rlm@0
|
1 Dear Sakura
|
rlm@0
|
2 by Amazoness Duo and G.P.
|
rlm@0
|
3 amazonessduo@hotmail.com
|
rlm@0
|
4 pearsong1954@yahoo.com
|
rlm@0
|
5
|
rlm@0
|
6 Dear Sakura-chan,
|
rlm@0
|
7 You don’t have to be in any rush to get back to me. I’m always
|
rlm@0
|
8 happy to receive any letters from you, but don’t worry about how long
|
rlm@0
|
9 it takes. I understand how busy Sakura-chan’s life must be with
|
rlm@0
|
10 starting all over in China and with a new husband and family. So
|
rlm@0
|
11 please don’t worry yourself, Sakura-chan. And if you ever need to
|
rlm@0
|
12 call me, please don’t hesitate. I would always love to hear your
|
rlm@0
|
13 voice again and if you need someone to talk to about anything, you
|
rlm@0
|
14 know you can always trust me. I can pay the bill for any calls you
|
rlm@0
|
15 make as well. It would be worth it just to hear you. I don’t think
|
rlm@0
|
16 anything you ever talk
|
rlm@0
|
17 about is silly. Sakura-chan’s mind moves around a lot like a
|
rlm@0
|
18 meandering ocean breeze, moving through all sorts of wonderful
|
rlm@0
|
19 thoughts. I’ve always found whatever you want to talk about
|
rlm@0
|
20 fascinating because I love just being able to talk with you, to be
|
rlm@0
|
21 able to hear your thoughts and feelings on things. Some of my fondest
|
rlm@0
|
22 memories are of when we were together, talking about the most trivial
|
rlm@0
|
23 of things, without a care in the world. You looked so free. I wished
|
rlm@0
|
24 I could be that free. That you could teach me to soar. But it was
|
rlm@0
|
25 enough to watch you. I hope that freedom of a gentle breeze never
|
rlm@0
|
26 leaves you, Sakura-chan.
|
rlm@0
|
27 I’m very happy that Sakura-chan liked all of the things I’ve sent.
|
rlm@0
|
28 I was hoping you would. I have an idea or two for the doll’s hair
|
rlm@0
|
29 that I’m working into the design so that hopefully little girls will
|
rlm@0
|
30 be able to play with her hair the way they want to more. I always
|
rlm@0
|
31 enjoyed trying out new hairstyles myself, so I want to keep that with
|
rlm@0
|
32 the doll. She still needs a name, but we don’t need to worry about
|
rlm@0
|
33 that yet. I’m thinking something like Hanako. ‘Flower Child’. That
|
rlm@0
|
34 would be pretty. She does look a lot like you, but you were always
|
rlm@0
|
35 the girl I sketched when I was making my designs. You were just so
|
rlm@0
|
36 pretty. So I think
|
rlm@0
|
37 she looks cute, sharing some of your features. Maybe she can even be
|
rlm@0
|
38 a magical girl. I’ll send you one of the first dolls we produce for
|
rlm@0
|
39 all of the inspiration you have always given me. And it meant so much
|
rlm@0
|
40 to me to hear that you liked the cassette I sent you. I haven’t sung
|
rlm@0
|
41 to anyone but myself in so long that I wasn’t sure how it would come
|
rlm@0
|
42 out. I’m so very sorry that it made you cry, but I’m glad that it
|
rlm@0
|
43 managed to touch you. Maybe I shouldn’t have added that last song
|
rlm@0
|
44 after all. It was pretty sad. I know what you mean about thinking
|
rlm@0
|
45 things would
|
rlm@0
|
46 always stay the way they were, Sakura-chan. I always knew that you
|
rlm@0
|
47 would leave me someday, but I hadn’t expected it so soon. I guess it
|
rlm@0
|
48 took me by surprise. I knew we’d have to part ways one day, but I
|
rlm@0
|
49 always wanted it to be tomorrow, never today. Sometimes it’s hard for
|
rlm@0
|
50 me to remember that you aren’t the same little girl that I first met.
|
rlm@0
|
51 You’re still the same vibrant, loving soul, but you’ve grown up. And
|
rlm@0
|
52 I’m so proud of you. You’re starting your own family now, starting a
|
rlm@0
|
53 new life in China with the one you love. I hope all of your dreams
|
rlm@0
|
54 come true. But sometimes I can’t help but look out at the stars at
|
rlm@0
|
55 night and think that the heavens are crying, missing Sakura-chan as
|
rlm@0
|
56 much as I
|
rlm@0
|
57 do.
|
rlm@0
|
58 That’s great that the recipes worked out so well for Sakura-chan!
|
rlm@0
|
59 You can do such wonderful things when you put your mind to it. I knew
|
rlm@0
|
60 it would turn out perfectly for you. It really did look delicious. It
|
rlm@0
|
61 got me thinking about if you had anymore trouble cooking because I
|
rlm@0
|
62 know you can’t just use the same recipes over and over again. So I
|
rlm@0
|
63 went and got my camcorder out from the attic and decided to put
|
rlm@0
|
64 together a few more recipes for Sakura-chan. What you said about me
|
rlm@0
|
65 by your side sent a trill through my heart. We have a very good chef
|
rlm@0
|
66 so I had her teach me some more recipes. I went through the entire
|
rlm@0
|
67 recipe on video and taped myself making the successful dishes. I’ll
|
rlm@0
|
68 try to send more when
|
rlm@0
|
69 I have more time to cook. I really hope they help. I thought it
|
rlm@0
|
70 would be a good job for my old camcorder. It isn’t capturing images
|
rlm@0
|
71 of the most beautiful object I could find for it, but I can still
|
rlm@0
|
72 send you these videotapes with me in them. Hopefully they’ll help
|
rlm@0
|
73 with your cooking. And so you won’t forget me. I’m glad that Ieran-
|
rlm@0
|
74 sama still thinks of me fondly. I think she understood some things I
|
rlm@0
|
75 was dealing with when we were in Hong Kong.
|
rlm@0
|
76 Thank you for sending more pictures! I think it was a good idea for
|
rlm@0
|
77 you to get a camera. With all that’s going on in your life, it needs
|
rlm@0
|
78 to be taken down for posterity. And since I can’t do that anymore,
|
rlm@0
|
79 Sakura-chan can. I would love to see any pictures you take, no matter
|
rlm@0
|
80 what they’re of. It makes me smile to see what’s going on with my
|
rlm@0
|
81 favorite magical girl and her new life in China. I think that you
|
rlm@0
|
82 would make a very good photographer. I’m going to start making a
|
rlm@0
|
83 picture album to put by my old videotape collection once I have
|
rlm@0
|
84 enough photos. Mother used to have a camera when she was younger and
|
rlm@0
|
85 she took many beautiful pictures with it. I know that if Sakura-chan
|
rlm@0
|
86 keeps practicing, she'll take many beautiful pictures herself.
|
rlm@0
|
87 I tried watching the videotape of your wedding when I got off of
|
rlm@0
|
88 work a few days ago. Touya took some wonderful shots of you. You
|
rlm@0
|
89 looked so stunning in your wedding dress. I had a hard time seeing
|
rlm@0
|
90 you through the tears at the time. I was just so happy that Sakura-
|
rlm@0
|
91 chan was finally getting married. It was really a beautiful wedding.
|
rlm@0
|
92 I still haven’t made it to the end. I got a little busy and haven’t
|
rlm@0
|
93 quite reached past where I left. I’ll try to again soon. Maybe I’ll
|
rlm@0
|
94 have more free time after I finish the designs for the doll. No,
|
rlm@0
|
95 please don’t worry
|
rlm@0
|
96 about me Sakura-chan. I’m just fine. I just started feeling a pain
|
rlm@0
|
97 in my chest near the end of it, but I don’t think it’s anything to
|
rlm@0
|
98 worry about. I’ve been healthy and there’s nothing for you to worry
|
rlm@0
|
99 about. It went away after I fell asleep back at home for the most
|
rlm@0
|
100 part. Just please don’t worry. I know it’s nothing to see a doctor
|
rlm@0
|
101 about. And that is the truth. I promise that I’ll take good care of
|
rlm@0
|
102 myself, Sakura-chan. For you.
|
rlm@0
|
103 Your bouquet is very important to me. Whenever I hold it, I see you
|
rlm@0
|
104 right before the wedding, when I was helping you into your wedding
|
rlm@0
|
105 dress. I see that happy smile and the bright glow in your emerald
|
rlm@0
|
106 eyes and I know that you’ll be just fine. That you’re finally happy.
