Disclaimer: I don't own CCS, Clamp does. But I do own this story.
Chapter Four
"Denial"
"T-That can't be!" Tomoyo said disbelievingly at the TV. She has to be there.
She switched the channel to another news channel.
"-reporters say the driver has been identified but still not found-"
She switched it again.
"-not yet found but the car has b-"
And again.
"-Sakura Kinomoto rumored to be dead w-"
Tomoyo turned the TV off and threw the controller on the floor.
"Sakura, where are you? You can't be dead, can you?" Tomoyo whispered to herself as she rested herself on her bed. She shut her eyes and tears fell. "You promised me that we would have a double wedding and we'd live together in the same house with our husbands when we get married together. You can't lie to me, you never lied before…you must be alive"
"Is she alright?" asked a male voice.
"I don't know yet, she seems pretty beaten up from the accident but she'll live" replied a motherly voice.
"Mother, her hands are moving!" squealed a young female voice.
"Hush Emi, don't wake her when she doesn't want to"
"But, it is! See!"
Sakura moved her fingers around and slowly started to open her eyes. Everything was blurry so she started blinking to make things clear. She shifted her gaze around the room and saw 3 people inside the room with her. An elderly woman, a man who looked close to her age and a young girl of about 14 or 15 but she didn't recognize any of them.
She attempted to sit up and was helped by the woman by placing a pillow behind her back to hold her up.
"W-Who are you people?" her voice came a bit raspy from lack of water.
"My name is Airi Sumiya, this is Emi Sumiya my daughter, and my son, Yasuki Sumiya…what is your name child?"
"I-I…" Sakura thought about it. "I don't know"
"But they can't give up!" Touya yelled frustrated as he slammed his fist on the table.
"I-It's been 3 weeks sir and we still didn't find the lady who was in the crash" the police officer explained.
"But, h-how can you be sure that s-she is- is- isn't alive anymore?" Tomoyo said…she couldn't will her self to say the word 'dead'.
Tomoyo, Rika, Naoko and Chiharu were crying there eyes out since the news came that they still didn't find Sakura and the guys were as gloomy as ever. They were all gathered in Tomoyo's house almost everyday since the day of the crash, all thinking of ways to find Sakura. She and Eriol had tried to contact Syaoran and tell him about it but they never let them pull through to talk to him.
"H-How long has it been?" asked Sakura as she returned the empty glass to Emi.
"You slept for 3 weeks and 2 days already"
"That long?" she said in awe.
The woman nodded. "My son found you along the shore of the river and took you to our home. You were lucky that it was he who found you since we own this clinic" she explained.
Sakura turned to the man and bowed her head at him.
"Thank you"
"No problem" Yasuki said as he bowed back.
He noticed that Sakura was really pretty after she recovered from her injuries. Her broken bones are almost completely healed, her cuts and bruises were all mended but what still got him was that she didn't remember her name.
"So, where did you come from?" he asked.
"I-I don't know" was all Sakura said.
"You don't remember anything?"
"No…wait" Sakura strained herself to remember at least one thing but her head gave off a terrible ache through her body.
Airi stood up and went over to her.
"Please, don't force yourself. You probably forgot because you hit your head pretty hard in the accident. Rest up and don't force yourself to remember. You'll remember when time comes"
Sakura nodded and closed her eyes.
"What do you want us to call you child?" Airi asked in a whisper.
Sakura didn't open her eyes, her eyes remained closed but she smiled and replied in a soft voice "Cherry. I love Cherry Blossoms, so call me Cherry". After saying this, she went into a deep sleep.
"I-I'm gonna go to my room" Tomoyo said in a sigh.
It had been another week and still no difference. A few people who knew Sakura started to lose all hope but she and other people who were closer to her like Eriol, Fujitaka, Touya, Sonomi, Rika, Naoko, Chiharu and Takashi still didn't.
She went over to her TV set and opened the large cabinet that was beside it. As she did, piles and piles of tapes could be seen, all with the label: 'Sakura'. She smiled sadly and opened the cabinet next to it and it also had piles of tapes like the 1st cabinet. This pile had the label: 'Tomoyo', some of it had 'Eriol', and some of it had 'Syaoran'. She took out one from her pile but had Sakura's name on it.
'Eriol's proposal to Tomoyo by Sakura'
Luckily, the tape wasn't wrecked along with the video camera during the accident. She took it out of the case and slipped it inside the VCR and pressed PLAY.
"What's wrong?"
Eriol was grinning as he kneeled on one knee.
"Oh…my…God…"
Eriol reached for something from his jacket pocket. Tomoyo looked at him starting to get teary eyed at what he was doing.
"Tomoyo Daidouji…will you marry me?" a tear escaped from Tomoyo's eyes.
"Of course!"
He slipped the ring into her finger. She laughed and hugged him tightly.
"Hey, what about a comment to the viewers?" said Sakura, but wasn't seen as the couple looked at the camera.
