"You know something I still can't believe after 2 years?"
"What?" Syaoran casually threw a look at her and back at the street.
She looked back at him. "I'm actually living independently."
He snorted. "Oh yeah, Merry-Webster called. They made a big mistake. Living independently actually means not living alone."
"Syaoran!"
"What?"
"That's not what I meant!" She grumbled.
"Then what did you mean, Miss I'm-so-independent?"
She held her head high. "I meant…like…not getting the money from my parents…I'm actually earning it on my own…"
"I think everyone at this age is doing that."
"Still. It's a big accomplishment for me."
"How?" He asked, confused.
She glared at him for a long time. "I already told you!"
"I wasn't listening."
"That's true."
"Whatever."
She crossed her arms in front of her chest. "You're so hard to talk with. I bet not a lot of women at your work likes you."
"That's right. A lot of them love me." He meant to say it proudly, but it came out angrily.
"No kidding?"
"Ask my boss." He grumbled. "Agh, I hate going there. Women keep staring at me. It gets annoying."
"Huh. I didn't think you'd ever get annoyed." She smiled. "Usually you're the one annoying people."
"Yeah well."
She sighed, as they turned left. Silence met them for a little while.
She slightly touched his cheek. "Why don't you ever crack a smile, Syaoran?"
He shrugged his shoulders, but didn't mind her touch. "Sometimes smiling just isn't worth it."
--
She felt a tug at her heart. Hearing that little bit of truth made Syaoran seem like not so bad a guy after all. He was always the sarcastic, moronic guy, at least in Sakura's view of things anyway. But whenever they had a talk like that, she didn't see him as that guy anymore. She saw him as a man carrying a heavy burden in his heart...maybe from his past. It hurt a little to know that Syaoran was just putting up a tough front because of feelings he kept inside.
--
Before she could say something else, he stopped the car in front of her building. "See ya, kid."
True, Sakura and Tomoyo were a year younger than him and Eriol, but that didn't mean they had the right to call them 'kid'. After that small heartfelt sentence Syaoran had uttered out, she didn't feel as cheerful as before. "I guess…" She mumbled.
He looked at her troubled face. "Something matter, 'Kura?"
She glanced at him and shook her head. She leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek. "Um…is…is it ok if I call you from work?"
"At my work?" He asked.
"Yeah…" She blushed.
It took him a little by surprise, but he shrugged. "It's fine."
"Ok." She smiled lightly. "Bye Syaoran."
She got out of the car and started walking up the steps to her building.
Before he could drive off, she turned around and waved at him. He lightly waved back and drove back to the apartment.
----
"Syaoran, could you help me…with…something?" His workmate asked on the phone from another cubicle.
"Yeah, just a second." He looked over the papers scattered on his desk and at the computer.
He stood up and walked the passage to the woman's workspace. Once he got there, he rested on the small wall and looked down at her. She looked up at him, smiling seductively.
"Syaoran…" She took a hold of his arm and pulled him to her side.
"What do you want, Denver?" He asked, irritated.
"You can call me Jennifer, you know that." She whispered in his ear, blowing slightly.
That annoyed him. "Uh, I'd rather call you Denver." He replied while pushing her away. "What do you want?"
She frowned a bit and straightened her clothes. "Oh…my computer…I don't know what's happened…but it's…something's gone wrong." She lied expertly.
"You reboot it?" He asked, looking at the computer.
"Many times." She whispered, touching his back.
"Don't touch me." He muttered and sat on the chair while she got out of the way.
"Uh-uh, I'm not through with you yet." She licked her lips suggestively.
He groaned at this.
"Say…can you do me another favour, Syaoran?"
"What?" He asked while looking at the programs opened in her computer.
"Will you go out with me tonight?" She batted her eyelashes. "I'm sure we can talk about…many things…"
"You know the rule. No relationship between officemates." He answered, staring at one particular program.
"No one has to know, Li." She pressed her body from behind. "Just you and me."
"Sorry." He replied. "Not into you."
"But you can be…after tonight…" She hinted, winking at him.
"You never give up, do you?"
"Never." She spread her hands on his torso.
"Get your hands off of me." He ordered.
"Answer my question and I will."
He growled inwardly. "Ok, here's the deal. I'll go out with you. On one condition."
Her eyes brightened immediately. "And what's that?"
"After this date, don't bother me or talk to me again. Unless it's business matters."
"Why…of course." She smiled with gritted teeth. "I'm willing to go through that…with one date."
"All right." He hated doing it, but if it were the only thing he could do to get her out of his life, he'd do it.
"Pick me up at 7."
"Fine."
"You do know where I live…right?"
"Yeah." He said absentmindedly, still studying the program.
"Ok, great." She suddenly hugged him tightly. "After this date, I'm sure you won't want me out of your sight."
'What a joke.' He pushed her off. "I need to get back and work." He muttered. "Oh yeah, and uh…it's not normal for a woman to watch porn at work."
She reddened heavily and closed the program quickly. "E-e-excuse me??"
He smirked. "Don't get too overdramatic. I'm sure you got a perfectly good reason to do that."
"I-I-"
"Not getting enough 'lovin'' lately?" He mocked at her and walked back to his desk.
--
"What's up, Li?" His workmate asked. The guy's name was Miguel and he was much like Syaoran, because they both had personalities and attitudes of a loner, but still managed to have good friends by their side.
He sat back on his chair and growled in anger. "Denver got me going on a date with her tonight."
"DAMN!" Miguel laughed. Unlike Syaoran, he laughed and smiled. "How'd she do it?"
He glanced at his computer. "Here's my explanation. Biggest ho I ever met."
"Ah. Your blood pressure go up?" He joked.
"Hell no." Syaoran glared at his friend.