I'm taking a break from my finals..haha.  damn priorities.  Well, I hope you enjoy this new story, I got the inspiration while listening to the song by Musiq Soulchild, 'Don't Change'. This is an alternate reality, no magic involved what so ever. Enjoy!

Summary:

Sakura is a young 19 year old college student, raised from a horrible little orphanage in Tokyo.  Although the orphanage lets out all children at the age of 16, she continues to come back to help the young, abused children. She's working her way through college, and gets noticed by a young her new friend Li Mei Lin.  Her cousin is in charge of the family's modeling business stationed in Tokyo that branched out from Hong Kong.  Hmm..I'll let your imagination run from there. ;')

Disclaimer: nope nope nope nope. I do not own CCS, what a pity.

- - - - -

Yells. Tears of pain, neglect, and sadness. Insults. Beatings.

For the past 16 years of Kinomoto Sakura's life, all these things have become something she had already adapted too.  Her whole adolescent life was spent in this hellhole of an orphanage in the large city of Tokyo, Japan.  Now being 19, and already accustomed to the brutal treatment of orphans, Sakura spent most of her time at the little children's ward, comforting and treating the small and neglected babies.

"Sakura," a dark haired young man began, "why are you still here?  You're already practically a grown a woman now. You should be living your life and having fun, not tying yourself down in this prison."

"I know Takashi, but I just can't help it," she answered, brushing the hair off of a young child forehead as she slept, "they are so young, so naive. I can't bear the fact of what they will go through growing up here."

Takashi sighed and sat on the bed with Sakura.  Having only been living at the orphanage for one year at the age of 15, he didn't fully understand how bad the children were kept.  "Sakura, I know you're a compassionate and selfless person, but you also have to take care of yourself.  When was the last time you actually went out and had some fun?"

Sakura stood up and visited another bed, this time a young boy of about 2 years old.  He had silky black hair and peered up at emerald eyes from under his tattered and rough blanket.  Realizing who it was, the young boy, Jet, scrambled up from and hugged the young woman with all his might.

Sakura laughed as she stroked his back, whispering reassurances into his ears.  She signaled for Takashi to some closer.  When he did, he noticed the purple bruises on the young boy's back and arms that Sakura was quietly pointing out to him.  Takashi winced at the sight, and then sighed.

"How do you think that I can go out and have fun, as you say, when I know what the children here are enduring day after day?" Sakura answered him.

"I'll meet you at home then," Takashi said, retreating from his lost attempt to try to cheer up Sakura.  He got up, ruffled Jet's hair, and gave Sakura a peck on the forehead. The nineteen-year old looked on as her friend silently closed the door to the ward.  She sighed and laid the now sleeping Jet back into his bed.

'I do get out,' Sakura thought to herself as she rushed out of the building. 'I'm working myself through college and whether Takashi believes it or not, I do have a goal for my future.'  Her fuzzy pink scarf was wrapped around her neck, and the wind tousled her auburn hair as she hustled down the busy Tokyo streets.  She didn't notice the look of admiration she got while she went down the street. 

Sakura stood at a short 5'2, her long hair reaching her small waist.  Her eyes were bright and friendly, despite the deep sadness that lingers behind the beauty.  Being a windy day, she wore a long white over coat, with a pink shirt and jeans underneath. Deep in thought, she didn't notice the young lady on a cell phone walking towards her until it was too late.  The two collided and Sakura managed to catch the flying the cell phone before it hit the ground.

"Oh! I'm so sorry miss! I wasn't looking where I was going! Please forgive my clumsiness," Sakura began, bowing and handing the lady her cell phone.

The woman looked about her age.. She had long dark hair in two buns and her ruby eyes stared back at her.

"Arigato," she said, with a tiny hint of a Chinese accent, "it was my fault actually. I wasn't paying attention."  She spoke a couple of fast words into her cell ('Chinese perhaps?' Sakura thought) and hung up.  "My name is Li Mei Lin, and I just moved here from Hong Kong," the stranger said, putting out her hand.

"I'm Kinomoto Sakura, welcome to Tokyo Japan Li-san," Sakura greeted, shaking her hand.

"Oh, call me Mei Lin, everybody does."

"Alright Mei Lin, you may call my Sakura.  So you're her here, ne? How do you like it so far?"

"It's beautiful here, but not as great as Hong Kong."

The two chatted for a while, instantly at ease with each other.  They walked the streets of Tokyo, deep in conversation.  Twenty minutes later, the shrill ringing of Mei Lin's cell interrupted them. 

"Sakura-chan! I need to go! You know my family business I was telling you about? Well, I'm sorta 10 minutes late for one of their meetings!" Mei Lin laughed. "Here. This is my cell phone number," she said, jotting it down on a paper, "call me tonight, yah?  I really enjoyed your company.  Maybe next time you can show me around the city?" and with that she was off, darting down the street, narrowly missing the pedestrians.

Sakura laughed. 'Well,' she thought, 'at least we know there are still some friendly people out there.  She was really nice!'  Glancing at her watch, Sakura's eye's bulged.  7:53!?  Awww man! Takashi and Tomoyo are gunna cream me!!

- - -

Well, that basically the beginning.  Don't worry..things will eventually fall into place. Until then, review and I'll keep writing. Sorry its kinda short..it's just a prologue!

P.S. I'm half way through the next chapter of 'Just Smile'. Heh..sorries guys.

Quote of the week: "It's either he's off his nut, or I'm off mine!" –George Bailey, 'It's a Wonderful Life"