Woohoo, another chapter done! You get to meet the kids, and...? heehee, you'll get to figure something else out, too! ^^
Please Enjoy!
Disclaimer: Sorry, I forgot to put this on the previous chapters, so, here it is. I don't own Cardcaptor Sakura or all the characters. CLAMP does, and, well, do I look like I'm part of CLAMP? *looks at very Caucasian blond hair and skin* pause... *rolls eyes* haha no chance XD
Syaoran was staring at the sight of Sakura and the kids surrounding her calling her 'Mommy', a sick feeling in his stomach slowly making it's up way into his throat and mouth. He felt like he might puke.
But why? She was just the waitress. She was just the beautiful waitress, who also had the most amazing laugh and dazzling smile...The waitress who he'd driven home, and who he'd eaten cake with...She didn't feel like such a stranger anymore, but he certainly didn't know anything about this.
"What is it, Li? We're in the middle of a meeting," the Tadamu Corp CEO questioned.
"Syaoran? What's up, man?" Takashi asked, frowning at his boss and friend.
Syaoran motioned with his head to where Sakura was taking the young one from the woman with long, dark hair.
Takashi followed his gaze, and he cocked his head to the side. "Sakura-san and the kids, I see. I wish we could go say hi, but we're kinda busy right now, Syaoran, so, come on. I'll talk to you about it later," Takashi said, turning back to business. Syaoran, reluctantly, did as well.
"You'd better," he grumbled before getting back to the meeting.
"Thanks for bringing them here, Tomoyo," Sakura said while holding a giggling baby boy. She gave him an Eskimo kiss, at which the little boy chortled even louder and happier. Sakura giggled at him, amused at his familiar reaction.
"No problem! I guessed you wanted to spend time with your kids when the older ones have a day off school and both Eriol and I have to work," Tomoyo replied, smiling. Sakura nodded, looking over the six other kids. She noticed that the twins were fighting over something or other, and opened her mouth to break it up, but the navy haired man beat her to it.
"Daichi, stop pulling your sister's hair."
The twins looked up at the man, and the boy, Daichi, was about to protest, but Sakura butted in before that could happen. "Listen to Eriol-kun, Daichi," she sternly commanded, and Daichi sighed, letting go of the identical girl's light-brown hair.
"Yes, Mum," he said, and Sakura nodded.
"Good," she said, and then smiled at Eriol. "Thanks, Eriol-kun," she said, and he grinned, putting his arm around Tomoyo, his wife.
"No problem, Sakura-san. Tomoyo and I love your kids as if they were our own," Eriol said, and Sakura smiled.
"You two are the best friends I could ask for," Sakura chided affectionately, and then turned to the older two children.
"Kei, Nadeshiko, help the younger two get to the van. We're going to be playing today," Sakura said, and they grinned.
"Sure, Mom!" they agreed, turning to help the younger kids.
"Sakura-chan, your kids are really cute!"
Sakura turned to see Naoko there, staring at her young ones with a happy grin.
The emerald-eyed woman smiled. "Yeah, aren't they?" she agreed.
"Um, but Sakura...what are you going to do about work?" Naoko inquired, frowning worriedly.
Sakura's eyes widened, and with her free hand, slapped her forehead. "Oh no, I forgot. Maota-san will have my head," she reprimanded herself, groaning in annoyance.
"Oh, don't worry about that, Sakura-san. I called Maota-san ahead of time to tell him about your leaving early. It's all fine," Eriol assured her, and Sakura grinned.
"Alright then. See you later, Naoko-chan!" Sakura said, and was getting set to leave when Tomoyo stepped in front of her, a bag extended. "Tomoyo-chan, wha-"
"We're not leaving until you change into this, Sakura-chan. I'll take Takahiko," Tomoyo demanded, reaching for the toddler in Sakura's arms. Rolling her eyes, Sakura handed Tomoyo back the baby boy, exchanging him for the bag. Walking through the kitchen and into the staff bathroom, Sakura changed her clothes in one of the stalls. This was a new outfit of Tomoyo's, it seemed. It was a simple pink sundress with Tomoyo's favorite pattern to use on clothes for Sakura: cherry blossoms. There were pink ballet-flats to match, and after brushing her hair with the supplied brush, Sakura made her way back out through the kitchen.
Stepping into the customers' area, Sakura knew immediately that once again, she'd attracted many stares, but pursed her lips and ignored them as she made her wait outside to where Tomoyo and the rest were still getting settled into the limo. They could have just used a normal car, but because of the number of people...well, the rich can do this sort of thing. Sakura worried that her kids were getting spoiled too much.
