Arising Arguments of Special Persons
~Start of Scene Four~
By Chibi Ruka Hime
Note: The following fanfics in this series are the novelizations of this CCS RPG chatroom thing I belong to on AIM. It's a continuing series, so more will be coming as more chatrooms are held. Hope you enjoy it!
"Oy! Yamazaki-kun!" Syaoran yelled as he stopped beside Takashi from his two laps around the field. "When's our next game?"
Takashi snapped his head up, an annoyed look on his face. "Can't you read? Oh, I forgot. Japanese is a little hard for you. Tomorrow, baka!"
"Baka? Hey! Japanese is not too hard for me to read! And I don't see the notice posted around anywhere here. Probably because YOU forgot to!"
Takashi shook his head. "Gomen, Li-kun. I'm not having a very good day." But his annoyance flared up again as Syaoran finished his statement.
"NANI? Aren't YOU the captain, BAKA! You need to know these things. Maybe if you weren't so up Kinomoto-san's…forget it."
"Listen here, snap out of it. I don't know what you've been going through lately, but your attitude sure has undergone a big change."
"My attitude? What about you mister "I'm so great"?"
Eriol, a smile on his face, walked over nonchalantly between the two arguing boys. "Hello boys, how are you?"
Syaoran clenched his fists. "I do not go around like-" He blinked. "Konnichiwa…"
Eriol glanced his Syaoran's hands. "Am I…interrupting something?"
Takashi shook his head. "No."
Syaoran also shook his head several times. "No no."
The smile returned onto Eriol's face. "Well, I was just here to help Sakura-san."
Takashi snapped to attention. "S-Sakura?"
Eriol nodded. "You know, Sakura-san. Brown hair, green eyes…" He held out his arm. "About this high. You know…Kinomoto Sakura!"
Syaoran, nothing escaping his gaze, narrowed his eyes as he noticed Takashi's sudden burst of attention at the mention of Sakura. "Yes…we know her. What were you helping her with?"
"You would know, Li-kun," Takashi interrupted.
"Would what?!"
"You would know her, Li-kun!"
Eriol smiled brightly. "Oh actually, she just wanted to…umm 'hang out' with me today about cheerleading. I told her I would help her with her…" He grinned evilly. "…stretching."
"St-tretching?" Syaoran turned abruptly to Takashi. "I do know her!"
"But how well do you know her, Li-kun?"
Eriol, still smiling his sinister smile, went on to say, "I must be along now…don't wanna keep a lady waiting." He winked. "Ja ne."
The two boys stared after Eriol, their argument forgotten for the time being.
"That guy is beginning to bug me…" Takashi said, glancing at Syaoran.
Syaoran nodded. "I agree. I swear…he was trying to hint at something back there."
"We agree for once."
Syaoran gave Takashi a forced smile. "Hai."
"Li-kun…I didn't mean to pick a fight with you before. I just have some things on my mind these days. I apologize greatly."
"I understand."
"I thought you might."
"But…if you will, what was on your mind?"
"Eh…" Takashi had to think up a quick answer for that unexpected question. "What to get…Chiharu-chan for her birthday!"
Syaoran smiled. "Mihara-san? That's so kind of you. What ideas did you have in mind?"
A nervous look came onto Takashi's face as he tried to think up of another quick answer. "Well, she always wanted a new hair ribbon…"
~A while later…~
Chiharu came up to the two boys from behind the gym. "Hello, Li-kun, Yamazaki-kun!"
Sakura also came out of the back doors of the gym, after some "stretching" with Eriol. Eriol was beside her, a smile on his face.
Takashi smiled brightly at the sight of her. "Hi, Kinomoto-san! How was…stretching with Hiiragizawa-kun?"
"Sakura, yes, how was it?" added Syaoran, glancing from Sakura to Eriol.
"Hoe? Ah, good!"
"It was wonderful! I never knew that Sakura-san was so double jointed!" Eriol exclaimed, genuine amazement in his voice.
"But…now my legs are all stiff," Sakura complained.
Takashi spit out the water he had been drinking from the water fountain.
"Are you alright, Yamazaki-kun?" Eriol asked with worry.
"Hoeee…?"
"I'm fine!"
Syaoran coughed. "Double-jointed? What exactly were you helping her with?" he asked, going back to the previous topic.
