S
T A I R W A Y¤T O¤H E A V E N
天國的階梯
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Disclaimer Applies
The one who makes you
cry isn't worth your tears. The one who is worth your tears would
never make you cry.
-Anonymous
C H A P
T E R T W O
Sakura eyes were swollen, not just from crying, but also from the lack of sleep. Since her father had passed away, she was forced to do maid's work because Rei had turned into the overall ruler, which meant ruler over her.
Gently wiping her eyes while she got rid of her tears, Sakura crawled into the attic that was now her room, pulling the gray blankets over her head, she sighed and started crying again, crying herself to sleep.
That night she had a dream, an odd dream where she saw blood, a lot of blood, and she saw Syaoran, standing around the pool of blood with a sad smile, holding a pink bear in one of his hands, mouthing one word, Sakura.
She jumped from her head in fright, shivering as she wiped the tear stains and cold sweat; her eyes quickly scanned over the place and grabbed a pink object. "The bear in my dream... It was this bear…"
Sakura cuddled the winged bear to her chest, and crawled off her bed, brushed her hair and changed into her school clothes before pulling a white box from the top of one of those shelves of the attic. Tucking the pink bear under layers of tissue paper, she put it back on the shelf, it looked seemingly untouched.
Sighing deeply, she ran downstairs and started making breakfast for her royal Majesty and her pampered Highness.
-x-
Hugs and kisses, which was what she received as she greeted them with her usual smiled. "My, you sure have grown into a beautiful girl!" Li Yelan cooed as she hugged her.
Those giggles she had heard since she was young were back again. "The better for Syaoran, you should see what ah si lou has grown up into, such a handsome boy." She remembered every bit of the Cantonese they spoke.
The Li's haven't changed a bit.
Meilin placed her hand on Sakura's shoulder with a smile, "Aren't you glad Syaoran's coming back?" Were the only words the ruby eyed girl had said during the whole reunion, she sounded weary and a bit too depressed.
Smiling broadly, Sakura looked at the sky, "Hai, I do wish to see him soon." Meilin gave a gentle squeeze on the shoulder before smiling and leaving; the other Li's followed shortly and left Sakura with her own thoughts.
Then, the world came crashing down the roof, literally.
Out of the cheery blossom tree above Sakura's head, came tumbling down was Little Miss Brat Tsuru, obviously spying on Her Royal Highness's orders again.
Sakura sighed as she lay flat on the floor with Tsuru sitting on top of her with no intention of getting off. "Who is this Syaoran person they were talking about?" Tsuru reached and fiddled with that single lock of hot pink hair.
"He was my best friend." Sakura said quietly, Tsuru was still sitting on her comfortably. "Do you have picture of him? I want to see what boyfriends you've had in the past." Her voice was demanding as she held out a hand for a photo of Syaoran.
Feebly shifting under Tsuru's weight, Sakura drew her wallet from her pocket and handed to Tsuru, her hand shaking. Tsuru then violently flipped it open and squealed. "Oh my god! He is so adorable, are you sure he was your boyfriend? You are way too ugly for him."
The truth was, Sakura was pretty, lovely, beautiful, and Tsuru was a bit on the plain side. Tsuru slowly drew the photo out and tucked it into her pocket, "I'll be keeping this if you don't mind."
Sakura whimpered as Tsuru stood up and walked away. She was afraid of the Princess of the Cranes.
-x-
Like a knight that just rescued his damsel in distress, he twirled her in his arms before giving her a firm hug while wiping tears of joy off her cheeks.
She hugged him, afraid he would let her go and she would never see him again while the world disappeared behind her.
"I-I m-missed you a lot S-Syaoran-k-kun." Sakura hiccupped as he let go of her, gazing fondly into his eyes, oh, those eyes, those alluring brown eyes.
Syaoran took her hand and bowed slightly before letting his lips brush against it, enjoying the reaction he got, of Sakura blushing bright pink, and asked, "Milady, how are you doing?"
Sakura giggled as she curtseyed, "Just fine." It was their little routine they had made up months before Syaoran had to leave.
A pair of black eyes burned at them, glaring in an unpleasant manner as Tsuru coughed rudely, diverting their attention to her.
Syaoran turned and bowed slightly at Tsuru, who smiled, but was not satisfied. Syaoran then took Sakura by the hand and whispered sweet little nothings into her ear.
Tsuru fumed as they walked out of the airport, she was sure she hated Sakura now, and was determined to destroy her perfect little life.
-x-
It was the day of Sakura's birthday; Syaoran had wanted some private time with Sakura when he invited her to celebrate her birthday at the Okinawa Islands. It was too good to be true that the Queen herself would say yes, the catch then? The two had to bring Tsuru along.
When they arrived, Tsuru had shot a glare at Sakura and Sakura knew the cue, even though Syaoran was her best friend.
Muttering something about wanting to go to the restroom, Sakura trotted off and left Tsuru and Syaoran alone, with a mischief glint in her eyes, Tsuru asked innocently, "Do you by any chance have a girlfriend Li-san?"
