Author's note: I apologize for taking so long. It's all Theathrythm: Final Fantasy's fault. I couldn't stop playing. It was the most wonderful thing that Square ever created! Also Virtues: Last Reward. And Code of Princess (Thank you ATLUS for adding more crack to the world). And life. Life was really demanding of late.
We had this major event in our school a few weeks back. It was supposed to be our silver anniversary. Genius planner that our head honcho was, she only planned the big event 4 weeks before (2 weeks for strategy meetings with select people and the next 2 weeks for the actual execution ). Suffice to say it didn't sit well with a lot of people. Cue chaos. Overall, the event pulled through (we're miracle workers after all) but it could have been so much better. Anyway, I was so pissed off that I lost all motivation to do anything else. It wouldn't be any good to channel my frustration and anger out on the characters I write. Anyway, I'm over that now (I channeled it into my hate/revenge story. Good therapy!) and I finished this chapter. I knew I said it would be over last year but I finally finished my final outline and we have like 10 or so chapters to go. Hope you don't tire of reading. :D
For those who put the story on alert and on their favorites, thank you! XD
As for the reviews…
To Guest: I'm updating now. Sorry. Real life had to come first. Hope you like the chapter. :D
To Anony: I write suuupppeeerrr slow. Like really slow. Unless I'm super motivated. Or depressed. It'll be moving along now. I'm feeling all better and I'm also running out of games to play so I'll be writing more now. Thank you for your review.
To summerblossom12: My pace is too slow actually, ahaha. Anyway, thanks for the review. I'm trying to finish this story as soon as I can. It'll be a good accomplishment. :D
To Ayla27: I go by the belief that there are no true original stories. With so many years of history before us, a lot of the stories written now have been made in the past. The only way we can be original is in how we write it down. :D I'm glad you liked the story. This story is kind of like my baby at the moment so I try to do my best. Thank you for the review! We're moving into the messy part of the story so I hope you stick around! XD
To Laury rose: Thank you so much for the review. I hope I didn't wreck your schedule or something. The story is really long (even if it is just 24 chapters) and you were probably reading for quite some time. Still, thank you for the compliment. I'll do my best on the other chapters! :D
To jaja: Thank you! I'm glad you think so. Enjoy the chapter! XD
To Guest: They'll be meeting very soon, don't worry. Thank you for leaving a review. :D
To littlepuppylost: If that would really happen then Touya can bully him around, haha. Thanks for the review. :D
To Guest: Thank you for the suggestion but no… it won't be like that. Look forward to it instead, haha. I won't take too long now. I only took longer this time because of some stuff. Sorry! Anyway, thanks for the review.
To Alex: Thank you for the review. It's going to be quite chaotic soon so do stick around. :D
And as a warning, most of the chapter is kind of stupid crack I think… I don't know what I was thinking so… (I think I was mooning over the cute little Kain avatar from Theathrythm) Uhm... Enjoy?
Title: Memories of a Heart
Rating: T
Summary: No, I don't know her. I'm pretty sure this is the first time I've seen her. But despite that, why does my heart race when I look at her?
Full Summary: Sakura lost her first love in a tragic accident three years ago. Syaoran's life was saved by a heart transplant operation three years ago. A chance meeting by a grave marks the beginning of a love that will heal her, and a love that will transform him. They say that there are two kinds of memories, memories of the mind and memories of the body. Will memories of a man's love remain in his heart even when it beats in another person's chest?
Disclaimer: Card Captor Sakura and all its characters belong to CLAMP. I can only imagine the possibilities if I did own it. For one, Touya would be with a character modeled after me, ohoho.
-oOo-
Chapter 25: Tremor
Parlor near the main entrance
Li Main House
Central, Hong Kong Island
June 1, 2009
6:39 PM
The tension in the air was palpable. Everyone was waiting for Xiao Lang to return home. He had not appeared before them after his meeting with the Elders and the sisters were worried that Xiao Lang was going through another episode. They were all gathered in the parlor closest to the main entrance of the main house. This way, they would know as soon as Xiao Lang arrived home. No one said a word but Eriol could read what the sisters were thinking just from the looks on their faces.
He had no idea what happened in the meeting as well. They were caught up in work so he and Kaho were unable to see Xiao Lang after the meeting either. Kaho had reassured Eriol that everything would be all right but he, on the other hand, wasn't so optimistic. The confidence Xiao Lang had as he went to meet them was different and Eriol didn't know what to make of it. He wished he had Kaho's otherworldly calm. He wished she was here so she could share her composure with everyone in the room.
Kaho had been called to Yelan's home office minutes ago and she had yet to reappear. He assumed Yelan had a task she wanted Kaho to do. It wasn't unusual for them to do personal jobs for the members of the Li Family. His cousin had to be back in Japan tomorrow morning to attend an important meeting in the Amamiya HQ. Kaho was working herself to the bone these days and Eriol could not help but worry about her, too. His cousin always projected strength but he knew she wasn't what she always seemed to be. He had been watching her these past few days and he noticed something off about her. It was as if she was hiding something from them. He didn't want to pry so he was waiting for her to come to him on her own. Eriol trusted Kaho more than anyone and he knew Kaho trusted him in the same way. Before he could continue his brooding thoughts, they all heard the main door open.
Everyone looked up just in time to see Xiao Lang walk by.
"Xiao Lang," Shiefa called after him.
Xiao Lang jerked to a stop and then turned to face them. He raised an eyebrow in question. He was no doubt wondering what they were all doing gathered here.
"Welcome home," Shiefa greeted him with a tight smile.
He nodded in response. "I'm back. Sorry I only arrived now. You were waiting for me?"
"Indeed we were," Fuutie answered for them all.
"I see. You didn't need to wait here though. This place is dreadfully droll."
Eriol saw the reactions of all the Li women. They shared his own sentiment about Xiao Lang's flippant attitude. They were discussing a very serious matter and Xiao Lang was acting like a carefree fool.
"Are you all right, Xiao Lang?" Shiefa asked him seriously.
Fortunately, Shiefa's tone finally caught Xiao Lang's attention. "Yes, I am fine," he answered after a slight pause. He gave a little grin. "I can't be anything other than fine. Shiefa, you are looking at the bravest man in all the years of Li Family history."
Shiefa dismissed Xiao Lang's answer with a slight wave of her hand. "You owe us an explanation, Xiao Lang. I let you off this afternoon but now I want to know everything."
He shrugged. "All right. Will you be fine here or do you want to transfer to a more comfortable place?"
Fuutie seemed fed up with Xiao Lang's attitude. "Xiao Lang, this roomed was designed with comfort in mind, please stop evading the issue."
Xiao Lang looked to his sister and nodded once. He took a seat beside Shiefa and the others returned to theirs. "I'm sorry." He faced them all once more. "What do you want to know?"
"What happened after you left before? And what prompted you to such action?" Shiefa's gaze was burning through Xiao Lang's.
"I wanted some time alone," he answered simply.
