MEMENTO MORI

-Remember that you are mortal –

CHAPTER Nine: Dilemma

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Later in the evening, as soon as Sakura and Syaoran got back to his pad, a delivery man was waiting outside the door. The man brought the stuff Eriol just gave Sakura earlier that day.

"Woah, what are these?" he inspected the boxes one by one.

Sakura had finished signing the papers, "It's my bonus."

"Bonus?" Syaoran echoed. "A brand new mobile phone, women's shoes, and a large box… You call these bonus?"

She chuckled nervously. "Yeah, sort of. I was required to attend Hiiragizawa-san's birthday on Saturday… I think he knows I can't come without those…"

"But a mobile phone, isn't that too much?" Syaoran didn't know what triggered his irritation that easy, but he just finds it inappropriate.

"He's just being kind. Anyway, I think I needed that since he needs to prompt me for my job from time to time." She reasoned out. "Nothing's wrong with that, right? They are all deducted to my salary."

Syaoran snorted. "Really," he scoffed. "The gentleman Eriol is—" his mobile phone sounded. "Hello?"

"Xiaolang… we're about to arrive at your pad now." A stern voice said from the other line. "If you're not there, Shiefa and I will be waiting."

"M-Mother?" he was dumbfounded to learn that so suddenly. "Why are you coming here? I mean… what's the rush?"

Sakura observed Syaoran as he flinched in nervousness—or something like that.

"…Eriol's birthday is on Saturday. I need you to come there with us. It would be one of the formal gatherings you'll attend before you assume the Tokyo Branch."

He gripped his mobile phone. "How many times have I told you that I'm not yet coming back?"

"Don't try to escape, son. It has been decided. You're going back to Tokyo. See you in a few minutes." The line was dropped after that.

"…Daijoubu?" Sakura asked. "You seemed so upset…"

Syaoran gave out a long sigh. "Gomen ne, Kinomoto-san. Could you please stay with Yamazaki for a little while? My family is coming tonight. It won't be long though… I've some matters to discuss with them."

"It's alright." She agreed. "I think you really need to fix things with them."

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They buzzed at Yamazaki's. Chiharu was also there.

"Dude, you're like, so in a wrong timing!" he whispered to Syaoran. "What's wrong?"

"Mother's coming with my elder sister. Can Kinomoto-san stay here first with you? I'll take her back later, and promise I won't return early so you can have uh, more time."

Chiharu went to them. "Sakura-san! Come in!"

"Can I bring these here first?" she asked, talking about the boxes.

"Sure! Let's check 'em out! What has our boss given you? Ooh… such expensive shoes! And what's in this box?"

"Hey, Chiharu! Don't meddle with Kinomoto-san's stuff!" Yamazaki exclaimed.

"Gotta go, buddy. Thanks again."

He smiled. "You should at least be modest, okay? She's still the CEO and your mother."

"I know." He nodded. "I'll be back, Kinomoto-san."

"Good luck!"

He tried to compose himself before he prepared for the worst to come.

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Eriol and Tomoyo stopped by the same bar they go together during their free time. Since Hinagi had died a year ago, Tomoyo has always been by Eriol's side.

Hinagi is once as famous as Tomoyo is right now. She was dubbed as a singing sensation in Asia, and Tomoyo was then just her junior. Being 9 years younger than and just as old as Hinagi's little sister, Tomoyo had to face the reality that it was Hinagi's time before.

"You're always kind to me, you know that? Even your sempai had left us, you're still there for me…"

Tomoyo drunk the contents of her glass. "Hey, stop the emotional dialogues. We're here to have fun, ne?" she said.

"She was the most brilliant person I've ever met…"

Tomoyo just watched Eriol as he began his monologue whenever he gets drunk. He would, praise the dead Hinagi as if she was just right in front of him listening to every word he says. Though she doesn't show it, it could be seen in her eyes that she feels his pain more—she always wanted Eriol to look her way. When Hinagi left her legacy to her, everyone in the world knew about her… but still, Eriol's heart belonged to her grave.

