A/N: Wish Upon a Falling Star is slowly falling into place as it is actually nearing the ­­-gasp­- end! But it's all right! It's gonna still be funny, dramatic and fluffy…plus a twist of lemon on the side (I didn't forget!) So stay tuned!

OH YEAH ONE MORE THING!

Happy Birthday CCS' Tomoyo-chan! September 3!

Wish Upon a Falling Star

By: maixwolfblossom

-Chappie Twenty–Three-

-Finding Out the Truth-

Disclaimer: I don't own, no matter how much I wanted to try, Card Captor Sakura! CLAMP does and probably will until the end of time! Plus I don't own the song, "I Believe in Miracles" Marvin Gaye does! And that "easy" button in the Staple's commercial isn't mine either!

Recap:

Uncertain and doubtful, the pallid looking girl sobbed out in agony. Finally she came into terms with something. Maybe this feeling for Ling was nothing but to her imagination. Maybe she became confused because the shock of Xiao Lang not being able to love her was too unbearable. All she knew was that the woman that had made her fiancé feel this way, had ruined her well laid out plans. This person had destroyed and manipulated her into thinking that she was not good enough to be made Li Xiao Lang's wife. IT WAS THAT WOMAN'S ENTIRE FAULT!

Rioka contemplated, and came to this desperate conclusion. Whoever had made the icy prince crack, was going to pay in the end. Intentionally, or not.

End

The next day everything seemed quieter and unusually tense.

Well maybe not in Eriol's case.

The alarm clock rang, acknowledging that a new school day had approached for the most unusual law student. He instantly sat up at a tune playing in his radio and made his way to the bathroom, brushed his teeth, washed his face to get rid of his pimple mask, and quickly showered with a bit of singing here and there. A few minutes later, he emerged from the bathroom with his towel around his neck and his new pair of "Midnight Cherry Dream's" jeans as fresh as a daisy.

Eriol flicked through his countless designer shirts, wondering what would make the violet-eyed beauty swoon today. He found his blue button-up polo shirt and threw the towel across the room, which landed dramatically on his turned up chair, and looked at himself in the mirror as a song came on his radio alarm clock.

-I Believe in Miracles…

Where you from?-

He smirked and looked at his reflection with a look of smugness which said he was a son-of-a-gun as he mouthed the next few lines.

-You sexy thing…

(You sexy thing)-

He pulled on his polo shirt as he deliberately buttoned his shirt slowly. When he was done with that he opened his closet door to see his Tomoyo poster give him an enigmatic smile with her purple eyes staring right at him.

-I Believe in Miracles…

Since you came along-

He winked at it, closed the closet back up, and strutted out of his room not before growling at his own reflection, thinking, 'You get 'em Tiger. RAWR!'

-You sexy thing…You sexy--


Downstairs


The daily breakfast where everyone had usually had something to say to each other had disappeared completely as if no one had been awake at all that even Tomoyo and Eriol's daily cheesiness had not been able to get anyone in the mood.

Yelan felt disturbed at the thought, but kept her temper in check. As for everyone else, their minds went off into their own worlds. Then there was a commotion…

"Oh Tomoyo, your eyes are the loveliest shade of sapphire--"

Tomoyo interrupted, "Nani! My eyes are violet, Eri-boo boo boooo!" Her eyes widened suddenly as she flushed hot in anger, "Are you seeing another woman besides me!"

Now this caught everyone else's attention. If cheesiness wasn't the answer to the tension breaker, then trouble in someone's paradise did.

Eriol massaged his throat at the thought at what Tomoyo will do to him this time.

"Tomoyo dear, I have no eyes for anyone but you and your clothesline..." he soon found that it was a mistake to bring up her clothesline as he saw her eyes fill with tears.

The violet-eyed woman frowned slightly, pouted and then turned away from him, "That's all you care about, huh? My clothesline! I knew you just wanted me for my designs! How cruel can you get? Maybe you didn't want me at all!"

