A/N: And here I am with Chapter two.
Disclaimer: I don't own Cardcaptor Sakura
Melody of Tomorrow
Once she reached her room, Sakura breathed heaved a sigh and dropped her backpack to the floor. What a strange day it had been, first with her discovery, the incident in the classroom and then the guy from the park. The sequence of events all felt eerie to her. But there was still that old journal. What did it hold?
Tentatively, she pulled out the dusty journal from her backpack and opened to the first page. Refined writing filled pages and pages. She briefly flipped through the journal, catching random words on the crisp yellow pages. But what really caught her attention were the musical notes for a piano and violin duet. It was titled "Goodbye" arranged by a Xiao Lang Li.
Saku ran over the notes, humming the melody along the way. Roughly, it sounded nice. But what would it really sound like when played all together? She stared at the composition and sighed. She didn't know anyone who could play a violin. But... it would be nice to try out the piano part. The school had an old piano. Maybe she could play it there? It would be worth a try.
The next school day was a normal day. Nothing strange or out of the ordinary happened. After school, Sakura stayed in the music room alone, familiarizing the keys of the old piano and practicing the piece she found the day before. Three hours passed before she got the melody down. Saku glanced at the clock then the window. It was 6:35 p.m. and it was already dark outside. One run through wouldn't hurt. She began playing the piece moderately. The tune sounded empty, as if it was missing something important.
From behind her, a violin cut in and began harmonizing with the piano, forming a new poignant melody and filling the notes with meaning. Sakura was startled, but somehow her fingers flew over the piano keys, running through the composition without hesitation. It was as if something was preventing her from bringing the synchronization to an unexpected halt.
The music was beautiful and touching. Sakura allowed the tune to sweep her thoughts away. She forgot the time, that she was supposed to be alone and that there were no violinists in this school. Slowly and somberly the music came to a crescendo and then receded to a bittersweet end. Minutes passed by and Sakura sat on the black piano seat, still stirred by the poignant melody oblivious to the boy standing behind her. She picked up the composition and grabbed her binder, ready to leave the classroom but halted in surprise and alarm at the suspicious young man standing before her.
He wore jeans and a white t-shirt underneath an ecru jacket, had messy brown hair and bangs that fell slightly over his eyes. He looked about the age of sixteen. Sakura's skin grew cold and clammy. "How... how did he get in here?" she pondered in apprehension.
"...Where did you find that journal?" he asked quietly. His intense eyes gazed at her, and she felt as if he could see right into her thoughts. Suddenly feeling weak and dazed, she shifted on the black seat. His solemn demeanor was quite intimidating.
"Who are you and how did you get in here? The door was locked." She inquired instead of answering.
The boy didn't say anything for a moment, studying her. His hand tightened on the violin and then loosened. "My name is Xiao Lang Li." He replied smoothly. She stared at him uncertainly.
"So, are you going to tell me where you found that book?" the boy demanded.
Maybe she should answer his question. It wouldn't do any harm, would it?
"It was hidden in a cabinet in one of the classrooms."
"... I see." Uneasy silence followed, and Sakura shifted uncomfortably in her seat.
"Li, Xiao Lang... you wrote this piece, this duet. And this is your journal... You were the one following me yesterday." Sakura guessed. Li nodded.
"I've been looking for that book for a very long time."
Sakura gazed that the mysterious boy in front of her, thinking of the journal in her hands. It was really old, probably over fifty years considering the date on the last entry... "You're not alive. You can't be."
"That's right. I've been dead for over fifty years. Every evening I roam the school, searching for my music composition. And now, I've finally found it." Xiao Lang turned from the piano to his faithful violin and bow.
"I guess you'll be wanting this back then?" Sakura asked, holding up the old journal. Li shook his head.
"Actually, I don't. I just wanted to see my piece again and play it one time before I leave for good."
"I don't understand," Sakura said, "all you wanted was to play your music? Why? And how did you die?"
"I wrote it after my girlfriend died, hence the title, Goodbye. I died after writing that piece at my own hands. It was my intention to play the piece in honor of my love, however it was stolen. And in my misery, well, I decided I couldn't face another day of suffocation."
"But, now that I've found my music, I can just play it and leave at last. I just need someone to play the piano part..."
Saku stared at the boy in front of her. Perhaps spending all that time alone and concentrating on playing the music had tired her out, and she was hallucinating. While waiting for Saku's response to his tale, Xiao Lang ran through a scale on his violin. Maybe it wasn't a hallucination after all.
