(A/N:) Hi all! Sorry for the late upload!
Me and my editor would like to greet all readers a Happy Christmas and New Year!
We have at least 5 ongoing chapters still under further proofreading and will be uploaded in the next few days so check it out soon!
Disclaimer: I do not own CCS nor any of its characters.
[Remastered] I fell in love with the rain
EIGHT: SLEEPLESS AT FALL - PART 1
-.-.-.-.-
"It hurts though… to see that there's a place in his heart I hardly couldn't reach, and there's already someone who easily could."
"But the most important thing right now is that I was there in front of him and he was genuinely smiling at me… that I couldn't help but to just feel happy."
"A-And I never want to see him stop smiling, e-even though I know…
"He's not smiling because of me."
[ Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! ]
[ Beep! Beep! Bee- ]
*click*
Waking up before the alarm was something that was not normal to him.
06:30AM.
Though it had been three days since that Saturday happened, time had taken on a different form for Syaoran. It trickled; marked only by those changing numerals flashed on his iPhone's LED screen. He couldn't sleep; when he could, he would wake after a couple of fitful hours and felt as if the whole night had passed, but it actually hadn't. He breathed heavily and felt that accumulated restless feeling as his thoughts were dragged in by slow motion.
What should I do?
06:31AM.
Blushing, he sighed again as he competed a deep, long stare with the ceiling. Funny though because he couldn't see a thing. Blackness enveloped his room even if the break of dawn was slowly slipping underneath those dark-themed curtains. He had to put his arms above his forehead and breathed through his mouth.
06:35AM.
One of the said arms went down to cover his eyes, and all he could only see in that temporary self-inflicted blindness was Sakura's face. Never did he imagine how much of a deal that it meant for him to console her and to gradually express his presence more differently than usual.
How am I going to face you today in school, Sakura?
"..."
".."
"."
"H-Hey, Li-kun.
"Can you do me a favor?"
His body somewhat hurdled as soon as he felt sleep had untimely breached the profoundness of his reveries. Syaoran's heart was racing faster, so as his breathing, as if he had just surfaced from deep water, recalling another vivid memory.
Akizuki-senpai.
[ Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! ]
[ Bee- ]
*click*
07:20AM.
"SHIT! I OVERSLEPT!"
-.-.-.-.-
As if earthquake was coming… as if some bad guys were relentlessly hunting her down. Sprinting the long hallway had seemed to become her staple forte. Climbing the stairs, she purposely wished that she could arrive earlier than her teacher.
Sakura almost tore down the huge sliding door from banging it out loud—she was so nervous that almost all her classmates' morning shenanigans brusquely ceased and were interrupted by her arrival. She was inhaling and exhaling in front of them like crazy.
"G-Good Morning!" she panted in between lines, ogling at all the heads that turned around for her.
"What the… Don't startle us like that, Kinomoto."
"Oh, it's only Sakura-chan!"
"Hyper as usual!" And the young crowd got back to their usual routine.
Sakura then hurried to reach her table. "Good Morning!" she said it again, this time addressing the person seated specifically on her right.
"Is that… is that you, really? Greeting me like you rarely did?"
"Hey, that's mean! I always greet you without fail, Tomoyo!"
"I'm just testing your brain if it is still scattered in places." Chuckling, Tomoyo shifted her body and faced her. "Rather, I am impressed that you came five minutes earlier than sensei. You're so… back. Did you eat something strange?"
"Ha-ha. Oatmeal," Smiling, Sakura teasingly answered her back. "You've got stories to share yourself, too." She placed her bag at the hooked side of her table, and only then she noticed that the person behind her wasn't there yet.
"Huh? Where is Syaoran?"
"Not here yet," Tomoyo replied while browsing through her phone. "I guess he didn't eat the same brand of oatmeal like you just had."
That's strange… he never gets late to school. She said to herself while sheepishly looking at the vacant desk.
Tomoyo gave her a side glance for a moment and went doodling back on her phone. "Why, do you miss him already?"
Sakura quickly turned her gaze back at Tomoyo as her emerald eyes blinked in a sudden prickling sensation.
