Title: Gateway To Sanity
Author: White Tiger Girl
Rating: PG13 for language and violence
White Tiger Girl: I feel good about this one. Enjoy!
Chapter 8: Reunion
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After Sakura's sudden shock her eyes filled with joy and ran to hug her father. Syaoran stands dumbfounded since he had no idea who this man was.
"Mother who is that?" Syaoran whispered to his mother.
"That's Kinomoto Fujitaka, Sakura's father" Was her reply. This shocked Syaoran. Quickly he stood up right and bowed to him.
"Welcome to our home Kinomoto-san." Syaoran's voice was stiff and quickly gave away that he was nervous. This however made Yelan smile. This has been the first time she has seen her son so nervous in his life. She could tell that he deeply loved Sakura and wanted to please her father. He probably wanted his approval more than anyone in the world.
"Li-kun, you don't have to be so formal." Fujitaka said to Syaoran. He was hoping to relax the boy but instead only seemed to make his stiffer. "Please just call me Fujitaka, Li-kun"
"Err..um…please just call me Syaoran, Kinomoto-san" With this he bowed again. This made Fujitaka laugh. It looks like Syaoran won't be call him Fujitaka anytime soon.
"Well I came to tell you thank you for taking care of my Sakura. She seems much happier now. However I will be taking custody of her and we will be going home." Fujitaka explained.
This made Sakura worry she grabbed her father's shirt and said, "I don't want to go back to Japan now. I want to stay here with Syaoran and I've made friends here too." Fujitaka gently brushed Sakura's hair.
"Don't worry about that Sakura. I've bought a home here and I plan to expand my business here too. Besides, I don't want to separate such a lovely couple. I expect some grand children in the future." This of course made Sakura and Syaoran blush. Yelan had refrained from laughing at the two.
"Well since we are all gathered here we might as well have some breakfast. Would you please join us." Yelan spoke. Fujitaka nodded his head agreeing to stay for breakfast. "Then Wai, will you please bring breakfast."
"Of course madam." Wai bowed and took his leave. Soon after the maids brought in breakfast and the two families engaged in a lively conversation.
The more time Sakura and Syaoran have spent with each other, the more it felt like it was already a family. But the in heart of an individual, this union will never happen. The more that this individual saw, the more hatred grew. To this individual's eyes, this was no happy sight but a sight of misery and failure.
.:Kinomoto Corp:.
"Well the building isn't quite finished but business has already begun. I'll be resuming my business from here." Fujitaka showed Sakura.
"Kinomoto-san, thank you for allowing me to transfer with you." A man shook Fujitaka's hand. He looked to be about Fujitaka's age but with slightly grayed hair but seemed just as jolly as Fujitaka.
"Ah Yamihara-san. Sakura this is Yamihara Sindo. He is my trusted assistant. He helps me manage a lot of the work here. I don't know if I could run the company smoothly without him." Fujitaka explained to Sakura. Sakura smiled warmly at Sindo.
"It's a pleasure to meet you Yamihara-san." Sakura shook hands with Sindo as well. He returned Sakura's genuine smile.
"Kinomoto-san, Sakura-chan, I must be off to my work now. I hope we meet again Sakura-chan." Sindo gave them a small wave before he left.
"Sakura! Are you ready?" Syaoran approached Sakura. Sakura nodded. He bowed slightly to Fujitaka. "Kinomoto-san, if you don't mind, may I take your daughter to my home to finish packing." Kinomoto gave his approval and the two was off.
"Sakura I'm glad you got to stay with me and my family." Syaoran admitted in the car. He was blushing a little but enough for Sakura to notice. She gave him a giggle. "What?" Sayaoran asked still blushing.
"Nothing Syaoran." Sakura continued to giggle. "I'm sorry. You look so cute when you're embarrassed." Syaoran blushed even more.
"Am not." Syaoran denied softly. The two continued the happy bickering in the car until they arrived at the Li mansion.
