Author's Note: I noticed something was wrong with the first version of this chapter. The emotions were lacking. Somehow, I wasn't really happy with it. Forgive me… I'm just a newbie and still training :3 So anyway, here's a revised version. Oh! And please do leave a review... It would really mean a lot to me. Thanks!

...

Chapter 2

Switch of Fates

...

Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! Beep! Bee—

Syaoran sluggishly dropped his hand on the left end table, hitting the alarm clock which caused its endless noise to stop. And just like his normal morning routine, he would sit up on bed, rub his eyes, put his feet on the floor and walk straight to the left where the door to his bathroom was to be found… but that day was different.

Bump!

"Ouch! What the—"

He rubbed his eyes once more to see things clearer. He was facing the dress closet, which to him was much unexpected. The arrangement of his stuffs had changed. The furniture had lessened. And above all, the room had gotten smaller. At the end, he then realized that the place he was in was obviously not his home.

Just then, a loud knock visited his door.

"Syaoran!" shouted the grumpy voice. "You up already?" the man asked, followed with a few more knocks.

Wait a minute… I know that voice... But what's he doing here?

He tried to silently approach the door and carefully opened it. Once the door was entirely opened, his eyes widened at the sight of an unexpected visitor.

"What are you staring at?" Touya stressed.

…What's happening?

Touya shook his hand right before Syaoran's eyes. "Hello? You there?"

…This house… this isn't where I live…

"Oi! Syaoran! I'm talking to you, you little brat!"

…and this guy… he'd usually glare at me like he wants to strangle me…

Touya scratched his head. "You're hopeless… Just go downstairs if you're hungry. I already prepared breakfast." He left Syaoran standing by the door and went ahead.

Syaoran watched Touya as he walked downstairs. He then took a moment to ponder on the situation.

…I should play along just for now… before things get worse…

...

Touya and Syaoran were seated across from each other in the kitchen. Both ate quietly before the dining table. Touya noticed how Syaoran was eating his food a bit timidly, as if no energy was left within him.

"Look. If something's wrong with my cooking then just say it out," Touya grunted.

"Huh?" Syaoran looked at him in surprise. "O-Oh… It's not that."

"Then what is it?"

"It's nothing… really."

"Nothing? That look on your face doesn't seem like nothing to me."

Syaoran watched Touya as he took another bite of his food. There was no sign of hatred or irritation towards him.

"Why are you kind to me?" Syaoran asked, keeping his head down.

Touya was taken aback by his question that he could have almost been choked. He quickly gulped the food in his mouth and drank from his glass of water before taking time to question him back. "What kind of a question is that?"

Syaoran scratched his head and chuckled to his embarrassment. "Eh… Right. Stupid question. Forget I asked." He was about to chew in his food when the other abruptly spoke up.

"Don't brothers treat each other that way?" Touya rhetorically asked and worked on his plate.

Syaoran's eyes widened to what he heard. "B-Brothers…?"

"Why do you look so surprised? Don't tell me that accident you got yourself into got you amnesia."

I knew it…

"Speaking of, how's your ankle?"

Ankle? …Wait… I remember now…

Syaoran gave him a pretentious smile. "It's fine already, I guess. Nothing to worry about."

Touya was playing with the bacon on his plate when something hit his mind. "By the way… A girl called in while you were taking a shower. She said she wants to meet you at the park."

…A girl… It must be her…

"Did you ask who she was?" Syaoran asked.

"I was supposed to but she quickly hung on me right after she was done talking."

Syaoran wiped his mouth with a tissue paper and stood from his seat. "I'm done," he muttered and ran for the door.

"Hey! You haven't even finished your meal!" He ran after Syaoran but as soon as he reached the main door, the other already went running outside. "Weird kid," he mumbled and leaned against the door.

...

"Darn it. I should have taken the jacket before leaving the house," Syaoran spoke to himself as he was shivering and wrapped his arms around himself.

The air was cold that day. But that day had gotten colder for him since he was sitting on a bench amidst the trees of the central park in Tomoeda. There, he waited patiently for the girl.

