Disclaimer: I do not own Card Captor Sakura or any of its characters.

Author's Note: My belated Christmas gift to all of you, readers! Read and review!

Author's Second Note: December 27, 2016. To all my dearest readers, I've been re-reading the story and found the first three chapters too short. Hence, I decided to merge Chapters 1, 2, and 3. Did nothing major.

PERFECT STRANGERS
Dream of Autumn

iv.

A brown-haired man stared out the window of his car as he gazed at the sceneries passing before him. It was very early in the morning. The rays of the sun were only beginning to peak through the horizon yet Kinomoto Fujitaka was on his way to the cemetery once again to visit the grave of his beloved wife. Kinomoto Nadeshiko had been gone for two decades now, yet the love Fujitaka had for his wife remained unchanged. It had been love at first sight for them, and it will still be love for him even if he could not see her. Oh, how he sorely missed her. She had been his light and love in life. In death, she remains so.

Kinomoto Fujitaka was someone one would call an upstart. Having been born in a modest middle class family, his luck changed when, while working for Amamiya Corporation, he caught the eye of company heiress, Amamiya Nadeshiko. Their relationship inevitably made Fujitaka a topic of gossips in the company for a long time. How he supposedly seduced the young Amamiya scion, seven years his junior, just to be promoted. How he used his charms to land himself in the good books of the company owner. The list went on but to Fujitaka, these were all not worth his time. For all he cared, they were all jealous of his good fortune. All that mattered to him was his perfect wife and their growing family.

But as fast as Fujitaka reached his heights, nine years later, Fujitaka's world collapsed. Nadeshiko was diagnosed with lung cancer at the tender age of 26. Nadeshiko's battle with cancer lasted for a year before she succumbed to the disease, leaving her husband alone to raise their two children. For weeks, Fujitaka isolated himself and refused to see his children, especially Sakura who reminded him so much of his deceased wife.

It wasn't until Nadeshiko's cousin Daidouji Sonomi gave him an earful that Fujitaka began to regain his senses. Sonomi never liked him much, but seeing Touya and Sakura being thoroughly neglected by their father forced the Amamiya heiress to talk to her cousin-in-law. After Sonomi had left, he pondered upon the truth to Sonomi's words. Nadeshiko would not want to see him in that state nor will Nadeshiko be happy to see their children deprived of love and affection by their father. While ambling aimlessly inside the mansion, Fujitaka found himself inside the library. It was during this time that he stumbled upon something that soon became his point of interest, a driving force, while raising his children. Scanning the family archives, Fujitaka discovered that the Amamiyas had, at one point in history, descended from the emperors of Japan.

This lit a spark that soon became an obsession inside Fujitaka. He unwittingly married into royalty, in a manner of speaking. His children, his flesh and blood, were of, albeit indirectly, imperial descent. This realization shook Fujitaka. Having been an archeologist's son, history had been one of his favorite subjects growing up. While his peers were all into comics and games, he pored over history books. A grin broke into Fujitaka's face as he thought of Touya and Sakura. My own prince and princess… He will make sure his children will have the most possible perfect life. They will have only the best education, the best teachers, the best jobs, the best spouses.

Fujitaka's gaze darted forward when the car slowly came to a stop. They were at their destination already. He got out of the car and breathed the early morning air, momentarily enjoying the wind's gentle caress. Smiling, he strode forward clutching the flowers he brought for Nadeshiko.

"Good morning, my angel," Fujitaka tenderly said as he laid the flowers over his deceased wife's tomb. In the twenty years that passed, Fujitaka kept his promise to visit her grave every week. No earthquake, no storm could deter him from going there.

"Our Sakura is finally getting married, my love," he said talking to the grave, pleased with himself. "If you were here, I'm sure you will be very pleased. The boy comes from a very good family. Well-educated, very hardworking. I'm sure he will give our princess the life she deserves."

