Unfaithful
Chapter 26: Take Care

It was an early Monday morning and the smell of cooking bacon permeated throughout kitchen, followed by the popping noises of scrambled eggs and patted sausages, all cooked into perfection. Neatly stacked pancakes sat at the center of the table with a mix of traditional Japanese breakfasts, such as a vegetable salad and miso soup adjacent to a pitcher of freshly squeezed orange juice and a stack of crisp toast served with either butter or jam, depending on one's preference. It was a meal fit for a family of three, but with both of his children moved out of the home and living their lives, it was a habit that the Kinomoto senior couldn't easily break just yet.

Sitting down at the round table with a newspaper in tow, Fujitaka mused on his most recent encounter with Syaoran. He remembered the deep sense of bitterness held against him and Fujitaka knew he was responsible for it. Reasonably, none of his actions were made with real malice. It was for the best—for both Syaoran's and Sakura's sake. Still, something urged that his actions may have created such a costly mistake.

Yet, another side of him refuted those claims. It couldn't have been a mistake, right? He asked himself time and time again. There's a reason for why things happen the way do. He reasoned before exhaling a noticeable sigh. I just hope that Sakura's alright through all of this. I haven't heard from her lately.

The sound of Touya's and Yukito's footsteps interrupted Fujitaka's thoughts. Yukito sat at the table with Touya sitting adjacent to his left.

"Good morning, Mr. Kinomoto." Yukito cheerfully greeted, pouring himself a glass of orange juice. "How are you today?"

"I'm doing well." Fujitaka replied, returning to the stove and turning it off. He then placed the bacon strips on a napkin-covered plate before adding it into part of the breakfast feasts. He gathered the scrambled eggs and patted sausages and laid them neatly on the table. "It's good that you two came over for breakfast."

Touya helped himself to two strips of bacon, two patted sausages, and of course, two crisps toasts, both equally spread with jam. "All this food would have gone to waste if I didn't suggest we stop by and check on you. You cook too much for one person, Dad."

Fujitaka smiled. "What can I say? It's a habit."

The family ate together in brief silence, followed by the utensils clanging against the dinner plates. Breakfast would have been complete if Sakura was there. In fact, his children would have gone into another, playful banter about Sakura's gluttonous eating habits and Touya's incessant teasing. Yukito, of course, would be the referee with little effort, all the while stuffing three stacks of pancakes into his mouth. The verbal sparring was always the entertainment of the morning and the Kinomoto senior deeply missed those times. Back then, life was simpler, easy, and full of happiness. The last time he saw his daughter was at her surprise birthday party—how long ago was that? At one point, the father-daughter duo was inseparably close, but ever since Sakura married Kenji, he barely got as much as a phone call from her.

"It's been a while since I've spoken to Sakura." Fujitaka said absentmindedly. It was more to himself than to his son and his boyfriend.

Touya swallowed his food immediately. "Speaking of her, that brat came by some time ago to discuss a serious matter. It has a lot to do with her."

Fujitaka immediately put his fork down, staring at his eldest child attentively. "Oh? Like what?"

"He didn't say why, but he said that Sakura came by his house and saw the kid while waiting for him. I don't think she knows that kid is hers yet."

The news nearly caused Fujitaka's heart to drop to his stomach. His eyes widened in disbelief. "I…I see…" He nodded understandably. "How is Sakura? Did you ever get a chance to speak with her?"

Both Yukito and Touya shook their heads. "Not since her birthday party." The son murmured in a voice loud enough for his father to hear. He slammed his fists angrily against the table, causing his orange juice to splash slightly. "It's not fair!" He bellowed. "We should be the ones protecting her! Dad, you know what will happen when she finds out! I can't bear to see her like that again."

"Syaoran wants us to stay out of it." Yukito added. "He wants to fix the problem himself. Unfortunately," He looked down solemnly, "we haven't heard from him since."

"That damn brat doesn't know what the hell he's doing! All that bullshit we went through to protect Sakura is hitting the fan because of his incompetence!" Touya yelled. "Dad, we must do something. There must be a way!"

