Hey, I won't take too much space… just keep reading! I know I said I'll
wait for 5 reviews, but I noticed how lame chapter one looks alone, so I
decided to update this too.
Oh, yeah, thanx to Funkegirl, Pink Cherry Blossom, and Koneko for reviewing! I'm glad you liked the story!(You will find out how Sakura dies soon…)
Disclaimer: If I owned CCS, do you think I would be here, writing fanfics!? No, right? So, in conclusion, I don't own CCS. Oh, and I know there's a movie called 'Now and Then'… well a) I don't own it, and b) It has nothing to do with the fic and/or its plot!
Key
"speech"
'thoughts'
*actions*
_*scene change/flashback*_
*** point of view change
Now and Then
_*Kinomoto Residence*_
Syaoran stood at the door of the Kinomoto household, holding his kids' hands. He was about to knock, when the door opened, and there stood Fujitaka-sensei, father of Sakura. For a few seconds, both men just stood there, looking at each other. It was Fujitaka who broke the silence.
"Syaoran," he said in that soothing voice of his, while grasping his son-in-law's hand "I'm happy to see you. Please, come in." he stepped back as to let the group in, and Syaoran let out the air he hadn't noticed he was holding. They settle in the living room.
"Well, well, isn't that my little granddaughter?! Fujitaka said, addressing Megumi. "Although she doesn't seem as little now. How old are you, big girl?"
"Seven and three quarters" the little girl answered, sitting herself in her grandpa's lap.
"See, I was right, you are a big girl now. Are you taking care of your brother?" The girl nodded. "Where is he? " Kai was sitting in his father's lap, holding a yellow teddy-bear. "So, wouldn't you and your brother like to play with Nadeshiko and Sonomi? They have been waiting for you all day! They're upstairs."
"Go on, Megumi. Take Kai with you, and help him through the stairs." Syaoran said. As soon as both kids had disappeared, Fujitaka turned back to Syaoran.
"So, how have you been? Eriol tells me you've decided to move here to Tomoeda. Why?" he asked.
" Yes, we would also like to know" Tomoyo interrupted, while setting the drinks at the table.
"Well, the truth is," Syaoran answered, his voice low and soft, "I couldn't stand it." The other three adults exchanged puzzled glances. "I felt too lonely. Without her, Hong Kong is… I don't know. I couldn't sense Sakura."
"Syaoran," Eriol interrupted, "you can not sense Sakura. She is… she is gone." Tomoyo marveled at his husband's bluntness. She was afraid Syaoran would break down at his words, or worse, but he surprised her by looking up from his tea cup and meeting Eriol's gaze.
"I know she is gone, Eriol. But I can sense her, here in Tomoeda. I mean, I can't sense her aura, but, when I look around, I see all sorts of things that remind me of her. And, in a way, it is like feeling her aura, because she left traces of it in here, marking every place in which something important had happened to her. Or maybe not important, but meaningful." All eyes were on him as he spoke. "I don't know if I'm making myself clear. It's like, I need her around, and being here, among most of her precious memories, is the next best thing."
"So, you're telling me that you need all these things to remember her?" Fujitaka asked.
"Of course not!" Syaoran answered, "I only like having them around, but I don't need them to help me remember."
"And what about the Clan?" Eriol asked, "How did you get them to agree with your moving?"
"The Clan has almost as much business in Tokyo as they do in Hong Kong, so I'm going to tend to it. If there is any emergency, they will contact me, but I don't expect any problems."
"Well," Fujitaka said, smiling "I'm glad to have my son and my grandchildren nearby." Syaoran smiled. Fujitaka had always treated him like a son, and he was grateful for that.
"So are we," Syaoran answered, "the children missed you and their Uncle Touya a lot. And speaking of 'uncle Touya', were is he?" No sooner had he finished speaking that the door opened, and Syaoran's brother-in-law enterd the house. Touya walked calmly to the living room, and, seeing Syaoran, stopped in front of him.
"Gaki." He announced, and for the first time since the two of them had met, neither Syaoran nor Touya was glaring. Instead, they shook hands and embraced in that way men tend to, which doesn't necessarily show affection, but is, rather, a sign of respect. "I only dropped by to welcome you and mini-gaki and mini-kaijuu. I'll have to be going soon."
