---- She Will Be Loved
----- Written by Iris Dreamer
------DISCLAIMER: Card Captor Sakura belongs solely to Clamp. However, the plot is mine and I would like to remain it that way. Thank you.
----- AUTHOR'S NOTE: Meet you at the bottom, at the end of the chapter. As of now, before writing this chapter, I have no idea really how this chapter will end. Thus, author's note will be in the end. See you there!
p.s. sorry about the late update people! Thanks for waiting!
----- BACKGROUND: He's reached his happiest moment of his life: he has an awesome job, a circle of close friends, a good reputation, and most importantly, the girl he loves is now his fiancée. But happiness is short lived and everything he once had was thrown away and there he meets a girl that totally enraptures him, but this girl is just your normal, in the bad section of the city, prostitute.
----- DEDICATION: To the strangers that have been, are, and will be, in my life.
----- SPECIAL THANKS: AnimeObsessionFantasy: Look out for your quote at the end of this chapter! I rephrased it, but credit's all yours!
Cursed mind: Glad you like the story, and once again, sorry about the late update!
Eugiebear: I hope you enjoy this chapter!
Dancer5: Thank you!
Light in the Darkness: Haha, yeah, Syaoran's pretty dense, perhaps on the same par as Sakura in the anime/manga. And I must agree; school does SUCK. Three more weeks, three more weeks... those words have become a mantra. Haha.
Cherry Princess Sakura: Lots of romance in this chapter if I do say so myself. Enjoy!
Wackywang: Nothing excites me more when someone actually laughs at my stories! I suppose my high standards for myself would be the reason why I update like once every ten million years. However, I'm glad that it's worth it! As for my penname, iris does mean rainbow and my alias used to be rainbow dreamer. However, that name was taken, so I changed it to iris dreamer.
Hououza: I hope this chapter will reach your standards; I do put your reviews in high regard. I hope you had an awesome Thanksgiving. I do love that kindness line that you wrote in your review. Happy reading!
Fireangel621: Sorry about the cliffhanger, and the late update.
Avelyn Lauren: I love the simple fact that you're back reading my stories. You have no idea how much I love receiving your reviews! I'm so psyched that you like this story! Midterms were totally awesome now that they're over. No, scratch that, I have one more, on the same week as finals. Urgh. So one last midterm, papers, and finals here I come… or not. Anyhow, I'm glad that you didn't think the cliffhanger was all that bad. I think this is probably last chapter, with an epilogue to come, then I'll start on my Inuyasha fic that I'm so excited about.
EKoolCat369: Sorry about the cliffhanger. Enjoy this chapter!
Broadway Belle: Sorry for the late update, hopefully this chapter will make up for it.
Usako: I'm glad that you like this story! Happy reading!
MewMewPower: I apologize for writing the worst cliffhanger on the last chapter. Hopefully you'll enjoy how this one ends.
The cherry tree: I was moved; deeply moved. Your review definitely hit the heart and all I can say is thank you. I'm so glad that you like my story and that's more than I can ever say. THANK YOU!
ChryBlsms: Haha, look, I've managed to update my story BEFORE the next year! Hoot! Though I don't think that's anything worth being proud of! Haha. Sorry about the late update. Hopefully I'll be able to finish this story before the end of this year…?
Anjuliet: I suppose that all authors/writers are most strict upon themselves. If only I could write a perfect story!
Anime grl: I'm sorry that I didn't update that quickly.
xKwaiixIdnox: Thanks! Happy reading.
Eliana: Hopefully this chapter will answer your questions! If not, do feel free to ask them! They'll probably help me tie up all the loose ends. And thanks for TWO reviews!
Rukz: Thanks, I'm glad you loved the bowling scene, especially when it comes to personal experience! I must say that I've been graced with horrible bowling skills!
Red-Emerald: I must agree on your comment on how much CCS fics have degraded. I don't think I've found any well-written ones lately that I've been reading. I think I've moved onto other fanfictions. And sadly enough, I'll be departing from CCS as well, and possibly moving into Inuyasha. So if you enjoy reading Inuyasha, do read!
Lady Mokodane: Thank you! You kick ass too!
Ashley-chan1: I'm glad you liked it! Enjoy.
Rika: Thank you!
Ai-chan: No problem about the email. I'm glad that you're a fan of the five people you meet in heaven too!
Black Wolf Chic 2: Sorry about updating so slow! Happy reading!
TO EVERYONE WHO READS THIS, a huge THANK YOU because it means more than I can ever say. Even if you don't leave a review, just knowing that you read this story encourages me to continue reading because I know someone out there appreciates it. Thank you.
--Iris Dreamer.
----- CHAPTER TEN: Rainbows
He ran.
