52 Weeks-One Year
By: Maline
Disclaimer: Card captor Sakura and all its respective characters are in no way belonging to me. They are legally licensed to CLAMP and other companies. NOT MINE.
Prologue: Departure in December
"Are you serious? Did I really win?"
"Hai, Daidouji-san. You win."
"But how?"
"You've managed to pick up almost the entire English language, you're an excellent cartographer, plus, you've really worked hard to deserve this." Her sensei explained warmly. "That is why the Headmaster and most of your teachers have decided to award all your work with the Exchange Internship to England." She continued.
"Arigatou, Arigatou!" cried Tomoyo.
"You're more than welcome Daidouji-san. You will be seen off two weeks before Christmas vacation begins. Be sure to get these papers signed by your mother."
"I will, of course. Thank you so much, sensei!"
"You have yourself to thank Daidouji-san."
Tomoyo smiled happily, and shook her sensei's hands with her own. Bowing slightly and babbling her thanks repeatedly, she swung her backpack over her shoulder, clutched the neatly folded documents tightly in her pale fists and walked out the door with her chin held high.
As she shut the wooden paneled door behind her, she resisted the urge to jump in the air and scream in bliss. She had won. Tomoyo had won. She would get to travel to England and study there, in a whole new, different country. Which is why she applied for the Internship. She needed a change. Sure, Tomoeda was beautiful in the autumn, with the trees turning out its coloured leaves for when the branches were bare in the winter. With Sakura and Syaoran perched on branches of trees, talking, with one telling how much they mean to the other, respectively. Tomoyo couldn't climb trees. No, while growing up being a daughter of such a respected woman, everyone kept a close watch on her. As a child she watched the branches, and when she reached out and gripped tightly onto the sturdy wood of the tree, "No Tomoyo-san. You mustn't climb the trees! You'll be an awful mess, and just think of how embarrassed your mother will be." So that was it. She couldn't climb a tree to save her life. So she sat in the bushes. Taping. Taping her Sakura with Li-kun. Knowing how she was so far beneath them, apart from Sakura, alone in the world. Falsely thinking her love for Sakura would someday be acknowledged by her, she watched. But somewhere deep inside, she knew the truth. She couldn't find an excuse to just leave the country right them and there, so she had blindly etched "Tomoyo Daidouji" in the applications for the Internship. And she had won. And that was that. She would leave in about a month. She could leave Sakura and Syaoran in peace.
"Yes," she thought, a bit happier, climbing up the steps to the front door of her mansion, "they don't need me anymore."
"How could time pass so quickly?" thought Tomoyo as she carefully and hastily placed a rolled up rain jacket in the last available nook of her black leather suitcase. "It feels like yesterday Okasama was signing the papers, and then, now I'm packing to leave!"
Opening another suitcase after setting her full to the capacity one aside, she picked up a box holding pictures of her friends. Sakura, Syaoran, Naoko, Chiharu, Takashi, Rika . . . Everyone that had been there for her for the last 3 years of high school. Wrapping the box with some cord she placed it carefully into a corner along with the packages and letters her classmates had entrusted to her for delivery to the persons whom they remembered from their childhood days in Tomoeda Elementary School.
After pulling all the zippers and fastening all the Velcro straps, Tomoyo was finally finished her packing. Soon enough, her servants were heaving her heavy bags down the spiraled staircase, while Tomoyo looked out her window at the sidewalks of Tomoeda. "Goodbye sweet town." She whispered. "We'll see eachother again someday." Turning her back on the window she shouldered her carryon backpack, holding her change of clothes, credit cards, money, camera, documents, and film, and followed the bearer of her last bag of clothing. Sonomi accompanied her to the backseat of the car while the hired help loaded the trunk. "Oh Tomoyo. You are so grown up now. Starting a whole new life in England without me." Said her mother, tearing slightly. "Don't worry Mother, I'll be fine. You know I want to get a good education and to travel. This way I'm doing both! Be happy for me Okasama, You'll see me in a year." Tomoyo reasoned. With a smooth lurch the loaded vehicle was off, sloping slightly because of the weight in the trunk.
As Tomoyo's baggage was checked, she found her respective waiting area. As she neared the neat rows of cloth covered seats, she noticed a large party accumulated in a corner. As Tomoyo neared the group, a familiar voice called to her.
"Oh Tomoyo!" cried Sakura, embracing her best friend tightly. "I can't believe your going away to England!"
"Don't worry Sakura-san," said Tomoyo, her chin on the other girls shoulder. "Besides I think you'll be fine without me." She finished, glancing at Syaoran-kun, who nodded. All of her friends had gathered at the airport to see off their companion, all of which were sad to see her leave. Politely as she could without suddenly breaking down and crying, she said her good-byes. She came to Sakura again. "Yorushiku, Tomoyo-san." Sakura stammered, eyes watering. "Hai." Replied Tomoyo. "Always."
Kissing her mother on the cheek for the last time, she heard the boarding call loudly throughout the waiting area of the bustling airport. As she turned to get her ticket verified, she heard her mother call her again. "Tomoyo. If you ever need anything, just call." Tomoyo smiled at her mother. "See you in a year!" she said to all the people behind her. They watched her retreating back as it passed through the glass doors. The group heard the last call for Tomoyo's flight, and then, with their hands on the glass panels, saw the plane take off, with Tomoyo Daidjoudi on board.
Settling into her window seat, Tomoyo looked through the thick glass at the enchanting city where she spent most of her life. "Goodbye Tomoeda," she whispered to herself. " Goodbye starry nights in the sky, with promises to a new day of bright sunshine. Goodbye to my friends, my family. Goodbye Sakura Kinomoto. Tell me everything that happened when I get home. Her eyelids fluttered as she whispered this last sentence. Retracting her chair and adjusting her pillow, she prepared for the months ahead of her.
Gomen for being so short. After all, it is the prologue. This is my first many chaptered fic. So expect some weird things in the following chaps.
Well . . . R&R as usual.
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