Blame It On Sakura
Kristy Selean: Yes, depressing until now!!! I've got a new chapter up and yeah... as you can see, it's all about cheering up Sakura! It is sad in the end... gomen!!! If you were wondering about Syaoran, he does show up in this chapter, and you get to read his thoughts once! As for whether or not he's married... you'll have to wait... still need to get that into the fic...
Chapter 5: Cheer up, Sakura!
It had been about ten minutes since Sakura came back home. Sakura was trying to sleep, but her thoughts about everything still continued to scare her to do death. Sakura sat up in bed and heaved yet another sigh. Her day had been horrible. Sakura watched while Kero played his video game. He was kind enough to put the headphones on so she couldn't hear the music, but his continuous outbursts really didn't help cutting that out.
"Noooooooo!!!!!!! How dare you!!!!!!!!"
Sakura shook her head. That was probably his fifth time in those ten minutes that he died by the same person. Just then, the door opened and an all too familiar face walked in the room. Sakura frowned and turned her face away as he sat on the bed.
"Can't you knock?"
Sakura crossed her arms while her visitor winced. He never heard his sister act so crossly. Whatever happened to his sweet and kind hearted sister who always greeted everyone with a smile?
'Probably taken away because of that gaki!' thought Touya.
"Sheesh, don' be so cross. Besides, it wasn't my idea to come here. Otousan sent me."
"So what does he want?"
"Well... he... wanted me to cheer you up."
Sakura raised an eyebrow at her brother. He came down from all of his part- time jobs and his college classes and work to come over to her room and cheer her up?
"And... exactly how are you going to do that?"
Sakura's tone was still demanding, but it softened. Touya leaned back on the bed and thought before an idea had crept its way to his mind. Sakura didn't really like the look of a smile on Touya's face, but she was thankful it was a soft one.
"You can cook for me."
"Cooking for YOU is going to cheer ME up?"
"Hey, why not? I might even give you a few compliments or even a few tips this time. Besides, the simplest things can always find a way to cheer you up."
Sakura sighed, knowing that there was no way out of this. Her psychic brother and father have always freaked her out in some way or another. She might as well just do it. Sakura and Touya left Kero to his game as they went down to the kitchen to start the cooking.
"And what would you like today?"
"Hm... I think I'll try the house specialty of hot cakes."
"1 batch of hot cakes coming up."
Sakura giggled at their little restaraunt game while Touya started looking for the dishes and eating utinsels. Sakura pulled out the flour, eggs, sugar, and some other ingredients while Touya grabbed the syrup, butter, forks, knives, plates, and napkins. After a few minutes, Sakura was done, and Touya began to eat.
"Your technique has been getting better and faster over the years, Sakura. Let me guess. You've been getting up late for school still?"
"Hey! Well... yeah... kinda... actually..."
"Tsk tsk. Colleges don't like that, you know. You've got to take naps in between if you can't get up in the morning. It's a good habit to break."
"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Besides, aren't you suppose to be judging my cooking now?"
"It's good, but if you really want to make it better, here are some tips. When cooking it, if you add a pinch of let's say cream to it, it gives it a milkier taste."
Touya started pulling out some other ingredients from the cabinets and started making another batch. After he put the ingredients in and saw that the mixture was correct, Sakura finished them off by cooking them.
"Oh, and make sure that when you cook it, don't use too much vegetable oil. Try spraying it with a light layer of cooking oil instead of putting vegetable oil instead. That way, you get the creamy taste, the less oily feel, and the slight bit of the margarin and yeast powder I put in the mixture will make it fluffy and soft."
Sakura followed his instructions until there was enough hot cakes that even Kero couldn't resist sniffing out. Kero flew down the stairs and headed toward the kitchen to inhale his batch of hot cakes. Sakura flicked a bit of magic to make him freeze in place while Touya laughed along with her. Kero struggled to get to the pancakes at whatever cost, but was too helpless to break free of the spell. This is where the torturing session began.
"Mmm. This has got to be the best hot cakes ever, oniichan!"
"You bet! I learned it from Yukito, so it has to be a good recipe."
"To bad Kero-chan can't join us."
"Waaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
After torturing him for five more minutes, Sakura released him of his spell, and Kero was rewarded with a new 10 batches of hot cakes made by Touya himself. Sakura smiled as she watched them fight over the last hot cake.
'Oniichan was right. The simplest things really can cheer you up.'
Just as Sakura sliced the hot cake in half for the two to share, the phone rang. Touya, who took his half of the hot cake with him, grabbed the phone as Sakura washed her hands and Kero practically breathed in his last half.
