Sugar Pink: I AM SO SORRY THAT I DIDN'T UPDATE FOR SUCH A LONG TIME! But school got in the way, and I've been terribly busy...but it's all over now! I'M FREE! YAY! So I thought I would update this fic, seeing that I haven't done so for such a long time.
I thank those who reviewed the last chapter! I personally love to write this story, because I've never wrote one involving swords and stuff like that before. Please continue to R/R!
One Wish
Chapter 3: Outburst at the Kinomoto's
Sakura yawned and stretched her arms as the morning sunlight shone through the curtains of her room.
"Mistress Sakura, I have just finish with your laundry this morning." the maid said, placing a pile of clean clothes in Sakura's closet. "And I must warn you to be more careful. I found this in your sword training outfit."
Sakura rubbed her emerald eyes to have a closer look at what the maid had found. Her emerald eyes widen in shock. Rubbing them again, Sakura realized that the maid was holding the family jade heirloom!
"But-but--I thought that Tsunako Hikaru..." Sakura's voice trailed off as she thinks back to what happened that day.
Flashback
"You better change, monster. You smell." Sakura's older brother, Touya, held his nose.
"I'm not a monster!" Sakura exclaimed, stomping on her brother's foot. She ran up to her room, giggling.
"Touya's right...I do smell." Sakura frowned. Signing, she changed out of her training suit, and headed to fill herself a nice, warm bath. Sakura glanced down at the jade hanging from a chain from her training suit.
"I'll clip that back on my pink dress when I'm done bathing." she shrugged, and headed away.
After her bath, Sakura came back to her room. "Ew...I need to wash my training suit...it stinks of sweat." Grabbing the suit, she dumped it in the large basket, filled with her other dirty laundry.
Now, fresh as a daisy, Sakura decided to take a walk around town. She grabbed her slim sword and hung it on her back like a sling; just in case anything should happen.
"Such a beautiful day today--oops, I'm sorry." Sakura said, as she bumped into someone.
"Oh, that's okay." the person replied. Sakura looked up to see Tsunako Hikaru. Smiling, Hikaru continued on her way. Shrugging, Sakura went on her way too. She didn't know the Tsunako's that well, but she did hear that Tsunako Hikaru was full of grace and poise, and had many suitors asking for marriage every year.
"Rumours said she has grace and poise...and she goes around bumping into people in the streets." Sakura rolled her eyes.
"Sakura-chan, I heard there's a sword competition coming up. You feel up to the challenge?" a guy around the age of 23 came up to Sakura. He had black hair and sharp green eyes. His name is Yakashi Omiyato, one of Sakura's rival when it comes to the art of swords.
"You bet I'll be ready, Yakashi-kun." Sakura grinned. "I have my good lucky charm with me."
"Your jade heirloom?"
"You bet!" Sakura beamed. She reached into the pocket of her pink dress to retrieve the jade, as if to prove her point. However, she realized her pocket was empty. She blinked. She remembered thinking she would put the jade in her dress from her training suit...so where was it? Her eyes widen. She had bumped into Tsunako Hikaru. Sakura's jade eyes darkened as she ran after the girl.
End of flashback
"I never did put the heirloom in my dress...it's been in my training suit all along..." Sakura's eyes widen. I owe her an apology.
"Breakfast was good. Thanks, Tsunako-san." Syaoran thanked Azuko after breakfast.
"You're very welcome, Li-kun." Azuko bowed. "I have business to attend to today."
With that said, Azuko left the home.
"Do you guys want to take a walk around town today?" Syaoran asked, turning to Meiling and Hikaru. Both girls nodded in agreement.
"I can't believe I accused Tsunako-chan like that!" Sakura grumbled to herself. She was at her favourite training spot, the spot where Syaoran had been dropping by for the last few days. No wonder he was so mad at her. He had every right to be.
Sakura practices her sword when she is frustrated. And today, she's frustrated. Cherry blossom petals swirled around her and she swings her sword from left to right; the blade glistening in the sun.
"Ooh, this is pretty!" Hikaru and Meiling took turns gushing over hairpins and scarves as they walk through the marketplace. Syaoran, however, wasn't paying much attention. He spotted the route that leads to the small lake. The small lake with the cherry blossom trees. The small lake where he had saw Sakura a few times before. Curiosity got the better of him, and he wondered if he'll see her again there today.
"Um, you girls go on ahead." he said to Meiling and Hikaru. "I want to do something first."
Shrugging, the girls went ahead. Syaoran ducked into the small route that lead to the lake.
Today, as usual, he saw a certain emerald eyed girl, practicing her sword skills.
She paused immediately when she saw him. Syaoran frowned.
"Why did you stop?" he asked. Silence was his reply. "Sakura?"
"I'm sorry." she said softly. Syaoran was confused.
"About what?"
"About this," Sakura said. She turned around and held up her heirloom.
