Chapter 3 – Reminiscing the past
"Eriol, I'm worried about Sakura." Tomoyo said to her husband lying beside her on the bed.
"Why? I don't see any problem about that." He replied knowing what Tomoyo was talking about. Eriol knows what's going on. He already predicted that Syaoran will come back but not because of Sakura. For this reason, he rather keeps it to prevent Sakura from suffering.
"Li's Group of Companies, Good Morning!" A welcome greeting from the secretary of Syaoran.
"Ah… Hello, may I speak to Mr. Li, Syaoran?" said by a woman who is on the phone.
"May I know who is on the line?"
"This is Sakura Kinomoto, I'm…." The secretary interrupted Sakura.
"Oh, Ms. Kinomoto! Mr. Li is expecting for your call. I'll transfer you now…" Then there is a beep tone from the secretary.
"Hi Sakura! I've been expecting your call since yesterday. Anyway, so how's the meeting on Saturday? Can all of you come? Where and what time?" Sakura was speechless. She doesn't know how to start because Syaoran asked her so many questions.
"Well, I talked to Tomoyo the night after we've met and she said that they are free and for the venue, we… actually I've decided that we will meet you at the hotel where you are staying right now."
"Okay… but what time?" Syaoran thought if the idea of meeting him at the hotel would be all right.
"10 o'clock am? You are free right?"
"Yeah. I'll meet you at the lanai exactly 10 o'clock with my daughter."
"…."
"So, until… then? I guess. And by the way Sakura, don't be late, 'Kay?" Syaoran said it with teasing tone.
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT!!!" She shouted at Syaoran over the phone which made him back off a little from the handset.
"Bye!" Sakura is still angry.
Exactly 10 o'clock in the morning, Sakura, Tomoyo and Eriol arrived in front the Hotel. Just when they entered they saw a man wearing a dark gray "coat and tie" wardrobe with a little girl who is wearing a yellow dress coming.
"Hi!" Syaoran welcomed them with a smile
"Good morning, descendant…" Eriol returned with a warm smile also.
"Oh, Li! You're so…. Handsome! So this is your little girl. Hello little one!" Tomoyo level herself to Ying fa's height. She embraces her and the girl rewards her a kiss on the cheeks.
"Oh, Syaoran… She's so sweet, unlike someone I know…" Tomoyo looked at Syaoran with a smirk.
"Yeah right…" Then he looked at Sakura. "You're look beautiful today, Sakura." He commented the clothes she is wearing, because of that Sakura started to blush.
"Anyway, lets go?" Syaoran made way to his room.
"As I always predicted, you will be very successful in the future, Li." Eriol commented Syaoran's way of living. He also expected that there would be a big change in Syaoran's personality by the time he will return here.
"And you surprised me by returning to Japan, Hiiragisawa." Syaoran answered back. He led the three in the living room. He left his daughter with them and went to the phone to order some foods. After that he went back to his visitors to continue the interrogation with Eriol.
"What made you come back, "Clow Reed"?" Syaoran stresses the old name of Eriol.
"I left someone behind." Then he looked to his lovely wife and shoved his hand across Tomoyo's shoulder. "What made YOU came back also?"
"The usual reason… business." Syaoran stand and went to get his daughter who is playing with her dolls and continue talking with Eriol. "What happen to Ms. Mizuki?" Still facing his child
"We realized that we were not meant for each other, so I came back and learned that Tomoyo is the one for me." He smiled. Syaoran also smiled, holding Ying and sat down.
"You've been quiet, Sakura. Are you alright?" Syaoran noticed that Sakura have been quiet for some time. He remembered Sakura is not that type of person.
On the other hand, Sakura seems in another place, far from others who are enjoying the conversation. Suddenly, she heard a snap of a finger. This catches he attention.
"You ok?" Syaoran looked at Sakura with worried.
"Yeah… I'm just looking at the picture on the shelf." Sakura answered back.
Syaoran looked at the framed picture whom Sakura's been pointing. He went and gets the picture to show it to Eriol and Tomoyo.
"This is my late wife…. Ming na." He presented the picture to Tomoyo and Eriol.
