Unfaithful
Chapter 21: The Truth
Between dealing with the commotion of a heartbroken Sakura and a stressed out Syaoran, Tomoyo had almost forgotten that Meiling and Eriol were visiting. Eriol noticed Tomoyo's distracted looks as she and Meiling discussed wedding details. Although she appeared to be genuinely engaged, her normally expressive amethyst eyes seemed rather distant. This was unusual as Tomoyo loved planning weddings. Instead of bursting into bouts of excitement and speaking with a higher pitch, she was more calmed, barely playfully bantering with Meiling about which embroidery to use or what centerpiece best matched the wedding's theme. Her deposition was courteous, yet controlled and Eriol found himself taking heed to her mannerisms. Although his expression remained observant, Eriol was concerned for his favorite amethyst-eyed maiden.Something is amiss, He mused, sipping calmly on his tea. Could it have something to do with the dark change in Sakura's aura? It's full of despair and great sorrow and yet, Tomoyo is saying nothing. I wonder what happened. She's quieter than usual.
However, he wasn't the only one who noticed.
"Tomoyo, is everything alright?" Meiling asked, concerned.
"Oh?" Tomoyo's mouth formed an O-shape as she blinked her eyes twice. The question nearly sounded foreign to her. "Yes, everything is fine I suppose. Why did you ask?"
"You seem rather...unfocused." Meiling replied. She took also observed the odd change in Tomoyo's behavior. "I barely heard any excitement from you today and you love planning these types of things."
A soft, sorrowful sigh emitted from Tomoyo's pink lips. "I'm sorry you guys. I'm just worried about Sakura, that's all. She came over right after a really bad fight that she and Syaoran had today. It's even worse from the time when we all went to Tokyo together." She clutched the hem of her skirt as her eyes held a deep sadness for her best friend. Tears brimmed near Tomoyo's lower eyelashes, fighting them to keep from cascading down her rosy cheeks. Since the two met, Tomoyo always centered her entire existence on Sakura's happiness and seeing that the girl was in such emotional agony tore at her. If only she could remedy that pain, but even Tomoyo knew she would have no choice, but to helplessly standby.
"That would explain the darkness I'm sensing in her aura." Eriol commented pensively, though it was more to himself than to the girls.
"Huh? I didn't know Sakura was already here." Meiling added.
Tomoyo nodded. "She's upstairs sleeping, so we best not bother right now." She looked down at her tea, untouched. "I'm not sure how Syaoran is going to fix things now. She will never forgive him this time."
"But there must be a way." Came Syaoran's tired voice from the doorway.
Meiling looked at her cousin in surprise. "Xiao Lang!" There her cousin was, standing by the living room entrance with a frustrated and exhausted look. Tomoyo immediately walked over to him.
"Are you okay?" She asked him. Her voice was filled with worry.
"I'm fine." Syaoran answered. He glanced at the unexpected company. "What are they doing here?"
"Originally, Meiling came to look at some bridesmaids sketches and Eriol was here to visit." Tomoyo comfortingly placed her hand on Syaoran's shoulder. "You need to tell them. You can't hide this any longer now."
Syaoran nodded while Meiling and Eriol looked on with confusion. He was tired of carrying that large secret alone, but more so, he was tired of burdening Tomoyo with it.
As everyone gathered around the coffee table, the sudden casual atmosphere in the living room became intense. Meiling looked at her cousin with great concern as thousands of questions swarmed around her head. She had never seen Syaoran become so vulnerable, unleashing a part of his soul that only Sakura had the privilege of witnessing. Eriol sat next to Tomoyo with his legs crossed, observing the entire situation objectively. He could not fathom the sudden looks of shame his beautiful maiden was suddenly donning.
"It's time for me to come clean about everything." Syaoran began. "Sooner or later, both of you would have found what exactly have been going on in the last five years, and I rather you hear it from me than hearing it from someone else. I just ask that you forgive me for such a reprehensible act and for hiding it for so long."
"Hiding what? You're not making any sense." Meiling said. Worry etched on her lovely visage.
Tomoyo turned to Syaoran. "Are you ready to do this?" She inquired.
Syaoran nodded. "It's not like I'm given much a choice anyway." He sighed heavily to himself, taking a seat. The others sat around him. "Things certainly will be more complicated now that Sakura saw him."
"Him?" Eriol wondered, cocking an eyebrow.
Syaoran exhaled heavily before revealing his true secret. "My son."
Meiling nearly dropped her teacup in astonishment. "Wait! But I thought..." She was at a loss for words.