He ran faster than he ever had before. He willed his legs to move faster, to take longer strides, and pushed his body to follow after. He begged his heart to carry him through. He pushed his way through the crowd. He dashed out in the streets, not even hearing the loud screeching of car tires, slamming to a stop.
And hands clenched as if he was holding onto that last single wisp of hope, he ran.
He didn't really understand why it was up to him to save her. He didn't understand anything. He didn't know why he was running to find her, or why he had accepted, when he was obviously a detached person from those around him.
Most importantly, Syaoran didn't understand why his heart was aching so. Why his heart pounded so when Meiling told him briefly why Sakura was the way she was. Or why he felt the need to pull Sakura into a crushing hug, or to hear her sarcastic remarks, or to see those small smiles she had when she thought no one was looking.
Somehow all he could think of was the bits and parts of moments they had together. Their first encounter was in the bar when his car had broken down. Looking back on the situation, he couldn't help but think that perhaps it was fate. Her eyes were what had attracted to him. Her eyes, a bright emerald green that shinned with determination yet somewhere within them, a fear that he identified with.
Then there were those countless times when he had met her on his way back home. They were moments of bickering and a competition of witty remarks. Somehow, there was never a dull moment with the fiery girl around.
She had helped him countless of times even though he was just that stranger who had dared to grab her hand that night at Goddesses, the idiot who had given her a business card. She had given advice even when he didn't ask for it. She had told him the truth behind the words he had been trying to avoid. She had gone out of her way so many times.
She had warned him so many times to not come back, and that there was nothing worth coming back for, but he somehow felt drawn to the row of battered houses.
He just knew that he wanted her here, with him, not at Goddesses or anywhere else where he couldn't follow after her.
However, Sakura wasn't at Goddesses as he had dreaded. Furthermore, she had never come over that day, and Jack had no idea of where she might be currently. He had called Meiling, who was searching for her as well. He had called Eriol, and Tomoyo. He had tried everything that he knew, and he couldn't help but feel frustrated that he couldn't find where she was.
Frustrated that the only thing he could do now was to pray that she was okay.
-----
Meiling rushed out of the supermarket as she tried to pull on her jacket while her cell phone was placed precariously between her left cheek and positioned by her left shoulder.
"Tomoyo, did you find her yet?" she asked quickly once the call had been connected.
"Not yet, but Eriol and I are driving around to find her. We're going to try around where we used to work when we did the fashion designs," Tomoyo answered. "If anything, she might want to hook up with a few who were interested in hiring her as a model. I'll give you a call."
"She's not at the places that she usually goes to," Meiling said worriedly. "I've checked the gym, the supermarket, and just now, the coffee shop. She's not anywhere."
"Look, I'm going to drop Eriol off at the MRT station, where he can hitch a ride back to his apartment where he can take his car to find Sakura," her friend answered in a motherly voice. "You stay where you are. I'm going to come pick you up."
"But,"
"No buts," the fashion designer cut in. "Meiling, you go back into that coffee shop and wait for me. Buy yourself your favorite mocha latte, and wait for me."
"Thank you Tomoyo," she whispered.
"I'll be there in twenty minutes," her friend responded warmly.
Meiling felt a sigh of relief escape from her mouth and formed wisps of hot air trailing into the cold day. After moments of desperately trying to warm herself in the thin jacket, Meiling finally gave in, and walked back into the coffee shop. She slid quietly into booth, isolated from everyone else where she could see the road outside.
She couldn't help fidgeting in seat, and had the urge to stand up and move around. Her best friend was outside, somewhere she didn't know. Best friends aren't meant to be so far apart from one other. That's what best friends were all about: being there for each other.
What kind of best friend was she anyways? Meiling bit the bottom of her lip out of habit.
"Here," a male voice came from beside her, interrupting her thoughts.
Just when she thought her life couldn't get any worse, Meiling found herself looking at the person she wanted to see last. His black hair hadn't changed since the last time she had saw him; it was still gelled to perfection. His brown eyes were softer and seemed almost apologetic.
"I got you your favorite mocha latte," he told her, placing the steaming coffee in front of her as he took the seat next to her. "You should drink that instead of abusing that poor lip of yours," he grinned.
When he grinned, Meiling felt herself falter. This was the last thing she could handle now. She was at her vulnerable state, and damn him, all he had to do was smile and she could be back in his arms in a blink.
If he saw her tense up, he didn't let it on. Instead, he sat there quietly; sipping his coffee that she knew was to be his favorite caramel coffee.
"You should drink the coffee before it gets cold," he told her gently, fixing those warm eyes on her. "It's the least I can do, knowing how much you probably hate my existence right now."
She stared, lost for words.
