Summary : Sakura, thirteen, pretty and smart meets Syaoran, fourteen, charming and athletic. Love entwines them together, but not for long. One year and a few months later, Sakura is left heart-broken and Syaoran, lying. Three years later, Sakura meets Syaoran again, still broken-hearted. Lying to her? Easy. Mending her heart? Impossible.

Author's Notes : 'ello. Well, I'm back! Er, sort of. Anyways, I uploaded a new chapter! Yay! Ahahaa. I hope my readers are still here with me, though. I'm afraid that I lost you all 'cos of the late chapter upload. Y'see, I've been busy lately with studying and exams and my UPSR coming up. Urgh. I'm not sure if I have much time to brainstorm for this story... Ahh, well. ENJOY ! :D

Keywords : Normal writing – Narration.

Italics – Thoughts.

"…" – Talking.

Everlasting Love

Written by : SakuraKxSyaoranL

Chapter four

Sakura wiped the tear away as she stared at the person that she assumed as her mother. She took in every detail of the woman before her. Is she… Is she really okaa-san? She thought feebly.

"Okaa-san?" Sakura asked weakly and noticed her own voice ringing in her ears. The woman turned to her questionably and stared at Sakura inquiringly. Sakura snapped out of her reverie and noticed that it wasn't her mother. Of course it isn't… Baka, okaa-san is gone.. She thought to herself as she looked to the ground sadly.

"G-Gomen ne. I-I thought that you…" Sakura murmured softly as she felt tears prickle her eyes. Stop it, Sakura! Stop crying right now! She forced back the tears as she looked up at the woman.

"Gomen nasai!" Sakura said as she bowed to the woman.

"A-Aa, no need to apologize, young lady," the woman replied back with small droplets of sweat forming behind her head. She walked over to Sakura and smiled at her.

"Watashi no namae wa Hayashi Etsuko. Hajimemashite,"

"H-Hoe.." a sound emmited from the auburn-haired girl. T-This is embarrassing… Sakura thought quietly to herself. Sakura raised her head from bowing and smiled politely at Etsuko.

"Ano… Watashi no namae wa Kinomoto Sakura desu," she said nervously as she glanced at the woman before her.

"Well, Kinomoto-san. It has been a pleasure meeting you ; and I apologize if you felt uncomfortable with my piano playing and singing, I was kind of practicing.." Etsuko said as she blushed embarrassedly.

"Iie, iie. It was beautiful ; it just felt nostalgic to me is all," Sakura said as she smiled back up at Etsuko. Strange… I feel comfortable talking to Hayashi-san. It's been a long time…

"Hontou ni? Arigato, Kinomoto-san," Etsuko said as she smiled."Ah, I better go. My husband is waiting for me at home," she said hurriedly as she bowed politely at Sakura and hurried out of the library. Sakura smiled as Etsuko left the building, she bowed her head down soon after.

Husband… Syaoran.. Sakura thought solemnly as she looked down at the hard wooden floors of the library. E-Eh… No, I have to erase that thought! She shook her head from side to side as she tried to clear her head. No luck.

Sakura sighed quietly before leaving the library and headed for home.

--

"Ah, Kinomoto-chan!"

Footsteps were heard coming from behind her. Sakura turned her head as she glanced at the person who the voice belonged to.

"Suzuki-san… Nani?" Sakura asked as she looked at her neighbour curiously.

"Ano… I found your glasses on the pathway to your house when you fainted. Gomen! I just felt like it was my responsibility as a neighbour to do such things," Chika looked at Sakura with such an expression of regret that it made Sakura worried. Chika handed her her glasses.

"Arigato, Suzuki-san," Sakura replied softly as she received the pair of glasses. "Would you like to come in?" Sakura asked as she opened her front door. Chika looked mildly surprised at the offer, but she replaced it with a smile as she followed Sakura inside.

"Is tea alright?"

"Hai, arigato,"

Sakura nodded as she went to the kitchen to prepare some tea. Some green tea would be nice… Sakura thought to herself silently.

Sakura placed the tray of cups down on the coffee table and poured tea into two cups.

"Kinomoto-chan…"

"Ah, hai?"

