Flower in the Attic
by Rineko
Outline: Imagine if, Syaoran, in the Second Movie did not regain back his feelings. Imagine, the Hope Card delayed it's creation. Imagine, Sakura feeling so sad and depressed, locks herself up from the rest of the world. Imagine…This is my version of what happens if it occurred…
Rin: Hello again… Arigato! For all the awesome reviews, I'm glad some people are interested in what I have to tell. And in reply to some people's interesting comments… I am a sarcastic meanie evil laugh but I never knew it reflected in my writing… hmm is that good? To make Sakura a handicap, that's baad… yeah I know… I actually wanted to make her blind but I couldn't find a good enough eye illness that can be cured without an operation and is extreme. Tomoyo is rich, anyway, so she'll be able help in the financial area.
'…' — speech [Rin: Kika told me it('..') usually indicates flashbacks…please note that it is not as such in most of my stories]
.name. —whoever's point of view
New important character's names that comes into the story are in bold.
Word —self-explanatory when you look at the Monday as an example. Japanese words are also in the same format.
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'Step into the sunshine of hope…'
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Chapter 1-
Monday'Sakura-chan? Rise and shine! It's a beautiful day today! The starting of summer! All the sakura blossoms are coming out soon,' Tomoyo shook her cousin up. Sakura groaned and opened her eyes slowly.
Her green eyes darkened and emptied almost immediately. The pupils swivelled to look at Tomoyo. The long-haired girl was moving towards the dark red drapes to draw them open.
Sakura cried out, 'No—!' Tomoyo turned, looking at her and sighed. It happened again, every morning. Sakura never allowed the curtains to be drawn open. The large bedroom was rather bare and empty, not to mention dark. Sunlight was peeking from under the curtains, urging to come in but it never did. Tomoyo liked to think one day the room will be bathed in wonderful light.
The dark-haired figure leaned back on her pillows as though relieved. She rolled to the side of her four poster and propped herself onto the prepared wheelchair. She waited for Tomoyo who wheeled her out of her room.
After Sakura bathed, they had breakfast in the large dining chamber. Tomoyo sat across Sakura, studying her.
Sakura now was entirely different from Sakura seven years ago. Her insistence of confining herself within the walls of the manor had resulted her pale, withdrawn face and her golden brown hair darkened significantly, was limp and hanged by the sides of her face.
'Tomorrow is your 17th birthday Sakura-chan,' Tomoyo said softly. Sakura kept her eyes to her food. 'Do you wish— need anything?'
Tomoyo changed her words mid-sentence deliberately. She knew Sakura had a million things she'd wished for. None that she could fulfil.
Sakura played with her food, delaying her answer. When Tomoyo was about to ask her again, she looked up and stared at her cousin with her soulful eyes, 'A canvas…lots of paints…'
Tomoyo bit back her thought. She wondered what could Sakura possibly paint when she had completely shut herself from the outside world.
She looked at Sakura who was lost, yet again, to herself. She sighed.
School
'How is she today, Daidouji-san?' Tenaka Reiko asked.
She never failed to ask Tomoyo about her mysterious cousin. The whole school knew of the strange, handicapped girl-cousin who lived in Daidouji-san's house. Yet none knew her name. Sakura's old gang had split up and now lived in different districts. So her identity was kept in the dark.
'Same old, same old Tenaka-san,' Tomoyo replied wearily. She gave a small smile to the squat girl.
'Tomorrow's her birthday, perhaps she'll change,' Reiko suggested brightly.
'I hope so. Sometimes I fear she'd go on fading and people will finally forget entirely about Sak—her,' Tomoyo slipped her tongue. Her heart drummed against her ribcage, horrified at the accidental mistake.
'I bet it's a little hunchback with crooked teeth. Maybe it was hideously deformed ever since it was young and Daidouji-san is ashamed of it being her cousin and hid it in that huge mansion,' a drawling voice joined in.
Tomoyo didn't have to turn to know who it was. Haisake Suki was the usual school bitch. 'Baka! How dare you insult my cousin? You worthless piece of shit! I'll assure you she's far better than millions of rotten pieces of apples like you!'
'Oh get off your high horse Daidouji. How are we suppose to believe you when all we've got is your word that whatever you say is true,' Suki flipped her streaked dirty blonde hair over her shoulders. She adjusted her skirt and looked at Tomoyo through her ice blue eyes, 'Give some evidence—maybe then I can truly believe you.'
She joined her gang who giggled at the bristling Tomoyo.
'Sucks to be you!' Tomoyo yelled at them.
But the moment she turned back to look at Reiko, the anger she felt died away and another feeling intensified.
Despair.
