Author's Notes:
Okay, so it was my fault…or rather…my server's fault that I wasn't able to post the chapters I made for a long long time – approximately two weeks? – and for that, I'm begging understanding. Gomen nasai! I know I promised to write more quickly, and I did! I just, kinda, need more funds to buy a dependable computer and modem. Sorry! Anyway, even without reviews, here's the tenth chapter. ^.^ Please enjoy and forgive my tardiness.
Polgara-C: Yep. More mysteries ^.^ I can't wait to write it, I just don't have the time…T__T
arashi009: Gee, I am glad you liked the chapter. ^^ Sakuma-sama lives!
ruby_servantof_eli: I am not that brilliant, believe me ^^;;;; I just happened to have some ideas once in a while.
crystal~heart: Yes, they are finally together ^^ But will it be that way forever? ^^
raven: Hmm….making TXE last in this fic would really be hard…but it will happen sometime….promise ^^
Athar_Luna: Thanks! Tomoyo's past…that will come in the more latter part.
DarkWings_of_Faith: Well, here's the continuation like you requested ^^
KyteAura: 6 AM and you are energetic. At that time in my place, I am either grumpy or sleeping. People like Mizuki so much…I don't but I shall have to set aside my dislike for this fic…^^ Don't kill Eriol.
FlameSolo: Thanks! Hope you'll like this one, too!
call-me-PRINCESS: More….*sigh* Well, as I said, the more would have to come in little bites starting today ^^ Gomen.
Getsumei no michi: It wasn't the last chapter ^^ This is kinda the PART II of the past story…heheh….
I am warning you, this is a very unedited, done-in-twenty-minutes chapter. Please tolerate. I promise that when I put it up this Christmans vacation in my site, it will be better. ^^
Jaa, thanks a lot for reviewing. Hope this chappie, which is kinda a transition part, will not freak you out or anything. Enjoy!
CARESS OF VENUS
By: nikki hiiragizawa
Chapter 10: Happily Ever After?
Purple eyes quizzically looked at the young woman sitting comfortably on the couch, smiling the silliest smile ever – if there is such a thing as a silliest smile. Spring was starting to sing through the windows, making the newly refreshed trees and grown flowers dance in sync.
"Why are you smiling like that?" Tomoyo finally asked her friend, who was tittering at the edge of her seat.
Sakura giggled and tried her best to sip her tea quietly. "I don't know, Tomoyo-chan. I just…well…I can't believe he finally proposed!"
"Well…" the gray-haired girl sat back on the sofa. "He did. Well, I didn't know if it was proper or not, but he told me those words…"
"I could almost imagine," Sakura said, "Eriol telling you those words." She suddenly gazed at Tomoyo with very a Eriol-like smile. "I am truly…" she sang, "truly in love with you, girl…"
"Oh cut that out, Sakura-chan." Tomoyo couldn't help laughing. Even though she hadn't heard Eriol sing like that, she was very convinced that Sakura imitated the young man very well. "If Eriol hears that he'll…"
"What? Go ballistic?" Sakura giggled more. But in a short while, her face went calmer. "I was just surprised that he told you he loves you, Tomoyo-chan."
Tomoyo glanced at her curiously. She placed her cup back on the saucer at the table and folded her hands on her lap. "Why is that, Sakura-chan?"
"Well, you see, it was said that as an artist, Eriol never says what he feels directly to the person concerned." Sakura gave her a half-smile. "When Syaoran-kun and I were engaged, he gave us a painting of us, sitting on a park bench, as a gift. When he proposed to Kaho-san, he painted a very large portrait of her and sent it through mail, with his marriage proposal written on the letter the Kaho-san in the portrait was reading." She studied Tomoyo for her reaction.
The young woman was quiet. "Sugoi…he did that?"
Sakura nodded. "Yes. That is why, I was…well…forgive me…for I was expecting a rather, more romantic approach from the master of the arts." She rolled her eyes. "You know, something like, painting you….or similar things."
"Well, maybe he doesn't want to do the same approach twice," Tomoyo suggested. "Besides, everything is just so sudden. I just told him how I felt when I sang. There wasn't much time after that to think of something creative."
