Chapter 7- Waiting For You
Disclaimer: I don't own CCS.
Sakura slowly walked home. She was still really mad at Tomoyo, but the anger had slowly diminished. She felt better after talking with Kent. He was a really nice guy to talk with. But Sakura was still in love with Syaoran. Kent was a helpful friend, just like Eriol.
Thinking about Syaoran, she glanced down at the peonies in her hand. Was it fate that they had flown into her hands? Sakura knew that Syaoran didn't believe in fate or destiny, but she did. So she wondered. Also, she couldn't contact him at all anymore since that incident after the Homecoming Dance. She wondered why they had been able to contact each other. Maybe it was because they had been holding hands. Sakura was still unable to describe the emotions that had been stirred up in her when that had happened. She had felt joy beyond all emotions, and it had been so hard for her to concentrate on Hiyoshi's story. But she had also felt the presence of a card nearby. So she didn't really know which one was the reason that Syaoran and her had been able to contact each other.
Maybe Syaoran had been near her when they had landed in her arms. She had felt his presence, but she hadn't seen him.
Talking with Kent had really calmed her down. She got all shivery when she saw him, with his ocean-blue hair and silver eyes. He was a total hottie. Syaoran was pretty hot too, and he was also special in his own way. He was a totally reliable person, and Sakura could trust him with everything, except on how she felt about him. That was different.
Would she ever be able to tell him how she felt about him?
As she turned a corner, she was almost run over by a hurtling ambulance. It splashed mud all over her skirt.
"Baka!" Sakura shouted. She ran home to get changed.
As she entered her house, the telephone rang. She picked it up quickly.
"Kinomoto Sakura, moshi moshi?"
"Sakura-chan?" a frantic voice asked quickly.
"Yes, speaking?"
"This is Daidouji Sonomi. I have terrible news! (Sob) A car hit Tomoyo! There was a horrible accident." Sonomi babbled on, but Sakura barely heard a word she said.
Oh no! It's all my fault for being mad at her! If Tomoyo-chan dies, I'll never forgive myself for being so mad at her. What do I do now?
"Can you come to the hospital right away?" Sonomi finished.
"Of course," Sakura said quietly. "I'll be right over. Hanging up, Sakura grabbed her coat. Then as she passed the telephone again, she paused. She quickly made two phone calls, and then raced for the hospital.
*~*~*~*
Syaoran and Meilin reached the hospital first, with Sakura right behind them.
"How's she doing?" Sakura quickly asked Sonomi anxiously about Tomoyo.
"She was hit pretty bad, and the doctor says that two of her ribs are broken and her left arm," Sonomi said softly.
"Oh my," Meilin whispered.
"Gomen ne," Syaoran said quietly, showing his genuine concern for the Card Mistress's best friend.
Sonomi looked back to the room where Tomoyo was now resting quietly. She had been transported to the ICU (Intensive Care Unit). Tomoyo seemed to be sleeping peacefully.
"She's my only child. I'd give anything for her to be alright," Sonomi whispered.
The sound of the door opening broke the sad mood. Two people entered and headed for Sakura and her group.
"Eriol-kun!" Sakura greeted him happily. "You made it."
Syaoran gave him an overall glare, and then greeted him formally. Eriol gave them all a warm smile, and then looked worriedly at Tomoyo's room.
"Is she ok?" he asked Sakura softly.
"Yeah, she's going to be alright, even though she broke two of her ribs and her left arm," Eriol gaped at Sakura.
"And you say that she's ok when she has all of that?"
"Eriol." Sakura said warningly.
"Hey, I can't help it. I need to do something. I can't just wait around for her to heal."
"Why not?" Sakura asked.
"Because!" Eriol retorted. "If you can do something about it, then you should do it!" Turning his back to her, he chanted out a spell softly.
"Hideyo," Sonomi whispered softly as she saw the other man come towards her. Her heart was going through mixed feelings. She thought that she had lost him forever.
"Wow! She's all grown up now isn't she," he said quietly.
"What are you doing here? You stay away from my daughter," Sonomi said icily to him.
"Sonomi, please. Don't you see, I had to go. We were barely surviving already, what with the baby coming; I left you with your father so he wouldn't be mad at you any longer. You would be fine with him, while I found a real job. Can't you see? You have to forgive me. I was going to come back soon, but then this young man found me, so I came her instead. As fast as possible. I'm sorry about your father. I had hoped maybe we could work things out, but."
Syaoran stared blankly at the man while Sakura nodded her head in agreement.
"Visiting hours have begun," the loudspeaker boomed.
"Sonomi," Hideyo put his hand on her shoulder. She stared at it icily and then shook it off. She gave him a cold glare, but let him come into Tomoyo's room.
"Hey, Eriol-kun, how'd you get there and back so fast?" Sakura asked him quietly as they filed into the room.
"Don't forget that I'm not the reincarnation of Clow Reed for nothing." He jokingly messed Syaoran's hair up. "And I know that my little descendent missed me, right?"
Syaoran gave him a death glare. "Don't touch me, Hiiragiwaza." Eriol smiled at him Syaoran tauntingly and ignored him.
"Tomoyo-chan, how are you feeling?" Sonomi asked her as Tomoyo's eyes flickered open."
She struggled to sit up. "Mother!" Wincing at a pain in her side, Tomoyo fell back.
