Disclaimer: Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle is not my property. Meilin Li is a crossover character from Cardcaptor Sakura (I don't know whether she made an appearance in Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicle or not but I never saw her in the anime series).
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"Syaoran,"
The said guy groaned, refusing to open his eyes. He buried his face into the bolster deeper and turned his body to the left side.
"Syaoran, wake up."
He kept on continuing his profound sleep without even giving a response to the girl who was currently trying to rouse him and patting his back. He was just too weak to be awake, considering that he just returned from a journey with his father last night and slept for three hours only.
But the girl was more persistent than him, seeing that she wouldn't stop waking him up. Syaoran ultimately opened his eyelids and moved to the right side, facing the girl with a sleepy look. "All right, I give up. What is it, Sakura?"
"Don't worry, you can sleep again after I give you this present of mine," Sakura let out a soft chuckle, handing him a bucket of edelweiss. "Ta-daa!"
Syaoran's drowsiness faded away in a crack. "Well…thank you, but…what's this for?"
"Have you forgotten? Today is St. White, Syaoran," Sakura said with a bright smile. "Now that I've given you something white for a present, would you please wake up now?"
Syaoran cocked a brow, feeling something weird in Sakura's words. "I am awake, Sakura."
Much to Syaoran's puzzlement, Sakura kept yelling, "Come on, Syaoran…wake up! Wake up! Wake up!"
Before he could say something, he felt something wet flushing his face.
Lilywhite
by
Chiby Angel-chan
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"Wake up, you lazybones!" A pigtailed girl roared fiercely as she spilt a pail of water over the sleeping Syaoran. "You're such a mulish sleeper."
The brown-haired guy gasped in surprise, nearly squealing. "Uh? What?" He turned his face to the pigtailed girl and blinked in confusion. Oh yes, he almost forgot. Yesterday Mokona brought him and the others to a cold country, which was surmised as a place that had a signal of Sakura's feather. They stayed at a lodge and planned to look for Sakura's feather today. And the pigtailed girl he was facing right now was Meilin Li, the lodge owner's daughter.
"Good morning, Meilin-san," Syaoran greeted the black-haired girl convivially. "Thank you for waking me up. Was that one of this lodge's services?"
Meilin heaved a sigh. Was this guy too bland or what? "It was that fair-skinned smiling man who asked me to wake you up. And really, waking you up is harder than moving a mountain. Be grateful that I won't ask for a tip, will you?"
"You mean Fay-san?" Syaoran ran his fingers through his brown hair, yawning. "Sorry about that, Meilin-san. I was tired because of the long trip."
Meilin shrugged, throwing a towel to the brown-haired guy. "Yes. That man also said that after waking up, you have to take a bath immediately. He has gone with all of your friends."
"Uh? Where?" asked Syaoran.
"Shopping in the town," Meilin replied and turned around. "I don't know exactly, but it seems like they want to get some presents for St. White Festival."
Syaoran enlarged his eyes. St. White, she said? No wonder he had a dream about his past with Sakura on St. White last night. "When will that festival be held?"
"Tonight."
"I see," Syaoran cupped his chin, thinking for a while. Not long afterwards, he rose from the bed and approached Meilin. "Meilin-san, I need your help. What should we give on St. White Festival?"
"Well, people generally give anything that is white-colored." Meilin explained. "Wait a sec, what do you mean by that? Do you need my help to choose a gift?"
Syaoran nodded, thinking pensively. "Hm…white-colored?" Then he snapped his fingers and exclaimed vigorously, "That's it!"
"What?" asked Meilin again.
"You don't have to help me pick out the present, Meilin-san," Syaoran remarked, "I just need you to guide me to the closest mountain in this country."
Meanwhile, Sakura, Mokona, Fay and Kurogane were walking around a marketplace. Seeing various kinds of white things sold everywhere, Sakura questioned, "Say, I wonder why most of the stands are selling white merchandises."
"There will be a festival tonight, called St. White Festival," Kurogane clarified. "People usually give some white-colored presents to their family or their close friends on that festival."
"Wow, you know about that a lot, don't you, Kuro-pipi?" Fay teased the spiky-haired man.
"People in my country also celebrate it every year." Kurogane said, ignoring Fay's taunt.
"That sounds marvelous!" The flying Mokona cheered.
"Yeah, why don't we join the festival too?" Sakura suggested in excitement. "Let's get some white-colored gifts too."
"Excellent idea, Sakura-chan," Fay bucked the brunette. "So, what do you say, Kuro-rin?"
"Very well. Let's go." Kurogane led his friends, accelerating his pace. Sakura, Fay and Mokona followed him from behind.
They roamed every part of the marketplace. In less than one hour, Fay and Kurogane had found their presents. Despite being a "mysterious" creature, Mokona insisted to purchase a gift like the others and forcibly demanded Kurogane to buy one for her.
Sakura hadn't bought any present yet though they had engirdled every shop. Fortunately, they found a hidden store which seemed to be the last one in the marketplace area. As they entered the hidden store, a clerk greeted them amiably, "Welcome. What can I do for you, miss and misters?"