"Moshi moshi. Kinomoto Hot Cakes. Deliveries are free."
"Touya-san? What are you doing there?" Tomoyo giggled at his unusual greeting.
"Eh... I got hungry. I'll get her. Kaijuu! Get the phone."
"I'm not a kaijuu!!!"
Sakura shook her head as she walked past a smiling Touya. He knew she was just going back to old times, and she wasn't seriously angry. Touya started to clean up the kitchen so he could go back to college and the professors' lengthy lectures. In other words, he was cleaning up as slowly as possible.
"Hai."
"Sakura-chan. Are you alright?"
"Yes, Tomoyo-chan," Sakura answered in a subdued voice.
"Is your ankle any better?"
"It still hurts a little, but it should be better tomorrow, I think."
"Well, I just wanted to tell you that the homework club got put off until tomorrow because tomorrow is a half day from the city teachers' conference. We're going to Rika's house, then Basking Robbins, and then on to practice."
"Yeah, alright. Besides, homework always goes better with ice cream and Eriol, right, Tomoyo?"
"Sakuraaaaaaaa!!!!!!!"
Sakura could just see it now. Tomoyo clutching the phone and glowing as red as the Christmas lights with the people who were cleaning up the house suddenly frozen from her unknown behavior. With this picture in mind, Sakura couldn't suppress her laughter.
"Anyway, we didn't want to have the meeting without you, Sakura."
"Thanks."
"Well, get lots of rest, and I'll see you tomorrow, okay? Bye!"
"Yeah, see you later. Bye!"
Sakura hung up the phone and glared at a staring Touya who was frowing as though he was in great confusion. Touya shook his head before putting away the things on the table.
"What?"
"It's... nothing. It's just that you and Tomoyo usually talk on the phone for hours. I was just wondering if you two got in a fight or something. Just now, you didn't even sound like you wanted to talk to her."
"I guess we just got a lot on our minds with the meet coming up and all."
"Sakura, don't worry. You're the best gymnast that I've ever known."
"I'm the only gymnast that you've ever known, but thanks. If only I could believe in myself again."
Touya frowned at Sakura's expressions. He knew when his sister had troubles, and this was definitely the time. Kero must have felt the same. He was staring at Sakura with the same expression Touya had. Sakura couldn't bear it. She understood they were trying to make her feel better, but it was only making them feel worse.
"Where are you going?"
"I'm going to practice in the basement. Thanks for everything, Touya."
Touya nodded and managed to pull together a small smile across his face. Sakura smiled back before heading down the stairs to the basement, leaving Touya and Kero to argue over who's going to wash the dishes.
*~*
Sakura grabbed a CD player and a random CD off of her desk before heading down to the basement. It was frustrating at a time like this, and she knew that exercise was a great stress reliever. Sakura plugged in the CD player and turned on the CD to start practicing some floor routines. There were a lot of mats on the floor, and that was what the basement gymn really was - a padded section of the basement in which Sakura practiced her gymnastics. The music started and the song Never Give Up Until the End started to play.
\Things get tough, but life keeps going. There's just no place to stop.\
Sakura kicked herself into a couple of roundoffs before starting her flic- flacs and a twist kick before landing on her two feet. The kick really wasn't gymnastics, but it followed the mood of the song.
\As things get harder, harder still, you just want give it up and drop.\
Sakura sent herself into some more flic-flacs followed by a couple of leaps, turns, and tumbles. Sweat streaked down her face as Sakura gave it every effort she had. She couldn't stop. This was the only time her heart wouldn't stop her from doing what she wanted.
\Just close your eyes and then you'll see just how great of a person that you can be.\
Sakura let the mood sink in around her. It was like a dream. She felt lighter than a feather doing her varioius gymnastics moves, and nothing could stop her. The music helped lift her spirits as well. Sakura closed her eyes and tried imagining herself doing these great moves on a balance beam in front of a wild crowd. That's when she saw it. Thud! Crash! All she could see was herself falling or hurting herself. Sakura started to panic. She gasped for air and stopped her routine completely.
\Just don't panic.\
'Too late.'
\Do your best.\
'I already did, and I still can't get over it.'
\And follow your heart.\
'I can't. I'm too scared.'
The music faded away as Sakura hugged her knees and buried her face in her arms. It was too much. Was Touya right? Had she been a great gymnast? And could she be that way again, or were those days gone forever?
'Why? Why me?'
Tears streaked down her face and started to create a puddle near her. Sakura cried softly and trembled from her cries. Just as she thought the world was over, a comforting hand was placed on her shoulder. It was him again.
'Syaoran... You're always there when I need you.'
