Chapter 3

Summer had finally arrived. As Sakura took a sip from her iced glass of water, she recalled those summer days in her youth. They were filled with some of her best memories of life. In high school, her and a group of her friends spent many hot sunny days at the beach, relaxing and having picnics every so often. The summer festival and fireworks were also the immensely fun events she loved about summer. She remembered the desperate desire for a boyfriend just for those experiences. Looking back at it now, Sakura wondered when a romance-filled summer would ever come her way.

When a trickle of sweat travelled down the back of her neck, she bit back the urge to growl. For a moment there, as she stared out the glass window and enjoyed the scenery, she momentarily forgot how excruciatingly hot it was in the office. It was like sitting in an oven. The air conditioner was malfunctioning while the hundreds of computers lying around continued to spew out heat. It didn't help that at that particular moment in time, the sun was brightly glaring on their side of the office.

Just as she picked up an empty folder to fan herself, Syaoran abruptly stood from his desk. "I'm done. I can't work like this."

She turned, looked up, and embarrassingly did a double take. His usually buttoned up collared shirt was carelessly open at his throat down to his collar bone. Her pulse bumped involuntarily. It had never crossed her mind that he was attractive in any way, so seeing him now looking so shamelessly sexy burned her cheeks. At the realization of where her thoughts were going, Sakura turned away immediately and pressed the cold glass of water to her cheeks. What am I thinking? This is insane!

Trying to come off unaffected by that little sequence, she asked, "Why are you so worked up? Are you actually planning to go home now?"

He stared down at her with disbelief, then caught the ice water on her desk. He reached over and downed it in one go. She stared at him, speechless. When he passed her the glass, he said, "Don't tell me you can actually work productively in this heat. I'm not going home. I'm getting ice cream."

Immediately, Sakura lost all inspiration to argue. When it came to ice cream, she often let go of her pride without a second thought. "Wait!" She called when he walked past her.

Annoyed with the distraction, he turned back around. "What?"

"Ice cream? You're going to get ice cream right now?" Unaware that he was staring at her with such scrutiny, she walked towards him, deliberately clasping her hands together so as not to grab his arm in excitement. "Can you…buy me one?"

"Get real." Astonished at this newfound side of Sakura, a mischievous smile slowly appeared on his face. "So…ice cream must be your weakness, huh? That is good to know." He then turned his back on her and continued walking, but just as he neared the elevator, she took his arm and pulled forcefully. He threw her an exasperated look. "What the hell?"

"If you're not going to buy me one, I'm coming to get one myself."

He pried off her fingers and pushed her back a step. "Do whatever you want."

At a nearby ice cream vendor, Syaoran ordered mint chocolate chip ice cream, followed by Sakura, who ordered a little more than necessary. On top of her sugar cone were three scoops of mango, strawberry, and vanilla-flavored ice cream. Syaoran sent her a look of disapproval as she worriedly grabbed a handful of tissues from the ice cream man. As big a fan of ice cream he was, this was too much. How was she going to finish that by the time they got back to the office?

"I'm in heaven!" She cried out happily, biting gently at the top scoop. "That's the first smart idea you've had since I met you, getting ice cream."

He absently wiped at the sweat on the side of his face. "You're so slow. How did it take you this long to figure out that I'm a damn genius?"

She snorted. "Please. You're the farthest thing to a genius. Half the time we're at work, you look like you're still figuring out what it is that you actually do."

"So you're telling me right now that you spend half of every day watching me. I mean, how else would you know what I look like half the time at work? You're actually attracted to me, aren't you?" He caught the open-mouthed stare of disbelief she sent his way and pushed back his laughter. "I never thought I'd live to see the day that Sakura Kinomoto stops thinking about Soshi for even one minute and actually considers someone who's better in every possible way. Who knew you actually had some sense in you?"

Finally finding her words, Sakura threw an unbelievably strong punch at his shoulder. "Shut up! Stop talking!"

This was why he loved riling her up. Her reactions were unique and droll and never failed to make him laugh. "It's because I'm right that you're mad."

"No! You're completely wrong! Ugh, Syaoran, I hate you!" Embarrassed and frustrated, Sakura gave him a shove. "How did you end up sitting by my desk anyway? Every day is so unbearable because of you. I can't stand you, I hate your jokes, you're not funny in any way, and I really, really hate the fact that you make a fool of me any moment you can! You can go die for all I care."

The sudden coldness that came over his features made her stop. There was no trace of that relaxed smile that was there mere seconds ago. That easy-going, nonchalant attitude he always exuded even when she threw fits at him was gone. He grabbed her arm.

