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     1.2 +++ b/stories/dearsakura-05.txt	Fri Feb 19 06:24:59 2010 -0500
     1.3 @@ -0,0 +1,354 @@
     1.4 +Tomoyo's Hong Kong Visit
     1.5 +Day 2
     1.6 +Shopping in the City
     1.7 +
     1.8 +
     1.9 +I.
    1.10 +Sakura woke with a start, nearly tumbling out of bed. It was still
    1.11 +dark outside, with Sayoran already gone. And Tomoyo? She felt a
    1.12 +sudden pang of disbelief that her dearest friend was really here in
    1.13 +the same house. Jumping out of bed she threw on her green robe and
    1.14 +padded down the hallway to the door of the guest room. There she
    1.15 +hesitated, worrying about knocking so early. The night before they
    1.16 +talked until well past midnight, remembering old friends, family, and
    1.17 +teachers, laughingly reliving the dances, picnics, and all the
    1.18 +wonders and adventures of their childhood years. After parting,
    1.19 +Sakura found she was simply too excited to sleep and crept to the
    1.20 +kitchen for tea. On her way she found Tomoyo equally awake, and the
    1.21 +two giggled like guilty schoolgirls at a slumber party. Over Oolong
    1.22 +tea they again talked for hours before giving in to exhaustion and
    1.23 +sleep. Surely she’s not awake after all that, Sakura thought. But the
    1.24 +urge to see that her friend was actually here was overwhelming, and
    1.25 +she tapped lightly on the mahogany door. A quick rustle and a
    1.26 +whispery voice told her that Tomoyo was already up, too,
    1.27 +
    1.28 +“Yes, who is it?”
    1.29 +
    1.30 +She whispered back, “Ohayo, Tomoyo-chan, it’s me, Sakura.”
    1.31 +
    1.32 +The door swung open, revealing the beaming face of Tomoyo. She
    1.33 +ushered the auburn-haired woman in with barely suppressed excitement.
    1.34 +
    1.35 +“Ohayo, Sakura-chan. You’re up early.”
    1.36 +
    1.37 +Sakura smiled as she sat on a red plush pillow and replied, “I guess
    1.38 +I’m used to waking up for work. And I guess I’m sort of excited that
    1.39 +you’re here, too.”  Knowing that Tomoyo was in the same house, she
    1.40 +couldn’t imagine being anywhere other than with her. Glancing at the
    1.41 +dark-haired woman who regarded her with gentle eyes, Sakura shivered
    1.42 +sweetly. She had missed her beautiful friend so much that just seeing
    1.43 +her seemed a miracle.  Looking up, the first rays of dawn glinted
    1.44 +through the garden window, crowning Tomoyo with a golden halo of
    1.45 +light. Sakura smiled at this beatific vision and thought: like an
    1.46 +angel. Just like an angel. Tomoyo tilted her head quizzically and
    1.47 +smiled back. The auburn-haired woman could only grin, silently
    1.48 +laughing with pure joy. She hadn’t been this happy since, since when?
    1.49 +Since we were last together, she thought with a start. Not the
    1.50 +wedding, or the honeymoon, or life in Hong Kong, not any of it; I
    1.51 +haven’t felt like this since I was with her. Somehow this thought was
    1.52 +disturbing, and she quickly stood up as if shaken from a dream. But
    1.53 +the shadow passed as quickly as it had come, and Sakura clapped her
    1.54 +hands together and spoke in a voice bursting with excitement, 
    1.55 +
    1.56 +“Sayoran-chan had to go to work today, and said he was sorry that he
    1.57 +couldn’t join us. But I made him write an itinerary of where to go.
    1.58 +Do you want to get ready now?”
    1.59 +
    1.60 +Tomoyo nodded and rose as Sakura bolted out the door yelling, “I’ll
    1.61 +be ready in a minute!” The dark-haired girl closed her eyes tightly
    1.62 +and clasped her hands together. The months of loneliness that haunted
    1.63 +her since the wedding seemed like a life belonging to someone else.