Eriol was equally as speechless as the flustered odango-headed girl. That was news he certainly didn't anticipate. His attention turned back to Tomoyo, wondering just how much she knew.
"It all started back at the hospital five years ago." Tomoyo began.
The prognosis wasn't looking good. Sakura fell into an early labor, endangering both herself and the unborn child. Touya and Tomoyo donned anxious looks as Fujitaka sat calmly in a seat. Bespectacled brown eyes were void of any emotion. His lips pursed into a tight frown while his eyebrows furrowed in a deep, contemplative state. Touya paced around the waiting room, growling and heavily sighing. The moment he heard that his baby sister was in labor, Touya couldn't reach the hospital fast enough. She was only eight months pregnant and the inherited illness she obtained at birth became more harrowing for Sakura. The doctors were doing their best to keep the beloved teen alive and at this point, all there was left to do was to wait.
"What are we going to do?" Touya demanded to Fujitaka. "She's here dying and that bastard is the one responsible for this!"
"Don't think like that, Touya!" Tomoyo cried. "Sakura will make it through! You have to believe it!"
"I can't lose her! I won't!" He slammed his hands against the wall. His teeth clenched as his dark tresses concealed the grief hidden behind his brown eyes. His own voice was shaking. "She can't leave us! Not like this."
"She's going to live." Tomoyo confidently assured. Tears fell down her porcelain cheeks. "And so will that baby. Everything will be okay."
"Okay, so what if she and baby live then? What we going to do? Sakura can't raise this child alone! She's not ready!" Touya's thoughts were already erratic by then. "We have to give the baby up for adoption."
"No." Fujitaka said sternly. "We will give him to his father."
"What?" Tomoyo and Touya chorused, surprised.
"I will explain once Syaoran is here. Tomoyo, get him here now." Fujitaka instructed.
Tomoyo nodded and immediately obliged by pulling out her cell phone and dialing Syaoran's number. He answered moments later. "Syaoran, please come quickly! Sakura's in labor!"
"Wait!" Meiling interrupted, looking at Syaoran. "You told me you weren't there."
Syaoran shook his head. "That's just the beginning of the lie."
"Is she okay?" Syaoran asked breathlessly. The moment he got word about Sakura's condition, he came to the hospital right away. It was a serious labor as Tomoyo explained and Sakura's life was hanging in the balance.
The eighteen-year-old had never seen such despondency on the father's face. Touya's hands shook, struggling to unleash all his frustrations on the naïve teenager. "She's having complications just like our mother had! It's because of you that she could die!" He snarled.
Syaoran bowed his head shamefully. "I'm sorry…forgive me..." Tears brimmed around his deep, beautiful hazel-colored eyes. The apology was more for Sakura than to the father and son, but Touya couldn't bring himself to care.
"Yeah, I bet you're sorry now!" Touya growled. He was like a snarling beast out for the kill.
Syaoran held his hands up defensively. "Wait! I'm not here to start any trouble, Touya!" Syaoran was usually careful about using martial arts against someone obviously untrained, but if force was needed to defend himself, Syaoran had no problems using it either.
A nefarious smile made its way to Touya's seemingly deranged face. "Oh you won't any longer. You're out of here!"
Syaoran's eyes widened. "What?! No! You have no right!"
"I'll be damned if I standby any longer to see my baby sister suffering from the likes of you!" Touya shouted.
Fujitaka walked up to the astonished and admittedly confused teen. The pain on his face was apparent as his only daughter was fighting for her life. It was taking such a toll on him and how he remained so composed was beyond Syaoran. "If you have ever cared for my daughter, you will make the right decision by fulfilling your family's wishes and forbidding all contact with her." The father stated.
Syaoran's eyes widened and his mouth went agape. His teeth gritted together and his fists clenched, angered by the fact that people are dictating his life.
"No!" He said with finality. "I won't do that! I'm not leaving Sakura like this!"
"Oh hell you are!" Touya bellowed. "You have no choice!"
"Do you realize what you're doing in breaking us apart? I can make her happy! Why won't you just let me?!"
"With everything that has happened lately, how can I believe you now?!"
"Stop it this instance! The both of you!" Fujitaka demanded, as he stood between his enraged son and the frustrated parent-to-be. Reluctantly, both men complied and only exchanged deathly-looking glares. It was now the time for the father to speak. There goes that same stoic look that Syaoran saw once before. "Syaoran, I'm aware that you've made prior arrangements to return to Hong Kong upon finishing high school correct?"
Syaoran wordlessly nodded. He licked his dry lips. "Yes, sir."
