Tied By Fate
By: pnaixrose
Disclaimer: I don't own CCS or any of the characters.
Chapter 16: So Long
Meiling's ruby eyes widened as her hand gripped onto the phone tightly. The call had just been so unexpected. She would have never thought that he would call, much less say what he had just said.
"N-Nani?" she whispered. Maybe she was hearing things. Syaoran had not just agreed to come home right? He wouldn't. Sakura was there in Japan after all. His new, improved life was there. She heard a devastated sigh from the other line. Something huge had just happened. She just knew it.
"I'm coming home, Meiling," he repeated.
But why? He was happy in Japan. He was a normal teenage boy in that country. Here, he'd just be back to being the work slave everyone expects him to be. "Did you tell her?" she asked. It was the first thing that came to mind.
She thought she heard a choke. "I-I gotta go. See you tomorrow."
"Wait, Syaoran!"
But all she was talking to was a dead line. He had hung up. Setting the cordless phone down in a daze, she blinked in confusion.
Wait...Did he just say tomorrow?
Sakura was panting hard as she reached the entrance of the restaurant. Her whole outfit must look terrible now because of the run. But she looked up and saw him. Yukito. He was wearing a nice dress shirt and black pants. She blushed involuntarily at the sight of him being so dressed up. "G-Gomen, Yukito-san!" she said as they both entered the fancy glass and gold doors. "I totally lost track of time!"
He smiled down at her. "It's no problem. You look nice."
Sakura blushed once more as she felt the shivers run up her spine. Following a waiter, she was delighted to find out that their table was near a beautiful, indoor fountain. So far, so good.
This was it. She was going to tell him how she felt tonight.
Syaoran had said that she should tell Yukito how she felt before it was too late.
She felt herself smile a bit as she and Yukito silently looked over the menus. Syaoran-kun was such a great friend. She was really glad to know him. Whenever he was around her, Sakura always felt at ease. But what was weird was that although she was comfortable with him, her heart just wouldn't stop jumping out of her chest. All of her memories with him seemed to stay vivid in her mind. For some reason, she just cherished them so much. Sakura didn't know why, but she had an unbelievable connection with him. Putting aside that they could literally feel each other's emotions, sometimes she just longed to be by him. He had drastically changed since the first time she met him too. The rude, arrogant boy she had first seen had suddenly disappeared. And in his place was a sweet, sensitive, and unbelievably hot teenager.
Sakura blushed deeply. Had she just thought that about Syaoran-kun? Why would he not escape from her thoughts?
"Sakura-chan? Are you ready to order?"
She nearly jumped from her seat at Yukito's voice. She had almost forgotten she was with him! Seeing that the waiter had come back with a writing pad and a pen in his hands, Sakura realized that he had come back for their orders. And she had barely read the menu! "Ah. Gomen ne," she said in embarrassment as the blush deepened even more. She quickly picked the special that the restaurant was offering and gave the menu to the waiter.
How the heck did she forget that she was on a date with Yukito?
"I-I should go," a girl with long dark hair said as she grabbed her purse from the kitchen counter. She avoided Eriol's azure eyes and ignored the constant beating coming from deep in her chest. "Arigato for the dinner."
Her legs carried her hurriedly out of the kitchen and into the hallway which lead to the front door. That kiss...his lips...the feel of it just burned into her memory. It had been...wow. She couldn't even find the words to describe it. And what he said surprised her. She would have never imagined that he would actually feel the same. He loved her. And she loved him.
But why was she running away? She had to flee. Tomoyo felt like an idiot. She had always thought of him as someone powerful and as someone who would never falter before anything. But she had seen his frustration just now. He had been that way because...of her.
All she had been thinking about was how Eriol was Clow Reed. But his words opened her eyes. He might've been Clow Reed, but he wasn't anymore. He was Eriol. Hiiragazawa Eriol. And that's all.
You could never compare Eriol with Clow Reed. They may seem alike in a lot of ways, but they were also different in a lot of ways too.
Tomoyo felt so closed-minded. Eriol was the person she loved...not Clow Reed. Who cares if he was another person in another lifetime? That was then. This is now.
