Chapter Nine: Choosing between You and I

"Who are you?"

The man in black clothes just looked at her through his sunglasses. He kept quiet, and then looked at Touya who was standing tall behind Sakura. He paused for another minute, fished out a phone, pressed a button, listened to something from the other line, and hung up. He glanced over his shoulder to something beside him, and nodded.

"Take them both."

Sakura's eyes widened. "What? Hey! Wait a minute!" She struggled against the strangers' hold and looked at Touya trying to get them off her. "Touya!"

"Get your hands off her!" He was about to punch one of them when someone knocked him cold with the butt of a gun.

"Touya!" Sakura cried out to her unconscious brother. She raised her head to the man who just stared at her fallen sibling. "What do you want from us?"

The man raised his head to look at her. His shades flashed for a moment, and then he bent down and draped Touya's limp arm over his shoulder. He stood back up, shoved past his men, out the door, and towards the lift.

"Let's go," the man ordered and got inside the lift.

The other men dragged Sakura, who was still struggling against them, into the lift. Sakura, who was surprisingly still conscious, fought against their tight grip and continued glaring at the supposed-leader. Her eyes squinted in anger at him and she raised her foot. She dropped it back down to the man's foot and listened to him yelp in pain. She grinned in victory but only to be knocked out cold by his comrades' gun.

"Bitch,"

"Keep the change,"

"Sure, Mr. Li," the driver tapped the bill of his cap towards Syaoran and smiled.

Syaoran stared at him, nodded back, and climbed off the car. He flipped his wallet closed, stuffed it in the back pocket of his faded jeans, glanced over to his left at the retreating taxi, and looked back to the building before him. He hoped he was at the right place, since he wasn't given any address from the person personally. Although he did take the liberty of asking the school for her address, so this building should be it. And fourth floor should be where she lives.

He was about to walk towards the building when he heard a car screeched to a halt behind him. He swung his head around and stared at Eriol coming out of his car with shades covering his eyes. He shook his head.

"What?" Eriol removed his shades and furrowed his brows.

"Nothing," he raised his head again, at the windows on the fourth floor, and glanced at Eriol. "Hope the girls are fine,"

Eriol looked at him, surprisingly scared as well. "I pray they are,"

They walked into the building, registered their surroundings – it wasn't too classy or showy, but it was common-looking – and walked into the lift. Syaoran pressed the button 4 and stood beside his buddy who was squeezing his left hand, as if in a nervous fit.

He blinked. "Dude, you scared?"

Eriol didn't even look at him, only stared at the screen when the numbers ascended, slowly. "No," he glanced at Syaoran, "are you?"

Syaoran blinked again, looked back to the screen still ascending slowly, and spoke a blunt, "No".

"Cool," Eriol squeaked.

The lift finally stopped after what seemed like hours, and opened its doors to the men. Syaoran was the first to come out, followed by Eriol who was know wiping his hands down the side of his pants. Syaoran patted his poor buddy's shoulder, told him to calm down and was about to walk towards the door to Sakura's apartment when he suddenly stopped in his tracks.

Eriol slammed into him. "Hey! What gives?"

Syaoran immediately bent down and touched the girl's raven hair. "It's Daidouji!"

"What?" Eriol shifted to the right, saw Tomoyo fallen on the floor, "Tomoyo!" pushed Syaoran out of his way and held Tomoyo up so he could see her face and check for bruises. "Tomoyo? Tomoyo, you OK? Speak to me, Tomoyo!" When he received no response, he shut his eyes, raised his head to the ceiling, and yelled to heaven-knows-who. "TOMOYO!!"

Syaoran immediately closed his ears. "AH, SHIT!!" He quickly slapped an angry hand to Eriol's shoulder. "DUDE!"

Eriol looked back to him, blinked, and mumbled, "Sorry…" But then he felt movement and he lowered his head to watch Tomoyo arouse from unconsciousness. He brushed a lock of hair from her porcelain face and cupped her cheek. "Tomoyo?"

Tomoyo fluttered her eyes open, focused on something, and found she was staring into navy-blue eyes. She paused for a moment to wonder where she'd seen those pair of eyes from, and when she remembered the scene back at the café and what the owner of those pair of eyes had said to her, she immediately sat up, jutted his chin on the way, and scrambled up to her feet.

She swung around. "YOU HIT ME!" She screamed.

Eriol's eyes widened and he stood back up, equally frantic. "I DID NOT!"

Tomoyo blinked at him. "… You didn't?"

Eriol cocked a brow. "Do you see me holding anything that I might have used to hit you?"

Tomoyo blinked again, looked around on the floor, at his empty hands, and timidly raised her eyes to the man before her. "N-No…?"

Eriol crossed his arms, "Say sorry and I'll forgive you."

