Void

A/N: And here's some fluff – I promise, there's the bare minimum of angst in here. Honest XD

To every single one of my reviewers – thank you so much for taking the time to leave such wonderful comments. There are no words to say how much I enjoy reading them all. Although I do apologise to those of you I made cry with the last chapter!

And of course, to SilentCynara, who really ought to be named honorary co-author for this chapter due to the abundance of suggestions and lines she painstakingly sent over for me!

Chapter Nine: Initiative

When Syaoran entered the coffee shop the next morning, he found Sakura sitting at his usual table, sipping at a caramel macchiato.

The role reversal threw him for several seconds, as he tried to figure out why she was drinking coffee instead of serving customers. Then he realised he was staring (and amusing her greatly in the process), and hurriedly began to back away. "Oh, ah … I'll go find another table."

"Don't be silly!" she cried, jumping up in protest and catching hold of his hand. "I sat at your table because I wanted to sit with you."

"Oh," Syaoran said stupidly, sitting down opposite her. She looked a little different than normal – okay, so she never really dressed up for work, but she never turned up in short denim cut-offs and the smallest pink tank top in the world either.

Maybe he was exaggerating a little. The point was he hadn't seen this much of her skin since the other week, and the memory wasn't necessarily a good thing at that moment in time. He cleared his throat awkwardly, "Um … why are you drinking coffee?"

She giggled happily. "It's my day off!"

Syaoran raised an incredulous eyebrow. "And you're spending it at your place of work?"

Sakura blushed. "Ah, no … I just wanted to run in to you today."

"Oh." He blushed too. "I … I would've come by the apartment later."

"I know," she sighed, keeping her head lowered so that her bangs covered her eyes. "But I wanted to say thank you – I seem to be saying that to you a lot lately – for last night. I know I was a mess …"

"No you weren't," Syaoran cut in gently.

He'd die before he'd tell her that he hadn't slept all night, hearing her call for him over and over again, seeing her sobbing helplessly as she clutched at his shirt. She didn't know she'd done that, he was sure. And she didn't know that she'd virtually told him that she'd loved him, all those years ago. That part, in a way, was even worse – knowing she'd loved him almost as desperately as he still loved her.

"I was," she retorted, oblivious to his thoughts. "Don't worry; I'll be better. I have to be if we're going to stop her, right?"

"You're pushing yourself too hard," he said firmly.

Sakura shrugged. "So are you."

They sat in silence for a while, her drinking coffee and him playing with a stray sachet of sugar. Finally Sakura broke the silence, laying her hand on top of his own. "Do you miss your home?" she asked quietly.

"No," he said, more than a little too quickly. Home was just another place she wasn't – another place he couldn't see her smile, hear her laugh, feel her hand on his …

He looked down, almost surprised to see her hand on top of his. Usually he freaked out every time she touched him. He was obviously getting used to these little signs of her affection, and he wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not.

"You must do," Sakura replied, looking forlorn. "And your job … I must be getting you in so much trouble."

"It's fine," he tried to assure her, resolutely not thinking about the thousands of voice messages and the Li Clan representatives on the verge of setting off for Tokyo. "I'm the boss; I can leave whenever I like. Besides … it's nice to have a bit of a break from it all."

She smiled slightly. "Not much of a break."

"It's my first since I was eighteen," he replied.

Sakura gasped, her eyes wide. "You've not had a day off since you were eighteen?"

Syaoran shrugged, confused by her horrified expression. What else did he have to do in Hong Kong besides work? "Well … Christmas Day?" he offered weakly.

"You … that's awful," Sakura said, aghast. "Just awful. No holidays, no lie-ins … not even your birthday?"

When she put it that way, it sounded a little pathetic. "No."

If he wasn't at work, he would be sitting in his room, brooding over her … where she was, what she was doing, if she was happy. And that would be even more pathetic.

"Not even a sick day?"

"I don't get sick."

Sakura stared at him in wide-eyed horror for several more seconds, before draining her coffee cup and getting to her feet. "Come on."

"Where are we going?" Syaoran asked in confusion.

"To have some fun!" she replied brightly, pulling on her coat and throwing his to him.

