Chapter 6

The Last Thing I'd Do

But as soon as she'd done that, he pulled back, still holding her arms. And then he drew a smirk. She stared into his ocher eyes. Oh those haunting eyes. She could have gotten lost in them. His tongue darted out and he wiped his lips. "Stupid, Japanese slut," he said not a moment later and walked out, leaving her against the wall of the secluded hallway.

And as sad as it was, Syaoran Li had stolen her first kiss.

*

Oh Kami. What had just happened?

Syaoran Li, who was actually Syaoran Sheng Ma, that horribly handsome man she had met two months ago, and whom she had perhaps harbored feelings for—okay, for like an hour, before he went all bigot on her— well, he was still a bigot, that hadn't changed—but oh Kami, he had kissed her!

She had to touch her lips then, wondering if it were all a dream. Had she just walked to this secluded hallway all on her own, and than sat down and imagined the whole thing.

Girls tended to do that.

Her lips were sensitive, a byproduct of his assault on her. Well, not much of an assault if you actively participated in it. Oh no. Had she?

She tensed. Had she purposely kissed another man when she herself was already engaged to yet another man. Granted, it was not as if she wouldn't try to weed her way out of it. But she had taken a liking to Tigen. He was nice, and he treated her with some sort of respect.

But she had never had a kiss with him like she did with Syaoran. Well, she hadn't really kissed at all. But that wasn't entirely her fault. She had thought she would kind of fall in love with someone, and then she would worry about handholding and kisses and whatnot.

But she wasn't in love. And Syaoran stole it from her. And she would never get it back!

Oh, how she hated him. He was only playing with her, after all. It was not as if he had harbored any feelings for her. He had used her to appear important, and then when she decided to humiliate him, he went all Brutus on her and attacked.

That vicious dog! She would never forgive him.

She hoisted herself off of the floor and dusted herself off. She would get her revenge. And she would get it tonight. If he thought the humiliation would end here, boy did he have a thing coming.

*

"Eriol, enough with the small talk, I demand you tell me where my granddaughter is."

Eriol looked to Tomoyo, who looked to her heels. "She's with Wei, Li-Sama."

"With Wei."

"Yes, at Syaoran's home."

Yelan looked skeptical. "I see," she then turned her piercing gaze to Tomoyo, "and who's this? Why aren't you boys telling me anything now-a-days?" Eriol looked embarrassed, but was pardoned under the dim light of the ballroom. "And speaking of which, where is my son? And who was that lady he was with?"

"To be honest with you Li-Sama, I don't know myself," Eriol mumbled.

Yelan looked livid, "Where is he? I've had quite enough of this."

"I'm right here, mother."

Eriol turned towards the voice, Syaoran was fast approaching the group. Eriol took the chance and quickly fled from Yelan's company.

"She looked absolutely mad, Eriol." He heard Tomoyo beside him as they walked towards the refreshment table.

"I know," he said pouring himself a drink, "she loves that child."

"She must, I kind of feel sort for Li-kun."

"Yeah, sometimes I do too."

Beside him, Tomoyo gasped. "Sakura-chan?

Eriol looked towards the approaching girl dressed in Tomoyo's concoction. She smiled widely as she came to hug her friend. "But what are you doing here?"

"I'm here to help you Tomoyo-chan," she said smiling silkily.

"Yeah, that's great and all, but where's Niyaah?" Tomoyo was saying.

Eriol's eyes widened. "You didn't bring her with you, did you?"

"No," Sakura said wagging a finger, "she's with Tigen. She fell asleep, so Tigen suggested that I come help you."

Tomoyo nodded, but Eriol shook his head, seeing Syaoran walking over. "Here he comes," Eriol whispered.

Sakura followed Eriols line of sight and spotted him. Oh no. She wasn't ready yet. She hadn't thought of her masterful plan. She hadn't had the chance to as she had spotted her friends right away.

He looked angry, as per his usual, Sakura thought. He ignored her completely as he swiftly walked ahead of her to Eriol.

"Eriol, where is my daughter?"

Was it Sakura or did Eriol look a bit scared. Well, she shouldn't be the one judging. The man had a temper. Wait. Daughter? Did she hear wrong or had he said daughter?

Sakura's eyes bulged. He didn't mean Niyaah did he. No. Niyaah didn't look like a thing like—Li. Syaoran Li. Syoaran Sheng Ma. Li Syaoran—Eriol's boss.

Oh he wasn't going to like what he found out next.

"Uh," he said looking about the ballroom, "sleeping."

"Cut the crap, Eriol. Where is she?"

"My, Syaoran, you sure are articulate when you're angry."

Apparently Syaoran wasn't in the mood for jokes. He took of his half-mask and threw it aside. Sakura's heart stopped again. It was him! There he was. All righteously handsome, standing there with that scowl on his face (justified for once).

"Do you know how mad my mother is right—"

"She's with me," Sakura spoke up.

Syaoran froze on the spot. He slowly looked towards Sakura.

"Niyaah? Your daughter, she's with—err—was with me."

Syaoran was quick in approaching her, "what did you say?" he seethed, towering over her.

Sakura didn't back down. She looked defiantly at him, "I said she's at my place. Eriol left her with me."

"You know, whore, if you have some playing around to do, I wouldn't mind picking it up another time, but clearly, today is not the day to be messing with me."

Sakura clenched her teeth. She then pulled her mask off—trying to maintain some sort of equality. She turned away from him and looked to Eriol.

"I'm sorry Eriol, I wasn't thinking, Tigen had just said that and I was silly to just walk away from what I'd promised you guys."

