Once Upon A December
Chapter 8: Dreaming
A/N: Sorry this is sooo late! I suck, I know. I've been in the hospital though, and my computer broke for a bit, so don't hate me! I promise, since my midterms are over, and I'm back on a regular schedule (and I have more time) that I'll update every two weeks!
If you're bored, check out Rules of Popularity or my new fic: Card Captors Again ...it's somewhat of a AU fic in the card captor gang's high school years; personally, I think it's hilarious, romantic, adventurous ...(I could go on forever!). But nobody else does. I'm so sad! And, oh, I will be updating this story more frequently (it's easier to update).
Enjoy this update!
"I'm going to call this operation S and S," Meiling began. "Isn't it brilliant?"
Eriol leaned back in his chair. "They'll never know we're talking about them."
Tomoyo nodded her agreement. No wonder Meiling's Aunt hadn't hired a tutor for Meiling past seventeen; the girl was obviously a hopeless student. "Very clever indeed Ms. Li."
Meiling pulled a nearby chair closer to the window seat Eriol and Tomoyo were on and sat down. "Yes, I thought so too. Now, we all know Syaoran needs to marry eventually. But, seriously, who's he going to meet in the next ten years? Nobody. So, I figured, why not marry Sarah? I mean, he obviously likes her and everything, and she is deep down crazy about him, so I think it could work...with a little matchmaking help."
Eriol leaned back and crossed his arms behind his head. "They are so right for each other, it's scary; but their like yin and yang most of the time," he chuckled a bit. "Ever since they've been together these past few days, their childish fighting has lessoned, though. Personally, I think it's a sign."
Meiling nodded vigorously. "Yes, I agree."
Tomoyo titled her head to the side, a small smile on her face. "So, what's the plan Ms. Li?"
Meiling's eyes widened as Tomoyo leaned a tad forward. "I have a few ideas..."
Eriol couldn't decide who was eviler: Meiling or Tomoyo?
Syaoran lay down bed with a nice, thick mattress; a luxury available only to first class. He leaned over and checked the clock in the room; only 1:00 am? He'd better get some sleep if he planned on waking up for the brunch in the morning.
Despite the winter weather, the cabin was warm enough that he shed he shed his shirt and pulled the wool blanket on top of the comforter. At least, he if woke up half asleep and warm, a blanket was easier to get rid of than a shirt.
He sighed and touched the charm Sarah had given him. He ran his hand over it, remembering what was engraved on the cold surface; stability, endurance, hope.
He rubbed it a few times, until his finger connected with another charm he had forgotten that he had around his neck. It was twice as small as the one Sarah gave him, and he usually never remembered that he wore it. He looked at it intently; the surface dinged with all the years he had worn it.
It was half of a small yin yang; the black half with the white dot at the top of it.
It was also the symbol of the Li Clan.
He continued to study it; the black half was his, because it was the masculine side, was given to the leader of the Li Clan. The white half belonged to his Mother, who, in turn, would give the white half to the women he married; she would be the next powerful after him.
That was, if he ever married, and if ever went back, was still accepted in his family.
He used to wonder why his Mother had given the pendant to him at such a young age; his sisters used to tell him that someone was always supposed to wear it, and, after his Father died, his Mother immediately gave it to him. He used to think about throwing it out; what use did he need with it? But, something always tugged at his inner being; something Eriol was too right about to admit.
Everyone needs family to care for them and a family to care about.
Perhaps this was his way of caring for them, because, as long as he had this on, he still accepted his position in society.
He closed his eyes and rolled over, blowing out the oil lamp. Too much thinking made people do crazy things.
Syaoran yawned. Like the time he almost went back a year ago and apologized...
What the hell am I doing here? What am I thinking? This ticket—this ticket; no. No, I couldn't have bought it while I was sober. What the devil did I drink? Maybe the city's intoxicating the water. Maybe—
"Li, I can't believe this. Where the hell are you going—"
Syaoran grabbed at the ticket harder; no, the Moscow didn't replace vodka for water."Look, I won't be gone long, alright?"
Eriol rolled his navy blue eyes. "Can you at least tell me where you're going?"
Li looked down. How could he tell Eriol about this? "I-I-no, no, I can't tell you."
Eriol blew his bangs off his forehead. "So, I guess this means I can't come with you?"
"No," Li replied icily. "Don't even bother trying to follow me either."
