Chapter 6 Life in the end
Author's notes: omg…I haven't updated in ages!! But I realized that I shouldn't have left this hanging, it's my responsibility, even if nobody wants to read this anymore, I should still finish this.
This story WILL be shorter than I had intended it to be, because it seems to be dragging on for too long, I will end it in a few chapters, sorry to those who liked the story!
Thank you's list:
AnimeObsessionFantasy- Arigato for the review!! You'll see what happens now, hope you like the chappie!
Sally- Thanks for the review!
Mizutenshiai- I'm glad you liked my story, thanks for the review!
Vnrose4- Yup, the story is continuing alright! Thanks for the review!
Yukimi- well, here's the update ^^ , hope you like it!
"..Shikaru, I-I-.." Sakura stammered, her hand instantly pulled away as though she had been shocked. Syaoran rested his head back on his pillow and ran his hand through his messy, chocolate coloured hair. Neither of them said anything for a while, silence between them, had never been this awkward before.
Sakura opened her mouth at least 3 times, but each time reluctantly, her lips clamped back together for a lack of words to say. She almost decided to go back to bed and pretend this was all just a dream, a not so pleasant one. Maybe the next day, it'll be back to normal again…as if her life was ever normal to begin with.
Syaoran rubbed his temples irritatingly, an inner conflict taking place in his head. Was he to tell her, or was he to remain silent, and hope that she'd go back to sleep, and forget it all the next day? He almost let a sarcastic chuckle escape his lips.
What a fool, yes, fool you are, Li Syaoran.
Taking a deep breath, Syaoran slowly sat up, leaning on the wall. Sakura looked expectantly up at him, trying desperately to cover as much of her face with her bangs as possible. It was almost as though, she was ashamed, for a reason unknown to her nor him.
"Saki…I don't think you need me to explain, well…this….to know what this is about," Syaoran started quietly.
"But--…" Sakura's poor attempt at muttering something trailed off.
"I'm sorry," came the firm reply. Sakura looked up at him.
"What for?" she asked.
"That I lied, about …me…" Syaoran said with immense difficulty.
"Oh….but, why?" Sakura asked, the irony of it all hitting her, she couldn't, and didn't believe the sight before her. Syaoran sighed, knowing quite well that he had to explain, but how much of it, he couldn't decide.
"Because I ran away from home, my mother….she's a woman of many powers and is respected by many, finding me would not be of any difficulty for her, and if I wanted to be found, I wouldn't run away to begin with," he said, almost bitterly.
"Oh….I…I understand," Sakura said softly, looking at nothing in particular, staring off into space.
"You do?" Syaoran's amused voice snapped her out of her trance, as she immediately realized what she just said.
"…well, yes, why else do you think I would be here, dressed in these rags, I too, ran away from home, for personal reasons," Sakura said, carefully leaving out the part of her identity. She didn't know why she couldn't say it, after all, he already admitted to it, and he was her friend.
"I…I can understand if you don't wish to talk to me again, it is my fault," Syaoran said, she couldn't tell whether he was cold, disappointed, or simply feeling awkward.
"That…no, you've been a good friend, and besides…I always knew you were a little boyish to begin with, for instance, that deep voice of yours, I've got to admit that I've wondered about your sexual preference before," Sakura said, giving a laugh, which was soon joined in by Syaoran. The tension cracked, as Sakura found her way to asking some questions about the real him.
"So….what exactly is your real name? I highly doubt that it's Shikaru, it sounds too feminine…unless, of course, that is if you do prefer men more than women," Sakura snickered. Syaoran faked a look of horror.
"Why Saki, I never knew you thought that way of me, but you know, I do find you attractive," Syaoran said sarcastically, giving her a false seductive smirk. However, unknown to him, her cheeks had turned a crimson red, and thought desperately to change the subject.
"So, don't avoid the question, what is your real name?" Sakura asked.
"Well…" he seemed hesitant, but he knew he owed his friend that much.
"Syaoran," he said, leaving his last name out for safety precaution. Sakura nodded, and for the first time since she'd discovered his secret, she looked directly at him, into his pool of amber eyes. She felt her cheeks turn hot, as she took in his smooth features. His messy brown hair looked almost angelic under the candlelight. His amber eyes looked deeper than she'd ever seen them, or ever bothered to notice. He did happen to have rather boyish features, and was taller than her by at least a whole head, if he and her really were the opposite genders, and happened to be together, they would make an extremely odd pair. At this thought, she turned even more red, if that's even possible. Together? Sakura, what are you thinking about??
"Saki, are you okay?" Syaoran asked, his face no inches away from hers, peering curiously. Sakura gave a jump and fell back.
"Oww…why did you go and scare me like that!" She cried and gave him a playful whack on the shoulder, but all she received was a smirk from him.
"Go to sleep, we still have to work tomorrow, did you forget?" he said as he pushed her towards her end of the room and blew the candles out.
"Syaoran?" Sakura squeaked.
"What?" Syaoran asked, giving a small laugh at her voice.
"Are you really going to continue wearing that wig? Blonde really doesn't suit you," she said, stifling a giggle.
"Do you have a better suggestion? He would be positively freaked out at me, so much that he won't recognize me," Syaoran said. Then a thought crossed her mind.
