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Konnichiwa, minna-san! I have been on a long hiatus! Gomen nasai, minna! I try my best to get things done during the summer, but I was faster on posting with school on my mind, because of music class and the occasional classroom space out. ^_^ Anyway, I want ya'll to know that I have some inspiration right now and I will try to get things done better like before. I will try and I'll try to promise.
And, I believe it is for the best, because I have learned how to edit! It is so pretty now! ^_^ So, now, let's get started!
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Quick summary: No one likes to be humiliated, am I right? Well, if you love someone, do ya'll think that they will humiliate you? I would cry my little heart out. _ Anyway, if you were set up, would you talk to the one who set you up in the first place? Well, I don't know. People are weird. They can do whatever they want and usually get busted. Well, would you punish someone if they love you? Well, these are questions that I may answer in the story. (Please note that this part is hardly helpful on what will happen in the story. So this is really just a waste of your time, my time, and my space.)
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Key (the shortened version):
""- Talking ''- Thinking *- Actions ******- Scene change, POV, Talking to you (New), Flashbacks
()- My thoughts, over views, and little helpful hints {}- My narration
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Mandatory disclaimer: Everyone who has read this story must already know that I don't own CCS. I know that I have forgotten some disclaimers sometimes, but here is a replacement.
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Chapter 7, Seven, Siete, Shichi, and Pito of Etiquette Lessons: Last One Standing By: the Cherri Ookami ^_^******
{There are days when people don't want to wake up. This was one of those days. It may have been sunny, but people were groaning and this was kind of what you may have heard on your way to the bathroom:}
"Get out of my way!"
"Shut your mouth, you moron!"
"Get moving! There are more people here, you know!"
"What are you looking at?"
"Keep moving! We don't have forever, you know."
{People were obviously cranky and didn't want to see anyone. People ended up with black eyes, fat lips, and large black and blue bruises. Everyone stood clear out of each other's way for a while, but they eventually got to the point where they saw each other and gave each other dirty looks. Sakura on the other hand woke up late and noticed that everyone was mad and there was an immense amount of bloodstains on the walls.}
'I wonder what happened. Maybe there was a murderer or a thief. I wonder if anyone got hurt.'
{She could've stopped wondering for the palace tenants were their own undoing. Syaoran and Meiling were a group who didn't mind anything on the walls, for their bluntness.}
"Hmm.... I wonder what happened. Maybe someone got killed. Who cares anyway?" *Shrugs*
"Ugh. What kind of decorations are these? They are so tacky!"
{People set up the dining room and the ballroom for another hard day and night. Syaoran had just gone out for a walk and Meiling was scheming.}
******Meiling's 'Room'******
"If I can't have him, no one else can." She whispered to herself
{Thoughts roamed her head and plans were built and swarmed like buzzing bees in a hive, each thought even more ridiculous than the last. She wrote on pieces of paper and crumpled each one.}
"I need help." She said
******
{She walked out of her room and spotted two people in the living room. She saw Sakura and someone she couldn't recognize. She hid behind a fern on the side.}
"So, does this mean that you are going to dance with him?" Tomoyo asked
"I don't know. I don't think he even likes me." Sakura said
"He probably does. He's really nice. I talked to that girl, Mikayo, and she said tat he always blushes when people bring you up." Tomoyo said with a fit full of giggles
"Really? So, tell me Tomoyo. How did you divulge this information out of her?" Sakura asked sharply
"Umm... I err... asked." Tomoyo said with an anime sweatdrop. ^_^;
"I knew it. Tell me, again. Why were you fishing for information about Syaoran-kun?" she asked with narrowed eyes.
"Well, I guess it is because I want you two to be together." She said with an angelic grin
******
{Meanwhile, Meiling got a bit aggressive and accidentally knocked down the fern. She was spotted.}
******
"Umm... hello there, Li-chan." Sakura said
"Oh. Umm... hello, Kinomoto-chan."
"What were you doing?"
"Nothing. I just dropped my err... contact lenses." She said
"Oh, I didn't know you wore contacts. Hey, why don't you join us? We were just talking."
"Sure." Meiling said with a smile 'my mouth is cramping. But, it's worth it.'