"Fun?" Syaoran echoed, as though the word was foreign. "W-We can't have fun, we have to keep going through the books, and –"

"The books can wait a few hours," Sakura beamed up at him, throwing her arms around his neck. Syaoran went rigid; he never knew how to cope when she pressed her body up to his like that. "Besides, I think it's bad that we've known each other so long and not really gotten to know each other. We need to have some fun together – it can't be all business and no pleasure, right?"

To his irritation that statement made him flush horribly, but thankfully she was oblivious to it.

"Please?" she pleaded, "I know I need a break, and you … well, you're way overdue."

He couldn't believe it, but she was actually using puppy dog eyes on him. "I – uh – I r-really don't think …"

"Please?" she begged again, rubbing her nose against his affectionately.

Syaoran blushed furiously, unable to fathom how Sakura was the one person, the only person able to get around his defences like this, every time. "W-Well, I-I-I … I guess it wouldn't hurt to –"

"YATTA!" Sakura cried, grabbing his hand and virtually sprinting to the door. "Oh, this is going to be so great – I promise you'll have a good time. We'll do loads of really fun things! You won't regret it, I swear!"

How could he regret anything that made her this happy?

Sakura shot him another dazzling smile, before calling out, "Bye, Hana-chan!" as she pulled him out of the door.

"Don't do anything I wouldn't do!" Hana shouted back slyly.

Sakura poked her head round the door, stuck her tongue out, then took off again, Syaoran desperately trying to keep up behind her.

xxx

Syaoran shot her an almost disgusted look as he found himself on the first floor of the Mitsukoshi department store. "You're idea of fun is making me go clothes shopping?" he asked in horror.

Sakura burst out laughing. "No! We need to get you a change of clothes – you can't go where I'm taking you in a designer suit! We'll buy something new here, you can get changed, we'll dump your suit at the apartment or your hotel – whichever's closest – then we'll jump on the bullet train."

"Where are you taking me?" Syaoran asked suspiciously.

She beamed, waving at someone over his shoulder. "Fuji-Q High Land."

Syaoran's face fell. "Are you serious?"

"Deadly serious," she beamed. "You're going on everything – that includes all the roller coasters, even the Fujiyama."

"I – what … b-but …" he stammered uselessly, but she was already off greeting the person she'd waved at earlier.

Syaoran watched somewhat jealously as she threw herself into the arms of an incredibly good looking young man, dressed in the Mitsukoshi uniform, before turning to introduce him. "Syaoran-kun, this is my friend Yoshiro-kun – we used to work together here, years ago. He'll find you something cute quicker than I ever could."

"I don't want something cute …" Syaoran ground out.

Yoshiro ignored him, looking him up and down as if he was the eight wonder of the world. "Sakura-chan, he's just scrummy. Where did you find him and where can I get one?"

Syaoran blushed, feeling distinctly uncomfortable, but Sakura just laughed. "Oh, we're just friends."

"Why?" Yoshiro asked in disbelief.

Sakura laughed. "Come on, clothes!"

She seized both of their arms and began to pull them towards a display of casual clothing, as Yoshiro asked, "If you don't want him, can I have him?"

"Syaoran-kun's straight ..." Sakura told him, before turning to Syaoran curiously. "Well, I never asked but I think he is –"

"I'm straight!" Syaoran yelled defensively, wincing as everyone in a ten metre radius turned to look at him. Sakura burst into giggles, and Syaoran groaned dejectedly. "I think I'd prefer Daidouji to this …"

"Shhh!" Sakura hissed, her eyes suddenly wide with horror. "Don't mention Tomoyo-chan! She'd kill me if she knew I had another shopping partner!"

"It's terrible, isn't it?" Yoshiro sighed heavily, kissing Sakura on the nose before flouncing off to rifle through a rail of jeans. "I'm her dirty little secret!"

"Yoshiro-kun!" Sakura wailed, blushing furiously.

"Oh hush, you know you love it. Now, take a seat and let me work my magic!"

Yoshiro snatched up several items of clothing and thrust them at Syaoran, rounding him into the changing rooms and flapping his hands at him. The second the man was out of sight, Yoshiro took a seat beside Sakura, his eyebrows raised to his hairline.

