In our last chapter, Syaoran confronted his mother, the matriarch Li Yelan, on his engagement with Ceekae. Ceekae, on the other hand, plead her case to Syaoran and swore to do everything so that Syaoran may accept her as his fiancée.
Mills, on the other hand, found traces of what could be the mystery girl's blood on the pepper spray. As he traced where she ran off the night she was attacked, he learned of a strange complication: the mystery girl seemed to look like his long-lost sister.
Sakura took Syaoran to Caloocan City to see where she was sold years ago. She broke down as a result of her clash with the past, and Syaoran ran to her rescue.
Meanwhile, an unwanted tip led Mills rushing to Monumento, and just as he was about to leave through the LRT, he found Sakura and Syaoran on the way back in an embarrassing position. He madly ran after the couple, and learned that Syaoran saw the mystery girl again up close.
Inspector Mills
A fanfic by Tenkouken
Chapter 8
"Flavor of the Month"
Sakura went home very late that night. Not knowing how to remove that gnawing feeling in her chest, she spent the night walking around Baywalk, and would have stayed there until morning, had Yukito not found her and brought her to Moon Security…
"I see, so Syaoran saw that girl again," Yukito said.
"Yes, and he's more determined to find her this time. I felt it as he was talking to Kero-chan… He must have been so close to seeing that girl in the train. I felt everything … it's as if I could sense that girl too," Sakura replied as she finished her pineapple juice.
"I'm glad you're learning how to use everything you learned in criminology. Still, it must be hard on you, helping Syaoran find his true love," Yukito sighed, to which Sakura suddenly wept loudly.
"Yukito, you moron! You just had to remind Sakura of what's depressing her, do you?" Yue roared at Yukito as he stood from his couch.
"S-Sorry, Mr. Yue," he replied with a sweat drop.
Yue paced around and bit, and then went up to Sakura and sat beside her.
"Back out from this case, Sakura," Yue intoned.
"B-back out? Uncle, what are talking about?" Sakura asked.
"This case is not your concern. I already told Cerberus that you shouldn't have handled Li Syaoran's case. You shouldn't even be involved with Syaoran in the first place."
"But I promised Kero-chan to help him solve this as soon as possible! And I really wanted to help Syaoran find that mystery girl… I know how much this means to him. It's the only way I can help him… (sob) find his (sniff) one… true… love… (sob)…"
"That's why. You're too involved with him, and it will hinder you in solving this case."
Sakura said nothing.
"When an investigator is personally involved in a case, his emotions may be swayed, and his judgment becomes clouded. An investigator who is romantically involved with the client loses rational thinking and tends to act recklessly. The investigation becomes subjective, and any stress in the formed relationship becomes harmful to the case."
"To put it simply, you have to stop handling Syaoran's case because you're falling in love with Syaoran, and it won't help you find the girl with lonely eyes," Yukito butted in.
Sakura hung her head. "But… Could I really be in love with Syaoran?" she asked.
"That's up to you. If you want to help Syaoran find the girl he longs to see, forget about your feelings for him. Better yet, forget about him. Finish the job and let him be with the one that he loves. It will be better for you if you keep your feelings away from his case."
She fell on her bed and grabbed Kero-chan the stuffed flying animal. Raising it up and staring at it intently, she began to weep as she remembered her uncle's words.
"I want to help him, to be with the girl that he loves. But why does this hurt me so?" She asked as she hugged her toy tightly and turned towards the window.
"You knew she went there and you didn't tell me?" Mills roared as he shook Mark angrily. Mills met up with Mark after he and Syaoran parted ways. He told him about Sakura being in Monumento and the deplorable sight he saw at the LRT that afternoon.
"H-Hey! Of course I knew she went there because she told me herself!" Mark replied as he freed himself from Mills' grasp. He then straightened his vest and gulped at his vodka.
"This is bound to happen. We know she recovered long enough from her past. But she still remembers everything from since then. You yourself noticed that," Mark then said.
"I know. She would lock herself in her room sometimes and look at her body. Some of her scars are still visible. Sometimes she would just stay in her room and cry. I don't know how much she remembers, that's why I wanted to keep her away from the places where she suffered. But I guess you're right, somehow she has to get over it all herself."
"There's nothing much we can do but to be there if she falls. She will have to prop herself up, even with us around. Besides, with Syaoran becoming close to Sakura now, she would be more inspired to do anything. Face it, Sakura's already grown up."
"Syaoran? No way! I regretted letting her team up with Syaoran in this case. All that Syaoran sees is that missing girl. Who knows what's on his mind when they're together? He might even be imagining she's the girl with lonely eyes!"
"Well, she does have lonely eyes, doesn't she?" Mills fell silent in reply.
Mark lit a cigarette and sighed. "She's not the girl with lonely eyes, but Syaoran is being drawn to her. Even if she's not the one Syaoran is looking for, maybe they are eventually meant to be together. Who knows if he decides not to look for that girl anymore?"
"Are you telling me I won't be able to find that girl? I don't intend to botch this case no matter what happens, even if it's impossible to know who she is," Mills intoned angrily.
"No, I'm telling you that Syaoran may not want you to find her anymore."
Mills slumped at his couch, disturbed by Mark's words. It's true that Syaoran is still looking for the mystery girl and that he feels so strongly for her. She may be difficult to find, impossible even, but if someone is important, some say, you'll do everything to find that person and be with him/her. And yet…
He looked at the notes he gathered so far. He was so close in knowing her physical identity, had Sakura not tainted the evidence, though it didn't matter anymore with the DNA results coming; where to find her would be another matter to be dealt with later.
As he leafed through his folders, he remembered the cases he handled. He never failed in any of these cases, and solved them even in the most impossible instances.
"No! He's dead! My husband's dead! They told me so!" an elderly woman wailed as she fell on the floor. Mills read through his notes as Diaz came with an old, fatigued man.
