For The One You Love

by Kirei Blossom

Syaoran and Sakura have always been best friends; and Sakura loves him dearly. But when Syaoran falls in love with someone else, what will it all lead to? Even with a 6-yr-old on a mission to get S&S together, will there ever be a happy end? (CHAPTER 6)

3. A Ray of Sunshine

Hi, I'm back with chapter three!  ^_^ Sorry for the long wait.

Disclaimer: Nope, don't own it.

Note: Hina is pronounced as 'Hee-na' ^^;

For the One You Love

Chapter 3:  A Ray of Sunshine

~*~ Kirei Blossom

Eight Years Later…

Li Residence; Hong Kong…

Sitting on one of the couches in the living room, Ieran looked up from her needlework.  Everything was still and quiet in the house.  Quite an unusual thing, considering that the both of them were at home.  Her brow creased with a frown.  It was a bit too quiet; only the kind that occurs right before a storm unleashes, or, in this case, right before some imminent mischief…

And then, a high-pitched shriek of laughter filled the house, immediately followed by a small girl stomping down the wide, sweeping staircase.  She was a cute little girl, with chin-length, dark brown hair that framed her face.  Behind her, a man followed close at her heels. 

"Give them back, Hina!" he called.

"No!" Squealing, the little girl ran across the living room, the man after her trying to catch her as she dodged in and out between the furniture, jumped over stools and climbed over the back of the couches.  Circling round and round the room, she paused, giggling, behind the couch with Ieran sitting on it, and looked at the man in front of her, the furniture separating them. 

"Give them back.." the man repeated, though with a twinkle of amusement in his eyes. 

In return, the girl just clenched a hand over her pocket and shook her head happily.  Glancing once to her left, she made a mad dash for the stairs but the man was quicker and seized her around the waist.  As the little girl squealed madly with laughter, he turned her upside down and shook her until a bunch of keys fell out of her overall-shorts pocket onto the ground.

Gently, Syaoran let her down and grabbed the keys with a triumphant look.  After tossing them once into the air, he pocketed them. 

Hina pouted.  "It's not fair.  You're so much taller than me, Papa.  You can run faster."

"Actually, I think it's perfectly fair considering that they're my car keys." Syaoran answered, ruffling her hair.  "What were you going to do with them anyway?"

"Bury them in the garden." Hina blinked innocently.  Clasping her hands, she looked beseechingly at her father.  "Pleeeeeeease stay home tomorrow!  It's the first day of summer vacation.  Let's have lots of fun together!"

A half-smile of guilt formed on Syaoran's face.  "You know I can't stay home, Hina."

"Aww.."

"But we'll have lots of fun together on the weekend."

Hina's face glowed just like it always did when she was happy.  "Yay!"

Just then the clock in the corner chimed eight times. 

Syaoran playfully swatted Hina on the arm.  "Go get ready for bed, bunny rabbit."

"Aww, why do bedtimes always come this early when you don't have school the next day?"  Hina jumped off the couch.  Wishing her grandmother goodnight, she scampered upstairs, humming a little song to herself.

After Hina's footsteps faded away, Syaoran sat down on the couch and picked up the day's newspaper.  For a while, all was quiet. 

"Syaoran.." Ieran began. 

"Hmm?" Syaoran was only half listening. 

"I got a call from Chityun today.  She wanted to send you a wedding proposal for her daughter.  I, said that you weren't interested.  I did the right thing, didn't I?"

"Hmm, yeah." Syaoran replied, nonchalantly.          

"Oh.. " There was a moment's silence.  "But Syaoran, her daughter's really nice—"

Syaoran folded the paper, looking up squarely at Ieran.  "Mother, we've discussed this enough times already.  I have no intentions to remarry." From Syaoran's tone, Ieran got the message that he wasn't too keen on discussing the topic further. 

But Ieran wasn't one to give in so easily.  "Syaoran.. it's been nearly six years since Suzuno passed away.  Don't you think its time to move on with your life?  Ever since then, you've buried yourself in your work.  Li Enterprises has become the most prominent business in all of Hong Kong through you.  But my son, there's only so much that you can work at.  Reconsider this matter and remarry.  You're only twenty-six years old; you're still young.  You have your entire life ahead of you.  If you only tried--"

Syaoran shook his head, though he stayed quiet.

