A Perfect World
Summary: Sakura Kinomoto is 16. But there's one secret to her- at 15 she was told she had leukemia. To top it all off, her strong will to have a 'perfect' world creates a motal enemy- perfection itself. Can she realize in time, with Syaoran's help, that without pain nothing would be worth living for?
Chapter 1: An Almost Perfect World
"I keep thinking of that dream!" The Card Mistress cried out in frustration. "Why can't I remember?" Sakura, determined to show her frustration, banged her locker with a tight fist. Luckily, only she and her boyfriend, Syaroan, were left in the hallway after school. "Owwwww...."
She heard Syaroan chuckle at the scene beside him.
"I don't see anything funny about this..." Sakura muttered, even though they both knew she wasn't really mad at him. It was only a year since he had finished business in China, and come back to Japan just to be with her. Though, he was called away a lot on family business, he made an effort to spend as much time as possible with her. Sakura sighed again, rubbing her red hand.
Syaroan wrapped his arms around her looking at the hand which had just met with an unfortunate fate concerning a defenseless locker, which now had a slight dent from the teenagers' rage. "I'm sure you'll remember your dream, Sakura. Give it time."
"Aren't you worried in the slightest? I mean, once I do remember, I have to figure it out!"
"Not at all." Syaroan murmured into her ear. "You always pull through in the end. You'll -"
"We'll." Sakura corrected him.
"...We'// beat this thing." Syaroan smiled into his girlfriend's eyes. This is what he loved about her. She was never greedy or selfish. She could have easily though less of him because he failed at being Card Master, but she didn't. Not Sakura. She was a real team player. She loved him for who she was. "Tomoyo is going to kill us."
Sakura took a step back, her eyes confused. "Why?"
"We were supposed to meet her and Eriol in..." Syaroan glanced at his watch, "fifteen minutes ago."
"The 'in' and 'ago' are two separate tenses..." Sakura tilted her head as it struck her. They were late. "We are in SOOOOO much trouble!"
*****
"Where are they?" Tomoyo grumbled. Beside her, a calm, Meiling was sitting silently. Her, Meiling and Eriol were waiting for the two "lovebirds" in their favorite cafe – Mango Tango. They had an outside table to enjoy the September air. "This isn't like Syaroan to be late..."
"Most likely he's with Sakura. I'm only here in Japan for a week and the first thing he says to me is ' Meiling, your supper's in the fridge, watch TV until I get back.' He got back at 2 am!" Meiling giggled at Eriol, who was rolling his eyes. " I suppose he was with Sakura the whole time... how are those two getting along?"
Eriol cleared his throat. "Enormously well. Although, we don't see him much... not that it would matter. His mouth is always very tied up."
Meiling laughed at Eriol's comment. "Really? I haven't seen Syaroan in a year! He changed so much already? Oh look – is that them?"
All three friends turned their heads to see a young girl running towards them, pulling along a amber eyed boy. Tomoyo laughed at the sight before her eyes. Still, now that they were in grade 10, Sakura would always be... Sakura! "Sakura, dear, we know that no matter what you will always be late for everything.... but, must you make Syaroan late as well?"
"It wasn't my fault, Tomoyo!"
"Who's was it?"
"Syaroan's."
"WHAT?" Syaroan, who now stood behind Sakura, shouted.
Sakura smiled innocently. "Yes?"
"Sakura! It was your fault! If you hadn't been denting lockers-"
"It's my fault that the locker was easy to dent?"
"We would have left earlier and been here on time if you hadn't been correcting me on tenses!"
"Exactly! It's your fault you have such bad grammar!"
"STOP!!!" Tomoyo shouted. "It's both of your faults! Alright? How you guys ever get along beats me!"
Sakura and Syaroan both sat down in the two empty chairs, sheepishly glancing at one another. Syaroan turned his head to his left, away from Sakura. His eyes went big as he saw a certain someone beside him. "MEILING?"
Meiling knit her eyebrows in a confused look. "Yeah?"
"You're – you're.... here?"
"Yeah. You didn't pick me up after school... you had to wait for Sakura. So, Tomoyo and Eriol picked me up on the way here."
"What – I was supposed to be at the airport today?"
Meiling's mouth dropped. "Airport? I was at your place!"