Sakura's mouth flew open, "Tomoyo-chan! You can't be serious…you love Eriol-kun!"

Tomoyo wiped her eyes hastily and shakily said, "I may be in love with him, but I guess it's one-sided."

Suddenly Syaoran smacked his cousin on the head, which made Eriol's head fall on his bowl of CheeriO's and milk. When his head re-emerged, it was covered with milk and a CheeriO on each side of his glasses.

"Does that make Daidouji-san feel better?" Syaoran smiled with a slight evil glint hidden in its depth.

Tomoyo nodded her head with a little giggle. Eriol frowned and he popped his collar to show that he still had his dignity intact.

Everyone else laughed until someone came in for breakfast. Sakura turned to see her friend, Rioka, haughtily walking in with a look that she meant business. Sakura did not know what that 'business' was of yet, but she knew that it would come out sooner or later.

Again, the tension came fuming back into the room and all the silliness seemed to not exist at all. All the young ladies and gentlemen were dressed and ready to go to school or work as they scooted out of their seats, leaving Rioka by her lone self.

Syaoran was the last person to grimly walk away from the breakfast table, when he heard Rioka's soft murmur of a voice that brought a chill to his bones.

"Li Xiao Lang, I promise you…I will find this woman who has filled your mind with nonsense and make her pay for what damage she almost caused for our soon-to-be announced engagement. That's a vow that I'm surely going to keep."

Syaoran merely shrugged and walked out of the room, not wasting his words on the woman he had so much pity for but sadly did no longer love.


In the Hall


"But Tomoyo…I love you!" Eriol pulled her aside from the parlor and tipped her chin.

Tomoyo swatted his hand away making a noise, which indicated that she did not believe a word he just said. She took a few steps away from him as he followed her like a lap dog.

"So…you treat her better than me, huh? I hear it every night—Don't you dare deny it!" Tomoyo interrupted when Eriol opened his mouth, "Hmm…I can see it all, the romance between you two is uncanny. You have that sparkle in your eye that says it all after a night with her. For months I wondered why I even bothered when you sometimes could not just get out of your room. Now I know that—that woman, she has sapphire eyes!"

Eriol had grown tired of her babbling and hated seeing her upset. Tomoyo noticed his distraction and stood up immediately not waiting for his retaliation, but as soon as she did, she fell in a deep dip, which startled her. She looked up at burning azure eyes.

"Tomoyo-chan," now this was unusual to see such seriousness lying in Eriol's eyes, but here she was witnessing a thing she had never seen from her goofy boyfriend, "You may think I'm fickle…but…There is only you… and that's all I need."

The last thing Tomoyo remembered was Eriol's lips crashing down in hers in a sweet kiss.


University of Hong Kong


Eriol ran into his class late, his hair was in disarray, flying everywhere, which shocked Syaoran and even the whole class for Eriol was a fashion icon.

Their first period teacher, Shuichiro-sensei, raised an inquiring brow at her student.

"And just what do you think you're doing coming in late this morning, uh…Hiiragizawa-san?" The woman softly spoke.

Eriol thought of something but dismissed it, for he didn't want to get in trouble for what he was about to blurt as he stopped himself from saying it. Instead of that, Eriol choose to say, "Well I did not mean nothing by being late, Shuichiro-sensei. He then bowed and left to his seat.

Syaoran squinted his eyes he had thought that Eriol would retort with one of those weird comments he made every morning, but dismissed the thought as their sensei continued taking roll call. He had found it best if Sakura and he had spent less time together. During this time apart, he found himself giving up his position as Chairman of his company and running away with his Cherry Blossom. He smiled at the thought, but shuddered to think of who would hold the position if he did not. His second cousin, Zhu Lin, was in close range in taking the power of Li-miya Corporations and how greedy his cousin had seem when he found out that if Syaoran had denied his responsibilities, that he would take the money and power.

No…he didn't want that to happen. So there had to be a way from him to love someone and keep his inheritance with it. Syaoran looked to the other side of his class and saw emerald eyes stare back at him, but they hid as soon as their eyes met. He smiled at the slight blush that blossomed from her cheeks.

