C-Mage: Konnichiwa! You all make me so happy! ^.^~ And my sister Satsuki-chan actually decided to read it! Wai!~
CM: Eight days of school left! Kakkoi! How many do you have, T.A.-chan?
TA: ....
CM: *sing-song voice* Tiny Anjel-chan....
TA: ...Yeah? -_-
CM: How many days of school do you have?
TA: ....
CM: Heehee. *whispers* She doesn't get out 'til June.
TA: I HEARD THAT!
CM: Er.... *sneaks away, giggling*
T.Anjel: Yes…rub it in…I've got 23 school days left and counting. Reviews are just lovely. Make 'em funny and I'll give you a cookie! Thanks for reading and enjoy!
Disclaimer: You don't know who owns CCS? Really? Ever heard of CLAMP? ^.~ We don't own McDonald's either. ^__^;
Summary: Syaoran's feeling better, and gets stuck eating breakfast with shy Miss Kinomoto. At McDonald's?!
Learn to Love Me - Chapter 6 - Syaoran's Breakfast
I stepped out of the car and closed the door, looking around at the place Kinomoto had chosen to eat out at: McDonald's. How cliché.
"Lock your door from the inside," I called over to her when I heard her open the door.
"Hai," she responded. I locked my door from the outside and walked over to where she was waiting, dressed in my sister's clothes, of all things. At least they weren't my clothes anymore. And, they fit her reasonably well.
Kinomoto was wearing a light green sweater over the T-shirt and jeans. She'd managed to unknot her hair, despite my lack of a brush. All in all, she looked decent, until you looked at her feet. Turning my eyes there, I flinched. Kinomoto noticed.
"Nani...?" She looked at her feet, then winced. While about the same size for clothing, my sister had larger feet, so Kinomoto was forced to wear her party shoes from the night before, which clashed horribly with the casual outfit she was wearing. "Well, no one will be looking at my feet. Shall we?"
"One thing," I said, conscious of what language we had been speaking for the past night. "We'll speak English, please. I don't appreciate people looking at me oddly, so nothing of the sort shall happen here, understood?" As soon as Kinomoto nodded, I started walking to the door, leaving her in my wake.
She giggled when I held the door open for her, as was only polite, and held the next open for me. Grumbling to myself, I went in and waited for her at the end of the line. It took a few minutes for us to reach the counter, and during that time neither of us spoke. For me, this was normal, but I could tell that Kinomoto was nervous.
When we finally got to order, Kinomoto promptly asked for a chart of nutrition information and skimmed it, sliding her finger down the rows and columns. I decided to ignore her and turned to the employee. He looked to be about seventeen, but the bags under his eyes said he wasn't getting the sleep he needed. "I'd like a Steak, Egg, & Cheese Bagel." Done ordering, I turned back to Kinomoto, tapping my foot as a sign of impatience.
Startled, she looked up from the chart. "Go-" She stopped, remembering to speak English just in time, and said, "Sorry.... I'd like an Egg McMuffin and a small orange juice, please." She smiled at the boy, who blushed, then rattled off the expense. I paid, and we took the slip with our order number and went to sit at a table to wait.
Kinomoto shifted uncomfortably, but I made no move to entertain her. She had a mouth, didn't she? If she wanted conversation, she could use it. Finally, she caved.
"Mr. Li, how do you know Japanese? I don't believe you've brought it up at all."
"I'm Chinese," I stated. "Part of the Li clan, which has great influence in China. Part of growing up in the Li clan is intense training physically and mentally, and we have the best educators in China." I allowed a look of fierce pride to escape. "As well as being drilled in Chinese, I'm fluent in Japanese and English. You've already seen the results of the physical training."
Her green eyes widened at the memory. "Hoe...." Even though the noise was a remainder of her Japanese history, it slipped out unbidden. "That's right! When do you think we'll be able to start the club?"
"We've yet to meet with Mr. Hiiragizawa," I reminded her. "We should be able to start in less than a month, though. I have all the supplies we should need, for a while, and students can scrounge up their own practice clothes."
She nodded and started when our number was called. "I'll get it," she said and slipped out from the booth. I watched as she picked up the tray, wondering what would happen if someone saw us here. Would they assume we were together? If so, would they report us to Hiiragizawa-san? Wasn't it illegal to date someone from the work place? I'd forgotten. But, we weren't dating. I was merely repaying her for her help.