A peculiar-looking fellow suddenly sat beside him on the bench. The person was wearing a feather hat, black shades, an old leopard skin robe, and a pair of brown knee-length boots. He gazed at the person for quite a while, observing her greatly. The person noticed Syaoran staring at him for some time now so she slowly tilted her head to his direction and took off her shades.

"What took you so long?"

Syaoran's eyes twitched the moment he heard her voice. "S-Sakura?" his voice raised in shock.

Sakura quickly budged closer to him and covered his mouth. "Shhh! Tone your voice down!"

He held her wrist and took her hand off him. The moment he caught another glimpse of Sakura, he quickly held his tummy as he burst into laughter. "What's with the—pfft! What's with the disguise? Have any costume party to attend to?" he joked and brushed off a tear of laughter from his eyes.

Sakura placed her rock-hard fists around her waist and pouted. "Hmph. Very funny."

When Syaoran was finally able to calm himself, he hung his arms on the bench and relaxed. He kept his eyes on Sakura while keeping the beam on his face. "No, really. Why the heck are you dressed like that?"

Sakura was about to explain her situation when the voices of two or three men interfered. They weren't too close… but they weren't too far either.

"Miss Li!"

"Young mistress!"

"Miss Li! Where are you?"

"Let's look over here!"

"What if she's not there?"

"Then we'll look somewhere else!"

The familiar voices gave Sakura the creeps. As soon as she saw the men in black suits, she quickly held on tight to Syaoran's arm, giving him an awkward feeling. "W-What's with you?" he exclaimed.

"Take me out of here! Quick!" she tremblingly shouted at him as she shook his arm a number of times.

"Alright! Alright! Just—" He shoved her hands off him and rubbed his head after his mind was jumbled by her actions. He later grasped her left wrist. "Keep pace with me," he whispered and smirked right after.

Sakura noticed the evil grin on his face that worried her. "I know that smile! Oh, ho ho… Don't you dare, Syao—raaaaaaaaaan!"

Syaoran sprinted away like mad while holding Sakura who was left behind him. Sakura, on the other hand, felt like her arm was about to be detached from her shoulder as he was pulling her to his speed. She secured her hat to her head to avoid it from flying off with the wind.

The only time they halted was when they reached the corner to the small shopping district of the town. Sakura immediately took her hand away from Syaoran's grip and bent to her knees as she gasped for some air.

On the other hand, Syaoran crossed his arms behind his head and breathed in with a contented smile. "Man… It's been so long since I ran that fast."

Sakura was annoyed by his statement. "See? That's the problem with you…" She slowly stood back up straight and scowled at him. "You decided months ago to stop competing in the track and field. And now, when a helpless young girl asked you to help her run away from the black monkeys, you would suddenly boast your speed while you take her away… and drag her to death!" she yelled as she pointed a finger on his face.

He slapped the finger away and tried to lighten up the situation. "Cool it, Sakura! And don't blame me. You started it anyway."

Sakura cracked her knuckles as she glared deeper into him. "I… started it?" she interrogated.

His eyebrows then frowned. "Hey! You told me to make it quick. I just did you the favor."

"I didn't ask you to quick-and-kill-me! I almost couldn't breathe while you were constantly dragging me to your speed!"

"Gee," he sounded off with sarcasm. "Then next time, remind yourself never to ask a track and field runner for help in that kind of situation."

"Funny… I was just about to say almost exactly the same thing!"

She turned her back on him and marched ahead as she muttered ill words beneath her breath. Syaoran put his hands in his pockets and rolled his eyes as he followed after her.

"Hothead… You and that other Kinomoto are obviously siblings," he murmured.

The nerves of Sakura's temples began to pump as soon as she heard Syaoran. She then stopped walking and clenched her fists. "You were… saying something?" she remained facing up front.

Syaoran simpered. "N-Nothing important. I was just following your back while talking to my lonely self. Ohhhh the agony," he voice-acted.

She turned to him and raised an eyebrow. "You're so weird."

