Chapter Seven - O Tanjoubi Omedeto (Happy Birthday)
Straightening his jacket, Syaoran took a deep breath before entering the room. He had been dreading this moment for days as he knew of his mother's plans. He couldn't understand why she was so impatient in wanting him to find a fiancé. His sisters also added to the stress by following their mother's example.
Even though he had tried not to make a grand entrance, word of him being there spread like the plague and drew everyone's attention. To Syaoran it seemed like less of a birthday celebration and more like a meat market.
Everyone's eyes were on him as he made his way across the room to where his mother sat on a raised area with his four sisters by her side. All of them were dressed exquisitely for the festivities and each sister was accompanied by a suitor of their own choosing.
"How come they get a choice? All of them are older than me and none of them have been forced into an early marriage." These thoughts of jealously fuelled his anger as he sat next to his mother.
Fortunately for him, the fuss died down and once again people were dancing with only the occasional glance in his direction. His sisters gradually moved away to join the guests and finally, what seemed like forever to Syaoran, his cousin Eriol appeared.
"Actually managed to tear yourself away then!" Syaoran remarked. Knowing exactly what he meant, Eriol just smiled before teasing back, "Which one are you going to marry then?"
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"Konabe, I'm so sorry." Tomoyo caught her breath as she rushed into the room to help Sakura get ready. In her arms was a light blue kimono with silver embroidery and a matching under dress.
Her hand reached out and took the white powder from Sakura before she managed to apply it to her skin.
"No, not tonight. He'll want to see your face." Sakura just nodded in agreement and left everything to the other maids who were now fussing around her.
Soon her hair was up in a French twist and one of the maids put the finishing touches to her makeup before leaving her alone to sit and wait. As Tomoyo was the last to leave, she flashed Sakura a reassuring smile and mouthed, "Don't worry."
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The next dance finished and Syaoran quickly tried to get back to the side of the room where Eriol was standing before he was introduced to yet another single girl to dance with. He was also so close to actually making it away when.
"Syaoran!" He turned to see his mother heading towards him with a young girl on her arm. "I have someone I'd like you to meet."
Looking over his shoulder, Syaoran shot a look of 'help' over to Eriol who just grinned and raised his glass in a 'good luck' gesture.
"Syaoran, this is Shinabo, daughter to the Sabato Clan." The girl smiled sweetly, and stepped closer to Syaoran with her hand extended towards him, "Could I have this dance?"
Being as polite as he could, he bowed before taking her small slender hand and leading her towards where the others were dancing. As soon as the music started, he too started to move. Every step he made was in time and he knew all the moves, but he put no life into it and his face was as expressionless as ever.
At first Shinabo just followed his lead, her long white sequined dress flowing behind her as they turned and twirled to the soft sound of the live orchestra playing. However, before long, she gave in to the urge to break the silence and commented on how magnificent the whole celebration was. Much to her disappointment though, Syaoran replied politely before falling silent once more.
"I see you're a man of many words." Shinabo mocked.
"Do you always choose to talk while dancing then?" The conversation was interrupted by Eriol coming over to his cousins' rescue.
"May I interrupt?" Eriol held his hand out to the lady with a welcoming smile and Syaoran quickly handed her over. To be truthful, Shinabo was slightly grateful. She knew a marriage to Syaoran would be a massive advantage to her and her family, but at the same time he seemed to come across as quite full of himself and moody.
"It's a shame such good looks are wasted on that personality." She thought to herself as she watched Syaoran head towards the main doors.
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He hadn't meant to act so rudely towards his guests but he hardly knew any of them. It had seemed like he was in a sea full of faces, just trying to find someone he recognised, and that was why he had been so relieved to see Eriol coming across to save him. Not only did that mean he finally knew someone in the room, but it also meant he could escape, if only for a short amount of time.
As soon as he was out the doors he headed for his room. He knew it wouldn't be long before someone came to fetch him and make him go back. As he walked, he loosened his shirt by undoing the top button and taking off his jacket.
Finally, he had made it to his room where he shut the door behind him and slid down to sit on the floor. With his head in his hands he started dreading the knocking on the door which would mean he would have to return and once again be introduced to more potential wives.
"Huh-hum" Someone cleared their throat as if about to speak. At first, Syaoran didn't notice, but when it happened again, he realised some else was in the room with him. Looking up, both people gasped as they saw familiar faces.
Syaoran promptly stood up and moved right in front of the girl to examine her and make such his eyes weren't deceiving him.