Fujitaka looked up at his son; a sad smile dons his face. "Don't you think we've meddled in their problems long enough? And everything we've done had only made things worse."

It was bad enough hearing it from his boyfriend, now his father too?! "No!" He shouted.

"Touya, listen to me." He said with a firmer tone. "Sakura is not the same girl I have raised. She changed…I can't explain it…but there is a darkness I feel emanating from her. I know you've felt it too. The only person who can probably eradicate that darkness is the one who was destined for her and that is Syaoran. We cannot fight what was meant to be, Touya. You know that."

"But look at the bullshit he put her though!"

"Because of us! We forced him to leave her!" Fujitaka countered, raising a few octaves.

"He would have left whether it was our own doing or not! He had obligations to his family! Or did you conveniently forget that, dad?" Came Touya's sharp response—and it was enough to silence the stunned father. Touya was right on some level. He had almost forgotten how influential Syaoran's mother was. He remembered the day he was invited to fly to China to meet with Yelan Li. An extremely beautiful woman she was, with hazelnut hues so full of mystery and power.

Fujitaka convinced his children he was going to another archeological dig. He would be gone for a least four days and then return home for supper. He abhorred lying, but it was necessary to alleviate suspicions. Sakura was adamant against abortion, so he had no choice but to go with another option. After a lengthy, but luxurious plane ride and being chauffeured to the manor, the Kinomoto elder awed at the mansion's magnificent architectural structure. He felt as if he traveled back in time to China's Dynasty days, where everything was full of pure opulence and prestige. Adornments were imbued with the striking colors of red, black, and white with its elegance ambience.

After one day of rest and a tour of the Li Estate, he finally sat down before Yelan Li, dressed in a tan-colored business suit. Yelan's crimson colored lips pulled into a polite smile, contrasting against her alabaster skin and enigmatic hazelnut eyes. Long and luscious manes of the darkest ebony was pulled into a high ponytail, covered fashionably with a golden headpiece. The hanfu outlined her tall and sleek form with colors conforming to the ornaments of the compound. Aside from her enigmatic beauty, Fujitaka could not help but feel that her eyes had pierced into his soul. She appeared to be a gracious woman, but one to never be trifled with.

"Thank you for arriving on such short notice, Mr. Kinomoto." Yelan formally said. Her voice sounded strangely melodic. "I hope you find everything suitable to your needs."

"It's a pleasure being here." Fujitaka replied in the same nature. "Thank you for your hospitality."

Yelan briefly nodded before taking a small sip of her tea. "I've brought you here to discuss some possible…alternatives with my son and your daughter." Fujitaka listened attentively. "I hear that she will be expecting a son."

Fujitaka nodded. "Yes. She is."

"It is unfortunate that we have to meet on these circumstances." Yelan said. "I understand your daughter has inherited a very serious condition that could greatly threaten her life and the child's life, correct?"

"Yes." Fujitaka repeated solemnly. "I've tried numerous times to convince Sakura to terminate the pregnancy, but my daughter refuses to do. She's absolutely fixed on giving birth to the child and possibly begin a family with your son."

"My son is an honorable man and cares very deeply about Sakura. I'm sure that is what they both want to do moving forward, but it simply cannot be. The Elders have been preparing for Xiao Lang's Ascension since his birth and if they learn about an illegitimate child that he produced, everything he worked so hard for will be all in vain."

"Not to mention that this pregnancy could kill Sakura or the child—or both."

"I can probably speak with a few physicians to see the possibility of inducing Sakura's labor upon her third trimester, depending on her health and the child's health. If that is a possibility, perhaps we can look into adoption."

"Adoption?" Fujitaka raised an eyebrow.

"Yes. Is that a problem?"

"It's just…well…" He exhaled heavily for the second time as he looked at the woman with a firm glare. "My daughter has grown attached to the child. Allowing a stranger to completely care and nurture it is completely out of the question. She won't stand for it."

"It is not with a stranger that will care for the child." Yelan paused before making a small grin. "Rather, the custody will be mine."

