"-Late! I'm late! I'm late!" ten-year-old Sakura chanted worriedly beneath her breath. Racing on her roller skates, she rounded a corner.

"Ah!" Moving men who were hauling a couch were in her path. Ducking quickly to slide in the open space beneath the couch, she passed safely. Turning around and skating backwards, she shouted, "Sorry!"

"Oh-!" a new voice exclaimed. Sakura didn't turn forward in time and collided with a young man.

Hitting the ground painfully, Sakura winced. "Ouch…"

"Are you all right?" Sakura looked up to see a kind face framed by glasses, his gray hair glinting in the sunlight. He examined the cuts on her legs. "We should get you cleaned up." He offered a hand, smiling.

Sakura blinked, breathless. Blushing a little, she grabbed the hand.

"Sorry, it'll take a moment to find the first-aid kit," he said, after leading her to a nearby bench. He shuffled through the boxes in the car. "You're not in a hurry, are you?" Sakura shook her head frantically, completely forgetting her rush.

"I'm sorry," Sakura blurted out. "For causing trouble like this."

He grinned, waving a hand. "It's no trouble, actually. These boxes were going to be opened sooner or later, right?"

"You're moving here?" Her heart thumped wildly.

"Ah, here it is," he said, bringing out the kit. "Yeah, my grandparents and I are moving into this house. I thought it would be nice to come here early and unpack for them. Hold on, this will sting a bit," he applied the antiseptic.

Sakura's cheeks tinted red as he blew on the wounds and placed the band-aids. "Thank you," she whispered. "You're not hurt, right?"

He shook his head, smiling. "I'm fine. I'm glad a cute girl like you wasn't hurt badly."

He called her cute!

"Um!" She exclaimed. "Do you need help unpacking? I can help! I don't live far from here, so I can get my dad and my brother to help too. Then it'll go faster and you don't have to do this by yourself! Please?"

He blinked, taken aback by her wide, expressive eyes. Then he smiled. "Sure. I'd like that, Ms…"

"Sakura," she introduced herself, smiling from ear to ear. "Sakura Kinomoto. I live in the yellow house that's just a block from here. It'll just be a few moments, okay?"

He nodded, grinning. "Okay, Sakura-chan. I'm Yukito Tsukishiro."

Sakura headed back to her house. "Don't move, Yukito-san. I'll be right back!"

She just couldn't stop smiling!


Destiny at Work

Hitsuzen Five

The Initial Encounter, part three

We have become involved... you and I. No matter how unimportant the meeting... how small the outcome... it will always have some later effect on you. There is a series of connections that follows the life path of any person. It can be the smallest of things. It can be the shortest of moments. It may never be remembered. It may have never been recorded.

A bond of fate never disappears once tied. —Yuuko, from xxxHolic


Author's Note: Cardcaptor Sakura and its characters rightfully belong to CLAMP. The following characters that appeared/mentioned in Hitsuzen Five also belong to CLAMP:

The Legend of Chun Hyang- Chun Hyang and Myong Ryong

X/1999- Souhi and Hien

Kobato- Kobato Hanato, Kikyokazu Fujimoto, and Sayaka Okiura

Magic Knight Rayearth- Zagato, Hikaru Shidou, Umi Ryuuzaki, Fuu Hououji, Aska, and Emeraude

Man of Many Faces- Utako and Makoto Ohkawa


Syaoran stepped out the cab just as another car pulled up to Tokyo Harbor. "Well, if it isn't Syaoran-san!" Tomoyo grinned. She gave him a teasing, suspicious look. "You're not going to sabotage the ship before the party, are you?"

He gave her a glare as she led him to Premiere. "Of course not. The last renters had an engine malfunction. I'm here to here to see if it was fixed."

"Ah, it wasn't because you missed me?" Tomoyo guessed, cupping her cheek into her palm. "Sorry, but I have to decline. As great as our last rendezvous was, I don't think I can share such feelings with you."

