The lights were all out as the music started, slow at first, getting a
catchy urban beat as they slowly turned on. A girl stood on stage with her
back to the audience but as the music sped up and reached its opening rise,
she turned around in a perfect execution of hip moving, getting into the
performance as she always did, with her sparkling emerald green eyes as she
opened her smiling lips and began to sing:
"Can't say I'll be seeing you around, no, no...
'Cause you'll never be lost day or night
Can't say if you fall that I'll catch you, no, no...
'Cause I'm never letting you outta my sight
There's a world of journey waiting just for us
Let me take you to that wonderland
There's no question, it's simply a "Must"
My heart loves you like no other can
*Believe me when I say I've loved you before time
Don't know how to tell you otherwise
And while I haven't got a spell or magic rhyme
I know all I could ever do is hope you see it in my eyes
Doesn't take that much for me to be content, no, no...
All I'm asking is a smile or two from you
Doesn't take that much to see you're heaven's sent, no, no...
All I've got, heart and soul, is for you
So take my hand, let's reach out together to the unknown
It's not so frightening if we're together
So look deep into your heart and see you're not alone
The whispers of love from me to you are yours forever
*Believe me when I say I've loved you before time
Don't know how to tell you otherwise
And while I haven't got a spell or magic rhyme
I know all I could ever do is hope you see it in my eyes
Yeah, see it in my eyes."
As her voice faded with the music, her brow only slightly wet from the sweat from moving and dancing throughout the song, a roaring applause erupted from the audience as row by row people took to their feet, cheering for their newest and sweetest singing sensation: Sakura.
"Thank you, thank you," she spoke into the microphone and all else quieted. Smiling prettily, though totally unaware of exactly how lovely she looked, she spoke from her heart to her fans, loving them all for loving her, for listening to her music, for coming to her concerts. Picking up a thornless rose thrown on stage some time earlier, her eyes softened at the beautiful flora, wondering briefly if anyone other than a fan would ever give her such a token of open love. Storing those thoughts away for another time, she smiled again widely at her audience and after thanking them profusely once more, exited the stage, more applause following her for ten minutes afterward. That was how much they loved her.
Sakura changed our of her stage outfit [light pink flowing sleeveless that jutted out, with black leggings underneath and black armbands decorated with delicate pink cherry blossoms, her namesake and signature.] She exchanged it for a black loose fitting long sleeve shirt and standard denim overalls, Converse high tops included as her normal footwear. The loose but not overly baggy clothes were enough to hide her normally prominently feminine shape, and as she tucked the last few strands of excess honey-hued hair under a black paperboy's hat, she checked herself in the mirror. It was her usual disguise. Loose clothes, hat to cover the hair [which was short anyway] and sporty shoes; it gave her a rather androgynous look but that was how she planned it. In this guise, she would normally not be mistaken for the infamous Cherry or Sakura, the singing phenomenon. In this guise she could go where she pleased.
And she was just innocent enough to believe that.
She frowned as she tucked some stray strands of her immaculate hair behind her ears; it never all stayed under the hat. Oh well.
Grinning like a child, she left a note for her manager and best friend, Tomoyo on her dressing table so she wouldn't give her a heart attack worrying. Then she stealthily exited the large concert building, heading into the night time streets, reveling in the busy city life that while lacking the serenity of her Tomoeda hometown, had its own adventurous twist of excitement that to Sakura, was just as intriguing.
Stuffing her hands in her pockets, she wandered down the street until she came to a small coffee shop she had never seen before. Odd was what that was because she had been dwelling here [though inconsistently due to her concert travels] for nearly a whole year. Curious, she ducked her short frame into the shop.
It was a sweet and simple place; wooden chairs and round table placed randomly but nicely all around, most of which were filled with customers. There was a counter where Sakura's stomach realized pastries and other wonderful foodstuffs were sold. One couch lined the far back wall while another graced the left front, its side to the window that looked out onto the street. Stylistic lanterns, Japanese actually and a deep red hung from the ceiling, giving it a laid back glow of evening nostalgia, even if one had never been there. And Sakura hadn't.
