Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Friendly Talks and Kisses

"Hi Sakura.." Syaoran said when he was standing right in front of her. His voice was quivering a little as he holds three long stemmed white roses behind hi. Sakura looked up from what she was reading and gave him a really big smile.

"I thought you'd never come", she said, closing the pink notebook she saw a while ago and placing it back in her bag. Syaoran smiled shyly, fidgeting with the roses. Sakura saw a petal poking from behind him.

"You wouldn't mind if I ask if those roses are for me, would you?" Sakura asked, smiling wider.

"Oh? This? Erm… Yeah. I hope you like them", Syaoran said, looking away from her and focusing her eyes on the people hurrying past them. He was trembling deep inside, afraid of making a mistake. This is the first ever date he's having and he's having butterflies on his stomach. "Well, eh.. Let's go then?" he asked.

Sakura nodded, staring at him for a long silent moment before making a step.

Tomoyo was carefully retracing her steps from last night. She was at the exact spot where Eriol saved her and yet there was still no sign of anyone she could ask for information. She was a little nervous coming here. She was clutching her box of brownies in one hand and the other hand, clutching her bag tightly. What does a man like Eriol doing here at that time of night? He doesn't look like a robber or anything.

Finally, there was a man who emerged from a door at her far right corner. He was a small man, front teeth missing and looks looked like he hadn't had a bath for years.

"Excuse me.." Tomoyo said, calling the attention of the little man. The man looked at her and she thought she saw a flash of recognition in his face.

"Can I ask you something?"

"You're already asking me 'something'" the man said, a trace of humor in his voice. He was Spinnel, Eriol's friend. He was a bit happy to see a girl as rich as her voluntarily but when he recognized her, he had second thoughts about robbing her. This was the girl Eriol saved last night and if he finds out that he robbed the girl… man he doesn't want to think about it.

"Uhmm.. Does a man named Eriol live here?" Tomoyo asked and Spinnel's eyes widened. She knows Eriol!

"Why are you asking?" Spinnel asked suspiciously. There was a voice behind them.

"I thought I told you not to go to these kinds of places again.." Eriol said. Tomoyo turned around and suppressed a smile when she saw him leaning on a wall behind them, folding a piece of paper.

"I.. I was looking for you.." Tomoyo said. Blushing to the tips of her toes as Eriol came nearer.

"I'll handle it, Spinnel", Eriol calmly said . Spinnel gave him a raised eyebrow then disappeared in a corner.

"Uhm.. Sakura, where do you wanna go?" Syaoran said, stepping on the gas pedal when the lights turned green. Sakura stopped sniffing the roses and blushed a little.

"Depends on you", Sakura said, shyly staring out the window. Actually, sitting here in the same car where he's in is enough for her. But she didn't dare tell him that because she knew that this is a hopeless battle. This is something she will regret later in the future. But still, she wanted to enjoy this moment..

This moment with him…

Syaoran smiled, "Well, to tell you honestly, this is my first time going out on a date. I don't know where to take you", Syaoran said, blushing. Sakura looked at him with a little playful smile one her lips.

"The mall would be fine", she said, slightly heaving a sigh. So, she wasn't the only one feeling fidgety. She never thought Syaoran would admit this was his first date. She always believed that guys don't admit those kind of things. But with Syaoran, everything would be a bit different.

The pale afternoon sunlight was enough to lessen the heat of the day. Syaoran was telling the truth when he said that this was his first time. He really didn't know what to do. Sakura was practically the one pulling towards places where she wanted to go and he playfully gives in. After watching a movie In one of the cinemas, Syaoran was left snoring slightly. The movie was actually meant to be a thriller but it turned out to be a boring tale of chasing and killing. Sakura herself could swear that she was a bit sleepy. But the highlight of this experience was watching Syaoran snore lightly beside her. He looks really calm and peaceful when he sleeps. She tapped him lightly on the shoulder and when he woke up, she was giggling softly in his ears.

"What happened?" Syaoran asked, rubbing his eyes as they went out.

Sakura giggled again, "You slept". She added. Syaoran gave a light groan.

