Short A/N: Don't worry! T&T won't last long…jeeze…you guys were vicious! It is called a twist in the story. This may be weird since I wrote bits of it in like a month time.
Watch the Clock
Chapter 5: Perfection
By: Kitten at Heart
(Listening to: Nothing)
Summary: Syaoran was just hired at a new company. Everyone fears his new boss, who seems like an emotionless dictator. What happens when he meets her outside of the office?
Disclaimer: I, Kitten at Heart, do not own or possess any part of the CLAMP company.
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In Chapter 4:
-"TOMOYO!" he heard his boss scream. "Get your butt and your boyfriend downstairs! Ah! I can never sleep in my room again!"-
-"Li, meet my older –not wiser- brother, Touya." -
-"What do I have to do? Make you drunk?"-
- "I have a…old fashioned family parse. They expect me to take on the family business by my 24th birthday." He growled. "That is four months away." -
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He sat at his desk, waiting. It was a Saturday at work and no one was going to be there. He just sat there. There was no work to do, no phone calls to answer, or any coffee to conjure up. He sat there thinking. He knew both Sakura and Tomoyo for a very long time, perhaps before time itself. Well, not time itself…maybe fourth grade. When he was struggling to find a job, they both offered several options. He had a college degree…and he plans to use it. Just not here. He was fired for taunting fellow employees about their reincarnations and being…weird. He needs a better job than this! He doesn't want to be forty and making coffee for his boss every day.
Sakura was an angel…until now. Ever since that happened to her, she changed. One can still see a kind, simple girl sometimes but most of the time, she is a crazed dictator. He remembered how she used to be. She was a cheerful girl in which when she flashed her bright smile, one's spirit would lift. She was the captain of the cheerleading squad in high school and was involved in cheerleading for two years in college. Once she got out of college, at 21, her tiny business was popular. It was like one of those Furby crazes. Instant popularity. It wasn't the business that made her cruel, it was what happened in her second year of college.
Tomoyo. She is and always will be an absolute angel. She was so mysterious and perky at the same time. Her eyes slimmed whenever she thought of an evil plan or whenever she just wanted to be evil. She cut her hair about six months ago when her little sister, from the big sister program, stuck some candy and gum in her hair while she was taking a nap. Yet, even without her long locks of raven hair, she is more beautiful than ever. He knows Tomoyo loves to bring home any guy, but only he knows why. She was just missing their wonderful relationship that they had together. Eriol smiled in remembering this. O.k. Maybe that wonderful relationship was just a fantasy or a dream of his but…it could happen.
Eriol still sat at his desk, scribbling marks of ink on a post it note. Funny, it looked like Tomoyo. That girl has really made him weird. He smiled and stuck it on his computer screen and labeled it 'my secret angel'.
Suddenly, he heard some footsteps coming his way. He placed his right hand under his desk where a weapon secretly lay on the inside. Grasping the weapon sealed in duct tape, he prepared himself. His eyes slimed slowly and his lips pursed. The footsteps became louder and the tiny theme song in his head became louder and louder. 'Dun dun dun….duh dah duh dah duh dauh dahhhhhhh….haaaaa…'
"Hiiragizawa." Groaned the voice. Eriol grabbed his glasses, in which he only used because of his far-sightedness. A slim woman of twenty or so stood in front of him and glared at him with her fiery ruby eyes. Her hair was casually placed in pigtails and she wore jeans and a tee shirt. "Do you always sing out loud? I could hear from the lobby, 'and he is a ….duh dah…super secretary! With his powers of answering the phone he can blow off your a-"
"Ah ah ah! O.k.! You can stop!" Eriol pleaded before she embarrassed him even more in front of his lovely stick figure drawing. "What can I do for you?"
"Give this to Kinomoto. AND tell her that I can have my eye on her even though I am gone." The young woman growled as she handed him a letter. Eriol glanced at the sealed envelope and looked up at Meiling.
"You know she won't even read it, don't you?"
"Just give it to her, freak." She then turned around and stomped off into the distance. Eriol looked closely at the sealed letter. Something was very suspicious about it indeed. He held it up to the un-natural light to see if he could make any lettering out.
Dear Ms. Kinomoto,
Thank you for offering me the job in China. I greatly appreciate it but-
It cut off! He couldn't read anymore! Darn it!
"Mister Hiiragizawa…" chimed a familiar female voice. "Sneaking peaks into Sakura's letters again, aren't we?" Eriol looked up to see the goddess right in front of his eyes. Eriol smiled sheepishly.