"Your mother and I have been discussing both of your futures for quite some time. We agreed that it is best for you to leave Tomeda once the child is born. Due to the early labor apparently, there may be a call for some adjustments."
Syaoran shook his head with disbelief. The entire time, Fujitaka and his mother have been having secret conversations about him and Sakura. This was the type of treachery Syaoran never thought Fujitaka was capable of. Anger consumed him, especially since the kind-eyed man was speaking like a shady businessman negotiating a bad contract.
"But what about Sakura? It's not fair to her!"
"This trauma alone will be too much for her to bear. I cannot allow my daughter to suffer more than what she's already feeling."
"But she won't have to anymore if you just let me stay! To hell with my family and those stupid Elders! I'll do everything I can to provide for my family! Sakura is all I ever needed to be happy." His voice was quivering. "All I'm asking is that you to give me a chance! Just one chance!" He exposed the very depths of his feelings to the man that helped gave birth to the love of his life. He was practically begging for Fujitaka's mercy and Syaoran was one to never beg. Sakura was the center of his world, the epitome of his existence. He would do anything for her, even if it meant graveling on his knees to the man before him.
Fujitaka slowly shook his head. "I can't."
It was a battle Syaoran clearly was losing. Touya stood there silently with his lips pursed into a deep frown.
"Argh!" Syaoran shouted, slamming his fists against a nearby wall. "This isn't fair! Why am I not good enough?"
Fujitaka stared at the boy apologetically. "You have a very promising future ahead of you. This is the only way, Syaoran."
Syaoran shook his head. "You're wrong. The both of you!"
"I cannot change my mind." Fujitaka lowered his head. "Even you knew that this destiny was inevitable."
"But why can't Sakura decide? She should have a say!" Syaoran argued.
"As her father, I know what she needs. Lately, she has been making reckless decisions based solely on her emotions. If such behaviors continue to exist, she will endanger herself and the child she's carrying."
Syaoran bitterly laughed. "How pathetic. We make one mistake together and you're punishing us for it! This is stupid! It makes no sense!"
"Her heart will be healed in given time and so will yours." Fujitaka said. "Did you think you could just go to Hong Kong and leave her here to care for the baby alone? Is it really fair to anyone? To her especially? Given the nature of your situation, this is the only possible solution. You are meant to ascend as head of the Li Clan and all of its dominions. You both will find true happiness eventually."
"But we won't!" Syaoran admitted.
"I understand your sentiments, but neither of your destinies cannot change. Think of Sakura and the suffering she will continue to endure by your constant presence. Don't be so selfish. I ask of you, that you set my daughter free."
Syaoran sighed in defeat. This was the moment he anticipated and no matter how much he prepared for it, the stinging sensation was there. His eyes cast downward at the floor, unsure if he should just walk away from it all. How is it possible to leave at the most critical time, a time when Sakura would need him most? "What does it prove? Me leaving and never contacting Sakura again? What am I gaining behind this? Power? Influence? Is that what it is about? Did my mother pay you a hefty sum just so I can fulfill whatever bullshit obligation she wants done?!"
Fujitaka remained silent as Syaoran continued his icy rant. "I thought you were a more honorable man than that, but now I see. You're no different than the rest of them. If leaving is the only surefire way that Sakura's suffering will end, you must promise me something in turn."
"And what is that?" Fujitaka asked.
Syaoran's face was hardened, stoic. They've already seen enough of his pain and he refused to let them see it anymore. A part of him truly wanted to fight, but he knew the reality of that outcome. It would be a waste of breath. "She deserves all the happiness in the world. Don't let her down since I obviously can't do it."
Fujitaka nodded. "You have my word."
Syaoran slowly turned to leave. This was planned from the beginning. Although, it can be seen that such decisions were made with the best intentions, Syaoran still couldn't ignore the devastating, gut-wrenching, soul-crushing heartbreak. Perhaps the father and son were right. Maybe it was best that Sakura never saw him again. After all, how could anyone want a spineless, passive man? Then again, maybe everyone would have been proven wrong if he was just given one chance.
After wordlessly bidding a sorrowful goodbye to the Kinomoto senior, the last sound Syaoran recognized was Sakura's blood-curling scream. He should have been back there with her, encouraging her though the labor. He should be cheering her on, enduring the pain with her, but he found himself cowardly exiting out the waiting room. The moment he stepped through the automatic doors to the corridors, the devastated boy succumbed to his knees, burying his head into his arms, and sobbed quietly. It was a cold day when he realized he lost the one person who made him feel complete. She was the reason he looked forward to a brighter and happier future. Now that the relationship was forced at its end, it was the most devastating thing to ever experience. Sakura was his world and he worked hard to build that perfection with her. Because of their carelessness, the ideal dreamy world that they shared, crumbled.