Sakura worriedly pondered but started to smile again. "Oh well. Forget it." She drank more tea again before continuing. "I can't believe I whacked him with a pillow for being so naïve of your feelings. Silly me."
"He told me. He was pretty upset about it." Tomoyo laughed.
"Oh by the way," Sakura said as she stared out of the window to see Eriol walking towards the house. "When are you getting married?"
Tomoyo clasped her hands. "We haven't really decided yet."
"What the - ?" Sakura pouted at what Tomoyo said. "Mou! Eriol should have asked you already!"
The other girl gave a small shrug. "It is too early for us to marry. We've been together for only, what, three weeks? It was just the whole winter season." She looked at the clock and stood up. "Eriol will be coming in any minute. I'll just go get his tea, okay?" She excused herself from the living room.
"Sakura-san!" Eriol entered the room and was surprised to see the young woman in their living room. "What brought you to my home? You are supposed to be still in Hong Kong with Li-kun, right?"
Sakura gave Eriol a fake salute. "Nah…I was just…visiting Tomoyo-chan. It seems that she had adjusted well here."
"Aa. We're getting along pretty well."
"Getting along pretty well…ah….yeah…Eriol-kun…" Sakura bit her lip and forced a smile when Tomoyo entered the room with the tea.
"Eriol," Tomoyo greeted. The young man smiled and took her in his arms, kissing her lightly on the cheek. "Nakuru was asking what you would like for dinner. She taught me how to cook chicken fricassee before lunch."
"Really?" Eriol hugged Tomoyo tightly. "That is nice. Is that what we are having for dinner?"
"Well, if you want to." The young woman replied. "But we have cooked it for lunch already."
Eriol gave her a false pout. "That's too bad." He held her at arm's length and stared at her. "Would you like to go out for dinner?"
"Really?" Tomoyo's eyes widened with glee and she shrugged. "I mean…"
"I haven't showed you my favorite restaurant yet, ne?" Eriol answered. "Why don't we eat there for a change?" He entwined Tomoyo's fingers with his and smiled. "I do not want you to try so hard in cooking. You might tire yourself out."
Tomoyo blushed darkly and bowed her head. "But Eriol…"
"Oh Kami. The very dialogue of you both makes me melt," Sakura complained as she stood up. "I think I will be going now."
"Sakura-san, wouldn't you like to join us for dinner?" Eriol gallantly ffered as the lady neared the living room door.
The brown-haired girl grinned as she fitted her gloves onto her hands. "Oh no. I wish you would enjoy the night to yourselves. Jaa!" The couple found themselves staring at a closed door and listening to the fast paced steps walking away.
"Saa, why don't you get Nakuru to help you get dressed?" Eriol said. "I'll be waiting here after I tidy myself up."
"All right," Tomoyo whispered. She smiled as Eriol gave her hand a final squeeze and retreated upstairs. Weird, Tomoyo thought as she herself went to her room, where Nakuru was already, having been briefed by Eriol when he met her on the stairs. Usually, Eriol was very civil towards her except when it's their anniversary. He was usually quiet and moody, and Tomoyo figured that artists' moods are always like that.
But tonight, this was different. Tonight, Eriol could be proposing to her. Tonight, she might hear what she had been longing to hear after that day Eriol told him he loved her.
Eriol might bring up the idea of marriage.
Smiling, Tomoyo brushed her curls and waited for Nakuru to bring her dress out.
+++
"Sakura, don't you think your brother will kill me once he learns of your escape from your room?"
Sakura leaned to her fiancé's arm. "No, I don't think so. At least we have the night to our own, right?" she replied sweetly. Syaoran could not help but roll his brown eyes and sigh as he opened the door to the restaurant.
"So many people are here already?" Sakura said as she glanced around, "and it is not even Valentine's Day!"
Syaoran sighed. "People do not just go out on Valentine's Day, Sakura." He spoke to the waiter by the door and was helping Sakura sit down when he saw familiar faces. "Isn't that Hiiragizawa-kun and Daidouji-san?"