    1.64 +With a deep breath she steadied herself, heart racing wildly from
    1.65 +being so deliriously close to her secret love. Fighting back tears
    1.66 +she smiled and thought, I could live a hundred years alone to be with
    1.67 +her for just a single day.  Opening the heavy cedar chest to pick out
    1.68 +a dress, she was overcome by the scent of a thousand memories.
    1.69 +
    1.70 +II.
    1.71 +Sakura felt a delightfully cool breeze as she leaned against the
    1.72 +railing of the Wan Chai ferry. The little boat was packed with
    1.73 +commuters traveling from the New Territories to Hong Kong, but the
    1.74 +two women had arrived early and enjoyed an unrestricted view of the
    1.75 +passing islands. The hem of Tomoyo’s lavender skirt fluttered in the
    1.76 +wind as she scanned the junks and boats that dotted the water. Sakura
    1.77 +touched her, and pointed out a sea bird circling above them. Tomoyo
    1.78 +blushed as the delicate fingers lightly graced her shoulder. She
    1.79 +gazed at her friend adoringly, hand resting on one cheek as she
    1.80 +sighed deeply. Whether it was birds in the sky, or baking a cake, or
    1.81 +falling in love, Sakura’s enthusiasm gushed forth in a sparkling
    1.82 +flood of innocent excitement. Tomoyo struggled to contain her
    1.83 +emotions lest the beautiful woman notice. It was all she could do to
    1.84 +keep from passionately hugging Sakura right there on the boat.
    1.85 +Fascinated by the turning gulls, Sakura let go of Tomoyo's shoulder
    1.86 +and sought her hand. Tomoyo blushed again as their fingers delicately
    1.87 +interlaced. Sakura squeezed gently, as if for reassurance that her
    1.88 +friend was truly there. Tomoyo drew a quick breath, felt her
    1.89 +heartbeat quicken, and softly squeezed back. Though she had learned
    1.90 +that it was customary in Hong Kong for female friends to hold hands,
    1.91 +the girl’s touch was nearly overwhelming. As the ferry neared the
    1.92 +shore and the buildings of the Convention Center loomed large, Sakura
    1.93 +turned and exclaimed,
    1.94 +
    1.95 +"Sayoran-chan says the best shopping in the city is the Causeway.
    1.96 +I've only been there once. They even have Japanese department stores
    1.97 +just like home, but he said there are better bargains on the back
    1.98 +streets."
    1.99 +
   1.100 +Tomoyo nodded and smiled, and heard a loud clang as the gangway
   1.101 +dropped to the dock. The two women were swept along with the mass of
   1.102 +people as the ferry emptied out. Holding a map in one hand and Tomoyo
   1.103 +with the other, Sakura plowed forward through the throng. After a
   1.104 +brief walk down Flemming Drive they took an immaculate subway and got
   1.105 +off by the Daimaru department store. Walking along Great George
   1.106 +Street, Tomoyo was dazzled by the variety of stores and goods for
   1.107 +sale. It was like Tokyo, only even more dense and crowded. Finally,
   1.108 +Sakura suggested they enter the Matsuzakaya, which was just opening
   1.109 +for business.
