Chapter 15

Tomoyo was looking at the crystal-clear water of the pond pensively.She was wondering what made Eriol dislike marriage so much."Could it be that his parents had an unhappy married life before?"she asked herself.

"Tomoyo-chan,is that you talking to yourself?"Sakura appeared out of nowhere.

"S-Sakura!"she happily exclaimed.

The emerald-eyed lady hugged her tightly."I missed you."

"Me too."She arched an eyebrow."What are you doing here in the Obake's compound?Don't tell me you were just passing by."

Sakura turned serious."Have you heard about our neighbor who got shot by a man described to look like your obake?"

Her face paled as she remembered what happened last night.

"You were right all along,Tomoyo.We never should have trusted those people.Those foreigners,thinking they could get away with their crimes-"

Tomoyo shook her head vigorously."Iie!It's not entirely Eriol's fault."

Sakura choked."What?You just called him by his first name?"

Trembling,she narrated to her second cousin what happened."He just shot the man to defend me."

Sakura looked at him incredulously."You just defended a trespassing,landgrabbing foreigner,you know!"

Tomoyo looked down."He saved me."

Her eyes widened."Tomoyo.."

"He taught me a lot of things,Sakura.He taught me that people are not divided by race or nationality,but whether your heart and its intentions are good or bad.He showed me that strangers can be friends too."She sighed."He was so kind to me that he made me realize how prejudiced and self-righteous I was."She looked away."So I think I owe it to him to tell the others the truth."

"Is that your only reason?"asked Sakura.

Tomoyo fell silent.



Nakuru had expected already that her master would eventually fall for his geisha,but to actually hear him say it.."But Master,it's too late.You're already madly in love with her."

"I'm aware of that,but this is wrong!This wasn't suppose to happen.All I intended to do was to bring her to her knees and then bring her to my bed."he said miserably."God,she doesn't even like me as a friend!Of all the women why her?"

Nakuru was about to reply when she hear the doorbell ring."Must be your geisha."

"I don't think so.She went through the back door."He replied as he laid his head facedown on the table.

"I'll go check."she said.Minutes later,she came back with a visitor."Master,Mr.Tsukishiro wants to talk with you."

"Hrmph mwrfph."he replied,his voice muffled.He didn't even bother to move.He was too depressed to exchange false pleasantries with his colleague.

Nakuru grimaced."He brings an important telegram from the defense minister."

He wearily looked up."Leave it and leave."

Yukito fought the urge to laugh."Mr.Hiragizawa,I b-bring.."He cleared his throat."As I was saying,I bring a-"He looked at Eriol's face again and burst out laughing.

Nakuru snickered."He liked your make-up.Too much face powder though."

Eriol touched his flour-covered face and quickly wiped it with his hanky."I will read the letter myself."He said with dignity before he took the letter and scanned its contents silently.



"O-Of course.I don't have any other reason."Tomoyo said.

Sakura groaned."To-mo-yo!I'm your best friend!You musn't keep secrets from me!"

"I'm keeping nothing from you."she replied as she tried her best to look at Sakura sincerely.

She didn't look cnvinced."If I don't know you,I would say you like him."

"Not in a million years,my dear."she forced a sarcastic laugh.

Sakura frowned suspiciosly."And now you're starting to talk like him!This is getting way too serious!"

"Sa-ku-ra!"She stood up."I'm going home.He might be looking for me already."

Her green eyes shook."And you just called his house your home."

Tomoyo chose not to reply.



Eriol crumpled the letter."Damn!"

Nakuru looked at him anxiously."What did Mr.Williams say?"

"He's asking us to move out of here now.He's taking my place.He heard about the gun incident,and he's afraid for my safety.He doesn't want any bloodshed."he explained.He was terribly confused.He was being ordered by his superior to leave..

..but his heart was ordering him to stay.He saw the purple-eyed lady in his mind again and groaned.He turned to Yukito."Give me just one night,and after this.."

Nakuru's face fell.

"..a-after this,we'll all go home."he decided with finality.

continue