§ Cherished in My Heart §
A fiction by moondocc
Rated T/Genre: Romance/Drama
a/n: wow, thanks for all those reviews! Especially Cerulean Flames who sent me like a review for each chapter. Thank you. That was very generous of you, considering how some people don't even bother to submit a review at all. Anyway, sorry I had you thinking that that was the last chapter, yes, I know it's a relief. But this chapter's going to be pretty sad toooo. I'm sorry you guys. I'm so touched that many of you said that you almost cried/cried reading the chapter. I'm so happy! It's such a great thing to know that you've touched someone with your work. It's a great feeling. Anyway… here's the next and very last chapter!
And thank you guys for helping me reach 700! That is a DREAM COME TRUE. I told myself that this story won't ever break 100 but here I am at 700… wow!
WARNING: SUPER LONG CHAPTER AHEAD.
Chapter 21: Cherished in My Heart
2 days ago.
"Mr. Li, please sit down," an old man with glasses instructed Syaoran. He wore a white doctor's robe and was holding a notepad. He had a serious expression on his face. Syaoran peeked through the door, saw the doctor, and followed his gaze. He sat in the patient chair opposite of Dr. Tanami, the brain surgeon.
"Would you like something to eat and drink while I tell you your conditions?" Dr. Tanami asked, concerned. Syaoran shook his head. "You might need something to drink while I tell you this…" he trailed off, ignoring Syaoran's protest, and handed him a glass of water.
Syaoran's heart beat fast. What does he have? He merely passed out… Eriol and Tomoyo had found him on the kitchen floor, unconscious, but all those thoughts about Sakura were what were bothering him! There was nothing else wrong with him. Nothing. Absolutely nothing.
"Mr. Li, we have your test results," Dr. Tanami said, handing Syaoran a yellow envelope. Syaoran curiously took the photographs out. He looked at them for a while—they were CAT scans of his brain—several pages of them. "Doctor, what…" he gulped, "what exactly does this mean?"
Syaoran squeezed his eyes shut, his hand over his heart, preparing for the worst.
Dr. Tanami sighed deeply. He then inhaled a large volume of air, placed his hand on his forehead and let out a frustrated moan. "Mr. Li… I have always hated my job."
"Wh-what?" Syaoran asked, confused. What does he mean? Why is he changing the subject?
"Mr. Li… I was assigned to tell patients the worst of news for the past twenty years. I cannot bear this anymore. I cannot bear to tell you!" Dr. Tanami shook his head. Syaoran nodded slowly. He was seeing it from the Doctor's perspective now, how painful it must be to deliver the bad news and watch people break down slowly.
"Please," Syaoran asked patiently, wanting to take as much time as possible to preserve his last moment of peace. He knew, by the doctor's grave tone, that there's a chance that everything in his life will thus perish away from existence once he has known his condition. "Tell me," he pleaded.
Dr. Tanami looked down at his notepad. Syaoran noticed some scribbles on it, but he couldn't exactly make them out; the notepad was upside down too. "Mr. Li, I'm afraid that your brain condition is very severe."
Syaoran narrowed his eyes, "H-how severe?"
"You have a tumor behind your sensory nerves, Mr. Li, where your eyes are connected at." Dr. Tanami said gravely. For a moment silence took their breaths. Syaoran stared.
"W-what?" he simply asked.
"The tumor has been there for at least two years," Dr. Tanami explained, "has anyone pointed this out before?"
Syaoran shook his head. He hadn't exactly had a physical in the last five years. Now he cursed himself silently. "If treated at an earlier stage, the tumor would be removed with only slight damage to the brain, and wouldn't affect you much, but now…"
"Now…?"
"Now," Dr. Tanami sighed, "Now I'm afraid that…if you don't treat it, you will…" he looked away. Syaoran nodded, understanding. If he doesn't treat it now, he'll…Syaoran gulped…die.
Five minutes passed with neither patient nor doctor communicating. Dr. Tanami left Syaoran to his peace and went on observing him in a concerned way. He understood that patients always needed time to absorb the most devastating piece of news in their lives.
