(Author's Note: I'm glad so many people found the last chapter amusing...I didn't really, but it's all good if you guys did. I'm still searching for honorifics if anyone has them. Here we go now, chapter 6.)
Disclaimer: I don't own Cardcaptors characters: CLAMP does. I own their personalities in this story and any other character that I make up.
Chapter 6
"I wonder why she's not coming to the door...it's not like her to keep people waiting." Fujitaka checked his watch yet again, concerned. They had been standing outside for ten minutes, waiting and waiting for Sakura to come ande let them in. Occasionally either Fujitaka or Fuutie (previously known as Ms. Li) would say something to try and cover up the awkward silence. Syaoran just stood there, moody and quiet.
"Maybe she's not home yet?" suggested Fuutie. He shook his head.
"No, I called her a while ago, and she was there."
"Hmmm..."
Fujitaka rang the doorbell again.
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The television speakers blared out a sitcom, with the audience laughing loudly in the background. Sakura snored, not hearing a thing.
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Touya came walking up the garden path, his arms loaded with grocery bags. He looked at his father, Fuutie and Syaoran all grouped around the door, looking harassed.
"Dad?" he asked uncertainly. "What's up?"
"Touya!" His father looked more relieved to see him than he had in his entire life. "Thank goodness!"
"Did you guys just get here too?"
"No, we've been here for about ten minutes."
Touya frowned. "How come you're still standing here then? You didn't have to wait for me you know."
Fujitaka chuckled. "We weren't waiting for you ("Gee thanks, dad. You just made my day," thought Touya). We were waiting for your sister to let us in. Unfortunately, either she has run away or she's unable to come to the door for some reason."
Touya's brow furrowed. What could've happened to her?
He strode up to the door and pounded on it. "Sakura! Open up!" Is the kaijou playing a prank on us? It's not funny...
"Sakura! Open the door!" If something's wrong...
"SAKURA! LET US IN!" He slammed the door with his fists, the groceries dropping to the ground. Something cracked. Everyone sweatdropped. Touya didn't notice.
But she wouldn't joke around...we have guests. She wouldn't do something as rude as this unless she really hates them. I guess I can't blame her. The kid is pretty creepy. But if she's hurt I swear I'll kill the person who did it. Nobody bugs my little sister but me. Argh! What's happening in there? Why isn't she coming to the door? She wouldn't leave me standing here...I mean, I'm her BROTHER! And dad's her...well...her DAD! But if she doesn't answer, what will happen to us? What if we're stuck here on this doorstep forever? Until we die of hunger and cold our dried up bones are discovered by some archeologist hundreds of years from now? What if they put us in a museum? What will I do? I don't like being on display! I only look good in the flesh! NOOOO!
He was just starting to get really worried, when...
"Why don't you try your key, son?"
Touya was stunned. Then, fuming, he shoved his hand into his pocket and groped around for his key. He pulled it out and stepped over a puddle of yellow stuff (it's only yolk from the eggs that broke...dont worry...) and jammed his key in the hole. There was a click as he turned it, and the door swung open. He stepped inside cautiously, followed by the others.
Looking around, he thought that the house was much cleaner than usual. Evidently, whoever broke in didn't want to leave any forensic evidence, his overly imaginative mind thought. Then he heard an earsplitting scream coming from the living room, followed by a round of maniacal laughter. No! Sakura!
Touya raced into the living room. His heart nearly stopped. A brown-haired girl was slowly backing away, being forced into a corner by a man in a long black overcoat, who was holding a gun. The girl was terrified, and looked close to fainting. Broken words were coming from her mouth.
"D-don't! I-I have connections you know! And my family will notice I'm gone! M-my brother will hunt you down! Leave me alone!"
"You foolish, foolish girl." The man in the overcoat spoke in gravelly tones. "Your brother can't save you now. Either you come with me, or I'll kill you on the spot and drag your carcass all over the street so that people can see how usefulyour connections have been."
"He's so lame," muttered Syaoran.
