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1 Dear Sakura
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2 by Amazoness Duo and G.P.
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3 amazonessduo@hotmail.com
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4 pearsong1954@yahoo.com
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5
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6 Sakura smiled at her brother as he drove in front of the Daidouji
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7 mansion. The young woman nervously gathered up her purse and a bag
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8 with the newly finished costume inside. Her brother eyed her
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9 carefully and asked,
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10
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11 “You have my cell phone number?” She nodded, and he answered in his
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12 big-brother-casual voice, “Call me when you need a ride back. Or for
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13 whatever. I took the day off”
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14
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15 Sensing her mood, his voice softened and he spoke quietly, “Don’t be
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16 so worried. I’m sure she’ll be happy to see you. And tell her I say
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17 hello.”
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18
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19 Sakura seemed ready to cry, but instead leaned over and wrapped her
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20 arms around him. He squeezed back as she whispered, “Thank you”, and
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21 slipped out the door without looking back. He watched her run up to
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22 the gate, his eternal little sister. Driving there in the car he
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23 almost told her about Tomoyo's love. But Sakura loved surprises, and
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24 this figured to be the biggest one in her life. Besides, Tomoyo had
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25 waited all these years, so she should be the one to tell. He shook
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26 his head as he drove away, secretly thrilled that his sister had
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27 finally found love.
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28
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29 Sakura’s hand shook as she rang the buzzer of the intercom. The last
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30 time she felt so nervous was the wedding. Tomoyo was there, too,
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31 guiding her every step of the way, consoling and calming, a mother
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32 and sister and confidante. But this was something she would have to
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33 do on her own. She was thrilled, excited, and scared to death. What
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34 would Tomoyo say? Would she be embarrassed, or amused, or upset?
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35 Tomoyo would never say or do anything to hurt her. But she worried
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36 that this revelation might be bothersome for her friend, who would
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37 bear her feelings in silence as she had born the pain of her special
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38 someone for years. Maybe there was no place for Sakura’s love in her
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39 heart. The pale woman already had her special someone, and Sakura
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40 could no more take the place of that person than anyone could replace
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41 Tomoyo in her own heart. Sakura sighed and shook her head, and then
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42 was startled by a voice bursting from the intercom,
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43
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44 “Daidouji residence”.
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45
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46 Sakura recovered from her surprise and answered, “Oh, hello, yes,
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47 I’m sorry. This is Kinomoto Sakura. I’m here to see Tomoyo-chan, I
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48 mean, Daidouji Tomoyo”.
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49
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50 During the lengthy pause her thoughts returned to Tomoyo. Since
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51 realizing her love for the beautiful woman, Sakura had slowly
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52 determined what to do. She would tell Tomoyo of her love. She could
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53 no more keep that a secret than she could stop breathing. Just last
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54 night on the phone she nearly blurted out, “Tomoyo-chan, I love you!”
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55 So she had to tell her. But what then? If Tomoyo-chan’s special
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56 someone would not have her, well... Well what? Well, she thought,
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57 distracted at her own uncertainty, she can have me. A surge of
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58 determination rippled through her body as she clenched her fists.. I
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59 may not be her True Love, but at least I love her. I can be with her,
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60 and make her as happy as I can. It’s the least I can do, after all
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61 she’s done for me. And after what I did to her. Sakura felt heartsick
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62 about the way she had ignored her friend for all those years. She
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63 could not change the past, but she could be a loving part of Tomoyo’s
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64 future. She smiled and whispered to herself, “I’ll live my life for
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65 her, if she’ll have me”.
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66
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67 Finally, the intercom spoke up in a metallic, somewhat officious
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68 voice, “You may enter”. As the buzzer sounded, she pushed the gate
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69 open and walked onto the grounds of the mansion. There were so many
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70 memories that lingered here, but she was too caught up by the thrill
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71 of being close to Tomoyo to feel them. The pathway seemed terribly
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72 long, and Sakura’s excitement mounted with every step. It was as if
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73 her entire life had led up to this one point, to three simple words:
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74 I love you. Near the end of the walkway she was running, desperate to
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75 close the last remaining distance between her and the woman she
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76 loved. Sakura wanted to hold the lavender-haired beauty in her arms,
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77 to comfort and be comforted. Nearing the door, she felt a wave of
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78 delirious happiness as she dashed forward in a final burst of speed.
