Sakura wasn’t prepared for today. In fact, she wasn’t at all prepared for any of this to happen to her. There she was, standing in the middle of the endless runway, watching Akira expertly doing her walk, her slim hips slightly swaying as she elegantly held one hand to the long dress, showing it off. Meanwhile, a few other girls were heading back toward her.

Thump! Thump! Thump! What was she supposed to do? She nervously glanced at Mr. Tachibana, who nodded at her to start walking.

Don’t think, she told herself. Just listen to the music. That was when she heard it. Why hadn’t she heard it before? It was a lovely Japanese traditional music mixed with modern pop, and it caused her heart to soar like a bird. She felt as though a pair of white feathery wings had just grown out of her back and were taking her up higher into the air.

Then she did it. She walked. She was actually doing her walk in tune with the music. She wasn’t thinking of her stage fright, nor was she thinking of the audience. She was now in her own world, a world where spring existed forever, where she was surrounded with cherry blossoms and the pale petals rained down on her.

Then it happened. In the distance, in her mind’s eye, she conjured up seven samurais. They were standing right there before her, dressed in the Japanese traditional clothing, and on their sides, they held katanas, ready to fight for their loved ones. As she walked closer to them, she noticed two very distinct samurais. Both were very handsome, tall, and muscularly built. One had blond hair and blue eyes, the other sinful black hair and mauve-gray eyes. They were both staring at her, their eyes intent on her.

Sakura felt her heart jolt within her chest.

She was coming toward the end of the runway now. That was when the music soared and the singer raised her exotic voice higher and higher. It was so beautiful it took Sakura’s breath away and tears brewed in her eyes. Then she stopped right at the end of the runway and the light flashed around the audience randomly. Sakura decided to lift her head just then, and that was when she saw them.

She was so shocked to see them she nearly fainted right there in the center of the stage while thousands of people watched her, marveling at her exotic gown and exquisite necklace. No, she mustn’t faint. She must not.

Finally, she managed to take control of herself and stood as proudly as she could, posing elegantly, showing off the gown and the necklace under the bright light.

Oh God! Please don’t let them see me! Please don’t let them recognize me!

Her hope, however, died a sudden death, for standing there before her were the seven Princeton brothers, staring at her on stage as if they’d just witnessed an angel descending from heaven.

Heart thumping furiously within his chest, Darcy couldn’t believe it. He just couldn’t. After a full year of intense searching, here she was, standing right there before them onstage.

Thump! Thump! Thump! Oh God, his heart was going to burst out of his chest any moment now. Darcy, however, didn’t bother to tell his heart to stop beating so fast and so furious. In fact, he encouraged it. The pain and the pleasure, they were both there within his being.

Snow! My Snow! Tears brewed in his eyes as he watched her. His Snow, with pink hair and wearing the most beautiful gown he’d ever seen. Slowly, he walked toward her.

Sebastian felt his heart jolting within his chest furiously. He couldn’t believe it. Sakura! She was right there standing before them. Oh God! His heart was going to burst out of his chest any moment. Sakura! She was back. He felt his heart heaving with pain and pleasure. Slowly, he walked toward her, his legs weak.

Sakura panicked the moment she realized the brothers had recognized her after all. She instantly knew for a fact they weren’t going to let her go that easily. She hastily turned on her heel and started walking back. As she went, she noted Nicolas, Tristan, Hayden, and Conrad were following her on her left amongst the crowd below the elevated platform. On her right were Sebastian, Darcy, and Logan. Oh God! Please make them stop following me. Please, God!

Finally, she reached the end of the runway and breathed with relief. Now was her chance to escape. She rushed down the stairs, taking two steps at a time, never mind the four-inch heels that were burning her feet.

She was about to go free when Mr. Tachibana caught her by the arm and said, “We’re not done yet, my dear.”

Suddenly, she found herself being dragged back onto the catwalk. Then, only a moment later, she was striding down the runway yet again with Mr. Tachibana by her side. She noted he was waving happily. No doubt his show was a success, she thought. Sakura’s mission, however, wasn’t at all a success. In fact, it was a total failure, and not only that, she now had herself in a big mess.

She noted the brothers were still on to her. Please, she thought, let this finish soon so I can run away.

