Chapter 5

Destiny Leaves No Trails

Niyaah was seemingly excited. She had talked non-stop in the car about her home and friends, and her dog. But Sakura noticed that she made it a point not to talk about her father. It was pretty obvious why. She was neglected. It seemed as if no one ever played with the child, and in some sort of twisted way, it reminded Sakura of her own past.

She had also lacked a mother, and her father was hardly around, having immersed himself in his career.

"And then Jun Xi said that he didn't want to build another castle, so I said fine, and then he pushed me down the slide."

"Oh, no, did you get hurt anywhere?"

Niyaah beamed at her, "No, but then I kicked him. And he started crying."

Apparently this was funny and the little girl started giggling. Sakura couldn't help but smile. How anyone could ignore such a sweet little child like Niyaah was above her.

Wan opened the door for them when they arrived back at the hotel. Sakura picked Niyaah up and put her against her frame. She had also brought along the Princess costume with her, so that maybe she and Niyaah could play Castles and Kingdoms.

She opened the door and peaked in, looking for Tigen.

"Tigen, I'm home!" She called, somehow managing to close the door behind her with her arm while balancing Niyaah with her other.

Tigen walked into the entrance dressed as a knight, and as soon as he saw her, he gave her a funny look. "What are you doing?" He asked. "Why aren't you dressed, and who's that?"

"Oh no, did Wan forget to give you a call?"

"Apparently," Tigen said taking off his headpiece, "who's that?"

"A favour for Tomoyo," Sakura said walking to the sofa. When she attempted to place the little girl on the sofa, she noticed that Niyaah had fallen asleep.

"Tigen, pass me that cushion, will you?" she said in a whisper. He nodded and handed her the cushion. Sakura propped her head up and placed the cushion below it. She then wiped Niyaah's black bangs off of her face.

"What do we do now?" Sakura asked.

"I have an idea," Tigen said, taking a seat beside her.

"What's that?"

"You go the party, and I'll watch her. She's sleeping anyway."

"No, I couldn't do that to you," Sakura protested.

"Listen, you do what you have to do for Tomoyo. And I knew you were looking forward to meeting your other friend too. Just go."

Sakura hesitated for a moment, but then decided that Tigen had a valid point. Niyaah had already fallen asleep, so there would be no problem in going anyway.

"Alright," she said smiling and thanking God that she had brought along her costume, "I'll do it. For Tomoyo."

She curtly entered the bathroom and put the concoction Tomoyo had made on. Tomoyo had even had a mask for her---It was a costume party after all.

Thanking Tigen again, and being a bit suspicious towards his friendly behaviour, she left for the party.

Getting to the hotel where the party was taking place wasn't a problem. The problem would be finding Tomoyo and Eriol. Amidst all the glamour and costumes, and not to mention masks, she didn't know how she would be able to find them. Would she even be allowed in? Although she had brought along the costume when she came home, she didn't give a second thought to the invitation.

Why was she thinking of this now of all times.

"Wan," she called to Eriol's butler, "am I going to be allowed in?"

"Of course madam, I brought along an invitation."

She grinned. It's like they were robots.

"Thanks!"

It took another 10 minutes before they were there, Wan informing her so when they did arrive. He walked her to the entrance and provided the invitation when asked for.

Sakura anxiously walked into the foyer of the lobby. The lights were bright and the chandeliers made intricate patterns of light on the wall. The foyer wasn't crowded with people, and she had the chance to look around for Tomoyo and Eriol. Maybe they were at the main floor, she thought, heading towards the grand staircase. A concierge stood by the entrance, welcoming couples as they went by.

Couples. Oh no. She hadn't brought Tigen along. She wasn't with Tomoyo or Eriol as well, was she going to walk down the stairs alone, whilst everyone stared at her.

Apparently this was going to be the case. But hopefully no one would pay attention to her, the party was already underway with dancing and music and food.

Sakura defiantly approached the entrance to the stairway. A golden arch with two roman columns on either side made the entrance to the stairway. The concierge, who wore no face mask, noticed her approaching and walked towards her.

"Madam, I have to regretfully inform you that you cannot make an entrance without your escort or party."

Sakura bit her lip and tried peaking behind him to see whether she could spot Tomoyo or Eriol. But to no avail. "Uhm," she said fidgeting with her hands, "I think my party is already down there."

"Then you'll just have to wait until they come up, or alternatively, you can have one of the staffers walk you down."

Sakura peaked at the stairs again. They were quiet steep. She could understand his concern. If she fell, well, she'd fall all the way down for one, and then there would be the embarrassment to deal with after that. She didn't think that she would be able to show her face to the party if that had happened.

