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"I do have the power to grant you what you want… but are you positive that you're not going to regret it? Remember, once I grant a wish, its permanent and irreversible."
He nodded, his eyes darkening and turning sombre. She tilted her head to the side and looked at him, "Things happen for a reason Syaoran… perhaps you should come and speak to me about this again when you have a clear head."
"No," he grunted impatiently, "I'm sure I want his… "
Closing her eyes, Sakura penetrated his mind, slightly flinching against the darkness, sadness and loneliness dwelling there.
The last thing she heard was his yearning voice,
"I want her…"
Before the power within her surged out and she knew in her heart that she had granted him the thing that will change his life.
Four more wishes to go…
Syaoran blinked once and then twice, slightly dazed but feeling indifferent. Everything around him looked the same; everything with in him felt the same. He glanced up at Sakura and found the genie clothed back in her green pajamas, sleeping soundly on the linen sheets. She had used up all her energy in granting him his wish -- if his wish was granted at all. He could not help but feel slightly skeptical and doubtful about the whole situation but he knew that tomorrow would decide his fate and ultimately his happiness. Unable to push away his chaotic thoughts, he got up to his feet and headed for his own room.
"Good night Sakura," he said softly before closing the door behind him.
"Good night," Sakura mouthed silently, her eyes slowly opening, "Syaoran." She couldn't tear her gaze away from the door despite the darkness that enveloped the room. Her mind was, like his, a chaotic realm of flashing thoughts and overwhelming emotions. Overlapping the happiness apparent in her heart for being a step closer to returning home was something akin to loss. She didn't understand even the slightest bit, why in the world she felt so confused.
Moving on to a more pressing matter, she bit down on her lip and clutched at her aching stomach. Tomorrow should be a day to remember... especially for clueless, helpless Syaoran.
Syaoran groaned and muttered incoherently as he struggled to begin his plight of gaining some sort of consciousness. He had felt and experienced a great deal in his 19 years of life but the quaint feeling uncoiling in his gut that very moment was nothing he had ever experienced before. Something in him told him that he was going to have a god-awful day.
Bright light penetrated through his lashes as he forced his eyes open, attempting to bat away the intrusive rays of sunshine streaming through the window with his heavy arms. Untangling himself from the bed linen, he limped to the bathroom, eager to have a nice, cold shower. It was Friday and he had promised his mother the last time he had spoken to her that he was going to go to school that day. He had already missed one whole week; catching up on everything would prove to be quite problematic. He groaned helplessly. Latin would literally kill him and bury him alive.
His brain barely registered his actions as he took out hanger after hanger of clothing from his expansive closet. The first hanger had a dark blue blazer, thick and neatly ironed, with golden piping on its seams and an intricate, finely woven emblem on its left chest. Underneath it was a woolen black vest that held the same emblem on its left breast. The second carried a plain white Ralph Lauren polo shirt with a gray tie folded carefully around its collar. The third was adorned with a pair of ironed black pants. Fishing for his undergarments proved to be quite tricky with his lack of inhibition but he had managed to bend over and open the last and lowest drawer and take with him what he needed. If he had a say on the matter, he wouldn't usually make this so inconvenient for himself but he had to pick an inconspicuous place for his under things seeing as Meiling had an unruly habit of snooping in his room whenever she felt like it. She would brush off his complaints and scold him bitingly that they were family and so it shouldn't matter. His beloved cousin seemed to possess no regard for other people's privacy except when it came to her own.
His trek to the shower proved to be even trickier, swaying here and there and getting poked and swiped at by sharp edges of numerous cabinets, "Ugh, holy f--". In the very least, his vocabulary seemed to be slowly returning to his hazy brain quite nicely.
The very moment he felt the cold spray of water hit his skin, he was instantly heaved out of his sleepiness. Despite the world finally returning to its normal axis, the uneasiness in his gut did not wade away as he proceeded to do his morning routine of shaving, brushing his teeth, combing his mop of brown hair, getting dressed and spraying his usual cologne. Lastly, he lazily pulled on his socks and wore his black school shoes. Standing up, he faced the dresser mirror and looked at himself. There were still hints of fatigue visible on his face particularly the darkened shadows underneath his eyes. He figured that it would take more than one good night sleep to rid himself of them. His amber eyes however had returned to their usual brightness, free of the dullness that settled there during his roller coaster of a week. Which reminded him, he had not yet woken the genie and they were already late.