"HOW DID YOU GET IN?"
Meiling smacked her forehead, finally realizing why her cousin was acting all strange. He didn't remember picking her up yesterday. "Syaroan, you picked me up from the airport at 5 pm yesterday, stayed out till 2, and left before I woke up. Remember? I came to visit?"
Syaroan, the realization hitting him, nodded. "Oh yeah. Sorry. I guess I should... get more sleep?" The whole table sweat drops. Expect for Sakura.
"You were out until 2 am last night?" Sakura asked, anger in her voice. "Where were you?"
Syaroan smiled nervously. "Uh... I was..." Syaoran paused. If he was going down, so was his partner in crime. "Eriol, tell them where we were."
Now, it was Tomoyo's turn to have an anger outburst. "Eriol! You were with Syaroan... partying till two am? Start EXPLAINING!"
Eriol shot daggers in Syaroan's direction. "Baby, I-"
"DON'T YOU CALL ME THAT!"
Syaoran and Eriol looked from one another. "Uh... Eriol? I just remembered- I had to do something!"
"Right behind you, Syaroan!" Eriol and Syaroan made a mad dash for Syaroan's car, making out it before their girlfriend's could even protest.
"Dancing with other... girls?" Sakura asked. "I think I need to go home..."
"I'll drive you." Tomoyo offered, pointing to her car. "Luckily, I took my car today."
Sakura shook her head. "No... it's okay. I want to walk." An evil look took over her face. "Maybe I'll go over to Syaroan's and pretend to be really mad! Meiling... don't go home yet. Alright?"
Meiling laughed. "No problem."
"Now this," Tomoyo said, "will be worth filming!"
*****
Syaroan leaned back into a chair of his apartment's living room. Was partying at a club that bad? It wasn't as if he drank, or even danced with another girl! Too bad Sakura doesn't know that, Syaroan! Was she really that mad? A knock on his door told him he was going to find out.
He slowly walked to the door, which was suffering from continuous knocking. The person must know he's home. He sighed, opening his door.
"Sakura... hey... baby, I-" Syaoran started, trying to start the conversation off right.
"Syaroan Li. I can't believe that you were out in a club until 2 am!" Sakura pushed her way through placing a hand on Syaroan's chest, pushing him backwards into his living room. "I am SO offended! How could you? I though we had trust! And now... you're... you're... dancing with other woman! Is there something wrong with me? Are my boobs to big? Does my butt stick out? Does-"
Syaroan paled at his girlfriend's outburst. "No, no! Sakura... NO! There's nothing wrong with you! I-"
Sakura put on the most dramatic face she could. Like Elle Woods in Legally Blond when her boyfriend breaks up with her. "There must be something if you have to go behind me back and grind with other woman!"
"Sakura! I didn't grind-"
Sakura exaggerated a gasp. "NO. You didn't!?!"
Syaoran sighed, thinking he finally got through to her. "Yes, I-"
Sakura smacked him. "You admit to sleeping with them! I knew it!"
Syaroan fell down, tripping on the couch behind him. Landing back down, he touched his tender cheek, kicking himself mentally for being so stupid as to try as say ' Yes, I'm glad you believe me.' I should have known she was talking about that!
"I'm sorry, Syaoran. This just isn't working out between us!" Sakura faked tears, almost laughing at Syaoran's shocked, paled face. "I thought you loved me, but, I guess, all these years, you were just playing with me!"
"Sakura! What? No, NO! What... I... huh? Where are you going!" Syaroan pushed himself off the couch to see Sakura walking away, towards the door.
"Syaroan, I thought you were different than all other men. But, I guess we were never meant to be. We both want to be with other people."
"Sakura! I want to be with you- we both want to be with other people?"
Sakura smiled. This was the finale. "Can I help it if my male strippers are attractive?"
"Your... strippers!?" Syaoran's face fell.
Sakura smiled. "Tomoyo, did you get that all on tape?"
Tomoyo came out of Syaoran's kitchen, Meiling following behind "Sure did, Sakura! You ought to be an actress! You sure had Syaroan going!"
Syaoran, not sure what was going on, looked helplessly at Sakura's two best friends laughing as they walked out of the apartment imitating the fight. "Sakura..."
