DISCLAIMER: ME NO OWN CCS. ONLY OWN SONGS AND STORY.
Please review if you have a moment. I truly appreciate them. Thank you for reading my story this far, [yeah I know, it's not even over yet...]
-Kaji Hikage
Sing for Me: Chapter Eleven: Hisui Returns and Syaoran Gets His Act Together...FINALLY!
It was a few days later that it happened.
"KAMI! SAKURA-CHAN!" Eriol came pounding down the hallway so loudly that by the time he made it to her apartment, she was standing there with the door open, adorably clueless as normal when it came to um...current events.
"Look!" he cried almost frantically, pointing emphatically at the cover story"
"NEW POP SENSATION CHERRY FINDS HER LOVE SONG?" Then below that: "Eriol Hiiragizawa, one of the co-owners of DESTINY coffee shops sung not a few weeks ago as a simply talented artist at one of the local shops. He made his debut on stage with pop idol Cherry, singing the new hit single 'Because I Love You'."
The article continued on like that for some time but Sakura needed to read no more.
"Hoeee!" she moaned.
"Hai," he corrected and groaned too. This was a bloody mess. Just imagine if Syaoran had gotten a hold of the article before him, just imagine...Eriol just prayed his best friend didn't feel like picking up a separate copy...ooh boy sparks would fly...
"Eriol," Sakura paused, "What are we gonna do?" She asked. But he heard the unspoken question too: What would she do, when she loved Syaoran? He sighed and placed his hand comfortingly on hers.
"I don't know Sakura, demo, I think we can smooth it over...you have a concert in maybe three weeks, ne?" he asked, the wheels in his head turning mischievously.
"Hai, demo...what are you thinking?" she asked.
"Nandemonai...yet...just leave it to me Sakura-chan, we'll have the tabloids AND the newspapers singing the right tune soon enough, okay? Daijoubu, ne?" he smiled kindly at her and Sakura wished for a moment it had been he she might have fallen for. He was always so kind, but she knew, even being Sakura, that contentment was not the same thing as true love, and second best was not something she would want to be for Eriol-kun. He deserved THE best. She smiled to herself knowingly. Maybe he would find it in her best friend.
"Hai, I trust you," she said sincerely and hugged him unexpectedly. Returning the hug, Eriol looked down at her.
"Don't worry Sakura-chan. My best friend loves you, I know it, Tomoyo knows it, he's just too dense to admit it, and stubborn," Eriol reassured her. "Oh, Sakura-chan," he paused, kind of unsure.
"Hai Eriol?" she answered.
"Um, I haven't seen your cousin in a while, um Hisui, I was wondering if he was feeling alright?" he asked. Sakura slapped herself mentally. She had been so wrapped up in this life that she had completely forgotten about her alter ego. She groaned internally.
"Hai, he's fine. In fact I think he called me to say he'd be stopping by the shop tomorrow. I can't meet him though," she planted the thought discreetly.
"I could meet him," Eriol offered. Bingo.
"Really? That would be perfect Eriol-kun! Arigato gozaimasu!" She bowed slightly and he laughed.
"No need for the thanks Sakura, we're friends, all of us." And he left her, seeing a smile on her face.
She nodded but as he closed the door she let the wave of cold sadness sweep over her again, one she had tried to conceal from everyone, but was not doing so well in.
Pushing the feeling away forcefully, she concentrated on her transformation for tomorrow. Hisui would take over again and she would be glad for the respite from being Sakura. It seemed the life of a Cherry Blossom was more painful in comparison than simple and friendly Hisui. And she appreciated that.
The next day, she strolled down the sidewalk, wearing baggy khakis and a dark green jacket that brought out her eyes, as well as the black floppy hat, which held her hair under it effectively. Destiny was coming into sight as she approached and the bell jangled cheerfully in greeting as she swung the door open easily, next to be greeted by...where was Eriol? She looked around; the shop was empty. Well, it is early, she thought. Then an unruly head of brown hair popped up from behind the counter.