"Shut up, kid! That's my favourite show!" Touya turned on Syaoran. Then he turned back, eyes glued to the tv screen. Everyone sweatdropped again. He's even lamer than the guy on tv, thought Syaoran, amused all the same. Then he started. What...Sakura?
Touya walked around the couch and planted his bottom firmly on it. Everyone stared at him.
"What?" He realized that they were looking past him. Following their line of vision, he saw a pale hang lying two inches from him. Letting out a high-pitched scream, he leapt off the couch, practically flying through the air to reach his father.
"Daddy..." he whimpered, looking fearfully over Fujitaka's shoulder at the sleeping form on the couch.
"Touya," Fujitaka said firmly. "Stop. It's your sister."
"...oh. I knew that."
Sakura was lying sprawled out on the couch, her head hanging off the edge, hugging a pillow. Syaoran hid a smile. Wow...She looks so innocent when she's sleeping...or at least she would if she weren't drooling.
Sakura stirred, hearing voices around her. I must be still dreaming...I'm hearing voices. Mm...there's dad. He sounds like he's mad at Touya again. Hah, my brother's such a wimp. A smile appeared on her face. Only Syaoran noticed it.
Sakura shifted, hugging onto the pillow tightly. Who's that? Sounds like a woman. I wonder who it is.
She turned, but the pillow slipped out of her grasp, falling onto the floor. Murmuring sleepily, Sakura reached onto the floor and groped around for it. Not finding it, she reached out farther, consequently losing her balance and falling on her head with a thunk! ("the sound of a hollow head, no doubt," thought Syaoran, now unable to hide his widening smile)
"Ouch..." she muttered, rubbing her (apparently hollow) head and looking around at the (upside down) world blearily. She saw several pairs of feet, and heard several concerned exclamations coming from the owners of those feet. She saw the feet hurrying towards her, stepping around the pillow that was lying some two feet away from her. There you are. Come here.
"Sakura?" Fujitaka shook her gently. "Come on now, honey. Wake up."
"Huh?" Sakura rolled over and stared up into the amused face of her father. "What happened?" She caught sight of Fuutie. "Who's she?"
"She's the one who joined our new department, remember?" He asked in a kindly, patient tone. "We're having dinner together."
"Oh...yeah." Sakura said with comprehension dawning on her face. She looked awkwardly at Fuutie. "Erm...hi."
"Hello Sakura," said Fuutie, smiling. "I've heard so much about you. This young man here speaks very highly of you." She indicated Syaoran, who had been waving his arms wildly, trying to indicate that he did not want to be spoken about. She had obviously ignored him.
"Hmm? Oh, hello." Sakura hadn't noticed the boy with brown hair was Syaoran.
"Hi," he mumbled, raising his head to look at her.
Her eyes widened. "S-Syao...uhh...Li-kun?" What the hell is he doing here! I must have looked so weird sleeping... Wait. Why do I care again? Another little voice in her head answered the first one. Duh...'cause you like him!
No I don't! the first voice retorted. He's an arrogant jerk who doesn't know what's good for him.
If he's such an arrogant jerk then why was he so nice to you at cross country? asked the second voice slyly.
I don't know! Don't ask me!
But I am you, darrrling...and it cackled evilly.
"Kaijou?" Touya frowned at his sister's face, which had become slack and impassive. "What's wrong with you?"
"N-nothing!" Sakura stuttered, pulling herself out of her reverie. She grinned reassuringly at him, then clambered to her feet.
"Great! Now we can start making dinner." Fujitaka smiled warmly at everyone (though not so much at Touya) and said (much to Sakura, Syaoran, and Touya's horror), "Sakura, why don't you show Syaoran here to your room? You two know each other already (he smiled at Syaoran), so you guys can hang around together and wait around while we make dinner. Sound good?"
