Howdy (God that sounds so GAY!!!) Well I've taken longer than usual (longer as in 2 days ^_^) to post this chapter up, because yesterday I had my friend over and we started duelling each other with Yu-Gi-Oh! cards (sadly I lost both times ^_^) and then today my brother and I plonked our butts - much to the annoyance of my parents, on the coach and started watching an anime called 'Excel saga' heheh that's a gooood and freaky anime! ^____^
Answers to reviews:
Eclipse: Thankyou sooooo much! I was worried that people would hate my story!
Kazeshi: Thanks. I still haven't come up with the perfect name, but I've got some idea's!
Virgo Writer: Thanks 4 the band name suggestion. If you want you can join KawaiinessPnay: sometime in the 'kicking eriol's balls' activity. ^_^
lunemangelus: That's alright, it happens to me all the time! Glad to have you back with us ^_^
Goddess of the Moon: Thanks. I feel sorry 4 Eriol too…
darkemerald22: Thanks 4 your vote and for your support! (I love drums too)
KawaiinessPnay: I think Eriol ALWAYS deserves a good kick in the nuts! Gosh, they must be kinda deflated and demented by now ne? ^_~
azure angel: I have absolutely no idea WHY I like making Syaoran have lots of responsibility…heheheh he's so kawaii and manly though ne? And I know this is kinda a bit off subject but I showed Louisa the 'interesting thoughts' and she loved it – especially all the flashback scenes!!! ^_~
Sara: I HATEEEEE it when ff.net has overload. It's happened to me twice yesterday!!!! I'm glad u like my story so far.
Scarlet Rose: Thanks 4 the review, it boosted my confidence…kinda.
Sakura-miaka: hehe that always happens to me – I can always think of ideas for other ppl's stories but never my own…hmm I think my mind needs to defrag somehow. By the way, thanx 4 adding me to your favourites list and I LOVED ur review ^_^
Suppi: thanks 4 your review.
Azure Rosas: I hate Syaoran's father too. I'm not gonna make the story depressing because of him or anything! Thanks 4 the review.
Azure Flame
Chapter 8 – Engraved initials.
Sakura anxiously paced the school courtyard deep in thought. I'll just politely ask him and hope he'll agree!... eh...he…he...what would be the worst thing that could happen? After a few more nervous pacing, she saw Syaoran enter the school – Sakura had strangely arrived early although it all seemed a whole waste of effort for it was almost bell time. Hoe! I've never seen Syaoran arrive so late. I wonder what kept him.
"L-Li-kun!" she stuttered. I can't even say his first name now! Syaoran just kept walking as if he hadn't heard her. What's wrong with him today? He seems more serious than usual –if that's even possible! She couldn't help adding. Well I've missed my chance now. He's gone already.
Sakura managed to catch up with Syaoran at lunch. "Err, I'm going to ask Li-kun something okay?" she told Tomoyo, slightly nervous of approaching his whole group. Luckily Sakura had already planned her whole speech, and it helped tremendously when she noticed that Kami wasn't there.
"Sure, but why?" Tomoyo asked curiously,
"Oh, just to ask him something…" Tomoyo shrugged, "Sure, but when you're done can I show you something?"
Sakura nodded then took a neep breath. Slowly she walked over to Syaoran's group. She found that as soon as she stood in front of them, she'd lost her voice – and nerve. Oh come on Sakura! Stop being acting so cowardly! All you have to do is ask Syaoran if he can help you in maths… Sakura determinedly told herself.
Kai notice her first, (As he would ^_~) "hey Sakura!"
Sakura felt stupida s she stiffly waved. "What you want?" another guy asked.
Gosh! He's hot! Sakura sheepishly thought, then remembered why she was there. "I-er-um-you see, I-um, err…." Sakura stupidly babbled. The 'hot' guy laughed.
