Author's Note- I know this fic is taking a very long time for updates. But
right now, it's not one of my priority stories. Sorry and thank you for the
reviews on the first chapter.
Syaoran is his first name, and the only reason I use Li, is if it is in Sakura's point of view. Syaoran calls Sakura, Kinomoto, but when it is in his point of view she is still called Sakura. This was just to clear up any confusion.
Knock Into Me
Chapter 2
"I-I love you..." Tears emitted from her eyes as she clutched on tighter to his well-built figure. She felt like she was on fire, and that this moment would last forever, just as long as she remained in his arms.
"I'm going to kiss you now Sakura." He said dramatically and leaned in. Just as his warm lips covered her's, a door bell shattered the romantic moment.
Sakura moaned as her eyes slowly opened to the bright sunlight. When her eyes finally opened full length, she remembered her dream. Okay, THAT was weird. That was Syaoran Li, number one. And second, why the heck were she and him acting out a scene in the romance novel she had just read about a week ago? Her eyes shifted lazily across her room and to her desk where a piece of paper was lying.
Sakura smiled. Tomoyo always left her note when she was going to Eriol's apartment. She loved reading them, because she could just feel her friend's excitement glowing from each word. It always left Sakura in a happy mood. It's not everyday your two best friends get together and are completely happy.
Another doorbell rang out through the apartment, and Sakura's eyebrows furrowed, remembering that was why she woken up. She wasn't sure whether to thank the doorbell or run a sledge hammer through it, along with the wall that held it. And because she was feeling indecisive, she swung her legs over the bed, and her toes guided her feet into her slippers.
She yawned as she got up, and was about to mosey on over to the door when it rang again. And again. And again. By now, whoever was on the other side of the wall was pushing the doorbell repeatedly resulting in a very annoying sound. Sakura groaned and tried to clamp her ears from the noise and hurried to the door.
She flung the door open angrily and was about to say something but stopped suddenly. She stopped because she was met with an intense amber-eyed glare.
Sakura glared back, realizing it was 'him' and was about to speak again only to be cut off.
"Why the hell aren't you dressed?" Li asked her giving her a quick look from head to toe. Sakura looked down at her attire. She was wearing flannel pajama bottoms with a matching bra-shirt. (What are those called? Camisoles?) Her hair needed a quick brushing, but didn't look to bad and on her feet were bear head slippers. (Kero's head! LOL.)
Just has Sakura was about to answer she was bombarded with more questions.
"What were you doing? Do you know what time it is? You were supposed to meet me half an hour ago; I thought someone kidnapped you or something. I'm doing you a favor, the least you could do is show up. Did you just wake up? Did you forget our meeting place?" Li asked and invited himself into Sakura and Tomoyo's apartment. He sat on the couch with a huff, his glare still perfectly intact.
"Um, meeting?" Sakura asked, her brain still groggy from just waking up.
"Yes!" Li sighed exasperated. "8:30 in the morning at Joey's. To discuss your apartment."
"Oh, yes. Okay, I know." Sakura said taking a seat on her couch. Of course, the one farthest away from Li.
"Then why is it 9..." Li checked his watch quickly and looked back up at Sakura, "9:16 right now. And you, Kinomoto, are still in your pajamas?"
"Oh! It's 9:16?" Sakura looked at the clock on the wall, and sure enough, Li was right. "Oh, I'm sorry. I must have overslept."
"No kidding." Li said dryly. 'No kidding.' Sakura thought, 'that statement sure fits him to a T.'
"Okay, twenty minutes. Make yourself at home, and I'll be back in twenty minutes. I promise!" Sakura said cheerfully jumping up.
"Twenty minutes? Yeah right, Kinomoto. I have sisters, remember. It takes them twenty minutes to pick out what underwear they are going to wear." Li said.
Sakura laughed and stopped at the staircase that led up to her room. "I don't wear makeup and I don't care what I wear, because I don't even like you, so why would I care?" Sakura said cheerfully. "Okay, ready, start the clock if you want. Go!" She raced up the staircase and out of site.
...Syao- P.O.V...
"Twenty minutes..." Syaoran said to himself. "Yeah right..." He crossed his arms, glaring at his knees. "I don't like you either, Kinomoto."
After hearing the water start upstairs, he lifted his head to look around the room. He stood up and walked over to a shelf that had lots of pictures. One of them was Sakura and a black haired girl. The girl's hair seemed to have a violet haze to it and her azure eyes matched. 'Must be...what was her name...oh yeah, Tomoyo.'
He continued down the line of photographs and stopped at one of Sakura and two other men. One had black hair and the other brown that was graying. 'The old man must be Sakura's father. Who's the young guy? Sakura's...boyfriend?' Sakura didn't seem to show any romantic feeling towards him, but how much could you tell in a picture? 'I don't know who he is...but I don't like him.'
Syaoran continued down to the next shelf and his eyes widened. "Hiiragiwaza!" He shouted looking at the picture. It was his old 'friend' Eriol. His arms were wrapped around Tomoyo and they both were smiling brightly. "Jeez...small world." Syaoran muttered.
