[Fanfiction] [Crossover] Why Did I Fall in Love With You?

[angels_archives]

Title: Why did I fall in love with you?

Author: Dark Hooded Eriol the Magician

Series: Ouran High School Host Club / Cardcaptor Sakura

Rating: T

Genre: Romance/ Angst

Status: In-progress

Disclaimer: The song is by DBSK and the characters are made by CLAMP and Hatori Bisco. Support them, please!

Summary: Some of us seek second chances. Will we be brave or will we be cowards again? There is only a choice to do what is right and what is true. Why did I fall in love with you? -KyouyaxTomoyo-

Chapter XII

-0-0-0-


Tomoyo arrived in the shopping mall just in time to meet her second cousin. She winced as she looked at the thick crowd. Christmas was just around the corner. They should have known that throngs of people would also be doing the same thing but it was better late than never. They made plans after her babysitting stint to catch up and go shopping before the holidays actually began. Her cousin mentioned that she also needed last-minute presents. Tomoyo thought that it was the perfect time to talk to her cousin about her engagement. The pair decided to meet up in front of a popular restaurant that was at the heart of the mall. Tomoyo was glad that she wore comfortable shoes. She did not fancy walking around in high heels so comfort was a priority.

"Sakura-chan!" She spotted the auburn-haired woman sitting on one of the small tables. The Card Mistress jumped up and hugged her enthusiastically. They were so happy to see each other. "I'm so glad to see you!"

"Me too!" Sakura said cheerfully. She stared at her cousin for a moment before she smiled. Tomoyo didn't realize it but she looked beautiful. There was a twinkle in her blue-violet eyes and a blush was in her pale cheeks. Being in love suited her. "How are you? I'm sorry that I didn't call or text you. It's been really hectic at home!"

"Don't worry about it," said the heiress. She glanced at the restaurant and grinned. "Do you want to grab a bite first? We have lots to talk about."

"Let's shop first," Sakura decided. "I want to finish all of my errands first before anything else. Are you buying presents too?"

The dark-haired woman nodded cheerfully. They started to walk with linked arms. It was so good to be with your best friend. It doesn't matter where they were or what they did. Being with each other was wonderful.

"I'm so glad to be away from the house," Sakura confided as they browsed through the racks of gorgeous clothes. Her emerald green eyes twinkled merrily. "It's good to have them out of the way so we can have a proper chat."

Tomoyo chuckled. She watched her best friend search for a nice scarf for her husband while keeping up an unending stream of chatter. Her blue-violet eyes wandered towards the lovely clothes on the male mannequins. She wondered how she would feel if she was shopping for a husband next Christmas for his winter clothes…

Kyouya-san would look great in deep colors, she thought as she absently scanned the coats that was on display. With his pale skin, he will also stand out in green, violet and black. Yes, he'll look good in black.

She picked up a nice cashmere coat and checked the price tag. Her cousin giggled beside her. The heiress jumped. A glance at Sakura told her that she was really amused. "Sakura-chan?"

"What's the last thing I said?" the Card Mistress asked seriously while trying hard to keep a straight face. She knew when to tease Tomoyo and when to leave her alone. Of course, she was the only who could distinguish her cousin's moods.

Tomoyo's cheeks heated up. She returned the coat back into the rack. Looking guilty, she answered. "You're talking about Sayuri-chan and Kimihiro-chan, weren't you?"

The auburn-haired woman laughed and grabbed her arm to drag her out of the store. "I wasn't but let's pretend that I did! You're absent-minded today, Tomoyo-chan!" They walked out of the store, still laughing.

The pair brought toys, clothes and little presents for the special people in their life. Tomoyo was almost finished with her list until there was one more person left.

Kyouya.

What should I get for him? She looked thoughtful as she browsed through racks of ties. He had everything that he ever wanted. Perhaps she should aim for something that he didn't have. She should get something useful like a gadget or a handmade scarf. (There was no time to make a scarf though, she thought wryly. A gadget will do.)

Sakura accompanied her to a store that sold gadgets to a throng of young professionals. They took their time in browsing through the merchandise, impressed by the new technology. They recalled that Tomoyo used to provide gadgets for them to use when they were younger. Her best friend stopped.

