AN: Yes, it's been over a month since I submitted the last chapter, but here is chapter five! Hope you enjoy!

Rated: M for Mature do to sexual content and language.

Disclaimer: Cardcaptor Sakura and its characters belong to Clamp. Plot and original characters of this story belongs to me.

I would like to thank Lee for taking the time out of her day to edit my story. Thank you, girl!

Geisha Girl

Chapter Five

For the first time in three years, Syaoran was going to break tradition and not play poker with the guys.

He had decided it last night before going to bed, making sure to tell Zen that day at work the moment he saw him. Syaoran just didn't want to want to be in the same room with Totsuda if he didn't have to.

But now, what was he going to do later on tonight? He hasn't been home on a Friday night since . . . Well, since he was a teenager. At first, he always went out on Friday nights because of girls, then, starting three years ago, he always went out to play poker with his three associates.

So . . . Now what? He sure as hell didn't want to stay home and read a book.

He swiveled his chair around to face the large window in his office, watching the clear blue sky. It was still morning, eight-thirty to be exact, and he had much to do, but he felt too lazy to do anything. All he really wanted to do was go to the okiya and talk to Sakura. He knew she must be confused over why he declined to become her danna, but his reasons were perfectly understandable. Well, it was actually just one reason: he didn't want her that way. He wouldn't be raping her, of course, but he would be forcing her to endure him, making her lie under him, terrified and not at all enjoying what should be an enjoyable experience. He wanted her willing, to enjoy what he will soon be doing to her body.

Especially with her first time being with a guy who had bought her virginity, who had hurt her.

He sighed and shook his head. He still couldn't believe it. He still couldn't believe that two people sold their own daughter, only for her virginity to be sold years later. He hasn't spoken to Sakura since Wednesday night, figuring that she would want time to recover and get over any minor shock she might get over the fact that she had opened herself up to him, and already he felt like he hasn't seen her in weeks. This attraction toward her was driving him crazy because it was the strongest attraction he has felt towards anyone in his entire life, and it was making him care for her greatly, which was something he has never felt towards any woman other than his family.

He needed to slake his lust for the woman, and fast, because Sakura was interrupting his life, no matter if it was involuntarily. She occupied his mind every hour of the day. Even in his sleep she was there, erotic dreams making him jerk awake so aroused that he would have a difficult time going back to sleep.

And it's only been, what, two weeks? Two weeks exactly, and already he was suffering. And yet, he couldn't make himself go to another woman, couldn't stop himself from seeing her. He should, damn it, but he didn't want to. This was a challenge he couldn't give up, because he just might never get another chance. Besides, there was some essence of innocence around Sakura that no other woman he has ever met had. That very essence tugged at him, making her different somehow, and where was he going to find another woman like that?

"Li."

Thoughts interrupted, he turned his chair around. "Zen, glad you are here."

Zen raised a hand. "Hold up, before you say anything, I need you to hear something that I found very interesting."

"About?"

"About that company you want to take over. You know the name, right?"

Syaoran nodded. "Yeah. K and K Corps. Why?"

"It seems that both Ks stand for Kinomoto. Sound familiar?"

Like Zen didn't know that it would sound familiar. "As in Kinomoto Sakura?"

Zen nodded, sitting in front of Syaoran's desk. "Kinomoto Fujitaka and Kinomoto Touya. Kinomoto Fujitaka is Sakura's father. Kinomoto Touya is her older brother."

"Brother? That's impossible. She told me she was an only child!"

Zen raised one single eyebrow. "She told you her life story? To me it seemed like she dislikes you a lot."

"Well, no, she didn't exactly tell me her life story." No point in telling him that Sakura had spilled that little bit of her life when she was vulnerable. "But that doesn't matter. Why would she lie to me about having no siblings?"

"Possibly because she might not have known she had a brother."

"Why wouldn't- Wait, how do you know all this? Where did you get this information?"

Zen smiled slowly. "I have my sources."

"Why did you get the information?"

"Because I was a little curious over the name, wanted to know about the owners. Something you should have done. "

Syaoran didn't comment on that, because it was true that he should have done it. But distracted as he was by a certain lady, he just forgot about it.

"Well, this is . . . Unexpected" he murmured, referring to the company's owners. "But what does it matter?"

