He didn't cry
Author's note: Hello every one. This is my first fanfic here in ffn ^^ I hope you will like it. My English is suck though =__= Please R&R, thanks XD
Disclaimer: I don't own CCS, but well, *poke CLAMP* may I own Syaoran-kun, plzzzzzz?
[Okay, it's time to start the story XD tada~]
"SAKURA!!"
"KYAAAAAAA!! SYAORAN-KUN!!"
Syaoran turned around to face an ugly demon. Sakura was lying in the ground, blood streamed down from her face. Syaoran felt his heart sank.
"YOU'LL PAY FOR THIS!" Syaoran stood up and held his sword high. "RAITEI SHOURAI!!"
The thunder struck down at the demon, made it screamed in pain. Syaoran dashed to it and stabbed it with his sword. The demon screamed once more before disappearing into dust.
Syaoran didn't waste any minute to rush to Sakura. The fourteen-year-old girl was wounded, but she was still conscious.
"Syaoran-kun... Syaoran-kun..." She whispered.
"Everything will be alright, Sakura." Syaoran told her as he carried her in his hands. "I'm taking you to the hospital."
Sakura smiled weakly. Something escaped her eyes. Was that tears? Or was that blood? She hissed in pain as her eyes ached. She felt Syaoran's warm body and leaned on it. She felt her heart skipped a beat.
Would she ever see him again?
oOo
"Hey Kaijuu." Touya greeted his little sister.
"I AM NOT KAIJUU!" Sakura was annoyed. She hated when Touya called her "kaijuu".
"You really don't look like a patient, you know." Touya rubbed Sakura's hair as he placed something on the table next to her bed.
"I won't let you take advantage! My eyes can't see but my legs can still kick you!" Sakura threatened. Touya laughed.
"Sakura-chan, you should rest." Tomoyo put her hand on Sakura's. "You have been turning and tossing all the morning."
"I'm not tired." Sakura yawned. "By the way, where is Syaoran-kun? I thought he would come and see me today."
The room was suddenly filled with uncomfortable silence. Finally, Tomoyo sighed and said. "Um... Sakura-chan, Li-kun came back to Hong Kong yesterday. There was something very important that his family called him back immediately. He left a note for me. That's all. He didn't say when he will come back."
Sakura sighed.
"Really..." Sakura lied down. "I thought he would be here for me."
"Oh, that brat." Touya snapped. "Forget him! And, I've got some good news for you!"
"What's that?" Sakura asked thought she wasn't interested in anything at the moment.
"There was someone who devoted corneas. Your surgery will start tomorrow at 8 A.M." Touya sat down on an empty chair. "You will be fine soon."
Sakura sighed. "Well, at least this problem is solved. I can see normally when the school year starts." Still, she felt sad because Syaoran wasn't there with her.
Tomoyo hugged Sakura. "Don't worry, everything will be just fine."
"Uh... I think so..." Sakura said timidly.
oOo
"SAKURA!!"
Sakura fell off her bed. Her back was damped with cold sweat. She crawled back to her bed shakily.
"Sakura-chan!" Tomoyo's voice rang out.
"Hey... hey there Tomoyo-chan." Sakura greeted her friend. Her voice was still shaking.
"What's up?" Tomoyo asked worriedly.
"I'm... fine." Sakura smiled. "I had a bad dream. Must be an echo of the surgery."
Tomoyo smiled but remembered Sakura couldn't see yet, she turned it into a chuckle. "Your surgery went well Sakura-chan. The doctor said you're going to be healed soon."
Sakura smiled. "I'm so lucky now Otou-san and Onii-chan knew about my magic. Or else I will have to solve many problems. In my condition, I don't think I can hide from them."
After that they stayed silent for a while. Then Tomoyo asked. "Sakura-chan, what was your bad dream?"
"I don't remember." Sakura sighed. "But it was really really scary. I think I heard someone called my name..." She trailed off and started to finger her bed sheet.
Tomoyo sighed sadly. "Sakura-chan..."
"Oh, let's forget it!" Sakura smiled. She didn't want Tomoyo to worry. "Did Syaoran-kun call?"
"N-No... He didn't." Tomoyo answered hesitantly. She saw Sakura saddened a bit. "But well, I guess we have a guest you want to meet."
"Who?" Sakura asked unenthusiastically.
"Well, seems like my successor doesn't want to meet me now." A boy's voice rang out. Sakura lifted her head.
"Eriol-kun?"
"Hello Sakura-san. It has been a while." Eriol greeted her and place a bunch of flowers into Sakura's hands. "It's good to see you again."
