A School Excursion
Chapter 1
( All characters duly belong to CLAMP ! )
~ *** ~
Preface :
It had been 1 year since the CCS gang graduated from their Elementary School and they were now proud 2nd year High School students this year. Kinomoto Sakura was still part of the school's cheerleading team and was a very active member in the sports arena. Daidouji Tomoyo was the leading vocal for the school's choir and also a guest member of the local sewing and knitting community. Sakura still wears her Clow Key around her neck although she had successfully completed her mission years ago. It was now an accessory for her school uniform.
Li Syaoran had returned to Japan in the starting term of their 1st yr in High School, fulfilling his promise to Sakura that he would return. He had settled all his procedural matters with his Elders in Hong Kong and he would be asked to return only when it was his rightful time to inherit the Clan's leading position.
Li Meiling was elected to be the one of the senior training leaders for the younger Li generation and was also dating one of the senior members in the Li Clan. In the meantime, she was also the Guardian of the Leader, protecting the position for Syaoran until he returns in the future.
Tsukishiro Yukito and Kinomoto Touya had graduated from High School to go on to Tokyo University. Yukito had shown no more signs of transforming into Yue at and Touya had lost his special gift in establishing any connections with the supernatural.
Mitsuya Kaho had retreated into the shrine and was no longer seen by any of the CCS gang for a long time now. Sakura was pretty sad at first, since she admired Kaho a lot.
Cerebus, better known as Kero-chan was still the official keeper of the Clow Cards which were now safely sealed and locked away in the Clow Book in Sakura's basement. However, Kero-chan would occassionally slip out and wander around the house, chat with Sakura or tag along on her trips with her friends.
Hiiragizawa Eriol had returned to Japan from England once again and had enrolled into the same High School where the CCS gang were half a year ago while the CCS gang were in the middle of their 1st year. Tomoyo was amazed to see Eriol walk down the school corridors to the Principal's Office one fine day after school and had rushed home to call up almost every single ex-classmate in Elementary School to tell them about the news. This was welcomed with some doubt and panic by the CCS gang but Eriol had assured them that he did not come with any other intentions. Nothing had happened since then and they dropped their defences as time went by. Spinel Sun and Ruby Moon were no longer seen since then …
***
The school bell sounded for the beginning of a Wednesday school day and the remaining hordes of students gathered outside the school started streaming indoors to their respective classes. Sakura watched the spectacle from her window seat with her chin propped on one hand and the other flicking her pen. The morning sun's rays shone down lightly on her brown shoulder-length hair and brought out the colour of her emerald-green eyes. Sakura gazed for another while before turning her head to face the front of the class.
Tomoyo was flipping gently through her Science textbook for the upcoming class and one hand was tucking a single lock of long luscious black hair behind her left ear. She gave a sideward glance at Sakura, who at this point also turned around and both smiled at each other as they made eye contact.
" Sakura-chan, you seemed a little bit serious today. Are you thinking about something ? "
" Heh ? "
Sakura looked at Tomoyo who had a worried look on her face now. Sakura hurriedly smiled and shook her head comically fast.
" No Tomoyo-chan ! I am not thinking about anything ! Shinpai shimasu ne ? I'm just in a very … hmm … I'm in a very solemn mood today. I guess it could be yesterday's homework … it got into my brain system or something. "
Tomoyo raised an eyebrow in doubt as Sakura looked flustered in trying to reassure her.
" HONTO NI ! "
Tomoyo burst out in laughter at Sakura's final attempt and covered her mouth trying to soften her outburst. She nodded at Sakura and looked away from her, still giggling uncontrollably. Sakura stared at Tomoyo for a while more before pouting.
" Mou Tomoyo-chan, don't make me embarrass myself like this. "
" Gomen ne ~ but if I don't do this, you won't lighten up either. "
Tomoyo had finished her bout of laughter and turned around to talk to Sakura again. They were seating side-by-side on the 6th row. The sun's rays now reached out to Tomoyo and Sakura could see how brilliant Tomoyo looked under the golden light.
" Tomoyo-chan … "
Sakura gave a grateful smile at her long-time best friend and clasped her hands together with hers.
" Arigato ! "
Tomoyo smiled brightly as Sakura regained her genki-ness. As both of them were about to return their attention to their own books before the sensei walks in, the classroom door slided open and Syaoran stroded in after a few classmates.
