Chapter Four-Watchful Eyes
The next morning, he was the first to awaken. Li watched her until he decided to bring her into the new day by kissing her gently. She stirred as he spoke, "Good morning my love. Did you sleep well?" He said, taking the hair away from her face.
"Mmm-hmm,"she sweetly hummed as she yawned and pulled in closer to him.
"You're so cute when you're sleepy…I love you."
"I love you too…but I'm awake…see?"She opened her eyes and stared into his and kissed him once before settling back into his arms again, wanting to sleep more like this. A sleep without dreams predicting the future. A peaceful slumber.
They both were smiling…well, until they heard giggling from behind them. Sakura pulled away and Li turned his head.
"This is SO adorable!!"
"MEILIN!!!" Li yelled as he jumped out of bed. "What are YOU doing here?!"
"Well, I should be asking that to Sakura, now shouldn't I?" Li blushed as she continued. "I came to wake you up a half an hour ago for our jog but when I saw this I couldn't resist!" Meilin held up a video camera left to her by Madison in case of any romantic emergencies…this would definitely qualify as one…pretty much the most important one.
"You've been here the whole time?!" Li shouted, a little embarrassed. He didn't want Meilin to watch them while they were sleeping. It was just too creepy.
"Well, yeah! I'll have to rewind the tape so you can hear the cutest things you said to her while you were sleeping! Oh! And I even got the kiss and the 'I love yous'. Madison is going to be so thrilled!"
"You better get out of here before I smash that thing and kick your head in!" Li shouted as Meilin made a mad dash to quickly send the tape to Madison in Paris before Li could destroy it. I think I'll label it: A Confession Of Love by Meilin, she thought.
Li slammed the door shut as Sakura sat up in bed. He turned around to see her laughing. "What's so funny?" he asked in a serious yet joking tone. He put his hands on his hips in protest as he approached her in his bed. Now that was a thought, Li thought. Sakura sleeping in my bed. He smiled.
"Li…I can't help it! You're so cute when you're angry!"
"I am not!"He blushed even more, which made her laugh even harder as she fell onto the bed in a fit of hysterics.
"And now you're blushing!" She managed to spill out through the laughter.
"Well at least you're feeling better,"he groaned as he turned away from her and crossed his arms.
He felt her arms wrap around his stomach and her head was on his back. "The only reason I'm laughing or smiling…or even happy…is because of you, Li. You've healed me far beyond medicine ever could. Yesterday just feels like a bad dream and when I was lying in the rain…I felt horrible. I felt like everything was against me. But now…now I have you and I know I'll never be alone again."
"Well, that's something we have in common then," he said turning around to look into her eyes. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to take a shower." Li gave her one last kiss as he turned and took off his shirt. "I'll rewrap your bandages when I get out, okay?"
"Yeah, sure,"she smiled as he went into the bathroom. Sakura went back to bed because she was still tired from yesterday and dreamt happy dreams while her boyfriend took a shower.
When Li emerged, wrapped in a towel and scrubbing his hair dry with another towel, he was humming some love song. He stopped as he grabbed some clothes from his drawers and talked to his girlfriend. "Hey, Sakura, how about I go down and rent some movies to watch and then I'll make you breakfast in bed and the rest of the day can be spent just being with each other. Of course we'll have to talk to that stuffed animal at one point or another about Jason so…Sakura? Hey…Sakura?" He sat next to her on the bed, just realizing she was sleeping. "Too bad you're sleeping…all I have on is my towel…"he started in an inviting voice. "And I really wanted to kiss you."
Her eyes opened and she smiled, "Okay! I'm awake now!"
Li laughed and then leaned towards her, planting each one of his hands right next to her head, staring below into her eyes. "Oh, Sakura,"he said in a playful voice as he kissed her, pulling her up to meet his body with just one hand.
As the kiss deepened, she held him tighter, not wanting it to end. She was getting hungry though and she grabbed the pillow behind her and whacked him over the head with it.
"What was that for?"He asked smiling.
"You should go get dressed so you can do all those things you promised me while I was 'asleep'."
"Alright…I'll go get dressed and have Meilin head down to the video store for me while I make you breakfast. Then we'll have the whole afternoon of being with each other," he said kissing her. "Of course we'll have to get a hold of Kero."
"Do we have to?"She pleaded. "I don't want him to know about me getting…um…"
He put his arm around his girlfriend to comfort her, resting his chin on her head as she snuggled on his chest. "We can leave out that part, but we do have to tell him about Jason trying to take the cards and about him being a magician of some sort. Sakura," he said lifting her chin up. "He needs to know."
"Okay. But…promise me that you won't tell anyone about the other thing…not Meilin or Tori or my father…no one. It makes me feel worthless when I have to talk about it and I want to avoid that."
"Hey…Sakura you are far from worthless. You are at the other end of that spectrum. But, although it is against my better judgment…I won't tell anyone."
