The Guiding Star

Unexpected Encounters: Chapter Eighteen

By: Sakura

From the moment they had stepped into the room and Sakura had settled into a chair, Yu Hong had paced the ground before her in a rather agitated matter. Sakura said nothing to him, as it appeared he was deep in thought and didn’t want to be disturbed. But then he abruptly stopped and turned to face her with one of his feeble smiles. “You’re a really strong person,” he told her quietly, in a voice Sakura had never heard him use when she briefly met him in the past. Taking a few steps closer to her, he continued. “Despite how much you love that prince,” he said, “you don’t seem to mind him being together with another woman at all.” He leaned down to her and watched her carefully. “Even though your eyes look so lonely…”

“Ano…” Sakura began, a little hesitantly, looking away, “I’m really not all that strong.” She looked up at him and smiled weakly. “Really, as long as the one I love is happy, then I’m happy, too. Even if the one he loves isn’t me.” Yu Hong suddenly drew Sakura forward into his warm embrace. “Yu Hong?” Sakura asked questioningly, her face colouring slightly.

“You are strong, Sakura,” he told her firmly. “You’re a really strong girl. You mustn’t ever doubt your strength. You just need to have greater confidence in yourself.” As if suddenly realizing what he was doing, he hastily released her from his hold and dropped into the chair beside her in a slouch, seemingly exhausted in spirit, a hand draped over his head. He lifted his hand slightly and glanced over at Sakura. “Does Xiao Lang know how you feel about him?” he asked her. Sakura only shook her head in response. Yu Hong dropped his hand back on his head with an exasperated sigh. “That prince is a complete moron if he can’t see your feelings for him at all!” The older man lapsed back into silence.

“Yu Hong,” Sakura said, somewhat timidly, not so sure as how to address him, “you are really strong, too. You called me out so as to give the two of them privacy, ne? You still love Wing Kay, don’t you? And yet you did that much for them.” The man abruptly sat up, his head resting on his clasped hands, his eyes staring forward.

“No, Sakura,” he said finally, shaking his head, “you’re wrong. I’m not strong, at least, nowhere near as strong as you are. I was really surprised to see Wing Kay again, most definitely. I felt that emotion more than any other. But when I saw her, it dawned to me, right then and there, that I really didn’t love her in the same way anymore. I truly loved her once, but those feelings have subsided to something not unlike friendship. I realized that I wanted nothing more than that. I don’t know what happened, but along the way, those feelings have just changed.” He hung his head, his hands resting on the back of his head. “When I asked for that kiss, I guess I just needed closure. I needed the ‘goodbye kiss’ that would lock my old feelings away forever, feelings that would never resurface again.” He sat up again and smiled at Sakura sadly. “I didn’t give her and Xiao Lang their space because of the ‘I would be happy as long as the one I love was happy’,” he admitted, shamefacedly. “It was no courageous deed as that. If I did still care about her that way, I’d have continued pursuing her, until I got what I wanted. I can’t be a kind person at all.”

“You are a kind person!” Sakura declared resolutely. “Otherwise, why would you help us by getting rooms for us and everything?” Yu Hong suddenly laughed.

“You consider something like that a ‘kind’ action?” he asked, amidst his chuckles. When they had subsided, he continued. “I have no real idea why I helped you, to be honest with you,” Yu Hong admitted. “My reason for being in this town is because I have a mission for the elders and I just happened to see your group when I was combing this place. At first, I only wanted to test Xiao Lang, to see how much he has changed over the months and, hopefully, improved. But I was really astonished to see him injured so badly. That right arm looks like it’s completely finished.” He turned to face Sakura and was only greeted by her melancholy expression.

“It was all my fault,” she confessed. She explained to him about her separation from Xiao Lang during those few days and how Wing Kay had come to join their group. “As a Li magician,” Sakura said, a hopeful look on her face, “do you think you can heal Xiao Lang’s arm?”

“I’m afraid not,” Yu Hong replied, shaking his head. Sakura’s face fell and she said nothing. “Unfortunately, I don’t have the kind of powers to heal Xiao Lang’s arm. I can see now why you were in such a hurry to return to the Li council’s home, however, now is not the time to go there.” Sakura looked up at him wordlessly. “Prince Li Shui Ken had arrived at their home a few weeks ago,” he said, answering her unasked question, “and he’s stationed many guards there, in hopes of catching Xiao Lang and you if you return there. It isn’t safe if you head there now at all. But, another thing the council told me if I ran into you in this town is that there’s a ring located around the vicinity of this place and that it’d be better for you to stick around here until it’s found. And since I’m here for the time being, I can help you all out with the best of my abilities.”