   1.110 +
   1.111 +They passed the rows of impeccably dressed store employees bowing
   1.112 +for their first customers. The massive department store was much like
   1.113 +it's Japanese counterpart, though stocked with local Chinese goods
   1.114 +that would have seemed oddly out of place back home. Wending their
   1.115 +way through the first floor they came to a display of the fall
   1.116 +fashion line. There they saw scarves, hats, blouses and dresses in
   1.117 +subdued earth tones and rich, dark greens. Tomoyo fancied a long,
   1.118 +chiffon, copper-russet dress, while a pleated, flowing, pumpkin-
   1.119 +colored skirt entranced Sakura. Impulsively, the auburn-haired woman
   1.120 +slipped into a changing room to try it on. Upon emerging she sweat
   1.121 +dropped as Tomoyo gleefully met her with the video camera. But
   1.122 +somehow, despite the embarrassment, it secretly thrilled her to be
   1.123 +filmed once again. Tomoyo's love was effusive, and came out in so
   1.124 +many curious little ways: the costumes, the camera, and the funny
   1.125 +little remarks. Sakura realized how painfully she missed her friend's
   1.126 +eccentricities, these odd little tokens of her affection. Of course,
   1.127 +Sayoran loved her, too, in his way. And so did her father, and
   1.128 +brother. But somehow, she felt herself a treasured part of Tomoyo's
   1.129 +life, a unique receptacle of the pale woman’s effusive love. The girl
   1.130 +had always made her feel special, filling her with a confidence and
   1.131 +courage that she otherwise lacked. Holding the hem of the skirt she
   1.132 +twirled like a dancer, delighting Tomoyo and earning stares from the
   1.133 +other customers. Stopping in mid-pirouette, she caught her breath and
   1.134 +gazed at the camera and her dear friend behind it. She smiled,
   1.135 +curtseyed, and then quickly dashed into the changing room. For some
   1.136 +reason she was crying. Sitting on the little bench and dabbing her
   1.137 +eyes with the skirt, she shook her head in bewilderment. 
   1.138 +
   1.139 +"Baka, why are you crying?” she thought. "Because, because I don't
   1.140 +feel like this with anyone else. Because I'm never this happy unless
   1.141 +I'm with her. Because I can only be with her for a few more days, and
   1.142 +then she'll be gone again". Sakura sat with her fists clenched, tears
   1.143 +trickling down her cheeks. She wiped them away, desperately
   1.144 +struggling to regain her composure. She heard a soft voice outside
   1.145 +the door, tinged with concern,
   1.146 +
   1.147 +"Sakura-chan, are you all right?"
   1.148 +
   1.149 +"Hai", she gasped out, breathing raggedly, "I'll be out in just a
   1.150 +minute."
   1.151 +
   1.152 +Sakura emerged with a smile, easing the worry on Tomoyo's pale face.
   1.153 +The Mistress of the Cards fiddled with the price tag on the skirt,
   1.154 +looked at the money in her handbag, and then stared again at the
   1.155 +price. Finally, she looked at Tomoyo uncertainly. Her companion
   1.156 +smiled and said, "It looks very pretty on Sakura-chan". That was good
   1.157 +enough, and a saleslady was soon wrapping the purchase into a tidy,
   1.158 +tied up bundle.
   1.159 +
   1.160 +After buying the skirt, the two perused the dishes and china sets.
   1.161 +They were entranced by the exquisitely beautiful Haviland
   1.162 +collections, with Sakura declaring the strawberry pattern her
   1.163 +favorite, while Tomoyo favored a serving tray with little fishes
   1.164 +playing around the rims. Sakura noticed a crowd gathering, and with
   1.165 +Tomoyo in tow went to see what was going on. By the bridal section a
   1.166 +fashion show had begun, featuring Western and Chinese wedding
   1.167 +dresses. Sakura oohh-ed and ahh-ed at the dazzling display of satin
   1.168 +and lace. The traditional red and gold brocade of a Chinese costume
   1.169 +was exotically beautiful, and she glanced over to see Tomoyo's
   1.170 +reaction. The lavender-haired was smiling, but it was an odd, frozen
   1.171 +smile, as if she wore it to hold back some secret distress. Sakura
   1.172 +felt a sudden stab of pain in her chest as she remembered Tomoyo's
   1.173 +unspoken love for her special person, and the heartbreaking line in
   1.174 +one of her letters, "It doesn't matter if I have a wedding." She
   1.175 +gripped Tomoyo's hand tightly and whispered, "Let's go," practically
   1.176 +yanking her friend away. Sakura avoided the startled woman's face,
   1.177 +for fear those glistening blue eyes might start her crying all over
   1.178 +again. She tugged Tomoyo along, nearly running out of the store and
   1.179 +into the mid-day heat. Finally, Sakura paused in the shade of a
   1.180 +building and looked at Tomoyo, who was breathless but smiling. Sakura
   1.181 +smiled, too, and asked,
   1.182 +
   1.183 +“Are you hungry? Sayoran-chan says there’s a great noodle restaurant
   1.184 +not far from here, the Dai Pai Dong.” 