|
rlm@0
|
107 It’s kind of strange. That’s what I’ve worked my whole life for, to
|
rlm@0
|
108 see you happy. Now that you’re finally married off and that’s
|
rlm@0
|
109 accomplished, I don’t know what to do anymore. Silly, isn’t it? I’ll
|
rlm@0
|
110 need to come up with a new plan, I guess. But now I don’t have to
|
rlm@0
|
111 worry because Li-kun is taking good care of you.
|
rlm@0
|
112 I’m so glad that you remembered! Hai, that was the eraser you gave
|
rlm@0
|
113 me the first day we met. I was so lonely and nervous about
|
rlm@0
|
114 everything. I was never any good at making friends and the classroom
|
rlm@0
|
115 seemed so big with all of those faces I didn’t know. But then this
|
rlm@0
|
116 really sweet girl sitting next to me offered me her eraser when I
|
rlm@0
|
117 needed one. When I looked at her, at you, it all seemed okay. I
|
rlm@0
|
118 didn’t feel so lonely anymore. You’ve always had that affect on me.
|
rlm@0
|
119 So that
|
rlm@0
|
120 eraser has been very important to me, my very first memento of
|
rlm@0
|
121 Sakura-chan.
|
rlm@0
|
122 My spirits sing to know that you’ve been thinking about me a lot
|
rlm@0
|
123 lately. You’re always close to my thoughts. So I’m happy to know
|
rlm@0
|
124 that I’ve been in yours as well. But please don’t let it make you
|
rlm@0
|
125 sad. I’ll always be your friend and you should be smiling a lot now
|
rlm@0
|
126 in your new life. You have a lot to be happy about. It makes me happy
|
rlm@0
|
127 to know that you are. So the next time you think of me, please smile
|
rlm@0
|
128 knowing that your old friend wants only the best for you. I would
|
rlm@0
|
129 love to watch you dancing. I think it would be a very beautiful thing
|
rlm@0
|
130 to witness. It reminds me of watching you dance with the Flower Card.
|
rlm@0
|
131 Yes, mother is a very good dancer. She doesn’t dance very often
|
rlm@0
|
132 because she says that ‘her dance card is already filled’. She said
|
rlm@0
|
133 she’s waiting for a specific dance with the wind. But she did teach
|
rlm@0
|
134 me to dance a bit when I was younger. It can be fun with the right
|
rlm@0
|
135 partner, I’m sure. So I’m sure Sakura-chan must have a lot of fun
|
rlm@0
|
136 when she does dance.
|
rlm@0
|
137 Poor Sakura-chan! I’m so sorry that you think Ieran-sama doesn’t
|
rlm@0
|
138 like you. I’m sure that isn’t true. She may seem like she does, but
|
rlm@0
|
139 she seems like she’s always like that. Just try to look past the
|
rlm@0
|
140 strict exterior. She probably is still a little angry about the
|
rlm@0
|
141 wedding, what with Li-kun being engaged to Meiling-chan, but she’ll
|
rlm@0
|
142 have to realize what a good wife Sakura-chan is soon enough. Your
|
rlm@0
|
143 warm heart will melt whatever resistance she has before long. It
|
rlm@0
|
144 always does. Remember, Li-kun didn’t like you much to begin with
|
rlm@0
|
145 either, but now he’s your husband! So you can touch anyone’s heart in
|
rlm@0
|
146 enough time. I know you touched mine. I wish I was there, too, Sakura-
|
rlm@0
|
147 chan. But it’s probably
|
rlm@0
|
148 better that I’m not. I’m certain Li-kun would get tired of me after
|
rlm@0
|
149 I kept videotaping your married life. But you can always talk to me
|
rlm@0
|
150 about anything, even if I am an ocean away. I’m always here for you
|
rlm@0
|
151 when you need me.
|
rlm@0
|
152 That’s very sweet that Naoko-chan’s doing so well. I should really
|
rlm@0
|
153 go see how she and Nakuru-san are doing sometime. They sure do make
|
rlm@0
|
154 an interesting couple, don’t they? That sounds just like the type of
|
rlm@0
|
155 place Naoko-chan would want to live. I wonder how she convinced
|
rlm@0
|
156 Nakuru-san it was a good idea. It’s great to hear that the two of
|
rlm@0
|
157 them are so happy. Love has a way of surpassing so much. It really is
|
rlm@0
|
158 a strong thing. It seems everyone’s finding their special someone
|
rlm@0
|
159 these days. I bet Kero-chan’s next.
|
rlm@0
|
160 Please don’t mind the parts of this letter that used to be wet. I
|
rlm@0
|
161 spilled some droplets of water on it on accident and tried my best to
|
rlm@0
|
162 dry it. Thank you for being so concerned about my love life, Sakura-
|
rlm@0
|
163 chan. You’ve always been such a wonderful friend. Mother found me
|
rlm@0
|
164 reading this part of your letter and after we talked for a while, she
|
rlm@0
|
165 said that there was one person I reminded her of. She said that your
|
rlm@0
|
166 mother acted the same way sometimes. That’s strange, isn’t it? But I
|
rlm@0
|
167 guess it’s the way mother raised me. Nadeshiko-san was very important
|
rlm@0
|
168 to her. I’m glad you think I should tell my special someone, but I
|
rlm@0
|
169 don’t think I can anymore. I thought I had all the time in the
|
rlm@0
|
170 world, but as time went on I started thinking it would be better for
|
rlm@0
|
171 them if I didn’t say anything. So I changed my mind about telling
|
rlm@0
|
172 them a long time ago and have kept it to myself. Sakura-chan, what if
|
rlm@0
|
173 the person I love already had someone? If they’re happy now, I
|
rlm@0
|
174 wouldn’t want to ruin that. I’m happy as long as they are. Yes, I
|
rlm@0
|
175 think maybe they don’t love me. But I’ve accepted that. So as long as
|
rlm@0
|
176 they can be happy, that’s enough for me. I don’t think they’d be any
|
rlm@0
|
177 happier knowing about my feelings. They’re much better kept deep
|
rlm@0
|
178 inside, where I can hold them close to my heart. They can’t do any
|
rlm@0
|
179 harm that way and I can still love them from afar. If you were the
|
rlm@0
|
180 man I loved, Sakura-chan, I would love to lie in your arms and fall
|
rlm@0
|
181 asleep knowing that you would be with
|
rlm@0
|
182 me in the morning. And I would love to tell you how much I love you.
|
rlm@0
|
183 But I couldn’t. Because your love belongs to another. So I hope that
|
rlm@0
|
184 makes this easier to understand, even if it is a rather strange
|
rlm@0
|
185 analogy. I would love to tell my special someone how much I love
|
rlm@0
|
186 them, to finally be able to let that love escape the bonds I’ve
|
rlm@0
|
187 created for it, but I can’t. So I’ll just be happy for them. And
|
rlm@0
|
188 that’s enough for me. It brings a smile to my lips when I know that
|
rlm@0
|
189 they’re smiling because it means they’re truly happy. That’s much
|
rlm@0
|
190 more important
|
rlm@0
|
191 than having them know my feelings. I would love to have you come
|
rlm@0
|
192 back to Japan and take pictures of my wedding, but I don’t need one.
|
rlm@0
|
193 I’ll be fine without. Thank you, Sakura-chan.
|
rlm@0
|
194 Please take care of yourself! I hope everything goes well for you.
|
rlm@0
|
195 Please take many, many more pictures! I need more for my scrapbook.
|
rlm@0
|
196 Tell everyone that I said hello. And please do get some rest. You
|
rlm@0
|
197 really need it. I miss you, too, Sakura-chan. I hope I can hear from
|
rlm@0
|
198 you soon. Try to have some fun soon with the Sakura Cards!
|
rlm@0
|
199
|
rlm@0
|
200
|
rlm@0
|
201 To the best prince in the fourth grade,
|
rlm@0
|
202 From Daidouji Tomoyo
|
rlm@0
|
203
|
rlm@0
|
204
|
rlm@0
|
205
|
rlm@0
|
206
|
rlm@0
|
207
|
rlm@0
|
208 Dear Tomoyo-chan,
|
rlm@0
|
209
|
rlm@0
|
210 It was so wonderful to hear your voice again! Talking on the phone
|
rlm@0
|
211 was a good idea, and looking forward to our regular Sunday calls is a
|
rlm@0
|
212 real treat. There is so much to talk about each week, and even when
|
rlm@0
|
213 there isn't I just love to hear you. It's funny, because I had never
|
rlm@0
|
214 realized how beautiful your voice is. Not your singing, because I
|
rlm@0
|
215 already knew that was wonderful, but just your voice. When I talk to
|
rlm@0
|
216 you, I feel so at ease, so happy and content. For all those years, I
|
rlm@0
|
217 didn't really know how important it was for me just to listen to you.
