A/N: All reviews and comments are appreciated! I would like to thank the following people:

Piper: Damn, you saw it too? Don't worry, Syaoran won't die in the end...I hope!
sakura.cherryblossom.kinomoto: She'll meet Syaoran soon, don't worry.
heheangel kiss: Yeah, she got her last name right...but there ARE a lot of Kinomotos out there!
yukiru: OMG!! YOU SAW GLASS SHOES? That was the best drama ever! Of course, sometimes I hated all that mushiness from that guy who beats everyone up...but other than that, it was cool. But I saw a translated version in another language.
Nightglider: Thanks!
Sakura-jr17: It's supposed to be sad in the beginning...the real one had a sad ending too, but I'm making it a happy ending.
SaKuRaStArS: Thanks for your comment!
FromDayOne: Thanks for your comment!
Animefan66: You're the first person to realize the plot wasn't there! Don't worry, it's coming.
Azeil: Aw...don't cry!
White-Destiny-Pure-Snow: ?-? So is it boring or horrible?
Michael Bulaich: SS forever to you too!

I realize the story is a little rushed...but since everyone wants the plot, I have no choice but to rush the plot.

Disclaimer: I do not own CCS. Or Glass Shoes.

CinderSakura

By: Lotus Dreams

Chapter 2: Starting of a Cinderella

Touya, having gotten his wallet back, ran back as fast as he could to where he told Sakura to stand.

But Sakura was gone.

"Sakura!" he shouted. "Sakura-chan! Kaijuu! Where did you go?" Touya kicked a rock in frustration. Then he ran up to a man and asked, "Kudasai[please], could you wait a moment?"

"Hai?"

"Did you see a girl about this tall, with short brown hair and green eyes, and carrying a backpack?"

"Nope, gomen[sorry]. No kid around here."

"Oh...thank you." Touya was nearly in tears. Nearly. Boys don't cry. But after Fujitaka's death, how could he not take responsibility of his little sister?

Touya began to cross the street. Just then, a long black car was speeding towards them, and Touya, seeing it, dived out of the way just in time. The car screeched to stop. The driver climbed out of the car.

"Hey, kid!" he said angrily. He was wearing a black suit. "Watch where you're going, will you?"

"Gomen," apologized Touya. "I just--I just lost my little sister. And I'm looking for my ojii-chan as well."

The driver raised an eyebrow. "Your...ojii-chan?" The boy, somewhere in his late or mid-teens, looked...looked so much like Mr. Kinomoto and his son, Fujitaka.

"Yes."

"Oh? And who is your grandfather?"

Touya took out his wallet and flipped to Mr. Kinomoto's picture. "He is my ojii-chan." The driver's eyes widened.

"KORIN!" barked a voice from inside the car. "Hurry it up!"

"Sir!" cried Korin, thrusting his head inside the car. "Sir, I've found Kinomoto Touya, sir!"

"What?" Mr. Kinomoto stuck his head outside. Touya looked at him curiously. Sure enough, he was the man in the picture, although considerably older...

...And Touya looked so much like Fujitaka, it was like seeing an exact replica with deliberate mistakes. Mr. Kinomoto didn't know how to react. He opened the door, ignoring the sounds of beeping horns behind him.

"Are you...Kinomoto Touya?" he asked hesitantly.

"Are you...my ojii-chan?" whispered Touya.

Without thinking, Mr. Kinomoto enveloped Touya in an one-armed embrace. Touya was shocked beyond relief.

"My father is dead," he said, his voice heavy.

"I know," said Mr. Kinomoto comfortingly.

"My sister--I wanted to protect my sister--but she's not here--" Touya choked out.

Mr. Kinomoto was surprised that Sakura was not with him, but his voice remained steady. "It's okay now," he soothed. "You're with me. You're safe now. I will help you find your little sister, no matter what it takes."


"What are we going to do?" wailed Makiko. "What are we going to do?"

"Don't be stupid," snarled Matsuo. "Kinomoto is a common name. Besides, this--er--Nadeshiko girl has lost her memory, so she can't say anything."

