A/N: I know, I know, all you people are saying that Manami looks NOTHING like Sakura. But you can dye your hair, and wear contacts for any reason. And besides, Touya was so happy to see her that he practically forgot about the appearance thing. What the hell, all your questions will be answered in this chapter.
Mariko: YAY! You're the first person to notice that Matsuo, Manami, and Makiko all start with the letter 'M'!
Disclaimer: I do not own Card Captor Sakura.
CinderSakura
By: Lotus Dreams
Chapter 6: Starting of a Rich Life
"THIS is Kinomoto Sakura?"
"Shut up!" said Touya angrily, when they entered the Kinomoto mansion. Sae, the main maid, was raising her eyebrow at Manami, aka 'Sakura'.
"Pardon me, Touya-sama, but I clearly remember that Sakura had green eyes and auburn hair, not blonde hair and blue eyes," Sae persisted. "Don't you think so?"
"She was forced to dye her hair blonde and wear blue contacts from a man who kidnapped her," Touya countered. "He wanted to hold her for ransom, but--well, as she lost her memory, he couldn't do anything, so left her onto streets. Then the Harada couple, Harada Makiko and Harada Matsuo, found her and raised her as their own daughter and called her Manami."
Manami nodded at Sae. Sae was still disbelieving. "You lost your memory? Then what proof do you have that you are Kinomoto Sakura?" Touya held up the ring with Kinomoto Nadeshiko written on it.
"This was on her finger. I remember giving it to Sakura before leaving for Tomoeda." Sae was still a little doubtful, but looked at Manami respectfully.
"Pardon my doubt, Ms. Sakura, but I was really suspicious, for Mr. Touya has been tricked many times here."
"No--No problem," stammered Manami. So this was what being rich was like! Having other people practically BOW to you...
"Come on, I'll show you to your room." Touya beckoned to Manami.
When you first entered the mansion, you would be faced with a great hall. There would be a large marble staircase on your right, leading upstairs to the gigantic bedrooms. On your left was a staircase leading down, to the large basement, where there was a ping pong table and bed, TV, bathroom, and many more things. If you looked in front, at the hall, there would be five door ways; one in the front, which led to the dining room; one on the left, which led to huge living room; another on the left, which was the bathroom; one on the right, which was the large, sparkling kitchen; and another one on the right, which was Mr. Kinomoto's study room with a bathroom. Under the marble staircase was a door, which led to Touya's study room.
Touya led Manami up the stairs and onto the second floor. The second floor had seven bedrooms, with three big ones; one for Mr. Kinomoto, one for Touya, and one waiting for Sakura. The other smaller three were for Sae, the butler Takiji, the cook Sumiko, and the last one was a guest room.
As soon as Manami entered her room, she gasped; it was luxurious! The bed in the center of the room was huge, and it was right under a window sill with silky white curtains. Two nighttables were on either side of the bed, with a lamp on each of them. A dresser with a large mirror was on one side, filled with hair accessories, makeup, combs, brushes, and whatnot; a desk on the other side had another lamp and was kind of empty. An enormous closet was in the corner, empty and waiting to be filled with expensive clothes. There was a door beside the dresser, leading to a bathroom.
"Welcome home, Sakura," said Touya, smiling.
Manami was open-mouthed in awe.
"My room?" she squeaked.
"Yours." Manami threw her arms around the man she was tricking in a tight embrace.
On the first day, Touya let Manami roam around Tomoeda's shops and salons, doing what she liked, but only if she was accompanied by other people. In the salon, she told Touya's people to wait outside, and secretly dyed her hair auburn when she was supposed to wash the 'dye' out of her hair. Then, they went to a big fat mall, filled with clothes just waiting to be bought, and Manami bought purses, jeans, pants, tank tops, T-shirts, tube tops, off the shoulder shirts, and every other kind of shirt imaginable. Then, she went to the eye doctor, and pretending to take her lenses out, she actually put green lenses IN. When she finally reached home, she looked almost exactly like Sakura. Except for the long curly hair.
"Hey, kaijuu," said Touya playfully, punching Manami on the shoulder. "What's up? Did you clean out the entire mall?"
"You bet!" said Manami, and hugged Touya. "I washed out that awful dye and took out the contacts."
"Good. Now I'm going to show you father and mother. Come on." Manami followed Touya to his study under the staircase. Once inside, they went to his desk. On his desk were two pictures; one of Fujitaka, and one of Fujitaka, Nadeshiko, and him.
