Sakura sat back down on her chair in astonishment, and not in a good way. Syaoran still hadn't told her, which was getting her interest heightened. He just thought silently and she couldn't do anything but continue to work. She still had thirty minutes to finish up everything, yet her attention was focused on Syaoran's rigid, serious face. Sakura decided to pack everything up and turn off the computer, because the sudden news she had sprung on him confused her a lot. Once she had finished everything, she stood up.
"Syaoran, let's go." She said softly.
He glanced at her in surprise. "You're done?"
She nodded. "There's something I'm missing here. And I can't concentrate on anything else."
"Yeah, all right." He stood up and they started walking to the elevator when a certain voice called them back.
"Sakura, where are you going? You haven't finished your 8 hours yet. And you haven't introduced me to your…friend." Hikaru Niijimata said in a rather low voice.
Both Sakura and Syaoran groaned inwardly. She turned around and showed a nervous smile. "Sorry, Hikaru…I-I'm just not feeling well."
"Oh?" Hikaru walked over to them quickly. "You look fine to me."
Syaoran glared at the woman with malice clear in his eyes. He held Sakura's waist protectively. "You've changed."
"Good changed?" Hikaru came back with just as much cruelty.
"In your dreams."
She gave a low laugh. "You've changed a lot more than me, Syaoran." She leaned forward and started to touch his hair when he slapped her hand away.
"Back off, Niijimata."
"Can someone please tell me what's going on?" Sakura pleaded, staring at the two.
"I will tell it." Hikaru replied.
"All yours." He muttered grudgingly.
--
Syaoran opened his class door grudgingly. When he came in, everyone stared and the teacher allowed herself to introduce him to everyone, but he wasn't listening. As soon as the whole introduction was over, he took a seat in the back as if he didn't care about anything else. Everyone seemed to stare at him, which made him a little irritated, so he glared at everyone, except for one who was looking somewhere else. The teacher quickly started lecturing to break the silence. Syaoran rested back on his seat and glanced at the girl by the window. She then turned around and met his eyes. She smiled shyly at him, but in her eyes held a sort of mischievous glimmer.
During break, Syaoran went to his locker and took out the books. "Your name's Syaoran, right?"
He turned and saw the same girl smiling at him. He nodded carelessly.
"I'm Hikaru Niijimata." She offered her hand. "Nice to meet you."
He glanced at her hand and raised his eyebrows, returning back to what he was doing. "Great." He muttered.
She was surprised at this, but let it go. "So you're new."
"You think?"
"Ah…I understand what you're trying to do."
He turned around again and gave her a puzzled look. "I'm not trying to do anything."
"Yes you are." She replied. "You're trying to be labelled the 'loner'."
"Whatever." He shut his locker.
"So I'm right, aren't I?" She followed him.
He sighed. "I'm not trying to do anything, so leave me alone."
"No. I'm bored."
He walked a little faster, but she still followed. "How about going to your next class?" He pushed her towards the opposite direction.
She gasped a little and jogged to walk with him. "Did you know that skipping is actually allowed in this school?"
"Oh really?" He faked the surprise. "That's great."
"So how 'bout skipping with me?" She nudged at him.
He held her elbow and pushed it away. "Get away, Niijimata."
"Or what?" She asked deviously. "Are you gonna…hurt me?"
"Yep."
"Ha." She chuckled evilly. "Your parents didn't even have the decency to teach their boy a little something."
"Teach me what?" He asked angrily.
"That you're not supposed to hit girls, dummy." She teased wickedly.
"They did teach me that, slut." He retorted. "But you're not a girl." He sent her a menacing glare.
She challenged it. "Meet me tonight at the cinema four blocks from here." Her glare softened. "Please."
He looked into her eyes and waited a few more seconds, then answered. "Fine."
She nodded and walked the other way.
That night, he arrived and saw her waiting by the steps. Syaoran hesitated a bit, but decided to just go. She brightened at seeing him and smiled, hooking her arm around his. He wasn't sure of her actions and got a little suspicious. Hikaru pulled him along with her as they walked away from the cinema, confusing him a lot more.
"What's going on?" He asked in a confused voice.
She shrugged. "I just wanted to meet you. I didn't want to watch a movie."
"Why'd you want to meet me?" He unhooked her arm from his.
She sighed. "Why do you always ask questions?"
"Because I want the answers." He retorted.
"I wanted to get to know you a little bit more, ok?" She answered truthfully. "Is that good enough for you?"
