AN: !! This story might end soon...maybe a couple more chapters and then the ending X.X I feel sad...eheh. Well, today I've spent the whole day writing my socials project and I'm finally done!! YES!! Freedom at last!!
Kero: Freedom to eat!!!
Ice: 0.o
Kero: *swims around in pudding*
Ice: *gags* I just find that gross, ok neways let's get onto this chapter! I have a series of events plotted out for this story, some are happy and fun, some are depressing and glum. Ok, onto this chapter which is about...cake?!
Kero: DID I HEAR CAKE?! MOOHAHAHAHA!!!
Disclaimer: No, I don't own CCS and
it's character, so pooey. CLAMP owns it -.-
" Speech
> Thoughts
() Translation
Chapter Nine: Strawberry Shortcake
Written by Enchanted Ice Star
Sakura let a soft groan escape her lips as her emerald eyes fluttered opened. Her vision was blurred at first, but as a while went by she could see and that was when she noticed that amber eyes stared back at her.
"Are you ok?" She heard familiar male voice ask. She ached to remember, and then she knew at once it was Syaoran. "Syaoran! Where am I? What happened?"
She pulled herself into a sitting position. "You nearly drowned at the beach yesterday." Syaoran mumbled.
"Yesterday? You mean it's already a whole new day? I missed school?" Sakura asked in shock.
Syaoran nodded, "You were out for the whole night and half the day. Just don't do that again ok?" Sakura noticed that Syaoran was trying to hide the concern in his voice, but she could clearly hear it.
Sakura nodded sadly with her eyes downcast. "I'm sorry..."
"What? Why?" Syaoran asked with a puzzled look on his face.
"For endangering your life again! It's all wrong!! You could have drowned with me or something, and it would be all my fault! What would god think?!" Sakura exclaimed as she felt her eyes water. "I can't even do my job...I mean I can't even take care of myself!!"
Syaoran stared at her for a few moments then stood up from the chair he was sitting on and stretched. "Well, it's alright. I mean, we're both alive, so don't blame yourself. Oh right, I left today's assignments on your desk, but I think you need more rest." Syaoran turned around and was about to leave when he heard Sakura call, "Wait!"
Syaoran paused and stood still. "...Arigatou (thank you)" Sakura said in a soft voice, and then there was silence in the room.
"Um...no problem.." Syaoran answered and walked out of the room.
Seconds after Syaoran's departure, Kero came flying out of the drawer with a worried look on his face. "Are you ok Sakura?!"
"Yeah, I'm fine Kero. But I don't believe what a lame guardian angel I am!" Sakura muttered. "I should have never been appointed as guardian angel."
Kero frowned, "No, don't say that Sakura! I mean, if it weren't for you, that Li guy would have crashed head into a tree during that skiing trip of your's. Isn't that what you told me?"
"...I guess...but that was only once I helped him! And he saved my life twice!" Sakura cried. "How long have you been in that drawer Kero?"
"A long time! That kid didn't even leave this room until he went off to school, but then he came right back again after school and I didn't have much time with my video game at all!!" Kero exclaimed in frustration. "And I was reaching 10 000 points!!! GAH!!"
Sakura sweatdropped, "You can always try again Kero." Sakura felt a small blush appear over her cheeks, and Kero noticed a dreamy look in Sakura's eyes.
He stayed by my bedside for the whole night!! Wow...> Sakura giggled slightly, and Kero just blinked at her. "Uh, Sakura? You ok?"
"Yeah...what time is it?" Sakura glanced around at her night table, trying to find her clock.
"It's 4:30 in the afternoon," Kero replied. "Which means I have time to finish my video game! Ya!!"
Sakura chuckled as she got out of bed. "I think I should something special for Syaoran!"
"Why?" Kero asked in a monotone voice since he was already glued onto the game.
"Since he saved my life, silly!" Sakura brushed out her tangled hair and tied it into a small ponytail with a pink fuzzy scrunchie. "I'm going downstairs, see you later Kero."
Sakura skipped out of her room but then poked her head back in again. "Keep the volume a bit lower Kero, I can hear the sound of your video game from outside."
"Alright, alright," Kero lowered the volume and Sakura closed the door quickly.
She went downstairs and noticed that it was quite empty and none of the four Li sisters were around. Yelan was no where to be seen, and Sakura wondered where everyone was.
"Oh hi Kinomoto," Sakura glanced towards the kitchen and saw Meiling eating a snack with a book in her hand. Sakura smiled and joined her at the table. "Hi Meiling-chan!"