One wish on that falling star that one cold night had resulted in this adventure and he was sure he wanted to end it all in his terms, which was a happy ending...a life together. He diverted his attention back to his college professor and noticed that his cousin and best friend, Eriol, was off to dreamland.


The city lights were bright out in the late evening as Eriol enjoyed a bottle of his finest champagne in a black stretch limo alone, exploring the town in every aspect. A few blocks down the road caused Eriol to look back to see three of the most extraordinary beautiful ladies that had walked around town.

-I Believe in Miracles…

Where you from?-

"I like it…I likie…" he had whispered. Eriol motioned the driver to slow down, as he rolled down his window.

-You sexy thing…(You sexy Thing)-

"Hey, how are you lovely ladies doing? Care for a ride?" he winked and gave them a charming smile that would make a horde of girls swoon.

One of the girls walked to him and purred seductively, "Oh, you strong looking man...do you have car insurance?"

-I Believe in Miracles

Since you came along

You sexy thing…-

"Well, I--" Eriol rose a brow until a voice surprised him.

"Why Hiiragizawa Eriol! I never!" Eriol quickly looked inside his limo and saw with horrified eyes, seeing that Tomoyo had been his chauffer all along.

"Oh no! Tomoyo, dear…AHH--"

The next thing he knew he was thrown back in his seat as they were speeding down the streets of Hong Kong.

"Oh dear Kami-sama! I'M SORRY FOR MY SINS!"

-YOu Sexy thing--

-record screeches to a sudden halt-


A ruler was slapped in front of Eriol's desk as Eriol opened his eyed to find that he was indeed not in a city with his heart racing in the back seat with his girlfriend driving.

"Well, now, Hiiragizawa…since you just seem to have woken up…Please answer the question on the board."

Eriol quickly jammed his finger under his desk trying to find a way out of this one, but he found no "EASY" button, 'Damn! That kid from that Staple's commercial was wrong again!'

"Mr. Hiiragizawa! What on earth are you doing?"

Eriol's what he thought was his best friend and cousin said loudly, "Oh…Eriol, you naught boy! Were you calming down your 'mushroom' in school again and in class too!"

Eriol turned a bright shade of pink and stuck his hand under the desk while shaking his head frantically, "Uh no! I wasn't doing that! I just wanted some…some…uh gum! Yeah! GUM!" Eriol scrapped around under his table and found a hairy piece of gum, which he ate and made the class groan in disgust.

Syaoran, on the other hand, smirked appreciatively as Eriol mouthed the words, 'I'm gonna get you back.'


Later in the Day


Eriol grumbled on and on about the unfortunate things that had happened earlier. Sakura giggled nervously as she looked at Tomoyo. The violet-eyed woman was still a bit confused of what had occurred that day.

Each walked together to have their lunch break when Rioka came across all four of them. She looked sullen, but she smiled at Sakura and Tomoyo kindly.

"Oh…Sakura-chan…Tomoyo-chan…Would you like to join me for lunch out? I'm buying." She held up her purse. Sakura gave a guilty smile, knowing the things she had done wrong to her friend by being with an engaged man, which happened to belong to her childhood friend.

Tomoyo had that uneasy laugh that meant that she was thinking about the same thing that Sakura had.

Sakura gave a wide smile and said nicely, "Oh sure Rioka-chan! But you don't need to treat us. We'll gladly pay for our own. Just give us a ride to where you wanted to go."

Tomoyo and Sakura awkwardly walked with Rioka out of the campus to the parking lot.

Syaoran and Eriol stood there just watching them go.

Syaoran sighed, "Sakura's braver to face that woman more than I am. Maybe she should've been a man…" He suddenly realized how weird that sounded and reprimanded what he said, "Nah, she's fine being a girl…but I can't keep her waiting like this. She's been wonderful and the elders…"

Eriol knew that he should forget about revenge for a while and give his cousin a restful mind.