"It's good to see you too." Sakura giggled. "Though I can't see you... yet. How have you been?"
"Fine. And I guess there is no need to ask about your condition." Eriol sighed. "Sorry I wasn't there to help."
"It's not your fault!" Sakura said quickly. "Syaoran-kun and I can handle them all!"
"Well, I see. By the way, where is Li-kun? I thought my cute little descendant would be here all day, worrying over you."
"He came back to Hong Kong a few days ago. He was in hurry so he only left me a note." Tomoyo was the one who answered. "He didn't say when he will come back."
"Oh." was all Eriol said. Then he turned to Sakura. "It's ok Sakura-san. I think he will come back as soon as possible. Just save your strength to go out with him when he comes back, ok?"
Sakura nodded with a smile. She couldn't see, that's why she didn't know Eriol and Tomoyo had just exchanged a sad look.
oOo
RING!! RING!! RING!!
Sakura rushed to the phone and picked it up. "Hello! Kinomoto's resident. Sakura is speaking."
"Sakura?" A voice was talking to her was hoarse.
"Syaoran-kun?" Sakura exclaimed happily. "I'm glad you called! What's wrong with your voice?"
"Nothing. I have just caught a very bad cold." Syaoran halted for a while. "Um... How are you?"
"I'm fine." Sakura chuckled. "I went through a surgery a week ago. My eyes are now as good as new!"
"I'm so glad to hear so." Syaoran said. "I'm sorry Sakura. I wasn't there with you."
Sakura smiled, though she knew Syaoran couldn't see. "It's ok. That must be an emergency so your family had to call you back in such a hurry. But when will you come back?"
"I'm... sorry Sakura. Things are a bit complicated here." Syaoran said. "I guess I will have to stay here for a while."
"Oh..." Sakura sighed sadly. "It's ok. We can still call and write letters for each other, right?"
"Sure."
Silence.
"Sakura, I have to go now. I'll call you later, ok?"
"Oh, sure!" Sakura said as she wiped away a single tear had just escaped her eye. "See you later."
"See you."
And Syaoran hung up.
Sakura put the speaker down. Syaoran seemed calm. The short conversation somehow made Sakura felt sad. It was not enough to satisfy her. Sakura missed Syaoran so much. She broke down and started to cry.
oOo
Years went by. Sakura had grown up to be a beauty. Her life went on normally. Tomoyo was still her best friend. And she got a boyfriend too. His name was Yusuke. He was a sorcerer, a friend of Eriol. Touya and Yukito moved out because of their works while Sakura was still staying with Fujitaka. Their works went on smoothly. Sometimes Touya had to go abroad for business. Kero was still gluttony. Eriol stayed in Japan and was in college with Sakura and Tomoyo.
Syaoran sometimes called or wrote to Sakura, but it lessened and lessened through the years. Sakura was sad, but she tried to tell herself that Syaoran had to work hard too, to come back to her. And she waited patiently.
And then, Sakura turned 20.
Six years of waiting had never decreased Sakura's love for Syaoran. But Syaoran had been growing more and more distance to her. Sakura was sad.
It had been a year since the last letter Sakura received from Syaoran. No phone call. She was losing hope. And right then, a letter from Syaoran arrived.
Sakura was so happy that she almost cried. She opened the letter right away.
The thing inside that was revealed was...
... a wedding card.
Sakura dropped on her knees. She was so shock that she couldn't even cry. The card announced Syaoran and Meiling's wedding, which was only a week away. Sakura didn't want to believe it. But still, the card was the proof for the thing she didn't want to believe.
"Sakura?" Touya popped out. He was visiting when the card arrived. "What happened?" He rushed to Sakura, and then he saw the card.
Touya stunned for a while. Then he pulled the card out of Sakura's hands.
"Onii-chan!" Sakura cried.
"That..." Touya tore the card into two pieces. "Chinese gaki..." into four, "is not worth..." eight, "for you..." sixteen, "to worry." Touya threw all the pieces into the garbage can. Sakura broke down and cried.
"Stand up, Sakura!" Touya pulled his sister up. "Don't ever think about that brat again! You still have your life to worry about! And Tomoyo's wedding too! Gather yourself!"
Sakura sobbed. She had received two wedding cards that week. One was from Tomoyo and Yusuke. One was from Syaoran and Meiling. One made her happy as she was in heaven. One made her fell into the deepest place in hell.
Sakura sighed and wiped her tears. How could she did not realize that? Syaoran was not in love with her anymore. He was in someplace else. He was with someone else. Sakura was no longer a part of his life. It was time for her to let go.
