Woooww… I'm so amazed at all these reviews. Thank you so much everyone! I love you!

Ok, so: this chapter was partially inspired by my friend who finds the fact that there was a baby boom nine months after the North American blackout of 2003 completely, utterly, uproarious.

… actually, I suppose I do, too.

-

Love Fool

Chapter Three

Blackout

Author: Automatic Flower

-

Sakura was surprised. "Is that it?"

Syaoran looked at his secretary. "What do you mean is that it?"

"Oh… nothing," Sakura coughed, diverting her eyes to the floor.

"… did you want there to be something more?"

Sakura looked up. He leaned back in his chair and smirked at her. "Because that can be arranged, sweety."

The emerald eyed woman promptly left the room.

-

"He's so annoying," Sakura whined, a cup of coffee in her hands. "And persistent, and he's a smooth talker, and… erg!"

Eriol laughed. "Oh Sakura, I'm sure he just likes you," the blue-haired gentleman smiled.

"But he's my boss… my boss should not be flirting with me," Sakura took a sip. She was leaning against Eriol's desk in his office, he himself seated in a chair. Suddenly, she spun around and faced him. "He doesn't flirt with everyone, right?"

"Just you… but I'm sure that's because he finds you irresistible."

Sakura scoffed.

"No, really… he's intrigued by you. He never shuts up about you when we talk," Eriol stated, amusement evident in his voice.

"Really? And what does he say about me?"

"He thinks you're gorgeous, sexy, cute, smart, hardworking, amusing, and also really good in bed."

Sakura's face flamed. "Ok, the last item was completely unnecessary."

"You asked, though."

"… I suppose I did," Sakura sighed. Silence reigned for a moment; a comfortable quiet where the two friends sipped their coffee in each other's presence. Eriol was the first to break it.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Well, you just did. But yes, go ahead."

"On your first day here, you said you had two questions for me, but you only asked me one. What was the other question?"

Sakura thought for a moment, trying to remember that day. She had it in a moment. "Oh! See, actually, my question was who my boss would be… but that was answered already, wasn't it? Syaoran had perfect timing."

"Not to mention convenient and absolutely hilarious."

"Oh shush… if our coworkers ever got wind of this, they would never look at me the same way again."

Eriol shrugged, a pleasant smile on his features. "Even if you were dating Syaoran, they can't do anything about it. Their boss is seeing his secretary—so what? It's not much different from coworkers dating each other… and I can tell you, a damn lot of people are items here."

"Not much different? Are you serious? They'd think I'd be getting favours. A heftier paycheck, work breaks, whatever! I mean, who knows what the hell—oh shit, I haven't finished the charts yet!"

The auburn-haired woman dashed out of the office. Eriol chuckled.

What a charming woman.

-

"I asked for those charts hours ago… what were you doing?"

"Sorry," Sakura apologized. "I was having coffee with Eriol."

Syaoran gave a pout. "You'll spend time with Eriol but not me?"

Sakura scoffed. "Eriol and I are friends. Our relationships are different."

"Hardly… they would be different if you'd go out with me, though."

The secretary with emerald eyes sighed and made for the door. "Syaoran, I'm not going to out with you. You're my boss, I've said that before." She left his office before he could say anything, closing the double doors behind her.

Now what? Sakura sat down in behind her test. Deciding she had nothing better to do, she picked up her phone and dialed Tomoyo's number. The phone rang three times before someone picked up at the other end.

"Daidouji speaking."

"You fool, it's just me."

"Oh, Sakura! Sorry, I'm putting together another design and didn't really look at the caller ID. What's up?"

"My boss is a git."

"Syaoran, eh? I'm sure he just likes you."

Sakura sighed. "That's what Eriol said, too."

"Eriol? Eriol Hiiragizawa?"

"Uh… you know him?" Sakura questioned, twiddling a pen between her fingers.

"Well, sort of. He's the CFO of your company right?" Sakura confirmed so. "Plus he's acquainted with my mother. I haven't actually met him before, though."

The auburn-haired woman nodded, seeing the connection. It made sense, since Tomoyo's mother owned a huge toy company. Obviously, she was familiar with a lot of the big, rich folks out there.

"Anyway, back to the topic: Sakura, just go out with Syaoran, dammit. You said it yourself that other people are telling you the same thing. Honestly, I don't understand what's keeping you."

"Uh, the fact that he's my boss and he's one of the richest freaking people out there? Plus he's like… the most sought after bachelor or something."

Tomoyo shook her head. "Sakura… who gives a damn? It's not like you're a gold digging whore—"

"Of course not!" Sakura exclaimed; a bit miffed all the same.

"—and he likes you. He likes you. Ok? So just go out with him and do us all a favour!"

Sakura wanted to scream. Just then, line two started blinking on her phone.

"Tomoyo, I've gotta run. Anyway, let's meet up for lunch!"

"Um… sure, I should be done this design by then. I'll pick you up?"

"That'd be good. I'll see you later then," Sakura said, and then pressed the button for line two. "Sakura Kinomoto, secretary of Mr. Syaoran Li speaking."

"Several business associates of Mr. Li's are here. Shall I send them up?"

"Oh, no need. I'll inform him. Thank you." Sakura hung up the phone. Getting up, she knocked on the double oak doors twice before allowing herself in. Syaoran sat at his desk, eyebrows furrowed in concentration at his laptop screen. He held a cup of coffee in his hands and several empty mugs stood on his desk. Sakura rolled her eyes knowingly—she had brought him all the caffeine, after all.

"Mr. Li—"

"That's Syaoran."

