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||| I Should Have Known |||
by: Kinomoto G - General Patronage
Disclaimer: Sakura, Kaho, Tomoyo, Xiao Lang and the rest of the CCS gang is copyrighted by CLAMP. This is just a fanwork made by a fan for fans.
Author's Notes: Again, thanks for the reviews ^_^. Sorry for 'lying' about Stars. I just wanted to write this story's next chapter. Hehehe...something deep inside of me tells that I must leave you a nifty cliff-hanger in Stars. Har! Har!
Yes, I am evil. The prom dance practices made me evil. Wohohoho...on to the story!

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"The library has collected lots of books.
No matter which book it is, each describes something
Very beautiful which is impossible to see in the world.
However, when you fall for someone, the reality itself
Is more beautiful than the story."

-Kyoichi, Boys Be...

Chapter Two: My Story

I am a reader. A very obsessed reader of stories. Stories that won't happen in reality.

But how I wish...it will. Really...especially to me who seemed to be not contented with life given to me. I tend to like it though but I something...something is missing.

Actually, when did I started reading rather have interest in reading? I do not remember much but when I was a little girl, when I still can't read anything, I just felt I've awaken one day searching for something beyond I have. And then that day, Kaho-oneesan told me a story about Aurora the 'Sleeping Beauty'.

"...and then after a hundred years of sleeping," she paused, staring at young Sakura's eyes that is full of eagerness and innocence. "the Prince came and gave her the kiss of true love. The kiss the woke her up from her dreams. The kiss that fulfilled her heart...empty for one hundred and sixteen years. The whole kingdom then waken...everyone in the kingdom regained its life. Not long after..."

"What happened, Kaho-oneesan?" Sakura interrupted with a big smile on her face. "What happened?"

"We are getting there Sakura," she smiled, moving herself closer to the little one. She placed her arm on Sakura's shoulder and proceeded. "Princess Aurora and her gallant prince married each other and had a family of their own...yes, they lived happily ever after."

"Happily ever after?" Sakura scratched her head.

"It means they were never sad ever since," Kaho explained carefully. "They never felt sorrow and pain in their hearts."

"Sorrow and pain," Sakura repeated dreamily, imagining a prince would really come for her. "Never again..."

"But of course," Kaho cut short Sakura's daydreaming. "That is just a story, a fairy tale, a fiction..."

"Fiction?"

"Written works that never happened," Kaho explained kindly. "Created from an author's imagination."

"If it isn't real," Sakura's smile vanished. "Then...why did someone wrote it? Why are people reading it? Is the imagination of the author important."

"Because," Kaho sighed. "In my opinion, reading fiction stories are made by authors to...um...show what else is beyond our world. What else is there to find. Fictional stories also shows us good traits that young girl like you can follow. Also, in those stories our inner most dream will come true especially in fairy tales..."

Kaho stopped looking at Sakura's confused expression. She chuckled a bit at the child's expression.

"What is funny, Kaho-oneesan?" Sakura questioned.

"Oh, why am I telling this to you?" she breathed heavily then smiled. "You are just five years old and you cannot probably understand this."

Sakura ignored what she have said and inquired, "Can...can fairy tales..." she whispered. "Can it come true...?"

"Oh, you ask to much questions," she gasped. She got up from Sakura's bed and walked to the door. "But now...light's off! Sleep well, Sakura." she grinned and turned off the lights.

The sound of the closed door followed.

"It will," Sakura whispered to herself. "I know it will. My prince would come and we will live happily ever after. But...I'll bring Kaho-oneesan with me so the three of us shall be happy together."

"Happily ever after."

Yes, probably that is it. I strived hard with my hiragana, katakana and worst of all...kanji! I know my alphabet in English though, but I am still having a hard time reading it. Whatever.

If I do not need to practice with my batons in cheerleading club, I often go to the library and read some books. Queens, dragons, swordfight and blood...

Do you get the picture?

I wanted to have my own story. No, I do not mean written ones. But the true story of my own true love.

Corny, you may say. Nevertheless, I know you yearn for that too.

But I do not ask for my first love story to go on like this!

Tomoyo and I were already outside the concert area. Thousands of people were already outside. I think three-fourths are girly girls screaming, one-eighth are males (boys won't probably go gaga over a twelve year old, or maybe they could be but are just to ashamed to admit it) and another one eighth for girls like me and Tomoyo---quiet and reserved but still very eager to see him rock.

Finally, we saw him in his uber-cool bottle green limo---very suave, spotless and glistening. His car is just about like him.

Or is it?

For a second I saw him in his car wearing a dark, sexy tuxedo completed with his black tie on the neck. I mean in my mind, I went, "Wow---this is it! I finally saw my idol! I could have died and had gone to heaven!" However, after that I thought that what I just said is wrong. In his music videos, interviews and album he is always glowing with happiness and he seemed to portray a child-like innocence as well.

But no.

It can't be him for even in that one second of seeing him...he was scowling, his brown eyes are deep and seemed not to care about the world. He wasn't smiling either for his lips are curled into a 'scowl'. Of course, with that his glow of happiness isn't there either. My heart then beat since I could only feel his emptiness and gloomy.

