Chapter 16 – A Torrent of Emotions

"Sakura," he whispered, holding his knuckles beneath her chin.

She pushed away from him and hugged herself.

Before he could move forward and take her back in his arms, she met his gaze directly despite the dry tears streaming down her face. He accepted it and shoved his hands back in his pant pockets. He faced the pain-filled eyes and stood his ground. "I heard what you said, but that's not all of it. Why'd you really go out of your way and come down here?"

"Because I needed to confront you and tell you how much you hurt me."

"Did you think-" he started but was interrupted.

"I needed to see you…to tell you that…I'm letting you go." She swallowed and wiped away the residue of tears on her face. With more confidence, she continued. "And you need to let me go too."

It was like a hard blow to the stomach. Syaoran felt his blood run cold as he stood still and heard the words that came out of her mouth. He could do nothing but stare. She stared right back at him, but even her gaze wavered. His didn't. He could only watch as she turned away from him and walk back to her bag. She didn't turn around to look at him, however. Sakura stayed standing by her bag. As he finally broke out of whatever he was in, he started to walk. When he neared her, he noticed the smallest quiver of her shoulders. He didn't bother touching her. Otherwise, he would crumble.

He stopped a foot away and grinded his teeth."I can't."

She swiveled around and met his fierce gaze. "Why not?"

"Because." His jaws tightened and looked away.

"Give me a reason," she demanded.

He gritted his teeth and glared directly at her. "Isn't it obvious already?"

"No!"

"Dammit, Sakura, I can't throw away 10 years of my life just like that! You were always the one for me. I knew it the minute the first time I saw you walking around campus like a damn school girl. I didn't ask to be put in this position. I didn't ask my mother to pick a wife for me. I want—" he swore, "wanted to marry you." He couldn't stand the way she stared up at him with disbelief and hurt. He turned away. "I know you want to move on with your life, and you're free to do so, but goddamnit, don't ask me to let you go. Ask me anything but that, because I just…can't."

"You have to," she cried in a quiet tone, her chin trembling. "Just try."

"No." He said bitingly and clenched his jaw at the ice in his voice. "Forget me, Sakura. Go home and find someone who'll take care of you and treat you better than I have. Marry him and have kids with him. Grow old with him," he bit out disdainfully. It was difficult just to say the words out loud. "But I'm telling you right now, no man is ever going to love you as much as I do." He stared at her for one more moment, fighting with himself. Just one more minute. And then he walked away.

She caught his arm when he passed her. "Syaoran…" she bit her lip from crying out and held on tight.

He closed his eyes before he could turn around and pull her into his arms.

Just when he thought she would, her grip tightened. He knew it would be a mistake, but he turned and looked into her eyes.

"Why do you always walk away from me?" She whispered.

And with just that, Syaoran hauled her in his arms and kissed her with a passion. It had been far too long. "I'm so sorry," he murmured between kisses. "Why the hell," he kissed her, "did you do that to me?" He caressed her cheek with one hand and the other holding her tight. "Goddamn, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry I hurt you."

"Just don't walk away again, Syaoran," she whispered. "Please."

He kissed her eyelids and then her forehead. Looking straight into her eyes, he spoke the words he hadn't said in more than half a decade. "I love you. You know that, right?"

Her already-mending heart jumped unsteadily. "W…what?" She asked quietly, already knowing what he'd said.

"I love you," he said quietly, lowering his head to meet her lips. Within an inch between them, he breathed.

She took hold of his hands, which held her face in place. She swallowed and licked her dry lips. "I love you too."

He managed a chuckle before taking her lips once more. "Good."

>--- >--- >---

Tomoyo rolled in bed, squinting at the small clock by her bed. It was almost 7:00am, yet no one had gone to wake her up. She shifted, looking around for a moment, and then realized she wasn't home in her bedroom with the lavender curtains and glossy, pale violet walls. This bedroom was entirely too…green. She sighed and moved the blankets aside. Her hair was mussed, as was her nightgown. She walked over to the windows and opened the shutters, letting in the cool breeze of the morning. Leaning on the windowsill for a moment, she gazed at Hong Kong. And something caught her eye.