" Sakura-chan, Li-kun has arrived. "
" Hoe ? "
Sakura lifted her head up and saw Syaoran walking down the rows to hers. He was stopped by some of their classmates greeting him so he lifted his school case off his shoulder and smiled to his friends, talking and joking.
Sakura gazed at him, almost smiling sub-consiously to herself. Syaoran was now lanky and most of his baby fats were gone. He had grown to become really good-looking and his face was mostly serious whenever he wasn't smiling. He had been the talk of the campus when he arrived late for the opening school term. Syaoran had changed a lot now, his scrowl was hardly used and he laughed and talked a little bit more.
Suddenly, Syaoran looked over at Sakura and locked gazes with her, causing Sakura to blush involuntarily. Tomoyo noticed it and smiled behind her book. Syaoran continued holding Sakura's gaze for a while more before smiling slowly at her in greeting. Sakura smiled back, her face reddening like a tomato. Syaoran no longer blushed easily around her since they officially confessed their feelings for each other. In fact, the situation was now very much different. Sakura was the one feeling self-conscious now instead.
Syaoran walked over to Sakura after a small talk with his soccer captain sitting in the front row and when he reached Sakura's desk, he smiled lovingly at her and held her hand.
" Ohayo Sakura. "
" Ohayo Syaoran. "
They held hands for a while before Syaoran walked adjacently to the 8th row 3rd seat from the window. Sakura looked at him as he settled down into his seat. They smiled at each other once more before the sensei walked in to start the class.
***
" On a last note class, there will be a further announcement tomorrow on this but just to inform everyone that there has been plans for a 2nd yr batch school excursion to Kyoto for 5 days 4 nights. Details will be released tomorrow. Class is dismissed. "
The sensei swept out of the class while everyone erupted into excited chatters and some girlish screams.
" Tomoyo-chan ! Did you hear that ? We're going to Kyoto !! "
" Hai Sakura-chan, this is such good news. "
Sakura closed her eyes and sighed aloud with happiness. She had been so stressed up with homework and tests so the news was indeed welcomed by the 2nd yr batch. Tomoyo was busily writing down a list of the number of cassette recorders and camcorders to bring along.
" Tomoyo-chan ! We're going to have sooooo much fun aren't we ? I can't wait ! "
Just as she was talking to Tomoyo, her eyes flicked over to where Syaoran was sitting. He was also chatting with his neighbour and they were both chuckling over something they were saying. Just then, Syaoran looked up and caught her eyes. He smiled again and his eyes were twinkling brightly, as though he was really happy that they were going together on a school trip. Sakura smiled back sweetly and she turned her attention back to Tomoyo.
[ It'll be the first time we'll all be going on a trip together ! This should be fun ! ]
Sakura couldn't help but giggle at her thoughts. Tomoyo seemed to guess what she was thinking about and smiled exasperatingly at her. Just then, the classroom's back door slided open and Eriol stood there, gazing at the noisy class. Syaoran who caught the sound of it turned around and greeted him.
" Eriol, doshita no ? Looking for someone ? "
" Hai, could you mind calling Tomoyo-chan for me ? "
Syaoran looked a little confused for a while before he turned back and called Tomoyo.
" Tomoyo-san ! Eriol-kun is looking for you ! "
" Huh ? "
Tomoyo turned around and saw Eriol smiling at her, standing at the door. She smiled back, stood up from her seat and walked hurriedly towards him.
" Ohayo Eriol-kun, what is it ? "
" You must have known about the Kyoto trip right ? "
" Hai, are you going ? "
" I'll go … if you're going. "
Tomoyo smiled and nodded. Eriol gently tilted her chin up so that Tomoyo was facing him again and he smiled again.
" Yokatta desu ne, Tomoyo-chan. I'm looking forward to this trip. "
With that, Eriol kissed her hand in farewell and walked back to his classroom. Tomoyo caressed her hand gently before shutting the door and walked back to her seat. Syaoran smiled to himself as he caught the looks both were giving each other.
[ No doubt these two must be hiding something behind us ]
Syaoran watched as Tomoyo walked back towards her seat and continued talking to Sakura. She looked absolutely clueless from what had happened.
[ Sakura, sometimes I really wonder whether ignorance is always bliss ]
He looked a little while more at his beloved before turning back to his friends.
Author's Notes : Okay, this was a pretty long-winded fanfic because of the prelude. I wanted to put in what happened to all the characters in CCS after the last volume. Wasn't it great that Syaoran finally returned into Sakura's waiting arms ? =)
