Disclaimer:

Cardcaptor Sakura is not mine. It's the masterpiece of CLAMPS

SAKURA NO IE (桜の家)

Chapter 1

A peaceful morning in Kinomoto Family residence. A brown bird house clock was screaming aloud, alarming the loving house that it was already five in the morning. In a minute, a beautiful forty five year old woman came down from the second floor of the house. The small house was serene and quiet. The rest of the souls were still curling up inside the warm blankets.

The woman with a long wavy black hair is Nadeshiko Kinomoto, the well known architect in Japan. She always tries to wake up very early in the morning, to do the chores as the mistress of the house before running to work as architect all day long. She serves the breakfast, cleans the house and clothes, and prepares for her works.

Her dear husband, Fujitaka Kinomoto, showed up an hour later with a smiled on his face, despite of his tangled face. He kissed her forehead softly. "Good morning, honey."

They are still showing affections to each other, even though they are aging over time. This is what always makes their friends envious of them.

Nadeshiko smiled lovingly to him, "Good morning, Fuji. Did you have a comfortable sleep?"

Fujitaka nodded. He grabbed the coffeemaker and starting to brew. "I am going to Osaka for two days. The world archaeological congress is being held there starting from tomorrow."

"I wil prepare your clothes then." Nadeshiko kissed her husband on his cheek and went upstair.

They were already having breakfast when Touya burst to the dining room in half an hour and munching his meal hastily.

Nadeshiko frowned to see his first kid and chided him, "Eat slowly, son."

"I have to be hurry, okaa-san. I got an important meeting this morning." Touya answered quickly. His cereal bowl was empty in a minute. He then immediately said goodbye to his parents and scurried to work.

They heard a noise from upstair not long after, and Hana, their first daughter, came up with a scene. She shrieked in panic, "I'm late! Otou-san, can you drive me to the university only for this time? Please!"

Fujitaka smiled and picked up his luggage. "Alright. We set off first, okaa-san."

He bent down to kiss Nadeshiko and went inside the car to start the machine.

"Hana, don't forget to bring this. You have to eat your breakfast." Nadeshiko put a meal box in a paper bag and handed it to her daughter.

Hana smiled and kissed Nadeshiko on the cheek, "Okay, okaa-san."

Before she closed the car's door, Nadeshiko yelled once again, "Hana, don't get yourself too tired! Don't forget to take your pills as well! Call Touya if you want him to pick you up."

She stared at her daughter worriedly.

"Will do, okaa-san. Don't worry!" Hana smiled, reassuring Nadeshiko. Her mother always worries about her. It makes her engulfed in guilty all this time.

Nadeshiko sighed softly as the black sedan vanished from her sight. She closed the door and walked up to the second floor. She saw the room beside Touya's was cracked a little.

"This kid must be still sleeping." Nadeshiko muttered and entered the dark room. She saw her youngest daughter was still curling up in her bed.

Nadeshiko shook Sakura's figure lightly. "Sakura, wake up! What time is it now? Do you want to skip the class again?" Nadeshiko chided loudly.

Sakura groaned quietly and turned away from her mother, "I have no class today, okaa-san."

Nadeshiko sighed loudly, "Don't lie to me, Sakura. Your home lecturer called me and told that you skipped her class several times."

Sakura finally gave up and opened her eyes slowly. Megumi Sensei is indeed a bothersome. she muttered to herself. She forced her eyes unfold and dragged her feet to the bathroom.

After cleaning up, she went back to her room to get dressed and make up. As usual, she would wear a gothic appearance; a tank top and black leather jacket, combined with mini skirt.

In her age of nineteen, Sakura always stuns her male friends with her beautiful face and slender figure. It is added by her unique, firm and independent personality. No wonder she always be the talking subject in the university. She dyed her hair black with a little red accent last month, which put her mother in wrath. It ended up with her being grounded for a week.

After all was done, she grabbed her bag and went down stair. She met her mother and bowed at her awkwardly, "I'm off, okaa-san."

"Don't make any troubles and you have to take care of your sister." Nadeshiko ordered her daughter firmly.

Sakura nodded rigidly and started to walk off. Unlike her father, Touya and Hana, she never kisses her mother. Her relationship with Nadeshiko has been distant since forever. She never has a same thought with Nadeshiko and they always have arguments. It is like that they would never have their moments together.

"Sakura-chan!" A srill shriek and giggles were heard from her two bestfriends, Tomoyo and Meiling. They arrived in the class earlier than her.

