Ki no Sakura
Chou Kisus
By: Sorano
Disclaimer: Card Captor Sakura belongs to the talented CLAMP whom I adore. The song butterfly kisses belongs to umm, I don't know. But it isn't me.
A/N: I've finally got a song-fic! I hope I did it ok! I've been listening to "Butterfly Kisses" and I thought it would be cute to apply it to Card Captor Sakura. What are butterfly kisses BTW? Enjoy!
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There are two things I know for sure...
It was a bright, sunny day. That's what Kinomoto Fujitaka remembered of the day his daughter, Sakura was born. Early spring, the cherry blossoms had finally unleashed their beauty onto the world to herald the birth of the most beautiful child on earth. His wife, Nadeshiko, had lain pale and tired on the white sheets, labor had been abnormally tough on her, but she smiled up at him and held the child out.
She was sent here from heaven and she's daddy's little girl…
Gingerly Fujitaka held the bundle, knowing it's fragility. "Sakura-chan," he smiled. "My sweet, sweet Sakura." The newborn opened her tiny, emerald eyes and stared up at him, bright unblinking eyes. "I love you," Fujitaka whispered. The girl smiled and let out a squeal. Her happy nature was apparent from her first breath.
When Nadeshiko passed away a couple years later, Fujitaka's heart was broken. He felt so alone. Locked up in his study, with a pile of essays to be corrected in front of him, he didn't notice the door open. His daughter had managed to escape the watchful eye of her older brother, and now made her way to stand beside her father. "'tousan,' she giggled. "Are you crying, 'tousan? Don't be sad, 'tousan. Look! Sakura-chan made you some cookies," the girl reached a plate up to him, smiling.
"Sakura-chan? Did you make these for me?" "Mommy gone? Mommy can't make you no cookies so Sakura-chan make you cookies! 'niichan helped, but it was Sakura-chan's idea!" Fujitaka wiped away a tear; least he should worry his small daughter. Sakura wrapped her tiny arms around her father's leg, for that was as high as she could reach. "Sakura-chan loves you 'tousan!" "I love you, too, Sakura-chan."
With his small daughter's simple act of love, Fujitaka realized his daughter was a special gift from his wife. Nadeshiko must have known she wouldn't be here forever, so she gave him this little angel.
As I drop to my knees by her bed at night, she talks to Jesus, and I close my eyes. I thank God for all the joy in my life, but most of all….
Always innocent, always believing, Sakura-chan would kneel by her futon every night and pray. She'd pray only for others, never a selfish thought. "And, thank-you, God, most of all, for giving me the best family in the world, 'cept when 'niichan hids my stuff. I don't like that." Some nights the little girl would ask Fujitaka to pray with her, saying God likes them to be together. Fujitaka would close his eyes and thank God for the most important part of life, his Sakura.
Sakura brightened up every life she touched, she was happiness, she was light. There was nothing Fujitaka liked more than watching his two children play. As the cherry blossoms fell and cluttered the ground, Sakura and Touya would run outside with shouts of joy and jump into the colorful piles that their father had only finished raking up minutes ago, and scatter them over the ground. Fujitaka would only smile. In the winter, driven inside by the bitter cold, Sakura would make ao-cha for everyone, along with lumpy chocolate chip cookies. Then she curl up in her father's lap, Oniichan sitting next to them, and Fujitaka would spin tales to delight the girl's imagination. When long awaited spring arrived, Fujitaka would realize his daughter had grown. He would be hit by a lump of fear, dreading the day his daughter would leave him, but then the child would race over and grab his hand. "Look, 'tousan! The world is all pink!"
Butterfly Kisses, after bedtime prayer, sticking little white flowers all up in her hair…
Sakura started attending school, as all children eventually do, and her father missed her more than ever. She met a little girl, a sweet ebony-haired thing, named Tomoyo, and it was wonderful to watch the two of them. One day Sakura came home from school, her cheeks bright, eyes dancing, and a wreath of cherry blossoms tied up in her hair. "Tomoyo-chan made them for me," Sakura would say. "Aren't they pretty, 'tousan?" "They're a lot like you," Fujitaka would reply. "Soft and sweet, bringing everyone joy." "But Sakura-chan won't go away in the autumn, will she, 'tousan?" Fujitaka laughed, but inside he felt a pang of fear. "Of course not. "I can make one for you, 'tousan, if you want?" It would look so pretty." "We wouldn't want to hurt any poor trees by ripping off their blossoms, Sakura-chan." "Then you can have mine, 'tousan! I don't mind!" That was his daughter, always giving.
