REACH for the SKYE
Chapter Three
Disclaimer: Clamp owns Card Captor Sakura and all its glory...me, well, I just like to write fan fics. Enough said, moving along...
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[7:59 A.M.]
Just hours beforehand, Sakura had adamantly, even arrogantly, declared that she would meet the guy with the incredible amber eyes. (dare she add, her prince in shining armor?)
Well, now she was having second thoughts. Major second thoughts.
Right, so I'm going to meet this guy who's an obsessive compulsive about none other than the one thing I hate most. Wonderful...yeah... I'm going to ask some solid, professional questions, nothing too hard. Hopefully he won't bite my head off. (insert sarcastic laugh) Right, piece of cake. Right, what the hell am I THINKING??? He's nuts about Skye Corp! I'm NUTS! I should just go home and eat tons of ice cream and just hide...yeah... Wait, no... Yes... NO! YES! NO! NO! NO!
Great time to fight with your conscience, Sakura. she ended dismally, as she stood in front of the doors to House of Blossoms, her most successful correctional facility, aka "her pride and joy". Occasionally, and much to Touya's utmost aggravation, she found herself calling it her "baby". He always muttered along the lines of "Went and got herself crazy with work, although I had my doubts about her insanity from the beginning."
And why shouldn't she? It took almost a year of building, several to create the designs for the building, and almost half of Sakura's lifetime to save enough money for it. With two stories, three elevators, marble tiles, modern bathroom facilities, and state-of-the-art technology, it was a grand architectural feat and the turning point of Sakura's career.
After House of Blossoms won several awards for cleanest facility, most efficient methods, and best smiling staff, Sakura was soon invited to talk shows and radio stations to advertise. And then, BAM! Word spread by mouth and ear like an epidemic, and she became what most people would like to call the "epitome of women achievement." The mayor even gave her a medal for outstanding effort. No doubt the man did it just to get reelected. Oh well, that's how the world runs nowadays.
Still, Sakura felt humble when she met with her elders, and she still felt like an ant in comparison to the rest of the world. Silly things like awards and national recognition were "nice" in her opinion, but only at that. To her, life had much more higher goals than strutting around and boasting.
No wonder so many people adored her and hated her at the same time.
But the problem at hand was not that. It was this: Sakura was extremely doubtful of herself. And now she going to meet a person, a link, to something in her past that she would have loved to have forgotten altogether. It had been five years since she had spoken with her father…ever since their fight…
Silly me, getting all sentimental before meeting a patient, how unlike me! Sakura gently interrupted her train of thought as she entered the building, smiling big, fake smiles to all her employees and staff members. Inside, everything was crumbling and she wanted to scream at all of them: Can't you see? I'm sad and lonely! Somebody, anybody, help me! Make me happy! Please, anybody, make me whole again… Sakura couldn't shake off the feeling that today was going to be bad.
…really bad.
After checking her ID with the head guard and greeting a few other employees, she safely reached the heavenly confines of her office. Almost as soon as she settled in her swerving leather chair, her secretary, Miss Daidouji, entered her office. She also carried an ugly brown duffel bag (that resembled Santa's goody bag, it being so stuffed and bulky) in one hand and a crisp manila folder in the other.
Sakura inwardly stated the obvious, it's "Monday Mail Madness" where it seemed like the whole world was trying to complain about their aches and pains to her. Quite a pain in the ass, in her opinion, but on the other hand, quite necessary. Heaven forbid, the public would go wild if they couldn't exercise their daily democratic rights! Sometimes…as in, one in a thousand, the letters actually did what their original purpose was for, to offer sound and logical ways to improve House of Blossoms.
But that was rare, very rare indeed.
Miss Daidouji can be simply described as a close friend of Sakura's, fiercely opinionated, and blessed with stunning, ravishing looks with her creamy complexion, amethyst eyes, and long lavender curls. Usually quite well-mannered, Sakura was slightly taken aback when Miss Daidoujii announced, "Sakura, you are so fucking screwed."
"What the heck are you talking about?" Sakura asked worriedly, getting up and walking towards her friend.
"This." Tomoyo bluntly said by showing Sakura the manila folder.
"What's so bad about a manila…"
"—Li Syaoran, for crying out loud! Who's the bitch that tried to land this nutcase on you?! Was it that no good Naomi? I swear I'm going to have a word with that woman! And I bet she knows all about your past incident, and she didn't even blink twice before recommending…"
"WAIT! Hold the gun, Tomoyo, you're going way ahead of yourself!"
"Sakura! Your new patient is obsessed with Skye Corporation! That's like, seriously messed up!"
"I know…I know…"Sakura trailed off as she walked towards her window. After a few moments, she motioned Tomoyo to join her.
