"Dreams"

Chapter 3

Complicated

She'd never been so shocked in her life, but then again she'd never felt so relaxed and calm. In those few seconds she felt like nothing could hurt her, like no matter what he would always protect her. Then, it ended.

His hand still lay on her cheek but she didn't notice. All she noticed was…him. She never really realized how warm his hands were or how calm and sweet he looked.

Just then she realized something, for the first time since she'd been there his eyes were open. They were a deep brown, deeper than the ocean, and they were dragging her in. She leaned in to kiss him, but once she remembered who he was and what she was, she stopped and ran.

She ran as fast as she could go, knowing she couldn't look back. Though she was unsure which way she'd run she just kept running. After a while she heard the voices of Sasaki-chan and Yanagisawa-chan. When she could see them through the open kitchen window she slowed down, took a deep breath and walked in the door.

"You're late," Naoko started as she stirred a bowl. Just then she noticed how red Chiharu's cheeks were. "What happened to you?!"

Chiharu didn't answer she just plopped down in the nearest chair and tried to catch her breath and slow her heart. Once she could breath again she heard the door open and her heart stopped. She listened carefully as Takashi once again got into an argument with Yamazaki-san, fortunately this one wasn't that long.

As her heart started beating again she noticed that there were footsteps coming towards them.

"Oh no," she thought as she subconsciously put her hand on the cheek he'd touched, "he's coming in here."

Takashi slowly walked through the kitchen doors, not noticing he was being watched very carefully by Chiharu. He walked up to Naoko and whispered something that was oblivious to Chiharu and Rika.

"Mihara-chan," she said looking confused and excited as she did when reading one of the many horror books Takashi had lent her, "you seem tired today. Why don't you just put that pan in the oven and then go rest."

"I'm fine," she said getting up from her chair, "I've almost never felt better."

"Yeah, but you look worn out and you know what Yamazaki-san will say."

Chiharu thought about this as she put the pan into the oven. She knew Takashi had told Naoko something, but what, and what stuff would he tell her after she left.

"No, it's okay," she insisted trying to stay in the room.

"You should rest," Takashi said not looking at her, "you've been out all day."

"But I-"Yamazaki-kun, take her to our cabin," Naoko said as she pushed Chiharu out of the door.

Knowing she couldn't win Chiharu slowly followed Takashi out of the door. She made sure to stay a few steps behind him as they walked out of the house.

"What was that all about?" Rika asked Naoko.

"More than I've been told, that's for sure."

They walked through the field without a sound. This lasted for a long time until Takashi stopped, took a breath, and spoke.

"Gomennasai," he said running it all together.

"For what?" she asked though she knew exactly what he was talking about.

He turned around to face her, "For the…Um"-just as he turned Chiharu, who had stepped back, tripped over something. Not only that but whatever tripped her also pushed her forward and she landed on Takashi who landed on the ground with a slight thump.

"Gomen nasai," she said quickly as she tried to get up.

When she was half way up something behind her pushed her down causing her lips to land on Takashi's. Neither of them was as stunned as the last time but it still left the same relaxed feeling in both of them.

Once again when it was over they stared at each other. Soon Chiharu's eyes were filled with tears for the knowledge that know matter how much she loved him it wasn't allowed. She got up to run to her cabin but this time he grabbed her wrist and stopped her.

"LET GO!!!"

"I won't," he said with a great amount of determination, "I won't let go of you now or ever."

Her heart stopped at these words. She wanted him to hold her to never let go but it wasn't possible. A prince can't love a poor servant girl.

"NO!!!" she yelled as she forced his hand off her and ran even faster then she had before, crying all the way.

Once she reached her cabin she fell on her bed and sobbed.

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"Yamazaki-kun, Yamazaki-kun, wake-up," Syaoran said shaking his friend.

"Huh, what?"

"Class is over, Yamazaki-kun," Sakura said as she walked over to Syaoran.

"Oh," he said blinking a few times then gently shaking Chiharu.

"Just a few more minutes," she mumbled.

"No more minutes, Mihara-chan."

Once Chiharu had woken up and blinked a few times Sakura and Syaoran helped them gather their books for the next class.

"Couples helping other couples," Tomoyo whispered as she video taped from a nearby corner, "So kawaii!!!"

