Hi there! it has been a month since i have updated! im so sorry! I was really late with their time and setting, see? but still, i want to know your comments, painful or not! ive got so many things to do in school. Fine, you could yell at me and say "hell! that's more important to you!"

well? that's the truth! (winks!)

Anyway, thanks so much to my previous reviewers! you really gave me inspiration to still go on with this.

I dedicate this fic to my two friends who'll be celebrating their birthdays at the same date! take care guys...

Happy Reading! Another surprise ending! (i always like surprises!)

I Fell In Love with the Rain

Chapter Nine: Happy New You

After she had found the suspected spot, Sakura let out first a heavy sigh upon looking those scattered clothing of her best friend’s doomed room before she bent her knees and decided to clean up Tomoyo’s mess.

“You’re not excited for tomorrow’s event, are you?”

“Nope!” Tomoyo foolishly grinned, facing the mirror. “What’s wrong with welcoming another year, anyway?”

“Amen to that.” she snorted as she picked up one by one different kinds of yukata. “And if I am your friendly mirror over there, I would swallow you up and imprison you inside of me forever!”

“You wish!” Tomoyo threw a white top on her but Sakura instantly got the quickest way to avoid and catch it. After that, Tomoyo tried posing again another sky blue yukata dress and faced her. “What do you think?”

“Well…” Sakura conferred a wide smile as she pointed clearly the dress Tomoyo was holding. “Of all the clothes you’ve tried, that one fits you the best! Actually all of those weren’t bad, you know.”

“Arigato.” Tomoyo moved out from being beside the mirror and managed to sit in the nearest chair she had seen for a while. “I simply wanted to wear the one you chose for me last year, but still Oka-san was always there to contradict my style and my taste of clothing!”

“Just be glad…” Sakura said. “…be glad you still have Aunt Sonomi at your side.”

“Oh!” Tomoyo ended clasping her mouth, just by the thought of Sakura’s late mother and her mother being the best of friends and cousins as well. She felt a sudden guilt, opening up such matters like this. “I-I didn’t mean to…” she trembled as she doesn’t mind crossing the aisle of spread out garments as she came closer to Sakura and held her hands tightly. “Gomen Nasai!”

“Nande?” Sakura held instead her face and smiled once more. “That’s ok. Worry nothing, and why should you be?”

“Because if only Aunt Nadeshiko was still alive, you would also know exactly how it feels being loved by a mother.”

“I always feel her love, Tomoyo-chan.” Sakura clarified, as she stood up and approached the window. She could see from there rapid flowing of snow from the sky. She felt an immediate shivering. “Besides—” she faced Tomoyo again who was still kneeling on the floor full of clothes. “—Ottou-san and Touya were there to let me feel her unconditional love more.”

“Right.” Tomoyo smiled as slowly she stood up as well.

“Better.” Sakura smiled back. Besides her family, Tomoyo was there to lighten up each day of her life… her friends… Syaoran…

Syaoran-kun? Yeah, he’s one of my friends too! Demo… Aww, forget it! He doesn’t think that way like what you... y-you… Sakura miserably shook her head as she stared into the distance. Days have passed and still, realizations were still hanged up in the air, waiting for a final consultation from someone she knew she could help her analyze this strange feeling she had just discovered inside her. Maybe Tomoyo-chan could help me out, but… should I tell? She might laugh at me and tell me I’ve eaten all the words I’ve said before! She thought frantically as she stared Tomoyo’s back. Should I tell? S-Should I really tell! Oh no…

“Ano… T-To… T-Tomoyo-chan?”

“Hm, Nani?” Tomoyo looked back, seemed astounded. “Oh… OH!”

“I’ve got something to tell!” they both said in unison. They laughed.

“You… you go first. It’s okay.” Sakura came in first.

Tomoyo took air first before she spoke back. “Have you decided what yukata you’re going to wear?”

“Hai.” Sakura replied. “I settled myself to wear my old yukata I wore last year!” her eyes crinkled in excitement. “It’s my favorite. Doshite?”

“Iie! Iie!” Tomoyo shouted a little as she ran into her closet, leaving Sakura in her puzzled look. “Damn… where the hell is it?” she mumbled as half of her body was already buried in a tower of her own garments.

