Disclaimer: I solemnly swear that I don't own CCS. Never will.
A/N: Just to clear things of, the gang is now 16 years old and the time is set in the early June; the 2nd of June, to be exact.
Enjoy! On with the story…
Chapter Two: The Class Job
-By TeDDieZ
Well, two things happened when Sakura went temporarily blind. One, she realized that she wasn't actually blind. Someone simply covered her eyes. Would you think rationally if you were in the panic mode? Course not, anyone who's sane enough can immediately tell you the same thing: nope.
However, she was still shocked, needless to say. Two words to describe it. Heart attack.
Second, well…surely, you can guess her reaction?
"HHHHHOOOOOOOOOOEEEEEEEEEE!"
Yep.
Terrified, horrified, and scarified. Everything with the –ied behind it.
Screaming in the morning is okay, she supposed. It was, after all, out of fright. However, flapping your arms and yelling to be let go…isn't such a good thing, she just found out. She looked like a struggling chicken. Not a very appealing sight, really. She was wailing. To be let go. Yes, she was afraid. Deadly afraid. The person, apparently, did as told, but not before laughing.
Sure, think it's funny, do you? Sakura thought bitterly, biting her lip in protest.
When he or she laughed, she froze. Sakura could recognize that laugh anywhere. She'd never mistake it for someone else's. It must belong to her. Sakura spun around so quickly that she herself was amazed on how she did not perform a waltz or perhaps a professional tango. Once Sakura faced the trickster, she took in the person's features instantly although she'd already memorized all her facial appearance.
Long healthy black hair flowed from her scalp to her curving waist, beautifully framing her beatific face. Her hair was slightly curled at the end of her hair. Stubborn locks, she had said before. Persistent curls, true, yet it makes her look enchanting, especially when the winds playfully blow her hair.
Eyes are the windows to your soul as some would say. Her eyes were round amethyst eyes, fire of lovely wine laughing and dancing in it, sparkling in an astute twinkle.
Her skin is very white, whiter than all the other humans Sakura has encountered before. It makes her seem like kind of angelic and immortal although the sparkle in her eye makes her seem just like anyone else.
Gorgeous, right?
Sakura was, however, too angry with her to drool over her appearance. Unlike guys. Except that she was no guy. A girl, yes; but not yet a woman.
Sounds familiar to you?
Me too.
"Why did you do that?" Sakura demanded.
"Sorry, I just couldn't resist," Tomoyo said, flashing Sakura this sparkly smile she has, revealing her very white teeth.
Hah! Think you can fool me? Sakura thought angrily.
"You don't look so sorry to me," Sakura said, in a cold voice.
Tomoyo smiled, seeing how Sakura crossed her hands on her chest. Put in a frowned brow and voila! You got yourselves a cross look. "Arara," Tomoyo said teasingly at the look on Sakura's facade, her fingers ticked mischievously in front of her face, "Don't get mad Sakura-chan."
Sakura pouted childishly, turning her back away from the girl.
"Sakura-chan."
Sakura didn't move when Tomoyo called her name.
"Sakura."
Sakura didn't budge when Tomoyo used the affectionate name; the one she usually used when they were around ten years old and would still use them when in desperate need; which is when she wanted Sakura to model her clothes and be her camera's subject.
"Sa-ku-ra."
Sakura turned a deaf ear when Tomoyo said her name with made-up annoying syllable, used when she really, really wanted something; whenever did she not?
From the corner of her eyes, Sakura saw her cousin smiling. Fine, so you caught me acting. The small smile on her lips turned into a small frown as Sakura saw the purple haired girl coming towards her. Tomoyo stopped in front of Sakura and placed her hand on her forehead. Hoee?
"What are you doing?" Sakura asked Tomoyo quizzically.
"Nothing," she said intelligently. Sakura's lips jutted in a pout, asking herself mentally on how smart enough was the formers' reply. "Is that a bump?" Tomoyo asked Sakura back hesitantly, her finger pointing at the girl's forehead.
Hoe?
Sakura felt her hand traveled up, feeling the throbbing pain.
Itaii yo…
Something…is there. That…is definitely a bump.
"You have a bruise on your forehead," Tomoyo said. "Doushite? Did you hurt yourself?" Sakura heard her friend asked.
She nodded, confirming the girl's question. "Hai. I fell onto the floor when I woke up."
