidouji-san had an emergency that --,” Hana started speaking. 

“I don’t want to hear excuses. I hate to have to do these things but I have to take your card and place an entry and borrow restriction on it for ten days. Same goes for you young man,” the librarian finished turning to Yue. 

Tomoyo and Yue exchanged a glance. The lady was following the official rules, although it seemed a bit whimsical to bring up something that happened weeks ago. Tomoyo was sure she would have let it slide had she not been irked by Meiling’s loud voice. In any case, there was not much room to argue, so they silently handed their cards over to the woman. Yue got up to replace the two books that he had with him back at the stacks. Hana went towards the front desk shortly, pushing the empty cart of books. She must have stopped to talk to Yue-san on her way back from the storage section. 

“You should have apologized, Meiling-chan. You almost shoved Hana-san aside to talk to Yue-san,” Tomoyo mentioned in a low voice once the two of them were alone. 

“Psst, you mean that cutesy girl? Like hell I would! She was trying to flirt with him for god’s sake. As if someone like her ever has a chance,” Meiling clicked her tongue. 

“We are not here to judge such things, Meiling-chan,” Tomoyo said. 

“Hai hai, little miss angel. Geez, you and Sakura are both impossible,” Meiling said. Yue came back at that time. After he had gathered his things from the desk, they silently made their way out of the library. 

“Mattaku, what a stickler that lady is,” Meilling pursed her lips, raising her voice again once they all were outside the building. Tomoyo watched her lively friend carefully. It seemed that Meiling-chan was quite satisfied that they practically got thrown out of the library. Unlike Sakura and herself, Meiling-chan could be rude when she wanted to, but she was not a senseless or insensitive person either. She usually used that ability to her advantage. This time, it seemed she knew exactly what she was doing, and the things that happened thereafter were part of her plan all along. 

“We are extremely sorry, Yue-san. We ruined your day,” Tomoyo sighed. 

“Who told you it was ruined?” Yue responded calmly. “It was not very pleasant inside anyway,” he added quietly. 

“Then I rescued Yue-san from the annoyance, didn’t I?” Meiling chimed in happily. 

“Unfortunately, I cannot disagree with Meiling-san. Actually, I was hoping that you would be here sooner,” Yue said, turning his face towards Tomoyo. 

“You did? I,-- I thought,--,”   Tomoyo ended the sentence with an uncharacteristic stutter. She  felt the tips of her ears turn hot at the comment. He is so straightforward . Tomoyo knew what he meant. Hana-san would not have tried to engage him in an useless conversation if she was with.Yue-san, Meiling was looking at them from the corner of her eyes. Tomoyo kept her eyes fixed on the ground as she walked between her two friends. Yue-san readily addressed Meiling-chan by her first name. All she had to do was to just tell him once. Yet, after all these months of getting to know each other, he was still stuck using her last name. All of this because she could not be free like Meiling-chan or Sakura-chan and tell him openly what she wanted. 

“Ne Yue-san, you have nothing else to do right now, right?” Meiling asked, her long hair swishing from her side ponytails as she walked confidently on their way to the train station. “Then hang out with us. There is an interesting place that I was planning to visit with Tomoyo-chan later this week, but I think we can go today,” Meiling smiled. 

Yue did not reply immediately. Tomoyo felt his gaze fixed on her face. It seemed he was waiting to hear whether Tomoyo also approved of her friend’s suggestion. But Tomoyo, being unsure of what to say, chose to remain silent. “I was hoping that I could go home. But I suppose it would also be acceptable to go with your suggestion as long as Daidouji-san does not find it disagreeable,” Yue finally said. 

“I don’t mind at all. I will be happier if I am accompanied by two friends rather than one ,” Tomoyo said. “Where are we going though?” She turned her head towards Meiling. 

“Let that be a surprise till we get there,” Meiling smiled. 

The train took them to another part of the town. “Here we are,” Meiling took a few steps ahead of her companions, brimming with excitement. "Yukito-san told me about this place," she added. 

“A cat cafe?” Tomoyo looked at the cute exterior decor of the cafe before them. Before Meiling could walk inside, Tomoyo hurried and caught her hand. 

“Ano, Meiling-chan this looks like a fun place but I don’t know if going inside with Yue-san is such a good idea,” Tomoyo said, and shot a quick glance at Yue, who had walked up to stand behind them. “He--,” Tomoyo paused and took a breath. “He cannot eat and drink like us humans, you see,” she said. 

“Nani?” Meiling’s facial expression was that of shocked surprise. “But Keroberos, Spinny and Momo-chan - all that those nuigurumis ever do is to stuff their mouth with food. Even Ruby Moon can eat like normal from what I heard,” she said. 

“I am different. Sorry,” Yue said quietly. 

“I don’t care about that. Never apologize for who you are, Yue-san,” Tomoyo said emphatically. 

“That’s right. It means nothing aside from the fact that Yue-san is special,” Meiling stated. “Daijoubu, Touya-san should be working inside, so we should still be fine. Come,” she ushered her companions inside. 

They went inside the cafe, taking in its ambience. Some of the cats were being petted by the few patrons, and a few other cats were idly lounging on the empty tables. The group of three got themselves seated a bit farther from the crowd. At that moment, Touya entered from inside, wearing a server’s apron and cap, and saw them. 

“I knew Meiling would show up since Yuki told her about this, but did not expect to see you here,” Touya told Yue as he approached their table. 

“You two are being irresponsible as usual. I mean you and Yukito,” Yue said solemnly. 

"What's with that attitude?" Touya raised an eyebrow. "Are you here to scold me?" he asked.  

“With your graduation coming up in a few months from now, you should be focused on exploring your free time to look for post doctoral opportunities. Yet here you are working odd jobs and taking silly pictures of felines to show Yukito and your sister. And Yukito seems perfectly content to let you do such useless things,” Yue said disapprovingly. 

“Hey, why are you so worried about our future? Who are you? Our big brother or our sensei? Not that you look like either of those anyway, at least not anymore,” Touya snapped at the moon guardian. 

“I just want to see that you two are stable before I–,” Yue seemed to suddenly remember the presence of the two girls at the table. “Forget it,” he skipped the rest of the unfinished sentence, casting an annoyed glance at Touya. 

Touya was about to say something, but was interrupted by the soft meowing sounds. “Ah, kitties,” Meiling exclaimed with stars in her eyes. “I was hoping to see them since Yukito-san showed me photos of them,” she clasped her hands together. Tomoyo saw that three young kittens that looked no older than two months were scratching at the base of Yue-san’s seat. His blue eyes shifted downwards at the small balls of fluff, then back to Touya, as if asking for some sort of permission. 

“Yes, you can pet them,” Touya huffed. “Sakura and Yukito love kawaii stuff like these so I took some photos to share with them. Didn’t think that you all would be in the same category! Anyway, I have to get going,” he took their orders before moving on to another table. 

Yue carefully picked up the kittens one by one, and placed them on the table. There was a ginger one, a calico one and a tuxedo one. The baby cats immediately started rubbing their tiny heads on Yue’s arms. 

“Yue-san is a cat magnet, it seems,” Tomoyo said with a wide smile on her lips, genuinely amused by the scene. Thinking about it, the man himself was somewhat like a cat - cold eyes and graceful aloofness that veiled a peevish temper, accompanied with a fierce loyalty to their chosen one characterized both the feline kind as well as Yue-san. 

“They are just drawn to his power, silly,” Meiling quipped, extending her hand to grab the ginger kitten, ignoring its fervent protests at being drawn away from the person of its interest which was Yue-san. Meiling cuddled the kitten, lifting it, and holding it against her face. It might be the truth, Tomoyo realized.  She remembered having read somewhere that animals were subconsciously drawn to benevolent supernatural powers, while being repelled by malevolent ones. 

“Let’s not talk about those things here,” Tomoyo warned her friend, just to be safe. 

“Why do you worry so much? There is no one around us. So, even Yue-san is not worried,” she placed the kitten back on the table, and immediately it tried to waddle its way back to Yue-san, but Meiling did not let it go. 

Tomoyo looked at Yue. He seemed to be drowning out their conversation. Instead, his attention was focused on the kittens. The tuxedo one was nipping at his right index finger with its tiny fangs that looked like they were the cutest thing in the world, while the fingers of his other hand gently rubbed under the calico kitten’s chin, making it purr in pure bliss. She continued to gaze at them, realizing that she had never even allowed herself the joy of having a pet of her own, out of the fear that it would be harder for her when their short lives came to an end. She wondered if Yue-san felt the same way about the people around him. Her eyes felt hazy for a moment. 

“Tomoyo-chan, why are you looking at the kitten like that?” she heard Meiling’s voice beside her. 

“If you want to pet it, you should have just asked,” Yue looked up. “Here,” he held out his hands, the calico kitten gently snuggled between his palms. 

“That’s the problem with Tomoyo-chan. She rarely ever asks for what she wants,” Meiling remarked as Tomoyo gently accepted the kitten from Yue’s hands, their fingers brushing against each other in the process. “That’s why Yue-san, even if she doesn’t say anything, please try to understand her,” Meiling said in a casual tone. 

“Meiling-chan!” Tomoyo felt somewhat flustered. It always made her uneasy when her friends discussed anything about her in her presence. She was someone who always wanted to divert attention away from themselves. She bit down on her lips gently and stroked the head of the kitten. It gave her an appreciative purr, but its eyes were still focussed on Yue. Was she drawn to his lunar charm too, just like these kittens? Tomoyo wondered. She had heard that both Sakura and Syaoran had been once drawn to Yukito for that reason. But could magic really explain the depth of Touya-san’s feelings for his best friend or her feelings for Yue-san? If it was magic, why did it happen to her now and not years before? Was magic really so strong? Even stronger than the human heart?

The kitten took advantage of Tomoyo’s thoughtful state to squirm out of her loose fingers and find its way back to Yue. Touya brought out the coffee and food they had ordered at that point. 

“Don’t let these chibis get to the food. Sweets are not good for cats,” Tomoyo turned her head at the sound of her cousin’s deep voice and met his dark eyes. She looked away immediately. Unlike Sakura, her big brother was quite perceptive. Tomoyo felt that one good glance at her eyes, and Touya would read her heart completely. She had not done anything wrong, yet the bitter feeling of guilt tormented her every moment. "Someone seems to be having a good time with the kittens! Someone who was calling me out for being silly earlier," Touya smacked his fist lightly on Yue's silver head before leaving the table. 

"Unprofessional and impertinent!" Yue muttered. 

After having their food and drink and playing with the kittens some more, they left the cafe, to the dismay of the young kittens at being parted from Yue. Touya was done with his shift, so he joined them on their way back. It was a dreary afternoon, and it started to flurry a bit as they walked down to the station.

Tomoyo walked silently beside Touya. Ahead of them, Meiling was complaining about the cold, and asking why Yue-san was not wearing the jacket that he carried in his arms as he walked beside her. Tomoyo understood that the moon guardian did not feel cold like the humans, but carried the winter clothes around just to avoid any kind of questions or suspicious stares from strangers. Yue replied that he did not need it, but slipped it on nevertheless. 

“Touya onii-san,” Tomoyo called her cousin softly. The dark haired young man was walking beside her with his hands in his pockets, face tilted up to gaze at the gray sky. Tomoyo knew that if Tsukishiro-san had been with them, her cousin’s eyes would not be so keen on watching the sky. 

“What is it?” Touya questioned casually. 

“Did you decide what you are going to do after graduation? I mean you and Tsukishiro-san?” Tomoyo asked. She had vaguely heard from Sakura that her elder brother wanted to consider the option of going abroad for research, but Tsukishiro-san was hesitant, probably because of Yue-san. If he finally agreed, then soon there would be a time when Tomoyo would not even be able to see Yue-san regularly. The thought pained Tomoyo, but what pained her more was the thought of Yue-san being alone in a different country where no one would truly know or understand him. Difficult as his existence was in this little Japanese town of Tomoeda, at least he did not have to hide his true identity from a handful of people such as Li-kun, Sakura-chan, Meiling-chan and herself, aside from Touya onii-san, his other form and the sun guardian of course. 

“It’s not time yet,” Touya answered, his eyes not leaving the sky. 

Tomoyo glanced up at the tall man beside her, opened her mouth to speak something and then stopped herself. “I see,” she said finally after a pause, glancing down at the stones of the pavement. 

A moment later, Tomoyo felt the soft touch of a large hand on her head. “It will be alright, don’t worry,” Touya said, letting his hand rest on his cousin’s head a little longer. Tomoyo was unable to answer, being overpowered by a mixture of guilt and gratitude. It was difficult to determine whether Touya was trying to assure himself or her. Suddenly, it did not seem impossible that either Tsukishiro-san or Touya onii-san could have vaguely guessed the nature of her feelings towards Yue. Those two were so close that they could practically read each other’s minds, so if one of them knew, the other would know inevitably. And since Yue-san already had access to Tsukishiro-san’s mind, he would be knowing too. Tomoyo suddenly felt like she wanted to disappear somewhere. She did not know how to face anybody anymore. After a moment, she willed herself to calm down, rationalizing that she was probably overthinking the situation. 

It might have been an impact of the bleak weather, but their train ride  was unusually quiet. Even the ever talkative Meiling seemed to have lost her usual enthusiasm for engaging the others in a conversation. “Ja ne, Tomoyo-chan, see you tomorrow,” she waved goodbye before getting off the train with Yue and Touya. Tomoyo smiled at the three of them and said goodbye. Meiling had been staying with Sakura for the first half of her visit, and they had decided that she would spend the second half at Tomoyo’s place, starting from the day next. Yue’s blue eyes gazed back at Tomoyo sharply, and she saw him take out his phone as he stepped off the train. A moment later, the notification tone of her phone sounded. Do not fall asleep , Yue had texted, using only the bare minimum number of words. 

The following night, Tomoyo and Meiling were watching a movie together in Tomoyo’s bedroom. Meiling had arrived to stay at her place that evening, and after having a hearty conversation with Sonomi over dinner, the two girls had retired for the night. Since neither of them felt sleepy immediately, Meiling suggested that they watched a movie. She selected a fairly short animated one offered by an online streaming platform. At first Tomoyo did not feel much drawn to it, since it seemed like it would be another generic supernatural love story between a human and a supernatural entity. Tomoyo really had no taste for passionate love stories. Instead, her eyes focused on the crochet pattern she was making as a holiday gift for someone. However, the movie was fairly slow, and the storyline was easy to follow from the dialogues she heard. About halfway into the movie, Tomoyo realized that her initial assessment of the plot was incorrect. Soon, she found herself putting aside her craft and intently watching the large screen on the wall opposite to her bed. Meiling too seemed captivated with the story. As the plot progressed further, Tomoyo started feeling a growing ache in her chest. As the movie finished rather abruptly, Tomoyo felt her own heart shatter along with that of the protagonist. 

“Tsk, I thought they were going to have a happy ending! Such a shame,” Meiling remarked, placing a pillow beneath her chest. 

“The genre is wrong,” Tomoyo fell back on her pillow. “It is not a love story at all, but one of sacrifice,” she said. Tomoyo never cried at movies. It felt silly to be so sentimental over a fictional situation. However, at that moment, her eyes burned so much it felt like there were embers inside them. It did not help that the youkai in the movie had silver hair of the same color as the man she had fallen for. It did not help that he was cursed to disappear the moment his skin touched that of a human, that of the person whom he cared for the most. And most certainly, it did not help Tomoyo that the character did that anyway, so that the girl could move on and not be stuck in a hopeless relationship (see A/N #1 at the end). 

“Isn’t it the same thing? One cannot simply make such a sacrifice if there is no love,” Meiling responded wisely. “Besides, there is no such genre,” she added. 

“They should add it,” Tomoyo said languidly and placed a hand over her eyes. 

“Whatever. Anyway, I am sleepy too after such a depressing movie,” Meiling said. She turned off the light and the TV, and lied down on the other side of the bed. 

The room had been dark and quiet for a while and Tomoyo’s face had been buried in her pillow for about the same amount of time. Finally, a soft hand touched Tomoyo’s back. “I didn’t know the plot. I didn’t know that it would make Tomoyo-chan sad. Gomen ne,” Meiling said very quietly as she pressed her face lightly against her friend’s back. 

“Why did he have to disappear? It’s unjust! And so unfair,” Tomoyo’s emotional barrier was broken at her friend's touch and her words, and a sob shook her curled up body. 

Meiling sat up instantly, and ran a hand over her friend’s wavy dark hair. “This is about Yue-san, isn’t it?” she asked, although she already understood what was happening as she watched how Tomoyo's face had lost its color as the movie ended. 

Tomoyo didn’t answer verbally, but turned her face towards Meiling. The answer to the question was written all over her tear streaked face. Meiling sighed. “You like him that much already, huh?” she said. 

“I love Yue-san,” Tomoyo answered simply and honestly. It was pointless to try to hide it beyond that point. Meiling had picked up the cues since the moment she landed. It did not take her long to put things together. 

Meiling’s scarlet eyes widened a little in the darkness. “I see,” she said softly. “That’s why it seemed like you were struggling with something when he was with us yesterday. It is a bit strange though! I mean yeah, I get that he is more gorgeous than any movie star you can name, but geez, that man seems cold like the north pole! Not to mention gloomy. And you are not the type who would fall for someone’s looks,--” 

“I didn’t. Yue-san is really kind; and honorable,” Tomoyo interrupted. 

“If that is true then why these tears?” Meiling asked kindly. “And why are you projecting upon that movie character? Yue-san is not going to disappear the moment you two kiss or something,” Meiling chuckled trying to cheer up her friend. 

Tomoyo refused to take the bait and react to the statement. “What will I do if he does disappear though? I don’t know, Meiling-chan,” she said, more tears welling up within her eyes. 

Meiling extended her hand and flipped the switch of the bedside lamp. She then pulled Tomoyo’s face on her lap and rested her hand on her head. “Sakura’s powers have grown quite strong. Something like that seems so unlikely,” she tried to assure. 

“Then why does the moon grow a little smaller each time I have that strange dream?” Tomoyo clutched her friend’s hand, and in broken, tearful sentences she explained the recurrent dream that she had been having over the last month or two. 

Meiling could not suppress a sigh when Tomoyo had finished her account. “And as usual you kept such a thing to yourself,” she said. 

“What else could I do? You know how Sakura-chan and Touya onii-san worry about things! Li-kun and Tsukishiro-kun aren’t much better either,” Tomoyo said, her tears refusing to dry up. It was nice to be able to finally tell someone, even though Meiling did not have magical powers, just like herself. 

“You need to tell Yue-san. About your feelings, this strange dream, everything,” Meiling suggested calmly. 

“No,” Tomoyo’s entire body shivered slightly. 

“Yes!” Meiling said firmly. “He deserves to know that someone loves him so much. He deserves to know if there is some danger to his existence,” she said rationally. 

“No,” Tomoyo repeated again, shaking her head. “Please,--” 

Meiling somewhat lost her patience this time. “Tomoyo-chan,” she said sharply. “He is your friend, and the Tomoyo-chan I know has never been the shy type of girl. What’s the problem? You think he does not care for you?" she asked. 

Tomoyo turned her face on Meiling’s lap. It was pale, tired, dampened with tears. “It is not just about us, it is also about Tsukishiro-san and Touya onii-san,” she said, her voice barely rising above a whisper. 

“Oh,” Meiling seemed to have not considered that angle before. She became quiet for a while, and continued to stroke her friend’s hair. “Suppose, for a moment, that Yukito-san and Yue-san were different persons. Do you think Yue-san would accept and return your feelings in that case?” she questioned after a short time. 

Tomoyo breathed deeply. “Maybe he would. Or maybe he would think that I am just a weird kid! I truly don’t know Meiling-chan,” her tears overflowed her eyes again. 

“He has changed you know,” Meiling’s hand wiped the tears from her face. “I wouldn’t have imagined Yue-san sitting in a cafe petting tiny kittens a year ago, but there he was just yesterday,” she added. “The most rational explanation would be that your friendship changed him. He is certainly not indifferent to you anymore,” she stated. 

“That doesn’t mean he has the same feelings. Besides, he seems to deeply love Clow Reed, and –,” 

“He’s dead,and you are not,” Meiling interjected. 

“Don’t be rude, Meiling-chan. Yue-san is very sensitive,” Tomoyo said. 

“I am sorry, but that’s the unchangeable truth for you. Besides, we don’t even know what kind of feelings he had for Clow-san. We can sit here and speculate all night, but the best thing to do is to just tell him. I am sure there is also some solution to resolve the situation with Yukito-san. If they both want it, they might be able to separate from each other,” Meiling said. 

“Arigatou, Meiling-chan,” Tomoyo said quietly. The strong words ignited just a tiny flicker of hope in the darkness of her heart. 

“Just give it some thought, alright?” Meiling said. Tomoyo nodded her head a little. No further words were spoken that night, but Meiling fully intended to return the support and comfort she had received from Tomoyo amidst her grief many years ago, and was simply glad to be present beside her troubled friend. 

When Meiling and Tomoyo arrived at Yukito and Yue’s house the following Saturday, they found him busy watering the hedges that outlined the front yard. 

“Yue-san,” Meiling called and waved from the gate. Yue turned partially to observe the two girls “If you need to see Yukito, I will be inside in a while,” he said without stopping the task he was doing. Tomoyo looked at him once and quickly looked away. The young man was clad in a black long sleeved tee with sleeves rolled up to the elbow and gray trousers. It was probably the first time she saw him wearing anything other than formal attires or his original white silken robes. The dark color brilliantly complemented his pale complexion, and Tomoyo was almost scared to look again, lest she was unable to look away. 

“Chigau. We get to see Yukito-san all the time. We are here to see you,” Meiling said. 

Yue’s blinked his eyes once as he processed the information. No one ever came to see him other than Sakura and Keroberos. Occasionally, he had to interact with Touya and Li Syaoran, and that was about it. He saw Tomoyo gazing at the road. The light frills of her light pink skirt and her long dark locks fluttered a little in the chilly morning air. “Don’t stand outside in the cold, go inside. I shall be with you as soon as I am done here,” he said as he watered the remaining plants. 

“Come, Tomoyo-chan,”  Yue saw the girl from Hong Kong pull her friend's hand and drag her inside through the open door. 

When Yue entered the house a few minutes later, he saw the two girls sitting by the table. “It’s really strange to see you do such chores,” Meiling remarked, grinning, as she saw him take off the gloves he had worn for doing the gardening tasks. 

“I do my part to take care of things around here as an occasional inhabitant of this house,” Yue replied. 

“We are sorry for interrupting your morning schedule, Yue-san. As we are banned from the library this week, so we thought of coming here,” Tomoyo said, bowing her head. 

“Don’t be silly Tomoyo-chan, we are not here to interrupt. We are here to give Yue-san his holiday gifts,” Meiling said. 

“Gifts?” Yue asked in an impassive tone, sitting down at the other edge of the table. It was Christmas eve, Yue remembered. Not that it mattered anymore. 

“Yes, because you are our friend now, like it or not. Here,” Meiling held out a small square box, wrapped in white paper and red ribbons for him to take. 

After Yue extended his hand to accept it, Tomoyo retrieved an oblong box from her bag. It was wrapped with an indigo colored gift wrap and silver ribbons. “Happy holidays, Yue-san,” she held out the gift in her hand. 

Yue took the item and placed both boxes side by side. He glanced at them for a few moments before he spoke again, “What should I give the two of you in return?” he asked plainly. 

“Don’t worry about that Yue-san, it is enough tha,--,” Tomoyo started but Meiling had other plans. 

“The best gift that you can give someone is your time,” Meiling said before the other girl could finish. Tomoyo blinked at her friend, trying to figure out where this was going. Yue raised an eyebrow almost imperceptibly, waiting for the girl to finish. “There is an inter-college music festival at Tokyo in exactly a two weeks from now. Tomoyo-chan his performing there. Please go with her,” Meiling bowed her head and clasped her hands together. 

“Meiling-chan!” Tomoyo sounded shocked. “Yue-san, please don’t pay heed to her,” Tomoyo tried to brush off the topic, but saw something akin to a mix of curiosity and amusement in Yue’s blue eyes. 

“How will you be getting a return gift if I go with Daidouji-san?” Yue asked Meiling. 

Meiling lifted her head, her eyes sparkling with hope. “Then let me tell you the full story, Yue-san. This event was originally scheduled to take place before Christmas. We thought that we could all go together and cheer for Tomoyo-chan - I mean Syaoran, Sakura and I. Unfortunately, the event got postponed to the week after New Year. But I am returning to Hong Kong on the 27th, and Sakura and Syaoran are also coming with me to visit. So, if you go, Tomoyo-chan will have a friend beside her and we will have a proxy for our absence,” Meiling explained. Yue closed his eyes and seemed to think. 

“But there will be many people, it will be too crowded for Yue-san’s comfort,” Tomoyo tried to reason. Meiling’s account was true. All that she described really happened, but Tomoyo really had not expected that Meiling would make such a request of Yue-san. 

“I can go,” Yue said. “Unless Daidouji-san finds it to be an imposition,” Yue turned his head to look at Tomoyo for the first time in a while. 

Tomoyo could not hold his gaze for more than a few seconds. “Yue-san’s company will never be unwelcome to me. Please don’t think like that,” she said, looking down. 

“In that case, here are the tickets and a brochure. Please take some photos and video clips to share with the rest of us,” Meiling said smiling as she handed Yue the mentioned stuff.  She had come fully prepared for this, Tomoyo realized. 

Yue read the brochure quietly for a minute and nodded. “Fine,” he said. His hand then picked up the square box Meiling gifted him, and pulled the ribbon to unwrap it.

Suddenly, Tomoyo seemed unsettled. “Meiling-chan, I think we are done here. Come on, Sakura-chan and Kero-chan must be waiting for us,” she said, getting up. 

“Hey, we are not that late, wha--” Tomoyo pulled up a confused Meiling by the hand and went to the door. She quickly bowed to Yue with a brief goodbye and excused herself out of the door, almost dragging Meiling with her.

“Ja ne, Yue-san,” Meiling’s loud voice was fading in the distance when Yue calmly rose from his seat and went to close the front door. Both of those two are crazy in different ways, he thought to himself. 

Tomoyo continued to walk fast until she reached the nearest bus stop. She then sank on the bench and held her face in her palms. Luckily there was no one there. Meiling sat down beside her and placed a hand on her back. 

“What’s with the crazy request, Meiling-chan?” Tomoyo questioned in a tired voice. “I didn't think you would ask him for something like that,” she said. 

“If I had told you beforehand, you would have refused to come,” Meiling said. “Besides, what’s crazy about him going with you to see your music performance? That’s what friends do for each other all the time. I did not ask the two of you to go to a movie followed by a candlelight dinner, or to a romantic couple’s onsen resort, right?” Meiling asked. 

“Meiling-chan!” the tips of Tomoyo’s ears and nose turned bright red in a flash with embarrassment. “Please don’t say such awkward things. Yue-san doesn’t,--” 

“Do you wish to spend time with him or not?” Meiling interrupted her again, in accordance with her impatient nature. Tomoyo could not deny that part, so she nodded in agreement. 

“Then the two of you need to get out of that goddamn library for once.  Geez, even if Yue-san felt the same way, I am sure he would be too reserved to ask you out without any sort of push,” Meiling stated. 

“It might be uncomfortable for him to go there. And he might think it was secretly my plan to get him to come all along. He is not a fool,” Tomoyo said. 

“Did he say that he would be uncomfortable? And if he is not a fool then he already knows that you are beyond such tactics, at least when it comes to yourself. If he is not a fool, he will also figure out your feelings from the present that you gave him. If it bothers him too much, he can cancel the plan himself,” Meiling spoke even faster than usual. 

“The present?” Tomoyo questioned. 

“I saw it this morning when you were packing it. Sorry, I didn’t mean to intrude. I just came back to the room to get something. Gomen ne,” Meiling said, casting her eyes down at their feet. “I really want everything to work out for the two of you, but who knows if I even played my cards right?” she sighed. 

Tomoyo extended her arms and hugged Meiling. “Don’t be sorry, Meiling-chan, for your wishes gives me the strength to go on,” she said. After taking a deep breath she continued again. “Whatever happens, however Yue-san reacts to my gift or to my feelings, I should be able to accept it. I just do not want him to disappear from this world,” she added solemnly. 

Meiling patted Tomoyo’s shoulder gently. “Ne Tomoyo-chan, if one day everything gets sorted out, and you get your Yue-san, where would you want to go with him?” she asked after a brief silence. 

Tomoyo’s face heated up again, a feeling that was totally new to her. “To the mountains, he reminds me of them,” she answered softly. 

Yue unwrapped Meiling’s present first to reveal a small crystal reading lamp in the shape of the moon. Inside there was also a holiday themed card: Yue-san, I have heard of your passion for reading. So, I wanted to give you something that would hopefully light your way as you walk on that path. Meiling . A small smile appeared on the young man’s lips for an instant. This girl named Li Meiling sure knew how to cover a lot of ground in a short time. He also felt grateful that Sakura and Tomoyo had such a true friend. 

Next was Tomoyo’s present. Yue unwrapped the package carefully with just a speckle of curiosity. Resting inside was a fine crocheted leaf, about five inches in length, evidently crafted by an expert hand to act as a bookmark. The firm material used was a pleasant shade of green, and the intricate veins of the leaf were done in silver threads. Just by looking at it, Yue knew that it was made by Tomoyo’s own hands. He lifted it gently from its velvet box to see if there was a card. There was not but there was something else attached to the stalk of the leaf that was carefully tucked away in a corner of the box. From a silver thread attached to the stalk was suspended a miniature teddy bear, no larger than two inches in length. Its fur was a brilliant blue-black shade and its eyes were a shade of deep violet. Overall, it was an exquisite bookmark, but he could plainly see that it was much more than that. (see A/N #2 at the end)

Yue sighed, an expression of sadness and pain appearing on his perfect countenance. Daidouji-san, despite being so smart, you are indeed a fool, just as I suspected . How long it must have taken you to craft such a miniature bear to perfection? Only to waste it on someone who cannot return it; cannot return anything to you. Suddenly, the way Tomoyo almost fled from the scene the moment he started opening the packages made sense to him. The poor girl did not have the confidence to stay there and witness his reaction at the present. He was partly glad that she had left, for he too did not want her to see his reaction. He was almost scared that there might be something else in his expression, something other than sadness and pain, something that might allow Daidouji-san to hope. 

Notes:

1. The movie mentioned in this chapter is an actual anime movie called Hotarubi no mori e/Into the forest of firefly lights. It is quite well known, but I recommend anyone who hasn't watched to give it a try. It is quite pertinent to the situation of this story, so I used it as a reference.

2. Once again, I would like to remind the readers of the significance of giving teddy bears in the cardcaptor sakura universe.

To the silent readers - please try to provide feedback through comments.

Chapter 13: Song

Summary:

Tomoyo delivers an unexpected performance at the music festival where Yue accompanies her.

Notes:

Here is another chapter. There might be 4-5 more chapters till the end of this story.

The lyrics of the song are not mine, but translated by me.

Touya closed the door of his room softly as he entered, taking in the cozy ambience of the space. A heater emitted a warm glow in a corner, and next to it, a futon was laid out. His best friend and true love was curled up beneath the blankets on the futon. His sister had baked a cake, and his father had cooked a hearty dinner to celebrate Yukito’s birthday and Christmas. The sound of things being moved around was coming from the opposite room that belonged to his sister, along with the sounds of whispered voices. The monster and her stuffed beast were probably turning the wardrobe upside down trying to pack her bags for her upcoming trip to Hong Kong. Touya smiled softly to himself.

“Oye, Yuki, got you a slice of cake,” Touya said. When the only other person in the room did not answer, he went and sat beside him. He stabbed a small piece of cake with a fork and pushed it past Yukito’s lips. The young man opened his lovely hazel brown eyes as the sweetness invaded his taste buds. 

“Not enthusiastic about cake? That’s odd. You love them even if they are made by a monster like Sakura,” Touya observed. 

“I guess I am full with Fujitaka-san’s cooking. You have some,” he sat up slowly, cut a piece with the fork and brought it to Touya’s mouth. Touya grimaced in a pretense of dislike for his sister’s baking skills, but accepted the piece nonetheless.  “Oye silly bunny, are you planning to ruin the last few hours of your birthday, by not telling me what is going on here?” Touya placed a strong arm around Yukito’s neck, and ruffled his gray hair. 

“I was not born Touya, I do not have any birthday. It is just a silly date fabricated to get me into school and stuff. Fake, like the rest of my identity. It feels so wrong to fool Fujitaka-san year after year. His enthusiasm in trying to make it a happy day for me every year makes me feel so selfish,” he said slowly. 

“Sakura and dad find happiness in doing these things for you, why don’t you just let them have it?” Touya said, looking up at the ceiling. “Though you are not wrong. Eventually, we should tell dad the truth,” Touya said. 

“I hope I can be forgiven on that day,” Yukito said. 

“You will be as much loved as you are today. Do you think dad would judge you for something that was beyond your control?” Touya patted his friend’s shoulder. Yukito smiled a bit, but it disappeared again. 

“Toya, it has been six months since Yue-san agreed to our plan,” Yukito said. 

“So?” Touya raised an eyebrow. 

“Sometimes I think that things have improved, as I don’t feel that pain as often anymore. But it also makes me somewhat scared,” he said. “What if we cause him even greater pain through all these?” he questioned thoughtfully. 

“Whether he receives pain or comfort will be dependent on his own decision. Yue is not a kid, and we are not forcing him to pick anything at this point,” Touya tried to reason with the more emotional man. 

“Is he free to decide anything for his own happiness though, when I have practically hijacked his life?” Yukito said. "What if he still decides to disappear after another six months?" he added

“So, what do you want to do about it? Give up on attending university, and throw away years of hard work? Would Yue be happier with that?” Touya questioned. 

The words made Yukito reconsider. He scrunched his brows. “He won’t be. He should have hated me, and yet he cares for me,” he said sadly. “I want to meet this strange person Toya,” he added longingly. 

“I would help you fulfill that wish,” Touya said. 

“Kero-chan said that it is impossible without the power of Clow, which has disappeared from the earth. Sometimes, I feel it might have been better had you just accepted that our stars are jinxed, and let us both disappear all those years ago. At least fewer people's feelings would have been involved back then as compared to now,”  Yukito said in a dull voice. 

“I don’t regret saving you both even for a moment. The fact that there are more people whose happiness are tied to the two of you now, simply means that there is even more reason to fight. I don’t care how misaligned our stars are. I will change their paths if I have to, and put an end to this silly game of the madman called Clow Reed,” Touya balled his fists in determination. “I won’t give up, Yuki, so please stay with me a while longer. We are getting close,” Touya said.

Yukito reached for Touya’s hand, interlocking their fingers. “Always,” he said, lifting their hands, placing his lips on the tan skin of Touya’s knuckles lightly. “I think I am starting to sense what you are planning to do,” he said softly, leaning against the man next to him. The man who had been the only light and hope he had known in his life. 

At that moment, there was a loud thud in the opposite room, followed by Sakura’s angry voice. She seemed to be scolding the sun guardian. “Oye Yuki, finish this up, while I go and ask the kaiju to keep it down,” Touya said, handing the plate with the cake slice to his friend. He then left the room, muttering about the difficulty of sleeping and studying while sharing the house with monsters. 

On New Year’s day, Sonomi took her young daughter to the shrine as per their annual ritual, which also involved meeting her late cousin’s family at the shrine. Fujitaka showed up soon with the two young men that usually accompanied him on such occasions. Sakura was visiting Hong Kong, so it was just the three of them that year. Yukito muffled a yawn softly against the scarf wrapped around his neck as they exchanged new year’s greetings. His tired expression caught Tomoyo’s attention. 

“Is Tsukishiro-san alright?” Tomoyo asked, concealing the apprehension in her voice to the best of her ability. If she learned that he was hungry and exhausted all the time all over again, then it could not be good news for anyone. 

“Yeah, he was up all night doing some obscure calculus that gives an approximate solution for the eccentricity of some obscure planet’s orbit I suppose,” Touya muttered. 

“That’s how you spent the first night of the year?” Tomoyo relaxed a bit, smiling. Although they were on a semester break, research never stopped for the ones pursuing advanced degrees, and she knew that. 

“Yeah, it can’t be helped when you are in grad school,” Yukito lifted an arm to scratch the back of his head. “Touya works really hard on his research too,” he added. 

“At least my research is on practically useful compounds, not stuff that we cannot even see from this earth,” Touya grumbled. 

“At least my hands do not reek of lab chemicals all day,” Yukito followed up with a friendly retort. “Fujitaka-san and I are on the same team when it comes to studying obscure things,” he turned to the older man for support. 

The professor nodded kindly. “Come on now, you both are doing well in research. Keep those academic battles for another day, for today is the first day of the year” he lightly placed his hands over the shoulders of both the young men. “Find something more fun to do today, all right?” he said pleasantly. 

“Toya, let’s go and check out the fukubukuro stalls,” Yukito tugged his friend's sweater sleeves with a childlike excitement. “Tomoyo-chan will love them. We will get one for Sakura too,” he added. His eyes sparkled, looking at the cute stands that lined the street that led up to the shrine. Many shop owners had set up their temporary stalls in an attempt to sell the new year’s tradition to the shrine goers.  (See A/N #1 at the end)

“You are such a kid,” Touya huffed, but followed the direction of his friend’s gaze regardless

“Let’s go Tomoyo-chan,” Yukito waved at the young girl with a friendly smile.  

“Go, Tomoyo-chan,” Sonomi smiled, sensing a slight hesitation from her daughter. “May you all hit your luck with the fukubukuro. Kinomoto sensei and I shall wait here,” she added. 

“Kinomoto sensei,” Sonomi said as she took the seat next to her former high school teacher in a relatively quieter part of the shrine’s front yard, once the younger people had left in their hunt for the new year’s surprise purchase. “There’s something that I wanted to talk to you about,” she elaborated. 

“Mochiron,” Fujitaka said in an encouraging tone. 

“Who is Yue, might I ask?” Sonomi went straight to the point. 

“Yue?” Fujitaka simply repeated the question, adjusting the frame of his glasses on the bridge of his nose. 

“You don’t know either?” The disappointment was evident on Sonomi’s friends. “And yet Tomoyo told me that he is a dear friend of Sakura and Touya,” she added.

“Is it so?” the professor seemed to be thinking. “Yue, hmm! I seem to have heard that name a few times around the house, when Touya-kun, Tsukishiro-kun and Sakura-chan talk among themselves. “Oh wait, I heard his name directly recently. If only I can remember,” he ran his fingers through his brown hair, which showed streaks of gray. 

“You are getting old, Kinomoto-sensei. And that head of yours is always full of thoughts about ancient relics to notice anything happening in the real world around you,” Sonomi huffed at the guileless man her dear cousin had loved. 

“You are not wrong, but at least I am still going strong in health unlike someone else,” Fujitaka chuckled, not paying attention to the jab. “Oh, that makes me remember. Touya said Yue-kun was the one who took Tomoyo-chan to the hospital that time when you –,” 

“Say something that I don’t know already,” Sonomi interrupted. She was disappointed again at the lack of new information. 

“Sonomi-san, what’s wrong?” This time Fujitaka seemed a bit more serious. 

“That strange boy is most likely involved with my girl. No, I am quite sure of it,” Sonomi said in a dark voice. 

“I don’t see the problem. Tomoyo-chan is not a child anymore. She is a wise and intelligent young lady. Sonomi-san, you shouldn’t worry so much. It is not good for your health,” Fujitaka said cautiously. The memory of Sonomi’s recent medical condition was still fresh in everyone's mind. 

“It is very easy for you to say,” Sonomi snapped again. “Kinomoto-sensei, it is not that I would stop her from seeing him, so why doesn’t Tomoyo tell me anything about this boy’s background if nothing is odd? Why make him seem so mysterious?” she said. 

“If my children and Tsukishiro-kun trust Yue, then he has my trust too, Sonomi-san,” Fujitaka replied seriously, “You should also believe your daughter if she trusts him,” he added. 

“I never said that this Yue is an untrustworthy person. Rather, I have received enough information to believe that he did help Tomoyo at the hospital on that occasion. But there is something strange going on, which I don’t quite understand. And it makes me restless,” Sonomi clasped her face with her hands. “Kinomoto-sensei, Tomoyo has got her father’s selflessness. His heart too. The older she gets, the more clearly I can see it, and that’s what scares me. I don’t want her to end up like that fool. If he trusted people less, he would perhaps be alive today,” Sonomi said in a muffled voice. 

Fujitaka contemplated for a moment. Sonomi had vaguely mentioned that her husband had died in a staged accident. However, it was something that he knew her to actively avoid talking about, so he did not press her on the topic. Her worry over her young daughter was not entirely unjustified, considering that she was likely to have business rivals, who might desire to harm her family. However, it could be something else entirely. Fujitaka had an inkling of the fact that everything in his household was not normal. Both Sakura and Touya were special, as was their mother. This Yue might be related to the stuff that Fujitaka never quite understood. “Sonomi-san, I will try to see if I can find out more about this person called Yue,” he offered gently. 

“Don’t go about asking the kids directly, you will not get any answer,” Sonomi said. 

“I know that already,” the man laughed softly. 

“Meiling-chan asked this boy to accompany Tomoyo-chan to the music festival next week. Can you believe it? I wish I was not traveling that week, but I have to. I just don’t get why the kids trust him so much, but wouldn’t tell us anything about him,”  she stopped talking as she noticed that her daughter was walking back towards them with Touya and Yukito, all three of them carrying some cutely wrapped bags in their hands. 

On the day of the music festival, Tomoyo and Yue met at the station. “Sorry that you had to come so early,” Tomoyo tried to smile. 

“My  decision to accompany you was not made in a state of ignorance of the time or any other factors,” Yue said in his characteristic manner. 

There was not much conversation on the way, even though it took over an hour to get to their destination in the heart of Tokyo city. On the way, Tomoyo thought about the gift she had given Yue. Maybe he did not even open it , she pondered with a sigh. She would be lying if she told herself that she was not even a bit disappointed, but more than that, she was relieved that Yue-san had elected to not bring up the topic. If he suspected the purpose of the gift and confronted her about it, Tomoyo knew that she would have no choice but to confess her feelings. 

“It is fine to feel the way that you do, Tomoyo-chan. Don’t ever allow yourself to think that it is selfish of you to want Yue-san to return your feelings. If all you think about is other people, you stop caring about  yourself. That’s what you have always been doing. Always giving up your own share of happiness for others.  It is perfectly fair to want something for yourself for once, so please tell him on that day, all right?” Meiling had whispered those words, away from Sakura and Syaoran’s ears as she had hugged Tomoyo in the airport before boarding her return flight with the other two. Tomoyo knew that Meiling was not wrong, but she did not feel ready yet. It was not shyness, but the fear of overstepping his boundaries which kept her silent about her true feelings. (See A/N #2 at the end)

Tomoyo’s first performance at the event was with her choir group. The composition went off perfectly, just as they had practiced it, much to the relief of the sensei who was in charge of their music club activities, and the president of the music club. After the performance, amidst the cheerful optimism of the club members on the prospect of winning an award for the performance, Tomoyo slipped away from the rest of the group. She found Yue sitting at the back of the auditorium. Fortunately, there was an empty seat beside him, and Tomoyo quietly occupied it. The next performance from the music club of another college had already started, so they sat in silence till it ended, Yue’s eyes fixed on his phone screen, he appeared to be reading something. 

“This sort of event is not to your liking after all,” Tomoyo said softly as the applause died down after the performance. 

“What makes you infer as such?” Yue responded without looking up. 

“You were looking at the phone the whole time,” she replied. 

“I don’t mind listening to your voice. The rest are not worth my time,” Yue said. 

If another man had said something similar to her, Tomoyo would have dismissed it instantly as a poor attempt at trying to get her attention through flattery. However, she knew Yue-san was being bluntly honest, as his nature was. The prospect of him trying to flirt with her was out of the question since his eyes never even made contact with hers as he said it. However, that knowledge did not prevent the tiny flutter she felt around her heart. Tomoyo took a moment to process it. What was it? Happiness? The feeling of being acknowledged by the one she cared for the most? “You are mean, Yue-san,” she finally turned her face away with a smile. “Sometimes,” she added in a quieter voice. 

“Perhaps,” Yue replied in his usual monosyllabic fashion. 

After several other group performances, there was a break for lunch. When Tomoyo walked out of the auditorium she was approached by the president of the music club. The good looking young man wore a bright smile on his face. 

“Daidouji-san, you were wonderful back there. I mean, your voice that is,” he cleared his throat. “Thanks to you, it looks like we will secure the first place award. It is an honor to be the president of the club that you are in,” he tried to put on his best smile. 

“I am glad that everyone did well, Katsuo senpai,” Tomoyo replied politely. From the eyes of the young man before her, she could plainly see that he was eager to become a part of the list of the few unfortunate fellows who got turned down by her. A repressed  irritation bubbled up inside her. Different faces, but the same flattering words, same smiles, same naïveté. It was tiresome. 

“As a token of my appreciation, let me buy you lunch today. There is a nice cafeteria in the building. Let’s go there –,” 

“I am sorry, but I can't,” Tomoyo said firmly. 

“Wh- Why not?” Katsuo, the president of the music club stuttered. 

“I intend to have the lunch that I have brought for myself,” Tomoyo said, realizing her words were not polite like her usual self, but incisive, and to her own ears, she almost sounded like someone else. Someone who was with her till a few moments ago. She glanced around helplessly, and found that Yue-san had quietly slipped away while her senpai was talking to her. 

“I see,” Katsuo was disappointed. But he did not give up. “We can still go to the cafeteria. It will be a good opportunity to discuss your upcoming solo performance over lunch. I can help if you have any last moment anxieties or concerns, and share a few tips too,” he smiled generously. 

“I am sure that I will be fine. Please excuse me,” Tomoyo gave a short bow and walked past the guy. Honestly, he was talking too much for her liking. She realized something at that moment. The old Tomoyo would have politely listened to this person prattle on, in his vain attempt to impress her. Probably, she would have agreed to sit with him for lunch, and endured the discomfort for the sake of politeness. Not anymore, and she felt that the unnecessary burden of being the perfect girl for everyone else all the time had been gradually getting lighter and lighter. It felt nice, and she wanted to find the person who was responsible for such an amazing change. 

Yue was leaning against a tree in the outer compound of the building. His eyes were shut and his face was tilted a little upwards towards the branches. “Daidouji-san, why are you outside despite the cold?” he asked without opening his eyes. 

“Because you are,” Tomoyo answered as she stood before him, eyes fixed on the pale face of the man dressed in a powder blue trench coat worn over a white shirt with gray trousers. His hands were tucked inside the pockets of his coat. He finally opened his eyes. 

“I thought that you would like to get food from the cafeteria,” Yue mentioned, not particularly looking at her. 

“I figured it would be uncomfortable for you, since people would notice that you were not eating anything at the cafeteria. So, I brought lunch for myself so that I could be with you,” she said, showing him the bag she carried which contained her bento box. At that moment Yue straightened his posture and looked at her. Tomoyo instantly recognized the soft expression in Yue-san’s mysterious blue eyes, but it vanished as quickly as it had appeared to be replaced by his usual glacial stare. “I mean during the lunch hour that is,” Tomoyo tried to modify the last part of the previous sentence as she looked away from his eyes. 

“Eat quickly,” Yue said as he sat down near Tomoyo. There were a few tables and chairs in the compound. People definitely would have preferred to eat outside if the weather had been more pleasant, but no one was occupying them at that time, except the two of them. 

“Why?” Tomoyo asked as she took the first bite of her food. “There is plenty of time for the solo performances to begin. They will announce the awards for the group performances first,” she told him. 

“The cold might affect your voice and consequently your performance if you stay out for too long,” Yue reasoned. Tomoyo nodded and resumed eating. A cold wind was blowing intermittently, and she did feel a bit chilly, but it was also comforting to have Yue-san so close. 

“Daidouji-san,” Tomoyo turned her head at the sound of someone’s voice. Three girls from her music club approached her. Great, now they will bother Yue-san, she thought ruefully. “It is a crime on your part to not introduce such a dashing boyfriend to us, even though we are in the same class and same club,” one of them said jokingly. She had a reputation for being nosy. 

Tomoyo placed her chopsticks down, and straightened her shoulder. “Yue-san is my friend. Your perception is not right,” she said confidently. She observed that Yue-san’s expression continued to remain neutral. 

“Yeah right! That’s why the two of you are eating alone, sharing the same lunchbox, and not with everyone else at the cafeteria. Katsuo senpai was so upset,” the second girl said. All three of them seemed  incredulous of Tomoyo’s claim. This time, Tomoyo did not have an explanation ready. The girls were not wrong. From an outsider’s perspective, it would appear just as they said. 

“Is Yue senpai eating anything though?” The last of the three girls was more observant, as she remarked. Tomoyo looked towards Yue helplessly. The moon guardian calmly extended his hand and picked up a small apple from Tomoyo’s lunchbox. To Tomoyo’s amazement, he brought the fruit up to his lips and took a bite.

“Ne, Yue senpai, which college do you attend?” the first girl said. Her burning curiosity about the handsome young man was not satisfied yet. 

“I don’t,” Yue answered. 

“Cool, so you have graduated already. Must be going to university then. How long have you known Daidouji-san?” she asked again. 

“Since she was in elementary school,” Yue calmly responded, taking a second bite of the apple held between his fingers. 

“Aww, childhood crush turned into boyfriend, so cute,” the person who had asked the question and the one next to her cooed. 

“It is not. Please don’t just assume things,” Tomoyo stood up from her chair, and placed her hands on the table decidedly. “I hardly ever met him back then,” she said, not sure why she had to explain that part. 

Fortunately, the third of the girls who had not spoken much, sensed Tomoyo’s discomfort. “Let’s go you two, I am hungry too,” she tugged the arms of her two friends trying to get their attention. “Pleased to have made your acquaintance, Yue-san,” she gave a small bow, as she pulled her reluctant friends away. Yue gave a brief nod, and Tomoyo sat down with a sigh of relief. He raised his hand to bring the apple to his lips again. Tomoyo grasped his wrist with both of her hands at that point. 

“Please stop, Yue-san,” she said. “You do not have to eat sand for my sake,” she said, her eyes fixed on his hand and the partially eaten fruit held by it. 

“Sand?” One of Yue's silver eyebrows went up marginally. 

“You are not supposed to eat right? Kero-chan had once said that food will probably taste like sand to you if you tried. Who knows what else might go wrong,” Tomoyo explained. 

“Nothing much. Except that I might lose my wings and be cast away to the depths of hell for the sin of eating an apple,” Yue responded. 

Tomoyo’s hand tightened around Yue’s wrist. She could feel his pulse underneath his pale skin with her thumb. “That’s not funny,” she said, but a small smile crept to her lips. 

“I have not eaten anything, Daidouji-san,” Yue said. “The pieces that I bit off just disappeared. There would have been further interrogations otherwise from your fellow students,” he explained. 

“You used magic,” Tomoyo said. 

“Finish your food,” Yue said, not bothering to affirm the obvious, as Tomoyo watched the apple in his hand steadily becoming translucent. Finally, there was nothing left of it. It was then that Tomoyo realized that she was still holding his wrist awkwardly. 

“Right,” Tomoyo pulled her hands back and picked up her chopsticks. “I am very sorry,” she bowed. “That my classmates think that we,--” she trailed off. “That we are --,” she tried to continue. 

“In a relationship,” Yue completed the sentence, sensing his companion’s hesitancy. Tomoyo nodded silently. “It doesn't matter to me what humans think or say,” he added. 

“But you didn’t have to say that you knew me since I was in elementary school though. You didn’t even refute their assumption. They thought that I was just being coy,” Tomoyo said. Yue noticed a very light shade of pink on her cheeks which could as well be attributed to the cold. 

“I am not accustomed to lying, Daidouji-san,” Yue said. Tomoyo did not respond immediately but chewed her food quietly. It seemed that the answer was not satisfactory to her. “If their impression of us bothers you so much, I don’t mind leaving this instant,” he offered. He wondered for a moment if he was mistaken in his interpretation of the gift he received from Tomoyo. The gift he had put out of his sight in a dark corner of his drawer. It did not mean that he was able to cast it out of his mind though. 

Tomoyo stopped eating again. “Yue-san, is that all you can say? As if your leaving is the solution to everything. Earlier also, you left my side without even telling, and just came here. I had to look everywhere to find you. It hurts,” she lowered her head. It seemed that she was upset. 

“I thought I might be in the way,” Yue said calmly. 

“In the way of what? Of that senpai who was trying to flirt with me?” Tomoyo raised her head defiantly, her voice raising above her normal level. “You do not enjoy such attention yourself, what makes you think that I would?” she continued in an agitated voice. 

“Daidouji-san, calm down,” Yue said. He was somewhat surprised by the emotional response from the normally composed girl, and also scared of her fragile state of mind. 

“Forgive me,” Tomoyo took a deep breath. “I am a human, Yue-san. Unlike you, it is not easy for me to completely dismiss the words and impressions of other people. But it would bother me much more if you distanced yourself from me because you thought that I would be affected by what other people might say or think,” she said, relatively calmly. 

“I see,” Yue said. 

After having a few mouthfuls of food, Tomoyo spoke again. “Yue-san, I wanted to ask something. When you used magic to make the apple disappear, what actually happened to it?” she asked. “According to physical laws, matter cannot be destroyed,” she added. 

“But it can be converted to energy. It simply returned to its constituent elements,” Yue answered. His eyes were watching the gray sky above their heads. 

“The constituent elements?” Tomoyo sought an elaboration. 

“Earth, water, fire, wind and void,” Yue explained. 

“Earthy, Watery, Firy, Windy and Nothing,” Tomoyo slowly uttered the name of the corresponding cards. She appeared to be thinking deeply about something. 

After lunch, the program commenced again. First, the results of the group performance category were announced by the judges. Tomoyo’s music club came in the second place. The president of the club accepted the award on the stage with a big grin on behalf of everyone else, while Tomoyo sat quietly beside Yue at the back of the auditorium. The individual performances were to start next. After the first few participants had performed, Tomoyo got up from her seat. “I shall be back soon,” she said softly, and proceeded to the designated area for the participants once Yue had acknowledged her statement with a brief nod of his silver head. 

“There you are, Daidouji-san,” the club president walked up to her. “We did not win the group performance category, but you have to win the individual category. I know you will,” he said with a smile, but it seemed that the young man’s lively spirit from the morning was considerably dampened. 

“Let’s just hope it goes well,” Tomoyo replied. 

“Of course it will, you have practiced it so much. Ganbatte kudasai,” Katsuo said throwing an energetic punch to the air, trying to channel his remaining enthusiasm into the participant he had selected to represent the club and the institution at the event. 

When Tomoyo walked on the stage a while later, she was dazzled by the bright lights momentarily. She walked to the microphone and stood before it.  On such an occasion, usually, her mind would buzz aloud with the lines that she would deliver. But at that moment, all that she could feel was an urgent need to tell something to Yue-san before the waning moon from her dreams disappeared completely. Something that she hoped was just enough to make him stay forever. There was a small sound signaling her that it was time to begin her composition. However, to her horror, Tomoyo found that she could not recall a single line of the song she had carefully practiced and prepared. Instead, a different song was swirling through her heart, and taking over her mind, begging her voice to set its words free. The clock was ticking, and the judges as well as the audience were wondering why she was still silent. Yue-san was sitting there, somewhere at the back. She could not see his face from the stage but hoped that he could see hers. The clock was still ticking. Tomoyo raised her hand to the microphone. A melodious voice flooded the auditorium in the next moment. 

A song visited me last night, when you were not by my side

Yearning to tell you something, my days passed amidst silent tears

I found my words, as the music flared up in a blaze that lit the darkness.

But you were not by my side. 

Yue watched, unable to move his eyes away from the young girl on the stage, dressed in a jet black skirt and a violet top with flared elbow length sleeves.  Her dark hair fell over her right shoulder in a single neatly done plait, and a blue flower pendant adorned her neck. As had happened before, her beautiful singing voice made him momentarily forget his pain, his memories of Clow Reed, his agreement with his other form and the man who loved his other form. How he adored this voice which stirred his soul every time it entered his ears. Her singing voice was the only thing that made him feel like it was actually worth living another day, if only to listen to her sing again. The song continued after the brief interlude. 

When the day came, I wanted to gift you that song

The fragrance of the blossoms drift aimlessly, birdsong fills the sky

Yet, my words don’t keep tune with my melody, however hard I try

When you are right here by my side. 

As the song ended, its meaning settled over Yue slowly and heavily. In another world, perhaps he could acknowledge its meaning. Perhaps he could even pay a tribute to the voice that sung the song, by expressing how much he adored the voice as well as the owner of that voice. That could have been possible in a world, where he could claim ownership of his own life. Daidouji-san was truly a blessing in his life, a blessing that he did not ask for, and did not deserve. The feelings he now knew for sure that she had unexpectedly developed for him were too precious for him to claim. At that moment, Yue felt that he was that hapless fellow who had to turn down the most priceless treasure, because he was too poor to afford a place to keep it safe. 

As the echoing applause after the song died down, Yue’s ears picked up an angry voice that came from the exit near the side of the stage. He had lost track of Tomoyo while he was brooding over his fate. He got up and proceeded towards the exit. 

“Daidouji-san, what the hell was that? You just threw away our great chance at winning. Sensei is upset. We all are,” Katsuo said in an accusatory tone. 

Yue saw  that Tomoyo leaning against the wall in the hall outside the auditorium. Her hands were clasped behind her. 

“I forgot the lyrics of the song that I had practiced. I am sorry,” Tomoyo kept her head straight and her chin up. 

“You forgot? Why? Had too much fun with your pretty boyfriend during lunch or something?” Katsuo was livid. The rumor about Tomoyo’s mysterious boyfriend who looked like someone from the pages of a fairy tale book had reached the club president’s  ears, and the man was not happy to learn that his chances at getting the attention of the girl he fancied was even lesser than he had estimated. Tomoyo’s unexpected performance snapped his restraint, and gave him an outlet to vent his frustration. “I told you that we could go over any issues with the song that you might have over lunch, but you ignored my help. Damn, all you rich people are so irresponsible. Just because your family is rich and powerful, you think that you can do as you please,” he fumed in a loud voice. 

Yue had heard enough. If it was a civil conversation he would have allowed Tomoyo to deal with it on her own. It was her own life after all, and a magical being such as himself should not have a part to play in it, as he reminded himself again and again lately. However, he could not stand back and let someone berate and humiliate her unjustly. He stepped forward and stood beside Tomoyo. 

“I will not allow you to speak to Daidouji-san in such a disparaging manner,” Yue pierced the man with his steely blue gaze. 

“Well, I am sorry, but I have a right to be upset since your precious girl ruined our chances here. Forget about getting the first position, we would not even make it to the top five. I won’t be surprised if we get disqualified from the contest,” the young man took a step back, but did not lower his voice. 

“Have the results of the contest been announced?” Yue asked in a frosty voice, ignoring the young man's attempt to bait him into having a heated confrontation. 

“Only a fool would wait for it after such a fiasco,” Katsuo said arrogantly. 

“Since the event is not over yet, your criticism of Daidouji-san’s performance is both untimely and unjust. Further, half of your comments are crude and unrelated to her performance. If she wins the contest, you will apologize to her for your insolence,” Yue said with another deadly glare. 

“If she wins?” Katsuo let out a sarcastic laugh. “After freezing before the microphone for over a minute? Sounds fine to me,” he crossed his arms on his chest. “And if she doesn’t win, she will be the one to apologize, which she should have done anyway, but haven’t,” he added. 

A small crowd had gathered around them, mainly consisting of the students from Tomoyo’s music club. “Demo, Katsuo senpai, we should really wait for the result. I liked the song very much. Most of the audience did too, you could tell by the applause,” the girl who had drawn her friends away from Yue and Tomoyo during lunch said. 

“They applauded because her voice just sounds good to the ears. But the judges cannot be fooled so easily,” the young man balled his fists. “They look for technical perfection, which cannot be achieved on a momentary whim, but through rigorous practice,” he emphasized. 

“Katsuo senpai, if what you are saying turns out to be true, you will get your apology by the end of the day. I will also withdraw myself from your club, that’s all,” Tomoyo said firmly, and turned away from the small group of people.  

A few of the other members of the music club objected. Tomoyo was the best singer in the group by a mile, and everyone knew it. “I never said anything about you having to leave. Geez!” Katsuo seemed to finally start realizing that he had overreacted on the matter. 

Tomoyo turned the corner, and proceeded to stand before a window with closed glass panes. Yue followed her there. He felt somewhat guilty since he knew that he was indirectly responsible that Tomoyo’s performance did not go as planned, and she had to face harsh criticism and unkind words. 

“As long as things go as per their expectation, they keep calling me the perfect girl. A single mistake, and I am the selfish, privileged, rich girl,” she suppressed a small laugh as she sat down on the ledge of the window. “Yue-san, humans are just like that. I am so happy that you are not one of them,” she added. 

“You are upset,” Yue placed a hand on her head, His fingers lightly sliding over the smooth dark hair. 

“No. it feels nice. Yue-san. This is the first time in my life that I have done something that I wanted to do, despite knowing others wouldn't like or understand it. It was perhaps selfish, but still it feels nice to be able to reach out for myself,” Tomoyo said. 

