Sakurairo Hanabi
By Fantasiimaker
Chapter 4
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Syaoran took a deep breath. "Tomoyo. The one I like…no. The one I love. Is you."
He let out the breath, slowly, shakily. His hand was moist from clutching the cell phone so tightly. There it was. There.
Silence.
"That's very touching," came the voice through the receiver at last, and Syaoran flinched and jerked his ear away as soon as he heard it.
"Eriol?" he hissed after collecting himself. "What the hell are you doing, you-,"
Eriol's voice cut him off in the middle of a rather long chain of curses. "YOU'RE not the only one," he said firmly. "who is in love. I'm sorry, but I can't allow you to ruin this magnificient show we've been watching. Didn't you think how rude, how selfish it would make you appear? Did you think, by chance, at all?"
Burning, Syaoran was ready to retort when he heard Tomoyo faintly in the background, protesting.
"It's all right, we'll end it here," whispered Eriol. "If you have something to say, next time do make sure you aren't interrupting something important. And let me warn you that no matter what you have in mind, I absolutely will not allow you to ruin my plans. Good bye."
Click.
Syaoran swore and slammed the phone down in his palm. That bastard! How could he cut in on his confession like this? He'd completely thrown Syaoran off and now…now, all Syaoran could think of was that Eriol was now closer to Tomoyo than he was. Who knows, maybe that sneaky devil was confessing his feelings to her right now. Yet, part of Syaoran protested that he'd been too hasty. He had acted without thinking. He had forgotten that of course, Eriol would be with her. Stupid, stupid.
Suddenly, he realized that Sakura was still standing nearby, holding the two drinks. "Ah, um, that was Eriol," he explained, stuffing his phone away and reaching out to take his cup. "He…he…cut me off," he finished lamely.
"I see," Sakura said slowly.
"I'm still going to tell her!" said Syaoran defensively. "Just…I'm thinking it's probably better if I tell her in person."
"Right," replied Sakura, turning on her heel and walking away from him.
"W-wait! Where are you going?"
"Home," came the brief and concise reply.
Syaoran stared after her weakly. He didn't have the energy right now to be worrying about her and Tomoyo at the same time. Trotting a little, he stopped a public bench just outside the movie theater. "You go ahead!" he called half-heartedly. "I…I've just got to think for a while. I'll catch up with you."
"It's all right, I won't be needing you," Sakura called back, and she disappeared from sight around the corner.
"Wonderful!" he muttered under his breath as he sat down heavily. So. So. Tomoyo. Oh god, what was wrong with him, that all he could think of was Tomoyo? He clutched at his head with both hands. Love isn't supposed to be like this, right? Maybe he should just give in…as long as she was happy with him, it would be okay….it would be okay…
Yeah right, you liar, his mind taunted him. Why should YOU be the one to give in, when you're the one who has known Tomoyo since elementary school? What right does Eriol have to swoop in so quickly and take her? He's just an arrogant playboy. You'd know how to make Tomoyo happy. You…
Syaoran buried his face in his hands. The darkness was calming to him; it helped block out the monotonous traffic sounds out there, the cars rushing back and forth across the road…he could feel the wind from their speed brushing his forehead. All they knew was the obligation of getting to their next destination, those cars. Could it be possible that seated inside each one was a person, as alive and complicated as himself? He couldn't imagine it…he couldn't hold that thought or any other thought in his mind at this moment, everything was meshing together and graying, slipping…
"Syaoran! Syaoran!"
The call of his name in the distance. It brought him back out of the dark, like a glowing silver lifeline, and he clutched onto it tightly, followed it to the end…
"Syaoran." He opened his eyes. Sakura's voice. She was panting, one hand on her chest to catch her breath. For some reason, she looked sort of blurry to him.
"Syaoran, I…forgot which way to turn about two blocks from here," she said quietly.
"Will you stop quivering?" he croaked, sounding halfway between a laugh and a cough. "You're making my eyes hurt."
Sakura looked at him and started to scramble through her bag for something. A few moments later, she gave up, peeled off her jacket and tossed it lightly at his face.
Syaoran caught it and buried his face it, breathing in deeply, trying his best not to let her hear him cry.
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"And here we are again," said Syaoran as they came into sight of the swings and sandbox. "You'll be all right from here, right?"
