A/N: Sorry for not updating for so long!! I was so busy with school and everything!! Please forgive me!
HanaTenshiHimeko: Heehee...don't worry, Manami will get drunk soon.
Sakurajr17: HIGH FIVE!! I don't know who this Karleigh is but whatever you said, it sounds sweeeet!
Lain in the Wired: It's not sad, Lain. Manami's just stupid.
heheangel kisses: HOW CAN ANYONE BE ALLERGIC TO DUMPLINGS? THEY TASTE WAY TOO GOOD!!
Disclaimer: Don't own CCS.
CinderSakura
By: Lotus Dreams
Chapter 10: Warnings and Suspicions
Nadeshiko tossed the note into the trash. It must be a coincidence, she thought, there are tons of people named Syaoran.
So why was her name on the paper?
Deciding it wasn't worth deciding, she ran up to her room without talking to Tomoyo and shut the door.
Why was Syaoran always trying to probe into her secret feelings? Couldn't he see that she didn't like it and it wasn't polite? She wanted keep her secrets from everyone. Let everyone think that she was just an ordinary, happy girl. She didn't share her secrets because she didn't have anyone to share them with. Oh sure, she had friends, like Tomoyo. But would they really want to listen?
She shook her head. "Shut up," she told herself.
BRRRRRRRRRRRRRING!!
Her alarm clock rang. Five o'clock. Nadeshiko quickly shut it off and dressed into a white blouse and green skirt. She had changed her wardrobe slightly for work, in order to look presentable and formal and, of course, not like a whore.
Tiptoeing out of her room quietly, she brushed her teeth in the downstairs bathroom and combed her hair quickly. Then, she grabbed her purse and headed out the door.
Imagine how surprised she was when Syaoran was standing there, leaning against his car, waiting for her.
"Hey Nadeshiko-chan," he greeted her. "Want a ride?"
Nadeshiko stopped dead in her tracks.
"What are you doing here?"
"Picking you up for a ride?"
"You know it's still dark, right?"
"Then why are YOU up?"
"I need to do some things before going to work."
"Like?"
"Buying myself a breakfast."
"I'll buy one for you."
"No, but arigatou all the same." Nadeshiko's voice, which was usually full of energy and warmth, suddenly became as chilly as the morning air. She walked down the driveway, not looking back.
"Chotto matte(wait)."
"Nani(what)." She didn't say it as a question.
"Why do you keep avoiding me?"
"Why do you keep asking me that question, Li-sama?" Nadeshiko spun around. She was getting quite angry. "I avoid everyone, happy? I'm shy, whatever! Why do you always want to know these personal things about everyone? Don't you know that if you ask someone a question and they don't answer the first time, they don't WANT to answer it? Don't you know that that's common manners? I don't like to answer that question. Honestly, I don't even know why you want to escort me anyway. Can't a girl have some privacy? Or would you like to escort me to the bathroom too? How about the shower?!"
Her eyes were burning. Syaoran merely looked surprised and a bit disappointed.
"Well, okay then."
Her anger died down. She sighed and turned away.
"Just...go away, okay, Li-sama? We're nothing but co-workers; I work for you in your company. We're not even friends. Ja." She left.
Throughout the whole day, Nadeshiko tried to dodge Syaoran as much as possible. Even when he came up to her to ask her to photocopy something, she would hurry in the opposite direction, pretending to go to the bathroom or the photocopy room. She didn't like his presence; now, it kept driving her nuts, and she became increasingly tense.
During her lunch break, the PA system across the company blared, "Kinomoto Nadeshiko, please report to Kinomoto Touya's office immediately."
The boss's grandson? Uh-oh.
Taking out her ID card, she took the elevator up to the fourth floor, where Touya's office was. She stepped out, walked to the end of the hall, swiped her card through the card swiper, and was admitted in.
"Oha--" Touya looked up.
"--yo."
It was that same girl he had bumped into that day, who looked shockingly like Sakura. But...Sakura was already found. Actually, Sakura was going to arrive any second, so the girl in front of him couldn't possibly be Sakura. Besides, HER name was Nadeshiko...Kinomoto.
Nadeshiko bowed respectfully.
