Hi everyone! This is my new story: I hope you like it.
The quick synopsis: Toya recently took over his grandfather's company since his grandpa was looking for an heir. It was un-expected and now Sakura and Toya have emerged as people to look for in the business world. On the other hand, Syaoran Li, a 26 year old CEO has recently undertaken a joint-venture (a partnership between two big corporations/conglomerations) with Amamiya Group, the company Toya recently took over. Sakura occasionaly models for Tomoyo, who has her own trendy boutique, and helps out with the company. Sakura grew up simply, with a dad who was an archeologist and a stay-at-home mom. This story is entirely in Sakura's POV. Also, Syaoran's character remains more arrogant in this story. I hope you can understand that throug the dialouge.
Anyway, here goes Chapter 1 (All the chapter names will reflect the setting of the chapter.)
Chapter 1: Highway
Sakura P.O.V.
I groaned as my car made some sounds I did not wish to hear. I drove off to the shoulder and parked it. Waiting for a minute, I restarted the car, with only one problem. The car refused to start. After trying and failing a few more times, I pulled out my cell phone and called my friend Takashi. He was wonderful and the only person I trusted with my Toyota Avalon.
"Hello?"
"Hey Takashi, it's me Sakura."
"What's up?"
"My car broke down on the side of the highway."
"Where are you?"
"By exit-" I squinted through the rain and saw a pair of headlights heading in my direction. Through the tiny recess of light given I noticed the exit number: twenty-three. "Taka-I'm by exit twenty-three." I noticed the car with the headlights had stopped in front of me and a man walk out of it.
"Sakura, wait for me or one of my colleagues okay?"
"Yeah. Thanks Taka, bye." The man walked up to me and I barely made out his face as he stood there in the pouring rain. I rolled down the window slightly and spoke to him. "Hi."
"Hey, do you need some help?"
"Well, my friend's coming to pick the car up. So, thanks but no."
"Then mind if I keep you company?"
"Well-"
"Come on, I'm harmless." My phone rang and I excused myself before answering it.
"Hello?"
"Sakura-chan are you alright?" I distinctly heard noise in the background and realized that the person who called me was still at the party.
"Tomoyo my car broke down by exit twenty-three and Takashi's sending someone to pick me up. Plus-" I trailed off remembering the presence of the guy.
"There's a guy?"
"Yes."
"Is he there to help you?"
"Sort of."
"To keep you company then?"
"Um-"
"Listen Sakura I think you'll be fine."
"Yeah, I'll call later k' Moyo?"
"Sure thing hon." After Tomoyo hung up, I realized the man was still outside.
"Come in." I didn't want the man to get wet on purpose.
"Nah, it's better this way. You can trust me." I smiled at the man and heard a song on the radio. I unlocked my doors and took the keys out.
"I'll join you then." I announced stepping into the rain and shuddering. I was on my way home from a party at my grandfather's house. The green floor-length dress I wore started to soak and my hair became stringy. As for my make-up, I was glad I'd hardly used anything and only resorted to waterproof mascara tonight. "So what's your name?" I asked starting up a conversation.
"Do you really want to know? I could be a criminal for all you know."
"And I'm a black belt in Karate. So name?"
"Syaoran Li, nice to meet you-" he trailed off and I picked up.
"Sakura Kinomoto."
"Aren't you?"
"And if I am?"
"Nothing. "It's just no one knew what that old man was thinking." I realized that the "old man" he was referring to was my grandpa.
"I know what you mean. Toya said yes and suddenly I've been thrust upfront into elite social circles with him."
"Do you have any idea who I am?" He asked as I leaned against the car and shuddered feeling the cool metal.
"No but I have heard of a Xiao-Lang Li." I shivered and Syaoran spoke.
"Wait here, I'll be right back." He walked to his car and pulled out something. As he walked closer to me, I noticed it was a jacket and, if my hunch was right, a tuxedo jacket. Now that I thought of it, he was dressed rather formal for a drive in the rain. "Here. You're shivering and you should know better than to wear a see-through dress."
I hastily grabbed the offered coat and shrugged it on, marveling at the instant warmth it provided me with.
"It wasn't my choice. 'Moyo forced it on me." I defended. "And I didn't expect to be caught in the rain either."
"No I suppose not." Syaoran put his hands in his pockets and came over to lean by my driver's side door. "So, soon after your brother takes over, there's going to be a joint-venture between Amamiya Group and Li Corps in Hong Kong right?" I looked at him stunned.
"How do you know about that? We haven't said anything about it yet."
"Sakura, if I'm allowed to call you that," I nodded my head giving him the permission to continue, "tell me what Xiao-Lang in Japanese is?" I though for a few moments before widening my eyes.
"Syaoran Li."
"The one and only."
"You're in Tokyo?"
"Well my joint-venture company had a party today to commemorate the new CEO, so I figured why not show up two days early and attend the party."
"But Yukito's helping too. He's the chairman."
"Ah yes, Mr. Tsukishiro right, he's quite nice. I met him earlier today."
"Then why are you here?" I asked curiosity getting the best of me. It wasn't everyday you saw a CEO decide to help you out on a highway, that is, if he was a CEO.
"I saw you leave as the clock struck twelve. Pardon me, but I had to make sure you weren't Cinderella."
"That's quite good coming from a Chinese man."
"You do realize we switched this conversation to Cantonese a while ago right?" Syaoran asked as his words made their way into my frame of mind.
"I guess we did." I sighed, hugging the jacket closer to me, and feeling the rain dissipate a bit. "Why does Tomoyo always have to make me wear something crazy?"
"Crazy?" Syaoran asked and I blushed, realizing that I had accidentally spoken my thoughts aloud.
