What an Idiot!
By Time Warp
Disclaimer: I don't CCS
Summary: "Stop staring at me with your mouth hanging open like that." That's Syaoran's first words to Sakura. That's quite the way to make the ladies like you right? Not really. From then on she despises him. But she has to learn to live with his constant teasing since he's a foreign exchange student living with her family. SS ET
Chapter Seven: What was Missing
Xiao Lang actually did write to me like he said he would. Maybe Japan has some kind of strange air that was doing things to him since I knew he didn't intend to actually write unless I sent a letter first.
Something was going on.
I was going to find out just exactly what was happening in Japan and my chance to do so came up when our family donated money to a museum. In turn, they invited us to attend their charity ball for free.
That museum just so happened to be in Tomoeda and this couldn't have been some kind of coincidence. In my opinion, Tomoeda is a total hic town in comparison to Tokyo. I'm sure Auntie Yelan donated to that museum because a certain cousin of mine was living in the same town it was located in.
If there's one thing a person should know about the Li family it's that we're all filled with pride; especially my aunt. I'm sure that although she seemed like the epitome of calm she was secretly fretting about Xiao Lang. Not that I've ever seen her fret….
Either way I was going to see him so I who was I to argue? And I was going with Xiao Lang's sisters and Auntie Yelan. That fact in itself was a guarantee that the trip would be unforgetable.
I remember calling him to tell him of the news.
I counted six rings before someone answered the phone. And to my surprise (though now that I think about it, there was really nothing to be surprised about) Sakura Kinomoto answered.
She seemed distracted at the time though.
"Whatever, you jerk! I know I'm right and you're wrong! Shut up!" she said. She must have not known I could hear her even though she wasn't talking into the phone's mouthpiece, "Hello?"
I immediately disliked her. Who was she to speak to my cousin that way? At the risk of sounding old fashioned, I thought that she was a total wench.
"Yeah, hi, can I speak to Li Syaoran?"
"Sure, one moment please."
I heard her say, "Hey, it's for you."
His response to her was muffled, but then I heard a clear, "Hello?"
"Xiao Lang! Guess who?"
He used the same sounding voice with me, it was practically emotionless, verging on monotonous, "Meiling? Why are you calling?"
"Can't your favorite cousin call once in a while?" I teased.
"Who says you're my favorite cousin?"
It was too bad he couldn't see my scowl I bet it would've made him think twice about that comment, "Har! Har, Xiao Lang!"
His voice relaxed, "So, really, why are you calling?"
I chirpily announced, "I'm coming to find out your secret!"
I almost burst out laughing at his sharp intake of air, "Secret? What in the world are you talking about?"
I casually leaned against the wall; Xiao Lang's sisters were quickly taking up all my personal space, "You are're acting weird and I expect to find out why. Are you on drugs or something?"
"Idiot, what the heck are you talking about?" He reprimanded me, "You aren't even here and you're saying I'm acting weird?"
He did seem to have a point. What was I thinking? He didn't seem any different on the phone. Maybe he just decided to be more open? Wait… scratch that… NO WAY! If he wasn't acting weird then I'm the Dowager empress! Something is definitely going on.
His voice broke my thought process, "You're visiting?"
I nodded despite the fact that he couldn't see me, "Yeah, Auntie donated money to some art museum and we were invited to some ball."
I could imagine his face paling, "Mother is coming?"
"She sure is! Your sisters too! We're all coming to meet the family you're living with and see how you're doing."
He groaned.
The laughter I had been fighting hard to keep in finally burst out, "Yes, Xiao Lang, you are stuck with us no matter where you go!"
"Ha ha, very funny."
"I know," I said with a catlike grin, "Anyway, I'm just telling you, okay?"
"Sure, thanks."
"Oh yeah, Xiao Lang?"
"Hmm?"
I glanced at my four cousins, "Your sisters want to talk to you."
He groaned again.
I could hardly contain my excitement as we pulled in front of the large museum. The thought of food was far from my mind, although, like all proper formals they would be serving dinner later.
My other cousins seemed to be just as excited, if not more, about seeing their little brother as I was. Auntie Yelan sat calm and composed, just like always, but I could swear she was almost smiling. Getting to see Xiao Lang again was putting all of us in high spirits.
I guess you don't realize just how much you care about something until it's gone.
