Story: Affinity (all chapters)

"Kinomoto-san," A kind womanly voice called her from behind.

"Yes, Mizuki-sensei!" Sakura cheerfully replied, pausing from her duty of sweeping the entrance of leaves for a moment.

"Kinomoto-san, I told you that you could leave a half-hour ago," The young teacher reminded her warmly. "Don't you cook dinner for your family?"

"Not tonight," Sakura replied. "It's Oniichan's turn tonight and my only chore for the day is to clean the table, so I wanted to stay and finish this."

Kaho smiled but still took the broom from Sakura. She looked very cute today and, even though Tomoyo had not been around, had taken up the offer to wear a shrine maiden outfit. Not just outside, but inside Kaho knew what a kind, thoughtful and sweet girl Sakura was. She didn't even have to help her with her sweeping the entrance, but once she noticed the massive pile of leaves strewn about, she insisted on helping. That was Sakura though.

"The sun's almost down," Kaho sighed, returning the broom to its proper place. "I think it would be best if I walked you home."

"It's okay," Sakura started up, not wanting to put her teacher out. "I've been out at night plenty of-" She became silent, blushing at the thought that she had almost given away her many nighttime adventures with Li, Tomoyo, and Kero searching for the Clow Cards.

"I'm sure you could handle it on your own, but I'd have to take responsibility if anything happened to you," Kaho told her, looking upon her gently in that same protective way that made Sakura feel all floaty inside. "Would you please make an exception for me just this once?"

Staring into those warm eyes full of kindness, Sakura began to feel funny inside yet again, blushing and smiling impishly. "Mizuki-sensei's so kind and cool!" She thought to herself. "Hanyaaan!"

Kaho smiled on the young girl and offered her hand out to her. "Shall we go inside and get changed then?"

"Y-Yes," Sakura stuttered, taking her teacher's slender hand as she led her inside.

The temperature was as cool indoors as it was outdoors and Sakura was nervous to start changing. She hated the idea of standing naked in the cold air. Kaho, of course, noticed that and smiled at Sakura.

"What's the matter?" Kaho said, already beginning to undress.

"It's cold..." Sakura muttered, to which Kaho laughed gently.

"Colder than when you got here, that's for sure," she replied. "Tell you what. You like races, Kinomoto-san. Let's see who can get dressed faster."

"Okay!" Sakura said, liking the idea.

"Ready, set," Kaho announced. "Go!"

Both girls hurried began to strip off their shrine maiden outfits and grab at whatever pieces of regular clothing they could. The girls twisted over and under one another for their shirts and skirts, ending with Sakura putting on her school's white beret. "First!" she announced happily, turning to her teacher who had already finished "Hoeeee?!"

Kaho laughed again, "No, I lost," Kaho told her, holding up a thin gold necklace chain. "I still have to put this on. Would you help me? I can never get the clasp myself."

"S-Sure..." Sakura blushed again, unable to turn down her teacher's request. It wasn't just her natural kindness though. Sakura wanted to help out Kaho in as many ways as she could. She couldn't help herself. It was like she was drawn to her, kind of like how she felt about...

Kaho felt a tad nervous when Sakura didn't say or do anything for a few second.

"Kinomoto-san, is something wrong?"

Sakura just realized she felt the same way about her beloved Yukito as she did about her teacher. But that couldn't be, because loved Yukito more than anyone. He was the only one who made me feel all lovey-dovey inside, but then Kaho came, and now she felt that way about her too. But she couldn't love two people could she?

"Kinomoto-san?" Kaho called her name again, placing the necklace down and turning around to Sakura for a moment, squatted down to meet her eye level. She could tell the girl had realized something important to her. Kaho had no intention to pry, but she couldn't just let her problems go unnoticed. As her teacher and one who watched over her Cardcaptor duties, it was her responsibility to help her in any way possible. "Is something troubling you?"

Sakura shook her head and smiled again to cover up any suspicion. "I was just thinking you reminded me of someone."

"I see," Kaho replied happily. "Is it someone good?"

"Very good," Sakura smiled, though her eyes were downcast in sadness. "Very... very good."

"Kinomoto-san?" Kaho called her again, sure now that something was troubling Sakura deeply. She put her hands on the girl's shoulders and pulled her closer to her. "Please, if something is making you upset, tell me. I won't tell a single soul."