"Can I help you with the piano part?" Sakura asked finally. Xiao Lang looked up, blinking a couple of times before answering.
"You want to help me?" he queried in slight surprise. Saku smiled.
"Sure. Besides, I think I've got the notes down. Let's run through this music from the beginning."
Xiao Lang nodded in agreement and readied his violin and bow. Once more, Sakura took up the piano, beginning the heartrending song. After three measures, Li took his queue and moderately played his violin. His notes weaved through the piano notes, as if answering a call, creating a beautiful sound. It was the most original piece that Sakura had ever heard, and reminded her of a lonely autumn day. The song seemed to come from her own heart. When the music ended, she took a deep breath and turned around.
Li was smiling. He looked from the carpet to Sang and remained quiet. He may not have been saying anything, but she could tell through his eyes, he was thanking her silently.
"Xiao-" Sang began to speak but stopped. Xiao Lang was disappearing.
He laughed lightly as he observed at his hand. "I'm leaving."
"But what about your journal; your music? What am I supposed to do with it?" Sakura asked frantically, half worried that he'd disappear before she got her answer.
"I really don't care. Keep it. I don't need it anymore." Li replied simply. "Uh, by the way, I never did catch your name. What is it?"
"Sakura. Everyone calls me Sakura."
Xiao Lang cracked a grin. "Well, then Sakura, thank you for finding my journal and helping me play my music."
Saku nodded and watched calmly as Li departed. She picked up the journal from the piano and held it in her hands. She breathed in deeply. Her arm suddenly felt heavy and numb.
"Huh?"
Sakura struggled to open her eyes and sat up from her bed, rubbing her right arm quickly. For a moment, it felt like rubber, ready to twist and flop over. She then realized that the blood circulation to her arm had been blocked. Hmm, where was she? Her bed? So everything had really been a dream? Sleepily, Saku hauled the blankets off of her and stretched and yawned. She got up and turned to the clock on her nightstand.
6:25 A.M. it read. What was that beside her clock? A notebook? She picked it up and opened it right to a certain page filled with music notes. The journal...
And that's the end of this fic, I think. Unless I decide to write more? It really was short wasn't it? I was thinking about extending it but right now I'm feeling a bit tired. So with all said, please review. I'd really appreciate it. See ya around!
-Sang
Disclaimer: I don't own Cardcaptor Sakura
Melody of Tomorrow
Once she reached her room, Sakura breathed heaved a sigh and dropped her backpack to the floor. What a strange day it had been, first with her discovery, the incident in the classroom and then the guy from the park. The sequence of events all felt eerie to her. But there was still that old journal. What did it hold?
Tentatively, she pulled out the dusty journal from her backpack and opened to the first page. Refined writing filled pages and pages. She briefly flipped through the journal, catching random words on the crisp yellow pages. But what really caught her attention were the musical notes for a piano and violin duet. It was titled "Goodbye" arranged by a Xiao Lang Li.
Saku ran over the notes, humming the melody along the way. Roughly, it sounded nice. But what would it really sound like when played all together? She stared at the composition and sighed. She didn't know anyone who could play a violin. But... it would be nice to try out the piano part. The school had an old piano. Maybe she could play it there? It would be worth a try.
The next school day was a normal day. Nothing strange or out of the ordinary happened. After school, Sakura stayed in the music room alone, familiarizing the keys of the old piano and practicing the piece she found the day before. Three hours passed before she got the melody down. Saku glanced at the clock then the window. It was 6:35 p.m. and it was already dark outside. One run through wouldn't hurt. She began playing the piece moderately. The tune sounded empty, as if it was missing something important.
From behind her, a violin cut in and began harmonizing with the piano, forming a new poignant melody and filling the notes with meaning. Sakura was startled, but somehow her fingers flew over the piano keys, running through the composition without hesitation. It was as if something was preventing her from bringing the synchronization to an unexpected halt.
The music was beautiful and touching. Sakura allowed the tune to sweep her thoughts away. She forgot the time, that she was supposed to be alone and that there were no violinists in this school. Slowly and somberly the music came to a crescendo and then receded to a bittersweet end. Minutes passed by and Sakura sat on the black piano seat, still stirred by the poignant melody oblivious to the boy standing behind her. She picked up the composition and grabbed her binder, ready to leave the classroom but halted in surprise and alarm at the suspicious young man standing before her.
He wore jeans and a white t-shirt underneath an ecru jacket, had messy brown hair and bangs that fell slightly over his eyes. He looked about the age of sixteen. Sakura's skin grew cold and clammy. "How... how did he get in here?" she pondered in apprehension.
