Chapter Four
“Who’s there? Show yourself!” It was Syaoran.
Sakura almost choked, and called back Windy and Watery right away, tucking them into her pocket. She stood up, and turned in the direction where his voice had come from.
“Who are you?” Sakura called back.
Syaoran slowly emerged from the shadows, confusion on his face. “You? What are you doing here?”
“Uh, taking a walk,” she half-lied. “What about you? You’re the guy I bumped into, right?”
“Yes…I thought I sensed a card,” Syaoran muttered under his breath, not meaning for Sakura to hear.
“What do you mean?” Sakura asked, although she knew perfectly what Syaoran meant. “What card?”
“It’s nothing.” Syaoran glanced up at the sky, and said, “It’s going to rain soon. Do you have a ride?”
Sakura’s heart lurched, hearing him offer her a ride, but she knew that she wouldn’t be able to hold back the truth from Syaoran, although she was sorely tempted to take him up on his offer. Besides, she had photos of them together and of Tomoyo and Touya all over her apartment. He was bound to recognize the pictures if he saw them. Shaking her head, Sakura replied, “It’s okay, I’d rather walk. I enjoy walking in the rain.” This was true, and right now she needed time to think.
“Alright, if you say so,” Syaoran said doubtfully, concern on his face. “Don’t catch a cold.”
This time, instead of lurching, Sakura’s heart ached. She smiled sadly, saying, “That’s sweet, worrying about me, almost a complete stranger.” Stranger to you, not me… she silently added in her mind.
Syaoran shrugged, a faint smile on her face. “Well, walk safely. I’d go with you, but I can’t leave my car here,” He said apologetically.
“It’s okay. Like I said, I enjoy walking in the rain.” They said their goodbyes, and walked off in opposite directions. As they did, it began to rain softly.
The faint scent of tears on my rain-soaked cheeks...
The warm look on the face of travelers...
Sakura walked, hands in her hoodie’s pockets, hood over her head. Her tennis shoes sloshed through shallow puddles as she trudged through the rain. Tears silently cascaded down her face once again.
The music from our childhood faintly echos in the background...
The memories that I hopelessly try to remember wander aimlessly
Her memories flashed through her empty mind, not making sense. Memories of when she first met Syaoran, when she competed against him for the cards, when he helped her with the changing of the Sakura cards, how he protected her…In short, memories of Syaoran.
That with these wings, launch by my dreams,
Over distance oceans and skies we'll soar, together, to a place where memories never fade.
It was now that she realized that no matter how much she wanted to forget Syaoran and move on, she couldn’t. She loved him too much, and even though she knew that it would hurt her so much that she might fall to pieces, she would stay by Syaoran’s side. If not as his soul mate, but as a friend. She would try her hardest to become his closest friend, his confidant.
You light up the way for me in the darkness of night.
Oh, that warm look on your face...
When she reached her apartment, she fumbled for her keys. When she found them, Sakura stumbled into her small living room, then went around and collected the few photos that she had of Syaoran. She removed them from their frames, and took them to her bedroom, where she curled up on her bed, hugging the photos to her chest. And for the first time, but not for the last time, she cried herself to sleep because of Syaoran.
I want to see you...
The next day, when Sakura woke up, her clothes were wrinkled as she had neglected to change. Her hair looked like a haystack, and her mouth tasted like an old sock. Or at least, what she imagined an old sock would taste like.
She dragged herself to the bathroom, took one look at herself, and nearly screamed. She jumped into the shower, staying in there for half an hour. When she got out, her hair was wrapped in a towel. She was looking for an outfit when her phone rang. Balancing it between her shoulder and ear, she answered it.
“Hello?”
“’Kura? This is Tomoyo. Do you want to go to the mall today?”
Sakura considered it for a moment, then decided why not?
“Sure. Where do you want me to meet you?”
When she said this, Tomoyo was instantly suspicious. “Why did you agree so easily? I usually have to beg you before you finally give in.”
“Well, I know that I’m probably going to just follow you around and not buy anything and carry hundreds of bags that all belong to you, which I really can’t understand, because since you are a major clothing designer, you would think that you would wear your own clothes. But I figured I need a change from this moping. Even though it’s only been a few days.”
“Sakura, are you finally going to let Syaoran go?”
“No, Tomoyo, I could never do that.”
“Then why?” Tomoyo sounded genuinely baffled.
“Oh, ‘Moyo, you should know. You’re in love too. If you really don’t get it, I’ll explain over lunch. Now, where do you want to meet?”
Tomoyo sighed. “I’ll be at the east entrance to the mall. I’ll see you in and hour,” and hung up.
Sighing as well, Sakura turned back to her wardrobe. She would have to wear comfy clothing, seeing that she would be carrying about a hundred heavy bags and walking a lot. She selected a simple pair of flair jeans, and a peasant blouse, pairing it off with white casual sneakers. She picked up her purse and her keys, then drove her second hand car to the mall, preparing herself for the barrage of questions that would come from Tomoyo. Little did she know that she would bump into a certain someone.
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