Normal text "Speaking" [[Thinking]] (Author's notes)

Disclaimer: I don't own them!! Really! *nods* if I own them, then I am the greatest person in the world....(It's not going to happen.) They really belong to Clamp.

*AHEM * About this chapter.....well, it will be rather confusing......cause I'm going to reveal what is Sakura after. *nods*

Enough crap then, let the story begin.......

" You are here to what?"

" I'm here to get something from the Li Family."

" And what is it?"

" It's.something Eriol-kun needed badly."

" What is it?"

" I can't tell you, Meiling-chan...."

" It's his staff right?"

"H-How.How did you know?"

" I got my own contacts. Oh, and Sakura, I got something to tell you."

" Hm?"

"Sakura, don't get too close with Syaoran. He is engaged...to another person. Her name is, I think, Song Ling..... Yep, that's her name. Sakura, I tell you this not because I want to hurt you, but it's just that I don't want my brown-headed cousin to break your heart......well, the decision is yours..."

".....I know. I understand."

--

--

Kinomoto-I mean Konimoto Sakura sighed.

Just as she had expected, Syaoran was VERY suspicious of her.

Sakura looked up at the ceiling and checked once more if her shield was still on.

[[Good, still on.....]]

And once again, she felt his glare at the back of her head.

Sakura sighed again. It shall be a really long day.



I'm Back Again By: XiaoBai

Chapter 2: Akogare (Longing)



Li Syaoran, a handsome young man with untidy auburn hair was relatively annoyed. That girl that came from Japan was radiating a little magic. This means, Syaoran thought as he narrowed his eyes, this means that this girl has magical powers.

[[Well, who is she then?]]

Syaoran had no idea or whatsoever. He had been racking his brain the whole morning just to think of a good solution.

But the most amazing thing is that his usually not-so-friendly cousin had became REALLY friendly towards that Konimoto after break.

[[Speaking of which]] Syaoran suddenly thought, [[Where did Meiling go after the bell ring for break?]]

Before Syaoran could come up with any reasons for his cousin's missing, the bell rang and everyone began nosily packing their bags and leaving the room at top speed.

Syaoran shrugged as he stuff his books back into his bag.

[[Oh well, I'll have to think about it later then.]] Then he grimaced as he suddenly remembered his terrible Geography test.

--

--

"TADAIMA!!" Sakura cried as she entered the house.

Eriol looked up from his book and smiled, " Okaeri nasai, Sakura-chan"

Tomoyo poked her head out of the kitchen and said, " Okaeri, Sakura-chan! Are you hungry? Lunch is almost ready!"

Kero flew down from the stairs, with a drunken Spinel in his paws and asked, with a hint of amusement in his voice, " Suppi did a weird thing just now. He jumped onto the bed and started doing a jig.....while singing "Twinkle Twinkle Little Stars'" Shivering a little, he continued, " How's your day today, Sakura? Did you see that gaki? What about that Chinese little girl?"

Sakura giggled and plopped down onto the sofa, while untying her navy blue school tie. Eriol looked interested at her, " Sakura-chan, tell us. What happened today?"

Sakura smiled, " Oh, nothing much. Just that Syaoran-kun did really badly for his Geography test, and he had that gloomy expression the whole day! Well, although how he still manage to glare at my head is beyond my imagination..... Anyway, Meiling-chan is still the same. Active, bubbly, cheerful, but isn't very protective of Syaoran-kun already."

"Oh, and besides that, I...uh....I told Meiling-chan about my real identity...." Sakura said, quietly.

There was a total silence (except for Spinel's frequent giggles) in the whole room as Eriol and Kero took in the news.

"NNNNNNNNAAAAAAAANNNNNNNNIIIIIIIIIIIIIII????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Kero yelled.

Eriol immediately put a magic spell over his eyes and smiled at Sakura as she slammed her hands to her ears, yelling, " HHOOOEEE!!!!!!! KERO- CHAN!!!!!!"

Tomoyo poked her head out of the kitchen again and asked, " Nani? What happened?"

Sakura hastily said, " Nothing, actually, nothing."

Tomoyo nodded and returned to the kitchen.

Sakura sighed, and glared at Kero, who glared back.

" Why did you tell that girl?!" Kero said, almost yelling.

Sakura took in a deep breath and retorted, " Because Meiling-chan looked so disappointed when she saw that Konimoto Sakura isn't Kinomoto Sakura! I felt so guilty to look at her disappointed face, you know!!"

" I would have been giggling in glee if I see their disappointed face..." Kero muttered and received yet another glare from Sakura.

Eriol, who all the while hadn't listen anything and was now holding Spinel (who was thrown at Eriol by Kero), said, " I think you two should stop quarrelling now. Lunch is ready!"

