I placed Tomoeda, the town of CCS, in Oizumigakuen Nerima-ku, Tokyo. This fic contains some actual place nemes, but they have no relations in CLAMP’s original work. Characters’ home towns mentioned in this fic are this fic’s original, too.
This fic assumes the end of June, 2004, takining into account that the year 2000, when the 2nd movie was released, Sakura and the others were of age 12.
| Yoshiyuki Terada | is an elementary school teacher. He decided to marry his ex-student. He is from Hiraizumi, Iwate, famous for Matsuo Bashou’s haiku. He currently lives in Tsukishima, Tokyo. |
| Rika Sasaki | is Yoshiyuki’s fianceé. She is a freshperson of high school who is an ex-student of Terada’s. She had her father dead before several weeks before she first met Yoshiyuki. She lives in Tomoeda. |
| Sakura Kinomoto | is a good friend of Rika’s, who is of the same age. She can use a magic of her Sakura Card, but only a few people knows the secret. She was Syaoran’s girlfriend, who was brought up in Tomoeda, and attends Seijou High School, the same school as Rika’s. |
| Tomoyo Daidouji | is a friend of Rika’s of the same age. She moved in Tomoeda when she entered elementary school. Her mother is CEO of a successful toy company Daidouji Corporation. |
| Naoko Yanagisawa | is a friend of Rika’s of the same age, who loves ghost stories. She was born in Tomoeda, and she moved to Sagamihara, Kanagawa, when she graduated from junior high. |
| Chiahru Mihara | is a friend of Rika’s. She’s Takashi’s girlfriend. She was brought up in Tomoeda. |
| Takashi Yamazaki | is a friend of Rika’s of the same age. He moved to Kamagai, Chiba, his mother’s home town, when he was an eighth grader because of his family affairs. |
| Syaoran Li | is a friend of Rika’s of the same age, and Sakura’s boyfriend. He lives in an apartment Sky Maison Tomoeda-Gakuen North Park Side, alone with his butler named Wei. |
Composed by Keisei Tokkyuu for Sakura
Translated by Yuki Neco
Unlike the weather report forecasting rainny weather, the sky was clear, and the temperature rose to 90. The baking heat was loosen at dusk, however, humidity unpleasantly stuck to the sweaty skin. Yoshiyuki Terada, an elementary school teacher, was driving his car on Kawagoe Highway to the north west off Tokyo to pick up his fianceé. He was getting married two day away to his ex-student, who was a sixteen-year-old girl, a freshperson of high school, named Rika Sasaki. There was 20 years of difference in their ages as he was 36. It was seven years since they first met, and six years since they first went out on a date. Their decision of marriage just shocked those who knew them.
He turned left at the intersection at Akatsuka Shin-machi 3-chome, and headed for Hikarigaoka. Rika’s grandfather was in hospital in Hikarigaoka Nerima-ku, Tokyo, because of illness. It was that he called her a quater hours ago when he stopped at a 7-11, then her mother who answered the phone told him she was in the hospital to see her grandfather. There was no room in the parking lot in the hospital, so he tried to move his car into the lot in the park, when he saw Rika walk out of the hospital. At his honking, she noticed and jogged over to him, before getting in his car.
“Your mother called you?” asked Yoshiyuki.
“Yeah, and I think it’s time to go back.”
“Your baggage is home, huh? Dinner at the hotel is 7:30, so we’ll leave as soon as we pick up your baggage. Before leaving, I think I should say hello to your mother,” Yoshiyuki said.
He drove to Rika’s house in Tomoeda. It took about a quater hours from the hopital to her house. When they got to the house, her mother and big sister came to meet him. Her sister Natsumi was also an ex-student when he was a trainee teacher, and acted familar to him, who said, “Yo, Mr. Terada, how’s it goin’? Come in.”
“Thanks, but I’ve got to leave here as soon as I pick up the baggage,” Yoshiyuki replied.
“Natsumi, watch your language. How many times must I tell you?” the mother warned the sister, “Sorry for the disgrace, Yoshiyuki. I’ve warned her dozens of times, but she never changes her attitude. I’d like it if you excuse her.” Yoshiyuki laughed nervously.