Sakura stared at him for a few moments before breaking into a big smile. “You’ve changed from the first time I met you,” she said cheerfully, smiling brightly at him. Yu Hong immediately shook his head.

“No, I haven’t,” he replied shortly, walking toward the door. Immediately regretting his cold tone, he paused by the doors and said, a little more softly, “I think some of the bitterness in me from before has died a little, but I don’t really believe I’ve really changed that much from back then.” He opened the doors and walked out of the room, leaving the princess alone. Privately, Sakura disagreed with his words. Truly, Yu Hong was a kind person deep down inside, even if he wouldn’t admit it. Something in his life may have embittered him for a long time, but he was healing from those wounds and becoming a better man. This was something Sakura honestly believed.

~*~*~*~*~*~

“I know we still owe you for getting us a nice place to stay in,” Xiao Lang said, in a rather cold tone, “but was it really necessary for you to come along with us today, as well?”

“I’m only here because I promised someone I’d help out for now,” Yu Hong answered, equally aloofly, “and you may as well consider my annoying you by being here as your repayment.” Both sides cast each other withering glares and neither said much else.

Since early morning, the small group had been searching for the fourth ring. Unfortunately, the elders did not tell Yu Hong which ring it was that was located around Fankuai and they had to rely entirely on Sakura’s key to find it. But they hadn’t had much luck with the key, either. It also wasn’t helping much that Xiao Lang was still suspicious of Yu Hong and that neither had solved their differences. There had never been any positive feelings between them. Sakura sighed inwardly, glancing at the two male magicians. It seemed almost useless to ask them to be nice to each other. But at least they were cooperating this time, despite the fact they mumbled insults at one another every now and then.

With his hands resting on the back of his head, Yu Hong looked up at the sky, staring at nothing in particular. “I don’t get why the Elders would entrust you with this kind of mission,” he muttered to himself, though perhaps a little too loudly. “If I got it, I’d have been finished this a long time ago.” In a matter of seconds, the older man found himself roughly shoved against the trunk of a tree, facing the prince, who still gripped the man’s collar with his left hand.

“Xiao Lang!” both Sakura and Wing Kay gasped in surprise, but he ignored them.

“Just stop it already,” Xiao Lang said angrily, through clenched teeth, his hold on the other’s collar tightening. “If you don’t like it, don’t keep grumbling about it to me. Tell the Elders yourself.” Yu Hong looked away in annoyance for a moment. He really hated having to work with a prince, especially this one. Still… Yu Hong placed his left hand on Xiao Lang’s shoulder and suddenly pushed him away, off to the side. Both men hit the ground, and each somersaulted back into a crouched position. The prince, tightening the bandage around his arm that had loosened when he rolled on the ground, glared at the other for what he did. But Yu Hong wasn’t looking at him. Following his gaze, Xiao Lang’s eyes widened. Several long needles were now adorning the tree trunk, right where the two men had been standing before…

“Judging from the speed of that attack,” Yu Hong said quietly, “those things would have pierced through the both of us.” Sakura’s hand, which had been clenched around her pendant the whole time, released the star from her grip at that moment. For the first time, she noticed that it was glowing a faint shade of brown. Everyone around her also saw the change in the star.

“It must be the wood spirit,” Xiao Lang said, dusting himself off as he stood up. “Look,” he added, pointing to the trunk nailed with arrows. The trunk was absorbing the thin wooden shafts and they soon disappeared from sight. As this happened, the atmosphere around them suddenly became very dark and oppressive…a feeling that the prince did not like one bit. Moments later, more arrows were being shot at them and Xiao Lang and Yu Hong immediately unsheathed their swords. The former was able to easily deflect them while the latter cut down all the arrows before they hit their target.

Wing Kay had already readied her own arrows at this point and fired several of them in the direction the wood spirit’s arrows had come from. But before they could go very far, the branches from the surrounding trees entwined themselves, forming a sturdy shield, and they watched as the arrows bounced harmlessly off them. Remembering his experiences with the water and wind spirits, Xiao Lang realized that, even with the wood spirit, his sword was the only one it feared… Yu Hong’s sword could not do much against it and Wing Kay’s arrows were useless.

