FANFIC ANIME – VANILLA TWILIGHT 2: THINKING OF YOU
Syaoran breaks up with Sakura, but for a damn good reason. Unconsciously, she begins to like Eriol, even though a part of her heart will always remain with Syaoran. She gets together with him partly to forget about Syaoran. When he tells her his reason for leaving her…
A/N: Hi again! Like the title states, this is the sequel to Vanilla Twilight; if you haven't read it yet, DO NOT READ THIS! I want you to understand the whole story. One-shot; please R&R. Thanks!
Disclaimer: I do not own CCS or the song Thinking of You, which is owned by Katy Perry.
For the tenth time that week, Syaoran caught Eriol staring at his girlfriend, Sakura. He put down his pair of chopsticks & said exasperatedly, "You know, if you really love her, why don't you just tell her?"
Eriol gawked at him. "Tell her?" he repeated, like he hadn't heard properly. "Tell her? Wow, genius, how do you suppose I do that? Have you forgotten that she's your girlfriend?" He rubbed his eye with the bottom of his hand.
"I don't mind," Syaoran said. "She'll understand. Please think on it, Eriol – all you have to do is walk up to her, confess, talk about it then walk off."
"It's not that simple, Syaoran!" Eriol said angrily. "What good would telling her do me? I mean, it's not like she can return the feelings, right?" He slammed shut his container of food & walked off, his eyes turning red with tears threatening to fall.
Sakura opened her locker & a white slip of paper fell from it to the floor. Hurriedly stuffing her books into her locker, she bent down & took the slip. Opening it, she saw a note from Syaoran, written as usual in a scrawl.
Sakura-chan, I need to tell you something important.
Very important.
Meet me under the cherry blossom tree, the one you like to sit up in.
Syaoran Li
Sakura frowned. Even before he loved her, he had never called her Sakura-chan like almost everyone else. To her, it meant that he needed to talk about their relationship. Her heart sank. Was he breaking up?
Feeling slightly miserable, she shuffled over to the tree & found him there leaning against the bark. He was looking elsewhere, lost in thought so he didn't see her. She approached him warily. By the way his eyes were focused & his eyebrows slightly slanting, she could tell that he was pissed off.
Midway his head turned to her. "Hey, Sakura-chan," he said formally. She nodded her response & finally stood directly in front of him.
"You needed to talk to me?" Sakura asked, her heart sinking lower when he called her 'Sakura-chan'.
He nodded. "I'm breaking up with you," he said simply, the words tumbling out in a rush.
Sakura stared at him, her mouth hanging open slightly. He had to be kidding right? "What?" was all she could say.
"You heard me," Syaoran retorted, surprising her. "Don't ask me why, I just am." And he walked off. Sakura watched him go then sank to her knees. She knew when he was kidding, & this was definitely not one of the times.
Abruptly, tears began to fall. The last time she cried was two months ago, just after the annual school concert. She slid down the tree, crying. She pushed her knees up to her chest, wrapped her arms around them & buried her face into them.
There was no one there for her. Tomoyo was dead in a plane crash a couple of years before, Syaoran had just broken up with her without a care in the world, her parents didn't really care about her, & Touya was on a business trip in Canada. The only person she could go to was…Eriol! He'd understand her.
Her sobs coming out in ragged gasps, she wiped away her tears & stood up. Calming herself she ran in search of her best friend.
She found Eriol thinking to himself while wandering in the school gardens. At the sound of her footsteps he turned to her & was shocked to see her crying. "Sakura?" he said. Before she knew it, she had rushed into his arms, grasping his shirt & crying.
Eriol stood in an awkward position while the girl he loved was crying in front of him before he realized what was happening. Quite overjoyed to have her with him yet a little upset she was crying, he gently pulled her away from him & tilted her chin upward so she could look him in the eye.
"Sakura, why are you crying?" he asked gently, taking out his spotless handkerchief & wiping away her tears. Even as he did this, more took the place of those which had been wiped off.
She released her hold on his shirt & buried her face in her hands. "Syaoran…just…he just left me, Eriol…" she spoke with pauses due to her state.
Eriol was aghast. "Broke up with you?" he repeated, wondering why his best friend had done that. One side of him was a little happy because then he had a chance, but most of him was furious that Syaoran had left her in this state.
"Why?" he asked. It took him an age to ask that single-word question.
Sakura sniffed. "I don't know. That jackass sorta dared me to ask him!" she nearly shouted then dissolved into tears. "I'm sorry if I'm taking up your time with tears & complaints, Eriol…"
Before she could finish her sentence, Eriol cut in. "You're not! It's okay," he added quietly.
Sakura almost managed a smile, but it quickly faded. "Thanks. It's just that, Tomoyo's dead, Syaoran's left, my parents don't really care about me, Touya's in Canada…I've got no one else to turn to!"