"How can I help you?" he asked before recognizing 'him'. "Oh, it's you," he said, half-interested, half blandly.
"Um, it's nothing. I'm just waiting for Eriol," she made her voice lower as she always did, just enough to be convincing, but not enough to be uncomfortable.
"Oh, well he's in the back; should be out in a sec," Syaoran said and then went back to putting out the pastries and other minor facet jobs of being the part owner of a very successful coffee shop.
"Are you fighting?" Sakura asked, surprised when the words left her mouth.
"How would you know?" he asked.
"You sounded perturbed," she responded bluntly and he laughed hollowly.
"Hai, you could say that," he answered as he mixed some ingredients behind the counter.
"What about?" Sakura ventured.
"Curious aren't you?" Syaoran commented.
"Hai, I guess so," Sakura said comfortably, internally going crazy from his penetrating stare.
"Well, curiosity killed the cat," he quoted.
"Well, you know the custom response to that don't you?" she replied.
"You're not a cat, ne?" he supplied and she nodded. He paused and then remembered, "Oh yes, 'Hisui' right?" he asked and she nodded again. "Then you are Jade, ne?"
"Hai!"
"Well, I guess I might as well tell you; you'd find out just as soon from Hiiragizawa I think."
"Nani?" Sakura waited.
"We are fighting," he paused while pouring milk into a large silver heater, "over your cousin."
"NANI?" Sakura fell over and Syaoran, startled, set down the jug and rushed to the edge of the counter to look down at Sakura, or rather, 'Hisui'.
"Daijoubu desu ka?" he asked.
"Hai, daijoubu," she muttered before pulling herself onto a chair nearest to her while Syaoran went back to his work. "Why, demo, why are you two fighting over," she gulped, "Sakura-chan?"
"He seems to think the world of her while I think she is nothing more than, well...you're her cousin so perhaps I shouldn't say this," he said darkly.
"Say it," Sakura's voice was barely a whisper.
"Hai, well, I think she is nothing compared to the everything Hiiragizawa has made her out to be; just another money-making pretty face with nothing real to offer," he said perhaps a bit more bitterly than he had meant.
"That's not..." Sakura's voice choked almost, but she concealed it well, "not..."
"See, I knew you wouldn't want to hear," Syaoran sighed resignedly.
"That's enough Li-san. Hisui-kun, let's take a walk outside, ne?" Eriol strode into the room, frowning at Syaoran fiercely. "That was over doing it Li-san. Have a bit of grace, ne?"
"Hmph, he told me to say what I thought," Syaoran spat.
"Hai," Eriol whispered, "And you didn't even tell him the truth," he finished bitterly before leaving a sputtering and blushing Syaoran to angrily mess with the ornery coffee machines, of which they had four.
"Hisui, gomen ne for what he said," Eriol apologized as they walked in the crisp morning weather.
"It's okay." Sakura's heart screamed internally. So that's what he thinks of me, she cried inwardly but smiled at Eriol.
"I think you're lying but I'll let it be until you feel comfortable telling me..." he stopped and looked at her green, green eyes, "the whole truth," he said.
"H-hai, arigato Eriol-kun," Sakura responded weakly. Their walk continued in this manner, small talk laced with unspoken and deeper dialogue, unasked questions that were heard and voiced ones that went unheard. It was quite a melee of confusion at the end, though they parted on good terms, Sakura/ Hisui giving him tickets to Cherry's last concert in Tokyo before her tour, as she/ he had informed him on their walk.
After the stroll with Eriol, she entered her apartment, a deep pain in her chest that had been there since 'Hisui' spoke with Syaoran. It was strange. She felt like weeping, yet no tears came forth. Her heart felt heavy, yet it would not sink. That gave her hope, dim as it might be but slowly as the week drew on and turned into the second week, her sadness, her gloomy disposition was transparently clear even through her attempt at remaining happy on the exterior. Eriol had gotten so fed up with Syaoran that he had left and was staying in an apartment not far from Sakura's, having not even gotten to tell the little wolf the truth before he lost his patience with him.