Tomoyo smiled again. "Let me guess. You just woke up…" she trailed off, glancing at her watch, "…at 7.15 a.m., the time when we're supposed to meet?"
Sakura smiled guiltily at her. So she was caught. "Yes. I'm sorry for making you wait for ten minutes."
"It's okay," Tomoyo said, shaking her head lightly. "But we have to keep that sealed."
Sakura's eyes widen. "Is it really big?" Sakura asked her cousin anxiously.
"Nope," Tomoyo shook her head. Taking up a closer look, she said, "But…it does seem to be bleeding a bit."
Oh, no! Sakura brought her hand up instantly, her fingers brushing gingerly at the bump. Taking it down from her forehead, she looked at her finger. Tomoyo was right. It was blood. Though it's small patches, it's still blood.
Sakura's eyes widen again. "Hoeee…" she whispered in a shaky voice.
"Fortunately, I brought a first aid kid," Tomoyo announced subconsciously, her hands fishing inside her bag, pushing aside things to get to the box she brought with her.
"Eh? Kiu kiu mako?" Sakura asked, wondering how the big white box would fit in her bag. It turns out that it wasn't a big box she usually saw. It was a small one. A very small one, now that she thought about it. It's the size of her pencil box or maybe smaller.
"It's my habit nowadays to have this," Tomoyo explained, opening the lid to the small box, revealing its contents to their eyes. "Who knows if there's an accident going on in unexpected places; there's too much catastrophe in the world today," she muttered to herself.
Sakura had to agree that with all the war going on in the world, you can't be too careless.
It was a plastic box, small; she noted, colored in purple, Tomoyo's most favorite color. Inside, were a small and short bandage, a small-sized scissor, a small bottle of iodine, and finally some plasters. Hmm…everything's seems to be magic-ed into small sized things.
Wow…
Then Sakura noticed something. Is that a…
That thing shouldn't be placed in a first aid kit. Really, a unique place too. For her, that is.
"Ne, Tomoyo?"
"Hai?"
"I hope you don't mind me asking this…demo …" Sakura trailed off, still debating on asking her best friend about it.
"I don't mind. Shoot."
"A…ano…"
Well, she said shoot, then shoot. Sakura thought, biting her lip.
"E-eto…"
Tomoyo looked at Sakura oddly, all the while wondering why she was acting so fidgety and so anxious. It's just a simple question, isn't it?
Okay, I'm shooting!
"What's your camera doing in that thing?" Sakura blurted out, her finger pointing in that small box. It was, she noted, her small sized camera. Somehow, it looks like some sort of spy gadgets.
Could she…
Realization dawned upon her when Sakura saw the girl squirming slightly, smiling nervously. Tomoyo's usually calm, not nervous like this. She's acting as if she doesn't want me to know, Sakura noticed.
Could she be…
Sakura gasped, making Tomoyo more nervous.
Is she?
"Are you photographing a boy you like?" Sakura asked her bluntly. Tomoyo's face instantly cracked into an awkward smile before she proceeds to grin broadly.
Hoe?
"Wrong?"
Tomoyo laughed heartily. "Sakura-chan, chigau yo. You know I only take pictures of a kawaii girl," she said, looking at Sakura meaningfully.
"You do?" Sakura asked her subliminally.
"Hai," Tomoyo nodded.
Sakura wanted to ask whom; being the curious little girl she was and still is but was then preoccupied with Tomoyo putting iodine on her bruise. "Itaii!" Sakura squealed in pain, backing away from the painful yellow watery thing, identified as iodine; her hand instantly wielded her bruise from Tomoyo.
"Don't move, Sakura-chan. It just stings a bit," She hushed Sakura.
"A bit? More like a lot," Sakura grumbled.
Tomoyo offered her cousin a kind smile as a sympathetic gesture and resumed with her work, adding the iodine to the bruised forehead. Once finished, she stepped back and looked at her work, satisfied. "There. See? It only took a second."
I guess, Sakura thought as she let her fingers brushed against the wound.
Sakura saw the other girl bending down to the box, searching for something. She watched for some time but still did not know what her friend was looking for. When Tomoyo stood back, Sakura was surprised to see that the thing she was holding wasn't the same as the thing she had in mind. It was the very opposite.
"Eh…Tomoyo, do we really have to use that?" Sakura asked tentatively, gesturing towards the thing Tomoyo was holding.
"This?" she asked Sakura back, eyeing the thing in her hand as Sakura did too.