"I'm sorry, Mrs. Esperon," Mills said. "Even I was convinced that your husband is dead. But when I looked at the reports, there were very little info on his remains. We also found the people that were with your husband the day he supposedly died, and they admitted to planning to mug him. They changed their minds, according to their testimony, and decided to burn his clothes to give the guise that they burned his corpse."
"The death certificate you immediately issued was legitimate," Diaz butted in, "but there was not enough proof that your husband was dead except for the medico-legal reports. And when you asked Mr. Mills to help you look for his remains, he instead found him to be alive with the same people that were supposed to kill him."
"The insurance claim you filed would have been completed after his death was published in the papers. But the reports on your husband's death were too inconclusive. It was a good thing he found out in the papers that he was dead," Mills said.
"But I know he's dead! He's supposed to be dead! I saw his remains! I met the people he was with, and I told them to make sure he's…" the woman cried, the suddenly stopped.
"You told them to make sure he's dead. That's because all of his stocks and property will be given to you when he dies. We read the draft of his will. If you wanted a clean job, you shouldn't have asked me to find his body."
"No… That's not true! I have nothing to do with this!"
"I can't believe I almost fell for your trap. Everything was set to lead me to his grave. Didn't you know how much it cost me to follow those people? But even without following them, it was too easy to find him. The old Casanova's reputation shoots far and wide."
"You're lying! This is a scandal! I love my husband… I don't have the heart to kill him!"
"You didn't have the heart to kill me, bitch," the old man retorted. "That's why you hired those men to kill me! Had I not brought my wallet with me, I wouldn't be able to buy back my life! Otherwise, you'll be taking care of my wealth, just like what you always tell me!"
"Bastard! How dare you treat me like this!" the old woman screamed.
Diaz stepped in. "Ma'am, I believe you have a lot of explaining to do. You're under arrest for conspiracy and frustrated murder," he said as he handcuffed the old woman.
"You can't do this to me! You can't prove anything! You'll pay for this! Alberto, you old fool!" she shouted as she struggled from her bonds while she was being dragged away.
"Thanks for looking for me, Mr. Mills," the old man turned to Mills. "I wasn't sure how to go home after news of my death spread. If you didn't look for me, I would be ruined."
Mills shrugged his head. "You're too easy to spot… It would have been hard if you weren't the type who raids clubs and flirts with every young woman in town."
"Ho, ho, ho! So my reputation is already shot. But keep that a secret, okay? I don't want the girls to think I'm no longer a desirable man!" the old geezer replied with a grin.
"I always get my target," Mills whispered to himself. "And I'll find the girl with lonely eyes soon. Otherwise, I won't be capable to find even my own sister."
Syaoran woke up with a terrible headache. The sensations from yesterday haunted him, and he couldn't shake the feeling that his case is actually far from over. But it was not because of the girl with lonely eyes, but because of Sakura.
He remembered his encounter with the mystery girl in that train. She looked at him with kind, gentle eyes, yet they showed that deep pain and sadness that drew him to her that fateful night. He could almost see her form, touch her skin, taste her scent… Yet she disappeared just when he was so close to getting near her. So close and yet so far.
His thoughts drifted to Sakura. He recalled how she broke down after seeing the club where she said she was sold to. He remembered how she held on to him, first during that accidental kiss, and then at that alley. And then there was when they were almost pasted together in that train, with him already molesting her, if Mills would describe it.
He sighed as he remembered that moment. He felt his hands brush through her soft, fair skin. He felt soft, supple flesh and lace slide in his hands. He could almost inhale the scent of her hair and marvel at the bewildered expression of her sweaty face. The feel of her body rubbing closely to his excited him, burned him, and scared him to death.
There was something that seemed off. While he was gasping for breath right at Sakura's neck, he could sense up close how she smelled. She had that intoxicating, tempting scent – the faint waft of musk, the fragrance of flowers in her hair, and the sweet scent of her sweat that his senses seemed so familiar with, but he couldn't put a finger on what it is…
His thoughts were cut off as his cousin Meilin, still clad in her jogging suit, kicked his bedroom door open and sprang at him with her hands clamping at his neck.
"Good morning, my philandering cousin!" Meilin screamed at his ear.
"Good morning, my foot! What are you doing here? And what's with you, calling me a philanderer?" Syaoran roared as he grappled Meilin and pulled her away from his neck.
"This!" Meilin shouted with a grin as she pulled out the entertainment section of the day's broadsheet and shoved an article at the lower left corner of the paper on his face.
Cold sweat crept from Syaoran as he looked at the article. Printed on a corner of the paper was a blind item about a millionaire playboy doing something indecent with his girlfriend, and a faint picture of what seems to be two people making out in the LRT.
"Xiao Lang, you pervert! I can't believe your reputation follows you everywhere! But seriously, the train, of all places? Couldn't you just wait to even get home, hmm?" Meilin intoned with a creepy grin on her face as she locked his arm from behind.
"Shut up! I'm not doing anything indecent! We're not making out in the LRT! And Sakura's not even my girlfriend!" Syaoran blurted out, then froze.
"Ooh! So your flavor of the month's name is Sakura, eh?" she asked as she leaned towards Syaoran with a raised brow. "What makes this girl different from the rest?"
Not understanding what Meilin said, Syaoran fell silent, then sat up from the bed.
"It was not long ago," Syaoran said dreamily. "She came to the club and left unnoticed. I bumped into her once, and even saved her from a bunch of thugs. She looked – no, felt –different. She had beautiful eyes, but they were deep and lonely. She had that intoxicating scent of candy. She moved like the wind…"
"Aha! So that's how your Sakura is like, eh?" Meilin roared as she did a sharpshooter on his leg. "You sly animal! You should change your name from 'little wolf' to 'little fox'!"