Red tinted Syaoran's cheeks. "That- that was a mistake! I didn't-" Syaoran stammered until he saw the grin on her face. He glared. "You're just like him, aren't you?"

"Excuse me?" Tomoyo asked.

"He's saying we're eerily similar," explained Eriol, breaking into the conversation. He turned to Syaoran, his azure speaking more than what was being said. "Hello, Syaoran." It's been a long time, hasn't it?

"Hn." And I still hate you. It's all your fault.

Eriol returned a smile. Yep, the animosity was definitely apparent. "What are you doing here?"

"He says there might be something wrong with the engine," Tomoyo answered. "Although I believe it might be an excuse."

Syaoran sent another glare. "Don't flatter yourself."

Eriol smiled tersely. Things could get bad if he didn't get Syaoran to leave soon. Aloud, he said, "We already had the engine checked. It's fine. Syaoran, you should be getting ready for the party."

"All right," Syaoran grumbled, as he turned to leave.

"Eriol," Tomoyo asked, finding his smile strange, "is something wrong?"

"Good. There's something I want to talk with her about-" a familiar voice spoke. Syaoran turned around and stared.

Syaoran-! Meiling's face paled.

Meiling-! The thought remained frozen.

It was their first meeting in seven years.


Sakura gave the inside of the closet an odd look. Straining to put a smile, she asked, "This is the outfit Tomoyo wants me to wear?"

Yue nodded once. "Yes. I find it surprising she finished on time."

Yukito smiled, looking into the closet. "I think it's pretty. Tomoyo outdid herself this time."

Sakura considered the time and energy Tomoyo spent into making the dress. "All right," she sighed, smiling wearily at Tomoyo's dedication. "I'll wear it."


Meiling turned and ran. "Meiling!" Syaoran shouted and he bolted after her.

Eriol frowned, displeased at the turn of events. He turned to Tomoyo, who wore a calculating look. Eriol inwardly sighed. This woman is really quick. "Tomoyo," he started, "we should go after them, shouldn't we?"

Tomoyo raised a suspicious eyebrow. She nodded. "Yes, we should." As she watched Eriol run after them, she pulled out her cell phone. "Hello, I would like to call for a taxi. How soon can you get to Tokyo Harbor?"

Meanwhile, Syaoran caught up to Meiling and pulled her to a secluded room. "What are you doing?!" Meiling hissed, struggling to break free. She winced when he threw her against wall. Raising her eyes indignantly, she met Syaoran's eyes as they bore into hers. Then, without hesitation, Syaoran pulled her into a hug. "Wha-?" Meiling started, surprised.

He hugged her even more tightly burrowing his face into her long hair. "I'm so glad you're alright," he murmured with relief. "I missed you." Meiling gasped, the old feelings rising within her again. She closed her eyes and let herself lean more into the embrace, remembering all the times he held her tightly like this, as a friend, boyfriend, and lastly, fiancé.

He drew out of the embrace, weaving a hand through her silky hair. "Your hair got longer," he spoke gently. Meiling tensed as her mind focused. That's right. When they were dating, she had asked what he liked about her. It was her hair, he said grinning. Her long, jet black hair.

Ex-boyfriend. Ex-fiancé, her inner voice reminded her.

"You are not meant to be with Syaoran, Meiling."

Ruby eyes darkened at the memory. On reflex Meiling grabbed Syaoran's wrist and tightened her grip. She would never forgive Yelan for saying those words. "Let go," she told him fiercely.

Taken aback, Syaoran released the strands of hair. "Mei-"

She cut him off. "And just what..." engulfed with fury she threw him over her shoulder, "...are you doing?" she spat out as he landed with a thud on the floor.

"Meiling!" Eriol shouted in that condescending voice, arriving on the scene.

Syaoran groaned from the pain. "It's pathetic," Meiling coldly said in Cantonese. "I dumped you seven years ago. Get over it."

