Author's Notes:
Hello! Nikki-chan is back! Hmmm...if you are all thinking that this fic will end in this chapter, then you are...wrong. I wonder what kind of surprise I'll give you...hmmm...anyway, lemme answer the past reviews. ^.^
Silverwing: I tried updating as soon a possible...I really did! And here's the next chapter. ^.^
Clownsareevil and Darkshadowheartless: Seguchi is not evil, I promise I'll prove it to you. ^^
FlameSolo: Yep. So suspenseful, especially since there's an unexpected climax here in this chap.
KyteAura: Nah...not a portrait. ^-^ But that was my first choice to do. I'm glad you're happy that Tomoyo is starting to know more about her past, but I wonder if you'll be happy once you read this chapter...*wonders*
Fuu: Thank you! And yep, this is the next chapter.
Gal: Umm...I'm not ending it in a cliffie. ^.^ I'm making it an ending, really!
Yuki-Rabbit: ^.^ *can't say anything...overload of compliments* *faints* Thank you, Yuki-Rabbit.
nadja: I never expected this to be a crossover, too, and that Seguchi will have a good role in this fic. ^.^ It's kinda accidental since I can't think of names to use in the fic so I included their names. Nittle Grasper is the best band. ^.^ Ryuichi Sakuma is my god...well...one of my gods, on that matter. *^^*
Ruby-servantof-eli: LOL! I now remember the person at the ball! *evil laugh* And no, Eriol did not paint her. I wonder if Tomoyo will be really happy at the end, hmm? ^.~
Lil Lily: I'm not torturing my characters. ^^ In fact, I am giving them popularity since you read their lives, ne? LOL! Dun worry, this will end soon.
GoodGurl: Gahh! You mean you didn't see my hint...-.-;;; Sorry! I promise you will really know why Tohma dislikes Eriol in this chapter. Please don't kill me once you know about it, okay? ^^;;;;;;;
Dana Daidouji: Yes, I am afraid things won't be easy for Tomoyo...I wonder about Eriol, though. Please hang on!
crystal~heart: Hmm..what is Eriol planning, I am thinking about it, too. ^^
Angelic Angel: Ahahahaha...no. ^^ Seguchi was not the one involved in Tomoyo's family's murder. But that would be solved soon.
Warning! Reading this chapter may cause slight nausea, dizziness and murderous moods. Rest for a while after reading and don't send flames. If symptoms persist, insult your doctor. :P
CARESS OF VENUS
By nikki hiiragizawa
CHAPTER 18: Shocking Encounter
"Please meet me in front of your hotel tomorrow."
Tomoyo glanced at the clock. It was ten minutes before ten AM. She was supposed to meet Eriol in the hotel lobby at exactly ten. Where they are going, she didn't know, but she supposed this was one of Eriol's plans to make her come back to him. Whatever it will be, Tomoyo will still have to decide if she could try loving him again or not.
Saa, it's time... Tomoyo stood up and went downstairs.
"Tomoyo!" Eriol was already by the information desk, waving to her. She looked for something unusual - clues of a special dinner, anything - but there was none. Eriol's clothes and manners were the same as ever. "Over here!"
The purple-haired singer half-frowned as she approached the artist. "Mou, you don't have to shout so loud, Eriol. I ....waaah!" She gave a squeal as she was dragged out of the spinning doors of the hotel into a car. "What do you think you are doing?!" she demanded as Eriol climbed in with her in the backseat of a taxi. Luckily there weren't any reporters around, or this would be another juicy scrap of a photo. The taxi door closed and Tomoyo whirled around to demand an answer from the young man.
Eriol just gave her a smile and Tomoyo found her hand in his. "You'll found out, dear."
+++
"This is the place?" Tomoyo raised her brows. They were standing in front of the Tokyo Art Museum. She glanced at Eriol, who just smiled secretively.
