Unexpected
Tadaima!~ It's me again, Hinako Shinjo. Sorry you have to put up with
another work of mine, took me long enough to make another...you know
what I mean. Anyways, another lil story about Sakura and Tomoyo (Coz
they're the best!)
This is about those little "what-ifs". What if things went along
differently from what YOU would expect, coming from Sakura and Tomoyo.
Hee-hee, I know, if you like it, tell me! If you don't like it, flame
me!
Feedback! I want FEEDBACK!
Points to Ponder:
**** --->Present
*** --->Past (flashbacks, you know.)
If you got some time to spare, read on!
** Most of the interesting things in life are the ones you don't
expect. **-ME
***
The brown-haired figure remained concealed beneath the shadows of the
night. Emerald-green eyes glistened amidst the darkness, ever focused
on the young woman across the street. The stranger, never flinching as
she watched the woman, whose dark hair flowed like silk played upon by
the wind, whose eyes sparkled with that same emotion years ago.
Years ago.
In a snap, the glistening emerald-eyes closed, drifting into memories
of the past.
***
"Tomoyo-chan!", Sakura gushed as she came skating towards her friend,
clearly excited about something. She was a pretty sight, her soft brown
mane bouncing along her shoulders, her delicate mouth curved up into a
bright smile, her body moving gracefully along the pavement with her
blades, and her eyes, shining with delight. Hers was the complete
picture of joy and innocence.
"Oh, good morning, Sakura-chan.", Tomoyo replied softly, just above a
whisper. Sakura looked at her friend puzzledly, she looked different
somehow. Sakura thought to herself for a moment what's wrong with this
picture.
Smile? Yup. Hairdo? Yup. Dress? Yup. Well everything seems fine, must
have been my...oh wait, her eyes.
Tomoyo looked at Sakura, who was staring at her with knitted eyebrows.
The pale girl gently poked her puzzled friend by the ribs, then giggled
with the other girl's reaction.
"Sakura-chan, have anyone ever told you staring is not proper?", Tomoyo
mused, still giggling at Sakura's reaction.
Shrugging, Sakura dismissed what she saw and went on with what she was
going to tell Tomoyo.
"Tomoyo, I have some great news!", the excited girl said, once again
gushing with her hands clasped over her chest, looking dreamily at the
skies. Her face was heightened with a blush as she let out a dreamy
sigh.
"What, what is it?", the other girl now growing in excitement for this
"great news".
Sakura took Tomoyo's hands in her own, and held them over her chest.
Green eyes met blue. The blue-eyed girl was held breathless at this
moment as her friend closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Sakura
then opened her eyes, meeting Tomoyo's once again.
"Li-kun is back."
***
Sakura sat uncomfortably inside the car. Tomoyo had sent her bodyguards
to get her, to meet her friend over at the park. She can still remember
how...different...Tomoyo's voice sounded over the phone.
"I need to tell you something. Please meet me."
Of course, that worried Sakura. She knew her friend pretty well,
something must be really bothering her to have her sound like that.
Sakura clasped her hands together on her lap and looked out the window,
the night seemed like a haze, and she felt every minute of the ride
pass like an eternity.
At last, they arrived at the park. Tomoyo's bodyguards escorted Sakura
all the way to where her friend was waiting. Sakura looked at Tomoyo
from a distance. "She looks fine", she thought, "I must have imagined
her sounding...", and she trotted off to talk to her friend.
"Hey, Tomoyo-chan!", Sakura greeted, waving her hand over her head as
she walked towards the dark-haired girl. Tomoyo looked over to Sakura,
and all at once she was nailed to her tracks. Her eyes, something WAS
wrong.
Sakura rushed to her friend's side, and when she was about to ask her,
Tomoyo patted the place beside her on the bench. She complied, still
worried with her friend's unusual disposition.
Uncomfortable silence was what Sakura had to deal with for a moment.
Her green eyes were never taken off Tomoyo. She had no idea how to
break the ice. Tomoyo was still seated beside her smiling and looking
up at the night sky with those eyes of her, which seemed different
somehow.