   1.185 +
   1.186 +Tomoyo smiled and replied, “That would be nice. I love noodles. ”
   1.187 +
   1.188 +Walking hand in hand down Jardine's Bazaar, the women threaded their
   1.189 +way past street merchants and hawkers with every imaginable ware for
   1.190 +sale. There were booths laden with jade and gold, silks and luxurious
   1.191 +fabrics, and odd potions and medicinals. Finally they worked their
   1.192 +way to the Night Market and, between Tomoyo’s English and Sakura’s
   1.193 +Chinese, were seated in a more-or-less quiet table in a darkened
   1.194 +corner. After pointing out their orders on a tray of plastic replicas
   1.195 +of the daily specials, the two friends chatted about the beautiful
   1.196 +clothing and jewelry they had seen, and all the places they would go
   1.197 +on Sayoran’s little list. When the noodles arrived they were
   1.198 +surprised at the bounteous feast, and knew they could never finish.
   1.199 +Once the dishes were cleared, Sakura poured the tea and pondered what
   1.200 +to say. Tomoyo looked at her and sensed that something was amiss. Her
   1.201 +gentle smile, silently reassuring, urged the reticent brunette to
   1.202 +speak. Finally, Sakura burst out in an agitated voice, 
   1.203 +
   1.204 +“Tomoyo-chan, do you think you can love someone besides your one,
   1.205 +True Love?”
   1.206 +
   1.207 +Tomoyo was startled by the woman’s sudden fervor. She looked down at
   1.208 +the clear, pale green liquid that billowed in her little teacup.
   1.209 +Finally she looked at Sakura, saw the urgency of her expression, and
   1.210 +asked in as matter-a-fact a voice as she could manage, 
   1.211 +
   1.212 +“Sakura-chan, I’m not quite sure what you mean. Surely a person
   1.213 +would still love their parents, and their brothers and sisters, even
   1.214 +if they had found their one, True Love.”
   1.215 +
   1.216 +Sakura frowned and looked at the table, slowly shaking her head,
   1.217 +searching for the right words,
   1.218 +
   1.219 +“I know that…that you would still love your family, but…Tomoyo-chan,
   1.220 +you love your special person very much, don’t you?”
   1.221 +
   1.222 +Tomoyo felt her thudding heart as she gazed at Sakura’s beautiful
   1.223 +face. If only she could speak her true feelings, just once! Instead,
   1.224 +she smiled and spoke in a clear, musical voice,
   1.225 +
   1.226 +“I love them with all my heart, and all my life.”
   1.227 +
   1.228 +Sakura stared, wild emotions tearing at her self-control. In a
   1.229 +halting voice she whispered,
   1.230 +
   1.231 +“Tomoyo-chan, could you….could you ever love anybody else?”
   1.232 +
   1.233 +Tomoyo looked at her friend and desperately struggled to maintain
   1.234 +her mask. Why was she asking this? What could she mean? Why is she
   1.235 +doing this? Her mind raced through all the possibilities: she wants
   1.236 +me to meet someone, she wants to help me somehow.  Tomoyo wished she
   1.237 +had never come, that she were back with Sonomi in the far away
   1.238 +mountains. Or even that Sakura had just forgotten all about her,
   1.239 +forever. But that thought stung, and brought her to the verge of
   1.240 +tears. Forcing a smile to hide her fraying heart, Tomoyo spoke
   1.241 +truthfully, for she was too shaken to lie,
   1.242 +
   1.243 +“Sakura-chan, I could never, ever love anyone but my special person.”