"Let's go in?" Eriol offered his arm and they went inside. The museum seemed still closed to the public as they entered. Lights were still unlit, curtains were not drawn, and no familiar footsteps of the curator or the guards could be heard.
Tomoyo held onto Eriol's arm a bit tighter, starting to shiver because of the eerie aura of the building. "Eriol," she roughly whispered. "What are we doing here? The curator's gonna be..."
"Ssssh! They wouldn't know if you keep quiet." Eriol placed a reassuring hand on top of her hand holding onto his arm and they continued walking up the stairs.
The young singer frowned. Even she cannot understand why she was trusting Eriol like this. He had tricked her, she remembered. But still, when Eriol speaks, there's an element inside him that makes Tomoyo feel serene, almost at peace. It feels that everything Eriol says comes from his heart and that mellow voice tells nothing but truth.
It could be because I still care for him... Tomoyo mused. True, her love for the young man wasn't lost at all. It just lost its flame shortly, but now that they're together...it has rekindled without her knowing it. And Eriol has come to take her back in, it seemed that she wanted to go back once more.
No! I mustn't be that easy! Tomoyo thought as she glanced at Eriol, who was smiling so secretively. This man had injured her pride as a woman, and he must work hard to return to her favor. Her free hand fisted on her skirt. How loyal Eriol is, she will know at this moment. "Eriol," she started. "I know you are doing this and all but..."
"I know how you feel, Tomoyo," Eriol replied without looking at her. "I know I have treated you so unfairly and now I am paying for it. You may not see now how I desperately wanted to be with you, but I am asking for this last chance to tell you something. After that, you could decide for yourself." He looked at her and smiled. "We're here. Will you close your eyes?"
"Wha...What?" Tomoyo stammered. "Eriol if this is some kind of joke..."
Suddenly, Eriol was behind her. "Please? Tomoyo..." He rested his chin on her shoulder. "This will be one last time, so please?"
"Alright!" She closed her eyes firmly. Somehow, seeing just darkness as she walked made her feel scared. What would she do if Eriol leaves her right then and there? What if he has finally decided to stop loving her and let her go. How would she feel if Eriol had endlessly submerged himself into the memories of his late wife? What if...What if...
"What's wrong?" Eriol suddenly asked. He stopped walking. Without opening her eyes, Tomoyo realized her grip on Eriol had tightened and her shoulders were raised, as if she was ready to cry. "Are you scared?" the young man asked again.
"O - Of course not!" Tomoyo said. She tugged on Eriol so he would start walking again. Hearing him chuckle a but made her even more annoyed. Mou, he was certainly smoother than usual today!
Tomoyo heard her companion open a door - from her deducing, a large one - and led her inside. Giving her a warning not to take a peak, Eriol turned her around and told her to wait. She then heard him walk around, pushing switches here and there, until he came back to her side.
"Saa te," She heard him whisper as he turned her to her right slowly. He lightly placed his hands over her eyes. "This will be my last surprise. I hope you'll like it, Tomoyo." When Tomoyo did not speak, Eriol removed his hands. "Please, open your eyes."
Tomoyo felt hands removed from over her eyes. Giving a haughty sigh, she began to speak and open her eyes simultaneously. "Mou, Eriol, after all this walk...i...ah..." Her gaze froze as she looked straight in front of her, her lips opening and closing without any sound. Her purple eyes widened at what she saw, and soon, she felt warm liquid threatening to flow out. "I...this..." She took a step forward and stopped.
"Go near it, and comment on my work," Eriol said, almost embarrassed.
Tomoyo went closer and raised her fingers to touch the surface. She was looking at herself, so identical she would seem like she was looking at a mirror if she wore the same clothes. She tentatively ran her fingers on it. "You...you made this?" she asked, voice shaking. Eriol nodded solemnly, and Tomoyo's tears fell. She slumped beside Eriol's work and wept all those tears she had kept inside for so long.
