MISUNDERSTOOD

Chapter 3: Lesson Number One

THE 'I LOVE SYAORAN LI' FANSITE

MONDAY – SEMI-UPDATE

I sent my … what, eighty-seventh fan mail to Syaoran, and he STILL hasn't replied.

What does that man think about all day? DOESN'T HE CHECK OR REPLY TO HIS EMAILS?

Syaoran Li, the sexiest man on earth, has attended a fashion show to see some of Tomoyo Daidouji's designs. I estimate he left the building approximately thirty-six minutes and forty seven seconds ago. Pictures coming soon!

EDIT: SOURCES REVEAL EXCLUSIVELY TO THE 'I LOVE SYAORAN LI' FANSITE THAT MR. SEXY HOTTIE LI LEFT WITH A GIRL!

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

Syaoran stormed back inside his house.

Stormed is an understatement – you'd think a herd of rhinos were playing Tag inside.

"ERIOL!"

Eriol flinched. So, maybe it hadn't went as well as he and Tomoyo had hoped …

"I REFUSE TO TEACH THAT KID!"

Stomp.

Stomp.

Snort.

Growl.

Alright, Eriol decided, taking in a deep breath from where he was hiding (in a dusty corner behind the sofa) and coughed when he inhaled in some … unkown substance, I can do this. Be a man, face the monster! I am a man. Think like a man. Act like a man. I AM a man –

"EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"

Syaoran glared down at him. "What the hell are you doing here?" he demanded. "And I never knew you screamed like a girl –"

"IT WAS A MANLY SCREAM!" Eriol shot back, standing up quickly, puffing his chest out. "MANLY!"

"Men don't scream."

"YES THEY DO!"

Syaoran sighed and plopped himself onto a couch, and a loud PFFFFFFFFFFFF! sound came out, which made Eriol double up in laughter.

"Hahaha! Oh man," he gasped for breath, "I know the fart bag thing isn't exactly the newest trick … but it never gets old."

Grunting in response, Syaoran took the bag from under him and threw it at Eriol's head. "Listen here. I refuse to teach some kid!"

When his mirth finally subsided – finally – Eriol just shook his head and replied, "Be a sport, do some good."

"I am doing good!" Syaoran shot back. "If you haven't noticed! I've donated to charities, and – and – lots of stuff!"

"Of course. Lots."

"Yeah!" Syaoran flushed a little and grabbed the TV remote. "I don't think I need to remind you," he glared pointedly at him.

"What?" Eriol faked an innocent look, standing in front of the TV.

"MOVE YOUR ASS!"

"TEACH HER!"

"NO!"

"If you don't," Eriol narrowed his eyebrows at him, "I won't budge. And you won't be able to see any TV. Ever. Again."

Gasp!

DUN DUN DUN!

Syaoran bit his lip. Oh dear, oh dear, what's he going to do? Tutor a pesky girl, or never being able to watch Powerpuff Girls again? Tutor an annoying girl, or never know what MTV's saying about him this time? Tutor a pretty girl, or never –

Pretty? Did I just think pretty? Syaoran shook his head, trying to get rid of the thoughts. Of course not! Two hours non-stop next to a girl like that would be torture! But – for the sake – of – the – TV –

"Fine."

Eriol, who looked tired for some reason, merely replied, "Fine what?"

"FINE I'LL TEACH THAT ANNOYINGLY PRETTY GIRL!"

"Finally," Eriol mumbled, sinking himself onto a chair, "finally. You know, it isn't exactly easy, standing up for two minutes straight …"

"Hn."

Silence.

"So," Eriol cleared his throat, and sent a smirk Syaoran's way, "annoyingly pretty, you said?"

Changing the channel, Syaoran blushed a little before retorting back, "I meant annoying! Annoying and pretty –"

"So you admit she's pretty, huh?"

"No!"

"…"

Syaoran racked his brain for an excuse. "Pretty's the new, trendy word for … annoying."

"Reallly?"

Honestly. What do you think?

