What is it of this act,

that marks those partaking

with the musk like scent

of betrayal?

That lingers around you

like a mantle of deceit.

That leads to raw,

Illicit coupling;

the unacknowledged.

Deftness of hand

deceives the heart.

The unacknowledged…

Your lingering kiss

leaves sweet sugar taste

on my tongue,

but this treachery's name

cannot be spoken.

A:N/ I DO NOT OWN THIS POEM, IT BELONGS TO IT'S RIGHTFUL OWNER!

Infidelity

A/N: I'm so sorry for the late updates and response for everyone's lovely comments and messages, its exam month for me and I've been busy revising for my subjects not to mention interviews for sixth form which have been stressing me out as well. But I wrote this quick fanfic to those who read my stories to say I am alive! I will definitely finish my other stories, and rewrite some that are appalling with my grammar and other faults which need to be corrected. And I also have the urge to write the other stories that I have yet to write! So thank you for everyone's support! I hope you enjoy this story!

Disclaimer: I HAVE NO RIGHTS OVER THE CHARACTERS OR ANIME! TSUBASA RESERVOIR CHRONICLES IS OWNED BY CLAMP AND CLAMP ONLY!

SUMMARY: 'It feels so wrong…and yet I can't pull myself away from this depravity…'

Li Syaoran sat quietly at his desk, clutching a full cup of café noir in his hands. Normally by this time, he would have enjoyed at least two cups of the revitalizing liquid but this morning it remained untouched. As he stared deeply into the blackness of the rich Brazilian coffee, his facial expressions fluctuated between ecstatic to melancholy. Sighing heavily, he raised his head ever so slowly and glanced across the desk at his wife's picture, just because it was an arranged marriage didn't mean it meant nothing right?

Pausing momentarily, his full attention then focused upon a single stalk in a vase that beheld a Sakura flower yet to bloom, he narrowed his amber eyes.

He thoughtfully stroked his sculptured chin, looking long and hard at the image being reflected upon the black surface of his wife's picture. Vivid images of last night thrilled and disturbed him equally. One minute he smiled; the next he grimaced as conflicting emotions washed over him. Catching a glimmer of light reflecting from his gold wedding band, he slammed his large hand angrily onto the desk running his hand roughly through his locks of brown hair.

"Who are you?" he asked the man staring back at him in the reflection, his voice lingering in the heavy silence.

'What was he thinking and feeling this morning?' wondered Sakura as she eased into her chair and logged onto the computer. Uncertainties combined with insecurities caused her mind to race unchecked, conjuring up scenario after scenario. An uncomfortable tightness formed in her throat and chest as waves of anxiety washed over her.

'You fool of a girl, what have you done?' she berated herself. 'You've really landed yourself in a mess now!'

Sakura tried to steady herself and go about business as usual, but the prevailing nervousness and frustration prevented her from concentrating. She shuffled paperwork back and forth, going through the motions but she was not really paying attention for a certain amber eyed gentlemen haunted her mind.

Startled by the sound of a new instant message, Sakura jumped. In dismay, she watched the flashing Communicator in the corner of her screen; it was an instant message from her boss, Li Syaoran. Her hand shook as she double clicked on the icon.

[CEO Li Syaoran 9:08 am]: We need to talk ... about last night. Meet me at the Garden Terrace at 12:00.

Butterflies churned in her stomach as she read the succinct words over and over. She needed something to put her mind at rest but his words were void of feelings. Negative emotions clouded her judgment and fuelled her anxiety. She searched the message repeatedly but couldn't find anything positive in them. Feelings of rejection threatened to overwhelm her as she stared at the cold instruction. And yet another part of her was expecting this to come, after all he was a married man and what she did was wrong; it was adultery…a sin. Fighting back the tears which welled inside, Sakura lowered her face, her bangs of hair veiling her distraught face. She locked her computer screen, grabbed her handbag and walked swiftly to the ladies room. Once safely locked behind the confines of a stall, she leaned her head backwards, closed her eyes and allowed her emotions to run unchecked. Tears streamed down her face as she cried silently.

'Kami sama, what were you thinking? He's married!' she thought, dabbing her eyes regularly to avoid staining her dark black suit.

'Flirting and having a little fun was one thing but sleeping with your boss...! You can't even blame drink for your behaviour! Kami sama, he must think I'm a complete whore... no wonder he ignored me this morning.'

Sakura's pride and defiance kicked into gear and she quickly formulated a strategy to extricate herself from the embarrassing situation. Inspired by her newfound strength, she actually believed a certain amount of dignity could still be maintained. Sakura got up, dried her eyes and exited the stall. After washing her hands, she made a quick check of herself in the mirror, smoothed her pencil skirt and tugged her jacket in place before exiting the ladies room. She walked directly to her desk where she picked up the phone and promptly dialled an internal extension.

When Syaoran returned from his 10:30 a.m. appointment, he picked up the stack of messages from his desk and quickly scanned Sakura's precise writing, prioritizing the messages in his mind. Noticing the voicemail indicator flashing, he picked up the receiver. Most were routine calls but the last message caught him by complete surprise.