"Be careful Tomoyo-chan!" Sakura said.
"Do you remember anything that has happened?" Meilin asked her softly. Meilin and Tomoyo had become really close friends since the day when Meilin had found out that Syaoran was in love with Sakura and she had gone to Tomoyo for comfort.
"Hai. I was walking, and then a heavy thing slammed into me, it was a car? And then I felt bad and then I woke up."
"Oh, Tomoyo-chan!" Sakura whispered.
"Hello, Tomoyo." Hideyo spoke up softly.
"Huh?" Tomoyo looked up at her father in confusion.
"Hideyo." Sonomi said warningly.
He glanced back at her. "Sonomi, can't we just put this all behind us?" He walked up to her and bent down on his knee." Please? I do still love you. I swear."
Sonomi stared at him unsympathetically, then faltered and bent down to him. "Oh course I forgive you Hideyo. Tomoyo needs a father to take care of her. I'm so glad that you're back." Silent tears poured out from Sonomi's eyes as Hideyo wrapped her in a hug.
Tomoyo cleared her throat. "Father?"
Tomoyo looked happily at him, and Meilin, Sakura, Syaoran, and Eriol slipped through the door to converse and leave the happy family together.
"So, how'd you find him Eriol-kun?" Meilin asked him curiously.
"Well, it wasn't too hard because he is the head of a big-time business in England. All I had to tell him was that his daughter, Daidouji Tomoyo was in a big accident. Then he came along as nice as that."
The doctor came by and went into the room to talk with Tomoyo and her parents about her condition. Sakura and her friends could hear them through the open door.
"She seems to be healing quite rapidly." The gang could hear the puzzlement in his voice. "She should be out of here by next week at the rate she's improving. She'll be completely healed by or before Christmas if this continues." The doctor shook his head, bewildered.
"Well, we all know that Tomoyo-chan's going to be ok," Sakura said dryly. Eriol winked at her, and couldn't help but see Syaoran's angry glare as Sakura's face lit up. He gave Eriol an accusing glare.
Eriol smiled weakly at her. "I had to! I couldn't bear seeing everyone so sad."
"Not to mention the love of your long life," Syaoran muttered softly. Sakura giggled. Eriol blushed, a rare thing indeed, and glared at Syaoran angrily.
"Now, you wouldn't want to get your ancestor at you, now would you, Little Wolf."
"No, of course not." Syaoran smiled innocently. "Whatever did I say to make you mad?"
Sakura and Meilin had to laugh at how the boys were acting, so like little boys.
"OK, Tomoyo-chan wants to speak to Sakura-chan now," Sonomi called out as her and Hideyo swept out of the room.
Nervously, Sakura entered the room. She rushed to Tomoyo immediately. "Tomoyo-chan!" Sakura cried out.
"Sakura-chan! I'm so sorry!" Tomoyo whispered.
"Oh, Tomoyo-chan, it's all my fault. I shouldn't have been mad at you. Syaoran probably didn't think anything of it, and it was a really little thing anyway. Oh, I'm so glad that you are ok. I was so scared. What if you had died! And the last thing that I said to you was that I hated you! Oh, gomen ne Tomoyo-chan! Can you ever forgive me?"
"No, Sakura, it's all my fault. I was punished for being such an awful friend to you."
"But, Tomoyo-chan, we are the best of friends. We always have been, and we always will be. No matter what. We've been through way too much for this stupid thing to ruin our friendship. Friends forever? No matter how close I get to anyone else, we'll always be friends because we have shared so much together!"
"Friends forever," Tomoyo agreed. "Aww, it's too bad that I don't have my camera, you should've seen the expression on Li-kun's face when Eriol winked at you! So how's Syaoran-kun?"
"Tomoyo-chan, that doesn't mean that you're still trying to get us together, does it?" Sakura sweat-dropped.
"Oh, c'mon Sakura-chan. You two are so kawaii together! Oh, go get Eriol- san and in here really quick before the visiting hours close. And Meilin- chan."
Sakura nodded and called the rest of them in.
"Tomoyo!" Eriol said.
"Eriol-san, how'd you get otou-san in here?"
"Oh, I had to do something. Are you happy?"
"Of course I am, you silly," Tomoyo said. "Meilin-chan, and Eriol-san, stay in here for a sec. I'll talk to you guys later, Sakura-chan and Li-kun." She said as she waved them out. "Thanks for coming and I know that we'll remain friends forever Sakura-chan!"
Sakura and Syaoran obeyed her commands. They practiced their lines in the script for a few minutes until the hospital announced that the visiting hours were over.
"Alright you guys, get out of my patient's room. She needs a lot of sleep still to recuperate," the doctor said.
Eriol rolled his eyes. "Whatever," he replied. Sakura and Meilin giggled.
*~*~*~*
"Sakura!" Touya shouted at her full blast as she entered the house.
"Where've you been?"
"Out." She said.
Fujitaka walked in, his face a mixture of concern and relief. "Honey, are you ok?"
"Yeah otou-san, 'nii-chan. I was just at the hospital. Tomoyo-chan was in a car accident," Sakura said.
"Oh, is she alright?" Fujitaka and Touya asked simultaneously.
"Yes. She is." Sakura answered. "She'll be out of the hospital soon."
"That's good," Fujitaka said. "But honey, please don't go off by yourself again."
"But otou-san, I'm old enough to take care of myself."
