"Take the left, Syaoran!"

"Alright! You get the right then?"

"Of course! But we can't go that way!"

"Why, what's that way?"

Sakura laughed from their game before pulling on his hand and leading him in the opposite direction "There's too many over there!"

"Which way then?!" he asked "They're everywhere!"

"We'll have to take them on together! Right?!"

He squeezed her hand with a broad smile "Right"

In a suddenly playful mood Sakura ripped her hand out of his and charged into the open desert. Syaoran followed after but before he could get to her Sakura playfully fell to her knees "They got me!" she called, trying to contain her laughter as she collapsed to the ground, hands clutching her chest "Syaoran, I'm dying!"

Sakura never saw such a horrible expression. The air was literally knocked out of her as Syaoran had pulled her from the ground and into a bone-crushing embrace. Sakura couldn't breathe from being held so tight and actually started to cry a little from the intense pressure.

"S-Syaoran" she gasped, struggling for air "I-I was only joking--! I-I was only--!"

"Don't" Sakura froze from the tone "Please….don't"

He kept repeating those words as he held her but Sakura didn't understand. It certainly wasn't part of the game…

"Don't what?" she asked, still trying to wiggle for freedom "Die?" he stiffened from the tone "I won't die! You don't have to worry about that!" He kept his eyes lowered though and he refused to let her go from his arms.

"T-that was only part of the game" she told him again "There's nothing wrong with me! I'm perfectly healthy!" she held out her arms proudly in the air with a wide grin "See!"

She swore Syaoran's eyes touched her chest for a moment before looking back down.

"Please don't look so sad, Syaoran! It's only a game!"

"….Please don't joke like that"

Sakura frowned. Then blushed. Then smiled sadly. Even if something isn't real the possibility is still scary, she guessed. Her and Syaoran were good friends, after all. If he said he was dying she would be really, really sad too!

"I'm sorry!" she said at once "I promise not to die, alright?" she held out her pinkie with a smile. But instead of linking his pinkie with hers as was their custom, Sakura was surprised to see Syaoran reject the offering.

He gently pushed her hand away "There's some promises you can't make with pinkies"

Sakura pouted and held her pinkie back out in defiance. Syaoran pushed it away again. Which only made Sakura hold it up again, which lead to Syaoran taking her hand and and holding it firmly against his heart. The action and the pained look that he did it with made Sakura's heart skip a beat.

"But why? Why can't I promise you that I won't die?" she asked, pouting.

"….make me a different promise instead"

Sakura hesitated "…alright"

Much to her continued confusion Syaoran raised his eyes to her with an affectionate smile. The expression made her catch her breath and the way he moved closer to her made her embarrassed and nervous.

He held out his pinkie and whispered "Promise me that you'll always smile"

Sakura's face lit into a smile "Such an ordinary thing?"

"It's not ordinary" he insisted, pulling her pinkie tightly, almost desperately, into his "it's the most amazing thing and it's the only thing I want from you"

"T-then I promise, of course!!" Sakura shook their pinkies together as they both laughed "I promise to always, always smile for Syaoran!"