He gave her a small, lopsided smile. "It's not poisoned you know,"
Something inside of her snapped and she glared at him. "I don't accept charity," she threw the words at him, hoping that they would hurt him. That the words would hurt him as he had hurt her when he didn't trust her.
"I know," he answered.
"Good," she retorted as she lifted the cup.
It took all her nerves to not break down and cry when the hot liquid caressed her cold lips; lips that ached and longed to be kissed. Steeling herself, she forced herself to take a sip and swallow. Then another sip, then another. She didn't stop until she thought she could face him without having the urge to throw herself into his arms.
"Meiling,"
"Hm," she answered noncommittally as her eyes refused to look at him.
"Look at me," Ryoko told her softly. "Please,"
Meiling turned around, an irritated sigh escaping her lips as she did. When she finally focused her eyes from his lips to his eyes, she felt those tears that she had been trying to hide rapidly coming to the surface again.
"Damn it," she muttered furiously as she tried to fumble for something to hide her profile. Her hands that were blindly trying to feel for some tissue on the table accidentally knocked over her cup of coffee.
Meiling cursed again as she tried to do something, fully aware that within seconds she was going to lose control and burst into tears. Strong hands reached over and held her hands within his when she instinctually tried to wipe the coffee with her hands.
Ryoko nodded his thanks to the person who was sitting near them that had kindly offered her napkins and was cleaning up the split coffee. Pulling the distraught girl off her seat, Ryoko steered her outside with his one of his arms around her shoulders.
"I'm sorry," Ryoko told her gently once the door closed with a soft jiggle of the bell. He took off his jacket and put it around the shoulders of the shaking girl. "If I had known how much distraught my presence would bring you, I never would have came."
Meiling looked up.
"I'm sorry," he offered again. "I should have trusted you and looked beyond everything." Ryoko smiled weakly.
He opened his mouth to continue but stopped when Meiling glared at him.
"You've hurt me more than anyone ever has," she told him bitterly. "I was ready to kill you from the face of the earth."
"I know," he said softly. "I'm sorry."
His eyes widened slightly when he felt her finger rest on his lips.
"I'm not going to forgive you that easily," Meiling said. "But I might consider it when you shut up and kiss me." She grinned foxily.
Ryoko smiled against her finger and brought up a hand to pull down her hand, as he leaned down to capture her lips into a sealing kiss. His hand finally left go of hers only to cup her face so he could deepen the kiss. Meiling smiled in the kiss as she wrapped her arms around his neck.
When they finally pulled again, both of them were panting slightly, their breaths visible in the cold air. Meiling couldn't figure out if her cheeks were rosy due to the cold weather or the kiss, but it didn't matter.
"I'll never leave you again," Ryoko whispered furiously in her ear as he pulled her into a tight hug. "Never again," he swore, inhaling her sweet fragrance.
"I'll hold you to that promise," she replied breathlessly, pulling away slightly so she could look at him.
"That was so kawaii," a third voice said dreamily. Meiling leapt away from his grasp and whirled around to see Tomoyo standing near her car with a smug smile.
"Tomoyo," Meiling exclaimed.
"Nice to see you to Meiling," her friend answered cheerfully. "You must be Kai Ryoko. Meiling raves about you constantly," Tomoyo said, chattering away the silence. "I'm so glad that you've made up really. You should have seen the broken look on her face when she came back that day,"
"Tomoyo," Meiling whined, her cheeks flaring up.
Tomoyo laughed. "I must sound like a mother," she mused, with a humored smile. "I'm Daidouji Tomoyo. It's nice to finally met you Kai,"
Ryoko grinned. "Likewise Daidouji,"
"We should be leaving," Meiling said frantically, now remembering what she was so worried about. She glanced over at Ryoko.
"And I need to go back to work," Ryoko filled in, with a warm smile. "I'll see you around Meiling. Perhaps next time I can treat you to a real cup of coffee."
"You better," she growled, trying to hide her blush that she knew was creeping up her cheeks. "You owe me."
He nodded. "Then I'll see you around. Remember to wash that jacket after you're done," he told her. "I wouldn't want it to smell like you of all things," he teased.
Before Meiling could flare up and say a sharp retort, he leaned down and gave her a quick peck on her cheek. "Just kidding," he said with a smile. Ryoko bent over and whispered into her ear, "In truth, it really turns me on,"
He laughed, amused, when Meiling blushed for the millionth time and punched him in the shoulder. "Daidouji, nice meeting you. Meiling, I mean it, go take a shower!"
"Whatever Ryoko," she yelled back at him, not being able to think of a better comment as she slid into the passenger seat of Tomoyo's car.
It was quite for a few minutes in the car as Meiling tried to look anywhere but towards Tomoyo's direction.