"We were just talking about your cousin, Li-chan." Tomoyo said
"Oh. Well, what do you think of him?" Meiling said with a broader grin that made it look quite plain that she was faking
"He is mostly a gentleman. I think he is really nice." Sakura said
"Oh, he really isn't. He is a complete jerk. He never does anything for you if you asked him. He is rude too." Meiling lied
'All I have to do is make her think he is a complete moron and she will break the whole fiasco with him. I will have him all to myself and the two of us will live happily ever after.' She thought (Oh, really? Good luck!)
"Really? He never acts rude at all." Sakura said
"Oh, it's just an act that is mom made him get into. He is never really polite with guests like he says he is. He was always hitting on the princesses of the kings and queens that come into the palace. He even slept with one." She said
'Sorry, Xiao Lang, but it is for our own good. It's for our future together.' She thought
"Err... thanks for the information, Li-chan. We have to go and get ready for the banquet." Tomoyo said with the sweatdrop (-_-;)
"Bye!" she said as she walked away
{She turned a corner and did the whole, "YES!" and pulling your arm down thing. (I really don't know how to describe it.) And, as she turned the corner, she found a picture of Sakura and her family}
"Hmmm..." she said with an evil grin (Here we go again. -_-)
******Meiling's 'Room' again******
{Meiling was rummaging through her suitcase and found a magazine. She flipped through a few pictures and grinned broadly. She sat down and tied up the curtains to let the light in.}
"Get ready."
******In Sakura's room******
"I wonder what she said was true." Sakura said as she modeled Tomoyo's dresses
"She probably was telling the truth. I mean, we don't really know him, do we? And, it could be true, because you told me he gets chased by princes a whole mess of times. Maybe, he didn't tell the whole truth." She said
"What do you mean?"
"Well, they probably chased him around for sleeping with the princes' girlfriends. I mean, it is possible, you know."
"I know, but he doesn't seem like the kind that you'd think would lie like that." Sakura said
"Well, Eriol seemed like an arrogant jerk in the beginning, but when I got to know him, he was so sweet." Tomoyo said dreamily
"But, that is kind of my point. What if she is lying and he didn't do any of that?" Sakura asked
"Why would she make such a big lie about her own cousin?" Tomoyo asked
"I don't know, but..." Sakura said until she was cut off
"She wouldn't lie about something like that." Tomoyo said
"Well, you wouldn't know either. We don't know her too well either." Sakura said
"Anyways, you like the dress?" Tomoyo asked, trying to get off the topic.
"Hai. It is beautiful. I really like it. What is it made of?"
"Oh, it is made of pure silk, so don't try getting water on it, or else your bra and the rest of your body will show through the dress." Tomoyo said with a smile.
"Tomoyo!" Sakura said with sarcastic indignation
******Syaoran's Room****** (Have you noticed that all I am putting people in are rooms?)
{Syaoran lay on his bed and he thought.}
'I wonder if mother will accept the fact that we aren't engaged anymore.' He thought
{He picked up the phone and called.}
"Hello. This is the Mashumaro Phone Network. Please press 1 if you want to call Europe. Please press 2 if you want to call Antarctica. Please press 3 if you want to call Africa..."
'How about if I press 4 and you shut your trap.' He thought exasperatedly
"Please press 4 if you want to call Asia."
"Finally." *Presses 4*
"You have pressed 4. If you want to call Philippines, press 1. If you want to call Mongolia, press 2..."
'Oh, Kami-sama, WHY?' he thought
"If you want to call China press..."
'Let me guess, 3?' he thought sarcastically
"5."
'WHAT?' he thought
*Presses 5*
******
"Nihao and welcome to the Ichimatsu Network. Please dial the number you wish to contact."
*Dials a whole bunch of numbers*
*RING. RING. RING*
******
"Hello. This is the Li residence. This is Fuutie speaking."
"Hi, umm... can I speak to mom?" he asked
"Who the heck is this?"
"It's Syaoran, you dolt!" he yelled
"Oh. Hello my little brother. How are y..." she was cut off
"Just get her, Fuutie."