"OK, but leave a note next time," her Father said, suppressing a smile and a sigh.
Sakura headed up the stairs to her bedroom, where she filled Kero in on what had happened while he pigged out on food.
"Oh, Tomoyo-chan? She's the nicest out of all your friends. That Meilin girl is so whiny and bratty and really spoiled," Kero said.
"Hoe, Kero-chan, she's changed so much since then. She's a lot more mature now, you haven't even seen her," Sakura argued.
"Whatever, she's still that Chinese brat girl to me," Kero said as he resumed a video game.
Long after Sakura had fallen asleep, Touya came into her room. He shook his head and grinned. She was sleeping half off the bed and had no blankets on. It was still cold in the house since it was December. He gently covered her. She turned over and mumbled an "arigato," before she fell asleep again. Touya tucked her in, and then left the room.
*~*~*~*
Monday came quickly, though Sakura was bored immensely without Tomoyo to cheer her up. Syaoran, Eriol, and Meilin tried their best, though it just wasn't the same without Tomoyo.
Hiyoshi had enrolled in school with them to be in. Many girls were talking about him too. The sophomore girls in the school, many freshman, and even some juniors and seniors were all undecided about who they liked. They were all split four way about Hiyoshi, Syaoran, Michael, and Kent.
"Kent-kun is so hot!" a sophomore breathed.
"Hai, but Syaoran-kun is just so mysterious, and he can be just as kawaii!" another girl fawned.
"But Hiyoshi-kun is by far so much better. The way he acts, his attitude, ahh, he's so kawaii!"
"No, no, no. You three are all wrong!" a fourth girl said. "Michael-kun is so much better! He is awesome at sports and everything!"
"And what about Eriol-kun? he's just so charismatic!" a freshman girl exclaimed.
And so the conversations in the school with the girls went.
Sakura was impatient for school to end because the play auditions were after school. She was nervous since Tomoyo had not had a lot of time to rehearse with Syaoran and Sakura. She wouldn't be released until Wednesday.
Hiyoshi was auditioning for the play too. As soon as school ended, Sakura and Meilin rushed to the auditorium together.
Eriol was with Rika, only because Tomoyo was in the hospital. Chiharu and Yamazaki were together, and Hiyoshi and Meilin became partners. Everyone piled into seats together to watch the beginning of the auditions.
Kent and Leisa went together first. They sang the National Anthem, Kimigayo (The Reign of our Emperor). Then they performed a scene.
"Wow, they did a great job!" Sakura whispered to Meilin who nodded in agreement.
"Whoo!" went the girls for Kent.
Next, Michael and Naoko went up together. They did an excellent job too. There was an eruption of applause from the audience for Michael.
"Is he going out with Naoko-chan?" a girl asked.
"I don't know. They seem really close," her friend replied.
"No fair, I wanted him!" another girl wailed.
Sakura waited patiently for her turn with Syaoran to come up. Syaoran was turning pale white, and he kept on cracking his knuckles.
Sakura was worried too. Meilin and Hiyoshi finished their audition, which had been great too, and then it was Sakura's turn with Syaoran.
Syaoran gave her a quick reassuring smile before they started. Amazingly, it turned out ok. Right after singing the anthem, Sakura and Syaoran went to their lines. They had practiced a lot over the weekend with Tomoyo's encouragement. She had helped them a bit since they had practiced at the hospital.
But then disaster suddenly struck. Syaoran had a brain freeze.
Baka, what's my line!
"My name? It's Riley, but now, what may yours be, lovely angel?"
Syaoran smiled in relief at Sakura.
Domo arigato Sakura-chan!
She blushed and tried to cover it up by immediately hurrying off the stage as their audition ended.
"Hanyaan! Syaoran-kun is so cute!" another group of girls' ahhed over his performance.
"Is he dating Sakura-chan?" a senior girl asked suspiciously.
"Uso! I want him!!!" Three of her friends yelled.
He was mobbed immediately as he stepped off the stage.
Graciously, he slipped away from them, his face a bright red.
"Good job Syaoran!" Leisa complimented him before Sakura could say anything as he made his way back to his seat.
Sakura fumed inside. As Syaoran sat down, she congratulated him too. Just because Leisa had first didn't mean that she couldn't also. Syaoran nodded casually, but he could feel his blood rushing up to his face. They relaxed while they watched the rest of their friends finish.
After all of the auditions, Sakura and her friends all went to the mall, except for Syaoran of course. Meilin watched him silently walk home. So did Sakura.
"Where's he going?" Sakura asked Meilin.
"I have no idea," Meilin said sadly.
"Well, come on. We've got to go shopping, with or without him," Sakura said, wrapping an arm around Meilin's shoulder friendly-like.
"Alright!" Meilin said, caught up in the excitement of shopping.
*~*~*~*
"Hey, Sakura-chan, aren't these earrings pretty?" Rika asked her excitedly as she held up a pair of emerald earrings. "They'd look perfect on you. Try them on."
Sakura tried them on shyly. "Oh, I'd love too, but I don't think that I'll have enough money to buy them. I still need to buy a lot of presents."
She put the earrings back and turned away, but they were immediately snatched up and bought as soon as she walked out of the store.