She heard his voice calling and his footsteps running after her. But she felt terrible. She couldn't face him now. Ignoring him, she reached for the front door's knob. But she noticed a red light surrounding it suddenly and as she turned, she realized that it was locked by magic. She reached for the regular lock on the door and clicked it open. But as she tried to turn the knob again, it was still stuck.
Eriol had trapped her.
The boy caught up with her quickly as she tried to open the door. He sighed as he pushed up his glasses that had fallen a bit from the quick run. "Why...are you running from me, Tomoyo?" He was confused. Why would she run from him? If they loved each other, wouldn't she rather be running to him?
Unless...she didn't love him after all.
Eriol didn't get an answer but he refused to give up. They were going to straighten this up once and for all. It was a simple yes or no question: Do you love me or not? But it seemed to be so hard to get out.
She had her back turned to him and he walked towards her and gently turned her around to look at her face. To his surprise, she was crying.
"My angel, why are you crying?" he asked. It was a sight that he basically couldn't stand to see. His Tomoyo...crying. "I-I'm sorry. I shouldn't have trapped you here. I just need to know something..."
Her voice cracked as she tried to hold in her stupid tears. "What is it?"
Pulling her closer, he got lost in her beautiful eyes. He was nervous as he readied himself for the question he was to ask. But he had to know the answer. "Do you...love me?"
There was a pause in time as she looked at him in disbelief. Of course she loved him! How could she not? "Baka..." she whispered softly. "Of course I do...I love you with all my soul."
A great weight lifted from his shoulders as his arms closed around her and pulled her closer. She loved him. She loved him! He had heard it straight from her mouth! He had never been so happy in his entire life. "I love you too, Tomoyo."
But he heard her choke on a sob as she began tearing again. His shirt suddenly became wet with her tears. Pulling away slightly, he looked down at her with concern. "Why are you crying? Please don't cry..." He slowly wiped a tear that was running down her cheek. "It feels horrible to see you cry."
She smiled through her tears at his kindness but then almost immediately, even more tears came. "H-How could you love me, Eriol? I've done nothing worthy to deserve you. I feel so stupid. The reason we had prolonged this confession...was because of me! All I did was think about how you were Clow and that I would never measure up to someone as great. That isn't worthy! I thought that when I'd begin to love someone, I'd love him wholly and perfectly. With you...I do love you wholly...but not perfectly. I mean, I'm horrible! I've only thought about you being Clow Reed and that was holding me back! I'm so sorry! I do love you, Eriol. I h-hope you know that." She grabbed onto his shirt and cried into it. "I feel so hypocritical. I've been trying to make Li-kun realize that he should tell Sakura how he feels...when I should be the one telling the person I love how I feel. But I've held it back because I knew you were Clow Reed. But now I realize that you're Eriol. That's it. No more Clow Reed's reincarnation." She looked up with a watery smile. "You're just Eriol...the one whom I love so much."
The boy was shocked at her words. But he smiled, realizing that Tomoyo had finally seen the truth. He was Hiiragazawa Eriol...and that was all. And she was crying because she had felt guilty for thinking that way.
Oh how he loved this girl.
He swooped down and caught her lips in an instant. His heart had been longing to do this for so long and this was the second time that they had kissed. But it was so much sweeter, knowing that it was pure love that made Tomoyo react back. He was kissing her so hungrily and with such passion but he knew that his appetite for her love would never cease. Each of her touches...each of her kisses...would only cause him to want to kiss her even more.
Eriol felt her warm, smooth hands rest on his face. He didn't care about anything except her now. It was just a world of him and her.
They loved each other. That was how it was supposed to be. Fate was so kind sometimes. If Clow Reed hadn't existed, then he wouldn't have been able to come to Tomoeda to help the Card Mistress. And then he wouldn't have been here with Tomoyo. He thanked Clow silently.
He was in such a good mood that he didn't even mind that Spinel Sun and Ruby Moon were secretly spying from behind a door.
Li Syaoran entered his dark apartment and didn't bother locking the door behind him or turning on the light. The darkness of the night seemed to match his mood perfectly right now. Dragging his feet, he made his way to his room and collapsed on his bed. He felt numb as he lay there motionless. Everything about him seemed to be gloomy. His heart especially.