"Well, someone needs a nap." She said sarcastically
{She left and came back a new voice.}
"Hello. Xiao Lang, is that you?" Yelan asked
"Yeah. I was wondering if you were okay with Meiling and me breaking the engagement?"
"What do you mean?" she said frantically
"I don't know. Meiling told me that she broke the engagement. She also told me that told me that she already told you."
"Nobody told me anything. Why did she want to break the engagement?" she said, and once again frantically
"Well, I don't really know. Though, if we really did do this, would you really be alright with it?" he said hopefully
"No, I wouldn't! I want to know whom she fell in lo..." she said until she got cut off
"Actually, I think it was my fault." He said
"What? What did you do?"
"I think I was the one who fell in love."
"WHO would you fall in love with and think is better than Meiling?"
"I think it is the girl I help in etiquette with, Sakura."
"HER? Why her?"
"I don't know. She is just different. There is so much about her."
"There is nothing about her! Why?"
"I said I don't know. What is wrong with loving someone I wasn't engaged with?"
"Xiao Lang, you know I want you to be happy, but the thing is that we don't know anything about her!"
"She is sweet and beautiful. You have to trust my judgment. I wouldn't just pick up some loser off the street."
"Alright. I will trust you for now. I want to meet her some time. You know, just to check."
"Fine. I have to go now. Bye." He said as he hung up
******
{Footsteps approached and a girl entered.}
"Hello there, Syaoran-kun."
"Oh, hi there Mikayo. What are you doing here?"
"Well, I just want to check on a friend. So, how are you?"
"Alright, I guess."
"I can sense that there is something wrong here." She poked
"Well, I had a talk with my mother and she isn't really happy about the whole 'me liking Sakura, Meiling liking me' fiasco."
"Oh, so she is mad?"
"Oh, no. She is a mix of confused and furious." He said
"Oh. Well, she should understand. I mean, her mother didn't like your father when she was your age." Mikayo said
"How would you know? You are, what, 16." He said
"Well, my mother is your mother's friend and I overheard her talking with your mother a while back."
"Why didn't my mom's mom like my dad?" he asked
"Oh, it was because when she was dating him, he got into her room and kissed her. And, then he err... pinned her down and they got all yeah." She said with a shudder
"O...aky." he said as he tried to erase any type of thought that entered his mind that had to do with that! (_ I would too! She gave way too much detail!)
"Well, anyway, she didn't care. And, forget it, kid. Hai. It was the moment you were 'created'." She said
"You know what?"
"What?"
"I never needed to know that! I might have some type of flashbackish type of dream and ugh!"
"Well, I'm sorry for giving you a bad picture, but I just had to say something." She said with an evil grin
"Anyways, what do you think?"
"I think that it's so sweet that you are trying to stand up to mom to stay together with your little girlfriend." She said as she pinched his cheeks and gave that animeish kitty face (à:x It's like that, kind of.)
"She is not my girlfriend."
"Oh, really?" she said as she walked out "What kind of guy are you? You say you love her, but you say that she isn't even your girlfriend." She said exasperatedly
"Well, yeah! I mean, I might love her, but I don't know if she even really likes me. It might be a trick, like last time." He said with his head put down
"Oh, so you still remember that, do you?" she said
"How could I forget that insensitive, prissy princess who played me for a sap? She was so dense. I wish she were dead." He said
"Don't say that. That is so cruel."
"What she did to me was cruel too." He said bitterly
"Don't be discouraged. She was a jerk. Anyways, she was deported back to wherever she came from." (I have no idea what other country may have had kings and queens and what not.)
"Whatever. I don't know if she is like her, but I'm going to trust her. She seems good enough to actually trust."
"Aww... how kawaii." She said as she pinched his cheeks again.
"Stop that." He said as he moved her hand from his face
******
{Things progressed and things got a bit better. The bathrooms were full as people tried to hide their bruises and put cover up on their fat lips. People were as active as usual and the thing was, Meiling was nowhere to be found.}
******
{She sat on a chair with the computer in the guest room on.}
"If you want to mess with me man, I'll give you two words." She said as she clicked a few things
"Buzz off." She said as she blended a few things
{She turned on the printer and she printed a few paper's worth of body parts and she smiled as she put them together.}
"Perfect." She said with a grin
'We all know what you look like on the outside, but here is your inside.' She thought as she looked at the prints
"It's time. Time for revenge." She whispered as she pulled a drawer open and got a bottle of glue
{She walked outside and she went to Midako.}
"Umm... hi. Do you have any cardboard?" Meiling asked innocently
"What for and who are you?" Midako asked with a pointed face
"Umm... I'm Meiling Li. I am Syaoran's cousin and I need to use it for a gift, a special gift." She said
"I do have some, but what exactly do you need it for?"
