Celestial Blossom: Despite my low amount of reviews, I really intend on finishing Loving You, even if it kills me…but I thank from the bottom of my heart the authors and readers that took the time to read and review my fic!

Disclaimer: Again, you really don't think that I own CCS, do you? So me no own CCS, you no sue Celestial Blossom…

Key:

"…" Speaking

… Thinking

(…) Translation

(*…*) Author's note

//…// POV (* there's only going to be Meiling's POV and normal POV throughout fic *)

Bold or italics or CAPS is emphasized (* I don't know why, so don't ask *)

CHAPTER THREE

//Meiling's POV//

I don't want to go to school today. Not that anyone would notice. I should just wag it and go somewhere. Maybe watch one last movie. Not that I had any money to watch movies with.

Sighing, I change into my school uniform and pick up my backpack, slipping my feet into my walking shoes, walking slowly, my eyes on the pavement.

The sun's shining today. The beams are warming everything. The morning dew and last night's raindrops are sparkling and throwing mini-rainbows on the pavements in the sun. I see a peony bush nearby…Syaoran…

A rush of memories…Syaoran rescuing my bird, glomping Syaoran, getting jealous of Sakura because Syaoran kept blushing, the Fight Card hurting Syaoran…

My knees buckled as I began to cry. God, I missed my friends, I missed Syaoran, I missed Sakura, I missed Tomoyo and her camcorder, I missed Eriol with his annoying grin, I missed my friends…

"Li-san?" said a voice.

I looked up. It was him again. The Snow Bunny. Yukito. I wiped my cheeks and stared right back at him.

He was on a bicycle, with a basket of flowers on the back. He must be working for a florist, like one of the many other jobs he has.

"What's wrong, Li-san?" Yukito asked.

"Nothing," I lied. We both knew it. But the Snow Bunny didn't press it. Instead, he just reached into the basket and pulled out a fresh white rose, wrapped in cellophane and tied at the stem with a blue ribbon.

"Hai, dozo," he said, his usual smile still plastered on his face. I looked at him incredulously. The rose was beautiful, but I couldn't take it.

"Iie," I whispered, backing away. "I can't pay for it," I added.

"It's on me," Yukito said, holding it out to me. Timidly, I reached for the flower.

"Arigato," I whispered again, admiring the gorgeous rose. Yukito smiled at me and rode off.

"You're welcome, Li-san," he called back, and then pedaled away.

I turned back to walk home. There was no way I could go to school today with a rose in my hands. The girls would try to get at it because they hated me. I put the flower in water, hoping it'd last till I got home.

I got another detention for being late and yet another for forgetting my school bag. I just stared at the teacher calmly and seated myself at back of the room. I put my head on my arms to stare out the window again. Just a few more days…and this would all be over. Even with the rose.

//Normal POV//

Kinomoto Sakura watched the Chinese girl lay her head on her arms on the desk, as if to sleep. She had changed in the last few weeks. Sakura could see that Li Meiling had grown thin and gaunt, pale, tired, and looking older than she was. Actually, anyone with a pair of eyes and a conscience would notice. But she couldn't do anything.

Li Syaoran saw his girlfriend's gaze on something else, and followed her line of sight, which landed squarely on his cousin's bent head. A pang of guilt stabbed him as he saw her bony wrists, and how the uniform was loose on her skinny body.

But when Matsuri-sensei began to explain the work, their attention was drawn to the teacher.

~*~*~*~

There was an announcement over the PA system. There would be a festival for the season in the Tomoeda Royal Park (* this is not a real place, obviously *). Each student was to attend short of breaking a body part.

Students swarmed around the school grounds, excitedly chatting about what they would wear and what they would do.

//Meiling's POV//

I was dozing off under a group of trees that concealed me from passersby. Stupid festival, who would want to go? I just lay back on the soft grass, tiredly looking at the sunlight through gaps in the leaves. So tired, I needed to sleep…I curled up into a ball and dozed off again.

When I came around again, the schoolyard was dead quiet. I must be late for class, I thought as I crept out from under the shade of the trees. I got another detention for lateness. Not that it mattered.

~*~*~*~

I was let out of the principal's office at 4:30 after completing three straight detentions. The festival would start soon.

My rose was still alive, but starting to truly die though. Might as well get ready for the damned festival.

