This is the last chapter in the Coffee series. It has to end somewhere, guys. As a thank you for all the reviews for the Coffee series, this is topped with a bit of extra fluff, as well as some extra couplings. Last chapter, Syaoran does have access to a fortune to pay for dates, but let's say the Li elders keep him on a tight leash. I doubt they'd meekly watch him squander everything away without giving him an earful. Another gift to the class of '05.
pop pop pop
Amid raucous cheering and the thumping beat of the DJ's music playing in the background of the Velvet Sky nightclub, a spray of colorful curled ribbons flew into the air as the noisemakers crackled, signifying the party was under way. Yamazaki grinned as he took the microphone, tapping on it lightly.
"Ah-ah. Test, test. Is this thing on?"
Chiharu's head snapped up at the familiar voice as she stared at her boyfriend bathed in the spotlight. She groaned and turned away in disgust as her head sank in her hands. Naoko giggled, patting her shoulder sympathetically.
"Hey guys! I just want to say congrats again to all of us for making it through an unbelievable four years at Tokyo U. They'll never see another class like us!" he shouted as the private room erupted with cheers.
"See, it's not going to be bad…" Riika whispered softly to the miserable Chiharu.
"Just give him a minute," she muttered back, getting up and making her way to the stage.
"Speaking of graduation rituals, I'd like to take this opportunity to mention about the different ancient civilizations that consecrated this moment with much debauchery and booze. I majored in ancient civilizations, you know. I say we relive the golden times and—" Yamazaki was cut off when Chiharu had suddenly materialized at his side.
"Ladies and gentlemen, my lovely fiancée!" His half-smile did not extend to his fearful eyes as they reflected her gradually reddening face.
"Four years haven't taught you anything, Yamazaki!" she growled savagely as she pulled him away from the stage by the ear.
Naoko laughed as she took his place, slightly adjusting her glasses as she gazed around the room.
"Four years… and we're still together. And…" she paused, chuckling softly. "Some of us have become even more intimate with each other." There was an evil glint of mischief in the sweet and innocent eyes the gang had known all their lives. The response among the couples was automatic; all were blushing fiercely. Rika turned away from Yoshiyuki Terada shyly; Eriol smiled as his hand squeezed tighter around Tomoyo's palm, their pale fingers interlaced under the table. Touya looked rather sour as he crossed his arms and glanced away, hiding his blush. Yukito, who tagged along with Touya to help chaperone the event, took the opportunity to steal his bowl of melting ice-cream, smiling as he gave a thumbs-up sign to Naoko before plunging his spoon deep into the heart of the strawberry fudge.
"A toast…" Naoko continued, smiling as she lifted her glass of champagne. The red ribbon wound along the slender stem trailed loosely over her slim fingers as the spotlight caught the sad sparkle in her eyes. "…to us. To friendship. To continued perseverance to each other. To four years that taught us how to feel each other's pains and joys, and to many more years of eternal love for each other."
"Kanpei!" the old gang cheered as they raised their varying glasses of red wine, champagne, and beer.
"But… we seem to be missing a few important guests of honor." Naoko frowned as she tried to peer through the darkness. "Where are Syaoran and Sakura?"
"Another mocha martini please," Sakura hiccupped, leaning heavily over the black marbled bar counter.
The heels of her white slingbacks hooked along the barstool's steel footrest as she crossed her slender legs smoothly, making the asymmetrical hem of her new dress flick slightly along her knees. It was made of light pink chiffon that rustled slightly with each movement she made, and featured a simple plunging neckline on her beaded bodice and pencil slim skirt that modestly clung to her figure and dropped to about halfway down her thigh. The bartender picked up the bottle of Starbuck's liquor and measured out a few ounces into the cocktail shaker, along with a shot of vodka and crushed ice. Sakura watched the show of blinking black lights and flashes of silver play along the bartender's fingers for a moment before she gazed at her reflection in the empty glass in front of her. Sakura toyed with the maraschino cherry stem along her soft lips as the bartender poured the cocktail into a fresh glass, and topped it with another cherry. She then smiled as it was set down before her on a napkin, eagerly leaning over for it until someone tapped her shoulder.
