I'm not expecting too many more chapters . . .I'm expecting somewhere in
between three and five . . .
The Garden Keeper
By Amiboshi-chan
Chapter nine
"What?!" Syaoran gripped the edge of the table. Whether it was to steady himself or to control the urge to slam his fist into something, he wasn't sure. Cold fingers of dread traced their way down his back as the words sank into his conscience.
"Mr. Yamaki Einosuke. Very pleasant gentleman. He's been out a couple times, and he's very enthusiastic about buying this old house. He's willing to meet any price placed on it. He was calling to ask if we could meet tomorrow to sign with the realtor."
"Menami, what are you saying? You can't sell this place!" Syaoran blurted out.
Menami turned to Syaoran and tilted her head in concern. "Is something wrong, Syaoran?"
A lump lodged in his throat. How could he explain? Menami didn't know about Sakura.
". . .Look, Menami, I'll buy the house. I know . . .I know Mom has a lot of memories in this old place. She'd appreciate it." Syaoran latched onto the first excuse that came to his mind.
Menami must have bought it, because her expression relaxed and a small smile curved her lips. Syaoran returned the smile weakly. She was going to let him buy the house . . .
Menami stepped up to the boy, who now stood a good foot taller than her. She reached up and placed a hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry, Syaoran. I know you love this house. I'm sure Mr. Yamaki will take good care of it."
The tiny spark of hope died in his chest. "I'll . . .I'll top his offer," Syaoran offered weakly. He had his father's inheritance. He could afford it.
Menami cast a sideways glance at him. "Well, if you really want to, I've no business keeping you from it. I doubt Mr. Yamaki will step down so easily, though. He's offered eighty thousand already- which is more than the realtors said I could even think of getting for it."
Syaoran didn't answer. He merely continued to stare a point directly behind Menami. The older woman gave him a kind smile. "Why don't you go down to the realtor's with me tomorrow? You can speak with Mr. Yamaki yourself."
Syaoran only nodded dumbly. Menami patted his shoulder once more before turning to exit the room. He turned to fix his gaze on the back door, which lead to the garden- and Sakura. Then he shook his head. No, he couldn't face Sakura right now. Not until he'd straightened everything out. Syaoran turned and headed up the stairs.
@---}---
Sakura sighed and peered at her reflection in the still water of the pond as she rested her chin in her hand once more. Syaoran hadn't come to her that night as he had promised. The sun had long since set, and the pale moonlight was the only illumination in the small garden. It turned the red strands of hair to pale copper and her skin the color of cream. A tiny shell sat on the edge of the pond, worn nearly smooth by weather and time.
She heard a noise from just outside the garden, and she rose to her feet. "Syaoran?" A squirrel skittered past and Sakura sighed.
A warm summer breeze lifted her hair. Sakura closed her eyes, lifting her face and leaning into the wind. Suddenly Sakura shivered. She settled back onto the balls of her feet and wrapped her arms around herself as the chill subsided. The coldness left her body as quickly as it had come, but Sakura couldn't shake the feeling that something bad was about to happen.
@---}---
Syaoran sat tensely in the swivel chair at the realtor's office the next morning. A kind-looking man with steely gray at his temples sat across from him. With a deep breath, Syaoran started explaining the situation to him. "Mr. Yamaki . . ." Syaoran trailed off as the gentleman raised a hand.
"Please, don't call me Mr. Yamaki. It makes me feel old." He chuckled light- heartedly. "You may call me Einosuke." He finished genially.
Syaoran nodded. "You see, Ms. Menami is a family friend. I've spent many a summer at the old villa, and I'm very disheartened at the thought of losing those memories." He sat up straighter and placed his hands on the desk in front of him. "I'm desperate to keep the place. If you'd withdraw your offer, I'd be happy to compensate for it, and I'd be forever grateful. And in your debt," he added, pushing his pride aside.
An awkward silence fell over them. Finally the older of the two spoke. "To tell the truth, child . . ." Syaoran raised his head. He didn't protest at being called a child. Menami had called him as such for years- it felt natural.
"My wife of thirty years passed away this spring. I simply couldn't bear to live alone in the house we shared for so long. I found this house, and thought it would be perfect. My daughter- she's about your age, fresh from college- she and her fiancée are moving in with me. That's why I wanted to buy this house."
Syaoran's eyes widened. He'd had no idea. Suddenly, he felt a little guilty.
Einosuke went on. "But even though I'm leaving the old house behind, that doesn't mean I'll forget my wife." He placed a rough, callused hand over Syaoran's. "You'll always have those memories, child. That's something no realtor could ever take from you." Einosuke stood, and Syaoran knew he didn't have the courage to press any further.