Above all people though, of course, Tomoyo noticed Sakura's behavior and knew she was the only one who had the nerve and patience to deal with the baka little wolf, dense and stubborn as he was acting. She didn't know that the main reason Sakura was doubly depressed was that, in her alter ego of Hisui, she had heard Syaoran say those things about her; Tomoyo didn't even know he had said such things at all.
Good thing too, or she might have killed him.
Without knowing any of that though, she knew he was still the cause of Sakura's distress and that called to be dealt with. Since Eriol had given up talking to him, she was the only one left who knew Sakura and Syaoran well enough to rightly have any effect on either of them. So it was she who went back to Syaoran to tell him...
"Why should I care?" Syaoran snorted in half-hearted derision.
"It's your fault she's acting this way Li-san," Tomoyo glared icily, placing both palms firmly down on the table, leaning over to him menacingly.
And Tomoyo could get pretty scary when she wanted to.
"My fault?" Syaoran scoffed, "Was it my fault that she chose Hiiragizawa over me?" Tomoyo could almost hear the bitterness in his last comment but her fury overrode that full-force.
"You sir, are rightly what Sakura says, imbecilic, moronic, stupid and above all, you are blind! Can't you see that she was singing for you?" Tomoyo's voice cracked a bit with her emotion and she thought that for a moment she saw a brief flash of hope in her counterpart's amber eyes. But it was gone as fast as it might have been there.
"You must be joking; didn't you see them on stage?" he asked softly.
"Sure, but it's the stage; not real life baka." Tomoyo felt a slight pang of pity for him. He was so blind. It had been two weeks since that ill day. Tomoyo had decided enough was enough and come over to tell him that he was long overdue to confess to Sakura. Instead she ended up scolding him all over again. "Besides," she added, "I cannot believe you're still brooding over this situation and not really doing anything. Li-kun," and Syaoran's eyes softened at the familiarity, "It's been two weeks and Sakura hasn't been the same. You have to believe me."
"Demo..." he trailed off.
"Listen, would I waste my time talking to a baka like you if it wasn't true? Sakura is the only one I would ever suffer you for you know," she added.
"Itai Tomoyo-chan," he joked ruefully with a wistful smile and Tomoyo knew she had reached him.
"So then...all I have to do is play a bit of match maker..." Tomoyo began muttering to herself. "Not like she won't forgive you, her heart's as big as the world, demo..."
"Iie Tomoyo," Syaoran placed a complacent hand on her shoulder, stopping her fidgety pacing.
"Eh?"
"I...I want to do this, by myself," he said. And Tomoyo being Tomoyo, she understood, smiled and left the little wolf to think on his next course of action.
Sakura sat with Yukito outside a small ice cream parlor, blankly staring at her chocolate shake, stirring it with the straw absently.
"Sakura-chan," Yukito voiced, worriedly. She had been acting like this ever since they got there, maybe before unbeknownst to him, and it was simultaneously disturbing and worrying. Genki, ever-sunny Sakura was not meant to hold such a solemnly shown visage.
"Sakura-chan," he tried again and then continued, "If you stare at it much longer it'll all met and overflow onto the table, and then where will we be?"
"Hoe? Oh, gomen Yuki," she smiled sheepishly and sipped her drink, not half as enthusiastically as she normally would have though. This Yukito noticed. Why, though, he wondered. Why is she so sad?
"What's wrong Sakura?" he asked.
