CHAPTER ONE: SURPRISE, SAKURA!
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the CCS characters as they belong to their most esteemed creator.
A 16-year-old teenage girl stood in front of the mirror brushing her long, curly brown hair. Her usually sparkling emerald eyes were dull and her joyful smile gone. Kinomoto Sakura stared at her reflection. Her slim figure had filled out and she was no longer a small girl but a young lady. Sakura, however, had other thoughts on her mind, thoughts concerning a certain boy with amber eyes. 'Syaoran-kun,' she sighed.
It had been 3 years since Syaoran had moved back to Hong Kong and she really missed him. During their first year of parting, she and Syaoran had been contacting each other regularly but since his last call two years ago, she hadn't heard a word from him. As her gaze fell on a worn handmade bear, a gentle smile touched Sakura's lips. It reminded her of a promise, THE promise. 'Let's make a promise, Sakura,' Syaoran said, smiling as he intertwined his finger with hers, 'to see each other again some day.' Yes, those were his exact words. She could still remember how his deep amber eyes twinkled...how gently he held her hand...
Suddenly, a loud knocking jolted Sakura out of her reverie. Looking down at her abandoned brush and hair band, she quickly did up her hair, shouting, 'Hai, I'm coming!' Taking a peek at her watch, Sakura let out a scream, which shook the house. 'HOEEE! I'm sooo late!' Throwing the door open, she rushed by her brother and down the stairs. 'You would think that she could at least be early for her own birthday party,' Touya muttered under his breath, striding after her.
Both siblings left the house a moment later, Sakura on rollerblades and Touya on his bicycle. The cool breeze stung Sakura's flushed cheeks as she skated in elation. There was nothing she liked better to do than skate. Well, except for hanging out with Syaoran that is. But, her peace was destined not to last. 'Oi, kaiju, last one to Tomoyo's house has to wash the dishes tonight,' challenged Touya, speeding up. 'Mou...kaiju ja nai wa yo,' retorted Sakura, trying to catch up to her brother.
At Tomoyo's house, the ring of the doorbell interrupted the partying guests. 'That must be the birthday girl herself,' remarked Eriol, his blue eyes twinkling with amusement. Tomoyo flung open the door to reveal a very flushed and panting Touya and Sakura. 'Sakura! I thought you were not coming!' she squealed, hugging her friend tightly before letting the both of them in. Sakura was about to tease her brother on the outcome of the race when she noticed his girlfriend, Ruby, chatting with him. She felt suddenly very sad.
Just then, she was pulled into the crowd. Very soon, she was giggling away with Naoko and Chiharu, her eyes widening at Yamazaki's tall tales. All the while this was going on, Tomoyo stood on the sidelines, filming everything with her trusty video camera. Sakura almost fell over as her friends piled present after present in her arms. Eriol charmed her by conjuring a rose out of thin air. 'For you, beautiful blossom,' he said, presenting the rose elaborately to an embarrassed Sakura, amidst the laughter of her friends.
Tomoyo placed her camera down and answered the persistently ringing phone. 'OH MY GOSH! It's YOU!' she cried. To her friends' surprise, she began giggling like mad and this was followed by vigorous nodding. 'No problem,' she said, replacing the phone. 'Who was it?' asked Sakura curiously but Tomoyo just smiled and shook her head. But, when Sakura wasn't watching, she pulled Eriol to her and whispered in his ear. Eriol's lips twitched into a smile.
The lights were dimmed as Tomoyo stood on a low table, clapping her hands to get everyone's attentions. 'Minnasan, it's time for Sakura-chan to blow the candles on her cake,' she announced. Amidst cheering, Sakura stood before a large and beautifully decorated cake, covered in pink and white icing. Written on it were the words, 'HAPPY BIRTHDAY SAKURA'. Taking a deep breath, Sakura puffed out all the flames on the candles. Then, it was on to the presents. The pile slowly dwindled as Sakura unwrapped the gifts one-by- one but when she tore the wrapping paper of the last parcel, she was struck by a sudden realization that she hadn't gotten anything from the person she loved most. Choking down her disappointment, she thanked her friends.
Just then, the festivities were once again interrupted by the doorbell. Jumping to her feet, Tomoyo rushed to the door. Hushed whispers and a loud cry of, 'Wait here!' could be heard before Tomoyo came back into the room. 'Sakura,' she said, grabbing her friend's hand, 'a package just arrived for you from Hong Kong.' Happiness bubbled in Sakura. So, he hand't forgotten after all! But before she could dash to the door, Eriol stopped her. 'Let's make it more of a surprise,' he suggested, 'why don't we blindfold you first?' Sakura struggled to keep still as Tomoyo tied her blindfold on firmly before leading her to the mysterious package.
As darkness enveloped her, Sakura could hear strangled giggles and whispers all around her. With Tomoyo patiently guiding her, she felt her way to her surprise gift. 'Here,' Eriol murmured into her ear, as Sakura felt the silkiness of wrapping paper beneath her fingertips. Gentle hands helped her untie the knots before the blindfold fell away from her eyes. Her gaze shifted to the owner of the hands.
