Chapter One
"If you don't want to, just say so," he said softly. His eyes searched mine.
I opened my mouth.
And then closed it again.
"Come on, let's get out of here. Want to get some hot chocolate?" he smiled. I inclined my head slightly and his smile grew wider.
I'm such a coward.
"Sakura, time to get up," Kero said. I smiled but kept my eyes closed. I was in my bed, far away from that love hotel.
A love hotel, you ask? Yes.
You see, I have a boyfriend.
"Come on now, get up!" he said, getting impatient. I opened one eye. Hovering above me was my guardian, Keroberos. He looks like a stuffed animal, but in reality is a large lion with wings. I'll tell you how I met him some other time.
Back to the boyfriend. His name is Satoshi. He's in my homeroom class. We are both seniors in high school. I turned eighteen this past April.
"I see you're awake now," Kero said loudly. I simply grinned and got out of bed, beginning my morning routine.
"Sakura, are you up yet?" my father called.
"Yes, just a minute!" I replied, pulling my shirt over my head. It was now June. The weather was getting warm, which made me very happy.
"You came back rather late last night," he said as I came down for breakfast. His voice held a hint of concern, as if he knew things hadn't gone as planned.
I was supposed to give Satoshi my virginity last night. That was why we went to the hotel. But I chickened out at the last second.
I saw someone else's face – not Satoshi's.
"I'm sorry, I'll stay in tonight," I replied, munching on my toast. My dad was making our lunches, wearing his ratty old apron. "You really need a new apron, Dad," I said. He shrugged.
I glanced at the empty seat across from me at the table. I have a brother, Touya, who goes to university in Tokyo. We used to argue all the time. I wonder how he's doing right now.
Thinking of Touya reminded me of someone else and I abruptly got up from the table without finishing my food.
After all these years, why did I have to start thinking of him again?
"Bye, Dad," I said softly, and left the house to walk to school. I wondered briefly if I'd encounter Satoshi on the way there.
Looking up at the sky, I started to walk, remembering how I'd found Kero inside the magic book of Clow. My life changed forever that day. That was the reason I met…
"Sakura," a deep voice said. I looked up.
And it all came back.
Every card we captured together, every one I transformed into my own.
His confession.
My confusion.
And our reunion.
He was smiling. I froze, drinking him in with my eyes.
The last time I saw him he had come to Japan and helped me capture the Void. Together we made the Hope card.
He was the same. And yet he had changed. His shoulders were broad now, his face more…masculine. His dark brown hair hung messily over his eyes, like it always had.
I had loved him. We had agreed to keep in touch. He'd said there were just a few more things waiting in Hong Kong.
"Well?" he asked, "What do you think?" He opened his arms wide. He was wearing my school's uniform.
"Syaoran."
That was all I could manage.
DM: If you review, I will update. I hope you like it.