Chapter 19 – This Is It

Sakura looked out of her window and gazed at the beautiful trees of Hong Kong. It was amazing, this place. She had never been there, but it truly was a beauty. The weather was hotter than Japan's, she would have to say, but it was just as enchanting. There were skyscrapers almost everywhere she looked, and it just showed how grand exactly the Li mansion was to be able to overlook the city like that. She breathed in a cool breath of fresh air and sighed with a glowing smile. Tomorrow would be the day. Tomorrow. Joy rushed in her body from that single word.

She'd called her family two days before. Of course, her big brother reacted a little too familiarly, bringing joyful tears to her eyes. When she finished telling them of everything, her face was soaked up in tears. Syaoran found her laughing and crying to herself on her bed, her cheeks red and her eyes puffy. He'd called back her family and told them that he would pay for their airfare so they could go to Hong Kong just for her wedding. That just brought another batch of tears. They agreed, of course, wanting to be included in the marriage, and having been invited by Syaoran and Sakura themselves, there was no answer but yes. And funny how it wasn't even her father who held a grudge on Syaoran for not asking him for Sakura's hand; rather, it was Touya once again, who erupted in fury.

A knock on the door jolted her out of her thoughts. Sakura took off the elastic holding her hair up on a loose ponytail. She brushed her fingers through it carelessly and walked to the door, opening it gently. Syaoran stood outside, leaning on the doorway with a lopsided grin that made her heart flutter just a little. Inclining her head, she sent him a questioning smile.

"What is it, Syaoran?" She asked, her tone like a teacher to a child.

He shrugged. "Are you going to let me in?"

"I don't know… you might try to seduce me and I just can't have that. After all, there's only tonight left." Her eyes gleamed.

He put his hands up as if in surrender. "Nope, I can't. It's against the rules and tradition. And…" he sighed heavily. "I'm off to my bachelor party, seeing as this is my last day of being a bachelor."

"What?" She cried out, yanking him inside. "You get a bachelor party! Who says?"

"Calm down, babe," he pulled her hands off him and kissed her tight knuckles. "Eriol and I are going to a club. Meet some women…you know, hook up. All the works," he grinned and bent down to catch her lips. "For just tonight."

She moved her head away and glared at him. "Run that by me again."

"We're going to a strip club." He bit her bottom lip quickly before she could move away again. With a quick whimper from her, he let go and grinned devilishly.

"The hell you are!"

"Hell I'm not," he replied coolly and crossed his arms in front of his chest. "Come on. I'm going to be spending my life with you. Can't you at least—ow!" He leapt away from her when she pinched him hard on the stomach. "God, Sakura, I didn't know you were that violent."

"You are not going to see women dancing on a pole like a….like a…." she shook her head. "I'm not letting you."

Finally. Syaoran raised his brows and looked down at her. "I won't go then. In one condition."

"There is no need for a condition. You aren't going and that's final," Sakura said a matter-of-factly.

"I could go now if I wanted to. The limos are ready to go anytime I say so," he answered back. "So, in one condition."

She sighed and flung her hair back. "Fine. What? What's this condition?"

"You strip for me."

Her jaw dropped. After about a few moments of just staring back at each other, she managed to put it back to its place. "Excuse me?" He opened his mouth, but before a word could come out, she interrupted. "You're serious. As in, you're serious."

"Probably am," he nodded. "So…you strip for me or I go somewhere else for it."

"You're a pervert. You know that, don't you?"

"Sweetheart, all men are perverts. You've just been exposed to their good sides. I'm just…showing you all my sides before you put up with me for the next 50, 60 years." He put his hand beneath her chin and lifted it higher so their eyes locked. "Now, will you strip for me?"

"I will not!" She pushed his hand away and stalked away from him, opening the door with a yank. "Now you go to your room and stay there for the whole night. If I so much as hear or see you walking down that staircase and going out, I will personally see to it that your most precious things are twisted off! Got that?"

He winced at that image. It was very much possible. "But, ahh, you can't just make me not have a bachelor party. It's…completely messed up!"

"I don't get a bachelorette party, so it's perfectly fine not to have one. Besides, you really weren't going to go to the strip club, were you?" She narrowed her eyes at him.

"I don't know, wouldn't I?" He retorted.

She glared at him evilly.

He leaned back on the wall. "Of course I wasn't going to go. I just wanted to trick you into giving me a striptease."