Sakura. smiled, closing the door behind her. "You think, for an instant, that I'd give you up for male strippers? Or, for that matter, that I have any?" Sakura put her arms around his neck. Syaroan looked stunned, not knowing what to say.
"I... Sakura... what are you trying to say?"
Sakura laughed again. Pulling herself up close against him she lowered her mouth on his. "What do you think?"
Syaroan smiled. "Guess I deserved it, huh? I didn't tell you-"
"I don't care about that, Syaroan! Just make sure to invite me next time.. okay?"
"You're... you're... saying it's okay then?"
Sakura nodded. "I have enough trust.. and love... that you wouldn't do anything... anything... naughty."
Syaoran looked down. "I gotta confess something Sakura."
"Shoot."
"I... kinda... knocked up some girl."
Sakura's eyes grew big. She let go of his neck. "You... did?" Her voice was meek. Syaoran.. I can't believe this!
Syaoran pulled her closer to him. Leaning forwards towards her ear he whispered a single, yet simple word into it. "Gotcha." Sakura looked up, shocked from what she just heard. She smirked.
"Guess.. that was fair?"
"Yeah... Sakura." His voice was horse at the end, making her giggle. "Pancakes?"
"Hmmmm, yeah." She bounced off with him towards the kitchen. Can life get any better? She looked at her boyfriend get out the flour. I guess... nothing can be perfect. Maybe.. if we had more time together. If we weren't pulled apart so much. I guess life will never be perfect... but, this is as close as it gets! She laughed, walking over to help a flour covered Syaroan clean up the mess on spilled flour on the floor. Moments like these almost made her forget...
"Sakura? You coming?"
"Yup!"
"Hey....your hand sure bruised fast. So is your arm. Did you hit you arm too?"
Sakura's face dropped. Her face paled. "What?," was all she could whisper.
*****
A figure stood on the street covered by the shade of a tree, looking at the apartment building the Card Mistress was in. "Nothing can be perfect?" A tear rolled down her face. "It's about time perfection is achieved."
Slowly, vanished. The sun shed light on her face, revealing a hurt expression. "There will be no more hurt. No more..."
Summary: Sakura Kinomoto is 16. But there's one secret to her- at 15 she was told she had leukemia. To top it all off, her strong will to have a 'perfect' world creates a motal enemy- perfection itself. Can she realize in time, with Syaoran's help, that without pain nothing would be worth living for?
Chapter 1: An Almost Perfect World
"I keep thinking of that dream!" The Card Mistress cried out in frustration. "Why can't I remember?" Sakura, determined to show her frustration, banged her locker with a tight fist. Luckily, only she and her boyfriend, Syaroan, were left in the hallway after school. "Owwwww...."
She heard Syaroan chuckle at the scene beside him.
"I don't see anything funny about this..." Sakura muttered, even though they both knew she wasn't really mad at him. It was only a year since he had finished business in China, and come back to Japan just to be with her. Though, he was called away a lot on family business, he made an effort to spend as much time as possible with her. Sakura sighed again, rubbing her red hand.
Syaroan wrapped his arms around her looking at the hand which had just met with an unfortunate fate concerning a defenseless locker, which now had a slight dent from the teenagers' rage. "I'm sure you'll remember your dream, Sakura. Give it time."
"Aren't you worried in the slightest? I mean, once I do remember, I have to figure it out!"
"Not at all." Syaroan murmured into her ear. "You always pull through in the end. You'll -"
"We'll." Sakura corrected him.
"...We'// beat this thing." Syaroan smiled into his girlfriend's eyes. This is what he loved about her. She was never greedy or selfish. She could have easily though less of him because he failed at being Card Master, but she didn't. Not Sakura. She was a real team player. She loved him for who she was. "Tomoyo is going to kill us."
Sakura took a step back, her eyes confused. "Why?"
"We were supposed to meet her and Eriol in..." Syaroan glanced at his watch, "fifteen minutes ago."
"The 'in' and 'ago' are two separate tenses..." Sakura tilted her head as it struck her. They were late. "We are in SOOOOO much trouble!"
*****
"Where are they?" Tomoyo grumbled. Beside her, a calm, Meiling was sitting silently. Her, Meiling and Eriol were waiting for the two "lovebirds" in their favorite cafe – Mango Tango. They had an outside table to enjoy the September air. "This isn't like Syaroan to be late..."