Sakura gasped.
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the CCS characters as they belong to their most esteemed creator.
A 16-year-old teenage girl stood in front of the mirror brushing her long, curly brown hair. Her usually sparkling emerald eyes were dull and her joyful smile gone. Kinomoto Sakura stared at her reflection. Her slim figure had filled out and she was no longer a small girl but a young lady. Sakura, however, had other thoughts on her mind, thoughts concerning a certain boy with amber eyes. 'Syaoran-kun,' she sighed.
It had been 3 years since Syaoran had moved back to Hong Kong and she really missed him. During their first year of parting, she and Syaoran had been contacting each other regularly but since his last call two years ago, she hadn't heard a word from him. As her gaze fell on a worn handmade bear, a gentle smile touched Sakura's lips. It reminded her of a promise, THE promise. 'Let's make a promise, Sakura,' Syaoran said, smiling as he intertwined his finger with hers, 'to see each other again some day.' Yes, those were his exact words. She could still remember how his deep amber eyes twinkled...how gently he held her hand...
Suddenly, a loud knocking jolted Sakura out of her reverie. Looking down at her abandoned brush and hair band, she quickly did up her hair, shouting, 'Hai, I'm coming!' Taking a peek at her watch, Sakura let out a scream, which shook the house. 'HOEEE! I'm sooo late!' Throwing the door open, she rushed by her brother and down the stairs. 'You would think that she could at least be early for her own birthday party,' Touya muttered under his breath, striding after her.
Both siblings left the house a moment later, Sakura on rollerblades and Touya on his bicycle. The cool breeze stung Sakura's flushed cheeks as she skated in elation. There was nothing she liked better to do than skate. Well, except for hanging out with Syaoran that is. But, her peace was destined not to last. 'Oi, kaiju, last one to Tomoyo's house has to wash the dishes tonight,' challenged Touya, speeding up. 'Mou...kaiju ja nai wa yo,' retorted Sakura, trying to catch up to her brother.
At Tomoyo's house, the ring of the doorbell interrupted the partying guests. 'That must be the birthday girl herself,' remarked Eriol, his blue eyes twinkling with amusement. Tomoyo flung open the door to reveal a very flushed and panting Touya and Sakura. 'Sakura! I thought you were not coming!' she squealed, hugging her friend tightly before letting the both of them in. Sakura was about to tease her brother on the outcome of the race when she noticed his girlfriend, Ruby, chatting with him. She felt suddenly very sad.
Just then, she was pulled into the crowd. Very soon, she was giggling away with Naoko and Chiharu, her eyes widening at Yamazaki's tall tales. All the while this was going on, Tomoyo stood on the sidelines, filming everything with her trusty video camera. Sakura almost fell over as her friends piled present after present in her arms. Eriol charmed her by conjuring a rose out of thin air. 'For you, beautiful blossom,' he said, presenting the rose elaborately to an embarrassed Sakura, amidst the laughter of her friends.
Tomoyo placed her camera down and answered the persistently ringing phone. 'OH MY GOSH! It's YOU!' she cried. To her friends' surprise, she began giggling like mad and this was followed by vigorous nodding. 'No problem,' she said, replacing the phone. 'Who was it?' asked Sakura curiously but Tomoyo just smiled and shook her head. But, when Sakura wasn't watching, she pulled Eriol to her and whispered in his ear. Eriol's lips twitched into a smile.
The lights were dimmed as Tomoyo stood on a low table, clapping her hands to get everyone's attentions. 'Minnasan, it's time for Sakura-chan to blow the candles on her cake,' she announced. Amidst cheering, Sakura stood before a large and beautifully decorated cake, covered in pink and white icing. Written on it were the words, 'HAPPY BIRTHDAY SAKURA'. Taking a deep breath, Sakura puffed out all the flames on the candles. Then, it was on to the presents. The pile slowly dwindled as Sakura unwrapped the gifts one-by- one but when she tore the wrapping paper of the last parcel, she was struck by a sudden realization that she hadn't gotten anything from the person she loved most. Choking down her disappointment, she thanked her friends.
Just then, the festivities were once again interrupted by the doorbell. Jumping to her feet, Tomoyo rushed to the door. Hushed whispers and a loud cry of, 'Wait here!' could be heard before Tomoyo came back into the room. 'Sakura,' she said, grabbing her friend's hand, 'a package just arrived for you from Hong Kong.' Happiness bubbled in Sakura. So, he hand't forgotten after all! But before she could dash to the door, Eriol stopped her. 'Let's make it more of a surprise,' he suggested, 'why don't we blindfold you first?' Sakura struggled to keep still as Tomoyo tied her blindfold on firmly before leading her to the mysterious package.
As darkness enveloped her, Sakura could hear strangled giggles and whispers all around her. With Tomoyo patiently guiding her, she felt her way to her surprise gift. 'Here,' Eriol murmured into her ear, as Sakura felt the silkiness of wrapping paper beneath her fingertips. Gentle hands helped her untie the knots before the blindfold fell away from her eyes. Her gaze shifted to the owner of the hands.
Sakura gasped.