"Hello, sexy. Mind if I buy you a drink?" Sakura tilted her head back as she looked up at a tall figure in a light grey suit and black shirt that was partially unbuttoned. She tapped her finger against her lips idly as she thought about the offer, and swung her Hello Kitty beaded bag into her lap, digging through it and carefully counting out a few bills.
"Hmm… you can buy me twelve drinks," she nodded before shutting the clasp of her purse. "I didn't bring enough to pay for everything." She slipped unsteadily to her feet and turned to the exit. She raised her hand and waved without looking back, calling out, "Thanks for settling the tab, mister!" The man could only gape at Sakura trudging onwards to the next bar as the bartender took the fifty out of his open palm.
"Syaoraaaaan," Meilin wailed as she plopped down on the floor in a fiery crimson silk gown, kicking her feet slightly. "We're going to miss the party!" Seventeen years of aristocratic etiquette meant nothing to her in her desperation as she carried the dignity of a petulant toddler throwing a fierce tantrum.
Syaoran kept his fists aimed at the punching bag in front of him, hopping on his feet as sweat began to pour down his bare chest and darken the elastic along his loose-fitting green training pants. He retracted each jab, holding his fists defensively under his eyes, alternating with swinging kicks and punches.
"Syaoran!" Meilin cried in exasperation as she scrambled back to her feet and stamped the heel of her sandals on the polished wood of the family gymnasium.
"Haaaah!" Syaoran growled back as his final kick landed against the swinging bag.
The rope snapped, and the bag split along the seam, scattering beans instantly across the floor. Meilin stared at him as he breathed hard, almost defiantly glaring at the bag that slumped to the far corner of the wall in defeat. For a moment, the only sound audible was Syaoran's panting breaths; then Meilin threw up her hands and stomped away angrily, heels clicking furiously as she muttered about being a fool for ever having a crush on him when they were younger. Syaoran didn't move until he heard the door slam behind her, and then slowly sank to the floor, resting his arm on his knee.
"Wei," he called suddenly.
With the silent grace of a ghost, a thin reedy man with a graying moustache appeared out of the shadows carrying a silver tray of Dasani bottles with a towel draped over his left arm. He bowed.
"Yes, young Master?"
"Do you think she'll ever forgive me?" There was a tone of loss in his quiet voice.
Wei did not answer, and kept the young master company in silence as the rain began to clatter against the mansion's windows.
"I'm singing in the rain," Sakura slurred heavily as she mimicked a tap dance along the streetlamp. "Just singing in the rain! What a wonderful feeling, I'm ha—"
The heel suddenly snapped under her weight as she hopped down from the curb. Sakura barely had time to cry out as she found herself plopped ungracefully on the slick sidewalk, holding up the broken shoe. She laughed, hiding her tears as she raised her head to the darkening sky above, letting the sweet rain dance on her cheeks as she shut her eyes. She took a few breaths, and was suddenly aware that the rain had stopped falling on her. Her eyes fluttered open to see the scarlet umbrella that suddenly appeared over her head, and to the young woman holding it.
"Kaho…"
An hour later, Sakura had allowed herself to be wrapped in a warm blanket, hugging a mug of jasmine tea closer to her lips, the distant rattle of the dryer humming in the back as her clothes spun through it. She glanced around at the collection of gold and brass instruments lining the wall.
"Are they all used for magic?" she asked as she gestured to the curiosities around the room.
"Most," Kaho smiled as she sat down near her on the couch with a cup of tea in her hand as well. "Others are just for looks."
Sakura nodded, and sipped at the fragrant brew, feeling it sober her up quicker.
"I don't want to talk about it," she stated flatly after a pause.
"I didn't expect you to." Kaho was as unruffled as ever.
"He was really wrong this time," she continued.
"I believe you."
The steam curled into the air above her mug during the quiet that settled between them.
"It really sucked, being hurt like that."