Meiling raised one eyebrow then gave a sigh. "So...how are you feeling...Sakura?"
Sakura brightened up when Meiling called her by her first name, "I'm feeling great! It's like I didn't faint at all!"
"That's good," Was Meiling's short reply while she took a sip of orange juice while reading at the same time.
Sakura leaned towards her and read the title of the book. "How to Cook?"
"...Ehehehe," Meiling laughed nervously. "I just wanted to learn, because Xiaolang always complains at how messed up my cooking is."
"Well, your cooking is probably better than mine! I haven't cooked for centuries!" Sakura exclaimed but then she noticed what she had just said, but Meiling didn't seen surprised or anything.
Meiling rolled her eyes, "Don't be so sarcastic Sakura. Centuries? You haven't even been alive for centuries." Meiling flipped a page and her ruby eyes brightened. "Hey, I want to try making this!"
Sakura beant over to see what Meiling was looking at. "Strawberry shortcake?"
"Yeah, sounds good and it looks easy!" Meiling exclaimed as she pushed her chair back. She opened the cupboard and pulled out a large bowl and a small bowl. "...Er...aren't you going to help Sakura?"
"Really?! You want me to help?" Sakura asked excitedly.
"Sure, why not? It's not like you'll make a mess," Meiling replied as she got out a measuring cup. "Hmm...where's the flour?"
Sakura helped look for the flour and she climbed onto a chair to open the top drawer of the cupboard. She pulled it back and saw the bag of flour. "Oh! Found it!" She stood on her tip toes and reached out, she was so close, but she couldn't reach it. "Could you give me a boost Meiling?"
"Sure," Meiling pushed Sakura up, and Sakura grabbed the flour but then it toppled over...
"Did I say you would not make a mess?" Meiling muttered as they both fell off the chair and into a pile of white flour. "Just great." Meiling coughed while cleaning off the flour that had gotten into her hair. "This is all your fault Sakura!"
Sakura sweatdropped while getting up herself and cleaning her herself off. "Gomen nasai (sorry), I really didn't mean to."
"...Oh whatever, let's just clean it up before the sisters and auntie Yelan comes home. They're off at the mall," Meiling explained as she walked out of the doorway to get the broom.
Sakura took that chance to pull out the Erase Card and she quickly told it to erase all the flour on the floor and the card finished its job right as Meiling came back with a broom in hand.
She blinked in surprise, "What?! Where did all the flour go?!"
"Oh, I cleaned it up!" Sakura smiled.
"...But...that's impossible!" Meiling exclaimed as she nearly threw the broom into the air. "You've got something up your sleeves Sakura!" Meiling jumped right in front of Sakura with intense eyes. "Spill!"
Sakura sweatdropped, "Hoe..I really cleaned it up..."
Meiling stepped back with a sigh, "I see you aren't going to tell me. But, oh well, it'll spill sooner or later Sakura! Now that we don't have any flour, I guess we can't make a strawberry shortcake." Meiling frowned and shrugged, "Oh well, maybe another day." She walked off.
"Where are you going?" Sakura asked.
"Back to my room to do my homework," Meiling answered and disappeared up the stairs.
Sakura was left alone in the quiet kitchen, it seemed like all the servants weren't around either. She looked at the cook book which was still open and suddenly an idea came to her. I can still make a strawberry shortcake! Maybe I'll make it for Syaoran as a thank you gift!! Yeah!!>
Sakura summoned the Create Card to create some flour and she got to work. I don't want to make it by magic, it would mean much more if I made it by hand!> Sakura picked up the large bowl Meiling had left on the table and she poured the right ammount of flour into the bowl.
"Let's see...two eggs," Sakura read and she got two eggs from the fridge and added it into the bowl. "How weird, this cake just looks gross right now!"
"Sliced strawberries..." Sakura threw in a whole bunch of strawberries that she had quickly sliced with a knife and dumped it into the bowl. "Smells nice, but it looks gross! I wonder if the egg shells are suppose to be there...but then it did say two eggs didn't it?" Sakura thought out loud.
"Baking powder...I wonder where they keep that..." Sakura went through a whole bunch of cupboards until she found the baking powder in a white bag. "1/2 teaspoon..."
Sakura blinked at the many spoons layed out before her. "Teaspoon...but, all these spoons don't have have tea on them. This is a really weird recipe!" Sakura exclaimed as she took out a cup and made a cup of green tea. "They didn't say what type of teaspoon...oh well, I don't think green tea will matter." Sakura spooned up some tea and added some baking powder into the spoon that was mixed with the green tea. She added it to the bowl of flour and eggs while she stirred a bit more.
