Author's note: Hello everyone! Since I kind of left quite a cliffhanger in the last chapter, I allocated some time to finish the next chapter. I hope you weren't waiting for too long.
Please don't be angry at Syaoran too much. He was just over-reacting, really. But then again, since he hasn't really grasped how having emotions is like, I felt that it wouldn't be too farfetched if he reacted so violently. Just think of it this way, all that love he had for her was transformed into hate all in the span of a few minutes. So… his explosive (over) reaction was expected. Also, Syaoran already got his share of hurt from their relationship. I've really been mean to him sometimes. It's only right that Sakura gets a taste, too. Yeah I'm evil like that. And you'll probably think I'm real evil at the end of this chapter as well, haha. :D
Oh yeah, my chapters are going to be a lot shorter from now on. XD
Thank you for the reviews, people. We reached 500! I'm amazed and grateful to everyone who has taken the time to read and leave me words of encouragement, praise and criticism. We're almost done so please stay until the end!
To Guests: Thanks for your reviews. I hope you guys will enjoy this chapter. I'm sure you've been eager for this chapter
To Anony: I want to say so many things but I'm going to spoil things if I do. I'll just keep it to saying thanks. Enjoy the chapter! :D
To CCSPHTRC: I'd love to give in to your request but I don't have plot bunnies for that type of story. :S I live in Northern Luzon but I go to Quezon City every now and then. I'm there next week in case you're in the greater Manila area.
To littlepuppylost: All will be resolved in time. Thanks for the review. Hope this chapter will ease your heart.
To serena shine: I love babbling. I tend to do it myself so no worries. Next chapter is up. Hope you like it. enjoy!
To xing414: He'll get better. Don't worry. Thanks for the review.
To Fyora: Thank you for the review. Hope you weren't waiting too long. enjoy.
Now that that's done. On with the chapter!
Rating: M
Summary: No, I don't know her. I'm pretty sure this is the first time I've seen her. But despite that, why does my heart race when I look at her?
Full Summary: Sakura lost her first love in a tragic accident three years ago. Syaoran's life was saved by a heart transplant operation three years ago. A chance meeting by a grave marks the beginning of a love that will heal her, and a love that will transform him. They say that there are two kinds of memories, memories of the mind and memories of the body. Will memories of a man's love remain in his heart even when it beats in another person's chest?
Disclaimer: Card Captor Sakura and all its characters belong to CLAMP. I've already said a million times that I wish it did, if only so I could drool all over Touya and make him the most perfect person ever.
-oOo-
Chapter 35: Faith
Amamiya rented car
Nathan Road
Kowloon, Hong Kong
July 19, 2009
10:12 AM
Masaki Amamiya finally put down the phone and let out a sigh of relief. "I'd intended for us to leave tonight but the many invitations we received last night are enough reason to stay a little longer. But then again, all these phone calls! We must have made quite the impression last night," he said with a chuckle.
Touya simply nodded in agreement. "Yes, great-grandfather."
They were on their way to Central to have lunch with the Zhous. They were one of the families they became acquainted with the night before.
His great-grandfather placed a hand on his shoulder. "You've caught their sights, my boy. I'd expected nothing less."
"And I'm supposed to play nice now?" Touya said, exhaustion audible in his voice. He wasn't looking forward to the next few days. He wished he was back at his university, getting a good sweat as he played football.
The Amamiya head gave his shoulder a few reassuring pats. "I'm sure you aren't use to all this parading and pretense but I dare say you'll get used to it in a while. Besides, there are some people that are actually worth knowing. Who knows? You might meet a girl that strikes your fancy."
Touya shook his head. "Hearing you say that makes me adamant not to find anyone, great-grandfather."
"I was kidding, Touya," Masaki said with another laugh.
"I hope so."
