Prologue

"I'm coming!" Sakura took a couple of steps back away from a yawning gap that divided her and Syaoran. It was big, yet Sakura felt no fear. In fact she felt all light and giddy… and somewhat invincible.

Her cry instantly snapped the boy in matching battle costume out of fatigue.

"Oi! Don't be silly!" Syaoran stepped forward arms half spread-eagled in anticipation of Sakura's stunt. The color had returned to his cheeks, and it told the world how flustered he had become in a second. "If you wait a little longer your strength would return—"

"No!" Sakura cut him off as she started striding forward, picking up speed as she charged towards the drop. "I can hardly wait!"

She dashed forward and, driving her feet down hard on the edge, flung herself to the other side where Syaoran had shifted into position, arms fully spread open this time.

"I love you!" she screamed as her body arched and bent back, her entire face brightened, her arms raised above her head.

Syaoran's face changed as he tracked her flight; she was dropping too fast too soon! In the next blink he leaned forward and let himself fall off the ledge head first. His sword materialized in his hand.

"Syao—?" Sakura pondered aloud when she realized what the boy had deduced. But before she let out a shriek Syaoran twisted himself around and locked an arm around her waist while swinging his master arm upwards and letting go most of the hilt except the tousle. It snaked out of the flying blade dragging a long thread as momentum carried the sword skywards till it lodged itself in a recess in the roof. The rappel snapped taut, jerking the plunging couple to a halt. Sakura quickly locked arms around Syaoran's neck.

"Don't you ever." Syaoran breathed as his furrowed gaze met hers. "Do that. Again."

Sakura however just burst out in giggles. Syaoran's brows went up as he looked at her like she'd gone loco.

The warrior looked down and to his surprise found themselves dangling only a few feet off the floor. Which he was sure was at least several times that just moments before he stopped their fall. Trying not to let his mind think about the consequences if he had been a split second slower, Syaoran let go and padded silently onto the earth.

"Syaoran! How did you do that?" Sakura practically screamed into young Lee's ear, squeezing him as the tension found its way out. "That was absolutely amazing!"

Syaoran just shrugged. "No. It was just for emergencies only." He didn't want to tell her the trouble it would take him to reset the life-saving device. Knowing her, she'd probably go crazy trying to help out. He shook his head at the thought and went back to gazing at Sakura's brown locks.

"You're the one who's truly amazing…"

"Syaoran-kun…"

He brought his free arm around Sakura's waist. The sorceress shifted herself until she stood facing him squarely. Their gazes met again, admiring in each other the handiwork that God and the morning light had created. They were so close... Syaoran could hardly resist the feeling welling up from inside as he inched his head forward. Sakura's eyes, half closed, followed slowly down his nose to his lips, her head nodding hypnotically closer still. They could hear the "doki doki" of each others hearts pounding away at each other's ribcage. Closer...

Syaoran suddenly jerked himself back. There was an anxious patter of footsteps. Syaoran and Sakura promptly untangled from each other just as Meiling and Tomoyo raced round a far corner. Fortunately for them the incoming pair was too far away to notice that the doushi and sorceress had gone all beet red in the face. Meiling waved frantically as she caught sight of the couple.

"Oi! Sakura-chan! Syaoran-kun! Is everything ok!"

Sakura quickly recovered and waved back. "We're okay! Everything's back to normal now!"

Syaoran watched his beloved cherry blossom with a smile. Even with the interruption, that moment they shared would become a memory that he vowed to never ever let time erode for one bit.

Some time later that week...

"I have to return to Hong Kong still. But I will be back!"

"When will that be?"

"When I've tied up all the loose ends over there."

"And when will that be?"

"I think I will take quite a while... Will you... wait for me?"

"...Hai! I will! I will wait for you... because... because...

...Syaoran-kun is the one I really really really love!"

TO BE CONTINUED...

Author's Note: Hi all! How have you all been when I was gone? For those sharp ones you'd find that the final conversation rather familiar no? You'd never find it in the anime that's for sure! In case my teaser sounds like I've absolutely no idea how to continue, I shall hereby clarify that I've got pretty much the whole of Enchanted Runes I planned out, just need to fill in some blanks and join some dots. I'll try to update as often as I can, though I might take up to a couple of weeks for long chapters. Oh and the position for beta is open so anyone interested to give me a hand (I really need it! XP) just drop me a mail. I hope you'll enjoy the ride. Stay tuned!