Tomoyo looked empathetic towards her friend. She was somewhat used to her silly antics and sillier mistakes. Li wasn't though. And she didn't know what would happen to Eriol.

"Let's go get her Sakura-chan," Tomoyo started walking towards her. Sakura nodded and took a hold of her hand.

Yelan watched the four walk, a smile playing on her lips.

*

Eriol and Syaoran were not talking to each other, and it was awkwardly quiet in the limo. They had taken Li's of course.

A part of Sakura couldn't believe he'd lied. But then the other part curtly informed her that he was a slimy maggot, and thus possible of doing all sorts of things.

He was the one who had gotten Tomoyo fired. Taking all his anger out on others, as usual, she guessed. He was the reason she had to fly back from her post in England and console her friend. And he was the reason she'd had such a lousy night in Hong Kong two months ago. And he was the reason that she'd lost her hotel room and then had to spend the night—paranoid—in someone else's suite.

They arrived at the Hyatt and Sakura was immensely glad to be out of that tense environment. Syaoran scoffed as they walked into the lobby.

"What're you scoffing about, huh?" she asked angry.

He gave her a side-glance and chose not to answer her question. What, she thought, he thinks he's too good for everyone around him.

"I can't stand his arrogance," she whispered to Tomoyo, when they walked towards her suite.

"I can't stand your presence," was his reply. Eriol sent Sakura an apologetic look.

"I can't stand yours even more, you disgust me. In fact, why don't you leave my suite, I'm sure Eriol will bring your daughter to you." This man mad her so angry.

"Why don't you leave?! This is my hotel, I'm sure your friend here will bring you your stuff " he retorted turning towards her.

"I'm a paying guest, you can't make me leave!"

"Of course I can! I own the damn place."

"No you don't!"

"Yes I do!"

Eriol was the one to interject, "Why don't we find Niyaah."

They both looked at Eriol. Syaoran huffed and walked towards the door of the suite. Sakura ran in front of him and took out her key and opened the door, quietly walking in.

"Tigen?" she asked out loud, "I'm home."

Syaoran looked at her funny and then walked past her.

"Niyaah, I'm here," he called loudly.

Neither Tigen nor Niyaah approached the duo. They walked further into the living room, where Sakura knew Niyaah was sleeping.

Niyaah, Sakura was relieved to notice, was still fast asleep on the sofa.

Syaoran spotted her and his exterior noticeably relaxed, "Niyaah wake up!"

Sakura looked at him, as if that was going to work, "What're you doing?" she asked, "that's not going to work."

He looked over at her, annoyed, "and what do Japanese whores know about parenting."

Sakura clenched her teeth. She wanted to yell, to shout at him, but she had to keep her calm, "Much more than you apparently," she said looking him straight in the eye (which was a lot harder said than done), "when did you have her anyway, when you were 16?"

Tomoyo looked at Eriol, willing him to intervene.

"Yes, actually, not that it should matter to you anyway," he looked around the suite, "didn't I tell you to leave already?"

"Tell who to leave?" It was Tigen, and he was walking out of his bedroom, clad in pajamas.

He wiped his eyes and looked at the entourage. "Sakura, what's going on?" he asked pointing around at the group. It was then his eyes came to Syaoran and he took a step back.

"Li?"

Syaoran looked incensed. "Wang," he got out tightly.

"You two know each other?" Sakura questioned, confused.

It was then little Niyaah decided to wake. She opened her eyes and took in the scene around her, immediately afraid. But then she spotted her father and uncle Eriol, and Sakura all in the same room and grinned happily.

She ran towards her father and hugged him around his legs, "Daddy!"

Syaoran looked uncomfortable and tried to pry her off his legs, opting to hold her hand instead.

Everyone around the room looked at the little exchange, and Sakura cringed. She felt so sorry for Niyaah.

"Let's go," he said to Niyaah.

Niyaah pulled at her hand, and ran towards Sakura, putting her hands up and asking Sakura to pick her up. Sakura did. "No," Niyaah yelled in her little voice, "Sakura said we'd play house!"

Eriol coughed. And Syaoran held his face.

"Some other day, Niyaah. We have to go home now," Syaoran said, annoyance clear in his voice.

"No, no, no," the little girl shrieked, "I want to play now!"

"ENOUGH." And she went quiet, "Niyaah Li, get over here right now."

Sakura looked at the little girl, her big brown eyes watering. She put her down reluctantly and watched as she walked to her father. Sakura wanted to slap him his stupid abusing self. He could do it to her. She'd take it. But how could he hurt a little child like that.

She watched as they started walking towards the door. Something pulled inside her and she ran towards the little girl, "Niyaah!"

Niyaah turned around and watched as Sakura bent down and patted her head, "I'll come play House with you tomorrow. Is that alright?"

Niyaah smiled wide and hugged Sakura. "Okay!"

Sakura smiled back and stood up. She looked Syaoran straight in his ocher eyes. "I'll be seeing you tomorrow, Li."

"I don't think so," and his eyes flickered to the ring on her left hand, "Wang." Sakura watched his eyes for a moment. She had never really done anything against her set paradigm. But here was this little girl. A girl, so hurt, so like herself when she was a child, and she just couldn't bare to see it.

"Oh I think so Li," she said surreptitiously sliding her ring off. Syaoran's eyes widened and he smirked.

He came in close to her, "I always knew you were a whore," he whispered.

Sakura looked down to the child who looked to her with hope, "For some things, I'm willing to do anything," she whispered back.

She'd save that child, if that were the last thing she'd ever do.