The week passed by uneventfully compared to the first day. Sakura continued to draw gasps and hoots from the crew of mostly men. Sakura noticed that Syaoran seemed to work better with men, as if women were too much of a hassle. The more time she spent with Syaoran, the more she disliked him. He was like a fruit, getting worse with age. The time she had to spend alone with him painful to say the least. His curt, halting tone that he kept with her grated against her usually sunny disposition. She simply detested the man. Finally with Saturday and the end of the workweek, she found solace.
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Syaoran's week went by somewhat differently. As the days wore on, Syaoran was more and more entranced with Sakura's loveliness. He studied her simple movements: the way she bit her lower lip when she was thinking, and the way she gently brushed a hand through her hair when distraught. He wanted to gather her up in his arms and take her right then and there. However, he was careful that his actions never portrayed his feelings. He hated to make his emotions evident to anyone. These strange feelings needed mulling over, studying, perhaps even pacification via some distraction. She was an annoying habit he needed to break before it went too far.
"Now, Sakura…" Syaoran stated, trying to hold back the desire in his eyes, "I have found you a male lead. His name is Eriol."
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Sakura found herself facing a beautiful man of tall stature and jet-black hair. There was a mystery to him but unlike Syaoran, he possessed an easygoing nature that she enjoyed thoroughly. He immediately acquainted himself with her, smiling and joking all the while. Sakura was highly impressed with his attitude and demeanor. He even met Tomoyo and instantly, the three hit it off. They only had moments to chat, but Sakura was excited about what was to come. At least there is one good thing coming out of this shoot, she thought.
"So, what do you think of the story so far? I mean, from what I've heard, it seems like a joke or something," Eriol asked, a half-humorous, half-serious smile playing on his lips.
"I know," Sakura whispered. "I think this is the stupidest idea.. The man is quite unusual. I wonder if he actually thought this up, or if he's just stealing it from some Japanese cartoon or something." A telltale giggle escaped her mouth at her such terrible bluntness.
"Forgive me, I really do respect his genius. It's just that he… is… well… not my favorite person, let's just put it that way," Sakura admitted, blushing slightly.
"Well, Syaoran is my friend, but I can see where you are coming from. He can be very cold, especially with the people he cares about the most."
What is that supposed to mean? He is cold even when he cares? That is so bizarre. The more I get to know about him, the less likely it seems that I will ever get to like him. Sakura was deep in thought when a hand reached around her shoulder, possessively.
"For the sake of time and space, we have set up the last scene, the scene when the lovers share the kiss, so we can get it over with. Since it can only be done at night, during a full moon, I think tonight is the night it needs to be done." This was all blurted out quickly, which stunned her when she finally realized the hand was Syaoran's, and he was dangerously close to her face. His amber eyes locked with her emerald ones, and she could feel his hot breath against her cheek.
"Umm…okay?" Sakura was unable to move. His close proximity confused her, somehow boggled her senses. She had an overwhelming desire to be held by him like that forever, and then it faded as she registered the full complications of the thought. Eww. I just thought of sharing my life with him? Where did that come from? She quickly got up, distractedly brushed her hair from her eyes, and walked outside to where the shoot was set up. Eriol bounded after her.
"Ready to start kissing?" he jokingly inquired. Even though she was lost in thought, she could hardly suppress a laugh when he went down on his knees, presenting her with the handiest object: a comb from his hairdresser.
"Please, sweet Sakura, accept this humble gift as a token of my affection." He presented
her with the comb and she took it lovingly, going along with the charade.
"Oh Eriol, you shouldn't have. How can I ever repay you? Would a simple kiss do?" With closed eyes, she swooped in for a kiss, and at the last moment she turned her head as if someone was calling, so he caught her cheek instead of her lips.
"Oh, Tomoyo, do you want something?" Her laughter echoed all the way to her shadowy tree, where the kiss would be performed. Eriol stumbled over, defeated at his own game.
