July 13, Friday
Sakura checked her calendar. Pointing her finger at the date, she smiled. "It's Syaoran-kun's birthday today!" she shouted.
Kero looked at her and then looked at the clock. "You're going to be late Sakura!" he shouted.
Sakura turned to look at Kero. Then she turned her head to the clock. "Hoe-e! I am going to be late!" she shouted and ran to her closet. Pulling out her uniform, she removed her PJs and slipped on the uniform. She ran to her bag and picked it up. Putting on her school uniform hat she said, "Thanks Kero-chan! Bye!"
She raced down the stairs and went into the kitchen and smiled to see her brother eating while her dad was cooking. "Ohayo guzaimasu, Otou-san, Onii-chan!" she said. Her father smiled and said, "Ohayo, Sakura-san". "A late morning to you, monster," Touya smirked. "Good morning, Onii-chan." Sakura stormed as she walked over to her mother's picture on the table. "Ohayo, Okaa-san," she said warmly. She sat down and her dad brought her breakfast to the table. She looked at her food and said, "Let's eat!" She stuffed everything into her mouth and quickly drank her milk. She thanked her father for the food and put on her roller skates.
Her brother had already gone outside and had left. I have to catch up to him, she thought, I have to. She shouted a goodbye to her dad and left. She was going to catch up to her brother and go along with him only because Yukito would be going as well. She sped down the road and past the dozens of cherry blossom trees on either side. She gazed at them while roller skating backwards. She turned around again. She saw her brother at the end of the road and chased after him.
She caught up to her brother when he stopped abruptly at the place where they always met Yukito. She finally realized why Touya stopped there. Yukito wasn't there. She looked up at Touya questioningly who gave her the look which said I-don't-know-what's-wrong. They left, lost in thought. They came to Sakura's school and said goodbye to each other. Sakura ran up to her class as she shouted, "Ohayo guzaimasu!" Tomoyo was sitting in her place surrounded by her three other friends, Rika, Chiharu and Naoko.
They greeted her as well when she sat down and put her bag on her table. They looked at her as she looked at them. They looked around and bent down as though going to tell her a secret. Sakura bent forward too. Rika said, "Today is Li-kun's birthday and we plan to hold a surprise party for him at Tomoyo's house. So we need your help." Hearing this, Sakura left out a small, "Hoe-e?" Wondering, how she would be able to help, she leaned slightly closer. "We need you to convince him to come for it, Sakura. Just convince him for us and your job is done." Tomoyo said, slightly smiling.
Sakura looked surprised. That was all I had to do? She thought. She looked at her friends who were keen on hearing her answer. "I'll do it!" she said. The all let out a sigh of relief. They mouthed a 'good luck' to her as they walked back to their places when Syaoran walked in. "Ohayo" he said in a dull voice. "Ohayo, Li-kun!" Sakura smiled at him as she spoke. " Uh… Li-kun… can you…" she stammered. But before she could finish her sentence, Terada-sensei came in. She turned around again and looked at Tomoyo who looked sadly at her. Sakura gave her a small reassuring smile which convinced Tomoyo that she would ask him whenever she got a chance.
Once homeroom was over, they had music. Sakura and Tomoyo waited patiently while Naoko, Rika, Chiharu, Yamazaki and the birthday boy Syaoran got ready with their things. They all left together talking about what they had wanted to do during the weekends. Soon only Sakura and Syaoran were ahead, for the rest had slowed down while talking. When Sakura finally noticed this, she looked at Syaoran who kept walking. She just stood there for a few seconds, thinking about how she could ask him.
Syaoran noticed she wasn't walking with him and turned around. "What is it Sakura?" He asked her, slightly worried. "Syaoran-kun, ano, can you come to my house today? I need some help in something." She looked up at him hopefully. "Unless, you are busy today." She hung her head low. Syaoran gave a small smile and said, "What time?"