The tinkling notes of another song began to play. Sakura didn't pay attention to it really until the singer's soft and soothing voice took over the setting of the room. Its gentleness made Sakura's cries softer as Syaoran kneeled by her side.
\What can I do? I always need you. Don't turn me away. I need you today. Hold me tight; don't let me go. Let me breath again; comfort me so.\
Sakura cried on Syaoran's shoulder while he patted her back in comfort. Syaoran pulled her into an embrace as Sakura's tears started to dry up. It felt nice to be embraced and to feel warm, even in the most difficult of situations.
'Sakura, I wish I could only do more for you.'
\Your care is enough to let me go, to free myself and to let myself flow. But for me to soar, then I need to know if you really love me so.\
After a few minutes in the embrace, Sakura pulled away to look into Syaoran's eyes. They were so deep and so comforting that she could have lost herself in them. Sakura snapped back into reality only to be dragged into a deeper stage of thought as Syaoran kissed her forehead.
'I can't believe I just did that!'
'I can't believe he just did that!'
"Syaoran..."
"Hm?"
"A-arigato."
Syaoran nodded back in response. Sakura was flushed, half from working out so hard and half from Syaoran. Sakura looked over at the CD player and unplugged it before walking out of the basement with the CD in her hands and Syaoran helping her. Just as they reached the basement door, Sakura froze.
"Syaoran, how did you get in here?"
Syaoran only nodded to an open window while Sakura nodded back in acknowledgement. As soon as Sakura stepped out through the door, Syaoran jumped back through the window and disappeared again. Sakura went to her room where Kero comforted her the rest of the day.
'Syaoran, I owe you so much. You've done so much for me, but I could never find a way to help you. I only wish I could get better so at least I could dedicate my performance to you. Even if you may be married to Meilin, as long as you're my friend, I can live with it.'
to be continued...
Kristy Selean: Yes, yes, I know. You're all going to hate me for that... Well, at least I managed to do an s+s scene, right? ....right? Well, about the songs that were used, they are NONEXISTANT so please don't ask me for them. I just made it up as I went along. If you need them, ask for it in your reviews, and I'll make up the rest of the lyrics to give to you for no reason at all... Oh yeah, another note, please please review! I don't mind if you try to flame me as long as it's constructive, and I wish that some of yo would actually criticize me for once so I could get some help! Oh well... Thanks for reading. Ja ne.
Kristy Selean: Yes, depressing until now!!! I've got a new chapter up and yeah... as you can see, it's all about cheering up Sakura! It is sad in the end... gomen!!! If you were wondering about Syaoran, he does show up in this chapter, and you get to read his thoughts once! As for whether or not he's married... you'll have to wait... still need to get that into the fic...
Chapter 5: Cheer up, Sakura!
It had been about ten minutes since Sakura came back home. Sakura was trying to sleep, but her thoughts about everything still continued to scare her to do death. Sakura sat up in bed and heaved yet another sigh. Her day had been horrible. Sakura watched while Kero played his video game. He was kind enough to put the headphones on so she couldn't hear the music, but his continuous outbursts really didn't help cutting that out.
"Noooooooo!!!!!!! How dare you!!!!!!!!"
Sakura shook her head. That was probably his fifth time in those ten minutes that he died by the same person. Just then, the door opened and an all too familiar face walked in the room. Sakura frowned and turned her face away as he sat on the bed.
"Can't you knock?"
Sakura crossed her arms while her visitor winced. He never heard his sister act so crossly. Whatever happened to his sweet and kind hearted sister who always greeted everyone with a smile?
'Probably taken away because of that gaki!' thought Touya.
"Sheesh, don' be so cross. Besides, it wasn't my idea to come here. Otousan sent me."
"So what does he want?"
"Well... he... wanted me to cheer you up."
Sakura raised an eyebrow at her brother. He came down from all of his part- time jobs and his college classes and work to come over to her room and cheer her up?
"And... exactly how are you going to do that?"
Sakura's tone was still demanding, but it softened. Touya leaned back on the bed and thought before an idea had crept its way to his mind. Sakura didn't really like the look of a smile on Touya's face, but she was thankful it was a soft one.
"You can cook for me."
"Cooking for YOU is going to cheer ME up?"
"Hey, why not? I might even give you a few compliments or even a few tips this time. Besides, the simplest things can always find a way to cheer you up."
Sakura sighed, knowing that there was no way out of this. Her psychic brother and father have always freaked her out in some way or another. She might as well just do it. Sakura and Touya left Kero to his game as they went down to the kitchen to start the cooking.
"And what would you like today?"
"Hm... I think I'll try the house specialty of hot cakes."
"1 batch of hot cakes coming up."
