Title: Wanted
Disclaimer: I don't own CardCaptor Sakura and "Wanted" is the property of Hunter Hayes.
"Xiaolang?", a girl with shoulder length auburn hair, tanned skin, sad emerald eyes in blue faded jeans and a white and baby blue t-shirt hesitantly called, standing before a closed door.
The lack of answer made her more worried. Should she just enter inside? After all, he is shocked, hurt and in dire need of a friend. Even though he didn't know it. And besides, he would never let her be alone if the same happened to her.
So, she decided to ignore the fact she wasn't granted access and just got inside.
"Xiaolang?", she called again once inside the dark room.
"Go away", was the answer she received but she didn't let it stop her from blindly advancing toward the bed where he was, judging from the direction his voice came from.
She was nearly there when something tripped her feet, making her fall hard with a loud thud.
"Hoeeee", she cried.
In a flash, the boy seated in the bed was by her side, helping her up.
"You OK?", he asked, concerned. He led here to his bed, where he made her sit before switching his nightstand lamp on.
"I should be the one asking you that", the girl replied. "You OK Xiaolang?", she asked him.
He was dressed in green Ts and khaki pants, making his amber eyes stand out even more. But those eyes, for now, were clouded in sadness and his brown hair was more of a bird nest than his usual messy bad boy style.
"I… I'm not", he whispered.
Her automatic response was to hug him tightly.
"I'm so sorry sweetie", she said sadly.
"Don't be. Don't feel sorry for me. I just should accept that he's gone. Forever…", he choked on his last word and she held him tighter.
"He's not Xiaolang. He'll always be inside your heart. He'll always be there. In every people's heart he who ever loved him. Because your love and your memories together will always live in your heart…" she comforted him.
He finally let his walls down and broke down in her arms, soaking her t-shirt but she didn't even acknowledged it.
After a few hours of crying his only paternal figure, he finally broke their hug and said with a hoarse voice "Thanks Saki-chan".
Smiling, she replied "Anytime Xiaolang".
A few days after Wei's funeral – Xiaolang's caretaker - , life was back to almost normal in the apartment Xiaolang and Sakura shared. Well, as normal as it could get.
Xiaolang was watching "Chuck" when Sakura entered the flat, both hands filled with grocery bags.
"Here, let me help you", he said while going to her and taking all the bags she held, letting her close the door.
"Thanks", she replied, following him to the kitchenette where he already began sorting the groceries before putting them in the fridge, the freezer and the cabinets.
Both roommates where silent during the task, going through the usual pattern they'd grown accustomed to.
"Oh yeah, I almost forgot. There's a letter for you. I put it on the table.", Xiaolang said.
"Really? From who?", the auburn haired teen asked.
"Dunno. There was nothing beside your name on the envelope.", he replied. "It's kinda suspicious if you ask me, but I made sure there was no ticking bomb inside", he joked.
"What if it's an explosive seal?", she joined him.
"Oh! I didn't think of that! Don't worry, I'll fetch the armors. Hang on a sec."
With that said, he headed back on the couch, watching some commercials before "Chuck" would be on again.
Sakura walked to the table and saw a green envelope with her name written on it. She opened it and took the message in there.
"You know I'd fall apart without you
I don't know how you do what you do
'Cause everything that don't make sense about me
Makes sense when I'm with you
Love, Little Wolf"
Was written in neat handwriting on a sheet probably ripped from a notebook.
Inside the envelope was also a silver charm bracelet with one charm: a sun.
"Wow!", she exclaimed.
"Uh? What's in there that's so amazing?", he asked from the couch.
"I just received a love letter!", she said. "Well, I think it's one. Look!", she replied, still dazed and handing him the text.
"A love letter?", Sakura's roommate scoffed. "Who does that anymore nowadays? Hey! Maybe it's some old grandpa you met at the market? After all, you look like a granny.", he teased her.
"Xiaolang!", she cried.
"Kidding.", he chuckled.
"At least, he's romantic. Whoever that Little Wolf is. And he has a nice taste for gift.", she said while stucking her tongue at him, "Unlike you."
"Hey, I can be romantic too if I want!", the amber eyed boy protested.
"Keep telling yourself that.", she replied playfully.
Sakura sighed once again. It was just too sweet. Tomoyo and her now husband, Eriol, were waltzing at the center of the ballroom.
