Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters, places, or things in this story except for the ones that I make up.
Now here's the long awaited chapter! Enjoy!
Cherry Blossoms 101.8 FM
Chapter Nine: Love Of My Life
By: Enchanted Pink Jade
*~*~*~*~*
A little later where the last chapter left off. Sunday after noon.
Meilin sat dejectedly on the hotel's sofa. Instead of staying with Syaoran in his apartment, she had rented a hotel room. She didn't expect to stay there long. She wanted togo back to Hong Kong as soon as possible to have the last details of her wedding finalized. The events of the morning replayed in her mind.
~Flashback~
Meilin, in confusion, watched the girl with auburn hair and emerald eyes run off. "What's wrong with her? Was it something I said?" Meilin asked. Syaoran stared at her, loathing the girl that he saw. The animosity that she saw in the amber eyes overwhelmed her, and she took a step back.
"You have no idea what you have just done, Meilin. Why did you even have to come? You never should have," Syaoran said heatedly.
"I... I... No, I don't know. What did I do?" Meilin faltered. Syaoran just growled at her. "Look, I came here to talk about our wedding. It's--"
"Forget it." Syaoran didn't want to hear another word about it.
"But Syaoran, our engagement--"
"Shut up."
"But I love--"
"Look, Meilin. I don't love you. I never even liked you. You were so annoying. You followed me everywhere like a dog begging for treats. And now, you follow me all the way here? Why don't you just pack up your bags and head straight back to Hong Kong? I don't want or need you here. All you'll do is ruin my life, like you've done for the passed few years." And with that last word he pivoted on his heals and strode away, leaving Meilin all alone, just about to burst into tears.
~End of Flashback~
She had managed to make it back to the hotel without any damage done. She was still on the couch when her friend came in. He just came with her to Japan to keep her company. They've known each other for a long time, and were very good friends. The happy greeting died on his lips even before they came out when he saw the state that she was in. Without any words, he came over to her and drew her into a comforting embrace.
"Oh, Jake. What am I going to do?" Meilin asked brokenly.
"Shhh. It's okay. Everything will turn out fine. Tell me what happened when you met Syaoran, and why you're so depressed. You should be happy. You're a bride-to-be." So Meilin told him about everything that has happened so far, why she was so depressed. "So he was with another girl?"
"Yeah. But she ran off. I don't think that Syaoran told her that he was already engaged to someone. And he also told me to my face that he had never cared for me. I love him so much. I still do. I care about him so much, and it hurt to stand there and take in his verbal assaults. He never even let me finish. And what about our wedding, Jake? Everything is in chaos," Meilin sobbed.
"It's okay. I think that you just surprised him. He'll come around. And he'll be happy with you when you come to tell him the good news."
"But I've already tried that, and he won't listen. The elders gave me permission to come here. It wasn't easy convincing them. I wanted to deliver him the good news about our wedding. I wanted to be the one to give him the good news about him and me, and to see the happy expression on his face. I know that he cares for me. He loves me. He just has a different way of showing it. I mean, we've known each other practically our whole lives. He can't hate me. He can't."
*~*~*~*~*
Eriol's apartment.
".... and then she just ran off," Tomoyo said, obviously distressed. She was telling Eriol now in his apartment about her encounter with Sakura.
Tomoyo walked to Sakura's house somewhere before lunch to tell her the good news about her and Eriol, becoming an official couple. Tomoyo found her Sakura in her room. Kero wasn't to be seen around. She immediately noticed something wrong and asked. Sakura said that she was just tired. Sakura was obviously lying. She was never really a good liar with Tomoyo. Her best friend could see right through. But she decided not to press Sakura about anything lest she get more distressed. Tomoyo decided to let Sakura tell her what was wrong when she was ready to. Then Tomoyo told Sakura the good news, thinking that her mind would be taken off of the unhappy thought for awhile. But she was mistaken. Instead of looking happy for her friend, her face took on a pained look. Fresh tears came to her eyes as she abruptly stood up and grabbed a light jacket. She headed for the door, but turned around when she got to the door.
"I'm happy for you and him. You're lucky you know that? I hope that he hasn't anything he's hiding from you," were her parting words before she left Tomoyo standing in the middle of the room, wringing her hands in dismay, not knowing what to do. She then left for Eriol's apartment where she was now.