Tears immediately stopped when he heard a sweet, familiar voice beckoning him. Syaoran! Please! Syaoran! His eyes widened and his heart dropped to his stomach. It was Sakura…reaching out for him. He could feel it. Her aura was in deep distress and his was responding to it. No! He can't be a coward and easily let the Kinomoto family have their way! With strong resolve, Syaoran stood on his feet. The blood curling screams were deafening when he walked back into the waiting room where the Kinomoto senior and elder brother were sitting. Before the men could stop Syaoran, he rushed into her hospital room where awaited a barely conscious, heavily pregnant Sakura, her best friend, Tomoyo and an array of nurses and doctors.
"You can't be in here, sir! Please leave now!" One nurse intervened.
"No, no! I'm the baby's father!" He shouted.
The nurse nodded. "Then stand over there with her friend." She said, pointing to the far corner of the hospital room where Tomoyo stood. Her immaculate visage was marred with mascara running down her cheeks. Her eyes were bloodshot from the sobbing. Syaoran never felt so relieved in seeing his close friend again. He pulled her into a strong embrace and Tomoyo cried into his shirt.
"It's too early! She only had six more weeks left!" She whimpered.
Syaoran nodded. "I know. I know. It's my fault that this is happening. We had an argument earlier today." He shook his head, angry with himself. "What have I done?"
Sakura's bellows brought their attention back to her.
"She's losing too much blood." The doctor said. "It's too late to prep her for a C-section. She's going to have to do this naturally. How far are we?"
"Fully ten centimeters." Another nurse answered.
The doctor nodded. "Good. Okay, Miss Kinomoto, we need you to sit up a little to push, okay?"
Sakura hunched forward. "I can't! It hurts so much." She cried, as another contraction ripped through her body.
"You have to push." The same nurse gently commanded.
Sakura's responses were becoming slower. Her eyes were barely open and the pain soared through her. It felt like a thousand bones were crushing in her pelvic region. "My body…I…feel so tired." Her words were barely audible.
"Miss Kinomoto, Miss Kinomoto, you have to stay with us just a little longer!" The nurse said with urgency. The steady beeping from the machine started slowing down. Her eyes widened. This was not a good sign. Not a good one at all.
"The baby's heart rate is dropping and so is the mother's." The doctor said. "Get ready for a blood transfusion." She then turned to Tomoyo and Syaoran. "If she doesn't push, we will lose them both."
Without hesitation, the best friend and father-to-be rushed to Sakura's aid. While the nurses pushed her legs back to her chest, Syaoran put his arm behind her neck. He leaned over her, soothing her with his voice. "Sakura, love, you have to push." He told her.
"Syaoran?" Her voice croaked.
"Yes, it's me. You need to push Sakura." He affectionately wiped her sweaty bangs from her forehead. "You promised me that you will live through this. Don't let me down."
"Oh Syaoran…it hurts. It hurts so badly." She sobbed.
Syaoran kissed her forehead. "I know, but it will be over soon."
Sakura cried upon another agonizing contraction. With newfound strength, Sakura dropped her head to her chest, squeezed her eyes shut and pushed her pelvis forward. The doctor counted slowly up to ten and then instructed her to relax. The process was repeated two more times.
"You're crowning. It's almost there!" The doctor cheered. "Now push one more time. Make it really big for me. You can do this!"
Sakura complied once more, holding for ten more seconds.
Her breathing became shallow. Her peachy complexion became ghostly pale and drenched in sweat. Each time she pushed, the pain became more intense. Her screams filled the room.
When she held on the final time, Sakura lied back on the bed limply as a shrill cry filled the room. "It's a boy!" The doctor cried. "Congratulations!"
"We did it, love! We did it!" Syaoran praised, kissing her relentlessly on her forehead.
Sakura smiled sweetly at him and slowly closed her eyes. Her breathing stopped and then came an incessant long pause. Syaoran's eyes as he looked at a horizontal green line going across the heart monitor. His heart dropped, his eyes widened, and panic immediately set in.
"What the hell is happening?" Syaoran demanded. He knew what a flat green line meant.
"I need a crash cart now!" The doctor ordered, passing the baby to one of the midwives.
"No! Sakura!" Tomoyo cried. Syaoran moved out of the way and into Tomoyo's arms once more. Many more nurses flooded the hospital room, pulling out two paddles from the crash cart.