Walk beside the pony daddy, it's my first time. I know the cake looks funny, daddy, but I sure tried…
As a special treat one day, Fujitaka took his two children to the festival in town. While Touya went off with his friends, Sakura begged her father to let her ride the ponies. "I know it's 'spensive, Otousan, but I've never ridden before! Oh, please!" Those big eyes of her were hard to resist. And as Sakura climbed the small animal, she looked fearfully down at her father. "Otousan, I'm scared. Stay with me, ok?" "Of course, Sakura-chan, but you'll be fine. Zettai daijobu, you know that." Sakura grinned.
On her father's birthday, Sakura broken-heartily discovered she was broke. In tears she wailed to her brother, needing someway to show her affection to her beloved father. "Okaasan always used to bake Otousan a cake on his birthday," Touya was all Touya said. So Sakura set to work. She slaved in the kitchen for hours, though she knew she wasn't allowed to use the oven. And when her father came home from a hard day at work, a misshapen, thickly frosted, chocolate cake sat in his place. "I know it looks kinda funny, Otousan," Sakura sniffled. "I tried really hard!" And her father would run to her and swing her around. "I love you, Sakura-chan! You're the best daughter a man could ever want!" A smile would light her face and Fujitaka would be happy.
Oh, In all I've done wrong, I must've done something right…to deserve her love every morning and butterfly kisses at night….
Sakura would give him a big hug every morning when she woke up and follow him around while he prepared breakfast. Begging to help, she'd spill flour all over the flour. Sakura wouldn't cry, but rather reassure her father, and clean the whole mess up herself, missing several spots. And at night, while her father was busy typing in his office, the little girl would sneak in quietly and plant big sweet butterfly kisses all over his face. He'd laugh and swing her up his lap to tell her a bedtime story. Then it would be some more kisses and off to bed. It's sad to think those days were quickly passing…
Sweet sixteen today…she's looking like her mama a little more every day. One part woman, the other part girl. To perfume and make-up from ribbons and curls.
It seemed to Fujitaka that one day Sakura was a little girl and a teenager the next. She was so beautiful now. It hurt to look at her, for remembrance of his dear wife. Oh, Nadeshiko would've been proud of her. The two were so, so alike. Sakura had caught him, staring at a family portrait one day, tears staining his intelligent eyes.
"Otousan? What's wrong?" she smiled for him and hugged him tight, hoping that her happiness could be transmitted to him through the simple touch. Sakura was like that…
"Ara, Sakura-chan. I miss Nadeshiko-chan so much sometimes, but then I just have to look at your face and she's right there."
"Are you serious, Otousan? That's pretty corny."
"You're mother's spirit and beauty is embodied in you. When I lost one angel, I gained another."
"Oh, Otousan," Sakura wiped the tears from her eyes. "I'll never be as beautiful as Okaasan."
Fujitaka had been cleaning the house one day when he noticed a change in his daughter's bedroom. The pink and frills were gone, replaced by a stylish blue and yellow. Old toys had been pushed aside, except for one particular small yellow nuigirumi, and in their place stood cosmetics and photos. Posters covered her walls and her closet was stuffed full of clothing. Fujitaka did notice with a smile though, the large glossy photo of their family was still right in the same place as always, it probably always would. Though Sakura's tastes had changed, her love for her family never would.
Trying her wings out in a great big world, but I remember…
Sometimes Sakura stayed out past curfew or got in trouble at school. She'd fight with her beloved father, amazing them both. She'd go out of her way to prove herself, pulling many silly stunts just to live to the fullest. But later at night…she come into his study, when only a dim light glowed, and he could see her beautiful face stained by tears.
"I love you, Otousan," she'd say. "I swore I'd never hurt you and I'd always agree with you, but I… I love you. I'm so sorry!"
It was always the same. Sakura adored her father, considered him to be the sweetest, smartest man alive and wondered if she'd been stoned when she fought with him. Fujitaka would always apologize a million times over, just glad to have his sweet daughter back. As long as she was innocent, as long as Sakura and Nadeshiko were one…
Butterfly kisses after bedtime prayer, sticking little white flowers all up in her hair…You know how much I love you daddy, but if you don't mind, I'm only going to kiss you on the cheek this time…
Sakura never had let the crowd influence. No, Sakura was loved by everyone and cared about their happiness, but she did not allow other's opinions to override her own. So when the other kids said they wouldn't go anywhere with their parents, Sakura gladly accepted a ride with her father. Friends may change but she knew her father would always love her.
In public, leaving him for a while, she'd give him a peck on the cheek to promise her return. "But Otousan, Syaoran-kun is watching, and well you know…" butterfly kisses were a child's thing, ne? Sakura loved him, but she was growing up. "I love you, Otousan," she'd say, right there in front of her friends. But then she'd leave him and he'd be all alone.