Inside Syaoran's brain, no matter how damaged it was, he still felt like it exploded. Sharp pains drove right into his eyes and disturbed his aqueous humor that his eyes felt dry and detached. Fireworks threw themselves like flames of lava inside his brain and energy flowed from his head toward space. "I feel lightheaded…" he whispered, very low so that Dr. Tanami wouldn't hear.
At this time he thought of Sakura, of his sweet innocent cherry blossom to whom he shared so many wonderful and lovely memories with. He thought of how devastating it would be that those memories, especially the ones that she couldn't remember, would perish along with him with his impending death. He thought of her angelic voice and her beautiful face and how he would never hear her laughter and never be lost in her eyes again. He silently cursed himself. If he ever lived through this in one piece, he promised himself, he would physically and mentally check up every six months on the dot.
Why must he die when he's so…fashionably in love?
"Mr. Li?" Dr. Tanami said, disturbing the silence. Syaoran flashed his eyes up defiantly. "Yes?"
"There is a way to treat this." Dr. Tanami said. Syaoran felt hope pouring into his brain again. "How?" he was determined to get better.
"As you can see, technology in Hong Kong is not as advanced as technology in America," Syaoran nodded, knowing that this was true. "If you wish to have surgery to remove your tumor, which I strongly suggest you do, you must leave for America at once, or else the cancerous cells in the tumor will spread and eventually shut down your nervous system."
Syaoran nodded again, his mind running through a thousand thoughts. What the doctor meant was that, he was sure, that if he didn't leave for America to receive treatment, then the worst and the most probable thing that will happen is that…
He will die.
"Doctor," Syaoran asked, hesitantly, "what are the risks for treatment?"
Dr. Tanami looked away. He held his head in his hands again, taking a deep breath. "There are many risks," he began, "for there is no complete treatment for the tumor at your stage. The risks are different for different people," he explained, observing Syaoran's complexion, which contained no emotion. "Most people have sensory defects, however, because the tumor is located in the sensory lobe of your brain."
"Sensory defects?" Syaoran asked. "In my case, what would that mean?"
The doctor took a deep breath again. He had a troubled expression on his face. "That would mean," Here he exhaled, inhaled again, held it and looked straight in Syaoran's eyes, "there's an eighty percent chance that you will be blind, Mr. Li."
Present time.
Sakura smiled serenely at the memories of Syaoran and her. She was staying at Tomoyo's mansion, and she lay on her own bed peacefully, her hands folding across her chest. She remembered how the eight-year-old Sakura told Syaoran that someday he will find another girl that's more beautiful, more athletic, and more intelligent than she was, but in the end, he found her again.
Sakura sighed deeply. She placed her hand on his face and turned him around. "Someday, you just wait, Syaoran, there won't be a Sakura Kinomoto anymore. Someday, Syaoran, you are going to find a girl who is more beautiful, more intelligent, and more athletic than I am, Syaoran, and you are going to love that girl forever, and protect her with everything you have."
"Sakura, I have already found that girl." Syaoran whispered.
"Oh?" Sakura smiled secretly.
"It's you." Syaoran answered after a while.
Sakura laughed at this memory. Those precious memories of Syaoran and her, of her brother Touya, of her father Fujitaka, of Hong Kong ten years ago, of his mother, Yelan…She's going to miss these memories. "I'm being so stupid…" Sakura said sadly, "how can I be so foolish as to think that he'll forgive me? Of course he won't. I was so hard on him…" she felt tears in her eyes. She shook them away and flipped around, hugging a big bear-like stuffed animal, to which she named Kero. "You're my dream, Syaoran…I won't let you go." She swallowed determinedly.
Everybody's got something they had to leave behind
One regret from yesterday that just seems to grow with time
There's no use looking back or wondering
How it could be now or might have been
Oh this I know but still I can't find ways to let you go
A chestnut-haired man lowered his head as he strolled in the peaceful park. His bangs fell neatly over his amber eyes, which were full of remorse and regret. He couldn't. He just couldn't tell Sakura about the tumor. It would break her heart. After ten years they were finally going to be together, but now…now it's Syaoran's fault that he'll be leaving her. He sighed in frustration, his hand running frantically through his hair. When he pulled his hands down, he gazed at it—there were too many strands of hair falling. Syaoran shook his head. "Everything will be okay," he reassured himself. "Everything will be okay as long as you're cherished my in my heart."
