.Thank You, Stranger.
Author's Note: Review appreciated. I mentioned that it's somewhat based on a real life story with a LOT of fantasical twist to it so some parts are true, majority I add to make it more story-like though I won't tell which is which –wink wink-.
Disclaimer: Don't own CCS.
Summary: She didn't know about his reputation. He didn't know about her past. They didn't know each other. It was merely a simple request. It was suppose to be only one ride, one short trip around the city, who knew that it would lead to a long journey?
Chapter 6: Those damned cookies!
"Please, please, please," begged a raven haired woman, amethyst eyes twinkling with a plea, both hands clasped together automatically not that it really assist with the request
"Tomoyo," emerald eyes sighed exasperatedly, "You know I don't like to do those things."
"Please, Sakura, just a few more designs. I promise, no more after this," Tomoyo claimed, face pulling for a puppy dog pout.
"'moyo, you said that the last three times," whined the auburn haired girl, crossing her arm across her chest in annoyance.
"Yea, but this will be the very last time," Tomoyo replied, stretching out the 'very' even though she probably doesn't mean it.
"No," Sakura stated firmly, knowing that somehow her crazy cousin would find a way to make her say yes.
Tomoyo seemed to be compensating the rejection for a minute before she smiled and her eyes twinkled like thousands of times before, "fine, then you have to come for a Thanksgiving dinner at our house tomorrow."
Sakura groaned, glance at her cousin's obstinate face before mumbling a quick 'fine'. Flaps of raven hair bounced up and down as the amethyst woman jumped enthusiastically and Sakura let out a small smile towards her relative.
"Be there at six," Tomoyo hollered back before her silhouette left the room towards her job.
Shaking her head, she muttered, "unbelievable."
Returning her attention to the rather empty place in front of her, she took in the black velvet that enveloped the sky outside. Glancing around the small restaurant, a content sigh followed as she grazes through the empty tables, chairs, and cookware. Then she heard a small bell dinged near the top corner of the door signaling an arrival of a customer. Letting a smile grace her lips, she walked towards the door and embraced a ruby-eyed woman.
"What a surprise! What brings you here so late!?" Sakura exclaimed before releasing the woman after quickly scanning the silver watch on her wrist.
"Can't a girl come to visit a friend?" the black haired woman feigns a hurt look of innocence.
"Everyone else, yes. You, no," Sakura teased, motioning for the woman to sit down on the nearby table.
"How's business?"
"Look around you," Sakura said, eyebrows scrunching up in surprise at such an unnecessary question but was returned with a pair of rolling eyes.
"Well, no wonder! Look at how you take care of your customers!" the crimson-eyed woman cried indignantly meaning 'she' was the customer.
"Oh, shut up, Meiling," this time, it was Sakura who rolled her emerald eyes.
"So how's that guy?" Meiling implored, letting out a sly smile that indicates a gossip woman wanting details.
"Meiling!" Sakura huffed crossly. Meiling was the only one she told about those rides with that chocolate haired male. At first the crimson-eyed woman was worried, but then after an adequate explanation, she reluctantly gave her support. Letting out a chuckle, Sakura answered, "nothing's happening, Meiling. It's only a ride."
"Sure, sure, that's what they all say," Meiling waved it off offhandedly, "come on, dish something out. I'm pregnant and can't go anywhere and I require these juicy details to live my life."
Sakura couldn't help but laugh as her associate rubbed her growing stomach, "There are no details. We meet, we take a ride, we come back, he go bye-bye. We rarely even exchange words."
"Sheesh, what precious details," Meiling muttered sarcastically before the curiosity in her hits again, "Why don't you talk to him!? Obviously he's good-looking from the way you described him and he seemed like the 'mysterious' type, not at all like Ryuu."
"You think every guy is better than Ryuu!" Sakura playfully scoffed unbelievably at her friend.
"It's t- Oh no, you don't. You're not going to avoid the question," Meiling grinned vacuously.
