Agent08 Reporting for Duty!
Disclaimer: I own my own bed, a teddy, a home, an e-mail...Hm, did I forget to mention the plot and that's it? LOL. I don't own any of the characters, that all sadly belongs to CLAMP.
"..." - talking
italic font - thoughts
(A/N: ...) - my interruptions
bold font - point of view
Now...on with chapter two!
The Joys of Car Trouble
Syaoran -
I woke up at 5:30 in the morning after spending my first night here in Japan with that weird girl Sakura. I felt odd at first, and no, not because I was sharing a dorm with a psycho, but because I wasn't used to this "habitat" yet. Japan was so different from China. Can you believe that when I first took a good look at my situation, I immediately felt homesick? Hell, I even missed my boy-crazy sisters! In fact, I half expected to see them walking behind me, giggling, as I made my way to the showers.
Of course, no one was awake when I was. I stepped out of the shower when I finally finished and wrapped the towel around my waist. I walked out, and began walking towards the dorm. As I did, I began to think of how I felt living with Sakura for the next few years. When I first met her, she'd been so angry and cold towards me. I figured that, that was normal because just as she said, I'd made her late for her class. But afterwards, when I became her lab partner and she started showing me around, she was still angry and cold towards me. I guess I shouldn't take it personally, because every person she spoke to, besides her friends like that camera freak, Tomoyo, she was always rude to.
Besides her rude attitude, I noticed something strange in her. It was quite odd, really. When I first saw her before she started cussing at me, I got the impression that she was a kind of cheerful person, always saying her pleases and thank you's, and always accepting people's apologies. She certainly looked the part to be that type of person. As mean as she may be, I have to say, she's really attractive. I mean, with her shoulder length auburn hair, and those captivating emerald green eyes, who wouldn't think that?
I stepped into the dorm only to see that Sakura was still asleep. Of course she was still asleep, it was only 5:45am! I highly doubt that she woke up that early in the morning, especially on a weekend. I do, obviously, but not just for any other reason. Back in China, I'd do what most people call torture, but the elders, my mother and I would always call it training. What is training, you may ask? Training is anything having to do with punching, kicking, fencing, or sweating. Fencing was probably my most favourite thing to do out of all of those. I'm good with my hands; therefore I'm good with swords.
Since I entered the sixth grade, and my mother got the word from the elders that the Clow Cards were sealed and tamed, my training hours were doubled. I would hear from both my mother and the elders complaining about how I should've been the one to do that. How I should've been the one to be Master of the Clow Cards, and how I should've beat whoever it was that sealed them. Sure, the training was harder since then, but it made me stronger both mentally and physically. I thank my mother and the elders for that, but not the person that sealed the cards. I hated him...Or her.
When I got some boxer shorts and sweat pants on, I grabbed my gym bag from the side of my bed. In it were some boxing gloves, fencing garments, and of course, swords. I didn't usually use the boxing gloves because I usually trained without them, but I brought them just incase I felt like doing a little one, two punch. Like I said, usually I didn't, but you never know when you suddenly feel like you need to knock someone's teeth out.
I walked out of our dorm building and onto our large, grassy campus. Just like the other day, my attention was immediately taken from the cloudless grey sky, to the beautiful cupid shaped fountain, the water still not coming out from the tip of the arrow. I saw it in action just the other day, when I was walking back from all my classes. Sakura had just blown me off, and I was really confused as to where my dorm was. I stumbled upon the fountain, and believe it or not, it kind of helped me find my way there. I just followed where the arrow was pointing, a little east from where I was then, and I just kept walking that way. Weird, huh?
I seated myself onto a green, grassy part of the field, and began unpacking my stuff. Well, just my sword, but whatever. I took off my grey sweater, to reveal my tanned chest. Most people would say that I had a six pack, but since you probably don't know me very well, I'll take the time to tell you that I'm quite modest, and don't usually agree to all the comments I hear about myself. And being the heir to the Li Clan, believe me when I say that I hear lots of them. Surprisingly, though I've heard them since I was able to understand what people were saying about me, I haven't blushed once!
