"Well? Aren't you going to do anything about it?" The voice asked.
Syaoran glared angrily at the floor. "Who the hell are you?"
"If only you would look at me."
"Where's Sakura, dammit!!"
The voice sighed. "I will tell you more only if you glance at me."
Fear and anger mixed into one as he turned around…and found………Sakura.
"Hi." That melodic voice said sheepishly. "I used…a different voice."
Syaoran was breathless. "Huh."
"I was joking about the kidnapping…"
"Right." He muttered angrily.
A moment of silence.
Suddenly, "Why'd you that??" He asked as he walked over to her, crushing her into his arms.
"I'm sorry." She whispered in his ear. "You didn't want to look at me."
"You scared me, kid." He mumbled in her ear. "I got so mad!"
"I know…" She stepped backwards. "It was the only thing to get your attention!" She murmured, giggling nervously. "But it sure got you, didn't it?"
"Hell." He whispered.
She stopped walking and he hugged her tightly, concern written all over his face. The force of his embrace told her that she really did scare him.
"I'm really sorry…" She whispered as soon as they pulled away. "I didn't mean t-to scare you or anything. I…you wouldn't look at me…"
He shook his head. "Yeah I know. That was partly my fault."
"Well, for whatever it's worth, I'm sorry again."
He caressed her cheek. "Just don't do it to me again and you're fine."
"Ok." She hugged him again tightly, burying her head on the nape of his neck.
He held her tight. "What are you doing here?"
"I wanted to see you." She whispered.
He felt tingles down his spine when she breathed on his neck.
"Why?"
"I don't know." She shrugged and smiled. "I felt like seeing you."
"How'd you get here?"
"I took the invention that is the bus." She laughed.
He smirked and shook his head. "It's good you're taking my advice now."
"I guess. But I only took it because I really, really needed it. Otherwise, I wouldn't have."
Then he did something he had never done. He kissed her on the cheek.
Sakura looked up at him in surprise, but didn't say anything.
Syaoran got a chair for Sakura and they both sat by his cubicle. It was already 6:30 and most of the workers were gone. There were about 2 people left in the office, not counting them.
"How long will you still be working?" She asked in a quiet voice, glancing at his paperwork.
"Uh…10 minutes."
"Mm, ok." She stood up. "Can I go look around?"
"No." He replied quickly. "I don't want you to get lost."
"I won't." She stated. "I'm a big girl, Syaoran."
"Yeah well I don't know if you're big enough to get away from kidnappers." He sarcastically muttered.
She sighed. "Are you still mad at me??"
He turned her way and looked into her eyes. "Sorry. I didn't mean to do that…it's just…it bugged me, what you did."
"I shouldn't have done it." She admitted and moved closer to him. "Just think of it as a very late April Fool's."
He smirked. "Promise not to do it again?"
"Cross my heart, hope to die." She made a cross over her palm.
He nodded. "Fine, but get back here in 5."
"I know." She smiled sweetly and made her way through the halls of his office.
His heart still continued to pound heavily.
----
"Something smells good. Who's cooking?" Sakura asked as soon as she and Syaoran walked the hallway to their apartment.
"If it was Eriol, do you think it'd smell good?"
"Good point."
He twisted the key in the lock and opened the door to reveal Eriol carrying three huge garbage bags.
"Hey guys." Eriol said exhaustedly. "Syaoran, you wanna help?"
"Uh, no." He walked by him.
"Come on, man."
"You don't need my help."
"Yeah I do."
He sighed. "Fine, but I gotta change first."
"All right."
--
Sakura took off her shoes and hurried to the kitchen where Tomoyo was cutting up some vegetables and frying some beef. She glanced at the sink full of pots and dishes, while the dining table was already set for 4. Tomoyo glanced at her and smiled.
"What are you cooking?" Sakura asked, putting on an apron.
"Um…beef steak." She answered.
"Can I help?"
"Yeah sure." Tomoyo grinned even more. "But before you do…" She took the apron off Sakura.
"Hey-…what?"
"Change."
"Will do. Be right back."
--
Eriol waited by the door and closed his eyes. After a few minutes or so, Syaoran came out of his room wearing a pair of shorts and sleeveless shirt. Eriol, not hearing this, stayed with eyes closed. Syaoran smirked and headed towards his friend. Once he was right in his face, Syaoran yelled.
"FIRE!!"
Eriol's eyes popped open. "HUH!? WHO?! WHAT!?! WHERE?!?"
"Move out of the way." Syaoran replied calmly.
"Was that you?" He asked, glowering.
"No."
"Tomoyo, was it Syaoran who yelled?"
