It's my birthday today, April 28, 2004!! That's why I decided to update! This chapter is dedicated to our fellow ff.net writer, moondocc! Happy 14th Birthday! Enjoy!
Last chapter summary: Syaoran and Sakura had a blow-up about moving. Syaoran went to Eriol for advice, and ended up apologizing to Sakura. However, Sakura had already decided that Syaoran's idea of moving to a new home was a good idea.
Syaoran groaned as he stretched his arms out and stood up from his seat. Shutting off his computer, he grabbed his coat from the back of his chair and put it on. Holding his bag, he glanced at the office and saw only a few people left. When he passed the secretary, they exchanged a few insults and Syaoran entered the elevator. As soon as he got into his car, he heard his cell phone ring. Taking out the anti-theft device, he snatched his cell phone from his pocket and opening it.
"Syaoran." He muttered, starting the car.
"Hi honey, it's me," the voice he least expected to hear answered.
"Mom??" He asked in a surprised voice.
"Surprised?""You could hear it, huh?" Syaoran drove the car expertly out of the basement parking lot.
"I'm your mother. I know these things," she chuckled. "How are you?"
"I'm fine. You?"
"I'm doing fantastic."
He waited for more explanation, but didn't get it. Sighing deeply, he started. "So why'd you call?"
"I'm going on a trip around the world, and I decided to go to Japan first."
Hiding his shock and a little discomfort, he shifted in his seat. "Yeah?"
"Yeah," she giggled. "Now, honey, I'm going on a cruise, so you have to meet me in the port of your city."
"We don't have a port," he muttered sarcastically.
She ignored it. "Just come and get me. I'll be staying for no more than four days or so."
Syaoran stared at the car in front of him, visioning his mother talking on the other line. Biting his tongue, he fought the urge to crash into the car. "Fine."
"I hear the four of you have separated."
"Where'd you hear that from?" He blurted out in disbelief.
"From Fujitaka and Nadeshiko. They say their daughters called them weeks ago and updated them on things." Her voice had a hint of wry amusement. "I then wondered why my son didn't call."
"I was busy," he said as he got through traffic.
"Do you expect me to believe that?"Syaoran turned left and then right, heading towards Sakura's workplace. "I don't really care, mom."
"Are you planning on marrying Sakura…since you're living with her now?"
"I don't have time to talk about this right now. I gotta go, all right?"
"Syaoran…"
"See you in a few weeks." He clicked off the phone.
----
Sakura walked around the place they've lived in for about two weeks now. It was beautiful and simple, her ideal home. She entered the living room and out the balcony door. Resting her arms on the railing, she sighed blissfully, feeling the spring wind breeze by her. The trees were blossoming and filling with colourful flowers. Sakura breathed, closing her eyes in happiness. Everything was going so great. Syaoran and her hadn't fought since their small dispute weeks before. She was giving him her whole heart, trusting him completely and making herself vulnerable to him. Why? Because in her heart, Sakura knew that Syaoran was the one. She was ready to be his wife, the mother of his children, and to be there by his side always.
--
Syaoran, however, was lying on their bed, confused, unsure, and nervous about the arrival of his mother. He knew he loved Sakura, but he hadn't thought about committing his whole life to her…not when he hadn't told her everything about him. Syaoran constantly told himself that he was hiding his past from Sakura so that she wouldn't get hurt, but in truth, it was because he was afraid to lose her. He didn't want to get hurt… how selfish was that?
--Flashback--
"Syaoran, you're 13 already. Now, when I was a kid, I learned how to drive when I was 11. It's real hard to support a family of 7 when I'm the only man who can drive, you know?" His dad looked down at him seriously, but with a hint of a smile.
Syaoran chuckled as he glanced out his window of the car. "Yeah right, dad. You're the strongest guy I know. You don't need my help."
"That's not true. I do need your help. Come on, you understand how I feel! Five women around the house yelling all the time about make up and all that! I need all the help I can get!" Syaoran's dad joked.
He laughed and turned back to him. "All right, I'll help. What'd you want me to do?"
"You're going to learn how to drive," his dad said simply.
"Drive?? Seriously??" Syaoran asked in excitement.
"Yep. So let's start. Ready?"
Syaoran was all smiles. "Uh-huh."
Syaoran woke up in a hospital bed, his head burning and his body completely sore. He swallowed and groaned slightly as he adjusted himself on the bed. There was no one around, and he felt alone. Glancing up, he met the IV stand, glancing sideways, he saw a bunch of flowers and small presents, and glancing down, he saw a lot of bandages around his body. Where were they? His mom…his sisters…Eriol…where were they? His dad, what about him— Syaoran stopped. His dad. Where was his dad?? He clutched his head in pain. Then he blacked out.
