Time Frame: After the pair of Card Captors arrived back at their dorm. They are in Syaoron's room studying for a calculus exam.

Translations: Mei Shi (Chinese)-No problem

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"Argh! I'll never understand this!" exclaimed Sakura after she was unable to do a volume problem using integration.

"Calm down and let me see what has you so excited," said Syaoron.

"Look at question 39 and you'll understand why I'm ready to burn this text book."

"Hmm… It doesn't look that hard," said a thoughtful Syaoron. "Here just do this." As he showed Sakura how to do the problem.

"Oh! I get it. Thanks," said Sakura as she leaned over and gave Syaoron a butterfly kiss.

Syaoron tried to deepen the kiss as she pulled away. She placed a finger on his lips and pushed him back.

"Remember the little experiment?" Syaoron nodded. "Well it's still going on."

"But you just kissed me," whined the Card Master.

"Yes, I kissed you. I can kiss you. You're the one who can't kiss me," explained Sakura.

"That's not fair," pouted Syaoron.

"I know, that's why it's so fun," giggled Sakura.

Syaoron muttered something under his breath and went back to his studying. Sakura also went back to her practice questions. They remained like this for another hour before Syaoron finally couldn't resist the urge to hold her. 'Hell, if I can't kiss her then I'll do the next best thing, I'll hold her,' thought Syaoron as he got up from his place at one end of the sofa and slid over to Sakura.

She could sense him coming and could barely control the blush that was coming to her cheeks. She didn't look up as he slid alongside her and pulled her to his side. He slides his arms around her waist and pulled her to his side of the couch. While all of this was going on Sakura still tried to look at her work.

Syaoron noticed that she didn't seem to be paying him too much attention even though he had just moved her across the couch. 'Trying to act cool huh? We'll see about that,' thought Syaoron as he slowly moved his hands to her sides and began to tickle her.

Sakura tried to control her laughter at first but after a few seconds of tickling she just couldn't take it and burst out laughing. "I give, I give, Mercy!" cried Sakura.

By now they were both laughing and had forgot all about the math exam the next day. "Your wish is my command, my love," said Syaoron. He slowly stopped tickling her and just settled for having his arms around the woman he loved.

He rested his head next to hers. His legs were straddling her from behind.

She turned her head so that she was facing him. She could smell the faint scent of his cologne mixed in with his natural autumn scent. She was so happy just to be in his arms. So Sakura closed her eyes and simply enjoyed the simple pleasure of being in her gentle warrior's protective embrace.

Syaoron could smell the cheery blossom scent of his Yong Fa. Her hair was so soft next to his cheek and he just couldn't get enough of her. He just wanted to sit here forever.

The moment was broken by the sound of someone knocking at the door.

Sakura was about to get up to answer the door when Syaoron pulled her back down. "Maybe they'll go away," he suggested.

Sakura nodded and settled back into the curvature of her boyfriend's body.

A few moments later there was another knock. Followed by another a few moments later, this time louder.

Sakura once again tried to get up to answer the door, but was pulled down by Syaoron again. "No, I'll get it. You keep studying, you need it more than me."

He walked to the door and opened it to reveal his fellow co-captain from the soccer team. "Hello, Jia-luo how can I help you?" Syaoron inquired.

"Hi Syaoron, sorry to disturb you but I was wondering if you would be willing to put your name in the run for the Valentines' Day Dance Bachelor Auction?" asked Jia-luo.

"Uh… I guess. Why aren't you doing it?" replied Syaoron.

"Well, I am."

"Then why are you still asking me?"

"The Basketball, Baseball, and Swimming teams are challenging us to do it in order to see who could raise the most money and all the teams are picking their three most popular guys."

"Okay. Tell me the details later."

"Kay, thanks Syaoron."

"Mei shi."

Syaoron closed the door as Jia-luo left. He turned to see Sakura smiling at him. "What?"

"Nothing."

"What?"

"Well, I'm just surprised that you agreed to it. You would never have done that back when we were in Tomoeda."

"Well I've changed quite a bit since then," Syaoron smiled as he slid back on the couch and pulled Sakura close. "So how far are you along with the practice questions?"

"I'm not doing so good," said Sakura. "I'm stuck on question 56. I don't know if I should use dy or dx for the integral."

"Let me see. Hmm… You use dx because it is rotated around the x-axis."

"Oh… Okay. Thanks," said Sakura as she gave Syaoron a light kiss on the lips.

"How do you expect me to do your experiment if you keep kissing me?" complained Syaoron.

As answer, Sakura just giggled.

Syaoron muttered something in Chinese under his breath and went back to studying.

They had been studying for about an hour and they had started to fall asleep. It was just too comfortable sitting on the plush couch and holding each other. Then there came a knock at the door. Syaoron was still close enough to consciousness to register the knock. He carefully lifted Sakura and then gently placed her on his bed, he took her slippers off and pulled a down comforter over her. He took the notes and the textbook and placed them on his desk. He then carefully treaded over to the door and opened it carefully. Outside he saw that it was Yuan.

"Hi, sorry to barge in like this but could I speak to Sakura?" asked Yuan. "I went to her dorm room and Ming told me that she was with you."

"I guess, hold on for a minute." Syaoron walked back over to Sakura and gently shook her. "Sakura," he whispered. "Yuan is here to see you."