Sakura grinned and greeted them, "Good morning, girls. Could any of you lend me your algebra homework?"

"I already made yours, Sakura. Don't worry. You don't have to bother copying." Tomoyo smiled sweetly to her cousin. She then handed her notes to Sakura.

Meiling looked at them disapprovingly. "Tomoyo, when will you stop spoiling her? She has to finish her own responsibilities." Even though she loves Sakura, but still she doesn't want her bestfriend to rely on others' helps to do her works. Bestfriends doesn't always do loving things. If there is a need to slap, just do it.

"Meiling, you know that Sakura doesn't have time." Tomoyo pouted sadly. "She has part time work after college until night to fulfill that wish of hers. I, as her bestfriend, need to help her!"

Tomoyo turned to Sakura, "Though actually, i could lend you the money you need to buy presents for your mother, Sakura. You know you don't have to be shy of it."

Sakura smiled at the two. She indeed has a part time job in a mini market to earn some money for the birthday project. Even though her relationship with Nadeshiko is not too good, she feels the need to give something on her birthday next year. "I have to buy the birthday presents for okaa-san with my own money. But thank you very much for your kind offer, Tomoyo."

"Sakura-chan, you know that you are really a dutiful child." Tomoyo said with starry eyes.

Sakura could only grimace at her cousin.

They were heading to the canteen after the class when suddenly Meiling shrieked enthusiastically, "Oh, i forgot to tell you, guys! You still remember my cousin, Syaoran, right? He has been chosen into the student exchange program from his university with ours! He will depart from China next month! It will be really exciting!"

Sakura quickly looked at Meiling. Her heart was suddenly pounding fast from hearing that name. Li Syaoran. How could she ever forget him? It has been years since their last encounter before he had to go back to China. Sakura and him ever had what they called a silly puppy love. But it was in the past. She was not even sure that he still remembered her. She smiled to herself.

Suddenly Takashi ran to them with a panting. He yelled rapidly to Sakura, "Sakura! Your sister's collapsed at the park!"

Sakura's eyes widened and she ran quickly to the university park. Meiling and Tomoyo were following behind. There were already a lot of people gathered around when she was there. She saw Hana on her Katsuo's, her sister's boyfriend, embrace.

"Onee-chan!" Sakura cried and burst into Hana's side. Her face looked really pale and her lips were bluish. She was sweating all over.

"Katsuo onii-san, can you take her to the hospital?"

Katsuo nodded and put Hana on his arms. They ran frantically to Katsuo's car. Sakura called her mother when they were already in the car. Nadeshiko was heard panic and about to cry when Sakura told her.

Hana was immediately rolled in to the emergency room when they arrived. Nadeshiko and Touya arrived in half an hour after. Her eyes were swollen and she seemed worried and in fear.

"Okaa-san." Sakura approached Nadeshiko.

But she then felt a sting on her left face. Her mother slapped her, left Touya and Katsuo gasped. Her face was reddening in wrath, "Don't you remember what i told you this morning? You were supposed to take care of your sister!"

Sakura touched her left cheek. It was heating up and reddening. She looked at her mother in disbelief. Her emerald eyes were starting to tear.

The emergency room door was opened. Nadeshiko immediately burst to the doctor and demanded her daughter's condition.

Touya wanted to embrace Sakura, but she repelled his hands roughly and burst out of the room. She was starting to cry hardly. Her mother still hates her. Her heart was wretched for the umpteenth time. Nadeshiko is always cold towards Sakura. In her eyes, Sakura is a rebel and wicked brat. There was always one or two things which made her unsatisfied with Sakura. And it is only to her. Sakura knew that her mother love Hana much more than her. It is because of her leukemia. She was born as a sick child and needs more attention.

Nadeshiko was never there for her whenever Sakura needed a mother figure. She always tried to understand. She understood that her mother bears lots of burdens, since one of her kids was born imperfectly. But sometimes she could not stand the pain. She felt rejected. Like this time.

Sakura sat on a bench at the hospital park. She was crying silently. When she heard footsteps nearing, she was really hoping that it was her mother. But she knew very well that it was impossible. Okaa-san would never leave Hana only for her, she thought bitterly. And it was proven.

"Sakura." Touya called her softly. He reached his sister into his embrace. He understood her feeling. Even though their mother never treats him like she does to Sakura. Touya felt guilty since there was nothing he could do for fixing the situation. He could not do something for his beloved sister.

Sakura started to sob hardly in his embrace.

"What did I do wrong, onii-chan?"