"I'm not listening to any of you." She replied, looking at the beef.
"I'm gonna get you, Li. One time." Eriol said, picking up a garbage bag.
"I'll be looking forward to it." Syaoran smirked, taking the other two.
Eriol kept grumbling when they walked out of the room to the elevator.
--
"What happened?" Sakura asked, rushing out to the kitchen, wearing light blue shorts with a purple shirt.
Tomoyo shrugged. "I'm guessing Syaoran woke Eriol up."
Sakura laughed. "Poor Eriol."
"He can take it."
"I'm sure." She grinned and put the apron on. "So what do you want me to do?"
"Could you peel a potato for me?"
"Sure."
Sakura took out a peeler from one drawer and a potato from the vegetable bin in the fridge. She positioned herself in front of the garbage can. Tomoyo used the tongs to flip the beef from one side to the other.
"How are you and Eriol doing?" Sakura asked.
"We're doing ok." Tomoyo smiled. "During the fireworks last night, we just walked around the bay and talked about some things. We actually didn't watch the sparklers, but it's ok. I still had a lot of fun."
"That's good." Sakura mumbled. She hesitated for a bit and continued. "Are you happy, Tom?"
"Hmm?" Tomoyo looked up at the question. "Yes, very much. Why?"
"I just want you to be happy."
"Thanks babe." Tomoyo said affectionately. "Are you happy?"
Sakura continued to peel. "Not sure."
"What do you mean?"
"I guess…my life's going well now." She finished peeling and put the potato on the cutting board. "It's just…I'm missing something."
"Is it that maybe you're looking for someone to love…?"
Sakura turned pink. "Well, all women are looking for love, aren't they?"
"That's true." Tomoyo nodded. "But you've never had a boyfriend."
"So?"
"Maybe that's what you're missing. Affection from the opposite sex."
--
Eriol groaned heavily. "Where the hell is the trash can??"
Syaoran felt the same way. They had been looking for the garbage bin for 10 minutes already. The basement wasn't that big, but the garbage was nowhere to be seen, causing great impatience from both men.
"We've been looking for 10 minutes already. I say we leave it here." Syaoran muttered, finding a space in the parking lot with no car.
"We're gonna get in trouble with the manager." Eriol replied. "And besides, a car'll park there."
"You got any other idea?" He asked, putting the bags down. "It's cold out and look what we're wearing."
"I know, ok? But we can't do anything unless we find that bin."
"Then let's leave it here!"
Eriol scratched his head. "Uh…"
"Say something now or we leave it here."
He seemed to hesitate a bit. "But-"
"If it makes you feel any better, if we get in trouble, blame it on me." Syaoran cut him off.
He heaved a huge sigh of relief and grinned. "Thank god."
"Let's go." He glared.
--
"Affection from the opposite sex??" Sakura asked, bewildered.
"Yes." Tomoyo said. "Aren't you missing that?"
"No!" She replied hotly. "I-I don't want to date!"
"You're 24, 'Kura! When are you going to date?"
"When I find the right guy!"
"How will you find him if you don't date??"
"I don't know!"
Tomoyo sighed. "Sakura…
She looked down at the floor. "I-"
"We're back! You miss us?" Eriol smiled as soon as they got in.
Syaoran glared and went straight to the living room without saying anything.
"Someone's in a bad mood." Tomoyo whispered.
"Hmm." Sakura whispered back. "Talk to you later."
"Ok."
--
"What's wrong, Syaoran?" Sakura asked as she sat on the seat beside him.
He glanced at her, then back at the TV. "Nothing."
"Then why were you glaring at us when you came in?"
"Don't I glare at you everyday?"
She lightly blushed. "Yes…"
"Then why is my glare today so big a deal?"
"It isn't. I'm just asking."
"I said 'nothing', didn't I?"
She crossed her arms across her chest and looked away. "Fine."
He looked at her for quite a while, studying her profile. "I didn't mean that."
"Mean what?" She asked arrogantly.
He ignored that question, knowing she already knew the answer. "I just got mad in the basement. The friggin' garbage bin wasn't there."
She narrowed her eyes. "Is that true?"
"Yes."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes!"
She wouldn't give up.
He sighed. "Don't believe me then."
"Wait. Fine." She looked at him. "I believe you."
"Good." He paused. "Why are you still mad?"
"I'm not mad. Sometimes you just sound mean, that's all." She whispered.
He put an arm around her. "Well, I can't keep saying sorry for that, can I?"
"You don't have to…
"Then just understand that I don't mean it in a bad way."
"I know." She looked up at him. "Say sorry one last time to me."
"Sorry kid."
"S'okay." She smiled and hugged him tightly.