The two couples, followed by Tomoyo, walked through the hallway to their next classes. On the way there Sakura asked Chiharu why she seemed mad when she came into class.

"I was just grouchy because I was up late last night," she said with a drowsy smile and a yawn.

"Doshite?"

"Well…Um-"She was up late because of me," Takashi interrupted.

Syaoran and Sakura looked at him quizically as he yawned.

"Yesterday when we were out he asked me to get this book for him because if he got it his otousan would see it," Chiharu started, "It took me along time to find it and once I did it was to late to give it to him so I called him. He told me exactly what to do in the book and by the time he'd finished I was so tired and grouchy that I got really mad at him for making me do it. This morning I was still upset though he tried apologizing, but now everything's all right."

Just then the bell rang and they hurried of to their next class. For Sakura and Syaoran it was Science and for Chiharu and Takashi it was Literature.

"Another boring day of Jang-sensei," Chiharu said.

Jang-sensei was half Japanese and half Korean. He was born in Korea and had spent half of his life there. He was a good teacher but he had a need to give long speeches about his childhood and somehow put them into Literature.

"Well, think of it this way, more talk equals more sleep."

"Talking about sleep I had the weirdest dream during math."

"You know something, so did I," Takashi said as Jang-sensei walked through the door.

"Konichiwa, class."

"Konichiwa, Jang-sensei."

"Today we will work on some more grammar sheets and start our next journal. After that we will go over the 3rd and 4th chapters of the story, "My life, my love," which you were supposed to read for homework."

"Good," Chiharu whispered to Takashi who sat in front of her, "a day where we can get plenty of sleep. I've already finished my journal and got half way through my grammar sheet. Anata ka?"

Takashi was quiet for a minute but then he said, "Finished both."

"You're such a show-off."

"You know that a show-off was actually a really big pig that"-"Focus on Jang-sensei, Yamazaki-kun."

"But"-"Jang-sensei."

In a few minutes Chiharu had her grammar sheet done. They listened to the first few sentences of Jang-sensei's talk but soon they were off drifting in the world of Prince Yamazaki and The Servant girl Mihara-chan.

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"Oh, this is gonna be one of the hard couples," Li Meiling said as she watched her cousin stare the way that girl had run. "It'll be almost as difficult as Xiaolang and that magi girl, what's her name…Um…Kinomoto Sakura, that's it."

She watched Takashi stand there for what to him, seemed like hours. He kept asking himself why she kept running away but subconsciously, he knew.

After awhile he decided he would go back to his room and think things over. On his way back he couldn't help wondering what Chiharu was thinking right now. Did she hate him? Did she wish she'd never met him? So many things to worry about.

He slowly walked towards the house. Knowing Naoko would question him and that Yamazaki-san would start another argument, he decided to do something he hadn't done since he was about 7. He walked over to the side of the palace where his window was and slowly climbed up the vine to his open window(A/N: Takashi Tarzan, might make a good fanfic).

When he got there he was surprised for he found a tall brown-haired boy sleeping on his bed.

"Xiaolang, wake-up."

"Huh," Li Xiaolang said as he rubbed his eyes and yawned. "Oh, Takashi, it's you. I've been waiting for you and"-just then Meiling stepped through the door vines and leaves through her hair and camouflage on staring at Takashi like he was an idiot.

"Where have you been, jungle woman?" Xiaolang asked as he stood up and stretched.

"I was outside."

"We can see that," he said, "Now tell us how all those vines and stuff got through your hair."

"Well I was…Um….taking a walk," she started saying the first thing that came to her mind, "and then I…Um….tripped on a rock and ugh….fell into a bush. Yeah, that's what happened."

"So you tripped on a bush and fell into a rock?" Xiaolang asked.

"Um…Yeah!!!" she answered not realizing his trick.

Xiaolang sighed, "What were you really up to?"

"Do you really want to know?"

"Not really, but go ahead and tell me anyway."

"I was working on my matchmaking skills."

"Not again. On who this time?"

Meiling's glanced slowly turned to her cousin Takashi.

"Me!" he said shocked, "You were trying to match ME up with someone."

"Yup!"

Takashi sighed, "Who?"

"Well I haven't met her yet but she looks nice, she has brown hair and she wears it in two big braids. She was wearing a yellow dress with flowery designs all over it. Since I haven't met her I assume that she's the new servant girl that's here to replace Nakita-chan."

