A/N: Thanks to all reviewers! I LOVE reviews so much...okee, now we will continue on with the story, sorry for not updating in a long time!

Mariko: I award you a fanfictional first place medal for thinking of the best punishments for Harada Manami. [bows]
caprigirl92: Yup, Syaoran's smart, otherwise Mr. Kinomoto wouldn't hire him.
JaDe EyEs: ??? Can you repeat that?

Disclaimer: No, I don't own Card Captor Sakura.

CinderSakura

By: Lotus Dreams

Chapter 7: Real Jobs and Real Filth


"You wanted to see me, Syaoran?"

"Hai, sir." Syaoran entered Mr. Kinomoto's office. He sat down in front of him and slid an envelope in front of him. Mr. Kinomoto was just sipping his coffee, and stopped mid-sip.

"This--?"

"This is a photocopy of the resumé of a worker I think is competent to take up a job in this company. She works extremely hard, and she also has experience. She would be great as an assistant to all workers--a sort of half secretary."

"And?"

"That's it," said Syaoran calmly. "I highly recommend her. She is one of the most devoted workers I have ever seen." A bit of a lie, of course, but based on her forms, resumé, and personality, he thought Kinomoto Nadeshiko was perfect to work at Kinomoto Inc..
Nadeshiko looked longingly in front of the store window. The dress was still there, the gray suit with a blue blouse. It looked plain, but she liked it.

"Kinomoto Nadeshiko?" Nadeshiko turned around. Her stomach gave a somersault.

Li Syaoran!

"Oh, hello," she said, her voice unusually high. She cleared her throat. "Erm...what are you doing here?"

"That's precisely what I was going to ask you," said Syaoran, smiling.

"Well, I'm just...looking at that dress." Nadeshiko thought she sounded stupid. To elaborate, she jerked her thumb at the dress in the window. Syaoran glanced at it.

"You'd look good in it." Nadeshiko felt her cheeks turn red.

"Oh...um...arigatou. I have always been thinking, that when I can buy it and wear it, and I've gotten a real job, I'll wear it on my first day to work. But I'll never get a chance to wear it." Syaoran cocked his head.

"Naze desu ka[why]?"

"Because I have no money to buy it," Nadeshiko replied simply, shrugging. "Mr. and Mrs. Harada don't give me any money, and neither does Mana-chan, so I have to save up yen by yen. But recently, Manami took all the money I had and spent it all, so..."

"This Manami girl--she has blonde hair and blue eyes, right?"

"Well, yes. But she curled her blonde hair."

"How much money did you have?"

"A lot."

"And she took it ALL?"

"Hai[yes]. But it's okay, I can save up all over again, it's no big deal," said Nadeshiko, trying to smile. She couldn't, though. Thinking of all the years she had been saving up for that dress and having it taken away by someone who slept in the same house as her made her feel empty. She glanced at the dress again. Syaoran followed her gaze.

"You really want it, don't you?"

"Hai. That's why I'm saving up for it." Nadeshiko didn't know why she was telling Syaoran all of this. The blush from her cheeks was fading, and she wasn't talking about makeup. She forced a smile. "Well, see you." She walked away, wiping, almost casually, away something from her face.

Syaoran watched her go. Then he looked the dress. He walked into the store. A saleslady greeted him.

"Konnichi-wa, sir, what--?"

"Can I have that dress in the window?"

"Which one?"

"The gray suit with the blue blouse. Can you take it down for me? I want to buy it."

"Sir, that costs 30,000 yen!"

"No problem." He slapped a wad of bills onto the table. The saleslady's eyes bulged out.

"Sir, this is a WOMEN'S STORE."

"I know."

"Sir, we make clothes for WOMEN."

"I know."

"Sir, that suit comes with a SKIRT."

"I know."

"Sir, it comes with a BLOUSE."

"I know."

"Sir, it costs THIRTY THOUSAND YEN."

Syaoran shrugged. "I know."

"Sir, are you--?"

"I--NO," said Syaoran loudly. "There just happens to be a very nice girl who wants this dress, and I'm just going to buy it for her."

"Is that all, sir?"

"H--OH MY GOD, WHAT IS WITH YOU PEOPLE HERE? CAN'T A MAN BUY SOMETHING FOR A WOMAN AS A GIFT? IS IT AGAINST THE LAW? NOOO, I DON'T THINK SO THE LAST TIME I CHECKED JAPAN'S LAWS! OR IS IT AGAINST THE RULES HERE TO BUY SOMETHING FOR A WOMAN? OR IS IT AGAINST THE LAW FOR A MAN TO GO INTO A WOMAN'S SHOP? GOD, WHY ARE YOU PEOPLE SO--"

"Okay, okay, sir, I get the point," said the saleslady hurriedly. "Um...please go to the cashier in the front."

