PART IX - SECRET LOVERS

"Tomoyo! Why did you bring your camera to school?" Sakura made a strange look at her friend.
"Oh, Come on Sakura!" You do know that today is the first day Li-kun will come back!! I'm sure your all pretty set-up already!!" Tomoyo smiled at Sakura as she started taping.

Sakura knew that. She was a bit early today. Her hair was neatly clipped. Her clothes were straightened from head to bottom. She wanted to look nice. For the first time she'll see him again.

A boy with auburn hair entered the room. He had a white cloth tied around his head. He got some bandage in his body. But he stood firmly and powerful, as if he had a lot of strength. His brown eyes gazed and see a pair of emerald eyes. He blushed.

"Syaoran! Why are you blushing?" Meiling looked at Syaoran still a little red.
"Ah!! Nothing!! He quickly denied.

As he walked to his seat the emerald eyes was still looking at him.

"Goodmorning Li-kun!!" Tomoyo greeted.
"Goodmorning!!!" He replied back as he gazed back to Sakura's eyes.

"Goodmorning!!!" He said softly.
"Goodmorning!!!" Sakura replied back.

Both were still looking at each other.

"Did I miss something?" Meiling asked. A little jealous.
"Nothing much I suppose. I got it all in tape." Tomoyo was still videotaping.
Both Sakura and Syaoran blushes.

Everything was back to normal.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Maruha was looking at her black mirror. In the vision Syaoran appeared. She jerked.
She made a small cut in her finger. She took her staff and let her blood drif on it.
The sign lightened. Maruha smiled greedily.

"My Master!" Omino stood from the shadow.
"It's time!" Maruha lifted her staff as a black circled formed around her.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Syaoran was at his room. He was looking at the mirror. He took of the cloth form his head.
"Why do I have this sign?" He asked himself.
He touched it as it lightened.

"I will have you back! Elian!" The voice quickly faded.

Syaoran stepped back from what had happened. Knowing that is not around him anymore. He sat down in his bed. He looked again in the mirror.

"I can't let Sakura know! She got a lot of things to worry."
He took a piece of green cloth from his drawer. It was his favorite color. Her eyes he always remembered. He took his jacket as went out to the door.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

It was already winter. The city was sparkling with white snow. Children are playing outside. Throwing snow at each other. The sun was still out. It was a beatiful scene.

"I can't believe it's winter already! Isn't it kinda early?" Sakura looked around delighted from what she's seeing.

"Yah! This is the first time we have a winter so early. I heard from the news that the other part of the city still has fall over them!" Yukito added as he saw somebody.

"Is that Syaoran over there?" Yukito asked.
"It's him!" Sakura smiled.

"Let me call him!" Yukito said as he went over Syaoran's direction.

"Hoe!!!" Sakura was nervous.
She hasent spoke to him since the day he woke up. Not even in the school as Meiling was dragging him everywhere.
Things were not clear. Like her feelings for her or the other way around.
What if he remembered. What she said. What see did when she kissed him.
Sakura suddenly felt an irrational fear.

"Sakura! Are you alright? It's like you've seen a ghost!" Yukito just came back with Syaoran.
"Oh! No! I'm fine!! Just a little cold!" She was still frantic.

"Here take this! I'm not that cold anyway!" Syaoran gave his black jacket.
He was wearing a green long turtleneck sleeve sweater and a pair of white pants.
"No! It's alright! Really!!" She tried to give it back.
"I insist!!" He retorted which end the discussion.
She wore the jacket. It looks good on her.

They started to walk.
Both Sakura and Syaoran were quiet. Yukito was the only one talking.
"It's such a beautiful day! People should slow down, take some time to love one another!" Yukito didn't notice that both Sakura and Syaoran were turning red.

"Hey guys! Would you mind if I stop right here! This is where I get the most delicious bread of all!!!" He's nose was sniffing already.

"No! It's ok! Take your time! Will just wait here!" Sakura responded.

They sit by the swing. Just the two of them, both were shy to say to one another.
Then Sakura started.

"Do you remember this place Li-kun?" She looked at him still a little shy.
"This is the place where I was crying over Yukito and you were her to console me. You listen to me on those times when I was weak and stupid." She sighed.