That one statement was what started the rollercoaster effect. The conversation lasted until nightfall with occasional disagreements. Fujitaka kept close tabs on Sakura's pregnancy and for the most part, it was a healthy pregnancy, except for the occasional fainting spells and mysterious fevers. Doctors put her on special medications to stabilize her condition in order to avoid the same fate as Nadeshiko, but no one would anticipate Sakura going into an early labor, losing tremendous amounts of blood, facing near-fatal postnatal complications, and going into three cardiac-arrests. His daughter was put through so much physical trauma, but the emotional trauma was worst. After forcing Syaoran out of her life and feeding her lies, his daughter wasn't the same girl he knew and loved. Desperately, Fujitaka wanted his daughter back.

"If we want to do right by Sakura, then we should start now by letting her resolve her own problems." Fujitaka said. "I've allowed my daughter to suffer long enough with our constant meddling."

There was nothing Touya could do except agree bitterly. He hated admitting it, but his little sister was no longer little. The only thing he could do as her older brother is that if and when Sakura does fall, he will always be there to pick her back up. A part of him felt guilty for not keeping a closer watch on Sakura. If she hadn't spent so much time with that brat, possibly, Sakura wouldn't end up where she was now—being emotionally broken and marrying a controlling, overly possessive man whom she barely even knew.

Touya heavily sighed, lowering his head in exasperation.

"You know, if we weren't so focused on trying to decide what was right for Sakura, and maybe thought of things a little differently, perhaps Aiko might've been with us by now. He'll be turning five very soon and I've always wondered what he looks like now." Fujitaka said.

Touya and Yukito smiled ruefully. They've only seen the child once—and that was when he was born. He looked so much like his mother, except the irises were beautiful hazelnut hues with a patch of auburn and chestnut hair. Due to his prematurity, Aiko was smaller than most babies and intensive care was needed. Touya vividly remembered that day. Aiko had to stay in the hospital for a few months longer than expected because his lungs were slightly underdeveloped. After receiving the best natal care (provided by Yelan Li no less) and Syaoran taking the baby to Hong Kong, it was the last time Touya would ever see his nephew.

Fujitaka missed his grandson the most—probably just as much as Sakura did. Perhaps if he allowed Sakura to keep her child, maybe things may have been alright. He missed so much already—Aiko's first steps, his first words, his first four and the soon-to-be fifth birthday. He wanted to help Aiko ride his first bike, show him artifacts from his archeological digs, and just simply bond with the boy. Things could have been for the better, but he also knew the reality of the situation. Nadeshiko died from practically giving birth. Could he allow his daughter, the only woman so reminiscent of her mother to succumb to the same fate? A part of him had to be selfish. He wanted to save his daughter's life at all costs—but what good was that, if it meant losing Sakura anyway? Certainly, the bright, optimistic, and vibrant girl he long had known had been missing for quite a while.

After much deep thought, Yukito sagely replied, "He would certainly be just like his mother."