Oh, in all that I've done wrong, I must've done something right… To deserve her love every morning… and butterfly kisses at night…Oh, the precious times…When did the years go by? Precious butterfly, spread your wings and fly….
Sakura came home one evening many years older, smile still the same and found her father away from the study in front a roaring fire, pouring over old books. "Otousan?" she told him, anxious to deliver good news. "What are you looking at?"
"Ara, Sakura-chan," he grinned at her using the child's name. "Photos. Look here's you on your second birthday. Yup, the one with the cake on her head."
Sakura laughed softly, not being annoyed like other girls her age would. "Show me some more, 'tousan. The later years…" Her news could wait.
Fujitaka flipped ahead, as if he were putting their lives rewound and now fast forward. "Oi, here's one! All of at the beach one summer! You must've been, what, eight? Look at me, all covered in sand. A man takes a nap and his children try to feed him to the sand monster!"
"Ara, Otousan, there's no sand monster."
"So you figured that out did you? Here's another. You baking chocolates on Valentine's Day. You sure did love that holiday, ne? You had a real crush on Yukito-san."
"Hai," Sakura blushed, remembering her first love. "Actually, I talked to Yukito-san just today."
"What's he up to these days?"
"Medical school, believe it or not. Him and Oniichan are actually quite happy. It's nice…They said I can come up and stay with them in Tokyo soon."
"You'll like that. Ara, look at this Sakura-chan! You were so kawaii back then…"
Later, much later when all the albums had been put away, Sakura announced that she had been accepted to a high-specialized university in Kyoto, implying she intended to pursue magic. Sakura had trouble explaining this; not knowing her father had come to conclusions about her long ago.
She'll change her name today.. She'll make a promise and I'll give her away…Standing in the bride room, just staring at her, she asked me what I'm thinking and I said 'I'm not sure. I just feel like I'm losing my baby girl.' She leaned over and gave him butter kisses, with her mama there, sticking little white flowers all up in her hair…
It didn't come as surprise to anyone when Syaoran propose to Sakura, even less when Sakura accepted. The wedding was held in June in a beautiful garden, just brimming were sakura blossoms.
As much as he wanted to see his daughter's happiness, Fujitaka's heart was breaking. True, he was being selfish, but now he'd be all alone. His darling daughter was finally leaving him, off to start her own life, and a part of him wondered if this meant his own life was over.
When the moment drew nearer, Fujitaka went to check on his daughter. "I'm scared," she admitted weakly. "I'm not sure what it'll be like without you to take care of me."
Fujitaka drew her up in his arms. "Zettai daijobu, ne? You my strong, beautiful daughter. You can take care of yourself. And I know Li-san will take good care of you."
"Hai." Sakura smiled, so very beautiful and grown-up. "I love you, Otousan."
"And I you." Fujitaka couldn't help but sniffle.
"Otousan, what's wrong?"
Fujitaka finally admitted it, his greatest fear, after all these years. "I feel like I'm losing you, Sakura-chan. I'm going to miss you."
Sakura did the only thing she knew, sharing her love. She leaned over and showered him with butter kisses, hoping to ease the pain and reassure him she was still his little girl.
Walk me down the aisle daddy, it's just about time. Does my wedding dress look pretty daddy, daddy don't cry!
It was time to give his daughter away, to allow some other man to take care of her. But what if he wanted to be selfish, not to give her, but to keep her all for himself? Sakura tugged on his sleeve.
"Otousan, you gotta let me go. It's time."
Sakura twirled around at the door, admiring her beautiful dress. "Okaasan wore this dress at her wedding and Obasan before her," Sakura stated. "It's made of love, and happy lives. It's seen so many memories sewn together."
"It looks beautiful on you," Fujitaka said choking back a sob. "You remind me so much of your mother on her wedding day. I hope you live as happy life as her, and that you are loved as well. But please, Sakura-chan, don't ever leave your loved ones…"
"Oh, Otousan, please don't start crying! I couldn't bare it! Please be happy for me!"
Fujitaka nodded, today was a happy day, celebrating the true beginning of his daughter's life.
In all that I've done wrong, I must've done something right…To deserve her love every morning and butterfly kisses, I couldn't ask God for more and this is what love it. I know I gotta let her go, but I'll always remember…Every hug in the morning and butterfly kisses….
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So, did you all like it? I hope so. I'm new too song-fics so I hope I didn't bore you to tears. Reviews aren't important, I just like to entertain. Keep reading, minna-san!