NOTES BEFORE YOU READ: This story is undegoing an extreme amount of editing. If you catch a mistake, which you probably will, it is because I wasn't sure if I should change the character's name, etc. Yeah, two years of indecisiveness and it's still going! haha. - UPDATE: Editing is complete. Please enjoy.
CREATED: December 24, 2005 - - Sad Christmas Eve Day.. Motivated me to write a story tho! hehe.
PUBLISHED: April 7, 2007
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Chapter 1: How Stars Cross Paths
AT HER APARTMENT
"Hello?" Her face lightens up. " Tomoyo! Where are you? I've been looking for you everywhere! YOUR boyfriend's driving me crazy with the whole wedding thing!" This auburn-haired twenty-one year-old heard a giggle from the other side of the line.
" Don't worry, Sakura. I'm fine. I'm just back at the studio, doing a little last minute touch-ups on my wedding dress!" She merrily sung out the last few words. Sakura sighed.
"Ok, whatever, Tomoyo. But you better come quick. Your groom is worried that his bride has disappeared and gone away from his life." Tomoyo couldn't help but laugh.
"Ok, Sakura. I'll be there as soon as I get finished. See you soon! Bye!"
"Bye!" And then click, she hung up the phone. "Ok now, Eriol, Tomoyo is headed right here right now so no more worrying." The navy-blue haired boy was just sitting on a chair reading the newspaper. He happened to look over the paper he was reading and stare at Sakura as if she was crazy.
"Why, Sakura. What made you believe I was worried so?" She rolled her eyes.
"Yeah, right. Eriol. The constant 'where's my Tomoyo?!? She better not be alone!' every twenty minutes or the 'Where is she? It's been three hours now!?!' every five minutes, doesn't say you worried about her at all. What a great future husband you'll make for her." She stated in a sweet, informative, yet sarcastic way.
"You're a definite angel, Sakura. You sure are." Neatly putting the newspaper on the table. "Anyway, where did she say she was at?" He asked, almost automatically. She didn't know if he realized he just proved her point or not but she answered nonetheless.
Sakura Kinomoto, Tomoyo Daidouji and Eriol Hiiragizawa have been friends since they were toddlers. Actually, Eriol had entered little Sakura and little Tomoyo's life at the age of three, accompanying him with a little boy with messy chestnut hair from China. This messy chestnut haired boy was forced to go back to Hong Kong, China, where he was destined to take over his father's assets when the time had come, after only less than six months of stay at Japan. Of course, the little gang was saddened by the news of the departure of their little arrogant boy with messy brown hair. Since, Eriol is one of his relatives, he'd visit him in Hong Kong a couple times a year until they turned fifteen. Eriol found out the Elders made him go through severe 'training' of some sort, in complete solitude. Eriol was forbidden to visit him during that time, it was personal family matters that were not up for discussion. They hadn't heard from him since. Sakura's memory of her childhood friend was slowly disappearing.
She moved on and now it was time for her to focus on her medical career. She worked along side with her brother, Touya, in the hospital he built a couple of years ago. On the side, Sakura owned a florist store adjacent to Tomoyo's bookstore. They both agreed to have double-doors that attached the two stores for easier access to flowers and books. Just last year, Tomoyo had inherited Japan's Biggest Fashion Industrial Company of CB Corp. Ironically, Eriol and Sakura somehow began models for Tomoyo's latest clothing lines. What were the odds? She was a upcoming fashion designer too? Must run in the family. Anyway, three blocks away, Eriol owned a successful law firm that was already nation-wide and owned a small coffee shop across the street from Sakura and Tomoyo's stores. He was the head honcho of the Hiiragizawa's Law Firm and still had found time to get away from it all and work in a little coffee shop. Funny, how a coffee man turned lawyer, florist turned doctor and bookstore keeper turned designer all wound up together? Well, that's how fate brought them together and that's how fate made their friendship last all those years.
Fate. The last thing the young Sakura believed in. Fate had put her in the situation where she was deprived of a mother for sixteen years now. Her mother, Nadeshiko Kinomoto, died of tuberculosis towards the end of Sakura's third summer, when she also lost a dear friend to the clutches of Hong Kong's captivities of his family. It took her a while to recover from two big blows within three months passing. In the Kinomoto residence, no one suffered the most as Fujitawa, Sakura and Touya's father. He was the first to witness Nadeshiko at her death bedside as laid her head down to rest for all eternality. He had to shield both young Touya and Sakura from the reality of their mother's death. He didn't know how to tell his dear children. It was this one gloomy day….
