.::Spilling Stars::.
By Fantasiimaker
~Chapter Eleven: Ending the Wait
In her cluttered room, Sakura paced back and forth agitatedly. This eternally long wait was killing her. It had almost been an hour; why wasn't Eriol back yet? Biting her lip, Sakura paced some more, throwing hopeful glances out the window every few seconds.
"Sakura, will you stop? You're making me dizzy!" exclaimed an exasperated Tomoyo, who was sitting cross-legged on the bed, reviewing her sheet music for choir. "Once Eriol finds Syaoran, he'll bring him straight back here. Calm down, okay?"
With a sigh, Sakura nodded and slumped into a chair. There was a pile of homework waiting for her, but she hadn't even unpacked all the assignments from her backpack yet. How could she concentrate on anything right now, when the image of Syaoran's face was burned into her mind? She could still see his wistful amber eyes staring back at her reproachfully...
The doorbell rang loudly, breaking the stuffy silence. Sakura's heart leaped, and she flew to the front door in a flash. For a moment, it seemed like her hand wasn't working properly, because she couldn't get the door open fast enough. But then it was thrown wide, and standing there in the afternoon light was...
Eriol. Just Eriol. Silently, Sakura pleaded his eyes, asking him the question. But Eriol shook his head slowly as he stepped into the house. No... Her heart sank lower than she ever thought capable. Behind her, Tomoyo put a hand on her arm.
Lowering himself heavily onto the sofa, Eriol removed his glasses and wiped them gingerly on his shirt. "I followed him all the way to the airport. It was quite a chase, I tell ya. Almost lost him about ten times. Then right before he left, I managed to shout out the truth: that there wasn't anything between you and Keichii. I'm pretty sure he heard me."
"And?" asked Sakura, almost trembling, though she already knew what he was going to say.
Eriol sighed. "He just kept going like he couldn't hear a word. Didn't even look at me. And then he...he got on the plane."
Sakura sank slowly into a nearby chair, trying simultaneously to clear her mind and think hard. So Syaoran really was gone. What if...what if he never came back? He had moved a lot, right? It wouldn't be so crazy now for him to take off and go to some school across the country, or even move back to Hong Kong. Who knew where he might be heading... But she couldn't let him get away...
"No," Sakura breathed. "I've got to find out where he's going. I've got to find him. This is all my fault, anyway. And his mom...she'll probably be worried out of her mind to find him missing when she gets home. I have to find him."
"Sakura," murmured Tomoyo worriedly.
"Where can he be?" Sakura whispered hopelessly. She hated to show this side of her to Tomoyo and Eriol, but it was too hard to repress her worries and her fears from them now. She needed help.
She needed Syaoran.
"Oh, Sakura." Tomoyo quickly pulled her friend into a hug. "Look, since he's already on the plane, you can't really do much right now. Why don't you try to go on with your day normally, get some things done-"
"Talk to his mother," Eriol spoke up. "Maybe she'll have some idea of where he's going. That would be a start."
"That's right," said Tomoyo. "Meanwhile... Oh, I know he's very important to you, and he's a great person and all, but... Well, just don't let your life be taken over by a guy, okay Sakura? It's not worth it. It's also his fault for just going off like that. If he chooses not to appreciate you for the beautiful, wonderful person you are, then it's his loss."
"Th-thanks, Tomoyo," said Sakura in a muffled voice. She smiled, and her eyes sparkled brightly with tears. "You too, Eriol. Thanks...for caring about me so much. You really are great friends."
"Aw, shucks," Eriol beamed, pretending to blush. Tomoyo just smiled back and gave Sakura one last hug.
*****
Ring ring. Ring ring.
"Hello?"
Sakura breathed a brief sigh of relief under her breath. Finally. She had called Syaoran's house so many times that she'd lost count, and finally, finally someone had picked up.
"Hello, this is Sakura Kinomoto," she said nervously, clutching the phone close to her ear.
"Oh, Sakura! How nice to hear from you, dear. Is anything the matter?"