"Okay, I can't stand it anymore," Meiling burst out. "You win!"
"Win what?" Tomoyo asked, batting her eyelashes too innocently.
"That!" Meiling said, pointing at the smug face on her friend's face. "Stop acting like a cat with cream!"
The older girl laughed. "Believe me Meiling when I say it's more like I'm taking a bath in cream,"
-----
Things were not going well for Eriol. First, there was the horrible news that Sakura was missing, or rather, she was off to do something foolish and everyone wanted to prevent that from happening was what he had concluded. Then, there was Tomoyo who had immediately become extremely upset, and seeing her sad made him sad. But she didn't cry; instead, she had been strong and was being support for Meiling.
So that was how he winded up at the MRT station, planning to take the MRT back to his apartment so he could get his car and drive around to search for Sakura as well. Well, that had been his plan. He supposed that if he wasn't so caught up on being worried about Tomoyo, he would have been more careful with his wallet. Instead, his wallet was probably now snugly fit in some other guy's pocket.
Sighing, Eriol sat on the hard, uncomfortable plastic chair in the police office, as the police on duty called others to ask about a lost wallet. Ultimately, it was a lost cause, and there was no way his wallet could be found. If it were some horrendously pink and white laced hat with fake yellow tropical flowers, then perhaps it could be identified and returned, but a normal black wallet with cash and credit cards was something no one would return.
"I'm sorry sir. If I hear of any other news, I'll contact you as soon as possible," the police officer told him apologetically. "Do you have any means of returning back to your apartment?"
"I'll call my friend," Eriol told him. "Thanks for your help."
The officer nodded and showed him to the door. Eriol sighed, and walked outside the small cubicle. Walking outside, he muttered. Calling Tomoyo or Syaoran was an option, but they were probably searching for Sakura and that was more important. He could probably call Yamazaki. Hopefully he wasn't busy out on a date with Chiharu.
As he tried to pass by the huge crowds in the MRT station, he saw a flash of familiar brown hair. It was so common that it almost flew by him unnoticed.
"Kinomoto," Eriol shouted, pushing against the crowd to get towards her. The person turned around with instinct, and when she saw who it was, she quickly turned around and moved away from him.
"Kinomoto," he called again urgently, now shoving those that were in his path away. When he managed to break away from the crowd and chase after her, she had already gotten pass the gate and was stepping into the boarding MRT. Eriol tried calling to her again, frustrated that he had lost his wallet, such that he couldn't get pass the toll booth.
All he could do was watch her calmly step into the MRT. She turned around to face him, her face calm and impassive as she looked straight at him through the window.
He yelled her name again. She looked at him sadly before turning around, and within seconds, the MRT sped down the tracks and out of sight.
Eriol cursed loudly. Fumbling for his cell phone, he quickly called Tomoyo and relayed the information to her. Instead, she had him talk to Meiling instead.
"Eriol, you saw Sakura at the MRT station?"
"I tried to go after her, but my wallet had been stolen so I couldn't get to her." He admitted apologetically. "But I did see her taking the green line, heading towards the south of Tokyo,"
"Okay, we'll head over to the MRT station where you're at. Meanwhile, contact Li."
When the three arrived at the MRT station, even Meiling had admitted that she had no idea where Sakura was heading towards. There were various stops, and she could have easily transferred to different stops and had taken a different route.
"Damn it," Syaoran cursed, muttering the frustration that everyone was feeling. "Meiling, are you sure she wouldn't have anywhere she could be going?"
Meiling sighed. "No. I'm her closest friend, and we've been together here in Tokyo for the past few years. The only other important person to her would be her brother, but he's in the Tokyo hospital that's nearby. Besides, even if she wanted to see her brother, she drove the car this morning and the hospital is in the other direction."
"Brother?" Tomoyo asked softly, with a slightly puzzled look on her face.
Syaoran locked with Meiling before sighing. "Look, why don't you bring Tomoyo to the hospital? Perhaps her brother would know something that we don't know. And take Eriol with you,"
"What about you?" Meiling asked sensibly.
"I'm going to continue looking for her," he answered shortly before stalking off towards the toll booth.
Meiling watched him leave quietly before turning her attention towards her two other friends. "Let's go to the hospital." She attempted to smile. "It seems like there's a lot that I haven't told you,"
"We'll call Syaoran if we know anything," Eriol reassured her. "He's really determined and I'm sure he could get more done than we could."
Meiling just nodded her head.
-----
It had been his fifth time getting off the MRT and getting back on the MRT that was headed towards the southern part of Tokyo. The sky was beginning to darken, and soon night would fall. No matter now many times he sat there and stared at the route and stops, nothing came to mind as to where Sakura could have gone.
