Disclaimer: I don't own Card captor Sakura
Chapter 3
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"Watching her again?"
Syaoran jumped from the frame of the back door of their classroom when someone suddenly spoke behind him. But as the voice registered in his mind, Syaoran turned around with a sheepish smile.
"Daidouji-san." He acknowledged.
Tomoyo giggled as she looked at where Syaoran had been looking.
There, Sakura was looking over the papers that her classmate asked her to look at for the upcoming school event for their class. From time to time she suggested something to her classmate with a smile.
"I really can't believe that she's smiling." Tomoyo said softly.
"I can see now why everyone is so concerned about her." Syaoran said, "She has this certain warmness emanating from her."
Tomoyo smiled, "Exactly. If she seemed rude to you at first, it was just because she was trying to hide her pain—"
"Or rather because I remind her of a dead person who used to mean so much to her." Syaoran said quietly.
"Sorry," Tomoyo murmured, frowning.
"You don't have to apologize Daidouji-san." Syaoran said, a smile already on his face.
"Thank you, you really don't know how thankful we are that you've been able to pull Sakura out of her...state. It's like you were putting her through rehabilitation... for three months..."
Syaoran chuckled, "I barely did anything but annoy the hell out of her. We barely talk anyway."
Tomoyo laughed softly, "Sakura's pretty much approachable. You just have to make the first move."
Syaoran laughed too. "Really."
"You should try again. It would be better if you two get to know each other more."
"Thanks Daidouji-san."
"Come on," Tomoyo said, pulling Syaoran's arm.
Tomoyo pulled Syaoran until they both stood beside Sakura, who was still seated, looking over the papers, but she seemed frozen to one page. She didn't seem to be seeing anything at all. Her face was pale.
"Sakura? What's wrong?" Tomoyo was instantly worried, letting go of Syaoran's arm.
"I- It's nothing." Sakura said, immediately flipping the page.
Syaoran wasn't so sure it was just nothing, seeing as how she was shaking as she flipped the page.
"Kinomoto—"
"Kai."
Sakura suddenly cut Syaoran off as she looked up, her eyes wide-eyed. Then, as if realization dawned onto her, she shook her head and immediately look down.
"Sorry," She murmured.
Tomoyo suddenly sighed once again.
Syaoran looked at her with question and curiosity. It had been a while since he heard Tomoyo sigh.
"It's already that time of the school year, isn't it." Tomoyo supplied for her friend.
Sakura flinched as if she was pinched hard. She looked at Tomoyo. The look in her eyes reminded Syaoran of when he first met her. The look of reliving a horrid experience... a seemingly empty yet tortured look...
"That time?" Syaoran couldn't help but ask out loud.
"It's... nothing..." Tomoyo said softly, her eyes begged Syaoran to understand, as she gently pushed him to his seat behind Sakura.
Syaoran wanted to sigh, but he held back. He'd been with the class for already three months, and yet there was so much they didn't tell him yet. Especially about Sakura. Well, he knew that it couldn't be helped. Because he was just a new student. There was still a limit to what he can know.
"I'm sorry," Tomoyo whispered gently to Syaoran as he pulled his chair to take a seat.
Syaoran shook his head with a grin, "It's alright Daidouji-san."
Tomoyo looked at him with a genuine apologetic expression. But before she could say anything more, the teacher entered their classroom, a sign that class was about to start.
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As the teacher started discussing, Syaoran could only stare at Sakura's back. He was trying to figure out why Sakura had suddenly called him Kai again.
Even without anybody telling him, he could perfectly tell that Kai was the classmate that they were talking about, the guys who passed away. But why is it that when Sakura suddenly looked at him, she called out his name.
Could it be that it wasn't just their personalities that were the same?
Tomoyo had mentioned that they had the same eyes... but was that all there was to it?
He was suddenly so curious about this Kai...
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"Sighing again?"
Tomoyo looked beside her as Syaoran walked by her side.
