Christmas Vision
The boy sneezes lightly and dusts the annoying patches of white off of himself. A hand reaches up and lightly ruffles his hair. The boy frowns and crosses his arms.
"Mother," he whines, dragging on the word, "why did I have to come?"
He could have been doing something more productive right at that moment, instead of accompanying his mother to shop for last minute Christmas gifts. It's always the same every year. For as long as he could remember, his mother would drag him out of their warm and dry home, just to get the Christmas shopping done that she failed to do so, in any of the 24 days leading up to said event.
The boy wanted to be at home, wrapped up in bed; asleep. They'd be waking up early the next day, and he valued his sleep.
A lot.
Well, maybe what he had planned to do wasn't exactly productive in his mother's eyes, but it sure was better than being exposed to the cold grasp of winter.
He couldn't wait for summer; he couldn't wait to feel the bright rays of sunlight envelop him in their warmth.
His mother chuckles at the childish antics of her 17-year old son.
"Syaoran, being outside is good for you. Besides that, you haven't been out once since it started snowing."
Syaoran rolls his eyes, slowing his walking pace down to match his mother's small brisk steps. It was only in front of her where he would show his inner child.
"You should know why I-"
His words were cut short as his mother abruptly enters a store, leaving him with a quick, "I'll just have a quick look here, okay?"
Syaoran sighs and leans against the store window.
His mother also had a very bad habit of ending conversations with no warning. But, he couldn't complain; he loves his mother very much despite her somewhat irritating quirks. After all, his family only consisted of him and his mother.
He never knew his father; not properly anyway, he was too young to have retained any memories of him. However, he believes his mother raised him up to be a man better than his father.
He would never abandon someone, let alone his own family.
Throughout his whole life, his mother taught him the importance of respect and kindness; to be fair and open to all things. Although his mother never said anything, he knew his father was a very traditional and close-minded man. His father never supported his mother in pursuing her dreams; his old fashioned beliefs prevented him from doing so.
Syaoran shakes his head, to rid himself of thoughts of his father. It never did any good to think of him.
"S-Syaoran," shy onyx eyes appear in front of him.
Syaoran slightly nods in greeting .
"We haven't talked since, well, you know. . ." The figure says dejectedly.
Oh how Syaoran knows only too well.
He takes in the person before him; her long jet black hair wrapped up in a loose bun, her red coat lightly coated with speck of snow and the almost apologetic expression adorning her pretty face.
He though she was different. He was angry at himself for falling for one of them.
There was no hint to warn him of her true motives.
There are two things Syaoran absolutely does not tolerate; abandonment is one, while the other is deception.
He though she would be the one but it turns out he was wrong. Of course he knew it was his naivety getting the best of him as he was still quite young. It was fortunate for him to have overheard her phone conversation, just a little over six months ago.
"Yes, yes, I know mother. I have him right where I want him, once I turn 18 we can go on with our plan."
It was the next words which broke him completely.
"You have nothing to worry about. I don't love him, okay? Nothing is more important than the pay-out I'll- no, we'll get once I divorce him."
Syaoran remembers feeling the way his heart freeze up and shatter completely. He was absolutely overwhelmed by the blow of betrayal and deception she had just dealt to him. At that time he had slowly went up behind her, grabbed the arm holding the phone and drew her attention to him. He whispered close to her ear.
"It's over between us."
He calmly left her in her shocked state.
He would never be with someone who will only use him.
"It's not easy to face someone who isn't who you thought they were. It's so much harder face them when they were someone who you once trusted completely." Syaoran simply replies, keeping his tone light and watching her expression.
Her glassy orbs widen slightly.
"I'm sorry for lying to you, for everything! I just-"
Seeing his blank chocolate orbs stare right back at her make her silent. They tell her that it's no use.
In the year that they had spent together, his eyes were always lit up in affection towards her. She has never seen his eyes so dark and expressionless.
It scared her.
Never having seen this side of him before, she starts to back away; but not before bowing deeply to him. Then, just like that, she's gone.
Syaoran lets out a shaky breathe he didn't even know he was holding in. He knew he would run into her someday. It was no use avoiding her for so long.
It's hard for him to open up to others; especially to that one special someone.
He wants someone who put others first before herself and to see him for who he really is.
He searches for her, the one who he cannot see.
Every girl he met so far didn't like him for who he was, but rather for what he had; what he was able to give them. He honestly thought she was different. But he was wrong, he made a mistake; he was only human after all.
A soft yelp brings him out of his thoughts.
A girl, not too far off in the distance, was carefully picking up a small fluffy bundle.
Her hand strokes the puppy lightly, and brings it closer to her. Concern and compassion strongly radiates from her being, that Syaoran can feel it in waves.
Syaoran watches her in interest.
She looks up and her eyes suddenly meet his. Her questioning gaze went unnoticed by him, as he gazes into her bright emerald eyes.
In that moment, Syaoran swears he sees what could have been.
Their intertwined hands.
The light auburn hue of her hair, as she leans on his shoulder.
Her frightened eyes, as they take their seats on a rollercoaster.
The way her eyelashes lightly touch her face, while she's asleep in his arms.
The footprints they leave behind in the sand, as they run towards the sea.
The way she bites her bottom lip in concentration.
Her angry tears, streaming down her face.
Their endless amounts of pictures together, saved onto each other's phones.
The caring expression on her face as she treats her injured puppy.
The soft tinge of pink on her cheeks as they kiss.
He sees what can still be.
He knows it's impossible, and that he could just be imagining things, but he has never felt so sure of that one moment in his entire life.
He looks away and at his mother who hands him a bag and starts walking, with him in tow. He quickly looks back to the girl, but no trace of her remains.
He finally finds her, the one who he couldn't see before.
