Tied by Fate
By: pnaixrose
Disclaimer: Don't own...don't sue
Chapter 7: Going Back
Sakura awoke to the sound of chirping birds outside...and also from Kero's snoring. She sat up in her bed and yawned as she covered her emerald eyes from the brightness emerging from the window. It was Sunday, her last glorious day of freedom before returning to the gloominess of school again tomorrow. She had a real good sleep last night although her ankle was mildly sprained. It wasn't a problem though since she could still walk a bit if she limped. Oh well, she wasn't really planning on doing anything that strenuous today anyway. Today she was just going to relax and finish her homework after that excitement from the day before. Sakura smiled happily to herself. Yesterday she had spent a lot of time with Yukito! But was even more surprising was that she had felt Syaoran's worry and concern for her while fighting that malfunctioning final boss monster in the Trail's Trials. He had even said her first name! Sakura grinned to herself as she lay back down on her bed. Maybe she was about to make a new friend after all!
Irritated by the light streaming in, an amber eyed boy turned over to lie on his stomach, trying not to wake up. Oh how he didn't want to wake up and face another day here in Japan. He lay there unmoving, covering his head with his arms. He growled in frustration as the light still seemed to penetrate through his arms and even through his closed eyelids. Then he grabbed the covers and threw it about him, trying desperately to go back to sleep. It had been a tiring day yesterday, with all that waiting in the hot sun, competing with Kinomoto-kun, and saving that Kinomoto girl. Ugh...he didn't want to get up. He definitely didn't want to get up from the warm, cozy bed. Suddenly he felt a tingling warmness filled his sleepy figure and he growled even louder. She was happy...of course. "Damn you Kinomoto! Early in the morning and you're already happy!" he muttered. He tried to ignore the pesky feeling but it was still there. He frowned deeply. "All right! All right! I'm up dammit!" he shouted throwing the pillow over his face.
This early in the morning and that darn Kinomoto was already bugging him.
"Ohayo..." the amber eyed boy said as he entered the kitchen groggily. Nakuru was already up and at 'em, cooking up breakfast.
Nakuru turned to him with a happy grin while flipping some pancakes with a spatula. "You up Li-kun? I made you breakfast! Well, we already had ours but Eriol told me to make one for you anyway."
Syaoran nodded as he plopped down on a chair at the breakfast table. He yawned and noticed that something was watching him. It was Suppi, lounging on top of the breakfast table reading a book. But his huge eyes were away from his book for a second and were looking at Syaoran curiously. "Actually Li-san, you woke up pretty late today. Usually you're an early riser," Suppi said.
Syaoran raised an eyebrow and grunted and watched as Nakuru placed a glass of orange juice in front of him. He picked up the glass and drank, feeling the cold liquid running through his throat.
Suppi stayed silent as he stared at the young Li. It was rather odd for Syaoran to wake up at such an hour. It was already ten o'clock in the morning. Li-san usually woke up around five. Was something on his mind?
Syaoran started glaring at Suppi as he continued to stare at him. "What do you want, Spinel Sun?" he asked with an aggravated tone. He saw a plate of two full pancakes placed in front of him along with utensils.
"I'm just wondering...was something on your mind, Li-san?" Suppi asked.
Nakuru frowned as she sat down on a chair opposite of Syaoran. "Suppi, that's so rude..."
Syaoran grunted. "There was something on my mind though."
"May I ask what?"
"Suppi! Stop being nosy!"
The amber eyed boy placed some of the pancake on his mouth. "Hmph...It doesn't matter. I had yesterday on my mind."
"What particular part?" Suppi asked, unrelenting with his questions.
Syaoran froze for a second at his question as he thought. He hadn't slept well last night. He had been thinking about why he had gotten all protective of that stupid Card Mistress all of a sudden. All he remembered was seeing the monster close in on her and then a fuse broke inside him. He had suddenly gotten so angry. Then he had rushed between them, despite his bruises. What was worse was that he had helped her up and actually let her lean on him. Syaoran scowled.
Nakuru blinked at his reaction. Li-kun had just suddenly been so grossly involved in his thoughts that he was scowling in the outside. It was a pretty weird sight. She waved her hand in front of him. "L-Li-kun?"
Suppi was watching his actions too. Something was extremely odd here. Was he missing something? Had something happened that he didn't know of?
Syaoran didn't even notice Spinel Sun and Nakuru anymore. "That damn Card Mistress..." he muttered. Then he grabbed one whole pancake and gulped it down in one bite.
Suppi and Nakuru looked at each other in confusion. He was thinking about Sakura-chan?
Suddenly someone entered the room. Eriol looked at the three sitting at the breakfast table and smiled as usual. "Ah...Syaoran, you up?" he asked
Syaoran merely grunted, eating the last piece of his pancake.
"Oh, before I forget. This is for you," Eriol said reaching in his pocket. He took out a small white sealed envelope and handed it to him. "It's from your mother."