Syaoran resumed full height and kept walking around the room. He stopped at another shelf, except this one was completely full of video tapes. Syaoran almost fell over in shock. This shelf was like Sakura's life, down to 'Sakura's first job'. Who taped Sakura in all these videos? Syaoran's jaw just fell lower to the ground as he continued reading the titles.
"That's not even close to half at it." A voice interupted his snooping and he quickly looked up. He saw Sakura grinning at the shelf and then she looked at him.
"Are you serious?" Syaoran asked amazed. "Who followed you around with a camcorder all your life?"
Sakura laughed. "That would be Tomoyo."
Syaoran looked at his watch. "Twenty- one minutes, Kinomoto. All well, better luck next time. Let's go."
Sakura brushed aside his comment and followed him out the door. She locked it and headed to the passenger side of his car.
"We are very much behind, Kinomoto." Syaoran said annoyed. With one hand he handed her a pile of brochures. "Go through those quickly and pick out only the ones you are interested in going in. Try to narrow our search down has much as possible."
Sakura set to work, not even saying a word to him. Only about an hour with him, and she wanted to be alone.
A few minutes later Syaoran asked. "Done yet?" Sakura handed him the ones she selected and the turned her head to the window.
Syaoran sighed, trying not to lose his patience. "What did I do this time? What is with the silent treatment?" She didn't even acknowledge that she heard his questions, much less answer. "Whatever Kinomoto."
For ten minutes of driving not a word was spoken in the car. She felt the car stop and quickly unbuckled her seatbelt and got out. She looked around and smiled. The outside was nice. There weren't many people or many trees, which was a downside, but maybe that was just because everyone was at work or school. She followed Syaoran to the main office.
As soon as the two entered the building a loud shriek filled their ears. "Xiao-lang!"
"Li." Syaoran said coldly, trying to get the girl off him. She had long copper hair and dark blue eyes. She was a bit bigger than Sakura, in height and weight. But she was average.
When Syaoran managed to get the girl off him, he quickly continued to an office and closed the door in her face.
"I don't understand. That day...he was so nice to me, and now he seems like he hates me." The girl sighed to herself.
"Um, hi! My name is Sakura Kinomoto, are you okay?" Sakura asked.
"I'm Amy Marshall; it's nice to meet you." Amy tried her best to give a smile. "No, I guess I'm not okay." Her smile fell and tears came to her eyes. "I come from America, and on my first day here some people were giving me a hard time, and Xiao-lang told them to lay off and they listened. I was so grateful, but Xiao-lang always acts so coldly to me now. I just don't understand."
"He is just like that. That's amazing that he actually took the time to stand up for you. You should be honored. Just try being friends with him first and then maybe your relationship will evolve." Sakura said trying to cheer up the distressed girl.
"Thanks, Sakura." Amy smiled. "Oh! You aren't his girlfriend are you?! Oh my, I'm so embarrassed."
"Wah!!" Sakura jumped back with a shocked expression. "No way! I totally hate his guts!"
"Oh, really? You know...you and Xiao-lang actually look cute together." Amy said smiling at her thought.
"What?! No way! You've got it all wrong!" Sakura tried setting Amy straight, but it was going in one ear and out the other.
"Come on Kinomoto, Mrs. Chuan is going to show you an apartment." Syaoran said stepping out of the office with an old woman in tow. She seemed much too old to be running an apartment complex all by herself, but hey she didn't look stressed at all.
"Okay." Sakura followed Mrs. Chuan to the door.
"Bye Mr. Li, have a good day." Amy said politely and went back to work. Syaoran just stared at her back in shock.
The three (Sakura, Syaoran, and Mrs. Chuan) trooped outside and followed Mrs. Chuan across the lot to some bigger apartments. "Did you do that?" Syaoran asked Sakura referring to Amy.
"What?" Sakura asked pretending not to know.
"Amy. Did you do that?"
"Who is Amy? No."
Syaoran sighed knowing Sakura would never admit the truth so he just left it alone.
"Here we are." Mrs. Chuan spoke and smiled at the apartment.
Sakura's mouth dropped open. And not for a good reason. The inside was completely different from the outside. Where nice, clean, and big was what you saw on the outside, on the inside it was small, and dirty. Sakura's eyes drifted slowly across the room and it got worse and worse. There were small holes along the walls and a huge crater hole in the left corner of the ceiling. It smelled an awful smell that couldn't even be described if Sakura tried to. She looked over at Syaoran, and his face was disgusted and trying to be polite in front of Mrs. Chuan.
"Um, could we see it alone and discuss some things, Mrs. Chuan." Sakura asked wanting to see what Syaoran would say when he had the chance.
Mrs. Chuan didn't even move and just kept smiling. "Um..." Sakura said not sure what to do.
"I think she is deaf." Syaoran said.
"Oh, okay. MRS. CHUAN, COULD ME AND MR.LI HAVE A MOMENT ALONE TO DISCUSS THE APARTMENT?" Sakura asked loudly. Syaoran held his ears and looked annoyed. Mrs. Chuan still didn't even acknowledge her question and kept smiling. "How did you talk to her in the office?" Sakura asked Syaoran.
"I wrote it down."
Sakura wrote her question on a piece of paper that was in her purse and handed it to Mrs. Chuan. "Of course, dearies." And then she left the apartment leaving Sakura and Syaoran alone.
