Summary: After five years of Sakura and Syaoran being split up, unspeakable circumstances have required them to reunite. How will Sakura Kinomoto, now a player be able to stand seeing the man who deceived her as an innocent and naïve young girl? Will Syaoran be able to win back the only woman he's thought about for the past five years? Can the ex-best friend's love rekindle? Although Sakura said she wasted her last breath, she needs to learn sometimes, you've simply just got to breathe.
Disclaimer: I do not own CCS or anything like it. It belongs strictly to CLAMP.
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Just Breathe
Chapter 2: Complications
Syaoran stretched his long arms and stifled a yawn as he stretched. He had recently awoken from his peaceful slumber. Strange how this was a first in the past five years. Usually, he would wake up in a cold sweat, his eyes wide, and it was always from the same nightmare. He'd been examining it more closely now, on the edge of deciphering it. Apparently, Sakura was already awake, her head phones on, but he could swear he saw a faint tint on her cheeks. Shrugging, he buckled up his seatbelt and put the chair into the upright position, hearing the stewardess tell him they were currently landing before she rushed to the front of the large plane to sit herself in her own seat. Soon enough they had landed and everyone was slowly making their way to the exit of the plane.
"You two make a great couple and she looks like she's the one. Don't let her go," said the stewardess from before with a giggle. He just watched her walk away not knowing what to say in response. Still, after all of these years, they looked as if they belonged together?
"Syaoran! Hurry up!" Eriol called waving a hand up high so he could see him. He was quite far up, and with a shake of Syaoran's head he ran to catch up with him.
"Li-kun, maybe we should visit your mother first. It's been quite a while now," Tomoyo said softly, voicing Sakura's thoughts.
"It has. And mother wants to speak to Sakura anyways," Syaoran said taking a glance at her before reverting his gaze back to Tomoyo. "Something about her will as well," Syaoran answered the unasked question as he left to get his and Tomoyo's bags as Eriol got his own and Sakura's.
"Good God Sakura!" Eriol exclaimed, almost falling over from the weight of the bag. "What the hell do you have in here?!"
"Ano… just some things that I need," Sakura said quietly blushing. Syaoran smiled slightly at her blush… she always looked cute when she did that.
..// Li Mansion\\..
"Kawaii!" Screamed all four of Syaoran's sisters simultaneously as everyone in the room winced.
"Sakura-chan has grown up so fast!" One of the four, Fuutie exclaimed stroking her hair.
"But she is still so kawaii!" Screamed second sister, Siefa, as she pinched and pulled at Sakura's cheeks.
"She has grown to be so beautiful!" Screamed the third sister, Fanren.
"And she has the figure of the model too!" Feimei exclaimed with the rest as she hugged her tightly.
"Kawaii!" The four sisters exclaimed once more, all latching onto her.
"Eh… Tomoyo-chan is here too!" Sakura exclaimed once the sisters were finished making their first set of comments before they could start on a second round. She still remembered the first time she and Tomoyo had met the Li sisters. There was a reason why they never shared chocolate with them.
"AH! Tomoyo-chan!" The four sisters exclaimed as they all rushed over to the unexpecting Tomoyo, watching as Eriol fell to the ground, overthrown by the four sisters. Sakura sighed as she was free from their grasp and giggled slightly at the swirly eyed Eriol that fell to the ground, then the Syaoran in corner who was still smirking. She immediately looked away and headed into the direction of where she heard a hoarse coughing noise, which was up the stairs into Li Yelan's room.
"Yelan?" Sakura asked quietly as she slowly opened the door.
"Ahhh… Sakura. I've been expecting you for some time now," Yelan said smiling. Although her face was pale as snow, her eyes still held that softness of a mother and the regal, graceful aura still emitted from her.
"How are you Yelan?" Sakura asked in the same soft voice once she was kneeled at her bedside where Yelan lay.