"I'll have the perfect gift for him," Tomoyo said confidently. Their company wasn't a multi-million empire if it wasn't for their ingenuity. "Thank you, Sakura-chan."

The Card Mistress simply smiled. Her best friend was still talking as they made their way out of the store. "I was wondering if I could cook something for his family on Christmas Day..."

They didn't realize that they were shopping for almost two hours until Sakura declared that she was hungry. Tomoyo smilingly obliged by accompanying her to the nearest restaurant.

"So," Sakura started with a mischievous smile "how is your relationship with Ohtori-san?"

Tomoyo smiled in spite of her heated cheeks. She never kept any secrets from her best friend. It was their unspoken rule to remain open with each other. "It's great. We're still getting used to each other but I think we're getting there."

"I was right when I saw your picture. He is an important figure in your future," the auburn-haired woman chuckled. Emerald green eyes twinkled merrily. "Ohtori-san will be your husband in a year's time. Are you excited?"

"I'm apprehensive," the songstress confessed. She looked out into the throng of people outside the glass window. Blue-violet eyes were uncertain. "We've been going out for more than a year but I feel like I still don't know him. Although we've gone through a lot together, I still think that everything's going too fast and too soon. I still don't know him very well but I trust him. I trust him with my whole heart. Am I supposed to feel this way?"

"I think it's wonderful that you trust him. It's a large factor that will determine the tone of your relationship." The auburn-haired woman smiled. "But you can't know a person completely until you marry them."

Tomoyo looked confused so she had to elaborate.

"Do you remember when Syaoran joined our fourth-grade class? He was the strange and unfamiliar thing in my life. It took me such a long time to acknowledge his feelings. Even afterwards, it took me some time to get to know him. We might have spent more time with each other but that doesn't mean that I know him any more than you do. I only got to know everything about him when we got married. I trusted the unknown.

"You can't always know and plan everything, Tomoyo-chan. Sometimes we have to live in the moment to enjoy it. Then you'll realize that what you're looking for is right in front of you." Sakura's smile was joyful. She reached up to brush away her bangs. The dark-haired girl saw her wedding band catch the light and glitter. Everyone knew they were happily married. And everyone envied them.

Meeting the frank emerald gaze, she couldn't believe her friend's next words. "I knew that Eriol-kun wasn't meant for you."

"What!" the heiress exclaimed flabbergasted.

"I was meaning to tell you but I couldn't find the right opportunity." Sakura smiled sadly. She caught her friend's hands and squeezed them. Her eyes were serious. "When you were still with Eriol-san a few years ago, I had a dream. You know how my dreams are. They come true most of the time. Well, in this one, I saw you walking along with someone else. I could see Eriol walking towards the opposite direction before throwing one last glance at you. And you didn't notice because you were completely absorbed in what your companion was saying.

Sakura's laugh was dry. "Oh, don't look at me like that Tomoyo-chan! You know how you were when you were with Eriol. You barely looked at anyone else. You were completely devoted to him. Anyway, you kissed your tall and handsome lover in front of me. Sparks flew. I didn't know who he was until I saw your picture last year. It was Ohtori-san who was with you."

"Sparks," Tomoyo said, stunned.

The Card Mistress nodded. "Yes. It was the same as my dream when I got engaged to Syaoran. There were sparks and wedding bells and a sense that I've finally done something right…"

Tomoyo nodded, dazed. She always had a feeling that Sakura knew something that she didn't but she never asked. Her best friend would never let any harm come to her. So she trusted Sakura's not-so-subtle attempt to hook her up with Kyouya.

It finally clicked in her mind. All those little hints, the conspiracies and the secret smiles meant something. Her best friend knew about it all along. Sakura trusted her dreams, magic and the tapestry of Fate. She merely nudged it along until everything fell into place.

"Kyouya-san is meant to be mine." Tomoyo couldn't believe herself. "We're soul mates."

"It's possible," the Card Mistress nodded wisely. "Kero-chan told me that Clow believed in these kinds of things too. He had one! He made sure that I'll meet mine as compensation for all of the crazy things I went through. Not to mention that I can continue his legacy through my children. Why can't it happen to you?"

