DISCLAIMER: Card Captor Sakura is property of CLAMP Kodansha.
Where You Are
by Ekai Ungson
Chapter 8: When You Begin To See
Sakura stood, transfixed. "Is it always like this here?"
"Tonight is the first midnight of spring. There's a festival, that's why they're lighting fireworks," Syaoran replied.
"That is so nice," Sakura breathed. "So it's midnight? Wow. I didn't notice."
"Shouldn't you go back to the hotel now?" he asked.
"Nope. There aren't any calls for anything tomorrow-- that would be later in the morning-- so I'm free. Besides, Eriol-kun just arrived tonight so I left him and Tomoyo alone," she replied.
"Star candles! Buy now!" a vendor yelled.
"What are star candles?" Sakura asked Syaoran.
"A candle in the shape of a star... the legend goes you light it up, make a wish," he replied.
"Sugoi. I want one," she pulled him over to the booth.
"You and your fixation with stars," he stated.
Sakura tossed her hair. "Of course."
They got to the booth and asked for two candles.
The lady selling the candles smiled at them. "Give me your hand, child," she said to Sakura.
Sakura gave. "Why?"
"Yours, too, young man."
Syaoran reached out, puzzled.
The woman pulled out a gold ribbon and tied one to Sakura and the other to Syaoran.
"Hoeh?" Sakura managed.
"It is tradition that when a young man and woman ask for star candles at the same time they should be bound with gold and never separated 'til the candles
burn down," the lady explained. "'Tis to make their love last forever."
"What if they're not exactly lovers?" Sakura asked.
"Same thing, child."
Sakura could only laugh nervously. Syaoran cleared his throat.
The lady handed Sakura a white flower. "Go now."
They walked out of the stall, a little uneasy.
"It's officially your birthday," Syaoran began. "What do you want to do?"
"Shop. Eat. Anything, actually." Sakura held up her wrist. "This is quite strange."
"We're not the only ones."
All around them couples had gold ribbons on their wrists and the women carried white flowers.
"Looks like it," Sakura agreed.
The bazaar was an all-night affair. Sakura shopped 'til she dropped.
They plopped down on a cafe bench later.
"Two coffees," Syaoran ordered. "It's on me."
Sakura gaped at him. "Syaoran-kun, you've paid for everything I bought tonight. And I mean everything. You bought me hair ornaments, two stuffed toys, candles, two dresses, and a bouquet of daisies. You've fed me dinner, a midnight snack, and an after midnight snack. Now you're buying me coffee," she enumerated. "You're spending way too much."
Syaoran shrugged. "Consider it ten years' worth of birthday gifts."
Sakura gazed disbelievingly at him. "You only missed nine."
"So?"
Sakura facefaulted. "Mou..."
"All right. After coffee, one last store," he reasoned.
"As long as you're buying something for yourself this time," she compromised.
"Deal."
He took her to a jewelry shop.
"Eh?" she began. "Why here?"
He only shrugged and walked in, pulling her with him.
Syaoran nodded at one salesperson and the man reacted by ducking into the store.
"I didn't know jewelry shops were still open at two a.m.," Sakura commented.
"Just for the spring opening," Syaoran replied.
The salesperson handed Syaoran a velvet box. Sakura looked up at him. He handed the box to her.
"You tricked me!" she protested. "You told me you were buying something for yourself!"
He smiled like a very satisfied cat. Or wolf, for that matter. "Happy birthday, Sakura."
She took the box slowly, reluctantly, and opened it.
A platinum necklace with a diamond pendant.
"This... this is too much, Syaoran. Too much," she said softly.
He took the box from her and took the necklace out. He began to put it on her.
She turned to lok into his amber eyes. "Syaoran.."
"Seriously, Sakura, this has been waiting for you for a figure of seven years," he said. "I bought it long ago, and it's really intended for you."
She squinted. "Dou shite...?"
He didn't answer. "Promise me you'll never take it off," he whispered.
Her breath caught in her throat. "Demo--"
"Onegai."
She lowered her eyes. "Un."
He smiled. Now he had her word. He knew she'd keep it. "Come on. Let's go light the candles and make your birthday wish."