Masaki looked out to the scenery flashing past them. "We'll have to ask the Lis to entertain Sakura a little longer. I think two days will be enough for us to make our rounds. "
"Aren't some of them interested in Sakura as well?" Touya did not miss the lingering gazes some men gave Sakura last night. With the way Tomoyo had dressed her up, a lot of men would want to get to know her. Touya wasn't happy with this. For once, he was glad that Li was there by her side. Touya wasn't able to protect her last night but Sakura had assured him that she had not been bothered at all. Touya was sure Li had scared them away.
"Truth be told, some were very eager to meet her," his great-grandfather confessed. "Unfortunately, they found out that she was already together with Xiao Lang so they took back their invitation. I've told you before that it's suicidal going against the Lis here in Hong Kong."
"I remember." Just then, Touya's phone started to ring. He looked at the caller ID and frowned. "Please excuse me for a moment," he told his great-grandfather before answering the call. "Sakura, what is it?"
Touya did not like the momentary pause before Sakura answered. "Niisan, I want to go home." from the sound of her voice, Sakura was crying. There was so much pain in her voice that Touya found himself unconsciously tightening his grip on his phone.
"What happened?" he demanded. His anger was slowly rising to the surface. He did not like it when his sister was hurt.
"Please. I just… I want to go home," she said desperately.
He looked to his great-grandfather. The old man was watching his every move. He turned his attention back to Sakura. He wanted to turn the car around and go to her but he had other responsibilities. He cursed under his breath. "I can't leave now. Can you wait for a few hours? I'll come and-"
"Niisan… Please," she said in an anguished voice. He knew she was reaching her limit.
Touya cursed again. "Hold for one second. Don't put down the phone, all right?" He called his secretary who was seating in the front seat. "Jin!"
"Yes, Sir," Jin answered immediately.
"Please check online and see the earliest flight to Japan today."
Jin brought out his tablet. "Yes, Sir." Touya waited in silence. He could hear Sakura crying on the other line. After a few minutes, Jin spoke again. "The next fight is five hours from now."
"Book me one seat," Touya ordered.
"The business class is full and -"
"I don't care of its economy!" Touya said in frustration. "Just get me one."
"Yes, Sir," Jin replied. It was almost a minute before Jin finally said, "It's done, Sir."
"Thank you." He spoke to his sister once more. "Sakura, I've gotten you a ticket on the next flight home. Jin will come get you. He'll be taking you to the airport. I can't leave, I'm sorry. I'll call Otousan to get you once you arrive. I'll be home as soon as I can. Will you be all right going home alone?"
"I'll manage," she said in between sobs.
Touya was still worried about her. "Take care of yourself. Please."
"I will, I promise."
"Call me when you'll board the plane and as soon as you touch down in Narita, all right?"
"I will… Thank you, Niisan."
Touya listened to her sob for a few seconds before he ended the call. He looked at Jin once more. "Jin, I need you to bring Sakura to the airport for me. She has to catch that flight."
"Yes, Sir," Jin replied.
"She's in a delicate state so please try to make her feel better."
Jin looked back at him through the rearview mirror. "I'll try, Sir."
"Before we let you off, get me the phone number of the Li Main House." Touya wasn't letting Xiao Lang Li get away with making his sister cry.
"Is something wrong, Touya?" Masaki asked. He had remained silent as Touya spoke with Sakura.
"I am going to strangle that bastard," he ground out. Touya had his fists clenched. He had the urge to hit something. He was debating whether to go to that house and hit Li himself.
Masaki asked him again. "What happened?"
Touya let out an exhausted sigh. "I don't know. Sakura was on the phone begging to go home. She was crying. I didn't want to press her."
"Crying, you say?" His great-grandfather eyes flashed.
"Yes," he answered with a nod.
The Amamiya head brought his eyebrows together. "She was supposed to be with the Lis today, yes?"
"Yes, she was. I'm going there later." Touya was determined to get to the bottom of things.
The old man put a hand on his arm. Touya was surprised by how strong the grip was. "Easy, Touya." he was trying to calm Touya down but Touya guessed his great-grandfather was just as angry as he was.