I trained hard. After thirty minutes of swinging my sword here and there, plunging it into the thick breeze, jumping up and down, and adding in a little, "HIYAAA!" just to emphasize my actions, I still wasn't tired. After a full forty-five minutes of using my sword, I began doing some punches and all that. My brown bangs disturbed my vision as I thrusted an arm forward, my hand formed into a fist. Back and forth, back and forth, a kick here, a kick there. Just the usual.
Finally, after an hour, I felt my first bead of sweat, rolling down my forehead for the day. I wiped it off, and was about to start training again, but another early bird came out from the building. The girl giggled as she walked past me, her hand covering her pink painted lips. Ugh. I supposed that most people would be up, just like her, so I re-packed my stuff, put my sweater back on, and headed back for the dorm. I'd have to face Sakura one time or another.
I entered the dorm, only to find Sakura's bed, neatly made, without her in it. A pile of clothes lay at the foot of her bed, which probably meant that she went out somewhere, too. I got the sudden vibe that I wasn't the only person living in this dorm that didn't like it. I knew Sakura was trying to avoid me. But why? I hadn't done anything wrong besides make her late for her class, which she knows was nothing but an accident. At that moment, I began to wonder why Sakura was the way she was.
Like I said, she has beautiful green eyes, you know? Emerald, even. But they're emotionless. They don't show that sparkle and pizzazz that a whole bunch of other people and I see. And her skin. Her skin is so smooth. I remembered how they felt when I bumped into her, when I tried to break her fall (look how that turned out). But I can tell that it's tired. She's not one to go out partying every night, but there's something wrong with her skin. Not it's colour, and not its touch...Maybe it's the cold glow that surrounds her whenever I seem to go near her.
xxxxxx
Sakura -
Sweat poured down my face as I tried to keep up with the tread mill. It was like this every Saturday. Tomoyo would call me on my cell phone, I would call back. She'd suggest something to do over our dull weekend, and I'd say it was stupid and boring. She'd call back again with another great idea, and it usually had something to do with me dressed in her latest designs. She'd beg, and beg until I finally agreed, and because she's my best friend, I always did agree.
I was currently testing her latest sports bra and track pants. Yeah, some of you may think that when I say "me dressed in her latest designs," you probably think that I mean in some fancy dress or casual outfit that did not clash with my hair. Of course Tomoyo designed clothes like that, it's what she'd been doing for the past nine years! But ever since we entered college, she'd wanted to try different things. When I say different things, I mean that she didn't want to do just fancy dresses or anything like that. She would try under clothing.
So there I was, dressed in a sports bra and track pants, testing how much sweat they could handle. My track pants seemed to be doing fine since I wasn't really doing any leg exercises, but my sports bra was suffering. A dark circle of sweat began to form at the base of the bra, and I tried to tell Tomoyo that, that was it, but she would not budge. She just simply shook her head, and smiled at me with the clipboard firmly attached to her hand, the pen slightly raised and poised over the paper, which I know she wasn't taking any notes on, but just doodling about her latest boyfriend. She just wanted to look smart.
Her boyfriend, Eriol, had met her at a party last fall, and the two made an instant connection. I don't know what it was, but I was really glad for her when I found out. Well, not at first. Actually, when I first found out about him, I'd just rolled my eyes and told her to save her time and dump him before she got in too deep. I only started being happy for her when she told me that this Eriol dude wasn't just any other guy, but a really special one. Both me and her knew he would be with her for a very long time.
When finally I stopped running on the treadmill, It was late into the afternoon. I congratulated myself on ignoring Syaoran for as much as I could. I was glad to see that he wasn't in bed when I woke up that day. I wasn't really ready to face him, I wasn't so sure on what to say. Would I just say a standard kind of greeting like, "Hey," or, "What's up?" No. That was too casual. After the other day, when I'd cussed at him, I felt like casual would be too fake. So, I decided that I would let him do all the talking, while I just waited for him to do so. Not the brightest idea, but at least it was a start.