"No, Mistress Meilin… He was referring to another girl," Wei said as he entered the bedroom. "A girl with lonely eyes, that's what the master would always say. He didn't know her name or how she really looked like, because all he could see then were her eyes. He's looking for her right now and even hired a detective to find her."
Meilin threw Syaoran into the wall and sat up, stupefied. "A girl with lonely eyes? Sounds romantic... I wonder how she fares against Carolyn. I don't like her."
"Sakura is a nice girl," Syaoran said as he stood up and leaned against an ornamental sword displayed on the wall. "She's sweet, friendly, caring, strong… But it seems that behind my back she's really a lonely person. Her life's sad, and I feel for her. But then there's the matter of her guardian. He's the guy investigating that girl with…"
His words were cut off as Meilin grappled him upside down. "So Xiao Lang has two flavors of the month? I think that Sakura's more interesting, with her being in the papers and all. I'm impressed; you're consistent with your philandering, you sly little fox!"
It took minutes before Syaoran decided not to let go of Meilin's leg as she hung outside the condominium window.
Ceekae, who stood by the door listening to the conversation between Syaoran and Meilin, gritted her teeth. Her sad expression changed into a sour one after hearing of the incident in the LRT. She figured Syaoran, being the playboy that he is, is seeing another girl, but she never thought he would go so far to have his way with her.
She remembered the two girls that Syaoran mentioned to Meilin. One is an unknown girl – "the girl with lonely eyes" – whose face and feature he did not fully know, except for her mysteriously expressive eyes. The way Syaoran described her made her look like a real person, but she felt that the mystery girl could be nothing but a pipe dream.
And then there was that other woman, the one whose name was Sakura. She remembered hearing that name many days ago when she saw them at the dance floor of Club Tsubasa. It was the same night when he drove her and her other date out of the club.
During Club Tsubasa's opening night, she ran away with another man, who she met and had a drink with. Several bottles of beer and hours at bed later, she walked out of the bed, slipped, and left the hotel with a bruise on her face. She visited Syaoran with the excuse that she was mugged, hoping to get his sympathy, when…
"Hmph, it looks like your date for the night is already here! Well then, I should get going back to work and leave you two by yourselves!"
"Wait! Sakura, this is not what it…"
She realized that the girl at the club and the one he was making out with in the train is one and the same… and the girl's name is Sakura.
Ceekae wanted Syaoran, and Sakura is a threat. That much she was sure of.
"I'm going to stop you… I'll make sure you'll never have my Syaoran," she angrily whispered as she ran to her room and dialed her cellphone.
Mills went to Sakura's room after she did not respond to his calls to have breakfast that morning. He knocked at her door with a tray of food, listening for movement. Sensing that she may still be asleep, he entered her room and leave her food on her table. He tiptoed with the tray on both hands, and walked into her desk.
He looked around and glanced how much Sakura's room has changed. Ever since Sakura moved in, she insisted to design the room by herself. She painted the room with pink and a bright green shade, just like the shade of her own eyes. She decorated her room with posters of her favorite artists. She also designed her bed and desk with glow-in-the-dark stars. She filled her bookshelves with mystery novels and comic books, and a radio played every night whenever she came home from school.
As she grew up, the posters were replaced by maps, charts, and paper targets; and the teen novels were replaced with the Penal Code, law enforcement material, and some psychology books (which she could not understand herself). The pink and green shades have somewhat faded, but the overall feel of youthfulness still lived in that room.
Mills looked at Sakura, who was sleeping face down. He frowned when he saw that she did not change her clothes and instead removed her shirt, leaving nothing on top but her bra. He pulled out her blanket and was about to drape it over her when he noticed the scar on her back, which ran diagonally beside her other small scratches and wounds.
He remembered the day Sakura was rescued from Mendez. When she was brought to the hospital, she had so many scars, bruises, and welts. Her face was bruised and bleeding, and she complained of an aching chest (due to a broken rib). The most obvious injury was a streak of torn flesh at her back. The doctors assured she did not have any back injury, yet had police not saved her earlier, she might have suffered worse.
He sighed as he remembered Sakura's condition the night she first woke up in terror. His thoughts then drifted to Syaoran – if he was to get involved with Sakura, he will have to be strong enough to carry her through her long, painful road to healing. No matter what, though, he would not want Syaoran to get involved with his ward… yet.
He draped the blanket over Sakura's body and sighed. "I don't want you in this case anymore, Sakura," he whispered as he turned away to leave. "You will only get hurt."
"I don't want you in this case anymore, Sakura. You will only get hurt," Sakura heard her guardian whisper as she opened her eyes. She felt a blanket fall over her as she kept still and waited for Mills to leave the room and listening for what else he might do or say.
As she slowly rose from bed, she saw a tray of toast, eggs and hotdogs on her desk. She tiptoed to her desk and ate her breakfast ravenously – she forgot to have dinner last night.
As Sakura finished her meal, she remembered what happened at the LRT yesterday. It was the second time someone came that close to her. The first incident was horrible – she was almost raped by Mendez before her foster mother beat her up.
She sighed and draped her hands over her chest. She remembered that moment – Syaoran blushing profusely with his hand rubbing at flesh and lace as he breathed at her neck, her right arm pulling his neck closer, her legs entwined with his as she leaned at the door…
She felt the gnawing feeling at her chest again. It was the first time she came close to Syaoran's hungry, sensual side. Even if everything was accidental, that moment brought a feeling of longing, excitement, and fear that engulfed her all at the same time. She could not understand it meant.
She went to the bathroom and took a bath under the showers. As the cold water fell in torrents upon her body, her heated thoughts trailed towards Syaoran.
"I wonder how he is," she whispered. "After all of this, I wonder how he is now."
