You will always love me.
You shall love me forever and shall never ever love anyone else.
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It was the perfect and the most romantic place and moment to do it. He knew he had to do it now or he may never get another chance to do it again. It was already the first day of July and it marked the nearing end of the London Season. If he failed to do it tonight, his chance might come only after a year because he was returning to the country in a month. He was not an impatient person but the thought of waiting for a year before he could be with her again pained him. He only hoped that she had received and understood his message to meet him tonight.
He took his golden pocket watch out of his coat pocket and felt disappointment envelop him. She was fifteen minutes late. Maybe she did not want to go. But that couldn't be possible right? He knew that she loved him; she had expressed it to him so many times and in so many ways, through their clandestine meetings, soft kisses and expressions of affections.
Could she have stopped loving him?
He placed his pocket watch back his in pocket as more worries and insecurities filled him. Maybe she had been only playing with him from the start; ever since he courageously confessed his love to her last April during one of the parties they had both attended. Perhaps she was amused that this boy, practically sixteen years younger than her, was in love with her. A boy who claimed to be in love with her from the moment he first saw her when they had both attended a large dinner in London last winter, where they first met.
"Eriol?" a soft voice came from behind him.
He stood up and turned around. She was there, in front of him, as mesmerizing as ever. It seemed that every time he saw her was like seeing her for the first time again for she never failed to captivate him like she had the first time they met. She was of height and a few inches taller than him with a white slender body and soft skin. She had long and thick dark hair that she had tied up in a bun. Her eyes were beautiful and expressive and made him feel that he could drown in them.
"Eriol?" she spoke his name again, snapping him out of his daze with the sound of her delicate and flowing voice. He loved the way she said his name especially when she forgot to speak in her best-unaccented English and let him hear the slight Japanese accent she had, similar to what was happening at the moment.
"You're here." He spoke finally. "I thought you weren't going to come."
"I had trouble finding someone to escort me here." She explained.
A pink flush appeared on his cheeks. Of course! He was so stupid to have doubted her and to expect her early or even have asked her to go out alone unaccompanied in the night. If he knew something happened to her because of him, he didn't think that he would be able to forgive himself or even live after that.
"I shouldn't have asked you to come out alone so late. It was stupid of me." He mumbled almost incoherently.
She laughed her high, melodic and beautiful laugh. "Do not say that. You are not stupid Eriol." She assured him.
He sighed. "If you say so then dear," He lifted his head up to her and smiled. It was the first smile that crossed him that night. He raised his right hand to her left cheek and caressed it, enjoying the feel of her smooth and fair skin. She smiled down at him, making him bubble and melt inside. She lifted her right hand and started to caress his own left cheek, imitating what he was doing to her.
Eriol felt his cheeks heat up, as it turned even more crimson at what she was doing. She seemed to notice what she was doing to him making him do and giggled lightly. He blushed again and then looked up at her.
"I love you." He told her for what was probably the hundredth time.
"I know." She replied. "You will always love me. You shall love me forever and shall never ever love anyone else."
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A dark haired man of nineteen sat on his bread abruptly, panting heavily. He could feel beads of sweat move down on his cheeks. It was confusing why he was sweating during the cold weather, but he did not notice it.
He had that dream again. It was the dream that replayed the worst night of his life. It was the very night he felt his heart shatter into a million pieces. The very night he had stopped believing in love.
He wondered why it refused to leave him in peace with his life so that he could move on. But it would never do so. Every time he showed little hope of moving on with his life, the dream came back, killing the little hope of loving again he had inside him. It seemed that his memory of her being with him would never ever leave him. It seemed rooted inside him, never wanting to let go.
He wiped his sweat from his face and reached out for the small case that held his eyeglasses that sat on the small mahogany stand beside his bed. He took it and snapped it open and placed them on, covering his sapphire eyes. He placed the case back on his stand and took the small book that also sat in it. He flipped it open and started reading about the machinery of today's locomotives and its uses.
He knew that he could never go back to sleep again every time he woke in the middle of the night after having that dream.
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It had stopped snowing during the night and the sun was back up in the sky along with the few clouds that accompanied it. It spread its bright light around Wessex and through the windows of the Hiiragizawa manor, waking a dark-haired and ivory-skinned Japanese girl that slept inside.
Tomoyo's eyelids snapped open when she felt the bright light hit her face. She sat up quickly and stretched her arms out. She covered her yawn and looked around the room. She was too buried in her thoughts the night before that she did not really have a good look at her new room.
The size of her new room was a little larger than the one she had in Japan. She now lay on a soft canopy bed covered in goose feather pillows, white silk sheets and woolen blankets. The walls were covered by light colored wallpaper. The room was furnished with a mahogany dressing table, an armoire and a washstand. The dressing table was lined with pastel colored fabric with a silver brush and on top of it and a mirror behind it. Beside it was a door that she led to her boudoir. A tiny unlit fireplace was located in front of her bed while a dark crimson carpet covered the floor.
A knock came from outside her door then a familiar voice followed it.
"Miss Daidouji," she heard Nakuru say. "Are you awake?" she questioned.