The hairs on the back of his neck stood and he allowed himself another smile. He knew his wife, wherever she was, was listening. Closing his eyes, Fujitaka imagined Nadeshiko smiling in approval of his news.

"Our children are all very fortunate my love, marrying into privileged families," he said looking up wistfully to the wind.

As a widowed father, Fujitaka spent his life slaving over his children's future. He made sure they had careers that would keep food on their table and not just simply something they took on a whim. He made sure they were adept in skills people on top of the society ladder deemed necessary. He made sure they associated with the right people. And finally, he made sure they ended up with people who will lavish them with their wants. He took great pains in removing Mizuki Kaho from Touya's life. She was, to his belief, not right for him. He hardened himself during the years Touya lived less like a human and kicked him to South Korea when he went too far by ingesting poison to end his life. That had been the best decision Fujitaka ever made.

In Seoul, his son crossed paths with Hong Kong heiress Li Mei Ling. Fujitaka had been hesitant at first. The girl was too headstrong, too volatile for his liking. He would be unable to control his son, much less his wife. But when, while digging up her background, he found that the Lis were, much like the Amamiyas, descended from the emperors of China, Fujitaka eagerly consented for their marriage. He struck gold. The thought that his grandchildren would carry the blood of rulers of East Asia sent Fujitaka to euphoria.

Now left with only one child to look after, Fujitaka began looking for options for Sakura's husband. Mei Ling raised the bar high with her pedigree. The answer came to him one day and Fujitaka breathed a sigh of relief with the realization that he did not have to look far. It was during one of his conversations with Mei Ling's father that he discovered that the Li family had three bachelors. Li Chien's cousin Ah Shen had two sons older than Sakura. Both were respected figures in their chosen fields and were very much respectable themselves. Though sorely tempted, Fujitaka was ambitious. He wanted the best because Nadeshiko's daughter only deserved nothing but. He was determined to have the titular head of the esteemed clan from Hong Kong for his son-in-law. And that meant the unmarried son of the former clan head Li Dai Lang.

Li Xiao Lang.

Seven days from her wedding, Kinomoto Sakura sat patiently as she waited for the arrival of her cousin and best friend, Daidouji Tomoyo. She was due for her dress fitting at Tomoyo's atelier and the renowned Japanese designer was running late for their appointment. Tomoyo had already apologized. Apparently, an emergency came up with the dress of one of her brides that day and she needed to fix it pronto. It didn't matter to Sakura at the moment. The idle time gave her a while to think. For three weeks running, Sakura still cannot believe she was getting married. Moreover, it was only last week that she formally met her groom.

Her fiancé's face appeared in her mind. As hisface became clearer inside her head, she shivered. Dark, fiery amber eyes peering behind tousled brown locks had been haunting her in her dreams ever since they met. A deep, rich, velvety voice taunting her, teasing "I take it you're excited for our wedding, Sakura?" Then, she wakes up, almost always at 3:00 in the morning. Getting back to sleep had since been difficult and Sakura anticipated she was going to receive a scolding once Tomoyo sees her drawn face.

As if on cue, the double doors to the studio opened and in walked a fair woman with wavy dark hair, almost panting.

"Sakura!" Tomoyo breathed. "I'm so sorry! I—" violet eyes blinked. Sakura waited with bated breath, knowing she was never going to hear the end of it.

"What happened to you, Kinomoto Sakura?!" Tomoyo almost shrieked. Sakura winced. "You look like death! When was the last time you slept?"

"Tomoyo, let's not talk about it, please," Sakura pleaded wearily.

Tomoyo scowled. "Not talk about it? Sakura, have you seen yourself? When was the last time you looked into a mirror?"

Sakura glared at her cousin and did not answer.

Tomoyo huffed, unwilling to let this down. "Sakura, I know the circumstances of your engagement and marriage may not be the most ideal but I certainly expected more effort coming from you! You can't let the people of Hong Kong see you get married to that man—" she spat the word venomously. "—like the way you look right now!"