Sakura swallowed. She couldn't exactly say "No dad, it doesn't sound good, why doesn't Syaoran stay downstairs and get bored out of his wits watching you guys making dinner, whilst I relax in my wonderful room that has been made for me and me alone?" She'd been brought up better than that. Instead, she sighed inwardly and said,
"Sure dad. Come on, let's go to my room." She purposely left his name out. Turning on her heel, she marched out of the room without making eye contact with anyone. She heard Syaoran following behind her, but he didn't say anything.
Out of the room, across the hallway, up the stairs, into Sakura's room. Stony silence.
Sakura sat down on her bed, not sure whether Syaoran would want to sit down or not. She fidgeted, thinking that he would want to sit, then gave up on the thought. I have nothing to say to him...this is so embarrassing. I grow up with a brother (yeah okay, he's wimpy, and Syaoran's not, but he's still a guy, right?) and I still have trouble talking to the male population. Or is it just this particular individual?
Syaoran stood there, looking around. This wasn't what he expected a girl's room to look like. He didn't know what he expected, but it wasn't this. He imagined something a little more pink. And frilly. Here, the only things that were a lighter shade of red than red was an article of clothing peeking out of the hastily shut closet door. He groaned inwardly, after taking in every detail of the room and there was nothing left to look at. I have nothing to say to her...this is really embarassing. I was brought up with four rambunctious sisters (sure, they're girly, and Sakura's not, but they're still girls, right?) in the same house, surrounded by fashion and overexcitement about guys. And I still have trouble talking to the female species. Or maybe it's just her?
Five minutes and much awkwardness later, with no sound except for a tiny cough followed by a quiet "excuse me" once in a while, they were both willing to talk just to have something to do. Most uncharacteristically, it was Syaoran who decided to break the silence.
"Nice room." He looked around again as he said it, not meeting her eyes.
"Thanks." A conversation about my room. A nice, safe topic. Boooorring! But a lot better than nothing, I suppose.
"Is your...head feeling better?" Syaoran asked, masking the tentativeness in his voice with a weak grin.
"Huh?" Her hand automatically went to her head, feeling around. "Oh," she said, finding the bald spot. "No, not yet." She grinned.
The tension in the room ceased, almost visibly, as both the inhabitants relaxed.
"So, do you wanna do something?" asked Sakura. As son as the words were out of her mouth, the doorbell rang. They heard Fujitaka opening the door, and people coming in. Laughter, then Fujitaka's voice.
"Sakura, a couple of your friends are here. I'm sending them up."
"Okay!" She turned to Syaoran. "Wonder who that could be..."
He shrugged.
A loud thunping sound on the door and a shriek announced the arrival of the strangers.
"Takashi! You freaking idiot! Look what you did to the door! Sakura-kun...Chan!" Sakura raised her eyebrows.
Another thumping sound and an ominous creak followed this statement.
Sakura bounded up and leapt at the door before it could collapse completely. She opened it carefully, and grinned at the startled faces of Takashi and Chiharu. The grin fell away as she surveyed her door. A thin but terribly long crack ran almost the length of the door.
"Sorry," said Takashi guiltily, Chiharu nodding at his side.
Sakura laughed and waved them in. "It's okay...it'll just be a small problem when my dad sees it."
She followed them in and closed the door. Chiharu looked around at her, a smile playing around the corners of her mouth.
"Hey Syao-kun!" said Takashi, smiling broadly and walking over to smack Syaoran on the back.
"Err...Syaoran's here..." said Sakura unnecessarily.
"Anyway, our parents heard that you guys were throwing a get-to-know-you party, so they decided to drop in. And I thought you guys might be bored, so I brought some games." (everyone sweatdropped, staring at her) Chiharu reached into the bag that she had with her, and started pulling things out. "Let's see...I have Twister, Scrabble, Monopoly, and Jenga Truth or Dare."
"Monopoly is too predictable." Sakura complained. "And long."
Syaoran nodded.
Heartened but not showing it, Sakura went on.
"Scrabble's pretty boring too. Making words is okay, but who wants to have points about it?"
"Probably not you, considering you're no whiz at language," Chiharu said pointedly.
