Words Don't Come Easy

Chapter 10: Just Friends

November 2016

The afternoon sun beamed down through the leaves and onto the concrete pavement. Sakura wiped the sweat that was beginning to form at her hairline with the back of her hand. It was her first time running in the afternoon since she started her training for the half-marathon and it didn't take her long to decide that she'd never be running at this time again. The heat, the number of people, and the sun were all putting her off. All she wanted to do was to go home and have a nice cold shower but there was one thing stopping her and this thing was only a few strides ahead of her.

Syaoran Li.

She had never met someone so hot and cold in her life. At times, he'd be laughing and smiling at her and then, only a few moments later, he would be distant, losing his temper. She wasn't oblivious to his mood swings and she didn't need to be close to him to figure out that it was Ryuu who flipped his switch.

A drop of sweat rolled down her cheek and fell to the ground. The pace they were running at was faster than usual. Faster was an understatement. It was a lot faster. Sakura had been only a couple of steps behind Syaoran when they started but the distance between them only widened as the run continued. She didn't want to stop – not with him around. It wasn't in her nature to give up so she kept running and she would keep running until the soles of her feet were bleeding. There was one problem that was a thorn in her side whenever she decided to run.

Thump, thump, thump.

Sakura slowed down into a walk, clasping her hand around her aching knee. She was hoping that it wouldn't act up this afternoon – with him around – but it was inevitable with the pace they were running at.

She shut her eyes tightly, pushing back the tears that were threatening to fall. Her knee was an issue and it sucked that she couldn't do anything about it. It stopped her from doing many things, too many things and she had decided that it wasn't going to anymore. But every time this happened, every time she woke up in the middle of the night with pain shooting down her leg like acid had been poured all over it – it was only then when she reconsidered what she was doing.

"Li-san!" she yelled between short breaths. The exhaustion, the aching knee, and the gruelling sun were all starting to get to her. To pull her down again.

Syaoran's eyes widen slightly as he looked back over his shoulder. Quickly turning around, he jogged back and kneeled in front of her.

"Is it hurting again?" Sakura's chest tightened at the concern lacing his voice. His hand replaced her own on her knee and ever so gently, he began to press the pads of his fingers in a kneading motion.

A small whine escaped her lips as Syaoran continued to apply pressure on her knee.

"I'll take that as a yes," he chuckled, firmly pressing two fingers onto the kneecap.

The sudden pressure caused her to buckle. Her hand shot out and landed on his shoulder, holding herself upright. Syaoran was quick to act as well with his other hand steadying her at the waist.

Syaoran slowly eased himself up, careful not to let her fall. His hand that was on her waist was replaced with his arm as he helped her to the near bench. Before Sakura could react, he sat down beside her and pulled her legs onto his lap. Her eyes widened at the gesture. His willingness to help her was surprising but it was his gentleness that was beginning to scare her. Not because it seemed fake but because it was real. Too real. And she liked it.

She began to pull her legs back to her chest. "You don't have to do that..." Sakura mumbled, a hint of pink spread across her cheeks. The whole situation was making her a bit shy. It was new and different but nice at the same time. But they were in public and they barely knew each other.