Sakura blinked. "He showed me leg stretches…like this!"
A smug look came onto Takashi's face. "He was helping her with stretching, Li-kun. Can't you do the same? Hiiragizawa-kun told everyone you were double jointed too."
Eriol smiled nervously.
"Oh? Did you now? Well, I would have been helping her if I hadn't been stuck here helping you with soccer."
Sakura, sensing an upcoming fight, tried to divert their attentions by bending over and touching the ground. "Look! Yamazaki-kun! Syaoran-kun! I can touch the ground!"
Takashi ignored her, and glared at Syaoran. "It was your fault, BAKA! If someone had learned to read…"
Sakura looked at the two between her legs. "Hoee?"
"My fault?? I can read perfectly."
"Riiiight. I can't take this stupidity anymore. I gotta go home."
"Is there something wrong, Yamazaki-kun?" Eriol whispered to him.
"Stupidity? You should be the one to talk." Syaoran straightened his back. "I have to go too."
Sakura blinked. "Anou…what's going on?"
"It takes a fool to know a fool," Takashi responded in English.
Eriol sighed.
"Do you really think you can impress anyone with a big of English?" Syaoran snapped.
"Do you think you can impress anyone with your two brain cells?" He responded again in English. Then reverting back to Japanese, he told Eriol, "Maybe it's all that gel Li-kun uses. Kills brain cells ya know."
"I'm leaving. I don't really care what you were saying. It was probably all dumb rubbish."
Takashi kissed Sakura's hand before running off. "See you…tomorrow."
Syaoran turned red. "What was THAT for???!!!"
"Well, that was…weird." Eriol said, doubling over in laughter.
Syaoran gave Eriol a cold stare.
"Hoee…" Sakura fell over after Takashi kissed her hand, since she had been upside down. "Hoeee….Yamazaki-kun sure is acting strange…"
"I agree. Too weird." Syaoran turned. "I'll see you later. Bye."
"Anou…where are you going?!" She got off the ground and followed Syaoran, baton in hand. "What was that all about?" When she got no response from him, she grabbed his shoulder. "Syaoran-kun?!"
Syaoran shook his head. "Yamazaki-kun just seems to be acting very weird lately, especially around you. And I'm going home." His shoulders relaxed from all the tension he had been bearing as Sakura touched it.
"Oh…Ne, have you talked to Meiling-chan?" Sakura asked, trying to detain Syaoran a little longer. " She got here a couple of days ago, and she's staying with Tomoyo-chan."
"For your birthday party? Strange…I haven't. I would have thought she would come over to Wei-san's as soon as she arrived, but she never did."
"Hm…I'm glad she's here! I've missed her!"
"Yes, she has been in Hong Kong for a while."
Sakura nodded, smiling. "Last time I saw her was when she came in the middle of the year, and was only here one day. Ne…I still don't know what she came for…"
"Hai…oh…that…it was nothing." Syaoran replied quickly, turning red at the memory of why she had come back.
"Hoe?" Sakura didn't probe anymore, sensing the discomfort Syaoran was in.
Syaoran shook his head and gave her one of his smiles. Sakura was so cute when she was in her "hoeee" mode. "Ne, I have to go home. Wei-san's probably waiting for me with dinner all ready. I'll see you tomorrow at school?"
"Hai!!!"
Next day at soccer practice…
Syaoran glanced around with a puzzled frown. "Yamazaki-kun?"
Takashi tried to smile. "Hello, Li-kun."
"Is Mihara-san here today?"
"Ah, but I'm not sure where she is now…" he looked around. "Is Kinomoto-san here?"
"She should be coming. Cheerleading practice is today."
Takashi had a bright smile on his face. "Great!"
Rika, on the opposite side of the field, was busy collecting snails. "Yamazaki-kun told us that slimey things cured sickness…"
Chiharu, wearing her cheerleading practice uniform, glanced over to where the boys were having soccer practice. "Yamazaki-kun!" she yelled, waving.
Takashi waved back. "Hey, Chiharu-chan!" He walked over and pulled on her pigtail. "Shouldn't you be practicing?"
Chiharu blushed. "I really should…"
"We should be going too, Li-kun. LI-KUN! Stop drooling over the cheerleaders!" Takashi said loudly, waving his arms in front of Syaoran.