By the time she returned, I'd begun to look sullen, but she paid no attention and energetically split up the food. "There!" She dug into her food with a vengeance, and it took her a while to realize I hadn't touched mine. "Mr. Li," she ventured, "aren't you going to eat? You really should, after las-"
"Shut up," I said, cutting her off. What if someone heard and misunderstood? I picked up my bagel and started to eat, not noticing the taste or anything about it. As I chewed and swallowed, Kinomoto inhaled her food, crumpled the wrapper into a ball, and sucked at the orange juice through the straw until it made empty sucking noises. Finally she stopped and set it down, waiting for me to finish eating. I could even hear her humming lightly under her breath. Was she always such a whirlwind of activity?
Finally deciding the only way to get her to stop was to talk, I swallowed and asked, "Why did you ask for a nutrition chart?"
Startled, her mouth made an O, then she smiled guiltily. "I wanted to check the carbohydrate count for the food," she answered, blushing. "It's not good to eat carbohydrates this early in the morning."
I shook my head. "Why should you worry about what you eat?"
Are eyes widened. "Why, so I don't get fat, of course."
"You're in no danger of that," I stated matter-of-factly, eyeing her slender frame sharply. She ducked her head. Silence reigned for a few more minutes, until she spoke.
"Mr. Li, what's your family like? I've always wanted a large family, but I only have my father and older brother." She tried a smile.
"What happened to your mother?" I asked, curious in spite of myself.
"Um.... She died when I was three," she answered, eyes growing sad. Suddenly, she was as happy as ever. "Never mind that! So, what's it like to have a large family?"
"Awful," I answered. "My older sisters follow me everywhere and fawn all over me, and my mother only asks me to do what's bidden by the Elders." I frowned, remembering my desolate childhood.
"What about your father? What was he like?"
"I don't remember. He died when I was little." The reply came out sharply; despite the years, I still missed the father I'd never known.
"I'm sorry.... I guess we both know what it's like to be without a parent, huh?" she asked, smiling weakly. I felt a smile tug at the corner of my lips, but I suppressed it. What if someone saw?
We sat there for a few more minutes, neither moving to leave. Kinomoto seemed to be fighting with herself, albeit silently, sucking on her straw absent-mindedly. Tired of watching her fidget, I said, "Whatever it is you're muttering about, just say it, all right?"
She flushed a deep red and set down her cup, then ventured, "Mr. Li.... Who's 'Meiling'?"
I sighed. Why hadn't I thought this would come up? "She's my ex-fiancée, though I never wished her to be. Now she's chasing me from China to fall madly in love with her so she can marry me." I narrowed my eyes. "Why?"
"Well.... I was just wondering who she was, that's all. It's curious that she would barge into your house and act so...." She trailed off there, unsure of herself.
"Rude?" I finished. She nodded. "She's always been that way, sure of what she wants and adamant about getting it."
"Um." She thought for a second or two before asking, "Do you ever miss China? I know that I miss Japan all the time, although it's getting easier, and I figured it must be similar for you. Plus, you don't seem to have many friends...." Her emerald eyes grew as she realized what she was saying. "Sorry...."
"No, I don't miss China. And, no, I have few friends. I see no point in having tons of acquaintances." Apparently she disagreed, because she began to argue the point.
"But, Mr. Li, don't you ever long for someone to talk to? Someone who understands you? To just talk about trivial things of no importance?" She looked curious, as if I were a specimen under observation in a laboratory, almost.
"No. After four sisters, I find solitude -" I jerked my head up and around to gaze at the door, compelled suddenly to do so. The two figures who entered rang a distant bell in my memory, and I struggled to remember who they were.
"Oh, look!" exclaimed Kinomoto happily. "It's Tony and Alex from second period!" She raised a hand as if to wave before I pinned it to the table.
"Don't," I whispered harshly at her. She looked at me questioningly. "I don't want people getting ideas."
"But.... We're not doing anything, are we?" she inquired, obviously puzzled by my sudden act of paranoia.
"No, but if they think we are...." I glared at the students for interrupting my breakfast. Kinomoto giggled into her palm. "What?" I asked, disgruntled.
"You," she said. "If my talking won't make them aware, your glaring certainly will. They can probably feel it burning into their backs...." I glared to her in return, but she only giggled more. I heard footsteps approaching, then stopping in front of the table.
"Mr. Li?" asked a young male voice. "Miss...."
"Kinomoto," supplied Kinomoto, smiling. "Good morning Tony, Alex."
"Good morning," one mumbled. Tony, I thought. He was a shy one; Alex was the prankster. That much I remembered from the classes I'd taught them.
"So, Miss Kinomoto, what are you and Mr. Li doing out here? I can't believe you'd want to spend time with such a...." I glared daggers at him, and he gulped. Kinomoto, typical to her sex, giggled.