"Okay people, let's get to work. Now, Eriol and Sakura, I want you two to pretend to be in love. You just finished battling a nemesis. Eriol has just confessed his love for you, and you share this heart-stopping kiss."
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Syaoran was ready, but nervous. This story meant so much to him. He felt as if this that woman in his dream was calling him. That was another reason why he was so cold to Sakura. She seemed so much like this ethereal woman in from his dreams, who pleaded with him to make this story, to let her story be told. He felt as if something was to happen if he did. Perhaps he could finally rest, and retire. She was the only reason why he had taken up photography in the first place. She came to him in his dreams, and haunted his bed. She was the epitome of the kind of woman that would satisfy him, and he wanted to please her, wanted to finish the task she had asked him to perform. And now he was.
Eriol drew Sakura into his arms abruptly, pausing as he glanced in her mesmerizing eyes, and then plunged deep into a kiss. Sakura was surprised, she hadn't composed herself for him yet. Her eyes shot open, and she felt uncomfortable in his arms. He broke of the kiss as if it was completely normal. He'd obviously tried very hard to make it heart stopping, but it just felt too forced.
"No no no. Eriol, she needs to be wooed by you. This is your love, your life. You have loved her for so long, and she finally returns your love. Kiss like you mean it!" Syaoran hated watching them kiss. But he did smirk when he observed that Sakura did not seem to enjoy it as much as she was supposed to pretend to, and that provided him some kind of solace.
Eriol tried again, this time making his kiss a little less powerful, and Sakura was ready this time, with her eyes closed. But Syaoran wasn't impressed.
"Eriol, don't eat her. She isn't being devoured. Be gentle. Hold her lightly, make your kiss sweet." When Eriol returned his glance with a blank stare, he answered, "Here, let me show you how it's done."
Syaoran sauntered over to Sakura and gathered her in his arms, chuckling slightly at the affronted look on her face. He held her gently, yet she felt strangely secure in his arms. He gazed into her eyes, as if drinking in her beauty, asking with his large amber eyes how he could own something so wonderful as this. And before she knew it, his lips were hovering above hers. First they brushed lightly, like butterflies fluttering over her own soft lips. Every touch sent electric shocks down her spine. And then it was complete contact. His lips were so warm, so full, so consuming. They engulfed hers and gently caressed them.
Sakura felt as if she was drowning in his kiss.
Syaoran was lost. He kissed her as if starved, yet gently enough not to scare her. He wanted to have her, all of her as his own. Tenderly parting her lips, he invited himself inside. And then, just when she didn't want it to end, he broke the kiss. He'd finally realized he was enjoying this too much. He noticed his staff around him, instead of before when the world solely existed for Sakura and him. He had to stop himself, or he would have gone further than necessary. When he spoke again, his voice was slightly husky.
"That is how it should be done. Now you try."
Sakura was absolutely speechless.
He was still holding her in that intimate way, and she finally came to her senses and
realized the full truth of the situation. She broke away from his arms and delivered a sharp slap to his face. The crack echoed throughout the studio.
"Oh, I'm sorry," she half apologized when she saw the vicious reddening on his cheek from her slap.
"I deserved it," Syaoran muttered trying to understand how he had lost control in her arms. He felt like he was actually kissing her, and she was kissing him back, as if they were in love together, as if they were the lovers in the story. But that was not how he wanted to take her.
"You have my handprint on your face," Sakura knew he was only trying to show Eriol what he wanted, but she couldn't get past the thought that, somehow, she was what he wanted. Syaoran retreated back to the camera, slightly red and embarrassed. The love scene continued throughout the night, before the "lovers" got it right. Finally, it was time to go home.
Sakura was packing up when she felt his presence behind her once again, hovering. Instinctively she turned quickly, facing a nervous Syaoran.
"I… didn't mean to frighten you," he managed to blurt out. Oh goodness, here it goes, he thought. "I was wondering if you would join me to some dinner tomorrow night, just to discuss the shoot so far?"…He drew in his breath, desperate for an answer…