Sakura sighed, defeated like always. Tomoyo would never let her win when it came to that department. "I'm sorry, okay? I had a lot of things in my mind."

"Don't we all? At this rate, Sakura, you'll be the laughingstock of Hong Kong!"

At this, Sakura's frown deepened and she felt herself flush knowing what Tomoyo said was true. "Fine! I promise I'll make an effort to sleep more."

This earned her a smile from her cousin. "That's what I want to hear. Now, where were we?"

Tomoyo only needed to clap her hands before her assistants came fawning over Sakura, bringing her silk dress. With a groan, Sakura dragged her feet to the dressing room to change, not even daring to look at the garment in her arms.

Much to Tomoyo's disappointment, Fujitaka had instructed that Sakura wear a red cheongsam. From the time they were teenagers, Tomoyo had been planning Sakura's wedding. From the gown, to the venue, to the decorations, to the entourage, every fine detail of her best friend's wedding had been etched on the back of her head. The only thing missing was the groom himself. When Fujitaka suddenly appeared on the doorstep of her studio three weeks earlier bringing the news of the engagement together with his instructions for the wedding, Tomoyo was appalled. Everything she planned suddenly went down the drain.

Her idea of Sakura's grand wedding at the Imperial Hotel Tokyo flew out of the window. The elegant white gown she had been dreaming for Sakura bled red. Even her own dress as maid of honor was significantly altered. Her idea of an off-shoulder gown had to become a cheongsam. Tomoyo wrinkled her nose at the thought. All her sketches were all for naught.

After two hours of dress fitting and a bit of bickering here and there, everything was done. Needed adjustments had been accounted for so the cousins decided to stepped out for brunch. They headed out for their favorite café in central Tokyo and settled themselves in a private booth at the corner of the restaurant.

"You know, we didn't get the chance to talk after you came home from Hong Kong," Tomoyo began after their meals were served.

Sakura simply shrugged and stayed silent. She tried enjoying her pasta as a number of thoughts jumbled inside her head.

"What were they like? The Lis, I mean," Tomoyo asked curiously. "I've heard a number of things about them from Okaa-sama but she only knew them from the business side of things."

Sakura nodded.

Tomoyo continued to press for details. "Surely, your sister-in-law would know them better but you can't honestly expect me to go to her."

Sakura smiled. Much like her, Tomoyo pretty much found her sister-in-law obnoxious. But unlike Sakura's muted tolerance, Tomoyo had the glaring audacity to call Mei Ling a "stuck-up snob" even to Touya's face. Mei Ling's husband would simply roll his eyes and shake his head, amused. Touya loved Mei Ling too much to care.

Sakura thought for a minute, poking through her pasta as she tried to find the right words to describe her future family. "They look… very formidable."

Tomoyo's face fell. This was not the word she wanted to hear. She wanted something juicy, scandalous even. "Formidable?" she snorted.

Sakura nodded. It was the truth. Despite being herself, Sakura had always been a self-assured person when dealing with people. Being raised by Fujitaka and Touya does that to you. Yet aside from her father, Sakura had never known someone who can make her feel as small as the way the Lis did. It was in the confident way they held themselves, coupled by their understanding that they were somebody. They were rich, prominent, and influential, and they damn knew it. How she can bear living with Li Ye Lan and her cold, calculating looks, or Li Xiao Lang's burning stares and conniving smirks in the coming months… Sakura tried suppressing the thought.

"They're pretty much like Mei Ling," Sakura concluded sipping on her drink.

"Oh…" Tomoyo said understandingly. "Figures…"

"And your so-called future husband?" Tomoyo asked without batting an eyelash.