Tomoyo lowered her head. "Sorry…"

"AH JEEZ, WILL THE TWO OF YOU JUST QUIT THIS MUSHY SHIT AND KISS ALREADY!?" Syaoran got on his feet, shoved past Eriol and grabbed the doorknob to the apartment. "Where's Sakura?" He knocked on the door, "Sakura, you in there?" He knocked once more, "Sakura!"

"… Oh no…" Tomoyo muttered and raised her head to a confused Syaoran. She glanced at Eriol and found him staring at her. "Oh no…!"

"What, what?" Eriol approached her and grabbed her shoulders.

Syaoran came up to her. "Spit it out, Daidouji!"

Tomoyo's eyes suddenly became watery and she held onto her quivering lips. "S-S-S-Sakura… S-S-S-S-Sakura…!"

"What, Tomoyo? Sakura… what!?"

Tomoyo swung her head at Eriol and she shook her head. She couldn't believe it herself. "I-I-I saw…" She lowered her head and swallowed. "I saw… two men… holding onto… onto… S-S-Sakura and-"

"They were holding her?" Syaoran eyed her. "Do you know these men?"

"No! I don't know any men who'd do something like that to her and her brother!" Tomoyo cried out.

Eriol cocked a brow, "W-Wait a minute… Her brother?"

She nodded. "I saw Sakura being dragged into the lift, and then two other guys were dragging her brother into the lift as well. I stepped out, stared at them for a good two minutes, and was suddenly thrown to the wall…!" Tomoyo massaged the back of her head. "And then I blacked out… and I saw you two-"

"Hey, dude!" Eriol called out to Syaoran running up to the lift.

"Where are you going?" Tomoyo stared at him.

Syaoran ignored them, impatiently punching the button for the lift to come up. He hadn't had much time to wait and ponder over the facts. He just wants her back. He just wants to see her, to hold her, to touch her, to ask for forgiveness from her, and to tell her everything.

"Look, if you want to find her, let us help you… We could even use my car." Eriol grabbed his shoulder. "I don't want you to go running endlessly without any proper direction."

Syaoran looked over his shoulder to him. "I-I don't…" he winced and looked away. He'd never felt so torn up in his life. "If I hadn't…" The lift finally arrived and Eriol pushed him and Tomoyo inside. He grabbed Syaoran's shoulder, gave it an affectionate squeeze, and an assuring pat.

"We'll find her." He glanced over to Tomoyo.

Tomoyo stared at him, smiled weakly and nodded. "We will."

"Yes, we have them right here. Yes, Ma'am, they hadn't witnessed the way in. No, Ma'am, we have no witnesses. Yes, Ma'am, it shall be done."

He clicked off his phone, slipped it into his breast pocket, and held his hands behind his back. He circled the table, stared at the unconscious siblings seated on chairs, and grinned. He raised his left hand, took a deep breath, and suddenly slammed it to the metal table, causing it to shake and the two siblings jolt in shock. Once they registered their surroundings and his presence, they glared at him and began struggling against their bounds.

"What the hell is this?" Touya cried out and looked down to his bounded feet. "What the…?"

"Let us go!" Sakura begged. "W-What do you want from us?"

The man cackled. "Simple: I want you to swear you shall have nothing to do with the Li family."

Sakura's mind suddenly crashed the minute he finished his sentence. She felt her brother's confused stare upon her, but she couldn't see it. She felt the stranger's eyes upon her, too, but she saw nothing but a huge blur. In her mind, she thought this was some kind of a sick joke against her since she used to prank her classmates, but to have actually been kidnapped and to be served a huge ultimatum hadn't crossed her mind at all. Not to mention concerning the 'Li family'.

"I-I-I don't know what you're talking about…" was all that she could come up with. She blinked back her tears of shock and stared, as sternly as she could, into the stranger's shades.

"Sakura, what is going on?" Her brother queried.

She briefly glanced at him, and then back to the stranger. "I have nothing to do with them, you hear me? So let us go!"

The stranger crossed his arms. "Do I really look that stupid to you? Well, fine then," he stood beside her brother, waited for him to turn his head and look up to him, grinned down to the naïve man, and suddenly fished out his black gun from inside his coat. "Let's try this," he slammed her brother's head down to the table and pointed his gun to his left temple. "Swear now or his head explodes-"

"NO!" Sakura cried out to him, "Please!" She looked at the man, "He's got nothing to do with this! Let him go!"

"SWEAR IT!"

"SAKURA!!" Touya cried out to her.

"STOP, PLEASE! JUST LET HIM GO!!"

"SWEAR IT NOW!"

"SAKURA!!"

Sakura shut her eyes and screamed, "All right…!" She sobbed, lowered her head and muttered, "All right…"

The man grinned, "That's better," he grabbed a fistful of Touya's black hair, pulled his head back but still refused to remove his gun from his temple. "I want you to swear it."