As Meiling spoke Takashi plopped down on a chair with a thump as all the problems of the past day came back to him. Meiling walked over to him and put her hand on his shoulder to reassure him.

"Don't worry, couz, I'll make sure you two end up together or my name's not Li Meiling."

"That's my sister," Xiaolang said, "full of spunk and determination."

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The next morning Chiharu was rudely awakened by a loud noise. As she became more awake she realized it was a trumpet, signifying that something important was happening. She quickly put on the first dress she picked out which happened to be one of Takashi's favorites. Why was she thinking about him now?

"Hurry up, Mihara-chan," Naoko said as she hurriedly tied the belt on her dress.

"What's going on, Yanagisawa-chan?"

"It seems that last night Yamazaki-kun's cousins arrived without notice so now is the time to make it noticed."

Chiharu just nodded at this for her mind had gone blank when she heard Takashi's name. She kept wondering why she couldn't get his name out of her head, and what was that nagging feeling inside she couldn't stop.

Naoko grabbed Chiharu's hand and lead her out the door all the while telling her that with all the ruckus it was usually hard to get to the palace. They walked at a speedy pace until they ran into one of the guards.

"This way," he said leading them through another entrance.

"Arigatou," they replied walking faster now than before. As they walked they heard voices but paid no mind to them and soon there was a collision.

"Ow!!!" the 5 teens yelled at once.

"There you are," Takashi said with a yawn, "We were just coming to get you."

"Really," Naoko said, "or were you looking for a way out of this big ceremonial breakfast."

"I choose all of the above," Takashi said with a smile all the time paying close attention to Chiharu.

"You're a mess, Yamazaki-kun," Naoko said, "Isn't that right, Mihara-chan?"

At that moment Chiharu's face changed from the gloomy one she had on to her naturally perky self, "Yeah, he's a mess."

"Maybe if I act perky no one will no anything's wrong," Chiharu and Takashi thought simultaneously smiling the whole time.

Together the groups walked to the kitchen where Rika was already waiting.

"What took you guys so long?" she said in an unusually edgy voice. "If you hadn't come when you did Yamazaki-san might of made me prepare breakfast by myself."

Chiharu looked in amazement at the naturally calm girl. She'd never seen Rika so uptight.

Just as she thought this Naoko whispered to her, "Whenever big things like this happen even Sasaki-chan gets a little edgy, but it's only because she has way more tasks then normal so it's tiring for her."

Chiharu nodded to show that she understood. She could already tell that today was going to be a hard day with Rika being edgy and then there was herself, trying to play off her never-ending worries.

"Cooking," Meiling said loudly, "I love cooking!"

"Just don't let her bake a cake," Xiaolang said as the group laughed and Meiling shot him a nasty look.

With 5 people helping out breakfast was finished in no time so to pass the time they all sat down and chatted.

"So, Meiling tells me you have a girlfriend," Takashi said leaning back in his chair a little before being pushed back by a now blushing Chiharu.

"Yup, she's a magi and really pretty and kind too," just then Meiling gave a suggestive cough. "Oh Yeah," Xiaolang started as he rolled his eyes, "Meiling helped my and my girlfriend get together."

"Helped! Helped! If it wasn't for me and Daidouji-san you guys would never be together."

"You guys are quite a comical pair," Chiharu said laughing as Meiling and Xiaolang made faces at each other.

Suddenly Meiling stopped making faces and got a freaky glare in her eyes, "So, Mihara-chan, did you have a boyfriend before you came here?"

Slightly blushing she lowered her head and replied, "Nope. I've never had a boyfriend."

"Why not, Mihara-chan?" Naoko asked nosily.

"Well, ever since otousan died I'd spent all my life helping mother provide for our family. Unfortunately, me being there was just making things harder for her so I moved out and ended up here," with a slight laugh she added, "With that busy of a schedule I didn't even have time for friends."

"So you didn't have any friends?" Rika asked astonished.

"Well maybe one or two that I knew from elementary school but besides that…Nope."

"Well," Meiling said pretending to think intensely on something, "since you already have friends why don't you try getting a boyfriend here?"

"Here, you're kidding right."

"Naw, I 'm serious."

"Who would I find here, I mean all the servants are girls so the only boys I see are Yamazaki-san, the lords, and the knights."