“So you didn’t forget the planned lyrics?” Yue questioned. 

“Actually, I did,” Tomoyo sounded a bit embarrassed. “Everyone would have been less displeased if I just excused myself, and politely requested another chance. But at that moment, I did not want to be the perfect girl. It just felt right to sing what I wanted to,” she explained. Yue silently withdrew his hand from her head. 

At that moment, Katsuo stormed past them, clutching his backpack and not bothering to glance back. The rest of the music club members followed. Another guy from the senior class approached Tomoyo. “Katsuo insists that there is no point in waiting till the end. We would have still waited but he would be more upset if we did. He is really silly,” he said apologetically. 

“It is quite alright,” Tomoyo said brusquely. 

“Well, Daidouji-san, see you at the college after the break. And I also think your song was very nice,” the young man told her, and a few girls behind him waved as they walked past. 

“Well, Yue-san, I suppose we should leave too. We can return home  earlier than expected,” Tomoyo suggested after the group had disappeared into the elevator at the end of the hall. 

“I think you should wait for the results,” Yue said calmly. 

“Although Katsuo senpai was angry, he does have a point. I don’t think that they will even consider me for the awards,” Tomoyo said. 

“I think you still have a fair chance,” Yue said. 

“Nani? Do you have the power to see the future or something?” Tomoyo said, not taking the words seriously. 

Yue shook his head to deny the idea. He proceeded to lean on the opposite edge of the window so that he was facing her. His arms were crossed on his chest. “Daidouji-san, do you remember which cards were under my jurisdiction?” he asked calmly. 

“I think so. Why?” Tomoyo raised her eyes on her friend's young face. 

“The Song, The Voice and The Silence, these three cards were placed under me, which means that I have the power to judge those qualities. A musical rendition relies on the perfect balance of these three aspects, and I could not find a flaw in yours,” Yue explained. 

“Hontou?” there was a fresh spark of hope in Tomoyo’s eyes as she reached for Yue’s hand. Yue took it in both of his hands, feeling the coldness of her skin. 

“You did freeze for over a minute initially, and you changed your composition at the last moment. I do not know how such things might affect your points, nor do I have the ability to see the future. But I am willing to wait for it,” he tugged on her hand a bit, to encourage her to get up. Tomoyo complied silently, allowing Yue to lead her back to the auditorium. 

When they were back at their seats, Tomoyo sat silently beside the moon guardian. By her nature, she was not a confrontational person, and felt somewhat drained of her energy by the unpleasant interaction she was forced to have with her club president a while ago. She gave a sideways glance to the quiet man beside her. Yue-san, did you open my gift? Did my feelings reach you? Was my song powerful enough to break into your cold heart? If you keep staying silent, perhaps I shall never know, she thought as she leaned her head back into her seat and closed her eyes . 

She opened her eyes again at the sound of a deep voice and the feel of a hand nudging her shoulder gently. “Daidouji-san, you are being called on the stage,” Yue-san was telling her. She walked up to the stage in a daze. 

“Omedetou gozaimasu,” a lady on the stage extended her hand to her, smiling. She recognized her as a popular singer, invited to act as one of the judges in the event. She had not heard her name being called, and hence she was not sure which award she was receiving. She extended her hand and received the award trophy. 

“You were wonderful Daidouji-san. Your soulful singing has charmed everyone’s hearts,” the lady said encouragingly. 

I had only hoped that it would find its way into just one person’s heart, Tomoyo thought, as she returned the smile politely. 

“It is an honor to present you the first place award for the solo composition category,” the judge stated. "I am sure that you will do exceptionally well if you want to consider a career in music," she continued.  

Yue-san was actually right! Tomoyo realized. “Arigatou,” she bowed first to the judges and then to the audience. “I am thankful that it was well received,,” she said. 

After the photos were taken and the congratulations were said, Tomoyo got off the stage amidst a resounding applause from the audience. Her eyes searched for Yue-san. Yue had risen from his seat, and was putting his coat on. “Yue-san,” Tomoyo walked up to him in hasty steps, glancing up at the taller man. She wanted to hug him at that moment, but settled for a bow. “Your conjecture was right,” she said with her head lowered, so that she was looking at the polished surface of his shoes. 

“You did well,” soft, warm fingers touched Tomoyo’s cheek momentarily. “Like a little songbird,” he muttered softly. 

“What?” Tomoyo raised her head. There was another round of applause as the second place winner was being called on stage. The last part of Yue’s remark was drowned out by that sound. 

“It’s nothing,” Yue’s hands were back inside his pockets. “Let’s go before it gets too late,” he said.  

Notes:

A/Ns:

1. Fukubukuro is a Japanese new year tradition where people buy gift bags filled with unknown random objects, if anyone is wondering. I guess it is a fun way to test your luck for that year.

2. "But if all you think about is other people, you stop caring about yourself" - Meiling said this to Sakura in episode 16 of clear card.

Please let me know your thoughts in comments.

Chapter 14: Silence

Summary:

Tomoyo gets an unexpected opportunity to tell Yue how she feels. But he hardly knows how to respond.

Notes:

Here's another long chapter to compensate the few readers who have looked forward to it for the delay. Please enjoy. Thanks to all that left kudos and comments

When Yue reached the station with Tomoyo, the faint light had almost disappeared from the late afternoon sky, and the mercury had dropped by a few degrees. The train that they were scheduled to take did not arrive on time, causing a lot of commotion on the platform and confusion amongst the passengers who waited to board it. It was indeed an unusual event for a country which prided itself on keeping its trains on time to cater to the needs of its busy population. An announcement followed a few moments later. There was a landslide outside the town which had blocked the train's tracks, and due to risks of further landslides due to the oncoming winter storm, the trains in that route were being canceled till next morning.

Tomoyo paled visibly when she heard the announcement. "The storm was not supposed to start until tomorrow," she muttered.

"It has advanced more rapidly than predicted and has also strengthened. They are expecting heavy snowfall through the night," Yue said, his intense gaze fixed on the screen of his phone.

Tomoyo was not a person who panicked easily, and in fact she was the type of person who had a backup plan for everything. However, this time, the discouraging report seemed to make her anxious. "What should we do, Yue-san?" she looked at the moon guardian helplessly. She seemed to be both cold and tired, as her shoulders slouched and she rubbed the top of her hands with her fingers in an attempt to keep them warm.

"Let's find a warmer place to decide that," Yue suggested, noting the young girl's actions. Tomoyo nodded and followed him outside the station. Feathery light flakes of snow had already started to descend from the sky. They crossed the street, and Yue led Tomoyo to a cheerful café on the other side, decorated with bright colors and holiday lights. As they entered, brushing the powdery white crystals from their clothes, Yue noticed that Tomoyo's wavy dark hair was sprinkled with sparkling snow flakes. The sight looked mesmerizing to him like the midnight sky scattered with countless white stars.

Tomoyo looked up from dusting the collar of her woolen coat at that moment to catch an enchanted expression in Yue-san's eyes for the second time that day. She had seen that expression numerous times although there was hardly a time such an expression was directed at her. It sent a tremor to her heart. "Yue-san," she called.

Yue hastily extended his hand and glided it over her head, brushing away the snow from her hair, and along with it the silly simile from his mind. "Sit here," he directed her towards a cozy corner and proceeded towards the counter. Tomoyo settled down on a soft couch. She placed her arm on the table and lowered her head on it. A television screen in the café broadcasted the news on the approaching storm, warning people to take shelter by evening. The rational part of Tomoyo's mind knew that it would be difficult to return home that night, but she did not want to accept that possibility just yet.

Yue returned to Tomoyo's side holding a drink in his hand. He placed it before the girl silently. Tomoyo wrapped her cold fingers around the lidded paper container, grateful for the warmth it offered. She took a sip expecting it to be coffee, but found the delightful taste of hot chocolate on her tongue. "Arigato, Yue-san," she said. Her phone placed on the table buzzed with the arrival of a text message at that point. Congratulations! Just heard of the contest results from a school friend who goes to another college. And sorry about earlier - her club president had texted her.

"Looks like Katsuo senpai kept his word," Tomoyo turned the screen of the phone towards Yue to show him.

"That's hardly a sincere apology for the disagreeable behavior that this individual subjected you to," Yue remarked with a quick glance at the text. Before Tomoyo had a chance to respond, the phone buzzed again in her hand. "And it seems he cannot refrain from making flippant remarks," he added.

Tomoyo turned the phone towards her screen to read the latest message from the same sender that Yue had already read before her. PS: I didn't know you had such an intimidating boyfriend, it said, followed by a scared emoji. Tomoyo sighed. "Well, it seems at least he won't ask me to go out with him now," she said.

"Daidouji-san, has that sort of thing been a frequent annoyance to you?" Yue asked out of genuine concern for his friend.

Tomoyo shook her head. "Not really. It has happened a few times. But it is not a matter of annoyance, Yue-san. I really feel bad for turning them down. The thought that my actions make another person unhappy is not pleasant, irrespective of the circumstance. I would like to avoid that feeling as much as possible," Tomoyo said.

"You cannot ensure every other person's happiness," Yue said.

"I know, but I also know that if I was turned down by someone who I liked then I would feel the same sadness, even if I understood that it was not their fault," Tomoyo replied.

Yue turned his face to the side, drawing his eyes away from her face. He understood all too well what she was talking about. While Tomoyo was never vocal about her feelings for him, she did not exactly try to hide the fact that she cared for him either. Her gift conveyed the message even more clearly, but all Yue had done till then was to avoid the subject. He could not blame her if she interpreted it as a rejection of her feelings, and he started to feel that he was getting the bitter taste of rejecting someone that she was talking about. In any case, it was a dangerous conversation to have, so Yue turned his focus on the phone in his hand. "Daidouji-san, I think it won't be possible to reach Tomoeda until tomorrow morning," he informed Tomoyo after minutes of browsing the internet.

"What about road transportation?" Tomoyo asked.

"There were already landslides on some segments of the road that run through the countryside a week ago. I doubt anyone would risk driving those roads amidst a storm," Yue responded.

"Naruhodo," Tomoyo nodded. Train was the principal mode of transport from Tomoeda to Tokyo, and the alternative roadway took a lot more time, and part of it ran through a hilly terrain. If they were preemptively suspending the operation of the trains to avoid risk of accidents or getting stuck in landslides during the storm, the roads were unlikely to be much better. "I can't believe we are stuck like this!" she said with a distressed look.

"Daidouji-san, do you have a friend or relative living here in Tokyo, at whose place you can stay until tomorrow morning?" Yue asked calmly.

"None," Tomoyo said. She continued speaking after a brief pause. "But we have a house here in Tokyo, though it is in another part of the city. My mother stays there once in a while whenever she's in town to attend business meetings and conferences. I had come with her a few times earlier."

"Do you have a key for the place?" Yue asked.

Tomoyo shook her head. "No need. We have housekeeping staff who reside at the property." she answered.

Yue seemed a little relieved. He should have known. He probably would not be surprised if Tomoyo's family had a house, complete with housekeeping staff in every major Japanese city. "Then I shall see you to your temporary accomodation," Yue said.

"What do you mean by that? Where would you stay?" Tomoyo asked.

"I will return home," Yue simply stated.

"How?" Tomoyo asked. "You just checked that no means of transportation will be available until tomorrow," she continued. "Unless you are planning to fly all the way," she added with consternation.

"It will be alright," Yue stated.

"Absolutely not. I can't let you go like that. Yue-san, please stay at our house in the city. Let's go back home together tomorrow," Tomoyo pleaded.

"Daidouji-san, you cannot invite someone to live at your house without the permission of your parent," Yue said.

Tomoyo's head shot up. "Yue-san, I am not a child, so please stop treating me like one," she said sharply. "What kind of person, iie , what kind of friend would I be if I let you fly back through a blizzard. Do you think that I will sleep peacefully knowing that you are out there?" she exclaimed.

"Don't be unreasonable, I am not susceptible to adverse weather conditions," Yue replied.

"You are the one who is being difficult here," Tomoyo said. "I am only staying in the city if you are staying too. If you insist on flying back amidst the storm, then I will also go with you. That's final," she crossed her arms over her chest in exasperation and looked away from him.

Yue clasped his forehead with his hand, his fingers brushing back his silver bangs. None of them spoke for a while. "Daidouji-san, you are not a child, but you are not an independent adult either," he said after a few moments. "The property that you mentioned belongs to your mother, and I do not wish to trespass. If you are so adamant that I should stay there, let me talk to your mother first," he suggested.

Tomoyo stared blankly at the unexpected suggestion. "My mother?" she asked.

Yue nodded. "You have to agree that you will accept whatever she decides on the matter. No further arguments," he said with a strict glare.

Tomoyo sighed hopelessly and opened her mother's contact information on her phone, pushing it towards Yue-san in an exasperated gesture. It was very frustrating that he made the matter unnecessarily complicated. She knew that her mother did not trust 'the strange silver haired boy' who her daughter befriended. It was not that Tomoyo planned to keep the matter hidden from her mother. She thought she would call her later and explain their situation once they settled down at the house. Having Yue-san ask her himself might feel strange to her, since they had not even met or spoken before. But then she reflected upon the fact that Yue-san had lived the major part of his existence in a different era, when social norms and customs were quite different from the present time. His mannerisms resembled that of a somewhat snooty but genuine young man from a bygone era. People had different values and principles back in the days, and as such, the formalities that he insisted upon so resolutely might be important to him, even if they seem unnecessary to others.

With quick fingers Yue copied the number to his phone and left his seat. Tomoyo saw him walk outside probably to catch a better signal reception. Okaa-san, please don't be mad, she silently prayed.

Sonomi was in Osaka on a business trip. She was beyond surprised when she received a call from Yue. She had heard about the winter storm looming over Tokyo and its surrounding areas, and was about to call her daughter to check on her, as she concluded the last meeting for the day. Apparently, the situation was worse than she had expected. Yue calmly explained to her the situation. Sonomi took her time to think for a while before responding. "Yue-kun, I will be honest with you. I have no reason to trust you at all, since I don't know you in person, and apparently, you have forbidden Tomoyo from telling me anything that would help me to know and understand you better. However, that girl trusts you completely, I don't want to be a monster who turns away my daughter's friend from my doorstep on a stormy night. So, if you consider yourself worthy of Tomoyo's trust, you are welcome to stay," she told him,

"I understand. I will not make Daidouji-san regret her trust," Yue said. He disconnected the call and went back inside the café. "We are going there," he told Tomoyo, much to the relief of the girl.

When they reached the house owned by the Daidouji family in Tokyo, the tips of Tomoyo's fingers were freezing. Yue observed with some relief that this house was not a mansion like Tomoyo's residence in Tomoeda. It was a two storied pretty house that was located in a nice neighborhood. "Irrashai, Tomoyo-chan. Sonomi-san had called ahead to let us know that you and your friend will be staying," a middle aged lady housekeeper informed them as she opened the door for them. She was about to say something else, but stopped when her eyes fell upon Yue, evidently surprised by the splendor of the young man's appearance.

"Thank you for having us this evening. We are in a fix due to the weather related train cancellations. Oh, and this is Yue-san," Tomoyo bowed. Yue followed the gesture, though his eyes remained distant and cold.

"Always glad to have you here, Tomoyo-chan," the lady said kindly. "Please make yourself at home, Yue-san," she added.

Tomoyo walked into the living room, and sat down on the couch closest to the heater, extending her hands towards the warm air that the appliance emitted. Yue simply took off his coat, and sat down on another couch, still looking somewhat uneasy.

"Would you care for some tea or would you like to have dinner directly?" The lady asked them.

"Just dinner, but only for me. Yue-san is on an intermittent fasting routine," Tomoyo said quickly. She did not want to put Yue-san through the trouble and questions related to eating and food again.

"Fasting? But surely, one needs some calories, especially in such cold weather. No wonder he is so skinny," the lady did not look pleased or convinced. She also seemed quite candid for a housekeeper. Probably an old employee who knew the family well.

"Actually, Yue-san was quite chubby as a child. It took him a lot of effort to lose weight, and that's why he is strict about his diet now," Tomoyo said with a grin.

"Young people are so self conscious nowadays," the lady smiled this time. "Fine, I will tell the kitchen staff to serve dinner. Please make yourselves comfortable until then," she added.

When the housekeeper left the room, Yue gave her a mock glare. "You seem to be quite adept in making up stories spontaneously," he said.

Tomoyo moved to sit next to her friend gracefully. "If you have magical friends you automatically acquire that skill," she said casually. "I don't blame anyone for trying to feed you. You are actually skinny," she giggled, wrapping her fingers around his wrist to show the point. She felt his muscles tense, the veins popping underneath the surface of pale skin of his forearm, that was exposed by the sleeves rolled up at his elbows. She wondered how a being created by magic could be such a perfect imitation of an actual human.

"I wonder what it is like to be a chubby child," Yue said thoughtfully.

"Do you regret that you never got to experience childhood, Yue-san?" Tomoyo asked in a more serious tone.

"My other form has that regret," Yue said. "Due to this situation, it looks like I cannot return to my other form tonight as I was supposed to," he continued.

"I am sure Tsukishiro-san will understand. I will personally apologize to him later," Tomoyo said. "Let me show you to a room you can use for the night before they call me for dinner," she added.

Later that night, Tomoyo was standing before a mirror in the room which belonged to her parents. Her mother used that room whenever she stayed there, and the few times Tomoyo had visited earlier, she had stayed in the guest room. Now, she had given the guest room to Yue-san, and opted to use her mother's room instead. She looked at herself in the mirror and pulled at the shoulder of the calf length dress that she was wearing, trying to adjust it on herself. It was one of her Sonomi's old maternity dresses from the time when she still resided in that house with her husband and infant daughter. It seemed that her mother had put on a little weight after giving birth to her, so obviously, the dress did not fit Tomoyo's slender figure well. Still, she was thankful to have a change of clothes that she could use to sleep for the night.

Sighing, Tomoyo went back to the wardrobe to check if she could find something that would fit her better. However, the other dresses that her mother had left there seemed to be of the same size as the one that she had initially picked - all maternity clothes. She was about to close the wardrobe when her eyes fell on a flat box at the bottom. She pulled out the box and slowly opened it in the hope it contained some of her mothers older garments that she used before she had a child. There was a pretty black shawl with violet and white embroidery. Kirei! Tomoyo exclaimed as she picked up the shawl, her fingers already appreciating the rich texture of its fabric. There were two smaller things at the base of the box. A pretty brooch with a gemstone that matched both Tomoyo and Sonomi's eye color. There was also a handwritten note. Tomoyo picked it up and unfolded it. Happy anniversary, Sonomi-san, please don't be angry anymore. On the back of the note there was a doodle of an angry cat, with its ears perked and fangs bared, most likely drawn to represent Sonomi's aggressive demeanor. Tomoyo smiled softly. She had no doubt that it was written by her father. Probably, her mother had a fight with him before one of their anniversaries. She went back to the mirror with the objects she found and draped the shawl around her shoulders, securing its ends with the brooch. Although the rooms were heated, the additional layer of warmth provided by the shawl felt nice. Much better, she smiled at her reflection in the mirror, her fingers brushing over the smooth surface of the violet stone that sat at the base of her neck.

While closing the wardrobe, Tomoyo's eyes caught another object that was stowed away behind the box that contained the shawl. The object turned out to be a photo album on inspection. Tomoyo sat on the bed, and flipped through the pages of the album casually. It was full of pictures of her parents, mostly taken on different vacations and business trips. On the back of each photograph her father had written the date and the place where it was taken. She could tell that the couple was happy with each other, despite the fact that Sonomi wore a scowl on her face in many of the pictures. She also observed that her father had doodled on the back of some of the photos as well. At the back of one of the pictures where Sonomi looked particularly grumpy, he had doodled that cat again, with a smile on its face, holding a string tied to a balloon in one of its paws and giving a thumbs up with its other paw. Sonomi-san should smile more - like this, he had written beneath it. There was another doodle of a weasel or mongoose-like creature, and the word idiot written underneath with an arrow pointing to it. That must have been her mother's reply. The man who was snatched away from Tomoyo's life by the grim reaper before she had a chance to even know him seemed to have had a great sense of humor. Tomoyo had never seen this album before. Sonomi mostly kept her father's memories out of her reach and away from their daily lives. The faces of her parents got happier in the pictures where Sonomi seemed to be expecting a child. Then there was a photo where Sonomi held her newborn daughter, looking at her husband with an expression of relief, happiness and love. Our little Tomoyo-chan - welcome home! I hope your cuteness will make Sonomi-san smile more from now on, her father had scribbled at the back. A few more photos of the proud new parents with their baby daughter followed. At the end of the album, there was a single loose photograph that was not inserted in the corresponding flap. In that picture, her father sat before a large piano, holding a baby version of herself in his arms. His face was blissfully happy as he looked at his daughter. He played the instrument very well, from what she had heard. Her mother was not in the picture. Tomoyo turned the paper of the photograph. The date was written in a corner, on the reverse side and going by it, it could have been the last photograph of her father that was taken before his untimely death. Her mother might have been the one to take the photo. There were some scribbles on the back too. Tomoyo saw that her father had neatly doodled a baby bunny surrounded by some flowers. I can't wait to see you grow up, Tomoyo-chan. Your okaa-san and I will always be with you, he had written beneath it. Then there were Sonomi's angry words: you lied, you jerk! Where are you now? Tomoyo's eyes filled with tears. Her mother must have written these after his death, and amidst her grief and anger, she may not have cared to replace the photo back in its flap. Tomoyo closed the album and kept it back where she had found it. However, she took that last photo of her father and placed it inside her bag. She then called her mother.

"Okaa-san, hope you had a pleasant day," Tomoyo said when she picked up the phone. "Guess what, I won the competition," she added.

"Omedetou, Tomoyo-chan. Well done! It seems that this Yue boy is lucky for you," Sonomi said lightly.

"Thanks for letting him stay," Tomoyo said softly.

"It is very strange," her mother said after taking a short pause. "I expected him to be a bratty young fellow. It surprised me that he actually talked like a responsible gentleman," she stated.

"Oh, Yue-san is very responsible. It is just that he is cold and surly sometimes," Tomoyo said.

"I didn't say that I trust him though," Sonomi said. "Speaking of which, where is he now?" Sonomi asked.

"I suppose he is resting in the other room. I told him to use the guest room," Tomoyo said. "Okaa-san, I was looking at some of the old photographs of you and father," she changed the subject, hoping to get some information this time.

"I wouldn't look at them for too long if I were you," Sonomi said after a moment of silence.

"Why?" Tomoyo questioned.

"Because he was the sort of man one could not help but miss, and the less you know about him, the less you would miss him. As a baby, you were very attached to that idiot used to sing you lullabies and rock you to sleep every night. He had an amazing voice. You had cried inconsolably when he did not return home that night or on the nights that followed. I did not want you to feel that emptiness within you as you grew up, Tomoyo-chan," Sonomi reasoned.

"Otou-san pampered you a lot, ne okaa-san? it is evident from the photos," Tomoyo said with a chuckle to lighten her mother's dark mood. "How did you confess, I wonder?"

"And why do you wonder? Are you planning to confess to someone soon?" Sonomi asked.

"No, I am not. The photos just made me curious," Tomoyo asserted. "Wait, you didn't tell Yue-san anything, did you?" She asked in alarm.

"Of course not," Sonomi said. The older lady took a deep breath before answering her young daughter's question. "It was when I realized that the fool had given up on a profitable business deal so that I could get it for the company I was with at that time. I walked straight into his office and yelled at him for being an absolute moron. He only smiled that stupid, all knowing smile that he had and told me that he knew how important success was to me, and that he did not consider it worth breaking my heart for profit. Then, I yelled at him again, saying that he was more important to me than any success or profit," she paused.

"That's kind of cool, I suppose. Okaa-san, you liked picking fights with him didn't you?" Tomoyo laughed.

"His selflessness was annoying as hell," Sonomi huffed. "Anyway, Tomoyo-chan, even if it sounds cool, don't try to do something similar if you have to tell Yue about your feelings. I was kind of stupid then, and it is not really a good way. Besides, it does not suit your personality. Oyasumi," she hung up the phone, probably embarrassed by what she said. The young girl sighed. She really hoped that one day, her mother would tell her more about her father.

Tomoyo walked out to the covered deck at the back of the house, enclosed with glass walls on three sides. The winter storm had picked up pace, and it was snowing heavily outside. A lone figure clad in white stood near the edge of the deck, arms crossed on his chest, sharp blue eyes looking out to the backyard that was quickly filling up with snow.

"Not sleeping yet, Yue-san?" Tomoyo walked over and stood beside him.

"You aren't either," Yue remarked without turning to look at her.

"I will soon," Tomoyo said. "It is snowing so much. I am glad that we are not caught outdoors amidst this terrible storm," she added. As expected, there was no verbal response from her companion.

"Yue-san," Tomoyo slowly raised her hand to gingerly touch his forearm for a moment before drawing it back. "I am really sorry if my mother said something harsh to you on the phone," she said.

Yue turned his face to look at the girl beside him. "I understood the concern that she has as a parent. After all, I am no one but a stranger to her," he told her.

Tomoyo smiled at the small reassurance. "Okaa-san is actually a nice person. It is just that she worries a lot and doesn't trust people right away due to what happened to my father many years ago," she said.

Yue kept quiet. He had never heard anything about the incident, but he was not one to prod others about their lives. But it seemed that Tomoyo had more to say. "My parents used to reside in this house once, until my father died. Actually, was he who had named me Tomoyo," she smiled.

"It suits you," Yue said quietly.

Tomoyo's smile brightened. "The funny thing is when my parents met, they were in rival companies. My father's company was not as big at that time, and Oka-san held a significant amount of shares in a larger company. She was also part of its board of directors. That company wished to buy Daidouji Toys seeing it as a potential competitor, but otou-san refused, as he had his own vision for the company he inherited. I don't know how it progressed from there, as okaa-san doesn't like to talk much about it. I guess, somehow, they fell in love to the chagrin of the people who ran the larger company. They made it difficult for okaa-san to continue working there, so after her marriage, she pulled out her wealth from there, and invested it into Daidouji Toys corporation. As a young entrepreneur, she also helped my father to grow the company. It is speculated that the rival company got jealous of the success, and my father's car crashed into a lake outside the town one evening. But the post-mortem report suggested the cause of death not as drowning, but as a sharp blow to the head with a blunt weapon. But they did not find many clues, and no one was eventually convicted," Tomoyo paused, breathing a little heavier. "I suppose they hoped that okaa-san would be too heartbroken and weak to run the company after losing her husband, and sell it off to them, but thankfully, that never happened," she finished her account.

Yue contemplated the words he heard. He then understood why a car crash was the first thing that came to Tomoyo's mind when she heard that her mother was in the hospital on that occasion. "I hope that I am not boring you Yue-san. I am just telling you so that you can understand why okaa-san behaved in the way that she did. I was just short of a year old when otou-san died. Even though I don't remember those days, I know how hard they were for okaa-san. So, even if her words felt hurtful to you, please forgive her," Tomoyo entreated him.

"Your mother trusted your judgment enough to let me stay in her house. She said everything in your best interests. That's all that matters to me," Yue said slowly. He had never heard Tomoyo speak about her dead father to Sakura, Yukito or anyone else. Probably, it was not easy for the young girl either.

"Arigatou, Yue-san," Tomoyo said. "I heard that otou-san and okaa-san had received some threat messages to not proceed with some business deals earlier that year. Okaa-san advised my father to hire bodyguards for his safety, but he did not listen when there was still time. He seemed to think that those were empty threats. I heard from our old employees that otou-san was at home earlier that evening, playing with me. when one of his friends called him out of town over the phone, claiming that he had an injury and needed help to go to the hospital. Otou-san drove out of town fearlessly and all by himself, but he never returned. He probably could not imagine that his friend could be one of them. Okaa-san is still angry with otou-san for leaving his family like that. Sadly, she stopped trusting most people after that," Tomoyo said.

"So that's why your cars are always accompanied by security personnel," Yue muttered.

Tomoyo smiled a little. "I try to reassure her that nothing will happen, but she tells me that I shouldn't be a fool like otou-san. I had to accept it just to give her that peace of mind," she explained.

"It is difficult, Yue-san," Tomoyo continued in a contemplative voice. "It is outright unfair when a person who means so much to someone just disappears from their life like that. That's why okaa-san tried to lock away all her memories of my father, and left this house after that accident. Living here must have been so painful to her," Tomoyo's head was lowered as she spoke. "Yue-san, you would not disappear too one day, right?" she asked in a quieter voice.

Yue's eyes widened. Tomoyo could not possibly know about his plan, could she? Yukito did not tell her, so could it be Touya? Or was it just her all knowing intuition that is making her say such a thing? "I had promised Touya that Sakura and Yukito will live, no matter what happens," Yue said dryly after a longer pause.

"I know," Tomoyo replied quietly. "I am asking about you," she lifted her head and looked at Yue's face with the shimmer of unshed tears in her deep violet eyes.

"Daidouji-san, you do not have to concern yourself with such useless thoughts," Yue said, his voice taking on a colder note. However, it did not deter Tomoyo.

"But I don't want you to disappear," Tomoyo surprised him by moving closer until her forehead touched his chest. Yue tried to step back, but her hands came up and gripped the silk fabric of his robe at his arms. "I don't want you to return to the five elements, Yue-san. I want you to stay, always," tears fell from her eyes and she stifled a sob. "Forever."

Yue was at a loss for words. Tomoyo was crying, making no effort to hide her tears or her emotions. It was not the first time. The young girl had cried in his arms twice before. On those occasions, he had no reservation in holding her close and silently comforting her. However, it was different this time. She was crying because of him, because of her feelings for him. Comforting her now would mean acknowledging those feelings. Yue felt numb. He could feel the slight tremor of her sobs against his chest, and the tickle from her ends of her long hair that fell on his arms as she lowered her head, unbraided and left completely loose. The soft scent of her perfume filled his senses. The flowery-fruity scent that characterized Tomoyo overwhelmed his mind.

"Yue-san, I –, " Tomoyo was about to speak again.

"Daidouji-san, I think you should go to your room," with great difficulty Yue found his voice back to stop Tomoyo in the middle of her speech.

The words took a moment to sink in, and then Tomoyo realized. Yue-san had not pulled her closer even though she was crying. Neither did he push her away. It suddenly seemed that she was embracing a column of ice instead of a person. With a jerk, she lifted her head from the young man's chest and took a step backwards. She was moments away from giving her heart to him. The smallest caress of his slender finger, the smallest movement of his arm to draw her closer, the smallest sign that he was ready for this, and she would have laid her feelings bare before him. However, Yue-san stood still as a statue. Either oblivious, or in denial of his own feelings. He did not want to hear her concern. He did not want her heart. Tomoyo wiped her tears with the back of her hand. "You are right," she mumbled. She felt like an idiot for giving in to her emotions. Technically, Yue-san did not reject her. Yet, it felt like a severe blow to her self esteem that he was not even ready to hear her out and acknowledge the fact that she could have developed feelings for him. Her jaws tightened. Never again, she vowed. With a curt nod, and a short goodnight, she left the deck.

The moment she was gone, Yue clenched his fist in frustration. He wanted to take away Tomoyo's unhappiness. Instead, he became the cause of her grief. Damn you Clow Reed, damn you to hell, Yue cursed through gritted teeth. For the first time in his life, he actually blamed his creator for the miserable situation he found himself in. Earlier, even when he heard Touya vent out his anger and frustration at Clow for Yukito's situation, he used to tell himself that Clow must have had a plan. But at that moment it seemed no grand plan was worth hurting the feelings of an innocent and wonderful person like Tomoyo. This young girl had almost healed the wound left by Clow in his heart through her warmth and compassion. Yet, he gave her nothing in return apart from cruel aloofness. The fierce winds of the storm battered the glass walls of the deck with snow, but Yue's mind was more restless than the weather outside.

The snow storm had passed by the next morning, but the sky had not cleared. Lighter showers of snow were forecasted for the later part of the day. When Tomoyo and Yue left the house together in the morning, Yue noticed that his companion's eyes were redder and puffier than usual. She was silent and looked somewhat listless. She almost slipped on the black ice that formed on the pavement overnight. Yue was quick to act, catching her waist with one hand, and her hand with his other. "Your hands are very cold," he said as he helped her regain her balance. The tips of her fingers were had actually turned red from the cold.

"And yours aren't," Tomoyo responded, as she broke the contact.

"That's because I'm -," Yue started.

"Not a human. Yes, I know," Tomoyo looked down at her feet. She seemed a bit upset and on the edge. But that was understandable. Anyone else probably would not have spoken to him if had trampled on their feelings in the same cold manner.

"Daidouji-san, would it be preferable to you if I were one?" Yue questioned, pinning her with his sharp blue stare.

Tomoyo's head snapped up as if she was shocked to hear the question. She did not reply immediately. "I do not care about what you are not. I am grateful for what you are, Yue-san," she then said firmly. The purple eyes that were dull a moment ago, glistened with a renewed spark.

The two stood face to face, searching each other's countenance for any traces of anger and resentment at the exchange that took place the night before. They found none. Instead, they saw forgiveness and compassion in each other's eyes. Tomoyo understood at that point. Yue-san refused to hear her confession, because he was protecting her heart from breaking. His silence actually saved her esteem from the indignation of a rejection. Since nothing was said ultimately, they both could go back to being friends. Yue-san probably felt just as helpless and hurt as she did. He was already broken to begin with, and Tomoyo felt petty for causing him further distress. Even if his words could never tell her, she could see how much he cared for her in those steely blue eyes. It should be enough for her.

"Then take advantage of that fact," Yue turned to continue on their way, extending his hand for Tomoyo to take. Tomoyo placed her hand between the palm and fingers of the moon guardian, allowing him to hold it. His hand felt nice and warm, almost too delicate for a man's hand, but strong nevertheless. She also brought her free hand to rest her fingers on top of his hand as she walked closely beside him, their sides pressed against each other, taking in his warmth with all ten of her fingers.

When they went to the station, they found that the regular train was still suspended due to the condition of the tracks. The only option was to take a train that took a detour through another city, and would take several hours to reach Tomoeda. Since it was a longer distance train, it needed reservation, and luckily for them, some were still available.

On their journey back to their hometown, Tomoyo sat beside Yue in a nice coach with a two by two seating layout. She had offered the window seat to Yue-san, saying that he should make the most of it, and enjoy the sight of the snowy landscape, since it was not often that he got to undertake trips like that in his own form. Tomoyo's eyes wandered around to find the passengers huddled together in the seats around them due to the unusually cold weather. There were parents and children, siblings, and couples of different ages, all trying to keep each other warm. The sight somehow made her feel colder than she already was. Yue-san had got himself an English newspaper from a vending machine at the station, and was engaged in solving the crossword puzzle in it, fiddling the pencil held between his fingers intermittently as he thought the answers, unfazed by the cold as always. She patiently waited till Yue-san had cracked the last word of the puzzle, and put away the paper and pencil. Then she leaned her head against his left shoulder, and rested her hand on his elbow.

"Don't mind me, I am still cold," Tomoyo said quietly in response to a sideways glance from the young man.

A pair of slender arms looped around her shoulders and drew her even closer. "Then you should have said sooner," the moon guardian told her. The same action which seemed so difficult for him the night before when they were alone, came so easily to him, now that they were in public. It almost seemed he wanted to be kinder as a reparation for his earlier coldness.

"You were solving the puzzle," Tomoyo said studying the handsome face so close to hers.

"It was not a necessity," Yue looked out of the window of the moving train.

Tomoyo relaxed against the young man who held her. They have not even dated for a day, and already they seemed like an old couple. At that moment, if someone assumed that the man beside her would become a caring husband to her one day, they could not be blamed. Only she knew better. Tomoyo closed her eyes. She knew very well that she was avariciously stealing these small moments from Yue-san whenever she could. The question was, how long would he allow her to continue like this, and how long would these be enough for her?

When Yue looked back from the wintry scenery outside the window a while later. Tomoyo's breathing had slowed down. It seemed she had fallen asleep. He observed her face, as pale and forlorn as the snow covered ground. Despite the puffiness of her eyes and the dryness of her lips, she was beautiful. Not the kind of beauty that dazzled like a blinding light, but one that soothed like a blooming flower. It had soothed him too, especially her deep and expressive eyes. It would have been an honor to return her feelings if it was in her power to do so. Yue looked away again. She deserved better.

When Tomoyo awoke near the end of their journey, she felt that she had not slept so well in weeks. She supposed it only made sense to sleep so well, as there was a literal angel watching over her sleep. There was something so serene about his company that no matter how sad, anxious or tired she was, she felt calm and relaxed when she was with him.

When they got off the train, Yue offered to take her home, but Tomoyo politely declined saying that she had already texted to get picked up from the station by her family car. "Yue-san, please forgive me if I said something yesterday that I shouldn't have said," Tomoyo said suddenly when they were about to go their separate ways. Yue's back was already towards her, but he turned to face the young girl. Tomoyo bowed.

Yue shook his head. "Don't apologize, Daidouji-san. However, if there were words that I should have said, but didn't then excuse my silence too," he told her. Tomoyo nodded, her eyes fogging up a little bit. No further words were needed. Both of them knew what the other meant as they took their leaves from each other with that silent understanding in their hearts.

Notes:

Please leave a comment to share your thoughts, and see you in the next chapter.

Chapter 15: Farewell

Summary:

Tomoyo and Yue try to deal with their feelings while preparing to bid each other goodbye.

Notes:

Thanks to the readers who commented. Hope that I am not too late with the updates.

Please enjoy the chapter. The lyrics in the song used in this chapter are not mine.

Tomoyo felt an emptiness within herself over the weeks that followed. Externally, she was still the same, preoccupied with her music and academics, but they all seemed soulless to her. Meiling had called her the evening after the day of the music festival. After congratulating her excitedly on her performance, she asked how things went with Yue-san.

"Yue-san is not ready to hear anything, Meiling-chan. He stopped me before I could tell him anything," Tomoyo told her friend.

"What a jerk! I should come over and give him a piece of my mind," Meiling exclaimed over the phone.

"Please, Meiling-chan, you cannot force anyone to do anything that they don't want to do. I respect his choice, and with that I want to move on too," Tomoyo had said.

"It won't be easy," Meiling had said softly.

A month had passed since the events of the music festival. Yue was as reticent as always, and Tomoyo too did her part to keep their interactions short and formal. It seemed as though there was a thin wall of glass between them, barely visible, but if they reached out for each other, they would touch nothing but its cold surface.

Tomoyo was thinking all these things as she sat beside the moon guardian on their way back from the library. Yue was staring ahead with the usual blank expression on his face. At the next station, an elderly lady boarded the train. Most of the other passengers were either glued to their phones or busy talking to their companions. So, only Yue and Tomoyo noticed the poor lady trying to find a seat with desperate eyes. A quick glance passed between Tomoyo and Yue, and in the next moment, Yue left his seat. "Oba-san, you can sit here," Tomoyo called the woman, pointing to the seat beside her.

"Bless you, my dear," the lady came and sat down with a relieved smile. "Your boyfriend is so kind. Such a fine young gentleman, considering that most young people have no courtesy these days." she continued.

This again, Tomoyo thought in mild irritation. "Ano, he is not my boyfriend," she clarified.

"Oh, I am sorry for referring to your husband as your boyfriend. For a moment there, I thought that only married couples can communicate without saying anything like that. You know, with their eyes," she gave Tomoyo a friendly nudge. "But then, you two are so young, so I thought –," she trailed off.

Husband? Wow! This lady is on another level. Tomoyo turned her face to look at Yue's reaction, who stood quietly off to her side, but she was surprised at what she saw. A rich blush colored his pale face, extending to the tips of his ears. His expression was a mix between defiance and embarrassment. So, magical guardians have the ability to blush, huh? He didn't even bat an eyelid earlier at the boyfriend remark though! She thought. A mischievous desire to torment him just a bit more with the topic raised its little head inside her mind. She turned towards the lady beside her again.

"Oba-san, this person may seem kind on the surface, but in reality he is just cruel and surly, and chides me so often. In fact, I think he would rather prefer to disappear than become my husband," Tomoyo turned her face away from Yue and spoke to the lady, who gave her a confused look, losing some of the confidence in her earlier assessment of their relationship.

"He must have done something to make you upset today, huh?" their co-passenger seemed to take the words lightly. Tomoyo only gave a small smile and turned again to look at Yue with a little smirk on her face. But she found that the pretty shade that colored his face a moment ago had completely drained leaving behind an ashen pallor, which made her regret saying anything at all.

The old lady got off the train before either of them. "Earlier, you used to say that I was kind," Yue remarked softly as he took the empty seat beside Tomoyo again.

"Yue-san, I was just joking with her, since she made such a random assumption," Tomoyo tried to explain.

"It is not a joke if it is the truth. I could not be kind to you after all," Yue spoke, actively trying to avoid meeting her eyes.

"Please don't say that," Tomoyo swiftly placed her hand over Yue's for a moment before pulling it away. "You are not flawless, but when we became friends, I knew that you were kind. My opinion has not changed a bit, except that now I also know that you are also selfless," she said.

"Daidouji-san, I must correct your fallacious judgment. If I was really selfless, I would have felt no resentment in letting Clow leave me behind," Yue said.

Tomoyo kept quiet. Perhaps, poor Yue-san will never completely get over Clow-san's loss, she thought as a heavy weight settled on her heart at the pain that the solemn eyes of the moon guardian reflected. Yue continued to speak. "My actions towards you have been governed by gratitude, not selflessness, make no mistake," he said. The train stopped at his station, and in the next moment he was gone, leaving Tomoyo with no chance to reply. If Touya had not given him his powers that day and if he had not promised him that he would ensure that Yukito would always be with Touya, just maybe he could give himself the permission to explore the strange feelings that this young girl managed to stir in his heart; the heart that ought to have been dead as stone the day Clow had left the world, yet was somehow very much alive judging by the way it reacted at every thought of Tomoyo, which had been a lot lately.

"I have decided that I will transfer to a different university," Tomoyo told Meiling over phone a few weeks later.

"Nani? Why? Where?" Meiling asked in confusion.

"Our university has an exchange program with some foreign universities, and my professors wanted me to apply. I got accepted in the one in Vancouver," Tomoyo said.

"All the way to Canada? It is a cold and desolate place. You will be miserable," Meiling said straightforwardly.

"Demo, Akiho-chan is also there. The university has a good program in computer science. It will be a good experience if I want to go to graduate school later," Tomoyo tried to defend her decision objectively.

"Akiho-chan is in Montreal. It is so far that it is as good as living in another country. Heck, it takes me fewer hours to travel from Hong Kong to Tokyo," Meiling quipped. Tomoyo was silent on the other end of the phone. "You think moving to another country would make you forget Yue-san? Surely, you are not so naïve," her friend spoke again.

"I know that it is not possible. In fact, I don't ever want to forget Yue-san. This is not about me," Tomoyo replied quietly.

Meiling clicked her tongue. "You are doing it for Yue-san then?"

"I want to free him of the conflict he is facing right now because of me," Tomoyo said. "Meiling-chan, Yue-san is actually a very innocent and sensitive person, but he is also proud and has a high self-regard. He tries hard but it is very difficult for him to bury his feelings. He has certain promises that he has to keep to Touya onii-san and Tsukishiro-san. I don't want to make him question his own decisions all the time and start hating himself," Tomoyo tried to explain. Indeed, she could feel it in their last few interactions. The waves of their feelings were crashing against that thin glass wall that separated them. She knew it would not hold up against that force much longer, and would inevitably crack, hurting everyone else in the vicinity. She had to move away before that happened.

"Why is it always you who has to sacrifice everything for others huh? I just don't understand how you can be so unfair to yourself," Meiling huffed.

"Mine is not the only sacrifice in this story, Meiling-san, everyone else had their share of those. I have made up my mind," Tomoyo said firmly. Meiling wiped away the tears that had gathered in her eyes, and resolved to support her friend through her decision.

Tomoyo found herself alone in the library one Saturday. Probably Yue did not show up that day because Yukito needed to be elsewhere. She had planned to tell him that she will be transferring to another university. She had already told Sakura and the rest of her friends, and was scheduled to leave the country in less than a month's time. When she left the building in the evening, she was stopped by someone calling her from behind. She turned to see that it was the young girl named Hana who worked at the front desk.

"Sumimasen, Daidouji-san. I got off work a bit early today. Actually, I am headed in the same direction. Do you mind if I walk with you to the station?" the girl asked.

"Not at all, I am happy to have your company," Tomoyo smiled her signature pleasant smile.

"You know, today was my last day of working here. I am leaving this part time job," Hana told her as she fell into step beside her.

"I am sorry to hear that Hana-san. Hope that you had a pleasant time working here," Tomoyo said.

"Iie, it is a good thing actually," Hana waved her hands. "My elder sister just got herself a better full time job, so she suggested that I don't need to work anymore. She wants me to focus on studies for now," she explained.

"That's very kind of your sister," Tomoyo smiled.

"I know," Hana said. She spoke again after a brief moment of silence. "Yue-san is not with you today?" she asked.

Tomoyo knew that somehow this conversation would turn towards Yue. "I suppose he is needed elsewhere today," she replied.

"Ano, are you going out with him?" Hana asked in one breath. "Sorry for asking this personal question," she bowed immediately.

"That's alright. No, Yue-san is just a good friend," Tomoyo answered kindly.

"To be honest, I have been wanting to ask him out for a while. But I did not know if he was seeing someone, whether it is you or someone else," the girl said timidly.

"Is that so?" Tomoyo feigned mild surprise, although she had known about this girl's attraction towards the moon guardian for months. "As far as I know he barely meets anyone, let alone dating them. He is not a very social person see," she smiled.

"Introverts are so charming and mysterious, ne? Then please help me," Hana grabbed her hands suddenly.

"How can I help?" This time Tomoyo was genuinely surprised.

"Wait," the young girl stopped walking for a moment. She fished inside her purse and brought out a simple white envelope. "Please give this to Yue-san for me," she requested.

"What is it?" Tomoyo did not extend her hand to accept it just yet.

"Oh, don't worry. I have just written that it would make me very happy if he could accompany me for a date," the girl smiled nervously.

"Don't you think that it would be better if you gave it yourself? Or even better just ask him?" Tomoyo was almost feeling sorry for the young girl. Yue-san would never accept it. He was not the sort of person who would go on a casual date with someone when real feelings were not involved. But she did not know how to tell that to the naïve girl.

"Yue-san is not exactly approachable, you know," Hana replied. "But he seems to be much nicer to you, which makes me think that he is just not that affable with strangers. Maybe, if you gave it to me on my behalf, he would at least consider it. Of course, I am not expecting much and if he refuses to see me, I will understand," she said.

Tomoyo was somewhat reassured to find that the girl was not completely clueless after all. "Very well, I shall make every effort to make him consider your request, Hana-san," Tomoyo told her.

"Arigatou, Daidouji-san. You are a very kind person," the girl seemed quite grateful that her request was accepted by Tomoyo.

When they met at the public library next weekend, Tomoyo told Yue that she needed to leave earlier than usual to take care of some things, but she had a few things to tell him. So, in the afternoon, the two of them walked over to a park a block away. As they sat down beside each other, Tomoyo found herself entirely captivated by the glow cast by the setting sun on the handsome face of the young man beside her. But she forced herself to tear away her eyes from the beautiful sight and look elsewhere. Staring off into the distance, she slowly told Yue about her plan to transfer to another university in another country. Yue listened quietly. He did not speak for a long time when she stopped speaking. "Yue-san?" Tomoyo called him, expecting a response.

"I hope it is a well formulated plan that will be conducive towards your academic goals and career," Yue said finally, raising his hand to brush away some of his silver hair that had fallen over his eyes. His voice was emotionless, and he did not look at her. He sounded like a sensei, instructing a student rather than a friend.

"Hai," she said. "I think it will be a good experience, and okaa-san feels that way too," Tomoyo responded.

Yue simply nodded and rose from his seat. It seemed that he was about to leave. "Wait, I have to give you something," Tomoyo quickly stood and reached for the envelope in her bag. When she found it, she extended her hand. "Here," she said.

"What is that?" Yue narrowed his blue eyes and observed it like a cautious cat.

"It is something Hana-san wanted to tell you," Tomoyo said. "You know, the girl at the library front desk?" She elaborated, noticing the dispassionate stare she received from the moon guardian.

"I don't want it," Yue said, taking a small step back.

"What?" Tomoyo asked, a bit put off by the sharp coldness of his voice

"Don't make me repeat myself," the young man's voice turned colder.

"It will be better if you can at least give Hana-san some sort of reply. You know, she really likes you and –,"

"Daidouji-san," Yue interrupted her sternly. His blue eyes seemed to be alight with rage. "That girl is simply attracted to me. Or rather, to my appearance, which barely defines who I am. I thought someone like you would know the difference," he said.

"Perhaps," Tomoyo said. "But the two may not be mutually exclusive. She may still like you once she gets to know you better. That's why she wanted a date," Tomoyo stated.

"And what's in it for you, Daidouji-san? Why are you so insistent on her behalf? Is it because you feel sorry for me? Perhaps you want to find a new friend for me to spend time with, now that you are moving away?" Yue almost snickered.

"That's not true Yue-san. Please don't misinterpret," Tomoyo lifted her face and glared at the man before her.

"Hard to believe it isn't," Yue said, still indignant. "You, Clow Reed, all you humans are just the same. You humor us for a while, and then hand us over to someone else. Just like a once favorite doll of a child carelessly tossed into the donation box meant to go to charity," Yue said.

"Please stop this drivel, Yue-san," Tomoyo said. Yue's words felt like someone was crushing her heart with a heavy bludgeon

"Isn't it true that Clow Reed was eager to appoint a new master for Keroberos and me? Didn't he try to manipulate Yukito's heart to fall in love with the new master? Should I be delighted at the fact that Clow intended to set me up with a mere child? Should I just overlook the fact that you basically just tried to make me go out with a random girl, even after knowing that a normal human is not supposed to know my true identity, and that I have no interest in such humans?" Yue seethed.

"Yue-san, don't you dare," Tomoyo suddenly grabbed Yue's hand, gripping it tightly with her fingers. "Don't you dare to project your anger on Clow Reed upon me," she said as she looked straight at him. "I am not answerable for the things Clow-san subjected you to. You think you can keep scolding me for everything, and I will continue to take it?" Tomoyo retorted angrily.

"Fine," Yue huffed. "However, you seem to be always eager to prove to yourself and everyone else how magnanimous you are. That random person gave you an opportunity to do so, and you took it readily. After all, I am just a tool who can be given away, as part of one of your philanthropic projects," the umbrage Yue felt was unabated.

"After all this time, that's your opinion of me?" tears finally fell from Tomoyo's burning eyes. "You think that I think of you as a mere tool that can be used to display my generosity" her voice broke in pain.

"If that is not true, then tell me, what am I to you Daidouji-san?" Yue asked.

"Yue-san, you know that very well," the tips of Tomoyo's fingers dug into Yue's hand, and she looked down, biting hard on her lip.

"The idea of being the perpetual recipient of your pity just sickens me. I want to hear it from your own mouth. So tell me if I am wrong. Tell me if I am anything but a tool under the guise of a friend," Yue insisted, tilting Tomoyo's face with his free hand to make her look at him.

Tomoyo's face glowed with fury. She left Yue's hand and grabbed the lapels of his blazer with both hands, to pull him even closer, bringing his face nearer her own.

"Well, for your information, I did try to answer the question long before you even dared to ask. But you were not prepared to hear it, were you?" She bristled. Even now, if I tell you what you are to me, will you do anything different about it? No, because you like to suffer alone, and not let anyone in," the words tumbled from her mouth.

"Daidouji-san, I wouldn't be asking you something if I were not prepared for the answer," Yue said with steely determination in his eyes. But Tomoyo let go of the fabric that she clenched in her fists and stepped aside.

"What's the point?" She said, trying to stifle her sobs, the unusual spark of rage that overcame her, dying down as quickly as it had started. "You will probably dismiss it as some pointless human emotion that you find so repulsive. "Yes, Hana-san is attracted to you because it is normal for a girl of her age to feel that way towards a young man as attractive as you are. Not everyone can be lofty like Yue-san and manufactured to be above all earthly desires," Tomoyo sniffled.

"Manufactured? Seems that the doll comparison was not unjustified after all," Yue said scornfully.

"I didn't mean it like that, but I suppose I cannot stop you from twisting my words anyway," Tomoyo said. "I didn't expect you to go out with her or anything. I just thought you could hear her out and answer her in a civil manner. That's the minimum respect one person can give to another," she frantically wiped away the tears that were still falling from her eyes as she spoke.

Tomoyo's tears had a strange effect on Yue every time he saw them. It made him want to reach out and brush them away, to hold her close until her eyes had drained themselves dry. This time was no exception, as Yue's hand subconsciously reached out for her, even though the cause of those tears was no one else but himself. Well, himself and his original master who was the cause of all these incidents. But before his hand could make contact with Tomoyo's arm, the girl spoke again.

"Yue-san, I cannot lie to you, and the truth won't be pleasant for anyone. So, please don't ask me anything more. Just as you have your duty to fulfill, I have mine," she said, in a relatively firmer voice.

Tomoyo slowly turned her head when she did not receive a reply. The space where the moon guardian had stood was empty. He had withdrawn with the quiet steps of a cat. Or maybe his wings had carried him away from her. She did not know.

Yue sat on the porch of his house later that evening, gazing at the starry sky. Stupid Daidouji-san, he muttered, brushing the small semi-circular marks on the pale skin of his palm. Tomoyo had gripped his hand so tightly earlier that her nails had dug into the skin of his palm, but in the heat of the argument neither of them noticed it at that moment. It stung a little, but Yue imagined that it was nothing compared to how his earlier words must have stung her. Always trying to care for everyone but herself, he mused. Yue could not imagine that Tomoyo would ask him to consider going out with someone else, when he assumed that she had developed feelings for him. Thus, he felt resentful when he heard her strange request, and he lost his usual composure. Thinking back on his words now, they felt so illogical. But at that moment, all he wanted to do was to make her confirm that feelings he assumed she had for him were real. Of course he just told her things in the spur of the moment, but perhaps that angry, illogical part of him had hoped that she would break down and say it if he managed to make his words hurtful enough. Was he actually considering reciprocating her feelings if she had expressed them though? Yue shuddered at the thought. Even if for a moment, he had indeed entertained that treacherous idea. How was that even possible? He did not even know how to describe the feelings he had for Tomoyo. All he knew was that there was a voice within him which kept growing louder each time they met, and which kept telling him that his existence was only worth enduring if she was a part of it in some way; that another day was worth waiting for if only to walk a few steps besides that girl, to hear her enchanting voice sing softly to herself, call his name or politely argue with him, to see the kind light shine in her deep violet eyes. And now that person was leaving, and there was not a thing that he could do about it. He did not know if the love that humans feel was the same as how he felt, but he felt that it was pointless to try and make sense of it anymore.

The moon in Tomoyo's dream shrunk in size again that night, and she cried until daybreak.

Two days later, Tomoyo noticed a message from an unknown contact in her social media account. Daidouji-san, thank you for fulfilling my request - Hana (from the library). The message said. It felt a bit strange. Tomoyo had been thinking that she had failed to fulfill that request, and on top of that she had lost the envelope. It seemed that she had dropped it at some point, and Yue had picked it up that day before he left quietly. The following conversation took place over text when Tomoyo replied to the girl who had a crush on the moon guardian.

Tomoyo: How did it go?

Hana: Yue-san texted and refused, stating that he won't go on a date with me as he won't be able to be truthful to me.

Tomoyo: I am sorry…

Hana: I have a feeling that you knew… I wish you had told me sooner.

Tomoyo: It was nothing more than an inkling from my end that he might say something similar. It wouldn't be right to discourage you from trying based on that.

Hana: When I thanked Yue-san for the text, saying that I understand, he blankly told me that he had only cared to inform me because Daidouji-san thought that it was important to do so.

Tomoyo: I see...

Hana: Daidouji-san, I could tell that you are a kind person and only wanted to be nice to me. However, next time, please don't request a person who likes you so much to go on a date with another person. It is kind of hurtful to them.

At that point, Tomoyo fully realized why Yue-san had been so enraged that day, and why the normally reserved man went as far as to ask her what he meant to her. Her poor stupid self could not answer.

Later that month, Tomoyo sat before the piano at Sakura's house. She was visiting her best friend for what was supposed to be the last time in a while, for she was due to leave for Vancouver the next evening to begin her life as a transfer student. Fujitaka persuaded her to stay for dinner and Sakura had persuaded her to sing something, citing that she had to miss Tomoyo's most recent stage performance. Yukito and Sakura sat in the room with Tomoyo as she started playing, her voice joining the music soon after.

As though to inform us of summer's end,
They lined up quietly on the roadside and bloomed
Unstained of the evening, unaware of even the wind
They are such blue blue bellflowers.

Afraid of getting hurt,
I tried to hide my heart!
But then you taught me,
The warmth of having someone by my side.

This isn't goodbye!
I am just heading to a faraway place with an unknown name;
Even if we are far apart,
I will still be in your memories - breathing, living.
I will head to a faraway place
That is hidden in the night, that no one knows of.
Even if I am lost, the warmth in my memories
Will always light up the present.

Before the song ended, Yukito silently got up and left the room. The pain that he felt within his chest was increasing to unprecedented proportions. He sank on the floor of the hall, his back pressed against the wall. He could still hear Tomoyo's voice as she sang the rest of the song.

I heard voices from a festival faraway -
But I thought it had nothing to do with me
I didn't want to see the line that separated me from them.
Those were such lonely days,

I couldn't chase up to anyone's backs
Sometimes, I even told lies;
But the fact that I found some things here that I want to protect
Just that alone makes me happy.

This isn't goodbye!
Even though we feel lonely for not being able to face each other
But just having a place here that we want to return to
Just that alone can turn loneliness into strength.
I want to be loved, but in truth I was struggling
All because I met that kindness,
That enveloped my loneliness and tears.

This isn't goodbye!
Even if we will never meet again,
I'm sure that as long as we are smiling somewhere
Our hearts will be connected.

This isn't goodbye!
I'm just heading to a faraway place with an unknown name
Even if we are apart
The warmth in my memories,
Is something that I will never forget.

Strong arms enveloped Yukito's slender frame just as Tomoyo finished the song. Her voice seemed to have cracked, almost imperceptibly towards the end. "Yuki," Touya's deep voice said next to his ears, as he tried to pull the despondent young man up by his shoulders.

Yukito only crawled further into Touya's arms. "Everything seems to be falling apart. What should we do, Toya? This is not what I wanted for Yue-san. When I asked Yue-san to go out in the world and experience it, I wanted him to find joy, not more pain," he said.

"Yuki," Touya rubbed his beloved's back gently. "You want him to be happy, right?"

"Of course," the gray haired young main sniffled softly.

"What about Tomoyo?" Touya questioned.

"That poor girl deserves the best in the world," Yukito answered.

"What about us?" Touya asked again.

Yukito lifted his eyes to meet his companion's gaze. "My existence is tied to you. Oh, Toya, it hurts me so much to see you chasing this hopeless dream for so many years," he said.

"Then do something about it," Touya shook his shoulders lightly this time. "Get up and make Yue speak to Tomoyo. I shall pull Sakura away for a while. For the kind of childish idiot that Yue is, I expected something like would happen. So, nothing is falling apart yet. However, I had not expected Tomoyo to be so sentimental," Touya said.

"Toya, did you forget how young she still is? Everyone always expects her to act mature and responsible, but probably all this is just too much for her," Yukito defended the girl, as he slowly raised himself from the floor.

Sakura watched Tomoyo as she sat before the piano, still as a statue and pale as a ghost, after her song ended. Something about her best friend seemed off. "Tomoyo-chan, are you not–," Sakura was interrupted by her brother's voice.

"Oye Sakura, help me set the table, dad's almost done making dinner," Touya said, entering the room

"Onee-chan, can't you do it by yourself?" Sakura grumbled a bit.

"Well, if you help we can eat faster. I am sure that Tomoyo and Yukito are hungry. At least I am," Touya said.

"I'll help too," Tomoyo stood up.

"Tomoyo-chan, you are no good at household chores," Sakura giggled, unwilling to let her friend partake of the work.

"Demo –," Tomoyo tried to protest.

"Tomoyo-chan, care to talk with me for a while until they are done?" Yukito smiled a little as he followed Touya into the room.

"Sure," Tomoyo said and seated herself again.

"You are leaving soon, Tomoyo-chan?" Yukito asked as Touya left the room with his sister in tow.

"Hai. I will be on the flight tomorrow evening," Tomoyo answered.

"Have you met everyone?" Yukito questioned again.

"I think I have seen everyone who lives in this town. I met Li-kun the other day, along with Yamazaki-kun and Chiharu-chan. Sakura was also there. Today, I got to see you, Touya onee-san and Fujitaka-san," Tomoyo answered categorically.

"Aren't you missing someone important there?" Yukito asked.

A small sigh escaped Tomoyo's mouth. "I don't think Yue-san would like to see me anymore," she said. "I said something which made him very upset," she clarified when Yukito kept staring.

"Did you try talking to him after that?" Yukito asked. Tomoyo shook his head. "I doubt Yue-san could be upset with you for that long," he smiled gently at the young girl.

"Tsukishiro-san, what should I do?" Tomoyo said with a helpless expression on her innocent face.

