Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Card Captor Sakura characters
I'm a new author here but I hope I can become familiar with this community soon~ Any thoughts and reviews are always welcome~
When One Door Closes, Another Always Opens
Regret knifed through her as she turned and started to walk away from the first man she had come to love… but it didn't make her turn around and take her words back because she knew this is the way it would have to be. Despite the pain and how wrong it may seem, something also felt so right about this.
The Day Before:
"Sakuraa!"
Said person spun around mid-step to see Eriol coming towards her, half walking, half jogging.
With a smile and a wave Sakura asked, "Hey Eriol, where are you coming from?"
Eriol gave Sakura a dimpled smile. "The gym. Hadn't gone in a while and I felt the toll of laziness," he said while patting his quite flat stomach. "How about you?"
"Just out for a walk," Sakura responded not bothering on commenting how she could see his abs muscles even through his simple t-shirt.
Together they continued to walk towards their apartment that the close four friends, Sakura, Eriol, Tomoyo, and Syaoran, had decided to get together as soon as they graduated college. On top of that It seemed that Sakura was inseparable with her now one-year boyfriend, Syaoran, and her longtime best friend, Tomoyo. Eriol had been a close friend since elementary school when he had transferred to Japan from England.
As they walked in silence, Eriol noticed Sakura's withdrawn state. He observed her freely seeing that she was oblivious to her surroundings and his presence while immersed in her own thoughts. There was a slight breeze blowing from up ahead and as he heard the trees around him rustle their greetings to him and Sakura, he saw her glorious honey-golden hair sweep back behind her shoulders, revealing her perfectly high cheek bones and usually sparkling emerald eyes. To his worry though, those eyes were all but sparkling. They looked lost and lacked the usual enthusiasm they are usually brimming with. He didn't say anything about her deep-thinking mode and her mindless gait until he stopped Sakura from making a wrong turn.
"What's up Saks? You're not yourself," Eriol said, not releasing his gentle but firm grasp on his friend's arm even after resuming their walk.
Sighing Sakura shook her head as if she was trying to shake away all her current thoughts. Taking a deep breath she threw a smile at Eriol and as they approached their apartment, Sakura wordlessly sped up her gait to reach the door before Eriol leaving him behind, clueless with a slightly hurt expression knowing his friend was keeping something from him. Shrugging he followed Sakura into the building now deep in thought himself.
That night as Eriol headed towards the bathroom to wash up, he found Sakura standing outside Tomoyo's bedroom, clearly eavesdropping. Eyes lowered, head resting against the doorframe where the door wasn't quite shut all the way. Sakura looked positively helpless to Eriol and he felt his heart clench tightly. Resisting the urge to just walk up and wrap his arms around the young girl, Eriol stayed out of her sight and listened to what the other was listening to.
"Tomoyo… why can't we just… give it a little more time? I don't want to have to just break it to her abruptly…" a voice asked.
"Because, you're my own… I just can't imagine second person being by your side Syao! I love Sakura with all my heart but I just can't… my heart just won't your relationship continue like this any further. You're breaking her already by not saying anything about this Syao! The thought of just losing her completely as a friend… I just can't… don't want to imagine it. I would rather face the consequences now. I want to be honest with her… with this relationship."
The two eavesdroppers heard Syaoran sigh and Sakura could just picture him running his hand through his hair in frustration.
"Tomoyo…" the deep voice of Syaoran was cut off by something. The next thing they heard was a breathless Tomoyo shushing her lover.
"Let's not talk about this anymore. I'm not going to secretly date behind my two best friends' backs and that's final. Tell Sakura tomorrow, please Syao… plea-" She was cut off and the sound of her moan left no question as to the reason why.
There was some shuffling and the sound of unbalanced footsteps before the door slammed shut completely, making Sakura take a step back, snapping out of her glazed state she was in while eavesdropping. Pain was written all over Sakura's face. Eriol could almost feel the cold splash of heartache spread across his own chest as he watched Sakura's face harden as if she had made a resolution and walk away towards the kitchen.
Unable to help himself Eriol reached forward and grabbed Sakura's arm turning the young woman before him around, whispering her name in utter sorrow. "Sakura…"
Trying to leave before she showed signs of weakness, Sakura tried to twist out of her friend's grasp, afraid to utter any sounds in case it came out as a sob. But despite her desperate attempts, Eriol wrapped his strong arms around his best friend, the one and only girl he had ever come to fall in love with.
Stiffening and now standing still with her face down, Sakura let her stone mask crack to show the overwhelming hurt and pain streaking through her heart. As tear after tear came rolling down her face, Eriol wiped them away, hating how precious tears were wasted.