"But what if somebody is looking for her?" Makiko was wringing her hands. "AUGH!! WHY DID WE BRING HER HOME IN THE FIRST PLACE? WE SHOULD JUST HAVE DROPPED HER OFF AT THE HOSPITAL!! AND YOU--" She pointed a finger at Matsuo "--I TOLD YOU NOT TO BUY A STUPID CAR WHEN YOU DON'T EVEM KNOW HOW TO DRIVE PROPERLY AND NOW--"

Knock, knock, knock.

"Quick," hissed Matsuo to Manami. "Hide Nadeshiko!" Manami grabbed the girl's hand forward and stuffed her into her room.

Makiko straightened her clothes and opened the door with a fake smile. "Yes?" Her smile nearly fell apart when she saw the policeman.

"Oh, hello," he said with a smile. "I just heard yelling in here. Is anything wrong?"

"Yes--um, I mean, no!" answered Makiko. "I was just scolding my husband because...because he nearly scraped our friend's car!"

The policeman glanced at the car parked outside.

"Are you saying the car there is your friend's car?"

"Why yes," intervened Matsuo, grinning stupidly. "I needed to go somewhere and my friend graciously let me borrow the car."

"Oh," said the policeman. He took a look at the license plate number, took out a notebook and pen, and jotted it down. Makiko's eyes widened.

"Er--sir, what are you doing?"

"Sorry ma'am, to be bothering you," said the policeman, "but we have to jot down the license plate number of every car. Thanks for your cooperation."

"Anytime," replied Matsuo, and waved him away. As soon as the policeman left, Makiko let out a huge breath.

"Now he's got our license plate number," she hissed. "What do we do?"

"Nothing," said Matsuo faintly. "Let's--let's think of a plan tomorrow."


"Mommy, why are you so worried?" asked Manami. "Nobody knows the little girl is in our house."

"We need to just in case, Mana-chan," yawned Makiko. "Go back to sleep now, dummy." Manami reluctantly returned to bed, but then screamed.

"KINOMOTO NADESHIKO, WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN MY BED?!" Nadeshiko had already fallen asleep.

"Shut up!" called Makiko. "You'll be sharing a room with her from now on, okay?" Manami's eyes popped out.

"NO!! IT'S MY ROOM IT'S MY BED EVERYTHING IS MINE!!!"

"MANAMI!" Makiko stomped into the bedroom and slapped Manami on the face. "You bring home poor grades at the bottom of the class, and you expect to have a room all to yourself? When you start getting smarter, then you will get your own room!" Then she left.

Manami pouted. "I'll show you!" she hissed to Nadeshiko. "When my grades are up, you're out!"


The next day...

The mailman knocked on the door next morning. Makiko woke up with a start.

"Oh, ohayo gozaimasu[good morning]!" he said when he saw Makiko. "I'm just here to deliver the mail!"

"I know, I know," said Makiko in a hushed voice. In her hurry, she spilled the rest of the contents of the mailman's bag onto the floor. "Oops--sorry--"

"Watch it, woman!" said the mailman angrily. "Do you have eyes?"

"I said sorry!"

"Harada-sama, is something wrong?" Nadeshiko(Sakura) tottered up to the door, her brown hair matted with blood. The mailman looked at the little girl.

"Ohayo gozaimasu, little kodomo!" greeted the mailman.

"Ohayo!" said Nadeshiko brightly. "My name is Nade--"

"EEK!" screamed Makiko. "I mean--there now, Nade--hrrmmermmhmmhmm--go back to your room..." Nadeshiko gave a big smile, then said, "Okay!"

The mailman was a little suspicious. He picked up the rest of his mail and walked off.

Makiko breathed a sigh of relief. Then she panicked again.

"MATSUO!" she screamed. "MATSUO MATSUO MATSUO MATSUO MATSUO MATSUO MATSUO MATSUO--WHERE ARE YOU, MATSUO?"

"Here," muttered Matsuo sleepily. "What?"

"THE MAILMAN SAW NADESHIKO!!" she screeched. "AND HER HEAD STILL HAD BLOOD ON IT!!"

"Tasukete[help]," breathed Matsuo. "You--He didn't!"

"HE DID!" shrieked Makiko. "WHAT WILL WE DO IF HE FINDS OUT WE HAVE A KINOMOTO IN OUR HOUSE?"