"Hai, Kinomoto-sama."
After several moments of staring at her, studying the similarities between her and Sakura, he suddenly regained control of himself.
"::clears throat:: Um, ohayo..."
Nadeshiko waited expectantly.
"::clears throat:: Um..." Touya suddenly remembered what he was going to tell her. "Kinomoto, isn't it?"
"Hai...Kinomoto-sama."
"Hah, we have the same last name..." Then he remembered something else:
Kinomoto Nadeshiko was the name of his mother.
"Okay, well to business." He sighed. "Actually, Kinomoto-san, this isn't about the company. It's about...my sister, Sakura Kinomoto."
"Hai."
"I've been hearing that you've been interfering with her relationship with Syaoran Li, our foreign countries negotiator."
"Excuse me?" said Nadeshiko incredulously. What was he talking about?
"Ms. Kinomoto, I've heard of such things as love, but please, do not try to break it. My sister has been through tough times; I would appreciate it if you will not make life any harder for her."
"You mean Manami?" She had seen her walk around in the company a couple of days ago, and they were saying how she was the boss's long lost granddaughter.
"Her name is Sakura, Kinomoto-san. I would appreciate it if you did not interfere with Sakura's lovelife."
"Demo(but)--"
A screen on Touya's desk showed a code: 191112115119
"Come in, Sakura."
Manami opened the door and strutted in, wearing an expensive red custom-made top with flared sleeves, and black velvet pants. On her feet were black heels with astonishingly thin and high heels. She saw Nadeshiko and gave her a sickly smile.
"Ohayo, Nadeshiko-chan!"
"Mana--"
"It's Sakura now, Nadeshiko," interrupted Manami. "I finally found my real family, with onii-san here and ojii-chan in the other room. It's a really long story. Well, anyway, onii-chan, I really have to borrow Nadeshiko-chan here, we are THE greatest friends--"
"Really? Because I thought she was stealing your boy--"
"I just need to steal HER away now, onii-chan," Manami cut in again, still smiling, "Because I plan to spend lunch with her right now. Mind if I grab her right now?"
"Well..."
"Great, that's settled," said Manami quickly, and snatched Nadeshiko's arm, dragging her out. Nadeshiko called, "Sayonara, Kinomoto-sama!"
Manami took out a couple thousand yen and paid for her and Nadeshiko's lunches. She shooed the waitress away, who was stunned at so much money, and then she started cutting up her chicken.
Nadeshiko did not cut up or eat anything, but merely took a sip of iced tea.
"What do you want, Manami?"
"Nani?"
"I said, what do you want?"
"Eat first," said Manami, chewing on her chicken and starting on her baby carrots. "Then we'll talk."
"I'm not hungry, Manami. Tell me right now." Nadeshiko's eyes were quite cold.
After taking forever to finish her plate and take a long drink from her glass, Manami wiped her mouth on a napkin daintily. Then she said:
"Okay, down to business it is. First of all, my name is Kinomoto Sakura now. I'm the long lost granddaughter of YOUR boss, and that guy you were talking to is my BROTHER. I was found by the Haradas when I bumped my head and lost my memory, but then Touya found me and brought to my RIGHTFUL place."
"Right." Nadeshiko still did not touch her food.
"Now, Nadeshiko, do you have a relationship with my boyfriend Syaoran Li?"
"Excuse me?"
"I SAID, do you have a relationship with Syaoran Li, who is MY boyfriend?"
"When did he become your boyfriend?"
"A long time ago."
"Oh really?"
"Hai. So, I just want to know if you two have anything...special."
"We don't."
"Then why does he always want to bring you to dinner? Why does he always want to give you a ride to and from work? Why is he trying to talk to you and communicate with you? Why are you both always together? You know, Nadeshiko, it's not nice to steal somebody else's boyfriend."
"I realize that."
"So you do you?"
"I don't."
"Then why--"
"That's his choice, not mine." Nadeshiko's eyes were burning. "I told him not to do anything for me but he doesn't listen. There's nothing between us. We're just friends. Don't get the wrong idea about your BOYFRIEND, Manami." Nadeshiko pushed her plate away. For some reason, she was feeling extremely angry. Why was Manami always approaching her with the subject of Syaoran Li? She hated talking about him. Just the mention of his name and her heart went all fluttery and she DIDN'T LIKE IT!!!