Touya and Fujitaka completely agreed.

~~~ooo~~~

Time spent alone while Aiko was off with Wei allowed Li-Na to indulge in one of her favorite hobbies. Sitting on the couch with the LCD sounding off distantly in the background, Li-Na contentedly sketched away in her drawing pad. It was a picture of Syaoran's existing living room with all the amenities she wished to fulfill. She drew the lines with deep focus while making patterns in other areas. She was so enthralled in the drawings that she barely heard Meiling coming in. Li-Na looked up, seeing the beloved cousin in her typical business suit. The black pencil skirt stretched down to her calves, conforming to her slender hips and legs. The matching blazer stopped directly at the skirt's hemline, revealing a white, but conservative quarter-sleeved blouse. The closed-toe black pumps were at least four inches high, completed with a small platform, which added some height to Meiling's short stature. Matching pearl studs and a hanging necklace added sophistication to the sassy Chinese businesswoman.

Li-Na glanced at the clock. It was only 10:15 and Syaoran had already gone off to the Tomeda branch. It was unusual for Meiling to be at his house rather than at work.

"Good morning." Li-Na greeted in her traditional Mandarin language, although her tone of voice indicated slight uneasiness. The last time Li-Na ever spoke with Meiling was when the businesswoman came to see Aiko for the first time. The conversation about Syaoran did not end so well either, which Li-Na ended up being soothed by the bittersweet contents of liquor and red wine. Questions roamed in the girl's mind, but she quieted them momentarily. "Shouldn't you be at the meeting with Xiao Lang?"

"I've told Xiao Lang I would be late." Meiling replied in the same language. "I'm just here to pick up some documents that he forgot to pick up on the way and also to apologize to you."

Li-Na's eyes nearly widened with both astonishment and confusion. Meiling was a proud woman who rarely admitted faults, yet there she was, standing before Li-Na, actually showing signs of contrition. "Thank you, but why? You didn't do anything wrong." Li-Na said. Her head slightly tilted to the side.

"When I came to visit the first time, I was completely out of line with everything I said. I should've been more considerate of your feelings. After all, both you and my cousin spent a lot of time together raising Aiko. I should have respected that bond and I feel that I've ruined it." Meiling bowed her head, humbly apologetic. "Forgive me."

Li-Na smiled with a slight nod. "Thank you, but it's Aiko's happiness that matters in all of this. These lies…deceptions…it's going to have to end. Aiko's life shouldn't be full of pain and sorrow. He doesn't deserve it."

Meiling agreed, sitting next to Li-Na with her legs crossed. With her elbow propped against the arm of the sectional, Meiling leaned on it, looking distantly at the television screen. "You're right." She replied. "He deserves better." She glanced at Li-Na. "And so do you."

Li-Na lifted an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"

"I see that look in your eyes. Before I met my fiancée, I once had those same eyes for Xiao Lang too."

The glow in Meiling's ruby-like eyes smeared with melancholy as the memories of the yesteryears surfaced in her mind. "When Xiao Lang and I were children, I was sure we would grow up to be married and happy—at least it was what I wanted anyway. The bond he and I shared was unlike any other." Meiling chuckled to herself, keeping a guarded smile. Her voice was softer, more vulnerable—a tone completely unfamiliar to Li-Na, but there was a pain she could easily identify with. "It's funny, how you have all these hopes and dreams of some forged happily-ever-after only to see his heart beating for someone else. And the saddest part was that he didn't even know it yet. Letting him go was probably the hardest thing I ever had to do, but I found happiness in me when I saw him happy."

Huh? Li-Na blinked, surprised at the revelation. I had no idea that Meiling was once in love with Xiao Lang too. Wow, that man have such a powerful hold on people.

"You know, I see a lot of you in me, Li-Na." Meiling continued. "Of course, there's not much of a difference with our age, but still, I see those eyes. I just want you to know that Xiao Lang deeply cares about you, but I know you want more with him. If you try, you will get hurt and Xiao Lang wouldn't want you going through it. He already feels responsible for the way things happened between himself and Sakura."

Everything that Meiling said was dead-on. Li-Na felt tears welling at the corner of almond-color eyes and fought to keep them from falling. The love she felt for Syaoran wasn't something that developed overnight; it was many years of revealing their souls while gazing at the cloudless, starry-filled skies. The moments were painfully beautiful, essentially providing the foundation of the profound bond she nurtured with Syaoran. Initially, it was just a professional, mutual friendship and somehow blossomed into something that became both terrifying and exhilarating in the same breath. Li-Na felt her own heart fluttering as she reminisced those times with Syaoran. Things seemed so much different back at home than in Japan.