"Why do you have to be so stubborn? I understand that you're lonely, Syaoran."

"I'm not." Syaoran averted his eyes.

"Don't try fooling me." Ieran stated.  "Do you think I don't know how you feel? Do you think I haven't seen you staring out your window at nights for hours on end? Please, Syaoran.  You have to stop living like this.  Find someone right for you.  Please.  I'll be able to go to my grave in peace if I know that you're happy and well settled...  At least think about Hinata—"

Syaoran stood up.  "I am thinking about Hina.  And that's one reason I do not want to start my life over again.  Do you think it's that simple, Mother? That I can just bring in someone – anyone - who won't care for her at all, who won't be able to give her the love she needs.  I can't afford to put my child's happiness in jeopardy like that.  Hina's happy right now."    

"Yes, she is." Ieran agreed.  "She is, but only for right now.  She's growing up, Syaoran.  And soon she'll start feeling the need for a mother more and more."

When Syaoran didn't answer, Ieran got up.  "Just think about this matter carefully, Syaoran.  I only want you and Hina to be happy.  But in the end, the final decision will be yours.  Do what you think is best."

After Ieran left the room, Syaoran decided to go upstairs.  Picking up some folders he had been looking at before dinner, he walked up the stairs and entered his room.

Closing the door behind him, he threw the papers he was carrying onto his desk and opened the sliding glass window that led to the balcony to let a bit of fresh air come in.  Staring at the twinkling lights of the Hong Kong skyline, he leaned against the rail.  His mother had a point, he admitted reluctantly to himself.  But still.. he couldn't just marry again.  Love wasn't something that simply happened like that – after all, he had been the one to always believe that a true, strong love can only occur once in a lifetime.  And he had already lost his… so, how could he find true love a second time? It was impossible.

Sometimes, he wondered why his life had to turn out like this.  Years ago, he always thought he had the most perfect life anyone could ask for.  But then that one day had to come when his life had taken the most unfortunate turn. 

Flashback

"Congratulations, Mr. Li, you have a fine, healthy, baby daughter!" the doctor at the hospital announced. 

Syaoran's face lit up, just like any proud first-time fathers' would.  But in some corner of his mind, he wondered why the doctor had come to the waiting room himself to give him this news. 

"And my wife, how is she?" he asked. 

When the doctor hesitated and took off his glasses, Syaoran felt his blood run chill.  "Well, I'm sorry to say, but, Suzuno isn't well.  There were some complications during the delivery that have left her body very weak.  Suzuno had known months ago that if she went ahead and had this baby, she would be putting herself in serious risk.  There would only be a thirty-percent chance that her condition would not get serious.  She didn't want to tell you this, because she knew how much you wanted to have this child.  But, I'm afraid that her body hasn't been able to handle the strain.  We've done everything we could for her.  I'm sorry, Mr. Li." The doctor shook his head.  "But in her conditions, your wife doesn't have more than a few days left." 

All Syaoran felt was a stiff numbness course through him. 

"You can go see her now, though." The doctor said, patting him wearily on the shoulder before leaving.

With heavy footsteps, Syaoran walked down the hallway and with ice-cold hands, twisted the doorknob to open the door.

"Syaoran!" Suzuno's face lit up at the sight of him.  Standing almost paralyzed near the door, all Syaoran could do was stare at her.  She looked deathly pale and very tired, propped up against the pillows.  He approached her slowly and she pulled him to sit on the bed.  Looking straight at her, he grasped her hand.

When he spoke, his voice was broken.  "You knew.. then… why?"

"Shh, Syaoran." Suzuno said softly.  "Don't you always say that you can't change what's already happened?  Cheer up." She laughed feebly.  "You look even worse than me right now."

At that moment, a nurse entered the room and handed Suzuno her daughter.  After she left, together they looked at the calmly sleeping child.  "She looks like you a little." Suzuno commented.  "What shall we name her?"

"You choose a name." Syaoran said.

