Hey!! Urrrgh. Just when everything was okay, I thought I was in control of my life, it spirals out of control and that just sucks. Well, I'm not going to let that stop me writing. I feel that my story is at a freaking stagnant stage, I mean did anything really happen in the past few chapters? So I apologize if its getting so boring. I'll try and make it better okay? holds out my pinky finger

I wanna dedicate this chapter to my good friend. Cos this story is sorta related to this person. But I know what the person feels. Anyway, hem hem hem I luv ya! What are friends for? Ur right…let's trust each other shall we hmm?

Chapter 7

Syaoran fiercely rubbed his face. The training for soccer was really tough especially on that day, a week before the championships. Cold sweat dribbled down from his forehead to his cheek, he took his shirt sleeve and rubbed his face again. He lay down on the grass, while putting the water that had condensed too quickly under the sun, even though it was four in the evening, on his forehead.

" Li get up! We're not waiting for you" Michael shouted from halfway across the field.

Syaoran grunted, but he being a cool laid back guy just shut up and joined Michael's team. They were split into teams just for today, Syaoran was in Michael's team. Michael had taken off as forward, much to Syaoran's dismay. Since Michael was now the captain of the team ( Syaoran is vice-captain), he pretty much ruled everything, and as of today he told Syaoran to go on defense.

He felt a reassuring boyish hand softly patting his back. Eriol gave him his understanding smile before going off with his team. Syaoran went off with Yamazaki to their side.

Yamazaki spat, " Damn, I don't know what's going on…Syao why are you in defense? And why I am being goalie? Damn it, I don't like that guy, he knows he's good and tries to show off. Don't tell Sakura though."

Li replied, " Yeeeah…I guess."

Yamazaki nudged him again. " Is that all you're going to say?"

Li was very confused by this question.

" What?"

" Come on man, you know what I'm talking about. We all know, except the cherry blossom herself."

" Urrr…"

" Why don't you tell Sakura you like her?"

Yamazaki stared intently at Syaoran. Syaoran looked back with his famous glare.

Syaoran shrugged, he was so lost, and never in his life he thought he would go out of control. Especially about this, Syaoran would never show his weakness or any emotions on his face, it was a technique he learnt and is so damn good at in martial arts, or anything else at the matter. But, Syaoran pondered to himself again, was his face showing so much emotions? Was he that vulnerable and easy to read?

" SYAORAN GET YOUR ASS TO DEFENSE NOW!" Michael's voice pierced his thoughts.

" Yeah yeah " Syaoran muttered before running to join his teammate in defense

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" You are so pathetic!" Tomoyo attacked Syaoran with her words and gave him a gentle yet firm punch on his back to show she was serious.

" What now?" Syaoran asked. It had only been yesterday since Yamazaki told him he knew, and now Tomoyo was gonna scream at him now? He didn't need anyone else after Yamazaki confronted him.

" YOU! Damn it Syaoran! You know what I'm talking about?"

" Uhh no I don't. I mean unless this is about her I don't want to talk about it." Syaoran turned his head away. His brown bangs hiding his eyes.

" Syaoran, you have to-"

Tomoyo put her hands on his shoulders and turned him around. Her eyes glared fiercely at Syaoran with annoyance. Syaoran being the stubborn guy just stared back. Tomoyo put her hands on her hips.

" Stop acting like a girl! This jealousness towards Michael is totally pathetic. And what's worse is you're not doing anything at all about it!"

That hit a sore spot on Syaoran. She got him firing back.

" Easy for you to say? What the hell can I do? She LIKES him. He LIKES her. I'm not gonna be a jackass and a bad friend and try to ruin all that. Would you?"

To his surprise, Tomoyo smiled again. He looked at her with questioning eyes, clearly in confusion.

" Heh, we got the old Syaoran back. He's still in you."

" I don't know what the hell you're talking about." Syaoran replied.

" Duh, obviously you haven't noticed. But you changed so much, you've isolated yourself from us, and avoid Sakura. I know you did that on purpose, avoiding Sakura. And since when do you start homework early?"