"Oh, Sakura! I knew it would look great on you! It's perfect! I love it! Now, Yamakanata-kun will drive us to work, and then, you can let him take him out with the kids!" Tomoyo explained the plan excitedly, and Sakura nodded, stepping into the limo where Eriol had just finished with all the kids.
They got settled, and the driver moved away from the curb, driving towards the large building where Tomoyo and Eriol worked.
Tomoyo and Eriol had merged their two companies, the Daidoji Industries and Hiiragizawa Corp after getting married, going by the name of Hiiragizawa Corp.
Tomoyo and Eriol bid Sakura and the kids farewell, Sakura returning the gesture.
"Kinomoto-sama, where would you like to go?" the driver asked, putting down the divider to speak with her.
"Please, Yamakanata-kun, would you take us to the nearest park?" Sakura requested.
"Certainly, Kinomoto-sama," Yamakanata-kun agreed.
"Thanks!" Sakura called before the elderly man closed the divider, leaving Sakura to the privacy she relished with her children.
"Okay everyone! It was kinda rushed before, my children. I want to hear all your voices, and I don't want it all at once! That'll wait for later! So, in birth order!" Sakura explained to all the children, and they all-well, almost all of them-understood what she meant, as Sakura did this often.
"Kei here, Mom!" Sakura smiled at the eldest boy, her dear ten-year-old with soft hazel eyes and light brown hair, much like his mother's.
"Nadeshiko, after Gramma," the nine-year-old girl said, offering her mother a pleasant smile with her shining green eyes and dark curly hair falling beautifully around her face. She really was like her grandmother.
"Isamu! The third child!" That would be the boy of seven years with messy near-black hair and dark eyes.
"Daichi! I love you Mommy!"
"Midori-chan! Mommy, I love you too!"
Those were the twins, the ones with the light brown hair. They each had a pair of chocolate-brown eyes, each bright with curiosity.
"Miki-chan! Hee hee!" Sakura smiled at her three-year-old, her short-grey-brown hair down down in braids and her green eyes happily sparkling.
Sakura looked down at the baby she held in her arms.
"And Takahiko-chan! Are you gonna say anything, Taka-chan?" she asked, tickling him under the chin, resulting in a bubbly laugh erupted from the small mouth of the boy, his light-brown eyes shining with his giggles.
She liked hearing them say their names like that for themselves. It gave her the sense of tranquility to know that they were all here and accounted for, as well as the soothing feeling she got from hearing their voices.
Sakura smiled as she looked over her happily chatting children, but felt a pang of sadness as she remembered who else should have been here with her, enjoying this moment of contentedness.
Pushing away those thoughts, Sakura smiled down at her son, tickling him some more. She knew each of these children like the back of her hand. She'd watched each of them as they started growing up, as they were all her own. They had once been hers to share, but no-
"Mommy, why are you crying?"
Sakura looked up to see Miki staring at her in worry.
"It's nothing, Miki-chan. Don't worry-I'm fine!" Sakura pushed out cheerfully, hitting herself mentally for letting those stray tears slip out. She glanced up and caught eyes with the older two, Kei and Nadeshiko. Biting her lower lip, she cast them a look of warning, and both nodded, understanding what she'd wanted and continuing on with what they were talking about.
They arrived at the park soon after that, and Sakura helped everyone out. Kei took Miki's hand, and Nadeshiko held hands with Midori, while Isamu walked next to Daichi. Neither would dare hold hands with the other.
Sakura smiled as she looked over her kids, Takahiko in her arms, and then turned to see which park they were in. Her eyes widened as she realized where she was, and she turned back to Yamakanata-kun.
"U-um, Yamakanata-kun, I..."
"Yes, Kinomoto-sama?" he asked, smiling kindly.
Sakura bit her lower lip, contemplating whether or not to ask if he could take them somewhere else, but decided she didn't want to have to go through the trouble of getting all the kids back in again and then driving some more.
"Thanks for driving us. I'll give you a call when we need to be picked up, okay?" she said, and Yamakanata-kun nodded, heading back to the car.
"Alright. Until later, Kinomoto-sama!" he said, opening the driver-side door.
"Yes, goodbye," Sakura called back, and then turned to the park, heaving a sigh of remorse.
"Mom, is this okay?"
Sakura looked over at Kei, who was looking a little worried.
"Yes, Kei. We should probably come here more often anyways," Sakura said, starting to walk onto the pathway which went through the park.
