Disclaimer: I do not own CCS.

SORRY!!!!!! My internet was down this month AND school's started so... it's really hard to update.

puppy dog pout forgive me?

Ice Queen

Chapter Twenty

"What are you two doing?" the cool, crisp voice floated down the hall. Both Heero (Syaoran) and Suzuka (Sakura) froze. They knew who the owner of that voice was... who hadn't heard of Kishimoto Syuuske (Eriol)? Japan's foreign ambassador, and Syaoran older brother.

Even Suzuka, who had haughtily ignored Syaoran, didn't dare defy the cold, powerful ambassador, whose very presence commanded respect from all those around him.

"Kishimoto... -sama," Suzuka bowed low, but kept her piercing eyes on the high-ranking official. Heero also bowed, just as low and respectful as Suzuka had been, "Aniki, we were just..."

"Yes?" Syuuske raised a thin, yet amused eyebrow. "You were just what?"

Fumbling with his words Heero shifted his eyes around nervously. "We were about to fight, Kishimoto-sama," Suzuka's eyes suddenly grew sharp and challenging, as she stood up straight and looked the older man in the eye.

Heero just stared at her like she was crazy.

Suzuka stood her ground, though in truth, she was terrified as Syuuske stalked over to her and put a hand under her chin, tilting her face up, "Ah... You must be Shinomori's daughter... Suzuka the Ice Maiden... with eyes like yours you must be."

Suddenly giving her a gentle, yet stern smile he continued, "Did anyone ever tell you that you have your father's eyes? Never mind. Don't fight in the halls... it's unbecoming and not permitted on these grounds. Good day, Suzuka-san... Little brother."

His footsteps echoed down the hall as he walked away, slowly. Leaving a gaping Heero, and slightly blushing Suzuka behind.

"W-W-Why is he so nice to you!!!!!" Heero managed to find his voice. "He rarely says more than three words to me! Let alone take notice of you at all!"

All his yelling shook Suzuka out of her blush and trance, "W-what?" Heero sighed and walked past her, "Another girl for my brother's fan club. I have to admit, I didn't actually think you were the type of girl to fall head over heels for some stranger walking by... that's the best and only compliment you will ever receive from me, by the way."

"Che," Heero glared at her before leaving.

Suzuka stood there for a while, not entirely sure of what had happened.

--

"UGH!!!!!" Suzuka paced her new "dorm" for the next few months of the competition. "I CAN'T BELIEVE I LET HIM MAKE SUCH A FOOL OUT OF ME!!!!!!"

She slumped down on her bed, "Why did I have to go and blush anyway?"

'It's because you like him,' her inner self said. 'You always have. From the first time you saw him.'

Suzuka groaned in frustration as she stared up at the ceiling, "Maybe... Maybe I'll stay here and get stronger... maybe he'll notice me more..."

Just the thought of Syuuske made her blush once again.

--

"Another one for my brother's fan club. Why is it she had to like him too?!" Heero punched the wall.

Sitting down at his desk he looked out the window, "Why is it I'm so upset? She's a rude, obnoxious girl who doesn't know her place."

Heero sighed and put his head in his hands. He felt so alone. He had always been popular and famous, especially when Syuuske had decided to refuse his role as heir of the Kishimoto family (he had let the position go when he realized he'd have to have a sort of arranged marriage), but it always seemed like he was living in his brother's shadow.

"I don't know why..." Heero turned out the light in his room and climbed into his bed. "But for some reason... when I saw that she liked Syuuske... I get so... so... Ah forget it!"

--

"This is your first of seven classes," a woman wearing large spectacles and had fizzy gray hair eyed all of the girls. "The wife of the Kishimoto heir must be properly educated so that she can help her husband in all the aspects of the house."

Suzuka rolled her eyes. "Give me a break," she muttered.

"EXCUSE ME?!?!?!" the teacher's large glasses were suddenly right at Suzuka's nose. "Tell me, what do you call a land form surround by bodies of water on three of it's four sides?"

Some of the girls snickered as Suzuka remained silent and merely stared up at the old, ugly woman.

"If you do not pay attention, you will not be a very suitable bride. Little girls with no purpose or talent like you should just leave," the woman stood up haughtily and made her way to the front of the class.

More snickers resounded across the room and Suzuka's eyes narrowed at the gray witch who was about to sit down at her desk.

"A penninsula."

The teacher missed the chair and ended up on the floor. "W-What!" she got up slowly, clinging to the table for support.

"I said, the answer to your question is a penninsula," Suzuka smirked at the shocked faces of the classroom, and the horrified, embarrassed look the teacher had on her face. "Or are you deaf as well blind? The thickness of your glasses shows how bad your eyes are anyway."

The class gaped at her. Some of the girls frowned and began to study furiously. They had to defeat this new girl who was smart, good-looking, and had an attitude.

(Note: I don't think women back then were educated, so that's why everyone thinks she's a 'genius.')

--

"WHAT?!?!" Suzuka shrieked. "You do NOT really expect me to wear.... That do you?"

"Yes," was the calm reply. The woman in front of the raging girl was smiling brightly at her. She obviously had the patience of a saint.

Suzuka eyed her carefully. She rather liked this woman. She was patient, kind, and didn't wear giant nanny bifocals. "I don't wear pink."

"Please, dear," Suzuhara Mihoshi (the teacher) stood up and held the dress out to her. "It will look rather nice on you."

Suzuka gave the dress another once over and groaned. Accepting defeat, she took the dress and got changed.

Several gasps could be heard throughout the room. The Ice Maiden looked pretty!!!