"So if I died right now, you wouldn't give a shit." It bothered him how people could easily throw words like that into normal conversation. Dying wasn't a joke. Rarely did Syaoran ever feel angry or let out his anger, but moments like that pushed him to the limit. When she stared back at him with question in her eyes, he released her arm. "Don't yell out words like that unless you really mean it, Sakura."

Deeply frowning, she instinctively rubbed on her arm. He had grabbed her so forcefully. Unable to understand, she replied, "I'm really fed up with you, Syaoran. That's what I meant by it." Sakura looked down at her tower of ice cream and suddenly felt miserable.

He let out a mirthless chuckle. "Yeah I know. I'm evil, right? The most arrogant bastard you've ever met," he concluded. "I'm actually surprised you're still talking to me right now. How about we just stop with the courtesy then? You probably hate me more than you've ever hated anybody. From now on, I'll get out of your way." With a cool stare, he turned and walked away.

Sakura took a deep breath as she watched him disappear into the crowd. Shouldn't that have made her happy? The idea of Syaoran no longer bothering her at work was supposed to be a moment of victory. But now as she stood on the sidewalk, with her ice cream slowly dripping against the hot sun, she could still picture that indifferent look in his eyes. A disconcerting feeling settled in her heart. She knew Syaoran for almost two years now, but…I don't really know him, do I? It was the first time she wondered if something bad had happened in his past. What else could explain the way that happy-go-lucky person changed so quickly to become almost heartless?

::::::::::

Usually, every argument they had, big or small, would always be forgotten the next day. It had been three days since the incident and neither had spoken to the other since. For her, it was purely pride. She knew she'd said words that were harsher than necessary, but admitting it out loud was another story. The unkind words they'd thrown at each other that day still rang in her ears. Of course, why it bothered her that Syaoran had kept his promise and stayed away, she couldn't explain. For a long time, she disliked the person she had to work beside. Even at this point, as Sakura stared lifelessly at her computer, the thought of him still irked her. But why did something tug strongly at her at the thought of him completely and blatantly ignoring her existence?

She let out a sigh. It was true that Syaoran annoyed her to pieces and yes, she knew jokes were just that – meaningless and for the fun of it. But some of those jokes really stung. Maybe it was her extra-sensitivity, she mulled. But work wasn't work if he just shut up entirely! Going to work and doing the everyday routine wasn't the same when he didn't say anything to her, not even to just give her a small shove or say something sarcastic. She frowned. All these times, she realized then, Syaoran's presence had become so fixed in her life at work. Suddenly afraid of losing something precious, though she couldn't pinpoint what exactly, she turned.

Timidly, she walked over and pushed the bottom of his chair with her foot.

Feeling the gentle push, Syaoran looked up and met Sakura's tentative gaze.

Syaoran, meanwhile, had spent the last three days wondering what was going to happen between them now. Work had become duller than usual when they didn't interact. It wasn't fun anymore. The last three days had essentially been awful, to say the least. It made him realize that there was no one else in his life worth annoying. Every other co-worker didn't mean anything special. But that didn't mean Sakura was special; he was quick to argue with himself. She was just different. The constant noise that came out of her cubicle had disappeared during that time. It was uncanny. His own reaction to it should have been one of relief; instead, he felt more bothered than he liked to admit.

As he continued to stare at her, she let out a breath then said, "It's been three days already…" Sakura's gaze fell. "I really was out of line. I'm…" She let out another sigh of defeat. "I'm sorry."

Surprised that the apology had actually come out of her first, he could only stare. He never thought she would own up to her mistake or even back down first. Feeling a little admiration for her, he then said, "Me too. Sorry."

Sakura looked back up at him and caught the lopsided grin he sent her way. Relief waved over her immediately, but now she was left with strange emotions. When and how had she begun to enjoy those petty arguments they shared? Still finding it odd, she could only turn back around. Just as she picked up her pen, a smile appeared on her face. He must have missed their spats too, she considered.

::::::::::

At the monthly meeting, Soshi discussed the yearly holiday trip entirely paid for by the company. The point of the vacation was primarily for motivational purposes, but also to give employees a break to enjoy the start of summer. The chosen location was Yuigahama Beach, which was about an hour by train from downtown Tokyo. The beach resort had already been booked and rented by the company for the upcoming three-day weekend. Several departments were invited, including that of Syaoran and Sakura.

In a daze, Sakura sat back against her seat and imagined what it would be like. The beach was, in her opinion, undoubtedly one of the most beautiful places in the world, regardless what beach it was. There was something serene and extraordinary about watching the sea. Just imagining it all right now, the hot sun, the soft sand, the nice breeze, the smell of the ocean, made her want to cry in excitement.