"Are you sure, Mom? I mean, we don't have to go over there," Nadeshiko said, coming up to her mother.
"You two shouldn't be worrying about your mother. That makes me feel so pitiful," Sakura said playfully, smiling at her two eldest.
Kei and Nadeshiko exchanged a look of exasperation, but shrugged it off and continued on the walk, helping the younger ones.
Sakura saw what they were approaching, behind the initial part of the park where people usually stayed when here.
"We'll go there first," she decided out loud, and led the children over to the stairs which led them up to a higher plateau of ground, an area surrounded by a fence. Sakura and her children walked in through the gate, sharing a tight smile with a couple who was just leaving.
They nodded to her, glancing at the children before walking off, hugging each other as they tried not to cry. Sakura assumed that it was a very recent death. Sighing, she turned back to face the place of her dread.
A cemetery.
"Mum, have we been here before? It's familiar..." Isamu asked, looking to her curiously.
Sakura nodded. "Yes, we have. Now, Kei, Nadeshiko, I think you two know the way. Let's go," Sakura said, walking off towards her destination.
Sakura found the tomb much too quickly than to her liking, and let the children look at it.
"Who's this, Mommy?" Isamu asked her, and Sakura forced a smile on her face.
"His name is Tsukishiro Yukito-see the kanji, there, Isamu? This man...this man is..." Sakura began.
"Mom..." Nadeshiko chided, frowning up at her mother.
Sakura offered her oldest daughter a weak smile. "Don't worry about me, Nadeshiko. Little ones, this man died two years ago, just after Taka-chan was born," Sakura explained to the little ones. "It was a car accident," she added, her voice beginning to shake as she tried to fight off the tears building in her emerald eyes.
"Did we know him?" Daichi inquired, his voice innocent and naive. Too much so that it pained Sakura to hear him and see that carefree expression on his face.
"Yes," Sakura said, choking on her words. "This man, Yukito...was your father."
"Okay Takashi. Tell me what's up with Kinomoto-san. And how does she know the Hiiragizawa duo of Hiiragizawa Corps?"
Takashi sighed, crossing his arms as he stood in front of Syaoran's desk. "I know Eriol and Tomoyo-san too. They're good friends of Chiharu's, and through her, me too. Sakura-san lives with the Hiiragizawa's in one of Tomoyo-san's family's houses, along with all her kids," Takashi explained.
"And they're all hers? She didn't adopt, or they're not the Hiiragizawas'?"
"Those children all belong to Sakura-san. Look, Syaoran, I'm really not the person you should be talking to about this. It's not my business," Takashi said, and then gave Syaoran a pointed look. "It's not your business either," he put in.
Syaoran glared back. "What kind of idiotic married woman takes rides from other men, then? Why did she let me give her a ride if she already has a husband?" he demanded, growing more agitated over the subject as the seconds ticked away on that annoying clock hanging over the door. Syaoran felt like throwing his shoe at it or something.
Takashi bit his lip. "Chi is gonna kill me for this," he muttered under his breath before addressing Syaoran. "Listen, Syaoran, about that. Sakura-san's husband, two years ago, he-"
The ringing of the phone cut Takashi off from saying any more. Syaoran glared at the phone.
"Uh, are you going to pick that up?" Takashi asked nervously. He recoiled in fear when his eyes met with Syaoran's ticked off glare.
"This comes first," Syaoran's cold voice said over the ringing, and Takashi sweat-dropped. "What happened to Kinomoto-san's husband?" Takashi marveled at Syaoran's ability to maintain an even tone despite an evil look like that.
"U-uh..."
The ringing had stopped, and a silence hung in the air between the two men, neither of them moving, neither saying a word as the tension built, thickening the air in the now seemingly stuffy office. It was broken by the hard knocking on Syaoran's door, and the amber-eyed CEO groaned.
"Come in!" he called in irritation, and the door immediately opened, revealing a rather annoyed Chiharu.
"Oh, hey Chi!" Takashi greeted, breaking out into a tentative grin and attempting to run over and squeeze out using Chiharu as an excuse.
"Takashi." Syaoran's cold voice stopped him dead in his tracks.
Chiharu watched the two men in confusion before rolling her eyes, assuming that her idiotic boyfriend had done something to tick off their boss again.
"Li, why haven't you been answering your calls? President Tadamu of Tadamu Corps has been calling about the final deal on this merger. Why didn't you pick up?" Chiharu explained, giving them her reasons for being here.