"Promise?"
He sealed it with a kiss. "I promise."
"Good…now…go get dressed."
"Yes, ma'am,"he said, mocking her in a gentle voice. He saluted her and then left to change in his bathroom and to talk to Meilin.
Sakura went through Li's drawers, trying to find something to wear, but couldn't find anything that would fit her besides pajamas or athletic clothes. The door opened and Meilin popped her head in.
"Hey, Sakura!" she said cheerily.
"Oh…hi, Meilin."
Meilin came inside and shut the door behind her. "Well, I'm off to the video store now…do you need anything?"
"Yeah…some girl clothes."
"Oh! Wait one second!" Meilin ran out the door and then a few minutes later ran back in. "I didn't know what to pick so I hope this is okay," she said handing the clothes to Sakura. "Just a tank top and a pair of shorts!"
Sakura gave Meilin a questioning look upon opening the folded clothes. "Aren't they a little…small?"
"Yeah, well I'm pretty sure Li won't mind at all!" Meilin said smiling. "Well, gotta go! See ya later!"
"Wait, Meilin!"
"Yeah?" Meilin entered the room again, smiling.
"Um…I thought you were going to send the video to Madison. I know she'd never forgive me if she didn't get to see it."
"Oh, she already saw it!"
"What? How?"
"The internet. She's already watched it about a dozen times, Sakura."
I figured as much, Sakura thought as Meilin ran down the stairs to the video store. That sounds exactly like Madison. Ah, I miss her; she continued to think about Madison as she changed into Meilin's clothes. Meilin hadn't grown too much since fourth grade. Well, not as much as Sakura had at least.
"This is a little too revealing…I might as well be wearing my bikini." Sakura checked herself out in the mirror, raising an eyebrow. Her white tank top was very low in the front; you almost could see her cleavage and her purple shorts were a little too short and just a little loose. Thank God that the shirt was stretchy and that the shorts were cotton and had an elastic band, Sakura thought.
While Sakura was turning and making weird facial expressions in the mirror, twisting around so that her long hair would be thrown about, Li came in using his back to hold the tray with two breakfasts on it. He placed it on a table, "Here is your breakfast my…liege…" He couldn't help but stare at Sakura, his mouth was partly opened and he grinned like a little schoolboy at her.
"Li, is it too revealing? I feel weird wearing this." He continued to grin but then was snapped back to reality by a… "LI!!"
"What? I mean…yeah it's small…but it's okay…I don't think any less of you, if that's what you mean."
"Really?"
"Of course not! I don't care if you're wearing this or baggy clothes…you make anything look great."
She stepped forward and hugged him tightly. "You're wonderful, Li!" she said as she kissed him and then jumped into his arms. He was a little surprised but smiled when she wrapped her legs around him to keep herself from falling.
"Thanks, Sakura…you're great too…I guess I took your advice after all and found someone better," they both smiled and kissed once more before she jumped down. He grabbed a table and placed it in front of his bed as she sat down on his mattress, waiting for him to serve her.
"Bon appetite! I hope you like it…it's been a while since I've made pancakes."
"I remember that my mom used to make these…you put blueberries in them! She used to do that too."He sat down next to her and started to cut them. He watched her eat the first bite and then she smiled. "These are delicious! A nice golden-brown. Just how I like them."
"Good,"he agreed as they both ate, talking in between bites.
"So why didn't you answer me in the fourth grade?" He suddenly asked. He had wanted to know for some time now and since they were together, he felt he could ask her anything.
"What do you mean?"She asked as he took away the plates and table and put them aside.
"Well…when I told you I loved you for the first time…you never answered me."
"Oh…that,"she waited to continue nervously as he sat down next to her. "Well, I was going to tell you how I felt but…I found out you were dating some girl back in Hong Kong…an old flame or something…so I decided to let it go."
"WHAT?! That's not true! Who told you that?"
"Hmmm,"she said, thinking back five years. "I think it was…"
"Meilin,"they both said in unison. Li was a little angrier when he said her name than when Sakura was.
"I should have known,"Li said, sitting back to where the pillows were. He dragged Sakura with him as he spoke. "So what happened after that?"
"Um," she started, getting situated in his arms. "Well, when I heard you were dating…I began to as well. Nothing great or anything. Losers mostly. I had not had one good boyfriend since well…you I guess."
"Really?"He asked, leaning closer.
"Really,"she whispered as they kissed. This lasted for a while until…
At that point, Meilin decided to walk in. "Hey you guys!" She said, whipping out the camera. Another cute-holding-each other-kissing-moment, she thought. Madison owes me big time. "Here's the video you wanted, Li!" she said happily, placing it on his t.v. and still recording the new couple's every move. "Do you guys have anything to say to the camera?" Li kissed Sakura once more before he got up and slowly moved towards the camera.