"Hoe? Nandemonai Yuki. I'm just...tired, hai, tired," she decided upon, trying to sound convincing. Yukito knew it was otherwise, but tactfully kept quiet about it. If Sakura was ready, when she was ready, she would tell someone. He knew and acknowledged this. Perhaps one of the reasons Sakura spent so much time with the snow rabbit when he and her brother came to visit was because of that silent and comforting understanding he provided. He was now, instead of a young girl's first crush, instead he was like another older brother, but wiser and more patient than her biological Onni-chan.
"So, what are you planning to do today?" Yukito asked, friendly-like, trying to change the inadvertent subject they had plowed into.
"I don't know. I have a concert in a week before I leave her for another Tour," she smiled thoughtfully.
"Really? How long will it be this time?" he asked.
"Maybe five months," she tried.
"Five months? Toya's not gonna like that. It's nearly half a year Sakura- chan; you sure you're not over-working?" Yukito questioned softly but also forcibly. Sakura just couldn't be trusted to take proper care of herself.
"Oh, onni-chan will be just fine, me too," she added at Yukito's impending look of further asking, "Besides, I love what I do, so it's not work, it's..." she paused, "extended play time!"
"Hai, hai," Yukito smiled at the beautiful young woman before him and continued to eat his own chocolate shake...and banana split...and caramel sundae...and, well, you know how much he eats, ne?
What am I going to do about 'Hisui' though, Sakura thought sadly. I guess he could end up leaving suddenly, she thought to herself, yes I guess that'll have to be it. Somehow, she just couldn't bring herself to tell Eriol or Syaoran who Hisui really was, that he was really her. She wasn't sure why, but as she sipped the rest of her cold chocolate shake leisurely, the troubles subsided slightly. All that at least, she was certain, would work out in time, even if, she winced painfully as amber eyes surfaced in her mind; even if her heart wouldn't...
Syaoran was passing the shop at that moment; this Sakura did not see, but he saw her and he saw Yukito.
"What is she doing with him..." he muttered worriedly to himself; was he too late? Wait...he recognized that man; he was the one he saw her with the first time...what was it she had said about the silver haired man? Oh yeah...he remembered somewhat dully, "He's very special to me," was what she had said. He unconsciously stuck his hands in his pockets and walked briskly past the place. His heart felt somewhat leaden. He had very short time to work magic, and it was only with her kind and forgiving heart he knew, could he prevail in his most important venture in life, one of, he admitted to himself, love.
Meanwhile, and angry and anxious Koi lounged sulkily on her silken sheets in an expensive local hotel, five star of course. How could he trade her in, only in the hopes of gaining that, that...green-eyed songstress's heart? It was preposterous she reasoned with herself. Cherry, after all, was only a child...she would have to take care of the competition Koi realized, if she ever wanted Syaoran back in her grasps. She had made a few passes at Hiiragizawa but he had rejected her coldly and clearly. Frowning, she began to plot. Cherry, would have to go, she decided, one way, or the other. -------------------------------------------------------------
WHAT is Eriol going to do to smooth over the many tabloid and newspaper rumors about him and Sakura being a couple, how will Syaoran woo her? Will he do it in time, before she leaves? And when she leaves, what will they do if it works? HOW is Sakura going to deal with her alter ego, Hisui? What the hell happened to the half-developed half sacked character Koi? Is she going to strike again? Well, due to foreshadowing in this chapter, probably, ne? But HOW FAR will she go?
[CHIBI KAJI: man, what a lunatic character, I think I made her go nutty or somethin'...whoo boy, this is gonna be a bumpy ride...
CHIBI SYAORAN: why you make me so mean?
CHIBI KAJI: it's called a plot.
CHIBI SYAORAN: grumble, mumble...
CHIBI KAJI: OHOHOHOHOHO...
CHIBI TOMOYO: hey...that's my signature laugh...
CHIBI KAJI: gomen...]
BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY...
Will Tomoyo be there to catch it all on tape? *sweatdrop*
ACK. SO, want more? Please let me know through reviews.
-Kaji Hikage -Much appreciative of you reading her story and taking the time to tell her you like it [hopefully]. -Hope you had/ are having nice winter holidays.
