SAI

I have known Sakura now for 9 months, and I am still surprised I haven't found her boring yet. If she were any other girl, I probably would've broken up with her a long time ago for lack of hotness. But if I would just be honest with myself, I am the clingy one. I find myself needing her opinions and wanting to listen to her stories or watching her dorky ways.

I can't describe what I feel but she makes me feel good inside, maybe because I am slowly regaining my old self. I have been losing popularity with the girls since I started hanging out with Sakura but I don't really mind.

I have found myself an exception to my rule, a girl I could not break-up with. A girl I am not dating.


SAKURA

With Sai's influence, I have decided to become a girl concerned only for today with no regrets for yesterday or worries of tomorrow. I have decided to be spontaneous even just for a day. I invited Sai to watch the sunrise with me. Since I have conceded to watching sunset with him, it was only fair to have him watch sunrise with me.

For our activity, we decided to sleep on top of a rooftop and wait for the sunrise. We packed some breakfast and sleeping bags.

To pass time, we have decided to discuss our favourite books. I voted for Sleeping Beauty and Snow White. Two books I've loved since childhood. Sai told me I was naïve for believing in prince charming. I don't think it was the prince that caught my attention but rather the kiss. How could a kiss be so powerful as to wake someone from eternal sleep?


SAI

I told Sakura I used to love Peter Pan. As a kid, it was my dream to run away to Never land and play with the lost boys and battle indians and pirates. I did not want to grow up. Sadly, reality tells us otherwise. I have been feeling responsibility looming over me especially as I near graduation. And I have lost all notions of childishness.

"Sasuke loves Peter Pan. Weird, he also said the same thing. But Sai has lost the kid in him." Sakura thought.

"But isn't the ending sad? He forgot about Wendy and when they meet again, she's old." She said.

Somehow I thought I've heard those words before. "Peter Pan is not a love story."


Sakura showed Sai her own poems, which she haven't shown anyone yet for being too shy and scared of what they might think. However, she knew somehow, that Sai would understand them.

As Sai read her poems, he thought he could understand her more. One poem of her caught his eye and seemed to translate what he feels most of the time.

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Emptiness

I've always had this feeling, the kind that sneaks up on you

When you least expect it

When you're in a crowd or just by yourself

Worst is when you're in bed and you can't sleep

It squeezes you by the chest that you can't breathe

Maybe it's emptiness or loneliness

To carry your own solitary cross

To feel left out even in a crowd

Wondering why they're happy or if they were also like me

When I'm alone I wonder, did I choose to be?

Or am I hard to love that nobody wants to be with me?

When I'm in bed, it keeps me awake

Until I'm tired enough to sleep

Tired from crying

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"Sakura…you are really something else." He thought then took her hand and held it.

Sakura was surprised by Sai's reaction. "Does he like my poem or does he pity me?" she thought. "And why do I feel myself blushing? Is he holding my hand?"

Sai never let go of Sakura's hand even when it was sweaty and she has fallen asleep. He thought "Aniki, could it be? I finally found someone to fill the emptiness?"

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Light breaks through the dark

Everything becomes sun-kissed

Wake-up sleepyhead

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