She sank to the floor. Eriol sat down next to her & put his arm around her. "It's okay, Sakura," he said, trying to comfort her, then added quietly, "I'll be here for you."
Sakura was a bit surprised but she leaned her head on his shoulder anyway.
Eriol went to face Syaoran. "You broke up with her? What the fuck was that about?" he demanded. Anger was making him reckless, & a whole lot of bad words were threatening to spill.
"I had a reason, dammit!" Syaoran shouted.
"Then what was it?" Eriol asked, crossing his arms across his chest. "You know how heartbroken she is? She came to me crying her heart out! You know she's still going through a tough time, what with Tomoyo dead, her parents without a care for her, her brother in Canada…and now you do this!"
Syaoran was breathing heavily, & Eriol could tell he was holding back his rage. "Look, I did it to give you a chance. You happy now?"
Eriol's jaw dropped. "You did that for me?" he asked incredulously, his voice barely above a whisper. "Idiot! Why?"
Syaoran's eyes were turning red, meaning that he was gonna cry. "You needed a chance. I gave it to you."
"I wanted a chance," Eriol corrected. "You didn't have to do it! I was happy with Sakura as my best friend. Sure I wanted it to be more, but I was okay! Go back to Sakura & tell her, Syaoran. Please."
All Syaoran could do was shake his head. "No. I want you to be happy." He turned his back & strode away.
"I wouldn't be happy if she wasn't!" Eriol shouted after him. "I can't force her to return the feelings!" But Syaoran didn't respond. He'd either didn't hear him or simply ignored him.
Sakura walked into the classroom & ignored Syaoran as she passed him, even when he greeted her with another hi. She took her place next to Eriol & was about to put her bag down when a small white piece of paper caught her eye. She pulled it out from under her desk & found a sketching of herself seated at her desk. Her jaw dropped.
Eriol leaned over her shoulder & pretended to be curious. He had drawn it for her, hoping it'll give her more to think about rather than about Syaoran. He also hoped she'd realize it was him; there were only 2 people who could draw that well in their class – him & Takashi, but he already had a girlfriend whom he had a strong relationship with.
Sakura traced the lines with her finger in awe. "No way…" she whispered.
With the months that she sat with Eriol, she learnt to love him. She abandoned all thought of Syaoran, even though a small part of her was still stuck to him. And she was still nowhere near finding out who had drawn that sketching of her, though she had her suspicions that it was Eriol.
Sometimes she wondered why she was falling in love with her best friend, Eriol. Most of the time, the answer was because he was everything Syaoran was & maybe more. But there were some night where the answer was to get over her former boyfriend.
One morning, Eriol crept up to her & scared her by laying his hands on her shoulders. Sakura gave a little scream before she turned around & saw him laughing. "Eriol!" she said, even though a smile was beginning to spread across her lips.
Eriol's expression suddenly began solemn. "Sakura, I have to tell you something…so here goes. I've loved you for the longest time ever since Tomoyo's death. And…I'm the one who drew that picture." He bit his lip while waiting for Sakura's answer.
It didn't come immediately, but her reaction did. She stared at him incredulously before recomposing herself. In a whisper, the words that Eriol wished for on a wishing star came out of her mouth. "Eriol…I have to say that…I return your feelings."
A small, sweet smile spread across her lips. Eriol leaned forward & kissed her. When she pulled back the smile had become wider, & she rested her forehead on his chest as he wrapped his arms around her.
Syaoran watched from behind the canteen windows. He smiled, but there was no humour in it, & it wasn't happy. It was a sad, miserable smile. "Well, at least he's happy now," he said softly to himself. "I did it to give him a chance. I had a reason. She's a lot happier with him than she was with me, & that's the truth." He reasoned with himself, & sighed. "Sakura, I love you, & I hope you understand."
Sakura walked through the corridor. Her class had ended early because her teacher had to drive off to the airport, so she wandered. She passed the music room, the door slightly open. She stepped in, wondering where her music teacher was.
Her eyes fell on the grand black piano in the middle of the room. Abruptly a treasured memory of hers flashed through her mind.
FLASHBACK
Syaoran sat beside her in front of the very same black piano she was staring at. They were both playing "That Should Be Me" by Justin Bieber, Sakura in the lead. They both laughed, smiled, chatted, kissed…
But that was before the breakup.
END OF FLASHBACK
Sakura bit her lip. It had been a while since she practiced. That was the last time she had. Her conscience urged her to go & play it for at least 1 song. Her conscience won. Slowly she closed the door & walked toward the piano.
She sat on the bench & her fingers ran across the keys, playing a song that actually quite suited her situation.
Comparisons are easily done
Once you've had a taste of perfection
Like an apple hanging on a tree
I picked the ripest one
I still got the seed
You said move on
Where do I go?