"Her eyes seems so...sad. God, I know I'm not imagining it this time.",
Sakura thought.
Finally, Tomoyo turned to face Sakura, who felt a shiver run down her
spine as her eyes met hers. The girl's skin seemed paler, as if
illuminated by the night, she was still smiling, although emotions of
sadness and loneliness can be seen. With her heart aching, Sakura found
her voice and was not surprised of the slight croak which escaped her
throat as she spoke:
"What's the matter, Tomoyo-chan, is...anything wrong?"
A moment passed, but the dark haired girl did not answer, all in that
moment she was looking at Sakura intently, as if she is trying to
remember every bit of detail on her friend's face. More and more Sakura
felt frustrated, she felt like every second that Tomoyo looked at her,
she was being burned and crushed. Grabbing her chest in discomfort,
Sakura groaned and felt an urge to grab the other girl and demand for
an answer. She did not have to do that though.
"Sakura-chan, are you happy with Li-kun?"
Startled at the question, Sakura was held speechless. She wasn't
expecting Tomoyo to ask THAT question in a situation like this. Is she
worried that Li is hurting her, is that why she seemed so sad? Sakura
felt relieved and let out a sigh.
"Of course I am, Tomoyo-chan, is that what's been bothering you?"
The other girl looked down and clasped her hands together on her lap.
Sakura thought she heard a sob but dismissed that as Tomoyo raised her
head again, she still had the same expression on her face. Taking a
deep breath, Tomoyo began with a sad tone:
"I'm leaving Sakura-chan."
Sakura felt blood pulsing throughout her body in a quickened pace. She
had so many questions in her mind. So many questions that made
everything seemed like a blur. She can't even make out Tomoyo's image
in front of her now, but that wasn't because of the questions. It was
because her eyes were tearing up.
"W-why?", stuttered Sakura. "Did I do anything wrong? Have I hurt you?
Or has anyone hurt you? Don't worry, Tomoyo, I promise that we'll get
that meanie together! Or did..."
Tomoyo's finger pressed on Sakura's lip before she could say anything
more. Sakura could see the other girl's eyes starting to get teary too,
but somehow she held it back. Feeling a soft hand brush on her cheek,
Sakura realized that her own tears welled out.
"I just had to know that you are in good hands before I leave. I have
just...received an academic scholarship abroad. I've...always wanted to
see other places, Sakura-chan, other places to see, to put into tape,
to be in my memories forever...", and Tomoyo's voice broke off. She
started sobbing. Sakura leaned in to hug her friend, fighting the tears
that are pouring down from her own eyes.
"I'm lying, Sakura-chan,", Tomoyo sobbed, then urged a smile on her
lips. "I'm going away because...you already have your special someone.
No, I'm not jealous, in fact, I'm happy for you. I'm always happy when
you're happy, Sakura-chan. I just can't face the fact that someday you
wont need me anymore. I thought I can, but now...I'm so sorry
Sakura...I have to..."
And with that Tomoyo rose from the park bench and walked away. Sakura
didn't move, she just stared as Tomoyo walked away. She felt her world
fell apart with that sight.
"But Tomoyo," Sakura finally broke into rampant tears, "I wont be happy
if you are gone."
***
Her hands trembled as she held the receiver within her hands. She's
been calling Tomoyo's house almost every hour this week, and she
couldn't reach anyone who can give her a satisfying answer to where
Tomoyo had gone to.
"I think she doesn't really want you to find her, wherever she is."
Touya said as he sipped his tea.
"Shh!", Sakura hissed. Someone has picked up the phone.
"Hello, Daidouji residence, may I know..."
"Sonomi-sama!", Sakura exclaimed. She thought, "Finally, someone who
can give me answers."
"Oh, Sakura-chan, how nice it is to hear from you.", said Sonomi, whose
voice sounded as formal as ever.
"Uhm...Sonomi-sama, I was wondering, could you please tell me where
Tomoyo went to? I mean, she told about the scholarship abroad and all,
but I never got the chance to ask where.", asked Sakura with her voice
and hands trembling over the phone.