"It's a gift for the princess. I think she needs it."
"Oh, alright." She said as she handed it to her.
'There's something funny about that kid.' Midako thought as Meiling left
(Please note: (This is kind of important.) Right now, ya'll should already know Meiling's plan. If you don't, then her are clues: Poster board, glue, picture. Let's get going, ya'll!)
*******Banquet! (Yeah! Woo! Okay let's go. -_-)******
{Everyone was so happy to find enough make up to cover their face. The thing is that Nadeshiko has to buy a load more makeup for herself. She had nothing left after that morning. She called Avon and she ordered a whole box of makeup. (@_@) Though, people were covered up, they had completely forgot about their clothes. No one was wearing something too fancy, for they weren't ready. The banquet was as noisy as ever, but it was even noisier. Sakura didn't really enjoy herself, mostly because she hadn't seen Syaoran all night. She walked in the ballroom and she spotted a group who stared at her like she was some sort of circus attraction. She scoured the crowds for Tomoyo and she found her in the arms of, none other than, Eriol.}
"Hey, Tomoyo-chan, why are these people looking at me so weirdly?" she asked frantically
"It's probably because of this. I need to show you something. I'm sorry for you to see this, though." Eriol said
"It's okay, Eriol-kun. Just tell me."
"I can't tell you. I have to show you." He said
{They walked toward the laughing crowd and found a picture. It wasn't just any picture. It was a hentai-ish picture. It was glued on to a poster board and was put together in tiles of paper. It was a large print of a woman posing in a bikini and almost revealing her own breasts. The problem was that the head was all too familiar for everyone. It was the princess.}
{Mankato Takahara, the same man who was in a drinking contest in the 3rd chapter, was still as drunk as ever. He made a loud announcement to the crowd.}
"Hey. I gotz that piture in me room. It's from thad Playboy magazine." He said drunkenly. (What a weirdo!)
"What an idiot." Kaneko said as she folded her arms. (Kaneko is a character that no one should recognize. If you do, then you must be whack. I created her just now. I was reading the Love Hina manga and said, "What the hey. I'll just chuck her in there." ^_^Anyways, Kaneko is just a girl who is part of the Kino Kingdom. She is just the daughter of one of the knights. Those who know Love Hina, she looks like she does there.)
{Sakura's eyes filled with tears and she dropped onto the floor as Eriol and Tomoyo tried to make her feel better. Meiling, at last, came innocently onto the scene and said:}
"I knew something was wrong when he had that magazine and poster board that he got from Midako. Are you going to be alright, Kinomoto-chan?" she asked fakely as she laughed also with the crowd, only yet heartier
{Nothing happened except the fact that she ran out into the corridor. She had run toward the bathroom and saw someone.}
******Start Sakura's POV******
(Note: The {} things are the narration of the person in the POV. So, what I'm trying to say is that if I do {this}, the one who said it is the one in the POV. So, {} these things mean that Sakura is talking. And –{}- this is my narration in other people's POV's. Gomen for making it too complicating. Don't kill me!)
I thought he loved me.
I guess I was wrong.
{I saw him sitting there on the balcony.}
He looked so sad, but I don't care anymore. He is a jerk and I never want to fall in love ever again.
{I walked up to him and he didn't do anything.}
He probably thinks that I will pity him.
Yeah, right.
"Hey!"
{He turned around and showed a shallow face.}
-{He had a sad and empty face. His eyes were full of nothing and it looked like he had just seen someone die. He had only looked at her for half a second and looked down at the ground.}-
"Huh? Oh. Hi." He said to me in such an empty voice
"What is with you? I hate you!" I said to him
"What did I do?" he yelled at me furiously. It was as if he didn't know what was going on.
