Card Captor Sakura Fan Fiction ❯ Until There Was You ❯ Unexpected ( Chapter 5 )

Hellmaster here. Disclaimer: All the CCS characters found in this fic belong to their respective owners. I do not own them in any way. The story, however, I do own. [:-}]<--(and this smiley face as well. :P)

 

Note: Although it was quite necessary for the story to seem uneventful in the first part, I realized that its progress is a bit too slow for comfort. I'm going to try and put more S+S action in this chapter (and also in the coming chapters.) Please bear with me.

 

 

 

 

Until There Was You

Chapter Five: "Unexpected"

 

 

 

 

Nothing seemed to be out of the ordinary. If anything peculiar was up, someone would surely have noticed it by now.

 

Whatever it was, something about today made her feel different.

 

Sakura looked out the window and watched the vigorous exchange between the players as they ran back and forth across the field, chasing after the elusive ball. She sighed and silently longed to be anywhere else but their classroom. Her eyelids began to droop, making her summon the last of her will to keep them open. She let out an irritated groan. Their math teacher never failed to make her drowsy with his low bedroom voice. Setting her thoughts aside, she reluctantly turned her attention back to class.

 

"... okay, did everyone understand?" Tanaka-sensei was saying. When he received a few halfhearted 'yes' from his students, he shook his head. Obviously, no one actually understood what he was trying to explain for the past hour. He opened his briefcase and took out a stack of paper. "I already have the results of your third long exam."

 

That got Sakura's undivided attention. She tensely bit her lower lip. `Oh no...'

 

"And I must say, they were quite dissatisfactory --- some more dissatisfactory than the others." His eyes set momentarily on Sakura, making her feel more nervous than she already was. "Only a selected few did well on the exam," he continued. "I suggest that the rest of you study for the next exam or you'll find yourselves sitting in my class once more."

 

Raising a brow, he added "If you managed not to get kicked out of this fine school."

 

Sakura gulped. She watched fearfully as he distributed the exam paper to each student. When he finally got to her table, he told her, "Miss Kinomoto, please see me after class." 

 

She frowned, then glanced at the big red mark explicit on the upper right hand corner of her creased exam paper.

 

 

 

 

Tomoyo waited patiently for Sakura to finish her 'talk' with Tanaka-sensei. Her dark brows slowly met in a concerned frown when Sakura emerged from the classroom teary-eyed. She approached her best friend. "What did he say?"

 

The auburn haired girl silently fought back her tears. "H-He says I'm going to fail if I don't get at least 90 percent in the last exam..." she answered in a shaky voice.

 

Tomoyo moved her head as though to say 'I understand...' Feeling sorry for her friend, she placed a comforting hand on Sakura's shoulder. "You'll manage to, somehow. I know you can."

 

Sakura nodded briefly, letting a lone tear fall.

 

 

 

 

"Oh my gosh... Poor Sakura..."

Meiling shook her head in sympathy and added rather tactlessly, "I didn't know she was that hopeless in Math."

 

"Okay, focus." Mikah glared at Meiling for her unwelcome but truthful remark. She looked around the small group. "We need to help her on this, guys. Suggestions please."

 

Maya thought for a while. "Well, the obvious solution is to tutor her."

 

"I could tutor her!" offered Karumi.

 

Sayako rolled her eyes. "I know Mikah said we should help her, but your kind of help will only help her get kicked out of the school."

 

Karumi pouted indignantly. "Hey! I resent that!"

 

Chiharu stifled a laugh. "Seriously, guys. She needs help. Any ideas?"

 

"I'm not really that good in Math..." Maya admitted.

 

"I know!" exclaimed Meiling. A mischievous smile formed on her lips. "I'll make my cousin tutor her. He's really good at math! I'm sure he'll be glad to help!" She peeked at the two girls standing in the hallway. `Tomoyo, you are so going to love me for this!'

 

 

 

 

As soon as she got home, Sakura immediately went up to her room. Sighing, she tumbled onto her bed and closed her eyes. "I hate math..." she mumbled into her pillow. 

 

Letting her thoughts wander to a more pleasant subject, her lips slowly curved upward into a smile.

 

`Li Syaoran... so that's his name...'

 

She frowned, suddenly realizing something. `Now where did I hear that name before...?' She knew the name sounded familiar to her, but she couldn't quite figure out where she heard it. Before she had even begun to recall, the ringing of the phone disturbed her immediate thoughts. She got up and went downstairs to answer it.

 

Sakura instantly recognized the voice on the other line. "Tomoyo-chan?"

 

"Sakura-chan! Guess what?! We got you a tutor!"

 

"A tutor?" She frowned. "But Tomoyo-chan... I didn't ask for one..."