"We're looking for a present for St. White Festival," Fay answered with a smile.
"St. White Festival? Well, how about this, mister?" The clerk took out a white ribbon. "Legend has it; if a man gives the woman he loves a white ribbon and ties it around her, then their love will come true."
"Oh, really?" Fay responded with a hint of disbelief. "Well, is that legend also valid for girls? She's the one who wants to buy a present." The blonde man pointed toward Sakura.
The clerk covered her mouth in apology. "Oh, I'm so sorry. Then how about this, young lady?" She showed them a white shirt.
Sakura sweat-dropped anime style. "Um, it looks plain. I want something special that is useful for the receiver."
"Are you going to give it to Syaoran?" Kurogane asked, folding his arms and smirking at the brunette.
"Y-Yes." Sakura lowered her face, slightly blushing. "Syaoran-kun has done so many things for me. I want to give him something special in reply."
"How sweet." Fay complimented, whistling jokingly.
The clerk spoke again, "Oh, if you're going to give it to your boyfriend, how about this watch? This is made of white gold."
Sakura observed it and as she found the price sticker, she said politely without telling the clerk that the watch was too expensive for her, "Err, no, thank you."
Feeling like she's got no hope, Sakura decided to give up. Before she could utter a word to her friends, her eyes caught a sight of something cute, much to her exhilaration. "Um, Miss…" Sakura called the clerk.
"Yes?"
"Can I see that white muffler?"
"Whew…what an exhausting trip!" Meilin repined, massaging her waist. "It was the first time I climbed up the mountain again in these two years."
"Thanks for accompanying me, Meilin-san," Syaoran said, smiling. Looking at the fatigued Meilin, Syaoran asked in concern, "Are you okay? I'm so sorry for making you—"
Meilin cut him off, "No worries. It's been my obligation to serve a guest."
As the two of them reached their final destination—the lodge, Meilin opened the gate. Before she could take a pace on the lodge area, Syaoran called her again, "Meilin-san."
"Yes?" The pigtailed girl turned her face to Syaoran.
Syaoran took some of the edelweiss that he was holding and handed it to Meilin. "I'd like to extend my gratitude. You've been a great help. Thank you very much, Meilin-san."
"…" Meilin was speechless for a moment, staring blankly at the edelweiss. Then she raised her face and returned her gaze on Syaoran, speaking sheepishly to the brown-haired guy, "Um…you're welcome."
Syaoran smiled at the blushing Meilin, feeling relieved that the pigtailed girl looked happy. Silence befell them. Not long afterwards, a yell broke the silence, much to their surprise. "Wow, wow, wow! Mokona wants some flowers too!"
Syaoran gasped. "M-Mokona?" He threw his sight to the back side and found Sakura, Fay, Kurogane and Mokona standing before him. He quickly put the edelweiss into his coat. "Oh, hi, you guys…where have you been?"
Instead of an answer, Fay gave Syaoran a question, "I guess you've also heard about St. White Festival. So, you gave Meilin-chan those white flowers as the St. White gift, huh?"
Syaoran gulped, trying to look calm. "White flowers? What do you mean?"
"Hm, you try to withhold it. Now that's suspicious." Kurogane shot Syaoran a glare.
"W-What are you talking about?" Syaoran became more panicked at this. He managed to keep his sobriety.
"Those white flowers, Syaoran! They are beautiful! Can Mokona get some too?" said Mokona jubilantly, not being aware of the current confusing atmosphere.
"W-Well, I'm not—" Syaoran slowly glanced at Sakura. It was okay if Fay, Kurogane and Mokona knew about his present but he couldn't tell Sakura about it, knowing that the edelweiss would be given to her.
Sakura formed a tiny smile on her face, entering the lodge area and leaving without saying a word. Syaoran and the others became flustered at this. Mokona hurriedly flew and followed Sakura. "Wait, don't leave Mokona!"
"Princess, wait! What's the matter?" Syaoran shouted, trying to chase after the brunette. As he was about to run, Fay grasped his arm, startling the young brown-haired guy. "Fay-san?"
"She'll be fine," Fay asserted explicitly. "At any rate, if you're going to give Sakura-chan those flowers that you're hiding in your coat, you'd better look for another present."
Hearing that, Syaoran quickly took the edelweiss out of his coat. "Oh no! They're broken."
"Of course they're broken! That's because you put it in such a narrow place!" Meilin mumbled. "Argh, you've wasted our hard work!"
"I-I'm sorry. I had to hide it because Princess Sakura was there," Syaoran said. He seemed to be more upset. "I was just too surprised that you guys appeared all of a sudden and... Ugh, now I have nothing to give to the princess."
Kurogane let out a deep sigh and patted Syaoran's shoulder. "Well, a gift isn't really important. More importantly, you must ask her to go to the festival together with you tonight. It's enough to cheer her up."
"…" Syaoran lowered his face, gazing at the mussy edelweiss in disappointment.
