Chapter 10 Hermosa's Last Letter

Tomoyo opened her eyes slowly and found a bouquet of white roses on her bedside table along with a small box tied with a white ribbon.She sat up and reached for the flowers.She smelled their fragrance and smiled.She then reached for the box and opened it carefully.A small wooden box with a pair of silver keys were revealed.She unlocked the box,and the next thing she heard was a gentle tune resembling wind chimes playing Fur Elise.A porcelain miniature Japanese doll in traditional kimona was rotating with the music.

She gingerly touched the figurine.Whoever sent this must know that Fur Elise was her favorite piano piece.A flashback occured in her mind.



"You play the piano so well."gushed Tomoyo,for once her words not filled with sarcasm or anything.

He smiled appreciatively."And you can sing very well,Daidouji-san.A perfect match,aren't we?"

She slapped him playfully."Stop calling me,Daidouji-san!You're making me feel so old!"

"Sure,in one condition."he said.

Her eyebrow arched."No nasty stuff,Hiragizawa."

"You will play for me."he said,gesturing to the piano.

"Oh,but I don't know how."

"No matter,I'll teach you."He stood up and bowed down."Well,Tomoyo?"

Determined to keep her end of the bargain,she sat down the bench.Eriol sat down beside her."I'll teach you a simple song I learned back in third grade."

"Are you insulting my piano-playing skills?"she said.

He smiled."No tomoyo,I will never insult you."

Her face turned pink."G-Good."She poised her fingers,ready to attack all 88 keys of the piano.

Eriol chuckled."Easy there,my lady.You're going to play the piano,not kill it."

She stuck her tounge out at him.

"Fur Elise."He played the tune with one hand,his long graceful fingers masterfully playing a slightly familiar tune she always heard but didn't know the title.

"Great,you played too fast!"she complained.

"I was just showing you what Fur Elise sounds like.The teaching proper will start just about now."He hit a couple of keys."Mi re,two times."

Tomoyo sighed before she hit the keys."This is a piece of cake."

"Good,then mi re ti.."he instructed.



Two hours later,Tomoyo was playing the whole song for Eriol.She was nearing the end of the song when she forgot the next notes.The music stopped.

Eriol chuckled."I thought it was a piece of cake."

"Ok,maybe two pieces."she said grudgingly.

"Play the whole song for me,."he pleaded.

She nodded.Mi so mi so mi so re..the next thing she knew,she was at the end of the song already.

"Bravo!"cheered Eriol as he applauded.

"Thank you,thank you,my adoring fan."she said in mock modesty.

"You are welcome,my adorable plum blossom."He replied with asmile.



"Tomoyo?"Sonomi looked at her daughter,concern written all over his face.

She looked up,startled.She slammed the music box shut."H-Hi Mother."she smiled,blushing.

"I see you liked his gift."Sonomi lookedat the bouquet on herlsp.

"His gift?"

"Mr.Hiragizawa's gift,together with his wish that you get well soon."she explained.

"Eriol gave these to me?"the girl said incredulously.She smiled a little."Where is he?"

"He was in a hurry to get home."the mother replied.

She eyed Sonomi distrustingly."What did you say to him?"

"Nothing,dear.I invited him in,but he refused."she replied.

Tomoyo suddenly remembered the last letter she failed to give to Eriol.She looked at her desk but found none."Mom,did you happen to see a cream envelope on the top of my desk?"

"The one with Mr.Hiragizawa's name?I asked one of your bodyguards to mail it for you."she said.

Her heart stopped."You sent the letter??!!"

"Y-Yes,I did.I thought I would save you the trip to the post office-"

Tomoyo jumped out of the bed.

"Tomoyo,where are you going?"her bewildered mother asked.

"This is a mistake!"Tomoyo ran all the way out of the house and into the post office."Please let it still be there."She prayed silently.



"Hah!I do not care!"Eriol emptied his glass in one big gulp."Tomoyo has some nerve continuing her prank even if her identity was already revealed."

"This may be her last letter to you."Nakuru drawled."Are you sure you don't want to read even a little of it?"

"Absolutely sure."

"Final answer?"

"Yes,now stop pestering me!"he said,exasperated.

Nakuru shrugged before continuing reading Hermosa's letter.



"The mailman had just left a quarter of an hour ago,Ms.Daidouji.But you can try to intercept him in the fifth avenue."the postmaster told her politely.

"Thanks!"Tomoyo hurried away.



Eriol crumpled his Chemistry assignment for the nth time.Nakuru's lovesick sighs and giggles were driving him crazy!He looked at her again."Is her letter really that mushy?"he couldn't resist asking.

She looked at him with half-closed eyelids."No."She went back to the letter.

He wanted to wring her slender neck but figured out that he couldn't do without a cook so he used the crumpled balls of paper as his outlet of his irritation.

Nakuru giggled again.Eriol turned to her again."What's so funny?""he asked.

"Why should I tell you?Mind your own business!"snapped Nakuru.

Eriol scowled but he reminded herself that Nakuru might just be teasing him and was just exagerrating.He forced himself to go back his assignment.



"I'm sorry,Ms.Daidouji but I delivered your letter already-"the mailman barely finished his sentence when Tomoyo took off towards Eriol's house.She had to get to his mail before he does!



"That's it!I had enough!Give me the letter now!"shouted Eriol,throwing his pen down.

She stck her tounge out."In your dreams!"

"Nakuru,I demand that you give me the letter NOW!"he repeated,standing up from his seat.

"B-But you're not interested with the letter anymore,right?You said 'no' was absolutely your final answer!"

"Akizuki Nakuru,I order you to surrender the letter immediately to me!"he commanded authoratively.

Nakuru,meek as a lamb,handed over Hermosa's letter.Eriol unfolded the letter carefully.For the last time,he's going to let himself drown in her lies.



Tomoyo's heart sank.The mailbox was empty!

"Your letter is in my Master's hands already."said a voice behind her.She spun around and saw Spinel sitting on the window pane."W-What do you mean?"she asked nervously.

"He's reading it right now."

Her face turned white."N-No!"She couldn't let him know more about her feelings for him other than what he knew now.He could not take any more mocking words from him once he reads how she expressed her love for him.Worse,he might just laugh at her the way he did in her nightmare!

"I've got to stop him."She ran into the house.

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