"All right." She thought for a while.  "How about… Hinata?  It means 'sunny place.'  I'm sure she'll grow up to be bright and cheerful.  Just like..  I mean, just like her name.  And I'm sure that you'll take the very best care of her, Syaoran."

Syaoran squeezed Suzuno's hand.  "Don't leave me." He whispered.

"Syaoran…" Suzuno pushed back a lock of hair away from his face.  "Please understand and forgive me.  It's something I have to do… because I love you too much." A weak, mischievous smile crossed her features.  "Hey, if I didn't know any better Li Syaoran, I'd say that those were tears in your eyes.  Now cheer up before I start bawling.  I don't want to see you so sad.  Please, smile." Suzuno looked close to tears herself.  "For me?"

Syaoran managed a small smile.

"Can I ask you a favor?" she asked.

"Anything."

 "I want you to go home.  On the topmost shelf of my closet, there's a white box with seven audio-cassettes and envelopes in it.  Could you bring that to me, oh, and the portable tape recorder too? It's in the dresser."

"What for?" Syaoran asked baffled.

"Just do it." Looking tenderly at their daughter, she replied, "It's something for her.  I'll tell you later.  But in the meantime," she locked her eyes with his.  Syaoran noticed that her hand was trembling as she stroked little Hina's forehead.  "Do you think you could hold me?  Just one last time."

"Don't say that," Doing the impossible to hold back the tears that were threatening to escape his eyes, Syaoran wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into a hug, letting her rest her head against his chest.

End Flashback

Staring up at the moon, Syaoran let out a heavy sigh.  So that was that.  In one moment he was the happiest person around, and in the next his whole world came crashing down upon him.  Hinata was all he had left now.  She had grown up well into her given name with a natural grace.  She was his sunny place; his ray of sunshine that brought in all the cheer and joy of his life; a child as bright as the sun itself – always always smiling.  In raising her all by himself, Syaoran had stopped at nothing to make sure that she stayed that way. 

And here his mother was, telling him to marry again.  Imagine that.  As if it was the easiest thing in the world to do.

"Kyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!  Papa, quick, it's an emergency!"

Stifling a smile, Syaoran turned around and went to the room down the hall.  There he found Hina cowering on the floor near her bed, her eyes covered with her small hands.

Syaoran knelt down next to her.  "What's the matter?"

"T-There's something scary under there!" She crawled behind him and peeked over his shoulder, pointing a finger under the bed.  "Round and white with big gleaming red eyes!  A g-g-gh-gho-"

"Ghost?"

"Aaaaah!" Hina covered her ears this time.  She eyed the dark space under the bed cautiously.  "It might jump out any moment." She whispered, scared out of her wits.

Reaching a hand under the bed, Syaoran pulled out a white and red soccer ball.  Holding it up he asked, "This thing?"

"Oh!" Sweatdropping, Hina laughed nervously.  "So that's where my ball went.  Okay." Standing up, she put her ball back in its place and merrily picked up her stuffed sky blue teddy bear.  "Never mind, the emergency's over.  Time to play again."

"No." Syaoran scooped her up, laid her in bed and tucked the covers over her.  "Bedtime now."

"All right." She sighed reluctantly.  Snuggling against the pillow, she smoothed down the fur on her teddy bear's head.  Syaoran sat down on a chair next to her bedside and dimmed the lamp.  As he did so, his hand brushed against a silver picture-frame of Suzuno placed on the bedside table.  Sighing, he watched Hina for a while, his expression serious.  Finally he began, "Hina.. how would you feel about having a new mother?"

"Huh?" Hina raised her eyes to Syaoran's – eyes so very much like his own.  "A new… mother?"

Syaoran nodded. 

"I don't know." Hina blinked thoughtfully.  "I've never really thought what that would be like."

"Well, if you had a mother to take care of you, do you think it would be better than it is now?"

"Would I still have you, Papa?"

"Of course." Syaoran brushed her hair back from her face.  "I won't go anywhere, I promise."

Hina smiled at that.  "But Papa, if I had a new mother would she yell at me and punish me?"

"What makes you say that?" Syaoran leaned forward, concerned.

"Because.  You know my friend, Wenyuan.. her papa brought home a new mother.  And now, Wenyuan's always getting punished, even when it's not her fault."