"This is really weird..." Sakura declared. "I never baked a cake when I was alive, and back then we only baked bread on rare occasions!" Sakura muttered as she read the next line.
"I need a flat round pan...." Sakura found one and poured the mixture of things into the pan. "Bake for one hour and more if needed. Heat it to 137 degrees celcius..."
Sakura glanced around the kitchen when her emerald eyes landed on the oven. "I guess that looks like something where I can bake a cake in!" She walked towards it and opened the oven while placing in the dough. To her right was a switchy thing that had numbers written around it and she turned it to 137.
"I hope I did this right!" She closed
the oven door and stood there with a satisfied smile on her face. "An hour
shouldn't be to long!"
Syaoran glanced up from his science assignment that he had just finished right when someone knocked on his door. He yawned slightly, "Who is it?"
"It's me! Sakura!" He heard Sakura's cheerful voice reply, and his spirits lifted. "Oh, come in!" He said almost to excitedly.
Sakura opened the door with one hand holding a tray that held...what looked like a strawberry shortcake from the outside...demo...we never know what it looks like in the inside...
"Hey Syao-kun! Doing science homework?" Sakura questioned while coming into the room.
Syaoran nodded, "Un (yeah), I just finished."
"Well, I kind of...like baked this...er...cake for you," Sakura uttered. "As a thank you from me since you saved me so many times! I'm really grateful and I'm very sorry that I've been such a hassel for you since this past week..." Sakura's voice trailed off as she felt utterly stupid as Syaoran's guardian angel.
Syaoran blinked in surprise, "...I..I really don't think you're a hassel..you didn't have to bake a cake and all..."
"Well, I wanted too! Eat a peice? For me?" Sakura asked sweetly with a cute smile on her face which made Syaoran's heart go a zillion times faster.
"Er sure.." Sakura brightened at that reply as she placed the cake down on Syaoran's desk and cut a meduim sized peice with a cake knife. "Here!" She handed the slice over to Syaoran who took it gently.
Sakura watched intently as Syaoran took a bite from it, and he instantly turned...a greyish blue much to Sakura's horror. "Oh! Syaoran! Are you ok?!"
Syaoran was silent as he turned from blue to green, and from green to a pale normal skin color. He coughed a bit as he ran into the washroom and spat out the cake in his mouth. He returned outside again with a sheepish look on his face, "Sorry."
"...Oh dears, I should be the one who's sorry! Is my cake really that bad?" Sakura asked sadly.
Syaoran frowned at the disappointed look on Sakura's face. "No! Not at all! It was great!"
"...Then why did you turn all blue and threw it all up?" Sakura pouted.
"Er.." Syaoran was stuck for a reply but then he noticed something crunchy in his mouth and he spat it out in his hand. It was white and hard and he brought it closer to his eyes to examine. "Nani (what)?! A part of an eggshell?!"
Sakura smiled, "What? It's from the egg! What did you think it was?!"
"...You threw the ENTIRE egg in?" Syaoran asked in shock.
Sakura stared at him, and nodded simply. "Of course! It said two eggs in the recipe, so I put in two eggs!"
"..." Syaoran looked like he wanted to throw up all over again but then he held it in and took a breath. "Next time Sakura, crack the egg and only put in the yolk, got that?"
"Oh! I didn't know..." Sakura replied meekly. "Gomen again...I'm such a baka..." She said sadly.
Syaoran felt awkward at this situation and he decided to cheer her up. "I mean, it's not that bad! I guess it's your first time baking a cake neh?"
"Yeah..." Sakura replied.
"Well, it looks pretty good! I mean, it's all round and...er pudgy," Syaoran scratched his head to think of other ways to cheer her up, but he just couldn't think correctly. "Can I ask you something Sakura?"
"Sure..."
"Why did the cake sort of taste like green tea?" Syaoran questioned with a raised eyebrow.
Sakura tilted her head, "What's wrong with that? It said teaspoon, so I decided to add green tea to the spoon so it would be a teaspoon, unless you don't like green tea. I could always try using jasmine tea or something else."
Syaoran went dot eyed as a sweatdrop rolled down the side of his head. "Green tea? Teaspoon? Jasmine tea?"
"...Yeah.." Sakura didn't quite get why Syaoran looked so amazed and freaked out. "Is something the matter?"