Shiefa let out a tired sigh. "Xiao Lang, I wasn't satisfied with that answer this afternoon so it should be obvious that it shouldn't satisfy me now."
It was Xiao Lang's turn to dismiss his sister's response. "That doesn't matter anymore."
"Of course it matters, Xiao Lang!" Feimei said angrily.
Xiao Lang kept his composure despite Feimei's outburst. "No, it's over and done with now. Thinking of it further will be pointless."
They all stared at him for a few seconds. Eriol was sure he wasn't the only one trying to figure out what Xiao Lang was trying to say.
After a few seconds, Shiefa started to speak. "Xiao Lang…"
Xiao Lang surprised them all by smiling widely. "Wouldn't you rather find out about my meeting today? Mother says I was extraordinary."
Silence filled the room again as everyone returned to staring at him. Eriol wondered if the Xiao Lang they knew was replaced by a test tube twin brought up in some hidden laboratory somewhere.
"That was an exaggeration, I'm sorry," Xiao Lang said to break the silence.
Shiefa crossed her hands over her chest. "Xiao Lang, I don't like you fooling around like this."
"I'm not, Shiefa. I am just genuinely in a good mood." He turned to Feimei and Fuutie. "You don't have to worry about me, really. They can't control me now."
"What are you saying, Xiao Lang?" Fuutie asked in confusion.
Xiao Lang was smiling when he answered them "I'm saying that I'm free of them now. They won't make me submit anymore." He gave a little laugh at their flabbergasted expressions. "I've taken my life back from them."
That was all the sisters needed to hear. They all flocked to Xiao Lang. Shiefa gave him a tight hug. "I'm so glad, Xiao Lang."
Eriol took a minute longer to digest everything Xiao Lang had said. This was what that confidence had meant. He smiled as he watched the Li women continue to hound Xiao Lang. He was glad for him and his change.
"So you decided to finally fight for her," he said under his breath. He turned back to the scene in front of him.
"Are you reassured?" Xiao Lang asked as he returned Shiefa's embrace.
"Yes, I am." She let him go and placed a hand on his cheek. "I'll forgive you for not telling me anything before."
"Thank you."
Xiao Lang gestured his head towards the clock in the room. "It's almost seven. Time for dinner."
"Isn't someone tight-lipped about details today, hm?" Fuutie teased Xiao Lang.
Xiao Lang laughed at this. "I'll let Mother tell you the details of my moment in the spotlight."
Shiefa looked at Xiao Lang seriously for a second. "Is it me or has your head inflated a little bit?"
"It isn't just you," Feimei answered for Xiao Lang.
"Come on. Let's go," Xiao Lang said as he offered his arm to Shiefa. She took it gladly and followed him out.
Eriol only stood up the moment everyone else was gone. He knew that things would be different now but he looked forward to the changes that would happen.
-oxoxoxoxoxoxoxox-
Meeting room reserved for the Elders
Li Industries Headquarters
Central, Hong Kong Island
June 2, 2009
9:02 AM
Xiao Lang was not surprised that he got another call from the Elders late last night. They had told him to meet with them once more. He knew his actions threw the entire Li family into chaos but he didn't really care. Some things were more important to him. He hoped they reached an agreement with regards to his proposal yesterday. If not, he would have to make the necessary steps to protect Sakura and his family from the repercussions of his choices. As usual, he waited patiently for the Elders to enter. He was surprised, however, when only the First Elder, the oldest of them, entered the room and took a seat in front of him.
He stood up and gave a respectful bow. "Good morning, Elder."
"Sit down, Xiao Lang," he commanded and Xiao Lang did as he was told.
The way the Elder spoke told him the Elder was assigned a distasteful duty he would rather not perform. The absence of the other Elders showed that they cared not for the words that the First Elder would pass on to Xiao Lang today.
"I'm sure you're wondering where everyone else went."
"Not really," Xiao Lang said with a shrug.
"Stop this insolence now. I have called this meeting with regards to your conditions."
Xiao Lang straightened himself. He knew the next things that he would hear would dictate the rest of his life. "I'm listening, Elder."
The Elder sighed. "First of all, the other Elders are disappointed in you."
Yes, yes. Moving on, please.
He was impatient for things to continue. He didn't care for their admonishments anymore.
The Elder must have noticed his impatience. "Are you listening to me, Xiao Lang?"
"I am, Sir. However, I shall not apologize for any of my actions."
"They're plotting to overthrow you, boy!" he almost shouted. "Right now they are gathering members of the branch families and people in the family who are not satisfied with their standing. Are you truly prepared for the things that are to come if you continue this foolishness?"
"They are welcome to do whatever they wish. I don't plan on just sitting here though, I intend to fight back, Elder."
The First Elder shook his head. "Such fighting has been unheard of in the entire history of the Li Family. Do you intend to continue on like this, Xiao Lang?"
I won't waver anymore.
"Until you agree to my terms, yes."
"Is that the only way to have peace in our meeting room?" he asked Xiao Lang in a tired voice. It was the first time Xiao Lang had heard it.
"Yes, Sir."
"Then do as you will."
Xiao Lang kept silent for a few seconds, letting those few words sink in.
... I did it?
"You are far too important to lose to some other family. Continue as you like. I shall ensure that the other Elders choose peace for our family. Only a few Elders were opposed to this decision. The remaining Elders thought this was our only recourse. You remember your part in that bargain, yes?"
He had promised them wealth and power. "I do, Elder."
"I shall watch you closely."
"Yes, Sir."
"Is this what you truly want? Is this what would make you happy?"
The tone of the First Elder's voice surprised Xiao Lang again. He almost sounded as if he was concerned for him.
"I didn't think you cared, Elder."
The Elder's eyes flashed. "Quiet. Everything we have done was for the good of the family. If you find that wrong then leave!"
Xiao Lang bowed his head in apology. "I apologize. My behavior was uncalled for."
"I see you still have manners despite consorting with such a woman."
We're not going there again are we?
He had to stop himself from getting angry. If he lost control now, they might overturn their decision. This was the best outcome for Xiao Lang. He always knew a golden opportunity when it presented itself to him. "Elder, please don't speak of her like that. It makes me angry when I hear her spoken of in such a way."
The haughty air of the First Elder returned. "Leave me then! I have agreed to your terms. No one will interfere with her."
He stood up and gave a deep bow. "Thank you, Sir."
"See for yourself that she isn't suited for you."
"I will keep that I mind, Elder," Xiao Lang said before he left the room.
-oxoxoxoxoxoxoxox-
Lobby in the first floor
Amamiya Headquarters
Tokyo, Japan
June 2, 2009
1:23 PM
The sound of the doors sliding open grabbed Kaho's attention for the nth time. She had been waiting for almost 30 minutes for their meeting to start. She had come from Hong Kong early this morning just so she could make it in time for this meeting. She was surprised, however, when she had been ushered to one of the waiting areas in the lobby of the Amamiya Headquarters. Delays like this were never tolerated in Li industries so it made her curious as to the cause of the delay.
