If I Loved You…

by Zenin

Nothing was on TV. I even had the radio playing music softly in the background and I still was bored.

"BRRRRRRRIIIIIIIIINNNG!"

The phone's ringing. Now THAT's weird. Yeah, yeah, it is my birthday. Big deal. Not like anyone would care anyway. But why would someone want to call me, Li Syaoran? I never get phone calls.

"BRRRRRRIIIIIIIIIINNNG!!"

Maybe it's Mother. I sure hope not. There's no way I'm leaving Japan so soon. Not yet. We still have to finish creating the new set of cards. That's another story, though. Stupid phone keeps ringing. It's probably Eriol, the evil, maniacal, half-reincarnation of Clow Reed, trying to torture me again.

"BRRRRRRRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNG!!!!!!!!!"

Or it might be Tomoyo, trying to get me to put on one of those ridiculous costumes she designs…

"BBBRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIINNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNGGG!!!!!!!!!"

Okay… I guess I'll answer it…

"Moshi moshi, Syaoran desu."

"Konnichiwa, Syaoran-kun!"

I felt my face heat up and nearly dropped the phone. The reason for my nervousness?

One girl.

Sakura Kinomoto.

It's not as if I swoon in front of every girl I see. Not a day passes that girls don't literally throw themselves at me when I pass by. Half of them I don't even know their names. Just the other day, I was riding the bus to go to the grocery store and this girl came up and sat in my lap. After I had pried the girl off, I'd managed to get my groceries without being molested by anyone. That is, until I got to the cash register. The young clerk looked me up and down and winked flirtatiously.

"I can help you find something REAL fine on aisle nine. Let me show you…"

Just thinking about it makes me shudder. I calmly told that girl that I'd done all the shopping I needed, and certainly didn't want to see another item. She took the hint, thank goodness.

"Syaoran?"

Sakura's sweet voice jolted me back to reality.

"H-hai?"

"Are you okay? You're being really quiet."

"I-I-I-I-I-I-I…ummm….uh…I-I-I-I…"

A song from the radio penetrated my stuttering.

If I loved you,

Time and again, I would try to say

All I'd want you to know—

"Syaoran?"

"HAI!"

I forced the word out, almost shouting. There was a brief silence, followed by a muffled giggle.

If I loved you,

Words wouldn't come in an easy way.

'Round in circles I'd go…

"I called to say Happy Birthday to you, Syaoran."

My breath caught as she began singing softly. She'd remembered? "Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday, dear Syaoran, happy birthday to you."

Longing to tell you, but afraid and shy…

"I-I-I-I…a-arigato!"

"So what are you doing for your birthday?"

"Ummm, nothing, I guess…"

"Nothing??" She sounded shocked.

"Uh-huh."

"Want to meet me at the park?"

"At the park?" I felt nervous. "Uh, I don't know…I—"

I'd let my golden chances pass me by…

"I, um, am expecting a call from Mother…"

Huh. Liar.

She sounded a bit sad. "Oh…okay. Well, maybe some other time."

"Yeah…maybe…"

Soon you'd leave me.

Off you would go in the midst of day…

"Well, I guess I'll see you at school on Monday." She really sounded depressed…

"Um, okay… See ya…"

"Yeah…See ya…"

She hung up. I sagged against the wall. Why didn't I accept? I'm such a baka. I had a chance and I blew it.

Never, never to know,

How I love you so.

I turned off the radio, but the song still stuck in my head. What if…what if I had accepted? Maybe… Could I still call her back? Was there still time? I grabbed the phone and dialed her number feverishly. I could almost feel Touya's glare as he said curtly, "She's not here. She went to the park." I quickly hung up and ran out the door. When I reached the park, the sun was setting, bathing everything in a crimson glow, including the lone figure on the swings.

It was Sakura.

I sat down next to her, noticing how her auburn hair flowed around her face, hiding the brilliant green eyes I adored.

I got up and knelt down in front of her.

"S-S-Sakura?"

Damned stutter. I inwardly began cursing in Mandarin. Then Sakura lifted her face, her eyes curious.

I flushed as her beautiful eyes studied me curiously. "I-I-I…"

"Syaoran-kun?"

I gathered all my courage.

"Ashiteru, Sakura!"

If I loved you,

Time and again I would try to say,

All I'd want you to know.

If I loved you,

Words wouldn't come in an easy way.

'Round in circles I'd go.

Longing to tell you, but afraid and shy.

I'd let my golden chances pass me by.

Now I'll tell you,

How I love you,

How I love you so.

Her eyes grew big as I closed mine tightly, expecting rejection. Why should she love me? She's the goddess of the junior high, and I? I am unworthy. I mean, the first day I came from Hong Kong, I'd attacked her and tried to get her to give me the Clow cards. Fat chance I have of winning her heart.

Someone leapt into my arms, knocking me flat on my back. I opened my eyes to find emerald eyes shining happily. Sakura hugged me tightly and tears rolled down her soft cheeks. Her voice trembled when she spoke.

"Ashiteru, Syaoran-kun!"

Realization hit me in a wave of exhilaration. I love Sakura. Sakura loves me. I wrapped an arm around her slim waist, cupped her chin, and covered her lips with my own in a sweet first kiss.

How…I…Love…You…So.

The End.

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So what do you think? My first one-shot. I had this idea and it just wasn't leaving me alone so, here it is. PLEASE REVIEW!!!