"Sakura?"
Straightening his jacket, Syaoran took a deep breath before entering the room. He had been dreading this moment for days as he knew of his mother's plans. He couldn't understand why she was so impatient in wanting him to find a fiancé. His sisters also added to the stress by following their mother's example.
Even though he had tried not to make a grand entrance, word of him being there spread like the plague and drew everyone's attention. To Syaoran it seemed like less of a birthday celebration and more like a meat market.
Everyone's eyes were on him as he made his way across the room to where his mother sat on a raised area with his four sisters by her side. All of them were dressed exquisitely for the festivities and each sister was accompanied by a suitor of their own choosing.
"How come they get a choice? All of them are older than me and none of them have been forced into an early marriage." These thoughts of jealously fuelled his anger as he sat next to his mother.
Fortunately for him, the fuss died down and once again people were dancing with only the occasional glance in his direction. His sisters gradually moved away to join the guests and finally, what seemed like forever to Syaoran, his cousin Eriol appeared.
"Actually managed to tear yourself away then!" Syaoran remarked. Knowing exactly what he meant, Eriol just smiled before teasing back, "Which one are you going to marry then?"
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"Konabe, I'm so sorry." Tomoyo caught her breath as she rushed into the room to help Sakura get ready. In her arms was a light blue kimono with silver embroidery and a matching under dress.
Her hand reached out and took the white powder from Sakura before she managed to apply it to her skin.
"No, not tonight. He'll want to see your face." Sakura just nodded in agreement and left everything to the other maids who were now fussing around her.
Soon her hair was up in a French twist and one of the maids put the finishing touches to her makeup before leaving her alone to sit and wait. As Tomoyo was the last to leave, she flashed Sakura a reassuring smile and mouthed, "Don't worry."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
The next dance finished and Syaoran quickly tried to get back to the side of the room where Eriol was standing before he was introduced to yet another single girl to dance with. He was also so close to actually making it away when.
"Syaoran!" He turned to see his mother heading towards him with a young girl on her arm. "I have someone I'd like you to meet."
Looking over his shoulder, Syaoran shot a look of 'help' over to Eriol who just grinned and raised his glass in a 'good luck' gesture.
"Syaoran, this is Shinabo, daughter to the Sabato Clan." The girl smiled sweetly, and stepped closer to Syaoran with her hand extended towards him, "Could I have this dance?"
Being as polite as he could, he bowed before taking her small slender hand and leading her towards where the others were dancing. As soon as the music started, he too started to move. Every step he made was in time and he knew all the moves, but he put no life into it and his face was as expressionless as ever.
At first Shinabo just followed his lead, her long white sequined dress flowing behind her as they turned and twirled to the soft sound of the live orchestra playing. However, before long, she gave in to the urge to break the silence and commented on how magnificent the whole celebration was. Much to her disappointment though, Syaoran replied politely before falling silent once more.
"I see you're a man of many words." Shinabo mocked.
"Do you always choose to talk while dancing then?" The conversation was interrupted by Eriol coming over to his cousins' rescue.
"May I interrupt?" Eriol held his hand out to the lady with a welcoming smile and Syaoran quickly handed her over. To be truthful, Shinabo was slightly grateful. She knew a marriage to Syaoran would be a massive advantage to her and her family, but at the same time he seemed to come across as quite full of himself and moody.
"It's a shame such good looks are wasted on that personality." She thought to herself as she watched Syaoran head towards the main doors.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
He hadn't meant to act so rudely towards his guests but he hardly knew any of them. It had seemed like he was in a sea full of faces, just trying to find someone he recognised, and that was why he had been so relieved to see Eriol coming across to save him. Not only did that mean he finally knew someone in the room, but it also meant he could escape, if only for a short amount of time.
As soon as he was out the doors he headed for his room. He knew it wouldn't be long before someone came to fetch him and make him go back. As he walked, he loosened his shirt by undoing the top button and taking off his jacket.
Finally, he had made it to his room where he shut the door behind him and slid down to sit on the floor. With his head in his hands he started dreading the knocking on the door which would mean he would have to return and once again be introduced to more potential wives.
"Huh-hum" Someone cleared their throat as if about to speak. At first, Syaoran didn't notice, but when it happened again, he realised some else was in the room with him. Looking up, both people gasped as they saw familiar faces.
Syaoran promptly stood up and moved right in front of the girl to examine her and make such his eyes weren't deceiving him.
"Sakura?"