"Apologies for the disruption Li sama, but a request from the HR has requested for your presence. Kinomoto Sakura has been to see the HR this morning and need your consent for a contract to take place. "

Syaoran leaned back in his chair, stunned and perplexed by the call.

'Why had Sakura been to see Human Relations?' he wondered. 'Was she sick? Was she leaving? Had she filed some sort of complaint about him? Oh kami, did it have something to do with their intimacy last night?'

As Sakura returned to her workstation with a tray of drinks, she could see Syaoran was on the phone as the indicator light glowed in her peripheral vision. She knew from experience that HR would have contacted him by now and it was quite possible she was the reason he was on the phone. Having distributed the drinks, she squared her shoulders with steely resolve, focused on her screen and systematically dealt with the various requests for her time. Externally, she appeared to be under control but deep inside Sakura was dying. She knew that in another hour, it would all be over.

Syaoran replaced the receiver, leaned back into his chair and exhaled deeply. He stared at the phone with a perplexed look.

'What kind of fucking game is that girl playing?' he questioned, feeling his heart beat fiercely within his barrel chest. Syaoran felt as though Sakura had undermined his authority and was not pleased in the least.

'She clearly needs a lesson on who's the boss around here,' he concluded and formulated a strategy for their upcoming meeting. He wanted to ensure his secretary clearly understood the lay of the land in these circumstances.

Later that morning, Syaoran pressed the button for the 30th floor and waited patiently for the elevator doors to close; silently cussing under his breath at how slow the elevator was giving the famous murderous glare at the buttons as they lit one by one in a deathly slow rate. He always enjoyed going to the Garden Terrace as it offered a place of refuge from the hustle and bustle of the business world below, and being CEO of the Li corporations international also came with an abundant quantity of stress and pressure. He stepped out the elevator and took a seat near the terrace that gave a full view of the elevator so he could see Sakura when she arrived. At approximately ten minutes later Sakura arrived, he stood, slid out the accompanying chair and steadied it for her as a gentleman would as she joined him on the terrace. Her refusal to make eye contact only confirmed what he already knew he noted as he took his seat opposite of her.

"Sakura," he acknowledged in a low, deep voice. The firmness in his tone reflected his conviction.

He gently tilted her chin up until he could see her soft face. She didn't utter a word nor need to as her striking emerald eyes spoke for her; his gaze softened at the beauty before him as her shoulder length auburn hair fluttered in the gentle breeze.

"Last night was not a fluke, nor just some random act. I don't regret it in the least. Yes, there is a sense of guilt. Yes, I am wrestling with my conscience but rest assured what we experienced was real, very real and if possible I want to continue a relationship with you."

Sakura's doe-like eyes widened as she listened intently to each and every word, hanging onto each syllable…each word that escaped between his lips.

'This is wrong, this is so wrong!'

"Sakura, this wasn't a one night stand and I want you to understand that. It has touched me deeply just as it has rocked you. Believe me Sakura; it is very, very real. In a couple of weeks, I'll be attending a board meeting to China and will need someone to assist me and with you being my secretary it will hopefully give us some quality time ... to get our heads around this."

'It feels so wrong…and yet I can't pull myself away from this depravity…'

With that, he paused briefly, and gave her a gentle kiss on her forehead; his lips grazing her skin ever so softly. Her eyes fluttered shut, but reopened feeling the loss of his warmth. As he stood up to leave, he leaned down to ensure their conversation was not overheard.

"By the way, the HR called me this morning, informing me of your request for a transfer. I denied the request, telling the HR that a sufficient case for transfer hadn't been made and stressed the needs of the business outweighed the desires of the individual."

Whilst bending forward to emphasize his next words, he paused momentarily to look deep into her eyes, searching them; looking into her very soul…

"Sakura, I would be devastated should you leave. More than anything, I want you by my side, personally and professionally. Nevertheless, if you find you can no longer work for me, I want you to tell me to my fucking face." Syaoran finished hissing the last few words, he momentarily stepped back and released a heavy sigh and breathed, "Otherwise, I expect you to get back to your desk after lunch and perform your duties in accordance with the high standards you have consistently set for the office "he finished in a soft tone.

After a brief pause, he continued, "Apologies darling, but I have to run. I have a meeting with the CEO of Hojima corp and I must not be late" he apologised rolling the sleeve of his business suit to glance at his Rolex watch momentarily.

"I love you, allow me to show it!" he said with a soft smile grazing his face.

As he turned to walk away, he squeezed her hand tenderly and headed off towards the elevator. After a few steps, he stopped abruptly, turned and added, "Make sure to report to my office at 2am Miss Kinomoto, I have some files which need to be faxed, and your presence along with it" he winked before stuffing his hands in his trouser pockets and headed towards the private lifts that he as CEO was permitted to take.

Leaving a dazed Sakura behind she touched the area where his kiss still lingered on her skin, a tingly sensation remained creating a gentle hue of pink on her delicate face…

'What just happened?'

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(This is a oneshot)

words: 2,037