Really empty and gloomy.

Thousands of his fans just cheered, even the members of the male specimens. I just erased that thought from my mind, thinking that it was nothing but my imagination.

Truly, I hope that it was just my imagination so I called happily, "Tomoyo-chan, he is here!"

Can't remember much the net scenes except that my pop idol, Li Xiao Lang, pushed the door of his bottle-green limo and ran to me and Tomoyo. He looked at as back and forth quickly as his security and thousands of people mixed together at the sight of him.

"XIAO HUAN!" he shouted, amidst the crowd. "Come with me!"

Tomoyo and I shrugged and went, "Eh?" Just who is this man talking to? I mean I am Sakura and Tomoyo is Tomoyo. He was just looking at the both of us.

He exhaled and pulled Tomoyo's hand amidst the crowd. A member of Li's security is fast approaching to grab his master from my friend's hand. I speed up to that sneaky man and pulled Xiao Lang's hand. The three of us are being trailed with hundreds of men in just three seconds.

I do not know why I am doing this. I am just totally---um, totally insane! As if I wanted to go out of here with my friend and I, I wanted to help my idol from his emptiness. Hey, now that I am talking about it, that is exactly what I am doing a few moments ago.

In one small corner, I just pulled them there and hid in the dark. It takes a while for me to check if the coast is clear. I waited patiently for all the noise of the crowd to disappear.

"I think it is okay now," I said. "Um...Li-san please remove your coat. We might be recognized with that. And your tie too, please."

I do not exactly knew if he followed my instruction. Heck, I do not know if he can speak in Japanese.

Pulling him from the dark, I just realized that...Yes, he did removed his coat and another big yes for the removal of his silky black tie.

However there is something missing!

TOMOYO IS MISSING!

"Hoeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!" I screamed. "Where is Tomoyo-chan?"

"Hoe?" he repeated scowling still.

"Eh...how am I going to explain 'hoe'?" I said, wondering. "Um...it is just my expression when I get to much in my feelings---whether I am happy, sad, angry, anxious..."

He stared like me like I am a total idiot.

"Oh sorry," I apologized, kind of afraid with his expression. "C-can you...understand me?"

He nodded. He was still scowling but at least he understands me.

"Wonderful to hear that," I gave him my fake smile. "But did you see Tomoyo, you know...the girl with long hair...the one you pulled out of the crowd minutes ago."

"Xiao Huan?" he asked.

"No," I gasped. "Her name is not Xiao Huan, her name is Daidoji Tomoyo. She is my best friend."

"Not Xiao Huan?" he again asked, reassuringly.

"Yes, she is not 'Xiao Huan'?"

"Are you sure?" the look on his face silently draws that if I am lying, I'll be automatically dead.

"Yes, I am." I smiled nervously. "But where is she?"

"Her hands slipped in the crowds?" he answered. "I dunno..."

"WHAT?!"

"How old is she?" he asked, ignoring my question.

"Twelve," I answered, hoping that she'll be safe. "She'll be thirteen in September, though."

"Thirteen?" he asked once again. "Not fifteen?"

"No...I am older than her," I replied. "My birthday is tomorrow."

"Happy Birthday," he coldly said.

"Thank you," I gave him my deepest gratitude, bowing. "But now...we have to find Tomoyo-chan."

"She is really dead," he unconsciously whispered.

'Who is dead?"

"You will be," he retorted, still scowling. "If you won't show me around here,"

He smiled. I finally saw him smiling for real.

"Li-san," I said happily. "I hope you will always be like that."

"Like what?"

"I hope that you will always smile." I gave him a warm smile as well.

"Well...um," his cheeks turned red. God, he was very cute!

"Then I'll show you my favorite spot in Tokyo."

I decided to take him to the top of our apartment. I can see the whole Tokyo from there. Glad, that no one recognized him. I mean, with those black slacks and white polo button-down shirt he looks just like an ordinary Japanese school boy.

Or probably an ordinary Japanese waiter. Hehe...just kidding.

"Everything here...seems so beautiful..." he gasped.

"That is why I love this place," I explained. "No problems, no pain and I feel so much in ease here."

Suddenly, the wind blew hard. It is spring, but the wind is icy.

Just like winter.

"You feel cold, don't you?" he wrapped me in his arms from behind. It was indeed a surprise, plus his arms are warm. "Don't worry. Wait, what is your name?"

"Kinomoto Sakura," I answered, also blushing. This is better than winning a 'date Li Xiao Lang'.

"Thank you," I added, blushing even more.

No, I was wrong saying that I do not ask for my first love story to go on like this because, this is everything that I wanted.

That is...if he does love me.

But I, myself isn't sure with my feelings. Come to think of it, I am only twelve and I just met him now.

Cliché as it sounds but...

Who knows?

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Author's Notes: Hehe...what a fun chapter to write. I really, really love this one. Just never been to Tokyo so there may be a little or big errors in it. Bear with me, I never even been away from the island of Luzon, Philippines! But now, it seems that five chapter isn't enough for this one. So...watch out!

Please again, review (or constructively flame). You've come a long way reading this ^_^....

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