And suddenly, as though lightning struck her, she thought the scene was exactly perfect for a confession. She blinked at the realization. Yes, it truly was! As Tomoyo repeated over and over again, she couldn't just sit back and wait for Soshi to notice her and make the move. She was the one had been waiting for prince charming for twenty-six long years and he still had yet to show up at her door. So, as Tomoyo argued, it was time to bring him to the door herself. If she wanted Soshi, she had to work for it. With excitement and newly discovered determination, Sakura fisted her hand and hit the air with it.

"Yuigahama huh…"

With her thoughts interrupted, Sakura spun around. "What about it?"

"That beach isn't as great as they all say, you know." He leaned back, rested his hands behind his head. "There's a whole ton of pollution in the sand now. Not just clams or rocks or whatever. Teenagers, I heard, are using it as the hang-out for drinking. Broken glass everywhere…you know, that's painful for the feet."

She threw a look that reflected disgust and disbelief. "Where do you hear these things? And why do you have to put a damper on my only vacation this whole year? Beach equals paradise, so get over it." He snorted in response. "If you're so against it, don't go." The overly bright smile on her face came suddenly.

"Oh I'm going. I'm not about to miss out on the free vacation. I mean, the beach isn't the only thing Yuigahama has. Just wanted to warn you before you go out there and start bouncing around the sand like a mentally-challenged bunny."

His imagination truly was odd. Sakura decided to ignore his comments as she glimpsed at Soshi's office. He was in a meeting, it seemed. Speaking to herself, she said, "This is my chance, this trip. I have to tell him. It's now or never."

Here we go again, Syaoran thought with a vague sense of displeasure. Honestly the woman never took a break when it came to Soshi. It was like her one and only obsession. It was bothersome to be around to hear it. Just what exactly did Sakura see in the guy? Well, physically that was obvious. Soshi couldn't look more like a celebrity even if he dressed up like a homeless person. But other than that, he didn't have anything else to offer. Any conversation Syaoran shared with his beloved boss always ended up being about himself. Soshi was a damn narcissist.

With that last thought, he abandoned that topic. There were more important things to worry about. When he looked down at the papers in front of him, he couldn't escape the heaviness that slowly began to settle in his chest. Yuigahama meant more than to him than just a place to get away. Going back there meant returning to a time in his life he wasn't sure he was ready to face. Syaoran breathed in quietly. Even though four years had already passed.

::::::::::

Though the trip would only be three days long, Sakura had packed considerably more than necessary out of indecision and the need to be prepared for anything. She brought clothes for every event – formal dinner, party, hanging out at the beach, going shopping, whatever it may be. Arriving at the train station early, Sakura found some of her co-workers who were gathered together. While everyone else, as she scanned the group, seemed to just bring either a duffel bag, she had opted for a small luggage.

"Wow! Looks like you brought a lot of clothes." One co-worker commented. "That's good!"

Sakura laughed, mildly embarrassed. "Yeah, I couldn't figure out what to wear for what day, so I decided to bring extras. There are shoes in here too," she patted the handle of the luggage. "You…don't seem to have very much with you, Mina?" The woman was carrying a purse.

"Hmm? Oh, I'm going back tomorrow. My boyfriend wanted to spend the three-day weekend together, but I wanted to at least join the company dinner tonight," she shook her head with a laugh. "But I have to admit, I can't wait to see him."

Unable to hide her jealousy, Sakura slapped her arm, "Man, you're so lucky! It must be so nice to have your other half around, missing him when you're not by his side."

Mina squeezed Sakura's shoulder in sympathy. "Why don't you make your move tonight? Who knows, right? If all things go well, then you and Soshi might be the hottest new item at work."

"I'm planning on it." Sakura smiled, though as she looked over at Soshi who was talking with the other executives, she felt her confidence falter. How exactly was she going to confess? She had never done it before. Thoughts and questions that she had successfully pushed to the back of her mind for days began to resurface now. What if he didn't return her feelings? What would be the point then? Then Tomoyo's voice screamed out, how will you know if you don't try? Well, that seemed to be the battle cry that brought up her motivation.

"I hate to lie, so I'll tell you the truth. I'm actually surprised you didn't bring any more than that." Syaoran had finally arrived and made his presence known immediately. "I thought you'd have two luggages, at least."

