MEMENTO MORI

-Remember that you are mortal –

CHAPTER SEVEN: Syaoran's Sacrifice

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Syaoran hung up the phone. He scanned his bank book frantically. True to Wei's words, he's spent almost all of his inheritance money from his dad for nothing.

"Syaoran-sama, if you don't do something quickly, you'll be penniless. I hate to say it to you directly, but you have to know it at least. Ye Lan-sama wanted you to return to Japan after she knew about this…"

Syaoran gripped his mobile phone. "Please don't tell her where I'm staying yet. At least give me a month… after that, I will return if I find nothing."

"Too late. She already hired some detectives to find where you are. According to her, she's going to Korea ASAP."

He sighed upon remembering what Wei had told him. He's about to be penniless. What's left at him is his car and his motorcycle. Not to mention his pad. His salary as a part-time photographer won't work either.

"I won't go back to Japan without confirming Momoko's death…" he told himself. "I definitely won't give up…"

Besides that, he promised he'll go with Kinomoto Sakura to Jeju island.

He then remembered Yamazaki's words not so long ago…

"Do you really need that car? Isn't that splurging?"

He smiled sadly, looking at his car. "That's right. If I want to have money… I'll have to say goodbye to you."

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Sakura counted the money she had in her purse. Not even enough to buy a plane ticket. It's been four months that she's working, yet she cannot sustain for her trip. True to the Incheon folks, living in the city is expensive. The cost of living is high; luckily she had a place to stay.

She sighed. Suddenly, someone knocked on the door.

"Oh, Li-kun!" she greeted him. "Back from work already?"

He smiled faintly. "Yeah."

"Came here to take some of your things?"

He nodded. "We need to talk about our trip. We can't delay it. My mom has found where I am."

Sakura noticed his troubled face. "Is that so bad?"

"For me, yeah." He replied as he continued what he's doing. "She keeps telling me to return to Japan. I haven't even finished my task here."

There was a brief pause before Sakura can think of what else she could say. But since she can't understand any of what he's talking about, she just thought she did understand what he said. "I see…"

"So I bought us tickets already." He said plainly.

"Already? Tickets?" she was surprised. "But—"

He smirked. "You'll have to pay me later. It's an IOU, okay?"

"Thank you," Sakura muttered softly. "I'll definitely pay you back."

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The next day, Yamazaki, Syaoran and Sakura are all together riding the bus to work.

"I'm glad you came to your senses." Yamazaki muttered as he nudged Syaoran.

"Nah, you too. I'm glad you decided to save some money."

Yamazaki and Syaoran chuckled in unison. "I need date money, you know? I'm just a plain human being, unlike you, who is heir to—"

"Shut your mouth. If I only knew you'd glomp over some secretary of Eriol's…"

"Hey, no fair!" Yamazaki exclaimed. "Chiharu is my childhood friend. It's just coincidence that she's working for Hiiragizawa-san!"

Sakura just noticed something different about them. "What really happened to you guys? You decided not to use your cars anymore."

"Well, it's what we call priorities and needs, right Syaoran?"

Syaoran nodded. "Hey, what time is it? Maybe I'm late or something…"

"Don't you have your watch with you?"

"I kinda misplaced it."

Sakura glanced at her watch. "Five minutes before 8," she replied.

As soon as the bus stopped, Syaoran dashed ahead of them. "I'll see you later at lunch!"

"Jaa!"

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"Ah! You're late! Hurry!"

"Sorry!"

Yamazaki sighed. "I guess you could not live without a wristwatch eh? Try looking at your mobile phone's clock once in a while, huh?"

"I know, I'm sorry." Syaoran brought down his tray of food. "Where's Sakura?"

"Chiharu said she was called by the CEO." Yamazaki told him plainly.

"Did she do something wrong?" he asked.

His friend shook his head. "I think it's some sort of personal talk. You know how much our new friend looks like the Clow sisters, right?"

Syaoran didn't say anything after that. True to Yamazaki's words. Sakura does resemble Hinagi Clow as well. Eriol Hiiragizawa can't be blamed if he too had a liking for Kinomoto-san. Did he just say the word too? Scrape that.

He continued eating lunch, but he's a bit bothered from what he just heard from Yamazaki.

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Eriol had this benevolent smile whenever Sakura sees him. However, being called up by their boss might mean something else. So she sat carefully while waiting for him to speak out on what he has to tell her.

"Kinomoto-san…"

"Y-Yes, sir?"

He smiled again. "Do you have something to do this Saturday?"

She shook her head immediately. "I could work even in Saturdays, sir. I don't do anything during weekends…"

Eriol laughed. "It's not work that I'm talking to you about."

Her eyes brightened, gazing up to his. "I thought it was…" she muttered shyly.

"Actually, we have a company party…"

She paid attention to what he's saying. "… and I'm inviting you to come with me."

Her eyes widened. "Me?" she asked. "But why?"

Chiharu came in with a happy smile. She carried three boxes, one bigger than the rest and the others a bit small.

"You're so lucky, Sakura-san!"

Sakura was given all the boxes in Chiharu's hands. And she left grinning so happily at her.

"That's all for you." Eriol muttered casually.

She was shocked. "I cannot accept this from you!"

"You have to go to my birthday party and have that." Eriol said seriously.

"I'm so sorry. I cannot." Sakura said as she lowered her head.

Eriol stood up from his chair and went to her side. "I also want to give these to you."

To her surprise, Eriol had Syaoran's watch and car keys. She could recognize the watch, but then she thought it might be just similar.

"…He sold it to a pawn shop, I know he's having a hard time living all by himself. His struggle looks worthless… Just after a year, I already stopped hoping she'll come back…"

She knew that Eriol must be talking about Syaoran's search for Momoko.

"And I wanted to help Syaoran to get over Momoko as I've gotten over Hinagi."

"But why do you have these?"

He gripped Sakura's hand where he placed the watch and the key. "I invited his parents to my party too. They can't find out that they're gone, can they?"

"He'll be busted!"

Eriol grinned. "Exactly. You can return them to them and not tell him of our talk okay?"

"But how will I explain it to him?"

"…that would be coming from your bonus that I just gave you." He winked.

Sakura smiled. "I'll see you then, sir." She bowed down. "Kamsahamnida…"

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