CHAPTER 2
"What is it Sakura-cha—Oh! Li-kun!"
Shaoran was walking with Meiling, both behind Sakura. They went to the swings, and Sakura and Meiling talked as Tomoyo and Shaoran did.
"Did you ask Meiling to come?"
Tomoyo smiled. "You need your reply, Li-kun."
"I hope I am not being a burden. Now she's forced to reply."
"Is that not what you want?"
Shaoran shrugged. "I don't want to be a burden."
"You're a nice guy, Li-kun" no wonder Sakura loved him.
"Daidouji, I was wondering…"
"Hm?"
Meiling was at her house. They left Sakura and Shaoran together at Sakura's house, making an excuse that they had something important to do.
"Do you think that Kinomoto will actually have the courage to tell Shaoran?"
"I'm sure she's determined."
"…yeah, but what if she doesn't say?"
"Meiling-chan…"
Meiling's face was shallow and sad. "Meiling-chan, do you still love Li-kun?"
Meiling choked as she spoke. "I love him as my cousin! Why should I love someone who loves someone else!? But…if the one he loves doesn't confess…"
"Meiling-chan, you know that Sakura-chan loves Li-kun. Because she doesn't confess doesn't mean she doesn't love him…"
"Can't it?" Meiling's eyes were wild. The red shimmered with tears, making them look blurred and dazed. "Why can't he think she doesn't love him, and decide…"
"Sakura-chan is the one who is not observant about love, Meiling-chan. wouldn't Li-kun know by now?"
"But then why--?"
"He's waiting."
"Huh?"
"He's waiting for her to confess. He's only waiting for Sakura-chan's confession. And…" Tomoyo faded away.
"Not mine."
Meiling's voice was drawled and slow. Tomoyo felt horrible. She never said such things, to make someone sad. "He loves you as a cousin. And besides, why love someone who will not truly love you more than anyone else?"
Oops. "Nooo! I love him more than everyone else! Isn't that enough?!"
"I'm afraid not…"
Oops.
"TOMOYOOOO!!!!" Meiling threw herself onto her lap.
Tomoyo frowned at her. It was the first time she called her by her first name. "It's okay…you'll find him…"
"I…will?"
"And when you do, Li-kun will be happy…"
"Happy?"
"I said he loves you like a cousin. If he wasn't happy for you, worried for you, then there is a reason to fret."
Meiling got up and rubbed her redder eyes. "So, if I do find this man, Shaoran will be happy?"
Tomoyo nodded. "And is that good?"
Meiling smiled. "I'd do anything to make Shaoran happy, I guess. Even if it is to make him be with…Kinomoto…"
"That's very generous of you."
"So, how about the one you like?"
"Me?" Tomoyo considered. To like, to love. She knew who she cared for more than anyone else…
"I am in the same place as you."
"He likes someone more than anyone else, and it's not you?"
Tomoyo nodded. "Yes, they do."
Meiling jumped up a bit. "At least you knew you just wanted to make them happy. We shall support our loves all the way, and find even truer ones later on! Deal?" she took out her hand proudly.
Tomoyo took it. "D-deal…"
The next few days at school was the preparing for the Nadeshiko festival.
"Sakura-chan is so cute!" Tomoyo whispered as she videotaped her rehearsal. Yamasaki began to act, with a lot of drama, and Sakura said her lines with emotion and heart. "Such beauty!" Tomoyo sighed.
Naoko's eyes shone brightly. "It's everything I could ever dream!!" Naoko looked at Tomoyo. "I'm glad you're taping all of this. I want to see every step of the way!"
Tomoyo nodded and smiled. "And you're making the costumes?" Naoko asked.
"All?"
"At least Yamasaki's and Sakura's. At least Sakura's!!"
"I've got a plan for them."
"Hey, Daidouji…" Meiling sidled over from the large group of people talking to her and Shaoran. "I don't think that Kinomoto told him yet."
"No, he'd be acting differently, but he is acting the same as any day."
"Grrr! I got the set-up so perfectly! I need it to go well! I need Shaoran to be happy."
I need Sakura-chan to be happy, too.
"Oh Princess, I love you! Why can't we stay together?"
"I….how I feel….I can't…I can't say it! No! We are at war! The magic and…"
"But we must see past it all!"
"I am sorry…"
Sakura ran off to the side of the classroom. Everyone applauded.
"Wonderful, Sakura-chan!"
"It's hard being a princess. I'm so nervous!"
"You'll do perfectly, I know it!!!" Tomoyo grinned and grabbed Sakura's hands. "I'll make sure of it!"
Tomoyo was determined to get the costume to look frilly and beautiful. She sewed carefully and smiled, humming slightly the song she will be singing at the festival.
"Wow, how do you handle making all these costumes for Kinomoto?"
"I can do them easily if they are for Sakura-chan."
"Kinomoto, huh?" Meiling screwed up her face in concentration. "Kinomoto…you always tape her…you always make costumes and sweets…"
Tomoyo nodded, her attention mostly on the front of the dress.
"You want to make the person you like happy, right?"
"Yes!"
"Is it Kinomoto…?"
Tomoyo straightened up in surprise. She looked at Meiling and grinned. "I want to make Sakura-chan happy! And I want the person I like to be happy."
"You didn't answer my question…"
Tomoyo didn't listen. Yes, she loved Sakura, but Sakura was her best friend, was in love with Li and…
…Was a girl…
