A Secret Proposal (Falling for Sakura 2)

The door dinged and slid open. She stepped out and instantly felt as though something wasn't right. She paused, wondering what it could be.

Ignoring the odd feeling, she headed to the apartment. The moment she clicked the door open, she called out, "Tadaima," which meant 'I'm home'.

Silence greeted her. She blinked, feeling a little uneasy.

"Akira? It's me, Sakura. Are you here?" She put her bag and keys on the table by the door and headed toward the living area. "Toby?"

Finally, she heard an excited bark greeting her and sighed in relief. "Akira, you've found Toby. Thank goodness."

She walked faster now, a smile on her face. She rounded the corner and then came to the door. The moment she stepped over the threshold, she came to a sudden halt and her smile disappeared.

Standing before her with his hand in the pocket of his trousers was Sebastian. She sucked in her breath, and suddenly, the dizziness blasted at her in full force.

Dreaming. I am dreaming. Sebastian can't be here. He can't be.

She shut her eyes and commanded herself to breathe slowly and deeply. When she opened her eyes again, he was still there. He had a haunted look about his face that hurt her heart. Suddenly, she simply wanted to throw herself into his arms and collapse against him. She wanted to feel his warmth against her so bad it hurt.

"Sakura," the voice that haunted her day and night called out to her.

She drifted her gaze to her right and found Darcy there. He, too, looked haunted, and his brooding features were darker than ever. A gasp escaped her lips and her body trembled.

"It can't be," she whispered.

A face appeared in front of her, which was followed by, "You're too pale, Sakura darling, and it's freaking me out."

It was Tristan who said those words, and Sakura blinked.

"Are you going to be sick?" Logan asked, sporting a worried look on his face.

Hayden rolled his eyes and said, "If you two bother to move back and let her enter the room--Shit!"

He didn't even finished the sentence before Sakura closed her eyes and started falling.

Sebastian got to her in a second flat, cradling her in his arms. He gently touched her face and swore under his breath. "She's cold," he said, a tremor in his voice that worried his brothers.

Darcy felt his gut churning acid and came to kneel beside Sebastian. He touched her forehead and then stroked his fingers against her soft hair.

"Sakura," he said.

Sebastian glanced up at his brother. "We should get her comfortable."

At Darcy's nod, Sebastian lifted her and carried her to the sofa. There, he laid her down and sat beside her, his hand stroking her face.

"Is she unwell?" Conrad asked, hugging Toby tightly against his chest as he hovered behind Sebastian.

"Move back," Nicolas ordered. "Give her some room." He turned to Akira, who looked as pale as a ghost. A very beautiful one at that. "Do you have smelling salts or anything?"

Akira nodded and rushed off to find them.

Darcy, who was kneeling on the floor beside Sakura, grabbed her hand. "She's too cold."

Akira returned just then and handed Sebastian the smelling salts. "I thought she didn't look very well this morning," she said. "Maybe she's working too hard. I mean, here with Oba-chan and at the gallery as well."

Nicolas turned his eyes to her. "If you thought she wasn't well and she was working too hard, why didn't you help her out?"

Akira's face reddened. "I did. I was helping out at the gallery during the day while she works here for Oba-chan."

Tristan wasn't happy that their eldest scolded the pretty model. He gave Nicolas a dark frown before turning his attention to Akira. "You're a good friend, Akira-chan," he said, smiling at her. Akira grinned back at the brother, which annoyed Nicolas.

It was a few moments later when Sakura opened her eyes. She stirred, and her gaze focused on Sebastian once again. He gave out a little chuckle. "Is that how you greet us, Sakura?"

Sakura blinked, very aware that Sebastian was so close to her and he was stroking her forehead and the tendrils of her hair. She tried to move but realized someone was holding her hand, tight. She turned her gaze and saw Darcy.

"Rest, Sakura. You're unwell," he said softly.

A lump formed in her throat and tears welled in her eyes. Darcy. My dear Darcy. The words echoed within her head. She closed her eyes and the salty drops rolled down her cheeks.

Tristan said, "Happy tears." In which case, Logan gave him a good jab in the stomach with his elbow.

Toby chose that moment to bark out at his master. Conrad put him down on the floor, and the dog eagerly went to Sakura. Sebastian grabbed the dog and rested the pup on his lap so Sakura could stroke him.

"You're safe," she said softly. "I was so worried."

