Kiss from a Rose

 A CCS fanfiction by Siobhan Pettit

 tomoyo_daidoji_0903@yahoo.com

 

 

 Daidouji Tomoyo sat down very carefully on the freshly mowed grass

 of the park, straightening outwards the full folds of her frilly

 English dress. Honestly, she doesn't want to crumple her delicate

 white and black couture. Mother already underwent a great deal of

 trouble considering what happened-giving her a lovely rite and buying

 her this outfit and even a peaceful place to rest, not to mention the

 grief she had given her Mother.

 	Her dress, harked back to ancient times, was a Victorian-inspired

 pinafore clothing of ankle-length skit and full-blown sleeves. It was

 a French-maid-meets-Alice-in-Wonderland image, but its black and

 velvet brocade materials made it more grown-up and serious. There was

 nothing morbid in the dress. Even it was done in a Gothic fashion.

 The look was gathered entirely in an elegant slant, and kawaii is the

 major factor in the final ensemble. Mother was really an

 exceptionally talented person when it comes to choosing what to wear.

 Imagine, her daughter is a grown woman already in her early twenties

 and yet, okaa-sama made her don for the last occasion a dress that

 was childlike yet elegant in their tradition and detail. Something

 that would be fixed in everybody's memory. Mother had even fixed a

 ribboned Sunday hat on her head, with beautiful flowers in the brim.

 The juxtaposition of the dress in her made her look like somebody

 jumping out of a fantasy world, but she liked it altogether.

 	Tomoyo raised her head towards the clear September sky. The sun was

 getting higher now, yet the warmth was not unpleasant. It had been

 eight days since the incident happened, but it seemed like an

 eternity already had passed. Everything went by in a slow motion-the

 visits from the family's acquaintances, the mass, and the final

 rite…everything. Everyone came to see her. Yamazaki-

 kun…Chiharu…Rikka…Naoko-chan. Even Eriol-kun and Mizuki-sensei was

 there. And Meiling-chan. Her dear, good friend. It was the second

 time she had seen Meiling cry like that-lost and very angry at the

 same time. It felt so grateful somehow, the first time in her life

 that all her beloved ones and everyone dear to her were gathered in

 one place. And Touya too. Tomoyo smiled inwardly. Her arrogant and

 emotion-free cousin wept silently while being patted in the shoulder

 by an equally emotional Yukito. And Fujitaka-sama. The church was

 filled with friends, visitors, flowers and beautiful music. All for

 her, only hers. They were all there. 

 	Except for one person.

 	The lovely heiress stretched out her hand and fidgeted the bouquet

 of red tulips and anthuriums her mother had brought yesterday. They

 were almost dry and wilted. Nevertheless, it was a grand visit.

 Sonomi told her in a cheerful tone that Sakura had arrived from Hong

 Kong at last. Mother knew it would cheer her up too. No, Li Syaoran

 wasn't with her, she said. That's sad. She wanted to see him too. But

 Sakura told Sonomi personally that she would visit Tomoyo today. And

 she would do it alone.

 	Tomoyo's s smile materialized. It had been two years since they

 last saw each other. And that had been in Sakura's wedding day. The

 couple is living in Hong Kong now. Tomoyo chewed her lip. At least

 she could get to see Sakura before living today. She missed Sakura so

 badly.

 	Tomoyo was startled from her reverie when she heard a soft hum of a

 car engine. She jerked her head towards the road in the distance and

 saw a black Bentley Arnage snaking its way towards the gate and then

 pulling down the curb. A minute later the sleek car screeched to a

 halt. The driver's door opened and a brunette with a short, slant

 hairstyle emerged into the sunlight. Li Sakura, now in her twenties,

 was even more beautiful. She was dressed in an exquisite cream

 Italian trenchcoat and black leather gloves. Sakura's attire was

 subdued yet stylish and donned in good taste. Her child-like and

 naïve features progressed to strong womanish facial expressions

 through the years. Now, her resemblance to Daidouji Sonomi can be

 distinguished with little or no effort at all. Sakura's likeness to

 the Chairman of the Amamiya-Daidouji Corporation was so apparent that

 they could be mistaken for a mother and daughter if seen standing

 side-by-side.

 	Sakura shut the door of the Bentley with a rather strong force and

 it closed with a resounding thud. She approached Tomoyo in languid,

 slow-paced steps.

 	Tomoyo noticed Sakura's haunted gait. There was an uncertainty in

 Sakura's appearance that made her shoulders seemed heavy as she

 walked down the granite pathway.

 	At last, the tall auburn-haired woman reached her destination and

 stepped beside Tomoyo. Sakura gave a wan smile, but a cute one

 nonetheless. Tomoyo can't help to smile back. Old habits die hard,

 apparently.

 	Sakura drew a tired breath. "Hello, Tomoyo-chan," she began. "It's

 been a long time, wasn't it?"

 	Tomoyo nodded in agreement.

 	The brunette's lips suddenly trembled as if she was desperately

 holding back her emotions. Sakura slumped down beside her carefully,

 meticulously straightening too, the full length of her trench coat.

 Like Tomoyo, Sakura sat with her feet clasped together at the sides.

 The heiress couldn't hide another smile as her eyes noticed Sakura's

 knee-high black suede boots peeking out behind the ankle-length robe.

 She was quite impressed.

 	"Prada, isn't it, Sakura-chan? And Milan, not New York?" Tomoyo

 asked giddily, wanting to lighten up the mood and start a good

 conversation.