"At least I'm not as weird as what you're dressed in," he smirked.

Sakura was completely flushed. She then turned her back on Syaoran again to hide her embarrassment from him. "Well, I was going to take it off." She wore off the leopard robe and neatly hung it on her arm. She also threw the feather hat behind, unaware that it hit Syaoran's face.

"Nice hit…" Syaoran mumbled ironically as he irritably removed the hat from his face and threw it to the ground.

When his eyes hit Sakura again, he was astonished with what was left on her. A rosy pink dress, extending above the knees, with floral laces at the bottom tip and petal sleeves. To him, she looked tremendously wonderful. It suits her was what he thought.

"You look very pleasing in that dress," he commented with a tender smile.

Sakura faced him again the instant he noted on her dress. She didn't want to show him a lighter side of her but she couldn't help but feel flattered that caused her cheeks to glow a bit red. "W-Whatever…" she turned her head to a different direction.

"I've never seen you wear a dress or skirt before aside from the school uniform. I'd often see you in pants."

"I still hate dresses," she pointed out. "The only reason I'm in this thing is because it's what your butler Chen forced me to wear."

"Chen…" Syaoran suddenly became quiet when she spoke of his butler's name.

Sakura saw the gleam slowly fading from Syaoran's face. She felt that she knew just what the reason could have been. "Syaoran, I think it's time we get serious and talk about this situation we're in. I suppose you know what I'm talking about."

"Yeah, I get you," Syaoran replied.

"But we can't discuss it merely anywhere… We have to find a place where no one will hear us."

Syaoran rubbed his chin as he thought of a plan. He then looked back at Sakura and asked her, "What time does your brother usually come home?"

"Oh, right! He has work today… Probably from four to six in the afternoon. Why do you ask?"

"Because that's where we'll be going."

...

The two were sitting on two separate couches that were facing each other. Syaoran rested his right elbow on the arm of the couch while leaning his head against his fist. On the other side, Sakura was seated with her legs and arms crossed.

"What?" Syaoran laughed softly. "The men in suits were your bodyguards?" he asked surprisingly.

"Why are you asking me?" she glowered. "This is your life I'm stuck in. Didn't you have any bodyguards?"

"Did you see me walking around with odd-looking men behind my back before?" he asked back.

"…No…" she muttered.

"Then that answers it," he sneered. "Anyway, was that also the reason why you dressed strangely back there?"

"Well… yeah." She looked away from him thinking that he might tease her about it again. "I just thought it would be a good disguise to hide from them. I wanted to see you without them staring at me the entire day," she spoke softly as she played with her fingers.

"In case you didn't know," Sakura fretted as soon as Syaoran began the talking, "that was a really stupid disguise," he pointed out with a stern expression.

Sakura's temples cracked. She stopped playing with her fingers and formed them into tightly clenched fists.

I knew he was going to say something like that… That bastard…

"You were more obvious in that stupid robe and that creepy hat," Syaoran continued mocking. "You obviously don't have a good taste. You need a fashion consultant, like Tomoyo." He gave out a sigh and looked at her with discontentment. "Seriously, Sakura… You're the only girl I encountered who has a very bad taste in clothes."

"Alright already!" Sakura shouted peevishly. "I've had enough of your insults, jerk. And we're here to discuss about our problem. NOT. MY. DRESS!" She crossed her arms and pouted as she tilted her head to a different direction.

Syaoran laughed softly as he gazed at Sakura across him. He found it cute, her irritated expression. He was never really bothered whenever any one of them would start a little skirmish. In fact, he would simply laugh at it at the end, unlike the girl in front of him.

"When I woke up, I actually thought it was all a dream," he stated.

Sakura had finally let go of her anger when he started talking seriously. She faced him while loosening the wrinkles on her forehead.

"I thought so, too," she said back. "How did it turn out like this anyway?"

"That, I don't know," he sighed.

"I honestly loved the food they served me this morning! I've never eaten anything like it before. It also felt so refreshing to have people serving you there but… they're not my family." Her voice slowly faded from excitement. "I want things to go the way they were," Sakura yearned.