Fifteen minutes left before the St. White Festival began--Syaoran, Fay and Kurogane had dressed up. Those three were wearing the same costumes—white shirts with white ties and white trousers. Everyone had to wear white clothes if they wanted to attend the festival. Mokona didn't have to wear anything since she has got white skin already.
"Uh? Where's Sakura-chan?" Fay questioned, looking around the room.
"In her room, perhaps?" Kurogane guessed.
"Mokona was in Sakura's room earlier. But Mokona found no one there," said Mokona. "Don't worry, with Mokona's magic, we'll find her right away!"
"Hold on a second, Mokona," Syaoran declared, "I'll look for Princess Sakura so you guys can go ahead. I'll catch you up later with her."
Fay curved his lips into a smirk. "Okay. See you at the festival!"
As Fay, Kurogane and Mokona left the lodge, Syaoran speedily ran to look for his princess. He asked every person he met in the lodge if they saw Sakura, but it was useless. He had searched everywhere but he couldn't find her.
Princess… Where are you? Syaoran inwardly thought. He stopped for a while to think of which part of the lodge that he hadn't traced yet. He looked up and incidentally, he found someone sitting on the roof.
Could it be…? Syaoran swiftly entered the lodge again, heading for the roof and going up the stairs. As he reached the last stair, he opened the door of the roof. Luckily, it was unlocked. "Princess!"
Hearing someone call her name, the brunette reacted, "Syaoran-kun?"
Syaoran approached his princess, panting. "What are you doing here, Princess? Let's go to the festival. Everyone is waiting."
Sakura averted her face from the brown-haired guy and answered in a low voice, "I…I don't want to come. Why don't you ask Meilin-san, Syaoran-kun?"
Syaoran frowned. "Meilin-san? What do you mean?"
"This afternoon…" Sakura took a pause, "…you gave her some white flowers, didn't you?"
"Yes, I just wanted to thank her for helping me." Syaoran explicated, still not realizing that Sakura didn't seem to like what Syaoran had done to Meilin. "And it wasn't for the St. White gift."
Sakura gaped. She instantaneously threw her sight to Syaoran again and then, a blush rose up her face. She didn't know how and why she felt irritated like that, embarrassing herself. "I-I'm sorry, Syaoran-kun."
"Uh?" Syaoran knitted his brows, looked puzzled.
"Sorry…for thinking so selfishly. When I saw you together with Meilin-san and giving her something, I…I felt annoyed somehow," Sakura mustered up her courage. "I don't even know why, but…without even realizing it, it was as though I'd always been thinking that I'm the only special girl to you."
Hearing such a surprising confession, Syaoran couldn't help but become carried away at this. "Princess…"
"B-But I've snapped out of it! I-I understand that Syaoran-kun's kindness belongs to everyone," Sakura stammered, her face reddening. It was the first time Syaoran saw his amnesiac princess acting nervously like that and truth to be known, this nervous Sakura looked deeply adorable to him. "I-I mean, I'm not angry with you. I won't blame you if you care about other girls more and…"
"Princess," Syaoran interrupted, coming closer to her. "I understand. You're not wrong either for thinking that way. You are the most important to me, Princess."
Sakura's face lit up at this. "Really?"
Syaoran nodded, giving her a gentle smile. Then he untied his white tie and bent down. "Those white flowers…they're called edelweiss, which usually grow on mountainous areas. I formerly picked them up for you."
Sakura faced the brown-haired guy in disbelief. "For me…?"
Syaoran continued, "Yes, but because of an accident, they were broken. I couldn't possibly give you something terrible like that, so…" He placed his white tie around Sakura, much to her surprise. "…please accept this, Princess."
If a man gives the woman she loves a white ribbon and ties it around her, then their love will come true.
The clerk's words suddenly flashed upon Sakura's mind. She lost her words. Syaoran-kun…
Seeing the silenced Sakura, Syaoran became anxious, scratching the back of his head. "Um, sorry…you don't like it?"
Sakura finally regained her consciousness as she joyfully said, "Thank you, Syaoran-kun. This means a lot to me." After that, she took something out that she'd been hiding from him and spoke again, "Could you squat for a while, Syaoran-kun?"
As Syaoran followed what his princess said, he became surprised when Sakura placed a white muffler around him. But what shocked him more was the fact that she pulled him closer with the muffler and kissed him on the lips.
Sakura didn't know what she was exactly doing or why; but she could care less as the brown-haired guy shut his eyes and deepened the kiss. As they pulled back, they felt something cold yet soothing descending upon their body singly—the snow.
"Wow…" Sakura stood up, looking at the snows in awe. "Isn't it beautiful, Syaoran-kun?"
Syaoran nodded in agreement. "Yes, but I think it'll be more exciting if we enjoy it with our friends. Shall we go now, Princess?"
Sakura nearly blushed in embarrassment that she'd almost forgotten about her friends and the St. White Festival. Then she threw him her angelic smile, reaching his palm. "Yes."
THE END
A/N: Sorry if there are too many errors—this fic was made in rush. Thanks for reading and…review, please? ^^