"I remember that many years ago a little girl had told a hopeless boy that he should reach out to the one who is most important to him, even if the other person doesn't. That he should do the best for them both. Do you remember, Tomoyo-chan?" Yukito questioned. Tomoyo nodded silently.

Yukito rose from his seat and stood before the seated girl, placing a hand over her lowered head. "And guess what, those words changed that boy's life for good, and erased the distance between him and the person that mattered the most to him," he said.

"I am glad it helped, Tsukishiro-san," Tomoyo choked out the words.

"I think that the time has come to return that that cute little girl's advice to this elegant young lady before me," Yukito chuckled, gently stroking her hair. Tomoyo-chan, please don't give up on Yue-san. And please remember, Touya and I would always want you to be happy," he said.

"Tsukishiro-san, I can't –," Tomoyo started.

"Just talk to him. I shall change now," Yukito said. Tomoyo closed her eyes. She did not know how many moments had passed before she heard the moon guardian's voice.

"Daidouji-san, I won't take more than five minutes of your time," she heard Yue speak, and opened her eyes to look at the magnificent form of the moon guardian, complete with the pair of wings on his back.

"Of course," Tomoyo said. Five minutes? I could have given you my forever if you asked, she wanted to scream at him.

"I understand that I shouldn't have said everything that I did the other day. Those words were perhaps unfair to you," he knelt before her seat. "I would like to apologize," he said.

"Yue-san, I don't care if you argue with me. Just don't leave me alone to guess if we were still friends like you did that day. I didn't like that at all, for your friendship is priceless to me," Tomoyo told him.

"There might not be an occasion for that happening again," Yue said slowly. "So, you are moving away," he reached for her hand and picked it up gently from Tomoyo's lap after a brief silence.

"Hai," Tomoyo answered softly.

"Daidouji-san, thank you," Yue said with a soft expression on his face as he held her hand.

"Why?" Tomoyo asked, perplexed. "I don't –,"

"You don't have to understand it now. You will get it later, when you are older," Yue told her, bringing his hand up to cup her face, her pale skin soft and warm against his cool fingers. His thumb lightly brushed her cheekbone, as if to wipe away the invisible tears that were still locked within her deep eyes.

"I should be the one thanking you," Tomoyo gingerly touched the hand that caressed her face. "You saved me so many times, in so many ways," she said, as she looked at the beautiful man kneeling before her, his majestic wings spread on either side of his back.

Yue withdrew his hand and lowered his face on Tomoyo's hand. His forehead pressed against the back of her hand. "Just take care of yourself, that's enough," he managed to say, ignoring the lump that formed in his throat. The hand held within his own was trembling ever so slightly. Tomoyo was crying now, Yue did not even need to raise his head to know that.

As a confirmation of his conviction, a warm drop fell on his head, and seeped through his fine hair, followed by another "Yue-san," Tomoyo called his name in a shaky voice.

"Daidouji-san, let me take your leave," Yue said. He had convinced himself that Tomoyo's decision to leave was actually for the best. Her heart was still tender and young, which meant it would bleed a lot from this. But Yue earnestly hoped that it would also heal fast for the same reasons. If there was a single blessing that Yue could leave Tomoyo with, it would be that she would forget him soon and move on. And with that, it was time for him to leave as well. "Farewell," his lips whispered against her hand.

Tomoyo had kept her eyes shut as Yue had spoken the final words, although it did little to stop her eyes from watering. When she reopened them, she found that she was alone in the room. She raised her hand to wipe her eyes quickly before someone else came and saw her in that pitiful state. This is no farewell, not when our hearts are still connected, she told herself.

Notes:

A/N: The song used in this chapter is from Natsume's book of friends movie. The song name is Uru (remember). You can find it on YouTube, it is an wonderful song (in Japanese), and don't you think it fits the story so perfectly? There is an English version too, but I couldn't like that one much. The anime itself (Natsume Yuujinchou) is also very nice, and I think cardcaptor sakura fans would enjoy it very much.

Please leave a comment to let me know what you think of this chapter, and see you in the next.

Chapter 16: Confession

Summary:

Tomoyo finally figures out the truth of her dreams and races against the clock to prevent the worst from happening.

Notes:

This is a key chapter of the story, and you can probably see where the rest of the story is going once you are done with this.

Tomoyo was on the eight and a half hour long flight from Tokyo to Vancouver. As the crew was getting ready for departure, the phone held in her hand buzzed. "Sakura-chan," she said softly as she received the call.

"Tomoyo-chan, is everything alright?" came Sakura's slightly anxious voice from the other end. Sakura had been having a strange feeling for a while that something was not quite right with Tomoyo. The smile on Tomoyo-chan's lips was not quite reaching her eyes in the last few times that she saw her best friend. It seemed that there was some sort of pain that she was repressing, and Sakura was not privy to it, which hurt a little. Even Sonomi-san had asked her if Tomoyo was really fine with the decision to move to a different country after while returning from the airport that evening.

"Hai, we will be taking off in a few minutes now," Tomoyo answered.

"Let me know once you reach OK?" Sakura said.

"Of course, I'll be fine," Tomoyo reassured her friend.

"I know," Sakura drew a breath. "It is just that you didn't seem –,"

"Hey Sakura, give me the phone," Keroberos interrupted what she was about to say.

"Kero-chan," Sakura huffed. "I wasn't done talking!"

Tomoyo could almost imagine Kero sticking out his little tongue to Sakura as he snatched the phone and started to talk. "Fine, I will go and make dinner then," Sakura stomped out of the room.

"Hey Tomoyo, you should take me next time. I promise that I'll behave like a stuffed animal till we reach," Kero said.

"Kero-chan, haven't you already visited lots of different countries with Clow-san?" Tomoyo asked.

"Yeah, but it has been a while you know. Things have changed so much you barely recognize them as the same place," Kero replied.

"Is it just that or you have forgotten a lot?" Tomoyo asked.

"I bet I remember more than Yue," Keroberos said confidently. "Anyway, get me some treats from Canada the next time you visit OK? And study well, too Tomoyo." he said the last bit in the tone of a guardian.

"Ano Kero-chan," Tomoyo called before the sun guardian could disconnect the line. "Was Yue-san around recently?" she bit her lip, not knowing why she even asked that. Yue-san and hence Tsukishiro-san had left abruptly after speaking to her the night before. Fujitaka-san seemed perplexed that Tsukishiro-san was not there for dinner.

"He showed up earlier in the afternoon to get a card. Sakura had gone to the airport with you during that time. Mate ne," the oblivious Keroberos hung up the call.

Tomoyo leaned back into her seat and tried to relax. However, an unsettling feeling kept creeping into her mind. She tried to fight it off unsuccessfully. It was when the plane had already started taxiing for takeoff, she frantically picked up her phone and typed a text message.

Kero-chan, what card did Yue-san ask you for?

As soon as the text was sent, she typed another one. Did he say why he needs it? There was no response immediately. Tomoyo waited for less than a minute before she picked the phone and started calling Sakura again. However, they were already in the air, and the signal was very poor. Soon, there was no signal at all. A frustrated sigh escaped her lips.

When the seatbelt sign went off, and it was announced that the passengers were free to use their electronic devices, Tomoyo asked the crew about wifi access, only to be informed politely that the wifi service was not available on that flight. She felt desperate and helpless at not being able to know what card Yue suddenly needed. The hours that followed on the flight felt like eternity to her. She could not rest or eat or relax, but the privacy of her business suite did allow her to cry silently. Please Yue-san, please don't do anything stupid, you idiot, her mind kept begging him.

As soon as the plane touched down on the runway of Vancouver airport, Tomoyo's phone sounded a message alert as it was back within the signal coverage area. She eagerly held the screen before her screen and read the text.

Yue took the erase card, said it is for something that is not needed anymore. What about it? Keroberos had texted.

The erase card? Tomoyo's fingers started to shake as the information sank in. Oh no no no! Please gods no! She felt lightheaded.

When something disappears it disintegrates into the five constituent elements - the moon guardian had said.

But I don't want you to disappear - Tomoyo had told him.

Farewell - that was Yue's last word to her. She had not known that he had meant it for forever. 

He intends to use it on himself. Tomoyo's body crumbled with the wave of sobs that overcame her. She however did her best to compose herself and got off the plane in a daze, while trying to reach everyone that could help save Yue-san over the phone. She tried Sakura's, Keroberos' and Touya's phones but no one answered. It was sort of expected since it was around 4 AM in the morning back home. Same was the outcome when she tried Yukito's phone, and Yue's own phone was switched off. She knew it was kept that way most of the time except on Saturdays when he assumed his own form.

All the other passengers were queuing up for immigration and customs. Tomoyo made up her mind and approached the service desk of the airlines that flew her in. "I need a ticket for the next flight back to Tokyo," she requested the lady at the desk, trying to hold herself together.

"But ma'am, this flight just came from Tokyo," the lady said without looking at her. Her eyes were fixed at something on the screen before her.

"It's an emergency, please," Tomoyo said sharply.

At the tone of her voice the lady looked up. Her face was streaked with tears, and she probably looked like an absolute wreck. From her appearance, the airline associate quickly realized her mistake. "I am so sorry ma'am, let me check," she focused her eyes on the screen. After a few moments, she shook her head regretfully, and Tomoyo's heart sank. "I am sorry ma'am, but we are fully booked for today," she informed in a professional voice.

"Please, I will take any class. Just a ticket for today," she pleaded.

"We can book you for tomorrow. All airlines are fully booked as well today. I checked them for you. Fridays are usually like this," she tried to offer.

"It would be too late," Tomoyo exclaimed in despair. She stepped away from the service desk, and sat down, finally breaking down into uncontrollable sobs. Is it too late already? Will I ever see him ever again? I am such a fool! Why did I even come here? Why didn't I tell him about my feelings when there was still time yesterday? Or perhaps on that day when he almost asked me about it? The pain, the guilt, the anger, and the worry did not subside. She could sense that many of the other travelers were looking at her on their way, and wondering what was wrong. But the hustling folks on their way to their weekend getaway did not care anymore than that. She would have felt mortified to be found sobbing like that in public in any other situation, but at that moment, she did not care either.

Someone finally tried to talk to her. She turned her face to find a lady, probably in her mid thirties. She was speaking a different language which she could not understand. It was probably French. Yue-san would have understood if he was there. He was a polyglot. If they could have a life together, Tomoyo could have asked him to teach her a few of the other mysterious languages he knew. The lady was offering her a small bottle of water and a tissue for her face, and trying to ask her what happened. Tomoyo could only thank her for her kindness in English, and tell that there is a family emergency. What more could she say? That the life of the person she loved was in danger? Then people would ask why she was not calling the emergency services of the country. She would be taken for a lunatic if she told them that someone was planning to use magic to make themselves disappear.

Tomoyo was not sure if the lady understood what she said, but she nodded and moved along, leaving the objects she had offered her next to her seat. The unexpected bit of kindness overwhelmed her and caused more tears to well in her eyes.

"Ma'am," another airline staff member, a man this time, walked over to the poor girl and called her. "There has been a last minute cancellation. I think we will be able to accommodate you on the flight to Tokyo today," he said.

"Hontou? I mean really?" Tomoyo looked up, with a flicker of hope in her tearful eyes. Thank kami-sama!

"Please come with me and we can take care of the formalities," the man smiled kindly.

Tomoyo wiped her face with the tissue that she was just offered by the traveler from before, and rushed to complete her purchase of the ticket. It was in economy class. Tomoyo had never flown economy in her life, but in this situation she was more than thankful to have it. Tomoyo just had a carry-on luggage with her. She did not have patience to pass through immigrations to claim her checked-in luggage, but the staff assured her that it can be sent back to her later.

Finally after getting her return ticket to Japan sorted, Tomoyo tried calling her friends again. She failed to reach Sakura and Keroberos. However Touya answered the call. "Tomoyo? Is everything going well?" the older of her second cousins said in a voice that was groggy with sleep.

"It's not. Yue-san has got the erase card," Tomoyo said, her voice trembling with raw emotion.

"Wait, what?" Touya asked. He was not very familiar with all the cards and their different powers.

"Yue-san obtained Sakura's erase card from Kero-chan. He's planning to use it to obliterate his own existence," Tomoyo covered her face with her free hand, holding her cell phone with the other.

"But it has not been a year yet! He told us that he will decide after a year!" the residual sleep had left Touya's eyes by then.

"It's my fault, I couldn't tell him," her voice cracked with a repressed sob. "Please save Yue-san, Touya onii-chan," Tomoyo pleaded. "Please tell Sakura-chan to find him and take back the card, because I was not able to reach her phone, and –, "

"Tomoyo," Touya interrupted his cousin. "I think if we try to confront him, he might try to do something drastic. It is better that we do not let on that we are aware of his stupid plan. I don't think he will make a move before Saturday. He usually tries to not get in the way of Yuki's daily schedule," Touya said.

"But Touya onii-chan," Tomoyo's voice did not sound so sure.

"Don't worry, I will go to Yuki's place immediately and keep an eye on him at all times," Touya assured her.

"I am so scared, Touya onii-chan. I am coming back," Tomoyo said.

"I know how you feel. I have been there myself when Yuki was about to fade away," Touya's voice sounded heavy.

"What about Sakura-chan?" Tomoyo asked.

"I will tell Sakura later, once I have managed to take the card away from him. Otherwise she will panic, and Yue might be able to sense it through the magic they share," he explained further. "Where are you now?" he asked her.

"At Vancouver airport, waiting to take the flight back," Tomoyo answered. Touya could hear her breathing heavily over the phone.

"Tomoyo, don't cry. I'll do whatever I can," Touya said.

"I am not strong like you. I don't even have any magical powers. What can I do but cry?" Tomoyo stifled a sob.

"Just come soon and save that idiot. He doesn't need magical powers from you at this point, he needs you to be here for him. He might not listen to anyone else," Touya said.

When Yukito stepped out of his house, he found that the dark haired man he loved was waiting on his porch. "Toya, what are you doing here? I thought we were meeting at the station," he said, secretly pleased at the unexpected visit from his most important person. What he did not realize was that Touya had been waiting there for a few hours already. After he received the alarming phone call from Tomoyo, he got ready in a hurry and left the house. Once he reached Yukito's place, he relaxed a little bit since he could still sense Yue's magic. He was not sure if Yue sensed him too, but in order to be as discreet as possible, he did not wake Yukito up, but waited outside silently. That was when the sun was rising. Now, it was already 7:30 in the morning.

"Yuki," Touya said his name in his deep voice. "Let's go on a date today," he suggested, fixing his intense eyes on Yukito's face.

"Don't joke Toya," Yukito chided lightly, lifting his hand to brush Touya's dark bangs. "Come on, or we will be late," he took a step forward, but Touya held him back by his arm.

"We can have lunch at a fancy restaurant. Then we can go and watch a movie together. We can sit at the park and watch the sunset. After that, let's go back to my place and spend the evening playing board games," Touya suggested.

"Huh? But you don't even like most movies and board games," Yukito commented.

"Doesn't matter," Touya placed a hand on Yukito's shoulder, a little impatiently. "I just wanted to do something with you today," he added a little shyly. "Tell me Yuki, when was the last time we even did any of these things? Just the two of us?"

"It's true, we have been so busy this last year with our thesis," Yukito held back a sigh.

"Now that they are finally done and submitted, I think we deserve a bit of a break," Touya stated.

Yukito looked at the young man who had loved him unconditionally since their high school days. Touya was usually not very forward in their relationship, asking for next to nothing from him. And other than his heart, he had so little to offer anyway. A wave of fondness washed over Yukito at the thought of Touya asking for something so simple like a date. "Fine," he said, removing his glasses and rubbing his eyes with his fingers to push back the sudden surge of emotion. "But I have promised to help a junior with their experiment in the morning today. We can leave around lunchtime," he suggested, while adjusting the glasses back on his nose.

Touya smiled, forcing his anxiousness to subside. He could not afford to let Yue get wind of his agitation. As long as he could ensure that Yukito was engaged in something, it should be fine. If he had correctly understood Yue, the moon guardian would probably wait till night time to make his move. Tomoyo was supposed to reach by that time.

Yukito was explaining the last part of the experiment to the younger student later that day, when another of his fellow students called him. "Hey Yukito, how long do you plan to keep your boyfriend waiting over there?" he asked in an amused voice.

"Touya?" Yukito looked up, confused.

"Hmm. The guy has been waiting for a while. Had a fight or something?" the other guy chuckled. The folks in their respective academic departments who studied with them knew about their relationship, and did not care much other than the occasional teasing. In that way, university was a pleasant respite from the rumors they had to constantly hear about in high school.

"No, that's not,-" Yukito briskly walked to the window where the other guy was standing as he made the observation. He looked out of the large window of their laboratory to see Touya standing by the entrance of their departmental building in the yard below. Almost telepathically, he looked up, causing Yukito's heart to skip a beat. He waved and made a signal that he would be outside soon. Then he went back to the desk to finish the rest of the ongoing task.

"Aww, Tsukishiro-senpai is blushing," the girl who was learning the experiment from Yukito said with a grin.

"Let's complete the experiment, ne?" Yukito said with an awkward smile.

"Am I late?" Yukito asked a quarter of an hour later, as he walked up to Touya outside the building a while later.

"No, I just came earlier. Didn't have anything interesting to do today," Touya gave a nonchalant reply, but there was some truth to the statement, as his anxiety about Yue's situation had prevented him from focusing on the work that he intended to do that morning. It was more than apparent to him that Tomoyo would be broken forever if Yue disappeared forever. His Yukito would also suffer from a horrible guilt that would heavily impact their relationship. Besides, Touya would not admit this to anyone, but he actually cared about the blue eyed, silver haired grumpy moon guardian. Touya quietly wrapped his fingers around Yukito's hand as they walked side by side on the paved path of the campus.

Late into the evening, Yue sat at the edge of the house he shared with Yukito, looking up at the starry evening sky one last time. He had used a sleep spell on Touya to escape his watch. The guy had been shadowing Yukito all day. Touya was oddly prescient, and had definitely guessed something. Yue did not want him to block his plan, when his freedom was so close to him. Humans had odd sensitivities, and the humans in Yue's life probably would never forgive him for this decision. It would seem like suicide to them, but Yue knew that it was not, and he did not care anymore. His little songbird had flown away to another land, and he would never hear her voice again. Despite that, Yue felt a strange calm within himself. He took out the erase card, studying the object with cold eyes for a moment. It was time at last to let go of this form that he was forced to take for so many years by someone else's will.

"Yue," the moon guardian stood up at the sound of the familiar voice calling his name. Touya stood on the ground below, clearly out of breath. He panted heavily, and shouted again. "Just drop that damn card, you idiot."

Yue scowled in irritation. He was so distracted that he had failed to notice Touya's presence when he was approaching, and the guy almost caught up with him. There was still time to fulfill his plan though. As powerful as the young human man was, physically and magically, he could not fly. He jumped from the roof, floating even higher. There was no point in arguing with Touya or anyone else regarding his decision. He flung the card in the air, and it floated a few feet away from him with its own magic. He positioned his hand, ready to use his magic to project his crystal shards at the card. Erase was an aggressive card, and would definitely respond to the unprovoked attack. If he could initiate his transformation right away, Erase would selectively wipe him out, while leaving Yukito intact. He aimed his hand in the direction of the card and released his magic in the form of the crystal shards.

Amidst the sound of Touya's voice shouting out Yukito's name loudly, Yue saw a large blob of fuzzy golden fur cross his line of sight orthogonally. As he was about to fold his wings to transform, he could not sense Erase being awakened by the attack and coming his way. Instead, he heard Keroberos' shrill voice. "Did you get the card?" It seemed that Touya had informed his sister, and Sakura and Keroberos had come to interfere in his plan just at the nick of time. However, Yue's heart nearly stopped at the voice that answered.

"Yes. Oh, thank god," Yue had imagined that he would never hear that voice again. He unfurled his wings again and gazed at the ground below. Keroberos landed, and the young girl that immediately fell from his back and tumbled on the ground, seeming to have lost her balance, had a head full of wavy dark hair.

"Tomoyo-chan, you are hurt so bad," Sakura's voice rang out next as she flew down towards her friend, giving Yue an angry stare on the way, the wings powered by her very own flight card attached to her back. The faint scent of human blood had registered in Yue's mind at that point. He swooped down to take a better look, maintaining his cold exterior, but his mind was struck with a terrible fear that he had never experienced before, even in the worst of battles. Those crystal shards he projected would perhaps only slightly wound another magical creature, but they can kill a person if they struck their vital organs at the right angle. Why did she fall from Keroberos' back like that? Yue's whole world started to spin.

The closer he got to the ground, the more details his keen eyes could make out. Tomoyo was sprawled on the ground, one limp arm outstretched beside her. A nasty gash was visible on the back of her hand, running diagonally from her wrist to the base of her little finger. Her other hand held the card that she had snatched from midair tightly against her chest. Yue could not make out any other signs of injuries on her body.

Sakura was beside Tomoyo, crying and shaking her shoulders lightly, and Keroberos was hunched beside them. Seeing Yue approach them, a look of apprehension overtook Sakura's features. She quickly snatched the Erase card and started stepping back. "Yue-san, I cannot let you do this," she said, with a look of hurt, disappointment and shock on her face, presuming that her moon guardian was coming after the card.

Yue, however, did not respond to his master. Kneeling beside the girl on the ground, he lifted her head slightly, supporting it with his hand. Tomoyo's eyes opened for a moment, and her lips moved as if she wanted to say something. Then they closed again, and her body went slack. Without another moment of hesitation, Yue gathered the unconscious girl in his arms, and stood up. He turned to make his way back to the house.

"You are just going to walk away like that? You have some nerves," Touya said pointedly.

The brother and sister followed Yue inside the house, along with the sun guardian. "Yue-san, I can't imagine why you would want to do something like that. You could have talked to me and Kero-chan, right? I didn't even have a clue that you were planning to leave us like that. I never thought that I could be like Clow-san, but I hoped with all my heart that I could take care of you and Kero-chan. Guess, I have failed to do that," Sakura was in tears.

Yue gently placed Tomoyo on the floor of their living room, which was mostly bare of furniture, save a large table, and two indoor plants. "This is not about you," he muttered quietly, as he held Tomoyo, supporting the upper half of her body within his arms.

"Then please tell me what was so wrong that you felt that you couldn't be with us anymore Yue-san? Why didn't you tell us anything? Maybe we could have done something to help," Sakura exclaimed.

"Clow Reed would have been very disappointed in you if he got to know that you have no regard for his creation," Kero shook his head solemnly at Yue, trying to strike at his weakness.

"I don't care anymore, Keroberos," Yue said sharply. "Sakura-san, have you never really thought about the fact that your brother would be married to Yukito by this time, had I not been there? Should I just watch them wither away pining for each other, and do nothing about it? A marriage is between two people, Sakura-san, there is no place for a third person in it," he told her sternly.

Sakura just stared. Touya gave a scornful laugh. "So, now it is about us, is it? Are you sure that you were not trying to escape your own feelings and their consequences?" he snapped at the moon guardian.

"I had offered this as an option before your brother and Yukito months ago. They had agreed to give me that choice when the time came," Yue said, ignoring Touya and speaking to Sakura again.

"Yuki was hopeful, you know. He believed that you would find a reason to live. He was not wrong after all, isn't it Yue?" Touya said quietly.

Yue did not answer. His gaze lingered on Tomoyo's face for a moment. "I am changing back. Yukito is probably the best person to take care of Daidouji-san's injury," he said, as Sakura moved to hold her friend instead of Yue.

"Might I ask what has happened?" Yukito took in the scene before him as he questioned hesitantly.

"Yue planned to use the Erase card to wipe himself off the face of the earth. It is strange that you were not aware. Tomoyo figured it out and told me, so I was keeping an eye on the fool today. Somehow he figured that out, and escaped our house by using a sleep spell on me. When the spell wore off, I realized that he had sneaked away. I then informed Sakura and Tomoyo to come here and help look for Yue," Touya explained.

"Poor Tomoyo-chan came rushing all the way from the airport. We met before your house, when Kero-chan said he could sense Yue's presence. Tomoyo-chan just grabbed him and told him to take her to Yue-san," Sakura tried to fill in her part of the incident.

Yukito sighed. "I can consciously sense Yue-san's activities. But I don't have access to his thoughts. I suppose I was not awake when he took that card from Kero-chan. Or he may have used some sort of magic to suppress that part of my memory," Yukito said.

"Kero-chan, why the hell did you give the card to him?" Sakura shouted, channeling her anger towards Keroberos, who had transformed to his smaller form.

"How would I know what he wanted to do with it? I thought he had some household junk to take care of," Kero shrugged.

"Onii-chan, how did you know that Tomoyo-chan will be here? She had already boarded her flight to Vancouver when I last spoke to her," she asked her brother.

"You are such a slowpoke, Sakura," Touya teased her sister. "She was the one who figured out Yue's intention before any of us," he added. Sakura still looked confused.

Tomoyo's eyes opened to the feeling of something cool brushing her face. Her eyes slowly focussed on Sakura's worried face, who was dabbing her face gently with a damp towel. "Tomoyo-chan, are you feeling alright?" her best friend asked anxiously.

"Oi Tomoyo, why did you fall like that? Did you hit your head or something?" Kero asked, hovering above her face and fluttering his tiny wings

"I think it might just have been exhaustion, and the mental stress she had to go through," Yukito walked into the room with a tray in hand. "Tomoyo-chan, your hand is pretty badly bruised. I made you some soup so that you can take some pain medicine along with it," he said.

As soon as Yukito's voice reached her ears, Tomoyo shot up. "Where is Yue-san? Please tell me he is still here, and I was not too late," she extended her right hand towards Yukto, a numb pain shooting through her arm from the now bandaged gash.

Yukito smiled softly and knelt, placing the items in his hand on the table. "Yes, of course you saved him, Tomoyo-chan, you have been so brave," he said as he held her injured hand gently. "You did not receive any other injury, right?" he asked.

Tomoyo shook her head. "Please, Tsukishiro-san, let me speak with Yue-san. I need to talk to him. I have waited far too long," her eyes flooded with tears again. "Yue-san, I know you can hear me, please show yourself," she pleaded in a broken voice.

"Oh," Sakura gasped, the realization about her friend's feelings for her moon guardian finally hitting her.

"Huh?" Kero muttered, still oblivious, as he flopped on his stomach.

"Daidouji-san," the silky voice of the moon guardian called Tomoyo a few moments later, as the silver glow around his form faded with the transformation. He knelt before her, resuming the posture Yukito had been in a moment ago.

"Yue-san," Tomoyo rubbed her eyes and focused on the beautiful face before her, never having felt more grateful to see anyone else in her life. "Thank heavens," she mumbled as more tears followed the ones that she had just wiped away. Yue calmly waited for her to continue as she took a moment to compose herself a bit.

Tomoyo lifted her face after a few moments, gazing straight into Yue's eyes. "You asked me what you were to me. I should have answered you that time, Yue-san. Gomen ne, I didn't know any better. I would like to answer you now if you will allow me," she said. Yue held his breath and his jawline tightened imperceptibly, although his face remained externally impassive.

"Yue-san, you are the most important person in my world, and thus I cannot let you leave, no matter what it takes. I wished that I could have told you this in a different way, under different circumstances. But today I realized that I have run out of the time to feel coy and reserved with you, just like any other girl would if she were to say such a thing. But, I have nothing to hide from you anymore after today," Tomoyo drew a breath. "I really like you," she shook her immediately, realizing that was not the complete truth. She was not proposing to a high school crush. It was an existential question for the person she had fallen in love with. "Yue-san, I love you, in the most selfish way. I know that it is not right for me to feel this way, but I couldn't help it. Believe me, I had tried everything," Tomoyo momentarily looked away before turning her face towards Yue again, with fire burning within her eyes, and water running down from them. "I know that you also have similar feelings for me, so please don't deny them anymore," she said.

"Hontou? Yue-san too feels that way?" Sakura said. Since she saw her usually composed best friend break down over Yue-san, Sakura had been agonizing, thinking that Tomoyo's feelings were perhaps one-sided.

"Yeah, Tomoyo couldn't be wrong on these things." Touya huffed. A smile crept to his sister's face, as she rubbed the corners of her eyes.

"I won't," Yue's response was terse.

"Oye, Yue," Touya stood up. "The poor girl just confessed her feelings to you, and that's all you have to say?" he demanded.

"So, all this is about love huh? So boring!" Keroberos waved his paw. "I thought Tomoyo was smart, but turns out she's also a fool to fall for this grumpy Yue," he stuck out his little tongue, and crossed his legs, looking quite smug.

"I get it," Touya ran his fingers through his hair once. "Come on, you two, I think we ought to give them some space," he said.

"Wait, Touya onii-san," Tomoyo reached out and grabbed Touya's hand as he was passing by her to make his way towards the exit. "I can't take Tsukishiro-san away from you. He is like my older brother too, and I know how weird this situation is. Even though I want to be with Yue-san, I know that you deserve Tsukishiro-san much more than I would ever deserve Yue-san. I mean, you two have been together for so long, and now I feel that I am intruding so selfishly. Please tell me what I should do," she sobbed.

"You are just being silly," Touya told his cousin. His large hand rested on her head, ruffling her hair a little. "Who told you that the depth of one's feelings in a relationship is measured by how old the relationship is?" he said. "At this moment, you have as much right to love Yue, as I do to love Yuki," he said in a quieter voice.

"Onii-san," Tomoyo looked up to her older cousin gratefully.

"Onii-chan is right, Tomoyo-chan," Sakura stretched out her arms and gave Tomoyo a hug. "Please accept your feelings without any guilt. You have done nothing wrong, and neither has Yue-san. Both of you wanted to be so selfless, but you don't have to deprive yourself anymore," she said emphatically, trying to convince her friend.

"But Sakura-chan, Tsukishiro-san and Yue-san would never be happy as things are. It's all so messed up," Tomoyo said tearfully.

"I can agree with that part. It is time we do something about it," Touya said.

"What do you want to do?" Sakura asked.

"We will have to separate Yuki and Yue," Touya said calmly.

"Impossible," Yue finally spoke. "Only our creator could have done that," he said.

"I have to agree with Yue on that," Kero shook his head disappointedly.

"Then all we need to do is find that clown called Clow Reed and make him fix his mess," Touya balled his fists.

"Onii-chan, he has been dead for ages," Sakura said. "Besides, I have already asked Eriol-kun if he remembers that Clow-san had a solution like that, and he said that there was nothing." she explained.

"I don't care. I will go back to the past, drag him to our time if I have to, and make him find a solution," her brother exclaimed.

"Onii-chan, in that case, then I would go. I had spoken to Clow-san earlier by using the time card to travel back when I needed some answers. I will request Clow-san to return everyone's happiness," Touya said.

"Sakura, you are too soft to deal with a mean person like Clow," Kero said. Even Yue nodded to the statement.

"That fellow needs a good whack on his head to make him see some sense. Forget about nicely requesting him," Touya said. "Sakura, I think my powers are sufficient now for time travel," he mentioned, turning to his sister.

"Perhaps. But your powers would never be enough to challenge Clow Reed," Yue said coldly.

"Can we argue about this later, when Tomoyo feels a little better? Besides, I missed my dessert today, and I am so hungry," Kero said.

"You cannot be hungry, Kero-chan. You are just craving it," Sakura corrected. Kero made a face in response.

"Sakura-chan, can I stay at your place tonight? I really don't think I would want to face okaa-san until tomorrow," Tomoyo requested. "I hope Fujitaka-san does not mind me returning so suddenly and tell mother right away," she added on a second thought.

"Of course Tomoyo-chan. Otou-san is on an excavation trip, so you don't have to worry at all," Sakura reassured her.

"Then I would like to speak with Yue-san a bit before going to your place," Tomoyo said.

"Yeah, do that Tomoyo. We will go ahead, because this idiot would not say more than a word at a time in our presence. He's just a big kid with pretty bad abandonment issues," Touya said, smacking the silver head of the moon guardian lightly.

"Don't touch me so frivolously. I am not your friend," Yue bristled.

"Onii-chan, please don't say mean things to Yue-san," Sakura tugged her brother's arm to pull him away.

"Yue, Tomoyo has been crying since her flight landed in Vancouver more than half a day ago. Perhaps since even before that. I hope you don't make her cry anymore," Touya said in a more serious tone before the three of them left.

The two people left in the room sat in silence for several heavy moments, the only sound in the room being Tomoyo's occasional sniffling. "Daidouji-san, are you still upset?" Yue finally asked.

"So upset I want to scream my lungs out," Tomoyo said.

"Then do it," Yue said quietly.

"What?" Tomoyo gazed at him.

"If it makes you feel better, then you should do it. Although, it is not like you, and would hardly be conducive to your health," Yue answered calmly.

"Still being heartless, Yue-san," Tomoyo said.

"That's why it was unwise to give your heart to someone like me," Yue said quietly.

A violent sob shook Tomoyo. Yue tried to steady her by placing his hands on her shoulders, but she pushed him and hunched forwards, until her face and arms were on Yue's lap. "Yue-san, you were aware of my feelings for you, weren't you?" she choked out.

"After so many years of observing your friends and their silly customs, only an imbecile would fail to figure out that holiday present you had got me," Yue said. His slender fingers that brushed against her hair were gentler than his words.

"Then how could you have decided on such a thing? My feelings didn't matter much to you, right?" Tomoyo felt vulnerable, sentimental.

"It was not that we were in a relationship. You are still quite young, and I had hoped that you would get over it," Yue replied.

"Perhaps I wouldn't have died of a broken heart," Tomoyo said with a sardonic laugh. "But the girl that you protected, sometimes scolded, and cared for, would be gone with you," she added, remembering the photos of her parents she had seen then, and how different her mother had looked in those photos, alongside her husband, as compared to the woman she has seen growing up.

Yue shifted a little, and Tomoyo allowed her limp body to be gathered within a pair of strong arms. "I thought I would never hear your voice again; or see you again. It seemed pointless to continue," he quietly admitted, as he held the girl he loved, chin resting lightly over her head.

"Then why are you so reluctant to accept those feelings, Yue-san?" Tomoyo said, the familiar comfort of being back in Yue's arms already starting to calm her agitated nerves.

"Because I could never assure you of a promising future with me. Judging by the way things are, I cannot even tell you certainly whether there would be any future at all," Yue reasoned.

"Touya-san seemed confident that the issue with your dual identity can be resolved, right? I believe him," Tomoyo said softly, muffling her voice with the white silk that draped Yue's shoulder.

"Perhaps. But Daidouji-san, even disregarding that, I am nothing more than an elaborate illusion," Yue said.

"I have told you so many times that I don't care what you are. When I am with you, I feel protected, tranquil, genuine, even complete. These feelings are not the effect of any magic Yue-san, they are real," Tomoyo said.

"Daidouji-san,-"

A light finger landed on Yue's thin lips to interrupt his sentence, and a pair of soft lips landed on the center of his cheek at the next instant. "This seems real too," Tomoyo lowered her head again, resting it on his chest.

"Maybe I should make you aware that there might be more than two people in this room," Yue said in a serious voice.

Tomoyo looked up to see young man's angelic face colored by a cute pink blush. She smiled slightly even though her eyes had not dried yet. "You mean Tsukishiro-san's consciousness is still present even when you are in this form?" she asked. Yue nodded.

"I sort of suspected that. He seemed to understand our feelings," she said. "I doubt he would mind that I just kissed your face, but if that embarrasses you, you don't have to return it," she said.

"You are only beginning to realize the problems of this relationship," Yue said solemnly.

"Did I say that it is a problem? Please stop assuming things," Tomoyo said a little impatiently. She took a few minutes to compose herself for a few minutes before speaking again. "Yue-san, I wouldn't be here today troubling you with my feelings, no matter how strong they were or how painful they were for me had you not shared them. But since you do, please allow Touya onii-san, Sakura-chan and myself to try our best and find a solution for you and Tsukishiro-san, alright?" she said, brushing away his silver bangs in a comforting manner. "I feel very hopeful that if we all work together, then something good will come our way. But if I am wrong, and the situation is really so hopeless as you seem to think, then I promise, that I will let you go, Yue-san," Tomoyo's voice hitched at that point and fresh drops of tears fell from her eyes.

"Don't be silly," Yue cupped her face, and lowered his head till their foreheads pressed against each other. "Do you think that I will be able to leave you after today? I mean, look at yourself, you are a mess. You have been crying yourself sick. You have passed out once, and you look like you barely have any life left within you. And you got yourself injured," he said, gently placing his hand over the smaller bandaged one that belonged to Tomoyo, the remorse evident in his blue gaze. "All because of me," he sighed softly.

"Yue-san, it's not your fault," Tomoyo said, a bit remorsefully.

"Perhaps," the moon guardian said. "But due to my actions regardless. Daidouji-san, when I saw you today, lying on the ground, injured and unconscious, I realized my mistake. I do not wish to leave you in such a state ever again," he told her.

"Truly?" Tomoyo exclaimed with a new light of hope shining in her violet eyes.

"I shall be with you for long as you want," Yue traced his fingers along Tomoyo's face, brushing away her tears.

"Careful, Yue-san, if you say that you might be stuck with me forever," Tomoyo wrapped her arms around Yue, and leaned against his chest.

"I don't mind. Try to stop crying now," Yue said, as he held her close, and placed a hand over her head.

"I am trying," the girl responded in a muffled voice. She tried to focus on his heartbeat next to her ear telling herself that she was not too late and her Yue-san had not disappeared. He was right here, holding her in his arms, and he just told her that he would stay with her. That was enough for Tomoyo at that moment. Yue too closed his eyes. His poor songbird was back in his arms, tired, a bit broken, but safe. He felt her tremble slightly in his arms trembling ever so slightly. His heart felt heavy with affection as he threaded his fingers through her hair.

"How are you doing with the pain here?" Yue lifted her injured hand by the wrist slowly a little later, when her breathing had become more even, and her tears finally stopped flowing.

"It is alright, not unbearable," Tomoyo smiled. Yue did not look very convinced, so she tried to stretch and rotate her hand, but winced when she experienced a sharp shooting pain.

"That's enough," Yue held her hand to stop the movement. "The medication should help with the pain. But I suppose you need to take it with some sort of food. You have let the soup go cold with all these crying," he picked up the tray that Yukito had brought earlier, and went towards the kitchen. A moment later, Tomoyo heard the beep and hum of the microwave, and minutes later Yue returned to her.

"I have heated it up," he said, placing the bowl of soup before her. Tomoyo thanked him, and tried a spoonful of the soup, its warm thick consistency comforting her throat that was quite ragged and raw from all that crying. Once she finished the bowl, she took the medicine, and Yue moved to take the utensils back to the kitchen. Tomoyo placed her arm on the table and resting her head on top of it, she closed her eyes.

She opened her eyes again at the sound of a soft creak of the table. A pair of concerned blue eyes looked intently at her face. Yue had mirrored her posture. Tomoyo smiled a little to reassure him that she was fine. She slowly reached for his hand that lay between their faces. It seemed that being made aware of Yukito's presence made her slightly more conscious of her actions.

"I was so scared Yue-san," Tomoyo said once their fingers made contact. "I cried so much at the airport, surrounded by so many strangers. I never could have imagined such a thing had it not been for you. I felt so weak, so helpless, so utterly miserable," she wheezed.

"I understand. It is ok now," Yue said, gliding his thumb against her knuckles back and forth gently.

"I finally figured out that dream I have been having," Tomoyo kept on talking.

"A dream?" Yue questioned.

"Yes, a series of them actually. It started with a beautiful full moon. And that moon waned every time I had that dream. No, not waned, rather withered away. Someone was trying to warn me about you," she elaborated.

Yue's brows creased. "Why did you not tell me before?" he asked.

"I tried that time when we were in Tokyo. But you did not want to listen to it or anything else that I had to say," she smiled sadly. Yue's heart broke a little, thinking of all the pain that he had put her through. He lifted his hand and rested it lightly on her face. "Then?" he asked in a whisper.

"I had that dream again on the return flight to Tokyo. I could barely see the moon anymore. Just a sliver. Like you see on the days before and after the new moon. It was then that I knew that I will never see you again if that dream manifested one more time. So, I dared not close my eyes for a moment again even though my tears wouldn't stop flowing," Tomoyo looked like she was about to tear up again. So, Yue drew her into his embrace preemptively. "I was in economy class so there was no privacy to shed my tears and everyone was watching, most driven by their curiosity. It was so humiliating for me. Don't ever make me feel like that again in this life," she buried her face between his neck and shoulder.

"So, the princess had to travel among plebeians to save me?" Yue said, hoping to lighten Tomoyo's mood.

"Don't tease. Your jokes that are beyond bad," Tomoyo frowned at him. "The princess had no choice since the prince in her story is a foolish man who wouldn't rush to the airport, kneel before her and tell her not to leave him before she boarded the flight. Even a phone call would have been sufficient on a less dramatic note. But this fool is too proud to do any of that." she continued.

"And why does the princess still love this proud, foolish man?" Yue whispered the question to Tomoyo's ears.

"Because he is honorable, kind and selfless. Although, he denies the latter two," Tomoyo answered.

Yue sighed. He should have been satisfied with her response, but it just caused his guilt to bubble up to the surface. "I regret several things, Daidouji-san, including hurting you, in more than one way," Yue said his fingers again brushing over the bandage on Tomoyo's hand. He knew that he had every reason to apologize to her, but that was the best he could manage.

"Yue-san, do you think Touya onii-san's plan would work? At least theoretically?" Tomoyo questioned.

"If he successfully travels to Clow's time and manages to convince him, then theoretically yes. It was not beyond Clow Reed's capability to alter the future. But the world has not seen a magician like that again," Yue told her.

"Then you have my entire life to be nicer to me, after we execute that plan. I will not let you live with any sort of guilt," Tomoyo told him.

"For years, I have been wondering what the best solution is for Touya and Yukito. I thought I was doing the best for them, but I ended up hurting you, and possibly Sakura and everyone else as well. Now, your feelings and my own have become tangled with this. I don't even know what's the best path anymore. I suppose I don't have a choice but to let you and Touya handle this for this point onwards," he declared.

Tomoyo nodded and closed her eyes, letting a few silent moments of relative peace drift by. When she had not spoken for a while Yue asked her whether she wanted him to take her to Sakura's place for the night.

"Okaa-san would be so mad when she finds out I am back in Japan like this," Tomoyo said with a heavy sigh. "But I am so tired today. I haven't slept a wink since that dream."

"As I am the one responsible for this, I will be there with you when you talk to your mother, if it makes it easier for you," Yue said.

"Yue-san, I don't want to lie to my mother about your identity. At least, not forever. She is under the impression that you are some sort of distant cousin of Tsukishiro-san, and I will let her hold on to that belief for now. Having you there will raise more questions," Tomoyo tried to explain.

"Suit yourself then. I don't know much about family matters anyway," Yue looked away.

Tomoyo touched his chin and turned his face back towards her. "Yue-san, I would like okaa-san to start seeing you for the person who you are. You know, like Fujitaka-san's affection for Tsukishiro-san. Do you think that he would care at this point if they told him that Tsukishiro-san is not a human?"

Yue thought for a moment. "Most likely not," he said. "In fact, they have been wanting to tell him for some time now," he added.

Tomoyo smiled. "If fate would have it, I would like my mother to first see that we really care for each other and are happy together. If she sees that, then hopefully it would hardly matter to her whether you are a human or gremlin or youkai or pixie. For tomorrow, let her come to terms with the fact that her daughter went to another country to study and left on the same day for this mysterious young man that she is super skeptical of," she told him.

"I see," Yue said, getting up, and helping the girl up to her feet. "I am not any of those creatures though. They are at least real creatures, born, not created, unlike - Daidouji-san!" he stopped flustered as another quick kiss was placed on his jaw.

"I will kiss you to remind you that you are as more real than anyone else to me, every time you say things like that," Tomoyo said firmly. "The alternative is to pour ice cold water over your head. Let me know if you would prefer that instead. Now let's go." Tomoyo said.

Later that night, when Tomoyo had gone to sleep, Yue transformed back to Yukito. The gray haired young man silently entered Touya's room, closing the door behind him. Touya was lying on the bed, staring at the ceiling. Yukito sat beside him quietly.

"Is Tomoyo doing alright?" Touya asked quietly.

"She will be fine. Yue-san has promised her that he won't leave her," Yukito informed him with a smile.

"Nice to see that the idiot is taking some accountability finally," Touya responded.

"Hai, I am happy for them," Yukito agreed. He kept quiet for several moments, contemplating something. "You know Toya, I really enjoyed our date today. I never imagined it was not a real one, although it seemed strange that you suddenly wanted to take me out on one," he said after a lengthy pause.

Strong arms wrapped around Yukito and dragged him down, until he was pinned to Touya's side. "Yuki, I am sorry," Touya tousled the other man's hair. " Yes, the date was fake. It was to keep Yue under my watch. But I really did enjoy going out with you, even though I hated that drama movie you chose to watch," he said truthfully.

"Toya, arigatou." Yukito smiled, the corners of his closed eyes crinkling behind his round glasses. "You did your best for everyone," he said.

"Yuki, when all this is over, let me take you to a real date. Just the two of us. We will send Yue on his own date with Tomoyo," Touya said hopefully.

"I would like that," Yukito brushed Touya's dark brown bangs. "I would love it more if you married me before we went on that perfect date," he snuggled to Touya's side, and closed his eyes with a peaceful expression on his face.

Notes:

In The clear card manga, Yukito mentions that he can does not lose memory of the times he transforms to Yue by making some sort of a magical deal.

Hopefully two or three more chapters to go. Would love to hear your thoughts about the chapter.

Chapter 17: Plan

Summary:

Tomoyo and Touya might get what they want, but the Yue does not approve of the plan.

Notes:

Sorry for the delay in updating. Please enjoy reading.

When Tomoyo woke up the next morning, she was almost surprised to find herself in Sakura's room. As her sleep dazed mind recalled the events of the evening before, she shot up from her makeshift bed. "Oh no, okaa-san! I forgot to tell her," she looked around the room for her belongings. She could see her backpack which should have her phone, placed against the wall and beside the small carry-on luggage that had accompanied her on the flight. She made a mental note to thank Sakura and Touya for caring to carry them back to the house, when she had carelessly abandoned them when she got off her cab near the entrance of Yue's house in her haste to immediately look for him. She took out her phone, and saw that Sonomi had texted and called her the night before and again in the morning. She texted her a line back: I am at Sakura-chan's place. Please do not worry, I am fine. I shall explain everything once I am home.

While climbing down the stairs after getting ready for the day, Tomoyo heard Touya and Sakura's loud voices and Yukito's softer one, coming from the kitchen and living room area. She felt a little bashful at the realization that she had confessed her deepest feelings for Yue-san in their presence. How embarrassing, she stopped in her tracks.

"Ohayo, Tomoyo-chan," Yukito's gentle voice dissipated her uneasiness, as the young man walked over from the kitchen carrying two mugs of coffee. Tomoyo politely bowed and returned the greeting, still not daring to meet his eyes. "Care for a cup of coffee? Breakfast would be ready soon," he said with his characteristic pleasant smile.

"It's my second cup this morning," Yukito said as he handed her one of the two mugs, picking up the second for himself. "How are you feeling today," he asked after they both sat on the living room couch and took a sip of the steaming drink.

"Better," Tomoyo's throat felt a bit dry, despite the warm drink she had just swallowed. "I am sorry for all the trouble," she bowed.

"Sorry? Oh no, Tomoyo-chan, I should be the one apologizing. I could not stop Yue-san. If not for your intuition at guessing his intention, we would have lost him. He would have been gone!" The cheerful look on Yukito's face was replaced by one of distress.

"Quit whining about it you two! No one is going anywhere," Touya said loudly from the kitchen.

"That's right. And you were so brave Tomoyo-chan," Yukito said.

"Not at all, Tsukishiro-san. I was scared out of my mind the entire time," Tomoyo admitted.

"It did not seem like that when you confessed your feelings to Yue-san though. You were so decisive, so confident. It's even more impressive if one considers how intimidating Yue-san is," Yukito smiled. "Compared to you, I was a nervous wreck when I confessed to Touya back then, despite being his best friend."

"Yue-san is my friend too," Tomoyo said turning away to hide a light blush, as she quietly sipped her coffee.

"Yukito-san, you are embarrassing her," Sakura said as she marched into the room wearing her squeaky slippers.

"Oye, come on. Breakfast is ready. I don't have time to babysit you kids all day," Touya called.

"Touya onii-san, I would like to know your plan regarding Yue-san and Tsukishiro-san," Tomoyo told her older cousin over breakfast.

"It is just as I told y'all yesterday. I intend to go back in time and demand a solution from Clow Reed. I might need some help from the ones in this room that are more familiar with magic though." Touya said.

"Ano, Onii-chan, about Clow-san," Sakura started speaking.

"Hold it Sakura. Let's meet in the afternoon and discuss this over. I have to go and work this morning," her brother interrupted her, shoving food in his mouth.

"Hmm, I think it is a better idea. Yue-san can be there too. It's Saturday, so I will let Yue-san have the rest of the day. Besides, I barely know anything about magic," Yukito said.

"Can I come too? Even though I am ignorant about magic," Tomoyo said, somewhat wistfully.

"Of course, you are welcome any time. No matter what day it is, if you need to talk to Yue-san, just call me," Yukito answered generously.

Just as the small group was finishing breakfast, there was a knock on the door. Sakura went to get the door, and the next moment, Tomoyo heard her mother's voice. "Where is she?"

"Sonomi-san, ohayo. Please come inside," Sakura answered. Tomoyo was done eating, so she put her plate away, and went to the living room. Tomoyo did not remember a time when her mother had looked so upset.

"What's wrong with you Tomoyo?" Sonomi snapped the moment she saw her young daughter. "You dropped a single line of text to say that you reached Vancouver. No calls or messages after that. I thought that you had just slept off the entire day due to jet lag. And you are back in Japan the next morning, and don't know a thing about it. Care to explain to me? Because I can't make sense of your activities anymore," she said.

"Okaa-san, please calm down. I was going to tell you everything once I got home," Tomoyo said.

"Well, you did not go home, so tell me now," Sonomi took a seat on the living room couch with a determined expression on her face.

"I went to Canada, but I had to return urgently," Tomoyo said softly.

"And your urgency is related to that pretty boy in some way, am I right?" Sonomi's expression hardened.

"Yue-san needed my help. Really badly," Tomoyo said.

"Sure he did," Sonomi said sardonically.

"Okaa-san, please understand me," Tomoyo pleaded.

"Yes, I do understand you. For example how you hurt that hand," Sonomi said, pointing to her bandaged hand. "My goodness Tomoyo, I could have never imagined you being having got yourself into an abusive relationship. I thought I had raised you to be much wiser than that," She clutched the side of her head with her fingers. "This is insane."

"Chigau," Tomoyo's voice rose. "It was an accident. Yue-san would never do that intentionally to me or anyone else. With him, I feel safer than I had ever felt being surrounded by your bodyguards. Okaa-san, do you even know if it was not for him, I wouldn't even –," she stopped at the last moment. It was useless to digress from the topic, and add to her mother's worries by telling her that she had almost met a fatal accident last year, which was avoided because Yue-san had interfered. Her mother would probably ban her from taking the train again if she heard.

"I was just in the way. It could have been anyone," Tomoyo stated.

"Why did you return?" Sonomi asked.

"Because I had to. Otherwise, probably, I would never see Yue-san again," Tomoyo answered.

"That was so reckless of you, Tomoyo. You are not even trying to answer my questions properly," Sonomi said.

"I know, and I can't. I will not disclose Yue-san's personal matter and I am sorry for that," Tomoyo drew a breath. "But okaa-san, if you knew that otou-san was in trouble that night and you had even the tiniest chance to save him, would you let anything stop you?" Tomoyo said.

Sonomi's expression darkened further. "He was my husband, Tomoyo."

"Yue-san is just as important to me," Tomoyo said firmly, clasping her hands together.

Sonomi was too stunned to speak for a while. Whatever was going on between her daughter and this young man did not seem like a simple infatuation anymore, as she had initially thought. She reached out to touch the girl's arm. "Tomoyo-chan, I understand your weakness for Yue. After all, you are so young, and he is an attractive young man. Also, you didn't have your father growing up. Many times, girls in similar situations try to fill that void by looking for affection in the wrong kind of relationships. And you have to understand that there are people who would manipulate you into a relationship and take advantage of your feelings to gain access to your inheritance –,"

Tomoyo flinched and pulled her arm away from her mothers touch. "Okaa-san, you are insinuating such terrible things about him, without even knowing anything," she said, her voice quivering with emotion. "I am not in any sort of relationship with Yue-san. He is my friend, that is our only relationship. It is true that I love him, in a way that I have never loved anyone else before. But I don't think you would understand, because you won't even give him a chance," Tomoyo paused. Her arms were shaking slightly. "Take away every yen of my inheritance, still nothing will change between us. It's not Yue-san's fault if you had encountered such opportunistic people in your own business world, and if you try to project that negative experience on us," she continued.

"Sonomi-san," Sakura rushed into the room, sensing the escalation of the disagreement between the mother and daughter. "Please believe Tomoyo-chan," she sat on the floor before the older woman. "Yue-san is not that sort of person. We have known him for years. He has always protected us," she said.

"Sakura-chan, you too?" Sonomi raised an eyebrow at her young niece.

"Please don't be upset with Tomoyo-chan about this. It has not been easy for her either. She needs your support," Sakura insisted undeterred.

"If you all want my support, then tell me Sakura, just who is this Yue?" Sonomi questioned.

"He is our friend," Sakura's answer was very simple.

"Is he a student like you all?" Sonomi obviously wanted a more elaborate answer. Sakura shook her head slowly.

"What is he then? An actor? A model perhaps?"

"No, Sonomi-san," Sakura said.

"A foreign spy? Is that why you all are so persistent about keeping his secret?" Sonomi said.

"Of course not," Sakura said emphatically. Tomoyo pressed her lips together and looked away.

"He is not a gang member by chance, is he? Or involved in shady activities?" Tomoyo's mother asked again.

Tomoyo had heard enough at that point. Sonomi's words were hurting a delicate spot deep within her heart. "He's an angel," she answered sharply, raising her head. "Okaa-san, that's what Yue-san is."

"Tomoyo-chan," Sakura said softly, in a tone that begged her to calm down.

"The boy sure looks like one, I'll give him that much. However, you know Tomoyo-chan, they say that when the devil would appear, he would take on an angel's form," Sonomi said sternly.

"You wanted to know who Yue-san is. I have told you the truth. I hope that one day, you shall see the truth too," Tomoyo said, placing a hand over her heart.

Sonomi stared at her daughter for a few moments. Tomoyo has always been a modest and responsible girl; one who never got into any kind of trouble at school, scored perfect grades, and earned everyone's praise because of her manners and politeness. The girl who sat before her with trembling lips, a clenched fist and fiery eyes was not the same girl she raised. She looked like someone who knew what she wanted and would not budge from it. With Tomoyo's long, wavy hair, pale skin and deep eyes, she eerily reminded her of her dead cousin. Sonomi rose from her seat. She had alienated Nadeshiko for years after her marriage. Even though her heart had pained for her best friend, her pride stopped her from reconciling, and the next thing she knew was that she was dead. She could not afford to make the same mistake with her only daughter. She sighed. If Tomoyo-chan thinks she would be happy with this boy, then I have no choice but to let her be. But would she be happy?

"Tomoyo-chan, I apologize. I should not have stated it like that. I just want to know about the person for whom you made such a big decision without even asking me once," she said tiredly, taking a seat beside her daughter, and placing a hand on her head.

"Sonomi-san," Yukito entered the room and spoke before Tomoyo could answer. "Tomoyo-chan will be safe with Yue-san. Please let me assure you of that," he told the older woman.

"Tsukishiro-san, he is your family right? Why don't you tell him to come and meet me once? Or at least tell me what's the deal with this guy? What's the point of this weird mystery?" Sonomi said.

"I shall tell him that when I meet him. I hope I can meet him soon," Yukito replied a little sadly.

Touya entered the room after his friend. He had his backpack slung on his shoulder, and was ready to leave. "It is true that Yue can be difficult at times. However, his feelings for Tomoyo are real," he said, supporting Yukito by placing a hand on his back.

Sonomi leaned back and closed her eyes. "For some reason it seems that this young man has cast a charm on all of you," she said, taking a moment to think. These were all good kids, well mannered, sincere kids whom she had known for years. It seemed strange that all of them would want to associate themselves with this young man if he happened to be a notorious guy. Maybe she was thinking too much about this.

"Tomoyo-chan, please come home. I will not stop you from doing whatever it is that you are doing. Just don't put yourself in danger, and don't hesitate to talk to me if there's anything that I can help with," Sonomi finally said.

Tomoyo thanked her mother, and went home. She cried to herself in the shower, and then slept for several hours. When she woke up, the golden rays of the afternoon sun were drawing soft patterns on her bedroom floor.

Later that afternoon, Tomoyo knocked at the door of Yue and Yukito's house. Several minutes later, the door was answered by a sleepy looking Yue, dressed in a light brown sleeveless sweater over a white shirt and gray trousers. His usually immaculately kept hair fell over his shoulders, a few strands sticking out of the ties he used to secure the ends. "Daidouji-san, they won't be here until about an hour later. Didn't Sakura tell you the time?" he asked, gliding his fingers over his eyes.

"I wanted to see you earlier," Tomoyo said. Yue continued to stare at her, as if contemplating her words. "Am I intruding?" Tomoyo looked down, feeling a bit insecure again, as their relationship was still so new, and Yue-san still seemed to have a lot of boundaries that she could not cross yet. Despite his admission of his feelings for her, he had not dropped the formal manner in which he interacted with her. But Tomoyo was willing to wait. Yue-san's heart was worth waiting for.

The young man took her hand and drew her inside, closing the door after her. "Your intrusion is tolerated," he said impassively.

Tomoyo rolled her eyes. "You know, there is a nicer way to say the same thing. It is called: you are welcome to visit me," she said.

"That's something that Yukito would say," Yue said with a small scowl.

"I suppose you will always be a grumpy goblin," Tomoyo wrapped her arms around her beloved and drew herself to his chest, feeling the softness of his sweater caress her face. "But I still like you," she mumbled into his chest.

"I didn't know that my appearance resembled that of a goblin to you," Yue said, loosely returning the embrace.

"A very handsome, good looking goblin," Tomoyo smiled, and let him go.

"Do you intend to flirt like this the entire time?" Yue sat down, leaning against the nearby wall.

"I suppose I could have tried that, but it would be a one-sided activity, and I would get bored," Tomoyo teased him a little once again. "But Yue-san, actually I wanted to apologize… for my mother. For the things that she said and implied earlier today," her voice turned serious once again.

"Why do you hold yourself accountable for the actions of others, Daidouji-san? I thought we had already talked about that," Yue said.

"Demo, it must have been painful for you to be subjected to such suspicions," Tomoyo tried to explain.

"Come here," Yue called her. Once she sat down beside him, he placed his hand on her head. "You were the one who was hurt by those suspicions, and I hated that," he told her calmly. "But you believed in me regardless, that was enough for me," he added, staring off at the ceiling.

"Yue-san, you know that I will always believe in you, right?" Tomoyo said in a shaky voice. "Even if everyone tells me otherwise, even if I have to go against the whole world, I will stay right here, by your side, and be your friend," she proclaimed.

"Hey," Yue shifted his hand to touch Tomoyo's face momentarily, before taking her right hand gently.

"As for okaa-san, we will get her blessing, eventually. I know it," Tomoyo said, leaning against his shoulder.

"I…" Yue started. "I feel sorry for her that her world is such a place where she cannot trust anyone," he continued after having taken a brief pause to wonder if it would be appropriate to say it out loud, but at the end deciding to be honest with Tomoyo anyway.

"I am thankful for your kindness," Tomoyo said. Yue quietly inspected Tomoyo's hand for a while, laying it on his lap. The bandage was coming loose at the ends. "I will get Yukito to change your bandage. It is coming undone anyway," he said.

Yue was about to get up and transform when Tomoyo caught the sleeve of his shirt rolled up at his elbow. "You don't have to call Tsukishiro-san for this," she said.

"Daidouji-san, I am not familiar with such a task. Yukito, on the other hand, has had a good practice due to the number of times Touya got injured while participating in sports," Yue responded.

"Yue-san, you managed to learn advanced calculus by just being there in Tsukishiro-san's classes. Do you expect me to believe that you cannot figure out how to dress a simple injury? What will you do when Tsukishiro-san separates from you? If we are together at that time, won't you take care of me for things like this?" she asked.

"It's just that…"

"You don't want to face it now, isn't it?" Tomoyo withdrew her hand from Yue's hold and started to unwrap her bandages with her other hand. "Perhaps, you are making this bigger in your mind than it really is," she said.

"Fine," Yue drew away her left hand, leaving the bandages partially unwrapped. "I will do it. Don't try to do it yourself and get the wound infected," he said, and went to get the necessary supplies. Once he returned to her, he sanitized his hands first and then slowly unwrapped the bandages the rest of the way. An angry gash was exposed to two sets of eyes, standing out in sharp contrast to Tomoyo's pale skin. Yue's jaw tightened at the sight. "It will leave a scar, even after it heals," he stated, his voice low and deep.

"It's alright," Tomoyo smiled to reassure him.

