Hello my lovely, wonderful readers! Here's an update from the dead; yes, I felt dead for some strange reason. Mood swings? I don't knowww... XP …Anyways, hope everyone had a super duper fun Christmas and New Year! Thank you guys SO MUCH for your reviews. I appreciate the kind words and encouragements! You're delightful reviews made me write some more, so I'll be rewarding this chapter to you guys! I hope you love—or at least—like it.

Disclaimer: I do NOT own CCS. What would make you think that I do? I think I'll stop putting these horrid things up; I've made my point, haven't I?

Release My Soul

Chapter 3: Releasing the Beginning

Sakura's ears responded to a seemingly remote beeping sound the next morning, awakening her senses and pulling her out of her peaceful slumber. As she stirred in her warm, comfortable bed, the repetitive noise grew audibly stronger. It did not stop however, and she could hear it awfully clearly as if it sounded right beside her sensitive ears. Sakura buried her head into her pillow and covered her ears to try to avoid the exasperating noise, but it was still audible. Sakura shut her eyes tighter and placed the pillow over her head. Jeez, what the heck was that aggravating reverberation? It was driving her nuts! It sounded like an alarm clock, but she did not recall turning the alarm on. Sakura's hand slipped out the bed sheets and felt around the nightstand to turn that pesky alarm off. Argh, where is it? Soon Sakura felt her fingers come in contact with something warm. Sakura was surprised and started to stroke her fingers on it, curious to know what it was. The surface was very smooth and warm, though a bit rough at some spots. Her fingers reached an edge, so she felt around more. Whatever she was touching twitched slightly, so her hand stopped. After a moment, Sakura began to realize what it was. Her eyes opened from underneath the pillow in shock. It—it felt like…skin!

Sakura's head jerked up and saw a horrible sight. Her hand had cupped the chin of none other than Li Syaoran, who was smirking at her very entertainingly while holding the continuously beeping alarm clock.

"HOEEEE!" Sakura released her hand from him and jumped back, almost jumping off the opposite side of the bed. "L-Li!"

Syaoran laughed and shut off the alarm. He placed the clock on the nightstand and turned to Sakura. "Wow, that was unexpected." He retraced the movements of Sakura's fingers on his face with his own fingers. "Who knew you could caress skin so well?"

"You—you—you…IDIOT! I was NOT caressing your skin!" Sakura stammered in annoyance, throwing one of the pillows at him. "What the hell where you trying to do?"

"Hey! Wait a minute! Take it easy!" Syaoran ducked before it hit him. "You were the one touching my face!"

Sakura shot a death glare at him. "What were you doing here in my room in the first place?"

"I was just trying to wake you up."

Sakura glanced at the clock. "AT SIX THIRTY IN THE MORNING?"

"Shh! People are still sleeping you know."

"And I'm supposed to join them!"

Syaoran shook his head. "No, you are not. It's time to start training."

"Training? This early?"

He paused. "Well, no. It's actually supposed to start at six o'clock, but it took you so long to get up. I started ringing the alarm at six, and you didn't even realize it was on until about seven minutes ago. You sure are slow."

"That's because I sleep in on the mornings, like most normal people!" Sakura slipped into the bed covers. "Ugh, I'm going back to sleep."

Syaoran grabbed her shoulder. "No, we have to start warming up."

"No, you can start warming up. I'm going back to sleep." Sakura shook his hand off and hid her head inside the comforter.

"Sakura…" she ignored him, so Syaoran shook her lightly. "Sakura…" he repeated.

Sakura cuddled within the soft bedspread, becoming familiar with its warmth once again. She shut her eyes and listened for Syaoran. It fell quiet and Sakura presumed he left the room in surrender. Good, she thought contentedly.

She was on the verge on falling back to sleep when she felt two strong hands slip under her body and lift her up. Syaoran placed one arm under her knees and the other on her back. Sakura opened her mouth, letting out an instinctive scream. The young man winced at the abrupt shrill that echoed in the room. Frowning, he inched his face toward hers.