Choosing a small table in the corner, she rummaged in her overall pockets, hoping to find some money. She smiled ruefully. Tomoyo was always telling her to think before she did something and rarely did she pay this advice full heed. Sighing happily, Sakura retrieved a ten-dollar bill from the depths of her pockets and smiling, ordered a hot chocolate [to the cashier's amusement] and slice of butter pound cake, fluffy, dense and oh- so bad for her.
Sakura enjoyed every bite of her cake and when she was finished, leisurely sipped at her indeed very hot, hot chocolate. Suddenly she noticed a quiet fall over the room and she let her eyes rise to see a handsome young man, her age maybe, with black hair, blue eyes and spectacles that instead of making him look unstylish, added to his air of cultured elegance, even when only in his casual attire of slightly baggy khakis and black collared shirt. Sakura noted that he had the deepest blue eyes she had ever seen and it didn't take her long to register exactly why practically half of the customers were female or at least femme. He was...Sakura's thoughts wavered...rather attractive. That's what she thought. Then he sat down at a stool in front of a microphone and began to sing as the soft, true-to-a- coffee-house-beat music rolled in harmonic waves throughout the shop. His voice was, Sakura found herself thinking, hypnotic and she had the slightest suspicion that she was falling prey to it.
And she found as she listened peaceably and admiringly... She didn't mind this spell one bit.
Focusing, she found herself lost in the words and wondering if she had ever written anything so very profound, and deciding in some small part of her sadly, that she had not.
"Let me be the one to open up your soul
Don't you think I've known you long before?
Reminiscing on the past can make a person whole
Even when missing the promise of "forevermore".
My heart is in constant awe
Your grace is something so pure
Letting go and finding someone to lean upon
It isn't so bad anymore, feeling unsure
*So if you say the single phrase...
If you can find it, the emotion
I know my heart can be your guide out of this maze
My love for you has depths beyond the greatest ocean...
Let me be the one to open up your mind
Don't you see that when you're gone, my heart rains?
Turning the other way is sadness, playing blind
But I feel I can ease your pains.
My spirit cannot rest until my heart does
It's you it's been searching for so long
This is right, it always was
How can you think it might be wrong?
*So if you say the single phrase...
If you can find it, the emotion
I know my heart can be your guide out of this maze
My love for you has depths beyond the greatest ocean...
And you should know because you deserve to
That love survives through death again and again
And that for many lifetimes now I have loved you
But if this is all you can offer, I'll take it with a smile...
Just call me your friend."
So it was another love song true, but Sakura's ears refused to believe it was "just" another love song. After all, he did say even though they'd supposedly been in love for lifetimes in succession, he loved this person so much, he would be content to just be her friend. It was a beautiful and sincere thing. His voice was not world-weary, but passionate and emotional, and Sakura knew he had written the song himself. No one could sing so soulfully otherwise. Kudos for him, she thought lightly; she admired those who wrote their own music. It was a talent and give credit where it was due; this one was definite in the blue-eyed musician...
Who was currently being politely mobbed by at least seven, maybe nine different, beautiful girls and women.
And he seemed to be being just polite enough to be suave, but Sakura could sense an underlying feeling of unhappiness. She wondered at that. Giving an internal shrug, Sakura dropped her now empty cup into the trash bin and after giving once last curious glance at the singer, turned and left the small shop, the bell on the door ringing melodically; she pondered amusedly if everything in that shop was made to sound musically inclined.
If she had turned around, she would have seen a pair of deep blue eyes watching her leave through his glasses as he courteously fended off his fan club. A voice interrupted his thoughts though and he was rather grateful for it when he realized who it was.
"Excuse me ladies but I've got to take my friend back now," a voice said, laced with an attractive masculine timbre and all the women turned to see an equally tall and handsome young man with unruly brownish hair and the most startling shade of amber eyes any of them had ever seen. They immediately began giggling and asking if he "had to" take Eriol away and Eriol thought persistently in his head, yes, yes he does! Suppressing the laughter that threatened to pour from him, the amber-eyed man offered a heart-breaking smile to the fan club before slightly hurriedly grabbing Eriol's hand, taking him to the employee lounge. Eriol dropped into a chair, letting his eyes shut shortly, sighing thoughtfully and his friend let a chuckle escape. Cracking one blue eye open, Eriol frowned at his friend.
"What're you laughing at Syaoran?" Syaoran shrugged as he sat down, in a chair opposite his best friend.