"Well...um, it's...not what I expected." Sakura said trying to be polite.
"Yeah, it's a huge pile of crap." Syaoran said and started walking around. Sakura went to the other side and looked in something that she guessed was supposed to be the kitchen. The floorboards beneath her creaked as she put a foot forward.
"Ahhhhh!" Sakura yelped as it gave weight and her foot was beneath the floor. Syaoran rushed over and was about to talk but was interupted by Sakura's laughing. She couldn't stop. She wasn't positive why she was laughing, she just was laughing.
She was still laughing as she tried to wedge her leg out of the hole, but the shattered wood had sharp edges and she didn't want to jam her leg into one of those. Li sighed and shook his head as if he were disciplining a child. Her laughter abruptly stopped when the rest of her body followed her leg, and a scream escaped through her lips.
She was in total darkness, except for one ring of light above her. She was wandering why she was dangling in mid-air and why her wrist hurt, and then she realized that she had fallen. Except just at the last moment someone- Syaoran-had caught her. Sakura felt a headache coming on and moaned.
"Are you alright?" Syaoran grit out from above. He put another hand into the darkness to reach for Sakura's other arm; she was slipping from his one- handed grasp. He found her other arm, and couldn't help the sigh of relieve that emitted from his throat.
"I-I think." Sakura replied cautiously. "D-Do you think you could pull me up, or should you drop me and go get help?"
"I won't drop you and leave you alone." Syaoran said without thinking.
"Um, Okay. T-Try pulling me up." Sakura said slowly, trying to decide if the concern in Syaoran's voice was just her imagination.
"Hold on tight. Don't let go." Syaoran instructed as he pulled with all his strength. He tried not to grip her hands and wrists to hard, and he slowly achieved in lifting her inch by inch out of the black pit. She was fairly light, but at the thought of dropping her, it seemed as if 300 pounds were added to her. When he had pulled her out to her waist, she instinctively grabbed onto him. Syaoran fell over breathing hard and Sakura was lying on him in a hug. Her heart was beating fast, and she wasn't sure if it was just because of the accident.
"Thank...you." Sakura said closing her eyes. Thankfully, her headache was leaving.
"Are you alright?" Syaoran asked between huffs. His heart was also beating unusually fast, and he wouldn't admit why.
"I-I think. Yes, just slightly dizzy." Sakura answered. "You know what?" Sakura asked thinking to herself.
"What?"
"We always seem to end up lying on top of each other." Sakura let the words flow out of her mouth before she could reasonably think of how it sounded. She felt her cheeks get warm and Syaoran felt his burning. Sakura did not know what their current position was doing to him.
Amber was boring into emerald, and each of them were caught in a trance. Usually when you look at something for a very long time, without blinking, tears come to your eyes, but it was not the case with either of them. They could have just stared into the other's pool of intense color all day. Time seemed to stop except for the rapid beating of their hearts.
"Do you- Oh," Mrs. Chuan's voice caught their attention. She chuckled at their position. "If you wanted to be alone," she brought the word out long and a smirk appeared on her aged face, "You could have just said so; you don't have to make excuses like the one you gave me. Ha-ha, talk."
Syaoran and Sakura immediately separated and tried to explain.
"Err. We- he."
"I-It's not what it looks like."
"We were just- You see I fell."
They both stopped and remembered that she couldn't hear them anyway, and neither felt like writing it down. Syaoran got out a pen and scribbled 'Thanks for letting us see the apartment, we'll call you with our decision.' She took it with a smile and nodded.
Syaoran led Sakura to the car, and they both got in and buckled their seatbelts. (Safety first kids! - Actually I bet you're older than me. XD) Silence filled the car, neither sure of what to say after their 'incident'.
"Well, um, that apartment is a 'no'." Sakura said nervously, trying to talk business to get her mind of what had just happened moments earlier. Syaoran nodded, unable to trust his voice. He had a faint blush on his cheeks, and hoped Sakura didn't see.
Sakura's stomach rumbled and she flushed. "How 'bout we stop for lunch?"
Syaoran felt the corner of his lips tug into the formation of a small smile, but he immediately frowned. This wasn't right! He couldn't let Kinomoto make him feel this way! He wouldn't allow it! He can't even like her a little bit. He didn't like anyone. He barely even liked his best friend, Eriol, who made him irritated several times. He never felt like this before, what was happening to him?!
"We wouldn't need to, if you had woken up on time, and met me at breakfast." Syaoran replied coldly. There that was better. Fighting was good. He glanced over and saw the hurt expression on Sakura's face. He almost retracted his words, but then glared at himself. 'That's what you wanted baka!' He thought to himself. But she looked so sad. So?! You can't be going soft on me, Li!
"Yeah, you're right. Sorry, let's continue." Sakura mumbled, but it was audible enough to understand.
Damn it! That's what I like about her, she's so kind. NO!! You DO NOT like Kinomoto! Maybe lunch wasn't such a bad idea...And let her win you idiot! No way! But-But.
To end his internal discussion, as if his body sensed that someone needed to make a decision, it growled. Loudly. Syaoran blushed bright red, and he tried to keep his eyes on the road, but he heard faint stifling from Sakura's side.