After a few moments Sakura silently thanked Eriol with a slight bow of her head and a shaky smile before heading towards her room where she locked the door, leaving Eriol standing in the hallway, arms aching to hold the woman he loved all night and to keep her safe.
Sakura sat on her bed under her covers, elbows resting on her knees. Sighing, she tilted her head back to rest against the headboard of her bed. She knew what she had to do… she knew she had entered a lost battle, and now was the time for her to wave the white flag and surrender. Despite the defeat, she knew this was the way she would not become the weak damsel in distress and no cause others any feelings of guilt around her despite their wrong.
The Next Day:
Sakura woke up the next day, the joyful sunrays glinting through her shades unaffected by her distressed and somber mood. Her face usually bright with a smile in the morning was expressionless as she got out of bed and got ready for the day. She was brushing her teeth when she received a text:
Let's meet at the park now. I need to talk to you. Syao.
Sakura flipped her phone shut without responding.
It only took Sakura ten minutes to get dressed and head out in just some skinny jeans, a tank, and a light hoodie. As she strolled along the familiar path towards the park, she repeated the speech she would say to Syaoran over and over again. By the time she reached the park, she was sure she was able to pull this off… she was sure she was strong enough to handle this situation and relay her message as a friend, not as a weak, lost woman who is helpless.
As her foot hit the woodchucks of the playground Sakura looked up … and one look was all it took for her to forget her well rehearsed speech and strong-willed heart.
Ceasing his mindless swinging at the sight of her, Syaoran stood up from his swing to welcome Sakura with a small genuine smile that already showed signs of apology. Unable to think of anything that she had just rehearsed in her mind, the honey-haired girl merely sat on the swing next to her almost ex-boyfriend… waiting wordlessly.
Sitting Syaoran's eyes softened as he looked at Sakura who was staring blankly ahead of her. He opened his mouth and despite the fact that he had written and memorized his little break-up speech so many times the night before, he foolishly fumbled over his words.
"Sakura… Saks… I… this… I… this won't work… I tried to not let it happen… I mean to keep us real… What I mean is I thought about us… and… and I can't help but think that my love for you… I just can't love-"
"I know."
Syaoran's eyes widened slightly as Sakura looked up to meet his eyes. He was surprised to see the wordless strong resolution that her emerald eyes showed. Just one look and he understand that she really did know. Sakura, not wanting to hear the words she knew would tear her heart completely, yet not remembering what she was supposed to say or what she had rehearsed, simply said what came to mind; words that guarded her heart.
"It's ok, Syaoran… I…" With a painful smile the young woman forced out the next words. "Now that I think about it, I don't think my feelings for you were that strong wither. It was just a crush, and I think after a year, I'm over it now."
"Sakura-" Syaoran tried to cut in.
"No," Sakura objected, standing up, knowing she could only hold this façade for so long. "Just… I… just go to Tomoyo, Syao."
Sakura started to walk away but stopped at Syaoran's call. Turning around she flashed Syaoran a brilliant smile and with a wave and a wink, continued to walk her way, smile dropping as soon as she turned back around.
Too agonized to even cry and too numb to really care, Sakura just walked on. Without really minding where she was headed, she noticed too late that something was blocking her path.
"Oof." Sakura stumbled back a step or two before looking up to see Eriol towering over her with surprise.
"Sakura! What are you up to out so early?" he asked too surprised and happy at his luck for bumping into her outside of their home so early. What a great start to his day.
"What about you?" Sakura questioned back looking slightly baffled, her mind still not truly focused.
Lifting a plastic bag and a pint of mint chocolate chip he was eating out of, Eriol smiled. "I was craving ice-cream so I walked to the corner store for a couple pints."
Sakura couldn't help but crack a smile before stealing the pint and taking a huge spoonful of ice-cream. "A couple pints?" she laughed. "Awww Eriol, how'd you know I wanted one too?"
Eriol silently smiled widely before taking out his other pint of ice-cream from the plastic bag and digging into the newly opened treat. They continued to walk in silence until Eriol spoke up first though cautiously choosing his words.
"I saw Syaoran while passing the park… did you see…" Eriol trailed off as Sakura's expression changed, her features expressing something unexplainable with words.
Without thinking he wrapping an arm around the one he loved and waited for so long. He looked down into Sakura's face that had an expression mixed with confusion and curiosity. Eriol merely smiled and bent down slightly and kissed Sakura's temple. Not daring to see what her facial expression was at that point, he leaned his cheek against the top of her head, making her lean into him and depend on him for strength as they continued to walk.
"Everything will be alright Sakura-ah… because when one door closes, another always opens."
After a second of thought, a slow smile spread across Sakura's face as she looked down at her pint of ice-cream.
"Thanks…. Eriol."