Disclaimer: Erm...basically, nothing's mine except the plot idea and even that I'm sure, has been done before.

Notes:

The line breaks indicate time or POV shifts.

I hope that I got my Japanese words right since I haven't written an anime fic in almost three years.

I don't have a beta reader so please tell me about any mistakes you find!

I've only seen the first 12 eps. of CCS, so I apologize if the characterizations are off or if I screwed up some major plot device. Bows apologetically.

Kero-chan is here because....well I don't really know why he's here. I don't know what happens at the end of the series so...Yeah. And don't tell me cuz I don't want it spoiled!

Please critique me! I need constructive criticism to get better! Arigtou Gozaimasu! bows

Unfulfilled Promises

By: silverkitsunechan (ssilverfoxx)

Chapter 1: A Promise Remembered

"SAKURA-CHAN!"

Sakura bolted upright. "Nani Kero-chan," she asked groggily as she rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. Squinting, she brought into focus the tiny golden figure floating in front of her.

"You're gonna be late!"

"NANI?!" she yelped as she grabbed her alarm clock. It read 7:15.

"Aaah!" Sakura jumped out of bed, the last vestiges of sleep erased from her face. She ran to the bathroom and turned on the shower to let the water heat. Meanwhile she frantically gathered her uniform from her closet and grabbed a towel from the cabinet.

"Why didn't you wake me up earlier, Kero-chan?" she complained as she searched messily through her drawer for her other sock.

"It's not my job to make sure that you get to school on time," he started righteously. "Plus," he muttered, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly, "I overslept too."

"Wai! I found it!" Sakura exclaimed as she ran for the shower. She quickly threw off her clothes and jumped in. Five minutes later, she was out and drying herself with a towel.

Gomen nasai Tomoyo-chan! Please don't be mad at me! It was their day to clean the classroom and Sakura hated, more than anything, letting other people down, especially her best friend.

Glancing in the mirror, Sakura saw that she still had a pillowcase mark on her face. Mourning her lost sleep she began combing out her wet hair. It was significantly longer than it had been when she was younger, now reaching the small of her back. Tomoyo-chan had encouraged her to grow it out when she had started high school. She refused to grow it any longer because of her sports, but she felt that it was a fitting tribute to her mother. Plus, it was pretty.

Deciding to let her hair dry as she rollerbladed to school, Sakura grabbed her backpack, and ran downstairs. Touya sat at the table reading the paper as he and Yukito waited for the pancakes to cook. They were both attending the local university. Her father, a professor at the same university was out of town at an archaeologist convention.

"Ohayo Sakura-chan!" Yukito said brightly with a wave.

Blushing slightly, Sakura responded. "Ohayo Yukito-san." She had long since rid herself of the all consuming crush that she'd had on her brother's best friend for years, but that didn't stop her from feeling a little flustered in his presence. After all, he was quite handsome. And certainly he's the only handsome man who's ever sweet to me. Sakura thought thinking of specific others, namely one Li Syaoran.

"Oi kaijuu, I thought it was your day to clean the classroom," her brother noted.

Stomping on his foot and ignoring his pained look she replied, "It is. I'm just going to grab something and eat it on the way." Racing through the kitchen, she grabbed an apple and some pocky in addition to the lunch her father had made her.

"Mmm. Nutritious," Touya remarked sarcastically. "You better watch it or you'll end up fat!" He laughed "A fat kaijuu! Not that you could make any more noise than you already do!"

Turning around with a dangerous glint in her eye Sakura stomped on his foot...and missed as he pulled it away!

Fine. She thought as she smacked him across the back of his head. "Don't call me kaijuu!" She yelled behind her while racing to the front steps to put on her rollerblades.

"Itai!" Touya moaned. "Mou, you'd think she'd be a little more mature for a 17 year-old."

"Hm." Yukito murmured while calmly sipping his tea. "It must run in the family."

"Oi!"

It's so beautiful today! Sakura thought as she bladed down the sidewalk with a pocky stick hanging between her lips. The trees were beginning to lose their blooms and their petals drifted down all around her, some landing in her hair. The dying blossoms had a particular smell, so sweet it was almost too much. It was already warm. It smells like sunshine! Sakura thought happily.

Glancing down at her watch she cringed. 7:45. I'm fifteen minutes late! Onegai Tomoyo-chan, don't be mad at me!

She ran her fingers through her hair attempting to hurry the drying process. She winced as her fingers hit a particularly vicious snarl. Itai! She thought as her eyes filled with tears. Partially blind, attempting to eat her pocky at the same time and minus, of course, her hands, Sakura felt herself beginning to weave along the sidewalk. Oh no...she thought, and sure enough she felt herself crash into something hard and fall.

"Itai..." she moaned piteously as she rubbed her bottom. Wiping the tears from her eyes, Sakura glanced up to see what...or rather who she had crashed into.

"Crying already? Well, after all, it's what I'd expect from a baka like you."

Sakura groaned. Just when I though my day couldn't get any worse...

With a cheerful smile she said, "Ohayo, Li-kun!"

During her Cardcaptor days she and Li had been allies and dare she say it? A little more than Just Friends. Sorta. After their final battle Li-kun had returned home to Hong Kong. Suddenly, in the beginning of this year, her last year in high school, he had returned! She had expected that their camaraderie would return as well, but she was wrong. Instead, he had returned more obnoxious than ever...and handsomer than ever. They were still friends, in a weird way. He was never open with her, never candid, and certainly never complimentary. It was almost as if he didn't like her anymore and yet...if that were the case, why did he even bother?