At her question, Sakura tensed. Instantly, the conversation she overheard replayed in her mind word for word. She told nobody about it simply because she feared how they would react. Since her father told her of her engagement to Li Xiao Lang, it always bothered Sakura how the engagement happened. When Fujitaka refused to answer her queries, she shrugged it off and assumed that it was for business reasons like most arranged marriages she heard of. When her father informed her that they were going to Hong Kong to meet the Lis, Sakura assumed that it was at the invitation of the Chinese family.

Imagine her surprise when their families finally met. It was clear as daylight to Sakura that she was not and will not be welcome in the Li household. Not even her father gloating her supposed accomplishments could endear her to the Lis. Her soon-to-be mother-in-law regarded her like a leech desperately clinging to her son that she wanted to detach. Her future groom treated her apathetically, disregarding the smoldering stares he threw at her all throughout the night when he thought she didn't notice. By far, his cousin Hiiragizawa Eriol had been the nicest person she encountered from his family. But Sakura knew that when everything was definite and she was married to Syaoran, Eriol won't be there for her 24/7. Plus, if anything goes wrong, Sakura would not expect him to defend her. He was part of their family not hers. And blood will always be thicker than water.

And then she overheard them talking. She was making her way from the toilet back to the living room where her father and Ye Lan were discussing wedding preparations when she heard a male voice speak her name. She peered by the door that led to what Sakura saw was a patio and saw Syaoran and Eriol talking. She frowned hearing them talk about her looks. Admittedly, there was nothing insulting with what they said. To an extent, they complimented her even if Syaoran thought other women were better-looking. She couldn't care less. She, however, simply didn't like being the subject of such a conversation as if she were a piece of meat.

Then came what Sakura deemed to be an accusation. Syaoran was convinced Sakura and her father were planning something against his family. Her heart thudded and she felt her anger slowly course through her.

How dare he?! She wanted to confront him right there and then and tell him straight up that he was being ridiculous. She knew nothing of whatever business transactions her father made. Nor had her father ordered her to do anything. As far as Sakura was concerned, the only thing her father told her to do was to marry the man. Nothing more, nothing less. Why? Kami-sama knows.

Hot tears threatened to spill out of Sakura's eyes and her body trembled with rage. The sound of shuffling footsteps came and she made a sharp intake of breath. Instinctively, she moved to stand against the wall, not wanting to be seen. Her gaze lingered on their backs as the pair walked away from where she stood. Alone in the deserted hallway, Sakura calmed herself. Everything suddenly became clear to her. She was not the only one forced to marry. Both of them were, all because her father took the family company right under the Lis' watch.

Knowing, however, brought no relief to Sakura. Just quite the opposite because knowing the truth also brought the realization that she will be, from the time she got married, on the receiving end of the Lis' retribution. And Sakura knew it won't be pretty.

"He's…" Sakura pondered her answer. A small smile tugged her lips. "Like a wolf."

"Sakura!" Tomoyo whined. "You have got to give me answers better than that!"

Sakura laughed, the first time she did in a week. "Tomoyo, can we please not talk about him or his family or anything about the wedding?"

Tomoyo frowned and shook her head. "Sakura, I'm just worried. You're getting married in a week! To a man you barely know!"

In reality, Tomoyo was agitated. She loved Sakura like a sister and the last thing she wanted to happen was her getting hurt. When her uncle broke the news of Sakura's engagement, Tomoyo was hurt thinking Sakura had blindsided her. She was supposed to be her best friend, her best confidante. For her not to be aware of any relationship or engagement Sakura had was betrayal. She refused to pick up Sakura's call or answer her messages. It wasn't until a frantic Sakura showed up at her house the next evening that the truth dawned on Tomoyo.

"I don't intend to scare you off, Sakura. But please, be careful of Li Syaoran," Tomoyo told her.

Sakura's eyes widened. "Tomoyo, is there something I need to know about him?"

"Well, I did a bit of research about the man. Specifically on his personal history. It's kind of frustrating to know his record is clean. Nothing overtly scandalous that might make Uncle Fujitaka change his mind about you marrying him."