"We're eating breakfast," she answered, gesturing to the tray and ignoring the looks I was trying to send her. She looked at their tray and noticed the French fries. "Oh! Is it lunch time already?"
"Yeah. They start serving lunch at 10:30." Tony was blushing, studying his sneakers.
"We'd better go before our food gets cold," said Alex, grinning a little. He turned to leave, nudging Tony with his shoulder. They sat at a booth close to ours, but not too close.
"How nice to see students outside of school," remarked Kinomoto, stretching. She tapped her fingers on the table, the paused. "Do you think I could get a refill on my drink?"
I thought. "You could try," I said, not sure. "You might have to buy another drink, since it's lunch hours." She nodded and stood up, leaving momentarily. I set myself into pondering mode, idly looking at the opposite wall.
Then I felt something hit my cheek. Looking down, I noticed a French fry laying on the table. Confused, I looked around for suspicious persons, but everyone looked occupied. I shrugged and resumed thinking. A slight thump on my head. Nothing fell, but I ran a hand through my messy hair, and, sure enough, out came a French fry. I was starting to get annoyed, at the least. I looked at those I could classify as suspects, but none looked guilty or amused. Another one hit my shoulder, and I was getting really annoyed. What sort of person played such a juvenile joke? I hadn't had anything thrown at me since I was in elementary school, and even then, it was only once. Determined to find the culprit, I tried looking again.
One bounced on the wall behind me, which I assumed was meant for me, then another to the temple. I turned to stare at Tony and Alex, gaze icy. They were snickering despite themselves, cracking up at my ignorance. I was about to stand up and give them a piece of my mind, never mind that they weren't in school, when Kinomoto plunked two drinks on the tabletop.
"There you go," she stated merrily, pushing one towards me. "I decided that the least I could do is get you a drink, since you bought me breakfast. You'll have to fill it yourself, though." I nodded my thanks and got up to fill up the cup. As I walked over, I felt a fry hit me square in the back of my head?, but when I turned around, my students were smiling, innocent as rays of sunshine. I swore under my breath and returned quickly.
"Hey, Mr. Li, I've been wondering. Why did you decide to teach? And, if you don't mind my saying, why such a disliked subject as World History?" She smiled at me, and I decided she must be gaining confidence around me. I couldn't tell you if that was a good or bad thing, exactly.
"I've always been interested in the past. We can learn a lot from past civilizations; from their mistakes and accuracies; what they had in common; how they met their demise. Some people say the present mirrors the past, or that at least we can learn from what's happened to those before us. I'd like to be well-informed about history, in case such a reflection happens." I was surprised that I'd been so eloquent; normally I was a terribly dry speaker, but I guess this was an exception. "I teach because I want to spread my love of learning and the knowledge I have to others. Not that I can say I'm having much success." I heard the bitterness in my own voice and resisted the urge to glance at Tony and Alex. I twitched as I felt another projectile on my shoulder.
"Are you all right?" asked Kinomoto, plainly worried. "You're twitching...."
"I'm fine," I replied stoically, burying my anger. What right had they to act so disrespectfully to an elder? If they had been part of the clan, they would have been whipped for such mischief. Eager to change the topic, I asked, "How'd you get into teaching?"
"I've always liked being around children. I have an affinity for them, I guess." She smiled. "My first choice for student teaching was kindergarten or first grade, but high school was a close second." For some reason I felt disappointed that I'd been second, though I knew I shouldn't care what Kinomoto thought. "Watching them grow is fun and to help is a treasure." Plainly she was idealistic.
"Why history?" The words popped out without my go-ahead. Strangely enough, I wanted to stay and talk, never mind the fry, which had just beaned my neck.
"Like you, I find past cultures interesting. Why they did things and how they did them is a novelty. I'm very curious about such things." She blushed, then noticed something. "Mr. Li, you have a French fry on your shoulder...."
I grunted and said, "Certain students of mine have been throwing them at me." Startled, she looked over to Tony and Alex and gave them a severe look. Tony looked down bashfully and muttered something to Alex, to got up and threw away his fries with a resigned look. She smiled, then turned back to me.
"There. You should have said something to me sooner. Now you'll have salt all over you...." She stood up and started brushing me off before I caught her wrist.
"Don't," I instructed, and she blew up her bangs, exasperated. I saw Tony and Alex watching with interest, along with several of the other customers. How many of them recognized me? Kinomoto sat down with a sigh.
"I don't see why you have to be so...so...." She searched for a word. "Paranoid." I raised a brow. She looked down, but still said, "It's like you only care what others think of you. Imagine how many people saw you at the party on Saturday, being helped by me."
Kuso, I thought. I'd forgotten about that! I mentally beat myself up, and Kinomoto's eyes widened as she saw that I cared about that, too.