Syaoran couldn't find any good reply perhaps because he couldn't say the same thing. He doesn't have a family aside from his butler Chen. He couldn't exactly tell her that he felt a bit happy when Touya told him that they were brothers that morning.

"While we go and look for a solution, we should try to get used to this for a time and act like everything's the usual. That means," he then slightly arched his back forward and firmly looked straight into Sakura's eyes. "…try acting normal, will you?"

"Excuse me?" Sakura raised an eyebrow.

"Well," Syaoran stood from his seat and walked until he stood before Sakura's couch. "…since you are stuck in my life, like you said, you will be carrying my name until we fix this problem. And as the temporary heir of the Li family, you will need to start acting more lady-like." He placed both hands in his pockets and looked down on the alarmed young girl as he maintained the serious expression on his face.

Sakura quickly stood up, facing him chest to chest, as she somehow levelled her eye contact with him. "You talk as if you were much like a gentleman yourself," she scowled.

"Aren't I?" he simply smirked. He then held Sakura's hand and gently dropped it on top of his other palm. "I'll trust you with my family's concerns," he gave her a sly sort of smile and lightly tapped her hand twice.

Sakura immediately took her hand and turned her back on him, crossing her arms once more. "Hmph. Don't count on it too much."

"Aww… You always play so tough on me, Sakura-chan," he teased.

Sakura quickly grabbed his shirt and clasped her fist on it as she glared at him. "How many times do I have to tell you to stop adding chan to my name?" her fist was slowly tightening on him.

Without further notice, the main door abruptly opened with a tall and dark guy coming in. After he closed the door behind him, he was startled to see the awkward moment he was witnessing before him.

"S-Syaoran?" a sweat dropped from his face as he watched the two fighting.

The moment Sakura and Syaoran heard his voice, the two quickly separated from each other and straightened their postures.

"Touya-san!" Syaoran shouted. "Onii-chan!" Sakura shouted along with him.

"Err… I meant, o-onii…-san," he took back and elbowed Sakura.

"R-Right… I forgot," she whispered. "Touya-san…" she muttered afterward and looked away.

"O-kay…" Touya took off the scarf around his neck and the cloak covering his body and hung them both on the nearby shelf. "Well, anyway… Some guys in black suits are standing before the lawn," he said while taking off his gloves.

Syaoran loudly coughed on purpose to get Sakura's attention and grinned right after.

Sakura softly growled at him. "You didn't!" she mumbled.

"Sorry," he whispered. "I just thought I had to give Chen a call for your sake," he winked and looked back in front.

Touya looked out in the window and saw the men in suits walking on top of his garden which he just recently finished trimming. His inimical eyes kept staring at them. "Someone better come out and take the goons off my lawn…" he cracked his knuckles and turned to the two persons behind him. "…or I'll have the honor of pulling them out myself."

Sakura was alarmed by his threatening words. "I-I'll go! I'll be leaving now anyway…" She took her leopard robe from the arm of her couch and bowed several times before Touya as she asked him to forgive the goons. She then took a final glance at Syaoran. "I'll see you tomorrow," she gently smiled at him and before she left the door, she muttered, "…jerk."

Syaoran stood by the door and watched Sakura as she left with her bodyguards. He noticed she was putting on the leopard robe again before she was assisted inside the black classy vehicle. And right after she left, Touya stood behind him.

"Was that the Li girl you always complained about?" he asked.

…I complain about? Heck. He must be referring to Sakura's complaints against me during the days before this happened. Stupid girl…

"Ugh, yeah…" Syaoran muttered.

"She isn't very good with clothes for a rich type. The leopard robe looks stupid, if you ask me," Touya commented before he went back inside the house.

Syaoran laughed softly. He could already imagine the look on Sakura's face if she ever heard what Touya had stated a while ago. But his mind still wasn't at ease after all that laughter. He still had more to worry about.

…I wonder if in school tomorrow, our lives would interchange as well…

(…to be continued…)