"I am not drooling!" Syaoran replied indignantly.
"Hello, everyone!" Eriol interrupted. (Gee…this guy seems to be everywhere.) "I came to see Sakura-san about her…stretching."
"Oh yes…we forgot. Who are you, the human pretzel?" said Takashi sarcastically.
"I've been called worse."
Takashi blinked and muttered a couple of words under his breath. "Hey, Chiharu-chan? Why are you still here?"
"We're waiting for a few people who are late…" she replied. "So I thought I could talk to you or watch you."
Rika walked up shyly beside Takashi. "Anou…Yamazaki-kun?"
"Hai?"
"About slimy creatures curing illnesses…"
"Yesssssss?" he asked, a smile forming.
Rika held up a really big snail. "Would this work well?"
"Perfectly," Takashi replied confidently.
"A…snail?" Syaoran asked uncertainly.
"Why, yes!"
"Takashi-kun! Are you telling Rika-chan lies again?" Chiharu asked angrily.
"Who…me?"
"Yamazaki-kun said that the slime from slimy creatures-But Eriol-san said-"
"Don't tell me you're really listening to HIIRAGIZAWA'S advice…How can you trust that guy? He tells stories as much as Yamazaki-kun." muttered Syaoran.
Chiharu sighed and nodded.
"Hey, at least I'm not boring." Takashi cut in.
"You could say that…"
"Like SOME people…who are as interesting as a mop…"
Syaoran was about to make a retort when Sakura came skipping towards the group, baton in hand. "Ko-ni-chi-wa minna! Sorry I'm late!"
"Konnichiwa, Sakura-chan! Now we can start practice."
"Hello, Sakura-san," Eriol said gravely.
Rika looked at her snail and quickly set it down. "Konnichiwa, Sakura-chan!"
"Sakura-san, meet me after you are done…ok?" Eriol asked, the smile on his face again.
"Hai! Eriol-kun ne, I was practicing my stretches…is this right…?" Sakura bent over and touched the floor, looking at everyone from between her legs. "Ah!"
Eriol smiled. "I always knew you were double jointed, Sakura-san."
"Hoeeee…" Sakura lost her balance and fell over.
Eriol winced. "We'll have to work on that."
Sakura grabbed her baton again and smiled. "I'm ok. It's practice time now!"
"Are you sure you're ok?" Takashi asked.
"Hai, Yamazaki-kun. Don't worry. "Ne, Chiharu-chan, can you show me that baton twirl combination again?"
Sakura copied Chiharu's moves as Takashi glanced at his watch. "We gotta go, Li-kun. See you ladies later…" he said, messing up Sakura's hair. "I'll speak to you later, Chiharu-chan."
Sakura stopped and blinked. "Hoeee-itai!" she moaned as the baton hit her head.
Chiharu gave Takashi a weak smile. "Okay…bye, Takashi-kun. Come on, let's go, Sakura-chan."
Syaoran lingered behind a bit, glancing back at Sakura. "Ja…Sakura."
"Ja ne, Syaoran-kun!"
Eriol was the next to grab Sakura's attention as he asked, "Did you know I saw your father on the way to the store? Well, he asked a request of me that I give you…piano lessons for the next few weeks." Eriol winked. "You know the way to my house."
Sakura blinked. "Ah! Fun! Demo…we'll have to plan later." She followed in Chiharu's direction, exclaiming, "Practice practice!"
"I was thinking…" Rika followed the two girls. "Sakura-chan, do you think…if I tried out for cheerleading, I'd stand a chance?"
"Of course!" Sakura replied enthusiastically. "Rika-chan, you're so good at everything! You would definitely make the team!"
"And we have an extra spot open too," added Chiharu.
Rika blushed. "R-really?"
"Of course! You can talk to the coach after practice," Chiharu told her.
"Arigatou!"
Back on the opposite side of the field, Takashi was muttering to himself again. "I really don't like the way Hiiragizawa is acting…"
Syaoran nodded in agreement. "It's almost as if he was taking advantage of Sakura's naiveté."
"Really. Hiiragizawa-kun is manipulative."
"We should do something about it…" Syaoran remarked, glancing in Sakura's direction.
