HANGING ON FOR HOPE
AUTHOR'S NOTES: Chapter four is up! And guess what had happened… (grin) Just read on… (smile) This chapter is made up and not part of the true story part of the story… did you understand that phrase…? Was it jumbled up…? (sweatdrop)
Anyway
I would like to thank the following who reviewed the previous
chapter:
o-
xoxo-aishteruze
DISCLAIMER: I do not own Card Captor Sakura. This story is based on a true story.
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CHAPTER FOUR: A DREAM?
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Snow was falling from the sky; couples were together having fun as they celebrated Christmas Eve with their loved ones. The wind suddenly blows through, almost freezing anyone who wasn't wearing anything that can prevent them from the cold.
It is such a lovely night at Tomoeda, Japan. Sadly, someone felt like she was never loved at all. Not that her father and her brother didn't love her, it was just something that she felt personally. Something that she thought she could escape for the season since she is not with them, the people who made her feel depression.
Christmas season is a break for everyone, especially to those who are so much stressed because of their school work, or even their work. For Sakura, it is also a break from all the supposed to be depressions that other people from school give you. But this Christmas season is an exception for her because she still felt it, she still saw them, she was still with them. Unfortunately for her, they saw her. What a nice time to be seen. Christmas Eve plus alone doesn't actually make a good combination.
A few minutes after really registering that Syaoran was there with Resha at a shrine that was so far from where those two originally lived, Sakura started to walk, taking another round trip of the shrine, paying her respects one more time before she left.
"Sakura?" a girl called out as Sakura was walking out of the shrine. She had somehow wanted to disappear at that point, or hoped that there was another Sakura near her. She looked around, no one was there except for her and who ever that was calling her. She knew who called her, but she was still hoping.
Thinking that she'll dread what she'll do, Sakura just left it behind and turned around only to find Resha and Syaoran. "Resha? Syaoran? What are you guys doing here…?" she asked trying to hide her sadness along with trying to fight back her tears.
"We're not supposed to meet with you till tomorrow, but since you're here, might as well tell you the truth. The truth is, we were supposed to come and visit you, us and the others, since you're the only that doesn't live in the city. You know, taking a road trip and taking a tour as well." Resha started. "But then something came up and we had to come here earlier. The others couldn't come earlier so Syaoran and I came in earlier." She finished.
"We were supposed to surprise you but we didn't know that you came to this shrine during Christmas Eve." Syaoran said.
Okay, that sure was something she didn't expect. Especially from the people that were rarely with her. "Surprise…?" they both said in unison.
Even though she was depressed and still sad, she found it quite amusing to see that her batchmates slash friends making some effort and wanted to surprise her by visiting her. "So, where do you guys stay…? When do the others come?" she asked as she started walking. Resha and Syaoran followed suit.
"We stay at Shangrila Plaza. We have two rooms, enough to fit us. Of course, a separate room for the guys and the girls." Syaoran said taking his place at Sakura's right while Resha took the left.
"That's far from my place but it's near the city…" Sakura said.
"The others come tomorrow. They just had some stuff to handle down south." Resha said. Tomoeda was around an hour ride from north of Tokyo that's why it is colder in Tomoeda than in Tokyo; Tomoyo's usual complaint.
As they walked towards who knows where, they talked. They were so thankful of their school that they had everything finished before the holidays so they didn't have to worry about anything. For that matter, all they had to worry about was enjoying their holidays.
A few minutes later, they found themselves facing a house that was big enough for four people. It had a small front yard and a few steps from the gate was the door that was leading inside the house. It was a two-story house that was painted in peachy-shade and had big enough windows that may be opened to let in the cool breeze. It was also obvious that the house had an attic for there was a window in the roof.
Sakura walked up the steps and said, "This is my stop… Would you guys want to come in or would you rather take a rest?"
Both Resha and Syaoran looked at each other and turned around to look at Sakura at the same time. "Actually Sakura, we would like you to join us in the hotel if it's alright…?" Resha asked.
That's another thing that she didn't expect. "Guys, I'd like to… But it's Christmas; and my dad is alone not until tomorrow afternoon…" she replied. "If you want, you can stay here for the night since Touya isn't around and it's only the two of you for now, right?" she continued and smiled.
For a few minutes they thought about it. But they soon agreed. Sakura then lead them inside the house. It was nearly one in the morning so Fujitaka was already asleep. Sakura gave them a small and whispered tour in the house first before leading them to her room.
"Syaoran… You can't stay here so you have to stay either at the living room or at my brother's room for the night. Not that it's something that I want cause you'll be alone… But we can't fit here… Unless you want to stay near the door where you may obtain a bump in the morning when my dad opens the door…" Sakura said as she was pulling out a mat for Resha to use.
Syaoran first looked at where Sakura was laying the mat, beside her bed. She still had a quite large space near the television. "I think I'll just stay here. Have any more mats?" he asked.