"…she could make me laugh and feel pain at the same time…"

He could not deny the fact that like Li Syaoran, he hasn't gotten over yet his dead fiancée. Whichever way I look at it, they are alike… but that boy's feelings had still hope since Momoko's body hasn't been found. Tomoyo silently sighed as she held Eriol's hand. Please stop, I'm hurting more times that you do…

"…When she died, it's as if the whole world crashed down on me…"

She smiled sadly at him. "Yes, she's been the best woman for you… but we can't bring her back now."

The bar is about to close now. "I'll drive you back to your apartment."

Her bodyguards helped her carry the drunken Eriol to her car.

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"Yamazaki-kun, can I ask you something?"

"Sure, what is it?" Yamazaki came to the girls.

Sakura stopped watching the TV. "Why is Li-kun hiding from his family?"

Yamazaki scratched his head. "Man, I do feel bad about telling you this… Syaoran might kill me."

"I won't tell…"

Chiharu nodded. "Yeah, I'm also quite curious about him. Why is he hell bent in staying at Korea when he has a fine luxurious life waiting for him at Tokyo? Is it all about escaping responsibilities? Or is he in an arranged marriage?"

"My, Chiharu. You're really so talkative. But I still like you a lot." Yamazaki replied. "Very well then."

The two girls listened intently to what Yamazaki is about to say.

"…The Li family is a very influential clan in Hong Kong. Their mother's side is British, so they had affiliations with Hiiragizawa-san's family since the beginning of their businesses…"

Chiharu was surprised. "So that's why he's snobbish!"

"When Syaoran's father died when they are little, he was forced to become a business magnate someday too. That's because he belonged in a family where he's the only son. His mother's expectations are so high and the clan's future is vested on him." He continued.

Sakura could only nod as Yamazaki continued his story.

"He was just 10 when he met Momoko Clow, the heiress of a Japanese hotel magnate. Of course you knew the tragedies that befall on them, and because of that, he hid in Korea and then we met here. Since he believes that Momoko hasn't died, he won't go back unless there's proof of her death. And Syaoran, who's turning 21 this year, is about to become the CEO of their company—which he doesn't want to do."

I never thought he's someone like Hiiragizawa-san… Sakura thought, glancing towards the direction of the door. I wonder how he's dealing with his mother…

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"Xiaolang."

Wei had already opened the door for his mother and sister. Syaoran could only bow down in respect to them.

"Welcome to Korea, mother, elder sister…" he began. "How was your trip?"

Shiefa extended her arms in the air. "It was quite tiring, can I sleep already?"

Yelan sighed. "We're just about to talk to your brother. Will you wait for a while?"

She dragged her feet back to where her mother and brother are standing. "Okay, okay…"

The rest of them were seated while Wei prepared tea for them. Shiefa sniffed around her. "Hey, Xiaolang, isn't that a woman's scent I'm smelling around here?" she asked. "Don't tell me you already live with some Korean woman mother and I do not know of!"

He instinctively shook his head. "What are you talking about?"

"Anyway, we have to talk about your going back to Tokyo."

"Business as usual, mother." Shiefa muttered.

Syaoran bowed down. "Sorry, mother, but I won't go back just yet."

"Oh yes you will. We had an agreement. In just a few months, you'll be 21. And that means your stay here and hiding from me is over." Yelan argued. "Right after Saturday on Eriol's birthday, we will introduce you as the new CEO then you'll assume office the next day."

The siblings silenced. "I know I said that, but give me just a month, mother! Please… My last hope is in Jeju… if I could not come then I won't believe—"

"Xiaolang, you must accept that Momoko died already. What else would make you stop believing?"

He clenched his fists. "…You're going, whether you like it or not. I'm holding your passport. You cannot go anywhere else but back to Tokyo."

Gomen ne, Kinomoto-san… I guess I can't come to Jeju with you…

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To be continued