"Spill," he ordered.

"What do you mean?" Sakura asked, frowning in confusion. "He's a friend of mine – he's in town for a while and we're going to an amusement park, but all he has are suits," she explained, shifting uncomfortably in her seat. "That's all!" she added defensively.

"Oh please," Yoshiro rolled his eyes. "You're taking this guy on a date! What happened to your boyfriend? Did you chuck him?"

"NO!" Sakura cried indignantly.

"Shame. There's no heat between you and Motomiya," Yoshiro mused.

"W-What?" she spluttered. "I – of course there is …"

Yoshiro rolled his eyes. "Darling, if you've never fantasised about shoving him against a wall, smothering him in chocolate and licking it off, there's no heat."

Sakura's face was practically glowing. "I don't think like that!"

"Everyone does," Yoshiro shrugged. "I bet you can imagine covering that gorgeous specimen in chocolate," he mused, pointing in the direction of the changing rooms.

"I – that's not – I never … Yoshiro-kun!" Sakura wailed.

Yoshiro laughed. "So you have thought about it?"

"No!" she cried, "But now I am!"

"Mmmm … me too," he grinned.

Sakura hit him on the arm.

"You know I love you," Yoshiro laughed. "And I want you to be happy. You're not happy with Motomiya. You walk in with this guy and you have this whole … happy, sparkly thing going on. Tell me I'm wrong."

"You're not … wrong … exactly …" Sakura muttered reluctantly. "But maybe Tai and me just need time …"

"Why spend time on a floundering relationship when you've stumbled across a god who worships you?" asked Yoshiro.

Sakura blushed. "He doesn't worship me -!"

"Oh please!" Yoshiro snorted. "You should see the way he looks at you! You're blind to it, because you're Sakura-chan – and I wouldn't have you any other way. But I'm telling you, this guy adores you. And he wants you, though he hides it well."

"Don't," Sakura scowled. "Don't talk about him like that. Syaoran-kun is very honourable."

Yoshiro raised his eyebrows. "So he hasn't made a move on you?"

"No!"

"Well I never …" he murmured, looking vaguely stunned. "Hot as hell and a gentleman. How on earth are you resisting this guy?"

"Yoshiro-kun …" Sakura said warningly.

"And look at this!" Yoshiro continued, completely ignoring her as he lunged for Syaoran's abandoned suit jacket. "Armani. Armani, Sakura-chan! Money, taste … you've met the perfect man!"

"Stop it," Sakura said firmly, not wanting Yoshiro to confuse her more by voicing her own thoughts out loud. "I lo – I like Tai-kun a lot. And Syaoran-kun is a friend of mine! There's nothing wrong with two friends having a day out together!"

"There is with the amount of sexual tension between you two," Yoshiro retorted bluntly.

Sakura flushed hotly. "There's no sexual tension!"

Syaoran chose this moment to emerge in the first outfit that Yoshiro had picked for him, scowling furiously. "Is it me, or are these jeans too tight?" he asked pointedly, glaring at the sales assistant.

Yoshiro shrugged. "I think they look fine. Sakura-chan?"

Sakura's mouth flapped wordlessly for a few minutes as she took in Syaoran's appearance. Those jeans really left nothing to the imagination – and she winced in horror as she realised she was checking him out. But she couldn't help herself. Syaoran really was absolutely stunning. Yoshiro had put him in a brown t-shirt that made his hair look darker and his eyes an even deeper shade of amber, and his body was …

Syaoran was looking at her oddly, and Sakura blushed furiously as she realised her mouth was hanging open. She snapped it shut, lowering her eyes to the floor.

"Oh fine," Yoshiro huffed, throwing another pair of jeans to Syaoran and effectively breaking the silence. "But my vote's still with the first pair."

When Syaoran disappeared again, Yoshiro turned to Sakura with a grin. "You're thinking about the chocolate again, aren't you?"

"… No," Sakura denied weakly.

Yoshiro started laughing to himself. "No sexual tension, huh?"

xxx

And so it was that Syaoran found himself standing at the entrance of Fuji-Q amusement park, dressed in jeans, a brown t-shirt and trainers, watching in amusement as Sakura bounced all around him.