Eriol approached her and pulled out a handkerchief. He gently pushed her hands away from her face and dried her tears. "I know this was a little too late, and it took too long to finish," Eriol said with a sorry tone. "I knew I told you that I would paint you, but I painted someone else. It hurt you and you left to go to Tokyo. That day you left, I decided to do something for you in exchange of my mistake. But when I came back, you already left and I knew you saw the painting."
"I did," Tomoyo replied, almost a whisper. She looked back at Eriol's masterpiece. You are certainly a genius artist, Eriol. This is the first time I have seen you do this."
"That is because," Eriol reached down to cradle Tomoyo's face. "Tomoyo should be different from Kaho." He smiled as he traced the line the tears made on Tomoyo's face. "I love you."
Tears flowed anew as Tomoyo closed her eyes and let herself be hugged by Eriol. This was certainly better than a painting. Eriol had kept his promise - even did more than what he promised.
Eriol made a likeness of Tomoyo.
The life-size statue was just as tall as Tomoyo, with the same length of hair, and same eye color. Its painted clothes were the likeness of what Tomoyo wore at the party where she first sang. One of its hands holding on the painted glittering skirt, and the other hand was raised, poised as if the statue was trying to place her hair in place behind an ear. The hair, even though lifeless and hard, seemed to be flowing in curls, their motion captured in stationary. Its head was bent slightly to one side, as if nodding to an invisible audience. And on the statue's pink lips was a smile Tomoyo wore when she smiled at Eriol from the stage - a smile telling him how much she loved him.
"You...you remembered everything that I wore...at the party..." she sobbed as she leaned on Eriol's chest, not caring that they were sprawled on the floor.
The young man threaded her hair with his fingers. "It was the best memory I had of you because you were yourself, someone I hadn't corrupted with my own memories yet. When you left I had to do everything by memory, so it took quite a while. I am terribly sorry for making you wait." He planted a kiss on Tomoyo's head.
Tomoyo choked on her sobs. "Th...thank you..." she whispered. "I'm sorry. I never knew...I..."
"You need not be sorry. I was the one at fault, right? I haven't even made it up fully to you yet."
The young woman nodded and stood up with help from the young man. "I never knew you had this kind of surprise up your sleeve." She studied the statue, awed with how it resembled her. "It's so beautifully made."
"That is because the model is beautiful," Eriol teasingly replied.
Tomoyo turned to face him. "Mou! You..." She pretended to hit him and he dodged. He caught her hand and moved her towards him.
"Am I still worthy of your love, Tomoyo? Or is it too late?"
The young singer couldn't feel any more elated. "Have you...is Kaho-san..."
"I already told her I have someone new," Eriol replied. "I know she'll be happy if you are with me. I'll never forget her of course, but right now, the most important thing is to make you happy." He hugged her close as they sat near her statue.
Tomoyo nodded and let herself be hugged. She didn't want Eriol to forget about his past love, too. As long as he didn't mix her up with Kaho and love her for who she is, she'll be happy. "It's not too late," she softly said.
"Tomoyo..." Eriol released her as they stood up together.
Purple eyes looked up to him. "It was never too late. When I left, I was still hoping that you would come back. I thought it was impossible, but...here you are." She smiled.
"I'm glad...I'm so glad," Eriol replied. "I love you." He embraced her tightly.
Tomoyo leaned in to his embrace and cried. "I had always loved you."
They stood in the room for a long time, framed by the faint sunlight able to seep through the closed curtains. This might be the content of the news tomorrow, but neither one cared. At last, everyone is coming home.
+++
"Are you sure you don't want me to come with you?" Eriol said as he helped Tomoyo load her suitcase in the car trunk.
Tomoyo adjusted her sunglasses. "Thank you, but I can manage. I can drive this car NG gave me for my vacation." She grinned. "Besides, you really want to stay here and finish your paintings, ne? Since you made that sculpture, more and more people began to get interested in your works."
