The Sakura-gumi has finally reached their final year in high school, ready to face the world. Ready yet not so ready to let go of their crushes and true loves .The whimsical past will be traded for the inevitable future.

Hope fills this lonely heart.

Wishes spill from a lonely voice.

Dream to be a part of you from the start.

Love begins with a beautiful ploy..

oOoOoOo

Tomoyo Daidouji quickly glanced at her palm mirror and smiled. She had long dark gray hair and unbelievably brilliant blue eyes fringed with a sooty fan of lashes. Her pale skin complimented her figure. She was enchanting she was witty. She had an air of lively intelligence and an air of classic beauty that might have made her seem inaccessible except for all the sweetness and warmth she was worth and her soft, husky voice was proof to it.

Swiftly she placed the mirror back inside her bag and started to head towards the library located at the far end of the building. The sun was shining brightly even in the late afternoon making her feel lightheaded while imagining the next few hours ahead.

What if he thought I'm so stupid? What if he doesn't even like me? Will he even like me? Tomoyo thought as she opened the door to the library. Her heartbeats accelerated and her palms were sweaty. She smiled to ready herself; she still had her poise.

The sunlight poured in from the high windows making the other students look like softly colored illustrations in a book.

"Its a few minutes before four." she mused as she glanced at her watch. She looked around. She strode to the table where borrowed books were returned, thinking that he might spot her. "I know I'm not late."

A moment later a tall figure shadowed her. She looked up only to be held by a pair of sapphire blue eyes so deep and magnetic she had to make an effort to look away. His raven black hair gleamed in the sunshine like a dark halo and his smile was blinding. It was Eriol Hiiragisawa.

"Daidouji-san, sorry if I'm late," he said softly. He ran a tentative hand in his hair as he shifted his bag onto his other shoulder.

Tomoyo shook her head and smiled gently, "No, you are not even late. I'm just early."

He shifted his things as he held out his arm. "Shall we go?" She smiled and took his arm and they walked quietly to the nearest table. Chivalry isn't dead, she though when he pulled a chair for her.

He sat across her in the table and he settled his bag atop the table. Thick and heavy books spilled out unceremoniously. One elegant eyebrow quirked as she watched him flick through the pages as if looking for the page he left unmarked. His fingers were long and tapered. Beautiful hands for writing and magic, she mused.

"Have you read those?" Tomoyo asked casually.

"Oh!" he said and then he looked at her with a big grin, "Not exactly. I have read these before. Where shall we start?"

"Hiiragisawa-kun," she chuckled merrily "We're not haing a tutorial. Sakura might've arranged this but you just have to correct my drawings."

He looked rather confused for a moment and then he laughed. They earned a stern look from the librarian. He apologized with a nod and turned to Tomoyo with an apologetic smile. "Can you start now?"

Tomoyo knew that the homework was reconstruction of some of the works in the late Renaissance for history. It was a broad subject and she had to admit that she was quite low in her information. She had spent her time creating Sakura's new clothes and was undoubtedly idle. She was very good at drawing but she knew that she had to learn the rules before she could break them.

She pushed the chair back and said cheerfully, "I'll just get my references."

He nodded and let her walk away to the shelves of books only to come back a minute later carrying a large and tottering pile. She pulled out from her bag her materials and she sat down as elegantly as she could.

Brushes, watercolor paint, pencils and paper were laid out before her as she flipped through the pages to look for the perfect painting. "You have brought everything that you needed then. How clever," Eriol remarked slyly.

She noticed the interested look in his eyes and she hid her blush quickly. "I won't be an honor student if I do not study." Tomoyo replied coolly as she began to draw, her elegant fingers skating across the paper in quick strokes. "I can't make it perfect but it will be enough."

Her drawing depicted a couple sitting under a gazebo with a water lily pond washing slowly in the side. The lady had big, beautiful gray eyes and dark hair while her lover had hazel eyes and brown hair. They were holding each other's hands tenderly.

"Is that so? You can recreate these masterpieces?" Eriol asked, pretending that he had no idea. He leaned on his elbows for a better look. "That's impressive for a Japanese girl."

"No it's not yet impressive, English boy." Tomoyo murmured as she concentrated on getting her brush to glide carefully to depict a wave. Some strands of her hair fell out of her headband. "After all those paintings you must've seen in England I thought you'd be able to guess what is impressive and what is not."

"Oh. I never really paid any attention to that. Wait a second," Eriol retorted. He smiled thoughtfully "You really enjoy the little mental exercises, don't you?"

She smiled her white straight teeth dazzling. "You finally caught up."

"Am I supposed to?" he challenged.

"Not quite. I wasn't posing a question, if you're clever enough to notice." Tomoyo said sweetly. A little giggle escaped her lips.

Her artists' eye carefully sketched in her memory how his lips curved to a smile, how his beautiful eyes twinkled and how handsome he was. Yet it's not her eye for colors, paints, or threads that sketched this memory into her heart.

He laughed too and he drew out a thick and old book from the depths of his bag; its pages yellowed by age yet its cover were sleek and preserved enough to recognize a picture of a girl wearing a fantastic dress. Her eyes roved on the cover, her instincts telling her it was a book containing designs from faraway England.

