Sakura sat on the beach, the water tugging at her bathing suit as she stared at the sky. Her emerald gaze lingering over the blue expanse that was dotted with fluffy cotton candy clouds. Her shoulders heaved in a silent sigh as she closed her eyes; her long lashes fluttering against a sun soaked cheek.

"Sakura!" Tomoyo's musical voice rang out across the expanse of the beach. She waved in Sakura's direction, smiling brightly. Sakura stared humbly at her friend as she drank in the image of Tomoyo's slender figure wrapped in the cherry print summer dress.

Friend. Sakura used the word friend. She couldn't get her head around the word girlfriend.

"Tomoyo is my girlfriend." She whispered hoarsely as she stared out at the shimmering water in front of her. No matter how many times she repeated it, she couldn't accept it. It wasn't long before Tomoyo was standing next to Sakura, her sandals in hand as the water tugged at her ankles.

"Tomoyo." Sakura whispered, climbing to her feet, not meeting her inquiring sapphire gaze. "I love you; but as a friend. I'm mistaken in thinking those feelings were romantic feelings." Still refusing to meet her friend's gaze, Sakura turned to flee, but Tomoyo's slender white hand caught her by the elbow. Tomoyo made Sakura meet her teary eyes.

"Sakura-chan are you telling me that I'm not the one for you?" Tomoyo's voice was firm, only her eyes betraying her hurt. Sakura nodded silently, but Tomoyo shook her arm. "Answer me."

"You are not the one for me, Tomoyo-chan." Sakura replied with only a mere seconds hesitation. To her surprise, Tomoyo smiled at her with her tears spilling down her cheeks.

"I admire your knowledge." She whispered softly. "You know I'm not the one for you, but I... Well I truly believed you were the one for me. I hope you can find the one for you." Tomoyo released Sakura and ran further down the beach, the water splashing with every insistent footstep.

Sakura sighed and wrapped her arms around herself and turned in the opposite direction of Tomoyo and headed back to the cosy cabin where her father, brother and friend were. In her mind, she couldn't focus on anything but Tomoyo's smile and her tears.

"Why do I feel like I did the wrong thing?" She whispered. Breathing deeply, she forced a smile on her face and stepped inside the cabin. "I'm back."

Yukito smiled at her, the smile reminding Sakura of a cat who was up to no good. Tilting her head slightly, she took a breath and detected a hint of a scent she had almost forgotten. Strong arms encircled her from behind. "Syaoran-kun." Sakura breathed as a flood of distant almost forgotten memories rushed into her mind.

~*~

A fifteen-year-old Sakura stood numbly at the bus stop as she stared at Syaoran Li's face as he spoke. His lips were moving, but she heard no sound. All she knew was that he was going back to Hong Kong, again.

"Don't go." She whispered hoarsely and curled her fingers around his clothing, burying her face into his clothed chest, breathing in his spicy scent. He encircled her with his gentle arms, pulling her close. Kissing her soft hair lightly, he sighed deeply.

"I cannot stay, Sakura." Syaoran lifted her chin up and kissed Sakura softly. "Goodbye Sakura." He whispered before releasing her and boarded the bus to the airport. He purposefully sat on the opposite side away from Sakura, not wanting to see her as he left. He didn't want to see her cry tears he made her cry.

Six months passed and Sakura waited. A year passed and Sakura still waited. A year and six months passed without any kind of contact and Sakura's heart weakened, and she accepted the hand fate dealt her.

~*~

Now two and half years later, fate brought her here and she found herself once again, in Syaoran's embrace.

Her chest constricted tightly as she turned to face him, the lover that had abandoned her. Confused emerald eyes met brown eyes so dark they could be mistaken for black.

"Syaoran-kun." Sakura repeated dumbly as she continued to stare up at him. He had grown in the last two and half years, now towering over Sakura's slender form.

"Long time no see, Sakura." He murmured, but was interrupted by Touya clearing his throat, as it if to remind them he was there. Yukito quickly shushed him and dragged him cheerfully out to check out the beach. Sakura's father was at the nearby shop stocking up on supplies after finding Yukito and Touya's version of stocking the cupboards quite inadequate.

That left Syaoran and Sakura alone together in the small cabin to talk.