"Of course!" Sakura retorted. She couldn't believe he'd actually cried. Not that she doubted his ability to make tears, as most people were quite capable of that, but Syaoran hadn't seemed to her to be someone who'd allow others to see him cry. And crying over such a small thing? He was more of a wimp than she'd thought. Standing stiffly apart from him, she kept her eyes on the scrunched up jacket he clutched in his hand.
"Well, thanks for watching the movie with me," he said. "…er…part of it, anyway." He scratched his head embarrassedly. "And…um…about Tomoyo…"
Oh please. Please don't, begged Sakura silently. Just let me go now. I don't want to hear all about your nauseatingly sappy love tale.
"You were right, of course. I can't get anywhere by sitting around and watching. I'm…I'm definitely going to tell her at school, on Monday."
Great. Wonderful. Now let me go. She almost said the words aloud.
"Thanks for your help, Sakura."
There. That was the signal for the end of the conversation. Relieved, Sakura began to walk away in the direction of her house, as fast as her legs could carry her. It was a full five minutes before she remembered her jacket, and she came to a dead stop. Too late, she thought, looking around. He was long gone, and how was she supposed to know where the guy lived? Oh well. She'd have to make do with a different jacket until Monday. Great of him to take off with her favorite one.
And now that Syaoran was out of sight, she wasn't in such a hurry to get home anymore. But where else could she go? No, she'd promised to be back home at-
She checked her watch and cursed quietly. An hour late. She had completely lost track of the time. Gritting her teeth, she set off for her house at a fast jog.
When she got there, she allowed herself to linger ever so slightly on the doormat as her eyes traced the outline of a small pink blossom that had fallen on the ground. Then, convincing herself firmly that to wait would yield worse results, she pushed open the door as quietly as possible and stepped inside.
"Sakura!"
She cringed, and closed the door behind her, not caring about the sound anymore. "Yes. It's me."
"Do you KNOW what time it is?" asked the pale, dark-haired woman standing in front of her. Sakura didn't bother trying to meet her eyes.
"Did you hear what I said?" the woman asked again, dangerously. She leaned in close so that her gaze couldn't be avoided. Sakura caught a hint of alcohol in her breath. She'd been drinking again.
"Yes, Midori," Sakura muttered quietly. "I heard-,"
Crack. Midori held one hand in the air, poised to strike again. "Don't talk back to me in that ungrateful voice," she said calmly. "I want you to go to the kitchen right now, where there are breakfast dishes to be washed. Do not forget to wipe the table as well."
Sakura hurried away, biting her bottom lip until she almost tasted blood. She was careful not to touch her cheek until she was leaning over the sink, turning on the faucet. It didn't hurt, really. It'd just be red there for a few hours. It didn't hurt at all compared to the pain of sharing this house with Midori.
Closing her eyes briefly as she ran warm water over a dirty saucer, Sakura felt something wet sliding at the corner of her eye. Oh no. No, she wouldn't cry again, not here. And just thinking that almost caused her to explode, so she just bit her lip even harder and began to scrub at the dishes with all her strength. Why did Touya have to leave her and go to college? And leave her alone in the house with this monster? Why did Father have to work so much, and when he finally did come home, why was he too tired to do anything about that evil witch? Yes, yes. Anger was good. Anger made her strong.
Father. She almost laughed, had she not been on the verge of tears. These days, he was like an empty shell. Half the rare time he spent at home was spent arguing with Midori, and the other half was sleeping or reading. Sakura supposed he thought she was old enough now to go play by herself. Maybe he didn't remember the days when it was just the three of them, Sakura, Touya, and Father? And the occasional warm visits from Yuki, Touya's friend…those days still had some light in them, but they were the distant, ancient past now. Why…
So why wasn't she at college, with Touya? WHY did she have to be here, with this crushing pain in her chest, these tears rolling down her cheeks that she just couldn't stop now…
The doorbell.
No. Sakura scraped at her tears furiously. Who could it be, right now? No one around here knew their family yet. She stood perfectly still, ears straining against only the sound of water splashing against dishes.
She heard some low murmuring at the door, and then it slammed shut with a bang. At once she turned back to her task of washing dishes. Midori was coming.
Something slapped her roughly in the back and slid down to the floor. Her jacket.
"Who was that?" asked Midori, slowly.
"Shouldn't I be the one asking you that?" The words tumbled from Sakura's mouth before she could stop them.
Slap.
"It was a boy," Midori proceeded. "What was a boy doing with your clothing? Where did you go with him?"