"No! I don't think you stupid nor weak! You just need somebody to tell what you felt inside." He responded back.

"I'm sorry Li-kun!" She shooked her head a bit.
"Sorry for what?" He asked promptly.

"I'm sorry I caused you all the trouble! If it wasn't for me, your life would had never be in danger!" Her eyes started to cry.
"Don't think like that! It was my duty to protect the clow cards and it's master! That includes you! Besides, it's been a pleasure working with you." He blushed a little.

"So don't cry!" He handed her a handerchief.
"Thanks Li-kun!! I won't cry anymore!" She smiled at him.

"I'm trained for this! And I'm using my head not like you!" He made fun of her.
"What do you mean not like you?" Sakura made a big expression on her face.
Syaoran smiled. Looking at her face, all beautiful. With her emerald eyes so perfect.
Sakura blushed a little for he was staring at her.

She noticed the green cloth in his head.
"Does this still hurt!" She asked as not knowing that she's already touching his head." Syaoran was blushing out. But he can't let her know.
"It's nothing! I just want to cover a big scar!" He wanted to hide.
Sakura then realize that he was touching his head. Quickly she pulled her hand back. A little red.

"Yukito-san is taking so long!" She stood up from the swing.
"Wait! Sakura!" He covered his mouth. Did he just call her by her name.
Sakura suddenly stop. Looking back slowly at him.

"You called my name?" She asked a bit quiet. Her eyes were staring at him. Syaoran felt more nervous than before.
"Ahhh!!¡K Yah?! Does¡K. it bother you?" He was sweating up.
"No! I like it when you call me that! Can I call you Syaoran too?" She asked smilling at him
"If you want to!" He responded back.

"You were gonna say something!" Sakura replied.

"Oh! Yah! I just remembered back at the park." He looked at her.
Sakura was sweating. She didn't know what to do. What was it that he remembered? She didn's want to know. She changed the topic quickly.
"I really think Yukito is taking so long! Let me go there!" She tried to hide her face for they were blushing.

"Wait! Sakura! I have to tell you!" He held her other hand.
Sakura was now red as he looked as his brown eyes.
"Ok! What is it!" It was intense for her. She was so nervous.

"I just want to say Thank You!" He smiled at her, one of his rare personality.
"Hoe!! You're saying that after what I did to you!" She's a little confused.

"I don't really recall what happened in the park but I just felt that I had to tell you."
Sakura was relieved. Now she can breath.
"Is there something that I should know?" He asked a little suspicious in her behavior.
"NO! Nothing more!" She sweat up again.

Yukito just came back from the bakery.
"Sorry to keep you guys waiting! It was busy inside! I have to wait on the line.
He got a whole bag of bread.

"It's okay Yukito! I think onnichan will be late anyway!"
"You're meeting him!!!!" Syaoran asked as his eyes widened.
"Yah! Didn't I tell you?" Sakura replied looking at the disturbed Syaoran.
"No! You just mentioned now." He was not ready to meet him. He knew that he's the own that lifted him. The one who gave it's blood to him. Still flowing from his vein as they were powerful. Problem was they don't get along at each other.

"So the little brat is back!" Touya said outloud.
Both stared at each other. The usual one.

"Come on Sakura! Let's leave this two alone." Sakura was a little bit conserned about this little feud but somehow she knew she could trust them.

"Hey!! Wait Up!!" Touya shouted making a big stare before he left.

"Touya! I want to speak to you!" Even thought the expression in his face didn't want to. Syaoran bite his ego.

He looked back.
"Speak up!" He said holding his elbow together.
"As much as I don't want to say this but! Thankyou!" Touya was a bit surprised.

"It was nothing! Besides anybody who see your condition would help you!" He raised his eye a bit.

"Fine!!" Syaoran shouted.
"Fine here too!!!" Touya yelled back.
As Syaoran went to another direction.

Touya catches up with Sakura and Yukito.
"Where's Syaoran?" Yukito asked
"He went that way! Who cares?" He replied back.
"What did you said to him?" Sakura frowned.
"Nothing!" Touya frowned back.
"He just thanked me! That's all!"
"Really!!!" Sakura's eyes were gleaming.
"Yah! Yah! Let's just forget it!" He headed first leaving the still swoing Sakura.