Here's chapter two, hope you'll enjoy! Feel free to leave reviews, criticisms, flames (I hope you don't), opinions, suggestions.

Chapter Two

"Popular Ones Gather"

Very much happy due to the footage of Sakura's revenge – that's what Tomoyo decided to name the special recording of her best friend, one of many in fact. "Sakura-chan you were so cute!" Tomoyo squealed as her eyes shined with happiness and inspiration.

Sakura quickly removed her eyes from Syaoran as she smiled back at Tomoyo. "You recorded me again Tomoyo-chan?!" she said as she heard Syaoran give a pathetic laugh that made her look back at him.

"Li-kun?" asked Tomoyo in surprise.

Feeling rather upset, Syaoran smirked at her then said in a cold voice, "Drop the 'kun' only my friends call me that," following it with a distasteful glare.

Eriol was surprised with his cousin's attitude. Getting annoyed and angry at his cousin's behavior, he discretely stomped on Syaoran's foot, careful not to get noticed by the two girls. "I'm so sorry Tomoyo-chan, he can be really rude sometimes," he apologized.

Embarrassed at what had just transpired, Tomoyo didn't answer back and just forced a smile while trying hard not to have any eye contact with Syaoran.

Wanting to get away from his current company, Syaoran whispered to Eriol, "Eriol, I really have to go…" then added, "…or rather, I really want to go." with an emphasis on the word 'want'.

"That's not a good enough reason for me to leave them, and besides is this how you really want to continue your relationship with her?" Eriol asked in hushed voice as he smiled at Sakura-chan. "It's been so long since that time, can't you just move on and be friends with her?" he continued while looking back at Syaoran, meeting his eyes.

Syaoran rolled his eyes, "Don't remind me," he said as he glared at the sight of her. "Feelings eventually fade away," with bitterness in his voice he added, "just like mine."

The actions he just did failed to escape Sakura's attention and caused her to feel rather bad and disappointed. "Eriol-kun seems like your company doesn't want to be with us, so I guess we'll be going now," she said while she dragged her best friend by the wrist, carrying their shopping bags. "Good to see you then," she added followed by a little wave of her slender fingers.

Eriol tried to run after them but Syaoran got hold of his shirt and stopped him. "What's wrong with you?" he asked Eriol in annoyance.

But Syaoran didn't get an answer and unexpectedly let go of Eriol's shirt. Eriol was surprised that Syaoran let him go that easily. Eriol noticed the group of teenagers walking their way, he knew those people and was pleased that he let go of him because it was his chance to follow Sakura and Tomoyo. "Where are you going?" Syaoran called out however he was ignored.

"Hey, where is Eriol going?" asked a black haired girl. The girl has long black hair tied in a pony tail. She wore a white long-sleeved shirt and a miniskirt that matched the color of her hair.

The group of people that approached him wasn't unfamiliar, Syaoran recognized the bunch of teenagers almost instantly – they were his classmates, and the usual people he hangs out with at school. "Don't mind him Alicia-chan, he just wants to cool off somewhere," he tried explaining.

She pouted to show her disappointment, "Oh well, he's really cute in that shirt of his, it just makes me want to play with him more."

"You can always play with me," said another from the crowd, he was also a black haired boy, and his hair was styled with spikes. He was wearing a fitted shirt which showed his well-built body.

Alicia, who was quite disappointed a few minutes ago, was now very excited. "I know I can Kogure-kun," she replied in a flirty tone of voice, "But I want Eriol at the moment."

While the two of them flirted with one another, Syaoran looked at the crowd and saw a girl with her arms crossed staring back at Syaoran. He approached her, "I'm sorry I couldn't go to our date Naomi, Eriol wouldn't let me go," he tried explaining.

The girl called Naomi approached him, her arms still crossed and a frown present in her face. Naomi has blonde shoulder-length hair. "Well you'll have to pay me back," she then turned her frown into a warm smile and then kissed him. The next thing the pack knew, the two were lip-locked and it seems that they would be stuck in that position for quite a while.

After quite a while, the others decided to leave for a little walk around the shopping center seeing as Naomi and Syaoran would be going at it for a while.

Almost half of them left, saying that they'd meet up at the arcade maybe after dinner. Only Alicia, Kogure, Syaoran and Naomi were left, the couple had stopped kissing and moved on to just cuddling. They would hold hands then kiss lightly; arms wrapped around together. Unlike the others, the two weren't so bothered by their public display of affection since they were used to it. They fact that they themselves were busy with each other probably helped as well.

Not long after, Alicia suggested that they should go shopping somewhere because she wanted to give Eriol a gift. She also wanted Syaoran to apologize and maybe give Eriol something too.

"A gift? What for?" Syaoran asked in disbelief.

A soft sigh escaped Alicia's lips, "Syaoran-kun, we know that you and Eriol-kun had a fight, I can see it from his expression when he left you at the arcade," she explained as she got grab of his arm. "Come on, I know what he'll like," she said with excitement.

Syaoran looked at Naomi as Alicia dragged him little-by-little, she gave him a little nod as she followed the two of them. Seeing that his girlfriend approved, he stopped trying to get Alicia to let go of him and then walked with her while holding her with his free hand.

Sakura was rushing to get to the arcade while dragging Tomoyo with her, "I hate that guy!" she said, her voice very angry. "How dare he do that to you, you didn't do anything to him, that boastful, good-for-nothing, self-centered bastard!" she spat out, her voice rising and rising.

Her voice caught the attention of the people they passed by. Considering Tomoyo's silence, she too was very embarrassed but was trying to hide it.

After a few minutes passed, they stopped upon reaching an empty bench on the side of a book store and sat there placing their bags beside them. "I'm really disappointed in him, he changed a lot," Sakura started. "You okay Tomoyo-chan?" she said with concern for her best friend.