While he was still deep in thought, the roots of the trees around the group roughly wretched themselves from the ground, and began flailing wildly, swinging at anything and everything in its way. Xiao Lang’s eyes widened when he saw Sakura standing directly in its path, with her back facing the roots but before he could reach her or tell her to watch out, Yu Hong had easily picked her up and leapt out of harm’s way, to a safer spot where the trees were still immobile. Seeing the gentle expression on Yu Hong’s face and Sakura slightly blushing as she looked up to him caused Xiao Lang to feel a slight stab of pain inside of his chest. Just why did it hurt him so much? He honestly couldn’t understand it…

Both the prince and Wing Kay backed away from the tree roots as it lashed violently at them and rejoined Yu Hong and Sakura. Wing Kay’s arrows still had no effect, try as she might, but at least the branches and roots were not absorbing her arrows and she could reuse them again each time. Xiao Lang was able to slice off a few of the roots, but more kept growing back in their place. It was too dangerous for Sakura to stay there while the wood spirit had all its strength. Once it was weakened, Sakura could seal the spirit, but as of yet, it was beyond control. “Sakura,” he said, turning to her immediately, “you better run for it. It’s not safe for you to stay here right now.” Sakura stared at him silently and she didn’t move from her spot. She didn’t quite understand what he meant. Was he telling her to run from a battle? To leave them? “Go!” he ordered, in a much harsher tone this time. As he was right now, he couldn’t protect her, so she had to get away from there before she got hurt. He just didn’t want anything to happen to her.

Without a word, Sakura turned and fled, but she had only gone a few steps when it hit her. In situations like these, she was completely useless. She couldn’t ever help them at all. If it weren’t for her star pendant, she wouldn’t even be there, the Li elders would never have accepted her accompanying Xiao Lang. Sakura hated it so much. Why was it that she could never do anything?? Xiao Lang and Yu Hong both had their martial arts and their swords, Wing Kay could help out, too, using her own arrows…but Sakura had nothing at all…useless…weak…incompetent…worthless…

Entranced by her own words, Sakura didn’t notice that she had stopped running. She didn’t even see the man standing before, nor did she feel the dark aura that surrounded him. With one touch to her forehead, Sakura crumbled to the ground, near unconsciousness, and the man quickly withdrew as the trees around the princess began to awaken because of the wood spirit reacting to the dark aura. The roots shot up and wrapped around Sakura’s lithe form, imprisoning her instantly in midair. In her hazy state, Sakura vainly tried to free herself, but she felt her power slowly draining away instead. Such a weak girl, that’s all that she was… She couldn’t do anything at all… No one needed her… It would be better if she just vanished… With her mind so clouded with doubt, Sakura never heard the people calling her name.

The moment Sakura had left the group, all of the tree roots weaved around the trio and went after her. Xiao Lang couldn’t figure out the reason it did this and why the wood spirit was attacking them so fiercely, as it was generally conceived to be one of the gentler spirits. Something must have awakened it and something must have angered it. But what that something was, Xiao Lang had no clue at all. There were so many pieces to the puzzle and yet nothing fit in place…

Yu Hong jumped onto the roots that bound Sakura and quickly climbed them to where she was. Her eyes were closed, tears glistening on her eyelashes, and she was murmuring something very quietly, something he couldn’t hear at all. His expression softened when he saw her. At that moment, she seemed so fragile, as if she would break if not handled with care. Indeed, Sakura was a strong person, but only when she had the right support. Without them, she was completely open and vulnerable to any kind of attack. She had yet to learn how to support herself completely. Gripping his sword tight in his hand, he swung down heavily on the tree’s roots, intending to sever their hold on the princess. However, the blade was unable to cut through them - it barely made a scratch – and other branches shot out and shoved him from where he stood. The sudden attack had caught him by surprise and he pummelled toward the ground. Luckily for him, though, the distance between where he stood on the branches and the ground wasn’t too great, and he escaped without any injury. Still, it left him lying flat on his back, staring up at the now darkened sky, the wind knocked out of him.

