Cardcaptor Sakura: The New Trials (Wish-luv)

Chapter 36: For There To Be A Rainbow

“There’s something about the ocean, which makes you just forget about everything else and the steady rhythm of the waves crashing upon the shore keeps you calm and serene,” Sakura commented, as she sat on the smooth white sand. She had only gotten a few hours of sleep since they came back from the scavenger hunt island for she had been too nervous to sleep. Now, there was only one event left in the Best Couple Contest, to determine the winner.<em style="text-align: start;"> I want to win this so much. At first, I didn’t really care or even want to enter in the first place, but after all Syaoran and I have come through, I really want to win.

“Gosh, you should like a grandma,” Miho said. “But it is true the ocean is very nice. Now, you better get up and go to the contest ground. It’ll start soon. And I don’t think Tomoyo would be very happy to know that you sat on the ground with her lovely new dress on.”

“It’s okay,” Tomoyo reassured. “I make all my clothes made to last; I learned after all those terrible dark forces, not to mention Clow Cards you faced, Sakura-chan. Look, there’s someone swimming in the ocean! I thought everyone would be at the contest.”

“That looks familiar…” Squinting at the sea, Miho exclaimed, “That’s Syaoran-kun! He must be crazy. The final event, the questionnaire will be starting soon, and he has the leisure to be swimming in the ocean?!”

”Ah, knowing him, I think it’s his way of calming down,” Sakura said, laughing. “Don’t worry.”

“I’m not worrying…” Miho murmured. “I’m more worried for you. Who knows what Erika might do next? I have a feeling she has a soft spot of the Small Wolf, but I’m not sure for you, Sakura.”

******

“And now, the final day of the Best Couple Contest awaits! Due to the unexpected delays yesterday, this contest was prolonged, however this last event of the Pentathlon, the questionnaire, will determine the Best Couple of Japan!” the MC announced.

“This is it,” Sakura whispered to Syaoran, who nodded. His hair was still slightly wet from taking a shower after swimming.

When, she was about to walk up the stage, Syaoran called out, “Hey!”

Sakura turned around questioningly, tilting her head questioningly.

“Umm… I just wanted to stay. Well, it was nice getting to the finalist stage with you. I never thought we’d come this far in this contest. Yeah, and let’s try our best till the end. But even if we don’t win, let’s remember we tried our best,” Syaoran stammered. “Well, let’s strive till the end. It would be cool to win. Not because of the prize money and all, but just because we got this far.”

“Huh?” It wasn’t like Syaoran to say such things like this. His positive words touched something in her heart.  Then, Sakura smiled brightly. "Okay. Let’s try our best!” 
  
 

“Now, five finalist couples remain: Couple 5, Couple 7, Couple 18, Couple 19, and last but not least, Couple 20,” the MC stated into the microphone. Each couple filed onto the stage.

The large audience had gathered around an outdoor stage set by the beach side, the same stage used for the talent contest. They had either purchased tickets to watch or being friends or relatives of the couple, received special seats. On the side, a whole crowd of the actress Akagi Arima fans gathered. And facing them was a whole crowd of the horse racer, Tamemura Asuma cheered. One of the five judges of the contest had fallen ill, (the one who was supposed to be supervisor on the island during the scavenger hunt,) so Asuma took his place instead as a judge.