They walked out of the store. Sakura looked around. "...Where?"
The place was crawling with numerous people.
"Would you like to go to my house? I think my mother would love to see you," he offered.
"Okay."
They left.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Hey, guys, it's Ying Fa! On her way here! With Xiao Lang!" Li Fanren announced.
"Ying Fa? As in the cute little girl--" Li Feimei broke off.
"She's not so little anymore if you'll look at her now," Li Fuutie said.
"Where?" Li Shiefa asked.
"Here by the window."
Four pairs of eyes peeked out to see the young couple.
"They bought star candles-- look, their wrists are tied," Fanren observed.
"Sweet... they look so good together!" Feimei gushed.
"They always have, even before," Shiefa said. "Ming-na is pretty. But not as pretty as Ying Fa."
"They're here!" Fanren announced.
The girls trooped to the door to welcome Sakura.
"Ying Fa!"
"Look at you now!"
"So cute!!"
Sakura laughed nervously. "Konban wa... Fuutie, Shiefa, Fanren, Feimei."
"She remembers us! What a sweet girl..."
Syaoran grinned ruefully. Sakura, even as a little girl, had already endeared herself to his family. His sisters liked her. His mother liked her.
He remembered how horrified he was when his mom was so nice to Sakura when she first came to Hong Kong. He couldn't place it. He couldn't fathom it.
But maybe then she already knew something he didn't.
"Hello, Ying Fa."
Sakura looked up. The Li matriarch had just entered. "Konban wa, Li-sama," she bowed.
"Here to celebrate the spring festival?" Ielan asked.
"Actually. Mother, we were going to light star candles in the garden," Syaoran said.
"Of course."
"Sakura, let's go," Syaoran said. Sakura gave a last bow to everyone before following.
They walked into the back garden.
What Sakura saw there was a pair of swings. She smiled at the irony. *What, whenever he and I talk alone, there is always a swing present.*
She walked over to one and touched the thick rope it hung from.
"Like it?"
She whirled around. "Yeah. Has this been here long?"
"Not that much," he replied. "I made it myself ten years ago."
When he was eleven.
"Why?" she questioned.
"I wanted to preserve a memory."
*"I just kept smiling... so that.. Yukito-san wouldn't worry. I'm kind of happy already... knowing that he's happy... but..." Sakura broke off as tears fell from her eyes.
Syaoran handed her a handkerchief. She looked up in surprise.
"I know how you feel," he whispered. "I know how it's like when a person you love doesn't love you back. But it will get better. It may hurt now, but soon, maybe, you will be happy again."
He tok both her shoulders and held her close.
And she cried.*
Sakura lowered her eyes. "Let's go light the candles."
"Sounds good."
They placed the candles on the grass and knelt as they lit them, sending a few heart's desires on the way of the flame.
*I wish for nothing else, I have what I want now,* Sakura thought.
*I wish..* Syaoran pleaded. *I wish she'd stay.. after what I...*
They finished at the same time and looked at each other.
"Want to sit?" Syaoran offered.
"Yeah, all right."
They sat beside each other on the swings, their bound wrists dangling at the sides.
He gazed at her, candlelight illuminating the delicate features softly, a smile playing on her lips.
And then it hit him.
This was the woman he loved.
Whose brown hair fell in wispy strands on the sides of her face.
Whose emerald eyes show all the emotion in the world that was important to him.
Whose touch made him feel... alive.
Whose smile gave him warmth, even in the cold.
Ming-na was no Sakura.
It was Sakura he loved.
She blinked, sensing his stare. She turned to look at him.
"What's wrong?" she asked.
He looked into her eyes.
"I love you."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Chapter 9: What Holds True (preview)
Anything she hoped to say, everything she was thinking, flew out of her head and became totally incoherent.
Her thoughts scattered, regrouped, and then scattered again, like dust in the wind.
Then one thought, one concept, rose above and resonated.
*No.*
"No," SAkura whispered.
Syaoran blinked. "What? Why?"
She stood up, and the gold ribbon on her wrist unraveled. "No," she repeated. "Don't tell me this, Syaoran-kun."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Author's Note: DO NOT KILL ME!!!!!
