Chapter Eight: Fukuzatsu (Mixed Feelings)
Still in shock, Sakura stood frozen. Before she had been so anxious about meeting the person that now 'owned' her, but she never could have even imagined what had actually happened. In front of her stood the only person that knew out of the teahouse and by some miracle she had ended up in his home.
"Sakura?" Syaoran was still waiting for some sort of confirmation that she was who he thought was standing in front of him.
Her happiness radiated from the sparkle in her eyes but she managed to compose herself like she was supposed to and answered him with a small bow and "Hai, Master Li."
Before she even had the chance to raise her head again after her bow, panic had taken over Syaoran.
"Wha. what are you doing here? If they find you. they'd. Did you run away?. Where can I hide you?" Rushing around his room, he started looking through all his wardrobes and cupboards and generally pacing the room.
"If people found you. I mean they'd. well. I don't even know what they'd do if they found you."
"They?" She repeated questioningly.
"Yes, 'they'. Maids, guards, servants, relatives, mother. oh god, worst of all mother!"
"Your mother is Lady Yelan?"
Syaoran's pacing came to an abrupt halt as he spun round to face her. After a moment of letting this question sink in, he replied with another question. "You've met my mother?"
"Yes, earlier today. I didn't know she was yours though. Your mother I mean."
Sakura couldn't take her eyes off him. Even in his current state with his hand on his chest, hair ruffled, face frowning in deep thought as he worried. No, not just worrying. worrying about her.
"I'm here because." Her explanation was cut short as the bedroom door opened once again.
"Syaoran, your mother is searching for you." Eriol stood at the door, still dressed immaculately from the celebrations, not noticing at first that Syaoran had dived in front of Sakura to hide her. Stepping round further into the room he caught sight of Sakura's kimono.
"Nice to meet you," He welcomed the small geisha that he had just found, bowing formally.
"Look, it's not what you think. I don't have time for this. We have to get back to the ball room before Mother come here and finds her." Syaoran was frantically trying to put his jacket back on as he rushed for the doorway, running straight into the arm Eriol had just blocked the way with.
"What are you doing?! I have to get back!"
"Calm down," Eriol started straightening his cousin's jacket as he spoke to him. "Your Mother knows she is here, she's supposed to be here."
Amber eyes stared straight at Eriol, wanting a further explanation.
"Look, remember my sixteenth birthday, when Tomoyo arrived. It's the same here, this young girl is a present."
"Present?!" Syaoran practically shouted.
"Present, gift, whatever you want to call if. For your birthday."
As Syaoran turned to look at Sakura, she noticed how wide his eyes had grown, and the vacant look that took over them as his mind went back into deep thought.
Composing himself, Syaoran told Eriol to pass on the message that he was on his way back before ushering him out the room and closing the door. He paced for a few minutes before placing himself with his back to her as he looked out onto his grand balcony and the nights sky. It was already quite late, leaving the moon to shine alone, as it managed to creep into the room and light Syaoran where he was standing. To Sakura, this made his body glow with a white aura that surrounded his body.
She could no longer wait for him to say something as she felt that his pain was her fault. If only she hadn't had been there, then he would've had anything to worry about. Not thinking about her actions, she had walked up behind him and placed a hand on his arm. This straight away got his attention, but instead of seeing anger, Sakura thought she saw sadness in him.
"I'm sorry. I really am. If you told me what was wrong, I could try to do something. Or if you don't want me here, I'm sure I could go back to the tea house." Even though that was the last thing that she wanted since she had seen him, but if she had to leave to make him happy, then she would do it for him.
Now facing her, Syaoran leaned forward, letting his lips brush hers. He didn't understand anything that had been going through his mind, and he had had no idea what he was going to do about it all, so instead he had just cleared his mind, and done what felt right.
Suddenly pulling away, he headed for the door.
"Syaoran." Sakura now stood by the window and Syaoran say her how she had looked upon him moments earlier, radiating light. However, he could not stop to take in the sight.