"Yeah, I do. Give it, Meilin."
"I can't do that…Madison would have a fit and this is too cute just to…Li…what are you doing? Get away from me!" Li was chasing around Meilin and finally stole the camera away from her, but not before she could take out the cartridge.
"I've had enough of this, Meilin! We're finally together and we can't be alone for more than an hour before you ruin the moment!"
"Li! You're overreacting! Give me the camera back!" Meilin begged as she tried to take back the camera.
"Meilin I love you like a sister but…"
"You do? Really?" he nodded. "Oh, give me back the camera! You have to say that again…Li loving moments are too rare to waste!"
"Meilin…like I said…I love you like a sister but…have you ever heard of sororicide?"
"Um…no…wait! Let me put it together! I'm taking a Latin class! Sororo- means sister and –cide means…oh…"she suddenly realized and nodded her head. "Right…I'll just be leaving now…have a good day!" she left suddenly, running outside.
"Anyways,"he turned to Sakura. "Where were we?" he said devilishly as he approached her with an evil grin on his face.
"Well, since Meilin brought the movie, why don't we watch it?"She said sweetly and now he couldn't resist. Stupid Meilin, he thought. Now I can't kiss her until the movie's over. I was really enjoying it too.
"Okay, Sakura. We'll watch the movie."
"Li."
"Yes?"
"I was just kidding,"she said as he turned to face her. "Get over here, you." He moved towards her and kissed her as soon as he reached the bed and then slowly lied down next to her. He stopped, suddenly realizing something.
"Hey, Sakura."
"Hmm?"
"I never did reapply your bandages."
"Really? I wonder why?"
Li demonstrated by kissing her. "That's why,"he said, getting up to retrieve more bandages.
"Oops. Sorry!"Sakura said, smiling innocently.
"Don't be sorry. I wasn't,"he sat next to her and started to unwrap a bandage on her leg. "Besides, we have five years of loving to make up for. Kissing is just part of it."
"Yeah, I know. Think of all the times I could have been with you when I was upset or when you were pissed at your mom or…"she noticed that Li had stopped paying any attention to what she was saying and was staring at her leg.
"Amazing."
"What is?"She asked.
"Your leg…it's completely healed…no scar or anything."
"Really?"She examined her leg as he unwrapped the other bandages and other wrappings. "Isn't that a little odd?"
"Yeah. I've never seen wounds heal this fast. Even with Wei's special mixtures. I don't know what caused this Sakura. But it looks like…you are a completely healthy girl,"he said smiling. "Sakura…are you sure you're okay?"
"Yeah, the wounds are fine now."
"No, that's not what I meant,"Li said while putting the wrappings in the trashcan and the extra ones on his desk. "Emotionally…how are you? I know last night was hard for you…and I just want to be a good boyfriend. I want to know if you're really okay. I care about you more than most people. More than all people."
"Li,"she started, kneeling behind him and wrapping her arms around his shoulders and chest. "I'm okay. Really. Yeah, I'm still a little scared and I will be for a while. But when I'm with you…it's different. I feel fine. More than that. I feel great. I've put it behind me now. Li…you are my future."
"And you're mine, Sakura." They hugged and kissed some more before they separated and he got up to put the movie in.
"What is it?"
"You'll see,"he said as he made a backrest with his pillows. He sat down and spread his legs so Sakura could sit in front of him. Wrapping his arms around her, they sat and watched the screen as the opening credits started.
"Oh, Li! Madame Butterfly!"
"I know you didn't get to see it last night…so…I got it for you."
"Thank you, Li. This means a lot to me."
"I know it does…that's why I did it."
For the next three hours they watched it. Li actually enjoyed the storyline, although tragic. She cried at the end and he held her and of course that was romantic as usual and they ended up kissing.
When they finished, she yawned. "I'm really tired for some reason."
"Well last night you found the energy to use at least four or five Sakura Cards so you should be drained of what energy you did have left."
"Yeah, you're right…do you mind if I…"
"No, of course not. Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere. I'll probably end up sleeping too."
"Okay,"Sakura said, laying into Li's arms, he pulled a blanket up over the both of them as he watched her close her eyes and then fall asleep. Soon later, he did as well, entwining his legs with hers.
About twenty minutes later, Meilin snuck into Li's room, found her camera, silently giggled and left just as soon as she had came. As she shut the door behind her, she ran to the living room downstairs to make a phone call.
"Hello? Madison? It's me…did you get the last video I sent you?…I know! It's so cute…So you think you could…Oh, really?! That's so cool!…Alright…yeah…hold on…" Meilin went into the kitchen to grab a piece of paper and a pencil. "Okay, what time again?…Okay…yup…sounds great!…well I have to go now if I'm going to make it on time…yeah…okay…bye." Meilin smiled evilly and hung up the phone and then dashed out of the house.