He grabbed his Rolex from the dresser and rushed out of the bathroom only to bump into a blur of a dark blue thing that turned out to be Sakura. She bounced off his chest and fell back almost instantaneously, arms and legs flailing helplessly into an ungraceful heap on the carpet floor. Cursing, she pulled down her dark blue skirt that had settled quite indecently after her fall and glared up at the bull of a culprit. Before Syaoran could open his mouth to begin his long parade of nicely worded apologies, he was struck by some invisible force and found himself flying back to the cold tiled floor of his bathroom.
"Holy f--" he stammered in surprise that quickly turned into anger when he realized what had just happened, "Damn it Sakura! I was going to say sorry!"
"Say that to my bruised ass," she replied, standing up and brushing down her skirt. She walked to the bathroom and watched him as he pushed himself to his feet, "Good morning classmate! Guess what day it is today?" The sudden glee and sweetness in her voice literally gave him the chills. Her effortless transitions from one emotion to another frightened him, almost as much as when Meiling had her routine PMS every first week of every month. A frightening thought dawned on him then – though Meiling would be easy enough to avoid during her hissy PMS days, Sakura on the other hand would be stuck to him whether he liked it or not, 24 hours a day. Sakura with PMS was unimaginable and he would need to be there for every freaking second of it, receiving every unreasonable verbal and physical abuse thrown at him. Women are so bloody hormonal.
Once he was on his feet, he glared back at her and straightened himself. "Normal people don't do this kind of thing, you know that right?" he asked in an irritated tone, "You can't go around pulverizing people with that power of yours if someone upsets you in school." There was no doubt that he was glad, happy even, that she was bouncing around like her usual self but he could sure live without the baggage of these confrontations that left him victimized and fuming. He was beginning to develop a case of 'bad mood' syndrome and it was barely 9 in the morning!
Anyone who knew Syaoran or knew of him would most likely be knowledgeable of the fact that although he came out as a rich, unlikeable snob, he possessed a great deal of integrity and charisma. He was the kind of person to win council presidential elections without even running for it. By 'normal people' standards, his daily attitude would be classified as 'bad mood' so most students approached him with obvious hesitation but that did not stop his sea of unrelenting admirers from showering him with their unwelcomed presence. Yuri came handy in that department. But it had been a while since he last had the rampaging aggravation stirring horridly in the pits of his stomach at that very moment and it was threatening to erupt.
"Yeah I know," she tutted happily with a wave of her hand, "this special treatment is exclusive to you and you only, sweet right?"
He bit down a growl and willed himself to calm down. He looked at her properly and realised that she was already all dressed and ready in the school uniform they had picked up at Eriol's the day before, her emerald eyes as alive and her face as animated as ever. He could tell she was deliriously excited for her first day of school, her giddiness was emitting from her entire form down to the rosiness in her soft contoured cheeks. She was a sight to behold in the morning; it was hard to deny that fact.
He pushed that last lingering thought the best that he could from his mind and walked past her into his room, snatching his bag from the floor and heading towards the door, "Let's grab some breakfast and get the hell out of here. We're already late."
"Yep." Sakura grinned, following the stomping Syaoran out of his room and down to the kitchen. She caught up beside him as he was walking down the stairs, matching his long, powerful stomps. She neared him in an obvious manner and sniffed at his shoulder like a lost puppy, "You smell really nice. Like really really really nice."
Syaoran looked down at her with a raised brow, his irritation eminent in his amber orbs, "Thank you...I think?"
"Why, you're welcome Syaoran," she tutted, her smile widening in an odd and frightening sort of way. He visibly shuddered for the second time that morning, wisely muting his concerns about her behaviour. He hurried to the kitchen and ignored her blatant display of mindless singing and dancing. She's acting more abnormal than her usual abnormal self.