"Well, his intents are innocent. But he is anything but that. Anyway, let's hurry up. Coach will be mad at us if he finds out we weren't practicing at all today."
((Back to the girls…))
"Wanna try now, Rika-chan?" Sakura asked after an hour had gone by.
"H-hai!"
Sakura handed her the baton with a smile. "Just…try twirling this a little."
Rika nervously started to twirl the baton, a little awkwardly at first. Sakura started clapping…until Rika's grip slipped on the baton. "Anou…can I try again?"
Sakura nodded. "Hai!" As Rika tried the move again, Sakura looked briefly around the field, seeing if Syaoran was in the general area.
Syaoran, sensing Sakura was looking for him, tried to catch her eye, but then looked away. He turned back to the goal, his mind intent on kicking the soccer ball. 'Just imagine the goal is Hiiragizawa…' he repeated to himself in his mind. He dribbled the ball around the field, kicking it easily into the goal. "This is no fun. Yamazaki-kun just leaves like half an hour early, like his usual self, with no explanation whatsoever." He caught Sakura waving at him, and he blushed, tripping head over heels over the soccer ball, landing on his head. "Ittai…"
Sakura sweatdropped, and motioned him over. "You look lonely! COME OVER HERE!"
"Lonely?" He blushed again as he picked himself up from the dirt. He walked over slowly to Rika and Sakura. "Where's Mihara-san?"
"She just left a few minutes ago. Ne…Syaoran-kun, you've been over there by yourself for almost an hour."
"True…since that traitor left."
Sakura blinked. "Traitor? Who?" Sakura cocked her head, looking flat out KAWAII. "Syaoran-kun, what are you talking about?"
"Yamazaki-kun…" he replied, smiling slightly at the cute expression on Sakura's face that never failed to please him.
"Yamazaki-kun? What's wrong with him?" Sakura asked with a confused look, and thus even cuter.
"I didn't really say anything was necessarily wrong with him…it's just that he's been acting really out of character lately."
"Hm. Maybe he got bad grades?" Sakura suggested.
"Family problems?" suggested Rika.
"Family problems? I'm not so sure…and…" Syaoran glanced at Sakura, and then looked away. "Never mind."
"Neee…" Sakura pouted in confusion. "Why did he ruffle my hair before practice? He's never done that before…hoeeee…"
Syaoran shook his head and muttered under his breath.
"What'd you say?" Sakura asked, leaning towards him as if it would help her hear him better.
Syaoran blushed as Sakura neared him, reverting his eyes to the ground. "Just wondering about a certain something."
"Oh…" Sakura smiled. "I won't pry. Ne…" She straightened her back. "Rika-chan, Syaoran-kun, wanna go for ice cream? I still have some allowance left."
…Hai! I would love that," Rika replied.
"I wouldn't want you to use all your allowance money…" Syaoran protested.
"NE! But I offered! Besides, it's burning a hole in my pocket! Well, not literally…but you know what I mean."
"That's very generous of you," Rika said.
"I'm gonna go change! Chotto matte!" she yelled as she ran off.
"She's nice," Syaoran commented.
"Hai."
"Spending her money so lavishly on us."
"Li-kun?"
"Hm?"
"This may sound strange…but do you have a special person?"
"A…special person?"
"You know…"
"I know…?" Syaoran continued questioningly.
"Someone you love most of all."
"And you're asking if I have this kind of person?"
"You don't have to answer."
"Well, it is a personal question."
Rika nodded. "I was just curious."
Syaoran smiled. "Typical. Do you have a special someone?"
Rika blushed a bit. "Hai."
Syaoran raised his eyebrow. "A person I know?"
Rika nodded again.
"Well, I'll leave it to you then. Good luck…with your special someone."
Sakura came back after a few minutes, sporting a white shirt, pink overalls, and tennis shoes. A cherry blossom was stitched into the front pocket of the overalls, and little cherry blossoms were embroidered on her shoes. (Obviously some of Tomoyo's handy work.) She's also carrying her practice clothes and baton. "Okay, I'm ready! Let's go, you guys! I can almost hear the ice cream calling my name!"
~*~ End of Scene Four ~*~
Oohh...a fight's going on between Syaoran and Takashi! Will it never be resolved? Please R & R and tell me how the story's going!
