Story Title: Portrait of a Cherry Blossom
Author: CCSakura
Other: Wow! This story has really grown! Thanks to everyone who reviewed! **Blows kisses** Anyway, a lot of people are so nice! Thanks for all the great comments on this story! And I'll try to update fast, k?
Contact Me: Anyway, I'd love to know everyone personally, so if you want to, you can e-mail me at: moonie_1990@msn.com. I'm looking for a lot of other CCS fans online, since barely any of my friends are… And I have Messenger!
Chapter Five: Assistant
"Sakura! Sakura!" Tomoyo slammed on the door. "What did you do?" Sakura looked up innocently from the desk. "Tomoyo? What's wrong?" She stared, shocked and surprised at the fear that was obviously radiating from her friend.
"Master Syaoran…he's in his studio! And he wanted you…to go up…" Tomoyo grasped her friend's hands. "Rarely can Mistress Meiling go up there…and now he is asking for you! Sakura, this spells trouble!"
Sakura gulped and closed her eyes. "I'll face it. But if I get released…and on my first day…" Sakura patted her friend's hand. "Don't worry, Tomoyo. I'll be fine." She glided out the door, leaving her friend speechless behind her.
-- Studio --
Sakura gulped once again and hesitatingly knocked on the wood door. There was no response but a small bang inside. She slid the lock and entered the studio once again. Except this time, it looked scarier…more threatening.
Syaoran sat on the stool, his legs casually crossed on the floor. He barely acknowledged that Sakura had entered and simply kicked a leg of the easel so that Sakura could see the picture.
"Tell me, girl, how did you learn how to draw?" Sakura blinked. "No…nowhere, sir." The questioning was not going as she had expected. And she realized that her adjustments to the face must have been her mistake.
"Really? Because it's not very common that one without any training at all can perceive the depth in painting. You, who claim that you have not had any lessons…Your ability to see beyond the surface of things is amazing. And you have had no training, no lessons…?" Sakura stared at him. "None."
He sighed. "Very well. We'll go along with that and believe that you have some extraordinary talent that has only now blossomed…" Sakura couldn't believe the insult that was indirectly thrown at her.
"Sir, whether you want to believe it or not, my family has been too poor these years. They could never afford to buy me enough clothes through the winter, much less send me to a course to learn art." She felt tears at the embarrassment and shame she had felt as a child. "And I have only drawn a fireplace today…" She closed her mouth.
Syaoran lifted his head. "Then bring this picture to me." Sakura couldn't look him in the eyes. "I…I threw it away." She knew that he would think of her as a liar. But Tomoyo burst in. "Sakura, you fool. Did you really think I would throw that away?"
Sakura watched in horror as Tomoyo handed the sheet of paper to Syaoran to see. She couldn't bear to watch and hear his reaction, but she didn't have a choice…Her world had come tumbling down. Why did I have to do such a thing? He will think that I am a liar…and will force me out. How can I possibly face my father empty-handed?
Syaoran handed the paper back to Tomoyo and excused her out of the room. Sakura didn't bother to look at the expression on her friend's face. But she heard the rustling of the clothing that Syaoran wore and she knew her fate.
"Your style is extremely unique. It does not copy what the eyes see…it creates an image formed from the heart." Sakura jerked her head up, surprised at his words. "You create a fireplace with warmth and love…things that only can be felt from the heart. And the face is a girl…that you saw in yourself. Someone defiant and strong…but lost and scared. That is who you are. You have the ability to draw the souls of people."
Sakura blinked. The…the souls of people? She stared in shock at his claim. That sort of ability is so limited in this world…yet he believes I have it… Me, the simple peasant girl who as never even drawn before?
Syaoran eyed her calmly. "Talent comes in the strangest gifts and forms. Who you expect to be gifted is not always so." Sakura gulped and nodded. "Saying…saying that you're right. That I have this talent to be able to draw people's souls. What worries me is…now what?"
"You could become an amazing artist. But if you were asked to draw a truly cruel woman, you wouldn't be able to not draw her for whom she really is. That would lead to problems; witchery, death, banishment, and so on. So I think you better keep this secret hidden." He nodded.
Sakura agreed silently and prepared to leave until Syaoran extended his hand. "I never said anything about going, Sakura. In the privacy of my home, you will be safe. With your talent, fame could come upon this household." He thought for a while. "I will promote you, secretly of course, as my assistant."
Sakura blinked in shock. But she needed the money terribly…her father would grow sicker. Extending her hand, she shook his. Who knows? How much harm can be done?
[A/N]: Alrighty, some people have been asking questions and I think it's high time I answered them…
To Morning Star: I think you asked two questions…though I'm not that sure. I will agree that I am indeed an artist myself: Sakura-chan is so KAWAII! Oh, right, I've been painting for…**counts fingers** about five years. Once every week for two hours.
As for the second question, don't read the summary too much! Besides, don't you believe that paintings are meant to last?
To sleepless dreams: We'll say that Syaoran has been painting for a while and all those years, nothing happened to his paintings. But on the same day that he hires a maid, changes have been made to it. Wouldn't you pinpoint Sakura yourself?
To XxdaRkStaRXx: CCS fans know that Syaoran comes from China. Respectfully, you would call your cousin, younger than you, Mei Mei. Which means "Little Sister". Don't ask: it's a Chinese tradition. So I just thought I'd add it in there.
To Everyone Else: It was brought up in a review: "Do you know how many times this type of story has been done? I didn't realize what it was until I started reading it...Oh well; it looks/seems interesting cause you're making it original enough...No, this isn't supposed to be a flame... anyways, this IS a good story."
Okay, please don't say things like that until the story is DONE because the plot I had in mind is not the one that the majority of people write, okay? Thanks!