"Oh, I don't know. I'm thinking, I could have let them have you out there," and he smiled wickedly here, a smile that on any person attracted to the male gender would have melted at the sight of. Eriol, being his best friend, only gave him a horrified stare of disbelief.
"You wouldn't."
"Oh wouldn't I though? It's all very amusing for me really. That's the best thing about being the music man, the man in the shadows," Syaoran replied casually, popping open a soda, offering one to Eriol who took it.
"Well, you'd think they'd remember you by now. This happens every week you know. Always you come to my rescue-oh brave and noble night," Eriol added sardonically and then continued, "...and always, they giggle and flutter their eyelashes at you, turning spastically from me to you, as though they cannot decide which one of us they'd rather snare. Then you drag me off and it seems by the next week, each one of them has forgotten my handsome ember- eyed savior from the week before." As Eriol finished, his friend quirked a thoughtful eyebrow at him.
It was true.
"True but honestly Hirigizawa, why don't you ever date any of them? They're all, to be quite blunt, mature and willing women, some of them a little older than you. Any other man your age would jump at all the chances, myself included, though at a much more reserved rate of course," Syaoran paused, smirking. And Eriol frowned. His friend was always like this, even in high school, going around from woman to woman, because he could, without a great deal of regard for his lady friends, other than courtesy in greeting and dismissing. He wondered if his friend would ever find that special someone. However, he snapped back from his thoughts, not for a second losing his outward composure, which he was famous for amongst his friends.
"Sometimes I wonder," Eriol answered truthfully, pushing his thin rimmed glasses back up the bridge of his nose absently, [they were always sliding down it seemed] and continued, "but I think I simply have not found one that really...interests me." Syaoran merely snorted in amusement at this.
"Oh, and what kind of woman are you thinking of? I think I've seen just about every size, shape, kind, age and gender walk up to you in a more than friendly manner my friend. What else possibly, could there be?" Syaoran asked, interested. What else, indeed? Syaoran had his pick of the ladies as well, though he was a bit more, let's say, liberal about it nowadays...heck he always had been.
"I really don't know yet," Eriol responded calmly, but the moment the words left his mouth, he saw brilliant emerald eyes framed by delicate honey colored bangs and, if it was possible, did a double take at the flashback, uncalled for as it was.
Now why on earth did I just think of her...or was it a him?
Eriol had just been utterly confounded by his own thoughts and Syaoran, realizing this, simply let his customary smirk make its way back to his lips as he stood up and exited the room to check on the staff, discreetly of course, for he was the man in the shadows, only out once a week to rescue poor Eriol. As he opened the door though, Syaoran was struck with an idea of what Eriol might be thinking of and damn the man if he wasn't nearly right on the very pinpoint of Eriol's thoughts as he said nonchalantly:
"If she ever comes back, point her out to me. She must be something else if she's captured your attention."
And he was gone.
And Eriol was still trying to remember the rest of a picture in his mind, but in the end, all he could continuously conjure up, were those astounding green eyes.
Even with that though, he felt an unfamiliar tug in his chest, suspiciously near where his heart was.
And he wondered at that.
Somewhere across town in her simple and very lovely apartment, that same person with those same green eyes slept wrapped in light pink blankets, absently remembering in her dreams, a pair of deep blue eyes, rimmed by thin frames, painted into a pale complexion on a young man with amazing lyrical talent and a hypnotizing voice. Sleep was a blessing to the honey- haired angel, as the next day, she would be performing again, a new song she had written after being inspired by that singer at the coffee shop, and planned to sing tomorrow at her concert in the park amphitheatre.
And it just so happened that the blue-eyed musician and his best amber-eyed friend might be going too.
Of course, she didn't know that.
-------------------
Well that's the first chapter. Whadya think? I'm writing another fic right now in Sailor Moon called The Rose Prince so if I don't get some reviews, I'll probably just work on that one instead and leave this one.
So if you happen to like this story, then let me know will ya? For those of you wondering, if this is a S & S, well, let me tell you, it just might be, even though it's currently going towards E & S as must be obvious.
I love alternate pairings, however the Little Wolf is so darn cute. Might just have to end up giving him his Cherry Blossom in the end.
Of course...if there is an end.
It's all up to you people.