"Gomen, Manami, but I have to go now. Or should I say, Sakura?"
Sae, the maid, walked up the stairs with Sakura's dinner. However, when she reached her door, she could hear loud, thunderous dancing music thumping from a stereo. She opened the door a crack and saw Sakura shaking her head up and down like crazy, her hair flying in all directions. She was moving her arms up in the air, then sliding her hands down her hips. Her backside was moving round and round in circles, and her body was bouncing up and down with the beat. She was wearing nothing but a pink tube top and a black leather skirt that practically ended at her thighs.
Sae closed the door in shock. Whoa, Sakura was a slut? No way!
She quickly went to Mr. Kinomoto's study room, where he was looking at some papers. He saw Sae waiting at the door and admitted her in.
"Kinomoto-sama, are you sure that you have found the right Kinomoto Sakura?"
"Well, Touya seems sure, why?"
Sae described what she had seen in Sakura's bedroom. "Remember what Touya had said? Sakura never really liked dancing, and she hated that reggae or pop or rock music or whatever. Ever since that girl stepped into our household, I've been having suspicions that she's not the girl we're looking for."
"You know, you DO have a point," muttered Mr. Kinomoto thoughtfully. "I...I don't know, I sort of thought the same thing, too, when she stepped foot into this mansion." Then he reached for his phone on his desk and dialed a number.
"Hello? Korin? This is Kinomoto-sama. Yes, yes, I have a job for you. No, you don't have to do it right now, it's not exactly an emergency. Well, okay it is an emergency. Sort of. Remember that girl that claimed to be my granddaughter? What was her previous name?" He paused. "Harada Manami. Harada Manami. Are you sure about that? Okay then. Here's you task--find out everything you can about her."
Uh oh, Mr. Kinomoto's sent somebody out to find out the details about Manami!!! But that doesn't necessarily mean that this story is coming to an end. People who have seen the drama, you know what happens when he finds out. REVIEW!!
HanaTenshiHimeko: Heehee...don't worry, Manami will get drunk soon.
Sakurajr17: HIGH FIVE!! I don't know who this Karleigh is but whatever you said, it sounds sweeeet!
Lain in the Wired: It's not sad, Lain. Manami's just stupid.
heheangel kisses: HOW CAN ANYONE BE ALLERGIC TO DUMPLINGS? THEY TASTE WAY TOO GOOD!!
Disclaimer: Don't own CCS.
CinderSakura
By: Lotus Dreams
Chapter 10: Warnings and Suspicions
Nadeshiko tossed the note into the trash. It must be a coincidence, she thought, there are tons of people named Syaoran.
So why was her name on the paper?
Deciding it wasn't worth deciding, she ran up to her room without talking to Tomoyo and shut the door.
Why was Syaoran always trying to probe into her secret feelings? Couldn't he see that she didn't like it and it wasn't polite? She wanted keep her secrets from everyone. Let everyone think that she was just an ordinary, happy girl. She didn't share her secrets because she didn't have anyone to share them with. Oh sure, she had friends, like Tomoyo. But would they really want to listen?
She shook her head. "Shut up," she told herself.
BRRRRRRRRRRRRRING!!
Her alarm clock rang. Five o'clock. Nadeshiko quickly shut it off and dressed into a white blouse and green skirt. She had changed her wardrobe slightly for work, in order to look presentable and formal and, of course, not like a whore.
Tiptoeing out of her room quietly, she brushed her teeth in the downstairs bathroom and combed her hair quickly. Then, she grabbed her purse and headed out the door.
Imagine how surprised she was when Syaoran was standing there, leaning against his car, waiting for her.
"Hey Nadeshiko-chan," he greeted her. "Want a ride?"
Nadeshiko stopped dead in her tracks.
"What are you doing here?"
"Picking you up for a ride?"
"You know it's still dark, right?"
"Then why are YOU up?"
"I need to do some things before going to work."
"Like?"
"Buying myself a breakfast."
"I'll buy one for you."