"Oh, it matters a lot. You are planning on taking over a company that has now become personal."

Syaoran made a face. "It's not personal. I've been planning on taking over that company for weeks."

"Perhaps, but now you are fairly interested in the daughter of the owner. It doesn't get any more personal than that. Does she know you are taking over her father's company?"

"She hasn't seen or talked to her parents in years."

Zen was obviously surprised by that. "Why?"

Syaoran shrugged. He didn't know if it was because she didn't want to see to them, or because she just didn't know where to find them.

"Well, either way, this takeover is now personal, and I don't think-"

"This takeover has nothing to do with Sakura. This takeover is over the fact that K and K Corps is working on a new metal that I would like to have."

Dynasty dealt with the creation of metals, combining and testing to create more sturdy metals from those that already exist. K and K Corps was working on a metal that, rumor has it, would be strong enough to stand anything, whether that be a tidal wave or a nuclear explosion. If Syaoran could get his hands on that metal, it would make a fortune, for any number of contractors would be demanding it in order to use it in buildings. K and K Corps would never give that up, so the only way for Syaoran to get that metal is to take over the company.

"Li" Zen said softly. "You know that emotions shouldn't be involved with this type of thing."

"My emotions are under control."

"But what if you fall hard for Sakura?"

"I'm not falling for her" Syaoran denied.

"Oh? So you don't care for her? Think about her?"

Was Zen a psychic or something?

"She's just another woman who I want in my bed" Syaoran stated, totally avoiding Zen's questions.

Zen smiled. "All right. Whatever you say." He cleared his throat. "So what is it you wanted to tell me?"

"I'm not playing poker with you guys tonight, and probably not next Friday either."

"Because of Totsuda?"

Syaoran made a sour face. "I should have figured he'd tell you about our argument."

"You blew up over the fact that Totsuda wants Sakura?"

Syaoran shrugged, deciding to explain using the safest reasons. "I don't want him to have her first. The moment I met her, I decided to have her. There is no way I will allow Totsuda to beat me to it."

Zen grinned and stood up. "Is that the only reason you grew angry?"

"Of course."

Zen shook his head as he sighed. "Fine. I'll tell the others not to expect you. But . . . What exactly are you going to do tonight?"

"Perhaps I will go visit someone."

Syaoran frowned when his associate chuckled. "What's so funny?"

"You. Deny all you want, lie all you want, but, just like everybody else, there are some things you cannot hide from others."

Before he can respond, the older man left, leaving a very baffled Syaoran behind.

- -

"Ouch! All right, all right. I'm awake!" Sakura sat up in her bed, glaring at the other woman. She rubbed her arms. "Did you have to pinch me?"

"Of course, because you wouldn't get up" Hoshiko scolded. "If you weren't our top geisha, I wouldn't tolerate such disobedience from you nor would I tolerate such back-talk."

"I don't disobey you, Hoshiko. I do everything you tell me. And I only back-talk when you hurt me, like you just did."

Hoshiko sighed. "Look, I just have one question: Had you done anything to convince Mr. Li to not be your danna?"

Sakura ran her hand through her tangled hair. "No. I tried to, I can admit that, but he countered my attack by telling me he is a billionaire."

"Oh, a billionaire . . ." Hoshiko whispered, as if the word alone was so sacred it would be evil to speak it aloud.

"Yes." Sakura frowned. "Why are you asking me today? Why didn't you ask me yesterday?"

"I was brooding. Mr. Li would have been a good catch."

"Maybe."

"What do you mean 'maybe'? He would have been a good catch! With so much money, he would have taken care of all your expenses, and much more."

Sakura rolled her eyes discreetly, making sure that she wasn't facing the okami when she did the action.

"I know, but Syaoran is arrogant and conceited. He is too full of himself."

"Yet, you call him by his first name?"

Sakura could feel her cheeks get hot. "He made me" she stated, knowing it was the truth.

Hoshiko shook her head. "Anyways, I came to inform you that there is another candidate for being your danna."

"Oh? So soon?"

"Of course! I already checked him out- his background, his financial situation. He has a very large salary. All I need for him to do is offer, and since I know he has a strong interest in you, I have no doubt he will offer soon."

"Who is he?"

"Mr. Totsuda."