Kaho set down her cup and rushed to give her a comforting hug. It was the best thing Sakura felt all day. She sniffed quietly against her shoulder, her voice breaking with emotion as she tried to hold back her sobs.
"I love him so much, Kaho. I love him so much, it hurts."
"Sometimes," Kaho whispered against her damp hair as she rocked her back and forth, "sometimes, it has to hurt a little to truly be happy with someone."
"It still sucks," Sakura murmured petulantly.
Kaho giggled softly, patting her head. "You might not realize it now, Sakura, but later on, you'll look back on this and laugh about how selfishly absorbed you were in your own troubles. Take it from me. I've had personal experience with matters of the heart too. I think I cried even more than you did," she smiled sadly.
Her emerald eyes widened. Kaho Mizuki, ultra-cool, intelligent, and beautiful, crying? "Why?"
"I may have been raised as a Shinto priestess, Sakura, but I'm still human."
"No, I mean… what happened?"
"Oh… well you know some of the history. Imagine me, having to leave my love, Touya, to England to prepare for the Final Judgment. We broke up eventually because we were mature enough to realize it was only puppy love, but still…" She laughed derisively. "And then, after I rebounded with a 400-year old reincarnation of Clow in the form of a ten-year-old boy, I came back to find that I turned him gay!"
Sakura grinned brightly at the fond memory of Yukito, whom she had crushed on when they were younger. "You didn't turn him gay. He was always close with Yukito-san."
She nodded. "I know, but at the time, I really wasn't able to understand anything that required common sense." She shifted Sakura slightly in her arms.
"Do you understand, Card Mistress?"
"That I should break up with Syaoran and make him gay too?"
Kaho gave her a stern look, to which Sakura sighed. "Yeah, I know… that in the course of life, I should be able to forgive, forget, and get over it."
The priestess blinked and nodded enthusiastically. "Yes, that and boys will always be the source of your problems."
Sakura couldn't remember the last time she had laughed so long and hard like that as she dissolved into giggles with Kaho on the couch.
The late May shower had stopped by the time Sakura walked home by herself in borrowed slippers, but the heavy scent of fresh rain was lingering in the air. She swung the broken heels over her shoulder as she paused to inhale deeply, smiling as the clean breeze filled her lungs. When she opened her eyes, her smile slowly slipped away.
"Hey," Syaoran greeted simply as he stood before her, his hands jammed in the pockets of his jacket.
"What are you doing here?" she asked curtly. "Never mind, I don't really care," she said quickly as she stepped to the left, moving to walk past him and get to her front door. He blocked her path, and held a hand on her arm.
"Wait… please, just give me a minute."
There was a pregnant pause between them. Finally, she sighed, adjusting her purse closer over her shoulder. "Make it fast. I have to gift-wrap a few presents for tom—"
"I'm sorry," he cut her off. She stopped, her eyes not daring to look at him directly as she remained frozen. He shuffled his feet, kicking the dirt slightly with the toes of his sneakers. "I'm sorry," he repeated. "I was wrong, really wrong."
"Damn right you were." Her voice was hollow.
"I'll spend the rest of my life apologizing, I promise. Please… just give me another chance." He sounded sincere.
"Okay."
"Wait, just hear me out. I—wait, what did you say?"
Sakura smiled as she stepped closer to him and swung her arms around his neck. She rose up on her tiptoes and tapped a small kiss against his lips. "I said… okay. I was wrong too, a little, and I'm sorry. I forgive you."
His chestnut eyes were bewildered as he gave a slow half-smile. "You mean it?"
"I'll take it back if you don't shut up and kiss me soon, dummy," she said seriously, but her eyes twinkled with merriment.
He was quick to comply.
Fin
Wondered what they fought about? You missed the moral of the story. It doesn't matter what they were arguing about, because in the end, they still had each other (after Sakura made him grovel a bit, granted). Well, that and boys will always be the source of a girl's problems. Hope you enjoyed the Coffee series, because it's been a blast for me to write it. And I admit it… I'm a review whore! Gimme gimme gimme! Pants as she grabs all the review she can get. Drop a review, please