She glanced down. Her eyes widened a small fraction. Syaoran. With…some woman. Tomoyo leaned her head to one side and frowned. The woman was crying. And the next thing she saw caused her eyes to widen like saucers. Syaoran had hauled the woman into his arms and kissed her with a fierce…a fierceness. Her cheeks warmed at the sight. The woman seemed to enjoy it as her arms snaked around his neck, her fingers playing with the ends of his hair. 'So Syaoran's in love,' she thought. A feeling of sadness for him settled in the pit of her stomach. Why was her mother so cruel at times?

Someone knocked on the door. Tomoyo turned immediately, putting a hand on her stomach. Believing it was a maid, she opened the door with a forced smile. "Hi-" She broke off as Eriol walked in, wearing only a pair of old jeans. His glasses weren't even on. She swallowed. She hadn't known he worked out. Or was incredibly handsome, for that matter. Her lips had already dried adding to the fact that her face and neck were completely flushed in embarrassment and nervousness. "Eriol," she began with a small squeak to her voice. Clearing her throat, she walked past him to grab a robe in the closet. "W-what are you doing here?"

"I couldn't sleep," he muttered, raking a hand over his crumpled hair. Several strands of blue stuck out in different places. "God, I just couldn't stop thinking about what Sonomi said last night."

Tomoyo watched him carefully. "Yes. I don't think anyone would forget it any time soon."

He turned around and faced her. "Well?"

She blinked. "I'm sorry?"

"Well? What do you think about it?"

"Think about what?"

"Do you want to get married?"

Her eyes widened yet again. "Excuse me?"

He conflicted with himself. His navy blue eyes darkened as he focused on her amazingly elegant face. "Tomoyo, you don't want to marry Syaoran, do you?"

"No! B-but I can't just—"

"Why not?"

"Because! Y-you just dropped out of nowhere! I practically don't even know you, Eriol." All her embarrassment flitted away to be replaced by disbelief. "I mean…- are you serious?"

"You have no other choice, Tomoyo. You can't marry Syaoran. Not when he's obviously in love with that woman," he carelessly gestured to the window.

"You saw them?"

"Who the hell wouldn't? They've been screaming their heads off for an hour," he shook his head and paced around the room.

"It's sweet, though," she murmured. "They're really in love. Mother would agree to break this if the only thing that mattered was Syaoran." She turned to face Eriol. "But we're not in love. Not even close to feeling it. And…God! I just…this is weird, ok? You're my best friend!"

"A best friend you know nothing about?" He shot at her dryly.

"You left to become a doctor. It's not my fault we haven't stayed in touch in years." She sighed and tightened the knot on her robe. "But that's beside the point. I would do anything to get Syaoran and her together. You know that. But I can't do a thing about it. Mother would see right through us. She would know, okay? I'm her daughter. You...well, she can see practically through you."

He placed his hands on his hips firmly, and frowned at her. "I don't care if we have to lie to her face, Tomoyo. I don't want you marrying Li, even if he is decent and, and rich. The hell with him being qualified to be your husband. I don't care. I just…" He sighed. "You can't spend the rest of your life with him. It's completely wrong! Not just for him, but for you too."

Tomoyo stared him at stubbornly. "And you really believe that we can fool Mother into thinking we're stupidly in love?" She shook her head, turning around to look outside again.

"Yes." Eriol's eyes glinted, but Tomoyo hadn't noticed. "I just have to kiss you a few times, that's all."

She swung around to face him. "Uh…w-what?"

He ignored her question and walked over to her. "You don't have a problem with that, do you?"

Her breathing had turned a little shallow as his arms wound around her. Tomoyo's heart jumped a little as he moved closer, his bare chest pressing onto the thin, silk robe. "Eriol…Eriol, what are you doing?"

He grinned slowly, his mesmerizing blue eyes flirting with her eyes and lips. "Tomoyo…" he whispered as his mouth descended just a breath away from hers.

She closed her eyes, desperate to feel his lips on hers. The feeling shook her through the bones. She opened her eyes immediately, locking into his. "Eriol," she began, but was cut off by a quick knock on the door.

