Title: The Misguided Fool
Foreshadow: "I can't believe this." Syaoran repeated for the forth time this minute, "Why the hell am I letting this woman push me around so freely?"
Just then, on cue, Sakura called out to him with his second task, "Oh, and get Kero from the ceiling would you? My neighbor's coming to watch him for the day."
"What?"
Chapter: 3…Enters Tomoyo
:Chapter 3:
She left the computer room only once in the next hour, going across the hall to the employee's lounge to refill her coffee cup. She met nobody along the way and didn't linger.
It was nearly eleven o'clock when a brisk rap on the jamb of the door open door heralded Tomoyo Daidouji's entrance into the room. It has only been a day after their date that Tomoyo, now officially Mrs. Hiiragizzwa returned to the museum a week early from her Honeymoon, surprising everyone, while her husband remained at home, with Sakura—and others—unable to make contact with him at the moment.
The young director of the "Troy" exhibit had made an entrance looking as elegant as usual, her gleaming jet hair worn up today and her astonishing figure simply clothed in an amber silk blouse and black pants.
Sakura, dressed in faded jeans and a green plaid shirt worn over a black turtle neck sweater, felt a pang of rueful envy for the other woman's effortless sense of elegance.
"Hey," Tomoyo said as she breezed in.
"Hi, yourself," Sakura responded. "What's up?"
Amethyst eyes shone with interest as Tomoyo rested a hip on one corner of the desk, automatically scratching Kero under the chin, she replied mildly. "Our little Syaoran's acting like he got his claw caught in a steel trap."
Sakura ignore the implication in Tomoyo's answer, "Yeah?"
"Yes, and since one of the guards saw you two leave together yesterday, the place is full of speculation."
Sakura had a felling it might be.
She leaned back on her chair. "So you're in charge of officially verifying the facts?" she asked politely.
Tomoyo giggled warmly. "Not at all, I'm just incredibly nosy. I'm also very impressed—if, you are responsible for Syaoran's lousy mood."
"Oh? Why's that?"
"Because from what I've seen in the last few months, Syaoran hasn't let any girl get close enough to barely annoy him, much less get under his skin to the point that he's snapping everybody's head off." And it couldn't hurt that just the colour of your eyes would freeze him in his place, Tomoyo thought bemusedly.
"As I know for sure," Sakura commented dryly, "he's let plenty of the girls get close."
"Oh, physically, sure, but nowhere near emotionally. Even Rachel Conte couldn't make a dent—and she's been enslaving men in her teens."
"I'm not his type." Sakura blurted out, wanting for this pointless talk to stop. "Hardly five-foot-ten and sylphlike. And nowhere near a Barbie doll."
It was obvious Tomoyo wasn't going to give her the answer she was probing for, and her giggle this time held graceful acceptance. "Okay, okay, I know when I'm being warned off. But, just for the record, I think the reason Syaoran is snapping at everyone is because you are his type—and he's getting real nervous about it."
Sakura smiled slightly.
Tomoyo's smile grew wider. "You know, both you and Syaoran is so closemouthed you'll drive each other nuts. Oh, boy, this is going to be good. I'll get myself a front row seat, and watch you from the sidelines."
"Suit yourself."
x x x x x x x
Settling back into her workplace, she closed the door firmly and stared blankly at the machine until a phone ring brought her back to state. "Hello?"
"Just what the hell did your boss put you up to?" The caller hissed.
Sakura sighed recognizing the voice and dropped her formality. "There's nothing wrong with playing along with his plans."
"But I was bloody sure Uncle wouldn't send you of all people to do the job!"
Sakura heard a cheery voice in the background. "Hello, Sakura." He seemed to be arguing with her caller, "Can I take the phone, can I? I haven't caller her in weeks, since Venice!"
Sakura giggled, "Your always so protective of me—seriously we've only went on a little insignificant date yesterday."
There was a long silence, and then his voice came back over the line softly. "You did what?"
"You heard me."
"Why the hell didn't you tell me last night?"
Gently, she replied, "Because I didn't see the need to—it's my call."
Another long silence, and when he spoke it was obvious he was holding on to a formidable temper. "I see. Then you don't mind telling me—"
A firm knock on the door, loud enough for him to hear interrupted him. Quickly, he said, "Call me back later—"
"Wait," she said. Raising her voice, she invited the visitor to enter. Since the knock had been so emphatic, she wasn't surprised when Syaoran came in. "Be with you in a minute," she told him calmly, and then, into the phone, said, "You were saying?"
"It's him isn't it? He's there, inside the room?"
Then, Sakura heard a background conversation between her caller and his secretary. "Sir? I don't think Mr. Welsh would be pleased to find another desk—never mind."
"I don't give a damn about the desk or Welsh! I might as well go after the man for getting Sakura involved with this—this, assignment of hers! Shooting him would be too quick. Roast him over a fire—"
The secretary heaved a sigh, "I will cancel your appointment for this evening."
"Damn straight you will, woman!"
Sakura ignore the dialogue at her caller's side and answered the question. "Yes, he's here." She watched Syaoran close the door.
The silence was brief, and the previous cheery voice on the phone, clearly amused. "You'd play with explosives in an explosion, wouldn't you Sakura?"
"Sure, it's in my resume."
Pivoting her chair to the other direction, Sakura turned her back to Syaoran hiding the smile tugging at her face.