"Maa na." Eriol shrugged. "Anyway, be careful, okay? And send my regards to your family." He planted a light kiss on her glossed lips. "When you have learned everything about your family, come back to me okay?"
"I promise." Tomoyo bade Nakuru and Eriol goodbye as she rode the car and left. A week after their reconciliation, Tomoyo decided that it is time to visit her far relatives in Osaka. Even though a week spent by going out, talking until deep into the night, cuddling, watching movies together, doing painting together, was not enough, she decided it was best to arrange her family issues first.
The singer stifled a slight giggle as she drove towards Osaka, which is quite a long travel. Eriol told her that when she came back to Fukuoka, they're going to plan their wedding. To her, this was definitely a dream come true. "Maa...I wonder if Eriol's already missing me," she told herself loudly as she smiled. She decided to tell her family about Eriol, too, and invite them to their wedding.
After this...I'll finally have my time, she thought. I'll take singing lightly to be able to make way to my marriage. She giggled again. Eriol said he wanted to have 2 daughters and two sons....hmm..sou ka na...
+++
Tomoyo looked doubtfully at the house before her. An old-style Japanese house with a large front yard could be seen through the fences. She didn't remember anything about going here, but she still decided to knock.
"Who is...Tomoyo-san..." the maid sure knew who she was. The young singer bowed deeply as she made her intention known.
"Konnichi wa. Is this the house of Daidouji Kotoko-san?" she asked.
The maid nodded slowly. "Yes."
Tomoyo smiled with gratitude. "Seguchi Tohma told me she was expecting me, and I would like to ask for an audience with her." The housekeeper readily agreed and brought her to the receiving room, where she sat with legs folded under her and hands delicately on her lap.
What would her aunt be like, she was wondering. She could not remember any names from her past except for her parents' names. She couldn't even remember where they lived. Erio lsaid she must have shut down her memories because of the terror she felt when she saw her mom murdered. However, she could care less about that now, if this woman is really her aunt.
A middle-aged woman entered the room, her kimono trailing behind her. She was beautiful even though she isn't so young anymore, and her way of walking and standing gave away her nobility and status in the society. Tomoyo moved to bow to her. "Ko...Konnichi wa," she greeted as the woman sat in front of her.
When the woman looked up, Tomoyo gasped. Kotoko-san has purple eyes, just like hers. Then she remembered that her mother Sonomi had reddish-brown eyes, so could this be...
"You are really what Seguchi-san showed me through the picture," the middle-aged woman said. "What is your real name, child?"
Tomoyo was awakened from her musing and sat up straight. "My name is Daidouji Tomoyo, Daidouji-san."
"Do you know who your father and mother are?"
The singer nodded. "My mother is Sonomi while my father is Hiroyuki." She was a bit startled when the other woman sniffed.
"Are you...are you really Hiro-kun's child?" the woman cried. "Are you really Tomoyo-chan whom we thought to have passed away, too?"
Tomoyo smiled and crept closer. "I would like to believe that, too, ma'am."
Daidouji Kotoko leaned to the right to retrieve something from a nearby shelf. It was a wooden box, and slowly she took out the contents. She asked for Tomoyo's hand where she placed an old locket studded with rubies. "Do you remember...what this is?"
Tomoyo stared at the locket and remembered. "I do...this was mine...I used to wear it everyday because Okaa-san told me to keep them always in my heart...and this locket has...our picture..." She pulled at the clasp and opened the locket. In it was a picture of a woman, a man, and a little girl, all smiling back at her. Suddenly, Tomoyo could only cry. "This is really...Otou-san and Okaa-san...I will never forget their smiles..."
She was abruptly hugged by the other woman. "You are really our Tomoyo-chan!" she sobbed. "We found that locket in the dirt road and we thought we had lost you." Both of them shed tears of happiness. "We never thought we would see you again."
"Kotoko-san is..." Tomoyo said as she pulled away to wipe her tears. "is my aunt, then."