Sakura could hear her heart beat. Her head became light as she looked so deep into her teacher's eyes, she could feel herself getting lost in them, feeling as though if she didn't look away, she would forever stay lost. "Mizuki-sensei..." Sakura thought, her body trembling where she stood. "I love Mizuki-sensei."

"NO!" Sakura pushed her away and ran out of the shrine, hiding her tears. In that single moment, looking into Kaho's eyes, she had betrayed Yukito and her own heart. She had replaced the dearest person in her life with her teacher, and to say she felt ashamed was an understatement.

"I'm sorry, Yukito," she thought to herself as she wiped away her tears, the moon rising above her. "I'm so sorry!"

Kaho stood from the doorway, watching as Sakura's figure disappear under the shrine gate and head for home. She knew it was only a matter of time. As a young girl, confusing her affinity for magic and feelings of love was to be expected. Still, to tell Sakura such a thing could cause her to doubt her love for other people for the rest of her life.

Kaho sighed and closed the door. The days ahead would be challenging for Sakura than any Clow Card she had faced yet, and Kaho knew that Sakura's powers could not help her this time.

Sakura waited at the front door for a moment, panting heavily. Even though she was the most athletic of her class, she had run home far faster than she had realized. Most likely because of how fast she wanted to get away from Kaho. She wiped away as many tear stains as she could from her face, wanting to greet her father and brother with a smile so they wouldn't worry. Believing she was presentable enough, she opened the door.

"Is that you, Sakura?" Toya called from the kitchen.

"Yeah, it's me! Is Dad home yet?" Sakura asked in reply, taking off her roller blades and protective pads.

"He said he's sleeping at the university again," Toya replied coolly. "Your dinner's in the fridge. You took so long we ate without you. Where were you anyway?"

"We?" Sakura said, counting on her fingers as if her father wasn't home, who was?

"Yeah, Yukito came over," Toya sighed. "We have a test to study for so I figured we'd have dinner too."

"Y-Y-Y-Yukito-san?!" Sakura became flush with embarrassment, standing straight up and stiff as a board. He was the last person she could bear to see right now.

"Good evening, Sakura-chan," that gentle voice called and the handsome gray-haired boy appeared in the hallway. "We waited for you, but Toya and I really needed to get to studying. You'll forgive us, won't you?"

Sakura nodded shyly.

"I'm glad," he smiled again. It was a smile she knew she didn't deserve. All of her deepest and most personal feelings for him... how could she betray them so easily?

"I... I'm going to go eat now," Sakura told him softly, skirting by without even doing so much as looking at him when she smiled.

"I did the dishes already," Toya announced, rubbing her head teasingly. "You can all my chores tomorrow as thanks."

"Alright," she complied. Toya's eyes rose. Because she was so easy to tease, Sakura's normal reaction was a minor fit, not this obedient behavior. He knew something must have happened today, but decided to put it off for now to study with Yukito.

"Is Sakura-chan okay?" Yukito asked, worried as well.

"I don't know," Toya answered. "I'll ask her later tonight."

---

After dinner was finished and her plates cleaned, Sakura headed upstairs with her pudding dessert for Kero. She wasn't hungry for it anyway. Without a word, she opened up the door, and as expected, was barraged by her flying stuffed-animal-like companion, Kero. "Sa-ku-raaaa!" he began the moment she appeared in the room. "Where have you been?"

Once she placed the pudding cup in front of him, his annoyance turned to pure rapture. Carrying his treat over to Sakura's desk, he dug in, overjoyed. Still, he had question. "Tomoyo called," he managed to say through his eating frenzy. "She said she heard about something weird and thinks it might be a Clow Card."

"I didn't sense anything," Sakura told him dismally.

"Well, where were you? She's been trying to reach you all afternoon," Kero continued interrogating her. "You know it's your job to capture all the Clow Cards."

"I know," Sakura told him, but Kero went on.

"The very moment a Clow Card might be detected you need to be on the case," Kero continued in his lecturing.

"I know," Sakura said a little louder.

"After all, we can't let the kid and the brat get to it before us. You're the real Cardcaptor. Every single card should belong to you."

"I know!"

Kero became quiet, mashing around his pudding in his cheeks as he stared at Sakura good and hard. Her cheeks were flushed scarlet and her hands balled in fists. She wouldn't even look up from the floor, and every time she breathed, her body shook a little as if quietly sobbing.

"Something happened," Kero deduced. "Where did you go after school?"

"It's not important," Sakura said, but with her feelings worn on her sleeve, it didn't matter what she said. "And even if it was, you couldn't do anything to help!"