" I don't see how any of this-"

" The point is, Syaoran we miss you, come back. You want to be happy for Sakura and Michael. But you're not acting like it. When was the last time you said anything else to Sakura other than 'hi'?

Syaoran opened his mouth to say something, but Tomoyo beat him to it. She shushed him and kept on going.

" And whatever happened to, " I can't keep my feelings bottled up anymore?" She mimicked Syaoran's words.

Syaoran grunted in annoyance. He remembered he said that, and how after that he found out Tomoyo was videotaping him. So when Tomoyo showed him the videotape a week ago, it showed him daydreaming looking at the field, and in the middle, he randomly spoke, " I can't keep my feelings bottled up anymore." Tomoyo and Eriol thought this was hilarious. But now, Tomoyo was being very serious about it.

" Shut up, Tomoyo"

" Heh, well at least you got your anger back. I was sure you were a robot these days then. Now, what are we going to do about you hmm?" Tomoyo said.

No reply from Syaoran.

" Syaoran, just please hang out with Sakura and us again. And we know, we don't really like Michael as well." Tomoyo begged.

" You…don't?"

" No. Eriol thinks he's too nice in front of her, and also he's a showoff and self centered. And when Sakura isn't around, don't tell Eriol or anyone this, but Michael hit on me." Tomoyo explained truthfully.

" Oh…" Syaoran let his thoughts wander off.

" We just don't want to hurt Sakura's feelings. And also, we have no strong evidence to prove he's not all what we think he is."

" Yeah… well he's not what I'm really thinking about. I'm just worried about Sakura getting hurt in the future if he is a not good guy or something."

" Okay, the point I'm trying to make is, Syaoran, what are you going to do about this?"

" I don't know."

" Are you going to confess to Sakura?"

" Tomoyo." Syaoran started again. " I think we're being self-centered as well. What if Sakura really likes him? Huh? How would you feel if Sakura likes say your Eriol, but you guys are together, would you like it if Sakura is butting in your relationship?"

" Jeez Syaoran calm down, although you're right."

" I am right. We don't know what she feels for him, but we still have to respect her and her choice." Syaoran turned his head and walked away, leaving Tomoyo.

" Hey, I'm sorry!" Tomoyo called out.

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Syaoran walked, past the street upon another road, which leads to his mansion. The sky was cloudy albeit the sun was still visible. Syaoran sighed to himself. As his lazy legs kept on going. The trees around him, he observed, was shedding leaves as fall already approached weeks ago, it was going to be winter soon.

The huge penguin slide was within his field of vision now as he entered the Penguin Park, the shortcut to his way home. He chuckled to himself when he looked at the empty swings -absence of little kids because they are in school- slowly swaying, following the wind.

When he and Sakura were younger they would have the most random competitions, for instance with the swings, to see who could swing the farthest. Oh yes, how could he forget when both he and Sakura fell inside the lake. The look on her face was classic.

He decided for all time's sake he's going to have a little joyride on the swings. He gently sat his behind on the swings and began to swing back and fourth. The coldness of the wind was pricking, making fine hairs at the back of his neck stand up.

He shivered, his body wasn't used to the coldness yet. Syaoran and winter don't really mix well. And damn it, he forgot his scarf. But he didn't really want to go home just yet. So he decided to stick with the coldness piercing at his skin.

Suddenly he felt relief as something wooly, soft and warm landed at the back of his neck. He closed his eyes at the warm sensation. Wait a minute? Since when did woolly things land on his neck?

He opened one eye.

His heart felt warm and fuzzy. It also skipped a beat. His face turned redder when he saw it was Sakura. How adorable she looked in her jacket and wooly scarf wrapped around her face, hiding everything up to her nose.

" Thought you might need it." Sakura said, her voice was muffled behind the wooly scarf.

Syaoran felt warmer when he heard that. But another deep void of feeling entered him now. He felt so guilty for avoiding Sakura, he knew she noticed, but he was so selfish and upset. How hypocritical he was, he was lecturing Tomoyo on respecting Sakura and her boyfriend, but wasn't he doing the same thing?

