With All My Heart
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Chapter 3: A Memory
"Tadaima!" Sakura called out softly, closing the door behind her. She slowly stepped out of her shoes and took her jacket off and entered the living room.
"Okaerinasai!" a familiar male voice called back. Sakura smiled as she recognized Yukito's voice and made her way to the kitchen from where the voice had come.
"Hello Yukito-san," Sakura said. Yukito smiled at her from beside her brother. They were cooking. "Can I help with anything?" she asked.
"You can peal those carrots," Touya said, pointing toward some cabbages. She quickly put on an apron and began her task. Touya stared at her for a moment before turning back to his own job before him. I wonder if she's okay…she was out walking for so long…
Yukito's eyes widened slightly as he noticed Touya's worried expression and Sakura's somewhat uncheerful mood. What happened?
"What's next?" Sakura asked a few minutes later as she finished pealing and slicing the last carrot.
"Could you cut these cabbages?" Yukito asked her gently.
"Sure," Sakura replied, taking the cabbages and beginning to cut them into small pieces. Yukito stared at her. She really isn't as cheerful as she usually is.
Touya and Yukito both jumped at the sudden clanging of a knife against the floor. They turned to see Sakura holding her hand close to her. Touya hurried over to her and grabbed her hand quickly, his eyes narrowing as he saw the blood dripping down her hand.
"That's a pretty deep cut," he muttered. He gasped slightly as he saw tears begin to fall down his sister's cheek. Yukito also noticed.
"Are you okay?" Yukito asked.
Sakura nodded. "I'm fine. I'll go take care of it." With that, she turned and went down the hall to the bathroom, not even noticing her father standing in the doorway as he had just come home. Fujitaka stared after her worriedly as he saw the tears falling down her cheeks.
He made his way into the kitchen to find Touya and Yukito both looking very worried, Touya staring at the knife on the floor, Yukito staring off in the direction Sakura had left.
"What happened?" Fujitaka asked.
Touya jumped at his father's voice. He bent down and picked up the knife, a small bit of blood at the tip. "Sakura cut her finger," he replied, turning to wash the knife.
Fujitaka sighed. "She was crying…" he said softly.
Touya said nothing. Yukito, confused, looked from Touya to Fujitaka, then finally, "Did something happen earlier? She didn't seem like herself today."
The men were quiet for a moment. "That gaki from Hong Kong called yesterday to say he couldn't come," Touya finally answered.
Yukito sighed. He knew how excited Sakura was when she heard that he would come. He couldn't even imagine her disappointment now.
They were suddenly surprised by the ringing of the doorbell. "They're here," Fujitaka mumbled, walking toward the door.
"Hello!" Sonomi and Tomoyo called out as he opened the door. He smiled widely at them.
"Hello! Come in," he said, motioning them inside. "We're still cooking, so you're welcome to sit in the living room to wait. I'll bring you some tea…" he started.
"No, no…we will help you cook. That will be much more fun, right, Tomoyo-chan?" Sonomi said, following Tomoyo toward the kitchen. Fujitaka just smiled, following close behind them.
"Where is Sakura-chan?" Tomoyo asked once they had reached the kitchen. The three men froze for only a moment, but it was long enough for Sonomi and Tomoyo to sense something was wrong.
"She's taking care of her finger right now," Fujitaka replied. "She cut it just before you got here."
Tomoyo's eyes widened worriedly. "Is she okay?"
Fujitaka nodded. "I'm sure she'll be fine."
But Tomoyo was not satisfied. "Is she in the bathroom down the hall? I'll go help her." With that, she put down her things and headed out of the kitchen, walking quickly toward the bathroom.
"Sakura-chan?" she called out, knocking gently on the door. "Are you okay?"
Sakura's head snapped up from her position on the floor. She had already put a bandaid on her finger but her tears had not stopped. She looked at herself in the mirror, wincing at her horrid appearance. Why did I have to cry so much? I can't let Tomoyo-chan see me like this.
"I'm fine," she replied.
"Can I come in?" Tomoyo asked.
"No, I'll be out in a minute." Tomoyo stared sadly at the bathroom door. She sounded like she had been crying…
Sakura quickly splashed some water on her face, trying in vain to get the redness of her face and eyes to go away. I shouldn't even be this upset. There's no reason. I can't believe I started to cry in front of Yukito-san. I feel like such an idiot...all I did was cut my finger, so why did I have to be thinking of Syaoran-kun then?
Sakura slowly opened the door to find Tomoyo leaning against the wall waiting for her. She turned away when she saw Tomoyo's eyes widen as she saw her red face.
"Are you okay, Sakura-chan?" she asked.
"I'm fine," Sakura told her, turning to face her with a smile. Tomoyo just stared at her worriedly as she followed Sakura back to the kitchen.
