Thanks for the reviews! Yes, it is Kinomoto Thanks, DarkNightDreamer! Well, here's the next chapter! R&R: D
Disclaimer: I do not own CCS or anything else, for that matter. But I intend to rectify that lack in…say…8 years.
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"Stupid high heels."
Sakura Kinomoto said this to no one in particular as she limped painfully through the colorful corridors of Happy Peach Preschool.
Even though she looked fabulous in the sexy 3 inch heels, even though she dearly loved her best friend Tomoyo Daidouji – she hated the shoes she had given her.
Why, oh why, did she wear them today?
Sakura sighed as tiny tidbits of memory forced themselves through the suffocating fog of pain. Today was 'Monthly Meeting day' – in fact, she just came from said meeting and was now headed to the playground to collect her prodigal herd of students – and, as usual, she slept in. She woke up in panic, and when she saw that her beloved pumps had been reduced to a leather and saliva mush by her dog Kero, she had almost withered in despair.
She couldn't go to the meeting barefoot, nor could she wear her hamster slippers; and she was painfully aware of the fact that she already had two memos for tardiness to dash off to buy new shoes. In a moment of sheer desperation, she plunged through the yet-to-be-unpacked box in her Tokyo apartment, pulled out a shoebox, crammed her feet into the shoes inside and dashed out the door. It was only when she almost fell flat on her face while stepping out the train because of the throbbing pain shooting up her legs did she look down.
Sakura closed her eyes as she remembered the groan she emitted at seeing the shoes attached her feet.
The endless compliments and admiring glances she had received from people weren't enough for the pain she was enduring.
Was this really the price of beauty?
I wonder what that guy outside McDonalds would think of these shoes…
The unbidden thought caused Sakura to stumble. She hugged a flower painted column in an attempt to regain balance. She ordered her feet to move, but the heels were in the way. She slid sideways to the floor, landing on her rump with a bounce.
"Ouch!" she moaned, rubbing her sore behind.
With as much dignity as she could muster, she stood up, smoothed her clothes and hair, looked around her, then walked with her head held high.
Why did that thought pop up? Sakura thought as she felt an unexplainable blush rising.
It had been a week since that incident, yet that dark specter arrogantly leaning against the brick wall remained in her head despite all her attempts to banish him.
She wasn't attracted to him, she said to her wandering mind for the umpteenth time. She was just intrigued. That's all…
"Who wouldn't be intrigued?" she unknowingly said aloud.
Even without the dark clothes, he would have stood out. His height and posture made that sure. Even his messy chocolate hair was eye-catching.
You love chocolates, don't you, Sakura?
Sakura looked around, startled. When she realized that the voice came from her head, a flaming blush made her cheeks look like apples. Where had that bawdy thought come from?
But it was his gaze that kept her transfixed. That intense stare. She shivered. Why was that guy staring at her?
Sakura finally reached the playground. The instant her students saw her, they greeted her with grins and loud calls of 'Sensei!' as they immediately filed towards the classroom. She counted each little head that passed by.
"Midori, Kyoko, Hajime…hey, where's Hatoko?"
She craned her head, finally locating her errant student talking to a man concealed by a tree.
Sakura bit her lip as she walked towards them. That man could possibly harm the little girl. She had to tell him off before bad things happened.
As she neared, she saw Hatoko wildly gesturing towards the school. Sakura stepped on a dead branch signaling her approach. Hatoko's face lit up as she ran towards her, the anxiety still apparent in the little girl's face stiffening her resolve to call the cops after dismissing the interloper. She pushed Hatoko towards the school with a few encouraging words, watched her enter the building then faced the possible pervert.
The wet rag roughly placed on her nose and mouth and the arm locked under her chin made struggle impossible.
Chloroform…
This was Kinomoto Sakura's last thought as darkness enveloped her.
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Sakura woke up to a headache and a throbbing pain in her shoulders.
She lifted her heavy lids, flinching from the harsh light. When she became fully awake, her startled gaze flew across the room.
It was dark, damp and dirty; the harsh light coming from a lamp a few meters in front of her.
Before panic could take a firm grip on her, a scratchy voice came from the shadows.
"So, you're awake."
"Who are you?" Sakura questioned, pleased to note that her voice was steady.
"Ha ha. The question, my dear is who are you?"
"I'm Kinomoto Sakura. Who else should I be?"
Gunshots exploded, the loud sound making her scream. Sakura was shivering as she slowly opened her eyes, expecting to see her chest stained with blood.
"Don't sass me, girl."
Sakura realized that she was still alive. Falling plaster dust indicated that the gun was pointed upwards. Thank God.
"Please. There must be some misunderstanding." she said, trying to be respectful.
"No. No misunderstanding."
"But…"
Tell me this." the scratchy voice took on a speculative tone. "You found a little something in your houses' basement, didn't you?"
"How—how did you know?"
"No need to worry your pretty little head about that. I just invited you here to ask if we could…uhmm…borrow it from you."
"What?"
"I mean, what you need it for, anyway. Don't look at me like that, little angel. I'm not a bad guy. In fact, we could have come into your Dad's house, killed him, then take that little something, couldn't we?"
"No…"Sakura gasped weakly.
"No. We didn't do that. Because you have it, don't you?"
Sakura swallowed painfully.
"Sure, why would you give it to us? But then, your Dad…he's in Ethiopia, isn't he? A sudden uprising could crop up. Rebels in those parts are merciless, you know. Your brother's plane could crash…" the voice left the thought hanging, seeing to relish Sakura's horror.
"But…but why? It's just—"
The sound of breaking glass, masculine screams and gunshots made Sakura forget what she was going to say. The scratchy voice was screaming orders somewhere when a door opened. She tall a dark figure, concealed by the darkness; pull out a gun, point it towards the shadows, then fire.
Sakura's scream was louder than her pervious one.
When she opened her eyes, her horrified gaze falling on a pool of blood coming from the shadows made her moan weakly.
Her eyes flew up when a sound came from the door. Her savior stood there. Slowly, he walked into the room.
"You?"
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Haha! What a cliffhanger. The next chapters gonna get better, promise!