Disclaimer: Only CLAMP will ever truly own CCS…
Sorry for the so late update…things have been…quite crazy…
Please don't kill me…
Enjoy… really sorry for updating this for such a long time…!
Chapter 11: Taking Chances
"I'm sorry, did you wait long?" the head of Li clan politely asked her friend as they appeared to find their guests already waiting.
"No, not at all. Just a couple of minutes I guess," her friend answered just as politely.
"I assume this gentleman here is Touya," Yelan remarked after a young man with darh hair and eyes went to her side and bowed politely. The two girls hadn't done the same as confused looks crossed their faces.
"Yes, that is him. All grown up as many would say." His father said. Turning his attention to the four young ladies with his friend, he smiled broadly, "Ahhh, and these young beautiful ladies must be Xiefa, Fuutie, Fanren, and Fei Mei." Each of the girls bowed as their names were identified.
Finally seeing the look on the two girls' faces with him, did he realize that none of that knew who these people were, "I'm very sorry, Sakura, Tomoyo. This woman here is an old friend of ours, her name is Yelan."
"Oh, yes of course. You might not remember me at all as the last time I saw the two of you was when you were babies and you two have become such lovely girls, that is very clear," Yelan said gazing at the two girls in front her, remembering as such cute babies. "Shall we take our reservations then?" she broke the silence between them.
"Yes, of course," Fujitaka answered lightly. "I seem to remember that you have a son, nephew and niece living with you, am I right?"
Yelan sighed a bit, "You're right. I would have brought them along too if weren't for my sick niece. The other two volunteered to stay behind and watch over her."
"Such nice children." Fujitaka remarked.
The conversation started to pick up as the food was served. The two adults were engrossed in their conversation as well as the teens were.
"Tomoyo, Sakura, do you still remember us?" Xiefa piped up suddenly.
Tomoyo and Sakura shook their heads at the same time in such a cute manner that the sisters couldn't help but giggle at them.
"Of course they wouldn't remember," Touya suddenly said after seeping soup, "They were still babies!" He then turned his attention away from them and back to the food currently placed in front of him.
Fuutie playfully stuck her tongue out at Touya who seemed as if he couldn't care at all whatever gesture she would throw at him. Fanren giggled, "You're so stiff, Tou-ya!"
Fei Mei continued their playful assault on him, "You were sulky then, and still sulky now!" The four sisters erupted in a loud laughter and Tomoyo and Sakura joined in with chortles.
"But Sakura and Tomoyo are soooo cute!" Fuutie can't help herself but say it aloud. "Unlike that guy," and she glanced at the direction of Touya slowly to really annoy him.
After too many side comments from the sisters, Touya finally lost his temper, "If you're not going to eat, then at least let other people do so!" he exclaimed, a growl escaping his lips.
The teens continued to banter with each other, and already Sakura and Tomoyo felt like they were family with the four sisters.
"So Yelan, to whom should I owe this meeting to?" Fujitaka asked while they were eating.
"Well, no one, really. The truth is I've been meaning to ask your family to dinner for sometime now, it's been such a long time since we've last seen each other," Yelan answered sincerely, "And the children, of course. I didn't imagine that the next time I would be able to see them was as young teens, or adults if I may say."
Fujitaka thought for a moment, and then said, "So, what made you finally call for this meeting? Not that I mind, of course." He quickly added.
Yelan smiled, clearly her friend was still as sharp as before, "You see, my son, Syaoran, has talked about a girl with the name, Sakura."
"Oh, I see," he answered simply. "And you're wondering if that Sakura is the same as my daughter since they're the same age, right?"
She nodded. "Yes, you're right."
"Well, I'm not sure, but I seem to remember Touya voicing out the name Syaoran," Fujitaka responded thoughtfully. "I believe he must've heard it from Sakura." Yelan just nodded again as if in very deep thought. "Why don't we ask Sakura now?" he suggested suddenly.
"Oh, no, no, please don't," Yelan answered with an amused look on her face. "I just wanted to know if they knew each other. I really don't want to interfere as much as possible."
