Agent08 Reporting for Duty!

Disclaimer: I dont own anything, blah, blah, blah. You know the drill.

"..." - talking
italic font - thoughts
(A/N: ...) - my interruptions

Now...on with chapter eleven!

To Feel How He Feels

A week had passed. It was a new day, and things didn't seem to be getting any better. If anything, they got even worse.

Sophie received her restraining order in the mail. Her Father was absolutely furious at not only her, but the King! He ended up stomping up to the castle, all red faced and angry. He tried his best to persuade the King to drop the restraining order, but with no avail. So out of rage and bitterness, he locked Sophie up in her room, threatening to never let her see the light of day again if she went anywhere near Syaoran and Sakura.

Sooner than Sophie expected, he let her out of her room. It was amazing, how much trust he had in his daughter. And so with the permission to leave her room, Sophie began to write a letter to Syaoran, explaining why she hadn't visited in so long. His Mother and Sakura's Father had never let word slip that they had sent a restraining order to Sophie, knowing what Syaoran would probably do. And Syaoran didn't dare visit Sophie to see why she hadn't come to the cottage. He thought that he would look desperate and she'd lose interest in him within a split second.

After receiving the letter, he stomped his way towards the castle, and lashed out on his Mother, and Fujitaka.

"Why did you do that?" he had said. "Why did you send that restraining order to Sophie? Don't you two know how I feel about her? Are you purposely trying to ruin my happiness?"

Yelan and Fujitaka remained completely calm. Throughout Syaoran's yelling fit, they had not winced or done anything to show that he was taking any effect on them, which raged Syaoran even more.

"Can't you see what you're doing?" he exploded.

Sakura was in the corner, watching anxiously, anticipating on what he would do next. Of course, Syaoran had told her about the restraining order once he had finished reading it. He blamed her at first, accused her of persuading her Father to send it. She defended herself as best she could, and when Syaoran had thought he had taken his rage out on her enough, he took out on the King himself, and his Mother, the Queen.

"You don't know Sophie like the towns people do!" Yelan explained. "She has no love, nor feelings for you, I guarantee it, son. She is pretending to have feelings for you for your money and your status."

"That's a lie!" Syaoran countered. "You don't know Sophie like I do! She's sweet, caring, and definitely not what you or Sakura have called her!"

And now their attention was brought towards Sakura. Shyly, she stepped out of the corner, and quietly and slowly made her way into the middle of the room, where Yelan, Fujitaka, and Syaoran were arguing.

"That's not true," Sakura spoke. "You don't know what she did behind your back, Li — "

She was cut off by her Father, clearing his throat. He gave her a look, and having used it many times for Sakura, she instantly knew what it meant.

" — I mean Prince," Sakura immediately said. "She was a horrible person. She is a horrible person!"

Syaoran shook his head, and had a look in his eyes...a kind of look that Sakura had never seen before. It was as if he was scared. He didn't like being confronted by three people...He didn't want to hear a word they had to say.

"I don't believe it," he said. "You're all just mad that I've actually found myself a woman that I really like! You should be happy! I'm not the same with girls anymore. I've been treating them with more respect than I ever have."

With the way he spoke to Sakura that one day? She highly doubted it.

Yelan and Fujitaka shook their heads. "Syaoran," Fujitaka began. "I'd hate to do this...but," he brang out his arm, as if inviting someone into the room. And in the room came three different men. They looked sad, yet determined. All were very good looking, and it was no doubt they came from rich families.

"Who are these people?" Syaoran asked.

"I'd like to know too, Father," Sakura said.

"Well," Fujitaka began. "These are only half of the men that Sophie has toyed with. The other three are too ashamed to come, embarassed at the mere memory of being toyed with and robbed by Sophie Lane. Gentlemen, please tell your story."

The first man in the line that they stood in, nodded, and began to speak. But before doing so, he bent down low, and lowered his head so it was very close to the floor. He got back up in a standing position from what no doubt was a respectful bow.

"Well," the man said. "I met Sophie at a Social Gathering held by my Father. He owns lots of companies throughout many parts of Japan. Well, getting back to the point...Sophie and I hit it off automatically. We liked each other a lot! Or so I thought. I trusted her with everything. We hadn't gotten married or anything, and I know it was completely foolish, but I let slip about the whereabouts of a copy of keys to my Father's safe. It's all emergency money in that safe. Well, it was. One morning my Father woke up with a high fever. I went to the safe to get money for some medicine, and it was all gone. No one could have opened that safe. I had the key in a hiding place, and my father kept his highly guarded also. It was Sophie who took it. No doubt about it. I confronted her and she admitted to all of it. I told the authorities, but there was no solid evidence that it was actually she that took the money. They needed a confession from her...but when she didn't give it, they let her go...with my father's money."