"And knowing that Chiharu-chan is playing, I will be wise for once and stay away from the Twister board." Takashi declared. "She's probably gonna make me bend into weird shapes and stick my head up someone's ass."
Chiharu glowered, colouring. Sakura laughed.
"Okay then," Chiharu said, taking control again. "Nothing left to do but play Jenga."
Nobody argued.
They all sat in a circle around the tower of blocks.
"Okay? Takashi-kun, you go first."
He blanched. "Why me?"
"'Cause I said so. Now go!"
Looking resigned, Takashi reached in and carefully removed a plain block from the tower. He gently placed it on top, smiling at Chiharu's exasperated expression that he hadn't done something more interesting.
"Your turn Chiharu-chan."
"Screw you," she muttered. She leaned forward and pulled a red block from the tower.
"Here's how you really play Jenga Truth or Dare you idiot," she snapped nastily. "You actually go for the coloured ones." Her scowl faded as she looked down at the block in her hand, to be replaced by one of incredulity.
"What is it Chiharu-chan?" Sakura leaned forward eagerly, trying to see.
Chiharu shut her eyes, hiding the block from Sakura's eyes. Okay Chiharu, you can do this. I mean, you want to do it don't you?
Another little voice answered the first one in her head. NO! NO! Are you kidding yourself woman? You hate him! He's like...like...a LIAR! Yeah!
"Wake up!" Chiharu opened her eyes to see Syaoran glaring at her. "Get on with it."
She glared back at him, then shut her eyes for a split second again, bracing herself. Then she quickly leaned over to her left and kissed Takashi on the cheek. She lingered for a second, feeling the closeness. Then she pulled away as fast as she could without breaking the sound barrier.
And the room was filled with loud silence. Crickets chirped. Tumbleweed rolled across the scene, accompanied by a gust of wind. Chiharu looked up from her lap, cheeks flaming, to see both Sakura and Syaoran sitting stock-still, their faces unaturally straight. Uh oh...she thought. She didn't dare look at Takashi. So she looked back down.
There was a small cough. And another. And a stifled giggle. Oh no.
"Uhhm...good job Chiharu-chan." She glanced up at Sakura to see her friend and Syaoran fighting back laughter. It was obviously a losing battle.
Sakura reached out to pull a block from the tower, but her hand shook so badly with barely contained mirth that it was a wonder she had managed to hold it in for so long. She finally gave up on the block and withdrew to calm herself. Her shoulders, which were shaking like there was no tomorrow, were matched only by Syaoran's.
She heard a sigh, and felt herself give an odd sort of twitch. "Well," she heard Takashi say. "It could be worse."
She was so relieved that he wasn't taking this the wrong way (and in a strange sense, just a little disappointed) that she replied almost scathingly.
"How so?"
"Well, for starters," he said in his most annoying voice. "They could actually be laughing aloud, which would make this all the more awkward and embarassing for us. They could also be mocking you and teasing me, which would be even more awkward and embarassing, and furthermore..."
"Okay okay! I get it!"
Sakura pulled herself together just long enough after this argument to yank another plain block from the tower, which then swayed ominously. Sakura stared so hard at it, her face fearful, that Syaoran remarked dryly that it looked like she was advertising a strange new way to show that you were constipated.
She narrowed her eyes at him and he grinned back innocently while Chiharu and Takashi took their turn to laugh at them. He's not the nicest guy in the world, she found herself thinking. But he's pretty funny.
She sighed. Might as well be nice to him. After all, he was her guest.
"Go on Li-kun. It's your turn."
His smile turned into a scowl. "Don't tell me what to do."
Sakura was offended. "Well I'm so-rry. Should I shut up now Mr. High-and-mighty?"
"That suits me fine."
"Fine."
"I thought you were going to shut up."
"You can't make me."
"Wanna bet?"
"No."
"Chicken."
"Pig."
"You're fatter than I am."
"How would you know?"
"I'm phsycic."
"Or do you have x-ray vision?"