|
rlm@0
|
218 But being apart made me realize how lucky I was when we were
|
rlm@0
|
219 together. So now I treasure every second with you.
|
rlm@0
|
220
|
rlm@0
|
221 Still, there are some things I don't feel comfortable talking about
|
rlm@0
|
222 on the phone. Some things are better written, I think, so I decided
|
rlm@0
|
223 to start writing letters again. I hope you don't mind, because I know
|
rlm@0
|
224 Tomoyo-chan is very busy with her work. If you don't have time to
|
rlm@0
|
225 reply, please don't worry about it. Just writting to you is pleasure
|
rlm@0
|
226 enough. Oh, and I insist on paying for half the calls. You work very
|
rlm@0
|
227 hard, too, and I would not feel right if you paid for them all. I
|
rlm@0
|
228 think from now on, I should pay when I call, and you should pay when
|
rlm@0
|
229 you call, and we can take turns calling. Does that sound all right?
|
rlm@0
|
230 At least we won't do like last week, where we were each calling and
|
rlm@0
|
231 calling at the same time, and kept getting busy signals!
|
rlm@0
|
232
|
rlm@0
|
233 I am drinking English Breakfast tea just now. I bought it while
|
rlm@0
|
234 shopping in the city last Saturday. Did you know that Hong Kong was
|
rlm@0
|
235 once a colony of Great Britain? There are many funny little English
|
rlm@0
|
236 things here. I am sure Eriol-kun would feel right at home. Ieran-sama
|
rlm@0
|
237 says that tea is an art. This surprised me. I know back home there is
|
rlm@0
|
238 the tea ceremony, which is an art, but I never thought that just tea
|
rlm@0
|
239 was an art by itself. It's funny, though, because I remember when we
|
rlm@0
|
240 were looking for the Jump card at the Twin Bells Shoppe. Do you
|
rlm@0
|
241 remember? The Lady told me afterwards that you were talking about tea
|
rlm@0
|
242 before she feinted. She said you were the most knowledgeable girl
|
rlm@0
|
243 about tea that she had ever met. So I guess you knew all along.
|
rlm@0
|
244 Anyway, I asked Ieran-sama if she could show me some of the things
|
rlm@0
|
245 she knows about tea. She looked quite surprised, and then told me she
|
rlm@0
|
246 might as well, since the family would have to drink what I brewed,
|
rlm@0
|
247 and it might as well be done right. I have learned many things from
|
rlm@0
|
248 her, and am very grateful. You would be surprised at how much better
|
rlm@0
|
249 my tea is now! Even if Ieran-sama does not like me, she does seem to
|
rlm@0
|
250 like my tea, which is a start.
|
rlm@0
|
251
|
rlm@0
|
252 She now asks me to prepare tea for her, which she never did before.
|
rlm@0
|
253 The first time I made it, I was very nervous. She drank the tea with
|
rlm@0
|
254 a frown, and looked at me with a very scary look. She said if I did
|
rlm@0
|
255 not do better, then I would have something to be nervous about. So
|
rlm@0
|
256 the next time, I pretended Tomoyo-chan was with me, and that we both
|
rlm@0
|
257 brewed tea together. That was such a help, because whenever things
|
rlm@0
|
258 were hard and you were with me, I always felt confident that
|
rlm@0
|
259 everything would be all right. So thank you for helping, Tomoyo-chan!
|
rlm@0
|
260
|
rlm@0
|
261 And speaking of help in the kitchen, please keep sending me your
|
rlm@0
|
262 wonderful videos. I know your video camera must be very happy to be
|
rlm@0
|
263 with you again. It must have been sad and lonely up in the attic. I
|
rlm@0
|
264 have made almost all the recipes you have sent me, as you can see
|
rlm@0
|
265 from some of the pictures of the family dinners I have prepared
|
rlm@0
|
266 (Look, even Ieran-sama is smiling in one of them!). But sometimes I
|
rlm@0
|
267 just like to watch Tomoyo-chan on the videos. You always filmed me,
|
rlm@0
|
268 and almost never yourself. But you look sooooo cute in your apron,
|
rlm@0
|
269 with your beautiful hair in braids, bustling about the kitchen,
|
rlm@0
|
270 patiently explaining each recipe in your sweet, gentle voice,
|
rlm@0
|
271 hanyaaaan!
|
rlm@0
|
272
|
rlm@0
|
273 I had to stop writting. It is hard to write when you are blushing.
|
rlm@0
|
274 Anyway, thank you, and any videos you send are very appreciated in
|
rlm@0
|
275 many ways.
|
rlm@0
|
276
|
rlm@0
|
277 Tomoyo-chan, may I tell you about a dream I have had? I have had
|
rlm@0
|
278 this dream twice now, and talked about it with Kero-chan. He says he
|
rlm@0
|
279 does not understand it, but that it sounds important. In the dream I
|
rlm@0
|
280 am back in Japan, and it is night. It is chilly and windy, and I am
|
rlm@0
|
281 starriing off into the distance trying to see something. Finally, off
|
rlm@0
|
282 in the distance, I can make out Tokyo Tower. That is when I wake up.
|
rlm@0
|
283 Kero chan says that is why it is an important dream, because of Tokyo
|
rlm@0
|
284 Tower, which was in so many of my dreams when I was still capturing
|
rlm@0
|
285 the Cards. I remember the one dream I had about Yue that was revealed
|
rlm@0
|
286 to me little by little over many nights. It was a prophetic dream,
|
rlm@0
|
287 about his judgement. So, maybe this funny dream is like that, and it
|
rlm@0
|
288 will be more clear later.
|
rlm@0
|
289
|
rlm@0
|
290 Did you know that Yue is a Chinese word? It means "moon". I have
|
rlm@0
|
291 been doing pretty well with my Chinese lessons. Syaoran-chan's
|
rlm@0
|
292 sisters help me a lot, though they giggle at my accent. I offered to
|
rlm@0
|
293 teach them Japanese, but only Fanren-san was interested. She says she
|
rlm@0
|
294 would like to go to Japan someday, so we have a little lesson every
|
rlm@0
|
295 week. In fact, my Chinese has gotten good enough so that I now have a
|
rlm@0
|
296 job! This is how I can afford to pay for the phone calls, by the way.
|
rlm@0
|
297 I will start next week as a Physical Education teacher at the Fung
|
rlm@0
|
298 Kai Liu Yun Sum Memorial Primary School. Fortunately, I do not need
|
rlm@0
|
299 to know much Chinese for the position, though I had to learn 12 new
|
rlm@0
|
300 characters for the school name. The Principal of the school saw me
|
rlm@0
|
301 when I was practicing my gymnastics in the courtyard. She called me
|
rlm@0
|
302 over and we talked. It turns out she knows Japanese, but rarely has a
|
rlm@0
|
303 chance to practice with the language. So, I will be giving lessons to
|
rlm@0
|
304 her, too. Syaoran-chan was not very happy with the idea, but I
|
rlm@0
|
305 promised I would still be able to do my housework as well as
|
rlm@0
|
306 teaching. I'll bet you never thought your friend would be a sensei! I
|
rlm@0
|
307 know I never did. I am very nervous, but will try my best.
|
rlm@0
|
308
|
rlm@0
|
309 I never quite know where to put bad news in a letter, so I guess it
|
rlm@0
|
310 will go here. Syaoran-chan and I had our first fight last Tuesday. It
|
rlm@0
|
311 was my fault, because he was tired and said things he did not mean. I
|
rlm@0
|
312 got very angry, and I guess I yelled at him. He even slept in the
|
rlm@0
|
313 living room, he was so mad. I couldn't sleep at all. But in the
|
rlm@0
|
314 morning I apologized, and so did he, so things are OK now. I guess
|
rlm@0
|
315 sometimes these things happen with loving couples, although when I
|
rlm@0
|
316 told Oniichan about this, he said he never remembered Mother and
|
rlm@0
|
317 Father fighting like that. I was sort of mad too because I don't see
|
rlm@0
|
318 him all that often. That is very selfish, because he has to work
|
rlm@0
|
319 hard, and I know he would rather be with me if he could. But
|
rlm@0
|
320 sometimes I feel lonely, even when he is around. It's odd, because I
|
rlm@0
|
321 never felt like that before. Lonely, I mean. But then, I was always
|
rlm@0
|
322 around so many friends and family, and especially you, Tomoyo-chan. I
|
rlm@0
|
323 really miss you so very much. It feels like something isn't quite
|
rlm@0
|
324 right, somehow. I am so happy in my new life, though, and I shouldn't
|
rlm@0
|
325 feel like that. Maybe I am just a little homesick at times.
