Sakura was happy when she woke up that morning. Why wouldn't she be? She had no school to worry about being late for anymore, she was practically her own boss at Tomoyo's modeling agency, so she had nothing to worry about there either.
Oh, and did we mention she is the 5-year girlfriend of Li-Clan leader Li Syaoran?
They had been going steady and very well the past 5 years, since graduation. They were definitely the definition of "the perfect couple". Both almost unfairly attractive, very influential, and their personalities weren't too bad either.
Yet that morning, the moment she woke up, she knew something was going to happen today. Something big. And she was rarely ever wrong in such assumptions.
Her happy mood turned positively giddy as she dashed to and fro in her room, getting ready for her lunch date with Syaoran in an hour. Nothing could stop the butterflies in her stomach, and she couldn't push the smile off her face.
'Today is going to change the rest of our lives…I know it.'
And like said before, she's rarely ever wrong in such assumptions.
-X-
Syaoran had stood from his seat in the modest café when she approached, looking as dashing as ever.
They greeted with their usual hug and brief kiss, and he took her hand as they sat down.
"Hey," he whispered in her ear once they were settled down, breathing kisses down her neck, sending shivers down her spine.
"Hey yourself," she murmured, turning her head to catch his lips in another sweet kiss.
They sat in silence for a while, wrapped in each others' casual embrace.
"So…what's up?" she asked, breaking the ice with a large grin on her face.
He chuckled and pulled her closer. "I got the invite to my sister's wedding in Hong Kong yesterday, and I want you to come with me,"
"Sounds easy enough," she joked, as he often teased her modeling career, saying something along the lines of 'models have more air in their heads than they have brains', only to be horribly embarassed half a year later when she chose such career path.
Still, she hid her disappointment finding out that was all he had to say to her.
He looked almost relieved and kissed her forehead, squeezing her shoulder lightly. Minutes later, they left and went on a stroll down the busy street, window shopping.
Soon Sakura felt herself rooted to the spot in front of a dress store. Correction, a wedding dress store. She gaped at the beautiful white dress on display, and gasped when she focused on the inside; each dress was prettier than the last.
Syaoran noticed she stopped. "Sakura?" he asked, confused, snapping out of her reverie, "Are we going or what?" he continued, pretending not to notice what caught her eye.
"Hoe…oh, right!" she jogged a little to catch up and took his hand in hers, slightly put down at his attitude. He seemed to notice though, since he stopped and watched her, head cocked to one side, giving her an adorable puzzled glance.
"Something wrong, babe?" he asked cutely, making her laugh.
"Nah…it's nothing, really…" she murmured, still slighly disappointed.
"No, come on, tell me!" he demanded, laughing at her pout.
"It's…nothing, seriously. It's really silly. Forget it, let's go," she mumbled.
But Syaoran wouldn't move.
"Sa-ku-raa!" he whined, giving his best imitation of her sad puppy dog pout.
She giggled. "That look is not suit for the Li Clan Leader."
"I don't care," he said stubbornly, crossing his arms defiantly, pouting.
"Really, what would the elders say if they saw you like this?"
"You're changing the subject," he accused, poking her in the forehead, resulting in an annoyed glance tossed his way, "Seriously, I wanna know, what's bugging you? You've been down since we left the café!"
Sakura groaned and ran her fingers through her hair. "But it's silly…" she noticed his persitent look. There was no use fighting, and she knew it; he would get his way.
"It's just…you mentioning your sister's wedding just got me thinking of…well, marriage…that's all…" she avoided his gaze, looking down at her shoes in embarassment. "Let's just go…I told you it was nothing to worry about…"
She started walking forward, and Syaoran soon caught up. "You're right…it was nothing really," he commented by her side, oblivious to her wince.
"Exactly, so I say we should just drop it," she mumbled, avoiding his gaze.
"True. In all honesty, I don't see why she bothers to get married. It sounds so stupid to me."
Sakura whirled her head around to gape at him in shock. Did he hear what he just said?
"Say what?"
"It's just…I don't know, a waste of time, money, and causes unnecessary stress, which is rather stupid."
Sakura's blood boiled. Oh no he didn't.
"How is it stupid? How is showing the world your love for your significant other stupid?"
"Cuz…ok let's put it this way. You love someone, that someone loves you back, you know it, they know it, that's all that really matters." He answered, giving a casual shrug.
"So you're saying that you don't want to get married?" she asked, voice dangerously low.
"Pretty much, I mean…" he glanced over at her, who was staring straight ahead, "I love you, you love me, we know it, our family and friends know it, heck the media knows it, what else matters?"
She turned to him slowly, shock on her face. "I can't believe you!" she suddenly exclaimed. "You'd be happy just introducing me as your 'girlfriend' for the rest of our lives? How about kids? You'd be introducing me as 'the mother of your children'? I can't live with that!" she hissed dangerously, not willing to cause a scene in the middle of the street.
He looked genuinely shocked. "You had even considered marrying me?"
