Chapter 1 - The Meeting

Sakura hurriedly showered and got ready for her lunch date with her best friend Tomoyo. She was running late...AGAIN. This was her second time this week running late. She should be used to it by now but she still manages to freak out everytime it happens.

She grabs her purse and keys and runs out of her apartment. She stops at the elevator and presses the button. Hurry up! she thinks to herself as she waits for the elevator. She looks down at her watch and decides that she doesn't have enough time to stand there waiting for the elevator so she darts for the stairs. She starts racing down the steps taking 2 at a time when suddenly BAM!, she's on the floor. She looks up and meets the beautiful eyes of the person she so clumsily ran into. She stares at him with her mouth hanging open.

"Watch where you're going next time!" the mystery man shouts at her.

"I...I'm sorry." she stumbles, still amazed at his good looks.

"Yeah...sure." he says as he starts walking away.

Sakura grabs her purse that she dropped and tries to gain her composure back. It takes longer than she expected, but she finally manages to get back up on her feet and walks down the stairs at a normal pace this time making sure not to run into anybody else.

She finally makes it out of her apartment building and she hails a taxi. She tells the man her destination and sits back in her seat, still thinking about the mystery man from just a few minutes ago.

About 10 minutes later she arrives at the small restaurant and hurries inside to find Tomoyo already sitting there with her drink.

"I am so sorry I'm late Tomoyo." Sakura says as she takes her seat.

Tomoyo laughs lightly and says, "Sakura, I'm used to it by now. You wouldn't be Sakura if you weren't fashionably late for everything."

Sakura opened her mouth to protest her friends statement about her just as the waiter arrived to take her drink order.

"I'd like a water with lemon please." Sakura says to the waiter.

"Comin right up." the waiter replies, shooting her a wicked grin.

Sakura turned to Tomoyo asking, "Is there something stuck in my teeth? Or is my shirt messed up?." Sakura looks down at her clothes to make sure they're adjusted right.

Tomoyo just laughs at Sakura again.

"WHAT IS IT? WHY ARE YOU LAUGHING AT ME?" Sakura says, her voice being louder than normal.

"Sakura! There's noting wrong with you. Gees! Is it such a crime that guys find you attractive?" Tomoyo asks, trying not to laugh again.

Sakura rolls her eyes at her best friend and slightly starts blushing.

"Anyways, I wanted to talk to you about something Sakura."

Sakura studied her best friend closely and then she noticed that evil look in her eyes. "NO! The answer is NO! I'm not doing it Tomoyo!"

"You don't even know what it is yet Sakura!" Tomoyo said in response to her friend's sudden outburst.

"I know that look in your eyes Tomoyo. It only means it's something I'm not going to like." Sakura said.

Tomoyo laughs lightly. "Sakura Sakura Sakura. What am I going to do with you? Anyways...Eriol has a friend who's currently single and..."

"NO! NO! NO! NO! NOOOOO!" Sakura shouted before Tomoyo could even finish what she was saying.

Everyone in the restaurant looked over at Sakura. Sakura hid her face, embarassed.

"Could you please be a little less loud Sakura? I know you don't really get along with Eriol...but his friend...well cousin actually...is a great guy. He's smooth, charming, very attractive, and I think he might be just what you need Sakura."

Sakura sighed heavily before saying "Why do you always try to set me up with guys who I don't know?"

"Someone's gotta do it Sakura! God knows you aren't doing it yourself. Would you please just give it a chance?"

"Why?" Sakura asked, looking at her friend closely.

"Because Sakura...you're not getting any younger and you barely ever date anymore."

Sakura opened her mouth to protest but she was cut off by Tomoyo. "I'm not taking no for an answer Sakura, so you might as well just suck it up and get used to the idea of going on atleast one date with a handsome guy. It's not like it's going to kill you."

Sakura sat there with a pouty look on her face because she knew she wasn't going to win this arguement with Tomoyo.

Tomoyo grinned. "Good. I'm glad you understand. Your date is tonight. Be at the Black Dragonfly tonight at 6."

"Yes mother, anything else?" Sakura asked, still pouting.

"Yes actually. I'm sure you would like a name of the guy your supposed to go on a date with right?"

Sakura only shrugged her shoulders.

Tomoyo rolled her eyes at her friend's childish behavior. "His name is Syaoran Li. Trust me on this one Sakura. You'll have fun. Now...run home and start getting ready for your big date."

Sakura grabbed her purse and got up reluctantly.

"Good girl." Tomoyo said as Sakura started walking away.

"I HEARD THAT TOMOYO!" Sakura shouted before she was out the door.

Tomoyo leaned back in her chair and laughed.

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Sakura arrived back at her house and threw her purse on the floor and her keys on the table. She walked slowly over to her closet and started rummaging through her clothes. She pulled out all of her dresses and laid them on the bed. After minutes of just staring at them, she picked the slim little black one that fit her curves nicely. Might as well dress to impress since I'm stuck in this mess Sakura thought to herself.

She took another quick shower and blow dried her hair. She couldn't decide what to do with it, so she just left it down, hoping later she would think of something.

Sakura glanced at the clock on her wall. It's already 5?!?!?! Sakura grabbed her dress and put it on quickly. She sped back to the bathroom and put on her make-up as quick as she possibly could. She ran her brush threw her hair and ran back to her closet to find shoes to match her dress.

It took her about 15 minutes to pick the perfect shoes to wear with her dress. She slipped them on and looked at the clock again. SHIT! Sakura thought to herself, it was already 5:30. Sakura left her apartment again but made sure not to run down the stairs.

After she arrived outside she hailed another taxi and tried to relax in the back again. It didn't work for her though. She was too nervous to even start to relax. Sakura waited for the taxi to pull up in front of the Black Dragonfly. She paid her fair and walked inside the restaurant.

The restaurant looked so elegant on the inside. There were neat pictures hanging up on the walls, black plush booths around the edges, and small circular tables, meant for two, spread throughout the rather large restaurant.

She walked up to the greeter and forced herself to smile. "Hi my name is Sakura Kinomoto, I'm here for a date with Syaoran Li."

The greeter smiled kindly at her. "Ah yes, Mr. Li has been awaiting your arrival."

Great Sakura thought to herself. This ought to be a great first impression.

The greeter led her to a table where Syaoran was seated. The greeter pulled out her seat and Sakura sat down. He handed her a menu and walked away, giving her time to decide what she wanted.

Sakura looked at her date and her mouth fell open. THIS CANT BE HAPPENING! she thought, angered at her friend Tomoyo for choosing him of all people to set her up with.

Syaoran stopped gazing out of the window to look at his date. Not her...anyone but her! he quietly thought to himself.

"Ummm...h-hi." Sakura stumbled on her words.

Syaoran just nodded at her.

"I-I'm still really s-sorry about earlier. I-I...d-didn't mean to run into you. I-it's just...I-I...was running late. I had to be at l-lunch with my friend and...I-I..." She stopped talking, realizing how stupid she sounded, and started to blush.

Syaoran couldn't help but to laugh at her stumbling over her words so much. He decided to atleast try and be nice so he didn't have to hear about it from his cousin later. Syaoran reached his hand out to Sakura. "I'm Syaoran Li." He flashed one of his killer smiles at her.

"I-I'm Sakura Kinomoto." Sakura managed to say, while shaking his hand.