FLASHBACK
"Daddy," This four-in-a-half year old girl looked up curiously at her father who was reading a book. "Daddy, Oooh! I'm so excited!" She excitedly climbed up his lap and giggled along the way.
"Why, sweetheart. What is so special about today?" He chuckled, unknowingly expecting the answer. .
"Why, daddy, you're so silly! Of course, today's May 20th! Mommy's birthday! It says so in Touya's calendar! Touya and I made her a cake! I hope she'll like it! Oooh, I can't wait to give it to her!" She merrily bounced on his lap. A sad frown appeared on his face, then his gaze went from the bouncy Sakura to the matured Touya leaning on the wall next to the kitchen counter wiping his floury hands, giving his father a smile of reassurance. The eight-year-old Touya had already explained the situation of their mother's death to the young Sakura, who fully understood the concept of life and death. Fujitawa was proud of his children. Touya was growing up to becoming a very responsible young gentleman, as for Sakura, she was growing up to becoming a very beautiful young lady and looking more and more like her mother each passing day.
"Dad," Touya not wanting to interrupt. "Can we visit mom's grave today?" He stumbled a bit but his father gave him the brightest smile he has ever seen from his father.
"Sure, son. That's a great idea."
END OF FLASHBACK
AT THE TOMOEDA CEMETERY
April went by fast and it was already May 10, her mother's death anniversary. If she had lived a little bit longer, her mother would have turned a year older, but unfortunately, she passed away ten days before her twenty-eighth birthday. Sakura went to her grave that evening and stayed there for a couple of hours, speaking to her mother's spirit. She was laying on the grass, near a sakura tree nearby.
"Mother." She sighed. "I don't know what to do, anymore. My life seems ordinary. Why don't I have fun? Why don't I enjoy life like you used to?" As she thought about it more, a stranger was standing right beside her with a bouquet of nadeshiko flowers.
"Hello, there. Are you familiar with Mrs. Nadeshiko Kinomoto?" The kind, stern voice asked. This caught Sakura by surprised.
"Uh-uh, yes! She was my mother!" She nervously announced. The kind stranger in the brown trench coat frowned.
"Oh, I'm terribly sorry for your loss."
"Oh," She didn't know what to say. "Well, I remembered my mother saying something about 'Seizing the moment and not dwelling in the past.' I think…" She thought about it a moment too long, earning her an odd look from the stranger in front of her. "Ah, yes! I believe, my father said to me that my mother did not want me to grieve over her passing for too long that I may never return to a normal life again. So, I am respecting her wishes, but I do believe she never left me in the first place." For a moment, while looking down at the grave, a flicker of sadness raced quickly over her face, then instantly left. "She's everywhere, you know that? She watches over me like a guardian angel." She smiled, reminding the stranger of Nadeshiko's smile.
"You do have Nadeshiko's features. I know for a fact, she would be very proud of you right now." She smiled, making Sakura smile.
"How did you know my mother?" She asked, curiously.
"Why, I've known her for many years now. I met her the first time we came here to Japan from Hong Kong. Oh, yes. She was a lovely young woman, that she was. She was a family friend. It was only this week, my eldest daughter told me of her passing. "
"Oh." She was listening intently. "Would you like to join me for lunch this evening? I'd love to hear more of your stories with my mother. You see, she had died when I was only three years old and I don't really know much about her, other than the stories my father and my brother tell me. "
"That sounds like a lovely idea. How about some tea at my house? It's just a few blocks from here."
"Sure, I'd love to. A friend of my mother's is a friend of mine. " They both chuckled a bit. "I'm sorry, but I didn't get your name." She very sweetly asked.
"Oh, dear. I seem to have forgotten to introduce myself. My name is Yelan Li. You must be Sakura Kinomoto. I've heard so much about you." She smiled at the girl who had no clue that she was standing right in front of the Queen of Hong Kong..
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Author's Notes: Ok, this is one of those stories I wrote so LOOOOOOOONNNGGGG ago and I happen to find it. Yeah, all the chapters are in one, yet it's not complete. No ending. Not sure whether I should continue. I was 12.24.05 when I started it. I was on and off with this one. (Kinda gives you a preview of my past relationships. Haha. XP) Anyway, if you read all the way through, please tell me how you like it or not like it. I was young when I made this, so I probably took little scenes from other stories and/or movies and connected to form this story. You might also noticed big gaps, changing of personalities, etc. because I never really looked back. I went by memory. Stubborn or lazy? Either one, I was both. So, thanks for reading and please review!!!
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