"I told him I'd come and get him if he made her cry," Touya explained. He was not going to be deterred from confronting Li.
"Speak with Sakura first," the Amamiya head urged him.
"But-"
"Touya." The authority in his voice was unmistakeable.
Touya wanted to argue but he could not go against his great-grandfather. He nodded, not trusting his voice.
"Once we speak with Sakura, you, Junichi and I will have to deal with him."
He looked back at his great-grandfather and finally saw the Amamiya head's façade slip. He seemed to be even angrier than Touya. Touya nodded again and tried to collect himself. They will have their moment and he'd just have to be patient. He had to go back to Sakura first. He was having an internal conflict. He wanted to do his responsibilities to his great-grandfather but he knew that Sakura was his priority now.
"Pull over."
Touya looked at his great-grandfather in surprise.
The Amamiya head looked calm once more. "Jin, please help Touya get back to the hotel. I'll deal with the Zhous."
It was a second before Touya found his voice. "Great-grandfather-"
"Go on. You'd rather be with her, yes?"
Touya nodded. "Thank you." Without another word, Touya opened the door and rushed out, his assistant trailing after him.
-oxoxoxoxoxoxoxox-
In front of the Amamiya suite
The Peninsula Hong Kong
Kowloon, Hong Kong
July 19, 2009
10:36 AM
Her fingers wouldn't stop trembling. It was taking her forever to get the door to their room open. She was expecting to run all the way back here but Wei, their butler, pulled her away and led her to a car. She could not even remember anything on the way back. All she could remember was calling for her brother and asking him to take her home. Throughout the trip, all she could feel was a force clamping down on her heart like a vise. The emotional pain was so great it was even manifesting itself physically. Sakura felt it even now, threatening to choke the breath from her lungs. The more she wanted to forget his words, the more they just repeated in her head like a broken record.
"I never loved you. Not once in all this time."
And his smile. That smile of acceptance. That smile that rejected everything between them.
It hurts so much. So, so much.
The door finally clicked open and she staggered inside. She walked blindly to her bed and collapsed onto it. Her tears would not stop falling.
It's my fault. It's all my fault. Why was I not honest with him? Why didn't I just tell him then? If I did then it would not hurt this much.
She was spiraling down depression once more. She knew the signs already. She was trapped in an unknown place, drowning in her sorrow. She needed to be back home. She'd almost forgotten what pain felt like. It was searing through her, numbing everything.
If I knew I'd be hurt, I wouldn't have loved anyone again. I'm meant to be alone.
The tears would not stop. She laid there and let the pain consume her. She was used to it already. Hadn't she lived for three years like this?
The feeling of warm arms wrapping around her broke her out of her shell. She recognized her brother's cologne. She tried to look up to meet his gaze, her eyes filled with tears. Worry lines were dominant in his handsome face. Sakura didn't say anything else as she sobbed into his chest. Her brother's hold tightened around her. He was murmuring words of comfort into her hair. His presence was of little comfort but Sakura was grateful he was here.
-oxoxoxoxoxoxoxox-
Study
Li Main House
Central, Hong Kong Island
July 19, 2009
11:47 AM
"I told you that I would hunt you down if you ever hurt her. I don't know what happened between the two of you but you had no right to make her cry! The next time we see each other I'm going to strangle you. Don't you dare show your face in front of her ever again, you piece of shitI"
Profanity doesn't suit you, Touya Kinomoto.
The phone call ended there. Xiao Lang imagined Touya Kinomoto's face twisted with rage and chuckled darkly. It somehow felt good causing that façade to break. His dark humor passed quickly. He was lounging lazily on one of their recliners, an unfinished shot of bourbon resting on his stomach. He rarely went into this room. It was mostly his sisters who entertained themselves here. All around him were shelves and shelves of liquor. He had gotten a random bottle and poured himself a glass.
Isn't alcohol supposed to wash away worries? This tastes so disgusting that I can't even down a glass.