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79 Nothing mattered but Tomoyo; not the past, or the future, not her
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80 failed marriage or the magic or even life itself. Catching her
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81 breath, she knocked excitedly on the door, her heart flooded with a
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82 giddy mix of joy, anticipation, and desire. When the door opend she
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83 let out a curious little yelp, and nearly flew into the arms of a
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84 waiting Sonomi.
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85
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86 At the last second she pulled back, nearly tumbling backwards. Still
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87 staggering, she grinned sheepishly, bowing low and apologizing,
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88 “Gomenesai, Sonomi-sama. I, I thought you were Tomoyo-chan. Ohayo.
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89 Ohayogozaimasu”.
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90
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91 Sakura looked up cheerfully and saw Sonomi regarding her with quiet
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92 reserve. For the longest time she was silent as Sakura stood and
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93 smiled. Finally, the woman bowed politely and spoke in a flat tone of
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94 voice, “Come in”.
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95
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96 Sakura entered, feeling a warm glow at the sight of Tomoyo’s
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97 gorgeous mother. She remembered their delightful talks about life at
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98 school, her friendship with Tomoyo, and her own mother. She was a
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99 supurb cook, and delighted in having the daughter of Nadeshiko over
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100 for luncheons and dinners. Sakura always felt a maternal love and
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101 concern from Sonomi that wrapped her like a blanket, happy and snug.
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102 With an odd pang, she thought how lucky Tomoyo was to have had such a
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103 wonderful mother. Sonomi indicated a seat, and they both sat down.
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104 Smoothing her skirt, Sakura glanced at her host, wondering why she
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105 was so silent. Nervously, the young woman peeked at her watch and
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106 looked up, smiling and speaking anxiously,
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107
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108 “I’m sorry. I hope I’m not too early?”
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109
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110 Sonomi glared in righteous anger at the Cardmistress. Finally, the
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111 older woman broke the uneasy silence. “How could you do that to my
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112 baby girl? How could you hurt her so terribly? She trusted you! She
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113 loved you!” Sonomi turned on the younger woman, her dark blue eyes
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114 looking like the sky before a terrifying storm hits. “My little girl
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115 gave you everything and you disregarded her as nothing more than a
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116 plaything that you had grown tired of! She sacrificed her happiness
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117 for you, but even that wasn’t good enough! You couldn’t even thank
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118 her for that!” The business woman was now shaking with fury, hatred
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119 boiling up at this spawn of Fujitaka. The man had managed to ruin her
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120 life and now his daughter was having a delightful time ruining the
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121 life of her own child. “Get the hell out of my house, Sakura. And if
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122 I ever see you again...” She balled up her fists, her whole body
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123 shaking. Her soul felt scalded by the rage boiling over inside of
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124 her. “You stay away from my daughter!” Part of her cried out in pain,
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125 in regret for saying such things to the girl her daughter loved, to
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126 the child of her own love, to this sweet and naďve girl. But her
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127 anger had finally gotten the best of her. She could no longer sit by
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128 while Sakura slowly killed her daughter. She wasn't about to let the
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129 Cardmistress hurt her darling Tomoyo any longer. It no longer
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130 mattered to her that Sakura was Nadeshiko’s daughter or that Tomoyo
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131 wanted her to be happy. “Tomoyo-chan always wanted you to be happy,
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132 but what about her happiness? She suffered and strived so that you
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133 would be happy, Sakura, and what did you do? Nothing. You never
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134 thanked her. You never tried to return the favor. It was as if you
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135 simply expected it of her. She devoted herself to you, but you gave
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136 her nothing in return. You never once concerned yourself with her
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137 happiness. You’re selfish, Sakura-chan. You went off to live your
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138 happy life without a look back to see if Tomoyo was equally happy, if
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139 your best friend was also living a happy life. Tomoyo-chan needed you
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140 and you abandoned her. You failed her. She always thought you would
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141 come back and save her, but you never did. And I hate you for that.”
