Under the Cherry Blossom Tree

Chapter X

--I Choose You—

'It's love, and I've loved her ever since I laid eyes on her.' Those words recurred running through her mind.

"Tomoyo," both boys uttered. Both had their eyes gazing at the girl in front of them, waiting to hear the choice.

Tomoyo blinked for a moment and recalled the whole scene before that line. With the note from yesterday and this episode, she wasn't sure how she felt anymore.

"What is this? Some kind of prank?" Tomoyo began steaming. "A silly little contest to see who was better?"

"T-Tomoyo…what are you talking about?" Eriol stammered, trying to cool down the girl.

Before Tomoyo could get another word out, Eriol continued, "You did hear Ryu and me arguing right? About how much we like you…"

"Yeah, I mean when I first told Eriol that I liked you and I was going to ask you out one day, he got jealous so he declared a little contest."

"It was your idea, Eriol?" Tomoyo snapped at him, now unaware why. The guy of her dreams loved her, but the anger in the little contest rode above. "Why?"

"Uh…" Eriol gulped. "Becau—"

The furious raven hair girl cut in. "Why? If you say you loved me since you've met me, why make it into a contest on as to who I would pick?" Her lovely amethyst orbs were red and watery. "Why didn't you come out and say it? Even if some guy did beat you to me, can't you trust love?"

"Uh, hello, forgetting someone?" Ryu butted in a little terrified of Tomoyo now. He seemed to be losing his attraction to her by the second.

"Tomoyo, what do you mean?" Eriol, one of the smartest guys in his grade, asked in perplexity, taking a bold step toward her.

Small droplets of salty liquid began dripping down the girl's now pink face. "I LOVE YOU, STUPID! I've fallen in love with you!"

The words rang in his head as he took another step, this time close enough to pull her in to a hug. Both were blushing, but neither cared because the one that they loved was right next to him or her. Eriol muttered some calming words to his love. She was his now, right? His Tomoyo. It sounded strange, yet he liked it.

The empty long corridor was starting to cease as a few noisy students came in so the new couple pushed from each other, still blushing.

"So…we're…?"

"Yeah, but Ryu!"

"Looks like he left. Sorry about upsetting you."

"No, no. I was just overreacting. I guess I'll have to give him back his stuff," Tomoyo stated. Her eyes were returning to normal amethyst. "Which one is yours?" she asked, pointing to the two bags.

Eriol pointed to the pink bag, the one farthest from Tomoyo. "So you're the locker admirer."

"What?"

"Well, I kept on getting things from you in my locker and the same with Ryu except on my desk so I called you the locker admirer and Ryu the desk admirer."

Tomoyo then shifted her attention to the pink bag and looked through it to take out the silver bracelet with the single heart. She tried to put it on herself, but after struggling for awhile, Eriol took it in his hands and clasped it together.

"Thanks," Tomoyo muttered kindly. "Thanks for everything; the notes, the gifts. They were all really sweet and lovely. Oh and did you lied to me about the person that bought the statue?"

"Er…yeah, but I didn't want you to know so soon. Besides, I wasn't sure how to tell you and stuff." Eriol's gaze landed to the floor, not wanting to look up at Tomoyo.

"Hohoho, wait 'til Sakura hears about this!" Tomoyo added.

"I think I'll stick to telling Syaoran."

"Speaking of them, don't you think that Sakura and Syaoran would make a cute couple?" Tomoyo changed the subject, her eyes now gleaming with a mischievous look.

"Tomoyo, what are you thinking?" Eriol inquired, his voice hinting a want of participation. "If you want to hook them up, I will gladly help."

"Really?" Tomoyo's eyes widen to big round plates. "I knew there's a reason why I love you."

"I've been teasing Syaoran for awhile now so I think it's time to take it to the next level."

"Hmm…well Sakura's too dense to realize if she likes someone, much less know if someone likes her."

"Let's start planning," Eriol said with a big smirk.

"And one day, I'll get to tape Sakura's confession or something," Tomoyo added, sighing happily. "Today is one of the best days of my life."

XXXXX

The loud usual bell rang to dismiss the end of the school day. It was a sunny warm autumn afternoon. By after school that day, basically everyone in Tomoyo's classes and Eriol's classes knew that the two were going out.