Syaoran took it and stared at the thing. It was pretty bulky inside. "Hey, where is she anyway?"
Eriol smiled as he took Syaoran's empty plate to the sink. "She's in Hong Kong."
Syaoran stood up quickly causing his chair to make a shrill high pitched noise as it scraped the kitchen floor. "NANI!"
Eriol calmly sat down in another chair while Nakuru and Suppi looked on with interest. "She's in Hong Kong," he repeated.
Syaoran instantly exploded. "SHE LEFT ME HERE?"
Eriol nodded. "Apparently so."
"WHY DID SHE LEAVE SO SUDDENLY?"
"She told me that the Elders were calling to her, asking her to come back," Eriol said, watching his friend carefully.
"I want to go home too! DAMMIT!" Syaoran yelled punching the table. It suddenly broke at the impact as Nakuru and Suppi jumped in surprise. "Why didn't she tell me?"
"Yelan-san said that she had to leave in a hurry," Nakuru said.
"She did leave you some money, Syaoran," Eriol said. "It's in that envelope."
Syaoran ripped open the envelope with ease and took out paper currency...a lot of it...
Nakuru's eyes were wide open. "WOW! What are you gonna do with all that money, Li-kun?"
"He may do whatever he pleases with it. And also Syaoran, your mother told me that she'll keep on paying for your school tuition as long as you're in Tomoeda," Eriol said.
Syaoran stared at the load of money in his hands as his mind raced with anger. Was this all his mother thought about him? She just leaves him here with a pile of cash and goes back home without him! Syaoran gripped onto the money as his jaw tightened. What kind of mother would leave her son in another country with people they barely knew! Syaoran's amber eyes narrowed and turned a shade darker. So he didn't mean anything to his own mother, huh? Just because he looked exactly like his dead father! What kind of lame excuse was that! Syaoran's eyes closed as he tried with all his might to contain his anger. But he wanted to get out of here. He wanted to get away from Japan. Maybe with this money he could get a ticket for-
"No," Eriol said suddenly, "Your mother asked me to retain you from returning to Hong Kong. She said you needed some relaxation from all the Li leader responsibilities. Syaoran, she said you needed to be a normal teenager. She didn't leave you here because she hates you. She wants you to be happy, to be a normal person for at least a little while."
Syaoran's eyes twitched. "Shut up Hiiragazawa! You couldn't possibly know what I'm feeling! It's too late, don't you see? It's too late to become a normal person!" Syaoran yelled, his face reddening from anger. He gripped onto the money harder as his body began trembling. "I'm getting out of this place! And if I can't use the money to go back to Hong Kong, then I'll go get an apartment!" he declared.
However despite his raised voice and short temper, Eriol, Nakuru, and Suppi were all used to Syaoran's antics. But still, Eriol sighed – whether it be from relief or frustration, one couldn't tell. "All right, Syaoran. If you're really sure about it..."
Syaoran nodded determinedly and without another word he stomped off up the stairs towards his temporary bedroom and gathered his belongings. He was still seething with anger. After all, wouldn't you be if your mother left you in a country with people you absolutely hate?
As he slammed the door he felt Kinomoto's "floaty" moods and immediately scowled. "Good thing I won't be seeing her today..." he mumbled as he began sorting out his few clothes he had brought.
Sakura smiled contentedly and sat up on her bed, looking over the things in her new pink monster wallet that Touya had given her for her birthday. She had almost forgotten that it had been her birthday about a week ago! She had also forgotten the amusement park tickets from Chiharu and the free dinner for two at a restaurant from Yukito. At the thought of him, her eyes became starry and she blushed. "Yu – ki – to – san!"
But her mind was wandering again. She had to figure out who to invite for the park tickets and the dinner. Hmm...well the amusement park was easy enough. She would bring Tomoyo, and Eriol of course herself and that amounted to three people so far. But who should the forth ticket be to? Sakura mused aloud to Kero who was playing a video game nearby.
"Ne, Kero-chan. I have an extra ticket to the amusement park. Who should I invite?" she asked, still thinking.
"Why not Tsukishiro since you like him so much?" Kero replied, his eyes still glued to the TV screen.
Sakura blushed at the mere mention of his name as she thought about it. Was it a good idea to bring Yukito? Sakura came to a solution and shook her head sadly. "Even though I want him there, wouldn't it be odd for him to come with a bunch of high schoolers? And besides, he and Touya might be working."
"How about the weird story telling dude, his girlfriend, that strange ghost obsessed girl, or that really sweet girl?" Kero asked.
Sakura shook her head. "I can't invite Yamazaki-kun without Chiharu-chan and I can't invite Chiharu-chan without him. They're a deal package, they're always together. Same goes with Naoko-chan and Rika-chan...hmm...whom should I invite!" she asked herself as she pulled at her hair.
Kero turned to her with a grin. "If worse comes to worse, you'll just have to invite the gaki." He made a disgusted face.
