Disclaimer: I don't own CCS, Clamp does. But I do own this story.

Pairings: Syaoran x Sakura, Eriol x Tomoyo

Chapter Three

"Friendly Terms"

That caught her off-guard. "Perfect?" Tomoyo echoed in confusion.

"Tomoyo, I've never seen anyone as perfect as he is. Personality-wise, he was quite serious, very business-like in every aspect during our conversation in his office, so I can't very well tell of what kind of personality he actually has out of work yet. But I could also tell from the way he speaks that he's really intelligent and not to mention, physically speaking that is, that he's…well, too blessed."

"Too blessed?"

"I've seen him often enough on the news or magazines or whatever but I swear they have nothing on his actual appearance. I almost drooled right then and there the moment I laid my eyes on him!"

Tomoyo giggled at her girlish confession.

"Tomoyo…!" Sakura whined almost childishly. "How can I possibly work with that kind of person?"

"Well, see it as a blessing, you only just met him for the first time and already you've fallen head over heels for him. At least if and when the time comes when you have to tell him of your little plot, you can actually tell him honestly that you were after him from day one because of love, and not money."

"That's not very comforting you know," Sakura said with an agonized groan. "And I can't even see his perfection as a blessing! It only made me realize just how crazy and out of mind I am to even believe that he'll fall for the likes of me! And, I'm not in love with him. Attracted? Definitely, but saying I'm in love with him is just going too far I think."

"Sakura, if anyone can manage a miracle, it's you. And I'm not just saying that. Your life in itself and everything you've been through with your father in the past is proof enough that you are indeed a miracle maker."

"One miracle per lifetime I think is fair enough for every human. So I basically used up my miracle card back then. What are the chances of another miracle coming my way? Life doesn't work that way."

"Oh Sakura, you're too pessimistic."

"No I'm not, I'm just realistic," she countered still depressingly.

"Well Ms. Realist, why don't we go shopping? You're starting your new and higher paying job soon, you might as well spend in preparation to that with some new outfits and shoes."

At the mention of "shopping", "new outfits", and "shoes", Sakura immediately perked up.

"There's this new skirt from Chanel I've been dying to get my hands on ever since I saw it two days ago!" she announced excitedly.

"Tai, Sakura, get in here please."

Sakura looked at the phone a few more seconds waiting for anything else Syaoran's voice on speaker might add. Hearing none, she turned to Tai who was already standing by a few feet away from her desk, waiting for her.

"Is it always this busy here?" Sakura asked, out of breath as she walked fast towards the 39 year old secretary who was smiling at her reassuringly.

"Not always. But for you it will be for quite some time. We all went through the same thing during the first few weeks and months of the opening of the other branches," she explained. "You'll get the hang of it sooner or later. We're already all impressed you're getting on quite nicely so far."

"I'm impressed I didn't break down yet!" Sakura joked, making the other woman laugh before they entered their boss' office.

"Mr. Li?" the pair of them questioned by the doorway.

"Tai, please have these files faxed to Fiemie before noon tomorrow at least. And have the bookkeepers of the Finance Department make a summarized report for the last month and as always, have it translated in Chinese before you send it to Fiemie as well."

"Understood," Tai said with a nod as she jotted it down on her pad. "Anything else?"

"That's it for now," he said with a nod of his head.

Tai smiled at Sakura before leaving the office.

"Sakura," he started, startling her.

She's been working as his secretary for precisely two weeks now and so far she's gone on without a hitch. At least, she hopes she hasn't. Besides giving and taking orders, she never got the chance to even speak to Syaoran about anything other than business matters. Not that she tried though. How could she when she's been running around just trying to keep up with her secretarial duties.

"Yes?"

"It's Friday and you've been working here for two weeks."

"Yes," she answered although what he said wasn't really a question but a statement.

"I expect you're starting to get used to it?"

"Yeah right! I've been working my ass off day in and day out. You have no idea about the amount of work I even have to do for this company at home!" was what she wanted to reply but instead, she said, "I am. It's certainly a challenge but I'm starting to get the hang of it Sir."