"I don't know how you come up with these stupid things, Syaoran. Why would you honestly believe I'd agree to it?"

"I don't know," he touched the straps of her thin nightgown. "It was pretty stupid of me…since you're only wearing this, right? You wouldn't have anything else to take off after this one."

Her skin tingled. "Yes, that's right." She let him play with it for a moment before taking a step back and pushing his hands off.

"This is killing me," he stayed in his place and swallowed hard. "I've been having these dreams…ah…of you and me. I can't…it's killing me like hell." He shook his head and tried to clear his mind off her. "I have to go before I do something I'll regret."

She took a breath difficultly. Why did it seem too hot in the room? "It's only one more day."

He looked back at her and smiled. "Yeah, that's true." Walking over to her, he wrapped his arms around her waist and bent down within a breath away. "Can I kiss you, though?"

"Yeah," she whispered with a laughing smile.

He caught her lips and let his sexual frustration and emotions in the kiss, making Sakura understand just how badly he wanted, needed her. She kissed him back with just as fierce a passion, but it didn't go anywhere more than that. Syaoran had restraint in his mind and knew he would only wait one more day before he could have all of her forever. She pressed herself against him and buried her face on the front of his shirt. He kissed the top of her head and smelled the scent he'd become all too familiar with. Bending down, he whispered in her ear, "wo ai ni," and left her room, closing the door with a firm click. Sakura stared, touching her throbbing, reddened lips.

--- --- ---

Tomoyo found Eriol in the dining room, with just two candles lit and everything else dark. His elbows leaned on the table while his hands were together. Tomoyo believed he looked too mysteriously handsome now. As something jolted in her belly, Tomoyo held a hand to her stomach. Eriol thought, and thought hard. 'How could I get Tomoyo out of this marriage' was the question that continued to roam his mind. Carefully shy, Tomoyo watched him from the corner of the doorway. Pursing her lips, she continued on and walked to the room. As she sat on a chair beside his, Eriol looked at her with surprise. What was she doing here?

"I couldn't sleep," she murmured as if reading his thoughts.

Slowly, he nodded and took a drink of the cold beer he'd placed in front of him.

"Are you okay?" She asked, looking down at her hands.

"I'm fine. Just thinking," he said her words back to her.

She laughed quietly and looked up at him. "About?"

He shrugged. "Tomorrow."

"Are you regretting it now?" Her question seemed to spike up panicked feelings, which she had no explanation of where it came from.

"No, not really. Syaoran and Sakura deserve to get married," he pointed out. "Just that part with you ending up with me," he sighed, "forever, I guess you could say."

"It's fine with me," Tomoyo took his hand to reassure him, yet it was obvious she was trying to reassure herself as well. "Really, Eriol, it's not like I'm marrying a criminal," she managed to smile. "You're a wonderful man, and I've loved you since we were children. I'm rather lucky."

It hurt. Eriol patted her hand and slowly let her go. "The thing is…that's not enough to make a marriage. You and I know that. You see me as your best friend, right? You love me that way."

She frowned. He sounded hurt by it and she wasn't sure what she'd done. "Yes," she answered in confusion.

He nodded and stood up. "Problem is, I love you a completely different way, Tomoyo," he said as he left the room without another word.

Her heart stopped. She repeated his words in her mind several times to understand what exactly he just said. She blinked after almost a minute, and surprisingly, there were teardrops in her eyelashes. Tomoyo put her head down and let the tears fall. She hadn't known he carried those feelings for her. She didn't know. Tomoyo wiped them away quickly and got up to wash her face in the sink. She wasn't so much afraid of marrying him now; rather, she was feeling fear from something else…something like Eriol not loving her anymore after tonight. Her mind filled with doubt and her heart felt heavy from emotions. She took a minute to lose the dizziness threatening to come, and walked up to her room.

--- --- ---

"This is it," Sakura said to herself as she stared at her wedding dress hanging on the back of the door. Her hands were perfectly warm, not shaking. She was ready for this. She was ready to devote her entire self to one man for the rest of her life. She touched the dress and smiled to herself. Butterflies filled her stomach as images of what would be happening occurred in her mind. It would be a great ceremony, she thought to herself, and walked to the window. She couldn't wait to see Syaoran in a tuxedo, where he would be wearing formal clothes, and actually do something about that hair. Her heart fluttered at the idea of a nicely groomed Syaoran; it could never happen. He was too wild, and had eyes that were much too dark and amber to look groomed. Sakura gazed outside, looking for a glimpse of a limo entering. That would mean the guests would be arriving, and though she didn't know who the guests the Li's invited, she knew two of them. Her smile grew larger at the idea of Touya and her father arriving in Hong Kong, China. "This is really it," she whispered again.