"Hai." Sakura nodded.
The thing Tomoyo was holding just so happens to be the bandage.
"Of course this, Sakura-chan. What are you going use to hide that bruise from, a plaster?"
Um…hai?
"A-ano…I was thinking something else," Sakura said slowly, her emerald eyes were wandering around the place, not letting them to fall on her best friend's face for she does not want Tomoyo to know what she had really thought.
"Which is the plaster," Tomoyo stated quickly, amused by her cousin's act, and was masking the small snickers with a wide, broad grin.
Sakura glared at her friend, knowing all too well that Tomoyo was playing with her, making fun of her decipherable emotions which can be easily read on her face.
You're not helping, She thought angrily.
"Yes, the plaster," she admitted grudgingly, all the while still glaring daggers at her know-it-all friend. "I don't want to look like a mummy in that," she explained hastily.
"The plaster can't hide your bruise, Sakura-chan. Besides, it'll clog all the air that the wound's supposed to have. It won't heal soon," Tomoyo said, trying to reason with her friend.
It will?
"De-Demo…"
"Demo janai yo," she cut Sakura off, sealing the cherry lips from talking or protesting more.
Sakura pouted. Tomoyo laughed.
Sakura gave up trying to argue with the relentless Tomoyo mode and let her bandaged her cousin's wound. Sakura did not, however, gave up before insisting on using only a fraction of the cloth, just to cover the bruise, not wanting to look like a samurai…or a very-dead-but-woken-from-deep-slumber-mummy.
It was already seven thirty in the morning by the time Tomoyo finished fussing about Sakura's wound. It wasn't exactly serious. But…
"Datte, it's dangerous for you to fly up from your bed, Sakura. Look at what it had brought you," she argued back, not giving Sakura any room to retort back as it was the logical explanation Sakura had heard.
Yes, that's what Tomoyo said when Sakura voiced out the not-so-serious-thing.
Both of them walked together happily, side by side, after that to school.
-X0X-
I suppose you don't really know who Tomoyo is, aside from being my best friend.
Our friendship started when she was in a new class – mine, too - and lost her eraser. I offered giving my own eraser, a bunny shape, to her. She took it gratefully and promised to give it back to me at the end of the day. I insisted that she kept it. She smiled at me warmly at that time.
That's when it all began.
We were always together. Always: practically stuck to each other.
Her okaa-san (ojio-san Sonomi) is okaa-san cousin. So, Tomoyo and I are both related in some way, even though it's not a very close relation. We are more like second cousins.
Tomoyo is very talented. She can sew and is always designing costumes and various clothes.
Not that I wanted to say no to that. It's just that she always makes me to model her clothes. Not that it's bothering me, of course, but…
Tomoyo's other hobby is dedicated to the video camera. She is always taping everything, and her favorite subject to tape is me.
Am I really worth the shot? It always makes me wonder why at times, but she brushed it off by saying that I am perfectly fine. So, it's been about 5 or 6 years of experience in filming me, but I still can't shake off that uneasy feeling of being taped or recorded. She likes making videos of me while adding music and sound effects to the tape. That's the most embarrassing part. Also, it's frustrating when the melody she added fits perfectly with the situation recorded. It didn't fail bringing the familiar redness to my cheeks.
But I can't very well say no to her face, especially the face.
The one where her eyes were squinted and narrowed as if threatening, her body giving out this certain menacing aura and her face is undergoing so much pressure – under excitement of filming me, I bet - …
…A definitely yes to that.
But that's not all that she's good for; Tomoyo also has an amazing voice, possibly the best in the school. She participates in the school choir and always sings solo if there's any competition regarding singing, back in elementary school and middle school. The songs Tomoyo sing in the shows are beautiful indeed. She still participates in competitions nowadays too but it has lessened lately due to the upcoming exams in exactly two weeks.
Saeki-sensei – the music teacher - simply adores her.
Besides all of above, she has keen powers of observation. I don't know how, but she does. It's simply amazing. She can spot something unusual in a person just like that and make correct assumptions. Sometimes, I didn't know even about something till she told me.
That's how magic she is.
Daidouji Sonomi is her mother. Not to mention, my ojio-san.
She's the successful CEO of a toy company and her family also possesses a considerable amount of wealth on its own. Being one of the important people in the one of the biggest company, ojio-san is therefore extremely busy and doesn't really have time to be around Tomoyo. I noticed that every time I went to Tomoyo's house; even though it looks more like a gigantic mansion. It's simply marvelous and huge too.