"That's okay, Touya," Tomoyo interrupted, "We, too, have to be going now. Syaoran, we'll drop you and the kids off at your place in the way." Syaoran nodded, and walked to the stairs and called out for all four children to come down.
After the kids had come down, and had been re-bundled into their coats and scarves (it was winter, after all), the group was ready to leave. Syaoran clasped Fujitaka's hand and said good-bye. Then, he shook Touya's hand.
"Good-bye, Touya, Otou-san. Take care."
"You too, Gaki. And call if you need anything." Eriol, Tomoyo, Syaoran, Sonomi, Nadeshiko, Kai, and Megumi boarded the van, and left.
_*Syaoran's Place*_
The clock on the wall read 12:49. After reaching their new house (or mansion, really), the Li family had proceeded to unpack. Luckily, the furniture was already in its place, thanks to Eriol and the movers. As Kai, being only three years old, was far too young to be of much help, Syaoran had been forced to enclose him in his crib. Megumi had claimed that she was old enough to be of assistance, and rushed upstairs to unpack her clothes and other room thingies. But when Syaoran, entered his daughter's room a couple of hours later, he found that Megumi had not only 'unpacked' her toys, but also 'arranged' them in the floor, where she now laid asleep. Sighing, he picked Megumi up and placed her in her bed. Syaoran picked up the mess, and unpacked all of his daughter's stuff. There, he was now finished. The whole house was in perfect order.
Syaoran sat on Megumi's bed, and stroked her hair. It was really amazing how much she looked like her mother: auburn hair, green eyes, creamy complexion, dazzling smile… yet, she was so much like Syaoran in character and spirit. Of course, it is hard to judge character in one so young, for most children lack it. But not Megumi; she was determined, clever, perfectionist. Yet, like her father, she also had a warmer side, which showed her kind and generous nature. She was truly the daughter of the two most powerful wizards in time, for her magic potential was astounding. Syaoran felt proud of her; he knew his daughter was to achieve great things.
And Kai… he was the vivid image of Syaoran. Right now, he was only 3. He was a happy baby, always laughing, smiling, and doing all the things toddlers were expected to do: throw wrist watches outside car windows, waste all the toilet paper, scribble on walls… Well, maybe he was a little more naughty then the average three-year-old. Although it was too soon to tell, Syaoran was willing to bet that Kai would turn out to be like Sakura, except perhaps a little more devious. Kai was part of why Syaoran decided to move to Tomoeda. Syaoran knew that if he stayed, his son would be forced to train and would soon loose his cheeriness and, eventually, every other emotion. He didn't want Kai to suffer at all, let alone as much as he had while growing up.
Syaoran tucked Megumi in the covers and walked towards his room. There, he changed into the long boxers and T-shirt he usually slept in, and got into bed. Yet, he did not fall asleep. Instead, he thought about his Li Clan training, and how Sakura had rescued him from himself. And how, even after the way he had treated her, she still fell in love with him. And when he had to leave for Hong Kong, she waited for five years, her feelings never faltering. He remembered the day he returned to Tomoeda. They were both fifteen…
_*flashback*_
(AN: Even though this flashback is Syaoran's memory and, therefore, should be in his point of view, I will make it in a third-person point of view, because I need it for the story to work properly. So, bear with me, please? Oh, yeah, Eriol came back to Tomoeda two years before Syaoran.)
Fifteen-year-old Syaoran sat in the window sit of an airplane. Syaoran had been in many airplanes throughout his life, to many different places. This one in particular was heading to Tomoeda, Japan. Or home, as Syaoran liked to call it. The flight attendant approached him and offerd him a drink, which he declined with a slight smile. He was feeling particularly happy today: in a couple of hour's time, he was going to be reunited with a lot of people he held dear: Tomoyo, Tak, Eriol (also known as the 'Source of All Evil'), Chiharu, Naoko, Rika… But most importantly, he would be seeing Sakura. Just thinking about her made him feel all floaty inside. He wondered how she will react when she saw him, after all this years… Not that he was expecting any gigantic proof of affection. After all, he never told her how he felt. Pathetic, really. All those opportunities, and yet, here he was, five years later, still alone, nervous, and madly in love. But that is going to change, he promised himself. He was going to grasp the first chance he got to confess. If she felt the same, great, if she didn't, well… he'll find a way to deal with it.
