Since now is Chinese New Year, I was busy visiting all my relatives. So I didn't get to update the story. But now, I am back. So to all Chinese readers out there, I would like to wish you a Happy Chinese New Year. As for the rest, hope you enjoy the story. By the way, thanks for all your reviews!

To be your friend was all I ever wanted; to be your lover was all I ever dreamed. -Unknown

Sakura studied the interior of the café. She hasn't been here before. The lightings are soft,

giving the café a warm atmosphere. Most of its patrons are couples who are eyeing each other over the lighted candle. And it isn't seven yet! She shook her head in amazement. What will happen later at night or even during Valentine's Day!

"Can I have your reservations?" A waitress came and asked her. She wore a name tag- Jenny.

Sakura shook her head again. "I am looking for someone by the name of Wolf."

Jenny smiled. "I see. You are his date. It's nice meeting you and please follow me." She turned around and led her to a private room. "There is someone there waiting for you. I think he is one of your friends. It's alright though. Wolf specifically instructed us to allow him keep you company until he comes."

"Thank you." Sakura returned the smile. She watched Jenny walked away before taking a deep breath.

When she opened the door, she saw a familiar figure sitting down, with his back facing her. Her smile widened. "Syaoran!"

Syaoran tensed for a moment before standing up. He was greeted by an angel. She had her hair styled up elegantly. The V-neck white sundress fitted her nicely, highlighting the curves of her body. His muscle tightened at the thought of running his hands lightly on those curves. She wore minimal make up and had only a pair of silver earrings and a cross necklace. Even though he met many females throughout his life, trying hard to catch his attention, none of them could. And here is one female he longed each day since twelve that made little effort to make him notice her. Yet she unknowingly commanded every second of his attention.

Sakura fidgeted under Syaoran's intense study. What's wrong with him? It wasn't as if it was the first time she wore a dress. Well, perhaps she never wore a dress that was meant to impress the opposite party before. She struggled to keep her composure. Syaoran looked dashing in the white shirt and brown pants, with his hair neatly combed.

White shirt, brown pants? Does it remind her so much of the puzzle? She frowned before laughing, brushing off her thoughts. Every man definitely has at least a dozen of white shirts and brown pants. But still…

"Why are you laughing?" Syaoran's voice broke through her thoughts.

Sakura took a step forward. "Nothing." She gave a grin that implied that there was definitely something in her mind.

Syaoran decided to let it rest and moved over to the chair opposite him and pulled it out. "Sakura, please sit down."

She beamed at him as she moved pass him. "Thank you." She whispered softly into her ears, causing him to turn crimson red.

He muttered under his breath something like 'your welcome' before sitting down.

"You are eating dinner with me?" Sakura asked as she browsed through the menu.

"Wolf told me to keep you entertained before he comes over and give you the final piece of the puzzle." Syaoran replied calmly, a little too calmly in Sakura's opinion.

"Alright then, what is nice in this café?"

"The spaghetti is their specialty. Either that or you can try their fish and chips. It tastes heavenly." Syaoran said, not missing a beat.

Sakura acknowledged his recommendation with a nod. At that moment, there was a knock on the door and they saw Jenny came in. "May I take your order?"

"Ice lemon tea." Sakura said, without referring to the menu. "And fish and chips."

"Make that two." Syaoran gave Jenny a grin.

"Of course." She grinned back with her eyes filled with laughter.

"Thank you." Sakura called out as she watched Jenny leave. "You know her?"

"Well, kind of." Syaoran smiled before changing the subject. "So, are you surprised to see me here instead of Wolf?"

Sakura snorted. "Yeah right!" Seeing the sudden hurt in his eyes, her voice softened. "Who wouldn't be glad to have her best friend with her before meeting with a mysterious wolf? What a name to give to an individual. Wolf. The name really fits, Wolf, the mysterious creature."

"Best friend eh?" Syaoran gave a sad smile as Jenny came in again, with their drinks.

"What's wrong?" Sakura asked as soon as Jenny went out.

Syaoran was torn between trying to keep his cool or to be silly. Deciding to try and balance the two of them, he replied. "Well Sakura, how long have we known each other?"

Sakura counted. "Sixteen years I think."

"That is certainly a long time to know someone."

"Yes it is." Sakura laughed. "What's with this? A trip down memory lane?"

Syaoran ignored the gibe and continued. "Sakura, what if you never love Yukito, will you be able to love someone else?"

Sakura's eyebrow twitched. "Is that a trick question that was asked on behalf of Yukito?"

"No." Syaoran sighed. "It was just a thought. But if you don't want to answer it, it's fine."

"No."

"Pardon?"

"No, I won't be able to love anyone." Sakura repeated herself. "I don't really know how it is like to love someone else besides Yukito, Onii-chan and Oto-san."

"Then what about Tomoyo?" Syaoran asked, as hope started to die out.

"Tomoyo is my friend. It's a different love all together." Sakura told him, like a little child.

"I see." Syaoran looked at his hands, waging a silent war to keep quiet or to tell the truth.

"Syaoran?" Sakura's voice hinted concern. "Are you alright?"

The door slid open and Jenny came in with two plates. "Enjoy your dinner." Jenny said as she laid the plates at their respective places and left immediately after that, sensing tension in Syaoran.

Sakura sniffed the food, in a lady like manner. "Smells heavenly." She commented, expecting Syaoran to reply. When he said nothing, Sakura looked strangely at him. When he looked up at her, she flinched. This is not the Syaoran she knew. The blazing heat in his eyes frightened her as he stood out from his place and moved towards her, swiftly, like a wolf. She instinctively leaned towards the chair, aware that she was terrified to move.

