Disclaimer: I do not own Cardcaptor Sakura. Clamp does.
Author's Note: December 27, 2016. To all my dearest readers, I've been re-reading the story and found the first three chapters too short. Hence, I decided to merge Chapters 1, 2, and 3. Did nothing major.
PERFECT STRANGERS
Dream of Autumn
i.
Li Ye Lan sat on the high-backed chair as she reviewed the terms of the contract Li Corporation intended to draw with a supplier. It was among the responsibilities she was handling in the absence of her son. Li Xiao Lang, the incumbent CEO and President of the Board of Directors, was allowed to enjoy two months of vacation, a privilege granted to him just three months ago. The last his mother heard of him, he was in South America exploring the Andes.
Xiao Lang, the thought of her son brought a smile to Ye Lan's lips. The vacation was truly well deserved. Xiao Lang had been working almost non-stop since taking on the company five years ago. Under his able leadership, company profits doubled much to the pleasure of the Board. He was Ye Lan's pride and joy.
Bitterly, she thought of her deceased husband. If only you could see our son now, my husband.
Her moment of reverie was broken by a seemingly urgent knock on the door.
"Come in."
The office doors opened and in entered two of her cousins-in-law. Dropping any kind of formalities and greeting, Li Kang Ming went straight to the table and threw an envelope in front of Ye Lan, none too gently. His brother, Li Ah Shen, stood behind him looking grave.
"Ye Lan, we've lost the company," Kang Ming declared.
Ye Lan's eyebrows met. "I beg your pardon?" she hissed.
Kang Ming exhaled forcefully. "We've lost the goddamn company," he repeated, closing his eyes and rubbing the bridge of his nose.
Disbelieving, Ye Lan turned to Ah Shen, who remained silent.
"Yes, I heard you the first time but for the love of Buddha will you please explain yourself?"
Kang Ming composed himself and breathed. Shaking his head, he began "The Li family no longer holds the majority of the company shares."
"Preposterous! Ah Shen, what in the world is your brother onto—"
"It's true," Ah Shen confirmed, speaking for the first time. "It's true."
Ye Lan gaped at the two.
Kang Ming sighed as he sat down. Within a minute, he looked as if he aged by a decade.
"The Lis are supposed to hold 70% of the company shares," Kang Ming began.
"I know Kang Ming… very well, I know," Ye Lan prodded her cousin impatiently.
"Of that 70%, half belongs to your son, Li Xiao Lang. Twenty two percent belongs to Li Chien, while the remaining 13% is divided between my brother and myself."
"Kang Ming—"
"Well, the thing is, as of today, we discovered that the remaining 30% had been held by Amamiya Corporation alone since January."
Ye Lan froze. Thirty percent. Thirty percent of the company was owned by a lone outsider. Amamiya Corp holding the second largest share of the company.
"What?! But isn't the thirty percent owned by six other companies?"
"It was," said Ah Shen.
Ye Lan took notice of the past tense. "Was?"
Kang Ming could only nod.
"Still, that doesn't make any sense of what you're trying to say. Majority of the shares still belongs to my family."
Ah Shen shook his head. "No. Not anymore."
Ye Lan's brow furrowed.
"Ye Lan, as of last week, Amamiya Corp bought the 22% of shares owned by Li Chien."
The words came to Ye Lan in slow motion. The moment the message hit her, she felt as if the world stopped. No! "If Amamiya bought the 22%, that would raise their share to—"
"Fifty two percent."
Ye Lan felt as though somebody punched her in the gut as the truth dawned on her. The company, her family's company, her son Xiao Lang's legacy, now belongs to someone else. "No! This isn't true! This cannot be!"
"Ye Lan—"
"How in the world did this happen? How could Amamiya do this?" Ye Lan was practically shrieking.
"Ye Lan calm down."
"Do not tell me to calm down Ah Shen! My son works himself to death for this forsaken company and somebody dares try take this away from him!" Ye Lan screeched.