Yue turned her wrist slowly, tilting her hand so that her palm was facing upwards instead of the injured back of her hand. "Never did I imagine that my power would be a danger to you," he lowered his face slowly, his breath sending pleasant warm shivers on her skin. "And never will I allow such a thing to happen again," his pale lips pressed themselves against the center of her palm, as if to seal a divine promise.

Tomoyo's eyelids closed automatically as her body and mind registered the first contact of the lips of the person she loved. They were so incredibly soft, once again an attribute that Tomoyo was sure was a testimony of his ethereal nature. Her open wound tingled with a numb pain, and she almost felt lightheaded from the rush of a foreign feeling that gripped her heart. Is this what happiness feels like?

Yue did not let go immediately. His lips lingered on the spot for a while. Tomoyo opened her eyes cautiously, as if afraid of waking up from a pleasant dream. She took in the sight of the angelic face, closed eyes framed by long silver eyelashes, kissing her hand with the sincerest expression she had ever seen on anyone's countenance. If Tomoyo was not already in love with this man, she was sure she would have fallen into it right at that moment.

"Daidouji-san," Yue called her name, noticing the shimmer in her eyes as his lips broke contact with her skin. "What is it?"

"Nandemonai," Tomoyo quickly shook her head, and folded her fist instinctively, as if to retain the warmth and slight moisture that Yue's lips had left there.

Sakura and Syaoran arrived once Yue had finished wrapping up her injured hand, and went to put aside the supplies he had used. "Daidouji-san, Sakura told me everything. I want to help in any way I can," Syaoran said earnestly when Tomoyo answered the door for them.

"Thanks for coming, Li-kun," Tomoyo said quietly.

"Of course. I shall get Eriol-kun on the call. His inputs might be helpful," the young man told her. Sakura opened her backpack to reveal the small sun guardian nestled inside.

"Aww, he's asleep," Tomoyo said fondly.

"Too many hours of playing video games," Syaoran muttered, as he picked up Keroberos with gentle hands and placed him on the table, without waking him up.

Touya arrived shortly afterwards. Casting a silent glare in Syaoran's direction, he went straight to the kitchen to make them some tea. Once the small group had settled around the table with tea cups in everyone's hands except for Yue's, Syaoran pulled out a tablet and connected to Eriol through a video call. He placed the device at the head of the table so that the camera faced everyone.

As soon as Eriol said hello on camera, Ruby Moon's cheerful face appeared, practically hijacking the screen. "Tomoyo-chan, I need to hear your full love story with Yue. This grouch is not picking up my calls," she said with sparkling eyes.

"Akizuki-san, I don't think that there is much of a story to tell," Tomoyo responded cautiously.

"He is that boring huh?" Ruby pouted. "Well, I will help you to make things interesting. You just have to make him a little jealous," she winked playfully.

"What do you mean?" Tomoyo feigned innocence, hiding a small smile. Ruby Moon's carefree, energetic disposition was the polar opposite of Yue's solemn nature. Yue's formal mannerisms reflected a bygone era, that Ruby had never known. Created in the present day, she lived her life as a carefree modern girl. And yet, Tomoyo had always known that the two shared a connection that somewhat resembled what siblings have between themselves.

"I mean that I am going to ask you out on a date the next time I come to Japan," the second moon guardian said with a bright smile.

"Akizuki, grow up," Touya growled, remembering her constant interference in his relationship with Yukito.

"Hey, it was me who helped to push things forward between you and Yukito," Ruby protested.

"Are we here for this insufferable banter?" Yue was annoyed as expected, and finally spoke out.

"See? He is jealous already," Ruby remarked. "Yue, know I am cute enough to snatch Tomoyo-chan away from you if I try seriously. Besides, I am way more fun," she told him.

"Don't flatter yourself. The point here is that Yue did not even have to try. Besides, I doubt that Daidouji-san shares your idea of fun," Spinel's smooth voice said, even though he was not visible on camera.

"Hey, you are supposed to be on my team," Ruby frowned.

Keroberos finally opened his eyes on hearing Spinel's voice and yawned.

"Eriol, this is pointless until you make Ruby shut up," Yue said.

"Ano, Ruby-san, I have something important to share with everyone. So, please pull Yue-san's legs later, ne?" Sakura said. Yue gave Sakura a silent glare this time. Ruby frowned, but stepped aside nonetheless.

"What is it, Sakura?" Syaoran asked gently.

"Clow-san appeared in my dream last night," Sakura said. "He said he wants the two humans who refused to accept his plan to come to him," she elaborated.

"Well, I am prepared to meet him anyway. But two humans?" Touya questioned.

"I will go with you, Touya onii-san," Tomoyo said.

"Tomoyo, you can't possibly travel through the fourth dimension without any magical powers," Keroberos pointed out, finally sitting upright.

"There has to be a way," Tomoyo said eagerly. "I mean Clow-san clearly intends me to come. Besides, I had so many dreams where someone tried to warn me about Yue-san. It must have been Clow-san, who was reaching out to me. Yue-san, please tell me if there is a way," she entreated.

"Keroberos is right," Yue replied coldly. "There is nothing that you can do."

"That can't be true," Tomoyo's face fell. "Hiragizawa-kun, Li-kun, Sakura-chan, please say something."

"Daidouji-san, without magical powers, your body cannot travel through the time dimension. This is because without magic, our physical bodies are limited by the three dimensional world," Syaoran said, his voice somewhat hesitant.

Tomoyo watched Syaoran for a few minutes. It seemed that there was more to the account that her friend stopped short of telling her. She observed Eriol's brows crunch on the screen. "What about the part of me that is dimensionless? Can it travel through time?"

"Tomoyo-chan?" Sakura sounded alarmed.

"Yue-san had once told me that our souls are dimensionless. That is the part of me that can travel through time, even if I do not have the magical power necessary to carry my body with me, isn't it, Syaoran-kun?" she asked.

Syaoran silently nodded and Yue's face hardened. He dreaded this girl's intelligence. Give her the slightest clue, and she will figure out the whole puzzle.

"Hold on, just where is this going exactly?" Ruby perked up.

"How will she travel as a spirit?" Touya asked.

"There are ways to separate the soul from the body through magic. But it is extremely risky, and the spell is known by only a few select magicians. I don't even know the spell myself," Eriol said.

"But Li-kun does, I presume?" Tomoyo's eyes were calm and focused on the young man's face.

Syaoran Li gulped. "Someone from my family had used it for someone they cared about. The spell has been passed down for generations. I have never used it myself of course," he said.

"Interesting," Eriol remarked.

"Enough of this baloney," Yue slammed down his hands on the table. "Eriol, you were a self-centered, hard-hearted being in your past life who only cared about his supremacy as a magician, and it seems you have not changed much even in this life. Everything is an experiment in magic to you, isn't it? Well, sorry to inform you, but Daidouji-san's life is not up for sacrifice in your gambit. No human life is. Wasn't I enough for your schemes?" the enraged moon guardian said.

"Yue-san," Syaoran who was sitting beside Yue, placed a hand on his shoulder to calm him down.

"Just stay out of this. You are nothing but an unfledged kid," Yue only got angrier. "You think you have already learnt everything about magic? Do you even realize what would happen if your unremarkable magical power fails to call back the her spirit?"

"He has a point," Keroberos said. "The person's body will remain unconscious until it withers away. It is what your medical science will call an irreversible coma, while the soul will be lost in a time loop," he explained.

Sakura gasped. "That sounds awful," she said.

"It is worse than death," Tomoyo agreed. "But I have to take that chance."

Her determined expression disconcerted Yue greatly. "Daidouji-san, that is a path that I cannot allow you to take," he said firmly.

"Unfortunately, Yue-san, that is not your decision to make," Tomoyo countered him.

"You want to do this for me," the silver haired young man said in a steely voice.

"No, I am doing this for myself. Because I am a selfish human. And, Li-kun and Hiragizawa-kun are my friends who just want to help me achieve my selfish dreams. You have no authority to reprimand them for doing so. And you have no authority to stop me," Tomoyo told him.

Yue's eyes widened by a margin, taken aback by the direct defiance. His face became stony and emotionless in the next moment. "If my advice means nothing to you, then having me in this discussion is pointless. Do as you wish," Yue stood up, and started walking away.

"Yue-san," Syaoran called out to him before he left the room. "My magical powers may be limited, and I may not know many things yet. I am still learning. But what I have learned from life so far tells me that Daidouji-san already has the strongest form of all magic. It is called love. And her feelings for you are so powerful, I don't think she can be defeated by anyone, even if it is Clow-san," he said sincerely.

Yue had turned his head to listen to Syaoran. His lips parted, as if he was about to say something. However, they pressed tightly together again, and he turned away and went inside the house.

"Poor Yue-san," Sakura sighed.

"I am sorry that he was so unreasonable," Tomoyo clasped her hands together.

"I think we all understand," Eriol smiled a little. "He is in love with you and scared of losing you. But Daidouji-san, please think about this more seriously, as the risks are very real. Can't Kinomoto-san just go by himself? I am sorry I cannot be of more help. I don't remember anything like this happening. I suppose Clow-san had erased that memory," he said.

"I will do it even if there is a 1% chance of success," Tomoyo said. "Besides, Clow-san wants two people to go to him. Touya onii-san and I. I am sure he has something planned. If we do not listen to him, how can we expect that he will listen to us?" she argued.

"It seems utterly foolish to risk someone's life over something like this," Touya finally spoke, running his hand through his dark hair. "But I would have done the same if I were in Tomoyo's shoes," he added.

"Onii-chan, you are also supporting this idea?" Sakura asked. She felt very conflicted the whole time. She wanted Yue and Tomoyo to be happy, but she dreaded the idea of potentially losing her best friend.

"I can see spirits, remember? I will keep an eye on the kid, just in case," Touya said quietly.

"Arigatou, Touya onii-san," Tomoyo smiled, grateful that there was at least one person in the room who understood how she felt.

"So, we are doing this then," Keroberos placed his chin on his paw contemplatively. "When?"

"Sakura, do you remember anything else from your dream? Anything else that you saw or Clow-san might have said?" Syaoran asked.

Sakura closed her eyes. "There was a full moon in the sky. I don't think he said anything more," she said after thinking for a few moments.

"I would actually recommend waiting for the full moon night. The negative magical forces are weakest around that time, and positive ones are the strongest," Eriol said.

"And why is that important? I would say the sooner the better," Touya said.

"The dark forces of magic can cause all sorts of nuisance and disrupt the procedure," Eriol answered, without elaborating much.

Keroberos was on his phone. "The next full moon will be on the coming Saturday. That's a week from now. You don't even have to wait that long," he informed, after looking up the information on the internet.

"Fine," Touya huffed.

After exchanging a few more words, they said goodbye to Eriol and his two guardians. "I have to go home, I have a paper to finish," Touya stretched and stood. "Oye, don't forget to make us dinner. It is your turn," he reminded his sister.

Sakura blinked a few times, and then shrieked. "I forgot to buy the items for dinner," her face fell on the table.

"Knew it. Typical of an airhead," her brother teased.

"It's ok Sakura," Syaroan placed a hand on her head, ignoring the glare from Touya. "I will go to the store and get what you need. You can go home and start the preparations," he offered kindly.

"Eat with us tonight then, Syaoran-kun. You too Tomoyo-chan," Sakura said, leaning into the touch of the young man she loved just for a moment before pulling herself up.

"Thank you Sakura-chan. But okaa-san will be expecting me at home for dinner. I have already caused her so much worry," Tomoyo replied quietly. "Also, I cannot leave until I apologize to Yue-san for yelling at him," she added.

"You call that yelling?" Touya chuckled. He realized that since the girl was so polite usually, a disagreement and a few sharp words perhaps counted as yelling by her standards. "Fine, speak to that snooty fellow. It is better to have him on board with the plan," he remarked.

Once everyone had left, Tomoyo took a deep breath. Now, she just had to find that surly man she could not imagine her life without anymore. "Yue-san?" She approached the door that led to the interior of the house with light steps. There was no answer, but she saw a faint light coming from one of the two bedrooms. As the door was left open, she went to it, and peered in. She could only see the faint outline of Yue-san, and his long silver hair seated on a chair before a desk. Even though it was dark already, he had not turned on the lights of the room except for the reading lamp on his desk.

Tomoyo extended her hand through the door and reached for the switch, turning on the main light of the room. "I am coming in," she announced from the door. Yet she took a moment to regard the man from the door, sitting amidst some books stacked on his desk. Just like she was used to seeing him at the library. Yue-san who surrounded himself with books and such a profound loneliness. Tomoyo took a step in his direction. Yue-san whose eyes were such a sad shade of blue - sad but beautiful; like the emptiness of the skies. She took another step forward. Yue-san who spoke formally and snapped at every small thing. A surge of fondness erupted from Tomoyo's chest and spread through her body, causing tears to sharply prick at her eyes. However, she forced them back as she approached him. Yue-san who was at the moment absently brushing his fingers on the little blue-black stuffed bear that lay on the hard cover of a book, attached to a crocheted leaf that was hand made to be used by him as a bookmark. Her Yue-san.

Yue did not turn to look at her. Tomoyo stood next to the chair he was seated at and placed her hands on his shoulders. "Yue-san."

"You still intend to do this," Yue said, more of a statement than a question. He did not meet her gaze.

"I do. I know you are worried, and I understand. But Yue-san, I have to do this. I don't want to argue with you," Tomoyo said.

"You can't argue in favor of a foolish decision anyway," Yue said.

"I know that too. But this is the first time I wanted something for myself. This is the first time I am putting myself and my own dream first, even before your wishes. Just like you said I should do in the beginning, when we started talking. Yue-san, this is the first time that I am reaching for the moon. Do you think I don't deserve that? Are you saying that I don't deserve you?" Tomoyo said.

"Don't say that," Yue scolded. He wondered if there was anything that he could do to stop Tomoyo. What if he swatted away the dainty pair of hands that rested on his shoulders and told her on her face that he hated her and never wished to see her again? Would she give up on him? What if he pulled her closer and kissed her passionately? Would she still be able to still leave his side? Yue scowled in frustration, realizing that he was too much of a coward to actually try either option. Besides, Tomoyo would see right through his real intention, so it would be pointless anyway. "You said you wouldn't leave my side, only a few hours ago," he said instead.

"And I won't. It will probably take just a few hours. After that day, I would never leave you again," Tomoyo tried to assure him.

Yue leaned forward, resting his head against Tomoyo's midriff lightly. "I just want all these to end," he said. "It's too tiresome," his eyes closed as he felt Tomoyo's hand move to rest on the top of his head.

"I know. And it will end. Let Touya onii-san and me make sure of that. Just hold on a bit longer Yue-san. Onegai!" Tomoyo held her Yue-san a little closer.

"You seem quite confident," Yue remarked.

"Remember what Li-kun said? The most powerful magic is love. I believe in mine," Tomoyo said softly. "You were very rude to Hiragizawa-kun and Li-kun. They were only trying to help," she chided Yue gently. "Yue-san, please don't be mean to Hiragizawa-kun. He is not responsible for Clow-san's actions. He is a different person now," she continued.

"You can't stop caring about others still," Yue said. "Fine, I will offer my apology later."

Tomoyo ran his fingers over Yue's hair carefully. The man had such soft, silver silk for hair, it seemed almost like a privilege to touch it. She looped another arm around his shoulders. Yue stayed quiet, leaning against her, and allowing her to hold him. She looked out of the window beside him. The waxing moon had made its silvery appearance in the evening sky. A song rose from Tomoyo's heart to her lips.

O moon, your tears brought a tide

To my ocean of sorrow

Dear moon, do you hear

The secrets whispered

From one shore to the other?

 

My boat was moored at a familiar shore

When it was untethered by the current

I was set adrift, tossed by fierce winds

To a land unknown.

As Tomoyo's melodious voice filled the silence with the poignancy of the song, Yue wrapped one arm around her waist, and used the other to hold her unhurt hand, interlocking their fingers tightly together. He liked when she sang. Her voice stirred an unexplainable sorrow within him, yet soothing the age old ache within his heart at the same time. Tomoyo felt the very slight tremor of Yue's body beneath her fingers. She rubbed her hand along the back of his neck and shoulders comfortingly, as she continued.

Travelers have reached their ports

All but I, who floats directionless

In the night, beneath your pale light.

 

Perhaps, I desired to be thus lost

As the swift waves pull me

Towards an unknown destiny.

Ushering me onward, is my crazy fate

Who Smiles in the darkness.

As the last notes of the song faded away, Yue slowly released Tomoyo from his hold, and looked up to her face. "Daidouji-san, that day, when you confessed, I couldn't…I didn't answer you properly," he drew in a breath. "Please allow me to –," a soft finger landed on his lips before he could go on. Yue blinked at her in confusion, mouth still partially open.

"Yue-san, I know what you want to say," Tomoyo tapped his lips lightly with her index finger before moving her hands to rest on either side of his face. "To be honest, hearing it from you would make me so happy, that death will seem easy thereafter. That's why Yue-san, please wait until I am back from traveling to Clow-san's time. That way, I'll have something to look forward to when I return. It will help my soul find its way back."

"That's the only thing that you would look forward to in your life? Just a few words from me?" Yue seemed a bit annoyed.

Tomoyo's face lit up with a playful expression. She pushed aside the book before him, and sat on Yue's desk, extending her arms and looping them around his neck. "Well, Yue-san, I told you that humans are selfish, and I am but a human. So, I will ask you for many more things, as you will see for yourself. But we have to start somewhere, ne?"

"And what would those things be?" Yue tried to sound casual.

"I'll tell you," Tomoyo smirked.

In a flash, Yue extricated himself from the arms hooked around him and stood up, pushing back the chair he was sitting on. His hands reached for Tomoyo's shoulders, as he towered over the sitting girl. "No, tell me now," he said in a deep voice.

Tomoyo gulped at the intensity of his stare. "Your time," she started.

"And?"

"The right to call you mine, and to become yours," this time Tomoyo's voice cracked a little.

"And?"

"A room in your heart. Perhaps, one in your house too."

"And?"

"The permission to make you smile some day," a tear escaped Tomoyo's eyes at that point, but Yue brushed it off swiftly. His expression has become softer as Tomoyo kept answering his questions.

"And?"

"I don't know. I have so many things on my mind. Birthday surprises, evening walks, movie dates, a ring on my finger," Tomoyo looked up to him with her large, expressive eyes.

"Promise me that you would come back and ask me for all these?" Yue leaned down to press their foreheads together.

"Of course, Yue-san. I give you my word," this time Tomoyo leaned into Yue, clutching his sweater. "Can I ask for something now?" she said softly. Yue simply nodded. "One time, you had wrapped your wings around me. It felt really nice, even though I was upset that time, it made me feel better. Can you –," Yue stepped back before she could finish, watching Tomoyo looking at him with hopeful eyes. The silver wings appeared on either side of his back and enveloped his form. They unfurled again to reveal standing in his splendid white attire. With a calm look on his face, he held out a hand for her.

Tomoyo hopped off from her perch on Yue's desk, and gracefully took his hand, allowing him to pull her to himself effortlessly. Strong arms wrapped around her, and soft, light feathers brushed along her back, firmly securing her slender form between Yue's chest and his wings, "You are still such a child inside to get fascinated over a pair of wings," he complained carelessly.

"Kimochii," Tomoyo exhaled blissfully, paying no mind to her companion's words, savoring the moment, the tingling of the feathers on her back making her feel all warm and fuzzy inside. "I feel like staying here forever, but I guess I should be returning now," she told her angel after staying like that for a while.

Yue slowly drew back from her. Tomoyo shivered a little from the loss of warmth from his wings. The air flowed into the room from the window beside Yue's desk, carrying with it a light chill of the late spring night mixed with the scent of wisteria that had bloomed early in the small backyard. Yue noticed it, as soon as he magically transformed himself to be back to wearing his regular clothes, followed by making his wings disappear.

"Put on something warmer as you go out," he said, approaching the window and closing its panes. The girl was dressed in a gray and white checkered skirt that fell to her ankles, and a white top to match, with lace designs along its collars and sleeves. Cute, but not comfy for the late evening weather.

"I… uh.. didn't get anything," Tomoyo felt a bit silly. The sun felt warm and nice when she left her house that afternoon, and she had expected to return much earlier.

Yue frowned and moved to his wardrobe. Tomoyo quietly observed the unassuming room. It looked like it belonged to a student with the presence of the desk and bookshelf, but Tomoyo could tell from the choice of colors and décor that Tsukishiro-san did not live here. It was Yue-san's

"Here," Yue tossed her something, dragging her out of her thoughts. Tomoyo caught it at the last moment. "It will not flatter your looks, but it will keep you from getting sick," he said, putting a dark gray blazer on himself, and smoothing out his hair. Tomoyo looked at the cardigan in her hands, soft and warm, in a lighter shade of gray. She thanked him softly, and pulled it over her shoulders, inserting her arms into the sleeves. It did not fit much wider, which was somewhat expected since Yue-san had a delicate build instead of the muscular stature usual of a man. However, it was much longer, with the length falling to her mid thighs, and her fingers disappearing inside the sleeves. She started to roll them up.

"You have been incredibly mindless about things lately," Yue approached her, and placed another white object around her neck. "Moving all the way to Canada, when you are like this," he grumbled. "How would you live in that colder country, all by yourself when you are such a princess," he kept talking as he wrapped the white scarf carefully around her neck.

Tomoyo regarded Yue. Something seemed to be unusual about him. Yue-san was not one to talk much, and preferred to be distant. However, he almost seemed to be too eager to keep talking from the moment she walked into this room. His sentences that evening were definitely more than his usual monosyllabic responses. One would almost think that he was cheering up, becoming like a normal person, but Tomoyo knew better. She realized it was her decision to undertake the time travel even when it meant danger to herself had really put him on the edge. He was simply talking away to mask the deep anxiety he felt for her. She felt bad for putting him through this, but her mind knew it was the right decision.

"Yue-san will take care of me," Tomoyo hugged the moon guardian when he finished wrapping the scarf for her. "By scolding me for little things over the phone I suppose," she gave him a toothy grin.

"You look like a bear in this," Yue rested his chin on top of her head, softly returning the hug. "Not unlike the one you gave me," he added softly.

"I will make a more huggable one for you later," Tomoyo nuzzled her face on the soft fuzzy fabric of his sweater.

"I am not a child, Daidouji-san, I don't need to hug a stuffed bear," Yue said. He inhaled the pleasant, soothing scent of her hair, and lowered his voice. "I will be grateful if you make yourself available for that purpose instead."

Did Yue-san just say that? Despite her intense feelings for the man, usually Tomoyo did not feel flustered around Yue. However, at those words Tomoyo could feel the color rising to her face. "Don't tease me," she pulled back from him, and lightly jabbed his arm.

"Who said that I am?" Yue responded, satisfied at the deepening color on Tomoyo's pale cheek that accentuated her prettiness. "Come along, it's getting late."

"You are coming?" she asked.

"I will walk you to the train station," the moon guardian answered.

Though Tomoyo asked, she had already realized that. Out of habit, she was about to tell him that she would be just fine returning on her own, but she stopped herself, remembering something else.

The night before, she had a conversation with Sakura. "What am I going to do with Yue-san, Sakura-chan? He feels that he is not real, so it is alright if he disappeared. Although he said that he would not leave me, what if he starts doubting himself again after some time?" She had cried to her friend.

"Tomoyo-chan, do you know even Yukito-san went through that phase, when onii-san and him were in high school?" Sakura had said, sitting beside her and placing a comforting hand on her back to support her.

"I remember he used to be low in spirits often around that time. Touya onii-san helped him get over that depressing phase, didn't he? He is really amazing," Tomoyo had replied.

"You can do it too. Just make sure that Yue-san knows how much you need him," Sakura had advised.

"But I do need him. How can he not know, even after I confessed my feelings?" Tomoyo had asked.

"Yes of course you do Tomoyo-san. But I am not just talking about needing him emotionally here," her friend had said. "What I am saying is that you should include Yue-san in your life as much as possible. Try asking him for his help with the mundane things of life. Ask him to help with your academics. Ask him for book recommendations. Or convince him to go shopping with you, and ask him to carry some of the bags," Sakura had suggested.

Seeing the look of disbelief on Tomoyo's face, the short haired brunette had continued. "I know what you are thinking Tomoyo-chan, you don't need help with these things. Even Yue-san might seem irritated sometimes if you ask, but I can assure you that deep inside, it would make him happy. I know that you both are independent people and probably see your feelings for each other from an idealistic plane, but it is these common worldly activities that makes one seem real and useful. Yue-san felt that way, because he thought his existence was not meaningful to anyone, and he had nothing left to do. He needs to feel useful, at least to you, for him to feel real, and take this relationship seriously."

"But Yue-san is quite perceptive. He would see right through it," Tomoyo had expressed her concern.

"Doesn't matter. Yukito-san knew it too, still onii-san kept him close, month after month, year after year. It worked well for onii-san and him. And at present, I know for sure that Yukito-san will never think of leaving onii-san," Sakura said fondly. "I know it is a bit more challenging with Yue-san due to his nature. Ganbatte, Tomoyo-chan," she had patted her shoulders encouragingly.

Remembering that conversation, Tomoyo swallowed her words and said nothing as Yue grabbed his, phone and keys, and held her hand as they stepped out of the house and onto the empty late evening street.

Notes:

Please leave a review if you enjoyed reading. Thanks for keeping up so far.

Chapter 18: Quest

Summary:

Touya and Tomoyo faces a challenging problem on their quest to find happiness for themselves and the men they love.

Notes:

My humble apologies for the delay. Thanks to everyone who left a comments or kudos. Hope you would enjoy the chapter and the special appearance of a character.

“Tomoyo-chan,” Sakura smiled as she opened the door of her house for her friend who had just arrived. This was the day that her brother and her best-friend intended to travel through time to meet Clow Reed so that they could be with the men that they loved. “Guess what, you have a surprise visitor,” she informed. 

 

“A visitor?” Tomoyo stepped into the living room. She could already see the back of Yue’s silver head as he sat on the couch. Someone else was sitting on the other side; an elegantly dressed young man with jet black hair and violet eyes. “Kaito-san,” Tomoyo’s voice betrayed her astonishment. 

 

“Good evening Daidouji-san. I trust you are faring well,” the visitor greeted her pleasantly. 

 

“I am very well, thank you,” Tomoyo returned the greeting with a bow. “Where’s Akiho-chan?” she looked around in the hopes of seeing her dear friend. 

 

“Akiho-san’s health has been less than perfect lately. I persuaded her to stay back. But I am here on her behalf. She has been extremely worried about you since the day she heard about the quest you have set your heart on,” the man, now in his thirties, told her. “Will you sit with me for a while so that I can explain, Daidouji-san?” Yuna D. Kaito asked. 

 

Tomoyo seated herself on the couch next to the moon guardian. Sakura brought a tray carrying steaming cups of tea from the kitchen, and joined them, plopping down on the sofa next to their visitor. “Tea for everyone,” she announced. 

 

“Since the day Akiho-san heard of the plan you are intending to pursue, she has been asking me if it is in my power to do anything to help. The mission of time travel that you wish to undertake is objectively dangerous for someone like you who has no magical powers,” Yuna said. 

 

“Yue-san and others have told me so before. I have to do it regardless,” Tomoyo said with a brave smile. She believed Kaito-san. If there was an authority on time related magics in the world, she knew that it was this man, whose magical abilities surpassed Sakura-chan and even Eriol-kun. But what choice did she have? Beside her, Yue sat, frozen like an ice statue. 

 

“I am not here to deter you. That’s not the objective of my visit. Rather, I am here to assist you,” the magician said in response. 

 

“Can you do something to make sure that Tomoyo-chan would be safe?” Sakura questioned. 

 

Kaito gave her his formal smile and nodded. Then he turned again to Tomoyo. “Going to the past would not actually be a problem. It is the path back that is more difficult. It is something like going with the flow of the current when you go to the past versus against it when you return. It might drift your soul away from its course,” he explained. 

 

“That is the part that also concerns me, but Daidouji-san won’t even listen,” Yue muttered. 

 

“Touya onii-san will be there with me. It will be alright,” Tomoyo said. 

 

“It’s not that simple. Since you would not be having a physical entity, he cannot just grab your hand and drag you back home. There’s not much he can do to stop your soul from losing its way back,” Yuna told her. 

 

“Do you suggest any modification to the plan?” Sakura asked. 

 

“Precisely, Kinomoto-san,” Kaito said. “Tell me Daidouji-san, if you find yourselves lost in a physical terrain, what are some things that might help you to find your way back?” he asked Tomoyo. 

 

Tomoyo thought for a moment. “A map,” she said. “Or a compass maybe” she added on second thought. 

 

“You are right. Now hold out your hand,” Yuna said. 

 

Tomoyo did as she was told. The sorcerer reached for something in his pocket, and placed it in her hand. Tomoyo felt a cold, smooth metallic surface resting against her skin. “I won’t be able to give you a map that describes the time dimension, but here’s a compass to lead you back home,” he said. When he removed his hand, Tomoyo saw that she was holding a beautiful pocket watch made of gold. Kaito-san’s magical watch. “Take this with you. When your soul leaves your body, it will disappear physically, and accompany you on the journey,” he said. 

 

“Arigatou, Kaito-san. Your help means a lot to me. But I can’t take this with me. If something happens to me, it will be gone forever, right?” Tomoyo said, knowing the importance of the object to the magician very well. It was the primary magical artifact that Kaito-san used to cast his magic spells. Without it, he would be crippled as a magician. It was indeed surprising that he was willing to hand over something so important to her, but then, knowing the man’s absolute devotion to Akiho, perhaps it was not that strange. 

 

Yuna D. Kaito leaned back against the sofa, a mild expression of vexation crossing his handsome countenance for a moment. “Akiho-san certainly thought that her friend’s life is worth much more than this magical object,” he said, brushing back a strand of dark hair that had fallen on his forehead. “What use would my magic be if it cannot protect that poor girl from being struck by grief that she does not deserve, even after all that she had to endure,” he muttered in a softer voice, his eyes gazing down, his fingers curling into a tight fist. 

 

The realization suddenly overwhelmed Tomoyo. Kaito-san went through the trouble of coming all the way to another country because he wanted to protect not her specifically, but Akiho-chan, the person most important to him. She knew about the darkness that veiled these two people’s past, and the psychological abuse Akiho-chan had been subjected to as a child. If something happened to her on this mission, that innocent girl would be sad, and she had no right to stop Kaito-san from using his power to ensure her continued happiness. “I will take it,” Tomoyo wrapped her fingers around the object in her hand. 

 

The older man smiled softly. His eyes lingered briefly on her hand and on the bandage wrapped around it for a moment, but he chose not to comment on it. “I have to caution you that its power is limited. While it can reduce the risk of your soul losing its path on the way back, it can do so only for a limited amount of time,” he said instead. 

 

“What does that mean Kaito-san? What am I supposed to do?” Tomoyo asked him. 

 

“The time on the watch is exactly 12:00 right now. When you start your journey, it will automatically start moving in the reverse direction. That means, you have exactly until it resets itself to 12:00 again to return,” the dark haired man explained. “It has absorbed my power, but there is a limit to how much it can absorb. When it resets itself, it would be drained of the power and thus become useless until it takes in more power from me or another source,” he added. 

 

“Ah, I see. It functions like the battery on an electronic device. But 12 hours is a long time, so it should be fine,” Tomoyo said. 

 

“Your first analogy is precise. However, you are mistaken about the second part,” Yuna said calmly. 

 

“Nani?” Sakura who was listening attentively, exclaimed. 

 

“While traveling through the time dimension, it does not progress linearly, as in this world,” Yue was the one that clarified for them. “How much time this magical watch would grant you would be anyone’s guess,” he elaborated. 

 

“That’s right. It depends on what type of force fields you will encounter on the way there. That’s why caution and haste would still be your biggest ally, Daidouji-san,” Yuna told her. 

“Wakatta,” Tomoyo nodded. “I am sure it will help me,” she gave him a soft smile. 

“I shall stay during the process if you don’t mind. It is an interesting occurrence which I would like to observe,” Kaito said. 

 

“Mochiron desu,” Sakura responded. “Dine with us before that. We will head out after dinner,” she smiled, despite her nervousness. The doorbell sounded at that point, and Sakura went to answer it. Touya’s voice could be heard from the door. 

 

“Yue-san, her physical body also needs to be guarded during the period of time her soul does not inhabit it, Have you considered that aspect?” Yunaleaned forward, focusing his eyes on the moon guardian. 

 

Yue nodded his head after a few moments of silence. “I intend to use my barrier for the purpose,” he stated. 

 

“That should be sufficient,” Yuna responded. 

 

As Touya had returned, Sakura ushered everyone to the dining room, except Yue, for obvious reasons. Over dinner, Sakura introduced the powerful magician who was visiting them to her brother, and briefed him on the plan. Touya did not speak much, but his face relaxed a bit on hearing that Tomoyo was getting another source of magical power to support their mission. As far as Sakura and Tomoyo were concerned, the calm presence of the powerful sorcerer amidst them greatly boosted their morale. 

 

After dinner, the small group headed out towards their destination, which was the sacred cherry tree at the Tsukimine shrine that held the opening of the portal that would transport them to another time. When they reached the main street, they were joined by Syaoran, who was also heading there. Sakura immediately rushed over to him, and started talking excitedly, telling him about Kaito-san’s unexpected visit. Syaoran greeted the older man politely before continuing to walk with Sakura. So, the group fell into walking in pairs on the narrow sidewalk. Sakura and Syaoran leading the way, followed by Touya and Yuna, and Tomoyo and Yue being at the tail end. 

 

Walking beside the moon guardian, Tomoyo felt a vague sense of unease. Yue-san had not spoken much since that evening, and she wondered what kind of state his mind was in. She looked up at the bare branches of the cherry trees that hung over the sidewalk walking on. “No blossoms yet. I hope they appear soon,” she said, trying to chase away the feeling from her mind. 

 

“Let’s see them together when they appear,” Yue said, very quietly. 

 

“What’s this? Is our reticent Yue-san tacitly trying to ask me out on a date?” Tomoyo smiled, and nudged him lightly with her arm, lowering her voice further to avoid the ears of the two older men walking ahead of her. She knew what he was doing, giving her all the reasons to come back to him. They both understood that. 

 

“Give it whatever name that suits your fancy. I don’t care as long as I have you by my side,” Yue said. 

 

Tomoyo gulped. And what if you don’t? Despite all her bold words, and the help she was getting from all her friends, Tomoyo could not help but acknowledge that there was a non-zero probability that her soul may not be able to find its path back to her body. What would her poor mother do in that case? What would Yue-san do? Tomoyo shook her head vigorously, once again trying to dispel the thought. Focus Tomoyo, there is a non-zero probability of any human just dying from any random freak accident on any given day. This is not any different. She told herself. 

 

“I wonder if we will meet Clow-san, and what sort of person he would be like,” Tomoyo said quickly to change her train of thoughts. “Yue-san, do you have anything that you would like me to tell Clow-san when I see him?” she asked. 

 

Yue stopped walking. He crossed his arms in front of his chest and stared hard at his companion, who turned pale under his gaze. Tomoyo instantly regretted her question. “Forgive me, it is not my place to ask,” she told him, taking a step forward. 

 

“Actually, I do have something to tell my former master,” Yue’s voice made her turn back to look at him. “Tell him that even someone like me has a soul, and it now lies beyond the control of his magic; it is finally free,” Yue said slowly, tilting his face upwards to look at the fragments of the sky through the bare branches, allowing the silver moonlight to caress his pale features, highlighting his ethereal beauty. 

 

“Yue-san,” Tomoyo’s breath hitched in her throat, as blue eyes shifted back to land on her face. 

 

“Don’t seem so shocked. I just want him to know that his assumptions were wrong back then,” he said. It seemed that the two had an argument which Yue-san would not elaborate any further than this. It pained Tomoyo to think that it still hurt him after so much time had passed. “Let’s not fall behind,” Yue walked the few steps between them, and caught her hand lightly. 

 

The vague feeling of longing intensified in Tomoyo’s aching chest at his touch. Lately, she had been having a strange yearning to be close to the moon guardian frequently, to hold him and be held by him. She thought that confessing her feelings to him would quell those thoughts, and yet they refused to be repressed. And after that night, she may not even get a chance to physically hold him again. She wanted to be in her beloved’s arms one last time, before she had her soul separated from her body, but being in the proximity of so many people since they met that evening had made it impossible thus far. At that moment, however, the others were not in sight, as the four other people had already rounded the corner of the street that Tomoyo and Yue were then approaching. It could very well be her last chance. Tomoyo stopped walking. 

 

“What now?” Yue asked as he felt his arm getting stretched due to his hand still holding Tomoyo’s who had come to a halt. Tomoyo silently approached him, and leaned against his chest. She felt the pace of his heart quicken beneath the fabric of his shirt, as he held his breath for a few seconds. But after the brief moment of indecision, she felt his lean arms around her. 

 

Tomoyo was half expecting Yue to make a snarky comment or two about her clinginess. Instead, the hand that came to rest on her head tousled her hair just a very little bit. “Feeling scared?” Yue-san asked, bringing his lips next to her ears. 

 

Tomoyo shook her head against his chest. “Not even a little,” she voiced her reply. “You?” she said after a pause. 

 

“Does it matter?” Yue responded, a soft sigh leaving his mouth. It did not, so Tomoyo remained quiet as a mouse in his arms. “I wish you weren’t so…,” another sigh followed before Yue completed the sentence. “Intrepid,” he muttered. 

 

Yuna D. Kaito glanced back at the path behind them as he walked with the taller man next to him. “I don’t see Daidouji-san and Yue-san anymore,” he pointed out. 

 

“They will catch up with us, when they are ready to,” Touya said simply. 

 

“But Kinomoto-san, they were right behind us,” he stopped speaking as Touya gave him a meaningful look. “Oh, I see,” Yuna rubbed the back of his neck in mild embarrassment, realizing too late that he was unable to pick up on the cue. 

 

Touya looked the other way, and suppressed a smirk. He did not know this man very well, except that Sakura’s dear friend Shinomoto Akiho was attached to this person, who was also a famed magician, and in return the man would do almost any dangerous thing for the girl. He was several years older than all of them, and seemed to be approaching his mid thirties. One would think that such a person would be wiser, right? Well, apparently, he was just as much of an idiot as the rest. 

 

Speaking of idiots, Touya vaguely wondered what Tomoyo and Yue were doing. Considering Yue’s uptightness, and both Tomoyo and Yue’s sense of decorum, probably they were holding hands and talking. Touya felt a longing to do the same with Yukito, which he repressed with a sigh. 

 

A while later, the group assembled at the base of the cherry tree situated within the compound of Tsukimine shrine. Many years ago, the tree’s spiritual energy had allowed Sakura to travel to the past and meet Clow Reed. Now, she hoped that it would help her brother and best friend too. Syaoran was just about to begin his spell to separate Tomoyo’s soul from her body when she stopped him. 

 

“Wait, Syaoran-kun. Do you remember what we did when I used the Return card to travel to Clow Reed’s time?” she asked. 

 

“Well yes?,” the young man answered unsure of the purpose of the question. Tomoyo smiled. She remembered too.

 

“At that time, I didn’t even know what you were to me,” Sakura continued in an emotional voice. “Yet, somehow, I felt that I had to return to you, no matter what it takes. So, I made you a pinky promise,” she recollected with a soft smile. 

 

“Sakura, no one has the patience for your sappy story,” Touya huffed. 

 

“Shut up, meanie," Sakura scowled and made a gesture of punching her big brother with her fist. "Actually, you are the only one who’s impatient here. As I was saying,” she spoke even louder, “you and Tomoyo-chan should make the same promise to Yukito-san and Yue-san,” she said assertively. 

 

“One would only expect such an useless idea from an idiot like you,” Touya tried to dismiss his younger sister. But Yue had already started transforming, and Yukito appeared a moment later. “You transformed for this silly idea?” Touya said, trying to hide the happiness he felt from seeing his Yuki once again before he departed for his quest. Yuna turned his face sideways and smiled at the antics of the younger people. 

 

“There’s no harm in it, right Toya?” Before the young man who was addressed so fondly could protest, Yukito was looking up at him with those amber colored bunny rabbit eyes of his that cause Touya’s heartbeat to speed up even after so many years. 

 

“You know that I will always be with you. You don’t need this kid’s ritual to reassure yourself. Hey!” As he spoke, Yukito had already lifted his hand by the wrist and intertwined their little fingers. 

 

“Yes, I do believe in you. Forever,” Yukito locked his eyes with the man he loved for a moment, as they read the message in each other’s eyes. 

 

When I return from this mission Yuki, you will be mine, just mine. 

 

I don’t have to make you wait any longer Toya. That alone makes me so happy. 

 

Yukito stepped back from Touya and transformed again, this time the moon guardian taking on his more ethereal appearance, donning his white robes, and complete with the impressive pair of wings. Tomoyo stepped forward and took Yue’s hand with her still injured right hand, interconnecting their little fingers as the pair before them had done. Unlike his usual self and unlike Touya, Yue did not try to protest. 

 

“I cannot wait to be by your side again Yue-san, so please wait for me,” Tomoyo said. 

 

“I will. Return safely,” Yue said simply.

 

“Unromantic and boring,” Keroberos stuck his tongue out from his perch on Sakura’s shoulder. Tomoyo felt Yue’s fingers brush lightly against the fabric of the cloth that kept her wound wrapped. “Just get this done already so that I can go home and sleep,” he added. 

 

When Syaoran completed the magic spell on Tomoyo, her eyes turned glassy, and at the same moment, Yuna’s pocket watch that she firmly held in her hand disappeared. Her body swayed to the side, about to fall from her kneeling position on the ground. Yue knelt beside her, gently easing down the upper part of her body on his lap, as he activated his magical barrier. 

 

“It has started,” Yuna remarked. 

 

“Tomoyo is with me,” Touya told everyone. “We are going now,” Of course, no one else could really see Tomoyo’s soul, since it was a power that was unique to Touya, and Touya only. But Syaoran, Sakura and Keroberos waved anyway. 

 

Touya placed his hand on the hardened bark of the cherry tree, silently asking for permission to enter. Tomoyo or rather her soul trailed behind him. She was somewhat relieved to find that her soul still retained the illusion of her body rather than being some shapeless entity. The tree glowed with a golden light, and in the next moment, everything went pitch black. 

 

“Touya onii-san,” Tomoyo called out in alarm. 

 

“I am right here,” she heard him speak. At the next moment it seemed that someone had flicked a switch on, and suddenly they were surrounded by millions of tiny stars, washing everything in a heavenly glow. 

 

“Kinomoto-san, Daidouji-san, pardon me for this slight inconvenience.” they turned around at the sound of someone’s voice that resonated around them. A man was approaching them. As he got closer, Tomoyo thought that the man looked a lot like Fujitaka-san in his younger years, only somewhat quirky, with an even quirkier smile on his face. 

 

“So, you must be the mastermind behind all these,” Touya faced the man. “Our whole lives are in jeopardy right now because of you and your stupid plans, minor inconvenience indeed,” he rebuked brazenly. 

 

“I understand your dissatisfaction, Kinomoto-san,” the apparition of the man continued to speak pleasantly. “But please believe me that I did not intend for all these to happen. Yukito was only meant to be a temporary facade for Yue until he was ready to emerge,” he said. 

 

“Yuki is as real as I am. Our feelings are real, he doesn’t deserve this,” Touya gritted his teeth. 

 

“Considering the purpose of his creation, it is nothing short of a wonder that Yukito’s heart fell for his best friend. Even more wondrous is the fact that Yue is drawn to you, Daidouji-san,” the apparition of Clow Reed turned towards Tomoyo. “Someone so utterly devoid of magical powers, and yet Yue would give everything he has just to protect you. Most astounding,” he remarked. 

“I respectfully disagree,” Tomoyo spoke. “Not everything is dictated by magic, Clow-san. Or maybe not the form of magic that you have practiced and lived by,” Tomoyo said firmly. “Yue-san actually wanted me to tell you that his soul is free now and not controlled by your magic anymore. It seemed that earlier you did not even believe that it was possible that someone created from magic would have a soul,” Tomoyo told him. 

“Soul? I never found any evidence that beings created from magic have them. I guess I did not know my own creations. Or perhaps, I do not understand my own power,” Clow reflected. “All my earlier actions were in the interest of Yue, to ensure that he continued to exist and continued to have the magic he needed for sustenance. For that purpose, I figured that it was best to have his heart tied to that of his master’s. But I knew Yue would not allow anyone else into his heart so easily. That’s why I schemed to place Yukito and Sakura next to each other. It seemed only natural that the feelings of the Yukito’s heart would eventually find its way into Yue’s too, and their mutual feelings for Sakura would cause Yue and his facade to fuse into a single entity - into the most perfect man that has Yue’s grace, and Yukito’s gentleness, a man that Sakura-san could love and cherish,” Clow smiled. 

 

“That’s the most disgusting plan that I have ever heard of,” Touya lunged at Clow, reaching for his collar. “My sister was just a fifth grader when this mayhem started. How could you expect that she would just give her heart to Yue, when was not even mature enough to understand her own feelings, you perverted freak,” he yelled, trying to shake Clow Reed violently by the collar of his robe, but failing to displace a single strand of the dark hair that fell on the man’s face. 

 

“Touya onii-san,” Tomoyo called him apprehensively. 

 

“Have you really not noticed that I have already left my mortal body at this moment of time?” The black canvas of the sky dotted with stars disappeared from their view, and in the next moment, they were standing amidst a wintry landscape, with leafless branches weighed down by snow, and the ground covered in white. “Unfortunately Touya-kun, you cannot beat up a dead man,” he smiled, unperturbed by Touya’s outrage. 

 

“You must be feeling so lucky to get away without consequences,” Touya dropped his hands to his sides and breathed heavily. 

 

“Who said I got away?” Clow Reed said. “Touya-kun, the cards and Yue awakened several years earlier than I anticipated since Keroberos fell asleep on his job, and failed to keep the cards sealed. I did not expect your sister and Yue to meet until much later. But I apologize regardless,” he placed his hand on his chest, and gave a small bow. “You see, no magician can perfectly predict the future. We can see several possibilities, some more likely than others. We have to base our plans and decisions on that,” he tried to explain. 

 

“So, you are telling us you had no idea that all these would have happened?” Tomoyo asked. 

 

“Let me try to explain. When we try to see the future we see a series of images. The more likely the event is, the brighter its image will be. When I saw a really bright image, I thought it was just perfect for my plan. My plans were already in motion when I actually cared to inspect the other images more closely. I saw  Sakura blush at Yukito in one of them, but instead of the woman that she was supposed to be as per the brightest image that I had seen, I was surprised to find that the image was that of an elementary school going girl. Still, I thought my plan had a chance. Then I saw Yukito stealing these fond glances at the boy who was supposed to be nothing more than his best friend, and soon I saw that same boy returning those glances. They were faint, but they were there, and at that point I began to doubt my own plans. There were other images of course, even fainter, but I did see Yue spending more and more time with Sakura's best friend. Of course, I have to remind you that it did not make much sense to act upon these seemingly unlikely events happening,” Clow Reed paused. “You see, Tomoyo-san, the future that we see is not deterministic, it is a combination --,” 

 

“Of different possibilities,” Tomoyo beat Clow Reed to the words. He smiled, adjusting the glasses on his nose. Not that they needed adjustment though, considering that it was just Clow Reed’s soul that took this illusory form to communicate with them, Tomoyo thought. “You cannot exactly know the future until you observe it happening. Just because something is less likely, it is never guaranteed that it won’t happen,” she added. 

 

“So, we all were Schrödinger’s  cats in your little experiment,” Touya  scowled. Even in such a difficult situation, the analogy made Tomoyo smile. 

 

“Pardon? What cats?” Clow Reed looked confused. 

 

“Never mind,” Touya made a vague gesture with his hand, not really feeling motivated to explain quantum physics to an ancient magician. 

 

“Clow-san,” Tomoyo spoke, directly addressing the magician. “My time is limited, and I have promised Yue-san to return,” Tomoyo glanced at the golden pocket watch held in her hand. It’s minute’s hand was advancing in the reverse direction, as Kaito-san had told. "I am not here to judge you for those plans, or to evaluate their justification. I am sure you had your reasons. After all, all of us are actually selfish, just in different ways. I cannot really judge you when I am here for my own selfish reasons too. And that selfish reason is Yue-san’s happiness, just as Touya onii-san is here to ask for the same for Yukito-san,” Tomoyo said. 

 

“That’s right. Yuki may just be a facade to you, but he is everything to me. As long as I can see him smile everyday with that goofy expression, I will be the happiest person in the world. I don’t need a perfect man,” Touya sat down on the beams of a wooden fence beside them. “I am not going anywhere till you give me his happiness.” 

 

“Ah, but as your companion proclaimed herself, her time is quite limited here,” the amused expression was still plastered on Clow Reed’s face. 

 

“I know that I have no powers like you or Sakura-chan, but Yue-san cares for me nevertheless. That alone gave me the power to come here. My love for him is stronger than any magic, even yours. My friend told me that, and I believe in it. I don’t care what happens to me, I will not leave until you agree to help Yue-san and Tsukishiro-san,” Tomoyo met Clow Reed’s eyes with a steady gaze. 

 

“My my, what a headstrong young lady. I think I am beginning to understand why Yue took an interest in you,” Clow looked amused. 

 

“You cannot dissuade me with such words, Clow-san,” Tomoyo exclaimed. “Tell me, if Sakura-chan was the person beside Yue-san in your brightest visions of the future, why did you show me those dreams? It was you behind those dreams, I am sure. What were you trying to tell such an ordinary girl with no magic such as myself?” she demanded to know. 

 

Clow looked caught off guard for a moment. “I,--. Well, I saw some signs that Yue might want to erase his own existence. That’s why I tried to warn you to prevent that from happening to the best of my ability, because you appeared so often beside him in those hazy images. You know, just as a backup plan,” Clow told her. 

 

“She’s nobody’s backup plan, you callous fool,” Touya hissed. “She’s the one who stopped Yue from disappearing,” he told him. 

 

Clow Reed looked away. It appeared that a flash of pain crossed his facial features. “Tell me what you would like me to do,” he said in a more serious voice. 

 

“Separate Yukito from Yue. They are two separate individuals who do not deserve to be tangled together. Give them the lives that they have always deserved to live, but could not, because of your ridiculous decision to have them co-exist,” Touya said firmly. 

 

“Truly Clow-san, Tsukishiro-san is always the happiest with Touya onii-san. If they could not be with each other in this life, people will stop believing in love,” Tomoyo’s voice trembled. “And I will never let Yue-san feel alone for as long as I live,” she reached out for Clow Reed’s hand, and pressed firmly. “I promise you,” she said. 

 

“Very well. I shall give you all a chance. Before leaving this mortal world behind, I happened to make something with the last of my powers which might be useful to you,” the illusion of Clow Reed turned around and started walking. “Follow me.”

 

The apparition led them through a gated area of the wooden fence into what seemed like a private burial ground, with several headstones jutting out of the ground. Tomoyo and Touya looked at each other in confusion. Clow Reed finally stopped before a distant grave. “What you seek is right there,” he lifted his hand to point towards the gravestone. 

 

Someone lay at the base of the grave, resting against the flat horizontal slab of the tombstone. The white attire of the person merged with the snowy landscape making it harder to detect them from a distance. As Tomoyo got closer, she caught sight of the long strands of silver hair that had captured her fancy so often back in her own time. “Yue-san,” she gasped as she reached the person lying curled up on the ground. 

 

“This must be Clow Reed’s grave,” Touya muttered as he came and stood beside Tomoyo. “What have you hidden here, old man?” He turned his head to address the apparition of the magician who had guided them here, but there was no sign of Clow Reed. They were left standing in a deserted grave, with no one in sight but the moon guardian, who appeared to be asleep on a tombstone, and the snow covering everything in its white sadness. 

 

“Damn it,” Touya folded his fist and punched his own hand. “He tricked us,” he said angrily. 

 

“We just have to find what he intended us to find, onii-san,” Tomoyo said, without taking her eyes off Yue. The familiar pain was building up in her chest once again. 

 

Touya sighed and went to the headstone to inspect it. He brushed off the powdery mass of snow from its base and inspected the writings. “It’s that old geezer’s grave indeed,” he remarked. 

 

“Don’t be disrespectful, we are at his grave,” Tomoyo said softly. 

 

“Well, he did not care to give us the solution, did he? He is still playing his stupid game with us,” Touya said as he moved to inspect the back of the tombstone. Yue continued to lie still, completely oblivious of the presence of the time travelers near him. Tomoyo thought that he was under some sort of magic spell. Not that he could see her anyway even if he were awake, considering that she had left behind her physical body in her own time. 

 

“Tomoyo, look, there’s something here,” her cousin called her.  She walked around the grave to where her companion was hunched on the ground. “Look at these five blocks. Each is marked with its own symbol. We might be onto something,” he told her. 

 

“That’s interesting, because no one normally inscribes anything at the back of their headstone,” Tomoyo knelt beside Touya, inspecting the five square blocks that were slightly raised above the rest of the flat surface. She looked up after a moment. “They are the symbols for the five elements used in magic,” she informed.

 

“Five elements, huh?” Touya questioned. 

 

“Earth, water, fire, air and void - the five bases of the cosmos,” Tomoyo said, pointing out each symbol as she spoke. “Yue-san showed them to me once from a book he was reading at the library. That’s how I know,” she told him. 

 

“Tell me Tomoyo, should there be an order of the elements?” Touya questioned, fingers on his chin. 

 

“I think it is the order in which I mentioned. They don’t appear in that order here though,” Tomoyo replied. 

 

“I am sure there’s something in this headstone. Something like a hidden compartment. Ah, you can actually press these inwards,” Touya pushed the block marked with the symbol of water inside to demonstrate his point. Tomoyo extended her hand and tried to press the next block, but of course nothing happened. 

 

“Oh, I am just a soul now,” she looked down at her hands sadly. "Can't touch anything physically." 

 

“And you don’t have to be much longer. Let’s get whatever Clow wants us to find and return,” Touya said resolutely. “So, these are some sort of buttons. We need to press them in the correct order to open the hidden compartment,” he added. 

 

“Let’s try the normal order then - earth, water, fire, air, void,” Tomoyo pointed at the corresponding symbols once again as Touya pressed the stone blocks one after the another. They held their breath for a couple of moments, but nothing happened. 

 

“The code is something else,” Tomoyo sighed. 

 

“It will take too much time to try out every possible combination without any clue. For all we know the code may be longer than five elements if we consider repetitions!” Touya groaned. “I feel like just breaking this entire damn thing,” he punched the tombstone, ignoring the bruise that immediately appeared on his knuckles. 

 

“Onii-san, please calm down,” Tomoyo tried to reach out to him, but once again, it was meaningless. 

 

“As if you have all the time left in the world to do that,” Touya replied frustrated. Tomoyo took out the magical watch Kaito-san had given her from her pocket and looked at it. Touya onii-san was right. The hands of the watch had advanced steadily, and she was left with only five hours out of the twelve that the watch was supposed to give her to complete her mission. 

 

“We might not have enough time after all,” Tomoyo bit her bottom lip, and looked down. 

 

Touya walked over to the spot where Yue lay on the ground. He grabbed his shoulder and shook vigorously. “Hey Yue, did your dead master tell you something about the code for this damn thing?” he shouted in his ears. “You want to keep sleeping peacefully while the existence of your Tomoyo fades away from our world? Unless that is what you want, why don’t you wake up and tell us how to open this blasted headstone?” Touya grabbed the sleeping moon guardian’s collar and shook some more, but Yue showed no signs of waking up. 

 

“Onii-san, Yue-san’s is under some sort of magical spell. He might be in too much in grief to wake up after Clow-san passed away,” Tomoyo said. 

 

“I understood that,” Tomoyo flinched at the expression of pain and despair on her cousin’s normally determined face. “Then try to wake up your handsome prince with a kiss or something. Knowing Clow Reed, he might have planned for exactly that sort of silly and mawkish thing,” Tomoyo saw Touya rub his eyes with the back of his hands as he left Yue and stood up. 

 

“In my current form he won’t even feel my touch,” Tomoyo sat down beside Yue, feeling tired and hopeless at last. “Perhaps, Clow-san was right after all. Perhaps, I am not the right one for him,” the tears finally fell from her eyes. 

 

“Don’t make me laugh. That guy himself had no idea about the future, as he himself admitted,” Touya went back to the back of the headstone. Tomoyo heard him pressing the stone blocks again. 

 

“Are you really going to try all possible combinations?” she asked. 

 

“This thing is protected by strong magic, so it cannot be broken down. Since your Yue-san has chosen to be a sleeping beauty at this point instead of cooperating with us, what other choice do I have?” Touya said bitterly. 

 

Tomoyo tried to wrap her arms around Yue’s sleeping form and pull herself closer to him. Of course, she did not really have arms to wrap around anyway, but just the illusion of them. There was an indescribable expression of pain that was etched on the young man’s beautiful face which pierced her heart once again. Yue-san, I think I can understand your sorrow now, even if it is just a little . Yue-san, I am so close to you, and yet you are not looking at me, not speaking to me, not scolding me either. Tomoyo thought as she rested her face on Yue’s shoulder and closed her eyes. Look, my lips are so close to your ears. I bet it would make you all flustered back in our own time. I suppose you don’t know me yet at this time. Will you forgive me if I fail to keep the promise that I made to you by failing to return? There’s so many things that I wanted to tell you. Was it foolish of me to think that there were so many things that we could have done together? Tomoyo tried to wipe away some of the tears that were flowing constantly from her eyes, only to be reminded that those tears were also an illusion like the rest of her form. That did not make the pain she felt any more bearable though. Yue-san, I actually want to give you that really silly fairy-tale kiss. Touya Onii-san just called it mawkish, and I am sure you will ridicule me too. But I just realized that's what I would like to do if I get back my mortal form. Is it too late for that? 

 

Back in the present time, Yue watched with a feeling of fear and concern as the tears flowed freely from the closed eyes of the unconscious girl who he held in his arms, her head resting on his lap. He carefully ran his finger along the wet trail on her cheek. Her tears were hot, contrasting against the coldness of her skin. “Tomoyo,” her first name came out of his lips in a whisper, even though his mind had already started screaming that name over and over again. He felt someone's hand reaching out for his shoulder.

 

Yuna D. Kaito knelt beside the moon guardian, and placed his hand on his shoulder, quietly observing his face. The expression of fear on Yue’s face was oddly familiar to him - the fear of losing one’s most important person. For years, Yuna had lived through that fear. “She must be in a lot of pain,” he quietly said. There was not much time left before his protective magic ran out, Yuna could sense it, but he chose not to bring up that point. 

 

Sakura, Keroberos and Syaoran quickly came over. “Keroberos, you don’t think that Clow Reed would do something to hurt her, would he?” Yue looked to the sun guardian with apprehensive eyes. 

 

“I don’t think Clow would harm your favorite person, as eccentric as he might have been,” Keroberos tried to reassure her. “But Yue, the last time I saw Tomoyo cry like this, it was because of you,” Kero raised a paw towards him. “Maybe, your past self is saying something mean to her right now,” he contemplated. 

 

“Kero-chan, this isn’t funny,” Sakura yelled and slumped against Syaoran’s shoulder. She had started to cry herself. “Tomoyo-chan, onii-chan, please come back,” she said in a muffled voice. Syaoran held her protectively, trying his best to hide his own feeling of dread. 

 

“Call her Yue-san,” Yuna said softly applying a small pressure on Yue's shoulder with his hand. 

 

“Does it even have a point now?” Yue’s voice was skeptical. “She’s in trouble isn’t it? Apparently everyone but me thought it was a good idea to let her do this,” he said in an accusatory tone. 

 

“Yue-san, Daidouji-san was the one who wanted this and had chosen to do this,” the sorcerer replied. He understood Yue’s mental state, and decided to look past the bitterness of his words. “Her tears are proof that her soul is still linked to her body. As long as we can see her tears flowing, we have hope. So, please call her Yue-san, and your voice might just be able to reach her soul and bring her back to us,” Yuna D. Kaito explained. 

 

“Yue-san, remember what I said? Love begins where magic ends. Daidouji-san believed me, and I want you to believe it with her. The love that you two share is stronger than the magical forces she might be fighting against now. So, please believe it and listen to Kaito-san,” Syaoran said gently, extending his hand to touch Yue’s arm briefly. 

 

Yue looked at the friendly faces of the people surrounding him. Fine, I have nothing to lose anyway, for without you, Tomoyo, I am a ruined man. He gently lifted her body to position her face next to his own, and brought his lips to her ears. “Daidouji-san,” he said firmly. 

 

“Call her by her first name, Yue-san. I bet she’ll be so surprised; and happy,” Sakura said in a voice that was broken from crying. 

Notes:

Kindly leave a comment if you have read the chapter. Getting some sort of feedback is always encouraging to me to write more. Hope I can update the next chapter quicker than last time.

Let me share another good (?) news. Clear card anime is set to have a second season which will wrap up the arc. Hopefully, it will resolve the Akiho-Kaito situation, and hopefully the guy does not turn out to be actually evil, since I am having him help along in this story, hehe.

Till next time.

Chapter 19: Liberation

Summary:

Touya and Tomoyo refuses to give up on liberating the persons they love from their shared existence.

Notes:

Another character makes a special appearance in this chapter. Hope you enjoy it.

