Smile
Sakura's P.O.V
The past few days had gone by like a breeze, with no big projects to write or whatsoever. I really didn't do much at work besides the daily reports and I had a feeling it had something to do with Syaoran.
"Ever since our little cuddling session" I still feel giddy just thinking about it.
You're hopeless you'd say but that'd be without understanding how overwhelmed and lost I'm feeling right now…
Syaoran had been excessively attentive of me after that "peculiar moment" if you know what I mean. I guess our relationship had changed from being coworkers to something more…I still had to figure out what this "more" meant for the two of us though.
He walked me in and out of my office and literally chased me around my own department. I couldn't even go to the restroom without having him following me closely behind.
I found it very sweet of him but he sometimes got out of hands, snapping at any male who came too close to me or threatening any employee who gave me a hard time.
My female peers who hadn't seen this sweet side of him before were starting to find him even more attractive and they weren't too happy with us getting together.
Things were getting pretty nasty and I'm sure that even Syaoran wouldn't be able to fix this problem without firing at least half of his employees.
I was starting to think about taking my maternity leave to get out of this hellhole but leaving "my Syaoran" with these horny women (Not that I have any rights on him or anything...But as my fake fiancé, I still had some types of privileges and I intended to make that clear to everyone.); kept me from doing so.
Sometimes I wonder how and when this crush developed…maybe it was the first time we met or maybe the second. As far as I can remember I've always liked that man…
Even when Kenji asked me out on dates or to marry him, all I could think of was of how Syaoran had praised me at work or how he had told that I looked good that day.
At that time, I had convinced myself that what I felt for him was only admiration but deep down I always knew that it wasn't true.
I was like Kenji after all; getting married without really feeling anything for my husband. Syaoran had always been there to lend me a hand when I was in a tight spot.
Like on that day…3 years ago. I was only 22 back then and fresh out of university. I had been scouted straight out of school thanks to my good grades.
Times were hard back then even though I still lived with Touya. He had to work twice as hard to provide for me and of course I jumped on the opportunity to make money.
I thought back then that this job in a big corporation was the answer to all my prayers but that was before I actually learned how hard life really was.
The first weeks were really horrible for me with my peers constantly harassing me for various reasons. I didn't understand back then why these people were so harsh.
I didn't understand back then how envy and jealousy fueled the anger of my coworkers and that the better I became at doing my job, the angrier they got with me.
Of course there were also those who pretended to want to help you deal with this pressure and stabbed you in the back at the first opportunity they got.
But far worse than all of the others put together were my male superiors who took great pleasure into flirting with me. They were the ones who gave me the most trouble. I couldn't shoo them away for fear of losing my job and each day they grew bolder.
I never would've survived in that place without his support…
Flashback /3 years before/
"Oï Kinomoto did you finish the report. I gave you yesterday?" I heard one of my chiefs call behind me.
"Gomen nasai Mao-san, I wasn't able to complete it yet. » He looked at me weirdly and smirked. I shivered feeling his gaze wandering all over my body. When would he leave me alone?
"Is that so Kinomoto-san?" I froze in front of the door. He purred moving around me. A movement I couldn't help but notice reminded me of a shark rounding up on his prey.
"Hmmm…I needed this document today to get it signed by Mr. Li." Mr. Mao was a very imposing man on his 6 foot 3. His grayish brown hair, square face, glittering brown eyes and old fashion glasses gave him a kind of fatherly look; but I knew by now that he was on of the most perverted males of the company.
"I didn't know Sir…but I had so many documents to type…" I stuttered noticing that he was inching closer. I unconsciously moved into my office although quickly realizing my mistake I tried to jump out of the room but it was too late, he was already standing between me and the door.
"Just tell me if you have too much work. You know I could arrange for you to be moved directly under my care…" that was the last thing I needed back then.
"I would make sure that you are treated…appropriately" I gasped feeling his hand creeping towards my tights.
"No! No…I mean you don't need to worry about me sir" It was too much for me. I couldn't take it anymore. He backed away and stared at me for a moment his brows furrowed, still wearing a surprised look as if he hadn't expected me to react the way I did.