"Oh, Mr. Li! What do you care what other people think? Why not care what you think?"
"Because," I responded coldly, "my job could hang in the balance. If someone misunderstands and reports us, I could be fired." She bit her lip, thinking. Suddenly she lit up, as if a light bulb flashed over her head.
"But Eriol and Tomoyo are going out and will probably get married. Why don't they get in trouble?" She had a point there, but I didn't care to address it.
"Enough," I said and got up to leave, heading for the door. She followed and threw away the trash, then stopped.
"Oh!" she exclaimed, clapping hand to forehead. "I almost forgot!" She rushed back to Tony and Alex, talking urgently to them, and came back. I saw them smirking behind her, mocking me. She smiled in thanks. "I had to explain not to do the homework. You know, since it was the wrong assignment." My cheeks flushed. "They said they'd noticed it looked unfamiliar."
"I had forgotten about that," I muttered, embarrassed. She laughed lightly.
"Don't worry about it. What else are student teachers for?" She winked and pushed open the door, auburn hair shining in the morning light. "Uhm…could you take me home?" I nodded, and we set out for her house. I dropped her off without many more words, then went home.
I unlocked the door to my apartment and saw two things simultaneously: the message light was blinking, and Kinomoto's pink dress was still lying draped over my couch. I decided that the message got top priority, and pressed the 'Play' button.
"Syaoran, it's me!" rang out Meiling's shrill voice. I winced. "I've decided to forgive you for being around the student teacher" - she spat out the words like venom - "but just this once. Since you've been sick, would you like to come over tonight, say, six o'clock? I could make you something delicious to make you feel better. 'Bye!"
I grimaced and deleted the message, remembering that I'd decided to give Meiling what she wanted. I made a mental note to call her later, then turned to the dress. It was a frilly pink thing, the color of cherry blossoms. I assumed Kinomoto had worn it in honor of her name sake, sakura. I picked it up. Delicate and light, it had matched her shoes to a tee, even if they matched little else. It had looked well enough on Kinomoto, if I remembered correctly and decided not to dwell on it too long in case of unnecessary thoughts.
I flung it over my shoulder, trying not to wrinkle it too much. Having lived around the female sex my entire life, I knew how adverse they were to wrinkles in their garments. I locked my apartment again and marched back downstairs to my car. I unlocked it and placed the dress over the passenger seat, conscious of any wrinkles in the fabric. I got in the car and drove over to Kinomoto and Daidouji's house, pulling into the driveway and stopping.
It seemed I had timed my visit perfectly. Kinomoto was just hurrying out of the house, dressed in different clothes and carrying a bag. She stopped when she recognized my car, then grinned. I got out and pulled out the dress, waiting for her to stop in front of me.
"Li-san," she said, amused. "How pleasant to see you. I see you've brought back my dress." Her smile was rueful as she looked at the pink fabric.
"Hai. And you have my sister's clothes." I nodded to the bag. We stood there for a few seconds, then she extended the bag to me, other hand open for the dress. We exchanged items, and she threw the dress over her shoulder.
"Arigatou for being so prompt in bringing it back, Li-san," she said. "You can keep the bag." I looked at the bag, decorated with a sparse cherry blossom motif, and grunted. "Sayonara," she said, then turned back into the house.
I drove back home, then plopped into my recliner. Meiling had said to come over around six, right? If I had to do this, then I might as well do it properly. I picked up the phone and stared at her number, then dialed.
"Hello?" came her voice. I suppressed a wince, but barely.
"Hello, Meiling?" I asked, cautious.
"Oh, Syaoran!" She was plainly thrilled. "How good to hear your voice!" She stopped waiting. Might as well forge ahead, now that I'd mucked myself in.
"Your message said to come over around six, right?"
"Yes...?" Clearly questioning.
Deep breath. "I'll be over then. See you." I quickly hung up the phone, cursing my sense of logic. Then I looked across to the couch and saw the bag. I picked it up and walked into my room, pulling the box of my sister's clothes out of the corner. She'd like the bag, I thought. I took the clothes out and placed them in the box, then folded the bag so that it was flat and set it on top. After putting the lid back on and shoving it into a corner, and I went back to the living room, to resume where I'd left off Friday: grading papers.
TBC.
C-Mage: Poor Syaoran, ne? How pathetic is it that they go to Mickey D's? .' I blame it all on Teeny-chan. Comments, questions, whatever - leave them at the little review box you get if you click the button below.... Ja ne!