Nevertheless, I know that ojio-san Sonomi loves her daughter very much and is always trying to spend as much time as possible with her, and she tries to support Tomoyo whenever she can. Whose mother wouldn't?
I can see that in my otou-san too.
Somehow, they're quite alike. Otou-san and ojio-san, I mean. Onii-chan once told me that ojio-san doesn't like otou-san. It's got something to do with otou-san stealing something very precious from ojio-san. Steal what? Her money? I don't think so.
I voiced it out to onii-chan once but he simply ignores me and ruffles my hair, which is terribly annoying since I've just brushed my hair at that time.
Regardless of a simple misunderstanding –I hope-, I still adore my ojio-san.
-X0X-
"Ne, Sakura-chan?" Tomoyo's soft voice floated into Sakura's ear, pulling her out from her busy train of thoughts and concentrating more on her best friend who was walking besides her.
"Hai?"
"Have you bought a present?"
That strikes something. Demo…nani?
Sakura stopped walking as she remembered something, something very important and should never, ever be forgotten. But she did: unfortunately.
Oh dear.
"Sakura-chan?" Sakura heard Tomoyo asked her, concerned of what had brought her friend to an abrupt stop, "Something wrong?"
Sakura gulped, feeling a large lump has magically appeared so suddenly inside her throat and she was having a difficult time trying to make it magically disappear again. Can't believe I've forgotten about that
Tomoyo eyed Sakura apprehensively, narrowing her eyes in process. "Ayashi na…" Her purple pupils widen as realization came into her. "Don't tell me that you've forgotten about it?"
Definitely what Sakura was thinking.
Sakura chuckled nervously, scratching the back of her neck on instinct. "…Oops?"
Tomoyo shook her head disdainfully. "There's no oops about it, Sakura-chan," she scolded her friend softly.
"I just forget about it, that's all," Sakura mumbled, feeling guiltier as seconds passed between them. "I didn't mean too."
"Hmm…" Tomoyo hummed, "Not a good thing to do. If I'm not mistaken, yesterday was Yamazaki-kun's birthday."
Sakura's eyes widen, shock was evident on her face, written everywhere. Is it really?
"Honto ni?"
Tomoyo nodded. "Check your notebook."
Sakura nodded back, dumbly. She brought her baby pink knapsack that was on her shoulder in front of her and fished around it for a little pink notebook. Once she found the specified book she was looking for over dozens and dozens of textbooks and assigned homework, Sakura opened it fearfully.
Her eyes wandered at the not-so-bare pages, slightly hoping that today isn't her good male friend, Takashi's birthday. She would be so dead if it is! She stopped flipping the pages once she found his name. Green eyes trailed from his name to his birth date.
Kami-sama! It is!
Sakura's shoulders slumped; her head hung mournfully, eyes staring hard on the ground. How was she going to get out of this mess?
Tomoyo noticed this sudden change of mood and decided to cheer her cousin up, attempting to lighten up the mood. Patting Sakura's back slowly, she said sympathetically, "Daijoubu desu. I'm sure he won't mind."
"But it's my duty, Tomoyo-chan," she cried somberly, "I can't just forget about it. It's like a promise."
"And a promise it is," Tomoyo interrupted her depressed rants politely.
Sakura looked up at her best friend, puzzled. "…So?"
"It's not necessarily give presents to the person at exactly his or her birthday," Tomoyo said in a wise manner, her eyes glinting shrewdly.
Sakura nodded dumbly, trying really hard to follow her point but failed miserably. Where's the logic in that, Sakura wondered.
Seeing Sakura's hard frowned face that doesn't suit her, Tomoyo giggled as she detailed, "It means you can still give him his present. It's just that it's now called belated present."
Sakura lips formed a wide 'O' as she understood what Tomoyo has been trying to say. In an instant, Sakura hugged Tomoyo tightly, squealing these happy words, "You're a real lifesaver!"
"I know," she giggled.
A way out! I can see the light out of this darkness! Kami-sama must have loved me! Sakura thought, clasping her hands together as if praying. Tomoyo giggled.
"Then, what to get him?" Tomoyo mused as Sakura let go of her.
Sakura grew pale; the smile was instantly scrubbed off her face. She seriously does not know what to get him. Now what?