 

"Don't worry about it!" came the insistent answer. "Everything is set. I'll give you the address tomorrow at school."

 

Sakura sighed as she replaced the handset.

 

 

 

 

The following school day went by quickly. Before she knew it, Sakura found herself standing in front of a 2-storey house, its overall structure modern yet simply designed. It was a quiet place. Somehow, it made Sakura feel relaxed despite being abandoned to meet Meiling's cousin all by herself.

 

Taking a deep breath, she pressed the small button near the frame of the door.

 

As she waited for the door to open, she gently smoothed down her blouse and brushed away a lock of hair that fell on her right cheek.

 

Finally, the door opened and revealed an elderly man dressed in a suit. He gave her a kind smile. "Please come in."

 

Feeling somewhat relieved, Sakura followed him to what she assumed was the living room. As she walked close behind him, she couldn't help but look around, amazed with everything she saw. The house exterior did no justice to how it actually looked inside. The entire hallway was carpeted in pearl white, including the ceiling and walls. Gaps of shady yellow light emitted by its ceiling lamps dimmed the hallway, giving it a welcoming vibe.

 

Warm colors immediately greeted them as they entered the living room. The elderly man motioned her to sit on the burgundy chair near the window. She obediently complied and settled into its soft velvet cushion. Bowing, he politely excused himself, leaving her to admire how the room was decorated. The paintings that adorned the walls revealed the owners' Chinese heritage. Unlike the hallway, the sitting area was the only space in the room that was carpeted, only this time its color was beige. The varnished wooden furniture blended well with the deep red curtains that hung from intricately designed golden rods. The indoor plants are probably the only objects in the room that gave it contrast. 

 

She didn't know why, but everything about the room made her feel comfortable.  

 

After a while, she heard two male voices coming from the other room.

 

"Is she here yet, Wei?"

 

"Yes, Syaoran-sama. She is waiting for you in the sitting room."

 

Sakura frowned. Syaoran...?

 

Sure enough, the young man that always seemed to occupy her thoughts entered the room. Looking a bit surprised himself, he said, "We've met before. Kinomoto-san, right?"

 

Smiling awkwardly, Sakura stood from her seat. "H-Hai." 

 

She could have hit herself hard on the head right at that moment. `No wonder his name sounded familiar! He had the same surname as Meiling!' Sakura quietly berated herself for being so forgetful.

 

Ignoring the weird faces she made as she stood there, Syaoran told her to follow him. He led her to a small room on the left. Inside, a full-sized desk and a filing cabinet can be found near the corner.

 

Upon his request, Sakura sat on the revolving chair in front of the desk while he positioned himself beside her, settling on a separate chair.

 

"Let's begin."

 

After an hour or so, Sakura finally began to get a hang of it as she gradually felt comfortable being with him. Pleased with herself, Sakura faced her tutor with a smile as she let him look at the exercise she was working on. Syaoran looked over her shoulder, suddenly making Sakura realize how unwittingly close they got as the session progressed. She could practically feel the warmth radiating from his body, making her turn crimson. Unfortunately, he didn't seem to notice this. Her heart pounded uncontrollably as he made things worse by reaching behind her to get the pencil, enveloping her in his arms in the process.

 

She stiffened, afraid to move. Syaoran seemed entirely indifferent to the girl's embarrassment as he moved with ease beside her. Relief washed over her as he withdrew his hand and began correcting her work.

 

"You should be more careful with your calculations," he told her. Without hesitation, he scribbled down the equations. "There. Bring this with you so you could see where you made a mistake."

 

She nodded as she took the piece of paper from his hand. "Arigatou for taking time to tutor me, Li-san." She gave him a grateful smile.

 

"Li. Just call me Li." 

 

Her breath caught as his intense gaze drew her to him. Sakura snapped herself out of it and smiled at him again, saying "H-Hai. You can just call me Kinomoto, or Sakura if you'd like."

 

Giving her a brief nod, he called Wei to escort Sakura on her way out.

 

Thankfully, it was just starting to get dark. Stepping outside, Sakura turned to smile at Wei. "Arigatou, Wei-san."

 

The butler smiled warmly at her. "Be careful on your way home, young miss."

 

After giving him an appreciative bow, she headed towards the empty street and turned at the corner as soon as she reached the cemented pathway. 

 

Sakura walked on home with an extra skip in her step, oblivious to the pair of amber eyes watching her from inside the house she just left.

 

 

 

 

"Kawaii!!!" Tomoyo squealed.

 

Meiling heaved a sigh, stretching her numb arms. "God, I thought I was going to die in there!"

 

The two relentless girls had been hiding inside the room's closet the whole time, filming Sakura's 'study date.' There was little space inside, forcing them to be crowded together in the most uncomfortable fashion.

