Thanks for all of your reviews!

Fisah.. your words were so helpful. And I did as you told. But please don't think I write for reviews, I just want to learn and improve my writing.

This chapter is for all girls who are crazy in love.

Love for Royalty

Chapter II The proposal

For their second date, Shen took Sakura to her favorite Japanese restaurant. They both sat japanese style in the tatami floor. They ordered a boat of sushi, two plates of sashimi fish, one serving of gyoza, one serving of wakame salad, and for dessert a special cake filled with sweet red beans along with cups of japanese traditional tea.

"You sure eat a lot Sakura" Shen joked when they were getting into his car.

Sakura blushed and snapped at his comment. "I didn't eat that much! You were the one who ordered so much!"

Shen laughed some more at her cute expression with her cheeks so red. "Sorry. I just thought you'd miss your country's traditional cooking, so I brought you here"

"Thank you. It was very thoughful"

Days passed and with each passing moment, Sakura and Shen grew to care about each other. They shared laughs, tears, and arguments. They had their ups and downs.

The day Shen's grandmother died, he invited Sakura to the funeral. They were already dating for three months by then. Her company comforted him that day. He loved and respected his grandmother so much. Losing her was a serious blow. But with Sakura by his side, he survived the whole emotional turmoil. And thankfully, his little brother Syaoran was no where to be seen. Apparently he had some last minute engagements he couldn't miss. And his mother was busy entertaining guests. Shen only had a moment with the lady to pay his respects but not to talk. Sakura didn't get a chance to meet her then. Which made her relieved, she thought it was too soon to meet any member of Shen's family. She only came to the funeral because she felt that Shen needed her on this day.

Reflecting on everything that happened since she met Shen, Sakura had to admit her life had suffered some kind of twist. She was still doing good at school, but now she had someone helping her along the way. Sometimes Shen's jokes made her angry but other times they helped cheer her up. She couldn't really remember what life was without him by her side.

One night three months after the funeral, Tomoyo knocked her bedroom door and came in with a "Prince and Me" DVD, a plate of cookies and two mugs of coffee. Sakura turned off the lights and sat in her bed while Tomoyo put the DVD on the Player. Then they both shared the bed and watched the movie.

"I can't believe you still love this movie Sakura" Tomoyo comments grabbing a cookie.

Sakura was grabbing a pillow of hers. "Can you really blame me? It's so romantic! I love how they meet!" Sakura responds to the comment. Tomoyo just looks at her questioningly. "Tomoyo, why did you come and offered to watch the movie if you don't even want to watch it?" Sakura asks reading through her friend's intentions.

Tomoyo plays innocent. "I don't know what you're talking about Sakura"

"Tomoyo. What did you want to talk about?"

Seeing that Sakura would only keep on pressing about the subject, Tomoyo sighed and gave up. "I was just worried. You and Shen have been dating for six months already. Do you love him Sakura?"

Sakura blushes and holds her pillow tighter. "I…I…I don't know. I guess"

Tomoyo smiles at her friend. "There is one way to know though. Do you think about him a lot?"

Sakura thinks about all the times she spent bickering with Shen, or falling asleep thinking about what he would do the next day, or the nervous jitters she got before any of their dates. "Now that I think of it, I do. There is hardly one minute that he isn't on my mind. Sometimes I even worry too much about him. He can be so careless sometimes" she confesses remembering the time when Shen caught a cold because he didn't dry his hair during the cold winter or sometimes he forgot his coat in his apartment. She remembered their first christmas together. Shen was sneezing the whole day and boogers kept on coming out of his nose. He felt ashamed of having Sakura over at his place, but the girl insisted on taking care of him, and they both had some leftover turkey for dinner. Sakura giggled at the memory.

"You may not want to admit it now Sakura. But you love him. I can see it in your eyes" Tomoyo looks at her friend with love and affection. They've been together since elementary school, or maybe a lot longer, Tomoyo didn't really know, didn't care. Sakura was her best friend at heart. She would always be there for her. No matter what.

That night Sakura thinks hard on her feelings for Shen and what Tomoyo just told her.

True, she always though about Shen and sometimes she even cried for him. There was this one time, she and Shen had stayed at a japanese style suite where you had to sleep on the tatami floor with futons. They each had one, so they didn't share. Shen started remembering some stuff about his childhood, until he started talking about his mother and his family. They were all so distant. As a child, Shen and Syaoran always ate by themsleves. Their mother was always at some meeting or at her office since early hours in the morning. Both brothers kept silence at the table, they didn't talk to each other at all. They didn't even speak at the limo to private school. Shen didn't have anyone, while Syaoran was always surrounded by friends. They only had a year of difference but still, they had nothing in common. Their father had died when both boys were in elementary school. So they had no one from the inmediate family to count on. Their cousin Meiling was somewhat of a comfort to both boys, but she was closer to Syaoran. She even fell for him in a way. This surprised Sakura very much, the confessions just kept pouring out. To comfort him, she went to his futon and held him lose and cried. It was the first time they slept together. But they didn't have sex. Till this day, she was still a virgin. Shen always kept telling her that it wasn't time, and he didn't want to pressure her. He knew she wanted her first time to be special.

