AN: Eh? Sorry? Wait, no. That's not enough. I'm terribly, absolutely, extremely, very, mournfully sorry for not updating for more than half a year. I have excuses but I doubt any would be good enough. So, the holidays are already coming to an end. Once Christmas is up, before I know it, it would be Back To School time. It'll be a new school and I'm not excited. Anyway, I just updated because… I felt really bad for leaving this hanging.
Disclaimer: CCS belongs to uh huh… yea yeah and yada. You know…
-----
Summary: Sakura studied to be a heart surgeon. She has just started her training in Tokyo's biggest and busiest hospital. Syaoran is her mentor with an insolent attitude towards girls. Can Sakura cope with the extra work and all the strenuous activities in the everyday-bustling hospital? How will she cope with him? Is she going to give up?
Extras: Sakura's father is one of the richest men in Tokyo. But of course, having an older brother, the company was handed down to her brother, Touya. Sakura still can live off with the money her father is going to leave her. But, she chooses to have a career. A heart surgeon career, that is!
-----
Surgical Heart
Chapter 7: Meritocracy?
-----
"Doctor Li! Doctor Kinomoto! Come quickly!" Nurse Naoko said, her chest heaving heavily. "A small boy… He's seriously injured."
Immediately, Syaoran and Sakura stood up, both running down the halls. As they ran towards their destination, Sakura noted with care that Syaoran was suddenly so serious. Just moments before, he was yet again teasing her, pulling pranks and laughing at her. Now, with his jaw set and his eyes serious, he took on the personality of an entirely different role.
"Quit daydreaming and step on it, Kinomoto!" Syaoran snapped.
Sakura immediately ceased her observation and concentrated on the task at hand. "Sorry," she mumbled.
Syaoran ignored her apology and started pulling on his gloves. Giving an once-over of his attire, he announced, "I'm going in first."
Before Sakura could argue, he disappeared behind the doors of the surgical room. "So much for a partnership," she mumbled.
-----
As the surgery process drew to an end, a young man in his twenties emerged from his black Lexus convertible.
"She better be ready," he muttered as he locked his Lexus, pocketing the keys. Sighing resignedly, he headed towards the main entrance of the building.
-----
"You saved him, Doctor Kinomoto!" Naoko exclaimed happily as she stepped out of the theatre.
"Thanks Naoko but it was actually-" Sakura was interrupted by other cries.
"Doctor Li, you were great! You did it again! You are simply the best doctor this hospital could ever have," a nurse complimented.
After moments of silence, Sakura said, rather unenthusiastically, "Yea, I was going to say something along those lines. Hey Naoko, I'll make a move first." Waving to Naoko, she turned and ran to catch up with Syaoran who had long left the theatre.
"Hey, the nurse was right, great job," Sakura complimented, as she walked hurriedly to keep up with Syaoran. "Why don't you say anything? A 'thanks' would be fine you know," Sakura said when Syaoran failed to make a sound.
"I can't say the same about you," he muttered in a low, un-humorous voice.
"I'm sorry," Sakura said, not fully understanding.
"I can't say the same about you doing a good job," Syaoran stopped to turn around and tell her. As soon as he was finished, he turned back and headed to the office.
"Wha-" Sakura halted in her steps, her mouth agape as she watched the retreating steps of her mentor.
-----
"Finally… It should just be around the corner. That took a darn long time," the same young man with the Lexus said.
-----
"Wait up!" Sakura shouted as the joints of her mouth started working again. "Hey, stop there Li!" Sakura demanded as she ran after him. He had already reached the office and was loosening his tie while reaching for a glass of water. "Why the hell are you being so moody?"
"Me, moody?" Syaoran snorted. "Yeah, right. Look, I was just being honest then. You were really not concentrating today."
"Aww, come on. It slipped and fell on to the floor. I picked it up. Everything was fine!" Sakura argued.
"Everything was not fine! We can't overlook this kind of thing so easily. How the hell did it happen in the first place?"
"My gloves were slippery, okay? They were slippery with the boy's blood," Sakura shouted, enraged.
"No in hell, it wasn't. You hardly touched the boy-"
"That's because you hardly allowed me to do that! You don't trust me!" Sakura interrupted. She also noted that Syaoran was coming closer to her. "What are you doing? Stay away from me, Li!"
"Don't you dare use the boy's blood as an excuse for your carelessness," said Syaoran, his voice a deep grumble. "It was these careless, manicured hands that caused it to slip, not the boy's blood!" Syaoran grabbed Sakura's hand as he said that, his grip so tight that Sakura could no longer feel her fingers.
"Li?" said Sakura as she widened her eyes in great disbelief and shock.
"Let go of her, animal!" All at once, a young man pounced onto Syaoran, grabbing him from the back.