He kept walking, his eyes on the ground, observing the pigeons jumping and flying fearlessly around him. He knelt down, and stared at a white pigeon. It had pure white feathers and a yellow beak. Its eyes were the darkest brown, almost black, and it stared defiantly back at Syaoran.
"Hi," Syaoran greeted the pigeon. It walked closer to him, shaking its head stupidly at his outstretched hand. "My name is Syaoran Li," he continued, "what's yours?"
The pigeon made a sound that resembled snorting. "Oh, you wouldn't tell me? Let me guess. Is it… Liang?" the pigeon looked away. "No? no? well, is it Fuwei? Kai-choi?" he asked patiently again. The pigeon didn't respond. It kept gazing at Syaoran in a most observant way. "Ooh, I get it, are you a girl pigeon?" Syaoran laughed at his stupidity. "I mean, so far the names have been boy names, haven't they?"
To this the pigeon squawked. "Hmm…so you are a girl. Is your name Ai-hua?" he asked. The pigeon seemed to shake its head. "Ke-ling? Jing?" At this the pigeon seemed to glare at him and then flew away. Syaoran smiled serenely. He stood up, shook his head, and continued walking. He was almost against a tree when the pigeon flew back again, this time landing on his shoulder. Syaoran looked surprised, and then glanced sideways. The pigeon's beak held something pink… what was it? It flew down his shoulders and dropped the pink thing in his hand. Syaoran looked down. On his hand was the most beautiful cherry blossom that he had ever seen. It had six petals and was the color of a soft, radiant peach. His other hand reached out curiously and embraced it carefully. The pigeon seemed make "coo-coo" noises. He looked back at the pigeon and smiled, "your name is Ying-Fa, isn't it?"
It coo-coo'ed, as if approving the name Ying-Fa, and then, without a warning, it rose above and encircled his head. Syaoran smiled at the pigeon as it rose higher and higher in the sky, where it disappeared among the brilliant rays of sunlight piercing forcefully through the clouds. Syaoran looked at the pink flower on his hand. "Now where did Ying-Fa get this cherry blossom? Cherry blossoms are only found in Japan…" he trailed off, and then shook his head. "Silly." He told himself, "This must be a hallucination."
Syaoran rested his head against the big oak tree. He closed his eyes calmly and listened to the sounds of nature. He thought about how other senses sharpen when one of them is disabled. He smiled. He hadn't smiled in so long, and this was a completely refreshing experience. He felt…free, as if he had just been relieved from thousands of chains binding him to a wall—the heart of Sakura. He liked this feeling. It was new, it was beautiful…and yet it hurts him to admit that he wanted it, just temporarily, to be away from her.
For, being away from her and being able to forget her made being cruel to her so much easier to bear.
"Syao-Syaoran?" A voice interrupted his thoughts. He looked up, and tightened his face.
"Sakura! What are you doing here?" he asked.
"I'm just taking a walk in the park and I saw you here, so I thought I'd come and say hi," Sakura said cheerfully. Syaoran said nothing.
Noticing the silence, Sakura laughed. "It's such a beautiful afternoon, isn't it, Syaoran?"
"I don't like springs," he mumbled. This wasn't true.
"Oh? You don't? Spring tends to be so soft, doesn't it?" Sakura said amiably. Syaoran couldn't help but gaze at her face. Her nose was pointed skyward, and her emerald eyes blended so beautifully with the sun that thousands of colors danced in her glittering pools. She had a sheepish smile on her face, with the faintest hint of puffy eyes
"But yes, yes it does." He agreed. "And beautiful." He added.
"I thought you didn't like springs," Sakura turned around to face him, smiling. Syaoran flashed a grouchy look. "I don't like it because it's soft and beautiful."
Sakura laughed again. He found himself closing his eyes and listening to its ringing sound. It really does sound like a magical laugh. So…delicate and so…mesmerizing. "Oh, Syaoran… you are exactly what you were ten years ago."
Syaoran opened his eyes suddenly. "What?" he demanded.
"You were always so grouchy and so stubborn, and you would always make things hard for me." Sakura said simply, "I remember you always had a problem with one-to-one personal conversations."
"What?" Syaoran yelled, his face turning to the color of apple. "I do not!"
