Chapter 5 Hello There
"Okay, turn right on the next the next intercourse."
It was nearly two hours later and Sakura and Eriol were en route to her apartment.
"That was the best breakfast I've had in a while," Eriol exclaimed. "Where did you're father learn to cook?"
He was answered by a light laugh. "I'm not entirely sure. My father told me that he used to test his new 'creations' on my mother. Why? Is an agents diet incredibly bad?"
"That, my dear Sakura-san - "
"That's okay. Just Sakura is fine," she interrupted.
"Very well. That, my dear Sakura, depends on the agents cooking skills. Mine aren't so bad. I can make a decent meal if the need arises."
"That's good to know. Oh, turn left right here. Now you, my friend Tomoyo Daidouji and I can share cooking responsibilities. Okay, this is the building coming up is ours. Just turn onto the ramp here. It'll lead to the underground parking lot.
As soon as the SUV was in the garage and parked on a lot, Eriol quickly got out of his side of the vehicle and made his way to the passenger side. Before Sakura could open her door, Eriol opened it for her and held out a hand.
A soft smile graced Sakura's lips as she placed her hand in his. "How kind of you, thoughtful sir."
"T'is nothing at all, my lady," Eriol replied and dramatically bowed over hand.
They made their was to the back of the SUV where Eriol opened the trunk and the two of them took some boxes out of the trunk. Eriol took two, while Sakura took a third.
"We'll have to come back down for the last box and I still have to get my duffel bag," Eriol stated.
"Sure," Sakura replied. "Thanks again for helping me bring the last of my stuff over, Eriol-san."
"Since I'm most likely staying with you for a while, and you've already allowed me to call you Sakura, you may call me, Eriol."
"Okay then, Eriol. Shall we go and take a look at our new home?"
"We shall, dear Sakura. Onward!"
The door was pushed open and Sakura walked through followed closely behind by Eriol. They both set down their boxes and Sakura went to the small kitchen to get some drinks, leaving Eriol to wander around their apartment.
The lay out of the place was simple enough. The living room was large, fitting in two couches, a rectangular glass coffee table and a large entertainment system. Through an open door way was a kitchen/dinning area. To the left of entertainment system were sliding door that led to a balcony. Opposite the kitchen was short hallway that leading to two bedrooms.
"I hope you don't mind orange juice Eriol." Sakura appeared by his side holding out a cold glass. Eriol accepted it with a smile.
"Thanks, Sakura."
"No problem," she replied. "It looks like you've already taken a look around this place. There's the living room and the kitchen, obviously, and these are our bedrooms. This one to the left," Sakura gestured, "will me and Tomoyo's room because it's the one with the bunk bed. The one to right is yours, of course. In case you're wondering, each room has an adjoining bathroom." Sakura looked around contentedly." It's not fancy or anything but it's comfy and Tomoyo and I are making it home." She glanced at Eriol. " With knowing you, for even only two hours, I think you're going to add something to our small family as well."
Eriol smiled softly, touched. "You can most definitely count on that Sakura." He placed a hand over his heart, the humorous twinkle back in his eyes. "I will do what is in my power to constantly keep you tow fair maidens laughing."
Sakura laughed softly. "You're off to a good start, Eriol. C'mon. Let's put these glasses back in the sink and we'll head back down to the garage and get the last of our things."
Syaoran dropped his bags his bags beside a desk and flopped down on his new bed. He sighed deeply and closed his long lashed, amber eyes. Before he fully lost himself to sleep, he glanced at his wristwatch. It read only 9:03.
'I can still sleep for a couple hours he thought, and gratefully gave way to it.
About an hour and a half later, Syaoran was awoken by an unfamiliar beeping. It wasn't his cell phone or his pager. He turned his head to the side towards the night table. There were more than half a dozen small gadgets on it. The thing that seemed to have startled him up from his nap was the lap top. It was emitting a beeping sound and a small blue light was flashing at the corner.
Getting up with a grunt, his white shirt falling open, he picked up the lightweight device and flipped it open. The blank, black screen instantly disappeared and was replaced with the disgruntled face of Kumai-sama. 'Wow. That's a nice sight to wake up to,' Syaoran thought.
" Li. What took you so long to answer?" Kumai-sama questioned sternly.
"I apologise, Kumai-sama. I fell asleep."
Kumai's face contorted for an instant then his expression changed to the one that he normally wore. Cold and haughty. "Very well. I had told you earlier this morning that I would contact you to add some last minute touches to your knew persona. Get that sleep out of your eyes, Li, and stand at attention. Now, for obvious reasons, you will have to change your last name. Anyone you meet from this moment on will know you as Chang Syaoran. The University records have also been modified to accommodate this change."