"She's…. quite a beauty, Li. How did you meet her?" Tomoyo commented.
The picture is the photograph of Syaoran embracing the pale Ming Na on a bench. The girl looked contented and happy with Syaoran. Syaoran was also smiling but there is a sad expression on his eyes. It was almost a picture perfect.
"She was a friend of Meilin and I." His voice suggesting a sad tone and made a gesture that he doesn't want to talk about anymore.
Sakura just looked at Syaoran with a sad look. She doesn't know what to say until this moment. She thought meeting him today is nothing, just a friendly talk but she just realized that she still haven't accepted that Syaoran is settled.
'What am I thinking? I have a boyfriend. Ryu is nice but why do I still feel hurt every time I see Syaoran and the baby. I should be happy knowing he is happily settled….' Sakura thought.
"I wish I've met her." Sakura finally said a word.
Syaoran just only look at Sakura with no expression. "No, she was too weak to traveled from place to place, so there was no chance for both of you to meet, but you know… she was eager to meet all of you. She knew all of you from the stories I've told her…." He just smiled at Sakura.
There is a minute of silence in the room. Then Tomoyo spoke up.
They talked the whole day.
When the couple arrived at the Hirigiwasa mansion. "I was nice to see Li again, isn't honey?
"Yes, but he changed so much. I barely know him. He is not the old Syaoran who looked at me as if I will going to take Sakura away from him…." Though he is smiling there is a sad tone in Eriol's voice and his eyes show a nostalgic emotion as well as Tomoyo…
"Kero… what if I answered Syaoran before he left ten years ago. Do you think I'm the one in the picture with him?" Sakura is asking Kero with regrets.
"There are reasons, Sakura…. You should let go of the past. Li have already forgotten about it and move on. I know it's very hard but you have a life so does Li." Kero pats Sakura's back to comfort her.
She knows that she have to move on. She opened her drawer were the Sakura book was kept and opens it. She took the nameless card near her heart and closes her eyes.
Syaoran is standing on the veranda looking at the surroundings with a wine on his right hand and the picture of him and his wife on the left. "Ming na…."
Flashback: He is 19 years old at that time.
"What?!!! You are going back to Japan?" Meilin was surprised of what Syaoran had confessed, but she is happy to hear it.
"Yes. I've already done my part here and it's about time I have a life."
"When are you planning to live?"
Syaoran faces Meilin with determined eyes. "After my birthday…"
A party was held in the Li mansion for Syaoran's birthday party. All the guests are belonged to the upper class society. In the garden, Syaoran is drinking his wine while sitting on the swing. It seems he is not happy of the things that is happening to him.
He didn't notice that someone is coming.
"Why are you here sitting alone in the dark?" An old man spoke. Syaoran was surprised of the sudden entrance of the ambassador.
"Oh, Mr. Wong." He stands up to show some respect.
"May I?" He was asking if the swing is free. Syaoran just nodded as a response.
"How do you find my daughter, Syaoran?" The ambassador asked Syaoran.
"Ming na is a nice friend, sir. Every one loves her…"
"Except you…" The old man interrupted. Syaoran didn't say anything. He thinks that it would be best if he doesn't react or answer back.
"But my daughter loves you very much…" Syaoran just looked at the old man beside him and stand up.
"I never said that I don't love her, sir. The truth is I love her a sister." He said that even though he knows what the old man is talking about. Then he looked at Ming na who is happily talking to Meilin and to others.
The old man also stand up and walk towards Syaoran.
"You know Ming na's condition, don't you?" He asked him. Syaoran nodded.
"Can I ask you a favor? Will you marry my daughter, as a reward I will give you the fame and fortune." Syaoran suddenly looked at Mr. Wong with serious eyes, then he turned away.
"I don't need your money and fame, sir." He said it with firmness. Everybody knows that Li is one of the richest families in Hong Kong.
"I know… but for my daughter…the doctor said that she will not live that long to enjoy the pleasures of life and I'm willing to do everything for her. She's my one and only treasure…" the old man is starting to cry.