When the couple and Sakura met after school at the old green gates in front of the old building, some guys teased Eriol and Tomoyo when the passed them in their own group. Of course the two instantly blushed since they weren't used to this just yet.

Sakura, feeling a little left out kind of drowned into the depths of her own thoughts. Eriol was with Tomoyo, which meant Syaoran was safe and sound from Tomoyo, giving her the edge…the edge on what? Her mind raced with mixed confused emotions. Syaoran was her friend just like Tomoyo and Eriol so why was she thinking such strange thoughts lately? She was happy for her two close friends, honestly, but she won't lie, Sakura felt a pang in her heart.

"…Sakura….Earth to Sakura, can you hear me?" Eriol waved a hand in front of her.

Sakura blinked. "Huh?"

"We were saying, we should visit Syaoran today and tell him. It isn't fair that he's our friend and doesn't find out today," Tomoyo repeated, grinning malignantly, but Sakura didn't notice.

"Uh…sure. I'll just call home so no one will worry."

While Sakura was dialing, Eriol and Tomoyo were whispering happily to each other a few feet away from the auburn hair girl behind a couple of bushes with Sakura's back facing them.

"Let Operation Sakura and Syaoran like each other, love each other, and get together commence," Tomoyo muttered excitedly that she almost shouted.

"That's a tad long, don't you think Tomoyo?" Eriol remarked. "How about Operation Setup Sakura and Syaoran?"

Tomoyo pouted but had to succumb.

"What are you two talking about?" Sakura questioned, walking towards them. "It seemed like you two were having a private conversation."

"It's nothing Sakura," Eriol uttered.

"Then why were you two talking behind a bush?"

"He's right. We're just talking about our first date for sometime," Tomoyo chirped as pink crept on her cheeks.

"So what are we waiting for? Let's go give Syaoran a surprise visit!" Eriol changed the subject.

XXXXX

An amber hair teen was casually watching TV in the wore-down living room, the only place with a TV. A television, couch, coffee table, couple of chairs, and a radio filled the entire room. The only decorations in the white crayoned room were the curtains, a rug, and some plants. The television screen wasn't large but wasn't small and it had rundown antennas that looked like it was going to fall any second. He sat comfortably on an old donated couch, gazing at the screen without blinking as if he was a zombie. The black remote had buttons that didn't function when you pressed on it so everyone had to walk up and change the channel, but only the power button worked.

After all these years, even becoming nicer a little, the other housemates were all terrified of him so no one was in the room watching though some peered slyly into the room to catch and hear a glimpse here and there. Though Syaoran felt really bad, he didn't say or show any emotion because he enjoyed the silence except the noise emitting from the television.

"Guess who?" a cheery, very familiar voice rang in his ears as the person's hands went over his eyes.

"Sakura."

"You win." Sakura took her hands off and Syaoran's zombie expression hadn't changed much as he gazed at her, which the girl instantly blushed. Tomoyo and Eriol came up behind her.

"Why are you guys here?" he spat. "Seeing you once a week is enough."

"We wanted to tell you something," Tomoyo spoke up.

"Well what is it?" Syaoran asked hastily, closing the TV. "What's so important that you guys are coming here after school on a Friday for?"

"I won the contest," Eriol said simply.

"And you couldn't wait to tell me this tomorrow?"

"He knew about the little contest too?" Tomoyo sent a glare at Eriol as her voice raised.

"Well…he…there…friend…" Eriol stammered, scooting back away from the boiled girl.

"Umm…guys, maybe we should go somewhere else where no one is eavesdropping?" Sakura piped up, nervously looking at the other orphans.

"Fine." So they all headed up to Syaoran's room. Half of the room was still vacant ever since Eriol left, making the room look bigger than it really was. Syaoran had been assigned many different roommates, but none had worked out, protesting on his inert attitude that terrified everyone.

"To make it easy for your simple mind to comprehend, Tomoyo and I are going out," Eriol stated once the door closed.

"Congrats man! Anything else?" Syaoran snapped.

"Well aren't you in a grouchy mood," Eriol commented, as the amber eye teen sent a cold glower.

