Disclaimer: I don't own Card captor Sakura
Chapter 6
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Syaoran sat quietly on the edge of his bed inside the hotel room, he stared at the view provided beyond the class window. As soon as he felt a light weight press beside him on his bed, he stood up.
"We're going?" Syaoran asked, getting his suitcase from the side without looking up.
The person who had sat beside Syaoran looked at him worriedly. Feeling the stretching silence, Syaoran looked at the woman reluctantly and saw her worried face.
He gave a small smile, "I'm really ready to go home, Mother." He said reassuringly.
"Syaoran," She said, quite unsure as what to really say.
"I've learned about the truth, but that still doesn't change anything. I grew up in Hong Kong, with you and Father. You two are my parents now, nothing can change that. I am the person I am now because of the two of you." He said determinedly.
"Syaoran," She tried again, "Your butler told me...that there's a girl..."
Syaoran looked away before his mother could see the pain in his eyes upon the mention of a girl. Sakura... He slowly clenched his fists. "It's for the best if I leave."
"She's someone important in your past..."
Syaoran's head snapped back to his mother as his eyes narrowed.
The older woman looked down at her hands which was placed on her lap. "I saw her face. She's the same girl who was grieving for you in the hospital...two years ago." She said quietly.
"I can't stay."
"Syaoran," She tried to reason with him gently.
"Mother," Syaoran said in a hard voice, "I can't stay here anymore. Don't you know how much I had hurt her? Torn her into two? Making her choose between me and Kai— who was me in the first place? Do you know how confusing that could be?"
"Then what do you want?" She looked at him, "To live as Kai or to live as Syaoran?"
"Kai is already dead," Syaoran said with finality, "Whether I regain my memories or not, I've already started living as Syaoran."
"You still want her to choose..." His mother said, seeing straight through his tough exterior. No matter how much Syaoran says that he'd rather stay away from that girl, she knew that Syaoran wants the girl to choose him—Syaoran, and not his past which he could no longer remember.
"She can never make that decision."
"She'll realize it, one day." She said encouragingly, "Despite the fact that you are still acting similar to your old self, but because you grew up in a different environment, there's bound to be a difference..."
Syaoran smiled a genuine smile at his mother, who had been so encouraging to him since last night. If he had discovered the truth on his own, he might've gone crazy right away.
"Thank you," He murmured.
The older woman smiled warmly and stood up from the bed, "Come on, let's go get ready."
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"Sakura?" Tomoyo softly called the name of her friend, who was just sitting beside her in the car and just staring outside the window.
She silently sighed at Sakura's lack of response, but she couldn't completely blame her since the event that transpired yesterday would've given any person the shock of their life.
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"I was just new to the Li household, when the Lady suddenly brought in a child that looked so distress and lost. I don't really know much about Syaoran-sama's life story, but he seemed to have gone through a lot. Being told that he had lost his memory... It was painful watching Syaoran-sama struggle..."
"His real parents?" Tomoyo asked softly.
"I heard that his father had died from a heart attack and that his real mother was confined in a hospital... that's all I know."
"Syaoran-kun...was adopted..." Sakura spoke slowly, as if trying to let the words sink into her head.
"Could you have had any connections with Syaoran-sama's past?" The butler asked curiously.
"No," Tomoyo hesitated for a brief moment before she spoke again, "I don't think so..."
"Then might you know whether he has any connections to the deceased Kai Atsuki?"
Sakura's head snapped up while Tomoyo's eyes widen. The butler carefully studied the reaction of both girls before he walked to a nearby table and took something that looked like a folder. He gently placed it in the table in front of them.
"Syaoran-sama has been hell bent on knowing this young man's bio data. The photo that came along had shocked me. Could he be related to Syaoran-sama? But it had been clearly stated that this boy doesn't have any other siblings..."
Sakura wanted to open and looked at the contents inside herself, but she couldn't move. Even though her mind was screaming for her to get it, her body wouldn't move at all.
Tomoyo took the folder.
She opened it and Sakura watched her best friend's reaction.
It was blank.
Slowly, Tomoyo looked up to meet Sakura's anxious gaze, "It is Kai's profile... a copy of his death certificate is here..."
"Then that means..." Sakura trailed off. Her mind was still processing whatever Tomoyo had just told her.
"Guests?"
All three of them looked up upon the sudden cool voice of a woman. Syaoran's butler had immediately bowed upon the woman's entrance while Sakura and Tomoyo sat speechlessly.
"They are?" The older woman asked, then her eyes widen with recognition as her eyes met a bright pair of emerald ones. "Sakura-san?"