Sakura sighed and started to turn away from the concierge, maybe she'd wait until Eriol came up. "Would you like one of our staffers to walk you down, Madam?"

"Actually," she heard an almost familiar voice behind her, "the princess is with me."

Sakura looked around to see whom the voice belonged to. She was so sure she'd heard it before. But she couldn't pinpoint it. Her brain drew a blank. Where had she heard that low tone before?

She peered at the lean man, who was quite ironically dressed as a prince, but she couldn't seem to recognize him. The prince, she dubbed him, drew a lazy smile, holding his hand out as he approached her.

Sakura eyed him, his hair! Oh that hair was so familiar. Brown hair gelled back, but messy, nevertheless. Maybe it was someone from her school.

Sakura shook her head and looked at the young man in front of her. Did she really want to go with him? Would waiting for Eriol still be a better alternative. She looked to the prince, who still had his hand out. He was getting annoyed. Giving a final glance to the concierge, she put her hand in his and left for the staircase.

It was familiar. Which was an odd thing to say about a stranger. But Sakura felt his warm hand and his tight grip and found it to be pleasant. Much better than what she had experienced with Tigen. His cold touches always scared the wits out of her.

Sakura gave a sideways glance to the prince, still trying to figure out who it was, but then gave up as she figured she would never know. When they had reached the top flight of the staircase, he withdrew his hand, holding his arm out instead.

She stared at him. What was she supposed to do now? She looked around frantically. A spotlight had shone on them, and slowly everyone at the bottom of the stairs turned their eyes to the newest arrivals. They looked so fitting, she noticed. Herself as a princess, himself as a prince. Their masks, hers an intricate golden, his a slightly darker bronze even seemed to fit. It was like they had planned it out, but truly they didn't even know each other.

She smiled then, and put her arm through his and he slowly led her down the grand stair. Everyone had turned their attention to them. Perhaps it was because they had looked so attractive, or young, or innocent. But in the middle of a party filled with investors and their trophy wives—sipping martinis, munching on h'oerdervs, dancing and laughing—everyone stopped. And stared.

Sakura hated being the centre of attention and she suddenly got nervous. She put her other hand on the prince's arm and tightened her grip. He seemed to notice her nervousness and slowed down even more.

"Nervous?" he whispered.

She looked to him then, he was staring ahead. "No," she tightly replied, "actually, I'm used to being the centre of attention." She had lied.

"Oh really," there was a hint of amusement in his voice, "so you think all these people here are looking at you?"

"Well, of course," she said without a beat, "they surely aren't staring at you."

He didn't say anything after that and they walked quietly the last few steps down. When they reached the bottom, he bowed and left her.

Well, she thought, that was awfully rude. Sakura didn't think long on it and instead began her search for her friends.

They should have been somewhere around here, she was sure. She walked around the ballroom, looking fervently. What were they wearing again. Amidst the gowns and masks, she couldn't make out anyone. After a while, she decided that she'd just stand at the foot of the steps and wait for them. It wasn't even a moment later that a man dressed as a scarecrow approached her, "Would you do me the honor," he asked placing his hand out. Sakura looked about the room.

Oh, where was Eriol when needed. She did, however, spot the prince. He was standing in the middle of the room amongst guests. Their eyes met and suddenly an urge entered Sakura and she took the hand of the man and they proceeded to the middle of the dance floor. It was a slow waltz, and the scarecrow had been a fairly good dancer. Then another gentleman, dressed in 1800s attire, cut into the middle, and she danced again. A third asked, and then a fourth. By the fifth, she was exhausted and subconsciously rested her head on his shoulder. She opened her eyes and looked about the ballroom, utterly bored. She did not even have the strength to make conversation.

Her eyes searched the room and she once again saw the prince. It was funny how in a room with a 100 or so people, she still managed to find his eyes. He was scowling. What for, she thought, as the dance ended.

Someone grabbed her arm, "Oh, here's that beautiful young lady that came with you, why don't you introduce her to us?" It was a woman; she was dressed as an Egyptian queen. The woman dragged her to a circle of friends, one of whom was the prince. "Your quite the charmer," she Egyptian queen said, "having danced with quite a few fellows, but left poor old Li to his business." Sakura didn't know what to say to that.

The prince looked apprehensive and he saw her approaching the group. Sakura smiled shyly at five or so people stationed in a circle.

"So Li, introduce us, who's this young lady?"

Li. Now why did that name sound so familiar?

Li cleared his throat and looked around at the circle, "Well, I don't think that would be appropriate, seeing as how this is a costume party and one is not supposed to reveal their identities until the end."

One of the women in the group gave a laugh, "I see through your games Li," she said. "Well, then, princess," she turned to Sakura, "why don't you tell us a thing or two about Li. He is always so impenetrable in that façade of his at work. Keeping everything so shut up."

Sakura looked to Li. He was staring at her intently, as if warning her to keep her mouth shut. She smiled. As if that were going to happen. He had left her hanging at the bottom of the steps, and now she would get sweet revenge.

She looked around the circle of Li's colleagues, oh this was going to be so much fun.

"Well," she started, looking directly at Li, "I don't know how Li is at work, but he is surely quite the man at home."

"Home?" one of the women questioned, her eyes scrunching up.

"Oh yes, we've been living together for quite a while now," Sakura said, momentarily looking at her nails.

The woman around the circle started whispering to each other. "I didn't know Li had such loose morals," one of them was saying. Li's grip on his glass tightened and Sakura secretly smiled to herself. Success!

"What else don't we know about Li?" another woman inquired.

"He's an absolute ball," Sakura said, now fully enjoying the conversation. "He loves to take walks on the beach, and his secret hobby is to crochet mittens for the dog. And we have a wonderful rose garden which he upkeeps as well."

The women were in hysterics, choking on their drinks. The couple of men who were part of the conversation stared at Li with their mouths lifting upwards.

"He's such a sensitive man, honestly, sometimes he cries when we watch a really sad romance movie."

Everyone in the group started laughing and other people around them joined in.

"What else does he do, princess?" someone else asked.

Sakura was about to continue, but Li beat her to it, "Of course the princess is joking," he said feigning laughter, "aren't you princess?"

Sakura gave a smile to the group of about 10 people. "We're so curious," said the woman in the Egyptian dress, she looked around the room and noticed that many of the guests were looking towards their group. "Who could have stolen Li's heart? Please, tell us more about yourself, what do you do?"

Well, Sakura thought, time to help Tomoyo out. "I'm a model."

The women in the group started whispering amongst themselves. An older woman walked to the middle of the circle, "Tell me princess," she said is a smooth voice, silencing everyone around her "how do you manage to balance your career whilst taking care of a child?"

Sakura choked on her drink. Child? What child? Maybe the joke had gone too far. She looked slowly up to Li, who was staring back at her, livid. Everyone in the group watched intently to see what would happen next.

It was Li who spoke first, "Mother," he said hesitantly, "what are you doing here?"

"Xio Lang," the elegant lady looked at him defiantly, not caring in the least if she embarrassed him, "I'm here to see my granddaughter, but apparently, you brought someone else along, who, might I add ignored you for most of the night, dancing with other men." She pointed at Sakura, "Is this how I brought up my son?"

Syaoran was embarrassed. The last thing anyone needed was a scolding from their mother in front of their peers. Sakura swallowed, she hadn't meant for this to happen. Her fun, in a matter of seconds had dissipated.

"Yelan," Sakura heard the familiar voice of Eriol who was approaching their group. Yelan turned around and looked to the fast approaching Eriol and Tomoyo.

Sakura sighed, filled with relief. She was saved. But apparently, this wasn't what Li was thinking. Seeing the distraction, he quickly grabbed her arm, hurting her in the process, and quickly led her away from the main floor and into a secluded hallway.

He pushed her against the wall and then began his assault, "What the fuck was that?" He yelled at her.

Sakura grabbed her arm in pain. And looked at him. Looked at those haunting ocher eyes. She looked to see if Eriol had followed them, but it seemed as if Eriol hadn't even noticed her presence.

Li stood waiting for an answer. An eternal scowl on his face. "What do you mean what was that?" she asked, equally mad, "you're the one who started all this! What did you expect me do."

"I expected you tell them that you're a nobody, and that I'd just done you a little favor. Again, might I add."

"As if," she scoffed folding her arms across her chest, "it was more like I did you a favor. You just took me because you were afraid of walking down on your own."

"Huh," he said all of a sudden, a smile back on his face, "you really don't recognize me?"

Sakura looked confused, "recognize you?"

Sakura tried to look past his half-face mask. She tried to imagine what the rest of him would look like. It was awfully quiet as they stared at each other, and then suddenly, he had pushed her against the wall once more. And she knew.

It was him. And he was getting closer. And before she knew it, he had his lips on hers. She didn't know what to do, she was taken utterly by surprise. His lips weren't rough like she'd imagined them to be. And it was almost poetically soft, and slowly she felt herself responding.

But as soon as she'd done that, he pulled back, still holding her arms. And then he drew a smirk. She stared into his ocher eyes. Oh those haunting eyes. She could have gotten lost in them. His tongue darted out and he wiped his lips. "Stupid, Japanese slut," he said not a moment later and walked out, leaving her against the wall of the secluded hallway.

And as sad as it was, Syaoran Li had stolen her first kiss.