At Tomoedagakuen Station at dusk, four high shool girls and two high school boys caught a bus that starts from the station. The surrounding of the station had changed so much since the days when Sakura was a biginner Cardcaptor and when Syaoran moved to this city, now that a tall residential building including the city hall stood near there, and the station had a pedestrians’ deck—it was hard to believe it’s the same city.
“Thank you, everyone, for coming along with my shopping,” Sakura said cheerfully.
“It’s nothing,” Tomoyo replied with a smile.
“Don’t say that, Sakura. You make dinner all by yourself, you’re awesome,” said Naoko.
“And what are you guys going to do tonight?” Takashi asked.
“We’re all going to have dinner at Sakura’s house, and go to Sagamihara to sleep over at Naoko’s house,” Chiharu replied, “What are you guys going to do, Takashi and Li? You’re coming to the wedding ceremony, and joing the class reunion?”
“Yeah, I am. How about you, Takashi?” said Syaoran.
Takashi said quite immediately, “I’m going to stay over night at Syaoran’s house with another boys.”
“You are staying over night at Syaoran’s house?” Sakura repeated.
“Oh, I fotgot about... Hey! I’ve never heard of that. I thought you would go home?” Syaoran said in a confused manner.
“Umm? I thought I said it. When I called you last week, and you said OK,” said Takashi.
“Then who are the other boys?” Chiharu asked.
“Yuuki and Kouichi,” Takashi replied.
Yuuki Kamio was the one who played the king in the play Sleeping Beauty at the Culture Festival when they were in fifth grade; besides, Rika played the queen. On the other hand, Kouichi Hara was a basketball player, whom they said had liked Rika once before. Syaoran got a little upset to remember he had nothing in the fridge. Sakura kind of perceived that and tried to talk to him, the bus announces the next stop would be Tomoeda Kitamachi 1-chome. It was three stops prior to where they’d get off, but someone pressed the button and the bus made a stop. When Syaoran stood up on his feet, he said, “Takashi, you go first. There's an access control door entry system at the entrance, so input the room number and Wei will answer.”
“What’s wrong? This isn’t the stop you always get off at,” Takashi put on a puzzled look.
“I need to buy something. I’m going to drop in on a grocery store,” Syaoran got off the bus.
“He totally forgot about Takashi would stay over night,” Tomoyo giggled.
“He’s got at least to fix dinner for four,” added Naoko.
“Sakura’s got to fix dinner for all of us, so we gotta help her,” Chiharu said.
“Hauuu, for four people, too. Thank you guys for helping me everything,” Sakura thanked her friends. Now it was 4:15, and they had to get on a train at 7:30 if latest.
Meanwhile, Rika’s mother and sister and grandmother were seeing the bride and the groom off.
“Mr. Terada—my brother-in-law, take care, ciao,” Natsumi said in a kind of over familar way.
“I told you to watch your language,” the mother warned her again.
“I think it’s the easiest this way,” Natsumi pouted.
“See you. Uh, are you guys coming tomorrow?” said Rika.
“Yes, we take 11 o’clock express from Tokyo,” answered the mother.
“OK, I’ll pick you up at the station if I have time. See you tomorrow,” Yoshiyuki said.
Yoshiyuki started his car, and it came into the Belt Highway 8, when Rika mumbled, “I can’t believe I’m getting married tomorrow.”
“Can’t you? It’s already six years since we first met,” Yoshiyuki said softly.
“It seemed like yesterday,” smiled Rika.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Rika and Yoshiyuki first saw at the very first day of the fourth grade. Yoshiyuki, who had wanted to be a teacher, moved from Iwate to Sendai, then entered a Collage of Education. After graduating from the collage, he came to Tokyo and take an exam for Teacher’s Certificate, but he failed. He made a second try, but he had to give up prefectual schools, and then he had interviews at some private schools, consequently, he got hired by Tomoeda Elementary, becoming a teacher at his 27.
This school was a little strange that someone comes to school on rollerblades (not banned anyway), and the lunch was selectable whether school meals or their own lunch brought from home. Students were taught by different teachers specialized for subject to subject, like junior high school or above. He was to teach P.E. at this strange school, and he had a homeroom class—fourth grade division one. One his way to his classroom, he bumped into a girl who was also in a hurry at the corner, then she fell. He felt sorry and asked her if she was all right. The moment the girl, who had looked below, turned to look up at him saying “Yes,” he felt something different than other girls. The girl was Rika. She too saw an image of her father who was already dead overlapping Yoshiyuki.