“Tomoyo-chan…” Still looking, Sakura came down and just decided to pick up again other stuff lying on the floor, fold it again in place than finding the courage to ask her personal opinion.

“AH! Here it is!”

“Hoe?”

“Sakura-chan, you gotta try this one!” Tomoyo beamed on her. “Err… no! You’re not only just trying it, it’s yours!”

“For me? Demo—”

“No buts!”

“Tomoyo-chan—”

“I’ve designed this all just for you!” Tomoyo pulled her close in front of the mirror and kicked unnecessary things that made them move uncomfortably. She let her hold it and pose a bright red-colored yukata with pink sakura petal designs on almost half of its hemline. “See? You’re lovelier than I’m not expecting you to be wearing with this one!”

“Ano… A-Arigato Gozaimasu!” Sakura muttered, almost contacting Tomoyo in the eye. “I-I don’t know what to say! Who do you think you are?” she grinned. “My fairy godmother?”

“Partly indeed!” chuckling, Tomoyo hugged her back as they both smiled facing their reflection in the mirror. “And besides, who would have known we’re secretly cousins after all too?”

Three loud hesitant knocks disturbed them. Before Tomoyo could allow the person to enter, the figure stepped in and walked hurriedly into them.

“LI-KUN!” Tomoyo shrieked as she broke off hugging Sakura. Instantly they both rushed to meet him. “Omigosh, w-we almost forget all about you!” Tomoyo feared as she held his hands. “I’m sorry to come up and see all this mess around!”

“It’s okay but—” Syaoran’s face seemed uneasy as he both looked at their faces and then gazed at the four-cornered room. “—but I-I…”

“Why, A-Anone, A-Are you hungry already? Tomoyo asked and looked back to Sakura for she had just noticed she had touched her stomach. Sakura lightly grinned and scratched her head. “Looks like our friend here hadn’t taken yet any cup of tea.”

“Iie, it’s not that!” he said, almost raising his voice.

“Then what’s the matter?”

“I must leave…!” Syaoran finally said then turned back at them and was about to hold the doorknob until they have heard a female voice yelling his name, and Tomoyo’s…

“S-Something wrong happened?” Sakura fretfully asked her companions in confusion.

“I heard that voice before… I knew it much… I won’t be mistaken…” Tomoyo hurriedly said, almost holding Sakura’s arm in thinking so hard.

“You won’t be mistaken, Daidouji… Never! Oh no…” Syaoran hurriedly said as he tripped the room, not minding all the clothes he passed by. Then he stopped at Sakura’s back, held her shoulders and positioned her to cover him up. “S-Save me…”

“Ho… H-Hoe?”

Another two voices that Tomoyo suspected were her maids were ceasing a very familiar tone to enter her room. Tomoyo ran into the door but it bursts open to show somebody heading and meeting her bewildered eyes.

“DAIDOUJI-SAN!”

“Aaaaaahhh!” Tomoyo blinked twice, and in the next seconds shrieking in surprise as she welcomed the lady with her warm embrace. They jumped in unusual excitement. “Long time no see, my friend! I missed you!”

“I missed you too!” The girl replied as she held tightly her hands and laughed hysterically. “I heard from Wei that he’s here!” Then she gazed at two remaining people left for her greetings. “Oh! Kinomoto! No…! b-but… YES! It’s… IT’S YOU KINOMOTO-SAN!”

“W-Whoa…! HOOOEEE!” Sakura yelled as she stood still, looking very astonished.

“Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhh!” delightfully the young lady rushed towards into Sakura’s position, not only to hug her, but also the one behind her, the one whom she had terribly missed for so long. She hugged him—in excessive force. Surprisingly they stumbled into Tomoyo’s mountain of clothes.

“Aaaaaaaaaaahhhh! XIAO LAAANG!”

“Man…” Syaoran mumbled in regret. “…my lucky day….”

“Cousin matters…” Tomoyo grinned as she approached Sakura in time.

“Don’t you missed me, you fool!”

“I’m home…” Sakura lamely said upon twisting the doorknob of their main door. Few snowflakes came in, causing her to forcefully push the door at once. She removed her boots, hanged her coat in place and to the unexpected, she was caught doing all this by somebody who cares and annoys her at the same time.

