MAID OF HONOR

"Eewww!!! That's gross!"

A five year old Syaoran whined right after wiping his lips, which came in contact with Meilin's, for the sloppiest and most romantic kiss a five year old girl could ever think(and possibly dream) of.

And, as if to add insult to the injury, their "maid-of-honor" continue clapping gleefully, obviously without a care, to the possible trauma that a boy his age had just went through, after having to kiss a girl.

"It's what 'newlywest' do Syaoran-kun!" Meiling giggled, looking as if she really did know what she's talking about. "They kissed!"

Syaoran was too busy wiping the germs on his lips to answer. He glared in annoyance at his cousin and said in a bratty voice "Well, i don't wanna play this 'medding' game anymore!"

He snatched their "maid-of-honor's" hand rudely, interrupting her in her clapping spree. "Let's play something else, Kinomoto!"

"But I like this game!" A four year old Sakura protested in return. Her auburn hair bobbing sideways as she shakes her head to point out her disagreement.

Sakura's act earned her an approval from the (now, obviously) "bride" and a hateful glare from the groom".

And what can a five year old boy do in this situation?

"I hate both of you!" Syaoran shouted, as dignified as a five year old can, when faced with such problems.

"Okay, so tell me again, why do we need to have this scene in the play?"

Tomoyo looked at Syaoran disapprovingly for the nth time.

How many times does she have to tell Syaoran how important this wedding scene is?

She cleared her throat authoritatively, trying to be as patient as she could. She psyched herself mentally that, since she's the director of this play (which their high school class have been busy preparing for the past two months), she should always be ready to help and give answers to her actors whenever they are in doubt with their acting, or just about anything which concerns the play.

"Syaoran, you see, the wedding scene is important and fundamental in establishing the relationship and characterization between the hero, who I must emphasize, is you," Tomoyo smiled knowingly "and the heroine of the story. So there."

Syaoran scowled at her from his seat in the backstage. "Why the need for the kiss then?"

Before Tomoyo could reply again, someone butted in on their conversation.

"Because, that's what couples do on their wedding, Li. They kissed." Sakura said sarcastically. "Stop answering all his questions, Tomoyo. He's just humoring you."

Syaoran turned his back slightly to look at Sakura. He couldn't help raising a bemused smirk at Sakura's dress.

"Just because you're our 'maid-of-honor', doesn't mean that you could bully me in my 'wedding'."

Sakura could only just roll her eyes in Li's attempt to mock her. Being his enemy who became his friend for almost a decade now, she's already used to Li's empty threats.

"Let it be known, Li that I will take pleasure in seeing your discomfort as you vow your way to "I do's" and kisses for your bride."

She winked at him in amusement before walking away.

Tomoyo couldn't help chuckling at the astounded face of Syaoran's as he once again realized, what he's going to do in a little while.

"You know, I think this is for real."

Sakura looked up from her book in annoyance. She hated being distracted when she'd finally encouraged herself to study once and for all. Her last year in college, definitely makes it no easy task either. Taking up Physical Therapy course focused on Sports Rehabilitation is no easy course and she's awfully proud to say that she made it through her last year without any failing marks. And that's an accomplishment she's definitely proud of.

"What on earth are you mumbling again, Li?"

It's funny, but in about seventeen years of friendship, they never could get past their last names. It sort of became a silent agreement between them to call each other by that; like an affectionate gesture that only two of them could understand.

"This is a life changing event for me Kinomoto, and you could only greet me with a catty remark?" Syaoran narrowed his eyes at her disapprovingly.

"So? What is it about?"

"I think I'm going to ask Rio to marry me."

Sakura gasped loudly. Too loudly, in fact for Syaoran.

"No way-!I mean...when did you ever settled for a long term relationship with your previous girlfriends? And now, you decided out of the blue, you wanted to get married?" Sakura shook her head in disbelief. "With a girl you've only been with for less than a year?"

Syaoran couldn't help but laugh at Sakura's reaction. She sounded like his sister!

"I've known Rio for a long time now, may I remind you, since our families know each other very well. I just didn't have the time to get to know her before since she's living back in Hongkong." He stood up beside her, his 5'8 height towering over her petite figure. "But since she transferred here and we got hook up...and well, you know the rest of the story."

Clutching her thick reference book, Sakura stood up as well and started walking beside him. "Oookayy..this is just too weird for me. Don't get me wrong, I'm happy for you and all that, but boy! I never thought you were that serious with her!"