"Um... that's a very pretty jade?" Syaoran asked with uncertainty.
"This was the jade I accused Hikaru of stealing." Sakura said. Syaoran's eyes widen.
"You mean...?"
"It turns out I just misplaced it. It wasn't Hikaru's fault." Sakura said softly.
"Oh...I see." Syaoran smirked. "I hate to say this, but, I told you so."
Sakura glared.
"I think I will find Hikaru...and formally apologize. Do you happen to know where she is?"
"As a matter of fact...I do."
"Hikaru!" Syaoran shouted. Hikaru turned around. She saw the amber-eyed 23 year old jogging towards her and Meiling, tugging a Sakura behind him. Hikaru noticed that Syaoran was holding Sakura by the hand. She couldn't help the little pang of jealousy.
"Syaoran?" Hikaru asked. She glanced at Sakura. The girl had a blush on her cheeks.
"Someone has something to say." Syaoran said, with a playful smirk on his face. Hikaru turned to Sakura.
"I--I just wanted to say that...I'm sorry. I realized it wasn't you who took my heirloom. It was me who misplaced it." Sakura said boldly.
"That's...okay. No hard feelings." Hikaru smiled. Sakura smiled back.
"I told you so...now you owe me." Syaoran grinned. Sakura scowled.
"She owes you what?"
"She said you wouldn't forgive her...and I made a bet that if you do forgive her, she'll have to treat me to lunch." Syaoran grinned.
"I hope you brought enough money with you." Meiling smiled. "Syaoran eats a lot! He's such a pig sometimes."
"Hey!" Syaoran protested. He turned back to Sakura. "So, where should we go for lunch?"
"Are you done yet?" Sakura asked, wide-eyed.
"No, of course not!" Syaoran grinned, swallowing a mouthful of rice. Sakura glanced at the table at the teahouse they were in. On the table were a kettle of hot tea, two teacups, three empty noodle bowls, two empty plates of sushi, three empty plates of chicken, three empty bowls of congee and Syaoran just finished his second bowl of rice.
"Aren't you going to have anything?" Syaoran asked, gulping down a cup of tea.
"After watching you eat, I lost my appetite." Sakura sighed.
"I'll like a plate of hot rolls, please." Syaoran said to the waiter. Nodding, the waiter scurried off.
"Syaoran Li, you make me sick!" Sakura exclaimed. "How are you going to have dinner tonight!"
"The rolls aren't for me." Syaoran rolled his amber eyes. "I'm buying them for Hikaru. They're her favourite."
At this simple statement, Sakura felt anger boil inside her.
"You WHAT!"
Syaoran was taken aback by her sudden outburst. So did the people sitting around them. Their idea of a quiet afternoon tea was shattered by Sakura's outburst.
"I said I'm buying the rolls for Hikaru--"
"Look, Li Syaoran! I agree to treat you to lunch, not Tsunako Hikaru! You have no right making me pay for something she'll eat!" Sakura exclaimed.
"Then pretend I'm going to eat them." Syaoran rolled her eyes.
"Oh, there will be no need to pretend! You will eat them!" Sakura sat back down in her seat in a huff.
"No, I'm not! I'm taking these back to Hikaru!"
"Okay, fine. You do that. But I'm not paying for the rolls if you're taking it back to her! The bet said nothing about me buying her something to eat!"
"But I didn't bring any money!"
"Well then, that's your problem! The only way I'll pay for the rolls is if you eat it." Sakura huffed.
"But I'm full!"
"Too bad!"
"Syaoran-kun! What happened! We thought you went out for lunch with Sakura!" Meiling's ruby eyes were wide as Syaoran stumbled back into the Tsunako household later that evening.
"Yeah, what took so long? Dinner will be ready in about an hour." Hikaru said.
"Ugh...I don't think I'll eat dinner tonight...I'll be in my room...ugh..." Syaoran groaned, feeling sick from a big lunch.
Stupid Sakura...made me eat all the rolls, Syaoran grumbled. Meiling followed Syaoran into his room.
"Syaoran, have you forgot that we're suppose to hunt for the location of the Kinomoto?" Meiling reminded.
"Can we do that after I get over my stomach ache?" Syaoran groaned, flopping down on the soft bed.
"Fine, but we must start soon." Meiling sighed.
"Why don't we ask Hikaru? She might know." Syaoran suggested.
"Ask me what?" Hikaru asked, appearing at the door. "I didn't mean to eavesdrop...I was just passing by..." she blushed.
"Oh, that's okay, Hikaru-chan." Syaoran smiled. "We were just wondering if you know the whereabouts of the Kinomoto's."
Hikaru stared at both of them in shocked. "You mean you don't know!"
Both Syaoran and Meiling shook their heads.
"They live in this very town! In fact, you both already met one. Kinomoto Sakura."
"WHAT?"
"You mean to tell me that neither know that Sakura is a Kinomoto?" Hikaru asked, surprised.