T.Anjel: Yeah…so…eh…leave a review~ leave a long one! A story!! Leave a joke! I like jokes! How about leaving us a little skit? Skits are nice! ::C-Mage drags a rambling T.A. off the screen::
CM: Eight days of school left! Kakkoi! How many do you have, T.A.-chan?
TA: ....
CM: *sing-song voice* Tiny Anjel-chan....
TA: ...Yeah? -_-
CM: How many days of school do you have?
TA: ....
CM: Heehee. *whispers* She doesn't get out 'til June.
TA: I HEARD THAT!
CM: Er.... *sneaks away, giggling*
T.Anjel: Yes…rub it in…I've got 23 school days left and counting. Reviews are just lovely. Make 'em funny and I'll give you a cookie! Thanks for reading and enjoy!
Disclaimer: You don't know who owns CCS? Really? Ever heard of CLAMP? ^.~ We don't own McDonald's either. ^__^;
Summary: Syaoran's feeling better, and gets stuck eating breakfast with shy Miss Kinomoto. At McDonald's?!
Learn to Love Me - Chapter 6 - Syaoran's Breakfast
I stepped out of the car and closed the door, looking around at the place Kinomoto had chosen to eat out at: McDonald's. How cliché.
"Lock your door from the inside," I called over to her when I heard her open the door.
"Hai," she responded. I locked my door from the outside and walked over to where she was waiting, dressed in my sister's clothes, of all things. At least they weren't my clothes anymore. And, they fit her reasonably well.
Kinomoto was wearing a light green sweater over the T-shirt and jeans. She'd managed to unknot her hair, despite my lack of a brush. All in all, she looked decent, until you looked at her feet. Turning my eyes there, I flinched. Kinomoto noticed.
"Nani...?" She looked at her feet, then winced. While about the same size for clothing, my sister had larger feet, so Kinomoto was forced to wear her party shoes from the night before, which clashed horribly with the casual outfit she was wearing. "Well, no one will be looking at my feet. Shall we?"
"One thing," I said, conscious of what language we had been speaking for the past night. "We'll speak English, please. I don't appreciate people looking at me oddly, so nothing of the sort shall happen here, understood?" As soon as Kinomoto nodded, I started walking to the door, leaving her in my wake.
She giggled when I held the door open for her, as was only polite, and held the next open for me. Grumbling to myself, I went in and waited for her at the end of the line. It took a few minutes for us to reach the counter, and during that time neither of us spoke. For me, this was normal, but I could tell that Kinomoto was nervous.
When we finally got to order, Kinomoto promptly asked for a chart of nutrition information and skimmed it, sliding her finger down the rows and columns. I decided to ignore her and turned to the employee. He looked to be about seventeen, but the bags under his eyes said he wasn't getting the sleep he needed. "I'd like a Steak, Egg, & Cheese Bagel." Done ordering, I turned back to Kinomoto, tapping my foot as a sign of impatience.
Startled, she looked up from the chart. "Go-" She stopped, remembering to speak English just in time, and said, "Sorry.... I'd like an Egg McMuffin and a small orange juice, please." She smiled at the boy, who blushed, then rattled off the expense. I paid, and we took the slip with our order number and went to sit at a table to wait.
Kinomoto shifted uncomfortably, but I made no move to entertain her. She had a mouth, didn't she? If she wanted conversation, she could use it. Finally, she caved.
"Mr. Li, how do you know Japanese? I don't believe you've brought it up at all."
"I'm Chinese," I stated. "Part of the Li clan, which has great influence in China. Part of growing up in the Li clan is intense training physically and mentally, and we have the best educators in China." I allowed a look of fierce pride to escape. "As well as being drilled in Chinese, I'm fluent in Japanese and English. You've already seen the results of the physical training."
Her green eyes widened at the memory. "Hoe...." Even though the noise was a remainder of her Japanese history, it slipped out unbidden. "That's right! When do you think we'll be able to start the club?"
"We've yet to meet with Mr. Hiiragizawa," I reminded her. "We should be able to start in less than a month, though. I have all the supplies we should need, for a while, and students can scrounge up their own practice clothes."
She nodded and started when our number was called. "I'll get it," she said and slipped out from the booth. I watched as she picked up the tray, wondering what would happen if someone saw us here. Would they assume we were together? If so, would they report us to Hiiragizawa-san? Wasn't it illegal to date someone from the work place? I'd forgotten. But, we weren't dating. I was merely repaying her for her help.