Sakura had been in the process of getting out of bed when that name sounded in her ears. She froze, one leg on her bed, bent at the knee, while her other foot was on the floor, leg straight. The comforter slipped from her hands.

"Mr. T-Totsuda?"

Hoshiko nodded, apparently pleased with herself.

Sakura placed a hand on her forehead. No. Not Mr. Totsuda! She wanted to wring Hoshiko's neck for making such a horrible choice, for even considering that man. Sakura would have preferred Syaoran over him!

"If he doesn't offer soon" Hoshiko said "then I will ask him the way I asked Mr. Li."

"What if Mr. Totsuda doesn't accept?"

"Oh, I have no doubt he will. Look, the only way he cannot become your danna is if Mr. Li offers before your ceremony." Hoshiko checked her watch. "Hurry up and get ready. You have to train for that banquet, and then, tonight, you are to go out with Mr. Li."

"He requested me?" She asked.

"Yes."

Hoshiko left, leaving Sakura alone. Okay. She was going to see Syaoran tonight. But what about the situation with Mr. Totsuda? She had to make sure Mr. Totsuda didn't become her danna. That man had the aura of a harsh man. She couldn't imagine herself surviving any of his sexual appetites.

She felt like crying. She hated her life, she truly did.

But she didn't hate it more than she did her parents. She'll never forgive them for selling her. Hell, they didn't even have the decency to be there to say good-bye.

She dressed in her kimono, because today was the day she was to begin practicing the dance in her kimono. She was so excited, because the banquet was held in honor of the Prime Minister, and she has never seen him before.

As she dressed, her thoughts went straight to Syaoran. She grew irritated as she thought of him, because it seemed that was all she ever did since she met him. He was so handsome, his body lean and strong and so masculine. But he was so arrogant, confident of everything. As much as she hated that about him, she felt a little envious at the same time. She wasn't very confident at anything, not even at being a geisha.

That's why it has amazed her that she had succeeded on becoming a top geisha so soon, so fast. She supposed it was mostly because of her looks, not because of how she did her dances or played her instrument. There was only one comment that seemed to escape from almost every man's lips after her job was done: "You are beautiful." She knew looks were important, but was a small comment about her dancing too much to ask?

Syaoran was so cocky he didn't care what anybody said about him. She could tell with that smirk that he tended to walk around with, head high like he was a king.

But as arrogant as he was, he was the only man who actually listened to her. She had even cried in his arms, and he had done nothing but hold her, comforting her, allowing her to talk things out.

And those kisses . . .

She shuddered, remembering how he tasted. She couldn't believe that he had, successfully, gotten three kisses out of her. Hadn't she said that she would make sure the first kiss was their last? From the look of things, her resolve hadn't lasted. And what about in terms of the future? The more she allowed him to kiss her, the more he'll think that they will end up in bed together. She wanted to say that from now on, she will firmly stand by her rejections and make sure he didn't set his lips on hers again, but she knew she wouldn't be able to. Syaoran seemed to kiss her when she least expected it.

She wanted to keep her distance, but that wasn't possible with him continuously requesting her. What was it about her that made him want to come after her? Did she send a signal she wasn't aware of? She insulted him the first time they met, and then the next day he had decided to come and say that he wanted her. Did insulting him turn him on or something?

Men. Who could understand them?

She fixed her hair up and left the room, going down the stairs as fast as she could without tripping over her kimono.

She froze at the bottom step when she came face-to-face with Totsuda. He smiled at her; she merely reclined back, going one step back.

"Where's Hoshiko?" She asked, looking around where Hoshiko should have been.

Totsuda shrugged. "She wasn't here. But I do, however, have an offer."

She squashed down the nervous feeling and gave him a cool look. She wasn't wearing her make-up, which meant that her expressions would easily be visible. The only way out of this was to remain calm, and not let anything he said affect her.

"An offer? What kind of offer?"

Totsuda licked his lips, and she had no doubt that the movement was supposed to be a sexual one. "Zen had told me the benefits of being one's danna" he murmured. He reached out in order to tuck a loose strand of her hair behind her hair but she moved back, not letting him touch her.

"Zen?" She asked, as if she didn't care. The problem was that she did. She had remembered telling Zen, when they first met, about what a danna was and what his obligations were. She hadn't thought that Zen would go on and tell the worst person she has ever met about it. In fact, she hasn't even seen Zen for the past few days, and no requests have been made.

