Disclaimer: I do not own ccs, clamp does
SOMETIME IN APRIL
Chapter 7
Until Sunrise
Two weeks later
Syaoran steadily opened the door and entered Stars bookstore. As usual, the tiny bell on top of the door rang and the smell of fresh flowers filled the atmosphere. He looked up to see who was at the counter then immediately turned away.
"Damn it." He muttered still in his secluded world.
"Hi Syaoran." Tomoyo greeted looking up at him.
He walked up to her and cleared his throat "Hello."
"What are you doing here?" She asked waving a pen playfully.
"I'm here to…buy a book."
Tomoyo nearly laughed, Syaoran could be so predictable.
"Alright." Tomoyo managed to keep a straight face.
He walked around the bookstore for a few seconds and quickly grabbed anything he could find. He walked up to the counter and took out his credit card.
"That was fast." A beaming smile spread across Tomoyo's face.
He simply nodded.
"Sakura's not here."
His eyebrows shot up and he blushed massively. The break of sweat on his forehead was visible.
"I'm not looking for Sakura…no." He laughed nervously in between each two words.
Tomoyo rolled her eyes "Yeah right; would you like to know where she is?"
Syaoran shook his head "No, I told you, I'm not looking for her."
"Whatever you say Romeo. Have you finally run out of excuses to spend time with her?"
"I don't know what you are talking about." Syaoran blushed even more.
Tomoyo looked at the books he was waiting for her to scan. She broke into sheer laugher and all he could do was stare at her puzzled.
"What's wrong?"
She showed him the cover of the book and read the title "Ways to ease the discomforts of premenstrual syndrome."
Syaoran wanted to burry himself; he might as well tell her that he was looking for Sakura.
"Syaoran, I didn't like know it was like that time of the month for like you too." She teased posing a funny girly accent.
Syaoran pretended to laugh along before he immediately toughened up again "Fine, you caught me, I was looking for her."
"Saturday afternoon's must be long and boring without her."
"Yeah, Sunday's are worse." He said pensively before shaking his head "What I mean is different."
"How cute." She said with stars in her eyes.
"O…kay, you won't tell her will you?"
"Tell her what? That you miss her and you want to spend time with her. That you came looking for her and you possibly still have romantic feelings for her."
Syaoran faked a desperate smile "That sums it up."
"I won't"
Syaoran finally released a genuine smile "Am I that obvious?"
"Yes." Tomoyo smirked "Get her flowers, cherry blossom. Tell her that you were thinking of her. You guys haven't seen each other in two weeks."
Syaoran shrugged "I can't…she'll figure it out."
Tomoyo sighed.
"I better get back to my boring life." He started his way out before he stopped and looked at Tomoyo "So where is she?"
"She went on a picnic, with your brother."
Syaoran slowly nodded.
…………………….
Sometime during the night when Syaoran was ready to go to bed, he heard the sound of his doorbell. He dragged himself from the bedroom to the front door. He looked though the tiny hole and immediately lost all sensibility when he saw Sakura's face. He quickly checked if his breath was fine and if he smelled alright. He slowly opened the door. This was going to be it, the moment that would determine the turnout of events for the rest of the night. He was on top of his game, confident and ready to be Mr. Romantic. Every time before he encountered her, he had prepared a diligent performance to win her heart but it always fell flat on the floor. This time, he was certain the outcome would be different.
The door was now wide open. He winked at her "I've been thinking about you."
Sakura blushed then giggled like a nosy school girl "Do you always answer the door in your underwear these days or is it just my unlucky day?"
Syaoran looked down at what he was wearing; he was in his green boxer shorts and a white t-shirt.
He blushed 'how does this keep happening to me?' he asked himself. 'Alright, think of something. Come on Syaoran, you always have something clever to say.'
He smirked at her then said "Come on Sakura, we're both adults. It's nothing you haven't seen." He said in a macho voice that came out of nowhere.
Sakura's jaw dropped then she giggled again "Very funny, you're acting more weird than usual but I guess I should expect that from you."
Syaoran still felt very embarrassed. He let her in then closed the door. "So, what are you doing here at this time?"
She took off her olive coat and put it on the coat hanger. "Tomoyo told me you were looking for me."