Sakura's eyes widened and her lips curved into a smile. "Oh yeah! Li-kun! I'll invite him!"
Then with that set of tickets resolved, she moved on with the next – the dinner tickets. She blushed at the first thought of Yukito coming with her. I-I-I-It was like a date! She could imagine it now. Yukito would be sitting right across from her with his usual grin on his face, the dinner would be by candlelight, there would be soft, graceful music playing, the food would be delicious, and the service would turn out great! And then...if she gained up her courage she would tell him that she liked him! Sakura turned even redder as she buried her head in the pillow. If only she had the nerve!
Suddenly a pang to her heart left her confused as she lifted her head off the pillow. It was a weird feeling and it almost felt as if it made her angry for no reason...really angry. It first began in her chest and then suddenly, just as blood flows through your body, the feeling began flowing through hers. As she felt it completely spread throughout her, she suddenly was trembling and her eyes were narrowed. She couldn't stop it from happening. She was just so...angry.
Kero's jaw dropped as he lost the video game and he flew towards the PS2 to turn it off. Then looking depressed, he floated towards Sakura and sat on her shoulder. Sniffing a bit, he asked, " Ne Sakura. C-Can you get me some pudding?" That was his routine whenever he loses in a game. He always got pudding and it always cheered him up.
Suddenly instead of nodding sweetly and going downstairs, she swatted him away with her hand and turned to him with narrowed eyes. "Go away. Go get your own damn pudding..."
Kero, flying in midair, had his jaw wide open. Sakura acting mean! It just wasn't possible.
Sakura quickly realized what she had done and turned to him. "Oh gosh! Gomen Kero-chan! I don't know what came over me. I just suddenly got...angry."
Kero placed a paw to his chin in thought. Sakura was never angry unless something really ticked her off that badly. "That means only one thing then..."
Sakura's eyes widened. "Li?"
Kero grunted. "Yeah. That little-"
As Kero rambled on, Sakura put her head in her hands. She couldn't stop the feeling. She couldn't stop the unnecessary anger. It was too intense, too severe to her head. It...started hurting. But she wondered why she would be feeling hurt if he's angry. Usually she just felt pain whenever he thought about anything that was painful. Could it be that...he was sad? What had happened?
Suddenly she got up, testing her sprained ankle. It was sore and hurt pretty badly when she walked. But she had to find him. She had to finally stop his sorrow. Besides, she was worried about him. For something to get him this angry and this sad was probably something really big.
Kero looked up at her. "Where ya going?"
Sakura barely looked at him as she picked out some clothes to wear. "Out...sorry Kero-chan."
And with a statement as simple as that she set out, following Syaoran's distinct green aura.
Syaoran, carrying two boxes in hand walked briskly down the street. He had heard from Nakuru that there was one apartment nearby that seemed to have an open room and without waiting he had burst out of the Hiiragazawa household. So here he was, barely knowing where he was going with two boxes full of his stuff. But he didn't care. He didn't care about anything anymore. If his own mother deserted him then he certainly won't do good to anyone else. Who in the world would want him to stay anyway? He was sure that Spinel and Nakuru were probably tired of his rude, annoying ways and Hiirgazawa was probably getting tired of him too even though he had tried so hard to help him. Syaoran stopped walking in the middle of the almost empty sidewalk as cars zoomed past him. He stood there quietly as he closed his eyes, trying to calm himself down. But it didn't work. It never worked. All he ever saw when he did that was that scene again; the day that his loving father died in front of him. Syaoran had felt so weak and helpless back then and the feeling has never changed. If he had been somehow stronger, somehow wiser he would've saved him. Heck, he would've jumped out in front of him if he could redo that again! He was sure that everyone would've been much happier with his father around then him. But he couldn't. He couldn't go back to that day. If only he could...
His eyes opened as he grunted, mocking himself. He's a fool to wish that. He's a fool to want to go back in time. That was stupid. His feet walked on, carrying on with his original destination...wherever that was.
Sakura felt his aura moving again as she hurried as fast as she could towards it. Another stab of pain entered her heart as she walked and she abruptly had to stop and lean against a building's brick wall for support. He was in pain again...deep pain. It cut through her like a knife cut through butter. Then, gaining her energy again, she walked forward, having to limp all the while. She had to try to get him to stop thinking all this. After all, if no one helped him who will? No one even knew of the deepest pain that he felt except her. She had a responsibility. She had to try, even if she didn't like him at first, to ease his pain that he's been keeping in during all those sad years. If he keeps on retaining in all those feelings, he's sure to really become as cold as ice.