"Why should I talk to him? We're just two strangers," Sakura gave a nonchalant shrug, but her voice indicate a bland tone.
Knowing better than to bring up the past, Meiling decided not to say what her mind wanted to ask; instead she directed her inquiry to something else, "you should thank him, somehow."
Looking at her ludicrously, Sakura creased her brow in question, "I already did."
"Yea, but just saying 'thank you' is not enough. I mean, he's wasting gas to drive you around," Meiling stated, nodding her head wisely like an old aged woman, knowing that it was unnecessary.
Sakura stayed silent.
"Beside, didn't you say that he bought a helmet so that both would have one?" Meiling continued.
"I'm never telling you anything again," Sakura send a death glare towards her companion in front of her.
"Oh, Sak. You always say that. You want to hear my suggestion or not?" Meiling freely waved off the comment.
"No, but I don't have a choice do I?" Sakura replied dryly, but inwardly smile at her friend for being there. She knew that Meiling, going through all these problems at an early age really did made her wiser despite her immature tactics and behavior.
"Of course not. You know me better than that!" Meiling cheekily replied, "I say you make him something for Thanksgiving or a thank you gift."
"Meiling, you-"
As quickly as her mouth parted, she was interrupted, "No, Sakura. Listen. I know sometimes my brain is 'off', but in this, I really do think that you should do something as a thank you gift."
Sighing and already knowing the reasons behind it, she replied, "Yea, I know. What do you suggest I give him?"
"Cookies!" was the immediate response of her friend.
Eyes widening in realization, emerald eyes begin to narrow at the woman in front of her and the glare returned.
"What?" Meiling asked innocently smiling.
"Meiling, I can't believe you!" cried Sakura at her friend absurdly, "and you're going to tell me to make two batch so that one is yours, aren't you?"
"Noo…" Meiling drawled, eyes averting Sakura's before giving in and squeakily replied, "Actually, three."
"Cravings," Sakura muttered incoherently before she walked towards the counter.
"Does that mean you'll make them?" Meiling tentatively asked, ruby eyes beaming with anticipation.
"I'm going to go see if we have all the ingredients," Sakura replied. She quickly glanced at the red-head cleaning the table and gave her a quick nod and a finger gesture to watch if any customers were coming in. It was highly unlikely since it was close to midnight, but you can never be sure, after all, she didn't want to be yelled at like last time.
Meiling squeal before literally skipping to the kitchen following Sakura.
"You'll have to drop by the library on Saturday to get it for me, ok?" Sakura spoke as she noticed that they were out of chocolate chips and the brown sugar cubes she uses for her cookies.
Meiling groaned, but nodded indigently since she didn't really have that much of a choice.
"Meiling…" realization dawned on her for a second, "where is Lynn?"
Meiling's eyes widened tremendously and after seeing the frightened look upon the auburn hair girl's face, she let out a mischievous smile and reply, "oh, she's with her grandma."
Was this the third, fourth, or hundred? How ever many times Sakura had send death glares at her precious friend, it didn't work, "how come I'm sending all these death glares at you, but you're not dead yet?"
Meiling just grinned.
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In.
Whoosh.
Score, amber-brown eyes silently celebrated. He has been sitting at his desk for the last ten minutes trying to get rid of boredom. The result: him crumpling up the paper balls and throwing them across the room to a basket even though there was one under his desk.
His eyes trained on the target once more, his wrist did a flick and whoosh went the paper ball, but he hadn't aim for the basket. The wrinkled paper hit its target, the dark blue-haired male who just stepped in.
"You missed."
"I was aiming at you," amber-brown eyes flickered in annoyance.
Deciding to disregard the comment, he walked calm and gracefully into the room carrying a black folder. Already knowing what is to be asked, the man waited.
"Cough it up," came a grouchy reply.
Smiling at how predictable the response and tone was, he spoke. "Your mother wishes to have a nice family dinner today for Thanksgiving."
"It's a party," Syaoran dully responded, tearing a blank piece of paper from his notebook.
