Breaking the Ice

Part 4

"Where do you think you're going?"

Syaoran stopped in mid-movement. An eyebrow twitched as he turned slowly to meet the owner of the monotone voice.

"Well, Gramps, I have this meeting with Sakura…"

"Well, why didn't you say so?" His grandfather shouted as he gave his grandson a big whack in the back. "Everything can wait if you need time off for your new wife!"

"She's not my wife," Syaoran mumbled.

"Yeah, but soon to be!" And with that said, he punched him out of the room.

Syaoran got on the next elevator. Just as the elevator doors closed shut, he rubbed his left shoulder and muttered, "Damn, that old man still has it in him…"

            He walked out to the parking lot, and found his car right where he usually parked it. He went through his pockets and realized he didn't have his keys. He went back up to his office and looked through everything. Didn't he usually keep it in his drawer? Not this time…

            He decided to call Sakura and ask for a ride.

"Hello?" Came a sleepy voice on the other end.

"Kinomoto, it's 5:00 P.M. You're still sleeping?"

"What?! Then I'm late for class!"

"Look, sleepy head, calm down and hear me out. You are not late for class because school let you out yesterday. And I can now see how discombobulated you are as a result to last night's events. How are you holding off?"

"Syaoran," she whimpered.

"Kinomoto, can you come to Li Enterprise?"

"Huh?"

"Forgot already? Lessons are in session today," Syaoran rolled his eyes.

"Lessons? But I thought you said I don't have class today."

"You don't, but you have lessons with me," Syaoran sighed.

"Lessons with Syaoran," he heard her murmur to herself. Then she screeched, "Oh yeah!"

Sakura heard him laughing. When his laughter subsided he said, "Come pick me up."

"Why?"

"Kinomoto, I do not have access to my car right now."

"Oh…Oh! I'll be right over. Just give me some time to get ready…"

            Syaoran waited for her to speak again, but a bang and a yelp alerted him. "Kinomoto!" He shouted in fear.

            There was a shuffling of feet and then he heard rattling as the girl picked up the phone again.

"Are you alright?!" Syaoran shouted again.

"Um, yeah, I just skidded across the floor that's all…"

"Take your time, I'll be waiting outside," he spoke, sighing in between.

"Be right over, bye."

****************************

            That familiar red Civic caught his eye at first glance. He saw her smiling and waving at him through the windshield. He slipped into the passenger side. As he sat he felt a toe press on something soft. Sakura was too busy looking out her side of the window to notice a frown cross his face. Syaoran reached down and felt the crumpled paper between his fingers. Unraveling it slowly it revealed the numbers he had given her at their first meeting. Just before she turned around to speak to him, he slipped the paper into his coat pocket.

"Isn't the snow pretty?" She asked.

"Huh? Oh yeah."

"So where to, boss?" Sakura spoke in a humor filled voice.

He raised an eyebrow at her and spoke, "The Li Mansion."

            Getting back on the road again, Sakura asked him, "What's wrong with your car?"

"Nothing's wrong with it. I just misplaced my keys somewhere."

"You? I can't imagine you losing anything," Sakura said with a smile.

"Well, last night was pretty long, and I barely got enough sleep."

Sakura's smile faded. "It's all my fault. I'm sorry you didn't get enough sleep."

"No, no, no, it's not your fault. How could it be your fault that the bastard snuck up on you in the middle of the night?"

Sakura's lower lip quivered, "Yeah, but if I hadn't left my purse in your office, then you wouldn't have had to return it to me by witnessing any of that."

"No, no, no, if I weren't there how could I have saved you from him? Losing a little sleep is okay if it means I can save you."

She turned her face to him. "Really? You really mean it?"

"Kinomoto, watch the road!" Sakura steered her head back to the front.

Syaoran breathed, "You are dangerous…"

"I'm sorry," she murmured.

Syaoran shook his head. "From here on out, you keep your eyes on the road until we get there."

Sakura nodded stiffly. But Syaoran added awkwardly, "And I meant it when I said I would have saved you no matter what."

