Syaoran's heart stopped for a moment as the door to the coffee shop opened and a young woman walked in. Normally, he wouldn't have paid attention, but this certain woman he knew, and he hadn't seen her in a few months.
His fingers gripped his paper cup a little tighter as he realized he wasn't the only one who noticed her. Men gave her more than a passing glance as she walked past them, oblivious. She wasn't drop dead gorgeous, but she had innocent aura around her that enhanced her natural beauty.
He didn't avert his eyes from her, drinking in her. It had been too damn long since he last laid eyes on her. Talked to her. Kissed her. The last thought sent his brain into overdrive, memories of her lips on his exploding in his mind. Memories he thought about every single day since it happened.
As if she felt his eyes on her, she turned her head in his direction. He quickly glanced away, his face hidden in the shadows cast by the dim lighting. He waited a good minute before he returned his gaze on her.
She was sitting alone. Her hands absent-mindedly toyed with the cardboard on her cup while she gazed off into space. Images of those fingers entwined in his hair flooded him, tightening the knot in his chest. He wondered if she was waiting for a date, a boyfriend…
It wouldn't surprise him.
But it bothered him. A lot.
He lifted his cup to his lips, barely aware it was empty. He panicked as he saw her suddenly glance at a young man who had just entered. Was that her boyfriend? He let out a breath of air he didn't know he was holding when she moved her gaze past the man, landing on the window.
How long could he live like this? Letting something as simple as where she looked affect him so much…he couldn't stand it a second longer.
He pushed back his chair and strode over to where she was sitting. To anyone else, he looked like a confident man. Only he knew what a mess he was inside. He had not withered under the glare of top businessmen, but the possibility of her rejection left him mentally shaking.
"Is this seat taken?"
Sakura Kinomoto suddenly heard the sound of a voice she hadn't heard in a long time. A voice she craved for, but at the same time didn't want to hear.
She glanced up…
…and saw the face of one Syaoran Li.
She smiled politely. "Actually, I was just about to leave. Excuse me."
"No."
She grabbed her purse and spoke as if she hadn't heard his objection. "It was nice to see you. Have a great day."
He moved in front of her, blocking her way. He was so close…
"Sakura, I'm not letting you walk away again."
"Well luckily for me, you don't have control of what I can and can't do."
He grabbed her hand and pulled her back into her chair, sitting himself down in front of her. Then, he let go even though he didn't want to.
"I need to know…Are you dating anyone?"
Sakura glared. "I don't think that's any of your business."
"Please…"
The raw emotion in his voice shocked her beyond anything. Never before had she heard someone speak like that, least of all Syaoran…
"No, I'm not," she said quietly.
His whole face brightened. "Five minutes of your time is all I ask. Will you give me that?"
After seeing his mood change like that, how could she not? "Alright."
"These past months have been hell. At first, I thought maybe if I gave you some time, we could've worked things out. I thought you'd eventually forgive me for being such an ass. Maybe that sounded conceited, I don't know. I've missed you more than anything and I can't get you out of my head. I know this sounds horribly cliché, but know that it's all true."
Sakura knew it was hard for him to say all these things. He probably never expressed tenth of what he felt to anyone else in his whole life. She could see his honesty and sadness in his face. "Is that all? Because you still have four minutes."
He looked down. "No, it's not all. I think I'm falling for you."
She gasped.
"You don't have to tell me you feel the same way. Just, give me another chance. As acquaintances, friends, anything."
"I would like that," she said, smiling up at him. Why torture him any longer? After all, she would be torturing herself too. "I think I'd like to be more than friends though. Three months is way too long to be without you."
She had never seen him so happy or flabbergasted. This time, she look his hand and pulled him in for a long kiss, blushing as she heard whistles and applause.
"I think we're going to be alright," Sakura whispered against his lips.
"No. We're going to be more than that," Syaoran whispered back, as he kissed her again.
Peering through the coffee shop window, Eriol and Tomoyo grinned at each other.
"Here's to a happily ever after."
"Oh, you are so cheesy," Tomoyo said, smacking him lightly.
"You know you love me."
"Actually, I'm in love with another man," she proclaimed dramatically.
But she was unable to say anything else, because Eriol's tongue was in her mouth.
Across the street, an eight-year old looked away disgustedly. "How gross. And it's not even Valentine's Day."
His mother laughed. "Darling, one day you'll understand."
End.
Too short? May revise chapter later if it is.