Disclaimer: Plot, characterization… ALL MINE! Clamp can keep Sakura and co. (ouch!)
Syaoran watched Sakura skate out of the house, and suddenly, he was inspired to "follow" the girl to school.
"What harm can it do?" Syaoran smirked, as he began his way on following Sakura Kinomoto (following, unlike stalking, Syaoran emphasizes).
He walked through the door, still in his daydream, to hear the ear piercing scream of Kinomoto Sakura.
Shady-Protector: Chapter Three
"KINOMOTO!" came the pale teenage boy's cry as he ran towards the auburn haired girl that was shrieking. His eyes became red with rage as he saw her, defenceless and trapped into a corner.
Sakura struggled against the stronger and much older man. His arms were muscular and the veins were visible under his sun-burnt skin. She screamed once or twice, but in the eyes of the man, there was no one around, not for travel distance of a hundred metres. She was pretty, he had thought. No, more than pretty. Exotic, striking and beautiful, like a perfectly symmetrical butterfly in a painting. He couldn't resist her; he simply had to touch her…
He panted, and his warm, humid breathe surrounded Sakura. He raised a hand to rip open her uniform, to expose her pale, white skin…
Syaoran's legs shook as he goes closer and closer to the instable man. His voice was filled with rage and anger.
"Let…her…GO!" Syaoran snarled, his translucent arms dragging Sakura from the man. Sakura looked right through him, and seemed to come to an understanding, that he was there.
Syaoran couldn't stand it. He simply could not tolerate it. So he punched him, took Sakura by the arm, and ran. And ran. And ran.
Until they were safely at the school.
…
"We're here. Go."
He only said three words, and yet, Sakura could distinctly hear the anxiety and concern in each syllable. She felt her heart warm at his concern for her, but decided to leave the subject.
"Thank you, Li-kun." She murmured, clutching her school bag to her chest, "I don't know what I would have done without…"
"Drop it." He commanded, his eyes flashing. The school bell rang, and immediately, the trance between them both was broken. With one longing glance at Syaoran, Sakura turned around, and walked through the school gates.
He sighed, as he ran one hand through his messy hair, "Kinomoto Sakura…who are you?"
That girl, was a mystery to him.
But to the girl, he wasn't.
…
"Yue, who is she exactly?"
The silver haired guardian sighed for the umpteenth time as he replied, "Fujitaka and Nadeshiko's daughter, I repeat."
"You've been hiding things from me; I'm not all that oblivious." Syaoran replied dully, "She can hear me, and sometimes, she can see me now. About one in a billion can do that. Just how is she, really?"
There wasn't a reply.
"She acts like a total klutz, but from her attempts to fight off that psycho, I could tell she's been through some sort of training. It was almost as if she was trying to lure me into saving her. It was like she had planned it all along…"
"Aren't you thinking too much, Syaoran?" Yue said, starting to feel the annoyance tugging in his veins.
"Doesn't she seem too…I don't know… normal? She purposely acts so clumsy, but when in action, she's anything BUT that."
The conversation did not continue, as Yue absent-mindedly took out a cigarette lighter. Syaoran sniffed in disgust, and questioned, "You're dead for god's sake, and you still have one of those?"
Yue smiled, "It's just a habit from when I was alive. Habits die hard, you know?"
Syaoran noticed Yue pocketed his lighter though.
"How is your counter-part doing? Being alive suits him?"
"Do you mean Yukito? He's doing very well…but I daresay he's going to end up with discrimination very soon in his life." Yue said lightly, while fingering his pen.
"Nani? Who's gonna bash him?"
Yue winced at Syaoran's slang and colloquialism, and replied, "He's in love with Touya."
"Touya?! Isn't that a guy's name?"
The connection between 'Touya' and 'Sakura's brother' did not seem to appear to Syaoran, as he blinked at the recognition of such news.
Syaoran laughed, and said, "Ah, I see what you mean. Don't fret over it, it's not that uncommon. He'll be fine!"
Yue smiled, grateful of Syaoran's tact and concern, "If only everyone was as accepting as you were, Syaoran."
Syaoran's face immediately scowled, and he looked downwards, "I wasn't always like this…"
Not until…
Nadeshiko…
Yue patted Syaoran's back understandingly, "It's been thirty years, Syaoran, I would've thought this new interest of yours would've dragged you away from the past!"
