Tomoyo watched her friend read the sappy letter for the umpteenth time.She ripped the chocolate wrapper,wishing it was Eriol instead.

He folded the letter."I have noticed that her poetry is becoming more and more intense lately."

"Is that so."Her comment came through gritted teeth.Hermosa AGAIN?

Well technically,it was her fault.She should have stopped writing those letters,but each night it already had become her routine to pick up her red pen and dish out those lines that suddenly form in her mind.

It was a routine.A habit.

And Tomoyo hated to admit it,but the letters became her outlet for her secret infatuation with eriol Hiragizawa.

Although how did she ever produced those sickeningly sentimental and mushy lines from her brain factory of practicality and level-headedness remained a mystery to her.

Just as how and when her crush on him began and developed.Her heart caught her off-guard and now she's paying the price.

Unrightful jealousy.She had no right to be jealous of Eriol's girl,especially when that girl happened to be her own fictional character.Yet here she was plotting a homicide against the person of her own making."Is it a crime to kill an alter-ego?"she pondered.

"Am I right to assume that you're in a trance?"asked Eriol,breaking the train of her thoughts.

"Are you talking to me or to Hermosa?"she snapped.

His forehead creased."Alright,Tomoyo,what's the problem?"

She exhaled sharply."Just please don't bring her up in our conversation,ok?Ever since she entered the scene,it was always 'Hermosa this' and 'Hermosa that'..Eriol,I'm sick of her!"

"Then you should have told me that you felt that way earlier."he scolded gently.

"You're supposed to know it even if I don't say so.You always do!"she said,her tone mildly accusing.

"Yes,but you are one of the most complex persons I know,Tomoyo.Reading your thoughts is just like squeezing emotion from a chopping board."

"Alright,just answer this one question Eriol,and I'll get off your case completely.I need your honesty."she said.

"Fire away."

"Who is more important to you,me or Hermosa?"she asked,carefully reading his reaction.

"Both of you are important to me."he replied.

"Yeah,but who do you value more?"she pressed.

"Why are you making me choose?"

"Why can't you answer me?"she asked in half-whisper."So if I tell you right now that I know who Hermosa is and she is the one person I really,REALLY hate,will you still pursue her?"

Tense silence followed.

"You're being selfish."he said softly.

"Yes,Yes I am,but thanks for answering my question."Her vision was blurred with tears that she couldn't stop anymore.She turned and fled.



Upon arriving home,Tomoyo poured out all of her tears.Eriol chose Hermosa over her-a fact in black-and-white.But now her heart was black-and-blue all over.

She took out her pearl-white paper,not noticing the smudges of tears in her paper.She started to write.



Hermosa.

She was a shadow that was me,but hid me in vague black outlines.

She gave me the freedom to dance to my own groove the rhythm of love

You taught me,without knowing you actually did.

I cast my kagero on my pearl white wall and painted it with my heart's hue

And fascinated you with my kagero's primitive rhythmic dance of love untold

She did a good job,oh yes she did

She kept you staring at the pearl white wall

As I slowly gathered the strength to accept the truth

That I was falling madly and deeply in love with you

She was the perfect phantom

Nom de plume is Hermosa

She became everything that I'm not

and I'm sure I would never be

Yet I must end my silhoutte show

Turn off the lights and break down the wall

Bury my perfect kagero and show you the me

From where she was conceived and came to be



Beneath she signed Tomoyo Daidouji.

Writing the letter was one thing,and sealing it in a cream envelope and delivering it to Eriol's hands is another.After praying for strength,she took her red cloak and carried her pandora's box to the Hiragizawa mailbox.


continue.

*kagero-shadow in Nihongo*