Sakura's eyebrows raised, dubious and at the same time disappointed. "Really? No secret love affairs? No former lovers mysteriously turning up dead? No secret love child?"

A tug of a smile appeared on the corner of Tomoyo's lips. "Zilch," she confirmed. "At least that's what my sources tell me."

"Isn't that supposed to be a good thing?"

"I would like to believe it is," Tomoyo said. "But sometimes, it's the things that are kept hidden that are more dangerous than what is known."

Sakura did not contradict. The unknown is far scarier than otherwise. More so considering the conversation she heard.

"He must be very, very powerful to be able to hide his darkest secrets from the public," Sakura mused. Who know what he's capable of doing? Will he hurt me physically? Or will he resort to mind games to drive me to my insanity?

"And he thinks I'm the one with skeletons in my closet," Sakura muttered before she could even think. She inwardly winced when she realized what she just let slip. Sakura mentally chided herself. The last thing she needed was for someone to know what she knew. The fiasco this would cause… Sakura grimaced at the thought.

"What? What do you mean he thinks you're hiding something?" Tomoyo demanded.

"Nothing!" Sakura answered a little too quickly, muscles tensing.

Tomoyo narrowed her eyes. "Sakura, I heard you very clearly. You said Li Syaoran thinks you're hiding something. Did he threaten you?"

Sakura shook her head hard. "H-He didn't e-exactly tell me that h-he thinks I'm hiding something," Sakura sputtered. "It's…"

"Go on," Tomoyo urged her to continue.

Inside her ribcage, Sakura's heartbeat began to race. "It's… in the way he looks at me. L-Like… he doesn't trust me. L-Like he thinks I'm up to something." Sakura mentally patted herself for the quick thinking. Across her, Tomoyo continued to stare at her suspiciously. It's very hard to lie to your best friend, especially if the said best friend knows you inside and out.

Sakura eased her breathing when she thought Tomoyo finally yielded.

The raven-haired girl let out a sigh. "Sakura, as your best friend, I'm going to say that you not telling me everything really hurts."

"Tomoyo—"

"But as your best friend, I trust you have reasons for not telling me." Tomoyo's eyes softened.

The words Sakura wanted to say got caught in her throat. She felt guilty for keeping secrets from Tomoyo.

"I probably will never be able to fathom what you're feeling right now, Sakura. But, as your best friend and maid of honor, I want to ask you one favor."

Sakura held her breath as her green eyes met Tomoyo's pleading violet ones. A favor?

"Please seriously reconsider marrying Li Syaoran."

Sakura turned her gaze down. "Tomoyo, it's not that easy. Otou-sama—"

"Sakura, let's face it. Uncle Fujitaka won't be around for too long. He might have done this for what he thought was for your own good. But when he's gone, who will you turn to when you're miserable in your marriage?"

Sakura remained silent. Tomoyo knew she made her point.

"You might feel that you want to give this marriage a shot and see how it's going to work. But when it goes down, what happens next? Is all this worth it, Sakura?"

Though Sakura did not give any reply, it was apparent in those green eyes what her answer was: No. No, it's not.

Truth be told, she didn't need to hear it from Tomoyo to know that her impending marriage was doomed right before it even began. Sakura figured that out for herself. She knew it was only a matter of time before the Li Xiao Lang maneuvered his way out of the marriage and shipped her back to Japan. Frankly, she didn't care. Good riddance. Her only worry was her father.

Yet as the days went by, Sakura found herself seriously thinking about the words Tomoyo said to her. When her father passes, what would become of her? Will she still be married to Xiao Lang by then? Or will she be the disgraced divorcee? Will somebody still want her by then?

Like any normal girl, Sakura dreamt of being swept off her feet by her Prince Charming. She dreamt of looking into the eyes of her true love as they exchanged vows, sealing their marital union in front of the people they loved. She wanted a marriage full of love, something like what her parents had. And she wanted to spend the rest of her life with someone who loved her more than she loved him, much like how her father had loved her mother.