The older woman nodded and smiled despite of her tears. "It was fortunate we followed your mother's orders before she died and kept your inheritance for her until now."
"Until now? But what if I had died...then..."
Kotoko held her hand. "Even if you had died, we would not let anyone touch it. Because that inheritance is only for our Tomoyo-chan and no one else."
"Obaa-chan..."
"Saa, we should go and tell you about your family, ne? Seguchi-san told me you have not remembered anything before that incident."
Tomoyo followed her aunt out of the room, to a room somewhere deep into the house.
+++
"You father once told me that you'll be a famous singer someday, and he was right." Her aunt went on narrating as she unlocked a door.
"Thank you. I never knew my father had such high hopes for me," Tomoyo replied.
The room opened and she found herself in the middle of chests, boxes, and scrolls. "This is where our family keeps our treasures," her aunt explained. "Your mother strongly said that we should keep your inheritance safe, since many people are after it."
"My inheritance...many people after it?" Kotoko-san did not reply. Instead she opened a chest and bade Tomoyo to look with her. The young singer gasped as she scanned the contents. "What are all these? Why so many jewels?"
True enough, the chest was almost filled to overflowing with gold bars and jewelry. Tomoyo used her hand to reach beneath the jewels and there she found a silk-wrapped frame. Pulling it out, she opened it. A painting was inside the cover. On the canvass, a young lady was seated on the clouds, overlooking the small town below. Her hand was outstretched, and a myriad of colors burst out from it. Butterflies flew around her, and the sunlight gently caressed her face and arms. The girl's eyes were purple, her hair curled and grayish. Tomoyo looked at her aunt for an explanation.
"That was your father's painting. You were too young to know then, but our clan is known for many artistic talents. Your mother herself was a singer. Your father, even though he spent time on business, also painted and wrote poetry. He told me that that painting was a symbol of how we view you in the future, on how you will affect everyone."
Tomoyo studied the picture with fondness. "Father...he was always so loving..."
"Yes...it was too bad he died young. Those people who barged in to your house years ago were looking for those jewels and that painting. The painting was forced to be auctioned because of your father's business trouble, but he said he didn't want to sell it. The people who wanted it then did everything they could to get the painting, and it caused a bloody incident."
"But why?" Tomoyo could not understand. "Why would they want such a painting that was dedicated to only his child?"
"Look closely," her aunt replied. "And tell me what you see in the painting."
The young woman scrutinized the painting and found out something new. The paint must be mixed with something as it was used, because small glittering stones were caught in it, giving the whole painting a dazzling, yet serene view. "There are glittering things in the paint," she pointed out.
Her aunt nodded. "Those glittering things were diamonds, ground to small pieces so it could be mixed with the paint. Your father wanted everything special for his princess. All of the diamonds in there costs about a million dollars, that is why the painting was supposed to be auctioned with a high price."
Tomoyo did not reply. Somehow she felt that it was a waste to use all those diamonds just to make a single painting, but it made her feel special. She remembered her father as someone who never runs out of surprises, just like Eriol. "It's beautiful," she said instead. "What is the painting called, did he tell you?"
"Yes. It's called Caress of Venus."
"Wha...What?!"
+++
"Ishikawa-sensei! What brought you here?" Eriol opened the door a little wider to bid his teacher in.
Ishikawa bowed slightly to his student and entered the house. He was with someone Eriol haven't met before. "Ah, Eriol-kun, this is Masato Nakao. He is a colleague of mine and your father's."
As Eriol shook the man's hand, Nakao smiled. "Your father and I are very good friends. We used to view art together when we were young."
"Ah, is that so. Please sit down. Nakuru, please serve tea for these gentlemen."
"Arigatou, Eriol-kun. Actually, we're here to discuss a few matters. You have finished the painting you failed finishing about a year ago, yes?"
Eriol nodded. "I have finished it just four months ago."