Tomoyo came out of the kitchen and smiled, " Lunch is ready, everyone."

--

--

Night.

Darkness.

Night is a time where shadows prow, and thieves and burglars at work. Of course, there are other people working at night, but we won't be talking about them now.

Night is a time where Kinomoto Sakura sat on a building opposite the window of the room of Li Syaoran.

Night is a time Sakura can only get to watch Syaoran.

Sakura sighed as she tugged at her black costume.

" Syaoran-kun...." Sakura muttered, longingly. Sakura longed to run into those strong arms of his, to call him 'Syaoran-kun' instead of a stiff 'Li- kun', to look into warm encouraging eyes instead of the icy cold ones he gave to people he suspect, people he doesn't like and people whom he'll like to defend himself from.

Sakura sighed yet again and looked sadly upon the window. Syaoran was sitting by the window doing his homework. He looked rather flustered. [[Must be that Geography test]] Sakura thought fondly and giggled a little.

Suddenly, without any warning or whatsoever, Syaoran turned and looked out of the window, right into her eyes.

Sakura froze. [[Did he see me? Is my shield breaking?]] Sakura thought anxiously as she checked her shield. No, the shield is still on. Then why is he still staring right into her?

Syaoran was slapping himself right now and he had a really pained expression.

Sakura stared into his eyes and was taken aback when he suddenly mouthed:

I missed you, Sakura.



There were apologies in his eyes, sadness, and like her, longing for her.

Akogare.

* Some times it doesn't take eyes, ears or any of your senses to sense the person you loved. * *To really feel that person whom you loved greatly, you will have to use you heart. *

Tears began to form in her eyes as she stared at Syaoran. She had longed for him. And he had longed for her. But there is something in those auburn eyes of his that wasn't the same.

// Sakura, don't get too close with Syaoran. I heard that he is engaged...to another person. Her name is, I think, Song Ling..... Yep, that's her name. Sakura, I tell you this not because I want to hurt you, but it's just that I don't want my brown-headed cousin to break your heart......well, the decision is yours... //

She knew he was engaged. She had tried very hard to force back the tears when she came home. She had tried very, very hard not to scream out loud.

When Sakura came from Japan, she hadn't expected that Syaoran would be engaged.

[[But even if he wasn't engaged, I won't be getting close to him......I still had to get something for Eriol. From the Li family....]]

She knew that the Elders of the Li clan wouldn't allow the Clan head to marry a person who is about to steal something from the Mansion.



All these thoughts came in a minute and went. Sakura took one last look at Syaoran then wrenched her gaze from him and jumped off.

A few drops of tears fell off her eyes.

--

--

Eriol leaned back in his chair and stared sadly at his hands. Tomoyo was sitting in another chair and was closing her eyes, as if not wanting to see a horrible scene.

" Why do you have to do this, Eriol-kun?" Tomoyo asked weakly, still closing her eyes.

Eriol didn't move from his position. "I told Sakura before, that she can refuse to help me....but she insisted."

" Because your life at sake, Master" Spinel said, trotting slowly down the stairs, followed by Kero.

Eriol sighed, " I know." Then he added a little darkly, " Although how my staff ended up at the Li Mansion is beyond me...."

" Well, without you staff, you won't be able to survive long, my dear," Tomoyo said, patting his lap. " Why? I don't get it? Why won't Eriol survive without his staff?" Kero said, a little unbelieving.

Spinel sighed, " Because he'll need his staff to control his powers. His staff acts like a seal, you know."

" So without my staff," Eriol added, darkly, " My powers will start eating me up soon....."

"Right now I have only manage to stabilize it with my spell, but I think it will start in about two weeks time." Spinel muttered.

Two weeks. Two weeks for Sakura to get in the mansion, grab the staff, and get out before anyone realize it.

But now, there is something distracting her.

And Eriol was very worried. Not for himself, but of Sakura and Syaoran.

The already engaged Syaoran.

--

--

Li Syaoran looked dejected at his homework. The whole paper of sums wasn't making sense now. Right now only Kinomoto Sakura was on his mind.

He had felt her staring at him from a building just opposite his window. He had turned around and found himself staring at Kinomoto Sakura.

Was he dreaming? Syaoran questioned himself.

[[No, it can't be. If it is a dream, then why did I felt pain when I slapped myself hard just now?]]

Syaoran sighed and then stared at the ring on his finger. He knew that he was engaged, and he knew that from what he saw in her eyes, Sakura knew that he was engaged.

Syaoran slapped his forehead.

He swears that he saw tears in her eyes.