"It was from Ms. Li. You cannot be too sure that it might contain a bomb…or anthrax…" He adjusted his glasses as he carefully set down the letter. "What brings you to the office on this lovely morning?"
"Oh, the usual…" she drifted off. "I am bored out of my mind…" She rested her arms on top of his higher countertop. "What about you?"
"The same…" They remained silent for the next few minutes. "Want to catch a bite to eat?"
"I'm game."
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Her last day in Japan. Her last day with Syaoran…at least for a while. Her last day. Meiling shooed the moving crew off and stepped out of her empty apartment. Empty and silent. She wished there would be memories here, like all the others. Before leaving their beloved home, many reflect on the memories that were there. Yet, there were none. She closed the door for the last time and set off to find Syaoran. For the last time.
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Syaoran looked around the strange room. It was…comforting. The light green theme in the room made him feel right at home. The bed was impressively big for a guest room and had the finest bedspread. The room itself was just the perfect size. Not too big, and not too small. It took him a while to realize that he was in THE Kinomoto Sakura's humble home.
The young man slowly got out of the bed…or al least tried. For some weird reason, he could not reach the floor. His face formed a small frown as he turned over on his stomach and tried to get out that way. Several slow minutes later, his foot touched the cold floor. In panic, the man climbed back onto the bed and growled. That evil floor. Why must it be so…cold? Suddenly, he heard a stifled giggle.
"Is it cold Mr. Li? And for the height of the bed, there is a tiny step ladder beside you." The voice giggled again. The man turned around to see a young lady. She looked like an angel. The young man squinted for this maiden looked familiar.
"Who…are you?" He questioned, while trying to hide the redness in his cheeks. The young lady looked quite surprised. She flipped her shoulder length hair over her shoulder a little, for it was a habit. Her eyes were familiar to him…but why.
"Mr. Li. I am afraid you are still suffering from your hangover. How can you not recognize your own boss?" Sakura questioned. She slowly walked into the room and set his food tray beside his bed.
"You l-look different ma'am." He stuttered yet did not look at his boss in the eye. His boss…was…cute! She let her hair down and was stripped of all makeup, showing her natural beauty. She was wearing a very flattering summer dress and a face to match. But…it was not her features that made her unrecognizable - it was her attitude. She seemed uplifted and joyful. Her emerald orbs held much like a little girls' would. She had a perfect smile. Unlike those fake ones she wears at work.
"I do? Is that good?" She questioned innocently to get a slow nod from her guest. "That is why I do not dress like this at work Li-kun." She made a gesture to Syaoran to follow her. The young man used the steps and tiptoed to her area by the bitter coldness. "I cannot let men take advantage of me." She whispered so softly, Syaoran could barely hear it. "Though I just met you, Li-kun," she started, in a normal tone, "I feel that you are the first man I have trusted in a while." She turned her head over to Syaoran to smile. She began to walk.
"What about Hiiragizawa? Do you not trust him?" Syaoran pondered, in addition curious where she was leading him. Sakura started to giggle.
"Of course I trust my brother. I SAID you are the first man, meaning besides family. We aren't truly siblings, but we treat each other as such." She smiled as the young man nodded. She led the man to her back porch, which was placed upon a beautiful landscape. Sakura tree branches blew in the wind and the sweet smell of her various flowers lingered in the air. "Sit down, Li-kun!" Sounding unusually sweet and innocent. Her hand guided him to a lawn chair as she sat in her own.
"What do you want?" he pondered slowly and suspiciously. His eyebrows furrowed as a slight frown shaped his face. For some reason, a light red color blanketed Sakura's face. She quickly shook it off.
"Why…do you not trust me at all?" she sang innocently and pretended to cry. "I give you a place to sleep, food, pain medication…all for…this?" Her hands covered her face as she used fake sobs and hiccups. She waited a minute for any reaction from her employee at all. She peeked through her tiny fingers to see the man smirking and rolling his eyes.
"That has to be the worst acting in history."
"Guys used to fall for that all the time! They cannot resist a damsel in distress, crying her eyes out!" She smiled at the many memories. She even used it on dear Eriol one time. That poor man started crying too! "Now…about last night…" She glanced at Syaoran's face. Who would have known that a frown could go that low? "Before you passed out…" Wow! It went even lower! "…you told me…" how low can you go? She suddenly battered her eyelashes, "You told me that I was pretty!"
"What?" He choked.
"You told me that I was pretty…and I smelled." Sakura added with a frown.
"I was drunk…and I have a feeling that you want something else," he growled. She only smiled and nodded her head.
