by: Mattel
ai_no_hime@mail.com
**~~STANDARD DISCLAIMERS APPLY~~**
Chapter Four - Thoughts and Questions
"What are you doing here Xiao Lang?," Rian asked incredulously at the stunned Syaoran.
"I never thought I would ever..," Syaoran whispered, mostly to himself.
Sakura's eyes were presently darting from Syaoran to Rian, not quite catching up with the situation, "Hoe?,"
"I guess you're too surprised even to see me here, Xiao Lang, I never thought that you'll be one of Sakura's companion she's talking about," he paused for a moment, then continued, "The last thing I heard about you was that you were sent to Japan, to capture the cards that were entrusted to us by our ancestors.. and then after a while I also heard that you failed that mission, that you were defeated by some girl. I thought you know that anything that would be a hindrance towards the--" then he stopped and a shocked expression covered his face, "Don't tell me she's--," he looked at Sakura.
"I'm what?," Sakura inquired after she was blatantly inserted in their argument.
Syaoran fixed her with a 'look', "The mistress," he told her.
Sakura raised one eyebrow, "So?.. what if I am? that doesn't mean I am abnormal isn't it?,"
Rian stared at Sakura with disbelief, he couldn't believe her that she *was* the mistress, and he didn't even sensed it!, all the time he was busy falling in love and not noticing that she has some powers. But then he couldn't help himself can't he?, he thought.
Now Sakura was confused even more, but if she's confused, her father, Fujitaka-san, was more confused than ever so he just invited Rian to their hotel room to... settle things
It was only a few minutes ride from the Ocean park towards the hotel, but Sakura couldn't help but observe the two boys that were obviously throwing deadly glares towards each other since she could clearly see them do it with her sitting on the middle of the two glaring boys. She couldn't understand them. She couldn't understand any of these. Sakura sighed inwardly, so much for the 'happy' vacation, this turned out to much more like a disaster. And it all started from a soup. She grimaced when she remembered that her ill fortune started after eating that gruesome snake. After some time, they finally arrived at the hotel and quickly directed all of them towards Syaoran's room.
After some more moment none of them talked, waiting for each other to get comfortable first at Syaoran's room, after a while Fujitaka-san stood up and told them that he's got stuff to do, so that leaves Sakura with the two glaring boys and a still pretending Kero-chan. Sakura cleared her throat which brought the two boy's attention.
Sakura sat on Syaoran's bed and stared at them, "Now, could any of you explain what was going on with you two back there?," she asked while shaking Kero-chan. Almost immediately after sensing that Fujitaka-san was gone, he moved and stretched a little, but not long before he noticed Rian staring at him with an incredulous look on his face, Kero-chan let out a little yelp.
"So you must be the famous Clow Book guardian, Kerberus..," he said, while looking at Kero-chan, "You look a lot more like a miniature stuff toy than a guardian,"
At that Kero-chan flew towards him ready to kick his guts out of him, "Why you little gaki!, this chinese brat's bad enough, and another one was being added?!," he screeched while pointing a paw (?) at Syaoran's direction.
After a series of frantic kicking, swearing and punching, Kero-chan at last gave in to Sakura's urges to calm down. "Kero-chan!, be quiet right this instant or else I won't cook you any pancakes again," she said giving him her ultimatum which never fail, quick as a flash the kicking and thrashing Kero-chan was replaced by a quiet, saintly Kero-chan. Sighing with relief, Sakura turned towards the shocked two boys, "Hoe?," she asked confused.
"Is he all right?, just because of some pancakes?," Rian asked Sakura, eyes filled with disbelief turned towards Kero-chan. At that Kero-chan began thrashing again, using his legs (?) to kick Rian on his knee. Sakura sweat dropped, and then turned again towards Kero-chan.
"Kero-chan! remember the pancakes..," she said, almost as if mocking him. At that Kero-chan changed into a whole new saintly Kero.
"Okay..," Sakura started as she turned towards the two boys who sat in front of her, "Now.. kindly any of you tell me what's going on?," she asked, she hated it when she doesn't know the things that concerns her.
"Well you see--," "it's because," they both started at once, then almost quickly Syaoran just shut up, glaring at Rian.
"Well, go ahead, tell yours first," Syaoran motioned to Rian. Rian then looked at him with measured eyes, anger and jealousy were clearly written on his bluish jet-black eyes.
Syaoran glared back at him.
At that Rian smirked, then turned away from Syaoran and turned to look at Sakura.
"I think you know now that I'm Xiao Lang's cousin, right?," he asked Sakura.
Sakura nodded her head in agreement.
"And I suppose you know that the Li clan must collect all the cards, right?," he asked Sakura again.
Sakura bobbed her head up and down.
Rian sighed, "well, that's the problem, you see, now that the cards have already chosen their new master, the matters entrusted to Xiao Lang failed.. and for that, we can't do anything.. but to take him back, but after 3 years of contacting him to come back and just take his responsibility as a heir of our clan, he refused." he stopped for breath.
After hearing the word 'refused'. Sakura turned to look at Syaoran, "Why did you refused then? Syaoran-kun," she asked.