"Oh, look how cute everything is!" she enthused, "We have to go on the teacups and the merry-go-round and the Ferris wheel –"

"And the House of Executions?" Syaoran cut in pointedly.

Sakura swallowed nervously. "Maybe save that one 'til last?"

Syaoran laughed. "Come on. We'd better start queuing."

To begin with, Syaoran found the trip a bit awkward. Firstly because it was too much like a date – she held his hand, and flirted with him, and made them take pictures together – and secondly because he couldn't help remembering that the last day he'd spent with Sakura – really spent with her – had been at the amusement park in Tomoeda. He couldn't help but be angry with himself as he remembered how he'd wasted the day blushing and avoiding her eye. If he'd know it would be their last day he would have treasured every second.

Then it occurred to him that he was wasting this day too, dwelling on things that couldn't be changed. So he let himself get swept up in Sakura's spirit and enthusiasm, accepting her hugs and her teasing and the food she insisted on feeding him, and genuinely having fun.

Except when she tried to drag him on the Fujiyama roller coaster. Then he acted like a baby.

"Come on, come on!" she squealed, flinging herself forward as the ride attendant released the rope. "Let's sit at the front!"

"No …" Syaoran moaned, trying to pull her back. But somehow he was no match for an over-excited Sakura, who virtually pushed him into the front seat before leaping in after him. He vaguely recalled her doing the same thing when they'd bumped into each other at an amusement park when they were small – of course, they'd had Yukito and Meiling with them, so it wasn't quite the same. But he'd still been forced to sit beside her, screaming his head off the whole time. Even back then he couldn't say no to her.

Syaoran smiled slightly, lost in the memory. "Why do you always do this to me?"

"Hoe?" Sakura said in confusion, tilting her head slightly. She looked so cute, Syaoran couldn't help but laugh.

He wasn't laughing five minutes later.

"I'm going to throw up," he moaned as he staggered off the ride, Sakura laughing so hard she nearly fell over.

"Y-Your face!" she choked. "I've never seen anyone look so … so …"

"Petrified?" he suggested shortly, causing her to go off into another round of giggles.

He went off to buy them both an ice cream, coming back with a strawberry cone covered in sprinkles for her. Sakura gave him an odd look, wondering how he had guessed her favourite ice cream … then she looked down at her own newest purchase and began grinning evilly.

"What?" Syaoran asked, a little frightened.

She held up one of the novelty photographs that the amusement parks always took of everyone on the worst loop of the worst roller coaster. His face fell as he saw the picture of him, white-faced and screaming in horror.

"Give it to me," he said threateningly, advancing on her.

"No," Sakura smiled.

"I said, hand it over," Syaoran repeated.

When he was close enough, Sakura shoved her ice cream cone in his face and ran for it.

The chase didn't last very long, and Syaoran caught up to her and seized her round the waist. She didn't appear very frightened, and she was laughing hysterically as she flicked the remains of his ice cream at his face. He hauled her up in his arms (his ice cream dropped down the front of her top in the process) and held her over a nearby water fountain, threatening to drop her in.

"No, don't!" she squealed, wrapping her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist, clinging to him like a limpet. People were starting to watch them out of the corners of their eyes, smiling at the antics of what appeared to be a normal, cute couple.

"Are you gonna destroy the picture?" he asked dangerously.

Sakura nodded quickly. "Yes! I promise, I'll burn it as soon as I get home!"

She shifted awkwardly in his arms, and Syaoran swallowed nervously as he realised just how close he was holding her. "Um – g-g-good," he stammered, setting her on her feet and beginning to walk in the direction of a much less nauseating ride.

"Oh," Sakura moaned, pulling at the neckline of her top as she surveyed the chocolate ice cream stains all over the fabric. "Look at this …"

She pulled it a little too much, causing Syaoran to trip over his own feet as he caught sight of her bra for the second time in less than a week.

She watched him with an amused smile. "I think this trip might end up being a little too much for you."

He had no idea if she was implying anything or not. With Sakura it was hard to tell.

