Hope you enjoy reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it :) Also bit OOC, sorry about that.
Seven Months and a Week
By Kyoy
"So, where's that boyfriend you keep scaring me off with?"
Sakura's eyes lit up at the question. Conversation was getting awkward and small talk was getting dull. The girl was just too kind for her own good, she didn't have the heart to turn this guy away. 'If Tomoyo would just hurry up,' she kept thinking anxiously to herself, trying her best not to look obvious whenever she glanced at her watch. But now, he brought Syaoran up. And she loved talking about the people she loved.
"He's in China." She replied with a smile. (Which she shouldn't, considering he hasn't visited her in the longest time—at least seven months! The only contact she's had with him within those lonely months were occasional phone calls which rarely even lasted long. To say that he owed her a lot would be an understatement. But the thought of him really made her smile, so why would it matter?)
"Seriously?" He blinked. It really was surprising, considering he never asked before. Why would he ask about her imaginary boyfriend when he was trying to get a date off her? (He was really getting desperate now.)
Sakura sighed at the truth. How could their relationship last like this? It's been years. They've had a lot of problems to face with and a lot of fights to reconcile with but they somehow ended up together anyway. As good as that was going so far, Sakura couldn't help but be realistic sometimes. She opened her mouth to say something but a voice beat her to it.
"Well, not really."
-
Sakura jumped at the voice and turned around only to be caught briefly in a trance. Her suitor frowned at the intruder (He saw her first!) and made no effort to hide his contempt. ("Who are you?") And the stranger just stood casually, smiling smugly at the scene.
"Syaoran!" Sakura answered and ran the newcomer with glee. "Why didn't you tell me you were coming? I could've picked you up!" She pouted but gave him a welcome hug anyway.
Syaoran smiled. "I wanted to surprise you, since—"
"Uh, hello? I'm still here." The man was clearly irritated. Here he was, spending days trying to catch the girl's attention when this stranger comes with not so much of a few words and gets a hug from Sakura. He had no right.
Sakura loosened her arms around Syaoran's neck and smiled apologetically. "Sorry. This is Li Syaoran, the boyfriend I've been telling you about!" She introduced excitedly. No one could wipe the grin off her face by now.
Syaoran rasied his brow at this and smirked at the man in amusement, wondering how he'll react next.
He frowned. "I thought you only made him up to push me away."
Syaoran smirked again. "Sakura's the worst liar I know, you should've believed her the first time."
"I am not!" She nudged him playfully and stuck her tongue at him.
The man glared at Syaoran (not because he got to Sakura first and thus, really did have a right, but because of his bruised ego) yet threw back a comeback. He wasn't one to give up easily. "What brings you here now? I heard you haven't visited her in months."
"Well, it is her birthday."
Sakura eyes twinkled at his words. "You came for my birthday?"
"It's your birthday?" The man asked lamely.
Syaoran raised another brow at him, silently mocking him with the question, 'You didn't know?' and said, "You know, you're not a very good suitor. You could do what's left of your dignity a favor and get lost right now."
Sakura cheerfully waved him goodbye, feeling nothing but bliss at the moment.
-
"Let's go take a walk." Sakura suggested, grinning widely at Syaoran.
"Why don't we stay here for some tea? I could use some tea—"
"But those girls on the other table have been eyeing you since you came here—can't you just keep the questions to yourself and agree next time I ask you to do something so I won't embarass myself with my silly reasons?" Sakura muttered, glaring at him.
Syaoran laughed at that. "A walk sounds nice," he obliged and gave her a quick but meaningful kiss for show.
"Happy birthday, Sakura."
(If Sakura had noticed, she would've love to see that his fangirls frowned in chagrin and struggled to veer their attention away from him.)
"Mm-hmm." She replied incoherently (but the look on her face showed that she was more than grateful) as Syaoran took her hand and led her away.
-
"So, I'm your boyfriend, huh?"
Sakura paused and gave him a look. "Something wrong with that?" She asked, daring him to say 'yes'.
With her expression, Syaoran had to chuckle. "No, not really. I'm just glad you still think so." He smiled sincerely at her and one look at him would tell you that really was relieved.
The girl stared blankly at him, silently urging him to go on.
"I'm sorry I haven't visited in a while."
Sakura's eyes snapped wider. "Aha! So you do realize I did not enjoy that! Honestly, you're just too cold sometimes!" She huffed, crossing her arms in disappointment.
Syaoran watched her in content amusement as she went on.
"Seven months, Syaoran! I thought you were torturing me on purpose! What were thinking? Look at you, you're so much taller now! I almost didn't recognize you—well not really, you still pretty much look the same—but you look different now!" Realizing that she was contradicting herself, she snapped, "Oh, you get my point! I do hate you, you know." And she settled with that.
"I'm sorry." He tried again.
Sakura giggled. "I forgive you. You're here after all, right?" Linking her arm with his, she continued, "Besides, it's not like you never called. It's rare—but it's good to know my boyfriend's not dead."
-
"You're just lucky that I'm loyal, Syaoran." Sakura babbled on. This was how Sakura expressed overload happiness, she babbles. "You don't know how many admirers I've got. I'm a very desirable woman, after all."
Syaoran gave her a look.
"Okay, not really. That just what Tomoyo keeps telling me. I'm not really sure if I should believe her since I've only had a few who approached me." She giggled sheepishly. "But if it weren't for my 'imaginary boyfriend' excuse, I would be taken by someone else by now—people think I'm delusional, Syaoran! That's how long you made me wait!"
"That actually sounds amusing—"
It was Sakura's turn to give him a look.
"Seven months—No, not exactly seven months. Seven months and a week! Do you know how long that feels?" She exclaimed in exasperation.
"About that—I came here for a reason, Sakura." Syaoran started. "Not just because it's your birthday."
Sakura paused to listen to him. "Why, what happened?"
"I spent a very long time in China because of you."
Sakura's eyes filled with worry at the seriousness in his voice and the grim expression on his face. "Y-you didn't come all the way here to break up with me, did you?" she choked.
Syaoran smiled sheepishly at her, digging something from his pocket.
"I was never good with my social skills, was I?"
-
Sakura became a Li after seven more grueling months of preparation and another insufferable week of waiting.
(It was tradition, what could she do?)
So what if engagement set-ups took long with Chinese traditions?
(He could have at least explained things to her.)
And so what if Syaoran wanted everything to be a surprise?
(She's waited more than long enough, an explanation would've done her heart good.)
To say that Syaoran owed her a lot would be an understatement.
(But the thought of him always, always made her smile, so why would any of that matter?)
FIN
Reviews, no matter how critical, are much appreciated:D