Chapter 8

On their drive home, Sakura was unusually quiet. As he drove down the highway, Syaoran tried to figure out what was going through that brain of hers. When they'd gone to visit the high school, she wasn't in the mood and half the time she was walking off on her own. At some point, he stopped bothering with her and toured around the school on his own. Good thing he had the camera.

He managed to take a shot of her by the open field where the cheerleading team often practiced their routines. When she saw him with the camera focused on her, she threw him a very angry stare. He zoomed in and took that photo shamelessly as well.

Now here they were, about an hour away from home.

After a while, he finally said, "Okay…time to tell me why you're mad. I've been thinking about it for hours and I still can't figure out why you're upset, so..."

"I'm fine."

"Why do women always say that when they're angry with the world? You're definitely not okay. You kissed me."

Sakura gasped. "You did not just say that!"

"But you did!"

"On the cheek. There's a huge difference, Syaoran."

"Wha-" He laughed then. This was ridiculous. "Ok fine. If you say you're fine and I don't contest you on it, can you lighten up then? This is our last time to hang out together with just the two of us. Can we end the night on good terms at least?"

"Stop saying that."

"What?" He glanced at her. "Wait, you said that first," he accused.

She blinked a few times, disconcerted. She opened her mouth slightly, about to say something, then closed it again. Then she shook her head several times. "Exactly, so I don't need you repeating everything I say!"

"I'm only saying it again because you made a good point."

"I know I did," she snapped.

He drove the car to the side of the road and parked it.

"What are you doing?" Sakura demanded.

He threw her a look. "We're not going anywhere until you tell me what's going on with you. I can't have you throwing a temper tantrum while I'm driving, so spill it."

Sakura stared back at him blankly.

"Sakura."

"I'm not angry," she muttered, crossing her arms. "I'm just…"

"Just what?" He asked patiently, as though talking to a little kid.

"Don't be condescending."

He put his hands up in surrender.

"I'm just…" She began, but drifted off again.

He continued to wait.

Then, unable to stand the silence, she burst out, "I don't know, okay? I don't know why I'm upset. All I know is I've practically spent my whole life with you and I don't have one single memory that doesn't include you in it. And today, when we were at all the schools, all I kept remembering were memories with you. And I thought about how in six weeks, that'll all change and-"

Then Syaoran wiped a tear from her cheek. She slightly gasped, realizing she was already crying. She grabbed tissue from his tissue box and wiped her cheek.

"This is embarrassing. You don't understand."

"No, I do," he argued calmly, sitting back against his seat and looking up at the car ceiling. "When you said this morning that this is our last time to hang out like this, I felt like someone punched me in the gut."

Sakura sniffled. "Really?"

"Yeah but…" Even now, he couldn't understand the growing ache in his heart. "That's life, you know? What do you expect? You want to marry Kohei. You said yes to him."

Sakura could merely nod her head in reply.

"You can't have us both, Kinomoto," he joked, earning an elbow hit on the rib from her.

"I just don't want to lose you, Sho."

At that, Syaoran chuckled. "Aww." He pulled her for a hug, rubbing her back. "You're not gonna lose me, Sakuchin. I told you when we were five that I'd always be here for you. And for the record, I never went away."

When they pulled away, she kept her gaze on the wet tissue in her hands. "Things will change though."

"I know."

"When I get hurt…"

Syaoran looked back at her.

"You won't be the one saving me anymore."

"Ah…" He exhaled a breath, then cleared his throat. "Don't think I was ready to hear that. Let's head home," he leaned forward and started up the car. "You mind if we just listen to music for the rest of the ride?"

Realizing she'd hurt him, Sakura kept her gaze down. She didn't reply; she merely turned on the radio and rested back against her seat.

::::::

Tomoyo crossed her arms in front of her chest as she sat by the end of the pier, staring out at the dark blue ocean in front of her. Though the stars were out, she couldn't see them well. The city lights were much brighter.

She sat waiting for Eriol to finish his jog. And while she waited, she thought of the night she and Sakura reconciled. It still warmed her heart now to think of it. She was still the same feisty Sakura that she'd met at the young age of twelve. But it made her so happy that Sakura had forgiven her.

Tomoyo stood up and turned around when she heard the sound of running footsteps. Drenched in sweat, Eriol came running towards her.

"Hey," he stopped in front and caught his breath.

Tomoyo took out a towel from the bag hanging over her shoulder and passed it to him. "Here."

"Thanks."

"You're still so fit, Eriol. It's incredible that you still train after all these years."

"I don't feel like it's a choice though. If I don't go for a run, even 1k, my body feels off."

They walked down the seaside. Tomoyo passed him his vitamin water when he reached for it.

She glanced inside the bag to see what else was in there. Glad that he also packed a change of clothes, she said, "You'll get sick if you don't change. Should we go to the bathroom?"

"No, I'll change here." He took off his drenched shirt.

Startled, Tomoyo stared. It wasn't freezing, but it was still technically winter. And her gaze automatically falling to his bare chest, she recognized that he definitely wasn't seventeen anymore.

Eriol pulled the shirt and sweatshirt over his head. "Thanks for carrying it," he said, now taking the bag from her.

Blushing, she pressed her cold fingers against her cheeks before he could notice. "No problem."

They kept going along the pavement that went around the edges of the park. Conversation went from exercise to London to high school memories and eventually to a topic that both were curious to ask each other.

"Why are you still single?" Eriol asked first.

She laughed. "I wanted to ask you the same question. Why are you still single, Hiiragizawa? It boggles my mind."

"Really?"

She shrugged. "You're attractive, you're sweet, you're a gentleman."