Syaoran didn't react a lot better to the Red Tower, one of the rides that sat you down and hauled you upwards before dropping you a hundred feet. They went on the go karts, where Syaoran got into an unofficial racing competition with an eight-year-old boy. They went on the Birdmen water ride, getting completely soaked through. Sakura figured since they were already wet, they may as well make the most of it, and so they went on it three times in a row.

Then Syaoran had to drag Sakura into the Ge-Ge-Ge-No Kitaro Haunted House ride, where she sat beside him, shaking terribly before the ride even started.

"You know it's not real," he reassured her gently.

"I-I know," Sakura stammered, looking around her apprehensively. "I – I just don't like ghosts …"

She was looking at him with wide eyes filled with tears, eyes that pulled on his heart strings no matter how much he tried to ignore her. "Is it a ghost?" she asked desperately, completely terrified. "Is a ghost making Tomoyo-chan and everyone else disappear?"

"That's not it," he said gruffly – he didn't know how else to act. "Calm down and feel the presence properly."

She gasped. "It's a Clow Card!" she cried, as behind them the burning bridge crashed into the water.

"I know you don't," Syaoran said gently, ignoring the odd look she gave him as their little cart jerked into motion.

The first time something popped out, Sakura screamed louder than the small children near the front. The second time she launched herself out of her seat and into Syaoran's lap, throwing her arms around him and wailing hysterically, "I want to get off!"

"S-Sakura …" Syaoran stuttered, his hands flailing at his sides as he looked for somewhere safe to put them. "I-It's not real …"

"I don't like it!" she shouted.

"Um …" As always, it was incredibly difficult to think with her on top of him. "Just don't look at it. It'll be over soon."

She nodded, and he assumed she was going to extricate herself and then cover her eyes. Instead she remained kneeling where she was, one leg either side of his lap, and buried her face into his neck.

Needless to say, Syaoran found this position rather awkward. The fact that she was sitting in his lap was bad enough. The fact that her chest was at eye level and she was wearing nothing but a low cut tank top – and she was still wet from the Birdmen – made the situation ten times worse. And oh god, she was still covered in the ice cream from before … how much torture could one person take?

"I think this trip might end up being a little too much for you."

She shifted in his lap, and Syaoran breathed deeply, determined not to react. He inhaled and exhaled, trying to place himself into a calm, meditative state.

"Is it nearly over?" Sakura whimpered, her eyes tightly screwed shut.

"God I hope so," he muttered in reply.

Syaoran wound up closing his eyes for the most part of the ride too.

By the time they'd ridden everything as often as they wanted, eaten in two restaurants and played a few arcade games, it was eight o'clock and night had well and truly fallen.

"The park closes in an hour," Syaoran observed, thoroughly depressed that their day was coming to an end. "Maybe we should get going."

"Oh, let's do one more ride!" Sakura begged, and he was comforted to think that she was as reluctant to end the trip as he was. "Look – the Shining Flower is all lit up now! Oh, let's go on that! Please, Syaoran-kun?"

He smiled at her, following her obediently to the Ferris wheel. They sat down as the ride started up, and Sakura pressed her hands to the glass in wide-eyed awe, gazing at the lights below.

"I think I can see Tokyo," she mused.

"We're miles away from Tokyo," Syaoran grinned.

Sakura shrugged. "I always liked looking for my house on top of Ferris wheels. I could see it from the amusement park in Tomoeda."

She kicked off her sandals and placed her feet in his lap, and he looked down at them, taking in the chipped pink nail polish and the wiggling toes. Caught up in the moment, Syaoran placed his hands on her ankles, relishing in her warmth and the soft skin … surely there was nothing wrong with this? Such an innocent little touch?

He sighed heavily, unable to help remembering the last time they'd been on a Ferris wheel together. It was odd that she was so much more comfortable with him now, when he was a virtual stranger, than she had been back then … back when she'd stuttered and stammered, trying so hard to tell him …

"Syaoran-kun?"

He smiled at her, sure that he knew what she was going to say. "What is it?"

Sakura swallowed, her face flaming red as she twisted her skirt in her hands. "I … I … I think of you as –"

"Stop," Sakura scolded, poking him in the stomach with her bare toes. "Stop thinking about whatever it is that makes you make that face."