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142 Her voice was laced with venom, tears falling unnoticed down her
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143 cheeks. Sonomi was crying, but it hardly concerned her. “You
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144 destroyed her just as surely as your father destroyed me all those
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145 years ago. I never wanted Tomoyo-chan to live through what I have. I
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146 never wanted her to feel the pain of losing the only one she could
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147 ever love. But you dashed my baby girl’s hopes and dreams right in
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148 front of me. And I did nothing. I let you hurt her because I thought
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149 that it was just like my love for Nadeshiko, that it was the way
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150 things were. But you’re just like your father. You smile, happy in
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151 what you have, but you disregard the pain you bring to others,
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152 ignoring what you have taken from them. Whether it be my dearest
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153 Nadeshiko or Tomoyo-chan’s loving heart, it doesn’t matter. You have
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154 what you want, so why should you care that you hurt others through
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155 your ignorance? You can smile blissfully while Tomoyo-chan cries
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156 herself to sleep. I will never forgive you for that.”
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157
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158 Sakura was dumbstruck, caught completely off guard by Sonomi’s
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159 sudden outburst. Her mouth opened and closed as words escaped her.
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160 Tears began to trickle down her cheeks at Tomoyo’s mother’s words.
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161 The look that Sonomi was giving Sakura broke her heart. This woman
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162 had always looked at her with such love and kindness. But now, that
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163 warmth was completely missing, replaced instead by a burning anger
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164 that seared Sakura in her seat. Sonomi’s words played over and over
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165 again in her head, a haunting chorus of guilt and anger as Sakura
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166 realized her own voice was mixed into the painful truths. “I.. I
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167 didn’t mean to..” Sakura got out weakly.
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168
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169 Getting out of her seat, Sonomi brushed back some dark hair from her
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170 eyes with the same irritated presence of mind one might use to crush
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171 a fly. Sakura’s tears, something that would at one time have brought
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172 a deep and motherly sympathy from her, now only managed to fuel the
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173 rage inside her battered and broken heart. “My baby girl has suffered
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174 through hardships unnumbered for you. She has sailed a sea of
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175 loneliness all by herself simply because she wanted to for her
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176 princess. You don’t deserve all that she’s given you. You’re a
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177 pathetic excuse for a friend. And if you don’t get out of my home,
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178 Sakura-chan, I swear I’ll make you regret ever meeting my daughter.”
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179 Her voice was low and menacing and it was with a measure of
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180 satisfaction that she noted Sakura tremble. All the years of pent up
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181 frustration, anger, and pain finally seemed to find a single focal
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182 point. Nadeshiko had left her all those years ago for a man that had
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183 taken everything from a younger Sonomi. But there had been nothing
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184 she could do. She had only been able to run away. Run away and try to
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185 mend her own broken heart. Part of that had been having a daughter of
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186 her own. But she had been forced to watch her daughter also lose the
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187 one she loved. It had all been maddening to Sonomi, a woman who
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188 generally liked to take action. Now she finally had the object of her
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189 current frustration, the person who had caused such terrible anguish
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190 in her daughter’s heart. It wasn’t Fujitaka, but it sure was a good
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191 enough second. All of her righteous fury was brought to bear upon the
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192 Cardmistress and Sakura found her defenses against Sonomi severely
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193 lacking.
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194
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195 Shaking her head, Sakura tried to swallow back her tears, her fists
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196 balling at her sides as she tried to get a grip on the situation. She
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197 couldn’t go now. If she left, then how could she ever tell Tomoyo
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198 before she left? How could she finally fix things? How could she make
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199 amends for her terrible mistake? “Sonomi-sama... Please, don’t... I
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200 need to see Tomoyo-chan,” she pleaded desperately, getting to her
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201 feet as well. She was less than an inch smaller than Sonomi, no
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202 longer the little girl she once was. Yet even then, Sonomi still
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203 towered over her, the pillar of strength that she had always been in
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204 Sakura’s eyes. Part of her felt sick at a sudden realization. Tomoyo
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205 had always said that Sakura would protect her, but now that wasn’t
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206 the case. Tomoyo’s mother had come to her rescue, and she had come to
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207 protect her from any more pain that Sakura could deliver. This role
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208 reversal didn’t sit well at all with the Cardmistress. She wanted to
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209 be the one protecting Tomoyo’s precious heart, not the one it was
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210 being protected from.