[[Great. Now I'm in a big, BIG mess that I caused myself. Now I understand why Meiling told me to think thrice when I wanted to engaged to Song Ling...]]

Li Syaoran realized that he had made the biggest mistake of his life. He realized that it was rather too late to change it as.....

He was going to marry Song Ling in two weeks time.

--

--

When Sakura got home, she was pretty exhausted. As she closed the door, she saw Eriol, who was still staring sadly at his hands.

" Eriol-kun, I found a way to get into the Li Mansion. It's thou-"

" Sakura, are you sure you want to continue to help me?" Eriol interrupted her, still staring at his hands.

Sakura looked surprised, " Of course I am! You left only two weeks before your powers started eating you up! And Li-kun is going to get married in two weeks time. That means I could volunteered in helping out at the preparation for the wedding, then while I am at their house, I could sneak around, get your staff, and revive you!"

Eriol turned and looked at her seriously, " Sakura-chan, you know very well you didn't want to help in a wedding where you see the man you love marry another person!"

Sakura paused, silenced for a few minutes before continued quietly, " You are like a father to me, Eriol-kun. Well, in fact, you are half of my father. I wouldn't let my father die. And that is final, Eriol-kun. Nothing shall change my mind."

With that, Sakura climbed the stairs.

She didn't go back to her room.

She went to Tomoyo's room.

--

--

"Tomoyo-chan? Are you asleep?"

Tomoyo switched on the lamps and saw Sakura standing at the doorway.

" Iie, Sakura-chan. You came here to talk, I assume."

Sakura smiled and went into the room, closing the door as she went.

" I hope I'm not disturbing you or something....but, before I began, Tomoyo- chan, please give up any hope in changing my mind."

Tomoyo sighed and said in a slightly defeated voice, " Oh, all right."

Sakura hesitated a little then continued, "Tomoyo-chan? Do you mind if I...borrow your shoulder....."

Tomoyo looked surprised, then smiled sadly, " I thought you would borrow Eriol's shoulder instead of mine."

" I know, but I like yours better," Sakura said, her voice breaking as tears began to fall.

Sakura leaned her head on Tomoyo's shoulder and started crying. Tomoyo patted her head, all the while muttering soothing words to her while the tears from Sakura's eyes soaked the sleeve of her blouse.

And Sakura cried till she slept.

--

--

Eriol looked into Tomoyo's room and found himself looking at Tomoyo, who was covering Sakura with a blanket. Eriol then noticed that Sakura's cheeks were wet and Tomoyo's sleeve was wet.

Tomoyo then went out of the room, pushing Eriol out of the doorway and closing the door behind her.

" Did she cry?" Eriol asked, obviously worried sick.

"She did." Tomoyo whispered.

" She's like a child," Eriol said, looking at the door of the room.

Tomoyo nodded, " But I think she might harden herself up.....oh I don't know. It's just that I have a feeling that she might..well, like Li-kun, form a cold shield around her..."

Eriol looked gravely at Tomoyo, " And I'm the cause of all this....."

Tomoyo sighed, " You don't have to worry about the wedding....if Sakura- chan is serious about volunteering, then I'll go with her.....I'll get Meiling to 'invite' me over then."

Eriol nodded.

If only he could use magic, it'll be much, much easier.

But alas, no! Either Fate or Destiny MUST come into his way and stop him.

How? Well, Hiragizwa Eriol couldn't use magic, as it would trigger that illness of his magical powers.

Which means that if he uses his magic, he would be eaten up by his powers before you can say 'Magic!'

He had sent Ruby Moon after the staff, but he lost contact of her all of the sudden. Spinel said that she was still alive, but barely. It seems that she is seriously injured. Eriol sighed. If only his staff wasn't taken away...... Nakuru won't be injured and Sakura won't go through all this........

Eriol couldn't help it, but he sighed again.



~Tzuzuka





KONNICHIWA!!!!!!!!

XiaoBai: *Smiles * How's the second chapter? It's a little confusing though...*nods* feel free to comment.

Kero: *Ahem * And now, its time for....PREVIEW!!!!!!

" You want to volunteer to help out in the wedding?!"

" Un. I had already decided and nothing is going to change my mind, Meiling- chan."

" Oh, all right...I'll just say I want you to help out then.."

" Arigato, Meiling-chan."

" But...why do you want to help out?"

"....To get Eriol-kun's staff of course.."

Kero: *nods* so what's going to happen? What is Meiling going to do? Find out in the next chapter of I'm Back Again!!

XiaoBai: If you guys have any trouble, just email me! I'll DEFINETLY reply them!

Kero and XiaoBai: Don't forget to review!! Thank you for reading!!!!!!

HON NA NA!!!!!!!!!!!!!