"I don't have magic," Tomoyo pointed out flatly.

Her best friend stared at her. Everyone knew that Tomoyo was practical, realistic and meticulous. In spite of her rare flights of fancy, it was possible to believe that she did not believe in magic. Not to mention that Tomoyo nearly lost her faith in true love thanks to a certain black-haired mage…

"You do."

The firmness in Sakura's tone surprised her. Disbelief flooded her mind. She didn't want to believe it. "No."

"Yes," insisted her second cousin. "You do. Eriol-kun sensed this but he couldn't confirm it. I've known it for a while now but I never said anything. I didn't want him to go back to you…"

"Sakura-chan!" Tomoyo looked anguished. She couldn't believe that she was hearing all of this now. "When did you know? What kind of magic do I have? Why are you so against Eriol?"

The Card Mistress let out a deep breath. She caught Tomoyo's stare and held it with all of the strength that she could muster. There was always a time and place for everything. It was not the right time yet but she believed that she could disclose a bit of information.

As long as there were choices, the future would change.

It was up to Tomoyo to choose her paths. Sakura would not reveal anything that will potentially damage destinies. Her best friend was precious but that didn't mean that a little bit at a time was acceptable. A pinch of prevention was worth more than a pound of cure.

"Kero-chan and Yue-san both agree that you began to give out powerful signals since your breakup with Eriol. We don't know what you're capable of so we decided not to tell you yet. We could all sense it but it's not that visible…" Sakura answered carefully. Her emerald eyes were serious. Tomoyo didn't miss the authority that emanated from her cousin. "I'm not completely against Eriol-kun. I'm simply asking you to avoid him."

"Why?"

"Please trust me, Tomoyo-chan. Please?" Sakura's face lightened. "I'll tell you when it's time. Now that you have your new knowledge, I'll trust you to be more prudent about our little secrets."

They knew each other too well. Sakura held her gaze until she couldn't stop herself from looking away. Curious as she was, she knew how to respect her best friend's decisions.

Tomoyo blushed as she realized what she meant. She remembered the incident last Saturday. It was an accident. Kyouya arrived just in time to see Keroberos calling out for her. It was completely unexpected.

"I'm truly sorry," she said softly.

"Its fine," said the Card Mistress. "He should know because he's marrying into the family."

"I'm meeting his family on Christmas Eve," said the songstress with a smile. "Mother is coming with me. And on Christmas Day, we're spending it with you. I should think that he's ready to be with you."

"What about the Host Club?" asked the auburn-haired woman with an elfish grin "are they coming over for Christmas?"

Tomoyo shook her head. Her lips twitched. "They're throwing a huge New Year's party. Haruhi-san is organizing it. She said that it's because they want one grand celebration to bring the year in."

They both laughed. The tension melted away. Neither of them noticed. "Sounds like them."

"I'm a little nervous," said the heiress. Her blue-violet eyes were soft. A smile played at the edge of her lips. "I know that Kyouya-san has two elder brothers and an elder sister. His parents are great figures in society. I don't know what they'll think of me."

"They'll like you," Sakura said loyally. "You're sweet, beautiful and genuinely kind! Anyone would like you."

"Honey-san said that Ohtori-san never introduced anyone to his family if he could help it," she said. "I'll be the first."

"You're his fiancée," her best friend said tartly. "You should be the first."

"I can't believe I'm getting married."

"You're marrying your soul mate."

"How sure are you?"

"Positive."

They both laughed loudly. Sakura reached over and squeezed her pretty hand. Her eyes were wise and her voice knew. "You're like the sister I never had. It's my turn to take care of you. I'm sorry if I can't take away the pain that Eriol-kun brought you but I'm going to do everything to help you get over it."

"I'm almost over him." Tomoyo nearly believed herself.

"I know," agreed her best friend. "But it's not complete. You won't be ready to become Ohtori-san's bride if you're not over him completely."

Blue-violet eyes widened with amusement. "Why do you want me to marry him so bad?"

"Because he is your soul mate and he makes you laugh." Sakura chuckled. Her best friend could lose her famous perceptiveness sometimes. "Seeing you with him gives me a good feeling because you truly belong with each other."