"Care for a double wedding?" both said at the same time.
"You two really are made for each other…oh, and I won't mind having a double wedding at all! Besides, I already promised Tomoyo we'll have a double wedding since we were kids remember?" Sakura's voice said, laughing.
"Now this is something to tell my children. They're gonna ask me 'Mommy, where did daddy propose to you?' and I'm gonna say 'In an airport parking lot', ugh! How romantic!" she ended exaggeratedly and sarcastically.
Everything went black after her last statement and Tomoyo cried even more. She and Sakura were never separated for this long; they were always together…always. The fact that she can't be with her anymore is heartbreaking.
Sakura's voice rang through her head.
'Oh, and I won't mind having a double wedding at all! Besides, I already promised Tomoyo we'll have a double wedding since we were kids remember?'
Then the voices of 18 year old girls took over.
'Tomoyo, wouldn't it be cool if we were to live together forever?'
'But, what about when we get married?'
'Well, we'll force our husbands that the 4 of us should all live together! How about that?'
'That would be nice'
'You agree?'
'Of course Sakura, what would be better than living with my best friend along with the love of my life?'
'So we'll do it'
'You mean it?'
'Yeah, I promise Tomoyo. That way, we'll be together until we get old and wrinkly'
Laughter of the two voices echoed in Tomoyo's mind.
"You promised me" Tomoyo whispered in tears.
"So, she has amnesia?" Yasuki asked his mother as they watched Sakura and Emi form the house. The girls were outside sitting under the shade of a tree, Emi was sitting in front of Sakura as she braided Emi's hair just like how she did her own.
Airi nodded sadly. "She can't recall anything whenever I ask her something about herself"
"Did she ask you anything?"
"She asked me where she is, meaning this place. I just told her we're in a town called Shimi, a few kilometers south of Tomoeda since that's the nearest known town close to ours"
Yasuki nodded. "I like her" he said out of the blue.
"You barely know her" Airi said.
"I know but she's a nice girl. I'm 22 and I need a girl and she seems fit for it, she looks and acts about 20 or 21"
Airi sighed. "Don't do anything I wouldn't like. Don't take advantage of her just because she has amnesia"
"I won't" Yasuki grinned.
'I doubt it, I better keep an eye out for you' thought Airi, looking at his son before she left back into the house.
"Did you tell Syaoran?" Tomoyo asked Eriol as he entered her room.
"Iie, they won't get me through him" he sighed.
"It's been a month already…he has the right to- to-" Tomoyo didn't finish her sentence as she ended it with tears.
"Mother" said Syaoran looking at the elderly yet elegant looking woman.
"Syaoran, I thought you were to meet with the elders then go on with the advisors?" Yelan said as she looked at her work in front of her before looking up at her son. She was doing flower arranging with her daughters, Syaoran's quad sisters.
"I know but I cancelled the meeting with my advisors for today"
Yelan and the quads stopped and looked at him.
"I have to announce something to the family"
"What about your father? He is not here"
"He was with me in the meeting with the elders, and he already knows what I'm about to tell you"
"What is it?" Yelan asked, now getting more curious especially since Syaoran was seeming restless, which was totally unlike his usually composed demeanor.
"Since I came back, the elders have told me to start finding a suitable bride to take place as princess so we'll take over as king and queen when the time comes"
The sisters squealed. The quads were all princesses but they knew only Syaoran's wife will play a more important role as princess more than they. Syaoran may be the youngest, being 21 and the sisters being 26, but he was the most fit for the role as leader since he is the only son and the most highly trained for the role since he was young.
"Little brother has found himself a bride!" Xiefia, the 2nd oldest, said with a giggle.
"He's getting married!" screamed Fuutie, the youngest.
"When's the wedding? I want to help plan it!" Fiemie, the oldest of the siblings, said excitedly as she jumped from her seat.
"Who's the luck girl little brother?" asked Fanfren as she jumped up and down.
"Girls, girls calm down and listen to your brother before you get all excited" said Yelan, calming her daughters before looking over at her only son. "Go on Syaoran"
"Well, I found my bride…in fact, I'm already engaged as it is"
"Who's the lucky girl?" Yelan was able to say before a loud squeal overtook the room.
"My girlfriend, Sakura Kinomoto"
"Sakura Kinomoto? Isn't that a Japanese name?" Yelan pointed out making Syaoran nod.
"I proposed to her before I came back here last month"
Yelan didn't like the fact that Syaoran proposed to a woman she knew nothing about. She didn't know if this Sakura woman was fit enough to be wed to her only son and if she had enough training to rule a country alongside a Li.
Then again, Yelan never noticed Syaoran smile as much as he did ever since he came back. He was still as strict and serious as ever but he seemed to enjoy his duties more, which is a good thing. Yelan looked up and smiled at her son.
"That is wonderful, I shall tell you if I approve once you bring back your fiancée here in China"
This greatly shocked Syaoran though he felt happy at the same time.
"Bring her here?"
