"Egao desu."reminded Sakura as she piled Tomoyo's
hair up.She tied a purple satin ribbon on it.
"Hai,Sakura-chan."
"Be nice."
"Hai,Sakura-chan."Honestly,she didn't know why her
housemates were making such a big fuss out of two visitors.
"You look beautiful,Tomoyo!"Sakura clapped her hands in
delight.
"likewise."She stood up and headed out of the room to
serve the visitors.
"We understand."Sonomi gazed at the papers sadly.
"But I will not ask you to leave,don't worry."Eriol's
eyes darted around the room for any sign of the raven tigress he
just met for the third time minutes ago.Was she ever surprised
when she learned that he was one of their two visitors today.
"Looking for someone in particular?"asked Li helpfully.
"N-No..I just find the interior of your
house..cozy."Damn,was he in the wrong house?
Two women brought in the food and served it on the table.
Eriol's eyes twinkled as he continued loudly."I will not ask
any of you to leave.At first,I must admit I want to use this land
to builda bigger residence for me and maybe a tea parlor.But
now,I've decided to live with all of you happily ,peacefully and
harmoniously-"
"By employing us to work for you?Well thank you very
much."Tomoyo interrupted sarcastically.
Li gulped while Sonomi threw her daughter a warning look.
Eriol wasn't even insulted."I'm afraid you misunderstood
me,dear."
"Oh tell me,kind sir.What did I miss?"she asked
bitingly."That you're practically slapping that parchment on
our faces?That you're treating us like squatters in our own
land?"
He shook his head."Look,I just want to inform everyone that
I am not an enemy and I want to be befriend them,especially
you."
"Tough,but I am not deceived by your flowery
tounge,mister!"She snapped.
"Tomoyo,that's a high-ranking foreign diplomat you're
talking to."whispered Sakura.
"I don't care if he's the president of the world!This is our
land!"said Tomoyo.
"Is your land that important to you?"he asked.
She nodded.
"I'm sorry,but unless you pay me a favorable amount,I won't
surrender this place to you."he said.
"And just how favorable is the amount we're talking
about?"she asked.
"20 bars of gold."he replied.
She gasped.
"So..can you pay it?"
"Out!Get out of the house!!"Tomoyo screamed."How
dare you insult me in front of my family."
Nakuru watched the scene with interest.
Eriol really looked confused."What?Did I say something
wrong?"
"So you think it's amusing to emphasize how poor we are?I'll
show you!I'll but our land back even if it kills me!"She
stormed out of the room.She then went back."How did you like
the sake?"
Eriol eyed her distrustfully."Your local wine is very
good."
"Then by all means,have some more."Tomoyo threw all of
the contents of the bottle on his chest.
"It has been a week since she promised to buy the property
back."said Nakuru.
Eriol stroked the ebony-colored fur of his cat,Spinel,that
reminded him of the raven tigress who resisted his charms and
even treated him like dirt-or something worse than that.But the
more the girl hated him,the more he wanted her.He's going to tame
her the way he tamed his wild horses back in his ranch in the
West.He's going to whip her with his tounge and lash her out with
his time-tested endearments.He wanted to conquer the fiery
daughter of Aphrodite.
"Bijin."said Nakuru.
"Huh?"Eriol looked at her.
"It means 'beauty' in our local language."she
explained.
"Bijin."he echoed.A smile crept on his face.Since she
wouldn't tell him her name,he would just have to call her Bijin.
They had no vacancy.Just like that.The creaking wooden door was
shut on her face,so she's back on the street,looking for a
job.Her job as a geisha was not enough to pay a substantial
fraction of the price of their land,but she wanted to show the
arrogant English man that she's working her blood and sweat out
for her principles.
Upon remembering the obake-the name she christened the man
with-,she silently prayed for a good tip tonight.
"Thank you,Officer Yamazaki for accompanying me here.This is
indeed a very nice place."Eriol thanked the chief of the
police graciously.
"You haven't seen the best part yet.The geishas here are the
best!"He sipped more sake.
"Really huh?"Eriol paused and wondered what a geisha
was.He was about to ask the man what a geisha was when a knock
came on the door.
"Come in!"the policeman sang out.
The door slid open and a lovely woman came in,bringing a tray of
food.
Eriol gasped."You!!"
Tomoyo dropped the tray she was holding."You again?!!"
"I paid for the utensils you broke."Eriol told her as
he walked the just-fired-from-job Tomoyo home.
"Do you want me to say Thank you?"she asked sharply.
"What were you doing there anyway?"
"I work there."
"As a whore?"
Tomoyo slapped his face.
"I-I'm sorry.."he whispered as he silently berated
himself.
Tomoyo walked away but Eriol followed her."I'm really
sorry..Bijin!!"He called.
No,he must make up for the terrible pain he inflicted her.He
watched her enter her house quietly.He better ask Nakuru.