A tall man with long dark hair sat at a large sturdy desk with his back to a big window that allowed the faint light of the dusk to enter inside the dim room. Through a pair of round framed glasses, the man looked at something lying before him on the desk. The faint sound of footsteps could be heard outside the door. Someone was approaching.

"You did not go out for a walk today," a rich, familiar voice said, accompanied by the swish of a long, silk cape that was as white as the first snow of winter.

"Ah, gomen. I did not realize that it was this late already," the man who sounded older of the two, replied.

"Typical of humans to be so oblivious," the second man said airily. A slender arm flicked back a lock of long silver hair, as he seated himself on the edge of the desk. "What had kept you thus preoccupied?"

"I created a new card today, Yue," the man replied.

"Another card? I thought that the set was complete, with the existing cards being equally divided to be placed under Keroberos and I," the man who was addressed by the Chinese name for the moon responded.

"I thought so too. But lately, I had been feeling that this one might be crucial someday," the man said.

"What card is it that you created?" his silver haired companion questioned.

"You will find out someday," the older man smiled.

"I see," the man seated on the desk crossed his arms on his chest and shifted to turn his face away, just a bit of hurt seeping in his voice. "I guess I am not trusted enough," he muttered, looking down.

"I refuse to say anything, because I could be wrong in my perception," the man said, rising from the high backed chair. He stumbled a bit trying to reach for the other man. With lightning quick reflex, the silver haired man caught his companion's arm and gently sat him back on the chair.

"What's wrong with you today? You seem exhausted. The second man kneeled at his side, resting his arms on the wide arms of the chair.

"It has been a long time since we started living in this house, isn't it?" the spectacled man contemplated, without answering his companion directly.

"Indeed, even a day seems to be endless when one has to suffer a pair of idiots on a daily basis," came the brazen reply.

A soft chuckle left the throat of the first man. "My my, I bet none of my colleagues would believe the colorful descriptors you bestow upon your own creator," he said, lifting his hand to rest on the other man's head.

"Creating that card took a lot of your energy," the younger man frowned. "Only a fool would do that for something uncertain," he said.

"Perhaps," the dark haired man glided his fingers over the smooth silver tresses that adorned his companion's head. "But when it comes to you and Keroberos, I cannot afford to take risks," he said softly, almost to himself.

"What has a new card got to do with us?" the other man questioned.

"That's for the future to decide. But for now, I would like you to lock it away," the first man withdrew his fingers from his companion's hair, and reached out for the small stone box placed before him.

The silver haired man inspected the box once it was handed over to him. His brows creased as he scrutinized the four symbols on its lid. "It's a plain mechanical lock. You don't need to use magic to lock it," he observed. "You could have done it yourself, even in your current pathetic state," he added.

"Just do it, Yue. For the sake of someone precious to you," the other man simply gave him a tired smile.

"You know very well that I would do anything you ask of me. You don't have to be so cryptic," the younger man replied, as his nimble fingers worked on the buttons corresponding to each symbol. "Besides, there is none who is precious to me," he added, as the intricate array of levers clicked into place, snapping the lid shut.

"Not even me, Yue?" the other man asked with a fond smile.

"I am not answering your silly questions if you are not answering mine. Here," he held out the box. "You didn't even look at the code that I set. Do you want me to write it down or something for later?" he questioned.

"No, I want you to forget the code that you just set," the first man gave him a mysterious smile.

"Forget it? You will have to break the box then, once you need the card," the other man said.

"I am afraid that won't be possible, for I shall place a magical barrier against any sort of physical damage to the box," the man who wore the reading glasses told him.

"Spending so much of your magic on something, just to lock it away permanently. How pointless and ludicrous," the younger of the two snapped. He slowly moved his hand to rest on his companion's arm lightly. "You should not be so whimsical, Clow. Your power is no longer the same as it once was," he chided softly. "You don't want us to know, but unlike Keroberos, I am not actually dense. I can feel it sometimes, even if it is for a fleeting moment," he added quietly.

"Daijoubu, Yue," the other man placed his hand over his companion's pressing it lightly. "The mind might forget, but the soul always remembers. That's how the box will be opened one day, if need be," he told him.

Tomoyo-san, Tomoyo-san, the faraway sound of someone's voice calling Tomoyo's name over and over again forced her eyes to snap open from the vision that she was having, and the array of images in motion disappeared instantly. She found herself resting against the still sleeping Yue san in her illusory form, one of her hands on his heart and the other resting atop his head. What was the vision that she just saw? Wait that was…Tomoyo pinched her eyes and tried to burn the most recent image that she saw into her memory. When she stood up after a moment, her virtual fingers were shaking. "Touya onii-san," she called the young man who was still frantically trying to open the box encased in Clow Reed's tombstone. "I have the code," she announced.

"What? How did you…?" Touya began.

"I think I saw Yue-san's memories, but I am not sure myself. Please, just hurry and try it," Tomoyo pleaded, feeling helpless that with her soul drifting outside her body, she could not physically touch or move anything.

A few moments later, the lid of the box parted with a click as Touya pressed the buttons in the order given to him by Tomoyo. The eyes of the two sparkled in hope, as Touya slowly lifted the lid, and inserted his hand inside. "There's something here, feels like an envelope," Touya carefully pulled it out, and shook it to get rid of the thin layer of dust that had settled even within the enclosed box. Tomoyo's eyes widened as she scanned the object her cousin held. An intricate magical circle drawn over a dark red background. A single word came into view as Touya turned it over. "THE SPLIT."

"You have got what you came here for. Omedetou," a deep voice said behind Tomoyo. She turned to find the apparition of Clow Reed's soul standing a few fee away, smiling serenely, as if he was quite pleased with himself.

"It was a damn test, then," Touya stood up from his kneeling position.

"You don't expect me to just give away my best creation to the first person who comes asking for him, do you Touya-kun?" Clow Reed said in response.

"Yue-san is not your puppet. He is not an object that you can give away. Even if you have created him, that's not fair. I am sorry, but I cannot agree with you," Tomoyo said, a sudden surge of fierce protectiveness overshadowing her usual calm demeanor.

"I don't think we disagree on that point, Tomoyo-san. That's why I actually did nothing. I let Yue decide if you could have him or not. Touya-kun wouldn't be holding that card now if Yue's soul did not allow you in," he explained.

"His soul, allowed me in?" Tomoyo blinked, not fully grasping the statement.

"Of course. Yue may not know you yet, in this time. But a soul always recognizes its other half. It is a rule of the universe, infallible and immutable," Clow smiled. "I have no shame in admitting that I was not always right. Yue always believed that beings created from magic had a soul. I never did, until today. I was perhaps too proud to admit that the future of someone whom I created with the finest magic that I possessed would be tangled with an individual so utterly devoid of magical gifts. But today, the connection of your souls have story that I was convinced was written in the stars when I planned for Yue's future," Clow Reed explained.

"Or maybe, you just read it wrong, old man," Touya replied cheekily. "Perhaps, it was your sense of superiority in possessing exceptional magical powers which clouded your vision. Maybe, your precious Yue was destined to be with Tomoyo all along, but you refused to believe it initially. Probably, it was actually you who had wanted to change the writing of the stars by planning this dual identity charade," Touya said.

"Perhaps," Clow Reed shrugged and did not seem to mind. "But you wouldn't have got Yukito in your life if not for that dual identity plan," he smiled amicably.

Touya huffed. "You are not getting a thanks from me."

"That's fine, but before I say goodbye, I want to thank the two of you for refusing to give up on Yue and Yukito." Clow smiled, adjusting his glasses again.

Tomoyo looked at Yue, still hunched motionless on the ground. It had started snowing again, the tiny snowflakes gathering like fine dust on his silver brows and his sleek hair. His wings were sprawled out on the side in such an awkward angle that Tomoyo feared that they might break soon, if not broken already. He looked like an exquisite statue of a divine being carved from ice that had been tossed away carelessly. Even before we actually met, his soul knew it was me, she thought with fresh tears in her eyes. "What will happen to Yue-san from here?" she asked the apparition of the most powerful magician before her.

"From here time will take its course. When you find Yue again on the other side, tell him that I am sorry for selfishly trying to ensure that my creation never ceased to exist. At that time, I felt that as long as Keroberos and Yue existed, Clow Reed would be remembered. Little did I know that Yue would merely exist, but forget to live, which now I find quite meaningless. Tell him that it is finally time for him to move on from those selfish wishes of mine which had bound him thus far, and finally live - in whatever way he wants to, for however long he wants to. Tell him that I wished his liberation," the apparition began to fade away

"Clow-san, matteo," Tomoyo held out her hand in a vain attempt to delay his departure.

"Saraba," the deep voice resounded with a single word, as Clow vanished without a trace.

"Yue-san," Tomoyo sank to the ground again, and tried in vain to brush away the powdery snow falling on his face with hands that were not made of flesh and bones.

"Tomoyo," Touya said sternly. "We need to leave now."

"I'm not leaving Yue-san in this state. He is in so much pain," Tomoyo cried, clinging to the moon guardian. She knew his past was sad, but even she could not have imagined the extent of that sadness until today.

"I know. But you can't save him from this pain, Tomoyo. This is something that already happened before we even existed. At this time, Yue doesn't even know you. The Yue who knows you is waiting on the other side. If you don't leave now, it will cause him even more pain on top of what he had already experienced in the past. Is that what you want?" Touya tried to reason with the younger girl.

Tomoyo shook her head wildly. "Our souls are connected. Surely, you heard what Clow-san said," she was about to add something more but stopped suddenly. Tomoyo-san, Tomoyo-san, Tomoyo, there it was again, that faraway voice beckoning her. A voice very familiar, but distorted, as if it passed through the waves of the ocean to reach her ears. Someone was calling her from the other shore of time. A voice that she must answer, she had to.

Tomoyo stood up again, and looked at the watch that she was given to keep track of time. "You are right," she gasped, as she began to hasten towards the direction of the tree that held the time portal. The watch had only about 7 minutes or so to go before its magic ran out and its hands returned to its initial position. Please kami-sama, take me back to my Yue-san, the Yue-san who loves me, Tomoyo prayed as she realized how foolishly she had wasted a few precious minutes, by succumbing to her raw emotions.

The two haven't made their way back to the present yet when the thing that they dreaded the most happened. The watch that had been steadily ticking in Tomoyo's hands stopped suddenly, leaving an ominous silence to engulf them. "Touya onii-san," Tomoyo's frightened voice called. They didn't even know how far they were from the other opening of the portal which led to their own time. As she tried to take a hasty step towards him, all of a sudden it seemed that a void had opened up beneath her feet, dragging her inside. Tomoyo screamed in terror, as she heard Touya call her name and reach out for her. But she continued to fall deeper into the abyss as Touya's face steadily disappeared from her field of view. She closed her eyes and waited for her to hit something at the bottom. Or perhaps, she would hit nothing but continue to fall through this bottomless pit somewhere in the time dimension for all eternity. Kaito-san did warn her of the danger that the maze of time might thwart her from her course, and swallow her soul once the protective magic in the watch ran out. "Yue-san, gomen-ne, I have failed you. I was not strong enough. Okaa-san, I will probably not see you ever again. I am so sorry," closing her eyes, she screamed at the void.

Suddenly, someone's hands caught hold of her arms with a jerk and pull her upward. "You should never say such a terrible thing, dear. Sonomi-chan wouldn't like it one bit," a woman's sweet voice told her. Tomoyo slowly opened her eyes to look at the person who was holding on to her arms and was steadily dragging her upwards by the power of some unseen force. It was a beautiful woman, with long gray hair, green eyes, and a face she has seen in many photographs over many years, each one of them dearly treasured by the said woman's husband. "Nadeshiko-san," Tomoyo gasped in surprise.

Nadeshiko or rather her soul smiled fondly at her. "I am sorry we got to meet at a place like this. You shouldn't have come here. But I guess you have grown up to be just as headstrong and dauntless as Sonomi-chan," she said contemplatively.

In the next instant, Tomoyo flung herself into the arms of the apparition before her. "That's not true Nadeshiko-san. I am not fearless. I am so scared right now. So utterly terrified that I won't see my mother again. That I won't be able to keep my word to Yue-san," she told the aunt whom she never had a chance to meet when she was alive.

"Shh, it's alright now. I won't let anything happen to you," Nadeshiko comforted her niece in a soothing voice as she held her. Tomoyo felt she was set down on something, though the soul of her mother's long dead cousin still held her in her arms.

"Mom?," she heard Touya's voice and footsteps approaching them.

"Touya-kun," Nadeshiko turned her face towards her son. "I saw Sakura-chan crying before the goshinboku a while ago. So, I came here to check what's wrong," she explained. "And what I found is your poor cousin about to get trapped in a time hole. Tomoyo-chan shouldn't have come here," she looked again at the poor girl in her arms.

"I know that, but without Tomoyo's help, we wouldn't have got what was needed to separate Yukito and Yue," Touya explained. "Clow Reed had set it up in that way. Besides, we could have returned safely with the help of that watch, if only she was less stubborn and agreed to leave when I told her to. " he told her.

Nadeshiko's eyes drifted down to the watch that Tomoyo still clutched to her chest. Her eyes widened marginally. "Who gave you that watch, Tomoyo-chan?" she asked kindly.

"Kaito-san did. He's a very powerful magician, and he's also my friend's...," Tomoyo had to stop there for she did not really know a single term that adequately described the quaint relationship the two shared, despite her knowledge of Akiho's feelings on the matter. "He cares a lot for my friend, and also takes care of her," she rephrased. "He told me how to use it, and that we had to return before the watch resets itself, which is when the magic would run out."

"Kaito-san?" Nadeshiko tilted her head sideways, and thought for a moment. "Ah of course, Yuna-kun," she clasped her hands together happily, and somewhat childishly, Tomoyo thought. "I thought I saw someone familiar back at the tree, but I couldn't stop to really notice. I am happy to know that the reclusive little boy Lilie-chan had befriended had grown up to be such a kind young man. His magic has grown so much with him if he could use this watch," she said.

Lilie? Tomoyo thought she had heard the name before. She was about to ask who that was, but then Nadeshiko-san was already holding out her hand before her. "Can I take a look at it, Tomoyo-chan?" Tomoyo nodded and handed the object to her, thinking it held some sentimental value if Nadeshiko-san had perhaps known its original owner.

Nadeshiko held the watch between her hands, and closed her eyes. When she returned the watch to her a moment later, it had started ticking again. "Nadeshiko-san," Tomoyo exclaimed. "What did you do?"

"Just replenished the magic that ran out. Now, hurry up and go back, and don't stop anywhere on the way, alright?" she said, gently stroking the side of her niece's head.

"Arigatou, Nadeshiko-san," Tomoyo said as tears of gratitude and relief ran down her cheeks. She could return to her own time after all.

"Mochiron. I never want to see someone close to Sonomi-chan being taken away from her ever again," she added a little plaintively. "Touya-kun," she stood up, and approached her son. "I see you have finally found what you have wanted all these years," she told him.

"Hai, mom," Touya answered softly.

"I am so proud of you," Nadeshiko wrapped an arm around her son, holding him in her embrace. "That boy is so precious, he makes you happy," she sighed contentedly. "He reminds me of your father a bit, you know,"

"And dad says Yuki reminds him of you. Whom should I believe now?" Touya gave a soft laugh, and there was a gentle gleam in his eyes.

"Fujitaka-san and I are both right. I know you will be a wonderful husband to Yukito-kun. Give him my thanks for always being there for you and Sakura-chan," Nadeshiko kissed her son softly on the cheek. "Take care of Tomoyo-chan on the way back," and with that she was gone - vanished as suddenly as she had appeared.

The scene at the base of the goshinboku was quite gloomy. Yue sat on the ground, motionless like a stone, Tomoyo's body still held protectively in his arms. He had been calling her name over and over again a white ago, but he had not spoken a word in the past few minutes. Syaoran had nothing more to say to give hope to a still sobbing Sakura, as his own dwindled rapidly with each passing second. Yuna looked pale and helpless, and Keroberos paced before the tree in his true form, thumping on the ground with his big paws.

"Kaito-san, what will happen?" Finally Syaoran dared to voice the question to the more experienced magician, with whom his interactions in the past had not been quite pleasant.

"Unless a miracle happens…," Yuna left the sentence unfinished and lowered his eyes to the ground. Syaoran got up impatiently, and stomped towards the tree. "Damn it," Sakura and Yue-san would never forgive me for agreeing to do this to Daidouji-san, he cursed himself for giving in to Tomoyo's pleas to assist her with the process, as he slammed his closed fist against the tree.

But Syaoran Li's fist never made contact with the rough bark of the tree. "Oof! Oye, watch it, bumbling brat," someone said in a gruff voice. The young man yelped and took a few steps back as someone fell out of the glowing trunk. Touya lay on the ground clutching his ribs. Syaoran's blow had landed there as he was exiting the time portal.

Sakura got up to her feet and sprinted like a dart towards her big brother. "Onii-chan, I was so scared. I thought I would never see you and Tomoyo-chan again," she fell over him, bawling like a baby.

Yuna keenly observed the girl still lying motionless in the moon guardian's arms. A moment later, the shiny, gold watch appeared in her hand. Yuna D. Kaito finally let out a sigh of relief. "She's back," he lowered himself on his knees and pressed a hand on Yue's shoulder.

"Daidouji-san," Yue called sternly, his sharp eyes not leaving her face for a second.

Tomoyo's eyelids fluttered a few times before they finally opened. "Yue-san," she mouthed in a weak voice. "You are really alright," she breathed in deeply.

"That's what people are supposed to tell your foolish self. Don't scare me like that ever again. Do you understand," Yue reached for her face.

"Hai," Tomoyo tried to smile a little bit as her fingers wrapped around the pale hand that touched her face. "Kaito-san," she noticed the other man beside Yue and lifted her hand that held the watch. "Arigatou... Couldn't have made it... without your... help," she muttered with difficulty, with long pauses between the words. It seemed she was struggling to move and speak.

"You did well," Yuna hesitantly reached out and placed a hand on the girl's head before retrieving his watch from her hand. His eyes grew wide in surprise as he glanced at the watch. "There is still so much magic left in it. A magic different from mine. How is that possible?" he questioned.

"Nadeshiko-san," Tomoyo answered faintly, her eyelids drooping close.

A look of both surprise and understanding passed over Yuna's face but he did not say anything else. Yue adjusted the girl in his arms so that her head could rest on his shoulder. At that point he could care less about what happened and how. Just the fact that she had returned to him was enough. "It seems she cannot get up yet. Will she be alright?" he asked.

"Of course. Just allow her enough rest. She should be fine in half a day's time. Time travel is not easy. It drained her life force, even through the connection that her soul maintained with her body while she was there," Yuna explained.

"Great, time to go home and get some sleep. I have a game to complete tomorrow. You people waste so much of my time," Keroberos complained in his usual flippant manner, now that the tension of the situation had dissipated.

"Sakura," Touya called his sister when she seemed a bit calmer after knowing that both her brother and best friend returned unharmed from their time traveling adventure. He took out the card that they had retrieved from the other side of time. "Keep this card safe. The darned magician had made this for separating Yuki and Yue. But before he kicked the bucket, he had ensured that it would not be easy for us to find it; had hidden it within his blasted tomb, made Yue lock it up and asked him to forget the key code," Touya told everyone as he took heavy breaths.

"Then how did you manage to find it?" Kero asked, curiously.

"It seems Tomoyo's soul could connect with Yue's and see his memories," Touya answered, trying to stand up, but his legs felt unsteady.

"Onii-chan, time travel has snapped your energy as well. Let Kero-chan carry you home," Sakura said, holding on to her brother's arm.

"Don't need help from that nuigurumi," Touya replied in a drowsy voice.

"Sakura, tell this ignorant fool that I am a powerful and noble being," Keroberos growled.

"Hai, hai Kero-chan. Onii-chan is obviously an idiot," Sakura started dragging her big brother to place him on the back of the sun guardian in his true form.

When they all returned home, Sakura instructed Yue to carry Tomoyo up to her room, and place her on her bed. The girl was nearly passed out from exhaustion, and barely moved as she was put to bed by the man she had risked everything for. Fujitaka was out of town for a seminar, and Tomoyo had already told Sonomi that she would spend the night at Sakura's place. So, without the need to immediately explain things to anxious parents, a feeling of relaxed ease fell upon everyone. Yue changed back to Yukito, who immediately went to check on Touya in his room. There, he found that the young man was already fast asleep in his bed, which was really expected considering that he was struggling to keep his eyes open and his pace was unsteady as he walked up the stairs and to his room a while ago. His face was buried in his pillows and one of his arms hung out awkwardly from the edge of the bed.

Yukito knelt beside Touya's bed and took the hand that was suspended outside the bed. With his other hand he reached out to stroke his face. As he slept, Touya almost looked like the young boy that he had fallen in love with several years ago. "Thanks for coming back to me, Toya," the gray haired young man softly pressed the hand he was holding. That boy from many years ago who had grown into this wonderful young man had waited for this day patiently for all these years. Touya had kept every one of the promises he had made to his Yuki. Now it was Yukito's turn to keep his end of their promise. Yukito leaned forward to press his lips against Touya's ring finger.

As Yukito was making coffee in the kitchen the next morning, Sakura came bounding into the kitchen with Keroberos on her heels. Keroberos beelined to fridge in search of his morning snacks. "Ohayo," Sakura said energetically.

"Ohayo, Sakura-chan. Your onii-chan is still asleep. Strange isn't it?" Yukito smiled at the girl. Indeed, Touya woke up before anyone else on most days. "Want some coffee," he offered.

"That trip to the past sure did knock them out. Tomoyo-chan is also still sleeping like a baby," Sakura said as she brought out some coffee mugs. "Your brew smells wonderful, Yukito-san. Pour me some," she said as she handed him the mugs.

As they sat on the couch sipping the first cup of their morning coffee, with Keroberos sprawled on the coffee table before them munching on a donut and going over the morning newspaper with a serious face, an idea struck Sakura. "Ne Yukito-san, as those two are still sleeping, why don't we use this time to give them a nice surprise?" she asked.

Yukito lowered the coffee mug from his lips. "You mean.."

"Let's use the card now to separate the two of you," an excited Sakura suggested, clasping her hands together.

Yukito shrugged. "Well, if Yue-san is ready then so am I," he smiled.

After finishing the coffee, Sakura went up to her room to fetch the card that Clow had named as split. While walking down the stairs, she nearly tripped seeing her elegant moon guardian seated on the couch in Yukito's place in the living room. Even after so many years, it still startled her to see Yue randomly appear like that. She supposed that it was due to his imposing personality.

"You intend to perform the incantation immediately," Yue spoke.

"Hai. If Yue-san agrees as well," Sakura replied.

"Let me see the card," Yue extended his hand. When Sakura gave it to him, he inspected both sides carefully. "It is a one time use card," Yue said as he handed it back to her. "Clow had never made something like this before."

"Ano, that means …," Sakura started.

"It means just that dummy, that it would disappear after one use. But Sakura, you have to be careful. We don't know what kind of personality the card has. It might try to escape," Kero explained.

"Kero-chan, stand guard for that possibility," Sakura said. "I won't fail you and Yukito-san," she said, looking at Yue, as she took out her key from her pocket and readied herself with a determined expression on her face.

When the card was invoked by the young cardcaptor, a column of light materialized into a large mirror, approximately the size of a human. "Now, what are we going to do with this? Didn't we have a mirror card already?" Kero said. Sakura also seemed a bit bewildered. Kero circled the mirror like a curious cat. "I don't see anything extraordinary," he commented. "Clow better not have fooled those two. He never wanted this you know," he added, looking meaningfully at Yue.

Yue's heart sank at the thought. But he refused to believe that the man he once trusted so much would trick two innocent people like that. He quietly approached the mirror and stood before it, but his silver brows arched upwards as soon as he did. "Keroberos, what do you see within the mirror?" he questioned his companion.

"Huh? I can see your surly face, and your ridiculously long hair, and of course my beautiful true form. Just ordinary reflections," the sun guardian tried to joke. as he came to stand beside his moon counterpart.

"Since my other form doesn't have the attributes that you described so generously, I presume that we are seeing different things in the mirror. I can see Yukito instead in the reflection," Yue noted.

"Hontou," Sakura came over quickly.

"Mirrors are the most common facades for magical portals," Yue reached out and touched the glass surface. As soon as he did, he felt someone grabbing his hand and pulling hard. Yue didn't resist as half of his arm went inside the mirror in a flash.

"It's working," Sakura exclaimed. She and Kero watched in awe as Yue entered into the mirror. Once he had completely gone inside, they could no longer see him or Yukito. In fact, the surface of the mirror went completely blank. It did not even show them their regular reflections.

"Will they be alright?" Sakura exclaimed shakily.

Keroberos looked to be at ease. "Ah, Clow would never make something with the intention of hurting Yue," he answered.

The room lit up as another column of light appeared before them at that instant. When the light dissipated, two men stood before each other. Astonishment filled Yukito's eyes as he took in the true form of the moon guardian clad in white silk, with moonlight hair falling past his knees. Even the excited cheer from Sakura faded into background noise as the truth finally sunk in. He was finally free to be his own person, and so was Yue-san.

"Would you stop staring like an idiot?" Yue's annoyed voice brought Yukito back to reality.

"Gomen, Yue-san. You are even more magnificent in person than what everyone describes you to be," Yukito smiled. "I am so fortunate to finally meet you, after all this time," he bowed to the angelic figure before him. "Thanks for giving me the chance to be with Touya. We took away so much of your time. I could never repay your kindness with the gratitude that I have always felt for you," he told the man with whom he had shared an existence for so long.

"I was not doing any of you a favor, considering that I did not have much better things to do anyway during the times that you speak of," Yue looked away, feeling slightly uneasy at Yukito's emotional dialogues.

"But now you do, for the sake of Tomoyo-chan," Yukito suddenly grabbed Yue's hand and managed to pull him into a hug, even though the moon guardian was taller. "I am so happy for us," he exclaimed.

"You are awfully forward considering that this is the first time we met," Yue told him as Yukito released him from the embrace a moment later. So unlike me, he thought.

"Ah gomen," Yukito bowed again. "I am just really excited to meet you," he smiled sheepishly.

Sakura stepped forward and wrapped her arms around both Yukito and Yue, hugging them like a small teddy bear. "Onii-chan, and Tomoyo-chan would be so happy. Finally, everything will be alright," she sniffled a bit, trying to blink away happy tears, and Yukito and Yue simultaneously placed a hand on either side of the girl's head.

When Yukito went back to Touya's room, he found that the man was already seated at his desk. "You're awake," he called softly as he entered.

"Yeah," Touya said casually.

Yukito approached Touya's chair as the other man continued to type something on his laptop. "Toya, look at me for a moment," he said.

"Wait till I finish this email," Touya remained focused on his work.

Yukito reached out and grabbed Touya's hand, pressing it down on the keypad. "I've waited for a long time. Don't tell me to wait anymore. Toya, just look at me."

"Yuki, what is it that you want? I was just ….," the rest of the words remained in Touya's mouth as his eyes met the amber gaze of the young man before him. His mouth parted in surprise. "Yuki, don't tell me you already ….," this time also what he was about to say remained unfinished as soft lips pressed against his mouth. Touya's mind barely registered the kiss as Yukito pulled away.

"Yue-san is with Tomoyo-chan now. So, in this room, it is just you and me Toya," Yukito said a little shyly as he seated himself on the edge of the desk.

Touya stood up instantly as Yukito confirmed what his own senses had picked up by that time. When their eyes met, Touya had noticed the absence of Yue's aura, but the kiss from his long time love came just as swiftly. Touya placed his hands on Yukito's shoulders and drew him to himself. "Yuki, tell me that you are mine, and it is true this time, for many times, I have been fooled by dreams," he whispered, voice raspy from the emotions that bubbled at the base of his throat.

"Hai, To-ya! in my entirety, and for eternity. And it is real this time," came the soft answer.

Touya smiled and leaned down to meet Yukito's lips once again in a kiss that was long, long overdue. Suddenly, it felt that the decade that had passed by since the time they first confessed their feelings aloud to each other faded away to bring back the two high school teenage boys who poured all the innocence and affection of their hearts in their first kiss. Touya's arms wrapped securely around his Yuki, one hand cradling the back of his head, as their lips moved against each other. As he parted his lips to allow Touya to deepen the kiss, Yukito gave himself entirely to the feeling of completeness that he felt for the first time in Touya's arms. For the first time since he remembered, his pain of someone else that he had always carried within his heart was not there. He felt light as a feather, and free as a bird. He did not even realize that tears had started rolling down his eyes, until Touya drew back to look at his face.

"Geez, you are too emotional," Touya gently removed the hazy glasses from the eyes of the gentle, kind man who had taken his heart. He kissed Yukito again, this time on his forehead. "Whenever you cry like this, and go out with puffy eyes afterwards, Sakura thinks that we had a fight, and everytime it is my fault," he said.

"Except that it is really your fault this time," Yukito said between smiles and sniffles. "For being so amazing," he added, trying to process the sensation of Touya's lips gently following the moist trails left by his tears on his face and down to his neck. He did not know what he did to deserve this man's love, but he did know that he was blessed that he had him, and he would not have it in any other way.

"I met Yue-san for the first time today," Yukito leaned against Touya's chest. "No one would believe that you chose me over an absolutely stunning man like that. But I am so happy, and so thankful that you waited for a simple guy like me," he declared.

"Hey, should I be jealous now that you found another man stunning? Never heard that from you," Touya huffed, pretending to be ruffled.

Yukito giggled. "Objectively, To-ya. You were right. He does look like some exquisite painting with a do not touch label. Quite intimidating," Yukito smiled.

"Tomoyo would be able to take down that label in course of time, if only for herself. She is both patient and sweet. I think she's perfect for Yue. I am neither of those, and I am perfectly content with this four-eyed dork of mine, thank you," Touya fondly smiled as he wiped Yukito's glasses and placed them back on the bridge of his nose, and pulled him close.

"To-ya," Yukito called after they were silent in each other's arms for a while. "I want to tell you something today," he looked up to the handsome face of the man who held him.

Touya withdrew his arms from around Yukito's torso and took a step back, nodding silently. The shorter man hopped off from his perch on the desk. "To-ya," he uttered his name again and held his hand. In the next moment, Yukito was down on one knee, still clutching the hand of his high school best friend.

"You have given me so many things that I never asked for. Someone to love, a family to cherish, and a reason to exist. You, Kinomoto Touya, had given me hope for the future - our future, when you asked if you could take my last name one day. This was about an year ago, and at that time, I could not give you what we both wanted because I did not have the liberty of an independent existence. But today, I've been granted liberty, which you ensured, and thus empowered me to give you what I could not that day. So, will you accept it today?" Yukito's confident voice cracked a little at this point. However, he cleared his throat and continued. "Will you accept my last name as your own, and perhaps allow me to do the same?" he gazed up at the towering man before him with hopeful eyes.

"Impressive speech," Touya chuckled. "I suppose you could have just shortened it to just a few words though," he also knelt so that the two men faced each other. "Something like, will you marry me," he sighed, as both of them moved their faces simultaneously until their foreheads met.

"Are you asking or answering," Yukito huffed.

"Perhaps both," Touya did not seem to care much, as he pressed their foreheads together.

"Answer me properly then. Like a gentleman who has the ring ready for his fiancé," the gray haired young man told him.

"The ring?" Touya looked mildly surprised.

"Don't expect me to not take notice if you fall asleep with the jewelry box on your bedside table," Yukito smirked.

"There goes my surprise out of the window. I was so tired yesterday, I just fell asleep before I could put it away," Touya rose from the floor with a disappointed sigh, moving to retrieve the said jewelry box.

"Since I am a gentleman, I didn't actually open the box. So, you still have a bit of surprise left to offer me," Yukito said with a smile on his face. "I still have to get one for you though …," this time, it was Touya who silenced him with a chaste kiss.

"No need. I got a pair for both of us," he opened the velvet box to reveal the glitter from two gold bands that resided within. Yukito's smile widened.

"Marry me," Touya said very quietly and with a tiny hint of a blush on the tan skin of his face, as he slipped the ring on the pale finger of the man before him. Tears fell from Yukito's eyes once again, and over their joined hands. His vision went blurry, and something hurt in his chest, but unlike previous times, this time it actually evoked a pleasant feeling.

"Hey, maybe you can put on the other ring on your dear future husband, once you are done with being silly and spacing out, Yuki," Touya said in an amused voice, as he drew Yukito close to comfort him once again.

Notes:

So, everyone from Kaito-san to Nadeshiko-san coming forward to help Tomoyo is in some sense her reward for the selfless and unconditional help that she had extended to others so many times, without any regard for her own happiness. It is canon that Nadeshiko's ghost paid a visit to Yuna D. Kaito, and from my limited knowledge of clear card, it seemed that Kaito's watch actually belonged to Lilie Shinomoto, and Nadeshiko also had something to do with it. From that perspective, I hope that the plot in this chapter made sense.

Hope you liked the TouYuki content towards the end. TomoYue will follow in the next one for anyone who is interested. Please review if you found the chapter/story interesting and worth your reading time. See you next time.

Chapter 20: Distance

Summary:

Tomoyo and Yue talk about their relationship and makes further progress. Somewhere far from Tomoeda, Touya and his fiancé gets married.

Notes:

Apologies for the late in posting this. Hope the longer chapter makes up for the long delay to some extent. To all those who are still reading, thank you. I promise to finish this fiction. Perhaps it will be take two more chapters to finish the story.

When Tomoyo opened her eyes, the first thought that hit her was that she had never started her morning with a better sight till that day. The sight that her eyes eagerly took in was that of long flowy silver hair, flawless pale skin, and long eyelashes. It seemed that Yue-san had fallen asleep as he watched over her. He was still seated on the floor beside the small bed in Sakura's room, but his head, resting on his forearm was on the bed right next to Tomoyo's. The two usual inhabitants of the room were nowhere in sight.

Tomoyo tried to move her limbs, which still felt heavy. At least she could keep her eyes open, unlike last night. She dragged her arm on the bed, wrinkling the sheets a bit, until her fingers were close enough to reach Yue's face. She placed two fingers on his jaw very lightly, and then slowly started to move them upward, tracing his cheekbone. "Ohayo, my sleeping angel," she said softly, as the serene expression on her angel's face brought a smile to her lips.

Yue's eyes opened slowly, and focused on Tomoyo's face. The shade of blue in those eyes looked softer in the morning light, and Tomoyo realized how badly she wanted to wake up everyday, and see the free blue sky right in the eyes of the man she loved. Only a day earlier, Tomoyo would not have even dared to indulge herself with such thoughts, scared that her lovesick heart would be left broken and devastated, once the delusion of impossible dreams faded away. But today, such fanciful dreams were within her reach; Yue-san was within her reach.

"How are you feeling?" the smooth voice of the moon guardian pulled Tomoyo out of her thoughts.

"I still feel somewhat lightheaded, and my limbs feel like they are made of lead when I try to move, but I am already a lot better than last night," she replied.

Yue lifted his hand to cover Tomoyo's which was still hovering over his face, fingers barely brushing his skin. He closed his eyes again. The residual fatigue that still remained in Tomoyo begged her to do the same, but her mind tempted her to keep her eyes open, and keep them fixed on Yue-san's beautiful face. She lay her palm flat against Yue's cheek, taking in the softness of his smooth skin and the warmth that seeped into her skin from his hand atop hers, as well as his face beneath her fingers. Tomoyo blinked her eyes a few times, as if to assure that this was real; that she had really made it back to her time, and to her Yue-san. Finally, she moved her head closer so that their foreheads touched, before closing her eyes again.

The two fell into a peaceful trance until an excited squeal in a girl's voice that came from outside made Yue leave Tomoyo's side and go to the door. "Has a fire broken out in the house?" he asked coolly.

"Yue-san, onii-san gave a ring to Yukito-san this morning, can you believe it?" Sakura almost ran up the stairs. Yukito followed close behind.

"It would be harder to believe if he had waited until afternoon, considering how your brother pined for him," Yue remarked flatly.

"Lke the way Tomoyo-chan was pining for you?" Yukito said in a teasing voice following Sakura up the stairs, grinning widely. Yue simply looked away.

"Tsukishiro-san," Tomoyo said as she slowly raised her head from the pillow at the sound of the voices at the door. "Is that you?" she questioned as she saw the young man's bespectacled face peering from the door. "Wait, but Yue-san is here, how–,"

"Tomoyo-san," Yukito entered the room and gently took Tomoyo's hand in his as the girl slowly sat up and leaned against the headboard. "From now on, you don't have to wait until Saturday to see Yue-san. Isn't that what you wanted?" he asked gently.

Tomoyo's eyes sparkled as she took in the information. "The card worked! It really worked," her voice almost choked as beads of clear water began to gather in the corner of her eyes.

"Hai. I am so sorry I could not give you more of Yue-san's time earlier. I would expect Yue-san would make it up to you for that," he turned his attention to the moon guardian with a playful smile. The other man looked away again with an annoyed expression on his young face.

As Tomoyo held Yukito's hand and thanked him, her mind finally registered the brush of the metal against her fingers. She looked down and inspected. "A ring?" she said, as a large grin appeared on her face.

"An engagement ring. From my idiot onii-chan," Sakura clarified with a grin that matched that on her friend's face.

"Omedetou," Tomoyo bowed her head immediately and offered her congratulations. "I couldn't be happier for you and Touya onii-san," she said. "Where is onii-san, by the way?"

"He's working at the university. He will be home by evening," Yukito replied. "Sakura-chan, Fujitaka-san is returning home today isn't it?" he asked, turning to the short haired girl.

"Hai. Otou-san will be so happy when he hears that you two are finally together for good. I can't wait to tell him," Sakura continued to smile brightly.

"Sakura-chan, maybe you should let Touya and I talk to him first. It's not just about our engagement, but also about our past; and our future. We have decided that I have to tell Fujitaka-san everything about who I am before I can ask him to accept me as part of his family," Yukito said.

"You are already family," Sakura came and gave Yukito a reassuring hug. "I am sure otou-san would understand."

"Ano," Tomoyo seemed a little troubled. "Since your history is linked to Yue-san, could you please tell Fujitaka-san to not talk about it to my okaa-san?" she said.

Yukito smiled. "Of course. Sonomi-san would not know a thing until you are ready. I will tell that to Fujitaka-san," he gently patted Tomoyo's head.

"Onii-chan and Yukito-san are moving abroad soon,," Sakura said with a hint of disappointment in her voice.

"We wanted to stay here, actually," Yukito looked thoughtful. "I don't want to complain but as the laws are right now, we won't be able to get married in this country. It would break my heart to call him anything but my husband after all that he has been through for my sake"

The cheerful atmosphere that pervaded the room shifted at those words. Tomoyo sighed discreetly. Sakura muttered that it is not fair under her breath.

"You should be thankful that you belong to an era which at least allows you to fly to several countries that would give recognition to your relationship in the form of matrimony," Yue remarked from where he stood leaning against the doorframe, arms crossed on his chest in his signature pose.

"Yue-san, that's not the kind of thing Tsukishiro-san wanted to hear right now. You are as mean as ever," Tomoyo chided the silver haired man, who only scoffed and looked away again.

"It's alright, Tomoyo-chan. The truth is not always pleasant, and we have to live with it, while trying our best to make the world a better place for people who will come to dwell here after us. I am sure the people who lived during the time Yue-san had lived through, felt that way too. That's why now, we are at a better place, right?" Yukito smiled with his usual optimism. "In any case, Touya and I were lucky to get offers in the same university. It seems the best choice for both our careers and our lives," he added,

After exchanging some more words, Yukito and Sakura left the room, with Yukito offering to make lunch for Tomoyo and bring it up as soon as it was ready. Left alone in the room with the moon guardian, Tomoyo turned her attention to the man. "Yue-san, can I see your true form?" she asked.

Yue looked slightly confused. "This is my true form," he replied.

"I mean your complete form. The one that you take when you fly," Tomoyo clarified.

Yue closed his eyes, as the pair of white wings appeared on either side of his back. He walked towards Tomoyo, and sat down on the edge of the bed gracefully. "Were you scared that I would lose my wings somehow because of the magic that separated me from Yukito?" he asked.

"I don't know," Tomoyo shrugged. "Maybe, I just wanted to see them for some reason. They are so pretty," she extended her hand towards him but held back. "May I?" She waited for his approval.

When the silver head nodded ever so slightly in assent, Tomoyo's fingers made contact with the feathery softness of the angel's wings. This was the first time Tomoyo touched those delicate ethereal set of feathers that cut the wind with such powerful force when their owner took to the sky. "Utsukushi," the word came out in a sigh from Tomoyo's lips as her fingers gently caressed Yue-san's wings.

"You seem to have taken a fancy to my wings," Yue said.

"Wrong! I have taken a fancy to you," Tomoyo corrected.

The tips of Yue's nose and ears reddened, but at the same time he pulled Tomoyo close to himself. "You are being quite generous today, Yue-san," Tomoyo said with a happy giggle as she settled down in his arms, with her head resting on his chest.

"Be quiet. You don't know how I felt yesterday when I held your unconscious form in my arms. I am simply getting rid of that unpleasant feeling," Yue said.

"Unpleasant feeling? As in feeling that your heart is being ripped out of your chest, and that your lungs are full of water, while your eyes are on fire? Yue-san, I think I might have experienced something akin to that unpleasant feeling that you refer to; during that long flight from Vancouver to Tokyo that seemed endless. Unlike you, at least I told you before going to find Clow-san on the other side of time," Tomoyo's voice died down to a bare whisper at the end.

"It was not my intention to make you undergo such a miserable experience, Daidouji-san" Yue regarded the girl's face as he spoke. Then he drew her face closer and proceeded to press his lips against her forehead gently. Tomoyo's eyes fluttered shut at the contact. Never had she imagined that a man's lips could be so impossibly soft. No, that was not quite right. She had actually never imagined the feel of a man's lips at all, until it came to this beautiful man, who she thought was created from moonlight and dreams and a hell lot of cynicism, who managed to change Tomoyo's heart along with all the convictions she had about herself.

"If that is supposed to be an apology for that day, then you might have to repeat this kiss everyday," she said. "And I would like to be just Tomoyo-san to you, if you don't mind," she told him.

"I don't," Yue said softly.

"Which one? The kisses or the first name?" Tomoyo continued to tease him.

"Both, but only if you stop acting so brash," Yue responded.

Yuna D. Kaito visited Sakura's place in the afternoon. The man was headed to the airport to fly back to Montreal. He explained it was Akiho's wish that he ascertained for himself that her friend had reasonably recovered. So, basically, Yuna had come to check on Tomoyo. By that time Tomoyo had regained most of her energy, and was ready to head back home. Although his formal etiquette was perfectly upheld, the young man did not quite seem to be in high spirits.

"You are worried about Akiho-chan aren't you?" Sakura asked, noting his gloomy demeanor.

"About her health, to be specific," Yuna took the last sip of the tea he was served and set the cup down elegantly.

"I am sure she will feel better once you are back at her side," Sakura tried to cheer him up kindly. "She must be waiting for you." she added.

"Actually, Akiho-chan has been waiting for you for a long time, you know. It has been years already, as far as I know," Tomoyo said.

"I am not sure that I quite follow," Yuna responded in a quiet voice.

"You don't or you don't want to, Kaito-san?" Tomoyo tried to press further, ignoring the disapproving frown she received from Yue who sat across from her in Sakura's living room.

"I am just her caretaker," Yuna said after a long silence, avoiding the direct question Tomoyo had thrown at him. A quiet breath left his lips as he spoke the words.

"Akiho-chan has grown up. I don't think she needs a caretaker anymore. If she tells you as much tomorrow, then what will you do Kaito-san? Would you just bid her farewell and move out of her life, never to see her again?" Tomoyo questioned.

"Daidouji-san, that's enough," Yue said sharply.

"If that's necessary for her happiness, then sure, I'll do that without a moment's hesitation," Yuna stood up abruptly. I should take my leave now, "I wish you well, Daidouji-san, Yue-san, Kinomoto-san," with a polite bow, he wheeled his small luggage out of the room and towards the exit. Tomoyo let out a disappointed sigh.

"You cannot fix everyone's lives, Daido–, Tomoyo-san," Yue said sternly. "It is not your place to comment on such matters."

"Actually, so far, my performance at fixing these kinds of things have been very good. Ask Tsukishiro-san and Syaoran-kun," Tomoyo gave a small smile. "And yourself too perhaps. You men are such stubborn idiots at times. Akiho-chan is a dear friend, and I wish to see her happy."

"You are the stubborn one here," Yue shook his head. "I hope it turns out well this time," he said.

The next day, when Tomoyo arrived at the spot where she was supposed to see Yue, she found that the man was already there, calmly sitting with a paperback on his knee and two geese on either side who were trying to snuggle up to him, repeatedly brushing their slender necks against his legs, and bumping his knees with their heads.

"I see that you have got company," Tomoyo said, as she stood before the handsome man.

"You are exactly eight minutes and seventeen seconds late," the man replied, taking a peek and the watch on his wrist, and going back to indifferently flipping the page of his book, and stroking the head of one of the large birds lightly with his finger tips.

Tomoyo blinked a few times. "An old lady asked me for directions to a particular shop, so I stopped to help her out, OK? Not everyone in the world is a mean perfectionist like you. And now these geese are stealing your attention," she huffed, and sat down at the other end of the bench. Although she pretended to be annoyed, actually, it made her a little giddy to think that her Yue-san's angelic aura attracted all sorts of innocent animals to himself. She knew that dating such a dashing man would come with a set of challenges, but at that moment she decided if she had to share his affection with books and animals only, she did not really mind.

Yue took his wallet from his pocket, and pulled out some currency notes. He extended them towards Tomoyo. "Go buy some food for them," he calmly instructed

"Why don't you go? They are your guests after all," Tomoyo said.

"I'll let you buy an ice cream with the change for your effort," Yue replied, his eyes stuck to the pages of his book, clearly disinterested in the suggestion.

"Yue-san! I am not a kid!" Tomoyo rolled her eyes at the man. She snatched the currency notes from Yue's fingers anyway, and walked away.

The girl returned with a plate of boiled corn and a strawberry cheesecake flavored ice cream. Some mobile food carts came to the park during the afternoons to sell various treats for the birds and small critters who inhabited the park, as well as for the kind folks, both kids and adults who enjoyed feeding them. The geese were enticed by the treat that they were offered and Tomoyo led them away a little further to a shady spot where a bird feeder was stationed for the geese. She emptied the contents of the plate in the feeder before trashing it, and returned to Yue. For a while, the two just sat beside each other, with Yue reading his book and Tomoyo enjoying her ice cream. Finally, when she finished the treat and delicately wiped her lips with a tissue, Yue shut the book and looked up.

"Tomoyo-san, did Clow say something hurtful to you that day?" he questioned.

Tomoyo seemed a little startled as the question came from nowhere. She vigorously shook her head. "No! Not at all. Why would you think that? Touya onii-san was very livid with him though. But Clow-san didn't seem to mind," she said.

"You were crying," Yue simply stated.

Tomoyo closed her eyes and the image of Yue lying broken at Clow Reed's grave flashed in her mind. It was almost enough to make her cry again. "It's just that I was feeling so helpless when we could not find the object Clow san wanted us to find, and I thought I would never return back to my time," Tomoyo said. She knew that she was lying, but the last thing she wanted to do was to remind Yue-san about that unspeakable pain he went through after Clow Reed had passed away, leaving him alone and broken.

Yue simply nodded. It seemed that the response was convincing enough for him to not question her further. "You and Clow-san seemed really close," Tomoyo said after a few heavy moments of silence.

"We were," Yue responded brusquely.

"I could tell how much you loved him even before I really got to know you back then," Tomoyo said in a quiet voice. Immediately afterwards though, she felt like punching herself for the insensitive comment she made even after knowing everything. Why did you raise that sore topic? Do you want to hurt him so bad? Her mind screamed at her.

"It would be insincere of me to deny the love that I had for my former master," Yue angled his perfect face to look at Tomoyo, and she found those intense blue eyes looking straight into hers as soon as he raised her head. "But Clow was not my lover," he clarified.

"Oh no! I didn't mean –, and I don't care actually," Tomoyo waved her hands rapidly, as she tried to dismiss the topic.

Yue extended his own hand and caught hers. "I would like you to listen regardless," there was a hint of plea in his sharp gaze. Tomoyo's shoulders slumped and she nodded for him to continue.

"Clow never wanted me that way, though I feel obliged to tell you that I would not have refused him if he did," he told her.

"Does that bother you, Yue-san?" Tomoyo asked, ignoring the tightness in her own chest.

"Not really," Yue took a deep breath. "As long as I could stay by Clow's side, it did not matter if he wanted me to be his friend, brother, or lover. But Clow never wanted me to be any of these things to him," he paused briefly. "I suppose neither of us nor anyone else could define the relationship that we shared. I never thought that I would continue to exist in a world without Clow Reed. That was all I knew back then," he lowered his gaze to the ground.

"Yue-san, do you feel the same way about me? I mean are you indifferent to the nature of our relationship too?" Tomoyo dared herself to ask the question. A strange dread crept into her heart as she awaited his answer.

"It's similar. As far as my feelings for you go, there's nothing that I wish for more than to see you happy and safe. I suppose that such a feeling for another person is termed as love by humans,," Yue said in an even tone. "This is what I wanted to tell you that day, before you left to see Clow Reed on the other side of time."

Tomoyo considered the words carefully. From all the silver haired young man beside her had told her, it seemed that the type of love did not matter much to him. "I'll never be able to love you like a brother though," she finally said. "I mean, I get what you are saying, I also love you as a friend, but that's not –," Tomoyo abruptly stopped at that point.

"That's not the only way you love me, being friends is not the only way you want to see our relationshp," Yue completed the sentence for her.

Tomoyo lifted her eyes to the face of the most beautiful person she has ever known, seemingly surprised by the directness of his words. She tried to look away immediately, but Yue caught her chin between his deft fingers. "Am I wrong?" he asked.

Tomoyo shook her head slowly. "Humans are selfish, Yue-san. I'm sorry that–,"

"You have nothing to apologize for, especially never be sorry for how you feel. And, did they not teach you the difference between the same and similar in school?" Yue retorted, removing his fingers from her face.

"Yue-san, please don't confuse me like this," Tomoyo said, somewhat annoyed at that point.

"You told me that I'm the most important person to you. It would be a lie to say that I would remain completely unaffected if someone else becomes more important to you than I am. I also bear this unreasonable hope that you would always let me be the one to protect you. I never felt that way towards anyone else. Not towards my current master, not even towards Clow, my former master. That's why I specifically said that my feelings are similar, not same," there was a faint blush on the pale cheeks that made the young man look even prettier than he already was. A bright smile appeared on Tomoyo's face as she heard the words. She was about to say something, but Yue continued. "It's up to you to decide and tell me what you want me to be in your life from now on," he said.

"Yue-san, you want me to propose again, don't you?" Tomoyo hugged his arm and gave him a playful smile.

"What do you mean by again?" Yue asked in an indignant voice.

"Ahh, my bad. I thought I confessed to a certain moon angel. But, being the deity of propriety, he requires a formal proposal," Tomoyo smile turned into a soft giggle.

"Don't be ridiculous," it might be just the last orange rays of the day's last bit of sunshine, but Tomoyo thought that the color on her beloved moon angel's face had deepened as he looked away from her.

Tomoyo rose from her seat and stood before the man she loved. "Yue-san, please look at me," she urged him in a sweet voice. His eyes automatically found their way back to her lovely face, on which his calm gaze rested.

"Yue-san, please take care of me from now on. And please allow me to do the same for you," Tomoyo kept it short and simple, as she gave him a courteous bow.

Yue took Tomoyo's right hand, still wrapped in gauze and slowly lifted it to his lips. "I shall do my best to honor your request," his thin lips brushed against her hand as if to seal the potent promise carried by the few words he gave her.

At that moment, bathed in the last sunlight of the day, with a light breeze blowing through her hair and with the cool grass beneath her feet, Tomoyo felt that life has given her more than she ever deserved. With a quiet mutter of thanks, she sat beside Yue, interlocking their fingers together.

"When are you going back?" Yue was the first to break the silence that had descended upon them.

The expression of contentment on Tomoyo's face shifted. "I don't want to," she pouted like a schoolgirl.

"As a student, I would expect you to uphold your end of the commitment as an exchange student this year," Yue remained serious.

"You are sending me away?" Tomoyo pulled her hand away from Yue's.

"To fulfill your commitment, yes." Yue said in an emotionless voice.

"You said that we would watch the first sakura blossoms together," the hurt in Tomoyo's voice was evident.

"I never said that it has to be this year," Yue told her.

"You are still the same heartless Yue-san," Tomoyo complained.

With a soft sigh, Yue extended his hand and placed it on Tomoyo's head. "Tomoyo-san, I don't want you to have regrets."

"I would never regret choosing to be with you over anything else." Tomoyo said stubbornly.

"That's easy to say when you are young and naive," with gentle pressure of his hand, Yue slowly turned the young girl to face himself. "Don't let me be your weakness, Tomoyo-san."

This time, Tomoyo understood. Yue-san felt guilty for a lot of things. He would blame himself if she had to choose between him and her academics, and ended up with a break of a year in her studies. Even though it was painful for her to be away from her love for a full year, it would be the kinder thing to do for Yue-san's sake. One year was probably not a significant time to a being like him anyway. "Fine, I will complete my exchange year and return to you. And then, we shall see the cherry blossoms together." she told him. She leaned closer to rest his head against his shoulder. A few moments later she looked up feeling his soft breath on her face. Yue-san's face was very close. It seemed that he was searching for something in her face, and his lips almost brushed the tip of her nose. He held her gaze for a moment before tilting his head back which moved his face away from her immediate proximity.

So, five days later, Tomoyo was at the airport to catch the early morning flight to Vancouver, to resume her exchange program. A part of Yue was almost scared to bid Tomoyo farewell at the airport. The girl was a bit upset and if Yue was correct she was crying to herself when he called to check on her the night before. But Sakura persuaded him to go and see her off anyway. Sakura pulled Sonomi aside strategically to allow Yue and Tomoyo to speak. Tomoyo did not speak much. "You look awful today," Yue finally said.

"Thanks for the compliment, A lady couldn't be more flattered," Tomoyo responded sarcastically.

"It is the truth. You shouldn't have exhausted yourself by crying last night," Yue said.

Tomoyo sighed. Of course Yue-san could tell. "Forgive me if I am not overjoyed about leaving the only place I knew in my life, for leaving the only people I know… and love," she said.

With a quiet sigh, Yue rested his hand on her head. "I will be right here. Call me if you want," he told her.

That seemed to cheer Tomoyo up a bit as a small smile appeared on her lips.

Sonomi turned to Yue once Tomoyo had walked past the security checkpoint. "May I know your intentions with my daughter?" she asked directly.

"Would my answer change your opinion of me?" Yue replied coolly, as if he had expected the question. He did not even turn to look at Sonomi.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Sonomi furrowed her brows.

"That means that if I tell you that I have no interest in the rich heiress's fortune, you would still find it hard to believe me anyway, and I get it," Yue said.

"Yue-san, that's not what Sonomi-san asked," Sakura tried to intervene, sensing that the conversation was heading in an unpleasant direction.

"I have made my intentions clear to Tomoyo-san. Ja ne," with that the silver haired man walked away leaving a bewildered girl and her annoyed aunt at the terminal.

"I can't believe that Tomoyo would fall for such an insolent boy," Sonomi remarked at the somewhat rude dismissal.

"Yue-san might not always be polite with his words. But he cares about Tomoyo-chan. A lot," Sakura tried to defend the moon guardian. "He's also very responsible. Yue-san's the one who persuaded Tomoyo-chan to continue her exchange program this year," Sakura informed quietly.

Shortly after Tomoyo's arrival at Vancouver, the cherry blossoms started blooming. There was a large tree right on the side of the path that led to the small apartment that she was leasing for the duration of her stay. Tomoyo's longing gaze lingered upon it for a few extra moments each time she passed by it. Her days were busy, but Tomoyo never fell asleep on a single night without thinking of her Yue-san.

One such night, Tomoyo had a dream. In that dream, she was standing beneath that cherry tree, laden with pink blooms. Someone stood underneath that tree - someone who had pale skin and long silver hair. Sharp blue eyes met hers as an elegant hand reached out for her own. Her dream self eagerly accepted it as she stood before the young man who was then literally in her dream. He seemed to be asking her something, she was not sure what it was, but she herself nodded slowly. The handsome man leaned closer, and all she could do was to stare at the perfection that was his face.

When Tomoyo opened her eyes, they were damp. Her hand was over her heart, which was racing wildly. She lifted her fingers and rubbed away the warm, wet trail that ran down her cheeks, before slowly sitting up on her bed. She grabbed her phone from the nightstand and looked at the time. It was late evening in Japan. Yue-san, I want to see you, onegai. She texted.

The wait after that seemed endless, but finally her phone rang. It was a video call, from Yue-san who usually preferred to communicate via short text messages. Tomoyo answered the call and positioned the phone close to her face. On the other end of the line, Yue-san seemed to be sitting before his laptop, wearing a Yukata and running a blow dryer through his long silver hair. Well, that explained the delay. "Why are you not asleep at this time of the night?" He started the conversation with his usual chide.

"Yue-san," Tomoyo just called his name, shifting a bit to lie on her side, while still facing the moon guardian on her phone screen.

Thin silver brows furrowed ever so slightly. "You have been crying," Yue said. Tomoyo sighed. Yue-san always knew. He knew it from the almost unnoticeable quiver of her voice and from the slight puffiness of her eyes. Even when he was thousands of miles away and could only watch her through an electronic screen in a room lit only by her bedside lamp, he knew.

"I had a dream," Tomoyo snapped. "About a certain mean guy," she added.

"And what did that odious individual do to make you cry?" Yue questioned.

Tomoyo felt her face heat up a bit at the memory of the dream. "We were standing under a big cherry tree, and –," she paused abruptly, searching for the right words.

"Finish your account," Yue said at the long drawn pause.

Tomoyo did not speak immediately. Yue gave her an annoyed glare and shifted his attention back to drying his long hair. The setting felt almost intimate; as if they were in the same room going through their daily evening routine, even though they were on two different sides of the world. "Yue-san, you didn't even kiss me before I left Japan," Tomoyo finally said.

Contrary to Tomoyo's expectation, Yue did not appear surprised or shocked. "Is that what happened in the dream?" he asked in an even tone, running his long fingers through his hair. Tomoyo nodded, burying her hot face halfway into her pillow.

"And you are sulking because it's not real," Yue commented. "Such childish silliness."

"If only you learned to put your great wisdom into some practice," Tomoyo said bitterly.

Yue set aside the blow dryer and focused his attention on Tomoyo's face on the screen. She heard him sigh once before he spoke. "It is not that the thought did not cross my mind," he told her.

Now that was something Tomoyo didn't expect. She opened and closed her mouth, visibly shocked. "You mean back then you had wanted to kiss me, but held back?" he questioned the silver haired man, who quietly nodded in response. "Why?" she asked again.

"I did not want to make it more difficult," he said softly.

"Difficult for whom?" a wave of fresh tears threatened to choke Tomoyo's voice.

"For you," Yue responded without hesitation. "Perhaps for the both of us, but my particular concern was for you," he added after a moment.

Tomoyo allowed her tears to fall freely as the actual wisdom Yue had shown in this particular matter finally became evident to her. The memory of a stray kiss or two with Yue-san would have made this distance from him more unbearable than it already was to her. Perhaps, she would not even be able to leave his side in the first place. And being a responsible person, Yue-san had made it clear that he did not want their relationship to hinder her progress as a student. At least now, there was something that she could look forward to.

"Tomoyo-san, You need to be patient. When we meet again, I will ensure that this particular dream of yours comes true," the moon guardian assured her.

Tomoyo wiped her tears. "I don't think you can do that," she said. "I will be visiting during the winter holidays, there won't be any cherry blossoms then," she told him with a smile.

"You should get back to sleep rather than fretting over trifles, Tomoyo-san," Yue chided.

"I don't think I can do that just yet," Tomoyo said. She slowly sat up on her bed. "Can you stay with me for a while longer?" She asked.

"Is there something else that you wish to tell me?" Yue questioned

"Not really. But there's a new song that I have learned to sing recently.I wanted Yue-san to hear it," she said softly.

"Do as you please," Yue pretended to indulge her. If he were truthful to himself, he had to admit that if there was something that he missed most about Tomoyo, it was the melody of her voice that had brought solace to his soul every time he was treated with one of her songs.

Tomoyo took the pillow from her bed and placed it on her lap, folded her hands together, and began:

You will quietly reside in my heart
Like the silent, secluded full moon night.
My youth and my life, my entire world
Will be illuminated with glory by your presence
Much like midnight is by the moon.

Your kind eyes will stay awake to watch over me
The shadow of your cape will always drape me
My sorrow and pain, my fulfilled dreams
Will be fragrant by your essence
Much like midnight is by the moon.

Touya and Yukito's wedding involved a quiet celebration at the small apartment they had rented in Chicago, once they moved to the United States that summer to take up their roles as researchers at the university there. Sakura and Fujitaka had arrived about a week ago, and Tomoyo considered herself fortunate enough to be able to fly out on a Friday evening. Sonomi had also promised to do her best to attend, and indeed she arrived on Saturday evening, just in time for the wedding on Sunday. Ruby Moon had also flown from London, not wanting to miss a once in a lifetime opportunity for pestering the new couple.