"You're right, Touya. I shouldn't get upset about this." She stood up. "Even if... he is going to marry someone else, I should be happy for him."
Touya didn't say anything about that. Sakura found it was strange, but she was so sad that she couldn't force herself to think about that.
oOo
One year later, Sakura and Eriol got married. Sakura had been slowly getting over the wound that Syaoran left for her. And she was getting a new life.
She sent Syaoran and Meiling a wedding card too. She didn't know if she really wanted to announce them, or she just want to revenge Syaoran for what he did a year earlier. Though if that was revenge, it didn't really effect anyone. Syaoran had married anyway.
Syaoran didn't come back to attend Sakura's wedding. He sent a gift instead. And a card to congratulate Sakura and Eriol. That was all. Nothing more. The letter seemed like it was written in a hurry. Syaoran must had been really busy.
Though they were no longer communicated with each other, Sakura still knew news about Syaoran. Li Syaoran became a famous name in the magical world. He was one of the strongest one already. And as a Li clan's member, Syaoran had a lot of works to do. Maybe he just didn't have time to sit down and write her a proper letter.
Sakura started to forget Syaoran because a new life was very busy. She graduated and got a job. She had to work. She had her own family to worry about. Eriol was a good husband, and she always had Tomoyo and Yusuke to help her, and her father, brother, Yukito and Kero also, but well, her life was her life after all.
One year later, Sakura gave birth to a child. Her daughter. She was very happy. One more member was added to her family. Although the life started to get busy with a new kid, everyone was still happy. Yusuke and Tomoyo also had their baby, a boy named Kintaro. Sakura's daughter, Sayuri, was closed to Kintaro. Touya loved his niece a lot. He and Yukito sometimes dropped by to play with Sayuri when Sakura and Eriol were busy. Kero liked Sayuri a lot, though things weren't easy when it involved foods. Eriol was a good father. He taught Sayuri well, and she became a very smart girl at school. She was also good at sports, just like Sakura. Fujitaka also found Sayuri loved history a lot. The little girl aped her grandfather, and she once turned up the whole garden when she "searched for the treasure".
Years passed by. And Sakura's life was full of laughs.
The wounds from the past had stopped aching.
oOo
Sayuri's 7th birthday. Sakura and Eriol, Tomoyo and Yusuke, Fujitaka, Touya, Yukito and Kintaro gathered to wish her a happy birthday. When Sayuri was about to blow up the candles, the doorbell rang.
DING DONG! DING DONG!
Sakura stood up. "I'll get that. Sayuri, go ahead and blow the candles!"
Sakura opened the door. And she gagged as she saw the person who was standing in from of her.
"M-Meiling-chan?"
Meiling smiled at Sakura. "Hello, Sakura. It has been a while."
Sakura stunned. She just stood there, didn't know what to do. She looked at Meiling. The ruby-eyed woman was smiling sadly. Her raven hair was longer than before, it reached her knees already. Meiling was quite thin, but it suited her well. She became a very beautiful woman.
"Sakura-san, what takes you so long... Meiling-san?" Eriol went out to find Sakura, and stared at Meiling without a blink. "W-what are you doing here?"
"Hello, Hiiragizawa-san." Meiling smiled again. "I came to deliver some news. May I come in?"
Touya was out to, and he frowned at this. But still, he stayed silence. Tomoyo stood next to the kitchen, and she turned to Sayuri and Kintaro. "Why don't you two come up stairs and play? We have something to do now, and when things are done, we will come up to play with you."
Sayuri and Kintaro nodded. They knew when Tomoyo said so; she didn't want them to protest. The two kids came up stairs.
Meiling stared at Sayuri for a long time. The little girl nodded at her and said "Hi" but she didn't reply. She only smiled sadly at her.
They moved to the living room. Fujitaka offered Meiling a cup of tea. Meiling thanked him and received the cup.
"So..." Meiling looked at Sakura. "How have you been? You seem very happy."
"Um... Yes. We're happy." Sakura was so confused. Why? After all those years of ignoring, why was Meiling here?
"That's good." Meiling said. "He must be very happy to know you're happy."
Sakura swallowed. She didn't know what to say.
"How about you? Had... you two have children?"
The others in the room shuddered at the question. Sakura didn't know why. Meiling smiled again.
"No. We don't. Haven't and will never. But well, I have a child already. Her name is Xing Lin. She is one year younger than your daughter. I will introduce her to you some other times."
"Wha.. What are you talking about, Meiling-chan?" Sakura asked shakily. She felt like something was coming. And it wasn't good.