"Hina…"

However, Hina cut him off.  "But my mother was nice, wasn't she, Papa?"

Syaoran nodded.  "Very nice."

"So if it was someone like her then it wouldn't be so bad." She paused.  "But Papa… Do you think I could think about this for some time and tell you my answer later?"

The corners of Syaoran's eyes softened.  "Sure, sweetie."

Hina shifted her head on the pillow, looking out the window.  Syaoran bit his lip.  Maybe he shouldn't have talked to Hina about this just yet – she was too young.  He sensed that this discussion had left her quite worried.  Trying to change the topic, Syaoran said lightly, "Look at all those stars in the sky."

"They're pretty!" Hina gasped at the twinkling points.  "See, they look like someone threw glitter into the sky." Just then a dazzling streak of light sailed across the sky.  Hina almost sat up with excitement.  "Look! A falling star!"

"A shooting star." Syaoran couldn't help smiling.  "Quick, make a wish."

"A wish? Why?"

Syaoran's smile faded a little.  "Why?" he echoed.

Flashback

"Look, Syaoran, look!  Did you see that?" Sakura jumped up and down in rapture.  "A shooting star!"

"Ow!" Syaoran frowned and tried to loosen her hold.  "Sakura, I'll be needing that arm.  Calm down, what're you getting so excited about? It's only a little light."

"But it's so beautiful!  Syaoran, you really need to stop being so unimaginative.  Let's see… what should I wish for?"

"Wish for? Why?"

Sighing exasperatedly, Sakura turned to face him.  "Its just tradition.  They say that whatever you wish for after seeing a shooting star always comes true." She scrunched up her eyes.  "So.. I'll wish that.." her voice softened a bit.  "That you and I always be friends forever, through the good and the bad." Reopening her eyes, she looked up at him.  "Do you think it will come true?"

Syaoran couldn't quite suppress his smile.  "Silly, you just said yourself that whatever you wish for after a shooting star always comes true.  So it will.  But I'll wish for that too, just in case.  It's an easy enough wish anyway." Syaoran held out a hand.  "So friends forever, hm?"

Sakura lay her hand in his and shook it.  "Always!"

End Flashback

Friends forever, huh? Syaoran furrowed his eyebrows down over his eyes.  Yeah right.  Someone who had wanted to always be friends would not get an idea out of the blue to leave just like that.  That day, eight years ago at the train station.  That was the last time he had seen Sakura.  She never did call him afterwards, like she had said she would, and so he never heard from her after that one day.  It wasn't like he hadn't searched for her either.  He had looked everywhere, but all his results were futile.  Syaoran sighed.  That girl was such an idiot.  And the thing that annoyed him most was that he didn't have a clue as to why she had taken such a sudden decision to vanish like that.  Did she really think he would buy her lie about having to go because her father was sick? She was always a bad liar.  But Syaoran didn't care anymore.  She was free to do whatever she wished.  If she didn't want anything to do with him any longer, then fine. He didn't care….

"Okay, I made a wish." Hina's voice jolted him back to the present.  "Now what?"

He poked her side, causing her to giggle.  "Now you go to sleep quickly."

Sinking deeper into the pillows and sheets, Hina said, "Tell me a story, please, Papa."

"What kind of story would you like to hear?"

"Well, anything.  Something I've never heard before."

"All right." Gently rubbing her small hand with his thumb, Syaoran was silent for a moment.  Then he began in a low voice, "Once upon a time there was a wolf.  He used to be very lost and lonely all by himself.  But one day, that wolf met a flower, and the flower promised to be his friend."

"What color was the flower?" Hina asked sleepily.

Syaoran smiled sadly.  "Pink.  Anyway, the wolf was happy to be the flower's friend.  Whenever the wolf felt sad, the flower always cheered him up, kept him company and did everything friends can for each other.  In return, the wolf took care of the flower, and made sure the flower was never sad.  After a long time, the wolf and the flower met a fairy princess, and soon they became good friends with her too.  Together, all three friends had many happy times together."

"What happened next?"

Syaoran took a deep breath.  "One day, the flower left the wolf.  She had promised to be the wolf's friend forever, but she left him….  And some time later, the fairy left the wolf as well."