They leapt apart from each other as one ended up in one side of the room and the other on the other. He rubbed at his hair, glancing at Tomoyo quickly to see her reaction. She was holding onto the dresser tightly, her knuckles turning white. If it hadn't been for the maid who entered, Eriol would have laughed. He looked away and noticed the maid's curious, yet confused look at the two of them. Eriol sent a quick smile to the maid and walked out of the room in haste. Tomoyo turned around and saw the maid beginning to make up her bed without a word. Mortified at herself and at him for the incidence, she rushed to the window to get fresh air. The couple was still there, but now, they were just holding each other. Oh God. What to expect today, she had no clue.

>--- >--- >---

"What now?" She asked softly, looking up into his brown eyes, full of love in her heart.

"I don't figure you'd like to come in," Syaoran murmured, kissing her on the lips once more. He just couldn't get enough of that sweet taste. "I'm kind of drained. I didn't get any sleep last night, and the morning started with this. How about you?"

"I'd like to meet them," she answered with a small smile. "But I am tired. I just…I just arrived, so..."

"Then it won't bother you to stay at my house? I could fix you a room close to mine, but away from Tomoyo." He tucked his hand beneath her chin and caressed the soft skin.

"You don't have to, Syaoran. I don't…I don't have any problems with her. It's just her position. That's all," her cheeks reddened.

"So let's go in." He pushed her head up an inch and caught her lips for a lingering kiss.

She was breathless as her hand limped on his shoulder. "You never used to kiss me like that," she murmured with a small laugh as her eyes opened.

His darkened at the sight of hers. Something was churning inside him that hadn't stopped since he arrived in Japan for the second time. He was sure it wouldn't until... He swallowed as a sight of Sakura in his bed flashed in his mind. Tightening his jaw, he let go of her hands and took her bags without a word, walking to the house with her following.

Sakura found herself in the living room once more. She walked her way full of stretched nerves and a little fear of what was to come. "Your house isn't…what I expected," she admitted softly as her gaze traveled everywhere. "It's not even a house, is it? I feel like I'm in a palace or something."

Syaoran watched her from behind, forcing himself to lose all…images of him and Sakura in that way. For now. He motioned to her to follow him as they went up a long pair of stairs. Amused at her words, he sent a quick grin down at her. "We do get that reaction."

"How is it living here?" She asked, then shook her head with a quick laugh. "No, never mind. It 's a stupid question, seeing as you've been living here since you were young. It must be like any ordinary house, isn't it? For you at least."

"That's true," he replied once they reached the second floor. "But it sometimes seems like a palace too. We've got maids and everything. That's probably why. I don't particularly need maids, but my sisters have been going a little crazy since their engagements. They'll be staying here with their husbands, because it is big and we're the Li family. We are the richest family in Hong Kong after all." He said this with disdain and light bitterness. "That's why I don't plan to stay here."

"Where will you be staying then?" Sakura inclined her head to get a better look of him.

Syaoran put her bags down and walked over to her without a care who saw them. "Wherever you are," he said as he bent down to kiss her again. "Which is Japan at the moment."

She trembled in his arms as his lips descended on hers. He placed an arm beneath her neck, and the other holding her tightly to him. She closed her eyes and enjoyed the different feelings coursing through her. She had shared many kisses with Syaoran, all of them wonderful in their own way, but this kiss… This kiss made her want something only married people had the privilege of taking. She moaned quietly as his hand touched her bare back. "Syaoran…" she whispered.

"What?" He managed to ask as he lifted his mouth for a second to catch his breath.

"I…I want to make love with you."

That shook him to his feet. He stepped back and stared hard at her. "What?"

Still dizzy from it, she looked up at him with clouded, green eyes. "I do."

He took her arms with a tight grip. "You mean it." He could see she was telling the truth. That scared and thrilled the hell out of him. "Oh God, Sakura." He took her in his arms again and kissed her. "God I've wanted to from the first date we've had. Are you really sure?"

She nodded, resting her hands on his chest. "The thing is…I promised my father I would only give it to my husband." She warmed inside when she saw his eyes burn. Something like desire flickered in them. "So I think we should wait. What about you?"