Let me tell you something about this friend of hers and the reason as to why he's such a mind-thinking trouble.
His full name is Yamazaki Takashi.
He was her classmate since they were in Tomoeda Elementary School and they were separated for about 3 years, only seeing each other occasionally during festivals or exchanging very brief hi and hello on their way to school.
The first thing that anyone will tell you about Takashi is that he's a compulsive liar. He lies about everything from flying penguins to strange traditions of ancient Indian tribes. However, his lies are so mind-boggling, that it's amazing anyone believes him. The funny thing is; people do.
Those people also include Sakura. Yes, her and also another friend of hers, Yanagisawa Naoko – which will be introduced later. They were always astounded by all of Takashi's fibs and believe every single word that comes out of his mouth. Somehow Takashi manages to always confuse everyone.
The only people that don't believe Takashi are Eriol and Chiharu. These two are also friends of hers. That's because Eriol is too smart to be tricked by him and Chiharu can see right through him. This is also where Takashi's love life comes in.
No, silly, not with Eriol, but with Chiharu.
Chiharu is the only person who can see through Takashi's fibs, and almost all of the time, she ends up strangling him or hitting him over the head to make him shut up.
Yes, she is somewhat a violent girl. But, it's for a good cause.
Or so Sakura thought.
Once Takashi starts to go off into one of his stories, Chiharu looks at him suspiciously, and then gets more and more skeptical as his story gets wackier and off the wall. Towards the end, Chiharu gets a vein on her head and said, "All lies. It's all a lie."
And then everyone around her (or maybe just Sakura) says, "What? It was a lie?"
See?
Takashi had everyone fooled already.
Sakura still haven't figured out how Chiharu was able to see through him. The lies sound pretty believable to her. Or maybe it was because she was too transfixed with his story that she didn't analyze the whole falsehood. Hmm…maybe so. Nonetheless, Takashi is like the class clown, constantly cracking jokes to brighten up the day.
Sakura supposed that it's in his nature to do that.
"Have any ideas?" Tomoyo asked Sakura, pulling her out of her busy mind again.
Sakura shook her head slowly, sighing in defeat. "Iie, I can't think of anything."
"It's all right, we'll think of something," she said, smiling optimistically, attempting to cheer her friend's mood.
Sakura smiled back at her, feeling slightly happier than she was before, as she was comforted by her best friend's words. She'll definitely think of something.
Go, go brainstorming!
WHAT to get him?
What to GET him?
What to get HIM?
"How about a book?" Tomoyo proposed suddenly, breaking the sudden silence that was beginning to envelop the both of them.
"Hoe?"
"A book." She repeated patiently, "as a present for Yamazaki-kun."
"Whatever for?" Sakura asked her cousin, out of great curiosity.
Tomoyo shrugged casually. "So he can write a book a called, 'World's Greatest Lies' by the great Yamazaki Takashi-kun."
Sakura giggled. Sarcastic, eh? "Wakaranai desu, Tomoyo-chan. He'll appreciate it, yes, but I don't think it's appropriate. For a birthday boy, I mean."
Tomoyo nodded, humming and agreed with her cousin's words. "But it might be worth it, considering his unique stories and almost believe punch of Terry Prachett." Tomoyo said further, explaining her choice, "It's not impossible if he grows up to be a writer of fiction."
Sakura simply nodded, agreeing.
"Especially since there are also some who believes his lies that is so raw and unedited…" she whispered softly, trailing off at the end, giving it a dramatic pause.
Sakura gawped at her, noticing her teasing tone. "Tomoyo-chan!"
She held her hands in her defense. "Cho dan daiyo!"
Sakura pouted as they continued to walk or skate in silence, both minds still thinking.
Out of the blue, Tomoyo asked thoughtfully, "How about a pen?"
"Nani yo?"
"So he can write the lying book with a lying mechanical pen."
Sakura doubled around with fresh laughter. She'd definitely understand Tomoyo's reasons as to why. Takashi is always lying around that he left an impression as a chronic liar in everybody's head. Though she knew he meant no harm.
"No, no. It's too official, anyway. We need to get him something more…openly and friends-like," Sakura said cautiously, brows brought forward resulting a concentrated frown. "He is one of our group; after all," she reminded her cousin, glancing at the amethyst-eyed girl.
Tomoyo bobbed her head understandingly. "Hmm…chocolate?"
Sakura shook her head. "Nope, no Valentine's Day."