"Oh…I'm afraid I haven't made myself clear enough…what I meant is that if you won't let me help you, you'll find yourself crumbling under the pressure and if you keep on working like you do right now I'll have to report you to my superior…" He replied with a sickening sweet voice.
"Really Sir, everything is going along just fine. I just need a couple of days to get accustomed to this place…"
"Why are you playing hard to get unh…? I know your type you just turn us on and leave us begging. But guess what...? I don't beg I take!" He snapped. I tried to run away from him but he grabbed me before I could even move.
"What in the world is happening here?" I could feel tears welling in my eyes. He had forced himself on me.
"Li-sama! What a surprise to see you down here" He exclaimed slipping again behind his cheery mask.
"Will you let go of that girl before you embarrass yourself Miki." He quickly let go of my arm and practically leaped away from me so that I was able to get a clear look at my savior.
Golden skin, bright ocher eyes and messy chocolate hair…, for a moment I thought the god of the sun, Apollo, had come down from Mt. Olympus to save me.
"I heard things about the way you and your cronies handle the work down here but I seriously didn't think you would attack one of your subordinates." His voice in contrast to his warm and radiant exterior sounded surprisingly cold.
"Oh no…no! Never" Mao shifted nervously.
"I don't want to hear it Miki. I've had enough; you ruin the reputation of our company with your antics." I couldn't help but stare at him. He really looked out of this world…
"E-E-Enough sir…? I'm not sure I understand…" Mao stammered
"Enough Miki, now can you tell me who wrote this report." Li sighed waiving the folder in front of his face.
"Oh that report! I told her it was terrible but I didn't have enough time to write it myself. Please forgive me I'll make sure it doesn't happen again." He added glaring at me.
"I'm glad you didn't have time to write it; you never seem to find the time to do your work anyways. Don't worry about that." He said with a small smile.
"W-What!"
"So you wrote the report unh…Interesting…This is senior material too…hmmm" He said turning his attention towards me for the first time since his entering the room. He considered me for a couple of seconds and turned back to get a good look at Mao's now shocked mug.
"You did a pretty good job! You even found things I didn't see. Are you sure she's a junior Miki?" Mao forced a smile.
"Well it's no surprise since I formed her. She still has a lot to learn though…"
"Puuuh-leeeez, she's already better than you and all your buddies. I guess I just got myself a real chief accountant." I couldn't believe my ears. Whas he joking with Mao-san or was he really serious? No he couldn't be serious me a little secretary… chief accountant…
"S-sir with all your due respect…You're making a very big mistake. You can't promote her like that." I looked at him and he was almost as white as the wall behind him.
"Now start packing your belongings unless you want me to call the police to settle everything." Heshook his head feebly
"That's what i thought. Now I want you out before 12 o clock so that Miss…" He turned abruptly towards me.
"Kinomoto, Sakura Li-sama"
"So that Miss Kinomoto can move into her new office"
"Well then Miss Kinomoto a pleasure to meet you. Welcome aboard! And Miki…Get going or I'll ask the janitors to dump your things in the thrash."
"See you thenMiss Kinomoto." He then did something that surprised me…He smiled
That smile would haunt me for the next 3 years…That smile…Now that I think about it, I Fell in love with that smiling Syaoran. I'm not sure if you understand but I wasn't charmed by the stoic yet beautiful Apollo but by Li, Syaoran's gorgeous smile.
End of Flashback
"Fell in love…? Now where did that come from?"
"Fell in love? Don't tell me that you…"
"In your dreams Syaoran! I would never even consider you a potential lover"
"You're breaking my heart sweetie and here I thought we were engaged now." Engaged…now that sounded weird although Mrs. Li, Sakura didn't sound that bad.
"Or were you talking about another man" He said suspiciously.
"What's wrong with thinking about other man hmmm? As far as I'm concerned we're not married."
"You're mine and mine alone Cherry Blossom." My heart made a flip in my chest.
"You shouldn't talk so big mister with all those silly girls you running after you all the time."
"You don't have to get jealous milady…You're the only one for me." I could feel butterflies fluttering in my stomach. He was standing so close…This was getting out of hands.
"Will you leave me alone Li. I was really busy." I laughed nervously hoping to hide my discomfort.
"I see. You were busy thinking about falling in love!"
"No I was working on a report before you barged into my office to annoy me."