"Ye Lan, I know how unfair this is to you, to us," Kang Ming tried pacifying her. "But Ye Lan, Amamiya Corp is willing to sit down and talk."
"What do they want?"
"Apparently, the President is willing to negotiate… for a price."
"And what would that be?"
"He wouldn't tell us. He wants to talk to Xiao Lang, him being the President of the Board. But seeing he isn't here—"
"Well tell him that if he wants to talk, he better come here!"
"There's no need, Madam." The three Lis turned in surprise as somebody spoke.
The new speaker was a tall man with honey brown hair, calculating dark eyes, and an easy smile standing by the door. Seeing the stunned look on their faces, the man smiled. "My apologies for the intrusion. The door was open when I arrived."
Smoothly, he made his way to the seething Ye Lan, positioned himself between the Li brothers, and unabashedly extended his hand in greeting.
"I am Kinomoto Fujitaka, Madam Li, President of Amamiya Corporation."
If there was one thing Li Ye Lan was not, it was trusting. And not for one second did she think of trusting Kinomoto Fujitaka. As handsome the man was for someone his age, the glint in his eye and malice in his smile made it close to impossible for Ye Lan to do so. Ye Lan's lip twitched every time the man smiled.
Kinomoto Fujitaka did what Li Kang Ming had said. He asked for a private conversation with Li Ye Lan about the company. Seeing she had no other choice, Ye Lan willed herself to be alone with the man. She had offered, quite hesitantly, the man coffee but this he refused.
"As of this very second, Amamiya Corporation owns the majority of your company's shares. More than half of it," he sneered as he leaned casually in his seat.
The twitch in Ye Lan's lip was back.
"I have been thinking of what I am going to do with the shares my company currently owns. Firstly, I am considering asking control of the company, you see. That seems to be sensible."
Ye Lan clenched her fists, resolute on remaining silent until Kinomoto Fujitaka finished with what he has to say.
"Or maybe, I could take it all away. But that may just leave the company bankrupt."
He smiled once more. It took all of Ye Lan's strength not to strangle the man on sight.
"Or… I could give it all back to you."
Ye Lan blinked. "You would?" Her question was clouded with suspicion. No one in their right mind would go through buying more than half of a company's shares only to give it all back to the true owner.
The smile on Fujitaka's lips widened. "I would, mind you."
Ye Lan narrowed her eyes. "Surely not without a price."
Fujitaka laughed.
Ye Lan's clenched fists trembled with fury.
"From one businessman to another, of course it comes with a price," Fujitaka concurred. "There is after all, no such thing as free in this world. Everything has to come with a price. I know how important this is to your family, Madam Li. But this is also important to me."
"What, may I ask, are you asking in return, Mr. Kinomoto?" Ye Lan couldn't help but notice the edge in her tone.
Fujitaka sneered. "I have two children, Madam Li. One son and one daughter. Early this year, my son and heir Touya married your niece Mei Ling."
But of course! Ye Lan recalled she was unable to attend Mei Ling's wedding. One of her daughters had given birth that very day and she had to run to Fuu Tie's side.
"That was how I convinced Li Chien to sell me his shares."
The Li matriarch pursed her lips, trusting that if she didn't the man in front of her will not hear the end of it.
"My daughter, on the other hand… For the shares of the company, Madam Li, I am asking that my daughter marry into your family."
What?! "Mr. Kinomoto!"
Fujitaka finally let go of all decency there is. "Yes, Madam Li. I want nothing less." The glint in his eyes was evident.
"You have crossed the line—"
"Have I?" Fujitaka seemed to enjoy seeing Li Ye Lan livid and scandalized. "Well, if it isn't too much to ask, I think your son would suit my daughter just fine."
