CHAPTER FIVE: THE NEXT DAY

Sakura awakens slowly. She almost doesn't want to open her eyes. It would just be another day without Syaoran...

Her breath catches. Syaoran!

In a rush she recalls the events of yesterday-- was it just yesterday? It seems so far away... Maybe she just dreamed it.

But her nose catches the scent of breakfast being cooked. It wasn't a dream!

She hurries to get out of bed. She dresses in the prettiest outfit she can find, a green affair purchased for her by Tomoyo on their last shopping trip in a fit of enthusiam...

She grins and thinks that perhaps Tomoyo was the one speaking about Li-kun with Meiling...

She walks into her kitchen with a renewed spring in her step. Syaoran looks up from her stove. He is wearing an apron sent to her from Rika, who was happily married in America. The English spells out "KISS THE COOK."

"Ohayo, Sakura-chan," Syaoran says warmly. "Take a seat, it's almost done."

She follows the advice written on the apron and kisses Syaoran on the cheek, then sits down. Luckily, she has two chairs for Tomoyo's visits.

"Smells great!" she says admiringly. "Domo arigato gozaimasu, Syaoran-kun!"

A brief flush crosses Syaoran's cheeks at her compliment. And the thank-you... Such simple words, but he suspects that when he had said them to Meiling was when she had decided to write Tomoyo.

"You're welcome," Sakura-chan. It was the least I could do for your hospitality..." He switches off the oven and sits down beside Sakura.

They eat, each happy just to be in the other's presence. Sakura loudly compliments Syaoran's cooking at every turn.

Still not a good cook herself, he thinks. The corners of his mouth turn up a bit. Some things never change...

The phone ringing interrupts his thoughts.

Sakura picks the phone up, and he notices that she's still got the pink one Tomoyo had given to her... He had returned his to Tomoyo before he left.

He wonders curiously if Tomoyo has kept it... Maybe he could have it back for the summer.

Sakura speaks with Tomoyo for a couple of minutes, then motions that he is to take the phone.

She hands it over and Tomoyo begins to talk.

"Moshi moshi, Li-kun! How are you?" she asks cheerfully.

"Fine, thank you," he replies. "Actually... Great," he says and glances surreptiously at Sakura.

"So you stayed at Sakura's last night?"

"Yes," he says cautiously. When she says it that way...

"On the couch," he amends.

"Really," Tomoyo says indulgently.

Syaoran decides to let it go.

"So... what's going on?"

"Well, I thought I'd see where you were... You left your luggage and apartment key here."

"You rented an apartment for me?"

Syaoran is astonished. He has had no idea that Tomoyo is such a good friend. She must have been very worried about Sakura...

"I'll just return your key... You obviously don't need it," Tomoyo says teasingly.

Syaoran flushes. He debates on how to answer that: should he ask for the key and possibly insult Sakura's hospitality, or not ask for the key and listen to Tomoyo's gentle teasings?

"Um..." he says.

Tomoyo laughs. "I'll put it in your luggage."

"Um... Good."

"Put Sakura-chan back on."

Syaoran obeys. Sakura speaks with Tomoyo for a few minutes, then covers the mouthpiece with her hand.

"Want to visit the museum?"

"Sure," he nods. "Sounds like fun." Then he looks down at his clothes, travel-rumpled and slept in. Not exactly the best to go anywhere in...

"Better stop at Tomoyo's first, though." She smiles understandingly.

"Let's meet at your place first," Sakura says to the phone. "Syaoran wants to change... Of course I think he looks fine!" she says indignantly, then flushes sheepishly as she realizes that she's being baited.

"Be over in a sec!" she says, and hangs up.

Syaoran smiles a little. "She's teasing us."

"I know," Sakura says, smiling and sweatdropping.

They clean up their breakfast things, then go outside. Syaoran admires Sakura's car, a pink Volkswagon Beetle.

"Nice car," he says appreciatively in the manner of all guys since the invention of the wheel.

"It was my 17th birthday present from Dad and Touya," she explains, beaming.

Syaoran is reminded of all of the birthdays he has missed: ones he spent locked in his room, thinking of her.

His face falters just a touch, but enough to make Sakura concerned.

"Are you all right?" she asks worriedly.

He manages a reassuring expression. "Just remembering... I've missed so much of your life," he sighs.

Sakura stares off into the distance.

"I wasn't at my best during those years," she replies. "It was like I was walking through a fog that covered everything. I dreamed like that, even... Wandering through the mists alone, calling your name..." A lump rises in her throat. "I never got an answer..."

"Call my name, Sakura," Syaoran says.

"Why?" She sniffs.

"Just do it," he says persistently.

"Syaoran," she says weakly. "Syaoran."