Just as the man reached the door, Syaoran stood. "Sir . . .Einosuke," he started. Einosuke paused, his hand on the door. "I . . .I'm sorry. I shouldn't have . . ." He stopped as Einosuke walked over to him and put a hand on his shoulder.
"Don't worry about it. I know it's hard to let go, and I don't blame you for trying." He walked back to the door and opened it. "You know . . . you're welcome to visit if you ever feel like it."
Syaoran nodded, blinking back the stinging sensation in his eyes. "Thank you," He said softly. "I'll do that."
Yamaki Einosuke nodded, then turned and walked out the door.
@---}---
Sakura was kneeling in the dirt when Syaoran stepped into the arbory. She stood up quickly and offered a cheerful greeting. "Ah, there you are Syaoran. I was wondering where you've been. You didn't come to see me last night, and-"Sakura broke off as she faced Syaoran. He looked disheveled, as though he hadn't slept well. "Syaoran, what's wrong? You don't look well at all."
Syaoran sighed and stepped into the garden. He sat on the bench by the pond, and Sakura quickly seated herself beside him. Syaoran turned to look her in the eye. "Menami is selling the house. I won't be able to come back here after this summer."
"You won't be able to come back? Ever?" Sakura looked horrified.
"Well," no sense in lying. "The man buying it- Yamaki Einosuke- he said I could visit . . ."
Sakura breathed a sigh of relief. "Then it'll be okay."
"No! It's not okay." Syaoran took Sakura by the shoulders. "I won't be able to visit like I used to. I know he said I could, but I couldn't impose like that." The memory of Einosuke's sad eyes as he spoke of his late wife filled his mind. "Sakura, please come back to the city with me. I know you don't want to leave the garden, but it can't stay like this."
Sakura's frown increased. "We can't keep the house?"
Syaoran shook his head. "No. I tried, I really did. But we can't keep the house.
"There's no way?" Syaoran shook his head. Sakura sighed and lowered her head. A moment later she sagged against his shoulder. Syaoran wrapped his arms around her in a tight embrace.
"Then I'll go with you." She whispered.
@---}---
I didn't want Einosuke to be a bad guy. He's really not. . .
The Garden Keeper
By Amiboshi-chan
Chapter nine
"What?!" Syaoran gripped the edge of the table. Whether it was to steady himself or to control the urge to slam his fist into something, he wasn't sure. Cold fingers of dread traced their way down his back as the words sank into his conscience.
"Mr. Yamaki Einosuke. Very pleasant gentleman. He's been out a couple times, and he's very enthusiastic about buying this old house. He's willing to meet any price placed on it. He was calling to ask if we could meet tomorrow to sign with the realtor."
"Menami, what are you saying? You can't sell this place!" Syaoran blurted out.
Menami turned to Syaoran and tilted her head in concern. "Is something wrong, Syaoran?"
A lump lodged in his throat. How could he explain? Menami didn't know about Sakura.
". . .Look, Menami, I'll buy the house. I know . . .I know Mom has a lot of memories in this old place. She'd appreciate it." Syaoran latched onto the first excuse that came to his mind.
Menami must have bought it, because her expression relaxed and a small smile curved her lips. Syaoran returned the smile weakly. She was going to let him buy the house . . .
Menami stepped up to the boy, who now stood a good foot taller than her. She reached up and placed a hand on his shoulder. "I'm sorry, Syaoran. I know you love this house. I'm sure Mr. Yamaki will take good care of it."
The tiny spark of hope died in his chest. "I'll . . .I'll top his offer," Syaoran offered weakly. He had his father's inheritance. He could afford it.
Menami cast a sideways glance at him. "Well, if you really want to, I've no business keeping you from it. I doubt Mr. Yamaki will step down so easily, though. He's offered eighty thousand already- which is more than the realtors said I could even think of getting for it."
Syaoran didn't answer. He merely continued to stare a point directly behind Menami. The older woman gave him a kind smile. "Why don't you go down to the realtor's with me tomorrow? You can speak with Mr. Yamaki yourself."
Syaoran only nodded dumbly. Menami patted his shoulder once more before turning to exit the room. He turned to fix his gaze on the back door, which lead to the garden- and Sakura. Then he shook his head. No, he couldn't face Sakura right now. Not until he'd straightened everything out. Syaoran turned and headed up the stairs.