He had come into this room to drink away everything. His mind was still coherent and he hated that. He wanted the alcohol to obliterate his memories of the past hours. He wanted to forget what happened.
Xiao Lang wanted to forget how monstrous he was.
The image of her crying face would not leave him. He had caused that. He was the one who had once promised to protect her from everything. Little did he know that he could not protect her from himself. He had hurt her with his words and his actions. He felt like he was hurting himself with each word he had spoken to her. He had been a paradox. He had cut her with his words but inside, he wanted to reach for her, wipe away her tears and hold her tight. He didn't dare do it. His will would crumble. And so he buried the love he felt for her and lashed out at her in anger. As his insides twisted in pain as he hurt her, he felt a small amount of satisfaction at causing her pain. He wanted her to feel it. Wanted her to feel even just a small part of what he himself had been feeling. He had been played expertly, betrayed by the people he thought closest to him.
Betrayed by the person he had given his whole self to.
What am I left with now?
He laughed without mirth.
Why am I even bothering? It was a dream, Xiao Lang. It's time to wake up.
Everything had indeed been a sparkling dream. She had literally come from nowhere to save him from his empty life. She was perfect in every way. She was beautiful, kind, thoughtful, and with good breeding. Everything the Elders wanted for him. More importantly, she had understood him. She broke down his walls and showed him a world he had never known.
She had been everything he wanted for himself.
But it was all a lie.
It wasn't he who she had been looking at. All the love she had showed him was meant for someone else. He had just been deluding himself.
Stop kidding yourself. You don't feel anything for her. He's the one who loved her. You don't feel anything for her!
No matter what he kept telling himself, he still wanted her. Every cell in his body was crying out for her. Right now, he was viciously fighting the urge to chase after her. It was taking all his willpower to keep himself rooted on the spot. He had hoped the alcohol would numb his body so he would be as still as a rock. He took a deep breath before swallowing the contents of his glass. He reached for the bottle on the table and poured himself another. After a while, he was done with half of the bottle. His earlier aversion was crushed by his desire to smash himself until he could no longer stand straight. Just when he was about to finish off his next glass, someone spoke from behind him.
"Xiao Lang."
Recognizing the voice, Xiao Lang sat up straight with effort. He placed the glass on the table before facing his mother.
"Mother," was all he said.
Yelan Li frowned as she scanned the sight in front of her. "What is this?"
"Bourbon."
And me trying to drown myself in alcohol.
She raised an eyebrow at his answer. "Why?"
Xiao Lang shrugged. "I thought it would be interesting to see what happens if I drink an entire bottle. Unfortunately, it seems I can hold my liquor. A pity. I was hoping I could get something out of it."
"Fuutie told me what just happened."
Xiao Lang didn't bother looking at his mother. Just the sound of her voice told him exactly how she felt about the situation. Not bothering to explain himself, Xiao Lang asked, "Did you know as well, Mother?"
He did not need to elaborate. Fuutie would have filled their mother in on everything she should have known. "No. I did not. Your sisters did not tell me."
Keeping the joke to themselves no doubt.
"I should be happy that I'm not the last to know but since this joke is at my expense, please forgive me if I don't find it in myself to be entertained." He leaned back on the chair, his eyes trained on the bottle.
"The way you're acting is contradicting everything you told me about your feelings."
There was anger in his mother's voice now. Xiao Lang wanted to laugh in his mother's face but he found he was too exhausted to do so. He didn't want to hear a lecture now. All he wanted was to forget.
"My feelings?" he said in a mocking tone. He met his mother's gaze then. "I have none, Mother."
The frown on his mother's face transformed her face. "I beg your pardon?"
Please just leave me be.
Xiao Lang knew it was futile trying to resist his mother. She always got her way. It was always better being honest with her.
"That wasn't me. It was all him." The bitterness came out of him all at once, mangling his voice.
He saw his mother sigh and waited as she moved to sit beside him. "Why do you say that?" she asked, not unkindly. It was as if she was trying to understand him.
