Chapter 8 – The Proof

"Sakura-chan you want that stuffed toy?" Meiling approached with a grin. Sakura jerked out of her thoughts straightway and grinned back at Meiling.

"No Meiling-chan… I just find this little puppy so cute that I remembered something so special to me…" Sakura responded while gazing at the huge puppy stuffed toy. Meiling nodded her head with a sad smile knowing exactly that… that 'thing' Sakura remembered has something to do with Syaoran.

"Oh I see… I'll just purchase this teddy bear… Just stay there and wait for me." She said while walking her way to the cashier.

"Tomoyo dear, you like this one?" Eriol questioned blushing while showing a heart shaped pillow to his girl. Tomoyo grinned at him charmingly.

"It's beautiful… I like it…" She mumbled. Eriol smiled back at her then they went on and followed Meiling to the cashier. Sakura and Mitsuki eyed at them then they both giggled.

'How sweet of them, how sweet of Eriol-kun. I wi…' Sakura was snapped out of her thoughts when she overheard Mitsuki saying: "See that Syaoran? Buy me a stuffed toy or a pillow too!" Mitsuki hung her hands on the neck of a pissed off Syaoran. Sakura returned back the big puppy and turned her gaze at Syaoran and Mitsuki.

"Okay, okay!" Syaoran shrieked irritated as he pulled Mitsuki's hands off his neck.

"Choose anything you want and I'll purchase it." He shrieked exceedingly.

"I don't want to! You choose one for me!" Mitsuki crossed her arms and sighed. Syaoran gnashed his teeth and glared at Mitsuki.

"Fine! Here!" He screeched while handing Mitsuki a teddy bear he just picked from the table. Mitsuki hopped in joy while embracing the teddy bear then she dragged Syaoran to the counter. Sakura eyed at them jealously.

"Sakura-chan! C'mon let's get out of this store and wait for them outside. It's getting crowded in here…" Meiling asked cheerily. She just returned from the counter. Sakura managed to smile at her and nodded. After a short while, Tomoyo, Eriol, Mitsuki and Syaoran followed the other two out of the store.

"Guys! Look what Syaoran chose and bought for me!" Mitsuki announced to everyone with glittering eyes. She showed them a teddy bear holding a heart with words that read:

"I will love you forever…"

Syaoran eyed at her and at the stuffed toy startled. "But I… Nevermind! Just keep it, will you!" Syaoran murmured embarrassed. He never thought that the stuffed toy he picked has those words on it.

Mitsuki hastily dropped the teddy bear back to its bag then lowered her head down. Meiling, Tomoyo and Eriol looked at Sakura worriedly. Sakura, who is still stunned suddenly, flinched in pain, her heartbeat racing faster. She felt her stomach eroding, she felt like vomiting again.

'He will love her forever. Forever. So that simply means that he does love her… That he no longer feel anything for me. I was wrong when I thought that I'm still the one, I was mistaken when I thought that everything would be the same, that with just a simple explanation we will be back together, forever. But now, that forever is just a dream. I've been holding onto nothing, onto a broken promise… I must leave them now, I can't feel this pain anymore or else I'll….'

FLASHBACK

"Sakura, I'm allowing you to go back to Japan…"

"Really? Arigatou gozaimasu doctor!" Sakura shrilled in too much happiness.

"But… be sure to take extra good care of yourself. Be sure to take your medicines on time."

"I will! That's a promise…" Sakura screamed excitedly while pledging with her right hand.

"Remember that you can't be too overjoyed or experience so much pain. You can't undergo extreme emotions because that will certainly affect your stomach and you will surely bleed. You have to take things easily."

"Okay, I understand… I'll do that doctor, thanks again."

END OF FLASHBACK

"Amm… Guys, the snow is getting heavier, I think we should be going home by now…" Sakura said seriously while staring at the windows, her hands wrapped around her stomach, trying her best to halt her tears from falling and her blood from throwing up.

"Yah, I think Sakura-chan is right. Let's go home now and just come back some other time." Tomoyo agreed, anxiety was apparent on her ghostly, pale face. Meiling bobbed her head gently and agreed back.