Reiko looked cautiously at Tomoyo. 'C'mon…let's just get to class,' Tomoyo sighed.
.Sakura.
I feel it. That old familiar feeling I never thought I'd feel ever again.
.Tomoyo.
I doodled on the corner of a spare bit paper. First day of summer. We're having a pop quiz. There was about half an hour left. I looked around the class. Several students were biting the rubber end of their pencil. Disgusting.
Reiko was tapping the side of her head. Her light brown curls moving to the beats.
I looked back on my paper, lined with my neat hand writing. I read and re-read my answer again. It seemed sufficient and grammatically correct, spell-checked and all. I tapped my foot impatiently.
Sensei Mitsune looked at me sternly from above her reading glasses as well as clearing her throat. I blinked and averted my eyes to the view outside the window. I wondered what Sakura could be doing.
Sometimes I wished I was like her…she stays at home all day with almost nothing to do…I supposed it gets boring but she doesn't get tangled with the stupid social system in life. And—
'Time's up!' Sensei Mistune announced. I got up and made my way to the teacher's desk amidst all the groaning and panicking sounds the others were making.
'Sign your name here, Daidouji-san,' Sensei handed me a piece of paper.
The attendance list. I rolled my eyes. Lazy pig.
I scanned through the list. My name came two spaces before Haisake Suki and Kurogane Ritsuo. After that was Li Syaoran. I signed my name.
Ano?
Did I just see— ?!
I used my index finger to carefully check the names one by one. There it was!
'Is there a problem, Daidouji-san?' Sensei Mitsune asked her.
'There's a new exchange student coming in isn't it?' I said quietly.
'Yes, how did you know—?'
'I know him and it says in the attendance list,' I replied slowly.
'Good. Perhaps, you'd like to help him around the school. It helps to have a friendly face when you're a new student, ne?'
'I suppose…' I didn't know what to think.
.
'So you know him? Since when?' Reiko asked inquisitively.
I weighed the possible consequences in my mind whether to tell her. If I told that I was friends with him when I was in elementary school, it might lead to Sakura's discovery. It might mean difficulty for her if she ever joins the public again.
'We-we were friends… ' I replied slowly, careful with my words.
'Close friends?'
'You might say that,'
'Closer-than-closer-than-close friends?' Reiko asked teasingly.
I finally caught her drift, 'No! He's taken.'
'Aw… that's sad,'
'Shut up,' I threw her a playful punch.
'Ouch,' she slapped my shoulder.
'That hurt you big meanie!' I shouted, running after her.
'Oh look who's talking,' she laughed, running out of the school gate.
.
I smoothened my hair and tied it loosely in a low ponytail. I prepared all my drawing materials, pencils and all.
'Coffee, miss?' Risa passed by. I shook my head politely and sat back on my chair, looking at the piece of paper on my desk.
I work as a part-time fashion designer in one of my mother's clothing line, Schwa. When I turn twenty-one, I will inherit it. I can't wait. But mother said that I will have to prove my worth, meanwhile.
My inspiration was Sakura. I think of what I'd love to see her wear and I'd draw. Today, I see her in her old school uniform, slightly modified. A smile graces her lips.
Her skirt is smooth white. A black long-sleeved button shirt hugs her body, her tie blows free, in motion with the wind. Someone overshadows her from behind.
A male someone.
He stands an inch taller than her. His arms circles her waist lovingly. They look happy.
Within half an hour, I drew the boy and girl, separately, front; back and side view.
I looked at the original picture.
Blissful.
I added foliage to the backdrop. When I'm at home, I'll colour it.
'Hey! Cool, who's that?' someone tapped my shoulder. I jumped and saw Reiko, licking an ice-cream. I smiled and, not quite replying, shrugged my shoulders.
'Nyeah, you're just weaselling out of answering. Anyway, they look perfect together!' Reiko took a closer look at my drawing.
The ice-cream was dripping dangerously.
'They look sort of…I dunno…kind of…er…unearthly? They look too perfect, probably…it's like…unreal,' she murmured.
'It's just a drawing, Reiko,' I said.
'A good one of a per-fect couple! Are you going to colour it?' she asked again.
I stared on at her ice-cream. It was really dribbling unsafely and she was only a few inches above the picture. Any moment now…
'Tomoyo—! Kami-sama! Gomennasai!" a drop landed right above the Sakura's head.
'I'm so sorry!' Reiko stammered on, flustered. She was searching frantically for a packet of tissues in her uniform, with one hand…
I rolled my eyes, amused.
'Never mind, I knew it had it coming. I'll improvise on it,' I told her.
'Are you sure?' she asked in an apologetic tone.