“At last… the cause of earth’s destruction’s here… goodness!” Touya emoted as he tapped his head lightly and then placed both his hands on his waist. “Yuki-san and I were already starving! You know… waiting for you.”

“Yukito-san… he’s here.” She mumbled softly as she put on her slippers and picked up the paper bag where her yukata was placed. “Good.”

“Huh?” his face looked puzzled, Touya followed her direction. “C’mon kaijuu, we’ve got an early dinner tonight.”

Just when Touya utter those words enters Yukito whose body was half to be seen, almost hiding on the wall. “Konbanwa!”

Her foot touched the first step of the staircase as she faced Yukito. “Oh… hello.”

Puzzled, Touya was about to held her head but Sakura started to spoke again.

“Don’t think of anything, ne? I’m just tired… Could I pass on this one?” softly she said as she took more steps on the staircase. “Brother, call Ottou-san not to fetch me anymore at the Daidouji Mansion for me…”

“O-Okay—”

“Yukito-san… Don’t worry; I’ll come tomorrow at the shrine for the New Year’s Eve. Could we invite another one?”

“S-Sure. It’s good many people would come. Also,—”

“Great. I gotta go now to rest, if you guys don’t mind…” ended on these words, she totally went upstairs and quietly closed her door. Two men who were left on the scene were staring each other, analyzing all the swift shifting of events.

“Boy, I didn’t know you came to be as her servant lately…” Yukito murmured as he stared the marks Sakura left.

“No way.” Touya left Yukito who was a bit grinning, as he was heading to the dining table. “Maybe all of a sudden she realizes a kaijuu’s blood was running upon her nerves! Hahaha!” he faked out a laugh with that thinking.

“Nah, you’re just envious!” Yukito moved in as well and punched Touya’s back. “You still manage to joke around seeing her like that!” he grinned. “Don’t you ever think why suddenly she changes her mood?”

“Didn’t you hear her?” Touya irritatingly said as they reached the dining table and sat at their respective seats. “She said she mustn’t think on her that way.”

Yukito grabbed the platter full of rice and got for his own. “Too bad I haven’t told her that Kaho’s coming for tomorrow. What’s up with her?”

“I don’t know, Yukito.” Touya weakly said upon looking at the vacant place Sakura was supposed to be sitting. He let out a heavy sigh.

“I really don’t know…”

She let herself be thrown in the bed, her arm hid her eyes that cause her to see an instant darkness and then in a while removed it and just stared the ceiling for a long time.

Exhaling deep breath, she gazed more at her heavenly bodied stickers that glows in the dark at night. “I should be happy seeing her again but why I am like this?” she whispered as she spread out her arms wide, feeling the soft mattress of her bed.

Sakura rolled side by side until she grabbed one of her pillows and squeezed it close to her body. Then she took a lift on herself, approached at the window sill, and gaped at the snow, that was flurrying the town with its pale hue.

Her eyes blurred as she rested her face on the pillow; shivering or eyes strained because of cold, she doesn’t know… or maybe for another reason.

“Am I hurting?”

“You should’ve told me!” Syaoran protested in front of Meiling, his amber eyes like questioning her in a mixture of irritation and nervousness. “Say, what are you going to do if something bad happens to you!”

Meiling stood up; faced him and yelled out as if like a child. “Like I never have gone to Japan before!” her hands widened, feeling the air done by the heater of the room. “I’m not a kid anymore!”

“Who said it, anyway!” Syaoran walked back but Meiling grumbled even more.

“Ditto…!” Meiling gestured like she really got up on her nerves. “Then why are you babbling things at me!”

“If you’d call me, I could’ve fetched you!”

“It’s not the first time I’ve done this! Why are you hiding at Kinomoto’s back the moment I saw you, anyway?”

“Don’t change the topic! So you’re not impeding ‘til you learn a lesson!”

Tomoyo interjected, singing a ‘Dido line’ like she never did before. “Tea’s gone cold I’m wondering why… Aww, you two, will you guys stop for a while?”

The two looked at Tomoyo like she shad given an unjustified statement. “SHE/HE STARTED IT!” and then continued tattling at each other’s heads once again.

