You don't have to be looking to find love, in fact it helps not to.
When it's ready, it will come to you.
Even if you reject it, it will always remain, blossoming in your heart.
---
The Sun rose, revealing a clear blue sky, another wonderful day. The children took to the streets again, their shouts of joy reminding everyone of their own happiness. But this time the children had no one to over look them, and no one to bathe in the feelings that flowed into the air around them.
Eriol, their usual carer, walked aimlessly down the streets. A tiny square present immaculately wrapped in white, shining paper, tied with a beautiful red ribbon was clung tightly to his chest. He stared down at it and smiled, a job well done.
His mind raced as he neared her house; the thought of seeing Tomoyo again and facing another rejection loomed in the foremost part of his mind, as he tip-toed up the steps to the door. He knocked and tried to position the present in a few different gestures, before deciding it best to hide it at first, hold it close to his body.
The raven haired girl, answered the door, she caught sight of Eriol and blushed. The pair stood there in a mutual silence that neither wanted to disturb, the present still hidden by Eriol's shaking hands.
"Hoe! Who is it? Are they here already?" Sakura timed her arrival perfectly, running awkwardly in her white dress, a pure silken white ribbon streaming through her hair to match, she ran into the hall, "Ooe! I'm not ready yet!" She shrieked, quickly trying to find the last few accesories of her outfit before entering the door.
Tomoyo smiled, stepping back from the door, "Welcome to the Kinomoto residence," She said politely, waving Eriol in.
He grinned, stepping towards the still frantic Sakura, "Sakura..."
She paused, looking bemused, "Oh, Eriol! Hi! Bear with me a moment I have to c-"
He thrust the present into Sakura's hands, a wide smile on his face, "Happy Birthday."
"Oh! Eriol! You didn't have to do this for me," she examined the neat wrapping and ribbon, the excitement showing from her eyes, "No, this is too much..."
Eriol turned away, smiling, "It was nothing...really." Tomoyo gestured him into the lounge, and he obeyed, taking a seat alone in the silent room as the hubbub of the last minute arrangements echoed around the small house.
There was another knock on the door, and Syaoran was almost flung into the seat next to Eriol, "Stay there!" Tomoyo smiled, running back off to help Sakura leaving Syaoran to look questioningly at Eriol.
"Sorry, not a clue."
Syaoran craned his neck, trying to catch sight of what was going on, but he couldn't see anything, they were out of view.
Eriol sighed, tapping his foot lightly on the floor, "Did you get it?"
"What?" Syaoran asked, jerking his head quickly back to reality, "Oh, yeah!" He produced a slight smile, tapping his pocket gently and nodding.
"With a bit of luck you might have the guts to tell her this time!"
Syaoran growled, staring daggers at Eriol, "I was waiting for the right moment." He insisted.
"And what exactly was wrong with all those other moments?" Eriol laughed, standing up and bowing to aknowledge the entry of the two girls to the room.
"This way!" Sakura beamed, waving everyone through.
The room they entered had been cleared of its previous use, and a sheekly dress table sat in the middle of the room. A few wall hangings still remained pinned to the walls to complete the atmosphere. Sakura sat herself at the far end of the table, as her friends took the other seats, Tomoyo smiling widely and Eriol and Syoaran looking lost for words.
"What's this for?"Syaoran finally managed to ask.
"For my birthday meal!" Sakura beamed, her arms waving uncontrolably as she stood up and ran out into the kitchen, bringing in four dishes of soup giving of a mouth watering aroma.
"You did all this?"
"Yes." She said simply, the smile widening further.
Still looking bemused, the two boys raised a spoon and began to eat, much to Sakura's delight.
"Like it?"
They nodded in unison, and soon the festivities were well under away.
---
"You didn't have to do all this for me!" Sakura smiled down at the three well wrapped presents, trying to decide which one to open first, "This one!" She gently picked up Eriol's tiny cube, "Good things come in small packages!" She slowly pulled the ribbon, and the present seemed to open itself in her hands revealing a navy coloured, felt covered box. She look at it curiously for a moment, then raised a hand and flipped it open.
Her eyes widened, "Wow! Eriol! You didn't need to spend that much!" She looked up concerned. The diamond earrings that lay in her hands glistened in the light, complementing her eyes.
"Don't worry. It was my pleasure."
"Thank you so much!" Sakura flung herself at Eriol, giving him a quick, tight hug.
Face now even more joyous than before, Sakura slowly pulled up a slightly bigger present, this time wrapped in shininggreen, she neatly pulled away the paper, her eyes this time meeting on a brown leather box. She slowly flicked this one open, her eyes widening further upon viewing a shining silver tiara completed with emeralds engraved into crystals. Her eyes met with Tomoyo's.
"THANK YOU SO MUCH!" She beamed, repeating the same actions of flinging and squeezing.
"I thought you could perhaps where it to the dance this year..."Tomoyo smiled softly, "It would go perfectly with that dress I gave you."
Sakura looked blank for a moment, "Dance?"
"You know, at the end of the year!"
"Oh! Yes!" She smiled again, "Of course!"
Her eyes fell down to the last present, slightly smaller than the prior, but none the less wrapped impressively. Her cheeks went bright red and a silence of expectation crossed the room.
Syaoran was sitting, just as red as Sakura, if not more so, where as Eriol and Tomoyo had put aside their differences momentarily and sent a knowing smile between each other.
Sakuras fingers grasped the end of the ribbon, and even slower than before, she pulled it loose. Yet another box lay in her lap, black and felt. Her face was changing so much, it was almost possible to track her thoughts as she slowly lifted the lid.
The room was still for what seemed like an eternity.
"Syaoran..." She whispered, her mind trying to come to terms with the item. A golden necklace, holding a beautifully carved pendant, a heart, a sword and a petal, the word 'Sakura' was engraved in smooth calligraphyon the reverse of the heart. "I...I..."
She burst into tears of happiness as she once more flung herself towards the gift's bearer, but this time stayed, wrapped warmly in his arms. "Thank you."
Tomoyo looked almost on the brink of tears, and even Eriol brought out a slight smile for the special occasion.
It was not often love blossomed within such good friendship.
Eriol's gaze turned from the scene to Tomoyo. Her cheeks burnt red on the instant, but this time, she permitted him to admire.
Lets stay friends,
I don't think I can...
Sorry.
"Will you ever realise there's something more? Friends are never just friends..."