"I have to get back." He stated as he left, closing the door behind him.
Still in shock, Sakura stood frozen. Before she had been so anxious about meeting the person that now 'owned' her, but she never could have even imagined what had actually happened. In front of her stood the only person that knew out of the teahouse and by some miracle she had ended up in his home.
"Sakura?" Syaoran was still waiting for some sort of confirmation that she was who he thought was standing in front of him.
Her happiness radiated from the sparkle in her eyes but she managed to compose herself like she was supposed to and answered him with a small bow and "Hai, Master Li."
Before she even had the chance to raise her head again after her bow, panic had taken over Syaoran.
"Wha. what are you doing here? If they find you. they'd. Did you run away?. Where can I hide you?" Rushing around his room, he started looking through all his wardrobes and cupboards and generally pacing the room.
"If people found you. I mean they'd. well. I don't even know what they'd do if they found you."
"They?" She repeated questioningly.
"Yes, 'they'. Maids, guards, servants, relatives, mother. oh god, worst of all mother!"
"Your mother is Lady Yelan?"
Syaoran's pacing came to an abrupt halt as he spun round to face her. After a moment of letting this question sink in, he replied with another question. "You've met my mother?"
"Yes, earlier today. I didn't know she was yours though. Your mother I mean."
Sakura couldn't take her eyes off him. Even in his current state with his hand on his chest, hair ruffled, face frowning in deep thought as he worried. No, not just worrying. worrying about her.
"I'm here because." Her explanation was cut short as the bedroom door opened once again.
"Syaoran, your mother is searching for you." Eriol stood at the door, still dressed immaculately from the celebrations, not noticing at first that Syaoran had dived in front of Sakura to hide her. Stepping round further into the room he caught sight of Sakura's kimono.
"Nice to meet you," He welcomed the small geisha that he had just found, bowing formally.
"Look, it's not what you think. I don't have time for this. We have to get back to the ball room before Mother come here and finds her." Syaoran was frantically trying to put his jacket back on as he rushed for the doorway, running straight into the arm Eriol had just blocked the way with.
"What are you doing?! I have to get back!"
"Calm down," Eriol started straightening his cousin's jacket as he spoke to him. "Your Mother knows she is here, she's supposed to be here."
Amber eyes stared straight at Eriol, wanting a further explanation.
"Look, remember my sixteenth birthday, when Tomoyo arrived. It's the same here, this young girl is a present."
"Present?!" Syaoran practically shouted.
"Present, gift, whatever you want to call if. For your birthday."
As Syaoran turned to look at Sakura, she noticed how wide his eyes had grown, and the vacant look that took over them as his mind went back into deep thought.
Composing himself, Syaoran told Eriol to pass on the message that he was on his way back before ushering him out the room and closing the door. He paced for a few minutes before placing himself with his back to her as he looked out onto his grand balcony and the nights sky. It was already quite late, leaving the moon to shine alone, as it managed to creep into the room and light Syaoran where he was standing. To Sakura, this made his body glow with a white aura that surrounded his body.
She could no longer wait for him to say something as she felt that his pain was her fault. If only she hadn't had been there, then he would've had anything to worry about. Not thinking about her actions, she had walked up behind him and placed a hand on his arm. This straight away got his attention, but instead of seeing anger, Sakura thought she saw sadness in him.
"I'm sorry. I really am. If you told me what was wrong, I could try to do something. Or if you don't want me here, I'm sure I could go back to the tea house." Even though that was the last thing that she wanted since she had seen him, but if she had to leave to make him happy, then she would do it for him.
Now facing her, Syaoran leaned forward, letting his lips brush hers. He didn't understand anything that had been going through his mind, and he had had no idea what he was going to do about it all, so instead he had just cleared his mind, and done what felt right.
Suddenly pulling away, he headed for the door.
"Syaoran." Sakura now stood by the window and Syaoran say her how she had looked upon him moments earlier, radiating light. However, he could not stop to take in the sight.
"I have to get back." He stated as he left, closing the door behind him.