"...Where did you find that journal?" he asked quietly. His intense eyes gazed at her, and she felt as if he could see right into her thoughts. Suddenly feeling weak and dazed, she shifted on the black seat. His solemn demeanor was quite intimidating.
"Who are you and how did you get in here? The door was locked." She inquired instead of answering.
The boy didn't say anything for a moment, studying her. His hand tightened on the violin and then loosened. "My name is Xiao Lang Li." He replied smoothly. She stared at him uncertainly.
"So, are you going to tell me where you found that book?" the boy demanded.
Maybe she should answer his question. It wouldn't do any harm, would it?
"It was hidden in a cabinet in one of the classrooms."
"... I see." Uneasy silence followed, and Sakura shifted uncomfortably in her seat.
"Li, Xiao Lang... you wrote this piece, this duet. And this is your journal... You were the one following me yesterday." Sakura guessed. Li nodded.
"I've been looking for that book for a very long time."
Sakura gazed that the mysterious boy in front of her, thinking of the journal in her hands. It was really old, probably over fifty years considering the date on the last entry... "You're not alive. You can't be."
"That's right. I've been dead for over fifty years. Every evening I roam the school, searching for my music composition. And now, I've finally found it." Xiao Lang turned from the piano to his faithful violin and bow.
"I guess you'll be wanting this back then?" Sakura asked, holding up the old journal. Li shook his head.
"Actually, I don't. I just wanted to see my piece again and play it one time before I leave for good."
"I don't understand," Sakura said, "all you wanted was to play your music? Why? And how did you die?"
"I wrote it after my girlfriend died, hence the title, Goodbye. I died after writing that piece at my own hands. It was my intention to play the piece in honor of my love, however it was stolen. And in my misery, well, I decided I couldn't face another day of suffocation."
"But, now that I've found my music, I can just play it and leave at last. I just need someone to play the piano part..."
Saku stared at the boy in front of her. Perhaps spending all that time alone and concentrating on playing the music had tired her out, and she was hallucinating. While waiting for Saku's response to his tale, Xiao Lang ran through a scale on his violin. Maybe it wasn't a hallucination after all.
"Can I help you with the piano part?" Sakura asked finally. Xiao Lang looked up, blinking a couple of times before answering.
"You want to help me?" he queried in slight surprise. Saku smiled.
"Sure. Besides, I think I've got the notes down. Let's run through this music from the beginning."
Xiao Lang nodded in agreement and readied his violin and bow. Once more, Sakura took up the piano, beginning the heartrending song. After three measures, Li took his queue and moderately played his violin. His notes weaved through the piano notes, as if answering a call, creating a beautiful sound. It was the most original piece that Sakura had ever heard, and reminded her of a lonely autumn day. The song seemed to come from her own heart. When the music ended, she took a deep breath and turned around.
Li was smiling. He looked from the carpet to Sang and remained quiet. He may not have been saying anything, but she could tell through his eyes, he was thanking her silently.
"Xiao-" Sang began to speak but stopped. Xiao Lang was disappearing.
He laughed lightly as he observed at his hand. "I'm leaving."
"But what about your journal; your music? What am I supposed to do with it?" Sakura asked frantically, half worried that he'd disappear before she got her answer.
"I really don't care. Keep it. I don't need it anymore." Li replied simply. "Uh, by the way, I never did catch your name. What is it?"
"Sakura. Everyone calls me Sakura."
Xiao Lang cracked a grin. "Well, then Sakura, thank you for finding my journal and helping me play my music."
Saku nodded and watched calmly as Li departed. She picked up the journal from the piano and held it in her hands. She breathed in deeply. Her arm suddenly felt heavy and numb.
"Huh?"
Sakura struggled to open her eyes and sat up from her bed, rubbing her right arm quickly. For a moment, it felt like rubber, ready to twist and flop over. She then realized that the blood circulation to her arm had been blocked. Hmm, where was she? Her bed? So everything had really been a dream? Sleepily, Saku hauled the blankets off of her and stretched and yawned. She got up and turned to the clock on her nightstand.
6:25 A.M. it read. What was that beside her clock? A notebook? She picked it up and opened it right to a certain page filled with music notes. The journal...
And that's the end of this fic, I think. Unless I decide to write more? It really was short wasn't it? I was thinking about extending it but right now I'm feeling a bit tired. So with all said, please review. I'd really appreciate it. See ya around!
-Sang