"Wei, didn't I tell you to keep close watch at Xiao Lang? I can't believe he still gets involved in scandals such as this," Yelan intoned as she stared at the entertainment page.
"Madame, the young one's actions are more fickle than what you believe," Wei replied as he served the matriarch's coffee. "The master has his own thoughts about many things, and I admit I disagree with him at times. It's just that he can prove himself correct."
"Then how do you explain this to the elders? Shall we let him project the image of a womanizer? This will not suit well with his engagement with Carolyn coming soon."
"His engagement, Madame? Are you planning to have his engagement party soon?"
"Li Kuan's health is deteriorating. If his daughter does not marry Xiao Lang soon, Reed will lose a major stockholder, and it will not mean well for our clan. Once Xiao Lang's engagement with Carolyn is sealed, the takeover will be completed."
"I understand how you feel, Madame," Wei replied. "But I don't think you understand how I feel about this… You are gambling with the young master's life," he then whispered to himself. "You are putting him into something that will not make him happy."
"Are you saying something, Wei?" Yelan asked suspiciously.
"N-Nothing, Madame. I will call for Xiao Lang immediately, then."
Eriol, who kept himself hidden throughout the conversation, shook his head in disagreement. He heard of Syaoran's engagement with Ceekae, who he have seen and known a bit too closely, and he knew that Syaoran marrying Ceekae spells trouble.
He knew how Syaoran handled himself in business and pleasure, especially in matters of love. He knew that Syaoran never liked arranged marriages, and that his playboy attitude was his way of discouraging the elders from setting him up with a woman of their choice.
Eriol knew that at first, Syaoran did not know of his mother's plans to have him engaged with Ceekae. Now, it will be his duty to marry her and uphold the welfare of Reed, but he felt Syaoran will not be happy with what's going on.
He quickly dialed Tomoyo's number. "Honey? What time are you leaving school today?"
Ceekae smirked as she looked at the blind item in the newspaper. She had been on the phone since early morning, talking about Syaoran's latest controversy, and apparently, even the people in Hong Kong know about what's going on.
"If Xiao Lang keeps on his womanizing, it will leave a bad taste in the mouths of our elders," the raspy voice from the other line said through the speakerphone.
"I understand, Father. It's something Syaoran is known of even when we first met, but he always looked for me more than others, so I let it slide. Once our engagement is completed, our family will have our rightful place in Reed once more," Ceekae replied.
"You must hurry," another stern voice replied. "If Xiao Lang finds another woman to toy with and he decides to keep her, Capricious will lose face with the elders. Make him possess you as soon as possible, so that we can control Reed as we wished before."
"But if he resists…"
"He cannot resist. Li Yelan believes in us. Xiao Lang will follow his mother for sure. But if another woman is involved, do what it takes to keep her out of the way."
"Then I will have Syaoran investigated upon immediately. I will do everything to make sure Syaoran and everything that is his will be mine."
"Make sure that happens, Carolyn," the voice replied before the phone went dead.
Ceekae reclined on her seat and threw an envelope on the table. She pouted as the man in the shadows took the envelope, counted its contents, and smirked as he combed his hair.
"Well then, what exactly do you want me to do?" the man said as he left for the door.
"I want you to spy on Syaoran. Follow him everywhere; take note of what he does, where he goes, and who he goes out with. If you find him with that girl from the LRT, find out everything that is to be known about her and tell me immediately," she said.
"I'll do that," he said, and then left.
Ceekae stood up and paced around the room. She looked at the window and saw Syaoran running off to his parked car as if in a real hurry. He wore a white shirt and jeans and ran while talking through his cellphone. He quickly jumped into his car and drove off.
She leafed through the yellow pages and then dialed a phone number.
"Good morning," she said. "I would like to speak with Mr. Cerberus Mills."
"I'll do that, alright," Spinel grinned as he kept the envelope. Fifteen thousand pesos is big, and it's enough to convince him to spy on Syaoran, but he had other plans in mind.
He then heard Ceekae leaf through the yellow pages and talk with someone over the phone. As he heard her mention the name Cerberus Mills, his grin grew larger.
"Big mistake," he whispered as he left with a sneer on his face. "I'll make sure you don't do anything stupid to them. Sakura Kinomoto's pinky is better than you, bitch."
"Good morning. I would like to speak with Mr. Cerberus Mills," the sweet voice in the other line said.
"That's me," Mills said as he bit through his sandwich. Sakura has left early for school that day, and he was left all alone with his paperwork. He barely answered the phone with all of his folders in tow. "What can I do for you, ma'am?"
"Mr. Mills, my name is Carolyn Li, and I'm the daughter of the owner of Capricious Enterprises. I would like to ask your help on something," the voice replied.
"Capricious…" Mills gritted his teeth as he repeated the word. Regaining his composure, he put down his folders and took a notepad. "What kind of help do you need?"
"My fiancé and I will be married soon," she said. "He is from Hong Kong, but he's with me in Manila. My, uh, future in-laws said he must be cheating on me with another girl…"
"Do I know this man from Hong Kong that you are talking about?"
"Y-yes, sir. He's the CEO of Reed Group of Companies, Li Syaoran."
"Syaoran… You fool," he whispered to himself.
"Mr. Mills?"
"Well, then… What, or should I say, who exactly is the problem, Ms. Li?"
"The girl's name is Sakura," she said with bitterness. "That girl has been seen with my fiancé so many times, and I learned that they have been engaging in… (sob) in-indecency (sniff)… My fiancé is cheating on me… (sniff) with that girl (sob)..."
Mills growled in anger. Trying to keep his cool, he scribbled a few notes and spoke. "Ms. Li? Are you asking me to look for this girl whom your fiancé is… going out with, right?"
"(sniff) Please find out if it's true… Please find out if my fiancé is really cheating on me. I want to see for myself… who this girl is. Please help me take back my fiancé (sob)…"
Mills sighed. So Syaoran is already engaged, after all… and if Carolyn Li is telling the truth, he may be using Sakura as his diversion. That doesn't bide well.