~Start of Scene Four~
By Chibi Ruka Hime
Note: The following fanfics in this series are the novelizations of this CCS RPG chatroom thing I belong to on AIM. It's a continuing series, so more will be coming as more chatrooms are held. Hope you enjoy it!
"Oy! Yamazaki-kun!" Syaoran yelled as he stopped beside Takashi from his two laps around the field. "When's our next game?"
Takashi snapped his head up, an annoyed look on his face. "Can't you read? Oh, I forgot. Japanese is a little hard for you. Tomorrow, baka!"
"Baka? Hey! Japanese is not too hard for me to read! And I don't see the notice posted around anywhere here. Probably because YOU forgot to!"
Takashi shook his head. "Gomen, Li-kun. I'm not having a very good day." But his annoyance flared up again as Syaoran finished his statement.
"NANI? Aren't YOU the captain, BAKA! You need to know these things. Maybe if you weren't so up Kinomoto-san's…forget it."
"Listen here, snap out of it. I don't know what you've been going through lately, but your attitude sure has undergone a big change."
"My attitude? What about you mister "I'm so great"?"
Eriol, a smile on his face, walked over nonchalantly between the two arguing boys. "Hello boys, how are you?"
Syaoran clenched his fists. "I do not go around like-" He blinked. "Konnichiwa…"
Eriol glanced his Syaoran's hands. "Am I…interrupting something?"
Takashi shook his head. "No."
Syaoran also shook his head several times. "No no."
The smile returned onto Eriol's face. "Well, I was just here to help Sakura-san."
Takashi snapped to attention. "S-Sakura?"
Eriol nodded. "You know, Sakura-san. Brown hair, green eyes…" He held out his arm. "About this high. You know…Kinomoto Sakura!"
Syaoran, nothing escaping his gaze, narrowed his eyes as he noticed Takashi's sudden burst of attention at the mention of Sakura. "Yes…we know her. What were you helping her with?"
"You would know, Li-kun," Takashi interrupted.
"Would what?!"
"You would know her, Li-kun!"
Eriol smiled brightly. "Oh actually, she just wanted to…umm 'hang out' with me today about cheerleading. I told her I would help her with her…" He grinned evilly. "…stretching."
"St-tretching?" Syaoran turned abruptly to Takashi. "I do know her!"
"But how well do you know her, Li-kun?"
Eriol, still smiling his sinister smile, went on to say, "I must be along now…don't wanna keep a lady waiting." He winked. "Ja ne."
The two boys stared after Eriol, their argument forgotten for the time being.
"That guy is beginning to bug me…" Takashi said, glancing at Syaoran.
Syaoran nodded. "I agree. I swear…he was trying to hint at something back there."
"We agree for once."
Syaoran gave Takashi a forced smile. "Hai."
"Li-kun…I didn't mean to pick a fight with you before. I just have some things on my mind these days. I apologize greatly."
"I understand."
"I thought you might."
"But…if you will, what was on your mind?"
"Eh…" Takashi had to think up a quick answer for that unexpected question. "What to get…Chiharu-chan for her birthday!"
Syaoran smiled. "Mihara-san? That's so kind of you. What ideas did you have in mind?"
A nervous look came onto Takashi's face as he tried to think up of another quick answer. "Well, she always wanted a new hair ribbon…"
~A while later…~
Chiharu came up to the two boys from behind the gym. "Hello, Li-kun, Yamazaki-kun!"
Sakura also came out of the back doors of the gym, after some "stretching" with Eriol. Eriol was beside her, a smile on his face.
Takashi smiled brightly at the sight of her. "Hi, Kinomoto-san! How was…stretching with Hiiragizawa-kun?"
"Sakura, yes, how was it?" added Syaoran, glancing from Sakura to Eriol.
"Hoe? Ah, good!"
"It was wonderful! I never knew that Sakura-san was so double jointed!" Eriol exclaimed, genuine amazement in his voice.
"But…now my legs are all stiff," Sakura complained.
Takashi spit out the water he had been drinking from the water fountain.
"Are you alright, Yamazaki-kun?" Eriol asked with worry.
"Hoeee…?"
"I'm fine!"
Syaoran coughed. "Double-jointed? What exactly were you helping her with?" he asked, going back to the previous topic.
