You And Me

Chapter 1: A Perfect Life

Italics: present

Normal: past

" …And we bring you the hottest book in the stores since Sakura Kinomoto's fantasy tales…a man who has the publishing companies in a roll," a frisky female news reporter said flashing the cameras a lopsided smile "…a man who we did not take as a writer but one of the hottest bachelors in the country," at this, the crowd in the back, who were very surprisingly all females screamed so loud, it was a miracle, the camera lens didn't shatter, "…a man whose smile became the solace of young girls…yes, ladies and gentlemen, that man is none other than the ex :playboy, or at least I think, ex: playboy---SYAORAN LI…" The din was deafening. Some of the females had fainted on the floor and behind the reporter; a few hospital men had come carrying stretchers. Even the reporter was beaming and her eyes became very dreamy, "…and here is the heartthrob to all females in the continent---welcome Mr. Li…"

A man's figure came into view. If the reporter thought hottest described the man, then she was most certainly wrong. This man was gorgeous. He was handsomely tall and his rebellious chocolate manes fell over his face with unique casualty. He had muscled torso that was covered by an informal T-shirt with a few buttons opened. His jeans were baggy and looked as though it was made for his legs and finally he wore expensive dress shoes that nobody had the money to buy. But perhaps the most wonderful part of him was his eyes. They were piercing ocher almost amber that watched everything fathomlessly.

Pretty soon, though hard to believe, everything quieted down. The females that were cheering stood behind the fence-like dividers with sparkly eyes and stared at Syaoran Li as though it was the only thing to do.

Syaoran smirked as his eyes narrowed. Finally, they shut up, he thought to himself. Why the hell, he always found himself listening to his best friend, Eriol Hiiragizawa was a complete mystery. But, he had to admit, this, was a good idea. When it came to love, Eriol had amazingly experienced ideas that made him doubt his ideas even more.

He was onstage about to get interviewed on his book…the book he had written for—her. The book he had written, so that she would come back, come back like the winds…enter his life like she had once done. It was astonishing that he had written this book with genuine feelings and not the two-faced feelings he got sometimes.

A man thrust a book in his hands--his book, as all the interviewers sat down in front of him taking out small notepads. He could hear small scratching noises as they furiously scribbled down his name.

" So this book," asked an old but important-looking lady, "this book…what is it about…I am sure we would all like to hear it from you…"

Syaoran Li stared at the lady with a glare. If looks could kill, the lady would have dropped dead on the spot. The lady did not notice. Syaoran sighed. This was going to be a long, long day. But at least by the end of the day, he had something to look forward to---badly thrash his sad excuse for a cousin, Eriol. At that thought, a smile stretched his lips as he began…

Hours and hours passed by or at least that was what it seemed like—an eternity. Syaoran looked at his watch. It had only been an hour and a half—half an hour more to go. He stared at the lady who was still talking. He could hear her but it seemed like the woman had only said blah… blah… blah.

" Uh, Mr. Li…" the woman said with a very annoyed tone, "… have you not—"

" Oh yeah—wait, what?" Syaoran said lazily.

" I said, this book is obviously a romance…right?"

" Yeah."

" Do you think that by writing this book, you have truly understood women?"

" No, I need to write a couple of more books to do that…"

There was a polite round of laughter and Syaoran himself smiled (which caused the females at the back slump down). The lady continued speaking.

" The events in the book were so real, it makes me think…that in this book, somewhere deep down, your experiences with girls or a particular girl is there…"

This woman was a fast one. Syaoran took a good look at her. She had a tight bun and a very stern expression on her face like she was only there to fulfill her job as head reporter according to her badge. He didn't want to speak about her because his heart ached. He—who was the heart breaker, had caught his heart aching. Somehow, that feeling didn't sooth him. He began, hoping even praying that she was listening to him.

" There was this girl…who came like the wind and left like one…"he noticed some of the reporters were edging towards him sitting at the corner of their seats with a very concentrating expression on their face.

A female with shoulder-length auburn hair and startling emerald-green eyes looked at the woman in front of her with utmost impatience. She was getting extremely late and unless she did something about it, she was going to miss her flight. In aggravation, she tapped her feet hoping that the woman in front of her—her best friend—who also became her demise—would hear it, open her eyes and stop.

" That's it…Tomoyo…I am going" the impatient girl said through clenched teeth trying and failing her level best to speak politely. She was about to turn around when--

" Wait, Sakura--let me finish chanting and throw you the holy flowers," Tomoyo said, her eyes finally opening to reveal enchanting amethyst orbs that looked at her soulfully. The woman was going to be her end. Sakura stared at her best friend through her emerald eyes deciding that she could still run for it.