I got changed into another sports bra (thank God Tomoyo brought extra), and into another pair of track pants. I put on my sweater and zipped it up, just so you could see the start of the sports bra. It wasn't really revealing, but the weather was kind of hot. You can't blame me. Anyway, I said my goodbyes to Tomoyo, as she started another text love conversation to Eriol. Did I forget to mention he was on a trip in Thailand? He's apart of this club thing that goes to places and helps build houses for homeless people in different places. He'd be gone for at least a month, and Tomoyo was really disappointed, but she knew it was for a good cause.
I hopped in to my black convertible and placed my key into the ignition. I prayed that my car could be able to start and get me all the way back to my dorm. It took me such a long time to get it running that morning, that I was late to the gym. Tomoyo got mad at me for about a second, and assured me that nothing was wrong with my car. I hope she was right.
The engine started, but my car wouldn't start. I growled in frustration and tried again. My car hithered a few times, but in time, I got it to run. I kissed the dashboard, showing the car my appreciation, and made my way out of the parking lot, out on the street. With one hand on the steering wheel, the other turning the radio dial, trying to look for a good song to listen to, I was on my way back to the dorm...Or at least I thought.
Just halfway back to my dorm, my car started to cough. I growled in frustration and pulled out of the highway onto an empty dirt road, knowing that I could probably try and fix whatever what was wrong in peace. I barely made it there because the longer it took me drive there, the more it coughed and spluttered. By the time I got it parked on the side of the road, smoke started steaming out of the hood, clouding my nose and filling it with a disgusting smell.
I hopped out of the car and lifted the hood. Something was wrong with the engine. I reached my hand out to try and see what was wrong with it, when a burning sensation filled the tips of my first four fingers on my left hand.
"Ah!" I yelped, automatically bringing my hand back to my side, and sucking on it. "Damned car,"
I walked to the back of the car to try and see what I had in the trunk. All I had was a spare tire and a tool box. I knew it was pointless, though, because I didn't need a spare tire, and I had no idea in hell how to use anything in the toolbox. Maybe my situation wouldn't be so pointless if I had someone that knew how to use all the stuff in the toolbox.
I pulled out my cell phone and dialled Tomoyo's number as fast as I could. No one picked up. It just kept on ringing and ringing. So, all the options that I had in my head were useless. Except for one. I knew what I had to do.
I took off my sweater and wrapped it around my waist, so half of my belly was showing, and my sports bra too. I took out a bandana, lip-gloss, and a pack of gum from my bag. I put the bandana on, checking in the rear view mirror to see if my hair looked nice, spread the pink lip gloss across my pale lips, and popped a piece of gum into my mouth. And...As much as I hate to admit it...I held out my arm, my hand shaped into a fist. Slowly, and unwillingly, I began chewing my gum and...Stuck up my thumb.
Yes, it's true. At that moment, I turned to hitch hiking.
xxxxxx
Syaoran -
I wasn't used to my surroundings yet, here in Japan, so I decided to take a drive to try and get familiar with everything. A great idea that turned out to be. I squinted my eyes together to try and see where I was. All I could see were the brightly lit up malls and shops, and the hundreds of people walking on the street. Where in the hell was I?
xxxxxx
Sakura -
A few cars drove by and I'm surprised that none of them stopped. Well, not really, actually. The people in the cars were women, and I highly doubt that they were very interested in me. I sighed as I brought my arm, which had been held out for the past fifteen minutes, down to my side. How in the hell was I supposed to get home?
