A/N: Yay! Thanks so much to those who were kind enough to review! ^_^ Without further ado, here's Chapter Two!

Life Lost, Love Discovered

Chapter Two

As Syaoran went home to his apartment that same day, his mind was awhirl. He'd just kissed a girl, Sakura none-the-less! This behavior sure wasn't like him . . . did he have a fever? His hand flew to his forehead, but there were no traces of any kind of sickness.

'I'm losing it.'

However, whatever state of shock he was in had didn't change the blatant fact that he had enjoyed the kiss. Her lips had tasted so sweet on his! It was like a dream . . .

'A dream . . .'

Syaoran fumbled for his keys, and put the appropriate one in the hole. The door opened and he stepped into his home. He slipped off his shoes. What had happened earlier had given him some sort of adrenaline rush, but it was gone now, and he was wiped.

Beyond wiped, actually. He couldn't remember the last time he felt this tired.

Ignoring the fact that he should get a shower and change into night clothes, he flopped onto his unmade bed and instantly fell into a deep sleep, which was anything but dreamless . . .

***

Sakura happily sang as hot water splashed against her nude body. She hadn't felt this elated in decades! Syaoran had kissed her! Her heart was doing flip-flops now, such a contrary response to her emotions than the painful beating it had been doing before.

After awhile, as she stood under the stream coming from her shower nozzle, the sheer happiness wore away, and her thoughts moved to other things.

'Like that freaky dream I had.' Why was it bothering her so? Sakura just couldn't push that man's face from her mind . . . Isao, was it?

Maybe she should tell Kero . . .

***

"Sir, Lady Kirika wishes to see you." The guard, clad in shining silver armor, bowed before the tall, chestnut-haired girl. "She's waiting. Shall we let her in, sire?"

"Of course!" Isao shook his head. Everyone knew Kirika, but that still didn't stop some guards from being as thick as the metal they wore.

The two, ceiling high doors opened with a flourish and in stepped a small woman, her tiny body seeming even tinier within the huge frame. "Konnichi'wa, Isao-chan!"

She ran forward, and hugged him tightly. He returned her delighted embrace, as he gestured for the guards standing by to leave. They bustled off, and Isao turned his attention back to Kirika.

"Why so exuberant?" He asked, holding her at arms length.

"I don't know. I was just eager to see you," she flashed him a winning smile.

He returned the expression awkwardly. Don't get him wrong, he loved this woman with all his heart and was elated to be with her again, even if it was only for a short time, but he just wasn't as used to displaying his feelings as openly as she. He felt a sudden tug on his arm and realized it was Kirika.

"Sit." She ordered. He obeyed obediently. She kneeled down, and grinned again. "Such a high-and-mighty man like you shouldn't be so easy to make listen!" She laughed. The sound was music to Isao's ears.

Kirika wasn't in the best of health. She had a disease that no physician nor noble knew of, one that caused her to cough up blood frequently, and some believed it was fatal. Though Isao had never witnessed one of her coughing fits before, he had heard that it happened often and was a gory sight to see. 'They never seem to start around me,' he thought. But he was ready to take care of her if the chance arose. Like hell would he let some blasted illness take Kirika away from him!

That's why he was so pleased to see her in such high spirits. He was always careful not to upset her, in some petty fear that her health might take a drastic turn for the worse. That's why he was absolutely petrified when Kirika had seen him hugging his cousin, who he hadn't seen for awhile.

Isao opened his mouth to say something, when the doors slammed open suddenly, startling the both of them. A knight hurried onto the thick red carpeting, and bowed before the staircase which Kirika and Isao perched upon.

"Sir Isao, please forgive the interruption. The scribes ask for you immediately," the knight said, his face to the floor. "It's something to do with domestic affairs, and they seemed urgent."

'Dammit!' Isao had to refrain from cursing aloud. "I'll be there," he replied reluctantly.

Kirika looked unhappy, but didn't utter a word. She understood his duty, and that pleasure had to be put after work . . . however, that didn't mean she couldn't dislike it.

Isao started down the staircase, then stopped. He whirled back to Kirika, gently caressed her pale cheek, whispering, "Ja ne. Aishiteru."

"Aishiteru, Isao-chan."

Aishiteru.

***

Syaoran rolled in his tousled sheets. The only sign that he was dreaming was the small upturn of his lips. He snorted a bit, and the smile vanished. He shifted again, and his mouth parted, and he began to breathe deeply. The dream was over.

***

Sakura shot bolt upright, breathing hard. You'd think she'd had a nightmare from the odd expression on her face, but she was more confused than scared.

Once the grogginess wore off, Sakura tried to think straight. 'That dream had the same exact people from before. Isao? Kirika? Yeah, that's it.'

Her shining digital clock read 1:02 A.M., yet she no longer felt any desire to sleep. She leapt from her bed, her feet hitting the carpet with a dull thud. She had to find Kero. Screw the fact that she would be waking him up in the unearthly hours of the morning—she needed some facts, and some closure, too.

A/N: Things should be picking up in the next chapter. Oh, and to those who were wondering about the PG-13 rating, yes, it IS necessary because the profanity level will be pushed up a notch as things get going. Thanks to all those who already reviewed, and as always, please R+R!