Slowly Sakura woke up and stared sleepily at Syaoron letting his words cut into her sleep-fogged mind. "Okay." She finally said sitting up.

Syaoron helped her to her feet and over to the door. There he left her to talk with Yuan and went back in to clean up his desk and to put everything away.

"Hi Yuan, what did you want to see me about?" asked Sakura.

"Hi Sakura, I wanted to see if you wanted to be in the Bachelorette auction for the Valentines' Day Dance."

"I guess, but don't we have enough girls for that already?"

"We did, but four of the girls have come down with mono. So they won't be there. We needed replacements and you were the logical choice."

"Hmm… Sure, I'll do it."

"You will? Great! I'll call you with the details later."

"Sure, I'll talk to you later then," said Sakura as Yuan walked away.

Sakura closed the door to see an amused grin on Syaoron's face. "What?"

"Nothing," but upon seeing the expression of annoyance on her face he said. "It's just that I never pictured you as the sort of person to be willing to do this."

"Well I usually don't, but it is for a friend."

"Yeah, I guess."

Sakura lazily walked back to the bed and fell on the pillow.

Syaoron smiled at this and walked over to her. Then he thought 'oh, why not.' He moved to lie on the bed next to Sakura and pulled the comforter over them. He slipped his arms around her waist and pulled her close.

She turned around in his arms so that she was facing him. She had her eyes half closed and a perfectly contented smile on her face. She just couldn't seem to get enough of those amber eyes. But she was so tired from having to learn all that calculus and so slowly she drifted off to sleep.

Syaoron watched his angel sleep in his arms and almost couldn't resist the urge to kiss her. She was just so beautiful. He stroked her hair and softly caressed her cheeks. She was so delicate and he just felt that he had to protect her no matter what, even if it cost him his own life. He remade the promise he made nine years ago. He promised that he would protect her from anything and to make sure that her happiness was paramount above all else. And with that thought he drifted off to the realm of dreams to join his cherry blossom.

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Sakura slowly woke up. She felt safe and comforted; it was the best nap she had ever taken. She was in such a restful slumber. She still felt Syaoron's arms around her waist and felt his steady heartbeat. His scent was intoxicating. He smelled like a cool autumn day in the park, with the faint scent of grass and sandalwood. She felt as if she could stay like this forever, in his arms.

She just lay like that for a few minutes until finally Syaoron started to stir.

He opened his eyes to see the dazzling emerald eyes, blindingly bright smile, delicate and beautiful china-doll face and downy soft cinnamon hair. And he was reminded again of how she had captured his heart and soul.

Sakura's stomach grumbled bringing the pair back to the real world. Sakura smiled sheepishly and Syaoron just cupped her face. He was about to kiss her when she put a finger to his lips. "Remember the experiment," she simply said.

The pleading look in Syaoron's eyes made Sakura's heart melt. So she gave him a butterfly kiss on his lips and tauntingly told him that the wait would be worth it.

Finally Syaoron got up and stretched. His stomach also began to make noises, which caused his cheeks to turn a nice shade of pink. "Come on, I'll make you dinner."

Sakura gladly followed Syaoron to the kitchen of the common room on his floor. Because there were so few people who lived on this floor they had the kitchen mostly to themselves.

Sakura went to sit on the couch and watch some television, while Syaoron went into the kitchen and started to cook some Chinese food.

In little over a half an hour Syaoron had prepared a great dinner for the two of them.

The first course was soup; the soup served was hot and sour soup, soup that is difficult to make if you want it to be good. Syaoron's soups was perfect. The next was the main dishes. Hong Shau Du Dang (Steamed Fish Covered in Special Sauce), Cheng Pi Niou Liou (Fried Strips of Beef in Orange Sauce), Yu Xiang Rou Si (Spicy Pork in Special Garlic Sauce), and Jia Chang Do Fu (Home Style Spicy Tofu). And for desert it was sweet green bean paste.

After dinner Sakura helped Syaoron clean up the dishes and the table. Then they retreated to Syaoron's room and settled on his couch and put a DVD movie into his DVD player. It was an old romance movie made in the early '90's it was one of the few romance films that Syaoron actually enjoyed.

The movie was moving no matter how many times the two of them had watched it.

Sakura eventually fell asleep in Syaoron's arms. As the movie ended Syaoron looked down at his cherry blossom and smiled. 'I must have done something very right in the previous life to deserve her,' he thought to himself. He turned off the TV and DVD player and gently lifted her up and walked over to his bed. He placed her on the bed and gently removed her sweatshirt. She was wearing a t-shirt underneath so it was okay. He took off her socks and brought her legs up onto the bed. He went to his phone and called Ming. He told her that Sakura would be spending the night at his place. He simply didn't have the heart to wake her up again. He went into the bathroom, took a shower and changed into his pj's. After he had turned out all the lights he settled into bed with Sakura's back curving into his chest. He didn't sleep at first but just lay there with his arms around her and thanked his lucky stars to simply be with Sakura. She was the light of his life, the person who gave meaning to his existence and his soul mate. He would be at her side no matter what. He would always protect her. And on that thought he finally drifted off to sleep.

The last thought that was on his mind and the last word he spoke before he let sleep take him was "Always…"

To be continued…

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