Cardcaptor Sakura: The New Trials (Wish-luv)

Chapter 42: A Little Girl's Dream

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“Amamiya-san, can you please not step on my foot during the dance scene?” an arrogant voice asserted. “How many times does it take you to get it right? I do wonder why in the world did such a clumsy girl like you ever get to be the female protagonist of this production, Christine Daae.”

“I’m sorry,” Nadeshiko, age fifteen, replied meekly to the classmate playing Raoul in the Seijou Junior High production, Phantom of the Opera. They were in the middle of rehearsals in the newly built theater.

Everyone laughed and Nadeshiko’s ears turned red. Quickly, she glanced to the corner of the theater where the Seijou High Orchestra played the music. Her eyes flickered over to the first violin seat. How humiliating to be caught as a laughingstock in front of Li Ryuuren! Why was he in the musical orchestra, anyway—to watch her on stage and ridicule her? Ryuuren’s calm cerulean gaze caught her as his violin quickly picked up the tune for the next scene. Quickly, she looked away.

After rehearsal ended and everyone left, Nadeshiko remained on stage. Standing in the center she declared to an empty auditorium, “I’ll show them. I’ll show them I can become the best Christine Daae, ever!” Imagining a wide audience in front of her, their eyes watching only her, Nadeshiko took a sweeping curtsy, and began her dance number. Her lithe form floated over the stage, her feet never missing a step. She didn’t even notice she was dancing to violin music until she came to a stop, and saw Li Ryuuren playing the final notes of “Angel of Music” on his violin with an easy smile on his face.

Immediately, she toppled over her feet. “I thought everyone left.”

Setting his violin down and clapping, Ryuuren, senior at Seijou High, asked, “Why don’t you dance like that during rehearsals? Then maybe you won’t become a laughingstock.”

“Why did you join the orchestra? Maybe if you weren’t sitting there with that smirk on your face, I wouldn’t make so many mistakes,” Nadeshiko retorted.

“I never smirked at you. I only dutifully played the music,” Ryuuren replied, jumping onto the stage beside Nadeshiko. “Besides, the violin section would be devastated without my talent.”

“Stuck-up,” Nadeshiko muttered. Then she stated, “Ooh, I hate hate hate that guy playing Raoul. He’s such a jerk.”

“He is a conceited, pig-headed, arrogant bastard,” Ryuuren agreed.

“Almost as arrogant as you,” Nadeshiko added. At this Ryuuren made a face.

Prancing up and down the stage, Nadeshiko rambled off, “But can you believe it? He told me that I better be a good kisser because Raoul and Christine have a kissing scene. I know he’s had dozens of girlfriends so he’s experienced, and he knows I’m not. In fact, I’ve kissed anyone in my life, and now I have to kiss a great big jerk. I’ve always dreamed first kisses to be romantic, heart-pounding, transcending time, and…” She broke off. Ryuuren gazed at her with an amused look.

“Go on. I’m listening,” he prompted.

Wringing her hands in wrath, she declared, “I know you don’t care the tiniest bit about my trivial little problems, but you don’t have to laugh at me like that.”

“I’m not laughing,” Ryuuren said, tilting her chin up gently. “Look up at my face, Nadeshiko. You’ll see that I am not laughing at you at all.”

Nadeshiko looked up, her soft lips pouted. Indeed, he wasn’t mocking her in the slightest bit, and had an intensely serious expression on his face. Then, without any warning, Ryuuren bent over and carefully kissed her mouth.