Sakura glanced at two documents Hikaru threw at her. Staring at one with a fixed glare, she hurriedly typed the words. While she continued, Hikaru made her way to Sakura's cubicle once more, this time with a sardonic smile plastered on her face. Sakura looked up, flustered from all the work, and met Hikaru's mischievous eyes. Hikaru leaned forward and narrowed her eyes.
"There's a party tonight. A costume party if you will," Hikaru sniffed. "I was ordered by my superiors to tell everyone here."
"Then why did you come to me first?" Sakura inquired, letting go of the document.
"Simple. I want Syaoran to be there."
"What if I don't want to go?" Sakura asked, crossing her arms in front of her chest.
Hikaru sneered again. "Sorry, 'Kura, its mandatory." She hesitated. "And you need to bring at least 3 guests with you."
"Why should I believe you?" Sakura asked suspiciously.
She put her hands up in defence. "Ask my boss if you want. He'll tell you the same thing. Here's the invitation." She threw a white card at Sakura, then walked over to the cubicle across from Sakura's and repeated the same thing.
Sakura glowered in anger. 'I have to go?? And I have to bring them with me??' She was tired of it all, and she knew the night would be horrible.
By the time it was time to go home, Syaoran picked Sakura up. They were outside, walking to the car, and Syaoran held her hand, grasping it protectively. She was holding the strap of her shoulder bag as Syaoran opened the umbrella, covering both of them. Grabbing the pole of the umbrella with his left hand, he let go of her hand and threw his arm around her shoulders, pulling her closer to him. She was grateful for the warmth and they walked quickly to the car. Syaoran opened her door first.
When he got on, he hurriedly put the key in and turned on the heater. "Oh thank you," Sakura was pink as soon as the heat encircled them. "I'm so cold…" She shivered.
Syaoran breathed and took her clammy hands. "You want my jacket?" He offered, rubbing them with his own.
She laughed. "Don't be silly, you're going to get cold!"
"It doesn't matter," he argued, staring at her. "You're really cold, and I love you, so…" he shrugged.
Sakura turned very red at his shy statement. Holding his hands in hers, she leaned forward and kissed him on the lips. He smiled and pulled her closer to him. Within moments, they pulled apart slowly. Sakura was giggling and Syaoran laughed.
"I think we need to go," Sakura suggested, putting on her seatbelt.
"You're right," Syaoran put his as well, and started driving. "It's just that…I just…sometimes I want to kiss the life out of you."
Feeling instantly hot inside, she stared at him with a 'high-school-crush' look in her eyes. "I love you, Syaoran," she blurted.
He glanced at her a moment. "I know you do, Sakura."
"I really do," she whispered. "I don't want to lose you." Her voice was so quiet by then, he could barely hear. "And…and I've never loved anyone before you, so…I don't know how it feels to lose…someone special…" Involuntarily, her heart started pounding faster.
"You're not going to lose me," he replied back, relaxing on the seat, "and I promise…until the day I die, you're not going to feel the pain of losing someone, ok?"
"I-I know, but…whenever I think of Hikaru, I'll always picture you two kissing and…you forgetting me, an-and you won't love me anymore," she blinked her eyes rapidly, trying to get rid of the developing tears.
He looked at her in surprise and saw the slight trail of tears. "Sakura?" He asked in a quiet voice.
"What?" She wiped at them immediately.
"I love you. I don't know how many times I have to say that, but I'll say it as many times as possible until you believe me," He stretched his arm and caressed her cheek, wiping away the residual tears. "I'm not going to forget you, I'm not going to kiss her, and I'm in love with you for who knows how long, all right?"
Sakura closed her eyes and moved her face so she kissed his palm. "I'm so stupid, I know. I'm just telling you my fears. I do listen to you, and I know you love me. I just can't help thinking about those things, you know."
He nodded, looking at her. "Nobody knows when any relationship is going to end. We take it from here and now…and there's no guarantee, but if we have trust in each other, then we'll be fine," he replied. "Trust me, baby." He whispered, teasing slightly.
She giggled quietly. "I trust you, Li."
"Then forget Hikaru."
She nodded against his hand. How weird…it was usually the girl telling the guy to forget another girl. Sakura smiled in her thoughts. 'He really loves me.'
----
The rain was still pouring hard and splattering on the window. Syaoran was lying on Sakura's bed, hands both underneath his head. She was sitting on the other side of the bed Indian-style, playing with the edge of the pillows. He moved one hand and touched her fidgeting fingers. Looking up at him apologetically, she stopped and sighed, lying down beside him. She rested her head on his chest, cuddling up to him, while he wrapped an arm around her waist and touched her cheek with his other hand.
"I don't want to go to this stupid party," Sakura moaned, "I'm practically expecting something bad to happen there!"
"Bad as in?" Syaoran raised a brow.
"Bad as in Hikaru bad," she muttered, looking up at him. "Do you think she's going to do some sort of prank?"
