"This is outrageous!Eriol,nothing happened to us last night!"yelled Tomoyo insistently.
Eriol looked down."I'm sorry."
Sakura looked at them both."Get dressed and we'll talk downstairs."she marched out of the room,leaving the three people alone.
"Didn't I tell you to take care of her,Hiragizawa?"he asked quietly.
"But Li,you've got to believe me!Nothing happened last night!"She looked at the poker-faced Eriol then back at the somber face of Syaoran."I was sick last night!"
"I will take good care of Tomoyo, Li."said Eriol.
"That's all I need to hear."He walked out of the room.
"Li!!"She was about to get up and follow him when Eriol held her back.He pulled her to his arms and embraced her tightly,almost crushing her soft body on his bare chest."E-Eriol.."
"I'm so sorry."He smoothed her hair.
"But nothing happened,right?"
His eyes averted hers."Tomoyo.."He looked back at her again and smiled."I will marry you."
Everything was fixed.As soon as Eriol has fixed some papers,he will marry her in Japan so her mother can witness the ceremony.
Tomoyo looked at the engagement ring Eriol just gave to her.
"Do you like it?"he asked eagerly.
She nodded,a little tearfully even.She felt so very happy but.."where did you get the money to buy this?"
He stroked her cheek with the back of his palm."It doesn't matter.You know that I would do anything for you."
She touched the ring,confused.Just a few months ago,she was also touching a ring that Li showed her,only he was just trying it on her if it would fit his bride-to-be.But this time,the ring she's holding was hers and hers alone.She looked up at her future husband,the person whom she'll share the rest of her life with soon.
"Are you happy,future Mrs.Hiragizawa?"he asked softly,looking to her eyes.
"Yes,yes I am."she replied truthfully.
"I feel exactly the same way."he placed his hands around her waist and danced her slowly."Because you are my happiness."
Tomoyo didn't know what to reply.She just laid her head contentedly on his strong chest and let him lead to nirvana.
He kissed her hair and pulled her closer,hoping this moment would never end.
Eriol was still giddy from his date with Tomoyo so slumber to him was elusive.He decided to play some tunes.As he put the record player on,he noticed once again how his little studio had become a quaint little cozy house because of Tomoyo.He smiled.The only things lacking here to completely call it a home were a wife-which he would have soon-and children.
He tried to imagine himself as a father of a little boy-his very own junior.He couldn't help but beam at the thought of carrying his own son on a piggyback or teaching him how to tie his shoelaces for the very first time.
He sipped more wine.And he could raise a family well financially.He would go through several jobs on overtime if he had to just to make sure his family is financially secure.
Of course,there is still the little lie he must settle with Tomoyo after the wedding.He sighed."Li,maybe you should get out from where you're hiding now.It's kind of stuffed in there."
Syaoran went out behind the door,looking annoyed."You and your stupid sixth sense."
He smiled brightly."What can I do for you?"
Li crossed his arm over his chest."Alright,Hiragizawa,spill."
Eriol looked at his wine.
Li rolled his eyes."I mean,your secret."
"Secret?I have a secret?How come I don't know it?"he said,puzzled.
Syaoran laughed out loud."You never touched Tomoyo that night,am I right?"
Eriol gasped."H-How did you know that?"
"I know you very well.No matter how much a sex maniac you are,you are never the type to take advantage of a sleeping,SICK girl."he explaioned,watching him carefully.
Eriol frowned."I will,too."
"Yeah,Hiragizawa,go for a more mature answer next time."Li smiled.He's loving every minute of this!The man of a thousand words is losing his touch!And all because of a girl."Besides,you love her too much,right?"
"I am merely giving her a reason so as not to encourage her to foolishly continue love you."
Another sarcastic laugh."Can't you do any better than that?"asked Li.
Eriol feigned an I-don't-know-what-you're-talking-about look.
Syaoran stood up."Listen,Hiragizawa,my wife is waiting for me in our hotel now.I better go."
"Goodbye!And good riddance!"
Li held up his hand."Not so fast!I have one reminder though:Love comes only once,so if you find it,you mut seize it and never ever let it slip away again."
Tomoyo leaned on the wall,her heart pounding.She just overheard the men's conversation.Nothing happened between them!Eriol was just going to marry her so she would not be a hinder to Sakura and Li's happiness.Tears streaked down her cheeks."I thought..I thought he loved me."She quietly went into her room.Eriol didn't need to do it anymore though to protect the couple for she just had gotten over Li.But heavens,just when she started to fall in love with another man,her heart got broke again!She packed her things quietly.
