Opposites attract. But they were never meant for each other. How long can you go, without something in common? Something to keep two individuals bonded?
Maybe that was why they broke up. Such relationships never work out, unless one is willing to change for the other. Love is transient, an emotion barely surpassing lust. Nothing more, and nothing less than a weakness. The bane of humanity.
To keep two hearts entwined for eternity, there must be a catalyst to hold them together. In this case, the catalyst was missing. What had gone wrong? It was such a repeated cliché. Love at first sight, they said. So commonplace. Repeated again and again. Most people had already been through it. Was it now their turn?
Two years had now passed. It should have been forgotten, long ago. Why does he still remember? Perhaps, it was… regret. Regret that he had not given in. Regret at his stubbornness. Who knew, if he had not acted that way, they might have been together, even now, or till forever?
Such thoughts passed through Syaoran's mind, as he sat musing at the cosy teahouse two blocks away. His preference was such that teahouses surpassed fancy buffets, and restaurants. They had more privacy, simple décor… and to an extent, triggered nostalgia. They reminded him of a certain place, where even now his thoughts dwelled.
The flat he had shared with three friends. There was Tomoyo. Eriol. And remembering with a stab at his heart…Sakura. They went to the same university. Therefore, it had made a lot of sense to share a flat. None but Tomoyo were rich, and it seemed a good plan to split the cost four-ways.
Of course, they had now lost contact. The last he heard though, Tomoyo was carving a name for herself in the world of fashion designers. Her face featured on quite a few magazines every month. Syaoran smiled as he remembered the overly extravagant creations she had first designed for her guinea pig. No news had come to him of Sakura though. Not that he was looking out for news of her or anything. He was way over her already. In fact, her face was already a hazy blur in his mind.
A bell tinkled as someone entered the teahouse. Syaoran followed the sound, and found he was staring at the slender figure of the lady who had just walked in. A few moments later, she glanced in his direction.
Their eyes met. And though it was only a two-second blast from her emerald green eyes, he felt like it lasted an eternity. With him sinking ever deeper into those green pools of light. Something stirred dimly in his memory. Those eyes seemed eerily familiar.
Then, she broke the contact. She averted her eyes and smiled at the kid waiting behind the counter.
" … a cappuccino… yes… no… keep the change…"
The kid seemed to ask for something. She beamed and wrote on a piece of paper he handed her.
Did he just ask for her autograph?
Then, the lady carried her tray, and walked over to where he was sitting.
"Excuse me, is there someone sitting here?" Her voice had a sophisticated cadence. Polished. Smooth.
Syaoran looked around the teahouse. There were about a dozen unoccupied tables.
"Um… no, take a seat…"
The lady sat down gracefully. The bulky chair did not make the usual grating noise against the floor.
They sipped their coffees in silence.
Suddenly, she caught his eyes and stared into them. Syaoran choked.
She smiled. Then, almost self-assuredly, she spoke.
"Syaoran-kun."
How did she know my name?
He started to say something, then stopped. It came out as a mumbled jumble of words.
"Uhhowrysmde" he garbled astutely.
And she simply smiled. And it was as if the sun was shining brightly into the dimly lit teahouse. It lit up the room.
"You don't remember me, do you? I'm Sakura!"
Huh? Well, that explained why she looked so familiar. But how can this be happening?
She grinned, examining his reaction. Syaoran couldn't see himself, but he was sure that if he could, his expression would be a cross somewhere between shock and retardedness. She had to be joking. But why would she be doing that? And how did she know his name if she wasn't Sakura?
Apparently satisfied that she was right, Sakura smiled more widely. Her beam was almost blinding.
"So, Syaoran-kun, what have you been doing with your life?"