As Sakura strolled through the mall, she looked for gift ideas. She had bought a cool spray for Rika, a weird cross necklace for Naoko, a funky rock band CD for Yamazaki, a new cell phone for Michael, a pretty flower bracelet for Leisa, and a new shirt from Ikasan for Kent. She had almost exhausted half of her money. She had 10, 000 yen left.
She spotted a cute teddy bear, which brought back rushing memories of the one that she still had from Syaoran from fourth grade. She wondered if he still had the one that she had given him.
Syaoran was also looking at the teddy bears at a different store. Does Sakura still have the one that I gave her? I still have hers, sitting on my bed. I hope Meilin doesn't ever go into my room. I'd be interrogated even further about Sakura.
"Hey Syaoran!" He heard a voice yell. Sakura came streaming into the store. "Did ya get my present yet? Huh? I wanna see it. Pretty please?"
"Nope," Syaoran shook his head. He had left her present at home too because he had already gotten it.
"Hey, what are you doing here anyway? I thought that you said that you weren't going to come," Sakura accused him.
Syaoran sweat dropped. "Eh, well, you see."
"He came to shop with me," Leisa said, draping her arm around him.
Sakura stared at her with disgust, then waved a quick bye to Syaoran.
"Sakura-chan seems preoccupied with Kent, don't you think?" Leisa asked Syaoran as they saw her join up with him.
Sakura's face broke into a wide smile as Kent whispered something into her ear.
"Hey, mister, if you aren't going to buy that, don't break it," The sales clerk yelled to Syaoran. He glanced down. He had accidentally twisted the teddy bear's head off in anger. Leisa giggled. Syaoran blushed a deep red.
*~*~*~*
Naoko and Meilin and another classmate, Togashi Kasumi were almost done shopping for their presents. Suddenly, Kasumi accidentally bumped into someone. She bowed and apologized.
"Gomen ne," she said quickly as she started to turn away.
A hand landed on her shoulder, and she turned back around. Her amber eyes met a pair of blue ones.
"No, it's my fault for bumping into such lovely ladies such as yourself," the brown-haired boy said. He bowed slightly back to Kasumi and smiled at Naoko and Meilin. They looked him over critically while Kasumi blushed at being talked to by this really handsome boy. She quickly brushed her long black hair back a bit. "I'm Meiji Yamato."
"I'm Yanagisawa Naoko," Naoko said politely.
"I'm Li Meilin," Meilin said to him.
"I'm Togashi Kasumi. Nice to meet you, Meiji-san " Kasumi said softly.
"Please, Yamato is much more preferred," He said graciously.
"Alright," Kasumi said. She was puzzled by his attitude. He was arrogant, gracious, and charming all in one. He gently kissed both Meilin and Naoko's hand. Then he kissed both of Kasumi's cheeks before she even knew what he was doing. They all gaped at him.
"It's a French tradition," he told them as he saw their shock.
"Oh," Naoko said slowly.
"Oh, so you're French?" Meilin asked him suspiciously.
"No, but I've been there numerous times."
"Hey, Naoko-chan. Where've you been?" Michael butted in suddenly as he wrapped an arm around Naoko protectively. He glared at Yamato angrily.
Yamato smiled pleasantly at him.
"Kale?" Naoko said softly.
"Meiji Kyoto, come to the main office this minute, or else I will tell your father. Get here now!" the loudspeaker blared.
"Uh oh," 'Yamato' said softly.
"I'll talk to you again soon," he said quickly to Kasumi more than Meilin and Naoko. Kasumi blushed as he ran off.
Wow, he's a rich kid. Meilin thought as she saw him getting herded into a black limo. An elderly man stepped in after him, yelling constantly. He winked at her once before the limo drove off.
"Naoko-chan, what were you doing, talking with strangers?" Michael asked Naoko angrily.
"Hey, he's not a stranger. 'Sides, you can't tell me who I can talk to or not. I have my own life Kale!" Naoko grabbed Meilin and Kasumi, and they stumbled off together.
Damn, why was I just so mean to Kale? Naoko asked herself as she walked off. I do like him a lot, but I'm not sure about him. He's got all of these girls that like him already.
"Naoko-chan?" Meilin asked her quietly. "Thinking about Michael?"
"Yeah."
"Hey, you can trust us with stuff, we know what you're going through."
"Well.I'm pretty sure that I do like him, but how could he ever like me? I mean, he's so popular, and he's got half of the girl pop at school drooling over him too. And then there's me."
"Hey, be confident. You're an awesome girl, how could any guy not like you? You guys are really close, and you even tried out for the play together. You give me one more reason that he doesn't like you, and I'll personally make sure that you go out," Kasumi reassured Naoko.
"Domo arigato Kasumi-chan," Naoko said gratefully.
"No problem."
Naoko turned around to apologize to Michael, and saw him being mobbed by three other girls from her school. She turned around quickly and tried not to think about it.
"Let's go," Meilin said as she saw the direction of Naoko's stare.
"Yeah, I still need to get Kale a present. What do you think he's going to want?" Naoko asked them. They walked off discussing what they had gotten everyone.
CHRISTMAS! Yay, ok, so everyone's buying presents. Tomoyo's ok, of course. She's my favorite character, so I'm definitely not killing her. Complications between Michael and Naoko, though it did seem that Kyoto likes Meilin better, right? (HINT HINT) anyway, Meilin is getting nice. I always liked her too, so I'm making her really nice in this fic. She's already engaged though, remember that. And Hiyoshi.