I guess my luck kind of changed when I heard the crunching of tires onto the gravel. Quickly, I held my arm out once more and stuck my thumb out. At the distance I was at, I could tell that the person driving the car was a man, so I prayed that I was looking more attractive then ever had as I popped the gum over and over again.
xxxxxx
Syaoran -
I drove my car out onto some dirt road, hoping I could just park my car and retrace my tire wheels from there. But as I drove further along, I noticed I wouldn't be the only person. I brought my eyes together and held my head forward, trying to catch a glimpse of the hot hitch hiker trying to catch a ride from me. She looked familiar, and the minute I got close enough to look into her eyes, I knew instantly that it was Sakura.
Slowly and carefully, I pulled up beside Sakura. From the look of it, her car was obviously broken in some way, and she needed a ride badly. I thought that maybe I could be of some service, and if I fixed her car, then maybe we could possibly build some sort of friendship. Afterall, we are roommates. It'd be uncomfortable if you weren't friends with your own roommate.
Sakura smiled as she began walking towards my car. I rolled down my window and was about to say the speech inside my head. Just ask her what happened, if she needs any help, and if she wants a ride back to the dorm with me. "Sakura!" I blurted. I guess things didn't go as well as I planned.
Her smile faltered as her jaw basically dropped to the floor, and her eyes widened in the shape of large, round coins. "Syaoran?" she said, her voice disbelieving, "What...What the hell are you doing here?"
I jumped out of my car and began walking towards her, "I could ask you the same thing!" and I paused briefly when she didn't answer, not knowing what to say next. "Well...What the hell are you doing here?"
"For your information," she began coldly, her eyes piercing through my body, "I need a ride back to the dorm. My car went all messed up on my ass, and I have no idea how to fix it. There. Does that answer your question?"
"Well..." I said, walking to the back of her car. Her trunk was open, so I decided to rummage through it a bit. I fished out her toolbox and brought it to the front, dropping it with a loud thud, "Partly." I opened the lid of the box and started looking for some pliers, or whatever I needed to fix her car. Which reminded me, I didn't even know what was wrong with it yet.
"What do you think you're doing?" Sakura asked when she saw me prodding and poking at the engine of her car. It was warm, and I could tell that it was really hot before. "Well?" Sakura asked once more, obviously getting impatient with both me and her car, "What are you doing?"
"What does it look like I'm doing?" I snapped, annoyed that she was getting angry with me when I was only trying to help, "I'm trying to fix your car! And I'd do it a lot faster if you would just shut your big mouth so I can fix whatever needs to be fixed in peace!"
Both Sakura and I stood dumbfounded at my words. I didn't mean to blow my top off like that, but she was being such a bitch.
"Oh no," Sakura said, grabbing the pliers I found from my hands and chucking them back into the box, "Oh no, no, no! I am not getting any help from you! That is the very last thing I want right now you rude prick! Who do you think you are, just coming out of nowhere and trying to fix my car anyway? If I wanted your help, I would've asked you, and have I? No! I haven't! So just mind your own business, okay?"
"Well excuse me for trying to be a nice person!" I shot back.
"You're excused!" she replied.
We both stood, silent. Neither of us spoke, not knowing whether we were still arguing, or I should just leave. I took a stab and just did the first thing that came to my mind. I sighed and ruffled my hand through my hair, and taking a glance directly into Sakura's eyes. "Are you sure that's what you want?" I asked.
"What?" Sakura answered.
I sighed again, "Are you sure you don't need a ride back to the dorm? Because if you need any help, or a ride or anything like that...I really don't mind lending you a hand." There. I had said it. I was glad, because the tension between us wasn't as strong. I could tell we were getting somewhere. "Well?" I asked, when she didn't reply.
"Well..." she said hesitantly, looking at me, back to her broken car, "I could use a little help..."
I eyed her carefully, as if coaxing her to ask for my help.
"Well, then, I guess you could help me,"
xxxxxx
It took me a while to see what was wrong with Sakura's car. I'm not exactly an expert on this kind of stuff, but I can tell that Sakura's engine had a few wires crossed on it. When I told her I couldn't do anymore, seeing as how I'm not a grand master at this, she called for someone to tow it back to their garage, leaving just her, my car, and me.