"I'm making a face?" he asked in surprise.

Sakura got up from her seat and sat beside him. "The frown lines are back in all their glory," she teased, tucking an arm loosely round his waist before sighing heavily, suddenly serious. "What happened to you?"

"How am I supposed to stop making the face if I answer that?" Syaoran replied evasively.

To his surprise, Sakura smiled at him. "You're right. Let's not ruin the day." She leaned her head comfortably against his shoulder, tucking her bare feet beneath her as they both gazed out at the lights below. "But one day … one day you'll tell me, and I promise I'll make it all better for you. Just like how you're trying to fix me."

His instincts taking over, Syaoran wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her tightly against his chest. "We'll fix each other," he agreed softly, slowly stroking her hair with his free hand.

Syaoran didn't know what he was doing. This wasn't him. He didn't act like this – he certainly didn't act like this with another man's girlfriend. But today … today she was his, and it wasn't like they were doing anything wrong. It wasn't like he was kissing her, or telling her how he felt about her, or doing anything that threatened her future happiness or her relationship. He was just being truthful, revelling in her and what could have been between them.

Just for today, he wanted to pretend that he and Sakura had got their happy ending.

xxx

Sakura felt a little abashed as the two of them entered the lobby of Syaoran's hotel, both wet and dirty and covered in ice cream stains. "You should have let me get the subway home," she said embarrassedly, "I look all wrong here."

"Well then so do I," Syaoran retorted, leading her over to the plush couches opposite the reception desk.

"But it's different, I – I mean, you're a guest here," Sakura protested.

"Stop worrying," Syaoran soothed her, "I'm not letting you get the subway this late. I'll call you a cab then you can wait for it in here."

"I really don't need a cab –"

"Please?" he insisted. "I'll feel better if I know you're in a cab."

"O-Okay," Sakura agreed, still looking round nervously. "I just – these people might not like me hanging round here looking like this."

Syaoran nearly cringed when he saw how uncomfortable she was around the sorts of people he associated with. "Well, if you prefer you could wait up in my room …" He trailed off, blushing furiously as he realised that sounded like a corny line used at the end of a date to get a woman into bed. "Ah! N-Not that I'm implying – or that – I mean, not that I wouldn't want – no! No, I just meant … j-just to wait – nothing else. At all."

She blushed furiously, but couldn't help but giggle. "I knew what you meant."

"O-Oh." Syaoran suddenly found the floor very interesting. "Maybe we should stay here then?"

"Probably best," she grinned shyly.

He drew out his cell phone and called a local cab company, watching her out of the corner of his eye as he did so. Over the years, the more perceptive of the Elders had berated him for remaining so firmly attached to what they saw as such a plain, ordinary girl, when all the beautiful women of high society were available to him. But even now, when she sat in a hotel lobby looking the way she did, surrounded by elegant girls in expensive dresses and diamonds with perfectly coiffed hair, he knew there was no comparison. There never could be.

As if to reaffirm what he was thinking, Sakura laid her head comfortably against his shoulder, looking like she was half asleep. His family would never get it. No other girl alive would ever be able to make his heart race and his stomach flip like Kinomoto Sakura could.

"Cab'll be here in about ten minutes," he murmured in her ear, feeling almost as tired as she looked. "Can you hold on that long?"

"M'not asleep," she mumbled in protest, drawing herself off his shoulder and rubbing her eyes.

Syaoran couldn't help but smile at how adorable she was. "Thank you," he said quietly, leaning across and taking her hand. "For such an amazing day."

"It really was amazing," she beamed back, squeezing his hand slightly. "You promise me you'll start taking days off when you go home?"

"I promise," he replied, feeling oddly hollow at the thought of going back into the lonely world that was devoid of her light and spirit.

Sakura sighed heavily. "I thought you weren't going to make the sad face," she said. "You've gone nearly the whole day without it."

"You make me stop feeling sad," he told her boldly.

She smiled gently at him. "You make me stop feeling empty."

Syaoran looked more than a little surprised at that, and Sakura reached a hand up to gently stroke his cheek. "There's always been this hole in me; this strange gap that hurt when I thought about it too much. But with you … with you it goes away, and I'm warm, and … I'm happy."

