CHAPTER 1
Happy Birthday?

"So you can't make it. I understand, Mom. Yeah, I love you too, bye." Tomoyo put the phone down sadly.

She picked her bag up and went down from the business office to watch Touya Kinomoto and the other high school soccer players play in the field.

She settled all by herself in the grass. She sighed. School is boring without Sakura and Syaoran. Both were chosen to represent the school in a 1-day track meet, so she has no companions today.

"Too bad because I really need someone to talk to." she whispered, tears threatening to spill from her eyes.

It's her birthday tomorrow. She already planned lots of bonding activities with her mother for the day, but the latter bailed out in the last minute.

"I have an important client whom I can't afford to lose. I'm flying to Seoul in 3 hours." Mrs. Daidouji told the girl awhile ago on the phone.

Tomoyo shrugged. "Why should I feel upset? It's not like this is the first time she let me down."

"Tomoyo, look out!" Touya's voice shouted.

"Huh? Look out for wha-" She saw a soccer ball coming at her. She screamed and shielded her face with her arms. She prepared herself for the impact.

But strangely, nothing came. She slowly opened her eyes and saw Eriol Hiragizawa holding the ball.

"Hey! Be careful out there!" He called out before tossing the ball down to the players. He turned to her.

"Are you ok?"

"Y-Yeah." she replied shakily.

He knelt down in-front of her and tipped her chin up with his index finger.

"Next time, keep your eyes open, Daidouji-san."

He walked away, leaving Tomoyo stunned.



8 pm, Daidouji residence, same day..

"Why do you look so down, Miss Tomoyo? In 4 hours, it will be your birthday already." one of her maids asked.

She gave her a weak smile. "That's not true. I'm happy, really."

"It is really unfortunate Madam Sonomi can't be with you on your birthday, but try to understand that your mother is not an ordinary mother-"

"I know." She went upstairs. "Call me when dinner is ready."

"We'll be having a super birthday dinner later!" the cook added.

Upon entering her room, she laid down her bed, absorbed in her thoughts.

"Mom doesn't care about me anymore. She chose that client over an occasion that happens only once a year. She's so cruel!" Tomoyo said to herself, tears dribbling down her cheeks.

She looked at the fancily-wrapped gifts piled up in her lavish room. They were delivered by express from her mother.

She unwrapped one. A life-size porcelain doll. Great, another mannequin. She put it beside the other dolls who's amount can pay a dozen college education.

"But I don't want a lifeless doll for my birthday! I want love!" she cried.

An idea suddenly formed in her mind. She stuffed a few pieces of clothes in her school bag along with some bars of chocolate. She's going to run away. Maybe if her maids noticed she's gone, they'll call her mother to go back to Japan and look for her!

After she was ready, she tiptoed out of her house quietly. Luckily, everyone's busy preparing for her pre-birthday bash to notice her.

She felt a pang of guilt. Everyone in the house is working so hard to make her birthday happy. They'll surely be upset when they find out she disappeared.

Tomoyo shook her head firmly. She's going to teach her mother a lesson. She ran out to the streets.

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