Painfully sweet
Chapter 4
"We have no money for you. Go away." The lady held no expression as she looked at the young girl on her door step, looking like hell. Her clothes were tattered, her long ebony black hair was in a mass of disarray and there were bruises that ran a long way up her snow white arm. She was beautiful but her condition was hiding it very well. She looked like she could use some help. "I can call an ambulance." She offered. It was late but the pity she held for the girl bothered her. The girl in front of her tried to speak but she was still catching her breath.
In between her panting, she looked up at the woman. And it wasn't a feeling of sorry that the girl had in her eyes, but determination and desperation. The woman was quite taken aback.
"K-Kino...Kinomoto, Sakura."
"I'm sorry?"
"house. Where, does she live?" She finally managed to say.
"Oh, her. The apartment two houses down." The girl had a satisfied expression on her face as she thanked her saviour profusely then left. It was a pity that the woman wasn't able to offer her some help. But little did she know, that it was all the help the girl needed.
"I'm almost there, Sakura." She said to herself. But there wasn't much time left, she knew it was a miracle that she even got there. But also, she was aware that death was well behind her as well. And she couldn't escape from that, not after being held captive for the past year. Her life, it was all behind her now. Her loved ones. She always wondered how they were every second of what was left of her time. And she knew that they might all have been convinced that she was dead.
"S-Sakura?!" The room was dark but when she opened the door, it was unlocked. The minute she got herself in, she noticed much of Sakura's belongings and a wave of relief washed over her as she saw Sakura's picture by her nightstand. But she was nowhere to be found. And it was late. Her heart was drumming painfully against her chest as emotions ran madly throughout her system.
She was scared, and she didn't know why.
"So this is where she lives?" she heard the voice say, the voice that scared her so much. And to whom it belonged with was the main reason she was going through so much pain. And why life alone scared her to death.
"I see that you're not as useless as I thought you were, Tomoyo."
"You will never find her, Yue." Tomoyo flinched as Yue had that grin of his playing on his mouth again. "All the same, thank you for showing us her place. I'll spare your life for that." Two men in black suits approached her then prompted her to follow them outside.
When he was left to himself, Yue looked around the small accommodation Sakura's room offered. He noted that she wasn't one organized girl to start with. He saw the collection of teapots in one corner, then of paintings in another. There were no other pictures inside but that of Sakura's. And it was the only one he saw. He took one long look at the smiling face before deciding to take it with him.
"Jin, have your men look around the place. I need every information." Yue got inside the car and heard the small thump of the door to his Audi.
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Syaoran whirled his chair around to face the view outside his mansion offered by the towering windows of his office, letting the moonlight wash over him as he contemplated about the incidents which took and would be taking place. He thought hard... and long. The stare he produced was intensifying but the moon outshone it. But of all things bothering him, it was Sakura that had him going on like this. He couldn't decide if she was trouble or not. If he should keep her or throw her away.
But there was one thing he knew, that he should decide soon. And fast.
He took a deep breath as he started walking towards the room adjacent to his study. As he entered, he felt his father's presence wash over him, like nostalgia which is why he rarely entered his room. It was always filled with his presence that sometimes, it scared him. He looked around for a bit until he found what he was looking for.
Pictures.
His father. And Sakura's mother. They were everywhere. Their smiles... and their love. Syaoran's expression remained unchanged as he looked them over. His father bearing great resemblance to him that sometimes, it seems as if he were the one in the pictures. But Nadeshiko. She was lovely. She didn't look anything like Sakura, with her overflowing hair and her gentle eyes.
But Sakura. Her beauty was different. And he couldn't start explaining how.
He stopped short in his thoughts as his head whipped to one direction leading outside the hallways. He was sure he heard a slight creak. Walking fast but discreet, he headed towards where he heard the sound. Gun in hand. With a click, he had Sakura's head turning towards him.
But it really wasn't Sakura who he was expecting, until she turned around.
"Your hair." He heard himself say, but the gun stayed pointed at her. Her expression was tensed and anxious as she smiled a nervous smile at him. Then it changed to that same expression she had worn all morning of their encounter.
"Right. I never really imagined discussing it with a gun held against my head." She was trying to be sarcastic again, but she did a poor job of hiding how nervous she was. And he thought better of her than being scared by a gun. But it wasn't what he truly felt.