"You don't want to know." Syaoran looked toward his car and back at me.
"You want to go sit in my car for a while? It's better than freezing out here." I bit my lip pondering for a few moments before acquiescing to his request.
"Sure." He led the way and we got in. After we sat down, I thought of ways to break the uncomfortable silence hanging over us. "Can I play some music?" I suggested pointing to his radio.
"Go ahead." I picked my favorite radio station and smiled as the last remnants of Acid Flavor's new song played. The next song that played was one of my favorites and I couldn't help but sing along, regardless of the fact that there was a strange man sitting next to me.
"That song's a bit like our situation." Syaoran stated as it finished.
"Really?"
"You walked out at midnight, it's raining and your dress is ruined, plus, I just happened to find you with my headlights."
"Are you suggesting something Syaoran Li?"
"Maybe, maybe not." I turned away from him and glued my eyes to the window. If I said he wasn't sexy, I'd be lying. Add to the fact that his damp hair aided that look and I knew I was lusting after him.
"You know I was just saying things right?" he asked after a few moments.
"Either way, it doesn't help that you're undeniably sexy and being in close proximity with you is rather unnerving." I replied surprised by my sudden boldness.
"I could say the same about you." I turned around to face him. His brown eyes, which I just realized were glowing with something that only added to his appeal, drew me in.
"Really?" I whispered inching closer to him. He moved closer too and I could feel his breath on my face.
"Yes." We stayed like that for a while before he spoke again. "Can I kiss you?"
"Yeah." I was attracted to this man and I couldn't deny it.
"I'm warning you now, it may go farther."
"I don't care. I've already lost it."
"Well then, what are we waiting for?" He bent forward and I responded back eagerly as he kissed me. When we broke apart for air, he looked at me and smiled. We both heard the sound of a horn just then and I turned to see Kero, one of Takashi's colleagues walk out of his tow truck. I moved away from Syaoran and Kero smiled at me as Syaoran walked out as well.
"I'll get your car back to the shop. You're lucky we're open this late Sakura."
"I guess I just got lucky."
"Yes. Do you have a ride home?"
"Yeah." I motioned to Syaoran who extended his hand.
"Syaoran Li, nice to meet you."
"Kero Yamada." Kero observed Syaoran closely under the headlights of his truck and let out a whistle. "You sure know how to pick your guys Sakura. It's him all right." Kero let go of Syaoran's hand and asked him to help him with my car. Once the two had the car on the truck, safe and secure, Kero turned to wave goodbye.
"Come by the shop tomorrow and we'll tell you what's wrong."
"Alright thanks Kero." Kero answered me back with one last wave before getting into his truck and driving off. When I turned around Syaoran was behind me and attacked me with a kiss. He only paused briefly to ask one question.
"My place or yours?"
"Does it look like I care?" I answered as he let me go and got into the car.
"No." was the reply I received as we sped off onto the interstate to a new destination.
I sat across the breakfast table from the man who I'd been with last night.
"What do we do?" I asked.
"Well we have three choices."
"What are they?"
"One, we pretend this never happened and that we've never met before. Two, we get together. Or three, we pretend this never happened and start over as friends." I thought about the choices and spoke up again.
"Option three."
"That's fine with me." He stood up and sighed. "I called Eriol before you woke up."
"Who's Eriol?"
"My chairman, best friend, and the person who's bringing Futtie here."
"Oh Futtie Li! I met her last night. She was really nice." I exclaimed momentarily forgetting about Syaoran.
"She's bringing you a change of clothes so that you don't have to walk out wearing that." Syaoran pointedly glanced at the shirt and basketball shorts that I had on.
"Thanks."
"Don't mention it." The buzzer beeped and Syaoran talked into the intercom to his penthouse. "Who is it?"
"Your little sister. You are very lucky that I decided to come with you Syaoran."
"Come up Futtie." Syaoran stated as he hung up. A few minutes later, Futtie arrived and had a look of surprise on her face when she saw me.
"Sakura's the girl?"
"Uh hi?" I muttered embarrassed.
"I'm sorry Sakura. I didn't mean anything by that. I was just surprised."
"Well now that you're surprised, you can go. You've already delivered the clothes." Syaoran stated impatiently.
"Geez Syao. I'm going!" She handed me the bag in her hands. "I hope this fits you. It's a shirt and a pair of jeans. I think we're the same size."
"Thanks." I murmured taking the bag. I walked into Syaoran's bathroom and locked the door. By the time I finished taking a shower and getting ready, Futtie had left and Syaoran was watching T.V.
"Hello." he murmured turning around to greet me as I walked into the room.
"Hey, so what do you want to do?"
"It's a Sunday. I figured I'd drop you home first before doing anything else."
"Which one: my apartment, grandpa's house, or dad's house?"
"Uh-"
"Don't drop me off at grandpa's house. If Toya sees you, he'll skin you alive, joint venture or not."
"I suppose I can understand that. I'm a bit protective of Futtie myself."
"Then there's Tomoyo at my apartment. I don't want to face her interrogation right now. So that leaves my dad's house."
"Where is it?"
"About an hour's drive from Tokyo, in the opposite direction from Yokohama."
"Alright." Syaoran grabbed his car keys and walked to the door. "Let's go friend." I nodded my head, cursing silently at my feelings and my answer choice. I couldn't forget last night and the man in front of me. It was then that I came to a realization: me, twenty-four year old Sakura Kinomoto, had fallen for Syaoran Li in less than twenty-four hours.
So what do you think? It's quite a bit like my previous story but I'm trying to make the characters different.
The story is based off the song "Lonely in Gorgeous" by Tommy February, for those interested.
In the meantime: I'd be really glad to reveive reviews and feedback!
Thanks
Kaoruhana ^_^