"Tomorrow before noon several of our agents will be heading over to your quarters to supply you with extra mechanisms and gadgets. There are already several objects on your night table, as you can see, and the manual for all of them is in the drawer. Beside the desktop computer is your timetable and curriculum of the subjects that you are taking. All the textbooks have been taken care off and are in the various compartments in your desk. Any questions?"
Syaoran shook his head. "No, sir."
"Very well. Over the next few days, I will be in touch to continue to fine tune and adjust any details in our strategy. For the moment, this laptop will be our main source of connection. With the other devices that you will be given tomorrow, they will be a more discrete form of communication." Without so much of a good bye, he was gone.
With another yawn Syaoran got up from his bed. Walking to his bags he looked around for some drawers and began to put away his clothes and other belongings. He didn't have anything personal with him such as photographs or posters. When he was on a case and lived in a new place, he learned to never get attached to anything or anyone. Other than the clothes that he packed, his cell, keys, watch and glasses, the only personal thing he had was a beaded bracelet on his right wrist. With his profession and past experiences, he was conscious of keeping things no more than a duty.
And so he put away his socks and boxers, his shirts, shorts and workout clothes, and hung up his jeans and pressed clothes in a wardrobe.
Once he was done, he walked out of his bedroom and explored the rest of his apartment. Immediately to the right of his bedroom door was a bathroom and beside that was a spare, empty bedroom. To the left, the hallway led to the rest of his apartment. Everything was already furnished in his bedroom he had a double bed, a desk, wardrobe and the night table. NSAP had already provided him with a desktop and a laptop. As Kumai-sama had said, there were other devices on the night table that he had yet to fiddle with. The living area was also complete with an entertainment system, couches and coffee table. On one side of the living room wall there were a pair of sliding glass doors that led to a balcony and his kitchen was equipped with a fridge stove and dishwasher.
'I have to hand to NSAP. For making a new home and creating a new life in less than a month, they got it down pat.'
Syaoran grinned and made his way to the fridge, needing some food and probably a cold beer. Once he opened the door though, his smile fell as he stared at the empty racks.
'Then again,' he thought, 'they still might have to fine tune their skills.'
With another sigh Syaoran straightened up and closed the fridge doors. He picked up his keys, cell phone and wallet on the small table by the door. Placing them in one of his pant pockets, he unlocked the door.
'Take-out, here I come.'
He opened the door and strode out. Only to crash into the back of a small, warm body.
"I don't know how you convinced me to let you carry that big thing, Sakura. You know I was insisting on you carrying my duffel bag instead. It seems much more manageable than that."
Sakura's sigh could have been heard down the hallway where they walking towards there apartment. "And I told you, Eriol, that it was fine.'
Leaning against the door opposite of their own, Sakura tried to balance the box on one knee and reached her hand into her front pocket. Finding her keys, she took them out and tossed then to Eriol. "Unlock the door will you?"
Eriol pushed the keys into the lock and turned. As Eriol opened the door, Sakura up and was about to follow when the door behind her swung open. Starting to turn around to see who now lived in the apartment, Sakura only got a glimpse of a muscular outline before it came crashing into her.
The large box few into the air and crashed into the wall, the contents spilling everywhere. Sakura gasped and as if in slow motion, began falling face first onto the floor. Until of course two large hands grabbed her. One grasping her hand and the second around her waist.
With her eyes still closed, she felt herself being turned around and she knew she was facing whoever held her. Slowly she opened an eye and her breath caught in her throat. Both her eyes opened wide as she stared at the man before her.
He was tall, nearly over a head taller than she was. And she needed to incline her head to see his face. He was muscular, though not overly so, and strong. She could feel it in his grip and see it through his black tank and over-laying white polo. She did another once over, starting from his black shoes, past his baggy black pants and finally her eyes took in his face. Dear Kami, his face. His jaw was strong and his mouth stern but full. His brows were drawn in a puzzled frown and beneath them were cold, piercing amber eyes. The unruly chocolate brown hair and messy fringe gave him a more rugged look.
All the while Sakura was looking her fill, the stranger holding her up was doing the same. The girl in his arms was about average height and slim with all the right curves to boot. She looked cute in her baggy cameo pants and tight off the shoulder shirt. Her waist-length hair was French braided and slung over one shoulder. Her skin was fair with a barely noticeable growing blush spreading across her cheeks and her small pert nose. Her lips were full and pink and slightly parted, but it was the stunning eyes that drew him in. they were green. Not only are green eyes rare, but the shade and sparkle in this girl's eyes alone were something he had yet to ever see. They were emerald green, like the actual stones, and sparkled and shimmered at every angle. These eyes were pulling him in and he was willingly following. He just began leaning in when he heard a cough and a familiar voice calling, "Sakura?" He froze instantly.