"Yes. Zen. He told me just a half hour ago, and I ran here to make sure no one would beat me to making an offer."

Sakura didn't say anything, but she didn't have to because Hoshiko popped up, holding a kimono over her arm.

"Another kimono ruined" she growled. She then spotted Totsuda and smiled greatly. "Mr. Totsuda! What do I owe this pleasure? You have no appointments today."

"I came to make an offer" he stated, squaring his shoulders. "I wish to become Sakura's danna."

Hoshiko's eyes grew as wide as her smile. "Oh, yes! Of course. I've been expecting it. Do you know what you must do as her danna?"

Totsuda looked at Sakura. "Oh, yeah" he said softly. Sakura knew he was thinking about the sex, while Hoshiko had been referring to his obligations of taking care of the expenses.

"I'll contact you when I have arranged for a ceremony to be held."

Totsuda nodded. "I'll be waiting." He winked at Sakura before he left, whistling.

Sakura must have had a depressed look because Hoshiko called her name. "Sakura, he is very wealthy. I could not turn him down. If you wish for him not to become your danna, then I suggest you hurry up and convince Mr. Li to become yours."

Sakura nodded once, bowed, and walked away.

She paused in the hallway, and leaned against the hall, having a feeling that her very controlled life was now spiraling down to disaster.

- -

Zen smiled to himself as he sat in his chair, very pleased of how things turned out. He had known Totsuda would go after Sakura as soon as Zen explained to him about being a geisha's danna. Now all that had to happen was for Li to find out.

- -

Later that night, Syaoran came to pick Sakura up. She raised an eyebrow at him as he grasped her hand and kissed it. He was wearing a business suit, black tie imprinted with tiny gray wolves. Because she knew that he wouldn't want her to wear a kimono, she wore a white blouse and a black skirt.

"Hmm, I see you aren't angry at me for requesting you" he said as he escorted her out of the okiya. "And you aren't fighting against my kissing your hand."

"No, I'm not. I might as well get used to it" she murmured. "Besides, this isn't going to end with us having sex."

"But I see you are still resisting me" he mused. He winked at her. "But from those feelings you are having when I kiss you, I can only say that soon, you and I are going to be getting down and dirty."

She stopped walking. "What are those feelings I have when you kiss me?" She asked, curious.

He stepped in front of her and cupped her cheek. "You get aroused, my dear." He softly kissed her lips. "That means you get sexually excited."

"Impossible" she denied. "I don't get sexually excited."

"How do you know?"

She didn't, and that was why she didn't answer. But he had to be mistaken. No way could she be excited over a few mere kisses. It just wasn't possible. She knew such feelings existed, but not for her. If she was able to get aroused, it would have happened when the man who bought her virginity had taken it. But she hadn't gotten aroused, which meant she wasn't capable of it.

But then . . . Why did she get those feelings when he kissed her?

In order to get off the topic, she said "Where are we going?"

"To a restaurant. It's only a couple of blocks away, so we could just walk."

Sakura peered at him from under her lashes as they walked. She couldn't believe she was comfortable with him, but she supposed it was because she has been seeing him a lot. And like she had told him, she has to get used to this. He requested her, he paid for her, and her duty as a geisha was to entertain him so that he could come back again and again to the okiya.

In other words, she, and she alone, was the reason why he kept coming back. She had no one else to blame but herself. She could just make this evening a disaster, in hopes that he wouldn't request her again, but she had the hunch that he would know it was on purpose.

"I have a question" he said, catching her attention. He wrapped his arm around her shoulders, and she gave him a look. "What? You said you might as well get used to me." She sighed in exasperation, making him grin. "Anyways, my question is this: Do you know where your parents are?"

She winced. "Why?" She asked in a voice that clearly said that she did not wish to talk about her parents.

"Because." Sakura didn't answer, and refused to look at him. He grabbed her chin and made her look at him. "I know it's a touchy subject, but I wouldn't be asking unless it was important."

They had stopped walking again, people walking around them as they stared at each other. "I don't know where my parents are" she finally answered. "And I don't think I ever want to find out."

"What if someone knew where they were?"

She shrugged, showing indifference. "So what? I don't want to talk to them. They sold me, Syaoran. How would you feel if your own parents sold you?"

