(A/N)
STILL ALIVE!!!
I know it's been a while since I've last updated. But before I begin, I'd like to ask: How's everyone been doing with self quarantine?
Currently the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is causing everyone's lives to be a living hell, but we can get through this. Wattpad can still be used to brighten our days now more then ever, whether your a reader, a writer, our both. Keep up the good work and this whole drama will be over before you know it.
Moving on.
There is a bit of a time skip since the last chapter.
Something I would like to confirm, in case anyone was wondering, is that Sekura and Syaoran were 16 in the last arc and are now 18 in this one, and 14 & 15 during the flashbacks.
One last thing: I would like to give a HUGE shout out to the following readers:
@nanacurlove
@fluff_writer_
@naivewdw
Thanking you all for your comments. Although they were brief, they still gave me the motivation to continue and finish this story.
I present to you the first chapter of the festival arc
Enjoy
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"Sakura, it's too dangerous! Come down, I'll do it!"
"Syaoran-kun, you worry too much!" the girl called down from where she was straining precariously on a tree branch, attempting to return a fuzzy baby bird to its nest. "It's not that high, and he hopped up to me!"
"Well it'd be one thing if you still had your staff, but even that's gone now," he protested further, his arms twitching as though poised to catch her at any moment.
"We're at school," she explained good-naturedly, "I wouldn't use the Cards even if I could - ah! There, you're safe now," she cooed, gently stroking the chick's head before looking down at Syaoran with a triumphant grin. "You have your wind summon magic, don't you? Doesn't that make you feel better?" she snickered, apparently finding it amusing that she could turn the mighty Syaoran into such a nervous mess.
"I'll feel better when you're down," he groaned in exasperation.
She moved away from the nest, and he thought she was going to come down at last, but she paused, much to his consternation.
". . . Syaoran-kun?"
"Yeah?"
She blushed, "Could you help me, please? My skirt. . ."
Matching her shade of red, he nodded before climbing up - not sure whether he was elated or unhappy about having to rescue her after all.
Moments later, both were safely on the ground and relatively unscathed, minus a few scratches from the bark. Syaoran was reluctant to let go of her, somehow convinced she was grievously wounded or something, she figured.
Ignoring his incessant attentions, Sakura stretched her arms above her head - to which he responded by flicking his eyes over the exposed skin for injury - and sighed.
"That was fun," she remarked playfully, making him glare. "Almost like the old days."
Syaoran brushed the loose debris from his uniform and snorted, "Yeah, well. . . I think that's enough adventuring for one day. Time to go home and live our now-normal lives."
Grinning, Sakura held out her hand in invitation, which he accepted after he was sure both of them were sufficiently dusted off.
It was early August and the air was humid and heavy, causing moist droplets to cling to the pair of twelfth graders as they made their way down the street and away from school. Despite the sun beating down on them, their hands were firmly clasped, and both wore matching smiles of contentment.
"Syaoran-kun, this heat doesn't bother you much, does it?" the girl asked, noticing his lack of usual complaints concerning Japanese climate at one of its extremes.
Syaoran shrugged, "Nah, Hong Kong is near the equator, so I'm used to this kind of weather. And you? You like crisp summers, don't you?"
She giggled, "I do, but. . . I think I can make an exception this time, because it means it's not likely to rain tomorrow night."
"Rain? Why?"
Sakura looked a little put out by his confusion, but squeezed his hand patiently.
"It's the Tanabata festival, remember? We go every year?"
His eyes widened in understanding, before his smile was back, though a little sheepish this time.
"That's right, the story's a little different in Japan, isn't it? I'd forgotten it was already almost the 7th."
"Do you have your wishes ready?"
He stopped, causing Sakura to pause as well, and turned her towards him. He fingered the promise ring adorning her left hand absentmindedly, and sighed happily before meeting her jade green eyes with his own.
"With us in our last year of high school, there's only one thing I want."
Blushing, Sakura couldn't help but nod, smiling shyly but brightly. "Yeah. . . Me too."
Before she could say anything further, Syaoran was closing the distance between them, and in the space it took her to breathe she was in his arms, cradled protectively as their lips met. The ground seemed to dip and drop out from under her, and she pressed herself closer to him in bliss, curling her fingers around the fabric covering his chest, making him smile against her.
A mechanical 'click' and very distinct chortling brought their attention away from each other and to the beaming face of a dark haired girl.
"T-Tomoyo-chan. . . How long have you been there?" Sakura's face was a lovely shade of red, and she could only assume Syaoran's was of a similar color, as she was too embarrassed to look at him.
"Pardon the intrusion you two, but I just had to capture Sakura's ultra-cute "lovey" face on tape this time!"
Sakura drooped, as if exhausted from sheer awkwardness, "Th-This time. . . ?"
Syaoran cleared his throat, though it took him two tries, "Daidouji, have you been waiting for us this whole time?"
Tomoyo laughed again, covering her mouth with a coy hand.
"Of course not, Li-kun, that would just be creepy. I merely forgot something at school and was on my way back when I saw you two being so adorable."
Sakura and Syaoran finally looked at each other, pink dusting both of their cheeks. Some things never changed, no matter how old they all got.
For a while, nothing but the chirping of the cicadas buzzed in their ears, before Tomoyo finally broke the silence. "Well, I've bothered you lovebirds for long enough. I really did forget something rather important."
"Tomoyo-chan, will you be at the festival tomorrow?"
The girl looked suddenly distraught. "I'm extremely sorry, but I have something I must finish. Alas, it seems I won't be capturing 'Beautiful Festival Sakura-chan' on film this year."
"T-Tomoyo-chan..." Sakura didn't think her embarrassment could escalate any higher, despite being used to her friends' antics. Somehow it was different with Syaoran right there; even if he was used to them, too.
"Well then, until tomorrow," the dark haired girl dipped her head politely.
"See you tomorrow."
"Yeah. . ."
Sakura was the first to start giggling once they were alone. At first Syaoran just looked at her like she was making fun of him, which only made her laugh harder until he relented and joined her.
Holding out her hand again, Sakura's giggling fit slowly subsided as she said, "Let's go, Syaoran-kun. Onii-chan and dad aren't home and we need to get there before Kero-chan eats all the snacks."
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(A/N)
This chapter was much longer in my original draft, but as I stated in my last chapter, the chapters of this arc will be just a little bit shorter then the previous ones.
Vote for the chapter if you enjoyed it, and please leave a comment or two to share your thoughts.
I'll upload the next chapter later today.
Stay tuned.