|
rlm@0
|
326
|
rlm@0
|
327 That is the end of the bad news. Oh, I did have another dream. It
|
rlm@0
|
328 was very weird, and I almost don't want to tell you about it. You
|
rlm@0
|
329 were in the dream, and so was I, sort of. You were Tomoyo-chan, of
|
rlm@0
|
330 course, but I was the boy that you love, and never told. But in this
|
rlm@0
|
331 dream, you did tell me, when we were very young. We had grown up
|
rlm@0
|
332 together, and were on a date at Tokyo Tower. Tomoyo-chan, you were -
|
rlm@0
|
333 so- beautiful! You wore a flowing, white and lavendar chiffon dress,
|
rlm@0
|
334 and your hair was bedecked in purple ribbons. You had a snow-white
|
rlm@0
|
335 gardenia corsage that filled my dream with the sweetest scent. I was
|
rlm@0
|
336 so very nervous in the dream, because, well, because I was going to
|
rlm@0
|
337 ask you to marry me. Because you were so kind and gentle I was able
|
rlm@0
|
338 to stammer out the words and offer you a golden ring. Your amythyst
|
rlm@0
|
339 eyes filled with tears, and I was very afraid of your answer. But
|
rlm@0
|
340 then you said yes, and my heart sang. We embraced and hugged, and
|
rlm@0
|
341 danced together under the pale moonlight. You were so happy, and I
|
rlm@0
|
342 have never been happier to see you like that.
|
rlm@0
|
343
|
rlm@0
|
344 I am sorry if you cannot let him know of your love. It makes me very
|
rlm@0
|
345 sad to think about this. I was so unhappy when Li-kun left for Hong
|
rlm@0
|
346 Kong. If it hadn't been for you, and Yukito-san, and Rika-chan, and
|
rlm@0
|
347 Oniichan, and everybody, I might never have seen him on the bus, and
|
rlm@0
|
348 told him I loved him. It was hard to wait, but I knew he loved me,
|
rlm@0
|
349 and that he knew I loved him. And someday, I knew we would finally be
|
rlm@0
|
350 together. Tomoyo-chan, it makes me cry to think of you, that you
|
rlm@0
|
351 can't even tell your special person of your love. It must be so awful
|
rlm@0
|
352 to have no hope, and you are so brave about it. I wish I had known
|
rlm@0
|
353 back then, and maybe I could have helped you the way you helped me.
|
rlm@0
|
354 You helped me so many times, and I didn't even know you needed help.
|
rlm@0
|
355 I was so stupid about so much. Gomennasai. I don't think I was a very
|
rlm@0
|
356 good friend for you. I feel so ashamed. Gomennasai, Tomoyo-chan. If I
|
rlm@0
|
357 could, I would sacrafice all of my happiness for yours.
|
rlm@0
|
358
|
rlm@0
|
359 Aiyaa, I've gotten tears all over the place and the letters are all
|
rlm@0
|
360 smeary. I know you are happy to have your beloved happy, but it's not
|
rlm@0
|
361 fair that everybody gets their special someone except Tomoyo-chan.
|
rlm@0
|
362 Tomoyo-chan, I promise that you will be all right, that everything
|
rlm@0
|
363 will be all right. I don't know how, but I swear with all my heart
|
rlm@0
|
364 that you will be with your special person.
|
rlm@0
|
365
|
rlm@0
|
366 After your last letter, I talked about you with some of the Cards.
|
rlm@0
|
367 Somehow, I ended up talking with Flower about the place you and your
|
rlm@0
|
368 mother went to dance. Aiyaa! Tomoyo-chan, before I knew it, -we- were
|
rlm@0
|
369 dancing. At first it was a little weird, because we are both girls
|
rlm@0
|
370 and all. But it was so nice, and I felt so wonderful afterwards. She
|
rlm@0
|
371 gave me a beautiful purple and white orchid. For some reason, it
|
rlm@0
|
372 reminded me of you. When I said that, she just smiled, and then we
|
rlm@0
|
373 danced some more. I guess she is always ready for fun things. When
|
rlm@0
|
374 Syaoran chan came home, he was puzzled by the scent, and kept looking
|
rlm@0
|
375 around for the flowers. I was too embarrassed to tell him what
|
rlm@0
|
376 happened.
|
rlm@0
|
377
|
rlm@0
|
378 I'm sorry, my thoughts are wandering here. This always happens when
|
rlm@0
|
379 I'm thinking about Flower. In your wonderful letter you said I am
|
rlm@0
|
380 like a meandering ocean breeze, so I don't feel quite so foolish.
|
rlm@0
|
381 Arigato, Tomoyo chan. Anyway, I will do everything I can to help you
|
rlm@0
|
382 with your special person. I don't know how, but I promise that Tomoyo-
|
rlm@0
|
383 chan will be all right.
|
rlm@0
|
384
|
rlm@0
|
385 I promise.
|
rlm@0
|
386
|
rlm@0
|
387
|
rlm@0
|
388
|
rlm@0
|
389 Your friend forever,
|
rlm@0
|
390
|
rlm@0
|
391 Kinomoto Sakura
|
rlm@0
|
392
|
rlm@0
|
393 PS- I have enclosed some more pictures for your album. It must be a
|
rlm@0
|
394 very beautiful album if you are designing it. There is one of me in
|
rlm@0
|
395 my P.E. coach's uniform. Fanren-san took the picture.
|
rlm@0
|
396
|
rlm@0
|
397 PPS- If it is not too much trouble, could you please send me another
|
rlm@0
|
398 casette tape of your singing? I think I have almsot worn this one out
|
rlm@0
|
399 from playing it so much.
|
rlm@0
|
400
|
rlm@0
|
401 PPSS- I keep forgetting to tell you that Kero-chan sends his love,
|
rlm@0
|
402 and Syaron-chan says hello.
|
rlm@0
|
403
|
rlm@0
|
404
|
rlm@0
|
405
|
rlm@0
|
406
|
rlm@0
|
407
|
rlm@0
|
408
|
rlm@0
|
409 Dear Sakura-chan,
|
rlm@0
|
410 I was thrilled to hear you again on the phone. I’ve been watching
|
rlm@0
|
411 my videos a lot recently, so I’ve still been hearing you, but it was
|
rlm@0
|
412 nice to actually know that you were there and could answer me. I’m
|
rlm@0
|
413 always happy to talk to you and it was as close as I’ve been able to
|
rlm@0
|
414 come in the past few months to actually being there by Sakura-chan’s
|
rlm@0
|
415 side. You’ve always been a very emotional woman, but it’s even more
|
rlm@0
|
416 evident hearing your voice than just the words. But even in your
|
rlm@0
|
417 letters, I can hear your sweet voice. Sakura-chan, I’m very happy
|
rlm@0
|
418 that you like hearing my voice. Sometimes we take the most important
|
rlm@0
|
419 things for granted until it’s too late and we no longer have them.
|
rlm@0
|
420 I’m glad that I took all of the footage of you I did so that I can
|
rlm@0
|
421 still watch you. So even if you’re far away from me, I can still lose
|
rlm@0
|
422 myself in memories of the past. You always were such a cute girl. And
|
rlm@0
|
423 you’ve grown into a very lovely woman. I’m lucky to have been able to
|
rlm@0
|
424 stay by your side for as long as I could. I always knew it would end
|
rlm@0
|
425 one day. So I wanted to capture everything on videotape, a beautiful
|
rlm@0
|
426 record of you that I could always keep close to my heart. So I’m
|
rlm@0
|
427 happy as long as I can curl up and watch your cute adventures all
|
rlm@0
|
428 over again, Sakura-chan. You were always so amazing! No matter what
|
rlm@0
|
429 you were doing, you always captivated me.