Damn it. Why did he have to fall in love with her? He had been fine before, hadn't he?
No, he hadn't. She had brightened up his entire life. She had made him feel like he was truly worthy to be alive instead of wishing he had been the one to be killed instead of his father. But now, he did feel like he wanted to die. If he did, then he wouldn't have to go through all this pain.
The one person who seemed to understand him...the one and only person who he loved with all his heart...loved another man. A better man.
But he couldn't stop his heart from continuing to love her. Yes, it was excruciating to know that she loved someone else. But if he didn't love her...he wouldn't have a reason to live anymore. A life without loving her was like a life without breathing.
That's why he had to get out. Maybe the farther away he was from her the less she'd stop haunting his mind.
Sakura fidgeted as she slowly ate the food on her plate. For some odd reason, even though she ate, her hunger was never satisfied. She was too nervous when she was alone with Yukito. She was so self-conscious too. Even with Syaoran's warm jacket still on her shoulders, she still felt as if her shoulders were bare.
But she could practically smell his scent from the jacket. Sakura smiled a bit. It gave her a sense of comfort to know that he had wished her luck on this night. Actually, when she had been talking to him, for a split second she could feel intense hurt from him. But as quickly as it had come, it had suddenly been covered. She had been afraid that maybe Syaoran didn't like Yukito-san. But she was perplexed. Hadn't he encouraged her to tell Yukito how she felt? But what other reason was there for him to feel pain?
"Sakura-chan," Yukito suddenly said with a grin on his friendly face, "Do you want to take off your jacket? It's quite warm in here."
Sakura paused as she pulled the light jacket closer. The amber eyed boy came to mind. "No, it's okay," she replied with her voice below a whisper. She didn't know it, but on her cheeks was a tint of redness. "I like having it on."
"Where'd you get it?" he asked.
A soft smile came to her lips. Every hug they shared flashed in her memories. Every conversation replayed over and over again. Every single time he had smiled settled within her heart. She blushed a deeper red, but not because of Yukito-san's compliment as she would have thought. It was because she was thinking so much about Syaoran. "Syaoran-kun let me borrow it."
Yukito grinned down at her. "Ah, I see. He's a really good person."
Sakura nodded slowly as it dawned upon her that this 'date' somehow seemed wrong. But why? Hadn't she wanted to tell Yukito how she felt? "Yeah. He is..."
Syaoran was sitting on the front steps of his apartment. Beside him sat a small traveling bag with a bunch of random stuff he had stuffed in. He still had a lot of his belongings in his apartment, but he didn't feel like packing so much. He would send someone to gather them up later.
He had just called a cab a few minutes before and it should be arriving quite soon. From his pocket, he heard a little tune and sighed as he saw that it was from his home. Damn no good cellphone. He took it out and answered the call.
"Yeah?"
"Xiao Lang? Is it true? Y-You're coming home?" He noticed that it was Sheifa, the eldest.
"Yeah..."
But his sister sounded unsure. "But little brother...are you sure you want to do that?"
Syaoran felt a growl creep up his throat. What was wrong with this woman? Wasn't it just yesterday she had been crying and begging for him to return to Hong Kong? "Make up your mind!" he screamed. "Do you want me to come back or not?"
Shiefa sounded shocked. "I-I'm sorry, Xiao Lang. I do want you to come back but-"
"Then just leave it at that!" Syaoran knew he wasn't really mad at his sister. But he had to get his anger out somehow. It just kept biting at him, making him go crazy. He was becoming bitter so soon...again. He didn't want to be this way. But he couldn't help it. The hurt was just too much to bear, so he had to find a way to get it out. Anger seemed to be the only option.
"...I just thought that you liked it there. If you really want to stay there, then you should."
Shiefa's voice made him feel guilty. She sounded so upset. "I'm sorry for yelling, sister," Syaoran said with a sigh. "I...I haven't had such a great day. But don't worry..." He let out a chuckle that didn't sound too happy at all. "No one in this hellhole of a town wants me here anyway."