By the time she returned, I'd begun to look sullen, but she paid no attention and energetically split up the food. "There!" She dug into her food with a vengeance, and it took her a while to realize I hadn't touched mine. "Mr. Li," she ventured, "aren't you going to eat? You really should, after las-"
"Shut up," I said, cutting her off. What if someone heard and misunderstood? I picked up my bagel and started to eat, not noticing the taste or anything about it. As I chewed and swallowed, Kinomoto inhaled her food, crumpled the wrapper into a ball, and sucked at the orange juice through the straw until it made empty sucking noises. Finally she stopped and set it down, waiting for me to finish eating. I could even hear her humming lightly under her breath. Was she always such a whirlwind of activity?
Finally deciding the only way to get her to stop was to talk, I swallowed and asked, "Why did you ask for a nutrition chart?"
Startled, her mouth made an O, then she smiled guiltily. "I wanted to check the carbohydrate count for the food," she answered, blushing. "It's not good to eat carbohydrates this early in the morning."
I shook my head. "Why should you worry about what you eat?"
Are eyes widened. "Why, so I don't get fat, of course."
"You're in no danger of that," I stated matter-of-factly, eyeing her slender frame sharply. She ducked her head. Silence reigned for a few more minutes, until she spoke.
"Mr. Li, what's your family like? I've always wanted a large family, but I only have my father and older brother." She tried a smile.
"What happened to your mother?" I asked, curious in spite of myself.
"Um.... She died when I was three," she answered, eyes growing sad. Suddenly, she was as happy as ever. "Never mind that! So, what's it like to have a large family?"
"Awful," I answered. "My older sisters follow me everywhere and fawn all over me, and my mother only asks me to do what's bidden by the Elders." I frowned, remembering my desolate childhood.
"What about your father? What was he like?"
"I don't remember. He died when I was little." The reply came out sharply; despite the years, I still missed the father I'd never known.
"I'm sorry.... I guess we both know what it's like to be without a parent, huh?" she asked, smiling weakly. I felt a smile tug at the corner of my lips, but I suppressed it. What if someone saw?
We sat there for a few more minutes, neither moving to leave. Kinomoto seemed to be fighting with herself, albeit silently, sucking on her straw absent-mindedly. Tired of watching her fidget, I said, "Whatever it is you're muttering about, just say it, all right?"
She flushed a deep red and set down her cup, then ventured, "Mr. Li.... Who's 'Meiling'?"
I sighed. Why hadn't I thought this would come up? "She's my ex-fiancée, though I never wished her to be. Now she's chasing me from China to fall madly in love with her so she can marry me." I narrowed my eyes. "Why?"
"Well.... I was just wondering who she was, that's all. It's curious that she would barge into your house and act so...." She trailed off there, unsure of herself.
"Rude?" I finished. She nodded. "She's always been that way, sure of what she wants and adamant about getting it."
"Um." She thought for a second or two before asking, "Do you ever miss China? I know that I miss Japan all the time, although it's getting easier, and I figured it must be similar for you. Plus, you don't seem to have many friends...." Her emerald eyes grew as she realized what she was saying. "Sorry...."
"No, I don't miss China. And, no, I have few friends. I see no point in having tons of acquaintances." Apparently she disagreed, because she began to argue the point.
"But, Mr. Li, don't you ever long for someone to talk to? Someone who understands you? To just talk about trivial things of no importance?" She looked curious, as if I were a specimen under observation in a laboratory, almost.
"No. After four sisters, I find solitude -" I jerked my head up and around to gaze at the door, compelled suddenly to do so. The two figures who entered rang a distant bell in my memory, and I struggled to remember who they were.
"Oh, look!" exclaimed Kinomoto happily. "It's Tony and Alex from second period!" She raised a hand as if to wave before I pinned it to the table.
"Don't," I whispered harshly at her. She looked at me questioningly. "I don't want people getting ideas."
"But.... We're not doing anything, are we?" she inquired, obviously puzzled by my sudden act of paranoia.
"No, but if they think we are...." I glared at the students for interrupting my breakfast. Kinomoto giggled into her palm. "What?" I asked, disgruntled.
"You," she said. "If my talking won't make them aware, your glaring certainly will. They can probably feel it burning into their backs...." I glared to her in return, but she only giggled more. I heard footsteps approaching, then stopping in front of the table.
"Mr. Li?" asked a young male voice. "Miss...."
"Kinomoto," supplied Kinomoto, smiling. "Good morning Tony, Alex."
"Good morning," one mumbled. Tony, I thought. He was a shy one; Alex was the prankster. That much I remembered from the classes I'd taught them.
"So, Miss Kinomoto, what are you and Mr. Li doing out here? I can't believe you'd want to spend time with such a...." I glared daggers at him, and he gulped. Kinomoto, typical to her sex, giggled.
"We're eating breakfast," she answered, gesturing to the tray and ignoring the looks I was trying to send her. She looked at their tray and noticed the French fries. "Oh! Is it lunch time already?"