The sight that greeted her was not what she expected.
The person who entered was a sweaty mass of hair and grime so she had a hard time recognizing who it was. Only when the person brushed away the strands of hair obscuring his face did Kaho realize it was Touya who was walking into the office. Instead of his usually tailored black business suit, he was wearing a jersey and shorts that were so damp with sweat that they were clinging onto every curve and bulge in his body. She watched him roll up his sleeves, completely putting his perfectly-toned arms on display. His legs were also on show, letting everyone get a glimpse of how athletic and well-built his body was. Kaho looked away and turned to the many women who were gawking at him. They all looked like they were blinded by his appearance. He seemed oblivious to the scrutiny as he nodded to his aide and started walking towards the elevator. Kaho stood up and started to walk towards him. She saw him stop just as he reached the throng of women near the elevator.
"Good afternoon, Touya-sama."
"It's good to see you, Touya-sama."
"We missed you this morning, Touya-sama."
"Touya-sama, we've been looking for you since this morning!"
All of the women were blushing. It wasn't hard to figure that they were quite taken with him. Kaho had to smile at the sight. Had Xiao Lang been more sociable and approachable, this surely would have been a common scene at the Li offices. Touya didn't notice or rather chose not to notice the effect he had on these ladies. It was so obvious that Touya should have immediately picked up on it.
"Good afternoon to you all as well," he greeted them. There was a little squeal from the crowd. Kaho could even hear it from where she was. Touya made no indication that he heard it. Kaho immediately thought that he was already so used to this reaction that it was easy for him to brush it off. "Is everything well in your offices?"
"Everything is all right with us, Touya-sama."
"Ours as well, Touya-sama."
There was a chorus of answers and Touya listened intently to all of their responses. "That's good to hear. I'm sorry to leave on short notice but I have to go on ahead. I'm late for a meeting as is."
"Oh, we apologize sir. We didn't know," one of the ladies answered.
"It's nothing. Let's all just continue to work hard."
All of them answered at once. "Yes, Sir!"
The elevator doors opened and Kaho recognized the person who walked out as Jin Uzuki, Touya's personal secretary. "Good afternoon, Touya-sama. We were waiting for you."
"I'm sorry," Touya said as he walked to Jin's side. "I had something to attend to. Is everything well?"
Jin answered with a smile. "Everything is always good in our office."
They took a few more steps before they noticed Kaho.
Kaho was somehow pleased with the surprised expression Touya had on his face. It was just so boyish that it made you forget that he was such a high-ranking person in the Amamiya Zaibatsu. His current attire made it more so. He looked as if he was a student who just came from a sports competition.
Touya bowed deeply before speaking. "Mizuki-san, how long were you standing there?"
"Not too long," she replied.
"Shall we head up, Mizuki-sama?" Jin asked just as the elevator doors opened.
"Yes, thank you."
All three of them entered and Jin handled where they would be going.
"I'm sorry for the delay." Touya said as soon as the doors closed. "It was my fault entirely. I forgot the time."
"You went somewhere this morning?"
"Oh, yes."
"Your attire stands out."
"Indeed it does," Touya answered with a little smile. "I couldn't help it though. I was running a football game the entire morning. When I checked the time, it was so late that I didn't even have time to change clothes."
"A football game?" Kaho was a bit disappointed at the answer. She had him figured as someone who was very responsible. To think he'd cause such delays just so he could play football was appalling. Those things were usually done on weekends, where no one's work would be jeopardized. Her high opinion of him faltered slightly.
"Yes, for my sister." She blinked a few times after she heard him. "She wanted to let her students do some exercise. She asked me for help. I've been coaching them the entire morning."
She stared at him for a few seconds. It seemed that the slight done on his reputation was completely erased. On the contrary, he seemed to be an even better person than she originally thought. Kaho and Eriol had lost their family early in their lives so Kaho always revered people who treasured theirs. It took Kaho moments to reorganize her thoughts. Kaho was taken completely unawares by that reply.
"That was a bit unexpected."
Touya laughed again. "I suppose."
The elevator stopped and the doors opened to the familiar floor of Touya's office. The moment they got out, Touya was once again greeted by all of the people around him. Kaho saw the puzzled expressions on the faces of his employees. They probably never saw their superiors like this. Despite the oddness of his dress, Touya's authoritativeness could easily be felt. Even if he wore a sack to work, Touya could easily command every one of the people here.
One of his aides came to him and handed him several folders. "Sir, here are your files."
He took them carefully, making sure that they had no contact with his damp clothes. "Thank you. Sorry I'm late."
"It's all right, Sir," she answered with a wide smile. "We don't have any setbacks and your work always puts us ahead of schedule."
Touya nodded and handed the files to Jin who accepted them and walked ahead. "Thank you again," he said as soon as he faced his aide once more.
"You're welcome, Touya-sama."
He led the both of them to their usual meeting room. Kaho followed him silently.
Once they were inside the room, he turned to Kaho and made a deep bow. "Sorry again for the delay, Mizuki-san. Where were we?"
"You were telling me your morning activities." She sat in her usual seat and watched him go to his. She knew he was talking about their joint venture but Kaho was just too curious about his morning activity that she refused to let it go just yet.
"Oh. Like I said, I was with my sister. I was coaching her students. She's a kindergarten teacher. I took the morning off to go and help her with her class."
"That was very kind of you."
Touya shrugged as he started to go through the files in front of him. "I can't really say no to my sister when she asks me for something."
Somehow, what he said made Kaho smile. It wasn't something most people would say straight out. "Aren't you afraid of what people will say about you if they heard you say that?"
"They can think what they want," he replied without even looking up from his papers.
Kaho watched him with a smile on her face before she was startled by the voice of Masaki Amamiya. She had not even heard him enter the room.
"Touya," he said as stopped beside his great-grandson.
Touya immediately stood up and gave a deep, respectful bow. "What can I help you with, Masaki-san?"
Masaki Amamiya gave him the once-over before answering. "What are you wearing, boy?"
"Sorry, I just got in."
He looked at him for a few more seconds. "That much is obvious. Where were you all morning? It's an insult to keep the Li Family waiting."
"Sorry, Masaki-san," he said with another bow. "I was helping with something."
Masaki Amamiya sighed and shook his head. "Your sister, I presume?"
Kaho was amazed that Masaki Amamiya could guess that immediately.
"Yes. She begged me to help her with her class," Touya answered his great-grandfather.
There was a slight pause before he spoke again. "And you couldn't refuse."
Touya bowed another time. "I'm sorry."
The Amamiya head gestured for Touya to sit down. Touya only did so after his great-grandfather was seated himself. "No, it's all right. I understand. You really can't say no."
"Thank you, Sir."
"You're showing such an embarrassing sight to such an important business partner. Go get changed. You're dripping sweat everywhere and I can hear too many giggles and squeals wherever I go."
Kaho had to smile at that remark. All the female employees of the Amamiya Zaibatsu must have already seen how Touya looked today if even the head heard all their reactions on the way here.