"Who is your model?"
The artist bowed his head. "It is actually Kaho whom I have used as a model. Do you want to see it?"
When the gentlemen nodded, they were led by Eriol to his room, where the painting still remained uncovered. He removed the white cover to let the men see, and Nakao hummed in appreciation.
"This is a beautiful piece of work," he commented. "Would you care if I buy this from you so I could add it to my collection?"
"No, really. By all means, please take it. I was looking for a buyer to take it." Actually, Eriol wanted the painting removed from the house. He wanted to fully concentrate on his relationship with Tomoyo.
Ishikawa-sensei himself was impressed. "I was thinking you would use Daidouji Tomoyo as your model, but I see it was otherwise," he said. "Still, this is a very pretty painting. Would you mind telling us the title, Eriol-kun?"
Eriol shook his head. "It's named Caress of Venus."
Nakao turned around. "What did you say its name was?" he demanded.
+++
"This is your mother's diary," Kotoko said as she handed a thick book to Tomoyo. "It contains a letter to you, Tomoyo, about your inheritance. You can read it my room so no one would disturb you."
"Hai. Thank you." Tomoyo remained alone in her aunt's room as her relatives outside prepared a feast for her. She slowly opened her mother's diary, and found a piece of stationery sticking out of the cover. She took it and unfolded it. She instantly recognized her mother's handwriting.
Tomoyo-chan, (it said)
By the time you had started reading this, I would have probably met peace in heaven. Don't let you tears flow now, dear. I'd hate to see my pretty daughter crying.
Tomoyo laughed softly at her mother's comment and continued reading.
I have left to my sister-in-law's care your inheritance from your father and I. I know it is not much considering we own a company, but surely you have heard how your father's business crashed. In the chest you will find gold bars - a few saved from our treasury, jewelry which are from my own collection and your father's painting, The Caress of Venus.
Please be careful, my child. Recently, I have heard that certain powerful persons were after the painting and the jewels. They would do anything to get their hands on the painting, which, as you should know, contains diamonds worth so much, but worth less than our love for you.
Last week, your father and I had to move to Fukuoka because several men were trailing us here and there. Still, they tracked us down. Soon, they would be on our heels. We do not know if they would kill us for the sake of the painting, but we'll protect you no matter what happens.
Your father was thinking of us transferring to Osaka. His family already went there for safety. It was a mistake to live here in Fukuoka since this is the hometown of your father's worst rival for the painting. I know we had hidden the painting well, but they would get it if they kill us and our clan.
Please protect the painting well, since it is rightfully yours. Don't let corrupt and selfish people like the Hiiragizawas trample on you. Be strong and have faith!
I love you,
Mother.
Tomoyo dropped the piece of paper and slumped on the tatami. Her mother just mentioned the name Hiiragizawa in her letter. Not only that...her mother told her that it was the Hiiragizawa family of Fukuoka who were trailing them and who were trying to gain possession of the painting.
"Then...Eriol..." She could not even cry because of confusion. Eriol, who was sweet and gentle and kind...Eriol's family..
"Eriol's family killed my parents!"
TBC...
Author's Notes: *swims away from tomatoes being thrown at her* Okay! Okay! I am evil, okay? Now, will that confession be fine enough? ^.^:;;;;;;;
This was the original part of the story. I planned this ever since I planned making this fic. The part where Tomoyo became a singer and Gravitation stuff...etc...came later...so please don't blame me. Now everyone knows why Seguchi dislikes Eriol...cos he knew something about the Hiiragizawa being involved in the Daidouji murder case. Wait...what about that man in the shadows...hahaha...you can take a guess, ne?
Now, will Tomoyo forgive Eriol for what his family had done...or will she take revenge? Ten reviews or more and find out. ^.^
PS: BTW, For those who wanted to join my Mailing List, you could go to . You can post your fics there, too. ^^ My site URL is . I hope to hear from all of you soon!