He shook his head silently, disappointed with himself. Sakura took a step back, apparently having taken his head shaking the wrong way.

" O-oh, Sakura, I'm sorry, I wasn't shaking my head at you. I was just thinking-that's all." Syaoran reassured.

Sakura stood there in silence, deep in thought, to Syaoran's amusement. Her innocent and naïve look never escaped her face. She was very confused, and Syaoran of course, knew this.

" You know, you can sit here, next to me on the swing?" His deep voice invited her over.

" Oh…okay." Sakura nervously replied, giving him a tense and confused smile.

" What are you thinking about?" Syaoran asked.

" Uhh..umm..nothing how about you, what are you thinking about?" Sakura replied, the sadness lay still within her eyes.

" Me too."

" Syaoran?"

" Hmm?"

" We haven't talked for ages." She croaked.

" Yeah we haven't. I'm sorry. These days, I've been out of it. It's not only you though Sakura, Eriol and Tomoyo have talked to me about it as well. I just needed to be alone." Syaoran explained, it was half the truth anyway.

" Oh okay. Syaoran, but what's wrong?"

" Uhh…I don't know, I've just been sad these days. I'll get over it."

Sakura nodded shyly and looked ahead. The autumn leaves falling slowly before landing gracefully on the cement walkway of the park.

" It's so beautiful." Sakura gasped in admiration.

Not as beautiful as you, Syaoran thought.

" Did you say something?"

" Umm…no" Shit did I say that out loud? Syaoran cursed to himself.

" Hey, Sakura-chan?"

" Hmm?"

" Wanna have a swings contest?"

" Bring it on. Syao-kun."

Sakura positioned herself comfortably on the swing. She was ready to kick his ass. That was all she needed, to have fun with him again. Syaoran too, was ready to swing in style.

" Ready?" Sakura announced, gripping her hands on the chains harder.

" The question is my ying fa, are YOU ready?"

" Shut up!"

And off they went, Sakura swinging frantically while Syaoran too was trying to get as high as possible. Syaoran pushed his weight further back to increase the speed. Sakura lifted her legs above her whole body.

" Three!" Syaoran counted.

" Two!"

" One!"

Both of them jumped off the swing as far as they can. This is where and how they will win, to see how far both of them can land from jumping off the swings. Sakura shrieked, flapping her legs wildly airborne. Syaoran reached his body out as further as he could. With a thump, Sakura landed ungracefully on the grown, followed by Syaoran a few seconds later.

Sakura groaned in pain, she wouldn't be surprised if her knees burst. Her stomach contracted in pain as well, lying on hard cemented ground.

" AUUGH…shit." Syaoran groaned, he made a mistake of making his thumb land first before being crushed by his whole body. He blew constantly on his throbbing thumb.

Both of them peaked to see who was the winner. It was-

" OH MY GOD, I WON!" Sakura tried to sound like a winner, but she was in too much pain.

" Psssh…" Syaoran hissed.

" Heheh..you suck!" Sakura giggled.

Syaoran got up, stuck his hand out, to help Sakura up. Sakura grinned at the offer, she took his hand and he helped her up. Sakura trembled slightly.

" Heh Sakura, I think you did what it took to win against the great Syaoran, you're in pain." Syaoran smirked.

" Shut up!" Sakura fell, instantly Syaoran grabbed her shoulders.

Both of them are walking together out of Penguin Park to Sakura's home, Syaoran supporting Sakura. Syaoran blushed at the nice smell coming from her hair, and the warmth of her small but slender body.

" Hey, Syaoran?"

" Yeah?"

" Let's do this again."

" Of course."

" Syaoran?"

" Yeeeah?"

" I missed you"

Syaoran gave his smart-aleck smile and leveled his handsome face to Sakura. Making his chocolate brown eyes go as close as possible to Sakura's innocent green ones without any contact. He touched his nose to hers and winked.

" I missed you too."

TBC

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A/N: There? How was that? I know it was too much dialogue. I'm sure a couple of you will complain. Sorry! Anyways please review!

Nops .