("\/") - (") (") - ("\/") - (") (") - ("\/") - (") (")

Chapter 1: This is Where It Starts

Old folktales speak of wandering souls that chooses the bodies they will live in for a limited time. Each soul is designed to live for a purpose, and die once that purpose is fulfilled. Some souls end prematurely with much sense of emptiness. Even, after years of searching, one can never find what they've been searching for, their entire lives. At times, that very thing will appear, all of a sudden. Time plays tricks on us all. Without the slightest remorse, time's illusions takes the very thing we all desire the most and slabs the heart with the arrow of despair. In the journey to separating ourselves from the rest of the world, we tend to fall in a lot of holes or come across road bumps that were not meant to be there in the first place. We cannot prevent anything from happening once the damage is done. We stitch the wound of regret and cover it up with the bandage of pride. Our scars are as much a part of us as wings are a part of the soaring birds. Without it, we cannot take flight and explore the world we shut out so long ago. This causes the heart to close out all those who could give happiness in all its beautiful forms. The heart becomes cold, alone, and filled with dark memories of the past.

The story begins. When one day, our modern day heroine is caught off-guard by the one who haunts her dreams and plaques her mind, despite his false dismay. Can one really forget a person like that? Can the mind force the heart to look the other way? Is it logically possible for any heart to stop loving the one it loves the most? Does it just stop as quickly as it started? Can it truly erase all of what has happened in the past by replacing them with the memories of the future? Does the heart continue to beat despite the refusal to look through the unopened windows of her uncertain eyes? She takes it one step at a time, hoping the shadowed memories will not surface again….

SYAORAN'S POV

"Have you gone mad?" Was the first time he blunted out.

"My head is very well in tacked, if I do say so myself. The question is.. have YOU gone mad? Hm?" My father asked, intelligently, as he looked passed his reading glasses at me and went back to his newspaper once I fell into silence.

"Father. Let us make straight of things. We will sit and talk as gentlemen we are." I slowly sat on the chair directly across from him. He eventually surrendered, folded his newspaper, took off his glasses, and set both on the lamp table right beside him. He looked straight at me.

"Ok, son. We may speak. Rationally, I strongly suggest." He said.

"Father, must I take a hand of whom it belongs to … God knows bloody who!"

"Now, now. Calm down, Xiao. You know as well I, that this is good for both kingdoms, By marrying Fujitaka Kinomoto's daughter, you will rule all of Asia and more."

" But-"

" I'm sure she's lovely. She will make a fine wife for you one day."

" But I've never heard of her before."

"I'm sure you haven't. After all, she isn't the kind to attract scandal-hungry paparazzi, like the other girls you're usually allowing to hang around here. Frankly, it would be a breath of fresh air to have a decent young girl around here, who wouldn't jump at the opportunity to jab her tongue at your throat!" He firmly stated. "And don't you lie to me, Syaoran Li! I may be clueless at times, but I am certainly not blind and deaf. Maybe she can change you. Now, that would be a miracle, wouldn't it?" I am not Prince, I am no kind gentleman, nor am I fit to be a king. Sadly, I was born privileged, and shall I die as one too. Chasing my destiny was harder than I thought. All my life, I've been searching for something that I'm not quite sure it exists. Everyone of the royal advisory always tells me that fate and destiny were for the feeble-minded. I was taught martial arts, archery, horseback-riding, kendo, fencing, and foreign languages from Greek to the lost language of Atlantis. I had it all, the body, the women, the looks, the royal status, money, everything! So, why do I feel so incompletely? What is it that I'm missing? All these responsibility of being the 'proper' prince had left me cold and bitter.

No girl is going to change the way I am. NO girl! Certainly, no way in God's earth shall I change for some puny little girl who knows nothing to pleasing the likes of me! I needed a woman, not some little girl. I had already left my father's chambers and pacing down the stairs. I suddenly stopped when I felt an odd chill from behind me. I turned around. . .

SAKURA'S POV

I walked into this castle. My father couldn't be more wrong. One step into this home and already I feel unwanted. I only agreed to this to please my father. How could a woman degrade herself to the idea of forced love, let alone forced marriage? I am the Princess of Tomoeda! I cannot disappoint my kingdom again. I'm in a foreign country wearing foreign clothes, with nothing but a foreign feeling inside me. If marrying a royal stranger is what it takes, then so be it. Maybe for once, I can be a princess my kingdom can be proud of. I sighed.

I suddenly noticed I was walking in a dim hallway. As much as I am afraid of the dark, I kept walking towards the direction I had heard voices from; hoping someone there could help me. When I was closer, it seemed like the two voices were talking in secret. I slowed down, hoping not to be seem right away. I curiously looked up and I saw a man's figure at the top of the staircase. Immediately, I realized Eriol! Eriol Hiiragizawa is the Ruler of the Hiiragizawa Clan and he also happened to be my cousin-in-law. He married my second cousin, practically my older sister, Tomoyo. She and I are best friends. 'Thank goodness! Finally, someone I KNOW around here. Tomoyo must be here too!...' I thought as I was ready to approach my dearest relative, happily, until I quickly realized 'Who is he talking to?' I stopped.