After a few seconds of thinking, Sakura popped out an idea, a rather rash, hurried idea, expecting it to be considered by the talented girl. "How about some flowers, Tomoyo-chan?"
Sakura did not, however, expect Tomoyo to gape at her. "Nani?" Sakura asked her innocently, not understanding what had happen. Had she said something wrong?
"What does he look like; a maiden waiting to be impressed to you?" Tomoyo shot her best friend a question, hands on her hips. Sakura smiled sheepishly. Tomoyo does have a point there.
"Watch?" Sakura asked her, blushing a little, desperate of getting out from the embarrassing situation.
"It's too…how to say…girly for him. I don't think the class money can afford to it. If it's personally from you or me; then it is all right but we're using the class money here, so, no. Boy's watches are too costly nowadays."
Sakura agreed with her friend's grounds. Her brother's watch is high-priced, all right. She was forbidden to get near to it, let alone to touch it.
"Antique things?" Sakura asked.
"Are they expensive?"
Sakura touched her lips, making an impression of thinking. "I think I know one shop that sells it cheap. At least, enough using the class money."
"An example of the item would be…?" she queried, an eyebrow quirked.
Sakura shrugged absentmindedly. "Wakaranai (I don't know)…duck sculpture?"
"We better not," Tomoyo smiled kindly, shaking her head slightly, "It'll only start off another random fib. We wouldn't want the whole class living in a legend now, would we?"
Sakura grinned. She can sense that Tomoyo exaggerated about 'the whole class'. The only ones who'd believe him are Naoko and her.
Which is a disaster as well.
"CD player?"
Tomoyo shook her head gradually. "He doesn't listen to the songs; he'll only ends up singing with it. Have you ever heard one of his singings?" Tomoyo asked the auburn haired girl beside her.
Sakura shook her head, curious. What's wrong with Takashi's singing? It can't be that bad…can it?
"You really are lucky then. Most of the students who heard him said that their ears are still ringing with his voice inside of it," Tomoyo scrunched up her nose, making a face that-looks-like-a-disgusting-face. "It was awful," she finished, shuddering a bit.
Sakura giggled. "That bad?"
"Yep," Tomoyo answered instantly. "Saeki-sensei wanted to ban him from singing," Sakura giggled controllably as Tomoyo dramatically made a sad face before continuing, "But singing can't possibly be banned. It's free for everyone who's anyone to sing."
"Including Yamazaki-kun," Sakura added.
Tomoyo made a sad-like smile, "Including him."
"So, your assumption is that Yamazaki-kun may be a whiz in computers but he's horrible in singing," Sakura concluded.
"Right."
Sakura giggled some more.
"Candies?" Sakura asked the girl next to her, resuming their first conversation that strayed away from before.
"Candies?" Tomoyo repeated incredulously," Are you high? "
"Not really, no…"
And so, the ideas of getting present for their male friend continued. Each time Sakura pops up another idea, it got more and more uproarious. Tomoyo had a good laugh at it, all right.
I mean, where in the world did she has the idea of suggesting getting a car toy for him? Or an ice cream? Or a bunny plushie? Or a Mask Rider figure? ("He's not a kid anymore, Sakura-chan!" Tomoyo laughed.)
After some more failed thinking, Sakura surrendered. "Well, I'm out."
"A soccer ball?" Tomoyo asked her.
This time, Sakura was the one to gape at Tomoyo.
"Doushtan desu?"
"He's not a 6-year-old kid that needs to be brainwash with a ball, Tomoyo-chan."
"Good point," Tomoyo replied. Thinking a bit, Tomoyo asked, "Sneakers?"
"Surely, he must have had plenty," Sakura held up her almost cold hand from her pocket, counting, "His soccer shoe, his basketball shoe, his school shoe -mind you, that's three at least- his walking shoe, his exercising shoe, his-"
"You're babbling. I get the point," Tomoyo interjected calmly.
Sakura grinned, "So, basically, he's got lots and lots of shoes."
Tomoyo rolled her eyes. "I get the point," she repeated again.
Smirking, Sakura replied, "Sure you do."
"Obento?"
"I don't think he fancies eating much. Imagine Chiharu having a chubby kanishi," Sakura sniggered as soon as she said it, an image of the both of them formed inside her head.
"That's not funny, Sakura-chan," Tomoyo scolded Sakura softly but her broad grin gave it away. "But," Tomoyo continued, still grinning widely as possible, "I think she'd only hug him more, squealing 'anata wa kawaii desu!' before squeezing him again."
