Chapter Ten: The Customer Is Always Right
Sakura squealed in surprise as Tomoyo rushed her into the ladies' bathroom, for, according to Tomoyo, a special 'make-over' for her special 'date'.
"It isn't a date!" Sakura squeaked as she applied the eye shadow. "I mean, it is, but it's nothing big, Tomoyo, stop fussing around!"
"You stop fussing around!" her best friend retorted. "If you can just stay still for one minute –"
"Ow! Stop poking my eye with that!"
"Fine then, I'm done! Don't blame me if Rei finds you revolting and hideous."
She glared at Tomoyo through mascara-ed eyelashes. Of course, she had no idea who Tomoyo wanted her to look good for. It wasn't Rei, sweet as he is, but rather for a certain amber-eyed man who will 'accidentally' stumble upon their little outing.
Tomoyo hesitated. "Oh alright, you don't look hideous, but honestly –"
"No."
"Sakura!"
"What?"
"Nothing, nothing…"
Sakura continued to eye her suspiciously before heading off towards her locker. How did she know Rei's favorite color was green? Last time she asked, it was white. White, green. Great similarity, no?
Sure enough, Rei was wearing nearly all white except for a pair of jeans. I don't see any green, Sakura noted glumly. What's Tomoyo up to now? Does she think I'm going out with a tree lover?
"Hey Saku! You look great," he flashed her a smile. "As always."
She merely blushed and returned the smile before the headed off towards a nearby café. Saku, he called her. What was it that Syaoran said about it again?
"Saku's a bit boring, what about … kiddo?"
Growling inwardly, she shook her head to get rid of his voice. Why was she thinking about him when she's with Rei?
"Hey… isn't that your brother?"
Sakura's head snapped up from leaning against his shoulder and saw, indeed, Touya taking orders from… Syaoran and Keiko?
"What the hell are they – I mean, is he doing here?"
Rei shrugged and lead her towards a table, sitting down. "As long as he doesn't bother us, I don't mind." Sakura smiled at him weakly and hid her face behind the menu, panicking, not reading anything. What are they doing here?
"Hey," he peeked behind the menu and grinned at her expression. "If you hide from your brother, I can't see your lovely face."
"You've never met my brother before!" she hissed back, eyes widening. "Whatever you do, don't do anything suspicious, or as Touya puts it, 'anything to harm the little kaijuu,' or else he'll beat the crap out of me – oh, hello, Touya!"
Her brother simply stared down at her with an amused expression on his face. Instead, he turned to Rei. "What are you doing with Sakura?"
Behind his back, Sakura snorted. Surely enough Rei wouldn't be as dense as Touya and say … well, things she would rather him not to say. "On a date with your sister."
True. Very true.
BUT IT'LL GET HER INTO TROUBLE.
"Date?" Touya echoed, glaring at Sakura, who gave him a weak smile. "I didn't know the little kaijuu here was on a date."
"Ehehe, you see, there was a, uh, quick change of plans. I was hungry, and wanted –"
"You told me," he interrupted her, eyebrows raised, "that you were going to Tomoyo's to sort out her Barbie collection, which contained two hundred and sixteen different types, color coded. Now, I want to know," his face leaned in close to her, frowning, "why a sixteen year old like yourself would want to do anything with Barbies."
"Which is why I'm here!" Sakura snapped back. "Tomoyo let me off, she said Meilin would do –"
"Ah. Then why was it that, just a few seconds ago, I took orders from those two over there?" Touya pointed to the corner of the room, where two mysterious looking… people were hidden behind a large newspaper. Upside down.
"Look, can we order?"
"Not until I –"
"I'd like a mint chocolate chip ice cream for dessert, please," Sakura announced loudly, glaring at her brother. He scowled and jotted it down.
"No one orders dessert first, squirt – ow!"
Sakura smiled sweetly at Rei with a look that plainly said, ignore him. "Some lemonade, please."
"Oh – I'll, uh, have the same. And uh, number 23, thanks."
"I'll have the same as well," Sakura said happily, smiling innocently at Touya, who was scowling down at his note pad. "Anyway Touya, what are you doing here? What happened to the new restaurant downtown?"
"I don't like restaurants, so I'm here in a café instead," he answered back curtly, but he didn't fool Sakura.
She smirked. "Yeah right. I bet it had something to do with Syaoran throwing that sundae at you. Right?"
"No!" Touya muttered angrily and hurried away. Sighing in relief, Sakura leaned back against her chair as Rei looked at her brother's retreating back. "Not the most positive person in the world, is he?"
