Lover's Pride

Author's Note: I'm sorry 4 those who are confused by my story... coz...actually I'm quite confused myself, but I'll try to make this chapter simpler... Anyways, I made it firstly from Sakura point of view!! Dunno why... but I did... So I hope you guys enjoy it!! I'm thinking of changing the title by the way, for this chapter!! I'll have to think about it.

Disclaimer: People dies, beauty fades, but Clamp always be the same!!! (I do not own Cardcaptors)

Chapter 4

Our secret [pt2]

[Continue from yesterday-]

I heard Tomoyo asking what was it that I needed to say. I squinted slightly, trying to carve a smile on my face, though it came out quite painful.

"M-My foot!!!" I yelped in pain, pushing her foot from mine. Tomoyo sealed her mouth with her hands, shocked as she watched me jumping in one leg. I moaned, so then Tomoyo had to catch me and help carrying me into a black limousine. As usual, she had a few bodyguards inside the vehicle. They all looked quite similar and similarly scared me every time they moved because it was difficult to tell whether they are watching you or not, hence they wore black sunglasses. Who wears sunglasses at night? Apparently, it's they're duty according to Tomoyo, but I think it's just intimidation.

A few minutes later, we arrived at her place. It was huge, but I was quite used to it as we usually came over each other's houses especially in the weekends. One of her maids showed me into her room. I heard her mother giggling gleefully with a man downstairs as I entered room. I knew instantly that it must be her stepfather and wanted to rush down and meet him. Though I decided not to. It would have seemed a bit rude of me to do so. A few moments later Tomoyo arrived with a tray in her hand, which had two cup of coffee in it.

I added some sugar into my cup of coffee, which usually helps whenever I'm down. I loved sugar... lots of it. I saw Tomoyo sprinkle the water inside her watering can to the tiny flower blossoming on the windowsill. It never occurred to me that gardening was one of her interest until last year when she told she wanted to enrol herself into gardening club and such. But nevertheless, this is Tomoyo, nothing is impossible from her eyes. Her talents span from language, fashion, musical, photography etc. The lists just goes on and I doubt that there is even one subject, which she despises- not that I could think of the top my head of course.

"Tomoyo-chan...what subject do you hate the most??" I suddenly asked, tilting my head sideways as she sat in front me, reaching for the handle of her cup.

She smiled sweetly and just shrugs, "I don't know really...I guess I just don't have one..."

"...right...and Yamazaki speaks with his eyes open" I replied, half-laughing. "Get real Tomoyo-chan!! You must hate something..." I said naively, advancing closer towards her.

Tomoyo blinked twice at me. She smiled and swayed her head from left to right. There was a pause between us. A long pause, until she spoke in a gentle voice, "So, has it always been like this??"

"Not really... I guess I've just been really confused... he's not a jerk, ya know...I-" but before I could even finish my sentence, Tomoyo interrupted.

"I know...I'm sorry...I'll try and get a long with him, if that's what makes you happy..." Her face brightens with a mature smile.

I studied her face, very carefully. She seems quite sincere and I personally know how hard it is for her to do that. Devedi wasn't exactly the friendliest person in the world. He's fine most of the time, but loses his temper quite easily, which scares me many times before. However lately... he's been more moody than usual. Ever since I told him about Shoalan, but he was the one who asked, so is it really my fault?? I just had to explain to Tomoyo about the situation and I did, I just hope she understands... well of course she will... she's my best friend, right???

Unexpectedly, Tomoyo cupped my cheeks into her hand. "Sakura-chan... how would you feel, if Devedi-kun spoke of another girl???"

I was taken back slightly by this question and shrugged. "Well... jealous... I suppose, but within reason!! He- he's not seeing some else... is he??" I asked, worriedly.

I heard a sustained giggle from Tomoyo, but she shook her head. "Lie... the point is that- no matter how you avoid it- was that you told him about another man and he feels threatens by it!!" I saw her give one of those saintly look, which often oppressed me with guilt. "I don't know what you should do, Sakura-chan, but it seems to me that you still haven't quite chosen between them, have you?? I mean tell me the truth, Sakura-chan... after Li-kun left, did you guys really broke up??"

I paused for a while. I didn't want to say anything. I knew she was right, but this is my pride, we're talking about. "I guess... it did seem like it at first, but then, he kept sending me messages and stuff... I- was really confused because he never asked me to come back to him..." I said in a low voice.

"Why can't you?? Why can't you ask him??" She suggested, shrugging her shoulders at the simplicity of the problem.

"I can't do that!! That's- I- I can't!!" I stammered.

"Sakura-chan... I don't want to force you, to do something you don't want!! I just want you to think it through, okay??" Tomoyo smiled calmly, taking the cups of coffee back downstairs. I heard the door shut behind and stared idiotically at the empty spaces. I hated it when Tomoyo does reverse psychology on me. She always found the best in me!! But this was different; I had my pride to keep!! I can't just ask my EX-BOYFRIEND if he wanted to come back!! I thought it was simply unethical because he was the one who broke up with me and I can't just ditch Devedi like some loser. Devedi was nice... he doesn't deserve to be dump!!

.

Two white birds strolled across the orange-silk sky of Hong Kong.

They swooped down the busy streets and swiftly flew through the gaps between, what seems to be a big gate. The gate was an entrance towards this massive house, this mansion. They twirled around the mansion a few times, and then entering themselves into an open window, which leads into a cage that was held in the middle of room, where they landed. She raised her elegant hands, stroking one of the birds gently with her back fingers. The bird twittered softly as she strokes, stretching its head up and down, comforted by the woman.