"Just a sec… I'll go get them." Sakura said. Since it was usually only Tomoyo who was sleeping over, only one mat was kept in her room and the others were downstairs in the cup board.
A few minutes later, she returned with the mat and a pillow. "Here you go…" Sakura said as she handed the mat and the pillow to Syaoran who gladly accepted them. He then laid the mat below the television and tossed the pillow on the top. He tried to lie down. Indeed, his feet were near the door. "Hopefully this won't be a bother." He said.
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The next day was another snowy day. Sakura's room was a mess. The blankets were everywhere. Why? They had a pillow fight last night. Luckily, no pillows were busted.
Fujitaka was about to leave the house to buy some freshly baked bread from the bakery at the corner when he noticed that there are additional two pairs of shoes by their shoe rack. "Maybe she brought home some friends… Tomoyo and Shira maybe…" Fujitaka said before he left the house.
The sun was once again up but not that bright enough like the ones that wake her up in the morning during school days. But still, it had shown in her eyes making her rub her eyes lightly and turn around from the sun. Resha, on the other hand, got her pillow and covered her eyes with it. Syaoran didn't have any problem since the window that was near him didn't have the sun shining in it. They all continued their slumber, not until someone suddenly opened the door as if he was searching the house for a criminal or something. That one made Syaoran jump up with his eyes wide open. Unfortunately for him, his left foot was so much near the door that when it was opened with force, it made an awful hard impact on his foot. He sat up and curled near the television staring at the person with puppy look eyes that opened the door as he rubbed his foot.
Touya glared back at the only guy that was present in the room before he busted in. "Who are you?" he asked coldly as if wanting to kill him.
"Good morning sir. I'm Li Syaoran, Saku – " Before Syaoran could finish, he was interrupted with another question.
"What are you doing here?" he asked once again, coldly.
At this point, Sakura couldn't help but wake up because of the noise and the sun. She opened her eyes as well as her hearing when she had heard Touya. She immediately opened her eyes and sat up. "Touya!" she said.
Irritated by the noise the Sakura made, Resha gave up and opened her eyes. It was before she could go back to sleep that Touya opened the door that hurt Syaoran's foot.
"We are visiting from Tokyo. Sakura invited us to stay here for the night. I'm Sakura's c – " again, before he could finish, he was once again interrupted. This was getting him in the nerves.
"Why are you visiting from Tokyo? Do you have any business here?" Touya asked again, not bothering to acknowledge Sakura's call.
"TOUYA! Quit it! They're here to visit, so what!" Sakura said.
That totally alarmed Resha and Syaoran. They never heard Sakura yell, nor have they seen her that angry. Well, Syaoran had heard her yell, but it wasn't an angry yell like this one.
Before Touya retreated out of the room, he took another glare at Touya. "Breakfast Kaiju." He said.
And even before the pillow that Sakura sent towards the door hit him, he had closed the door. "Urgh! Sakura no kaiju desu!!!" she yelled out again. She was glaring at the door as if it was Touya.
"Sakura-chan… I have a question… Do you always begin your day like that…?" Resha asked, a bit frightened that Sakura might yell at her.
Sakura looked at Resha who was sitting at her mat that was beside her bed. "Oh… Sorry you had to see that… Before college, yeah; I begin most of my days like that." she said as she stood up.
"Who was that anyway?" Syaoran said.
Sakura then saw that he was still curled up at the corner rubbing his foot gently. Sakura's eyes widened at the sight of blood that was flowing from Syaoran's foot since it was the corner of the door that bumped into it. "Oh my gosh, Syaoran! Are you alright?" she asked running towards him and kneeling in front of him to see his wound. "I'm so sorry about that…" she said. Standing up again, Sakura grabbed a small towel from her drawers, a bag of cotton, and alcohol.
"Oh no! You are not putting that thing near this foot!" Syaoran said.
"Resha, would you do me a favor and hold him still? Close his mouth as well." Sakura said.
Resha knows that this hurts but it is the only way for a wound to be cleaned easily. So she held him as hard as she could and closed his mouth to prevent him from waking up the whole neighborhood.
Not wanting to look at the wound as she puts the alcohol, Sakura closed her eyes and she gently tapped the alcohol-filled cotton to his wound. She would have poured the alcohol if she wasn't just afraid that Syaoran might hunt her until her grave.
"MMMMMMMMMM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Syaoran yelled out from Resha's hand.
He's a man. But, of course, everyone has weaknesses. Besides, who can tolerate an open wound with alcohol? I don't think anyone can.
After a few minutes with the cotton still there in his wound being pressed by Sakura, they both calmed down a bit. Syaoran stopped yelling and Sakura had opened her eyes. Resha? Oh, she was too concentrated on keeping Syaoran still to even bother. Now that he had stopped yelling, she had also eased up and laid down back to her mat. "Man Syaoran. You are so hard to control." She said.
"What if I do that to you when you have an open wound! Wouldn't YOU be hard to control as well because of the pain!" he said.