"Kyouya-san will commend you for your staunch support," Tomoyo said drily. "I should hope that your new candidate won't break my heart."

"Oh, don't worry," the Card Mistress said loftily. She turned to order to the waiter who was waiting for their attention. "Syaoran took care of that."

+0+0+

Sonomi woke up to the sweet smell of a cake that was baking. She checked her bedside calendar and realized that it was Christmas Eve. Her brown eyes softened when it landed on the framed picture of her daughter. There were other pictures that involved her daughter and dear Nadeshiko's daughter too but she was very fond of this.

It showed an adorable five-year-old Tomoyo wearing a pretty purple dress with ribbons in her hair. She was sitting on her father's lap and holding her mother's hand. They were looking at the camera with bright smiles. It was taken before her husband's early death. The loss still brings tear into her eyes. (It still haunts Tomoyo, she knew.)

She hastily wiped a tear from her eye. Her husband was a good man. He had large dreams for his only daughter. They both wanted many children but managed only one. He would be proud to know that his darling little girl was going to get engaged properly today. "Oh, anata, she's all grown up now," she whispered. "She's going to marry the boy you liked for her."

"Mother, are you awake?" The door opened to reveal Tomoyo wearing an apron over her dress. She was carrying a tray of pancakes, juice and a flower. Her smile widened when she saw that her mother was sitting up on the bed. "Am I interrupting anything?"

"No, you're not. Come in!" Sonomi said cheerfully. She replaced the picture frame on top of the bedside table. Her daughter dutifully laid the tray in front of her. "What did I do to deserve breakfast in bed?"

"I wanted to do something nice," Tomoyo answered quietly. Her blue-violet eyes were shining. "Since I've been cooking in the kitchen, why shouldn't I whip up a delicious breakfast?"

"You'll make a lovely wife," her mother remarked.

"Thank you," said her daughter.

Sonomi studied Tomoyo's face. Something was bothering her. She was anxious but she was trying her best to hide it. She brightened her tone. "It looks really delicious! Will you share with me, Tomoyo-chan?"

Her daughter shook her head with an apologetic smile. "I've eaten my share. I tried a new recipe so I hope you'll really like it."

Sonomi ate the pancakes without complaint. It was truly delicious. She was glad that she allowed Tomoyo to putter around the kitchen. Any mother would be proud to know that she raised a capable young woman who can cook, clean, launder and care for a husband. Marriage again, she thought wryly. Let's get this over with. "Are you practicing on me, darling?"

The heiress looked surprised. Blush colored her cheeks. Her mother chuckled and patted her head. "You're a wonderful girl. Thank you for the breakfast. Now, what's bothering you?"

"I'm nervous," was the quiet reply.

Her mother looked surprised. A smile crept up into her still-beautiful face. Oh, her daughter. She didn't know why she felt that way towards meeting her fiancé's family.

"You shouldn't be, Tomoyo-chan. I'm sure that they'll love you," she said gently. The dark-haired woman noticed the fond look on her mother's eyes as she glanced at the row of picture frames. "I remember that I felt the same way before I met your father's family. He was very kind because he made me feel comfortable. I didn't love him at first, you know that. But his gentleness won me over in time."

"Papa was a great man," agreed her daughter. She lost her father too early but she never complained about the empty gap that was left in her life. "I miss him."

"Me too," agreed Sonomi. "Didn't you wonder why I was really supportive of Ohtori-kun's suit?"

Tomoyo looked confused. She was having a really strange week. First Sakura tells her that she had magic and that she didn't want Eriol for her. Now her mother was going to drop a major bomb, she was sure. It was a strange week indeed.

"The Ohtori family is distantly related to your father. This was many years ago… After a meeting with them for a joint project, he told me that he liked the little boy with such serious eyes and even more serious thoughts," Sonomi said conversationally as she opened the drawer in her bedside cabinet. She flipped through the contents of a very old diary while she talked. "He told me that he'd like to have him for his darling little Tomoyo-chan. I never found out which Ohtori cousin it was until I dug up an old article about the event. You wouldn't believe it."

Tomoyo's breath caught in her throat as her mother handed it to her. She stared at the page with wide eyes.