Tomoyo appeared soon after. Raising an eyebrow at Syaoran on the floor, she asked, "What has happened here?"

Head Manager Meiling faked a smile. "I was just informing Mr. Li here that it is against Destiny's policy for our clients to pair up with our matchmakers. Excuse me," Meiling said as she left the room. Eriol followed after her.

There was an undecipherable look in Syaoran's face as he moved to get up."I'll have you know she is right," Tomoyo plainly told him. "It would create chaos if we allowed our matchmakers to date the clients. That means Ms. Meiling Li is off limits, Li." He sent her another dark look and she sighed. "I gather that if I asked, you wouldn't tell me?"

"Nope," was his agreement.

"In any case, there's a cab waiting for you at the docks. I kindly ask that you leave."

He stared at her for a moment. "You don't understand a lick of Chinese, do you?"

Tomoyo delicately frowned. "No," she admitted slowly. She could not see the sudden direction of the conversation. "I have my assistant translate for me. I don't believe language will be a problem for you at the party, Li-kun."

But he had already turned to leave, not bothering to listen to the latter part of her answer.


Meiling shuddered as she grasped the porcelain sink in the bathroom. "It's disgusting! The way he touched me, the way he looked at me..." she buried her face into her hands. "...as if we still were-" she choked on the word.

"Syaoran thinks of you the same. Nothing has changed for him," Eriol said.

"Don't you dare tell him why I broke up with him!" Meiling spoke with venom.

Eriol sighed. "I shouldn't have let you come to work today, Meiling. Go home. Take the day off."

"Take the day off?" Tomoyo repeated as she found the two in the bathroom. "Who?"

Meiling opened her mouth to object, but snapped it shut. Here was her chance. "I will, Ms. President. I'm- I don't feel well today. I'm not up for a party."

Tomoyo raised eyebrows again. Meiling never missed a day of work. The uncharacteristic behaviors of Syaoran and Meiling (and a little bit of Eriol) were raising so many questions. But instead of voicing them, she said, "That's fine. Zagato-kun can take over your duties. Please get better, Meiling-chan."

"Y-yes," Meiling replied, the guilt settling in.


Syaoran used the cab ride back to think about the situation. Fact: he had just seen, talked, and touched Meiling after their seven-year breakup. It was not a dream. Fact: Meiling was here, in Japan, as a matchmaker for Destiny at Work. Fact: Meiling had no intention of getting back together again.

That meant Hiiragizawa knew. (Bastard.) Hiiragizawa knew that Meiling was perfectly alive and well in Japan, and he had not bothered to tell Syaoran. Meiling was working in Hiiragizawa's company; it was impossible for Hiiragizawa to not have noticed. The way Hiiragizawa insisted that Syaoran leave was proof.

But even though Hiiragizawa knew, Daidouji didn't. That conniving woman who was the other half of Hiiragizawa did not know about Syaoran's relationship with Meiling. One, if she wanted Syaoran and Meiling together, then she wouldn't have forced him to become a client of Destiny. Clients and matchmakers were a no go. Two, Meiling wouldn't have switched to Cantonese if Daidouji already knew. It would have been pointless.

Lastly...

The driver interrupted his thoughts, telling him that they reached the hotel. Syaoran wasn't surprised to find Fanren waiting for him. She had that apprehensive look on her face. "I met Meiling," he told her.

Her mouth dropped open. "Eriol told me that she was in Japan, but I wasn't expecting you to meet so soon!"

Syaoran frowned. "You spoke to Hiiragizawa?"

Fanren grinned. "He's staying in the same hotel!" She giggled at the pained look across his face before turning serious. "So how did it go?" she asked tentatively.

Syaoran turned to her. "Why did Meiling break the engagement?"

Fanren blinked. She smiled. She laughed. "She doesn't like you, of course." Fanren pushed her little brother into his room. "Now get changing! I already put your clothes on your bed! No!" she said when he tried to speak. "You're going to change! You're going to the party! And you're going to find a fiancée!"