"Of course, how else can the family meet her?"
The room was once again overcome by squeals from the girls as they all jumped on Syaoran, saying their congratulations through hugs, screams, kisses, screams, pinches and much more screams.
Syaoran was usually annoyed at this but this time, he smiled as they did their torture on him and he laughed along with them.
"Yasuki" Airi said to her son. "Why don't you take Cherry along with you and Emi when you visit your aunt over at Tomoeda?" she suggested as he started his car, a black Honda Civic.
Yasuki looked out the window and saw Sakura talking with Emi by the porch of the house. He really grew into liking Sakura more for the whole time she was staying with his family.
"Hey Cherry!" Yasuki called out.
Sakura turned and walked over to the car with Emi.
"What is it Yasuki?"
"Do you wanna come with us to Tomoeda?"
"Uhh…are you sure?"
"Yeah, come on" Yasuki closed the window and opened the locks to the doors as she and his sister boarded the car.
"It's nice over at Tomoeda" Sakura suddenly said. "It's a peaceful town"
"That's right…how did you know Cherry?" Emi asked her.
"I-I don't know…I just have this feeling that it is" Sakura giggled.
She and Emi giggled as Yasuki drove down the street passing several houses while looking at Sakura through the rear view mirror.
'Did she get that from a memory of hers?' he thought to himself.
Yasuki liked Sakura but if he were to be honest with himself, he didn't want her to remember her past because if she did, he knew she would have to leave him and his family.
Sakura sighed as she and Emi stopped giggling. She still didn't remember her past but she was enjoying her life with the Sumiyas. But what she can't understand is that a part of her was missing. She had the habit of glancing at her bare wrist on her right arm and she didn't know why.
She also loved the necklace around her neck as well as the rings on her finger. She didn't get why the necklace won't come off and why she had a diamond engagement ring along with another ring with it…she never recalled getting engaged before.
"Umm…so, which part of Tomoeda will we be going?" she asked Yasuki as he drove through the peaceful rode.
"I dunno…all I know is that we'll be in a neighborhood where most rich people of Tomoeda live. Our aunt is kinda rich, she works as the assistant manager of Daidouji Fashion Corp."
"Daidouji?" Sakura repeated, feeling that she heard that name before.
"Yeah" said Emi from beside her. "Auntie's house is just beside the Daidouji mansion. Their mansion is really huge! I can even peek through their beautiful garden through the metal bars which separates it from auntie's house"
"Oh, I see" Sakura smiled, but deep within her, she could feel something different when she heard the name. 'Where have I heard that before?'
"Eriol, I'll be visiting my mother today" Tomoyo told him by the phone. "I'll be going to the main house"
"Why?" asked Eriol.
"She told me that she needs to discuss stuff about the company. I haven't been working ever since the accident and she said it'll be a good distraction for me"
"Okay, if you say so…I'll probably come by the house later. Want me to pick you up there?"
"Sure, thanks…love you. Bye"
Tomoyo sighed as she went outside the house to lock the door. She went outside the gate and alarmed it to a lock. She was in the mood to take a walk towards the house since it wasn't that far anyway.
"Okay, we gotta get down here. I'm gonna park the car here and we'll just walk there since it isn't far away" Yasuki said as he stopped the car by the sidewalk. "Emi, take the package we brought for auntie"
"Hai!"
The 3 all went out the car and crossed the street. Sakura looked at the tall bar fence that blocked them from the property. The bars went along so far that all they saw were bars when they walked. Then they neared the gate to the property. Emi ran to the gate and Sakura ran after her, followed by Yasuki who still walked on at a normal pace.
"This always impresses me no matter how many times I saw it before" Emi said in awe as she looked through the gate at the wonderful front yard where a fountain stood tall.
"It's beautiful!" Sakura gasped from beside Emi. She looked over at the doorbell. She walked over to it and rang it. A camera from the other side of the gate turned to them. Sakura looked at the camera and smiled at it.
Yasuki saw this and ran to Sakura. He glanced at the camera and turned back to Sakura as Emi went over to them as well.
"Cherry, this isn't auntie's house, this is the Daidoujis'" Emi said to her trying to pull her away but Sakura didn't budge as she still looked over at the camera.
"What can we do for you?" asked a female voice from the speaker beside the doorbell.
"Err…we're sorry, my girlfriend mistook your house from the one we're going. Sorry again, we'll be leaving now" Yasuki said as he and Emi both pulled on Sakura away from the house and away from the cameras.
Tomoyo walked down the side walk looking down as she did. This past month has been a lonely one without Sakura. She felt empty and still didn't like to believe that she really is gone.
"Sakura where are you?" she asked herself gloomily.
She looked up and noticed the familiar bars that fenced around their property. She looked down again and walked on.
"C'mon Cherry" said a young female voice near Tomoyo.
Author's Note:
Well, I hope you liked the story so far.
I'll be updating again, some time…
For now, Ja ne!
Raeny