"Sometimes I wish my mother had."

She looked at him, shock written all over her face. "What a horrid thing to say!"

He rolled his eyes. "I'm only kidding, Sakura. I care for my mother; my whole family, actually, but when you are the only boy, and the youngest, you kinda wish you hadn't been a part of that family."

"You're the only boy?" she asked.

Syaoran nodded, knowing she was trying to change the subject. He was glad she wasn't asking why he was asking her certain questions involving her family, but he figured it was because she wanted to get off the subject, and asking for reasons hadn't occurred to her. He resumed walking and began talking about himself.

"My father died when I was three" he said. "I have very little memories of him. But I became the man of the family as soon as I turned eighteen. My mother is strong, but she is aging, and she seems to get sick a lot, although she does find ways to call me and nag. And my four sisters-" he shuddered, making her smile.

"What's wrong with them?"

"Nothing, except that they are too damn hyper. They are excited about every little thing that comes their way, and they would always tease me as I was growing up."

"How so?"

"Let's just say that they would love to experiment with their make-up."

She laughed. "You mean to tell me that they had put make-up on you?"

He sighed, and gave her a pained look. "Yep. They would chase after me and hunt me down until they had given me a complete make-over, turning me into a clown." She laughed some more, hand over her mouth. "I'm glad my misery of the past is hilarious to you" he stated, but he was smiling, enjoying her laughter.

"It is" she said, and giggled. "I can just picture you with make-up on."

"Could you? I sure as hell can't."

"That's probably because you don't want to."

He shrugged as they reached the restaurant. "Perhaps. Although I don't think any man would want to picture himself with make-up on."

He smiled as she laughed again.

After ten minutes, they were seated and gave their orders. He told her as many funny stories of his childhood as he could, liking her laugh, and wanting to hear more of it. He has never told anyone about his childhood, because although there were definitely some good times when he was with his sisters, his contact with his whole family while growing up wasn't often. But he found himself wanting Sakura to know all about it. The funny parts, anyways.

"-So after I fell for that trick, I slammed into the clear plastic wrapper- it was dark, mind you- and I ended up falling on my ass" he said, hearing her laughter. He sighed, shaking his head. "I never trusted my sisters again after that, and had always held out my hands when I was about to walk under a doorway to make sure there was no plastic wrap."

"My goodness. I wish I was there to see all of that happening."

He shrugged. "I'm glad you weren't. Everyone in my family drives me crazy." He sighed. "But I care for them all. So what about you? Any funny moments in your past?"

She sighed, all laughter gone. "No. When I arrived at the okiya, I immediately became a servant. I washed, and cleaned, and did everything the okami told me to do. But what made it worse was that I was a very clumsy child. I had the tendency of knocking things over, breaking valuable antiques, and I was miserable as I began to grow a mounting debt."

"Why didn't you leave?" he asked.

She shook her head. "I couldn't. I didn't know where else to go. I was a child, didn't know the streets, and feared being kidnapped, or worse. But finally I became an apprentice, and began my training. It was hard for me. I had to lean how to dance, how to sing, how to play an instrument."

"Do you have to do all of that?"

"Yes. You see, a geisha is supposed to excel in one thing, and once you grow good in one area, that was seen as your talent. So if you were to be better at dancing than anything else, well then whenever someone wanted a geisha who can dance, then you would be considered, or requested. I, however, couldn't grow good in one area. I was excellent at all three, and was seen as one of the rare geishas who could be called on for anything." She shrugged. "Life was hard, but I got through with it."

"Why are you so determined to be a geisha? Why not quit and find something else to do?"

"What else can I do? Thanks to my parents, being a geisha is the only thing I have in life, the only thing I know. The okiya is my only home, and I have no where else to go."

Their food arrived, and neither said a word as the waiter placed it in front of them. When he left, Syaoran grasped her hand, seeing how she was slowly drifting away from the happy atmosphere he had created for them. Damn. The last thing he wanted was for her to get cold on him.

She looked at their hands.

"Why are you after me?" She asked softly, looking at him.

He blinked. "Because I am attracted to you."

She shook her head. "No, that's not what I meant. Why are you attracted to me? When we first met, I insulted you, gave you the cold shoulder, but then the next day you come and request me and say that you want me. Why?"