"Hey! That is my phone, give it here! Hello, Sakura? Well, never mind. Just call me when you're free. We have to meet up before all this goes to hell."
"I'll do that," Sakura answered her caller, "Thank you very much sir."
He made a rude noise—obviously because he knew her curtsey was for Syaoran's benefit—and hung up.
Sakura cradled the phone and looked at the visitor towering over her desk. Before he could tell her why he came in, Sakura, characteristically, strolled in where a sane man would have hesitated to go. "So, I heard you've been a mite testy this morning." She offered solemnly.
His impassive mask cracked a bit as his mouth tightened. "Tomoyo talks too much."
Sakura chuckled. "I doubt even Tomoyo would argue with that assessment. She's only has your best interest at heart."
"I don't need help," Syaoran snapped. "And I want her to mind her own business."
Sakura leaned an elbow on the desk, propped her chin in her hand, and gently drawled, "People in hell want ice water; that don't mean they get it."
Syaoran stared at her. For the life in him, he couldn't think of a thing to say.
"So, what do I owe the pleasure of having you grace your lordly presence here?"
x x x x x x x
Syaoran, after another round with the infamous technician—and feisty mind which could match his own temper—Kinomoto, stormed into the employees' room and began putting his therapy to good use.
"You!" he snapped to a new guard on break, "What the hell are you doing here taking a bloody break while those tours full of teenagers are roaming around the museum? Get your lazy ass back out there and make sure you have every one of those kids in order!"
Seeing that the guard was about to talk back, probably something along the workplace rights, he bared his fangs and repeated himself, "Get your lazy ass out!"
One look into Syaoran's poise would've told anyone, he would've gladly taken any excuse to hit someone, and this newbie didn't want to test his anger. He was out in a flash.
Now, onto his next victims. Syaoran scanned the room for another poor hearted sap he could relieve his pent up anger. If only he wasn't so thoroughly taught by his mother to not attack a female no matter the situation. Because, more than anything, he wanted to jump her and strangle her little neck and shut those ripe lips of hers, and shut out her drawling tone.
How did he become so emotionally invoked by a woman, especially by the likes of hers, in such a short amount of time?
To his pleasure he saw a poor innocent sap smoking in the back room, a perfect target for his situation.
Buddy, this just isn't your day.
x x x x x x x
Tomoyo giggled as she saw Syaoran marching back and forth the employee's lounge and poured herself a cup of coffee. "Hello, Xiao Lang."
At the cheery mention of his name, he turned to face Tomoyo with his temper still at rise. "What the hell are you—," but before anything, he was cut off by a harsh impact against his skull which sent him face plant on the cold floor.
"Its not nice to swear in front of a pregnant woman, Xiao Lang."
He groaned at the tall raven-haired woman standing by Tomoyo, her purse swaying at her side. "What are you doing here, Meiling?"
The said woman smiled and began to squeeze the life forces out of him, which she had persistently called an embrace between cousins, although, he knew, it was her secret way of punishing him for ever being born into her precious life.
"Its, nice to see you to my favourite male cousin!" she grinned.
"I'm your only male cousin." Syaoran managed to retort through the suffocation.
Once Tomoyo had settled them away from each other, she sat down on to the soft cream sofa and took a soft sip of her coffee. "So, we can see that your last encounter with Miss Kinomoto was rather…eventful."
Meiling snickered, "Eventful my ass; I heard that she's the kind of woman that can stand up to this bloated egoistic glory of a male. How did your date go out?"
"Just how many people have you been telling, Tomoyo?"
Tomoyo looked innocently at the scowling Syaoran, who seemed to be generally holding back after hearing her present situation. He really was fawned of her as a friend.
But there was always a limitation to friendship.
"I've no idea what you are implying, Xiao Lang. I've only talked to our favorite technician to verify the right information."
AN: I was v. happy with the reviews I had last week and decided to write another review for all of my readers. And so many insightful questions and comments, too I'll be happy to answer them for you:
KamichamaKarinLover25: Will the 5 brothers be here?
AN: KKL, you are quite keen, aren't you? Well, although this is slightly a spoiler, they won't be in the story until the next chapter. You might like the entrance they take
Cheeseycraziness: Great tactic Sakura, you really got him annoyed, but your plan backfired - he took your advice. . Rachel was HILARIOUS.
AN: Thank you Cheeseycrazines, your reviews makes my day, along with the others. Like KKL, you are quite keen, too. The backfire is something very real in this story.
Syaoran Dante: oh starting to get closer to each other now.
AN: I find your comments on each review fun to read Very perspective of you, but don't be fooled too much with the way this story is going—I'm rather known for twisting a story to another completely opposite direction, I won't be too easy to follow after the first few chapters
shine my star:You mention Kero as her familiar. Will magic be involved in the story?
AN: oh, this latest review gets me tingling. What a great question although, really there is not stupid questions. You really are keen! Well, I cannot spoil it for other readers by answering this one, but the suggestion will be taken. Ofcourse, others can add to it, as well
Freedec: All I want to say now is-Touya Touya touya... P.S - Didn't mean to bug you with my questions last time...
AN: Dear Freedec, your questions did not bug me. In fact, I value any questions that comes along, b/c it just shows how generally interested people are at my story. Meh. Well, as for your Touya obsession, he will make a public appearance pretty soon