Disclaimer: I don't own CCS.
Sakura slowly walked home. She was still really mad at Tomoyo, but the anger had slowly diminished. She felt better after talking with Kent. He was a really nice guy to talk with. But Sakura was still in love with Syaoran. Kent was a helpful friend, just like Eriol.
Thinking about Syaoran, she glanced down at the peonies in her hand. Was it fate that they had flown into her hands? Sakura knew that Syaoran didn't believe in fate or destiny, but she did. So she wondered. Also, she couldn't contact him at all anymore since that incident after the Homecoming Dance. She wondered why they had been able to contact each other. Maybe it was because they had been holding hands. Sakura was still unable to describe the emotions that had been stirred up in her when that had happened. She had felt joy beyond all emotions, and it had been so hard for her to concentrate on Hiyoshi's story. But she had also felt the presence of a card nearby. So she didn't really know which one was the reason that Syaoran and her had been able to contact each other.
Maybe Syaoran had been near her when they had landed in her arms. She had felt his presence, but she hadn't seen him.
Talking with Kent had really calmed her down. She got all shivery when she saw him, with his ocean-blue hair and silver eyes. He was a total hottie. Syaoran was pretty hot too, and he was also special in his own way. He was a totally reliable person, and Sakura could trust him with everything, except on how she felt about him. That was different.
Would she ever be able to tell him how she felt about him?
As she turned a corner, she was almost run over by a hurtling ambulance. It splashed mud all over her skirt.
"Baka!" Sakura shouted. She ran home to get changed.
As she entered her house, the telephone rang. She picked it up quickly.
"Kinomoto Sakura, moshi moshi?"
"Sakura-chan?" a frantic voice asked quickly.
"Yes, speaking?"
"This is Daidouji Sonomi. I have terrible news! (Sob) A car hit Tomoyo! There was a horrible accident." Sonomi babbled on, but Sakura barely heard a word she said.
Oh no! It's all my fault for being mad at her! If Tomoyo-chan dies, I'll never forgive myself for being so mad at her. What do I do now?
"Can you come to the hospital right away?" Sonomi finished.
"Of course," Sakura said quietly. "I'll be right over. Hanging up, Sakura grabbed her coat. Then as she passed the telephone again, she paused. She quickly made two phone calls, and then raced for the hospital.
*~*~*~*
Syaoran and Meilin reached the hospital first, with Sakura right behind them.
"How's she doing?" Sakura quickly asked Sonomi anxiously about Tomoyo.
"She was hit pretty bad, and the doctor says that two of her ribs are broken and her left arm," Sonomi said softly.
"Oh my," Meilin whispered.
"Gomen ne," Syaoran said quietly, showing his genuine concern for the Card Mistress's best friend.
Sonomi looked back to the room where Tomoyo was now resting quietly. She had been transported to the ICU (Intensive Care Unit). Tomoyo seemed to be sleeping peacefully.
"She's my only child. I'd give anything for her to be alright," Sonomi whispered.
The sound of the door opening broke the sad mood. Two people entered and headed for Sakura and her group.
"Eriol-kun!" Sakura greeted him happily. "You made it."
Syaoran gave him an overall glare, and then greeted him formally. Eriol gave them all a warm smile, and then looked worriedly at Tomoyo's room.
"Is she ok?" he asked Sakura softly.
"Yeah, she's going to be alright, even though she broke two of her ribs and her left arm," Eriol gaped at Sakura.
"And you say that she's ok when she has all of that?"
"Eriol." Sakura said warningly.
"Hey, I can't help it. I need to do something. I can't just wait around for her to heal."
"Why not?" Sakura asked.
"Because!" Eriol retorted. "If you can do something about it, then you should do it!" Turning his back to her, he chanted out a spell softly.
"Hideyo," Sonomi whispered softly as she saw the other man come towards her. Her heart was going through mixed feelings. She thought that she had lost him forever.
"Wow! She's all grown up now isn't she," he said quietly.
"What are you doing here? You stay away from my daughter," Sonomi said icily to him.
"Sonomi, please. Don't you see, I had to go. We were barely surviving already, what with the baby coming; I left you with your father so he wouldn't be mad at you any longer. You would be fine with him, while I found a real job. Can't you see? You have to forgive me. I was going to come back soon, but then this young man found me, so I came her instead. As fast as possible. I'm sorry about your father. I had hoped maybe we could work things out, but."
Syaoran stared blankly at the man while Sakura nodded her head in agreement.
"Visiting hours have begun," the loudspeaker boomed.
"Sonomi," Hideyo put his hand on her shoulder. She stared at it icily and then shook it off. She gave him a cold glare, but let him come into Tomoyo's room.
"Hey, Eriol-kun, how'd you get there and back so fast?" Sakura asked him quietly as they filed into the room.
"Don't forget that I'm not the reincarnation of Clow Reed for nothing." He jokingly messed Syaoran's hair up. "And I know that my little descendent missed me, right?"
Syaoran gave him a death glare. "Don't touch me, Hiiragiwaza." Eriol smiled at him Syaoran tauntingly and ignored him.
"Tomoyo-chan, how are you feeling?" Sonomi asked her as Tomoyo's eyes flickered open."
She struggled to sit up. "Mother!" Wincing at a pain in her side, Tomoyo fell back.
"Be careful Tomoyo-chan!" Sakura said.