"E-Eh? I-I was j-just—"
The sliding door from the other side of the room opened and in came Mr. Aida, making her instant strange feeling of panic cut short. The class president prepped everyone by standing up, which was followed by all to greet their teacher as per normally they would.
In her moment of silence, Tomoyo was trying her best to giggle discreetly.
An imminent recollection of events came pouring in Sakura's mind. She hadn't heard any word nor seen any text message from Syaoran after that day as the city declared a 4-day long weekend for schools. It was crystal clear how embarrassing she had been at that time and the only person who had seen the entirety of her mess was him.
With the sudden reddening of her cheeks, Sakura felt an unexplainable distress of seeing him again.
What should I do?
"Hanazawa," (Present!)
"Inoue." (Here!)
"Kawaguchi," (Here.)
"Kinomoto,"
"…"
"Kinomoto Sakura-san?"
"Pssst!" Tomoyo hissed, trying her stealthiest to catch her seatmate's attention.
"O-Oh..." Her thoughts coiled; her presence that momentarily left the earth came back just as quick as her eyes blinked. "H-HERE!" She raised her hand, unknowingly pitched up her voice more than usual. While she was in her state of embarrassment, she made a quick, hesitant side glance to her best friend as a sign of thank you for alerting her.
Seemingly on a late reaction, Mr. Aida searched for the owner of that voice and looked intently at her from a far to reconfirm her presence. He found her with her hand raised and a hesitating smile was surfacing on her lips. Sighing noiselessly, the teacher cleared his throat and decided to carry on.
"Li?"
Silence...
"Li Syaoran-kun?"
"…"
"Sigh… Miha—"
*ZZZRRROOOMMM*
The classroom backdoor slid loudly and entered Syaoran. All startled heads turned around and blankly stared at him, who was already catching his breath and donning a flushed complexion.
"G-Good Morning. S-Sorry for being late today," Gloomily he said and started to march on his way to his seat.
Mr. Aida lightly scratched the temples of his face using the rounded tip of his pen and started plastering a puny smile on his lips.
"Still on a holiday mode, Li-kun?"
Syaoran was just about to sit when he replied, "N-No sir..."
The homeroom adviser was at the same time their music teacher and the school's music club adviser. With this entire load in his hands, people admired him for his genuine efforts. A mature, good-looking young man, Mr. Aida was popular for his charming, helpful persona to all the girls and older teachers. But to the guys, he has the knack to play the kind yet nosy, carefree yet manipulative older brother, which was still generally favoured and even— for the lack of a better word: idolized.
Today seemed to be a good day for him to dock someone in the hot seat. Mr. Aida smirked deliberately as his sight was still locked onto the latecomer.
"It seems to me that you still do," He continued. "You looked like you had a good night sleep last night that you forgot about coming early to class today."
"I have no alibi to tell you, sir…"
"Heh… Or, was it the other way around?" The smile pasted on the teacher's lips had yet to wear off.
"Huh?"
"Were you so in cloud nine that you couldn't get enough sleep?"
"E-Eh?"
While the class was starting to stir and break the silence, the teacher then looked for another name in his roll call the moment he remembered someone just as absent-minded as his student. Smiling fully with his eyes, Mr. Aida crossed his arms and looked at the fidgeting person seated in front of Syaoran.
"Kinomoto-san, you seemed to be spacing out as well. Better not give your boyfriend there so much stress, okay?"
EH—
"E-EH-EEEEHHH?!" Sakura hysterically shrieked, rendering the highest notes she possibly could.
("What!? Li and Kinomoto…?")
("Eeehhh… Li-sama?!")
("Wow nice going, Li.")
The homeroom class was surely garbled with laughter and gossips here and there. Even Mr. Aida, himself was moderately chuckling at the crowd's lively reaction.
"A-Aida-s-sensei!" Trembling, Sakura was already feeling the steam coming out her cheeks. "W-Wh-What are y-you—"
"Sensei," albeit flushed yet calm and still composed, Syaoran smiled faintly. "Everyone might take your jokes the wrong way." After sighing, his voice went seriously clearer and manly like he had never been before.
"I am late and I sincerely apologize."
The hype of the class seemed to sound lesser and lesser.