"So when did you realize, she was THE ONE?"

Syaoran ruffled her hair affectionately (to Sakura's dismay) before giving her a knowing smile "You'll just know when you get there."

"Maybe in 10 years."

"You'll be thirty years old by then."

"I don't care even If I'm forty years old when I get married. I don't want to end up with a husband who will turn out to be a monster of some sort."

"If you say so." Syaoran's deep voice chuckled softly. "Just promise me that you'll invite me when you get to that part."

Sakura rolled her eyes. "Of course."

"By the way, Rio wanted you to be her maid-of-honor; since her bestfriend is a guy and my bestfriend is a girl, so we decided to swap. My bestman is going to be her bestfriend and her maid of honor is going to be you."

Sakura shook her head in amusement.

"Trying to be a bit unconventional, eh?"

"I'm willing to break some traditions just for you to be there."

She laughed, her voice echoing melodically to his ears.

"Oh trust me. I'll be there. You know how I can't seem to resist you." Her eyes glinted deviously. "Though I must admit, I would love to see someone like you plead."

Syaoran proceeded to attack her hair again in response.

Sakura grasped her black umbrella firmly, trying to shade her self from the droplets of rain that graced them at Rio's funeral.

She apprehensively approached Syaoran's slouched figure from behind, as if not wanting to disturb his moment.

It was never easy losing someone.

She knew that feeling all too well when her mother died.

"Two years to be with your wife is no fair time to enjoy each other's company." Sakura thought silently. "They weren't even able to have kids."

As if on cue, Syaoran glanced at her when she stopped beside him. Immediately, she noticed the forlorn eyes and a tiny bit of anger laced in his eyes.

She nodded at him understandingly and decided not to say a word.

Instead, Sakura squeezed Syaoran's hand in assurance as if saying, "Yes, I'm always here for you."

Syaoran was 23 when he got married.

He was 26 when he became a widower.

Sakura was 28 when she had an epiphany.

"Aren't you ever going to get married, Sakura?"

Tomoyo asked her one Sunday, when they decided to have some bonding over a cup of coffee in a quaint little cafe, tucked somewhere in Tomoeda.

"I'm an independent woman. I don't need a man to complete me."

"Oh, so that's why you jump from one relationship to the next." Tomoyo took a delicate sip of her coffee. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you're trying to find the right guy but still failing miserably."

Sakura raised one perfectly arched eyebrow at her.

"You must be setting such high expectations, girl."

"I don't think so. I believe, I'm just easy to please."

"Then tell me, what's your ideal man?"

Sakura hesitated for a full minute before answering.

"Someone who I can be myself with when I'm with him. Someone who makes me laugh, knows how to console me when I cry and someone who I can have fun with in regards to just about anything in life."

"To summarize it all, someone like Syaoran."

"Ye--" Sakura halted when she realized what Tomoyo had just said. "What on earth are you talking about?"

Tomoyo shrugged. "Seems like Syaoran to me."

"Mrs. Touya Kinomoto!" Sakura exclaimed in indignation. "That's not funny."

"Sakura...I am not joking." She smiled gently at Sakura. "Even back in high school, almost all of us can feel that you like each other. Both of you are just too dense to know that."

"... or maybe, both of you are just too scared to admit that."

"I've never felt that way about him...I just look up to him as someone like my brother."

"Your brother? The way you love Touya and the way you love him is totally different. That's not brotherly and sisterly affection, Sakura." Tomoyo sighed. "Both of you always go out of your way just to make each other happy; to the point that you sacrifice your own happiness for the sake of the other person."

"I know how happy and sad you were when Syaoran decided to get married. Even though you didn't admit that to me. And I know for a fact how Syaoran was so bothered with the guys you're dating with. Eriol told me that fact when we get to talk about you guys, sometimes."

"You're getting it all wrong, Tomoyo." Sakura said quietly.

"Kiss him."

"Wha-What?!?" Sakura spluttered, almost spilling her coffee in shock.

"I told you, kiss Syaoran. Kiss him."

"Have you been drinking, Tomoyo? You must be out of your mind!"

"Only coffee." Tomoyo clasped her hand infront of her and smiled at Sakura knowingly. Sakura could recognize that smile with all of its familiarity. That smile could mean she's on the verge of discovering something.

"You've got nothing to lose. If I'm wrong then I'll apologize right away to Syaoran for telling you to kiss him. But if I'm right, let's just say, both of you will be thanking me."