Touya faced Kaho and apologized. "I'll leave you for a bit, Mizuki-san."
Kaho only nodded in response.
They both watch as Touya disappeared into a door on the left side of the room. As soon as they were alone, the Amamiya head let out a loud sigh. "That great-grandson of mine, his sister is his weak point."
"Sister, Sir?" Kaho asked. She knew how to fish for information. She had been hearing so much about this sister that Kaho was genuinely curious about her. She remembered one of Xiao Lang's off-hand comments about how Masaki Amamiya was so attached to his great-granddaughter.
Masaki Amamiya smiled. It was very similar to the smile Touya sometimes had when he talked of his sister. "Oh, don't you know? She's my favourite great-grandchild. She looks so much like her mother and so she's one of the loveliest members of my family. Touya, and most everyone else, can't refuse her anything. I can't blame Touya so much though. She's absolutely precious. She's been having problems for a while now but she seems to be doing so much better. It's a good thing, too, because I get to see her more often."
"I would love to meet her myself," Kaho answered honestly.
"I plan to bring her along to our celebratory party if her father agrees."
"If her father agrees, Sir?" she asked, a bit confused.
"Her parents did not want the both of their children to be so engrossed in our world. Nadeshiko wanted her children to live simply. As soon as she got married, she refused any help we give her. Instead, she got her own job and supported her family through very tough times. Because she chose to isolate her children, no one has ever heard of Touya or his sister before. Even now that they're both old enough to take care of themselves, their father is still so stingy with his children."
Kaho felt a little bit of irritation at Masaki's last words. It seemed he didn't get along with Touya's father. It was opposite what Touya had told her. "It must anger you that they were separated from you like that."
Masaki laughed aloud. "Not really. I was angry at first but it was my granddaughter's choice. I've always raised her to think for herself and work hard to gain what she wants. We were against her marriage to her husband. She was seventeen when she married. She was a junior high student who didn't know any better. What made things worse was that she decided to marry her student teacher of all people! That was quite the scandal. We tried to convince her not to go through with it but she wouldn't listen. We regretted teaching her to be so independent. In the end, we had to give way. Our relationship had been strained for a long time. All the Amamiyas hated that teacher for taking her away at the time. Still, despite that, in the time she was with them, I never saw Nadeshiko sad. She really looked as if she was content and happy with her life. It took quite a lot of effort but I forgave her husband for taking her away when I saw that."
"That's good." Kaho didn't expect the head to say so much about things so personal to a stranger like her so she was a bit at a loss for words. She was also trying to wrap her mind on the story he just said. Touya's family was far more colorful than she ever thought.
"Juri and Junichi forgave them easily enough. All they had to do was present such a good looking grandson!" he said with another laugh. "You'll never find a prettier family. This is expected of course since Nadeshiko was very beautiful and one of her husband's redeeming qualities is his very handsome face."
"I would love to meet them."
"They're an entire family of charmers," Masaki said with a very fond look on his face. "Almost all our female employees line up every morning to greet Touya. They don't even do that to me. When I happen to pass by all I hear is Touya this and Touya that. But I suppose it can't be helped since he has that kind of face. And don't even let me begin with his sister. All the male employees stagger about and do stupid things when she comes in. Juri is quite worried that anyone would just try something on her but I always tell her there is no need. Touya is so good at scaring them away. Anyway, they were raised to be courteous and kind so they treat everyone with respect. All of those people get enamored even more. I can't even keep count of the many families who have shown interest in marrying off Touya to their daughters ever since he started working for me."
"I see your problem, Sir."
Kaho was secretly pleased at the things Masaki Amamiya had told her. She got to learn things about Touya she would not have dared ask. She could somehow piece his personality together. She once again remembered the first time she had seen him. The caretaker said he always cleaned a grave a day before beautiful young girl comes to visit. She had no doubt that had to be his sister. He seemed to be very protective of her. It was the first time she encountered a person who would do something like this for their loved ones and Kaho was very much impressed.
Masaki didn't seem to notice her distracted thoughts. "Although I say that, I really enjoy their presence. They're a breath of fresh air compared to the people here. Don't tell anyone I told you so though".
She returned his smile easily. "Your secret is safe with me, Sir."
He nodded and finally turned his attention to the documents Touya had been leafing through. "Anyway, enough of useless chatter. Let's move on to more important things. I'm sure I bore you with stories of my family. Touya has been very thorough with his work." He flipped through a few pages and looked straight at her. "The project will be done soon, yes?"
"Yes, Sir." Both she and Touya had been working non-stop to hurry things along.
Masaki did not reply and simply continued to read.
"I'm back," Touya announced after a few more minutes. This time, Jin Uzuki was with him.
His great-grandfather gestured for him to sit beside him. "Touya, come and finish things. Uzuki, note everything down."
"Yes, Sir."
Touya was dressed in his usual suit. You wouldn't think he was the person who just left the room several minutes ago. He took the offered seat and listened to everything his great-grandfather said. For the next hour, they ironed out all the little details of their joint venture. There were three members of the Amamiyas in the meeting and only one representative from the Lis but Kaho wasn't daunted by the odds. She could hold her own. Also, she doubted the Amamiyas would purposely take advantage of her. As was expected of her, Kaho performed her duties perfectly. The project was supposed to be for half a year but they managed to cover the important details within a few weeks. They were months ahead of schedule. Masaki Amamiya seemed pleased with everything they were showing him.
"With all these things considered, we can have that celebratory dinner within five weeks. That should be enough time for people to free their schedules," Touya said as he started to gather up the files in front of them.
"Touya-sama, please leave that to me," Jin said with a bow.
"Oh, right."
"Everything looks in order. I'm glad." Masaki said in a happy voice. Kaho could see the pride he had in his eyes as he looked at Touya.
"I'm glad as well. You gave me such a big responsibility even though I'm still so new at this."
"I never doubted you for a moment. Good looks aren't the only things you got from Fujitaka."
The name caught Kaho off-guard. She had heard that name before but she could not remember where she did.
"Thank you, Mizuki-kun. You and Touya did a great job. I'm glad that Xiao Lang entrusted everything to you."
Kaho focused her thoughts on the current meeting. "Thank you as well, Sir. I didn't meet any trouble because Touya already accomplished a lot of things on his own."
Masaki smiled. She gave Touya a strong pat of the back. "That's my boy. You're more suited to this than you think!"
Touya returned his great-grandfather's smile. "As you say, Masaki-san."
"I'll leave you two to work out any other details that we glossed over. Uzuki, I need a copy of those files. Simplify them please. I'll be giving them to the other VPs."
"Yes, Sir," Jin said with a respectful nod.
With that, Masaki stood up and placed a hand on Touya's shoulder. "I'll be leaving. Touya, tomorrow, all right?"
Kaho had to stop her eyebrow from raising in curiosity. She noticed she was always curious about what went on with these people.
"Yes, Sir," Touya replied with a smile.