Looking at her still well-groomed, well-dressed, and poised, what she said wasn't hard to believe. But even if she did look normal for the past two weeks, even far better than she had the first time he saw her, he knew she wasn't having the time of her life with the job either. Not at this time at least.

"That's good to hear, you may go."

Sakura looked at him questioningly.

"I merely wanted to know how you're fairing," he explained, making her nod.

"Uhm… Thank you," she said a bit unsurely before bowing and taking her leave.

"Hey Sakura!" Tomoyo greeted cheerily.

"Hey Tomoyo."

"Well, it's almost six. I got delayed in the office today. I suppose my load's a lot bigger now since we lost one of two Assistant Heads in HR. I'm still by the entrance. Where are you? Did you go on without me? Wanna go shopping before we have dinner?"

"Sorry about that, but I'm sure you can handle it. We're talking about you after all. I'm still in the office, I can't today Tomoyo. I still got a damn load of stuff to do."

"Now? But it's a Friday. And you've been working to no end for the past few days and even last weekend already," she pointed out with a frown.

"I know, but like I said, the branch in Paris only just began business and I have loads of stuff to take in and send out right away. It's only temporary anyway. I'll finish up everything I need to do this weekend tonight and I'll make it up to you ten-fold…tomorrow?"

"You better!" Tomoyo said in a voice still of disappointment. She hadn't seen much of Sakura as she would have liked lately. "So, how goes the snag-your-boss operation going?"

"Dismal."

The flat response made Tomoyo giggle. "Oh Sakura, I know you're busy with work and all but you have to put in a little effort too. I mean, you work on the same floor as the guy, you've got more of an edge than any other woman on the planet right now. Make your move already! It's been two weeks."

"I've thought about it but I can't see how. Whenever I see him, I either think about business or otherwise keep fearing that he might fire me for the lousy job I've been doing."

"Are you doing a lousy job?"

"Well, no, but I never know what he's thinking. We might be on the same floor but I barely see him regardless."

Tomoyo sighed. Sakura was certainly in a pinch. "We'll discuss a plan as soon as things die down on your end then. Just, don't lose hope this soon, okay?"

"I won't… I hope I won't."

"You shouldn't!"

"Pray for me that I won't. I'm starting to lose hope right now and we're j-"

"Sakura?"

Tomoyo looked at her cell and the screen indicated that the line was cut.

"You shouldn't!"

"Pray for me that I won't," she said in a sigh and turning on her chair. "I'm starting to lose hope right now and we're j-" Sakura's eyes widened as she hastily flipped her cell to a close and replaced it in the pocket of her black slacks. "What can I do for you Mr. Li?" she immediately blurted out seeing her boss half sitting on Josie's desk situated a few feet across from hers with a mug in hand and looking at her interestedly.

"Any reason why you're asking for someone to pray for you?"

Sakura blushed and looked down. "I-It was nothing," she replied awkwardly. Just how long had he been there listening to her conversation?

"I see," Syaoran said in a disbelieving tone.

"May I get your coffee for you?" she said with a nod at his empty mug. At this point, she was willing to do anything to get herself out from talking about her conversation with Tomoyo. She would bungee jump from this 80 floor building if that were the only option.

"Thank you," he said with small nod of his head and placed his mug on her desk and walking back into his office.

Sakura sighed in relief before taking out her cell while walking over to the staff's kitchen by the elevators.

"Tomoyo?"

"Sakura? What happened earlier?"

"Li was listening in to our conversation without my knowing it!" she hissed into her cell quite hysterically.

"Whaaatt? What did he hear?"

"I have no idea! The moment I turned on my chair he was already there," she said worriedly as she started putting hot water into the mug with powdered coffee.

"Well, if he heard you talking about him then that'll be good. At least, now he knows you're sort of interested in him enough to talk about him."

"Again, that's not too comforting," she said before stirring the contents in the mug before slowly making her way back. "I'll give a call later. I have to bring his coffee to him in his office."

"Alright, good luck!"

"What do you mean "good luck!"?" she replied incredulously.

"I mean, now you have chance to dazzle him! So, no talking of business, remember that!"

"Wish me luck," Sakura muttered before placing her cell on her desk and heading to Syaoran's office.

