Chapter 5

After peeking at them from about half a room away, Eriol went back to Syaoran, who was sitting at the bar with a bottle of beer in his hand. "Looks a lot better than half an hour ago," he gathered, sitting beside Syaoran. "How's your cheek?"

"Still hurts. She always did punch like a pro."

"You're a good friend," Eriol said, patting Syaoran's arm.

He let out a dry chuckle. "I'm the best friend anybody could ever have. So, how are you and Tomoyo?"

"Nothing there," was the quick response.

"Cos you haven't done anything about it," Syaoran remarked. "You should."

When Eriol didn't respond, he stood up. Eriol took his drink with him and followed after Syaoran.

:::

The four exited the bar at half past midnight. With Eriol and Tomoyo living in the opposite side of the city to Syaoran and Sakura, the pairs separated their ways after exchanging some hugs.

Sakura, feeling much lighter and less stressed than she did hours ago, walked as though on air ahead of Syaoran. He, on the other hand, battled sleepiness and a growing headache. He had drunk more than usual.

He closed his eyes momentarily as they walked down the street.

"That was such a good night," Sakura then announced. "I owe you an apology and a huge thank you."

He sighed. "Yeah you do. I'm gonna take a taxi."

She turned around. "What? Why?"

"I might pass out any minute."

She went back to him, put his left arm around her shoulders, and wrapped her right arm around his back. "Poor baby. I'll make sure you get home safe."

"You punch me and then you help me. Do you hate me or love me?" He asked, his eyes barely open.

"I only punch the people I love."

"That's twisted."

She chuckled.

They walked along the empty sidewalk beside the park, with only the occasional streetpole lighting up the pathway. There were a few cars passing them, but no other person walked down the street.

"I have a question."

"Hm?"

"Do you want to get married someday?"

"Sure. When the girl of my dreams shows up."

Her interest piqued, she glanced up at his face. He was practically out of it. "Who's the girl of your dreams?"

"What?"

"What does she look like?"

"Uh…" He didn't talk for a good five seconds, and then, "I can't remember right now."

She laughed again. "Okay." Sakura looked up at the starlit sky. It was a nice night. Feeling the gratitude fill up inside her, she let it out. "Thank you for knowing me better than I know myself, Sho. If you didn't do what you did today… I probably would never have fixed things with Tomoyo."

When he didn't reply, she looked at him again. He was slightly snoring. That was why his weight had gotten heavier. They still had a long way to go. It was probably best to take a taxi, she figured. She flagged one down and managed, with the driver, to position Syaoran properly in the car.

She followed him inside, then gave the driver Syaoran's address.

Half an hour later, Sakura stood in Syaoran's living room, breathless. It had been strenuous and not at all easy to get him on the futon, with his shoes off, and his head lying close to an empty bowl. She grabbed an extra blanket from his closet, a pillow from his bedroom, and settled herself on his couch.

Though this wasn't how she had expected her long weekend to start, it was definitely better. Tomorrow I'll make him a big breakfast, was her last thought before she fell fast asleep.

::::::

Syaoran woke up feeling like crap. He opened his eyes, squinting, trying to figure out how he'd gotten home and what happened the night before. Lifting his head, though, brought on a wave of pain. He cursed as flashbacks of the night before came roaring back.

He got up from the futon and managed his way to the bathroom. He looked at his reflection and studied the dark purple bruise beautifully blooming at his left jaw. Ten minutes later, he got out, feeling slightly better for puking.

He walked into the kitchen and from the corner of his eye, saw something on his couch. He did a double-take. It was Sakura still snoring away. Syaoran looked up at the clock. It was quarter past 11. He walked over to the couch.

"Oi Kinomoto," he said, nudging her bum with his foot. "Wake up."

She just grumbled a random sound in response.

He looked at her uninterestedly for another moment, then went to the kitchen to make brunch. Twenty minutes later, when he'd finished cooking the eggs, vegetables, and rice, he heard a loud groan.

"Where am I?" She muttered, then half a second later, "Oh yeah."