"Touya?" Sakura could only stand and stare as her one and only brother tackled Syaoran to the floor. However, it seemed that he was having some competition. "Touya, Touya! Shit. Stop it Touya!" She ran towards him and tried to pry him away from her mentor's body.
"Sakura, let go. I want to beat this piece of shit up," Touya growled. A few moments later, he threw his hands down to his sides. "Fine, if you want it that way." Obviously worked up, he stormed out of the room.
"Touya, Touya, wait," Sakura said as she fumbled for her belongings. Without sparing a glance at Syaoran, she took her bag and ran out the room.
"Who the hell was he?" Syaoran asked himself. He could barely face her after how he had struck out on her. Thankfully, the fight with that mysterious man had helped him think straight.
-----
"Shit Sakura, I can't understand why you have to take this low-paying job," Touya complained as he Sakura followed him to his car.
"It's not low-paying, Touya," Sakura sighed tiredly.
"Once we get back, we're discussing this with Dad. He has got to reconsider letting you keep this job with all this violence at work and all," Touya said.
"What violence? You latched out on him, Touya! He could sue you for violence."
"Sue me? Look what he did to you Sakura?" Touya said and lifted her right hand for her to examine her own bruise.
"It's just blue and black that's all. You could have broken his bones or something," Sakura stated.
"I don't know why you're even defending this guy. I…" Touya did not continue. It was like he didn't know what to say anymore and Sakura liked the peace. Glancing down at her slightly purple hand, she wondered sadly, why did he do that?
--
Behind a white pillar, Syaoran stood silently, watching the exchange between Sakura and the man. He had to look away when Sakura stared at her hand…
At her hand which was injured by him.
--
"Touya, please don't," Sakura begged after him. "Please don't tell Dad. I promise everything will be fine once this event has passed everyone."
Touya's face clouded with absolute doubt and mistrust. "Yea right, and if this does not pass… I mean, hey, I'm definitely not going to forget about this. I don't like that guy you were talking to. I do not like the guy that just beat my sister up. I'm going to discuss all this with Dad and you are not going to try and stop me."
He said the last few words in a low and determined voice that Sakura was left speechless, unable to retort back.
"Come on, Dad's waiting," Touya said and took her bag from her.
-----
The next day, Sakura called in sick. Syaoran was not, to say, the least surprised. He had expected it. What was wrong with him? Losing control like that was never his strong point. Why had he done it?
Shrouded with his own impending questions, Syaoran sighed as he picked up the phone. "Might as well make amends," he said and began dialling.
-----
"He did what?" Tomoyo shrieked. However, her fiancée remained calm.
"Relax, he is just asking us for help. Come on, give us a hand?" After a while, Tomoyo reluctantly relented. "Hey, didn't you have a dress to pick up with Sakura?" Eriol asked, rather suggestively.
Tomoyo gave him a look that said, Fine, you win and whipped out her mobile. Pressing speed dial, she held the phone to her ear as she waited for the familiar voice of her best friend.
"Hey, Sakura! It's me, Tomoyo. About my dress…"
-----
"I can't believe I'm betraying my best friend," Tomoyo grumbled as she reflected on whether she had made a wrong decision. However, when she spotted Sakura walking through the crowd and heading towards her, she knew it was too late.
"Hi Tomoyo, sorry to keep you waiting," Sakura said smiling. She had fashionably donned on a long-sleeve shirt that left only the top of her fingers visible. "How are the wedding plans coming along?" Before Tomoyo had a chance to answer, Sakura pulled her along, "Come on, let's go and pick a dress!"
-----
Throughout the whole processions of picking a perfect dress, Sakura seemed to chat animatedly away to herself, unaware of the feelings of doubt clouding Tomoyo's mind.
"Tomoyo, what about this? I think the frills are not overdone and the layering is beautiful," Sakura said. When Tomoyo failed to respond, Sakura glanced at her best friend. Seeing her in a daze, Sakura put down the dress and approached her dreaming friend. "Tomoyo, what's wrong?"
Tomoyo immediately snapped out of her daze and looked at her friend apologetically. "Sakura, they made me do it. Please don't be mad at me! Li wanted to made amends so he approached Eriol for help and now Eriol got me into it to. I can't back out now Sakura but you have no idea how guilty I have been feeling these past few hours. I just couldn't bear the thought of betraying you. Oh, please forgive me. I promise I'll-"
"Hold it, Tomoyo. Could you repeat that... slowly?" Sakura said, thoroughly puzzled.
Tomoyo sighed and took a deep breath. She should have never agreed to the plan.
-----
Minutes later, they reappeared from the wedding gown shop and they strolled leisurely along the pavement.
"So, what do we do now?" Tomoyo asked, definitely less worked up than before.