The class was walking, going to a different classroom to hold their new class. Everybody was talking animatedly and excitedly. But Tomoyo and Sakura were the only ones left behind.
Syaoran had looked back and decided to ask what was wrong, when he heard Tomoyo sighing again.
"Sorry," Tomoyo said, a bit surprised, "I... didn't realize."
Syaoran chuckled, then he looked over to Sakura, who was quietly walking beside Tomoyo, her face intent on looking at the tiled floors.
"Kinomoto-san!" Syaoran called.
Sakura looked up in surprise.
"Can you please tell me why you two aren't as excited as everyone is?" He asked cheerfully.
Sakura looked at him blankly this time. "It's because we're not interested." She answered shortly.
Syaoran chuckled at Sakura's retort. He had gotten used to it now by this time. He was always wondering why she was like that when he's talking to her, unlike how she treats her other friends, but he'd rather not ask, worried he might step on a landmine.
"If you say so." Syaoran said dismissively, jogging towards the rest of the class as one of their classmates called him.
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Everybody chattered excitedly as they entered the new classroom, which turned out to be the Music Room. Every last month of a quarter, the class was required to have a music class.
Syaoran looked around the room. It looked like a college classroom, with all the elevated seats, each row higher than the one in front. Then he walked towards the black grand piano at the center of the classroom.
He slid his fingers over the polished wood.
"Do you know how to play Li-kun?" Asked their teacher. Seeing as Syaoran had unconsciously smiled a big smile while touching the piano.
Syaoran nodded, "Though I stopped for quite a while..."
"Well, why not give the class a demo?"
"No!" Syaoran laughed, shaking his head, "Like I said, I stopped for a while, I can't possibly play as well as I used to, sensei."
"Come on, the rest of the class already heard each other's talents. We've been together for two years. Why not show us your talent?" The teacher persuaded.
"You play the piano? Come on Li, let's hear it!" A classmate encouraged.
One by one, his classmates starts encouraging Syaoran, until almost the whole class was insisting that he play the piano.
Sakura sat on one of the seats which was a few feet away, watching her classmates crowd over Syaoran.
Tomoyo, who sat beside Sakura, sighed.
"He's right," Sakura said.
"About what?" Tomoyo asked, looking at Sakura curiously.
Sakura kept her gaze ahead, "You do keep on sighing today... You do it unconsciously...mostly when you're worried about something."
"I'm sorry..." Tomoyo smiled softly, "I guess I can't hide everything, can I?"
This time, Sakura slowly looked at her best friend, an identical small smile was on her face. "We've been best friends for as long as we can both remember, of course I know."
"Then, precisely because we know each other so well, that's why I'm worried." Tomoyo looked ahead again. She could see that Syaoran had finally agreed to play for the class. "It's because they're so similar, it's like it's him in front of us..."
"Weren't you the one who wanted to let me look at them as two individuals?" Sakura said, her voice turning cold without her meaning too.
"I'm sorry," Tomoyo mumbled.
"No," Sakura said softly, "I should be the one saying sorry. I shouldn't be like this...right? I should just accept everything. Li-kun is Li-kun. He and Kai are two different people, they may look alike, they may act alike, but they're two different people. The rest might just be a coincidence. It's impossible—"
Sakura was suddenly cut off short when the piano started playing.
Tomoyo and Sakura immediately looked in front, identical masks of surprise.
Syaoran was playing the piano. The way he played, it was obvious that he wasn't just playing it for fun, or even playing it as a hobby. He was talented. But what really caught the attention of the class was...
He was playing the same piece as what Kai had played in the class demo two years ago...
The same speed.
The same emotion.
The same fluid motion of the fingers...
"Sakura..."
Sakura blinked, and realized that she couldn't see too clearly because there was something blurring her view— her tears.
"Shh," Sakura murmured to Tomoyo, immediately wiping away her tears before her classmates could turn around and take a good look at her.
"Whoa! You've got talent Li-kun." The teacher praised, the class immediately started clapping her hands.
Syaoran lightly scratched his cheek with embarrassment, "Uh, thanks."