"If he didn't tell tall tale, that is." Sakura smiled, still lost in the image of the maybe chubby boy and the aggressive girl. Snapping back into reality, she pointed a finger at the friend besides her, "You're just as rascally as I am!"
"I am not." she smiled. But both of them knew better. Tomoyo and her, they're alike, so much alike.
"Clothes?" Tomoyo recommended.
"Not so appropriate. We don't even know what his taste is like," Sakura reasoned. Thinking for about a minute, Sakura continued, "What if we bought him an atrocious t-shirt –in his opinion, anyway- and the next day, we found out he burned the t-shirt right after we gave him!" Sakura exclaimed, aghast by the idea corrupting her brain.
An image formed in her head, consisting of a very angry Devil Yamazaki pointing his sharp staff at her almost flat stomach, wanting very badly to scratch it with the sharp points. His bloody red eyes pierced into hers, his tongue slipping in and out in a very snaky like…
Not a very lovely picture, I tell you.
Sakura was brought out from her highly imaginative image by Tomoyo's musical laughter. "From the looks on your face, you must have imagined The Devil Yamazaki," she snickered.
"He's a guy, for kami-sama's sake! Who knows if he did it exactly like what I've imagined!" Sakura argued back.
Tomoyo waggled her finger in front of her. "You're forgetting one little thing."
"What little thing? Isn't it a big thing?" Sakura inquired, completely lost and confused.
"Nope," Tomoyo said, shaking her head. "Chiharu-chan." Tomoyo stated simply after a minute of pausing.
"Oh, right."
Sakura had forgotten about her. Chiharu would definitely knock him dead before she allows him to do that. So…she's safe.
I hope so.
"………"
"Out of ideas?" Sakura teased the talented designer.
Tomoyo nodded. "Out."
"That's nothing then. We're back to square one. He's the hardest person yet to give birthday presents to," Sakura sighed in defeat.
"Well, what if we ask for Chiharu-chan's opinion. I'm quite positive she knows. She is, after all, close to Yamazaki-kun."
Sakura nodded, extremely slowly.
"I'm sure she won't mind us asking," Tomoyo continued saying assuringly, seeing a look on her friend's face.
"Chigau yo," Sakura protested quietly.
Tomoyo glanced at her cousin sideways. "You're afraid that she'll be prejudice?"
Sakura looked at her friend, startled for a minute. Remember how I said that she has a keen sense of observation. Add in the power of reading minds too.
"Hai," Sakura agreed gradually.
"Genki dase yo. We'll be fine. It's not like she's going to eat you or something," Tomoyo guaranteed her. "Besides, she eats food, not human being," she said jokingly.
Sakura smiled at Tomoyo, feeling a bit relief. Thank kami-sama she's with her right now.
-X0X-
I guess I've left you hanging without any ropes for a bit too long. The duty mentioned before is my duty, though it would seem more like a job. I'm the birthday planner.
No, I don't PLAN birthday.
My job is to jot down my classmate's birthdays and in charge in buying gifts for them. Looks easy, doesn't it? But always remember this; looks can be deceiving.
It's hard when I have to think of the most suitable present for them, especially when he or she is not my close friend but merely as an acquaintance. Yes, I am friendly with all of my classmates (except for one person, but you don't have to know about it), but not so close up to the point that I know everything about them.
That would be called a stalker, wouldn't it?
This is because some of them already have their own groups, the people they usually hang out with. For example, our circle of close friends consists of me, Tomoyo and our other three friends. One of the other reasons is that thinking…is not my best point.
Not exactly, anyway.
Luckily, Tomoyo is as my sidekick, meaning that she'll help me think off the appropriate gift.
There are about twenty students in my class, class 1 C.
Some of them have had their birthdays and their respective presents as well, including mine. However, those left were still unknown. I had not check the book for a little while.
Okay, two days of public holiday made me forget my job. I was occupied with something else that's extremely confidential. Hey, no peeping inside my brain now. Out!
-X0X-
Sakura glanced at the little notebook in her hand. Slowly, she turned the pages until she found the one that she had written her classmates' birthdays.