"Most likely he's with Sakura. I'm only here in Japan for a week and the first thing he says to me is ' Meiling, your supper's in the fridge, watch TV until I get back.' He got back at 2 am!" Meiling giggled at Eriol, who was rolling his eyes. " I suppose he was with Sakura the whole time... how are those two getting along?"
Eriol cleared his throat. "Enormously well. Although, we don't see him much... not that it would matter. His mouth is always very tied up."
Meiling laughed at Eriol's comment. "Really? I haven't seen Syaroan in a year! He changed so much already? Oh look – is that them?"
All three friends turned their heads to see a young girl running towards them, pulling along a amber eyed boy. Tomoyo laughed at the sight before her eyes. Still, now that they were in grade 10, Sakura would always be... Sakura! "Sakura, dear, we know that no matter what you will always be late for everything.... but, must you make Syaroan late as well?"
"It wasn't my fault, Tomoyo!"
"Who's was it?"
"Syaroan's."
"WHAT?" Syaroan, who now stood behind Sakura, shouted.
Sakura smiled innocently. "Yes?"
"Sakura! It was your fault! If you hadn't been denting lockers-"
"It's my fault that the locker was easy to dent?"
"We would have left earlier and been here on time if you hadn't been correcting me on tenses!"
"Exactly! It's your fault you have such bad grammar!"
"STOP!!!" Tomoyo shouted. "It's both of your faults! Alright? How you guys ever get along beats me!"
Sakura and Syaroan both sat down in the two empty chairs, sheepishly glancing at one another. Syaroan turned his head to his left, away from Sakura. His eyes went big as he saw a certain someone beside him. "MEILING?"
Meiling knit her eyebrows in a confused look. "Yeah?"
"You're – you're.... here?"
"Yeah. You didn't pick me up after school... you had to wait for Sakura. So, Tomoyo and Eriol picked me up on the way here."
"What – I was supposed to be at the airport today?"
Meiling's mouth dropped. "Airport? I was at your place!"
"HOW DID YOU GET IN?"
Meiling smacked her forehead, finally realizing why her cousin was acting all strange. He didn't remember picking her up yesterday. "Syaroan, you picked me up from the airport at 5 pm yesterday, stayed out till 2, and left before I woke up. Remember? I came to visit?"
Syaroan, the realization hitting him, nodded. "Oh yeah. Sorry. I guess I should... get more sleep?" The whole table sweat drops. Expect for Sakura.
"You were out until 2 am last night?" Sakura asked, anger in her voice. "Where were you?"
Syaroan smiled nervously. "Uh... I was..." Syaoran paused. If he was going down, so was his partner in crime. "Eriol, tell them where we were."
Now, it was Tomoyo's turn to have an anger outburst. "Eriol! You were with Syaroan... partying till two am? Start EXPLAINING!"
Eriol shot daggers in Syaroan's direction. "Baby, I-"
"DON'T YOU CALL ME THAT!"
Syaoran and Eriol looked from one another. "Uh... Eriol? I just remembered- I had to do something!"
"Right behind you, Syaroan!" Eriol and Syaroan made a mad dash for Syaroan's car, making out it before their girlfriend's could even protest.
"Dancing with other... girls?" Sakura asked. "I think I need to go home..."
"I'll drive you." Tomoyo offered, pointing to her car. "Luckily, I took my car today."
Sakura shook her head. "No... it's okay. I want to walk." An evil look took over her face. "Maybe I'll go over to Syaroan's and pretend to be really mad! Meiling... don't go home yet. Alright?"
Meiling laughed. "No problem."
"Now this," Tomoyo said, "will be worth filming!"
*****
Syaroan leaned back into a chair of his apartment's living room. Was partying at a club that bad? It wasn't as if he drank, or even danced with another girl! Too bad Sakura doesn't know that, Syaroan! Was she really that mad? A knock on his door told him he was going to find out.
He slowly walked to the door, which was suffering from continuous knocking. The person must know he's home. He sighed, opening his door.
"Sakura... hey... baby, I-" Syaoran started, trying to start the conversation off right.