"—Mr. Li, your associates from Kagami Corp. are here for your lunch date."

The messy haired company leader muttered something under his breath (Sakura caught a few words—"pig-headed", "Viagra-dosing", "senile") and thanked her. As he got up, Sakura retrieved his briefcase and handed it to him. Syaoran gave her a smirk, and she inwardly sighed, knowing what was coming.

"You know, I'd much rather have lunch with you."

Ignoring the slight fluttering of butterflies in her stomach, she saw him out of the room and to the elevator. "You have a company to run, sir," Sakura said lightly as the elevator opened. Syaoran pouted as he got on, and turned to her.

"I like you better when you're drunk and naked."

"I'm sure you do…" the elevator doors closed.

Sakura sighed (she seemed to be doing that a lot recently) and made back to her desk, where she got her purse. Whatever. At least there was lunch with Tomoyo to look forward to.

-

Look forward to? More like dread, Sakura decided as they sat down in the patio of a nice café with a good view. It was a beautiful day; the leaves on trees were lush and green, and people bustled about with their daily city lives. Sunlight shone brightly, and the fountain in front of the shop spouted water that shimmered in the rays.

Tomoyo had ordered a light garden salad and flavoured water (she claimed she needed to start watching her weight. Sakura had scoffed at this), and Sakura a slice of strawberry cheesecake and a mocha latté (cravings). Then of course, the blue-haired designer had to bring up a delicate topic:

Syaoran.

Sakura very well knew her own feelings, but was afraid to voice them for fear of consequences. Not that Tomoyo would let her stay that way.

"So," she said, "You know that Syaoran likes you. He's filthy rich, hot, famous, successful, and good in bed, so I honestly don't understand why you're not all over him. Anyone else would be."

"Hey… I'm not going to paw that moron like all the other office skanks that work in the building."

Tomoyo sipped her water delicately. "But obviously he isn't a moron. You do know that he started the entire company by himself, right? Way back in his senior year of high school, I think. And who said anything about pawing him? I'm not telling to suck his bank account dry, I'm telling to date him with class."

"Hm… but still…" Sakura pouted at her strawberry cheesecake.

"Honey, you've run out of excuses," Tomoyo stated dryly. "Now, how do you feel about him?"

"I think he's a git, and a loser—"

"No, not what you pretend to think he is," the designer sighed, "I mean how you actually feel towards him. And be honest. I've been your best friend since first grade; I'm going to know if you spew a shitload of bull."

The auburn haired secretary was quiet for a moment, then said, "Well… the truth is I am attracted to him. I mean, who isn't? But I don't know him as a person. He's just my one-night-stand who happened to be my boss, too. I don't know if we'd work out."

"Well, see right there? You should date him to find out. Obviously you're not familiarized with him personality-wise. Frankly, you're not giving him the chance to get to know you, either. Just go to dinner with him or something and then decide. There's nothing to lose! Yeesh!"

Sakura caved.

-

"I blame the cheesecake," the emerald-eyed woman muttered as she returned to her desk, and sat down just as Syaoran came by. He was cursing under his breath.

"Here, log this information," he dropped a folder of papers onto her desk. "Inconsiderate bastards couldn't just hand me a damn disc."

"I take it your lunch date didn't go well?"

Syaoran snorted as he slammed the door to his office.

"… well then."

She sighed at the folder, not particularly feeling like being productive. Tomoyo's words hung over her like a heavy rain cloud, splattering her head with raindrops. Her conscience nagged her.

'Syaoran did look like he could use a bit of cheering up…'

Obviously you're not familiarized with him personality-wise. Frankly, you're not giving him the chance to get to know you, either.

'Well, he's still my boss, so there's always going to be that degree of awkwardness.'

Just go to dinner with him or something and then decide. There's nothing to lose!

Sakura sighed. Fine then. She got out of the seat and made her way to the double oak doors, knocking twice then waiting for a reply. She heard a grunt of approval for her to come in, and she did so. The blinds were drawn, and Syaoran was currently sitting at his desk with his feet propped up, in some sort of meditative state.

"Lunch was that bad, huh?"

He opened his eyes, acknowledging Sakura's presence, and nodded. "I can't even start to say how much I dislike those guys. Bunch of fucking annoying assholes." The lights flickered slightly, but neither paid it much mind.

Sakura didn't say anything to that. She was currently drawing to get her wits together. Finally, she took a breath. The lights flickered again, and Syaoran raised an eyebrow, looking at the ceiling. He didn't pay hundreds of bills for cheap ass lighting…

"Hey, I was wondering if you'd like to—"

The lights went out.

Sakura let out a shriek, completely thrown off by the sudden power outage. She groped around blindly in the dark, until her hands forcefully came in contact with something. She heard a faint 'oof' and then a chuckle.

"I should make you go out to dinner with me, just because I had a crappy lunch and you just punched me in the stomach. And this power outage…"

She blushed, and was suddenly glad for the darkness. "Actually, I… I was going to…"

"Going to…?"

"I was going to ask you…"

"Hm? I've got all day, Sakura. Yes or no?"

She gaped at him, before recollecting herself. "Fine," she said quietly.

Sakura had no idea of the smile that broke across Syaoran's face at her reply. Nor was she prepared when he lifted her chin and brought his lips to hers.

- - -

Hehe!

Ok, so they're not getting laid, which isn't too true to the beginning author's note… I'm sure we all wanted our two darlings to get some office action, but now is just not the time (yet) and plus, the rating is teen. So, sorry folks.

But hey, it's progress.

Please be kind and leave a review!