It says:
6th January – Tokiwa Eisaku
18th February – Minami Daisuke
22nd March – Shinagawa Taisuke
23rd March – Hiirigizawa Eriol
1st April – Kinomoto Sakura
7th April – Obata Yuuko
5th May – Yamada Kaito
13th May – Misaka Shiori
28th May – Mihara Chiharu
1st June – Yamazaki Takashi
24th June – Sasaki Rika
13th July – Li Syaoran
8th August – Rokuda Kentaro
3rd September – Daidouji Tomoyo
6th September – Saijou Miyabi
11th October – Yanagisawa Naoko
18th October – Miyazaki Hideaki
5th November – Mizunashi Rei
The ones bolded were the guy's birthdays while the girls were non-bolded.
She still can't believe that she had forgotten Yamazaki's birthday; she hated breaking promises.
Jobs are also promises to her. This responsibility was given to her, for her to fulfill. Even though she dislike this job as well as others, she still have to obey it, to do it. It was given to her, for her. She can't just abandon it, can she?
Sakura saw the school's clock from a far. The clock had been there since it was first build.
A big clock it is.
Every time it chimes, the sounds echoed throughout the town. Everyone in town relies on that watch. From the place where she was standing, Sakura also saw the hand it was pointing.
20 minutes before 8 a.m.
Not bad, considering how late they departed from Penguin Park.
Sakura hugged her windbreaker as the spring breeze played with her. It's still quite chilly; she could probably freeze to death. Feeling a bit somber, Sakura eyed the gigantic clock again, thinking that hopefully, Chiharu-chan won't kill her.
….…To Be Continued Soon……
And now it's time for LEAVE IT TO TeDDieZ BeaRZ!
TB: Konnichiwa!
Kero: Konnanichiwa!
TB: Osaka-ben? Kero-chan! You…can talk!
Kero: -glares menacingly- Of course I can! I'm the Guardian of one of the powerful magic book in the world!
TB: B-but there's no such thing as magic here! Need I remind you that this story is a pure magic free story?
Kero: -looking skeptical- Is it? Well, maybe so…but this is my usual ending part! I am not to give it to weird looking people!
TB: No, it's mine! Non-exist creature should be locked up in a book! And I am most definitely not bizarre!
Kero: I am locked, Miss Obvious!
TB: Nevertheless, this is my role!
Kero: No, mine!
TB: Mine!
Kero: Mine!
TB: Mine, you plushie!
Kero: Mine, you cat thief!
TB: …Persistent stuff animal, really.
Kero: It's Beast of The Seal, you stupid authoress!
Sakura: Kero-chan! Such language is forbidden! Gomen nasai, TB-san.
TB: Iie. Arigatou gozaimasu, Sakura-chan.
Kero: -sulk-
TB: Fine, Kero-chan. You can have the part, but only this time.
Kero: Wai! Wai! Time for Kero-chan check! Let me talk you through the some of the words used.
Kiu kiu mako – First Aid Kit
Ano – Umm…
Eto – Err…
Demo – But
Demo janai yo – No buts
Datte – But still
Ayashi na – How suspicious
Daijoubu desu – It's all right
Ojio-san – Aunt
Nani yo – what for
Doushtan desu – what's wrong
Cho dan daiyo – I'm joking!
Chigai yo – It's not that
Genki dase yo – Cheer up
Argatou gozaimasu – Thank you so much
Itaii – Ouch! – TB-chan is quite sure that most of you know what this means
Iie – No problem, No – TB-chan says the meaning depends on the text
Minna-san – everyone
Konnichiwa – hello
Konnanichiwa – Kero's way of saying hello
Honnana – Kero's version of goodbye
Kero: TB-chan said that she's not sure about the Japanese words used since she took them from different animes like Kanon, Midori no Hibi, Inuyasha and Card Captor Sakura itself etc. TB-chan also said that this is her first try at a fan fiction (other than the two one-shots) and while she hopes to finish this story regardless of good or bad reviews she'd get, she would like to improve where needed. She can't improve without practice and any advices from you, the readers, would be highly appreciated. So please, tell her EXACTLY what you think.
TB: Why, Kero-chan. I never knew you talk so sweetly on my behalf. –smiles pleasantly-
Kero: That's because you told Sakura to starve me if I don't say it.
TB: I rather have them not know about it!
Kero: I changed my mind. -whispers- Flame her all you want for all I care. -runs away- Hon-na-na!
TB: Get back here, you-! Ah, read and enjoy, minna-san! –runs after Kero- Why, you mangy stuff animal! Get back here!
