Episode 17-Breakfast
Sakura’s Point of View
I woke to a loud banging on the door. No, not the door to the house, the door to my room. Syaoran stirred, too.
Wait, wait, wait! Don’t get the wrong idea!! This has nothing to do with the stupid tradition that Lord Yoshida has! We were up watching a movie last night and ended up falling asleep on my bed…
Syaoran groaned and rubbed his head; his hair was even more messy than usual. “Nn? Who’s gunna knock on your bedroom door at…” he glanced at the digital clock beside the bed “…8:45 in the morning? The maids?”
I sighed. “You wish.”
I kissed him and then flitted over to the door. I opened it cautiously. I was right — it was Toya.
“Hey, monster,” he said, smiling. I frowned at him.
“What’re you doing here? In my room? At 8:45 am?” I asked him, annoyed.
“Well, I just wanna spend some time with you before I have to leave again, and…” he trailed off as he looked at my bed. Syaoran’s suddenly frightened eyes met my brother’s; Toya’s eyes narrowed. “What. Is. He. Doing. Here,” Toya growled.
“Well…we were just watching some movies last night, and then he just…slept here,” I told him, putting on my sugar-sweet voice and my most innocent face.
…What, you don’t think I'm innocent? Well, rawr to you.
“Urm…I-I think I’ll just…go…now…” Syaoran said, and raced to the door. Toya’s hand shot out and gripped his shirt so fiercely that his knuckles were white. Syaoran paled; we’re just lucky he didn’t barf all over us. Toya had this murderous look in his eyes that I knew from when he had met my first boyfriend—that one never spoke to me again after what my big brother did.
“T-Toya…h-he’s my comrade and stuff, y-you can't hurt him…” I stuttered.
He looked at me, his eyebrows raised. Then he smirked.
I frowned. “W-what?”
“I-I d-d-d-d-d-dunno,” he said in a mocking voice. He laughed. My eyes darted to Syaoran who was most likely about to crap himself. Toya suddenly remembered him, too. His other hand clasped Syaoran’s shirt now, too, his eyes focused intently on his pale face. He hissed something I couldn’t hear, and Syaoran shook his head insanely. “Want me to throw you down the stairs, punk?” he growled through his teeth, moving out the door.
“TOYA!” It sounded like I was calling a dog. “P-put Syaoran down, now!”
Toya looked at me and opened his mouth to say something, but Tomoyo cut him off.
“Tsk, tsk, Toya. Syaoran just isn’t that kind of boy,” she said playfully, winking at me. Toya looked down at her.
“Man, we’ve been knocking forever!Why don’t you people answer your door?!” Eriol said. Over Toya’s shoulder, I saw him notice my brother and make a super-panda/dying horse-dog hybrid before backing off and tumbling noisily down the stair. After a final thump, he croaked, “I’m okay. Ow.”
Tomoyo’s chiming laugh filled the hall, which seemed to relax Toya, and she went down to her boyfriend’s aid.
Finally, with one last death glare, he unclasped his hands and Syaoran fell to the ground. He recovered himself quickly and landed on his feet.
“Are you okay…?” I asked. He smiled at me and nodded. I pursed my lips. “That’s an unusually fast recovery…”
He kind of laughed, but it broke in the middle, and he blushed. I giggled.
“Just remember, I hear anything of you, I’ll shave your head, skin you, and…and…” Toya grumbled.
“Force him to run over some puppies?” Yukito’s voice sang from behind my brother, and I smiled. “C’mon Toya, we all know this was going to happen. Leave the poor kid alone; he really cares for Sakura. He wouldn’t hurt her.”
“Yea, Toya! He hasn’t done anything to hurt me,” I said, finding it was a lie. Syaoran had hurt me— I—what the hell? No, you idiot, he’s not, like, beating me with a crowbar! When he lost his memory and didn’t remember me, that hurt the most. And I hadn’t even realized that I loved him back then; I was still in denial.