[ Heeehhh! ]
[ No freakiiinggg way, he obviously likes Kinomoto! ]
Almost everyone— with the exception of the ultra-dense Sakura —quietly noticed the change of tone from him and looked as if they all agreed to keep this brand new knowledge to themselves for now.
With all that was happening, Tomoyo had her second serving of discreet giggles.
"Heh… so boring. Apology accepted," Mr. Aida yawned lazily. "But you're not getting away easily for being late today." The young teacher's eyes crinkled again in sudden amusement. "We'll discuss some other time, yeah? Mihara…?" and the class attendance check proceeded.
Sakura seemed to gradually calm down with the unexpected moment of fuss, but her thumping heart would not calm down just yet. While their teacher was still doing the roll call, Syaoran rested his arms on the table. Then, he moved his left arm, with the elbow the only part to rest on the table and opened his hand to cup a portion of his face as he leaned gradually upfront.
"Sorry, you're being casually dragged on." He whispered gently behind her, making her enigmatically startled in discomfort.
Cheeks reddening, she timidly replied, "I-I was just surprised to be called out suddenly. Are you really okay now? You had me worried—"
Just when she turned to do a quick look at him, Syaoran was unintentionally, already looking straight at her. His chocolate brown eyes were slightly edged with dark circles, but there was something strangely amicable and deep on how his sight clashed with hers.
He smiled gallantly. "Were you?"
Eh? "Y-Yes, of cour—"
"Oh, a bedhead: super rare. Coming to school late: super strange." Tomoyo commented when she glanced at him and grinned meaningfully. "Looks like sensei's jokes somehow woke you up. But you still looked sleepy, huh?"
"Sort of." He replied as he did a quick sweep on his hair using his palm and blinked his droopy eyes twice.
Is it just me or he seemed to be out of character? Still with flushed cheeks, Sakura quietly thought to herself.
"Daidouji," whispered Syaoran as he faced Tomoyo. "Hiiragizawa's going back to London three days from now, isn't he?"
"Yes," replied the other. "He actually messaged me a while ago and thought of hanging out together with you two today. Just the four of us. Are you guys free later?" Tomoyo's mental note was to do a quick eye contact with Sakura, but the latter seemed to be spacing out again.
"Oy. Sakura-chan?"
"A-Ah…" with an abrupt look, Sakura whispered back, "I'm in, I'm in… How about at my house—say, after school?"
"You're weird." Tomoyo smilingly responded. "Okay. I'd call him after homeroom class."
"Okay. How… H-How about you, Syaoran?"
A yawning Syaoran quickly nodded and met her eyes again.
"I won't miss this chance in any given day." He surreptitiously shifted his stare away from and lightly massaged a side of his neck. "It's been a while since I last ate your home cooked meals..." He softly uttered upon reconnecting an eye contact with her again and smiled gently. "…and grill that four-eyed guy, of course."
"H-Haha. So, it's settled at my place, o-okay?" Sakura shyly replied as she leaned her back on her chair and faced in front.
What is this weird, restless feeling?
"Alright. Seems like everyone's here." Mr. Aida closed the black notebook he was holding while his voice somewhat signaled the class that his attendance check was already done. The class was about to start. "Did you bring the printouts I handed over last week?"
Covering half of his flushed face, Syaoran kept in that position and stared at Sakura's back a little while longer before breaking off to shift his gaze at the scenery outside the window. Quietly, he let out a breath that he seemed to be holding on in his chest ever since he entered the room.
What was that looking 'cool' stint just now, idiot Syaoran?
Tomoyo secretly glanced at her friends one more time, noticing a very unusual, awkward pause. She closed her eyes and silently curved her lips, attempting to suppress an incoming, elated feeling.
Interesting.
-.-.-.-.-
"He didn't ask for any theme, but…"
"He only wanted for us to sing an English song."
"I am so dead. I wish I could just be like someone else out there, smiling devilishly, looking so free."
"Fufufufu."
Sakura and Syaoran snorted in envy while hearing Tomoyo's giggles. With Eriol now walking with them as they marched their way to Sakura's house, the two still couldn't believe…
"…she will be excused in your Music exercise?" Eriol asked, looking amused. He was holding Tomoyo's hand on his left, while the other was carrying her bag and had it rested on his shoulder like a sack.