He yanked her up, rather roughly and crushed his lips against hers, with his tongue skimming along her lips, demanding her to yield. She resisted, not wanting to give in to the demands.

Sensing her resistance, he softened his hold, sliding one of his hands around her waist, resting at the base of her spine. He pulled her gently against his body and with the other, gently cupped her neck. He tore his mouth away from hers and started feathering kisses along her jaw and nibbled her earlobes. "You taste so sweet. What soap do you use?"

"Honeysuckle." She answered breathlessly. If he continued doing this, she will be swept away and there was no way she could permit it.

Or so she thought until his lips returned to hers, his teeth lightly nipping her lower lips. When his tongue lightly touched her, she succumbed. Gasping, she allowed Syaoran to fully devour her, using his tongue, mouth and his hands, which was roaming up and down her back.

Syaoran wanted more, he wanted more than this heat. But he also wanted her soul, her love. And this isn't a good way to win it. Breaking the kiss, he hugged her tightly, not wanting to let go.

"That was good." Sakura said as she buried her face in his shirt. "We should do this again."

"And then?"

"What you mean and then?" Sakura looked at him, with the dreamy gaze and swollen lips due to the incident earlier. "We just enjoy what is available at present. No need to worry about the past or future, only now. Let's just seize the moment."

"That isn't good enough." Syaoran said softly as he slowly pulled away from Sakura.

"What do you mean?" Sakura asked. "I only discovered recently that we have chemistry. A lot of people don't have it. I think we should take full advantage of it."

"No. I want a future with you." Syaoran said. "I want to know whether I will be loved the same way that I love you."

Sakura stared at him speechless. "Love? You love me?"

"Yes, I love you since we were thirteen." Syaoran said. Sakura looked at him in disbelief before starting to laugh, laugh out hard. "What's the joke?"

"For thirteen years, you love me?" Sakura laughed harder. "Now what? You expect me to throw myself in your arms and tell you that I love you too after that sizzling kiss?" She stopped abruptly. "You must be kidding!"

"No, I don't expect it." Syaoran said as he dug out something from his pocket and threw it on the table.

Sakura saw the familiar netting and the jigsaw pieces in it and looked at Syaoran. "So you are Wolf?" She looked at him, flabbergasted.

"Yes. That was me who did the painting and gave you the jigsaw!" Syaoran sat down on the chair and looked at her. "So what are you going to do? Bolt? I told you, I wish upon the star that fateful day Yukito rejected you. And guess what Sakura, I was secretly glad that there was a chance that one day you will love me back."

Sakura opened her mouth when suddenly phrases from their previous conversation hit her, hard.

"My heart break each time she looks at me and never realized that I love her so much."

"Yeah. I wished on that shooting star long ago with you that she realized that I will always love her."

"I cannot forget my first love, and never want to forget her. It's sad to see the one you love go, but if you truly love him, his happiness will be your happiness."

"You know I love Yukito! Forget it Syaoran! I can't love you!" Sakura shouted back, retaliating from her sudden knowledge.

Syaoran's eyes hardened. "I know that. That is why I told you just now, I refuse to do it again. I won't want to be used as a replacement for Yukito. When you love me, it will be only me and no one else."

"You are damn possessive!" Sakura brushed off his words casually, not wanting to evaluate how thrilled she was to hear it.

"Yes. I am glad you figured that out. I wanted to tell you how I feel and I think that today is a good timing to do so. I give you a choice, a lifeline. You either let go of the past and look forward to the future together with me, or you can continue to dwell in the past and let bitterness eat you alive. I am not willing to be second best in your life." Syaoran said coolly.

"You jerk! Just who do you think you are?" Sakura demanded furiously.

"I am your friend and currently someone who love you a lot to take time to paint and make it into a jigsaw puzzle for you!" Syaoran broke his cool front. "Please Sakura, give me a chance." He begged.

Sakura was about to brush him off when her phone rang. Annoyed, she flipped it open. "Sakura speaking."

"Sakura, Kaho here, Naruku was admitted into the hospital. Touya is urgently asking you to come down."

"I am having dinner with Syaoran." Sakura said, looking at her untouched meal, trying hard to worm her way out.

"Sakura, she is going to delivery her baby. Your brother insists that you come down."

"But Syaoran…"

"Syaoran can come down and see her as well. But Sakura, if you dare not to come down, your brother threatened that he will give you a trashing so bad that even Yukito will not be able to save you." Kaho let the threat hang. "See you!"

Sakura was about to reply when she heard the dial tone. Looking at Syaoran, she sighed. "I have to go to the hospital."

"Okay, I will drive."

"No!" Sakura started protesting when Syaoran just silenced her by dragging her out of the room. "You know, you are in a habit of dragging me around. How can I love you?"

Syaoran gave her a dismissing glance. "Really? That's sad. You better get use to it though. It doesn't help that you are so stubborn."

Sakura was about to bite back when they saw Jenny waiting at the end of the corridor.

"Jenny, bill it to the company. I will settle the accounting later."

"Yes sir."

Sakura stared at him in disbelief. "You can't do that. They don't even know where you work."

Syaoran walked towards his car and opened it. "Of course they do, Memory's café is under Li Corporation. Are you coming in or not?"

Sakura hesitated for a moment before hopping in, unwillingly. She will sell her soul to the devil if she was able to escape this, just like the way she missed the wedding long ago.

Hope you all enjoy the story. Please, bring on the reviews! Thanks, take care and God Bless

Joyful-x