"No, but arigatou all the same." Nadeshiko's voice, which was usually full of energy and warmth, suddenly became as chilly as the morning air. She walked down the driveway, not looking back.
"Chotto matte(wait)."
"Nani(what)." She didn't say it as a question.
"Why do you keep avoiding me?"
"Why do you keep asking me that question, Li-sama?" Nadeshiko spun around. She was getting quite angry. "I avoid everyone, happy? I'm shy, whatever! Why do you always want to know these personal things about everyone? Don't you know that if you ask someone a question and they don't answer the first time, they don't WANT to answer it? Don't you know that that's common manners? I don't like to answer that question. Honestly, I don't even know why you want to escort me anyway. Can't a girl have some privacy? Or would you like to escort me to the bathroom too? How about the shower?!"
Her eyes were burning. Syaoran merely looked surprised and a bit disappointed.
"Well, okay then."
Her anger died down. She sighed and turned away.
"Just...go away, okay, Li-sama? We're nothing but co-workers; I work for you in your company. We're not even friends. Ja." She left.
Throughout the whole day, Nadeshiko tried to dodge Syaoran as much as possible. Even when he came up to her to ask her to photocopy something, she would hurry in the opposite direction, pretending to go to the bathroom or the photocopy room. She didn't like his presence; now, it kept driving her nuts, and she became increasingly tense.
During her lunch break, the PA system across the company blared, "Kinomoto Nadeshiko, please report to Kinomoto Touya's office immediately."
The boss's grandson? Uh-oh.
Taking out her ID card, she took the elevator up to the fourth floor, where Touya's office was. She stepped out, walked to the end of the hall, swiped her card through the card swiper, and was admitted in.
"Oha--" Touya looked up.
"--yo."
It was that same girl he had bumped into that day, who looked shockingly like Sakura. But...Sakura was already found. Actually, Sakura was going to arrive any second, so the girl in front of him couldn't possibly be Sakura. Besides, HER name was Nadeshiko...Kinomoto.
Nadeshiko bowed respectfully.
"Hai, Kinomoto-sama."
After several moments of staring at her, studying the similarities between her and Sakura, he suddenly regained control of himself.
"::clears throat:: Um, ohayo..."
Nadeshiko waited expectantly.
"::clears throat:: Um..." Touya suddenly remembered what he was going to tell her. "Kinomoto, isn't it?"
"Hai...Kinomoto-sama."
"Hah, we have the same last name..." Then he remembered something else:
Kinomoto Nadeshiko was the name of his mother.
"Okay, well to business." He sighed. "Actually, Kinomoto-san, this isn't about the company. It's about...my sister, Sakura Kinomoto."
"Hai."
"I've been hearing that you've been interfering with her relationship with Syaoran Li, our foreign countries negotiator."
"Excuse me?" said Nadeshiko incredulously. What was he talking about?
"Ms. Kinomoto, I've heard of such things as love, but please, do not try to break it. My sister has been through tough times; I would appreciate it if you will not make life any harder for her."
"You mean Manami?" She had seen her walk around in the company a couple of days ago, and they were saying how she was the boss's long lost granddaughter.
"Her name is Sakura, Kinomoto-san. I would appreciate it if you did not interfere with Sakura's lovelife."
"Demo(but)--"
A screen on Touya's desk showed a code: 191112115119
"Come in, Sakura."
Manami opened the door and strutted in, wearing an expensive red custom-made top with flared sleeves, and black velvet pants. On her feet were black heels with astonishingly thin and high heels. She saw Nadeshiko and gave her a sickly smile.
"Ohayo, Nadeshiko-chan!"
"Mana--"
"It's Sakura now, Nadeshiko," interrupted Manami. "I finally found my real family, with onii-san here and ojii-chan in the other room. It's a really long story. Well, anyway, onii-chan, I really have to borrow Nadeshiko-chan here, we are THE greatest friends--"
"Really? Because I thought she was stealing your boy--"
"I just need to steal HER away now, onii-chan," Manami cut in again, still smiling, "Because I plan to spend lunch with her right now. Mind if I grab her right now?"
"Well..."