He hated looking weak in front of her. She sat patiently, waiting for his answer. Xiao Lang could already feel his defenses crumbling. "Please, Mother. I only changed when I met her. I always felt that I knew her. That I always have. Well, his heart did. I was simply strung along for the ride."
"What are you saying?"
The wall keeping everything in broke right then. Xiao Lang didn't care what he looked like anymore. His pride? His dignity? He had already lost her. Anything else was nothing compared to that. "I'm saying everything was a lie. Everything I felt for her, everything I thought she felt for me. Everything. I felt like I was rudely awoken from a dream I wanted to live in forever! I've nothing left! I've lost her! What else can I do? I can't unlearn the truth! If I knew I'd feel this way then I'd wish I'd never known." He buried his hands in his hair, gripping tightly. His eyes were smarting and he knew the tears were already threatening to fall. "…I wish I never met her."
If I never met her then I would not know happiness. If I hadn't met her, I would not know what it would feel like to have it taken away as well. I would be fine living how I lived all this time.
Xiao Lang felt as if he had swallowed acid.
Yelan gently disentangled his hands from his hair. She said nothing as she did this and Xiao Lang knew he had already shown her his worst. He kept silent as well, refusing to meet his mother's eyes.
He felt her hands brush his hair away from his face.
"You don't mean that," she said softly.
Xiao Lang didn't reply. He leaned his head on her shoulder and Yelan cradled it gently.
"It was a fantasy, Mother," he said in a hoarse whisper.
A fantasy that I wish I could live in. A fantasy that I can never return to.
"Don't you trust your feelings?" she asked him in a low voice.
"Trust, mother?" he said in a disgusted voice. "How can I trust my feelings if they aren't even mine to begin with?"
They belong to him. They were never mine in the first place.
Yelan pulled away and forced him to face her. There was nothing but love and patience in his mother's face. "What is trust, Xiao Lang?"
The question threw Xiao Lang for a second. "Excuse me?"
"What do you think trust is?" she repeated.
"What sort of question is that, Mother?" The cynical side of him was rearing its ugly head. "Are we discussing etymologies again? You know I was never adept at language."
His mother smiled, unaffected by his cynicism. "Just answer."
What is trust? I don't understand, Mother.
She sat still as she waited for his reply. Xiao Lang knew her enough to know that they would stay like this until he answered. He thought for a few moments.
"Trust is being certain of something," he said finally.
"That's all?"
Xiao Lang sighed in exasperation. He wasn't in the mood for his mother's mind games. "People aren't generally asked to define the term mother. I'm sure I can come up with a more satisfactory answer if given more time to ponder it."
Yelan ignored his words. "Do you know what trust is to me? Why do I trust you? Why do I trust your sisters?"
He shrugged. "We're your children. We'll do everything we can not to lose your trust, mother. We'll perform to the best of our abilities so you can be certain that we will not fail you."
His mother smiled. "Exemplary answer. Exemplary but wrong." She cupped his face in both her hands. "Trust, Xiao Lang, is always an act of faith."
"…Faith?"
"Yes. Faith." Yelan released him but still held his gaze. "To believe in something blindly. To not ask for proof. To not ask for guarantees. To not ask for assurances. I trust you because I have faith in you. It doesn't matter that you're my son or that you've always done as I've told. I simply believe that you will not let me down. There's no logic to it. No reasoning."
Trust is an act of faith?
He blinked several times to digest what his mother had just told him.
"You say you don't trust your feelings for her. Why is that?"
"How can I, Mother?" he asked her despairingly. "She loved him first. She probably loves the part of him that's inside me. And he loves her. I know he does. How can I be certain that the things I feel for her are real? That they aren't his? How can I trust these traitorous feelings?"
"Just have faith, Xiao Lang." His mother smiled at him serenely. "Believe in those feelings. You don't need proof. You don't need anyone's approval. You don't need a written statement that your feelings are real. Loving someone is always a leap of faith. At the end of the day… It's always about what you believe."
