Disclaimer: I don't own anything…

Summary:

He loved her, she knew.
She loved him too, but she was scared…
…so she lied about it.
After six years, admitting that she was still in love with him…
…she struggles to forget.
After six years, they see each other again.
After six years…
…they will continue where they left off…

Could they?

Never to Love Me

by: UreyEz13

Chapter 2: Her Game

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March 15, Tuesday, 7:32 a.m.
Tomoeda Broadcasting Center (TBC), Lobby, 1st Floor

Sakura sighed as the elevator door closed in front of her. Never again will she be late for work after what he happened the day before. You should never point out one's wrong unless your sure you wouldn't do it yourself… it was like a broken record playing in her mind last night when she found it hard to sleep for the very first time.

"You look like you hadn't got enough sleep," a voice asked from behind her.

Being head means most of the people in the place knew you. Assuming that it was just another one of her peers, she answered politely without even bothering to turn around and see who it was. It was like any ordinary 'elevator conversation'.

"Yeah well, I just got a lot of things to disturb me last night…" she answered. It was more like a whisper.

"Things like?" it asked again. it sounded really curious, or if possible to call it that way, nosy.

Sakura shrugged, still not turning around. It seemed kinda stupid not to but she really did not feel to look at anyone right now that the only thing she could think of was seeing Syaoran march into the conference room for their early morning meeting with a mischievous grin on his face. "Our new boss for example," she retaliated without thinking.

"What about him?" the voice continued asking from behind her.

She sighed at the thought before reacting. "He's…" she was about to say something she would regret later when whoever-was-behind-her's curiosity hit her. It was then that she wondered why was whoever-he-was was asking all these questions.

Sakura slowly turned to face the unfortunate soul that ticked off a nerve before continuing her reply. "Why the hell are you even asking? It's none of your fu… g-good m-morning s-s-sir…" she was at first shouting out her bottled up anger and resentment when she realized that it was her boss himself who was talking to her. It was him who was asking all the curious questions. It was Syaoran whom she had just taken out her annoyance on.

"Indeed this is a very good morning Ms. Kinomoto-san…" Syaoran replied, his grin widening as his right hand ran through his hair.

The elevator stopped on the 6th floor with a loud 'DING!' and to Sakura's delight, Syaoran excused himself pass her to get off the mechanical transport and carrier of total bad luck.

"Excuse me… my floor," Syaoran whispered as he leans to Sakura's ear. He saw her quiver a little before she took a step aside.

My floor? she echoed his words in thought. Second day and he already thinks he owns everything in here… Sakura remained silent as she moved to one side. She can feel her face burning up from embarrassment, partly from what she just told her boss and partly from Syaoran's warm breath on her ear. How can I not recognize it was him? she cursed himself, nearly slapping herself in the head if she could. She kept her head bowed down to avoid any eye contact. She knew it would only make things worse for her.

Syaoran stepped out of the elevator but placed a hand on the side of the open compartment to prevent it from closing. "What floor do you work in?" he asked as if nothing happened.

Sakura gulped before she could answer. It was as if her voice was stuck to her throat and that she had suddenly gone mute. "E-Eight floor sir," she stammered an audible reply, her head still bowed down that her bangs covered her eyes.

"Hey, no need for formalities," Syaoran told her with a smile this time. "It's not like we just met."

Sakura was slightly taken aback by his actions. First he's all arrogant, then friendly? What does he think he's doing playing with me… she thought as she fought the urge to shout it all out again. This time, she looked up to meet his amber eyes staring at her.

"Be in my office at 9," he instructed professionally. Syaoran lifted Sakura's face higher to meet his gaze. He's hand on her chin, he face the warmth of her rosy cheeks. "Sakura," he added with a wider smile before removing his hand over the side of the elevator, allowing it to close.

Sakura let out a sigh of relief. It was like she wasn't breathing a single gram of air throughout her encounter with Syaoran. "Stupid piece of junk," she turned to blame the elevator as she stomped a foot on it. "What gives? Getting me into trouble so early in the morning…" she added like a little girl talking to an imaginary friend.

Sakura-chan… her name played back in her thoughts, the way Syaoran said it. He never changed… it was as if she was confirming an earlier assumption as she stared back at her reflection from the elevator's mirror. She let out another sigh as she gazed deep into her black iris.

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March 15, Tuesday, 8:05 a.m.
Tomoeda Broadcasting Center (TBC), Recording Studio 1, 6th Floor

"Still no luck with searching for the new hit singer whatever?" Syaoran asked casually after he pushed open a glass door and got in.

Meiling sat in front of the one-way glass with headphones in her ears. She didn't seem to hear Syaoran come in, and for that matter what he said.

He tapped her shoulder when she did not turn and cocked an eyebrow as his cousin's disappointed face welcomed him. Even Ludwig Van Gogh would find difficulty painting Meiling's face at that point. "Anything wrong?" he mouthed at her.

Meiling eagerly removed the headphones with a sigh as if she had just been pulled out of purgatory and its promised cleansing torture. "What did I do wrong to deserve such karma?" she lamented tiredly.