"Why… Why do you look so sad for these past three years?"

CRASH

The cups collided into the teapot and the teapot fell to the ground due to the force. The tray laid untouched by the side of the table. The pieces of glass pricked Sakura's finger and made blood ooze out of the cut. Sakura bit her bottom lip out of pain.

"Gomen nasai. I'll be right back," Sakura said as she headed for the bathroom.

"D-Did I say something wrong…?" Chika murmured as she looked down shamefully.

--

Sakura washed her hand free from the blood and covered her injured finger with a plaster. Better get this over with. She sighed softly and made her way back to the living room.

"Gomen ne, Suzuki-san. My finger got cut but I'm alright now," Sakura said.

"Aa…" Chika looked up at Sakura, regretting what she asked her before. But she just needed to know why the happy-go-lucky Sakura she once knew was so filled with sadness.

"Kinomoto-chan, please tell me, why are you so sad now?" Chika asked softly.

"I-I don't want to talk about it," Sakura said as she looked away. Chika felt so useless. She wanted to help her, dammit! Chika clenched her hands over her skirt and un-clenched it over and over again.

"Kinomoto-chan, please!"

"No," Sakura replied in an oddly cold manner. Chika felt so angry, angry because she couldn't help her. Help Sakura.

"Dammit, Sakura! Tell me already! Please! I can't stand it! I just feel so useless right now! I don't want you to mope around anymore! I don't want you to take those frickkin' pills anymore! I want the old Sakura back!" Chika screamed at Sakura with such force and honesty that Sakura couldn't help but feel guilty.

"Please…" Sakura tried again.

"NO! No more! I want to know!" Chika screamed.

"Please…" Chika murmured as she settled down on the sofa. "I can't stand to see you like this anymore…"

Sakura sighed heavily as she opened her mouth to speak.

"I was sad for the past three years because I was heart-broken. Yes, I know it sounds ridiculous but I just couldn't forget him. He made my life feel complete, he made me smile again even though I knew that my parents were gone and never coming back. He made me into an even better person and he… he made me fall in love for the very first time.

"I thought that it was only puppy love since I only started loving him when I was only twelve years old. He asked me that year. He asked me to become his girlfriend and I agreed. God, I wish I didn't make that mistake… I wish I never even met him!" Sakura screamed out the last sentence as tears were beginning to stream down her face. She felt so vulnerable, and she blamed it on him.

Sakura felt a soft, reassuring hand on her shoulder, as if telling her to continue what she still had yet to say.

"He broke up with me when I was thirteen. Can you believe it? Our relationship lasted for one year! One frickkin' year!" Sakura stated bitterly. "I loved him and I thought that he loved me too! I felt so disgusted with myself the day after he broke up with me. I felt so vulnerable," Sakura ended her confession as she laid her head down on the sofa.

"I didn't know…" Chika muttered as she felt ashamed of herself for asking, no, forcing Sakura to answer such a question.

"Daijoubu. After that confession, I feel much better than before. Arigato, Chika-chan," Sakura said as a true, sincere smile appeared on her face.

Chika looked at Sakura, surprised. Chika smiled as she embraced Sakura and felt tears staining her clothes as Sakura cried silently.

Sakura-chan, please get better soon. Chika wished silently as she stayed firmly in place.

Chika-chan… Step by step, I promise to go back to my normal self… Sakura hugged Chika tighter as she continued to cry silently.

Yes, step by step…

Author's Notes : So, yeah. Are the questions answered now? Yes, I didn't make Sakura's sickness that clear yet. Maybe next chapter. I'll probably work on the next chapter right after I post this up. Yes, I wasted a lot of time with not continuing my story and I feel bad for it. –sighs- I hope this chapter meets your expectations, though.

Thanks to these wonderful people : heartofblades, Makayla, KamichamaKarinLover25, witch cheri, insanity-ward, y-chan, July Prongs, Sakura-chan Master of the Clow.

Please read and review for this chapter as usual. Thanks so much for reading and supporting my story so far! Comments are welcome, constructive criticism are needed and flames are accepted. Reviews much appreciated.

Luvs,

SKxSL