 

"That was just too cute!" Tomoyo giggled, her amethyst eyes sparkling. "Definitely much better than her dates with Daron!"

 

"Of course!" Meiling smirked. "Syaoran may be insensitive at times, but I'm telling you --- he is effortlessly romantic!" She gave Tomoyo a smug grin. "It's a gift!"

 

"I thought you went to the mall," a masculine voice cut in.

 

Their eyes widened as they turned to see Syaoran leaning on the doorway. He looked slightly amused, but his stance told them otherwise. It demanded answers.

 

Meiling sweat dropped. "Um... I forgot my wallet." Her excuse had sounded more like a question. She gave him a sheepish smile.

 

Syaoran cocked an eyebrow. "And it took you more than an hour to find it?"

 

Laughing nervously, both girls nodded.

 

Shaking his head, he decided to leave it alone. "It's late now. You could go to the mall tomorrow." As soon as he left, they breathed a sigh of relief.

 

Meiling made a face. "We need to be more careful next time." She glanced at Tomoyo, who answered in agreement. "I know."

 

Tomoyo carefully placed her video camera inside her bag. "I'd better go."

 

"Okay. See you tomorrow then."

 

 

 

 

The fading sun soon retired to make way for the night. 

 

Rapacious dark eyes had been waiting for this precise moment, an opportunity not to be missed. It was the perfect time to break in the quiet school building. Venturing inside, knowing exactly where to turn, he finally reached the row of metal boxes that would eventually serve his purpose. There, he will leave a seed --- a seed that will grow to sweet revenge.

 

Tomorrow, he will see its fruit.

 

 

 

 

Sakura arrived early the next morning. Finding herself in a strangely pleasant mood, she decided to take a walk before going inside the school building.

 

Passing by the field, she expected to see the soccer team undergoing their training routine. Surely enough, they were there. She walked past them leisurely, taking time to watch. 

 

Daron was there, blocking a few goals made by his teammates. Naturally, not a single goal kick went unblocked. Sakura smiled fondly as Daron ran his fingers through his hair to keep it away from his eyes.

 

She searched the field and wondered where Syaoran was. `Why wasn't he with his teammates?'

 

Disappointed that she was not able to see him, she left her curiosity behind and went inside the school building. Sayako and Karumi met her on the way to their locker, dragging her along. Since their lockers were near one another, Sakura went along with them without complaint.

 

Sakura opened her locker and what she saw inside surprised her a great deal, consequently catching her friends' attention. 

 

It was a white envelope. 

 

That was nothing unusual, but the red heart shaped seal placed in the middle intrigued them. It was not simply just a letter. It was a love letter.

 

Karumi squealed in excitement. "A love letter!!! Sakura got a love letter!"

 

"What are you waiting for?! Let's read it!" Sayako snatched the letter from Sakura, who could do nothing else but watch her nosy friend tear it open.

 

Sayako unfolded the white paper and proceeded in reading it. Her amused face later turned into a frown. Karumi peeked at the letter and had the same reaction. Sayako handed it over to Sakura, who nervously accepted.

 

Her heart almost stopped when she read it.

 

 

 

 

Beauty may be God's gift, worshipped and treasured,

an object of power used by descended angels.

Tremble in fear 

For the moment the downtrodden can no longer fall,

the moment these soiled puppets refuse to be sullied,

the vengeful spirit would look upon them and grant them power.

And you, my dearest cherry blossom, will be the first to suffer its wrath.

Loving you always, 

Your Admirer

Wait for me. 

You will be mine soon.

 

 

 

 

Her hands trembled as she crumpled the letter into a ball.

 

"It was probably someone's idea of a sick joke." Sayako suggested. She nudged Karumi.

 

"Right." Karumi agreed quickly. "Don't worry about it."

 

 

 

 

Sakura barely noticed that the day was already over. Somehow, she managed to convince her friends that she was okay. The only thing left to do now was cheerleading practice. 

 

But then, she honestly did not feel like going today.

 

"Are you okay?" she heard a voice say.

 

She looked up and saw Daron gazing at her with worried eyes. "Are you okay?" he repeated.

 

Sakura gave him a weak smile. "Yes, I'm fine."

 

He frowned, studying her. "No you're not..." Daron gently cupped her chin and whispered in a coaxing voice, "Hey... Do you want to play hooky with me?"

 

 

 

 

The wonderful smell of lilac filled the entire restaurant. Sakura loved the ambiance, admiring every single detail in the restaurant's Chinese motif. Bathed in scarlet, the walls seemed to enclose them in its gripping atmosphere, making her feel strangely protected.

 

Smiling contentedly, she faced Daron. "This place is wonderful!"