"Do you remember anything that has happened?" Meilin asked her softly. Meilin and Tomoyo had become really close friends since the day when Meilin had found out that Syaoran was in love with Sakura and she had gone to Tomoyo for comfort.
"Hai. I was walking, and then a heavy thing slammed into me, it was a car? And then I felt bad and then I woke up."
"Oh, Tomoyo-chan!" Sakura whispered.
"Hello, Tomoyo." Hideyo spoke up softly.
"Huh?" Tomoyo looked up at her father in confusion.
"Hideyo." Sonomi said warningly.
He glanced back at her. "Sonomi, can't we just put this all behind us?" He walked up to her and bent down on his knee." Please? I do still love you. I swear."
Sonomi stared at him unsympathetically, then faltered and bent down to him. "Oh course I forgive you Hideyo. Tomoyo needs a father to take care of her. I'm so glad that you're back." Silent tears poured out from Sonomi's eyes as Hideyo wrapped her in a hug.
Tomoyo cleared her throat. "Father?"
Tomoyo looked happily at him, and Meilin, Sakura, Syaoran, and Eriol slipped through the door to converse and leave the happy family together.
"So, how'd you find him Eriol-kun?" Meilin asked him curiously.
"Well, it wasn't too hard because he is the head of a big-time business in England. All I had to tell him was that his daughter, Daidouji Tomoyo was in a big accident. Then he came along as nice as that."
The doctor came by and went into the room to talk with Tomoyo and her parents about her condition. Sakura and her friends could hear them through the open door.
"She seems to be healing quite rapidly." The gang could hear the puzzlement in his voice. "She should be out of here by next week at the rate she's improving. She'll be completely healed by or before Christmas if this continues." The doctor shook his head, bewildered.
"Well, we all know that Tomoyo-chan's going to be ok," Sakura said dryly. Eriol winked at her, and couldn't help but see Syaoran's angry glare as Sakura's face lit up. He gave Eriol an accusing glare.
Eriol smiled weakly at her. "I had to! I couldn't bear seeing everyone so sad."
"Not to mention the love of your long life," Syaoran muttered softly. Sakura giggled. Eriol blushed, a rare thing indeed, and glared at Syaoran angrily.
"Now, you wouldn't want to get your ancestor at you, now would you, Little Wolf."
"No, of course not." Syaoran smiled innocently. "Whatever did I say to make you mad?"
Sakura and Meilin had to laugh at how the boys were acting, so like little boys.
"OK, Tomoyo-chan wants to speak to Sakura-chan now," Sonomi called out as her and Hideyo swept out of the room.
Nervously, Sakura entered the room. She rushed to Tomoyo immediately. "Tomoyo-chan!" Sakura cried out.
"Sakura-chan! I'm so sorry!" Tomoyo whispered.
"Oh, Tomoyo-chan, it's all my fault. I shouldn't have been mad at you. Syaoran probably didn't think anything of it, and it was a really little thing anyway. Oh, I'm so glad that you are ok. I was so scared. What if you had died! And the last thing that I said to you was that I hated you! Oh, gomen ne Tomoyo-chan! Can you ever forgive me?"
"No, Sakura, it's all my fault. I was punished for being such an awful friend to you."
"But, Tomoyo-chan, we are the best of friends. We always have been, and we always will be. No matter what. We've been through way too much for this stupid thing to ruin our friendship. Friends forever? No matter how close I get to anyone else, we'll always be friends because we have shared so much together!"
"Friends forever," Tomoyo agreed. "Aww, it's too bad that I don't have my camera, you should've seen the expression on Li-kun's face when Eriol winked at you! So how's Syaoran-kun?"
"Tomoyo-chan, that doesn't mean that you're still trying to get us together, does it?" Sakura sweat-dropped.
"Oh, c'mon Sakura-chan. You two are so kawaii together! Oh, go get Eriol- san and in here really quick before the visiting hours close. And Meilin- chan."
Sakura nodded and called the rest of them in.
"Tomoyo!" Eriol said.
"Eriol-san, how'd you get otou-san in here?"
"Oh, I had to do something. Are you happy?"
"Of course I am, you silly," Tomoyo said. "Meilin-chan, and Eriol-san, stay in here for a sec. I'll talk to you guys later, Sakura-chan and Li-kun." She said as she waved them out. "Thanks for coming and I know that we'll remain friends forever Sakura-chan!"
Sakura and Syaoran obeyed her commands. They practiced their lines in the script for a few minutes until the hospital announced that the visiting hours were over.
"Alright you guys, get out of my patient's room. She needs a lot of sleep still to recuperate," the doctor said.
Eriol rolled his eyes. "Whatever," he replied. Sakura and Meilin giggled.
*~*~*~*
"Sakura!" Touya shouted at her full blast as she entered the house.
"Where've you been?"
"Out." She said.
Fujitaka walked in, his face a mixture of concern and relief. "Honey, are you ok?"
"Yeah otou-san, 'nii-chan. I was just at the hospital. Tomoyo-chan was in a car accident," Sakura said.
"Oh, is she alright?" Fujitaka and Touya asked simultaneously.
"Yes. She is." Sakura answered. "She'll be out of the hospital soon."
"That's good," Fujitaka said. "But honey, please don't go off by yourself again."
"But otou-san, I'm old enough to take care of myself."