"It'll be consisting of a few people," continued the man purposefully dodging the quantitative number.
"A party," Syaoran repeated, just as dismally. He took aim.
"They are all close to the company," the azure-eyed male persisted.
"It's a party," once again, replied the disgruntling voice. His wrist flick and a small 'clang' indicated that he hit the target. "Score!"
"Syaoran!" the other man called out interrupting his short triumph.
"What the f--- do you want? I already know that it's a party to make my 'mother' look good," Syaoran growled.
Eriol sighed, there was no use getting Syaoran more involved and supportive of Yelan. Mentally shaking his head, he wondered how his aunt could deal with someone as exasperated as his cousin all her life. He, though he didn't show it, was sometimes strongly frustrated with the lack of responsibility that his cousin shows towards the Clan.
"What's in the folder?" Syaoran asked, his voice regaining composure that he was sure that he would lose again within moments later.
Eriol was slightly startled, but salvaging his astonishment, he spoke, "The newest list of what we have on the Dragons and their newest recruitment."
Placing the folder upon the table in front of Syaoran, Eriol went on to explain who each the top ten recruits were. Syaoran, pushing everything aside listen intently.
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Ding-Dong-Ding-a-Ling-Have-an-onion-ring
Sakura scrunched her perfectly shaped eyebrow wondering what in the world made her cousin choose this strange doorbell ring. Standing there in formal blouse and black slacks, she await for a maid to answer the bell. To her amusement, it was a short black haired woman dressed in a lavender suit with a calming gracing her aged pale face.
"Sakura, how nice it is to see you again," the sophisticated lady greeted, her voice quite hoarse.
"Auntie Sonomi," Sakura greeted, a smile prancing on her lips as her eyes relaxed, sympathetic, slightly at the sight of her pastel-looking aunt.
Allowing her younger sister's daughter in, Sonomi wobbled after the young woman to the dinner table denying any assistance from Sakura.
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Meanwhile…
"Why, come in, come in," a smooth female voice echoed, ushering the guests draped in loads of jewels as if bragging their wealth.
A few feet away, chocolate hair was trying to maintain its gelled-mature look, but to no avail. Walking with a glass of red wine, the male inwardly grimace when a brunette attached herself to his left arm. Like a leeched sucking his blood, he literally felt her hard grip on his arm.
"Syaoran, could you please get me a drink? I'm thirsty and the bar is too far away. I don't want to ruin my new (insert brand name) dress," the brunette squeakily said, her voice at a high-pitched.
Syaoran could've sworn that the girl was a blonde dyed brunette and that her dress was two sizes too small. Suppressing his urge to choke the girl and throwing her into a shark infested ocean, he managed his gentlemen poise, smile and nod, semi-glad that he was giving his arm some air again.
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There were only a small selected few of maids available to serve them since it was Thanksgiving and the Daidouji had graciously allowed them to spend time with their family. Little words were exchanged, but the contentment of knowing your family is there was enough. Dinner was a typical Thanksgiving dinner with hot roasted turkey along with corn-on-the-cob, mashed potatoes, salad, and dessert was pumpkin pie.
Scooping a spoonful of the pumpkin pie to her mouth, she savored a small moment of satisfaction after swallowing it.
"Tomoyo, did you find someone for your designs yet?" the aged black haired woman asked, a ghostly smile on her face.
"Yes. Sakura is going to do it," Tomoyo quickly replied matter-of-factly taking a swift glance at the emerald eyed woman.
Hearing her name being mentioned, Sakura began coughing, the crust of the pie had gotten into her throat and situated itself there when it realized it could have some fun. She quickly grasped a glass of water and chugged it down; the pumpkin had no chance against the rushing waterfall of water.
Catching her breath, she realized that her cousin and aunt were looking at her. Sheepishly, she assured, "I'm okay."
"Ah, well. Sakura, it's so wonderful to have help Tomoyo out with her designs. I know that you would be able to pull it out when the next show come," Sonomi responded, eyes strained to keep its twinkling and lips tired from maintaining the smile.
