I Love Her? I Love Her Not?
By: PnAiXr0sE8
Disclaimer: I don't own CSS.
~~~~~
Chapter 11: Adults Explain
"OWW!!" Syaoran yelped.
Sakura giggled. "Oh Syaoran, grow up."
"Do you have to put all those stuff on it?" Syaoran said scowling.
"Yes. It'll hurt more if I didn't," Sakura replied.
It was the morning after the 'Katana incident' and Sakura had insisted to bandage up Syaoran's wounded leg. She would've have done it the night before but they had fallen asleep almost immediately when they had gotten home.
"Okay. Done!" Sakura said.
Syaoran sighed. "Good. Why did you insist on bandaging it? It'll heal in a few weeks."
"Well I don't want you to limp so much when you meet the Elders in a couple of minutes," Sakura replied.
Syaoran stared at her with a questioning look.
Sakura blinked. "What?"
Syaoran gave her a sorrowful smile. "Sakura, you don't have to keep me from seeing the Elders. I'll back home soon."
Sakura looked at the interesting carpet. "You won't be home soon enough. I want to spend every minute of my day with you, Syaoran," she whispered to herself.
"Hmm? Did you say something?" Syaoran asked as he put on his shoes.
Sakura forced a smile. "Nope, nothing."
"Oh."
A couple of minutes passed silently.
Syaoran got up, checking the mirror if he looked all right. "Well, I've better be going."
As he walked to the door he stopped, his back still to Sakura. "Don't worry, Sakura. I'll be home soon, maybe around 2'o'clock. It's 11 in the morning right now. Other than this meeting, I cleared my whole day, just to be with you."
After this he exited the room and shut the door behind him with a soft click.
Sakura looked at the closed door and sighed. 'Syaoran knows how I feel. He wants to be there for me before Katana shows up again. So he's spending time with me.'
Still looking at the closed door, she muttered, "Syaoran, how can you act like nothing's wrong, like nothing happened yesterday? How can you act like nothing's going to change, when everything is?"
~~~~~
Kozue drummed her fingers on her desk and impatiently looked at the clock. 10:30.
The teacher was yet again droning on and on. Luckily he didn't notice Kozue not paying attention since she was all the way in the back.
She was nervously waiting for lunch to come. She, Himiko, Shun, Toji, and Zak were supposed to meet. Lunch was the only time that all the classes in junior highs school had free time at the same time as the high school. It would be their first meeting with all of them there, except Kumei.
'Too bad that Kumei goes to another school. I'm sure she'll be asking questions later though. But she and Toji really hit it off. Toji doesn't even know that Kumei is in 7th grade! Wait…I can't think about this right now. I have something really important to ask them-'
Her musings were interrupted as she heard girls screeching. She looked out the window and tried to hold in a grin. The seventh graders were having P.E. outside and she could clearly see them since the only thing that was separated them was a fence. She stifled a laugh. They were playing one on one basketball. Shun was dribbling the ball as his opponent tried to steal it. But he maneuvered it professionally. The girls were screaming, "Go Li!!" "Ahh!!! Li!!!" at the sidelines. Himiko was there too since she was in his class, but she didn't scream in a high pitch, annoying voice like the others. She just smiled, staring intently at Shun. Kozue found it highly amusing.
'I still don't get what's happening with Ryu…or is it Katana? Hmm…' These questions haunted her as she momentarily forgot the amusing sight of Shun trying hard to impress Himiko.
~~~~~
Shun felt nervous as he dribbled the ball. It was not because the girls were cheering noisily for him, nor was it because the guys glared at him for taking up all the attention. In fact he concluded that it was the least boisterous person in the crowd that made him feel like this. Himiko. She had been intently staring at him, just smiling that small smile of hers. He knew this because he unconsciously kept glancing back to her. He was so nervous that he actually considered that from the thirteen years of his life, he felt that his most nervous times were when Himiko fixed her soft azure eyes on him. Whenever Shun felt her eyes on him, he felt so self-conscious. But right now, he wanted more than anything to win this small basketball game.
He looked determinedly to the basketball hoop, his hair covering his eyes. The teacher had said that the person that scored three baskets in wins. Right now both Shun had scored two while his opponent scored one. One more basket and he would win.
Shun stopped beyond the three-point line. He threw the ball professionally to the hoop, while at the same time he felt his arm hurting like crazy. He winced. He forgot about his arm. His mother had bandaged it up good and it had stopped bleeding, but it still hurt even though it wasn't deep. Right after he threw the ball, he quickly clutched his arm, unnoticed by anyone.
*swish* The ball went in.
The gym teacher blew his whistle. *TWEEEEEEEEEEEEET* "Great job, Li! That was very impressive."