"….if that happened, then you could get out of here, you don't have to work here anymore, he wouldn't know who you are, you could easily walk away, and Shikaru would've disappeared off the face of the earth," Sakura said, a wet substance stinging her eyes involuntarily.
"Fool, then where would I go? I'm still running away from, if my disguise was gone, my mother would find me immediately," Syaoran pointed out, but deep down inside, he had a feeling he didn't quite want to leave, and not only for the reason he stated.
"Oh," was all Sakura said, before they both fell asleep.
"Wake up, you pig," a voice interrupted the dream Sakura was having. Feeling irritated, she waved her hand as a sign for whoever it was that was bothering her, to leave. She turned around and pulled her covers up.
"WAKE UP!" a second voice bellowed, and instant recognition hit Sakura. She flew her covers away and bolted up.
"You two are to help me buy something today," the angry man said roughly, throwing a long list of items at her. He turned on his heel and walked down the stairs afterwards. Sakura sighed in relief, and found a pair of amber eyes looking at her. She felt herself blush again, and punched him on the shoulder weakly.
"Why didn't you wake me up!! Now I got yelled at!" she faked an angry glare.
"I did, you wouldn't wake up, I was going to tickle you, but he came up," he said casually. A look of horror dawned on her face.
"You were going to tickle me? You! You evil lad!" she cried, as she watched Syaoran give a loud laugh.
"I'm really starting to wonder, I have nothing against guys like you…but please, keep your feminine side to yourself," Syaoran said, giving another careless laugh, causing Sakura's cheeks to grow hot.
"Oh, just get up already, we have work to do," she said, as she threw the list in his face.
They were walking through the village, accumulating the items on the list as they were commanded to get. Finally, they came to a bench and collapsed on it, Syaoran counting the number of items left.
"This is horrible, and it's so hot today too!" Sakura whined.
"Well-," Syaoran started, but stopped abruptly. Sakura turned to see what was wrong, until realization hit her like a slap in the face.
Standing before them, was one of the people of she recognized, he was a man of high power, known to have a horrible reputation of making peasants miserable for entertainment. His name was kuzu takashiwa. But he was a lower colleague of her father, he was in fact, her cousin, from her mother's side, after her uncle had died, he'd lived with them, she'd seen him numerous times before, though he was under orders of her father, his sinister appeal had always made her shiver. Shocked, she suddenly realized she was in a very dangerous position of being recognized, but what came next was nothing as to what she'd expected.
"You, what do you think you're doing?" he snarled at Syaoran. Oblivious to what he was being accused of, Syaoran raised an eyebrow.
"Whatever do you mean?" he asked coldly.
"Young lady, you're sitting on my cloak," he said. Sakura and Syaoran both turned their attention to the piece of fabric on the bench. Lifting it up, Syaoran thrust the cloak at him. Sakura knew instantly, that it was a horrible mistake.
"How dare you!" one of Kuzu takashiwa's servants spat. Kuzu raised his hand up to silence his servant, but the hand was drawn back and was headed full force for Syaoran's cheek. Sakura's eyes widened in panic, but before his hand made contact with Syaoran's face, Syaoran had his hand circled around his wrist. Gripping his wrist so hard, he flung it back at him. Sakura gasped in awe, there was more to him than she'd ever known.
"Watch it," Syaoran spat, and took Sakura's hand, ready to leave.
"Stop right there," the slithery voice drawled. Syaoran kept walking, dragging Sakura with him, but they did not get far, when Kuzu grabbed a hold of both their shirts.
"You think you can get away from me? Not a chance, you'll be my servant to pay for your lack of manners towards me," he said with an evil smirk.
"So are you implying that if I gave you the manners, that you did not deserve and did not show for to me, you'd let it slip by? Pathetic," Syaoran gave a sarcastic laugh. This only seemed to anger Kuzu more, and Sakura knew it was not a good sign, not a good one at all.
"Syaoran, please, let's just go," Sakura whispered, her voice trembling.
"Don't worry, he can't do anything to us," he said as though he'd handled a situation such as this one ten times before.
"You don't understand--," Sakura tried, but never finished her sentence, as they were suddenly shadowed, by the gigantic figures of the men of Kuzu Takashiwa. They were surrounded.
Sakura found herself clinging to Syaoran, her grip on his arm tightened. Syaoran noticed, but was too busy wondering what he should do to care.
"What do you want?" Syaoran snapped, anger evident in his voice.
"Oh, nothing much…" the man gave an evil smile.
No…please, no… Sakura begged inwardly, dreading what was to come.
But before Sakura could do anything, she felt a hard blow to her head, and a yell from Syaoran.
Her hat fell off instantly, as she toppled to the floor, he long auburn hair blocking her site, he lips were dry and she couldn't mutter a thing as she felt a searing pain in her head, slipping off into unconsciousness, the last thing she heard was,
"Well, well, well, look what we here," the voice of Kuzu takashiwa drawled.
And the tears that stung a pair of stunning amber eyes, slowly slid down his cheek.
Author's notes: haha..i LOVE CLIFFYS!!!!!!! I'm evil!! Lol…but don't worry, I promise that I will update faster this time. ^^ so don't forget to REVIEW!~