"Syaroan Li. I can't believe that you were out in a club until 2 am!" Sakura pushed her way through placing a hand on Syaroan's chest, pushing him backwards into his living room. "I am SO offended! How could you? I though we had trust! And now... you're... you're... dancing with other woman! Is there something wrong with me? Are my boobs to big? Does my butt stick out? Does-"
Syaroan paled at his girlfriend's outburst. "No, no! Sakura... NO! There's nothing wrong with you! I-"
Sakura put on the most dramatic face she could. Like Elle Woods in Legally Blond when her boyfriend breaks up with her. "There must be something if you have to go behind me back and grind with other woman!"
"Sakura! I didn't grind-"
Sakura exaggerated a gasp. "NO. You didn't!?!"
Syaoran sighed, thinking he finally got through to her. "Yes, I-"
Sakura smacked him. "You admit to sleeping with them! I knew it!"
Syaroan fell down, tripping on the couch behind him. Landing back down, he touched his tender cheek, kicking himself mentally for being so stupid as to try as say ' Yes, I'm glad you believe me.' I should have known she was talking about that!
"I'm sorry, Syaoran. This just isn't working out between us!" Sakura faked tears, almost laughing at Syaoran's shocked, paled face. "I thought you loved me, but, I guess, all these years, you were just playing with me!"
"Sakura! What? No, NO! What... I... huh? Where are you going!" Syaroan pushed himself off the couch to see Sakura walking away, towards the door.
"Syaroan, I thought you were different than all other men. But, I guess we were never meant to be. We both want to be with other people."
"Sakura! I want to be with you- we both want to be with other people?"
Sakura smiled. This was the finale. "Can I help it if my male strippers are attractive?"
"Your... strippers!?" Syaoran's face fell.
Sakura smiled. "Tomoyo, did you get that all on tape?"
Tomoyo came out of Syaoran's kitchen, Meiling following behind "Sure did, Sakura! You ought to be an actress! You sure had Syaroan going!"
Syaoran, not sure what was going on, looked helplessly at Sakura's two best friends laughing as they walked out of the apartment imitating the fight. "Sakura..."
Sakura. smiled, closing the door behind her. "You think, for an instant, that I'd give you up for male strippers? Or, for that matter, that I have any?" Sakura put her arms around his neck. Syaroan looked stunned, not knowing what to say.
"I... Sakura... what are you trying to say?"
Sakura laughed again. Pulling herself up close against him she lowered her mouth on his. "What do you think?"
Syaroan smiled. "Guess I deserved it, huh? I didn't tell you-"
"I don't care about that, Syaroan! Just make sure to invite me next time.. okay?"
"You're... you're... saying it's okay then?"
Sakura nodded. "I have enough trust.. and love... that you wouldn't do anything... anything... naughty."
Syaoran looked down. "I gotta confess something Sakura."
"Shoot."
"I... kinda... knocked up some girl."
Sakura's eyes grew big. She let go of his neck. "You... did?" Her voice was meek. Syaoran.. I can't believe this!
Syaoran pulled her closer to him. Leaning forwards towards her ear he whispered a single, yet simple word into it. "Gotcha." Sakura looked up, shocked from what she just heard. She smirked.
"Guess.. that was fair?"
"Yeah... Sakura." His voice was horse at the end, making her giggle. "Pancakes?"
"Hmmmm, yeah." She bounced off with him towards the kitchen. Can life get any better? She looked at her boyfriend get out the flour. I guess... nothing can be perfect. Maybe.. if we had more time together. If we weren't pulled apart so much. I guess life will never be perfect... but, this is as close as it gets! She laughed, walking over to help a flour covered Syaroan clean up the mess on spilled flour on the floor. Moments like these almost made her forget...
"Sakura? You coming?"
"Yup!"
"Hey....your hand sure bruised fast. So is your arm. Did you hit you arm too?"
Sakura's face dropped. Her face paled. "What?," was all she could whisper.
*****
A figure stood on the street covered by the shade of a tree, looking at the apartment building the Card Mistress was in. "Nothing can be perfect?" A tear rolled down her face. "It's about time perfection is achieved."
Slowly, vanished. The sun shed light on her face, revealing a hurt expression. "There will be no more hurt. No more..."