Author's Note - Hi there! This is my first fanfiction. Please be not-so-hard on the flaming if any. Reviews are appreciated! Oh yeah. I think this story has a slight similarity to another. I can't remember which but I was sorta inspired by that story. So give credit to my anonymus inspire-r. Notify me, please, if mistakes are spotted. Thanks.
Summary - A oneshot story about the sibling love between Touya and Sakura. Why is Touya so protective of Sakura, especially since after Nadeshiko's death? Takes place from before Nadeshiko's death.
"Happy Birthday, Sakura-chan!" Nadeshiko Kinomoto beamed at her just-turned-3-years-old daughter as she handed her a necklace of a pink cherry blossom petal crossed with a purple nadeshiko petal.
"Wai! Kirei! Kirei! Arigatou, okaa-sama!" Sakura Kinomoto smiled right back at her mother as she took the necklace from her small hands and placed it around her neck.
Suddenly, two hands covered her emerald eyes, which she had inherited from her mother and a boyish voice spoke behind her, "Guess who?"
Sakura turned immediately and embraced the speaker, an older boy whose hair was jet black like his mother and brown eyes like his father. "Onii-chan!"
10 year old Touya Kinomoto grinned and ruffled his younger sister's auburn hair before teasing, "Little kaijuu getting older, ne?"
Sakura huffed and pouted, releasing her brother and crossing her arms angrily, "Sakura no kaijuu, onii-chan!"
Touya's grin turned into an actual smile as he picked out his present from his pocket. "Happy birthday, Sakura." He pried her crossed arms open and dropped the present into her opened palm. It was a pink coloured charm, in the shape of a cherry blossom.
"Wai! Another pretty present!" Sakura's frown turned upside down immediately at the sight of the charm as she hugged it tightly to her chest. "Arigatou, onii-chan!" She thanked him as she flung her arms around his torso to hug him again.
"Sakura-chan, look who's here to celebrate your birthday with you!" Fujitaka Kinomoto smiled at his daughter as he moved aside to show her his present; Tomoyo Daidouji, second cousin and best friend of Sakura, in a fitting lavender dress.
"Tomoyo-chan!" Sakura released her brother from her bear hug and threw herself at her second cousin.
Tomoyo squealed and hugged back. "Happy birthday, Sakura-chan!"
Fujitaka smiled at the two girls. Though they had only met two months ago, they were already very close as best friends. "Ne, Sakura-chan. Why don't you and Tomoyo-chan go out and play?"
Sakura and Tomoyo nodded vigorously in agreement to the suggestion and ran out, pulling a reluctant Touya along who turned not-so-reluctant when he saw his own best friend come; Yukito Tsukishiro, 10 year old boy whose blue eyes were gentle and silver-grey hair was tamed.
Fujitaka and Nadeshiko, who were in a loving embrace, smiled at the sight of their children and their friends playing together in a game of tag.
That was the last birthday Sakura had celebrated with her mother.
Time lapse: 4 months
"Ne, onii-chan... When can okaa-san come home with us?" Sakura tugged at her brother's long sleeve as she looked at him sadly and softly questioned.
The Kinomoto family members were currently in Tomoeda General Hospital, with Nadeshiko in a ward.
Touya looked down at his sister with sorrowful eyes. She was too young to understand what was wrong with their mother but not too young to sense when something was wrong. He sadly hugged the smaller frame of his sister to himself and replied quietly, "I don't know, Sakura..."
She hugged back and the Kinomoto siblings stood at the door together, watching as their father hugged their mother tightly as though he was afraid of losing her. None knew that they were going to lose their mother after all...
Fujitaka smiled sadly as his wife's last words to him and promised to them before giving her a chaste kiss on her lips. He turned around, released from their embrace, and gestured to the two children to step forward to their mother.
Sakura was the first to approach as she climbed on the bed. "Ne, okaa-san, when are you coming back home?" Her question was innocent, but her voice held fear for the worst to happen.
Nadeshiko smiled sadly and slipped her two arms weakly around her younger daughter. "Okaa-san can't go home with you anymore, Sakura-chan. But always be happy, ne? Whenever you miss okaa-san, just looked up to the sky at night and look out for the brightest star. That would be okaa-san, watching over you. If you're scared of anything, Touya will always be there for you. Won't you, Touya?" She turned her head as her last sentence was directed to the older of the two siblings. Her eyes saddened further when she saw that the boy's eyes were bright with tears.