Sakura didn't raise her head, only stared at her knees. She was shaking, not with fright but with anger. She wasn't angry at him, but she was angry with herself for not being any stronger, or more protective of her brother. He shouldn't even be here. It was her fault for not being a good sibling to him.

"Come on now…" the man coaxed.

"Sakura," Touya spoke once more, "Sakura, whatever it is that's going on here, I know you hadn't meant any of this to happen." Sakura slowly raised her head to look at him. He looked into her green eyes and formed a small smile. "You're stronger than this, you and I know that. I'm sure father knows it, too."

Why, oh why, must her brother bring her father up into this messed-up mess?

Sakura tore her gaze away. "… I-I-I…"

If she swears, she would never see Syaoran again. But… isn't that what she wanted ever since that night at the dance? Wasn't avoiding him her main goal? Wasn't wishing him away from her life, her mind, and her heart the only serious wish she'd made in years? Now she's given the chance to do so, to have a peaceful life away from the bustle of school, emotions, and that man. But why is she hesitating? Why can't she simply agree to this awful man who just tried to blow her brother's brains out? Why can't she just say OK?

Because…

He needs her. He needs her so badly it choked him into tiny tears in the corners of his eyes. He hadn't realised it'd hurt this much… but it does. Nothing seems to turn out right after that night at the dance. Nothing seems to fall into place and make a clearer picture for him to see. He regretted so much and had prayed so hard he'd have the chance. But now he's lost it once again, and might not be blessed with a miracle anymore. If only he hadn't hurt her. If only he had told her about his life a little sooner. If only things were different, maybe he could've told her…

Eriol felt his buddy's sadness and looked over to his right. He stopped the car by the curb, turned on his side and stared at his poor pal. Once Syaoran realised he was staring at him, after a good five minutes, he looked at him with a quizzical look.

"What…?"

Eriol stared into his amber eyes, glanced at Tomoyo who was just as confused, and looked back to Syaoran. "Are you all right, man?"

Syaoran opened his mouth, but closed it and looked away.

"Look, man, I know it hurts but sulking like this won't bring her back does it? Don't you think it's time that we brainstorm and figure out who would've taken her and where she might be?"

Syaoran was irresponsive, but Eriol kept going.

"… You love her, don't you? Even if it had only been a few weeks… you love her, don't you?"

Syaoran shifted in his passenger seat and just kept on looking out the window. At the mention of 'love', his heart ached and cracked little by little. At the mention of her… his soul dies even faster.

"I know the both of you might not see it, but I'm sure Sakura feels something for you, too, Li…" Tomoyo whispered into the still silence. "She might not have shown it in an obvious manner, but I know deep in her heart she's trying her hardest to accept you and find some space for you in her heart…"

"Enough with the bullshit, all right," Syaoran snapped and looked at Eriol, "I don't feel that much for her. I'm just worried, like any friend would—"

"Dude—"

"No, dude, I'm serious. I'm done. I understand now why all this happened. This happened for a reason: and that is to separate me from her," he looked at Tomoyo seated behind Eriol, "I'm caused enough problems for her, my rescuing wouldn't even matter. It wouldn't break any barriers between us." He gazed back to Eriol, his brown eyes glassy and cold. "I see it now, clear as day. She doesn't want me in her life, and neither will I have her in mine."

"You can't be serious!" Tomoyo sniped. "This is my best friend we're talking about! MY BEST FRIEND!"

"So?" Syaoran snapped once again.

Confused, Eriol stared at him even harder, "Syaoran!"

"Look, Eriol, let's just go home all right!?" He looked out the window again and crossed his arms. "Let's send Daidouji to her… parents' or something, just in case those bastards come back for her as well."

Tomoyo gaped, "Sakura's out there, probably scared half to death, with her brother, and you're not going to go find her? Or save her? You're just going to declare to the world you don't want her and… and… the-end!?"

Syaoran immediately went silent.

"Snap out of this, Syaoran. You don't mean to say all that—"

"I DO MEAN IT, ERIOL! SO JUST DRIVE, DAMN IT!"

Eriol retracted back from his retort, sighed in defeat, and drove out from the town market and towards the Li mansion. On the way, he told Tomoyo that he would let her stay with the Li since Syaoran's mother was busy in business and would be staying in a hotel. He was about to explain about Meiling when Syaoran glared at him, giving him a signal how buddies would, and immediately Eriol shut up.

Few minutes after the silence, they were finally driving up the driveway and towards the mansion. Once Eriol pulled the handbrake, Syaoran climbed off and slammed the poor car door shut. Eriol gaped, stared at his wake, and glanced over to Tomoyo who climbed out as well, stomping up to him.