It's so hard to say

How a love could end this way

Tomoyo sat on her bed and blanked off for longer than a moment. This was it. This was supposed to be the happiest day of her life, the day she would promise and give her entire self to a man, and yet there was no feeling of excitement in her. There was dread, there was nervousness, apprehension, anxiety, but no, she couldn't find a feeling of happiness at the moment. It was Eriol and yes, she loved him. But his words shook her to the core, and she didn't know how to look into his eyes in the ceremony and pretend as if he hadn't said anything. There was a feeling of guilt that accompanied her apprehension. He loved her and maybe this wedding was everything he wanted, but she couldn't tell him that that wasn't the case for her, though it was already apparent. There would be a ceremony and then a honeymoon. Her heart, in a matter of seconds, pounded rapidly. The honeymoon. She stood and felt dizzy. The honeymoon. Eriol. Her. Together. Alone. Oh God. She sat back down on the bed and clutched her stomach. 'Ok, forget about the honeymoon. Think about the wedding. The wedding. The wedding,' she repeated to herself, and what that brought was the vision of Eriol standing up at that altar looking devastatingly handsome. Oddly, now, something akin to happiness floated over her heart at the image.

The one that used to care for you

Just turned and walked away

Syaoran stood up and stretched his arms. It was a beautiful, beautiful morning. He opened the windows and leaned forward, taking a big breath of cool, fresh air. The day had arrived; the day he'd thought would never come. His gaze traveled out to the city, but all he could see was Sakura walking to him, wearing a sexy, amazing dress, smiling with those big, gorgeous green eyes, and saying 'I love you' to him without a care who heard her. He didn't know he could ever feel this great, this…happy. There was no trace of nervousness in him. Personally, he wanted to skip the entire one to two hours of ceremony, just get to the 'I do's' and head to their honeymoon. Syaoran grinned to himself like an insane man and leaned back on the wall, imagining what would happen after the ceremony. Ah… the honeymoon. But there was a wedding to do, and he had to get through it. His grin dropped to a grimace. With a tie on for two non-stop hours.

And it's so hard to find

To leave the pain behind

Eriol woke up, wincing at the memory of last night. What compelled him to say those stupid words? Now, he was sure, Tomoyo wouldn't know how to look at him, and that just made it worse. Oh well. At least he'd said to her his feelings. They had no choice anyway; Sonomi had already given the legalities and the expectancies coming out of the new contracts. That was all this wedding was; a contract. That stung a little. Eriol stood up and opened the windows to let in some fresh air, though he was already feeling goose-bumps in his bare arms and chest. Syaoran and Sakura would be there as well, so they weren't the only focus of the wedding, and that brought a little comfort to him. With one last glance outside, he decided that he would get through the ceremony with ease, try and forget everything between Tomoyo, and pretend his hardest that she loved him back. That was the only possible way he could get through it.

When all the things you're looking for

Your heart can't seem to find

--- --- ---

By early that afternoon, everyone had been brought to one of the established cathedrals in Hong Kong. The guests who would be coming were given instructions from the Li mansion to head to the church instead rather than gather there for a pre-celebration. The grooms were walking around the pews, looking at the arrangements quickly done by a great number of people Sonomi had hired less than 6 days ago. The church looked good, they had to admit. Pink roses and tulips were attached to the centre ends of each pew and there was a red carpet placed from the back door to the altar where they would be walking. But of course, since this wedding was brought on within a week, there were mishaps and errors waiting to happen. Eriol could hear Sonomi yelling at people from wherever. It was odd that she was completely devoted into giving Tomoyo a dreamlike wedding, yet make her go through a wedding she didn't want. Meanwhile, Tomoyo and Sakura were in one of the changing rooms, lounging around and waiting for a sign from one of the women working with Sonomi that they were allowed to change into their dresses.

Sakura stood up and sighed. "I want to put on my dress now," she spoke up and paced around the room.

Tomoyo smiled at her from one corner of the room. "I hate to say it, but so do I. This is doing nothing for my nerves. I'm overly apprehensive already."