When she left him alone in his room, Syaoran ran a hand through his hair. Lastly, if Meiling had no intention of getting back together, it meant she had a reason for it. So why did she leave?


The car keys clattered on the table, along with the purse, coat, and folders. Exhausted, Meiling fell into bed. After remaining silent and motionless for minutes, she fumbled around to find her bedside clock. 7:13. Meiling buried her head deeper into her pillow. The party's already started.

Syaoran's probably there.

Meiling gave a sigh, realizing the situation suddenly became more complicated than ever.


"Sound check, one, two, three. Check one-two-three," Naoko said as she taped the microphone. "Is it working?"

"Yup," Takahashi Yamazaki grinned from behind the camera. "We'll be on in three, two..." He gave her the signal.

"This is Naoko Yanagisawa, giving you live coverage from Destiny's Annual Party at Premiere. Even though the event has just started, you can see, the place is already lively," she smiled, motioning to the party scene with live entertainment behind her.

"Besides the famous Mr. Syaoran Li, there are other important names invited as well. From the Ohkawa family, daughters Makoto and Utako. Kendo champion Hikaru Shidou, fencing champion Umi Ryuuzaki, and archery champion Fuu Hououji." The camera focused on the on girls. "From Korea, Chun Hyang Shin. From China, Aska Fahren. From Europe, the country of Cephiro, Princess Emeraude Pillar. "

Naoko winked. "Will Li-san choose one of these girls?" From the entrance there came squeals. The reporter grinned widely. "That must be Li-san arriving with his sister, Fanren. We'll be right back after a few moments."

Syaoran did arrive, clearly displeased. Fanren smiled widely, waving at the cute guys she passed. "At least try to smile," she said between her teeth. "You're scaring all the girls away."

Syaoran attempted to smile, but at least he didn't look angry anymore. "Table one, right?" His face retreated back into a frown when he noticed the people he shared it with.

Tomoyo grinned as she called the siblings over. "Fanren-san! Li-kun! Welcome!"

Eriol teasingly smiled as Syaoran reluctantly made his way to the table. "Let me introduce the other guests." Going around the table he gestured to each one as they said hi. "My secretary, Spinel Shihouin. Reporters Naoko Yanagisawa and Takahashi Yamazaki. My partner, Tomoyo Daidouji and her assistant, Yue Tsukishiro. And lastly, two dear friends, Sakura Kinomoto and Yukito Tsukishiro."

From her seat, Sakura smiled appreciatively behind green eyes, saying, "Nice to meet you."

Syaoran's amber eyes silently said hello, bowing his head politely.

And Fanren inwardly grinned. All right!


Thank You to xSyaoranSakurax, lianneharmony, and SnowCharms for you reviews! Keep them coming!

xSyaoranSakurax Thank you for your review! Thanks for putting this story on your alert list! Thanks for putting this story on your favorites list! Thanks for putting me as one of your favorite authors! Thanks for everything! I'll try my best to update as soon as possible. Yeah… there aren't that many matchmaking stories, are there? And as for Meiling, I can't guarantee finding her someone before S+S hook up, but I see Meiling as one of those types who don't need men to be happy. She's one of those really strong types, right? Meiling will be fine even though Syaoran ends up with Sakura. (By the end of the anime she was a full S+S supporter, ne?)

So for everyone who's worried about Meiling, this will not be one of those stories where she gets the short end of the stick and ends up committing suicide (or something). NO WAY. Meiling has too much pride and strength to do something so cowardly, I believe. But it seems Meiling receives the most love! Yay to the reviewers!

lianneharmonyThank you for your comments. And yes, the story is moving slowly, isn't it? (Sorry…) But your reviews encourage me a lot! Thanks for the support!

SnowCharmsThanks for the review! I'll update as soon as possible, so continue to read and review. Thanks for the continued support! (hugs)


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