"Sakura, I regret to tell you this. Before Tomoyo left, she has made us
all promise that no word about her whereabouts should be told to
anyone, not even you. She said that she had to get away from..."
Sakura wasn't able to hear the rest. The receiver dangled over the
phone. She just found herself down on the floor on her knees and on the
verge of tears. It was hopeless.
***
Li stared worriedly at Sakura, whose back is turned from him. He had
started noticing that Sakura has been skipping class, she has said she
was sick, and she does look sick. The girl has become significantly
thinner and paler, all the signs for a sick person. But what caught
Li's attention is the changing behavior of Sakura's. She seemed so
distant from him now. The poor boy always has always tried to get his
girlfriend to talk about it, but she'd always dismiss the topic.
Finally, Sakura called and asked Li to meet her in the park.
With the soft evening wind blowing against him, Li waited for Sakura to
start. He wasn't really good in initiating conversations, moreover
serious conversations. He stood there with his hands to his sides,
looking at Sakura, and waited. Hearing a deep breath come from the
girl, he knew that she was going to start.
Sakura turned around now, making Li's mouth drop open in shock. How can
somebody change like that in a few week's time? The girl seemed much
thinner, paler, with bags under her eyes, and... disturbed. Li's hands
clenched to become fists on his sides as he stared at the person before
him who was the mere shadow of his girlfriend.
"Sakura-chan, what happened?", these were the only words that came out
from his confused mind.
Sakura didn't even blink. She was looking back at Li with her green
eyes, that had lost their joyous gleam and replaced with a dull, hollow
look. That sent shivers down Li's spine. He even thought if this
"thing" before him was a clow card that was disguising as Sakura. Li
grabbed Sakura by her shoulders and started shaking her.
"What are you?! What have you done to Sakura?!", growled Li as he
continued to shake the "thing" before him.
The girl raised her hands to Li's chest, grabbing his collar and
pulling him to her. That told Li that this was Sakura. She started
crying on his chest, letting out muffled words that Li couldn't make
out. Li embraced Sakura closer to him, trying to comfort his lover.
Instead, Sakura pushed him away. The boy couldn't understand what was
making Sakura do that, or what was she was trying to do. The browned
hair girl took a while to stop crying, but when she did, she wore a
very grim expression on her face.
"Li-kun, I can't be with you anymore."
Once again, Li's mouth dropped open. No words came out. He was utterly
dumbfounded with the statement. He struggled for words to say, to ask,
why can't the girl who he loves so much, can't be with him anymore.
Before he could ask, Sakura started to explain, with her sobs starting
to build up again.
"I thought I loved you, but...but...when Tomoyo left, I felt so empty.
I felt so sad. I can't even look at myself in the mirror! I was so
happy when she was still with me, but ever since she went away, I
turned to be...like this. I thought that with you I can still be happy,
but no. I need her. She's the love that I've always taken for
granted...", and with those words, Sakura burst out crying.
Li didn't try to comfort her this time. He was crying as well. Fighting
his tears, he took one last defense for his love for Sakura.
"But, Sakura-chan, m-maybe you're just feeling this way because you
lost her. You're just missing her! We all feel that we want something
badly when we have lost it. What we can't have is what we..."
"No!", Sakura interrupted, with her voice cracking in anger. "That's
entirely besides the point! Yes, I have lost her, and I miss her.
Because of that is why I've realized how much she means to me! I'm not
saying that I don't need you, Li-kun...I'm saying that without
her...I'm lonely. It's not the same way when you left...", she paused.
Sakura saw that she was hurting Li.
"Sakura...I understand.", Li stammered with sobs wracking his voice.
"If you're happier with loving Tomoyo, why should I get in the way?
But, she's not here anymore, Sakura...what do you..."
"I'll wait. After all what she has done for me the least thing I could
do for her is to wait. Wait for her return.", Sakura answered with a
faint smile on her face.
****
And now she's back. After years of loneliness, she was not about to let
her go away this time. After all, she was given too much ample time
alone with herself, to think. She had always needed her. She had always
felt happiness being with her. Every little thing didn't seem to matter
when Tomoyo was around. Sakura remembered all of the sleepless nights
she spent in the years her beloved was gone. Is she with someone else?