Funny how the moonlight can stir feelings inside him. Especially since it is doing Sakura a fairly good favour. Simply put, she was beautiful.
"You're still a prisoner here."
"I'm clearly aware of that."
"Good."
"Don't you ever get tired of doing that?" Syaoran raised an eyebrow at her. "What?"
"That? Holding a gun up against our heads for a very long time? But never actually firing it?" Sakura saw him smile at her. And there was that glint in his eyes. "We can change that."
"By putting it down." She added shortly after. Finally, the gun was eased away from her head and she felt relieved. But still nervous. She was close. An inch close to freedom. Then this gorgeous guy just had to appear. What's worse, with a gun! It wasn't really comfortable feeling that cold metal push against her head and it sure wasn't funny hearing that tiny click. It was frustrating. Then she remembered what he first said.
HER HAIR! Mother fu—
"Start explaining." He leaned against the door never taking his eyes off her. Sakura looked thoughtful for a moment. "About my hair?" He shook his head then started getting inside his father's room. He wasn't sure if he should start getting frustrated again but sometimes, she just looks so much like a child. He had his back turned to her, hiding the smile that spread across his face.
Sakura peeked from outside and found another room. It was the same as all the others she had walked into hours ago as she looked for the exit. But before she knew it, she was already standing side by side with Syaoran. The little movement he made caused her to jump and she felt Syaoran looking at her, weirdly.
"What?! Like this is a mansion, but there's this thing called electricity--- which powers the light--- so it's not dark. Helloo?" He ignored her. He felt that the moonlight was bright enough and he enjoyed the comfort the dark offered him. He looked at the pictures again trying to think of something else.
But Sakura remained fidgety.
"Will you stop that?"
"I was actually looking for a switch."
"You're not afraid to die. But you're afraid of ghosts." Syaoran was meaning to say it to himself but Sakura heard him good. "Who's afraid of ghosts?"
"Children?... "
"Lookey here buddy, if you're trying to tell me I'm a scaredy egg, say it loud and clear."
"Sure. But I'd prefer to use a grown-up term for that."
"You're so full of yourse..lf—hey look!" Syaoran saw her picking up one of the frames he had so wanted her to notice. But She just can't keep her mouth shut even for one second. Again, she continued. "why didn't you tell me you have this?"
"I thi—"
"And just how old are you?!" Syaoran thought she was being an idiot. Even her pattern of thinking scared him. "22 and why—"
"Oh come on!" Syaoran was starting to get real annoyed. "You asked then—" He was itching to pick up his gun and point it straight at her. No one had ever dared to try and cut him off his words. He found it really fucking annoying. And he was starting to think about cutting the girl's tongue.
"My mother was 26 when she died." Syaoran realized what she was talking about. And he had a very strong urge to laugh out loud but decided to keep it to himself. He pushed the frame nearer to her face just so she can take a closer look.
"Idiot. That's my father." Sakura was flustered. Then she turned angrily towards Syaoran. "If you were just so smart as to turn the lights on—" Syaoran was loving the way she looked that moment. It was really cute how her face suddenly turned rosy after her dawn of realization. "Fine, I'm going to bed." She turned to head towards the door but Syaoran stopped her.
"It's three in the morning." Sakura seemed to shrink at that. "S-so?" Like a conspiracy against her, the old grandfather clock started sounding through the whole place.
"Fine." She sat herself on a comfortable looking couch then saw Syaoran doing the same. "Do you mind? Like this is a mansion? With lots of beds, couches and if you like, there's the haystack." She looked annoyed. She had never felt so embarrassed before and he being gorgeous and unfamiliar didn't help. It only made her feel worse.
"I'll wait until you sleep. Just to make sure you're not plotting your escape again. If you call that an escape."
"I was this close to escaping." Sakura formed an inch long with her thumb. "Lame. Do you even know what's out there?" And that had her thinking. And the more she thought about it, the more she talked, the more she risked her chances of being embarrassed by the guy. "Sleep." He said. Sakura remained stubborn due to her pure annoyance him. "Not while you're here."
"Sleep!"
"No!"
"Fucking damn asshole." Syaoran lost it.
"Are you praying?"
"Will you just sleep?"
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