Sakura didn't know whether to slap him or kick herself for being with him. "I've pretty much thought about marriage when I was five! Every girl's dream is to get married to their one true love, and I was no exception!" tears were threatening to spill, "When we were three years into our relationship, I definitely imagined you I'd be standing with up at the altar, you were the one I wanted to have…two or three kids with, it was with you I'd spend the rest of my life with in a nice two story house with a dog or a cat running around! And up until now I thought you felt the same, saying how much you loved me…all that was bullshit wasn't it?"
Her vision was blurred as tears flowed down her face, and she hastily tried to wipe them away, to no avail. She couldn't focus on Syaoran, and he was silent.
"So what is it you are trying to say?" he asked calmly, voice unnaturally neutral, causing her heart to break completely.
Sakura took a moment to catch her breath, before turning away. "You don't want marriage, but I do…w-we just want different things, I guess…" she whispered, voice trembling slightly. "Goodbye."
She ran as fast as she could to her car, ignoring his calls for her to stop, and jumped in. She automatically sped home, controlling her tears till she got home.
Syaoran stood there calmly, making his way to his own car, a small smile on his face, dialling a number.
"Everything's going according to plan…are you set?"
After a few seconds, he hung up, smile growing wider.
"Part one, complete…"
-X-
Sakura's tears were spilling out of her eyes faster than before, as she gasped for breath once she reached home. She dashed inside, not wanting her nosy neighbors to catch sight of her disheveled state and alerting the media. At this point she wanted nothing more than to crawl into bed and cry until she would never cry for Li Syaoran again.
She dropped her keys in shock and gave a startled gasp as she scanned over her house. Her curtains were pulled shut, lit candles on every inch save the floor, and cherry blossoms all over her shelves and tables. She glanced down and realized there was a note.
"Follow the petals" she read, and noticed a path of pink rose petals, with candles on the floor to light her way. She followed them from her front door through the kitchen, down some steps, and into the living room, before the table where her answering machine flashed the number 1—she had one new message.
Her hand shook as she pressed 'Play'.
"You-have-ONE-new-message—BEEP"
"Hey…"
Sakura's heart crumbled hearing that voice again, though she just heard him a few moments ago.
"It's me…and it's 11:30 am…you're on your way to meet me right now, while I'm sitting here in the café, hoping everything goes well. If everything went according to plan, you should be terribly pissed at me, and not wanting to hear my voice or see my hideous face ever again…"
She was stunned. This was all a set up? She choked out another sob before reaching over to delete the message.
"But before you delete this message, hear me out."
She stared at the machine in shock, and nearly laughed out loud, but decided to listen to what he had to say.
"First off, I never meant what I just said to you about marriage. I've thought about us over and over again for the past few years. I want to be your husband; I want to introduce you to people as my 'wife'; I want to introduce to you as the new Mrs. Li; Li Sakura. I want you to be the mother of my…I don't know, two or three kids, it's up to you. I want us to live in a huge house, with a cat, or possibly a dog running in the yard...We can name them Kero or Suppi; I never understood why you liked those names, but I'm not here to judge...I want to grow old with you. I want to spend every moment possible with you…so please, answer me this--BEEP---End-of-messages."
She jumped when the robotic voice said that was the end.
"Will you marry me?"
She gasped and turned around, shocked to see Li Syaoran in her house, right behind her, down on one knee with a ring in his hand to present to her. Her hands went straight to her mouth, as fresh tears poured out of her eyes and her vision blurred. All she could see were those beautiful amber eyes…
"I'm sorry that what I said before hurt you, I'm sorry for making you cry…but if you'll let me, I will spend the rest of my life to make up for every drop. I didn't think it was possible to love someone so much, or that someone as beautiful, kind, and all around wonderful would love me back. I know I'm not perfect, but if you'll let me, I'll spend the rest of my life…to try to make you feel as happy and complete as you make me."
Her legs collapsed as she flung her arms around his neck and sobbed into his shoulder, as he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into his strong embrace, where she felt safe and complete.
"You fucking idiot," she cried, weakly punching him. "I can't believe you tricked me…"
He laughed weakly, pulling them up, hugging her closely to him.
"You always told me you wanted your man to take your breath away and totally surprise you when he proposed…and I'd like to congratulate myself in being able to fulfill your fantasy…Did I?"
She laughed and kissed him. "Yes you did, and I would want nothing more than to marry you," she whispered hoarsely, shrieking when he hoisted her up in his arms and spinning around, laughing.
"Good, because I don't know what I'd do if you rejected me now…" he mumbled, causing her to laugh, and bury her face in his chest.
She lifted her head and glanced around the room.
"Just answer me this; how did you manage to pull all this off?" she asked, motioning to the rest of the house.
"I had some help…" he said coyly, as his cell rang. "Hello?" he asked, answering, a bigger smile coming to his face.
"Yes, mission accomplished," he answered, pulling her closer and planting a kiss on her forehead.
-X-
"Good, I wouldn't want to think of your state if she brutally rejected you," Daidouji Tomoyo complained on the other end. "That would be horribly embarassing."
"Daidouji, shut up."
"You're welcome, Li-kun. Now get your fiancee's tiny ass over here so I can start making her dress. Oh, and bring the video camera on the shelf above the fireplace while you're at it? That'd be great, love you guys!" –Click!-