It was the truth. What would he do there anyway? Watch Sakura and Tsukishiro grow old together and get married? Oh no. He would forget her once and for all. He would forget everything. Her clumsiness, her warm hugs, her sweetness...her smile. He had to get over her. She was not his and never will be.
"Xiao Lang...?"
He suddenly didn't feel like talking. "Look, I gotta go. See you."
Syaoran hung up with the press of a button, not even bothered that he had interrupted something that his sister was about to say. Sighing, he pressed a bunch of buttons on the cellphone in an effort to get her off his mind. He went into his 'Notes' and growled in irritation. He had forgotten that Sakura had left him a note there. It had seemed like forever since she did it.
"Syaoran-kun! I'm so proud of you today! You were smiling like there was no tomorrow! haha! Don't worry, I'm not makin fun of you. Just smile more often ok? As I said before, you look really cute when you smile! I luv ya 'new best friend.' –Sakura"
He started trembling, gripping onto the small phone tighter as Syaoran read it. He remembered the day. That was the day that he had finally smiled. It was the first time in a long while he had felt so very happy. And she had been the one who caused it.
He couldn't handle it. Everything...everything...reminded him of her.
Luckily it was then that the cab stopped in front of the apartments and he quickly got in. Only a few more hours...and he would get out of this country. Away from her.
"Airport please."
"Oh wow. Dessert!" Yukito said in excitement as two sundaes appeared in front of them. Saying a quick thank you to the waiter, he gobbled down the delicious dessert without a moment to lose.
Sakura was smiling as she looked at her own. She picked up her spoon and was about to dip it into the ice cream but she paused. Chocolate...Syaoran's favorite ice cream flavor? She didn't how in the world she knew but she just did. It had suddenly entered her mind that he liked chocolate.
"What's wrong, Sakura-chan?"
She laughed a bit. "Oh, I just suddenly felt that...Syaoran's favorite ice cream flavor was chocolate for some reason." How embarrassing. "I don't know how. I just suddenly...knew."
He let out a chuckle. "Was it the 'connection' between you two?"
Shrugging her shoulders, Sakura realized that that could've been a reason. "I guess."
"Or you know what they say, ne? Sometimes random things about your soul mate come to mind." Yukito looked at her with laughing eyes as she blushed.
"Th-That couldn't be it." Soul mate? Her and Syaoran? They were just friends. Besides, her soul mate was sitting right in front of her. Yukito. He had been her crush ever since she could remember. At least...she thought he was. Suddenly her heart wasn't beating as fast as it was before whenever she saw him. Suddenly the sight of him didn't cause her to go into her "floaty" mood. And if she really liked him, then why was she thinking about...Syaoran?
"You really like, Li-kun, ne Sakura-chan?"
The question had startled her. She saw a kind smile on his face as he looked down to her. That smile...it didn't affect her heart anymore. "What do you mean?"
Yukito's smile softened even more. "I meant...you love Li-kun, don't you?"
She froze in her seat. She loved Syaoran? Was it true? Could it even be possible? Is that why she's been thinking nonstop about him recently?
Of course. She loved him. She loved Li Syaoran.
He was always the one for her and she didn't see it. His gentle, rare smiles. His warm embraces. The way his amber eyes often get caught into a daze. Even his insults and teasing.
She had been so blind and has been so caught up with thinking about other things that she never noticed. How could she be so stupid and dense?
"You do, don't you?" Yukito asked again.
Sakura paused before slightly nodding her head as she gazed into the distance. The thought was just so new and thrilling to her.
"Hai...I love Syaoran-kun."
Those words. They felt so good to say.
Her brother's best friend grinned widely. "You just figured it out, I guess? Then what are you doing here with me? Go tell him!"
But as always, the fear of rejection always comes. "Wh-What if he doesn't love me back?" she whispered. "What if he doesn't return my feelings?"
"At least you told him. Besides, you should tell him before the chance doesn't come again."
Yes. That was something Syaoran had said to her too. The opportunity will pass if she waited too long. She didn't care if he loved him back. Right now, the feeling was so exhilarating that it felt as if nothing could go wrong.
Sakura pushed her chair back, hugging her friend affectionately. "Arigatou! I'm going to tell him!" Before Yukito knew what was happening, she was already out of the restaurant.
