"You're actually nervous," Kaho Mitsuki sounded faintly surprised as the long brown haired woman reached out to place a hand on her lover's shoulder comfortingly. Sonomi Daidouji ran a hand through her shorter and dark hair and sighed. "Tomoyo and I always fight," she reminded her, "it's almost a law of nature." "Maybe this year will be different," Kaho said to her gently, "she did say she was bringing a friend along." "Maybe a professional referee?" Sonomi joked. All around them people were finishing the final preparations for the party at the mansion, laying out the food and setting up drinks just before the first arrivals were due to arrive. Then silently the caterers and maids faded to the background, waiting to be called on to serve as needed. Sonomi was firmly in her hostess mode as she greeted close friends and various business associates, her smile coolly welcoming and manner kept entirely professional. Kaho still couldn't get over seeing the many sides of her lover, how she could be the perfect business woman yet also such a passionate lover, too. Kaho blinked in surprise as she saw a familiar figure smoothly glide into the entrance way, her black hair up in a fine style. "On behalf of my grandmother I thank you for inviting me," Mei-lin said as she bowed formally to Sonomi, "and I'm certain that she looks forward to working more closely with your company." "The honor is mine," Sonomi answered with her own graceful bow, "and I hope you have a good time tonight." "I occasionally forget how well connected Mei-lin's family is," Kaho murmured as she moved up to stand beside Sonomi, exchanging a smile and nod with the younger woman who moved off to circulate through the crowd. Sonomi squeezed her hand gently, smiling back as they waited till Mei-lin had moved on. "They have contacts all over Hong Kong and China," she agreed, "inviting Mei-lin seemed a small enough thing to earn some good favor." "How you holding up?" Kaho asked, seeing a flicker of nerves in her eyes. "Just wondering when she's going to get here," Sonomi quietly admitted, "or even if she's really coming. Tomoyo isn't the type to be fashionably late." Kaho paused as they saw a flicker of movement near the entrance then said, "I think your question just got answered." There are some people who need to wear finery, to purchase glitter and bangles to highlight whatever natural beauty they had, but obviously Tomoyo wasn't one of them. Instead she had gone for subtle elegance, wearing a simple black dress, a touch of makeup and little silver earrings. Beside her a lovely reddish brown haired woman walked beside her, holding on to Tomoyo's arm as if it was the most natural thing in the world. "Dr. Kinomoto?" Kaho blinked. Sonomi smiled slightly as she whispered, "Remind me to talk to my investigators... they clearly missed the relationship between them." "Good evening mother," Tomoyo said quietly as she neared them, "happy birthday." "Thank you," Sonomi said as she took a small package from Tomoyo. She smiled at Tomoyo's companion, "May I ask...?" "Like you don't know," Tomoyo murmured back with a wry smile. Louder she said, "I'd like you to meet Doctor Sakura Kinomoto." "Just Sakura, please," she smiled as she tossed Tomoyo a amused look, "I think she gets far too much pleasure tossing my doctorate around." Tomoyo smiled slightly, "You should be proud of it." "It's nice to meet you, Sakura," Sonomi purred. She studied her a moment, "I think I may have known your mother, Nadesico...?" "Yes," Sakura nodded with a faint bit of regret in her expression as she asked, "Tomoyo tells me you were cousins?" "We were very close," Sonomi agreed. Tomoyo frowned slightly, giving her mother a warning look. "Why don't we get some refreshments," she said, "I'm sure Sonomi has other guests she needs to see to." "I look forward to seeing you later,." Sakura smiled as Tomoyo led her off. "You have the oddest look on your face," Kaho said as she gently pulled Sonomi to a private corner of the grand reception hall. "I feel like I saw a ghost," Sonomi confessed softly. She smiled wryly, "Sakura is the very image of a younger Nadesico..." "And you were in love with her," Kaho guessed. "Yes," Sonomi admitted, flagging down a waiter and retrieving a glass of fine wine. Taking a sip she said, "I never told her, of course." "First love," Kaho sighed. She looked at Sonomi thoughtfully and asked, "So you've never met Sakura before?" "I was an ass about her marriage to Kinomoto," Sonomi admitted with a sigh, "that's why we were out of touch for a while... then she died, and we never had a chance to make up." "I'm so sorry," Kaho said, squeezing her hand gently. Over by the buffet Sakura and Tomoyo were loading up their plates while talking together softly. "I don't think I was quite expecting a mansion," Sakura admitted, smiling faintly as she looked at Tomoyo a bit worriedly. "Maybe I should have warned you," Tomoyo conceded the point, sipping her drink. Softly she said, "It's got fifty rooms including an indoor sauna, a ball room and a dining hall that can serve over one hundred people." "And you grew up here?" Sakura asked. "Sort of," Tomoyo shrugged, "in between boarding schools." She looked off into the distance, "I think I have fonder memories of the bodyguards and maids, honestly." Softly Sakura said, "Are you all right?" Tomoyo looked at her in surprise, then reached up to wipe at her eyes. "Sorry," she said, "coming here always makes me feel odd..." Sakura took her hands, squeezing them gently. "From what you've told me I can understand," she said softly. Tomoyo met those caring eyes and was surprised to feel her heart skip a beat in a most pleasant way. She opened her mouth to say something... ...when a familiar voice said, "Fancy seeing you here." "Mei-lin," Sakura exclaimed as the elegant looking Asian woman walked up to them, her eyes sweeping over the two of them. "I'm sorry to interrupt," Mei-lin said apologetically, her lips twisted in a half smile. "That's quite all right," Tomoyo answered, sighing. She had no idea what might have happened between her and Sakura before they were interrupted, but it was clearly too late to do anything about it now. "I wasn't expecting to see you here," she added. Mei-lin smiled calmly, "My grandmother is a business associate of Ms. Daidouji, so naturally I was invited." "Ah," Tomoyo nodded. "It's good to have another friend here, isn't it?" Sakura offered cheerfully. Tomoyo smiled wryly, "I suppose so." Mei-lin's eyes twinkled with amusement as she asked, "So what do you think of Sonomi dating the boss?" "Hoee?" Sakura looked startled. Tomoyo smiled at her gently, "There's been a rumor around the paper that Kaho and Sonomi are seeing each other." She nodded towards where the two older woman stood close together, "Looks like it may be true."
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