"So...?" Eriol asked quietly. He didn't ask the whole question.
"Uh." Meiling answered Eriol. She seemed to know what Eriol wanted to ask.
"I'm sorry." Eriol said.
"What are you two talking about?" Sakura suddenly cried. "You're hiding something from me! I want to know!"
"Calm down Sakura-chan." Tomoyo said grievingly. "Please..." She turned to Meiling. "When?"
"Yesterday." Meiling sighed. Her eyes welled.
"Oh my God." Tomoyo covered her mouth. "I can't believe it. How..."
"Stop talking like this!" Sakura yelled. "I want to know. Why can't you just tell me?" She was shaking uncontrollable.
Meiling sighed. "Right... We should explain to Sakura. I know this is not what he wanted, but well, Sakura deserve to know." She turned to Sakura. "Sakura, Xing Lin is my daughter, but not with Syaoran. The wedding card that year was a fake."
Sakura's eyes widened.
"W-what are you talking about?" Sakura felt her heart sank. "What do you mean... a fake?"
"Yes." Meiling straightened her voice. "It was a fake. Syaoran had never got married. And about me, I've got married the same year with you."
Sakura couldn't move from her spot. What Meiling had just said registered into her head difficultly. She looked around to see no one was surprised by this news.
"You all knew." She whispered. And then she raised her voice. "You all knew about this! Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because that was Syaoran's wish." Meiling said. "He didn't want you to know. He didn't want to be your burden."
"What do you mean 'burden'?" Sakura cried. "How can he be my burden?"
"Li-kun devoted his corneas for you, Sakura-san." This time Eriol was the one who answered. "Of course, after devoting, he blinded. And..." Eriol looked at the others. "That blinding leaded to many painful things."
"I will tell Sakura about this." Meiling said. "Sakura, please stay calm. I know this is hard for you, but this is hard for us, too."
Sakura nodded. She felt her body was shaking.
-Flashback-
"Li Syaoran."
Syaoran lifted his head up. The council was right in front of him, but he couldn't see them.
"Are you going to insult us all?" One of the Elders yelled harshly at him. "Devoting your corneas to that girl! If she couldn't dodge that attack, that was her fault! Why must you do that? And now you're blinded."
Syaoran shrugged. "It's my choice to protect the one I love. It's not like you're blinded. It's me. And I believe I can manage things well."
"Wulao!" The Elders yelled. "You're such a shame for you Clan!"
Syaoran didn't say anything. He was tired of hearing the Elders who told him to do as they wished.
"Get out." The Elders said. "We will discuss your punishment. While we're doing that, stay outside the main mansion. And you're not allowed to meet anyone in the family."
Syaoran stood up and got out. Meiling waited for him outside the room.
"How was it?" Meiling asked.
"I don't know." Syaoran shrugged. "They are discussing about my punishment. I will have to wait outside the main mansion and I'm not allowed to see anyone. So you should better go, Meiling. I don't want you to get in any trouble. I will wait right outside. If they call me in, please let me know."
Syaoran tried to look for his way out of the main mansion. Meiling sighed and looked at her cousin worriedly.
Half an hour later, the Elders opened the door.
"Where is Li Syaoran? We have just finished discussing his punishment." The Elder asked Meiling.
Meiling tried to held a glare at him, and said. "He is waiting right outside. I will call him in." She stood up and walking toward the gate.
But Syaoran was nowhere to be found. Meiling was worried. Syaoran had never broken his promise, but why...?
"What takes you so long, Meiling?" One of the Elders came out.
"Syaoran is not here." Meiling said. "I'm looking for him."
"Hm... That brat doesn't know his position." The Elder frowned. "If he doesn't come back in ten minutes, we should disown him."
"What the heck are you talking about?" Meiling yelled. The Elder glared at her.
"Watch your mouth, Meiling. You don't want to bear the same fate as him, do you?"
Meiling turned around. And she saw a trail of blood on the wall. Her eyes widened and she approached it.
The blood was still wet. Meiling was worried. 'Could this be Syaoran's?'
The Elder saw that too. His face paled. "What-what the..."
"I'm going to find his mother and sisters!" Meiling ran away. "You should order some people to help us find him! He might be in danger!"
Meiling rushed to Syaoran's house. Yelan and her daughters were there, waiting for Syaoran to come back.
"What happened, Meiling?" Yelan asked worriedly as she saw Meiling ran in.
"Syaoran... He... He was kidnapped!" Meiling yelled.