"So childish…" she muttered. To this Syaoran's hair stood up, his face paled. "Oh look…you're white as a sheet. Are you sick?" she asked concernedly. Syaoran's eyes shot straight at her. "And you're still dense as a slug."
"What?" it was her turn to scream at him this time. "SLUG? DENSE? You compared me to a slug?" Syaoran nodded proudly, temporarily forgetting about their troubles. "For that, you'll have to be punished!" she said determinedly.
"Punished? How, my princess?" he smirked at her. Sakura thought for a moment, looking innocently at the birds chirping happily on the tree branch. "Ha, I know!" her face lighted up as she turned around to him. Then she broke into laughs of mischief and stretched her fingers at Syaoran. "For this you'll have to be punished!" she screamed happily as she began tickling Syaoran at his waist. Syaoran looked completely surprised and started laughing out of control. "Stop it!" he cackled, his hands fighting for control of Sakura's venturing fingers. Sakura continued to tickle him at the armpits, then the neck, and then falling over him to tickle him some more at the waist. They laughed for a moment before they realized the position they were in.
Both were on the newborn grass and she was directly on top of him. Their faces were only a few inches away, and she was completely red. They had stopped laughing, and for what seems like eternity, they were lost in each other's eyes. Then, giving in to temptation, Syaoran put his hands on her cheeks and pulled her to his lips. Their mouths met dramatically in a hunger for each other's taste as he forced her lips open with his tongue. She welcomed his tongue that was so deprived of her, and kissed him back urgently. Out of the corner of his eyes he saw her closed ones, her expression so happy and so beautiful.
Something in his head hit him then like a hammer pounding on a nail. He winced, thankful that Sakura didn't notice. The pain made him realize the mistake that he's doing to her. No, no, this isn't what he would have of her. No, he was supposed to be cruel and mean to her! Quickly he pushed her head away from his and broke the kiss. "No, I can't do this, Sakura, not when I didn't forgive you." He sat up and turned around so his back faced her. He couldn't look at her face.
There is a difference between what's good for him and what he wanted.
On the other side Sakura answered. "Syaoran… please forgive me. I'm sorry for all the things that I've said and done. I'm sorry."
And he wanted so badly of Sakura that it was torture to keep his hands wrapped around his knees rather than holding her, comforting her.
"I can't bare to live without you, Syaoran." She whispered.
He would hold her in his arms and he would cradle her head in his chest and just sit with her under the oak tree, sit with her and comfort her and embrace her and kiss her.
"I…I love you, Syaoran." She confessed, and she felt herself starting to cry. She wiped away her tears and walked over to face Syaoran. She sat down in front of him and gave him a brave smile.
"I'm not asking you to forgive me anymore…I give up on that. I'm asking you to love me."
How can you love someone when you never forgave them?
Syaoran gazed at her. "How can you be so cruel?" she asked softly, her eyes fixed on his. "Because I can't love you." He said simply. "No, I don't want to love you."
Sakura's eyes widened in disbelief. "What?" her face faded into a frown. "Oh Syaoran…" she broke down, her head on her knees, crying lightly. Syaoran looked at her, a thousand needles dashing pointedly at his heart. He felt his heart ache, then after that, his head ache. After a moment, Sakura cleared her throat, wiped away her tears, and gazed at Syaoran with a wide smile. She looked…almost happy, Syaoran thought.
"Syaoran, I want you to know, even if you never forgive me, I want you to know this."
Syaoran gazed at her. "I want you to know, that no matter what happens, you'll always be my number one. You'll always be cherished in my heart." She smiled, continuing. "Even when you fall in love with someone else and you show her to me one day, even when hurt and pain embraces me and it kills me to see her happy with you, I'll still be completely devoted to you. Don't you ever forget this."
Syaoran nodded slowly. He wasn't going to fall in love with anyone else when he's so madly in love with her. No, no, he silently gave her his words too, that her response only written on his heart. He smiled back at her. This is what she wanted, he thought, she wanted to leave him with a smile.
"Sakura," he spoke softly, "close your eyes."
Sakura looked surprised, but did so nonetheless. She closed her eyes patiently and sat there, the sunlight caressing her. Syaoran cursed himself for being so brutal. He knew that she would never open her eyes without him telling her to. He wanted so badly to kiss her, and he thought that she had anticipated that too, for her lips were slightly jutting outward, as if reaching for his.