"I thought you might like this." Eriol said softly as he placed the book into her hands delicately. He watched her reaction which was between excitement and reverence, knowing she would love the drawings, designs and secrets.

"T-This is priceless," she whispered fervently as she flipped the pages with care. She did not even notice that he was leaning on the table and was staring at her with fascination.

"Listen, can you do me a favor?" he asked softly as he watched her look up only to meet the sapphire blue gaze. Her delicate mouth opened slightly in surprise. His eyes immediately darted to her full pink lips. "Please?"

There was no denying him now. Deep inside herself she wanted to do anything for him, whatever he may like or desire she will try to fulfill. He was so hard to resist when he was leaning ever so close to her face, smiling and so tantalizingly close! A nod and a smile was all she could give for an answer.

"Could you make one of those dresses for me? I don't know anyone who has such fine hands to do wonders with clothes and make them into art," he broke off awkwardly but continued, "Please sew one for me so I could give it to someone…"

Though disappointed and quite hurt, she smiled gaily and agreed to his terms that she picks the dress and sews it for him under one condition: that she will be a friend of his as long as he could.

"Let's get back to work, shall we?" Tomoyo suggested with a little laugh and she bent her head down to her drawing, hiding a thin film of tears forming in her eyes.

The library closed a few hours later with the accomplishment of Tomoyo's drawing that looked very close to the original. They had a wide repertoire of private jokes and witty conversations now. In spite of her initial apprehensions, Tomoyo was glad that she had agreed to study with him.

Tomoyo and Eriol got along perfectly well and they had so much fun until the library closed. Eriol had offered to help her retrieve her bag and return the books to their proper places before leaving which caused some murmuring from a group of girls behind a shelf.

She bade him goodbye as she stepped out of the library doors and into the darkness of the school grounds. The night sky was filled with a glittering bough of stars and the full moon hung like a bright silver coin. She started to walk out of the gate and into the dimly lit street beyond.

Tomoyo didn't have a chauffer anymore and she could go home unguarded. Sakura had gone home earlier to be with Syaoran. It was lonely to say the least but she was used to it. Her best friend needed her boyfriend more.

Her arms clutched a few books to her chest; she noticed that her bag was heavier than usual. She wasn't that nervous to walk alone in the streets since she could see her way with the streetlights. S

She walked past one. The bright light focused on her features and her presence.

"Daidouji-san!" She turned, her hair flying wildly behind her. The voice was familiar.

Her eyes searched for the source of the voice through the darkness but found no purchase in the abyss.

"Don't you know its bad for a lady to walk alone at night?" Eriol Hiiragisawa's deep voice asked as he walked out of the darkness, letting the light illuminate him and chase away the shadows; his dark hair gleamed bluish, his pale skin ethereal.

She smiled and shook her head as an answer.

He walked towards her and bowed.

"May I have the honor to escort you home?" he asked again as he held out his arm, a smile playing at his lips. A giggle escaped her as she took his arm and curtsied back to him.

"As long as you keep me safe. I know you, Hiiragisawa-kun. Your glory is in darkness." Tomoyo replied as they started to walk and they laughed together.

"But Daidouji-san, I am not evil at all,." Eriol retorted, pretending as if hurt.

"You're kidding." Tomoyo said, giggling. "You could give the Devil a run for his money."

"I've got no need for his help. I'm so evil I don't fear him," Eriol laughed as they stopped when the sign glowed red. "It's very late. Supii and Nakuru might've had dinner without me."

"No, I'm sure they haven't." Tomoyo reassured as they crossed the road. "What kind of details do you want on the dress?"

"What details?" was the blank answer.

"For the dress you want so much for me to sew." Tomoyo said playfully whapping his arm. He caught up and grinned widely.

"What can you suggest for a girl with long hair and beautiful eyes?"

"I'd want to dress her up in something elegant and chic, of course. What size is she?"

"About the same size as you." Blushing.

"How tall?"

"I told you, you're almost the same except that she's a bit more." Amused.

"How beautiful?"

"Excuse me? Never mind, very beautiful." Proud.

Tomoyo made mental notes and she continued her clever conversation with Eriol. She pushed away the feeling that the she should force the girl to move someplace else before she finished the job. Being the only daughter of a formidable businesswoman could pull a lot of serious strings.

They arrived at the huge iron-wrought gates of Daidouji mansion. The grand home lay beyond the walls of thick shrubbery and beautiful gardens. The mansion was very beautiful and richly decorated to suit the inhabitants.

Eriol stopped just before the gate, surveying the house with interest. The place looked overpoweringly magnificent at twilight. Tomoyo was talking to the intercom. Neither noticed the security camera was focused on him.

The gate opened minutes later with four bodyguards, waiting to accompany Tomoyo inside. She bowed goodbye and turned to leave with her bodyguards. She was sorry that she couldn't kiss him as thanks; her bodyguards might get ideas and report it to her mother.

Tomoyo turned when she heard her name. "Good night."

A smile escaped her lips. She nodded to him but turning again to look at him but he was gone.

oOoOoOo

Next Chapter preview:

"Can't help falling. This dance is special because he has caught me."

oOoOoOo