"Un. I will, okaa-san..." Touya replied softly as he approached her for a final embrace.
Nadeshiko whispered in his ear before he was released, "Always protect your sister, Touya... Keep her away from any harm. Promise me that." Her eyes closed as her last words were spoken. The machine that watched her lifeline dropped dead.
Sakura stared at her mother's dead body and nudged with her little hands. "Okaa-san...?" She called out unsurely while Touya's tears streaked down his face silently.
She didn't fight back, however, when Touya carried her off the bed and hugged her tightly. "Okaa-san's gone to a better place, Sakura. She'll be very happy there and she'll always be watching you," their father's shaky voice spoke behind them.
Sakura stared at her mother's body as her tears began to fall. "Okaa-san..." She murmured weakly before burying her face into her brother, wailing loudly into his shirt.
Time lapse: 8 months
Touya looked around the house for his sister. It was her birthday once more but he couldn't seem to find her. "Sakura! Sakura! Where are you?" He called out in the house. Their father was out grocery shopping while Yukito and Tomoyo had not arrived yet.
He finally looked into the living room, where the curtains were closed to prevent the sunlight from lightening up the room. It was not very dark though. Slowly, he entered and looked around, finally spotting a small figure on the sofa. He approached the figure carefully and noted that it was Sakura. "There you are, Sakura! I've been looking for you!" He walked over to her and saw that she was staring at her necklace while her legs were drawn up to her chest.
Sakura never looked up.
"Sakura?" Uncertainty entered Touya's voice as he walked closer to her. "Sakura, daijoubu?"
Sakura finally looked up and Touya was astonished to see sadness in her eyes on her birthday. Usually, they would be bright with happiness and innocence. "Ne, onii-chan... Okaa-san isn't here to celebrate my birthday anymore, is she?" She spoke in a soft voice as she clutched the necklace tighter.
Seeing where this topic was going, Touya hurried forward to embrace his sister and rocked her back and forth in a comforting way. "Iie, Sakura. Okaa-san is here now, celebrating your birthday. Even if she isn't here in body, Sakura, she'll always be here in spirit. She'll always be here too." He pointed at her heart as he said the last sentence.
"Honto ni?" Sakura looked up at him for reassurance.
"Honto, Sakura." And he gave her what she sought for.
Time lapse: 3 years
"Get away from her, gaki!" 14 year old Touya shouted and pointed at the boy who was pulling at his sister's hair clip as he rushed forward to help his sister.
The boy looked up and felt fear when he saw Touya's glare and quickly released Sakura's hairclip, running off towards his friend who was standing a short distance away.
After making sure Sakura was not hurt, Touya glared harder at the two boys. "Get lost, gaki! And don't you dare touch my sister again!" The two boys cowered in fear as they hurried away.
Sakura hugged her brother tightly, "Arigatou, onii-chan!"
Touya, who was now blushing slightly, tried to regain his composure and his 'cool', "Yeah, yeah. Just stay away from trouble next time, kaijuu," He smirked.
Sakura released him from her hug and angrily stomped his foot, shouting in his face, "Sakura no kaijuu! You always have to spoil the moment! I don't know why you even bother to help me!"
"Ow!" Touya yelped in pain as he held his foot, before smiling to himself as he watched Sakura walk away first. "That's because I promised okaa-san, and I don't want to lose my only kaijuu-imouto..." Shaking his head to rid his smile, he grinned instead and rushed up to catch up with his sister, slinging his arm over her shoulder protectively as they walked home together with Touya's last thought, 'I promised okaa-san; my protection will always be yours. Itsumo, my imouto...'
Her black hair swirled with the wind as her feathery wings took her towards Heaven. A smile sat on her face and her emerald eyes sparkled with happiness as she watched the siblings walk towards home. With naught to worry, Nadeshiko returned to Heaven, knowing Touya will keep his solemn promise.
Author's Note - Hey again. Thanks for reading my first story. Reminder: Comments appreciated. Oh yeah. I don't think any of you needs translation for the japanese words now, do you? If you do, feel free to ask!