A Café to Remember
"Excuse me, Miss Tomoyo," Eriol entered Tomoyo's office. "Here are the cookies and the cup of coffee you wanted. Oh and this is for Sakura, I know she would want it."
"Thank you, I'll be taking everything home, it's getting late y'know." Tomoyo said with a warm smile. "You should go home to and take a rest," she said getting up.
"Do you want me to walk you down the parking lot?" Eriol suggested.
"You don't need to..." Eriol cut her off.
"I insist," he said with a warm smile.
As they were walking down the parking lot, a cool breeze greeted them. The moon, at its crescent phase, is beautiful, and tonight it gave off a nostalgic feeling.
"Miss Tomoyo?"
"Keigo! I told you that when we're alone you don't need to use any formality" Tomoyo said looking at Eriol.
"If that's what you want, Tomoyo."
"There that's better." She smiled at Eriol.
"Tomoyo?"
"Hmm…?"
"Do you remember the first time we met?"
"It was during a festival at Tokyo and the moon was as beautiful as this night." Tomoyo said while reminiscing at that lovely evening.
It was the Cherry Blossom festival where they witnessed the bloom of the Cherry Blossom trees that signified it the start of spring.
"You were standing admiring the flowers bloom while I was busy taking pictures of families and kids enjoying them," Eriol said looking at Tomoyo. Although he may not show it, Eriol loved Tomoyo more than just a friend.
"Then you called my attention and asked if I could pose for one of your pictures," Tomoyo laughed. "That was pretty embarrassing y'know."
"But you were truly beautiful," he said with a smile. They stopped where Tomoyo's car was parked.
Tomoyo felt blood rushing through her cheeks. "Uhmm... So I guess I'll see you tomorrow then."
"See you then, goodnight"
"Take ca-," but before Tomoyo could finish her sentence, Eriol grabbed her hand and kissed it.
"You really are cute when you blush." Eriol then walked to the direction where his car was parked andwaved goodbye.
Tomoyo started the engine of her car. She couldn't stop thinking about this night. It wasn't the first time that Eriol said that, but it was awkward for her to feel something like this.
'What am I thinking?' Tomoyo said to herself.
Flashback"Excuse me," a young man in his late teens came up to a young lady who was dressed in a white and lavender kimono with Sakura embroidery.
The young lady turned around. Her simple beauty and her deep amethyst eyes mesmerized the young man.
"I-I, w-was wondering if you could…pose beside the Sakura trees." He asked as he stuttered a little trying to get a hold of himself.
"Uhmm… Okay…" she smiled warmly at the young man as she stood beside the Cherry Blossom.
"Thank you; by the way my name is Eriol. May I ask what your name is?" he asked wondering if she would reply.
"Tomoyo," Tomoyo said as she extended her hand to Eriol. Eriol hesitated for a moment, and then took her hand.
"It's nice meeting you Eriol," she smiled warmly at him.
"It's nice meeting someone as beautiful as you," Eriol said then knelt down and kissed her hand.
End of FlashbackAlarm clock rings
"Huwaa! Crap I'm gonna be late!" Sakura woke up grabbed her pair of jeans and a black tank top. After changing into her clothes she ran downstairs to the kitchen.
"What am I thinking? Today is the last day of my finals!" She grabbed a sandwich inthe fridge and ran out the door. She then started the engine of her Harley and drove through the streets of Tokyo.
A cold breeze blew through her face as she stopped right in front of the gate of their school.
"I forgot… my last day of finals was 2 days ago," she cried to herself. "This is what happens when you lack sleep," she sighed. As she was cruising through the streets, she remembered the new café store that opened near her school. "That's right!"
Phone rings
"Yeah Sakura?"
"Eh? How'd you know it was me?"
"Well… I have a caller ID y'know."
"Oh… yeah… right…" she said, "Anyway, hey do you think we could meet up at the new café that last year near my school?"
"Café Du Toi?"