He let out a tortured breath. Putting his head down on hers, he sighed with the sadness of a man rejected too many times. "I've waited 10 years. I can wait another week, can't I?" He managed a smile. "I have to talk to…them anyway." He couldn't exactly remember who 'them' were at the moment.

In the corner of her eye, she saw a glimpse of something red. She looked to her left and saw a beautiful woman enter with a soft grace about her. Her nerves worked up once more as thousands of questions bombarded her mind. Syaoran caught the look and followed Sakura's gaze. Pushing away from him, she straightened and tried to fix her outfit. Embarrassed, Syaoran raked a hand over his hair and sighed at being caught at this moment. Tomoyo Daidouji stood on the corridor with a warm, yet shy smile directed to both him and Sakura. "Tomoyo," Syaoran started embarrassedly.

Sakura's pulse quickened as she stood by herself and watched them. Even after everything they'd just gone through, she couldn't help the feeling of quiet jealousy creep into her mind. They looked like an elegant couple; Syaoran a prince and this woman, so poised like a princess. Before Sakura could develop deeper feelings of jealousy toward Tomoyo, Syaoran turned to her, guiding Tomoyo to her. She swallowed and mentally wondered if she looked good enough for this woman.

"I'm sorry if I interrupted anything," she apologized quickly. "But I heard a noise and saw you. I wanted to introduce myself."

"It's all right. Tomoyo, this is Sakura Kinomoto," Syaoran introduced, allowing them to handshake.

Sakura's cheeks warmed as she shook Tomoyo's hand. "Nice to meet you."

Tomoyo smiled cheerfully for the first time in Syaoran's eyes. "Nice to meet you too. You are Japanese?"

"Yes. I came here because of…" she trailed off as she met Syaoran's gaze.

"I understand," Tomoyo spoke, watching the love in his eyes. "Miss Kinomoto, you and Syaoran are…together, yes?"

Sakura blinked and looked back at Tomoyo, unsure of what to say to her. "It's Sakura. And I…think so."

"We are," he interrupted firmly. "Sakura, this is, uh, well, my fiancée."

"Oh."

Tomoyo caught the panicked look pass Sakura's face. "Don't worry, Miss-…Sakura. Syaoran and I know nothing about each other, and we don't want to be anything more than acquaintances."

"You don't honestly believe I'm in love with her, do you?" He asked curiously.

"I…I-" Sakura caught his amused look. Glaring at him, she sniffed and looked away. "I wouldn't know. You've been lying from the start, so how should I know you're not lying now?" She tried really hard at hiding thepleased smiletrying to get out and she succeeded.

"Sakura…-"

"Tomoyo," a male voice called from the corridor.

The three turned around and met the blue-haired man. His blue eyes blinked at the sight of the lovebirds from before. "Oh. Hello. I…I, uh, thought Tomoyo was alone."

Sakura swung around and looked at Syaoran. Her brows raised in question.

His eyes moved towards Tomoyo and then back at Sakura. She caught the look and nodded in understanding.

"Eriol Hiiragizawa." Syaoran moved forward and shook his hand. "It's good to see you again."

"Same here." He scratched the back of his head. "Am I interrupting something?" He looked at Tomoyo for this.

Her flushed face avoided his eyes, so Eriol looked to Sakura. She smiled kindly at him. Immediately, he found a liking to this petite woman. "Eriol Hiiragizawa, miss."

"Sakura Kinomoto," she shook his hand. "You're…Tomoyo's boyfriend?"

"No!" Her mild cry surprised the three of them. "I-I mean…h-he's just a friend."

Eriol raised a brow.

Tomoyo noticed the twin looks of amusement coming from the men. Embarrassed yet again, she turned to the couple. "I'm so sorry I've interrupted. Now that we've made our introductions, I'll leave you two to yourselves. It was very nice to meet you, Sakura. It's nice to have a female acquaintance I can connect with in this house." She didn't even look at Eriol as she bowed. Tomoyo looked up and flashed her smile. Glancing at Syaoran, she bowed. The sight of Eriol, though, made her eyes flash in a color darker than purple. She walked away quickly before anyone could speak another word.

>--- >--- >---

To be continued…