"Let's see," Meiling said this time actually thinking intensely about something, "the lords are usually too old or are married, the knight's are usually too stuck up and they've totally devoted themselves to a man I know you hate, so….I've got it, why don't you go out with Takashi."

At this quote Takashi made such a face and turned so red that you couldn't tell if he was mad or embarrassed by Meiling's lack of respect for his personal feelings. As for Chiharu, she blushed so hard she felt like her face was on fire which is why it was so hard to muster up her words, "Are…you crazy…I…I…can't…go…out…with…with…him, I…I…mean…he's…he's a prince…and…I'm a…I'm a-" at this last part Chiharu broke out crying.

"Meiling, look what you did this time!" Xiaolang yelled giving her a look of pure infuriation.

Putting her head down she slowly walked over to Chiharu, "Gomen nasai, Mihara-chan. I never intended to upset you. Please don't cry."

At this Chiharu just cried even harder. How had her life become so messed up and complicated? When had love become so hard?

Just then Yamazaki-san's footsteps could be heard coming down the hallway. Everybody but Takashi, who was still glued to his chair, tried to get Chiharu to stop crying.

"Mihara-chan, stop, onegai," Rika pleaded with her, "You can't get in trouble, not now."

"I don't care," was her first respond, "I don't care about any of it I just want it to stop."

"WHAT'S THE MEANING OF THIS!!!" Yamazaki-san yelled over them as he stared at Chiharu with pure disgust. He slowly walked up to her, "GET UP AND STOP BLUBBERING YOU WENCH!!"

"Leave her alone," Takashi said standing up and getting in front of Chiharu. "You have no right to treat her or any of them like that."

Raising his hand towards Takashi, "YOU UNGRATEFUL GAKI"-"Yamazaki-sama," Meiling said using her charm on him, "I'm starving, when is the breakfast ceremony?"

Turning his back from Takashi, "Right now. Hurry up and bring the food in."

The girls quickly brought the food in not wanting to stay in there for too long. Unfortunately with all that food it took much longer than they thought it would even going their fastest.

Halfway through the meal Takashi quickly excused himself against Yamazaki-san's will and went onto the porch where Naoko and Rika were taking a well deserved rest.

"Um…Where's Mihara-chan?"

"She went to the big tree near the center of the field."

"Arigato, Yanagisawa-chan."

Walking fast it only took Takashi about 5 minutes to reach the tree. As he looked up he saw Chiharu sitting on one the branches messing with her hair. He slowly sat down and laid his back on the bark of the tree. Just as he closed his eyes to take in a breath of the fresh air, he felt something hit him on the head.

"If you're here now that means you didn't eat that much," Chiharu said pointing to the apple that had hit him in his head.

"Arigato."

"It's nothing," she said jumping down from the tree and sitting next to him, "I mean, you were the one who stood up for me in front of Yamazaki-san."

He blushed at this comment not able to utter a word. How come he'd become so nervous in so little time?

"Talking about that, why did you stand up for me like that?"

"I…Um," he started thinking of something to say, "I did it because I didn't want him to hurt you."

Chiharu blushed at this but still pushed herself to keep talking, "Why don't you want me to get hurt?"

"I don't want anyone to get hurt because it's wrong," he started carefully monitoring her facial expressions, "but I don't want you to get hurt in particular because…because I love you."

Chiharu opened her mouth to speak but no words came out. Had he really said what she thought he had? Did he really mean it?"

Becoming more confident in himself Takashi looked deep inside himself to find the right words to say, "Yes, I said it and I'll say it again, 'I love you, Mihara Chiharu. If you weren't in my life it wouldn't be worth living. Everyday I see your smile it's like seeing the sun rise right before my eyes. Every time I feel your warm breath it's like a cool spring breeze. Every time I touch your hair or your arm it's like touching silk. Mihara Chiharu if you don't feel the same way about me then tell me now but know that no matter what I will always love you."

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A/n: Sorry for taking so long with this chapter but 1st I got in trouble, then I got writer's block and we went on vacation, then I still had writer's block when we came back but that was because I had so much homework and so many projects to do and finish. Man, I can't wait until summer!!
Anyway, what do you think about this chapter that took me a very long time to right. Yes, it's a cliffy but I can't help it, I couldn't fit the next part I wanted in here and besides it leaves an edge to make people want to come backJ