Li-Na looked down at her drawing pad, the sketch have been long forgotten. "Still," She began. She looked back up at Meiling. "How can I let go of someone who needs me most? It's not about me or Xiao Lang, but rather Aiko. He's the reason why I was chosen to be an aide in the first place. After five years, leaving isn't that simple. Aiko needs me…and Xiao Lang does too—more so than he realizes."

Meiling paused before responding back. "It's very noble of you, but aren't you worried what it will do to you emotionally? You're in love with my cousin and what if…" She exhaled heavily before asking the question. "What if those feelings can't be returned? Are you able to stand to see him love another woman?"

The thought of Syaoran loving anyone that isn't her was too unbearable to think about. "I don't know." She admitted. "I really couldn't answer it to tell you the truth." Li-Na then stood up, changing the subject. "I almost forgot to get those documents for you. I think I know the ones he need. Just give me a moment."

While Li-Na casually strolled into another room, Meiling glanced at Li-Na's drawing pad. The lines and patterns were drawn with such precision with angles curved in different artistic directions. It was completely done with pencil and ink, slightly colored for more emphasis. Curiously, Meiling turned to another page where apparently was a blueprint of some sort, a layout of a possible expansion. Perhaps Li-Na was intending to add another room. Small notes and numbers scattered all over the page. The designs were admittedly impressive and by the time Li-Na returned with the desired documents in a folder, Meiling was amazed.

"You drew this?" Meiling asked as she retrieved the folder from Li-Na's hands.

Crimson hues darkened on Li-Na's olive skin. She nodded humbly. "They're just blueprints of what I plan on doing soon. Since I'm going to be here for a while, I might as well give myself something to do and remodel the place. Sure it looks great now, but it wouldn't hurt to add a few extra rooms or two."

"I see." Meiling said, observing the blueprints with a closer inspection. "Does Xiao Lang know about this? You have really good talent here."

"Actually, I never had a chance to tell him. I've been so busy caring for Aiko and him that I sort of abandoned the hobby." Li-Na smiled ruefully. "If I wasn't a nanny or an aide, I'd probably be studying architecture in college. It was what I wanted to be one time. My father was one."

"Well I can tell you, I'm impressed definitely. In fact, we've been looking for an architect about possibly building another Li branch in Japan, probably Osaka or Tokyo. The R and D team are still looking into it. Your ideas on the building's design could be very much appreciated."

Li-Na nodded. "I'm looking forward to it."

Meiling smiled, nodding back. She walked over the door. "I have to leave to work now." She said. Her face then turned to one of great concern. "Please. Take care of yourself for your sake."

With the door closed behind Meiling, Li-Na stared into the foyer. She knew what the woman was referring to. It was about her unrequited love for Syaoran and if she doesn't guard her heart fiercely, she would fall into an agonizing, emotional despair. It was already aching to hear the man she's so devoted to talk about his old love. If things were different, perhaps Li-Na was almost sure that she and Syaoran would be together. There would be no unplanned pregnancies, meddling families, or the deceptions filling their lives. Everyone would be happy. Life would be simple.

Unfortunately for Li-Na's part, such luscious fantasies were only her wishful thinking.

Author's Notes: Okay, we're not shit. CherryB and I promised we'd update once a month, but look where life has taken us? This is Avina Bell-Rose, reporting for duty! We thought we'd actually have some time to write and post once a month like we do for the summer, but with the way my Navy (and not to mention, college) is set up, I'm lucky to have some free time. One, I'm 30 credits away for my Bachelor's in HR management, so of course, that will always take priority. Two, CherryB and her husband had recently moved to a new place. Furthermore, the school year started up again. So yes, curveballs constantly is thrown in our directions. Planning is easy, but actually doing them is the tricky part. We've broken many promises in the past, but the one promise we refuse to break is quitting the story. Things are just heating up!

Another good thing to note is that Fujitaka is admitting that he effed up! I know some of you hate Fujitaka (and Touya too) for their role in Sakura's emotional destruction, but remember they had good intentions. How they executed was wrong, but hey, how far would you go to save the life of a loved one? I think that's where their way of thinking was coming in. Could you really blame them? So, on some level, I understand their decisions. It still doesn't make it right though. Now you see how everything came to be the way they are now.

Yelan seems so…antagonistic in some of her actions, but again, she's not a bad person. Personally, I always viewed Yelan as some sort of utilitarian because everything she has done in the story was done for the greater good, even if it caused some sacrifices. I'm not sure what CherryB thinks of her, but I'm sure her thoughts are somewhat similar, if at all. Some S+S action will happen soon. We promise. Just be a little more patient. We want to get some stuff out of the way first and get some of the holes filled. Well, we are gonna see you again! Keep on the lookout for the next chapter. Until then! Byyeeee! XOXOXO