"Well Xiao Lang, there's only one way to resolve this…"

Syaoran nodded his head slowly then asked, "And what was that again?"

"It's…"


"Sushi and Udon!"

Sakura's eyes glinted as she said her thanks with Tomoyo and Rioka, "ITADAKIMASU!" (Let's eat!)

Rioka and the two other girls were sitting in a Japanese restaurant, eating a bit of Udon and sushi on the side.

"Tomoyo-chan, I know that you've been busy with business--"

Tomoyo shook her head as she swallowed her food and spoke, "Oh no, Rioka-chan, Sakura and I have taken a long deserved break from the fashion world until next season."

The neon-green eyed girl widened her eyes, as she could not contain her excitement as the next question made Sakura and Tomoyo choke on their food.

"Then would you please do me the honor of being my seamstress for my wedding to Xiao Lang?"

Tomoyo drank from her water and calmed her insides down, "Nani! (What)"


"Yes Syaoran, you heard me…I said Rock, Paper, Scissors!"

Syaoran gave Eriol a murderous glare, "You really are helpless."

He looked at Eriol and knew that his best friend was serious that it made him laugh.

Eriol trailed after him and put out his fist, "Come on! If I win, you marry Rioka. If you win, run away with Sakura."

Syaoran contemplated this thought but thought better than playing with destiny,"Let's just get some lunch before the next class starts, alright?"

But Eriol just held out his fist, telling Syaoran that it was their best bet on finding out that if Sakura was really right for him.

"I don't get it…that's how I choose when I waspicking over Tomoyo a--"


"--nd Sakura…would you do me the honor one of my bridesmaid along with Tomoyo, of course?"

Each girl on the other side of Rioka had their eyes bulging out of their sockets. Now their guilt had tripled. Rioka grinned whole-heartedly, "I knew you would!"

Sakura made a futile attempt to smile and said, "uh…yeah…yeah…we'd love too. Tomoyo elbowed Sakura worriedly, but Sakura ignored it for the rest of lunchtime.

After they paid their lunch and made their way back to the school campus with worried looks from Sakura and Tomoyo.

When they bid farewell to Rioka, Tomoyo pulled Sakura to a corner and whispered fiercely, "Are you mad! Don't you think that you'll be hurt when you agree to accept this bridesmaid thing? It's like accepting their marriage with open arms!"

Sakura held her hand up and smiled brokenly, "If Syaoran cannot become Li Clan leader and have the Li-miya company because of me, then I will gladly give him to Rioka. His family needs him more than me. It's only right. I think I'll say goodbye to him today."

Tomoyo sighed and hugged her best friend, "Why do you have to be so nice and unlucky…"

"Zetai Daijoubu (Everything will be alright for sure)! I promise…" Sakura had said this many times before when growing up together and each time she did, it calmed Tomoyo all at once.

Tomoyo smiled slightly, "Better get back to class or else…"

"You know what, Tomoyo? The funniest thing happened this morning during my first period class..." Sakura smirked as they skipped to their next lesson, "And it has to do with your dearest, Eriol-kun."

She nodded slowly and smiled, "Oh really?"


"-and paper Tomoyo…wait…why did I say sapphire eyes instead of violet when both Tomoyo and the poster are supposed to be replicas of each other?" Eriol had thought outloud.

Syaoran groaned nosily over his ramen noodles, not hearing a single word that Eriol had just muttered, "Are you still going on about that 'Rock, Paper, Scissors' thing? Because you know that is not how it works…"

Eriol choose to ignore his cousin and thought back to early in the morning at home, but his mind was fogged up. The bell rang, indicating that they had six minutes to make it to their next classes. Syaoran threw his bowl away and went out of the cafeteria vicinity as the navy-haired man concentrated on why he had said 'sapphire' instead of 'violet'.


At Home


Tomoyo walked inside the mansion doors and smiled benignly at Eriol, "You know I heard the cutest thing about you. Somewhere along the lines of you drooling on your desk, dreaming and the oddest thing about a mushroom."