He shook his head. No, he had to do this. He stood up, looking at her one last time. He rewarded her with a smile and silently crept around her. Sakura felt Syaoran's body brushing past her, and in the next second, she felt that he wasn't there anymore. She kept her eyes closed, her mind thinking a thousand thoughts.
A moment later, when Sakura opened her eyes and glanced around, he was gone. He had walked away from her forever.
I've never had a dream come true
Till the day that I found you
Even though I pretend that I've moved on
You'll always be my baby
I never found the words to say
You're the one I think about each day
And I know no matter where life takes me to
A part of me will always be with you
Sakura closed the door behind her and wiped her eyes again. It had been red ever since she had last seen Syaoran. She groaned and walked towards the bathroom. She looked into the mirror, and saw that her face had no expression, but that's when she noticed something pink in her hair. Pondering, she gently pulled the pink thing into her hand and observed it. It was a cherry blossom.
Somewhere in my memory
I've lost all sense of time
and tomorrow can never be cos yesterday is all that fills my mind
There's no use looking back or wondering
How it should be now or might have been
Oh this I know but still I can't find ways to let you go
A young woman held a stuffed bear close to her chest and cried silently, remorsefully. The air around her hung like a ghost, sucking her every breath in. She closed her eyes as his smile rushed to her sense of imagery. His smile was that of a serene, peaceful, yet dangerous and piercing curve. She recalled to have never seen him fully smile, but only a tip of his mouth slightly curved upwards.
Sakura opened her eyes again, and traced her fingers down Kero. She poked its soft fur and then gently kissed its forehead. "Kero…you're the only one here to listen to my troubles, eh?"
Kero seemed to nod his head. Sakura stared afar, trying to space out so she can forget her pain. Immediately after she dozed off, the door burst open. Sakura jumped aback, her grip tightening around Kero. "Sakura!" A raven-haired girl called to her.
"Tomoyo!" Sakura gasped. "What's wrong?" Tomoyo had kicked open the door so suddenly that Sakura felt her heart jumping in wild excitement.
"What the hell are you doing here, Sakura? Why aren't you at the airport?" Tomoyo demanded, her cheeks flushed. "You were supposed to meet us at the airport an hour ago!"
"What?" Sakura asked in confusion. "Oh that. I heard Syaoran's going to America." She said sadly. "Yes!" Tomoyo nodded, "aren't you going to see him off?"
"No." Sakura grunted, her arms hugging Kero in an almost suffocating way. "I don't want to."
Tomoyo groaned. Sakura had never seen Tomoyo this way. She was always so calm and so perfect. "This might be your last chance, Sakura," Tomoyo whispered sadly, "don't you know?"
"What?" Sakura demanded, alarmed. "What do you mean my last chance?"
Tomoyo propped herself next to Sakura. "Sakura-chan, why do you think Syaoran told you he couldn't forgive you?"
"W-what? How did you know?"
"Why. Why do you think that he couldn't forgive you?" Tomoyo repeated. She looked straight in Sakura's eyes, her orbs a mix of determination and stubbornness.
"B-because…" Sakura sighed, "I said that Josh was perfect."
Tomoyo groaned. "How can you honestly be that stupid?"
Sakura backed away, confused. Since when did Tomoyo ever call her stupid? "W-what?" where was Tomoyo getting at?
"Syaoran's in love with you, you idiot. He's going to America because he has a tumor behind his eyes." Tomoyo explained, waiting for a moment to let the effect of her words sink in. Sakura gazed at Tomoyo, and then shook her head, laughing.
"Is this a ploy to get me to the airport?" she smiled, "if so, then it's a very good ploy."
Tomoyo's hand raised high in the air and landed hard on Sakura's face. Sakura gasped, surprised that Tomoyo is capable of such a violent thing. She rubbed her palm against her fingerprinted face and glared at Tomoyo. "You stupid cow!" She screamed at Sakura. "If you don't go after Syaoran now, there's a chance that you'll never see him again!"
"What?" Sakura asked, too shocked to recover from Tomoyo's slap to completely function her brain.