Hina's brow was puckered.  "So the wolf was all alone again?"

A wry smile crossed his features.  But after awhile, Syaoran tweaked Hina's nose with his finger.  "No, he had a new little bunny pal with him."

"I don't get it.  Where did his friends go? Couldn't the wolf go and bring the fairy back?"

"The fairy couldn't come back." Shaking his head, Syaoran replied.  "She had gone to a faraway place, where no one can return from."

"Oh." Hina cast her eyes down.  "And the flower? Did she go to the faraway place too, from where you can't come back?"

"Hina.." she looked up, and to her amazement found her father's face quite pale.  The hand that was holding hers suddenly felt less warm than it was a moment ago.  "Don't say things like that."

"Sorry.  So then, where did the flower go?"

"The wolf doesn't know.  The wolf tried looking for her, went to her home, everything.  She was nowhere to be found.  But now, the wolf figured out that the flower doesn't want to see him anymore, for some reason, so he stopped looking."

 "Why didn't the flower want to see the wolf anymore? They had been friends for a long time, hadn't they?" She was silent for a while.  "The flower must be sad without her friend."

Syaoran shook his head.  "She never stayed sad for long.  Besides, she must have found many new friends by now, after so long, and forgotten all about the wolf."

"It's such a sad story." Hina closed her eyes.  "I wish it could be a happy ending.  The poor wolf… Won't he ever see the flower again?"

"He doesn't want to." Syaoran's deep amber eyes gleamed in the semi-darkness.  Talking more to himself, he continued on,  "It's strange, right? You'd think after eight years… But he doesn't.  Strange.  He's never been this angry at her his entire life."

When there was no response, Syaoran glanced down.  Hina was breathing peacefully, her eyes shut; she was asleep. 

Adjusting the covers over her, Syaoran bent down and placed a kiss on her forehead.  As he left the room, shutting the door after him, he muttered, "I think I hate that stupid flower."

~*~*~*~

Next morning…

"My first day of my first summer vacation!" Hina came down the steps with awe, seating herself at the breakfast table.  "What am I supposed to do?"

"Think everyday's a Sunday." Syaoran answered.

Hina's eyes glowed.  "Wow."

"Actually, Syaoran." Ieran said.  "Why don't you make some plans to take her out on a trip somewhere? Get her out of this Hong Kong summer heat." Hina emphatically nodded her head to that.

"All right.  Right now though, I don't think I have the time.  But wait a few weeks, then we'll see where to go."

"Wai!" Hina threw her hands up into the air.  "I want to see America!"

Syaoran sweatdropped at her request.  Ieran laughed. 

Clearing his throat, Syaoran announced, "I'm going to Tokyo for a conference next week, Thursday.  I think I'll be gone for four or five days—"

"Can I come?" Hina asked eagerly.  "I've always wanted to see Japan."

"Hina, I thought about taking you, but…" A guilty look crossed Syaoran's face.  "I'm sorry.  You'll only be bored.  I'll be too busy in the mornings to show you around Japan much.  You'll get tired spending your time cooped up in a hotel or meeting room."

"But!  I won't mind.  I promise I'll be good.  Remember, you took me to the conference in Beijing last year.  And you did too have time to show me all the sights." 

"Yes, but that time my meeting was only one day." Syaoran patiently explained.  "And if I'm not mistaken, I clearly recall you bawling from boredom during those four hours."

Hina pouted.  Her father was right.  "But.. I still want to see Japan, the place you grew up in." she said in a small voice.

"Maybe some day, Hina." He said kindly, stroking her head.  "But not this time, okay?  Come on; cheer up.  I'll spend the entire day with you on your birthday Sunday.  We can go to that new amusement park you've been wanting to go see."

"Promise?"

"I promise." Syaoran held up his pinky finger and Hina linked her own with his, shaking it.  She giggled.

"What?"

"Nothing.  I just think its cool that you know how to pinky swear.  None of my friends' dads know what it means.  How do you know?"

"Huh? Oh." Syaoran stared at his hand as though realizing for the first time what he had subconsciously been doing.  Silently he let his hand drop. 