She was laughing at him! 'See? This is what you get when you don't listen to me?' What?!! If I had just said Yes in the first place, I wouldn't be in embarrassment! 'Hmph! this is the last time I help you, Li!' Fine! Oh my god...I'm insane! I'm arguing with myself!
"Uh, okay. Lunch sounds good." Syaoran said as he returned his red face to the front and on traffic.
"Yeah." Sakura was still softly laughing. He turned into the restaurant Shoji's, which was a nice breakfast and lunch cafe. Syaoran parked the car and they both got out. When they were seated inside the restaurant, and their orders had been taken, an uncomfortable silence was all that was left.
Neither knew what to talk about. Talking about the apartment would bring up their 'incident', and they didn't know each other to talk about interests.
"Um, so. You make your living by owning apartments?" Sakura asked uncomfortably. She was squirming in her seat, and hoped her beating heart would stop.
"Well, yes. But that's just a part of Li Corp. We also own several different stocks, and have our team of inventors to make more products to sell." Syaoran explained to her, also glad that there was no longer silence. "Oh, yeah. I was going to ask you, is Eriol Hiiragazawa your best friend's fiancé?"
"Um, yes. How did you know?" Sakura asked confused.
"Eriol is a good friend of mine. I knew him while I was growing up. I haven't seen him in three years. He moved to England and that was the last I heard from him. I didn't even know he was here in Hong Kong!" Syaoran said talking like Sakura and himself were good friends.
"You know Eriol! Oh my god! What a small world!" Sakura exclaimed smiling. (That's exactly what Syaoran thought too. lol) "He was at England while Tomoyo was there 'discovering herself'. You see, three years ago, Tomoyo left Japan to work on her designs, and it just so happened Tomoyo and him crossed paths! Eriol was in England because-"
"His parents grew up there, and he was taking a vacation before starting his law firm." Syaoran finished her sentence with a nod.
"Right!" Sakura beamed. "After about 6 months of their relationship in England, they decided to come back to Japan. I was at college when they returned. We stayed in Japan for about 2 years and a half, and then Tomoyo decided Hong Kong would be the place to start her business. I moved with them, not sure of what I wanted to do with my life, and ended up becoming a model for Tomoyo. But only after three months of her company, Eriol asked Tomoyo to marry him, so Tomoyo is taking time off. The company is not much stress on Tomoyo so even after they start their life together Tomoyo can still accomplish her dream, and Eriol has a year of his company under way. We have been in Hong Kong for about 6 months, and Tomoyo and I have been sharing an apartment. But now that Eriol and Tomoyo are probably going to settle down in a real house, I need my own. I could keep the one I'm in, but it's just so big, and would make me feel lonely."
"I can't believe Eriol didn't tell me he was engaged!" Syaoran said surprised. "Do you think him and Tomoyo are busy tonight?"
"Probably, but they need a break." Sakura said. "Why?"
"Because I was going to invite them to dinner. You too of course, Tomoyo would be rather lonely with two guys." Syaoran said blushing. He could've only invited Eriol, but now with Tomoyo coming, Sakura can come to! Erm, I did not just think that.
"Sure! I'll ask them, I'm sure they'll say yes." Sakura said smiling brightly. Syaoran's heart sped up and he allowed-just this once-a small smile to grace his face. "Oh my god!"
"What?" Syaoran asked, the smile leaving his face, and a frown replacing it. "Is something wrong?"
"No, that's not it. It's just...you SMILED!" Sakura said glowing. "I've never ever seen you smile before, not that I've known you that long, but still, you look so cute when you smile!"
Both of them blushed. "I-I didn't smile." Syaoran argued weakly.
Sakura, glad that he didn't say anything about her slip comment, decided to tease him. "Yes you did!" Sakura said laughing. "I saw it with my own two green eyes!"
"They are more like emerald." Syaoran muttered and then flushed bright red. 'You did NOT just say that!'
"Huh?" Sakura asked cheerfully.
Syaoran sighed in relief, and said. "I said 'then you must be blind'."
Sakura just laughed at him. They were interupted by the ringing of Syaoran's cell phone.
"Li, Syaoran speaking. Is there something you need?" Syaoran asked all business, the warmth gone from his voice. He listened for a moment to the other person on the line. "Alright, of course. Be there soon."
Syaoran called for the check and after a harmless argument over who to pay, they agreed on halfsies.
"I have to go into the office. The dinner is tomorrow night. And we'll meet in the morning same time, same place has we were supposed to meet this morning." Syaoran told her.
"Ok. I'll be sure to make it this time." She smiled at him. By now he had driven her to her apartment, and she had unbuckled her seatbelt. It was awkward for a moment, both unsure of how to say goodbye. "Well, uh, see you."
"Yeah, bye." Syaoran mumbled.
Though there was slight tension at the end, both decided was a good day. It seemed like they both walked one step forward in their friendship. To bad the next day, would be like walking two steps back...
Author's Note- Foreshadowing! LOL. Anyways, I think it got a little boring there at the end with lunch. But I'm having major doses of writer's block on this story. P.S.- I have forgotten how to spell Eriol's last name! Oh. Boy. Whelps, Please REVIEW!!