The next morning Eriol was awakened by the chatters of the passerbys outside his house.He rubbed his eyes sleepily before he perked up upon remembering Tomoyo.He excitedly knocked at her door."Tomoyo,are you up?"He tried the door knob.
"You shouldn't have done this Tomoyo."said Sakura.
She looked out the window."Sakura,I want him to marry me because he loves me and not because of some obligations or because he pities me."
Sakura hugged her friend."But what if he does love you,Tomoyo?"
Her lilac eyes widened,but she quickly shook her head."Impossible.He loves Kaho,not me."
Their conversation was interrupted by the flight stewardess offering some drinks.
"Sakura?"
"Yes?"
"I'm sorry for running away."Tomoyo whispered.
Sakura nodded understandingly."Li told me why,and I want you to know that I'm not mad at you."
Tomoyo embraced her best friend."Thank you,Sakura."At least,even if her lovelife was a failure,she still had her friends.
"I wonder if Eriol already knows I'm gone."she mused."I wonder how he reacted.."
"TOMOYO??!"He looked around the room.The bed didn't look it had been slept in and the closet doors were open.
Dread filled him."N-No.."He rushed to the closet and fopund only his clothes."No,she's just doing the laundry and all her clothes happened to be dirty,that's all."He went out to the backyard,but there was no sign of her."Maybe she's in the kitchen or in the bathroom.A-Anywhere else in this house,just don't let what I'm thinking happen."He thoroughly searched the house but to no avail.
"It's Ok,Hiragizawa."his mind told himself."So what if she's out of your life?You just have to learn how to hold a spatula again,and a broom.You can just find another model to paint."For a few seconds,he believed his lie.He convinced himself that he had lived alone once and he could do it again.
But then his face crumpled."I don't need a cook,or a maid,or a model.I need someone to love!I need Tomoyo!"he moaned."I don't want to be alone again."
He collapsed exhaustedly on the bed-the same bed where he held her close,heard her say the three words that completed his life and where he realized that she's more than an obra maestra-she's a blessing that gave him the reason to move on and continue living.
He ran his fingers through the bedsheet before punching it furiously."Why did you run away,Tomoyo?"
to be continued...
Eriol looked down."I'm sorry."
Sakura looked at them both."Get dressed and we'll talk downstairs."she marched out of the room,leaving the three people alone.
"Didn't I tell you to take care of her,Hiragizawa?"he asked quietly.
"But Li,you've got to believe me!Nothing happened last night!"She looked at the poker-faced Eriol then back at the somber face of Syaoran."I was sick last night!"
"I will take good care of Tomoyo, Li."said Eriol.
"That's all I need to hear."He walked out of the room.
"Li!!"She was about to get up and follow him when Eriol held her back.He pulled her to his arms and embraced her tightly,almost crushing her soft body on his bare chest."E-Eriol.."
"I'm so sorry."He smoothed her hair.
"But nothing happened,right?"
His eyes averted hers."Tomoyo.."He looked back at her again and smiled."I will marry you."
Everything was fixed.As soon as Eriol has fixed some papers,he will marry her in Japan so her mother can witness the ceremony.
Tomoyo looked at the engagement ring Eriol just gave to her.
"Do you like it?"he asked eagerly.
She nodded,a little tearfully even.She felt so very happy but.."where did you get the money to buy this?"
He stroked her cheek with the back of his palm."It doesn't matter.You know that I would do anything for you."
She touched the ring,confused.Just a few months ago,she was also touching a ring that Li showed her,only he was just trying it on her if it would fit his bride-to-be.But this time,the ring she's holding was hers and hers alone.She looked up at her future husband,the person whom she'll share the rest of her life with soon.
"Are you happy,future Mrs.Hiragizawa?"he asked softly,looking to her eyes.
"Yes,yes I am."she replied truthfully.
"I feel exactly the same way."he placed his hands around her waist and danced her slowly."Because you are my happiness."
Tomoyo didn't know what to reply.She just laid her head contentedly on his strong chest and let him lead to nirvana.
He kissed her hair and pulled her closer,hoping this moment would never end.
Eriol was still giddy from his date with Tomoyo so slumber to him was elusive.He decided to play some tunes.As he put the record player on,he noticed once again how his little studio had become a quaint little cozy house because of Tomoyo.He smiled.The only things lacking here to completely call it a home were a wife-which he would have soon-and children.