He shook his head sadly, and after hearing the other two sad stories of how Sophie had robbed the two other men, Syaoran couldn't take it anymore. He just buried his head in his hands, and apologized for having doubted his parent. He knew his Mother would never have lied about such a thing. She only wanted the best for him.

He also apologized to King Kinomoto.

"I'm so sorry for raising my voice like that," Syaoran had said. "Especially to you,"

Fujitaka raised up a hand, signalling for him to stop. "There's no reason for you to be apologizing, Prince Li," he said. "It was a natural reaction. I would've thought you were crazy if you didn't react the way you did."

They shook hands, and everything was done and over with. Just before leaving though, Yelan held her son back.

"Son," she began. "I think there's one more person that you need to apologize to,"

Syaoran immediately knew who she was talking about. Sakura. She had been the first person to warn him about Sophie. She had told him nothing but the truth, and she did everything she could to try and convince him that he was taking all the wrong steps. It was only fair that he apologize to her.

But there was a feeling in Syaoran that made him not want to. Ever since they were young, he had always been the one that was right. He was so used to being the one that never made any mistakes, that he felt too embarrassed to apologize to Sakura. It wouldn't feel right to him. It would be a huge change in things, and change was the last thing he needed at the moment.

"I know, Mother," he said. "I'll apologize to Sakura as soon as we get back to the cottage," he lied.

After their goodbyes, the two walked back to the cottage in silence. Syaoran never did apologize to Sakura once they had arrived at the cottage. He had merely left the entire subject about Sophie alone, not wanting to go near it ever again.

Which brings us to where they are now. For the past two weeks, Sakura had been taunting Syaoran. Because he had never apologized to her, Sakura felt insulted. It really WAS she that warned him. But he paid no attention to what she said. And because she never got the apology she was expecting, the thanks which should've been credited towards her, she turned what should've been a peaceful month for the both of them, into a horrible one.

The cottage was filled with the sound of arguing. Every now and then a fight would erupt in the tiny cottage, and foul names and insults would be heard if you were up close to the cottage. And of course, it would be Sakura that started all the arguments. Somehow, if they were having a normal conversation, she would turn it towards the subject of Sophie, the subject that Syaoran never wanted to come across ever again.

But the only thing she was trying to accomplish by talking about Sophie was to receive some sort of acknowledgment from Syaoran. She thought that if she'd remind him about it, he would eventually thank her. Afterall, it really was her who had first seen through Sophie's fakeness. But that was the last thing Syaoran was going to do. He thought he'd done enough apologizing when he had said it at least one hundred times when he had caused Sakura to have Poison Ivy.

And that was how it was like for the two weeks. Well, for the first thirteen days at least. The last day, which would mark the second week they had been arguing, was one to remember.

It had started normally. Breakfast in silence, housework in silence, lunch in silence...and dinner? Not so much in silence.

"So how was your day today?" Sakura asked.

Syaoran looked up from his food to Sakura. "Fine. Yours?" he replied.

Sakura smirked. "Oh, yeah. It was absolutely fine. I didn't meet any gold digging guys out there...so I have to say my afternoon went really well!"

Syaoran slammed his fork and spoon onto the table, making Sakura jump. The glasses, the plates, and the cutlery all shook.

"What is your problem?" Syaoran exploded. "Why in bloody hell do you always need to remind me of the stupid mistake I made?"

Syaoran had stood up, and made his way into the living room, hoping to avoid Sakura. But Sakura wouldn't let him go away so easily. She wanted the acknlowedgement which she knew should've been hers. She wasn't just going to let him go on like she hadn't tried helping him out.

"Oh, no reason," Sakura replied, coming into step with him in the living room. "By the way, have you seen Sophie lately? OH, that's right! We can't! My Father already sent a restraining order!"

Syaoran groaned. "Ugh, would you shutup, Kinomoto?"

"I'd rather not," Sakura said, and inched towards Syaoran, causing him to take a step back. He's never done that before. Especially not with Sakura...she must really have been getting to him.

"Hey, Syaoran, why don't we visit what's left of Sophie's Father's land? I mean, he obviously won't be owning much after Sophie tries to hit on you again,"

Syaoran groaned again. "Kinomoto, do you always have this big of a mouth? I told you! I made a mistake! I know that! Now will you just please shut up?"