"Clear!" The doctor said, placing the paddles to Sakura's chest. Her body jolted, but the line was still flat.
"Sakura! Please! Wake up!" Tomoyo cried. Syaoran held her tightly to keep her from interfering from the doctor's work.
"Clear!" The doctor shouted. Sakura's jolted once more. Still nothing.
Meanwhile, Tomoyo silently sobbed into Syaoran's shirt. Her shoulders quivered as Syaoran looked on with clear terror etched on his face. He wasn't sure if a god existed or not, but for the first time in his entire life, he prayed for Sakura to live. The hospital room was full of chaos as a bag of blood was brought in. A needle was placed into the vein of both of Sakura's arms, allowing the blood to flow into her body intravenously.
"Come on Sakura!" The doctor murmured. She lifted the paddles one more time. "Clear!"
An electric shock charged through her body one last time. Sakura jolted forward and this time, the results were different. It was the one sound everyone was so elated to hear.
Beep…beep...beep.
Her heart was beating again. She was alive. Sakura made it through.
Syaoran let go of a breath he didn't even realize he was holding. Tomoyo's sorrowful tears soon turned into cries of joy, but Syaoran only looked at his girlfriend longingly. She lied there as nurses and doctors rushed around her. One the nurses pressed on her stomach to bring down the placenta while the other nurses hooked her to other fluids. It would seem like hours before the doctor walked to them.
"She is stable now. Let's go out to talk to her family."
Tomoyo dutifully stayed next to Syaoran's side into the waiting area where Fujitaka and Touya were waiting. They both turned pale at the sight of blood covering the doctor's scrubs. By the relaxed look on the doctor's face, they both knew that things were starting look okay—at least they hoped they were. Everything was so enduring and unpredictably chaotic. The room was filled with Sakura's agonizing bellows, the baby's shrill cries, the incessant beeping from the monitors and beepers, all which nearly made Syaoran succumb into unconsciousness. Thank goodness that Tomoyo was there to endure it with him. He couldn't cope with the stress alone. It was even worse when he battled the Void.
"Your daughter is doing fine now. We've started a blood transfusion. After a few more checkups, she will be eventually transferred to a suite should everything go well."
"And the baby?" Fujitaka asked.
Syaoran inwardly cursed. He almost forgot about his son.
"Fine as well." The doctor smiled. "You are more than welcomed to see him in the NICU after a few checkups. We'll let you know once the okay is given."
Fujitaka nodded and bowed his head appreciatively. "Thank you again, Dr. Fujiwara."
The doctor smiled. "Not a problem. I'll be back with later results."
Once the doctor was out of sight, Fujitaka sat down on the couch, his face fell into his hands before facing the tired teenager. Syaoran looked at him, unsure what the kind, Kinomoto senior was exactly thinking. "Sir…?"
Fujitaka took a deep breath before addressing Syaoran a solution. "There was one thing I almost forgot to tell you." He began. "Upon your return to Hong Kong, the baby will be in your care once it's safe for him to travel. No one will know who the mother is, but most importantly, Sakura will never know this."
Syaoran's eyes widened with disbelief. Certainly, he wasn't serious, was he? It was already a painful pill for him to willingly go home. Now he must take the kid with him and not tell Sakura? What in the hell is wrong with Fujitaka! "I can't do that to her. Sakura loves her baby!"
"My daughter has been through enough. She needs time to heal—from everything. Your departure alone will be traumatizing to her. She doesn't need a child to give her that daily reminder."
"Uncle…" Tomoyo gasped. Then she looked at Syaoran. "You're really not thinking of doing this, are you?"
Fujitaka ignored the question and stared at Syaoran intently. The young parent swallowed, clearly torn about the decision. His fist balled and his jaws tightened. Did Fujitaka really have to thrust it upon him like that?
"Syaoran, you don't have to do this!" Tomoyo pleaded, but it was all fallen on deaf ears.
"How long has this been going on?" Syaoran asked suddenly. "How long have you been planning this?"
"It was around Sakura's second trimester when your mother and I started exploring possible alternatives." Fujitaka calmly answered. "We mutually agreed that allowing a complete stranger to adopt your son would potentially cause too much scandal. Most of the legal matters have already been handled on your mother's end. When Sakura awakens from recovery, she will sign over all custodial rights. She will never know her son is with you."