Syaoran looked at the building in front of him unemotionally. This was the apartment. It was a beautiful white painted apartment with rows and rows of windows across the walls. One of those rooms would be his. Come to think of it, he'd never lived by himself yet. But he didn't care. He finally had a place where he was definitely alone and isolated from everyone else. He didn't have to care about the people around and he didn't have to help them. He didn't have to feel their sorrow and they didn't have to feel his. He wouldn't be a burden to anyone else any longer and he wouldn't have to have people fussing about him. He'd be by himself in his own apartment...well at least for now until he got back home. But he wasn't even sure he wanted to go back home anymore. After all the trouble to get rid of him, why'd he want his mother to go through any more with him over there? He'd be here, by himself. Just him and his thoughts...sad thoughts.
Syaoran turned away from the beautiful apartment. Did he really want to be alone? Did he really hate people that much now? No...he didn't want to be alone. In fact, it was one thing he dreaded. But if he caused others pain then why would he want to be around them anyway? He sighed as he entered the apartment building.
Stepping out from the building, he sighed. He had gotten a room and now all he needed to do was kill time. While he was at it, he should probably find a part time job too, just for temporary. After all, this money wasn't going to last him forever. And he couldn't go and ask his mother for money...not after all this...
He took another step out in the sun when he noticed a very familiar pink aura just in front of him. He had been so caught up in his thoughts that he didn't even notice Kinomoto's aura? He picked up his head quickly and his eyes caught her emerald eyes. She was panting and looking at him worriedly. Syaoran gritted his teeth. Shit...did she feel any of his thoughts!
Sakura looked at him, his eyes widened and his mouth slightly opened. He was here in front of her. She was determined that she could stop the pain somehow now.
Syaoran took a step back from her. He couldn't be near her. He couldn't let her see how weak he was. Running from Hiiragazawa's house exactly felt like running away from his problems. It wasn't a great show of courage, not at all. But he couldn't take it anymore. His mother had left him here in this country and returned to her own, for god's sake! Suddenly the girl's face showed pain, thinking these thoughts. She felt them. She felt his sadness.
Feeling another stab at her heart, she forgot about her sprained ankle and ran towards him. She saw his shocked expression as she neared, but that was just when a burst of her own pain shot up her leg and she began to fall to the hard, cold ground.
But instead of the cement, she felt warmth and got picked up. Syaoran was there, holding her safely in his arms, just like yesterday at the Trail's Trials.
"K-Kinomoto! What the hell!" she heard him shout. But she smiled despite that. His pain and anguish was suddenly replaced by concern...concern for her...
But before she had time to answer him, she was picked up by both of his arms and rushed into the apartment building.
Tomoyo, her cellphone to her ear, heard nothing but the continuous ringing of her best friend's cellphone. She was getting worried. Why wasn't she home in bed? She had a sprained ankle! She couldn't have gone out. Tomoyo had told her precisely to stay put and now she wasn't answering! Waiting a few more rings, she hoped that her best friend would pick up the phone. Suddenly, there was a click meaning that someone had picked up and instantly, Tomoyo talked. "Sakura-chan! Why didn't you answer!" she demanded.
But the voice that followed wasn't Sakura's. It belonged to the stuffed animal guardian, Kero. "Tomoyo? Oh, Sakura's not here. She left her cellphone here too, she was such in a hurry."
"I'm sorry, Kero-chan. Do you know where she went?" Tomoyo asked.
"Nope. She just said 'out' after she got that brat's emotions in her again," Kero grumbled.
Tomoyo's amethyst eyes widened. She felt Li-kun's feelings again? Worried for her friend, she anxiously said, "Okay thanks Kero-chan." Then she ended the call.
Grabbing her purse and shoes, she scooted out the door. Sakura had been telling her about the incidents that happened whenever Sakura felt Li's emotions. She had said that she always had a painful, lonely feeling and Tomoyo was worried about her. Where was she anyway? Looking down the street, she knew exactly where to go first.
Fumbling with his new apartment keys, he finally opened the door to his new apartment with the Card Mistress still in his arms. As he kicked the door closed and turned, he realized that he didn't have any furniture to lay her on yet! Cursing to himself, he laid her gently against the wall and looked at her swollen ankle as she looked up at him.
Realizing that he had no ice either, he fumbled around in his box that was set nearby and found a plastic Ziploc bag that he kept his toothbrush and toothpaste in. Rushing to the sink in the little kitchen area, he filled the bag halfway with ice cold water and zipped it up. Then he returned to her side and placed the cold bag on top of her ankle. He saw her tremble a bit when he did and gave her a questioning look.
Sakura smiled back. "Oh, it's cold," she said with a tiny giggle.
Syaoran simply nodded in return and sat down a little ways in front of her, avoiding her eyes.
If only he had been more careful. If only he had remembered that this girl felt his emotions too, maybe she wouldn't have run towards him and got her ankle swollen again.
Sakura smiled as she felt his worry surround her. "It's okay, Li-kun. It's not your fault. Don't be so worried."
Syaoran grunted. "I'm not worried," he lied. "I've just never had a girl in my apartment before."
Sakura blinked, as she sat there. "Your apartment? You moved out of Eriol-kun's?"
He nodded.
"Why?"