Sakura packed her clothes that Syaoran bought for her. She just realized how much that Syaoran had bought for her during her stay. What struck her most were the beautiful simple gowns that he had bought her for formal occasions. She seemed to love them more now that she won't be just across the hall from Syaoran. She began to pack the picture frames of her and Syaoran. She gazed at them allowing the memories to flood back. The last picture she packed was not of her and Syaoran but of her mother. It was the only thing the institute allowed her bring. She ran her fingers over her mother's form. Suddenly she felt the cold rush at her. Thinking it was the open window she look up to realize the ghostly figure before her. The picture frame fell to the floor, shattering the glass.
"Mother…" It was the only thing that escaped her lips. For the first time since she's been seeing this ghost, it was the first time she realized it was her mother. Sakura seemed as if she was frozen in time and everything around her just melted away.
"Sakura…be careful of…" Everything came rushing back to Sakura as Syaoran opened her door.
"Sakura? Are you ok? I heard a crash." Syaoran spoke as he walked into her room.
"I'm fine. Sorry I dropped one of the photos." Sakura gave him a weak smile. She began picking up the glass pieces. "Ow." Sakura cut her finger on one of the shards.
"Hold on." Syaoran went into the bathroom and brought a wet towel and a band-aid. He cleaned the cut and put the band-aid on. "I'll call someone to clean it up. Don't worry about it. Sakura put the last picture in her traveling bag and zipped it up.
"Thank you Syaoran…" Sakura gave Syaoran a warm smile. "…for everything." Syaoran returned her smile and picked up her bags.
"No problem." Syaoran and Sakura left the room and headed to Syaoran's car. On their way out, they noticed a motorcycle parked outside the mansion. Syaoran put down Sakura's bag in the trunk of his car and approached the bike. He spotted a note and took it.
I'm returning your bike Syaoran.
-Eriol
"I didn't know you had a motorcycle Syaoran." Sakura scanned the bike taking interest in it. Syaoran of course noticed Sakura's curiosity. A devilish smile graced his lips.
"Lets go for a ride." Syaoran said with a hint of playfulness in his voice. Sakura agreed but might regret it later. Syaoran helped Sakura get on the bike before he got on. Sakura wrapped her arms around Syaoran's waist. "Hold on tight." His devilish grin appeared before he blasted the motor and popped a wheelie.
"WAAHHHHHH!" Sakura screamed as they took off. She hugged his waist and pressed her head to his back. Bother her eyes were firmly shut. This only made Syaoran's grin widen. From the bushes Eriol watched as Tomoyo videotaped the event. Eriol was happy to see his friend having so much fun.
"I haven't seen Syaoran this playful before. He's only playful when he takes interest in someone but I've never seen his like this before." Tomoyo told Eriol as she turned off she camera since it took Syaoran less than a minute to get out of range of her camera. "I wonder where he's going."
"The highway. If he wants to give her a good scare, he'll be there." Eriol answered knowing Syaoran too well.
.:Syaoran and Sakura:.
Sakura opened one of her eyes, peeping out to see where they are. Both eyes snapped open as she realized they were on the highway. Her grip tightened around Syaoran.
"You watching Sakura? If you are then hold on tight." Syaoran blasted the motorcycle again and sped off, weaving through the cars and trucks.
"WAHHHHH" Was all Sakura could get out but it was only drowned out by the sound of the bike passing all the cars. Sakura seemed terrified but Syaoran was only enjoying this. After about 10 minutes of insane speed and driving, Syaoran got off the highway and sped faster toward home. He seemed to be faster on the side streets than on the highway. To Sakura it felt like only a minute before Syaoran put the bike on a power slide and a sudden stop.
"SYAORAN!" Sakura grip loosen but continued to lean on Syaoran's back. "You almost gave me a heart attack." Sakura said in a softer voice.
"Well if I didn't scare you, the ride wouldn't have been much fun." Syaoran's devilish grin hasn't left his face since Sakura got on. "Did you have fun?"
"Yeah." Sakura laughed and not much sooner Syaoran started to laugh as well. Sakura never felt such a rush before and for some reason she can't help but just laugh.
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White Tiger Girl: I hope you liked it. This chapter made me smile and I hope it made you smile too!