"Oh yeah," Syaoran nodded, watching Jamie Oliver throw in a few coriander leaves into his dish, "hottest word this year."

"Oh," Eriol slumped in his seat, disappointed. "But you do think she's pretty though, right?"

"As if."

He chuckled and took his socks off, throwing them aside. Aside as in next to Syaoran. "Still," he said, "you can't deny she isn't ugly, right?"

"…"

"Don't worry, Li-Li," Eriol sniggered once more. "I'm sure she likes you too."

That snapped Syaoran out of his gaze. "I don't care if she likes me or not! And don't call me Li-Li," he snarled.

Eriol sighed. "It must be very difficult for you, knowing a girl as pretty as Sakura doesn't like you, let alone know you –"

"I said I don't care!" Syaoran barked from the couch, now watching Jamie take out a chocolate cake from the oven.

"– but from those admiring glances she gave you, let me tell you, she's definitely interested –"

"Those 'admiring glances'," Syaoran cut in, "are more like death glares."

"– so I don't see a problem, you shouldn't be shy, go on up and ask her out!"

Syaoran rolled his eyes and switched off the TV, standing up. "I'm going to take a shower."

"A cold shower?"

His best friend merely sent him a rude gesture with his hand and walked up the stairs.

Eriol chuckled, grabbing for the TV remote. "Yes! Finally I get to watch Teletubbies," he grinned, getting comfortable. "God, Jamie Oliver? Who watches this show, nowadays? What's wrong with him?"

Sakura's room was pink. Very pink. Very cute too, with lots of stuffed animals and a bouquet of flowers by her bed.

Along with about thirty thousand boxes of tissues, and three times as many used ones strewn all over the floor. It's like Sakura was experimenting with tissue bombs.

And snot.

Ewwwww.

"Hey, Grinch," Touya poked his head in and took in the sight before him. "What's up? You're later than usual. It's already past noon."

"Ah'm shick, you shtupid moron."

"… I can see that."

"Tell Dad," Sakura blew her nose, "Ah'm not goin' ta shool today."

"Who do you think I am, Hermes? And Dad already did."

"Nod really," Sakura coughed. "Hermes is hot. You're nod."

Touya stepped into her room and glared at her. "I'm a whole lot better looking that some … god!"

"Whatever," she sneezed, dabbing her nose. "Bring me mah lunch ta bed an' remember da warm milk."

"Hermes doesn't do that!"

"Whoever said you were?"

"I –"

"AH WANT MAH LUNCH AN' MILK!" Sakura screamed and threw the used tissue in his face, which he dodged.

"I only came up here to see what my darling little sister was up to," Touya muttered, turning away and leaving, "and what do I get? No thank you, no hug, just a wad of snot …"

Sakura grinned happily and snuggled under her blankets. Being sick wasn't the best thing in the world, but it did have some benefits.

"Here you go, your majesty," Touya said sarcastically as he placed the tray on her bed.

Sakura beamed and began to dig in, oblivious to her brother, who was still standing there patiently.

"Whad?"

"'Thank you'?"

"You're welcome."

"No, I meant –" Touya sighed. "Just get some rest, Yeti."

"Bye bye," Sakura smiled cutely at him, and he had to laugh before closing the door behind him.

After she finished her lunch, Sakura took a nap – only to be awoken by the doorbell.

Bzzzzzt!

Touya will get that, she thought, and closed her eyes again.

Bzzzzzzzzzt!

"DUYA!"

No reply.

"DUYA WHERE ARE YOU?"

Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzt!

Forget it, Sakura fumed, jumping out of beg and putting on a robe. Who could be that annoying?

BZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZT!

"AH'M COMING!" she yelled, nearly rolling down the staircase. "God, who is id? And how heavy is he or she, anyway? Only an obese person can lean on da bell for dat long and produce – wha –" Sakura let out a scream when she opened the door, revealing a man in a black trench coat with a baseball hat pulled down, covering his eyes, which were also covered by a pair of shiny black sunglasses.

