Chapter4,
Card Captor Sakura By Angel StardustNote: Well, I hope you like this chapter. I suppose it was rather stupid (quote from Shiku), but I really tried. I'm sorry if I'm not half as good as professional authors, but it's the best I've got, so enjoy if you want, or hate it.
Meiling IntervenesSakura and Syaoran sat at a small table next to the window at the coffee-smelling café. They had been banished to an awkward silence, looking down at their plates and eating the pancakes and eggs they had bought.
If anyone they knew saw them, they would have laughed themselves silly. To see Syaoran blushing and Sakura shifting uncomfortably, both pushing the food around their plates, well, lets just say that it would be a sorry sight.
As the story goes, nobody they knew saw them. Well, actually, nobody Sakura knew saw her. Unfortunately, it means that someone Syaoran knew saw him. Only one name for that person: Meiling.
A few things about Meiling that we must discuss before progressing on with the story. The first is that Meiling had been dating Syaoran (she spilled the wine all over him, remember?), and still was. The second thing is that Meiling was cheating on Syaoran (he'll be overjoyed to find out about that), dating none other than Yamazaki Takashi, Syaoran's friend. What a woman. The third, being the most essential, is that Meiling was still madly in love with Syaoran. She was only dating Yamazaki to make Syaoran feel bad.
You can imagine the feelings Meiling felt when she saw Syaoran eating in the café with an unknown woman. Hatred. Especially since she had already confessed her love for him.
Either way, Meiling had seen Syaoran and Sakura and she was not happy about that. She was walking alone (for once) and desperately wished that Yamazaki were with her. Then Syaoran would see her and feel like a total jerk.
A plan was devised in her evil brain (you can tell I don't like Meiling…), deciding to put it into action that very afternoon.
Back in Tokyo…Tomoyo Daidouji was in a complete shock. She had notified the police, called her father, yelled at Toya Kinomoto, begged Yukito Shuhiro to help her, called up her fiancé, Eriol Hiirigizawa, and she still hadn't found Sakura.
Sakura was supposed to be the one looking for a completely lost and ready-to-faint Tomoyo, not the other way around! Tomoyo was close to tears. What if something horrible had happened to Sakura? That last thing Tomoyo had said to Sakura wasn't exactly the nicest thing, either. What if Sakura had been murdered by some pervert, and Tomoyo never saw her again?
Tomoyo burst into tears at the mere thought. This was the time when she needed Sakura most, and where was she? GONE! Tomoyo, seeing nothing better to do, fainted.
In Hong Kong…It was late afternoon, and Sakura still hadn't left. She and Syaoran were at Syaoran's apartment playing Kingdom Hearts (do people in Japan play that?). Surprising how when Syaoran said: "you can stay for breakfast", he meant "you can stay the whole day".
It was back to the old days again. Sakura and Syaoran at age four, sitting on an overstuffed couch playing childish video games. Except now, it was Sakura and Syaoran sitting on a red velveteen couch at age twenty-four playing childish video games. Ha ha.
At Meiling's Apartment…Meiling dialed the familiar phone number into the receiver. Yelan's number. She had called Syaoran's mother several times when she and Syaoran had just begun to date. Back then, Meiling had been begging for permission to meet Yelan. Now, she was begging for permission to marry Syaoran.
"Hello?" the servant's voice rang loudly into the receiver.
"Hello, this is Meiling Li. May I speak to Yelan Li, please?"
"Just a minute."
Meiling could hear the bang of the phone as the servant set it down to go call her master. Meiling was boiling with excitement. Yelan had always had a soft spot for her, and she had a rather high chance for being agreed with.
"Hello? Yelan speaking," the sweet, feminine voice said.
"Ah, yes, Yelan, it's Meiling. I have a question to ask you…"
"Ask away my dearest."
"Will you…will you let me marry Syaoran?"
There was an ominous pause on the phone. Meiling could hear Yelan's shallow breathing on the other end. She was obviously thinking the matter over carefully. Finally, she sighed and asked Meiling if Syaoran had proposed.
