Thank you so much for your reviews! I hope I could keep updating this fic alongside my other one. Reviews keep me going! Sorry for the late update, I kind of lost my files, including my fics, so I had to build things from rubbish, so to speak =))

I do not own CCS *sigh*

Chapter 2 - Happy Birthday

"So, what do you think of Li Syaoran?" Tomoyo asked as they skimmed through the novels in the book store.

"What about him?" Sakura took a science fiction book from the shelf and started reading it. "You know I don't have interest in stuff like that."

"Oh, come on!" Tomoyo threw her hands up in the air. "You're 16 tomorrow and not a single guy in your life? Talk about a potato." Sakura snorted as she placed the book back to the shelf.

"Really? A potato?" Sakura laughed. " Besides, I have guys in my life, you know. My dad, Touya-nii, uhh, Takashi?" Sakura started counting with her fingers, looking up at the ceiling while they walk out of the book store.

"Since when did you think of Takashi? He's Chiharu's!" Tomoyo laughed while her best friend shook her head.

"I know that, silly. Takashi's a friend, you know that. So don't think of anything naughty, or you might want Chiharu to chomp our heads off?" Tomoyo paled while looking at Sakura, who panicked. "I'm just joking! Uhhh ... you k-know she can't ... uhh ... what?" Tomoyo started roaring in laughter while Sakura looked confused.

"You should have seen your face! You looked ridiculous." She continued laughing, running off the side walk while being chased by Sakura.

"Hey, come back here! That was so mean!" Sakura laughed as they ran towards her home.

"I'm home! Tomoyo's with me!" Sakura exclaimed as she and Tomoyo entered her home. Nobody answered.

"I guess we have the whole house by ourselves. You want anything? Sandwich? Tea? Cookies?" Sakura asked Tomoyo, who sat down comfortably in the couch.

"It's up to you." She winked. Sakura rushed to the kitchen, prepared tea and cookies for Tomoyo who was making herself busy looking at the magazines at the living room.

"So, Sakura, ready for tomorrow? I've heard that you tried inviting Li over." Tomoyo asked when Sakura went back to the living room holding a tray of tea and cookies.

"Well, yeah," Sakura sighed, "but then, you know, I got the cold shoulder."

~Flashback~

"Hey, ummm Li?" Sakura turned her chair towards Li when their homeroom teacher went out. Li didn't react whatsoever.

"I was wondering if you're free on Saturday? My friends and I will celeb-"

"Not interested."

Sakura stopped and stared at Li incredulously.

"What?"

"I said," Li stood up abruptly. "Not. Interested. Are you stupid or what?"

~End of flashback~

"Wow, no wonder he's always alone, I mean, he doesn't even have friends." Tomoyo sipped her tea. Sakura merely laughed at her friend's demeanor.

"Well, he's actually closing out on everybody. He's cold towards everyone and anyone who tries to approach him. That's why for only a day after his transfer, he has one heck of a reputation."

"Yeah, and when he yelled at you when you when you introduced yourself..."

~Flashback~

"Li-san, please take a seat behind Kinomoto-san over there." Their teacher, Terada-sensei, pointed at an empty chair behind Sakura, who was smiling. Upon seeing her, Li only grunted.

"I know it's unlikely to have a transfer student when we're already in our second term, and during the last year of middle school, but please treat him kindly." When the whole class responded with a lively yes, Terada-sensei started of with the class.

After the lunch bell rang, some girls from high school went to Sakura's class to look for the 'new hottie' who just transferred. Li Syaoran, who was oblivious, just stared at the window, not even bothering to look around and greet his classmates.

"Hi there!" Sakura, who turned her attention to Li, greeted. He just ignored the girl in front of him. "Ummm... I'm Kinomoto Sakura. Usually when there's a transfer student, I'm the one assigned to take them to tours so-"

"Not interested." Sakura was taken aback when Li cut her off nonchalantly.

"Hooee? Are you sure? You could-"

"Look! I don't need anyone to show me anything, so bug off!" Li suddenly snapped, shocking the whole class, and the ones outside.

"Woah, man, she's just being friendly here!" A boy in their class suddenly said. Li just answered with a soul-melting glare that instantly zipped the boy's mouth. Sakura, meanwhile, was still taken aback with his cold attitude.

~End of flashback~

"Yeah, he made the whole class his, hmmm, enemy." Sakura giggled.

"You're actually happy about that? That he snapped at you?" Tomoyo looked at her, putting down her teacup.

"Well, I believe he really isn't that bad." Sakura shrugged, standing up and taking the cups with her. "He's just a guy with an issue, I guess."

"Since when did you become a psychologist?" Tomoyo and Sakura laughed. Tomoyo stood and helped Sakura with the dishes.

Tomoyo decided to stay over for dinner since Sakura's father and brother won't be home until late. Sakura decided to cook spaghetti for both of them. During dinner, they talked about everything and anything they can think of, until Tomoyo's bodyguards came and picked her up.