Tomoyo nodded then she realized that Nakuru was still outside and didn't see her nod. "Yes, I am, you can come in if you want." She answered back.
The door creaked open as Nakuru entered in quickly. Her hair was styled into a braid and she was wearing a bright colored dress, which Tomoyo thought seemed to match her personality. She had a grin on her face as she approached Tomoyo.
"Good morning Miss Daidouji!" she chirped. "Do you want me to help you dress?"
Tomoyo shook her head. "Oh no thank you Miss Akizuki, I believe I can do it by myself." She assured her.
Nakuru once again smiled at her. "You know I just realized that since we're going to be living together for quite some time, we should be chums!" she looked at Tomoyo. "Do you want to be friends?" she asked eagerly.
Tomoyo's mouth formed a smile on her face. Eriol Hiiragizawa may not want her here but at least his cousin did and not only that, she wanted to be her friend too! It cheered her greatly. Maybe staying here would not be as bad as she had thought it was going to be.
"That would be nice Miss Akizuki. I think I would like to be your friend very much." She replied.
Nakuru sighed and shook her head at Tomoyo. "If we are going to be friends, then you should start calling me by my Christian name." she grinned in amusement. "You should call me Nakuru."
Nakuru's newly made friend nodded. "Very well, Nakuru then."
She scratched her chin. "Wait, I think we should refer to each other with that suffix that the Japanese do with their friends!" she suggested. "What is it again?" she questioned her.
"I think you are referring to the suffix –chan. Am I right?" Tomoyo queried.
Nakuru snapped her fingers. "That was what I was thinking of! I used that suffix to call one of my Japanese neighbors when they were still here in Wessex!"
"One of your Japanese neighbors?" Tomoyo repeated. "You used to have a Japanese neighbor?" she exclaimed enthusiastically. She couldn't believe it! There was another Japanese national in Wessex aside from her? She smiled. She could make friends with them and converse with in her own language!
"Where do they live? Can you introduce me to them?" she asked Nakuru.
Nakuru shook her head. "I'm afraid you cannot meet them now Tomoyo-chan. They recently left England two months ago to tour around Europe."
"Oh," Tomoyo mumbled in disappointment.
"Do not worry Tomoyo-chan!" Nakuru spoke out. "I am very sure that you will be able to meet them during your stay with us. They promised me that they would be returning to England this spring in time for the next London season. I am sure that they will be in London when we go there for your season. I believe that they will call on us as soon they find out that we are in London." She assured her.
"I suppose it shall be alright then." Tomoyo voiced out. She turned her head away from Nakuru and faced the wall clock that hung directly above the fireplace. It informed her that it was already nine o'clock. She gasped and threw the blankets that covered her and jumped out from her bed.
"Oh, I think I should start getting dressed Mi…Nakuru-chan!" she spoke while she placed on her robe and ran to her boudoir.
"Are you sure do not need any help getting dressed Tomoyo-chan?" Nakuru queried as Tomoyo shut the door to her boudoir. She walked over to the door and knocked on the door. "Are you sure Tomoyo-chan?" she repeated again.
"No thank you Nakuru-chan!" Tomoyo replied from inside the boudoir as she tried her best to dress as quickly as she could.
Nakuru shrugged. "If that is what you desire then." She replied cheerfully. Her success in making friends with Tomoyo pleased her. It was something that she had always wanted to do ever since the day she had found out that she was coming to live with them for a period of time. Nakuru loved meeting new people and the thought of a foreign girl coming to live with them was so exciting that she had even asked her Uncle Eriol if she could be the one to meet the Japanese girl once she arrived in England, when the day to meet Tomoyo had finally came, there was something about her that intrigued Nakuru so much that she became even more determined to make friends. She did not know what it was; maybe it was her beauty for she had never seen a girl as pretty as Tomoyo or maybe it was the somewhat hidden loneliness in her eyes that screamed out that she needed a friend.
Nakuru only hoped that her now aloof and somewhat unfeeling male cousin would get the message too.
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Tomoyo and Nakuru sat inside the warm kitchen of the Hiiragizawa manor as they had their breakfast. It was Tomoyo's first meal at the estate because she decided to skip supper the day before. She was confused at first when she was told that they were to have all their meals inside the kitchen but Nakuru quickly explained to her that her late uncle had enjoyed eating in the kitchen with his servants, who he had befriended and only used the dining hall during special occasions.
Bowls of porridge and a small plate with loaves of bread were already set on the table when they had arrived in the kitchen earlier. She had supposed the porridge was already was warm so after she and Nakuru had said their prayers, she quickly spooned some of the thick porridge and placed the inside her mouth.
She froze as she tasted her porridge and shivered. It was incredibly cold! She cringed and tried to swallow the porridge quickly and grabbed another spoonful and forced it inside her mouth and tried to swallow it again and quickly got her third spoon full of porridge and tried to keep her face straight and polite. She wasn't going to complain about the food during her first day here. It was her fault after all that she had to eat was cold.
Tomoyo may have remained polite and quiet about the temperature of her meal, but Nakuru did not.
Nakuru scowled and pushed her bowl away after she swallowed her first spoonful of porridge.