"Yes, he did. Just yesterday, actually," Meiling lied. The statement would only benefit her, even if it was a lie.
Yelan sighed again. She supposed that if Syaoran truly love Meiling, then it would only be right to agree to their marriage. If she didn't, they would probably elope…
"Alright," Yelan said hesitantly, "but, you must take care of him."
Meiling gave a loud squeal of happiness. Receiving Yelan's approval was easier than she had thought. She hastily hung up. Her plan was working.
Syaoran's apartment…Sakura and Syaoran had grown tired or Kingdom Hearts, and were sitting on the couch, staring at a powerless television. Syaoran had turned it off, but he was too awkward to ask Sakura what she wanted to do next. Instead, he accidentally put himself into an even more awkward position by asking Sakura question.
"Sakura, why did you leave me?"
Sakura's heart stopped at Syaoran's question. He was looking at her, his eyes filled with pain. She could tell he wanted to know…but Sakura wasn't ready to tell them. She hadn't even expected him to ask such a question!
Sakura turned away, unable to look at Syaoran's piercing amber eyes. She couldn't tell him. He would be completely disgusted…as she had been when she found out.
Syaoran gripped Sakura's arm. He had to know. He knew he was being incredibly stubborn and magnificently stupid, but his curiosity was bursting in his chest.
"Sakura…answer me."
"You would hate me if I told you."
"I wouldn't."
"You would."
"But still, I want to know. I can't live in ignorance."
"I wish you could."
"Why?"
Sakura looked up at Syaoran. She could see his confusion, his anger…his pain. As much as she hated admitting it, Sakura knew that it was her fault Syaoran had suffered…if he had suffered. Sakura took a deep breath to calm her nerves. She would not tell him.
"I can't tell you."
"Why not? I won't get mad or anything!"
"I can't tell you…(whispered) because I love you too much."
Syaoran's look betrayed his confusion. Sakura began to laugh. Syaoran looked so stupidly cute when he cocked his head to one side and looked at her the way he did.
"Hey! Sakura! It's not funny!"
"Ah ha ha ha!"
"Shut up! I said it wasn't funny!"
Sakura just couldn't stop laughing. Syaoran grew irritated and grabbed Sakura's cheeks, pulling on them.
"Don't laugh like that!" he said, beginning to laugh himself.
The two of them collapsed on the floor next to the couch, clutching their stomachs. Sometimes, adults can be amazingly childish.
Tokyo…Tomoyo woke up with the concerned face of Eriol over her. His face immediately relaxed and he smiled, relieved that Tomoyo was alright.
"Tomoyo, love, what happened?"
"(wail) I couldn't find Sakura! She just…just…DISAPEARED!"
Eriol hastily calmed Tomoyo. He was afraid that she would over-excite herself and faint again. After all, he hadn't traveled all the way to Tokyo to have her faint on him over and over again.
Suddenly, Eriol's cell phone range. He checked the caller ID and saw that it was his friend, Yamazaki. HE smiled reassuringly at Tomoyo picked up his call.
"Hello?"
"Eriol! You won't believe it! Meiling has been cheating on me!"
"I told you, she is in love with Syaoran. You just didn't listen to good ol' Eriol, do ya?"
"But she was using me!"
"Really? For what?"
"To make Syaoran feel bad! And she said he just broke up with this new girl or whatever, and now she and Syaoran are getting married!"
"Married? Wouldn't Syaoran have called—"
"Well obviously they just got his mother's blessing!"
"Oh my God."
"Yeah! I can't believe it! I'm FURIOUS! How could Syaoran not tell us!"
"But, Syaoran didn't say anything about dating after he broke up with Meiling, did he?"
"Come to think of it…he didn't…but who cares! I'm so mad, I could skin him alive!"
"Please don't Yamazaki."
"Oh, shut up. I'm gonna call him right now. Bye."
Eriol hung up, his brow furrowed. Syaoran was getting married…without Eriol and Yamazaki as his best men? The three of them had been friends since the beginning of time! How could Syaoran neglect them…for Meiling! Syaoran didn't even like Meiling!