Sakura flinched when the woman had said her name. Have they met before? She couldn't remember at all—but apparently Tomoyo does, as she stood up with shock.
"You're Kai's doctor!" Tomoyo said with recognition.
Sakura froze.
The older woman walked forward and placed her handbag on the love seat across the two girls while the butler went into the kitchen to fetch the Lady something to drink.
"You must be Syaoran's friends," She said, avoiding Tomoyo's statement. "I've heard about you along with stories of friends he had made during his stay here."
"Are you...Syaoran-kun's mother?" Sakura asked quietly.
The older woman smiled, "Her adoptive mother," She gently corrected.
"Is Syaoran-kun..." Sakura choked out the words as pain twisted on her beautiful face, "Kai?"
"Sakura-san..."
"That's how it is, isn't it? Syaoran-kun is Kai, right?" Sakura said, her voice raising, "There's no other explanation...their similarities...their looks...you're Kai's doctor, something must've happened. Kai survived, didn't he!"
"Sakura..." Tomoyo murmured—restrained.
"Please, tell me the truth," Sakura pleaded, her eyes already stinging with tears. Tomoyo could only watch her best friend helplessly...
The older woman closed her eyes briefly, and then breathed her answer, "Yes."
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Tomoyo could still remember how Sakura's knees had given way as she fell to the floor, her face full of shock and denial. Could it be that somehow. . . Sakura had accepted that Kai was already dead and that Syaoran is a completely different person?
She had left the room when the older woman slowly knelt in front of Sakura, whatever they had talked about were just between the two of them.
"Sakura..." Tomoyo said softly, laying a hand on Sakura's. She waited until Sakura looked at her before giving her best friend a small smile. "Everything will be alright," She said encouragingly.
But Sakura shook her head, "It's never going to be alright... When I see him... what am I supposed to do? Will I be looking at Syaoran-kun or will I be looking at Kai? I..." She just shook her head again speechlessly.
Tomoyo watched her best friend sadly. "Are you sure you're not going to see him?" Tomoyo said gently, seeing that they were almost near Tomoeda Gakuen.
"I'm sure." Sakura replied.
That was the most determined answer Sakura had ever given yet, so Tomoyo didn't push it any further. She trusts her best friend to make the right choice, and if she thinks this is the right thing to do, she'd always stick by her side.
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"Syaoran?"
Syaoran's head snapped back to his mother, who was standing in front of him with curiosity in her eyes.
"You've been looking back repeatedly, is something wrong?" She asked worriedly.
Syaoran shook his head. He didn't realize that it was so obvious. He gave his mother a reassuring smile and stood beside her. "I'm fine." He said, "Let me get that." He pulled his mother's luggage towards him.
His mother frowned knowingly as Syaoran continued to walk towards their terminal number. She looked back where Syaoran had been turning to look, she saw people hurrying here and there, trying to find their own assigned terminals. Where are you Sakura-san. . . Are you not really going to see Syaoran?
She suddenly remembered the conversation she had with the teenage girl when she had finally said the truth.
She had gently caressed the girl's damp cheeks as she knelt on the floor beside her.
"Sakura-san..."
"Syaoran-kun... Syaoran-kun is actually Kai..." She shook her head, as if trying to shake those thoughts away.
"Have you started to see Syaoran as Kai?" She asked gently.
Sakura flinched. Surprised that the older woman knew about her internal conflict.
"Syaoran... has had a tugging feeling about you ever since he first met you in this...second life of his. I'm supposed to say that his heart will always remember how much he cared for you...but that can't be the case. All I can say is that the remnant of his heart, his very soul— it remembers the love you two have shared. And if Syaoran was this confused, I'm sure you would've been more affected upon seeing him."
"Why... Why didn't you just tell me— Tell everyone, that Kai was actually still alive? Why did you have to take him away and let him live as someone who he's not?" A hint of bitterness was evident in Sakura's voice as she looked at the older woman with tired eyes.
"If you were in my shoes... Seeing how Kai lost his family in one blow... Seeing how lost and memory-less he was when he first woke up... Would you have heartlessly throw him into a world where he's lost?"
"I would... I would be there for him."
The older woman shook her head gently, "He wouldn't even have an ounce of memory about you left. He'd remain scared, lost and confused. He needed to start all over again. A second life..."
"Kai— No, Syaoran-kun... He would want me to accept him as him. As who he is now... And I can't..."