There he was, standing in the dark part no less than 20 feet away from me. The Prince of China. My future husband. He isn't as monstrous as my brother described him to be, yet he does have that arrogant air about him; this, coming from just one glance from behind. I remained in the shaded part of the hallway, in fear I may interrupt their intense conversation.

"My little cousin," Eriol said. 'OMG, they're cousins?' I know I shouldn't be eavesdropping right now but my feet were firmly planted on the ground in fear of being discovered. "…you have missed your fencing lessons yet again." He stepped a couple steps down. "Keep it up, there will be no mercy for another month from sensei. I prefer not witness such a sight, it's rather tiresome, really."

"Shut your bloody mouth, Eriol! I do not need to be lectured by the likes of you!" The Prince spat.

"It's the likes of me that saved your butt, telling sensei you were summoned to meet your bride today. But, like all things good for you, you're avoiding the sight of her." There was silence.

Eriol must have made a good point because there was a long silence between them. I was ready to leave the opposite direction. I was not my place to hear any further and frankly, I did not want to confirm his hatred for me at all. I needed to slip out unnoticed but it might not have been the greatest timing right now for the Prince instantly snapped his head towards my direction at one sound of my darn heels. I held my breath and kept my back closest to the wall.

"Did you hear that?" I heard the Prince ask Eriol. "Is someone there? Reveal yourself!" He called out. I closed my eyes, praying he won't discover me.

NORMAL POV

"Xiao Lang!" Eriol snapped Syaoran's attention back. "Don't change the subject! Do your princely duties and come to training practices and be nice to Sakura-chan. It's hard enough dealing with the idea of marrying you." By this time, Sakura was able to sneak out through the glass doors that led to the outside. "And change your outfit, it looks horrid on you. It makes you seem like you actually go to practice!" Eriol added before ascending back upstairs. Syaoran snuffed at Eriol's last comment. He subconsciously stripped his jacket off, only because it was getting hot. He dropped it on a chair nearby and once again got distracted thinking about the click he heard of what seemed like a woman's heels. He dimly thought that there was no way any maid would be at this side of the castle. Besides, they were all in the other side, preparing for the Welcoming Ball in a couple of days. He decided to walk towards that dark hallway, out of curiosity.

Sakura had found herself at the castle's garden. The garden was breath-taking. A tear rolled down her cheek, it reminded her of her late mother who also loved gardens very much.

"A tissue, miss?" A voice softly asked behind her. She turned around and it was a boy with a handkerchief in his hand, offering it to her. She was frightened for a moment thinking he was the angry Prince who had finally discovered her. "It seems this garden has stolen a tear from a beautiful lady or could it be something else has?" She smiled, relieved she wasn't going to be punished for eavesdropping.

"Thank you." She politely said as she accepted the handkerchief. "It's just this garden is so beautiful. It reminds me of home."

"And where is this home you speak of?"

"Here from now on." She said half-heartedly with a chuckle. This took Syaoran by surprise.

"What was that? I didn't quite catch what you said."

"Standing right before you," She stood up straighter. "I am the new residence of the castle." She smiled in disbelief to her own words. She walked deeper into the garden as Syaoran trailed along wanting to hear more. "I am to be married in two weeks to a prince whom I haven't met yet, not even a picture I have seen of him."

"Do you know his name?" She thought about it for a moment.

"Xiao Lang Li. I believe." Syaoran was relieved. He had already caught on that it was him she was referring to. "Rumor has it, that he's quite the fellow." She briefly turned around to give him a indescribably cute face as she continued. "Same age. possibly taller. Very skilled. Handsome, I've heard." He was being glorified right in front of him and he was loving it. Then came the other side. "But he's a known womanizer. He breaks women's hearts," she made the hand motion as if she was breaking a twig. Syaoran widened his eyes in shock, half to play along and half taken aback about her seriousness in her storytelling. "and moves on as if nothing has happened. He's a cold prince, undoubtedly." She continued. "and now, it's official. He hates me." She sighed.

"Now, how can you be so sure?" he rose an eyebrow. "You haven't even metthe guy?" '...Technically.' His added in his thoughts.

"I don't need to confirm it even more by being face-to-face with him. I already know, I may very well be the one who takes all his fun away! Cruel fun, but his fun nonetheless." She looked at him with sincere eyes. She gave a quick, defeated smile and confessed, "Look at me, rambling on to a stranger." Offering out her hand, she says "I'm Sakura, by the way."

He took her soft hand onto his.

"Hi, Sakura. I'm…."

Author's Note: My first actually long chapter ONE! hehe. Thanks for reading! Please review. It'll help me write the next chapter! Thanks again!

UPDATE!As of 06/12/2010, I have updated this chapter because I doubt anyone remembers the original (messy, make-no-sense) storyline from three years ago. GOMENASAI! Once again, I went on hiatus. -_-; This time around, I will update as much as possible until my mind in drained of all creative thoughts.