"Who couldn't do anything to help?" Toya asked, peeking in the doorway. Both Sakura and Kero froze as still as statues.

"I thought you were studying with Yukito-san, not spying on me," Sakura said accusingly.

"It's a study break," Toya said, walking in. "Do you mind?"

"No," she replied quietly.

"All right, what's going on?" Toya got right down to it. "You're not acting anything like yourself. You don't have to tell me anything you don't want to, but at least give me an idea of whatever happened."

Sakura nodded, and after a few moments, finally spoke. "I went to Tsukimine Shrine today."

"Why were you there?" Toya followed up.

"I was helping Mizuki-sensei," Sakura said quietly without emotion.

"Is this her fault?" Toya asked, his tone rising with assumptive anger.

"NO!" she cried out loud, only to become quiet as a mouse once again. "This is all my fault. There's nothing you can do to help."

"I see," Toya said, crossing his arms over his chest. "Well if I can help with whatever happened in the future, you be sure to let me know, okay?"

"Okay," Sakura quietly replied.

"And cheer up already," he added needlessly. "It's weird being home without a monster stomping around the house."

"Oniichan!" Sakura shouted, grabbing her pillow and hurling it at his head.

"The monster's reawakened. Evacuate the village," Toya teased, getting another pillow hurled at him as he shut the door on her. Sakura huffed before realizing that he had cheered her up. Even though he was somewhat of a jerk, he was looking out for her, but even he couldn't possibly understand how she felt.

"Sakura?" Kero called her name.

"I'm fine now," Sakura smiled. "I'll call Tomoyo now and ask her if we can talk about this possible Clow Card tomorrow. I'm too tired to do anything about it tonight."

---

"The Key which hides the powers of the Dark, show your true powers before me. I, Sakura, command you under our contract. Release!"

Kero anxiously watched from the desk as the Clow Key unveiled its true form. Taking the wand, she tapped the card in her hand gently. "Mirror!"

With a bright glow, illuminating Sakura's room beyond that of the morning sunlight coming in through the window, a beautiful woman with long green hair and a circular mirror emerged from the card.

"Take the form of the one before you," Sakura commanded, and with an obedient nod, the Mirror Card became Sakura's duplicate.

"Sakura, I don't know if this is a good idea," Kero said. "Using her as a decoy is one thing, but this is..."
"It'll be fine," Sakura told him firmly. "It's just for today."

"You say that, but..."

"It'll definitely be okay!" she said loudly, biting her lip in fear Toya heard her.

Kero sighed and conceded to Sakura's will. "If you say so."

With a sigh and a nervous smile, Sakura handed her book bag to her clone. "There's nothing to worry about. I told Tomoyo last night I may be losing my voice, so if the teacher asks you to speak, just look to her and she'll cover for you. I'll meet you at the park after school so I can meet up with Tomoyo-chan."

"I understand," the Sakura clone smiled and bowed to her mistress.

"Have a good day," Sakura waved her clone goodbye from her bedroom door, watching and waiting from the window as her mirror image took off down the road. Sighing, Sakura collapsed on her bed, wondering how she would spend her day off. She didn't want to miss school, but the thought of seeing Kaho again terrified her. All she needed was a day away from her and everything would be fine.

Sakura looked at the chore chart in front of her and sighed. On top of cooking dinner tonight, Sakura was now responsible for Toya's vacuuming. Even though, she had all day to get it done, she couldn't lift a finger without him. If he got back and saw it was all done, he'd be more than just a little suspicious. Frustrated and irritated, Sakura flopped down on the couch and started mindlessly flipping through TV channels.

"I told you this wasn't a good idea," Kero said, floating up behind her.

"Well, there's nothing I can do about it now!" Sakura snapped at him uncharacteristically. Ever since her thoughts of Mizuki-sensei turned to love, she had become more and more unlike herself and she knew it was worrying everyone around her, but what could she do? She never wanted this to happen in the first place.

"This isn't just stress from the Clow Cards, is it?" Kero deduced. "This is a personal thing, isn't it?"

Sakura nodded.

"Is it one of those... women things?"

"Kero-chan!" Sakura turned red as a cherry.

"Just asking!" Kero backed away, seeing Sakura's fist in his round, yellow face.

"It's not that at all," she sulked down into the cushions.

"Well, pouting isn't getting you anywhere," Kero lectured. "Get up, go get the Mirror Card, and try to enjoy the rest of the school day."