Eriol narrowed his eyes; this wasn't ordinary. Even Syaoran wasn't usually this cold.
Syaoran stood up, grabbing the tattered brown bag by his feet. "That's my train."
"When—"
"A week; ten days tops."
He pushed past Eriol and got onto the train not acknowledging Eriol's farewell.
Yamazaki Takashi growled as negative report over negative report came was reported into the HPSF. What the hell was going on? Every boarding country was on top alert; how could three people slip by so easily?
"Mr. Takashi, there's nothing. It's been 72 hours; maybe they're still in Russia?"
"Syaoran and Eriol would never stay in Russia; people could sell them out."
"Sir," the Finnish cop sighed, "maybe we ought to lower this as a priority. Obviously, nothing has—"
"Excuse me," Yamazaki barked. "Lower this? These men have been impersonating all government papers for many European countries—you're country's one of the top ranked impersonated papers done by Li and Hirracgazawa! Don't you care that people are getting by the boarders without going through Customs?"
The Finnish man growled. This was getting old. "Of course I care; but do you know there's a mass murderer on the lose? Our police force cannot attend to that because we're catching some men who simply impersonate papers! At least they don't kill—"
"Sir," a younger cop interrupted, "we think we might have found a connection to the two men."
Yamazaki smiled. "Perfect."
Syaoran crossed his legs underneath him as he sat in the treehouse him and Meiling had played in as kids, the last of the starlight falling on his face in the early morning light. It was older and fragile; when they were seven, Meiling had fallen though the floor of the porch protruding from the east. He smiled to himself as he remembered how frightened she was—"Syaoran, help me! I'm going to die without marrying you!"— well, frightened enough to still worry about marriage.
The tree house itself wasn't even on Li property. It was in an older park, just beyond the boundaries that the main Li mansions' boundaries existed, so of course nobody let their children play in it. Him and Meiling had found it while having a race, unintentionally running beyond the boundaries.
"Syaoran, hold up, I—what's this?"
"I-I don't know."
"Race you up to the top!" Meiling scrambled in the direction of the peeling yellow house.
"Huh—no fair! Head start!"
Meiling giggled up the ladder and settled herself in the middle of the little wooden house. "Look, it has a window facing east—oh, and a porch if you climb out the window!"
"It's...alright."
Meiling's eyes sparkled with amusement. "Just think, we could climb up here in the mornings before training and watch the sun rise!"
"I don't think that's such a—"
Meiling threw herself against her cousin. "Oh, Syaoran, I'd be so careful! I wouldn't let Mother or Father find me! And, I'm sure if you asked Auntie, she'd let you come out..."
Syaoran pushed Meiling off. "Don't be silly. You know she wouldn't."
Meiling lowered her eyes. "Mother would never let me come here either. I just though, maybe, if Auntie let you...," she shook her head, the black pigtails on either side of her head covered her face. "Is there a reason Mother and Father couldn't have a boy?"
Syaoran's eyes widened. "What—I don't get it..."
"Maybe they were bad before I was born, because I was supposed to be a boy..."
"Meiling, I—"
Meiling let a few tears escape her eyes. "They wanted a boy Syaoran. They told me," she whipped her head up. "If I was a boy they'd let me go! Oh, Syaoran, it's not fair..." She sat back against the wall and let a few more tears run down her face.
Syaoran rubbed his arm self-conscientiously. "Meiling, don't cry, it's alright...you weren't supposed to be a boy. Maybe they thought you were, but you aren't. And I'm glad you aren't."
Meiling sniffed and looked up at Syaoran, gratefully. "Syaoran, we should make a promise that this tree house is our secret."
Syaoran shrugged, glad that she wasn't crying. "Sure."
"And that if we ever have anything important to say, we'll tell each other here. It'll be the secrets house."
Syaoran shifted uncomfortably. "Okay..."
Meiling smiled, her eyes still red. "It'll be our place. Forever."
Syaoran turned his head to the sunlight spilling in. Sunrise. It was a Hong Kong sunrise. Just like all those sunrises him and Meiling had sneaked out to see while they were kids.
Tomoyo, and Meiling finally decided to call it a night at 4:30 am; Eriol had already head back towards his and Syaoran's room, so the only noise the two girls heard was Sarah's light breathing.
"Poor thing. Fell asleep hours ago. Must have been exhausted."