-Kaji PS. This is my first CCS fic even though I've long been in love with the series and CLAMP. Such talented artists and writers. Mind you of course, this is CLAMP's manga thingumy, not mine, but you all know that don't you? ^_~
"Can't say I'll be seeing you around, no, no...
'Cause you'll never be lost day or night
Can't say if you fall that I'll catch you, no, no...
'Cause I'm never letting you outta my sight
There's a world of journey waiting just for us
Let me take you to that wonderland
There's no question, it's simply a "Must"
My heart loves you like no other can
*Believe me when I say I've loved you before time
Don't know how to tell you otherwise
And while I haven't got a spell or magic rhyme
I know all I could ever do is hope you see it in my eyes
Doesn't take that much for me to be content, no, no...
All I'm asking is a smile or two from you
Doesn't take that much to see you're heaven's sent, no, no...
All I've got, heart and soul, is for you
So take my hand, let's reach out together to the unknown
It's not so frightening if we're together
So look deep into your heart and see you're not alone
The whispers of love from me to you are yours forever
*Believe me when I say I've loved you before time
Don't know how to tell you otherwise
And while I haven't got a spell or magic rhyme
I know all I could ever do is hope you see it in my eyes
Yeah, see it in my eyes."
As her voice faded with the music, her brow only slightly wet from the sweat from moving and dancing throughout the song, a roaring applause erupted from the audience as row by row people took to their feet, cheering for their newest and sweetest singing sensation: Sakura.
"Thank you, thank you," she spoke into the microphone and all else quieted. Smiling prettily, though totally unaware of exactly how lovely she looked, she spoke from her heart to her fans, loving them all for loving her, for listening to her music, for coming to her concerts. Picking up a thornless rose thrown on stage some time earlier, her eyes softened at the beautiful flora, wondering briefly if anyone other than a fan would ever give her such a token of open love. Storing those thoughts away for another time, she smiled again widely at her audience and after thanking them profusely once more, exited the stage, more applause following her for ten minutes afterward. That was how much they loved her.
Sakura changed our of her stage outfit [light pink flowing sleeveless that jutted out, with black leggings underneath and black armbands decorated with delicate pink cherry blossoms, her namesake and signature.] She exchanged it for a black loose fitting long sleeve shirt and standard denim overalls, Converse high tops included as her normal footwear. The loose but not overly baggy clothes were enough to hide her normally prominently feminine shape, and as she tucked the last few strands of excess honey-hued hair under a black paperboy's hat, she checked herself in the mirror. It was her usual disguise. Loose clothes, hat to cover the hair [which was short anyway] and sporty shoes; it gave her a rather androgynous look but that was how she planned it. In this guise, she would normally not be mistaken for the infamous Cherry or Sakura, the singing phenomenon. In this guise she could go where she pleased.
And she was just innocent enough to believe that.
She frowned as she tucked some stray strands of her immaculate hair behind her ears; it never all stayed under the hat. Oh well.
Grinning like a child, she left a note for her manager and best friend, Tomoyo on her dressing table so she wouldn't give her a heart attack worrying. Then she stealthily exited the large concert building, heading into the night time streets, reveling in the busy city life that while lacking the serenity of her Tomoeda hometown, had its own adventurous twist of excitement that to Sakura, was just as intriguing.
Stuffing her hands in her pockets, she wandered down the street until she came to a small coffee shop she had never seen before. Odd was what that was because she had been dwelling here [though inconsistently due to her concert travels] for nearly a whole year. Curious, she ducked her short frame into the shop.
It was a sweet and simple place; wooden chairs and round table placed randomly but nicely all around, most of which were filled with customers. There was a counter where Sakura's stomach realized pastries and other wonderful foodstuffs were sold. One couch lined the far back wall while another graced the left front, its side to the window that looked out onto the street. Stylistic lanterns, Japanese actually and a deep red hung from the ceiling, giving it a laid back glow of evening nostalgia, even if one had never been there. And Sakura hadn't.
Choosing a small table in the corner, she rummaged in her overall pockets, hoping to find some money. She smiled ruefully. Tomoyo was always telling her to think before she did something and rarely did she pay this advice full heed. Sighing happily, Sakura retrieved a ten-dollar bill from the depths of her pockets and smiling, ordered a hot chocolate [to the cashier's amusement] and slice of butter pound cake, fluffy, dense and oh- so bad for her.
