AN: This chapter is more like a "while you were away…this and this happened" kind of fic…^_^ *heh* Please r/r ^^ Oh yeah…a friend of mine brought this to my attention *guiltily* ^_^;;;; It's Takashi…not Yamazaki…Yamazaki's his last name *oops…*
Oh yes…HAPPY NEW YEAR! This is my Christmas gift to all those who reviewed!
Chapter 5b – Meanwhile…
Takashi stumbled forwards as Eriol and Tomoyo let him go. He looked nervously back at them, and then at Sakura, who was at her desk piling her books into a neat stack.
"Sakura-san," Takashi started. "Um…hi."
"Yes?" Sakura looked up at him, and Takashi swallowed, mentally berating Eriol and Tomoyo for putting him up to this.
"Something happened and, um, you see, Syaor –"
"Class! Please line up now. You don't want to be the last class at the rink do you?" Terada-sensei stood at the door, laughing slightly at the excitement of the class.
Sakura gazed curiously at Takashi, but before she could speak, Terada-sensei came over and herded them over to join the other students.
Tell me on the bus. Sakura mouthed to Takashi. She slipped ahead with Tomoyo. Takashi sighed and allowed himself to be dragged by Chiharu out the door.
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"Nineteen, 20, 21…" Terada-sensei counted under his breath. He frowned and quickly scanned his attendance sheet. "That's strange." He raised his eyes and examined the crowd of students on the bus. "Where's Li Syaoran?"
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Tomoyo got on the bus and chose an empty seat. Sakura had gone off to the washroom and Tomoyo was left alone for the moment. The loud laughter of her classmates was giving her headache. She closed her eyes tightly, and leaned back into her seat. A pale hand reached up and reached up to rub her eyes.
Eriol had slipped into the empty seat behind them, and now he leaned forward, putting his head next to Tomoyo's. "Are you alright?"
Tomoyo's violet eyes immediately opened. "Just tired," she said with a smile. "I'm more worried about how Sakura's going to take the news."
Eriol nodded. He, too, was worried about Sakura's reaction, but he was more worried about Syaoran.
Takashi and Chiharu had taken the seat in front of Tomoyo. Chiharu was preoccupied, talking to Naoko. Takashi turned around. "Please, Tomoyo – san. I had nothing to do with it! Can't you tell her?"
Tomoyo said nothing. She had closed her eyes again, and the pounding in her head threatened to explode. Eriol gazed at Tomoyo before answering Takashi. "Nobody loves to be the messenger of bad news." He smiled, like a shark to a fish. "What are you so afraid of?"
Takashi stole a quick look at Chiharu. She wasn't paying attention at the moment. He leaned in, as if telling a secret. "Because sometimes, it seems that something's not right with her, if you know what I mean." He glanced nervously at Tomoyo, and at Eriol. "No offense or anything of course," he said quickly, "but it's like she knows why some weird event is happening. Ever hear of the expression 'Don't kill the bearer of bad news?' What if she's some sort of sorceress and she decides to cast a spell or do something to me?"
That's partly true…Eriol resisted the urge to smile.
Tomoyo gave Takashi one long careful look. I wonder how long he's suspected?
Takashi hit his head on the seat of the bus in frustration – a never seen emotion in Takashi. "Why do I have to be the one to break the news to Sakura – san?"
"Break what to me?" A way to familiar voice asked?
Three horrified pairs of eyes stared up at a pair of emerald eyes.
"Break what to me?"
Sakura sat down next to Tomoyo and glanced around. She hadn't seen Syaoran anywhere back in the school. She even called his name into the boys' washrooms. Worry crept into her heart. Syaoran was nowhere to be seen on the packed bus.
"Tomoyo – chan, have you seen Syaoran – kun?" Sakura twisted her head around and faced Tomoyo. "Tomoyo?"
"There's something I have to tell you, Sakura – chan." Tomoyo looked at the pleated material of her skirt.
The bus left the school.
"Syaoran, he," Tomoyo began.
"Syaoran's in the hospital," Takashi blurted out.
So much for being tact, Eriol thought.
"What?!" Sakura fought to keep calm. "What do you mean?!"
"Sakura, Syaoran had a stomachache, and he went to the hospital." Tomoyo could see the panic rising in Sakura's eyes. "I'm sure he's fine." She tried to console Sakura. "It'll be okay."
Tears welled up and slowly slid down Sakura's face. "I wished that he died."
Tomoyo glanced at Eriol.
Eriol patted Sakura on the back and handed her his handkerchief. "It's not your fault."
Sakura took the cloth, and the tears came faster.