 

Daron returned her smile. "That's more like it." His face softened. "Your smile is back..." With that said, he gazed deeply into her emerald eyes, causing her to blush.

 

A skinny girl dressed in crimson approached their table. With a restrained movement, she handed them the menu. Bowing politely, she left.

 

Sakura browsed through the menu. Unsure of what she should order, she glanced at Daron. His cool gray eyes met hers, and as though he had read her mind, he asked "Can't decide?"

 

Embarrassed, she gave him a slight nod.

 

Daron smiled, amused. "Okay. Then I'll order for the both of us."

 

He tried calling for the waiter, but the commotion coming from their side of the restaurant preoccupied all the available staff at hand. There was an old Chinese man complaining about something. He didn't seem to speak much Japanese, which possibly created the ruckus in the first place. Whatever his reason, he looked absolutely furious.

 

The manager finally arrived at the scene. Unfortunately, the manager was a short timid man and it did not appear that he could handle the stout old man, who was already firing at him incoherent Chinese phrases.

 

"Please calm down, sir..." the manager requested. "I'm sure we could resolve this if we could just sit down and communicate in a less agitated manner."

 

"What is going on here?" a voice interrupted.

 

Both Sakura and Daron were surprised to see who it was.

 

The manager looked nervous upon seeing the owner of the voice. "E-Everything is under control, sir. I'm really really sorry about this, truly I am."

 

His bearing strikingly composed, Syaoran approached the old man and spoke in fluent Chinese, asking him what was wrong.

 

The old man looked relieved and expressed his complaint. Syaoran nodded briefly and relayed the message to the staff. He turned to the manager. "I suggest you learn to speak in Chinese if you plan to run a Chinese restaurant." The manager nodded briskly.

 

When he finally looked to their direction, the sight of Daron and Sakura caught his eye. Unperturbed, Syaoran strode regally towards their table.

 

The way he spoke was affable and decorous albeit surprisingly aloof. It was definitely an odd combination, almost as if it was fabricated. "I hope you were properly accommodated?"

 

Daron was obviously caught off-guard, unable to answer right away. "Actually, we were not able to order yet..."

 

Syaoran responded with a simple movement of his head, which immediately sent a waiter rushing towards their table.

 

"Enjoy your meal." He walked away and disappeared behind the counter, the manager following close behind.

 

 

 

 

"I really enjoyed myself tonight, Daron. Arigatou."

 

Daron placed a hand on her cheek and said, "As long as it makes you happy, Sakura-san."

 

Sakura blushed prettily at this.

 

Winking, he left her at the doorstep of her house.

 

Dinner went by smoothly after the commotion was resolved. They were not able to see Syaoran for the rest of the evening, but it didn't seem to matter. Daron never failed to keep her engrossed with his appealing personality. Sakura blushed as she remembered the shower of compliments she received from him.

 

Sakura opened the door and went inside. Ignoring the glares her brother kept throwing at her, she went up to her room and collapsed on her bed.

 

She placed a hand on her forehead, confused with herself.

 

How did she really feel? She knew she liked Syaoran from the moment she saw him, but she also liked Daron. Closing her eyes, she struggled to differentiate her feelings. After moments of deep reflection and rationalizing, she realized that what drew her to Syaoran was the mysterious air that always seemed to surround him. It was as if she could never get close to him no matter how hard she tried, and perhaps it was this quality that made her feel so fascinated about him.

 

There is just so much about him that puzzles her. Still, in her heart she knew there was more to him than what he was willing to show.

 

A slight frown formed on her forehead.

 

He was an enigma she sought to understand. And maybe that is all he was to her.

 

Daron, on the other hand, had always been around to help her. His friendly and charming nature never failed to make her feel better when she was in a sullen mood.

 

She genuinely liked him.

 

"Maybe it's Daron that I really like..." Sakura whispered to herself softly. 

 

She stared up at the ceiling. `Maybe he's the one I should like...' her inner voice added.

 

Sighing, she got up and changed into her pajamas. Settling into her bed, she rested her head on the pillow and snuggled into her blanket. 

 

`It made sense,' she decided. Closing her eyes, her whole body relaxed as she began to drift off to sleep.

But somehow... 

it just doesn't feel right.

 

 

 

 

//=============//

 

Regarding the character of Sakura, I believe that she is only dense when it comes to knowing another person's feelings for her (aren't we all?) and I think when it comes to her own feelings, she knows when she likes a person or not. And for a fact, we all know she easily reflects through her emotions, although she is not always accurate with it --- like when Yukito told her that her feelings for him is the same as her feelings for her father. She thought about it right then and there. Plus, Tomoyo even said it herself (to Syaoran.) That Sakura will think carefully about her feelings for Syaoran when he decides to tell her how he felt.

 

So, yeah...