"The little one is scawwwerd!" (Scared)
"Am not!" Sakura argued hotly. Hot Guy smiled and winked at her. Sakura blushed, realising that he had been teasing her. Sakura silently thanked Hot Guy for it was thanks to him that she had gotten her voice back. "I was just going to ask if I could speak to Li-kun." A boy with black hair cat whistled so Sakura glared at him.
"Yo Syaoran, this chick wants to talk to you." Hot Guy said.
"This CHICK has a name you know!" she shot back. Hot Guy grinned back at her, "Really? That's great hon, now if you'll excuse me I have to grab a coke that has my name written on it." Without a second glance he sauntered off.
When syaoran still hadn't reacted in the slightest, Kai nudged him hard with his foot. Syaoran looked up in surprise, "Oh sorry, what have I done?" the black-haired guy laughed. "Nutin' you idiot, she wants to talk to you," he said, nodding his head in Sakura's direction.
"Oh, okay," he muttered, standing up with an embarrassed blush forming on his cheeks.
"Hi," Sakura said, avoiding his eyes.
"hi, to you too," he said solemnly, hands in his pockets, gazing expectantly at Sakura. "So, what's with this privilege?"
Did he just say that? Sakura wondered happily. Syaoran seemed unaffected by his words, so Sakura continued talking. "Er, how's your brother?" she asked.
"Eh? Oh Hiroki? He fine… I think."
"nani? Did you just say hiroki?"
"yeah, why?"
"N-Nevermind." Hiroki's a common name….ne? "Well I'm glad everything's alright and stuff…"
Syaoran slowly nodded, confused still.
"Oh, I was just wondering if, er, um, if you, er…"
"I Kinda don't understand what you're talking about," Syaoran said.
"Gomen…What I wanted to say was, er…wouldyoumindtutouringmeinmathsbecauseireallysuckatit?"
"Eh? Didn't quite get that. Something about..something?"
"Oh please don't make me say it again," Sakura whined, "OK Fine. Can you help me in maths?"
Syaoran looked at her blankly, "Why me?"
"Err, because you're really good at it?" Sakura tried.
"Whatever…well, when's a good time?"
"Hoe?!"
"Maths tutorial?"
"oh you really mean it? Er I mean, when's a good time for you?"
Syaoran shrugged, 'Tomorrow afternoon's fine with me."
"Cool! I'll meet you at the school gates k?"
"Alright…is that all?"
Sakura nodded.
"Alright then, see you then Kinomoto-san."
Phew! Thank Kami-sama THAT'S all over!
***
Sakura tried to take less time at her locker, in practise for the next afternoon. At dinner that night she could hardly contain her glee.
"if you bounce any higher, you're going to hit your head on the ceiling." Touya informed her.
"ONII-CHAN!" She growled back.
"Oh, I'm sorry, I should have added that if you SMILE even wider your face will crack!"
"I got your point the first time. Aren't I even ALLOWED to be happy?" Tomorrow I'll see Syaoran alone! I can't believe my luck!
///Meanwhile///
Sakura's lesson was the last thing on Syaoran's mind.
"Please don't leave me alone!" Hiroki urgently wailed, grasping Syaoran's hips hard.
"It's alright, Hiro, I won't let him touch you," Syaoran promised the petrified boy.
Hiroki looked up at him with watery eyes, "But what about you Syao?"
"I'll be fine."
Hiroki's grip tightened, almost winding Syaoran. "T-take I-It easy there H-Hiroki!" Syaoran gasped, trying madly to breath properly.
"Why can't he leave us alone Syao?"
"because he has a right to Hiroki. PLUS, he does kinda OWN the house."
"So? I-I…" Hiroki paused, "I'm scared," Hiroki whispered as a tear rolled down his cheek.
"I swear, it's going to be alright Hiro," Syaoran bent down to hug Hiroki.
"What are you ding Simon?" his father asked.
"Why does he always call you simon Syao?" Hiroki asked, puzzled.
Because he's too drunk to remember how to pronounce my name. But I can't tell Hiro that. "because he reckons that I look more like a Simon than a Syaoran," he lied. The two boys jumped as Mr Li walked into the room.