Sakura's face turned brighter as she glanced sideways at him. But Syaoran had turned his face to the side, pretending to stare out of his window, just to hide the crimson that had touched his face.

"Weak points are--"

Sakura raised her hand and stuttered, "Um, the image is disturbing, Sensei."

Syaoran looked at the human dummy with the X's all marked on the weak points of the body. "What's disturbing?"

"One of the areas are marked there?"

"What? You mean the groin?"

Sakura covered her mouth in surprise. "You're not suppose to say it out loud."

Syaoran sweat dropped as his head fell downward. "Kinomoto," he groaned. Do you have to be so childish?"

"I am not childish!" She protested strongly.

"Then, stop interrupting me!"

Sakura crossed her arms over her chest and turned her head the other way. She heard him sigh as he continued to speak in a boring voice. At first, Syaoran thought that she wasn't listening, but after a few minutes a small question came out of her. "Why are some of the weak points aimed to kill?"

A small smile reached the young man's face as he nodded in approval. "Because sometimes one's own life is more important then another's."

"And when is that?" She asked out of curiosity.

"When they aim to kill, would you stand there and let them kill you, or would you aim to kill, too?"

Sakura gulped under his intense gaze and whispered, "I hope it never comes to that."

"I hope so too," Syaoran muttered.

7:00, SAME NIGHT, SAME PLACE

"Syaoran? Sakura? What are you two doing here?" Yelan interrupted.

"You always wished I were home more often. Now that I am you're complaining?" Li greeted his Mother.

Yelan grabbed her son by the arm and pulled him away from Sakura.

"I am not upset that you came home," she spoke in a hushed voice while glancing a few meters back at Sakura, who felt left out. "I am upset that you brought Sakura to the training room. I wouldn't exactly call this romantic."

            Syaoran opened his mouth to speak, but Sakura spoke for him, "He's only giving me lessons on fighting techniques." Yelan spun around in surprise and found the girl standing only a feet away from them.

"Sakura!" Yelan spoke in a startled voice. Then bringing the girl closer she whispered into her ear, "You know you are a special girl because Syaoran rarely takes the time off for anybody, except his grandfather and that's only under business terms." Startled a bit by this piece of news Sakura blushed, "he and I are close friends."

Syaoran grabbed her by the waist and pulled her closer to him and added, "Very close friends." His voice was low and seductive, convincing enough for the mother.

"Alright, then," Yelan sighed, "You better bring her out to dinner, though." She stomped out of the training room in disappointment.

            Syaoran let out an exasperated sigh, while releasing Sakura. It was strange for Sakura, because for some reason when his arm was off from around her, she felt the warmth vanish as quickly as it came. She looked up at him in question and Syaoran misinterpreted her expression.

"I'm sorry, but we have to keep this act going to please her."

Sakura nodded, "but…"

"But what?"

"Nothing," she answered quickly, "Just wanted to tell you that you don't have to take me out to dinner."

"But, I have to repay you for letting me use you…"

            Use, that was the word he used. He was only acting and so was she. Sakura felt her eyes throbbing. The word seemed harsh even though he said it in a gentle tone. His voice sounded like summer, but that word was cold.

Giving him a false smile, Sakura punched him lightly on the arm. "Silly, did you forget already that you've done enough for me? You returned me my purse, you reminded me how my schedule works, you're giving me fighting and defense lessons, and you saved me last night," her voice died to a whisper. "All I've done for you is give you more work and trouble, not to mention danger."

"No, you gave me a ride home. You also are helping me out with my need-a-wife-issue."

Sakura laughed, "That's all easy stuff anybody could do."

"Yeah, but I chose you for a reason," he said with a small smile.

"And what is that?" Sakura asked in anticipation.

Syaoran smiled, "Because, you are the only one who would agree to it."

"Oh."

"You sound disappointed. What's wrong?"

            You're what's wrong, Sakura thought to herself. She was angry at him for being so self-centered and angry at herself for falling for a man she had only met a week ago.

Syaoran stirred her thoughts with a question, "Are you sure you don't want to go out?"

