Zephyr 16: Akai bara no kioku( The Memories of a red rose)

Tomoyo zipped her bag close and put it next to her suitcases near the door. She then changed into her night gown. She must wake up extra early tomorrow for her flight.

She had already broke the news to everyone in the house. As expected, Nakuru was aghast, but Rose and Spinel remained as quiet as Eriol.

"You can't leave! YOu have been staying here for barely a month! You promised not to leave!" she remembered Nakuru saying.

"Shut up!" snapped Eriol, not looking up from his food. "If she wants to go, then open the door wide for her."

"But-"

"Nakuru, let Daidouji-san decide for herself."

Her heart fell. Daidouji-san. It felt so stiffly cold and formal, as if he was referring to a stranger. But what else should she expect from him? She turned him down twice.

But she was determined to protect the wall she built around her heart. No one could ever hurt her again. She would NEVER fall in love again.

Love and pain.

Pain and love.

These are tow intertwined threads destined to never part.

No, she didn't want pain anymore.

Tomoyo blinked when she heard a knock on her bedroom door. The door opened and Rose's head peeked in. "Mommy?"

She narrowed her eyes at her. "By any chance, your daddy isn't with you?"

The girl' s eyes saddened. "No, he's out of the house. Nakuru said he went out to drink.. again."

"Again?" she echoed.



Eriol sat on a table at the corner of the dimly-lit bar where he was supposed to take Tomoyo last night.

"Another round!" he barked.

The bar owner looked at him sympathetically. "I bet it's because of a woman."

He smiled through gritted teeth. "Mind your own business, will you?"

The man rolled his eyes and signaled to his waiter. The guy quickly brought a new bottle of beer to Eriol's table.

Eriol filled his glass up to the brim. He wanted to drown in his sorrow tonigh and forget about Tomoyo.

A tear dropped down his drink and made ripples. He touched his cheek. God, he was crying.

"See what happens when you love someone too much, Hiragizawa?" he told himself sardonically. "You self-destruct. You forget to love yourself. Look at you now, crying like a baby. Why are you allowing Tomoyo Daidouji to do this to you?:

A man sat in front of him. "Get a hold of yourself, Hiragizawa."

Though his vision was blurred, he recognized who the uninvited guest was. He laughed wryly. "Well, well, well..if it isn't lover boy himself. Terada, I'm sure lucky to run into you"

The newcomer cleared his throat. "Hiragizawa, what's wrong with you?"

"Nothing much. My life's just falling apart, that's all." He chugged down his glass.

"I see." Terada cautiously chose his words. "Is it related to Tomoyo?"

"Related? Try about!" Eriol filled his glass again. "Would you believe that after I practically poured my heart and soul in confessing my love for her, she didn't believe me?"

"Hiragizawa, you can't expect her to love you back just because you want her to."

"I know!" he snarled. "But..but.." More tears cascaded down his cheek. "It hurts like hell. I have never felt this much pain before in my life, and it's killing me."

Terada sighed. "Hiragizawa, would it make you feel better if I say I'm suffering as much as you are?"

Eriol paused.



Rose sat on Tomoyo's lap. "Dad became an alcoholic after Mommy died. He was so furious at a certain Terada. He said that guy killed my mom."

She smoothed the girl's plentiful auburn hair speechlessly.

"But Nakuru told me the exact opposite. She said my mother told her something Daddy doesn't know."

"Which is?"



"Kaho and I love each other, but it is a love forbidden," revealed Terada. "I already have a family then. Rika and I were married happily and we have three beautiful kids. We couldn't bear to hurt so many people so she told me that she would be the one to step back and give way."

Eriol gasped. "But you know that she's pregnant.."

"He shook his head. "No. I only learned about that when I visited London to see her again. I did a little research and found out that she was living with you together with her daughter. I returned to Japan to fix my migration papers to London so I can stay longer. After 4 years, I have returned to see her."

Eriol looked away. "She died."

His eyes shook. "I know. Your servants told me."

"But your daughter is alive."



Tomoyo was shocked. "So Rose knew already that her mom was in love with someone else and that she wasn't really Eriol's daughter. She silently admired the girl for the calm and mature way she accepted it.

Rose snuggled closer to her. "But Daddy is still the best dad in the whole world."

She hugged her tightly in response.



Terada was crying too. "My daughter.. where is she?"

"She is still with me. I named her after Kaho's favorite flower," said Eriol.

"Rose.." whispered the man. "The little girl in the yard..I thought she was.."

"My daughter?" He laughed dryly. "I'm impotent."

"It's psychological. Kaho told me that."

Eriol looked down. His psychiatrist told him that he was incapable of having intercourse with another woman because he was too in love and devoted to someone else. Someone who was Tomoyo Daidouji.

Terada pounded his fist on the table. "I want to see my daughter."

First Kaho, then Tomoyo. Not Rose too! He wanted to refuse, but he remembered what Tomoyo told him.

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