Syaoran leaned back on his seat and closed his eyes, rubbing the bridge of his nose.
Showing a picture of her had not helped. MRT stations were crowded and people left as quickly as they came. He couldn't avoid the creeping fear of despair lurking in the back of his mind.
"Hey, oniichan?" A little boy's voice floated into his mind. Then a light tugging on the arm of his jacket.
Syaoran opened his eyes wearily and looked at the little boy who was practically sitting in his lap as he leaned over.
"Yes?" he asked, trying to push his harshness out of his voice as much as possible.
"Why you have picture of Sakura oneesan?"
"Well because," Syaoran started to explain before his tired mind finally processed what the child has said. "Wait, you know her?" He turned the picture so the boy could see it more clearly.
He nodded his head vigorously. "She play hide and seek with Huh, He," The boy's eyebrows knitted together in deep concentration.
"Hiiragizawa?"
"Yeah," the boy smiled sheepishly.
"It's okay. His name is really hard."
"My name's Ichiro. What's your name?"
"Syaoran,"
Ichiro smiled. "Do you like Sakura oneesan, oniichan?" Syaoran blinked at the question. Thankfully, Ichiro continued talking, "because you keep looking at her picture. My okaasan looks at otousan's picture. He died before I knew him. Okaasan said he was the best."
"I bet he was Ichiro,"
The boy cocked his head towards the side. "Where Sakura oneesan? She promise to play hide and seek."
"Well, she's playing hide and seek with me right now," he told Ichiro. "She's really good at hiding and I haven't found her yet,"
"I hope you find her,"
"Me too," Syaoran said softly, looking at Sakura's picture. It was his favorite one out of all the ones she had taken for modeling: the one where she was wearing a white dress and a smile on her face as she turned around to look at the caller. "Me too," he repeated.
Ichiro peered into his face closely. "You okay?" he asked.
Syaoran nodded.
Satisfied with that answer, Ichiro sat back down into his seat, swinging his feet. "Okaasan say that when people are sad they go to their favorite place. Mine is home. Home is where okaasan is."
Before Syaoran could reply, Ichiro leapt up from his seat. "I have to go," he said sadly. "I miss her." Syaoran nodded as he watched a teenage girl who had been sitting near them get up and hold Ichiro by the hand.
She bowed her head slightly in appreciation as she led Ichiro out the MRT.
Syaoran half smiled amusedly. He never knew that Sakura enjoyed the company of little kids. That would be something interesting to throw in her face once he brought her home.
Home.
It suddenly dawned on him. Ichiro's words echoed in his mind again. People go to their favorite places, their most comfortable place.
"Come on," Syaoran said to himself. He remembered Sakura telling him once where her favorite place to be. It was the time when he had drove her home, on the way back from bowling.
"Sometimes I wish I could go back in time you know?" He recalled Sakura's reminiscent words. "Haven't you heard of that corny line 'home is where the heart is'?" Closing his eyes, he could hear her rare laughter. Then she had proceeded to punch him, and quite hard too, in the shoulder when he had tried to muffle the snort that was coming.
Shaking himself from the good memory, Syaoran quickly took out his cell phone.
-----
Tomoyo and Eriol looked at Meiling curiously when she got off the phone with what they had assumed to be with Syaoran. They had returned from a short brief visit with Touya. Apparently, Syaoran had visited before they had. So they were back in Meiling and Sakura's small apartment sitting on the sofa drinking hot tea from chipped mugs.
"Has he found her?" Tomoyo asked finally, breaking the silence.
Meiling laughed. "I don't understand how he does it,"
"How who does it?" Eriol inquired.
Meiling grinned. "Syaoran, how he never ceases to amaze me," she answered. "I can't believe he thought about going to Tomodea while I didn't even think that far."
"Tomodea?"
"Sakura's hometown," the raven haired girl replied. "We both grew up there. It wasn't until after high school that we moved to Tokyo."
"So how did Syaoran know that she would be there?"
"No idea." Meiling shrugged. "But it explains why she took the MRT to the south because she wanted to go to the train station. Tomodea's around three hours away by train."
"What? Then let's hurry and catch the train," Tomoyo said. "When's does the train leave for Tomodea?"
"Twenty minutes from now," Eriol answered. He had immediately called the train station once Meiling had said where Sakura was heading. "If Syaoran heads over there now, he might be able to catch the same train as Sakura. The next train isn't until tomorrow morning."
Meiling was laughing again. She was laughing so hard that she had squatted down on the floor, laughing so hard that tears were coming out of eyes.
Tomoyo and Eriol shared a quizzical look.
"Meiling, are you okay?" Tomoyo asked timidly, bending down to see if her friend was okay.