"I told you to be quiet." He whispered in a low voice.

Sakura's eyes widened as she felt his hot breath puff onto her face. She could not move. It seemed the sands of time hesitated for a moment, and she could imagine the world freeze before her eyes, losing its rotation for a split second. She sat stiffly in his arms, staring into his passionate golden eyes. The warm eyes entranced Sakura, luring her into his soul, his very being. Gazing intently into his amber orbs, she was able to identify several different emotions. Irritation, sympathy, desperation, mystification…she saw them all, once she concentrated enough.

Syaoran searched through the peculiar emerald orbs that bore into his. Those extraordinary eyes…they were so complex and difficult, to say the least. As he stared into her green irises, he felt like he was being pulled deeper into her heart, but an intricate maze ceased him from going further. There was neither a map nor any clues to unlock the core of her soul; all there was were thousands and thousands of paths leading nowhere. But as he continued to dig deeper, he could see a vague flash of…fear.

Sakura saw his shock. He snapped his head back, and Sakura could swear she witnessed the pupils of his eyes shrink for a brief second. He set her down on the bed gently and shut his eyelids momentarily. Sighing, he ran his bony fingers through his silky, disheveled hair. His gaze darted throughout the room, settling on everything but her; he just could not set his eyes upon her, even if he tried. Syaoran finally turned around and told her, "Just change. I'll be waiting downstairs."

Sakura parted her lips to reply, but no sound came out. She still attempted to release even the tiniest peep, but the effort was futile. Her face displayed a bewildered expression. "…Li?"

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Syaoran had his back lean on the front door. His arms were crossed, and he looked down intently at the white marble floor. Kinomoto Sakura…the young woman was unpredictable, to put it plainly. Syaoran was always very perceptive, always having the sharpest eye. One look into someone's eyes, and he could tell their true emotions. But with her…her bright eyes revealed nothing, shutting the doors to her inner soul. Those eyes uncovered no sentiment, only a certain hollowness and tediousness. Everything about her appearance was unfathomable. She hid her feelings from him, very rarely letting something slip. She was exceptionally excellent at it as well. She kept all her personal emotions and secrets locked inside of her, never to be exposed.

The edge of Syaoran's lips tugged downward. There were also the four little words his mother said. Four little words that kept repeating in his head. Be careful with her. Why? Perhaps the caution had something to do with it. After all, she—

His thoughts were interrupted with light footsteps. Syaoran lifted his head and saw Sakura descend the stairs leisurely. Her shoulder-length hair had been tied up, and she wore dark blue sweatpants with a matching jacket. She bore a blank expression until she reached Syaoran. They stared at each other in silence for a few moments. Biting her bottom lip, Sakura uneasily asked, "A-ano…Li…are—are you okay?"

Syaoran changed his look into astonishment. Sakura said something…sympathetic? That was new, and surprising as well. "Err—yeah. I'm all right." He stood up properly and turned the doorknob. "Let's go."

Sakura nodded and sighed inwardly as she passed through the door. Yes, she had to ask it. She felt a small pang of guilt back in her room. She wasn't sure why she felt it or what she had done to make Syaoran behave like that in the first place, but something mused her to say something…anything to Syaoran.

Syaoran stared at her back and could not help but smile. Sakura was nothing but surprises; there was always something unforeseen in her. She amused him very much, in ways he never knew he could be entertained. Teasing the short-tempered girl was always enjoyable too. Perhaps…he could just taunt her a little for his own pleasure.

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"LI!" Sakura shouted furiously. Beads of sweat poured out from her tiny pores, cooling her heated face. Her chest fell and rose rapidly. She could feel the frosty air fly past her. Sakura gasped for breath every second, desperate for some oxygen to reach her lungs. Her face was crimson, not only from the exercise but from anger as well.

Syaoran was in front of her, running backwards. He was merely jogging, and Sakura was sprinting. He cackled a bit, visibly amused. "Wow, you sure are out of shape."

Sakura grunted heavily, almost out of breath. "I'm aware of that; the only exercising I've been doing was on the ice. Now shut up. If it wasn't for you and your dumb threats, I wouldn't be doing this."