"Come to think of it, she never did tell us her last name..." Meiling said, thinking back.
"Yeah..." Syaoran said. He relaxed his head on the pillow. Sakura...a Kinomoto.
"I have to go down and help set the table for dinner now." Hikaru smiled, walking back down.
After she left, Meiling closed and locked the door. "Syaoran..."
"Yeah, I know. We'll set out for the Kinomoto household first thing tomorrow morning."
"Meiling, you stay here. I'll go in alone. If I don't come back out within two hours, you can charge in." Syaoran instructed. Both of them crouched behind a bush near the grand household of the Kinomoto's.
"Gotcha." Meiling said. Slowly, Syaoran advanced towards the grand doors of the Kinomoto. He was immediately greeted by two guards in heavy armour.
"You may not enter!"
"I need to see Fujitaka Kinomoto!" Syaoran said in a bold voice.
"For what reasons?"
"That is not your concern!"
"You may not enter! For all we know, you could be here to assassinate Kinomoto-san!"
"I--"
"What's all the fuss?" a frustrated feminine voice said. Syaoran looked up to see a pair of familiar emerald eyes.
Sakura Kinomoto.
"Miss Sakura, this young man wishes to enter!" one of the guards said. Sakura looked at Syaoran. He glared back.
"Let him in. I know him." Sakura said, with a half smile. The guards were shocked, but let Syaoran through anyways. Syaoran was shocked also, but hid his surprise well.
As soon as he got pass the guards, Sakura turned around and walked along the long hallway of the Kinomoto household. Syaoran followed her silently. He noticed that they had entered some sort of sitting room, with a round table and chairs.
Sakura sat down. Syaoran sat across from her.
"So, what are you doing here?" Sakura asked.
"You fooled me long enough, Kinomoto." Syaoran said bitterly. Sakura frowned in confusion.
"What are you talking about?"
"If I had known you were a Kinomoto, I wouldn't have been so friendly towards you."
"You call that attitude of yours towards me friendly?" Sakura asked, amused. "And what about me being a Kinomoto? Is that a crime? I'm sorry I didn't let you know earlier, but I didn't feel it was necessary for strangers to know every detail about me." Sakura said.
Syaoran didn't say anything. A moment of silence passed.
"I came here today to see Fujitaka Kinomoto." Syaoran said.
"Why do you need to see my father?"
"He-he's your father?" Syaoran asked, shocked.
"Yes, of course. Now why do you need to see him?"
"He has something that belongs to my swords master." Syaoran said.
"And what would that be?"
"The other ring." Syaoran said. When Sakura gave him a confused look, Syaoran stuck his right hand out. On the ring finger was a simple gold ring, with a green jewel in the centre.
Sakura's expression changed from amusement to serious.
"I do not know how you got that other ring, but I know my father spent a long time searching for it."
"What! Your father is after this ring! He already has the other one, isn't it enough already! I came today for a reason. I need to retrieve that other ring back."
"I'm sorry, but you may not. Father guards it with his life. He would not just give it to you. All of us Kinomoto guard that ring."
"And why do you do so?" Syaoran asked.
"Father said it's very valuable, and cannot be fallen into the wrong hands." Sakura said.
"It's in the wrong hands if it's with your father!"
"Are you insulting my father!"
"You Kinomoto's stole that ring from my swords master! The rings were meant to be a pair! They were meant to be together!"
"Which is why you should hand yours over, so the two rings can reunite!" Sakura said.
"I will do no such thing! It is you who should hand over the other ring!"
"We will do no such thing either! The ring has been with the Kinomoto's for a long time!"
"And it has been too long!" Syaoran pulled out his sabre from the sling he carries on his back. Sakura's eyes grew wide.
"I suggest you give me the ring now, before anyone gets hurt." Syaoran threatened.
Sakura drew out her elegant sword. "I'm not afraid of you!"
"What is going on here! Sakura? Who is this young man?" a voice boomed. Sakura turned around to come face to face with a middle aged man in this mid 40's. He had greyish brown hair and was currently frowning at the scene.
"Father!" Sakura called. Syaoran immediately noticed the gold ring on Fujitaka's right ring finger.
"Are you Fuijitaka Kinomoto?" Syaoran asked.
"Yes, I am. How can I help you?"
"You can help by giving me the ring on your finger."
"I'm sorry, but I have to guard this ring with my life." Fujitaka said kindly. "You may not have it."
"Father, he has the other ring." Sakura informed. Fujitaka gasped as he noticed Syaoran's hand.
"Dear boy, where did you get that?"
"That is none of your concern. I shall return for the ring." Syaoran growled. Turning around, he left the Kinomoto household.
Sugar Pink: Wow, that was a long chapter! Haha, I sure had fun writing it! I hope you guys all had fun reading it too! I'll try to update this fic again soon!
Please leave a review comment and let me know what you think!
R/R!