Please review if you have a moment. I truly appreciate them. Thank you for reading my story this far, [yeah I know, it's not even over yet...]
-Kaji Hikage
Sing for Me: Chapter Eleven: Hisui Returns and Syaoran Gets His Act Together...FINALLY!
It was a few days later that it happened.
"KAMI! SAKURA-CHAN!" Eriol came pounding down the hallway so loudly that by the time he made it to her apartment, she was standing there with the door open, adorably clueless as normal when it came to um...current events.
"Look!" he cried almost frantically, pointing emphatically at the cover story"
"NEW POP SENSATION CHERRY FINDS HER LOVE SONG?" Then below that: "Eriol Hiiragizawa, one of the co-owners of DESTINY coffee shops sung not a few weeks ago as a simply talented artist at one of the local shops. He made his debut on stage with pop idol Cherry, singing the new hit single 'Because I Love You'."
The article continued on like that for some time but Sakura needed to read no more.
"Hoeee!" she moaned.
"Hai," he corrected and groaned too. This was a bloody mess. Just imagine if Syaoran had gotten a hold of the article before him, just imagine...Eriol just prayed his best friend didn't feel like picking up a separate copy...ooh boy sparks would fly...
"Eriol," Sakura paused, "What are we gonna do?" She asked. But he heard the unspoken question too: What would she do, when she loved Syaoran? He sighed and placed his hand comfortingly on hers.
"I don't know Sakura, demo, I think we can smooth it over...you have a concert in maybe three weeks, ne?" he asked, the wheels in his head turning mischievously.
"Hai, demo...what are you thinking?" she asked.
"Nandemonai...yet...just leave it to me Sakura-chan, we'll have the tabloids AND the newspapers singing the right tune soon enough, okay? Daijoubu, ne?" he smiled kindly at her and Sakura wished for a moment it had been he she might have fallen for. He was always so kind, but she knew, even being Sakura, that contentment was not the same thing as true love, and second best was not something she would want to be for Eriol-kun. He deserved THE best. She smiled to herself knowingly. Maybe he would find it in her best friend.
"Hai, I trust you," she said sincerely and hugged him unexpectedly. Returning the hug, Eriol looked down at her.
"Don't worry Sakura-chan. My best friend loves you, I know it, Tomoyo knows it, he's just too dense to admit it, and stubborn," Eriol reassured her. "Oh, Sakura-chan," he paused, kind of unsure.
"Hai Eriol?" she answered.
"Um, I haven't seen your cousin in a while, um Hisui, I was wondering if he was feeling alright?" he asked. Sakura slapped herself mentally. She had been so wrapped up in this life that she had completely forgotten about her alter ego. She groaned internally.
"Hai, he's fine. In fact I think he called me to say he'd be stopping by the shop tomorrow. I can't meet him though," she planted the thought discreetly.
"I could meet him," Eriol offered. Bingo.
"Really? That would be perfect Eriol-kun! Arigato gozaimasu!" She bowed slightly and he laughed.
"No need for the thanks Sakura, we're friends, all of us." And he left her, seeing a smile on her face.
She nodded but as he closed the door she let the wave of cold sadness sweep over her again, one she had tried to conceal from everyone, but was not doing so well in.
Pushing the feeling away forcefully, she concentrated on her transformation for tomorrow. Hisui would take over again and she would be glad for the respite from being Sakura. It seemed the life of a Cherry Blossom was more painful in comparison than simple and friendly Hisui. And she appreciated that.
The next day, she strolled down the sidewalk, wearing baggy khakis and a dark green jacket that brought out her eyes, as well as the black floppy hat, which held her hair under it effectively. Destiny was coming into sight as she approached and the bell jangled cheerfully in greeting as she swung the door open easily, next to be greeted by...where was Eriol? She looked around; the shop was empty. Well, it is early, she thought. Then an unruly head of brown hair popped up from behind the counter.