"That's the hundredth time you sighed today. Didn't know wedding can be so depressing…", Xiaolang remarked.
"I can't help it! They're just too cute. Don't you think so?", she replied.
"Yeah! But that's not a reason to sigh. Now, spill!", he replied with a no nonsense voice.
"Well… It's kind of silly…", she began.
"Try me."
"It's the way they look at each other, you know. It's glaringly obvious they need one another. Just look! His eyes show just how much he needs and wants her. And that look can be found mirrored in her eyes…"
"Yeah… And?"
"And I'm thinking, here I am, still single, and no guy looks at me like that. I'm kinda jealous of Tomoyo. She found a guy who needs her, wants her and can't live without her. But that's not surprising. She's sweet, beautiful, smart, graceful, talented, sophisticated, and elegant. And I'm just me, plain old Sakura, a total klutz, with zero talent… Just a really ordinary boring girl. It's normal I'm still single!"
"Sakura, that dress makes you look elegant and sophisticated, and you're not plain, you're pretty. You may be a klutz but that makes you cute. And you're far from boring. Talent-wise, er, have you ever met someone who could make me change my mind about something? You can be really persuasive."
"About what?", she asked, already teary eyed from the comforting words her roommate was giving her.
"Like singing at a karaoke, wearing a cat onesie, watching soap opera and much more embarrassing things."
She laughed, remembering all the good times they had.
"I don't know a normal guy who isn't married who wouldn't want you", he continued.
She blushed and her heart thumped faster and louder in her hears. Would she dare ask? Why not? And if he doesn't, she can always blame it on the champagne.
She took a swig from her glass to give her more courage and looked him in the eyes.
"Do you?"
"Uh?", was his confused reply.
"Do you want me?".
She flushed and averted her eyes.
He was stunned by her asking that but composed himself quickly. He was about to answer when the newlyweds appeared before them, ending the discussion.
The next morning, Sakura was woken up by the phone ringing.
Tired of hearing it, she got up and headed to the living room, wondering why Xiaolang was not answering the stupid device.
"Hello?", she asked, yawning.
"Thank God you answered", Xiaolang's voice said. Well, at least, that answered her earlier question.
"Can you please go to my room and search for a green notebook?"
"Yeah, hang on a sec."
She entered his room, saw the notebook on his nightstand and grabbed it before going back to the phone.
"Found it."
"Pfiou. I'll send someone over to take it."
"Don't bother", she replied, "I'll get it there."
"You sure?"
"Yup! Be there in 30."
"Thanks Sakura! You're a real life saver."
She hurriedly changed into some decent clothes and made her way outside. Grabbing her keys, she saw a green envelope with her name in it but her hurry made her toss it in the keys bowl and drove to Xiaolang's office.
"Thanks again Saki. A little too late and the band would have resigned their contract." Xiaolang once again thanked her as they entered the flat together.
"You're welcome again Xiaolang. Now, stop thanking me.", she replied as she put her keys in the bowl. That's when she fully registered the existence of the
green envelope.
She opened it and found an heart shaped charm with the same notebook page as before. But this time, the message was:
"Like everything that's green, girl, I need you
But it's more than one and one makes two
Put aside the math and the logic of it
You gotta know you're wanted too
Love, Little Wolf"
"You gotta know you're wanted too, uh?", Xiaolang asked as he read over her sholder.
"That's what he said… So, someone wants me? But who?", she mumbled.
"Raaaaaaaaaaaaaaah! It's too hot!", Sakura declared as she switched the fan on max.
"Yeah… But at least, it's not as hot as in Hong Kong at this time of the year.", Xiaolang said.
"Really?", she asked.
"Hum hum. But usually, my sisters and I go swimming. There's an indoor pool at home. Gosh, I miss it!" he wistfully said.
"That's it!", she screamed, jumping off the couch.
"Uh?"
"The swimming pool, idiot! We can go there!", she said, light sparkling in her eyes.
Two hours of swimming races and splashing later, they got out of the heavily populated water. They decided to buy ice-cream because it was still so hot.
Sakura got a strawberry flavored one while Xiaolang went for a chocolate one.
As they headed back to the pool, Xiaolang suddenly grabbed Sakura's hand causing her to stop in her tracks and blush a cute pink color.