Then he stretched his neck slightly to see where Sakura was seating.
He saw her, just in time to see her wiping away her tears.
What... what happened?
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"Class rep!"
Sakura looked up from her desk as a classmate called her attention.
"Hmn?" Sakura asked, giving a small smile.
"It's been a while since we came back from the music room, Li hasn't come back yet. I think you should call him back, another class might be using that room."
"Alright," Sakura said, standing up from her seat.
"Do you want me to come with you?" Tomoyo offered, knowing full well that Sakura would want to avoid Syaoran, yet she can't evade her responsibilities.
"No, it's okay. I'm just going to ask him to come back." Sakura smiled.
Tomoyo nodded, watching her friend with worry as Sakura left the classroom.
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Syaoran stared at the piano keys.
He started randomly pressing the keys consecutively, then from time to time, he'd play a short melody with one hand.
He couldn't stop thinking about Sakura. The whole time during music class, she barely went near the piano. As if she didn't like the instrument at all. Not just that instrument, it's like she didn't like playing any instrument. But because of the requirement, she settled for the flute.
But what caught his attention is her seemingly obvious detest for the piano.
The class seem to have noticed it, but they were just trying to be polite and ignored her.
Could the piano have to do something about her past?
Did that Kai person also play the piano?
"Li-kun?"
Syaoran looked ahead and saw Sakura poking her head into the room.
"I'm here," Syaoran said, raising his hand.
"It's time to go back to the classroom." Sakura said, entering the room fully as she closed the door behind her.
"Oh," Syaoran looked at his watch, indicating that he had been in the room for a long time, "Sorry, I didn't... realize."
"You seem to like the piano a lot," Sakura observed, walking up beside him.
Syaoran looked taken aback at Sakura's statement, "Y-yeah," He accidentally stuttered.
When he looked at Sakura, she was looking at the keys like she missed it. Like she wanted to touch it, but was afraid to do so. As he came to realize that they were just there in silence, and that Sakura wasn't going to say anything else, Syaoran started talking.
"It's been a while since I've played the piano. Two years to be exact."
"Two years?" Sakura asked curiously.
"Yup, two years. Because—" Syaoran suddenly froze.
"Li-kun?" Sakura called, suddenly worried that he was in pain or something, because his eyes widen.
Syaoran closed his eyes tightly and then shook his head. "Sorry," He mumbled.
"You stopped because?" Sakura pressed.
"Because..." Syaoran frowned. Then he looked at Sakura with sad eyes, "I'm sorry, I guess it's been a two years, I really can't remember why I stopped..."
"Oh."
"Anyway," Syaoran shifted into a cheerful mode immediately, "What about you? Everybody gave a go at playing the piano today, except you. Why didn't you?"
Sakura froze momentarily at his question.
Syaoran wondered whether he approached a forbidden subject. He slapped himself internally.
"I...I can play, a little." Sakura said in a small voice.
"Really?" Syaoran said in surprise, "Would you mind? I want to hear you play." He said excitedly, standing up from the bench, offering it to her.
Sakura only shook her head at his offer. "Sorry, but I..."
Syaoran barely held back a sigh. He nodded, "It's okay, I understand. Come on," He said, pushing the bench back under the piano. "Let's go back."
"Mn," Sakura agreed. She followed Syaoran out of the music room, all the while, she watched him from behind.
It had been three months since Syaoran came to their school.
Without her noticing, because she was trying to distance herself from him, she had opened her world to others again. Her classmates and friends never stopped pointing out how much they missed her, that she had changed.
Even though Kai and Syaoran seemed like one person... she has to accept that they are different people, right?
Maybe... it wouldn't hurt to befriend him...
It wasn't his fault at all that he seemed to be identical to someone who meant a lot to her. She shouldn't be giving him a hard time...
"Li-kun," Sakura called, she stopped from walking even thought they almost reached their classroom.
Syaoran looked back as an acknowledgement that he heard her calling. He also stopped seeing, seeing as she stopped.