"Actually there is…" Tomoyo added.

"Really? What is it?" Sakura's eyes widen, curious to know what it was that she hadn't known yet.

"We were hoping that you two wouldn't mind if we went on a date tomorrow instead of hanging out together. You and Sakura can continue hang out though," Tomoyo said straight to the point, an evil glint in her amethyst orbs as she put her hands before her back.

"But it's always been the four of us," Sakura pouted.

Syaoran didn't say anything but raised an eyebrow at Eriol who was giving him a pleading look.

"Fine," Syaoran said. "I don't mind, but you can't do this every time."

"We promise."

"I guess I don't mind either, but you have to tell me all about your date when you come back Tomoyo!" Sakura ordered.

Tomoyo giggled. "Alright Sakura, alright."

In both the new couple's mind, only one thing was established, 'Operation Setup Sakura and Syaoran plan A a success!'

"Sorry to cut our little visit short, but Tomoyo and I want to talk about our plan for tomorrow so we'll see you two later," Eriol smirked, leaving the room was Tomoyo following.

"I can't believe they actually agreed!" Tomoyo whispered excitedly. "I wonder what they're talking about right now."

"Me too, but by the looks of things, probably not much. Syaoran's Syaoran."

"True, but that's why we're gonna make him fall in love with her! Hohoho."

"Well, let it unravel because I think we need to talk about our date and spying on the two," Eriol grinned.

Back with the other two….

"Syaoran," Sakura said innocently. "Do you feel left out?"

"What do you mean?" His grouchy mood seemed to disappear for some odd reason that he couldn't explain. Syaoran stared at the unusual dishearten Sakura, who was sitting down on the other side of the room on the ragged mattress.

"Well, Tomoyo and Eriol are together, and sooner or later, they'll be together a lot more often. Then one day, you're going to leave for someone. Then I'll be left alone," Sakura muttered sadly, not looking at Syaoran's gaze.

Somehow seeing Sakura sad didn't settle with Syaoran. Sure the hyper cheerfulness was annoying, but it suited her better. He strangely enough, didn't like to see her like this. "Are you kidding me? You think you're going to be left alone? Let's switch this. You'll be leaving for someone and I'll be left alone."

Sakura's disconcerted face gawked at Syaoran. "It took me awhile to become your friend and it'll probably take even longer for someone to like me and don't forget I have to like her also. All the kids here are afraid of me so the chances of me leaving for some girl is slim."

"You could change," Sakura mumbled.

"I won't. You'll be happy with some guy and forget all about me," Syaoran stated. In his heart, he felt a singe of disappoint but shook it off.

"I won't forget you!" Sakura argued. "You're one of my best friends."

"For now," Syaoran retorted.

"No! Forever. You, Tomoyo, Eriol, and I are going to be best friends forever no matter what happens!"

"Listen, if family doesn't last forever neither will friendships." Syaoran felt his grouchy mood return with twice the strength. Who was this girl that was going to test him on friendship?

"I'll prove it!" the auburn hair girl said determinedly.

"I'd like to see you try!"

"I will, and it'll start tomorrow when I'll be here at the usual time. Each day passing by is just adding up to another year," Sakura huffed off, slamming his door on the way out.

Sakura was out of the orphanage in ten seconds flat. 'Argh! He's so frustrating sometimes. I hope he's not too mad at me, but I will show him that friendships can last forever.' She stomped all of the way home, half angry and frustrated at Syaoran and half worried that he was mad at her.

Syaoran on the other hand was grinning on his bed. He would like someone to prove him wrong about his theory because he wanted to feel happy again like he did before this chapter of his life began. Convinced that he had changed and grown a lot inside, he had a feeling meeting Eriol, Sakura, and Tomoyo was just the beginning to life besides friendship.

XXXXX

Author's Note: Hmm…this was unexpected, stinky, lousy for me. This whole chapter. Oh well, just means a tad bit longer story for the readers, eh?

Since it sucked and I got over 10 GREAT, VERY NICE reviews (which I thank very much and gratefully), soI posted 2 chapters! Click on the lovely purple next button to continue!

Review for this chappie if you want!