Sakura enjoyed every bite of her cake and when she was finished, leisurely sipped at her indeed very hot, hot chocolate. Suddenly she noticed a quiet fall over the room and she let her eyes rise to see a handsome young man, her age maybe, with black hair, blue eyes and spectacles that instead of making him look unstylish, added to his air of cultured elegance, even when only in his casual attire of slightly baggy khakis and black collared shirt. Sakura noted that he had the deepest blue eyes she had ever seen and it didn't take her long to register exactly why practically half of the customers were female or at least femme. He was...Sakura's thoughts wavered...rather attractive. That's what she thought. Then he sat down at a stool in front of a microphone and began to sing as the soft, true-to-a- coffee-house-beat music rolled in harmonic waves throughout the shop. His voice was, Sakura found herself thinking, hypnotic and she had the slightest suspicion that she was falling prey to it.
And she found as she listened peaceably and admiringly... She didn't mind this spell one bit.
Focusing, she found herself lost in the words and wondering if she had ever written anything so very profound, and deciding in some small part of her sadly, that she had not.
"Let me be the one to open up your soul
Don't you think I've known you long before?
Reminiscing on the past can make a person whole
Even when missing the promise of "forevermore".
My heart is in constant awe
Your grace is something so pure
Letting go and finding someone to lean upon
It isn't so bad anymore, feeling unsure
*So if you say the single phrase...
If you can find it, the emotion
I know my heart can be your guide out of this maze
My love for you has depths beyond the greatest ocean...
Let me be the one to open up your mind
Don't you see that when you're gone, my heart rains?
Turning the other way is sadness, playing blind
But I feel I can ease your pains.
My spirit cannot rest until my heart does
It's you it's been searching for so long
This is right, it always was
How can you think it might be wrong?
*So if you say the single phrase...
If you can find it, the emotion
I know my heart can be your guide out of this maze
My love for you has depths beyond the greatest ocean...
And you should know because you deserve to
That love survives through death again and again
And that for many lifetimes now I have loved you
But if this is all you can offer, I'll take it with a smile...
Just call me your friend."
So it was another love song true, but Sakura's ears refused to believe it was "just" another love song. After all, he did say even though they'd supposedly been in love for lifetimes in succession, he loved this person so much, he would be content to just be her friend. It was a beautiful and sincere thing. His voice was not world-weary, but passionate and emotional, and Sakura knew he had written the song himself. No one could sing so soulfully otherwise. Kudos for him, she thought lightly; she admired those who wrote their own music. It was a talent and give credit where it was due; this one was definite in the blue-eyed musician...
Who was currently being politely mobbed by at least seven, maybe nine different, beautiful girls and women.
And he seemed to be being just polite enough to be suave, but Sakura could sense an underlying feeling of unhappiness. She wondered at that. Giving an internal shrug, Sakura dropped her now empty cup into the trash bin and after giving once last curious glance at the singer, turned and left the small shop, the bell on the door ringing melodically; she pondered amusedly if everything in that shop was made to sound musically inclined.
If she had turned around, she would have seen a pair of deep blue eyes watching her leave through his glasses as he courteously fended off his fan club. A voice interrupted his thoughts though and he was rather grateful for it when he realized who it was.
"Excuse me ladies but I've got to take my friend back now," a voice said, laced with an attractive masculine timbre and all the women turned to see an equally tall and handsome young man with unruly brownish hair and the most startling shade of amber eyes any of them had ever seen. They immediately began giggling and asking if he "had to" take Eriol away and Eriol thought persistently in his head, yes, yes he does! Suppressing the laughter that threatened to pour from him, the amber-eyed man offered a heart-breaking smile to the fan club before slightly hurriedly grabbing Eriol's hand, taking him to the employee lounge. Eriol dropped into a chair, letting his eyes shut shortly, sighing thoughtfully and his friend let a chuckle escape. Cracking one blue eye open, Eriol frowned at his friend.
"What're you laughing at Syaoran?" Syaoran shrugged as he sat down, in a chair opposite his best friend.
"Oh, I don't know. I'm thinking, I could have let them have you out there," and he smiled wickedly here, a smile that on any person attracted to the male gender would have melted at the sight of. Eriol, being his best friend, only gave him a horrified stare of disbelief.
