2

::-::

Present day, 15 years later

Sakura Kinomoto was sick of it.

The fan mail, the hate mail, the fame, the criticism, the praise... Kami, she was even beginning to hate the money! Was it too much to ask just to act? That was her passion, not earning money!

She screamed into her pillow. Loudly.

"Ohh Saaaakura-chaaaaan!" The one and only Tomoyo Daidouji flounced into the room, whipping the curtains open and chirping, "It's a goooooooooorgeous day, and you mustn't be sleeping!"

Sakura groaned, turned over, and threw her blankets over her face. "No one's home. Go away."

"Ohohohoho. Think you can get rid of me that easily? Think again, Sakura-chan!" Tomoyo ripped the blankets off Sakura's bed. "Up you get!"

Sakura moaned and curled into a ball. "Just let me die."

"Now, Sakura Kinomoto, just because you are in an acting slump does not mean you can lounge around like a snail! I simply will not allow it!"

"Yes, I've noticed."

"Oh, come on, Sakura-chan. I have an incredibly interesting offer just for you!"

"Is this anything like that other offer where I was supposed to jump out of a moving airplane with no parachute and a decapitated llama on my back?"

"Well, it was interesting; you have to give me that."

Sakura rolled her eyes. "Anyways... What's this about an offer? Are you actually doing your managerial duties now?"

"You make it sound as if I haven't all this time."

"You haven't."

It was true. Tomoyo Daidouji was technically Sakura's manager, but she spent most of her time making different outfits for Sakura, documenting everything via 'candid camera', and pretending that every little event in Sakura's life was part of a musical.

Oh, dear. She was breaking out into song again.

"Ohhh~ What have we here?
Yes, it's Sakura, Sakura
A Sakura blossom, having not yet bloomed~
She feels that she is inexplicably doomed~"

"Remind me to fire you," Sakura said grumpily, sitting up. "You don't even do your duties as a manager."

"Now why would I do that when I can just use my managerial powers to hire someone else to do that work?" Tomoyo flashed her signature million-watt smile. "Besides, you must admit that your wardrobe is looking quite splendid. Ohohohoho."

Sakura sighed, but the slightest hint of a smile curled her lips. Tomoyo had always been able to cheer her up when she was feeling her worst. "Thanks, Tomoyo-chan."

"That's what friends are for, Sakura-chan." Tomoyo's face lit up. "Oh, and I made a new sundress for you! Splendid, if I say so myself. I know autumn's coming soon, but I had inspiration and I just couldn't help myself! I made a matching cardigan so you wouldn't get cold, and—"

"I'll wear it today," Sakura assured her, knowing that would make her happiest.

Tomoyo span, arms flung out in pure joy.

"What a wooonderful daaaay!~
And I oooowe it all to myyyy~
Beautiful and talented
Saaakura pie~"

Sakura winced at her choice of lyrics, but got out of bed anyway. At least she could sing.

Kind of.

::-::

"Well, you look charming today."

Mussed brown hair, burning amber eyes, a wrinkled t-shirt and pants that had not been washed in at least two months. 'Charming' was not how most people would describe this face of Syaoran Li.

"Shut it, Eriol," Syaoran growled, slamming his coffee mug on the table. Liquid sloshed on his hand. He grimaced at the burning pain and hurried to rinse his hand under cold water.

"Let me guess." A smile twisted Eriol Hiiragizawa's mouth. "Another dream? About a certain... kind of flower?"

"I said shut it, Eriol!"

"Someone's grumpy today." Eriol sighed. "Well, if it makes you feel any better, the main actress in consideration for The Law of Love is dear Sakura-chan."

"She probably won't even accept. She's not into acting for dramas anymore. Mainly action movies." Syaoran gloomily stirred his coffee... with a chopstick. Because already-brewed coffee obviously needed stirring, and Asians do everything with chopsticks anyway.

Eriol only grinned. "If you're this grumpy, it must've been a rather... good dream?"

"Eriol. I swear I will fire you."

"You can't. You know I'm irreplaceable."

"Eriol Hiiragizawa!" Syaoran clenched his fist tightly. "I don't know if you've noticed, but I'm in a genuinely bad mood. I don't feel like joking around, and I certainly don't feel like talking about her. So can you please just leave me alone before I blow my top and give your stupid hair a bath in this stupid coffee?"

Realizing that his cousin really was in a bad mood, Eriol decided not to say anything witty. "What's wrong?" he asked quietly.

Syaoran ran his hand through his hair. "Mom."

"Ah." Enough said.

"They say she's gonna die soon." Syaoran ran his hand through his hair—again. No wonder it was so mussy, unlike Eriol's neatly gelled locks. "I don't even know if I should be sad. I don't even know if I should visit her."

Eriol placed a hand on his shoulder. "Which do you prefer, Syaoran? Going and risking a little discomfort, or not going and wishing you had for the rest of your life?"

::-::

"A drama with Syaoran?" Sakura frowned slightly, slurping her instant ramen-one of the simple pleasures in life that few expected a famous and wealthy actress to indulge in.

"Yep," Tomoyo said, eyes sparkling. "It's called The Law of Love. I've read the synopsis; it'll be good for you to stretch your acting wings and get out of your slump."

Sakura silently took the papers from Tomoyo, scanning their contents.

"Sakura-chan... You haven't been in any romance movies because of him, right?" Tomoyo said. "Ohh, the drama! He truly must be your first love..."

Sakura blushed. "Tomoyo-chan, we've grown too far apart."

"So? Now's the time to reconnect!" Tomoyo was already in dreamland. "You will fall in love on set. It's unavoidable. I'll even bet one hundred yen on it!"

"...Tomoyo-chan, one hundred yen is literally nothing."

"On the contrary, it's not nothing. It's one hundred yen," Tomoyo said, shooting an accusatory glare at Sakura. "But does this mean you'll take the offer?"

Sakura pushed the papers back. "...I'll consider it."

Tomoyo grinned and danced out of the room, making a call as soon as she was out of earshot. "Hello? Director Tsukimoto? This is Daidouji, Sakura Kinomoto's manager. She's accepted the offer."

(A/N: So I know everyone's adult selves were kind of OCC. Syaoran's more brooding than I originally planned and Sakura's kind of... not happy and cheerful. But she's just temporarily grumpy! Her real personality will shine through soon...

Until then, please bear with it! :)

How's the story so far? the character interactions? the plot?)

Next update estimate: Late next week.