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211
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212 With a swift motion of her head, Sonomi cut Sakura’s request short.
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213 “I’m not about to let you go hurt her anymore than you already have,
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214 Kinomoto-san. Now if you’ll excuse me, I had some work I must attend
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215 to. Good day.” Turning curtly on her heel, Sonomi took a few steps
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216 towards the entrance to the room. She decided to give Sakura several
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217 minutes to leave before she had one of her bodyguards escort the
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218 younger woman off the premises. Her heart regretted having to be so
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219 cold to Sakura, but deep down she felt immense relief to finally be
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220 able to affect the situation. She wasn’t idly sitting by while her
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221 daughter crumpled in front of her. She would make this up to Tomoyo.
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222 Somehow. She would piece her daughter back together, piece by piece
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223 if need be. Her baby girl would be happy again one day. And if she
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224 had anything to say about it, Sakura would never again be able to
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225 pain her daughter anymore.
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226
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227 “Sonomi-sama!” Sakura yelled out, stumbling a few feet towards the
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228 business woman. Her heart felt as if it had been torn out and left to
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229 bleed on the floor. Tears dripped down her chin to the floor below,
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230 some falling down to Sakura’s shaking hands. Despite the severity of
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231 Sonomi’s words, Sakura couldn’t argue with the conviction behind
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232 them. Deep down, she realized that they were right, that she had
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233 slighted her best friend horrifically over the years. Tomoyo had
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234 suffered immeasurably in her wake. She couldn’t blame Sonomi at all.
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235 The woman was just trying to protect her precious daughter. Moreover,
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236 she was correct. That realization sent Sakura reeling. She had
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237 suspected for some time that she had hurt Tomoyo, that her ignorance
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238 had pained her best friend. Ever since discovering her love for the
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239 pale girl, that thought had gained strength. But never before had she
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240 seen such furious intensity, such a glimpse into the pain that she
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241 had unwittingly caused. And it was frightening. Not in her darkest
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242 nightmares had she suspected that she could have done such damage.
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243 The pure, unadulterated joy that had coated Sakura’s heart such a
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244 short time before was now replaced with a deeply disturbing sorrow
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245 that encompassed her soul. If she had broken her poor best friend
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246 then she simply couldn’t leave. There had to be some way that she
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247 could fix the damage she had done. She had to at least try to make up
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248 for what she had done. If she left... “I can’t leave, Sonomi-sama...
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249 I have to apologize to Tomoyo-chan..”
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250
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251 Turning back to face the younger woman, Sonomi’s face held a mixture
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252 of hatred and pity for the brunette. She could hear the anguish in
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253 Sakura’s voice, the pain that now gripped the Cardmistress. But
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254 Sonomi couldn’t leave it that easily. She was quick to anger and slow
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255 to forgive. Especially when it came to the few that she allowed
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256 herself to love so completely. Her daughter and Nadeshiko were the
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257 only women she allowed such a high place in her heart. She had seen
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258 firsthand the pain Sakura had caused her only child and no amount of
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259 apology could ever make up for that. “Get out, Kinomoto. I never want
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260 to see you again,” she said coldly, her finger pointing to the door.