"What?" Yelan's face paled too. She stood up, and Syaoran's sisters stood up too.
"We have to find him! If those who kidnapped him were opposed to the Li Clan, he will be in danger! He is vulnerable now, without his sight!" Meiling broke down crying. Yelan put a hand on Meiling's shoulder.
"Calm down Meiling. We are going to..." She stopped right then. The sisters turned around to look. Meiling also felt a warm wind blew pass her ears.
"What...?" Meiling was puzzled.
"His power was burst out." Yelan replied. "I recognized his aura... That way! Let's go!"
The rushed out of the house and out of the mansion. Yelan leaded them to a small street which not much people came around. They ran into some small alleys and reached a dead end.
That was where they found Syaoran, lying naked on the ground with his hand tied. He was gasping and panting heavily. His body was covered with bruises and cuts. Blood was seeping from beneath him. His eyes widened but no tear escaped from there. His eyes opened wide, blankly.
Yelan dashed to her son. She gathered the small boy into her hands. Syaoran didn't seem to know what was happening. He stared blankly ahead.
"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!" Yelan cried.
-End of flashback-
Sakura felt like she was suffocated. She gasped for air, but nothing seemed to reach her lungs. Her eyes welled.
"No... It's not true..." Sakura shook her head. "Syaoran called me. He called. Not so long after my eyes could see again. And he was so calm back then! There was no way something like that could happen!"
Meiling sighed. She reached out for Sakura's hand.
"I know... It's hard to believe, isn't it? Syaoran was a good actor. He fooled you. That time when he called you I was there too. You were the one who had woken him up from his trauma."
"What-what do you mean?" Sakura wiped some tears to looked at Meiling.
-Flashback-
Syaoran was in trauma for about a week after the incident. The Elders cancelled their punishment after recognized that Syaoran had unleashed his power. They wanted to use him. But in his condition, there was no way he could use it.
Syaoran stayed in his room and never talked to anyone. His blind eyes stared blankly forwards. He didn't want to eat anything. He got thinner and thinner each day.
Meiling didn't want to see Syaoran like this. She came to Syaoran's room and sat there with him for almost a day. Syaoran didn't move from his spot. Finally, Meiling stood up and yelled.
"What are you doing Syaoran? If you want to protect Sakura, you have to strengthen yourself! Don't just stay there! Eat something please!" The little girl burst into tears at the end of the sentence.
Syaoran lifted his head a little when he heard Sakura's name. "Sakura?" His voice was hoarse.
Meiling looked at him strangely. Syaoran started to crawl on his bed, tried to reach his phone which was placed near the head of the bed. Meiling didn't stop him.
Syaoran dialled Sakura's number.
"Sakura?"
Meiling covered her mouth. Syaoran was actually speaking.
"Nothing. I have just caught a very bad cold... Um... How are you?... I'm so glad to hear so... I'm sorry Sakura. I wasn't there with you."
Meiling's eyes welled. She sobbed silently. Syaoran was trying to be strong. He was lying to Sakura. His eyes dried and his voice calmed. Sakura saved him from drowning in his pain.
"I'm... sorry Sakura. Things are a bit complicated here... I guess I will have to stay here for a while."
'It's a lie.' Meiling sighed. She knew Syaoran was planning to stay away from Sakura. 'It's so unfair... Syaoran...'
"Sure... Sakura, I have to go now. I'll call you later, ok?... See you." Syaoran hung up.
Meiling dashed to him and cried on his shoulder. "Why Syaoran? Why must you do this? You're not deserved this! You have to be happy!"
"I will." Syaoran said. His voice was still hoarse. "Meiling, is there anything to eat? You're right, I have to strengthen myself. And then I have to meet the Elders."
"What do you want to do?" Meiling looked at Syaoran worriedly.
"I know nothing about protecting magic." Syaoran replied. "I have to learn. And I will work for the Clan. Together with protecting Sakura."
Meiling burst into tears again. She hugged Syaoran tightly.
"Baka! You baka, Syaoran!" She could only say so.
Syaoran patted her head and tried to soothe her. Meiling cried a lot, until her tears were all gone.
-End of flashback-
Sakura sank to the sofa. Everything around her became a blur. She didn't see anything. Her eyes were filled with tears. Sakura sobbed. She wanted to ask. But there were too many questions.
"Why did everyone know excepted to me?" Sakura asked. Her voice was lifelessly.
"I and Eriol-kun knew from the very beginning." Tomoyo sighed. "I saw his file, Sakura-chan. And Eriol-kun recognized his aura in the corneas."