"He might die, Sakura!" Tomoyo shouted loudly. Then she broke down and curled herself into a ball, crystal tears falling on the pink carpet like droplets of rainwater. "He might die…" she whispered, her voice barely audible.
I've never had a dream come true
Till the day that I found you
Even though I pretend that I've moved on
You'll always be my baby
I never found the words to say
You're the one I think about each day
And I know no matter where life takes me to
A part of me will always be with you
Two women burst into the front lobby of the airport, searching frantically for a certain chestnut-haired man. Sakura ran straight up the escalator, leaving Tomoyo catching up behind. "Go, go!" Tomoyo urged as the auburn-haired girl ran up the escalator and knocked down a few people in her way.
"Sorry, excuse me," she muttered quickly without turning around, losing no time. Syaoran's flight was at 10:30, and it was already 10:26, as informed by a humongous digital clock hanging above the glass doors just ahead of her. She pulled the doors open hurriedly and dashed into the waiting room. Sakura glanced around. No one was there save for an old woman with what was possibly, her granddaughter.
"Hoee…" Sakura groaned, her hands banging on her forehead. She held a ticket for New York City in her grasp, and looked at the time stamped on the thick brochure. It read 10:30. If Sakura gets on the plane now, that would mean that she would be in the same airplane as Syaoran. She glistened, looking happily down at her small carry-on purse with some essentials. There was hope yet.
Syaoran, I'm coming.
Then she shook her head. She sat down on a couch, her hands holding her head up to support it. She sighed out deeply as she felt her sensitive tear buds beginning to outline her emerald pools again.
What will I say when I see him?
A lone tear traced its way down her rosy cheek.
What will he say?
She felt herself sob a little. Just a little.
Will you love me?
Tears trickled down like rain.
10:40am, airport lobby.
Tomoyo gasped for breath. Her hand grabbed a chair handle for support as she bent over and inhaled deeply. I wonder where Sakura is, she thought in between the exchange of air, I bet she's on that plane now with Syaoran! Tomoyo smiled to herself. It was all to her doing that her best friend and Syaoran are going to find true happiness.
She tried hard to believe that. Syaoran can't die now. Not now, not when Sakura's search for happiness has just ended. Her love blossomed for him like lovely cherry blossoms in spring. With snow melting into spring, hope is still there. It's hard-earned, hard-fought, but nevertheless… there.
Little did she know that Sakura didn't get on the plane to New York City.
Kinomoto Sakura stepped on the plane to Tokyo, Japan, awaiting a new adventure.
You'll always be the dream that fills my head
Yes you will, say you will, you know you will
Oh baby, you'll always be the one I know I'll never forget
There's no use looking back or wondering
Because love is a strange and funny thing
No matter how I try and try I just can't say goodbye
No no no no
5 Years Later.
23 years of age.
7:20am, Grand Palace, Tokyo, Japan.
"Sakura, Sakura!" Tomoyo screamed, pushing the door open to Sakura's room in the royal chambers. Sakura groaned, pulling bed sheets over her head. Tomoyo jumped on Sakura's bed excitedly and screamed in Sakura's ear: "Sakura! My clothes are out in Teen Magazine!"
Immediately Sakura pulled down her bed sheets and sat up in happiness. Then she screamed together with Tomoyo, squealing as she hugged her best friend. "Congratulations, Tomoyo! That's well-deserved!"
Tomoyo nodded excitedly and shoved the magazine in Sakura's face. "Look, look, it's my clothes!" Sakura took the magazine and peered down at it. "AHHHHH!" She squealed. "Oh my god! This is fantastic!"
"Yes, I know, isn't it? All that hard work has finally paid off!"
"Hmm yes." Sakura quickly answered. Something had caught her eye. Her focus wasn't on Tomoyo's new fashion line anymore. Her eyes trailed down on the next page. Tomoyo smiled sheepishly, gazing at Sakura happily.
"Eriol will be so pleased! Now that we're engaged, he can wear one of my designs to our engagement ceremony. I'm thinking the white tuxedo with the blue dragon emblazoned on the sleeves and blue violets at the hem of the suit, no? Or maybe the black tuxedo with the white stripes, you know, one of those 'model-y' looks?" Tomoyo rambled, her hands clutched together in front of her heart. "What do you think Sakura?" she glimpsed casually at her friend.