"Mm. I heard that they serve really good coffee and pastries"
"Sure."
"I'll see ya then," Sakura said with a big grin.
"Wait! What happened to you? After you visited that mansion I've been trying to reach you but for a week you never called me back. I'm starting to get worried, Sakura."
"One week!" Sakura said with confusion, 'How long was I sleeping?' she thought. "Can't explain right now, I'll tell you everything when we meet up at the café."
"Okay…" Tomoyo sighed.
After Tomoyo hung up, Sakura called Eriol.
Café Du Toi
Café Du Toi is an open café. The place gave a warm, homey feeling and its ambiance is a mixture of Japanese and French. It is surrounded with bushes of different pastel colored flowers and at the center of the café stands a cherry blossom tree. The legs of chairs and tables were made of marble. The baristas who work there wore white polo shirt and a checkered necktie, then black skirt for girls and black pants for guys. It is famous for its very own Chococinno, a combination of hot chocolate and cappuccino. On its first anniversary, many famous people came and promoted the place and a lot of popular bands went there to perform. Although it reached its peak in the business industry, they never raised their price. They said that the café was established for coffee lovers not for rich people.
Tomoyo took the table near the lake that was in view at the left side of the café. From her view she could see lovers' walk by hand in hand, while others' were whispering. Then suddenly Eriol's face flashed in her mind. Tomoyo shook her head and blushed, 'Why am I suddenly feeling this?' she asked herself not knowing what she was feeling. A barista walked up to her and gave her the menu.
"Just tell me when you're ready to order," the barista smiled at her and before she left handed a small note to her.
'What's taking her so long?' Tomoyo asked herself as she opened the note. It read:
Tomoyo
We've been friends for 7 years and I know that even if
I don't show my feelings for you, you know it somehow.
If you don't remember, the Sakura tree that's standing
at the middle of the café is the exact Sakura tree from
where I took your picture.
Tomoyo remembered the day that she and Eriol first met.
I was wondering if you will give me a chance to talk to you.
If your answer is yes, walk up to the Sakura tree,
but if your answer is no, you may throw the note to the lake.
Eriol
Tomoyo stood up and turned around facing the Sakura tree. There she saw a handsome young man wearing a white polo shirt and faded jeans holding a bouquet of Cherry Blossoms with Violets- which are Tomoyo's favorite flowers. Tomoyo walked up to Eriol and Eriol extended his hand to her. From behind the bushes, Sakura slowly walked up to the performing band and requested the song Fly Me to the Moon, by Utada Hikaru.
"Shall we dance?" Eriol said making a curtsy.
Tomoyo, blushing, placed her hand on Eriol's arm and Eriol brought her closer to him.
Poets often use many words
To say a simple thing
But it takes thought and time and rhyme
To make a poem sing
Tomoyo and Eriol waltzed to the pace of the song. Left, right, left, right. Couples started to gather around them and started dancing at their own slow paces.
With music and words I'll be playin'
For you, I have written a song
To be sure that you know what I'm sayin'
I'll translate as I go along
Eriol spun Tomoyo around and caught her by her waist. For a moment, they looked at each other's eyes and it seemed like everything disappeared but them and the music. From the bushes, Sakura had teary and dreamy eyes. 'Finally,' she said to herself, 'they'll be able to confess their love!'
Fly me to the moon
And let me play among the stars
Won't you let me see what spring
Is like on Jupiter and Mars
In other words, hold my hand
In other words, darling, kiss me
Then they stopped dancing.
Fill my heart with song
And let me sing forevermore
Eriol knelt down before Tomoyo and looked up at Tomoyo who was looking at him, dazed.
'Cause you are all I long for
All I worship and adore
"Tomoyo…" Eriol called her name.
Tomoyo could feel her heart beating fast. 'Get up Eriol! You're being silly!' is what she wanted to say.
In other words, please be true
In other words…
"I- I love you" Eriol said as he felt his own heart beating fast.