"I knew this before the card was sent to you a few weeks." Touya sat down next to Sakura. "In a trip to Hong Kong. I visited his place and found out about the truth. And I was involved into the card's trick too. I'm sorry Sakura." Touya wiped a tear on Sakura's cheek.
-Flashback-
"I came to see Li Syaoran." Touya told the servant.
"I'm very sorry. I'm afraid He is not feeling well." The servant bowed his head. "Maybe another time."
"It's ok." A girl's voice rang out. "Let him in." Touya remembered whose voice was that right away.
"But Miss Meiling..." The servant protested.
"I will take the responsible, you don't have to worry." Meiling stepped out. "Please come in, Kinomoto-san."
Touya nodded and followed Meiling inside. They walked through a small garden, many corridors and finally stopped in front of a wooden door. Meiling opened it and came in first.
"Syaoran, there is a guest I want you to meet." She said and sat down on the small mattress near the wall.
Touya came in and saw a bamboo screen separated him with the figure behind it. Through the screen Touya couldn't see the other's face clearly, but he recognized the messy brown hair. Touya sat down on the mattress placed in front of the screen.
"Gaki."
"Hello, Kinomoto. It has been a while." Syaoran replied. "You didn't seem to change much."
Touya studied the figure carefully. He was wearing an elaborate robe but it couldn't hide the fact that he was thin. The figure didn't move an inch.
"Why are you here?" Syaoran asked.
"Just come to ask why you didn't return to my sister." Touya said harshly. "She was very sad."
Touya heard Syaoran sighed.
"I'm sorry. I just can't." Syaoran lowered his head a bit.
Touya frowned at this. This was not like Syaoran. Touya felt fury built up inside him.
"What happened between you two?" He demanded.
"Nothing. I just can't go back. Sorry." Syaoran said again.
Touya couldn't hold himself much longer. He stood up furiously and dashed through the bamboo screen with his idea to pin Syaoran down.
And he really did pin Syaoran down.
Touya was so surprised that he couldn't speak. He stared at Syaoran. Syaoran coughed as Touya's hands was still around his neck.
"Please let him go." Meiling said quietly.
Touya was startled. He didn't remember that Meiling was still there. He let Syaoran go immediately. Syaoran sat up, he was still coughing.
"What happened to you?" Touya frowned. "Six years ago you can dodge that easily or at least block it, but why now...?"
That was when Touya realized.
"You didn't see me came up." He said shakily. "And you're weakened. You... You're blind."
Syaoran didn't say anything. He had just stopped coughing and was trying to regaining air. Many things popped into Touya's head at the time.
"You devoted your corneas to Sakura, didn't you?" Touya asked furiously.
Once again, Syaoran didn't answer. He turned away from Touya.
Meiling came up and touched Touya's shoulder.
"Let's get out. Both you and he need to calm down. I will tell you everything you wanted to know when we're out of here."
Touya glanced at Syaoran one last time before following Meiling out.
Meiling leaded him to another room with its door was made of silk, inside had a small desk and two mattresses. She sat down and Touya sat opposite her.
"From what you have just seen, I know you have guessed almost every that had happened." Meiling said as she was pouring the tea. "Then what else do you want to know?"
Touya was silent. He didn't know what to ask. Finally, he picked up one of a thousand questions in his head.
"Why is he so weak now?"
"That's the consequence of practicing magic only." Meiling sighed. "He spent so much time on it. Magical power drained his physical strength. But he wanted to. Now there're not much people who can oppose him."
Touya sighed too. "What exactly is he doing?"
"Receiving requests of protection." Meiling replied. "Syaoran will protect the one who paid us. They had to pay a high price to earn his protection."
"Why must he do that?" Touya didn't understand. "He doesn't seem like a kind of person who would do something like that for money."
"Of course he doesn't. He is doing this on purpose." Meiling sipped a gulf of tea. "Before 'that' happened, Syaoran knew nothing about magical protections. He wanted to learn, to protect your sister from afar. That was his price to learn those techniques."
"What do you mean, 'that'?" Touya grabbed his cup tightly. He knew it was something not good.
Meiling didn't answer him right away. She fingered his cup and her lips pressed to a thin line.
"'That' was..." Finally Meiling said. "an incident that leaded Syaoran to this decision. After returning home with his eyes blinded, Syaoran wanted to solve every problem with the Elders, once and forever. And then he would practice to return to his normal life and wait for a chance to come back to Sakura. But then... while the Elders were discussing his punishment, they forced him to wait outside the main mansion. That was why he was kidnapped and..."
