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Property of AmyLeah.
A/N : Thanks for all the alerts, I REALLY appreciate it. I loved reading all your reviews. It made me happy and ecstatic to start new chapters every time.
Ladies and gentlemen, I give you chapter 8.
Chapter 8 : Last Goodbyes And New Beginnings.
"...Flight 1808 to London. Last call to Gate 12. Passengers boarding flight 1808 to London..."
"You've got everything you need, man? Syaoran asked, shaking Eriol's hand for one last time. Eriol was the best architect around, in terms of demands, his name was quite famous in Great Britain. Hence, the reason for the Hiiragizawas' sudden move to London.
Sakura married Eriol two months after the twins came. They were both happy. Some thought it was too early for them to wed, considering Sakura was only 23 at the time and Eriol was only 24. They didn't care, they were happy. Syaoran admit he was envious. As best man, he stood by Eriol's side. Over the years, he had developed a crush on Sakura. A little too late, but he couldn't help the attractions he felt towards her. He watched her float down the aisle her arm tucked under her father's. A radiant glow emitted from her smile.
Now, three years later, the twins were boarding their first plane to London.Léon inherited Eriol's messy raven hair. He had chubby cheeks and a cute button nose. Thankfully he inherited Sakura's vibrant emerald eyes. To Fujitaka's surprise, Valérie looked like Sakura's long deceased mother, long wavy silver hair, features that were similar to Léon's; a cute button nose and chubby yet rosy cheeks. Valérie had Eriol's aquamarine eyes. They were the perfect, mischievous little angels.
"Yeah. Can't believe I'm really moving. The kids have never been out of Japan before. And I'm not sure if Valérie can survive without her uncle Syaoran around," Eriol teased. He had all four passports and flight information tucked inside his laptop case. His glasses hanged at the neckline of his shirt. "I guess, I'll be seeing you man.
Syaoran chuckled. "Send me something will you?" He called out. He stayed to watch them board the plane. The twins' rambunctiously made their way inside the plane. Valérie has cried and asked for Syaoran. And that was the last time, Syaoran ever saw them.
Three years later,
Syaoran was blinded by the sight of flashing white lights. His eyes strained trying to focus on one thing. The papparazzis were everywhere. They had their camera's held up high, taking pictures of him as he was trying to exit the Li Enterprise building. A cacophony of voices bruising and beating his eardrums.
"Mr. Li, is it true? Are you planning to sell the company?"
"Mr. Li is it true about the rumors saying you were seen with a mysterious lady?"
"Mr. Li do you anything to say for yourself?"
"Mr. Li, there were some claims that you fathered a child."
"Mr. Li..."
"Mr. Li..."
"Mr. Li..."
Syaoran was quickly ushered into the limo. His bodyguards blocking the press' view. Even through the tinted windows, he could still see, the white flashes. Syaoran sighed. He was not in any condition to argue with anyone. He was tired and beat. As the limo drove off, Syaoran looked at the building that was his family's pride and joy. "Li Enterprise," it read. The bright neon lights shining down on the sidewalk.
The corner of his lips turned up to a small smile. The company had been his greatest success and home for six years and it was his place of comfort for the last two years. Everyone wanted to get to know him. The man who made Li Enterprise fly. Syaoran Li was that man. For the past three years, Syaoran worked hard to achieve what his forefathers could not. Li Enterprise was listed as one of the top ten successful companies. It has a wide range of services, and it also dealt with trades. People thought he was crazy to achieve something like that. But Syaoran Li made it happen.
Every year, thousands of people would line up in front of the building, begging for internships and such. The world renown millionaires tried to bribe him with money, offering him contracts – all wanted to be in partnership with him. Investment was never a problem.
However, all that success could never fill the void in his heart. Syaoran Li was still lonely. The people who claimed to know him never managed to get more than seven words out of him. He was secretive and kept to himself. His family wanted to send him to psychiatrist or a therapist at least. Nobody knew what happened to him, he just grew distant.
Of course he knew what happened. When Sakura told him Eriol died, he had tried to get her to come back to Japan. To be close with the family. Eriol had an unfortunate accident at a construction site. It was all accidental, witnesses said the building they were renovating fell on top of him. By the time they got him out from under all the bolders, he was unconscious, his heart beat faint and barely there. He was rushed to the hospital, but died on the way there. Sakura told him whilst crying. And after that, she just grew distant. She stopped writing and sending him pictures – she just stopped. Eriol's death made them both suffer.
The twins were only four when it happened. Syaoran missed them. He missed Sakura most of all.