"She did?" his heart was beating fast.
"Yes, I don't understand why you just couldn't call me." She quickly tucked her hair behind her ear then smiled "Anyway, I've got a lot of stuff for us to do."
She breezed into the vast living room area with a brown leather bag over her shoulder. He followed her into his secluded domain. The design of his apartment was classy and futuristic. The walls were cream; it had French windows and beautiful artifacts. His home was one way of telling that Syaoran was a man with great taste.
"What do you mean stuff?"
"Tomoyo told me how bored you were. It must be hard with Rumiko out of town. Speaking of Rumiko, have you heard from her? I've been trying to reach her since she left two weeks ago but I can't get hold of her. Do you know when she will be back?"
Sakura spoke so fast he barely heard a word she said. He simply shrugged then told Sakura "I don't know." He was relieved. Rumiko had left for Hong Kong the same day Sakura planned to tell her about their affair and her pregnancy.
She sat on the couch and he sat next to her. She placed her bag on the space between them and unzipped it.
She took out a few candy wrappers and a makeup kit "This is embarrassing, I have this horrible habit of forgetting stuff in my bag or forgetting my bag."
She took out two DVDs and smiled "We can watch these."
Syaoran took the DVDs from her hands and squinted. He sighed then placed them on the coffee table.
"Don't you like them?" Sakura asked noticing the look on his face.
"The notebook and Titanic? Not exactly."
"Come on, I know plenty of guys who are into these movies."
Syaoran faked a chuckled "Like who?" he asked lightly.
Sakura laughed "Uh…" she paused then looked at him "I just can't think of anyone right now."
Syaoran shook his head.
"Please." She pleaded. How could he resist that smile and those big bright eyes? He casually smiled "Fine, but next time I get to choose."
She smiled and took out a notepad "I wrote down a couple of names for our unborn son."
One of Syaoran's eyebrows rose "Son?"
"I have a strong feeling it's a boy."
"And I have a strong feeling it's a girl."
They looked at each other for a few seconds.
"Okay, let's make a deal. If it's a boy, I get to choose the name. If it's a girl, you can choose the name."
"Fine with me." He said with a smirk on his face.
They shook hands in agreement.
………………………………..
During the movie (after Syaoran had changed into something decent), Sakura held a cushion to her chest and watched the movie teary eyes. Syaoran on the other hand glared at the T.V screen. If he wasn't thinking about the woman next to him, he was trying to figure out what she found so captivating about a predictable plot and cheesy lines.
She noticed how bored he looked; though his body was there she could tell that his mind was somewhere else. She playfully poked him on the shoulder. He shuddered in surprise looking straight at her.
"Are you even watching?" she asked him.
He rubbed his head "Yeah, uh…they've hooked up again right?"
Sakura smiled, it could have been a lucky guess but it was good enough. It was the part of the movie where the two main characters share a kiss in the rain. Sakura looked at Syaoran just to see the look on his face. She blushed then turned away. The scene was so intense and romantic; it made her want to jump into his arms.
'Lucky bastard.' Syaoran thought this time really paying attention. He wished Sakura would forgive him for everything and they would forget about that Rumiko person.
When the movie was over, Sakura still had tears in her eyes. Syaoran looked at her and asked "Why are you crying?"
The tears flowed from her eyes "It's just so sad…and romantic."
Syaoran handed her a box of tissue and smiled gently at her "Haven't you already seen this?"
She sniffled "Only seven times; the ending always makes me cry…I'm sorry."
In a way, her crying made him feel uneasy. "It's alright, but Sakura it's only a movie."
"I know." She stopped crying "I just wonder how it would be like to have someone as romantic as Noah fighting to be with me."
"Come on, I was romantic when we were together…remember?"
Sakura pretended to think "Uh, no."
Syaoran sat up as though suddenly awoken "I got you flowers, chocolate and I always told you that you were beautiful. It doesn't get more romantic than that."
"That's just it Syaoran, I don't mean that kind of romantic. I mean kisses in the rain and it would have been nice if you built me my dream house."
Syaoran sighed "Built you a house?"
Sakura laughed "I'm only joking."
"So was I romantic?"
Sakura laughed again, she didn't understand why this meant so much to him. She decided to once again tease him "I can't remember." She told him.