"Come in," Syaoran called out before stacking a pile of folders neatly to one side of his desk.

"Your coffee," Sakura said before setting it down on the desk in front of him.

"Remind me to have get my coffee in here restocked. The only drinks I have left in here seem to all have alcohol in them," he said with a grin before taking a sip of the coffee.

It took most of Sakura's willpower not to melt on the spot. It wasn't common to see him joke around and even flash a smile such as that in the office after all.

"I shall. Or would you like me to restock it for you?" she suggested, making him look at her.

"Well, I wouldn't mind but you're busy enough already. And although the job description of most secretaries these days would include doing personal duties for their boss, I wouldn't want you or the others do anything of the sort," he explained. "It's a little unprofessional for me, especially on my part."

Sakura smiled at him and nodded. "Is there anything else I can do for you?" she asked. She didn't want to leave at that but not saying anything would be much more awkward.

"Yes," he said before relaxing into his chair. "Sit."

Doing as he says, she took the same seat she took a seat on one of the sofas in the middle of the room.

Syaoran looked at her curiously before walking over to her and sitting on the opposite sofa, coffee in hand.

"So exactly what're you still doing here at this hour?"

"I had a few things I wanted to finish today so I'll be free for the weekend," she explained truthfully.

"Date?"

"Excuse me?" she asked, not entirely sure what he meant.

"You wanted to finish your work today so you could have a date with a boyfriend or a friend on the weekend?" he elaborated while taking sips of his coffee.

"I don't have a boyfriend," she admitted. "But you're right, I have a date tomorrow with Tomo- err… Ms. Daidouji."

"Hello?"

"Hey Sakura, where are you? Don't tell me you're still at the office? I know its work and all, but there's got to be a limit as to how much you should work," Tomoyo pointed out with a frown. She was currently standing outside Sakura's condo which had always been conveniently right across her own unit and her endless knocking and ringing of the doorbell for the past five minutes was enough proof that she was still out. "You do know that it's almost ten?"

"I'm not at work anymore, I'm…well, I'm out."

Tomoyo's brow rose at her words. "Out where and with whom exactly?" she asked with a grin, starting to get suspicious.

"Out where and with whom exactly?"

Sakura looked through the shelf of potato chips towards the counter while holding on to a bottle of Coke she had taken from the fridge of the convenience store. Syaoran's back was currently on her as he was looking through the rack of magazines while talking on his cell beside the counter where a young woman was currently openly ogling him.

"I'm at the convenience store near Li Corp., with…" she said hesitantly into her cell. "Li."

The moment the name left her lips, a long and sharp shriek blasted from her cell. She had to wait a few minutes until Tomoyo finally calmed down enough to listen to her.

"It's not that big of a deal!"

"Yes it is! How did you end up there with him?"

"Well, one moment we were talking about coffee and other random things and the next thing I knew, he suggested we go out together to restock his coffee in the office," she explained in a hushed tone while keeping an eye on him discreetly.

"Good for you! This is the start of your future Sakura! I mean it! Now put down your cell and get your flirt on!"

Sakura looked at her cell incredulously before laughing and shaking her head. "Get my flirt on? Who are you and what did you do with my best friend?"

"I mean it! This is your chance to get him to take interest in you!"

"I know, I know, but-" Sakura fell silent, hearing another voice in Tomoyo's end. "Who are you with anyway?" she asked suspiciously, making the other girl giggle. "Okay, you don't need to tell me. You're with the boyfriend aren't you?"

"I wanted to introduce you to him tonight. He's on the phone with a friend of his too. We're actually outside your condo right now, I thought you'd be home."

"So you're telling me, that you won't meet up with me tonight because you're out on a date? With your secretary?"

Syaoran turned and saw Sakura behind a shelf of junk food talking on her cell.

"It's not a date. She just agreed to come with me since I have to restock my coffee," Syaoran replied defensively.

"All the worse! It's not even a date and you're ditching me. And here I planned on introducing you to Tomoyo."

"You're with her?"

"Where else would I be other than beside her?"