@---}---
Sakura sighed and peered at her reflection in the still water of the pond as she rested her chin in her hand once more. Syaoran hadn't come to her that night as he had promised. The sun had long since set, and the pale moonlight was the only illumination in the small garden. It turned the red strands of hair to pale copper and her skin the color of cream. A tiny shell sat on the edge of the pond, worn nearly smooth by weather and time.
She heard a noise from just outside the garden, and she rose to her feet. "Syaoran?" A squirrel skittered past and Sakura sighed.
A warm summer breeze lifted her hair. Sakura closed her eyes, lifting her face and leaning into the wind. Suddenly Sakura shivered. She settled back onto the balls of her feet and wrapped her arms around herself as the chill subsided. The coldness left her body as quickly as it had come, but Sakura couldn't shake the feeling that something bad was about to happen.
@---}---
Syaoran sat tensely in the swivel chair at the realtor's office the next morning. A kind-looking man with steely gray at his temples sat across from him. With a deep breath, Syaoran started explaining the situation to him. "Mr. Yamaki . . ." Syaoran trailed off as the gentleman raised a hand.
"Please, don't call me Mr. Yamaki. It makes me feel old." He chuckled light- heartedly. "You may call me Einosuke." He finished genially.
Syaoran nodded. "You see, Ms. Menami is a family friend. I've spent many a summer at the old villa, and I'm very disheartened at the thought of losing those memories." He sat up straighter and placed his hands on the desk in front of him. "I'm desperate to keep the place. If you'd withdraw your offer, I'd be happy to compensate for it, and I'd be forever grateful. And in your debt," he added, pushing his pride aside.
An awkward silence fell over them. Finally the older of the two spoke. "To tell the truth, child . . ." Syaoran raised his head. He didn't protest at being called a child. Menami had called him as such for years- it felt natural.
"My wife of thirty years passed away this spring. I simply couldn't bear to live alone in the house we shared for so long. I found this house, and thought it would be perfect. My daughter- she's about your age, fresh from college- she and her fiancée are moving in with me. That's why I wanted to buy this house."
Syaoran's eyes widened. He'd had no idea. Suddenly, he felt a little guilty.
Einosuke went on. "But even though I'm leaving the old house behind, that doesn't mean I'll forget my wife." He placed a rough, callused hand over Syaoran's. "You'll always have those memories, child. That's something no realtor could ever take from you." Einosuke stood, and Syaoran knew he didn't have the courage to press any further.
Just as the man reached the door, Syaoran stood. "Sir . . .Einosuke," he started. Einosuke paused, his hand on the door. "I . . .I'm sorry. I shouldn't have . . ." He stopped as Einosuke walked over to him and put a hand on his shoulder.
"Don't worry about it. I know it's hard to let go, and I don't blame you for trying." He walked back to the door and opened it. "You know . . . you're welcome to visit if you ever feel like it."
Syaoran nodded, blinking back the stinging sensation in his eyes. "Thank you," He said softly. "I'll do that."
Yamaki Einosuke nodded, then turned and walked out the door.
@---}---
Sakura was kneeling in the dirt when Syaoran stepped into the arbory. She stood up quickly and offered a cheerful greeting. "Ah, there you are Syaoran. I was wondering where you've been. You didn't come to see me last night, and-"Sakura broke off as she faced Syaoran. He looked disheveled, as though he hadn't slept well. "Syaoran, what's wrong? You don't look well at all."
Syaoran sighed and stepped into the garden. He sat on the bench by the pond, and Sakura quickly seated herself beside him. Syaoran turned to look her in the eye. "Menami is selling the house. I won't be able to come back here after this summer."
"You won't be able to come back? Ever?" Sakura looked horrified.
"Well," no sense in lying. "The man buying it- Yamaki Einosuke- he said I could visit . . ."
Sakura breathed a sigh of relief. "Then it'll be okay."
"No! It's not okay." Syaoran took Sakura by the shoulders. "I won't be able to visit like I used to. I know he said I could, but I couldn't impose like that." The memory of Einosuke's sad eyes as he spoke of his late wife filled his mind. "Sakura, please come back to the city with me. I know you don't want to leave the garden, but it can't stay like this."
Sakura's frown increased. "We can't keep the house?"
Syaoran shook his head. "No. I tried, I really did. But we can't keep the house.
"There's no way?" Syaoran shook his head. Sakura sighed and lowered her head. A moment later she sagged against his shoulder. Syaoran wrapped his arms around her in a tight embrace.
"Then I'll go with you." She whispered.
@---}---
I didn't want Einosuke to be a bad guy. He's really not. . .