"Hmm? It's fine." Sakura replied quickly, her eyes still fastened on the next page. The wheels in her brain turned rapidly as she shook her head. "No, no, it's not possible…"
"No? What about the navy suit then?" Tomoyo asked, absorbed in her own imagination.
"Huh?" Sakura tore her eyes away from the page and looked up at Tomoyo. "What did you say?"
Tomoyo turned around and gave Sakura a dirty look. "Haven't you been listening to what I'm saying, Sakura?"
Sakura blinked. "Hoe?"
Tomoyo sighed dramatically. Sakura pretended not to notice. "Tomoyo…is it possible to have cherry trees grow in Hong Kong?"
Tomoyo put a finger to her chin. "I thought cherry trees were indigenous to Japan only."
"That's what I thought too. I mean, in the year that I was in Hong Kong and when I was young I've never seen a cherry tree in my entire life. I mean, the climate isn't suitable," Sakura trailed off, looking puzzled.
"Well it is April…" Tomoyo pondered. "Let me see what you're reading." Sakura handed Tomoyo the magazine and pointed at the picture she was referring to. Tomoyo scrutinized it carefully. It was a picture of cherry blossom trees lined neatly in Princess Park. The cherry blossoms bloomed happily and violently, pasting the walk with a radiant heavenly glow. The caption read, and Tomoyo read it out loud, "Designed by a famous American architect, the cherry blossom trees in this park are moved entirely from Japan and will grow for about one week. After one week the trees will have to be moved back to Japan because of unsuitable climates. Gorgeous flowers are matched greatly with young lovers. Attraction No. 11, Princess Park, 18 Princess Street, Victoria Island, Hong Kong, 100293, P.R. China."
Sakura's stomach twisted into a tight knot. "Want to go there, Tomoyo? I hope this magazine isn't outdated."
"No, I just got it today. Although I think we only have like…about three more days to see this attraction." Tomoyo calculated. "That is, if we leave today."
Sakura looked at the picture again. "Let's go then, I'll pay. It'd be like a celebration for your designs published in Teen Magazine! And bring Eriol. We'll all go together."
Tomoyo's face brightened. "Oh, Sakura, you're the best friend any girl could have!" She said cheerfully as she gave Sakura a bear hug. "Let me go get Eriol now. I hope we can still catch a flight!"
"Don't worry. I am the princess after all. I'll tell Takashi to get the limo ready." Sakura beamed as Tomoyo skipped out of the room, almost dancing her way to the door. Sakura peered down at the picture again, her fingers touching the smooth page.
She felt guilty for lying to her friend. Lord knows she had an ulterior motive.
I've never had a dream come true
Till the day that I found you
Even though I pretend that I've moved on
You'll always be my baby
I never found the words to say (words to say)
You're the one I think about each day
And I know no matter where life takes me to
A part of me will always be
A part of me will always be with you
"Awwhh…" Tomoyo sighed exasperatedly. "It's beautiful!" Eriol was by her side, smiling kindly at her. Sakura felt a little jealous by looking at them, but at the same time wonderful. She was surrounded by the most beautiful flowers imaginable. All around her, cherry blossoms extended out of the branches, dancing with the wind and waving happily at her. The heavenly glow from the picture was now a reality as pink flower petals graced the pavement, striking ornaments for such plain earth.
Eriol led Tomoyo toward a tree and disappeared behind it. Sakura shook her head. She could hear Tomoyo's giggles from far away. "Those two are too cute," she said to herself, secretly wishing that her romance was fluent like theirs. All these years. All these five years she had refused to go on dates and meet guys. Ever since the first and last person she will ever love was lost in America. She had ceased to contact him, although he filled her dreams every night. In her dreams she would fall gracefully into his arms and bat her eyelids elegantly at him, and he would embrace her lips with burning passion. She hated the mornings. With her awake, another illusion would disappear. And she craved for illusions which served to fill the gap in her heart.
She walked slowly down the pavement, wanting desperately to give Tomoyo some well-deserved peace. She knew that if she had brought a loved one here that it would be the most romantic place on earth. She smiled. Tomoyo and Eriol were probably gazing at the baby blue sky right now, muttering loving words to each other.