 	But Sakura never replied. Tomoyo's lips pursed, then she looked at

 Sakura's guilt-ridden olive green eyes. But Sakura never returned her

 gaze. The Card Mistress just kept staring down the ground.

 	"I…I'm sorry, Tomoyo-chan, if I wasn't present at the chapel. But

 Sonomi-sama said that it was your wish not to inform me 'til

 everything was over…"

 	Tomoyo nodded again. Yes, it was her decision. She won't be able to

 bear it seeing Sakura breaking down in the middle of the ceremony-

 	"You cheated me, Tomoyo-chan!" Sakura suddenly exclaimed.

 	The heiress was taken aback. No, Sakura-chan, she whispered. I love

 you; I don't want to see you get hurt! I wanted to spare you the

 pain… the misery, the same pain I felt when I watched you took the

 vows with Syaoran-kun. It was the end for me. I was dying the entire

 ceremony, one knife plunging into my heart after another. I don't

 want you to undergo the same torture that I went through.

 	Sakura's eyes began welling with tears. Her composure was now lost.

 "You don't know what I felt when we parted, Tomoyo-chan. It was so

 lonely, I missed you so much. Before I was glad because I know that

 you're still here and just a phone call away. But now…but

 now…everything's useless!"

 	Tomoyo fought the urge to touch Sakura's face and brush those tears

 away, just as she was fighting until now, the yearning to throw

 herself in the arms of the Card Mistress. She wished that Sakura

 would hold her, kiss her, and never let go of her again, whisper to

 her ears loving words and assurances. But it was such a ridiculous

 notion. Tomoyo doesn't have the right. Sakura has already a husband

 that would do all those things. To hold her close, kiss her in a

 fierce abandon.

 	"Tomoyo-chan, why didn't you tell me?!" Sakura lashed, fighting

 back the tears. At first, she was so shocked, learning Tomoyo's long

 held secret from Sonomi herself-the secret that made Tomoyo finally

 decide to part with her forever.

 	The heiress shook her head and bit her lip. The words she wanted to

 say were choking down her throat. No, Sakura-chan, she thought. Would

 you dare cross the turbulent waters that separated us and risked

 everything knowing that you're loving another girl? What if you don't

 feel the same for me? I cannot bear to jeopardize your happiness with

 Li-kun and ruin your relationship with him lest you don't feel the

 same way. But at least, Sakura had realized now. It was never

 useless, Sakura-chan. You can have a normal family, a child to bear.

 It was better that way, she thought. She will wait for the time they

 could be together again. Their love for each other could wait even

 for an eternity. But not now, not yet. Their feelings for each other

 were already bad as it is. And she couldn't let Sakura commit

 adultery, could she?

 	I'm so happy that you're here and I saw you at last, Sakura-chan,

 Tomoyo thought. But I must go now, my time is almost up…"

 	"I have something for you, Tomoyo-chan…" Sakura intervened, cutting

 Tomoyo's thoughts. She reached for the inside pocket of her garment

 and pulled out a long-stemmed English rose-a large, deep red one,

 like those roses Tomoyo grows in the mansion's garden. Sakura kissed

 the rose, imagining it was Tomoyo.

 	But Tomoyo never reached out and tried to take it. Sakura bit her

 lip to stop herself from crying, and put the rose on the ground.

 Tomoyo, seeing Sakura putting up a brave front like that, broke her

 tears at last. Now, her hand came up in its own volition and brushed

 Sakura's cheeks. But she had forgotten. Her hand just went through

 Sakura's face. Tomoyo curled her fist instead. She wished she could

 touch Sakura even for the last time too.

 	At that moment, Tomoyo felt the heavenly breath of the autumn wind

 gently stirring her, beckoning and reminding her. It's time to go.

 With a heavy knot in her heart, Tomoyo reluctantly stood up and began

 leaving.

 	Not forward, but upward.

 	The breeze lifted and bore Tomoyo towards the sky. From her new

 vantagepoint, she could see Sakura standing up too, her brown head

 stooped low, staring down at the tombstone that bore Tomoyo's

 epitaph. Sakura's shoulders began shaking with strong sobs. 

 	"I…I love you too, Tomoyo-chan…" Sakura cried heavily, her voice

 quivering wit the confession. She's so stupid! Why hadn't she

 realized before? Her jade eyes squeezed tightly and more tears fell

 to the dirt below. Yes, she knows it now. She really loved Tomoyo.

 She still does. She always had. But she discovered it too late. Now

 Tomoyo is dead! Life is so unfair! She'd do everything just to bring

 Tomoyo back!  But that would be impossible. She felt useless. She's

 the world's powerful sorceress yet she cannot do anything to righten

 up her mistakes. Sakura's strength was snatched away from her legs.

 For a moment she swayed dangerously, and then fell to her hands and

 her knees, sobbing bitterly.

 	"Tomoyo-chan…why? Why did you do it?! Why did you have to leave me?!"

 	"But Tomoyo drifted farther and farther, her face serene. At peace

 at last. She can rest now, savoring Sakura's words like lyrics from a

 sad song. She will wait for the time they could be together again.

 Her love for this girl can surpass even immortality.

 	Up in the sky, Tomoyo could see the rose petals waving in the wind.

 It was the first gift Sakura had given her out of carnal intentions.

 	It was her first flower.

 	Her first rose.

 	

 -Owari-