I guess second best
Is all I will know
Cos when I'm with him
I am thinking of you
Thinking of you
What you would do
If you were the one
Who was spending the night
Oh, I wish that I
Was looking into your eyes
You're like an Indian summer
In the middle of winter
Like a hard candy
With a surprise centre
How do I get better
Once I've had the best?
You said there's
Tons of fish in the water
So the waters I will test
He kissed my lips
I taste your mouth
He pulled me in
I was disgusted with myself
Cos when I'm with him
I am thinking of you
Thinking of you
What you would do
If you were the one
Who was spending the night
Oh, I wish that I
Was looking into your…
You're the best
And yes, I do regret
How could I let myself
Let you go?
Now, now the lesson's learned
I touched you, I was burned
Oh, I think you should know…
Cos when I'm with him
I am thinking of you
Thinking of you
What you would do
If you were the one
Who was spending the night
Oh, I wish that I
Was looking into your eyes
Looking into your eyes
Looking into your eyes
Oh won't you walk through
And bust in the door & take me away
No more mistakes
Cos in your eyes I'd like to stay…
Stay…
A tear fell from Sakura's eye onto the piano keys as she finished the song with a high note. She took her hand off the piano as she heard the music door open. She prepared her reason for the teacher when she stood up & saw Syaoran standing in the doorway.
She stayed expressionless, simply wiping away her tears. "Yes?" she asked simply, a note of anger clearly audible in her voice.
"That was beautiful," Syaoran answered simply. "Remember when we played "That Should Be Me"?
"Yes," Sakura snapped. "A memory I almost forgot until you reminded me." Harsh words & a harsh tone were being used on her ex-boyfriend.
Syaoran felt so hurt when he heard that. Could she really hate him that badly? Finally, he decided it was time to tell her the truth. "Sakura, I need to talk to you," he said quietly.
"Yeah? Well, I don't want to," she retorted, surprising even herself with the amount of anger coming out of her voice.
"Hear me out, at least," he said.
"Wh- wait, did you just call me Sakura?" she stopped herself in the middle of her question & replaced it with another.
"Obviously." Syaoran took a few steps closer to the girl he loved, but she backed away until her back was against the piano. "Sakura, listen. I broke up with you to give Eriol a chance. He really did love you & I knew he was pained. He needed that chance, & now I see you're happier with him."
Sakura almost shouted that she wasn't, that she still wanted to be with him even though she had feelings for Eriol. The difference was that she only liked him. She loved Syaoran. Being with him was different – she felt complete. When she wasn't with him she felt empty.
"And since when have you cared about what I felt, hmm?" Sakura questioned.
"Since, like forever!" Syaoran answered.
"Bullshit!" Sakura nearly shrieked. "You never cared! How do I even know you're telling the truth? This crappy story that you're giving me, how do I know it's not a lie?"
Syaoran was going to burst out crying soon – she could tell my his eyes that were rapidly turning red & his trembling hands. He opened his mouth to answer when a familiar voice spoke.
"Just ask me." Sakura looked over Syaoran's shoulder as he spun to face the newcomer…& saw dark-haired Eriol leaning against the door. "He's telling the truth, Sakura," Eriol continued, ignoring their expressions, which were either shocked or confused; he couldn't tell.
Sakura began shaking her head. "No…" she began. "Syaoran…"
"…broke up with you for me without my knowing," Eriol finished for her. Then he too began shaking his head. "I do love you, Sakura, but I know you can't be mine. I know who you love…& I can't change that," he added quietly.
Sakura faced Syaoran, but her eyes didn't hold any anger – it held tears. Without warning she dropped to the floor crying. "Eriol, I'm sorry…" she sobbed. "I…I do have feelings for you but…they're not like the ones I have for Syaoran."
Syaoran's eyes widened.
Eriol smiled at her. "I know, Sakura," he whispered as he walked towards her & knelt beside her. "At least let me have one final kiss." Even Sakura didn't object when he leaned forward & kissed her.
He pulled away soon & whispered into her ear, "I love you, Sakura." He backed away & grinned. "Still best friends?"
Sakura did smile. She grasped Eriol's hand in her own & hauled herself up. Eriol then looked at Syaoran expectedly. "Syaoran? Are you too stupid to know what to do next?"
"Asshole," Syaoran muttered.
"Smart asshole," Eriol grinned.
"My smart asshole best friend," Syaoran grinned in return. He leaned forward until his lips were barely a centimeter away from Sakura's. He smiled at her & she didn't have time to smile back when he kissed her. He pulled back after a long while – a really long while – then leaned forward again to whisper in her ear.
"Sakura, I'm sorry I hurt you." He pulled back, spun her around then pulled her closer to him by the waist. Sakura leaned back against her boyfriend's chest, a small, familiar, peaceful smile across her lips. Syaoran put his chin on her head.
They stood there, unmoving. Eriol grinned at them. "Oh I wish I brought my camera!"