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261
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262 Sakura’s head drooped on her shoulders, sniffles coming up from the
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263 crying brunette. She had caused everyone such trouble by her
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264 naivette. Syaoran through their failed marriage, Sonomi by forcing
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265 her to relive her own pain, and most of all, Tomoyo for taking her
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266 for granted for all these years. All because she had failed to find
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267 the love in her heart so many years ago. She had left a trail of bad
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268 feelings and broken hearts in her wake. But there had to be some way
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269 that she could make it all better. That she could somehow make things
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270 all right. “I didn’t mean to...” Sakura sobbed weakly. ‘If you cry,
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rlm@2
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271 you won’t be able to solve anything,’ a voice whispered in Sakura’s
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272 heart. ‘Sakura shouldn’t look so sad. That just makes me sad,’
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rlm@2
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273 another voice added. Sakura blinked through her tears, her vision
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274 slowly clarifying as she looked up to Sonomi. “I never wanted to hurt
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275 Tomoyo-chan. She’s the last person I ever wanted to hurt. I’m so, so
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rlm@2
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276 sorry, Sonomi-sama... I never wanted to hurt Tomoyo-chan. I love
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277 her... I just want to make her happy...” she got out weakly.
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278
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279 Sonomi froze at Sakura’s words, her arm falling slowly to her side.
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rlm@2
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280 Those words that she had long ago wished to hear from a woman named
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rlm@2
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281 Nadeshiko played through her mind amidst Sakura’s sobs. ‘I love her,’
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282 the younger woman had said. There had been genuine regret in her
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283 voice, along with something else. Something that Sonomi knew full too
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284 well. The unrequited love from the depths of one’s heart. The
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285 business woman’s cold glare softened and finally melted away
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286 altogether as she watched the crying form of her own love’s daughter.
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rlm@2
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287 Standing there, her fists clenched and head bowed, she looked like
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288 the child that Sonomi remembered so vividly. The girl that had
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289 captured her own daughter’s heart so many years ago. It was with some
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290 surprise that Sonomi realized Sakura wasn’t here for a simple apology
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291 or to take anything else from her daughter. She was here to give of
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292 herself. The brunette may not be able to fix the damage she had
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293 caused, but that didn’t matter. She had come to offer of herself for
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294 the sake of the future, not for the ruins of the past.
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295
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296 Tears fell quietly to the floor as Sakura choked back her sobs, her
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297 athletic body shaking with each attempt. How could she have been so
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298 careless with the greatest gift she had ever received? Tomoyo had
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299 given so much to her, but she had taken such a wonderful gift for
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300 granted. She had ignored her darling friend and now she deserved
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301 Sonomi’s anger. She deserved far worse than that. How could Tomoyo
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302 accept her heart after what she had done? A hand on her shoulder
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rlm@2
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303 slowly drew Sakura’s attention. Was it a maid or a bodyguard to lead
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304 her away? A hand on her chin rose her tear streaked eyes slowly until
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305 she met Sonomi’s dark blue orbs. The older woman smiled gently at
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306 her, soothingly. With a small hiccup as she suppressed another sob,
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307 Sakura through herself into the older woman’s arms. Sonomi held onto
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308 her like her own mother had an almost forgotten amount of time
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309 before. Sakura’s heart felt some of the pain flutter away, though
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310 some of it continued to cling deep inside of her. The knowledge of
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311 just how badly she had hurt Tomoyo refused to give up the refuge of
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312 her heart. But at least Sonomi wasn’t angry with her anymore. Maybe
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rlm@2
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313 there was still hope that she could make things all right after all.
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314
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rlm@2
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315 Standing with the younger brunette in her arms, Sonomi let her own
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316 eyes fall closed. “You’re not like your father. I was wrong. You’re
|
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317 like Nadeshiko. You didn’t see the love your friend held for you and
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rlm@2
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318 didn’t realize what it would do. But you’re also like me, Sakura-
|
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319 chan. You follow your impulses. You act on instinct. And sometimes
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320 that hurts people. Neither of us give it enough time to really think
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321 things through before we jump into action. We can only hope that it’s
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322 not too late to fix our mistakes.” Standing at arms length, the
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rlm@2
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323 business woman smiled softly. “So I want to apologize. You’re a sweet
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324 girl, Sakura-chan. And I’m sorry for letting myself forget that.”