Her black eyes looked seductively at the fourteen year old that looked down and shook his head. "Aww, why not?" Tsuru purred gently as she stroked his chin, eyes looking, waiting for Sakura to come back and the right moment to shatter her dreams.
Right when Sakura came out of the restroom and looked up at Tsuru and Syaoran, Tsuru grabbed Syaoran and kissed him. And I could tell you, that hurt Sakura quite a bit.
Tsuru watched as Sakura ran away, and that was when she let go of Syaoran with a smirk on her face.
x Syaoran x
Sung-san just grabbed me and kissed me full on the lips, my reaction was to pull away, but her grip was firm as she snaked her hands up to my neck and pull me closer to her.
Then it came, hormones. Though feelings extremely guilty, I kissed her back closing my eyes and pressing my lips against hers. To speak the truth, she was a nice girl, but not necessarily my type.
She let go of me and looked almost innocent as she said something about impulses. I turned to look for Sakura, because while Sung-san was busy kissing me, I saw her running somewhere.
I left Sung-san by the Starbucks café and went looking for Sakura, but I couldn't find her, then I panicked. What is something had happened to her?
Walking around the corner of the street, I saw a crowd. Walking into the crowd I saw Sakura's purse, some of her shopping bags and a box neatly wrapped and tied with a green bow skittered on the road, covered with blood.
From then on, I was loss for words until I noticed a nametag hanging from the green bow; it was addressed to me in her neat little writing.
I had lost her, before I knew it, I, the player, started crying over a girl.
x Normal x
Being the big tough guy Syaoran was, he still managed to squeeze out a few tears, wait, no, not a few, he was pouring his eyes out while a few of his security guards, which apparently had followed him, had to drag him away.
During the first few days, Syaoran had shut himself in his room starving himself.
Mysteriously though, he stopped starving himself and seemed almost normal when a strange phone call came in, he servants had said the voice was "sweet but very mature, with a hint of playfulness."
Somehow, Syaoran lived on as if nothing happened, until…
x Mrs. Nakamura x
It was a warm sunny day so me and my husband, Mr. Nakamura, decided to take the car and drive around Okinawa.
We were driving as a girl jumped out of nowhere and into our path and Mr. Nakamura had hit her.
I stepped out of the car before anyone else did and said to the crowd, "Me and my husband started this, we will take the girl to the hospital."
The crowd murmured in agreement as Mr. Nakamura carried the girl into our car, and then we drove off.
I looked at the girl and wiped the blood off of her forehead as we drove her to the nearest hospital.
While taking her to the ER and being silent, the doctor came out and spoke to me because Mr. Nakamura fell asleep, saying, "I am sorry Mrs. Nakamura, but it seems like Nakamura-chan has lost her memory."
We had signed the girl down as Nakamura Himene, since we didn't know who she was and where she came from, we had to say something.
Perhaps, this girl can be our daughter.
x Normal x Five months later
"Here we are with the first person to win an all free scholarship to Hibari High, Ms. Nakamura Himene!" A reported said with a smile as he pointed his mike to a girl standing next to a middle aged man and woman.
The girl had brunette hair that barely grew back her mid-back, her eyes were of some unknown color because she kept her head down and the hoodie she was wearing was in her eyes. The man and woman behind her were beaming behind her.
"How does it feel being the first person to win a scholarship to Hibari High? How is it like being fifteen and being smarter then senior students?" The reporter asked, the girl kept her head low and said, "It's alright, I guess."
The television clicked off. Fifteen year old Li Syaoran was slumped on a chair and bored. In two minutes, his butler would tell him to go to school.
"Yeah, yeah, whatever." Syaoran stood up and walked down the large living room, passed Feimei's room and another dozen of rooms before running down the stairs and into the long black limo.
Staring out the window mindlessly, a bunch of new students sat there in front of the school, socializing with each other.
There was his gang that consists of two guys, his right and left hands, and there was his four girls waiting patiently at the door for his arrival. Maybe this day wasn't as bad as it seemed.
x Sakura, now known as Himene x
This was yet another of those boring, boring days I had to go through. Being blind, I couldn't make many friends at school because I was blind.
The teachers had told me that I was getting a sheepdog to guild me through the school grounds, I could have easily handled myself but no, they had to find someone.
I think they mentioned her name was Daidouji Tomoyo, it sounded like some snobby rich kid's name that flunked in her grades so she needed to help me.
I made my way pass students, how? Instinct. Someone tapped on my shoulder, I spun around quickly.
As usual, I was met by a voice, an elegant and graceful voice that I vaguely remember, but can't seem to put my finger on it.
"Excuse me, you are Nakamura Himene right? Konnichiwa Nakamura-san, my name is Daidouji Tomoyo, feel free to call me Tomoyo, I will be your sheepdog." She said to me, I knew she was because I could feel her looking at me.
She took my hand, and we were off.
x Normal x
Himene followed Tomoyo as Tomoyo dragged her into the school grounds. "Our school is organized like a deck of cards," She began, "The highest ranking begins with the Black Joker, Li Syaoran, heir to Li Clan, mess with him, and you're dead meat. Next comes his fiancée, the Red Joker, Sung Tsuru, she is also the heiress to Japan's throne, mess with her, you're never going to see the light of day."