"It's not your first time?" Sakura asked that night holding on to him.

"No. Mine was a long time ago, I was so young. Just 17. But I don't like to talk about it, so please Sakura, don't press on it. Please" he answered putting a close to the conversation. Those words still worried Sakura, but she knew, there was no erasing the past. We all make mistakes. Shen made his, or at least he makes it seem so.

And true, she wanted to be with him most of the time. She liked feeling his arms around her waist or his lips touching hers. She liked watching him concentrate on something, especially the little frown he always made when he was reading a book. She liked taking care of him when he got sick or cut himself with some shard of glass from a cup. She liked the surprises he made for her. She liked his very presence next to her; his voice, his comforting eyes, his gestures. She liked holding hands with him while walking around campus or going shopping. She liked wtaching him eat and mostly always spilling something over his pants. She liked picking fights with him and his flirting with her, trying to win the argument.

Did she actually love him? Do all those things mean you love someone?

For some weird coincidence of fate, Shen was having the very same questions haunting his mind, and he couldn't sleep. It was the first time he ever liked a girl so much. He wanted to be with Sakura, forever.

Her laugh, her nervous giggles, her shyness, her voice. He loved it all about her. He was sure of it. There was no other woman on earth who could make him feel the same way.

That week he had gone shopping by himself in a long time. He was at a jewelry shop. The clerk was showing him a beautiful diamond ring and just looking at it made him think about Sakura. Would she like it? Could it be the one? He wanted everything to be perfect. She deserved that. But first, he had another thing to take care of.

On Saturday night, he took Sakura to the movies as usual. They watched an action movie at his request, but Sakura was more nervous than usual. After the movies they went to an ice cream parlor. She asked for her favorite vanilla sundae, and he a chocolate cone.

One sitted, Shen grabbed Sakura's hand. "Sakura, I…I've wanted to tell you something for the longest time…but I just haven't found the right time"

"I love you too" Sakura cuts in reading his mind which shocks him but he just smiles at her and kisses her.

Six months later, Shen opened his drawer and took out a black satin box and opened it to reveal the diamon ring. It was time. This was their one year anniversary after all. He had booked one of Boston most luxurious restaurants for the occasion. It cost him a lot, but Sakura was worth it. She was the one.

That night, on Shen's request, Sakura had put on a beautiful dress he had bought her a week ago. She was wondering what it was for. It was so formal. It was a strapless eyelet cotton dress in white-pindotted black with bow accented grosgrain empire waistband. He had also bought her a pair of black Nina sandals. She had her hair up in curls this time. Watching her took Shen's breath away. He was wearing a black suit with a red tie.

Shen took Sakura to an Italian restaurant. It had two stories, one was for all custumers, the second for special occasions. The restaurant's host took them to the second floor. The lighting was dim. There was a circle table close to the window on the other end. The room was covered with roses in vases. The table had one candle in the middle, their plates and tools. It used a cream colored tableloth with golden edges. From the window you could see the city's skylights and the full moon. It was all so romantic.

Once seated the host leaves them alone. Sakura starts feeling a little self concious.

"You planned all of this?" she asks Shen. But she already knew the answer. "Why?" she asks again.

"Because I love you. And I know you deserve everything you see here" he answers taking her hand and kissing it.

After a while, the waiter comes and takes their order, then they are left alone once more

"It's all so beautiful" she comments watching the whole room. Then she hears music coming from somewhere and looks to her left. Mariah Carey started singing "We Belong Together". Then she turns to see Shen. He was smiling at her expression. Then he stands up and takes her hand.

"Dance with me Sakura" he tells her and leads her to the dance floor. They hold each other and move to the rithim of the song.

"This…all..It must have cost you a fortune. I mean, what strings did you have to pull to have Mariah here?" Sakura asks.

"Don't worry about that. You are well worth everything. It's our first anniversary, I wanted it to be special" he answers her calmly. Then the waiter apears with their order and they sit to eat. Before desserts come, Shen takes Sakura's hand in the table.

"Sakura. There is a question I've been meaning to ask you for a long time" he tells her. All the while he looks at her intently, the flame from the candle makes his eyes shine.

"What is it?" Sakura asks him curious.

"You see, we've been together for a year already. There isn't a moment that I spend without you in my mind, in my heart. I love you so much. You're the light in my life, an angel that came from Kami to make me the happiest man on earth. You're the greatest woman I've met. Sweet, caring, honest, faithful, and truthful. I don't know what I ever did to deserve such a sweet woman like you. You have made me truly happy from the moment I met you. You could have any man in the world, and still you're with me. A simple guy like me.." he starts.

"You're not simple Shen! You're anything but. I love you just the way you are" Sakura cuts in.

"And for that feeling I am forever grateful. Sakura…" he continues. Then he gets up and stands in one knee in front of her, he gets the box from out of his jacket pocket and shows her the diamond ring. She gasps in surprise and covers her mouth with both hands. "Will you do the honor of marrying me?" he finally asks.

"YES!" Sakura yelps and he stands letting her hug him tight. She was now crying, but this time they were tears of joy. Once appart Shen puts the ring in her finger and kisses her passionatly.