Sakura turned; ready to snap at him, but her words left her. He wasn't holding much; just a duffel bag as everyone else. He wore beige cargo shorts that were frayed at the edges, and a loose sleeveless shirt to match. The outfit showed off his athletic body, with his nicely-shaped arms and legs open for display. She didn't realize how fit he was until now. It made her heart jerk, and at the feeling, she rapidly blinked. As if. So he may look good in summer clothing, but he was no match to Soshi's unbeatable classiness.

"Hmm. I'm not surprised that's all you brought. You must not own very many clothes," she remarked with a noncommittal smile.

"I'm just being realistic. It's three days, in a city that's one hour away. Not exactly Okinawa, is it?" He reached over to pick up her luggage. As he thought, it was pretty heavy. "Oh man. You must be planning to put on a fashion show down there."

She snatched the handle from him and set the luggage down with a thud. "Is there anything wrong with liking clothes? So I'm indecisive. Besides…this is all for a purpose."

"Ahh." Syaoran fully understood now. Slightly curious and disgusted at the idea, he asked, "Don't tell me you packed in lingerie too?"

"Pervert!" She punched his shoulder forcefully. "Do you honestly think I would do that?"

"Geez, you are so violent." He lightly rubbed his shoulder, actually feeling the impact of that punch. "I just thought, since you want Matsumoto so much, I figured you'd do anything to get him."

"Don't say anymore! I want this vacation to be great, and you're seriously putting a big dent on it right now. Why don't you go hang out with your buddies over there and leave me alone? For the whole weekend."

He saw the irritation in her face, finding himself more than satisfied, knowing he'd done his job for the day. "That is a great-" She walked away before he could even finish his sentence. "...Idea." He said with a big grin.

…

Upon arrival at the beach resort, Sakura leaned against the wooden balcony railings and looked over at what she could see of the sea. Even at the lobby, she could breathe in the ocean breeze. Immersing herself in it, she momentarily forgot the world and enjoyed this peaceful moment. Finally, I'm in paradise, she thought happily.

"Sakura?"

She turned at the second time her name was called and caught Soshi holding a bunch of keys in his hands. He walked over with a smile. Immediately she remembered where she was, who she was with, and what she was doing there. Slightly embarrassed that she was caught daydreaming, she met him halfway.

"Sorry!" She quickly said as she took the key he passed to her. "I got carried away."

"That's normal in this environment." He spoke optimistically. "So that's the key to your suite. You'll be sharing it with two other women. Is that all right?"

Nodding eagerly, she flashed him a smile. "That's wonderful."

"Great." He returned her smile with a gorgeous and charming grin then turned to the rest of the group to pass the rest of the keys around.

Sakura glanced down at the key and took note of the room number. She would be staying in the seventeenth floor, in the third suite. Fleetingly she wondered if the room would be facing the beach. She hoped it would. When Sakura looked back up, she watched Soshi as he finished handing out the keys. Where was he going to be staying? Suddenly, seeing a flash of movement, Syaoran robbed the key out of her hold. It left her hands before she could even react.

"Ah…!" She turned and reached excessively to grab it back from him. He pushed her away and turned over the key, studying it with a look of disbelief. "Personal space!" She cried, fighting back against his resisting arm. "Didn't you say you'd leave me alone the rest of this trip?"

"You've got to be kidding me."

Noticing the grimace on his face, she pried open his fingers and took his key forcefully. 1704. She blinked. What? How did this happen? So not only was he her seatmate at work but now they were going to be sleeping in rooms across from each other? Was fate really just against her? What else could describe the incredible amount of misfortune she continued to face because of him? Still in denial, she tightened her hold on the key instead of throwing it over the balcony like she wanted to.

Sakura took a deep breath to cool herself down. "Okay, okay, this is okay. It's not totally a lost cause if you never leave your room." She decided firmly. She then shoved the key at his chest. "It's not like you wanted to be here anyway, so you'll either stay in your room for all three days or you'll make sure to stay in your room at the moments that I'm outside the hallway. Yes, it'll be perfectly fine! We won't have to see each other at all!" She said positively, trying to smile. She would try her hardest to keep Syaoran from ruining this weekend. This was going to be her only chance with Soshi and she was determined not to let anything stand in the way.

He stared back at her with a mocking look. "You're kidding, right? Why don't we just pretend we don't know each other at all then?" He retorted, hanging his duffel bag over his other shoulder. How was he going to find some time alone if this woman was around? She was a walking distraction, for goodness' sake. "How did this happen anyway? There are at least 50 people here. Why'd my room have to end up across from yours?" Syaoran glanced around then thought of an idea. "Oh, wait. Why don't you ask Boss if you can get another room, maybe one closer to his, farther from mine?"