Sakura blinked. "He showed me leg stretches…like this!"
A smug look came onto Takashi's face. "He was helping her with stretching, Li-kun. Can't you do the same? Hiiragizawa-kun told everyone you were double jointed too."
Eriol smiled nervously.
"Oh? Did you now? Well, I would have been helping her if I hadn't been stuck here helping you with soccer."
Sakura, sensing an upcoming fight, tried to divert their attentions by bending over and touching the ground. "Look! Yamazaki-kun! Syaoran-kun! I can touch the ground!"
Takashi ignored her, and glared at Syaoran. "It was your fault, BAKA! If someone had learned to read…"
Sakura looked at the two between her legs. "Hoee?"
"My fault?? I can read perfectly."
"Riiiight. I can't take this stupidity anymore. I gotta go home."
"Is there something wrong, Yamazaki-kun?" Eriol whispered to him.
"Stupidity? You should be the one to talk." Syaoran straightened his back. "I have to go too."
Sakura blinked. "Anou…what's going on?"
"It takes a fool to know a fool," Takashi responded in English.
Eriol sighed.
"Do you really think you can impress anyone with a big of English?" Syaoran snapped.
"Do you think you can impress anyone with your two brain cells?" He responded again in English. Then reverting back to Japanese, he told Eriol, "Maybe it's all that gel Li-kun uses. Kills brain cells ya know."
"I'm leaving. I don't really care what you were saying. It was probably all dumb rubbish."
Takashi kissed Sakura's hand before running off. "See you…tomorrow."
Syaoran turned red. "What was THAT for???!!!"
"Well, that was…weird." Eriol said, doubling over in laughter.
Syaoran gave Eriol a cold stare.
"Hoee…" Sakura fell over after Takashi kissed her hand, since she had been upside down. "Hoeee….Yamazaki-kun sure is acting strange…"
"I agree. Too weird." Syaoran turned. "I'll see you later. Bye."
"Anou…where are you going?!" She got off the ground and followed Syaoran, baton in hand. "What was that all about?" When she got no response from him, she grabbed his shoulder. "Syaoran-kun?!"
Syaoran shook his head. "Yamazaki-kun just seems to be acting very weird lately, especially around you. And I'm going home." His shoulders relaxed from all the tension he had been bearing as Sakura touched it.
"Oh…Ne, have you talked to Meiling-chan?" Sakura asked, trying to detain Syaoran a little longer. " She got here a couple of days ago, and she's staying with Tomoyo-chan."
"For your birthday party? Strange…I haven't. I would have thought she would come over to Wei-san's as soon as she arrived, but she never did."
"Hm…I'm glad she's here! I've missed her!"
"Yes, she has been in Hong Kong for a while."
Sakura nodded, smiling. "Last time I saw her was when she came in the middle of the year, and was only here one day. Ne…I still don't know what she came for…"
"Hai…oh…that…it was nothing." Syaoran replied quickly, turning red at the memory of why she had come back.
"Hoe?" Sakura didn't probe anymore, sensing the discomfort Syaoran was in.
Syaoran shook his head and gave her one of his smiles. Sakura was so cute when she was in her "hoeee" mode. "Ne, I have to go home. Wei-san's probably waiting for me with dinner all ready. I'll see you tomorrow at school?"
"Hai!!!"
Next day at soccer practice…
Syaoran glanced around with a puzzled frown. "Yamazaki-kun?"
Takashi tried to smile. "Hello, Li-kun."
"Is Mihara-san here today?"
"Ah, but I'm not sure where she is now…" he looked around. "Is Kinomoto-san here?"
"She should be coming. Cheerleading practice is today."
Takashi had a bright smile on his face. "Great!"
Rika, on the opposite side of the field, was busy collecting snails. "Yamazaki-kun told us that slimey things cured sickness…"
Chiharu, wearing her cheerleading practice uniform, glanced over to where the boys were having soccer practice. "Yamazaki-kun!" she yelled, waving.
Takashi waved back. "Hey, Chiharu-chan!" He walked over and pulled on her pigtail. "Shouldn't you be practicing?"
Chiharu blushed. "I really should…"
"We should be going too, Li-kun. LI-KUN! Stop drooling over the cheerleaders!" Takashi said loudly, waving his arms in front of Syaoran.