"But Mizuki-sensei..." Sakura turned away as she said her name. Alarms went off in Kero's head as he could see the worry in her eyes.

"So this has to do with your teacher," Kero proclaimed, nodding his head thoughtfully. "Well, that certainly explains things."

"I can't see her right now, Kero-chan. I just... I can't," Sakura tried to explain, but no matter how much she wanted to tell him what was going on, her heart tightened and ached whenever she tried. Not even Yukito had made her this uneasy and this miserable.

"Sakura, you must think I'm a fool," Kero sighed. "You've captured almost all the Clow Cards and you're telling me that you're afraid of talking to your teacher? You're braver than that! Now get up and go to school!"

"I can't, Kero-chan!" Sakura pleaded with him. "I told you I can't!"

"What's so bad that you can't see her?"

"I think I love her!"

Kero became absolutely silent as the floodgates opened and all of Sakura's feelings poured out. "Last night, when I was with her, I realized this is how I feel around Yukito-san. I love being with her, I love it when she smiles at me. She's so smart and cool and I wish I could be her, and I haven't been able to stop thinking about her since yesterday!"

Kero floated there without for a few seconds, though to Sakura they felt like hours. "You know," he finally began. "Clow once said that love is the most powerful magic out there. Anyone can use it, but no one knows how to control it. Sakura, I know you're scared, but tell me, is it a bad thing to love this Mizuki-sensei?"

Sakura shook her head no. "No... but what about Yukito? What about my feelings for him?"

"I don't know what to tell you," Kero said, not being fluent in the ways of romance. "But I do know things won't get better until you face these problems head-on. Now get out of here. It's hard to play video games when I have to worry about you." Kero nodded thoughtfully, shooing Sakura out the door. "And if you stop anywhere on the way home, get me something yummy!"

"Fine, fine," Sakura smiled, greeted by the warm rays of the midday sun. If she hurried, she could make it just in time for lunch.

---

As Mizuki-sensei called each student up in order to answer various math problems, Tomoyo and Li both could not help but take notice to how she skipped over Sakura every time. Tomoyo had been told last night that Sakura might not be able to speak, but she had not yet told Mizuki-sensei that news. It was almost like she knew.

She did know. Sakura may have looked like she was there, but Kaho knew better. Attuned to magic, she was aware the Sakura in her class was a fake. It had seemed that Sakura's affinity to her was stronger than she had believed. Regardless, it saddened her to know that the bright cheerful girl was taking as desperate measures as using Clow Cards to avoid her.

The chime rang to alert the students that math was over and lunchtime was now. Joyful and chipper voices sprouted up from the rows of desks. "Alright, class, math is over for today. Enjoy your lunch."
"Hey," Li said gruffly from behind who he thought was Sakura. "What's with you? You haven't said anything all day?"

"Oh, and Kinomoto-san?" Kaho requested. "Would you please come with me to the teacher's lounge? There's something I need to discuss with you."

Sakura nodded and rose from her seat, following Kaho out of the room.

"Did the real Sakura stay home today?" Kaho wasted no time calling her bluff as they came out into the hallway. Tensing up, the fake Sakura nodded.

"That's fine," Kaho said calmly. "Just let Sakura know I want to see her tomorrow."

"I understand," the fake Sakura replied.

"Good to know," Kaho smiled. "Now please go back to the classroom."

---

Sakura tried to ignore the stares she got as she raced down the street. A grade-schooler out of school surely didn't look good, but as long as no one noticed her things would be fine. She was only a mile from school when...

"Sakura-chan?!"

Slamming on her heel brakes, Sakura flung around to look into the cool amber eyes of Tomoyo's mother, sipping on tea, eating lunch in what looked like an expensive café. "Sakura-chan, what are you doing out of school?" She continued to interrogate. "Does Tomoyo know you're here?"

"M-Miss Daidouji..." she tried to speak, but the stern eyes that targeted her would not allow it.

"Come in and take a seat," she offered. "Nadeshiko's daughter would have to have a very good reason for doing something like this."

Head bent low, Sakura shuffled her feet into the café. All the while, she could tell Tomoyo's mother had her eyes fixated on her curiously. Sliding into her seat, she shoved her hands into her lap. "Sakura, look at me," Sonomi said gently, hands cupped under her chin as she kept her eyes locked on Sakura's. "What's a good girl like you playing truant?"

"Miss Daidouji, please don't tell Tomoyo you saw me here," Sakura pleaded softly, trying not to garner any stares in her direction.