"Okay. C'mon… I'll drop you all home…" Eriol acknowledged knowing clearly that something is wrong with Sakura. Syaoran eyed at her guiltily.

Soon, they all went out of the mall with their jackets on and headed to the car. Silence was overbearing between them as Eriol drove their way. At long last, they first reached Mitsuki's house.

"Bye everyone! Bye Syaoran, I love you!" She said while opening the car's door. She stared at his boyfriend, anticipating for a response.

"I… I love you too… Take care!" Syaoran replied hesitantly. Mitsuki smiled and swept her lips onto his then smiled. Sakura eyed at them surprised, jealous, hurt. All the tears that she had bottled up streamed down her cheeks. She turned her gaze to the window once again so no one can see her crying especially Syaoran. Next, she started coughing hard. She took her towel and covered her mouth. Every cough contains blood.

"Guys, I don't think the car can make it. The weather has gotten worse and the snow is coming down too hard. We must stay in safe place or else we'll be stranded here or worst we…" Eriol said worriedly but was cut off by Tomoyo.

"Okay. Our mansion is just a few blocks away. I think we should all stay there. Syaoran-kun and Eriol dear, spend the night with us. We have plenty rooms for the both of you. You can come home tomorrow morning, I'm sure the weather will be better by then." Tomoyo suggested.

"Okay! Let's get going…" Syaoran agreed. He and Eriol guided the girls out of the car.

"Sakura-chan, are you alright? You are so weak, I don't think you can make it…" Meiling approached concerned. Syaoran eyed at Sakura uneasy, Meiling's right, Sakura looks so pale, so frail.

"Don't worry about me! I can make it… Let's get going…" Sakura said reassuringly. She forced out a dull smile and started running. The rest of the group followed her.

'What's happening to her? There is surely something going on that I don't know… I'll find it out myself…" Syaoran reflected to himself while staring at the running Sakura.

At last, they reached Tomoyo's mansion. They all headed to the fireplace to warm their selves up. They all sat on the couch and drank their chocolate drinks. (Maids prepared the drinks… Just to let you know…)

"Sakura-chan, are you alright now?" Tomoyo questioned solicitously. She tapped her hand on Sakura's forehead and checked on her temperature. "Sakura-chan! You had fever, high fever! I think we should bring you to the hospital…" Tomoyo screeched uneasily. Sakura drove out a pale smile and held Tomoyo's hands on hers.

"I'm fine… We can't go to the hospital now, the snow is pouring down hard, and we can't make it… I'm going to be alright…" Sakura said weakly and slowly. Meiling hurried to her side and drew her into a hug.

"Okay Sakura-chan… But you have to promise us that we will go to the hospital by tomorrow morning!" She said exaggerated. Sakura nodded her head gently.

'Sakura is sick, what do I do? I just hope the weather will be better tomorrow…' Syaoran thought worriedly.

"Don't worry girls, we'll drive you to the hospital tomorrow…" Eriol said calmly, not attempting to dive in to the extreme uneasiness and fear whirling around them.

After that, Sakura was brought to her room so she can take some rest. She had her dinner in bed with the help of her best friends. Presently, Meiling, Tomoyo, Eriol and Syaoran were eating their dinners at the dining room.

--At Sakura's Room--

"I don't think I have to drink these medicines…" Sakura said to herself while playing with some tablets on her hands. Tears started to sprout on her eyes then it slowly overflowed. "Why should I fight my illness when I have no reason to live… Why should I take that last surgery if I have no one to live for… Why is this misery happening to me, why do I have to be hurt this way? First I had an illness with no assurance if I will live… and now I lose the person I love the most… My future, which had once looked bright, was now a complete and total void… I had found my love, the one I wanted to be with forever, and life had chosen to be cruel and unfair… He's not mine now, and my dreams have been shattered by the harsh reality of the situation. I'm tired, so tired…" She spoke to herself. Her crying diminished to random hiccupping sighs.

Meanwhile… Meiling, Tomoyo and Eriol went to bed while Syaoran stayed at the fireplace.

Author's Notes: Please review… This story is coming to an end… Maybe 2 or 3 more chapters to go, and now, it's for sure… I've made up my mind regarding the ending… Hope you liked it.. Review!)