Who the hell are you?" he nastily asked, amber eyes glaring at Hiroki.
"Hiroki; my little brother – YOUR son, remember?" Syaoran coolly demanded with a firm grip on Hiroki's trembling shoulders.
"Whatever. He not my son. He's ADOPTED! But I don't really give a F**k anyway."
"FATHER! That's a lie and stop using that kind of language in front of Hiroki!" Syaoran yelled, instantly regretting his words as soon as they had left his mouth.
"What did you say?"
Syaoran sighed as he quietly whispered a simple demand to Hiroki- "Go now."
"but…"
"NOW." Hiroki took one more look at Syaoran's serious face and ran into his bedroom, grasping his favourite teddy bear for comfort.
"ANSWER ME you annoying brat!"
Syaoran mentally cursed himself for being so stupid as to yell at his father when he was plainly drunk. Deep down Syaoran knew that his father couldn't help it, but right now he wasn't in much of an understanding mood.
"I told you to be careful about what you say in front of Hiroki," Syaoran bravely replied, trying to sound as polite as he could.
"how dare you boy!" his father screamed raising his hand above his head. Syaoran gritted his teeth, bracing himself.
***
Sakura groaned as she flipped through the complicated math's questions. "I'm just glad that Syaoran can finally help me with these!" Sakura said to herself, glancing at her watch to see how many minutes were left till the final bell. "Seven and a half minutes," she said in satisfaction.
"Ms Kinomoto, would you kindly concentrate at your given work and not on your watch. I know it must be fascinating observing the longer hand move every second, but quite frankly that won't help you on the quiz I'm setting out for the class tomorrow!" As soon as the teacher had finished her long rant, Sakura grinned, imagining someone forcefully punching the teacher in the face for comfort.
"Now what are you smiling at Kinomoto-san?"
"N-Nothing Miss," Sakura guilty replied. Well it was good while it lasted!
The teacher impatiently shook her head and excused herself from the room. Immediately the room was filled with everyone's chatter.
"So have you heard the rumours yet?"
"You mean about the ball? Do you think it's true?"
"I dunno. I hope so!"
Sakura turned around and glanced curiously at the girls sitting behind her. "What do you mean?" she asked.
"You mean you haven't heard yet?" one of them asked dumbfounded.
"No-o. Should I have?"
"Definitely. You should get out more Kinomoto," the other told her sternly.
"oh shut up Motoko. You see apparently our schools going to hosting an old fashioned ball!"
Sakuira wrinkled her nose, 'You mean like in Cinderella?"
"Exactly! How romantic ne?" She asked Sakura.
"And that's not all; you have to dress up in the traditional clothes!"
"Are you serious?" Sakura asked.
"Dead serious. I wonder if Li-kun would agree to go out with me?" She asked Motoko.
"Probably not, I thought he was still dating Kami!"
"Na-ah! Apparently those two are finished!"
"What do you mean?" Motoko asked.
"Well that's what Su reckons."
"And you believed her Miki?" Motoko scoffed. Miki went red. Sakura sighed as the teacher came back in. A traditional ball huh?...
***
"I can't believe that stupid, uncaring teacher kept me in 18 minutes! I am SO LATE! Li-kun's probably already left without me!" Sakura wailed. She hurriedly grabbed her bag and slammed her locker shut. "Please still be there!" she pleaded, leaving a trail of dust where she once stood.
"What a weird girl – she TALKS to herself!" And older boy told his friends as they watched Sakura speed away. Panting she finally reached the school gate.
"Took you long enough!" an exasperated voice mocked.
"I-I-I-m s-s-s-s-ooooo s-sorry Li-kun, mm-my t-teacher k-kept me IN!" she explained, still puffed.
"Breath Kinomoto, breath." Syaoran joked.
"I can't believe you're still here though!" Sakura said amazed and grateful.