"I'm glad," he replied, his voice oddly croaky. "You deserve to be happy."

"So do you," Sakura said.

Then, before either of them could truly contemplate what was happening, Sakura leaned up and pressed her lips to his.

She sat for several seconds, unable to get over the swooping feeling in her stomach and the heat that spread across every inch of her skin. This was it. This was what it was supposed to be like. They hadn't even moved their lips yet, and she was already feeling light-headed and oh so warm. Sakura gently moved forward, pressing butterfly kisses to his closed lips, wanting more than anything for him to respond to her, to take her higher. But he sat completely still, stiff and resolute, and the thought that he might not want this started to emerge in her hazy mind.

Syaoran tried to hold back – he really, truly did. This was wrong; she had a boyfriend, and she was only doing this because he was the missing part of her soul, he was sure of it. But when the woman you've loved for ten years presses her lips to yours …

Sakura started to pull away, disheartened by his lack of response. Then to her surprise, Syaoran laid his hand on the back of her neck, drawing her closer to him and placing his lips back over her own. Elation swept through Sakura as she opened her mouth for him, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck as she pressed her body against his. Their tongues reached out and met, duelling frantically as Syaoran's hands came to rest on the small of her back, causing tingles to erupt across the skin there. She'd never felt anything like this, and she knew she never would again … not with Tai, not with anyone.

Tai!

Sakura's eyes widened, and then suddenly she ripped her mouth away, gasping for breath as she moved away from him to the farthest end of the couch. Syaoran watched her, confusion evident in his eyes as he tried to figure out what he'd done wrong … then the fantasy shattered, and he buried his head in his hands, unable to believe what he'd just done.

Sakura watched him recoil, feeling completely heartbroken. She'd just kissed the stranger who'd come to help her – she'd kissed someone who wasn't her boyfriend. And worse, she'd felt more ecstasy from that one kiss than she ever had with Tai … even with all their kisses combined. Even now she wanted to pull Syaoran back, to beg him to kiss her again and give her back the warmth and the butterflies …

She gasped in horror, her hands flying to her mouth as a sick feeling began to burn in her stomach. She couldn't understand what had just happened, why she was thinking such terrible things – she didn't cheat, she would never cheat on Tai! And yet … with Syaoran … She just couldn't help herself. It was like her body had moved on its own …

Syaoran cell phone gave one short ring, bringing them both out of their stupor.

"Oh God," she whimpered from behind her hands, tears beginning to well up in her eyes. "O-Oh … I'm sorry, I'm so, so sorry … I didn't mean that …"

"Of course not," Syaoran said sadly, unable to look at her.

"I didn't mean to …" Sakura insisted, before breaking off and sobbing pitifully. "No, I'm lying. I did mean it. Oh, it was awful of me, but I did … I meant it with all my heart …"

"Your cab's here," Syaoran said gently.

"I know I should regret it," Sakura whispered. "I know I should hate myself for kissing you, but I … you must hate me."

Syaoran shook his head. "I could never hate you."

"What is this?" she murmured in awe. "You and me … what's happening between us?" She looked at him desperately. "What's happening to me? How can you make me feel like this?"

He hung his head. "I can't answer that."

She sat there for some time, staring at him blankly. Then finally she stumbled to her feet and ran out of the hotel lobby, unable to look at him any more.

Back up in his room, a stunned Syaoran pressed a shaking hand to his lips as he tried to get his head round just what had happened. He'd been so good, so careful – and he'd thrown all of that away in the space of about a minute. And now he'd hurt her. Which was the last thing he wanted.

"You and me … what's happening between us?"

"I don't know, Sakura," Syaoran murmured, more to himself than anything. "I just don't know."

A/N: So yeah. There's the bare minimum of angst. –rubs hands together– Now all I need to do is get Tai out of the picture so they can kiss in peace!

Just thought I'd throw in that the places I've used, i.e. Mitsukoshi and Fuji-Q, are very much real places – even the amusement rides are accurate – and I do not own them. I don't know who does, but it's certainly not me.

And yes, parma-chan's a geek.