Syaoran smiled. Being her usual obstinate self, Sakura at first refused to run. In return, Syaoran would promise a few more months to stay at the Li mansion, thus resulting in a very reluctant Sakura participating in his training. "It's not my fault; I had to say something to get your stubborn attitude to cooperate. And you had better pick up your pace. You'll never catch me to end the practice at the speed you are currently at."

"SHUT UP! Why do we have to run outside anyways?" Sakura wiped the perspiration off her forehead and pushed away the moistened strands of hair sticking to the side of her cheeks.

"Why are you complaining? You've got a jacket on, and you're sweating, which means you are at least warm. Besides, the cool air is refreshing to a heated body. Plus, you should be glad it isn't snowing. I also have to get you back in shape, since you obviously aren't very fit presently."

Sakura clenched her teeth and sprinted faster. Syaoran's practice session was similar to a game of tag. Sakura reached out to catch Syaoran, but he was too quick. He dodged her hand and began to accelerate. She wished she could stop running but knew that if she did, Syaoran would just keep jogging, widening the gap between them. Sakura groaned. "Li! Can't you at least run a little slower?"

Syaoran tapped his chin, pretending to think. "Hmm…no."

"Why not?"

"It's fun seeing you like this."

"BAKA!"

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Meiling opened her eyes lazily and let out a soft yawn. She rubbed her eyelids as her bare feet stepped onto the carpet. Hearing the short tweeting of the birds, Meiling smiled as she opened the satin cherry curtains of her room, consenting a fresh, new luminosity to enter the room. The immeasurable sky was a pale gray, but it wasn't snowing. Even a few rays of sunlight managed to peek through the clouds, shining tenderly on some parts of Tokyo. She left her room and stretched her arms and legs while walking through the hallway. She ambled across Syaoran's open door and noticed the bed was already made. She passed Sakura's room as well. Seeing it empty, Meiling concluded they must be out doing Syaoran's "warm-up training." She should know, for she too had gone through it. I hope Kinomoto-chan survives.

Meiling bounced down the stairs, feeling happy for some odd reason. She entered the kitchen, her stomach grumbling persistently. She poured water into a teapot and left it sitting on the stove to boil. She started to hum a sweet tune as she waited for the water to fully bubble. She snatched a tea packet and teacup and set it on the table. Meiling wondered what Syaoran was doing to Sakura. Syaoran most likely started with his "you catch me, we stop running" tactic. With her, Meiling caught him after sprinting seven blocks with him. Her cousin was quite the sprinter, very swift and flexible. Who knows how Sakura was holding out? Probably banging a hammer after him. Meiling raised a brow. Their new guest arose a new character in Syaoran. After living with Syaoran for practically his entire life, Meiling had to admit she never saw him like that. Syaoran was always exceedingly reserved, professional, and courteous. Sure, she observed that some things amused Syaoran, but only to a certain extent. He probably made his remarks about Sakura to put her down in place, since she wasn't exactly the compliant kitten. Although…Meiling perceived a tint of enjoyment whenever he looked at Sakura. Meiling wasn't sure how to react to his new side, except interested.

The pot produced a piercing noise, bringing Meiling back to reality. She turned off the stove and poured the hot water into the teacup. She inhaled the wonderful herbal aroma and took a small sip. The stimulating liquid trailed down her dehydrated throat, arousing her senses. "Ahh…that's better." She sighed pleasingly.

Midway through her second sip, she heard a door unlock. Oh! It must be them. Meiling swallowed the tea and placed it back on the table. She walked out the room to greet the two. "Hey! Welcome ba—" she ceased her sentence.

Sakura was all red and showed signs of exhaustion and unhappiness. She collapsed to her knees as soon as she entered the house and breathed heavily. Syaoran loomed over the weary girl, wearing a small smile on his lips. "Nice run today, Sakura."