|
rlm@0
|
430 I understand if there are certain things that you would rather not
|
rlm@0
|
431 talk about on the phone. In a way, letters can be more private. You
|
rlm@0
|
432 don’t have to worry about anyone coming in or saying something
|
rlm@0
|
433 confusing when you can’t look them in the eye and explain what you
|
rlm@0
|
434 mean. More letters from you are always a good thing. Work can be
|
rlm@0
|
435 busy, but I like taking your letters with me and reading them when I
|
rlm@0
|
436 have some spare moments. Now that you’re sending new ones again, I’ll
|
rlm@0
|
437 be happy to get back to them all as soon as I can. We can split the
|
rlm@0
|
438 cost of the calls if you want, Sakura-chan. It just makes my heart
|
rlm@0
|
439 swell
|
rlm@0
|
440 to hear you on the other line, so I would be more than willing to
|
rlm@0
|
441 pay anything for that gift. I will call you this Sunday, then. And
|
rlm@0
|
442 every other Sunday I will wait patiently by my phone for you. That
|
rlm@0
|
443 should keep us from getting too many busy signals. I was so worried
|
rlm@0
|
444 that someone else was using the phone or that something had gone
|
rlm@0
|
445 wrong with the phone lines when I couldn’t get through. It’s easier
|
rlm@0
|
446 to panic now because I won’t be seeing you the next day to see what
|
rlm@0
|
447 happened. But I should have known that it wasn’t anything too
|
rlm@0
|
448 problematic for you. After all, there’s nothing Sakura-chan can’t
|
rlm@0
|
449 handle!
|
rlm@0
|
450 One of these days, when I come out and visit you (hopefully
|
rlm@0
|
451 to help when you're pregnant or with a little one) I would love to
|
rlm@0
|
452 try some of your tea. I’m sure it must be very good by now,
|
rlm@0
|
453 especially after Ieran-sama’s help. And please don’t let her scare
|
rlm@0
|
454 you. It sounds like you’re slowly starting to warm her up to you. She
|
rlm@0
|
455 holds much back so as to remain a figure of authority, but she must
|
rlm@0
|
456 be coming to a slow realization that Sakura-chan really is the
|
rlm@0
|
457 perfect wife for her son. From the sounds of things, she’s already
|
rlm@0
|
458 helped you on the way to making your own tea an art form. Then again,
|
rlm@0
|
459 everything you did always seemed like art to me. Now that you mention
|
rlm@0
|
460 it, I really wish I had gotten more footage of you capturing the
|
rlm@0
|
461 Jump Card (you were so brave when you faced it’s giant, cute doll
|
rlm@0
|
462 form!), but I’m glad that I could help by distracting Maki-san. I
|
rlm@0
|
463 told her everything I knew about tea and then everything I knew about
|
rlm@0
|
464 videotape. She was a very good listener. I was always happy to help
|
rlm@0
|
465 you. Though I think it surprised you when I took the guard schedule
|
rlm@0
|
466 from the museum when we were looking for the Silent Card. Oh, you
|
rlm@0
|
467 made such a cute thief! I loved capturing
|
rlm@0
|
468 all of your adventures on videotape, but I was glad when I could
|
rlm@0
|
469 help you, too. But you and Li-kun always made such a good team. He
|
rlm@0
|
470 was a great sidekick to Cardcaptor Sakura. So it fits that you would
|
rlm@0
|
471 go on your happy marriage journey together. But I’m glad that you
|
rlm@0
|
472 still think of me being there with you when you’re nervous. Whenever
|
rlm@0
|
473 you think about that, just know that I am with you because you’re
|
rlm@0
|
474 always in my thoughts. So whatever Sakura-chan’s doing, I’m right
|
rlm@0
|
475 beside her, knowing that she’ll do an excellent job.
|
rlm@0
|
476 Oh, you must have looked so kawaii when you were blushing!
|
rlm@0
|
477 Everytime I reread that part of the letter, I could see you blushing
|
rlm@0
|
478 in my mind. You always looked so adorable when I dressed you up in
|
rlm@0
|
479 one of my costumes and you’d blush. Or when you’d blush after I’d say
|
rlm@0
|
480 something about you. Please remember that I was always telling the
|
rlm@0
|
481 truth! I was still happy to bring a blush to your cheeks, though. I
|
rlm@0
|
482 think it helps show that sweet innocence of yours even more. I’ll
|
rlm@0
|
483 have to go find a videotape of you blushing when I’m done now. But
|
rlm@0
|
484 that shouldn’t be too difficult because the costumes did a good job
|
rlm@0
|
485 of bringing that out. I always filmed you because you were the most
|
rlm@0
|
486 beautiful thing I could possibly film. There was no reason for me to
|
rlm@0
|
487 film anything else. But I think my camcorder is still happy to be
|
rlm@0
|
488 back at work because she knows the videos will go to you. My
|
rlm@0
|
489 camcorder and I are both excited that Sakura-chan likes the videos.
|
rlm@0
|
490 I’ll make sure I send more soon. I’ll need to try some more desserts.
|
rlm@0
|
491 Your new family should like that. And I’ll have to try new outfits
|
rlm@0
|
492 and hair styles now that I know Sakura-chan is watching the tapes to
|
rlm@0
|
493 see me. I’m so glad
|
rlm@0
|
494 that you think I look cute in them. That’s the sweetest compliment I
|
rlm@0
|
495 could possibly have hoped for. Thank you so much, Sakura-chan.
|
rlm@0
|
496 I’ve been thinking about your prophetic dream since I first read
|
rlm@0
|
497 about it. I’m sorry to say that I can’t think of what it could mean.
|
rlm@0
|
498 But I do think that you should listen carefully to it. I think you’re
|
rlm@0
|
499 right, that with time it will grow clearer. Sakura-chan’s dreams are
|
rlm@0
|
500 very trustworthy. Keep your heart open, but try not to worry too
|
rlm@0
|
501 much. I’m sure that you’ll figure it out when it’s time. Maybe you
|
rlm@0
|
502 and Li-kun have to come back to Japan soon to finish something up
|
rlm@0
|
503 with the Sakura Cards. Then I could videotape Sakura-chan’s older
|
rlm@0
|
504 Cardmistress adventures! But this makes me think of something else
|
rlm@0
|
505 that’s a little strange. The Dream Card gave premonitory dreams,
|
rlm@0
|
506 didn’t it? The dream if gave me before you caught it was filming lots
|
rlm@0
|
507 and lots of Sakura-chan’s. I guess it just meant that I would
|
rlm@0
|
508 continue to videotape you for a long time to come. Which was very
|
rlm@0
|
509 accurate because now I have many videotapes of you in my personal
|
rlm@0
|
510 collection. Hmm... Your dream sounds pretty vague now, but I’m sure
|
rlm@0
|
511 that given time it will make
|
rlm@0
|
512 full sense to you. You always did make a good prophet. Maybe you
|
rlm@0
|
513 could try to do a Tarot reading with the Sakura Cards to figure out
|
rlm@0
|
514 more of what it meant.
|
rlm@0
|
515 Sakura-chan looks so pretty in her P.E. teacher’s uniform!
|
rlm@0
|
516 The album is coming along gorgeously. I’ve been putting all of the
|
rlm@0
|
517 pictures you’ve been sending to me in it, from the ones of the
|
rlm@0
|
518 dinners you make to the ones of you and Li-kun and the family. I’m
|
rlm@0
|
519 having a lot of fun arranging it. Your students must be very lucky
|
rlm@0
|
520 to have you as their teacher. I know I would have been entranced to
|
rlm@0
|
521 have a teacher like you. It would definitely make me want to try my
|
rlm@0
|
522 hardest. Sakura-chan’s students must be very eager for her. I never
|
rlm@0
|
523 really thought that you would be a sensei, but now that you are, it
|
rlm@0
|
524 sounds perfect for you. Especially of Physical Education. Sakura-chan
|
rlm@0
|
525 was always so athletic. So now it just sounds right that you would
|
rlm@0
|
526 be. I’m glad that your Chinese is coming along so well. It should
|
rlm@0
|
527 help with your students and with Li-kun’s family. You’ll have to
|
rlm@0
|
528 speak to me in it the next time we talk on the phone. And it’s great
|
rlm@0
|
529 that you are
|
rlm@0
|
530 giving Fanren-san and the Principal Japanese lessons. So Sakura-
|
rlm@0
|
531 chan’s being a very busy sensei indeed! I’m sure that Li-kun will
|
rlm@0
|
532 find it nice to have you out working so hard with your students.