"Why do you want to get to know me?" He asked back. "You couldn't wait to kick my ass before."
She gave a small laugh. "That's because you were interesting to me. You're not like the other guys here, you know?"
"I've been here a day. Do you think I know?" He still didn't believe her.
She gave a wistful sigh. "Syaoran, can you just please drop the 'loner' act and be yourself?"
"Stop saying that I'm a friggin' loner, because this is who I am. I'm not pretending to be someone I'm not." He glared into her eyes.
"Fine. I'm sorry." She looked back into his. "Now can we go?"
"No." He moved away. "I don't want to get to know somebody who just gives me one look and thinks she knows everything about me."
"Wait, Syaoran…"
"Later." He turned around, put his hands in his pockets, and walked the other way.
The next months, Hikaru continued to get his attention, but he never once talked to her. She felt helpless, but still wanted to go after him. On the graduation day for the seniors, which were people two years above them, Hikaru finally met up with Syaoran just outside the auditorium. She did most of the talking and he listened. Once she finished their conversation, he stood up and said one word that made her cry for hours.
"Syaoran, I know that we haven't had a decent conversation for months. And I regret the fact that I judged you." She murmured. "I do want to get to know you, Syaoran. You're one of a kind and I want to be your friend." She paused. "I've lived here in Hong Kong ever since I was a kid, and I've never met anyone like you. Please let me in here," she touched his chest, " and let me get to know you. I've waited so long to find a guy like you and now that I have, I don't want to lose you."
He stared at her with intent eyes and stood up. "You don't know anything about me, Hikaru."
"I know enough." She offered.
Syaoran stared at her intently. He had never met anyone who wanted to know him so deeply. But no. He couldn't let her.
She gave out a small smile. "So are we friends?" She offered her hand.
He glanced at it and lowered his head slowly.
Hikaru's heart pounded uneasily, waiting for his arousing lips.
Slowly…his lips were mere millimetres away from hers. "Goodbye…" he whispered ever so quietly. And they kissed. Even for half a second. Then he was gone.
Her lips trembled with shock and sadness. She burst into tears.
--
"I found out during that summer that Syaoran moved here to Japan." Hikaru explained with an angry look. "I stayed in Hong Kong until I graduated and came here for college, attempting to find him, but he returned to Hong Kong at the same time. For the last two years of college, I went back to HK again to look for him, but to my surprise, he was here." She spit out. No one talked for a while. "Wasn't that a wonderful story?" Syaoran continued to glare at her while she returned the glare. Sakura swallowed and started to talk.
"I'm sorry that Syaoran…left, Hikaru, but it's over, isn't it? I mean…you guys don't have feelings for each other anymore…right?" She was very concerned that Syaoran may have feelings for her.
"I don't know about that…" Hikaru raised an eyebrow out of mischief and gave a devilish smile.
Sakura turned red heavily and stared nervously at the red-haired beauty.
"Let's go." Syaoran interrupted the tense conversation and turned around, heading towards the elevator.
Sakura watched his back retreat. "Is it all right if I go?"
Hikaru merely nodded.
----
The girls started preparing dinner that night. Tomoyo opened a boiling pot and fried some shrimp while Sakura cut up potatoes, carrots, and green vegetables. Eriol washed the dishes by the sink while Syaoran watched TV in the living room. Tomoyo took a spoon and dipped it in the soup. Once she had some, she blew on the spoon and walked carefully to Eriol. He stopped washing the dishes and tasted the soup. Eriol smiled at the taste. Tomoyo nodded and continued. Sakura saw the sweet exchange and felt jealous. A frown appeared on her face and she lowered her eyes to the cutting board.
"What's wrong, honey?" Tomoyo asked, stirring another pot.
Sakura shook her head. "Just feeling jealous." She teased lightly.
Tomoyo gave a laugh. "Of what?"
"You and Eriol are so sweet together." Sakura confessed. "It's very…romantic."
Tomoyo blushed while Eriol grinned. "Yep."
"Why do you have to feel jealous? You've got Syaoran." Tomoyo offered.
Sakura shook her head. "It's not the same as you guys."
"But it's getting there, isn't it?" Eriol asked curiously.
"Butt out, Eriol." Tomoyo answered. "You're not part of this conversation."
Sakura gave a small giggle.
"Sorry." He turned his head around and continued washing.
"Anyway…?" Tomoyo asked, nudging at Sakura's elbow. "It is getting there, isn't it?"
"I thought it would be…at first." She admitted softly. "Now…I don't know."