Disclaimer: I do not own KWMS and P&P... I wish I could...
Author's note: during Sakura's time, it is during the days after Misaki's departure with her aunt and uncle, while on the present day, it follows with the time of the previous chapter...
Chapter 15
The night when Misaki left Elmswood with her aunt and uncle, Sakura sat by the window, staring outside as the rain poured. She tried to console herself, now that her confidante has gone again, and because of another rumor circulating the neighbourhood. Often, Misaki is by her side, yet the past week it was not the case due to the fact that Misaki felt ill. Now, Sakura felt she must stand on her own, not much relying on her friend, and made a decision, which is to forget the very man who made her heart skip a beat. It was none other than Kuuga Sakurai.
During the time Kuuga was in their town, the neighbourhood talked about their possible union, though both ignored these rumors while continued to be infatuated with each other. Then, after he left without any proposal, the idea was erased by the people and rumors about Kuuga having an engagement with a noble circulated, and was confirmed by a man from London who was a close relative of a servant in the Sakurai house.
These events left Sakura confused. She followed him to London, but before reaching the place, the rumor was already being talked about. This discouraged the young lady's affection, and that she did not want to be an obstacle in his way, she finally let him go and so as her feelings for him, and returned to Elmswood. But, the rumors reached there, to which her parents were deeply concerned, for they had high expectations for their union to come true.
Now, Sakura was staring at the raindrops in her window that night, and was surprised when the door suddenly opened. It was her mother, bringing a tray of tea.
"I apologize for disturbing you and coming to you with your slight notice, my Sakura. I may have forgotten my own manners," Sakura's mother smiled.
"No, mother, it's fine," Sakura answered.
Sakura's mother handed over a cup of tea to her daughter and said, "Well, these past days, I am sure, bothers you much, Sakura. Are you certain, that you are alright?"
"Yes, mother," Sakura replied as she took a sip.
"I know it is hard to heal a broken heart. But there are other young men out there, who would never harm you; you'll just have to find the right man."
"Mother, I am fine. Besides, I must learn from my mistakes and do not expect too much. Perhaps this will be the event which will open new opportunities for me to grow stronger."
"I know, but I also knew that you love him..."
"Please, I don't want to talk about that subject anymore," said Sakura and finished her tea.
-0-
The morning after that, Sakura went about in the plains near Elmswood, with her came Aoi, who was also going in the same direction with her and who was actually going back to London for his studies.
"Are you sure you're fine walking in this mud, Miss Sakura?" Aoi asked.
"Yes, I'm quite sure! Even Misaki will not mind walking here, and perhaps even in a thicker mud or something," Sakura said enthusiastically.
"I am uncertain if Miss Misaki is really a woman at all," Aoi said jokingly.
"Well, she is somehow behaves in a ladylike manner," Sakura defended.
"In times of important occasion, yes, but not when really angry, if you know what I mean."
Sakura laughed at Aoi's statement and said, "I certainly do! I remember while on our way back home, we were surrounded by those awful men... and Misaki... I guess she is a one woman army."
Aoi laughed at her and said, "But still, there is a gentle air in her, that you are sure that... never mind..."
Sakura wondered at him and asked, "Aoi, do you have special feelings with Misaki?"
Aoi was too surprised with her question that he blushed so much and said, "Well... NO! I mean... there is no way that we will... well... you know... besides I am serious with my studies. I don't want to make life harder again for my parents, even though we are living quite well in London."
"Like before you always like dressing up as a lady and quite enough men in a party," Sakura said.
They continued to walk in silence, until Sakura broke it.
"Aoi, may I ask Suzuna's condition in London? Is she fine?"
"Yes. I also heard from her friends that she is doing very well in her studies, and now in their vacation, they said that she is planning to return here, and I am coming with her."
"What is your relationship with her?"
"Oh, we are only friends."
"That's all?"
"Yes."
"Don't you like her in a special way?"
"Miss Sakura," Aoi said as he faced her, "it is not a lady's business to ask a man in subjects like that."
"My apologies, then."