Where You Are
by Ekai Ungson
Chapter 8: When You Begin To See
Sakura stood, transfixed. "Is it always like this here?"
"Tonight is the first midnight of spring. There's a festival, that's why they're lighting fireworks," Syaoran replied.
"That is so nice," Sakura breathed. "So it's midnight? Wow. I didn't notice."
"Shouldn't you go back to the hotel now?" he asked.
"Nope. There aren't any calls for anything tomorrow-- that would be later in the morning-- so I'm free. Besides, Eriol-kun just arrived tonight so I left him and Tomoyo alone," she replied.
"Star candles! Buy now!" a vendor yelled.
"What are star candles?" Sakura asked Syaoran.
"A candle in the shape of a star... the legend goes you light it up, make a wish," he replied.
"Sugoi. I want one," she pulled him over to the booth.
"You and your fixation with stars," he stated.
Sakura tossed her hair. "Of course."
They got to the booth and asked for two candles.
The lady selling the candles smiled at them. "Give me your hand, child," she said to Sakura.
Sakura gave. "Why?"
"Yours, too, young man."
Syaoran reached out, puzzled.
The woman pulled out a gold ribbon and tied one to Sakura and the other to Syaoran.
"Hoeh?" Sakura managed.
"It is tradition that when a young man and woman ask for star candles at the same time they should be bound with gold and never separated 'til the candles
burn down," the lady explained. "'Tis to make their love last forever."
"What if they're not exactly lovers?" Sakura asked.
"Same thing, child."
Sakura could only laugh nervously. Syaoran cleared his throat.
The lady handed Sakura a white flower. "Go now."
They walked out of the stall, a little uneasy.
"It's officially your birthday," Syaoran began. "What do you want to do?"
"Shop. Eat. Anything, actually." Sakura held up her wrist. "This is quite strange."
"We're not the only ones."
All around them couples had gold ribbons on their wrists and the women carried white flowers.
"Looks like it," Sakura agreed.
The bazaar was an all-night affair. Sakura shopped 'til she dropped.
They plopped down on a cafe bench later.
"Two coffees," Syaoran ordered. "It's on me."
Sakura gaped at him. "Syaoran-kun, you've paid for everything I bought tonight. And I mean everything. You bought me hair ornaments, two stuffed toys, candles, two dresses, and a bouquet of daisies. You've fed me dinner, a midnight snack, and an after midnight snack. Now you're buying me coffee," she enumerated. "You're spending way too much."
Syaoran shrugged. "Consider it ten years' worth of birthday gifts."
Sakura gazed disbelievingly at him. "You only missed nine."
"So?"
Sakura facefaulted. "Mou..."
"All right. After coffee, one last store," he reasoned.
"As long as you're buying something for yourself this time," she compromised.
"Deal."
He took her to a jewelry shop.
"Eh?" she began. "Why here?"
He only shrugged and walked in, pulling her with him.
Syaoran nodded at one salesperson and the man reacted by ducking into the store.
"I didn't know jewelry shops were still open at two a.m.," Sakura commented.
"Just for the spring opening," Syaoran replied.
The salesperson handed Syaoran a velvet box. Sakura looked up at him. He handed the box to her.
"You tricked me!" she protested. "You told me you were buying something for yourself!"
He smiled like a very satisfied cat. Or wolf, for that matter. "Happy birthday, Sakura."
She took the box slowly, reluctantly, and opened it.
A platinum necklace with a diamond pendant.
"This... this is too much, Syaoran. Too much," she said softly.
He took the box from her and took the necklace out. He began to put it on her.
She turned to lok into his amber eyes. "Syaoran.."
"Seriously, Sakura, this has been waiting for you for a figure of seven years," he said. "I bought it long ago, and it's really intended for you."
She squinted. "Dou shite...?"
He didn't answer. "Promise me you'll never take it off," he whispered.
Her breath caught in her throat. "Demo--"
"Onegai."
She lowered her eyes. "Un."
He smiled. Now he had her word. He knew she'd keep it. "Come on. Let's go light the candles and make your birthday wish."