***
Tomoyo had never seen Sakura so nervous. The green-eyed girl could hardly sit still, and she jumped up every two minutes, paced up and down the aisle, and finally grasped Rika's wrist, almost tearing her arm apart from her body, to look at the time. Then, Sakura would sit down again and the whole thing would happen again. The whole gang, meaning Sakura, Eriol, Tak, Chiharuu, Naoko, Rika, and herself were gathered at the airport, waiting for the arrival of their friend Syaoran.
Tomoyo had missed Syaoran, they had become good friends some time before he left. During his stay in Hong Kong, he had tried to keep in contact as much as possible, despite the fact that the elders had banned him from correspondence, phone calls, and Internet use. As a result, he was forced to rely on Meiling, to whom he gave the few letters he had a chance to write. Tomoyo looked up to see Sakura once again harassing Rika for the time.
"Give it a rest already, Sakura!" Tomoyo told her best friend. "It has been only two minutes since the last time you asked for the time!"
"I'm sorry!" Sakura apologized, "It's just that… Why is the airplane taking so long? What if it had engine troubles and fell into the ocean and- "
"Nothing has happened to the airplane. It is right on schedule." Chiharu said.
"The reason we have been waiting for so long is because someone" Eriol said, glaring accusingly at Sakura " wanted to leave around two hours early!"
"Hoe! I just didn't want us to be late!"
"Uh-huh." The rest of the gang answered. There was silence for a few minute until-
"Rika? What time is it?"
"Sakura!"
"Come on guys," Naoko defended Sakura, " give her a break. She is just a little too anxious to see Syaoran."
"I am not!" Sakura said.
"Of course you are." Tomoyo assured her. "And it's perfectly understandable."
"It is?" Sakura asked.
"Of course!" Chiharu exclaimed "You've been in love with the guy since, what, fifth grade?"
"I have not-"
"Don't bother denying it!" Tomoyo interrupted "All of us know the truth!"
"I think I'll go and get a drink of water." said Sakura, before sprinting off. Of course she knew she loved Syaoran! It was common knowledge! Why, even Terada-sensei must know by now! Probably Rika told him, Sakura thought, bending low to drink water from the water-fountain. Well, back to the subject at hand. She had long-since admitted her love for the Chinese warrior. How could she not? It was worthless to try and ignore the way her heart beat increased at the thought of him, or how her knees grew weak every time somebody mentioned his name. These last five years without him had been hard, to say the least. She missed him so much… But it would be over soon. In a couple of minutes, he would be back, and them everything in Sakura's world would be back in place.
***
Syaoran stepped out of the airplane. Finally, back in Tomoeda! He couldn't be bothered walking towards the gate. Instead, he jogged towards the airport, claimed his bags, and was at the gate so quickly, the other passengers didn't even notice his absence. And when he crossed the gate, he was confronted by a scene he would treasure in his memory for many years to come: his friends running to meet him.
Tomoyo was the first to reach him. As she enveloped him in a giant- bear-hug, he was forced to drop his bags. He hugged her back, as happy to see her as she was.
"Welcome back, Syaoran" Tomoyo whispered. "I missed you."
"I missed you too. And a lot." He whispered back. Then, Tomoyo let him go, only to be trapped again. This time by Naoko and Rika in a double hug, both extremely happy to see him. Then came Chiharu, who squeezed him so hard, Syaoran was sure he cracked a rib.
When he was free again, he shook hands with Yamasaki. Both men embraced.
"Man, it's good to have you back!" Tak told his friend.
"It indeed is, my cute descendant" Eriol added, grasping Syaoran's hand, and after embracing him like Yamasaki had done.
"It's good to be back" Syaoran said "And don't call me that! Say, where's Sakura?" Just then, Syaoran looked up to see Sakura running towards him. She looked like an angel. No, scratch that. She is an angel! Sakura was dressed in a cute sun-dress, white with pink fading. The long, hippie- like sleeves pronounced it a Tomoyo creation. But she looked lovely in it, nonetheless.
***
Sakura ran towards Syaoran, hardly believing her eyes. Maybe it's a dream. Yes, that's it; Kero will soon wake me up. But it wasn't a dream. Syaoran was really standing there, watching her as she approached, dressed in black from head to toe. Why does he have to look so damned hot in black! Sakura eliminated that thought, for in that precise second, she ran into Syaoran, who picked her up and twirled her around, movie-style. It was truly a beautiful sight; both teens were laughing, they're eyes twinkling with happiness and love. And for the first time, Syaoran looked into Sakura's eyes and saw the love she had for him, while Sakura also found the same feeling in the boy's eyes. Without any further thought, Syaoran put Sakura down, and they leaned in until their lips met in a kiss so sweet, they could practically taste the sugar in their mouths. Both magicians had dreamt, waited for this moment for so long, they did not wanted it to end. But it had to.