Syaoran bit his lip. Because my mother left me here with a pile of cash! That's it! No goodbye, no nothing! But as soon as he said that, he regretted it. He saw Sakura flinched as she received his emotions. "S-Sorry Kinomoto..."
"Sakura..."
He raised an eyebrow. "What?"
Sakura smiled. "You called me 'Sakura' yesterday didn't you? So keep calling me that! I don't mind!"
Syaoran looked away as a tiny red tint covered his cheek. "I-I've never called anyone who's not family by their first name though..."
Sakura shrugged. "There's a first time for everything, isn't there?"
"I-I guess..."
"So does that mean I can call you Syaoran?" Sakura asked, looking up at him sweetly.
Syaoran almost jumped. No one – especially a girl – ever dared to call him by his first name if they weren't family. He had never allowed it and snapped at anyone who asked. But without thinking he had just shrugged at this situation. "Whatever..." He couldn't stop himself. Oh well, it's not like she was special to him anyway.
Sakura grinned. "Okay. Hey, how about Xiao Lang? Or Syao? No! Syao-chan!" she said laughing.
Syaoran glared at her softly. "Syaoran's fine."
As Eriol read through the Sunday newspaper, he suddenly heard a doorbell and since Nakuru was out for the day, he went and opened the front door. He smiled as he saw who it was. "Ah! Tomoyo!"
She smiled and bowed a bit. "Sorry for intruding. But is Sakura-chan here?" she asked.
Eriol shook his head. "Nope. Haven't seen her since yesterday." But as he looked at her now worried eyes he asked, "Is something wrong?"
"Well she was supposed to stay in bed today because her ankle hasn't healed yet. But when I called her, Kero-chan picked up and said that she suddenly left when she started getting some emotions from Li," Tomoyo replied. "He's not here is he?"
Eriol shook his head as he looked at his marble floor sadly. "Yelan-san had to leave for Hong Kong...and well she told me to make him stay put here for now. He needs some time off from such adult work back in Hong Kong. She wanted him to try to have a normal life for at least a little while. B-But...I think he misunderstood her leaving. I think he thinks that she left him here on purpose. He took the money she left him and went to get an apartment."
Tomoyo sighed. "I'm sorry. But I wish Li-kun was back in Hong Kong..." she said quietly.
Eriol's eyes widened. She had never talked like that about anyone! She had never wanted someone to be gone. "Wh-Why! I have to change him while he's still here! There's still a chance, Tomoyo, we can-"
Tomoyo smiled softly. "I'm sorry, Eriol. I didn't mean to upset you. It's just that since Li-kun arrived, everything has been getting gloomier. Sakura-chan gets his painful and lonely feelings more often, Kero-chan and Touya-kun have a person to hate, and Eriol, yesterday when you tried to help Sakura-chan and Li-kun alone together, you collapsed!" she whispered shamefully. "I'm sorry...but I really wish he hadn't come."
Eriol shook his head. "No! Don't give up, Tomoyo! Don't you see? That's what he has done. He has given up on himself, believing that he'll never be happy again because of the guilt and sorrow of his father's death. If the people around him give up on him as well, he'll never be able to live as happily as he could. I try as hard as I could to get him to laugh, or at least smile. But never in my whole life, have I seen him do that. I want him to be happy, Tomoyo. I can't give up on him like that. H-He's more than a descendant to me...he's my friend." Then grabbing her hands gently in his, he looked pleadingly into her eyes. "And I know the only person who would never ever give up on anything or anyone is Sakura. I've noticed it in every battle she's had and every time she caught a Card. She didn't give up easily, and I know she won't give up on Syaoran easily. He's a good guy, honest! You just have to get to know him. Please Tomoyo, please don't give up on him..."
Tomoyo sighed. Li probably was a really good guy underneath all the outer layer of coldness. Eriol was right. It was wrong to give up on Li easily. And she almost felt even more ashamed at the thought that she had almost given up on changing his cold ways. After all, Sakura was trying her best to befriend the antisocial leader of the Li clan. Tomoyo wouldn't give up either. "You're right Eriol. I'm sorry. I was wrong. We will hook up Sakura-chan and Li, no matter what it takes!"
Eriol smiled. "Tomoyo...thank you..."
Tomoyo grinned back as she pulled him out towards the door. "Wanna do a little spying?"
He smirked as he followed close behind the dark haired maiden.
"Does it still hurt?" Syaoran asked the girl leaning against the wall.
Sakura smiled a bit. "Just a bit."
At this, he frantically searched around his boxes for some form of bandage. Actually, he had no idea what he was doing, but it seemed like the right thing to do. Finding none, he sighed but then grabbed one of his plain white shirts from one of the boxes and ripped a part of it off.
"S-Syaoran!" Sakura said in surprise. He would go as far as ripping his own shirt for her.
Syaoran felt a tingle run up his spine as the girl said his first name and he blushed. "D-Don't worry about it. It's an old shirt anyway." Then he wrapped the ripped piece of clothing around her ankle gently.