"WHO –"

"Shhh!" the figure hushed her, and pushed his/her way inside. He closed the door himself, and took off his hat and sunglasses only to reveal none other than –

Syaoran Li.

Let's all scream our fangirl-ish screams! EEEEEEEEE!

"Whad the hell are you doing here?" Sakura demanded, glaring at him. "An' in dat, too?"

"It's boiling in here," he breathed out and shook his coat off. "People were looking at me all weirdly, who wouldn't, some freak wearing a coat during a hot day –" Syaoran broke off, looking at what she was wearing.

"Ah repead," Sakura stomped her bunny-slippered feet, "WHAD ARE YOU DOIN' HERE?"

"… are you rehearsing for a play?"

"Whad?"

"Well, you've got this new accent, you look like your dancing – and it could use some help," Syaoran looked amusedly at her feet. "Is it for second graders?"

"AH'M SICK, YOU MORON!"

"Whatever," Syaoran shrugged, and looked around. "So, your bedroom's upstairs, isn't it? Let's go."

Staring at his back, Sakura could only gape, jaw hanging open. "WHAD DO YOU DINK YOU'RE DOING?"

"I thought you wanted this?"

"Want – whad?" Sakura blushed furiously and stormed up the stairs, pushing him roughly aside. "I DON'T ALLOW STRANGERS INDO MAH BED, SO YOU –"

"Whoever said anything about beds?" Syaoran looked at her weirdly. "This fever must be really high, you can't even think clearly –"

"THEN WHY ARE YOU HERE?"

"Math."

Oh.

OH.

Oh yeah.

… shit.

"BUT AH'M SICK!" Sakura wailed, stomping her feet. "NOW GO AWAY AND LEAVE ME IN PEACE! I WAND SOME REST AND I WANNA GET BEDDER!"

"Can't, sorry."

"Why?"

"Z."

Oh God.

Dry humor alert, dry humor alert.

"…"

"I'm already here, and I'm lazy, I don't want to go back," Syaoran smirked at her, who nearly cried when she heard.

"Yes you can!"

"Nope."

"Why not?"

"Cause I feel like it."

"Why?"

"Cause I wanna see what your room is like."

"Why?"

"So I can find a place to hide this bomb I made for you."

"Whyyyyy?"

Syaoran gritted his teeth. Damn, this kid really is annoying.

Annoyingly pretty, teehee.

"Let's go on up, get this over with, and I can leave, alright?" Syaoran started to walk past her, but Sakura's arm shot out and put his hand on his chest, forbidding him to go anywhere.

"No! Nod my room!"

"Why not?"

"You know," she said, thinking quickly, "you don't want ta deach me, Ah don't want you ta deach me, so how about you stay downsdairs and watch TV and Ah'll go back ta my room and –"

Ooh, sneaky.

"Eriol would kill me if he ever found out."

Sakura beamed at him. "More da reason ta do so!"

Syaoran shook his head and looked down at her hands, which were still clutching his shirt. "Can't get enough of me, eh?" he smirked at her.

Sakura blushed and immediately let go before turning around and running towards her room, slamming the door. "DON'T COME IN!"

"Some host you are," Syaoran grunted through the door. "Is this how you normally treat your guests?"

He heard things dropping onto the floor every now and then and an occasional yelp from Sakura, which caused him to chuckle. A few moments later, Syaoran got tired of waiting, and decided to look for himself.

"Sakura –"

"OW!"

"Oops."

"HOW MANY TIMES DO YOU HAVE TA BARGE IN LIKE DAT?" Sakura shrieked, now on her back. "IT HURTS!"

Syaoran ignored her and looked around the room. "This is where you sleep?"

"No, actually this is where my family dumps all their garbage!"

"… it sure looks like one."

Sakura growled and stomped away from him, grabbed another chair and dropped it in front of her desk. Syaoran couldn't help but chuckle as he to her closet and examined the posters and pictures she put up. "Whad are you doing?" Sakura asked suspiciously, narrowing her eyes. "It's impolite to poke and prod ad someone's privacy, you know."