When they pulled apart, Syaoran took Sakura's face in his hands, and pressed his forehead against hers. They were gazing at each other, wearing identical 100-watt smiles. There was no need to say anything, but they spoke anyways.
"Sakura, I love you."
"I know. I love you too, Syaoran."
"I know"
"I missed you so much!."
"I know. I missed you even more!"
"Promise me we'll never be apart again."
"I promise you." They both laughed, just for the joy of it. They were so focused on each other, that they failed to notice the rest of their friends, who had joined the rest of the crowd that had formed around them. However, they came back to their senses when they heard the cheers, claps and whistles. The two teens turned around and looked at the crowd, a slight blush on their faces, and they were able to distinguish a somewhat familiar red light among the people.
"Kawaii!"
_*End of Flashback*_
Gradually, Syaoran's memories turned into dreams. And he was lost in a deep sleep. And this time, so unlike the last three months, he rested peacefully; he was back home, and life was finally re-starting. He would not forget Sakura, but now, he could remember her and feel more bliss, and less sorrow. Sorrow which, he was sure, would one day disappear completely.
There! Whew! Those were almost ten pages… that's the most I've written. I was planning to stop after they left the Kinomoto's house, but I figured I'd put the flashback in there too because, so far, the fic was depressing, even to me. But that's a good thing, right? It is, after all, supposed to be a drama… Anyways, I think most of you have realized by now what I'm planning to do. I'm going to tell two stories at a time: On one side, S&S's story, and on the other, Syaoran's and his kid's story. So, no matter how sad it might get (which wont be much, hopefully), you can always count on one happy, long flashback per chapter.
Up next: New Year's Reunion & Sakura's Sweet Sixteen!
Please, please, review! Even flames are welcome. I just want to know someone is actually reading this, otherwise I'll feel really stupid. You don't want me to feel stupid, do you? *blinks innocently*
Ciao, bambinos!
Oh, yeah, thanx to Funkegirl, Pink Cherry Blossom, and Koneko for reviewing! I'm glad you liked the story!(You will find out how Sakura dies soon…)
Disclaimer: If I owned CCS, do you think I would be here, writing fanfics!? No, right? So, in conclusion, I don't own CCS. Oh, and I know there's a movie called 'Now and Then'… well a) I don't own it, and b) It has nothing to do with the fic and/or its plot!
Key
"speech"
'thoughts'
*actions*
_*scene change/flashback*_
*** point of view change
Now and Then
_*Kinomoto Residence*_
Syaoran stood at the door of the Kinomoto household, holding his kids' hands. He was about to knock, when the door opened, and there stood Fujitaka-sensei, father of Sakura. For a few seconds, both men just stood there, looking at each other. It was Fujitaka who broke the silence.
"Syaoran," he said in that soothing voice of his, while grasping his son-in-law's hand "I'm happy to see you. Please, come in." he stepped back as to let the group in, and Syaoran let out the air he hadn't noticed he was holding. They settle in the living room.
"Well, well, isn't that my little granddaughter?! Fujitaka said, addressing Megumi. "Although she doesn't seem as little now. How old are you, big girl?"
"Seven and three quarters" the little girl answered, sitting herself in her grandpa's lap.
"See, I was right, you are a big girl now. Are you taking care of your brother?" The girl nodded. "Where is he? " Kai was sitting in his father's lap, holding a yellow teddy-bear. "So, wouldn't you and your brother like to play with Nadeshiko and Sonomi? They have been waiting for you all day! They're upstairs."
"Go on, Megumi. Take Kai with you, and help him through the stairs." Syaoran said. As soon as both kids had disappeared, Fujitaka turned back to Syaoran.
"So, how have you been? Eriol tells me you've decided to move here to Tomoeda. Why?" he asked.
" Yes, we would also like to know" Tomoyo interrupted, while setting the drinks at the table.
"Well, the truth is," Syaoran answered, his voice low and soft, "I couldn't stand it." The other three adults exchanged puzzled glances. "I felt too lonely. Without her, Hong Kong is… I don't know. I couldn't sense Sakura."