If Sakura had heard or sensed that thought in his mind, she didn't say or do anything which warranted more worry than anything else. Something was amiss and Syaoran knew he would be receiving the burnt end of the stick one way or the other soon enough.
The dining room was a bundle of aromas – from freshly cooked ham and bacon, eggs, various marmalades, loaves of every kind of bread imaginable, a basketful of oranges, bananas and apples, other assorted fruits that had been peeled and exquisitely shaped by fancy knives – a banquet fit for a king. Eating like a refined queen in her throne, Meiling elegantly went about slicing and forking her food, taking her time as if she weren't late enough as it was. Adorned in her own school uniform, though looking like anything but a student, she instantly brightened at the sight of Sakura, gesturing for her to sit next to her. Syaoran silently groaned at the sight of his cousin, he had a feeling she had been waiting diligently for them to join her for quite some time.
"Bonjour Sakura!" Meiling greeted pleasantly and then turned to her scowling cousin who was emitting a deadly 'bad mood' aura from all the way across the room, "Mornin' Syaoran. It's awfully windy outside you know?"
He grunted and sat himself down, "What's that got to do with anything?"
"A bad breeze might just chance its way to your scowling face and make it permanently ugly." she stated bluntly, "Breathe in, breathe out... breathe in, breathe out... smile." Syaoran watched as she demonstrated her words, his scowl growing even darker than before. Meiling turned from him, immuned to his glare and focused her attention to the unsuspecting Sakura.
"You slept well?" Meiling asked, "The mighty Mr. Frosty didn't bother you did he?"
"Mr. Frosty?" Sakura repeated and then shook her head to indicate that no, Syaoran hadn't visited her. Meiling didn't need to know that Syaoran did indeed come by, and that he made his first wish known to her. Sakura with no question liked Meiling and knew she would be great to have around. But she also knew from her brief study of Meiling's personality and the way she acted that she could be quite sharp and would easily detect anything out of place. They needed to be as inconspicuous as possible, especially with the kind of secret Syaoran and Sakura had between them. The punishments installed if any law in Sakura's world was to be broken were explicitly severe; it was Sakura's responsibility to protect Syaoran and his family from having to face them.
Meiling laughed and smiled, "If you end up getting close enough to anybody in school today, I'm sure you'll hear all sorts of names people tend to call Syaoran. Mr. Frosty happens to be my contribution. I like Eriol's too. Ask him for his list." Unnoticed by both Sakura and Syaoran, Meiling had slightly raised a brow at the outright lie Sakura had just spurted out of her lips. Meiling knew Syaoran had been in Sakura's room the night before. She saw him go into her room with her own two eyes.
"I'll be sure to ask then," Sakura replied cheerily and proceeded to scan the table for what she felt like eating. To her surprise, spread out in front of her was a plate of croissants, bottles of different flavoured marmalades, a tub of butter and beside it, a tub of margarine. To her side, there was also a tub of mango-flavoured yoghurt and a plate filled with assorted cheese. From their smell, Sakura knew they were genuine French cheese, down to the Camembert.
Meiling's smile widened, "Straight from the French restaurant in the city this morning. I thought you'd want to eat something familiar until you get used to everything else."
Sakura brightened and thanked Meiling whole-heartedly, expertly controlling the expression on her face. She had been quick enough to show some sort of surprise and familiarisation on her face to prevent any suspicion. Syaoran nearly fell out of his chair on the other side of the table. His cousin was relentlessly too hospitable even for her own bloody good.
Breakfast proceeded unceremoniously from there, or so Syaoran thought. The two girls chattered on like he wasn't there, to his relief. His bad mood wasn't giving any indication of going away anytime soon. By the time both Sakura and Syaoran arrived at their school, it was fourth period, the class before lunch. Syaoran groaned miserably, it was his not-so-favourite Latin class.