"I'll leave you two then. Back to work! Uzuki, with me."
"Yes, Sir," Jin said as he stood up. He gave them a bow before following Masaki Amamiya who had already made for the door.
"Your great-grandfather really does think very highly of you," Kaho said as soon as they were alone again.
"I just do what he tells me to do."
That was the answer she expected of him. Despite his many talents, he was too modest. Almost like Sakura. At this she remembered the things Masaki Amamiya had been telling her when he left. "He told me about your sister."
Touya let out a loud sigh and shook his head slowly. "He must have gone off again. I apologize. Masaki-san absolutely adores my sister."
Kaho laughed. "I don't think there's anything wrong with that. You have shades of it, too."
"Guilty as charged," he answered immediately.
She had to pause at his words. She didn't expect him to say it so bluntly. She appreciated his honesty. "I actually thought you'd deny it. Why are you so honest with me?"
Touya shrugged. "You said your ability to see through people was second to none. If that was the case, it'd be no use lying. My sorry state earlier doesn't exactly help my case either."
Kaho had to laugh once more. "That's true."
"In any event, I'm very supportive of my father's decision to keep her hidden."
"How so?"
"People in business families shop for wives and such. My sister is not for sale."
It was a common occurrence in business families so Kaho wasn't surprised. All the Li sisters had to choose from people of the same standing after all.
"You're very protective of her," she remarked.
"Of course, she's family. And I'm a pretty selfish person myself."
"Excuse me?" She didn't think she heard him right.
"Nothing you need to worry about," he said with a small wave of his hand.
"Oh. Then if you say so…" She was curious as to why he said that but she already gathered a lot of information today so she decided to let it pass. There would be more opportunities to get to know Touya in the future.
Touya looked at her seriously before speaking. "Can you not mention her to anyone?"
Kaho blinked twice before answering. "What?"
"The least people know of her, the better. We don't really want her known," he explained.
She realized he was talking about his sister. This was different to what his great-grandfather was planning. "Amamiya-sama says he might bring-"
It seemed he was already aware of Masaki Amamiya's plans to introduce his sister to high society. He cut her off before she could finish. "No, he won't. My father will not agree. I'll make sure of it."
He was similar to Xiao Lang when it came to his protectiveness of his family. She acquiesced to the request without a second thought. "Then, all right. I won't speak of her to anyone."
"Thank you."
"Could I know her name at least?" she asked. She knew so much about her already but she realized she didn't even know her name.
"Masaki-san hasn't told you yet?" Touya asked, surprised.
Kaho shook her head and smiled. "I'm afraid not. He was too happy telling me so many other things about her."
"Typical." He wanted to sound disinterested but the small smile he had on told Kaho otherwise.
"Her name?"
Before Touya could answer, Kaho remembered where she had heard the name Fujitaka. It was during one of their breakfasts with Fanren's children. Everything clicked in Kaho's head. Several things she did not see before came to her at once. What were the odds? An answer to her question came to her. She waited with bated breath, hoping to hear a name she did not recognize.
"It's Sakura," Touya said with a wide smile. "Sakura Kinomoto."
-oxoxoxoxoxoxoxox-
Fanren's personal home office
Fujiwara Estate
Kanda-cho, Japan
June 2, 2009
6:50 PM
After everything had been finished in Hong Kong, Xiao Lang and Eriol followed Kaho back to Japan. Kaho was still nowhere to be seen when they arrived at Fanren's house. Xiao Lang decided to go straight to the office and do whatever paperwork he could. Eriol followed him silently. They heard Ling's voice as soon as they opened the door.
"Mama, I need football shoes," Ling begged his mother as he clung to her.
Xiao Lang raised his eye at the exchange before putting down his things by his table.
Ling was tugging desperately at Fanren's sleeve. "Welcome back, Xiao Lang," she managed to say before she pulled Ling onto her lap.
"Fanren," he said with a nod.
His nephew let go of his mother momentarily and smiled at him. "Hi, Uncle Xiao Lang!"
He returned the greeting with a smile. "I'm back."
"Welcome back!" he said happily and then turned back to Fanren. "Mama, I need football shoes!"
Xiao Lang had to smile at his nephew's antics. He wondered where he got this idea of playing football came from. He was willing to bet it might have come from Sakura. She could easily influence Ling after all.
"What was that, sweetie?" Fanren finally asked as she closed the folder she had in front of her.
"I said that I need football shoes!" Ling repeated excitedly. His smile was dazzling.
Fanren eyed him for a second. "Football shoes? Whatever for?"
"Football-niichan says that I have to keep practicing so I get better!"
Everyone perked their ears up as they heard this.
"Football-niichan?" Fanren asked, a little confused.
Ling nodded. "Yeah!" He looked deep in thought for a second before smiling sheepishly. "Um… Football-niichan. I forgot his name, Mama."
Fanren laughed and combed her fingers through her son's hair. "All right. Tell Mama all about it so I can understand better."
"The school has a sports day coming up soon so Sakura-oneechan invited Football-niichan to teach us today. We'll be playing with everyone from school. Anyway, he taught us how to play football. He made me the uh… mid…middle…murst…"
"Midfielder?" Fanren supplied for her son.
Ling nodded twice. "Yeah! That! He made me that!"
"That's wonderful! Did you enjoy it?"
"I enjoyed it a lot, Mama! But we all sucked," Ling said with a laugh. "Football-niichan was amazing though! First he kicked the ball way over there and then it hit the bar thing and then he went swoosh and then he was in front of the goal and then he jumped like this and then the ball went woosh right into the goal. He was so great, Mama!"
Xiao Lang had to smile at the gestures Ling was doing when he told his story.
"That sounds amazing!" Fanren said after Ling spoke.
"Yup. So we all asked how we could be as good as him and he told us he had been playing for years."
"Years!" Fanren said in an amazed voice.
"Yeah! And he told us to practice! So now I need football shoes so I can start practicing. I kept tripping Mama because my shoes were slippery. The grass kept making me fall!" he said with a pout and Fanren brushed her fingers across his cheek. "Football-niichan says it's because I don't have the right shoes. He says he'll come again so when he does, I want him to see how much better I've gotten!"
Fanren raised an eyebrow at her son's undisguised fondness for this person he had only just met. "You seem quite attached to this Football-niichan."
"Because he's so cool, Mama!" Ling cried out excitedly. "Much cooler than Uncle Xiao Lang!"
Eriol snorted at that and Xiao Lang slowly looked to him with narrowed eyes. "…What?" he asked dangerously.
"Apologies, apologies," Eriol answered hastily. "It took me off guard, that comment."
Fanren didn't appear to have seen their reactions as she was still so absorbed in the conversation she was having with her youngest son. "Oh? Really?"
Ling nodded again. "He is! He's super tall, too! Much taller than Uncle Xiao Lang!"
"Sorry if I'm short," Xiao Lang said under his breath. He didn't enjoy the entertainment Eriol was getting at his expense. It was so obvious that Eriol was trying hard not to laugh out loud.