He tried to imagine himself as a father of a little boy-his very own junior.He couldn't help but beam at the thought of carrying his own son on a piggyback or teaching him how to tie his shoelaces for the very first time.
He sipped more wine.And he could raise a family well financially.He would go through several jobs on overtime if he had to just to make sure his family is financially secure.
Of course,there is still the little lie he must settle with Tomoyo after the wedding.He sighed."Li,maybe you should get out from where you're hiding now.It's kind of stuffed in there."
Syaoran went out behind the door,looking annoyed."You and your stupid sixth sense."
He smiled brightly."What can I do for you?"
Li crossed his arm over his chest."Alright,Hiragizawa,spill."
Eriol looked at his wine.
Li rolled his eyes."I mean,your secret."
"Secret?I have a secret?How come I don't know it?"he said,puzzled.
Syaoran laughed out loud."You never touched Tomoyo that night,am I right?"
Eriol gasped."H-How did you know that?"
"I know you very well.No matter how much a sex maniac you are,you are never the type to take advantage of a sleeping,SICK girl."he explaioned,watching him carefully.
Eriol frowned."I will,too."
"Yeah,Hiragizawa,go for a more mature answer next time."Li smiled.He's loving every minute of this!The man of a thousand words is losing his touch!And all because of a girl."Besides,you love her too much,right?"
"I am merely giving her a reason so as not to encourage her to foolishly continue love you."
Another sarcastic laugh."Can't you do any better than that?"asked Li.
Eriol feigned an I-don't-know-what-you're-talking-about look.
Syaoran stood up."Listen,Hiragizawa,my wife is waiting for me in our hotel now.I better go."
"Goodbye!And good riddance!"
Li held up his hand."Not so fast!I have one reminder though:Love comes only once,so if you find it,you mut seize it and never ever let it slip away again."
Tomoyo leaned on the wall,her heart pounding.She just overheard the men's conversation.Nothing happened between them!Eriol was just going to marry her so she would not be a hinder to Sakura and Li's happiness.Tears streaked down her cheeks."I thought..I thought he loved me."She quietly went into her room.Eriol didn't need to do it anymore though to protect the couple for she just had gotten over Li.But heavens,just when she started to fall in love with another man,her heart got broke again!She packed her things quietly.
The next morning Eriol was awakened by the chatters of the passerbys outside his house.He rubbed his eyes sleepily before he perked up upon remembering Tomoyo.He excitedly knocked at her door."Tomoyo,are you up?"He tried the door knob.
"You shouldn't have done this Tomoyo."said Sakura.
She looked out the window."Sakura,I want him to marry me because he loves me and not because of some obligations or because he pities me."
Sakura hugged her friend."But what if he does love you,Tomoyo?"
Her lilac eyes widened,but she quickly shook her head."Impossible.He loves Kaho,not me."
Their conversation was interrupted by the flight stewardess offering some drinks.
"Sakura?"
"Yes?"
"I'm sorry for running away."Tomoyo whispered.
Sakura nodded understandingly."Li told me why,and I want you to know that I'm not mad at you."
Tomoyo embraced her best friend."Thank you,Sakura."At least,even if her lovelife was a failure,she still had her friends.
"I wonder if Eriol already knows I'm gone."she mused."I wonder how he reacted.."
"TOMOYO??!"He looked around the room.The bed didn't look it had been slept in and the closet doors were open.
Dread filled him."N-No.."He rushed to the closet and fopund only his clothes."No,she's just doing the laundry and all her clothes happened to be dirty,that's all."He went out to the backyard,but there was no sign of her."Maybe she's in the kitchen or in the bathroom.A-Anywhere else in this house,just don't let what I'm thinking happen."He thoroughly searched the house but to no avail.
"It's Ok,Hiragizawa."his mind told himself."So what if she's out of your life?You just have to learn how to hold a spatula again,and a broom.You can just find another model to paint."For a few seconds,he believed his lie.He convinced himself that he had lived alone once and he could do it again.
But then his face crumpled."I don't need a cook,or a maid,or a model.I need someone to love!I need Tomoyo!"he moaned."I don't want to be alone again."
He collapsed exhaustedly on the bed-the same bed where he held her close,heard her say the three words that completed his life and where he realized that she's more than an obra maestra-she's a blessing that gave him the reason to move on and continue living.
He ran his fingers through the bedsheet before punching it furiously."Why did you run away,Tomoyo?"
to be continued...