Sakura put on a pouted face. "Nyeh…I don't want to do this anymore…"

Meiling quickly took a dry towel from one of the nearby closets. "Here." She said, holding it in front of Sakura, who accepted it and wiped off her cold sweat. "How far did you guys run?"

"About fifteen blocks." Syaoran answered.

"Fifteen? She caught you after fifteen blocks?"

He paused. "Um, no. I decided end it after fifteen; she wasn't going to catch me anyways." He grinned at Sakura and whispered to Meiling, "But you know, I was running faster than usual."

"What?" Meiling asked in a barely audible voice.

But Syaoran ignored the inquiry and listened to Sakura's latest complaint. "You should have seen him!" Sakura burst out uncontrollably. "He was continually taunting me throughout the whole thing! He kept going on and on, saying how I "had a heavy figure," "walk like a humungous hippo," and "looked like a crazed psychopath with an overripe tomato for a head"! Argh! I can't stand you! You remind me of—of—of—" Sakura stopped, then shook her head. Standing up, she altered her statement. "Never mind. After I take a shower, you can say goodbye to your life, Li Syaoran."

With a huff, Sakura stormed upstairs. With a curious look, Syaoran asked aloud to no one in particular, "I wonder who I remind her of?"

Meiling shook her head. "Syaoran, why must you always provoke her?"

Syaoran gave her nothing but a smile and a wink, walking to the downstairs bathroom. "Sheesh." Meiling sighed.

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"Hoeee…" Sakura collapsed onto the couch, stinging from all her movement. It had been approximately one and a half weeks since she turned up in Tokyo. Syaoran woke her up every single morning, and they both ran for roughly three hours. Of course, Sakura was suffering much more than Syaoran. While the man was fine and dandy, every muscle in Sakura's body ached with soreness, still trying to regulate to the new schedule and amount of training.

Meiling tried to give her a smile. "Are you sore again, Sakura-chan?"

She nodded with difficulty. "Yeah, Meiling-chan…hurts to move…"

"Here. Maybe I can help a little by massaging your shoulders." Meiling placed her hands on her shoulders, rubbing her thumb around in small circles. "I remember the discomfort I had when Syaoran put me through the same thing." …although, your condition seems worse. She silently added.

"Arigatou." Sakura said with gratitude. As she spent more and more time with Meiling, Sakura began to like her more and more. She was very helpful, unlike her cousin. Sometimes, Sakura wondered if Meiling and Syaoran were really cousins, due to their dissimilar personalities. Plus, Meiling's presence just seemed to relieve Sakura's tension at Syaoran, no matter how angry she was. Sakura was really enjoying their friendship, despite her preference for solitude. It felt…nice to have a friend again. Back home, she isolated herself from people, with the exception of her family. She did not have friends in high school, preferring to be alone with nothing but her lonely shadow and innermost thoughts to keep her company. But she did have friends in elementary and junior high, many in fact. She even had two, very close friends. But when she entered high school…everything changed.

"Seems like you and Syaoran have been doing nothing but running every day." Meiling commented.

"Yeah, all he wants to do is run and mock me." Sakura grunted. "Doesn't that man ever do anything else? He seriously needs to get a new hobby."

Meiling giggled. "Yes, I suppose you are right. Demo—this is only a guess—I have a suspicion that you are his new favorite student."

Sakura frowned, not particularly from resentment but from inquisitiveness. She did not want to admit it out loud, but what Meiling assumed grabbed her attention. "Me? Why?"

"Oh, I don't know. Perhaps it's because you "amuse" him. You know, most of his students are women around our age. They literally throw themselves at Syaoran, but he could care less. You should see him; Syaoran almost all the time has an uninterested expression on his face. But with you, Sakura-chan, Syaoran always wears a smile."

"It's not a smile, Meiling-chan. It's actually a malevolent smirk." Sakura corrected. "And he puts it on because he likes to irritate me. Frankly, I don't see why so many women would want to date the guy. He's exasperating!"