Sensing that Sakura was looking at him, Syaoran looked away then muttered, "It doesn't matter," through gritted teeth.
Rian shook his head, "You're still hard-headed as ever Xiao Lang..," he said, feeling exasperated.
At that Syaoran turned his hard amber brown eyes to Rian, "So what?.. it doesn't concern you.. does it?, so what if I refused then?..," he asked him, almost challenging.
Rian shot up an eyebrow, "Well, now that we already knew that you're here, we couldn't allow you to go back to Japan.. Xiao Lang, accept your responsibilities as a man.. don't run away..,"
"I'm not running!," Syaoran said.
"Well, what do you think you're doing?," Rian asked him.
"I don't know...,"
At that Sakura chimed in, "He's right, Syaoran-kun, you must accept the matters entrusted to you," she said, even though it would cause my sadness, I couldn't let you separate from where you really belong>.
Hearing Sakura's side, he let out a long sigh, "Are the elders mad?," he inquired to Rian.
Rian scratched his head in a funny way, "At first, yes, but now.... I guess not, that is if you would come back to us Xiaolang,"
Syaoran stood up and walked towards the door, "Let me decide until sunset," at that he left the room, leaving Sakura with Rian.
"Does he really have to go with you?" Sakura inquired.
Rian looked up from his hands towards the green orbs that always fascinates him, at first he couldn't talk, but after some minutes he managed to mutter a silent, "Yes".
After hearing his answer, Sakura stood up and walked towards the window and looked down, there she saw Syaoran sitting alone on a bench, facing the expanse nothingness.
Rian cleared his throat.
Sakura turned to him, "Is something the matter?,"
"Nothing.. anyway, is.. Li...," Rian started.
Sakura glared at him, mostly because he IS Syaoran's cousin, so he should call him by his first name... that'll prove, they're a bit.. connected.. somehow.
"Err.. I mean, is Xiao Lang... important to you?.." he finally spat.
Sakura looked ghostly white then a red sheet started to creep from her neck to her cheeks..
"I don't know what you're saying.. but I'll say he's pretty important to me.. he's a friend.. and a caring one too," she said wistfully staring back at Syaoran's lone figure below.
"Just a friend?," Rian inquired. He does need to know before he plunged even further.
That thought took him by surprise. 'Plunged further for what?' he thought. Almost automatically his rational side of his mind replied this doubted feelings, 'For her feelings.. I must need to know if she loves him..'
Sakura turned to look at him, straight in the eye.
"I don't know.. all I know is that he's important to me," Sakura returned her gaze and glued them again on Syaoran's back, "He's so important to me, that I myself don't understand whether I would like for him to decide to come back to his relatives or come back with us to Tomoeda."
Sakura felt her eyes begin to feel so hot, she wonders why.. until her vision of Syaoran became so blurred that she wiped her eyes almost mechanically. She was surprised to know that she was *indeed* crying.
'Maybe Rian's right, maybe I do love him.. but does love feels like this?' she wondered. She turned to tell that to Rian but when she turned around there was already no one behind her. She just gazed below and almost magically she saw Rian's figure approach Syaoran.
"I wonder what they're talking about?" she said aloud as she saw Syaoran turned towards Rian and responded to whatever Rian's offering him.
"What?," Syaoran asked, stunned.
Rian was not patient, like his cousin, "I said, I challenge you to a fight, fight me like a man, and if you win, I'll let you go back to Japan with Sakura-san and not tell the elders about it," he stopped, waiting for a reply.
Syaoran glared at him but he asked anyway, "But if I lose?...," he trailed off.
Rian put up his hands, "Then, you have to come back with me, and face the elders.
Syaoran pondered at his words, he has a point there. But does he really like to go back to Japan with Sakura?.. he know deep inside that he wouldn't be able to live even for a week without Sakura. Even though she could be annoying sometimes, being 24/7 on front of his face. But he'll miss her, Kami, he'll sure miss her.
He finally came up to a conclusion.
"Okay, I'll spar with you..." Syaoran said as he glance towards his cousin.
Rian nodded almost in approval, "Good, then come and meet me on our house by sunrise, so that my mother and sisters can watch, you know how they hate missing us, spar, even when we're kids," he said wistfully.
Syaoran just whispered almost sarcastically, "Sure is..,"
At that he glanced up the hotel towards the window of Sakura, there he saw *her* watching them through the curtains, but when she felt him looking at her, she quickly disappeared.
Do I really want to go back?. Syaoran thought over and over to himself, until his head felt like it's going to explode. But suddenly Sakura's voice rang on his head, clearly.
I tried my best because you're here with me Syaoran-kun, and with you always by my side, I know I'll be safe.
Syaoran *know* he had to fight to go *home* with her. But he doubted if he'll ever win this challenge.
I just need to try my very best for Sakura. I need to.
--- TO BE CONTINUED.
Next: Chapter Five - Sayonara... aishiteru..... futari koibito?!
Author's Notes: I know this chapter is the shortest one ever written, but don't worry, it'll be good on the end.. ^^;; if you want to read the previous chapters, go at: http://www.crosswinds.net/~jmdl