REVIEW!!!
and, REVIEW!!!!!
Syaoran is his first name, and the only reason I use Li, is if it is in Sakura's point of view. Syaoran calls Sakura, Kinomoto, but when it is in his point of view she is still called Sakura. This was just to clear up any confusion.
Knock Into Me
Chapter 2
"I-I love you..." Tears emitted from her eyes as she clutched on tighter to his well-built figure. She felt like she was on fire, and that this moment would last forever, just as long as she remained in his arms.
"I'm going to kiss you now Sakura." He said dramatically and leaned in. Just as his warm lips covered her's, a door bell shattered the romantic moment.
Sakura moaned as her eyes slowly opened to the bright sunlight. When her eyes finally opened full length, she remembered her dream. Okay, THAT was weird. That was Syaoran Li, number one. And second, why the heck were she and him acting out a scene in the romance novel she had just read about a week ago? Her eyes shifted lazily across her room and to her desk where a piece of paper was lying.
Sakura smiled. Tomoyo always left her note when she was going to Eriol's apartment. She loved reading them, because she could just feel her friend's excitement glowing from each word. It always left Sakura in a happy mood. It's not everyday your two best friends get together and are completely happy.
Another doorbell rang out through the apartment, and Sakura's eyebrows furrowed, remembering that was why she woken up. She wasn't sure whether to thank the doorbell or run a sledge hammer through it, along with the wall that held it. And because she was feeling indecisive, she swung her legs over the bed, and her toes guided her feet into her slippers.
She yawned as she got up, and was about to mosey on over to the door when it rang again. And again. And again. By now, whoever was on the other side of the wall was pushing the doorbell repeatedly resulting in a very annoying sound. Sakura groaned and tried to clamp her ears from the noise and hurried to the door.
She flung the door open angrily and was about to say something but stopped suddenly. She stopped because she was met with an intense amber-eyed glare.
Sakura glared back, realizing it was 'him' and was about to speak again only to be cut off.
"Why the hell aren't you dressed?" Li asked her giving her a quick look from head to toe. Sakura looked down at her attire. She was wearing flannel pajama bottoms with a matching bra-shirt. (What are those called? Camisoles?) Her hair needed a quick brushing, but didn't look to bad and on her feet were bear head slippers. (Kero's head! LOL.)
Just has Sakura was about to answer she was bombarded with more questions.
"What were you doing? Do you know what time it is? You were supposed to meet me half an hour ago; I thought someone kidnapped you or something. I'm doing you a favor, the least you could do is show up. Did you just wake up? Did you forget our meeting place?" Li asked and invited himself into Sakura and Tomoyo's apartment. He sat on the couch with a huff, his glare still perfectly intact.
"Um, meeting?" Sakura asked, her brain still groggy from just waking up.
"Yes!" Li sighed exasperated. "8:30 in the morning at Joey's. To discuss your apartment."
"Oh, yes. Okay, I know." Sakura said taking a seat on her couch. Of course, the one farthest away from Li.
"Then why is it 9..." Li checked his watch quickly and looked back up at Sakura, "9:16 right now. And you, Kinomoto, are still in your pajamas?"
"Oh! It's 9:16?" Sakura looked at the clock on the wall, and sure enough, Li was right. "Oh, I'm sorry. I must have overslept."
"No kidding." Li said dryly. 'No kidding.' Sakura thought, 'that statement sure fits him to a T.'
"Okay, twenty minutes. Make yourself at home, and I'll be back in twenty minutes. I promise!" Sakura said cheerfully jumping up.
"Twenty minutes? Yeah right, Kinomoto. I have sisters, remember. It takes them twenty minutes to pick out what underwear they are going to wear." Li said.
Sakura laughed and stopped at the staircase that led up to her room. "I don't wear makeup and I don't care what I wear, because I don't even like you, so why would I care?" Sakura said cheerfully. "Okay, ready, start the clock if you want. Go!" She raced up the staircase and out of site.
...Syao- P.O.V...
"Twenty minutes..." Syaoran said to himself. "Yeah right..." He crossed his arms, glaring at his knees. "I don't like you either, Kinomoto."
After hearing the water start upstairs, he lifted his head to look around the room. He stood up and walked over to a shelf that had lots of pictures. One of them was Sakura and a black haired girl. The girl's hair seemed to have a violet haze to it and her azure eyes matched. 'Must be...what was her name...oh yeah, Tomoyo.'
He continued down the line of photographs and stopped at one of Sakura and two other men. One had black hair and the other brown that was graying. 'The old man must be Sakura's father. Who's the young guy? Sakura's...boyfriend?' Sakura didn't seem to show any romantic feeling towards him, but how much could you tell in a picture? 'I don't know who he is...but I don't like him.'
Syaoran continued down to the next shelf and his eyes widened. "Hiiragiwaza!" He shouted looking at the picture. It was his old 'friend' Eriol. His arms were wrapped around Tomoyo and they both were smiling brightly. "Jeez...small world." Syaoran muttered.