Beside him, Sakura took in her surroundings like a sponge. Syaoran drove through towering pillars that held a gigantic black gate; on its crown was a sophisticated sign that read: Tomoeda High Private Academy. The walls erected around the entirety of the establishment also towered intimidatingly, lavished with thick, green vines and lily-like flower bulbs. Three guards patrolled the gates, all of them wearing identical black uniforms and unfriendly looks on their stern faces. They instantly gave them access to the school grounds though, their face brightening at the sight of Syaoran's car. At Sakura's inquiry, he irritably explained that his car was the only kind in the whole campus. By the look of the prestigious school looming ahead of them, Sakura knew that anybody could easily afford the same car, but it was instead, merely the question of who dared to drive the same car as the almighty Ice King.
Out of curiosity, Sakura turned to Syaoran and asked, "Would it bother you if somebody else drove the same car?"
He grunted in reply, a hint of a smirk on his face, "Nobody said they couldn't. They just don't... and really shouldn't."
"What if someone suddenly does?"
"But the thing is no one would."
"But what if somebody actually does?"
He looked at her with an annoyed face, "For the love of god woman."
"I'm just saying, what IF somebody does?" she probed stubbornly, "Like seriously? Stop being stupid."
"Stop asking stupid questions then," He retorted, his eyes on the road, "You're asking something that will never happen. So stop asking."
Sakura shook her head in disbelief; he was too damn proud and cocky. She shifted in her chair and looked out the window, devouring the garden with her wide, emerald eyes. From the gate that they entered from, the road forked out into 5 long roads. Syaoran began to narrate monotonously, playing the dull tour guide, "One leads to the stables, one to the main building, one to the general lake and garden area, one to the sports arena and the last one goes to the arts building."
"What if its a different color?" Sakura argued, returning to their previous topic of conversation.
Syaoran frowned and looked at her in confusion, "Different color what?"
"The car Syaoran, the dumb car."
He rolled his eyes and didn't bother replying. She just didn't know when to stop.
They drove on the road that led to the main building. The blooming garden in the outskirt of the road was breath-taking. Cherry blossom trees stood proudly one after the other on either side of the road, sprinkling them with thousands of dancing pink petals floating weightlessly against the soft, spring breeze. The sight of them tugged a soft, beautiful smile on her face. Just in time as if by fate, Syaoran turned to look at her and nearly drove off the road when he witnessed it. The car swerved slightly but Sakura didn't seem to notice. Thankfully, Syaoran's mind remained blank but that didn't stop his heart from pounding uncontrollably. He didn't know if it was because he nearly crashed against a thick-trunked cherry blossom tree or if Sakura enchanted her smiles with inhumane magic but he didn't dare dwell on it. He left the genie to senselessly smile whilst staring outside the window without a word.
"By the way," Sakura randomly tutted, "I started my monthlies today. Just so you know."
Syaoran's face instantly contorted from a blank and focused expression to one of horror and slight disgust. "Why in hell do I have to know?"
"Because Syaoran," she started with a sweet, innocent grin, "This whole week will be quite memorable for you."
"And why, pray tell, would that be the case?" Fear suddenly began to creep slowly but painfully in his gut. He had the feeling that his edgy start that morning had to do with what he was about to hear.
"Remember when I told you that for me to exist in your world to grant you your wishes, I'm currently sharing your life line?"
"If I tell you that I don't remember, can the problem that's about to hit me right now just go away?" he asked, almost pleadingly. He almost died when Sakura continued on without much care for what he just said.
"The shared life line we have kind of goes both ways."
"And?" He asked, bracing himself for her next words, "And what?"
"How does being the first ever guy in the face of the earth to experience PMS sound to you?" she cheerfully asked, watching as his expression turned sour.
"WHAT?!"
A/N: damn, it's been ages. And to prove my point, ff . net seemed to have evolved in the long months I've been gone and has added all these fancy things that I don't even know how to use. But hi everyone ) it's great to be back.
As usual, all reviews, comments, suggestions, complaints blah blah are all welcome. I deserve some yelling after all, the last I updated was like last year? How pathetic. But next chapter on the way. Thanks for all your support that I would be nowhere without. s2 -koiishii