Her father was Hidekazu Sasaki, an actor, who died of lung cancer a few weeks before their encounter. They said thousands of his admirers attended the funeral. Neverthess, no one but her relatives knew her father was a famous actor.
“What is your class?” Yoshiyuki asked gently.
“Fourth grade division one,” Rika replied nervously.
“Oh, that’s my class. Nice to meet you.”
That was how it all began. He was the homeroom teacher of Rika’s class, anyway. The moment he first saw her, he remembered, for a reason, his ex-fianceè who was his old friend of the same age and suddenly died two days prior to their marriage. It was two years before.
In June that year, the fourth graders has a field trip to the zoo in Kanagawa Prefecture, like other years—Yoshiyuki didn’t like it because he thought the 10-year-old was not the age to make a fuss to see animals. He, who just moved to an apartment in Tsukishima, restrained himself to spend much money for meals because he barely paid his rent and commutation ticket with his salary. No wonder, his lunch on that day was a lunch set bought at a 7-11. But a girl came to him with lunch she made just for him. She was Rika.
“I... I’d love it if you ate this,” the girl said modestly. In the lunch box were rice with seasoning power sparkled on it, pork grilled with ginger, potato salad, pickles, and fruit. He was impressed by the gorgeous lunch, praised for it, “Looks delicious. You made it yourself?”
“Yes,” she replied blushing and looking down. When he took a first taste of the lunch, she said, “Give the lunch box back in the bus.” She ran away before he could call her to stop. Knowing better than to trace her in the eyes, he stuffed the rice in his mouth first, then thought “So delicious!” He casually tried to recall when was the last time he had ever eaten non-7-11 lunch. That much impression and good taste made him let his tears run from his eyes.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Yoshiyuki drove his car from the Belt Highway 8 into the Metropolitan Expressway, and park his car at Umi-hotaru Parking area, before he and Rika could see the scenary of Tockyo Bay area at the sunset.
“To remember back, that lunch tasted divine to me,” Yoshiyuki said.
“I knew that you cried eating the lunch. Ms. Tsujitani told us about it in her music class, so everyone knew it, I guess,” Rika replied.
“Oh, I guess they’ll make fun of me for sure at tomorrow’s reunion party,” he groaned, “I beg you please, take my part in that case.”
“Not to mention,” she replied.
The sun was setting below the horizen, as Tokyo was being covered by dusk. They could see the sea until the sun completely sank beneath the sea,
“Hoeeee! I’m gonna be late!”
Familier scream was heard in Kinomoto residence, which woke up Kero who were sleeping in peace. He asked in a sleepy manner, “What was the scream for? Where are you going, Sakura?”
“Rika’s wedding ceremony.”
“You mean the pretty girl who was taken over by the Sword Card in those days you were captureing the Cards. But the ceremony was not until the day afrer tomorrow, didn’t you say?” Kero said.
“Tonight, we’ll have a reunion party. And we’ll stay at Naoko’s house in the way, as the ceremony will be held at a far-off place,” Sakura replied.
“Where is the far-off place?”
“Umm... I wonder where? Let me see...” Sakura took out the invitation card, which said the ceremony would be held at a hotel in Amatsu Kominato, Chiba Prefecture, a small port city on the south coast of Boso Peninsula. The city has plenty of sightseeing spots.
“Wow, a port city... that means fish dishes are great, I guess. Hey, there’re spas! That pretty girl holds her ceremony at such a gorgeous place! Hey, Sakura, you mind if I hang out with you?” excited Kero asked.
“Not at all, but make sure you keep away from everyone’s sight, OK?” she gave him a caution, “And, Tomoyo will be there, too.”
“All right! I’m ready to eat as much as I can!” shouted Kero, hiding into Sakura’s baggage.
“Hoeeee! I better hurry!” she screamed.
When she ran downstairs with stomping sound as usual, Touya said in the usual manner, “The kaijuu is as enegetic as usual.”
“I am not a kaijuu,” she shouted back, “Don’t call a high school student that way!”
“Yes, ma’am, but you’re gonna miss your bus if you don’t hurry. Your friends are waiting for you, aren’t they?” Touya hastened her.