I hope this stupid conversation ends soon.
"That's amazing!" Fanren said in the same excited voice as Ling.
"Un!"
She seemed to have felt Xiao Lang's annoyance because she said next, "But no one can look better than your Uncle Xiao Lang."
"Nuh-uh!" Ling said vehemently. "Football-niichan looks really, really good. Much better than Uncle Xiao Lang."
Xiao Lang could not help but scowl. He didn't use to care but now, by some weird circumstance, he found himself extremely annoyed at hearing about a person who was much better than him on several accounts. He glanced at Fanren and he saw that she, like Eriol, was trying hard not to laugh out loud.
"You had a good day it seems," Fanren said simply.
"Yeah!"
"So football…" Fanren trailed off.
"I can do sports," Xiao Lang said in an undertone.
Eriol caught his words and shook his head. "Uhm, no you can't Xiao Lang."
"I could to," he argued.
"Not if you want a trip to the hospital you don't."
"…Fine." He understood what Eriol was getting at and relented. It was unlike him to get angry over something so petty. He was about to let it go completely but then he heard Ling's next words.
"I think Football-niichan is Sakura-oneechan's boyfriend!"
He whipped his head around to face Ling just as Fanren readjusted his position so he wouldn't see Xiao Lang's expression. Fanren shot him a warning glance that clearly told him Fanren would extort a very harsh punishment from him if Ling ever saw that look on his face.
"He's a kid," Eriol whispered. Xiao Lang ignored him. All his attentions were focused on Ling right now.
"Why do you say that?" Fanren asked him softly. She was trying to keep them out of the conversation but Xiao Lang didn't really need to hear what was being said. He could read lips after all.
Ling didn't seem to get his mother's hint as he continued to speak loudly and excitedly. "Because they looked so close! Sakura-oneechan gave him hugs always and they even shared their lunch! Football-niichan can cook too! He cooked their lunch and it looked better than the food they serve at Grandma's! He even gave me some of the pudding he made. And then he and Sakura-oneechan baked cookies for everyone. We ate it all with milk. It was so good, Mama!"
Xiao Lang stood up. He didn't care if Ling was just a kid. He needed to interrogate him about this Football-niichan.
His sister noticed him move and stood up just as he did, carrying her son in her arms protectively. "Why don't we talk about this in your room, Ling?" she suggested as she made her way to the door.
"Doesn't Mama have paperwork to finish?" Ling only asked. He was oblivious to what Xiao Lang was planning and to what Fanren was doing to save her son from it. She gave Xiao Lang another warning glance and Xiao Lang stopped in his tracks.
"Oh no, I'm done," she answered immediately.
"Yay! I want football shoes, Mama!" Ling said just as she opened the doors.
"Right, let's talk about that later, huh?"
"See you, Uncle Xiao Lang!" Ling managed to shout before the door closed on them.
"I'm sure it's nothing," Eriol said as soon as the doors shut close.
He sat back in his chair angrily. "I'm gone for two days and already someone tries to muscle in! Must I keep her locked up somewhere?"
I have to get to the bottom of this. I won't let anyone else have her.
"Let's tone down the psycho all right, Xiao Lang?" Eriol suggested with a little laugh.
Xiao Lang let out an exhausted sigh. It really wasn't like him acting this way. But then again, he didn't appreciate anyone trying to steal Sakura away. He'd be calm with regards to anything but this. He should have known it would be too good to be true that no one showed any interest in her. He himself saw how her beauty forced people to look at her. If they got to know her, they'd be ensnared for sure. He didn't want or need anyone trying to get in the way. Sakura was his and he wasn't willing to share.
He ignored Eriol and took out his phone. He dialled her number and waited for her to answer. The call wouldn't connect. He waited for a few more seconds. He tried another time and got the same result. Eriol watched him silently as he tried a third, fourth and then a fifth time. Still no answer. He dropped his phone on the table with a frustrated grunt.
"No reply, I assume," Eriol said as he went through the files stacked in front of him. He didn't seem to care about the dilemma Xiao Lang was going through now. He was about to say something but Eriol beat him to it. "You'll see her tomorrow so you can get this thing clear. I'm surprised this has only hit you now though. Sakura can easily charm her way into anyone's heart."
"I'm well aware of that," Xiao Lang answered with a frown.
Eriol simply smiled at him. "You'll just have to wait for tomorrow."
Xiao Lang was sure he wouldn't be able to sleep tonight.
-oxoxoxoxoxoxoxox-
Area near the playground
Tomoeda Preparatory School
Tomoeda, Japan
June 3, 2009
8:00 AM
Xiao Lang had tried to call her a few more times last night but she did not answer as well. He was too restless waiting for the morning so he only had a few hours of sleep. He had intended to come much earlier but Fanren told him that the school was probably not even open yet. He agreed to her demand to let her son sleep in a little more. He had almost jumped out of the car as soon as they arrived at Ling's school. Xiao Lang had to control himself as he walked with his nephew to the classroom. As soon as they reached it, he was disappointed with what he saw. It wasn't Sakura greeting the students arriving.
Ling walked up to the teacher and bowed. "Good morning, Sensei. Sakura-oneechan isn't around?"
"Good morning!" the teacher greeted as she patted Ling's head gently. "Kinomoto-sensei is on a day off."
Xiao Lang had to keep his face impassive despite his frustration. He had wanted to see her.
Great. Must everything be against me today?
Ling was similarly disappointed. "Really? She isn't coming?"
"No, I'm afraid not."
His nephew went back to where Xiao Lang stood and tugged at his sleeve. "I wanna go home now, Uncle Xiao Lang."
Xiao Lang had to raise an eyebrow at his nephew's request. As much as he understood how he felt, Xiao Lang knew that Fanren would not approve of him skipping class because of such a reason.
"No, I won't allow that."
"But Sakura-oneechan isn't here!" Ling complained. Xiao Lang was glad he didn't say it loud enough for the substitute to hear.
"That's true, however, your main reason for coming here is to study. Did you forget?"
Ling pouted. "School isn't fun if Sakura-oneechan isn't here. I was going to ask when Football-niichan was coming again."
Enough of this person. You won't be on that bastard's side any more.
Xiao Lang crossed his arms across his chest and looked thoughtful. "Now that I think about it, when you finish the school year, you might not get to see Sakura anymore."
Ling's eyes went as wide as saucers. "What? No…"
"That's true. She'll have new students and you'll have a new sensei. You have to go to a different school," Xiao Lang said casually despite the growing despair his nephew was showing.
"I won't leave, Uncle Xiao Lang! I want to stay here."
"Your mother won't agree to that I'm sure."
"But…" Ling said dejectedly.
Xiao Lang pretended not to care about his nephew's plight. "Yes. Sakura might get a new favorite student. It won't be you anymore."
"What do I do, Uncle Xiao Lang?" Ling looked up at Xiao Lang with pleading eyes.
You aren't the only one who can manipulate little kids, Fanren.