When Syaoran arrived home, his butler opened the door. Syaoran had his head hung low as he went to the living room and collapsed on the couch. His amber eyes set on the portraits lined up on the wall. They were pictures of them, the Hiiragazawas and him. They went through everything together. Syaoran missed them all. The last picture Sakura sent him were of the twins, matching uniforms ready for their first day in preschool.
The last thing he remembered was seeing the twins' grinning faces. Angelic yet, demonic in their own ways.
Things basically went like that everyday. He went back and forth to the company. His days consisting of facing the papparazzis daily and having meeting as per usual. The boring stuff. He wanted to keep his mind occupied, to keep him from remembering the past. One thing he regretted was never telling Sakura how much he loved her. He didn't love her like a sister as he initially thought he would. He loved her like a lover. Always there, but never seen. In someways, he felt like the Phantom of The Opera.
That Sunday, his sisters forced him to take the day off. Telling him and arguing with him that he worked too hard. They even teased him about the non-existent wrinkles on his forehead, but he did , of course, had panda eyes.
Syaoran was found lounging on a park bench, his pale skin catching light from the sun. He watched the children play. The park was full of them. Penguin park brought back many memories, especially of elementary school. He remembered declaring himself the greatest Kung Fu fighter, greater than Mei Ling, his dear cousin. Most of all, he remembered comforting Sakura at a nearby swing, when she was rejected by Yukito.
He was too caught up in his memories that he failed to notice a soccer ball coming at him. Hitting him in the stomach. Syaoran groaned and kneeled to the ground. A small hand came to rest on his shoulders. "Mr. I'm really sorry. I told my brother not to let me play." A soft voice told him. Syaoran looked up and was immediately greeted by a familiar face. Valérie's smiling face was staring at him.
" Valérie?" He croaked. "Is that you?" His stomach still hurting. He reached out a hand to caress the girl's cheek. Not as chubby as she used to be.
"Mommy said not to talk to strangers," Valérie said. She backed away and picked up the soccer ball. Her tiny feet shuffled as she struggled to keep the ball from falling out of her muddy hands. Syaoran chuckled. He stood up from the bench and made his way to the child.
"Stop right there, Mister!" A small voice called out to him. Syaoran looked over his shoulder and saw a small boy resembling Eriol, harrumphing his way to them. "Just who do you think you are? Are you one of those pedophiles I heard on TV?" The boy quirked a brow at him.
Syaoran fought hard to contain his laughter. This must be Léon, he thought. He was surprise to see him frowning at him. It was perhaps one of those trait you'd inherit from your other relatives. Syaoran could think of one particular relative of theirs. Touya, that's who.
"Well?" Léon asked, tapping his foot impatiently. "Who are you?"
Syaoran was ready to reply when a familiar voice called out the kids' names. "Léon, Valérie. I told you not to run off. I was worried."
Syaoran looked up to see Sakura. She looked different than when he last saw her. Her features soften and her eyes shined brighter than they used to. Her hair was much longer and set in small ringlets. But what caught his attention was the fact that she glowed. Not like glow-in-the-dark kind of glow. But a motherly glow.
"Syaoran?" His name left her lips like a prayer. Instead of shunning him and taking the kids away as he would expect, she greeted him with a smile. "It's been a while."
Syaoran was too speechless to say anything. All those years, yearning to see them – yearning to see her. If he knew he would be out of words, he would have rehearsed in front of a mirror. His mouth slightly agape. The only words he could utter was, "Hi?"
Leon being the impatient one decided to intervene. "That's it? Man up! I know my mom is beautiful!" Though the boy was only a child, he had a point. Leon glared at the stranger and turned towards his sister. "Lets make a sand castle, Valerie. This time, you can be the pretty princess!"
Leon pulled his sister by the wrist and dragged the naïve girl towards the sandbox. "Take your time, mommy!"He said.
Syaoran could feel his ears heating up. He was embarrassed. He was clueless and unprepared. How do guys react to finally seeing their crush? Honestly, being Syaoran Li, a successful businessman, the heir to the Li fortune and the infamous heartthrob – as the say – had nothing to say to Sakura Kinomoto, his long time crush for eight years.
"I umm..." He trailed off.
"Lets start by going out for dinner," Sakura's soft voice woke him up from his misery. He wasn't sure if her heard right, but goddamn it he didn't decline her offer either.
"Bring the kids along. My threat. Say seven p.m tonight?" He said grinning sheepishly at her. She laughed and agreed.
A/N: I received tons of reviews saying they want an epilogue and the alternative ending. So it seems like we have another chapter. The alternative ending. Which will come sometime during December. Hope you enjoyed the epilogue and do read and review. And also if you like or LOVE Greek Mythology, check out my story 'Surviving The Seasons'