Sakura giggled at their little restaraunt game while Touya started looking for the dishes and eating utinsels. Sakura pulled out the flour, eggs, sugar, and some other ingredients while Touya grabbed the syrup, butter, forks, knives, plates, and napkins. After a few minutes, Sakura was done, and Touya began to eat.
"Your technique has been getting better and faster over the years, Sakura. Let me guess. You've been getting up late for school still?"
"Hey! Well... yeah... kinda... actually..."
"Tsk tsk. Colleges don't like that, you know. You've got to take naps in between if you can't get up in the morning. It's a good habit to break."
"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Besides, aren't you suppose to be judging my cooking now?"
"It's good, but if you really want to make it better, here are some tips. When cooking it, if you add a pinch of let's say cream to it, it gives it a milkier taste."
Touya started pulling out some other ingredients from the cabinets and started making another batch. After he put the ingredients in and saw that the mixture was correct, Sakura finished them off by cooking them.
"Oh, and make sure that when you cook it, don't use too much vegetable oil. Try spraying it with a light layer of cooking oil instead of putting vegetable oil instead. That way, you get the creamy taste, the less oily feel, and the slight bit of the margarin and yeast powder I put in the mixture will make it fluffy and soft."
Sakura followed his instructions until there was enough hot cakes that even Kero couldn't resist sniffing out. Kero flew down the stairs and headed toward the kitchen to inhale his batch of hot cakes. Sakura flicked a bit of magic to make him freeze in place while Touya laughed along with her. Kero struggled to get to the pancakes at whatever cost, but was too helpless to break free of the spell. This is where the torturing session began.
"Mmm. This has got to be the best hot cakes ever, oniichan!"
"You bet! I learned it from Yukito, so it has to be a good recipe."
"To bad Kero-chan can't join us."
"Waaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
After torturing him for five more minutes, Sakura released him of his spell, and Kero was rewarded with a new 10 batches of hot cakes made by Touya himself. Sakura smiled as she watched them fight over the last hot cake.
'Oniichan was right. The simplest things really can cheer you up.'
Just as Sakura sliced the hot cake in half for the two to share, the phone rang. Touya, who took his half of the hot cake with him, grabbed the phone as Sakura washed her hands and Kero practically breathed in his last half.
"Moshi moshi. Kinomoto Hot Cakes. Deliveries are free."
"Touya-san? What are you doing there?" Tomoyo giggled at his unusual greeting.
"Eh... I got hungry. I'll get her. Kaijuu! Get the phone."
"I'm not a kaijuu!!!"
Sakura shook her head as she walked past a smiling Touya. He knew she was just going back to old times, and she wasn't seriously angry. Touya started to clean up the kitchen so he could go back to college and the professors' lengthy lectures. In other words, he was cleaning up as slowly as possible.
"Hai."
"Sakura-chan. Are you alright?"
"Yes, Tomoyo-chan," Sakura answered in a subdued voice.
"Is your ankle any better?"
"It still hurts a little, but it should be better tomorrow, I think."
"Well, I just wanted to tell you that the homework club got put off until tomorrow because tomorrow is a half day from the city teachers' conference. We're going to Rika's house, then Basking Robbins, and then on to practice."
"Yeah, alright. Besides, homework always goes better with ice cream and Eriol, right, Tomoyo?"
"Sakuraaaaaaaa!!!!!!!"
Sakura could just see it now. Tomoyo clutching the phone and glowing as red as the Christmas lights with the people who were cleaning up the house suddenly frozen from her unknown behavior. With this picture in mind, Sakura couldn't suppress her laughter.
"Anyway, we didn't want to have the meeting without you, Sakura."
"Thanks."
"Well, get lots of rest, and I'll see you tomorrow, okay? Bye!"
"Yeah, see you later. Bye!"
Sakura hung up the phone and glared at a staring Touya who was frowing as though he was in great confusion. Touya shook his head before putting away the things on the table.
"What?"
"It's... nothing. It's just that you and Tomoyo usually talk on the phone for hours. I was just wondering if you two got in a fight or something. Just now, you didn't even sound like you wanted to talk to her."
"I guess we just got a lot on our minds with the meet coming up and all."
"Sakura, don't worry. You're the best gymnast that I've ever known."
"I'm the only gymnast that you've ever known, but thanks. If only I could believe in myself again."
Touya frowned at Sakura's expressions. He knew when his sister had troubles, and this was definitely the time. Kero must have felt the same. He was staring at Sakura with the same expression Touya had. Sakura couldn't bear it. She understood they were trying to make her feel better, but it was only making them feel worse.
"Where are you going?"
