I haven't written angst in awhile... I'll try it now.

Sunlight streamed through a wooden window onto a blanketed figure curled up in bed. The figure reclined on her side, wavy auburn hair framing a beautiful young face. Eyelids opened to reveal two irises of vivid green, emeralds that evidently used to sparkle and dance with alluring vitality.

Used to.

Now, they were nothing more than a pair of dulled teal orbs, lovely as always, yet flecked with melancholy. The eyelids squeezed shut and a hand grasped the bedspread as white even teeth bit down hard on her trembling lower lip. Today was the day. The day she dreaded with all her heart. Nonetheless, a day she would inexorably have to face.

Slowly, she placed her feet on the carpeted floor and shoved the warm coverlet away, getting up and ambling towards her wardrobe. Swinging open the door, she rummaged among garments after garments, in due course extracting a few dresses which she flung onto her bed. She picked up one ensemble after another, styling them on her as she surveyed her reflection in the floor-length mirror.

The green one? It really brings out my eyes. How about the blue one? The cutting fits me very well. Or maybe the pink one. Pink complements my complexion, and he loves to see me in pink…

Tears welled up at the thought of a certain male teenager with ruffled chocolate hair and intense coffee eyes with gold highlights. Slowly, a trickle made its way down her porcelain skin.

No no no! I have to be strong, be brave. I shouldn't cry. I want to look my best today, and swollen eyes are unacceptable. Get a grip, Kinomoto Sakura!

She fisted her hand tenaciously, brushing her tears away and snapping her eyes shut. When she opened them again, they no longer shone with tears. Instead, they gleamed with atypical jollity. Feigned jollity.

Finally deciding on the pink apparel, she made good work of them in no time. She poised in front of the mirror again, now donning a stunning mid-thigh-length dress. If she was lovely before, now she was absolutely spectacular. The dress accentuated every feminine curve she had, the soft creases on the fabric rendering every movement she made breathtakingly elegant and graceful, the laces of the sleeves fluttering gently against her silky skin. In short, she was drop-dead gorgeous.

The girl in the mirror smiled wistfully.

She was ready.

--

Li Syaoran knew something was wrong. It was not that there was anything anomalous about her conduct – she was as vibrant and full of energy as ever, it was not her expression – in fact, the adorable smile never seemed to falter off her luscious face any time, nor had it anything to do with her speech – her voice was charming and sweet, as lovable as it ever was.

He just knew.

He observed the prancing girl before him silently, a frown forming between his thick eyebrows. For the love of God he could not figure out what could possibly be troubling her. Their relationship was perfect, her family and friends are happy, the world was safe…

Then what was wrong?

Thinking back, he realised that he had been feeling uneasy for some time now, ever since… ever since Sakura had a private chat with his mother. But what could have happened during their tête-à-tête? Mother loved Sakura, had been so even when she first met Sakura. As a matter of fact, she seemed to love her more than she loved him, her own son. Heck, she kissed her on the first day they met! She had never, ever, kissed Syaoran. Up until now. For the whole 18 years of his life.

This did not help in solving the queries in Syaoran's head.

Finally, he could stand it no longer. He jogged up to Sakura and tugged her hand, forcing her to turn around and face him. For a second he thought he saw tears gleaming in her verdant eyes, but they vanished a second later. The consternation weighing down his chest mounted.

"Sakura, tell me what's wrong," he said, a marginal commanding tone in his husky tenor.

Sakura beamed up at him, her eyes glistening cheerfully.

"I don't know, you tell me. I don't see anything wrong."

There was a long pause as molten bronzes stared fixedly into those turquoises, but the latter did not waver or hesitate at all. He released his breath in resignation.

"Fine, you won't tell me," he stated. It hurt, it really did, that there was something that she, his lover for eight years now, could not confide in him. He looked up again when he felt a tug on his sinewy arm.

"Hey," Sakura started gently, innocent eyes searching his worriedly, "what makes you think there's anything wrong?"

Syaoran decked out his arm helplessly, strolling away from her and sitting down on one of the many piers of Hong Kong. He gazed at the moon hanging over the mellifluously splashing waves, his long legs swinging just above the water level of the sea. Sakura went to sit down beside him and dipped a toe into the murky waters, watching as ringlets of ripples emanated from where her toe was.

"For starters," he at long last said, "you look unbelievably dashing tonight."

Sakura arched a finely-arced eyebrow in amusement. "And… that's a bad thing."

Syaoran grinned sheepishly at her. "No, it's not. It's just that you don't usually dress up like that for our dates. At least, not that much."

"O…kay… If me dressing up once in a while gets you concerned, then be rest assured, I won't anymore."

"Sakura, I'm serious. Please, just tell me what's wrong," Syaoran implored, strong hands clasping her dainty shoulders.

"Really, there's nothing wrong," Sakura coaxed, smiling reassuringly. "And that's not good enough a reason."

"Alright. Secondly, you've been frolicking and sashaying about all day," Syaoran added.

"It's called touring Hong Kong, silly."

"But you seem a little too lively than usual."

Sakura shook her head. "Nope, that's not good enough a reason either."

Syaoran pursed his lips, impatience biting the edges of his persistence. "Thirdly, you're making a joke out of my distress right now."

"What, you don't like my sense of humour?"

Edginess broke through his fortitude. He sprang up from the ground and ejaculated, "Aaahhhh!"

Sakura was very taken aback. Water sprinkling off her dipped toe, she stood up as well. A draft of wind billowed her dress away from her as she watched Syaoran's back in the moonlight in misery.

"Why are you so angry?" she inquired distraughtly.

"Because here I am, attempting my hardest to get you to open your heart to me, and you're brushing me aside like I'm someone distant to you! Honestly, do I mean anything to you at all? AT ALL?" Syaoran yelled.

Silence.

Sakura crumpled down, sobs wrecking her body while she hid her crying visage behind her hands. It was not supposed to be like this, this was not how she planned. She planned for today to be the happiest day for her, and for him. But it turned out all wrong.

Startled by his own passion and also by Sakura's cries, he twirled on his heels and pulled Sakura's fragile stature into his embrace, rubbing her back soothingly.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I didn't know what I was doing…" he apologised repeatedly, very much regretting what he had done. "I… I was just too worried about you… I love you, Sakura. That's why I'm so worried."

Sakura wept into his chest. "I…" she choked out, "I love you too, Syaoran-kun. I do. You're the most important person in my life."

"Then why won't you tell me what's wrong?"

Hush reigned, broken only by Sakura's diminishing snivels.

Syaoran took a deep breath and said, "You know what? It's fine if you don't want to tell me. Just, please, don't cry. I… I can't stand to see you cry."

Sakura glanced up and beamed gratefully amidst her glittering tears. Ambers locked with emeralds.

Tentatively but surely, their faces inched forward as their eyes closed, hot breath prickling their noses while their lips brushed tentatively. They remained like that for some moments, merely enjoying the proximity of each other, before Syaoran boldly plunged forward and pressed hard against her silken lips. And kissed her he did. Their heads tilted against each other while their lips moved in line fierily, hands roving up and down each others' torso and clutches tightening around each other. They kissed and kissed, the only witness to their actions was the glowing moon above.

When they at long last separated, they were both panting for air.

"Syaoran-kun, I love you. Please believe me."

Syaoran smiled tenderly, his hand moving upwards and swept a few wayward bangs away affectionately.

"I know," he murmured, his hand cupping her supple cheeks and ochre pupils admiring the beauty before him. "I love you too. Gosh, I love you so much it hurts here." He patted above his heart as if he was making a vow.

For some reason he could not comprehend, Sakura turned away from him, unable to meet his gaze. His heart sank.

"Sakura, I-"

What he was about to say never got out for he collapsed with a thud, landing like a lifeless puppet. She turned around, two trails of tears shimmering on her cheeks. Do you know what it felt like smiling against your own will, smiling despite all you wanted to do was to cry and cry?

Sakura did.

"Syaoran-kun…"

Sakura's heart thumped as she followed Syaoran's mother into a room. It was not the first time she met her, but it was the first time she met her with her current identity.

Syaoran's girlfriend.

Yelan motioned for her to settle down in a couch. She did as she was told.

"Sakura-san," the blood red lips moved, "it… it saddens me to say this but… please leave Syaoran."

Sakura's heart skipped a beat. Her eyes darted about vacantly, unable to absorb in what she had just heard.

"What?" she finally gasped out. "W-Why?"

Yelan leaned forwards and touched Sakura's cheeks gently, great sorrow in those beautiful eyes so reminiscent of Syaoran's.

"It's for your own good. Think about it. Are you willing to leave Japan, your family, your friends, and migrate here to Hong Kong, where you don't even know how to communicate with the locals?"

She paused and let her words sink in.

"And," she continued, "I know Syaoran is willing to do anything for you. That's why I need you to leave him. I can't lose him. He's my only son, and he's the heir to the Li Corporation. I… We… can't lose him."

Sakura bowed her head, a maelstrom of emotions washing through her and parading in her. Her hands clenched, a trickle of droplet dripping onto her lap.

"But why? Why must it come to this?"

Yelan pursed her lips, a soft crease on her smooth temple. "Because, Sakura-san, our family is extremely traditional, and... we don't uphold marriage to a foreigner, what more that you're older than Syaoran... A few months may not matter much in your homeland, but in our orthodox family, it's as plain as a nail in the eyes. Sakura-san, please satisfy this poor mother's only desire. You can find someone else, but I have only one son…"

Sakura sealed her eyes and nodded.

"I will."

Sakura aligned Syaoran's asleep figure while she stowed away the Sleep Card. A finger traced over temple, his chiselled cheekbones and his jaw line, embedding his every feature into memory.

"I'm sorry, Syaoran-kun. Meeting you was a mistake. No… Falling in love with you was a mistake."

A drop of tear pelted onto Syaoran's face.

"But if I'm given the choice again, I will still choose to fall in love with you."

She reached into her pocket and took out a pink card.

"Eradicate every memory he has of me, Erase!" Sakura commanded, her voice shivering with much agony. She watched as the card did its job, wisps of the sweet memories they shared together evaporating into thin air. When it was done, it flew back into Sakura's hand.

She got up, eyes lapping up his handsome features one last time, and left.

A track of tears marked her escapade.

--

Sakura raced through the streets on her rollerblades, weaving frantically in and out of crowds of people.

"Shoot! I'm late to work!"

She glimpsed at her watch, and before she knew it, she collided into someone.

"Hoeee!"

The both of them fell backwards with a thud onto the pavement. Sakura massaged her bruised butt.

"I'm so sorry," the person she collided with said and extended a helping hand. "Are you alright?" Sakura was thunderstruck. She would know the voice anywhere. Her head jerked upwards immediately.

Green eyes widened.

It was him.

After writing this, I think I still prefer writing happy ones. Lolz