"Well, I have to go now." He said, rising from the table.  "See you in the evening."

~*~*~*~

The day of Hina's birthday; Sunday…

"I wonder what my envelope says this time." Hina chattered childishly, sitting on the floor in Syaoran's room.  From the topmost shelf in his closet, Syaoran pulled out a white square box, and kneeling down, set it on the floor.

"Oooo, I can't wait.." Hina leaned closer.  She watched eagerly as Syaoran opened the lid and examining the contents, took out a bulky white envelope.

"Here you go." Syaoran handed her the envelope -- Hina's treasure left for her by her mother.  "Number six."

Hina let out a laugh, hugging the envelope.  Then, peering inside the box, she looked at the one lonely envelope, left for next year.  "Only one more left after this.."

"Right." Syaoran smiled at his daughter.  "Hey, can I listen too this time?"

Placing her finger on her chin, Hina thought for a while.  "Um… Oh!  I guess you can't."  She bashfully brandished the envelope, pointing at the warning that was written at the bottom, stating, "Syaoran, you are forbidden to look inside!" in big strong characters. 

Sighing, Syaoran covered the lid of the box and set it back in its place in the closet.  "Fine.  Well, go hurry up then, bunny.  After you're done with this, we're going out, okay?"

"Un!" Hina ran off to her room.

Shutting the door behind her, Hina slipped a finger inside the envelope and ripped it open.  Gingerly, she reached inside and pulled out the audio cassette, setting it in her tape player.  She felt all tingly with excitement as she sat down on her chair and placed the headphones over her ears.  Staring at her mother's portrait on the table, she smiled.  She loved hearing her mother's voice.  What would mother say in this cassette?

Only one way to find out.  With a small finger, she pressed the play button and relaxed back in the comfortable chair, listening.

"Happy sixth birthday, Hina!" Suzuno's clear voice flowed.  "How are you? It's been a whole year since I talked to you last.  You must have finished your first year of school by now, right?" Hina nodded.  "I'm sure you like school.  Do you have many friends?"

"Yes, I have three." Hina replied happily.

"And how is your Papa? Is he well?" Hina again, nodded her head.  "Does he still take a long time to wake up on Sundays?" At that, Hina giggled, remembering how she had practically had to bounce all over the bed and nearly crushed his foot before she managed to wake him up that morning.  "Are you taking good care of him?"

"I am, don't worry."

"Good." Hina heard Suzuno sigh.  "Now Hina, I know that you're a big girl now.  And you can now do what mother asks of you.  I'm going to tell you a little story.  This is important, all right? So I want you to listen very, very carefully.  Do you understand?"

Hina sat up straighter, a bit puzzled.  An important story?

"Well, this story I am going to tell you is about three people – me, your Papa, and a third person who you might never have heard of before.  Her name is Sakura."

~*~-----To Be Continued-----~*~

*ducks as rotten tomatoes and eggs come flying from angry readers who hate cliffhangers*

Oomph, sorry! ^_^; I hate cliffhangers too.. and that's why the next chapter is in process of being written as we speak.  Have no fear! I won't take forever to write up the next chapter as I did with this one.  Hehe, for some reason, this chapter was very hard to write.. I'm still not fully satisfied with it, but oh well. 

REVIEW!!!!!  You have questions.  I know you do.  Let me hear them in your reviews, okay? And I'll answer them next chapter..

Soooo.. what do you think? Like? No? Tell me why! Haha, the story has STILL not really started yet.  What do you think of my original characters? What do you think will happen next? The longer the reviews, the better ^_~ Long reviews and emails make me very motivated and help me write faster.  (hint hint).  Thanks to everyone who gave me feedback for previous chapters; you guys are the best ^^

As always, if you want to be notified of when I update with the next chapter, leave your email address in your review. 

Oh yeah! Did you hear of the newest CLAMP manga: Tsubasa? Sakura and Syaoran are back with an all new adventure in an alternate universe! Its sooo cool!  ^___^ Hehe, good old CLAMP never fails to surprise.  Well, till next chapter when the adventure starts; ja ne!

Kirei Blossom~*~

Email: goldenapple99@yahoo.com