Disclaimer: I don't own these people

Not Again

Sakura shifted on the overstuffed, uncomfortable couch the store had put there specifically to torture people who came in and didn't buy anything. She had to speak to Tomoyo about it. Tomoyo Daidouji, soon to be Mrs Eriol Hiiragizawa, stood on a platform in the centre of the room, studying a wedding dress in front of a platoon of mirrors, and a fawning attendant.

She placed her hands on her hips and stared critically at herself. Her experienced eye thought and re-thought about what she wanted, and addressed the attendant, who was hovering nearby. "Susan, if you would be so kind as to bring me the peach one. I don't think I want to follow the norm."

Susan practically sprang into action. Sakura was surprised she didn't break her heel, swivelling like that to dash out the door and do Tomoyo's bidding. She was the boss, and she definitely knew what she wanted. Not only the boss, she was the designer too, so no questions asked.

Sakura rose from her seat, wincing at the crick in her back. She had been there for over three hours already. This hadn't been what she had in mind when Tomoyo had called to ask her out.

"Tomoyo, you already look so beautiful. Why try on all the white ones if you didn't want to wear white?" She tried hard to keep a whine from her voice, but she badly wanted to leave the store. Being a partner and doing all the accounts had kept her at the store for longer than she liked, and the last thing she wanted was to spend her Saturday there as well.

"Oh Sakura. I don't know if I made the right decision by using one of ours. Maybe I'd like something better if it weren't mine." Tomoyo looked so forlorn, Sakura had to relent. She went up to Tomoyo and sat next to her feet on the platform. They both looked at the other's reflections in the mirrors.

"Tomoyo, of course you had to use one of ours. You made it, so it's all the more special. And I think the peach one is the best anyway. Now can we go? Please?" She couldn't take it anymore. Honestly, she loved the business, but she was hungry. And nothing stood in the way of her and food.

Tomoyo laughed daintily. "All right Sakura. We can go. Just let me try on the peach dress first."

Sakura groaned and collapsed across Tomoyo's feet.

When they finally arrived at Teasers, the new bar that had opened up along Fifth Line Street, Sakura was nearly weeping with relief. Tomoyo was beaming with happiness. She had found her dream dress at last. It was going to be the perfect wedding, the one she had always wanted.

They settled themselves at the bar and ordered beers. Sakura grasped hers like a dying man did a lifeline. It had been a long day. Suddenly, Tomoyo nudged her with her elbow.

"What? What?! Stop it, you're digging into my ribs already, Tomoyo! What is it?!" Sakura twisted on her bar stool to glare at her best friend in the whole wide world.

Tomoyo was unfazed. "That guy. Across the room. I think he's staring at you. Ooh... he's cute." she grabbed Sakura's shoulders and turned her to face in the direction of the mystery guy.

"You're a soon-to-be happily married woman, you know Tom-" Sakura stopped short as she locked eyes with Syaoran Li.

Syaoran could not believe his luck. Just as he'd spotted a beautiful black-haired girl he was thinking of asking out, her companion turned out to be the annoying, uncharmable Miss Sakura Kinomoto. Life was so unfair. He chose to disregard at the moment his five pieces of property and millions of dollars in the bank.

Franco burst into laughter beside him. "I bet you-"

"Don't even think about it." Syaoran cut him off, then remembered how Sakura looked when she ate. "Ten bucks if I take her to dinner again."

Franco thought about it. "Twenty if you manage tomorrow's lunch too. She looks like she's in a bad mood."

"Deal." They shook on it, and Syaoran started walking over to Sakura.

Sakura's mind scrambled. He was coming over! The slimeball still thought he could score! What was he, infallible? Invincible? Indelible lipstick? She geared herself for the most brutal letdown she could bring down upon his head."You can just-"

Syaoran adressed Tomoyo. "Miss, can you give me the pleasure of buying you dinner?" All the wind went out of Sakura's sails as Tomoyo giggled.

"I'm sorry, but I'm happily engaged. Sakura's free though! She hasn't eaten dinner too. You can take her!"

Sakura growled low in her throat as she was not-so-subtly pushed into Syaoran's path. Tomoyo's eyes, filled with a guilt-inducing expression, forced her forward to Syaoran. Tomoyo was reminding her silently that she still needed a date for the wedding. Sakura's own eyes were filled more with resignation than anything else.

"Let's get it over with then." At her easy agreement, Syaoran was stunned into immobility for a moment. He'd expected to infuriate Sakura enough to challenge her to go out with him, but this... this was just suspicious.

When Sakura saw the familiar green awning her mood improved. Antonello greeted her like a long lost daughter.

"Sit down, my dear, and Antonello will bring to you today's special, yes? It's fish today. The freshest fish in all of New York!" He patted her hand and swooped off to deliver his promise.

Syaoran sat, having been completely ignored by Antonello, and guessed he was going to be eating the fish as well. "So... how've you been?". He was really putting an effort with the lines that usually slip so easily from his lips.

Sakura raised an eyebrow. "You mean since I saw you yesterday? Fine, I guess." she nearly giggled at Syaoran's put-off look.

Before too soon, the food came, set down upon the table with a flourish. Once again, Sakura obediently speared a piece of fish with her fork and put in in her mouth while Antonello stood and watched expectantly.

Her eyes closed and her mouth curved, her cheeks going pink again. "Oh my god, Antonello, this fish is fantastic! I feel like I've died and gone to heaven!"

"Yeah, me too." Syaoran said dryly. The room seemed uncomfortably warm again. He had to remember to tell Antonello to fix the damn air conditioner.

Sakura ignored him and put another bite of the tangy sourness in her mouth, and Antonello beamed at her and went back into the kitchen, pride gleaming across his features.

The rest of the dinner past by without event, other than the gradual heating of the restaurant, to Syaoran's mind.

Finally, Sakura's eyes opened, revealing misted green eyes. Syaoran was overcome by the urge to lunge across the table to kiss the the mist into fog. Instead, he said, "Are you free tomorrow?".

Her eyes cleared abrubtly and Syaoran wished he'd never spoken. "Why?" Sakura asked.

"I would like to take you to lunch. Will you have lunch with me?"

Sakura thought again about Tomoyo, the wedding and the date. She sighed inwardly. "All right then. Where are we going?"

Thanks to those who reviewed.