Sakura smiled and felt the warmth come to her cheeks. He was handling her so gently, as to not hurt her again. While he was busy wrapping her ankle she glanced up at his face behind those messy brown bangs of his and yet again saw the deep sadness and loneliness hidden in their amber depths. She wanted so much to make it go away. She wanted him to be happy, to forget all his woes and just laugh. "Syaoran..." she whispered without thinking. "Tell me what I can do..."
Syaoran looked up at her in confusion. "What do you mean?"
Their eyes locked and for a single moment it felt as if they understood each other completely. But as soon as it had come, Syaoran had turned away and it had vanished.
"Syaoran, tell me how I can help to take the pain away from your shoulders," Sakura blurted.
Syaoran looked to her slowly. "You think you understand me? No one does...why should you?"
"No one understands because you don't let us!" she insisted. "You're the one pushing everyone away."
Syaoran shook his head and another stab of pain pierced through Sakura again as she trembled. "No...It may seem like that, I guess. But I don't really want to push everyone away. I-I just..." It was hard for him. Telling his emotions aloud wasn't the easiest thing for Syaoran Li.
Sakura reached out and touched his arm gently and a shock went through Syaoran's skin at her touch. "Tell me."
"It seems that I cause pain to everyone," Syaoran suddenly blurted. "To my mother and sisters because I look so much like my father, to my Elders and the clan because I'll never be as great as he, to Hiirgazawa because he's trying so hard to be my friend and to repent for not helping me when I became the leader, and to you S-Sakura! I worry you and give you so much pain and anger that someone like you shouldn't have to worry about! If my father wasn't dead, I wouldn't be like this. I would be happily living my life and everyone wouldn't be so sad around me. Did you notice that? Wherever I go, I seem to take along the plague of sadness and sorrow! That's why I had to get out of Hiiragazawa's house when my mother left me here in Japan. I-I should be alone! Always alone! So no one would worry and no one would ever see the replica of my father!" he said, his voice rising.
When he said it, everything stopped. The birds outside seemed to stop chirping, the wind seemed to stop blowing and civilization just seemed to freeze in its place. Syaoran was breathing hard as he avoiding the girl's eyes. He had never told anyone this much of himself. And there was also that time when they were under the cherry blossom trees too when they talked like this. But it hadn't been as deep, as emotional as this was now.
"M-My mother left me here...why do you think that?" Syaoran asked quietly. "I-Is it because I am really the bad son I really am? Is it because I'll never measure up to my father? Is it because she hates me for not protecting him that night? She could've at least said goodbye if she couldn't bring me back..." Syaoran said as he sighed and as he looked up at her, she saw the most depressed eyes anyone could've ever seen. "I-If only he didn't die. Nothing would be like this. Everything would've been the way it should be, how fate wanted it to be. Surely fate wouldn't want me to face this torture? I wish I can go back to that night. I could've saved him somehow, anyhow." After a second of speaking his shook his head as if he were ashamed. "Sorry. That was stupid. I-I shouldn't have told you anything. There's no way one can return to the past."
Sakura's eyes widened as she thought up a possible solution. But she definitely wasn't sure if it would work. "One can return to the past, Syaoran," she said determinedly. "With this."
She shuffled around her pocket until she found the Card she was looking for. Holding it up, she saw Syaoran's eyes widen.
"Th-The Return!"
Sakura nodded and smiled. "We may be able to save your father if we return to that night. I'm not sure if the Card lets us change the past, but it's worth a shot isn't it?"
Syaoran stared at the Card in her hand. "I've heard about this. The Elders told me that it can change one's past if it wasn't fate to bring it there..."
Sakura blinked. "Hoe?"
"It means that if it wasn't supposed to happen, you can change the past. But if it was supposed to happen, you can't," Syaoran said as he looked at her. "be careful when you use that, okay? It takes a lot of your energy..."
Sakura nodded and smiled. "Okay, thanks." Then she tried to stand up on her sprained ankle.
"Oy! Be careful!" Syaoran yelled as she fell again straight into his arms. "You're so careless!"
Sakura sweatdropped. "Hoee...sorry." Then with a deep breath, she chanted her words and with a bright light, her pink wand appeared in her hand. She turned to the guy holding her in his arms loosely. "Ready, Syaoran?"
Syaoran nodded. But was he really ready? Did he wasn't to face that scene all over again? Did he want to hear those gunshots, the sudden shout in pain? Did he want to see his dead father lying immobile on the floor in front of him?
No...But after all, if it could change how things were, he'd go for anything.
Sakura smiled encouragingly at him and held up the Return Card. With a flash of white light, the air seemed to distort and suddenly they vanished.
Eriol, seeing that he had magic, was leading Tomoyo through the streets towards the area where Syaoran and Sakura were. But suddenly, Tomoyo noticed that Eriol just seemed to stop.
"Eriol?" she asked curiously. "What's the matter?"