Syaoran glared at her, grabbed the dress, and walked away.

The saleslady muttered under her breath. "God, what is WITH him?"
Ring, ring, ring, ring.

Nadeshiko rushed to the telephone.

"Moshi moshi?" she said. "Daidouji residence."

"Are you Nadeshiko?" said a smooth, calm voice.

Nadeshiko's heart skipped a beat. It couldn't be--

"Li Syaoran?" she said incredulously.

"Funnily enough, yes," answered Syaoran. "Listen, starting from next week, you'll be able to work at Kinomoto Inc. You know where that is, right?"

"Nani[what]?"

"You. Will. Be. Working. At. Kinomoto. Inc.. Starting. From. Next. Week. You know where it is, right?"

"But--I never handed in my forms or anything yet! When did this happen?"

"Ms. Nadeshiko, I made a copy of your forms in the envelope. I handed them to Mr. Kinomoto, and I highly recommended you. In the end, he accepted you and you will be working as a special secretary in my department, the Foreign Negotiations Department."

"You made a copy of my forms?."

"Hai."

"You gave it to THE owner of Kinomoto Inc.?"

"Hai."

"He accepted me?"

"Hai."

"I'm going to work there next week?"

"Hai."

"NEXT WEEK?"

"Hai." Then Syaoran braced himself.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH! ARIGATOU GOZAIMASU[thank you] ARIGATOU GOZAIMASU ARIGATOU GOZAIMASU!! I NEVER KNEW YOU WOULD DO SOMETHING SO GOOD FOR ME! I--I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO SAY! ARIG--"

"Erm...do itashi mashite[you're welcome]," said Syaoran, trying not to laugh. "No problem. Uh, see you."

"Ja ne," she said happily, but then Syaoran called, "Chotto matte!" Nadeshiko put the phone to her ear again.

"Hai?"

"If you scream again like that, be careful that I don't fire you."

"Hai, Syaoran--I mean, Li-sama!"
Manami knocked on Tomoyo's front door. She was dressed beautifully in a skimpy black fishnet top and TIGHT light blue jeans. Her hair was done perfectly. Tomoyo opened the door. She opened her mouth to say, "Kon--" but then she saw Manami.

"What the hell happened to you?" she said. "Auburn hair? Green contacts? Are you trying to look like Nadeshiko?"

"No, I want to look BETTER than Nadeshiko," said Manami.

Tomoyo rolled her eyes. "Manami, you are NEVER going to look better than her if you keep going that."

"It's Sakura now."

"Nani?"

"It's SAKURA now. Guess what? I am the long lost granddaughter of Mr. Kinomoto of Kinomoto Inc., and the long lost little sister of Kinomoto Touya, his grandson. Which means that I am now HIGHER than that brat Nadeshiko."

"You know, Manami, you can say you're higher, but you will ALWAYS be lower than her. For one, she doesn't wear such dirty clothes, and two, she doesn't say such dirty words."

"ExCUSE me? SHE'S the one that's dirty, NOT me. Look at me, I'm so clean! I take a shower three times a day, okay? And it's Sakura now."

"You can take a shower ten times a day and still be as dirty. What do you want, anyway?"

"To see you. I mean, girl, you seem to be having hard times." Tomoyo's hair was a bit messy, and her clothes were not that straight, but other than that, Tomoyo didn't get Manami's meaning.

"I'm was having quite an easy time before you came, SAKURA."

"Tomoyo-chan!" called a voice just then. "Where are you?" Then Nadeshiko appeared at the door. Her eyes widened at Manami.

"Manami-san! Oh, hello! I didn't know you were here! You're looking pretty good today. Nice clothes." Her voice was cheery and sweet, but Manami felt disgusted just the same.

"What are YOU doing here?"

"I--"

"She lives here, SAKURA," said Tomoyo. Manami blinked.

"NANI?"

"She. Lives. Here."

"EEW! Such filth living in YOUR home?"

"Watch your mouth, baka!" Tomoyo spat. "YOU'RE bigger filth than her even with your three showers!"

"It's okay, Tomoyo," said Nadeshiko. "She can call me what she wants."

"That's right," sneered Manami. "I can call her what she wants. And I'm calling her:

1. Filth

2. Boyfriend stealer

3. The guy somebody likes stealer

4. Good luck stealer

5. Filth

6. Chance stealer

7. Best friend stealer

8. Mom stealer

9. Good looks stealer

10. FILTH FILTH FILTH FILTH FIIIIIIIIIIILTH!!"

With that, Manami spat at Nadeshiko's feet and left.
REVIEW! Not much of a chapter, but review anyway!