CHAPTER FOUR: A REUNION

Syaoran's feet pound the pavement in a steady pattern. He must see Sakura!

Syaoran's mother smiles as she watches her son run to meet his love.

"My son has finally learned that sometimes one must listen to the heart, not the mind," she says, satisfied.

"She needs you, Syaoran. And you need her. What a fool I was when I made you leave before you could be together with her.

"My problem is solved now."

Sakura walks down the sidewalk. She does not watch the path she has tread daily for almost seven years.

"He's never coming back," she says softly to the wind. "I'll always be alone."

She reaches her bench and sits down beside a young man panting heavily. As is her custom, she ignores other people completely.

Instead, she focuses on her one true love. That messy hair... protective attitude.... the color green...

She takes the green ribbons out of her hair and stares at them in pain. Tears begin to run down her face.

"He's never coming back," Sakura repeats, whispering to herself. "I didn't tell him. I couldn't. I wanted to so badly..."

The person sitting next to her takes her ribbons gently. He handles them as if they are precious jewels. She wants to take them back, but he hands her a handkerchief.

"Here," he says gently.

It is then that she notices that he is crying, too. Sakura digs deep inside herself for her old compassion, lost when her dearest left..

"Are you all right?" she asks.

"I am now," he whispers back softly.

Sakura knows that voice... But it can't be...

"Sakura," he says softly, "I have returned to you. It is me... Syaoran."

Sakura looks up into hazel-colored eyes filled with concern, happiness, and what she had missed most... his love.

Without another thought she flings herself into his arms, sobbing.

"I... I thought I... lost you," she sobs.

"Shhh, it's okay... I'm here now," Syaoran replies. He strokes her hair. It's still short, brown, and feathery soft...

She pulls away a bit, looking worriedly into his eyes.

"You still love me?" she breathes. The all-important question...

"I wouldn't have came back if I didn't. You think that stubborn Li-kun would ever give up?" He smiles through his own happy tears.

"Syaoran, I never told you..."

"It's okay, Sakura. I know you had your reasons," he soothed.

"I didn't want to ruin your relationship with Meiling... But I love you, Li Syaoran," she cries out strongly. A bit of her old enthusiasm creeps into her voice.

"I love you too, Kinomoto Sakura." He smiles for her.

His smile makes everything right, Sakura thinks. He has forgiven me... She smiles too.

Oh, she is still so beautiful, Syaoran thinks. And her smile still makes me weak in the knees...

Then a frown crosses Sakura's face.

"What about Meiling?"

"It's okay, Sakura-chan... Meiling broke off our engagement. I think it's partially her fault that I'm here."

"Remind me to thank her," Sakura grins.

They look up to see the children playing at the slide watching them discreetly.

They both turn red.

"Perhaps we should find my apartment," Sakura suggests.

"You've left home? Didn't Touya protest?" Syaoran teases.

"Touya found a job and got married," she informs him.

"We do have a lot to catch up on," Syaoran agrees. Touya, married? Who would marry Touya?

They both rise from the park bench.

"Your hair ribbons?" he says, and tries to give them back.

"You keep them," she smiles. "I don't need them anymore, now that I've got you."

That was his Sakura.... So sweet and loving....

He stuffs the ribbons in his pocket to join the picture and notices the tear tracks still visible running down Sakura's face.

"Hold on a sec..." he says. He takes the handkerchief and delicately wips her face off.

That was her Syaoran... Loving in his little gestures...

Sakura lives not far from the park, so they walk.

The apartment is one of the usual affairs: one bedroom, living room, kitchen, and bathroom. It's furnished tastefully in pink and green.

When Sakura switches on a light to illuminate the living room, a small figure flies into the room.

"Huh?... what???" demands the small figure, half asleep. "Sakura? You're not usually home until five..."

"Well... Kero...." Sakura begins, but the bear creature has noticed Syaoran. He abandons any signs of sleep and takes a defensive stance.

"When did he come back?" Kero growls.

"Grr..." Syaoran glares at Kero. "I see you haven't learned any manners since I left..."

"What's he doing here?" Kero demands. "I thought he'd be in Hong Kong married to the 'little girl' by now!"

"Kero-chan, Syaoran-kun and Meiling have broken off their engagement. He came for a visit," Sakura says unhappily. They can't talk with Kero's obvious animosity hovering in the air... Then she has an idea.

"Kero-chan, why don't you visit with Tomoyo tonight? Eriol is over there... You can see Suppi and your master again!" she suggests brightly. There is a tinge of steel in her voice, making the 'suggestion' more like a command.

"Spinelsun I can do without," Kero mumbles. He meets Sakura's gaze, however, and quickly agrees that a visit is certainly in order.

So Kero leaves. Sakura and Syaoran stand there for a moment, then Syaoran heaves a sigh.

Sakura laughs and they sit down on the couch. They begin to catch up on old times... Talking and crying and holding each other well into the night.

Finally, exhausted from the emotional outbursts, they decide to turn in. For propriety, Syaoran beds on the couch.

"Good night, Sakura-chan. 'Love you," Syaoran mumbels sleepily and turns over.

"Good night, Syaoran-kun. 'Love you too," Sakura says softly, and retires to her bedroom.

Once in bed, however, she cannot sleep. She folds her arms behind her head and stares up at the ceiling.

It's a dream come true, she thinks. My dear Syaoran has returned to me. I can truly live again...

With a swift intake of breath, she suddenly recalls the only bad point of her conversation with Syaoran... He has to return to Hong Kong at the end of the summer.

She sighs. You can't have everything, she thinks. Still...

The optimism so common in her long-ago eleven-year-old days decides to make a return appearance.

I'll just have to get him to ask me to marry him before then, she decides. That won't be too hard.

She sighs once more and drifts off to happy dreams.

Syaoran awakens once during the night. He uses the facilities and, before returning to the couch, pauses in Sakura's doorway.

She sleeps easily. Moonlight plays over her face and hair, lightening her complexion to milk-white and hair color to fawn-brown.

"Syaoran," she whispers in her sleep, and smiles.

His face softens. "Sakura," he whispers back. He moves forward to leave a kiss on her forehead, then returns to his bed.