"Who do you take me for? I thought you were standing ME up. But I had nothing better to do."
"Well that makes me feel sooooo much better," Sakura said dryly.
"Seriously though, do you mind if on the way, I pick up my little brother from his school?" he asked.
"Sure." Taking his hands out of his pockets, he started walking and onlt stopped briefly to check if Sakura was following him.
"So, how old is your brother anyway?" Sakura asked, trying to start a conversation.
"Six."
"And is he your only sibling?"
"Why do you want to know?" he asked.
"It's called a conversation Li-kun. Well is he?"
"yeap."
"I have an OLDER brother and he can be soooo annoying sometimes! He just can't stop calling me kaijou!" She exclaimed, folding her arms over her chest.
"I can see why!" Syaoran muttered with a smirk.
"Hey! I heard that!" Sakura lightly punched his arm.
"wow, that REALLY hurt!" Syaoran said sarcastically. (a little flirting can go a long way ^_^)
"That does it!" She playfully slapped his back as hard as she could. (Even though he has a backpack on...hmm…I wonder how that works…oh well.)
"OW!"
Syaoran cried, cringing.
"Don't underestimate me Li-kun!" she triumphantly said.
"W-whatever." My back still hurts from yesterday…
"Are you alright Li-kun? I didn't hit you THAT hard did I?" she asked concerned.
"You wish! Nah, my bags just..er…heavy?" he replied. Sakura looked unconvinced.
"Why, whaddaya know! We're here!" Syaoran quickly said, speeding up. "hiro-kun!" he called.
A boy with dark brown hair and blue eyes looked away from his frinds.
"Syao!" he cried excitedly, flinging his arms around Syaoran's waist. Looking up at the stranger next to his brother, his eyes widened in surprise.
"Sakura!" he delightedly exclaimed.
Sakura was just as surprised. "I-I didn't know that you were Syaoran's AHHHH I mean Li-kun's brother!" She managed, praying that Syaoran hadn't noticed that she had used his first name.
"Okay, someone fill me in here!" Syaoran demanded. Hiroki grinned at his brother's astonishment. "Sakura's my friend!" he simply replied, smiling at Sakura.
Sakura smiled back, but then shrieked.
"What is it?" Syaoran asked.
"There's a BEE on your back!"
Syaoran sweat-dropped, "So?"
"So, it might sting you! Here, I'll get it off!" before Syaoran could respond, Sakura swung a heavy text book and accidentally whacked Syaoran's back. Syaoran flinched, clenching his eyes shut.
"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry Li-kun!...eh..he, well at least the bee is gone!"
"Yeah, thanks for that!" he drawled.
Hiroki's smile faded into a concerned expression. "Onni-chan, a-are you hurting again?" he asked softly.
"No, I'm fine now Hiroki, honest."
What does Hiroki mean by 'are you hurting again?' What's going on? Sakura wondered suspiciously.
Anyway, do you want to come over to my house for the maths thing?" Sakura asked. Syaoran shrugged in response, "I guess so."
"Alright, it's this way!" She called, running ahead. "Hoe, this brings back so many memories!" She said as she twirled under all the cherry blossom trees. Syaoran sweat-dropped and Hiroki smiled again, "Looks like Sakura-chan's happy!"
Sakura felt her ears going red as she heard Hiroki's comment. "hoe!"
"Aww Sakura-chan look! There's our park!" Hiroki gleefully pointed towards Penguin Park.
"You're right."
"please, please, PLEASE can we see the birds nest again?" Hiroki urgently pleaded. Sakura glanced at Syaoran. "I don't mind," he assured her.
"Alright!" Hiroki hurriedly grabbed Sakura's hand and started dragging her towards the forest. Syaoran casually followed them, observing the scenery. His eyes wandered over to the patch of trees near the sandpit. Immediately he felt a sharp pain in his heart. "Mother…" he whispered.
///Flashback///
"Mummy! What does this word mean?" a five year old Syaoran asked, curiously, holding the picture book upside down. His mother laughed and fixed it for him.