Sakura allowed herself a smile. Despite the many things one can say about Kinomoto Fujitaka as a person, as an employer, and even as a father, nobody can ever fault him as a husband. He was perfect in every way. He was loving, caring, gentle, faithful, and a romantic. Even in death, he remained very much in love with his wife and refused to even consider dating and remarriage.

Sakura sighed. For her to have that kind of marriage was now an impossibility, especially with her fiancé suspicious of her and her father's alleged motives. With the wedding happening in four days, Sakura knew something, anything, had to be done to put a stop to this madness. She felt like a puny insect led by her father into a web of a waiting spider. But unlike the insect that she was weeks ago, her resolve was getting stronger. There was no way she was letting herself get trapped.

Ever since Sakura could remember, Fujitaka had been behind her dictating her every move whether she liked it or not. And more than egging her into whatever he wanted for her, he demanded nothing but perfection and Sakura had been nothing but obedient. There was a flicker inside her head and she thought of her brother. Like her, Touya did nothing but give in to their father's demands all his life. It nearly destroyed his life for good. Despite the fact that Touya was in a much better place now, Sakura doubted that redemption was at the end of the dark tunnel for her. There was only one thing for her to do: turn back and get out of the tunnel.

At twenty three years old, Sakura was slowly becoming her own person. And after twenty three years of constantly nodding to the dictates of her father, Sakura decided that Little Miss Perfect Daughter had to tack a back seat.

This time, she had enough.

As if fate would have it, the chance to make things her way came to Sakura the next day.

Father and daughter were having breakfast when Rika came in holding out a phone to Fujitaka. "Fujitaka-sama, Matsuharo-sama is on the line."

Fujitaka took the phone with a grunt and stood up to the take call. "Hai, Fujitaka desu…" He strode out of the room.

Sakura eyed her father's figure subconsciously. He was talking in a hushed voice, pacing along the hallway. When he ended the call, Fujitaka entered the dining room in a rush and made a grab for his coat which he hung on the back of his chair.

"Sakura, I'm leaving you and Touya in charge. I'll be in Nagoya until tomorrow. Investors are coming in this afternoon and I'll be having a meeting with them."

"Yes, Otou-sama," Sakura nodded. As Vice President of Operations, she was used to having her father tap her as acting president in his absence.

"Call Touya if you need anything." And with that, Fujitaka left.

Sakura was halfway standing up to prepare for her day as company-in-charge when the realization came to her: her father will be gone for the day.

She was alone. And the time she will be alone was more than enough for her.

Now, all that she needed to do is make two phone calls and she will be free.

Free from the Lis.

Free from her father.

Free from perfection.

The trip to Nagoya takes about four and a half hours from Tokyo. Fujitaka had been travelling for an hour when his phone vibrated in his pocket. It was his Assistant Vice President.

"Hello, Oyama-san?"

"Good morning, Fujitaka-sama!"

"I'm on my way to Nagoya, Oyama-san. I've left Touya and Sakura in charge so you may refer your concern to them for the time being."

"Oh! My apologies, Fujitaka-sama. I'll take the matter to Touya-sama, then. Good day, Sir!"

Fujitaka ended the call. Barely ten minutes had passed when his phone again vibrated, prompting him of an incoming call. He frowned when he saw that it was once again Oyama Kaido on the line.

"My apologies, once again, Fujitaka-sama, but Touya-sama is currently in a meeting with Asahara & Genda. And, well, Mr. Schwartz is waiting for an answer. He was asking about a draft of the contract they sent you three days ago and was wondering whether the terms were amenable. They wanted to finalize the agreement the soonest possible time, Sir."

Fujitaka recalled reviewing the draft two days earlier and found nothing needing amendment.

"You may tell them to proceed. I believe I forwarded the reviewed draft to Sakura's office. You may get it from her," Fujitaka said.