Should he tell her a truth? He didn't want to, but something in him just didn't want to lie to her. "I hardly get to chase a woman" he finally said, staring into her eyes. "Women always come after me, and when I met you and you weren't going after me-"

"I'm a challenge to you" she said in a flat tone. "That's why you want me."

He resisted the urge to cringe when she said that she was a challenge to him. Well, it was true, but that didn't mean he liked it any better. He could tell she was putting up her defensives, withdrawing from him further, and he regretted ever admitting anything to her.

"No, Sakura. You're beautiful" he stated, and heard her sigh, as if she had heard that already. She probably had, so he continued "And you are an amazing woman. I've never seen someone resist my charms before, and that intrigued me. Yes, you are a challenge, but it's more than that. I genuinely like your personality, your stubbornness. I like your talents with your instrument, and I am completely swept away by the dancing you do." He was coming back to her, he could feel it, and he smiled. Every word that was leaving his mouth was true, and he was glad that she was responding to it. "And also, I feel- "

"Lust?" She asked, tilting her head to the side, interrupting him.

"Yeah" he admitted. He thought she would get mad, but instead she continued to stare at him, as if she wasn't at all surprised by it. Oh hell, why would she? He has made it plain since the day they met. "You bug the hell out of me."

"I do? Why? How?"

"Because all I think about is you and me in bed, together." He shook his head. "Look, I want you, and I don't care what you say, I am going to have you. That's why I haven't given up."

"Confident, aren't we?" Sakura thought of mentioning that she was getting a danna, but then changed her mind. He didn't have to know, and why would he care? When, and if, Mr. Totsuda becomes her danna, then she will tell Syaoran that he could no longer carry these crazy notions of them being together in bed. She felt like she was leading him on, but she crossed that feeling out. She has told him time and again that nothing will happen between them. If he believed that they were going to sleep together, then let him.

"Damn right" he replied to her rhetorical question before he released her hand and began to eat.

She sighed. Confident or not, he will soon see that he was wrong. Keeping her distance would have effectively let him know that she wasn't interested, but how when every time she managed some distance between them he would just close it up?

She ate slowly, taking tiny bites the way she was trained to do.

"Oh, by the way" he said, grabbing her attention. She looked up. "Like the skirt." He gave her a mischievous smile. "I can just imagine those legs wrapped around my hips."

She turned red and turned away, making him laugh.

- -

A tall man sighed as he picked up the papers in front of him, running a hand through his auburn hair. Kinomoto Fujitaka looked over the reports of the metal. He smiled at the progress.

"Father, aren't you going home?"

Fujitaka looked up to see his son looking at him from the door. Equally tall, with black hair, Touya looked at him with a frown.

"In a minute. Just seeing how this metal is coming about."

"It's doing fine, father. You should just go home before mom starts calling me at my apartment to drive back here and drag you home."

Fujitaka smiled as he thought of his wife. Nadeshiko, with long black hair and emerald eyes, has been his wife for thirty-three years, and their love was still as strong. Because of her, he now has a thirty-one year-old son who will take over the company as soon as Fujitaka retires. He was so proud of Touya.

If only his daughter was here for him to be proud of too.

His precious baby girl . . .

"Dad? What's wrong? You look sad."

Fujitaka gave him a sad smile. "Just thinking of your baby sister."

Touya sighed and gave his father a sad look. He, himself, has never gotten close to his sister, because his parents had to send him to his mom's parents house when he was just a baby due to his parents being too poor to take care of him. From what they told him, Sakura was born eight years after he was, and they hadn't had the heart to send another of their children away. They brought her to visit him when she was just a baby, but soon that had stopped.

And on the very day his parents had arrived at his grandparents house to finally take him home, she had been kidnapped.

"I looked high and low for her, Touya" Fujitaka muttered. "But we still can't find her."

"Father, it wasn't your fault. You hadn't known she would be kidnapped."

"Perhaps, but maybe we should have taken her with us. She was only eight, for God's sake. And now she's somewhere out there, a young woman who we probably won't recognize." Fujitaka sighed in dismay before standing up. He smiled sadly at his son. "I'll walk you to your car, son."

And they walked out of the office, the light turning off behind them.

AN: So how was that? I hope you all like it. Please review! I'll be so happy if you do!