|
rlm@0
|
533 I’m so sorry for you about the fight. That must have been
|
rlm@0
|
534 horrible for you. I know how easily you can get hurt by things like
|
rlm@0
|
535 that. I really wish I had been there afterwards to help you. But it
|
rlm@0
|
536 sounds like it all worked out rather well. Please don’t worry about
|
rlm@0
|
537 the fight. It depends on who the people are, Sakura-chan. Your
|
rlm@0
|
538 father is a very calm man and from what my mother told me about
|
rlm@0
|
539 your mother, Nadeshiko-san was always a caring, gentle person, no
|
rlm@0
|
540 matter what was going on. So they really wouldn’t get into any
|
rlm@0
|
541 fights. You are a very emotional girl. Emotions don’t have to be
|
rlm@0
|
542 logical. Love rarely ever is. So all that matters is how you felt.
|
rlm@0
|
543 And
|
rlm@0
|
544 Li-kun can be stubborn. So with him working so much and you
|
rlm@0
|
545 being lonely and homesick, it makes sense that there would be some
|
rlm@0
|
546 conflict. I’m sure you were both devastated by the argument and
|
rlm@0
|
547 that you were eager to make up. Sometimes love can be painful, but
|
rlm@0
|
548 it can also be heavenly. Don’t let the little slips disturb your
|
rlm@0
|
549 little
|
rlm@0
|
550 slice of heaven. I know it must be difficult with you, out on your
|
rlm@0
|
551 own in a different country with a completely different family and
|
rlm@0
|
552 none of your old family or friends around. No one can fault you for
|
rlm@0
|
553 being homesick, Sakura-chan. If I could pack everyone up and
|
rlm@0
|
554 move them out there to keep you happy, I would. Then Sakura-
|
rlm@0
|
555 chan wouldn’t have to be lonely anymore. But I’m sure as you
|
rlm@0
|
556 make new friends and as you get closer to Li-kun’s family, you’ll
|
rlm@0
|
557 start feeling better. As long as you try your best, everything will
|
rlm@0
|
558 work out. It feels lonely back here without your lovely presence,
|
rlm@0
|
559 but I know that my wonderful best friend is living her exciting new
|
rlm@0
|
560 life on the other side of the ocean, so there’s nothing for me to be
|
rlm@0
|
561 lonely about.
|
rlm@0
|
562 Kawaii!!! I’m so happy that you told me about that dream, Sakura-
|
rlm@0
|
563 chan. I can only imagine you with a deep blush, wearing cute boy’s
|
rlm@0
|
564 clothes and holding a ring. You must have been so embarrassed in the
|
rlm@0
|
565 dream to be asking something like that. But if Sakura-chan went
|
rlm@0
|
566 through all that trouble, I would find it very difficult to turn
|
rlm@0
|
567 ‘him’ down. That does sound like a strange dream, but it sounds
|
rlm@0
|
568 beautiful, too. To think that anyone would care that much about me,
|
rlm@0
|
569 that things really could have turned out so well. It must have been a
|
rlm@0
|
570 very odd dream for you to have. It must be from you worrying about my
|
rlm@0
|
571 love life so much lately. It would make me so happy to have my True
|
rlm@0
|
572 Love propose to me
|
rlm@0
|
573 like that. It sounded so romantic, too. Part of me wishes that
|
rlm@0
|
574 things could have worked out that happily with the one I love. But
|
rlm@0
|
575 instead, I’ll just think of your dream fondly as a what might have
|
rlm@0
|
576 been. If Sakura-chan was the boy I loved but never told, I would be a
|
rlm@0
|
577 very lucky girl. Please don’t cry for me, Sakura-chan. It makes me
|
rlm@0
|
578 sad to
|
rlm@0
|
579 think of you in tears, especially over me. Love can hurt and love
|
rlm@0
|
580 can be a very lonely feeling, but I would never give up the love in
|
rlm@0
|
581 my heart even if it meant that I wouldn’t have to worry about any
|
rlm@0
|
582 of that. My love for them will never change, even if they don’t
|
rlm@0
|
583 know. So I’ll love them from afar, glad to see them during the
|
rlm@0
|
584 happiest years of their life. I’m happy, Sakura-chan. Please don’t
|
rlm@0
|
585 worry about me.
|
rlm@0
|
586 Your happiness means so much to me. I wouldn’t want you to give up
|
rlm@0
|
587 any of it for my sake. Remember, it makes me happy when you are. So
|
rlm@0
|
588 you have to be happy for me. Don’t be ashamed. You were the best
|
rlm@0
|
589 friend that I could ever ask for. You never knew that I needed any
|
rlm@0
|
590 help to begin with and I was always eager to help you when I could.
|
rlm@0
|
591 Besides, I don’t think Fate ever intended for me to have my love, so
|
rlm@0
|
592 there was nothing you could do even had you known. But I accepted
|
rlm@0
|
593 that a long time ago. How can you be sad when the one you love is
|
rlm@0
|
594 happy? If you really, truly love them, then that should be enough. To
|
rlm@0
|
595 know that
|
rlm@0
|
596 they’re happy in ways you could never make them. When you close your
|
rlm@0
|
597 eyes, you can feel them close to your heart, and your love just grows
|
rlm@0
|
598 knowing what a special person you’ve found. I’m very lucky to have
|
rlm@0
|
599 found my special person, Sakura-chan. It doesn’t matter whether or
|
rlm@0
|
600 not they love me. I’ll always love them regardless, so it doesn’t
|
rlm@0
|
601 change that in the least. Thank you so much for wanting to help me.
|
rlm@0
|
602 You really are a perfect best friend.
|
rlm@0
|
603 Mother has been a little confused lately, I think. She says she
|
rlm@0
|
604 doesn’t want to see me alone and to end up like her. She’s angry with
|
rlm@0
|
605 my special someone for leaving me alone like this but she cares for
|
rlm@0
|
606 them as well. So I think it’s difficult for her to sort out her
|
rlm@0
|
607 emotions. I’m trying to convince her not to be angry because I’m
|
rlm@0
|
608 happy with how things have turned out, but mother can be a very
|
rlm@0
|
609 stubborn woman. She was, on the other hand, very pleased with the
|
rlm@0
|
610 doll I finished designing. I’ll send the finished designs along with
|
rlm@0
|
611 this.
|
rlm@0
|
612 Soon enough, the doll itself should be in production. Cutecaptor
|
rlm@0
|
613 Haneko will be the first toy that I was the head of the designs for.
|
rlm@0
|
614 I’m very excited about it. If the sales go well, there may even be an
|
rlm@0
|
615 anime tie in. I guess mother liked the backstory I came up with for
|
rlm@0
|
616 Haneko-chan. I’ll be going to the Toy Fair in a few weeks with the
|
rlm@0
|
617 prototype doll along with mother for the showcasing of many other
|
rlm@0
|
618 Daidouji toys.
|
rlm@0
|
619 It seems that Flower has the same preferences as mother. I really
|
rlm@0
|
620 can’t think of anyone who wouldn’t want to dance with Sakura-chan.
|
rlm@0
|
621 That must have been a lot of fun. You really did need something to
|
rlm@0
|
622 relax you after worrying about everything. I can understand why
|
rlm@0
|
623 you wouldn’t want to tell Li-kun. That might seem a little strange
|
rlm@0
|
624 to him. But I’m glad that you’re still talking to the Sakura Cards.
|
rlm@0
|
625 They all loved you so much.
|
rlm@0
|
626 Magic or not, I know that your beautiful spirit will always shine
|
rlm@0
|
627 through. You made a wonderful magical girl, but that was never what
|
rlm@0
|
628 was
|
rlm@0
|
629 important to me. It was you. It was seeing the genki, bright girl
|
rlm@0
|
630 that you always were and getting to be close to you. That was always
|
rlm@0
|
631 more important to me than any magic. You spin your own magic, Sakura-
|
rlm@0
|
632 chan. Thank you again, my sweet friend. But you really don’t have to
|
rlm@0
|
633 worry about me. I’ll be fine. I’m sure that everything will always be
|
rlm@0
|
634 all right. It’s your power phrase, after all. So I have to believe
|
rlm@0
|
635 it. Because I believe in you. And I always knew that you’d rescue me.
|
rlm@0
|
636 I will be all right. I am all right. You don’t have to worry. I would
|
rlm@0
|
637 never want to worry you, Sakura-chan.
|
rlm@0
|
638 Give Kero-chan another hug for me and please distribute my love
|
rlm@0
|
639 among everyone and the Cards, but be sure to keep a huge chunk for
|
rlm@0
|
640 yourself. I sent along the cassette you asked for. I tried to put in
|
rlm@0
|
641 some variety to the music so that there should be plenty to listen to
|
rlm@0
|
642 on it. I kept from anything sad this time. I always love singing for
|
rlm@0
|
643 you, Sakura-chan. So I'm very happy to have you as my delayed
|
rlm@0
|
644 audience.