"Great, that's settled," said Manami quickly, and snatched Nadeshiko's arm, dragging her out. Nadeshiko called, "Sayonara, Kinomoto-sama!"
Manami took out a couple thousand yen and paid for her and Nadeshiko's lunches. She shooed the waitress away, who was stunned at so much money, and then she started cutting up her chicken.
Nadeshiko did not cut up or eat anything, but merely took a sip of iced tea.
"What do you want, Manami?"
"Nani?"
"I said, what do you want?"
"Eat first," said Manami, chewing on her chicken and starting on her baby carrots. "Then we'll talk."
"I'm not hungry, Manami. Tell me right now." Nadeshiko's eyes were quite cold.
After taking forever to finish her plate and take a long drink from her glass, Manami wiped her mouth on a napkin daintily. Then she said:
"Okay, down to business it is. First of all, my name is Kinomoto Sakura now. I'm the long lost granddaughter of YOUR boss, and that guy you were talking to is my BROTHER. I was found by the Haradas when I bumped my head and lost my memory, but then Touya found me and brought to my RIGHTFUL place."
"Right." Nadeshiko still did not touch her food.
"Now, Nadeshiko, do you have a relationship with my boyfriend Syaoran Li?"
"Excuse me?"
"I SAID, do you have a relationship with Syaoran Li, who is MY boyfriend?"
"When did he become your boyfriend?"
"A long time ago."
"Oh really?"
"Hai. So, I just want to know if you two have anything...special."
"We don't."
"Then why does he always want to bring you to dinner? Why does he always want to give you a ride to and from work? Why is he trying to talk to you and communicate with you? Why are you both always together? You know, Nadeshiko, it's not nice to steal somebody else's boyfriend."
"I realize that."
"So you do you?"
"I don't."
"Then why--"
"That's his choice, not mine." Nadeshiko's eyes were burning. "I told him not to do anything for me but he doesn't listen. There's nothing between us. We're just friends. Don't get the wrong idea about your BOYFRIEND, Manami." Nadeshiko pushed her plate away. For some reason, she was feeling extremely angry. Why was Manami always approaching her with the subject of Syaoran Li? She hated talking about him. Just the mention of his name and her heart went all fluttery and she DIDN'T LIKE IT!!!
"Gomen, Manami, but I have to go now. Or should I say, Sakura?"
Sae, the maid, walked up the stairs with Sakura's dinner. However, when she reached her door, she could hear loud, thunderous dancing music thumping from a stereo. She opened the door a crack and saw Sakura shaking her head up and down like crazy, her hair flying in all directions. She was moving her arms up in the air, then sliding her hands down her hips. Her backside was moving round and round in circles, and her body was bouncing up and down with the beat. She was wearing nothing but a pink tube top and a black leather skirt that practically ended at her thighs.
Sae closed the door in shock. Whoa, Sakura was a slut? No way!
She quickly went to Mr. Kinomoto's study room, where he was looking at some papers. He saw Sae waiting at the door and admitted her in.
"Kinomoto-sama, are you sure that you have found the right Kinomoto Sakura?"
"Well, Touya seems sure, why?"
Sae described what she had seen in Sakura's bedroom. "Remember what Touya had said? Sakura never really liked dancing, and she hated that reggae or pop or rock music or whatever. Ever since that girl stepped into our household, I've been having suspicions that she's not the girl we're looking for."
"You know, you DO have a point," muttered Mr. Kinomoto thoughtfully. "I...I don't know, I sort of thought the same thing, too, when she stepped foot into this mansion." Then he reached for his phone on his desk and dialed a number.
"Hello? Korin? This is Kinomoto-sama. Yes, yes, I have a job for you. No, you don't have to do it right now, it's not exactly an emergency. Well, okay it is an emergency. Sort of. Remember that girl that claimed to be my granddaughter? What was her previous name?" He paused. "Harada Manami. Harada Manami. Are you sure about that? Okay then. Here's you task--find out everything you can about her."
Uh oh, Mr. Kinomoto's sent somebody out to find out the details about Manami!!! But that doesn't necessarily mean that this story is coming to an end. People who have seen the drama, you know what happens when he finds out. REVIEW!!