Syaoran stood there, calmly taking it all in. A part of him wanted to scream and go off in a rampage. Who does that man think he is? What in the hell was his mother thinking? To take away the only thing—person, that Sakura was looking forward to seeing? It was bad enough that Sakura lost Syaoran, now she was losing her child too? Deep down, Syaoran wanted to say something, but his voice left him. Perhaps it was because he knew that he cannot defy orders from his mother and certainly he cannot rebel against the Elders. Damn, everything was so pitifully screwed up. Inwardly, Syaoran was on the verge of losing it. He wanted to lash at everyone around him and he wouldn't care who got it. He was pissed at everyone. Everyone.
Syaoran exhaled deeply one more time and looked at stared at the calm and strangely stoic Fujitaka Kinomoto. He wondered what exactly was the man gaining in keeping such a dangerous secret.
It was finally sinking in that Syaoran was going to be a single father.
"Don't do this, Syaoran! This is going to ruin her!" Tomoyo pleaded once more. Tears fell cascaded down her face. "If you love her, you wouldn't do this to her!"
The hazel-eyed boy couldn't bear to look at his friend. "I'm sorry, Tomoyo." He apologized softly. Her eyes widened. "There's no other way."
Tomoyo slightly stepped back, astonished that the friend she dearly valued and trusted in betrayed her. Tears brimmed around the margins of her beautiful amethyst orbs and a host of mixed emotions coursed through her: anger, but mostly sadness—a profound sadness.
"I can't believe you! All of you! This isn't right!" Tomoyo shouted, pushing past through Syaoran. The eighteen-year-old parent helplessly watched his close friend run down the corridors and to the exit. It was the last time he'd see Tomoyo before boarding on the plane.
The conversation immediately halted when the Dr. Fujiwara returned. She was smiling—a contradiction to everyone else's current moods.
"Hello, Mr. Kinomoto?" The doctor began.
"Yes?" The father replied, concerned. "Is something the matter?"
"I just wanted to tell you that your daughter's vitals are in a stable condition for now; however, due to her past medical history, she will need to stay here for additional testing."
"And the child?"
"Ah, yes. He's perfectly healthy for a premature newborn. You are more than welcomed to see him if you like."
Following the doctor to the nursery room, Syaoran was greeted by a small blue bundle being held by a nurse. Syaoran gasped as the baby slowly opened his eyes, revealing those stunning, identical hazelnut orbs. The baby was literally a mix of him and Sakura with peachy skin and the only thing separating him and the child was the bulletproof, Plexiglas windows in the room, which housed other newborns. In spite of the child being significantly smaller compared to the rest, he still had a healthy weight. From the first sight, Syaoran fell in love with his son.
After what felt like an eternity, Syaoran slowly nodded in a silent agreement. They were all setting up a lie and he was willfully playing a part of it. Why didn't he just say no? No wonder Tomoyo was upset with him. This was a stupid idea. A very impulsive one—thought meticulously all the way through. What a damn shame. His son's birth was built on a lie.
He then faced Fujitaka and Touya before glancing back at his newborn longingly, who was already placed back in the incubator."My son deserves a happy future and I will ensure that he has one. I would have done the same for Sakura." The tone of Syaoran's voice was much icier than he intended. "The only other person who should know this is Tomoyo. Meiling, Chiharu…none of them can know what we're doing."
The two men nodded with understanding. Syaoran looked at the nursery one more time. This wasn't the life he imagined for his family. But what could he do? What's done was already done.
Just as Syaoran walked past them, Fujitaka's voice caught him in the tracks. "Wait!" Syaoran never even bothered to look at the father and son. His anger clouded over whatever respect he had for the kind Kinomoto elder. "What are you going to name him?"
It was almost an insult. Did it really matter now, especially since Fujitaka plotted with Syaoran's mother to push him out of Sakura's life? Syaoran had to bite his bottom lip to refrain from saying things he probably would've regretted later. In a curt response, he simply responded, "Aiko."
He exited the hospital, never bothering to look back.
"I later learned that it was my mother's idea for me to keep custody of Aiko." Syaoran finished. "And it's been him and I ever since."
"But why would you keep it from me? I don't understand." Meiling asked, visibly hurt.
"My mother feared that if you knew any of this, you would go against her and everything that she was planning to do to secure my Ascension." Syaoran told her truthfully. "She believed it was a necessary evil and saw there was more to gain with me keeping Aiko. After all, my son has the Li veins flowing through him. One day, he might take my place, even as the illegitimate Li heir." He briefly paused, staring at his tea solemnly. "My mother's influence allowed the school to give me time off in order to care for Aiko while all my studies from high school were being transferred to Hong Kong. Within a matter of days, I had already left with Aiko in my custody."