"You have no idea," Sakura smirked, all of a sudden sleepy. She tried to stifled a yawn but Rei saw it, and pulled her closer around the waist.
"Tired?"
"Sort of," she mumbled. "Touya kept me up all night, thinking I stole his gym bag. Wasn't until midnight 'til he found it under Kero's pillow."
"Kero?"
"Kero the puppy," she beamed, face lit up. "He's such an adorable little thing, only several weeks old. A present from Dad."
"Oh?"
"Sort of like a second Touya. Touya in dog disguise. Bites anyone who tries to get near me."
Rei laughed as their drinks arrived – a different waiter this time. "Looks like I've got another to worry about, huh?"
"Maybe. But not when I'm around."
"Mm," he tilted his head to get a better look at her. "I'll never worry if you're around."
Sakura blushed a light pink and looked away, searching for two other people. As her eyes found amber ones, she realized Syaoran was staring back as well. Frowning, she tried to pay attention to what Rei was talking about instead of gazing at her man –
Excuse me? Where did that come from, 'her man'?
"What? Oh, okay," Sakura snapped out of her trance as Rei got up and headed for the exit, needing to run back to the school to get his biology textbook.
Syaoran must've noticed it as well, since he stood up – much to Keiko's protests – and headed her way, face expressionless. Sakura scowled as he sat down on Rei's seat.
"What the hell are you doing here? That's Rei's spot!"
"Oh, excuse me," he said in mock sarcasm. "I'll just sit here and let you talk to this empty seat until he comes back."
"So, any reason you're sitting here instead of with Keiko?"
"Mmf. Let's just say, I ditched her."
"For the time being, you mean."
Syaoran rolled his eyes and smirked. "Not jealous, are you, m'dear?"
"Jealous? Of you? Ha!"
"Then why are you turning red?"
"I can only turn red! I can't turn orange, can I?"
"You seem to turn red everytime Gei's around –"
"It's Rei, you idiot, Rei!"
"Fei? To fly?" (1)
"Ye – no! I mean, I don't know!"
"Where's he from anyway?"
"Why don't you ask him if you're so interested?"
"I'm not gay! I'm not interested in Gei, either –d"
"For the last time, it's REI!"
"Whatever, pissy princess."
"What did you call me?"
"Nothing, nothing… pissy princess."
"I am NOT a prissy princess!"
"Oh, really? What are you then?"
"A normal girl who hates you!"
"You didn't seem to think that when we were at Tomoyo's."
"YOU CAUGHT ME AT A WEAK MOMENT!"
"Oh? Any more chances you'd have… ahem, any more?"
"Around you? HAH! Dream on!"
"I'm dreaming, I'm dreaming…"
"Well keep on dreaming, and you'll soon find it to be a nightmare!"
"As long as you're in it, it wouldn't be…"
"YOU. ARE. IMPOSSIBLE!"
"Your temper is such a beautiful thing."
"Keep talking and your black eye will be even more beautiful."
"You, give me a black eye?"
"Yes, me. Would you like me to demonstrate?"
"Yes, how about in your brother's face?"
"Don't talk about my brother like that!"
"I will if he continues to give me threats!"
"You deserved it!"
"I didn't even do anything!"
"Do you call making him look like a chocolate ice cream sundae as 'didn't do anything'?"
"Yes!"
"Will you LEAVE ME ALONE?"
"Not until you say you love me."
"Oh God."
"Say it."
"What? I love you? HAH!"
"You know you do."
"You know I'd love nothing more than give you a black eye or two."
"I'd like to see you try."
"I would, but someone's gonna get there before me."
"Oh yeah? Who?"
Touya glared down at Syaoran. "What's this gaki doing here?" he spat out, and placed Sakura's and Rei's orders on their table. "What happened to that Gei dude?"
"IT'S REI!" Sakura cried, throwing her hands up in frustration. "Why am I stuck with two incredibly stupid morons?"
"Why am I stuck with an incredibly loud banshee?"
"Banshee? Banshee?"
"At least you aren't deaf."
"Keep talking and you will be!"
"What're you gonna use against me? Your voice?"
Touya's head turned back and forth as if watching a tennis match, and shook his head to get rid of the confusion. "Brat, get back to your table. I don't want you any where near Sakura."
Chortling, Syaoran simply raised an eyebrow. "What d'you think I'll do to her?"
"Nothing but pissing the shit off of me!"
"Exactly."
"I'd like an extra glass of lemonade please," Syaoran declared loudly, pretending to look over the menu. "And get an extra mint chocolate chip ice cream for this young lady here, will you?"