Finally she said, " Look, Tomoyo…you dragged me here to the airport at 5:00 'o' clock in the morning to ensure my safe flight…and what do you do…you start praying for my success literally! You bring all these flowers here and start doing this for nearly four hours straight…and when it's time for my flight, you expect me to run around like wood-nymphs with flowers in my hair?"

Tomoyo was about to say something when Sakura started speaking again, " …and you pack one whole suitcase with all these holy stuff to give to the poor when I arrive in London…honestly, Tomoyo, what were you thinking?"

"Listen Sakura, I know you may think this is all rubbish—"

" It is rubbish!"

"—and religious as you may be, you don't like it, but this is the first time, you're going to Europe, I mean, as a best friend it's my duty to make sure—"

"---that everything goes alright for me," Sakura sighed, " I know but –er—next time, could you, maybe under—pray a lot. " Tomoyo smiled apologetically. Sakura smiled back at Tomoyo she was probably the only person who knew her, understood her. Tomoyo and her had been friends since she could remember. They would do everything together. Even now, when Tomoyo was a very famous, not to mention rich, fashion designer owning her own clothesline and designing outfits every week for some show or another, they would always have time, to fool around, though Sakura had to admit, her workload wasn't exactly dropping. She was after all, a very famous writer—a fantasy writer and she thought she would hardly see the day when her stories would become famous bestsellers always topping the charts coming closer to Rowling's Harry Potter rates. Yet they had, and she owed it all to Tomoyo for recognizing her talents though privately, Sakura knew she would always do it.

Her latest book, 'Dungeon's Wrath', the third of a trilogy was the reason she was to go to London and finish the book and hand the manuscript to Words Flow Publications, a prestigious and well-known publishing company owned by some man whose name Sakura uncared to learn.

Sakura suddenly snapped back to reality as Tomoyo looked at her with concern tainting her beautiful features. Tomoyo had a hand in her raven black hair and was waving at Sakura with her other hand.

"…earth to Sakura…hello, anyone in there…hey, Sakura—"

"Yeah, I'm fine Tomoyo—"

" All passengers boarding Flight 349 to London, England please make your way to the checking room half an hour before the flight starts…I repeat…"a hollow voice spoke through the speakers.

" Well, that's my cue, Tomoyo, I'll call you as soon as I reach there and I'll ask my Words Flow if they could allow to come back here early…fine with you?"

" Definitely, my cute writer…and as soon as you come back…we'll go shopping together…or better yet," Tomoyo's features became excited. Oh no, Sakura thought, here it comes… "you can try out some of my hand-made clothes…do you mind if I take a few measurements right no—"

" NO," Sakura said, laughing all the same.

" Fine, then could you please take all these holy flowers and—"

" Tomoyo! I have to go…now! I can't carry all these flowers, you have to be joking for—"

" –but please you have to, or else it's very auspici—"

" Tomoyo?"

" What?"

" NO," Sakura said heatedly as she desperately tried to free Tomoyo with her obsession with auspicious and inauspicious things. She had better sort out her priorities, Sakura thought as she walked away, a very desperate looking Tomoyo tagging behind her saying things like, " Sakura, what if your plane crashes…you won't get to wear my dresses, remember?"

Sakura kept walking. Tomoyo gaped at her. Sakura was always like this—reserved, intelligent, beautiful, (although the day Tomoyo would hear Sakura say that about herself would be the day flying horses were spotted) an imaginative artist yet at the same time she was very quick-tempered, cold to strangers, hated competition and preferred everything to be in peace and perfect. Yes, that would be it, Sakura, was a perfectionist. Everything that she did was perfect and everything she presented was perfect but her whole character was far from perfect. Sakura didn't believe in the romantic kind of love and was very different from any other person Tomoyo had ever met. Maybe, the difference set Sakura apart making her the best in her field if not character. Tomoyo decided to wave her goodbye.

" Syaoran Li," called a very aggravating-looking woman, " honestly where did that sad excuse of a nephew go?" The woman was looking clearly frustrated. Her black becoming gray hair was falling apart from her elegant bun and her lips were pursed, he eyes livid, "that boy would be late for his flight…"

" Ah, thank goodness, there you are, where is Syaoran?" the aged woman asked a handsome-looking man with navy-blue eyes and tamed bluish black hair. He had a well-built body by the looks and was looking bored but quite handsomely doing so.

" Syaoran, who Syaoran?" The man asked amused.

" You know, exactly who I mean Eriol and you better spit it out before I use my forbidden stick to do you-know-what."

" Yes, Mother," Eriol said annoyed as well that his cousin, the notorious playboy of the Asian continent, was getting him into loads of trouble. They were supposed to be inside the checking room and seated in the first-class department of the flight an hour ago.