“I could’ve kick them out of this house… my house, don’t you think?” resting her back at the couch, Tomoyo calmly explained to Sakura, who was then sipping her own tea as well. “But since they were my friends, I even offered them a tea!”

“Tell me Tomoyo-chan, you’re just kidding.” Sakura said, half-smiling as she gazed back at her friends, still quarreling.

“Of course I am!” Tomoyo chuckled. “But I could still do that, somehow, if you just give me time to think of it.”

Not minding hat Tomoyo had just gagged, Sakura was still looking intently to Syaoran and then to Meiling, and thought what it feels like crashing at the scene, just to be their peacemaker.

Still…

“Maybe you left Hong Kong without telling your mom and the others!”

“Great. You’re generalizing me already without asking why…”

“Meiling—”

“T-They sent me here! In fact—”

“Aren’t you tired telling lies!”

“IT’S NOT THAT!” Meiling shouted, almost running out of breath. Sakura and Tomoyo felt like they were jumping out of their seats. They stared still. “THAT’S IT!” Meiling madly said, staring at his cousin’s eyes with rage. “THIS IS ENOUGH!”

They stared at each other for a long time but Meiling got the first to break it. “You do much talking already. Why don’t you go straight me to the point and blow me hard back to where I was!”

Syaoran stopped, and then a struck of guilt sketched all over his face. “M-Meiling… I-I—”

“F-Fine then… I’ll…” Meiling croaked, and then her shoulders stared to shake she doesn’t want to be seen by everybody. She was heading closer to the door. “…call them up right now to tell I’ll be coming back.”

“I’m sorry.”

Meiling stopped instantly after hearing his words and faced all of them, plastering her face with ugly stains of her tears. “I just…”

“I said I’m sorry…”

“I-I J-JUST WANTED TO BE WITH MY FRIENDS THIS NEW YEAR’S EVE FOR THE FIRST TIME!” In the third hiccup, Meiling spoke again, but now in a soft manner. “Is that… to much to ask…?”

On the other side of the room there’s Sakura, who was maintaining to hold her cup, looked down and stared the remaining amount of tea to gulp. She hasn’t change for the least… She still does crying most of the time. She thought upon seeing her yelling at the other one.

Like me…

In a sudden, she was like pulled back to her senses again when she heard Meiling yelled: “YOU WERE SO BUSY WITH YOUR SCHOOL, AND JUST FORGET ME LIKE I NEVER EXISTED! KNOW WHAT THAT FEELS!

“I-I JUST WANTED TO SURPRISE YOU BECAUSE I MISSED YOU, YOU STUPID!”

“I know!” Syaoran came closer to her and wipe her tears dry. “…and I’m sorry, alright?”

“Xiao Lang—”

“I just got worried! You can’t erase that word in my head! Sometimes think first who’s got to be scolded, okay? You aren’t used to this cold weather, right? You know, they might kill me if something terrible happens to you—”

“B-But like I said I… I-I…” Meiling gave in for another sobbing and hugged him. “XIAO LAAANG! I’m sorry if I’d done so much trouble on you all those past years!”

He rubbed her back and smiled. “That’s alright… But next time do what I said.” He smiled again. “I’ll just pretend I came so surprised.”

Meilin broke off and hardly she punched his chest, making him to moan in pain. “You really are a fool!” and they laughed like crazy.

“Owari… Owari…!” Tomoyo hummed loudly that made the two looked up to them and laughed once again.

Sakura watched them laughing as they went closer to their place. She bequeath a wide smile, did her best for it, but in a very while it was gone. Her eyes could tell the sadness she suddenly felt. She was partly glad, for she wasn’t needed anymore, but in the other side of her has a twinge of envy towards Meiling she doesn’t know why.

-

-

POP! POP! BANG! POP! POP! POP! BANG! POP!

Loud effervescent fireworks cracking into the air, as flocking of people from all sorts of the place were gathering in one special event: The New Year’s Eve Celebration at the Tsukimine Shrine.

“Having fun?” Yukito asked Sakura and Tomoyo loud in the middle of the blissful crowd.

“Hai! Lots of it!” Sakura grinned, secretly clutching Tomoyo’s waist seeing her off guard.

“Yee—yes!” Tomoyo added, quite in late reaction.

