Months had passed since Tomoyo and Eriol moved out of the apartment, and Syaoran and Sakura had at least been able to get used to having just the two of them in the 4-bedroom suite. Every few days or so, the four would continue to meet and eat lunch or dinner, catching up on work. Syaoran started planning on finding a place with a single room for the both of them. Sakura hadn't known this, but Syaoran was already thinking about the time and the money and everything else.
One night, hours after Syaoran picked Sakura up from work, the two sat down in the living room. The spring rain tapped on the windows outside as the smooth black sky, decorated with shimmering stars, appeared, replacing the pink and purple tones of the sky. However, the silence between them was not comfortable, nor was it sweet. Tension grew between the two lovers; it was two weeks after Sakura's birthday on April. Syaoran decided to tell Sakura about his plans and how he had already found a great apartment a city away from where they originally lived. Hoping for an excited and pleased reaction, Syaoran felt utterly crushed when Sakura looked down, her eyes holding a little more than sadness. They exchanged words for more than an hour, but never got to the end of it.
"I think we still need to talk about this," Sakura began quietly, her face full of regret.
Syaoran's hardened eyes stared straight at the blank TV. "Why? I thought we already had this settled. I told you and you don't want to do it."
"But Syaoran, listen to me for a second," she pleaded.
"Is it because you're starting to doubt our relationship? That you don't love me anymore?" His voice held pain, but still sounded cold.
"How can you say that??" She replied angrily, her fists tightening and her eyes starting to shed tears. "Of course I love you! I've never loved anyone as much as I love you!"
"Then why the hell would you say no??" He interrupted, unable to meet her intent gaze.
"Because…" She whispered desperately, but found no other words to say.
"Fck this, I'm out of here," he muttered and stood up, walking out of the living room.
Wiping her tears away with her sleeve, Sakura stood up as well and followed him. "No we've got to talk…!" She sniffed.
Syaoran turned around. "About what??" He hissed.
"You just…you just sprung it on me! You-you have to understand…why I feel like this." She pleaded through her eyes.
He didn't look at her. He couldn't. If he saw those glassy emerald eyes…he knew he'd break. "Just…just give me a few hours." He turned around again and exited the apartment room. Sakura heard the door click shut. Sobbing continually, she ran to her room and locked the door. She leaned on it and cried the night through.
----
Eriol drank a hot cup of coffee that Tomoyo had just placed on the table for him. The bleak morning was beginning to turn bright as the sun started to appear between gray clouds. Tomoyo grabbed a plate from a cupboard and went back to the stove, where sizzling bacon was cooked in one pan, and two fried eggs in another. Eriol stared straight in front of him and sighed.
"I still don't get why you're here this early in the morning," he said lightly.
Syaoran raked a hand through his hair. "It's been a bad week for me," he replied.
"Care to elaborate?" Tomoyo asked from the kitchen.
"Frankly, no," he muttered back, "but I know I have to."
Tomoyo bit back a smirk. Eriol looked at him concernedly. "Did something happen between you and Sakura?"
"Well…" Syaoran averted his gaze from Eriol's.
"Oh no. What did you do?" Tomoyo put the plate she was holding in her hand down, and turned around to face Syaoran. "Did you hurt her? If you did, I am so-"
"Honey, just keep cooking, will you? I think this is between us guys," Eriol interrupted.
Tomoyo's eyes widened as she turned her attention to Eriol. "Excuse me? Keep cooking?? Between you guys?!"
Syaoran tightened his jaws as a growl escaped his throat. "Look, I can't exactly talk about this if you're here." He glared at Tomoyo and buried his face in his hands.
"Why?" She asked, her eyes narrowed.
"Because you're Sakura's best friend! What other freakin' excuse could there be??" He burst out.
"Syaoran…just calm down. Tomoyo's worried, is all," Eriol argued.
"If I find out that you did something…that hurt Sakura…you're dead. Do you hear me?" Tomoyo answered in gritted teeth.
Syaoran stood up in just as much anger and faced Tomoyo. "I didn't do anything to her. She hurt me." He replied.
"What??" Tomoyo's anger faded almost immediately. "What are you talking about?"
"If you'd just let me explain, I'd tell you!" Syaoran sat back down.
"The stage is all yours." Eriol interrupted their bicker.
Syaoran sighed and faced the concerned couple. "Last night…I told Sakura I wanted us to move out of the apartment and get a place where…it's just for us."
Both pairs of eyes widened at the answer. "And?" Tomoyo asked, holding her breath. She just knew then what had happened.
"Are you two stupid or what?? Would I be here if she said she's happy about it??" Syaoran retorted.
Eriol stared at Syaoran sympathetically. "Ok…well…did you at least talk about it?"
"No! What's there to talk about? I planned this for God knows how long and she doesn't even appreciate it. How the hell could I talk to her now??"
"So what you're meaning to say is…you want to break up with her," Tomoyo concluded.
"That's the thing! I love her so goddamn much that I can't just let her go! But I'm so fcking upset about this stupid thing that I don't want to see or talk to her!"
Eriol chuckled. Tomoyo smiled.
"What?" He stared gloomily at them. They didn't answer. "What??" He replied more firmly.
Eriol shrugged. "Seems like another fight to me. And your ego's just going over your head again, man."
"Oh what the hell are you talking about?"
"Remember that fight you guys had with the wedding reception thing?" He reminisced. "You ended up apologizing at the end, 'cause you loved her too much you'd do anything for her."
"This is different," Syaoran argued. "I know I could apologize to her, but for what?? I didn't do anything!"
"Are you hearing yourself here?? What do you mean, you didn't do anything??" Tomoyo asked. "Who didn't even bother to give Sakura a chance to explain her side of the story? Who left the house and Sakura alone throughout a night??"
Syaoran's face changed at the realization.
"Yeah. So…the best thing you can do right now is…go back to your house." Eriol instructed.
"Then apologize to her and give her a chance to tell you why she said no." Tomoyo said as well.
"And then you can argue about whether you should move to that place or not," he concluded.
"Eriol!" Tomoyo slapped his arm.
"What?" He complained.
"Don't argue. Just…talk."
Syaoran breathed deeply and tried to calm himself. "Man, I've never been in this position before."
"Been in what position?" Eriol asked interestedly.
"Loved someone so much my mind goes crazy not being able to see her face…" Syaoran got up.
Tomoyo smiled. "Syaoran, say hi for us."
He glanced at Eriol. "Thanks for the advice. I knew I could count on you guys." He looked at Tomoyo. "Pick up the phone and say hi yourself." Then he left the place.
"Syaoran's back, all right," Tomoyo grinned.
Eriol laughed. "I think we'd make really good parents, honey. We just taught Syaoran a lesson."
Tomoyo giggled. "Eat your breakfast."
----
Sakura prepared the table with pancakes, hotdogs, and omelettes. There were two cups of hot tea and two plates, with two pairs of utensils. She sat down on her place, eyes puffy and red, hair dishevelled. She gazed longingly at Syaoran's place in front of her and reached out, missing him already. Why had he never come back that night? He couldn't have been so mad that he'd cheat on her, would he? Sakura didn't even bother thinking about those things. When…well, if…he did come back…she… Sakura felt her eyes sting…he just had to come back! They had never been away from each other this long.
Sakura heard the door unlock. Her heart pumped hard and her blood froze at the sound. She stood up so slowly, her nerves sparking wherever she went. She held her breath and kept her hand at her stomach, trying to calm down her anticipation. Oh how she missed him. The door opened, the creak followed it, and then the quiet click. Syaoran stepped in and kicked off his shoes. Turning left to enter the kitchen, he stopped at the sight of her. His heart pounded as well, his breath caught in his throat. He missed her so much. Just looking at her tear-stained pink face made his insides go mushy.
"Syaoran?" She asked in a very quiet, heartbreaking voice.
"Sakura…" He whispered.
"Syaoran!!" She sobbed and ran to him. She kept the tears in so strongly, but felt little droplets appear on her cheeks. She jumped on him and he so eagerly held her in his arms possessively.
His arms automatically snaked around her waist. "I'm sorry," he murmured.
She shook her head and stared into his amber eyes. "You came back."
"Of course I came back," he replied, finding happiness and relief in her watery eyes. "You didn't think I would?"
Sakura turned pinker and pecked his nose. "No…"
"Sakura, how stupid are you? I love you so much…just 'cause we fight doesn't mean I'd leave you." He stared back into her emerald eyes. He stroked her cheek lovingly.
She slowly smiled. "Are you sure-" Syaoran caught her lips in a passionate kiss before she could even finish.
----
Syaoran lied back on his bed, arms crossed under his head. Sakura was sitting Indian-style, staring at him tenderly. They were talking about the new apartment and what they thought about it. Syaoran listened to Sakura patiently as she talked about her history of never staying in one place, always moving around, and the place they lived in at that moment being the only place she ever lived in for more than 3 months, except for the dorm. She spoke about the memories they've made in that place, how she treasured it so, and the fact that that was where their relationship began. Syaoran explained to her as well why he wanted to get a new place. Paying for a 4-bedroom apartment wasn't exactly easy, and having a place private and away from Eriol and Tomoyo would make it seem more like they were married.
"Tomoyo and Eriol moved away from us, and I know how much it hurt you when they did…but they have a family now, you know?" Syaoran asked, looking up at her.
She nodded in understanding. "I know."
"So…what's gonna happen now?" He asked, sitting back up.
Sakura climbed onto his lap and wrapped her arms around him. She smiled brightly. "We move."
"Are you sure?" Syaoran asked once again, pulling her closer. "Sakura, you can think about this-" She put a finger on his lips.
"I've thought about it, and I want us to live together…and begin…sort of our…practice marriage life," she answered. "And I want to make you happy, but not just that. I really am happy about this. Honest," she smiled, her eyes sparkling.
Syaoran let out a relieved breath. "Good, 'cause I really want to move out of here," he let out a small smile.
Her finger traced his lips for the tiny smile he showed her. Then she bent down slowly, kissed him softly, gently, and then deepening it by the second. "I love you."