It was an old photograph. Sitting on Ichiro Daidouji's lap was a five-year-old boy wearing formal attire and a serious expression. She would know him anywhere. It was her fiancé, Kyouya Ohtori.

"M-Mother!" she exclaimed. Shock was an understatement.

Sonomi couldn't keep herself from smiling. Her husband was a wise man when he said that they didn't need to do anything. The two will meet eventually. I shouldn't have doubted you, anata. "Yes, I know. I was pleasantly surprised when I realized that it was Ohtori-kun that he was talking about. I'll bet that you didn't know that his father was also considered as a candidate for my husband." Her daughter looked surprised at this revelation. She continued hastily. "But he was my friend in college so it was out of the option. And Ichiro-san was the only one I liked."

"You could have married Kyouya-san's father," said her only child. It was a startling thought. "Now I'm marrying his son."

"Well, you always have a choice," shrugged Sonomi. "You could've said no when I suggested the marriage interview. And you could've said no when he presented you with an engagement ring."

Her daughter could barely speak. She said in a gentle voice. "I went through a lot of trouble to find him. It's simply inevitable for the two of you to like each other well enough to consider marriage."

Tomoyo nodded. It's true. She could've said no to Kyouya's courtship. She could've declined his marriage proposal.

"I rather like Kyouya-san." Sonomi said mischievously. "He reminds me of Ichiro-san."

+0+0+

The party was at one o'clock at the Ohtori mansion. Kyouya mentioned that his family was eager to meet her. Tomoyo shifted in the seat of the limousine as they drove through the extravagant gates. Her mother was busy with business beside her. There was a strange sensation at the bottom of her stomach like fluttering butterflies.

As the luxury car pulled up in the gravel driveway, she forced herself to smile. Everything will be all right, thought the heiress as she got out of the limousine carrying a medium-sized cake container. Her mother followed suit, still talking on her mobile phone. The chauffer bowed politely as they walked towards the front door.

The door was answered by a pair of uniformed maids. Her mother was assisted out of her coat. The chauffer followed with their gifts to their hosts. She was surprised when the taller one approached her.

Tomoyo didn't fail to notice the luxurious black hair, fair skin and laughing gray-blue eyes of the woman. Her artist's eyes noted the pretty hands that suspiciously lacked any signs of hard work. But her train of thought was interrupted when she realized that she was supposed to hand the cake container to her.

"Would you like some help, ma'am?" asked the maid politely. She smiled gratefully and handed it over. As soon as she did, the maid held her hand firmly. "Ohtori-sama asked me to bring you to him. Please follow me."

Tomoyo threw a glance at her mother who was following the other maid while still chatting on her mobile phone. She followed her maid towards a different direction. They walked through halls and corridors until they arrived at a small kitchen. She realized that the mysterious maid had deliberately misled her.

The maid closed the door behind her. She looked around the room, slightly confused. Where was Kyouya?

"You're a pretty girl," said the other woman in a warm voice. She circled her, looking intently. "I can see why the young master was taken with you. And we've heard that you can also sing."

She blushed lightly. "I'm sorry to interrupt but where is Kyouya-san?"

The maid looked delighted. She clapped her hands excitedly. "You're in first-name basis too! That's amazing! I've never seen him allow it with any women, except for his family."

Tomoyo remembered that Syaoran was the same. Being called by his first name was a mark of distinction and affection. Sakura was the only one he allowed. Perhaps Kyouya believed in the same standard…

"What a lovely cake! Did you bake this?" She didn't wait for an answer as she continued her monologue. "I'm sure you did. I've heard that you're very good with sweets! Well, if you could bake then you could definitely cook for him…"

Tomoyo realized that the maid wasn't acting like a maid at all. She sounded more like an…

"Onee-san!"

They jumped when they heard his cold voice reverberate throughout the room. The two women looked over their shoulder towards the doorway at the same time. He was looking at them sternly.

"Onee-san, what are you doing?" Kyouya said in an exasperated voice. He walked over to the tall woman who was just a few inches shorter than he was. She quailed under his stern stare as he forced her to remove the uniform and cap that disguised her true status. "I've been looking for you everywhere!"

"Kyouya-san, I just wanted to meet her! Is there anything wrong with that?"

