Sakura was still. The play ended, she could still hear the faint claps from beyond the red curtain. Syaoran could not see her eyes and neither can she. She could not see how much pain and happiness Syaoran's eyes expressed and her like wise. They both just stood still there looking at each other, stunned at what just happened.

"Sakura…" Syaoran began.

"No. NO. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry…" Sakura sobbed. Syaoran could tell she was crying. He tried to console her but before he could even touch her shoulder she stood and stepped away from him and before another word she ran out and off the stage. Syaoran ran after her. He ran and shoved his way through the staff that gave him "Good jobs" and pats on the back. Syaoran ignored them all and continued to run. He went off stage and stopped. He looked around. No Sakura. He walked off the stairs and started to look around hysterically. He wanted answers. Why did Sakura give him that kiss? Was the resounding question that bounced off his mind. He felt someone's hand on his back and he stopped.

"Excellent job Syaoran. I'm very impressed." It was the principal.

"Thank you sir but I really have to find someone." Syaoran panted. He had forgotten to catch his breath.

Before Mr. Terada said another word Syaoran ran off. He couldn't afford to lose her now. Not now. Even if he was going to see her at school he didn't care, he wanted to see her now, talk to her now. Everything has to be now. He ran outside and halted. He put his hands on his knees and breathed heavily. He raised his head; his messy brown hair covered his eyes, still no Sakura. He felt like he had let her slip away again. It didn't matter if he saw her at school. He knew she would act like nothing has ever happened; he wanted to talk and love her now that she has shown what was inside her caged heart. He fell to his knees; he didn't care if people saw him cry. It didn't matter anymore. But no tears came, he wanted to shout but he couldn't. He hated this feeling. He loathed it. He felt another hand on his shoulder.

"Syaoran…" This time it wasn't the principal, it was his mom.

"Mom. I let her go again." Syaoran punched the floor.

"Don't worry you'll see her." His mom tried to console him.

"No. You don't understand. It won't be the same mom. It won't be the same." Still no tears from his eyes came.

"There, there. Let's go home." Mrs. Li did not what else to say.

Syaoran stood up.

Maybe this was the sign. The sign that I should let her go. It was the sign that no matter how hard I tried she would never be mine. Never. Even if she did love me, her will not to is stronger. This was my punishment. My eternal punishment for all the pain I've caused.

Syaoran smiled bitterly. Even she was living in the same town as he was and that he could walk to her house anytime and ask her, he knew, he knew that her heart was thousands of miles away. That's the way she wanted it. Even if he tried he knew that she would put it even farther. Trying to reach it would only tire his heart, tire him until she has killed it. Syaoran does not want to end up that way.

Syaoran and his mom got inside the car, but this time his mom drove knowing Syaoran's situation. He just sat there looking out the window wondering if he had made the right decision to give her up right then and there. He shook his head lightly. He would give up trying to get her, but he would still love her. It was his promise to love her.

I will love you Sakura. Till they take my heart away.

Syaoran got off his car. He put on that emotionless expression he had begun with at the beginning of the year. He started to walk towards Eriol and Takashi. Meilin however was nowhere to be found.

"Hey guys." Syaoran said.

They looked at him hesitantly. "Uhm hey man." Eriol said.

There was uneasy silence between the trio and then finally Takashi broke it.

"Li is there something going on between you and Kinimoto?" He asked so abruptly that Syaoran was caught off guard.

"I… uh." Syaoran began; he wore that hurt expression on his face.

"What?" Takashi asked.

Eriol did not say anything but he was all ears. Syaoran stood up.

"It's none of your business. Don't ask me those stupid questions." Syaoran growled and walked off and for the rest of the day he did not talk to his friends.

Syaoran did not see Sakura all day. But it's not like he wasn't surprised or anything. In fact he expected her to skip school so she can pretend like nothing ever happened. Syaoran wanted to be angry with her, he wanted to hate her but he knew he couldn't. He could never hate Sakura. Never. He could not understand what he felt that day, he couldn't tell if he was sad, angry, annoyed he knew he felt something he just couldn't figure out what it was. Syaoran got on his car but he did not want to go home and sulk.