"Sorry, I can't do that," Soshi interrupted from behind. With an apologetic smile, he patted their shoulders. "It's already been decided and the other rooms are all unavailable. But this shouldn't be a problem, should it? The two of you can get along with each other."

The tone of his voice made Syaoran want to punch him. He talked to them like they were a bunch of kindergarteners. Instead, he pushed back the desire and turned to Sakura just as she looked over at him. After exchanging defiant looks, they faked it out completely. "Yes, we can." Both said immediately, their smiles beaming out positivity.

"Wonderful!"

As soon as Soshi walked off, Sakura stepped back from Syaoran. Stuck now, she grabbed her luggage and pulled it along miserably. Her confidence was already waning, but now she had to deal with Syaoran too?

Syaoran reluctantly walked beside her, more in denial at the thought that that he wouldn't be able to escape from this woman all weekend. This was the one time he needed to be alone, he thought with mild frustration. Now that silence replaced the commotion the two of them had been making, his mind departed from Sakura and centred back onto the source of his uneasiness. As he glanced to his left, he took a good look at the beach and the clear blue sky. He already felt like running away.

"What's with that face? You really hate me that much?" Sakura abruptly asked, noticing the displeasure in his expression.

"What?" Caught off guard, he looked down at her. Realizing that this was the wrong time to wallow in those thoughts, he shook his head and forced them down. "No." In an attempt to look free from anxiety, he gave off a laugh then gave her shoulder a hard slap, as though he was giving a pat on the back of a male friend. It pushed her forward, almost hitting their co-workers in front of her. "I don't hate you, Sakura!"

When she regained her footing, she shot him an angry look. "Need I remind you that I am a woman, not one of your male buddies? Besides, I'm off-limits. No touching." She warned again before walking forward ahead of him.

The heaviness in his chest hadn't gone away, but the fact that she was able to take his mind off it for a moment made him feel a little grateful. Syaoran released a deep breath. Maybe he was making too big of a deal out of this place.

…

At dinner, the company employees gathered at the resort restaurant at precisely 7PM for dinner. The company had booked a section of the restaurant purely for the employees and so the fifty-six people who had come had the liberty to eat any of the dishes set up at the side as part of the buffet. With the scents of various dishes filling up the room, the atmosphere of the group became more homely. Sakura had changed into a light pink, sleeveless sundress. As she walked into the private section of the restaurant, she immediately spotted Soshi who was standing by the railings overlooking the beach. More importantly, he was alone.

Sakura felt her heart skip a beat. If that wasn't a hint, what was? The time had come. Now or never, she repeated to herself. She fisted her hands, muttered a 'good luck' to herself under her breath then trudged over to him.

"Soshi." As she neared, she resisted the sudden urge to grasp her hands together. "Did you settle in all right?"

"Sakura." He took his time looking at her, pleased at how beautiful she looked in a dress. "You look lovely." He spoke warmly, purposefully setting a charming smile on his face. He was well aware that she had feelings for him. It was clear in her eyes and the way she always acted around him whenever he was present. He knew that many women found him attractive. It was just the way the world worked, he gathered, and he definitely wasn't one to complain.

At the compliment, Sakura felt her pale, white skin turn a rose color. She smiled self-consciously, then tucked a stray hair behind her ear timidly. "Thank you. Soshi, I wanted to ask if…" She glanced up and caught sight of her co-workers slowly coming into the restaurant one by one. Now! Say it now! Her nerves scattered, she immediately faced him again and asked hurriedly, "Do you think we could talk after dinner?"

Pleased, he touched her hand lightly. "Let's go for a walk on the beach after."

At that, her heart burst with all sorts of emotions. Hope and anxiety jumped around in there, along with romantic ideas that couldn't be stopped from storming in. Because she had been replaying his words in her head, it took her several moments to realize that Soshi had already walked off and had begun socializing with everyone. Standing by herself, Sakura let out a big deep breath. Step one was done at least. That was something to be proud of. Tonight was going to be the night she'd confess to him. She would make sure of it.

When they were seated and ready to start dinner, Sakura scanned the table and noticed someone was missing. Someone by the name of Syaoran. With a frown, her eyes searched the whole restaurant and saw no sign of him. Her gaze landed on the staircase that led into the restaurant and still nothing. Where was he? She swivelled to look at the open sandy beach below. Not there either.

When her eyes met Soshi's curious gaze, she realized that she was acting like a confused idiot, looking for someone who she had been hoping would stay away from her all weekend. Sakura shook her head quickly and smiled. Stop thinking about Syaoran, she said to herself. But despite the reminder, as she grabbed a piece of garlic bread from the basket, she worried where he might have gone.