"Yeah. They start serving lunch at 10:30." Tony was blushing, studying his sneakers.
"We'd better go before our food gets cold," said Alex, grinning a little. He turned to leave, nudging Tony with his shoulder. They sat at a booth close to ours, but not too close.
"How nice to see students outside of school," remarked Kinomoto, stretching. She tapped her fingers on the table, the paused. "Do you think I could get a refill on my drink?"
I thought. "You could try," I said, not sure. "You might have to buy another drink, since it's lunch hours." She nodded and stood up, leaving momentarily. I set myself into pondering mode, idly looking at the opposite wall.
Then I felt something hit my cheek. Looking down, I noticed a French fry laying on the table. Confused, I looked around for suspicious persons, but everyone looked occupied. I shrugged and resumed thinking. A slight thump on my head. Nothing fell, but I ran a hand through my messy hair, and, sure enough, out came a French fry. I was starting to get annoyed, at the least. I looked at those I could classify as suspects, but none looked guilty or amused. Another one hit my shoulder, and I was getting really annoyed. What sort of person played such a juvenile joke? I hadn't had anything thrown at me since I was in elementary school, and even then, it was only once. Determined to find the culprit, I tried looking again.
One bounced on the wall behind me, which I assumed was meant for me, then another to the temple. I turned to stare at Tony and Alex, gaze icy. They were snickering despite themselves, cracking up at my ignorance. I was about to stand up and give them a piece of my mind, never mind that they weren't in school, when Kinomoto plunked two drinks on the tabletop.
"There you go," she stated merrily, pushing one towards me. "I decided that the least I could do is get you a drink, since you bought me breakfast. You'll have to fill it yourself, though." I nodded my thanks and got up to fill up the cup. As I walked over, I felt a fry hit me square in the back of my head?, but when I turned around, my students were smiling, innocent as rays of sunshine. I swore under my breath and returned quickly.
"Hey, Mr. Li, I've been wondering. Why did you decide to teach? And, if you don't mind my saying, why such a disliked subject as World History?" She smiled at me, and I decided she must be gaining confidence around me. I couldn't tell you if that was a good or bad thing, exactly.
"I've always been interested in the past. We can learn a lot from past civilizations; from their mistakes and accuracies; what they had in common; how they met their demise. Some people say the present mirrors the past, or that at least we can learn from what's happened to those before us. I'd like to be well-informed about history, in case such a reflection happens." I was surprised that I'd been so eloquent; normally I was a terribly dry speaker, but I guess this was an exception. "I teach because I want to spread my love of learning and the knowledge I have to others. Not that I can say I'm having much success." I heard the bitterness in my own voice and resisted the urge to glance at Tony and Alex. I twitched as I felt another projectile on my shoulder.
"Are you all right?" asked Kinomoto, plainly worried. "You're twitching...."
"I'm fine," I replied stoically, burying my anger. What right had they to act so disrespectfully to an elder? If they had been part of the clan, they would have been whipped for such mischief. Eager to change the topic, I asked, "How'd you get into teaching?"
"I've always liked being around children. I have an affinity for them, I guess." She smiled. "My first choice for student teaching was kindergarten or first grade, but high school was a close second." For some reason I felt disappointed that I'd been second, though I knew I shouldn't care what Kinomoto thought. "Watching them grow is fun and to help is a treasure." Plainly she was idealistic.
"Why history?" The words popped out without my go-ahead. Strangely enough, I wanted to stay and talk, never mind the fry, which had just beaned my neck.
"Like you, I find past cultures interesting. Why they did things and how they did them is a novelty. I'm very curious about such things." She blushed, then noticed something. "Mr. Li, you have a French fry on your shoulder...."
I grunted and said, "Certain students of mine have been throwing them at me." Startled, she looked over to Tony and Alex and gave them a severe look. Tony looked down bashfully and muttered something to Alex, to got up and threw away his fries with a resigned look. She smiled, then turned back to me.
"There. You should have said something to me sooner. Now you'll have salt all over you...." She stood up and started brushing me off before I caught her wrist.
"Don't," I instructed, and she blew up her bangs, exasperated. I saw Tony and Alex watching with interest, along with several of the other customers. How many of them recognized me? Kinomoto sat down with a sigh.
"I don't see why you have to be so...so...." She searched for a word. "Paranoid." I raised a brow. She looked down, but still said, "It's like you only care what others think of you. Imagine how many people saw you at the party on Saturday, being helped by me."
Kuso, I thought. I'd forgotten about that! I mentally beat myself up, and Kinomoto's eyes widened as she saw that I cared about that, too.