Syaoran laced his hands together, one of which was still gripping the handle of his bag, before putting both at the back of his head. "Go figure."
"He said he was conducting the exercise for all second-years to prepare for the upcoming school Music festival." Sakura said while she glanced at Eriol who seemed to be listening to her. "He has high hopes on us since we are his homeroom class," she added.
"And the theme he wanted the sophomores to do is to sing an English song?"
"Yes."
"But wouldn't it better for the class if Tomoyo-san joined in?"
Tomoyo couldn't help but to chuckle beside him. "Well… Aida-sensei, he… uhm… it was kind of him to say that it would be better if I were to skip this exercise," she said. "I've handled too much stress at the club lately, so…"
"I still feel he is just like any other perverted, lazy man who only favours his girl students more." Syaoran murmured with a blank expression on his face.
It seemed that Sakura heard him that she, too, also whined in frustration. "But… but… but… why isn't he like that towards meeee…"
"It makes me feel proud here, really!" Eriol beamed a wide smile as he faced Tomoyo, slightly squeezing her hand.
"T-Thanks!" Tomoyo said blushingly.
"Hehhh…" The other two glared at their friends who seemed to be happily creating a world of their own. "Seriously, guys?"
Sakura grumbled again at the distress that was rising in her chest. "Argh! It agitates me on the fact that I need to sing in front of the class!"
"Huh? You're the second-in-command of the cheerleading club," Tomoyo reacted at her sudden moment of fuss. "How does this become so hard for you?"
"Singing is different from cheerleading!"
"But you're also singing in a way when you're cheering."
"More like, chanting! That's entirely different, Tomoyo!"
"But for you to perform in your class with only forty-something people is nothing compared as to when you're performing in front of the entire school population," Eriol explained calmly. "How can a small scale audience jitter you so much? Maybe that's what Tomoyo-san is trying to tell you. Right?"
"Right!" Tomoyo's eyes crinkled in seconding the motion.
"Why do I feel like I am being ganged up by a comedy duo?!" Faking a pained look, Sakura smirked to them and massaged the temples of her head in sarcasm. "You guys give us the creeps. Don't be like that. It makes us sick."
"Oh come on, Sakura-chan. Stop sulking. Plus, I don't think Li-kun would feel sick or whatsoever." Tomoyo giggled once again and then looked impishly to Syaoran's guiltless looking eyes.
Syaoran, albeit sleepy, looked startled at the imaginary spotlight casted upon him. "Huh?"
"You mean, sick with you, guys?" Sakura joked.
"Not at all." Eriol teased. "And not even on the exercise."
"Huh?"
"He knew a li'l strum, a pluck… oh, that guy could actually play a guitar. He even knows how to hum a line aside from his ball-kicking stints and that wushu thing!" Eriol then tried to imitate Syaoran by doing a hand chop, as if slicing the air with his own style and finesse.
"Way back in primary, I remembered myself even begging for him to join the music club but he—"
"C-Chew your tongue, Four Eyes!" With a panicked, blushing face, Syaoran pulled the back of Eriol's shirt and grabbed his face to strangle him in his arms real tight. Eriol was left without a choice but to yell for help.
"MY GLASSES! YOU'RE CRUSHING 'EM!"
"Finally awake, Li-kun?" Tomoyo was laughing between her words as Syaoran gradually ceased the grip on her boyfriend's neck.
"H-HEEEEEH!" Sakura shrieked; her eyes had gone slightly teary in panic. "That means, I-I am the only one… who… w-whooo..."
"Nah, knock it off, Sakura-chan." Tomoyo grinned. "We all know you could sing, too. You're tremendously underrating yourself, you know?"
"Yes, I'm such a downer, but it absolutely puts me under pressure to know that Syaoran can do both!" Sakura scratched the back of her head, gave a shaky laugh and then gazed back happily at Syaoran. "See, I found out something new again about you…"
Blushing yet again, Syaoran just timidly mumbled, looking slightly embarrassed. "Listen, err... i-it's just, uh—"
"It'll going to be just fine, you see." Eriol assured her while he looked at the road ahead, feeling a doubled up amusement more than ever.
-.-.-.-.-
