CHAPTER THREE: GIFTS
Sakura’s POV An hour and quite a few bruises (on Syao-kun’s part) later, we return to the car.
Tomoyo-chan drives to a restaurant, where she (of course!) tells the waitress that it’s my birthday, upon which the lady believes she is duty—bound to sing.
“Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you…”
My face is redder than Syaoran-kun’s usually is.
*Why do I keep thinking about him? I just can’t seem to get him off my mind…*
Eriol-kun sweatdrops, Tomoyo-chan loves it, and Syaoran-kun glares at Tomoyo-chan.
Finally the waitress finishes and all the other diners look away. Thank Kami-sama!
We eat a good meal. My friends refuse to let me pay my part of the bill, insisting it’s their treat.
Then Tomoyo-chan grins her largest grin and all and says, “Time for presents!”
“Oh, you shouldn’t have…”
“You’re probably right,” Eriol-kun mutters with a glance at Syao-kun.
*???*
“But we wanted to!” he finishes.
I shrug and decide to ignore the comment.
“Li-kun first!” Tomoyo-chan insists.
“I left it in the car…”
He returns with a large page of paper in his hands. He takes one last wistful look then hands it to me.
“Happy birthday, Sakura-chan,” he mumbles, face red.
Curiously I turn the page over and gasp with appreciation.
“Syao-kun, it’s beautiful!”
He has given me a beautiful drawing done with soft pastels. It is my profile, with cherry blossom petals floating in the wind around my face. It is so good as to almost be a photograph.
“Domo arigato, Syao-kun!”
I set the paper down gently and give him a big hug, my cheeks pink (His face is bright red, as usual).
“You’re welcome, cherry blossom,” he whispers into my hair.
*That’s so sweet… Maybe Tomoyo-chan is right about how much he cares.*
I find myself wishing that she is.
Tomoyo wastes no time at all in picking up her camera. I pull back from the hug, having no wish to be filmed.
The waitress, returning to get our drinks, has watched this from afar and formed her own opinions. She takes our glasses and whistles appreciatively at the drawing.
“Your boyfriend sure draws well, miss,” she says and leaves to another table.
We both flush and look away from each other. Moments like this seem to happen more often lately…
Tomoyo-chan films this too. Eriol-kun notices and sweatdrops (which I would be doing if I wasn’t a nice, bright shade of red right now).
“Poor Sakura-chan, having Li-kun mistaken for her boyfriend,” Eriol-kun says blandly.
This brings Syaoran-kun back to normal.
“Hey!” he says, annoyed. “What is that supposed to mean???”
“Why, whatever you’d like it to mean, Li-kun,” Eriol-kun says, smiling (not his creepy smile, his also—patented “smile that annoys the heck out of Li-kun”).
“Please, boys,” I say, trying to be a peacemaker.
Syao-kun backs down a bit reluctantly and takes his seat once more.
Tomoyo-chan grins, amused at my “hold over him” as she would call it, and hands me a small pink—wrapped package.
“This is from both Eriol-kun and me,” she says, eyes sparkling mischievously.
I unwrap a video. It says “The Cherry Blossom and the Little Wolf” on the little sticker-thingy.
I can guess what’s on this…
“Domo arigato, Tomoyo-chan and Eriol-kun,” I say, hugging each in turn.
“You’re welcome, Sakura-chan,” they reply at the same time, bowing. Then they look at each other and laugh.
“We’re so alike!”
As before, Syaoran-kun inquires, “In what way?”
They look at him a moment and start laughing.
“What’s so funny?”
“Well, one thing we have in common is an enjoyment of putting you in awkward situations,” Eriol-kun says, phrasing it mildly.
“Told you,” I say to Syaoran-kun.
He sweatdrops. “Yes, you did… I believed you.”
Tomoyo-chan looks at her watch.
“2:30… Don’t you have to go home, Sakura-chan?”
“2:30? Gomen nasai, minna-san, but I’ve definitely gotta go. My dad and Onii-chan are expecting me.”
“We don’t mind,” Eriol-kun says.
Syaoran-kun nods. “Except for your brother.”
I laugh and we head out to the car. Tomoyo-chan drops me off at home.
I rush in the house, waving goodbye to my friends. As always, I’m late.
I am stopped suddenly by a large, solid object and am knocked to the floor.
“Gomen ne, Sakura-chan! I thought you saw me here!”
Yuki helps me up.
Yes, Yuki… I gave up on him romantically a few years ago. Now we’re just good friends.
“What do you have there, Sakura-chan?” he inquires curiously of the paper I hold.
“Oh this…” I say, handing him Syao-kun’s drawing. “Li Syaoran drew this for me.”
Yuki looks at the picture.
“It’s very good… He must like you a lot, Sakura-chan,” Yuki says seriously.
I laugh nervously. “Like me?”
“He’s paid great attention to detail yet hid any minor flaws you might have. No offense. He’s memorized your face… I’m surprised you never notice him watching you.”
*Syao-kun does watch me a lot. Yuki is usually right about things like this--*
My thoughts are cut short by the arrival of Onii-chan. He stands behind Yuki.
“Who’s watching Sakura?” he frowns.
I sweatdrop. “Besides you?”
Touya plucks the page from Yuki’s hands.
“What’s this?”
He examines this.
“Is this a photograph? Daidouji?”
I shoot a look at Yuki to tell him to keep his mouth shut and take the page back.
“Syaoran-kun drew it.”
“The gaki? Grr…”
He reaches out to take the paper back but I hold it out of reach.
“Touya… Let Sakura-chan have her picture,” Yuki says with a smile.
*Thank you, Yuki!*
Reluctantly, Onii-chan lowers his hands muttering something about “strangling the gaki” for “watching his sister.”
I sweatdrop and push past him up the stair to my room.
“Happy birthday, Sakura-chan!” Kero singsongs. He holds a small bouquet of cherry blossoms in his paw.
“Why, thank you, Kero-chan!” I say, pleasantly surprised. “These flowers are beautiful! Where did you get them?”
“I asked the Flower to help me out,” he answers. “I felt bad about our little argument…”
*And are worried I won’t bring you any birthday cake. Silly beast, but such a sweet gesture… I’ll be nice.*
“That’s okay, Kero-chan. I’ll be sure to bring you a big slice of cake.” I smile.
“Domo arigato gozaimasu, Sakura-sama!” my guardian says enthusiastically.
I take the flowers from him and put one in my hair. Then I set the video down on the television and find a frame for Syao-kun’s drawing.
“Not bad… Who--?” Kero asks curiously.
“Syaoran-kun, Kero-chan. Not a word!” I finish quickly, staving off annoyed protests.
“All right,” Kero-chan says, disgruntled. “I can sense your brother coming up the stairs…” He puts on his stuffed-toy act.
“Kaijuu!”
There is an annoyed knock.
“Coming!” I say cheerfully, and follow Onii-chan back downstairs.
My father, brother, and other friend give me their gifts.
ƒ♪Those gifts are not detailed here because, though they are good gifts, they aren’t important to the story.ƒ♪
Then Touya and Yuki head out to a movie and Otusan goes to the market. I grab Kero-chan a piece of cake (chocolate, he’ll love it) and return to my room.
Kero inhales his food and wanders out of the room. It isn’t often we have the house to ourselves, after all.
I pop in the video Tomoyo-chan and Eriol-kun gave me and sit down to watch.
To Be Continued...