Author's Notes: Thanks for the support guys. I guess that the prologue wasn't so appreciated. Hopefully you like the first part of this story. Remember, this is romance/angst genres, if you don't like it, don't read it.

I will reply to all the reviews at the end of the story. Thanks for the support guys! I really appreciate it!

Spoilers: Contains major The Sealed Card (The Enchanted Card) 2nd CCS movie spoilers and some manga/anime spoilers.

Disclaimer and claimer: I claim the plot, and that's all that I claim. Everything else belongs to great authors: Clamp.

Sanguine Clouds

Part 1: Re-confrontation

Seconds scurried away quickly as the wind flew by; minutes flew away too. It didn't take long for years to dash distantly. For eight years she hasn't seen him, for eight years she dreamt about being with him but the wishes never came true. But inside of her, she never abandoned to reach Syaoran's heart; she still wanted to see him after all these years.

College years passed too, she was now exactly 20 years old. Sakura has earned a college degree in accounting even though she struggled badly in math. Even she thought that she couldn't succeed, but with concentration and some help from her magic, she did it. Sakura was already studying for a bachelor degree in accounting while working as a secretary for the boss of a branch of a rather big company. The job wasn't always pleasant because she had to go on business trips with her boss, but knowing that she might get an increase of salary boosted her energy and enjoyment for her job.

Her family hasn't changed much, Toya, who was married to Kaho Mizuki, was at the peak of his carrier being a detective. He moved outside of the country to London to be an international detective. Her father, Fujitaka Kimonoto, was still teaching at the university, the man was then almost 50 years old but still looked to be in his late thirties. He was very lonely to live in a house without any company so sometime he goes to the Daidojis and have a little chat when he has time. Tomoyo, Sakura's cousin, worked as a clothes designer like everyone expected. Her made-up clothes weren't so complicated and original anymore because she missed her best friend, Sakura. But though happiness always took over her as she saw Eriol, one of her good friends and also the head of company. Never in her life, she ever imagined Eriol being her boss and less being the boss of a fashion designer company.

It was April 19th, eighteen days after Sakura Kimonoto's 20th birthday. Tomoyo had planned a tremendous party for her best friend like always and they had a little reunion—without Syaoran. Chiharu, Yamazaki, Naoko and of course Eriol were all able to come, Rika has been busy with her pregnancy, she was married to Professor Terada since she was 17 years old. Sakura had a blast at her birthday party and exclaimed it to be the most wonderful day of her life. But yet she knew inside of her that she missed Syaoran dearly, her heart was shattered years ago and she still did not put the shattered pieces together.

Sun shone lazily through the windows of a black car with an emerald-eyed lady inside, Sakura, she was driving to downtown Tokyo, where she was supposed to meet another company to settle economic issues. Unfortunately, she even had to stay there for a whole week until the other company leaves. Sakura never took any interests in those meetings, she had attended at least to dozens of them throughout one year and she was getting tired of them. She hoped that the company's boss could at least speak Japanese fluently, or else she'll have to listen to a person talking in an alien language.

The green light changed to a yellow one and Sakura stepped on the pedal swiftly and her car stopped immediately, she waited for half a minute while having a drink of fresh spring water and set of the road again. It didn't take long in her opinions to arrive to the center in where she should meet her boss and the other company, "Panomy—the origin of decoration".

Yes, her company, "Mural Lanterns—the beauty of decorating", was also working on decoration, so the bosses of the two companies started a project together. Together. Sakura loved the word, but working under another boss's order wouldn't be much fun for her. She would have more work to do and who knew what kind of boss the person was.

As she entered the cool hallway and stepped on the marble floor making "tick, tick" sounds with her high heeled shoes, she walked towards the elevator and pressed the button with an arrow pointing up. Just yesterday Sakura's boss called her and told her that the meeting was in a room on the fifth floor. The door opened with a swoosh and she stepped into the elevator, then pressed the button "5" and waited. The building was awfully cool with the air conditioning running at max even though it was only spring, she sighed and buttoned her formal vest up. The door opened once more and she stepped out of the elevator. In front of her was two glass doors, which welcomed her, she pushed the doors open and saw her boss sitting in a couch.

"For heaven sakes!" he yelled angrily.

"Sorry, am I late?" Sakura asked politely as she sat down across from her boss.

"No, not you, Kimonoto, the Panomy company just called and said that their flight was late and they won't arrive in another forty minutes!"

"O, well we can wait."

Her boss, Colin Salvucci, wasn't a Japanese obviously, he was a half-Italian, half-Spanish who settled in Japan for business issues.

"You stay here, Sakura Kimonoto, I'll call the boss again and ask them to hurry up," he said.