Syaoran rolled his eyes. Eriol is the same kind of guy he is, serious with work, relaxed and carefree with friends. But this is the first time he'd seen Eriol get so smitten with a girl. With one of his company's employees no less.

"I'll meet her some other time."

"Soon! I want to see the jealous look on your face when you meet her."

Yet again, Syaoran rolled his eyes. "Of course you do." Hearing footsteps behind him, he spotted Sakura walking back towards him.

"I have to confess," Sakura said with a small smile as she watched a couple walk past the bench she and Syaoran were occupying in the fairly large park that was situated between the building of Li Corp. and her condo.

Syaoran looked at her in question.

"When I first met you in your office, and from all the things I heard about you, I seriously thought you were going to be some kind of stuck up, egotistical snob. No offense," she added with a grin making him laugh.

"I don't blame you. I really am serious where my work is concerned. I have to after all. Or else people won't take me seriously," he said eyeing her closely. "Considering my age."

"How old are you?" she asked.

"Didn't I tell you to at least do a little research on me when we first met in my office?" Seeing as she couldn't quite answer him he answered her question. "I only just turned 29."

"You're only 29 years old?" Sakura said, very surprised.

"Only? Then what does that make you?" he asked with a raised brow.

"I mean," she amended immediately. "Well, you being 29 and the CEO of an infamous company is…well…"

"Surprising? Unbelievable?" he supplied, making her nod dumbly. "I get that a lot. Most of the people working at the company are, as you noticed, in their 30s, 40s, and 50s. And that just doesn't apply to those who work directly under me. There are only a handful of 20 year olds that are ever qualified of to be hired in Li Corp., Ms. Daidouji and yourself included."

"So, it's hard to work with people much older than you?"

"It was, but I've gotten used to it. I'm just required to be serious in my job though, not just in handling the business but my personality and attitude towards the employees especially in the office when I'm around them. One slip from me and talk begins about my adequacy as CEO."

"But they can't possibly do anything, I mean, you do own the company. You built it…err…right?" Sakura asked, unsurely. Sure she worked for Li Corp. for quite some time now but she never got around to find out, or ever see the need to, know about how the company ever came to be.

"You're probably the first person, female or otherwise, whom I've met and actually spoken to like this, that didn't at least do a basic or thorough background check on me," he pointed out, completely ignoring her question.

"Sorry," Sakura said, her face turning a light color of pink.

"Don't apologize, it's quite refreshing. Even a guy like me wants to be treated normally by someone in my workplace. And to answer your question, yes, I did develop Li Corp. as it is here in Japan. But people around still believe it's because of my parents, seeing as it is a family business. Li Corp. which started in Hong Kong was founded by my parents and is now run by my oldest sister. The second branch, here in Tokyo was all my doing but people still assume I only got to build Li Corp. as it is here due to my parents' influence."

Sakura smiled at him before sighing and looking up at the sky. "And here I was thinking how fun it must be to be the head of your own company."

"Oh it is," he said with a grin that, again, made Sakura's insides turn into mush. "It's fun. Tiring at certain times, but fun. For me, at least."

Giggling at his confession, Sakura nodded. Then a thought occurred to her. It was now or never. It was getting late and both of them had to go on home soon and who knows if she'll ever get the chance to be this close to him. I mean, the time that they're spending together now was, in itself, already surreal and unlikely, let alone of the chances of it happening again.

"Mr. Li?"

"Hmm?" he responded absently as he took a sip of his own drink.

"Seeing as I basically got to know you and know just what kind of person you are…" she started a bit hesitatingly. "I was wondering if you could do me a favor."

"A favor?"

"Yes, but not a favor from a secretary to her boss, but a favor from a girl in her twenties to a guy in his twenties," she explained with an unsure smile.

"What sort of favor?" he asked, genuinely intrigued now.

Taking a deep breath, Sakura then looked him straight in the eye. "Go out with me."

Author's Note:

Disappointed? I hope not. I know there isn't much going on for now but it is only the beginning. As it holds true to my other stories, it'll get interesting in future chapters, I promise.

I still hope you enjoyed this chapter. Please do review and tell me what you think! I haven't written much in a while so I might be a little rusty, so bear with me.

Raeny