   1.244 +
   1.245 +Crestfallen, Sakura sank back into her chair. Her smile was shaky,
   1.246 +but sincere. Breathing deeply, she said,
   1.247 +
   1.248 +“ I guess I knew that already.” She glanced away, staring at the
   1.249 +restaurant’s red carpet as if it held all the great secrets of the
   1.250 +world. “I don’t even know why I was asking.” With teary eyes she
   1.251 +gazed at Tomoyo and took both her hands. “Your special person is so
   1.252 +very lucky to have your love. I only wish they knew.”
   1.253 +
   1.254 +Tomoyo felt the soft, warm hands tenderly holding her own. She
   1.255 +closed her eyes tightly, but darkness brought no relief.  Sadly she
   1.256 +thought to herself,  “I wish you knew too, Sakura-chan. But I can’t
   1.257 +ever let you know.”
   1.258 +
   1.259 +III.
   1.260 +The westering sun lit up the city in a golden glow as the electric
   1.261 +tram slowly climbed the heights of Victoria Peak. In a strange
   1.262 +transition, the dense, urban world gave way to a mountainous jungle.
   1.263 +Only the occasional mansion dotted the landscape as the little tram
   1.264 +pulled it's way ever higher. The two women were burdened with bags
   1.265 +and packages, but Sakura was determined to see the sunset that
   1.266 +Sayoran called, "the most beautiful sight in all of Hong Kong." She
   1.267 +knew they could stop off at the Li mansion, but that would cost
   1.268 +precious time. The Peak was the highest point in the area, and
   1.269 +overlooked the city and all the little islands of the bay. When they
   1.270 +finally reached the top, they were greeted by still more stores,
   1.271 +museums, and restaurants. Sakura's face lit up when she saw a set of
   1.272 +rental lockers, which they used to store the day's accumulation of
   1.273 +bargains. Then, Sakura took out her husband's crudely drawn map and
   1.274 +stared at it in puzzlement.
   1.275 +
   1.276 +"He's such an awful map maker," she frowned. Tomoyo giggled and said,
   1.277 +
   1.278 +"The streets are very well marked, not like back home. I guess maps
   1.279 +aren't as necessary here."
   1.280 +
   1.281 +"Mmmmm," Sakura replied distractedly. Finally, pointing to the west
   1.282 +in triumph she exclaimed, "There. That's the way. I think." Sakura
   1.283 +strode forward into the great unknown, and Tomoyo smilingly followed.
   1.284 +
   1.285 +The path was twisty, and the climb somewhat steep. The Peak rose
   1.286 +almost 2,000 feet from sea level, and was covered in thick,
   1.287 +subtropical foliage, broken only by parks, gardens, and commercial
   1.288 +buildings at the top. The two stopped at a bench to catch their
   1.289 +breath, but Tomoyo sensed her friend's impatience, and said they
   1.290 +should press on before the sun could set. Sakura happily agreed, and
   1.291 +the pair again began to climb. The pale woman marveled at her
   1.292 +friend's stamina, her sure-footed ease on the difficult trail. While
   1.293 +walking, Tomoyo thought about the day, the thousand treasured moments
   1.294 +spent with Sakura. It was a blessing beyond hope to be with her, to
   1.295 +see her new life and happiness first hand. Though exhausted from the
   1.296 +vigorous climb, Tomoyo found new energy in just being with her
   1.297 +beloved. Suddenly the leaves and trees gave way, and the two women
   1.298 +stood in awe at the view of the city below them. The great
   1.299 +skyscrapers of Central were like little models below, the golden
   1.300 +yellow sunlight catching their sharp angles for the last time in the
   1.301 +day. The great city of commerce was slowly changing into a mecca of
   1.302 +entertainment as evening approached. Sakura took Tomoyo's hand and
   1.303 +spoke earnestly,
   1.304 +
   1.305 +"Sayoran-chan said we should see the sunset over Lamma Island, and
   1.306 +then catch the city at night." Tomoyo nodded, and the two plunged
   1.307 +back on the path into the green world of trees and vines. The trail
   1.308 +was steeper now, but cooler as shade darkened their way. Sakura was
   1.309 +in her determined mode, and nothing would keep her from the sunset.