'What about me? My feelings. I love Sakura. She is the only one I want to marry.' Syaoran thought while looking at the old man next to him. He doesn't know what to do. Ming Na is his friend- very close friend, but Sakura is his true love. At that time he want to be selfish but…
"Mr. Wong!!! Syaoran!!!" Meilin shouted. "Ming na collapsed!!!!!!"
Mr. Wong and Syaoran rush to Ming Na who is on the floor, unconscious. Without hesitation, Syaoran carried Ming Na and went to the nearest hospital.
Ming Na was placed in a private room, still unconscious with Mr. Wong and Syaoran. At that time Syaoran is looking at the body of Ming Na and thinking about the proposal of the old man. Then he went outside because he wants to talk to Meilin.
"Poor Ming na…" Meilin is crying. Just then she felt someone tap her shoulder. It was Syaoran.
"Can we talk?"
They went to the top of hospital. Meilin was confused at the moment, wondering what Syaoran is thinking.
Syaoran leaned on the iron bars with a sad expression on his face.
"Meilin, what………what if I ask Ming Na to marry me?" Still hasn't move from his position.
Meilin is surprise. She didn't expect Syaoran would say such ridiculous things especially marrying someone other than Sakura.
Syaoran continue. "Mr. Wong asked me to marry Ming Na… at first I don't want because marriage is not a joke, right?" He weakly said it, afterwards he walk towards his cousin who is still in shock.
"Then I decided that since Sakura didn't answered me back… then there is no problem in marrying Ming"
Meilin regain her senses then reprimands Syaoran. "HOW COULD YOU SAY THAT? EVEN SAKURA DIDN'T SAY IT IN WORDS SHE EXPRESSED IT IN ACTION. WHAT KIND OF LOGIC IS THAT!!!" Meilin is very angry because Syaoran is playing stupid.
Syaoran just smiles at her then he went inside.
Meilin was left alone. "Why can't you be selfish sometimes? Syaoran. You don't deserve this…" She was crying because she doesn't want her beloved cousin to suffer anymore.
End of flashback
Syaoran looked up in the dark sky with full of stars. "The power of stars…"
"Eriol, I'm worried about Sakura." Tomoyo said to her husband lying beside her on the bed.
"Why? I don't see any problem about that." He replied knowing what Tomoyo was talking about. Eriol knows what's going on. He already predicted that Syaoran will come back but not because of Sakura. For this reason, he rather keeps it to prevent Sakura from suffering.
"Li's Group of Companies, Good Morning!" A welcome greeting from the secretary of Syaoran.
"Ah… Hello, may I speak to Mr. Li, Syaoran?" said by a woman who is on the phone.
"May I know who is on the line?"
"This is Sakura Kinomoto, I'm…." The secretary interrupted Sakura.
"Oh, Ms. Kinomoto! Mr. Li is expecting for your call. I'll transfer you now…" Then there is a beep tone from the secretary.
"Hi Sakura! I've been expecting your call since yesterday. Anyway, so how's the meeting on Saturday? Can all of you come? Where and what time?" Sakura was speechless. She doesn't know how to start because Syaoran asked her so many questions.
"Well, I talked to Tomoyo the night after we've met and she said that they are free and for the venue, we… actually I've decided that we will meet you at the hotel where you are staying right now."
"Okay… but what time?" Syaoran thought if the idea of meeting him at the hotel would be all right.
"10 o'clock am? You are free right?"
"Yeah. I'll meet you at the lanai exactly 10 o'clock with my daughter."
"…."
"So, until… then? I guess. And by the way Sakura, don't be late, 'Kay?" Syaoran said it with teasing tone.
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY THAT!!!" She shouted at Syaoran over the phone which made him back off a little from the handset.
"Bye!" Sakura is still angry.
Exactly 10 o'clock in the morning, Sakura, Tomoyo and Eriol arrived in front the Hotel. Just when they entered they saw a man wearing a dark gray "coat and tie" wardrobe with a little girl who is wearing a yellow dress coming.
"Hi!" Syaoran welcomed them with a smile
"Good morning, descendant…" Eriol returned with a warm smile also.