Believe… in my feelings?
"But-"
Hope was welling up inside of him. He had already flung himself down the deepest pit of despair and every word his mother was saying were rays of light in his darkness. Still, he stuck to his feelings stubbornly. He didn't think he could endure it if he lost himself again.
Yelan saw the cracks and she continued her assault. "Think back on what you were before you met her and then think of how you are now."
The change in him had been profound. He could not reminisce about how he had been before her without frowning. It had been an empty life. He had everything but he felt as though he had nothing. When she came into his life, she was like the rain falling down on his parched life. He had taken everything he could from her and given her just the same.
"Xiao Lang, your love for her transformed you. You chose to change yourself. No one else did it. Certainly not some supposed residual memories in your heart. How can you think that your feelings are false? Look at yourself. Look how you've changed. Your transformation… It was all because of the love you felt for her." Xiao Lang looked up into eyes that were identical to his. "That is your truth, Xiao Lang."
She had changed his life so dramatically. That was what he always thought. However, his mother was right. She had simply been the impetus for change. He chose to change himself. He wanted to be the man who suited her. He wanted to be the person he thought deserved her. That was why he took his life from the Elders. He didn't want anyone else having control of it because he wanted to give it to her.
I chose to change myself for her. I did it for myself. That wasn't someone else's desire. That was my own.
Yelan allowed him time to think on her words. Eventually, she finally asked him, "Answer me truthfully. Do you think you can let her go? Can you give her up? Can you stand her belonging to someone else?"
Can I really go back? Can I really have her stay by my side? Can I stay by hers?
For the first time today, he was certain of his answer. "No. I can't." Shame threatened to crush his spirit when he finally realized the gravity of he had just done. "I said such hurtful things. Will she forgive me?"
Yelan moved to hold him and Xiao Lang leaned into her embrace. "What I know is that nothing will happen if you just sit here."
He stood abruptly. "I have to go."
That's right. Time to stop moping around. I have to get her back.
"Thank you, Mother."
Without waiting for a reply, Xiao Lang dashed outside the room. "Wei!" he shouted.
Their butler appeared out of nowhere as if waiting for Xiao Lang's call. "Yes, Sir."
"Take me to the Peninsula," he commanded.
"Sir, I've called the airport and I've learned that the Amamiyas booked one seat going to Japan today.
Xiao Lang froze. "What time does it lift-off?"
"Two hours from now Sir," Wei answered.
"Take me to the airport."
I'm not letting you go ever again.
-oxoxoxoxoxoxoxox-
Waiting area
Hong Kong International Airport
Chek Lap Kok
July 19, 2009
1:56 PM
Touya was still restless. He had to reign in his anger when he saw her in their suite. She looked so broken. He held her and comforted her as best he could in the time given them. He wanted to go home with her but he had to finish his duties here. He had intended to go charging into the Li Main House after the plane left but he stopped himself. His great-grandfather had told him to talk to Sakura. He wanted to ask everything that happened but seeing her so hurt made him hold his tongue. The pain she was feeling had been too raw and bringing it up would only hurt her more. One thing was sure. Whatever he learned, he was never going to forgive Xiao Lang Li. When Sakura had fallen asleep from exhaustion, he had called up the Li Main House, asked to be connected to Xiao Lang Li, and then given him a piece of his mind. It would completely destroy his image with the Lis but he didn't care. No one ever hurt Sakura and got away with it. Well, maybe one person. Fortunately for him, Touya found it too tiresome to hire a medium to call his spirit back so Touya could kill him again.
"Touya-sama, the car is ready to bring you to the President." His assistant, Jin, had been rattled by the events. His concern for Sakura's welfare combined with Touya's short temper had put his own emotions into a rollercoaster.
"I'm sorry for involving you in this, Jin," Touya said with sincerity.
Jin chuckled. "Touya-sama, it's nothing. I'm always happy to help you."