"Um...yes." Sakura was a little disconcerted by Yelan's tone, as though nothing were wrong. Was it possible that she hadn't even noticed her son was gone? "Well," she continued in as casual a voice as she could manage. "Do you happen to know where Syaoran went?"
"Oh yes, I know where he went. I'm surprised he hasn't gone sooner, it's been so long," Yelan chuckled.
"W-what?" choked Sakura, completely confused at these words.
"You see, Syaoran has never had too many close friends because of our frequent moves. I think the pressure gets to him... When he's feeling particularly stressful, he'll occasionally take a few days off in solitude to pursue his own activities: hiking, martial arts, sword training, and lately he's taken up birdwatching."
"Oh..." said Sakura. Even hearing someone talk about him made her heart race.
"It does him good to be alone for a while, even though I used to worry. I know Syaoran can take care of himself. But I still wished that he had more people his own age to be around. I was overjoyed that afternoon when you, Tomoyo, and Eriol came home with him. That must have been the first time he's ever brought friends to the house!" Yelan exclaimed with a laugh.
"Wow," Sakura murmured, quietly digesting this information. Her heart went out to Syaoran as she began to see some things from his point of view.
"I'm glad that you're such good friends with him, Sakura dear," the older woman said. "I can't be certain, but in these last few days, I think he's changed somehow. He's more cheerful, more eager to go to school... I think he's finally opening up. You have no idea how happy it makes me to see that smile on his face!"
Sakura's heart thundered loudly in her ears. I feel the same. When he smiles, I could almost explode with happiness. "It makes me happy too," she whispered into the phone. Then she felt a pang of guilt. Yelan didn't know that Sakura was the one who had driven her son to leave. Ironically, she was praising her, thanking her.
As though reading Sakura's mind, Yelan mused, "I wonder why he suddenly left, then? Hmm..." Sakura could almost see her frowning in thought. She opened her mouth to say something, then quickly clamped it shut again. She didn't have the heart to tell her whose fault it was.
"Mrs. Li, c-could you please tell me where Syaoran went?" asked Sakura, trying to keep her voice steady.
"Oh..." Yelan's voice sounded troubled. "In the note he left to me, it said that I shouldn't tell anyone where he went..."
"Please, you have to tell me!" Sakura bursted desperately. "It's because of me that he left. I...made a mistake, and there was a misunderstanding. I have to apologize to him. Please!"
There was a surprised silence on the other end of the phone. "I...see..." said Yelan finally. "Well, if it's like that, then all right. I'll tell you."
"Thank you!" cried Sakura happily. She listened carefully and jotted down the exact address and phone number that Yelan told her, along with some other information she provided.
"This is one of his favorite retreats, so I'm not sure how he'll feel about someone discovering it," Yelan said uncomfortably. "I don't think it's a good idea for you to go after him. Just call, that should be enough."
Sakura took a deep breath. "I'll try calling him. But I can't promise that I won't go after him."
A pause. Then soft laughter. "You know, I think you're just what Syaoran needs," she chuckled. Her words were tinged with admiration. "Just keep after him, all right?"
Nodding even though it couldn't possibly be seen through the phone, Sakura replied, "I will. Thank you, Mrs. Li."
"Good luck, Sakura."
*****
Tiredly, Sakura picked up the phone for the seventh time. Even before she dialed, she was sure no one would pick up yet again. Maybe she was being too irrational... Syaoran probably wasn't even there yet. But Sakura had already finished her homework, distractedly tried to clean her room, doodled messy manga faces of boys that looked suspiciously similar to Syaoran, and idly flipped through the TV channels before deciding there was nothing of interest and hitting the off button. All this, and six phone calls in between. No answer. And there hadn't even been an answering machine... What kind of primitive cave was he living in??
She was trying to calm herself and think logically when the door clicked open.
"I'm home!" called Fujitaka, closing the door behind him.
"Dad, you're home early!" Sakura exclaimed, hurrying to give him a hug. She was pleasantly surprised at his appearance. Now she could discuss with him what she'd been turning over and over in her mind for the past three hours.