The Shadow King turned towards his fiancée with a quick devilish smile. She nodded. He turned to his elder sister with a serious face. "No, there's nothing wrong. But you scared Tomoyo-san. You should introduce yourself properly next time."

Tomoyo was surprised when the older woman bowed politely to her. Gray-blue eyes held her gaze. She noted the small similarities between the siblings. "I'm Fuyumi Shidou. You must be Tomoyo Daidouji."

"It's nice to meet you," said the songstress. Her smile was warm. "Kyouya-san has told me all about you. He just forgot to mention that you're so beautiful."

His older sister nodded, satisfied. "It's wonderful to finally meet you. We've been waiting for you! I'm sorry if I tricked you. I was so curious to meet my little brother's fiancée."

Kyouya rubbed his forehead to calm himself. Before he knew it, the two were chatting like old friends. They left the room while carrying the cake that Tomoyo baked. He followed with a resigned look on his face.

As soon as they entered the enormous sitting room where the family waited, they were treated to a rare sight.

Yoshio Ohtori was laughing with Sonomi Daidouji and his wife. They were sitting together, drinking tea and exchanging old college stories. The other Ohtori siblings were standing close to them.

The trio exchanged confused stares.

Sonomi was the first to notice them. She smiled widely. "I'm so glad to finally see you in person, Ohtori-kun. You look like your father so much at your age."

Kyouya recovered swiftly and bowed formally towards the Amamiya matriarch. "Thank you, Daidouji-sama. It's an honor to meet you."

"I would like to thank you for taking care of my daughter," she said quietly. Her eyes were full of sincere gratitude. "Please continue your care."

Fuyumi stepped aside to join her mother on the couch. Kyouya moved a step forward to his parents. He turned to her and extended his hand towards Tomoyo. His smile was cool and confident. She took it without hesitation.

"Father and Mother, I would like to present Tomoyo Daidouji to you." He noted the tears in his mother's and sister's eyes. His brothers were exchanging smiles. And his father was actually smiling at him. "She is my fiancée."

Tomoyo bowed formally to her future in-laws. She smiled warmly as she met their curious gaze. They didn't look intimidating. Instead, they looked very pleased. "I am pleased to meet you. Please take care of me."

A moment of silence passed.

Yoshio cleared his throat. He smiled at his future daughter-in-law and gestured for her to join them. She went to sit down on one of the single couches while Kyouya went to stand behind her. He stared at her some more before he spoke. "You've grown up into a beautiful woman just like your mother. Am I right, Hatsuoki-san?"

Tomoyo shifted her gaze towards the woman sitting on his right. She was a strikingly beautiful woman. It was obvious where Kyouya and Fuyumi got their intense gray-blue eyes. The Ohtori matriarch smiled at her coolly. "You are right."

"We've met before, Daidouji-kun," continued Kyouya's father. She looked surprised at this bit of information. Kyouya's hand went to her shoulder and squeezed it lightly to remind her to stay calm. "You used to come to the office with your father as a little girl. You were a pretty little thing."

Kyouya noticed Sonomi's surprise but it was gone as swiftly as it came. He looked at his parents and noticed their mixed expressions. It was obvious that Yoshio liked Tomoyo but his mother might need some more convincing. She was having a hard time letting go of her last unmarried son. He stopped himself from heaving a sigh.

"Tomoyo-san must be a good cook. She baked a Christmas cake!" Fuyumi said brightly. "I'm sure that it will be delicious. Shall we have it after lunch?"

Tomoyo and Kyouya exchanged quick looks as their parents resumed their conversation. The hard part was over. She gave his hand a squeeze and he let her go. Fuyumi got up to sit on one of the arms of her chair, much to Kyouya's irritation.

"Can I see your ring?" Fuyumi asked, obviously excited and intrigued. She took Tomoyo's prettily manicured hand to gaze at her brother's choice. It was a beautiful ring and it suited his future bride. "It's an exquisite engagement ring. Nice choice, Kyouya-san. If you don't mind, I'd like to resume my interrupted chat with Daidouji-chan."