"All right, ma'am… I'll help you look for Sakura. But I was wishing you could see me personally because I have a few forms for you to fill up and some documentation to do on the case you want me to handle. Perhaps you know my address?"
"I can't … I'm in the hospital right now… When I heard of Syaoran and that girl having a relationship, I felt afraid… I have a weak heart; thinking of this is painful for … (sob)"
"I understand, ma'am. I will send you the forms then. Please fill them up as soon as possible so that we can start on your case."
"T-thank you, sir. I… I hope you can get my fiancé away from that pretentious bitch... You don't know how much this means to me," the voice replied, and hung up quickly.
Mills paced around the office angrily. He felt bothered accepting Carolyn Li's case, not because it involved Syaoran, but because it involved Sakura.
"Damn you, Li Syaoran," he whispered. "You're already engaged but you're playing with Sakura's feelings. I can't entrust even a strand of her hair to you, after all."
He looked at the notes that he was able to scribble down: Carolyn Li, Capricious Enterprises, Li Syaoran, fiancé, Sakura, pretentious bitch…
That Li girl just called Sakura a "pretentious bitch." And as far as Mills is concerned, nobody calls Sakura a pretentious bitch.
"First him; then you," Mills muttered as he ripped his notes and thought of Carolyn Li. He then reached for his phone and dialed Sakura's number.
Sakura feverishly told Tomoyo what happened to her and Syaoran at the LRT the moment she entered the classroom. She related everything from the time they stepped into the train until when Mills chased them as they stood at the glass door and forced everyone out. Tomoyo listened intently to her rants and kept giggling at the part when Mills saw her pasted at the train door while Syaoran was "molesting" her. It was the first time she ever heard of Sakura encountering such a situation.
"I can't believe you two have gone that far!" Tomoyo squealed. "By now you two are getting along. I bet Syaoran has his head filled with thoughts of you right now!"
"No… I wasn't the one he was thinking of," Sakura blurted.
Tomoyo frowned and decided not to ask any further. She knew very well based on her conversations with Eriol until yesterday that Syaoran's heart is set on the girl with lonely eyes. As if to save them both from an awkward silence, Tomoyo's phone rang.
"…Hello? Hi, honey! I'm in school right now. How are you?" Tomoyo's face lit up as Eriol's voice rang from the other line.
"Honey? What time are you leaving school today?"
"We have classes until two in the afternoon today. What's up?"
"Is Sakura with you right now?"
Sakura's phone suddenly rang. Tomoyo watched her fumble through her bag and take her cellphone outside to answer her call.
"Nope."
"That's good… There's something I have to tell you about. It's an emergency."
"Kero-chan?" Sakura answered the phone, surprised that Mills called her up very early.
"Sakura? What time are you leaving school today?" Mills asked from the other line.
"We have classes until two. What's up?"
"I need to talk to talk to you later. It's something I found out about Syaoran. I don't know how much it will help in his case. Maybe you can make something out of it?"
"Sure! Where will we meet?"
"I'll be at Robinson's(1) at three. You might as well join me later for snacks. I'll be shopping for cakes since Yue and Mark are coming over tonight."
"Okay, remind me to buy eggs and sugar when I get there. I'll make you guys something nice for dinner. See you!"
Classes ended late, with the instructor spending much time asking Sakura about Syaoran's case. Sakura, in spite of the cheers from her classmates, answered everything, steered away from questions that lead to inquiries about their "relationship," but…
"Is Li Syaoran really a playboy?" A classmate asked Sakura.
"Umm… I thought he was for quite a while. My guardian and I imagined he's only using the story of the girl with lonely eyes to cover his alleged womanizing, but we found out he wasn't kidding… We found an item that somehow had her DNA," she replied.
"Who do you think is this girl?" Another asked.
"We only know she sustained wounds on her face and other parts of her body. That's why we looked for hospital reports and blotters that may tell us about her. We also found a pepper spray can with her fingerprints on it."
"Is Syaoran helping you in his case?"
"Yes. He accompanied me several times around Manila…"
"How often have you two gone out? Where does he take you?"
"Uh… We go to police stations and clinics… We, uh, also went as far as Caloocan…"
"What can you say about him, Sakura?"
"Well, he's… uh, nice, supportive, kind, and concerned. He's persevering and patient, especially with his case. He's also very gentle although he could get rough at times…"
"Is he a gentleman? How does he treat you? Has he given you any gifts? What places have you gone together? Is he really handsome up close? Does Mr. Mills approve of your relationship? Has he started courting you? When do you intend to say 'yes' to him? Have you kissed?" The questions about Sakura's relationship with Syaoran poured in.
"Uh… Guys, actually, Syaoran and I… We're only…"
"Are you in love with Li Syaoran, Sakura?" Sakura's instructor asked. Sakura fell silent in reply and hung her head as she hid the blush growing on her cheeks.
"We know an investigator who becomes involved with her client becomes less effective in accomplishing her case. However, in Li Syaoran's case, the girl with lonely eyes may have a double meaning. She may be a real person whom he fell in love with. But she may also be his dream woman, someone he has found but lost and wishes to spend his life with. Come to think of it, the mystery girl could be anyone. It could even be you."
Sakura did not reply.
"If you and Syaoran are becoming very close, it means that you two just might end up being together. I guess Syaoran isn't really looking for a girl with lonely eyes; he's looking for someone to love, and it could be you, after all…"
"No! That's not true!" Sakura burst out loud, making the whole class fall silent. "I know he believes the mystery girl is real. That's why I'm sure even after what we went through in such a short time, he could not be in love with me… It's because he's in love only with the girl with lonely eyes!" she sobbed aloud as a tear fell down her cheek.