Maybe I'll I should go to Sakura's house to check on her.

Syaoran shook his head.

No Syaoran. She made it clear that she does not want to be with you.

Syaoran played the kiss he and Sakura shared last night. He also remembered the feeling that came along with it. The moment he felt Sakura's kiss he felt joy, sadness and love all clumped together. Maybe it was Sakura's way of saying good-bye. Maybe. Syaoran started his car and drove. He did not go home nor did he go at the "hi five" where his friends hang. Instead he drove past the sign that said "Leaving Tomeda, hope you had a nice stay." He did not understand himself what he was doing but his heart told him to go to the place where he had felt it first. Where everything changed.

Syaoran nodded to himself and sped up. It seemed like moments but finally he was there, farmer Jin's farm. Syaoran parked his mustang and got off. He smiled when he smelled the faint smell of cow dung. It seemed like yesterday that he was here grumbling about that smell. He opened the wooden squeaky gate and looked around. He saw farmer Jin at the corn patch.

"Hey Jin!" Syaoran said as he approached him. "Do you mind if I stick around for a while?"

The farmer merely smiled at him and nodded.

"Thanks." Syaoran walked off leaving the farmer by himself. He closed his eyes as he walked and remembered when Sakura had asked him the question about Meilin and all the other pleasant and happy memories they shared. He opened his eyes once again and found himself in the very place where everything had changed, the river. He viewed it longingly wishing that everything would rewind and he would find himself with Sakura again at this very place. Now he felt it. Pain, it was pain that he had felt all afternoon. Pain had numbed him until he found himself in this place again.

If only Sakura were here…

Something caught Syaoran's eyes. Actually it was more like a someone. Syaoran eyed this figure standing beside the cherry blossom tree. The very same tree that was beside them during their picnic. His heart started to race. He slowly walked towards that figure staring off at the horizon. He felt the sun's heat cover him as he walked. He realized that the sun was setting. He kept on walking and stopped meters away from the figure. The sun shone and glorified her delicate face; even under the setting sun she was beautiful. As if a unspoken wish was granted it was…

Sakura…

Sakura turned around.

"Syaoran…" She said in a soft enchanting whisper.

Syaoran could not believe his eyes.

It's really her…

"S-Sakura?" Syaoran blurted out.

Finally my heart led me to you…

Syaoran thought.

Without another word Sakura flung herself to Syaoran and embraced him.

How I longed for this.

Was the only thought going through Sakura's mind. Syaoran just stood there and for a moment he did not know how to react but Syaoran embraced her back. He had as much longing as Sakura did. He felt a heartbeat but not his own. He felt Sakura's pounding heart in a rhythm and then he felt his own in response to hers and in a perfect harmony their hearts beat as one. But the pain returned. He did not understand why she was doing this. He pulled away from the embrace that seemed like forever.

"Why? Why Sakura?" Syaoran said.

Sakura looked up at him while Syaoran distanced himself from her.

"I'm sorry Syaoran. I'm really, deeply sorry…" Sakura began.

Syaoran's face turned cold. "You said that already." He remembered the play and their kiss.

"You don't understand Syaoran when I kissed you I didn't know what was going through my mind. All I know is it's what my heart longed for. I ran away because I was scared that I showed what was inside my heart. Scared on what my heart will do next. I thought my will was stronger than the heart but I know now that it is not. When I went home and tried to picture myself without you I thought my world would collapse. Because then I realized that you are my world Syaoran. And that I truly deeply love you…"

Syaoran felt exuberant, all these mixed feelings swam in his heart but all of them equaled one thing: happiness and joy and most of all love. He lost his cold look and it returned to the gentle loving look. Syaoran did not say a single word an moved closer to Sakura. He looked into her emerald eyes and smiled.

"And I love you too…" Syaoran said softly.

He leaned slowly, closer and closer until he felt her breath on his lips. Again they shared a kiss. Sakura closed her eyes and kissed him back. Her dying heart was healed by his kiss. Syaoran ended their kiss and looked into Sakura's eyes once again. She smiled. Syaoran smiled back and pulled her to another embrace. Both of them felt the perfect harmony their hearts made and wished that time would cease and that forever they will stay this way.