"I'm going to practice in the basement. Thanks for everything, Touya."
Touya nodded and managed to pull together a small smile across his face. Sakura smiled back before heading down the stairs to the basement, leaving Touya and Kero to argue over who's going to wash the dishes.
*~*
Sakura grabbed a CD player and a random CD off of her desk before heading down to the basement. It was frustrating at a time like this, and she knew that exercise was a great stress reliever. Sakura plugged in the CD player and turned on the CD to start practicing some floor routines. There were a lot of mats on the floor, and that was what the basement gymn really was - a padded section of the basement in which Sakura practiced her gymnastics. The music started and the song Never Give Up Until the End started to play.
\Things get tough, but life keeps going. There's just no place to stop.\
Sakura kicked herself into a couple of roundoffs before starting her flic- flacs and a twist kick before landing on her two feet. The kick really wasn't gymnastics, but it followed the mood of the song.
\As things get harder, harder still, you just want give it up and drop.\
Sakura sent herself into some more flic-flacs followed by a couple of leaps, turns, and tumbles. Sweat streaked down her face as Sakura gave it every effort she had. She couldn't stop. This was the only time her heart wouldn't stop her from doing what she wanted.
\Just close your eyes and then you'll see just how great of a person that you can be.\
Sakura let the mood sink in around her. It was like a dream. She felt lighter than a feather doing her varioius gymnastics moves, and nothing could stop her. The music helped lift her spirits as well. Sakura closed her eyes and tried imagining herself doing these great moves on a balance beam in front of a wild crowd. That's when she saw it. Thud! Crash! All she could see was herself falling or hurting herself. Sakura started to panic. She gasped for air and stopped her routine completely.
\Just don't panic.\
'Too late.'
\Do your best.\
'I already did, and I still can't get over it.'
\And follow your heart.\
'I can't. I'm too scared.'
The music faded away as Sakura hugged her knees and buried her face in her arms. It was too much. Was Touya right? Had she been a great gymnast? And could she be that way again, or were those days gone forever?
'Why? Why me?'
Tears streaked down her face and started to create a puddle near her. Sakura cried softly and trembled from her cries. Just as she thought the world was over, a comforting hand was placed on her shoulder. It was him again.
'Syaoran... You're always there when I need you.'
The tinkling notes of another song began to play. Sakura didn't pay attention to it really until the singer's soft and soothing voice took over the setting of the room. Its gentleness made Sakura's cries softer as Syaoran kneeled by her side.
\What can I do? I always need you. Don't turn me away. I need you today. Hold me tight; don't let me go. Let me breath again; comfort me so.\
Sakura cried on Syaoran's shoulder while he patted her back in comfort. Syaoran pulled her into an embrace as Sakura's tears started to dry up. It felt nice to be embraced and to feel warm, even in the most difficult of situations.
'Sakura, I wish I could only do more for you.'
\Your care is enough to let me go, to free myself and to let myself flow. But for me to soar, then I need to know if you really love me so.\
After a few minutes in the embrace, Sakura pulled away to look into Syaoran's eyes. They were so deep and so comforting that she could have lost herself in them. Sakura snapped back into reality only to be dragged into a deeper stage of thought as Syaoran kissed her forehead.
'I can't believe I just did that!'
'I can't believe he just did that!'
"Syaoran..."
"Hm?"
"A-arigato."
Syaoran nodded back in response. Sakura was flushed, half from working out so hard and half from Syaoran. Sakura looked over at the CD player and unplugged it before walking out of the basement with the CD in her hands and Syaoran helping her. Just as they reached the basement door, Sakura froze.
"Syaoran, how did you get in here?"
Syaoran only nodded to an open window while Sakura nodded back in acknowledgement. As soon as Sakura stepped out through the door, Syaoran jumped back through the window and disappeared again. Sakura went to her room where Kero comforted her the rest of the day.
'Syaoran, I owe you so much. You've done so much for me, but I could never find a way to help you. I only wish I could get better so at least I could dedicate my performance to you. Even if you may be married to Meilin, as long as you're my friend, I can live with it.'
to be continued...
Kristy Selean: Yes, yes, I know. You're all going to hate me for that... Well, at least I managed to do an s+s scene, right? ....right? Well, about the songs that were used, they are NONEXISTANT so please don't ask me for them. I just made it up as I went along. If you need them, ask for it in your reviews, and I'll make up the rest of the lyrics to give to you for no reason at all... Oh yeah, another note, please please review! I don't mind if you try to flame me as long as it's constructive, and I wish that some of yo would actually criticize me for once so I could get some help! Oh well... Thanks for reading. Ja ne.