"Oh, Li! You're so…. Handsome! So this is your little girl. Hello little one!" Tomoyo level herself to Ying fa's height. She embraces her and the girl rewards her a kiss on the cheeks.
"Oh, Syaoran… She's so sweet, unlike someone I know…" Tomoyo looked at Syaoran with a smirk.
"Yeah right…" Then he looked at Sakura. "You're look beautiful today, Sakura." He commented the clothes she is wearing, because of that Sakura started to blush.
"Anyway, lets go?" Syaoran made way to his room.
"As I always predicted, you will be very successful in the future, Li." Eriol commented Syaoran's way of living. He also expected that there would be a big change in Syaoran's personality by the time he will return here.
"And you surprised me by returning to Japan, Hiiragisawa." Syaoran answered back. He led the three in the living room. He left his daughter with them and went to the phone to order some foods. After that he went back to his visitors to continue the interrogation with Eriol.
"What made you come back, "Clow Reed"?" Syaoran stresses the old name of Eriol.
"I left someone behind." Then he looked to his lovely wife and shoved his hand across Tomoyo's shoulder. "What made YOU came back also?"
"The usual reason… business." Syaoran stand and went to get his daughter who is playing with her dolls and continue talking with Eriol. "What happen to Ms. Mizuki?" Still facing his child
"We realized that we were not meant for each other, so I came back and learned that Tomoyo is the one for me." He smiled. Syaoran also smiled, holding Ying and sat down.
"You've been quiet, Sakura. Are you alright?" Syaoran noticed that Sakura have been quiet for some time. He remembered Sakura is not that type of person.
On the other hand, Sakura seems in another place, far from others who are enjoying the conversation. Suddenly, she heard a snap of a finger. This catches he attention.
"You ok?" Syaoran looked at Sakura with worried.
"Yeah… I'm just looking at the picture on the shelf." Sakura answered back.
Syaoran looked at the framed picture whom Sakura's been pointing. He went and gets the picture to show it to Eriol and Tomoyo.
"This is my late wife…. Ming na." He presented the picture to Tomoyo and Eriol.
"She's…. quite a beauty, Li. How did you meet her?" Tomoyo commented.
The picture is the photograph of Syaoran embracing the pale Ming Na on a bench. The girl looked contented and happy with Syaoran. Syaoran was also smiling but there is a sad expression on his eyes. It was almost a picture perfect.
"She was a friend of Meilin and I." His voice suggesting a sad tone and made a gesture that he doesn't want to talk about anymore.
Sakura just looked at Syaoran with a sad look. She doesn't know what to say until this moment. She thought meeting him today is nothing, just a friendly talk but she just realized that she still haven't accepted that Syaoran is settled.
'What am I thinking? I have a boyfriend. Ryu is nice but why do I still feel hurt every time I see Syaoran and the baby. I should be happy knowing he is happily settled….' Sakura thought.
"I wish I've met her." Sakura finally said a word.
Syaoran just only look at Sakura with no expression. "No, she was too weak to traveled from place to place, so there was no chance for both of you to meet, but you know… she was eager to meet all of you. She knew all of you from the stories I've told her…." He just smiled at Sakura.
There is a minute of silence in the room. Then Tomoyo spoke up.
They talked the whole day.
When the couple arrived at the Hirigiwasa mansion. "I was nice to see Li again, isn't honey?
"Yes, but he changed so much. I barely know him. He is not the old Syaoran who looked at me as if I will going to take Sakura away from him…." Though he is smiling there is a sad tone in Eriol's voice and his eyes show a nostalgic emotion as well as Tomoyo…
"Kero… what if I answered Syaoran before he left ten years ago. Do you think I'm the one in the picture with him?" Sakura is asking Kero with regrets.
"There are reasons, Sakura…. You should let go of the past. Li have already forgotten about it and move on. I know it's very hard but you have a life so does Li." Kero pats Sakura's back to comfort her.
She knows that she have to move on. She opened her drawer were the Sakura book was kept and opens it. She took the nameless card near her heart and closes her eyes.
Syaoran is standing on the veranda looking at the surroundings with a wine on his right hand and the picture of him and his wife on the left. "Ming na…."