Xiao Lang leapt up high in the air and landed in the same place Yu Hong stood earlier. The same branches that had pushed his relative over tried doing the same to the prince, but with one stroke of his sword, the branches fell from their place, in pieces, as Yu Hong watched on from below, somewhat annoyed that his sword didn’t have the same effect on the spirit like Xiao Lang’s blade. Turning back to Sakura, the Chinese prince watched her for what seemed forever to him. Why was it that her face displayed such sadness? Why was there a deep melancholy feeling surrounding her? Whatever it was, however, he’d find it out as soon as they were back on firm ground. Taking a step back, and gripping the unsteady sword tight in his left hand, with three slashes at the roots and branches, Sakura was released from her binds and both prince and princess plunged toward the ground. Without thinking, Xiao Lang threw his sword away, freeing his left hand, and with that one hand, he encircled it around Sakura’s waist and held her close to him as they fell. Although the sword was important to him, nothing mattered more to him than her safety.

Although they had been falling fast, upon nearing the ground, they began to slow down until they landed gently on the ground. Still in a crouched position and with Sakura being held to him by one arm, he noticed a wind incantation paper placed flat on the ground. Looking up and seeing Yu Hong’s back, he realized that it was him that placed that there and activated the spell. “I didn’t do it to save you,” Yu Hong said, without turning to face him, answering Xiao Lang’s unasked question, “I just don’t want Sakura to get hurt.” Without another word, he walked toward the trunk of the tree that Xiao Lang’s sword was stuck in. When the prince had thrown his sword aside, it had struck the trunk of the tree and as its roots and branches flailed wildly, the aura around the tree began to weaken. In its slightly weaker state, Yu Hong wondered if his spells would be able to affect the wood spirit this time. Taking out another incantation paper and placing it flat on the trunk, he muttered a quick spell and the paper suddenly burst into flames and engulfed the entire tree. It wasn’t the kind of fire that would destroy the forest, but a fire that served to only burn the spirit that possessed the trees and to further weaken it. Wing Kay joined him shortly after and, rather than dipping her arrows into her special potion, lit the tip on fire using the flame Yu Hong created and shot them at the other trees possessed by the wood spirit, whose roots and branches were still trying to attack them despite the fact most of its power was gone.

Just before this, and after Yu Hong had spoken to Xiao Lang, Wing Kay was about to tend to Sakura when Xiao Lang stopped her for the time being. When Sakura had been bound in the air, the prince had noticed a strange black outline to her usual faint pink aura. But even after she was released, the lining never went away. He was puzzled where this added dark power came from and why she had, but he knew it couldn’t stay there or it would consume her own pure aura as the thin lining was slowly thickening. Though he didn’t know how to get rid of the darkness, Xiao Lang lightly placed his hand on her forehead, his brow furrowed with worry. However, the moment his hand touched her forehead, the lining blurred once and then vanished into nothingness. From that, Sakura seemed to calm down, and she was no longer murmuring soft, incomprehensible words. Wing Kay, unable to see auras, sensed something wasn’t right with Sakura, but when she seemed calmer, the older girl breathed a sigh of relief and then quickly went to help Yu Hong.

For a few moments, Xiao Lang looked down at Sakura, the girl still cradled by his left arm, and watched her breathing quietly. It was really becoming confusing to him now. He never wanted anything to hurt her, and often he didn’t want her to leave his side. However, he didn’t love her in the same way he did Wing Kay. Yet, why did he care so much about this princess? His feelings had been caught in a whirlwind ever since he first met her all those months ago and so many of his actions were caused by these mixed feelings. But he didn’t want to think about that right now. No, he only wanted was her to wake up and tell him that she was fine, and that he didn’t need to worry about her. Just wanted her to wake up and smile for him again… Images of a smiling, happy Sakura unexpectedly flashed across his mind and Xiao Lang’s face flushed red in surprise. He was glad no one could see him like this. What was wrong with him? Why was he like this all of a sudden?

When the darkness left her, Sakura’s heart felt light as a feather. The darkness in her that had been so heavy and had left her feeling so bleak and empty was gone, and her mind was clear again. With her eyelids slowly opening, she found herself looking up straight at Xiao Lang’s face. The redness in his face had left by this time, though his ears still showed a hint of his blush. Very gently, as if she would break if not treated carefully, he helped Sakura up to a sitting position. “Are you feeling all right?” he asked, his tone voicing his concern. The Japanese princess turned to face him with a weak smile.

“I’m okay now,” she said softly, both hands clutching tight to her long sleeves. Xiao Lang returned the smile happily, immensely relieved. Sakura’s heart was now beating very fast and she didn’t think she could take it anymore. This kindness of his…it was becoming so painful for her… But when the prince offered her his hand to help her stand up, she did not refuse it.