"I could say the same about you. Except you're not a gentleman. But you're definitely worth the effort," he corrected, getting a wide smile out of her. "Hey, you haven't answered my question either," he reminded teasingly.

"Oh." At the way he was looking at her, Tomoyo's cheeks turned pink again. "Um, the right guy hasn't come along yet, that's all. I dated a few guys when I was in London, but that never lasted. I used to think that being attracted to someone physically was enough. It's just…not. I'd rather be with someone who I can talk to for hours and not realize how much time is passing than be with someone gorgeous and yet talk about nothing."

Eriol laughed.

"It's true," she insisted, laughing too. "I mean, I know physical attraction is important. But I can't date someone based on that alone anymore."

"Yeah I understand."

"Do you? Then what about you? I distinctly remember you crying out, 'Why is it so hard to find somebody?!'" She imitated him with exaggerated gestures.

"Oh man, did I really look like that?"

She laughed again. "More or less."

A little embarrassed, he scratched the back of his head. "Ah I don't know. I've gone to one or two goukons with Hiro and Taka, but they never work out. I haven't been in a serious relationship in five years. It's the same problem for me. There are a lot of pretty women out there, but no one as easy or fun to talk to as…"

"As?"

He just smiled and shook his head. "Nobody." Changing the topic, he said, "Can I ask you a serious question now?"

"Hm." Her eyes narrowed. "You're not getting away with that, but I'll let you change the subject for now. Only because what you just said slightly makes me nervous. Go ahead."

"About Syaoran…" He started. "I sort of heard what you said to Sakura that night of our reunion."

Recalling it clearly, Tomoyo slowly nodded. Then she grabbed his arm. "Wait, do you think Syaoran heard too?"

"No, he was at the other end of the parking lot."

"Oh ok," she said with a sigh of relief.

Catching that, he asked, "Is it true?"

"Why? Do you think it isn't?"

"I don't know. Maybe I just want to hear you say it again."

"I'm guessing you didn't hear what I told Sakura at the bar?"

"No."

Tomoyo stopped and turned towards the sea. She hugged herself against the chilly wind. "I only said that to get her attention. She wouldn't have listened to me otherwise."

Eriol turned her around to face him. "So it's not true?"

"Mm…" She tucked the strands flying with the wind behind her ear, then looked up at Eriol, her eyes clear and unwavering. "What do you think?" He stared back into them, searching for the answer.

After a long moment, her gaze fell and she let out a rueful smile. "Honestly…I don't know."

:::

After they ate dinner, which she prepared and cooked as promised, Syaoran walked Sakura home. Conveniently, they only lived about ten minutes away from each other. It was a quiet walk. Neither talked much since the car ride.

When they arrived at the entrance of her apartment building, Syaoran said, "Night, Sakuchin," then began to walk home.

"Syaoran."

He glanced back over his shoulder. "Hm?"

She came to him then and wrapped her arms around his back. "Thanks for everything today."

Not many knew how cute she could be. She was like a little kid right now, as if clutching onto her teddy bear. His heart warmed by it, he could only chuckle as he put his arms around her and rested his chin on the top of her head. "Right back at you."

They stayed in the same position for a while and then, in time, they both pulled away.

"Night."

He leaned forward and kissed her forehead. Then he patted the back of her head lovingly. "I'll leave when you go in."

She nodded, then walked away. By the door, she turned around. He was still there, standing. It seemed like they both realized how different things were going to be from that day forward. When she waved, he lifted his hand briefly, then walked on home.

With tears in her eyes for the second time that day, Sakura walked to her apartment suite. Before she even opened the door, they spilled over her cheeks. Why did it feel like her heart was breaking into pieces? Her gaze landed on the engagement ring on her finger and she fisted her hand and pushed her door open.

:::

As Syaoran walked home, he thought of how good it had been to go back to their old schools. But what she'd said during their car ride really did something awful to him. He didn't want to think about that again. He looked up at the dark sky, released a breath.

When his cellphone rang, he almost jumped. Not bothering to check who it was, he picked it up. "Hello?"

"Hi baby brother!"

Syaoran looked at his watch. "Why are you calling me right now?" He complained. "It's past midnight."

"I did call you earlier. Like ten times. But you wouldn't pick up your phone."

He pulled the phone from his ear and scrolled through all the missed calls. Fanren wasn't lying. She and Eriol and Kohei had called. But especially her.

"Sorry I must've had it on silent all day. What's up?"

"That's fine. You have to- Why? What were you doing all day?"

"I was with Sakura."

"Doing…?"

"Just hanging out," he answered impatiently. "You were saying I have to do something?"

"Oh yeah. You have to pick up dear cuz at the airport in 5 hours."

"What?!"

"Apparently it was a sudden decision." At the silent response, she added, "I don't know why she picked a really early flight either."

"Why don't you pick her up?"

"I have 3 kids."

"So?! You have a husband. What's he there for if not for situations like this?" He muttered.

"Well, you're single and alone and you have nothing better to do." And their 3 other sisters were back in Hong Kong with their parents.

He groaned. "You've got to be kidding me. It's quarter past 12 right now."

"Hey it's not my fault you had your phone on silent all day! Have fun!" She hung up before he could say any more.

By the time he arrived at his apartment, he took off his shoes and jacket and dove in bed. No time to change. No time to think about anything. With less than 4 hours of sleep available, Syaoran buried his head under the pillow.

One hour in, he groaned. He was tired and grumpy. He still couldn't fall asleep.

A/N: Oh boy oh boy, everyone's feeling something stirring in the air, I must say. That, and a new character's coming in to join for a few chapters. =) To those reading the story and reviewing, thanks so much. I really do appreciate hearing your opinion!