The women got up. Tomoyo mouthed I-don't-mind to him and gave a bright smile. He sat down on the chair she vacated to watch the two important women of his life to retreat into a corner. Sonomi turned to him with a smile that he returned. It was time to start charming his mother-in-law.

Tomoyo, on the other hand, was quite taken aback by his elder sister's carefree attitude. Kyouya was very different because he was so serious! She was led to a corner of the living room, away from the rest of the family. Fuyumi smiled again as they stopped in front of a large oil painting.

"I'm sorry. I had to take you away to get to know you," said the older woman. She cast a fond look to her family. "They'll all want a chat at one time or another. Tell me about yourself, Daidouji-san. If you're going to be my sister-in-law then we should be friends. How do you find Kyouya-san?"

She nodded in agreement. In-laws could make or break her married life. Taking a deep breath, she answered slowly. "I think he's a good man and he's attractive. He's taken very good care of me."

"He likes to take care of everyone," said the dark-haired woman fondly. Pride shone out of her eyes. She always loved her youngest brother best. "Of course, he seems unapproachable and greedy but that's not true. He's as generous as they get."

The songstress nodded her assent. She'd never seen Kyouya stop himself from spending if it was for a good cause. He'd never said no to Tamaki or to the Host Club either, according to Haruhi. When it came to their slow courtship, she could attest to his generosity.

"Kyouya-san didn't want to get married although Father pressured him from time to time. He always told me that he hasn't met the right woman," Fuyumi focused her startlingly gray-blue eyes on the younger woman. She was smiling. Her heart skipped. "I believe that he's correct in his choice now."

"Thank you," said Tomoyo humbly.

"It's also the first time that I've seen him in love," his elder sister said with a conspirational wink. "You're a lucky girl, Daidouji-san. My brother is the type who will take care and cherish his wife. He might be a handful sometimes but he's loyal and caring. He'll definitely protect you and he won't stand for threats to your welfare. Kyouya-san likes to take care of the people he loves… in his own way."

She smiled. "I know."

Fuyumi smiled back. Tomoyo had the sense that they would have a merry time of it when she joined their family. She was genuinely kind and she truly cared about her younger brother. Her eyes went sad. "Kyouya-san had very little happiness when we were children. It's very hard to grow up in the shadow of other people. Not to mention that our father was hard on him."

The dark-haired heiress followed her line of vision. She bit back a gasp as she looked up at the life-sized oil painting of the main branch of the Ohtori family. The proud parents, the three sons and one daughter looked seriously at the viewer. Her eyes noted the similarities easily and read their emotions without any trouble.

Kyouya was six-year-old in the painting, she assessed. He looked very serious and distinguished for a little boy. Where was his smile?

"I hope you'll continue making him happy," whispered his elder sister. "He's got very few pleasures in life."

Her heart quivered inside her chest. She didn't know that Kyouya suffered too. He was always so collected and confident around her. Oh, she felt a surge of protectiveness for him. She vowed that she would never hurt him.

Fuyumi watched her brother's bride with a small smile. Nobody knew that he used to talk to her about a mysterious unrequited love when she stayed at home. She was the only he was comfortable talking to. Nobody realized that she was the first sibling that he called after his engagement.

Soon, very soon, she will have to hand him to this beautiful girl with sad eyes. There was no doubt that she will love her brother as much as she was capable. Perhaps, she wished, the sadness will fade from their hearts as they journeyed together.

They were called to lunch afterwards. The two women walked with their arms linked, obviously at ease with each other. Kyouya watched them without comment. He knew that his sister possessed the same Ohtori cunning but he knew that his fiancée possessed something more.

The engaged couple sat down together at their designated places. As expected, the lunch was delicious and exquisite. Conversation flowed naturally. Neither of them spoke until it was time for dessert.

Kyouya stared at the tasteful chocolate cake that the maid laid at the center of the table. He sensed Tomoyo's nervousness although she kept a smile on her face. His brothers had engaged her in conversation about business that she participated in with such intellect and finesse that she impressed them. He said that she didn't have to bring anything but she still persisted.

What a stubborn woman, he thought fondly.

Tomoyo glanced at his expression when the maid placed a slice of cake in front of him. He caught her eye. She blushed as he picked up his fork and took a quick bite. He saw her release a relieved sigh when he smiled. It was delicious.