Syaoran resumed full height and kept walking around the room. He stopped at another shelf, except this one was completely full of video tapes. Syaoran almost fell over in shock. This shelf was like Sakura's life, down to 'Sakura's first job'. Who taped Sakura in all these videos? Syaoran's jaw just fell lower to the ground as he continued reading the titles.
"That's not even close to half at it." A voice interupted his snooping and he quickly looked up. He saw Sakura grinning at the shelf and then she looked at him.
"Are you serious?" Syaoran asked amazed. "Who followed you around with a camcorder all your life?"
Sakura laughed. "That would be Tomoyo."
Syaoran looked at his watch. "Twenty- one minutes, Kinomoto. All well, better luck next time. Let's go."
Sakura brushed aside his comment and followed him out the door. She locked it and headed to the passenger side of his car.
"We are very much behind, Kinomoto." Syaoran said annoyed. With one hand he handed her a pile of brochures. "Go through those quickly and pick out only the ones you are interested in going in. Try to narrow our search down has much as possible."
Sakura set to work, not even saying a word to him. Only about an hour with him, and she wanted to be alone.
A few minutes later Syaoran asked. "Done yet?" Sakura handed him the ones she selected and the turned her head to the window.
Syaoran sighed, trying not to lose his patience. "What did I do this time? What is with the silent treatment?" She didn't even acknowledge that she heard his questions, much less answer. "Whatever Kinomoto."
For ten minutes of driving not a word was spoken in the car. She felt the car stop and quickly unbuckled her seatbelt and got out. She looked around and smiled. The outside was nice. There weren't many people or many trees, which was a downside, but maybe that was just because everyone was at work or school. She followed Syaoran to the main office.
As soon as the two entered the building a loud shriek filled their ears. "Xiao-lang!"
"Li." Syaoran said coldly, trying to get the girl off him. She had long copper hair and dark blue eyes. She was a bit bigger than Sakura, in height and weight. But she was average.
When Syaoran managed to get the girl off him, he quickly continued to an office and closed the door in her face.
"I don't understand. That day...he was so nice to me, and now he seems like he hates me." The girl sighed to herself.
"Um, hi! My name is Sakura Kinomoto, are you okay?" Sakura asked.
"I'm Amy Marshall; it's nice to meet you." Amy tried her best to give a smile. "No, I guess I'm not okay." Her smile fell and tears came to her eyes. "I come from America, and on my first day here some people were giving me a hard time, and Xiao-lang told them to lay off and they listened. I was so grateful, but Xiao-lang always acts so coldly to me now. I just don't understand."
"He is just like that. That's amazing that he actually took the time to stand up for you. You should be honored. Just try being friends with him first and then maybe your relationship will evolve." Sakura said trying to cheer up the distressed girl.
"Thanks, Sakura." Amy smiled. "Oh! You aren't his girlfriend are you?! Oh my, I'm so embarrassed."
"Wah!!" Sakura jumped back with a shocked expression. "No way! I totally hate his guts!"
"Oh, really? You know...you and Xiao-lang actually look cute together." Amy said smiling at her thought.
"What?! No way! You've got it all wrong!" Sakura tried setting Amy straight, but it was going in one ear and out the other.
"Come on Kinomoto, Mrs. Chuan is going to show you an apartment." Syaoran said stepping out of the office with an old woman in tow. She seemed much too old to be running an apartment complex all by herself, but hey she didn't look stressed at all.
"Okay." Sakura followed Mrs. Chuan to the door.
"Bye Mr. Li, have a good day." Amy said politely and went back to work. Syaoran just stared at her back in shock.
The three (Sakura, Syaoran, and Mrs. Chuan) trooped outside and followed Mrs. Chuan across the lot to some bigger apartments. "Did you do that?" Syaoran asked Sakura referring to Amy.
"What?" Sakura asked pretending not to know.
"Amy. Did you do that?"
"Who is Amy? No."
Syaoran sighed knowing Sakura would never admit the truth so he just left it alone.
"Here we are." Mrs. Chuan spoke and smiled at the apartment.
Sakura's mouth dropped open. And not for a good reason. The inside was completely different from the outside. Where nice, clean, and big was what you saw on the outside, on the inside it was small, and dirty. Sakura's eyes drifted slowly across the room and it got worse and worse. There were small holes along the walls and a huge crater hole in the left corner of the ceiling. It smelled an awful smell that couldn't even be described if Sakura tried to. She looked over at Syaoran, and his face was disgusted and trying to be polite in front of Mrs. Chuan.
"Um, could we see it alone and discuss some things, Mrs. Chuan." Sakura asked wanting to see what Syaoran would say when he had the chance.
Mrs. Chuan didn't even move and just kept smiling. "Um..." Sakura said not sure what to do.
"I think she is deaf." Syaoran said.
"Oh, okay. MRS. CHUAN, COULD ME AND MR.LI HAVE A MOMENT ALONE TO DISCUSS THE APARTMENT?" Sakura asked loudly. Syaoran held his ears and looked annoyed. Mrs. Chuan still didn't even acknowledge her question and kept smiling. "How did you talk to her in the office?" Sakura asked Syaoran.
"I wrote it down."
Sakura wrote her question on a piece of paper that was in her purse and handed it to Mrs. Chuan. "Of course, dearies." And then she left the apartment leaving Sakura and Syaoran alone.