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rlm@2
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325 Sonomi had mixed feelings about admitting to herself that Nadeshiko
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326 herself had hurt her, that it hadn’t simply been Sakura’s father that
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327 had caused her such pain, but she was glad to see that perhaps all
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328 wasn’t lost with Nadeshiko’s daughter. She realized that she must
|
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rlm@2
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329 have known more how Tomoyo felt than she had realized. Sakura had
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rlm@2
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330 hurt Tomoyo in the same way that Nadeshiko had hurt her, through
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rlm@2
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331 ignorance and naivette. But Sonomi had never allowed herself to see
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332 any of the pain Nadeshiko had caused her, unable to place any such
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333 blame on her sweet and kind cousin. Just as Tomoyo could never blame
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334 Sakura for the pain in her heart. Had that been part of the
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rlm@2
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335 frustration in Sonomi’s heart at watching Sakura so blatantly hurting
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336 her daughter? It didn’t matter. Even in death, Sonomi could never
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rlm@2
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337 quit loving Nadeshiko. Something so trivial may explain a few things,
|
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rlm@2
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338 but it didn’t affect her feelings in the least. It only served to
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rlm@2
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339 make the business woman even more lonely for her cousin’s presence.
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rlm@2
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340 But if she couldn’t be reunited with her darling Nadeshiko at the
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rlm@2
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341 moment, at least she could help bring their daughters together. “I
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rlm@2
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342 was a bit hasty about you leaving. I couldn’t let you go without
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343 seeing Tomoyo-chan. She should be in her room right now.”
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344
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rlm@2
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345 Nodding eagerly, Sakura wiped away the last remnants of tears from
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346 her eyes. “H..Hai!!” she said quickly, smiling at the head of the
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347 Daidouji household. Her heart began to pound again as she followed
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348 behind the older woman. She once again realized just how close she
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rlm@2
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349 was to seeing Tomoyo again, to being once again in her best friend’s
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rlm@2
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350 presence. It was a delightful feeling, but it was agonizing at the
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rlm@2
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351 same time. Would Tomoyo even be happy to see her? Would she accept
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352 her heart when she offered it up? Sakura almost felt dizzy at the
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353 possibilities as Sonomi led her upstairs.
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354
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rlm@2
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355 “Tomoyo-chan? You have a visitor,” Sonomi said cheerfully from the
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356 doorway. She waited a moment, expecting a response from her
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rlm@2
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357 introverted daughter. When none came, she frowned and knocked on the
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358 door. Perhaps Tomoyo had fallen asleep watching one of her videos
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359 again. But as no answer seemed forthcoming, Sonomi began to worry
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rlm@2
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360 that that wasn’t the case. Her naturally protective instincts finally
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rlm@2
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361 got the best of her and she pushed the door open, hurrying inside her
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362 daughter’s room. Sakura followed right behind her. The business
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rlm@2
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363 woman’s stormy eyes darted across the room for any sign of her pale
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364 daughter, but the dark haired girl seemed to have gone missing. Her
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rlm@2
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365 eyes settled on Tomoyo’s bags for a second, but the items were still
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rlm@2
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366 there, half packed. Tomoyo hadn’t been scheduled to leave for another
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rlm@2
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367 few days at the least. Sonomi’s eyes frantically scanned the large
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368 room for any sign of her child. Pictures of Sakura adorned the room
|
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rlm@2
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369 like a religious shrine, the occupant having grown only more
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370 obsessive in recent years. That didn’t particularly surprise Sonomi,
|
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rlm@2
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371 as she had seen Tomoyo’s room often enough over the years to know
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372 just how much of it was dedicated to the brunette. Something on
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373 Tomoyo’s desk finally caught the worried mother’s eye and she hurried
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rlm@2
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374 over, Sakura just steps behind. “Oh God...” Sonomi got out weakly.
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rlm@2
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375 Her knees felt like they were about to collapse, the blood slowly
|
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rlm@2
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376 draining from her body. On Tomoyo’s desk lay a bloody shard of glass,
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rlm@2
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377 dried blood covering the wood finish of the desk. Nearby rested a
|
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rlm@2
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378 crumpled costume design. Sonomi’s heart felt like it had stopped with
|
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rlm@2
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379 all the suddenness of an explosion. Her mind raced back to just
|
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380 several days earlier, to her daughter’s carefully bandaged hand. Her
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rlm@2
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381 head shook slowly in shock as she picked up the shard of glass. “No,
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rlm@2
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382 Tomoyo-chan...” ‘I want you to see a doctor about that,’ her own
|
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rlm@2
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383 voice rang in her ears. And Tomoyo had agreed, but she had looked
|
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384 so... different. As if a part of her had been missing. Or killed.