"You bastard!" Tomoyo cried out and Syaoran swung his head around to stare at her.

After a moment, he looked away and pushed open the doors.

"Come back here, Li! We are not done!"

"What the hell do you want me to say, Daidouji? Huh, what do you want me to say? I have nothing to tell you: just that I'm sorry!" Syaoran stared into her lavender eyes and frowned. "Are you happy now? Are you happy to hear that a Li apologized to you? I'M SORRY!"

Tomoyo retracted back. "I-I-I heard…"

"Then stay the hell away from me!" He turned around once more and was about to climb the stairs when Tomoyo grabbed his arm. He stopped abruptly, looked down to her hand tightly grasping his arm, and raised his head to look at her. "Release me—"

"NO! Not until you get out there and bring back Sakura!" Tomoyo cried out, tightly gripping onto her blouse. She shut her eyes and lowered her head. "Bring her back, please…!"

Syaoran stared at the weeping girl, raised his head at the man who finally walked into the mansion, frowned at him, and sighed in a gruffly manner. He peeled Tomoyo's hand off his arm, watched her head rise, and stared hard. "… I can't,"

Tomoyo suddenly went still. "W-W-W-W-What…?"

"You heard me…"

"B-B-B-But…!" She furrowed her brows and lowered her head to think. Then she raised it and stared at him in bewilderment. "B-B-But…!"

"I told you already: rescuing her won't make a difference, it won't change the fact that she hates me and my guts." He stared at Eriol who had stood behind Tomoyo. "I'm not one who gives up, but this rescue mission will only turn out hopeless and useless—"

Tomoyo threw a hard slap across his face, panted for a moment, and was about to slap once more when Eriol grabbed her hand and stopped her. She swung her head back, glared at Eriol, and frowned at Syaoran. "Are you trying to tell me that saving her, saving the girl you fell in love with, is both hopeless and useless? Are you trying to imply that rescuing her won't change her mind about the both of you!?" She struggled against Eriol's hold, "DON'T YOU DARE TELL ME THIS RUBBISH LI SYAORAN! DON'T YOU EVEN THINK YOU'D SURVIVE LEAVING THIS HOUSE AFTER TELLING ME THAT SHIT!?"

Syaoran glared back. "What the hell do you want me to do, Daidouji? Scream into the faces of the public to help me find her? You want me to post LOST AND FOUND ads with her picture in the middle of it, with a reward of ten million dollars—"

"DON'T GET SARCASTIC WITH ME, YOU STUPID, FOOLISH, CONNIVING BASTARD!" Tomoyo stepped up to him, almost wanting to spit into his face, but Eriol quickly pulled her back. "Let go of me!!"

"I suggest you go out there and find her, Syaoran. She'll go ballistic if you don't."

Syaoran frowned. "How the hell am I supposed to find her?"

"Who hates her enough to want to do this?" Eriol questioned, and then flitted his eyes to something above them.

Syaoran frowned, turned around, and stared at the girl walking across the hallway towards the bedrooms. He swung his head back to Eriol, who was busy trying to soothe Tomoyo down, and nodded.

"Thanks buddy…"

Eriol nodded back. "I forgive you,"

"Piss off," and he smiled. He swung back around and quickly climbed up the stairs to catch up on Meiling, who was busy talking to someone on her Blackberry.

"… Make sure there were no witnesses when you came in, you get me?" She said, and hung up looking victorious. She was about to step into her room when Syaoran coughed behind her, and she jumped in fright. Peculiar. "Syaoran!" She hid her hands behind her back and grinned sheepishly at him. "You scared me,"

"I'm sure," he eyed her. "Who were you talking to?"

Meiling shrugged. "I wasn't talking to anybody. B-But I am talking to you now…"

Syaoran came closer. "What was it…?" He raised his eyes and tapped his lips with a finger, as if in deep thought. "Make sure there were no witnesses when you came in…" Then he looked back at her and cocked a brow, "Who were you talking to, Meiling?" His voice now stern and serious.

Meiling shook her head. "I was talking to nobody!" She swung around and fumbled for the doorknob to her room. "Damn it—"

Syaoran slammed his hand to her door and stared at her shocked face. Finally, a lead. "Where is she, Meiling?" Meiling frantically shook her head and snapped her mouth shut. "WHERE THE HELL IS SAKURA!?"

Author's Note: I AM SO SORRY!! WAAAHHHHH!! I know y'all are out there cussing up and down at me for not posting any faster. I know it took me months just to write this 3,700 word story but you've gotta understand. I had the terrible case of writer's block and trust me, there were MANY times I wanted to type this chappie out but i had nothing! I have nothing to finish this chappie! '( I'm sorry. But I hope this chappie made up for the months i spent giving you nothing. Really i hope so. But please, do review? It's not too hard right?

Love,

Yoshimi