"Shhh… They can hear us from the kitchen. Come on. Can you walk?" Sakura said.
Syaoran was still looking down at his foot, cotton was still there. "I think I can." He said as he attempted to stand. He stood up alright. But he couldn't walk straight because of his foot. "Come on. We have to get you downstairs. My dad would know what to do…" Sakura said once again as she motioned towards Syaoran's left arm and placed it around her to support him. He's heavy, but at least she tried. Better than nothing, right?
Downstairs, they heard Syaoran yell. Though Fujitaka didn't know who that was and where it came from, he just shrugged it out.
A few minutes later, there was walking from upstairs that can be heard. After another few minutes, Sakura, Resha and Syaoran appeared in the kitchen. "Good morning." They all said in unison.
Fujitaka took notice that Syaoran was being supported by the two girls. "My, what happened here?" he said as he walked towards them. He then helped them lead Syaoran to a seat.
"Touya here suddenly opened the door, not taking into consideration that there may be people there. I may be in the cabinet you know…" Sakura said glaring at Touya.
"Why is he in your room anyway?" Touya started once again.
"Urgh! How many times do we have to tell you! They are visiting from Tokyo!" Sakura said. "By the way, dad, that's Syaoran and this is Resha. They are both my classmates at Toudai." She continued.
"Pleased to meet you." He said as he looked up to Syaoran then he took a glance at Resha. "Anyway, we have to put some something here. You guys know where the alcohol is?"
"Sakura already placed some sir." Syaoran said, before he would stand up and order someone to get the alcohol.
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Sakura, Touya, and Fujitaka had already exchanged their gifts after breakfast and opened the other gifts that were given to them. Now, Sakura, Resha, and Syaoran couldn't leave the house even though they wanted to. It was because of Syaoran's foot. He still couldn't walk properly.
"I'm really sorry about your foot Syaoran…" Sakura apologized for the nth time.
"Sakura, it's really alright… It's not your fault. I wanted to stay there and took the chances." Syaoran replied, the nth time as well.
"Where are you guys?" Resha asked from her celphone. Obviously, she was talking to Oriha and the others.
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That afternoon, the three of them met up with the others who were already at the hotel. It was a tough battle before Sakura was given the permission to stay at the hotel. First was because they were leaving tomorrow for their annual trip. Secondly was Touya. Fujitaka would have already agreed when she said that she would only take an overnight there and will be back tomorrow early morning before they left.
Touya was a bit hard on it because she had mentioned that there are guys. Again, his protectiveness almost made Sakura burst into tears if it wasn't for Fujitaka who had told her to go.
They had spent the whole afternoon talking as if they haven't seen each other in ages. Usual Sakura just laughed with them, smiled with them and listened to them as all of them talked.
The same night, Sakura couldn't sleep. The other girls were already asleep while she was staring out in the balcony.
He's just there Sakura. Does that even make you happy? She thought. She then glanced over to the next room which was already dark, it was obvious that the guys were already sleeping. She then stared up to the moon, wishing upon the stars, Is there anyway that I can be as happy as those couples down at the shrine last night? Then she sighed.
"You alright?" someone asked.
Surprised that someone suddenly talked, Sakura jumpily looked at the space where the voice came from. From the balcony to the right, there was a guy standing there; Li Syaoran. "Syaoran! You scared me to death…" Sakura whispered.
"Sorry." Syaoran replied, whispering. "You alright? You look like you're so spaced out…" he said.
Staring at Syaoran for a few more minutes, Sakura then looked back at the moon which she had taken a fascination to. "Yeah… I was just thinking…"
"About?"
Not knowing what to answer, Sakura smiled. Then she turned her head to face him. "Aren't you sleepy yet?" she asked hoping to change the subject.
Now it was Syaoran's turn to look at the bright moon. "Oddly enough, no. I can't sleep…" he said. The way he said it, it was like he wanted to continue on and say something. And he did. "I was thinking about you…"
Taken aback by what she just heard, Sakura looked at Syaoran straight in the eyes. "Me? Why?"
"Sakura… The reason why we went here… I planned it… I wanted to see you…" he said.
Still surprised if what she was hearing was real, she continued on to stare at him. "Why did you want to see me…?" she asked slowly.
"I love you." He replied.
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The sun rose up at Tomoeda, Japan at exactly 6 o'clock in the morning. It was the twenty-fifth of December, a snowy Christmas. The snow had started to fall last night as Sakura and her father were at the shrine.
It was another day as Kinomoto Sakura opens her eyes to a familiar room, surrounded by pink walls. Stretching up as she sat up from her sleep not taking notice of the time, she had immediately remembered something.
She looked at the clock, it had read seven.
She looked at her celphone for the date, it was the twenty-fifth.
She looked at her floor…
No one was there.
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AUTHOR'S NOTES: Yehay for the next chapter! I hope that you guys liked it… (smile)