"That all depends on why you're here and not with her," Sonomi smiled, picking up her tea and taking a sip. "Now, no more stalling. Let's hear it."

"Alright," Sakura nodded reluctantly. "I was skipping... because I was scared to go to class."

"Scared?" Sonomi became alert. "Sakura-chan, is someone bullying you? I can lend you one of our bodyguards if that's the..."

"No no, it's nothing like that!" Sakura exclaimed waving her arms frantically in dismay. "There's someone at school I think I might love... a lot," she answered, blushing just the slightest as she finished.

"Oh?" Sonomi sighed, seeing a side of Nadeshiko in Sakura that she hoped to never see again. "What's he like?"

Sakura went quiet.

"Sakura, unless you want me to tell your father about this, I'd answer," Sonomi grinned, playfully taunting the flustered girl. "What's he like?"

"Miss Daidouji," Sakura said, quietly as she could manage. "I'm... in love with a girl."

Both Sonomi and Sakura turned white as sheets.

"A g-girl, huh?" Sonomi tried to hide her nervous excitement twisting her forefinger around the rim of her tea cup. Already her mind was flashing back to Tomoyo. She knew Tomoyo's feelings for Sakura for a while now, but more importantly, she saw how Sakura reciprocated her loving feelings with such warm kindness. She tried not to get her hopes up, but now she was sure! Sakura was in love with Tomoyo!

"Sakura-chan," Sonomi reached across the table, taking Sakura's hands into her own.

"Hoe?" she squeaked out loud.

"The feelings you have for this very special girl are nothing to be afraid of. In fact, they're something you should embrace with all your heart. If you truly believe these are feelings of love, then I'm positive that your feelings will be happily returned. Now run along."

"You... you won't tell anyone?" Sakura said, a little nervously.

"This is a secret just between us girls," Sonomi winked, sending Sakura on her way, believing it was into her daughter's arms.

As Sakura sped through town, eventually reaching the gates of the school, she used telepathy to communicate with the Mirror Card. "Mirror, thank you for all your work. Come to the front gate and I'll take it from her."

---

Meanwhile, Kaho had stepped outside to get some fresh air herself. "Affinity for magic..." she whispered to herself. "It's so easy to say that and disregard another's feelings. You would know that best, Toya." There he stood at the front gate, stalwart as always. "I was just thinking about you," she put up a smile for him, but they both knew that this wasn't a matter to be taken lightly.

"My sister's been spending a lot of time with you," Toya began. "Any reason why?"

"Is that why you're here?" Kaho spoke up.

"I'm not here to reminisce, I assure you," Toya scoffed.

"Sakura comes to help me by her own free will," Kaho replied, "The only reason she spends so much time with me is because she wants to."

"What are you suggesting, Kaho?" Toya narrowed his eyes.

"I'm just saying she might be a lot like you," Kaho smiled.

"Sakura already has a crush," Toya affirmed.

"You think she can't have two?" Kaho sighed.

"I'm only going to say this once, Kaho," Toya spoke, his tone rising with anger. "Stay away from her."

"I'm not so sure I'm the one you should be saying that to," Kaho smiled mysteriously. "But you know Toya, there is something about her. Something I find very special, almost irresistible, like I'm doing everything in my power to keep from being drawn in by her. Oh don't worry, I won't do anything like you're probably thinking, but why should I deny that sweet little girl a glimpse of happiness? I'm sorry for what I suspect I put you through, and I can't promise Sakura won't go through the same, but I'm ready to learn from my mistakes. I won't treat her feelings for me, whatever they may be, as lightly as I treated yours."

Toya clenched his fist tight. He wanted to do something, but he knew anything he said or did would only make matters worse for him. Kaho spoke with such sincerity but how could he believe after all she did to him that she'd treat Sakura any differently? Only his father and Yukito knew how delicate Sakura's feelings were. Could he really trust that his little sister would not be betrayed as he was by this woman? Deep down, he knew he had no choice.

"I will show her love," Kaho resolved. "I will show her love that I denied you, and when the time comes that we must part, I promise her heart will remain in one piece."

"You'll regret it if you don't," Toya warned her, to which Kaho playfully smiled.

As their conversation ended, Sakura was approaching the school gate, as was the Mirror Card. Both came to a halt a short distance from each other, the Mirror Card once again facing Toya, and Sakura looking into Mizuki-sensei's warm, affectionate eyes.