"I – you –"
"Remember," he grinned his infamous cocky grin up at Touya, "the customer is always right."
"Right away, sir."
Sakura waited for her brother to leave before rounding on Syaoran, seething. "An extra dessert? I'm not paying for that! What d'you think I am, fat?"
"Ice cream is good. Besides, I remember that mint chocolate chip is your favorite? More to the point," his gaze wandered over her figure, "I don't think you're fat. You're far from it."
"Why thank you," Sakura snarled. "That's just about the nicest thing you've said to me all year!"
"Actually no, remember that night at –"
"Don't," she interrupted him, turning away and wondering when Rei would get back, "even remind me. Please."
"You seem to be pretty comfortable with me," Syaoran smirked at her, obviously enjoying himself. "Not to mention you weren't even arguing."
"Like I had a choice!"
He shrugged. "Yeah, you were the one who chose to dance with me, not me."
"I had no choice!"
"Whatever."
"Anyway, I regretted it straight after. I – I couldn't reach up to your neck!"
"Ah, funny about the things we remember, no?"
"Shut up, Xiao Lang."
"Not my fault you're too short."
"HERE YOU GO!" Touya barked, handing everything over to table in record speed. Glowering at Syaoran, he managed to bite out, "Anything else, sir?"
Syaoran gave him an evil smile. "Oh yes. Some coffee and tea please. No milk. Sugar only."
"Why you – and how many suger cubes will it be, sir?" Touya growled and put on a fake business like look on his face as the manager walked past, eyeing him warily.
"Seven," Syaoran said promptly.
"Seven? No wonder you're so fat, you could do with a little diet. I suggest one, mister, or maybe a quarter of a cube would do –"
"The customer is always right."
Touya groaned in annoyance and rushed off, nearly knocking over a group of eleventh graders at a nearby table.
Struggling with herself, Sakura had to laugh. "I love it when Touya gets upset."
"I love it when you're in a more happier mood," Syaoran grinned at her, helping himself to one of the ice creams. "Oh, look who's here," he added gloomily.
Rei panted as he burst through the doors and smiled as he saw Sakura still sitting where she was. The charming smile only faltered a tiny bit when he realized who she was sitting with.
"Sorry about that," Rei apologized and slid into the seat next to hers. "The bio. teach was going on and on about me and my memory, yadda yadda yadda…"
"Understood," Sakura smiled at him.
He shrugged. "You had some company while I was gone, so I wasn't too worried…"
"Company? Him?"
Syaoran didn't reply, but look at her with the same expressionless face as he had when he approached. Sakura twitched nervously in her seat.
Okay, she thought, glancing timidly back at him. Time to use the 'Count-To-Ten' method Dad taught me.
One…
Two… Three… Four… Five… Six… Seven… Eight… Nine… Nine and two fifths, 'cause I'm nice like that… Ten…
"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU LOOKING AT?" Sakura screeched, forgetting she was in a public café.
Touya immediately approached their table, coffee and tea and milk jug and seven sugar cubes on the tray. "Your drinks, sir."
Syaoran merely glanced at what he bought over, and grunted. "I said no milk. What kind of waiter are you? Oh, and bring some more spoons please, we're running out."
Before Touya could open his mouth to complain, Syaoran cut in once more. "The customer –"
"– is always right, yeah, I know." And with that, he hurried off, determined to reach Syaoran before he left to yell himself hoarse at him. He'd be disappointed.
"Well, that was fun," Syaoran threw some bank notes on the food-piled table. "See ya at school tomorrow."
Sakura twitched. Should she say it? Ehhhh, I don' t know, she thought. I mean, what would he do? How would he react? Should I save it until tomorrow? Syaoran was just at the door when she made up her mind, bracing herself nervously.
"TOMORROW'S SATURDAY, YOU MORON!" she yelled, sticking her tongue at him. Grimacing, Sakura's eyebrows narrowed as she heard him chuckling to himself and the ding ding of the bell placed over the door, a sign that he had left.
As she sat down, she forced a bright smile on her face as she turned towards Rei, who was looking at her amusingly.
"You two don't really seem to like each other."
"Oh yeah," Sakura said sarcastically. "How can you tell?"
( SYAORAN )
Syaoran walked swiftly down the lane towards his house, thinking what good following Sakura had done. Sure, they sort of 'made up,' but other then that, they were back to their original state…
Oh, Keiko? If you really would like to know, she burst into tears as soon as she saw Syaoran and Sakura in the midst of passionate kissing and flung herself off the bridge and drowned.
Not really. Since Syaoran and Sakura didn't really kiss, more or less TOUCH each other, but still. Wishful thinking. Well… Keiko's the school slut, what else would you expect from her?