Feeling subconsciously guilty if she was to correct her aunt whose health wasn't so well, she just gave a small smile.
"Don't worry auntie," Sakura replied before sending an 'I-will-kill-you-later' to her cousin who in turn smiled innocently.
Little did she know that she was going to actually thank her cousin for indirectly forcing her to do the show.
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Syaoran roughly shook his head seeing that his sense just flew out the window probably doing the tango with his mind. Something was wrong with him, he was sure. Placing the back of his hand to his forehead to check if he has a temperature, he found that he felt normal. Dodging left and right, he found himself out in the balcony glancing up at the half moon.
Glancing over at his family's modest estate, he reminisces on a fleeting look that Eriol Hiiragizawa gave him in his office earlier that day. Heaving a sigh, he knew that he was being misinterpreted, but his pride suppress the urge to correct and allow how everyone saw how he was.
A few short minutes passed as he gaze at the moon. A stray cloud had appeared, hiding part of the moonlight and slowly more clouds arrived. He began strolling back inside before people went looking for him
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Saturday came promptly passing Friday by without a glance over the shoulder. Three bags of cookies were found hidden in a small sac, big enough for one bag each. Holding it up to the light, a smile appeared as emerald eyes glisten at her accomplishment. Sakura had dedicated quite some time to make the three batches of cookies last night. It didn't help that she was busy doing her homework which made the first batch burnt and uneatable.
Green eyes scrutinizing the three sacs, she wondered if she should've baked more for everyone. Giving a simple shrug, she figured it was too late for that now as she spends her lunch hour standing there in front of the library waiting for a certain crimson-eyed woman who had tricked her to baking the cookies.
Honk!
The shrill of a car's honking was not something that she enjoyed hearing especially if it's a hot day and you're stuck in traffic for two hours. Nonetheless, blinking a couple of times in all direction to spot the jade-green minivan that she knew had honked; she finally found it against the sidewalk. Marching towards the van, she noticed her friend waving like some silly ten year old.
"If you weren't pregnant, you would be in trouble," Sakura warned, eyes narrowing even if her lips were betraying her with a smile.
Taking the sacs from her friend, Meiling grinned triumphantly, "I know."
Noticing a giggling four-year old girl in the backseat, Sakura stuck her head through the passenger's window from the back. "Hey Lynn, did you miss 'kura?"
"'kura, 'kura! Lynn miss 'kura, this much!" exclaimed the hyper little girl stretching her arms out wide.
"'kura missed Lynn this much!" Sakura replied and with arms wider than the four-year old raven haired girl stretched out; she made the girl's eyes widened.
"No fair. 'kura has bigger arms," Lynn pouted cutely making Sakura stifled a laugh.
"When Lynn grows older," was all that Sakura said before picking her up and placing a kiss on her rosy cheek.
"Lynn wants 'kura to play with her!" she whined as the beginning of fit begins.
"Lynn, sweetie, auntie 'kura has to work," Meiling cooed, head cocked over her shoulders at her girl and had chosen this time to speak up.
"Next time, I promise, ok?" Sakura assured, smiling at the endearing little girl who nodded her head vigorously.
"Bye-bye auntie 'kura!" waved the fervent girl, both hands waving frantically in the air.
Stepping back from the curb, Sakura smiled while waving at the retreating van. Swiftly glancing at her cherry blossom designed watch, she noticed that it had taken her longer than expected. Half an hour left for lunch, Sakura thought before letting out an impish grin. I'm sure Yukito won't mind missing out a few extra minutes for his lunch.
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How late can one person be!? His mind screamed. Before thinking how impractical he was being for mentally yelling at a person who is not here and is only two minutes late, he exhaled noisily. For some reason, he felt more agitated than usual and at every damn little thing. It was probably because of that fugly brunette trying to call him every damn hour. Freaking stupid sisters, giving out my number to every f---ing available women. He mentally cursed. Violently shaking his head and gently pounding the handle of his bike, he didn't detect approaching footsteps.