"Hmm... What do you think happened? More likely than not, it is Syaoran's fault," he said, with a small frown oh his features. He probably hurt her again. Stupid Syaoran. I gave him the chance, and he blows it. Eriol was perplexed and angered. It was always Syaoran and Sakura who were getting in the way of his relationship with Tomoyo. Or at least, the relationship that they have right now. They haven't had enough time together for their attraction for each other to blossom yet; something was always getting in the way of things. And a person can only have so much patience. His was running out. Especially with Syaoran. He knew that it wasn't Sakura to blame. Syaoran. When someone knocked on his door earlier, he was thinking who could it be, trying to remember if he was supposed to be expecting any one. And then he had heard Tomoyo's voice, calling his name, asking him to open the door. He was surprised that she had come, and happy at the same time for the unannounced visit. He opened the door expecting to see Tomoyo smiling with happy bliss. Instead, she looked worried. He now knew why.
But what could be wrong between Syaoran and Sakura now? It couldn't be that Sakura found out that because she was an Aries and he a Cancer, so therefore, they weren't compatible. He knew that Sakura had more sense than that.
I guess that I'm going to have to pay my cute but stupid little descendant a visit, Eriol thought.
*~*~*~*~*
Syaoran's apartment.
True to his own word, Eriol had gone to Syaoran's apartment, right after taking Tomoyo back to her home and assuring her that he will take care of things, find out why Sakura was behaving this way.
*knock*knock*
He knew that someone was in there because he had heard someone's footsteps walking around before he knocked.
In less than ten seconds a hopeful Syaoran was at the door, and opening it, only to see one of the people that he really didn't want to see at this moment. He had been hoping that it would be Sakura at the door, willing to let him explain about Meilin. He had been waiting almost all day by the phone, waiting for her to call. He didn't want to leave the apartment incase she did call during the time he might be gone. He also checked his e-mail every hour, to see if Sakura had written back to him. He tried calling her, but only got an answering machine.
Seeing Eriol was a great disappointment.
"Can I come in?" Eriol asked. He stepped in before Syaoran could lock him out. "What's the deal now with you and Sakura?" Eriol said, as he confronted his friend. He didn't want to beat around the bush. Instead, he got right to the heart of the matter.
"Nothing," was Syaoran's icy replay.
"Well, that's not what Tomoyo told me. She saw Sakura earlier today, and said that Sakura was really distressed. I'm taking a big guess that it has something to do with you. I'm right, am I not?"
Syaoran held his ground against Eriol's piercing eyes. It was Syaoran who was the one to first look away. He walked to the window and looked out. "It's complicated. I don't think that you'll understand."
"Try me." Syaoran just shook his head at Eriol.
"Tell. Me. Two of my friends are unhappy right now, and you are the reason that they are suffering. I've got to know."
"My fiancé came to see me today," was what Syaoran said after a long silence. Eriol was at a loss for words. Syaoran saw this and smirked.
"Fiancé?" Syaoran nodded tersely. He then told Eriol what had happened early that morning, and his encounter with Meilin. While he told the story, he restlessly moved about the room, examining objects as if he's never seen them before. When he was finished, he was sitting on the couch, his head in his hands. The way that Syaoran looked now was alien to Eriol. He's never seen Syaoran act this way.
Now that he knew the facts, he decided to leave Syaoran in peace, softly closing the door behind him. Fiancé. Of course. How could I have forgotten about her? Why didn't I even think about her? Poor Sakura, it must have broken her heart when she found out. This is partly my fault then... But why did Meilin have to come now of all the times? Eriol thought, frustrated with himself. That answer should be obvious, Eriol's mind spoke back to him. She wants to get married to Syaoran as soon as possible... How am I going to deal with this? he asked himself. I'm going to have to tell this to Tomoyo when I get back into the apartment.
*~*~*~*~*
Kinomoto Residence
"Hey, Toya, have you seen Sakura lately?" Fujitaka asked.
"Nope. But she's probably with Tomoyo or one of her other friends," Toya answered back.
"You're probably right, but still... I know something's wrong with her. She didn't seem like herself. Kind of like a father's intuition. Or maybe my day is finally taking it's toll on me."
"Most likely, that's it, dad. Go take a rest, for your own good. I'll keep a look out for her, if that'll make you feel better."
Fujitaka nodded and made his way upstairs.
*~*~*~*~*
Tomoeda Elementary School.
Sakura gave a big sigh of despair as she walked around her old school, where most of her card capturing business occurred. As she walked at a leisurely pace, she recalled all the times that she had, while card capturing. That's where I caught the shadow card, she thought to herself. She thought about the day where she no longer was a card captor, and became the Cards Mistress. Then the times when she had to transform the cards into the Star Cards. She thought about all the happy moments she had had with her friends. All the merry moments, celebrations, gatherings that they had. They all flashed before her mind's eye. Everything that she saw had it's own special quality, and with it, came a memory. That's where me and the girls had cheerleading practice.
Sakura came here to think... The park usually was the place that she went to when she wanted to think about something that was on her mind. But it held too many happy times that could no longer be. In fact, I bet that it was all an act. I was just Meilin's substitute, if it all wasn't for the cards... Sakura thought bitterly. Since the park was not an option, she decided to come to her old school instead, and thought about things that have nothing to do with Syaoran. Or at least, she tried to.
Sakura then made her way to the Penguin park. This has been here for so long, ever since I can remember. So many things has happened around here, and no one was ever aware of it all. Sakura then sat down on a swing and rocked herself gently to a mournful tune that only she can hear.
That was the way Sakura looked when Tomoyo found her.
Sakura sensing someone's approach, looked up. "Oh, it's only you, Tomoyo." Sakura saw the way Tomoyo was looking at her and knew that her friend knew about Syaoran.
"Hey, Sakura. What are you doing here in Penguin Park?" Tomoyo asked. She knew asking "Are you feeling alright?" or "How are you doing?" would be just plain dumb. It was already obvious to anybody who took one glance at Sakura that she was feeling really low and depressed.
"I'll survive," Sakura said. She tried to smile a little bit, more for her friends benefit, but she failed. "I've encountered things more worse than this..."
"Are you really sure about that, Sakura? Every time you faced a Clow Card, you never backed down, you did your job. Then it came to changing them into Star Cards. Through it all, you came out unscathed physically and... in heart and soul."
Sakura bowed her down, knowing that her friend was right.
"Do you want to talk about it? I'll be willing to listen."
So, for the next half and hour or so, Sakura talked about everything that happened. Everything that she had felt. And then that episode with Meilin, where she comes in on the scene unwanted.
When Sakura was finished it was already getting dark. Afterwards she felt that a big weight on her shoulders had been removed, and she felt just the tiniest bit better. Tomoyo walked her home, at Sakura's gate, they hugged and parted. Tomoyo watched Sakura disappear into the house before she moved onto her own home. I'd like to meet this Meilin character... I've never met her, but from what Sakura told me... Sakura doesn't hate Meilin at all. But she doesn't hate Syaoran either... She told me so herself. All because of Meilin, what could have been such a great relationship between two people has been blown away. Is Meilin really to blame? I don't think so. Sakura doesn't hate either of them, and she's feeling really bad. She must be hating herself. Poor Sakura. How will all of this end? And when? Tomoyo thought.
*~*~*~*~*
Sakura softly closed her door. For a few seconds, she closed her eyes and flattened her back to the door, when she slowly slid down. Kero was already asleep. For that she was thankful and grateful at the same time for this solitude. While going upstairs, she had successfully tried to come up without having to face her father or her brother. She wanted to block out all communications from the world outside of her room. What should I do? What can I do? Sakura thought helplessly.
She then got up from the floor and got prepared for bed. There, she cried herself to sleep. The salty tears slowly rolling down her cheeks and onto the pillow. Later, her brother and father came in to check on her, and saw the state that she was in. They knew that they were helpless to help her. She wasn't the little girl that they used to know. The little girl who would come running to either of them when she was sad or when she got hurt. She was a young woman now.
Father and son walked out of the room quietly as to not wake her up. "I knew that there was something wrong going on. She cried herself to sleep tonight."
"The bastard. Who ever did this to her, I'm gonna hunt him down before I go in for the kill," Toya said vehemently. His little sister was hurt. Someone hurt her. No one in the world was allowed to do that but him.
"Don't say that Toya. While I know Sakura would be flattered to hear you say that, she must solve this on her own. I'm not really sure that she wants our help on this one. I just hope that soon I'll see a genuine smile on her face. It would break your mother's heart to see Sakura like this, just like it's breaking mine."
Toya knew that what his father was saying was right. His heart was aching also. He lost the little monster already, years ago. And in its place was a lovely young woman. But what was to become of her?
*~*~*~*~*
Author's Note: So... what did you think? I know, it's really not the best chapter.. but I had to write this part. I'm evil. You don't have to tell me. There's this one guy I know who calls me demon woman, but you don't need to know about him. Anyways, now we all know why Meilin came to Tomoeda. To finalize her wedding! Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh! Will you soon find them at the alter, exchanging vows of love together? Will either of them be saying "I do"? You'll find out... Hehehe
E-mail: Lyricalaznangel@aol.com
~Enchanted Pink Jade