He shook his head like he was telling her 'I can't believe you'
The rest of the night went by very quickly. They laughed, talked and even had a popcorn fight in between. Sakura at one point found herself standing in his bedroom. She looked around; it had vast space and bachelor paradise written all over it. She yawned then turned around to see what he was up to.
"I'm so tired." She told him with her eyes half closed.
"I'll only be a few more minutes." He said looking under his bed. He told her that he had something important to show her. It had already been ten minutes and he was still looking for it.
She sat on his bed before she rested her head gently on his pillow. "Do you…" she purred "mind if I take a short nap?"
He nodded still caught up with finding that special thing. When he finally found it in his closet, he walked up to her excited.
"I found it, remember this…" he looked up and noticed that she was fast asleep. In his hand was a tangerine teddy bear he won for her at a fair back when they were together. She lost it a couple of days later and he found in his garden that very morning.
He took out a blanket and softly covered her with it. He wasted no time to stare at her. He sighed inwardly; she was peaceful and listless. She took his breath away. He was unable to fight the urge of planting a gentle kiss on her forehead. He placed the teddy bear next to her and turned off the lamp light.
He crept up next to her and lay on the other side of the bed. He slowly closed his eyes then opened them again just to make sure that he wasn't dreaming. After that he finally went to sleep.
……………………………..
Syaoran felt someone shaking him aggressively. "Stop it!" he said still asleep.
"Syaoran!" Sakura shook him again.
He quickly opened his eyes after recognizing her voice. The room was still dark and Sakura was crouching right beside him. "Sakura? What's wrong?"
"I'm going home." She told him in a half whisper.
He sat up and turned on the lamp light "Why? It's must be around 2 am."
Sakura slightly croaked her head and tightened the grip she had on her shoes "I know…it's just that…" 'What's my excuse again?' she asked herself before smiling at him "I promised myself that I would never spend another night with you."
He nearly laughed "Put your shoes back on the floor honey and come to bed." Syaoran said with a dramatic flourish. He rubbed his eyes then smiled at her when he saw the look on her face. "It's too late for you to go home."
She stood up "Fine, I understand what you are trying to say." She returned to her position on the other side of the bed. "I'm sorry; my make up stained your pillow case."
He turned aside to face her "It's only make-up."
Sakura saw the tangerine bear next to her. It nearly brought tears to her eyes. She held it to her chest "Where did you find it?"
"In the yard. I don't know how it ended up there."
She closed her eyes and held it even tighter. She was like a little girl with her favorite toy. "I'm definitely going to pass this down to our baby."
Syaoran beamed at the sight of her more tender side.
"You're a great friend Syaoran and I just know that you're going to be an even better dad."
Syaoran was not as sure of himself. He turned off the light lamp and laid unconvinced in darkness; he had so many doubts about that role. He had never been so apprehensive to experience something new. He felt that since he failed with Sakura, he was bound to fail with their child.
Sakura lay down facing him, there was a long dreadful silence "You're quiet." She whispered to him. He said nothing but positioned his face toward her.
"What are you thinking about?"
"I don't think I'm going to be a good father." He said in a tone heavy with grief.
"What would make you say that?" she kept her tone gentle.
"My grandfather was a horrible father…my father was worse. I don't know what it means to be a good father."
"You'll know when the baby is here. You need to stop relating your personality to that of your father. You're not like him."
"Eriol says I am…this thing with you and all these lies. The less I try to be like him, the more I feel like I am becoming him."
"That's his opinion. For starters unlike your father, you told you're family about us before it was too late and you are willing to tell Rumiko. You didn't leave me when I told you I was pregnant. You're still here with me along every step of it and I appreciate that." She paused "More than you know."
Syaoran felt guilt explode in his body. He said nothing and closed his eyes for short while. When another interval of silence passed, he held her hand.
"Don't fall asleep; I want to talk to you till sunrise."
She felt her heart tremble as he slowly released her hand.
………………………………
Early that morning as Sakura slowly opened her tired eyes. She felt a strong arm around her waist. She jerked her shoulder then slowly turned her head. He had his head buried between her neck and her shoulder and she could feel the elbow of his other arm on her spine. She could feel his heartbeat and his breath on her skin.