"Well...um, it's...not what I expected." Sakura said trying to be polite.
"Yeah, it's a huge pile of crap." Syaoran said and started walking around. Sakura went to the other side and looked in something that she guessed was supposed to be the kitchen. The floorboards beneath her creaked as she put a foot forward.
"Ahhhhh!" Sakura yelped as it gave weight and her foot was beneath the floor. Syaoran rushed over and was about to talk but was interupted by Sakura's laughing. She couldn't stop. She wasn't positive why she was laughing, she just was laughing.
She was still laughing as she tried to wedge her leg out of the hole, but the shattered wood had sharp edges and she didn't want to jam her leg into one of those. Li sighed and shook his head as if he were disciplining a child. Her laughter abruptly stopped when the rest of her body followed her leg, and a scream escaped through her lips.
She was in total darkness, except for one ring of light above her. She was wandering why she was dangling in mid-air and why her wrist hurt, and then she realized that she had fallen. Except just at the last moment someone- Syaoran-had caught her. Sakura felt a headache coming on and moaned.
"Are you alright?" Syaoran grit out from above. He put another hand into the darkness to reach for Sakura's other arm; she was slipping from his one- handed grasp. He found her other arm, and couldn't help the sigh of relieve that emitted from his throat.
"I-I think." Sakura replied cautiously. "D-Do you think you could pull me up, or should you drop me and go get help?"
"I won't drop you and leave you alone." Syaoran said without thinking.
"Um, Okay. T-Try pulling me up." Sakura said slowly, trying to decide if the concern in Syaoran's voice was just her imagination.
"Hold on tight. Don't let go." Syaoran instructed as he pulled with all his strength. He tried not to grip her hands and wrists to hard, and he slowly achieved in lifting her inch by inch out of the black pit. She was fairly light, but at the thought of dropping her, it seemed as if 300 pounds were added to her. When he had pulled her out to her waist, she instinctively grabbed onto him. Syaoran fell over breathing hard and Sakura was lying on him in a hug. Her heart was beating fast, and she wasn't sure if it was just because of the accident.
"Thank...you." Sakura said closing her eyes. Thankfully, her headache was leaving.
"Are you alright?" Syaoran asked between huffs. His heart was also beating unusually fast, and he wouldn't admit why.
"I-I think. Yes, just slightly dizzy." Sakura answered. "You know what?" Sakura asked thinking to herself.
"What?"
"We always seem to end up lying on top of each other." Sakura let the words flow out of her mouth before she could reasonably think of how it sounded. She felt her cheeks get warm and Syaoran felt his burning. Sakura did not know what their current position was doing to him.
Amber was boring into emerald, and each of them were caught in a trance. Usually when you look at something for a very long time, without blinking, tears come to your eyes, but it was not the case with either of them. They could have just stared into the other's pool of intense color all day. Time seemed to stop except for the rapid beating of their hearts.
"Do you- Oh," Mrs. Chuan's voice caught their attention. She chuckled at their position. "If you wanted to be alone," she brought the word out long and a smirk appeared on her aged face, "You could have just said so; you don't have to make excuses like the one you gave me. Ha-ha, talk."
Syaoran and Sakura immediately separated and tried to explain.
"Err. We- he."
"I-It's not what it looks like."
"We were just- You see I fell."
They both stopped and remembered that she couldn't hear them anyway, and neither felt like writing it down. Syaoran got out a pen and scribbled 'Thanks for letting us see the apartment, we'll call you with our decision.' She took it with a smile and nodded.
Syaoran led Sakura to the car, and they both got in and buckled their seatbelts. (Safety first kids! - Actually I bet you're older than me. XD) Silence filled the car, neither sure of what to say after their 'incident'.
"Well, um, that apartment is a 'no'." Sakura said nervously, trying to talk business to get her mind of what had just happened moments earlier. Syaoran nodded, unable to trust his voice. He had a faint blush on his cheeks, and hoped Sakura didn't see.
Sakura's stomach rumbled and she flushed. "How 'bout we stop for lunch?"
Syaoran felt the corner of his lips tug into the formation of a small smile, but he immediately frowned. This wasn't right! He couldn't let Kinomoto make him feel this way! He wouldn't allow it! He can't even like her a little bit. He didn't like anyone. He barely even liked his best friend, Eriol, who made him irritated several times. He never felt like this before, what was happening to him?!
"We wouldn't need to, if you had woken up on time, and met me at breakfast." Syaoran replied coldly. There that was better. Fighting was good. He glanced over and saw the hurt expression on Sakura's face. He almost retracted his words, but then glared at himself. 'That's what you wanted baka!' He thought to himself. But she looked so sad. So?! You can't be going soft on me, Li!
"Yeah, you're right. Sorry, let's continue." Sakura mumbled, but it was audible enough to understand.
Damn it! That's what I like about her, she's so kind. NO!! You DO NOT like Kinomoto! Maybe lunch wasn't such a bad idea...And let her win you idiot! No way! But-But.
To end his internal discussion, as if his body sensed that someone needed to make a decision, it growled. Loudly. Syaoran blushed bright red, and he tried to keep his eyes on the road, but he heard faint stifling from Sakura's side.