"Yeah. I'm not in the mood tonight…"

"I'll tell Mother that…"

"No, I'll tell her."

Syaoran smiled sadly at her, giving in to what she wanted.

Sakura stood to go, but Syaoran stopped her. "Tomorrow, same time, same place. I hope I can drive."

Sakura smiled broadly at his last sentence. It was his first time trying to cheer her up for some reason. But Sakura just wanted to smack him and say, 'I'm fine, you idiot, so stop worrying and turn back to your old, cold self already.'

She did not say that and instead replied, "Same time, same place, I hope you can drive."

Syaoran smiled at her and said very quickly, "I have something for you."

Sakura waited while he walked off to get something in the closet. He took out a rectangular box the size of a small computer monitor, wrapped in red wrapping paper with a gold bow on top. As he handed it to her he said, "Don't open it until you get home."

Startled Sakura stammered, "It's too early to start exchanging gifts."

"Then think of it as a thank you present. Anyways, I think your friend gave you a big enough present."

"Tomoyo? What is that?"

"Me."

            Reaching her apartment, Sakura unwrapped her present with renewed excitement. Her face gleamed with joy when it revealed a teddy bear with a cell phone on its lap. She grabbed the doll, forgetting about the cell phone, and hugged it close to her. But when the phone rang she remembered its existence and picked it up hesitantly.

"Hello?"

"Do you like your present?"

"I love it," she said back.

"Does it work alright?"

"You tell me."

She could sense one of his rare smiles over the phone as they talked for the rest of the night.

Lessons went on routinely. But as Sakura failed at much she learned Syaoran became grumpy and made their training sessions mandatory.

            Sakura yelped as she fell hard on her bottom. Syaoran scolded her, "You left your right side wide open for an attack."

"You don't have to hit so hard," she whined.

"Do you think your opponent would hit you lightly?!"

"I thought I was supposed to learn defense," she said above a whisper.

"Well, you can't defend unless someone attacks!"

"I'm sorry I can't learn."

Syaoran pushed his calm button and muttered through the hidden rage, "You can learn, you must learn."

"I don't want to learn anymore." Then she added to herself, 'whenever we fight you get angry with me and I begin to miss your gentle side.'

"We'll take a break. Would you like refreshments?"

"Water would be fine," she said while sitting on a bench.

He raised an eyebrow at her, "Not a soda?"

"I decided to drink healthy like you."

"I wonder how long that would last."

"You don't believe in me?" Slight pain was written in her eyes as she said this.

"It's not that I don't believe in you… I just don't think you put enough heart into everything you learn."

She began to smile at his gentle voice again as she said, "I'll try harder."

"No," Syaoran said, "I think a lecture and a demonstration will be how we end it tonight."

            But instead of any of that, Sakura and Syaoran talked. Sakura realized what her true feelings were as they conversed. Pretty much near the time, Sakura usually left, she did something that sent Syaoran in shock mode. She had kissed him.

            He was smiling at her, when she abruptly met his lips with hers in a soft kiss. As she made contact, Syaoran felt his heart stop and his muscles and bones freeze. He did not move, and he did not blink. Sakura pulled back and smiled into his eyes, but he did not return the smile. Instead, his eyes were wide, staring right back at her. His reaction to the kiss allowed room for that smile on her face to dissipate. Hurt, that he had not kissed her back, and hurt, for realizing that he did not share the same feelings, she backed away.

Syaoran was shocked and that was all Sakura could remember seeing.

"I'm sorry," she stammered, before running out of the room.

He looked at the space where she stood. Slowly, he brought his hand to his lips. It tingled under his touch from the warmth that Sakura had left there. Bringing himself back into his conscious mind, he went after her, but it was too late. She had already left in her own car that they had decided to take.

Is it the end? No.

Why did Ross hurt Sakura, then attempted to rape her in the last part? *shrugs* He was angry and at the same time wanted her for himself. Anger and desire does not work well together with a person like Ross.

What should everyone do now? You know the drill: REVIEW REVIEWREVIEW REVIEW

Signed MistyWing