"What can we help with now?" Sakura asked as she and Tomoyo entered the kitchen. The three men and Sonomi turned to look at them as they came in. They could all tell Sakura had been crying but said nothing about it.
"Is your finger okay?" Sonomi asked, taking Sakura's hand in hers and kissing the bandaged finger softly. Fujitaka smiled warmly at Sonomi's gentleness with his daughter.
Sakura blushed. "It's fine now."
"I think everything's just about done," Fujitaka said. "All we have to do is wait for the ham in the oven to finish cooking."
"We needed another bottle of wine, right?" Touya asked. "Yuki and I will go buy some while the ham is finishing." Fujitaka nodded his approval as the two young men left the kitchen, grabbed their jackets, and left the house.
"Could you set the table then, Sakura-san?" Fujitaka asked.
Sakura nodded. "I'll help you," Tomoyo said, helping her gather some plates and silverware and following her over to the table.
Fujitaka and Sonomi watched for a moment as their daughters worked together. "Would you like some tea while we wait?" Fujitaka asked Sonomi.
She looked at him. "I suppose," she replied. He quickly poured some tea he had made earlier and led Sonomi to the living room.
Fujitaka looked out the window at the falling snow. It was getting dark already, but he could still see the soft flakes. He smiled, remembering a time many years ago when he and Nadeshiko played in the snow. She was so fragile…she looked like an angel in the snow…so perfect…
Sonomi watched Fujitaka's expression as he watched the snow. She suppressed a smile when she saw him smile. She knew he was reminiscing. She sighed.
"Thinking about her, aren't you?" she whispered.
He looked at her gently. "I was thinking about a time we played in the snow together."
"She hated the cold," Sonomi told him. "But she loved the snow…we always use to play together…ever since we were little. She would always get so excited when it would snow."
Fujitaka looked down at his tea. "I miss her."
Sonomi looked at him. "I do too."
Fujitaka sighed. "I wish she could be here…especially when Sakura-san is feeling so down. Nadeshiko could always make her feel better when she was little, no matter what."
Sonomi smiled softly. "She made everyone around her happy. She was always so cheerful. She and Sakura-chan are a lot alike."
They were silent for a moment.
Sonomi got up and picked up the bag she had brought that she had left by the door. She came back and sat down beside Fujitaka, pulling out a small wrapped gift. "This is for you."
Fujitaka looked at her surprised. But then he smiled, and got up himself. He left the room leaving her sitting there confused, but returned quickly with a small bouquet of flowers. He handed it to her. "These are for you. I hope you will accept them."
Sonomi gasped slightly as she looked at the flowers before her. "Nadeshiko flowers…" she whispered, a single tear managing to make its way down her cheek. She quickly wiped it away. "Thank you."
Fujitaka smiled. "May I open this present now?" he asked, pointing to the present she had presented him with earlier. She nodded.
He carefully unwrapped the small present, turning it over in his hands to find a young picture he had never seen of Nadeshiko in a pretty frame. He stared at it gently, his fingers running over the small figure of his loved one. "Nadeshiko…"
Sonomi watched as Fujitaka stared silently at the picture. Her eyes widened slightly as she saw tears beginning to form in his eyes, not even realizing that her own eyes were filling with tears as well.
"I would never have forgiven you for taking her away if I wasn't sure you loved her," Sonomi said quietly.
Fujitaka smiled. "I know," he told her, looking up at her kindly. "But I did love her…I loved her with all of my heart."
Sonomi smiled back at him warmly, reaching out to take hold of his hand, squeezing gently.
She pulled her hand away as she heard the door to the house open and two male voices talking quietly to each other. "They're back."
Touya and Yukito entered the living room, stopping shortly to take in the scene before them. Touya smiled as he looked at his father's face, his watery eyes. "I'll take this in to the kitchen," he said, motioning to the bag he had brought it with him. Yukito followed him quietly.
They walked in to the kitchen to find Tomoyo and Sakura sitting together at the table, waiting for the ham to finish.
"How much longer?" Touya asked. "I'm hungry."
"It'll be done in a couple more minutes I think," Sakura replied.
"Good, it seems the kaijuu can actually cook a ham," he muttered teasingly.
She glared at him for a moment, but almost half-heartedly. "I am not a kaijuu," she murmured quietly.
Touya glanced at her. She's still not feeling better…
The beeping of the oven timer suddenly caught their attention, and Sakura got up to take the ham out as Yukito helped her.
"It's ready!" Tomoyo called out, sticking her head into the living room. Fujitaka and Sonomi smiled at the pretty girl as they helped each other get up. They walked happily together to the dining room, Sonomi taking her flowers with her, and Fujitaka with the picture of Nadeshiko safely in one hand. He placed the picture at the center of the table as the food was layed out before them. He smiled.
"Itadakimasu!"
***
End of Chapter 3
I hope you all are liking this story so far. Thanks for reading! Please review!!! ^_^
Itadakimasu…is said before meals.