Flashback: He is 19 years old at that time.
"What?!!! You are going back to Japan?" Meilin was surprised of what Syaoran had confessed, but she is happy to hear it.
"Yes. I've already done my part here and it's about time I have a life."
"When are you planning to live?"
Syaoran faces Meilin with determined eyes. "After my birthday…"
A party was held in the Li mansion for Syaoran's birthday party. All the guests are belonged to the upper class society. In the garden, Syaoran is drinking his wine while sitting on the swing. It seems he is not happy of the things that is happening to him.
He didn't notice that someone is coming.
"Why are you here sitting alone in the dark?" An old man spoke. Syaoran was surprised of the sudden entrance of the ambassador.
"Oh, Mr. Wong." He stands up to show some respect.
"May I?" He was asking if the swing is free. Syaoran just nodded as a response.
"How do you find my daughter, Syaoran?" The ambassador asked Syaoran.
"Ming na is a nice friend, sir. Every one loves her…"
"Except you…" The old man interrupted. Syaoran didn't say anything. He thinks that it would be best if he doesn't react or answer back.
"But my daughter loves you very much…" Syaoran just looked at the old man beside him and stand up.
"I never said that I don't love her, sir. The truth is I love her a sister." He said that even though he knows what the old man is talking about. Then he looked at Ming na who is happily talking to Meilin and to others.
The old man also stand up and walk towards Syaoran.
"You know Ming na's condition, don't you?" He asked him. Syaoran nodded.
"Can I ask you a favor? Will you marry my daughter, as a reward I will give you the fame and fortune." Syaoran suddenly looked at Mr. Wong with serious eyes, then he turned away.
"I don't need your money and fame, sir." He said it with firmness. Everybody knows that Li is one of the richest families in Hong Kong.
"I know… but for my daughter…the doctor said that she will not live that long to enjoy the pleasures of life and I'm willing to do everything for her. She's my one and only treasure…" the old man is starting to cry.
'What about me? My feelings. I love Sakura. She is the only one I want to marry.' Syaoran thought while looking at the old man next to him. He doesn't know what to do. Ming Na is his friend- very close friend, but Sakura is his true love. At that time he want to be selfish but…
"Mr. Wong!!! Syaoran!!!" Meilin shouted. "Ming na collapsed!!!!!!"
Mr. Wong and Syaoran rush to Ming Na who is on the floor, unconscious. Without hesitation, Syaoran carried Ming Na and went to the nearest hospital.
Ming Na was placed in a private room, still unconscious with Mr. Wong and Syaoran. At that time Syaoran is looking at the body of Ming Na and thinking about the proposal of the old man. Then he went outside because he wants to talk to Meilin.
"Poor Ming na…" Meilin is crying. Just then she felt someone tap her shoulder. It was Syaoran.
"Can we talk?"
They went to the top of hospital. Meilin was confused at the moment, wondering what Syaoran is thinking.
Syaoran leaned on the iron bars with a sad expression on his face.
"Meilin, what………what if I ask Ming Na to marry me?" Still hasn't move from his position.
Meilin is surprise. She didn't expect Syaoran would say such ridiculous things especially marrying someone other than Sakura.
Syaoran continue. "Mr. Wong asked me to marry Ming Na… at first I don't want because marriage is not a joke, right?" He weakly said it, afterwards he walk towards his cousin who is still in shock.
"Then I decided that since Sakura didn't answered me back… then there is no problem in marrying Ming"
Meilin regain her senses then reprimands Syaoran. "HOW COULD YOU SAY THAT? EVEN SAKURA DIDN'T SAY IT IN WORDS SHE EXPRESSED IT IN ACTION. WHAT KIND OF LOGIC IS THAT!!!" Meilin is very angry because Syaoran is playing stupid.
Syaoran just smiles at her then he went inside.
Meilin was left alone. "Why can't you be selfish sometimes? Syaoran. You don't deserve this…" She was crying because she doesn't want her beloved cousin to suffer anymore.
End of flashback
Syaoran looked up in the dark sky with full of stars. "The power of stars…"