“Good!” Yukito said. “I heard those bunch of guys brought nice fireworks for the countdown!” He said excitingly as she pointed few men who were laughing at the liquor booth. “See you around!”

“Yeah! Enjoy yourself too!” Sakura finally yelled to his body that waved at them until he was eaten by the crowd.

Tomoyo moaned in jealousy seeing few couples together, playing at the amusement booths. “Girl… I wish Eriol-kun was here too!”

“Let him pass on this one.” Sakura placed her arms to her shoulders and smiled. “What would you be without me?”

“Aww…” Tomoyo chuckled, and pinched her cheeks. “How sweet… We might be flooded by ants!”

As they were laughing so hard, they heard their names be called by a familiar voice.

“Meiling-chan!”

“Glad you came!” grinning; Sakura held her hands and admired her fascinating entrance. “Nice outfit!”

“Thanks! She gave this to me!” Meiling said, referring the ‘she’ to Tomoyo, who was smiling unconditionally to them. “Did she make that one too?”

“Hai.”

“Cool! Sort of a New Year’s present, huh?”

“Certainly.” They both giggled in delight until Sakura noticed another familiar figure approaching.

Astoundingly, her cheeks gone crimson. “Konbanwa, Syaoran-kun…!” She was seeing clearly he was wearing an off-blue yukata, perfectly fitted in his body with a black robe.

“K-Konbanwa…” Syaoran replied, smiling. “Guess who I had seen…”

Another figure walked into their place. She startled, for she thought the woman from the moment she had arrived from Japan for over a month ago, won’t be showing up to her. Wide smile was slowly creeping on her lips, as she welcomed this old figure: her friend… her former teacher.

“Kaho-dono!”

“Ogenki desu ka?”

“I-I’m fine, Ma’am… Arigato.”

“Good.”

She wanted to talk to her to a more private place, so she invited Kaho to a certain place of the shrine she loved the most, where in there was a lake that was near to be seen, as the moon’s reflection was glimmering on it.

They sat on one of the huge stones intended to build really for sitting. “I thought I won’t see you again!”

“Me too. Imagine I was already here for about a month and a half now!” She laughed at that thought. “Gomen Nasai…”

“It’s alright!” Sakura instantly replied and then again started to stir unusual silence.

“Sakura-chan..?”

“Huh… H-Hmm?”

“I see you’re into a big situation.” Kaho said calmly. “Can you tell?”

“Oh, i-it’s nothing!” Sakura said, quite hesitant to move. “I’m—”

“I always care for you a lot. You know that.” Kaho gave her a prudent smile. “But then, are you sure?”

Sakura gazed at her eyes intently until hers came unclear and told herself this must be the only way to free her from all the feelings that mixed up in her heart. “I just… I don’t know.”

“My ears are yours…”

Kaho held her hand that was resting on her lap. Startled with what Kaho did, Sakura bent her head down and started to speak.

“I don’t know, Kaho-dono… I’m confused. I’m confused with what I am feeling right now. All my life I adored Yukito-san until I reached the limit, he was totally out of my life… out of my system. I thought I wouldn’t get over him, but I did…

“Those days, someone has helped me comprehend life wasn’t just all about loving Yukito. Maybe I was just awakened by the fact that he won’t love me like I wanted to… He won’t love me like I do. Someone woke me up from my dream…

“I… I-I realized, that I-I… I…” Sakura said in an uneven tone until wet drops of her tears blotted her dress. “…All this time I thought I—” she said in between sobs “—I wouldn’t see love to the person whom I thought I just see as my supportive friend!”

“Sakura…” Kaho muttered mildly, and massaged the hand she was holding for a long time. “Even if you don’t say his name, I’m sure it’s him.”

“A-Ano…” Sakura blushed, seeming to be caught no words to say.

“Li Syaoran… that guy… I told myself before he would make girls cry over him…”

“Nani?” Sakura said, her eyes widened, and thought that ‘before’ her former teacher was telling was about five years ago now. “H-How come—”

“Say…” Kaho looked up on her. “Do you believe in chemistry?”

Her jaw’s like hanged up. “A-Anone…”

“Well…” Kaho grinned. “I find you and him a perfect match before.”