Eriol looked to her with a confused look in his eyes. "They seemed to have...suddenly disappeared. I-I can't feel their auras anymore."
Tomoyo blinked. "B-But how can they just disappear like that?"
Eriol thought for a minute, his finger to his chin. He closed his eyes and tried to pinpoint anything strange that he felt. "I don't feel their auras, but I do feel an incredibly strong Card being used..." he said.
"But there's no Card that would make them suddenly vanish is there?"
Eriol sighed. "Kind of...not exactly..."
When he saw that Tomoyo was still confused, he turned to her. "The Return."
"But what could they possibly be returning t-" Tomoyo's eyes widened. "Oh no."
Eriol nodded solemnly. "They're going back to the day Syaoran's father died."
"A-Are we there?" Sakura asked as she looked around their surroundings. It seemed to be blurry all around them but she noticed that they were on a pathway surrounded by lots of trees. It was a park. The sun was going down, casting its pink and purple light throughout the place. Sakura felt Syaoran's presence behind her and turned to him. "Is this-" But she stopped immediately as she saw his bland gaze turn towards two figures in the distance who were walking towards them.
Sakura eyes widened as the two people neared. She saw a tall, handsome man with identical amber eyes to Syaoran's. He had a calm face with a very small smile on his lips and ruffled up chocolate brown hair, but a little darker than Syaoran's was. Sakura saw the man holding on to a kid's chubby hand, looking down at him with a smile. The kid had the same messy hair as the man and the exact same eyes. The child, Sakura realized, was Syaoran. Except he, unlike the present Syaoran beside her, had a big grin on his face as he chatted about something with the man holding his hand. Sakura felt Syaoran trembling as he watched the scene and she instantly felt his pain at the sad memory. She bit her lip and reached for his hand. She felt Syaoran's grip wrap around her hand as it trembled slightly. At least Sakura was there to comfort him.
Syaoran whole body just froze in its spot as he saw a younger version of himself walking down the park's path holding onto his father's hand. It was exactly the same. This was definitely it.
Syaoran felt his throat clog up as he gazed at his father. He hadn't seen him for so long that he had almost forgotten how he looked like and how he sounded like when he talked. It was so painful watching this, knowing that if they were to go back to the present, he wouldn't be able to see his father alive and walking. He started trembling, dreading the moments that were to come. The gunshots, the blood... Suddenly he felt a warm, small hand touch his and he immediately grabbed it. As soon as he did, he started to calm down a bit. Sakura's hand was all he needed to do that.
The two figures of a younger Syaoran and his father walked past them as if they didn't exist. But Sakura and Syaoran stayed still, not knowing what to do exactly. They had come to try to stop what was to happen, but they hadn't really figured out how. Suddenly some rustling from behind made them turn and out emerged a guy, dressed in all black, with his head and face covered too, except for his piercing black eyes. Syaoran's eyes widened as he saw the dangerous weapon in his hands. As the person pulled the trigger which was directed to the man who didn't realize he was there, Syaoran feet took flight and he began running towards his father as sweat dripped down his forehead. He wouldn't watch it all over again. It was way too painful to watch...
Suddenly, his feet seemed to stop. His body was frozen again, but this time, he couldn't move at all. His father was right there, right in front of him and he couldn't move, not even to blink! He watched in horror as the loud gunshot pierced the night air, and he saw his father turn around in surprise. But it was too late. Blood dripped down his shoulder, then two more bullets pierced through his body. He slowly fell to the ground, letting go of the poor kid's hand. Syaoran's father seemed to say something, but right then loud police sirens were heard, causing the man with the gun slip away quietly.
Sakura's body was paralyzed, just as Syaoran's seemed to be. She couldn't move, couldn't blink, and could even barely breathe. Her eyes were fixed on the horrible scene unfolding before her. The man, Syaoran's father, was lying on the cement as his blood slowly spread around him. The younger Syaoran was on his knees in the state of shock as he trembled hard. And the present Syaoran, who was only a couple of feet away from his father's dying body, was forced to watch the scene all over again, as the sirens penetrated the cold, silent evening. Sakura couldn't see his face for it was turned, but she knew he was in distress. She felt was coldness and grief cut deep in her heart that whole time. He had to suffer through the scene...all over again.
Suddenly, Sakura's vision blurred. "S-Syaoran?" Then she felt her body fell to the ground weakly.
"Is this where the auras seemed to lead?" Tomoyo asked Eriol as they looked around the place curiously. They were standing in front of a white apartment building that looked pretty expensive.
"Well this is the place Nakuru told him of. And the Sakura Card's aura is coming straight from that building," he replied.
"Should we go in?"
Before he could answer her question, however, he suddenly felt the Card's aura at its peak and then vanish altogether. Then, Syaoran's and Sakura's auras were suddenly felt.
"Eriol, are you okay?" Tomoyo asked worriedly. He had just gazed at the apartment building suddenly without blinking. It was pretty odd for Eriol to zone out like that.