|
rlm@0
|
645
|
rlm@0
|
646
|
rlm@0
|
647 Your friend in Tomoeda,
|
rlm@0
|
648 Daidouji Tomoyo
|
rlm@0
|
649
|
rlm@0
|
650
|
rlm@0
|
651
|
rlm@0
|
652 Dear Tomoyo-chan,
|
rlm@0
|
653
|
rlm@0
|
654 Things are so hectic here that it is just a pleasure to sit down and
|
rlm@0
|
655 write a letter to my very best friend across the sea. I usually wake
|
rlm@0
|
656 up around 5:00 AM and do some housework before catching the 6:20 bus
|
rlm@0
|
657 for Fung Kai Liu Yun Sum Memorial Primary School. But I woke up
|
rlm@0
|
658 especially early today so I could write to you. I am so glad we are
|
rlm@0
|
659 still in touch with each other, Tomoyo-chan. The thought occurred to
|
rlm@0
|
660 me that because we are not together all the time as we used to be, we
|
rlm@0
|
661 might drift apart somehow. When I thought this, I became very
|
rlm@0
|
662 worried, and gathered together all of my letters from you, and your
|
rlm@0
|
663 videos, and the cassettes of your singing. But if this was all I had
|
rlm@0
|
664 of you, if this was all that was left, I don't know what I would do.
|
rlm@0
|
665 I feel bad asking this, because in a way I left you to come to Hong
|
rlm@0
|
666 Kong. So, I have no right to say this. But Tomoyo-chan, please don't
|
rlm@0
|
667 ever leave me. If I did not have you to talk with, to listen to, and
|
rlm@0
|
668 if I did not think you remembered me, I just don't know how I could
|
rlm@0
|
669 get through even one day.
|
rlm@0
|
670
|
rlm@0
|
671 Gomenesai. This is supposed to be a happy letter. There have been
|
rlm@0
|
672 many happy things going on since last I wrote. I have made friends
|
rlm@0
|
673 with a teacher at work, and I told her about you, and how much you
|
rlm@0
|
674 meant to me. She is older than I am, and very smart. Hoeee, she
|
rlm@0
|
675 teaches mathematics, and knows so many things! She told me she once
|
rlm@0
|
676 had a friend like you, when she was growing up. She said she had
|
rlm@0
|
677 fallen in love with that friend, and thought they would always be
|
rlm@0
|
678 together. But after high school, her friend moved away to England.
|
rlm@0
|
679 For a while they wrote letters, and talked on the phone. But
|
rlm@0
|
680 eventually, she says they drifted apart, and even stopped writing.
|
rlm@0
|
681 She was crying. She apologized for being so foolish, and said it felt
|
rlm@0
|
682 odd to still care so much. Tomoyo-chan, I don't want us to ever drift
|
rlm@0
|
683 apart like that. I was so afraid after I talked to her. I thought,
|
rlm@0
|
684 what if there was no Tomoyo-chan in my life? I am so happy here with
|
rlm@0
|
685 my new family in Hong Kong, but if I lost you, I don't think I could
|
rlm@0
|
686 live anymore.
|
rlm@0
|
687
|
rlm@0
|
688 Gomenesai. All right, let me tell you about all the happy things
|
rlm@0
|
689 that have been happening. My job is a lot of work, but it is
|
rlm@0
|
690 wonderful! I am the girl's P.E. teacher, and teach 5 classes a day,
|
rlm@0
|
691 one for each grade. Thank you so much for sending the books on P.E.
|
rlm@0
|
692 instruction that I asked for on the phone. They have been a big help.
|
rlm@0
|
693 I never knew there was so much to teaching! So far, I have shown the
|
rlm@0
|
694 students fundamentals of exercise. Next week, we will begin a unit on
|
rlm@0
|
695 gymnastics. "Lessons must be adjusted to the grade level, individual
|
rlm@0
|
696 level of development, and personal level of motivation and perceived
|
rlm@0
|
697 capability". Hoeee, sometimes reading the books makes my head dizzy,
|
rlm@0
|
698 but I am trying my best. At least I am not teaching mathematics! And
|
rlm@0
|
699 I know you said you will pay for the books and the shipping costs,
|
rlm@0
|
700 but I did want to do something in return. So, I sent you a book
|
rlm@0
|
701 entitled, "The Flora of Hong Kong and Surrounding Areas". It is in
|
rlm@0
|
702 English, so I do not know much of what is says. But I thought the
|
rlm@0
|
703 pictures were beautiful, and hope that you like it. I got the idea
|
rlm@0
|
704 from Flower, by the way. She sends her love. She remembers you
|
rlm@0
|
705 fondly, and was wondering if you like to dance, or just to film
|
rlm@0
|
706 dancing?
|
rlm@0
|
707
|
rlm@0
|
708 I went shopping in the City after school let out early last Monday.
|
rlm@0
|
709 I bought a tea set, with a little purple teapot and 2 lavender cups.
|
rlm@0
|
710 For some reason, they reminded me very much of you, although the set
|
rlm@0
|
711 is from Great Britain, and of course you are from Japan. Anyway, I
|
rlm@0
|
712 decided to save it for when you came to visit. It will be my special
|
rlm@0
|
713 Tomoyo chan tea set. Maybe after you have finished work on the Haneko
|
rlm@0
|
714 chan doll, you might be able to come and visit? Tomoyo-chan, I would
|
rlm@0
|
715 dearly love to see you again. And we could go shopping together.
|
rlm@0
|
716 There are many wonderful stores here, and now that I am making my own
|
rlm@0
|
717 money to spend, I appreciate the prices!
|
rlm@0
|
718
|
rlm@0
|
719 I was blushing when I read about me blushing in your letter. Thank
|
rlm@0
|
720 you, Tomoyo-chan. You always made me feel so special with your
|
rlm@0
|
721 unusual costumes, and kind words, and all the little things you have
|
rlm@0
|
722 always done for me. Talking about capturing Jump and Silence brought
|
rlm@0
|
723 back many memories, especially of you. And thank you so very much for
|
rlm@0
|
724 the wonderful videotapes. Kero-chan was very excited at the prospect
|
rlm@0
|
725 of dessert videos. I play them a lot lately, and not just for help in
|
rlm@0
|
726 cooking, though that is very much appreciated. You are so beautiful
|
rlm@0
|
727 that sometimes my heart aches to see you in them. I have a picture of
|
rlm@0
|
728 Mother on the dresser in my room. I'd never really realized how much
|
rlm@0
|
729 the two of you look alike. And from everything Oniichan and Father
|
rlm@0
|
730 have told me, you sound so much like her: sweet, gentle, patient, and
|
rlm@0
|
731 loving. I think Sonomi-sama is very perceptive and wise when she says
|
rlm@0
|
732 you remind her of Mother. If it would not be too much trouble, could
|
rlm@0
|
733 you send me a picture of you? I would like to put in on the dresser,
|
rlm@0
|
734 so I can see you both before I sleep.
|
rlm@0
|
735
|
rlm@0
|
736 I had that dream again, the one where I can see Tokyo Tower. Last
|
rlm@0
|
737 night, there was more of the dream. I could see a figure on the
|
rlm@0
|
738 Tower, but was not able to make out who it was. Kero-chan will not
|
rlm@0
|
739 say anything about it, because he says only I can understand the
|
rlm@0
|
740 dream's true meaning. He says it may take time for the dream to
|
rlm@0
|
741 ripen, so I must be patient. Thank you for the suggestion about the
|
rlm@0
|
742 Dream Card. I talked with her about it, but she only smiled, and said
|
rlm@0
|
743 it sounded like a very interesting dream. If I did come back to Japan
|
rlm@0
|
744 because of this, then I could see you again. That would be so
|
rlm@0
|
745 wonderful! And I did do a reading with my cards, but not about the
|
rlm@0
|
746 dream. About something more important. It was very exhausting, and I
|
rlm@0
|
747 will tell you about it later in the letter.
|
rlm@0
|
748
|
rlm@0
|
749 As for the other dream I had, the one with you in it, umm, Tomoyo-
|
rlm@0
|
750 chan, how did you know it was me dressed in boy’s clothes? After you
|
rlm@0
|
751 wrote that, I remembered that in my dream the boy looked like me, and
|
rlm@0
|
752 really was me. I guess that is because I didn’t know who he really
|
rlm@0
|
753 is. But how did you know that? Anyway, I was very nervous and
|
rlm@0
|
754 embarrassed in the dream, but it was still a beautiful moment.