{I didn't care anymore. I raised my hand and slapped his face. I had never been so angry in my entire life. I know it was wrong, but he had got what he deserved.}
-{He staggered and looked, not furious, but even more depressed. Though, that didn't keep him from yelling.}-
"What the heck was that for?" he asked, and once again furious as ever and face red as a tomato (Why? Not for blushing, but when I am mad, my face gets red. I don't know about ya'll.)
"You should know! You did it!" I yelled at him
"I didn't do anything all day. All I ever did was call my mom to tell her about the broken engagement, but I guess I shouldn't break it anymore. I don't even know what I did! Tell me now! Why are you mad at me?" he yelled at me
{He looked furious, but I am not falling for this all over again. He could act as innocent as he likes, but he will never get my attention to actually forgive him!}
"Don't act like you don't know what is going on!" I yelled
"I'm not acting. Answer me. What did I do to you?" he said as his anger ebbed away
"You put that picture up! Now, everyone is laughing at me." I said as my anger left as fast as it had come
"What picture? I didn't do anything for the whole day. I hardly ate, slept, or even left the room. I didn't even want to go to the stupid thing. How could I put up some picture that I didn't even know about?" he said to me
{His eyes were full of concern and dread. I would believe him, but what if this were just some cheap ploy to get me to love him again?}
{I couldn't take it. I headed for the bathroom (The public-ish one) and saw someone again.}
{Midako was on one of the stools fixing her hair. She looked over worked and tried.}
"Hello. I was just fixing up before I go back out there." She said to me
{She stared intently at me, just the way Syaoran did when he first met me.}
"Why are your eyes all red?" she asked
"Syaoran." Was all I had uttered all night.
"What about him? I thought you two were happy together."
"That's the point. We were happy together. That was only until he betrayed me." I said to her
"What did he do?" she asked me
"He got this big poster board and printed a giant picture of a woman in a bikini with my head on it." I said to her defeatedly
"Really? I believe that Meiling was the one who asked me for that piece of card board." She told me as she took her compact mirror and she put powder near her face
"What do you mean?"
"Well, she told me that she was preparing you a gift. She said you needed it." She said as she put blush on her face
"So, she set Syaoran up?" I said as I thought about how I slapped him.
"I guess so. Anyways, you didn't do anything to him, right?" she prodded
"Well, I kind of err..." I said sadly
"You kind of..." she prodded once again
"I kind of slapped him." I said timidly
"Ooo... I don't know what Yelan will think of that." Midako said
"Who?"
"Oh. She is Syaoran's mother. She doesn't like it when she sees her son sad. I talked to Mikayo and she said that he talked to his mom about the engagement thing. His mom was furious. She doesn't want someone taking over his love life in just a few weeks."
"She never wanted her son to be sad, because some chick same and made him think that she loved him. He was heart broken and they put the engagement back together with Meiling. That chick has problems, man. She can't comprehend the fact that he doesn't love her. He loves you. He can't be sure of the whole thing. He'll probably hate you for now, but just give him time. He'll come back. He's a sweet guy. He can't stay mad at the girl he loves. Thought, he might just change and want to leave." She said to me
{I thought and thought about how I had treated him.}
I had hit him with a vase and he didn't do anything. I slapped him and he didn't do anything, again. I can't believe that I thought that he was the jerk, but it was I who was the jerk! And, I guess Midako is right. He might want to leave. Though, I don't blame him. Ever since he arrived here, he got hurt. I guess he deserves to leave. Well, I'm going to find out.
-{She walked out of the bathroom and turned to the corridor leading to his room.}-
******End of Sakura's POV and Start of Syaoran's POV******
What did I do?
Did I do anything to hurt her?
I never wanted to do that at all.
Instead of showing how much I loved her,
All I did was push her away.
I guess I am doomed.
I am doomed to be loveless.
{I finished packing and saw her standing at my doorway with tears in her eyes. She walked closer to me and she spoke:}
"I'm sorry." Was all she had said to me
I wanted to say that I forgive her. I really did, but she might just be exactly like that girl.