"Oh, Mr. Li! What do you care what other people think? Why not care what you think?"
"Because," I responded coldly, "my job could hang in the balance. If someone misunderstands and reports us, I could be fired." She bit her lip, thinking. Suddenly she lit up, as if a light bulb flashed over her head.
"But Eriol and Tomoyo are going out and will probably get married. Why don't they get in trouble?" She had a point there, but I didn't care to address it.
"Enough," I said and got up to leave, heading for the door. She followed and threw away the trash, then stopped.
"Oh!" she exclaimed, clapping hand to forehead. "I almost forgot!" She rushed back to Tony and Alex, talking urgently to them, and came back. I saw them smirking behind her, mocking me. She smiled in thanks. "I had to explain not to do the homework. You know, since it was the wrong assignment." My cheeks flushed. "They said they'd noticed it looked unfamiliar."
"I had forgotten about that," I muttered, embarrassed. She laughed lightly.
"Don't worry about it. What else are student teachers for?" She winked and pushed open the door, auburn hair shining in the morning light. "Uhm…could you take me home?" I nodded, and we set out for her house. I dropped her off without many more words, then went home.
I unlocked the door to my apartment and saw two things simultaneously: the message light was blinking, and Kinomoto's pink dress was still lying draped over my couch. I decided that the message got top priority, and pressed the 'Play' button.
"Syaoran, it's me!" rang out Meiling's shrill voice. I winced. "I've decided to forgive you for being around the student teacher" - she spat out the words like venom - "but just this once. Since you've been sick, would you like to come over tonight, say, six o'clock? I could make you something delicious to make you feel better. 'Bye!"
I grimaced and deleted the message, remembering that I'd decided to give Meiling what she wanted. I made a mental note to call her later, then turned to the dress. It was a frilly pink thing, the color of cherry blossoms. I assumed Kinomoto had worn it in honor of her name sake, sakura. I picked it up. Delicate and light, it had matched her shoes to a tee, even if they matched little else. It had looked well enough on Kinomoto, if I remembered correctly and decided not to dwell on it too long in case of unnecessary thoughts.
I flung it over my shoulder, trying not to wrinkle it too much. Having lived around the female sex my entire life, I knew how adverse they were to wrinkles in their garments. I locked my apartment again and marched back downstairs to my car. I unlocked it and placed the dress over the passenger seat, conscious of any wrinkles in the fabric. I got in the car and drove over to Kinomoto and Daidouji's house, pulling into the driveway and stopping.
It seemed I had timed my visit perfectly. Kinomoto was just hurrying out of the house, dressed in different clothes and carrying a bag. She stopped when she recognized my car, then grinned. I got out and pulled out the dress, waiting for her to stop in front of me.
"Li-san," she said, amused. "How pleasant to see you. I see you've brought back my dress." Her smile was rueful as she looked at the pink fabric.
"Hai. And you have my sister's clothes." I nodded to the bag. We stood there for a few seconds, then she extended the bag to me, other hand open for the dress. We exchanged items, and she threw the dress over her shoulder.
"Arigatou for being so prompt in bringing it back, Li-san," she said. "You can keep the bag." I looked at the bag, decorated with a sparse cherry blossom motif, and grunted. "Sayonara," she said, then turned back into the house.
I drove back home, then plopped into my recliner. Meiling had said to come over around six, right? If I had to do this, then I might as well do it properly. I picked up the phone and stared at her number, then dialed.
"Hello?" came her voice. I suppressed a wince, but barely.
"Hello, Meiling?" I asked, cautious.
"Oh, Syaoran!" She was plainly thrilled. "How good to hear your voice!" She stopped waiting. Might as well forge ahead, now that I'd mucked myself in.
"Your message said to come over around six, right?"
"Yes...?" Clearly questioning.
Deep breath. "I'll be over then. See you." I quickly hung up the phone, cursing my sense of logic. Then I looked across to the couch and saw the bag. I picked it up and walked into my room, pulling the box of my sister's clothes out of the corner. She'd like the bag, I thought. I took the clothes out and placed them in the box, then folded the bag so that it was flat and set it on top. After putting the lid back on and shoving it into a corner, and I went back to the living room, to resume where I'd left off Friday: grading papers.
TBC.
C-Mage: Poor Syaoran, ne? How pathetic is it that they go to Mickey D's? .' I blame it all on Teeny-chan. Comments, questions, whatever - leave them at the little review box you get if you click the button below.... Ja ne!
T.Anjel: Yeah…so…eh…leave a review~ leave a long one! A story!! Leave a joke! I like jokes! How about leaving us a little skit? Skits are nice! ::C-Mage drags a rambling T.A. off the screen::