Sakura was silent. She knew that whatever she said, her words would be tossed back at her uselessly. No, she was almost done with the dishes. She just had to get out of here. Her hands turned back to scrubbing madly, one after another. Make the plates gleam, Sakura. Don't listen. Just don't listen.
"At his house, were you? Or were you two at some cheaper place? Huh? Do you know what happens to young girls just like you, all the time?" Midori's lips were close to Sakura's ear. "Are you on your way to becoming a dirty little-,"
Thrusting the last cleaned plate onto the counter, Sakura flew toward her room, mentally blocking her ears but the words sliced through her just the same. She'd heard them enough, but each time, her wounds seemed to reopen and bleed again from the fresh attacks. It was no use. She closed the door to her room, tears already obstructing her view, and slid down onto the bed.
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Monday dawned darkly and overcast; the sky was filled with heavy gray clouds as Syaoran set out for school. Today is the day, he thought. Be it rain or shine, Eriol or no Eriol, nothing is going to stand in the way of me telling Tomoyo the truth.
And sure enough, about halfway to school, the raindrops began to dot the sidewalk before him. A few minutes later, when his T-shirt was starting to be soaked, Syaoran began to think it was a good idea to start running.
In front of him, a familiar-looking solitary figure swayed in the wind. Grinning, he jogged up to her, now thoroughly wet. "Are you going to share that umbrella?" he asked, already reaching out.
Sakura let the umbrella handle slip from her fingers, but Syaoran's hands were on it before the umbrella was halfway to the ground. Swinging it back up above the two of them, he chuckled. "I know you're really polite and everything, but you don't have to make yourself wet just because I am."
Sakura nailed him with one cold stare, and he was silent.
"By the way," she said as they walked. "How did you know where to deliver my jacket?"
"Hmm? Oh, that. You had a whole list of numbers and addresses in your pocket, and I figured one of them had to be your new house. So I picked the one nearest the school." Syaoran looked proud of himself. "Clever, eh?"
"My contact list," Sakura murmured. "So that's where it went. But what if you'd gotten the wrong house?"
Syaoran grinned. "But I didn't, did I?"
Sakura looked at him oddly, but he didn't care. Nothing was going to mess up his confident mood for today. He was ready ready ready. He had promised himself, as soon as he caught sight of Tomoyo, he'd do it.
"Isn't this fun!" he said gleefully, whirling the umbrella around briefly so that droplets flew from the tips. "I bet you've always wanted to walk under the umbrella with a guy, eh?" He poked Sakura lightly on the arm with an elbow, and he received a sharp blow on the arm which nearly made him drop the umbrella.
They walked in silence the rest of the way to school. It was on the way to first period that Syaoran finally spotted her, near the lockers. Her back was facing him, and she was talking animatedly to someone.
Heart jumping, he quickly prepared himself to call out Tomoyo's name.
And suddenly, he froze.
She wasn't just talking anymore. She was holding him. The guy…Syaoran's heart sank. He knew who it had to be…
Eriol rubbed his cheek tenderly against Tomoyo's long hair; catching sight of Syaoran staring at him, he winked.
Fury and icy despair flared over him, trickled down his back, paralyzed him, blinded him so that he could no longer see where he was going. He quickly lurched in the opposite direction, yanking Sakura's umbrella away and startling her.
"Syaoran- where are you going..Syaoran! Slow down- hey!"
Tomoyo. She was going to hear Sakura's cries. No.
Syaoran whipped around desperately, and just as he had thought, Tomoyo was looking right at him. No…what…why was she smiling? "Syaoran! Hey!" she called out, waving. No. Don't come. Syaoran stumbled back a step.
Desperately he fanned out his arm, and clutched on to Sakura's hand. He looked at her wildly, at Tomoyo, who was nearing him with each step, and back to Sakura.
And so, he did the one thing that made the least sense to him at that time.
He pulled Sakura to him and, awkwardly, tremblingly, kissed her under the rain.
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To Be Continued in Chapter 5.
Author's Note: Wow. Did that come out of nowhere or what! Heheh. I'm sorry this chapter took so long! Thanks for all the support, everyone! I didn't think I'd get that many readers! And yes, I do remember you, xSweEtPanDaBOOx!
I know you might have a lot of questions after this chapter (such as "Who is Midori?" and "Why the HECK did he kiss her?") but, just like for Harry Potter, you'll have to wait a bit until the next chapter(s). Enjoy speculating in the meanwhile!
Thank you all for reading, and please continue to give me your feedback for the upcoming chapters.