"How can I help you?" he asked before recognizing 'him'. "Oh, it's you," he said, half-interested, half blandly.
"Um, it's nothing. I'm just waiting for Eriol," she made her voice lower as she always did, just enough to be convincing, but not enough to be uncomfortable.
"Oh, well he's in the back; should be out in a sec," Syaoran said and then went back to putting out the pastries and other minor facet jobs of being the part owner of a very successful coffee shop.
"Are you fighting?" Sakura asked, surprised when the words left her mouth.
"How would you know?" he asked.
"You sounded perturbed," she responded bluntly and he laughed hollowly.
"Hai, you could say that," he answered as he mixed some ingredients behind the counter.
"What about?" Sakura ventured.
"Curious aren't you?" Syaoran commented.
"Hai, I guess so," Sakura said comfortably, internally going crazy from his penetrating stare.
"Well, curiosity killed the cat," he quoted.
"Well, you know the custom response to that don't you?" she replied.
"You're not a cat, ne?" he supplied and she nodded. He paused and then remembered, "Oh yes, 'Hisui' right?" he asked and she nodded again. "Then you are Jade, ne?"
"Hai!"
"Well, I guess I might as well tell you; you'd find out just as soon from Hiiragizawa I think."
"Nani?" Sakura waited.
"We are fighting," he paused while pouring milk into a large silver heater, "over your cousin."
"NANI?" Sakura fell over and Syaoran, startled, set down the jug and rushed to the edge of the counter to look down at Sakura, or rather, 'Hisui'.
"Daijoubu desu ka?" he asked.
"Hai, daijoubu," she muttered before pulling herself onto a chair nearest to her while Syaoran went back to his work. "Why, demo, why are you two fighting over," she gulped, "Sakura-chan?"
"He seems to think the world of her while I think she is nothing more than, well...you're her cousin so perhaps I shouldn't say this," he said darkly.
"Say it," Sakura's voice was barely a whisper.
"Hai, well, I think she is nothing compared to the everything Hiiragizawa has made her out to be; just another money-making pretty face with nothing real to offer," he said perhaps a bit more bitterly than he had meant.
"That's not..." Sakura's voice choked almost, but she concealed it well, "not..."
"See, I knew you wouldn't want to hear," Syaoran sighed resignedly.
"That's enough Li-san. Hisui-kun, let's take a walk outside, ne?" Eriol strode into the room, frowning at Syaoran fiercely. "That was over doing it Li-san. Have a bit of grace, ne?"
"Hmph, he told me to say what I thought," Syaoran spat.
"Hai," Eriol whispered, "And you didn't even tell him the truth," he finished bitterly before leaving a sputtering and blushing Syaoran to angrily mess with the ornery coffee machines, of which they had four.
"Hisui, gomen ne for what he said," Eriol apologized as they walked in the crisp morning weather.
"It's okay." Sakura's heart screamed internally. So that's what he thinks of me, she cried inwardly but smiled at Eriol.
"I think you're lying but I'll let it be until you feel comfortable telling me..." he stopped and looked at her green, green eyes, "the whole truth," he said.
"H-hai, arigato Eriol-kun," Sakura responded weakly. Their walk continued in this manner, small talk laced with unspoken and deeper dialogue, unasked questions that were heard and voiced ones that went unheard. It was quite a melee of confusion at the end, though they parted on good terms, Sakura/ Hisui giving him tickets to Cherry's last concert in Tokyo before her tour, as she/ he had informed him on their walk.
After the stroll with Eriol, she entered her apartment, a deep pain in her chest that had been there since 'Hisui' spoke with Syaoran. It was strange. She felt like weeping, yet no tears came forth. Her heart felt heavy, yet it would not sink. That gave her hope, dim as it might be but slowly as the week drew on and turned into the second week, her sadness, her gloomy disposition was transparently clear even through her attempt at remaining happy on the exterior. Eriol had gotten so fed up with Syaoran that he had left and was staying in an apartment not far from Sakura's, having not even gotten to tell the little wolf the truth before he lost his patience with him.
