Hitsuzen: Fate of a Cherry Blossom

Chapter 28

Challenge

Wiping her eyes with her sleeves, Sakura sat behind a large tree, in the middle of the school forest. She tried to collect her thoughts together – telling herself to calm down.

She was scared.

Shaking.

Her thoughts went to the elementary principal. If he knew that Syaoran was someone special to her, he was to be sure to use him against her, as a means to control Sakura. She shuddered in fear at that thought.

Her outburst during class was sure to spark some rumours, but Sakura was sure her cards, 'Memory' to be exact, or even 'time' would easily solve it. Right now, she was unsure of what to do.

Sakura held her knees tightly to her chest, as tears streamed down her cheeks. She didn't want any danger to happen to Syaoran.

"You look ugly with tears, you know that?"

Sakura flinched and looked up – seeing a pair of crimson orbs staring at her.

~ * ~

Syaoran frowned in frustration, unable to find Sakura. She had hidden her aura – and he did not know his way around the school campus. He noticed some aura's near a court yard, and decided to check it out.

"Where did Natsume-kun go?" asked a girl, in which Syaoran remembered as Mikan. She was a cheerful girl, similar to Sakura in a way. She also possessed a strong aura – in which the first meeting made him wary of Mikan. He looked at the girl next to Mikan – a short black haired girl. The last person was Ruka Nogi, Syaoran's assigned partner.

"He just walked off!" Mikan cried in frustration.

"Maybe he wanted to skip class."

"I'm worried about Sakura-chan..." sighed Mikan, worry in her voice. "That's the first time I've seen her cry like that..."

"Um, excuse me?" Syaoran stepped out, approaching the group. "Do you know what leads in that direction?" Syaoran pointed at the path leading out of the courtyard.

"Ah! Li-kun!" cried Mikan, smiling a bit. "The forest is that way...But we most definitely saw her going this way!"

"I'd like to know what Sakura is to you..." asked Hotaru, keeping a straight face. Syaoran gulped, noting the similarities she had with Eriol – only less emotional.

"She's a friend from a hometown," Syaoran explained, frowning a bit. "Why do you care?"

"Sakura-chan is our friend!" cried Mikan, a pout on her face. Ruka and Hotaru nodded. Syaoran smiled a bit, happy that Sakura had made friends at Alice Academy. "Oh, you can call me Mikan, alright? Since my last name is Sakura – which is... Sakura's name...."

Syaoran laughed. "I see where the confusion is... alright Mikan." Mikan smiled, happy she had made the new student laugh. "Wait a minute..." Syaoran paused. "Where's that guy?"

"Eh?" Mikan frowned in thought, before beaming at Syaoran. "Ah! You mean Natsume-kun?"

Syaoran nodded, annoyed at the mention of the name.

"He just walked off – come to think of it ... it was towards the forest... Though the forest is where Bear-san lives!" exclaimed Mikan. She looked up, noticing that the new student had disappeared.

"He left when you said 'towards the forest'..." mumbled Hotaru. "Your voice must be so boring-"

"HOTARU-CHAN!"

Ruka laughed nervously.

"Now, now you two..."

~ * ~