Tomoyo nodded as she brushed out her long black hair. "She's only seventeen, Ms. Li."
"So what? At seventeen I was attending the hottest parties in China until seven the next morning!"
"Illegally, might I add."
Meiling shrugged. "What's a year, anyway?"
Tomoyo sat on the bed across from Meiling. "The difference between adolescent and adulthood."
Meiling rolled her eyes dramatically. "You can't be serious. Seventeen-going-on-eighteen is not adulthood Daidouji."
Tomoyo folded her hands on her lap. "Maybe not if you decide to drink heavily before then."
"What exactly are you saying, Tomoyo?"
"This isn't about Sarah, is it Ms. Li? This is about you. What's wrong, Meiling? You show up at my place and stay for a week."
"Look, I told you already; Auntie wasn't pleased when she found out that I made bad publicity."
"And I don't buy that you left just to let your Aunt cool-down either."
"Then what do you want?"
Tomoyo lowered her head. "I don't want anything. You don't owe me an explanation because I didn't ask for one when you first showed up. But, what I do want, is for you to control yourself," she gestured towards Sarah, "we all make choices, Ms. Li. And I don't want Sarah making bad ones."
"You're saying that I made bad ones," Meiling shot back. This was unbelievable!
From outside a passer by paused by the door of the girls' cabin.
"For God's sakes Meiling, you've been in the hospital numerous times due to alcoholism ever since you were fourteen and you've been illegally clubbing ever since fifteen. However you've been a non virgin, only God knows!"
Meiling narrowed her eyes. "Fourteen Daidouji, if you must know. I've been a non-virgin since I was fourteen. Happy? And yes, I did go clubbing illegally; and let us not forget to add that alcoholism problem," Meiling stood up. "But you know what? At least I've tried things. At least I've been out there, discovering things for myself. Have you ever been laid?"
Tomoyo looked up shocked. "I beg your pardon?"
"I bet you haven't. Hardly kissed a guy you haven't been dating for months on end I bet!"
Tomoyo stood up. "This has really gone to far Ms. Li—"
"Have you?"
"Yes—alright? Of course I have."
"Who?"
"Meiling," Tomoyo shot back using her friends' first name, causing the slightest reaction from an an already emotionally worked up Meiling. She ran a shaky hand though her long, black, wavy hair. What triggered this sort of conversation?
"Who did you kiss?"
"Does it matter," Tomoyo shot back. She was beginning to show emotional; something her stoic personality wasn't used to.
"Of course it does! Because—because—because everything perfect has to have a flaw..." Tears welled up in Meiling's eyes. "I'm never going to be like you Daidouji. Never. I'm never going to have your fabulous life, never going to be the type of daughter you are, and I'm never going to be you." She collapsed on the floor and let the tears flow down her cheeks. Grabbing her long, black hair into her hands she let out a silent scream. All those nights when she thought she'd never make it home, when she thought she'd be beaten for whatever her parents somehow found out about, or even the nights she wanted to slit her wrists to calm the sea of pain inside came hurdling back to her.
Taking a few shaky breaths she grabbed her bedpost, pulling herself to her feet; the white of her nightgown looked dark compared to the pale color of her skin. "I'm never going to be able to change what I did, Daidouji, because I'm never going to be in any of those situations again. I've already up my mind that once I left China, and came over to mansion in France, I was never going back."
Tomoyo let herself fall onto the bed diagonal to the one Meiling's hand still rested on, the fire on the inside slowly cooling down. "You can't run away from your problems, Ms. Li. It won't help anything."
Meiling shook her head slowly. "It won't help to go back either."
Tomoyo met her friends red-eyed gaze. "You don't have to make up your mind now, Meiling. It's probably going to be another two weeks until this whole adventure is over. Who knows—maybe you'll find some sort of answer somewhere along the way? Just know that...whatever you do decide, you'll always be welcome in my home."
Meiling smiled, feeling sleep overtake her body. "Thank you, Tomoyo. And—I'm sorry. For everything. You know I would hug you if I wasn't falling asleep..."
Tomoyo dragged herself across the cabin, pulling the covers up over her sleeping friend. "I know, Meiling," she whispered. She turned her attention to the passerby, still standing outside the cabin door.
"Go back to bed, Mr. Li. She'll be fine. She always is."
And with that Tomoyo got back into bed and fell asleep.