"How is it that I don't see any reports on your desk then?"
"Because you took it you little you little sneak." He grinned.
"Rats! You saw me. And here I thought I could trick you into accompanying me for dinner."
"We'll see when I finish this report."
"Aww Sakura Stop being a party pooper, you only have this one left. You worked hard enough for today."
"You only dispatched three files this morning…" He feigned surprise.
"Oh! Really? I'm sure I sent you at least thrice as much."
"I'm not stupid Syaoran. I see what you are doing."
"Woah, woah what did I do this time."
"Li, Syaoran…"
"hey! Don't look at me like that...I'm doing what must be done Sakura for the two of you."
"You shouldn't add to the workload of the other accountants by favoring me. It's not right?."
"What right do they have to complain? They're getting paid to get the job done."
"You're not setting a good example! They think you're going easy on me just because we're engaged."
"If I really wanted to set an example Sakura, I wouldn't even let you step in this building at this stage of your pregnancy. My mother's mad enough like that. I won't let you ware yourself down with these reports."
"Syaoran you know that I need this money…"
"No! No! Don't you dare Sakura. I don't want you to think that way ever again. We're in this mess together now. Don't forget our promise."
"Syaoran…" I couldn't help but feel ashamed of myself. It didn't seem right to me.
"No Sakura we won't go over this again." He replied dryly.
"Okay…"
"…"
"So…will you come?" he asked looking at the clock next to the coffee maker.
"With me...for dinner that is."
"Syaoran?"
"Hmm?"
"Why are you being so nice with me?" He turned around to face me.
"Because I want to Sakura." He smiled sincerely. God he looked exactly like three years ago.
"Because you want to?"
"Yes…"
"…"
"Thank you"
"There! I finally made you smile. It's been one week since you smiled at me. I was starting to think I wasn't funny enough." He was right; I was so worried about everything that I wasn't able to enjoy myself lately.
"Will you go out with me now cherry blossom?"
"Heh!" I jumped up startled.
"To eat lunch! How many times will I have to repeat it to you?"
"Oh…I'm kind of hungry." I said hesitantly.
"Let's get going then!" He exclaimed grabbing my hand and pulling me off my chair.
"But what about the report? It's due tomorrow!"
"Forget about that report already!" he huffed pulling me away from my desk.
"But…" He sighed.
"Fine…Look I'll take care of it tonight alright. Don't worry about it." Somehow that didn't sound right either.
"Hey don't you dare. I said I'll take care of it!" he shushed me before I could protest.
"I'll come back to help you finish it then."
"Raaah…You're really impossible you know!"
"What is that a bad thing?"
"Not really…I actually have a thing for irritating women…"
"Why are you complaining then? You're not making any sense!"
"Well I'd say that you are theworstI ever met." He laughed.
"Hmmmph!"
"But you can also be cute when you want to…" Syaoran can be such a sweet-talker
"Where are we going anyways?" I asked curiously as he dragged me out of my office.
"You'll see when we get there it's a surprise." He answered grinning from ear to ear.
"Oh…" So he had planned something for me. He really didn't have to…
"There you go off with that faraway look again!"
"Oh no no."
"Sakura…"
"Yes Li-kun"
"smile"
Black Marvel
Born to be the champ, after the girls that is…
Yay I actually managed to get my hands on a computer to type a chapter! Celebrate everybody it means one chapter for you! I suffered to type this one with a French keyboard (Because I look at the keyboard when I type, I sometimes I get confused when I configure it to English). UnfortunatelyI won't be able to post this until i get back home cause it doesn'twork at the cyber cafe.I was pleasantly surprised when I looked at the hits for the last chapter 200 or something like that… Hope we get more for this one and more reviews with that. I also managed to get my hands on a copy of HBP(Surprisingly even though I'm in Africa right now…) and whew I believe it was worth every single penny. I wentto Accra yay! First time in Guana! Yay! Neways hope you guys had fun on your vacations too cause here it was a real blast! Hope you like the chappy…It's a bit of a drag at first but I had to write it that way to explain why she likes Syaoran. I have good stuff coming up for the next chapters (They're already on paper actually. They just need some editing and typing hehe. I might take a lot of time again Sorry!)
Miki Mao hehehehe get it?