Meiling sniffed. Somewhere along the lines of laughing, instead of tears of happiness, real tears were flowing out. "I'm okay," she wiped her nose inelegantly on the edge of her sleeve. "I know I should be happy that we know where Sakura is, but somehow I can't feel totally worthless for not knowing where Sakura was. I mean, I'm the one who has known Sakura since we were five. Five! How come this guy just gets to walk into our lives and be the one who saves Sakura? Why?"
"It's not fair," she concluded, crossing her arms stubbornly over her chest.
"Syaoran has a knack for that," Eriol offered.
"For being unfair?" Meiling asked, grinning lopsidedly.
"That too," he answered. "I can't even list all the times he's been sly and won something under my nose." Eriol glanced at Tomoyo and smiled. "Though I think he has one of the best hearts in this world. I think it has to do with wanting to fill up that emptiness in his soul."
"He has his own share of demons," Eriol continued, turning his attention back to Meiling. "I'm not saying that you don't relate well with Kinomoto, because you do, but haven't you seen how often Syaoran or Kinomoto would smile and laugh when they're together? The two of them are private by nature, but they have been comfortable with each other's company."
"I would say that Syaoran knows Sakura better than I do," Tomoyo said softly. "And I would even dare to say that Sakura has seen Syaoran's inner self more than I have. Syaoran's a hard person to talk to and rarely does one understand him."
"What made you fall in love with him Tomoyo?" Meiling asked. "Like I know that you fell in love with Eriol to begin with, but what made you want to marry him?" she added hastily, dodging a glance at the azure colored haired man, who smiled to show that he wasn't the least bit offended.
She smiled wistfully. "To tell you the truth, I really didn't want anything to do with him. He was cold and harsh, and a man of few words. It was around Christmas I think, and I was at the mall to buy last minute gifts. I saw a lost toddler and I was about to approach him, when I noticed that someone was already talking to him. To my surprise it was Syaoran, squatting on his knees talking to a little boy who couldn't have been older than four. His immaculate pants were on the dirty ground of the mall, but he didn't seem to mind the least. What surprised me most was when Syaoran smiled and lifted the boy to sit on his shoulders. It was the first time that I ever saw him laugh."
"He talked and joked with the toddler until they found his mother together." Tomoyo laughed lightly. "I had some wishful thinking of how good of a father Syaoran would be.
I suppose that was one of the reasons I didn't refuse him when he asked me to marry him. I had seen a glimpse of him that I loved and I figured that I could be the one to bring it out of him."
"I suppose I did in some aspects," she mused, "or so I think I did."
Meiling shook her head. "He was always nicer to you than to everyone else around him," she told her friend.
"Which was why he was devastated when I told him that I loved his best friend instead," the fashion designer responded, leaning over and giving Eriol a poke in the shoulder. "But sometimes I wonder if I fell in love with the right man." Her eyes twinkled.
"You guys are hopelessly corny," Meiling told them when the two had snuggled together on the one person seat.
Tomoyo laughed. "Looks who's talking, Miss-I-kissed-my-sexy-policeman-on-the-street,"
"Blah," the girl threw back, sticking out her tongue.
The three laughed.
"What do you think will happen when Sakura and Syaoran fall in love with each other?" Meiling thought aloud.
Eriol grinned evilly. "My dear, I think we've just recruited our third member in our matchmaking club for Kinomoto and Syaoran."
Tomoyo laughed. "Then I'm assuming that we're not even going to think about driving to Tomodea and that we should just wait for the train tomorrow?"
"Of course," Meiling answered. "We don't want to waste gas. Taking the train is the most reasonable choice of action."
Eriol tossed the train schedule on the table. "And taking into account how considerate we are, let's take the nine am train instead of the seven am."
The three stooges crackled evilly.
"Oh, I wish I could be there to videotape it all," Tomoyo lamented after the laughter had died down.
-----
"You're late," she called softly into the cold air as she sat on the swing that was too small for her. She shuffled her feet in the sand. She had expected a sarcastic remark or even an angry one.
"What the hell?" she said loudly as arms circled around her waist tightly. A face was buried into the niche between her shoulder and neck. She could feel warmth seeping through her back.
"I'm sorry I'm late," he whispered into her hair.
She relaxed and molded herself against the person holding her when she heard his voice. "I," she started to say. But once the words slipped out of her mouth, she suddenly didn't know what else to say.
"I," she tried again only to hear her voice crack softly.
"You don't have to say anything now," he told her. "I'll be here to listen whenever you're ready."
She laughed dryly. "When did you become so eloquent and understanding?"
"I always was," was the quick reply. "You just never knew."