"I am not drooling!" Syaoran replied indignantly.
"Hello, everyone!" Eriol interrupted. (Gee…this guy seems to be everywhere.) "I came to see Sakura-san about her…stretching."
"Oh yes…we forgot. Who are you, the human pretzel?" said Takashi sarcastically.
"I've been called worse."
Takashi blinked and muttered a couple of words under his breath. "Hey, Chiharu-chan? Why are you still here?"
"We're waiting for a few people who are late…" she replied. "So I thought I could talk to you or watch you."
Rika walked up shyly beside Takashi. "Anou…Yamazaki-kun?"
"Hai?"
"About slimy creatures curing illnesses…"
"Yesssssss?" he asked, a smile forming.
Rika held up a really big snail. "Would this work well?"
"Perfectly," Takashi replied confidently.
"A…snail?" Syaoran asked uncertainly.
"Why, yes!"
"Takashi-kun! Are you telling Rika-chan lies again?" Chiharu asked angrily.
"Who…me?"
"Yamazaki-kun said that the slime from slimy creatures-But Eriol-san said-"
"Don't tell me you're really listening to HIIRAGIZAWA'S advice…How can you trust that guy? He tells stories as much as Yamazaki-kun." muttered Syaoran.
Chiharu sighed and nodded.
"Hey, at least I'm not boring." Takashi cut in.
"You could say that…"
"Like SOME people…who are as interesting as a mop…"
Syaoran was about to make a retort when Sakura came skipping towards the group, baton in hand. "Ko-ni-chi-wa minna! Sorry I'm late!"
"Konnichiwa, Sakura-chan! Now we can start practice."
"Hello, Sakura-san," Eriol said gravely.
Rika looked at her snail and quickly set it down. "Konnichiwa, Sakura-chan!"
"Sakura-san, meet me after you are done…ok?" Eriol asked, the smile on his face again.
"Hai! Eriol-kun ne, I was practicing my stretches…is this right…?" Sakura bent over and touched the floor, looking at everyone from between her legs. "Ah!"
Eriol smiled. "I always knew you were double jointed, Sakura-san."
"Hoeeee…" Sakura lost her balance and fell over.
Eriol winced. "We'll have to work on that."
Sakura grabbed her baton again and smiled. "I'm ok. It's practice time now!"
"Are you sure you're ok?" Takashi asked.
"Hai, Yamazaki-kun. Don't worry. "Ne, Chiharu-chan, can you show me that baton twirl combination again?"
Sakura copied Chiharu's moves as Takashi glanced at his watch. "We gotta go, Li-kun. See you ladies later…" he said, messing up Sakura's hair. "I'll speak to you later, Chiharu-chan."
Sakura stopped and blinked. "Hoeee-itai!" she moaned as the baton hit her head.
Chiharu gave Takashi a weak smile. "Okay…bye, Takashi-kun. Come on, let's go, Sakura-chan."
Syaoran lingered behind a bit, glancing back at Sakura. "Ja…Sakura."
"Ja ne, Syaoran-kun!"
Eriol was the next to grab Sakura's attention as he asked, "Did you know I saw your father on the way to the store? Well, he asked a request of me that I give you…piano lessons for the next few weeks." Eriol winked. "You know the way to my house."
Sakura blinked. "Ah! Fun! Demo…we'll have to plan later." She followed in Chiharu's direction, exclaiming, "Practice practice!"
"I was thinking…" Rika followed the two girls. "Sakura-chan, do you think…if I tried out for cheerleading, I'd stand a chance?"
"Of course!" Sakura replied enthusiastically. "Rika-chan, you're so good at everything! You would definitely make the team!"
"And we have an extra spot open too," added Chiharu.
Rika blushed. "R-really?"
"Of course! You can talk to the coach after practice," Chiharu told her.
"Arigatou!"
Back on the opposite side of the field, Takashi was muttering to himself again. "I really don't like the way Hiiragizawa is acting…"
Syaoran nodded in agreement. "It's almost as if he was taking advantage of Sakura's naiveté."
"Really. Hiiragizawa-kun is manipulative."
"We should do something about it…" Syaoran remarked, glancing in Sakura's direction.