The affairs for the day were quite simple. The couple went and registered their marriage, followed by a quiet celebration and dinner with the friends and family who had gathered for the occasion. Any religious officiation was still out of the question in almost every part of the world when the couple in question was two men or two women, but in this case, Touya was more than happy to skip that part. Of course, Ruby still ensured that the two got to exchange their vows, and Tomoyo ensured that she captured the best shots of them with her expensive video camera. Yukito became emotional and forgot most of the lines he prepared, and at the end could only sniffle on Touya's shoulder, quietly expressing his gratitude and declaring that he would stay by his side as long as Touya wanted him to. Touya quietly chastised him saying that he should know that as long as meant forever in their case, as he passed him a tissue to wipe his teary eyes. Tomoyo and Sakura had also teamed up to bake a wedding cake for the couple, while Fujitaka and Sonomi teamed up to cook a few traditional Japanese recipes. Yukito was extremely flustered and kept offering to help everyone with these tasks, but he was quickly pulled aside by Ruby, who was trying to persuade Touya to include some cute couple poses in the photoshoot. "I am not doing any of those," Touya said grumpily.

"Not even if your precious husband wants you to?" Ruby Moon winked at Yukito.

"He doesn't want that either," Touya claimed.

"But I do want to take some nice photos with my husband on our wedding day," Yukito looked at Touya with a pleading smile. Seeing the helpless expression on the taller man's face, Ruby did a small jump in glee, and rushed out to get Tomoyo to film them.

"You really want us to be like those sappy couples?" Touya raised an eyebrow at the man he married that day.

"To-ya, I just want everyone to be happy on our wedding day. I did not want to disappoint Ruby-san. She came all the way from London just for us," Yukito again smiled that innocent smile that he knew Touya was unable to resist.

"It was your idea to invite her. And You are kind to everyone but me," Touya complained.

Yukito touched his hand briefly. "Daijoubu, To-ya. I will take the lead since I agreed to her. We will not do anything that makes either one of us feel uncomfortable," he said.

Tomoyo and Sakura soon joined them with Ruby. Tomoyo suggested a few simple things that they could do as she checked the camera. Touya looked extremely bashful as he sat down, letting his husband hug him from the back while standing. "You look even more handsome when you blush, To-ya," Yuki giggled next to his ears.

"Shut up now, or I'll divorce you," Touya said.

"I will tell Sakura-chan that onii-chan is being mean," his husband replied.

Tomoyo recorded a video of the candid conversation between the couple with a smile, though they were speaking too softly for the words to be actually recorded, their expressions were still priceless. She then asked them to look at the camera for a still shot. After a few more shots that involved casual hugs and holding hands were taken, Ruby whined. "What's a wedding without a proper kiss?" she said.

"I am leaving," Touya got up immediately.

"Onii-chan is too shy," Sakura laughed.

This time, Yukito did not agree with Ruby either, but he simply held Touya's arm to stop him from leaving. "Ruby-san is just joking, To-ya. Don't take her seriously," he told him.

"Ruby-san has spent most of her days in the UK where such a custom is indeed prevalent. It is not usual for Japanese weddings though," Tomoyo tried to subtly convey the cultural difference to end the matter there. "I have got some beautiful pictures of the two of them," she smiled. Fortunately, Ruby seemed to understand and did not push the matter further.

"Their height difference looks so good, ne?" Sakura said with sparkly eyes as she looked at the screen of the video camera, which showed Touya standing behind Yukito with a loose arm around the shorter man's frame.

"It's so cute," Ruby agreed spontaneously. "Someone else is going to have the same height difference with their husband one day," she clapped Tomoyo's back suggestively. "That idiot is so lucky," she gave her a mischievous grin.

"I would be the lucky one if that happens. We have not been together for so long as Touya onii-san and Tsukishiro-san, or Sakura-chan and Li-kun. Who knows if Yue-san would even want us to –," Tomoyo sat down, not wanting to articulate her concern further.

"I can assure you about that," Yukito said, leaving his husband's side to walk over to them. "Tomoyo-san, I could feel Yue-san's heart for years, so you must believe me when I say that Yue-san would not hesitate to do something that would make you truly happy," he smiled.

"Arigatou, Tsukishiro-san. I would be the happiest one in that case," although Tomoyo's cheeks were dusted with a faint shade of pink, she smiled openly.

After dinner was done, Tomoyo stood at their small balcony, looking out on the softly-lit street, which was quiet at that time of the evening, except the sounds of the cars passing by intermittently. Inside, Touya and Sakura's voices could be heard. The siblings were once again bickering about something. Yukito stepped out onto the balcony to stand beside Tomoyo. "Arigatou, Tomoyo-chan. You worked so hard today for us, to take all those pictures and videos," he thanked sincerely.

"No problem. I sent a few photos to Yue-san, he has sent his best wishes, see?" Tomoyo held up her phone.

"Yue-san could have attended if we had got married in Tomoeda," Yukito sighed softly.

Tomoyo kept silent not knowing what would be the correct thing to say. "Touya had to leave so much behind to be with me," Yukito spoke again

"Yukito-san, Touya onii-san is happy to be here with you. Isn't this what you both always wanted?" Tomoyo asked.

"Gomen, Tomoyo-chan, I suppose I should not complain. I am so lucky that Touya wanted me to be his husband," the gray haired young man smiled, as he heard the noisy footsteps of his sister-in-law and her loud voice calling for Yukito-san.

Yukito was putting away the dishes in the dishwasher after their guests had retired for the night to a vacation home, which housed them for their short stay in Chicago. Touya walked into the kitchen, and perched himself on the countertop. Yukito quietly told him to go and rest and that he would be done with his chore shortly. However, the taller man did not make any effort to leave. As Yukito finished loading the dishwasher, Touya extended his hand to grab his arm and pulled him closer, even before the other man had time to wipe the water off his hands. "Touya, I told you to wait," Yukito chastised.

"I couldn't. Not when you are like this," the dark haired man responded.

"Like what?" Yukito gave him a puzzled look, his hands landing on his husband's shoulder, leaving damp spots on the dress shirt that he was wearing beneath his dark suit jacket for their wedding reception.

"Yuki, I never thought I would see sadness in your eyes on our wedding day," Touya lifted his fingers to brush fringes of gray hair from Yukito's forehead.

"What are you talking about Touya?" Yukito chuckled. "How could I be sad after marrying the most handsome, most caring, and the second most grouchy man I have ever known?" he said, gently taking the hand that caressed his face, and placing his lips on the center of his husband's palm.

"Then I must have married an imposter, for the Yuki I know would always hum stupid tunes to himself while doing the dishes after living through a good day," Touya remarked.

Yukito's expression changed. He leaned forward and rested his chin on his husband's broad shoulder. "I meant everything I said earlier, To-ya. You have fulfilled a dream for me. A dream that neither of us even dared to see at one time. But to chase this dream, you had to come so far away from your country, from your family that loves you. Here we have no one but each other, and we have to wait till our next trip to Japan to go and see your okaa-san," Yukito became emotional, recalling the request Fujitaka made of his son and son-in-law, asking them both to remember visiting Nadeshiko's tomb as a married couple when they visited Japan.

"They are your family too, Yuki. Don't tell me that you are not more attached to Sakura and dad than even I am," Touya put his arms around his husband's torso. "Yuki, if I could change the world to make it a better place for you, I would not hesitate to do it. But in this case, we would probably be gone from this world before the system changes in our own country. Even if I am born in this same world a million times, I would do the same thing to be with you, without a shred of regret," he declared.

"We were together even before we confessed. We were always together, To-ya. We could just have an informal wedding there. You would eventually feel lonely here, you know" Touya could not see his husband's face but from the way his voice cracked he knew that his eyes must be full of tears. His Yuki was still as soft and sentimental as he used to be in high school. He was suffering because he missed his land and the people , a land which would not accept him for who he was.

"You know very well that an informal wedding does not give us any rights. Our relationship is no different than what a man and a woman have when they get married. I refuse to belong to a place which refuses to treat us equally," Touya told his husband. "I felt lonely when I was so much in love with you but had to think twice to even hold your hand, fearing that it would make Yue feel uncomfortable. I felt lonely whenever we were out on dates together, we were seen more as best friends and less as a couple. Today, I don't feel lonely at all, as I can hold you in my arms and call you mine, while walking on a street where nobody knows us." he breathed deeply.

"You are so brave, To-ya. You are still fighting for us," Yukito raised his head. "Maybe, one day the laws will change, and we can return," he said hopefully.

Now that he could finally see the adorable face he loved so well, Touya cupped it with his hands and brushed away the tears that had fallen. "You just miss everyone,," he teased a bit, pinching his husban's cheek between his fingers. "Don't worry, we do not live in the Edo period anymore. Everyone is just a phone call away. I promise to take my homesick Yuki to visit Japan often," he assured.

"Thanks for taking care of me, To-ya," Yukito finally gave him a genuine smile. Touya leaned forward and brushed their lips together.

"You can thank me later; after I finish taking care of you," the taller man kissed the corner of his husband's lip again playfully.

"To-ya," Yukito blushed immediately and turned his face to the side causing the next kiss to land on his cheek. He let the other man softly kiss his face and his neck for a while before he turned his face again, and pushed Touya's face up to seal their lips together.

Sensing that Yukito was serious this time, Touya deepened the kiss, encircling Yukito's waist with both arms and pulling him close against himself. His heart was filled with nothing but happiness and gratitude for a fulfillment of a long cherished dream.

Just as a sigh escaped Yukito's parted lips, the phone placed in Touya's pocket rang, causing the couple to reluctantly separate from each other. "Who's it?" Yukito asked, brushing his fingers over his lips.

"If it is not the most grouchy man you have ever met interrupting us again," Touya groaned in frustration.

Yukito snatched the phone from his fingers and rolled his eyes at his husband. "To-ya, I demand that you be civil while speaking to Yue-san. He answered the phone. "It's not like he's our ojisan even if he sometimes acts like one, you know," he whined.

"Tomoyo-san insisted that I should call to congratulate," Yue said flatly when Yukito answered the phone. "Take care of each other," he said.

As fate would have it, the anticipated reunion over winter holidays never came for Tomoyo and Yue. A couple of days before Tomoyo was scheduled to board the plane for Tokyo, she came down with a flu. "You cannot travel like this," Yue told her on the phone when her raspy voice and sniffles gave away her sickness.

"Yue-san, that's not fair," Tomoyo sounded upset and broken. "I would give anything to see you again."

"Don't be unreasonable. You are indisposed to travel at the moment," Yue told her firmly. He was able to convince Tomoyo to take her medication and rest, forgoing her homecoming plan. However, after he hung up the call, a strange feeling of helplessness mixed with longing washed over Yue. Regardless of how indifferent he acted with her, he had to admit he wanted to see her as much as she wanted to see him. Besides, his own feelings were secondary. Tomoyo was sick and all alone in a faraway land. He wanted to be able to take care of her, but there was only so much that he could do from the other side of the world. Yue held his temples against his hands as he willed himself to calm down and assess the situation objectively. Perhaps, there was another person who could help Tomoyo at this point more than himself, and as her friend, the best Yue could do was facilitate that. He picked up his phone and texted Sakura, asking for someone's contact details.

Sonomi was quite surprised to receive a call from Yue telling her that she needed to visit her daughter who had apparently fallen quite sick. So, she canceled several meetings and appointments and booked the next available flight to Vancouver. Yue was at Narita International airport when Sonomi got there. "Daidouji-san," the young man greeted her formally. "I have a request," he added.

Sonomi regarded Yue for a second. She had her reservations about her daughter's relationship with this strange and mysterious man who seemed to have appeared out of nowhere in her daughter's life. Nevertheless, her astute observation told her that this young man was worried about Tomoyo, and was responsible enough to inform her of her sickness. "You walked out on me last time we met. Now, what do you expect me to do for you?" she asked, not wanting to let down her guard yet.

"I have something for Tomoyo-san," she saw Yue take out a small package from the messenger bag he carried. Sonomi chuckled.

"Quite bold of you to assume that I approve of your relationship with my daughter to courier your gift to her. What makes you think that I won't toss it away?" she asked.

"You care for her happiness," the blue-eyed man did not flinch at the challenge.

Sonomi exhaled. "Fine," she said as she took the package wrapped in pristine white paper and tied with a blue ribbon from Yue's hands. Anything else that you would like to deliver to her? "Flowers, letters, hugs?" she said playfully, and watched the light blush that crept up Yue's handsome face showing her a glimpse of the shy boy that hid beneath the facade of indifference.

"That would be all," Yue forced his voice to remain composed. "Have a pleasant flight," he was about to turn away from the lady, not wanting to give her a chance to tease him again, but she called after him.

"Yue-kun," Sonomi paused. She seemed to hesitate for a moment. "Why don't you come with me? That is something that would make Tomoyo-chan truly happy," she mused. Actually, it was not a completely generous or selfless offer. Sonomi initially thought that her young girl had a crush which would fade with time, but it turned out that she was closer to him than ever before even after months of being away from him. He knew that Tomoyo had fallen ill, when her own mother did not. So, Sonomi had realized that Tomoyo could not be convinced to let go of this person. So, she wanted to take the opportunity to learn more about him, and possibly observe how he interacted with Tomoyo.

"I cannot do that," Yue said simply.

"Oh," Sonomi seemed to realize something. "Of course, you have not packed any luggage. I can book you on tomorrow's flight then," she said hopefully.

"Tomoyo-san knows that I would not be able to travel. She understands the situation," Yue turned away and started walking off. The last thing that he needed today was having to make up a convincing reason for him not being able to take the flight that would take him to Tomoyo. He could tell that Sonomi was an astute person and would most likely be skeptical of any story that he might try to sell her. There was just a tiny bit of regret in him for coming to meet Sonomi that day, but he really wanted to make Tomoyo feel a little better and miss him a little less.

"Did he just brush me off again?" Sonomi asked Akane, who had accompanied her till the airport, and had witnessed the exchange from the sidelines.

"I am sorry, but that's what it seemed like ma'am," her chief bodyguard responded.

Tomoyo-chan, why would someone so sweet like you fall for such a haughty and impertinent young fellow? Sonomi sighed as she walked in to check-in for her flight that day.

The arrival of her mother cheered up Tomoyo quite a bit. "Okaa-san, I am so sorry that you had to miss work on my account," Tomoyo said between rugged breaths as Sonomi sat with her sick daughter.

"Tomoyo-chan, you know that to your mother, you would always come before work, right? I am sorry if I ever made you feel that you have to apologize to your own okaa-san for being sick," Sonomi told her daughter as she pulled her into a hug.

"I am so happy that you came to see me okaa-san," Tomoyo sighed in her mother's embrace. "I wish I could see everyone else too," she admitted.

"Particularly a certain silver-haired boy, ne?" Sonomi nudged her playfully.

Tomoyo did not seem much flustered at the comment. She lifted her face to stare at her mother's face for a few moments and nodded silently.

"Then, I have something for you," Sonomi released her daughter and reached for her handbag. She produced a small white box, neatly held together with a blue ribbon. "That brazen boy just came to the airport, handed me this damn package and disappeared."

Tomoyo panicked a little. "Did you have an argument with Yue-san?" she asked.

"I asked him if he could come to visit you. He refused and when I asked why he just ignored me and left." Sonomi seemed disgruntled.

"I see," Tomoyo said quietly. "He is unable to travel at the moment," she said apologetically.

"He did say that you are aware of the situation. Is he on a no-fly list or something?" her mother still seemed skeptical.

"Of course not!" Tomoyo protested instantly. "His passport had expired and he had forgotten to renew it since he is not used to traveling much," Tomoyo said, hoping her instant excuse sounded convincing enough.

"Young people are so careless these days," Sonomi voiced the classic complaint that parents loved to make.. "He should have just told me so."

Tomoyo waited until her mother had left the room to open the package. Inside was small, fluffy white teddy bear with blue beady eyes that were the color of the sky, and a note that said: I still do not believe the silly bear myth from your childhood. I would not mind if it were true though. Get well soon.

The following months rolled by eventlessly. Tomoyo attended her classes dutifully, earned great grades, managed to upkeep her household by herself and spoke to her Yue-san, her mother and her friends whenever she could spare the time in her busy day-to-day schedule. When it came to Yue-san, it was she who did most of the talking on their phone-calls though, telling Yue all about her classes, all the international students from different corners of the world that she got acquainted with at the university, and complained about the gloomy weather of Vancouver. Yue kept his responses short, which mostly consisted of reminding her to get enough sleep and take care of her health. He texted her once each day though even if she was too busy for an extended phone conversation. Tomoyo continued to terribly miss him and her little hometown and the friends and family who lived there. But there was a silver lining. On the other side of the world, in this big city, at her university, no one knew her to be the daughter of the owner of the top toy company of Japan. Here, people simply knew her to be the sweet and kind foreign exchange student who was there for only a year and who always tried to help everyone, rather than as the rich girl who always got everything she wanted. Far away from the shadow of her rich and powerful mother, Tomoyo felt free for the first time in her life.

One late spring afternoon, Tomoyo's classes had ended for the day and she was on her way back to her apartment, which was tucked away in a quieter part of the city. She had to take the right from the main street, where she had got off the bus and walk a couple of blocks to reach her place. As she was about to enter the building, she turned her head to the side to steal a glance at the majestic sakura tree that had bloomed for the season just a few days back. It had been almost a year of her stay in Vancouver. However, it was not the sight of pink blossoms that made her heart stop for a beat in her chest. Rather it was the sight of long silver hair, which was being ruffled by the gentle spring breeze, pale skin and eyes that were blue and calm like the sky.

"Yue-san," his name fell from her lips in a whisper, as her legs automatically moved to approach the young man who stood leaning against the tree.

"You look like you have just seen a ghost," Yue remarked off-handedly.

Just an angel, Tomoyo thought, but remained silent regardless. Tomoyo had imagined her reunion with Yue-san countless times, and in those fantasies, she most often imagined that it would be hard to stop herself from rushing into his arms the moment their eyes met. Yet, when the moment was finally here, she found herself stupefied, unable to move or speak, as if afraid that the beautiful illusion would vanish from her eyesight with the slightest movement.

Yue reached out and held her hand. He slowly lifted it, a bit hesitant, his eyes tracing her skin. His thumb brushed lightly over the scar that ran diagonally from the base of her thumb to the base of the little finger. The scar was faint, barely noticeable at first glance, but it did not disappear completely.

"Yue-san, it has healed completely," Tomoyo said softly, noticing the look of regret on Yue's face.

"You are left with a scar," Yue slowly released her hand.

"I don't mind it," Tomoyo said. "But you being here – it seems like a dream,"

"Speaking of dreams, do you remember the one you had told me about last year?" Yue asked.

Tomoyo took a moment to process the question. Oh that dream. "Of course," she mumbled in a barely audible voice, a little embarrassed at herself for telling him about it earlier.

Yue gazed upwards, regarding the pink blossoms that hung overhead, and seemed to consider something for a moment. His eyes shifted back to her face. "Do you still wish that dream to come true?" he questioned her again.

"Hai!" Tomoyo responded, not daring to say more than a single word.

Slightly cool fingers brushed against her face, as Yue stepped closer. There was a tenderness in his blue eyes that reminded Tomoyo of the caress of moonlight on a quiet night. As his beautiful face drew closer to hers, their eyes locked together, and for the first time Tomoyo really regarded Yue-san's impressive height and the fact that though she was not short for a woman by any means, and she noticed that her forehead was aligned with his lips when they stood face to face. Perhaps it was a weird time to think about it, but Ruby-san had called their height difference perfectly cute. Yue dipped his face towards her, allowing Tomoyo to read the silent question in his eyes as the moon guardian stopped at the point where their lips were just an inch apart. With a silent nod, Tomoyo gave her consent, just like she had in her dream, and in the next moment, her Yue-san was kissing her with lips that were as soft and delicate as the petals that hung from the branches overhead. It was a simple and decisive action, though fleeting, as Yue drew back only an instant after his lips touched Tomoyo's. However, the brush of his lips on her own seemed to break the spell that kept Tomoyo bound to her spot, and at the same instant, Tomoyo literally crashed against her Yue-san, who probably did not see that coming as he stumbled back, his back hitting the hard trunk of the tree behind him .

"Yue-san, how,-" Tomoyo circled her arms around his torso tightly, breathing shakily. "Are you here?"

"Last time I checked there were flight services from Tokyo to Vancouver," Yue replied, steadying them both with firm hands.

"But for immigration you would have needed, –"

"A passport, yes. I have a perfectly authentic one now, and rest assured that I entered the country legally." Yue replied, placing a hand over her head and patting it gently. "Although I must acknowledge that acquiring the passport involved the use of some magic. I had asked Eriol to take care of it," he told her further.

Tomoyo took a deep breath realizing how much she had missed the soothing scent of vanilla snow cone that characterized her Yue-san, the softness of his touch, the rich texture of his voice, and all such things that technology was unable to convey through video calls. "Ureshii, desu," she sighed, smiling in his arms. However, she released him a moment later, as she seemed to remember that her very formal Yue-san might have gone a bit out of his way to make her dream come true as far as their first kiss was concerned, but he certainly would not appreciate being held in a long embrace in a public place, although there was no one but themselves there at that moment.

"Yue-san, come," she tugged his hand instead and entered the building. Her apartment was at the top floor of the four storeyed building. Once she entered the passcode and opened the door of her apartment, she again took the moon guardian's hand and ushered him inside. "Irasshaimase, Yue-sama, welcome to my humble abode," she bowed dramatically. Yue shot her with his signature annoyed glare, but proceeded to remove his shoes, and the light formal jacket that he wore over his collared shirt. Tomoyo walked into the kitchen area, filled a glass of water and drank it quickly. She felt just a bit lightheaded. She walked back to the living room, sat down on the sofa with her hands folded on her laps and her head tilted back. She bit her bottom lip as if trying to keep some sort of emotion in check. Blue eyes watched her with concern. Slowly, the owner of those eyes walked towards her and seated himself beside her.

"Is everything all right?" he said in a smooth voice.

Tomoyo made one final attempt to hold herself back. Yue placed his hand on her forearm, silently pleading her to let go of whatever she was trying to hold back. "Tomoyo-san,"

Tomoyo's resolve broke at that point, and she doubled over as a sudden sob escaped her throat, her head falling on Yue's lap. "Please forgive me for reacting like this. I wish I could have borne our separation better. But I was miserable every day as I am not a stoic like you, Yue-san," she confessed.

"You don't have to be a stoic," slender fingers brushed away a few loose strands of hair from Tomoyo's forehead as Yue spoke. "You have been very strong," he assured.

A few tears fell from Tomoyo's eyes. "I wanted to see the moon every evening that I spent away from you. Somehow, I felt that it was the only thing that connected me to you while we were apart. But Yue-san, the sky is overcast so often in this part of the world. It just rained and rained since Christmas. It was so damp and cold, and I just hated living here," Tomoyo raised her hand to wipe away the tears that had escaped from her eyes as she spoke, but Yue caught her wrist, and pulled his poor songbird into his arms. He knew that Tomoyo would not admit that she hated anything to anyone else. She was the kind of person who was used to bearing everything in silence."I haven't seen the full moon in three months," she said in a muffled voice. Yue held her silently, allowing her to unburden her heart of the agony she experienced at the almost year long separation from her homeland and everyone she loved.

"I have been careless," the moon guardian said slowly, when Tomoyo lifted her head from his shoulder, and wiped her eyes. "I thought that I was acting in your best interest when I persuaded you to continue your exchange program. I had even entertained the possibility that being away from me might change your heart." he told her. "I was wrong," he admitted.

Tomoyo blinked a few times. "Change my heart?" She questioned. "Sending me away was a test then?" She held Yue's gaze with wide eyes.

"Of course not. But people's feelings do change Tomoyo-san. Perhaps there was a time when you had felt different about Sakura-san than you do now. Please correct me if I am wrong," Yue reasoned.

"You knew?" Tomoyo lowered her gaze.

"I was not blind, unlike the simpleton named Keroberos, and my master herself who was oblivious," Yue said.

"I was a kid back then, Yue-san," Tomoyo raised her voice uncharacteristically. "A kid who did not know what she wanted. I am a woman now. I was a woman when I told you how much I loved –," Tomoyo could not complete it as she choked on a sob, and left Yue's side to go and stand by the window.

"I believed in the truth of your words," Yue said as he approached the angry girl. "All I wanted was to give you a chance to avoid the possible hardships of loving someone who is not a human; someone who cannot give you the same –, "

"That's enough Yue-san," Tomoyo said sharply. She turned away from him and threw herself on the sofa, burying her face into a cushion. "I don't want to talk," she closed her eyes. She felt determined to not look at him or speak with him until he realized what a fool he was for hurting her like that. She heard his soft footsteps as he moved to the other end of the room. She thought she heard a soft rustle at some point, but after that all was silent. When Tomoyo could not bear it any longer, she opened her eyes and looked around. The sun had set, and the faint glow of the twilight could illuminate the room just enough for her to tell that it's only occupant was herself. Forgetting her earlier resolve she called out Yue's name, but no one answered her. For a split second she wondered if the young moon guardian had been there at all or everything that happened before was just a foolish fantasy of her lovesick heart as she dreamt. When she finally turned on the light, a neatly folded piece of paper on the centerpiece told her otherwise. The elegant penmanship displayed on the paper conveyed her the following message.

Tomoyo-san, I wished to say this in person but you seemed determined to not let me speak with you. I regret that my words have caused you pain. But I will rather earn your ire by my truth than earn your grace by my lie. And you did not let me tell you the whole truth, which is this: while my rational mind entertained the possibility that your feelings might change, everyday, I woke up with the hope that they never will.

"Baka mono Yue-san," Tomoyo muttered, wiping away the tears that fell from her eyes. She hastily went to the door, put on a pair of slippers and slammed the door shut on the way out. She almost rushed to the elevators and pressed the button for going down. Internally, she was panicking really bad realizing that she had no way to contact Yue-san as his regular phone number would not be working abroad. When the elevator arrived on her floor with a ding, two of her acquaintances who went to the same university as herself and lived on the same floor stepped out of it.

"Have you seen Yue-san while entering the building?" Tomoyo asked them in a haste. "I mean did you see a tall, silver-haired man leave as you entered?" she felt the panic rising within her. She had no clue where Yue-san was staying even. The girls looked at each other, and then one of them told her that a man who matched that description passed by them in the lobby. Tomoyo thanked them curtly and wasted no time in stepping inside the elevator and hitting the button for the bottom floor. The elevator door closed at the faces of her bewildered neighbors.

As soon as the doors of the elevator parted, she came face to face with a handsome young man with long silver hair. He was holding something in his hands, but Tomoyo hardly paid attention to that. Instead she pulled him inside and pressed the button for her floor. The doors of the elevator had barely snapped shut when Tomoyo stood on her toes, with her arms around the tall man's neck and pressed her lips to her Yue-san's mouth, with her hand firmly planted on the left side of his chest, relishing in the way his heart sped up at the contact of their lips. Blue eyes widened for a split second, before closing completely. Yue placed a loose arm around the girl's shoulder, and stayed very still, letting her kiss him the way she wanted. The only movement that Tomoyo could perceive was the slight quiver of his thin lips beneath her own, as he returned the kiss with a softness that made her heart ache. Tomoyo's senses had completely left her, but her Yue-san seemed to be alert as with gentle pressure on her arm he motioned her to let go of him as a robotic female voice inside the elevator announced that the elevator had reached the top floor.

When the doors of the elevator parted again, the two girls from before were still there, scanning them with curious eyes, as Yue stepped out, followed by a somewhat flustered Tomoyo. "Ah Daidouji-san, glad you found your runaway boyfriend," one of them cheered.

Tomoyo did not miss the subtle look of irritation that crossed Yue's perfect features at the nosy remark from her neighbors. However, Tomoyo approached them and politely bowed. "Good evening. Yue-san just stepped out to get ,-," she eyed the paper bag he held in his hand.

"Dinner," Yue supplied.

"Ah, yes, to get takeout for our dinner, without telling me," She smiled.

"So, Yue-san is really your –,,"

"We are together," Tomoyo said quickly to assuage the girl's curiosity before she could ask again if he was her boyfriend. Actually, she was not wrong, but somehow, Tomoyo felt that the word boyfriend did not do justice to express what exactly Yue-san was to her.

"That's cool. Is Yue-san an actor or model perhaps?" The second girl questioned, stealing a quick gaze at his handsome face.

"Neither. Yue-san is an angel," Tomoyo said innocently. "He even has wings that you can't see but I can."

"Aww, isn't that sweet," one of them cooed at her remark. "You are very lucky that Daidouji-san likes you so much," she added.

After the exchange of some more pleasantries, throughout which Yue remained silent, Tomoyo and Yue made their way back to her apartment. "Sorry about them. They were just curious," Tomoyo apologized for her prying neighbors once they were both inside.

"I am accustomed to such comments and assumptions. It is you who would continuously be troubled by such unpleasant remarks," Yue said calmly.

"I don't care, alright. Those people are not important to me, Yue-san! You are! What could I do to make you understand," Tomoyo sounded helpless. "I thought you had just left. It scared me," she said.

"I left you a note," Yue said.

"I will accept your apology if you promise me something," Tomoyo said.

"What is it?" the silver haired man asked.

Tomoyo stepped closer and laid her head on his chest, wrapping her arms around his torso.

"Never send me away from you ever again," she said, in a tired voice.

"After today, I dare not," Yue replied, resting his chin on the crown of her head. "I had barely left the apartment for ten minutes to receive the food delivery. Apparently, that was enough to drive you to such a desperate state. After all, that could be the only justification for your impulsive action at the elevator," Yue said in a stern voice, as Tomoyo felt his strong arms lift her effortlessly and carry her to the sofa.

Tomoyo braced herself to be further scolded. Yue-san was not wrong. It was indeed an impulsive action driven by her desperation to ensure that Yue-san did not disappear on her again. When Yue-san had kissed her earlier that afternoon, he had explicitly sought her consent first. When he actually kissed her, he did not do it to gratify himself but to fulfill the silly dream she had told him of earlier. She knew that in return Yue-san would want his own personal boundaries to be respected, and he would feel it strange at best and repulsed at worst to be pulled into a spontaneous kiss like that, at a public place no less. They were extremely lucky that no one had entered the elevator. Although in a western country like Canada, it would hardly be considered a big deal if they were seen, Tomoyo's traditional Japanese upbringing made her repent her rash action nonetheless.

"Gomen-ne Yue-san. I should have asked you first. I am really sorry," Tomoyo folded her hands and bowed her head.

"Asked me what?" Yue raised a silver brow by a fraction of an inch.

Tomoyo raised her head and rolled her eyes at him. "I already apologized. Scold me if you want, but you cannot tease me about it later," she circled the neck of the tall man seated beside her with her arms.

"Tell me, Tomoyo-san, did it make you happy?" Yue asked. Tomoyo did not miss the twinkle of amusement in his blue eyes. Fine, if you decide to play this game, then I will not hold back.

"Umm? I suppose I don't remember," she replied, putting on her best innocent face.

Yue-san's handsome face drew closer. "Shall I make you remember then?" he said softly, placing his mouth right next to her ear, after pushing back a stray lock of hair behind it.

"Hai, I suppose you can try," Tomoyo whispered back. At the next moment, gentle lips brushed against the outer shell of her ear. Then those lips were on her forehead.

"Do you remember now?" Tomoyo listened to her companion's baritone.

"Not yet I suppose," she said, trying her best to hide a grin.

The soft lips moved to her cheek and lingered there. "Now?"

This time Tomoyo shook her head. When the perfect pair of lips settled on her neck, capturing the pulse point there, Tomoyo gasped and tilted her neck backwards. Her own hand spontaneously moved to rest on the back of the silver head of the moon guardian. "Does this help you to remember?" Yue-san's voice was like silk against her ears.

A sign escaped the girl's lips but she refused to relent yet. "I think I am starting to recall how I had felt," she said playfully.

"Very well then," Yue used his thumb and index finger to hold Tomoyo's chin and gently pull her face down once again. Their lips touched and the contact continued as a slow, sweet kiss, during which Yue held Tomoyo by her shoulders protectively, while the girl's fingers were still tangled in his long hair. When they broke apart, Tomoyo looked at her Yue-san and felt that she was the luckiest person on earth, judging by the tenderness with which Yue-san was regarding her. It was then that she knew that there was no trace of repulsion in him for her earlier impetuousness. It would be harder for her to believe this had he tried to tell her. So, under the guise of teasing her, he showed her firsthand, as his eyes showered her with the purest form of affection that she had yet experienced in her short life.

"Well?" he questioned, softly stroking her cheek with the large palm of his hand.

"I just remembered how amazing it was to kiss Yue-san." Tomoyo giggled and fell on his chest with a big smile this time

"If kissing me makes you happy, then you need not ask me every time. However, I do not approve of you being reckless in your display of affection for me in places such as in an elevator or out on a public street," Yue said.

"Yue-san, I am not like that, you know," Tomoyo said. "I just got overwhelmed."

"By foolish emotions and fears," Yue added.

"I'll be careful. Promise!" Tomoyo craned her neck to peck him lightly on his cheek. "And thanks for buying me dinner," she added.

"I did not send you here to eat instant ramen on my back," Yue crossed his arms over his chest, glaring at an empty cup of the offending item that sat on the coffee table before them. It had been Tomoyo's quick fix for breakfast.

Tomoyo blinked at him. She had never heard of such a weird accusation in her entire life. I know that he worries about me, but is he for real? She thought.

After Tomoyo had eaten the dinner Yue bought for her, the silver haired man left for the night. Tomoyo felt a bit disappointed that Yue had to stay at a nearby hotel, but there was not much she could do considering that her apartment had a single bedroom. It's not like I could have asked him to sleep on the futon here. Tomoyo grumbled a bit before going to bed looking at the rolled up futon at the corner of the room that Sonomi had used when she had visited her the prior winter. Why am I so selfish when it comes to him? I saw him today, and I will see him again tomorrow. Tomoyo said, taking a moment to caress the faded scar on her right hand that Yue's lips had touched before he took his leave. She threw the comforter over her head and closed her eyes, dragging the bear that Yue-san had given her to herself and squeezing it rather forcefully.

Notes:

So, TouYuki are finally married, YAY! Most Asian countries do not allow gay marriages to this date, with the only exceptions being Nepal, Taiwan and Thailand. Even though this is a fairytale fiction, and I could have easily bend the rules, I wanted it to be as realistic as possible and did not want to pretend that everything is fine in the world. I really hope that no one has to leave their country to marry the person they love. Besides, not everyone has the means or opportunity to do that.

I saw Yue's relationship with Clow as queer-platonic, which I tried to express in this chapter. Yue does not know how to be in a relationship yet, so his straightforwardness is very sweet at times and quite aggravating at other times from Tomoyo's point of view. But he is trying to learn and improvise to some extent. However, he always tries to care for her in his own strange ways. Also, if Tomoyo seems more smitten than Yue at this point, there is a nuance which would explain that too in later chapters.

I hope you enjoyed and would be happy to receive your feedback.

Chapter 21: Reunion

Summary:

Tomoyo returns home to be with her love. But does she know everything about the man she pined for an year?

Notes:

Once again, apologies for the late update. My work-life is the most insane it has ever been. Just wanted to reiterate that I am committed to completing the story despite that.

Early the next morning, Tomoyo went to Yue's hotel, as it was on the way to her university.. A sleepy voice answered her phone call when she reached there. Instead of offering to come down to meet her, Yue simply told her his room number when he heard that she was at his hotel. It was a little surprising to Tomoyo, but she went up to his room regardless. The man who opened the door looked very different from the prim and proper Yue-san that she was used to seeing. His white shirt was not tucked in his trousers, and his beautiful hair was not sleekly styled back in the usual way. It appeared that the man had not been awake for long.

"What's this? Yue-san is not ready even though it is already 8:30 in the morning!" Tomoyo tried to suppress a laugh as she entered.

"I am jet-lagged," Yue explained like it was the most normal thing.

"I didn't know that such a thing affected angels," Tomoyo laughed this time.

"There are many things that you don't know yet," Yue walked over to the bed and flopped down on his stomach. He lay almost diagonally on the bed, tucking a pillow underneath his chest.

"If you wanted to sleep more, you could have just told me so," Tomoyo said.

"You said you wanted to see me," Yue turned his face halfway, with a boyish expression on his face. Tomoyo found that his sleepy voice was absolutely charming.

Tomoyo sat beside him on the large bed, and pulled out her phone. "I suppose I should let everyone know how adorable jet-lagged Yue-san is," she opened the camera app and held the device before his face.

"I shouldn't have let you in," Yue groaned softly, burying his face in the pillow. "You speak so thoughtlessly, without even realizing the implication of sharing such a visual," he told her.

While Tomoyo might have overlooked what Yue-san's words implied, she was not dense by any means. The moment she realized what he meant, heat rushed to her face, coloring the tips of her ears to a bright shade of red. People will think we spend the night together if they see me posting such a photo. Tomoyo did not care much for the opinions of other people, but that was not something that would make her okaa-san too happy.

"Maybe you should take a selfie instead to capture the adorable color of your face," Yue retorted with his usual sass, although his voice was still sleepy and the words were muffled by the pillow. He extended a hand to lightly poke her blushing face.

"Don't mess with me," Tomoyo shoved him lightly. Though actually, she was thankful that she was able to avoid a gaffe and draw unnecessary attention to their relationship due to his timely intervention. After a few moments of sitting there speechlessly, she leaned forward, placing her jaw on his strong shoulder blade. "Just for myself, can I have a picture? I would not post anything." she craned her neck to lightly brushed her lips against his temple.

"Your demand is insufferable," Yue said.

"Is that a yes?" she poked his face with her finger.

"Would you leave me alone otherwise?"

Tomoyo giggled, using her hand to tousle his hair.

"You are such a menace today," Yue's face fell forward on the pillow. Although he was not used to such interactions with anyone, she could tell that his sudden visit made Tomoyo very happy. He too felt pleased in a strange way to know that he was perhaps the only one with whom Tomoyo would drop all formalities and just be herself.

"Your hair was not set anyway," Tomoyo was still laughing. "Want me to brush it for you?" she asked hopefully.

"As long as you do not attempt to style it in any unusual manner," Yue said, eyes still closed.

Tomoyo hummed softly to herself as she took a hairbrush from her backpack, and ran it gently through Yue's hair. The faint scent of his shampoo felt soothing to her and the soft silken texture was heavenly on her fingers. Brushing those long silky strands seemed to be a therapy in itself. Although his hair had been disheveled earlier, the strands were not tangled, so it was not too difficult. However, due to the sheer length of his hair, running the brush from the root to the end of the strands was an ordeal in itself, and her arm almost began to ache by the time she was done. She almost started wondering if he used some sort of magic to maintain his flawless appearance instead of doing this manually every day.

Yue had not stirred in a while. The slow rise and fall of his back suggested that he managed to fall asleep during the time. Tomoyo moved closer to take a peek at his face. If the prim and proper version of Yue-san was sharp and stunning like a diamond, this jet-lagged version of him was soft and alluring like a dewy white rose. Tomoyo was thankful that Yue-san let her in that morning, and allowed her to see this side of him, trusting her enough to fall asleep in her presence. His arms hung from the pillow at somewhat of an awkward angle. Tomoyo lightly traced a path on his forearm, the pale skin there acquired a soft warm tint in the diffused morning light, like golden honey mixing in milk. Tomoyo was mesmerized. She could sit beside him and watch this beautiful person sleep all day with dreamy eyes. But she had a meeting with one of her professors, who was mentoring her project, and if it went well, then her days of pining for Yue-san might soon come to an end. Tomoyo took out her phone and turned on the camera. She focused on the angelic face and took a still shot, before she got up to leave. However before she left, she closed the blinds so that the sun would not peek through after a while and rouse her moon from his sleep.

The following days passed by in a quick blur. Tomoyo had to go to the university during the day, so she could not spend the entire day with Yue no matter how much she yearned for his company. They barely saw each other for a few hours each evening.. By the middle of the week, Yue noticed faint dark circle's appearing beneath Tomoyo's eyes. He asked if she was having enough sleep. Tomoyo said that she had to meet a deadline for a class project submission, and that she was putting in some extra hours at night to complete it. This seemed a bit strange to Yue. Tomoyo was both hardworking and intelligent, which meant that he had never seen her struggle with deadlines before. Thinking that his presence impacted her studies, Yue actually limited the number of hours that they spend together in the evening to no more than two. He expected Tomoyo to complain, but surprisingly, she did not.

On the last evening of his stay in Vancouver, Tomoyo came directly to his hotel room when she got off from her university. Although it was late April, it had started drizzling since that afternoon and the temperature had dropped. Tomoyo was not dressed warmly enough for the weather. Perhaps due to the fact that the day had started off as being unusually warm for that time of the year. Yue noticed that the light cardigan that she was wearing was already damp from the drizzle, as she took off her shoes beside the door, and shut it from inside.

"It seemed that the princess had forgotten to carry an umbrella today," Yue admonished, as he handed her a dry towel to wipe the moisture from her hair and face. "Why don't you check the weather forecast before leaving the house? And you better take that off," he said, pointing at her damp and inadequate winter clothing.

"You cannot let one day go by without scolding me, can you?" Tomoyo huffed, as she took off the stylish baby blue cardigan with white fur accents at the collar and cuffs that was dampened by the rain. The white top and the dark blue frilled skirt that she wore were mostly dry, but Yue noticed that the girl shivered slightly as she placed the damp clothing item close to the heater vents to dry. A wave of tenderness washed over Yue at the sight. Back in Japan, due to her family's wealth and social standing, Tomoyo had lived a very comfortable life, always used to having a chauffeur to pick her up with bodyguards no less, and a maid to serve her dinner, and do her laundry. Here, she was all alone, doing everything by herself, by her own choice, and also studying hard, all because she had loved someone who was a bit late in reciprocating her feelings.

"Tomoyo-san, come here," when Tomoyo turned around at the soft voice, she found that the man seated on the bed was dressed in white, with a long cape draped over his shoulder, and wings that spanned the length of the entire bed spread to his sides. Without a moment's delay, Tomoyo went to the bed and sat down lifting her feet on the soft bedding, and wrapping her arms around her beloved's neck. His wings immediately wrapped around her body enveloping her in comfortable warmth. The moon guardians' long fingers brushed her hair as if to check if she had dried it properly when she came in. He kept an arm around her waist to support her as she leaned her weight against him, the shiver in her body slowly fading away. "The princess might have forgotten the umbrella because she likes getting spoiled by an angel with silver wings," she told him and closed his eyes.

Yue expected her to continue a conversation in some form, but Tomoyo did not stir for a while. He continued to hold his little songbird in his arms until her hand on the back of his neck no longer felt cold, and the goosebumps had completely disappeared from her milky skin. He unfurled his wings and laid her down gently on the bed.

When Tomoyo opened her eyes again, Yue was kneeling beside the bed, packing his small suitcase. "Yue-san, what time is it?" she groaned.

"Almost nine. I did not wake you since it seemed you needed to sleep. I have ordered your dinner. You should eat before you head back," Yue told her.

"Well, since you put me to bed so sweetly, I thought you would ask me to stay for the night," Tomoyo chuckled.

Yue stopped folding the shirt in his hand for a few moments and stared at her with an indescribable expression on his face. For a moment Tomoyo thought that she would again be rebuked for making inappropriate comments. However, Yue extended his arm and stroked the side of her face. "Teasing me won't work, Tomoyo-san. But if you feel too tired and are comfortable sleeping in my room for the night, then you may," he told her.

Tomoyo could not help but smile. She was very tempted to take up the offer. Not that she expected anything that happened in romantic movies if she took the offer. As Tomoyo knew it, in such movies, the couple would end up kissing each other passionately and then the scene would fade out if it was a PG-13 movie, or would continue if the rating was higher. However, she knew that neither of them were ready for such a sequence of events at that point. She knew that Yue-san would not permit her to stay if he didn't trust her and himself completely on this matter. At that moment, all Tomoyo wanted was to hold his hand as she went to sleep that night. However, that had to wait for another night, as Tomoyo unfortunately had other plans.

"I am always comfortable being with Yue-san," she sat up, and covered a yawn with the back of her hand. "But I have important stuff to take care of tonight, so I need to return," she told him.

"I see," Yue said impassively. The stoic man sounded neither relieved nor disappointed as he continued his work of folding various clothing items and placing them inside his luggage.

A while later, they were standing outside the hotel while waiting for the cab to take her home. Tomoyo was bundled up in one of Yue's long coats, and stood with her hands in her pockets.

"Text me when you get home," Yue told her.

"Hai, senpai," Tomoyo brought out her right hand to do a mock salute, but Yue caught her wrist. He pushed back the long sleeve of the oversized coat to reveal her hand. "And no more late night studies from next week," he told her, quickly pressing his lips on her hand as the cab pulled up.

Yue felt a little disappointed as he came down to the lobby the following morning around 10:30 AM. He had expected Tomoyo to show up earlier that morning but she was not there yet, although she had told him that she would see him that day before he left for the airport. It was the weekend, so she had not gone to the university. Yue avoided calling her, assuming that she was sleeping in after staying up late to complete her academic deadlines. He contemplated on whether he should call her now. His flight was scheduled a few hours from that time, and he could not wait much longer before he had to leave for the airport.

"Yue-san," the familiar sweet voice called him from the lounge area of the lobby. He turned his head to find Tomoyo waving at him with an energetic smile. As Yue walked over to her, Tomoyo could not help admiring how stunning he looked dressed in black trousers, a white turtle neck and knee length coat in a soft, tan shade. She saw other men and women in the lobby look up from their phones, or momentarily stop their conversations to look at him as the tall man passed by them.

"Why didn't you tell me that you had arrived?" Yue questioned when they stood face to face.

"I just sat here as I had these," Tomoyo pointed to two rather large trolley suitcases at her side. Yue gave her a perplexed look. Tomoyo did not say that she was going anywhere. Of course, her friend Shinomoto Akiho lived in the same country at that time, so she might want to visit her. But why did she bring such large suitcases for a weekend trip? He wondered.

"Where are you headed with these?" Yue finally questioned, eyeing the two suitcases.

"Home," Tomoyo answered him with a smile.

Yue's eyes widened. "What about your university enrollment here? Are you not going to complete all the requirements?" he seemed somewhat troubled.

"Yue-san thinks too much. I already completed everything. Thankfully, our exams were already over, and I managed to submit the projects two weeks earlier than the deadline. So, they agreed to sign off my release as a transfer student," she said. "I was not ready to say goodbye to Yue-san again, so I tried my best," she told him.

"Tomoyo-san," Yue was almost speechless. Well that explained the dark circles beneath her eyes, and the important work she had to do the night before. He was pretty sure she was up almost all night packing her belongings and taking care of anything else she might need to before leaving Canada for good.

"Don't worry, your Tomoyo-san got good grades," she looked up at him with an innocent gaze. "I can show you the transcript. Now please let's go home," she said.

Yue would have taken her in his arms and kissed her forehead if they were not in public. Instead he just took out his phone and opened the app to call a cab. "You should not have exerted yourself to such an extent. I won't be happy if you try to pull off something similar in the future," he gave her a side eyed look.

"Don't be so cranky," Tomoyo shoved his arm lightly. "Has your jet-lag not worn-off yet?"

Later, after settling into their seats, which they managed to secure side by side, despite Tomoyo booking at the last hour, she observed that one of the flight attendants was paying a little more than the normal amount of attention to Yue-san. The plane was yet to take-off, and she had already swung by twice, asking Yue if he wanted a drink with a sparkle in her smile and a glint in her eyes. After declining the offer for the second time, Yue leaned back on his seat with a vaguely tired expression brushing a hand across his face.

"Troubles of being so handsome?" Tomoyo gave him a fake sympathetic look.

"Just my misfortune to suffer such idiots," .Yue muttered, closing his eyes.

"Well, it was inevitable with your extraordinary good looks," Tomoyo smiled again. Yue did not react.

"And you are dangerously well-dressed today," Tomoyo added. Still there was no reaction from her companion.

"And you are traveling in business-class," Tomoyo said, her eyes following the young flight attendant who once again stole a glance at her angel as she walked by. "Most humans find it hard to deny the appeal of looks, fashion and money," she summarized.

Yue opened his eyes and followed Tomoyo's gaze."What's with that cheeky grin? Shouldn't you be a little jealous?"

"Jealous of someone whom Yue-san did not even grace with a side glance?" Tomoyo shook her head with a small laugh. "My jealousy is already directed elsewhere," she said cryptically.

Yue looked a bit surprised. His lips parted as if to ask her something but he closed then again without uttering a word. From the furrow between his brows she could tell that he was trying to figure it out. Tomoyo tapped the paperback that rested on his knees. "This," she said."Your eyes were glued to its pages, rather than on me," she added.

Yue sighed and leaned back again. Giving her a side glance. He lifted the book and held it against his chest, folding his arms over it, as if to test her reaction. "Don't be ridiculous," he said in a smooth voice.

About half an hour into the flight when Yue had already immersed himself into the pages of his book, and Tomoyo was trying to find something decent to watch on the IFE, the flight attendant came by again, trying to make small talk about how refreshing it was to find someone enjoying a good read on a flight these days, and how she admired and enjoyed talking to well-read people etc. If Tomoyo was any less well mannered, she would have rolled her eyes. Discouraged by the lack of response from the silver-haired young man, she proceeded to ask for their food preference. Tomoyo could tell that the woman was disappointed, but not quite ready to concede defeat just yet. So, Tomoyo decided to step in to make her do just that. Before Yue could respond with a curt 'nothing for me', she spoke in the sweetest possible voice that she could muster. "Unfortunately, my fiancé is an extremely picky eater. He never eats on an airplane. However, I would like to try the ravioli if you don't mind," she ended with her best smile.

The flight attendant managed to mumble an of course' before moving on. Once she was out of hearing range, Yue spoke."Not jealous at all!" His voice was laced with amusement.

"Hey, I just helped Yue-san," Tomoyo said.

"Sure," Yue did not sound convinced.

"Fine. You are on your own then the next time something like this happens," Tomoyo sulked.

Yue seemed to contemplate for a while. Thinking that it was the end of the conversation, Tomoyo turned her focus to the screen before her. Just before she was about to put the headphones back on, she heard him speak again. "I did not say that I was not flattered."

Tomoyo touched his hand briefly. "I'll protect Yue-san from unwanted admirers then," she declared.

"And I'll be grateful for your Ladyship's protection," Yue placed one hand on his chest and lowered his head to give the impression of a courteous bow. Tomoyo chuckled. Her telling the flight attendant to back-off seemed to have improved his mood.

Tomoyo had dozed off after finishing the movie she had begun. They were about 4 hours into the flight with another six hours to go. She opened her sleepy eyes at the feeling of someone gently nudging her hand and calling her name in a low voice. "Yue-san?" she tried to focus her bleary eyes on the face of the man seated beside her in the dimmed lights of the cabin.

"Tomoyo-san, look outside the window," Yue told her calmly.

Tomoyo turned her head and blinked her eyes, once, and then again. Her eyes widened and lips parted as she took in the display of greens and purples outside. "Is it –." she was too dazed to complete the sentence.

"The Aurora Borealis," Yue said flatly. But he leaned closer to observe the display with her. Without taking her eyes off the spectacular shimmer of the colored sky, Tomoyo reached out for Yue's hand, interlacing their fingers together. When the waterfall of colors were at their brightest, Tomoyo angled her face to look at Yue-san. The lights reflected off his pale skin and as he too dipped his face to look at her, she found that the hues of the Aurora somehow felt even richer and more vivid when they were reflected in the pale blue of his eyes. She wanted to photograph this moment forever in her memory.

The display probably lasted for five minutes or so, fading away slowly to leave a dark sky. Tomoyo sighed and leaned against Yue, resting her head against his sternum. The lights in the cabin were still dim and most of the passengers seemed to be resting or asleep. Since no eyes were on them, she hoped Yue-san would not feel uncomfortable with her closeness.. She stole a glance at his profile. Her eyes tracing his face until her gaze stopped at the curve of his lips. Tomoyo might have shuddered a little as a little shiver passed through her spine. Yue-san must have sensed her shiver since her hand was still held in his. He moved to adjust the blanket that have fallen off her shoulder with his free hand. She smiled against his chest. "What are you smiling about?" he asked.

"I was just thinking how romantic it would be to kiss my husband under the northern lights one day," Tomoyo replied spontaneously.

Yue took a moment to respond. He let go of her hand and put his arm around her to place his hand on the side of her head. "It's not the right time for you to be thinking about such things," he said.

"I know," Tomoyo sighed. She had not expected Yue-san to respond any differently to what she suggested. "But I was not entirely bluffing earlier when I told that lady off, you know," she took a small pause before continuing. "I want Yue-san to become a part of my life; legally I mean. If Yue-san would also choose me I would not wait another day," she said as she drew random patterns with her fingers on the back of Yue's hand. "But I had promised okaa-san that I would not take such a step without her blessing, " she told him.

"I do not think that her thoughts on the matter are entirely favorable at this time," Yue said, recalling the awkward interaction he had with Daidouji Sonomi several months earlier.

"I know she'll like you one day when she really gets to know you more. She will definitely realize how much you care for me. But Yue-san, that's not all. I want my okaa-san to really know you, know everything about you," Tomoyo said hopefully.

"And you suppose she would be OK with what she learns in the process?" Yue said.

Tomoyo shrugged. "Fujitaka-san knows everything about Tsukishiro-san now. About the magic and how you and him were connected. Touya onii-san and Tsukishiro-san told him everything once they got engaged. One day, I would like to do the same," Tomoyo spoke softly.

"Kinomoto-san practically saw Yukito as a member of his family since Touya and him were in school. His affection for Yukito made it easier for him to accept his truth," Yue reasoned.

"Then I will wait until I know that okaa-san feels the same kind of affection for my Yue-san," Tomoyo assured him softly. "Then I will ask Yue-san again if he would accept me," she tried to muffle a yawn.

"You would be able to figure out such things when you are older. For now, try to sleep," Yue told her.

"I am older," Tomoyo protested. "I turned twenty last September and I had my first kiss a few days ago," she added. Yue blinked his eyes once at the mention of their kiss, but he did not take the bait.

"You are still a student. I do not want your focus to be diverted elsewhere at this point in your life," Yue said.

"It seems you and okaa-san would get along just fine since you both are so fastidious," Tomoyo closed her eyes, settling comfortably in his arms.

Yue leaned his head back against the headrest and closed his own eyes. It was up to time to tell whether Tomoyo would be able to convince her mother regarding their relationship. More than that, Yue knew that he still had a long way to go to become the person that Tomoyo deserved to share her life with, formally, as she wanted. But he decided to leave those contemplations for another day, as he gazed at the innocent young face of the girl resting against him. There were only three thoughts that calmed his usually troubled heart. Tomoyo was going back to Japan with him, she was well, and she was still as much in love with him as she was about an year ago.

Tomoyo was resolved to spend as much time with Yue-san over the summer break as possible before her classes resumed for the Fall semester. She started going to Yue's place in the morning, and stayed with him until evening. She would leave just before dinner in order to get back home and have dinner with her mother, who would also return from work during that time. Tomoyo ordered lunch three days in a row, much to Yue's annoyance.

"Tomoyo-san, I must not allow you to come here everyday, if it means that your only lunch option would be takeout food," the moon guardian said as Tomoyo was about to order her lunch on the fourth day.

"Fine, I will bring an obento if it bothers Yue-san so much," Tomoyo huffed.

"That would be better. But I have also stocked the kitchen in case you would like to prepare something to eat," Yue informed her.

Tomoyo considered for a moment and took the offer. A while later, she walked out of the kitchen with a plate of plain pasta. Yue sighed again. The girl made pasta again the day after, and Yue's frown deepened. "Your choices of food seems awful," he remarked.

"I just want to make something quick," Tomoyo said.

"You are really a hopeless princess," Yue said. "I should have never let you leave Japan if being abroad meant that you had to survive on instant pasta and noodles," he said.

"All students do that," Tomoyo shrugged nonchalantly, taking a mouthful of the food.

The next day, Tomoyo found the moon guardian in the kitchen, looking adorable in a soft peach colored apron tied around his slim waist, with the long sleeves of his white henley shirt rolled up at his elbows. The man was chopping some vegetables with a soft expression on his usual stern face. Tomoyo watched from the corner, the scene stirring up a thousand unvoiced wishes in her heart. Yue seemed to notice her presence out of the corner of his eye, but he did not stop his work to address her. His ignoring her almost felt like a tease. Tomoyo stepped forward and hugged the moon guardian's back tightening her arms around her torso.

"Tomoyo-san," Yue sighed, putting down the knife that he was holding.

"What are you up to?" Tomoyo asked, letting the soft silk of her love's silver hair caress her face tenderly, knowing well the answer in her heart.

"Ensuring that you have something to eat that is not instant pasta," the expected snarky answer came.

"I am sorry if that troubled you so much. I really do not want to impose," Yue could hear Tomoyo sigh, her breath warm against his back. He gently freed himself from the girl's arms and turned around.

"Tomoyo-san, do you still not have the maturity to realize that you can never impose on me?" there was a fierce glint in his blue eyes as Tomoyo looked into them. A moment later she realized what he meant. One can only impose on someone if they were not close. People did not impose on someone from their own family. Though she could not call Yue-san her family (yet), he was the person who was present in every single one of the wishes she felt bubbling up in her heart a few moments ago. Still she decided to tease him.

"Is it that way? Are you training to be a dutiful husband?" she smiled up at him cheekily.

"Where did you learn to be so insolent to your elders?" Yue looked away, his cheeks taking on a pretty shade of pink that delighted Tomoyo.

"Look at you blushing so pretty," Tomoyo pinched his chin between her fingers and turned his face towards herself.

"I am not," Yue tried to counter. Tomoyo threw her arms around Yue-san's neck. "Did you take lessons in how to flirt in Canada?" Yue tried to shift his expression to a glare.

"I would have loved to. But you know, there was no one I could practice with. So, I am starting now. Am I doing fine?" she grinned. Yue shook his head with an exasperated look.

"No one has cooked for me before," Tomoyo said, earnestly this time. "I mean except the ones who are paid for it."

"I know," Yue said, raising his hand to rest against her face. "You are someone who wants to take care of everyone but would not accept the same for yourself. Allow Yue-san to be the one to take care of you, so that you can keep taking care of everyone else," he told her

Tomoyo breathed. Yue-san's hand had the earthly scent of raw vegetables and of a home that she had never known. "Hai," she nodded, blinking her eyes a few times to get rid of the sudden blurriness of her vision. "I will be honored to try Yue-san's cooking," she whispered.

A while later, she peeked inside the kitchen again. A nice smell of freshly cooked food wafted in the kitchen. She quietly approached him, and peered from his side. "Looks delicious, can I try some?" she said.

"I still have to season it, but maybe you should check if it suits your palate," Yue carefully dipped a pair of chopsticks in pot of donburri, and blowed on it a few times before holding it to Tomoyo's mouth, Tomoyo tasted the food she was offered and closed her eyes. "It tastes nice. Have Yue-san ever made it before?"

"This is the first time that I am doing it as myself. I have had second hand experiences through Yukito," he replied.

On Sunday, Yue told Tomoyo to return early as he had somewhere to go in the afternoon. Naturally, Tomoyo thought he would be just running some sort of errand and wanted to come along. Yue warned her that she might feel bored, but did not refuse. As they were about to leave, Yue opened the garage space of the house, revealing a small jet black car. "Get inside," he told her, opening the door to the passenger seat.

"Yue-san drives now?" Tomoyo asked, evidently surprised.

"It is more convenient than taking public transport," Yue replied. Well, considering the fact that Yue was not a person who liked noisy and crowded places much, combined with the discomfort of receiving numerous side glances due to his exquisite looks, as she had seen first hand when they took the train while returning from the library, having his own car did make sense to Tomoyo.

"As far as I know Tsukishiro-san did not drive, so no second-hand experience there," Tomoyo smiled.

"I learned it," Yue said. "After you left," he informed her. Tomoyo felt happy that her Yue-san was actually making an effort to make his living in the human world easier. That was definitely a good sign.

They stopped in front of the local hospital, instead of the supermarket, earning a confused look from Tomoyo. She could not imagine Yue-san, who was not a human in the first place, needing a doctor. "Why are we here?" she asked befuddled.

"Because of Yukito," Yue said. "He insisted quite persistently that I continue the work that he used to do here," he told her.

"Yue-san will be reading stories to children?" Tomoyo smiled, recalling that Yukito used to do the same earlier.

Yue nodded and led them inside. The nurses ushered them to a room where young children of various ages were waiting. Most were younger than the age when a child learns to read fluently by themselves. Some of them looked healthy enough to go home the next day. Others, Tomoyo realized, were terminally ill. Some of the children smiled when they recognized Yue-san, Others who were newly admitted were probably seeing him for the first time.

When Yue started reading, the children were instantly captivated, and so was Tomoyo. He read them some simple fables from the book that he had brought along. The pleasant cadence of his voice, and the aura of his presence obviously had a calming effect on the children who listened with wide eyes and childlike curiosity, occasionally raising their small arms to ask a question or two. Tomoyo realized that Yue-san's magic might have the same effect on children as it had on animals. And of course, the man seated next to her caused affection to swell in her heart in the same way as the pull of the moon caused the surge of tide in the ocean.