“You do?”

“Yap.” She replied like she had been talking to her age as it sounded.

“W-Why… Anone… Kaho-dono… T-That was five years ago! W-We’re just only twelve years old back then!”

“Exactly.”

“D-Demo, how come you’re up to that conclusion?”

“I don’t know.” Kaho said. “I told myself; maybe someday I would find a hint on you seeing him on another side. I wasn’t wrong after all…”

Sakura didn’t speak, instead she just took a deep breath and heard more of Kaho’s…

“Maybe too much doubt filled your heart, seeing Meiling at his side again.”

“I don’t know!” Sakura mumbled, almost raising her voice in disagreement.

“You got to admit it. That’s the only way. Tell me, are you jealous?”

“…”

“That’s natural. You may still have that same old features you’ve shown me, but in the inside, I see you now as a new person.”

“Kaho-dono…”

“You’re growing up, see?” Kaho wrapped around her arms to her shoulders. “Finally…”

“You think so?”

“Uhuh…” she replied. “You do cry most of the time, but not because the wounds when you are falling down to a cliff or something. You’re one great girl, Sakura… and he deserves being wept by someone like you.”

Sakura laughed weakly, and then leaned her head to her chest. “I’m always the kaijuu… maybe Onii-chan was right.”

POP! BANG! POP! POP! POP! BANG! POP! POP!

Vibrant colors of fireworks started to crack again, illuminating more the sky along with the hanging lamps that served as a way back to the main place of the shrine. Loud music of percussions started to awaken almost the entire crowd’s blood, especially them.

“Then prove to your brother you aren’t worthy to be called like that!” Kaho continued, and stood up.

“I will.” Sakura grinned, and stood up as well. She broke off into the holding of her hands. “I’ll stay here.”

“Okay. But make sure you’ll come up before the countdown starts!”

“Hai. Happy New Year!”

Kaho then gradually hugged her tightly and stared at her emerald eyes once more, much to Sakura’s surprise.

“No Sakura…” Kaho corrected.

“…?”

“Happy New You.”

Cold wind once again wisped her auburn hair as she went down to see the whole lake all by herself. Sakura bent her knees, stared at the reflection done by the moon and the colorful fireworks that was continuously popping elsewhere.

Maybe the countdown was over. At last it’s year twenty o’ five…

She sat still, until he noticed a white thing that was slowly creeping in the water, along with her reflection. She looked at it so intently until another figure emerged from it. She turned back.

“S-Sakura-c-chan…”

“S-Syaoran-kun!” Sakura shrieked, her eyes widened. “God, you scared me!”

“I’m sorry!” he said.

He felt his heart stopped beating, the time stopped moving as he was staring the girl he loved glistering along with the light of the moon above them.

She felt her heart jumped in unexplainable fear, or excitement, or in happiness she doesn’t know, as she gazed deeply at the young man she loved in front of her, holding a…

“I-I wanted to give you this…” Syaoran mumbled, as he showed her more the string of white balloon.

“F-For me?”

“Hai. Take my hand so I could help you stand up.” he offered her his free hand to stand up. Sakura got it, and as she stood up, she has quite lost balance, until she was seeing herself almost two inch closer to him… to his face. They stared at each other’s eyes. She did smell his nice scent too. More fireworks’ reflection was glimmering in that big area of water.

“H-Here.” Syaoran handed her the string of balloon.

“A-Arigato.”

4!

3!

2!

1!

Syaoran smiled widely to her, contacting her still on the eye. “Happy New Year!”

“H-Happy New—” Sakura said; broking off into the staring. “—Year.”

“C’mon,” Syaoran said, pulled her; wasn’t removing his hand form hers. “They’re waiting for us!”

“O-Okay!” Sakura agreed as she didn’t object being held by him.

No Sakura… Happy New You.

Thinking of the last words Kaho Mizuki had told her, Sakura willingly gave in a wide smile upon staring at the white balloon she was holding, Syaoran’s back, their hands, and until they stopped and rose their heads up to stare first for a while the sky that was brightened by she thought an endless cracking of fireworks.

Yes… Happy New Me.

say, you liked it? man... i dunno what you guys are thinking, so please review! thanks so much!

tohughtbubbles .3