"Um...let's just say, don't try baking a cake again, ok Sakura? I mean, it's not like it's bad or anything, but I just don't want anyone to be seriously...let's say sick," Syaoran tried to put it in nice words, but he could notice Sakura's sad look. "I mean, you could always bake another cake, but have someone by your side ok?"
Sakura sighed and nodded, "I'm sorry...I guess my cooking is as bad as Meiling's."
"You'll improve," Syaoran reassured.
Sakura smiled at that, "Yeah, I will!" Sakura jumped up and ran to the door. "I'm going to catch up on the assignments I missed! And, like the old saying goes, there's always room for improvement! Ja ne!" Sakura waved and disappeared out the door.
Syaoran felt a smile appear across
his face. He didn't know why he liked seeing Sakura happy and jumpy, but
it just made him cheerful inside too. He glanced at the cake sitting on
his desk, and he chuckled. "Typical Sakura...but kawaii..." He blushed
when he noticed that he had said that out loud, and he looked around to
make sure no one was around, and luckily, there wasn't.
"Hello, can I speak to Tomoyo-chan?" Sakura said over the telephone. This was her first time using one, and she had watched Feimei use it all the time so she naturally learned.
After a few seconds of waiting, Tomoyo's voice came over the line. "Moshi moshi, Tomoyo speaking."
"Oh!! Tomoyo-chan!! I can hear your voice!!" Sakura squealed over the phone.
There was a pause, "Don't tell me there weren't any phones up in those mountains you lived in before? If that's true, then I believe that you live in a very odd place Sakura-chan."
Sakura sweatdropped, "Well erm, I mean, I just haven't heard your voice in a while so I'm just excited!"
"...Ok..oh! Are you feeling better?!" Tomoyo asked worridly.
"Hai, I'm feeling great!" Sakura replied.
"That's good to hear, so why did you call?" Tomoyo asked.
Sakura curled the phone line on her finger, "I was wondering...if you could teach me how to bake a cake!"
"Huh? What made you want to bake a cake all of a sudden?" Came Tomoyo's confused voice.
"I just really want to bake one!!" Sakura answered.
There was pause and then the line was filled with Tomoyo 'oh ho ho' laughter. "Oh ho ho ho! Is this cake for 'someone' in particular?"
Sakura sweatdropped and turned a light shade of pink. "Hoe..."
"Ha! I am right as usual!" Tomoyo exclaimed with satisfaction. "Is this person a certain cold, grumpy, guy?"
"Hoe..."
"Ha! I am once again right!" Tomoyo exclaimed and she had stars in her eyes, but Sakura couldn't see them since they were on the phone. "That is so kawaii! Sakura-chan baking a cake for Li Syaoran! Kawaii and sweet!"
Sakura sweatdropped, "I actually already baked one...but it turned out horrible and I really want to make up for it! I think I nearly poisoned Syaoran with my lame cooking!"
"Aw, don't say that Sakura! You can come over to my place and I'll give you a lesson!"
Sakura smiled, "Really?! Arigatou!!"
They hung up a while after when Sakura
had written down Tomoyo's address. She left a note on the kitchen table
telling the Li family that she was over at a friend's house and then she
hurried off to Tomoyo's hosue which wasn't that far at all.
"A teaspoon, is not a spoon with tea on it Sakura. It is actually this spoon," Tomoyo raised a tiny spoon to let Sakura see. "And when it says two eggs or one eggs, you have to crack the egg and add the yolk in only. Not the entire egg!"
Sakura nodded over and over, "I see..."
"Now, hand me the flour and sugar please," Tomoyo asked.
Sakura picked up the bags and handed them to Tomoyo who poured the right ammount into a mixing bowl. "Now you stir while I go crack the two eggs." Tomoyo instructed patiently.
Sakura once again nodded and stirred while Tomoyo cracked the eggs perfectly and dropped the yolk into the flour and sugar. Sakura mixed the eggs into the flour until it became a thick pasty mixture. "This is alot different than what I made!" Sakura exclaimed.
"It should be, since you didn't even crack the eggs!" Tomoyo giggled while cutting up slices of strawberry. "We need three cups of sliced strawberries. Not just a couple." Tomoyo explained and soon they had three cups and they added it into the bowl.
"Now a bit of that, and a bit of that," Sakura watched in amzement as Tomoyo added lots more things and soon they were done and putting the platter into the oven. "Now we wait!! Oh ho ho ho!"
Sakura didn't like that laugh at all...