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rlm@2
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385 Sonomi continued to shake her head, holding the blood stained shard
|
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rlm@2
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386 of glass to her chest. “Tomoyo-chan...” Her heart felt like the glass
|
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rlm@2
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387 shard had been wedged inside of it. Not now. Not when Sakura had
|
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rlm@2
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388 finally come to rescue her baby. She couldn’t be too late to rescue
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389 her child. But all of the signs were pointing to that. Images of her
|
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rlm@2
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390 broken child plagued Sonomi’s mind like a horrific vision of the
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391 future. Her sweet, darling child lying broken and lifeless on the
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392 floor. What made it all the worse was that Sonomi could remember her
|
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rlm@2
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393 own failed suicide attempt from years earlier. How close had she
|
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rlm@2
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394 herself come to dying back then? And Tomoyo was a much more
|
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rlm@2
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395 meticulous planner than she herself had been. If Tomoyo intended to
|
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rlm@2
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396 go through with it, she would very well go through with it. Tomoyo
|
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rlm@2
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397 had been the only thing that had made Sonomi’s life worth living for
|
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rlm@2
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398 so many years. The idea of losing her only child in such a violent
|
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399 fashion froze her heart. Her mind tried desperately to locate her
|
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400 child, but nothing came to mind. She was blank.
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401
|
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rlm@2
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402 Sakura looked from the distraught Sonomi to the desk and back. Her
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rlm@2
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403 fingers traced slowly over the blood stains on Tomoyo’s desk, her
|
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rlm@2
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404 heart pounding desperately in her chest. Part of her didn’t want to
|
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rlm@2
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405 admit that anything was wrong, the idea of Tomoyo disappearing
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rlm@2
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406 completely from her life seeming as absurd as a life without water or
|
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rlm@2
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407 air. Her trembling fingers grappled around the crumpled costume
|
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rlm@2
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408 design when her eyes caught sight of Tomoyo’s handwriting on the
|
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409 back. She quickly smoothed out the piece of paper on top of the
|
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410 bloodstained desk, her mind frantically searching for any clues to
|
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rlm@2
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411 her friend’s sudden disappearance. Suddenly Tomoyo’s aversion to
|
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rlm@2
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412 meeting her last night began to make sense. She hadn’t intended on
|
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rlm@2
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413 ever seeing Sakura again. She had played her final part the night
|
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rlm@2
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414 before, pretending to be her happy and pleasant best friend one last
|
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rlm@2
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415 time. Sakura silently cursed herself for not having seen through
|
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rlm@2
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416 Tomoyo’s cracks, to seeing the lost and lonely little girl
|
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417 underneath.
|
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rlm@2
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418
|
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rlm@2
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419
|
|
rlm@2
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420 ‘Dear Sakura-chan,
|
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rlm@2
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421 As I sit here writing this, I see your beautiful face in my mind’s
|
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rlm@2
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422 eye, your sweet smile sending ripples throughout the stormy ocean of
|
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423 my soul. I know that you may hate me for this, and though I could
|
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rlm@2
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424 hardly bear the thought of you ever hating me, I know that I must go
|
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rlm@2
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425 through with this. I’m not sure if I can explain why, but it doesn’t
|
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rlm@2
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426 really matter. Please know that you have always been the most
|
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427 treasured thing in my life. I would never wish to hurt you. That’s
|
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428 why I have to say goodbye.’