"You wouldn't."
"Oh wouldn't I though? It's all very amusing for me really. That's the best thing about being the music man, the man in the shadows," Syaoran replied casually, popping open a soda, offering one to Eriol who took it.
"Well, you'd think they'd remember you by now. This happens every week you know. Always you come to my rescue-oh brave and noble night," Eriol added sardonically and then continued, "...and always, they giggle and flutter their eyelashes at you, turning spastically from me to you, as though they cannot decide which one of us they'd rather snare. Then you drag me off and it seems by the next week, each one of them has forgotten my handsome ember- eyed savior from the week before." As Eriol finished, his friend quirked a thoughtful eyebrow at him.
It was true.
"True but honestly Hirigizawa, why don't you ever date any of them? They're all, to be quite blunt, mature and willing women, some of them a little older than you. Any other man your age would jump at all the chances, myself included, though at a much more reserved rate of course," Syaoran paused, smirking. And Eriol frowned. His friend was always like this, even in high school, going around from woman to woman, because he could, without a great deal of regard for his lady friends, other than courtesy in greeting and dismissing. He wondered if his friend would ever find that special someone. However, he snapped back from his thoughts, not for a second losing his outward composure, which he was famous for amongst his friends.
"Sometimes I wonder," Eriol answered truthfully, pushing his thin rimmed glasses back up the bridge of his nose absently, [they were always sliding down it seemed] and continued, "but I think I simply have not found one that really...interests me." Syaoran merely snorted in amusement at this.
"Oh, and what kind of woman are you thinking of? I think I've seen just about every size, shape, kind, age and gender walk up to you in a more than friendly manner my friend. What else possibly, could there be?" Syaoran asked, interested. What else, indeed? Syaoran had his pick of the ladies as well, though he was a bit more, let's say, liberal about it nowadays...heck he always had been.
"I really don't know yet," Eriol responded calmly, but the moment the words left his mouth, he saw brilliant emerald eyes framed by delicate honey colored bangs and, if it was possible, did a double take at the flashback, uncalled for as it was.
Now why on earth did I just think of her...or was it a him?
Eriol had just been utterly confounded by his own thoughts and Syaoran, realizing this, simply let his customary smirk make its way back to his lips as he stood up and exited the room to check on the staff, discreetly of course, for he was the man in the shadows, only out once a week to rescue poor Eriol. As he opened the door though, Syaoran was struck with an idea of what Eriol might be thinking of and damn the man if he wasn't nearly right on the very pinpoint of Eriol's thoughts as he said nonchalantly:
"If she ever comes back, point her out to me. She must be something else if she's captured your attention."
And he was gone.
And Eriol was still trying to remember the rest of a picture in his mind, but in the end, all he could continuously conjure up, were those astounding green eyes.
Even with that though, he felt an unfamiliar tug in his chest, suspiciously near where his heart was.
And he wondered at that.
Somewhere across town in her simple and very lovely apartment, that same person with those same green eyes slept wrapped in light pink blankets, absently remembering in her dreams, a pair of deep blue eyes, rimmed by thin frames, painted into a pale complexion on a young man with amazing lyrical talent and a hypnotizing voice. Sleep was a blessing to the honey- haired angel, as the next day, she would be performing again, a new song she had written after being inspired by that singer at the coffee shop, and planned to sing tomorrow at her concert in the park amphitheatre.
And it just so happened that the blue-eyed musician and his best amber-eyed friend might be going too.
Of course, she didn't know that.
-------------------
Well that's the first chapter. Whadya think? I'm writing another fic right now in Sailor Moon called The Rose Prince so if I don't get some reviews, I'll probably just work on that one instead and leave this one.
So if you happen to like this story, then let me know will ya? For those of you wondering, if this is a S & S, well, let me tell you, it just might be, even though it's currently going towards E & S as must be obvious.
I love alternate pairings, however the Little Wolf is so darn cute. Might just have to end up giving him his Cherry Blossom in the end.
Of course...if there is an end.
It's all up to you people.
-Kaji PS. This is my first CCS fic even though I've long been in love with the series and CLAMP. Such talented artists and writers. Mind you of course, this is CLAMP's manga thingumy, not mine, but you all know that don't you? ^_~