|
rlm@0
|
755 Syaoran-chan told me that proposing marriage was the hardest thing he
|
rlm@0
|
756 had ever done, much worse than any of his battles, or even training
|
rlm@0
|
757 with Ieran-sama. I don’t know how boys do it. I guess it is sort of a
|
rlm@0
|
758 test, to offer up your heart to the one you love. You may be
|
rlm@0
|
759 rejected, and that would be terribly painful, but you must offer
|
rlm@0
|
760 yourself as a sacrifice to your beloved. I remember the dream most
|
rlm@0
|
761 vividly. I guess you are right, that I had the dream because I was
|
rlm@0
|
762 worrying so much about you. And thank you for the kind words about
|
rlm@0
|
763 me as your friend. I know you would never blame me for anything, even
|
rlm@0
|
764 if I was at fault. But I can’t help but feel that somehow I have
|
rlm@0
|
765 failed you, my very best friend. I think your love is such a precious
|
rlm@0
|
766 thing, and am glad it is close to your heart. But I do wish your true
|
rlm@0
|
767 love was with you. I know he would be, if he knew, and he could.
|
rlm@0
|
768
|
rlm@0
|
769 Thank you for the kind words on my first fight. You are so wise
|
rlm@0
|
770 about people, and it helped to read your observations about Syaoran-
|
rlm@0
|
771 chan and me. It really was so awful. It felt as if our love was no
|
rlm@0
|
772 longer there, just anger and regret. I am so happy that we made up
|
rlm@0
|
773 the next morning. I never, ever want to fight like that again.
|
rlm@0
|
774 Syaoran-chan is my one, true love, and I should be thankful for him
|
rlm@0
|
775 no matter what happens. But we almost had another fight just two
|
rlm@0
|
776 nights. Syaoran-chan was very late from work, but I missed him so
|
rlm@0
|
777 much that I stayed up until 1 AM, even though I must be up so early
|
rlm@0
|
778 to go to work. He was surprised to see me, and did not seem very
|
rlm@0
|
779 happy. I asked him how work was, and he mumbled something I could
|
rlm@0
|
780 not understand. I told him I had tried to call, but there was no
|
rlm@0
|
781 answer in his office. He got angry, and accused me of prying. Tomoyo-
|
rlm@0
|
782 chan, I did not mean it like that at all. I just wanted him to know
|
rlm@0
|
783 that I cared about him, and wanted to talk with him. He said he had
|
rlm@0
|
784 gone out with some people in his office for beers. He said that was a
|
rlm@0
|
785 part of his job. I was very hurt, because I felt he cared more for
|
rlm@0
|
786 going out with other people than seeing me. But I did not say
|
rlm@0
|
787 anything because I did not want another fight. Syaoran-chan went to
|
rlm@0
|
788 bed, but I was too upset to sleep, so I called Oniichan. He was
|
rlm@0
|
789 sleeping, but I told him all that had happened, and I guess I cried a
|
rlm@0
|
790 lot. He told me that salarymen have to do this a lot, and not to
|
rlm@0
|
791 worry about it. That made me feel better.
|
rlm@0
|
792
|
rlm@0
|
793 So, the next morning, when I served Syaoran-chan his breakfast, I
|
rlm@0
|
794 gave him a note asking if we could talk about something when he got
|
rlm@0
|
795 home that night. I think he was afraid I was still upset about the
|
rlm@0
|
796 night before, but I really wasn’t. Well, not a lot, anyway. So, he
|
rlm@0
|
797 was home very early that night, and we talked about our day, which
|
rlm@0
|
798 was nice. I told him that I was sorry about being angry the night
|
rlm@0
|
799 before, and that Oniichan had told me this was a part of his job, and
|
rlm@0
|
800 I shouldn’t feel hurt. He seemed surprised that Oniichan had said
|
rlm@0
|
801 this, but was happy that everything had been resolved. Then I told
|
rlm@0
|
802 him about the dream with Tokyo Tower. He seemed concerned, and I know
|
rlm@0
|
803 he will do all he can to help. I feel he will somehow protect me, as
|
rlm@0
|
804 he always has. I am so glad that everything turned out well.I really
|
rlm@0
|
805 am lucky to have found my true love.
|
rlm@0
|
806
|
rlm@0
|
807 I did a card reading Sunday, after our phone call. I was surprised
|
rlm@0
|
808 at how difficult it was, and how very tired it made me. Tomoyo chan,
|
rlm@0
|
809 please do not be angry with me, but I wanted to know who your special
|
rlm@0
|
810 person is. I knew you would not tell me if I asked, so I asked the
|
rlm@0
|
811 cards instead. I asked them just to give me a hint, since it did not
|
rlm@0
|
812 seem right to ask without your permission. Well, the important cards
|
rlm@0
|
813 that came up were Loop and Illusion. Illusion showed me an image of
|
rlm@0
|
814 myself, and when I added that to Loop, it seemed to me that your
|
rlm@0
|
815 special someone is very close to me. In fact, I am certain that this
|
rlm@0
|
816 is true. So, I have been thinking about all you have said about your
|
rlm@0
|
817 special someone. I think I know who it is.
|
rlm@0
|
818
|
rlm@0
|
819 This person is very close to me. This person is someone who does not
|
rlm@0
|
820 know that you love them. It must be a very wonderful person for you
|
rlm@0
|
821 to have given your heart to them, for the person that Tomoyo-chan
|
rlm@0
|
822 loves must be very special, indeed. You have known this person a long
|
rlm@0
|
823 time. You were going to tell them of your love, but hesitated when
|
rlm@0
|
824 they found someone else. Now you are happy for them, and do not wish
|
rlm@0
|
825 to intrude on their happiness.
|
rlm@0
|
826
|
rlm@0
|
827 Tomoyo-chan, do you love Oniichan?
|
rlm@0
|
828
|
rlm@0
|
829 It makes sense to me now that you were blushing the first time you
|
rlm@0
|
830 saw him. And I think that Oniichan also likes you. Remember when I
|
rlm@0
|
831 told you Oniichan was talking about you when Syaoran-chan and I
|
rlm@0
|
832 announced our engagement? Tomoyo-chan, he was saying the most
|
rlm@0
|
833 wonderful things about you. He said you were bright, and sweet, and
|
rlm@0
|
834 caring, and pretty, and would be a wonderful companion for life. I
|
rlm@0
|
835 guess I am sort of dense about these things, and I did not understand
|
rlm@0
|
836 what he was saying. I did not know that he liked you, -like that-.
|
rlm@0
|
837 But you are right, he is very happy with Yukito-san, and I don’t know
|
rlm@0
|
838 what to say or do. Perhaps he likes you, and also Yukito-san? Maybe
|
rlm@0
|
839 you are right that it is best if you keep your love silent. But I am
|
rlm@0
|
840 still sad that I will never get to see you at your wedding. I wish
|
rlm@0
|
841 there was something I could do. If you would like, I can talk to
|
rlm@0
|
842 Oniichan. Somehow it is too sad that Tomoyo-chan’s precious love must
|
rlm@0
|
843 be kept in the beautiful cage of her heart.
|
rlm@0
|
844
|
rlm@0
|
845 Tomoyo-chan, I don’t quite know how, but somehow you will be all
|
rlm@0
|
846 right.
|
rlm@0
|
847
|
rlm@0
|
848 I must run to my bus soon, but I wanted to thank you for the
|
rlm@0
|
849 beautiful songs. I listen to them very often. I think with my next
|
rlm@0
|
850 paycheck I will but a cassette tape player, so I can hear you on the
|
rlm@0
|
851 way to work. When I listen to your voice, I feel that my best friend
|
rlm@0
|
852 will always be with me. Thank you so much Tomoyo chan.
|
rlm@0
|
853
|
rlm@0
|
854 Love,
|
rlm@0
|
855
|
rlm@0
|
856
|
rlm@0
|
857 Kinomoto Sakura
|
rlm@0
|
858
|
rlm@0
|
859 PS- Aiyaaa, I am always forgetting to put this in the letter. Kero-
|
rlm@0
|
860 chan sends his love. Oh, and he made me promise to ask for the cake
|
rlm@0
|
861 recipe with the strawberries. I am sorry. Syoaran-chan sends his
|
rlm@0
|
862 regards.
|
rlm@0
|
863
|
rlm@0
|
864 PPS- Please give Sonomi-sama my love. I know she wants only the best
|
rlm@0
|
865 for her precious daughter. And I think she is right. I don’t see how
|
rlm@0
|
866 anybody who leaves you could be happy. |