Shun gave an emotionless look. "…thanks…" he said still clutching his arm.
"All right. P.E. is over!"
All the kids walked to the school. But Shun stayed behind.
'Did it start bleeding again? Should I bandage it up?' he thought walking towards the school.
"Why don't you go to the nurse and check, Shun?" a melodious voice said behind him.
"Himiko."
She smiled, her wavy blackish bluish hair shining and looking soft. Then she walked to him and grabbed his other arm, the one that wasn't hurt and started dragging him to a different entrance.
"Where are you two going? Get back to class," the teacher said.
"I'm sorry. I have to bring Li here to the nurse," Himiko stated.
The teacher eyed them as though he didn't trust them together. He had heard rather interesting rumors about Hiiragazawa and Li being a couple.
He sighed. "Okay then."
Himiko and Shun scurried to the nurse's.
"…Eh? Himiko…what're you doing? I'm fine, really," Shun protested as Himiko sat him down on the small informatory couch.
"Nonsense. I think it might have started bleeding again. You were using your right arm as you were playing basketball," Himiko said as she sat next to him.
Shun furrowed his eyebrows. "I'm fine really."
Himiko sighed. "Look, you were badly hurt last night. And I felt so useless then. Right now, I have actually done something for you."
"B-But…"
Himiko tapped her foot impatiently. "Where's that nurse? How is someone supposed to be treated here?"
"Himiko…what's wrong?"
She bit her lip. 'Do you want to know what's wrong? I'll tell you what's wrong. Last night, I almost lost you, Shun!' Although she wanted to speak her thoughts, she kept it silent. She also wanted to tell him that she had yet again had that dream last night when she slept, the one about being controlled. But she couldn't tell him.
"Nothing," she replied.
Shun looked at her with quizzical eyes. Something was wrong. Was it the same reason as before or something else?
Himiko went over to the cabinet. "There were bandages here last time…aha!"
She took the roll of bandages and sat next to Shun again. Carefully she rolled up Shun's right arm sleeve and gently unrolled the bandage his mother had put on him.
"Your mom already put stuff on the wound already, right?" Himiko asked.
Shun nodded. "She put umm…these stuff…that kinda stung…"
Himiko giggled. "Okay. So I'll just put a new bandage on."
Shun turned red at the touch of Himiko gentle hands as she put on a new bandage.
"There! All finished. Hehe…I feel like a mother," Himiko said. Then with a very motherly voice she said, "Would you like me to kiss it, to make it heal fast, Shun-kun?"
Shun stammered. "Wha?! W-Well…uhh…"
Before he could say any more, Himiko leaned down and kissed the bandage.
She giggled.
Shun stared at her. He could clearly see through the smiley, happy face of hers. Inside, she was lost, saddened and confused.
Himiko saw that he saw through her mask and a silent moment passed through them.
"Why do you have to hide, Himiko? Tell me what's wrong," Shun said unexpectedly.
Himiko was silent and avoided his eyes.
Shun sighed, knowing better than invade her privacy. "It's okay, Himiko, if you'd rather keep it inside, I'm okay with that. I'm just afraid you'll hurt yourself somehow when you bottle up your feelings like that."
"What about you? You bottle up your feelings all the time," she accused.
Shun blinked in confusion.
Just then the nurse walked in.
She was surprised to see them there. "Oh my! I'm so sorry, I'm helping a student who sprained her ankle," she said as she helped a girl in the eighth grade who was limping.
The nurse saw Shun's bandage and quickly a worried face took over. "Are you okay, Li?"
Himiko smiled. "I hope you don't mind, but he got hurt back at his house yesterday and it started bleeding again today so I bandaged it up for him."
The nurse's worried expression faded into a relieved one. "Ah…I see. That's quite all right, Himiko. What wouldn't I do without you? You've always helped whenever you've had the time. You're good at everything."
'She is good at everything…' Shun thought.
Himiko's face turned red with embarrassment. "I-It's all right."
"Well, you two better get back to class. I'll tell your teachers where you've been. Go now," the nurse said smiling.
~~~~~
Syaoran stood in front of the Elders in a dim room. A table was in front of him and he nervously fidgeted.
"Li Syaoran," a voice boomed, "as Li Clan leader, I suspect you know who that extremely powerful aura had belonged to last night."
Syaoran nodded. "Yes."
"Good," another voice said, "Who did it belong to?"
"Katana."
"What?!" a couple of voices uttered.
"It is true."
"How can this be? You must certainly be mistaken. Katana is surely trapped in the dimension of the Cards right now."
Syaoran responded calmly. "His soul has somehow escaped and is now currently controlling a young boy."