"We're too old for this crap," Syaoran replied exasperatedly, looking away. "And she's still immature."
"I-I know Hikaru's evil…basically a bitch, but I know she's doing this for a reason."
"That reason being what, to make a fool out of herself?"
"She's still in love with you, Syaoran. And she'll do anything to get you back," Sakura informed, resting her head back on his chest. "I know you won't go back to her and I know you love me, but what if…what if she were to do something to me so she can have you?"
"If she ever took you away from me, I'd kill her with my hands," Syaoran threatened, an unfamiliar look in his eyes.
"Syaoran…" Sakura started, frowning.
"Seriously! Man, you are right, she is a bitch, and she'll never be anything else!" He protested.
Sakura sat up, looking right at him. "Don't be serious!"
"What?" He relaxed lightly, his eyes losing the anger. "If she does anything to you…God knows what I'll do to her," he muttered.
No matter how scary his words were, it still made her heart pound heavy thinking that she finally had a man to protect her from anything.
--
"Aw, why do we have to go??" Eriol whined, scratching the back of his head. "And with a costume too??"
Tomoyo smacked him on the arm. "Hey! We're doing this, so stop whining!"
"I liked you a lot better when you're not mad," he said stubbornly, taking the costume Tomoyo handed him.
"Yes I know you do, honey," Tomoyo replied sweetly, holding the other three. "Now don't let Sakura hear you or she'll start feeling guilty for inviting us!"
"She should feel guilty! I don't want to go to a party, not on Halloween!"
"Then what do you want to do, just stay in here and do nothing??" Tomoyo snapped.
"I've got the TV and computer, don't I??" He said back, glaring at the mirror. "And what the hell is this?? I'm not gonna wear this!"
"You will!" Tomoyo commanded. "I made that costume, so you better watch your words, pal!"
Eriol sweatdropped. "Ah…all right."
--
Soon, everyone wore his or her tailored costumes, made by the prominent Tomoyo. Sakura wore a silvery-white dress hugging her body, showing her sexy curves, with sparkles everywhere. Her attire came with a pair of feathery white wings and a light yellow halo. She presented a beautiful angel. Syaoran wore a black outfit with sharp edges, making him a knight. He had on fake armour and silver straps along his chest. He looked very handsome indeed. Tomoyo made him gel his whole hair up into spikes, which gave him that really dangerous look. Tomoyo made herself a lavender-periwinkle gown, which grew bigger at the stomach and on, but instead of sparkles, she used a kind of cloth that made it shine when the light hit it. Tomoyo inserted pink and light purple make-up on her face and glitter on her body. She added on the homemade gold crown and placed them on top of her freshly adorned hairstyle, changing her whole look into a princess. Eriol wore matching attire with Syaoran, but his was a prince. He had on a silver crown with a sapphire jewel embedded in the middle [Tomoyo got it from an old jewellery box she owned]. He wore a tuxedo, with red and black contrasting. At the front showed a red bowtie and perfectly white dress shirt. His hair was gelled down, opposite of Syaoran's, with bangs sharp and top of the hair being flat.
"Don't we look good!" Tomoyo grinned proudly, completely amazed with the way the costumes turned out to be. "Sakura looks so beautiful!!"
"Thank you, Tomoyo. You're beautiful yourself," she smiled, glancing at Syaoran.
He was out of words, "uh," his eyes still large at the sight of her.
"He means to say he thinks you're beautiful, Sakura," Eriol put in.
Syaoran glared at him and pulled Sakura to his room. Closing the door behind him, he enclosed his arms around her small waist, pulling her intimately to him. She willingly let him hold her in his arms, enjoying the feeling of protection, safety, and tenderness. He looked down at her tenderly, his eyes gazing from her eyes to her lips, completely focused on her and her only. She trembled under his gaze, her heart pounding intensely, and nerves breaking her tender bones.
"I couldn't find the words to tell you how beautiful you are," he whispered softly, lowering his head. "Not until now…"
She blushed immensely. 'He didn't say 'look', he said 'are'.' "Thank you, my knight in shining armour," she teased, smiling up at him. "I think you're very handsome…"
He ignored the compliment, still wrapped up in her. "You…y-you're the most beautiful person I've ever seen my whole life, and you…you look even more beautiful than you've ever looked," he continued to shower her with compliments.
"Stop it…" she murmured modestly, tightening her hold on him. "I…" He put a long finger on top of her pink lips.
"Shh," he instructed. Then descending upon her lips was his. The kiss was glorious and very sweet. No extra feeling was inserted in the kiss, other than pure affection. When they pulled away, Sakura embraced him with her might.
"I love you, Syaoran Li, and I don't think I'll ever love anyone as much as I do you."
His heart continued to pound its hardest, grateful for her words. Nothing could make him happier than her loving him. Syaoran always thought no one could ever love him, and Sakura proved that somebody could love him, and even go beyond that.