He takes her gently by the shoulders. "I answer. I am here. I'll never leave you if you keep me in your heart." He holds her close.

"Thank you," she whispers, content in his embrace.

After a long moment, Sakura recalls the whole purpose of coming outside: they were supposed to be going to Tomoyo's!

"Come on," she says warmly, and pulls away. She climbs into the car, Syaoran taking the seat beside her His head almost brushes the ceiling. Syaoran has grown much taller, surpassing Sakura's lithe 5'10" frame.

Sakura drives them to Tomoyo's. Tomoyo has not moved out on her own yet, so they pull into the drive of the same mansion Syaoran remembers from so long ago.

Tomoyo is waiting to greet them at the door, Eriol in tow. They are both smiling happily.

When Sakura grins back, Eriol and Tomoyo exchange a glance. Sakura is happy for once! their eyes seem to say.

They go inside and Syaoran goes off to change.

"You are happy again," Eriol observes after Syaoran leaves, not a question, but a statement.

A bit of red plays across Sakura's cheeks. "Yes," she replies steadily.

Tomoyo has stars in her eyes. "I'm so happy for you!" she declares.

"That's so sappy," a muffled voice says from Tomoyo's purse.

Another voice, this one located in Eriol's pocket, voices its opinion. "For once we agree on something, Keroberos," the voice says dryly.

Tomoyo sends a killer look to Spinel, who pops out of Eriol's pocket. Spinel seems unaffected by the glare, unlike Eriol, who seems very uncomfortable with the fact that Tomoyo is glaring even in his general direction.

Kero, popping out of Tomoyo's purse, receives the same sort of glare from Sakura. Unlike Spinel, he doesn't take it very well, quivering under Sakura's gaze.

She picks Kero out of Tomoyo's purse and holds him by the scruff of his neck. Tomoyo, who doesn't quite dare to do that to Spinelsun, watches Sakura instead.

"Keroberos, how dare you! Li-kun has saved my life more than once, you know!" Sakura fumes. She continues her tirade until Syaoran returns, upon which she becomes all smiles, putting Kero behind her back.

Syaoran is confused.

"What?"

Eriol sweatdrops. "Keroberos, impolite guardian that he is, insulted you," he explains. "That made Sakura-chan very angry..."

Syaoran sweatdrops. "You chewed him out, didn't you?" he says to Sakura.

Sakura releases Kero, who falls out of the air onto his oversized head. She doesn't notice.

"He deserved it!" she says fiercely.

Syaoran puts his hands up in surrender. "He probably did. Knowing Kero, of course he did. I must wanted to ask you if you remembered this day...." He draws the picture out of his pocket.

Sakura glances down at it. Her eyes go far away and she replies nostalgically, "Yeah..."

Tomoyo grins. "Me too! We all went!"

"Not me," says a pouting Kero re-deposited in Tomoyo's purse. Suppi wisely stays silent.

Sakura glares at Kero and says, "I'm still mad at you, baka!"

Kero removes himself from Tomoyo's purse hurriedly and flies off, obviously trying to escape Sakura's wrath. Suppi sighs and follows his fellow guardian.

"Sakura-chan," Syaoran says awkwardly, "Don't fight with Kero over me..."

"It's okay, Li-kun," Eriol says. "They usually make up in a few days..."

"Say!" Tomoyo cuts in enthusiastically, "Isn't that when you transformed Float?"

"Yeah," Sakura says.

"I recall that one also," Eriols confirms. "I... uh, well, I messed with the elevator..."

"That was you?" Tomoyo says.

"I was still testing Sakura. Believe me, I'm on your side now," Eriol reassures.

"I could have killed you over that one," Syaoran says. "You made me think she was dead!"

Indeed, it had taken a long time for Syaoran to even begin to trust Eriol, and it is still strange for him to think of Eriol as a friend now.

"Tell us!" Tomoyo says.

"I did not see what happened," Eriol says. "I worked my magic outside..."

"Well," Sakura says, remembering, "Eriol took a wall out and then shook the elevator."

"Oohh," Tomoyo says. "Exciting!"

"She fell," Syaoran says. "And I couldn't get to her in time..." He glares half-heartedly at Eriol.

"Bet you had nightmares for weeks!" Tomoyo teases.

"It turned out okay... I transformed the Float--"

"You rose out of the darkness like an angel," Syaoran says, lost in memory.

Eriol sweatdrops and Tomoyo, less polite, snorts.

"How sweet!" Sakura says.

"Anyway..." Eriol says a bit pointedly, "Let's go make some new memories. I promise I shall leave the elevators alone." He smiles.

"Yeah... He'll just break the escalators!" Tomoyo grins and leaves her house.

"Hey," Eriol protests, following her out, "I--"

Sakura and Syaoran exchange a smile, then go out to the car.