Above all people though, of course, Tomoyo noticed Sakura's behavior and knew she was the only one who had the nerve and patience to deal with the baka little wolf, dense and stubborn as he was acting. She didn't know that the main reason Sakura was doubly depressed was that, in her alter ego of Hisui, she had heard Syaoran say those things about her; Tomoyo didn't even know he had said such things at all.
Good thing too, or she might have killed him.
Without knowing any of that though, she knew he was still the cause of Sakura's distress and that called to be dealt with. Since Eriol had given up talking to him, she was the only one left who knew Sakura and Syaoran well enough to rightly have any effect on either of them. So it was she who went back to Syaoran to tell him...
"Why should I care?" Syaoran snorted in half-hearted derision.
"It's your fault she's acting this way Li-san," Tomoyo glared icily, placing both palms firmly down on the table, leaning over to him menacingly.
And Tomoyo could get pretty scary when she wanted to.
"My fault?" Syaoran scoffed, "Was it my fault that she chose Hiiragizawa over me?" Tomoyo could almost hear the bitterness in his last comment but her fury overrode that full-force.
"You sir, are rightly what Sakura says, imbecilic, moronic, stupid and above all, you are blind! Can't you see that she was singing for you?" Tomoyo's voice cracked a bit with her emotion and she thought that for a moment she saw a brief flash of hope in her counterpart's amber eyes. But it was gone as fast as it might have been there.
"You must be joking; didn't you see them on stage?" he asked softly.
"Sure, but it's the stage; not real life baka." Tomoyo felt a slight pang of pity for him. He was so blind. It had been two weeks since that ill day. Tomoyo had decided enough was enough and come over to tell him that he was long overdue to confess to Sakura. Instead she ended up scolding him all over again. "Besides," she added, "I cannot believe you're still brooding over this situation and not really doing anything. Li-kun," and Syaoran's eyes softened at the familiarity, "It's been two weeks and Sakura hasn't been the same. You have to believe me."
"Demo..." he trailed off.
"Listen, would I waste my time talking to a baka like you if it wasn't true? Sakura is the only one I would ever suffer you for you know," she added.
"Itai Tomoyo-chan," he joked ruefully with a wistful smile and Tomoyo knew she had reached him.
"So then...all I have to do is play a bit of match maker..." Tomoyo began muttering to herself. "Not like she won't forgive you, her heart's as big as the world, demo..."
"Iie Tomoyo," Syaoran placed a complacent hand on her shoulder, stopping her fidgety pacing.
"Eh?"
"I...I want to do this, by myself," he said. And Tomoyo being Tomoyo, she understood, smiled and left the little wolf to think on his next course of action.
Sakura sat with Yukito outside a small ice cream parlor, blankly staring at her chocolate shake, stirring it with the straw absently.
"Sakura-chan," Yukito voiced, worriedly. She had been acting like this ever since they got there, maybe before unbeknownst to him, and it was simultaneously disturbing and worrying. Genki, ever-sunny Sakura was not meant to hold such a solemnly shown visage.
"Sakura-chan," he tried again and then continued, "If you stare at it much longer it'll all met and overflow onto the table, and then where will we be?"
"Hoe? Oh, gomen Yuki," she smiled sheepishly and sipped her drink, not half as enthusiastically as she normally would have though. This Yukito noticed. Why, though, he wondered. Why is she so sad?
"What's wrong Sakura?" he asked.
"Hoe? Nandemonai Yuki. I'm just...tired, hai, tired," she decided upon, trying to sound convincing. Yukito knew it was otherwise, but tactfully kept quiet about it. If Sakura was ready, when she was ready, she would tell someone. He knew and acknowledged this. Perhaps one of the reasons Sakura spent so much time with the snow rabbit when he and her brother came to visit was because of that silent and comforting understanding he provided. He was now, instead of a young girl's first crush, instead he was like another older brother, but wiser and more patient than her biological Onni-chan.