"Is it really that bad?" Syaoran just had to ask. His cousin had a bad habit of exaggerating things. Remember the time she panicked everyone when she screamed 'Xiao-Lang's dying!' when I got a paper cut… Mother nearly fainted… he reminded himself as he stared at his aggravated cousin.

Her expression changed into one of her why-are-you-staring-at-me-like-that look of hers as she arched one of her eyebrows. "Oh don't give me that look Xiao-Lang Li," she warned him. "I know that look. I am NOT exaggerating this time!"

Syaoran knew better than to insist what he thought. Meiling using 'Xiao-Lang Li' is a signal of a long lecture if he remained persistent. Instead, he grabbed the headphones and placed it on his own ears. He wanted proof nevertheless.

A vexatious sound of a woman's voice echoed through the poor, innocent headphones that Syaoran had to remove it form his ears even before he could completely place it over them.

How could she even find the courage to approach us and audition with that voice? a very mean thought hit him. It was reflexive to say the least. Surely, nobody is THAT naïve… he added with a loathing face as he gawked at the lady, possibly in her twenty's, that was on the other side of the studio, singing.

"Still think I'm overreacting smarty-pants?" Meiling uttered with a victorious smile on her face. She knew she had proven her point.

Syaoran shuddered before he could answer her. "Fine. I wasn't aware such intolerable truth could've existed," he elaborated his own reaction.

"I think it would take me a week, at the least, to find a possible asset," Meiling elucidated as she ran a hand through her long black hair.

Syaoran sighed before walking towards the glass door again.

"Where are you going?" Meiling called out before Syaoran could open the door.

Syaoran turned back to face her looking in deep thought. "My office," he simply replied before completely going out, leaving Meiling alone with her agonizing work.

He walked briskly towards the elevator and hit the up button. If anyone was present in everything that happened with his morning, he seemed a little too cheerful for someone who had just received a bad oral report from one of his subordinates. He didn't seem to care that the station was finding it hard to look for a new hit. Meiling's a big girl, I know she can do it, he told himself to take his mind off things.

When the elevator door opened he stepped in and hit the button that said 'Rooftop'. Foolishly smiling to himself, he whistled as he waited for the mechanical transport to reach his destination. He turned at the lift's mirror and grinned at himself. Right now, my only concern is talking to Sakura again… he voiced in his thought. I wonder how she's doing after all these years…

Right then, the elevator halted to a stop with another one of it's loud 'DING!' as the metal door clanked open.

Syaoran stepped out and savored the rush of warm morning breeze that lashed through his face. Walking a few more steps towards the metal railing of the rooftop, he suddenly ceased his motion as he stared at a figure that was a few feet from where he was standing. He only made out the auburn hair blowing in the wind as the figure had its back on him. And yet he perfectly recognized who it was.

"Sakura?" he called her name aloud, his eyes scrunched because of the early morning sun.

The figure turned to face him, pitch black eyes showing through her pale skin. If Syaoran was not mistaken, her pink lips had just smiled at him and mouthed 'Hey'.

He continued walking towards the metal railings and halted at Sakura's side, leaning on the cold steel like she was.

"I wasn't expecting to see you here," he remarked as he turned his face towards hers.

Sakura's P. O. V.

I decided to head right for the rooftop after my little encounter with my new boss. I wasn't at all ready for work, and since it was still early, it wouldn't hurt to have some fresh air to rejuvenate myself.

Hitting the button that said 'Rooftop', I quickly pushed the close button when it opened to my suppose-to-be destination. Right now, I wanted to avoid any human contact. Any other conversation for that matter…

I slowly stepped out of the lift when it opened after a loud 'DING!'. Just as I do at any ordinary day of me searching for serenity and solace, I headed straight for my any-ordinary-day spot right at the farthest part of the wide, open space. I leaned at the hard metal railing and gasped at the tingly sensation of eternal coldness the moment it made contact with my skin. It felt too frozen for a day in summer.

"Syaoran-kun…" I unconsciously muttered to no one in particular. It wouldn't hurt to lose myself in this place since nobody ever comes here besides me. Even Tomoyo-chan doesn't want to be anywhere near here. She says it's way too eerie for her taste. Anyway, this is the only place that offers me peace and solitude whenever I needed it. Here, I didn't need to look for solutions to any problem as I feel them unraveled without me doing anything. You can say that it offers up lies, but for me, being away from reality and from the world is the best sentimentality my little world of fantasy here could offer.

I closed my eyes and savored the mild gush of wind on my face. It felt so comforting that I just had to smile to no one in particular, for no particular reason.

It was as if by cue that a familiar voice suddenly called out my name. When did he… I didn't even hear him come in. Of course, I turned to face him and since I am amidst my reinvigoration, I think I smiled at him and muttered 'Hey'. I should've known that him seeing me here would mean so much trouble for me. That him seeing me lost in my temporary tranquility would somehow tell him how vulnerable and transparent I am in here…

Something I didn't want anybody to know…

Something I didn't want him to know…

I eyed him naively as he walked towards where I am, resuming only my interest to the view below of busy streets when he leaned against the railings as well, now at my side.

"I wasn't expecting to see you here," he remarked as he turned his face towards mine.

