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-