There was a cough. Sakura realized what she'd just said. Her ears immediately felt warm. Chiharu and Takashi were grinning from ear to ear.
"Well?" Takashi prompted. "Do you, Syao-kun?"
Syaoran's face was unreadable. "I'm blind. Happy?"
"Yes." Sakura huffed and fell silent.
Syaoran raised his eyebrows and looked around at everyone. Then he silently removed a block from the tower. They all watched in anticipation as he looked at the red block. His face didn't betray his feelings. What the hell is this? What kind of game is this? Who'd be bored enough to invent something like this?
Sighing, he turned to Sakura. "Can I quit the game?"
She was taken aback by his polite request. "Ye--"
"No!" They looked up. Chiharu was glaring at Syaoran. "That's not fair. You have to do it. No backing out."
He waved the brick at her. "This is just stupid. Look."
"I'm not supposed to--" she fell silent as she read the piece of wood clenched in Syaoran's hand.
"Ahahahahaha!" They all jumped as Chiharu collapsed onto her side, laughing like a madwoman. Syaoran's eyebrow twitched.
"You see?"
She gasped for breath, still chuckling. "No! I think you really should do it..."
He just looked at her, the look on his face plainly stating that he wanted nothing to do with it. If there were a cliff here, I'd probably jump, he thought grumpily. So he sat there for a second, thinking of the best way to approach the situation. Finally, he sighed. I got myself into this. I suppose I was just begging for it to happen.
He grimaced, then said to Takashi, in the gayest, most retarded voice he could muster, "I love you, honey. You're my world. Will you marry me?" He said it with such a sincere face that they were all shocked. Takashi blinked.
"Uhh..."
Syaoran shuddered, then wiped his mouth on his sleeve, as if trying to wipe away all the evidence of what he had said. "That felt so wrong..." he muttered.
Sakura grinned. "I actually thought you were serious."
He narrowed his eyes at her. She sweatdropped.
"Takashi-kun! It's your turn again!" Chiharu screeched, disrupting their staring contest.
"Oh...oh yeah." Takashi looked nervous.
"Go!"
"Fine, fine..."
He crawled forward on his hands and knees, and reached over to slide a block out. He paused for a second, before sliding the block out. It looked as if he had been pondering whether to just knock over the tower and get it over with or not. In the end though, his overly active conscience had forced him to pick up a green block. He read it with his nonexistent eyes, frowning.
"Which person in the room would you most like to go out with?"
He glanced uneasily around at his friends, who were all staring (although not so much Syaoran, who was hiding it quite well) at him expectantly.
Oh boy, he thought. Well, I think the choice is clear here. There are only two girls and I doubt I'm gay, so...
"Chiharu-chan. She's a good buddy."
Chiharu blushed, then reached out and smacked him over the head. "Hentai!"
"Ow! Hey! You're the one who kissed me! Don't call me hentai!"
"I had no choice! You decided to sit on my left! It said to 'kiss the person on your left'!"
Sakura and Syaoran exchanged amused looks. This was fun.
As if they had jinxed the game by thinking it, Fujitaka's voice floated up from downstairs.
"Hey you guys! Come on...it's time for dinner!"
Sakura sighed. Just when we were all finally getting along.
"Come on." She stood up with a groan, stretching out her cramped legs. "Let's go."
Takashi and Chiharu stood up at once, still yapping at each other. But it was almost painfully obvious that they were enjoying themselves. Syaoran got up and followed her soundlessly, only stopping to exchange smirks with Sakura.
She turned around, waited for them all to go out of the room, and shut her door. Her heart was thumping. I'm so pathetic.
She clunked herself on the head, then followed the others downstairs.
(A/N: Ahh...I am angry. Didn't update for ages again. But I hope you enjoyed that. I think it's the only time I'm going to put Truth or Dare concepts in the story. Next chapter, the horrible dinner, made by Touya, who somehow has an alter ego (which I made up) that nobody has ever seen before. Brace yourselves.)