'Hai,' I assured her.
'I don't know how I'm to make it up to you…'
'Just don't go on and on about it, okay? I know you're sorry. Forgiven, forgotten,' I grinned at her.
Reiko didn't look satisfied. I sighed,
'Fine, a drink at the Yamamoto Café.' I remembered the new outlet that opened days ago.
She looked at me, contented at last.
.
It was dark by the time I reached home. The clock struck eight.
As the clock belled eight, I tip toed up to my room. I stopped in the third corridor; Sakura was standing at the end of the hallway.
I gasped.
It must have been a few minutes that we just stood, staring at each other…I was caught speechless.
Then, slowly, her eyes glimmered green and I saw her wobble…to the floor.
'Sakura-chan!'
.Sakura.
I feel him. He is here. I need to reach him. Learn the truth.
.Tomoyo.
When her eyes fluttered open, I could literally feel my heart returning to its original size and speed, and the knots forming inside my stomach untied themselves.
Her slight figure made little impression on the thick bedcovers. I could hardly believe that she was the once the energetic, athletic Kinomoto Sakura of Tomoeda.
'Tomoyo-chan…' her hands were moving slightly.
I blinked away my tears and looked at her. Her delicate face was lit by the faint moonlight. My lips were quivering,
'Hai?'
'I feel him. He is here. You know it. Please, can you let him come and meet me?' along with her voice, I saw her hand move feebly trying to form shapes; to explain herself I didn't catch what she said…
Wait, she knows?
'Onegaishimasu?'
'Hai, hai…' I clutched her hand, nodding too. In case she couldn't hear.
Perhaps it was a trick of the dim light, I caught an indistinct smile on her lips before she fell asleep.
I didn't know then, that making Li Syaoran come over would be the hardest matter I promised to do.
Tuesday'How is she today?' Reiko asked me brightly.
I looked at her, pausing and wondering whether I should tell her about yesterday's strange incident.
No. I couldn't.
'The same,' I replied as nonchalantly as I could. But Reiko's attention was captured by something else in the far off school entrance. And as I noticed, so were several of the girls' attention near us. And even more heads were flicking as the news passed on like a wildfire.
I saw a figure walking in the distance. He looked familiar.
Dark brown hair. Incredibly awry in an elegant fashion. Rather thin sharp face. My heart skipped a beat. There he was.
Li Syaoran. [Rin: Dun, dun, dun!]
'So that's him, huh? Pity he's taken,' Reiko breathed out,
'No wonder he's taken…'
She was obviously impressed and blown away.
So was everyone in the area. Everyone who was female at least.
'Lucky girl, whoever she is,' Reiko returned back to earth went Syaoran disappeared from sight.
'Er, yeah,' I frowned to myself.
He's grown up so much. [Rin: Think Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicles] Well so have the rest of us. I suppose it's because I didn't see him for sometime. But he changed so much…too much. Still recognisable; I doubt he's the same Syaoran that I saw going off on a plane to Hong Kong.
Would Daidouji Tomoyo come up to the Principal's office? Sensei Mitsune's voice crackled from the intercom.
I looked at Reiko.
'Lucky pig,' she grinned. 'See you at class.' I saw run to the homeroom.
'Daidouji-san, meet Li Syaoran. As I know from Mitsune-san, here, you know of our new student,' the Principal, Kurogane Futasabi, looked at me from under his large square-ish spectacles. I looked back at him and at Syaoran.
He looked even more different up close. His face was now…more— well defined, and was losing some of its boyishness. The dark, brooding amber eyes were the same though.
'I'm sorry but I don't think I've met her in my whole life,' he spoke it the most polite tone. Cracked voice, it sounded deep but not the baritone deep—
Ano—
I frowned. What did he mean by—
'—you don't remember? What do you mean? Syaoran? Kinomoto Sakura? Daidouji Tomoyo? Sasaki Rika? Ring any bell?' I stared at him.
He stared at me as though I had multi-coloured hair.
'No…'
I couldn't say anything else but gape on in disbelief.
What in the world— he didn't remember??
Rin: Finished at last…sorry it took so long…I had mountains of projects to do and my school teachers were agents from hell going after innocent students' brain cells. So anyway, the story is moving very-extremely-fantastically slowly right now…The plot is developing slowly, yes, but surely. I hope you will have the patience to read on…providing it sounds very interesting…I think it does. I hope it does…oh and Syaoran…he looks a lot like the Syaoran in Tsubasa =) all grown up and rather tall and everything x)…I might try to draw…hope my drawing doesn't suck…I can't draw CCS characters very well…
Next chapter coming up soon! Please tell me your opinion of this chapter.