Zephyr 9:Resurrected Feelings?

Tomoyo combed Rose' straight hair into a ponytail and surveyed her critically.

"You look great!" gushed Nakuru who was sitting beside them on the picnic towel. The three of them were snacking in the Hiragizawa garden.

Rose giggled and hugged Tomoyo affectionately. "Thank you, Tomoyo!"

The lady smiled and nodded.



Eriol smiled as he watched the scene outside his window. For the first time since she lost her mother, Rose was laughing happily again. Her raven eyes were twinkling again and her cheeks were rosy again.

What kind of magic did Daidouji Tomoyo use on the child?

And on him?

He gazed at the bewitching beauty in front of him reverently - the prettiest most expressive pair of eyes he has ever seen, with deep shades of lilac that twinkle as beautifully as the stars do in a moonless, cloudless night; the heartmelting kind smiles and her flawless cream complexion. And Kami-sama, those lips..

"Eriol-kun, come join us!" Tomoyo called as she waved her hand at him.

He waved too as he realized that she called him by his first name.

His name sounded so poetically beautiful, the way she uttered it with that sweet angelic voice that serenaded his heart all through these years.

Kami-sama.

He was still and will forever be..

..in love with her.

Daidouji Tomoyo.

He went out of the living room and joined them.



"You guys look like you're having the time of your lives so I decided to join you," said a deep male voice from behind.

Tomoyo turned around and saw Eriol looking at them with one of those rarer-than-Halley Comet's-visit smile. "Where's your printed invitation to join us, Sire?" she asked, feigning an Old English accent.

"You invited me here, Miss," he replied, going along with her joke.

She frowned. "I did?" She faced Rose. "Did I invite your father here?"

Rose giggled. "No, we didn't send Daddy any invitations."

Tomoyo grinned at him. "Sorry, you can't join our party."

"Then I would just have to gatecrash it." He carried Rose in his arms and kissed her hair fondly. He then sat down the towel.

Nakuru stood up, a camera in hand. "Alright everyone, freeze! I want to capture this special moment!"

"You sound like an advertisement for a film, Nakuru," remarked Tomoyo.

"Now everyone, smile and say,'Nakuru is a kawaii tenshi!'" instructed the woman.

The dark-haired lady laughed. "That's too long! She then felt an arm drape around her shoulder. She turned and saw Eriol looking at her uncertainly.

"You don't mind, do you?" he asked uncertainly.

She forced a careless laugh. "Of course not!" To prove it, she laid her head on his broad shoulder and held Rose too. She beamed at the camera.

Nakuru was positively shrieking in delight. "You guys look perfect! A beautiful picture of a happy family!"

She blushed. "Nakuru, will you just take the picture already? My jaw is hurting from too much smiling already!"

"Alright, alright!" the woman yelled back.



Eriol felt his heart skip a beat.

A family.

He, Tomoyo and Rose.

It sounded so good. It sounded so right.

"Smile!" instructed Nakuru.

And he did. With all his heart, he did.



"Rose is really fond of you," remarked Eriol as he and Tomoyo were palying scrabble in the latter's room later.

She nodded. "I like her soo much too! She's like the little sister I never had!" She placed her letters on the board.

Eriol noted her score. "And what about me?"

"You're like the big brother, father and FBI agent I never had!" she said laughingly as she picked her new tiles.

"I'm only like that because you deseve to be treated that way. You're too modern and carefree." He placed his own word on the board. "You need discipline."

"And you need loosening up. You are too stiff and prudent, dear Ice Blue Eyes." She then started keeping the tiles.

"Hey!" he complained.

"I'm saving your face, Hiragizawa. You will lose anyway. My score is light years ahead of yours!" She tied the pouch holding the tiles and kept the scrabble board under her bed. "Besides, I want to take this opportunity to interview you."

"Interview me?" he asked, amused. "Are you going to hire me or something?"

"Shut up. I will do the asking here!" laughed Tomoyo.

"So...commence thy interrogation," he said.

"I.." She balked, carefully choosing her words. "I want to know about Rose' mother."

"Her mother?" The haunted defensive look she was just starting to forget returned in his eyes.

"Why did she die?" she asked gently.

"Look, let's just talk about something else-" Eriol's words were cut off by Tomoyo's hand touching his comfortingly.

"Eriol-kun, I just thought it will make you feel better if you find an outlet for your pent-up emotions and secrets, but I will understand if you're not ready yet. Just bear in mind that I will always be willing to listen," she said softly. "Always."

His azure eyes shook. "Tomoyo-san.."

"You musn't keep your problems to yourself. They are not treasures meant to be kept selfishly. It will make you feel a lot better if you share your troubles with others," she finished.

He nodded. "Don't worry, I'll tell you when I'm ready to share."

She smiled."I will wait." She then stood up.

"Tomoyo-san!"

She faced him expectantly.

"Arigatou..for everything. For your novels that cheered me up, your warm companionship, for bringing Rose back to life again..for coming into my..our lives," he stammered shyly.

She blushed slightly. "Doo itashimashite."

He quickly stood up. "I know you have a million things to do so I will stop eating your time up already." He stood up and left.

"I'll give you my Chapter 5 file as soon as I finish it," she promised.

"Yes, thank you very much, but don't tire yourself out too much.." his words trailed off.

She cocked an eyebrow quizically.

He cleared his throat. "I mean, I hope you still have time to eat dinner tonight.."

"Yeah well, I'll starve if I won't eat," she pointed out dryly.

"W-With me, I mean. In a restaurant or something.." he said, his voice barely audible.

"Or something?" she said, smiling wickedly.

"If you want, that is," he finished, face all red.

"If I don't want to.."

"It's ok."

"..say no, I hope it will be fine," she said coyly.

His face brightened. "Tonight, eight pm."

"Your treat?"

"Definitely."

continue