They came into a fork, where the two said their goodbyes as they went to the opposite directions. Sakura was all alone; her mind was too full that she did not know where she wandered, and that her train of thoughts only stopped as she noticed that a raindrop or two fell in her face. In a matter of minutes, the rain started to fall.
"And of all the days, I forgot my parasol," she said to herself.
She ran for shelter, which is quite hard for her; the visibility is low, and that she is in the middle of nowhere. All she can see are tall grasses, and some trees on the far side in her right. She did not know what to do but to find her way back to the road, but then again changed her mind and ran to the trees and wait for the rain to stop. As she was running, her foot was entangled with some thorny vines and she slipped. She was trying to free her foot when she heard a familiar voice.
"Are you alright, Miss?"
She looked up and saw the face which she would like to see the least.
"Miss Hanazono! At last I found you," Kuuga said, "Here, let me help you."
"No, please. I can handle this by myself."
But Kuuga was deaf with her statement, and instead, he produced a knife in his pocket and cut the vines. But as soon as the vines were cut and Sakura's foot free, Sakura ran towards the nearest tree, like a deer free from a trap.
"Miss Hanazono, wait!" Kuuga exclaimed as he chased her.
Sakura ran and ran, but her foot was too hurt to run further. Kuuga caught up with her and in one gesture, carried her like a princess and ran towards the tree.
He placed her down and made her sit and lean by the tree's trunk, and examined her foot.
"You really should not run like that when your foot is in this condition," Kuuga said as he produced his kerchief and began to nurse Sakura's foot.
"I can handle myself, thank you," Sakura replied in a cold manner.
"Well, we do not even know if the thorns were poisonous, so I suggest we should go to your house pronto," Kuuga said, as if not hearing Sakura. Then, like he did before, he carried Sakura and walked a bit faster towards his horse by the road.
"Please, sir, let me down this instant! A gentleman should not be carrying a lady in such manner!" Sakura exclaimed.
"But then again, milady, in this occasion, as I gentleman, I should be helping a lady who is in such a distress, if not you will be hurting yourself. Or are you trying to be like Miss Misaki?"
"Are you trying to be not as Mr. Sakurai?"
"This is only a few occasions that I'll be showing my helpful self, Miss Sakura," Kuuga smiled as he mounted Sakura in his horse, then he himself rode on it. Then off they go to Sakura's house.
-0-
They arrived there pretty soon and dripping wet, which was attended by Sakura's servants. In a matter of hours, they were in fresh new clothes, sitting by the fire with Sakura's parents and drinking tea. Sakura was silent all the time, while Kuuga was secretly glancing at her until his attention was grabbed by Sakura's parents.
Sakura's father said, "I thank you for saving my daughter, Mr. Sakurai, and my apologies for bothering you."
"Had we known that you will return in Elmswood, we would have prepared more for you," Sakura's mother answered.
"No, it is alright. I'll be here for a couple of days. And it is not really a bother helping your daughter, Mr. Hanazono, because it is my main intention to see her," Kuuga smiled.
Sakura's father's eyebrow was raised, and the mother shocked, while Sakura remained calm. Then, realizing the atmosphere, Sakura's parents stood, with the mother saying, "Sakura, dear, I think it is best if we will leave you both for a while to talk, your father and I are going to bed. Mr Sakurai, please, take care." Then, the two left.
Sakura was still sipping her tea and avoiding Kuuga, thus, Kuuga said, "It is not really you who would act all this cold."
"It is none of your business," Sakura said in a cold manner.
Kuuga sighed and said, "What is the matter? Why are you being so cold to me? Where is the Sakura I knew?"
"I would expect that you would not really care about it, now that you are engaged, so why bother caring about me?" Sakura said, putting her teacup on the table.
"Engaged? With whom?"
"With a noble woman, as far as I am concerned, or are you denying it?"
"Denying? I fail to understand..."
"You are constantly playing others' feelings for pleasure, aren't you, Mr. Sakurai? That's why, it is best for you to leave me in peace, for the sake of both of us," Sakura exclaimed, while tears started to roll in her cheeks.
