Chapter 2

The next day,Eriol and Nakuru,riding in his private coach,went to find the Li clan.

"Master Eriol,how did you know about the Lis?"asked the woman curiously.

He said nothing.He was too busy recalling the mysterious woman's face.She had the most expressive eyes he had ever seen.Those exquisite purple eyes that blazed in anger as she faced his piercing blue eyessquarely,but lit up when that Li character appeared.He frowned.Damn,this was the first time he failed to charm a woman enough to get her name and a night with him."But I'll get her this time."he silently vowed.

Suddenly the carriage halted."What the-"Nakuru looked at the horseman."What happened?"

"That girl almost got herself killed!I told her to stop but she went right on-"He didn't finish his sentence because the woman went out of the vehicle already."I'll deal with her."



As Tomoyo gathered her things,someone called out,"Hey there!"She turned around.

"Need help?"asked the lady in english outfit.

Tomoyo stood up furiously."Hah!That's all you can say after you nearly ran over me!I was just crossing the road,minding my own business when your carriage almost killed me!You should have waited for this humble pedestrian to cross the road first because in the first place,you don't own this road and we do!"

Nakuru couldn't supress a smile."We're sorry,but our master was in a hurry to see someone."

"That's no excuse!"she snapped."Show me this master of yours and I'll give him a piece of his mind!"

A man stepped down from the coach."I am her master."

Tomoyo looked at him,shocked."You AGAIN??!"

"Me again?Do I know you?"he asked.

Out of irritation,Tomoyo threw a raw tomato on him.Its red juice smeared all throughout his immaculately white outfit."There!At least you'll remember me now,this time as the one who destroyed your clothes."Tomoyo looked immensely satisfied.

Instead of getting mad,he took off his coat and handed it to his servant."Why,thank you for suggesting that I get rid of my coat.It is quite a hot day."

Tomoyo glared at him and bent down to pick up the goods she shopped for a supposedly important visitor in their house later.Suddenly the man knelt down too and helped her.At one moment,their shoulders bumped each other.Something lit up in the man's eyes.He chuckled.

"Now what?"she asked,annoyed."I demand to know what is so funny!"

"Your scent..you were the trespasser in my villa last night."He picked up the last few pieces of vegetable."I should have known that your temper-"He stopped when both he and the woman touched the same vegetable.His fingertips touched her soft skin too,and jolt of electricity passed between them.

Tomoyo withdrew her hand wordlessly and stood up.

"W-Wait.."Eriol held up an eggplant."What will I do with this?"

"Keep it.That's my personal souveneir..a token of my appreciation for nearly killing me."she replied sarcastically.

"C-Can I carry your things for you?"he offered.They couldn't say goodbye to each other so soon!

"You certainly can,but you may not."She walked away.

"Very pretty."said Nakuru.

"Pretty impolite,refusing a gentleman's offer."he muttered."She's the trespasser in my villa last night."

The woman smiled."Why do I have a feeling that she trespassed into somewhere other than a piece of land?"

"You were saying something?"asked Eriol,looking at her sideways.

"No master."

"Then let's continue on our trip."



"Tomoyo,where have you been?"asked Sakura,looking at her messed appearance.

"In the market.where else?"she asked back sourly.She threw the basket down in fury."OOOH,I HATE HIM!!"

Sakura looked at her in bewilderment."Elaborations,please?"

Tomoyo narrated to her best friend how the madman nearly ran her over with his coach and everything that happened after it.Except for the holding hands part and the offer to walk her home,that is.

The brown-haired girl laughed."Must be fate at work."

The black-haired lass rolled her eyes."Or an omen."

"Tomoyo,the basket please!"Li called from the kitchen.

"I should have just bought tadpoles and wild grass.That's the only proper lunch for them after they gave an ill-considerate eleventh hour notice."said Tomoyo."I'm in the pond when you need me."



"This is a bad day!"sighed Tomoyo as she dipped her dainty feet into the clear blue water of the pond behind their garden.This was her own little paradise that only a few knew.This was her favorite place to go whenever she was very happy or very sad.Today she was very angry.

She loosened her kimono and let down her long lustrous hair the color of ebony.She pulled the sleeves of her robe up and scooped some water into her face.She smiled.The water was just right for a bath.She was about to take her clothes off completely when a horribly familiar voice spoke up behind her.

"Mind if I join you?"the blue-eyed english man asked,a naughty smile playing on his lips.

Tomoyo screamed and fixed her kimono."What are you doing here?H-How did you find this place?"

"I followed your scent."he said,voice laced with amusement.

"You know what,I seriously doubt if you are a true human.You act like a dog."she forced a sarcastic smile.

"Maybe if you stop using that bewitching perfume,I'd stop following you."he replied.

"I do not use perfume!"she snapped.

"Ok."He sat down,rolled his trousers up, and dipped his feet into the water too."I like it that way better."

"Why are you here?And will you please get your feet off my bath before you pollute it!"

"Funny,that should be my line."he said,not taking his eyes off her.The first time he met her,he knew at once that she wasn't ordinary.The next day,he dscovered that she was indeed,very lovely even when she lost her poise as she was gathering her stuff.But now gazing at the wide-eyed woman gaoing at her in shock .he realized how breathtakingly beautiful she was.Every delicate feature of her face was perfect.The contrast of her peaches and creams complexion with her dark silky tresses was awestrucking.And good heavens,her voice sounded like an angel when she spoke with no venom or sarcasm just like awhile ago when she was speaking to herself.

"This place is mine!"she said,trembling in anger.

"May I inform you that this is a part of the land I bought."He rolled the sleeves of his shirt."And anyway,instead of fighting like little kids,why don't we just have a truce or something.I want us to be friends."he said sincerely.

"Never!"she shouted.She stood up in a huff.

"Well if you don't want to,the least you could do is join me while I take a bath."he kidded.

Her face flamed as she looked at him with barely concealed hatred."You're disgusting!Good day,hentai!"

He frowned.What the hell did she meant by the last word she said?

"And oh yeah,mister,I advise you to stay away from this place or else I'll drown you in that pond.I'm hoping this is our last confrontation."she walked away.

"Oh yeah,miss?Well I'm going to make sure that this won't be the last time we meet."He promised himself.

Playing hard to get?That won't work with him.He smiled.A challenge never hurts,especially when the prize is a beauty like hers.

continue