"Mrs. Grant, the porridge is too cold to eat," she grumbled to the plump and gentle faced cook that stood beside her.
Mrs. Grant clicked her tongue when she heard Nakuru's complaint and pushed the bowl back to her.
"That is your fault Miss Nakuru not mine. If you had wanted a hot breakfast you should have woken up earlier." She chastised.
Tomoyo unsuccessfully tried to stop an amused smile that appeared on her face. Back in Japan, she had servants that catered to her every desire and squeaked whenever she spoke to them. It did not make her feel comfortable and made her think that she was some monster to be frightened of. It was refreshing for her to watch a servant chastise and argue with her mistress.
"It's not Nakuru's fault." She spoke up. "I was the one who had woken up late and Nakuru came late too because she waited for me." She explained.
Mrs. Grant shook her head. "It's alright Miss Daidouji and this is not the first time Miss Nakuru has complained about a cold breakfast."
Nakuru sighed. "Can you heat it over the fire Mrs. Grant? It's so cold today and it does not help that my breakfast has the same temperature as the weather outside." She quipped.
"You are exaggerating Miss Nakuru about the temperature of your food." Mrs. Grant retorted. "You should also learn to act polite even if you are not satisfied with the present meal." She sighed. "How will you find a suitable husband in your second season if you send all your prospective suitors away with your manners?"
Nakuru blushed and was left speechless while Tomoyo giggled.
"Do not worry Nakuru-chan; I'm sure that the chances of you finding a suitable husband in spring is high." She told her new friend.
A bright smile appeared on Nakuru's face. "Do you think so Tomoyo-chan? I hope you're right!" she sighed. "I just turned twenty but I'm still unmarried. I do not want to become an old maid!" she shuddered then smiled wickedly at her.
"I'm sure you won't have too much trouble finding a husband Tomoyo-chan! I'm sure that a lot of society's wealthy bachelors would flock to you."
It was Tomoyo's turn to blush. "Y…you think so?" she stuttered out.
Nakuru nodded vibrantly. "Of course, don't be a ninny Tomoyo-chan; you have a lot of qualities that would attract a potential husband. First you're wealthy and Japanese too, which I believe is really interesting and I'm sure they will too! You're also nice and pretty!" she said, making Tomoyo's cheek darken even more.
"Stop saying those things, Nakuru-chan." She pleaded timidly.
Nakuru shrugged. "If you say so then." She snapped her fingers suddenly. "Oh yes, I remember! I want to introduce someone to you!" she voiced to her and turned to Mrs. Grant, who was cleaning the kitchen floor nearby.
"Mrs. Grant," Nakuru called out. "Have you any idea where Suppi is?" she inquired.
"I believe Suppi can be found napping by the fireplace in the parlor." She answered then shook her head. "Even if I do prefer that it sleeps in another location because I'm afraid that he might leave some of his fur on the carpet again."
"I shall wake him up and take him out later after I finish my meal so maybe it shan't happen, again. Mrs. Grant." Nakuru said and looked at Tomoyo. "I am certain that you and Suppi will get along." She piped up.
"Suppi?" Tomoyo repeated. "That is quite a queer name. Is he your pet?" She asked and tried to swallow the last of her porridge.
"Yes, but it's only a nickname. The cat's real name is Spinel Sun but only Eriol calls him that, everyone else calls him Suppi! He was a gift from a person Eriol had met when he spent his Christmas in London. He refuses to tell me who he or she is, but I suppose the person must be important." Nakuru explained after she forced another spoonful of porridge into her mouth.
"I do hope that we receive many callers as soon as our neighbors hear of your arrival." She sighed. "We do not receive many visitors because Eriol does not like receiving them but I'm sure we shall receive many now!" she voiced earnestly.
Eriol. Every time Tomoyo heard his name, she felt her stomach lurch uncomfortably. She was not sure how she would find this man or how he would find her. She could only hope that their first meeting would be pleasant.
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"Mr. Hiiragizawa,"
Eriol looked up from the stack of papers he was inspecting. "What is it?" he asked his secretary.
"You have a telegram from Miss Akizuki." She informed him.
Eriol tried to keep his scowl from his face. What did Nakuru want now and did she have to send a telegram? They were very expensive and Nakuru rarely had anything important to tell him in telegrams; they were only pleads for him to come home.
"Please read it out to me." He ordered.
His secretary nodded and began. "Girl is here. Come home and meet her soon." She paused. "Shall you reply to it Mr. Hiiragizawa?"
"No," he said and sighed. Maybe he should return to his estate for a few days. He did not have any more excuses to stay in London now the accident at one of his factories was solved. He did not feel enthusiastic about meeting the girl but he had to before his neighbors start calling on them and discover that the girl had not met her host yet. He knew how nosy his neighbors were and knew they would start a nasty rumor about it.
"Mrs. Baker." He called out to his secretary before she left.
"Yes, Mr. Hiiragizawa?" she answered.
"Please buy me train ticket to Wessex for tomorrow afternoon." He ordered and slumped against his chair.
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Hey thanks to those who read an reviewed! Unfortunately I don't have time to answere them right now because I'm in a hurry but I will next chapter!