32

Bon festival is tonight. And since Rika won't be here, that means I'm the one in charge of helping dad with dinner and the offerings. But right now, I'm not worried about tonight's preparations. Right now I'm sitting at a Starbucks, right across Syaoran, as we both drink from our cappuccinos. Syaoran is also celebrating Bon festival at home (for his father memorial), and according to his words, since both of us will be busy during the whole weekend, we must spend these last few hours together, before missing each other like crazy.

I think he's already starting to suspect I've been avoiding him, slowly letting him go, preparing everything for when it's the right time to break up.

"After Bon festival there won't be much free time for us to spend together." He says, as he looks at the calendar in his phone app. "We're three weeks away before winter break starts, and that means having dinner with the family, Christmas and New Year's Eve celebrations… What's your family planning?"

"Same as we do during Bon festival." I reply, as I take a sip of my warm cappuccino. "My grandparents will come, we'll make dinner, present our gifts. Dad usually has a New Year's Eve party with the rest of the University staff, so we just wish him a happy new year before he leaves, and that's it."

"That means you're free to come to the mid-term winter trip."

"What?" I can't help but say.

Mid-term winter trip is a trip that school organizes so to "Spend quality time with classmates, before getting busy with end of year exams, and whatever the future is yet to bring us". For us, junior students, it means a trip where we can forget next year will be the last of our high school days, and we're just a year away from University.

But also, mid-term winter trip is a trip to which only the popular kids attend. It's quite an expensive trip (the fees have to cover the bus trip, foods, hotel, and tours at a ski resort located four hours away from Tomoeda), and its only purpose is to create and feed gossip. I've never attended, but Rika went last year, and she told me all of this, so I'm more than sure I will really not like it at all. Even when it's at a ski resort, and I love winter sports!

But Li is one of the popular boys. And I'm more than sure Dadiouji's also going (last year she even was one of the organizers), so it's obvious Syaoran expects me to go with him.

"We should go together." Syaoran insists. "We can ski together."

"It's been a long time since I did ski. I think I may have even forgotten how to." I lie.

"Then, I can teach you."

I bit my lip, nervously. But I got no more excuses, and even if I did, it seems Syaoran won't take a no for an answer. I have a bad feeling. The trip is a month away from today, which means Syaoran's still planning to keep up with this fake relationship for a little longer, but I'm not so sure if we can keep pretending for such a long time.

I remember Mei Lin once told me some students sneak at night, and have sexual relationships. Sex! I can't do that! I'm pretty sure Syaoran has already done it with Daidouji during last year's trip (if you think about it, it's even logical), and I'm also sure Syaoran's not expecting me to do it with him. He definitely knows I'm such a prudish.

So, that means this trip has only one purpose: this will be the perfect opportunity for Syaoran to break up with me, and get back with Daidouji. It all fits: a trip, no adult supervision, a snowy cabin in the middle of the forest, a warm fireplace, hot cocoa, a girlfriend that will say no, and an ex-girlfriend that will say yes and already knows how to satisfy him…

Maybe it's best to just accept what's to come. I can't keep delaying this fake relationship. If Syaoran won't break up with me, maybe then I'll have to do it. Things with Eriol are now back to normal, and Sayoran can finally go back with Daidouji.

Yeah, maybe it's best for me to go to this trip. Although of course I'm not going alone. That means I better come up with something to convince Mei Lin to come with me. I have no idea how I'll do it, but she owe me (especially considering that time she disappeared for three days and went to a K-pop concert at Tokyo Dome, and I had to lie to her mom saying she was with me), so I think I can manage it.

"Okay." I finally say. "I'll write my name on the list."

Syaoran smiles happily, and drinks from his coffee. I take another sip of my cappuccino, trying not to look at him.

I know I went mia for a while, but it's just cuz of the holiday season. Lots of parties and celebrations and so. Please bear with me just a little longer, since we're almost done.

Ribo~