"I'm not poking," he turned around and grinned at her. "Just curious."

"Abou' whad?"

Shrugging, Syaoran curled his fingers on the closet handle and began opening it. "Everything. Like this, for example," he continued, his head now inside, "oh hey – is this your underwear drawer?"

Sakura could only gape at him before stomping across her room and pounding her fists against his back. "Perverd!" she nearly screamed. "YOU'RE SUPPOS'D TA TEACH ME MATH, NOD PLAY AROUND WID MY – HEY!"

"Let's see, what size …"

"SYAORAN LI!"

The guy threw the bra away as Sakura leapt onto his back, arms around his neck. "You're insane! Get off me!"

"You're nod really a tutor, right?" she accused, kicking her feet. "You're just here ta look at my private stuff an' – an' –"

"Kid," Syaoran gasped for breath, tripping over a bag and landing onto her bed, "I have no clue what you're saying. And stop shouting my name around!"

"Whad?" Before Sakura could shoot back a reply, the door opened.

Touya Kinomoto stood at the doorway, looking around the room before his eyes finally settled on his sister and, uh, the position she was in.

"What the hell is going on here?" he growled, glaring at the man on top of her. "Who are you? What are you doing here? Why are you in bed with my sister? I asked you a question, man!"

"Duya!" Sakura gasped, knocking Syaoran aside (with rather surprising strength) and jumping off the bed, "Wha' are you doing here?"

"I forgot my wallet, but I should be asking him that," her brother glared pointedly at a certain man on the floor. "I asked you a question!"

"Uh …" Syaoran got to his feet, almost tripping over a sock.

Silly boy!

She never mentioned she had a brother, he thought angrily. Now what am I gonna say?

"I'm her math tutor!" he explained, clearing his throat. "I heard from my good friend Eriol that Sakura wasn't doing very well in the subject, so I offered – I mean, Eriol offered –"

"That doesn't answer my question," Touya growled, crossing his arms. The two men were the same height, though Syaoran seemed to be cowering under Touya's glower.

Clearing his throat again, Syaoran extended his hand, forcing a smile. "I'm Syaoran. You're her brother – Duya, is it?"

Touya continued to glare at him. "Touya," he shot out.

"Oh," Syaoran gulped, kicking himself mentally. "Well it's very nice to meet you, Duya –"

"This freak is your math tutor?" Touya asked Sakura in disbelief. Without waiting for an answer, he turned to Syaoran again, asking once more, "How old are you? Where did you graduate? What are your intentions for my sister?"

"In – intentions?" Syaoran choked out, staring at him, incredulous. "You gotta be kidding me, right?"

Touya stepped forward 'til he was almost nose-to-nose with the 'freak'. "Excuse me? Are you calling my sister ugly?"

"Wha – you first ask me what my so-called intentions are, and now you're taking your anger out on me when I say she's ugly?" Syaoran narrowed his eyes back. "What's your problem?"

"So you admit she's ugly? Is that it?" Touya growled, clenching his fists. "Why, you little –"

"Touya," Sakura interrupted, looking at a piece of paper, "it says here you should be in your school right now, having lunch?"

"So?"

"They're serving lasagna today."

Touya's eyes perked up. Syaoran stared disbelievingly at the guy before him, his frown turned upside down in a blink of an eye. Now grinning from ear-to-ear, Touya clapped his hands gleefully, beaming so brightly it scared Syaoran so much he took two steps back.

"Awesome!" Touya grinned again, so wide his cheeks were starting to hurt. He turned and walked to the door, rubbing his cheeks, but suddenly turned around and glared at a certain amber-eyed boy, threatening, "You better watch out, mister."

"For what?" Syaoran snorted, crossing his arms again.

"Don't do anything stupid. Especially with my sister," Touya glared at him before stalking out.

"Bye to you too, Duya."

"IT'S TOUYA!"

Syaoran sighd, ran a hand through his hair before turning to Sakura, saying "Well? Let's just get this over with; I need to …"

Great. Now I gotta find an excuse for 'giving an interview.'

