Packs of people roamed to and fro in the bustled airport of Tomoeda. Amidst the flurry of activities a young boy of about 11 stood at one side of the reception area, arms crossed behind his head as he leaned on the wall nonchalantly. In stark contrast, his companion, a girl of his age, cupped her hands in excitement, her lime eyes gleaming with anticipation.

"Syaoran-kun, I can't wait to see Eriol-kun. It's been such a long time!" she chirped happily.

Thick eyebrows hitched a tad together but otherwise, Li Syaoran remained decently placid.

"Yeah, it's been awhile," he replied, gingerly outlawing any gratification from escaping into his tone. While Kinomoto Sakura might miss him, he, himself, certainly did not harbour any feeling marginally resembling that. In fact, the enthusiasm Sakura was currently displaying at the prospect of meeting Hiiragizawa Eriol again was irking him to no end.

Being Sakura's boyfriend, he had every right to be jealous.

But also because he was Sakura's boyfriend, he understood very well that it was just her nature to be so good-humoured and kind to everyone, and that she had no idea whatsoever what a green-eyed boyfriend he could be.

Just as well. He did not exactly want her to find out how protective he was over her. Talk about embarrassment.

"Eriol-kun!" Sakura squealed out, waving animatedly at an emerging boy with dark blue hair and midnight cobalt eyes. Syaoran sighed. He just had to ignore the mustard-green pangs quivering in his chest for as long as possible. Which amounted to give or take 24 hours.

"Sakura-san, Li-kun, konnichiwa! It's great to see you again!" Eriol greeted them, and much to Syaoran's dismay, leaned down and kissed Sakura's hand. Sakura blushed.

"Great to see you too, Eriol-kun!"

From Syaoran, the zeal was evidently in want. "Konnichiwa," was all he said. Eriol's bespectacled eyes beamed comprehendingly – and roguishly – at him.

"W-What?" he retorted.

"Hoe?" Sakura asked blankly.

"N-Nothing! Here, I'll help you with the luggage!" Syaoran offered rapidly, seizing the few bags lying on the ground.

"Thank you. Now shall we lead the way, Sakura-san?" Eriol inquired, proffering an elbow towards Sakura in an obvious attempt to provoke Syaoran some more.

Sakura, dense like always, just nodded and grinned, linking her arm through Eriol's. And the both of them, with a fuming and trudging-with-the-baggage Syaoran, left the airport.

--

As the hours ticked by, Syaoran's patience – and sanity – were gradually thinning away. He could endure it if it was only Eriol making advances at Sakura, but Sakura – and might he add HIS girlfriend – was not only flirting along with Eriol, but was also leaving Syaoran out of most of the conversation. Well… He could not honestly say that he was being talkative, but Sakura made no endeavour at all to include him into the two-sided interaction between Eriol and Sakura. He might as well be invisible.

Which led to an endless amount of vivid imagination from Syaoran. Primarily focusing on suggestible scenes between Eriol and Sakura.

What if there really was something between them? What if Sakura was really trying to imply that she liked Eriol more than him?

…Yup, his sanity was deteriorating.

"Syaoran-kun? Are you alright? You look pale," Sakura asked, peering up at him at negligible proximity. Syaoran flushed.

"I'm fine," he reassured.

"Maybe you need a rest. How about you bring Eriol-kun's suitcases to his hotel and take a breather there?" Sakura proposed.

And leave her alone with Eriol? Not a chance.

"No, really, I'm okay."

"I insist, Syaoran-kun. It would be a big help to Eriol-kun as well if you could transport the suitcases there for him," Sakura urged earnestly.

It suddenly occurred to Syaoran that Sakura was a touch too assertive in persuading him away than normal. It seemed almost like she was asking him to leave Eriol and her alone.

An intense twinge twisted his internals.

"I-I… I'll go," he said finally. Without waiting for a response, he swiftly gathered up the bags in one sweep and strode away.

Eriol's keen azure eyes tailed him silently.

--

Syaoran unloaded the bags at one side of the hotel room and plopped down onto a couch despondently. Chin propped up on a hand and amber irises narrowed desolately.

"She… He…"

He faltered off, not really knowing what he was going to say anyway. All he knew was that he was feeling incredibly wretched right then.

It was not just jealousy anymore. No… It was not even jealousy. It was hurt. Hurt that stabbed quite a number of knives through his heart. Hurt that weighed down his chest so much he had difficulty breathing.

Sakura actually shoved him away at the appearance of Hiiragizawa Eriol.

Hiiragizawa. But why would Sakura not like Eriol more than him? Eriol was a lady charmer, what with his attractive appeal and his amazingly gentlemanly approach. He had a way with words, and he was definitely much smoother than Syaoran. Heck, Syaoran reddened and stuttered around Sakura. Eriol never, ever, stuttered.

And then there was the fact that if anyone rivalled Sakura in sense of power, it could only be Eriol. Clow Reed's reincarnation, he was, and Clow Reed was known as the mightiest sorcerer throughout the century, or even possibly forever. Syaoran, himself, was only one of his descendants. And his power beyond all doubt did not match Sakura's.

Now that he thought about it, Eriol and Sakura looked good together too. Eriol, his chivalrous allure, standing slightly taller beside vivacious Sakura, her large emeralds complementing Eriol's sapphires. Together they looked like the couple of the year.

That did nothing to alleviate the maelstrom of passionate emotions raging in him.

He sighed. Perhaps, just perhaps, it would be better to let her go...

"Li-kun," a voice jolted him alert and a hand landed on his shoulder. He glanced upwards immediately.

"Hi-Hiiragizawa! When did you get here?" Syaoran exclaimed in startle, coffee pupils dilated.

"Just now. I didn't want to disturb you, you seem deep in thought."

Syaoran glimpsed around.

"Sakura-san is outside dealing with some things," Eriol elucidated, accurately interpreting his actions. "So… Anything you want to talk about?"

Syaoran arched an eyebrow. "What is there to talk about?"

Eriol smiled softly and sat down opposite Syaoran. "You apparently have a lot on your mind."

"Nothing that concerns you," Syaoran rejoined, crossing his arms.

"Oh, really?" Eriol taunted in plain hilarity. "Well, I have some news for you then. Sakura-san just confessed her feelings to me."

Syaoran's heart skipped a beat as he sat ramrod straight. No… For all his musings, he never really pondered upon the fact that his ruminations might, in fact, come true. That Sakura really chose Eriol over him.

Hands clenched into fists at his side.

"W-What?" he inquired, grasping desperately at the last straw that his ears were playing a trick on him.

"You heard me. Sakura-san confessed her feelings to me. What are you going to do?"

"I… I…"

What was he going to do? Fight his hardest to reclaim her? Beg for her to return to him? Murder Eriol?

All those would not heal the anguish biting at him in the inside. He shut his eyes and inclined back into the couch like an exhausted old man. A wistful smile curved on one side of his lips.

"I would give her my blessings. I only want the best for her," he at last answered in resignation. Was that not what Daidouji Tomoyo told him? That if you genuinely love someone, you would want to see them happy?

If she was happy with Eriol, then he was contented. So what if he had to suffer alone?

Eriol ambled from his seat to Syaoran and patted him on the back.

"Congratulations, you passed the test," he beamed, eyes twinkling with mischief.

"Huh?"

"I only said she confessed her feelings to me, I didn't tell you what her feelings are, did I?"

There was a pause… "Huh?"

Eriol shook his head at Syaoran's slowness. "I mean, Sakura-san just told me that she was head over heels in love with you. Do you get it now?"

Hazel eyes widened in surprise tinged with perplexity. "No, not really. I still don't get it."

Eriol sighed and reclined back into his settee. "Just now, Sakura-san confided that her heart was positively blooming with love for you and that she wanted my advice on how to show how much she cared about you. I wanted to see if you are worthy of her, so I tested you. Congratulations, you passed."

Syaoran let his words sink in slowly, a scarlet hue growing on his cheeks.

"I'm not good enough for her…"

Eriol beamed. "That is a matter of opinion. I, for one, think that you are perfectly ideal for Sakura-san."

Syaoran contemplated on his words until a question mark popped up in his head. "But why did she push me away just now?"

Eriol responded by something utterly irrelevant. "What is the date today?"

"July 10, why?"

Eriol smiled enigmatically. Sometimes Syaoran really felt like wiping the smirk off his face.

"You'll see. I'll ask her to come in now."

Eriol strolled to the door and walked outside, in his place Sakura came in.

"Syaoran-kun, what did Eriol-kun say to you just now?" Sakura asked curiously. "He told me to stand outside until he called me in."

"What? Uhh… Nothing of importance."

"Oh…"

Syaoran watched as she perched down on one of the sofas and stretched her appendages. He got up, paced towards her and rested down beside her. He tenderly wove his arm in hers and laced their fingers together. Sakura glanced at him in stun. Eyes interlocked.

"I love you…" he murmured. Greens enlarged.

"Syaoran-kun… I… I love you too," she breathed with a conspicuous blush. She turned around and fumbled in her shopping bag. "I bought this for you just now. It's your birthday soon but I didn't know what to get you. Eriol-kun said maybe you'll like this. I was going to give it to you on your birthday but-"

She produced a chain necklace with a locket dangling from it. Inside of the locket was none other than him and Sakura.

"D-Do you like it?" Sakura asked tentatively.

As an answer, he snapped the necklace onto his neck and grinned.

"It's perfect.

Sakura heaved a sigh of relief. "I'm glad… I was afraid you wouldn't like what I gave you. Luckily Eriol came just in time and-"

"You went shopping for my birthday gift with him just now?" Syaoran interrupted.

"Yeah…"

"So that's why…"

Sakura tilted her head. "Hoe?"

Syaoran smiled and shook his head. "Nothing."

Shining eyes bore into each other once again. This time, neither looked away.

Slowly, softly, they sealed their eyes and their faces approached. Their noses made contact, and then, their lips.

It might not be Syaoran's birthday yet, but he had already gotten the one gift he yearned.

Sakura's heart.