"This is our father." He pointed to Fujitaka. "This is me." He pointed to himself in the family picture. "And this is our mother." The dark-haired beauty smiled up at them.
"Mom is so...pretty." Manami pretended to be intensely interested, while really, she was bored. She didn't give a damn about his family members! All she cared about was the money, the privileges, the clothes, the house; she didn't want to know about anything else!
"Yeah. She died when you were born though."
"She died giving birth to me?" Now that was disgusting! thought Manami.
"Yup. Otou-san was devastated and happy at the same time; he lost his wife, but gained you."
"Touya-sama! Sakura-sama! Mr. Kinomoto-sama! Dinner time!" called Sae.
Dinner consisted of cooked chicken, vegetable sushi, noodles, cabbage, broccoli, cooked fish, and some plain rice, though it was expensive all the same. nothing was salty. Manami was disappointed. Without salty stuff, she was doomed! Oh well, she had to live on. She took a deep breath and tried to enjoy her dinner as much as possible.
Ding, dong.
"I'll get it!" called Nadeshiko. She ran to the front door and opened it.
"Oha--" Nadeshiko widened her eyes when she saw Syaoran.
"--yo."
"Oh, konbanwa, Nadeshiko-san," greeted Syaoran, recovering quickly. One of his eyebrows was raised, and a small smile was at his lips. "Do you know Daidouji Tomoyo as well?"
Tomoyo came in just then.
"Oh, konbanwa, Mr. Li," she said. "You've met Nadeshiko, I see."
"Is she visiting?"
"No, she lives here."
Nadeshiko looked at Tomoyo, surprised. "You know Mr. Li?"
Syaoran smiled. "Why are you all calling me Mr. Li for? We're the same age."
Tomoyo nodded at Nadeshiko. "You're right, Syaoran. And yes, I know Syaoran because his cousin, Meiling, is 20 but still likes to play with toys, like teddy bears and junk, and--well, you know my okaa-san runs a toy company, so when she brings home a sample we always give it to Meiling." Nadeshiko nodded.
"20 and still likes toys?"
Syaoran looked a little embarrassed. "Erm--she thinks they're cute."
"Oh..."
"Well, come in!" said Tomoyo briskly. "What are you standing there for?"
"Iie[no]," said Syaoran. "I have other things to do today. I'm just dropping Mr. Thank You Beary Much off."
"'Mr. Thank You Beary Much'?" inquired Nadeshiko shyly.
Syaoran was holding a large bag. He pulled a large white bear with a red bow from it. There was a button at the bear's foot. He pressed it.
"Thank...you...beary...much!" said the bear mechanically.
"So what did your cousin say?" asked Tomoyo casually, taking the bear.
"She said it was lame."
"Oh." Syaoran shrugged.
"She's pretty hard on stuffed animals, you know. Remember the bear that kept playing that stupid Beethoven symphony endlessly? Meiling almost strangled its head off."
After Syaoran had left, Tomoyo closed the door and looked at Nadeshiko suspiciously. Nadeshiko refused to look at her.
"Nadeshiko." Nadeshiko snapped her head to look at her.
"Yes?"
"Why are you always so nervous around Mr. Li--I mean, Syaoran?"
"I'm not!"
"Yes you are."
"No I'm not."
"Yes you are."
"No I'm not."
"Then how come you never talked that much when he was here and your cheeks turned a violent shade of pink? No offense, Nadeshiko, but your skin is as white as snow and you're ALWAYS talking."
"Tomoyo!"
"Do you like him?"
"I've only known him for three days, how can I like him?"
"From what I've heard, four. And have you heard of love at first sight?"
"Tomoyo! I don't even LIKE him THAT way, let alone LOVE! Spare me, will you, Tomoyo-chan?"
"You DO like him. You're just too afraid to admit it."
"Tomoyo! I do NOT like him, for the last time! There is no such thing as liking some person after knowing him for three days!"
"Yes there is."
"No there isn't."
"Yes there is."
"No there isn't."
"Yes there is."
"NO, there isn't."
"YES THERE IS!"
"NO THERE ISN'T!"
"YES!"
"NO!"
"YES!"
"NO!"
"YES!"
"NO!"
"NO!"
"YES!"