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429
|
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rlm@2
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430 Swallowing painfully, Sakura forced her way through the rest of this
|
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rlm@2
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431 unsent letter, forcing back tears as she tried to make out Tomoyo’s
|
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rlm@2
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432 beautiful strokes. Every word struck her with deadly precision, every
|
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rlm@2
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433 revelation shaking the beliefs she had once held in her heart. But
|
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rlm@2
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434 despite the truths they revealed, Sakura could find no comfort in
|
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rlm@2
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435 them. They only seemed to add up to a desperate and frantic Tomoyo
|
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rlm@2
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436 who was determined to escape Sakura’s life for Sakura’s sake and her
|
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rlm@2
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437 own. That Tomoyo had been so hell bent on Sakura’s happiness even to
|
|
rlm@2
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438 the bitter end both astonished and frightened Sakura. It seemed that
|
|
rlm@2
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439 Tomoyo was always proving just how deep her love ran. Halfway through
|
|
rlm@2
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440 the letter, Sakura read and reread through the dark haired girl’s
|
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rlm@2
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441 confessions in a near delirious frenzy. “She loves me...” Sakura
|
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rlm@2
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442 whispered, her eyes skimming the passage again. “She loves me. That’s
|
|
rlm@2
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443 why she left. She left... for me..” She shook her head, as if unable
|
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rlm@2
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444 to comprehend the logic behind such an action. But in Tomoyo’s
|
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rlm@2
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445 eccentric way, it made perfect sense. Tomoyo had left to save
|
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rlm@2
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446 Sakura’s marriage, to protect Sakura’s new life. She had no way of
|
|
rlm@2
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447 knowing that Sakura had thrown it all away for her, had perhaps left
|
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rlm@2
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448 to keep that from happening. The brunette felt a chill run up and
|
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rlm@2
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449 down her spine. Because she had been too late, she may have lost
|
|
rlm@2
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450 Tomoyo forever. In a final desperate attempt to save everything,
|
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rlm@2
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451 Tomoyo had left after Sakura’s phone call the night before. Where she
|
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rlm@2
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452 was now, Sakura couldn’t hope to guess. She had been too late to
|
|
rlm@2
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453 rescue her princess after all. She had failed Tomoyo. Tears stung her
|
|
rlm@2
|
454 eyes like liquid fire, her body begging her to collapse as the
|
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rlm@2
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455 strength drained away from her.
|
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rlm@2
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456
|
|
rlm@2
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457 “Everything will always be all right,” Sakura whispered to herself.
|
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rlm@2
|
458 Sonomi turned to look at her in confusion, but Sakura stood up as
|
|
rlm@2
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459 strength rushed in to fill the vacuum. With a thought, brilliant blue
|
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rlm@2
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460 wings unfurled from Sakura’s back, nearly sending Sonomi sprawling.
|
|
rlm@2
|
461 There had to be time. Sakura could still find Tomoyo. She could still
|
|
rlm@2
|
462 put things right. She had to. This was her final test, the test of
|
|
rlm@2
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463 her heart. Tomoyo believed in her. She believed that Sakura would
|
|
rlm@2
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464 come and save her. Sakura couldn’t disappoint her. She couldn’t fail
|
|
rlm@2
|
465 Tomoyo. “I love her,” Sakura whispered determinedly, her long wings
|
|
rlm@2
|
466 spreading behind her.
|
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rlm@2
|
467
|
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rlm@2
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468 Sonomi watched in awe as an angelic Sakura darted out the window,
|
|
rlm@2
|
469 glass shards glinting in the early morning light like shooting stars.
|
|
rlm@2
|
470 “Sakura-chan...” Sonomi watched as Sakura flew away, as angelic as
|
|
rlm@2
|
471 she had always imagined Nadeshiko’s angel. “Find her, Sakura-chan.
|
|
rlm@2
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472 Find my baby girl before it’s too late. Please help her be on time,
|
|
rlm@2
|
473 Nadeshiko-chan,” Sonomi pleaded as she clutched onto the blood
|
|
rlm@2
|
474 sullied piece of glass that warned of a tragic fate for her daughter.
|
|
rlm@2
|
475 Exhausted, the business woman collapsed to her knees, praying
|
|
rlm@2
|
476 desperately that her daughter wouldn’t be joining the woman she loved
|
|
rlm@2
|
477 so soon.
|