"Syao." She said loudly.
He slowly opened his eyes then jumped up as though she was a burning flame. His cheeks were already red as he tried not to stare at her. She looked at him and blinked hard. He looked at her and blinked hard too.
He managed a faint smirk "I'll make breakfast."
Sakura nodded; she looked pale and frail.
"Are you…what's wrong?" he asked nervously.
She shrugged and stood up "I need to go to the bathroom…morning sickness."
He nodded. "Uh, sure."
…………………………….
The rest of the morning went by more smoothly. Once Sakura was better they were able to eat breakfast and he insisted on tidying up alone. Sakura did not mean it to happen, but she found herself back at her apartment 2:00 in the afternoon. She did not mean for many things to happen when it came to Syaoran, they just did and when she tried to give herself an explanation, she would come up with nothing.
She dropped her bag on the counter and sighed loudly. She ambled to the living room and gently tossed herself on the couch. She barely got any sleep. This was due to the movie marathon and the two hour pillow talk. She slowly closed her eyes and thought of all the exciting things they talked about. He was sweet sedation; she knew that she was going to get hurt eventually—again.
As she gently glided into slumber, there was a hard knock on her door. Sakura clenched her teeth and sighed loudly before opening her tired eyes.
She opened the door and found Eriol grinning at her. She felt too tired to even smile.
"Good afternoon."
She accidentally yawned then clamped her hand over her mouth feeling a little embarrassed. "Afternoon." She tried to look attentive.
"I see I came at the wrong time."
Sakura shook her head then scratched through her already messy hair. 'Sakura, that was so unladylike.' Her conscious yelled 'shut up!' she yelled back in her mind.
"No, come in."
Eriol walked in and Sakura offered him a drink. He sat next to her on the sofa and spoke wholeheartedly about their past. One particular memory made her laugh and caught her attention.
A nostalgic smile spread across Eriol's face. "We once had no money to see a movie and we were so keen on watching a movie that Friday night. Remember, we snuck into the cinema, we watched the movie for half an hour before we were thrown out. We went two more times until we were banned from that cinema." He paused smiling at his memory.
She rested her chin on her palm and watched him reminisce. The times they shared together were indeed one of the best times of her life.
"Whatever happened to us?" he asked bleakly "We were so good together, there couldn't be a better match."
Sakura shrugged her shoulders "You got mad and broke up with me when I couldn't tell you that I loved you."
Eriol did not need the reminder; he had thought of the breakup for years and had regretted ever leaving her side. He felt like he should have been patient with her, after all that is what love is all about.
"I was an idiot." He said looking her in the eyes. Sakura appeared unmoved.
He shifted closer to her and as soon as she felt his knee stoke hers, she coyly smiled at him. She cleared her throat "I'm so exhausted" she faked an exaggerated yawn.
"How come, didn't you get enough sleep?"
She slowly shook her head "Nope, Syaoran and I were up all night. He just couldn't get enough of it."
Eriol blushed as his mouth went dry. His mind wandered all over the place trying to figure out what she meant by 'it'. He found his body automatically drifting away from Sakura.
"All night doing what…what do you mean by 'it'?"
"Syaoran wanted to keep talking all night. I went to visit him last night and I ended up sleeping over. Every time I visit him at night, I always end up sleeping over. I don't know how it always happens."
"That's all you did? Talk?" Eriol tried to calm his boiling veins.
"We also watched a movie and ate…" she looked at him realizing how insecure he was. "Don't worry, nothing happened. Syaoran and I are friends; I would never let it get that far."
Eriol beamed then moved closer to her again. "You have a strange way of putting things."
"Syaoran has a fiancé already and even though it took me a long time, I respect that…"
Eriol closed his eyes and leaned his forehead against Sakura thus she stopped talking.
"I don't want to talk about him…" Eriol whispered to her.
He rubbed his nose against hers' then closed the gap that was between their lips.
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A/N: Hi everyone, I'm psyched about finishing chapter 7. Thank you to everyone who is still reading or still reviewing. I really appreciate it. The reviews went down so that was a bit of a set back but I got back on my feet and I'm going to finish this story like I promised. I have so many ideas for the ending already—they won't stop coming. Plz review this one .……