"Syaoran," Eriol interrupted, "you can not sense Sakura. She is… she is gone." Tomoyo marveled at his husband's bluntness. She was afraid Syaoran would break down at his words, or worse, but he surprised her by looking up from his tea cup and meeting Eriol's gaze.
"I know she is gone, Eriol. But I can sense her, here in Tomoeda. I mean, I can't sense her aura, but, when I look around, I see all sorts of things that remind me of her. And, in a way, it is like feeling her aura, because she left traces of it in here, marking every place in which something important had happened to her. Or maybe not important, but meaningful." All eyes were on him as he spoke. "I don't know if I'm making myself clear. It's like, I need her around, and being here, among most of her precious memories, is the next best thing."
"So, you're telling me that you need all these things to remember her?" Fujitaka asked.
"Of course not!" Syaoran answered, "I only like having them around, but I don't need them to help me remember."
"And what about the Clan?" Eriol asked, "How did you get them to agree with your moving?"
"The Clan has almost as much business in Tokyo as they do in Hong Kong, so I'm going to tend to it. If there is any emergency, they will contact me, but I don't expect any problems."
"Well," Fujitaka said, smiling "I'm glad to have my son and my grandchildren nearby." Syaoran smiled. Fujitaka had always treated him like a son, and he was grateful for that.
"So are we," Syaoran answered, "the children missed you and their Uncle Touya a lot. And speaking of 'uncle Touya', were is he?" No sooner had he finished speaking that the door opened, and Syaoran's brother-in-law enterd the house. Touya walked calmly to the living room, and, seeing Syaoran, stopped in front of him.
"Gaki." He announced, and for the first time since the two of them had met, neither Syaoran nor Touya was glaring. Instead, they shook hands and embraced in that way men tend to, which doesn't necessarily show affection, but is, rather, a sign of respect. "I only dropped by to welcome you and mini-gaki and mini-kaijuu. I'll have to be going soon."
"That's okay, Touya," Tomoyo interrupted, "We, too, have to be going now. Syaoran, we'll drop you and the kids off at your place in the way." Syaoran nodded, and walked to the stairs and called out for all four children to come down.
After the kids had come down, and had been re-bundled into their coats and scarves (it was winter, after all), the group was ready to leave. Syaoran clasped Fujitaka's hand and said good-bye. Then, he shook Touya's hand.
"Good-bye, Touya, Otou-san. Take care."
"You too, Gaki. And call if you need anything." Eriol, Tomoyo, Syaoran, Sonomi, Nadeshiko, Kai, and Megumi boarded the van, and left.
_*Syaoran's Place*_
The clock on the wall read 12:49. After reaching their new house (or mansion, really), the Li family had proceeded to unpack. Luckily, the furniture was already in its place, thanks to Eriol and the movers. As Kai, being only three years old, was far too young to be of much help, Syaoran had been forced to enclose him in his crib. Megumi had claimed that she was old enough to be of assistance, and rushed upstairs to unpack her clothes and other room thingies. But when Syaoran, entered his daughter's room a couple of hours later, he found that Megumi had not only 'unpacked' her toys, but also 'arranged' them in the floor, where she now laid asleep. Sighing, he picked Megumi up and placed her in her bed. Syaoran picked up the mess, and unpacked all of his daughter's stuff. There, he was now finished. The whole house was in perfect order.
Syaoran sat on Megumi's bed, and stroked her hair. It was really amazing how much she looked like her mother: auburn hair, green eyes, creamy complexion, dazzling smile… yet, she was so much like Syaoran in character and spirit. Of course, it is hard to judge character in one so young, for most children lack it. But not Megumi; she was determined, clever, perfectionist. Yet, like her father, she also had a warmer side, which showed her kind and generous nature. She was truly the daughter of the two most powerful wizards in time, for her magic potential was astounding. Syaoran felt proud of her; he knew his daughter was to achieve great things.
And Kai… he was the vivid image of Syaoran. Right now, he was only 3. He was a happy baby, always laughing, smiling, and doing all the things toddlers were expected to do: throw wrist watches outside car windows, waste all the toilet paper, scribble on walls… Well, maybe he was a little more naughty then the average three-year-old. Although it was too soon to tell, Syaoran was willing to bet that Kai would turn out to be like Sakura, except perhaps a little more devious. Kai was part of why Syaoran decided to move to Tomoeda. Syaoran knew that if he stayed, his son would be forced to train and would soon loose his cheeriness and, eventually, every other emotion. He didn't want Kai to suffer at all, let alone as much as he had while growing up.
Syaoran tucked Megumi in the covers and walked towards his room. There, he changed into the long boxers and T-shirt he usually slept in, and got into bed. Yet, he did not fall asleep. Instead, he thought about his Li Clan training, and how Sakura had rescued him from himself. And how, even after the way he had treated her, she still fell in love with him. And when he had to leave for Hong Kong, she waited for five years, her feelings never faltering. He remembered the day he returned to Tomoeda. They were both fifteen…
_*flashback*_
(AN: Even though this flashback is Syaoran's memory and, therefore, should be in his point of view, I will make it in a third-person point of view, because I need it for the story to work properly. So, bear with me, please? Oh, yeah, Eriol came back to Tomoeda two years before Syaoran.)
Fifteen-year-old Syaoran sat in the window sit of an airplane. Syaoran had been in many airplanes throughout his life, to many different places. This one in particular was heading to Tomoeda, Japan. Or home, as Syaoran liked to call it. The flight attendant approached him and offerd him a drink, which he declined with a slight smile. He was feeling particularly happy today: in a couple of hour's time, he was going to be reunited with a lot of people he held dear: Tomoyo, Tak, Eriol (also known as the 'Source of All Evil'), Chiharu, Naoko, Rika… But most importantly, he would be seeing Sakura. Just thinking about her made him feel all floaty inside. He wondered how she will react when she saw him, after all this years… Not that he was expecting any gigantic proof of affection. After all, he never told her how he felt. Pathetic, really. All those opportunities, and yet, here he was, five years later, still alone, nervous, and madly in love. But that is going to change, he promised himself. He was going to grasp the first chance he got to confess. If she felt the same, great, if she didn't, well… he'll find a way to deal with it.
***
Tomoyo had never seen Sakura so nervous. The green-eyed girl could hardly sit still, and she jumped up every two minutes, paced up and down the aisle, and finally grasped Rika's wrist, almost tearing her arm apart from her body, to look at the time. Then, Sakura would sit down again and the whole thing would happen again. The whole gang, meaning Sakura, Eriol, Tak, Chiharuu, Naoko, Rika, and herself were gathered at the airport, waiting for the arrival of their friend Syaoran.
Tomoyo had missed Syaoran, they had become good friends some time before he left. During his stay in Hong Kong, he had tried to keep in contact as much as possible, despite the fact that the elders had banned him from correspondence, phone calls, and Internet use. As a result, he was forced to rely on Meiling, to whom he gave the few letters he had a chance to write. Tomoyo looked up to see Sakura once again harassing Rika for the time.
"Give it a rest already, Sakura!" Tomoyo told her best friend. "It has been only two minutes since the last time you asked for the time!"
"I'm sorry!" Sakura apologized, "It's just that… Why is the airplane taking so long? What if it had engine troubles and fell into the ocean and- "
"Nothing has happened to the airplane. It is right on schedule." Chiharu said.
"The reason we have been waiting for so long is because someone" Eriol said, glaring accusingly at Sakura " wanted to leave around two hours early!"
"Hoe! I just didn't want us to be late!"
"Uh-huh." The rest of the gang answered. There was silence for a few minute until-
"Rika? What time is it?"
"Sakura!"
"Come on guys," Naoko defended Sakura, " give her a break. She is just a little too anxious to see Syaoran."
"I am not!" Sakura said.
"Of course you are." Tomoyo assured her. "And it's perfectly understandable."
"It is?" Sakura asked.
"Of course!" Chiharu exclaimed "You've been in love with the guy since, what, fifth grade?"
"I have not-"
"Don't bother denying it!" Tomoyo interrupted "All of us know the truth!"
"I think I'll go and get a drink of water." said Sakura, before sprinting off. Of course she knew she loved Syaoran! It was common knowledge! Why, even Terada-sensei must know by now! Probably Rika told him, Sakura thought, bending low to drink water from the water-fountain. Well, back to the subject at hand. She had long-since admitted her love for the Chinese warrior. How could she not? It was worthless to try and ignore the way her heart beat increased at the thought of him, or how her knees grew weak every time somebody mentioned his name. These last five years without him had been hard, to say the least. She missed him so much… But it would be over soon. In a couple of minutes, he would be back, and them everything in Sakura's world would be back in place.