Tomorrow's Saturday. Finally, I could get some rest, he thought miserably as he searched for his keys. A break from Sakura, a break from obsession, a break from love, a break from –
"SYAORAAAAAAAN!"
Syaoran flinched as soon as he heard Meilin's voice echo through the house as he entered his house. Can't he even have some quiet and peace in his own home?
"Awww!"
"He's home!"
"How are you, Syao-syao?"
"Aww, our little baby brother's blushing!"
"Ooh, does it have to do with –"
"– a girl?"
"Who is it?"
"Is it Sakura?"
"Hmm?"
"How kawaiiiiiii!"
Doesn't seem like it.
Syaoran ignored his sisters as they all took turns pinching his cheeks, ruffling his hair, tackle glomping him, and basically cooing and fussing over him like a newborn baby.
"Yes I'm home, and no I'm not blushing, it's called 'pinching your brother until his cheeks go red' kind of red, and ye – no it has nothing to do with any girl, especially Sakura –"
"Liar," Meilin smirked from the living room, obviously enjoying the scene. Glaring at his cousin, Syaoran continued.
"It has absolutely nothing to do with Sakura –"
"Awwww, he's going red again!"
"We finally can have a sister-in-law!"
"And such a cute one –"
"About time, too, I've never had a baby sister before!"
"Excuse me? Sakura and I are not getting engaged, let alone dating each other –"
"But you will, right?" Feimei looked at him adoringly. Her sisters and her had their faces inches away from Syaoran's, which was in pure irritation.
"I'm only eighteen! She's sixteen; I can't marry her when she's sixteen! Well actually I can, two years difference isn't much, plus I'm eighteen, so what does it matter…? Oh yes, I remember. WE HATE EACH OTHER!"
Shiefa smirked at him. "Not by the looks you two give each other when you think no one's looking, I doubt it."
"Whaaaat?"
"Those little loving smiles you give each other –"
"It's called smirking, Fuutie."
"And the adoring looks –"
"Glaring is far from adoring, Fanren."
"You know you want each otheeeeeer –"
"NO WE DON'T, FEIMEI!"
Meilin huffed from the background, the evil grin still plastered on her face. "I wouldn't say that if I were you, Syaoran."
"I – I – I'm going to do my homework now!"
"We have none."
He glared at Meilin, his sisters sniggering slightly behind his back. "I DO! I'M DOING AN EXTRA CREDIT PROJECT FOR HEALTH CLASS!"
"We don't take health class, Xiao Lang."
"Don't call me that!" Syaoran stomped off, red in the face. Meilin turned towards her other cousins, whispering amongst each other. "If you ask me, they're definitely in love with each other."
Fuutie grinned. "Oh yes. I've already thought out who're going to be the bridesmaids and what color their dresses will be… of course, it all depends on the hair color, but I'm sure Syaoran dear won't mind –"
"WE'RE NOT GETTING MARRIED!" they heard Syaoran bellow from the top of the stairs. Even though they couldn't see him, they could feel his seething glare piercing their backs, and the five girls giggled crazily.
"Don't worry, brother!" Shiefa called. "If you want, we could have the whole school to attend as well –"
"SHUT UUUUUUUUUUP!"
Ah, Syaoran has some temper issues.
"Looking cheerful, isn't he?" a voice came from the entrance. The five girls whipped around and saw a half-amused, half-irritated look: Sakura.
"SAKUUUUUUUUURA!" Meilin squealed, tackling her. She yelped as she nearly fell over. "What are you doing here?"
Sakura smoothed her skirt down and looked at her pointedly. "You said I could drop by after to grab your water colors stuff for art class."
"Oh. Oh yeah! Well, ahem…" Meilin grinned, "Upstairs, turn right, second door to the left.
"Thanks!" Sakura chirped, ready to go. "Aren't you coming?"
"Ah, no, I'm just going to … er, make some chocolate!"
"… alright then. Are you sure –"
"YES!"
Sakura turned again, shrugging, to meet two pairs – no wait, three… no wait… four pairs of amber eyes staring brightly at her, like stars shining brightly. "Ehehe… er, excuse me, I'll just… go now…"
"How cuuuuuuuuuuuute!"
Screaming, she fled upstairs with the four sisters after her, first chasing left, then right, then left, then around and around for God knows how many times until Sakura lost her directions. I'll just get in here! she thought hurriedly, opening an emerald green door and slamming it shut. Resting her forehead against the cool, smooth door, she did a double take and shrieked as someone spoke.