"Aww, whoops," he said embarrassed.
"Don't worry Syao, everyone makes mistakes." Yelan informed him. She quickly tried to hold her hat onto her head as a strong breeze blew, but it slipped through her fingers. She got up to retrieve it, but Syaoran stopped her. "Don't worry mummy! I can get it back for you!" he determinedly told her, and ran after it.
In his excitement, he tripped and fell facedown into the sand box. As he looked up with humiliation, he came face to face with a pair of gorgeous blue eyes, framed with a curtain of blonde hair. The little toddler stared at Syaoran with intelligence that three year-olds don't normally have. Little Syaoran was immediately transfixed by her beauty. The little girl giggled at Syaoran's red face and continued making her sandcastle as if nothing had happened – every once in a while peering overt the top of it at Syaoran.
"Hehe, let's have some fun!" a tough boy proposed to his friends. Before Syaoran could do anything, the tough boy shoved his foot in the girl's sandcastle, and twisted it around so that sand spilled everywhere. The girl stared horrified at the place where her castle once stood and then up at the kid who had wrecked it. Seeing the satisfied, wicked expression on his face, she started crying.
"Hey!" she heard someone say. She curiously looked at this strange new boy through her blurry eyes.
"What do you think you're doing? You can't just wreck her castle like that, you big meanie!" Syaoran said boldly.
"What did you say brat?" the tough kid asked in outrage.
"I'm not sacred at you," Syaoran mocked in a bored expression. The tough kid gawked, not expecting Syaoran to talk back to him. "Why you little!"
"No don't!" his friends said, trying to hold back the tough kid. "You can't just attack a little kid dude." One of them reasoned.
Yelan watched with concern, yet strangely proud of her son's guts.
When the tough kid and his gang of friends left, Syaoran glanced back at the girl he had strangely felt the urge to defend. "I-If you want, I can help you build a new sand castle," he offered. The girl stared at his caring face, "Thank you," she said in a language Syaoran didn't understand. Realising that Syaoran didn't speak English, she switched back to Japanese.
"Arigato."
"Oh, don't worry about it," he said, blushing. "What's your name anyway?"
"Chloe," she replied.
"Mine's Li Syaoran," he told her.
"Li S-S…"
I guess my names too hard for this girl to pronounce. After all she looks younger than me! "if you wnatm you can just call me Xiao Lang! That's my name in Chinese!" he said proudly. "I mean, if it's any easier for you…"
"Syao honey, we have to go now," his mother reluctantly told him.
"Oh, okay," turning back to Chloe he said, "When will I see you again?" Chole shrugged.
Yelan held out her hand and Syaoran grasped it. "ja ne Chole."
"Bub bai, Xiao Lang." She called, waving a chubby hand. Syaoran waved back and then looked up at his mother.
"I like Chloe," he said. Yelan smiled, "I know. I;m sure you'll see her again." Syaoran nodded, "Good," he muttered.
///End of flashback///
I really miss my mother. And she was tight. I DID see that girl Chloe again…I haven't thought about Chloe for ages! Syaoran walked over to the tree and ran his fingers over the bark until he felt a dent under his fingers. Engraved untidily in the bark were some initials –
CP + XL
"What are you looking at?" Sakura asked from behind him. Syaoran jumped. "Don't scare me like that!"
"Oh, so-rry!" leaning forward she examined the initials Syaoran had been looking at. "CP + XL. Did you know the people that did that or something?" she asked.
"You could say that. But very vaguely…"
"Who were they?"
"Well, C.P stands for 'Chloe Patterson.'"
"And the XL?" Sakura asked.
"That was me."
TO BE CONTINUED
How about that? I was trying to make this chapter longer to make up for the last one – the results being one extremely numb butt.
Wanna find out more about Chloe? That's what's the next chapters for. I hope you enjoyed the chapter.
As you all know, lots of reviews = good chappies.
Arigato!