"Guys, guys!" Tomoyo quickly butted in, throwing her empty bag right into Sakura's head. "She and Syaoran are just fine! This is her first time to be this close to any guy. We know she hasn't had a boyfriend until now, so it's surely normal for her to feel confused. On top of that, she's in a really difficult case, but at least Mr. Mills is supporting her all the way. It's up to her to delve into a relationship if she feels it's time, right, Sakura?"
"T-thanks, Tomoyo," Sakura whispered.
Sakura remembered Yue's words about backing out of Syaoran's case. She realized how involved her feelings are towards him, and how she stacks up against the mystery girl.
"Am I… Am I really in love with Syaoran? If so, then…" she whispered to herself.
"Sakura! It's three o' clock! Eriol wants us at Robinson's now! Hurry!" Tomoyo ran up and pulled her away. She sighed in resignation as she let Tomoyo drag her and jumped into a jeepney heading for Ermita.
"Syaoran…"
"Honey! Over here!" Eriol shouted as he saw Tomoyo and a very red Sakura at the fountains at the center of Robinson's. Tomoyo was already late for her appointment, but he didn't mind. Earlier, while they were in the jeepney, Tomoyo showed Sakura her shop's lingerie catalogue. She ranted about buying some of them and letting Syaoran peek the next time they get jammed in the LRT, turning her into one big tomato.
"Honey! How's school?" Tomoyo asked as she greeted Eriol with a kiss.
"We had some exams today, but we're all done for the week. I'm staying with Syaoran at Club Tsubasa for the rest of the week. How about you? What happened to Sakura?"
"Oh, nothing! I'm just making sure she's prepared next time Sakura rides the LRT with Syaoran!" Tomoyo said with a smirk. Eriol understood quickly.
"Guys! Cut that out… It was already embarrassing as it is!" Sakura butted in, trying to hide the blush on her face. "Now, why did you have to make us rush over here, Eriol?"
"Nothing much," Eriol replied. "I know your thesis is almost done, and I don't have classes until next Saturday, so I decided we should go out! We can call up Syaoran later and let him join us; I'm sure he's busy with paperwork somewhere."
Sakura felt relieved and sad upon hearing that Syaoran will not go out with them. Still, it is better that way. Suddenly, she froze as she looked at her watch.
"Hoeeee! I'm supposed to meet Kero-chan here today!"
Mills gobbled his whole pudding as he waited impatiently for Sakura at a coffee shop. He has been waiting for a call or SMS from her on her whereabouts, but it seems she may have been busy at school and could not contact him immediately.
He decided to go to the supermarket himself and buy the eggs and sugar she requested for tonight's dinner. He began to imagine omelet rice, cakes, and steamed chicken for dinner, and wished terribly that Yue and Mark would come early.
His thoughts were interrupted when four men in black formal wear passed in front of him. The men, presumably bodyguards, wore sunglasses and communication equipment, and their left chests partly bulged, hinting that they had guns. Leading them was a young girl in her early twenties, with chocolate brown hair, piercing brown eyes, and a stern, arrogant face. She stooped awhile, ran her hand through her hair, and looked around.
The girl started to speak, pointing around the mall. The bodyguards replied in Chinese, bowed, and started to scatter, after which she went on her own way. Mills, on the other hand, kept still, since he could not hear them exactly. He tried to decipher what they were talking about. It was then that he caught what sounded like a name: Ying Fa.
Mills felt a slight chill run across his neck. He started to follow the girl and rummaged through his pockets for his cellphone, with the feeling that something seems wrong.
"Relax, Sakura! Let's just call Mr. Mills and tell him we'll be late!" Tomoyo told the frantic Sakura.
"Or maybe we could all look for Mills and accompany him for awhile, then we can go wherever we want," Eriol replied.
"Actually, I promised Kero-chan I'll cook dinner tonight because Uncle Mark and Uncle Yue are coming over. I have an idea… Maybe you'd all like to come over our place as well for dinner!" Sakura said matter-of-factly.
"Sounds like a good idea! It's been a while since our last sleepover. I haven't been at your house for ages!" Tomoyo replied with a big grin.
Eriol chuckled. "If that's the case, I better call Syaoran so he can sample Sakura's cooking," he said as he took his cellphone.
Mills hid behind a clothes shop display as he followed the young girl across the mall. He watched closely as she took a picture from her pocket and stared at it intently while dialing her cellphone. In a short while, the person on the other line answered her call.
"How does she look like?" the girl asked over the phone. "The picture you gave isn't clear… How can I find her? …Short hair, jade green eyes… What else? Does she have companions? …All right, I'll call you once I find her… Don't worry, I'll just talk to her. Where did you last see her? What is she… Very well then... I'll call you again."
Mills stood as the girl paced around frantically as she stared at the picture. She began to look around, turning her head everywhere. Obviously, she's looking for another girl with short hair and green eyes, and who is probably in the same mall as they are. But what's with the bodyguards and weapons…?
His thoughts were interrupted when one of the bodyguards approached her. This time, he was able to listen to their conversation closely.
"She's not here. Perhaps we have to look in the other floors," he heard the burly man say.
"Go, then," the girl replied. "The lead we have is accurate. Ying Fa is definitely here. We must find and capture her. She can't interfere with my engagement."
"Yes, Lady Li," the man in black replied before taking his leave.
Mills felt more uneasy as "Lady Li" slowly left. He decided to follow her more closely.
"I'm checking the delivery here. We're almost out of potatoes," Syaoran said over the phone. "What's the big event?"
"We're going to Sakura's place for dinner. She said she's going to cook for her uncles tonight. Why not join us for a while? It will be fun," Eriol replied.
Syaoran sighed as he heard the name Sakura. He remembered that she disappeared right after they were released from the hot, tight train yesterday. She underwent the most discomfort, he knew, and it would be nice to see and hear from her again if she's fine.