Sakura giggled nervously at Syaoran. She invited him over a classy pub so that they could celebrate her birthday over some shots of vodka.

"Why are you not celebrating this with your boyfriend?"

"I told you I do not have a boyfriend."

"Yeah, right."

"Why are you guys so interested with my lovelife?" She muttered. "First, Tomoyo, then now, it's you."

"We're just concerned." Syaoran said with fake sympathy.

Sakura chuckled absent-mindedly, her thoughts drifting to what she and Tomoyo have discussed about a week ago.

Will she ever have the guts to kiss him?

"Enough talk about my 'adventurous' lovelife," she waved her hand dismissively in annoyance, hoping to end the topic. "Let's talk about what's important here: my present."

"Do I really have to?"

"Well, yeah-! It's your obligation."

Syaoran laughed quietly at her reply.

"Then let me surprise you. This time, I didn't bring you any gift."

Sakura crossed her arms at him, feigning anger.

"Well, that's new."

"I think it's high time to change that gift-giving tradition we've been having for God-knows-how-many-years now. It's so predictable that I doubt you're even surprise when I hand you a gift."

"So, what are you suggesting?"

"I could begin by asking you: 'What exactly do you want to receive'?"

Call it opportunity or fate that gave her the chance for this moment, but Sakura found Syaoran's question as a good timing to execute what Tomoyo asked her to try to do.

But will it be a wise idea to do that? It's risky and she can't afford to lose Syaoran as a friend.

But- another voice argued in her head. - you're too old for petty quarrels like that already. If that kiss means nothing, Syaoran will be shock of course, then eventually he'll get over it and then in no time, both of you will be laughing about it.

But what if it means something else? - The other voice argued.

"Kinomoto? Are you alright?" Syaoran asked after he noticed that Sakura became silent for a good two minutes at the least.

"Li? Would you...think I'm crazy -"

Sakura stopped, a bit horrified with what she's going to ask him to do.

"Crazy about what?"

"Well," she took a long deep breath. "If I decided to let you humor me on my birthday and ask you to…well, kiss me…not that i'm serious" she added the last part hastily after seeing Syaoran's astounded face. "Will you - will you call me crazy?"

It's Syaoran's turn to be silent now, as he tries to comprehend what Sakura had just said. (Is she drunk? Is she playing with me?)

Sakura laughed anxiously. "Umm, just forget about it. Im just - "

"Is that what you want?" Syaoran cut her off, his voice seems to be returning now. Sakura could see a flicker of amusement in his eyes. "I mean, would you like that to be your birthday gift?"

"NO!" She said a bit too loudly. "I mean, of course not. It was just a hypothetical question I'm asking you -"

Sakura was stopped once again as she notice Syaoran inching closer to her. Sakura could swear he's leaning for a kiss.

"What are you doing?"

Syaoran smiled at her lopsidedly.

"Close your eyes, Kinomoto. I'm going to kiss you."

"I told you I'm just kidding, Li!"

Who are you trying to fool? -That annoying voice told her again- Of course you're not kidding when you brought that idea of him kissing you!

"Well...I'm not."

That was all Sakura heard him say before he proceeded to kiss her.

Sakura swear that she felt a spark of electricity jolt between them as soon as their lips touched. Syaoran's initial plan was to only put a chaste kiss on Sakura's lips but he too was surprised at the attraction flowing between them.

Sakura's eyes widened in surprise when she felt Syaoran's lips gently seeking hers, asking her permission to deepen the kiss.

It was no contest really. After two seconds of hesitation, she granted him what he wanted. In no time, they were kissing passionately, just like lovers do.

But they are no lovers.

And that traitorous part of her mind, told her that this should not be happening.

Sakura pulled away, half-heartedly and stared in surprise at Syaoran, whose face seems to be mirroring her own right now.

It was only a few seconds of silence that passed between them, but to her, it felt like eternity.

As soon as she recovered, she hastily gathered her belongings, wanting to run away from him in embarrassment. She was confused. She shouldn't be confused! That kiss meant nothing. It should be nothing. Isn't it that's how it's supposed to be?

"Gomen nasai, Li."

And for the first time in how many years since she first met Syaoran, she was scared of him. And the only logical thing she could think of is to run away.

So she did.

"Kinomoto! Open the damn door!"

Sakura could hear Syaoran's voice on the other end of the door. He's been knocking for approximately ten minutes now.

She is a coward. And she admits it. She can't face him; not after realizing that she loves him.