Meiling couldn't shake the sheer disgust she had for both Syaoran and Tomoyo. The lengths they went to keep everyone veiled from the ugly truth were despicable. What was most painful that the person she'd lay her life down for, lied to her willingly, and was a coward about it. She understood why Sakura was so broken. It was more than just a bad breakup and a loss of a child. It was lies on top of lies coupled with meddling, dictating parents. No wonder Sakura changed so much. Ordinarily, a person would have been in an asylum or committed murder by now. This was too much, even for her.
"I can't believe you. Why?" Meiling gasped. She didn't realize she held her breath throughout Syaoran's story. She then turned to Tomoyo, clearly disappointed. "You're supposed to be her best friend. How could you just go along with this?"
Tomoyo looked down at her hands, clearly berated with guilt. "Don't blame Tomoyo. She really didn't have much of a choice in the matter." Eriol said, rubbing her back comfortingly.
"I really wish I had said something." Tomoyo murmured. "I should never had allowed it to go this long."
She silently broke down in Eriol's arms. "Tomoyo..." He whispered, identifying the extent of her guilt.
Meiling slowly shook her head, releasing the frustration out to her cousin. "I can't believe you would keep something like this from me! You and Auntie! You couldn't trust me?! I thought you knew me better than that!" To say that Meiling was disappointed was an understatement."You told me that the baby was given up for adoption. And you left Sakura without ever telling her goodbye! It's no wonder that she sees you as a liar!" She shook her head pitifully. "How could you do this to her? To me!"
Syaoran really had no words to explain the situation. It was because of all the secrets that put Tomoyo and himself in the predicament in the first place. "I'm sorry, Meiling. I'm sorry to keep this from you. I didn't like it either, but at the time, there was no other way."
Meiling understood the depths of Syaoran's pain. She remembered back to a conversation where she had with Syaoran. He warned her to stay at out of it. Damn, now she wished she had listened!
According to Syaoran, Meiling assumed it was just a really bad breakup and a baby was given up for adoption. She knew about the complications Sakura suffered afterwards, but she didn't think it was all tied together. That explains why Syaoran couldn't see me for the last three years. They were trying to hide Aiko this whole time! She vividly recalled the time when Syaoran left Tomeda exactly the same day she was returning. Meiling also remembered when she studied abroad at her family's insistence and how she met Liam along the way. Originally, she wanted to finish her studies in Hong Kong, but Yelan insisted that she studied in the United Kingdom. At first she thought nothing of it, assuming it was just an opportunity to decorate her business-management degree, networks, and career, but now she knew really why. It was amazing how far her family was willing to go to harbor such dangerous and dark secrets.
Everything that she thought believed in were lies. How could she believe anyone now? How could Syaoran shatter that trust so easily? Meiling could feel the potential grief Sakura will soon feel. Aside from Aiko, she was the only victim in the situation, That poor girl! Why do bad things happen to such sweet, good people? Sakura doesn't deserve this at all! "How?" Meiling asked yet again, admittedly angry at her cousin. "How could you really keep this from Sakura?"
Perhaps it was a question she will never understand herself. Syaoran was irrevocably, truly, in love with her. To hurt her like that was unfathomable.
"That's why I'm telling you both everything now." Syaoran answered. "She saw Aiko today and she thinks I had the child with someone else."
Gasps filled the room. Even Eriol was taken aback at this revelation. "Really?" He asked in clear disbelief.
"Yes." Syaoran confirmed. "I never really had the chance to tell her the truth."
Meiling slowly shook her head. "I can understand why Sakura's so angry with you. You allowed her to suffer alone."
"I'm the chosen leader, the only one powerful enough to equalize the Balance of Powers between the descendants of Clow and those whose magic that can affect the Clow and Li pure lineages. The Elders feared that any personal relationship with the new Clow Master would cause an adverse disruption to the balance." Syaoran explained. "Mei, you know how our family is. You know what could happen if other clan members learned what was going on. I hated doing this to Sakura, but there was no other way around it at the time. I had to do it for the family."
"So in other words, the Elders were afraid that Sakura would be too powerful, not really realizing that the balance was already disturbed in the first place? That's stupid!" Meiling cried, clearly outraged. "And you were dumb enough to follow along with it?!"
Syaoran looked at the floor in shame. When Meiling put it that way, it did make him look foolish.
"All in the name of family." Eriol muttered to himself.
To learn the amount of treachery going on in her family appalled Meiling. How could such a family poised as honorable people become as deceiving as vipers? She knew pretentious people existed in the world, but until now, Meiling never realized that those same types of people would also occur in her own flesh and blood.