"I'm dying Sakura. I'm going to leave this world soon," Yelan let out in raspy breaths. Sakura felt the tears burn in the back of her eyes.
"No… not you too Yelan. Why is it I loose everyone that I care about?" Sakura pleaded for an answer as she took Yelan's hand to cover her own eyes.
"You haven't lost everyone. You still have my daughters and most importantly… my son," Yelan said smiling slightly. Sakura's heart stopped for a moment as her smile dropped.
"Yelan…" Sakura began but Yelan raised a hand to stop her from speaking.
"I know this for a fact, dear Sakura. You still care for him. No matter how much you don't want to, you do. I've known you since you were small… you can hide nothing from me young cherry blossom," Yelan said to her.
"I know… but I'm scared to be near him," Sakura replied, her voice cracking as she let some tears fall before she hastily wiped them away.
"I know my child, I know. But other than the fact it is quite nice to have you here, I have something to discuss with you Sakura," Yelan said to her making an attempt to sit up before she was pushed back down by Sakura.
"You can still speak while lying down. You need to rest," Sakura said with a light smile that Yelan returned as she cleared her throat.
"I'm dying and I need someone to take care of the Li Clan once I'm gone. That someone is Syaoran. He must be married in order for him to become the Li Clan Leader. He has no intention of marrying though… unless it's you Sakura. Please, I know this is hard for you, but please. I need you to marry him. I need to know that my family will be taken care of. I approve of you and know you would do all you can to keep my family happy. Please Sakura… you have always been like a daughter to me and I would love it if you were included in my family now by name as well," Yelan asked in her raspy voice. Sakura took the hand that held Yelan's back as her eyes widened in shock. She began stumbling for words but nothing could be said. "At least think about it." All Sakura could do was nod and rush from the room, brushing past Syaoran on the way.
Sakura ran into the room she always used to occupy when she was younger and their family always came to Hong Kong with the Li's. She felt her heart sink even farther down in her stomach at the thought of the days when everything was still good and happy. Now, somehow all because of a few months of lies and deceit they had, that was the reason they were this predicament today. Sakura can't even speak to Syaoran although she pines after him constantly. Tomoyo and Eriol are right… how is she supposed to survive living with him? And Syaoran… God… he was entire story on his own. She knew how sorry he was… but it was true, just like she had told Yelan. She was afraid. What if he hurt her again? She didn't know if she could bear to live and deal that for a second time.
And now what with Yelan asked her! Sakura knew Yelan would do anything for her family; they were the most important thing to her in the world. And Sakura was key to making sure her family was happy and well. Syaoran needed to take on the role of Li Clan Leader, but he had to be married. If he wasn't at least engaged with someone and wanted to be with them by the time Yelan died, the affairs that had to do with the Li's would be in chaos.
"Daddy… I need you so much right now," Sakura cried into her knees which were pulled up to her chest, letting the tears fall freely. "I need you to help me daddy… why did you have to leave when I need you the most? Why were there always so many damn complications?"
..//Later\\..
Later on that night, when everyone sat together, only one thing greeted them: silence. Even the Li sisters, their many children and their husbands were silent for once. Only the scarping of chopsticks against the plates and the movement of ice in glasses could be heard.
"So… when do you guys plan to move into the Kinomoto house?" Siefa asked clearing her throat, hating the fact everyone was so quiet.
"I'll be heading there tonight actually. There's already a bunch of beds and everything that's needed there already. I just need to buy groceries," Sakura answered before she stuffed some more dim sum into her mouth.
"Why don't you stay here for the night Sakura?" Feimei offered.
"You're probably going to short rooms, so it's quite alright," Sakura declined with a pleasant smile, knowing there was probably only one or two available rooms because of all the children the Li sisters had produced.
"Oh come on Sakura. It's an hour's drive away anyways. It would be fun," Fuutie tried to persuade with a smile.
"It has been a while," Sakura contemplated. "Sure, why not," she finally decided.