Thousands of miles away from Hong Kong, Li Syaoran woke up to the shrill ring of his phone. Beside him, his lover untangled herself from him and covered herself with sheets in an attempt to mute out the noise. Blindly, Syaoran reached for his phone expecting it in its usual place on the bedside table for easy access. This morning, however, his fingers could only feel smooth, hard wood.
Grunting in annoyance as his phone continued to ring, he stood and began his search, finding his phone on top of the refrigerator.
This better be important. He had strictly instructed his mother, the only person he gave his roaming number to, to only contact him as a matter of life and death.
"Li Xiao Lang," he greeted, his voice hoarse.
"Come home now. We need to talk," were the only words his mother said before hanging up. He stared at the phone scowling.
What in the world…
In three hours, Li Syaoran found himself at the airport with a ticket back to Hong Kong. With little difficulty, he said goodbye to his one-night lover, who pouted and tried seducing him to reconsider his departure. Women were all the same, he thought. They make you feel what you want to feel. They say things you want to hear, all to get what they desire: him and his body. Syaoran smiled to himself ruefully, knowing he was no different than the women mingled with. He wanted them and their bodies just as much.
However, he was not one who sought long-term relationships. Casual encounters were his thing. Furthermore, he only did it overseas, away from the prying eyes of the people in Hong Kong. His family enjoyed an almost celebrity status there but Syaoran preferred keeping the personal aspect of his life private.
The flight back home was long and tiring for Syaoran. He hadn't intended to come back for another two weeks. But for his mother to tersely demand his return, he figured he had to brace for the worst.
Their family butler, Huang Wei was already waiting for him as when he got out of the airport and within an hour, he was already standing in front of the Li family estate.
"Master Xiao Lang, welcome home!" his nanny Hong Yuan greeted him by the foyer. "It's a surprise to see you so soon!"
Syaoran gave the woman an affectionate smile and shrugged. "I missed you so bad I had to come back earlier than planned," he jested as he hugged her.
"Xiao Lang."
He turned and saw his mother standing a good five meters from him. Li Ye Lan's brown eyes, which usually looked at him with pride, were stony and impassive. With a slight movement of her head, Ye Lan motioned for her son to follow her. "In the study, my son." She turned on her feet and proceeded to enter the said room.
Amber eyes followed his mother's retreating figure.
Yuan clapped his back. "Go. She's been waiting anxiously for your arrival."
With a nod, Syaoran followed his mother. He found her sitting behind the table and allowed himself to be settled on the seat in front of her.
"I am very happy to see you well, my son. How was your trip?"
Syaoran frowned. "Ma Ma, let's go straight to the point. I wasn't supposed to return for another two weeks. What is it that you want to talk about?"
Ye Lan gave him a sad smile. "The family lost control of the company."
Syaoran stared at his mother with uncomprehending eyes. Of all the reasons he assumed to be behind his recall, this was the most far-fetched. Never did he consider this. It was almost impossible to believe. Syaoran felt his anger rise.
"Ma Ma, this is no time for jokes. I travelled halfway around the world because you wanted to talk to me. Now here I am jetlagged and exhausted and you are telling me this?!"
Ye Lan pursed her lips before composing herself. Explaining to her son what happened will not be a quiet walk in the park. "You cannot be any more surprised than I was when your uncles informed me three days ago. It so happened that everything happened… right under our noses."
Her son shook his head.
"Last year," Ye Lan began. "A Japanese company bought all 30% of the company shares not held by the family."
"What? But aren't those owned by—"
"They were," the matriarch cut him off. "Until Amamiya Corp bought them all."
Syaoran scowled. "I still don't understand."
"Then early this year, your cousin Mei Ling married a certain Kinomoto Touya."
He nodded, having attended the ceremony itself. Kinomoto Touya, a Japanese businessman, had been Mei Ling's boyfriend for two years before the pair decided to take their relationship to another level and got hitched.
"Little did we know, Kinomoto Touya's father had begun negotiating with your Uncle Chien to buy the 22% of shares your uncle owned. Just recently, he succeeded."