He knelt down so his face was level with Ling's. "There is a way around that though."
"What is it, Uncle Xiao Lang?" Ling's grip on his sleeve tightened.
Xiao Lang had to stop himself from smiling. "Things would be different if Sakura was my girlfriend though."
Ling stared at him as if he could not understand what he was saying.
"If that was the case, I could bring her to you anytime you want. That way, even if she isn't your sensei anymore, you could see her as much as you want. I can even let her sleep over in your house and you can sleep beside her."
I'll make an exception for you.
"Really?" Ling asked. The excitement in his eyes there for everyone to see.
"Really."
"Then what do I have to do, Uncle Xiao Lang? What can I do to help?"
Xiao Lang finally smiled. "You just have to tell me if Football-niichan comes over here. You know how to send SMS messages now, don't you?"
"Yeah!"
"Then just send me one when he's over here."
I won't let that person get any farther than he already has.
Ling nodded. "Okay! I'll do my best, Uncle Xiao Lang."
Xiao Lang gave his head a few pats before standing up again. "That's good. You should go to your classroom now."
"Okay!" Ling hugged his legs and Xiao Lang smiled even wider. "I still like you much better than Football-niichan, Uncle Xiao Lang!"
"Thank you," he said with a little laugh.
Nice to know I have someone on my side.
"I'm going now, Uncle Xiao Lang," Ling said as he released him.
"Go. Your mother will be picking you up later, all right?"
"Okay! Bye-bye, Uncle Xiao Lang!" he said with a wave before he ran back to where the sensei was waiting.
Xiao Lang watched him as he disappeared into the classroom. He steeled himself for another day without Sakura.
-oxoxoxoxoxoxoxox-
Lobby of the first floor
Amamiya Headquarters
Tokyo, Japan
June 3, 2009
2:27 PM
The car stopped and Eriol got out slowly. He finally arrived at the Amamiya offices. He laughed a little knowing that Xiao Lang was ecstatic he wouldn't be around for a while. Eriol had been milking the Football-niichan incident for all it had been worth. He had been making unwelcome comments about him all morning. He was rewarded with the sight of an angry and very jealous Xiao Lang. Xiao Lang could hide the anger easily enough but it was his jealousy that always made Eriol laugh. He had been doing this to hide his own uneasiness at the news. He wasn't surprised that someone had shown interest in Sakura but he thought that Xiao Lang had already made measures to ensure that no one else would go near her. They had been out together several times after all. Surely people knew that Sakura was more or less taken. His mind refused to believe that Sakura flirted with just about anyone. It just didn't seem in her character to do so.
He sighed audibly at the direction his thoughts had gone. He had always been preoccupied thinking about Xiao Lang and Sakura's case these past few days. It was like some big project he, Kaho and the Li sisters were doing. He always cared what happened to them. He sighed once more and concentrated on his current task.
He didn't usually come to this place so Eriol was feeling a bit lost with the geography of the Amamiya Main Office. Kaho was the one assigned to this account but she was out doing personal business for Yelan Li so Eriol was left to do her job today. He was here in order to get some the files Kaho needed for her report. His arrival was unannounced so he wasn't surprised that the people here weren't paying any attention to him. He walked to what looked to him like the receptionist. The entrance was visible from here so Eriol knew that the receptionist was waiting for him.
"Good afternoon," he said with his best smile. "My name is Eriol Hiiragizawa. I'm here to pick up some files for Kaho Mizuki. She's working for Li Industries. I was told get in touch with the office of the Vice-President for External Affairs. She won't be able to make it I'm afraid so I'm her proxy for the day."
"Is that so, Sir? Wait a minute and I'll get a hold of the people she works with."
"That's fine, Thank you."
Eriol watched as she picked up the phone and started dialling. He looked around and was impressed with the look of the place. Tasteful but still flaunting off their wealth. He wished some of the Li Offices were like this. Unfortunately, the Lis liked to be gaudy. They were an ancient family and they liked to show it off. Eriol's gaze wandered around but stopped as he saw two people alight from a car that just parked at the entrance.
It was Sakura Kinomoto and Touya Amamiya.
He felt his jaw drop slightly. This wasn't something he expected. He blinked a few times just to be sure. It was still them. Sakura was dressed beautifully in a floral summer dress. Her hair was done up and she looked radiant. He watched her face as she conversed with her companion. You could easily tell from the smiles she gave him and the way they stood close that they weren't just acquaintances. There was affection in the way they interacted. He saw someone hand Touya a phone which he subsequently gave to Sakura. Sakura received the phone with a laugh and embraced Touya. Touya returned her hug. Eriol watched, mesmerized, as Sakura leaned up and placed a small peck on Touya's cheek. Touya then led her back into the car.
"Sir?"
Eriol tore his gaze away from them and faced the receptionist again. He kept a smile on despite his shocked state. "Yes?"
She returned his smile. "Someone will be down in a moment, Sir."
"Thank you," he said absently and turned to look back at the entrance. The car that Sakura rode was gone and he saw Touya Amamiya walking towards them.
He stopped beside Eriol and spoke with the receptionist. "Good afternoon," he said with a nod.
"Good afternoon, Touya-sama," she answered with a slight blush.
"Did anything come for me when I was away?"
"No, Sir!"
Touya turned to Eriol. Eriol was still trying to kick-start his brain after what he just saw.
"We've met before, yes?"
It took a second before Eriol realized he was being addressed. "Yes, I'm Hiiragizawa Eriol, from Li Industries."
"Ah, you were with the Lis in Hong Kong." He extended his hand towards Eriol and Eriol took it automatically. "How may we help you?"
"Sir, he's here to pick up Mizuki-san's files," the receptionist answered for him and Eriol was a little surprised at how she just butt into their conversation like that,
"Is that so? Mizuki-san won't be coming?" Touya didn't seem to mind the woman's brazen attitude.
"She is doing something for Madam Yelan so she is indisposed for today," Eriol answered before the woman could say something again. It was clear that the woman fancied Touya. It was natural for her to try and find some way to interact with him. Deplorable behavior. Touya seemed lenient with her though.
"Oh, I see," was all Touya said.
"Who should I call, Touya-sama? I talked to Tanioka-san and he said he'll get back to me."
"Call Jin. He'll know what to do. I'm heading back up."
The receptionist smiled at Touya. "Did you have a good lunch date, Sir?"
Eriol decided to forget being ignored and just listen in on the conversation. He'd get more information like this.
Touya stared at her for one second before answering. "You are gossiping at work."
"Sorry, Sir. Although I wouldn't actually call that gossiping. If I said that you had a good lunch date then that would sound as though I'm stating a fact based on my observations. Sakura-sama looked like she had a good time."
"Of course. Who do you think she was with?" Touya said with a shake of his head. Eriol didn't like the confidence he heard in his words. "Anyway, I'm probably the only one who will let that slide. Don't let anyone else catch you."
"Thank you, Sir!" the receptionist smiled in reply.