"Sakura-sama called in sick today, Sir."

"Did she?" Fujitaka's eyes widened in surprise. Sakura was perfectly fine when he left.

"Yes, Sir."

"Very well. Let them know the contract may be finalized."

After bidding his employee goodbye, Fujitaka absentmindedly gazed at the cars cruising along the highway, his thoughts straying to his daughter. Why would Sakura call in sick? Was she really sick? She didn't look ill when he had left.

An uneasy feeling slowly creeped up on Fujitaka.

No.

His darling daughter would never lie. Not on purpose. He tried shaking it off but the feeling lingered. He shook his head. Would she really? Determined to be rid of the anxiety he felt, Fujitaka took out his phone and dialed home.

Their butler Saeki answered after three rings and, without letting him finish his customary greeting, Fujitaka immediately asked for Sakura.

"Sakura-sama? She left for work the same time you did, Fujitaka-sama," Saeki told him, sounding confused.

"I-Is that so?"

Saeki's answer only confirmed Fujitaka's fear as the feeling of coldness washed over him. The hairs on the back of his neck stood. The wheels on his mind turned and his temper began to rise.

Angrily, he dialed Sakura's number. He needed an answer from her and she better give him a good one. He only grew more incensed when he was diverted to voice mail and had to resist the strong urge to throw his phone away. Scowling, he glared at his phone as if it was a useless piece of garbage. Then, something in his phone caught his eye and he sneered. He tinkered with the gadget patiently and, when a red dot appeared on his phone's screen, he stared at it for a whole minute.

Like a bomb, his anger exploded and evolved into full blown rage as he bellowed at his driver to turn back to Tokyo at top speed. He didn't care if he got caught speeding. He can get away with that. All Fujitaka cared at that moment was he needed to return to Tokyo immediately or else there will be no daughter waiting for him when he comes back.

Fujitaka gritted his teeth and clenched his fists. He looked again at his phone and was a bit relieved that the dot remained unchanged.

Sakura was still at the airport.

Sakura fidgeted in her seat as she waited for her boarding time. She had been in the airport for two hours now and as the minutes ticked, her anxiety continued to grow. Her flight to Fukuoka was supposed to leave thirty minutes ago but airport traffic pushed its departure for another hour. In an attempt to calm her nerves, Sakura began to breathe deeply.

Everything will be alright… Everything will be alright… Anytime now, they'll be asking passengers to board the plane and everything will be alright…

Her spur of the moment decision led her to purchasing a plane ticket to Fukuoka. She had purposely chosen the most random destination in Japan simply because she knew that if her father ever found out what she did, he would never think of Fukuoka as her escape route. And even if he did, it will be too late. Fukuoka would only be her stopover. As to where she would go next, she would think about it during the plane ride. At that moment, she was considering going to Okinawa, Taiwan, or Vietnam.

Sakura silently hoped Touya and Tomoyo would forgive her. She had left without informing them. She called her secretary the minute her father left the house to tell her she was sick and would be taking a leave from work. She trusted Yariko was sensible enough inform her brother because she didn't intend to talk to Touya at all. Her brother would know she was fibbing the minute they talked. The same goes with Tomoyo. To Sakura, the lesser the number of people who knew of her plans, the lesser the magnitude of trouble would be. Nobody can fault them for not giving away her location.

"Good morning!" a voice rang through the airport announcement system. Sakura straightened up in her seat. "Flight JAL 313 bound for Fukuoka is now boarding at Gate number 31."

Around Sakura, passengers began standing up to fall in line, ready to board the plane. Sakura rose herself from her seat and gathered her bags, all set to board the aircraft when a vice-like grip held her arm. She yelped in pain as someone pulled her roughly.

Her eyes widened and she gasped when she found herself staring at the furious face of Kinomoto Fujitaka.

"Going somewhere, Princess?"

TO BE CONTINUED