"What is this business you have to work for?" She questioned, suddenly serious.
"I cannot tell you that." He growled. He saw his boss open her mouth, but before she could say anything, "Just because. I cannot explain at this moment." His boss frowned at that remark.
"Why did you join our company then?" she wondered. "You could have joined the other one early."
"BECAUSE!" he yelled, letting his anger slip, "I just found out!" He looked over at his boss, whom wore wide eyes. She quickly looked down at her fingers playing in her lap. He barely heard an, 'I didn't know' from this powerful leader. "K-kinomoto…I am sorry. I let my anger slip…that is all." He whispered. Still no answer. "K…. k….kinomoto-san…" he pleaded.
"I…I…" she quivered. She shook her head and sniffed as if she was crying. "You…Koji…" she hiccupped. A few moments later, she felt a strong, soft finger lightly lift her chin up. Concerned amber eyes met her own glossy, tearful emerald ones. She stared at the man for a moment, letting his eyes blanket her pain. Yet, she pulled away and stood up. She stood strong as she wiped her tears away. "I…I am going to take a bath."
"Kinomoto…"
"No. Don't stop me or ask." She said quietly. So this woman had weaknesses after all. But what in the world triggered it? If Syaoran yelled or growled at any other woman, they would either shrug it off, bite his head off, (or in Meiling's case) hug him to death. Something about this woman, dare he say it, interested him. She was so mysterious and yet so active at the same time. But, what was wrong with her?
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"Syaoran?" Called a female voice. "Syaoran?" She knocked on his door three times. "SYAORAN!" She yelled. She took out her bobby pin and dug through the key slot. When the door was finally released, the young woman noticed that he was absent from the home. She glanced at the clock to see that it read five twenty-three. She frowned and silent tears ran down her cheeks. "I can't even say goodbye?" With that, she slowly backed out of the apartment, never to be seen in Japan again.
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"That is superb, Tomoyo! It must be done! But how…?" Eriol grinned. His glasses reflected from the light, giving him this evil look.
"Do you know who you are talking to Eriol? Of course I have a plan!" Tomoyo grinned evilly as well, and took a large sheet of blue out of her purse and spread it across the table. "I have been working on this for the last week. I am very proud of it."
"Very nice work…lovely in fact." He glanced at the paper. "When shall it take place?"
"Our minor attempts start immediately…and the big plan…" she pointed to a large area of the paper labeled 'The Big Plan', "Shall be in affect three weeks from now. The Business Leaders of the World meeting. It will be perfect." She sang as stars formed in her eyes. This is…perfection.
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A/N: It has been a while, I know! I want to cry! After a high school play (go Techies!), a few hundred essays and tests, few hundred hours at work, a band concert, a computer virus, and a band fundraiser…it is done! My last day of school is the 3rd, so hopefully I will update more! (Yeah! Senior hallway, here I come!)Here is thanx to my lovely reviewers!
Anonymous T- Mwhaha! That is for me to know…and you to find out! Sunny Pig- I wanna know! I wanna know!Babybluestarangel- (you spelled whistle wrong) Don't worry! I think only one or two more chappys!
Tracy-kin- Yes, I was going to do a Japanese lesson…but with my memory, I forgot. Don't worry, T&T won't be for long!
Kawaiitenshisakura- Thanks! Nicheon- (blush) Thanks! (also puffs…stupid computer won't let me use w/o bolding it) Her attitude will be explained people! WAIT! Hehehe! Dragonstar03- K. Did. CherryBlossomYingFa- Thanks! Seig1308- oooo…updated two times…hehe! Ra- yay! RiNeko- there will be a ff…not a big one. Maybe like a week or two. I hate stories that ff like 3 months and all of a sudden…S&S are together. Huh? When did that happen? Hitokiri-tomoe- thanks! Moonearthgurl- Huh? PLS UdAtE? Lemme guess…Pronouns Love Surfing. Ud. (formal 'you' in Spanish) Ate? But that is Spanglish! TaRae-Chibi- Short! I will make it longer! Mwhahaha! Li's lil cherry blossom- hehhehehehe…I know…you don't….Onigiri Momoko- hehehehe….I know…..hehehehe…..
Dangerously Sweet- t e h….new word….sweet! Myst- I am a klutz too!!And a thanx to the people who put me on their faves! Dragongodess45 and Nicheon! Thanks!
K guys. What I really want for my birday (my friends and I spell it like that) is a lot of reviews! I am over 50 and very happy! Cmon! (May 28)