Toya stared at him for a minute, then sighed and said, “Whatever…c’mon, I’ll treat you to some breakfast.”
“Okay, let’s… ah! We have to get ready first!” I exclaimed. “Get out, get out, get out!!” I shoved all three boys out the door, snickering at Syaoran’s terrified eyes as he tried to crack a smile.
“WAAAAIIITTTT!!!!!” Tomoyo shrieked. She dashed up the stairs noisily and darted into my room before I closed the door. (Hey, that’s what magic can do to ya!) She held up a bag, grinning. “I have an awesome new outfit for you!!”
She squealed and rushed over to me, taking the clothes out of the bag. I gasped.
--
Syaoran’s Point of View
All of us sat in the living room, in an awkward silence. Yep, just me, Eriol, Yukito Tsukishiro, and…
DUN DUN DUHHHHHHH!
Toya Kinomoto (girl screams in background) all sat together. Yukito and Eriol wore their usual charming smiles, being polite with the maids who brought them food and everything. (By the way, they were all swooning over Yukito and Toya) But Toya (AHH) just sat there and glared at me. I fidgeted nervously on the couch, his dark eyes piercing my own; I couldn’t take my eyes away from his. I was afraid he’d shoot me.
I was about to have a nervous breakdown and start crying, but I heard a little squeak, followed by a scream. I looked over and Kaoru flew out of the next room. “MOUSE!” she shrieked.
I stood, my memory replaying from the time it was gone. Then I remembered Miloh the mouse. I ran to the other room, where the maids plotted to get rid of him. One was about to throw her shoe at it (high-heels. Uber sharp). She threw it and I stepped in the line of fire; her shoe bounced off my chest. The heel hit me; uber pain. I exhaled deeply. Ow ow owowowowowowowowowowow. “Don’t hurt Miloh.” I said, my breathing steady.
She squeaked, her hands cupped over her mouth. “I’m so, so sorry, Master Syaoran! Oh my gosh! Please, please forgive me!”
“I-it’s okay, really. Just don’t ever even think about killing or hurting this mouse again, okay?” I told her, rather freaked out by her. I bent down and picked Miloh up; he chirped happily and raced to the top of my head. I chuckled and walked back into the living room.
I sat down. “Sorry if this makes you feel uncomfortable, but…Miloh here has helped me through some, er, tough times.” Including the one just now. Crying in front of your girlfriend’s older brother? Yeah, not a good idea.
“So. Animal lover.” Toya said evenly, his eyes retracing their way back to mine.
“I…guess so.” I responded. Miloh lay down in my hair; he knows how to comfort me. Wow. How insane am I? I'm tight with a mouse and almost started crying in front of my girlfriend’s brother.
OHMYGOD! Could it be? Toya’s gaze almost lightened at my response! I actually almost gasped right there! Maybe I could try and warm him up to me…
“Does Sakura know about him?”
Uh-oh.
“Wow…I-I guess I…forgot to tell her,” I said, more to myself than him. My eyes were wide and my mouth hung slightly in bewilderment. What if she doesn’t like mice…?
Toya smiled. “To tell you the truth, I don’t know how she’ll react… but if she doesn’t like it, I better not see it again,” he added in a growl.
“Toya,” Yukito warned, putting a hand on his friend’s shoulder. “C’mon, be nice to him—Syaoran, wasn’t it?” he said, holding his hand out to me. “I don’t think we’ve been properly acquainted.”
I quickly snapped my mouth shut and took his hand firmly, bringing out my manly image. “Yes, it is Syaoran. Syaoran Li,” I said.
Yukito was still smiling hugely. “I’m Yukito Tsukishiro. It’s nice to meet you, Syaoran.”
I smiled back at him. Why couldn’t he be Sakura’s brother?
Eriol sighed. “Man, chicks sure take long to get ready. We’re just going out for breakfast, jeez,” he spoke for the first time. “Oh, uh, that is, we…we weren’t invited, so, sorry, I just…” he…added…slightly.