Tomoyo was quiet afterwards. "You do not have to come next time, Tomoyo-san. This is not exactly a happy place for you to be spending time at," Yue told her. Just as he was about the start the engine of the car, Tomoyo took his hand and held it between hers.

"I am so proud of Yue-san," she said, meeting his gaze. "Is it alright if I come? I want to," she said. She knew that Yue was not a man who would do something just because someone told him to. Yukito might have requested him to continue this work, but he would not be here if he did not want to keep doing this.

"Tomoyo-san, some of these children would never get to go back home. Such things would make you sad," he gently coaxed her.

"Then I will not let my Yue-san experience that sadness alone." Tomoyo squeezed his hand before releasing it. "From now on, let's do everything together."

So, the summer continued to pass peacefully for Tomoyo in the company of her Yue-san. She would show up almost everyday at his place and spend several hours together before heading back to join her mother for dinner. It is not that they used all that time to have lengthy conversations. Most of the time they would silently read in each other's company, just as they used to do at the library when they first started liking each other. That did not mean Tomoyo deprived herself of stealing frequent glances at the moon guardian's beautiful face though. Yue would pretend to be annoyed if he noticed, but ultimately indulged her regardless. Or Tomoyo would watch something on her ipad while Yue took care of the many household chores. Tomoyo accompanied him to the hospital for his reading session on Sundays. She sometimes persuaded the reclusive man to take a walk with her to the nearest park and back during the time of sunset. Yue-san looked peaceful during those times and Tomoyo felt content.

There were other things that Tomoyo tried doing with Yue, such as watching a movie together. At home of course, because crowded movie theaters were not really Yue's idea of enjoyment, Yue-san did not oppose the plan, but went on to make scathing remarks about the silliness of the movie plots and their numerous loopholes, analyzing and tearing it apart like a true cynic. His arguments were actually logical, so Tomoyo could not even argue much in defense. Once towards the end of a Hollywood drama, a passionate scene between the lead actors came up and Yue was quick to put an arm around her neck and cover her eyes, as they sat side by side on the sofa. Tomoyo actually punched herself mentally for failing to note the rating of the movie. It would be mortifying if Yue-san thought she deliberately picked a movie with such intimate and bold scenes. "You need not watch this part," her Yue-san said.

"I am not a kid, Yue-san," she still protested. "I am allowed to watch."

"I think it is not a good idea for you to," Yue responded in a smooth voice. "Although, it is up to you to decide,"

"Why are you watching then? And besides, I can still hear everything," Tomoyo sighed.

Yue quickly grabbed the remote and turned off the sound. "Because to me, it makes no difference," he calmly stated.

When Yue removed his hand from Tomoyo's eyes, the credits were already rolling. "An absolutely pointless ending to a mediocre script, inserted not for the sake of art but for the sake of profit," the silver haired man summarized.

"Geez, thanks for the review! I thought you would be embarrassed by that last scene," Tomoyo remarked, noticing his impassive face. She could not put it together. The man blushed pink even at a subtle hint of flirting from her end, but here he was apparently completely unbothered by an intimate movie scene.

"It is silly of humans to be embarrassed by something that most of them are used to doing anyway," Yue's shoulders moved in the slightest shrug. "I am going to tend to the plants now," he turned off the screen and left Tomoyo to ponder at his words.

If Tomoyo still thought that Yue-san was being prudish that day, as was typical of the people from the era that the moon guardian had spent most of his life in, it was pretty much thrown out of the window during their next movie date. This time she had picked a popular zombie apocalypse movie from South Korea, and had checked the ratings thoroughly. Yue again covered her eyes when the first violent part of the movie came up.

"Now what?" Tomoyo huffed.

"You can do without seeing such acts of raw violence," the man beside her replied. The next time, it was an older Japanese supernatural horror, that they tried together, and Yue again shielded her eyes with his palm the moment the scary scenes came up, telling her that he was trying to ensure that she did not have nightmares. It was kind of annoying, and kind of sweet. Yue-san's main objective seemed to be to shield her from anything that might have a lasting impact on her impressionable mind. "Yue-san, watching movies with you is no fun. You are just too hard to impress and moreover, you figure out what would happen next and keep giving spoilers. That's not the point you know," she declared honestly after their third movie together.

"I cannot help it if most of the scripts are so predictable, and designed solely for pointless entertainment," Yue answered.

"Why do you have to be so serious about everything?" Tomoyo literally face palmed.

"Then watch them with people who aren't," Yue moved to get up from where they were sitting side by side on the couch, but Tomoyo caught his arm and held him back.

"You are too cute when you sulk like that," Tomoyo told him, making a gesture of a kiss with her lips. Immediately, the pretty color was back on the man's pale face. "I am not sulking, just stating facts," he denied.

Sakura and Keroberos had come over one day, and the three of them managed to convince Yue to play a board game with them. Tomoyo and Yue actually ended up bickering over the rules after a few rounds, causing Keroberos to label them as "old married couple like Yuki-bunny and Touya."

On a rainy day in late summer, Yue noticed Tomoyo wince a bit as she finished the lunch he had prepared for her, her hand resting on the side of her stomach. He immediately went to kneel beside her. "Tomoyo-san, if there was something wrong with the food you should have let me know. Perhaps an ingredient has gone bad, and since I cannot taste the food after I make it –."

"Yue-san," Tomoyo put down the chopsticks to touch his arm gently to reassure him. "The food that you made was fine," she smiled weakly.

"Then?" Yue marginally raised his silver eyebrow, not satisfied until he knew the cause of her discomfort.

"It's," Tomoyo hesitated, just for a moment. "It's period cramps," she exhaled heavily.

The tense features on Yue's face relaxed. Adjusting himself to a proper seating position beside her, he placed an arm around the girl, and immediately Tomoyo leaned into him. "You should have stayed home and rested then," he said, his smooth voice soothing Tomoyo further.

"It was not so bad in the morning," Tomoyo told him.

"I will drive you home," Yue insisted. "Let me put away the dishes first," he moved to collect the now empty dishes from the table.

When Yue returned from the kitchen, he found that the young girl curled up on the L-shaped sectional sofa that Yue had added to the once bare living room, since Tomoyo started spending a lot of time at the place. "Tomoyo-san," he called.

"It's so comfortable here, I don't want to go yet," Tomoyo declared. The sofa was indeed wide enough to accommodate her, and so comfy.

"Don't be stubborn, you will be more comfortable resting in your own bed," he said, hovering over her, arms crossed on his chest.

Tomoyo reached out and pointed at the left side of his chest with her fingers. "I want to be near Yue-san, and my home is right there," she said with a small smile. "Can I please rest here for a while? I will be fine, promise."

Instead of arguing with the girl further, Yue briefly went inside to retrieve a light blanket. It has steadily rained since morning, causing the temperature to drop by several degrees.

"Arigatou," Tomoyo voiced her thanks as her angel covered her cold feet with a soft blanket and lifted her head gently to place a cushion beneath it, fighting to keep her face from contorting with the sudden spike in the pain that she experienced in her lower abdomen.

Yue sat on the floor near her in a cross legged position. He reached out and covered Tomoyo's hand with his own. "Is it like this every month?" He questioned, earnest blue eyes fixed on her face.

Tomoyo shook her head. "Iie, not every time. Maybe once every three four months, the cramps would feel worse," she remained quiet for a while. "Sometimes, I cannot sleep at nights due to the cramps. Humans have such inconveniences. Gomen ne for troubling you, Yue-san."

"You do not have to apologize or hide your pain," the young man whose hand she was now holding told her, elegant fingers of his other hand finding their way into her hair. "You can even scream if you want, there's no one else here," he added.

"Then who is this handsome young man right here?" Tomoyo teased, a genuine smile appearing on her face.

"Do you consider him as an outsider?" Yue asked, leaning a little in her direction.

Tomoyo's smile grew brighter. "What are you smiling at?" Yue asked again.

"Nothing. Just that Yue-san has learned to flirt; just a little bit," Tomoyo smiled again, forgetting the pain from her period cramps momentarily.

"You are speaking too much instead of resting," Yue turned around to sit with his back leaning against the sofa.

"Yue-san," the girl called after a while. Yue tilted his head backwards to look at her face. "I am sad that summer is almost over. I'll only be able to come to Yue-san during the weekends once classes start," she told him.

Later that afternoon, Tomoyo was awakened by someone knocking at the door. There was a male voice calling Yue-san's name. A voice she did not recognize. The silver haired man left for the grocery store earlier, telling Tomoyo that she should continue to rest. Tomoyo had complied, since the bad weather and her cramps did not leave her with much energy to lift herself from the comfortable sofa and go outside. After that she had fallen fast asleep, snug in the blanket Yue had put on her earlier. Slowly she dragged herself out of her cocoon of comfort and went to answer the door.

A good looking young man wearing a pair of thin rimmed rectangular glasses was at the door. He seemed confused upon seeing her for a moment. "I did not know Yue-san had a sister," he spoke in the next moment without any formal greeting.

Tomoyo tried her best to not be annoyed at being taken for Yue-san's sister. "I am not his sister. And I do not live here," she said with a small bow, though she was not sure how convincing the last part was, considering her hair was perhaps a bit disheveled and her clothes a bit crumpled from being asleep earlier. She wondered if it would be rude to ask who the visitor was, as in her mind she still could not fathom the idea that her Yue-san reclusive might have spontaneously befriended this person.

The man blinked a few times at her words, and then his whole face lit up, as if he had made a startling, world-changing discovery. "Of course, I see now. You are the one that he intended." he said with an ear-to-ear smile.

"Sumimasen, I don't get you," Tomoyo said.

The young man finally seemed to return to the material world from his moment of epiphany. "Gomen ne, I have not even introduced myself. I am Yoshida, Masaki, Yue-san's publisher," the man finally returned her bow. "I suppose he's not home?"

Tomoyo nodded. "He should be back soon. Would you like to come inside and wait?" she offered. "Did he order a lot of books by the way?" Perhaps her bibliophile prince was looking to place a large order for some book collection about ancient philosophy or some other esoteric topic that seemed to capture his attention so profoundly.

The young man chuckled. "You have a good sense of humor. No wonder he likes you so much," He produced a package wrapped in a waterproof envelope from the satchel that hung from his shoulder. "Just tell him to check this galley proof quickly, alright? We would like to bring out the second edition as quickly as possible, as there is too much unmet demand. Last time he was mad over a few small typos and would not answer my call for days. I had to tell Yukito to persuade him to work with me again," the man said so much in one breath. Tomoyo could tell that the guy loved to talk. But it was too much information to take in and process for Tomoyo.

"How do you know Tsukishiro-san?" she asked one of the many questions that swamped her mind.

"Oh, we attended the same university, of course. Different departments, same club - archery that is," the young man's good natured smile was still on his face. Just as Tomoyo was about to request him to come in again, the phone inside the man's shirt pocket buzzed with an incoming notification which made him almost yelp.

"Yikes, that's my wife letting me know that she's on the way to the clinic with our baby girl," he said, looking at the screen of the phone. "She's a ragdoll, by the way. If I show up late, her okaa-san will kill me. Here," he handed the package to a still bewildered Tomoyo and waved. "Ja ne. Hope I will see you again soon. I will show you her photo then," the man quickly turned away before Tomoyo had a chance to respond. He got into the car parked outside and drove away.

Tomoyo just stood there pondering over the incoherent exchange. From the less than five minutes of their interaction, she knew that this whirlwind of a man called Yoshida Masaki was Tsukishiro-san's friend from the university, had a wife, and a baby girl in the form of a ragdoll cat or kitten. But it was still not clear what his exact business with Yue-san was. But Tomoyo could connect the dots. Yue-san's business with him was not as a buyer of books, but as an author or writer, if she considered that he was asked to review the galley proof currently in her hands. She closed the door slowly and leaned against it, trying to figure out why the revelation though not a bad one by any means still stung her heart.

She first considered opening the slightly heavy package and taking a look at the content inside, but decided against it. After all, it was addressed to Yue-san. She took her phone and did a quick search for Yoshida Masaki. It revealed that his family owned one of the reputable publishing houses in the country. Next, she considered the time difference between Tokyo and Chicago. It was already around 11:15 PM there, but still Tomoyo dialed Yukito's number, hoping that the kind man would excuse her untimely call, just for once.

"Tomoyo-san," Yukito answered the phone, his surprise at the call evident in his voice. He had already put himself to bed for the night, but was yet to fall asleep.

"Gomen ne, Tsukishiro-san for calling so late," Tomoyo apologized. "Could I talk to you about something?"

"Of course," Yukito quickly responded sensing the hint of urgency in her voice. However, when the girl remained silent, he sat up on the bed and reached for his glasses from the nightstand. "It's about Yue-san?," he said gently. His husband who was still working at the desk on the other side of the room turned to look at him.

"Your friend from the university, Yoshida-san was here a while ago to see Yue-san. He had gone out at that time, so Yoshida-san told me to give him the galley proof of some book." Tomoyo came straight to the point.

"Did you talk to Yue-san about it?" Yukito asked softly.

"He has not returned yet. Could you please tell me what you know of the matter? I wanted to hear from you first," Tomoyo said.

"Well," Yukito ran his fingers through his gray hair. Touya had moved to sit beside him now and was listening to the conversation. "Masaki's company published Yue-san's writing. After you left to study in Canada, Yue-san and I had lived in the same house briefly, before Touya and I also moved to the states. At that time, I noticed Yue-san was writing something. So, I had given him the contact of my friend just in case he wanted to publish. And months later, Masaki messages me, gushing over how talented of a writer this acquaintance of mine is. That's how Yue-san had introduced me. Not even as a friend," Yukito laughed.

"What kind of writing?" Tomoyo was still trying to process everything.

"Tales of folklore, the kind of stories that children enjoy and adults ponder over. They are really good, that's why the first edition of the anthology they published with his work is sold out already, and they are going to print a second edition," Yukito informed her. "You should read them. You will definitely like it,"

"How am I supposed to read them when Yue-san has not told me anything?" Tomoyo's voice finally betrayed the disappointment she felt. "Everybody knew, except I." she drew a sharp breath. "It feels like he does not consider me to be important enough to share such things about his life."

"Tomoyo-chan, calm down, please," Yukito tried to reason with the upset girl. "Only Touya and I know about this, due to our common friend. Yue-san has not shared it with anyone else either. He must have had his reasons."

"Well, I don't see any."

"Except that he's just an uptight and difficult individual," Touya spoke up beside his husband.

"To-ya, you are not helping Tomoyo-chan," Yukito rolled his eyes at his husband.

"Do you know why he did this?" Tomoyo asked.

"We do," Yukito answered calmly. "But it would be much better if you hear it from Yue-san, trust me."

"So you won't tell me anything either," Tomoyo sighed.

"I understand your feelings, Tomoyo-chan. I would just tell you one thing. Everything Yue-san has done lately has been for you. You are his muse," he told the girl.

"Yuki is just being sappy as usual," Touya quipped, wrapping an arm around his husband's torso and moving to rest his chin against the smaller man's shoulder blade such that his voice could be heard over phone. "Just ask him, and you don't even have to be nice about it," he said.

"Are you asking her to fight with Yue-san," Yukito glared at him. "Tomoyo-chan, don't listen to my idiot husband, please. He's just terrible at relationship advice. But yeah, just ask him,"

"Basically, he just copies my advice, and says I am bad," Touya huffs.

"I'll try," Tomoyo quietly responded. "Sorry again to bother you with this. Oyasumi nasai," she said.

"We are always happy to talk to you," Tomoyo-chan. "I am sure that this matter would be resolved soon," Yukito said before hanging up.

"You could have told her the reason, you know," Touya leaned back against the headboard. "Might have saved them a misunderstanding."

"To-ya, you know how sensitive Yue-san is. I didn't want to intrude," Yukito said, leaning against his husband's chest. "I just wanted to hug Tomoyo-chan, since she must be feeling awful," Yukito said.

"I am sure Yue would be happy to do that." Touya smirked. "And more."

"Umm, since it is Yue-san, I am not so sure about the last part," Yukito softly giggled. "Hey," he turned his face towards his husband, finding himself trapped within his strong arms.

"I don't want to stop at a hug though," Touya said in a deep voice.

"Oh yeah? What do you want to do?" Yukito jutted his chin upwards, locking his eyes with his husband as if accepting the challenge. His husband leaned in further towards his face, his gaze becoming more intense. He felt the tips of his fingers graze the skin beneath the light fabric of the tee he had worn to bed. He opened his mouth to warn the taller man, but before any word could come out, he broke out into a wild fit of giggle, as his sides were tickled vehemently by his sneaky husband.

"Stop –, that's not – funny," Yukito managed to choke out between giggles.

"Or else," Touya raised an eyebrow, but finally withdrew his hand seeing tears appearing in the corners of the gray haired man from intense laughing.

"I am telling my sister-in-law that her brother is not letting me sleep at night when I have work next morning," Yukito said, taking heavy breaths.

"Baka," Touya exclaimed. "Go ahead and tell that and see if that Kaiju stops teasing you for the next one month."

When Yue returned, he found Tomoyo huddled in a corner of the sofa, with her knees drawn up, and head buried on them. He went to the kitchen to put away the stuff that he had bought from the store, and returned soon afterwards with a cup of tea.

"Have your cramps got worse?" He sat beside the girl and touched her shoulder. She did not answer. "Try taking the tea, it is supposed to help," he offered.

This time, Tomoyo raised her arm and pointed to the package on the coffee table. "Yoshida-san, your publisher left that for you," she said, with some bitterness in her voice. Yue glanced at the package and understood what was going on.

"You are upset," he commented.

"Should I be overjoyed to find out that Yue-san did not think it was important to tell me first? I thought we were close," Tomoyo raised her head and looked at the moon guardian with fiery eyes.

"And this one thing makes you think that we are not?" Yue countered.

"Not just one thing. Ever since I returned, it feels as if I know nothing about Yue-san. You didn't tell me that you have been going to read to the children in the hospital every weekend in place of Tsukishiro-san. You didn't tell me that you learned to drive and got a car. And now I find out from a stranger about this book you published," tears gathered in the corner of her eyes as she finished.

"Is it necessary to announce every small thing? I never kept the earlier things that you mentioned a secret from you. That is why you found out right away. About the book, you would have known eventually, if not today," Yue sighed, pushing away his silver bangs from his forehead.

"Right, eventually," Tomoyo wiped her eyes. "And I kept sharing every small things about myself, forgetting that I was in love with a cold and emotionless stoic."

Yue took the opportunity to draw the girl in his arms. "Was in love?" he asked with a deep voice, his wings wrapping around the girl in his arms. She did not even notice when he had transformed to his true form.

"Yue-san, you are taking undue advantage of your magic now," Tomoyo said, but made no effort to free herself from the warmth of those wings around her form. By that time, the moon guardian was well aware of her weakness towards the pair of silver wings his magic endowed him with. Long fingers swiped gently at the tears that had fallen down her face.

"Fine still am. Hopelessly, that is. That's why it hurts to not know," more drops of tears fell on Yue's hand that was still holding her face.

"Don't cry. Ask me everything you want to know," Yue told her.

"Why did you start writing? I heard that Clow-san had left you with enough wealth to live-off comfortably," Tomoyo started questioning.

"I wanted to do something with my free time and see if I could do something useful," Yue answered. "Since I do not have any formal degrees, options were very limited."

Tomoyo reached up to touch the moon guardian's smooth jawline with her fingers, tears still glistening in her eyes. "Yue-san, you do not have to prove anything for me to keep loving you. You know that right?"

"I do not doubt that. But how can I be sure that your mother would trust me to take care of you one day, if I cannot take care of myself, without having to depend on my former master? I know you do not need anything in terms of material wealth, which you have more than enough of. But, Tomoyo-san, you had mentioned a few things that you wanted from me, before you left for Canada. You deserve to get those from me, not from Clow Reed."

Finally, a small smile appeared on the girl's lips, but she hid it away in the fabric of the white cape covering Yue's shoulder. Only one of the things that she had asked Yue-san for was something that required to be purchased with money. Was Yue-san really referring to buying her a ring now? She dared not ask. Not yet. "Are you serious?" she asked instead.

"Were you not, Tomoyo-san?" he asked earnestly.

Tomoyo nodded her head. "If this is what you like doing and would make you happy, then I am happy for you," she squeezed him a little. "Now can I see what my Yue-san had written?" she reached to grab the package containing the book, but Yue stopped her, and handed her the teacup instead.

"Drink your tea, that's what you need first. You can take the print with you tonight if you want to look at it,"

"But Yoshida-san said that you need to correct the proof soon," Tomoyo blinked.

"He can wait for a few more days," Yue huffed.

Yue drove Tomoyo back to her place shortly thereafter. Tomoyo had fallen asleep on the passenger seat of the car on the way back. The tea that Yue-san had given earlier seemed to have soothed her cramps. After dinner, a shower, and changing into comfortable pj's Tomoyo was ready to curl into her bed with the copy of the book that she received from Yue-san. She opened her backpack to retrieve the book. Inside, she found something else alongside the package. A small thermos with a sticky note pasted on its side. Drink before going to bed if you need to, it said. Yue-san must have put it there before she left.

Yue-san, you are impossible, Tomoyo poured herself a cup of the soothing herbal tea reflecting on how much Yue-san actually worried over her. As she sipped her tea she took a moment to admire the cover art of the book held in her hand. Although it was a proof copy, it was bound professionally, to reflect how the product would actually look when published. The writer's name was stylized as Tsukiyo. She should have expected Yue-san to not use his actual name, but she appreciated the choice of pen name as it was still closely related to who Yue-san was. Also, it was a name that did not give away the gender of the author. As she flipped through the title page and the copyright, eager to reach the contents, her eyes widened in surprise by what she saw. To my songbird, the dedication was short and simple, and yet it was enough to stop her heart for a moment. So, this is why Yue-san did not want me to see earlier, Tomoyo thought, setting down the teacup, and smiling and crying at the same time, holding the precious book in her hand. She now understood what Yoshida Masaki had meant by saying that it was her that Yue-san had intended, and why Yukito had told her that she was Yue-san's muse.

The next day, when Tomoyo came to Yue's house, she seemed unusually quiet at first. "How are you feeling today?" the moon guardian asked her.

"Better. I drank the tea you prepared for me before bed. And I could sleep properly. What was in it?" she asked.

"An infusion of cinnamon and chamomile. I consulted a couple of articles published in reputable journals to come to the conclusion that it was worth trying it as a remedy," Yue told her.

A small smile crept up to Tomoyo's lips. She understood that the young man standing before her had already conducted a mini research on how to relieve period cramps. She did see him using his laptop as she rested. Then he probably went out primarily to buy herbal tea.

"Arigatou," Tomoyo bowed suddenly, feeling an overwhelming sense of gratitude. "I tried chamomile flavored tea at cafes, but they did not seem to help earlier." she mentioned.

"There are rules for making it such that its herbal properties are left intact. I can show you how to do it later," he said. Yue noticed her face as she lifted her chin to look at him. The girl's eyes were watery.

"Tomoyo-san," he sighed, taking a step forward to place both hands on her shoulders. "What did I do now, hmm?"

"Nothing," Tomoyo all but crashed into his arms, wrapping her arms securely around his waist, and burying her face in his soft shirt. "I was just wondering if Yue-san would still have time to take care of his songbird like this, if he becomes a very busy and very successful writer one day," she said in a muffled voice against his shirt.

"Don't dream too much," Yue's hand moved to rest on the back of her head. "So, you have read," he sighed. The answer was a rapid nodding of her head against his chest. "I intended to give it to you, just about a week later,." he added with a short sigh.

"Why after a week?" Tomoyo looked up from his embrace.

"Because last time also, I did not give you anything. I don't even care to find out when your birthday was until Ruby called and yelled at me over the phone. So, this year, I wanted to give something to you. But there's not much that you already don't have," he explained. "Yoshida and his tactless act ruined that," he muttered.

Tomoyo's birthday, on the third of September, was just over 10 days away. As she processed the information, she realized she would not have been bitter and upset if Yue-san indeed had given the book written by him and dedicated to her as a birthday present. She felt guilty for accusing him of not sharing the information the day before. But if Yue-san was too shy to explain the full situation to her, so what was she to do?

"Then write another book," Tomoyo told him. "Your songbird can wait another year."

Notes:

A/N: Tsukiyo: moonlit night

Thanks for reading. So, TomoYue are strongly hinting at the "M" word, as you might have guessed. Let's see what happens next chapter. It could also be the last one for this story, but we shall see. Please leave a review if you have made it to this point.

Chapter 22: Disclosure

After Tomoyo’s classes resumed after summer break, she started carrying her textbooks and homeworks to Yue’s place during the weekends. Mostly they just sat in silence at opposite ends of the large desk, focused on their own work. There were times when Tomoyo found Yue staring off into the distance with a faraway expression in his eyes. 

One time when she found him staring off into the distance with such a melancholic expression. “Does Yue-san still feel sad sometimes?” she asked gently, leaning against his arm. They were standing side by side on the patio, facing the backyard of the house. 

“Do not worry about it Tomoyo-san,” Yue replied, continuing to look ahead. 

“I want to help Yue-san. Can I?” She looked up at him with hopeful eyes. Sure, she could not change his past, but she hoped to make his present better, as long as she could. Tomoyo perched herself on the ledge of the patio railing, using Yue’s shoulders for support. 

Yue quickly placed his hands on her upper arms to hold her, afraid that she might fall off the narrow ledge. “Just you being here is enough.” he told her. 

Tomoyo smiled. The orange rays of the late autumn sun caressed them softly. She slowly drew the man she loved closer to herself, and began to sing in a soft voice. Yue closed his eyes, and allowed his face to relax. Somehow, the girl seemed to know that the melody of her song was a soothing balm to his hurt soul, 

During the winter break, Ruby Moon decided to visit, much to Yue’s annoyance at the rambunctious girl deciding to stay over at his house and getting on his nerves everyday. Her main agenda for the visit seemed to be to tease Yue endlessly about his relationship with Tomoyo. Instead of supporting him, most of the time, Tomoyo seemed to be playing along with the red-headed second moon guardian. Yue mentally cursed Eriol for creating such an insufferable creature. Next to Ruby Moon, Keroberos’ occasional jibes and teases started to seem almost innocuous. The poor moon guardian was rapidly approaching the end of his patience. 

The two girls were having lunch, after having tried some experimental cooking which wreaked havoc on Yue’s neatly organized kitchen. Although the food seemed to have turned out to their satisfaction judging by the delighted expression on their faces, Yue assessed that it would take at least a few hours to put the kitchen back into order. He did not even attempt to conceal a sigh. 

“What’s with all these books?” Ruby pointed to the pile of textbooks and notebooks at the corner of the table. 

“Sumimasen,” Tomoyo bowed. “I thought it is easy to leave them here instead of carrying them everyday since most of the time I am studying here?” 

“So, you come to Yue everyday just to study?” Ruby cackled. “I thought you would come up with more interesting activities to spend time together,” she said with a suggestive wiggle of her eyebrows. 

“Yue-san’s busy himself these days with his writing, you know. He is about to finish his second book,” Tomoyo replied nonchalantly, but Yue could hardly contain his anger. 

“Ruby, if I hear another inappropriate comment from you, I would not hesitate to shove you out of the front door, and toss your bags on the street behind you,” he said sternly. Ruby protested, claiming that her comment was totally innocent, and that it was not her fault if someone misinterpreted it. 

The fun loving and outgoing moon guardian dragged Tomoyo and Sakura out for stuff like movies and shopping almost everyday. Yue started missing spending time with Tomoyo by the end of the first week of her stay. Ruby playfully called their outings as dates which added to his annoyance. 

“Must you spend time so unproductively everyday?” Yue almost scolded Tomoyo when the three girls returned from their shopping spree one afternoon, arms full of bags of different sizes. “Didn’t you have lessons to catch up on and homeworks to complete by the end of the week?”

“Ruby-san wanted to choose souvenirs to bring back to England. We wanted to help her,” Tomoyo responded, unfazed. 

“If you had mentioned that you were pining for your little girlfriend, we would have left her with you,” Ruby giggled. “Besides, there is a term called family bonding, which you might not get. My future sister-in-law has the patience of a saint to be with a block of ice such as yourself,” she declared. 

“You do not have one, as I am not your brother,” Yue replied, turning his face away. 

“Tomoyo-san, omedetou,” this time it was Sakura who chuckled. “Yue-san just confirmed that he would be your future husband,” all three girls laughed. 

“Well, I hope he does not change his mind,” Tomoyo said brazenly. 

“Oh, if he ever ignores you, you can always date me,” Ruby laughed again, throwing her arms around Tomoyo. “I am cute and way more fun than a block of ice,” she winked mischievously. “I have the same cool powers, and unlike him, I am actually fun to be around.” 

Tomoyo laughed and shook her head. “Say you would consider, he would be so jealous,” Ruby brought her mouth to her ear and whispered conspiratorially. 

“Arigatou, Ruby-san. But Yue-san’s the only one for me,” she said, looking at the silver haired man. 

Yue gave her a pointed look. “You are so lucky, man! Got yourself a loyal type,” Ruby sighed. “Sakura-chan, I am coming over today to annoy your brother and brother-in-law today,” she shifted her focus to Sakura. Touya and Yukito who were also visiting for the winter holidays were still the target of her pranks after all these years. 

Yue wrapped his arms around Tomoyo pulling her against his chest from the back immediately after Ruby Moon left with Sakura. “Missed me that much?” Tomoyo teased. 

“Why did you have to entertain her so much? You were going out with her everyday,” Yue sighed into her hair. 

“We asked you to come as well, you refused,” Tomoyo said. 

“I do not think I have the ability to suffer her incessant chatter for such an extended period of time. And she makes such frivolous comments,” his sigh sounded heavier this time. 

“Yue-san, not everyone is as serious as you,” Tomoyo turned her face to quickly peck his check. “Cut her some slack. She only does it to annoy you. She really thinks of you as family you know. To her, you are an older brother,” she said using her hand to gently rub circles on his forearm to coax him. 

“Tomoyo-san,” Yue placed his chin on her shoulders and said softly. Tomoyo let her head fall backwards to rest against his shoulder. “You too think that I am very serious? Like a block of ice, perhaps?” he asked. 

“Yue-san is being dramatic now,” Tomoyo gestured to him to loosen his arms so that she could turn around. She placed her own arms around his neck as she faced him. “I would call it being earnest. And I love it, along with all other attributes of Yue-san. I would not change a thing about you, no matter what anyone says,” she leaned against his chest. 

Another year passed by. Tomoyo sat between her mother and Yue at her graduation ceremony, eagerly anticipating her name to be called to receive her degree certificate. Currently, Sonomi held her daughter’s video camera, eager to capture the moment. When her name was finally announced, Tomoyo got up from her seat and went to the stage. On her way up the stairs, she turned back to look at where her Yue-san and her mother were sitting, stumbled on the step, and fell to her knees. Both Sonomi and Yue rose from their seats, but before Sonomi could take the next step, Yue was, crouching next to Tomoyo, a protective arm around her shoulders. Sonomi saw him help her daughter up with an eerie feeling. It seemed that the young man just glided across the room to Tomoyo rather than having rushed over to her. 

Tomoyo muttered a quick apology and got up to her feet. She then walked up the stairs to receive her degree. Sonomi brushed away the uneasiness from her mind and focussed on capturing the moment on the camera. Yue stood by the stage hidden in the shadows of the dimly lit seating area of the auditorium. After Tomoyo received her graduation certificate and posed for the photo, Yue held out his arm to guide her down the stairs of the stage. The girl in her graduation robe was limping a little as Yue led her back to her seat, letting her lean on his arm for support. 

“How did you fall like that?” Sonomi asked. 

“I just tripped,” Tomoyo sighed. 

“You were not looking where she was going.” Yue said. After letting her sit down, Yue had bend forward from his own seat to touch her ankle. 

“Yue-san!” Tomoyo tried to pull his arm away, squeaking a little.  

“Don’t be stubborn. I need to check how badly you managed to hurt yourself,” Yue replied sternly. “It hurts judging by your reaction to my touch.” 

“It does, because it is still fresh. It will be better after some time.” Tomoyo told him. 

After the graduation ceremony, Tomoyo joined her class for taking group pictures in the open space, while Sonomi and Yue waited farther away from the happy group of students celebrating their graduation. This was the first time Sonomi had got a chance to observe her daughter’s interactions with the boy she had been dating, and to her surprise, the two seemed to be oddly comfortable around each other. Even in the presence of her mother’s judging eyes there was no awkwardness or reservation in the way they talked and behaved with each other. Sonomi observed how the blue eyes of the young man who stood with his arms crossed on his chest followed her daughter who was smiling as she posed for yet another photo with the graduating group of students.  

“When Tomoyo-chan started spending all her time with you, I was afraid that her grades would go down,” Sonomi huffed. “It is a relief that she continued to perform well,” Sonomi said, referring to her daughter, who managed to finish her degree program with great grades, sharing the top spot of her university with another fellow student. 

“I shared a similar apprehension,” Yue’s reply was not something Sonomi had expected. She had half anticipated that he would just ignore her words in favor of frosty silence.  “Though I had to periodically remind her to prioritize her education, I always trusted her to be responsible,” the silver haired man added. 

Sonomi regarded the young man. The long silver hair and the jewelled stud on his left ear, which Sonomi had conventionally associated with the defiance and rebellion of youth, carried a sharp contrast to the formal manner of his speech and the well made tailored suit in which the man presented himself. She still could not figure out the man who had been dating her daughter. Either the man deserved an oscar for his acting skills, or he genuinely cared for her daughter, if the way he told her to lean on his arm so as to not put pressure on her injured leg as they exited the auditorium, or the way he was following her at the moment with his pristine blue eyes was something to go by. Sonomi knew that countless girls would be dying to date someone who was half as handsome as this young man. Yet, if she were to trust Sakura’s words, this very person convinced Tomoyo to move abroad for a year to become an exchange student, and was willing to wait indefinitely for her return. So, either he had the patience of a saint or the wickedness of a devil who was waiting for his prey to fall into his trap, and Sonomi was still not sure which one was more likely. But for the first time, Sonomi found herself praying to the higher powers that it was the former rather than the latter. Her precious daughter was either going to become the happiest woman on the planet or she would be broken beyond repair should the relationship end one day. Sonomi suddenly felt a wave of panic course through her as she imagined the worst possible outcome of this relationship. 

“Yue-kun,” she turned to the man with a stern expression. “It has been two years that you have been seeing my daughter and I still do not know who you are. Tomoyo-chan refuses to tell me.  I have not stopped her from seeing you since she seemed happy with you. Can you give me your word that her heart would not be broken in the end?” she asked directly. 

Yue sighed. “And what weight would my word carry, Daidouji-san?” he questioned. “Surely, you are not naive enough to think that I would be incapable of inveigling you with such words that you want to hear if I wished to,” he said. 

“A man of honor would at least try to uphold his word,” Sonomi retorted

“A man of honor would not be capricious towards another person’s feelings. I consider any words to confirm the same as vacuous and redundant,” Yue said. “I would not tell you to trust me. At least, trust your daughter and respect her choice. Her life is not your story to write and neither is it mine. Tomoyo-san is aware of the choice she has in this matter,,” he added. 

“She would always choose you,” Sonomi replied, a little impatiently. 

“Even if she does that, your disapproval would be a heavy burden on her heart. Tomoyo-san always tells me that she does not want to disappoint you.” Yue said. 

Sonomi was about to reply, but Tomoyo came towards them. “I want photos with you both,” she declared. The girl was still in her graduation robe, but had taken off her graduation hat. Yue stepped forward and took the hat from her hand and placed it back on her head. He then took the camera from her hand and gestured to her to join Sonomi. Tomoyo gave a bright smile as she posed for the camera beside her mother. At the second click of the camera, a small smile found its way to Sonomi’s lips as well. 

“I suppose it is my turn to be the photographer for both of you,” Sonomi told Tomoyo. Tomoyo who was made to sit on a bench due to her leg being hurt earlier. was looking at the young man who stood beside her with dreamy eyes, when Sonomi told them to look at the camera. It seemed that she did not hear her mother’s words until Yue placed a hand on top of her head and gently turned it to face the camera. He did not remove his hand but simply let it rest at the back of her head when Sonomi said that she was ready to take the shots. The older woman could not help but admire the visual. Well, at least they look good together, a quiet voice said at the back of her mind. 

“What manner of sorcery have you used to make my Tomoyo-chan so besotted with you huh? I have never seen her stare at anyone like that,” Sonomi said, half teasing half serious. 

“Okaa-san,” Tomoyo squealed in agony. 

“Surely, you would consider me blameless in this situation  when you learn that it was your daughter who pursued me first,” Yue answered without missing a beat. 

“Yue-san, stop it,” Tomoyo covered her face with her hands. It seemed both Yue and Sonomi had joined hands to tease her at that point. 

“So, did you meet Yue-kun’s parents?” Sonomi asked over lunch that day. She had planned to take her daughter out for lunch after her graduation ceremony. She had asked Yue to join them, which he promptly refused, and Tomoyo said that Yue-san completely avoids eating outside. 

“Yue-san doesn’t have parents, okaa-san,” Tomoyo told the truth without telling more. 

“I see. That must be hard on him as he’s still so young,” Sonomi actually felt sorry for the boy, beginning to understand the forlorn look that she thought she had seen within the depth of his blue eyes at that point.

“Yue-san has spent a really lonely life, okaa-san. That’s why I want to be with him, as much as possible,” Tomoyo added. 

“I suppose that means that you are going back to his place right after lunch?” Sonomi asked. 

“Hai,” Tomoyo nodded without hesitation. 

Later that afternoon, Yue looked up from the pages of the book he was reading to regard the girl resting with her head on the cushion. Her long dark locks splayed around her head, and her eyes were closed. Yue could not help but admire the innocent beauty of her face for a while. He reached out to stroke her hair. Tomoyo smiled sweetly without opening her eyes. “Sleep”, Yue brushed his palm on her forehead and started to draw his hand back, but Tomoyo held on to him. 

“Yue-san,” she simply said. 

“What is it?” 

“Two of my classmates are getting married soon; to each other,” Tomoyo sighed deeply. 

“And what makes you so wistful about it?” Yue asked. 

“Just thinking if I could also hope for something like that,” Tomoyo told him. Yue leaned back and closed his eyes. 

“Am I the only one of us who has this dream, Yue-san?” Tomoyo asked quietly, her hand playing with his slender fingers.

“Tomoyo-san, our relationship would not change by giving it a different name. You understand that, right?” Yue told her. 

“Then there’s no harm in giving it a proper name, right?” Tomoyo peered up at his face with bright eyes, but the shine in her orbs. “I am sorry if it is too much,” she looked away, blinking a few times. 

A gentle hand stroked the top of her head. “Has Yue-san ever denied you anything?” Yue replied, leaning to bring their faces closer. 

“Iie, but Yue-san never says anything about us,” Tomoyo said. 

“When the time comes,” Yue started, proceeding to interlock the digits of their joined hands. “I will stand beside you and support your decision. That’s all that you need to know at this point.  Do not waste your time day-dreaming,” he said, ruffling her hair a bit more. 

“So anti-romantic,” Tomoyo frowned. “You know very well it would not be my decision only.”

“And you know very well that Yue-san would decide in favor of your happiness,” he leaned even closer. “Don’t you?” he whispered. When a small smile appeared at the corner of the girl’s lips, he kissed her gently. 

It was not often that Tomoyo received such attention from Yue, especially when it was not initiated by herself, so she took her time savoring the moment. Her hand was still tightly clasped in Yue’s, her digits interlaced with his larger ones, while his other hand rested firmly on her head. She closed her eyes trying to commit the slow movement of Yue-san’s lips against her own, their softness and their warmth to her mind, so that she could relive the moment until the next time they kissed. 

“Promise?” Tomoyo said as she held up her pinky to him, as soon as their lips separated. 

Yue shook his head at the childish gesture, but wordlessly wrapped his own little finger with hers. 

Tomoyo slowly sat up and gently guided the moon guardian’s face to herself. Her lips found their way to the center of Yue’s forehead and then to his left cheek, intensifying the pink blush that bloomed on his pale skin. Yue’s lips parted to say something, but Tomoyo placed a finger on them. “I want to adore Yue-san today.” Tomoyo sometimes said such things just to rile him and get a reaction, but one look at her eyes, and Yue could see that she really meant it this time. So, he simply closed his eyes and waited. Tomoyo slowly brought her lips again to the other side of his face. Yue was a man who never had any regard for his flawless appearance. In fact, he often thought that it was an inconvenience that attracted unwanted attention. But the way Tomoyo was regarding him made him feel that he was something sacred and beautiful. Tomoyo placed her lips on his chin, his jaw, and then rested on the slight bulge of the Adam's apple at his neck. At that moment, Yue knew that he would never get tired of receiving this soft adoration from his little songbird. 

“It’s your fault that I tripped today,” Tomoyo complained, finally settling again in his arms. “You looked so good that I could not look away.” she sighed. 

“You should not have invited me if I am that much of a nuisance,” Yue replied. 

"As if I could graduate in the absence of the most important person in my life," Tomoyo scoffed. "You should not have used magic," Tomoyo said after a moment of silence. "For heaven's sake we were in an auditorium full of people and cameras. My heart was at my throat thinking someone could have accidentally filmed you floating as you rushed to me."

"It was instinctive for me to use the fastest possible means to get to you at that time. Don't worry me like that by being clumsy if you do not want such things to happen," Yue said in a serious voice. "But fortunately, it was quite dark, especially near the floor, and people's focus were on the stage."

After another two years, Tomoyo had completed her graduate school from Tokyo, earning a degree in business, and had started her apprenticeship at the marketing division of her family's toy company. During the same time, Yue had published more writings, which received great reviews, cementing his place as a prominent figure in folklore and children's literature.

On a Sunday night, Tomoyo returned home from Yue's place to find that Sonomi was already waiting for her at the dinner table. Tomoyo apologized for being a bit later than usual and took her seat. “Itadakimasu,” she folded her hands and then picked up her chopsticks. 

“You are hardly at home these days Tomoyo-chan. You have basically been living with that boy ever since you came back from Tokyo,” Sonomi said in a slightly accusatory tone. 

“Okaa-san, I am not,” Tomoyo protested right away, somewhat flustered. “I just wanted to spend some time with Yue-san since the last months were so busy,” she said. 

“Honestly, Tomoyo-chan, don’t try to tell me that you actually prefer to leave his side every evening just to come home to sleep for the night, and rush to him again the very next morning,” Sonomi rolled her eyes. How long do you plan to keep up such a schedule?” she questioned. 

“What do you suggest then?” Tomoyo questioned, swallowing the food in her mouth. She was not sure she even wanted to have this conversation, but Sonomi seemed determined. 

“If you two are so inseparable that you cannot go for a day without seeing each other, then your precious Yue-san should do something to make such an arrangement more formal.” 

“More formal?” Tomoyo was mentally not prepared for Sonomi to bring up what she thought she was alluding to. 

“What stops him from asking to marry you? I really do not understand this boy!” Sonomi sighed, running her fingers over her face.

“Okaa-san,” Tomoyo rose from her seat and knelt on the floor beside her mother’s chair. “Do you really mean it?” 

“What choice have you left me with?” Sonomi pretended to be upset, but she could see the small smile at the corner of the older woman’s lips. “You have all but moved out of the house regardless of my approval.” “Besides, that boy is quite good at taking care of you and probably loves you as well.” It was not in one day that Sonomi developed such a conviction. During the time that Tomoyo lived in Tokyo to attend her graduate school Yue visited her almost every weekend, driving to the city to see her. Tomoyo had refused to live at the house owned by her family in Tokyo citing that it would be more convenient for her to attend the classes if she lived closer to the university in one of the apartment buildings designated for student housing. Sonomi wanted to send a housekeeper to take care of her, but she had refused that too, saying that she did not want to live differently from other students. There was an argument between them at that time over the issue. Yue had settled it at that time by calling Sonomi and reassuring her that he would check on her every weekend to make sure she was alright. Once when Tomoyo had caught a seasonal flu, Yue had taken her to see a doctor and driven her back to her home in Tomoeda. Sonomi had seen the boy come everyday just to sit beside her bedside for hours and watch over her. So, the fact that he cared had become gradually apparent to Sonomi. 

“He’s also kind, smart and talented,” Tomoyo added with a big happy smile on her face, holding her mother’s arm. 

“Stop praising your boyfriend and finish your dinner,” Sonomi patted her head, signalling her to return to her seat. 

“He’s also reticent, stubborn and likes to scold people,” Tomoyo added, returning to her seat. 

“That did not stop you from being head over heels for that boy,” Sonomi interjected. 

“Hai, but you just told me to stop praising him,” Tomoyo chuckled.

“I want to marry him,” Tomoyo dreamily declared to her friends one warm summer afternoon as they lay on the ground listening to the buzz of the crickets and watching the sparkle of the stars in the clear sky above. Meiling and Akiho managed to visit at the same time that summer, and the four girls had gone on a camping trip. Meiling was teasing the other girls about whether they were already missing the ones special to them, noticing that her friends were quieter than usual. 

“Has Yue-san proposed?” Akiho asked innocently. 

Tomoyo sat up slowly. “I think he is avoiding the topic. No matter how many hints I give him, he remains indifferent,” she put her head on her knees and sighed. 

“But Yue-san cares for you so much,” Akiho seems surprised. “I may not be very sharp in these matters, but even I could see how much he dotes on you.” 

“Maybe he’s too stoic for marriage,” Meiling declared.

“Meiling-san!” Sakura exclaimed. “Do not dishearten Tomoyo-san like that.” 

“I will ask him for an answer,” Tomoyo turned her gaze back to the sky. “Soon.”

So, months later, Tomoyo stood by the pond in Tsukimini shrine on the day of the autumn moon festival. She was dressed in a traditional white kimono decorated with swirling blue patterns, the shade of which matched the color on the hem of Yue’s white robe. The young woman looked up anxiously at the sky, which was covered in clouds that hid the full moon from view. Her own moon was yet to make an appearance that night. 

“Tomoyo-san,” the much anticipated call of Tomoyo’s name finally came in a voice she was badly wanting to hear.. The moon guardian came and stood beside her. 

“You are late,” Tomoyo said softly. It was actually unusual for Yue to show up late on a date. Tomoyo had been down with a fever the week before, and Yue seemed quite busy since then. Even though he visited her  everyday, he would live within an hour or two at most. 

Yue regarded the person beside him for a moment. In all these years that they have been together, Tomoyo never failed to drag him to his particular spot every year on the day of the harvest moon festival. It has almost become a sacred ritual for the girl. But unlike the previous years, she had dressed up in a kimono, whose color scheme he did not fail to notice. “I was caught up with something,” he said, shifting his gaze to the dark surface of the lake before them. 

Tomoyo did not press for further explanation. Her mind seemed to be occupied with something else.. “I really hope it clears up enough for us to see the moon tonight. 

“It’s the same moon every year,” Yue replied in a flat tone. His head turned to look in a certain direction on their right. A few hundred meters away from them hidden away in the dark branches of a tall tree was a certain cardcaptor and her sun guardian. They were talking. the sun guardian in his little plushie form was looking through the rather large binoculars hung around his neck. 

“Let me also see, Kero-chan,” Sakura snatched the device from Keroberos, placing it before her own eyes. “Tomoyo-san seems sad,” she pouted. 

“As if you can see their face clearly from so far away,” Keroberos huffed. 

“She wanted to see the moon. She would be disappointed if it does not come out tonight,” Sakura looked up at the dense cloud cover. 

“Then I suppose she will wait another year to propose. Silly humans!” Kero stuck out his tongue, Sakura smacked his head lightly and pulled out a card. “That’s not happening, because I am helping her tonight,” she drew a card from her pocket. “Windy,” she beckoned the magical being. 

“Yue-san, do you remember the first time that I came here with you, I had made a wish, and requested you to do the same,” Tomoyo told the silver haired young man, turning around to face him. 

Yue nodded his head slowly. “I wished for you to get whatever it was that you wanted,.”

“Do you know what I wished for at that time?” Tomoyo took a step forward to stand closer to Yue. 

“Enlighten me, if you so wish,” the moon guardian calmly responded. Tomoyo raised her hand to brush her fingers against his face. 

“Your happiness. That’s what I wished for that year and every year after that,” she told him, meeting his eyes. 

A strong gust of wind blew past Tomoyo and Yue, rustling the leaves of the nearby trees. Yue’s silver locks and Tomoyo’s dark ones that she had let down from a knot at the crown of her head blew sideways. “Can I ask if my wishes came true?” Tomoyo asked. Just then, the first silver rays of the moon struck Yue’s blue eyes, the sheen mesmerizing Tomoyo for a moment. 

“The moon's out,” Tomoyo turned around and rushed to the edge of the wooden pier delighting at the reflection of the full moon that finally appeared on the surface of the water. 

“Careful,” Yue chastised, as he placed an arm around the girl and dragged her back a bit, lest she ended up falling into the water in her excitement. They stood close, with Yue still holding the girl.”Happiness is not something that could be expressed by a simple affirmation or negation, Tomoyo-san,” the moon guardian said at length. “Nevertheless, with the passage of every day that you have spent by my side since that time, your wish has come true, bit by bit.” 

Tomoyo seemed to reflect on the answer for a moment and seemed quite satisfied by it. “If Yue-san truly feels happier to be with me. Then today I would dare to make another wish,” she declared. 

“Go on, while the moon is still shining,” Yue said pointedly, looking in a certain direction. 

“Oh boy, it is getting interesting,” Keroberos smirked, looking through the binoculars. 

“Kero-chan, we are leaving,” Sakura said firmly. 

“You leave if you want to. I am not missing this chance of teasing Yue. Heyy–” the little sun guardian protested as his master picked him up by the scruff of his neck like a small stuffed animal. 

“Tomoyo-chan would not be happy if she knew we sneaked up on her. Besides, Yue-san would already know that we are here. Let us not ruin their important date.” She promptly landed on the ground with the aid of her jump card, stuffed Keroberos into her backpack along with his binoculars, and walked away. 

“I want to make a wish to my moon instead,” Tomoyo reached out and took both of Yue’s hands into her own. Yue nodded, feeling the receding presence of his master’s magic. 

“Close your eyes for a moment,” Tomoyo squeezed his hands a little bit. Yue obliged her quietly. 

“Yue-san, look at me,” the tall man opened his eyes again at the sound of Tomoyo’s voice. The girl was on her knees before him, still holding on to his hands. 

“Please become my husband, Yue-sama. It would make me immeasurably happy,” Tomoyo gave him a hopeful smile. 

“You do not have to call me Yue-sama and you certainly do not have to kneel to ask for that,” Yue responded, grabbing her wrists to pull her up to her feet. “Those ridiculous movies that you watch teach young people to perform such submissive acts in the name of romance,” he sounded almost offended. 

“Yue-san,” Tomoyo’s facial expression hardened. “Could you give me an answer once you are done with scolding me?” she asked. 

“I have to tell you a few things before I give you an answer. Come,,” He led her by the hand to the nearest one of the many benches that surrounded the pond. Once they were both seated, Yue spoke. 

“Tomoyo-san, a marriage is about mutual respect. You must first respect yourself so that the person whom you marry never fails to give it back to you,” he told her. 

“Fine. I get it. You did not like the way I proposed,” Tomoyo was feeling deeply disappointed with how what she had imagined to be the perfect proposal turned out. Her eyes were burning and there was a lump in her throat. Yue-san had once told her that he would decide in favor of her happiness when the time came . She believed in his words when she decided to finally ask him to marry her. His strange response, however, was not something she had anticipated.  “If you are not going to answer me anyway, then I should leave. I do not have the heart to listen to you lecturing me on etiquettes tonight, ” she moved to get up, but Yue held her arm firmly. 

“I told you that I need to tell you a few things before I give you an answer, didn't I?” Yue said. 

“Tell me then,” Tomoyo slumped back on the bench tiredly. 

“I am not a human, Tomoyo-san,” Yue started. 

“I never wanted you to be one,” Tomoyo replied. 

“I am not sure you have fully analyzed the implications of the same on your married life if you choose me as your husband.” Yue said resolutely. 

“I have, trust me,” Tomoyo said in a quieter voice. 

“You would not be able to go on dinner dates with your husband like everyone else,” Yue said. 

Tomoyo almost laughed despite her despondency. “I did not think you would care about such mundane matters,” she said. 

“I am much older than you and yet you would never get to see your husband grow old with you,” Yue came to the next point. 

“Well, pardon me if I have not regarded you like my great grandpa so far,” Tomoyo scoffed. “And as for the second point, would Yue-san’s feelings for me change with the inevitable change in my physical appearance?” Tomoyo met his eye this time. 

“That’s not possible,” Yue answered without hesitation. 

“If Yue-san is sure then so am I on this,” Tomoyo said. 

“I do not have a family, a degree or a job. People might ask questions which might seem unpleasant to you at times,” Yue continued. 

“What people Yue-san? The ones who are my friends already know the truth about you. The rest are mere strangers. I do not care about them enough to discuss our relationship with them,” Tomoyo was growing impatient. 

“I do not even have a last name to give you,” Yue reached out and took one of her hands. 

“Take mine then,” Tomoyo said without missing a beat. 

“This marriage would not give you any children,” Yue said the last point on the list of things that he needed to tell, and closed his eyes. 

“I know,” Tomoyo mumbled beside him. Eyelids framed by long silver lashes fluttered open to pin her with a questioning look. “When we were in high school, we heard Momo-san talk about it with Akiho-chan once. She was saying that beings created by magic such as herself cannot procreate. Not with humans, and neither with other such magical beings. She mentioned being jealous of Akiho’s mother when she was carrying her baby because of that. It seemed she wanted to have a child of her own if she could. I felt sad that she couldn’t at that time,” Tomoyo continued, her voice becoming wistful at the end. 

“I see,” Yue said quietly. 

“Did Yue-san ever want a child?” she peered up at his face, asking the question somewhat hesitantly. 

“Never in my entire existence had I entertained such an idea,” Yue responded calmly. 

Tomoyo had guessed as much. “Then what bothers you so much about it?” she asked. 

“I must account for your thoughts on the matter,” Yue responded. 

“Yue-san, I asked you to become my husband. Not to father my children,” Tomoyo said. 

“As far as I know there is a correlation between the two in human society,” Yue remarked. 

“Yes, I know, But–,” Tomoyo moved closer, wrapped her arms against Yue’s torso, and leaned against his chest. “I would have wanted to marry Yue-san even if Yue-san was a woman. Or even if I was a man,” she declared. “I am happy that we do not have the same gender though. Otherwise, we would have to leave this country like Touya oni-san and Tsukishiro-san, and I don’t want to be away from everyone I care about. But if needed, I would have happily done that too, to be married to my Yue-san. Anyway, what I am saying is that a human who loves another human of the same gender also knows that they could never have a child. Does that make their marriage meaningless, in your opinion?” she looked up and awaited his response. 

“I never implied such a thought. Nevertheless, it is my responsibility to tell you everything you need to know before deciding to marry someone like me.” Yue said. 

“None of these would change my resolve. And my feelings,” Tomoyo told him. Everything that you said also applies to Touya onii-san and Tsukishiro-san’s marriage. Yet they are happy together. Why can’t we be the same way?” She sounded determined. 

“Except that as Yukito was designed to be a human facade for my true form, he ages like one.” Yue said. “But, Tomoyo-san You want to marry me that badly?” he lifted his arm to cradle the back of Tomoyo’s head with his hand. 

“Hai,” Tomoyo mumbled against his chest. “If you can make up your mind sometime soon it would be great, because I am a human, and I certainly do not want to look like your obaa-san in our wedding photos,” she grumbled, clutching the lapel of the formal grey jacket Yue was wearing over his white dress shirt. 

“You are just twenty-three,” Yue told her. 

“And how long are you planning to make me wait? Till I am thirty-two? Or perhaps sixty-four?” Tomoyo rolled her eyes at the man. 

“What does marriage mean to you, Tomoyo-san?” Yue asked. 

“Yue-san, it has started feeling like I am in some sort of interview,” Tomoyo sighed, breaking their embrace. 

“Just answer me. It’s important,” Yue persisted, connecting their hands. 

“To me, it would be our promise to walk together on the path of life for as long as possible,” Tomoyo raised her eyes to meet his own. “It is also a promise to let go if one of us is unable to walk together any longer some day,” she added. 

Yue closed his eyes momentarily. Though she was young, Tomoyo was wise enough to know their limitations. He was glad that she acknowledged them, and did not dream of their impossible forever. He leaned forward to quickly brush his lips against his companion’s temple. “By your definition Tomoyo-san, I would consider us to be married already,” he said. 

“I know. But those feelings that we have for each other do give us any legal rights,” Tomoyo said, looking down at the hands that Yue held on his lap. “Humans are selfish, Yue-san. The always want more.” she said.  

With a quiet sigh, Yue reached into the pocket of his formal jacket, and produced a small box. As he opened the lid of the box the burning sensation that Tomoyo felt in her eyes gave way to hot tears that rolled down her face. 

“Yue-san,” she choked, covering her mouth with both her hands. Yue gently tugged her wrist and brought her left hand forward, making her spread out her fingers. A band of silver with a clear blue center stone that matched the color of the eyes of the young man who held it, with two smaller diamonds inlaid on either side, slowly slid onto her finger, resting snugly at the base of the digit. “I would do it then,” Yue murmured softly, as more tears continued to fall from her eyes, 

“Do what? Tell me properly,” Tomoyo demanded tearfully. 

“Become husband to a stubborn and silly princess called Daidouji Tomoyo, who also secretly happens to be a big crybaby,” Yue’s arms drew her in, his eyes glinting with amusement and affection. 

“You –,” Tomoyo threw a light punch that landed on the stomach of the man who held her, but failed to form a coherent sentence through her tears. “Yue-san, this ring – I – I forgot yours –,” she told him in broken phrases a few moments later. 

“You went down on your knees to propose to me but you left the ring at home?” Yue raised his silver eyebrow, still pleasantly amused. 

“No, not at home,” It’s here. I had forgotten to take it out for you earlier,” Tomoyo turned to the bag she had left beside her earlier, and fished out a box. The ring she produced from within it was almost identical to the one Yue had put on her, except for being designed for a man’s finger with its slightly wider band and larger diameter; it’s central stone was of a violet color that matched her own eyes. Her hands trembled so much as she held it that the tiny object fell from her fingers and disappeared through the gaps between the slats of the bench they were sitting on. 

“Oh no,” Tomoyo exclaimed. 

“You are being more clumsy than  usual tonight,” Yue muttered. Although the moon was shining above them, the shadows made the ground dark. He took the phone from his pocket and used its flashlight to search the ground. “Lucky for you it didn’t roll farther away,” he said, picking it up. Tomoyo extended his hand to take it but noticing the tremor in her fingers, Yue put it inside his own breast pocket. 

“You would not get it back until you calm down to a reasonable state,” he said firmly. He sat beside her and took her hands, holding them within his larger ones. “I don’t understand what makes you so nervous. It almost feels like you are about to propose to a stranger when it is just me.” he shook his head. “Honestly, Tomoyo-san, after all this time, did you really not know what my answer would be?” 

“As I said, not everyone can be a stoic  like you,” Tomoyo retorted. “And the way you were interrogating me almost made me scared.  You know I have thought of this day since forever. And you kept ignoring all the hints that I gave you about how much I wanted it. So, now that it’s really happening, I am overwhelmed,” she started sobbing again. Yue firmly pulled her against his chest and held her close. Softly patting her head, then her shoulders and her back, and repeating the motion, coaxing the young woman in his arms like a small child. 

Yue’s warmth and care helped to calm the girl down significantly. She sneaked her hand into Yue’s pocket and took out the ring and pulled Yue’s left hand on her lap. “I might be crazy to want to become the wife of this stern and brooding Yue-san,” she said, slipping the ring on his elegant finger. She slowly lifted their left hands together and held it up against the sky such that the moonlight illuminated their hands. Tomoyo reached for her phone, and tried to take a picture of their joined hands. Yue held the other side of the device and steadied her hand muttering that she was likely to drop the phone as well and crack it, given how jittery she still was. Once the photo was taken to Tomoyo’s satisfaction, she folded her hands and closed her eyes. May the benevolent magic that brought us together and filled our hearts with love also keep us together. That’s what I wish for this year with Yue-san and this will remain my wish every year from now on. She prayed silently. 

Soon after, Yue suggested that they should leave, as it would be raining soon. Although it might have been hard for Tomoyo to believe that if anyone else had told her so, given that the moon still shone brightly on them, she knew for a fact that Yue-san could sense the weather by his magic, so she did not argue. She did not want to get soaked in a downpour in her kimono and all, and fall sick again, as she had an apprenticeship to continue and a wedding to plan. Surely enough, as they walked back to where Yue had parked his car outside the boundary of the shrine, the sky turned ominously cloudy again, and a thunder erupted in the distance. 

“It was clear minutes ago. I guess I was lucky to be able to wish upon the moon this year,” Tomoyo remarked. 

“It was no luck but magic. Windy’s magic could only drive the clouds away for a limited time, before the natural winds blew them back in over the shrine. I do not know what you had told Sakura-san, but remember to thank her later,” Yue told her, as he opened the door of the passenger seat of his car, his chin tilted upwards to observe the sky. 

“Windy? Oh!” Tomoyo gasped. “Sakura-chan was there?” she asked. 