"All right, I'm in. Where do we meet?"
Eriol and Tomoyo decided to split up and get some fruits and wine to bring to Mills' apartment. Tomoyo went to the supermarket and was looking for her wallet, when a big, dark-skinned man roughly tapped her on her shoulder.
"Where is she?" the man in black bellowed as he held up a picture.
Tomoyo felt a chill creep over her neck upon seeing the picture. It was her picture with Eriol in school with another group.
"That… that girl's me," she replied, trying to calm herself.
"Not you! Where is she?" the man roared louder as he shook her with both hands.
This time, Tomoyo raised her eyebrows. "What are you talking about? I don't know who you are looking for," she said with a raised voice and her arms akimbo.
Her bravado disappeared when the man grabbed her chin, raised her up, and pointed a gun point-blank on her cheek. "Don't hide her! Tell me where she is! Or else…"
"Or else what? What will you do with my lover?" A soft voice echoed from behind.
"Eriol! Oh, honey… I'm so afraid… He wanted to kill me!" Tomoyo threw herself towards Eriol and sobbed loudly.
Eriol faced the dark man with dagger looks and a stern frown. Immediately, the man felt pale, knelt before him and bowed, shaking.
"F-forgive me, Master Hiiragizawa! I do not mean to harm your lover! Forgive me, master… I deserve to die!" the man said as he bowed face down.
"What are you doing here? Who sent you, and why did you go after Tomoyo?"
"I am only following orders, sir… Lady Li wanted us to find someone and take her away, so that her engagement will not be hindered. The girl is said to be here in this area."
"Lady Li? Engagement? Eriol, what's going on?" Tomoyo asked between sobs.
Eriol picked up the picture that the dark man dropped. He then looked at it and then showed it to Tomoyo and the man.
"Then you are looking for this girl?" he said as he pointed to a figure in the picture.
"Yes! Yes, we are! Lady Li ordered us to harm her, but if you want me to disobey her, I will follow your orders!" the man intoned as he bowed deeply.
Tomoyo shivered and let out a piercing scream as she recognized the figure.
"Sakura! Run away! Get out of here!" she screamed on top of her voice.
"There she is," the girl said to another bodyguard as she pointed to the fountains. "Get her, and get her fast. Make sure we're not caught."
"Yes, my lady," he replied as the girl walked towards their target area.
"An assassination plot? This is not my job, but I have to do this," Mills sighed as he crept towards the man, who pulled out a gun. He whacked him with a chop to the neck, propped him up a chair, and stalked the girl, when he heard Tomoyo's chilling scream…
Three men in formal suits walked towards Sakura and surrounded her. "Excuse me, miss, but you must come with us," one of the men said in a low voice. Sakura tried to reply, but one of them pulled out a gun while another took out a handkerchief that smelled strange.
"Sakura! Run away! Get out of here!" She suddenly heard Tomoyo scream from afar. In a split second, she quickly slammed her fists towards the two men's stomachs, and did a flying kick into the third man's chin. Four men assisted the attackers and grabbed her, but she climbed up one man, kicking him in the face, and knocked another with a stunner. Two of them lunged at her with a stick, but she swiftly disarmed them. She finally jumped and did a helicopter kick on all seven men, who fell like flies.
Sakura panted a bit after the exercise that she got. She spotted Tomoyo, who heaved a sigh of relief, and Eriol, who flashed a thumbs-up sign, from afar with another man in black. She threw her hair up and flashed a big grin in reply.
"So you must be Sakura," a soft voice rang from behind. Sakura, who knew she would be attacked from behind removed her belt (in front of everyone in Robinson's) and nodded.
"Then… Die!" the voice rang and lunged at her, a dagger flashing from her sleeve. Sakura flung her belt backwards, deflecting the dagger's path, then rolled sideways to avoid her enemy's attacks until she finally came face to face with her enemy.
"You're that bitch who was with Syaoran at the club," she growled.
"The hell you're right. I'll never let you have my fiancé, Sakura," Ceekae replied.
"Fiancé?" Sakura whispered to herself, but her thoughts were interrupted as Ceekae rushed towards her with dagger at hand. She sidestepped as Ceekae swung and stabbed her weapon at her several times, and used her belt to keep her away.
"I'm impressed," Ceekae intoned as she attacked. "You're a pretty strong fighter. No wonder Syaoran liked you. He liked strong women, just like the way he liked me before. You may be good in battle, but I wonder how you stack up against him in bed!"
"You good-for-nothing whore!" Sakura roared and did a cartwheel while avoiding her dagger. Ceekae lunged and swung the dagger with full strength. Sakura dodged by jumping above her, not minding the sound of ripping fabric. She landed behind Ceekae, flung her belt into her hand to disarm her, and kicked her full force into the fountain.
"Give up," Sakura said as a very wet Ceekae caressed her injured hand. "I don't know what you want, but leave me alone while I'm not in the mood to beat you into a coma." Ceekae smirked, and lunged at Sakura, revealing two longer daggers. She swung the twin daggers with full force, ripping fabric and leather and drawing blood from Sakura's arm.
"You'll never have Syaoran! Syaoran is my fiancé!" Ceekae roared at Sakura as she moved in to stab her. Sakura knew she was defenseless without her belt. She closed her eyes and shielded herself with her arms, awaiting the attack…
"You're late," Mills growled.
"Good timing," Syaoran replied with a smirk.
Sakura opened her eyes to find Mills and Syaoran gripping a writhing Ceekae's arms tightly. As in on cue, both men nodded, grinned and gripped her arms tighter. Ceekae cried out and shook in pain, and dropped her daggers. She quickly released herself from their steel grip and ran away crying as she rubbed her sore arms.