Her boyfriend sweated under the pressure that she had probably conferred with someone over this, which was most likely Sakura-chan or worse…

'Damn you, Syaoran! If it was you…ohhh…you are so going to pay!'

He covered his rage and embarrassment with a slight look of confusion, "What are you talking about, hunny bunny? I haven't done anything to be accused of such a thing."

Eriol knew she didn't believe him when she rolled her eyes and then said..."Oh come on! It's already all over school! Just be a man and admit it!"

The azure-eyed man fell to the floor, troubled that now all of his classmates knew what he had done that morning and how it damaged his reputation greatly…not that he had a great one…

"Pathetic." A deep voice bellowed from the doorway.

Eriol got on his feet, "Hello Xiao Lang," He then walked away from his housing rival and scampered off to the kitchens to find a carton of ice cream screaming his name.

It was quiet in the house, after a few slamming of the doors and squeaks of slippers scurrying across the rooms. Syaoran made his way to the sitting room and switched on his television that had breaking news.

"I am Xiu Shui Winh reporting from the states! I bring you live where we have spotted that Li Xiao Lang's fans have made it to Hawaii! It seems they are persistent to thinking that the Li-miya heir has traveled in this direction. Although, we all know that he is safely in Hong Kong, China and—HEY GIVE ME THAT BACK!"

A rampage of girls, who just heard that Syaoran was in Hong Kong, ranted and practically swiped the poor news anchorwoman's microphone out of her hand.

"LI XIAO LANG IS MINE! HE IS MINE! LI XIAO LANG IS MINE! HE IS MIIIINE!" Each girl sang the same song, each time it was getting louder until they all yelled, "WE'RE COMING BACK XIAO LANG!"

Syaoran rolled his eyes and felt pity that the woman who was assigned to do this story had been very unfortunate to come across these crazed fans. He turned off the television, not liking how the riot of how he was not going all over the country, which he did not like at all because soon all of those girls will be camped out on his lawn once again.

Yelan quietly entered the room and stared at her son, when she spoke he jumped high, "Xiao Lang?"

"Yes mother..." he stood immediately.

She moved to the front of the sofa and said in a quiet voice, "Wei has taken the liberty of retiring as your martial arts master. He will no longer train you, so you have to train by yourself."

Syaoran was startled at the sudden news, "May I ask why he retired early?"

His mother sat with a sweeping grace of her skirts and said indifferently, "He just has unfinished business to deal with. Nothing big or serious, I think he is taking a break to spend time with his grandchildren..."

The little wolf nodded and bowed to his mother to show that he was leaving. When he looked back, he saw his mother crack a smile at the television as he inwardly shuddered since he knew that she had stumbled upon his 'fans'.


Eriol


He sighed after that big tub of ice cream and made his way back to his room as moody as ever. Now that he finally had the time, Eriol would find out whether or not he had been mistaken the eye color of his beloved Tomoyo-dearest! He opened his closet, expecting to find violet eyes staring back at him and found...AMBER EYES!

"Waitaminute!...Oh! It's just Xiao Lang's self portrait poster...how did it get here?" Eriol scratched his head and pushed the poster aside. "There we go..."

Eriol smiled and looked at the Tomoyo image from bottom to top and looked at her eyes and found them to be...SAPPHIRE!

"ARGAGWAAAAAA! I PAID THOUSANDS ON A FAKE!" he had roared for everyone to hear.

What Eriol didn't know was that the real Tomoyo was behind his bedroom door, for she had stole Eriol's precious paper Tomoyo days ago, which she had hidden in storage just so her Eriol would go ballastic for all the nights he had spent so romantically with. She smirked and covered her mouth from booming, 'OHOHOHOHOH' and tip-toed back into her room, "That will show him not to miss with me..."