"I think it's normal," Sakura said, "that people about to marry get cold feet."

"You're not nervous," Tomoyo pointed out with a small laugh.

"That's true," she replied and smiled. "I'm very excited. I really, really am."

"I'm very happy for you," Tomoyo smiled back. "You know…I'm a little…embarrassed to say this out loud, but…earlier this morning, I thought of Eriol in a tuxedo, standing up at the altar, and myself walking to him."

"Did you? And…?" Sakura urged.

Her cheeks flushed heavily as her eyes dropped to her feet. "I felt satisfied for the first time in days."

"Oh Tomoyo…" she murmured, her romantic heart fluttering with Tomoyo's.

Soon, a woman had arrived and signaled them to get changed within two hours. Appalled at the short time they were given, Sakura hurried into one of the stalls and grabbed her dress. Tomoyo eased back and tried to relax, because Sakura made it easier for her to do so. With a laugh, Tomoyo went into the other stall and started to change into her own dress. Two other women arrived, however, and stopped them before they could fully change into them. Sakura looked up in surprise.

"Girls, what are you doing?" One asked.

Sakura looked at Tomoyo and they shared a confused look. "We're changing into our dresses."

"You can't change yet. We haven't fixed you up. First things first: make-up and hairstyles. And then you put on your dress," the other spoke a matter-of-factly and took their arms, pulling them to the counter with swinging chairs. There were large mirrors posted up there.

Sakura held the bag of her dress and looked up at them. "What should we wear now then?"

"These," the first woman gave them white silk robes.

Tomoyo gasped at the feel of the fabric. "This is very soft."

"Mrs. Daidouji personally asked for these ones," the other's eyes brightened. "Now, go ahead and get out of your clothes. It'll take less than an hour to get you both looking like brides."

"Oh, but I was going to do Tomoyo's make-up and hair," Sakura began, looking at Tomoyo in confirmation, who nodded.

One waved her hand off. "Nonsense. There are two of us, two of you. It's only right if we both get to work on you two," she said casually and grinned. "Now come on girls, stop wasting time!"

"I owe you, Tomoyo," Sakura mumbled as they hurried to the stalls. "I really do. I don't know how to repay you now."

"Don't worry about it, Sakura. I'm sure you can pay me back one of these days. I promise I'll call for you if I ever need a favor," Tomoyo assured, speaking through the wall for Sakura to hear.

"That makes me feel better. Thank you," Sakura laughed and took off her clothes. She put on her robe with a sigh of pleasure. "I do love this robe."

"It feels wonderful. At least my mother was considerate enough to make us feel comfortable," Tomoyo inputted as they both came out and walked back to the hairdressers.

--- --- ---

Right at this moment, the feel of the dress on her skin brought a thrill up her spine. This really was it. She stood in front of the mirror and let out a deep breath. Her dress was as gorgeous as it had been days ago. Now that she was wearing it for real, she was flooded with emotions. The woman had put her hair on a high bun, and her bangs gleamed with the gel the woman had put on to keep it in place across the top of her forehead. The woman also placed the headpiece and the veil with it. She truly felt like a bride, and now the only thing left was a groom to marry.

Tomoyo let the women do final touches on her long, shining hair. It flowed just as smoothly down her back like she wanted, and her ears were adorned with elegant, crystal earrings. She smiled and walked to Sakura, the small train of her dress following. Tomoyo felt beautiful and it was a great feeling. She held the thin shawl around her back and down her arms, and kept the soft fabric through her fingers. The dress was in a v-neck style, so it was a little more open than Sakura's, but she didn't mind. A long necklace dangled down the open cut, also full of small crystals.

"You make beautiful brides," the women gushed from behind.

Sakura and Tomoyo looked at each other and laughed. "We do, don't we?" Sakura asked and put an arm around her.

"Yes we do," Tomoyo agreed and let her arm around Sakura's waist. "Now…I think it's time."

Sakura's eyes shone brightly in green. "Ok."

I'll be the air that you breathe

I'll give the strength that you need

Eriol and Syaoran took their spots at the altar. With a deep breath, Syaoran put his hands together in front of him and looked at Eriol, who looked back at him. It took them less than 30 minutes to get into their tuxes, but of course, Syaoran found problems with the stupid tie and they were late about 15 minutes. But now that everything was going to happen, nerves blasted through the both of them. The cathedral was surprisingly full of guests, many Syaoran didn't recognize. One side of the church was full of relatives from the Li family. The other side was of relatives from Eriol and Tomoyo's families. Syaoran recognized a tall man sitting in front of him. He squinted, and at the moment he saw his face, Syaoran swallowed. Touya. The man smirked back at him. He glared back at the man and saw Mr. Kinomoto standing at the back, waiting for his daughter. Something sharp and strong made his heart pound harder. He straightened and grinned. Sakura was coming.