He chuckled to himself as he watched her run. Surely things will get better for both Sakura-chan and Li-kun now.
Syaoran was sitting on one of those uncomfortable airport seats with his luggage on his lap. He had read and reread the note on his cellphone over and over again until he finally decided it was best if he just turn it off. He didn't have the heart to delete it just yet.
He was patiently waiting for the plane to be ready for lift off. It had been quite easy to get a flight. All he had to do was demand for a private plane and flashed his credit card in front of the guy's face. Of course, a bunch of reporters and cameramen had arrived at the scene literally just minutes after he had gotten his plane when word got out just who was in the airport. Even now the media along with common travelers were swarming around trying to get a look at him. Luckily, loads of security men had arrived also and had created a large circle around him so that he wouldn't be squished.
Talk about attention.
He couldn't stand the noise. The talking, the shouting, the million questions...couldn't people just shut up? He was stressed, depressed, upset, and a lot of other things. Syaoran just didn't want to deal with this.
He closed his eyes, and suddenly a warm feeling spread through him. It was so comforting and it even almost made him to crack a smile. He couldn't explain it but he knew it was definitely from Sakura. But he realized something. It wasn't only the feeling of pure happiness. It was the feeling of love.
He was familiar with the feeling. After all, it's the feeling that he feels for her...the feeling that he would forever have to bottle up inside of him...
Syaoran scowled immediately. She and Yukito were probably off somewhere making out or something and that's why she was feeling this. He balled his hand into a fist as his heart tightened in jealousy and disgust.
Sakura ran through the streets in frenzy towards Syaoran's apartment. She didn't care if people stared at her because of her odd attire. Most people didn't wear pretty dresses to jog through the streets, after all. She didn't care if the pale green dress got ripped or messy. All she cared about was to see him and tell him.
She had never run so fast in her life before.
But the feeling she had been denying all this time was swelling up in her. Sakura was sure that if she kept it in any longer she'd just burst out shouting, "LI SYAORAN I LOVE YOU!" so loud that the entire world would hear. She couldn't wait to tell him. At the moment, even the thought of rejection didn't stop her. The love she had been hiding propelled her so much that the negative thoughts seemed to be left behind in the wind.
Kinomoto Sakura would tell Li Syaoran that she loved him even if she had to cross mountains, plains, seas, or deserts. Period.
She finally stopped in front of the apartment doors and panted. No other people except for the residents could go in unless they get permission by a resident inside or if they have a key. Sakura pressed a little button under Syaoran's room number and waited for his voice to come up on the speaker phone that was beside all the buttons. She would simply tell him that she needed to tell him something very important. When the little buzz sound comes up, she'd know that he had given her permission to enter the apartment building and the doors will be opened.
She waited...and waited. After about five minutes, she still didn't hear any welcoming buzzing. What was taking him so long?
Getting impatient, she took out her cellphone and called his number. It didn't even ring once. It had gone straight to the voice mail. He had turned his phone off. She decided to use the third option. Concentrating hard, she closed her eyes as she tried to pinpoint his comforting aura with her magic.
Her emerald orbs opened to reveal bafflement. His aura...he seemed so far away.
Something didn't feel right. Why'd Syaoran be so far from Tomoeda?
Maybe Eriol-kun knew. Sakura started walking quickly in the direction of her friend's house. She tried to assure herself that Syaoran being so far away wasn't a big deal. Maybe he had gone to the city or something for a day.
But how'd he get so far in such little time? Wasn't it just a few hours ago that she had been hugging him in the park?
"Hey! Ruby Moon, stop changing the channel," Spinel grumbled to himself as Nakuru pressed random numbers on the remote. He sighed as she didn't comply. Burying his head into the couch he and his counterpart were sitting on, he mumbled something about annoying guardians.
Nakuru sighed as she kept switching channels absentmindedly. "I can't help it! I just know Eriol-sama and Tomoyo-san are being all romantic in there!" she said as she nodding towards the kitchen door.
"It's not our business anyway," Suppi said. "Let them have their alone time."