Syaoran's cheeks grew red, as he jumped off the bench, "Nahhh! She's not an interest of mine! She's an annoying…little…"
Cute.
"…clumsy…"
But beautiful.
"Stupid at maths! I saw her homework the other day…full of mistakes!"
But flawless in everything else…
Syaoran's face grew even more tomato-resembling as he tried to repress his thoughts. Unable to contain his embarrassment, Syaoran turned away from Yue's laughter, "It ain't funny, old man!"
"Ah…I'm sorry, but I haven't seen you this happy, in a long time, Syaoran."
Syaoran grew silent as he realised the truth behind his words.
It's true…I haven't laughed or talked like this…in a long time.
…
He was watching her play the piano. He watched silently as her slender fingers danced over the black and white keys. The notes, vivid and sharp; then soft and gentle. He listened as Sakura played effortlessly on the instrument.
Suddenly, she came to a halt.
"Isn't it time to give me some applause, Li-kun?" she smiled, bringing the piano lid down.
Syaoran's eyes widened in surprise, and he immediately regained his posture, even though he knew Sakura could not see him clearly, "Oh, ha-ha, very funny, Kinomoto."
He clapped his hands once or twice, before stopping at Sakura's large grin.
"Li-kun, why are you still here?"
He pretended to be ignorant to her question, "What are you talking about? I was listening to you play, of course."
She laughed, "You know that's not what I meant. You're meant to be reincarnated, but instead…"
She walked over, and whispered in his ear, "You stayed. There must…be a reason."
Syaoran moved away, startled, "No reason."
Sakura shrugged, and the room suddenly became very silent.
"Fine…there was a reason…"
Sakura smiled, and Syaoran was struck with an awful thought.
She knew that I wanted something…a secret that I had kept in the darkness for so long…
She's not who she appears.
But once Syaoran thought that, Sakura then plastered her famous ditzy smile upon her face, and said, "That's what I always read in stories too! They always have some unfinished business,"
He couldn't tell if she was faking.
Humming a song under her breathe, Sakura then skipped out, into the backyard.
Who are you…Kinomoto Sakura?
…
"Yukito-san! Hello!" Sakura's chirpy voice said, early in the morning.
Syaoran watched her, narrowing his eyes. Was this really all just an act? Or was he being to cautious?
How could he know?
Yue silently placed himself next to Syaoran, and he murmured, "Yukito's doing quite well, isn't he?"
Syaoran snorted, "Yue-san, he took your place as the living…even IF he doesn't remember, he literally killed you so he could live. How could you bear to be so kind towards him?"
Focusing his attention on the noisy, but warm family, Syaoran then heard the girl say happily, "My class is going on a field trip in a month! Otou-san, will you allow me to go?"
Syaoran groaned. He remembered going to field trips when he was still alive, and he thoroughly detested them.
…
1984
Nadeshiko's warm smile brightened up Syaoran's morning. She skipped down to the main hall, where breakfast was to be served. Syaoran, grinning from ear to ear, walked quietly after her. He loved the way her hair flowed. He loved the way her smile, can make a difference.
He loved her.
And yet, he wasn't the only one…but no one dared to come to close to Nadeshiko. Syaoran made sure of that.
"Li-kun! Do you want some cereal?" Nadeshiko said happily, "I think we're going onto the giant swing first today. Ne, Fujitaka?"
Fujitaka laughed soundly, and took a spoonful of cornflakes, "Can you handle it, Nadeshiko? It's almost twenty metres high up, hanging from a harness, with six metres free fall and travelling at eighty kilometres an hour."
Li Syaoran noticed the familiarity in Fujitaka's voice as he spoke to Nadeshiko. For a second or two, he was worried, but he brushed the feeling off.
Fujitaka was his best friend, right?
He watched, with his heart sinking, as Nadeshiko grabbed Fujitaka by the hand and ran off to the lodges.
…
"I'm going to go on that field trip." Syaoran stated.
Yue just raised his eyebrows, and did not reply.
…
End of chapter three
…
A/N: AHH. I'M SO SORRY T.T almost THREE QUARTERS A YEAR WITHOUT A SINGLE UPDATE. I'm the worse…
I SWEAR the next update will be within two weeks, ne? And it will be pages and pages and pages long. I don't know how I could've forgotten about my favourite fanfiction of all time… I got so caught up with Over the Border…and…and…
(Sigh)
I'm sorry.
Review:D