Her prayer, however, didn’t reach God, and hence, it didn’t come true, as once all the models returned to the end of the stage, Mr. Tachibana began to make a speech.

Sakura glanced to her left and noted both Sebastian and Darcy watching her intensely. Her heart raced and her stomach flipped. She gritted her teeth. Why here? Why now?

Suddenly, Mr. Tachibana took her hand and raised it up high with his as he bowed. Sakura didn’t know what to do and decided to awkwardly bow as well. Then there were loud cheers and clapping. Finally, they started exiting the runway, and Sakura sighed with relief. Once they got backstage, Sakura thought this was it.

“Tachibana-sama,” Ms. Ruka said. “We have a request. Mr. Princeton would like to meet with our finale girl.”

Sakura gasped. No! No! No!

She released her hand from Mr. Tachibana’s grasp and shook her head.

“I can’t. I’m busy,” she said and made for a run. She was dashing to the right when, to her horror, she found Sebastian standing there, his large frame blocking her exit. Her heart jolted again, and she wanted to cry. Blast him, she thought. What the hell was he doing here anyway? She needed to get away and fast. She didn’t want to see him, or any of his brothers for that matter.

She turned and dashed in the opposite direction. Her body, however, slammed into another hard, masculine body. Oomph! Strong arms wrapped around her, and Sakura looked up to see mauve-gray eyes watching her. Her heart somersaulted and her breath caught at the back of her throat.

Darcy! My dear Darcy!

She gazed up at him, his large body against hers and his arms wrapped around her, embracing her tighter, indicating he’d never let her go.

Darcy stared down at the woman who’d been responsible for his hell this past year, his sleepless nights and aching heart. She was now here and in his arms once again, and he would never let her go, ever again. Oh God! How his heart ached. How he felt so much pleasure and so much pain seeing her again.

Sakura felt like she wanted to cry. The last time she’d seen Darcy was when he’d been unconscious and in the hospital after he’d tried to save her from drowning. Now he was here, standing before her, embracing her and breathing his warm breath on her skin, causing her body to tingle with beautiful sensation and something familiar that stirred deep within her soul.

She gained control of herself and moved out of his embrace. She took a few steps back, her whole body shaking uncontrollably. Then she found herself bumping against Sebastian and in his arms. She panicked and glanced up to see azure-blue eyes gazing down at her. There were both pain and pleasure in those beautiful eyes.

Sakura bit her lip and wanted to cry out in outrage. Why here? Why now?

She wasn’t ready for this. She wasn’t ready to meet them again. She hadn’t prepared herself—both mentally and emotionally. Both of them had affected her too much last spring after they’d confessed their love for her. She herself had fallen in love—not with just one of them, but with both. How could a woman fall in love with two men at the same time? Even more shocking when those men were brothers!

She freed herself from his arms and stood in the middle, tears in her eyes. She had to get away.

Suddenly, Tristan appeared before her, his face only a few inches from hers. He grinned. “Interesting,” he said. “Is that your idea, Mr. Tachibana? The two different eye colors?”

Mr. Tachibana cocked his head to one side and was about to say something when Logan said, “One blue eye and one gray eye. They look oddly familiar, don’t you think, Tristan?”

“God, you guys are annoying,” Hayden said and then turned to Sakura. “Come on. Mom and Dad are waiting.”

“Sakura!” Conrad said, watching her. “Why did you leave us?”

Sakura wanted to cry when she saw Conrad’s upset face. She didn’t know what to say and suddenly felt awfully hot and dizzy. “I’m sorry. I… I have to go and change.”

Confused, she started walking away. As she headed toward the dressing room, she noted the brothers were following her again. Couldn’t they just leave her be?

She glanced to her right and saw Sebastian, Hayden, and Conrad behind her, following her but at the same time keeping a good distance. On her right, she saw Darcy, Logan, and Tristan following her, also keeping a good distance. She felt like she had six bodyguards with her and felt awfully trapped.

She glanced ahead of her. Yes! Thank God! People! So many people. Busy people going about everywhere, shouting, screaming, and scrambling. It was backstage after all.