"OK, but leave a note next time," her Father said, suppressing a smile and a sigh.
Sakura headed up the stairs to her bedroom, where she filled Kero in on what had happened while he pigged out on food.
"Oh, Tomoyo-chan? She's the nicest out of all your friends. That Meilin girl is so whiny and bratty and really spoiled," Kero said.
"Hoe, Kero-chan, she's changed so much since then. She's a lot more mature now, you haven't even seen her," Sakura argued.
"Whatever, she's still that Chinese brat girl to me," Kero said as he resumed a video game.
Long after Sakura had fallen asleep, Touya came into her room. He shook his head and grinned. She was sleeping half off the bed and had no blankets on. It was still cold in the house since it was December. He gently covered her. She turned over and mumbled an "arigato," before she fell asleep again. Touya tucked her in, and then left the room.
*~*~*~*
Monday came quickly, though Sakura was bored immensely without Tomoyo to cheer her up. Syaoran, Eriol, and Meilin tried their best, though it just wasn't the same without Tomoyo.
Hiyoshi had enrolled in school with them to be in. Many girls were talking about him too. The sophomore girls in the school, many freshman, and even some juniors and seniors were all undecided about who they liked. They were all split four way about Hiyoshi, Syaoran, Michael, and Kent.
"Kent-kun is so hot!" a sophomore breathed.
"Hai, but Syaoran-kun is just so mysterious, and he can be just as kawaii!" another girl fawned.
"But Hiyoshi-kun is by far so much better. The way he acts, his attitude, ahh, he's so kawaii!"
"No, no, no. You three are all wrong!" a fourth girl said. "Michael-kun is so much better! He is awesome at sports and everything!"
"And what about Eriol-kun? he's just so charismatic!" a freshman girl exclaimed.
And so the conversations in the school with the girls went.
Sakura was impatient for school to end because the play auditions were after school. She was nervous since Tomoyo had not had a lot of time to rehearse with Syaoran and Sakura. She wouldn't be released until Wednesday.
Hiyoshi was auditioning for the play too. As soon as school ended, Sakura and Meilin rushed to the auditorium together.
Eriol was with Rika, only because Tomoyo was in the hospital. Chiharu and Yamazaki were together, and Hiyoshi and Meilin became partners. Everyone piled into seats together to watch the beginning of the auditions.
Kent and Leisa went together first. They sang the National Anthem, Kimigayo (The Reign of our Emperor). Then they performed a scene.
"Wow, they did a great job!" Sakura whispered to Meilin who nodded in agreement.
"Whoo!" went the girls for Kent.
Next, Michael and Naoko went up together. They did an excellent job too. There was an eruption of applause from the audience for Michael.
"Is he going out with Naoko-chan?" a girl asked.
"I don't know. They seem really close," her friend replied.
"No fair, I wanted him!" another girl wailed.
Sakura waited patiently for her turn with Syaoran to come up. Syaoran was turning pale white, and he kept on cracking his knuckles.
Sakura was worried too. Meilin and Hiyoshi finished their audition, which had been great too, and then it was Sakura's turn with Syaoran.
Syaoran gave her a quick reassuring smile before they started. Amazingly, it turned out ok. Right after singing the anthem, Sakura and Syaoran went to their lines. They had practiced a lot over the weekend with Tomoyo's encouragement. She had helped them a bit since they had practiced at the hospital.
But then disaster suddenly struck. Syaoran had a brain freeze.
Baka, what's my line!
"My name? It's Riley, but now, what may yours be, lovely angel?"
Syaoran smiled in relief at Sakura.
Domo arigato Sakura-chan!
She blushed and tried to cover it up by immediately hurrying off the stage as their audition ended.
"Hanyaan! Syaoran-kun is so cute!" another group of girls' ahhed over his performance.
"Is he dating Sakura-chan?" a senior girl asked suspiciously.
"Uso! I want him!!!" Three of her friends yelled.
He was mobbed immediately as he stepped off the stage.
Graciously, he slipped away from them, his face a bright red.
"Good job Syaoran!" Leisa complimented him before Sakura could say anything as he made his way back to his seat.
Sakura fumed inside. As Syaoran sat down, she congratulated him too. Just because Leisa had first didn't mean that she couldn't also. Syaoran nodded casually, but he could feel his blood rushing up to his face. They relaxed while they watched the rest of their friends finish.
After all of the auditions, Sakura and her friends all went to the mall, except for Syaoran of course. Meilin watched him silently walk home. So did Sakura.
"Where's he going?" Sakura asked Meilin.
"I have no idea," Meilin said sadly.
"Well, come on. We've got to go shopping, with or without him," Sakura said, wrapping an arm around Meilin's shoulder friendly-like.
"Alright!" Meilin said, caught up in the excitement of shopping.
*~*~*~*
"Hey, Sakura-chan, aren't these earrings pretty?" Rika asked her excitedly as she held up a pair of emerald earrings. "They'd look perfect on you. Try them on."
Sakura tried them on shyly. "Oh, I'd love too, but I don't think that I'll have enough money to buy them. I still need to buy a lot of presents."
She put the earrings back and turned away, but they were immediately snatched up and bought as soon as she walked out of the store.