"You're right, we shouldn't interfere," he answered calmly, "But does helping them getting to know each other much better classified as interfering?"
Yelan noted the mischievous tone behind her friend's statement and smiled. "About that subject, I was thinking…you know how their supposed first blind date failed right?"
"Ah, yes…the rain."
"If it isn't a bother, why don't we try one more time?"
"I agree, just call me for the details." He said with a radiant smile, "Now, let's enjoy dinner shall we?"
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"Syaoran! Eriol!"
"What now?!" Syaoran murmured to himself louder than he had intended to. He then ran his hands through his already very messy hair.
"Stop doing that!" Eriol's irritated voice competed with Syaoran's temper.
"What did I do?!" again through impulse, he ran his hand through his hair.
"That! You're doing that!" Eriol answered impatiently.
"What?!"
"You're hair! Stop ruffling your hair!"
"What's it to you? It's my hair, on my scalp!" Syaoran was now already standing, and he ran his hands ten times through his hair to continue to annoy Eriol.
"Well, stop doing that because it's annoying me!!" Eriol answered back just as fiery and was now also standing.
"SYAORAN!! ERIOL!!"
"SHUT UP!!" the two cousins shouted through the door of Syaoran's room, their fiery temper still not improving.
"SYAORAN!! ERIOL!! I'M GOING TO TELL AUNTIE!!"
The two cousins cursed loudly and their servants who heard them sighed, such a peaceful night it was turning out to be. The two young men started to walk to the direction of Mei Ling's room, both mumbling some complains about their current situation right now.
"I'm sorry," Eriol said lightly; finally calm enough to think right. "I shouldn't have snapped on you like that."
"I'm sorry too," Syaoran answered just as sincerely, "I shouldn't have annoyed you further."
The two sighed; they would have given anything in the world to get out of their crappy situation. It was so ironic, it had been such a good plan to evade the nightmares of the dinner with unknown people, but now, they were beginning to think they made the wrong decision.
"I should have known Mei Ling would act like this. I'm so dumb." Eriol said feeling sorry for himself.
"SYAORAN!! ERIOL!! Where are you?!" Mei Ling's screech, once again, ran throughout the whole household.
"We're coming, we're coming," Syaoran answered dejectedly.
Inwardly, the two thought at the same time, 'This is gonna be a hell of a night.'
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"Dad, since when did you know each other?" a sleepy Sakura asked right next to an already asleep Tomoyo at the backseat of their car.
"Well, she's your mother's friend from college and I met her during some of the activities and stuff at their university when I visited your mother." Fujitaka answered, relishing the memory of her wife with her friends.
Sakura thought quietly of what her father just said, thinking of how her mother must have acted with her friends. "Why did we just get to meet her now?" she asked slowly, the 'we' in her question referring to her and Tomoyo.
Fujitaka glanced at the two girls at the back of his car, "We met often when your mother was pregnant with you. You could ask Touya, he knows her very well."
Seeing a question form in his daughter eyes, he began to talk again, "She was also there at your first birthday with her son. She never got to visit again after the death of your mother since she had been too busy with work and taking care of her children, a nephew and a niece that started to live with her."
"Oh, that's nice," Sakura answered yawning, "I wish I knew her much better, she seems such a nice lady." With that thought still lingering in her mind, Sakura fell asleep next to Tomoyo.
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Days of fluffiness have passed after that eventful meeting, and now we find our heroes having a nice moment of their own.
"You know what," Sakura started, "Your cookies are the most delicious things in this world."
Syaoran smiled, another afternoon with Sakura, and he felt very proud that he was able to please her with what he makes. Looking at Sakura across from him made his cheeks flush, and although he tried hard to look at the scenery in front of him, he just couldn't find it in him to look away from the girl that had captured his attention and interest, and maybe, even his heart.
"What's the matter Syaoran?" she asked suddenly, noticing that he was just staring at her with those dazzling eyes of his.