"Nobody calls my Sakura a pretentious bitch," Mills said with a death glare at Syaoran, who went pale as he nodded in reply.
"Sakura! Are you all right? I'm so glad you're safe… I thought they got you!" Tomoyo rushed towards Sakura with Eriol and the man in black and hugged her tightly.
"I'm all right! You saw how I beat them off, did you? Don't worry about me!" Sakura replied with a smile as she caressed Tomoyo's head.
Syaoran noticed blood oozing from Sakura's arm. He quickly pulled out his handkerchief and without saying a word, bound the surprised Sakura's arm. Sakura could not say anything, but instead nodded to him with a smile.
Mills looked at the man in black with a puzzled look. "Garuda? I didn't know you moonlight in a mortuary parlor," he said.
"M-Mr. Mills!" The man looked at him flabbergasted. "What are you doing here? Is this girl (pointing to Sakura) your relative?" he asked.
"I adopted her," Mills replied with a straight look. "She's my assistant and my sister. And I guess you work for Eriol Hiiragizawa?"
"Yes, sir! I now work for Reed as his bodyguard, though I only do so part-time. I'm still with the Sidewalk Pub. By the way, whatever you do, don't look at her. Tell Master Li and Master Hiiragizawa to do the same," Garuda the bodyguard said with a blank face.
The warning came a bit too late. A very pale Sakura was looking down at her blouse, which was torn open in the middle, and half of her jeans, which was peeled off, revealing her leg. She glared angrily at Syaoran, Mills, Eriol, and Garuda the bodyguard, who turned their backs on her to hide their blush/embarrassment/puzzlement/whatever.
All four men flew into the fountain head-first, prompting everyone in the mall to run away in fright.
"I think you shouldn't have done that," Tomoyo whispered with a sweat drop as she watched bubbles form from where the four fell.
"I brought the wine," Syaoran whimpered from under the fountain.
"I brought eggs and sugar," Mills groaned in reply.
"I brought the fruit," Eriol moaned back.
"I brought aspirin," Garuda roared.
Dinner went on schedule at Mills' apartment. Yue, Yukito, and Mark dropped in with more food. Mitch sent a messenger to bring a bottle of Bailey's as she was at work. Sakura, Tomoyo, Eriol, and Syaoran helped cook dinner.
Sakura served her specialty, omelet rice, but this time it had chicken strips and sautéed peppers. Everyone wolfed down everything on the table with gusto, especially Sakura, who was exhausted after the encounter at Robinson's.
Soon after, everyone at the living room singing at the karaoke over cake and wine, while Sakura was left behind to wash the plates.
As she scrubbed at the plates while whistling a tune, she rubbed at her arm, which still smarted after sustaining that wound. She smiled to herself as she recounted her first full-length battle at the mall. It was the first time she was able to defend herself from danger, but she would have been dead had Mills and Syaoran not come on that critical moment.
One thing bothered her, though: Ceekae.
"You'll never have Syaoran! Syaoran is my fiancé!"
Her smile disappeared as a tear suddenly fell down her cheek.
Syaoran, who was picking up some fruits, went the kitchen to watch Sakura wash the plates. He smiled as he silently watched Sakura's demure figure scrub the plates and pans while whistling a happy tune.
It was a side of Sakura that he didn't expect: the girl who kicked butt with grace could cook and keep house as well. She was sweet, gentle, beautiful, brave, and strong all at the same time. He felt himself being drawn to everything that Sakura is and more. He knew he wanted to be closer to Sakura, and perhaps just be with her.
He finally realized how he feels towards Sakura.
He was about to leave when he heard something distressing: sobbing. He silently walked towards Sakura…
Mills, who was waving Kero-chan the stuffed flying animal, noticed Syaoran walk to the kitchen towards Sakura. He felt like rushing in when he saw him hug Sakura as she sobbed. As he walked towards the kitchen, Mark and Yue took his arm and shoulder.
"Don't. Let it be," Mark said.
Yue shook his head, as if to agree with Mark.
The uncles watched the blooming romance unfold between their niece and Mills' client.
"Are you in pain?" Syaoran asked as he held Sakura tightly.
Sakura shook her head. "No, it's just my arm," she replied between sobs.
"Are you in pain?" Syaoran asked again. At this point, Sakura began to cry louder. Without thinking, she turned to Syaoran and embraced him. Syaoran, on the other hand, hugged her tightly and caressed her hair.
"I'm sorry. I've caused you too much pain. I'm so sorry," Syaoran whispered.
Sakura shook her head and cried some more.
"Ceekae is my fiancée. My mother wanted me to marry her so I can take over their company. But I can't do that. I don't want to," he said firmly.
"It's… It's because of her," Sakura replied as she thought of the girl with lonely eyes.
"No," he said. "The more I think of that girl, the more I remember you. The more I seek her, the more I find you. The longer she haunts my senses, the more I find you in my heart."
Sakura's arms fell from Syaoran as she looked at her with tears flowing freely. He took Sakura by the shoulders and came closer.
"You're not her, and she's not you. But it's not her that I love, but you."
"Syaoran…" Sakura gasped as she closed her eyes and wept some more. Syaoran smiled, leaned towards her and kissed her.
They held on to that kiss and to each other for a long time. It was neither accidental nor at the spur of the moment. It was exactly what they longed to have with each other. It was something they wanted, and finally had. It was the moment they longed to have together.
In a short while, Sakura stopped crying.
Mills sighed as he watched Sakura and Syaoran kiss, and smiled when her sobs ceased.
"Wai! I think I want more pudding!" Mills roared happily as he ran off back to the living room with Mark and Yue.
1 A popular mall with branches around the Philippines. The particular mall branch mentioned here is located at the Malate-Ermita area in Manila. The particular fountain mentioned in this chapter is inside the mall, but now a plastic wall near it protects people from falling over. There is another fountain outside the mall, though.