"Yep, we just got a new student teacher, so I get a break from those night classes for a few days," her father smiled. "What do you say? Want me to make dinner tonight?"
"Yes!!" she squealed, fairly bouncing up and down with excitement. In her opinion, Fujitaka's cooking was the best in the whole world. She was also relieved; she hadn't been looking forward to cooking much today, after everything that happened. All at once, her good spirits plummeted as her mind turned to Syaoran again.
"So how was your day?" called Fujitaka from the kitchen, and Sakura heard the sound of the refrigerator opening. With a soft sigh, she trudged to the dining table and pulled out a seat, cupping her chin in her hands and training her eyes on the polished golden-brown wood grain. The color reminded her of Syaoran's eyes. She shifted her view and stared at the wall instead.
"Well, actually, I was hoping to ask you something."
"Ask away," her father cheerfully replied, rinsing some greens in the sink.
Sakura hesitated, then decided it was best to get to the point quickly. "It's about Syaoran," she began slowly.
Fujitaka turned to her, his eyebrows raised.
"We kinda had an argument, and it was mostly, if not all, my fault. And then he...misinterpreted something that he saw," said Sakura with a slight blush, not wanting to go into details. She looked at her father, who was nodding, taking it in.
"And he went on an airplane by himself and he's kind of...taking a break, I guess. I talked to Yelan, and she says that this is normal for him and everything, but I know it's because I've hurt him that he left. He's a really important friend to me, and we were just getting to know each other well and then this happens... So I want to go find him and apologize," she said in a rush.
There was a brief silence in which Sakura's words echoed loudly inside her mind. Please, please let him say yes, she begged silently.
Laying down the knife he had been using to slice mushrooms, Fujitaka wiped his hands on a towel and quickly came over to his daughter, focusing his full attention on her. "I can understand your urgency," he said, frowning slightly. "But couldn't you just call him, or wait until he comes back?"
"I've tried calling him!" said Sakura earnestly. "But no one picks up, and he might be camping outside or something. Yelan says he does that a lot. And besides, what if...what if he won't listen to me? What if he just hangs up?" All her worries came pouring out like a waterfall. "If I see him in person, then I can show him how truly sorry I am. I really don't want him to think the wrong thing. And about waiting, what if he decides something before he returns? It would be too late! And I know that if someone did something wrong to me, I'd want them to apologize as soon as possible."
She took a deep, shaky breath. "I'm just afraid that he'll never come back," she confessed quietly. "I don't want to lose him."
"Hmm..." said Fujitaka. Sakura looked up into her father's serious face, but she saw his eyes twinkling and instantly relaxed. "Where is this place Syaoran went off to, then?" he asked.
"Oh, it's a private summer lodge of theirs, and it's not far from that cabin we lived in, so it shouldn't be hard to find. Yelan gave me the address and everything. Please, oh please Daddy, we have to go! Please!" She gave him her best pleading look.
"All right, all right," he said, laughing. "I could use a day or two's vacation, anyway."
"Yay! Thank you so much!" cried Sakura, flinging her arms around him.
"Wait." Her father halted her enthusiastic celebration with a stern look. "What about school? We can't have you missing class just for this."
But Sakura was already prepared for this. "Well, Syaoran is missing class too, so it's a good thing if we bring him back," she said righteously. "Besides, Tomoyo and Eriol can help me catch up on any assignments or lessons I miss. I mean, look Dad, I haven't missed a single day of school since, what, fourth grade? Even when I was sick! And my grades are fine right now, so two days won't hurt!"
"Except for my math grade," she muttered quickly under her breath. Then, in her normal voice, "Please? Pleeeeaaaaassse??"
"Fine!" Fujitaka relented, shaking his head. "I don't know how I let you talk me into this, Sakura. Maybe you should become a lawyer someday."
Sakura wasn't listening; she was doing a happy victory dance next to the table.