In spite of how liberating it felt to lift the burden, Tomoyo still couldn't ignore the tremendous amount of guilt plaguing her. After all, the only one who still didn't know was Sakura.
"How long do you plan on hiding this from her, Syaoran?" Eriol asked. "Sakura deserves to know the truth. You are doing nothing but prolonging the inevitable."
"He's right." Tomoyo added.
"Right about what?" A voice said from the steps.
Everyone immediately turned around and saw Sakura at the steps, donning a confused look. Hearts dropped to their stomachs.
"Sakura!" Tomoyo cried, rushing up to her. "How long have you been there?"
"I just woke up to be honest." She admitted. "I went to fetch some tea and—" She stopped as she stared at Syaoran whose lips hung open in astonishment. Gorgeous hazelnut eyes widened with a palpable fear. "What are you doing here?"
Syaoran took one step closer to her. Hiding secrets were no longer an option. "Sakura, we need to talk."
"About what?" She demanded. "About your son that meant something enough for you to keep?" Sakura adamantly shook her head. "No! There's nothing you can say to make it better! I hate you!"
Syaoran was rendered speechless as Sakura angrily paced back upstairs with Tomoyo helplessly calling out to her, to no avail. Upon hearing a door slamming shut, Tomoyo looked at Syaoran biting remarks echoing in his mind felt like knives going into his chest. Three simple words bundled together created a powerful force that took his breath away. He stared pitifully at the marble floors, barely finding the strength to move again.
"Just give her time." Tomoyo suggested, rubbing his back comfortingly. "She's not ready just yet."
"I want to tell her so badly." Syaoran's hands balled tightly into a fist. His teeth gritted together, fighting tears that threatened to fall. Syaoran was always a man of pride. He never allowed his friends to see the deep wounds of his soul. "And if I tell her, that means Aiko will know too." He sighed heavily. "I've been avoiding the subject of his real mother since I had to explain that Li-Na wasn't his."
"Let's allow Sakura to think whatever she wants to think in the meantime." Meiling suggested. "I know it sounds bad, but you can't suddenly force this upon her. That will be too much for her to take in all at once, especially with the way she feels about you right now. You need time to figure out a plan. After all, the only two people who are hurting the most, Syaoran, is your son and Sakura."
"I'm sure Syaoran will come up with something." Eriol commented. "He always does."
Tomoyo sighed. "You don't have to tell Aiko or Sakura the truth right away, but it's time that you tell them. No more secrets, Syaoran. No more lies."
Syaoran nodded. "You have my word, Tomoyo."
"I'm still angry at you for keeping a secret from me. Don't ever do that to me again, Xiao Lang!" Meiling threatened.
Syaoran nodded in agreement. "I promise."
The rest of the evening would adjourn with a trip to the wine cellar, but the group decided against it. There was a comfortable silence as everyone was contemplating about the conversation that just transpired some time before. Syaoran didn't realize how long he was gone from the dinner table. Li-Na and Aiko were probably off to bed by now. Today was overwhelmingly stressful. Syaoran had never expected to come home to a waiting, devastated Sakura after another exhaustive meeting. To top it off, he had no choice but to expose his darkest secret to the very people he was closest with. He still could see some signs of disappointment in Meiling's eyes. He never really meant to hurt her or leave Eriol completely out of the dark, but he already felt guilty for dragging Tomoyo in his predicament. He couldn't allow himself to burden more people with it.
"Will I ever get to see my nephew?" Meiling asked.
Syaoran looked at his cousin, surprised. "Of course you can." He answered. "You're welcomed to see him any time, but give him some time first. He's still adjusting to the move and all. Other than that, I don't see why not."
Meiling smiled wryly. "I'm looking for to it."
Syaoran reciprocated that tired, wry smile. "So am I."
Author's Notes. There goes chapter 21! Now you know what really happened and why Sakura has an extremely hard time forgiving Syaoran. I mean, can you really blame her? From this point on, things will start to get messy, heavy, and absolutely complicated. But of course, that's what makes a great story? Good characters, wonderful plots, and all the triangles in the world! Okay, enough of my ranting! This is Avina Rose-Bells reporting for CherryB! Please review!
P.S. I tried to talk her into uploading three chapters, but she told me no, since technically we are only supposed to update one chapter a month. We haven't updated anything in two months, so consider this as a Thanksgiving present for your ever-enduring patience! We love you guys! Make sure you add this story to your Favorites and Story Alerts!