She was laughing at him! 'See? This is what you get when you don't listen to me?' What?!! If I had just said Yes in the first place, I wouldn't be in embarrassment! 'Hmph! this is the last time I help you, Li!' Fine! Oh my god...I'm insane! I'm arguing with myself!
"Uh, okay. Lunch sounds good." Syaoran said as he returned his red face to the front and on traffic.
"Yeah." Sakura was still softly laughing. He turned into the restaurant Shoji's, which was a nice breakfast and lunch cafe. Syaoran parked the car and they both got out. When they were seated inside the restaurant, and their orders had been taken, an uncomfortable silence was all that was left.
Neither knew what to talk about. Talking about the apartment would bring up their 'incident', and they didn't know each other to talk about interests.
"Um, so. You make your living by owning apartments?" Sakura asked uncomfortably. She was squirming in her seat, and hoped her beating heart would stop.
"Well, yes. But that's just a part of Li Corp. We also own several different stocks, and have our team of inventors to make more products to sell." Syaoran explained to her, also glad that there was no longer silence. "Oh, yeah. I was going to ask you, is Eriol Hiiragazawa your best friend's fiancé?"
"Um, yes. How did you know?" Sakura asked confused.
"Eriol is a good friend of mine. I knew him while I was growing up. I haven't seen him in three years. He moved to England and that was the last I heard from him. I didn't even know he was here in Hong Kong!" Syaoran said talking like Sakura and himself were good friends.
"You know Eriol! Oh my god! What a small world!" Sakura exclaimed smiling. (That's exactly what Syaoran thought too. lol) "He was at England while Tomoyo was there 'discovering herself'. You see, three years ago, Tomoyo left Japan to work on her designs, and it just so happened Tomoyo and him crossed paths! Eriol was in England because-"
"His parents grew up there, and he was taking a vacation before starting his law firm." Syaoran finished her sentence with a nod.
"Right!" Sakura beamed. "After about 6 months of their relationship in England, they decided to come back to Japan. I was at college when they returned. We stayed in Japan for about 2 years and a half, and then Tomoyo decided Hong Kong would be the place to start her business. I moved with them, not sure of what I wanted to do with my life, and ended up becoming a model for Tomoyo. But only after three months of her company, Eriol asked Tomoyo to marry him, so Tomoyo is taking time off. The company is not much stress on Tomoyo so even after they start their life together Tomoyo can still accomplish her dream, and Eriol has a year of his company under way. We have been in Hong Kong for about 6 months, and Tomoyo and I have been sharing an apartment. But now that Eriol and Tomoyo are probably going to settle down in a real house, I need my own. I could keep the one I'm in, but it's just so big, and would make me feel lonely."
"I can't believe Eriol didn't tell me he was engaged!" Syaoran said surprised. "Do you think him and Tomoyo are busy tonight?"
"Probably, but they need a break." Sakura said. "Why?"
"Because I was going to invite them to dinner. You too of course, Tomoyo would be rather lonely with two guys." Syaoran said blushing. He could've only invited Eriol, but now with Tomoyo coming, Sakura can come to! Erm, I did not just think that.
"Sure! I'll ask them, I'm sure they'll say yes." Sakura said smiling brightly. Syaoran's heart sped up and he allowed-just this once-a small smile to grace his face. "Oh my god!"
"What?" Syaoran asked, the smile leaving his face, and a frown replacing it. "Is something wrong?"
"No, that's not it. It's just...you SMILED!" Sakura said glowing. "I've never ever seen you smile before, not that I've known you that long, but still, you look so cute when you smile!"
Both of them blushed. "I-I didn't smile." Syaoran argued weakly.
Sakura, glad that he didn't say anything about her slip comment, decided to tease him. "Yes you did!" Sakura said laughing. "I saw it with my own two green eyes!"
"They are more like emerald." Syaoran muttered and then flushed bright red. 'You did NOT just say that!'
"Huh?" Sakura asked cheerfully.
Syaoran sighed in relief, and said. "I said 'then you must be blind'."
Sakura just laughed at him. They were interupted by the ringing of Syaoran's cell phone.
"Li, Syaoran speaking. Is there something you need?" Syaoran asked all business, the warmth gone from his voice. He listened for a moment to the other person on the line. "Alright, of course. Be there soon."
Syaoran called for the check and after a harmless argument over who to pay, they agreed on halfsies.
"I have to go into the office. The dinner is tomorrow night. And we'll meet in the morning same time, same place has we were supposed to meet this morning." Syaoran told her.
"Ok. I'll be sure to make it this time." She smiled at him. By now he had driven her to her apartment, and she had unbuckled her seatbelt. It was awkward for a moment, both unsure of how to say goodbye. "Well, uh, see you."
"Yeah, bye." Syaoran mumbled.
Though there was slight tension at the end, both decided was a good day. It seemed like they both walked one step forward in their friendship. To bad the next day, would be like walking two steps back...
Author's Note- Foreshadowing! LOL. Anyways, I think it got a little boring there at the end with lunch. But I'm having major doses of writer's block on this story. P.S.- I have forgotten how to spell Eriol's last name! Oh. Boy. Whelps, Please REVIEW!!
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