"But how does that—"
"Kinomoto Touya's father is the President of Amamiya Corp."
Syaoran was stunned into silence. A pindrop would've been loud.
"Now, he owns basically half of the company."
"The devil!" Syaoran stood, understandably enraged. "Who does he think he is?! He would have to kill me first before he takes control of Li Corp. Ma Ma, we can't allow him to take what belongs to us!"
Ye Lan looked away. "I know, Xiao Lang. I… have met and talked to the man."
"And?"
"He… shared his insights as to what he plans to do considering his position."
"He has no right!" he contested hotly. "To hell with what he has! The company belongs to us!"
Ye Lan silenced herself.
Frantic, Syaoran knelt before his mother and took her hands, pleading. "Ma Ma, there has to be something that we could do!"
His mother sighed. "Kinomoto Fujitaka has given us his options and has expressed his willingness to give it all back."
Syaoran stopped. "What?"
Ye Lan gripped her son's hands tightly. "Only if you marry his daughter."
A moment of silence passed. Ye Lan saw the different emotions passing through Syaoran's eyes that were so like her own: anger and disbelief.
"No… Like hell I will!" Syaoran hissed and stood, trembling with rage. "I know what kind of game that man is playing, Ma Ma! And let me tell you, two can play that game!"
With that he walked out of the room, shutting the door with a loud bang.
In her newfound solitude, a pleased yet sinister smile fell on Li Ye Lan's lips.
"You show him, my son. You show him nobody messes with a Li."
Hiiragizawa Eriol was quietly spending his weekend at his apartment. He relished living alone, having no one to bother him while he took advantage of the time away from work. His job as a resident surgeon in one of Hong Kong's busiest hospitals took most of his time. The life of a medical practitioner, as rewarding as it may be, was indeed exhausting. He was about to retire to the comfort of his bed after a grueling 48-hour shift when the doorbell rang. Eriol had the urge to pretend he wasn't around and simply ignore whoever was on the other side of the door. But in the end, his conscience won and soon he found himself face to face with his visitor. The young doctor blinked in surprise.
"Xiao Lang?"
His cousin gave him a pained smile as he let himself in.
"Hey."
"I thought you were still on vacation," he asked, confused.
Syaoran sighed as he plopped himself on the sofa. "You got some whiskey?"
Eriol raised his brows. "You do realize it's still eleven in the morning."
"And your point is?"
"It's way too early to be drinking."
Syaoran grunted and stood, making his way to his cousin's bar, which he knew would never run out of alcohol. Eriol sighed as he sat down on the sofa. After a few minutes, Syaoran returned grinning, two glasses of liquor in his hands. He gave one to Eriol, who grudgingly accepted.
"Let's make a toast, shall we?" Syaoran proposed, raising his glass.
"A toast for what? Your safe return?" Eriol chuckled as he brought the alcohol to his lips. This earned him a glare.
"A toast… to my upcoming marriage!"
Eriol sputtered. Syaoran smirked in satisfaction as he sipped his own glass.
"You? Getting married?" Eriol looked at him with disbelief.
"You're my best man, of course," Syaoran told him as-a-matter-of-factly.
Eriol did the one thing he thought was the most appropriate thing to do: he laughed. Syaoran was expecting it, having known his cousin for most of their lives, yet his laughter annoyed the hell out of him.
"Yeah right! That'll be the day!" Eriol chortled. His laughter died when Syaoran remained silent.
"Does that mean you refuse to be my best man?"
Eriol looked at him agape. "Xiao Lang, you cannot be serious!"
There was a reason why Hiiragizawa Eriol and Li Xiao Lang were best of friends. They knew and understand each other well and better than any of their own family members could. For Li Xiao Lang to jump into marriage hastily having had no steady girlfriend for as long as Eriol knew him was beyond the latter's comprehension.
Syaoran finished his glass in one gulp and shook his head. "I'm afraid I am." He stood up and helped himself to a second glass.