"KINOMOTO IS A COMMON NAME!" bellowed Matsuo. "LET ME THINK, WITCH! THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS THAT PEOPLE DON'T FIND OUT WE RAN OVER A LITTLE GIRL!"

"Then...Then what do we do?" said Makiko faintly.

Matsuo thought. He thought. And he thought..."Okay," he said finally. "We can't stay here anymore."

"Wh-What?"

"We can't stay here anymore. If that mailman reports to the police that he saw a girl with blood on her head then we will get into big trouble. We have to run away."

"But Matsuo--"

"No buts! We have to go."

"Then--Nadeshiko?"

"We must take her with us," he said quietly. "She already has seen our faces, she could report them to the police. We have to take her with us."

"TAKE HER? Matsuo, she is spoiled little stupid brat! You realize how much money we'll waste on her?"

"Not more than what we have to pay for her damages," said Matsuo grimly. "We'll have to keep her for life."

"WHAT?" screeched Makiko. "FOR LIFE?"

"What other choice do we have?" snapped Matsuo.

"But--But--" blubbered Makiko.

"I said no buts!"

"Fine, fine, I'll--I'll bear it," stammered Makiko. "Why did we have to go and meet her? She must be a bad luck kodomo."

"Well, we're stuck with her, whether we like it or not," said Matsuo grimly.

"When do we pack?"

"Tonight."


Back outside, the mailman took off his hat. He was in fact Korin's son, who was Mr. Kinomoto's main manager and assistant. He took a taxi to Mr. Kinomoto's mansion immediately, where Touya and Mr. Kinomoto were pacing up and down feverishly. Korin saw his son and attacked him with questions immediately.

"Keitaro! Do you have any news?"

"Hai," said Keitaro quietly. "I went into a home and saw a girl with green eyes and brown hair, with blood on her head. But she said her name was Nade-something."

"Nade-something?" repeated Touya. "But...my sister's name is Sakura, not Nade-something. The description is right, but the name is not." Keitaro bowed his head. Korin grew angry.

"I send you out to look for a little girl and you come back with one named Nadeshiko? Keep searching!" he commanded.

"Hai, father," said Keitaro. Touya called him back.

"Where--?"

Keitaro gave him the address and ran off.

"Ojii-chan?" asked Touya.

"Yes, Touya-chan?"

"Can we go check anyway? I want to make sure."

His ojii-chan nodded and starting walking to his study. "Me too. Come on, I'll order my people to come, too."

"Ojii-chan!" Mr. Kinomoto turned around. "Are...Are you really this rich?"

"Why yes, I suppose so."

"I was hoping you weren't." Touya seemed guilty and accusing at the same time. "When I think of how otou-san[dad] couldn't afford the surgery..." he trailed off. Mr. Kinomoto averted his eyes. Could it possible that he felt...guilty?


"Mrs. Harada, where are we going?" Makiko did not bother to ask how Nadeshiko knew her name.

"Hurry up and pack everything you have," she told Manami. Manami folded her arms.

"Why?"

"HURRY!" roared Makiko. Manami flinched and started packing.

Half an hour later, everything they needed was packed, and Manami was sniffing because she couldn't fit all her Barbie dolls. Matsuo had gone somewhere, having already packed everything, and they were waiting for him.

"Where has Mr. Harada gone?" asked Nadeshiko.

"Shut up, little twerp," hissed Makiko, aka Mrs. Harada. "This is all your fault!"

Thankfully, at that moment, Matsuo came in.

"Oh my god, Matsuo, where have you been?" gushed Makiko. "We've been worried sick."

"Here's some money," he whispered, opening a bag full of cash.

"Matsuo! Where did you get so much money?" gasped Makiko.

"Well, since the police guy already has our license, it wouldn't be safe to run away in our car, right? I mean, we would be tracked down so easily. So," whispered Matsuo, "I sold it."

"Matsuo!"

"Shut up, hag!" ordered Matsuo. "It's time to go. I paid another guy to drive us. He has a truck."

"Okay, okay," said Makiko. "When do we leave?"

"Now."


Ten minutes later...

"Sakura!" cried Touya. "Sakura-chan! Kaijuu! Where are you?"