--End Flashback--
Syaoran shut his eyes tightly, trying hard to forget that vivid memory. It had been thirteen years since his conscience ganged up on him. He succeeded in keeping his past inside, never letting anyone close so they wouldn't know. He remembered after that accident that he spent at least 5 months rehabilitating from the bruises and fractures. He grew up thinking he killed his father, as a result becoming cold and unfeeling, and the communication between him and his family gone. Eriol had been the only one he confided in, but he never told him about his father's 'real' reason for dying…he was able to hide it from Eriol. He carried the unbearable guilt of being the one responsible for his father's death. Many nights passed on where Syaoran would lie on his bed and stare out the dark, cold nights and swallow his tears from recurring memories of his father.
As soon as he graduated, he left home almost immediately. However, as he grew older, he realized that he owed his family a lot for putting up with him throughout the years he shut himself from the world, and he began to communicate with them again. Once in a while, he would go visit back home, and he respected and cared for his family again. The past Christmas was a time where Syaoran expected his family to come, and he was afraid, but then again there were going to be people, so…they wouldn't say anything about it, right? No one would know his past. His mother and sisters wouldn't say anything in front of crowds. But now, it was his mother coming over…alone…to talk to Sakura. He knew it would come up, and the thought scared him. Thirteen years he succeeded in forgetting everything that revolved around that time in his life. He had a bad feeling deep inside him, though, that if he became close to someone that he ended up loving her, he knew that he'd end up breaking the barriers he began to build around his heart.
A soft knock on the door broke his thoughts. He opened his eyes and turned slowly to face Sakura smiling at him. "Hey."
He mustered up a warm look and rested back on the wall of the window. "Hey."
"You ok?" She walked to him.
He nodded. "Just thinking."
"About?" Sakura wrapped her arms around his waist and stared straight up his amber eyes.
"Nothing important," he replied as he held her snugly.
"Ok…well, I was thinking too…" she began.
"Yeah?" He played with a strand of her hair.
Sakura hesitated as she bit her lip.
"What is it?" Syaoran asked, dropping his hand and caressing her cheek.
"Your…your mom likes me, right?" She asked hopefully.
He was taken aback at this. "My mom? Why do you care what my mom thinks of you?"
"Well, we are dating and have been dating for a little while now. I think we're getting pretty serious… aren't we?" Sakura looked at him with intent.
"Yeah…so?" Syaoran was literally confused.
"Syaoran!" Sakura whined. "Your mom has to like me so that…" she trailed off.
"So that what?" He persisted. "Sakura, I'm not getting anything here."
"For a smart man, you're really dense when it comes to serious relationship situations," Sakura replied back.
"What are you getting at?" He interrupted.
"I…I just want to just sit down with your mom and get to know her better," she explained in a soft voice.
"You want to get to know my mom?" Syaoran echoed.
She nodded.
He sighed. "Well…she's coming over in a week…so…you can get to know her then," he said and let go of Sakura, heading back to the bed.
"She's coming over in a week?? When did you know about this?" Sakura asked, turning around to follow him.
"She called early this afternoon. I was going to tell you tonight anyway," he lied and went under the sheets. "She's got this…uh…trip around the world and her first stop is here."
"Really?" Sakura smiled happily. "I can't believe my luck! Aren't you happy, Syaoran?? Your mom's coming over for a visit!" Sakura lied down beside him.
"Yeah I'm really thrilled about it," he said sarcastically.
"What…" his reaction surprised her. "Syaoran, you're not happy your mom's coming over?"
He hesitated before answering. "I'm not exactly happy about it, but…it's happening anyway, so there's no point in complaining."
"I don't understand…why don't you want to see your mom again?" Sakura asked, this time she was utterly confused.
"I do want to see her! Just…not now." He hooked his arms under his head. "I get what you're saying, I know you're happy about it, and I'm not hurt by it or anything. For me, I don't think I'll enjoy it as much as you think I would."
Sakura frowned and sat upright. "So what are you going to do?"
He shrugged. "I told you. There's nothing to do. She's going to come over whether I have a say in it or not," Syaoran muttered. "So let's just drop the subject and get some sleep, all right?"
"Syaoran…there's something bugging you…I just know it." Sakura said softly and scooted closer to him. "Tell me."
He glanced at her and shook his head. "There's nothing wrong."
"There is, I can see in your eyes," she continued and straddled his stomach. "Tell me…" Sakura said in a singsong voice.
Syaoran chuckled lowly and snaked his arms around her waist. "Just upset about my mom, that's all." He replied, pulling her closer.
Sakura hesitated, but finally gave up and rested on top of him. "Well…if you say so. I trust you, Li."
"Good, Kinomoto." Syaoran replied and moved his head forward to kiss her lips. She met his lips halfway and closed her eyes in bliss.
Syaoran tightened his hold on Sakura's waist and rolled, so she ended up being the one on the bottom. He attacked her lips like there was no tomorrow, so full of passion and hunger. Sakura allowed him to explore her mouth with his tongue, as she did the same to him. Sakura whimpered enjoyably while Syaoran felt himself harden. He emitted a low groan as he kissed her even more fervently. Then he let go of her lips and trailed small kisses down her neck while Sakura breathed deeply. Suddenly, the phone rang.
"We're not here," Syaoran growled and captured her lips again.
Sakura giggled despite her slightly ragged breathing, kissed him back, and pulled away. "What if it's an important phone call?"
"There's nothing more important than you!" He replied back and bent down to kiss her lips again when she put her hand between his lips and hers.
"Syaoran…" Sakura smiled innocently. "Come on…"
"Dammit, Sakura, why are you making this hard for me??" He complained and rolled off of her.
She laughed out loud. "We've got all night! Just let me get it, ok?"
He sighed. "Whatever I say won't matter anyway." He muttered, but hooked his arms around her waist.
She grabbed the phone on her side and allowed Syaoran to hold her really close to him. "Hello?" She asked.
"Hi, may I speak to Syaoran?""Can I ask who's calling?"
"It's his mother." The answer was in a stern and annoyed voice.
"Oh, y-yeah, he's right here," Sakura stammered and passed the phone immediately to Syaoran.
He sent her a questioned look and took the phone. "Yeah?"
"Syaoran? Hi!" Suddenly, the voice turned high and sweet.
He growled. "Fanren, what the hell do you want??"
"Gosh, brother dear! You honestly have no manners…I'm older than you, you know. By a lot of years…you ought to call me onee-san!"
"You don't sound older than me!" He interrupted her and glared at the ceiling. "Why'd you call?? I was in the middle of something important!" Sakura blushed heavy red beside him.
She sighed. "Sorry, little brother. Mother told me to call you because her trip's been suddenly changed. It turns out that her trip begins tonight, so she'll be getting there early in the morning. You have to pick her up at 5 or so am."
"What?!?"
"Yeah, so anyway, how's Sakura? Is she doing good? Are you guys getting married anytime soon??" Suddenly, the woman on the phone shrieked in happiness.
Syaoran swore as he threw the phone to Sakura. "Why the hell is she doing this to me?!" He yelled, and exited the room in frustration.
Sakura stared at him in concern, but answered the phone. "Hello?"
"Sorry Sakura! I was just joking around! It's me, Fanren!"
"Fanren? Oh, Syaoran's sister??" Sakura asked in surprise.
"Yeah! So how are you?""I'm doing good, thanks. Can't say the same about Syaoran, though. What just happened?"
"Oh, family business. Mother's coming over there tomorrow, and Syaoran needs to pick her up at 5 am. Her schedule's been changed, so she'll be arriving in your place earlier than expected," Fanren explained to Sakura.
"Oh ok," Sakura nodded in understanding. "All right, well I think I should talk to Syaoran. It was good to hear you from again," she smiled.
"You too! Anyway, yes, I'll call some other time, ok? Take care of yourself and Syaoran! Bye!"
"Bye!" Sakura replied with a cheerful greeting and put the phone down, walking to the living room.
He was sitting on the couch with a serious look on his handsome face. Sakura sat beside him and touched his arm. He still didn't look at her. Sakura didn't say anything and just let him stay quiet. Minutes later, he turned his attention to her, who was staring back at him with concern written all over her face. He snaked his arms around her waist and pulled her to his lap, holding her intimately.
"Sorry I'm being a moody asshole," Syaoran said quietly.
"No, it's okay. Everybody goes through it," Sakura replied just as silent.
He nodded. "I just don't want to see my mom this soon…"
"Don't think about it. She'll be coming here within 10 hours. She'll be staying here, for what, 3, 4 days? And then she'll be gone. Don't stress yourself out. Just be happy you'll see her," she said softly. "I know I'd love it if I could see my mom again."
"I'm sorry," Syaoran whispered, kissing the nape of her neck.
"It's ok." She giggled at his kiss. "Now let's go back to the bedroom."
He nodded and carried Sakura up into his arms bridal-style.