"Xiaolang?", she breathily asked.
"There's a weird dude watching you indencently." He whispered as they approached a bench and sat there. "We'll let him think you're my girlfriend so he won't make a move on you.", he explained.
"Oh",
They continued licking their treats, not registering the fact that their hands were still intertwined.
After a long deafening silence, Xiaolang said "You have ice cream on your face."
"Where?"
"Here", he said as he took the napkin covering his cone and wiped the left corner of her mouth, breaking their hand-holding.
He stared, mesmerized by her pink, kissable lips. Their faces were so close that if he leaned just a little more, their lips would meet. Just a little bit and…
Realizing what he was doing, he jerked his hand, like he was burned. Both their faces became as red as tomatoes.
"Sorry", he mumbled.
"Thanks", she said at the same time.
They watched each other and smiled.
The next morning, Sakura once again found a green envelope waiting at the table. She guessed Xiaolang was already up since the mail was inside. She opened the envelope and took out an ice-cream charm and a notebook page, with the now familiar handwriting.
"I wanna wrap you up
Wanna kiss your lips
I wanna make you feel wanted
And I wanna call you mine
Wanna hold your hand forever
And never let you forget it
I wanna make you feel wanted
Love, Little Wolf"
"Who are you Little Wolf?", she asked the air.
"Who are you talking to?", a voice asked, making her jump out of her skin.
"Hoeeeee. Xiaolang! You sneakie meanie!", she pouted.
"Sorry". But his smirk showed he wasn't sorry at all. "I see you still get these creepy letters.", he pointed at the poem she was holding.
"Creepy? Romantic you mean."
"Nope, creepy. Who knows if that guy is not a stalker, a pervert or a psycho?", he asked.
"He isn't!", she defended.
"And how would you know?"
"Well, first, the things he wrote are sensible, romantic and deep. Something that can't be done by a stalker, a perv and psycho."
"He can have copied it from somewhere.", he countered.
"He isn't. I already googled them. And, second, the charms do have a meaning. The sun symbolizes hope, and the heart love. I don't catch the meaning of the ice-cream for now but I'll find it soon enough."
"Okay! So, he's romantic! Yadda yadda! Does that mean you're going to fall in his arms?"
"Well, if he's the one I have in mind, then yes. But I think that's highly improbable", she wistfully replied.
That made him stop whatever he was going to retort.
"Wait… You like someone? Who? Do I know him? Is he respectable?", he fired question after question.
"That's a secret.", was her only answer before she locked herself in her room.
One morning, Sakura found a package with her name at the apartment's door. Taking it to her room, she settled on her bed before opening it. Inside was a pink dress and familiar green envelope. She opened it first to see a picture of a nearby waterfall, whose back was scribbled with "today, 6 pm" and the usual notebook page.
"Anyone can tell you you're pretty, yeah
And you get that all the time, I know you do
But your beauty's deeper than the make-up
And I wanna show you what I see tonight...
Love, Little Wolf"
The charm, this time, was a rose, clearly meaning a flower for a first date.
She picked up the dress and saw it was a flowing A-line dress with shirred empire bodice and hand-beaded waistband. Double spaghetti straps form a graceful A-line that accentuates the neckline. She tried it and found it an ethereal look that flatters every shape of her body.
All in all, the dress was gorgeous despite being simple. Perfect for a first date.
But does that mean she will go? After all, how could she know he's not a psycho or a rapist? Xiaolang's words came back to her and doubts flooded her mind.
But she then remembered Tomoyo approved of Little Wolf and told her she should give him a chance, should the occasion of a date arise. 'Come to think of it, Tomoyo sounded like she knew him. But she evaded my question when I asked her if she did. Who to listen to? Moyo or Xiao?'
After a long internal debate, she finally decided to give it a go. So she prepared for her date.
A long shower later, she put on the dress and accompanied it with white flats she got from Tomoyo. She let her short hair loose and applied a pink lip gloss. She wore a white bolero on top of the dress and put her phone, a little cash and the lip gloss on a small white purse. Finally, she clasped the charm bracelet on her wrist and headed outside. 'I hope it's worth it'
The drive to the waterfall took her thirty minutes. She parked at a small clearing and continued on foot till she got to the entrance of the big cave behind the water curtain. Seeing lights inside, she entered.