Yukito laughed. “Oh, don’t worry about it. You can come, too.”
“I don’t wanna intrude or anything…really, I—,”
“Oh, shut it,” Toya said, rolling his eyes. “You want to come and you know it. So just come already, .”
“Oh, uh, okay, thanks…” Eriol kind of sunk back in his seat. The corner of my mouth twitched. I had never seen Eriol look so uncomfortable!
Suddenly, Tomoyo’s voice came from the stairs; she was trying to be like a trumpet opening for royalty. “And here is Miss Sakura Kinomoto, looking completely cute in her gorgeous outfit designed by Miss Tomoyo Daidouji!” she announced, waving her hand dramatically to Sakura.
I stood and gasped; Sakura was….was…leaving me speechless! Her electric blue skirt had a matching, darker blue t-shirt and…arm warmers, I think is what they’re called. Sakura saw my surprise and flushed scarlet. “Tomoyo…I think you overdid it! We’re just going out for breakfast!”
Tomoyo giggled. “But you were gasping at the outfit; you should see what you look like with it on!”
Sakura had my necklace on; it actually went with it. The half-knee-high boots had an intricate lacing pattern on the out sides.
“You…is…wow,” I said. I think I was drooling.
Toya snorted. “Smooth.”
“Sh—yeah…” I bit back my urge to hiss ‘shut up’ at him, which is what I would say to a normal person; however, he was Toya Kinomoto. Not a good idea.
Still blushing, Sakura giggled. “I is wow?” she smiled at me and laughed again.
I blushed this time, and smiled back sheepishly. “Yeah.”
She walked down the rest of the stairs. Toya got up and stretched, and Sakura soundlessly came over to me and kissed me. Getting rather lost, I wrapped my arms around her, and found her arms winding around my neck. I heard Tomoyo and Eriol giggling and laughing, so they were in their own world, too. I was brought back to mine with Sakura’s tongue; suddenly it was so much more enjoyable. I squeezed her harder to me, and she pushed up on me with more force. Oh, how I couldn’t wait for the next leve—
Then one word completely trashed my fantasy.
Kids.
Had the Lord been serious about that? But…we we’re only seventeen! And Toya’ll eat me for sure! I definitely wasn’t ready for kids. I didn’t really want any, either. Not now, at least.
My lips had stopped moving, and so had Sakura’s by now. “What’s wrong?” she asked, hurt.
“It’s just…Lord Yoshida’s kids tradition thing…,” I said softly.
“I don’t want to do it,” she butted in.
I smiled. “Me neither, actually.”
“Or me,” Toya growled. He ripped me away from my comrade, his grip cutting off circulation in my leg. And he was holding my shoulder!
“What the hell…?” I managed to breathe, one eyebrow raised as I looked at my leg.
“Don’t let it scare you,” Sakura informed me gently. “It’s just an illusion he uses on all the guys that get too close to me. It’s not real, so just ignore the pain and it’ll go away.”
“Uhm…okay…” I said, closing my eyes and imagining the kiss again. She was right; the pain ebbed away quickly. Toya sighed in a growling sort of way. He let go of me. “Hey, uh…that’s really cool, that you can do that, y’know.”
He looked at me suspiciously. “I know,” he said after a moment.
“Come on, let’s go get some breakfast!” Sakura grabbed my hand. “Hey Yukito, on Christmas it was birthday, right? Oh, I'm so sorry! Happy belated birthday, Yukito!”
“Aww, thanks Sakura, but it’s okay, really. I don’t want people to get caught up in my birthday when they should be celebrating Christmas! I want belated birthdays for that reason,” he told her (with a smile, of course).
Huh. What a noble guy. He was really growin’ on me now.
We walked out of the house, chatting away. As we prepared to go down into Tomoeda, I suddenly felt a…an almost…evil presence. I quickly let my eyes scan the area, but I saw no one. Come to think of it, it felt kind of like…like when Sakura fell off the cliff. Actually, she hadn’t been anywhere near the cliff when she fell off…it’s like she was pushed off or something…
I shook the thought off and leapt down into Tomoeda with the others. I didn’t want to think of that right now.