As Sakura strolled through the mall, she looked for gift ideas. She had bought a cool spray for Rika, a weird cross necklace for Naoko, a funky rock band CD for Yamazaki, a new cell phone for Michael, a pretty flower bracelet for Leisa, and a new shirt from Ikasan for Kent. She had almost exhausted half of her money. She had 10, 000 yen left.
She spotted a cute teddy bear, which brought back rushing memories of the one that she still had from Syaoran from fourth grade. She wondered if he still had the one that she had given him.
Syaoran was also looking at the teddy bears at a different store. Does Sakura still have the one that I gave her? I still have hers, sitting on my bed. I hope Meilin doesn't ever go into my room. I'd be interrogated even further about Sakura.
"Hey Syaoran!" He heard a voice yell. Sakura came streaming into the store. "Did ya get my present yet? Huh? I wanna see it. Pretty please?"
"Nope," Syaoran shook his head. He had left her present at home too because he had already gotten it.
"Hey, what are you doing here anyway? I thought that you said that you weren't going to come," Sakura accused him.
Syaoran sweat dropped. "Eh, well, you see."
"He came to shop with me," Leisa said, draping her arm around him.
Sakura stared at her with disgust, then waved a quick bye to Syaoran.
"Sakura-chan seems preoccupied with Kent, don't you think?" Leisa asked Syaoran as they saw her join up with him.
Sakura's face broke into a wide smile as Kent whispered something into her ear.
"Hey, mister, if you aren't going to buy that, don't break it," The sales clerk yelled to Syaoran. He glanced down. He had accidentally twisted the teddy bear's head off in anger. Leisa giggled. Syaoran blushed a deep red.
*~*~*~*
Naoko and Meilin and another classmate, Togashi Kasumi were almost done shopping for their presents. Suddenly, Kasumi accidentally bumped into someone. She bowed and apologized.
"Gomen ne," she said quickly as she started to turn away.
A hand landed on her shoulder, and she turned back around. Her amber eyes met a pair of blue ones.
"No, it's my fault for bumping into such lovely ladies such as yourself," the brown-haired boy said. He bowed slightly back to Kasumi and smiled at Naoko and Meilin. They looked him over critically while Kasumi blushed at being talked to by this really handsome boy. She quickly brushed her long black hair back a bit. "I'm Meiji Yamato."
"I'm Yanagisawa Naoko," Naoko said politely.
"I'm Li Meilin," Meilin said to him.
"I'm Togashi Kasumi. Nice to meet you, Meiji-san " Kasumi said softly.
"Please, Yamato is much more preferred," He said graciously.
"Alright," Kasumi said. She was puzzled by his attitude. He was arrogant, gracious, and charming all in one. He gently kissed both Meilin and Naoko's hand. Then he kissed both of Kasumi's cheeks before she even knew what he was doing. They all gaped at him.
"It's a French tradition," he told them as he saw their shock.
"Oh," Naoko said slowly.
"Oh, so you're French?" Meilin asked him suspiciously.
"No, but I've been there numerous times."
"Hey, Naoko-chan. Where've you been?" Michael butted in suddenly as he wrapped an arm around Naoko protectively. He glared at Yamato angrily.
Yamato smiled pleasantly at him.
"Kale?" Naoko said softly.
"Meiji Kyoto, come to the main office this minute, or else I will tell your father. Get here now!" the loudspeaker blared.
"Uh oh," 'Yamato' said softly.
"I'll talk to you again soon," he said quickly to Kasumi more than Meilin and Naoko. Kasumi blushed as he ran off.
Wow, he's a rich kid. Meilin thought as she saw him getting herded into a black limo. An elderly man stepped in after him, yelling constantly. He winked at her once before the limo drove off.
"Naoko-chan, what were you doing, talking with strangers?" Michael asked Naoko angrily.
"Hey, he's not a stranger. 'Sides, you can't tell me who I can talk to or not. I have my own life Kale!" Naoko grabbed Meilin and Kasumi, and they stumbled off together.
Damn, why was I just so mean to Kale? Naoko asked herself as she walked off. I do like him a lot, but I'm not sure about him. He's got all of these girls that like him already.
"Naoko-chan?" Meilin asked her quietly. "Thinking about Michael?"
"Yeah."
"Hey, you can trust us with stuff, we know what you're going through."
"Well.I'm pretty sure that I do like him, but how could he ever like me? I mean, he's so popular, and he's got half of the girl pop at school drooling over him too. And then there's me."
"Hey, be confident. You're an awesome girl, how could any guy not like you? You guys are really close, and you even tried out for the play together. You give me one more reason that he doesn't like you, and I'll personally make sure that you go out," Kasumi reassured Naoko.
"Domo arigato Kasumi-chan," Naoko said gratefully.
"No problem."
Naoko turned around to apologize to Michael, and saw him being mobbed by three other girls from her school. She turned around quickly and tried not to think about it.
"Let's go," Meilin said as she saw the direction of Naoko's stare.
"Yeah, I still need to get Kale a present. What do you think he's going to want?" Naoko asked them. They walked off discussing what they had gotten everyone.
CHRISTMAS! Yay, ok, so everyone's buying presents. Tomoyo's ok, of course. She's my favorite character, so I'm definitely not killing her. Complications between Michael and Naoko, though it did seem that Kyoto likes Meilin better, right? (HINT HINT) anyway, Meilin is getting nice. I always liked her too, so I'm making her really nice in this fic. She's already engaged though, remember that. And Hiyoshi.