"Um, if that's not too much trouble, may I know where the Panomy's boss is from? And his name?" Sakura questioned calmly.

"Everyone calls him Shane, I do not know his family name but I do know that he is young and he's originally from Hong Kong but lives in Malaysia."

Hong Kong, Sakura thought as she suddenly placed her hand in front of her mouth in astonishment, that rings a bell… but it cannot be. Syaoran would never do such a thing, he could never become a decorator.

Lost in her thoughts for a dozen of minutes, she didn't notice the glass doors open swiftly, she didn't look at the person entering until her boss called her.

"Kimonoto," came the voice.

Sakura looked up and saw a young boy around her age with hazel eyes and hair staring at her. She shivered at his stare and continued to observe, she saw a lady beside him, holding his hand tightly and refused to let anyone shake Shane's hand. But Sakura ignored the possessive lady and went to shake his hand. At the touch of his skin, she felt different about him, an aura came to her senses, an aura with Chinese magic, the same that Syaoran had used.

"Syaoran…," she mumbled under her breath so only he could hear her.

"Glad to see you once again Miss Kimonoto," he replied with a painful look and mumbled a "sorry". He then turned to the boss and said: "Our driver was a very experienced one so we got along the road just fine. Sorry for the wait." He then nodded at both of them.

After the short conversation, the boy stared at Sakura again while trying to shush the girl clinging to his arm.

Colin Salvucci stared at them and broke the moment.

"If you would excuse me," the old man said. "I think that this important meeting should begin. I think that introductions may be appropriate at this time. I'm Colin Salvucci, head of the Japenese branch in the company Mural Lanterns."

"If you would please call me Shane thank you," said the boy, or so called Syaoran.

"I'm Rose, Shane's secretary," said the lady still holding Syaoran's hand. "O, and I'm also his fiancée," she added smiling widely, showing her white teeth in a very satisfied way.

Rose's short introduction speech broke Sakura's heart, it shattered her already broken heart, it pierced through her broken heart and shattered it once again, the pain was terrible, but she refused to cry. At that moment she knew why Syaoran has been trying to apologize to her, but she just couldn't accept it, reality hit her yet unfortunately she couldn't accept or believe it.

Why must I know this before the meeting? she asked herself while biting her lower lip.

"I'm Sakura Kimonoto, secretary of Colin Salvucci. I think that the meeting should start with no further waiting," Sakura said while gripping tightly on her shirt.

She couldn't bear it anymore… not for much longer. Syaoran just came back to her but he went away again, and this time, forever. He was already taken, Rose was his fiancée after all…

Everything appeared like a mist in her mind, she felt like if you she was having a nightmare like she used to when she was little. She didn't even notice other people from her company and the other one come in to join the meeting. She was staring at the black folder that was on her legs, she gripped the folder and dug her own nails in her skin to wake herself up. But that wasn't enough…

Suddenly she heard a familiar voice in her head … she loved the words that he said…

"I love you, Sakura," he said. "You're the one that I love," he had told her eight years ago.

It echoed in her mind for thousands of time. "I love you, Sakura… love you, Sakura… love…. love…you…. you…you…Sakura… kura…"

Syaoran's voice almost faded in her mind but she could still hear him a little bit, he called her in her dreams at night and hugged her to bring her support, but he was gone.

"Sakura!" came a voice, that one was different, but yet it still sounded like him. "Sakura!" it called again…

Then she felt someone shook her shoulders, she heard Syaoran calling her over and over again. Her head lowered and sniffed as she smiled mysteriously.

"You're back," she said, dreamily. "I'm happy now, XiaoLang."

As one known as Shane stared at her with his eyes opened at the maximum, she shivered again and started trembling.

"It's great to see you," Sakura said letting a tear fall on her hand.

The tear slid from her hand to her binder, it continued to slide on the binder until it finally stopped. A thunder shape appeared on her binder magically because of the wetness but Sakura didn't notice. She pushed Syaoran back so that he fell on the ground and ran to the glass doors, she didn't even open the doors… she just went through them magically.

Nobody saw her going to the doors, only Syaoran cared to look at her running away. Rose was grinning and coughed to catch the attention of her Shane.

"Miss Rose," Colin Salvucci started, "I guess that you would have to do my secretary's job too if you don't mind."

Suddenly Rose's grin disappeared as she became more serious.

"Of course, sir," she replied as she got up and walked to Shane's side. "Back to your seat, Shane, darrling," she said as she faked a purr at the last word.

Syaoran bit his lower lip, now she'll never forget or forgive me, he thought.

Author's Notes: Be a darling and leave a review telling me what you liked or disliked. Thanks! Oh and I'm half way through the second part. I think that it would have to be shorter if you want me to update faster since school's starting. Thanks again everyone!