   1.310 +When her mind was set like this, she was almost a little scary.
   1.311 +Tomoyo was secretly thankful that she seemed to have given up her
   1.312 +quest to discover the identity of her True Love. Struggling up a
   1.313 +broken part of the trail, Tomoyo knew that in the end all her masks
   1.314 +would avail her nothing if Sakura truly wanted to know. At times, she
   1.315 +thought it might be better if they parted forever, lest the Mistress
   1.316 +of the Cards find that she herself was at the center of Tomoyo's
   1.317 +heart. That would be tragic for both of them, which was why this
   1.318 +might be the last time they would be together. If I drop out of her
   1.319 +life she'll forget about me and still have all the memories, Tomoyo
   1.320 +resolved wistfully. But how could I possibly do such a thing? How
   1.321 +could I live without hope of ever seeing her again? She knew the
   1.322 +answer already: because it would make her happy. And that was worth
   1.323 +any pain, no matter how long, or how cruel. Tomoyo was breathing
   1.324 +hard, from the climb as well as her secret thoughts, when suddenly
   1.325 +they stopped.
   1.326 +
   1.327 +The sun was just beginning to set. The shredded clouds hung on the
   1.328 +horizon, pink and orange in the fading light. Lamma Island shone like
   1.329 +an emerald on fire, wrapped in a golden glow. The two women,
   1.330 +exhausted from the vigorous pace of the climb, plopped onto the
   1.331 +grass, still hand in hand. A great cruise ship slipped out of the
   1.332 +harbor and blasted a mournful farewell that rose all the way to the
   1.333 +top of the Peak. The pair sat entranced as the sun painted the world
   1.334 +in a riot of red and purple color. Darkness came slowly, soft, sweet
   1.335 +and tender. Sakura pointed out the first star high in the sky, and
   1.336 +closed her eyes to make a silent wish. Tomoyo saw the waxing moon;
   1.337 +nearly full now, nestled in black velvet like some luscious tropical
   1.338 +fruit. 
   1.339 +
   1.340 +She gazed at Sakura, her fairy-tale face touched by the moonlight.
   1.341 +She's like the Lunar Princess come to earth, Tomoyo thought. She
   1.342 +can't stay with me, and my heart will long for her all my days. But
   1.343 +this moment will be memory, a comfort and a solace to turn away the
   1.344 +pain. Sakura's dark lashes fluttered as she opened her eyes. Her wish
   1.345 +complete, she smiled sweetly at her dark-haired friend. Her green
   1.346 +eyes shone like far away stars, and Tomoyo felt her heart shudder and
   1.347 +break. Wracked by a flood of joy and sadness, Tomoyo let her mask go
   1.348 +and laid her head on Sakura's shoulder. The lavender hair tumbled
   1.349 +down in a luminous cascade, and her soft body cuddled against her
   1.350 +beloved friend. Sakura felt a wave of longing, her heart buoyed by
   1.351 +the magical presence of Tomoyo. She reached out and encircled the
   1.352 +woman with her arm, pulling her closer. High above, the stars wheeled
   1.353 +their way through the endless dark, but Tomoyo and Sakura were silent
   1.354 +and still. All that night the two sat side-by-side, nestled in
   1.355 +starlight and moon glow, like a statue of lovers from long ago.   
   1.356 +
   1.357 +