"Then there are the Aces, the Spade and the Club is Li-san's, that is Tsuyoshi and Takashi, the Diamond and the Heart is Sung-san's, which is Naoko and Chiharu."
"Following closely are the Four Kings and Queens, which are like boyfriends and girlfriends to the two jokers, the current kings are: Takuya, Tori, Tatsu and Tora. The current queens are: Kaguya, Kagome, Kyoka and Kanae."
"Then it is the Jesters, which is the guards. Then it is the tens, jocks, nines, cheerleaders, eights, air guitar people, sevens, skaters, sixes, brainiacs, five and below are geeks, nerds, and loners."
Himene nodded and followed our dear Tomoyo through the school grounds, explaining all sorts of things, how this school worked, how the clichés work, and most importantly, how to avoid trouble with the Two Jokers.
"The Two Jokers are cards that can change anything and everything that happens in the game, that's why we call Li-san and Sung-san the Jokers, in the flicker of an eye; you can change from one of the Aces to a loner." Tomoyo took a breath from talking and continued.
"They determine your future too; one order and you won't have a job in the future." Tomoyo finished before taking a very, very good look at Himene, and then screamed.
Pointing at Himene's clothing that consist of a hat, which had her hair neatly tucked in, a comfortable but hideously colored jacket, which was bright yellow, and a pair of worn out jeans.
"What's wrong?" Himene asked with a what-ever kind of tone, Tomoyo replied shakily, "You need a wardrobe change, Nakamura-san."
Rolling her eyes, Himene snapped, "Do whatever you want" Tomoyo squealed and dragged her over to her private studio, which was drama class.
-x-
Meanwhile, on the other side of school, Syaoran was doing what he always did at school, checking out the girls with his pals, Yamazaki Takashi and Sato Tsuyoshi. "That one has a nice ass."
Syaoran listened to his friends compliment about the features of the passing girls, his mind subconsciously wandered around to what had happened these past few months.
He had lost his best friend, and fiancée, Li Yelan decided to make him stay in Japan because she appointed him another fiancée, this time, someone she deemed worthy of. The heiress of the throne to Japan, but not Sakura, Tsuru.
Syaoran hated that girl, she was the reason he lost Sakura, the reason he had to live through this pain. She was the one that suggested getting rid of Chiyo, his Chiyo. He hated that girl so much he could kill her.
But he couldn't. His family said he cannot harm the girl he was to be tied down with, tied down with two rings and a kiss he didn't want.
And no one bothered to tell her how goddamned ugly she was when she had layers and layers of freakin' makeup on, no one bothered to talk back to the hag because she was all high and mighty. Syaoran would make her pay once they were married.
Now after fantasying about hanging Tsuru in a tree, Syaoran was pulled back to earth by his friends introducing a new Queen for him to replace over clingy Kanae. "So there's this new girl from Okinawa and they say she has gorgeous green eyes and long brunette hair. We all agree she is suitable to be one of your Queens, we have told one of the Jesters to tell her to meet you at the third floor water fountain." Takashi said precisely, while Tsuyoshi followed.
"You have exactly five minutes to catch her, starting now!" Tsuyoshi said as he looked at his watch, surprised that Syaoran was actually happy to find a new girlfriend. Maybe Kanae was too clingy for his taste.
But what Syaoran was really worried about was there could be a change that girl from Okinawa was Sakura, so he had to make sure.
Taking two steps at a time up the stairs, Syaoran ran over the water fountain, surprised to find a girl in a modest white blouse and knee-length denim skirt. "Ahem." Was all he did to make the girl look up.
"Would you like to go out with me?" Syaoran asked casually, as if he did it everyday. Wait, he did do it everyday. The girl seemed to stare at him, and then said, "No."
Syaoran was shocked, the girl actually said no to him, the all mighty and handsome Li Syaoran? We all know he is full of himself.
Rolling his eyes slightly, he asked politely, "Do you know who I am?" Trying to get closer to this girl and find out if she were an imposter, trying to look like Sakura, or was she the real thing.
"No." The girl replied irritably, rising up from the water fountain.
That made him angry, "Are you blind woman?" Syaoran asked in a not so friendly voice and adding a glare.
"Matter of fact, I am." The girl said back to him, raising her head up to reveal that her gorgeous green eyes were blinded by a faint cloud. He stared into those jade orbs, and lost himself in them.
Authors
Note –
So what do you think about it? Sorry for not updating
in ages, school and homework is hard to manage with writing. This was
a fairly long chapter just to make it up to you guys. Stay tuned to
find out who Chiyo is, and how exactly is she Syaoran's fiancée.
Like oh-me-gawd! Another update from the same chapter, squee! Sorry, sarcasm is currently my only flavor. I have changed a bit of the details due to the constructive critique of art.ificiale, note the word "constructive", flames shall be ignored and the writer shall be blocked if user ignored time to time if anonymous. To make things clear, and more, what's that word again, oh, interesting, Syaoran apparently does love… -strange choking noises-