"Well, his intents are innocent. But he is anything but that. Anyway, let's hurry up. Coach will be mad at us if he finds out we weren't practicing at all today."
((Back to the girls…))
"Wanna try now, Rika-chan?" Sakura asked after an hour had gone by.
"H-hai!"
Sakura handed her the baton with a smile. "Just…try twirling this a little."
Rika nervously started to twirl the baton, a little awkwardly at first. Sakura started clapping…until Rika's grip slipped on the baton. "Anou…can I try again?"
Sakura nodded. "Hai!" As Rika tried the move again, Sakura looked briefly around the field, seeing if Syaoran was in the general area.
Syaoran, sensing Sakura was looking for him, tried to catch her eye, but then looked away. He turned back to the goal, his mind intent on kicking the soccer ball. 'Just imagine the goal is Hiiragizawa…' he repeated to himself in his mind. He dribbled the ball around the field, kicking it easily into the goal. "This is no fun. Yamazaki-kun just leaves like half an hour early, like his usual self, with no explanation whatsoever." He caught Sakura waving at him, and he blushed, tripping head over heels over the soccer ball, landing on his head. "Ittai…"
Sakura sweatdropped, and motioned him over. "You look lonely! COME OVER HERE!"
"Lonely?" He blushed again as he picked himself up from the dirt. He walked over slowly to Rika and Sakura. "Where's Mihara-san?"
"She just left a few minutes ago. Ne…Syaoran-kun, you've been over there by yourself for almost an hour."
"True…since that traitor left."
Sakura blinked. "Traitor? Who?" Sakura cocked her head, looking flat out KAWAII. "Syaoran-kun, what are you talking about?"
"Yamazaki-kun…" he replied, smiling slightly at the cute expression on Sakura's face that never failed to please him.
"Yamazaki-kun? What's wrong with him?" Sakura asked with a confused look, and thus even cuter.
"I didn't really say anything was necessarily wrong with him…it's just that he's been acting really out of character lately."
"Hm. Maybe he got bad grades?" Sakura suggested.
"Family problems?" suggested Rika.
"Family problems? I'm not so sure…and…" Syaoran glanced at Sakura, and then looked away. "Never mind."
"Neee…" Sakura pouted in confusion. "Why did he ruffle my hair before practice? He's never done that before…hoeeee…"
Syaoran shook his head and muttered under his breath.
"What'd you say?" Sakura asked, leaning towards him as if it would help her hear him better.
Syaoran blushed as Sakura neared him, reverting his eyes to the ground. "Just wondering about a certain something."
"Oh…" Sakura smiled. "I won't pry. Ne…" She straightened her back. "Rika-chan, Syaoran-kun, wanna go for ice cream? I still have some allowance left."
…Hai! I would love that," Rika replied.
"I wouldn't want you to use all your allowance money…" Syaoran protested.
"NE! But I offered! Besides, it's burning a hole in my pocket! Well, not literally…but you know what I mean."
"That's very generous of you," Rika said.
"I'm gonna go change! Chotto matte!" she yelled as she ran off.
"She's nice," Syaoran commented.
"Hai."
"Spending her money so lavishly on us."
"Li-kun?"
"Hm?"
"This may sound strange…but do you have a special person?"
"A…special person?"
"You know…"
"I know…?" Syaoran continued questioningly.
"Someone you love most of all."
"And you're asking if I have this kind of person?"
"You don't have to answer."
"Well, it is a personal question."
Rika nodded. "I was just curious."
Syaoran smiled. "Typical. Do you have a special someone?"
Rika blushed a bit. "Hai."
Syaoran raised his eyebrow. "A person I know?"
Rika nodded again.
"Well, I'll leave it to you then. Good luck…with your special someone."
Sakura came back after a few minutes, sporting a white shirt, pink overalls, and tennis shoes. A cherry blossom was stitched into the front pocket of the overalls, and little cherry blossoms were embroidered on her shoes. (Obviously some of Tomoyo's handy work.) She's also carrying her practice clothes and baton. "Okay, I'm ready! Let's go, you guys! I can almost hear the ice cream calling my name!"
~*~ End of Scene Four ~*~
Oohh...a fight's going on between Syaoran and Takashi! Will it never be resolved? Please R & R and tell me how the story's going!