Sakura took a step towards him once again. He took one back. She then began to fume. "I won't shutup! And by God, you should be thankful that I didn't! I tried telling you about Sophie, didn't I? I was the first person to tell you about her. But you had to get our parents involved and you had to hear those three men's stories just to believe me? What is that, Syaoran? You've known me for how long? More than a decade! I can't believe you would trust that gold digging slut over me!"

Syaoran groaned. "News flash, Sakura! Yeah, we've known each other for more than a decade, but do you even remember how we've spent those years? Hating each other, Sakura. Hating each other! So excuse me for choosing someone I actually thought I liked over someone I'm starting to hate even more right now." Sakura's jaw dropped for just a split second before she regained composure. Syaoran noticed. "Yeah, that's right, Kinomoto. I'm really hating you right now."

Now Sakura was furious. She took two more steps towards him, and before either of them knew it, he was backed up in a corner, Sakura keeping him from going anywhere. She really was angry at the time, and so she towered over him...something that she never expected to do in a million years. Maybe the other way around, but never this position.

"Hate me, hmm?" She asked.

Although on the outside she seemed confident, on the inside, she was hurt. Extremely hurt. Sure, they'd said they'd hated each other to other people in sentences like, "Oh, I hate that Syaoran Li!" or "We hate each other so much, Sakura Kinomoto and I." or even, "Is it a hobby that you hate me?" But never, they had NEVER really said, "I hate you." to one another.

Syaoran's gaze was towards the floor, not knowing what to say. He sighed, his eyes still glued to the floor beneath him, "Well...no, I guess...Sakura...I don't really hate you. I - I didn't mean, well, you're just so infuriating right now! Why do you have to keep reminding me of her? Don't you know how much I regret it?"

Sakura threw her head back to hide the tears which had suddenly sprung to her eyes. Oh God. The fact that he said he hated her was actually making her cry!

"Syaoran," she began, keeping her voice from cracking. Somehow, she was still able to sound angry and determined. "It was me, for the last damn time. I was the one who warned you about Sophie! And you bloody chose her over me! When all I was trying to do was help. I was completely ignored. You didn't thank me, you didn't even apologize for doubting me. When you and I both know you should've!" She paused to take a breath. "And I don't know why...but you not doing that...hurt me a lot."

He gave no reply.

"For the past two weeks, that's all I've been trying to get out of you...just a comment, a single comment about how you appreciate me trying to help...how you know that you should've trusted me instead..."

She began to turn around, but in a split second, Syaoran grabbed her wrist, and spun her around, making them in each other's former position. Sakura was the one in the corner, and he was the one towering over her.

And then something that never should've happened - did. Before she could protest to anything he was doing, he placed his mouth on top of hers, in which was no doubt Sakura's very first kiss. At first it seemed like it wasn't happening, but when Sakura began to feel his tongue, tracing her lower lip, she knew that it was all real. Her first kiss, stolen by the man she despised.

She began to shake non-stop. She tried ripping her arm out of Syaoran's death grip, but she had no luck. The more she tried to struggle, the more he held her wrists tighter, making her scream into the kiss more, and making her struggle even more, and the cycle would continue all over again.

And although she was struggling against his actions, there was something at the back of her mind which screamed out the word "pleasure." She had no idea why, but she liked the way he kissed her! But that possibly couldn't be it, Sakura had thought. It was probably just because that was her very first kiss, and she had no experience. Her first one probably would've felt the best, and her others would be a lot better than this...but deep down, she knew that this was the best kiss she could ever have the chance of tasting.

It seemed like forever until Syaoran finally released her. They were both breathing heavily because of the amount of air that they got when kissing each other. To Syaoran's surprise, Sakura actually began to return the kiss, but because they were running out of air, he stopped it.

"Do you know how it feels?" Syaoran said, out of the blue. "Do you know how I feel? Being teased and taunted by you? Knowing that I made a complete idiot out of myself for a girl I hadn't even known for a full week? Feeling stupid because I didn't realize that she was only in it for my money?"

Now it was Sakura's turn to be speechless.

"No," Syaoran said, after Sakura still didn't reply. "You have no idea what it's like,"

And he left her there, standing in the corner of the living room, weeping silently. And before leaving the living room, he turned around.

"Sakura," he said. Sakura looked up at him, with empty, emotionless, tear filled eyes. "I'm sorry." she heard him say. "Are you happy now?" and he left the room, towards the bedroom where he stayed for the rest of the night.

And just to answer his question...

No. She most definitely wasn't.

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A kiss, me oh my! I wonder what shall happen next. x)

Signing Off,
Azn-blossom08