“I know! How about you, Touya? Are you coming, too?”
“I’m coming with Yuki tomorrow. Dad said he woould come straightly from his business trip,” he replied.
“Oh, I gotta be going. See you!”
She rushed out to the bus stop, and caught the bus that came right on schedule. Unfortunately, her bus was caught in a traffic jam, so she got behind schedule when she got to the station. To make the matter worse, the limited express Sakura and the others had planned to change onto at the next station passed them between the stations.
Meanwhile, five people: Wei, Takashi, Yuuki, Kouichi, and Syaoran, were having dinner at Syaoran’s apartment. Syaoran still lived in the same apartment as in the day when he had lived in the town.
“You’re a great chef, Syaoran,” Takashi praised.
“He’s right! I don’t object to pay for these dishes,” Kouichi agreed.
“To be exact, he’s good at all the housekeeping things,” said Yuuki.
“Thanks,” Syaoran smiled modestly.
“Master Syaoran did everything on his own since he was a little boy,” Wei explained. Their conversation came to a pause, and quietness ruled the apartment. To break up the silence, Wei began, “Uh... What kind of person is the new bride Rika Sasaki?”
“She’s like calm and grawn-up,” Kouichi replied.
“She has a talent for actress—I mean, Sleeping Beauty we played when we were on the fifth grade,” Yuuki succeeded to the reply.
“Yeah, I remember,” Takashi joined the conversation, “that you played the king, and Syaoran played the princess.”
“That play made me laugh,” Kouichi grinned playfully, “Your lousy action disturbed Yuuki from his role of the king. But the funniest was that at the end of the play Sakura jumped at...”
“Hey! Let’s not talk about it! That is still an embarrassing story,” Syaoran was upset with a red face.
“Cool down, Syaoran,” Yuuki preempted, “By the way, I wonder if Rika used to be a child actress. To have seen how she played, I’m sure of it.”
“Oh... Child actress?” Wei repeated.
“She wasn’t born in Tomoeda, and I don’t know anything about where she came from. I bet nobody knows what she was like before she moved in this town,” Kouichi followed.
“Don’t you? Neither do I,” Syaoran said rolling his eyes.
Afterwards, Wei asked Syaoran very secretly, “Psst, Master Syaoran, at the end of the play, Sakura jumped at... what?”
“Oh, c’mon, Wei. I want you to forget it, please!” Syaoran said, blushing as red as a beet.
On the other hand, Sakura’s gang arrived at Shinjuku Station, where they were going to change trains to Odakyuu Line.
“Chiyoko should be waiting for us at the ticket wicket,” Naoko said heading for the ticket wicket.
“Hoe, who is it?” Sakura asked as she rolled her eyes.
“She’s my cousin. She’s 24,” Naoko replied.
“Wow, she’s grown-up. What’s she like?” Chiharu said crisply.
Then they saw a woman wave her hand to the girls at the ticket wicket. It was Chiyoko, Naoko’s cousin, who looked like Naoko but she didn’t wear glasses. Naoko said she wore contact lenses instead.
“Nice to meet you, guys. Hurry up and we’ll be able to get seats. Run to the platform,” Chiyoko hasted the girls. There was a crowd on the train at the time of day as usual. They got on 20:31 express for Odawara, where a number people were stuffed like a sardine can. They didn’t get a seat, naturally.
“Naoko,” whispered Tomoyo, “she looks much like you.”
“Could be,” Naoko replied, “All the difference was she doesn’t wear glasses and she has a boyfriend.”
“But why did your cousin have to pick us up?” Chiharu took on a puzzled look.
“She happened to be in Shinjuku for shopping. She’s just on her way home.”
After 40 minute journey on the train, they got off at Sagamiono, where they got on the bus as the next thing. They got off the bus in as long as five minutes. Walking from the bus stop in the housing complex, they got to Naoko’s house, a liquor store in the middle of a residential area. Back of the store was the actual front door to Naoko’s house, through which they entered, when Naoko’s mother, Sachiyo, came and let them in, “Hello. Please come in.”
“Good evening, thank you for inviting and putting us up for the night,” Sakura and the others replied.
“I’m going to bed. I’ll attend the ceremony, too,” Chiyoko said.
“You will? But why?” Sachiyo questioned.