" There he is!" Eriol said after a few minutes of standing there and looking fed-up.

" Oh! He has the forbidden stick coming up his ass for sure!" the aged lady said thoroughly angry.

A man with ocher eyes and a gorgeous body opened the door to the entrance. The action was so sudden that it appeared as though there was a magnet and all the metal was pulled to it. All the females in the area looked at the man immediately with dreamy eyes and drooling mouths. Some of the pretty ones were even brave enough to go up to him and smile.

" Hi," a female said very attractively, " I am the model for all the scenes from the hit catwalk show, Marine Life. You have surely heard of me, haven't you?"

" No, I haven't but maybe in the near future…" Syaoran walked by and half the females fainted on the floor almost kissing the floor he walked on.

This got the lady madder as she marched up to Syaoran and poked his chest.

" Do you have any idea what the time is?"

" Yeah, morning…" Syaoran said his lips curling. Eriol was chuckling deeply behind the woman. The woman shot him a very dirty look.

" I am your Aunt Medusa, Syaoran…you better not do anything funny with me or else…"

Eriol looked amused at Syaoran's irritated action towards this crazy woman.

" Sorry, hag, but who are you?"

" Watch it, Syaoran, my dear little cousin…that's my mother you are talking to…"

" Anyways, what were you doing, Syaoran?" Aunt Medusa asked 'innocently'.

" I…was in the car." Syaoran said simply.

Eriol suddenly took out a jingling object that turned out to be a pair of keys.

" Ohhh, car keys," Syaoran said amusedly.

" Yes, that's right, now, where were you?" the lady asked demandingly.

" I was with Annelise…you know, the French super model."

" Annelise, Annelise Le' Tomader?" Eriol asked, " seems just as well, since I am with Korina Madline."

" Syaoran Li, I don't understand why you think of girls this way—always for pleasure…" Aunt Medusa said disapprovingly.

Syaoran Li shrugged while Eriol chuckled some more. Aunt Medusa went towards the counter, perhaps to delay the flight for a few minutes. As she went away, Syaoran said softly, " You know, Eriol…if you like your nose the way it is…you know what to do, don't you?"

Eriol acted as though he hadn't heard his cousin and instead asked, " Why do you think girls are pleasure anyways?"

" You see, Eriol, girls are like buses…there's one every two minutes." He and Eriol laughed quietly. No one would think they were fighting the last minute.

" SYAORAN AND ERIOL!" Aunt Medusa screamed.

" How did she come back so fast?" Syaoran asked entertained. Eriol simple shrugged.

" I DON"T APPROVE of your prospect on girls. You have no respect for the opposite sex."

" If they are all like you, the answer is pretty obvious." Eriol muttered putting his hands across his chest.

" Who said I don't respect women…I respect you, Mother, Mother Teresa, Mother Earth, Mother Japan, Miss Japan…nice body I must say…"Syaoran replied smiling.

Eriol burst out laughing and didn't stay quiet despite the look his mother was giving him.

" Here you go," Aunt Medusa finally sighed, and handed a statue to Syaoran, " it's statue of a laughing Buddha…you know what that is, boy or is the only thing you know are how shapely a female body should be? Now you get that business deal that will bring our family more honour, not that it needs it…our business is the best in Asia but this proposal will deal with America as well and we will earn 50 million profits and—hey, are you listening TO ME?"

Syaoran wasn't listening to her. Eriol wasn't any more concerned with business than he was. They were busy…too busy watching

They were all listening to a huge racket that an emerald-eyed woman was creating.

" Good thing you gave me a statue, check that out…" Syaoran said pointing to the women far across them.

" NO, Tomoyo, NO…I am not taking holy flowers to London…This is not why I am going to London…What would your mother say when she sees her famous daughter struggle with flowers…flowers. NO, there is no way I am taking that…"

" Fine, Sakura, be that way…just have a safe flight…and when you come back you will wear twice the clothes I have made for you…Deal…"

" Deal…" Sakura waved her friend goodbye and headed for the ascending escalator leaving Tomoyo very exasperated.

Syaoran chuckled. Interesting…that female didn't seem to notice him at all. Strange…very strange.

" You have a safe flight too…" Aunt Medusa said laughing. Syaoran scowled and went towards the escalator followed by Eriol. Aunt Medusa hugged them both although they couldn't feel her since she was so weak and old.

Syaoran couldn't help getting a flash of those emerald eyes that amazed him so much. Behind him, Eriol kept looking back at that girl with raven locks, the one who got fiery one mad…Syaoran figured he wasn't the only one with foreign feelings…