"Ladies," a stern voice came from behind. It was Mihoshi, "This is etiquette class. Do not gasp so loudly. Keep your voice near the whispers of a wind when you show surprise. It is proper. Now, doesn't Suzuka-san look lovely?"

Some of the girls grit their teeth as they looked at Suzuka.

She really was lovely. Beautiful even. The long, silky pink kimono had a western tint to it. Instead of a thick obi, there was a white sash and on her feet weren't the hard, wooden shoes people normally wore, but tiny pink slippers.

The fabric of the kimono wasn't rough cloth, but a more silky and thin material that shone when the light hit it and it just touched her toes. The collar of the dress was surrounded by silk and tied along her left arm was a pink, silky ribbon that flowed freely down to the ends of her fingertips.

It was obvious that Mihoshi favored Suzuka. She even had her hair done nice while the other girl's were untouched. Allowing Suzuka's auburn hair to be down, there was a cherry blossom hair pin that held her hair behind her left ear.

Suzuka was blushing, and she knew it. In an attempt to cover it she yelled at the other girls, "What are you all staring at? Are all your little 'girl friends' so ugly that you can't bear to look at them?"

"Suzuka!" Mihoshi scolded and lead her over to a chair. "The is ETIQUETTE class. You MUST behave properly or you score will lower."

"Score?" all the girls turned their heads at once towards the teacher.

Mihoshi looked at them in surprise, "Didn't your academic teacher tell you? The classes keep scores and the top ten overall scores allow you to move onto the next part of the competiton."

Suzuka smirked. The 'teacher' had been too nervous and scared of her to tell them that. She had been quite... harsh on the old woman. It didn't matter though, that old bag had been rude to her.

"Very well, let's begin with the proper way to accept a bouquet of roses given you..."

--

Suzuka groaned as she walked to her next class. It was dancing. She had never danced in her life! It was bad enough she had to wear that pink dress, though it was pretty, but now she had to dance.

"Maybe I should just skip..." she wondered aloud, but bumped into someone.

The ground was hard and cold. Suzuka stood up, and brushed herself off, glaring into the eyes of the person who had dared bump into her and not apologize. It was Heero.

"Oi! Watch it!" he yelled at her. Eyes blazing, she yelled back, "No you watch it!!"

Holding a fist up to her face he hissed, "Why you little-"

"Is there a problem?'

"N-N-No!" Suzuka looked up into the eyes of Kishimoto Syuuske and blushed. "We were just... talking."

His eyes swerved from Heero to Suzuka and he smiled, "Good. Carry on."

Suzuka watched him go, unable to suppress the blush that had fought it's way to her cheeks.

"Gosh. Why don't you just ask him to marry you?" Heero's voice sounded a little bitter and Suzuka looked at him in surprise, "Well... No... I couldn't do that."

Heero glared at her, "You're just here to try and make him like you, right?" "Well, the classes here can make me stronger... maybe then... he'll notice me," Suzuka's hand flew up to her mouth in surprise. She had just said it out loud.

"I knew it," Heero left angrily. Suzuka just stood there confused, "Why... did I tell him? Why does it feel like I can talk to him? Why... Why was he so mad?"

--

"NO NONONONONONONO!!!!!!!" the teacher shrieked at a very pissed Suzuka. "You must follow his lead. Not lead him!"

"Oh just put a cork in it!" Suzuka yelled at the dance teacher. He had been yelling at her all day. Well, maybe it wasn't entirely his fault since she had not been trying or paying attention at all, but that was besides the point.

The teacher huffed up to her and began scolding, "IF YOU DON'T GET YOUR ACT TOGETHER THIS MINUTE, I'M KICKING YOU OUT OF THE COMPETITION!!!"

"Oh, you really shouldn't do that. It's also not proper to yell at a lady," Syuuske's warm voice floated into the room, causing all the girls to turn and look at him.

The were all blushing (including Suzuka), they may be here to marry Heero, but everyone had to admit, Syuuske was quite the looker.

"Kishimoto-sama," the teacher rushed over to him. I apologize for yelling, but this young woman just doesn't have an ounce of talent in her. Maybe she should leave the competiton."

Suzuka pulled her hands into fists. NO ONE talked about her like that. Especially if it was in front of... him...

She was saved having to beat the teacher up when Syuuske pushed him aside and walked over to her.

"I'm sure she can dance quite well," he took her hands and began to slowly lead her across the floor.

Suzuka was too shocked to move or do anything about it. She just followed, and unknowingly her feet moved in patterns, making the dance look like a fancy, elegant waltz.

There was no music, but the moment seemed so romantic for her that she had to take a reality check when Syuuske stopped dancing, "My lady, thank you so much for this dance. I must say, I don't know what your teacher was talking about. I don't believe I have danced with anyone more graceful than you."

He kissed her hand and left the room.

Suzuka stared at her hand... he... had just... kissed... her...

--------------

The curtains shut. And the lights in the auditorium turned on.

---------------

"Ladies and gentleman, there will be a short intermission. Please return in ten minutes."

Sakura wiped the sweat off her brow. Acting was hard.

"Oi! Syaoran!" she ran over to the amber-eyed boy. "UGH! I just want to go home... I'm SOOOO tired."

"Yah, I know. Soon," Syaoran grinned at her. "How about I buy you more ramen? It builds up energy."

To be continued...

Again I apologize for the late update, but I made it kind of long. I HATE SCHOOL AND HOMEWORK AND CHINESE SCHOOL AND HOMEWORK AND... did I mention homework?

BTW you're all free to IM me at animegirl260 if you want to talk about stuffz.