"Nothing, just go as according to plan. I don't know about it, only you, Li and Eriol," Sakura said. Her eyes were set determinedly. "I'll like to see how this turns out."
"There they are, as planned," Tomoyo said, pointing to two shadowed figures under a cherry blossom tree. "Are you sure-"
"Yes, I'm sure Tomoyo. Let's go and say Hi to our fellow friends," she punctuated the last word with a tinge of sarcasm.
"Oh look, there's Tomoyo and Sakura," Eriol exclaimed with pretence.
"Hi guys, what a coincidence!" Tomoyo said, her smile wavering. She made eye contact with Eriol, dreading to tell him how horribly their plans had turned out. Their very actions could dearly piss Sakura off.
"Hey Sakura, coincidence, eh" Syaoran said, looking solely at her. Sakura merely grunted in response. He wanted to grimace at the irony of it all but he did not want Eriol and Tomoyo's efforts to be in vain.
"Guys, why not we head to the ice-cream parlour together," Eriol suggested purposely, emphasising the last word. "Hey Sakura, Tomoyo tells me that both of you were just heading there."
"Weren't we?" Sakura said, biting back sarcasm unsuccessfully. "Now, let's just go, shall we?"
-----
The short journey to the ice-cream parlour brought zero results for the 'reconciliation' of Sakura and Syaoran. Sakura kept pretending to be engrossed in their surroundings, exclaiming unnecessarily whenever they saw a tree. When they came through the doors of the parlour, everyone secretly thanked God for the absence of those green-leaved plants with barks.
"Now, if Eriol and Syaoran would just go and order for the ladies," Sakura said aloud. Everyone stared at her. "Be a gentleman please." She separated Tomoyo from Eriol and dragged her to an empty seat.
"Sakura, what are you doing? You are foiling Li's plans," Tomoyo whispered harshly. Sakura simply shrugged as if saying, 'So?'
Moments later, and to Sakura's dismay, Syaoran appeared empty-headed. "Erm Tomoyo, Eriol is asking for you-"
Before Syaoran could finish, Tomoyo squealed, "Okiee! I'm coming Eriol!" and dashed off her seat, leaving Sakura alone in Syaoran's presence.
"Are you going to stand there like an idiot or plump your-"
"Okay, okay, I get it," Syaoran hurriedly sat, opposite Sakura. After what seemed like eternity, Syaoran finally plucked up the courage to open his mouth to speak ﾨC only to be interrupted by an impatient-looking Sakura.
"Don't say you're sorry, you most probably don't mean it. I don't know why the hell you did all that. Fine, I can take the criticism but violence? I really don't understand you Li. One moment you're like this and the next you're like that. It's like a branch snapping in you all the time. I really don't know what to do."
Syaoran looked stumped. Unsure of what to do, he simply said, "Uh okay." Before any more of the conversation could be continued, Eriol and Tomoyo reappeared with trays of ice-cream in their hands.
"Here you go!" Tomoyo said, beaming widely. She focused her glance on Sakura and noted that she looked disturbed. Fixing a false smile on her face, she said, "Dig in everyone!"
-----
Di. Di. Di Sakura stared, horrified, her mouth forming the words NO! Unfortunately, the bomb still exploded despite her mental protests. "Damn, so close," she muttered unhappily to herself.
"Oh my," a voice said, spooking Sakura. She thought she was alone in the room. Unfortunately for her, the person she wanted to avoid was talking to her. "That's a rather interesting game - The Game of Death. Now, now, better get serious before this game of death becomes a reality."
"I don't know what you're talking about, honestly," Sakura said indifferently. She tried to shake her chair to rid off the pest that was currently leaning on it. He was so close, so close.
"Well, we have a-" He paused to look at the list, "Mrs Takopachi waiting for you."
Sakura stopped abruptly. "You're kidding," she said with an unamused voice.
"Yea, you're right. I'm kidding. You caught me," Syaoran said.
"I thought so, I mean how can someone be named-" Sakura was saying incredulously when Syaoran interrupted.
"It's actually Mrs Octopus waiting for you."
-----
Sakura did not know how he did it. Like she had told him in the ice-cream parlour ﾨC "One moment you're like this and the next you're like that" ﾨC that was exactly what she was experiencing today. She was not going to take that back.
Yesterday, she was pissed at him. Today, he made her smile. What exactly would tomorrow bring?
She thought these as she walked down the hallway, towards a room 222. After all, Mrs Octopus was waiting for her.
-----
I would just like to prepare a sorry speech in advance. For the next chapter or the next few, I have really no idea when will it be before I can get down to completing it and posting it up here. As I said: new school, new environment, and new people. It's like a whole new world I'm entering and I'm scared. I've been less 'depressed' this year. Thus, I would like to propose a toast to mental stability!