A comfortable silence drifted over the two of them like a warm blanket on a cold day. She closed her eyes thankfully. Then all too suddenly, coldness rushed at her when the person stepped away from her. Her eyes snapped open and she glanced up questionably.
"I was getting tired," he told her.
She scowled. He sat down on the swing next to her. His long legs made the swing seem even smaller and the swing creaked under his weight. Then she shifted her attention away from him as she watched her feet scuffle at the sand again.
"I met Ichiro today in the MRT," he said casually. "I never knew you were so nice to little children,"
"Li," she warned.
"And he told me all about your pinky promise," Syaoran continued, grinning wolfishly. "In addition to you playing hide and seek with Eriol,"
Sakura snorted. "I was saving Hiiragizawa's hide," she retorted. "I caught him hiding behind a trashcan in the park across from what I gathered was where you were staying when you weren't talking to Hiiragizawa."
"He was stalking me?" He cracked a half grin.
"He claimed he wasn't," she offered. "I did try to report him to police, but I figured that putting what I had learned as blackmail material would prove more beneficial."
Syaoran smirked. "What I would give to see that," he murmured.
"Hm," she replied nonchalantly.
"So this is your hometown." Syaoran looked around.
"This is where I used to always come when I was little," she said softly. "Did you know? This was the place where Meiling and I first met." She smiled and pointed at the bridge. "I had gotten into a fight with this boy in my grade and before I knew it, he had accidentally pushed me into the lake."
"Before I could get out there and give that boy a piece of my mind, Meiling had beaten me to it." She grinned. "Kicked his ass, she did. Then she helped me out of the lake and invited me over to her house to change. We were best friends since."
"After that, this would be our special place and we used to come here all the time after school. We used to have competitions on who would swing the highest on these swings." Her fingers danced lightly on the cool metal.
"When our school held the marathon around the town, the path would always make sure it'd cut through the playground,"
"And our science teachers would always make one of our summer science projects to catch cicadas. Meiling and I would come here with my oniichan to catch them in the trees here."
"What about that huge blue penguin slide?" Syaoran asked softly when the girl had paused.
He had thought that she wasn't going to reply, but she surprised him by opening her mouth to answer.
"I haven't returned to it since I graduated from high school," she whispered. "I used to come here whenever I need comfort."
"I camped out under there when daddy died in the hospital that night."
She smiled softly. "Can you believe it? I was seventeen then,"
"Poor penguin,"
She glared at him halfheartedly when she saw him smirking playfully. She sighed and leaned against the swing as she arched her head back to look at the stars that twinkled in the clear sky.
"I came here when okaasan died too," Sakura finally said. "And now I'm back,"
"He's not going to die," he said firmly.
Sakura just shook her head and let out a breath she didn't even know she was holding.
"I'm not going to let it happen," Syaoran said loudly. "Damn it, Kinomoto, I'm not going to let that happen!"
She hadn't even notice that he had gotten out of his swing until he was standing in front of her, blocking her view.
"Kinomoto," he repeated forcefully, leaning down and shaking her shoulders. She looked away from his piercing glance. "Look at me," Syaoran said, his voice softer now. Sakura shoved him away and got to her feet. She walked over to the slide and sat down underneath it, drawing her legs to her chest and resting her head on her knees.
"Li?" she asked lightly, as her finger drew little circles on the sand.
"Yeah?" Syaoran leaned against the slide, his arms crossed over his chest.
"Nothing," she finally answered.
Silence once again drifted over the two and it remained so for a long time. When Syaoran finally pushed himself away from the slide and peered down at the girl, her eyes were closed and her breathing was steady.
"Kinomoto?" he asked gently as he squatted down near her. As he put his jacket around her shoulders, he realized the tear tracks on her cheeks. His eyes saddened as he reached out to wipe the tears away.
"Don't," she said softly before his hand touched her cheek. Syaoran frowned, but withdrew his hand.
"Why did you come?" she asked abruptly.
"You had everyone worried," he told her. "Rae burst into my apartment soon after you left telling me that you were off to do something stupid. So you had all your friends on a wild goose hunt." He smirked. "Eriol even lost his wallet at the MRT station, that's why he didn't run after you,"
Sakura shook her head. "Why did you come?" she repeated.
"I told you. You had everyone worried. We were all out searching for you,"
"No," she cut him off. "Why did you come? Why?"
Syaoran shrugged. "I don't know to tell you the truth. I don't know why I even bothered. At first I brushed off my feelings, saying that it was because I owed you something for everything that you did for me. But somewhere along the lines, I wanted to find you as much as everyone else. I suppose I was worried about you, that you really might do something stupid."
