Disguise

Blue Sonnet

Legend:

"" - dialogue

' ' - character thoughts

( ) - me

Game of Revenge

"You're really enjoying this, aren't you?" Sakura gave her best friend a rigid smile.

Tomoyo was currently laughing her head off. She managed to reply in-between breaths. "He...really...said...that?!" She had insisted that Sakura recount everything that had happened today the moment her best friend came inside their apartment. Needless to say, she was amused by her friend's distress.

Sakura's expression changed from mild irritation to downright anger. "Yes he did! The pompous peacock even had the utter gall to tell me that I could call him Mr. Li!! Puh-leeese!! Like I'd call him anything else!"

Tomoyo's laughter ended in a smirk. She made a small cluck of appreciation as she watched Sakura pouting. Savoring the moment, she took the opportunity to fill her inventory of facts. "So Syaoran Li is the heir to that very old, very wealthy family, isn't he? Shanghai or Hong Kong, trading industry or investment. Disgustingly rich."

"Hong Kong, trading industry to investment, and disgusting." Sakura affirmed as she sat herself down. "You better not blame me tomorrow when you get nightmares tonight."

"Do I detect a smidgeon of dislike?"

"You detect a ton of dislike," Sakura countered. "I've had to rent a room to hold my extra dislike of Syaoran Li."

"Mmm, and rent prices are soaring."

"Which only makes me dislike him more."

Tomoyo was already grateful to the "pompous peacock". Her best friend hadn't talked this much to her in two years, and she was already seeing the change in Sakura. She dared hope it might be for the better, and decided to leave things to fate. 'But even Fate needs help,' she mused, 'and I'll be there every step of the way.'

Then to Sakura, she said, "If you're that angry, then why don't you get even with him?"

Sakura stopped abruptly, then giggled. Trust Tomoyo to suggest the craziest solutions. "Why not? Seems to me someone needs to put a dent in his pride. I'd definitely like to be that someone," she paused for a moment, and continued. "But how are we going to get even?"

Tomoyo put on the innocent look Sakura knew so much. "Did I hear you say we? The guy didn't do anything to me, so I'm out. You, on the other hand..."

That grin was unmistakable. "Oh, no. No, no, no, and definitely NO."

"Oh, come on, Sakura! It'll be fun!"

"Tomoyo, I don't even like the guy! What makes you think I can flirt with him?! Besides, you just want an excuse to put those clothes on me again."

Tomoyo sighed. "Listen carefully. You have no other way to get even, mainly because he's your boss. You say he's cold and irritating, right? It'd just be a nuisance to him if you flirted with him, and you could give him hell every single day with the least effort on your part."

Sakura was nearing hysterical. "Least effort?! Are you crazy?! It'd be hell for me too, you know!"

"You can just try, Sakura. What do you have to lose?" Tomoyo paused for effect, then continued. "If that doesn't work, what's stopping you from putting salt in his coffee? It's just that the first solution is so much more gratifying."

Sakura groaned. Dammit, Tomoyo's solution seemed more reasonable by the minute. And what did she have to lose? Only her heart, Sakura thought sadly. But Tomoyo need not know that. "Alright, Tomoyo. But you'll help me, alright?"

Tomoyo almost jumped for joy. "Of course I'll help! And I've got these new designs that I'd like you to fit. Oh, you'll look so good, Sakura!!" she said, her amethyst eyes twinkling. Then her expression abruptly changed, leaving a grin on her face. "Sakura, you still know how to flirt, right?"

Sakura gave her a sugar-sweet smile. "If there was such a thing as Flirting 101, I would have aced it a long time ago."

Just you wait, Syaoran Li. Just you wait.

"You don't have to pretend disinterest, Eriol. I know you all too well." Syaoran commented on his friend's slight smile.

Unlike his girlfriend, Eriol was taking things in stride, and managed only to nod and grin through Syaoran's whole litany. "It seems you have quite a handful there. But Sakura is a pleasant enough companion. I know, because I'm the one who referred her to your mother."

That remark earned Eriol an extra glare. "Does pleasant include noisy and snobbish? I don't think so." He looked thoughtful for a moment. "So you're the one I should blame for my good fortune. Nice work."

Eriol didn't miss the sarcasm, but chose to overlook it. "Don't mistake me, Syaoran. My loyalty is still to you, though I don't understand this intense dislike you have for her. I've never known Sakura to stick her nose into anyone's business, so pretty much everyone in the office likes her. She's very quiet and considerate. Nice qualities you don't see anywhere." He purposely failed to add that Sakura's best friend is his Tomoyo. Better for him not to know, yet.

Syaoran looked incredulous. "Those qualities are yet to be seen."

Eriol stuck his tongue in his cheek. "Anyway, if what you've been telling me about her is true, I don't see why you can't have your revenge. Or have you lost your touch?" (inspired by my fave quote: "lintik lang ang walang ganti!" - it's in Filipino )

Syaoran grinned, but was quickly disappointed. "I can't, because I can't fire her. At least not if the problem is me. My mother would raise holy hell when she finds out."

'He's beginning to see reason,' Eriol thought. Aloud, he said, "You solved your own question there, my friend. You'll just have to—"

"You're right! I'll just have to make her resign!" Syaoran cut in before he finished. He grabbed Eriol's shoulders in anticipation. "I'll make her life a living hell. She'll resign at the first possible opportunity! Eriol, you're a genius!!"

"I am?" Eriol sweat-dropped. He was just going to tell Syaoran to leave Sakura alone and get on with work at the office. 'I am so dead when Tomoyo finds out about this,' he thought, and grimaced. No more suggestions coming from him tonight.

Meanwhile, the chestnut-haired man was already anticipating battle- royal.

Just you wait, Sakura Kinimoto. Just you wait.

"You're a selfish, inconsiderate slut. I don't even remember how I put up with you all that time."

She didn't mind the many pairs of eyes that had made their way to them at that outburst, including those of the woman beside him. She turned her concentration to the ones boring into hers. "Please understand. I can't let you. They're all I have left. Don't do this to me."

Don't do this to me...

Don't do this...

Sakura sat up with a jolt and looked at the wall clock: 3.30am. She sincerely hoped Tomoyo didn't hear her in the next room.

Why was it so clear? There were times when she hadn't had the dream for two full months. Then, when she starts letting her guard down, it came so vividly she had to put up those barriers again. Then again, this day hadn't gone smoothly either. All because of one man: Syaoran Li. 'No,' she thought, 'I can't do this. I can't put it all on the line again. Sorry, Tomoyo.' With that, she lay down and drifted off to an undisturbed sleep.

Done at last!! For those who were anticipating a flirting session, I'd have to disappoint you, for now. Can't let them go falling in love with each other now, can we? At least not in the near, as in near future. But of course, it's SxS, so what can we expect? Anyway, read and review. I need your reviews, minna! This story can't go on without them. So click that button below! Ciao!