"Are you ok?" a voice timidly asked.
Snapping his head and eyes open, he glanced at the girl in front of him. For some reason unbeknown to him she seemed different and he couldn't put his finger on it. Maybe it was because she wasn't wearing her usual bag, but rather an overstuffed brown bag and a smaller red sac. The brown bag, he guessed, were full of clothes, but he couldn't think of a thing that might've been in the smaller sac.
Abruptly, as if wincing in pain, he jerked his arm back from a soft touch. Glaring at the woman in front of him, he was clearly annoyed, screw not showing your damn anger. "Why the hell did you touch me for!?"
"I was wondering if you were ok, you spaced out," replied the girl, her tone, he slightly detected, held back some irritation and some unidentified reason made him inwardly grimace.
"Just put on the damn helmet," he sneered, feeling more aggravated.
She hesitate for a second debating whether to straightforwardly give it to him or some other way. Observing his quick irritation, she went with plan B.
"Could you put this on your handle?"
Whirling his head around, he saw she was holding up the small red sac by the gold string. "What the hell for?"
Ignoring the rude comment, she elaborated, "my bag is too full and I might drop it if I hold onto it. Couldn't you just hang it from your handle?"
Groaning in annoyance, he grumbled, "Fine, whatever."
Mentally, she wanted to yell at the man, but deciding that she could, or rather should, put up with this rude attitude, she shut her mouth. She passed the red sac to him and watched him roughly hook it onto the handle. Letting out a short sigh, she placed the helmet on her head and they were off again.
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"Boss?" a masculine voice called out, his mustache itches as he tries to adjust it.
"Yes, yes." A short silence awaited the male as he wait for the authority on the other line to give him information and order.
"We think that his woman might have it."
Silence.
"She gave it to him. That's probably how we weren't able to find it."
Silence. The dark haired male glanced around at his companions, each with an eerie solemn face.
"No, sir. We'll get-" apparently, the other person on the other end had interrupted him and even with how rude it may seem, one knows not to raise their temper against the authority.
"Yes, sir," the male replied before shutting his red phone with a click.
Looking at his companion in the driver seat and glancing through the rearview mirror at the other, he gave an affirmative nod as he spoke of the rather simple plan in his opinion, but who was he to judge authority?
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How strange everything had looked/felt to both of them and the expected short ride became an agonizing long period of time, it was nerve wrecking really.
The engine died down for a quick moment and Sakura felt the need to rush off and go home. It wasn't as comforting as it was suppose to be. Muttering a quick 'thank you', she scampered away leaving an even more irritated chocolate hair male.
Deciding not to pursue it further than 'it's a bad day', he started his engine. Maybe it was this irritation that clouded his senses because he did not glance back to see the dark blue car pulling to a complete stop instead of following him.
Driving out the driveway, he came to an abrupt stop at the quick changing red light. Allowing the engine to die down a bit, his gaze shifted to the swinging red sac. Groaning lightly, he U-turned as soon as the florescent green came on. Stupid forgetful girl, he mentally noted.
Parking at the motorcycle area, he jumped off holding the red sac; he did a three-sixty and finally saw the auburn haired girl walking a few feet away from a few men. He watched her turn the corner and along with her, those three men followed.
Seeing the same dark blue car parking nearby from which he was almost positive was the same. Dragons. He began cussing loudly out every incoherent word he could manage before stuffing the red sac in his pocket, he dashed after them.
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A/N: Hope you enjoy that! –smiles- Review please so I could know what I need to improve on! I wanted to thank all who reviewed. YOU really did make this authoress EXTREMELY HAPPY!!! –smiles- I would love it, if the reviews goes up by each chapter! –wink wink hint hint-
Who don't get what's going on!?
Who knows what might be happening?
I wanna see where you are with the story and how you might be interpreting it –smiles-
Again, obviously all author(s/ess) would like reviews and this authoress isn't an exception! –smiles-
Luv Kimmie