"Great. But the only thing is Eriol and Tomoyo are sharing a room and so are you and little brother," Fanren quickly stated.
"WHAT?!" Both Sakura and Syaoran exclaimed at once standing up, nearly toppling their chairs over in the process.
"I think I'll take that hour drive to my home thank you," Sakura said as she sat back down and began to eat.
"But Auntie Sakura… won't you stay with us for just one night? Pretty please?" Requested the youngest of the Li sister's children, Matthew, who was three.
"Oh come on Matt. Not the puppy eyes," Sakura pleaded trying to look away. This was the kid Tomoyo taught the look she could never say no to… the one she always used on Touya and still did use on him.
"Please?" He pleaded once more. Sakura groaned as he intensified the look and sighed in defeat as she banged her head on the table a few times before beginning to poke at her food, missing the evil smiles the Li sisters, Yelan, Tomoyo and Eriol held while Syaoran watched them carefully, quite suspicious.
"You'll be staying in the last room to the right of the first corridor," Feimei said to her. Syaoran raised his head trying to think of where that room was. Its location seemed quite familiar…
"I think I'm going to get to bed early tonight. Tomorrow I'll be cleaning the house all day," Sakura said stifling a yawn glancing at them as they all smiled innocently… a bit too innocently. She gave them a strange look as she rose from her seat, bowed and walked up the stairs. They all stopped eating for a moment, as if they were waiting for something.
"OH HELL NO!" They heard the precious cherry blossom cry as the seven adults snickered, then went back to their food.
"She isn't staying in my room is she?!" Syaoran asked with horror as he got up and ran to where the scream making the adults snicker once more.
..//Syaoran's Room\\..
"You have got to me kidding me!" Sakura exclaimed. "Yelan set me up on this. Oooh… when I get my hands on that woman," Sakura threatened as she paced before the bed… the only bed in the room. There was no way she was going to let Syaoran sleep on the floor or the couch… everyone knew that. Sure, she wasn't planning on talking to him ever again but she didn't want him to have back pains all day tomorrow because of her. And there was no way Syaoran was going to let her sleep anywhere but the bed. Holy crap! They'd have to share it! Sure… they did it all the time when they were younger, but that was way back when they were best friends. Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit! Were the simple words that rang through Sakura's head. How the hell am I supposed to sleep in the same bed as him when I'm not even freaking talking to him? Holy mother loving crap. What if he starts to talk to me? I won't be able to just lay there. Awwww crap!!!
Sakura was still pacing the room and sulking when Syaoran ran into his room.
"What the hell happened?" An out of breath Syaoran asked, leaning on his dresser.
"This is what the hell happened!" Sakura exlclaimed pointing to the single bed, eyes blazing. No matter how much she tried, she knew she had to talk to him eventually. But no one said she'd have to be nice. See… there was always a plus side to everything.
"Glad to see you're talking to me again," Syaoran replied with a smirk.
"Yeah… well fuck off!" Sakura exclaimed once more, screaming in anger.
"I think I liked it better when you were quiet," Syaoran said aloud, looking thoughtful. She let out one more angry yell before she pushed past him and marched down the stairs. Well, looks like I was right. She had to talk to me sometime or the other. And with that last thought and a smirk on his face, Syaoran walked out the door after her, a plan already forming in his mind.
TBC
SweetBabyGurl: Hey there everyone :) As you all now, you got an extra update on Tuesday, so be happy :P I was bored so I got writing and yeah… Uh oh ;) Sakura and Syaoran have to share a room. Now for all of you dirty little people out there… NOTHING like that is going to happen! I was going to make Sakura not talk to Syaoran for a little while longer because of what she said in the last chapter of My Last Breath but one way conversations are really hard to write. And from now… there's probably going to be a lot of swearing coming from Sakura's mouth… but remember she isn't the sweet little innocent Sakura she used to be. Well, that's it and thank you to all of the people that reviewed this chapter. Review please and let me know what you think okay? Thanks a lot and ja ne!