Syaoran's mother slowly reached out again and gently stroke Sakura's golden hair, "As a woman, I'd tell you that there's no difference between Syaoran and Kai, they're still the same person. But as Syaoran's mother, I'd tell you to forget about Kai, because no matter how much you yearn for him, Syaoran is no longer Kai. He's already his own person. He's already Syaoran." She smiled gently, "I know that this is all very confusing, but listen to what you heart says and I'm sure you're going to make the right choice."
"My choice. . ."
"We're leaving tomorrow, and I'm sure you've been made aware of it... Please come see him. Whether you want to ask him to stay or see him go... Please go see Syaoran one more time."
"I can't see him..." Sakura said, her voice hoarse for the restrained tears. "I can't see him the way I am right now. Syaoran-kun, Kai... until I can accept everything that had transpired... I can't keep on hurting Syaoran-kun this way."
"He will accept—"
Sakura's shaking of her head interrupted whatever she had to say. "He will accept as long as I ask him to stay?" Sakura said doubtfully, "Maybe he can pretend that everything is fine, but like how much I am hurting at this moment... I'm sure that Syaoran-kun is also suffering in his own way. It's just like how you said it... Syaoran-kun is his own person..."
Syaoran's mother stared at Sakura for a long while, trying to think of a way to dissuade whatever decision she has made. But seeing Sakura's determined emerald eyes, she could just sigh. "What's on your mind Sakura-san?" She asked gently.
"Time. I just need time."
"Syaoran would want you by his side."
"Syaoran-kun would want me by his side because it's him that I'm in love with and not because he's Kai...in his past life."
The older woman shook her head in minimal disbelief. She has it all figure out. Sakura-san has already made her choice.
"You've really started to see Syaoran as who he is now, haven't you?" Her tone wasn't judgemental, it was just an observation. A statement.
"It was hard to accept. But little by little, I was starting to see two different people—even though they were just actually one," Sakura shook her head, "But Syaoran-kun was able to be someone which Kai wasn't able to become. Syaoran-kun became my best friend."
"Kai—"
"Things between Kai and I... we both knew it was already something more since the first moment we met. There were no words, things just fell into place..." Sakura trailed off. Thinking of Kai just brought on more stabbing pain into her heart.
"You're really just going to let Syaoran go then, aren't you?"
Sakura nodded determinedly. "I'm still a mess, but I'll be able to figure things out. This is the best choice I could make. I don't want to be selfish... Letting Syaoran-kun go is like losing Kai all over again... but... Kai's really gone, isn't he?" Sakura said, a tear escaping the corner of her eye.
The older woman could only nod speechlessly.
"Please..." Sakura suddenly said in a pleading tone, "Please take good care of. . . of him."
The older woman smiled softly at the teenage girl, "Of course," She said gently, "Syaoran is my son after all.
"Last call for those who are boarding the flight number 201."
"Let's go, Mother."
The older woman looked sadly at her adopted son, who was now carrying both their passports and was starting to line up in the boarding area. Syaoran felt his mother's eyes on him and looked up at her curiously when he saw her sad eyes.
"You could stay, you know." She said softly.
Syaoran could only smile a small smile. "She and I both made our choices. I'm sure that if she really wanted me here, she would've come here herself and asked me to stay."
She could only sigh. "Why are you two so dishonest to your feelings?"
Syaoran chuckled, "Mother, please mind your own business," He said in a joking way, "I'm sure that I'd meet her again."
"She could be already with someone else."
"As long as she's happy, that's fine with me."
"How sure are you that you'd meet her again?"
"I met her in this second life of mine, haven't I?" Syaoran said optimistically. "Then I'm sure that I'd meet her again in the future."
"She loves you, you know." Syaoran's mother couldn't help but add gently.
Syaoran's eyes softened at his mother's words. I love her too. I love her so much that I just want to stay and be by her side. I don't care whether she pushes me away. I don't care as long as I get to keep seeing her... Syaoran crushed those yearning thoughts as he tried to reply to his mother. "I love her too." Was his simple reply.
"Flight number 201, destination Hong Kong. The plane has successfully flown. The next flight will be..."
"Were you sure about this?" Tomoyo gently said as she placed her hands on the glass window in the airport, which oversaw where the planes landed and took off.
Sakura, who was standing just beside Tomoyo, nodded silently. Her eyes followed the plane which was supposedly where Syaoran was, until it disappeared into the thick clouds. "I'm sure." Sakura murmured.
"You were so close... all you had to do was call out his name." A hint of regret was on Tomoyo's voice. She felt regret for Sakura. She felt that it was a waste of opportunity... but yet again, she respected whatever decision Sakura has made.
