Chapter 13 : Our Strong Bond (Part 1)

The following morning, Sakura was sleeping soundly in her bedroom when her alarm clock suddenly rang. She tried to turn it off while on bed, but the she realized that she has to go to work. "I have to make breakfast... but I'm still sleepy."

She rise from her bed and fix it, and slowly walked and went outside. Just as she went out, she heard Syaoran's voice. He too, went outside and his voice is shaking. "Gyah! It's cold! I don't know why they don't have warm..." He stopped when he saw Sakura.

Sakura raised her head. But her eyes widened with what she saw, and her voice stuttered. "Y... you?!"

She saw him naked, with just his boxers on.

"AHHHHHHHHH!" A loud scream was heard all over the house. A loud slap followed immediately after that.

Sakura and Syaoran were walking together to go to their workplace. Sakura was just looking at Syaoran, while he's touching his right cheek. "I didn't mean it..." she said.

"You haven't changed..." he reacted. "You still slap like a man... it still hurts, you know?"

- "Eh? You mean you were slapped by a man before?"

"No! What I mean is that your slap was so powerful, you have a man-like strength!"

- "How will you compare my strength to a man when you haven't been slapped by a man before?"

Syaoran got annoyed. He held his forehead, as if he will be having a headache. "Haish! Should I even explain everything to you?"

"Just try to clarify what you're saying. You're making me confused." said Sakura.

"Okay, I give up. I'm sorry." Syaoran replied.

As they continue walking, Sakura whispered. "I... I'm sorry as well."

"What?" asked Syaoran.

- "I'm sorry I slapped you... I didn't mean to do that. It's just that... I've got surprised when I saw you shirtless."

"That's all right. I never mean to show up like that." says Syaoran. "Oh, by they way, I'll buy some stuff in the convenience store that you work before going to work, So I'll accompany you."

"That's fine." she said. Then, Syaoran reached his right hand to Sakura. "I want to walk with you while holding your hands." He said.

"No way!" Sakura shouted. My co-workers might think that you're my boyfriend."

"Should we care if they think that way?!" he replied. Sakura smirked. "Ah, no! I mean, there's no malice since we're just friends... Besides, I miss walking along with you while holding your hand."

Sakura did not held Syaoran's hand. What she did instead is that she grabbed his right arm. as if she was hugging it. "There... At leash people will think that you're just my brother."

"Isn't this more awkward?" He said.

Sakura looked at him. "Why? You don't like?"

Syaoran didn't respond. He just let her do what she wants, as the walk together.

Meanwhile, Yuji is in his office in the main headquarters when two men entered the room. These two are a part of the Board of Directors of the company. Yuji greeted them. "Mr. Murasaki, Mr. Hajime! Good morning! Both of you are early. Come on, have a seat." The two gentlemen took their seats. "What a lovely sunrise, isn't it?"

Mr. Murasaki first responded. "Yes, it is."

Mr. Hajime also talked. "And a sunshine like this will be much better if you help us, sir."

Yuji got curious. "Huh? What do you mean?"

"The election for the next company president will be held next year."

- "Yeah...So, what?"

"Your father had held his position for more than 30 years before he fell sick. Following that, Ms. Daidouji became the interim President of the company."

- " I know. And I sure, Tomoyo will be able to imitate what my father did once she has the position, permanently."

"That's not what we want."

- "...Huh?!"

"We want someone to lead us. the way your father had lead this company."

- "Well, Ms. Daidouji is here. She could do that."

"We want somebody else. We want someone just like your father."

The two gentlemen looked at each other, while Yuji was still clueless on what they're talking about. Then, They explained what they wanted.

It took several minutes for them to explain the reason why they want to talk to Yuji. After explained, Yuji was silenced. His face was a picture of disbelief. "So... in short... You're plotting a coup against Ms. Daidouji. Am I correct?"

Mr. Murasaki replied. "We're not trying to stage a coup since she's just an interim president. Also, We're just trying to change the course of the company by trying to convince you to help us in removing her from her position."

"Some of the directors were not happy with her decisions." Mr. Hajime added. "She is changing some of your father's projects which made the board unhappy. plus, She's been an interim president for almost two years and she was not able to improve the financial status of the company."

Yuji explained "She was able to create 7 project within that period, and it was more compared to the former presidents of this company, including my father. I don't think she's changing some of my father's project to gain credit for it. And so what if she was not able to improve our financial status of our company? She promised it, yes. But she did not promised that she will do it overnight."

"We've been in this industry for decades, and we've seen president change from time to time. But this is the first time that we failed to see any improvements within the first year, or even in the first quarter since she became president." Mr. Murasaki told him.

"Besides, those years are not overnight." Mr. Hajime added.

"You think managing a huge company for almost two years is not overnight?" Yuji asked. "Our families, the Ureharas and the Daidoujis, have to build this company from scratch. It took us years to build its foundation and sit on where it is now. So, I don't understand why you're bringing this up."

Both men again looked at each other., then they looked back at Yuji. "Mr. Urehara... we ask you a simple favor..." Mr. Murasaki said.

"What do you want me to do?" Yuji asked.

Silence filled the room for seconds. Then, Mr. Hajime told him something that haunted him. "Next year, the board of directors will be voting on who's gonna be the next president of this company. The Daidouji family is pushing for their only daughter's re-election, and there will be no opposition because there will be no competition..."

"...We want you to run this company..."

Yuji was stunned. "W...what?..."

"Most of the board people are close to your father. We thought... if we elect someone like him, the board will be united again. The only person who resembles your father is you, Mr. Urehara."