Syaoran shook his head like a little dog, rather a little wolf as Sakura would've put it to be. She giggled lightly, Syaoran was so cute, no not just cute, he was down right handsome, and somehow, she started to feel something stir inside of her, what it was though, she had no idea. But no matter what it was, she loved feeling it gave her, the little electricity that courses through her when they touch and the sudden eruption of butterflies in her stomach. She would gladly give anything in the world to continue having that feeling, and the best part is, it just keeps on intensifying day by day with him.
Without thinking for a second, Syaoran made a move to caress Sakura's cheek gently. She blushed at the sudden contact. But the feel of Syaoran's warm hand on her face was so different from everything she had felt before, and before she could stop herself, she brought her own hand to envelop Syaoran's hand on her face, closing her eyes as the sign of pleasure she was currently feeling.
Syaoran was so happy inside that Sakura accepted his touch with such enthusiasm that he leaned in closer to her, then finally closing the distance between them as he kissed her lips lightly. Sakura's eyes flew open when she felt something on her lips, and closed them as abruptly when she realized that Syaoran was kissing her. She then kissed back with such passion that Syaoran deepened the kiss to a considerable measure.
Syaoran then pulled back for breath, "Sakura," he said softly and seriously. "What do you say in taking chances?"
Sakura smiled, she understood that he meant their relationship with the question, "I say…I'll gladly take any of them as long as I take them with you."
Syaoran didn't need to ask any more questions as the answer was very clear and evident. "I like you, Sakura." In his mind he continued speaking, 'No…I think I love you.'
"I like you too, Syaoran." Sakura replied sweetly, in her mind was the same thing what Syaoran was thinking about. Then without hesitations, the two continued their interrupted activity, each enjoying each others touch.
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"Oh, Sakura…" Tomoyo said happily, "I'm so glad for you…for you and for Li-san."
Sakura smiled broadly, relishing that day's events, when suddenly she was caught by the look on Tomoyo's eyes. "What?"
"What 'what'?" Tomoyo asked innocently.
"That look…" Sakura said, pointing to her eyes. "You had a look on your eyes just then."
"Well, I just knew you and Li-san have something for each other," she answered matter-of-factly. "You even denied it before…but now…"
"Before was different!" Sakura answered defensively. "I wasn't denying it to you then."
"Sure, Sa-ku-ra." Tomoyo replied indifferently with a mocking smile plastered on her face. "We both know that."
Sakura pouted cutely. Then her mood changed suddenly as she remembered one more thing, "Hey, Moyo." Tomoyo turned to her as she continued speaking, "Will you do me a favor?"
"Of course, it's the least I can do as a thank you for the favor I owed you with my friend. What is it?" she answered calmly.
"Syaoran asked me out, and I said yes." Sakura said, trying to sound casual about it as if it was the most ordinary thing in the world, but failed miserably as her voice was full of anticipation.
Tomoyo smiled evilly with her mind now thinking of different ways to capture their date on video. "And?"
"Well, at the date we were supposed to meet, Father set me up to go on a blind date. I can't and certainly don't want to cancel my date with Syaoran, but I can't reschedule the blind date, as Father informed me, plus I can't choose to not go either as Father is definitely expecting me to show up." She told Tomoyo exasperatedly; clearly, she was worried about this.
"And I come in the picture, where?" Tomoyo asked sharply.
Sakura fidgeted nervously; she sure hopes Tomoyo accepts. "Instead of me going to the blind date…YOU will go."
Tomoyo bit her lip, she really wanted to help Sakura with the dilemma she's currently facing, but giving up capturing her date with Syaoran was a big thing for her. She then felt very thankful for the hundreds of assistants she has, if she won't be able to capture them herself, at least her assistants could! Then, to Sakura's great relief, Tomoyo nodded.
Of course, Sakura didn't know that the favor she had asked for Tomoyo would work not only for her advantage, but also for her friend's as well…maybe.
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Really sorry for this very late update…I don't know what to say…
Super thank you to the reviews I keep receiving…for my new readers…and for all the alerts and favs…they all make me so happy and proud…
Anyway, as selfish as I can be…please still review…
I promise to make it up next time…really I will…
By the way…next chapter will be somehow into ExT…of course SS will still be their…somehow….