Meiling couldn't finish her words. She burst into tears. Touya stunned. He didn't know what to do. He offered Meiling his handkerchief and said softly. "If you don't want to say, then you don't need to."
Meiling shook her head slightly. She sighed and finally stopped crying.
"Sorry. This still hurts me each time I remember..." Meiling lowered her head. "Syaoran was kidnapped and raped."
Touya dropped his cup in surprise. He was dazed.
"Who did that?" He hissed.
"We didn't know." Meiling sighed. "Syaoran didn't know either. He was blind. And he was in trauma for almost a week after that, until I told him he must protect Sakura. He tried to gather himself immediately. Your sister was a reason for him to carry on."
Touya was silent.
"Yes. She is my reason to carry on."
Touya and Meiling were startled. Syaoran was outside. Meiling was about to stand up and go to the door but Syaoran said.
"Don't open the door, Meiling. I just want to talk like this."
Meiling sat down. The two wait for Syaoran to continue.
"Kinomoto Touya, sorry for my attitude back then." Syaoran said. And through the silk door Touya could see Syaoran's silhouette bent down a little.
"You don't have to, it's my fault dashing into your place without permission." Touya bent down too.
Syaoran continued. "Let's get back to what you two were talking. Sakura was, is, and will be my reason to carry on. I don't want to see her sad. I don't want to hurt her. And I believe you do, too. That's why I hide everything from her. If she knows about my condition and what happened to me, she would only blame herself."
Touya sighed. Yes, Syaoran understood Sakura too well.
"But now you know. I'd like to ask you to help me, to keep this secret safe." Syaoran said.
"How?" Touya whispered.
"Next month, I will send Sakura a wedding card." Syaoran answered. "My wedding card, to be exact. I will announce that I and Meiling are getting married. I'd like to ask you to keep her from coming here. It's a fake. If she comes, we couldn't hide this from here. It's risk, but it's worth to try."
Touya stood up immediately. "I can't. And you can't too! You can't just dump her like that! She will be heartbroken!"
"She will find someone else." Syaoran replied, his voice was bitter. "I don't want her to wait for me. I don't want to waste her chance of finding someone else."
Touya gritted his teeth. He wanted Sakura to be happy. But he didn't want Syaoran to sacrifice for it.
"I won't be sad." Syaoran seemed to know what Touya was thinking. "I will be happy as long as Sakura is happy. So, please help me."
Touya held his breath. He thought for a long time.
"Okay..."
-End of flashback-
Sakura burst into tears.
"That's so unfair! Why didn't you tell me?" She sobbed.
"We told you already. That was Syaoran's wish." Meiling sighed. "He would be sad if you know, Sakura."
"I was so stupid." Sakura cried. "I had even sent him my wedding card! I hurt him!"
"Sakura..." Meiling put her hand on Sakura's shoulder. "It's ok. He received it with a smile. He said he was glad to know you finally found someone else. He even tried to write you a card. It wasn't beautiful though, because he was blind."
Sakura sobbed again. That card... She thought he was just too busy to write to her properly. She didn't know...
"Don't cry Sakura-chan." Tomoyo gathered Sakura into her arms. "Li-kun was really happy for you. He was happy for each of your happy moment here. When you were pregnant, he was worried as much as Eriol-kun did. He even booked foods and medicines from China to send to you."
"Wha.. Those weren't from you, Tomoyo-chan?" Sakura was surprised.
"He sent some for me and asked me if I could bring you some too." Tomoyo smiled sadly. "He was really happy, Sakura-chan. He really did."
"Yes." Meiling added softly. "He was like a baby. He didn't know what to do. He asked me a lot. I believe that was the first time he was so delight for a long time."
-Flashback-
"Syaoran! Sakura is pregnant!" Meiling exclaimed happily.
"Wow! Really?" Syaoran stood up, but fell back down because his legs was getting weak. He rubbed it while saying. "It's so wonderful! Sakura should be feed up. She is too thin. It's not good for a baby!" He reached for his phone. "I'm going to book something for her from China! And for Daidouji too! I heard she is pregnant too."
"Oh Syaoran, slow down!" Meiling giggled. "They are still there. Why are you in such a hurry?"
"I don't know." Syaoran turned around. He was grinning widely. "I'm guess I'm just so happy."
Meiling smiled a sad smile but Syaoran didn't see. He was still drowning in his thought.
"Sakura's daughter is going to be really cute." He said happily.
"How do you know her child is a girl?" Meiling was surprised. "She has just been pregnant for two months!"