"And afterwards we can decorate it with...hearts!!! And you can give it to Li-kun!!" Tomoyo said with stars in her eyes. "Kawaii ne!!"
Sakura sweatdropped, "Hoe..."
"Pink and red hearts!!" Tomoyo explained as she made red and pink icing.
Thirty minutes went by...and finally an hour and Tomoyo brought the cake out with a oven mit on. "There! It looks perfect!"
Sakura eyed the cake in awe. "It looks much better than the cake I made!"
"Oh ho ho ho! We mustn't forget the hearts now Sakura-chan!" Tomoyo said mischeviously as she started making heart designs over the cake and Sakura just sweatdropped even more.
After a while of Tomoyo's crazy decorating, Sakura just blinked. "...It actually doesn't look that bad... but you want me to give Syaoran a cake with hearts on it?! Demo..."
"He'll LOVE it!" Tomoyo declared as she placed the cake into a box. "Now you can carry it home easily!" She handed the box to Sakura but then she stopped her again. "Matte! We should add a nice little ribbon!"
Sakura just watched as Tomoyo tied a pink ribbon over the box to keep the lid down. "Now off you go to Li-kun!!" Tomoyo gently pushed Sakura out the door and waved. "Good luck!!"
"Good luck?" Sakura repeated in confusion
as she hurried down the huge garden of the Daidouji Mansion. "Hearts? Hoe..."
Syaoran was about to go to bed, just as he heard a sort of thump outside of his door. He shrugged thinking it was nothing, but then he heard that thump again.
He got up and opened the door and saw a box at his door with a pink ribbon tied to the top. "What?" He bent down and picked it up. "What's this?"
He brought it into his room and untied
the ribbon slowly. The lid popped open revealing a nice fresh strawberry
shortcake with hearts encircling the words "To Syaoran". He blinked and
noticed a peice of pink paper attached to the box and he read it slowly...
Dear Syaoran,
Sorry about the horrid cake earlier,
so I made a new one with the help of Tomoyo-chan! It's alot better, and
don't mind the hearts onegai! Tomoyo really had to put them, I have no
idea why! She doesn't know that I have written this, and I don't attend
on her finding out. Well, I hope you like this cake and don't throw up
again!
From Sakura ~*~
Syaoran turned slightly red as he saw all the hearts on the cake. He wondered...if it meant something, but he shrugged it off, it was Tomoyo's idea afterall..not Sakura's. He felt slightly disappointed, but he sighed and he smiled down at the cake.
"...To Syaoran..." He read off the
strawberry shortcake.
AN: :D This chapter makes me want to eat strawberry shortcakes!
Kero: Say that again! I'm with you!
Ice: O.O Btw people, I'm sick! Boo-hoo! I've got a stuffy nose, this sux X.X
Kero: Oh dears, and a sick person writes slower >.
Ice: *nods* That's the most human thing I've heard you say in a while Kero.
Kero: HEY!!! Oh wait, I almost forgot the lovely thank you note!!
Kero's Thank You note to all you holy people ^0^
jetforce4004 for pudding 2
stories high!
princessrachel for the house
made of pudding, apple pie, ice cream, and PUDDING!!! Arigatou!! And from
Ice: The 1000 fake $ :P
sakura-li for mango pudding!
Ice is drooling all over it X.X
Fanny chan for the BIG fudge
chocolate cake..and the hug...*drools*
Toxic Shade for the magical
notebook! MWUHAHAHA! I can do evil things with this...nvm..
amaksu toko for the cake!!!
And from Ice: Thanks for the supply of air 0.o Hee hee
(nobody) for all my fav foods!
You da bomb!
SakuraMoon for the cheese
cake!! YATTA!
CrystalSakura for cheese
cake...HOMEMADE!
No name A.K.A Android564
for the lemon cheese cake!!
KawaiiTenshiDX for the ice
cream! Better eat it before it melts :P
gwkitty for the pizza and
more cheesecake!!
T&M,E&T and S&S lover
gurl for all the SWEETS! You're a sweeite poo :D
bRat >>> for the 3 tiramisu
cakes for everyone!
Baby-chan for the life time
supply of chocolate pudding!!
Cherry girl for the bowl
of pudding, good ol pudding :P
kitty kat for the large cake!!
That list was long X.X It took me a good whole ten mintues!! Well, ja for now folks!
~.~ Da Kero ~.~
Ice: Well, please stay tooned and
thank you for the...er diploma Baby-chan ^^;; Review onegai and
yeah...that's all I have to say! :D