There were too many couples in Princess Park that Sakura felt herself suffocate by the air of lovey dovey words and uttering whispers. She stepped on a log and balanced one foot on it, then the next, skipping carefully down with her arms out stretched. She closed her eyes, letting herself feel the wind seize her body and haul her hair. "Ahhh…" she sighed happily.
"It's beautiful, isn't it?" A man's voice stroke behind her. Sakura's foot slipped and crashed on the ground. "Oww…" she rubbed her behind, clearly annoyed by the voice.
She heard him laugh. She got up angrily and looked around. No one was there. "Where are you?" she asked loudly. No answer. She walked around, peering sideways before her eyes stopped at a person hiding behind a tree.
"I was hoping you wouldn't find me," the voice said quietly. Sakura sauntered ahead, lowering her head sideways so she could see his head. Chestnut hair. Her heart leapt a mile. Sakura quickly ran over to him and now she was standing in front of him. She widened her eyes.
"Syaoran? Li Syaoran?"
The man chucked softly. "I'm what's left of him." He held his hand up for her to see. In his hand there was a cane, which he used to support himself. Sakura peeped intently into his eyes. They showed no sign of seeing her.
"You're…" she gulped, "blind?"
Syaoran nodded. "Then how did you know it was me?"
"Lucky guess." Syaoran shrugged. Then he laughed. "No, no, my escort told me. I'm quite important you know, to have an escort and everything. Me being blind doesn't mean asshole." He smirked (a/n. in the first chapter he used 'asshole' as well, go back to it if you have time).
Sakura laughed. He was his old self again. Here she was, thinking that he had already lost his stupid playboy AT-TTI-TOODE.
"This park is truly beautiful."
"I can't see, Sakura." Syaoran reminded her silently. Sakura turned around quickly and apologized. "I'm sorry, Syaoran… I mean, whoever designed this park must have been a genius."
"Hmm yes. Must be." Syaoran breathed in and held it for a while. He decided to change the subject. "This is the spot, isn't it. This is the spot where we said goodbye."
Sakura smiled. "Yes. This is the spot, I think!" at that she waved her arms and twirled around, laughing happily. "This is the spot!" she said louder this time.
"You know, after five years we're not talking like normal people do when they see each other after a long time." Syaoran observed.
"Oh? How do normal people act then?" Sakura asked innocently.
"Like this." With one hand Syaoran pulled Sakura to him and hugged her. Sakura gasped, completely taken unawares by Syaoran's smooth motion. "Syaoran!" she protested, pulling herself away from him.
Syaoran laughed and pushed her away gently. "You know, I think this park was designed for someone."
"Oh? Who was it designed for?" Sakura breathed heavily.
Syaoran smirked and launched himself in her direction, his cane flying out of his grasp. Sakura moved in just in time to catch him, but his strong arms pushed her stubbornly on the cherry blossom covered pavement and claimed her lips.
After a while he broke away, his icy cold eyes reflecting neither warmth nor welcome, but his rosy lips suggesting otherwise. "You, dummy."
Fini.
a/n. COMPLETE! This chapter turned out longer than I expected. Hmm. Actually it's 6500 words, which is the longest chapter I have ever written. Oh wow, it's 13 pages. Haha, anyway. This is the ending! It's bittersweet I think, although readers don't know why she didn't leave for NYC. That's up to you to imagine. Oh and how Syaoran knew Sakura was going to be there on that day? i don't know... hahaahh he's just... there. anyhoo. I'm had some great times writing this story and it's my first completed fic… awwhhh. And guys, I'm not going to write a sequel, because there is basically nothing left to write. But anyway.
All those reviewers who have been silently reading this story out there, it's time to drop a review because this story is complete! I know a lot of you guys are silent readers by count of how many people added this story to their favorite list and hits. So please, if you're a silent reader, PLEASE REVIEW!
And to all my other reviewers I'm really grateful for the reviews and inspirations you guys gave me, including some recent reviewers who have been very encouraging. I love you all.
Also, I'm revising this story, as you can see, chapter 1 has already been revised and it's a lot different than the original chapter 1. Well, anyways… REVIEW!
Song used: S Club 7, Never had a Dream Come True.
Complete.