"You want brunch?" He called out from the kitchen.

She gasped.

Faster than he could blink, she came darting into the kitchen. "I was going to make you breakfast!" She cried. "Stop cooking!"

He looked at her blankly. "Great timing," his tone dripping with sarcasm. He was placing food onto plates and scooping rice into bowls.

Sakura gasped again. "Oh my gosh your face! I ruined your beautiful face." She went right up to him.

"Ow," he said when she touched it gingerly. She touched it again, pressing it a bit more. "Ow. Ow! Stop. Get away from me." He pushed her aside.

"You should put ice on that," she suggested worriedly. "It's turning black…"

He put down the plates he was carrying, grabbed her shoulders and pushed her forcefully onto a chair. "Just sit there."

"I really wanted to make you breakfast," she complained, pouring juice into her glass. "I really did. Do you believe me Sho?"

"No."

"But it's not my fault your sofa's so comfy. It's way more comfortable than my bed. Sorry."

He grabbed some napkins from one of his cupboards. "Then you're making dinner tonight."

At the suggestion, her face lit up. "Ok! Ok I can do that. Oh everything smells great. Thanks for cooking."

"No problem."

Sakura waited patiently until Syaoran sat down across from her. Then she put her hands together and said, "Itadakimasu!"

"Itadakimasu."

Then remembering the night before, she glanced back up. "Do you have a hangover?"

"A little. I already puked some."

"Good."

"I thought you were going away for the weekend."

Sakura bit into her toast. "Mm. I'm still planning to go for a drive up north and go to an onsen or something, maybe go hiking… I'll go tomorrow and stay overnight. Tonight I'll make your dinner."

His brow rose. "You could make me dinner another time."

She shook her head. "No I want to. I feel bad for…mistreating you, for lack of a better word."

"I'm glad you know that."

"I was so mad and you know I only see red when I'm mad. But you know me so well and you know how stubborn I can get. I would never have talked to her again if you didn't force me last night. So I'm really thankful too. For what you did for me and Tomoyo."

At that, Syaoran grinned. "Am I a great friend or what?"

"You definitely are. So what are you doing today?"

"Why?" He shoved a spoonful of rice in his mouth.

She shrugged. "If you're not doing anything, let's spend the day together."

"Why?"

"This might be the last time we can spend some quality time together, without anyone else, just you and me. After this weekend, I'm back to work, to the wedding, to preparing for married life with Kohei."

A strange feeling coursed through him. That hadn't occurred to him at all. Not until she said it just now.

After several moments of silence, she looked up. "What?"

He blinked. "Huh?"

"You're staring into space."

"Uh…anyway, you make a good point. Let's hang out today."

Smiling quizzically, she said, "Okay. What do you want to do?"

"Up to you."

"Hmm…why don't we go for a drive? Let's go visit our old schools!"

"Why? That's boring," he mildly complained, eating the last bit of food on his plate.

She drank a sip then put the glass down. "You just said, 'up to you.'"

"Yeah but..." When he couldn't think of any other idea, he shrugged. "Fine, but you're washing the dishes."

Sakura beamed. "Yay."

::::::

"What's here?" Syaoran asked as he parked the car at the parking lot of Tomoeda Elementary School.

"Oh just our memories. Come on."

She got out of the car and breathed in deeply the smell of old wood and pine. Because it was a Saturday, the school was empty. She walked across the parking lot and through the open gates that led to the building. She'd walked more than a thousand days through those gates.

Syaoran followed after her, his hands in his pockets. Walking through the gates, those memories of his childhood spent with the woman walking ahead of him came involuntarily to mind.

::: 17 years ago :::

Eight-year-old Sakura walked beside eight-year-old Syaoran along the street connecting their neighborhood to the elementary school. It was only a ten-minute walk and yet she was practically sleep-walking two minutes in. In her opinion, 8:30am was much too early to start school.

She began slowing down as the path to Tomoeda Elementary began to slope upwards. This was around the time Syaoran had to put a hand under her arm and drag her mindlessly with him.