Whose arms is she in now? Does she even think of me? Sakura cursed
herself silently and said:
"Stupid Sakura, you had everything in your reach and you let it go."
Her green eyes glimmered again as she watched Tomoyo disappear from the
street into her apartment. She had to find out everything about Tomoyo
by herself because everyone who actually knows something about the girl
would hide it from her. So far she knew that Tomoyo has been back to
Japan after graduating from some American university. It's been barely
a week, and that she was living all on her own in a simple apartment
building. Asides from that, she knew nothing else.
The young woman stepped out from the shadows, with a hint of
determination on her face.
"I'm not going to make the same mistake again."
She marched right into the apartment building where Tomoyo stayed in.
****
Pressing the doorbell more times than what a regular visitor should,
Sakura didn't care. It was already late, and probably Tomoyo would be
getting ready for bed, but Sakura didn't seem to realize that. She
can't have this feeling inside of her any longer.
"Yes...", answered a drowsy voice behind the door. "Who is it?"
Sakura almost leapt out from her skin. That voice she hadn't heard for
so long is finally back. It sounded a little different, nonetheless,
she knew it was her.
"Tomoyo-chan, you may have forgotten me, but I'm...", she hesitated.
She knew how much it would hurt if Tomoyo had forgotten her. She waited
for a reply, but nothing came. Taking a deep breath, Sakura was about
to open her mouth to say who she was, but the door swung open.
The next thing she saw was a beautiful young woman in front of her. Her
soft dark hair almost fell down to her eyes, with the rest of it
reaching far below her shoulders. The dark eyes she had always
remembered were still the same, although with the mixed emotions of
surprise and confusion. Sakura felt like melting away when she noticed
Tomoyo was in a nightgown, she stood there, gaping.
"Sakura-chan?", Tomoyo asked with uncertainty in her voice. She rubbed
her eyes a few times then stared again at the person before her. "No,
this can't be Sakura.", she thought to herself. Tomoyo was looking at a
person resembling the Sakura she remembered years ago, but this...this
person, is different. Her skin was much paler, and she was thinner.
Though her hair is of the same color as her friend's, neatly combed and
styled, it reached down a little past her waist. Her mouth was curved
into an expression of surprise. She would have been attractive if she
wore anything else rather than the worn-out, grayish-blue coat of hers.
Tomoyo thought that this would be Sakura if not of her eyes. Those eyes
were completely different of Sakura's. This person's eyes were dull,
empty, sad. Completely different of her friend's, which were lively,
cheery, happy. "Completely different.", Tomoyo thought to herself
again.
Sakura felt a smile tugging on her face. She felt a little discomfort,
since she probably hadn't done that in years. The young woman couldn't
explain the joy she felt inside.
"You remember me?", asked Sakura, feeling something get caught up in
her throat.
Tomoyo's jaw dropped open. She couldn't believe what she was hearing.
This person IS Sakura. In the same grace and elegance she had always
possessed, she regained her composure then invited her old friend
inside. Sakura bowed slightly as she walked in into Tomoyo's apartment.
****
Sakura's green eyes roamed around the spacious apartment as she waited
for Tomoyo to finish preparing tea. She noticed that Tomoyo hadn't
finished unpacking yet, there were still boxes left unopened set
besides the living room. The apartment was already presentable though.
She couldn't help but notice the beautiful framed photographs hanging
on the apartment's newly painted walls. She felt something familiar
about the photographs. Something in particular caught her attention
though. She stood up from her seat and came closer to look more closely
at it. It was a photo of the playground in Penguin Park. Several
children are in the picture, their youthful energy and innocence caught
in the very life-like photograph. Sakura closed her eyes and brought
back memories of her childhood with Tomoyo. Them walking along
hand-in-hand in the Penguin Park, playing in its grounds, the night
when Tomoyo said she had to leave...suddenly she felt warm tears
flowing down from her cheeks.
"Sakura-chan? Are you okay?", asked Tomoyo as she walked into the
living room carrying a tray with a pot of tea.