Fuutie, Shiefa, Feimei, and Fanren were all chatting excitedly as we entered the ballroom. Xiao Lang must've been trying to avoid the inevitable since we were supposed to meet at the ball instead of heading straight to the Kinomotos' house. Auntie Yelan stood as we waited for the Kinomotos, as opposed to the rest of us, she looked demure. Xiao Lang's sisters and I must've looked like the definition of impatient.
Sakura Kinomoto was the first person I saw. Of course, I didn't realize it was her at the time. It was not until Xiao Lang walked through the door and said something to her did I realize who she was.
I have to say that I was surprised. She was shorter than me and had soft looking brown hair that stopped right above the shoulders. Her eyes were a rare color- green. The lightly colored pink dress she wore was simple but elegant. The air of a happy go lucky girl surrounded her. All in all… she looked absolutely friendly. So… She was the spitfire that Xiao Lang wrote about? She was the telephone wench?
I had imagined a large ugly girl who was bordering on looking like an ugly guy. It didn't matter what she looked like though, I had long since decided that I would treat her like she was the lowest in the Hindu caste system; she would be an untouchable.
My confusion ceased when she scowled at Xiao Lang. Maybe she wasn't as friendly as she looked.
Auntie Yelan was ever calm when she said, "You must be Kinomoto Sakura. It is a pleasure to meet you."
My haze of confusion seemed to return when she smiled and said, "Oh! Are you Syaoran's family?"
The familiar calls of, "Xiao Lang!" soon gave me a sense of normalcy, if only for a moment.
My cousins ran toward Xiao Lang and surrounded him. I could vaguely make out his scowl.
"Oi monster, is the kid's family here yet?" an unfamiliar voice asked.
The voice belonged to Touya Kinomoto. Of course my dearest cousins immediately swooned when he entered the room. They ran over and barraged him numerous useless questions- poor guy. If there's one thing you should know about Xiao Lang's sisters it's that they love good looking things, especially if those things are men.
I finally noticed Fujitaka Kinomoto. He was a homely looking man with a kind smile. You would immediately feel relaxed when you meet him.
Sakura was quiet as she stood next to Xiao Lang. She even seemed to shrink away when a gazed at her. Good! That meant operation untouchable was working.
Xiao Lang introduced our families as I looked at her, "Mother, this is the Kinomoto Family."
He paused during the respective greetings and then continued, "These are my sisters and Meiling."
Nothing especially strange seemed to happen for the next hour. I mostly spoke to Xiao Lang. My cousins seemed taken with Touya Kinomoto and my aunt spoke to Fujitaka Kinomoto. This effectively left Sakura Kinomoto with nothing to do.
When it was time to dance, I quickly pulled Xiao Lang to the dance floor. I interrogated him on everything that had happened yet… he seemed distracted as he danced. I finally noticed that he kept glancing at Sakura Kinomoto.
Kinomoto was a poor sight to see. She sat at the table surrounded by our families, but still managed to look isolated. Once in a while Auntie Yelan would speak to her and she would reply respectfully and then return to looking utterly depressed. It was pitiful, but exactly as I planned her night to be.
But I never guessed that Xiao Lang would actually pity her. As soon as the song stopped he gave me what could only be called an apologetic look and went back to the table while murmuring a distracted, "Sorry Meiling."
This was just plain amazing. In my whole life Xiao Lang had never been openly apologetic about anything. If he were ever feeling guilty he would simply act normally.
Not only that, but why the heck did he pity Kinomoto anyway?
For a moment I wondered who in the world that strange pod person was and where the real Xiao Lang went to. But as he began to dance with Kinomoto it hit me. Xiao Lang must have changed. And this change had to have been due to her. It was nothing very noticeable; in fact it was entirely subtle. Yet as Xiao Lang led Kinomoto around the dance floor the slight upturn of the corners of his lips spoke volumes.
When Xiao Lang first left for Japan, I had asked Auntie Yelan why she was having him go in the first place.
Her answer was confusing, "My son is very intelligent and responsible. He respects his elders and his family. Even so, he is lacking something very important. I hope that he will find what he needs in Japan."
I hadn't understood what she meant when she said that, but as I watched them waltz I couldn't help but wonder…
Was Sakura Kinomoto providing Xiao Lang with what he lacked?
End Chapter
Well, many thanks to Anna! She must be some kind of miracle worker since she actually got me to stop being a lazy hobo and write. And then she made me actually make it bearable to to read. Hahaha... Now I must slink away in shame.