Tomoyo gulped down the rest of her fiery accusations and acquiesced to Sakura's silent command. She remained two steps behind Sakura, reluctantly losing herself in the peaceful scenery outside Sakura's window. Sakura had stubbornly demanded that an artificial waterfall (decked with real rocks and pretty gravel) as well as a rose garden be planted in the middle of the building, so that the patients, as well as the staff, could enjoy a little bit of nature…and lose themselves in its sheer beauty.
Sakura began softly, as though she was talking to herself, as if headstrong and confused Tomoyo wasn't standing a few steps behind her:
"You know, I thought I forgot all about Skye Corporation, those bloody man-hunting reporters, and that awful press conference…but above all, my father's face. My brother wasn't there because of some urgent business with Taiwan, so he doesn't really know what happened. He only has pieces of what the media spilled and broken parts of conversations, so he doesn't really understand why I can't…well, talk to my dad."
Sakura paused by coughing, but Tomoyo knew better than to fall for that. Sakura was a delicate person by nature, and just voicing these thoughts aloud was enough to break her heart…
Still, she continued, determined to finish what she started, "I'm not proud or overly full of myself, I was just…ashamed and disappointed…and hurt beyond all words. My father practically rejected me afterwards…he couldn't bare to look at my face…We fought for the very first time and probably, I'd have to say, for the very last time. So, I decided to continue pursuing my dreams and here I am, five years older, slightly wiser, successful, and still regretting what I said to my dad. I guess that about wraps it up."
"Omigosh…Sakura…I…it wasn't my place to ask...You didn't have to tell me…"
Sakura flashed an all-knowing smile and retorted, "It's not like I had a choice. So Tomoyo, dontcha think I should give my past a final fighting chance before throwing in the towel? I mean, I don't want to be 100 years old and still griping about what I said five years ago!"
"True…" Tomoyo replied, having returned to her thoughtful, careful self. "Just be careful, Sakura, a heart can only take so much…"
Sakura, who had already snatched her supplies and the manila folder and was just about to step outside, stopped, turned around, and gave Tomoyo a crushing bear hug before hurriedly leaving.
Tomoyo smiled as she left Sakura's office and decided against all odds that Sakura was going to be ok. With her eyes closed, humming her favorite radio tune, Tomoyo walked towards her desk in good humor. Against better judgement, she twirled on her heels and without properly looking, plopped down on her swerving chair, feeling lightweight and carefree.
But as soon as she made contact, all the good feelings vanished into thin air. There was something or someone beneath her! Stunned speechless, she turned her face, only to be nose-to-nose with a handsome bespectacled man with calm deep blue eyes and swaying black hair. He seemed mysterious, yet strangely familiar…
"Miss Daidouji, I presume? Although I quite like you on my lap, your fellow colleagues may grow a bit suspicious…"
[Where the hell did he come from?!]
Tomoyo shot upwards, horrified to have not noticed earlier. "Apologies, sir, I think my lack of coffee is making me slow today! Please accept my deepest apologies."
"No need, like I said, I liked having you on my lap."
[What a perverted weirdo…] Tomoyo thought inwardly as she laughed nervously, for the sake of being polite.
"May I have the pleasure of buying you a cup of coffee?"
[Holy shit, no!] Tomoyo's eyes widened to the size of china as she stammered a bit too earnestly, "Oh, n-no th-thank you, I'll be just fine…Er, are you here for an appointment with someone?"
"No, I'm actually a... close friend to Syaoran, whose a new patient here. I got bloody well lost looking for him, which was why I was waiting for Dr. Sakura Amazaki…"
[You don't say... Man, today must be my lucky day-- sitting on a random guy who happens to be friends with that Skye Corp. nutcase!]
Like a lighting bolt, Tomoyo linked arms with the handsome, strange man, smiling sweetly as she led him to the closest coffee vendor, "You were saying…?" [you womanizing fiend!]
"Ah, the name is Eriol Hirragizawa." [Ooh...he must be foreign...]
"What an interesting name! My name is Tomoyo Daidouji. I'd love to show you where Mr. Li is. In the mean time...you were saying about Syaoran and Dr. Amazaki?" [C'mon, spill it!]
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AN: I PROMISE that the next chapter will be SS, although their relationship is going to be one hell of a rocky one. It'll be fun! I know, I'm updating at the lightning speed of a sloth in hibernation. This fan fic has been collecting dust for the past few months or so... I was motivated from my writing slump by a friendly reviewer, Averachtensie! Thanks a bunch!!!!!!!!
NOW! Kindly look below: doesn't that pretty purple button seem absolutely-positively tempting to push???