"Yes, I'm fine.", the brown-haired girl answered in her normal tone as
she immediately wiped her tears away, then turned to face Tomoyo.
"Can I help you with those?", Sakura again said when she saw Tomoyo
carrying the tray with difficulty towards the table.
"No, I can manage.", answered Tomoyo with a smile on her face as she
set the tray down and began pouring hot tea into the cups she had with
her.
Sakura went back to where she was sitting and looked at Tomoyo. The
light which had disappeared from her green eyes years ago was slowly
returning at the sight of her beloved.
"She didn't change a bit," she thought. "She's still as bit as
beautiful and reserved as she was back then."
Tomoyo offered tea and Sakura graciously accepted.
The dark-haired girl didn't know how to start. She just sat there
sipping and looking at Sakura sipping her tea. The years she had spent
in a different country full of unfamiliar faces has given her a skill
to start a conversation out of anything. Why must she lose it now, now
when she needed it most.
Sakura didn't know how to start either. She wanted to tell Tomoyo how
lonely she had been in the past years without her. She wanted to say
how much she needed her, how stupid it was of her not to have realized
it when Tomoyo was still around back then. But what would Tomoyo say?
Wouldn't she be uncomfortable with having her old friend being in love
with her? Sakura can't even tell if Tomoyo was still even her friend.
She is the reason why Tomoyo left in the first place, and now, she's
here, sitting with the person she drove away. Sakura sat with the
disturbing thoughts running along her head.
"So, how's Li-kun?", Tomoyo finally managed to start.
"He's fine, I guess.", Sakura answered non-chalantly as she continued
sipping her tea. "Him and Mei-ling are about to be married, as so he
said in his letter."
Tomoyo's eyes widened in shock. She wasn't expecting that kind of
answer. "No wonder Sakura looks so bothered.", she told herself.
Sakura saw the look on Tomoyo's face and immediately followed-up,
"Don't worry, I'm the one who broke up with him."
The other girl sighed in relief. When she saw Sakura looking over at
the photographs, she diverted the topic.
"I took those photos. What do you think?", Tomoyo asked quietly as she
filled herself another cup.
Sakura looked at Tomoyo for a moment in awe. No doubt she's good.
Really, really good.
"They're good. Especially the Penguin Park photo. Is it a hobby?",
Sakura asked, her voice in a sudden increase of intensity as she
finished her cup.
"No.", Tomoyo replied, smiling. "I took photography and film-making in
New York during college." She gestured to refill her visitor's cup.
"Oh...I see. I don't see why I'm surprised. You are so obsessed with
the film anyway.", Sakura commented as she nodded for a refill,
smiling.
Tomoyo forced a laugh. Memories of the past came back to her.
"Yes, it seemed so silly when I was always go chasing you with camera
back then.", mused the dark-haired girl.
"Back then. That phrase reminded Sakura of what she was in here for in
the first place. But before she can go to that, Tomoyo remarked:
"You've changed so much, Sakura-chan."
"Sakura was held speechless. She then realized that truth of that
remark. She so much wanted to answer, "You changed me.", but she
didn't, instead:
"Time can do so much to a person, Tomoyo-chan, but you, you didn't
change."
Sakura gently set her cup down. She waited for Tomoyo to talk, but she
didn't. Sakura looked at her friend, and saw that she was waiting for
her continue. And she continued.
"All these years since you've left I've been waiting for you to come
back. I've wanted to apologize for driving you away like I have. I
hated myself for it. I must admit, I almost all hope for you to come
back. I never left home in the thought you'd send a letter. I never
even changed my phone number in the hope that you would call.", Sakura
paused. She saw confusion fleet across Tomoyo's beautiful face, but
continued.
"Call me obsessed, maybe I am, maybe I am not. Because, Tomoyo-chan,
when you left, I just felt how empty my world would be without you. You
don't know how much hurt I felt when you said you were leaving because
of me. All at once my world was shattered before me when I found out
that you didn't even want me to ever find out about where you were. I
felt so helpless...", her voice broke into a sob. Tomoyo rose from her
seat and sat beside Sakura, embracing her in her arms. Sakura felt a
void in her heart become filled with a warmth she cannot explain. To
her, Tomoyo's arms were rapture.