Murmurs filled the room. "And I also trust that you know why the very aura of Katana's pains us when we have no physical contact at all with him?"
"I am not exactly sure, but Katana has said that he has built up a strong hatred to the Lis, and that his aura has gotten stronger. He stated that his aura can actually hurt a Li whenever one feels his aura. I myself felt a headache when I first noticed he appeared.
"Do you know who the young boy he is controlling is?" one Elder asked.
Syaoran hesitated. Would they believe him if he said that the young boy was the son of his cousin? The cousin that he extremely had a rivalry with?
"Xiao Lang!"
Syaoran sighed. "He is…Li Ryu."
Surprised faces stared back at him as he said those words.
"A Li?!"
Syaoran nodded.
"In order for any soul to take over any human, the human has to willingly let the soul. Surely a Li would have more sense than that."
Syaoran sighed. He knew they wouldn't believe him. "It's the truth, Elders."
Murmurs once more enveloped the room. "Li Ryu? Yurushi's son?"
Syaoran nodded.
"Yurushi the person whom you have quite a rivalry with? Your own cousin? Surely this is false information."
Syaoran stood there. "Believe what you want. I know it was Ryu," he said rather boldly. He was getting quite sick of this interrogation.
The Elders raised their eyebrows at Syaoran's response.
"You're losing it Li Syaoran. We should pick a new Li Clan Leader if you behave as badly as that. And further more, one who lies about his cousin's son!"
Syaroan slammed his hand on the table in front of him and angrily retorted, "I don't care if you don't believe me, I don't care if you think I'm a bad leader because maybe I am, but you cannot find any Li who will willingly become the leader since Katana has appeared. No Li would want to kill himself and leave their family! And if there was, I wouldn't let them become the Leader because if you believe it or not, I care for this clan and for everyone in it. And that's not because I want to be the Leader. It's because I don't want anyone to go through pain as I have before! So even if you insult me, condemn me, criticize me, and say many other things about me just because I became the Li Leader at the youngest age anyone has ever been, I will not allow you to control me as you all have been doing! I am the damn Li Leader, and though I do admit that I became the Clan Leader when I was a teenager, I'm grown up now! And I know you started to disapprove of me when I didn't become Master of the Clow Cards, and that I married and had children with the person who did become the Cardmistress. I know you disapprove in many things that I do and I know you disapprove of what I'm saying right now. But I think as Leader, I get to decide on at least some things," he finished gritting his teeth.
The Elders looked down on him in dismay. But Yelan who was watching all this shook her head. 'Why does Xiao Lang have to be so stubborn?! I told him specifically to keep his answers short and simple.'
Syaoran hoped this questioning would end but the interrogation continued.
~~~~~
The lunch bell rang. Kozue was the first one out of the room.
'Finally!'
As she ran through the halls someone called out her name.
"Hey, Kozue!"
She turned around and there was Zak.
Zak laughed as he caught up. "You're looking kinda in a hurry."
"Good, you're here. Let's go." Kozue grabbed his arm and rushed out to the yard.
~~~~~
"Why did Kozue want us to meet?" Toji asked Shun and Himiko as they stood by their usual meeting place.
"I doubt it's to just hang out and eat lunch," Himiko said she was serenely drawing an ocean landscape for art class.
Toji looked over at the drawing. It was really good. It had a sunset and the waves looked so real.
'She's good at everything…hmm…Okaa-san told me that her parents were really good at everything and got straight A's. Both her father and mother are really good at drawing too. Himiko's mom also likes taking videos and singing while her dad likes to play the piano. Hmm…Himiko seems to have both of that. Except she just likes taking snap shots and she plays the violin. She gets straight A's too. Wow…that's really impressive. I wonder if Shun knows how good Himiko is at everything. Hehe I wonder if Shun feels he's not good enough for her. Heheheh…' Toji thought holding in a chuckle.
Shun grunted. He was leaning against the tree. "She wants to ask us something about Katana…or Ryu…whoever it is…"
"But Kumei isn't here. Shouldn't Kozue ask when she's here also? I mean, she does know about it," Toji said.
Himiko giggled, looking up from her picture. "Aww…you just want her here, don't you!"
Toji felt the blood rush to his face. "Wh-What?! Ahem…well…okay okay…that's true…"
Himiko's eyes sparkled. "Kawaii!"
Toji grinned. "At least I admit it when I like a girl…*cough*Shun*cough*"
Himiko laughed. "You know Shun would never admit that he likes someone."
Shun looked at them in disgust. "I would so!"
Himiko and Toji looked at each other and stifled their laughs.
Shun's eyes narrowed. "I WOULD!! I'm no coward!"
Toji's eyebrow rose. 'Yes…another chance for them!'
Toji cleared his throat. "If you're not such a coward, tell us right now who you like."
Shun's ears turned red. "…"
Himiko frowned. 'He likes someone?'
Toji slapped his hand on Shun's back. "C'mon man, you can say it."
Shun did nothing but turned to the other way.
Toji grinned. "At least we know he likes someone!"
"You guys are helpless, talking about crushes. How 'Junior High,'" Kozue stated as she dragged Zak behind her.
Shun crossed his arms in front of him. "You should talk."
Kozue turned bright pink.
Himiko laughed. "That's right! You always talk about him."
Zak grinned. "Oooh…tell me, tell me! I'll have blackmail!"
Shun grunted. "You just want to know cuz then you'll be able to beat the guy's ass. Unfortunately, you can't beat the guy's ass cuz the guy is y-"
Kozue quickly covered her little brother's mouth and sweat dropped.
Zak frowned and turned to Kozue. "Cute brother. Is this the one every girl in the junior high falls for? I guess looks can be deceiving."
Shun said "Hmph" as everyone else laughed.
"Well, what did you want to talk about?" Himiko asked going back to her picture.
Kozue sighed. "First of all Zak, you have to promise that you won't tell anyone about what happened."
Zak nodded.
"And second of all, our parents are keeping something from us," Kozue stated.
Everyone nodded. Zak listened even though he still didn't know what was going on. He was just happy that Kozue had trusted him with her secret.
"I agree. My parents didn't talk about it at all last night," Toji added.
"The only clue we have is about Katana. Is it about him?" Himiko asked.
Kozue shrugged. "It can be about anything. I just hope they tell us cuz if it involves them, it involves us no matter what."
"I know something," Shun said.
"What? What is it?" they all asked eagerly.
"The person we faced yesterday wasn't Ryu."
The rest of them looked at each other with confused faces.
Shun continued. "Ryu acted really different. It couldn't have been him. Besides, his aura felt different and his magic was more powerful for a kid. When the parents came last night, they called him 'Katana' not 'Ryu.' Didn't any of you hear that last night?"
Kozue brought her finger to her chin in thought. "Well, I started having a really bad headache so I couldn't really hear…"
"But even I didn't hear anything that was going on. I guess the bubble we were trapped in was sound proof or something," Zak added.
"Well, I'm pretty sure that Ryu wasn't there…or maybe his body was there but it was being controlled by something…no Li can have an aura that strong, so strong that people get hurt from it," Shun said.
"That's another thing that's been on my mind," Toji began, "How can his aura hurt us? I'm with Shun, no way can Ryu be that dangerous. Besides, he's just a kid. A measly 7th grader."
Shun and Himiko stared at Toji. "We're measly 7th graders. And if you didn't know, Kumei is a 7th grader too."
Toji blushed. "K-Kumei..? Oh…n-nevermind…"
"Ugh! Stay focused on the topic please!" Kozue said impatiently.
Toji chuckled. 'I guess both Shun and Kozue got their tempers from their father. Although, Kozue has a more of a happy mood most of the type. This whole Ryu/Katana thing must really be bothering her.'
Shun raised an eyebrow at Kozue. "Are you okay, onee-san?"
"Onee-san?" Zak asked blinking.
Kozue smiled. "It means older sister in Japanese. He always says that if he feels that I'm feeling down," she said.
Zak gave him a crooked smile. "I guess he's better than I thought."
Kozue nodded. "I guess so…"
'I guess he does have a soft side. You were right Himiko,' Kozue thought.
Shun cleared his throat. "I'd like it if you guys didn't talk about me like I wasn't here," he growled.
Toji however had a rare serious look on his face. "Wait…Why didn't we know about Katana before? This is pretty serious. We have to make the parents tell."
Everyone agreed.
"I still don't get one thing…for any spirit or soul to take over a human, the spirit has to be strong but the human must also willingly let the spirit take over. Katana couldn't have taken over Ryu so easily," Shun mused.
"Do you think Katana bribed him to agree? What if Katana promised Ryu something that he really wanted?" Himiko suggested.
"That could be the possibility," Kozue said.
But Shun was still deep in thought. 'But what would Ryu want? What can Katana offer him?' A sick realization flooded him as he stared at the angelic girl next to him who was finishing up her picture of an ocean view. 'Ryu likes Himiko…and Ryu hates me…Himiko's the reason he fell in to Katana so easily! Katana must've promised that she'd be his. And that I would be out of the way…I won't let HImiko go so easily…'
"Shun? Are you okay? You look like you've seen a ghost," Himiko said.
"…"
Suddenly the bell rang signaling that lunch was over.
"AHH!!! I didn't even eat my lunch!!!!!" Kozue complained as she ran to her next class. "I'll see you guys later!!!"
~~~~~
Sakura hummed gently as she did the laundry. Kero was playing video games with Suppi at Eriol's house. And she had given the maids a day off so that she'd have something to do to take her mind off things.
Sakura, having done the laundry, the dusting and the vacuuming already, she started cooking for the kids who'd be home around 3:00. Even though the back door was behind her, she heard the keys turning at the door, then the door creaking open and gently slamming shut again. Sakura smiled slightly. Even though it was well around 2:30, she was glad Syaoran was home. She didn't bother turning around. She could feel Syaoran walking towards her. Suddenly she felt arms around her waist and Syaoran's head lying lazily on her shoulder.
"Sorry I'm late," Syaoran said into her ear tiredly.
Sakura smiled. "It's fine. Don't worry about it," she said her eyes still on the food she was cooking, "Did the meeting go well?"
Syaoran held his breath. He couldn't tell her it went bad."…I-It went fine…"
"Oh."
"Well, should we go, Sakura?"
Sakura nodded. "As soon as I'm done with this."
"Okay…smells good…where are the kids?"
"They should be home any minute."
As if on cue they heard the door opening once more and several feet stepping in. Along with the footsteps there was also the arguing.
"-C'mon Shun!! You've got to tell her soon!!"
"For the last time, shut up, Toji!!!"
"Wow, you have a nice house, Kozue."
"Thanks…"
"Thanks for carrying my poster, Himiko."
"No problem."
Suddenly the voices stopped all together.
"OTOU-SAN! OKAA-SAN! GET A ROOM!!" Kozue said.
Syaoran slipped his arms away from Sakura and put his arms up in the air as if he was caught. He grinned. "Hai, hai…you caught me, Kozue…"
Sakura finished the food she was cooking and laid it on the table. She smiled at the children. "You should've told me you were inviting friends. I would've made more food."
"Ahh…I'm sorry. I forgot to tell you," Kozue said, "Ah, I'll introduce you. This is Yamazaki Zak and Miyu Kumei. Zak's in my class, and Kumei is in 7th grade in another school."
Zak and Kumei bowed politely.
Sakura and Syaoran smiled. "Nice to meet you."
"You two…are from last night, aren't you?" Syaoran asked.
Kumei and Zak looked at each other guiltily and meekly nodded.
Sakura sighed and gave a small smile. "Zak, you're Yamazaki-kun and Chiharu-chan's son right?"
Zak looked surprised. "Umm yeah."
"We used to go to school together," Sakura said.
Looking at Kumei, the shy girl, Syaoran smiled. "In fact you look like Yanagisawa Naoko. Are you related to her?"
Kumei smiled. "Yes. She's my mother."
Sakura's eyes lit up. "So Chiharu-chan, Naoko-chan and Yamazaki-kun are all in Hong Kong? WAI!!! Syaoran, l wanna go see them!!"
"Why'd they be in Hong Kong though?" Syaoran thought.
"Oh I can answer that," Zak said, "See my dad and Kumei's mom are working together here to make a book. My dad makes up the stories and Kumei's mom writes it down with more details."
Sakura nodded. "I'm glad they're well!"
"Yeah. Besides, they must be making a lot of money with all the weird stories Yamazaki-kun used to tell," Syaoran said.
Sakura smiled. "I'm glad you didn't get your dad's side of telling stories."
"Yeah…but not a lot of people used to believe him. I think he told me only two people believed him and that was in elementary school!" Zak said.
"Those people must've been very gullible," Shun said eyeing his parents and giving a rare grin.
Syaoran and Sakura sweat dropped.
"So anyway, why are you kids here?" Syaoran asked.
The kids looked at each other and nodded suspiciously.
~~~~~
Soon the Sakura, Syaoran, Eriol, Tomoyo, Kaji and Meiling were all sitting at the kitchen table while the kids circled them. Tomoyo was again video taping everything. Kero, Suppi, Nakuru, Touya and Yukito were also there, but they resolved to keep quiet. Unfortunately for Touya, Nakuru was annoying him again even though he was married.
"This better be important," Meiling complained.
Syaoran slapped his forehead, "Not another interrogation!!!"
Eriol said, "What's the problem, kids?"
"We demand that you tell us what's going on!!" Toji shouted, "What happened yesterday? And who is Katana?"
The adults looked at each other guiltily.
"Is this what it's about?" Sakura asked.
Kozue nodded. "We've noticed that you guys were acting strange ever since Shun's birthday."
"Then I saw Ryu with this person one night. Then a couple of days later, I heard Mom and Dad talking about Katana and Ryu," Toji added.
"So who is Katana?" Shun asked.
"Not this again," Touya muttered.
"Eriol, go tell them," Yukito said.
Eriol sighed. "Are you kids ready for a long story?"
The kids looked at each other with puzzled looks and reluctantly nodded.
"Long ago, after Clow Reed made the Clow Cards, there was a creature that became addicted to magic. He wasn't human but his false form looked human. His name was Katana. Katana was power hungry and sucked up magicians' magic. He would take the victim's magic so quickly that he took the person's memories too," Eriol said.
"So that's what he meant when he said he would take my magic and memories…" Shun muttered.
Eriol nodded and continued the story. "Katana heard about Clow Reed's Clow Cards and decided he would take them too. Clow was attacked on night. He didn't know it was coming since he was tired from making guardians to protect himself and the Cards from Katana. Those guardians are Yue and Keroberos. But sadly, they weren't made fast enough to protect Clow from Katana. When Katana attacked, he took the Cards and was about to take Clow's magic when his little sister came. Now Clow and his sister were very close. But not much is known about her except in Clow's journals. She didn't have strong magic like her brother but she had premonitions so she knew this was going to happen. She smiled at her brother who was for the first time, very confused. Then she sacrificed herself to try to get rid of Katana…"
"But…why is Katana still alive, then?" Himiko asked.
"Well, Katana was too strong to be killed right then, so instead to being killed, he was trapped into another dimension, the Cards' dimension since he was holding the Cards right then. But he was still alive…just somewhere else," Eriol said, "But that's not all. When Sakura became the Cardmistress and changed all the Clow Cards to Sakura Cards, Katana escaped since the magic wasn't the same anymore."
Zak and Kumei were confused but still took in as much as they can. The kids widened their eyes.
"How did you beat him?" Toji asked.
Eriol sighed. "Well after Katana was trapped in the other dimension, other magicians were still scared that he might escape one day. They didn't want anything to happen to the Cards or the next owner of the Cards. So when the Li Clan was made, they decided that the current leader would have to sacrifice himself just like Clow's sister."
Everything was silent for awhile.
"Th-The Li Clan L-Leader?" Himiko stammered.
Eriol nodded.
Toji, Himiko, Shun and Kozue's eyes widened.
Kozue was shaking. "O-Otou-san?!?!"
"But, you're still alive, Otou-san. How'd you survive?" Shun asked.
Syaoran gave a small smile. "Thanks to your grandmother. Sakura's mother."
The kids were still confused. "B-But, she's-"
Kero stopped them shaking his big, round yellow head. "That's an even longer story. Don't ask…"
The kids nodded.
"But since Li-san is the Li Clan Leader now…then…" Himiko started.
Syaoran looked away and the kitchen was filled with yet another uncomfortable silence.
"Okay so now you know," Touya said grudgingly.
Kozue was still deep in thought. "How'd Katana escape now?"
Eriol shrugged. "His body hasn't escaped but somehow his soul did. We're guessing it's because his power has grown over the years."
"And now his soul is controlling Ryu…" Kozue concluded.
The adults nodded.
"Hold on!!" Shun shouted, "That's all you're going to do?! Just sit here and nod your heads?!?! We have to stop Katana another way!!"
"Shun, forget about it. I'm going to do what I have to do," Syaoran said.
Shun slammed his hand on the table. "What the heck are you talking about?! We're going to stop Katana another way!! There must be a different way!!"
"I'm sorry Shun, there isn't another way," Eriol said sadly, "We've tried to think up different solutions…but-"
'Well you haven't been thinking hard enough!!!" Shun shouted.
Tomoyo tried to comfort him. "Shun, please understa-"
"I do understand!!" Shun said trying hard to calm down, "But…but…ugh…Kozue tell them!"
But Kozue didn't speak. She was deathly pale and was staring into the air.
Shun sighed. "I don't want my father t-to…"
"Shun, forget it…" Syaoran said quietly.
Shun slammed his hand on the table again. "LOOK OTOU-SAN, WHY'RE LEAVING YOUR FAMILY LIKE THIS?! DO YOU HATE US OR SOMETHING?!"
"Shun, you know that's not tr-"
"Or are you trying to follow in your father's footsteps?" Shun said coolly, "Your father, our grandfather, left you when you were young right? Are you trying to do the same?"
Sakura looked at her son with a surprised expression. "SHUN!"
Syaoran stood up from his seat. "Go to your room, Shun," he said quietly.
Shun stood ground. "I can't believe you're doing this," he muttered.
"GO TO YOUR ROOM!!"
Shun gave his father a sad but angry look. "Gladly…"
He ran up the steps to his room. They heard him slammed the door behind him.
Himiko looked worried. "Shun…" She ran out the kitchen to follow him.