“She was already there when I arrived. She left after summoning Windy though,,” Yue informed matter of factly. 

As soon as they got in the car, the first drops of rain hit the ground. “Do you want to go home right away?” Yue asked, shutting the automatic windows of the car, and quickly glancing sidewards to make sure that his co-passenger had her seatbelt on. 

“Not yet,” Tomoyo shook her head. Yue started the car and started driving towards the direction of his house, which was only a short distance from Tsukimine shrine, while Tomoyo lived  further away. 

Since Yue had removed his jacket after he got into the car, and had his shirt sleeves rolled at his elbows, Tomoyo noticed faint scratch marks on the pale skin of his forearm as he turned the steering wheel, cautiously driving through the traffic, which was worse than usual with the rain causing the townsfolk to return in a hurry from their festivities. She was about to ask him about the origins of such marks when the phone buzzed. 

What happened? Sakura had asked. Tomoyo had indeed told her of her intention to propose marriage to Yue on the day of the Tsukimi this year. 

In response Tomoyo typed: Thank you for letting me see the moon tonight. And she attached the picture that she had taken of their hands, hoping that it would convey the answer. 

After entering the house, Tomoyo immediately pulled Yue into a tight embrace. “Tomoyo-san, I need to take care of something first,” Yue said. 

“Is that more important than kissing me?” Tomoyo looked up at him, making doe eyes and an innocent face. Yue figured that it would be faster to indulge her than to argue, so he leaned down and joined their lips together for a quick kiss. Tomoyo closed her eyes at the sensation of the warmth of familiar thin lips. Yue pulled back just as quickly after moving his lips against that of his fiancée for a brief moment, but the girl held him back, a silent plea in her eyes, which he could not ignore, There faces moved closer to each other, but before their lips could connect again, Tomoyo yelped, as she felt something fuzzy brush past her leg. Yue’s blue eyes darted to the ground, and in a flash, he extracted himself from Tomoyo’s arms, and scooped up something from the ground. Recovering from her initial shock, Tomoyo saw a tiny calico kitten, maybe a month old, cradled protectively in the moon guardians arms. 

“It must have got out of its box.” he mumbled. “It was alone, crying in the rain in my backyard three nights ago,” he explained, noticing the amazement on the girl’s face. 

“She,” Tomoyo corrected. “It’s a calico so it must be a girl. So, that’s what kept Yue-san occupied this week,” she tried to connect the dots. 

Yue nodded. “I had to take her to the vet earlier this evening. And she needs to be fed every two hours,” the kitten meowed loudly, signalling that it was time for another meal. 

“So you're telling me that you showed up late for our date, because you were with another girl,” Tomoyo reached out to boop the kitten’s pink nose with her fingers. “How unforgivable,” she jested. 

“Tomoyo-san, I do not have time for your crass jokes right now. She needs to be fed,” Yue looked around wanting to put her down so that he could get her food. 

“Can I hold her while you prepare her food?” Tomoyo asked eagerly. 

“You can get scratched. Kittens can’t retract their claws. Wait,” he went inside the house with the kitten and came back a minute later with a towel wrapped around the baby in a way that its paws were covered. “Here, this should be safer, but still be careful,” he told her. 

“Your arms are scratched,” Tomoyo remarked, noticing the marks on his beautiful skin once again. 

“That’s why I am telling you to be cautious,” Yue said, before proceeding to the kitchen to prepare the kitten formula. When he came back to the living area of the house, she found Tomoyo cradling the kitten, with an excited gleam on her face.  

“You could have waited until we were married to give me a baby to raise you know,” Tomoyo told her fiancé with a mischievous smile, as he sat on the floor and took the little feline from her arms. 

“Tomoyo-san, I am beyond appalled at the mendacious aspersions you make on a gentleman,” Yue remarked, holding the baby cat like an expert and letting it suckle from the feeder.

“You look like an experienced cat-dad,” Tomoyo chuckled. “It looks like you had raised a pet earlier. Perhaps when Clow-san was still around?” over the years it has become a little easier for them to discuss such casual things pertaining to Yue’s earlier life. Nowadays, the mention of Clow Reed did not cause Yue’s mood to darken as much as it used to just a few years ago 

“Absolutely not,” came the curt response

“How do you know how to care for a baby cat then?” Tomoyo asked curiously, leaning in to watch the baby being fed. . 

“It is easy to learn things from the internet these days,” Yue said. “And as annoying as my publisher is, his knowledge on the matter was actually helpful,” he said. 

Tomoyo recalled that Yoshida Masaki and his wife were devoted cat parents who had raised their cat from kittenhood. She felt happy knowing that Yue-san trusted the good natured young man enough to reach out for help on the matter. 

“You could have asked me for help. You didn't even tell me. Am I not your closest friend?” she still complained, a bit of hurt seeping in her voice. 

“As far as I know, you never had an experience of raising a pet. Besides, you were recovering from an illness,” Yue told her. “For the first two days after I found her, I  was not even sure if the baby would survive each passing hour. Telling you sooner would only serve to make you upset if things had not gone well,” he explained. 

The hurt Tomoyo felt a moment earlier receded quickly, as she regarded the silver haired young man who was often nicknamed as a block of ice due to his reticence and indifferent nature, but actually had so much compassion in his heart. Tomoyo knew that animals were attracted to Yue-san. Perhaps this hapless little critter who was perhaps abandoned by her mother or another ruthless human knew that this angel would be her saviour as she found her way into his backyard, crying for his attention on one rainy night. 

Tomoyo started asking many questions about the kitten. Whether she was out of the woods yet, how old was she, whether Yue had asked the neighbors if they had a missing kitten, was she taking any medicines etc. After answering a few questions, Yue pointed her to the envelope sitting on the centerpiece which contained the baby’s vet’s reports. 

“Do not get too invested in it,” Yue told the girl who was perusing the medical reports in her hands diligently. “The baby will get adopted,” he informed. 

When the kitten was fed, it did not take her long to fall asleep in the warmth of its box bed lined with a small cushion and spare towels. Yue moved the sleeping kitten to his bedroom. When he came back, Tomoyo was looking at her engagement ring curiously. “Yue-san, what made you buy this specific ring?” she asked. 

“You were not exactly subtle about what you wanted,” Yue said, settling down on the sofa beside her. 

It was true. Tomoyo had seen an advertisement for a pair of engagement rings in a magazine she had randomly picked up while out shopping with Yue one day. She had liked the design and had immediately shown it to Yue at that point, with a casual remark that it would suit them as the stones matched their eye colors. Yue did not give her much in the way of a response at that time. She had taken a picture of the ad for future reference, but it turned out that Yue-san had quietly committed the details of the ad to memory in a single glance despite his apparent indifference to the topic at that moment. 

“The stone on my ring looks violet when I look at it from some angles, see?” Tomoyo raised her hand, holding it up for the silver haired man to see. 

“That’s because the stones on both rings are tanzanite, which exhibits the property of pleochroism.”. Yue turned his own finger to demonstrate what he meant, and Tomoyo saw the flash of the blue color that matched the shade of Yue-san’s eyes  in the stone she had assumed to be the shade of violet that matched her own eyes, when she had purchased the ring for him.

“Sugoi!. I never really noticed that!” Tomoyo said. “I thought that I was buying a ring with a violet stone for Yue-san,”

“The dominant color of tanzanite depends on the cut of the stone, and sometimes the heating process. While the stones on our rings appear to have different colors, they were most likely cut from the same mineral, “ Yue explained. 

“How do you know so much? Did you research this from the internet too?” Tomoyo teased. 

Yue shook his head. “I had known this for much longer than the invention of the internet. Gemstones have a role in magic,” he told her. 

“They are beautiful,” Tomoyo placed her hand on top of Yue’s so that she could admire the rings side by side. 

“Tomoyo-san, incidentally, the rings that had caught your attention happen to represent us in more ways than you initially perceived,” Yue stroked her hair with his right hand. 

Tomoyo leaned against his shoulder. “I see. One would always find you within me, just as they would find me within you. Even though we are separate, we are one,” Tomoyo gazed up at her moon’s face with moist eyes. The words that she uttered were the ultimate form of love that could be achieved. She vaguely remembered reading that somewhere. Yue put his arms around his fiancee tightly, lowered his head planting a tender kiss on her soft neck in response. 

Before they separated for the night, Yue held Tomoyo’s right hand and caressed the scar there with his lips. It was a gesture that he had repeated every day before parting from each other, through all the years that they had been together. It was a different form of intimacy that they shared. Every time Yue-san kissed her hand while looking into her eyes, Tomoyo felt his gaze could see her very soul. “Tell Daidouji-san that I would like to meet her when she returns,” Yue said, referring to his fiancée’s mother who was away on another business trip. “I have to request her blessing for our wedding,” he added with a serious expression. 

“I think she would not mind giving her blessing, given she sort of knows how hopelessly I have fallen for you,” Tomoyo said. “But I want to tell her everything. Would it be alright?” she asked in a softer voice. 

“Honestly, I don’t know,” Yue sighed. “But you’ve resolved to tell her anyway. I would not dissuade you from doing that,” he added. 

Tomoyo had requested one of her mother’s chauffers to pick her up from Yue’s place. Upon reaching home, she fell on her bed and looked at her phone. \

Hurray, Yippee! Yay! - Sakura had remarked on the post. I know you were with Yue-san so I did not want to interrupt your date by calling. But you have to tell me everything tomorrow. I’ll come over . Her best friend seemed ecstatic. 

Congratulations, Daidouji-san. You too Yue-san. It is indeed great news - Li Syaoran had joined the conversation. 

Finally! Though I never understood what you saw in that grumpy guy. He is nobody’s type - Keroberos wanted to irk Yue as usual, and received a curt Shut up comment from the moon guardian in response. 

Kireina! Yue-san has such exquisite taste, Akhio had commented, referring to the picture of the rings Tomoyo posted . You both are so lucky to have loved each other. I am so happy for you. Momo-san and Kaito-san send their congratulations too. Akiho had messaged, 

Tomoyo smiled. Hey, I was the one who selected the rings, she typed. It seemed only Meiling had not seen the message yet. 

Tomoyo lifted her hand to the air and looked at the soft shimmer of diamonds and the rich hue of the tanzanite. She already missed the person who had adorned her finger with that ring. I wish we were married already, Then I could have spent the night with you instead of being lonely like this. She typed the first thought that came to her mind and send it to Yue over a text message. 

Go to sleep , a stern reply came from her husband-to-be after a minute. 

Trust me, I want to, only with you , Tomoyo had a sappy grin on her face, as she typed the message and hit the send button, imagining the adorable rosy tint that Yue’s cheeks would acquire on reading the message. 

Okaa-san, can Yue-san meet you sometime tomorrow? We have something to tell you. Hope you have a pleasant flight back . Tomoyo texted her mother who was scheduled to return the following day before finally falling asleep that night. 

Tomoyo went to a pet store the first thing in the morning. She bought some cat toys, kitten treats and a cat bed. She took a cab to Yue’s house with the things she purchased and let herself in using the spare key that he had given her to use, in case he was out on errands. She found the man in his bedroom elegantly seated before a vanity. 

“Ohayo,” she stood behind him, wrapping her arms around his shoulders =

“You could have knocked,” Yue said, slowly buttoning up the top few buttons of his shirt that were still undone. 

Tomoyo raised an eyebrow. “Do I need to? You said we were married in principle. That means this is my room and this,” Tomoyo pressed her nose against the soft skin below Yue’s jawline, inhaling deeply. “Is my husband,” she declared. 

Yue shook head to himself. Given that Tomoyo presented herself as a model of propriety to everyone else, he did not imagine that she would be so dangerously flirty with him when they first began dating. He should have become used to her teasing four years later, yet he still found himself flustered . “How’s kitty chan?” Tomoyo asked, lips moving against his smooth neck. 

“Asleep,” Yue briefly responded, starting to brush his long silver locks. 

“Did Yue-san read my message last night?” Tomoyo asked, squeezing the man in her arms a little.  

“Your words were quite careless, leaving room for misinterpretation,” Yue said nonchalantly.

“”Yue-san, I might have been teasing you when I said that, but I really do want us to be married soon, so that I could move-in with you,” Tomoyo said. 

“Tomoyo-san,” Yue placed his hand on her arm, tilting his head upwards to look at her. “Do you really want to stay here with me? The space in this house is quite limited as compared to the kind of accommodation that you are used to having,” he said. It was true. In that huge mansion where she lived, the total area of all the rooms she had for her personal use would far exceed the area of the house Yue had been living in since his awakening. “Perhaps we should get a bigger place,” he said hesitantly. 

“Don’t be silly, Yue-san. This house is perfect for the two of us. The only space that I would need is here,” Tomoyo firmly placed her hand on the left side of the moon guardian’s chest, her warmth seeping through the fabric of his shirt and putting his doubts to rest. 

“I just want you to be comfortable. At least tell me if you would need anything for the house,” Yue said with a small sigh. Even with the things he had added to the house once Tomoyo started spending the bulk of her free time with him, it still felt minimally furnished for Tomoyo to actually move in there. He knew that the girl he would be marrying was not materialistic, but still she was, well, a little princess. 

“All that comes later. Yue-san, okaa-san will be at home today once she returns from her business trip. We can go to meet her in the afternoon,” Tomoyo told the silver haired man. 

Yue frowned later when he saw the things Tomoyo had bought for the kitten. “Just some things for kitty-chan,” Tomoyo said sheepishly.  

“I told you to not get attached. She will get adopted. I have asked my publisher to look for a good family who can take her in within his social network,” Yue said. 

Tomoyo wanted to ask her Yue-san to keep the kitten. She wanted to ask him if he wanted to pick a name for the sweet feline.  But knowing that the man had issues with attachment, she kept silent at that time. 

Shortly, Sakura came with Keroberos. At the door, she pulled her moon guardian into a hug. “Thank you, Yue-san!” She had tears in her eyes as she spoke. “Thank you for saying yes to my best friend.” 

“Your best friend is quite persistent,” Yue said, gently brushing away the brunette’s tears. 

“You should have proposed to her yourself sooner you fool,” Keroberos flew over his head fluttering his tiny wings whacking him with his paw. “You are still the sadist that you have always been to let the poor girl pine for you endlessly.” he said. 

“That’s none of your business,” Yue countered. 

Keroberos raised his paw and was about to argue, when a soft little meowing caught his attention. “Who’s this little guy?” He approached the kitten curiously. The baby cat lifted a paw and swatted at the flying teddy bear-like object that approached her. 

“Girl,” Tomoyo corrected. “Yue-san rescued her a few days ago.,” she said proudly. Sakura cooed at the kitten’s sweetness. 

“So, the block of ice does have a heart. Never in my life had I expected you to take in stray animals. Or agree to get married. Falling in love has really messed with your head,” Keroberos snickered, patting the head of the kitten gently. 

“I found her hungry, wet and separated from her mother.  Was I supposed to let her die on my doorstep?” Yue looked offended. 

Keroberos did not bother to reply. “Hey little kitty, Want to see a cool trick?” In a poof, the sun guardian transformed to its true form. The kitten got suddenly startled by the large beast towering over her and drew back hissing. 

“Neat, right?” the sun guardian in his majestic true form took another step towards the small creature. 

“Kero-chan, you are scaring her,” Sakura scolded. 

“Oh shut up. She’ll admire my cool form in no time,” Keroberos replied in a deeper voice. The kitten hissed and swatted her paw at the creature looming over her. “Ow! That hurts,” Kero yelped, getting a taste of the sharp claws of the feline. 

“Serves you right,” Yue commented. 

“Oh yeah? I see her claws did not spare you either,” Keroberos countered, noticing the scratches on the man’s forearm. 

Meiling called amidst the commotion, screaming in excitement. She yelled at Yue over Tomoyo’s phone speaker for being stupid and making her friend wait to get married. “Listen Yue-san, you will be married to the kindest and most selfless person that I ever had a chance to meet. Never forget that Tomoyo-chan deserves the best in the world,” she told the moon guardian. 

Later that afternoon, Tomoyo and Yue sat before the charismatic owner of Daidouji. The girl felt some trepidation about the ordeal of disclosing everything to her mother, but the man beside her seemed poised and unperturbed. “Daidouji-san, Tomoyo-san and I have resolved to get married. She is eager to get your blessing for the marriage,” Yue told Sonomi in his usual taciturn manner. 

“And it would be easier for me to give my blessing if I had known more about the person my daughter has decided to share her life with. Apparently, you have forbidden her from sharing anything about yourself.. It is quite troublesome for me, that you are for all that matters, still a stranger to me.” Sonomi, who did not seem surprised at the declaration, told him, leaning back against the backrest of the sofa. 

“Okaa-san,” Tomoyo spoke up. “We are sorry for keeping you in the dark. But today, we have decided to tell you everything.” Tomoyo said. She took a gulp of air before uttering her next worlds. “As I had told you earlier, Yue-san is truly an angel.” 

“Tomoyo-san, I know you are besotted with this young man, and I have to admit that he has the looks of one. But I have raised you better than to fall for someone just for their looks. So, this platitude of yours does not really explain anything,” Sonomi said a tad impatiently. 

“But he really is one, okaa-san. I can prove it to you,” Tomoyo got up from her seat beside Yue and promptly went to close the door. She quickly glanced at the windows of the room and was assured to find that the heavy curtains were drawn. She got a confused and questioning look from Sonomi, who probably thought that Tomoyo wanted more privacy to speak about Yue, as it was obvious that there were some secrets pertaining to his life. 

“Yue-san,” Tomoyo approached the young man, calling his name softly. The two looked at each other for a moment, and it seemed that there was a silent communication between them. This was not the first time that Sonomi had noticed that the two were able to talk through their eyes like an old married couple. The silver haired man nodded and stood up slowly. A moment later, a brilliant glow flashed before Sonomi’s eyes, and instinctively her hand flew to shield her eyes from the glow. When she uncovered her eyes another moment later, a man in white silken robes stood before her, his feet floating a foot above the ground, two large wings that were as white as snow spread out on either side of his back. 

“What on earth is this?” Sonomi’s eyes were wide with bewilderment. 

“This is my Yue-san’s true form,” Tomoyo said, extending her arm to link her hand with that of the man. 

“True form? Is he a magician?” Sonomi was still clueless. Her voice trembled. 

“No. Yue-san was created by a magician. A very powerful one. He is not a human like us,” Tomoyo said. 

“Is such a thing even possible? You two must be tricking me with something. This must be an illusion. Something caused by a bizarre spell,” Sonomi covered her face with shaky hands.

“Okaa-san,” Tomoyo left Yue’s hands and went to her mother, sitting down beside her. She held her hands firmly in hers. “I would never do such a thing, please believe me,” she pleaded. 

“I think I should change back. It’s making her feel overwhelmed,” Yue said softly. He promptly reversed his transformation, so when Sonomi looked again, he found him dressed in his usual formal attire and entirely wingless. 

“Gomen ne, okaa-san. I thought it would be easier to make you believe in Yue-san’s story if he showed you who he really is right away,” Tomoyo explained. 

“I don’t know how to process what I just saw,” Sonomi still seemed to be in a state of shock. 

“Then allow me to explain everything. From the very beginning,” Tomoyo said, squeezing her mother’s hands gently. 

Sonomi raised her head and slowly nodded. Tomoyo started from the beginning, telling her about Sakura and the Clow Cards, about Keroberos and Li Syaoran, about the final judgement and Yue’s appearance, about Yukito and Yue’s dual existence, and about the way Touya had saved them both. She went on to tell her about meeting Yue at the library years later and slowly growing close to him, only to realize that he was planning to eradicate his own existence so that Yukito could leave with Touya as a regular human. She even told her about her journey through time with Touya to retrieve the split card in a desperate bid to save them both Yue and Yukito, and give them the lives they deserved to lead. She told her about how Nadeshiko had helped her to return back to her own time on that occasion. All through her account Tomoyo held her mother’s hand, maintaining steady eye contact. Though Sonomi was dazed by the incredulousness of it all, she could tell that her daughter was sincere, and her voice betrayed how emotional she was when she recounted certain parts of the account. 

Honestly, Sonomi did not want to believe anything she had heard. She kept turning the story over and over in her mind to find some discrepancy, something that suggested that all these were part of a terrible joke. But everything seemed to connect. She was not a stranger to the fact that her dearest cousin Nadeshiko used to act strangely on occasions, and she was sure that there were things that the other woman never told her. Back then, she desperately wished that Nadeshiko would trust her enough to share that part of her life with her. Looking back, it all made sense. Tomoyo’s sudden decision to leave for an exchange program in Canada, and her even more unexpected return immediately upon landing there, her bruised right hand, her apparent exhaustion after spending over a day at Sakura’s place, all made sense. Tomoyo’s account seemed to explain why Sonomi had never seen Yue eat anything, why Tomoyo never brought him over for lunch or dinner despite her mother’s insistence, and how he was able to reach Tomoyo so fast when she tripped during her graduation ceremony.  The man, whose identity baffled Sonomi beyond what her wildest imaginations could, was sitting across from her, wearing a calm and indifferent expression on his beautiful face. 

“If all these are true, you could have told me sooner,” Sonomi sighed. 

“You would have worried endlessly,” Tomoyo said. 

“And now I would not?” Sonomi asked. 

“You don’t have to. Yue-san would always protect me,” she looked at his direction with complete faith in her eyes. 

“She never told me anything of this world,” a sigh that Sonomi had repressed in her chest for years before Tomoyo was even born escaped through her lips. I am happy that at least least you did, even if you are late,” Sonomi said. 

“I did not want to give your blessing to our marriage based on a lie,” Tomoyo said. “But okaa-san, you are the first and the last person I am sharing this with. Because if more people come to know and something happens to Yue-san as a result, I will not be able to live with it,” she said in a melancholic voice. 

“Tomoyo-san,” Yue softly called her name, sensing the girl’s distress. 

The older woman chuckled. “Don’t worry. If I tell people that my daughter wants to marry a centuries old angel having a pair of giant wings on his back, they will take me for a lunatic anyway,” she patted Tomoyo’s hand, reassuring her. 

“You can tell them that your daughter wants to marry a smart and talented young writer. They would believe that,” Tomoyo offered. 

“Listen how your songbird sings your praises,” Sonomi decided to tease the man. A look of surprise passed over Yue’s countenance, alongside a blush that dusted his cheeks with pink. 

“I had taken a look at the books you have published. Tomoyo-chan treasures them greatly, and even brings them along on her vacations with me. You can’t blame me for wanting to know more about you. \” Sonomi explained. 

“Okaa-san, have you read them too?” Tomoyo asked, surprised. 

“I don’t have the time or the taste for fanciful stories,” Sonomi scoffed. “But it seems people who do have taken quite a fancy to his writing.” she continued.

“He gets so many fan mails in the mailbox these days. They are forwarded from the publisher’s office by Yoshida-san - I mean by his publisher. Some readers believe Tsukiyo is a woman. But as he has dedicated all his books to his songbird, there are others who believe that their mysterious writer is a man. So, he ends up getting love letters from both young men and women in the form of passionate fan mails,” Tomoyo smiled. 

“Tomoyo-san,” Yue chided again, his blush deepening. 

“Tomoyo-chan, it seems your centuries old powerful angel is not much more than a shy young boy,” Sonomi could not help but laugh. “It must be challenging to be in love with someone so pretty and popular.”

“Hai,” Tomoyo agreed. “But I am not jealous since he does not even read them.I am the one who reads them, just for fun.”

“I think we are digressing,” Yue said. “Daidouji-san, now that Tomoyo-san has told you everything, please tell us if you still have any reservations against her decision to get married to me.” 

“First tell me your reasons for wanting to marry her,” Sonomi leaned forward.

“Okaa-san, we love each other,” Tomoyo tried to intervene, knowing that Yue-san was not really good at verbally expressing his feelings. 

“Let me hear it from him,” Sonomi kept her eyes fixed on the silver haired man before her. 

Yue raised his head and met her gaze. “Ever since I have known Tomoyo-san, I observed that she is someone who would always put others before herself. She would always be there for everyone else, but when it came to her own feelings of being sad or upset, she would not let anyone share them with her. She would lock them away in her heart and suffer silently. So, when she did not hide her pain and tears from me, I felt privileged, for the first time in my whole life. Daidouji-san, the truth is that everyone knows Tomoyo-san’s smile, and yet to this day, I am the only one who can see her tears. So, there’s no one who can take care of her better than me,” Yue finished and Tomoyo turned her head away, trying to keep her emotions in check. 

Sonomi sighed. “Very well. But don’t expect me to treat you differently just because you are an angel or whatever. I don’t care if you have magical powers or if you have lived longer than me. You would be my daughter’s husband and I shall treat you as such. Which means I cannot call you Yue-sama or even Yue-san,” she grimaced at her own words. 

Tomoyo immediately hugged her mother at her implicit acceptance. “Arigato, okaa-san. Fujitaka-san also calls him Yue-kun now, so he is used to it,” she smiled. It felt that a heavy burden was finally lifted off her chest. 

“He also knows everything?” Sonomi questioned. 

“Since Touya oni-san and Tsukishiro-san’s engagement,” Tomoyo said. 

“No-one tells me anything,” Sonomi heaved another sigh. 

“Okaa-san, I had pleaded with Fujitaka-san to keep it a secret from you. I did not want you to hear from anyone else. Gomen ne. I am so sorry that I was not ready to tell you earlier,” Tomoyo said earnestly

“It’s alright now, Tomoyo. You told me when you were ready. That’s enough for me,” the short-haired woman patted her daughter’s arm. “Now tell me how your angel finally proposed,” she asked to lighten the mood. 

“He didn’t. I did actually,” Tomoyo confessed. 

“That’s untrue,” Yue countered. “Your proposal was incomplete,” he said impassively. 

“Incomplete? Huh?” Tomoyo seemed befuddled. 

“Recall that I have been the one to give you the ring first,” Yue stated. “A marriage proposal is not considered complete without one.” 

“Considered by whom?” Tomoyo was not ready to give up. 

“By the materialistic human society that you are a part of,” Yue said. 

“Well, you don’t have to be so smug about everything, you know. So what if you had given me the ring first?” Tomoyo pressed. 

“Stop this childish argument!” Sonomi said, pretending to be unamused by the banter. “You are not even married and you are bickering like an old couple. I cannot imagine what you will do after marriage. No, I take that back. From the way you two behave, I guess you are already married.” 

“We are not,” Tomoyo and Yue said in unison. 

Notes:

Hope you liked the content so far, and support TomoYue as cat parents. The story will end as promised, hopefully by the next chapter. Thanks for your patience in waiting for updates.

Chapter 23: Bliss

Summary:

Tomoyo and Yue get married. But will Tomoyo get to live happily ever after with her husband?

Notes:

I am keeping my word to finish this story, no matter how long it takes. Thanks to everyone who did not give up on me yet.

Yue was trying to coax little Mikazuki into her pet carrier. The feisty calico kitten was trying to wriggle out of his grasp, the carrier having inevitably evoked the memories of visiting the vet. “Mika-chan, you will get us late,” Yue chided the baby softly. The kitten blinked her eyes at him slowly, as if trying to understand his words, and then waddled its way into the carrier, allowing Yue to close the door behind her. 

The moon guardian ended up keeping the little kitten he had rescued over a month earlier. At first, he was determined to have her adopted, and had even found a family to take her in with the help of his publisher. The decision to keep her was made quite spontaneously and with Tomoyo’s intervention. They were on the way to drop the kitten off with the family who had agreed to adopt her. Tomoyo had placed her hand on his wrist firmly as they stopped at a traffic signal. 

“Yue-san, I don’t want to do this anymore. Let’s go home,” she had said against the backdrop of a kitten crying pitifully in the pet carrier. 

“Tomoyo-san, don’t be silly,” Yue had told her back then. 

“Am I being silly though? Look at yourself Yue-san. Since we have started today, you have asked me at least five times if I remembered to pack the medicines that she is taking and to remember to explain the schedule to her new family. You will not stop worrying about every little thing. Because you are already her parent now, and only a parent knows what is best for their child. You don’t really believe that they will be able to take care of her the way you do. That’s why you are so anxious,” Tomoyo said, drawing a sharp breath. 

“I just wanted to being thorough,” Yue had tried to defend himself. 

“Yue-san, only someone who has received your care knows the pain of being separated from you. That time when you had sent me away, all I could do was to cry my eyes out. This innocent baby does not deserve what I went through. She is attached to you,” his fiancée had reasoned. 

“Tomoyo-san, you know very well that animals are drawn towards my magic,” Yue had argued. 

“I don’t care. Your magic is part of you. I know that I am drawn to you and so is Mika-chan,” Tomoyo finally snapped and raised her voice. 

“Mika-chan?” Yue had given the young woman beside him a slide glance as the traffic sign turned green. 

“I named her. Due to the crescent moon mark on her forehead, I wanted to call her Mikazuki” Tomoyo reached through the door of the carrier and brushed her index finger against the black marking on the white fur of the kitten’s forehead. “I wanted to tell you earlier, but you insisted on giving her away,” she told him. 

“Why would you attach yourself to a creature who would only be there for a while in this world?” Yue had asked her seriously. 

Tomoyo did not respond right away. “Yue-san is doing the same thing as me though” she had looked at the engagement ring on her finger as she finally spoke. “I won’t be around for much longer than Mika-chan either, so it must be useless for you to love me as well,” she sighed. 

Yue knew that at that point he had lost the argument. "Tomoyo-san, I do not feel that way, you know that," he had told her. 

“Then give this poor baby a chance too to experience your love. Let’s raise her together, Yue-san,” Tomoyo had raised her hopeful eyes at him. 

Yue had quietly turned his car around at the next roundabout. “Since this is your idea, you have to figure out how to explain this to the family who were preparing to take Mika-chan in,” he had told her. Tomoyo had happily made the call on their way back, apologizing profusely to the family who had agreed to adopt the kitten

After reaching home, Tomoyo had sat on the floor to take little Mikazuki out of her carrier, and held her to her chest. 

Yue sat behind Tomoyo and reached out to stroke the soft head of the kitten, keeping his other hand on his fiancée’s shoulder. 

“Otou-san says sorry,” Tomoyo said to the then calm kitten. “You will always be with your otou-san and okaa-san from now on,” she cooed. 

Yue clearly remembered something that stirred deep within his chest that day as he had pulled Tomoyo close and pressed his lips against hers. He was grateful that his Tomoyo was there to stop him from ripping a hole through his own heart by giving little Mikazuki away. It seemed that the woman who he was engaged with understood his heart better than he did himself. 

The phone buzzed in his pocket, and when he answered it, he heard the cheerful voice of the woman who occupied his thoughts. “Yue-san, ohayo,” the young woman said. 

“What do you want?” Yue said without much of a greeting. 

“Someone’s in a foul mood,” Tomoyo chuckled. “Just wanted to see Yue-san,” she said. 

“You will see me soon,” Yue responded. They were supposed to announce their engagement officially that day 

“Can’t I take a peek now? Please? Consider it as my remuneration as your designer,” Tomoyo said. 

Yue reluctantly turned on the camera and held the phone before him. Tomoyo had indeed insisted that she let him design his attire for the engagement ceremony until he relented. He was half afraid that she would come up with some crazy designs and color palettes just to tease him, but she seemed to have taken the job quite seriously. 

The smiling face of the young woman lit up his dark screen. “Well?” He raised a silver eyebrow. 

Tomoyo clasped her hands and gasped as she gazed at the man dressed in a white three-piece suit with light blue lapels, buttons and pocket accents. The color theme matched the attire his true form appeared in. “Exquisite! Just like a beautiful painting,” the girl exclaimed dreamily. 

Yue’s facial expression seemed to harden at the statement. “Tomoyo-san, I do not appreciate such careless compliments,” he said sternly. Before Tomoyo had the chance to respond, he continued. “A painting does not feel uncomfortable on being stared at. A painting can be purchased and owned, unlike a person,” he told her. 

“Yue-san, it was just a –,” Tomoyo had a bewildered expression on her face, but Yue did not allow her to complete.

“I’ll see you later, Tomoyo-san,” Yue abruptly ended the call. 

As he drove towards the Daidouji mansion an uneasy feeling settled over him. Perhaps he was a bit short with the girl. When he reached Tomoyo’s house, he met Sakura and Syaoran at the outdoor area where Sonomi had arranged the ceremony to be held. They told him that Tomoyo was out with them a while earlier, but she had gone back inside the house claiming that she needed something. He entrusted Mikazuki to them and went to find his fiancée. He found her seated on the cushioned ledge of her bedroom window face buried between her knees. Yue reached out silently and placed his hand on her head. 

Tomoyo knew that touch. “I am sorry for my careless words,” she said. "I never meant to hurt Yue-san," she did not look at him. 

Yue reached for her hand and taking it in his own, he sat next to her. “It is not your fault that being compared to a painting evokes unpleasant memories. Forgive me for my misdirected anger,” he told her. 

“Yue-san?” Tomoyo finally raised her eyes to search his face. In his eyes she saw a strange mix of helplessness and pain. 

“That’s what most of them used to say. The rich and powerful, of the English society when they used to see me. They said that I was as beautiful as a painting. They wanted to buy me from Clow Reed,” Yue slowly said. 

“What? Why?” Tomoyo questioned trying to process what she heard. 

Yue almost laughed at the girl’s naivete. “I wouldn’t say that they had honourable intentions, Tomoyo-san,” he told her. 

“What do you mean?” Tomoyo asked, still looking somewhat baffled. 

“Some of them might have wanted me to be a living display of their wealth and power. Some of them wanted me to be in their beds. All of them wanted to use my powers,” Yue said in a steady voice, but he looked away as he spoke. 

“How awful,” the sound of Tomoyo’s broken voice made him look at her again. “How utterly devious! Humans are so despicable. I hate them so much. I hate everyone who has tried to hurt Yue-san,” Tomoyo felt as if she could not breathe, as tears streamed down her face as pain shot through her heart at the thought of what her beloved Yue-san had been through. 

“Tomoyo-san,” Yue moved closer and pulled her into his arms. “Don’t say such things,” he stroked her back trying to calm her down. "Such thoughts are unbecoming of you," 

“I am so sorry,” Yue-san. Tomoyo sobbed. “I am sorry that you had to go through so much just for existing in this cursed world,” she said. 

“You have no reason to be this upset. Clow did not let those vile men and women reach me,” Yue said. “But in the end it became somewhat difficult for someone as powerful as Clow to ward off these persistent pests. So, we left England. We finally came to Japan and started living in a quiet countryside, away from the eyes of the rich and the powerful,” the silver haired man who rarely spoke about his guarded past told Tomoyo, allowing her another glimpse into the complex dynamic that the moon guardian shared with his former master. 

“I am one of those wretched humans, Yue-san. I have hurt you,” the poor girl was still in tears. 

“Don’t be ridiculous. You are nothing like them. Your words were thoughtless but innocent nonetheless,” Yue tried to console her. 

“I will stop complimenting Yue-san’s appearance then,” Tomoyo told him. 

“Why? Do you not find me beautiful anymore?” Yue asked, raising a silver eyebrow quizzically as he lifted her chin with his fingers to meet her eyes. 

“Of course not,” Tomoyo pushed his hand away, looking flustered. She tried to rub away her tears. “Yue-san is very attractive, but I don’t want to say something that would hurt you again. I don’t want to make things harder for you.” she said. 

“You have made it easier, not harder,” Yue quietly confessed, pressing their foreheads together. “I used to hate this face of mine everytime I looked into the mirror as it reminded me of the unwanted attentions it drew. Now, every time I look at it, all I think of are your silly compliments, and your innocent adoration,” he used his fingers to brush away his fiancée’s tears. “So, you do not have to hold back from your Yue-san, and you have nothing to blame yourself for. I apologize if my reaction made you think otherwise,” he reassured her. 

Tomoyo raised her head and reached up to steal a quick peck from the moon guardian’s lips. “I understand why you reacted that way,” she muttered quietly. “I promise to be more careful,”. 

“You should stop crying now. Someone is  coming to get you,” Yue told her, his sensitive years having picked up the sound of someone approaching. 

At that moment Ruby Moon peeked inside the room. “Hey, if you two want to make out, it would be better if you did it later. People are waiting ya know?” she said in her usual bubbly tone. 

“It would be better if you disappeared,” Yue shot a cold glare at the young woman’s direction. 

“We were just talking,” Tomoyo explained meekly, not making eye contact with the second moon guardian to hide her still watery eyes. 

“Yeah, right, Whatever!” Ruby made a vague gesture of disbelief with her hands. 

“I will bring her there shortly,” Yue said. 

Ruby took a calculating glance at the couple and left the room telling them to be quick. “Do my eyes look puffy?” Tomoyo looked up at her betrothed. 

Yue’s hand rested on her face. “Tomoyo-san, you are allowed to have emotions,” he assured her.

The guest list was quite short as the Daidoujis did not have much in terms of family. Meiling had flown in for the occasion, and so had Ruby Moon with Spinel Sun, while Eriol, Akiho, Touya and Yukito could not due to the distance and their schedules, but had promised to be there for their wedding. Fujitaka was attending with his daughter, and Li Syaoran. So, most of the guests knew who Yue truly was save the few close friends and colleagues Sonomi had invited. Tomoyo did not even think that they needed a engagement ceremony. She dd not want to make Yue uncomfortable by forcing him to interact with a throng of strangers, but her mother insisted that they do everything formally. Nevertheless, she had understood her daughter’s concern and promised to keep the guest list very limited. 

Tomoyo earnestly apologized to the guests for the short delay, and Sonomi announced the couple’s engagement, officially giving them her blessings, and the guests came forward to wish them. 

“Tell us how you are feeling, Tomoyo-chan,” Meiling hugged her friend. 

“I am happy to be here with Yue-san,” Tomoyo began slowly. “I would like to thank each of you for being here with us. I want to thank okaa-san for giving us her blessing. And I want to thank Yue-san for always being there for me, for choosing me.” Tomoyo said with her usual politeness. 

“Your turn Yue-san,” Meiling cheered. 

“I wish that Tomoyo-san has a good life, one where she is healthy and happy. I hope that I will be able to be able to take care of her for a really long time,” Yue said in his formal monotonic fashion. 

“You sound like an old oji-san,” Ruby Moon snickered. Mikazuki meowed enthusiastically from Sakura’s arms at the sound of her owner’s voice. 

Months later, when the cherry blossoms painted the horizon in a soft shade of pink, Tomoyo walked the path that led up to the shrine where their wedding ceremony was to be conducted with her betrothed beside her. He was elegantly dressed in black and white striped hakamas and a black haori worn over a kimono of the same color, nicely contrasting the white of her own attire. Yue keenly watched his bride’s happy face as she offered her prayers at the shrine after they had exchanged their vows. She did not ask that Yue do the same, because he had told her that he claimed himself to be an agnostic when it came to the question of the existence of a higher power, which was quite rich coming from a person whose very existence was sustained by magical forces.

As Tomoyo finished her prayer and opened her eyes, she noticed that Yue-san was regarding her with a strange expression. She thought that she understood the man and his many micro-expressions well by that time but even she could not quite place that expression on his face. "Yue-san?" she touched his arm. His face returned to its usual impassive state almost immediately. 

The ceremony was followed by the reception which was tiring as there were outsiders in the form of people in Sonomi’s professional circle, a few of the friends that Tomoyo had made in university,  and Yue’s publisher. All these people had no knowledge of Yue’s true identity. Although everyone was polite and friendly, uncomfortable topics  like why Yue-san’s parents were not there for his wedding evidently came up in some interactions. Yukito and Ruby Moon happily told the guests that they were related to Yue, which was truly not a lie either, and no one suspected anything. However, it was tiring for both Tomoyo and Yue. . 

Later that evening. Tomoyo stood before the vanity in her new home, dressed in comfy pajamas, brushing her long hair, still damp from the shower. On the other side of the room, Yue-san was busy organizing the bed. She gazed at the reflection of his ageless face in the mirror, next to her own. We will be together from now on, indefinitely, she had told him as they exchanged their wedding vows earlier that day at the shrine. She could not utter the word forever , knowing that would be a false promise to make on their sacred day. Tomoyo sighed softly. 

“What makes you so melancholic?” her newly wed husband walked over to her, having finished his task. 

Tomoyo smiled a little at the tall man who was still elegantly dressed in formal attire, sans the outer jacket of the three piece suit he had worn during their wedding reception. “Just a silly thought,” she shook her head. 

"I don’t mind hearing it,” Yue said. 

“I was just imagining how my wrinkled face would look many years from now,” Tomoyo did not say next to your ever youthful one, but she felt that she did not need to, as Yue quietly regarded her quietly. 

Strong arms encircled Tomoyo in response. “You will meet a woman who has aged gracefully into a sweet old lady,” he muttered softly, close to her ears, half joking and half serious. Tomoyo did not speak right away, so her husband continued: 

How many loved your moments of glad grace,
And loved your beauty with love false or true,
But one man loved the pilgrim soul in you,
And loved the sorrows of your changing face;

The English words were spoken in an impeccable British accent by the man who held her in his arms. Even if she had not heard those poetic words, Tomoyo knew that Yue-san would have no problem in loving her changing face. Years of dating the moon guardian made her realize that he was not drawn to her by any sort of physical attraction. While somone else might have been disappointed with that thought, Tomoyo had always thought that it was for the better. She did not think she would have been able to bear it if his attraction to her faded away with her beauty. 

The young woman turned and leaned her head against her husband’s chest. “If Yue-san decides to recite a romantic verse to me, he should also complete it,” she raised her hand to her mouth to suppress a yawn. 

“A sleepy girl should go to bed, not hear verses,” Yue retorted, gently picking her up and carrying her to the queen sized bed.

“Are you coming too?” Tomoyo clutched onto the lapel of the moon guardian's waistcoat as she felt herself lowered on the bed.  

“I will shower first. Don’t be up late,” Yue stroked her hair and left the room. So uptight , Tomoyo mumbled with a moue appearing on her cute face as she  threw herself on the soft bed. 

Later, Yue found that Tomoyo was already dozing off, her hand resting on an ipad. While gently pulling the device away from her, he observed that the screen was still unlocked, perhaps due to the continuous motion of her hands as she dozed off. He glanced at the screen, raising his thin eyebrows momentarily before putting it away. 

Tomoyo stirred about half an hour later, raising a tired arm to shield her eyes from the soft light from bedside lamp on the other side of the bed. She peered at the figure of the young man, now dressed in a soft slate blue yukata, quietly reading by the light of the lamp. “Is the light bothering you?” he asked without looking up from the book. 

“Iie,” Tomoyo said curtly. 

“Go back to sleep then,” Yue said, turning a page of his book. 

“Yue-san might as well have asked me to sleep in another room,” Tomoyo grumbled,  turning around to face away from him. 

“What are you sulking about?” Yue asked. As his attention was focused on the book, his wife’s words did not register properly. 

“Forget me. Just read your precious book,” Tomoyo said grumpily. Finally, Yue understood what was wrong, but he did not indulge her right away. He took his time to finish the few pages left of the chapter he was on. He calmly put away his book, before lying down beside his wife. A moment later, strong arms pulled Tomoyo against a firm chest, as fragrant silver hair fell about her. “What do you suggest that I do instead?” he asked in a teasing voice. 

“This would do. A kiss would be nicer,” Tomoyo said, tilting her head back. Yue leaned in, gliding his lips over the smooth pale skin of the girl’s neck, before turning her face gently with his fingers so that their lips could meet. “Arigatou,” Tomoyo said in a whisper as their lips separated. 

“Tomoyo-san, you are allowed to ask me for more than a kiss from now on,” Yue said solemnly. 

“What do you mean by more than a kiss?” Tomoyo turned her head to looked at him. 

“If you want us to make love, you should just tell me so,” Yue responded evenly. 

“You have to find a better way of teasing me,” Tomoyo jabbed his arm playfully. 

“I am doing no such thing,” Yue said.

This time, Tomoyo turned around to  properly. face her husband. “Yue-san?” she called, looking at him with widened eyes. “What are you saying?” 

“I chanced to note that you were searching for romantic ways to spend the wedding night if one married an asexual person,” Yue told her. “I would prefer if you direct such questions to your husband rather than to the internet. You might get a better answer that way,” he added. 

Tomoyo turned purple with embarrassment. “Yue-san, uh, that was just.. uh….just out of curiosity. I did not mean  that we should –. I did not mean anything,” she shook her head frantically, not knowing what to say. She cursed herself for not remembering to log out of her ipad before falling asleep. 

“Tomoyo-san,” cool fingers touched Tomoyo’s cheeks, caressing them gently. “I must admit that I do not desire physical intimacy;  a  trait that your human world classifies as being asexual. I was made to be this way, and I cannot change that. However, it is normal for most humans to have such desires, and I do not want you to repress yours for my sake. It is perfectly fine if you do not want that either of course. But if you do, know that I am neither opposed to the idea of obliging you, nor incapable of doing so.” Yue said, moving to gently hold Tomoyo’s hands, eyes locked with hers with the utmost sincerity. 

Tomoyo did not answer right away. She turned the words over in her mind carefully. “At first I used to think that you were a gentleman from a conservative era and all. But as we spent more and more time together, gradually, I understood that Yue-san does not even have such urges” she finally said, a little bashfully.

“How could you tell?” the moon guardian questioned. 

“From the way you kissed me. From the way you held me, looked at me. I knew,” Tomoyo replied. 

“Did it disappoint you?” a glint of amusement appeared in Yue’s eyes. 

“Iie,” Tomoyo again shook her head frantically. “I thought it was sweet and our bond was much more than that. I have never thought much about it as I was always happy to be by Yue san's side and because I knew that Yue-san would be my husband one day,” she admitted. 

“And what do you want now, Tomoyo-san?” Yue asked, putting an arm around her shoulder to draw her closer to himself. 

“I don’t know,” Tomoyo replied, her words muffled by Yue’s Yukata as she firmly pressed her face against his chest. The realization that Yue-san offered all of himself to her, including his soul and his body overwhelmed her and almost scared her. As if, it was a part of a dream that was too good to be true, and that she would break that delicate spell if she were to be greedy and reach out for more. “I am sorry.” she told him. 

“There’s no reason to be,” Yue’s fingers ran through her hair gently. “You will figure it out as you spend more time by my side, and I will be right with you at every step. Just promise me that you will tell me when you do,” he told her. Let us not keep anything from each other, Tomoyo recalled his wedding vow. 

“Yue-san,” Tomoyo’s head rose from his chest. Her fingers curled around the fabric of the yukata around his collar. “What if it is difficult for you? I know that you want to do this for me, but how would I be happy if I make you go against your nature –,” Tomoyo could not finish as a slender finger rested on her lips. 

“Tomoyo-san, do you remember that I had been very specific about the things that you will not have were you to marry me?" Yue questioned his wife. 

"Hai," Tomoyo could not say more than that. 

"It won’t be difficult or disagreeable. Not when it is you,” Yue declared earnestly. “If it were, I would have told you about it that day,” he said. 

Tomoyo cradled her angel’s face with shaky fingers and pressed their foreheads together. “Yue-san, aishiteru,” she choked out, eyes brimming with tears. In response, Yue took her right hand and placed his lips on the thin scar, a familiar ritual that he had repeated countless times with this amazing person who was now his wife. 

They lay together, listening to the calm beat of each other’s hearts. Although they were both tired, sleep seemed to have eluded them. “Why are you still awake?” Yue asked his wife after a while.

The young woman gave him a cute smile. “Maybe because my eyes are refusing to stay shut when the scene before them is so beautiful,” she said. 

“I thought you would stop flirting with me once we get married,” the silver haired man frowned. 

“I will flirt with my husband all I want,” Tomoyo declared, scooting closer into his arms. “I was just thinking of how it all turned out for us,” she said. 

“What do you mean?” Yue questioned. 

“Well, you know Yue-san, I didn't really like you at first. You were not really an amiable person back then,” Tomoyo told him. 

“And neither am I now,” Yue said. 

“But I had never seen anyone as beautiful as you before that day. I thought we could become friends just like I befriended Kero-chan. But you didn't even say a word to me, Yue-san. You refused to even acknowledge my existence when I introduced myself,” Tomoyo told him. “That night, I felt like an outsider in Sakura-chan’s world, and so utterly insignificant that I was not even worth a simple greeting.” she added. 

“I did not see any use of engaging in pleasantries with someone who should not have been there in the first place,” Yue said, though he felt sorry for the poor girl from many years ago. 

“You are cruel. I cried to myself that night when I got home. You made me cry,” Tomoyo accused. 

Yue’s eyes softened as he pressed their foreheads together. “No need to be so dramatic,” he muttered. 

“I had forgiven you eventually  when I learned more about your past. But I never imagined that we would even become friends let alone finding myself falling for you, And yet falling in love with this stern person was the most beautiful thing that happened in my life,” she stated. 

“I am grateful for that,” Yue said softly, stroking her hair. 

That was the last conversation Tomoyo remembered before falling asleep. She was awakened a few hours later by the sound of soft rain hitting the roof of the humble single storied house she was sleeping in. Amidst the haze of sleep, she thought that she was sleeping at the Daidouji mansion like every other night until she caught the sight of silver hair with the corner of her eyes. Immediately, her attention was drawn by the young man who was asleep beside her. With eager eyes, Tomoyo scanned the pale skin that stood out in the dimly lit room, the long eyelashes, the proud nose, the chiseled jawline and the thin lips, slightly parted as soft breaths escaped them. Her Yue-san, her husband. A wide grin appeared on her face immediately at the thought and she thanked Kami-sama that she finally got to wake up beside him rather than all by herself. 

The digital clock on the nightstand read 2:38 AM, but Tomoyo continued to stare at her husband’s sleeping countenance, fondly regarding his innocent boyish look, sleep having smoothed out the usual stern expression he presented to others. He resisted the urge to squish his cute face  and kiss him all over again, only because she did not want to wake him. However, she slowly moved her face closer to the sleeping man’s until she could feel his soft breath on her face. Her heart did a few happy flips inside her chest. This feeling of contentment and serenity that she felt by looking at her husband as he slept seemed to be everything that she dreamt of, waited for and strove towards since the moment she fell in love with her Yue-san. Finally, Yue-san was hers to have and to hold, to love and to cherish till the last day she got to live. It was pure bliss. 

Tomoyo’s euphoric reverie was disrupted by her husband stirring in his sleep. His beautiful face contorted to an expression of discomfort and his silver brows knitted together. His fingers curled around the collar of his yukata as if trying to hold on to something as his chest rose and fell rapidly. 

Oh no, he’s having a bad dream , Tomoyo was quick to react. She grabbed his shoulder and shook him gently. “Yue-san, please look at me, Yue-san.” Blue eyes snapped open and stared at her with a blank expression. 

“Bad dream?” she asked.

Yue looked down. “Something like that,” he said softly. 

“I am right here,” Tomoyo moved to draw Yue against herself. She could feel his rapidly pulsating heart as he calmly accepted the comforting gesture from his wife, laying his head against her shoulder and closing his eyes. Since Yue chose to remain quiet, Tomoyo did not pry him for the content of his dream. She knew that the man she married had been hurt in the past in more ways than one, and still nursed deep wounds within his heart. She could not change his past, she could only hope that she could give him a better future. So, she ran her hand gently along his arms and his back, hoping it would soothe the distress he was feeling. “You can let me know everytime you have a bad dream, Yue-san. I will hold you till you feel better, okay?” she smiled. 

“I am not a child that needs comforting for such things,” Yue scoffed, his usual sassiness returning to him. “Why were you awake at this hour though?” 

Tomoyo did not reply. She hummed in a low voice, brushing her husband’s silver locks away from his forehead, toying with the fringes lightly. Slowly she added words to her tune as she began to sing, cradling the back of a silver head with her palm 

You keep me awake so that I may sing to you,
You, the one who rouses me from my sleep
My soul startles at your call
You, The one who stirs my grief 

Darkness has descended upon the world
The Boats have returned ashore
And the birds have returned to their nests
Yet my heart knows no rest
Because I long to sing to you
The one who stirs my grief 

Amidst my endless toil
You sway me with tears and joy
Your fleeting presence fills me with life
And then you move away
As if to await me on the other side of pain
O The one who stirs my grief
I shall sing to you. 

Halfway through her song, Yue had wrapped his arm around Tomoyo, holding her close as he listened to her naturally melodious voice, a little raspy from sleep. He had told her once that her song had a calming effect on his worn heart. His little songbird had remembered. “Arigatou,” he thanked her with a soft voice, 

Snuggled against the warmth of Yue’s body, the sound of the rain hitting the roof and the beat of his heart created a gentle rhythm for Tomoyo which lulled her to sleep soon afterwards. She did not know how long her husband was awake after that, but when she woke up, it was already past 7 AM,  and the man showed no signs of waking up. Mikazuki had crawled into the bed sometime near dawn, and was now sleeping between them with Yue’s hand resting on her furry body. In the few months between their engagement and wedding, their Mikazuki had grown from a kitten to a young cat, reminding Tomoyo that even through their happiest days, the clocks keep ticking. 

So much for not having cat fur on the bed, Tomoyo grumbled recalling how she was scolded by Yue earlier that evening for not keeping the bedroom door wide open for MIka-chan to get in. 

As she began to get up, her husband reached out and placed his hand firmly on her forearm. “Must you wake up so early everyday?” he complained. 

Tomoyo rolled her eyes. “Yue-san, I wake up earlier. Besides, the girls would be coming over and I don’t want to be teased,” she moved his hand aside and got off the bed. She knew that Yue-san was not really a morning person so she left him to catch the remainder of his beauty sleep. 

Forty-five minutes later, she was seated at the table in the living room with Sakura, Meiling, Akiho, Momo and Ruby Moon. 

“So Tomoyo-chan, how was the night? Did anything interesting happen?” Ruby moon shot her a question with a smirk. 

“Interesting?” Tomoyo pretended to be naive, as she put on her best innocent round eyes look and faced the second moon guardian. She was expecting such a question from Ruby Moon, though Akiho blushed. 

“You both did not see the messages that I had texted earlier this morning. So, I thought that you two must be tired and asleep after a busy night,” she winked at the others just to make the innuendo more clear. Akiho’s blush deepened. “Ano, Ruby-san, why don’t we all start eating? I am hungry” she pointed at the food that the girls had bought for breakfast on the way, wanting to change the direction of the conversation. A faint blush also appeared on Sakura’s face though Momo and Meiling seemed to be enjoying themselves as they eagerly looked at her for an answer. 

And Tomoyo decided to give them an answer. “Oh it was quite tiresome. Intense even,” she started. Poor Akiho had just taken a bite of a pancake and she almost choked on her food. “But I suppose that’s something that every girl needs to go through once they get married,” she continued with the same innocent expression.

“That’s right girl, you tell these ladies,” Momo encouraged her to continue, her long bunny ears swaying with enthusiasm.

“Well, I am glad that we got to do it together and Yue-san is good at this kind of stuff. It took us three hours to finish,” she saw that Sakura’s eyes had grown wide like saucers and Meiling looked at her with an incredulous expression. “We unpacked several of my boxes together and organized the things, but more is still left. It is tiresome, but I wanted to move in with Yue-san right away, so it had to be done,” she finished, taking great satisfaction in the way in which the looks of mischief on the two guardians' faces turned into disappointment. Do you think that only you can play this game, Ruby-san ? Tomoyo told herself. She recalled the conversation that she had with her Yue-san about the topic they were implying. They need not know that part. 

“With a boring guy like Yue, that’s all we can expect. It is no fun at all,” Ruby slumped forward on the table, while Akiho and Sakura exhaled a sigh of relief. 

“Gomen-ne for not answering your texts earlier. It is Yue-san’s fault for snoozing off the alarm,” Tomoyo told  Ruby Moon

“I can snooze my alarm as many times as I like. Why did you not set your own?” Yue finally decided to make an appearance, dressed to perfection, Mikazuki trailing behind him. Meiling called the cat to herself, enticing her with a fried egg from the breakfast platter. 

“You did not tell me that before. Besides, you scolded me yesterday for letting Mika-chan climb on the bed and this morning, you had unlocked the door to let her in. How’s that fair?” Tomoyo complained. 

“I did it so that you could sleep. Otherwise, she would meow loudly enough to wake you up,” Yue said. 

“Are you two seriously a newly wed couple? My parents nag each other like that. Sheesh!” Meiling facepalmed while feeding her egg to the greedy cat who allowed her to stroke her fur in exchange. 

“They are not. The fact that they just got married yesterday doesn’t change the fact that they have been married for like forever,” Ruby said disdainfully. 

“Join us Yue-san,” Akiho said sweetly trying her best to de-escalate the argument between the couple. Yue quietly sat down at the table. “Just ignore them Tomoyo-chan, Yue-san,” she said kindly. “I think it is like an old couple is very romantic as well,”  Akiho said kindly. 

“Yue-san, at least take her to a romantic honeymoon. Your little wife here had told me that she wanted to go to a mountain resort with you even before you two began to date although she had already fallen for you at that time,” Meiling informed the silver haired man.

“Meiling-chan, why do you have to tell him that?” Tomoyo exclaimed. She caught Yue looking at her and found her face getting warmer. 

 “Oh, I think she would enjoy that. Do you know that she is really good at skiing?” Sakura added. 

“Tomoyo-san insists on going to work from tomorrow. It seems she’s not that keen on the idea,” Yue fixed his sharp gaze on her. 

“Well, that’s because I have an upcoming deadline. Besides, even if we go somewhere together, he’ll nag and scold me all day,” Tomoyo said. 

Later that evening Tomoyo had a quiet dinner with Sonomi at the Daidouji mansion. She then went up to her room to pack a few more of the things which she had not taken with her previously. Among them were the cameras in her collection that were used in her wedding reception the day before. Yukito had offered to take her wedding photos since she had done the same for his wedding with Touya years ago. After she finished packing away the cameras, she went into the large walk-in closet to retrieve the items that she would need on a daily basis. 

Yue walked inside the room half an hour later, to find his wife sprawled upon the floor before an open large luggage. “You are not finished yet,” he said sternly. 

Tomoyo turned her head to look at him once, and then continued her work. “It was hard to decide what to take, so please give me some time Yue-san. You need not have come to get me. I could have asked for one of our cars,” she said, though she was secretly happy that he had come. 

“You just have too many things. That’s why I said that a larger place would be more suitable for you, but you were so stubborn,” Yue complained as he took a seat at the edge of the bed. His hand brushed against something. His eyes were drawn to a small wooden frame placed face down on the bed. 

“Since when do you have this?” Yue’s cool voice caught the attention of the young woman who was busy packing her stuff. Her eyes widened as she realized that an embarrassing evidence of the state of her heart was now in the hands of someone who would no doubt tease her about it. She mentally kicked herself for leaving it on the bed instead of packing it right away. 

“That’s mine,” Tomoyo rose to her feet quickly and attempted to snatch away the offending item from her husband’s grasp. 

Yue did not relinquish his hold on the object. “Answer me first,” he looked at her steadily. 

Tomoyo looked around exasperated. “Fine! Since the time you visited me in Vancouver. Remember I came to visit you at your room in the morning, and you fell asleep right away due to jet lag?” she replied.  

Yue kept the photo frame beside him and placed his hands on either side of her waist to draw her closer to himself. “Why did you frame this one? I am sure you have other pictures of me,” he questioned further. 

Tomoyo sighed, lifting her arms to rest on her husband’s shoulder. His angelic face was looking up at her due to his seated position.  “I have kept it with me every night since then. If I felt sad or lonely or if I was just missing you or simply could not fall asleep I looked at it and imagined that Yue-san was right there by my side, sleeping peacefully.” she admitted. “I know it is silly. Don’t laugh at me,” she tried her best to glare at him, seeing the amused expression on his face. It was a little secret that she had shared with none, but Yue-san found out regardless. 

“I didn’t know you were so besotted with me,” Yue’s arms caged her in further, and she found herself pulled on his lap. 

“You are just teasing me,” Tomoyo said. “Anyway, I will take what’s mine,” she reached for the photo frame. 

“This one is yours indeed,” Yue tapped the wooden frame with his fingers, “And this one is your’s too,” he lifted her hand up to his face, and holding her wrist guided her fingers to trace his skin. Do you still need a representation of something when you have the real one?” he asked. 

“This is just a backup option,” Tomoyo took the photo, and stood up from her husband’s lap. She moved to place it in her luggage. 

“Backup option?” Yue questioned behind her. 

“Hai. If we cannot be together because we are traveling, or fighting,” Tomoyo replied. 

Sonomi was browsing through some business articles in her living room when Tomoyo entered. “Okaa-san, I will be leaving now. Do not be up late,” 

“Have you taken everything that you need? And Have you called Akane-san to have someone drop you off?” Sonomi told her. Tomoyo smiled gently, looking behind her. 

“Oh, I see, your husband is here,” Sonomi took off her reading glasses and looked at the tall man who entered the room behind her daughter. “Missed my lovely daughter already, Yue-kun?” she teased. 

A dash of color rushed to Yue’s face. “It was on my way back from the hospital. Besides, if I had left Tomoyo-san  to herself she would have spent all night trying to decide what to pack. She is such a dawdler,” he remarked. 

“Okaa-san, tell Yue-san to be nice or I am not going with him,” Tomoyo complained to her mother, hugging her. 

Notes:

Thanks to anyone who left a comment. I hope that this chapter explains why Tomoyo might have seemed more enamored than Yue in the previous chapters and gives an organic portrayal of TomoYue's relationship post their marriage.