Touya turned back to Eriol and gave a bow. "I apologize for that, I'll have the files sent down immediately."
"Right. Thank you very much," Eriol managed to say.
"Thank you," he replied and the headed towards the elevators.
Eriol could not hold his curiosity back. He had to know how Sakura was related to Touya Amamiya. He put on his best smile once more and turned to the receptionist. "Excuse me. Could I ask a question?"
"Yes, Sir?"
"About that woman he was with…"
"I don't gossip at work, Sir."
Eriol wanted to roll his eyes. "All right, then could you answer this one question?"
"If I know the answer, Sir, I'd be glad to oblige."
He made himself as charming as possible. He had to get information out of her somehow. "Do they meet each other often?" When he saw that she was hesitating, he smiled at her once more. "It's a yes or no question. You can give me that little bit of information, yes?"
It was a few seconds before she answered. "Yes."
"Yes, you can give me that information or yes, they see each other often?"
"The latter," she said simply.
That was the kind of information Eriol needed. He would have to investigate more on this, though. "I see. Thank you."
"Hiiragizawa-sama?"
Eriol turned to the person that just called him. "Yes?"
The man who just arrived bowed deeply. "I apologize. I'm Jin Uzuki, Touya-sama's aide." He looked at the receptionist. "Saori! You should have led him to the reception room!" He looked back at Eriol and bowed once more. "I deeply apologize for our disrespect, Sir."
"It's nothing really. Miss Saori was proving to be quite good company."
Jin Uzuki looked dubious but let it go. "If you say so, Sir. Anyway, here are the files. "
"Thank you very much," Eriol said as he took them.
"Thank you as well, Sir," he said with a bow.
"I'll be taking off now then. Thank you Jin, Saori. You were both a great help today."
Eriol took out his phone to call the car. First it was that thing with Football-niichan and now there was this thing with Touya Amamiya. Xiao Lang just could not catch a break.
-oxoxoxoxoxoxoxox-
Xiao Lang's room
Fujiawara Estate
Kanda-cho, Japan
June 3, 2009
6:45 PM
Xiao Lang almost let out a sigh of relief as his call finally connected. He had been trying to call Sakura's phone since this morning. He had a few seconds to collect his thoughts and control his emotions before she picked up. He didn't imagine how being away from her for so short a time could be so nerve-wracking. He had lasted much longer before but that was before he knew he had rivals around.
"Hello? Syaoran?" he heard her familiar voice and he could not help but smile. He had been longing to hear her voice.
"Good evening," he said evenly.
"Good evening. Haven't seen you in a while," she answered happily.
She had no idea of the turmoil she had caused him. He didn't care though. She could do whatever she wanted to him and he knew he would come crawling back. If only to hear her voice like this.
"It was only two days," he replied.
Two infinitely long days.
"I guess," she said with a little laugh and Xiao Lang felt the butterflies start to flutter in his stomach. "You weren't so well when you left before so I was a bit worried."
"I've never been better." Her worry for him made him happy. She cared for him at least.
"Hmm… You do sound a lot better."
Her voice was doing its usual magic. He sat on his bed and felt all his muscles start to relax. "I tried calling you but I couldn't connect earlier."
"Was this last night?"
Last night, as soon as I got up this morning, at morning tea time, at lunch time, during our afternoon coffee break...
"Yes."
Sakura laughed. Xiao Lang could only imagine what she looked like. "Sorry, I forgot my phone at work. I had someone get it back since I wasn't there today."
That's one mystery solved.
"Oh, yes, we missed you this morning,"
"I was on a day off!" He could hear the smile in her voice.
"Your reliever said much the same."
"Is there a problem with me being gone?" she asked.
Yes. I leave you for 2 days and I hear talk of you cuddling up to another person.
He was glad he could always use Ling to cover up his own desires and emotions. "Ling lost all motivation to go to school when he found out that you wouldn't be there. I had to do a last minute pep talk about the importance of education."
Sakura laughed on the other line and he felt more butterflies appear in his stomach. "Whoops, that must have been tough."
"You don't seem to be bothered by this."
"Well, I can understand, I guess. I was also super attached to my dad and brother when I was little. "
The butterflies disappeared when he heard her say the word "attached". He then remembered everything Ling said last night. Before he could stop himself, he was already speaking. "He was also spouting something about a football-niichan." As soon as the words finished tumbling out, Xiao Lang wanted to end the phone call right then. Even he could hear the jealousy dripping from every letter of what he just said.
"Football-niichan?" He breathed a silent sigh of relief when she answered him. She sounded as if she didn't hear his slip just then. She paused for a second longer before bursting into giggles. Xiao Lang wished he could see her face right then. "Oh! You mean Niisan?"
"Niisan?" Xiao Lang repeated.
"Yes. That was my brother. I begged him to help my class. We don't have sports at all in the curriculum so I wanted to change things up. I asked permission of course."
Xiao Lang felt so stupid for getting worked up over her brother. He laughed at himself.
"Syaoran?"
"I'm all right. I just remembered something. Ling enjoyed himself very well. He was begging Fanren to buy him football shoes that very evening. He seemed very excited about the next time he could play."
"Really? I'm sorry if it caused trouble."
"It wasn't anything. Fanren herself was saying how good it was that you thought of such a thing."
Xiao Lang was gracious with his praise this time. He could afford to be a little generous. Ruling out the possibility that Football-niichan could get in the way made him very happy. He was still a bit annoyed though. His mental image of her brother as this peaky, ugly man with bad teeth was destroyed. If Ling was too be believed, he was a tall, cool man who looked much better than he did. This did not settle well with him. He also felt jealous of how close they were. For Ling to think they were in a relationship, they had to be really close.
"That's great!" Her voice brought him back to reality.
He knew she would be smiling now. Suddenly, it wasn't just enough to hear her voice. "I intend to make a full report on my activities in the last 48 hours. Are you interested?"
"What?"
"Come join me for dinner and I'll ease whatever worry you have over my well-being."
"I wasn't worried," he heard her say.
He smiled even though it wasn't the answer he wanted.
"Oh? I seem to recall you saying so approximately 2 minutes into our conversation."
"Ugh. Fine," she said, defeated.
"You sound as if I tricked you into agreeing."
"Did I? Sorry. I didn't mean it. I'll look forward to it." She sounded genuinely happy.
He wanted to hear her voice more but he knew the sooner he ended the call, the sooner he could sleep and see her in the morning. "I have a bit of work to finish so I have to cut our conversation short."
"No worries. I'll get my report tomorrow after all."
He paused a bit before speaking again. "Then… tomorrow."
"Yup. I'll see you!"
He waited for her to end the call and he flopped down on his bed. He stared at the ceiling. He had never remembered a time where he was so impatient for it to be morning.
Let it be tomorrow. I can't wait to see you.
-oOo-
Author's note: Somehow I'm not so satisfied with this chapter. Meh, I'll make it up on the next one. Thank you for reading. Please leave a review if you have the time. Ja ne! :D