"Sakura-chan, please don't cry. I'm so sorry I had to leave you. Now I
feel so sad knowing that I had left you in sorrow. I thought that I had
left you in good hands, with the person you love..."
"But you're the person I love, Tomoyo! Don't you understand that!?",
Sakura blurted out with her face still buried on Tomoyo's chest.
Instantly, Sakura felt Tomoyo froze while still holding her. The
brown-haired girl immediately pulled away from her surprised companion.
She heard Tomoyo utter a soft, "What?"
"Yes, Tomoyo, I love you. But please, don't be afraid, I mean...you
don't have to, I don't expect you to love me back. I just want to be
with you, whatever you want me to be, to be a friend, sister, mother,
anything! Just being with you is enough for me...", Sakura desperately
explained to Tomoyo as she wiped her tears that were streaming down her
face.
Sakura looked at Tomoyo, expecting a frown. Instead, Tomoyo, smiled,
then giggled, then burst out into heartfelt laughter. The other girl
was downright confused. There she was, confessing her unconditional
love for her, and she was laughing at her.
"What's so funny?", Sakura asked in an irritated tone.
Tomoyo shook her head, her eyes now teary from too much laughter, then
gestured for Sakura to come closer. Sakura complied. As the
brown-haired girl leaned her head closer, Tomoyo had held her laughter.
She looked at her friend's face seriously, then began talking.
"Sakura-chan, do you remember the time when I told you I love you but
you didn't understand and I promised to tell you when we were older?"
Sakura dropped her jaw at what Tomoyo said, then she asked:
"You...you meant it...THAT way?", she asked rather dumbly.
Tomoyo once again fell into hysterical laughter. Only, this time,
Sakura was with her. Both of the young women fell from their seats,
down to the floor, both engrossed into boisterous laughter.
By the time they both laughed themselves out, their faces were red in
too much laughter and could barely breathe. Sakura turned her head over
to look at Tomoyo, who had both hands on her chest, trying to catch her
breath. Rolling over to her side, Sakura found herself just above her
beloved.
"I'm so sorry I had to let you go through with that, Tomoyo.", said
Sakura as she caressed the other girl's cheek.
"And I'm sorry too for leaving you too, Sakura. I promise I will never
leave you again.", answered Tomoyo, holding her newfound lover's hand
against her cheek.
"And I promise I'll never hurt you again, Tomoyo-chan...", and Sakura's
voice was broken as she leaned to kiss Tomoyo.
They both lost themselves to each other for the rest of night.
****
Sakura turned around on bed and was surprised to feel a warm body
beside her. She opened her eyes and saw the sleeping face of Tomoyo.
Sakura was thoughtful for a moment, then realized what happened the
night before.
"I wasn't dreaming after all...", Sakura whispered as she stared at
Tomoyo's sleeping figure.
Pale hands started stroking Tomoyo's dark hair. Sakura can't believe
that she was with her beloved now, with Tomoyo. All of her pain and
sorrow didn't seem to have existed at all. She's with her now, that's
all that matters.
Tomoyo slowly opened her eyes and found Sakura looking at her. The
dark-haired beauty smiled and greeted her lover a good morning.
Sakura sat up and looked at her long brown hair draped across her body.
She looked at Tomoyo and asked:
"Tomoyo-chan, would you like to cut my hair like you used to, or would
you have it long like this?", she asked while running her own hand
through her hair.
Tomoyo's eyes blinked and run a hand through Sakura's hair and said:
"You'd look beautiful either way."
Sakura smiled. She didn't expect it to be like this, probably neither
did Tomoyo.
"I guess the best things in life are the unexpected.", she thought to
herself, then nodded to the girl she will love for all of eternity.
*****
"Woohoo! Finally! Finished! I had my mother nagging me over the comp as
I was typing this. That helped, I like noisy environments when I write.
"Maybe when I get another idea for a fic, you'll hear from me again.
Until then, See ya. (K-cha!)
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