What if he doesn't feel that way?

Almost two decades of friendship will go down the drain just because she listened to Tomoyo's advice.

"I know you're in there, Sakura. Please. We need to talk." Syaoran spoke on the other end of the door, calling her by her first name (which he almost never do).

Sakura heard him shuffle. She listened closely and tried to feel his presence. About a few minutes later, when she decided that the coast was clear, she decided to open the door slightly to check if Syaoran is already gone.

"Sakura."

She literally jumped in surprise. She thought he's already gone by now! She looked at him warily, standing beside the door to her flat.

Before she could even close the door, he placed his hand on the door firmly, his eyes openly showing his irritation at her antics.

"No, you won't. I wanted to talk to you." He glared at her. "Stop it, Sakura. We're not anymore in high school and we need to talk like adults that we are."

"There's nothing we need to talk about."

"Says who?" He drawled angrily. "So what's that kiss then? Something to humor you?"

Sakura could feel her eyes stinging. This is what she's been afraid of. Syaoran getting mad at her.

"No it's not. You know, that's not true."

"Then what is it for?"

"What do you want me to say?" She hissed exasperatedly, backing away from him. "That I think that the kiss was so mind-blowing and that I've never ever felt this way before with all of my past boyfriends? That I'm so stupid for realizing that I might like you over just one kiss? It's not worth losing this friendship Syaoran over something like that and you, of all people, should know that! We shouldn't even be discussing this!"

"Wrong!" Syaoran exclaimed angrily. "Why do you think I stayed here in Tomoeda even after Rio died? Heck- why did I even stay here even though the elders are asking me before to return to them after we completed high school? It's because I wanted to be with you!"

"So what, now you're telling me, you like me? For God's sake Syaoran, you fell in love, met your own "the one", and then married her! So where did I suddenly fit in?" she asked, refusing to believe what Syaoran is telling her. She's stubborn and she knows it. But when you hold something as fragile as this relationship (which spanned for almost two decades now), you're going to hold on to every single piece of logic to save the friendship.

"And when did you suddenly realized you like me?" he countered back.

That question stunned her. Since when? Since the kiss earlier? Since college? Since her lifetime?

"I...I don't know." Sakura answered weakly. "I'm confused…"

"See? You don't even know the answer." He shook his head in frustration. "And no, contrary to what you might be thinking. I did not fell in love with you because of that kiss. That kiss only served as a jolt of reality to me…no--to us...about what we've been feeling all these years."

Syaoran took a step closer to her.

"And yes, I did love Rio that's why I married her. But you know what? When I first met her, she reminded me of you. Wasn't that supposed to be funny?"

"No, it's not." Sakura took a step back and bumped into a wall. She could feel him closing in on her now. "I don't think it's funny that whenever I look for a new relationship, I always end up comparing the guys with you." she whispered.

"Really."

Sakura swallowed hard and before Syaoran could get another step closer to her, she placed her hand infront of his chest, shielding herself.

"You told me you stayed here in Tomoeda mainly because of me. I just have to know..." she paused, unsure of what she's going to say next. "Do you love me because you need me? Or do you need me because you love me?"

Syaoran stared at her and Sakura could swear that he could hear her heart beating loudly, erratically...that if he paused and be silent enough to listen to it, he will be surprised at the deafening loudness of the rhythm that her heart decided to play.

"Sakura...I love you. And I don't need any reason or excuse just to love you." He smiled. "I love you for being you. Not because I need you or for anything else for that matter."

He wiped a solitary tear that escaped Sakura's eyes.

"I've loved you all along. And that's the truth, remember that."

It took them a single kiss, an ill-fated marriage and two decades of friendship to come to a realization.

And when Syaoran once again kissed Sakura, it felt alarmingly, coming home.

"Sakura, come on! It's your turn now!" Meiling squealed in excitement.

This is it. - She thought.

As soon as Sakura heard the opening bars of her Bridal March, her eyes immediately filled with tears. Six months after she and Syaoran became a couple, they decided to get married...and she couldn't be any happier.

She has always been the maid-of-honor in Syaoran's wedding, real or not, and now she couldn't believe that after all these years, she would finally be able to play the part of his bride.

She smiled happily as she started to walk down the aisle and saw all her friends, family and of course, Syaoran waiting for her.

And guess who Sakura's maid of honor is?

Well...she didn't have one.

She has a matron of honor, though.

Of course, it's none other than...Tomoyo.

fin.