Kozue stared at his father with a sad, apologetic expression. She followed close behind Kozue.
Toji, Kumei and Zak looked at each other then looked at the adults nervously. They too followed Himiko's lead.
Syaoran sighed and Sakura hugged him. "Syaoran…he didn't mean it…"
"Syaoran…daijoubu?" Tomoyo asked worriedly. She had stopped recording as soon as the argument started.
"…Syaoran…" Meiling whispered.
"I bet they didn't expect that," Touya said.
"What did they expect then…?" Eriol said, "This is why we didn't want to tell them."
"Shun must feel terrible…" Yukito said sadly.
Kero nodded. "Gaki Jr. really admires his dad. He taught the kid everything he knows."
"I'm worried about Master Shun…" Suppi said.
Nakuru nodded. "Me too."
Syaoran looked sadly at Sakura. "Sorry…do you still want to go out today?"
Sakura shook her head. "Not if you're this depressed."
"Let's go everyone," Kaji said wisely, "Let's leave them for now…"
Everyone nodded.
Kero flew up to his room. As Meiling shut the back door behind her she gave an encouraging smile.
Sakura and Syaoran were alone.
"Sakura…I'm sorry…"
Sakura smiled. "It's not your fault."
Syaoran looked at the ground. "Is what he said true? Am I following my dad's footsteps?"
"Syaoran…he didn't mean it. Your dad didn't mean to leave."
"But he did. Even though it was an accident, he died! And that's what I have to do. I have to make my children go through that!! And I'll have to make you go through that, Sakura…"
"Syaoran…"
Syaroan gave her a small smile. "I'm sorry…but let's just go out today. Anywhere at all…"
Sakura nodded.
Syaoran thought as they walked to the car. 'Am I really doing that? Am I following my dad's footsteps? I remember how much pain I felt when Dad died. Am I doing that to my family? Giving them pain?'
~~~~~
Himiko knocked patiently on Shun's door. "Shun open the door."
"Shun, let's talk," Toji added.
No response answered back.
Kozue knocked the door worriedly. "Shun, unlock this door!"
"It's not locked…" Shun said from inside.
Kozue sweat dropped and rushed inside followed by Himiko, then Toji, then Zak and Kumei.
Shun was on his bed looking outside the window at the setting sun.
Kozue sat next to him on his bed. "You okay?"
"I'm fine."
"Are you sure?" Himiko asked.
"I'm fine."
Uncomfortable silence filled the air for the third time that day.
"Well," Kumei started nervously, "Y-You guys found out what you wanted to know, right?"
Toji nodded. "Except we didn't know it was going to be this…"
Kumei looked at Toji through her glasses. He looked so sad seeing Kozue and Shun like this.
Zak stared at Kozue sadly too. She seemed so pale and depressed and all he wanted to do was comfort her.
Himiko patted Shun's shoulder and gave him an assuring smile. "I'm sure your father doesn't want to…umm…do that…"
Shun looked at the ground silently, unable to look at anyone in the face.
'Why did I just snap at him like that?! What kind of son am I? I said all that about Grandfather to his face!!!' Shun buried his head in his hands, 'Everyone must think I'm weak looking like this…'
"That's not true, Shun!!!!" Himiko shouted suddenly.
Zak and Kumei looked at her in surprised.
Toji chuckled. "Himiko can read minds, so I think she read Shun's."
Zak and Kumei nodded. "Oooh yeah…she told us that before…"
"Shun, you're just worried! You father doesn't think you're a bad son! He knows you're worried and depressed about this. And we don't think you're weak. That's the last thing we're thinking right now," Himiko said gently.
Shun was silent for awhile, his head still buried in his hands.
"Thanks…" he said, his voice muffled by his hands.
Suddenly a ringing sound could be heard cutting the silence.
Zak looked at everyone apologetically. "Sorry…it's my cellphone…"
He took his phone out and answered it. Zak gave a few exasperating looks as the person on the other line talked. Zak hung up and again looked apologetically at everyone.
"Sorry…I've got to go. My mom and dad need to go somewhere and they need me to look after my baby sister," he said slowly, "Umm…I-I hope everything goes well…"
Zak bowed slightly to everyone, grinned understandingly at Kozue and left.
Kumei sighed. "I guess I should go too then. I'll see you later. Uh, Shun? Talk to me later about those books you want to read okay? I…umm…I hope you feel better, Shun. Bye Toji…" she said quietly as she blushed as she faced Toji.
"…Er…bye…"
Kumei left the four quietly.
"I should go too…" Toji said, "Let's go Himiko."
Himiko nodded. "Shun, call us if you want okay?"
Shun nodded, his head still in his hands.
Himiko gave a small smiled to Kozue and left with Toji.