"I think he was looking for us," Conrad said. "I swear I heard him barking for the past two weeks."

"Sorry, Conrad, for not believing you," Tristan said.

Sakura blinked and, once again, tried to sit up. Sebastian wouldn't let her, however. She obeyed him, since she felt dizzy the moment she lifted her head.

"You brothers live here in this building?" she asked curiously.

"Yep," Hayden answered. "The penthouse."

The news didn't sit well with Sakura. So the dragon and his brothers Akira usually referred to were Nicolas and his brothers, the Princetons, her adoptive siblings. No wonder Toby kept wanting to go up there.

"Anybody want some tea?" Akira asked the brothers. "Sakura-chan, I'll tell the housekeeper to make you some chicken soup. I think it's a good idea you go and see a doctor. I mean, you've got the photoshoot this coming week and we don't want you to tire yourself out."

"Thanks, Akira" Sakura said. "I'll make an appointment tomorrow."

The brothers agreed it was a good idea, and Sebastian promised to take her for the appointment himself. With that settled, Akira went off into the kitchen to help the housekeeper prepare the tea. Oddly enough, Nicolas volunteered to help her, which annoyed Akira.

Ten minutes later, the brothers sat around the low table, enjoying their tea and cake. Sakura was there as well, sipping her chicken soup. Sebastian was beside her and Darcy was on her other side, Toby on his lap, quiet and content.

"So, Sakura darling," Tristan began. "What have you been doing for the past year?"

Sakura swallowed the soup in her mouth and said, "Running my small business."

"Tanaka Gallery?" Hayden queried.

"Why did you change your last name?" Conrad asked, more than a little upset over the idea.

With the color coming back to her face, Sakura managed to blush, which of course pleased the brothers. They knew she was feeling better.

"I didn't want you guys to find me," she stated obviously. "And my biological mother's name is Tanaka."

Conrad nodded, deciding to accept her explanation--for now. She was still too sick, after all. He and his brothers would make sure she changed her last name back to Princeton once everything was settled, of course.

"Even so," Logan said, "you need to change it back to Princeton. That's your name. It just suits you better."

Nicolas stared at his brother. "That's up to Sakura, Logan. Just be glad we've found her." He turned his attention to their sister then. "Sakura, Mom and Dad miss you. They want to see you."

Sakura nodded. She had no choice now. It was too late to run. Too late to escape. Fate wanted her to meet the brothers once again, and she couldn't fight it anymore.

"Sakura-chan," Akira said from the other side of the table. "I've called Oba-chan and told her you're unwell. She will inform Tachibana-sensei. Of course, you'll have to go and do more fittings before we leave for Hawaii."

Tristan thought it was a perfect opportunity to intervene. "Ah, Hawaii and the photoshoot." He turned to Akira and said, "You're one of the models, so I've heard."

Akira nodded, blinking. "Yes." Then she took a sip of her hot tea.

"We'll b

e there as well," Logan said from the other side. "We've signed a contract to be Mr. Tachibana's male models for the summer collection."

At this news, Sakura tightened her hands on the warm bowl and glanced at Darcy. She noted he was looking at her. He gave her a handsome grin and nodded.

Akira, on the other hand, nearly choked on her tea and had to swallow hard. "You guys are Tachibana-sensei's male models?" She eyed Nicolas, and the image of him naked rushed to her mind. She blushed and her heart began to race just a little.

"We'll be horrible at it," Nicolas said, nudging the glasses up the bridge of his nose, just like Sosuke liked to do. "But yes, we've already signed the contract." He turned to smile at Sakura.

Sakura had a feeling this was all premediated by the brothers themselves, to be close to her, of course. But she didn't bother to dwell on that too much because she suddenly felt like she wanted to shut her eyes and sleep forever.

Sebastian noted the tired expression on her face. He knew he was partially to blame. He'd kept her up until three in the morning most nights, chatting with her online for the past week. She'd told him she had work to do today, which he now found out was the fitting for the photoshoot.

He decided a proper family reunion would have to wait until later and stood, drawing everyone's attention. "I think Sakura needs to sleep. She looks ready to drop any minute now," he said to his brothers.

Nicolas agreed with a nod of his head.

Darcy said, "Mom and Dad are coming this evening to see you. We'll have a family dinner up at our apartment."

Sakura smiled and nodded. "I've missed them."