But she only pouted. "Nonsense! If only he hadn't sealed off all the entrances to the kitchen, I'd be able to catch them on video tape." She grinned. "You know, like catch Tomoyo-san with her own game?" Nakuru did a horrible impression of Tomoyo's maniac laugh.
The small cat-like creature shook his head. "You're impossible."
Suddenly, it was then that the resounding doorbell came to their ears. Before Nakuru could even get up to answer it, they both heard footsteps and Tomoyo's voice saying, "I got it!"
"I wonder who that could be," Spinel mused as he looked towards the door leading to the hall in curiosity. We aren't expecting any guests. Did you invite a friend over again without telling us? Last time you did that, the person had almost spotted me flying in the hallway!"
He didn't hear a response. He didn't even hear a tiny retort. "Ruby Moon, what's-"
The guardian was silenced as he realized that she had finally stopped switching channels. It had landed on the news. But none of them would have ever guessed just who the breaking story was about. The title of the story flashed across the top of the screen as the camera centered on an image of a teenage boy: LIVE! Lost Li Returns.
Tomoyo stopped washing a dish as she heard a deep doorbell resounding through the mansion. She and Eriol had just started washing the dishes once again. Actually, she had used it as an excuse to stay in his house instead of heading to her own home. She knew it was wrong, but how could she help it? Besides, she felt like a happily married woman as she stood there washing dishes while Eriol slightly hugged her from behind. Occasionally, he'd even lean in to give her a peck on her cheek or neck. Tomoyo still couldn't help but giggle every time he did, even though they had been "officially" boyfriend and girlfriend for the past thirty minutes or so.
"Eriol," Tomoyo giggled as he pulled in for another quick kiss, "Don't you even care if we get these dishes all washed?"
He gave her a childish grin. "Not really."
Before she can either speak or continue rinsing the glass cup in her hand, he had taken her chin and faced her porcelain face towards him so he could capture her lips once more. He'd never get sick of this.
But paradise was rudely interrupted when the doorbell echoed through the quiet halls of the mansion. Eriol groaned and Tomoyo laughed as she turned off the faucet.
Damn doorbell. "Who could it be?" Eriol asked in frustration as he pulled a hand through his hair. "Just when we were finally getting some time alone..."
The girl just continued to laugh at his childish complaint. "Oh Eriol, there will be lots of time for that in the future."
He grinned slyly. Could that be suggesting that they'd stayed together forever...like marriage? "Wait. You mean..."
To his surprise, she didn't even blush. Instead, Tomoyo gave him a slight shrug with a smirk on her lips. Before he could further ask her any questions, she had ran into the hallway leading to the front door. He quickly followed after her.
"I got it!" Tomoyo yelled as she neared the door with Eriol close behind. She was sure that she had left him curious with her last words. But that was the point.
Opening the door, she was surprised to see her best friend wearing the beautiful pale green dress she had made for her. "Sakura-chan? What are you doing here?"
Flushed and panting, the girl looked from Tomoyo to Eriol with a confused expression. "Tomoyo-chan? What are you doing here?" Wasn't this Eriol-kun's house?
A slight blush appeared of the couple's cheeks as they let her inside. Tomoyo decided not to tell her yet though. Besides, it was fun to see if one of their friends would notice that she and Eriol were together. "It's nothing. But what are you doing here, Sakura?"
"Aren't you supposed to be on that...date?" Eriol added.
It was then that she blurted it. She just had to say it. "I love Syaoran!"
That had felt good.
Sakura watched her friends' faces change from shock to delight. "I-I was with Yukito-san and I realized it. I...love him. I love Syaoran"
Eriol was practically in hysterics. "Th-This is great news!" He grabbed her shoulders with one of the widest smiles she had ever seen. "You have to tell him, Sakura!"
Sakura nodded. She didn't bother wondering what was with their odd behavior and why they acted like they had predicted this from the start. Right now, her number one priority was to tell Syaoran. "I tried but I can't find him! I even tried calling his-"
It was then that Nakuru had run up to them from behind with Suppi sitting on top of her shoulder. The guardian stopped before them with anxiousness and frenzy written in her eyes. "E-Eriol-sama, I-I think you should see this." Without another word, she had led the confused teens into the living room where the news channel was still on the television.