~~~~~
"Why'd we have to leave like that, Toji?" Himiko said when they closed the door, "I wanted to stay…I feel so helpless looking at them all depressed."
Toji tried to smile. "Sorry. I just think that this is one of those family moments…"
Himiko nodded understandingly.
They both went towards the back door and went through it.
"But still," Himiko said slowly, "What we found out today really has me scared…"
Toji nodded. "I wonder if Ryu's parents know about it. I doubt that they'll believe it."
"But why would Ryu give up to Katana's spirit so easily?" Himiko mused.
Toji shrugged. "I have no idea…"
Himiko looked at the ground. "I hope Shun feels better tomorrow…"
Toji patted her back. "C'mon Himiko. Shun is strong. I bet he won't even cry."
Himiko nodded. "Yeah, you're right. That's what I'm afraid of."
'Everyone needs to cry to let all their feelings out…But for some reason, Shun can't…'
~~~~~
Kozue and Shun stayed silent, while Kozue patted his patted several times.
"Why don't you let it all out, Shun?" Kozue said softly, "Cry it all out…" She felt tears sprouting in her own eyes.
"I can't…" Shun said, his hands still muffling his voice, "I don't know how…"
Kozue looked at her little brother pitifully. "You don't…know how? What are you talking about? You don't have to know how to cry."
Shun finally looked up. His eyes were emotionless and empty. "What do I do then to be able to cry?"
Kozue felt hot tears streak down her face. "Y-You just think of a sad thing…or if you feel pain, you cry…………………………How can Dad do this to us?! Why'd he have to be Li Clan Leader? Why can't we just be normal people, Shun?" Her voice was calm yet quivery.
"Th-That's just the way it is…" Shun answered trying hard not to look at his sister, "We can't change it."
Kozue sobbed quietly, the tears coming quicker now.
"Don't cry Onee-san…" Shun said quietly.
Kozue smiled. "Wow…that's two times in one day that you've called me 'Onee-san.' It'll probably snow tomorrow or something…"
Shun smiled a little. "Shut up."
~~~~~
Sakura sighed. "Syaoran…let's go check on the kids…"
Syaoran nodded stiffly.
They had a rather uncomfortable day. After Shun's outburst, they went to get ice cream, watched Charlie's Angels, Full Throttle, (A/N: ^__^) and took a little stroll by the lake. But all through that, Syaoran had been quiet, saying nothing unless he had to.
The parents crept up to Shun's room. They opened the door ajar and heard crying. Sakura and Syaoran looked at each other guiltily. Then they went inside, expecting to see Shun crying. But instead they saw Kozue crying, and Shun patting his sister on the back.
The worried parents sat next to the kids on the bed. Sakura sat next to Shun, While Syaoran sat next to Kozue.
"O-Okaa-san! Otou-san!" Kozue said surprised.
Sakura smiled. Sakura hugged Shun who reacted to hug back quite reluctantly, while Syaoran gently hugged his crying daughter.
After a few minutes, a little yellow 'stuffed animal' floated in.
"Hey! Guess what, Kozue! I beat your record on that video ga-" seeing the family, he started having tears in his eyes.
"Aww!! What a beautiful scene!!" Kero said floating nearer, "But it looks like someone's missing here…"
Syaoran rolled his eyes. "No I don't think so."
Kero flew slowly back towards the door pouting. He glanced back at them a few times.
Kozue gave a teasing glare to her father who just shrugged, and extended out her arms, "C'mere Kero-chan!" she said, no longer crying.
Kero immediately flew straight into Kozue's arms.
"Now this is a picture perfect family!" Kero said happily.
"Uhh…umm…" Shun stammered.
"Hmm?" Sakura asked.
Shun gulped. "Uhh…sorry…Dad…for that….before…"
Sakura smiled happily while Syaoran gave a confused look, half grinning. "It's okay, Shun."
Kozue grinned. "Ehh…this is starting to get weird…"
"And sappy…" Shun added.
"Just to add something, Dad, we're not gonna let Katana get away with this!" Kozue exclaimed, suddenly full of determination.
Sakura and Syaoran looked surprised. "Wha?"
Kozue gave them an encouraging smile. "Well, if he comes back, he'll have us to answer to before he gets to our parents. Right, Shun?"
Shun was silent for awhile. "You mean when he comes back…"
TO BE CONTINUED…
~~~~~
A/N: I know, I know. This chapter sucked. Sorry if it's hard to understand…to make it short, the kids found everything out and Shun feeling depressed that his father has to die. There was also a family moment. Hey, I love sappiness. ^___^ …Well, it might seem kinda short…I just wanted to update it before I went on vacation. I'm going to California!! Yay!! ^___^ please review!