Kuuga was too startled to answer, but he approached Sakura and wiped her tears and said, "Is that what you thought about me months ago? Yes, I was like that, until you came into my life."
It was Sakura's turn to be startled, too stunned to move a muscle as she was sitting in her couch; Kuuga was sitting beside her as well and continued speaking.
"My life would have fallen into shame, had not for you, the angel of my life, saved me from falling. Then I realized, I have fallen in love with that angel... with you," Kuuga said, with his face beaming with joy.
Teary-eyed, Sakura can only say, "Then... about you being engaged... your meeting with your parents..."
Kuuga chuckled and said, "Actually, to give light to that issue, this was what actually happened..."
-flashback-
"Sakura Hanazono? Who in the world is that?"
"She is the person I intended to marry."
"A commoner? Kuuga, come to your senses! Of all the people, a commoner! Bless your soul!" Kuuga's father said, while pacing heavily in the room.
"Father, it was your wish that I will stop my wild ways? Then, I already did! I am serious this time"
"I don't know..."
"Mother...?"
"What your father decides I will abide."
"Father, I insist to marry her. If you disown me, I do not mind. But if you hurt her, heaven forgive me of what I may do to you..."
"That's enough."
"Father?"
"I've seen your determination, Kuuga. This is something new from you." Kuuga's father smiled.
"What do you mean? Mother?"
"Well, you see, your father and I discussed this matter, that if you will not get any serious in marrying, then the plan of you getting married, then we'll get in trouble for arranging you one..." Kuuga's mother smiled.
"So... you mean?"
"We do not really want you to marry someone you do not like, and I do not want the lady to cause much trouble either, even Takumi agreed and go on with the plan..."
"Takumi?"
"Well, he wanted you to stand up to your own feet and make your own decision. It's not all of your life that he would be watching over you forever right? He came with you to report things to us... that's all."
"So you mean, father, these is all your doing/"
"I'll say, let us drop the issue and discuss about that lady friend? When we'll we meet here?"
-flashback-
"Well taking that aside," Kuuga said as he rose up in front of Sakura, then he knelt and said, "Would you be my wife?"
"Yes"
-0-
Happiness filled out the lives of both Kuuga and Sakura, although because of the rain, Kuuga remained in bed in Sir Richard's house very sick, of course, Sakura tending him. The families already decided the date that they get to know each other and the marriage, but not until Kuuga recovers from fever.
Sakura said, "I sometimes think last night was just a dream, I could not believe..."
"I'm here to wake you up, then," Kuuga said, "And when you do, you'll realize that everything is real..."
"Changing the subject, Kuuga, what do you think of Misaki and Mr. Usui?" Sakura asked.
"Speaking of those two, I noticed that Takumi is interested when it comes to Miss Misaki, though I sometimes think of a union between them is not really likely, they may not like it, but they looked like they are against each other," Kuuga said.
"True, they are a bit the opposite, but opposites attract, do they?" smiled Sakura, "But they look good with each other, don't you think?"
" I do think of it too. I think they might be having a little moment right now," Kuuga said.
"Why do you think so? How can they be together now? Misaki's with her aunt and uncle," Sakura said.
"Well there is a possibility that they will meet, had Misaki passed by Kensington," Kuuga said.
"Well, I do not know..."
-0-
On the present day...
Knock, knock, knock
"Who could that be in this rainy night to be knocking?" an old woman said.
KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!
"Oh, very well..."
The old woman rose from her seat in the parlour and opened the front door. With the light from the chandelier above them, all she can see are two people. A man, looking injured, whose left arm was supported by the woman's shoulder, the man was taller than the woman, and both dripping wet.
To be more detailed, the man has golden hair and emerald eyes, while the woman has dark hair and amber eyes.
_END_
Well, that's it for this chapter... yeah, kinda cheesy, and I'm sorry if it is crappy, confusing, boring and I am very sorry for the delay... tomorrow will be the opening of our class from Christmas break... and I'll try to update next week... : - )
Anyhow, thanks for the reviews and PM me if you have and questions, clarifications, violent reactions and yeah...
Happy New Year everyone!
~otaku911