Why did he come back? Sakura wondered for the gazillionth time. At first, she had hoped that he had returned for her. But now she realized that that was silly. They had only been children and hadn't known what love was. Not that kind of love anyway, How could she expect him to fulfill a promise that he had made when, at the time, he hadn't even realized what he was promising.

Looking down at her, Li Syaoran wondered just what she was thinking. Sakura had been lost in thought for a good ten seconds or so, gazing off at...something. Ha. She probably knocked herself for a loop. She looked so silly, sitting there on the concrete in her short skirt, her damp hair clinging to her face. It even had a couple of flower petals stuck in it. Pink...her favorite color. She looks so silly, so stupid, so...appealing.

Shaking his head to rid it of useless thoughts he asked, "Oi. Isn't it your and Daidouji-san's turn to clean today?"

Her clear green eyes abruptly focused on him and he felt a little jolt. He watched the dawning and the eventual panic.

"Aaaah! Now I'm really late!" she wailed as she got up, quickly dusted off her backside, and took off. "I'll see you in class Li-kun!" she yelled back to him with a friendly wave.

He sighed. "Baka."

"Gomengomengomen! Please Tomoyo-chan, forgive me for being so late!" Sakura begged.

"Don't be silly Sakura-chan," Tomoyo said readily, "Of course I forgive you!"

"Demo...I don't forgive myself," Sakura muttered. More loudly she continued, "You had to do everything by yourself. Wash the boards, erasers, sweep, clean the desks...it's just not right. So what can I do to make it up to you?" she asked seriously.

Tomoyo laughed. "You really feel bad about this don't you?"

Sakura nodded fervently.

"Okay then, you can take me to the ice cream shop after school and treat me," she said eyes twinkling.

"Hai! Demo...somehow that doesn't seem fair, since I like going to the ice cream shop."

Tomoyo shrugged innocently, her purple eyes sparkling. She still looked the same as when she was younger, only... She's the prettiest girl at this school. Sakura thought with a sigh as Tomoyo began organizing her supplies for school. And she's so nice and mature. I'm so lucky to have her as my best friend!

Suddenly the door to the classroom opened.

"Ohayo Daidouji-san, Kinomoto-baka."

"Ohayo Li-kun!" Tomoyo called out cheerfully.

"Why you..." Sakura started as she marched towards him ready to deliver justice both swiftly and painfully.

"Li-kun." Tomoyo stepped gracefully in front of the irked Sakura. "Why don't you come with us after school? We're going to get ice-cream, Sakura's treat, ne Sakura-chan?"

"Ano...demo Tomoyo-chan..." she started uneasily.

"Remember Sakura-chan, you owe me," Tomoyo whispered gently into her ear.

Keeping her temper in check Sakura to face Li. "Hai. We would be pleased if you would join us, my treat." She even managed a smile.

"Well, since you asked so nicely...I guess I'll tag along." As Li brushed by them on the way to his seat he patted Sakura on the head. "I hope you brought enough money Kinomoto-baka. I can tell already that I'm going to be really hungry after school."

"Mou. That guy." Sakura stomped her foot indignantly as he walked away though truth be told, she was glad that he had patted her. When he had first returned, Li wouldn't even come within two feet of her. She still remembered the rejection she had felt when she welcomed him back with a hug that he had quickly extricated himself from and called her Kinomoto-san.

Why can't he call me Sakura? It's not like we don't know each other...though it has been almost eight years. But still! Doesn't everything we went through count for anything? So thinking, Sakura sighed.

"Daijoubu Sakura-chan?" Tomoyo-chan asked.

"Hai!" she replied with a grin. "I just can't wait to go get ice-cream."

Knowing her best friends penchant for sweets, Tomoyo smiled.

Li watched them from his desk. Not obviously of course. He was pretending to read a book, making sure that he tilted his head downwards so that his hair covered his eyes. He could never get enough of watching them...her. She had grown so much since he had left. Besides being a good deal taller, bringing her to about 5'4", and having grown her hair out, she had matured a lot. She still cared deeply for her friends, he could see that. She was still genki and kind, smart and athletic, and quick. But there were contemplative silences that had not been there before. Though she had always been a good student, there was a new level of concentration and dedication to her schoolwork, even the subjects that she hated. She was more patient.

And she was more beautiful than ever. Li groaned silently. It just wasn't fair. Her hair had always been a beautiful color, but it had deepened with age to a darker, redder mahogany...and it was long. She looks good...wonderful with long hair, he thought. Her eyes were as clear as ever, sparkling with intelligence, mirth, and when he was around, temper. Her figure had filled out, though not to the extent that Daidouji's had. She was more slender, and well-toned from her athletics. But she definitely had enough curves to entice...He felt himself blushing. Li knew that he was in dangerous territory. He couldn't afford to think of her like that. It was hard enough to be a marginal friend with her.

He didn't know how to act around her. She was so confident, smart, and pretty. She clearly didn't need him. Not like he needed her. I'm so weak, he thought disgustedly. I know I can't have her...so why am I here? But he knew. He knew the reason. He had made promise...and he had every intention of keeping it, even if he didn't know how, even if it was impossible, and even if she didn't want him to.

End Chapter 1

Notes: I hope that you enjoyed and that I got the characters right. I'm sure that changes will be made in the future. In the meantime, let me know what you think. I'm kinda rusty at fic writin' since the last fandom I was involved in was Gundam Wing about three years ago. Thanks so much! Ja ne!