Sakura bit her lower lip, "I know," She murmured again. She tried to see the planes outside, but that was possible anymore, because her tears were already blurring her vision.
I'll see you again. . .
But the next time we meet. . .
I know that I'll be able to see Syaoran-kun. . .
Kai will already be a part of my past. . .
I love you. . .
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"I'm late!" A woman in her early twenties shrieked as she closed the door of her apartment hurriedly. She was carrying her shoes as she ran across the hallway towards the elevator, her huge suitcase was hanging on her arm as she used her free hand to run the brush through her hair.
When the elevator 'ting'-ed she hurriedly got it, silently thanking that no one was inside with her. Surely that person would think of her as someone unruly and disorganized, which wasn't really the case. She was just running late for an important meeting.
She quickly slipped onto her shoes as she smoothed out her skirt. She looked at the floor where the elevator was and saw that she still had ten floors to go before she got to the lobby. She turned around and double checked her make-up, she groaned upon seeing how unruly her golden locks were. She sighed in relief when the elevator doors opened and she was already presentable. A bright smile matched her emerald orbs upon seeing the person in front of her.
An equally young woman smiled back, as she brushed the pale purple baby bangs away from her eyes. "Good morning Sakura," She said, "I see that you were dressing up in the elevator again."
Red instantly tinted Sakura's cheeks as her best friend exposed her.
"I was just wearing my shoes! Don't talk like I was naked when I got in!" She blushed.
Her best friend giggled at Sakura's flustered face. "Come on, come on. Thank God the meeting's just in your building, you wouldn't want to miss this chance! It's not everyday we get to score a foreign investor."
"Tomoyo..." Sakura tried to talk as her best friend immediately dragged her passed the lobby desk and into a hallway where there was full of conference rooms.
"No complaints! I promise that this investor is purely interested in the architectural designs you've made. He's not just into making money out of it, you can tell that he's really passionate about art too. Please promise me not to turn this opportunity down! If not, I swear you're going to be the next model walking in the runway wearing my latest fashion design!"
"You're just saying that because that person turns out to be your boyfriend." Sakura laughed brightly as Tomoyo stuck a tongue out childishly at her. "I'm sure that we'd get along well."
Tomoyo rolled her eyes, "It's not about whether you'd two get along—Well you two should. But what I'm trying to say here is that you should just accept that fact that your designs are worth seeing. They are worth to be made 3-D! To be built and exposed!"
Sakura laughed at Tomoyo's over enthusiasm. "Should I talk to him in English or what?"
"Don't tease him about his broken Japanese." Tomoyo warned, feeling overly offended that her best friend would joke about her half-Japanese boyfriend.
All jokes ended when the two girls stood in front of a specific door. Sakura caught her best friend's stern look before she went in.
Inside the room, she saw a young man with dark blue hair standing in front of the glass window, which overlooked at garden just behind the apartment she lived in. Hearing the door close, the young man looked up and smiled as Sakura gestured to the table.
"You must be Kinomoto Sakura." The young man said, as he walked towards the table where Sakura had gestured.
Sakura nodded, "Yes. If I may guess, Tomoyo bribed you into letting me think that my works will actually sell." Sakura muttered, carefully laying the large suitcase on top of the table.
He chuckled, "No, that's not true. She actually gave me samples of your work. I really liked them, I even passed them around in the office."
"You're working in an architectural firm, right?" Sakura confirmed. It was her first time actually meeting her best friend's boyfriend, so she raked her brain about things Tomoyo had said about him.
The young man nodded, "You really have talent Sakura-san."
"Thanks." Sakura blushed slightly, she still wasn't used to getting praises aside from her father and her best friend. Sakura hastily opened her suitcase, trying to hide the fact that she was flustered. She carefully pulled out a few clear books and laid them across the table.
"May I?"
Sakura nodded as he took one of them and slowly flipped the pages. Sakura could feel her heart pounding, along with her hands sweating. Hoping for a positive reaction, because she could clearly see that the guy had instantly shifted into professional mode as soon as he turned onto the first page.
He nodded silently as he shifted through more pages.
"Amazing." He finally said as he laid the clear book back on the table. He looked at Sakura, clearly impressed. "To be honest, I actually thought that Tomoyo-chan was exaggerated since you two are best friends and all," He admitted.
"Well, she tends to..."
He laughed. "These are great Kinomoto-san. If my partner were here, I'm sure that he'd—"
"I'm sorry I'm late!" The door behind Sakura had suddenly burst open. She could clearly hear the person panting as he strive to catch his breath.
Tomoyo's boyfriend grinned, "I was just mentioning you to this young lady here."