"Hah! You said yes!" said Tomoyo triumphantly. Nadeshiko pouted.
"I'm not talking to you EVER AGAIN."
"Hey--Nadeshiko!"
"Manami, you stupid girl, are you CRAZY?" whispered Mrs. Harada as soon as Manami called her on the phone. "How DARE you pretend to be a Kinomoto!"
"Okaa-san, don't WORRY," said Manami gleefully. "I can't believe how well this is working! I thought they would be suspicious, but I was wrong! Now I am going to live a rich life! I will make that stupid Nadeshiko sorry!"
"AUGH! Nadeshiko, Nadeshiko, is that all you think about?" shrieked Mrs. Harada. "What if they found out SHE'S the real one and YOU'RE a fake? Actually, never mind Nadeshiko, what if they find out you're really fake?"
"They won't," said Manami confidently. "I kicked Nadeshiko out of the house, and I already have proof, anyway. And besides, the brother, Touya, he's such a dunce! He is no problem." Manami almost hung up on the phone before saying, "Oh yeah, I almost forgot--my name is Kinomoto Sakura now, not Harada Manami anymore."
The line went dead.
Syaoran pulled his car up to the Kinomoto mansion's driveway. He climbed out of the car, taking his briefcase with him. He rang the doorbell. Sae opened it.
"Ah, Mr. Li, are you well today?"
"Hai, genki desu[yes, I'm fine]," replied Syaoran briskly. "I'm here to see Mr. Kinomoto. I have some important files to give to him in private."
"Very well, then, Mr. Li, please take off your shoes and I will lead the way." Sae led him to Mr. Kinomoto's study. She knocked on the door.
"What?" grunted Mr. Kinomoto.
"Mr. Li Syaoran to see you, sir. He said he has some important files to give to you, sir."
"Let him in." Sae opened the door and gestured for Syaoran to go in. Syaoran did so.
Mr. Kinomoto was seated at his desk, reading a newspaper. He looked up when Syaoran entered. He put his newspaper down. "Hello, Syaoran. Do you have the information I need?"
Syaoran nodded. He opened his briefcase and took out some important looking folders. "Right now, the country most eager to do business with us is Korea. These are the files. They contain the time that the Korean representatives are most willing to hold a meeting here to discuss."
Mr. Kinomoto nodded. "Domo arigatou, Syaoran. You are dismissed." Syaoran bowed respectfully.
"Hai." When he turned to leave, the door opened before he could open it. Mr. Kinomoto looked.
"Sakura-chan," he said. "Knock before you enter." 'Sakura' said no word.
"Sakura? Did you hear me?" Manami snapped out of staring at gorgeous Syaoran.
"H-Huh? Oh, um, hai." Her eyes slid to Syaoran again. Syaoran raised an eyebrow.
"Why are you here? And why did you dye your hair and wear contacts?"
"SYAORAN!" Mr. Kinomoto stood up quickly. "That person happens to be my long lost granddaughter who was forced to dye her hair and wear blue contacts! She has washed the dye out of her hair and gotten rid of the contacts! This is Kinomoto Sakura you are talking to, so show respect!"
"Hai," replied Syaoran, though he was still distasteful of Manami.
"Sakura-chan, escort Syaoran to the front door." Manami was instantly exhilarated.
"Hai, ojii-chan!" She grabbed Syaoran's arm and dragged him to the door. Syaoran was thoroughly disgusted. When they reached the front door, Syaoran jerked his arm out of Manami's grasp.
"Can you PLEASE not do that next time?" Manami gave a sweet, innocent smile.
"Come back soon, Syaoran-chan!" Syaoran's lip curled. Touya came just then and spotted Syaoran.
"Oh, hello Syaoran. I see you've met my little sister, Sakura?"
"Oh, konbanwa, Touya-sama...and yes. Is she really your sister this time, Touya? After all, from what Mr. Kinomoto told me, you've been tricked several times already by various money-hungry idiots." Touya nodded.
"Yes. But I have proof." Syaoran eyed Manami. Manami kept smiling.
"Proof. Yes, proof..." Syaoran's eyes were on her face. "But she looks NOTHING like you." Syaoran bid them farewell and left.
Ooh, Manami likes Syaoran, but Syaoran hates her! And Syaoran and Sakura seem to like each other! I hope you guys are satisfied with this chapter. Touya wasn't thinking straight, that was all. Okay, REVIEW!!