After Sakura washed the dishes, took a short bath, and dressed in her pajama, she went and lay down on her bed. It was already 9:30 p.m.

'It's my birthday tomorrow. I wonder what would happen.' She mused. After a few moments, she fell asleep.

11:59 pm. He was sitting in his favorite red chair while drinking tea.

'Why am I not asleep yet?' He thought to himself. He felt as if he was waiting for something. He looked at Li Syaoran's sleeping figure through his mirror.

"Li Syaoran," he said, "when will you ever get it?" He frowned and he stood up to get another cup of tea when his clock struck twelve. He kept on walking towards his kitchen when he suddenly felt a big power wave.

'What was that?' He turned around and looked at his mirror, seeing Li Syaoran, who felt the same wave, abruptly waking up.

'Was that magic?' He smiled to himself. 'That's great!' He looked at Li Syaoran who was looking left and right, as if looking for something.

'I'm going to find that source.'

Sakura woke up with a yelp. Her heart was beating rapidly and she felt as if air just returned to her, breathing hard. She looked at her clock to see that it was only 12:01 in the morning. Confused, she stood and went to her bathroom, washing her face.

'What was that?' Sakura clutched her chest as soon as she went out of her bathroom. She tried to calm down and even out her breathing. When she did, she lay down on her bed and looked at the ceiling.

'I feel so strange.' She thought to herself as she drifted off to sleep again.

The next time she woke up, it was 7 am. Forgetting that she abruptly woke up last night, she rose up and looked at herself in the mirror.

'It's my birthday today!' She smiled. She then dressed up and went down the stairs. When she reached the kitchen, she was surprised to see her father and brother sitting down, and so much food prepared.

"Happy birthday, Sakura!" Fujitaka said. She hugged him tight and went to sit beside Touya.

"Happy birthday, kaijuu." He whispered. Sakura glared at him, but smiled afterwards.

"It's my birthday, so I won't let you ruin my day." She smiled too sweetly, much to Touya's chagrin.

"So, what time will your friends come here?" Fujitaka asked as he placed the puddings he prepared in the freezer.

"Hmmm, about an hour, I guess. I'll call Tomoyo." But before Sakura reached the phone, the doorbell rang.

"Wow, that's early." Touya commented. Sakura went and opened the door.

"Happy birthday!" Tomoyo, Chiharu, Rika, Naoko, and Takashi greeted. They were holding various gifts and balloons, much to Sakura's surprise and joy. When they entered Sakura's house, they started putting the balloons and decorations in various places and placed a big 'happy birthday' banner on top of the TV set.

"Wow, I didn't expect you guys to prepares these." Sakura looked at the decorations with joy. "Thank you so much!"

"Anything for you, Sakura-chan!" Naoko said, smiling.

An hour later, Sakura's friends and classmates came and celebrates Sakura's birthday. The day ended up rather quickly and soon, one by one, Sakura's friends left, but not without giving her their gifts. The lasts ones who went home were Tomoyo and company, helping the Kinomotos clean up.

"Thank you so much for coming, and for your gifts." Sakura smiled when they finished cleaning up. It was already 7 pm when they finished.

"Anything for you, Sakura-chan! It's not everyday our best girl turn 16!" Chiharu exclaimed. The group then bid farewell and went home.

When Sakura closed the door, she leaned her back and slid down the wall, looking tired. Touya saw her when he peeked from the living room.

"Are you okay?" He approached her. He got more worried when he saw her more closely; she was pale and sweating hard.

"I'm fine. I'm just tired." Sakura smiled and stood up. She walked towards the stairways with wobbly knees. "I'm going to rest now, dad. Good night!" She exclaimed as she went up to her room. Fujitaka emerged from the kitchen with a frown, looking at the stairs.

"She was already pale when I first saw her this morning." Fujitaka said. "She was just holding up for us and her friends. I wonder what's wrong."

"She's a good kid, dad." Touya answered. "She just works too hard, sometimes."

"She'd be all right. It's Sakura after all." Touya smiled at his father's remark.

'Why am I so tired?' Sakura asked herself as she plopped on to her bed after washing her face, not bothering to change into her pyjamas. She clutched her chest and curled herself in her bed.

'I feel so strange. It hurts.' She shut her eyes tight. After a few moments, she fell into a deep, uneasy sleep.

"Where are you now? What are you up to?" Li snarled as he looked up the sky from his apartment balcony. He felt a very strange wave of power last night, thinking that it was his doing. His butler and trainer, Wei, approached him at the balcony.

"Any signs, or clues, Wei?" Li, without turning to Wei, asked.

"I'm afraid, Syaoran-sama, that I didn't find anything, even a trace of the wave." Wei bowed down when Li finally faced him.

"Is that so? He slipped, so I'm sure we'll find him soon." Li said without emotions. "Continue searching for the source of that wave, I'm sure it came from him. Anything will do."

"Yes, Syaoran-sama." Wei left Li without a sound.

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