"oh man, gomen nesai.. As a payment for sleeping on you, I'll buy you a tall cone of ice cream", Syaoran said and Sakura gave him a playful nudge.

Tomoyo was standing in front of Eriol, looking deeply into those sapphire eyes. He wanted to look tough but she could see right through him. He was an ordinary lonely guy, wanting to be loved..

Needing to be loved..

"I.. I just came.. to.. give you this", Tomoyo said, handing him the box of brownies she bought.

"For what?" Eriol asked, motioning her to follow him. Tomoyo followed him out of the alleyway.

"For saving me the last night", Tomoyo said, twisting her fingers shyly.

Eriol gave a soft throaty laugh. "You shouldn't have come back", he said, opening the box and offering it to Tomoyo. The latter shook her head.

"are you… do you usually save girls like that?" Tomoyo asked, still following him, the sunlight illuminating his tired face. "Do you live here?"

"You ask too many questions. Look", Eriol said, turning around and facing her. Tomoyo realized they were already to cross the busy streets of Hong Kong. "Don't come back again, okay? I told you before, it's way too dangerous for you. And thanks for the brownies. They're delicious", Eriol said.

Tomoyo was left looking at him silently, she will come back..

She will come back to know more about this guy, who's starting to make her feel something different..

Meanwhile, Syaoran and Sakura were both eating their ice creams outside the benches in the mall. The sun is starting to set, casting long, lonely shadows on the ground. Syaoran had been silent for a couple of minutes now.

"You've been so quiet.." Sakura observed. Syaoran smiled and faced her. Those deep, lonely, amber eyes, searching her face for something.

"Sakura, is there something I should know?" Syaoran asked all of a sudden. Sakura's heart gave a little jerk. Should I tell him? Should I tell him this isn't gonna work out? That she's going to marry his brother? But she decided against it and shook her head for some reason alien to her. The look on Syaoran's face didn't change.

"I see.." he said, no touching his ice cream (ice creams were placed in cups). As a child, Yelan always buys him ice cream after a trip to the market.. Ice crams remind him of her all the time, it was even stronger. Sakura's presence reminds him of the comforting feeling the ice cream brings when he was still a child, hugged protectively within her okaa-san's arms.

Perhaps he was trying hard not to cry or maybe because he'd been holding his breath for so long but the difficulty in breathing started washing over him again. He hadn't gelt like this for years now. He was gripping on the edge of the bench tightly, feeling as if he was being forced to breath through a straw.

An asthma attack!

"M-maybe we should go home now", Syaoran said, coughing a little because of the effort to try to breath freely again.

"Huh?" Sakura asked but she stood up and nodded. "You seem a little fidgety. Are you okay?" she asked and Syaoran merely nodded, trying to get to the car to get his inhaler. He never wanted to let Sakura know how weak he is, not only emotionally, but physically as well.

"A-Asthma..", he said. Sakura's eyes went a little wider. She opened the car door and ushered him in.

"Why didn't you tell me sooner? Are you okay?" she asked. Syaoran nodded, forcing himself to stay calm.

"Well, maybe, we should open the car door to let some air in", she said and pushed the button to automatically roll down the windows. Then, she was rubbing Syaoran's back as he was coughing continuously.

"Darn", Sakura muttered. "I'll bring you to the hospital now", she said.

"No, I'll be okay", Syaoran said, laying his head on her shoulders. "Just.. Just sing for me", he said. His okaa-san's always sings for him whenever an asthma attack like this happens. For some reasons, it is always effective.

"What?" Sakura asked, but nonetheless sang a song that came first to her mind.

I wanna make you smile, whenever you're sad

Carry you around when your arthritis is bad

All I wanna do, is grow old with you

I'm gonna give you medicine when your tummy aches

Build you a fire if the furnace breaks

Syaoran closed his eyes, drowning himself in the melody. Maybe it's a coincidence but the song was his okaa-san's favorite. Sakura was stroking his hair making him fall into a deep slumber.. he opened his eyes again.

"Sakura, would you hate me if I kiss you right now?" he asked all of a sudden, staring at Emerald orbs with his pleading amber ones.

There was a look of surprise in her face.

Then…