"Oh, that is them." Sakura looked over one shoulder. "So this is Eriol's favorite restaurant. He was telling some time ago that he was going to take Tomoyo-chan to his favorite restaurant."
Syaoran chuckled as he sipped off his wineglass. "Don't you remember? Hiiragizawa-kun used to take Mizuki-san here, too."
"Oh yeah!" Sakura gave a small laugh. "I remember we saw them a few times before. They were even sitting in the same table Tomoyo-chan is sitting now…wait…"
"Something wrong?" Syaoran asked as his girlfriend became mysteriously quiet.
Sakura watched the couple. They were sitting on a table at the far end of the hall, where the vases of anthuriums are placed. Tomoyo was wearing a long, black evening gown with trimmings matching the color of her ruby earrings and bracelet. Her hair was held by silver and ruby pins, and she sat towards the light. "I don't believe it," Sakura muttered to herself.
"What's wrong?" Syaoran demanded. He looked at the young woman across her questioningly as she turned around to face him. "Sakura?"
Sakura bit the inside of her cheek and flapped the napkin to her lap. "Do you remember? Two weeks before Mizuki-san got into that accident?" she hissed at Syaoran.
"What?" Syaoran asked, quite at a loss. "Was it something of a déjà vu or …"
"No, silly!" Sakura intently looked at the couple who was oblivious of their presence. "Two months before Mizuki-san died, she and Eriol-kun went to this ver restaurant."
The young man combed his brown hair and gave Sakura a half-smile. "So? We all know this is Hiiragizawa-kun's favorite restaurant, right?'
"That's not what I meant!" Sakura answered crossly. She gestured for Syaoran to look to the couple. "That time, if I can remember clearly, Mizuki-san was sitting on that same seat where Tomoyo was sitting on."
"You mean, that's their favorite table too?" Syaoran asked, getting the idea of the young woman.
Sakura nodded and continued as their appetizer was served. "Not only that," she murmured as she spooned her crab salad. "I remember Mizuki-san was wearing the same dress Tomoyo is wearing right now."
"What?" Syaoran almost fell off his seat. "Sakura, you better not be making this up…"
"I am not so!" Sakura replied. "I remember admiring Mizuki-san's ruby jewelry. I told her it looks good on her because it brings out the red of her hair over the black garment. I cannot be mistaken."
The young man thought for a while as they watched Eriol and Tomoyo engage in a conversation. "You mean to say…"
"No, I cannot be too sure." Sakura chewed before resuming her reply. "But if I am not mistaken, there is really something wrong with this picture right now. After all, Nakuru would not let Tomoyo just wear red. It doesn't suit her." She narrowed her eyes towards the young man across Tomoyo. "Unless someone decided to let her use those stuff."
+++
Tomoyo was feeling uncomfortable. The black dress Nakuru gave her was too high-waisted that she could hardly breathe. Red jewelry was also not much of her taste but Nakuru said it was to be partnered with the gown. She did not allow other things to go with the dress.
Even so, she tried to smile at Eriol, who was intently studying her. She could feel his eyes on her whenever she takes a bite of her food or whenever she speaks. "Is something ailing you, Eriol?"
"Me?" The young man was quite taken aback by the question. "No. I just…I just cannot believe how beautiful you are in that gown I chose for you to wear."
Tomoyo forced a smile. Eriol never lets her wear old gowns on special occasions, but Eriol insisted that she should wear this certain black gown. Thinking that black was into Eriol's sentiments, she gave in. "Thank you," she politely said, more politely that what a girlfriend could say. "I am quite flattered that you chose my gown for me."
"Oh, it is not much of a problem." Eriol continued to be silent for the rest of the meal. Tomoyo could only sigh inwardly, as the dream of the marriage proposal was swept back into her chest of unattainable hopes.
+++
TBC…
Author's Notes: Okay, I know it is some kind of…short. I need a transition for the Part Two, okay? Please understand ^^. Don't worry, I'll still answer your unanswered questions in the later chapters. For now, I have to look for some ways to fix this dumb new computer. I cannot promise to write quickly, but I will try! Nikki Hiiragizawa will always try ^^;;;; So help me, Kami-sama…