"Is anything wrong?" Syaoran asked.
"I..." Sakura took a deep breath, "My answer is yes."
"Huh?" Syaoran asked, quite confused. Did he ask her something?
"The last time. You asked if you could be my friend. And now, I'm answering you with a yes. Yes, you can be my friend."
Syaoran grinned at Sakura's statement. Sakura felt as if her breath had been sucked away. Too similar...
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"Did something happen?" Tomoyo asked as Sakura took her seat. She was curious, seeing as how usually extra cheerful Syaoran seemed as he entered the classroom.
"Nothing." Sakura mumbled.
Tomoyo giggled, knowing full well that her best friend was hiding something from her.
"What happened between you two?" Tomoyo pressed, obviously teasing her friend.
"It's really nothing," Sakura said, though a slight blush suddenly colored her cheeks.
Tomoyo's smile widen. She turned to look at Syaoran who was with his own crowd of friends at the back of the classroom.
"Syaoran-san!" Tomoyo called.
Sakura looked at her friend which said What are you doing?
Tomoyo only giggled as Syaoran approached them.
"Hmn?" Syaoran asked curiously, seeing Tomoyo's obviously playful and teasing smile. He looked at Sakura, who couldn't even barely look at him at all. "Is something wrong with Sakura-san?" He asked Tomoyo.
Tomoyo instantly looked at the both of them suspiciously. "Since when...did Sakura allow to call you by her first name?" Tomoyo asked.
Sakura blushed again, this time she couldn't look at Tomoyo too. Syaoran chuckled shortly, "Uh..." He said speechlessly.
Tomoyo laughed.
Things are getting interesting...
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"I can see that that brat is walking you home more often now," Touya immediately said as soon as Sakura closed the door behind her.
"Syoaran-kun isn't a brat." Sakura defended, sticking her tongue out to her brother.
"A brat is a brat," Touya teased, making a face at his little sister.
"Stop it Touya," Fujitaka said good-humoredly. He chuckled seeing the two sibling's usual banter. "That boy is good mannered. And Sakura had been coming home earlier."
"I'm home," Sakura said, seeing her father in the kitchen, preparing for dinner. She immediately went to set the table like usual.
"Maybe you should invite him to eat with us one of these days." Fujitaka smiled, looking at his daughter, "He seem to be a good friend of yours. Also, Tomoyo hasn't visited us in quite a while."
"I'll go ask him," Sakura answered, hoping that her father wouldn't say anything more about Syaoran.
Fujitaka sighed, knowing that Sakura was trying to evade that topic. He looked at Sakura worriedly. Then he met Touya's eyes at the other side of the room. Touya nodded, understanding what his father wants. He retreated back to his room upstairs.
"Sakura," Fujitaka said softly, approaching his daughter.
"Hmn?" Sakura asked, looking at her father.
"I'm worried about you,"
"Why? Is something wrong?" Sakura asked curiously.
"I know that this might open an old wound...but I'm really worried. Syaoran Li seems like a nice boy, but... he remsembles Kai too much..."
Sakura was unable to look at her father's face as he said that. She knew that he'd broach this subject one way or another. "Yes, he's a good person..." Was all Sakura was able to say.
"I'm just worried Sakura. Can you please promise me that you wouldn't get hurt again?"
"I'm sorry for worrying you so much..." Sakura murmured, looking up at her father with apology in her eyes.
Fujitaka smiled softly at his daughter, "You don't have to apologize. I understand that what you went through for two years was hard. Like how hard it was for me to lose your mother. But. You have to pick up the pieces again and start walking."
"I know," Sakura nodded.
"Well, that's all I have to say. And Sakura, remember this."
"Yes?"
"Syaoran Li is different from Kai."
Sakura nodded silently. I know...everybody had been telling me that... I won't fall for Syaoran-kun...
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A/N: REVIEW please! I know you guys have certain speculations about Syaoran. Now, the story's ending isn't definite. And it's all up to the reviews. :)
I hope you guys comment. :)