Sakura slowly brought out more of her things to show to the newcomer.
"I'm really sorry." The newcomer said.
"Got lost?" Tomoyo's boyfriend teased.
"No, just remembering something from the past."
"Whatever." He chucked as he gestured his partner towards them. "Come here, you got to see her work up close. It's better than the pictures I've showed you."
"I think you have to introduce us first. Dragging me to Japan all of a sudden like this—"
"I am sure you'd love her work. This is a surprise for you! You're finally going to find a partner worth—"
Tomoyo's boyfriend stopped when he saw his partner's eyes widen and there was a clattering sound echoing in the room. "Kinomoto-san?" He had turned to Sakura, but saw that she was frozen as she faced his partner.
"It's you." The two said simultaneously.
"You two know each other already?" Tomoyo's boyfriend said in surprise.
Syaoran was the first one to overcome his shock, "No. She's just someone familiar, that's all."
Sakura instantly felt a slight prick in her heart when Syaoran denied their association. He must feel angry... That I wasn't able to give him an answer... That I didn't get to—
"—about you."
Sakura jumped when she suddenly realized that someone was talking to her. She saw that Tomoyo's boyfriend had also stood in front of her and beside Syaoran. "I'm sorry, I didn't catch that." Sakura immediately apologized.
Tomoyo's boyfriend chuckled. "You seem to have charmed yet another girl." He clapped his hand over Syaoran's shoulder. "Well, allow me to introduce you two. This is Kinomoto Sakura, the one I told you about that has quite a talent for drawing architectural designs. Now this is Li Syaoran, he sort of my partner and the CEO of our company."
Sakura was speechless as Syaoran smiled and nodded through the introduction, most especially when Syaoran looked at her and reached out his right hand.
A shake.
It took Sakura a second before she responded to the outreached hand.
"It's nice to meet you Kinomoto-san. As I was saying a while ago, Eriol here has already said a lot of things about you." Syaoran said brightly.
Sakura could only nod speechlessly.
Tomoyo's boyfriend, Eriol, shook his head seeing Sakura so speechless. "It's a good thing I met my girlfriend first, and never had the chance to introduce her to you."
Syaoran chuckled at the joke, "I'm sure she wouldn't be interested in me anyway." He already had a wild guess of who that girlfriend of his might be.
"Now can you please let of her hand so I can show you samples of her work?" Eriol chuckled, seeing as the two were still shaking.
"I'm sorry about that." Syaoran chuckled easily as he let go of Sakura's hand. He went over to where Eriol stood and took the clear book he was handing over to him.
Sakura calmed her raging heart as Syaoran scanned her work. When there hand had touched, it was like an electricity passed through the both of them... Why is Syaoran-kun acting like this... Like we have never met... But there was clearly recognition in his eyes...
"Approved."
Sakura blinked.
Eriol grinned at Sakura as Syaoran laid the clear book back onto the table. "He said he's approving it. He likes your work!"
Sakura shook her head lightly, "I was applying." She said shortly.
Syaoran and Eriol looked at each other before they gave off a short laughter. Eriol shook his head as he walked towards the door, "I'm going to go find my girlfriend."
Sakura frowned as Eriol left the room, her brows knitted together when she thought of their reaction. What was funny? It's true that she wasn't even applying. She was the one who was going to approve whether she will allow her work to be sold to them.
"Who wouldn't want to apply? Our firm is already number one around the world. You're lucky that Eriol saw your talent. It's very rare for us to personally reach out to a nameless talent." Syaoran said.
Sakura couldn't help but feel irritated. "I'm beg your pardon?"
Syaoran chuckled, "Relax." He said, "Well, I'm really looking forward to working with you Kinomoto-san."
Sakura bit her lower lip. Why is he being so formal? Could it be that he had lost his memories again?
Syaoran's eyes softened seeing the confused face Sakura was unconsciously making. He chuckled again. "It's great to see you again Sakura-san," He said softly.
Sakura eyes widen as he called her name.
Syaoran smiled at her fondly.
"Syaoran-kun..." Sakura could already feel the moisture in her eyes.
Syaoran slowly stood right in front of her as he gently reached out to caress her cheek. You called me by my name. He wanted to say it to her, but he resisted the urge. Bringing up the past wasn't something he'd want to do right now. "I missed you,"
"I was waiting for you." Sakura said, her voice equally soft as she touched his hand which was on her cheek.
"Let's start all over again." He said gently.
"Let's." Sakura agreed. "Syaoran-kun."
END
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A/N: Review please!