I love you…
A gentle breeze blew as the song ended and the Sakura petals danced around them.
"Will you be my girlfriend?" Eriol said as he kissed Tomoyo's hand.
"Y-Yes" Tomoyo was surprised with her own answer as Eriol stood up and looked deeply in her eyes.
Out of excitement, Sakura who was hiding behind the bushes, jumped out of her hiding place and tripped over a vine.
"What was that?" Tomoyo said as she drew closer to Eriol. When she saw Sakura who fell flat on her face, she immediately pulled back from Eriol.
"Wha-What were you doing there!" Tomoyo who was now all red in the face glared at Sakura.
"Heh heh..." Sakura felt her sweat dropping.
Eriol helped Sakura get up, "Are you okay?"
"Mm. I'm fine," then she whispered, "so did she say yes?"
Eriol suddenly blushed and nodded then whispered, "Thank you."
"Why don't we order something eh?" Sakura said as she tried not to look at her best friend.
They then sat down at the table where Tomoyo was sitting and gave their orders to the barista.
"So you knew?" Tomoyo blushed as she asked her best friend, Sakura.
"Of course!" Sakura said as she chomped down the cookies that Eriol ordered for her.
'Such a cookie monster!' Tomoyo whispered.
"What did you say?"
"N-nothing," Tomoyo said as she sighed.
"Honestly speaking, I was the one who set up this little 'date' of yours my dear, Tomoyo."
"And you had to keep me waiting huh?"
Eriol smiled at Tomoyo's angry face.
"It was really obvious that Eriol liked you ever since you introduced me to him." "Ever since that I've been trying to observe you two."
"While doing your missions…" Eriol laughed at his own statement. "You really are the 'ultimate weapon' of Lunaire." "I didn't even notice that you were watching me."
Sakura smiled at Eriol's comment, "But it was really hard to see if Tomoyo liked you back, coz she's always serious with missions and was always formal around you." "I guess you know how to keep your own feelings better than Eriol does." Sakura teased her.
"Whatever," Tomoyo who now stopped blushing said. "By the way, did you meet him in person?"
"The guy living at the mansion? Yeah, but stop changing the topic." Sakura said trying to tease Tomoyo again.
The barista gave them their orders- strawberry shortcake, chococinnos, and beignets with hot chocolate fudge dipping.
Sakura sensing that both Tomoyo and Eriol wanted to know what happened a week ago started talking.
"Well, I really don't know what happened," she began.
"What do you mean?" Eriol asked with a worried look.
"You weren't answering my calls for a week!" Tomoyo stated.
"You see, when I met him, I-," Sakura hesitated then, "I just couldn't kill him," she took a sip from her chococinno.
"It seemed like he wanted to say something to me," Sakura said trying to remember. "The next thing I knew I woke up in my bed thinking that I was late for school."
"And you felt like it only has been a day where in fact it has been a week…" Eriol said in surprise.
"I don't know, I really don't know what happened," Sakura shook her head.
'So he has awakened…' Tomoyo thought.
"I plan to go back there tomorrow night…" Sakura said standing up. "He has something that I dropped."
"Where are you going?" Tomoyo asked as Sakura stood up and walked out of the café.
"Home," Sakura smiled reassuringly at Tomoyo, knowing that she was worried about her, "Besides those bushes are making me itchy, I need to take a shower," she joked.
Tomoyo walked up to her and hugged her.
"H-hey, now, don't be so cheesy."
"Thank you" Tomoyo whispered.
Sakura hugged her and said, "Why don't you just have fun okay? Don't worry about me, I'll be fine."
Sakura then walked towards her Harley Davidson and waved at them. She then started the engine and went off.
Author's Note: Hey guys it's me again in my little author's note… heh heh... sorry if this chapter is kinda cheesy and boring, I had to dedicate at least one chapter to Tomoyo and Eriol anyway, coz they're part of the story