“Huh?” said Xiao Lang in surprise as he held her right hand. He pulled it closer to him. “What’s this ring you’re wearing?” he asked her.

“U-um,” Sakura stammered, trying to withdraw her hand, but Xiao Lang held it tight, not letting go of it. She was still wearing Yukito’s ring and she didn’t want to have to explain it to him. “It-it’s just a-”

“The wood spirit’s ring!” Xiao Lang exclaimed, realizing instantly what the thick brown ring was. Sakura stared at him wordlessly and then glanced at her own hand. The prince hadn’t noticed the ring on her fourth finger; he was only indicating the one on her index finger. Sakura only wore one ring and she couldn’t understand where this one could have possibly come from…

“Why do I have…that ring?” she murmured in surprise, taking it off herself and looking over it. The ring suddenly glowed in her hand and floated before her, responding to her star pendant. As the key emerged from the pendant, a keyhole also appeared in the ring and Sakura sealed the item. The flames Yu Hong created disappeared and all the trees returned to normal. There was no trace of the group having been there at all. With the wood spirit gone, Yu Hong and Wing Kay rejoined Xiao Lang and Sakura, both putting their weapons away. They were all thankful it was over. As Sakura withdrew her key and was about to catch the ring as it fell, a sudden sharp gust of wind blew past them and the ring vanished before their eyes. Before they even time to react to this, a voice called out to them, and received their undivided attention.

“I have to thank you for the ring,” the voice said. “It looks really nice on my hand, right next to the fire spirit’s ring.” The man had stepped out from the shadows and was settled comfortably on one of the tree’s branches. Chi Yuen, thought Xiao Lang grimly. What was he doing here? On his fingers he displayed for them the fire and wood spirit’s rings.

“You saved me a lot of trouble by sealing it for me,” he said cheerfully. “Thank you very much, Sakura. Wonderful work, as usual,” he called to her with a bright smile. Sakura avoided his gaze but that only caused his smile to widen. Xiao Lang took a step in front of Sakura and blocked her from Chi Yuen’s view, glaring up at him. “Oho,” Chi Yuen sneered in a mocking tone, “and who do we have here? A prince brat who can’t keep from almost getting himself killed?” Xiao Lang tensed up, but Chi Yuen ignored him and his eyes lazily turned to see the people behind them. “And there’s two people I don’t know,” he murmured, his gaze passing over Yu Hong and taking a long appreciative glance at Wing Kay. Xiao Lang bristled in anger at this and his hand clenched tighter around the sword handle. Before he could make a move, however, Yu Hong clamped his hand on the prince’s shoulder, stopping him.

“Let me handle this,” he told the younger man, as he stepped before all of them. Chi Yuen tilted his head to one side, an expression of boredom on his face as he watched him. “You’re the one that did this to Xiao Lang?” Yu Hong called up to Chi Yuen.

“So what if I am?” Chi Yuen asked with a loud yawn. Yu Hong suddenly flashed a grin at him.

“I suppose I ought to be congratulating you,” he answered, still smiling. “After all,” he said, shrugging his shoulders carelessly, “no one has ever dared to give this stupid prince the beating he rightfully deserves.” Xiao Lang stiffened and would have stepped forward if Sakura and Wing Kay weren’t holding him back. Chi Yuen sat up this time and observed Yu Hong with renewed interest but he still said nothing. Yu Hong let out a mock sigh. “Everyone just dotes on this idiot,” he continued, “just because he’s the son of our former Emperor. If it weren’t for that title, he’d be just like the rest of us, maybe even below us. I’m happy you taught him a lesson, Chi Yuen,” he added, turning briefly to smile at Xiao Lang’s angered expression before looking back up at Chi Yuen, “since he needed to realize that he is just far too weak.”

“I’m glad you agree with what I thought, whoever you are,” Chi Yuen said, returning the smile, and laughing at the prince’s expense. “That prince is still nothing more than a brat.”