I reached into my closet and found my one and only kimono. It was a royal blue silk with little white blossoms decorating the fabric. My obi was light pink with violet butterflies on it. My kimono was a present from Aunt Yelan. I must give it back to her before my death day.

I looked in the mirror after putting on my kimono. I let out my black hair completely. It was too long. I picked up some scissors.

Yes, I could speed things up. Just adjust my grip a little and just plunge it into my flesh…but I can't die in Aunt Yelan's kimono.

I chopped off my hair in one go. More than half of the length was detached from my head. The tips of my uneven hair barely brushed the base of my neck. Yes, this was much better. And I looked so different. Dumping my hair into the bin, I combed out my hair and headed towards the park.

The festivities were already beginning, but I avoided the more populated center of the park and headed for the lake. It was quiet and a good place to think. I sat down on an old tree stump near the water.

Just two more days…till it was all over. Just two more days.

How would I do it? Slit my wrists and bleed to death? Overdose? Jump off a cliff? Get run over? Hang myself? My, there were a lot of options. Or maybe I should just use the old-fashioned technique of stabbing myself in the heart. Or, looking at the lake, maybe drowning is a good prospect…

"Sumimasen," said a voice behind me. I turned around. It was Kinomoto Touya, Sakura's overprotective oniichan. "Are you alright? The festival is over the other way."

"Daijoubu desu. I'm just trying to get some peace and quiet," I said to him. He doesn't recognize me. He's looking at me curiously.

"You look almost familiar," he muttered, looking closely at me.

I said nothing, just stared right back at him.

"You're that gaki's cousin, aren't you?" Touya said, frowning. I almost smiled. He was referring to Syaoran.

I remained silent. I waited for him to say something nasty about Syaoran.

"What are you doing, all by yourself?" Touya asked bluntly.

I said nothing.

"Answer my question, Li," Touya said firmly, addressing me by my last name.

"No."

"Answer my question."

"No."

"I told you to answer my question."

"No."

"It must run in the family," Touya muttered darkly and left.

I almost smirked. That was unexpected. Maybe, I should just speed things up and save myself a lot of time…this kimono's heavy enough to stop me from swimming…I could just jump right now…why not?

The clomp of my wooden sandals was muted by the shrubs surrounding the lake. It was deep, nice and deep…the water looks so nice…

"Oi! Gaki!" a voice called out, stopping me from jumping. It's Kinomoto Touya again.

I stepped back from the edge, standing there using my blankest expression possible.

He was carrying two ice cream cones. I almost tripped (and considering I'm standing still, that's a big thing).

"Nani?" I asked quietly, regaining my composure. He rolled his eyes.

"What the hell do you think? I got you something to eat, you look skinny," Touya said bluntly.

I took the ice cream and wondered if this was really Kinomoto Touya. Hopefully, the ice cream was poisoned…it'd save me a whole lot of time trying to decide how to die…

"Arigato," I said, for the second time today. Then I remembered. Yukito was Touya's best friend…he must have told Touya about me crying, so Touya was just being kind…I felt like choking on the ice cream right then, then I could die right there. I don't need their pity…I just need to get away from here…

What were the chances that Touya would walk away right now and let me go back to drowning or choking? Nil, at the moment…he seemed to want to eat his dessert right here…does he know what I want to do? Sakura mentioned once that Touya had some powers of his own…

~*~*~*~

The next morning, oh goody…just one meal left…tomorrow will be the day. I didn't go to school. I had to prepare…this house would be the only thing still here, all of my possessions were either given to charity or given back to the people who gave them to me in the first place. I would die in the one thing that really belonged to me- a pair of baggy navy blue tweed slacks, a pair of old hiking boots, and a long sleeved green shirt with a ying/yang symbol on it and a silver dragon curled up underneath. I had my silver chain bracelet, and my silver necklace with a ying/yang pendant with wings on either side.

I smiled broadly. My last day.

End of Chapter

Author's note: Ahh, now I'm getting to the point (finally)…oh, well, I just want to apologize again for my short chappies and ask you one question:

If you would like to see Meiling paired with someone, who would you pick?

a) Yukito

b) Touya

c) Someone I make up

Oh well, that's all for now…ja ne! Plz review! Onegai!