They walked out of the store. Sakura looked around. "...Where?"
The place was crawling with numerous people.
"Would you like to go to my house? I think my mother would love to see you," he offered.
"Okay."
They left.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Hey, guys, it's Ying Fa! On her way here! With Xiao Lang!" Li Fanren announced.
"Ying Fa? As in the cute little girl--" Li Feimei broke off.
"She's not so little anymore if you'll look at her now," Li Fuutie said.
"Where?" Li Shiefa asked.
"Here by the window."
Four pairs of eyes peeked out to see the young couple.
"They bought star candles-- look, their wrists are tied," Fanren observed.
"Sweet... they look so good together!" Feimei gushed.
"They always have, even before," Shiefa said. "Ming-na is pretty. But not as pretty as Ying Fa."
"They're here!" Fanren announced.
The girls trooped to the door to welcome Sakura.
"Ying Fa!"
"Look at you now!"
"So cute!!"
Sakura laughed nervously. "Konban wa... Fuutie, Shiefa, Fanren, Feimei."
"She remembers us! What a sweet girl..."
Syaoran grinned ruefully. Sakura, even as a little girl, had already endeared herself to his family. His sisters liked her. His mother liked her.
He remembered how horrified he was when his mom was so nice to Sakura when she first came to Hong Kong. He couldn't place it. He couldn't fathom it.
But maybe then she already knew something he didn't.
"Hello, Ying Fa."
Sakura looked up. The Li matriarch had just entered. "Konban wa, Li-sama," she bowed.
"Here to celebrate the spring festival?" Ielan asked.
"Actually. Mother, we were going to light star candles in the garden," Syaoran said.
"Of course."
"Sakura, let's go," Syaoran said. Sakura gave a last bow to everyone before following.
They walked into the back garden.
What Sakura saw there was a pair of swings. She smiled at the irony. *What, whenever he and I talk alone, there is always a swing present.*
She walked over to one and touched the thick rope it hung from.
"Like it?"
She whirled around. "Yeah. Has this been here long?"
"Not that much," he replied. "I made it myself ten years ago."
When he was eleven.
"Why?" she questioned.
"I wanted to preserve a memory."
*"I just kept smiling... so that.. Yukito-san wouldn't worry. I'm kind of happy already... knowing that he's happy... but..." Sakura broke off as tears fell from her eyes.
Syaoran handed her a handkerchief. She looked up in surprise.
"I know how you feel," he whispered. "I know how it's like when a person you love doesn't love you back. But it will get better. It may hurt now, but soon, maybe, you will be happy again."
He tok both her shoulders and held her close.
And she cried.*
Sakura lowered her eyes. "Let's go light the candles."
"Sounds good."
They placed the candles on the grass and knelt as they lit them, sending a few heart's desires on the way of the flame.
*I wish for nothing else, I have what I want now,* Sakura thought.
*I wish..* Syaoran pleaded. *I wish she'd stay.. after what I...*
They finished at the same time and looked at each other.
"Want to sit?" Syaoran offered.
"Yeah, all right."
They sat beside each other on the swings, their bound wrists dangling at the sides.
He gazed at her, candlelight illuminating the delicate features softly, a smile playing on her lips.
And then it hit him.
This was the woman he loved.
Whose brown hair fell in wispy strands on the sides of her face.
Whose emerald eyes show all the emotion in the world that was important to him.
Whose touch made him feel... alive.
Whose smile gave him warmth, even in the cold.
Ming-na was no Sakura.
It was Sakura he loved.
She blinked, sensing his stare. She turned to look at him.
"What's wrong?" she asked.
He looked into her eyes.
"I love you."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Chapter 9: What Holds True (preview)
Anything she hoped to say, everything she was thinking, flew out of her head and became totally incoherent.
Her thoughts scattered, regrouped, and then scattered again, like dust in the wind.
Then one thought, one concept, rose above and resonated.
*No.*
"No," SAkura whispered.
Syaoran blinked. "What? Why?"
She stood up, and the gold ribbon on her wrist unraveled. "No," she repeated. "Don't tell me this, Syaoran-kun."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Author's Note: DO NOT KILL ME!!!!!