Syaoran sighed. "It's a personal thing. I'll get to that in a minute, but first, Takashi, finish what you were saying," he demanded.
Chiharu frowned. She didn't like the tensity between them, and wanted to drag Takashi away immediately to break it, but she knew better than to oppose Li Syaoran.
Takashi sighed. "Fine. Just under two years ago, Sakura-san's husband-"
"Takashi! How could you!?"
Takashi turned to Chiharu with a worried look. "But Chi, he saw all of the kids today. Sakura-san's the one who Syaoran's been talking about," he explained to his upset girlfriend, who only slightly regretted her outburst.
Chiharu's eyes widened. "He...saw them? B-b-but, there's no way Li can expect to win over Sakura-chan or anything," Chiharu said, her speech wavering.
"Why ever not, Mihara-san?" Syaoran's cool voice called over to them.
Chiharu turned to him, her face creased in worry. "Well, she's the most dense person you'll ever meet, and, oh yeah, she has seven kids. Plus, whenever we bring up getting her to date again, she ignores us completely! She doesn't want a relationship, not at all! So, with all due respect, Li, Sakura-chan is just not going to get into an intimate relationship again, not even if it's with you," she explained, thinking worriedly of her good emerald-eyed friend.
Syaoran's eyes narrowed. "What was it that Takashi was telling me about her husband?" he asked.
Chiharu shared an uncertain glance with Takashi before the said man took a deep breath.
"Syaoran," Takashi explained, "not very long after Sakura's youngest was born, her husband was killed in a car accident."
Syaoran froze, staring at the couple near his office door.
"Oh...oh..."
Takashi sighed, turning to Chiharu. "We should leave him for a minute. I'll take the call from Tadamu right now," he said, and Chiharu nodded in agreement as they both left the office, leaving their boss and friend to think over the previous conversation in good length.
Tomoyo was in her office, but she couldn't shake the feeling that something strange was going on. She frowned, and went with her instinct, picking up the phone and dialing Sakura's number. No surprise; the auburn-haired woman's cellphone was turned off. Sighing, she dialed another number.
"Moshi moshi, Yamakanata-kun here."
"Yamakanata-kun, this is Tomoyo. Is Sakura there?" Tomoyo asked as she flipped through some documents.
"No, I just dropped her off at Penguin Park with the kids," Yamakanata replied, and Tomoyo's eyes widened in shock.
"O-oh, thanks then. Talk to you later. Bye," Tomoyo said, keeping her voice from shaking.
"Yes, Hiiragizawa-sama. Goodbye," Yamakanata replied, and Tomoyo shut her phone, standing immediately from her seat. She started preparing a note that she'd give to Eriol's secretary to give to anybody who asked where she was, but the phone rang just as she got the paper and a pen. Sighing, she put it on speaker-phone and answered.
"Hello? Vice CEO Hiiragizawa Tomoyo of Hiiragizawa Corp speaking," she greeted with a bit of annoyance in her voice.
"Hello Hiiragizawa Tomoyo-san. This is Li Syaoran, CEO of Li Corps. It's in my understanding that you're good friends with Kinomoto Sakura," the male voice on the other end said.
"Yes, that's correct, Li-san. But why are you calling?" Tomoyo replied, frowning and deciding to pick up the receiver and turn it off speaker phone. Doing so, Tomoyo took a seat back in her chair.
"Well, Hiiragizawa-san, I was at the cafe at noontime and I saw her children...I have something I would like to discuss with Kinomoto-san. Would you happen to know where I could find her at this moment?"
Tomoyo felt a mischievous smirk come over her face as a plan formulated in her head.
"Why, yes Li-san, as a matter of fact, I do."
A/N: Mwahahahaha, what could Tomoyo be planning? *evil smirk* heehee, I can't wait to start the next chapter. And really, I'm surprised at how fast I'm updating this. Wrote this all in one day, I did ^^!
Heehee. So now you know about the kids' father and all. :) Hope you aren't too surprised...but still a little. :D
And I know Penguin Park is in Tomoeda, but I needed a fictional park, and Penguin Park was a park from the anime, so...I used it! heehee^^
Also, I may have made Takashi a bit...different, but it's needed. Syaoran would get ticked off too easily with trying to get information out of a Takashi who keeps bringing up fake stories. But I will try to put in more of Takashi's story-telling character for the chapters to come.
I'm so happy with all the reviews I've been getting! You guys are so nice :) luv ya'lls!
~*~Malaika Anystazya~*~