Yu Hong joined him in his laughter. “You’re absolutely right about that!” Xiao Lang’s fists clenched tighter, but he stopped resisting both the girls holding him back. Just what was Yu Hong thinking, putting him down like this? He was acting just like the Yu Hong he knew for so many years…

Abruptly, however, Yu Hong’s laughter died and a serious expression replaced the smile on his face. “If we met sooner, Chi Yuen,” he said quietly, looking away, “we might have actually become good friends. We both despise that stupid fifteenth prince and probably have so many other things in common…” Yu Hong suddenly lifted his head to face Chi Yuen again, his eyes blazing, and his hand clutching a single piece of paper. “However,” he said vehemently, his aura growing around him, “I can’t forgive you for what you did to Sakura!” He vanished from the spot and reappeared almost instantly beside Chi Yuen, standing nimbly on the tree branch. Sticking the incantation paper to the front of the man’s clothes, he activated the spell and the paper burst into flames.

Chi Yuen immediately countered with a water spell and doused his clothes in the liquid before the fire could spread. He then followed up with a fast cuff that Yu Hong dodged but the latter hadn’t accounted for the flying kick that Chi Yuen hit him with in the face seconds later. Yu Hong fell from the tree, but landed easily on the ground, and dusted himself off as he stood up again. “Trying to attack me?” Chi Yuen said coolly, folding his arms. “You’re ten years too early to try.”

“You’re really something else,” Yu Hong admitted with slight admiration, as he rubbed his red cheek with the back of his hand, “being able to cast spells without using incantation papers.”

“You’re not too bad yourself, actually,” Chi Yuen acknowledged pleasantly, his eyes completely focused on Yu Hong. “I wouldn’t mind engaging with you for a fight sometime. I’m sure I wouldn’t be wasting your time. Also…” he suddenly stopped speaking and turned to look at his left shoulder. There was an arrow sticking out of it, an arrow he hadn’t noticed being let loose. Turning back to face the group, he saw it was Wing Kay who shot it. A static shock first came from the arrow, but electric currents suddenly surrounded his body and he screamed from the pain.

Wing Kay’s eyes widened in surprise and she dropped to her knees on the ground. She knew Chi Yuen was a magic user and knew that the potion was deadly for those that used magic. However, when Xiao Lang had asked her to shoot an arrow at Chi Yuen, to distract him momentarily so that the prince could attack him and retrieve the rings, she had chosen carefully, an arrow that should have been completely wiped clean of the potion. After all, she never wanted anyone to die because of her. But that arrow…could she have missed a spot somewhere? No…she didn’t want anyone to die because of her! Xiao Lang placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder and she looked up at him. He didn’t say anything, but she could read it in his eyes. “It wasn’t your fault, so don’t worry about it like that,” they said. Still, Wing Kay felt uneasy about it.

Chi Yuen’s screams had soon subsided to silent cries. The electricity, which would normally immobilize a person, did not stop him at all. In a painstakingly slow movement, he reached toward the arrow and grasped it with his right hand. The arrow was hot still, from the power it was taking from him, but he clutched it tight with his hand and wrenched it out of his shoulder. The electric currents still shot from the arrow around his hand, but it was no longer hurting his body. The arrow fell from his hand and dropped to the ground, the electricity from it already dying down, as he leaned against the tree trunk, panting heavily.

“Such a measly thing could never defeat me,” he said slowly, between breaths. With a slight smile, he continued. “I now have two rings and you have two,” he told them coolly. “That last ring will definitely be mine. And as soon as it is, I’m coming for the last two. They’ll all belong to me in the end.” With that said, he vanished from sight and left them all alone.

Wing Kay had moved from her spot and was sitting on the ground, holding the arrow Chi Yuen had dropped. While the last thing she wanted was someone to die, she couldn’t believe that Chi Yuen was able to remove it so easily. She’d been around Yu Hong and Xiao Lang enough to see their powers, however, the power this magic user possessed was unfathomable. There was a light touch on her shoulder, but she ignored it. That same person then offered her his hand and she looked up to face Xiao Lang. “Come on,” he said softly, “let’s head back.” Wing Kay nodded slowly and accepted the hand, allowing herself to be brought back to her feet. The four turned and headed back to the inn in grim silence, each preoccupied with their own thoughts. Sakura turned and took a sidelong glance at Yu Hong, who had been silent the entire time. He was deep in thought and not paying much attention to his surroundings nor the people around him. She wondered what was going on in his mind.

The Chinese prince had turned in time to see Sakura glance over at Yu Hong and he felt his chest tighten again. However, he said not a word about it and continued on in silence.

~*~*~*~*~*~

A forlorn figure sat by the window, her arms resting on the windowsill, and her head resting atop her arms as she watched the man practicing below. It had been two days since they had lost the wood ring to Chi Yuen and everyone had been feeling rather demoralized. Sakura was alone in her room as Wing Kay had left to get something to eat for breakfast, and she was watching Xiao Lang as he practiced outside. The one most angered at losing the ring was none other than Xiao Lang himself and he was blaming himself on the most part, because he wasn’t able to fight at full capacity with his left hand yet and thus was beaten so easily. For the past two days, all he did was practice and Sakura had been unable to pull him from doing so, even to eat or sleep. “At least Wing Kay can,” she thought with a dejected sigh, “or else he’d be training himself night and day without rest…”

There was a light knock on the door and Sakura pulled herself from the window to go answer it. Before she reached the door, however, it opened, and Yu Hong peeked inside the room. “Is it only you here?” he asked her as he walked in, closing the door behind him. “Where’s Wing Kay?”

“She’s downstairs,” Sakura replied, sitting back down by the windowsill. She was rather surprised to see him. After all, he had also never left his room since they had returned two days ago and Xiao Lang opted to stay in her and Wing Kay’s room so as not to bother him.

“Oh?” said Yu Hong, absentmindedly. He opened the door and was about to step out when he seemed to change his mind. “Hmm, perhaps it’s better this way,” he mused. At the questioning look on Sakura’s face, he crossed the room and sat down beside her. Neither spoke a word for a few moments. “I’m leaving, actually,” Yu Hong said finally. “I need to continue my mission for the Elders. It’s definitely not something I can put off for much longer.”

He abruptly stood up again and walked over to Sakura, holding out both of his hands towards her, with his palms facing up. She placed her hands over his uncertainly, and he clasped them gently, bringing her to her feet. When he released his hands, he placed them firmly on her shoulders, looking straight into her eyes. As she looked into his dark grey eyes, she couldn’t help but think he was treating her so differently from that time several months ago back at the Li Elder’s home. He had really changed… “I wanted to apologize for the way I acted before,” he said in a low voice, suddenly seeming a little shy, “back at the Elder’s place when I said I was going to take you back to the ninth prince.”

Sakura blinked in surprise. She hadn’t known she wasn’t the only one thinking about the past… “It’s not that I was happy that you were being taken back to someone you hated,” he continued. “It’s only that…” His voice trailed off, unsure of how to finish his sentence. “It’s just that you know the fifteenth prince and I have never been on good terms and I was only happy that I could do something to him that would hurt him a lot,” he admitted sheepishly. “However, I never wanted to hurt you. I don’t ever want to.” Without warning, Yu Hong leaned down and his lips lightly brushed her own in a soft kiss. Sakura’s eyes widened, but she said nothing. “When I’m free to, free of this mission,” he said quietly, “I’ll come help you again and only you.” Gently cradling her cheek in his hand, he added, “I wish you good luck with the rest of your mission. And above all, I hope you can find your happiness.” Letting go of her, Yu Hong stepped on the ledge of the windowsill, turned back to smile once at her, and leapt off to the ground below. When Sakura reached the window to see where he had gone, he had already disappeared.

The door to her room suddenly burst wide open, banging into the wall and Sakura whirled around at the sound. Xiao Lang was standing there, glowering, with a very dark aura around him. When he had been practicing outside, he had been aware every moment Sakura had her eyes on him, and the more he felt that, the more he wanted to train, because it was for her protection that he forced himself to try so hard. Even when he had relented to Wing Kay’s pleading for him to at least eat and sleep, he still wanted to do so much more for Sakura’s sake. When she did watch him, her face always displayed such sadness and he felt that if he could do better, then her smile would return, the happy, beautiful smile he wanted to protect. However, when she had been gone for so long, he had started to get worried. What if Shui Ken’s guards had found them and secretly taken her away? Immediately, he had stopped practicing and dashed inside, all the what-ifs crowding his mind.

What he saw when he reached Sakura’s room, however, was something he had least expected of all… Yu Hong had kissed Sakura right before his very eyes. If he could’ve prevented seeing it, he would’ve, but the door had been left open and he had chanced upon seeing them at the moment he arrived outside the room. He had only recovered from his shock after Yu Hong had left, but his entire self was filled with anger and hatred. Because he was generally a calm person, Xiao Lang didn’t know what to do with his pent up rage, nor did he know what it was that made him loathe Yu Hong so. At that very moment, however, there was no one that he despised more than his relative. After slamming the door open, he wordlessly strode till he stood right before the princess and, with his left fist clenched tight, angrily demanded, “What did Yu Hong do to you?” He still asked her, despite already knowing the answer, though, he didn’t know if the kiss was all that Yu Hong gave Sakura.

Unused to seeing the prince in such anger, only replied in her soft voice, “N-nothing. He didn’t do any-” She was suddenly cut off when Xiao Lang kissed her fiercely, silencing her words. But he broke it as soon as he began.

“Where else did he kiss you?” he asked in a low voice, his glare not wavering in the least. “Because, I’ll make sure to erase every touch from him; he had no right to do that to you…” Sakura was in a complete daze. Why was it that Yu Hong’s every word and action seemed to rile Xiao Lang up? Making him act so unlike himself? And, without a word or a warning, he had suddenly kissed her like that… But she still shook her head mutely, indicating there was nothing else. Abruptly, he pulled her into a tight embrace with his one arm and sank to his knees, Sakura going down with him. Sakura turned crimson, wondering just when the prince was able to do such actions so easily though she didn’t know Xiao Lang was equally astonished with himself. Unconsciously, she leaned her head against his chest as he held her close to him and could hear the quick beating of his heart. As he held her, the tension completely escaped from him and he was thoroughly ashamed of the way he acted and treated her. He’d definitely have to apologize for his rash behaviour later. However, for the moment, he did not let go of Sakura…

Somewhere down the hall, Wing Kay turned to lean with her back against the wall and stared up at the ceiling, but really looking into nothingness. She had accidentally witnessed Xiao Lang’s outburst and saw everything that had happened between the prince and princess, unbeknownst to either of them. She had quietly turned and left after, not wanting to let on that she was present when it had happened. However, as she slid to the ground and held her legs to her chest, a lone tear trailed down her cheek. Just what were Xiao Lang’s true feelings, anyway? Who did he love? Because she was beginning to believe he didn’t really know himself…

Author’s Note: What with CNAnime2003, work, getting sick, making the TGS website, server going down, and a stupid writer’s block, I didn’t get this chapter out as soon as I hoped. =(

That’s right, I finished the TGS website. ^_^ You can reach it at /~taateam/ and it’s actually been up since August 25. ^_^* All profiles are finished (though I still need to draw chara profile pics) and there’s a few fan art for display already. =) If anyone wants to submit any, I’d be very happy to receive them. ^_^

I’ve been contemplating of doing a TGS side story that crosses over with Tsubasa RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE. XD I mean, if we thought of TGS as one of the many “worlds”, then this world could be one of the ones they could go to when they look for Sakura’s feathers. ^_^ Heh, should I write one just for fun? XD It would have very little impact (if any) on the actual TGS storyline, though. =P

Syaoran was really mixed up this chapter, ne? ^_^* I find that nothing that I write lately comes out right in the end. -_-* It just seems weird to me the whole way through… So many things have “inserted” themselves. Does anyone remember how I mentioned I had a thorough outline? But so many things kept adding themselves as I wrote it, thus a strange result. o_O

Author’s Note to ChErRi)*(DrEaMeR: Li Yu Hong… He was introduced in chapter nine and there’s a bit about him in ten. He’s a distant relation to Syaoran and also three years older than him.

Author’s Note to Nanali: Would you draw fanart, really, really? *_* I really would love to see some more fanart done for this fic. XD

Author’s Note to mommy: baby-saku is very sad… ;_; Because, even though we had very few classes together, baby-saku always saw mommy at school when we were in high school. Now that we don’t even go to the same universities, even if we’re in the same city, we’ll never get to run into each other at school. *bursts into tears* I want my mommy~! *cries* … *coughs* Anyway, speaking seriously, *glomps mommy* I really miss you! *huggles*

Author’s Note to Red-Emerald: Anything you have to say Red-Emerald-san, I’d like to hear. =)

And thanks to little elfling, tk, Final Fantasy Princess, Rindi, Yukimi Yuki Takiro, Linky-chan, cherryblossomsakura2111, MoshiMoshiQueen, May, yumi, rubygurl, crazy azn angel, Phoniex-dragonmoon, ramahir, White Blossoms, s jus me, sweet-strawberry692003, Jiruru-chan x2, and FuyuSarah for your reviews!

*Sakura
~The Animé Archives Team