Syaoran's apartment…Syaoran stopped laughing and looked at Sakura. She looked so beautiful…laughing the way she was. She suddenly stopped laughing and looked at him.
"Syaoran…what? Why are you looking at me like that? Stop it!"
Syaoran looked away. His heart ached. He wanted so badly to tell Sakura how he felt about her…how he had felt for a long time. Sakura was tugging on his sleeve, asking him what was wrong. Syaoran simply turned his head to stare at her.
"Sheesh Syaoran, you act like you've never seen me before!"
And in a way, Syaoran hadn't seen Sakura before. She was different. She looked so beautiful, so…feminine. Before, she had always been the tomboy that everyone knew in the neighborhood.
What Syaoran did next…well you can't really blame him ( hint: fluff). He leaned forward and his lips touched Sakura's gently, as a question. And Sakura answered that question.
Her lips opened against his, and her tongue slid into his mouth. At that moment, Syaoran was the most lost man on the face of the earth. Underneath that big blue sky, Syaoran was utterly, interminably lost. Lost with Sakura, that is.
They were like that for a few minutes when the doorbell rang, pulling them both out of their love trance.
Syaoran leapt up, his muscles tense. Who would be calling today? It was Saturday, and he sure hadn't invited anyone over (unless you count Sakura).
Syaoran pushed Sakura under the couch and told her to stay there. Slowly he advanced toward the door. An obnoxious, singsong voice called out from behind the door.
"My sweet Xiao Lang! I'm here! Let me in now!"
Syaoran groaned. Meiling. What did she want? He thought that they had broken up yesterday! Meiling was just so annoying. She bothered him too much.
There was more banging on the door and Syaoran wrenched it open irritably. Might as well ask her what she wanted and get her on her way. The sooner the better.
The minute the door opened, Meiling threw herself into Syaoran's arms.
"Xiao Lang-poo! I'm so happy to see you!"
Syaoran peeling Meiling off of himself and gestured to the kitchen table. Meiling didn't sit however. She started going on and on about one thing or another. It gave Syaoran a headache. Why didn't she just leave?
"Meiling! Shut up already, and get out of here!"
Meiling looked at him incredulously, as if she couldn't quite believe he was asking her to leave. Syaoran could tell she was acting.
"B-b-but Xiao Lang! Haven't you heard! We're going to be married! Weren't you listening to me?"
Syaoran's mouth dropped all the way down to the first floor. Married? To Meiling? That was his worst nightmare! Was this a horrible, terrible dream?
Syaoran began pounding on his head, screaming "WAKE UP, WAKE UP!" Meiling watched him, a hurt expression on her face.
"Xiao Lang…b-b-but…d-didn't Y-Yelan t-tell you already?" she asked meekly. "Yelan has already applied for a marriage certificate."
Suddenly, Meiling smiled and started toward the door.
"Anyways Xiao Lang, I must be going now. Yelan will call you about the wedding! Goodbye!"
And with that, Meiling left, leaving Syaoran to gape, utterly mortified, after her. A slight rustle from underneath the couch snapped him back to reality.
He whirled around and saw Sakura, her face a slight red. She didn't look happy. Actually, she looked like she was holding back a flurry of angry tears.
"Syaoran!" she wailed, "You didn't tell me you were getting married! Fine!"
Sakura grabbed her coat and began to put it on, still yelling at Syaoran.
"I'll leave, so that you won't have to lie to me anymore!"
With that, she shoved her feet into her shoes and stormed out of Syaoran's apartment. Syaoran attempted to keep her back.
"Sakura! Wait, come back!"
It was too late. She was gone. Syaoran was in a complete shock. He couldn't believe what had just happened. He was going to be married to Meiling! And now, Sakura was angry with him for that. Just what had Yelan done to his life?
000
Hi! Thanks everyone for all the great reviews! They were really helpful! I don't know if this chapter was too long or short, so just tell me. If they were good, then I think I'll try to keep them at this length. Thanks again!
-Aki-chan