"So, what are you planning to do today?" Yukito asked, friendly-like, trying to change the inadvertent subject they had plowed into.
"I don't know. I have a concert in a week before I leave her for another Tour," she smiled thoughtfully.
"Really? How long will it be this time?" he asked.
"Maybe five months," she tried.
"Five months? Toya's not gonna like that. It's nearly half a year Sakura- chan; you sure you're not over-working?" Yukito questioned softly but also forcibly. Sakura just couldn't be trusted to take proper care of herself.
"Oh, onni-chan will be just fine, me too," she added at Yukito's impending look of further asking, "Besides, I love what I do, so it's not work, it's..." she paused, "extended play time!"
"Hai, hai," Yukito smiled at the beautiful young woman before him and continued to eat his own chocolate shake...and banana split...and caramel sundae...and, well, you know how much he eats, ne?
What am I going to do about 'Hisui' though, Sakura thought sadly. I guess he could end up leaving suddenly, she thought to herself, yes I guess that'll have to be it. Somehow, she just couldn't bring herself to tell Eriol or Syaoran who Hisui really was, that he was really her. She wasn't sure why, but as she sipped the rest of her cold chocolate shake leisurely, the troubles subsided slightly. All that at least, she was certain, would work out in time, even if, she winced painfully as amber eyes surfaced in her mind; even if her heart wouldn't...
Syaoran was passing the shop at that moment; this Sakura did not see, but he saw her and he saw Yukito.
"What is she doing with him..." he muttered worriedly to himself; was he too late? Wait...he recognized that man; he was the one he saw her with the first time...what was it she had said about the silver haired man? Oh yeah...he remembered somewhat dully, "He's very special to me," was what she had said. He unconsciously stuck his hands in his pockets and walked briskly past the place. His heart felt somewhat leaden. He had very short time to work magic, and it was only with her kind and forgiving heart he knew, could he prevail in his most important venture in life, one of, he admitted to himself, love.
Meanwhile, and angry and anxious Koi lounged sulkily on her silken sheets in an expensive local hotel, five star of course. How could he trade her in, only in the hopes of gaining that, that...green-eyed songstress's heart? It was preposterous she reasoned with herself. Cherry, after all, was only a child...she would have to take care of the competition Koi realized, if she ever wanted Syaoran back in her grasps. She had made a few passes at Hiiragizawa but he had rejected her coldly and clearly. Frowning, she began to plot. Cherry, would have to go, she decided, one way, or the other. -------------------------------------------------------------
WHAT is Eriol going to do to smooth over the many tabloid and newspaper rumors about him and Sakura being a couple, how will Syaoran woo her? Will he do it in time, before she leaves? And when she leaves, what will they do if it works? HOW is Sakura going to deal with her alter ego, Hisui? What the hell happened to the half-developed half sacked character Koi? Is she going to strike again? Well, due to foreshadowing in this chapter, probably, ne? But HOW FAR will she go?
[CHIBI KAJI: man, what a lunatic character, I think I made her go nutty or somethin'...whoo boy, this is gonna be a bumpy ride...
CHIBI SYAORAN: why you make me so mean?
CHIBI KAJI: it's called a plot.
CHIBI SYAORAN: grumble, mumble...
CHIBI KAJI: OHOHOHOHOHO...
CHIBI TOMOYO: hey...that's my signature laugh...
CHIBI KAJI: gomen...]
BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY...
Will Tomoyo be there to catch it all on tape? *sweatdrop*
ACK. SO, want more? Please let me know through reviews.
-Kaji Hikage -Much appreciative of you reading her story and taking the time to tell her you like it [hopefully]. -Hope you had/ are having nice winter holidays.