I'll be the light in your eyes

When hope becomes hard to see

Eriol caught Sonomi's narrowed gaze, and nodded at her in recognition. He touched his tie for a moment and copied Syaoran's posture. He took a single deep breath and let it out gently. He was more than ready, and he couldn't wait to see her in a wedding dress. There was no explanation to describe the emotions coursing through him at this moment.

And the pianist started a wedding tune that was not the common 'wedding march' tune. It was one that was romantic and melodious to the ears that could trigger tears at any moment. The people stood up and looked to the back for the brides. Sakura came out first, finding her father standing there waiting to take her up. Tears glimmering already in her eyes, she hugged him hard and hooked her arm through his. Tomoyo saw Sakura's father holding his other arm to her. Filled with emotions, she smiled at the warm, old man and put her arm through his. She kissed his cheek despite the fact that they had never met until this moment.

They both looked to the men standing at the altar, staring back at them with the same intensities in their eyes. Sakura felt a quiver in her belly as they walked on forward. Tomoyo found herself magnetized to Eriol's dark gaze. She smiled up at him with the shyness of a woman meeting her true love for the first time. The men could do nothing but look at their women, so amazingly beautiful in their gowns, even more as their brides. And as Syaoran had imagined, Sakura smiled up at him with those emerald eyes, glistening with a thin sheet of tears. It was like a thrilling punch to the gut when they were steps away from them. Syaoran and Eriol took the women from Sakura's father, holding their hands and bringing them to the altar.

I'll be your shining star

To guide you wherever you are

And the priest began the ceremonies. Syaoran took Sakura's hands in his and never let go. He touched her cheek softly and grinned, not caring what anybody saw. As Sakura expected, she didn't need blush to make her cheeks look ripe; they were doing that on their own. On the other side of the altar, Eriol's gaze never wavered from Tomoyo's, who stared back at him, as if giving him all her trust and care. He took it without hesitation and held her hands tightly to his. No matter what had happened in the past, it didn't matter. The moment was now and that was what mattered. When the priest arrived to the 'I do's', someone stood and gave them their rings to put on.

"Do you Syaoran and Eriol take Sakura and Tomoyo to be your lawfully wedded wives?"

Simultaneously, their deep voices answered, "I do."

"Do you Sakura and Tomoyo take Syaoran and Eriol to be your lawfully wedded husbands?"

One replied, "I do," one second before the other.

"I'm pleased to pronounce that you, Syaoran and Sakura, are now husband and wife, and you, Eriol and Tomoyo, are now husband and wife. You may kiss your brides."

Syaoran swooped down and kissed Sakura with the passion he had always put in every one of his kisses. Sakura smiled in his kiss and opened her eyes just to see him move away. "I love you, Li."

"I love you too, Mrs. Li." He laughed. She smiled sweetly at the name.

Shyly, Tomoyo leaned her head forward. Eriol touched her chin gently and kissed her lips with gentleness. When her eyelids fluttered down, Eriol took the kiss one level higher, making Tomoyo's legs feel like jelly. "You're mine now," he murmured.

"I'm yours," she agreed quietly and put her hand in his as they looked to Syaoran and Sakura.

With a nod, the couples both walked out of there with the loud cheers from the audience. Laughing in glee, Sakura let Syaoran sweep her off her feet. He carried her to their white limousine, waiting for their arrival. In there, he grabbed her swiftly and kissed her just as fervently as before. Eriol brought Tomoyo to the limo behind Syaoran and Sakura's, and with the grace of a gentleman, opened the door for her. She smiled and thanked him as they got in. Inside, he took her hand in his and kissed her upturned palm sweetly. He caught her gaze and kissed her lips once more. Her heart pounded as she stared up at him, realizing that maybe she'd fall in love with Eriol faster than she would expect. And then just one of the limos headed to the reception; the other, with the given directions from Syaoran, headed to the airport. It was long past time for the honeymoon.

And I promise that I'll be by your side

Always you and I

--- --- ---

- The End -