“Cause the ceremony wouldn’t go on without the wedding planner,” replied Chiyoko proudly, “Didn’t I tell you? I am the planning staff for Mr. Terada’s wedding ceremony.”
“That’s right. When I heard of their wedding, I asked her in person to arrange their ceremony,” Naoko explained.
“Oh, I didn’t know it,” the mother said, “Why don’t you take your father in that case?”
“Is he already in bed?” asked Naoko.
“Yes, he is. Anyway, take a good rest tonight,” the mother replied.
Chiyoko walked to her own room, and Naoko walked Sakura and the others to her own room. They were getting into bed around 10:30, when Sakura started, “I was surprised when I first heard of ther marriage.”
“Yes, even though I knew they were going out on a date,” Tomoyo said.
“What? You knew it?” Sakura blinked her eyes from the unexpected answer.
“Not a surprise, everybody knew it, the same thing as you were in romance with Syaoran,” Naoko followed.
“She’s right,” Chiharu continued, “Talking of it, Takashi got hurt just before the play when we were on the sixth grade, and Syaoran had to play the prince suddenly in his place, you remember? That was, Takashi told me later, he wasn’t hurt so bad.”
“What?” Sakura was a little confused.
“He said he wanted to give you a good memory of Syaoran in case you were never to see him again,” Chiharu confessed, “and that everybody in the class felt the same, then he asked for my agreement. It’s true that I was mad to know he lied he was hurt, but I changed my mind that he did a good thing... thinking about you and Syaoran.”
“That’s what really happened... Thanks so much to him,” Sakura smiled and said with tears of grateful emotion, “But I’m embarrassed to know all of you knew that. Yeah, I know! Let’s join Syaoran and the others tomorrow. The more the merrier.”
“Helluva good idea! Let’s join them,” Naoko agreed, “But Chiyoko’s friend said she would bring her sister. I wonder if he minds it.”
“I’m sure he’ll be OK,” Sakura replied, “I’ll email and ask him about it.”
On the other hand, Syaoran and Takashi sneezed at the same time, when the four boys are getting into bed.
“I wonder who was talking about me?” Syaoran frowned.
“It was Sakura,” Yuuki grinned.
“Then how come Tokashi sneezed at the same time?” Kouichi rolled his eyes.
“God only knows.” That was the answer by Yuuki.
At this time, someone’s cell phone rang, but went on very shortly.
“Whose phone?” Kouichi said.
“It’s Syaoran’s,” Takashi turned to Syaoran. Then he checked his phone and saw it said “Received an email.” It was from Sakura that read:
Hey, I just thought up of a terrific idea.
Do you want to join us on the way to the ceremony?
We will be hanging around with Naoko’s cousin’s friend...
I wonder if you mind it?
-Sakura
“Who’s it from?” asked Takashi.
“Stupid question. It’s gotta be from Sakura,” Yuuki smirked, “He turns speechless whenever he gets an emails from her.”
Syoaran closed his eyes and spoke slowly, “She asked us to join Sakura and the others. But they’ll bring Naoko’s cousin’s friend.”
“That’s not a big deal,” Takashi said cheerfully, “We have a reunion party later, and why don’t we join them?”
Yuuki and Kouichi agreed with Takashi, and all of them decided to join Sakura’s gang next day. Finally they decided to meet at Tokyo Station at 8:00. Everybody was almost at the end of the day very peacefully... except the one who was mad like this:
“Sakura totally forget all about me. Sakuuuraaaaa, prepare yourself tomorrow, I won’t forget this! Ohhh, I’m starving!”
To be continued
I connected the CCS world with the true city. As a matter of fact, the surrounding of Oizumigakuen Station has developed so greatly that I was totally amazed by the pedestrian deck on the station, and the tall storied residential building including the city hall whch they call Yumerior.
The reason I wanted to write this fic was: when I knew Rika’s birthday was June 24, I thought she was legally able to marry Mr. Terada from that day, and that my birthday was July 18, the same as Mr. Terada’s.
I planned the plot will continue for three or four chapters. The two lead characters didn’t appear so much in this chapter, but they perhaps will appear much oftener in the latter chapters. The next chapter may reveal Rika’s past she had been concealed... or what?
- Keisei Tokkyuu for Sakura