"I just know. I don't know why, but I know." Syaoran grinned again. "Oh God, this is so great! I'm going to ask Mom something!"
Meiling looked at Syaoran who was stumbling out of the room and sighed. She didn't know how he could be so happy. It was Sakura's child, not him. And he wasn't going to meet that child either. His happiness was so simple: to know Sakura was happy. She wondered if Syaoran was really happy.
She hoped he was.
-End of flashback-
Sakura was silent. She looked down at her feet.
"I want to meet him." She suddenly said.
The others stunned.
"I want to meet that baka!" Sakura lifted her head up. "How could he do that to me? I... I..."
"Sakura-san..." Eriol touched her shoulder. "We're sorry, but... I don't think you can meet him now."
"Why?" Sakura wiped her tears away. Eriol was her husband, but she knew Eriol would sympathize.
Meiling and Eriol exchanged a glance. Meiling then turned away. Eriol sighed and looked at Sakura's emerald eyes.
"Sakura-san... I know this is hard for you but... We don't want to hide this from you any longer. Li-kun would be angry at us but... Well I hope he would... But he is... gone."
Right after that was a painful silence. Sakura's eyes widened. She didn't know what to say for a long time.
"Liar."
Eriol sighed. This was exactly what he expected Sakura to say. It was hard to accept but Sakura had to.
"I'm not lying Sakura." Eriol tugged Sakura's hand into his. "Li-kun is gone. Yesterday. That's why Meiling-san is here. She can never come here if Li-kun is still alive."
Sakura felt tears rolled down from her eyes. "But... how? What happened? There is no way a healthy man just died like that!"
Meiling let out a bitter laugh. "Healthy? No, he was not healthy, Sakura." Meiling wiped her tears away. "Seven years ago, we found out that he had a strange disease that no one knew about. It weakened him day by day. He fought it to live on, but we were alerted that he could leave any minutes. Half year ago he started to be paralyzed. First were his legs. Then his upper body. We knew he couldn't hold on much longer. And he left. Yesterday." She ended with a sob.
Sakura suddenly felt the world turned upside-down. She fell to the ground. The others rushed to her and yelled her name.
"Sakura!"
"Sakura-san!"
"Sakura-chan! Wake up! Sakura-chan!"
Sakura felt so weak. She didn't know what she was thinking. She burst into tears again.
"No! No! It can't be true! Don't lie to me! It's not funny! Syaoran-kun! SYAORAN-KUN!" Sakura tried to run away, but Meiling held her back.
"Shh... Sakura. It's ok. Don't cry." She tried to soothe Sakura. "Why must you cry? He was happy. He didn't cry, Sakura. He didn't cry. Then why must you?"
"It's so unfair. He didn't deserve that. That wasn't his fault that I was blind." Sakura sobbed. "How can I apologize him now? He is not here anymore."
"He didn't want you to." Eriol wiped Sakura's tears. "He did everything willingly. He wanted you to be happy. He wouldn't be happy if he sees you like this."
Sakura dropped on her knees again. Memories flooded into her head. Syaoran's smiles, Syaoran's voice, his last image that she could remember. She could felt those slipped away from her and her tears started to flow. She slowly lost her consciousness and darkness started to cover her mind.
oOo
Sakura then came to Hong Kong to attend Syaoran's funeral. The others came with her too. They all wanted to meet Syaoran one last time.
Sakura didn't remember much about the trip to the funeral. Everything was like a blur until she reached Syaoran's coffin. She leaned on it to look at him.
Syaoran was still like a sleeping boy. He was thin, paled and looked younger than his real age. He didn't seem like he had to suffer. He was happy. He was content. Sakura reached to his face.
It was cold.
Sakura sobbed.
"I'm sorry Syaoran-kun." She said quietly. "I was so blind... If only..." Sakura broke down crying again.
"Mom?"
Sakura was startled. She turned around to face her daughter Sayuri.
"Mom, don't cry." She hugged Sakura. "Auntie Tomoyo said he didn't want to see you cry." Sayuri touched the coffin. "She also said he would be happy when you are happy. Don't you want him to be happy?"
The little girl looked at her mother with determination, her amber eyes was shining in the sunset.
It looked just like Syaoran's eyes.
Sakura hugged Sayuri tightly.
"Thanks Sayuri." She wiped her last tears. "I'm not going to cry anymore. Let's smile together... for him too, okay Sayuri?"
Sakura turned to Syaoran and tried to smile.
Syaoran laid there, silence as ice and never to move again, but still, it looked like he was smiling happily at Sakura. He was going to pray for her happiness, wherever she was.
-The End-