Sayonara

Summary: Four guests at a hotel are snowed in with a murderer on the loose: the famous actress who invited them has been killed. Everyone is a victim…and a suspect. Is there any way to find out the murderer before its too late...and just who will make it out alive?

Clue 1: The Game

A taxi halted in a dark alleyway beside a grey sidewalk littered with battered leaves and gum wrappers. The door opened and a woman stepped out. While the taxi drove away, the woman took off her shades for a moment, reading the blinking sign.

The woman had long black hair pulled back into a characteristic hairstyle of two pigtails. Her penetrating red eyes darted to and fro, surveying the area, and her red lips curled into a quietly dark chuckle. Her bronze skin and slender body could shake jealousy out of any woman.

She made her way up the stairs, humming, and then stopped at a door with a sign indicating a PI's office. She pushed open the door, making a bell tinkle.

A leather chair immediately spun around at the sound. With a raised eyebrow and a cool voice, the detective stood up with a wary "Hullo."

"Ni hao," The woman cocked her head slightly while lowering her shades, "We haven't seen each other for a while."

"Yes…why are you here?" The detective demanded icily.

"No reason in particular. Where do I sit, here?" The woman elegantly sat into the chair in front of the desk.

"You're a customer I see…" The detective sat down slowly, still eying the woman.

"Why so cold to your dear me? Come now…you didn't think you had seen the last of me then now did you?" She curled her lips suggestively.

The detective went pale for a moment, then clenched the leather seat and regained posture, "No, not really...well, if you're a customer, let's get down to business."

"This is a rather serious case," the woman's face immediately turned grave, "my life is in danger."

"Isn't it always…"

"Take me seriously!" She struck the table with a fist, "Someone is after my life! Every moment I feel myself shaking in fear at every dark corner…I have to turn around afraid that someone is right behind me, watching me with menacing eyes…I can feel it. Death is near!"

The detective surveyed the woman for a while with a chin on clasped hands, then picked up a pen and pad, "Could you give me some facts instead of exaggerations?"

"I know I'm always being followed and that the murderer is someone close to me. That's my only clue."

"Very vague…" The detective's eyes narrowed.

"I've thought of something that may lure out who it is…" she took out a slip of paper in her bag with two fingers and waved it in front of the detective.

Annoyed, the detective took it and unfolded the slip of paper.

"I'm inviting you personally to a newly opened hotel. Here's the plane ticket." She took out an envelope from her bag and placed it on the table. The detective picked it up, still eyeing her, "Do come, I went through so much trouble reserving the entire hotel…"

"Oh, don't worry. I'll come alright."

"Parfait," the woman's mouth curled into a coy smile, "I'll see you there then."

"Are you sure you should be doing this? I thought you feared for your life. You don't look at all shaken to me."

"I am terribly shaken, but it's also somewhat thrilling I have to say. I've decided to set up a trap for the murderer. You play an important role in finding out who it is, my dear. As long as I have you I don't think I shall be too afraid."

"Really now."

"Now I should get going, I have a few more invitations to give out. Here's a list of who will be there…" She placed a list in front of the detective, "Sayonara!"

The door closed with a click.

The detective picked up the list and murmured the names out loud…

Li Syaoran—my boyfriend

Daidouji Tomoyo—an actress

Hirigizawa Eriol—her manager/my ex-manager

Kinomoto Sakura—my childhood friend

And so it begins.

short first chapter, yays. i wonder who the detective is? well, we'll find out some other time. More characters will be introduced in the next chapter... im actually very excited about this story. i hope that i'll be able to write it out as well as i planned it out. im only hoping that this can be suspenseful, thrilling, and brilliant. but of course i dont think that'll ever happen. anyways, do enjoy.