"I'm fine…" Tomoyo gave out a smile, "…don't worry Sakura that was nothing."

There was nothing but silence for quite a while. Strangely, two were under one of those awkward moments when words seem to slip by one's mouth.

In the end, it was Sakura who broke the silence. "Well then, let's go and do something else!" She stood up and carried the handful of shopping bags.

"Come on," she called out to her as she offered her free hand.

Tomoyo smiled at her, "Yeah, let's go."

And again, the two of them started walking aimlessly while looking for something to do. Sakura's attention was caught by the stuff toy shop. "Wouldn't mind looking at cute bears now would you?"

Turning her head to where her best friend was looking she replied, "not at all."

Going into the store, bears of different sizes and costumes were all around them. "Welcome!" greeted the lady behind the counter. The two bowed and looked around the shop.

"Look Tomoyo-chan, it's similar to the dress you sewed for me!" Sakura said excitedly while carrying a small bear that wore a black dress with some ruffles.

Tomoyo stared thoughtfully at the bear for a while then finally said, "Now this bear gave me a great idea for your new costume I'll be making with that pink fabric!" Tomoyo smiled at her while she held a bear wearing a pink dress, like that of a princess's. It came with a wand too. "It looks like a fairy, so kawaii!" Seeing that the attempt she made was quite effective she felt happy. However, she couldn't help but feel rather down the moment she saw the bear on the case – it was a plain dark brown bear.

While the two of them searched the shop Eriol noticed the girl with long violet hair at 'B.E.A.R.S.' He was able to recognize the girl and so he approached them. As soon as he was in earshot he apologized. "I'm so sorry for Syaoran's behavior, he can be like that sometimes," he explained.

The two were initially surprised at the voice that suddenly appeared behind them. After a few seconds Tomoyo finally replied, "It's nothing," as she gazed at him. Her cheeks reddened when Eriol smiled back at her. He has, after all, a special place in her heart.

"And I also apologize to you Sakura-chan, sorry for how he acted." Eriol added.

Sakura was surprised that Eriol who was always by Syaoran's side didn't hate her, she had always thought that Eriol would hate her too, but apparently he doesn't share the same feelings as his best friend towards her. She was glad, not only because she now knows that someone else other than Tomoyo likes her, but also because Eriol respected her and didn't think of her as trash just like everyone else in school does. "It's okay. I just wish he didn't do that to Tomoyo-chan."

"I know… he changed so much since then that I think I don't even know him," Eriol replied with disappointment evident in his voice.

"Never mind that," Tomoyo said, "it's done and over with, let's just forget about it."

The two nodded in agreement.

When Sakura and Tomoyo was about to leave the shop Eriol asked them to wait for a moment. After some minutes he came back carrying a paper bag in his hand. "Here," he handed it to Tomoyo, "just think of it as an apology gift," he added with a warm smile on his face.

"Oh you didn't have to," Tomoyo said as her face started becoming red. "Thank you, Eriol-kun."

Sakura couldn't stop herself from smiling, she knew for a fact that the two of them had their eyes at each other for a very long time now. "You're welcome," she heard Eriol answer.

Eriol made the two of them joyful, his company lightened the mood. "Do you want something to drink Sakura-chan?" he asked while he and Tomoyo approached the counter.

Walking towards a nearby seat Sakura answered, "A glass of cold lemonade would do," she beamed at him. The two ordered while Sakura sat and placed the shopping bags on the floor.

"Are you planning anything for tomorrow Tomoyo-chan?" Eriol asked and then took a sip of his cappuccino.

Tomoyo shook her head, "Why?"

"I was just planning to make an arrangement with Syaoran and ask him to apologize personally."

"You don't have to, I'm fine, really," she tried contradicting the idea.

"No, he should act like a man and admit his mistake," Eriol said in a serious tone. "His actions were immature and an embarrassment to the family." He sounded like a grown man, a tough type of guy yet a gentleman. This made Tomoyo flush.

"You never change, do you?" it was Sakura who said this while she smiled at him. Eriol smiled back.

It was a bit annoying; Alicia was asking Syaoran nonstop about what Eriol would prefer. She kept on getting things and disturbing the couple's time. "Would he like this Li-kun or will this do better?" while holding out a shirt on her left hand and an undershirt on her right.

Syaoran who just was whispering sweet words to Naomi's ears looked at Alicia with an annoyed face and replied, "I thought you knew what he'd like?"

Clearly, a bit of humiliation was seen in her face, "I just wanted the best friend's opinion. You don't have to be that angry," turning her back on him.

A few of their friends coincidentally came at the same store. Kogure was busy having a conversation with one of his buddies, Fuji a handsome young man, probably the youngest of their group who always wears a cap, hiding his grey hair. They were talking outside the shop to avoid any questions coming from Alicia.

Fuji who was looking around while talking to Kogure saw a blue-haired boy having a drink with two girls. The boy was familiar to him but the other two were not quite. The girls' backs were facing him as well which made it harder for him to recognize who the two girls were. "Isn't that Eriol?" he asked the instant he recognized the boy at the shop. "Who's he with?"

"What?" looking to where Fuji was pointing, Kogure replied. "Yeah, that's him."

"Alicia-chan, stop bothering Syaoran, we found Eriol," Fuji said in a loud voice.

Excitement filled Alicia, "Where?" as she placed the clothes she was deciding to buy on Syaoran's shoulder, and then went out of the store.

Both pointed out at the coffee shop not far from them.

Her eyes followed the direction they were pointing at and caught sight of a laughing Eriol. However she of all people recognized the girls he was with. In an irritated tone she almost squealed, "What's he doing with them?"