"That's nonsense!" Yuji shouted. "As I thought you want to do something against her..."

"We're not doing this to harm anyone, we're doing this for the sake of the company."

"You're doing this to harm her!" Yuji insists. "You just don't know how she puts her effort in fixing our company's problems. Most of our partners and investors have gone to other companies, and Tomoyo is trying to win them back, and get more. While you're planning your moves in our next company election, Tomoyo is trying to create more opportunities by building projects our company could create like never before. She's a talented hands-on leader who could lead a bright future for this company. And yet, you're doing this to her? What do you think my father will do if he is still alive, huh? They will kick your butts out of this company!"

Mr. Hajime tried to calm him down. "Mr. Urehara, please, calm down. I understand that you were not ready for this, but we will help you lead the company if you accept our offer."

"Why should I accept your offer when I don't see myself running this company?" Yuji asked them. "Tell me... what's wrong with her? What's thing thing you don't like about her? tell me so that I could let her know... Don't worry, I share our conversation with her... I - I will tell her that this is just my personal opinion..."

Mr. Murasaki answered. "She a woman..."

- "What?..."

"Mr. Urehara... we don't like her because she's the first woman to lead our company. You know how women think and act? They always plan, and they will change their minds after that. We saw that in her, and we don't think it will be beneficial for the company."

"Seriously, we've expected her grandfather to be seated as the president. However, we've realized that he's aging, and the Daidouji family had talked to some of us, asking us to install their daughter to become the interim president. We don't have a choice since you were in America, completing your studies. We have to bare her being the president up until the elections. But i think this is your perfect opportunity to -"

Yuji interrupted Mr. Hajime. "She's a woman... That's it?... You don't like her because she is a woman?" Then, he laughed.

Mr. Hajime and Mr. Murasaki were silenced.

"Seriously, gentlemen. Women are now getting more effective in leadership skills than us, men. I will not become the president of this company. I have already decided that I will help Tomoyo in running the business. Electing men? Part of our culture? Then, I will tell her to break that tradition."

"Sir, this is your chance to take over the company in which your father had spent all of his efforts in the past, and we're backing you up. How come you're defending her instead helping us to continue your father's legacy?"

Yuji gave them a fierce look. "Legacy? You're not helping preserve my father's legacy - You're destroying it. I don't have a thirst for power, and I'm not selfish. My happiness is when I see Tomoyo happy. She is a good friend of mine, and my family, and I will not let her down. You may continue your plans, but I'm not buying it. So stop your hallucinations and help her manage the company, or else, I will tell her your plans." Yuji picked some of the folders on his desk and walks away from his table. But before he goes out of his room, he turned his back and told them "And oh, don't insult women. It's like you're insulting my mom and my sister, and your wives, too..."

It's 8:15 in the morning. Tomoyo and Syaoran were in the briefing room, when Yuji entered. "Sorry, guys, I'm a bit late." He said.

"A bit late?" Tomoyo asked. "You're SOOOO late, Mr. Urehara. I never knew that 8:15 is the new 7 o'clock. We've been waiting for you for almost an hour and a half, and you've never texted me that you'll be late. So, you think I'll be fine with it?"

"My sincere apologies, Ms. President." Yuji answered

"That's fine." Said Tomoyo, as she smiled at him. "And don't take the things I told you seriously. I'm just joking."

"I already expected it from. You never scolded me for any reason." Said Yuji while he took his seat.

"Do you want me to sclod you for the first time?" Tomoyo asked.

"Hell, no! You won't do that, will you?" Yuji jokingly asked.

Tomoyo gives up on him. "Ah! Forget it! Anyways, let's get to work now. By the way, remember the training that we had last year?"

"Yeah..." said Syaoran. "You had my participation on that, right?"

"Yup." Tomoyo replies. "We'll be doing this again, next year. This time, Yuji will join us."

"Huh?" asked Yuji. "What do you mean?"

Tomoyo explains. "Well, we had a role play, and Syaoran and I acted as customers whom will they serve. This is or us to help our trainees to cope up with the real working environment. We've had it last year. And mind you, Syaoran was such a meanie, he made most of the trainees cry. So since you'll help me oversee our trainees, you'll have to join us, too."

"Oh, really? It sound fun..." said Yuji. "I'm not a good actor, but I'll try."

"Okay..." Tomoyo approves. " We'll be able to evaluate them much better if we do this. This will help us understand our trainees abilities and their opportunities. I've called Mr. Kouichi about this and he'll be getting the details of our plans this afternoon. So I hope everyone will participate."

Syaoran responded. "You can count on me with that."

"I know." Tomoyo told him. "But please don't make people cry again, huh?"

The three had a soft laugh. Then, Yuji looked at Tomoyo and held her hand. "Yeah, me too... I'll try my best. I'll help you in every way I can."

Tomoyo also looked at Yuji. "Huh? You're weird... Did something happened?"

"Ah... No, it's nothing." Then, Yuji released her hand. "Let's continue. I want to know how it's being done."

And so, The three continue planning the things they should do on the final weeks of training. They know that they don't have enough time, but as time flies, so they worked with each other very hard as they thought that the restaurant will be opened soon.

Hi, guys! I'm very sorry, I have not updated the story for quite some time now. I've been busy sending my requirements to our university that's why I wasn't able to post this update soon enough. Anyways, Hope you enjoy the first part of this chapter.

Thank you, UnitedOsprey1991, LaCitronica and mct for your comments. Until the next update. Bye, guys!