"What's wrong, Na-" Tomoyo stopped in mid-sentence.
On the TV, was Li Syaoran being interviewed by a reporter as swarms of people pushed to get a glance of him. His face was pulled into a frustrated frown as the woman reporter repeatedly barraged him with questions.
"Tell us, why did you leave in the first place? Any particular reason? You had suddenly left your company without notice. Don't you realize how dangerous that is to your businesses without you to run things? Shouldn't have you at least left an explanation? Aren't you worried about your mother who has just recently been hospitalized?"
He glared into the camera as he rolled his eyes. "Don't you think you reporters have asked enough questions?" he clearly mumbled.
But the reporter ignored his comment. "Well?"
Syaoran sighed and turned his head away. "No comment. It's private business I had to take care of. Besides, the company could manage on its own for awhile. Any of my sisters are more than capable of running it."
"May I ask what this private business is about?"
He scowled, somewhat uncharacteristically of the new Syaoran, surprising everyone in Eriol's living room. "Don't you know the meaning of private?"
She still ignored it. "Who did you stay with here? Friends? Family?" She began to look at his slyly. "Or maybe there is a secret love you have here in Japan?"
He glared at her. "No comment."
"So it's true then? You're in love with a Japanese woman?"
Syaoran closed his eyes a second, forgetting that he was on international television. The amber orbs opened, revealing a hurt expression. "...No comment."
He briskly turned away as the reporter began to ask yet another question. Syaoran had been long gone before the reporter had turned back to the camera to give a final comment. "And there you have it. Cold and strange actions from a man who had been missing these past few months as his family and company slowly fall apart. Will his return to Hong Kong restore order? Or is it too late? And why did he come to Japan? More info will be found later on." The woman looked to her right as the sound of the airport's intercom came. "It's seems that his private plane had just arrived! He will be leaving Japan in only a matter of minutes."
Everyone in the room looked towards a silent Sakura who hadn't moved a muscle ever since she had stepped into the room. Her eyes were wide with shock and confusion.
Had she just seen him on television? Had she just heard that his company was crumbling? Had she just heard that Yelan-san had been hospitalized?
Why hadn't he told her?
Why was he leaving...when she had just found out that she had feelings for him?
It couldn't be true. Syaoran leaving them? She hadn't even thought of the option. Sakura had always thought that he'd be with them in Japan forever. Actually, it had felt like he had been with them forever. It felt like he had always been here, that he had never been a stranger to them.
But...he was leaving. He was leaving her...
Her world had just fallen down upon her. And when Tomoyo had placed a comforting hand on her arm, it was then that Sakura realized that all this time, she had been shaking.
She didn't want him to leave. He couldn't. H-He wouldn't do that to her.
But he was. She had no more opportunities to tell him how she felt. Sakura had lost every single one of them. The last thing she was talking to him about was how she was going to meet Yukito for a date. How would he ever find out that she loved him now?
She watched as the television fixed its sight on Syaoran's retreating back which had just entered the elevated hall which led to the plane. She just wanted to cry out them. She just wanted him to just stop walking and just run back to her.
"Syaoran-kun, wait…" she whispered helplessly.
He didn't turn around and run back. He wasn't going to stay.
But what right did she have to stop him? What right did she have to complain? His company and his mother were in trouble and China was, after all, his homeland. Why would he ever decide to stay in boring little Tomoeda?
Why was he leaving them...when she had just realized that all this time, he was the only one who had entered her heart?
Syaoran sighed as the seat belt light in his private plane went on. The plane was roomy and expensive, but it left a cold feeling on his heart. This was the plane that was going to take him away from Japan...from Sakura.
And he was in it.
He put on his seat belt as he sat on a roomy seat that had a dainty table in front. After a few minutes, he felt the plane move. He was leaving. After a slight rumble of the plane, he looked out the window as he felt the plane going upwards into the sky. The airport was becoming smaller and smaller as he rocketed into the evening sky.
Why didn't he feel any better?
Burying his head in his hands, he had to hold back a choke. The farther he went, the more he wanted to be with her. He had been wrong. No matter how far away, even if he had decided to go to the other side of the world...his heart would stay attached to her.