"Hey, don't get your hopes up, young lady. Just because I agreed doesn't mean we're setting off tonight. I still have a few day classes to teach tomorrow and Wednesday, so the soonest I can promise you is Thursday morning. If there isn't too much traffic, I'll drive you there before noon. And that's my final decision, no buts, ands, ifs, or ors," he finished with a smile as Sakura opened her mouth to protest.
"Okay!" grinned Sakura, giving him a grateful squeeze. "Thanks Dad, I really appreciate this."
*****
"All right, this is it," Syaoran said from the backseat of yet another taxi. Gripping his bag firmly, he handed the driver some bills and stepped out of the car. As it pulled away down the road behind him, Syaoran heaved a weary sigh. The sky was already darkening, and all he wanted was to put down this heavy bag and flop down on something soft. He'd had quite a time instructing the taxi driver on where to go, probably because there was very little traffic around this cabin. He liked it this way. Nice and quiet and isolated.
Briskly, Syaoran walked the short path to the front door and put his hand on the knob. Locked. He had a momentary flash of panic before remembering that he'd packed the keys in his bag somewhere. Shaking his head at his foolishness, he rummaged around, dug them out, and unlocked the door, which swung open with a creak.
What's wrong with me? he thought as he entered the house and began flipping on all the lights. I've done this plenty of times. No need to freak out.
Faintly wondering how long it would take to get some food delivered here, he plopped down on the couch and massaged his forehead. Shouldn't he be on a return flight right now? As soon as he'd gotten off the plane, he had wanted to run right back in and buy another ticket. But for some reason, it just felt too impulsive and sudden for him... He felt tired, and his private lodge buried in the wilderness was calling to him. So he decided to come and at least spend the night.
Besides... Doubt began to trickle into Syaoran's mind again, and he ran his hands through already messy brown hair. It wasn't good to let his emotions control him, like he'd done back on the plane; that was dangerous and completely unlike him. Besides, could he really take Eriol's word, just like that? So maybe Sakura and Keichii hadn't kissed, but they'd looked awfully intimate and comfortable together.
All at once, something cold and firey reared up in Syaoran's chest, almost knocking the breath out of him. It really, really bothered him, the thought of Sakura and that guy. He couldn't stand it.
He found himself truly wanting to believe what Eriol had said. "The only person she really likes is you!" Was it possible? Yes, he decided it was. There was just something he felt, being around Sakura, that he had never felt anywhere else. And they had come so close to kissing...he ached with the memory of it. That couldn't have been by accident.
"Ugh...I'll go crazy if I don't sort this out," Syaoran mumbled to himself. He absently pulled out one of his favorite pairs of binoculars and ran a finger along the water-resistant exterior. Was this the pair Sakura had touched back in his room?
Maybe if he went birdwatching for a while, he'd be able to think clearly and decide what to do. Yes, birdwatching...birds...
Suddenly, as he stood up, an idea struck him. "Yes, I've got it!" he exclaimed excitedly. Didn't he once offer to take Sakura to see the hawks? Now, he had the perfect chance.
*****
When Sakura got home from school the following afternoon, all she could think was, "One more day!" She wandered by the phone, debating whether or not she should try calling Syaoran again. After all, she was going to see him on Thursday.
Noticing that there was a message, she pressed the message retrieval button. Beep.
"Hello? Sakura, hey. This is Syaoran."
She bolted to attention immediately, her heart racing at the familiar sound of his voice.
"I just called to ask if you could, um, come over here? I know it sounds kind of silly, but there's something I'd like to show you. I'm having a plane ticket sent to you, and it should arrive sometime today. The address of where I'm staying should come with the ticket. And don't worry about the cost, I've paid for everything. I hope you can come as soon as you receive the ticket. Tonight, if possible."
There was a pause, and Sakura strained her ears intently.
"And...don't worry about trying to call me. I'll just wait for you, and if you don't come, then I'll know. I'll understand. Just...try, okay?"
"Syaoran..." she whispered.
"Bye, Sakura." The message ended, and she quickly pressed the "save" button. Tonight. Her hand fairly trembled with excitement; she could hardly believe her luck. Syaoran had asked for her...maybe he wasn't too mad at her then...