What she saw made her take a breath. The cave was filled with sweet scented candles and on the center was a blanket and a picnic basket. She walked there and saw the trademark green envelope. Whoever this Little Wolf was, he was really romantic, cliché but romantic. This time, the charm was a wand, with a star in a circle at the end.
She added it to her bracelet and read the message.
"As good as you make me feel, I wanna make you feel better
Better than your fairy tales, Better than your best dreams
You're more than everything I need
You're all I ever wanted
All I ever wanted
Love, Little Wolf.
PS: Watch behind you"
As she turned, a soft melody began sounding. There, she saw a boy strumming on his guitar… And not just any boy! It was Xiaolang!
Just as her shock began to fade, Xiaolang began to sing.
"You know I'd fall apart without you
I don't know how you do what you do"
He has a really nice voice. It was deep and soothing. She was totally hypnotized. As he continued to sing, she realized she knew the lyrics even though she never heard that song. But as he hit the chorus, she knew why. The love letters! They were a song! And here, Xiaolang, her roommate, her best friend and four years secret love, was singing it to her.
She sat on the blanket with a huge grin on her face and remembered all the letters. The first was after she consoled a grieving Xiaolang, giving him hope. The second was after her self-doubt at Tomoyo's wedding, fearing she would never be loved. And he gave her the heart charm, a symbole of his… love? Next was with the ice-cream, after he almost kissed her. Then the one with a rose, for the date. And finally, the fairy wand, for a fairytale moment… And every word he wrote was expressing his feelings for her.
Sooner than Sakura would have liked, the song came to its end.
"And I just wanna wrap you up
Wanna kiss your lips
I wanna make you feel wanted
And I wanna call you mine
Wanna hold your hand forever
And never let you forget it
Yeah, I wanna make you feel wanted
Baby, I wanna make you feel wanted
You'll always be wanted"
She clapped, teary eyed.
Shyly, Xiaolang walked to her and asked "Do you like it?"
"Like it? I love it Xiaolang!"
"I'm glad you do.", he said relieved. "Sakura… I… We've been roommates for four years, friends, and then best friends. You are the only girl who knows me as much as I know myself, maybe even more, and I feel like I've known you all my life. I love you Sakura, I really do and I'd like to spend the rest of my life with you… Or as long as you'd allow me to. So, Sakura…"
He then knelt and opened a box he took from his pocket, "Would you do me the honor of being my girlfriend, and later, when the time is right, my wife?"
Sakura cried, causing Xiaolang to panic.
"Crap! Did I say something wrong? Or do you like someone else?"
In response, she just hugged him and whispered a "Yes, I'd like to be your girlfriend."
After his panicked brain finally processed her words, he broke into a huge grin and hugged her back. When they let go, Xiaolang passed the ring to her ring finger.
"It's a promise ring, so you know you'll always be wanted", he softly said.
"Thanks Xiaolang.". She then kissed him. "I love you too."
The new formed couple sat together on the blanket and began eating and talking. They were so wrapped up in each other that they didn't notice the two silhouette watching them outside.
"Tomoyo darling, I think we should leave them alone for now."
"But it's their first date! And Sakura is so cute!"
"Darling! They need privacy! Besides, you already got enough blackmail material against Xiaolang."
"Okay, okay!", she reluctantly saved the video and shut off her camera. "But still, it's a loss not to be here till the end."
"Come on, we still have to go shopping tomorrow,", he said as he dragged her.
At the mention of shopping, her eyes immediately lit up.
"Oh, I can already see all the suits and shoes we'll buy for you! Ohohohohohohohohohohohohoho."
"Tomoyo!"
"What? Hey, do you think I should buy all the materials for Saki's wedding dress too?", she seriously asked.
"She's not getting married soon, darling."
"Doesn't matter! I'll be the one designing it! And the sooner I begin, the better!"
With that, she began maniacally laughing again.
"Ohohohohohohohohohohohohohohohohohohohohohohoho."
"Was it Tomoyo I just heard?", Sakura asked as Tomoyo's laughter rang through the clearing to the cave.
"Wouldn't surprise me.", Xiaolang replied.
"Ohohohohohohohohohohohohohohohohohohohohohohoho."
They looked at each other and laughed heatily.