I grinned at Sakura and decided I’d show off a little. I caught Eriol’s eye and winked. I did a couple back-flips in the air and then landed ultra-ninja style, slamming my fist down on the ground. Eriol must have caught my drift, because when my fist hit the ground, a BAM rumbled from the mountains; it sounded like a movie.
Some of the citizens actually started clapping. I grinned at them and walked back to the others.
“Howzat for a show-off?” Toya muttered.
His hands in his pockets, he landed lightly on his feet and immediately started walking, like it was nothing. Some of the girls sighed, but he paid no attention to them. Yukito waved at them.
I put my arm around Sakura, my lips pressing against her hair. Her arm wound around my waist, and we started walking. When we stepped into the breakfast place, people stared and whispered.
I chuckled. “Guess we’ve gone public,” I murmured, smiling.
“I don’t think that’s quite the reason they’re staring,” she replied.
“Yes, I think the fact that we rule them plus friends are here,” Eriol butted in.
“Dude, that doesn’t even make any sense,” I told him, knocking his head.
“It does, if you listen carefully…” he muttered back, and Tomoyo’s chiming laugh started up. Some of the guys went a little red as they stared at her.
“Ooo, she’s popular,” Sakura giggled.
I squeezed her tighter. “Anyone ogles at you, I’ll beat them down so hard you’ll wish I was blowing up kittens,” I told her, smiling in spite of myself.
She breathed a laugh. “How violent.”
“I think I’ll be doing that a few times today. It’s impossible not to ogle at you, beautiful,” I told her, grinning.
“Well, I think a cat fight will start soon, ‘cause you’re too hot for the girls here to handle,” she told me.
“And you can?”
“I can play with fire.”
“Little girls that play with fire get their hands burned.”
“Then you’ll just have to nurse me back to health.”
“UGH!” Toya exclaimed. “You guys freakin’ sicken me! My own freakin’ sister!”
“Freakin’ freak,” Sakura said, smiling at him.
“Monster,” he breathed, smiling back.
“Don’t make me come over there,” Tomoyo warned, with a smile of her own. Am I missing something? Judging by Eriol’s expression, he was thinking the same thing.
So we ordered breakfast and chatted a little bit. I think Toya was rubbing his hands to get warm with me.
…Oh, shut up. I mean he was making an effort to start liking me! Okay, so I came up with the hand-rubbing thing just now, but come on!
Ahem. Anyway, I found out that we both like technology. Can't live without it. I was hoping that later that week, we’d delve deep into the world of tech together, and become great friends. Yay. No one dies, gets thrown out the window, loses limbs due to a mysterious attack with a flame-thrower…
--
On the way home, the people of Tomoeda walked about normally, smiling and laughing. I hadn’t needed to beat anyone up; Toya had done it for me. Suddenly, a chill blew through the air. All six of us shivered, but looking around, no one else had even noticed the breeze. Huh. Then suddenly, the same aura hit me again, like the one from earlier in the day. I clenched my teeth and whipped my head around violently, but again saw nothing. It was starting to freak me out. I decided to bring it up with the others.
“Hey…have any of you…felt something? Like, oh, I dunno, evil?” I asked.
They eyed my strangely, but one by one, they all nodded slowly.
“It’s like what I felt before I…fell,” Sakura whispered. Eriol and Tomoyo’s eyes hardened while Toya’s narrowed. He didn’t ask any questions, though.
“We’d better start being more careful,” I said quietly.
“This is really what being a Guardian’s like,” Toya said, scanning the area slowly. “Lets get home quickly.”
--
Sakura fell to her knees, tears rolling down her soft, rosy cheeks. “How could this have happened…?” she choked out, horrified.
My brows knit as I watched the scene in front of me.
When we got home, we had found Meiling’s body lying in the snow.
--
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