I did the same, a blank expression on my face. "We don't expect a lot of things," I simply replied before looking forward again.

I heard him chuckle at the my response. I guess it was a little too… cunning for an answer but it was no reason to laugh at me! Although, I was in no mood to ask why so I left him alone.

"As witty as I imagined you to be," he whispered. I could've sworn he did that a few centimeters from my ear. I can practically feel his warm breath right down to my neck. I involuntarily quivered at the gesture.

I remained silent as I could possibly be, ignoring the comment with hope that he would finally find it worthless to hang around here with me and simply leave.

To my dismay, he did not.

On the contrary, he remained at my side, still leaning on the cold metal railings and watched the busy street quietly just like I did. I couldn't say I found it annoying that he was there, antithetically, I barely even recognized his presence there.

"Syaoran-kun…" I whispered in a melancholic voice. Although I didn't mean to, I think I caught him off guard by my casualty and sense of closeness that I could've sworn he gaped for a nanosecond or so. I honestly didn't know why I called him that either. If you ask me, it was because of all the mind-fogging calmness going through my head.

"Hmm?" he somewhat managed to retain his coolness when he replied.

I smiled as I realized I have nothing to say to him. At this point, I didn't know why in the world didn't I go nervous or anything even close to it. I was completely calm to be exact and even I don't have an answer to why is that. "Ie… nandemonai (No, it's nothing)," I simply decided to reply. It was the only thing I could come up with at the moment.

There were so many things I want to tell him. So many bottled up feelings that was at any given time could drift all out from me. But I struggled to keep my mouth shut… after all, I wouldn't expect him to feel the same way he did years ago. I would only be feeling guilty then…

I heard him let out another chuckle. I ignored him yet again.

Somehow, all I cared about right now is that I am not alone anymore… Don't get me wrong! I certainly feel loved with Tomoyo-chan and Onii-chan around! It's just that, he's prescence seems to affect me differently… Blissfully different…

Syaoran's P. O. V.

"We don't expect a lot of things," she replied to my earlier remark before looking forward again.

I chuckled at her response. I swear I didn't mean to! It's just that, she reminded me of the Elder's riddling answers whenever we ask them anything. I think those bald hooded jerks would find their match with this one.

If I remember her correctly, if she was still the same old Sakura I know, she would be wise but would definitely pound a hammer on my head right then and there if she heard me chuckling at her reflexive response. I was preparing myself for a brutal come back but was slightly shocked when she did not even turn to face me with a glare.

"As witty as I imagined you to be," I whispered within a few good centimeters from her ear. I made sure she feel my breath right down to her neck. I hope I don't have bad breath or anything though. I just had to grin when she quivered at the gesture.

She remained silent, ignoring my comment. It was completely different from how I imagined she would react. Right then I wondered where the Sakura I used to know had gone off to…

Of course, I'm not as insensitive as I used to be when I was still a kid… before I met her at least. I took the hint and simply confined all the things I wanted to say. If you ask me, I think she wanted me to go away, but I'm as stubborn as she is, she could never sod me off just like that!

I wanted to hug her right then, I wanted to shout out how much I missed her… but I guess she wouldn't be ready for anything like that yet. After all, we parted ways in the worse possible manner… Don't get me wrong! It's not like I still love her or anything… I just… I dunno… missed her?

Sissy? If I were you I wouldn't tell me…

And so I simply stood there. Right by her side… lost in all my thoughts…

"Syaoran-kun…" genuinely, I was started when he called me. Okay, it was more of a whisper but, she still uttered my name didn't she? I was mostly surprised by her sudden warmth towards me. I mean, she was formal in the elevator right? Nevertheless. I think I gaped at her, but of course I quickly composed myself again.

"Hmm?" it was all I could response to be able to retain my coolness. If I said more than that, I think I would've stammered.

When I turned to her, I was surprised - yet again - by her actions. She smiled! God forbid it! Hallelujah! But she smiled! To top it all off, she smiled at me! ME! … Okay, enough enthusiasm… It was just so weird that she did. I was really taken aback when her pink lips curved up a sweet smile for me…

For me…

It sounds right…

"Ie… nandemonai," she then simply replied.

At this moment, I couldn't hold back another chuckle. It was partly from how she acted but more of how I felt when she did it. I felt… light-hearted and weird…

After a few minutes of silence, she erected her ached back and as if on cue, a bright streak of the sun's ray hit her face and she looked as if she had just woken up from a very wonderful sleep. I watched her blink her eyes many times before she turned to me with a sudden pained expression on her face.

I was more puzzled than I ever was with this whole little encounter of ours.

I stared at her curiously as she bowed down low before leaving me with the last thing I thought I would be thinking about for god-knows-for-how-long!

"I'm sorry…" it came almost as a whisper to herself. After that, she walked away and went down with the elevator.

I stood there, stunned. I don't know if I can't move or I won't… The last thing I knew was that I was clenching on the steel railing with all my might. It was as if I was taking all my frustrations out on it…

God Sakura… what are you doing to me…

Okay… glad that's done! I guess this one turned out to be a little more serious… Newayz… all I could say is that I apologize for errors and that I love reviews! Please give me some hehe….