Sakura


The open balcony doors welcomed the cool breeze as the auburn-haired girl threw another piece of paper out of the window, absently. She felt so bored just sitting in her room and her mind was in such a messy situation, not knowing how to let go the man she had fallen head-over-heels with. She had always been unselfish...well except the time she had fallen into one of those depressions and made everyone worry about her. Sakura had thought she would cry at the thought, but surprisingly her eyes and cheeks remained as dry as the smooth surface of the paper on her desk.

All that remained was a burning pain within her body, an emotion fighting its way out but struggling to keep itself from showing. She swallowed that feeling, yet it did her no good. Only more of it made it harder to breathe. Yes...she had admit, she was truly, madly, deeply in love with the Li Clan heir, but she cared for his future more and it would be selfish of her to keep him from his own destiny. Sakura knew he was prime in the business world and would surpass anything to get his money's worth. She was not worth losing this opportunity and she would probably remain to be undoubtly in love with him for all time.

And there was the issue with Rioka...her dear childhood friend left to fend for herself and the baby. Sakura closed her eyes knowing that it was best to leave her good friend in the hands of Syaoran, afterall, she was Syaoran's first love. Maybe when they get married, they would fall back in love? Just the thought made Sakura's throat burn, slowly making its way to her eyes and the tears seemed to spill over.

"Aishiteru, Syaoran-kun (I Love You)...itsumo (always)..." Sakura cried softly, hoping no one had heard her.

There was a knock at her door as she wiped her tears hastily, hoping her eyes weren't red and puffy. She answered for whoever to come in and found it wasa certain amber-eyed man that her thoughts had been on since the engagement was made final.

"Sakura-chan..." Syaoran said, not noticing that she had been crying, which wasa good thing for her. He made long strides to reach her and cupped her chin in his hands. He felt his hands tremble, not even less than a day had passed and yet he did not want to be away from her. That was how much importance she had on him. She was like a magnet to him...no--she was like a moth to a flame, he the moth and she the flame. He wanted to feel her kisses on his lips and that's just what he did...

Lips connected and instantly they both felt whole. Each burned with a hunger, a greater need that consumed their beings and overpowered their souls. Sakura felt her heartrate quicken as she wrapped her arms around his neck and Syaoran had his around her waist. Then when they were satisfied, they both let go and hugged.

Sakura swatted the thought of breaking it off with Syaoran now and every thought fled from her mind that she was commiting a sin and betraying a good friend.


Rioka had just thought of a perfect bonding plan for a girl's night out and made her way to Sakura's room to see if she approved. When she stopped near Sakura's room, she had heard noises. Now Rioka was not usually a nosey person, but at this moment, she couldn't resist the urge. She took a peek through the door, which was wide open to see...SAKURA HUGGING XIAO LANG!

"Wo Ai Ni, Ying Fa..." (I Love You, Cherry Blossom)

Shock was written all over the girl who had just witnessed her fiance professing his love for her friend and that Sakura had not pulled away, but horrifyingly kissed Syaoran. Not taking any more of the scene, Rioka slid against the wall and shook her head.

'This can't be happening? My good friend? Sakura? The sweetest girl I've ever met in love with Syaoran?' she had thought this was absurd and suddenly shock turned into a green anger bubbling inside and the next thing Rioka knew, she was plotting revenge against her ex-friend...


A/N: And that's where I leave you! LOL MUAHAHA...so finally the truth has been revealed to the one and only Rioka! So until next time, my pretties! REVIEW!

Thanks to: chikichiki, Sakura Blossom-Cilia-85, Sakura Mei Yunalesca, armageddonangel, Kawaii Karren, SilverLunarStar (Always love your reviews, they make me laugh!), MzEvilBlossoms (OMG, I'm touched! Thank you for saying what you said!), Melinda Raj Morna, free-yeeyoo (I make you cry? I hope that's a good thing...LOL), divinedragon7,bludtherstEw0lf, Rushi Star, cherriblossomxz, someone, lexyV105, 1-2-3-sakura-3-2-1, spike-563259, Cherry Sweet-Heart...

THANK YOU ALLLLLL! LOVE YOU! NOW review!