This left Eriol flustered. "Hold up! Are you telling me that during your few months overseas, you met one amazing woman who gave you the time of your life, so amazing that you just couldn't let her go and decided to make her your wife?"
Syaoran smirked. "Good guess but it's a lot more romantic than that, actually. The President of Amamiya Corp forced me to marry his daughter."
Exhaustion was creeping up on Eriol so badly that he had trouble grasping the words spoken. "I'm sorry? What was that again?"
"Hiiragizawa, I'm only going to say this once so don't make me say it again." And with that, Syaoran told him of the things that had transpired.
Eriol blanched. "Xiao Lang, that's—that's insane! You actually agreed to what the man wants?"
"If that's what it takes to get my company back, I can play his game," Syaoran resolved. "If he thinks he has me wrapped in his claws, he's mistaken. If he thinks he can mess with me or my family, so help me, his daughter will pay dearly."
The look in Syaoran's eyes turned feral. Eriol could only wish that the Kinomoto girl knew what she was getting herself into.
Syaoran left Eriol's apartment a few minutes past one in the afternoon, granting his cousin his much-needed break. The rest of Syaoran's afternoon was spent driving aimlessly through the streets of Hong Kong. He was nearing the Chinese border and could've sworn he would have driven straight to China had his mother not call him at around five. Hesitantly, Syaoran turned his car around and returned to the city. He wondered if he had become somewhat allergic to his mother's calls. The last couple of times he was summoned, nothing good had ever come out of them.
"You called for me, Ma Ma," he asked warily when he entered his mother's study.
"Xiao Lang," she greeted him and stood. He felt her hesitation. In an instant, he knew that whatever his mother was about to say will only leave him indignant. "Kinomoto Fujitaka came this afternoon, said he wanted to meet you."
Syaoran resisted the impulse to snort. "What for? Surely he didn't come to see if we could start bonding as father-and-son-in-law." He asked sarcastically.
Ye Lan set her mouth. The thought of having a man like Kinomoto Fujitaka related to them repulsed her. That man could be the grandfather of my Xiao Lang's children. She inwardly shuddered. "No. He wanted to tell you—us that he wants the wedding within a month."
"A month?" he echoed in a whisper.
"Yes," Ye Lan's reply came out in a hiss. "The sooner you got married, the sooner he could give the company back. Or so he says."
Ye Lan allowed some time for her words to sink in as she watched her son's face paled.
"Son of a bitch."
Ye Lan cleared her throat, her eyes on Syaoran's trembling clenched fists.
"He also wants to inform us that he will be back in two weeks," she told him monotonously. "And he'll be bringing his daughter for us to meet."
Syaoran raised his eyebrows incredulously. "I must prepare then. We wouldn't want to disappoint Miss Kinomoto, would we, Ma Ma? I wouldn't want every effort go to waste should she find me unattractive."
The Li matriarch frowned. "You speak as if you want to go through with this—this foolishness!"
"Don't worry, Ma Ma. I know what I'm doing," he assured her.
This did nothing to placate Li Ye Lan's worries. "I hope so, Xiao Lang. The last thing we need right now is for Kinomoto Fujitaka to make us look stupider than we looked when he pulled the wool over our eyes."
TO BE CONTINUED
Author's Notes:
(1) Don't get me wrong. I adore Kinomoto Fujitaka. He is such a perfect man and I sometimes can't help but envy Nadeshiko for marrying him. But sometimes, for the sake of my wild imagination, I let myself get carried away. (evil laugh)
(2) For the next chapter, Syaoran and Sakura finally meet.
(3) Thank you, thank you to all those who have reviewed, put this story in their alerts, favorited this story, and appreciated my other stories. You inspire me to continue writing. I would've updated sooner but I still have my exams last week so I had to prioritize. Mind you I was itching to update and it's all because of you guys, so thank you! Feel free to message me anytime!