This is it! This is your chance to rub in her face!

But … no. I don't want to.

Why not?

It's interesting, having a girl around who doesn't know who I am, Syaoran frowned.

C'mon! Do it! RUB IT IN!

Shut up. Argh, who the hell are you?

Your INNER EYE.

Or maybe I should tell her …

YES! That's right! You know you want to!

God, I've got a bossy Inner Eye.

Just tell her, doofus.

You should be called Inner Mouth-So-Large-It-Looks-Like-A-Dementor-From-Harry-Potter-About-To-Give-The-Kiss-of-Death-Or-Whatever-It's-Called.

Dear Lord, he's going insane.

"… look after my pet."

"You? With a ped?" Sakura stated in disbelief. "It must be dead by now, so what's da point?"

"Yeah!" Syaoran shrugged, sitting down on one of the chairs. "I have a pet … potato!"

Disbelief is an understatement. Sakura looked at him, bewildered. "You 'ave a ped podado," she repeated.

"Are you deaf? Yes I do," Syaoran scoffed, examining his nails so he wouldn't look at her. "His name is Sirius. I named him after that guy from Harry Potter, you know? I'm also thinking about buying a carrot," he blabbed on, "and maybe a pea or two, 'cause he gets lonely sometimes, like right now, when I'm not at home. I was thinking about naming the carrot James and the other two peas Remus and Pigtail, I'd name it Wormtail, but ick, ew, what kind of name is that?"

Maybe mentioning that interview thing wasn't so bad after all.

"You're insane."

"Many people have voiced that out," Syaoran cleared his throat, "but I know they don't mean it."

"I do."

"No you don't. You love me."

Sakura snorted. "Let's just ged this over wid so you can go home do your pet podado," she sighed, grabbing another chair and pulling it over, next to him. Settling herself into the seat, she grabbed her school bag, pulling some papers and notebooks out while saying, "You should know," she started, slamming her pencil case down a little too hard, "dat I suck at math. Okay? So don't laugh," she crossed her eyebrows, jabbing a finger at his chest, "don't roll your eyes," – another jab – "don't make fun of me," – and another – "an' please don't mention your ped podado again."

This caused Syaoran to grab her finger, glaring back, "Just because Sirius isn't like other pets doesn't mean he doesn't have feelings –"

"Your hand is sweaty and smells strongly of socks, let go of me now," Sakura continued to glower back.

Syaoran did as he was told, cursing Eriol under his breath. "Stupid Eriol and his stupid sock-throwing … just because he failed to join the Pee-Wee Basketball Team for kindergarteners last week doesn't mean he can throw things across the room to vent out his feelings …"

He stopped abruptly, however, when he looked at her latest test grade.

"Negative thirty-four?"

Sakura crossed her arms in defense, "Whad did I say abou' being mean?"

"You never said anything about being mean, and I wasn't being mean," Syaoran added, still staring at the paper incredulously. "How in the world did you get a negative?"

"You also get six extra marks off if you guessed wrong," Sakura scoffed. "So technically, I should've gotten a sixteen!"

"Which is SO much better, I know," he muttered.

Sakura tugged at his shirt, forcefully. "Wha' did I say aboud making fun of me?"

"Uh … to do it? OW!" Syaoran held his foot, where she stomped on quite vigorously after his comment. "You're insane, woman!"

"At least I don't 'ave a ped podado named Sirius!"

"So what if I – you have the Niagra Falls coming out from your nose."

Embarrassed, Sakura hid her face behind her hands and turned around to grab a tissue. She nearly scared the pants of Syaoran as she blew her nose loudly – probably on purpose.

Syaoran couldn't wait to go home to Sirius.

A/N: I finally updated after two years! GO ME!

Uh, yeah. I've been reading Harry Potter fanfics and couldn't help it. LOL. Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, I had a hard time writing it, what with Sakura's cold and all.

Review review review! And don't hesitate to give me a few suggestions, I want to know what you guys want to read about (: