Of all the messy, embarrassing situations I've got myself into, this one definitely took the cake. Alone in a house with Li Syaoran…most girls would have died to be in my place right now, but then this situation was different…very different. Now a talk about that 'was-that-a-kiss' incident was inevitable. But maybe I could avoid it if I just ran out of the door, without him noticing…
"What- why are you here?"
I was surprised at the sudden question. "Huh?"
"I mean- you- you've never come to Eriol's house before, right? What are you doing here?" Syaoran was frowning, and it made me a bit nervous.
"I- he called me here." I said quietly.
"Oh." He looked away. "So where's Eriol?"
"Umm…he's gone to buy milk."
"Milk? Then why did he call me here?" His expression was of confusion.
I blinked. "He did?"
"Yeah, just 15 minutes back. He called me up and said he had an 'emergency situation' on his hands and wanted me to come as quickly as possible…"
"WHAT?" I exclaimed. He called Syaoran? I immediately remembered the phone call Eriol had made, a few minutes before staring to make 'tea'. I couldn't hear who he was talking to and I didn't pay much attention at that time.
Finally it all fit. Eriol- that scheming, evil, conniving wstrkf! He had deliberately brought me here, called Syaoran here as well, and gone off to 'buy milk'. And that's what he had meant by saying 'making up to Tomoyo'. So this is how he wanted to make up to her…by setting me up with…
"Is something wrong?"
I saw Syaoran's amber eyes watching me. "No, he…umm…should be coming any moment." I said, but really didn't believe it myself- I suspected Eriol would not come until Tuesday morning.
"Oh, fine. Then I'll wait." He shrugged and sat down on the sofa.
I stood there, still deciding whether to sit down and risk coming face to face with Syaoran, or go into the kitchen and try to make tea or grab Kero and dash through the door.
"So are you just going to stand there?" Syaoran's question made me feel extremely stupid. He however, was smiling lightly.
"No, I-uh…" I decided to keep my mouth shut and mechanically sat down beside him, avoiding his gaze
"Why did he call you here, by the way?" he asked me.
I looked at him. "He-er-said he wanted to show me something." I answered, inwardly thinking how stupid that sounded.
"Show you something?" Was I imagining it or was his voice sounding slightly…jealous? Don't be stupid Sakura, I thought, you're just imagining things. Why would he be jealous? It's not like he likes you or anything.
I tried to change the subject. "Did Eriol tell you he and Tomoyo had a fight?"
"Yeah…but he didn't tell me why they fought. Did he tell you?
I nodded. "I…" He looked at me questioningly, expecting me to tell him the reason, and I inwardly cursed myself for bringing it up. The answer was of course that he had told Tomoyo that she was obsessed about seeing me and you as a couple. And now he has called you and me together, to make up for what he said.
But of course I couldn't say that to Syaoran. So I said, "Eriol- umm- called Tomoyo fat…yeah…" I inwardly flinched at my pathetic lie.
Syaoran blinked. "He called her fat? But why would he say that?"
I shrugged, trying to be casual, but failing miserably. At least I could be thankful that we had not started talking about the 3-sec-kiss-incident and the silent treatment that had followed it… which made me wonder why he was talking to me almost normally now…
Anyway, Syaoran seemed to have believed the story I had made up about Eriol and Tomoyo's fight. He rested his chin on his hand and seemed to be thinking something. A few very awkward moments of silence passed.
"So…"
"So…"
"Umm…I-er…" Syaoran began, a slight pink tinge on his cheeks. He looked directly at me, elbows resting on his knees and head between his hands. He almost looked vulnerable in that position, like he was trying to find words to say something. "I'm sorry," he finally said sighing.
"Huh?" Whatever different things I had imagined him to say, this was not one of them. He was apologizing? "Why?" I blurted out.
He looked surprised at my question. "Well…I'm sorry about that…" he blushed, "about that…stolen kiss…"
I blinked. Once. Twice. "Eh?" was all I managed.
He looked down. "I don't know what came over me that time. Maybe it was because I've been so lonely for such a long time. And then when I realised what I had done, I felt so bad. I couldn't just kiss a girl like that, out of the blue. I knew you would be angry… so I ran away. And I just couldn't face you after that…"
This time I blinked thrice. I was still trying to process what he had said. I felt my cheeks warming when the full meaning of his words set in. So the kiss hadn't been a mistake- he had kissed me knowingly. "So all this time you've been avoiding me because you thought I hated you for kissing me without my permission?"
He nodded, still looking down.
"Not because you find me repulsive?"
This time he looked up at me, and stared. "Why would I think you're repulsive?"
"I…well…er…thought you didn't like me. I thought you kissed me by mistake."
"How can one kiss another by mistake?" I saw a hint of a smile on his face. "So you aren't angry at me for…?" he trailed off.
I shook my head and he seemed visibly relieved. "So all this time it's just been a stupid misunderstanding." He said, now smiling fully.
I felt my heart-beat rise. Syaoran had kissed me purposefully, not by mistake. And he had been avoiding me thinking that I was angry with him. So did that mean that I had a chance- did he like me…?
"You know, both Eriol and Tomoyo are right. We are pretty dense." He chuckled and I smiled.
Say it, Sakura, say it. Say that you have a crush on him. This is the best opportunity. A voice inside me said. I gulped, gathering all the courage I had. "Syaoran, I…I didn't mind that you…kissed me..."
"Really?" The surprise and relief in his voice was so evident that I felt my confidence returning.
I nodded. "But I'm angry at you for one thing…" I continued. "Because of you my first kiss lasted for only 3 seconds."
He stared at me. Then he laughed and I felt a familiar jolt near my stomach. "So I was your first kiss?" he asked and I nodded. "I'm glad," he said. "because I find you different from those shallow girls who keep following me around. I like you Sakura." He came closer. "Does that bother you?"
I shook my head and he smiled. I shivered- was he going to kiss me now? Not that I minded…
He gently held a stray lock of hair falling onto my face and tucked it behind my ear. Then he looked directly into my eyes.
"Oh, kiss me already!" I said impatiently, and I immediately widened my eyes when I realised that I had said it out loud. He chuckled at my outburst, and I cursed myself for ruining the moment. "Well, I- I like you too Syaoran." There. I had done it. I had finally said it. That too at Eriol's house, of all places.
'Eriol' immediately reminded me of something. I got up suddenly and headed towards the kitchen. "Sakura?" I heard Syaoran ask in confusion. "Its nothing, I wanted to check something." I replied. I went and opened the fridge. "I knew it!" I exclaimed.
Syaoran came up behind me. "You knew what?"
"That there is milk in here!" I pointed, and sure enough- on one of the racks were kept two bottles full of milk. "This was all a plan of Eriol to set us up!"
Syaoran frowned. "Oh I see." Then suddenly he smiled and closed the door of the fridge. "But I'd say the plan worked pretty well didn't it?"
And before I knew what was happening, his lips were on mine. I froze for a moment before I started kissing him back. 1…2…3 seconds and still he didn't break the kiss, and I felt my heart-beat quicken. His arms gently held my waist and drew me closer and mine went around his neck.
It was a soft, shy kiss. It was two lonely people trying to reach out and explore each other. And even though it might not have been the perfect kiss, I had never felt so happy.
Finally he gently broke the kiss, and looked at me. "Did that make up for that disastrous attempt a week back, Sakura?" he asked.
I smiled and rested my head against his chest. "Syaoran?"
"Hmm?"
"Call me Ying Fa."