--------------------------------------- Stars By: Miiru E-mail: miyacka@yahoo.com Prologue: Vow on the Stars ----------------------------------------

"Sometimes," she sighed lovingly as she gazed upon the stars---each twinkling like her eyes. "I am wondering if..."

"If what, Sakura?" I asked like a child who wants to learn everything. Sakura Kinomoto can really be a 'mysterious' type of person despite of her cheerful behavior and lively spirit. Sometimes, I feel I am the only one who just doesn't know her.

"If we could always be together again..." she sounded cheerless, very unlike her old 'real' self. But she added a bit of color in the air as I have heard her laughed in the middle of our 'serious' conversation.

"Sakura..."

Her dark emerald eyes stared affectionately to me. Then her lips curled into an angelic smile. I stopped.

"Li," she spoke. "Do not worry. I am okay."

Funny, I didn't say anything---all except her name. But she did understand me. She answered me. From that moment I have realized that we had been thru many hardships. We have survived. We had conquered. We had become close without us realizing it. Or probably without me knowing it.

I just do not get it. But this feeling is just so good.

"Li," she softly called again. "I want you to look at the stars."

I surprised my eyes when I saw them, the stars. They were like little eyes watching happily to me. They are angels that had been watching me. However, I am stupid. I never saw them. Until now...

"You are leaving again, aren't you, Syaoran?" she suddenly said, looking down the ground. Tears then rained down her eyes.

My heart sank down to my stomach. How did she know it? Probably my cousin, Meilin told her. She was with me on this trip as well as our guardian, Wei.

"H-how did you know?" I've asked cautiously. "Did Meilin..."

"No," Sakura replied weakly. "No."

"Then did Wei...?"

"No..."

"I see..." I replied with a tone weaker than Sakura's. "Then..."

"It doesn't matter who told me," she spoke softly. "But the fact that you are leaving already---why didn't you tell me?"

"Because I do not want you to worry," I replied. "I didn't want to see your tears."

"So you want me to suffer right after you go."

I didn't thought of that. "I am so sorry...Sakura..."

Placing my hands on top of her shoulders, I felt warmth. It is very obvious. I love her. I do not want her to be sad. I always want to see her happy. That is my entire wish.

She lifted her head and smiled to me. She was no longer crying. I just realized now that she was stronger that I've thought. "I understand..." those words freed from her lips. "Do not worry Syaoran, I do understand."

"Arigatou," that is all I managed to say. I pulled her closer to my chest, giving her a tight embrace. "I will come back for you..."

"But when, Li?" she asked, blinking her tears back.

"Mother said that Meilin and I would return after three to four years," I explained, embracing her more tightly. "We need to finish some concerns there like our education and martial arts training. We really need to go."

"By that time we would be seventeen or eighteen years of age," Sakura said. "We are fourteen now."

"I know..." I said, adding her my smile of reassurance. "I would come back for you. I promise..."

She didn't smile back. She pulled herself away from me and walked away. "But remember this Li. I won't wait forever. Three to Four years is really a long time. You might find someone else and I may love another. Can you...understand that...Li Syoaran?"

I froze for a while but I shook my head 'yes'. "But I assure you, Sakura. You are the only girl whom I shall love."

She gazed back to me. She was smiling once more. "Then Li, I want you to look at the stars---always. With them I would watch over you. You won't get lost with them for you are sort of with me." She stepped away thru the dark emerald pastures of this little park.

I just smiled as I watch her walk away. Tokyo. Hong Kong. Why can't those two places be at one same place?

But hey, what is wrong with me. I know that I could see the same stars twinkling in Hong Kong. I know she would still be with me.

I'll miss you Sakura. And remember, I love you.

------------------------------------------------------------------- Next chapter. Four years had passed...would Sakura and Li keep their promises to each other? He.e-mail me at miyacka@yahoo.com -------------------------------------------------------------------