"Touya!" scolded Mr. Kinomoto. "I thought you would know better than to call your own sister a monster!"

"Sorry, ojii-chan," said Touya, squinting around the empty house, "But that's what I usually call her and she knows it!"

He burst into every single room, yelling Sakura's name. When he didn't hear an answer, he was crestfallen.

There was no Sakura there.

"Strange thing," commented Mr. Kinomoto. "There's nobody here."

"Maybe they all went out?" suggested Touya.

"No, I think they know we were going to come and ran away," said Mr. Kinomoto quietly.


Ten YEARS later, after they have run further away...

"Hello, there, Mrs. Harada," greeted Daidouji Sonomi. "Haijimemashite[how are you]?"

"Just horrible, thank you," grumbled Mrs. Harada{AUTHOR'S NOTE: Now Makiko will be referred to as Mrs. Harada. Just thought you'd like to know.}. "Can you BELIEVE that little Nadeshiko girl has been in our home for TEN YEARS ALREADY--"

"You should be nicer to Nadeshiko," interrupted Sonomi, looking at Mrs. Harada beadily. "After all, without her, you would never have had this little food shop a success." Now, the Haradas and Nadeshiko ran a small restaurant, with about four or five tables in the room; they lived upstairs.

"Without her?" scoffed Mrs. Harada. "I could really do without her!"

"Oh really," said Sonomi, her eyes twinkling. "I suppose you could wash the dishes, serve the food, make the food, wash the floor, wash the tables, wash the clothes, buy and pick the food, keep the house clean, be nice to even the grumpy customers, clean even the FIREPLACE, yet earn no money for yourself? Oh, and don't forget, no complaining."

"I do give that girl money," said Mrs. Harada indignantly. "I give her 10 yen a day."

"10?! For all that work?"

"What, you don't think it's enough?"

"My goodness--"

"Konnichi-wa, Mrs. Daidouji, Mrs. Harada," greeted 20-year-old Nadeshiko just then. She had grown into a young lady by then, with shoulder-length auburn hair and large green eyes. She was always smiling, and never complained about anything.

"Konnichi-wa, Nadeshiko," said Mrs. Daidouji. "My, aren't you tired with all those bags in your bicycle basket?"

"Nope," said Nadeshiko cheerfully. "I'm never tired, because I'm always looking forward to making all this food into dinner!" With a small giggle, Nadeshiko gathered up the bags and put one foot into the restaurant.

"Mrs. Harada," said Nadeshiko. "What would you like for dinner?"

"Roast chicken, vegetable soup, with sushi, and don't forget noodles with soya sauce, and also some fried dumplings."

"Done!" said Nadeshiko happily. She went into the restaurant-shop.

"Look at her, she's such a bright, nice, girl," said Sonomi fondly. "Why do you treat her so shabbily?"

"ARGH! I hate having to hear you praise Nadeshiko," muttered Mrs. Harada, and went in.


20-year-old Manami gave a HUGE yawn and stretched lazily. She felt around for a bottle, and turned it upside down. When nothing liquid-ish dripped into her mouth, she stood up, went downstairs, strode into the kitchen, and demanded, "Why isn't there anymore beer in this bottle?"

"Tsk, tsk," tsked Nadeshiko, opening the bags. "Don't you think you've drunk enough beer to fill an ocean? I mean, you go out every night and buy at least a pint of beer before--" Manami looked around wildly and flapped her hands, saying, "SHHH!! What if my mom hears?"

"Well, good," said Nadeshiko, unwrapping a bag of chicken. "Then she'd stop you and you wouldn't come home all sluggish all the time."

"You--"

"Mana-chan! It's about time you got up! Come on, I need you to help with the restaurant," said Mrs. Harada.

"But okaa-san[mother]!"

"No buts!" ordered Mrs. Harada. "Come on!" Manami threw a furious look at Nadeshiko, who simply smiled.

"I hate you, Kinomoto Nadeshiko," she hissed.


Sorry if Syaoran isn't here yet...you'll see him in the next chapter! And Touya, as well. I'm sorry for taking so long for Syaoran to come, he doesn't come into the drama until later, and besides, I'm trying to NOT copy the drama completely. REVIEW!