"Can't get enough of me, eh?"
"YOU! What are YOU doing here? WHY do I always bump into YOU? Why do you always APPEAR everywhere I GO?"
Syaoran watched on amusedly as Sakura, half-crying and half-taken aback, slumped down the door, eyes open with fear.
"Guess I'll answer the questions one by one… ahem. First of all, this is my bedroom. Second, you love me, that's why you stalk me. Third and lastly, I don't appear, you're the one who barged into here without permission… and just an afterthought, although you might kill me for it, I can see your underwear from here."
"SYAOOOOORAN LIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!" Shrieking with rage, Sakura leapt up and tackled him onto the bed, with him laughing hard under her.
"So what type is it?"
Sakura stopped struggling for a mere second and glared at him. "WHAT DO YOU MEAN, WHAT TYPE?"
"Silk, lace, or –"
Shrieking, she slapped away his hands. "SILK! JUST DON'T TOUCH ME THERE, YOU BIG PERVERTED HENTAI –"
"I wasn't going to."
"Liar."
"What color?"
Sakura tried with all her might to pound him into little pieces; no such luck. "WHAT THE HELL DO YOU MEAN, WHAT COLOR?"
"Meh. I heard that seventy five percent of all teenage girls aged fifteen to eighteen wear black ones, fourteen percent pink, nine percent white and the remaining two percent either orange or purple with circus animals on them, hippo ballerinas prove to be the top choice –"
"Like I'd tell you!"
"Well, looks like I'll have to find out myself –"
"GET YOUR HANDS OFF ME, YOU –"
"Oh wait, it's pink and black isn't it? I thought I saw two little black bows –"
Sakura snarled down at him. "Tell me, Syaoran," she said calmly, though inside she was seething, "DO YOU LOOK AT EVERY GIRL'S UNDERWEAR WHEN YOU MEET THEM?"
"Not really, no… just yours," he smirked as she gave a scream of frustration, shaking his shoulders violently. "Didn't know you had a matching bra on, how sweet!"
"SWEEEEEEEET? THAT'S IT; YOU ARE SO GETTING IT –"
"Oh, I'm frightened," Syaoran drawled in sarcasm. "Just what exactly are you gonna do to me, then?"
"Ehh, give me a few hours to think about that and tell you –"
"Days, more like, my little dense one."
"You're such a hypocrite."
"Whatever."
In loss of words, it wasn't until then they realized what position they were in. Sakura had both legs on either side of him, hands on beside his head supporting her, sitting on… ahem.
Let's just say, sitting on a place that made Sakura scream bloody murder and rolled around the bed, hit the railing, and off the mattress.
"YOU FUCKING PERV!" she shrieked in horror, still lying on the floor. "YOU PERVERTED SICK MINDED FREAK –"
"I didn't do anything!" Syaoran retorted, looking over the side of the bed.
"Oh yes you did, you son of a –"
"Back to name calling, are we?"
Sakura instantly shot up, huffing. "I can say a lot more! Like – like how green your room is! What's with all the GREEN stuff anyway?"
"What kind of insult is that? I happen to like green!"
"Oh! So… do you like my eyes, then?" she playfully batted her eyelashes furiously at him, like so many of his fangirls.
"…"
"We-ell? I'm waiting…"
Syaoran rolled his eyes at her, who was still looking at him innocently. "Yeah alright, I like your eyes."
"Only like?"
"Um… I like them a lot."
"Hmmmm?"
"OKAY OKAY, I LOVE THEM!"
"Aww, who knew you would have a soft side?"
"I don't have a soft side! It's just – just a –"
Sakura smirked at him, hand on her hip. "A what, Syaoran? An obsession?"
"NO!" he yelled, frustrated. "God, you're impossible!"
"ME? LOOK WHO'S TALKING, YOU ASS –"
And, it happened again. Not another tackle, not another unexpected insult, not another perverted line. Syaoran grabbed Sakura by the waist and pulled her furiously into a kiss, feeling her soften and relax against him soon after.
A/N:
(1) Fei means to fly in Chinese. Or at least, in Mandarin. :3
Hopefully this chapter will clear up your hatred towards me. ;D Yes, this is definitely a SxS. I'd never have my Syao-poo or Sakura paired up with anyone else! THEHORROR. o.o
I'd update earlier today, but I've been watching the marathon. You know, the world champion ships in Helsinki? Something like that. XP Poor people. Been raining all week.
SEND IN THOSE REVIEWS! I'd love more suggestions and comments, they make my ego go as big as Syaoran's. XD So click that lovely blue icon and type type type!
TrueGem Edit: