Chapter Three

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Their innocent minds never figured it out.

But maybe that was alright. Maybe it was better off that way. Maybe it was for better off that such moment would last forever, their problems forgotten, as both laid flat on the lush white snow which coated the once green fields that day; that very day—Christmas day, letting the small flakes land on their exposed faces.

Both like the ticklish sensation it brought.

They smiled. They talked. They laughed. He teased her; she wittily retorted back, and seeing him completely at a loss of words, the girl swiftly stood on her feet and ran, the boy chasing her closely in tow. They did nothing but this the whole day; the girl taunting the boy as he ran after her, along with heartily laughs and chuckles. They would wait until one gets tired and finally give up, and as their nimble soles reached the rough texture of the sandy beach, not quite fully covered with the snow. The boy let himself collapse to the ground with a soft thump, and the girl, who had gotten way ahead of him, ran back with a toothy grin.

The boy panted. “Alright, alright,” he spoke, surrendering. “You win.”

The girl smiled as she settled herself beside him. “Don’t I always?”

The boy fell silent as a troubling thought crossed his mind. He straightened his back up, suddenly serious and then hugged his knees. Looking ahead, the sky had already turned a crimson red, and there in the middle of the crystal waters was the magnificent sun as it set in hues of orange and yellow, crowning the fire ball like a halo.

It was a beautiful sight.

Yet the small hint of doubt which had arisen in him had come back, images of the villagers’ heads crowded together, and their whispering lips playing itself again and again in his mind.

Sakura noticed.

“Syaoran? Is something wrong?” she asked.

He didn’t answer. Instead, he merely looked ahead at the horizon, the calm waves of the sea and the soft, chilly breeze as soothing and relaxing as they have ever been.

“Beautiful, isn’t it?” he said as he breathed contentedly.

The girl nodded. “It sure is.” she glanced back at Syaoran. “Hey. Are you sure you’re okay?”

“Don’t worry. I’m fine…”

.

.

.

“Everything’s fine, Sakura. Everything’s perfectly fine.”

Never in his life had he sounded so unsure, and he himself wished that he could believe his own words.

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