Meiling suppressed another laugh, continuing to smile. Yes, but he only acts that way towards you. "Yes, but they still fall for him. One time, Syaoran was teaching one girl for her first time. She stared at Syaoran with such a ridiculous and sickening look and was literally drooling on the ice. And it so happens, I skated on her ghastly saliva and slipped. You can imagine how sore my butt was for three days."

Sakura laughed, and Meiling's smile grew bigger. It was rare to see Sakura laugh, and it was very melodic. Meiling's hands pulled away from Sakura's shoulders. "Better?"

"Yeah, it really helped. Thank you."

"No problem." Meiling paused. "Say…you want to skate around a bit? We can go to the rink right now. You up for it, or are you still sore?"

Sakura slowly stood up and stretched. "Ano…I'm up for it; I'm feeling better now. Besides, I missed the ice. I haven't skated in more than a week!"

"All right, get your skates. I can drive us there."

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"Meiling-chan?" called Sakura as the two women entered the recognizable building.

"Yes?"

Sakura glimpsed around nervously. "Is—do you think—Li is still here? He mentioned he had a practice session with one of his students around this time."

Meiling glanced at her watch. "Hmm…he might still be here, or at least getting ready to leave. It's nearly time for the practice to end. Why? Eager to see my loving cousin?" she joked.

Sakura frowned lightheartedly and tried to hide behind her. "No, it is the exact opposite! I want to avoid your nauseating cousin whenever I possible can. Err—no offense to you, Meiling-chan."

The other girl laughed lightly. "No offense taken, Sakura-chan. But Syaoran really is not a bad person. He just gets carried away most of the time. Whenever his mind is set on something, he goes all the way. He can be a very ambitious person when he wants to, you know."

"Yes, I do know. He can be as stubborn as a mule, especially when it comes to ridiculing me."

Meiling tapped her chin, a grin hiding behind her ruby jeweled eyes. "That's one way to put it. And…Syaoran does remind me of you, in a way."

Sakura gave her a glare. "ME? I am nothing like that infuriating man!"

Meiling laughed once more, revealing her entertained, ludicrous grin. It was very similar to Syaoran's; so there were at least some traits the two had in common. Sakura was about to open her mouth to make a remark, but a soft, harmonious voice stopped her.

"Meiling-chan!"

Sakura's ears perked up at the sound of the exquisite voice. It sounded familiar…quite familiar, in reality. Sakura could hear footsteps thumping on the floor behind her. Sakura turned around, along with Meiling. Meiling suddenly had a bright smile on her face, while Sakura stared unbelievably at the person before her. The person stopped immediately, noticing Sakura. Both their eyes widened, staring at each other in shock.

"S-S-Sakura-chan?" the other stuttered in incredulity.

"T—" Sakura started. "T-Tomoyo-chan…it—it is you." She ended faintly.

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I'M DONE! Finally, after what seemed like an eternity. -.-; Writing this chapter drove me nuts! I had a hard time writing it for some reason. Sorry for the cliffy…okay, maybe I'm not entirely sorry. –dodges tomatoes thrown at her- But doesn't it make you anticipate the next chapter? Because that's what I'm aiming for. XD Also, ignore the grammatical and spelling mistakes.I don't pay attention to that.XD

Sorry if this story seems a bit unrealistic. I've never taken skating lessons or anything like that. I only ice skated for fun. :) But I did want to learn! Just never got the chance. -sulk- The reason how I got this idea was when I was reminded how I used to watch figure skating on tv. Yepsh, when I was little I used to cheer for Kristi Yamaguchi and Michelle Kwan, my favorite skaters everrrr. XD!

But this story is progressing way too fast, to my utter dismay. I just couldn't think of anything else to write. My deepest apologies! I actually wanted this story to go a bit slower at least. But I didn't know how; sorry people, I'm a newbie authoress. Couldn't you tell? XP –bangs head- Ahem…demo—I was feeling kind of down, so I apologize if this chapter sucked for you. I shall try to write better next time! And you know what? REVIEWS WILL HELP THIS POOR AUTHORESS GET BACK TO HER SENSES! YESH! Plus, it means you get faster chaps. YEPSH, that's right. So what are you waiting for? Review please:)