***
Syaoran stepped out of the airplane. Finally, back in Tomoeda! He couldn't be bothered walking towards the gate. Instead, he jogged towards the airport, claimed his bags, and was at the gate so quickly, the other passengers didn't even notice his absence. And when he crossed the gate, he was confronted by a scene he would treasure in his memory for many years to come: his friends running to meet him.
Tomoyo was the first to reach him. As she enveloped him in a giant- bear-hug, he was forced to drop his bags. He hugged her back, as happy to see her as she was.
"Welcome back, Syaoran" Tomoyo whispered. "I missed you."
"I missed you too. And a lot." He whispered back. Then, Tomoyo let him go, only to be trapped again. This time by Naoko and Rika in a double hug, both extremely happy to see him. Then came Chiharu, who squeezed him so hard, Syaoran was sure he cracked a rib.
When he was free again, he shook hands with Yamasaki. Both men embraced.
"Man, it's good to have you back!" Tak told his friend.
"It indeed is, my cute descendant" Eriol added, grasping Syaoran's hand, and after embracing him like Yamasaki had done.
"It's good to be back" Syaoran said "And don't call me that! Say, where's Sakura?" Just then, Syaoran looked up to see Sakura running towards him. She looked like an angel. No, scratch that. She is an angel! Sakura was dressed in a cute sun-dress, white with pink fading. The long, hippie- like sleeves pronounced it a Tomoyo creation. But she looked lovely in it, nonetheless.
***
Sakura ran towards Syaoran, hardly believing her eyes. Maybe it's a dream. Yes, that's it; Kero will soon wake me up. But it wasn't a dream. Syaoran was really standing there, watching her as she approached, dressed in black from head to toe. Why does he have to look so damned hot in black! Sakura eliminated that thought, for in that precise second, she ran into Syaoran, who picked her up and twirled her around, movie-style. It was truly a beautiful sight; both teens were laughing, they're eyes twinkling with happiness and love. And for the first time, Syaoran looked into Sakura's eyes and saw the love she had for him, while Sakura also found the same feeling in the boy's eyes. Without any further thought, Syaoran put Sakura down, and they leaned in until their lips met in a kiss so sweet, they could practically taste the sugar in their mouths. Both magicians had dreamt, waited for this moment for so long, they did not wanted it to end. But it had to.
When they pulled apart, Syaoran took Sakura's face in his hands, and pressed his forehead against hers. They were gazing at each other, wearing identical 100-watt smiles. There was no need to say anything, but they spoke anyways.
"Sakura, I love you."
"I know. I love you too, Syaoran."
"I know"
"I missed you so much!."
"I know. I missed you even more!"
"Promise me we'll never be apart again."
"I promise you." They both laughed, just for the joy of it. They were so focused on each other, that they failed to notice the rest of their friends, who had joined the rest of the crowd that had formed around them. However, they came back to their senses when they heard the cheers, claps and whistles. The two teens turned around and looked at the crowd, a slight blush on their faces, and they were able to distinguish a somewhat familiar red light among the people.
"Kawaii!"
_*End of Flashback*_
Gradually, Syaoran's memories turned into dreams. And he was lost in a deep sleep. And this time, so unlike the last three months, he rested peacefully; he was back home, and life was finally re-starting. He would not forget Sakura, but now, he could remember her and feel more bliss, and less sorrow. Sorrow which, he was sure, would one day disappear completely.
There! Whew! Those were almost ten pages… that's the most I've written. I was planning to stop after they left the Kinomoto's house, but I figured I'd put the flashback in there too because, so far, the fic was depressing, even to me. But that's a good thing, right? It is, after all, supposed to be a drama… Anyways, I think most of you have realized by now what I'm planning to do. I'm going to tell two stories at a time: On one side, S&S's story, and on the other, Syaoran's and his kid's story. So, no matter how sad it might get (which wont be much, hopefully), you can always count on one happy, long flashback per chapter.
Up next: New Year's Reunion & Sakura's Sweet Sixteen!
Please, please, review! Even flames are welcome. I just want to know someone is actually reading this, otherwise I'll feel really stupid. You don't want me to feel stupid, do you? *blinks innocently*
Ciao, bambinos!