"C'mon, Tomoyo," he said suddenly with worry obvious in his tone. "They're back."
Then he took her hand and ran inside before she could utter a word. Not even asking the person at the counter, he led her to the elevator and pressed the floor number four without thinking. His magic was really coming in handy especially when dealing with those two.
They waited silently until the little elevator 'ding' was heard and stepped out of the elevator in a rush, zooming past the other tenants in the halls. Eriol led her through the intersections and turns of the hallways and finally, they stopped in front of a door with the numbers '407' on it. They looked at each other silently, as they just stood there in front of the apartment.
"Eriol, what's wrong? You're all tense," Tomoyo said as she saw his concerned eyes and stiff body. For Eriol, being tense was way strange for him. He was usually so calm and collected.
He turned to her worriedly. "Something's wrong. Th-They're auras are...weak."
Tomoyo's eyes widened and she gripped onto the doorknob. There goes their plan of spying. Surprisingly, when she turned the knob, it opened revealing a neat, almost empty apartment. Then they spotted the two teens sprawled on the floor at a very odd position and Tomoyo whipped out her camera to record the scene.
Sakura was lying on her side on the carpeted floor, gripping onto Syaoran's shirt with one hand as the boy lay closely next to her, his arms wrapped protectively around her. It was such a cute sight, that Eriol and Tomoyo were grinning big smiles on their faces. Then, Eriol noticed the Card lying next to Sakura. He went over to pick it up and on it was the words "The Return."
"So we were right, Eriol," Tomoyo said with her camera out in front of her. Then she giggled. "But still, the way they're laying next to each other makes you wonder what they've been doing all this time."
Eriol smirked. "Oh yes. Looks like they had a pretty fun time without us..."
"Shh, Eriol! They're waking up!"
The teenage boy groaned aloud as he felt the sun's rays blinding him from the windows. But he was just so cozy right now that he didn't want to get up. Without opening his eyes, he cuddled up to the warm pillow he was holding, getting closer to it. Forcing his eyes shut against the blinding light, he hugged the pillow tighter, wrapping his arms around it even more. He never wanted to get up, never. But it was then that he got a strange thought.
'Aren't pillows supposed to be...fluffy?'
Then finally remembering what had just happened, he sat up quickly without knowing that he had brought up Sakura with him. He turned his head slowly, almost dreading what was in his arms, though he knew exactly what – or rather who – it was. His face burned as he saw that safe in his arms was none other than Kinomoto Sakura sleeping peacefully with a small smile on her lips.
Suddenly he heard laughing and he just then noticed that they his actions were being watched by two –no three things; Eriol, Tomoyo, and Tomoyo's dreaded camera.
"Well, well, well...you are falling for the girl, Syaoran," Eriol said laughing heartily. Syaoran's face was just so funny that it was hard for someone not to laugh. He had the look of shock on his face with his amber eyed widened and his jaw slightly opened. And besides that, he had that unmistakable blush on his cheeks. Eriol thought he'd never see Syaoran like that. It was funny, yet relieving.
Syaoran just sat there, trying to explain. "Th-This is...I mean...i-it's not...we w-were..." he stuttered, unable to complete any of his sentences.
Tomoyo giggled, the camera in her hands still rolling. "Were you two busy? We'll leave you two if you are."
"N-No! It's not-"
Suddenly Syaoran's words were cut off by the sleeping angel's stirring. Syaoran blushed even more – if that was possible – as Sakura gripped onto his shirt even more, inching closer to him. Then an unmistakable name came from her lips. "Syaoran..."
Eriol and Tomoyo burst into laughter. "Whoa Syaoran," Eriol said wiping the tears off his eyes, "Going pretty fast now are we?"
Syaoran still tried to explain himself, though failing horribly at it. "W-We were just doing something, okay? She just collapsed and then-" Realizing how wrong that sounded, he turned even redder and tried to recover. "I-I mean-"
But it was too late. Tomoyo and Eriol were laughing so hard that they had to lean against something to keep them standing.
"Oh gosh, Li! You're face looks so funny! This is so hilarious!" Tomoyo said, laughing all the while.
Syaoran sighed in frustration as he no longer wasted his breath on trying to explain. He looked at the sleeping girl in his arms and scowled at her. He had told her to be careful! And now here she is, her energy wasted on that single Card. She'll probably be asleep for the rest of the day. But it had been a waste anyway. It was all for nothing. All it did was force him to stand there helplessly as his father died in front of him. He had to relive the memory all over again. It seemed as if fate wanted that to happen...
"Just wait until Sakura sees this!" Tomoyo exclaimed happily.
Syaoran turned even redder at the thought of Sakura seeing this scene. "NO! DON'T YOU DARE!"
But Sakura was oblivious to everything. All she felt was the great warmness around her and she happily cuddled even closer as the Tomoyo and Eriol's laughing and Syaoran's protests continued around her.