"Come ooon, wake up!"

"Okay…" was the half-hearted reply. "Can you give me a piggyback?"

"No way! You're heavier than me."

That woke her right up. "Am not!"

"You are. All you eat is candy and chocolate."

"No I don't!"

"When you come over, that's all you eat. And I've seen you steal my cookies."

"No I don't! I'm going to tell Oba-chan you're making fun of me again," she cried, slapping his arm repeatedly.

"Hey Syaoran!" A group of boys came from behind. "Want to play tag at the playground?"

Forgetting Sakura entirely, he let go of her and went to them. "Yeah!"

"You're it!" One boy cried, then the four of them darted off into the school grounds.

Sakura was left alone just outside the gate, staring after them with disbelief. "You're mean, Syaoran Li!" She yelled.

One girl from Sakura's class passed her by and waved. "You okay Saku-chan?"

"I'm fine. Can I eat lunch with you today, Mika?"

Mika smiled. "Sure! But don't you and Syaoran-kun share lunch?"

"Not today!" She replied indignantly.

"Okay. Do you want to play in the playground before we go to our classroom?"

Sakura shook her head firmly. She took Mika's hand. "Let's go to the big tree instead. I'll be a princess and you can be a queen."

Mika's eyes lit up. "Okay!"

While they played by the tree, forming exaggerated stories about kingdoms and princesses and evil goblins, they began to run around, chasing after each other. Not noticing the tree root sticking out of the ground, Sakura accidentally slid her foot through and fell hard on the dark soil. Scratching her knee against the rocks and soiling her uniform, Sakura cried out.

Mika gasped. "Saku-chan! Are you okay?"

Mika took Sakura's hand and helped her to her feet. Sakura's bottom lip was quivering. Tears pooled her eyes. Not sure what to do, Mika glanced over at the playground several feet away.

"Syaoran-kun!" She yelled.

Though in the middle of tag, he turned around at his name.

"Syaoran-kun!" She repeated.

Impatient, he called back, "What?"

"Saku-chan's hurt!"

"Time out," he then hollered at the other boys. "I'm out!"

He ran towards the crying mess that was Sakura Kinomoto. She was hiccupping between tears.

"What happened?" Syaoran pulled away the arm covering her face. "Your uniform's all gross! Are you okay?"

Sakura cried even harder.

"And your knee's bleeding. Geez Sakura, be more careful next time. Thanks Yamamoto, I'll take her to the nurse."

Mika nodded.

Syaoran put his arm around Sakura's shoulder. "You'll be fine. Stop crying."

"My knee hurts. And you said my uniform looks gross," she managed to say while sniffling.

"We'll go to the bathroom and clean it up, ok? Stop crying," he urged.

"Okay. Thanks for taking me to the," she hiccupped, "nurse, Sho."

Pitying her, he patted her head and said, "Anytime, Sakuchin."

::: Now :::

When they stood in front of what used to be the big tree, Syaoran suddenly hooked an arm around Sakura's neck and pulled her against him. Surprised, she looked up at him.

"What?"

"I just remembered a funny incident involving you tripping and me taking you to the nurse."

"Which time?" She asked with a dry smile, then looked back down. "I'm kind of sad it's gone. I spent a lot of time making up stories around that big old tree." A small monument now stood in its place. "Let's take a picture here."

"Ok."

She took out her camera and turned it around. "Can you take it? Your arms are longer."

Keeping one arm around her, he centered the camera between them. "Ready?"

Sakura rested the side of her head against his, their temples resting on each other, and quickly showed the peace sign. She smiled just before Syaoran pressed the button. Then Sakura grabbed the camera from him and looked at the picture. Syaoran smiled that perfect smile of his.

"The picture looks ok?"

"Mm. Looks great. Let's go."

"Junior high school next?" He asked as they began to walk back to the parking lot.

"Yup."

It had been a long time since her heart felt that oh-so-familiar ache.

A/N: Sorry this took a bit longer to release! Merry Christmas, everyone! =)