"Now," Sonomi turned towards her future son-in-law "I think we should let you both know that marriage is a serious business. It's a lot of hard work. And it takes adults to maintain such a large commitment."

Neither of them said anything.

Yoshio cleared his throat. "Marriage also gives value for hard work. When you're working for your family, you will have a sense of satisfaction in your material belongings. It means that you're providing for people other than yourself."

The brown-haired CEO nodded vigorously. "When you have children, you'll understand the value of working hard."

Kyouya choked on his glass of water. His siblings bit back their smiles. Tomoyo's blush intensified.

"How many children do you intend to have?" Hatsuoki Ohtori asked casually. However her gaze on the pretty newcomer was intense. "I believe that Kyouya-san's wife should stay at home to look after the children. We Ohtoris put obedience and honor as a priority in a child's upbringing."

Tomoyo caught Sonomi's eyes. Her mother nodded slightly to encourage her. She mustered a shy smile. But Kyouya beat her to it.

"We haven't talked about children yet, Mother." He said smoothly. His mother's eyebrow rose. "But we both agreed on at least three children. They'll definitely take after their illustrious grandparents."

Placated, Hatsuoki offered a small smile. "You will both have beautiful children, I'm sure. Don't hesitate to use our medical facilities someday. We didn't put them up for nothing."

The dinner party laughed uncomfortably at her joke.

Yoshio turned to his youngest son seriously. His voice was stern. "An Ohtori is a man of honor. What marriage brought together cannot be separated easily by man or law. You must always stand by your decision."

His son nodded gravely. It was one of the rules that made his parent's marriage so successful. Their family had no trouble with extra-marital affairs thanks to this commandment. He had no desire to stray from it. Tomoyo nodded. "I understand."

"You will both be very happy," Sonomi declared. "I propose a toast to the engaged couple."

The rest of the family cheered.

The guests took their leave as soon as lunch was over. Sonomi walked ahead of the couple, chatting on her mobile phone with her secretary. The pair walked side by side through the spacious halls of the mansion. As soon as they reached the front door, Tomoyo turned to look at her fiancée. "Thank you," she said simply.

"No, I should thank you. Father and my brothers will like the wine that you sent. Mother and my big sister will appreciate the perfumes. You did well today," Kyouya said quietly. He stared at her beautiful face. In a year's time, she would definitely be his. "It's not necessary but we thank you."

"I wanted to give you my gift in private but we don't have any more time," she said as she fumbled with the contents of her bag. He watched as she extracted a medium-sized box wrapped in colorful wrapping paper. "I hope that you will like it."

The businessman looked surprised but he smiled warmly. He accepted her gift. She looked at him expectantly. "May I open it now?" he asked softly.

"Yes please," she nodded shyly. Her mother climbed inside the limousine. She prayed that he will like her gift.

Kyouya opened his gift with a mixture of excitement and joy. It was the first time that he actually received something from her. He carefully extracted a gray box with a picture of a top model of a mobile phone. His quick eyes didn't miss the name of the manufacturer. "This is not available in the market yet."

She smiled. "Yes. It's the first model of our new line. I know that you'll be very busy next year so you need a gadget that will keep up with you."

"Thank you," he smiled back. What she said next made her dearer to his heart.

"I want us to be in constant communication," Tomoyo said very quietly. Her blue-violet eyes were filled with seriousness. "My name is in speed dial. You're on mine. I want to be the first person you talk to in the morning…"

"You'll be the last person to hear me say good night," Kyouya finished. He wanted to hug her but he knew that everyone was watching. She smiled because she understood his dilemma. "Thank you, Tomoyo-san."

"We're expected at Sakura-chan's tomorrow," she reminded him. Her eyes were laughing when she stood on tiptoe to kiss his cheek. He was very surprised at her impulsive decision. She took him completely by surprise.

She walked to the limousine with her head held up high. Christmas was just around the corner. It wasn't too late to show Kyouya what a real welcome in their family was like.

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A/N: Hello! It's been a long time since I actually updated the story but rest assured that I'm going to continue! I've got so many things lined up for our beloved lovers so we can't leave them hanging! Please continue to support the story!