-{And so, things began.}-
******Flashback and still at Syaoran's POV******
******A few year back******
-{A younger looking Syaoran walked along a road and with a girl. She had long red hair and with a fake smile on her face. She stopped along the trail and she spoke}-
"Will you marry me?"
{I blushed and I couldn't refuse.}
"I...umm..."
"You?"
"Y...es."
"Really?"
"Yeah."
"You are so weird! You actually think that I love you? What an idiot!" she said to me
My heart was shattered into a thousand pieces. I can't believe that I fell for that girl. I, now and forever, solemnly vow to never fall in love ever again!
******End of Flashback, but still same POV******
I remember that. I remember saying that years ago. I broke it. I broke my vow. I fell back in love and it happened again. I never want to feel anything ever again.
Her words still surround me. Sakura was different or so I thought. The words, "I'm sorry." Also surrounded my mind.
{Sakura waved a hand at my face and I finally got back to reality. Her eyes filled with more tears, she wailed and weeped with full force. I could do nothing, but pity her. I am such a sap for tears. I never have gone against a teary face. She just had to cry.}
"It's alright. I guess you didn't mean it." I said to her
I was defeated.
It was hook, line, and sinker.
I lost the war.
I lost to a girl!
{She smiled, but her tears doubled up. She ran out of the hall and into her own room. I ran after her and I saw her.}
{Her head was drooped down and she looked up at me.}
******End of Syaoran's POV and Start of Normal POV******
{Syaoran walked up to Sakura. She looked up at him and she simply smiled and laid her head onto his chest. He wrapped his arms around her and sat on the squishy bed. (And, the way I use squishy is like a good thing. Not too squishy that you hurt your back. Squishy as in you can feel so content in it, like a dream bed. ^_^)}
"I am so sorry." She said to him as she lifted her head up
"It doesn't matter anymore." He said
"It does. I wanted to be with you, but I just..."
"Pushed me away? Iie. You did not. We pulled away from each other and now we are together again." Syaoran said solemnly
"You aren't mad?"
"I was, but knew that it couldn't be true. I just want to know who set me up." He said
"I think I know. Midako told me that it was Meiling, but she told me it was you."
"I know why. She wants you to hate me and I will soon hate you. When we hate each other, she will try to swoop down, take me back to Hong Kong and try her best to manipulate my "broken feelings"." He said as he gestured the finger quote thingy
"What are you going to do with her?"
"Nothing. I don't want to. She has to deal with it. I don't want to hurt her, even if she hurt me." (*Mimics throwing up* this is like too sweet! XD.)
"You are too nice. Do you know that?" she asked as she smiled happily and her tears ebbing away.
"Yeah. I do." Syaoran said with a broad and benign grin
******
{Well, people have actually forgotten the whole thing and no one ever remembered anything. Why? It was because everyone, even under aged people, had a bit too much sake and wine. Only Sakura and Syaoran had not been drunk. Oh, and not to mention the fact that Midako didn't get drunk either. She just got tipsy. People woke up and Sasami had a field day. She had to run to so many rooms to serve the people some aspirin and some water to wash it down with. Even the king and queen were in bed. Tomoyo and Eriol only got drunk, because they saw a new type of sake and thought it was apple juice. Meiling hadn't been drunk nor tipsy. She had been blissful, that is until she saw Sakura and Syaoran, arm-in-arm.}
"Hello, Meiling." Syaoran said happily as he watched her face turn from milky white with a smile to purple and frowning.
"Why are you two together? Kinomoto-chan, aren't you mad at this stupid dolt?" she asked frantically
"Iie. He told me that he didn't do anything." She said as she held her head up high.
{Meiling had run off and Sakura and Syaoran stared after her.}
******
Okay, ya'll! I want you to read and review. Tell me if the whole editing this is a good thing. If you are new to the story, don't say anything. Anyways, I want all you Meiling + Syaoran shippers to be aware that this is an S+S fic. Though, if you are a Meiling lover/ shipper/ she's-not-bad believer, hold tight. I am going to dedicate this chapter to ya'll. ^_^ Anyway, I think that you have to have a say in this story. So, wait. And, no, I will not take this long anymore. So, please read and review. I need confidence.
SO! God bless ya'll and Ja ne till the next chapter! ~_^
----Cherri Ookami