That was when Jane appeared. Thank goodness! Sakura rushed up to her friend, her heart pounding. She knew there was a slim chance she’d be able to escape, and she’d take it if it killed her.

“What’s wrong?” Jane asked the moment she saw Sakura’s pale face.

Suddenly, a bunch of people rushed around them, and Sakura took that chance. “Don’t tell them who I am, okay?” She hastily lifted her feet one by one and took the damn heels off. Bare feet and a lot more comfortable, she begged Jane, “Please, I beg you. Don’t tell them anything about me. I’ll explain later.”

She handed Jane the shoes and then dashed away, her person blocked by hundreds of people, hiding her from the brothers’ view. She raced toward the exit, shoved it open, and then sprinted down the stairs. That was close, she thought and continued running.

The brothers lost sight of Sakura and frantically searched about them.

“She’s gone!” Sebastian shouted.

“The exit!” Darcy yelled and raced toward it, followed by Sebastian.

Logan took out his cell phone as he was running. “Nicolas! She escaped!”

Tristan, Conrad, and Hayden weren’t far behind him as they dashed down the stairs, chasing after the woman who had run away from them last spring.

In the main lobby and standing with his parents, James and Brenda Princeton, Nicolas swore under his breath. “She got away,” he told them.

James frowned and Brenda nearly broke down.

“We’ll find her,” Nicolas reassured them. Then he rushed away toward backstage. As he was running, he took out his headpiece and yelled into the mic, “Listen, it’s your CEO Nicolas Princeton here. There’s a woman on the loose. Don’t let her escape. I repeat! Don’t let her escape. And don’t hurt her!”

He came to a stop backstage, looked around frantically, noted the exit door was wide open, and raced toward it. He was about to reach it when he slammed into a woman and fell on top of her.

“Baka!”

“Shit!” Nicolas swore and rolled himself up. He found himself sitting on top of the most exotic beauty he’d ever seen. He swallowed and nudged his glasses up the bridge of his fine nose, his heart beating out of control.

Nicolas’s heart never beat out of control.

Akira glared at him. “Baka! You baka! How could you slam yourself into me like that? Now you’ve ruined the gown!”

Nicolas didn’t have time for this. He had to help his brother catch Sakura. She was more important, and so he simply said, “Sorry,” to Akira, got up, and ran across to the exit door.

Akira got up and harrumphed loudly. “Baka man!” she muttered under her breath.

Nicolas dialed Sebastian’s number and yelled, “Where is she?”

Sakura had no idea where she was in this enormous hotel. She was lost. She puffed as she stood in the middle of some sort of corridor, searching about her, wondering where she was.

“I don’t know where she is!” she heard Sebastian shouting from a good distance away.

Sakura swore under her breath and dashed down the corridor.

“Wait! She’s here on the second floor. West wing!” Sebastian shouted into the phone.

Sakura took the chance and glanced behind her. She nearly shrieked out when she saw both Sebastian and Darcy sprinting toward her. They’re fast.

She sprinted, and the brothers were only a few steps behind her.

“Sakura! Stop!” Sebastian shouted.

“Sakura!” Darcy yelled. “Please don’t run away!”

Sakura wanted to cry. I’m sorry! But I don’t want you guys in my life just yet. Not yet.

The brothers’ hands were reaching out to her, their fingers inches from grabbing the material of her long gown. Then just like that, she dashed around the corner, out the door, and down the stairs. The brothers lost their chance, and she was gone.

Sakura sprinted down the stairs as fast as she could and then out the door into the spring sunshine. She sighed and then raced into the thick crowd, hiding her slender form from the brothers’ eyes.

The brothers rushed out and were lost. She was gone from their sight. Sebastian took out his cell phone and called Nicolas. “She’s gone,” he said, pain echoing in his voice.

Darcy gritted his teeth. He’d lost her yet again, and he felt his heart aching painfully.

Tristan, Logan, Hayden, and Conrad came rushing out of the hotel at that moment, heaving in exertion.

“Where did she go?” Hayden asked.

“Sakura,” Conrad said softly.

On the corner of the street, Sakura turned her head and peeked at the brothers standing there amongst the crowd, looking as if they’d lost all hope.

“I’m sorry,” she whispered, tears in her eyes. “I’m so sorry.”

* * * * *