She looked at him cheerfully. "Really? You will come? Arigatou, Syaoran-kun! Come at about 8 pm, okay?" she said and smiled widely. Syaoran turned away slightly to hide his blush and nodded. Sakura was so happy about Syaoran accepting her invitation that she was literally skipping the whole day. In lunch she sat with Tomoyo and Syaoran in the bench at the back of the school. She gave Tomoyo a smile which meant she had done her part. Tomoyo smiled back with a look in her eyes saying she had everything under control.
Syaoran noticed them but ignored them as he himself was happy about Sakura inviting him over to her house. He was very happy that Sakura had asked him he had forgotten about everything else, including his own birthday.
Their day at school went pretty much the same throughout the day. Sakura finally went home when she saw her house was a huge mess. Syaoran-kun can't see this, she thought. She went changed into a light pink shirt and blue denim shorts. She had started cleaning the house when she had finally noticed that both her brother and her father weren't home.
She ran up to her room and opened the draw which Kero called his room. There she saw Kero sleeping like a log and muttering something about winning the video game. She giggled and was happy at least Kero was home. Soon, after a few hours of working, the house was spick and span. She went back to her room and looked at herself in the mirror. I am a mess! She thought. Pulling out a green frock with pink cherry blossom petals embroidered on it by Tomoyo, she slipped it on. She tied her hair with red ribbons and looked at the time. It read 7:45. She heard a yawn and looked at Kero's room, out of which came Kero. He looked at her and blinked several times before saying "Sakura, wherever you are going, bring me back some sweets, okay?"
Sakura sighed and nodded. She heard the doorbell ring. She ran down to open it, hoping it would be Syaoran. She opened the house and saw Syaoran leaning towards the wall on the left side of the door. "K…Konichiwa, Sakura" he stammered looking away to hide his blush." You… you look nice" he added. She smiled at him and picked a parcel near the table which was Syaoran's birthday gift and came out and closed the door. "Konichiwa, Syaoran-kun. Come on let's go!" she said.
Wondering where they were going, he followed Sakura. She slowly started walking towards Tomoyo's house. He followed her, when he noticed that they were going to Tomoyo's house. He asked her why they were going to Tomoyo's house, when she answered saying he would find out soon enough. He sighed in defeat and kept walking next to her. They walked through Tomoyo's garden and knocked on her front door.
Slowly the door opened, revealing Tomoyo's bodyguard who told them to go up. Sakura nodded cheerfully while Syaoran nodded slowly. They slowly went upstairs and opened a door when confetti was thrown on them. "Hoe-e!" Sakura squeaked. "Happy birthday Li Syaoran!" a chorus was heard.
Both Sakura and Syaoran looked at all their friends who were waving gifts in the air and smiling at them. Sakura walked in and kept the parcel on a nearby table and looked expectantly at Syaoran. He was simply stunned at the amount of work his friends had done to make sure his birthday party was perfect. His mouth was wide open, when realization hit him and he closed it.
"Thanks guys!" he said with a warm smile. One by one all of them gave him their gifts. Sakura, of course, gave hers the last. They cut a cake, played games and even made Syaoran open his gifts. Naoko had gifted Syaoran a book which she had written, Chiharu and Yamazaki had given a statue of a small wolf, Tomoyo had given him a pair of soccer shoes, Rika had given him a book in which all their friends had written something and Sakura had given him a shirt which she had knitted herself. Syaoran was surprised that his friends actually gave him a party and got him gifts. They had some more games and then it was time to go home.
All of them had left and Syaoran offered to walk Sakura home. Sakura accepted casually and they started walking down to her house. "How did you like your birthday party Syaoran-kun?" Sakura asked him while smiling. "I loved it. Thank you." he answered while smiling back at her. She blushed and slowly nodded. They had reached Sakura's house. "See you tomorrow, Syaoran-kun!" Sakura waved goodbye as Syaoran smiled and waved back and walked towards his own home. This was the best birthday party he had ever had and it was all thanks to his friends. Sakura made it the best birthday ever.