"So...Do you want to head home?" I asked, walking towards my car.
"I guess so," she answered, getting into the passenger's seat. She slid onto the leather seat and squirmed in her spot. I could tell she was uncomfortable, but why? Now what had I done? I surely didn't know, so I just ignored whatever was wrong, and started the engine. With a gust of gas steaming out from the back, we were on our way, heading back onto the highway.
Neither of us spoke as I drove. I kept my eyes on the road, both hands planted firmly on each side of the steering wheel. Sakura wouldn't look at anything else except for the scenery outside, and to top it all off, everything was disturbingly silent. I only figured out a few minutes into my driving that I could solve our silence problem. I looked into Sakura's direction and she had now changed from looking outside the window, to her lap.
"Do you want to listen to the radio?" I asked.
Her head snapped up, her eyes catching mine in an odd staring kind of contest, "What?"
"You can listen to the radio if you want," I answered, "I really don't care,"
Sakura hesitated a bit, but slowly, her hand started reaching up towards the radio dial. I could tell that she wasn't the only one uncomfortable with the silence. So, she turned the dial back and forth, looking for a decent song. When she found one, she kept it there until it ended, which I'm disappointed that it did. I hoped another song would come along soon so we wouldn't have that same silence between us again.
The commercials and ads on the radio kind of filled up that silent space, but then a tune started playing on the radio, and I instantly shut my eyes, as if in pain. From beside me, I heard a kind of hissing noise, and I knew that Sakura had just gone, "Yessssss!" I rolled my eyes, forgetting whatever it was that was keeping us from talking to each other, and turned to face her, "How can you like this song?"
Sakura turned to me, a smile on her face, "How can you not? It's so good!"
"As if! I mean, come on, Night Gazers? How can you like Night Gazer songs? From where I come from, everyone hates Night Gazer. Seriously, all they really are are a bunch of trashy rockers. Did you see the pictures of the last hotel they stayed at? Complete, total, utter disaster there!"
"The people from where you come from must be totally stupid because Night Gazer is awesome! Their lyrics are so deep, I mean, everyone can relate to them. How can you not see that? Are you blind or something?"
I smiled. No, we weren't getting into an argument...More of a debate. Besides, we were both smiling. Who smiles when they're arguing? "How can you say that their lyrics are deep? Not everyone in this world has 'a monster living inside them, waiting to take over any minute'. Seriously! Who can relate to that?"
Sakura kept silent. What did I do? "Sakura?" I said, waving my hand infront of her face, "Sakura! What's the matter?"
"Nothing," she finally answered, pulling open the car door on her side, making me stop the car abruptly. A car behind us honked, but I ignored whoever it was.
"What are you doing?" I said, slowly following her with the car as she walked along the sidewalk, "I thought I was going to take you back. If you think it's a problem for me it's not. Really, I don't mind driving you back - !"
"No," Sakura interrupted, picking up speed, me following suit, "It's okay. I can walk from here. Besides, we're like five minutes away from there anyway. I'm fine, really,"
I hesitated. The car behind us honked again, snapping me back to reality, "...Fine. Only because you say so. I'll see you later, okay?"
Sakura nodded and waved. "And thank you!" she called. As I drove further away from her tiny figure, I realized that, that was why she was so squirmy in my car. It was kind of obvious that Sakura wasn't really one to thank people for things, and so she was just trying to think of what to say to me. I don't know why that was so hard, though. They're just a simple two words.
I smiled driving back to the dorm. Sakura and I had really gotten somewhere that day. It wasn't exactly a friendship we had, but it was definitely a start. Not the greatest start to a friendship, but, it was a rocky one. But after every rocky hill there's always a smooth one...Right?
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- - - Be kind, please? Read and Review:)
Signing Off,
Agent08 - My life as a secret agent xD!