"I felt hopeless and empty," he confessed, looking outside at the silent night. "More so than when Tomoyo left me for Eriol, and I still don't understand why. I just felt that I needed you back in Tokyo, with your sarcastic remarks and horrible bowling skills." He turned to grin at her.
She was staring at him intently with wide eyes laced with tears. Her face seemed paler under the dim moonlight.
"Will you hug me?" she whispered. Syaoran wordlessly pulled her into his arms. She hugged his torso tightly and buried her face into his chest. Syaoran leaned back on the slide, his legs framing the girl in his arms.
She wasn't crying, but Syaoran could feel her erratic breathing and shivering occasionally. He adjusted his jacket around her more securely and tightened his hold on her.
"I was going to sign a contract to become a prostitute today," she whispered into his chest. "Just for a while so I could pay for Touya's heart transplant. But when I was about to sign my name, I panicked and ran out of the building."
"I didn't know what to do, so I came here."
"I'm sorry." She sniffed.
"You don't have anything to be sorry for," Syaoran whispered furiously into her ear. "Don't ever apologize for that,"
"But,"
"He wouldn't want you to have sold yourself for him," he told her. "No older brother as protective as yours would have wanted you to be harmed."
"You met him?"
"I swear he almost bit my head off when I told him I met you in a club dancing." Sakura could feel the slight vibrations coming from his chest as he chuckled.
"Don't worry. I didn't tell him what you were really doing at the club." He told her. "If he asks, tell him that I was dancing inappropriately with you and for that I gave you some money to compensate."
"What money?" She drew away from his embrace a little to see his face.
"Didn't I tell you that he's going to be okay?"
"You paid for his transplant?" Her voice came out sharper and louder than she had intended.
"Hey, I didn't say I was going to pay it for free," Syaoran answered. "My secretary is going to have a marriage soon, and has a pile of work to get done before then. She can't possibly manage all that, so she's going to take a leave for a while. Besides, knowing her and Yamazaki, they'll probably go on a one month honeymoon and she'll become pregnant in a flash."
"You can't do that," she protested weakly.
"Watch me," he answered, pulling her to him. He rearranged her such that her back was leaning against him before resting his chin on her head. "I'm a slave driver though," he confessed, "and I'm cranky before I've had my morning coffee."
"I'm hopeless at math and I can't talk in front of crowds," she warned. "I'm extremely clumsy too,"
"I've noticed," he responded chuckling. "Though I don't think you can do worse than backfiring a bowling ball."
She punched him halfheartedly.
"I'm really bad at answering phones and I don't have any business suits," she attempted again. "It would really reflect badly on you,"
"Since when did you care about me?" Syaoran shot back. "Besides, Mihara would love to help you get settled and Tomoyo would be overjoyed to go shopping for you or even make a few suits for you."
"Why are you being so damn nice to me?" Sakura finally threw out.
"Was that what concerned you?" He smirked. "You should have told me. I figured that it would be a nice way to break it to you that I'll be charging you interest for what you owe me and that you'll most likely going to be working overtime, without extra pay, with me in the office."
"What?" she said loudly.
"Hey pipe down," Syaoran told her. "You're going to make me go deaf."
"I hope you do, you workaholic beast."
He laughed again and Sakura scowled.
-----
Miracles happen all the time. You just have to look around and eventually you'll find one. Whether it's an impossible event that occurred or an angel sent from heaven, it's a miracle all the same and has the ability to brighten up a whole life.
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WHEE! My final chapter of "She Will Be Loved," has finally come to an end. I'm planning to write a short epilogue next, to tie up all unfinished loose ends, and then it'll be another work done.
I'm so psyched. I have various other ideas for stories swimming in my head, and I really can't wait to get them all typed out. However, as many of you have noticed, I'm really busy with classes, and updating often is just not an option for me currently. The end of my third semester at UVA is coming towards an end, and a new semester is arriving. I can't believe I'm almost half way through college. Now that's a scary thought.
Positive note is that I'm definitely going to continue writing. However, I think I'm going to depart from Card Captor Sakura, and move on, probably to Inuyasha. I've been writing CCS since the day I started, and I think it's time to have different characters and scenes. No worries, I shall remain a diehard CCS fan until death.
Happy belated Thanksgiving everyone! I hope you all had a nice wonderful time with your family and for those who far from home (like me), I hope you had a good Thanksgiving nonetheless.
Final note: THANK YOU to all my readers for sticking with me all this time, through my highs and lows, through my slow updates, and through life in general. I sincerely thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading! Look forward to an epilogue. Um, don't want to say when since I have finals right after Thanksgiving break and then winter break after that (keep in mind that I'm an international student at UVA and thus, I haven't seen my family and old friends since August).
I love you all,
Iris dreamer
P.S. Please do review!