"Thank you. I'll just watch the plane go and then we can leave as well." He looked out at the runway.
"Hai Touya-sama," Jin replied.
There was silence for a few minutes but it was broken by a ruckus at one of the counters. Touya ignored it at first but it became so loud that he finally looked back. "What's going on?"
"Someone is simply making a scene, Sir."
Despite his better judgment, Touya walked closer. There was a mob of people watching the scene. When he finally walked to a spot where he could see what was going on, the sight rendered him speechless.
Xiao Lang Li was causing the ruckus.
"-told you, Sir. We can't stop the lift-"
"I own half of this airport! If I say that plane does not leave, it does not leave!"
He was shouting at the woman know, completely ignoring all the looks that were being thrown his way. Touya had never seen this Li. The Xiao Lang Li he knew had always been perfect. From the top of his head to the very tips of his shoes, he was always impeccable. His calm and cool façade was never fazed by anything. The man in front of him was a completely different person. His hair and clothes were dishevelled, and whatever coolness he exuded was shattered by the desperation in his face and in his voice. Touya believed this Xiao Lang would strangle the woman in front of him if she did not submit.
The woman he was talking to was trying her best to calm him. "Sir, we have another flight going to Japan in three hours and there are a lot of free seats. The plane you want has finished boarding and is already on the strip. It-"
"I don't care about the next flight! I want that flight! Stop it now!" Xiao Lang shouted again. He was heaving now, his hand clutched at his chest.
Somehow, Touya wasn't really surprised to see him here. He was angry at him, yes, but seeing how he was acting now dissipated that anger. He didn't know how but Xiao Lang probably realized just how big an idiot he was. If Touya left things alone, he'd be ensuring that the Amamiyas would cut off their ties with the Lis completely. Sakura would be away from Xiao Lang Li and everything would be as it should be. It was a happy thought. Unfortunately, it was just that. Sakura would never be the same. Xiao Lang had weaseled his way onto her heart and sending him away would hurt her. It would strip of her of that smile she had just regained. Probably doing the most mature thing in his life, he decided to step forward.
"A bomb!" someone shouted from behind him.
Everyone turned to the voice. It was Touya's secretary, Jin.
He ran to Xiao Lang's side and spoke to the woman. "I received a call! One of the passengers of that flight is Sakura Kinomoto. She's the great-granddaughter of Masaki Amamiya, one of the richest men in Japan. It could be a hoax but we have to be sure. They called me from the phone in the terminal. You have to keep that plane grounded!"
Panic exploded around them. Touya and Xiao Lang could only stare at Jin, wide-eyed.
they conversed in hushed tones for a while before the woman finally said. "Calm down everyone. We'll get to the bottom of this. Sir, could you follow the authorities? We have to get your statement. Please wait a second." She looked towards Xiao Lang. "I'm sorry for not believing you, Sir."
She turned away and started speak harshly into a receiver.
Touya ignored bedlam that surrounded them and turned to Jin.
Jin smiled sheepishly. "I'm sorry for doing things without your permission. It may have been presumptuous of me but I felt it was for the best."
"No, it's all right. I was planning on doing the same thing."
"I'll deal with the authorities, Sir. You can attend to Sakura-sama."
Toya could not help but smile. He was going to give this guy a raise once they got back. "Thank you."
He finally turned back to Xiao Lang. Xiao Lang was doubled over on the counter. He looked to be in pain.
"Are you-"
Before Touya could finish his question, the young man in front of him collapsed.
-oOo-
Author's note: And done! *wipes sweat off brow* That was a hard chapter to write. Please don't whip out voodoo gear or send evil vibes towards me. I seem to be showering you guys with cliffhangers, haha. Anyway. Enjoy.
The next chapter will be in a while. I'm off to volunteer. I'm sure you guys have heard of the disaster that just hit our country. I want to do my part and help. I'll be too busy to finish a chapter. Please say a prayer for the people who are suffering until now. Again, thank you and until the next chapter.