The woman places them onto a stand near the corner of the window and locks them with a tiny key, which was kept on top of the side table. She stares at them and turns her concentration to window that was kept open. The window blew a light wind into the room and down her cold, pale skin as she tries to close it. She then slowly bangs her head onto the window... twice. Her face still showed no expression, but it was obvious that she was concealing something. Her daughter watched her from door, knowingly of her mothers' feelings.

"Ma..." She called with a quiet voice.

"What is it, Fenmei??" Yelan asked, straightening her back.

"Do you think... he knows???" She commenced, wiping her dried eyes.

Yelan faces her daughter in confusion. "About what??" She continued, tucking her hands across her chest.

"About your vision... I mean..." She stuttered.

"I don't know..." Yelan answered vaguely.

"Didn't you tell him??"

"Maybe..."

"Then ...why didn't you stop him???" She asked in a suggestive manner.

"Because... then he would hate me even more..."Yelan whimpered, falling down onto her knees, dragging her two hands with her. Fenmei raised her eyebrows to her mother's reaction and to her surprise, she spontaneously moved closer to her, wiping the tears off her fragile face. Yelan sniffs through her nostrils and quickly hugs her daughter, resting her head onto her shoulder. She began mumbling some words from her mouth, evocating from one word to another, which soon jumbled like a puzzle and into a story, a secret she longed kept...

A young, brown-haired boy sat on the beanie bag seat, impatiently dialling a number on the telephone dial in front of him. But the same message pops back into his ears, 'the person you are calling isn't available at the moment... please leave a message after the beep...' Frustrated, he slams the handle back onto its box, grunting loudly down his throat as his ears turns red. He quickly gets up as he realises a person was watching him at that moment, but sits back down as she glides into the room through the open door behind him and faces him.

"Ma... I'm going back..." He suddenly said.

"Going back where, Xioulang?? You're already back!!" Yelan replied with a slight giggle.

"Not here... back Japan, ma... This is all a stupid mistake!! I shouldn't have agreed to this engagement..." Shoalan cried.

"But I want you to be happy... please do it... for me..." Yelan pleaded.

"But I was happy with Sakura!! Ma..."

"Then what about me??? I'm your mother... please understand that this is only for your best interest..."

"How am I suppose to do that, when you're hiding something from me..."

"I'm not hiding anything, Xioulang..."

"Then tell me... why did you ask me to come back??? Why did you lie?? Why did you reconstitute my engagement???" The questions kept coming from one to another, but her mother kept quiet. Mad, Shoalan continued, surging more rage into his speech "I HATE YOU..." He claimed from the top of his voice.

Yelan looked at him, in shock, but then sighs to keep her patience. "So you won't follow any of my decisions??" Yelan snapped coolly.

"No!"

"Fine... but I do not allow you to go back there... with ... HER!!" She exclaimed, pointing towards the picture of Sakura on the table.

"What is that suppose to mean??? I thought you liked her!!" He yelled.

"I do... but your clan needs you now, you have responsibility Xioulang... and now it's your decisions... chose either one or the other" She stated firmly as she walked out of the room with her head held high.

I stopped him that night; I made him give up his true love just for my sake. But was it worth it? For two years I watched him suffer...yet why did my heart still allowed itself to drift into denial?? He hated me for doing something wrong, so I respected him for that, but my decision was vital for his safety. If only I had the courage to tell him the truth, instead of throwing stones of guilt onto his broad shoulders. It wasn't that I hated him or her for that matter... its just that in the eyes of a mother, her child has more worth than happiness itself. I only wanted to protect you, Xioulang... not take away your happiness, but it seems that I was the one who needed protection. The voices rustled back into her frail mind.

"What???"

"Ma... I need to protect her... I'm going after tomorrow"

"But you can't go back to Japan..."

"Why???"

"Because I don't want you to die!!!"

At the same time...

The last line echoed in his drifting mind, Shoalan didn't understand the true meaning of that line. He quite remembered listening to it, during the nights of the heavy rain. At that time, he just considered of it as concerns of an old mother, but somehow it felt different now. He called the airhostess for another cup of coffee. She came, greeting him knowingly and giggled tediously as she places the coffee on top the table in front of him, trying to win his attention. She bent down over the empty seat next to Shoalan, revealing her breast towards him. Shoalan merely took a glimpse of the woman and a sip of his coffee, in silence, without any sheer notice of the woman.

Distraught of her attempts, the airhostess groaned and left him with his coffee. Shoalan stared outside the circular window, yawning as he heard the woman leaving him. Thank god, she's gone Shoalan thought, lying his head onto the neck comforter on the seat. He was annoyed as the plane arrived later than schedule. There was a 3hr delay when he entered the plane and all he wished now was a good rest. So he slowly closes his eyes as he rests his head, curling his dark scarlet lips into the night, but unfortunately his rest had to wait as the airport was already in sight. It was only a few moments until he arrived to Japan.

Shoalan wiggled himself on his seat uncomfortably and stretched his arms in the air, relieving the stress pain on his muscles. Suddenly a click went through his brain, like a jolt. A strong aura was radiating through the air as the wheels of the plane reached the ground, screeching an annoying sound. He could feel an evil spirit, somewhere...

"Masaka..." He whispered, anxiously waiting for the plane to finally stop.

Author's Notes: hehe... just thought it would be fun to have a bit of a cliffhanger there... My head is spinning but I assure you that next time... I'll post a better chapter than this!!! More action... and stuff... :p

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