She hadn't even thought to check the mail when she came home. Making her way outside as fast as she could, Sakura pulled open the mailbox. True to his word, there sat a large white envelope addressed to Sakura Kinomoto, from Syaoran Li.
"Dad, please!" Sakura was calling him at his university office. "C'mon, he already sent me the ticket, you have to let me go!"
"Sakura honey..." Fujitaka sighed. "Then I won't be able to come with you; I still have work tomorrow too. And I want to know that you'll be safe. I can't let you go alone."
Sakura thought quickly. "I know! What if Tomoyo and Eriol come with me? Then I won't be alone, and you won't have to worry! Would that be okay? Please say yes!!" she begged.
"I...suppose..." he began hesitantly. "But would they really be willing to go with you, and on such short notice?"
"Oh don't worry, they will!" said Sakura at once, a little too confidently. She wasn't really that sure that they would, but she had to try. "I'll call them right away!"
Almost two hours later of phone calls, rushed packing, and sitting nervously in Eriol's car, the three of them arrived at the airport. "Thanks again, you guys," Sakura managed to smile as she stumbled after Tomoyo toward the departure gate, a bit bewildered by how fast the afternoon was moving.
"It doesn't matter, since Mother is away on a business trip," said Tomoyo comfortingly. "And I don't think she'd mind too much if she knew. We're used to traveling at the last minute."
"Since I haven't seen my parents in almost a year, I should say it's fine with me," Eriol grinned, his eyes twinkling behind his glasses. "I could always do with a bit of adventure. Hey, it's a break from school, isn't it? Who wouldn't like that? And as for the price of these tickets, I'll be charging you with interest as soon as we return."
"Oh no you won't!" Tomoyo cried as they entered the plane. "I think you have enough money already, Hiiragizawa! What do you live in, some fancy mansion or something?"
"You'll just have to come to my house and see for yourself, won't you?" replied Eriol, giving her a wink.
Sakura's happiness that her friends were accompanying her abruptly fled. Watching them flirt with each other like this... Would she ever be that close with Syaoran again? Even though they were here on this plane for her, she still felt overwhelmingly left out and alone. Slowly, she struggled down the aisle of the plane to her reserved seat, trying to cheer herself up with the thought that she'd be meeting Syaoran soon.
"Sakura, are you sure you're all right sitting by yourself?" called Tomoyo from her seat next to Eriol.
"Yeah, I'm fine!" she forced on a smile. They were only about two rows up, anyway. Not that far. And it was going to be a short flight, so what was she worrying about? Everything would be just fine...
Heaving her bag onto the empty seat next to her, Sakura opened it and took out the first thing her hand touched: the binoculars Syaoran had given her.
*****
It was almost completely dark outside now, and still Sakura wasn't here. What was taking her so long?? Syaoran checked again to make sure the dinner he'd cooked almost an hour ago was securely covered. The food was getting cold now, and if she didn't arrive soon he'd have to refrigerate it. That was a shame, since he hadn't touched a single dish yet.
Shouldn't she be here by now? Had something happened to the plane, the car? A horrible accident? Okay, now you're getting paranoid, Syaoran admonished himself. Perhaps Sakura's father hadn't allowed her to come. Or maybe she had simply chosen not to come to him.
Why? Have you really chosen Keichii then? thought Syaoran frantically.
Suddenly, the doorbell rang, making his heart take a huge leap. He crossed to the door in a few long strides and threw it open. There, framed in the darkness of night and looking very relieved, stood the emerald-eyed girl he had been awaiting for ages.
*A/N – Yay, finally they see each other again! But what will happen? o.O Thank you to all who reviewed!! I'm happy beyond words to know you like my story. I'm sorry that I'm not able to acknowledge each and every one of you here, because it would take quite a while! I'd like to do it again in a later chapter, however. For now, just know that my extreme gratitude is with you, and please continue to give me your valued opinions!
Thanks, and review! ^_^