Here it is guys I hope you enjoy it! Happy late Thanks Giving!
"So did you girls bring dresses for the Christmas ball?" Fuutie asked the girls who were all sitting around their room talking and laughing while the boys were out.
"Ball? What ball?" Sakura asked.
"Didn't Meiling tell you guys? Mother always throws a Christmas ball for the company. It's mainly for charity, but it's also a way for her to give back to her employees. It's very formal and can be sort of boring, but we all must go." Sheifa answered.
"She told us, I didn't tell Sakura because I wanted to surprise her." Tomoyo said with a mischievous smile on her face. Sakura looked around at her other friends and realized that they all knew what was going on but her.
"Surprise me with what?" She asked.
"Well we figured you wouldn't want to get a dress." Meiling said as she got up with Tomoyo and walked towards the closet.
"Of course I wouldn't. I don't have enough money for an expensive dress for this kind of event. And if you girls bought me one you better not take it out of there and just send it straight back to the store." She knew her friends meant well, but she hated when people bought her stuff just because they felt like it.
"We thought you would say that, so we figured we could do the next best thing without spending any money whatsoever." Tomoyo said while pulling a bag out of the closet. "Instead of buying you a dress..."
"We decided to make you one."Meiling finished as she gave the bag to Sakura so she could open it.
"You didn't have to do that. If you would've told me about this I would've brought one of my old ones from the school dance or something."
"That wouldn't be right, Saks."
"Besides we all got new ones. It wouldn't be fair for you to use an old one, besides this is a big event. We have to look like we belong, girl."Rika said smiling.
"Trust me, Sakura. These people go all out for these types of event. Money is not an obstacle for them. So we all have to look great, we don't want them looking down. Besides, Aunty Yelan wouldn't expect anything but the best from her family. And since you guys are staying with us then you are also a representation of the Li family."Meiling told her.
"Fine, fine! You guys are way too impossible."Sakura said rolling her eyes but smiling nonetheless. She was glad these girls cared enough to look out for her when she couldn't do it herself.
"Will you open it already? We're dying to see what our cousin and your best friend can do!"Fanren said exited making everyone laugh.
"Oh trust me, everything they work on turns out amazing. Tomoyo has been using me as her rag doll since we were younger and everything she makes is just perfect!" Sakura said smiling at Tomoyo who blushed at the compliment. "So, let's see what master piece you guys have made this time."
"Meiling designed most of it I just decided which fabrics to use and how to make it fit you perfectly."
"Oh please, you did most of the work Tomoyo I just gave you an idea."Meiling said.
"Can we please just see it?" Feimei exclaimed losing her patience. They were all too excited to see the dress.
Sakura laughed and started unzipping the bag slowly revealing the dress making the girls gasp in awe.
"So Syaoran, do you have a date for tonight?" Tien, Fanren's husband asked him.
The boys were all sitting outside after going snowboarding for a few hours. They had asked the girls to come but Syaoran's sisters insisted in getting to know the other girls so they decided to stay and meet later on.
"Nah. When have I ever brought a date to these kinds of events?"
"Well, you've never had someone to bring along, now you have two choices the way I see it." Kenchin said to which Syaoran only answered by raising one of his eyebrows.
"Rika and Sakura are dateless man!" Yamazaki said while doing a snow angel on the ground.
"You should ask one of them before the Elders start thinking that you'll never find anybody yourself and they'll choose for you."
Syaoran knew Tien had a point there. If he didn't find anyone by himself they would choose for him, and that was something he was trying to avoid. But if he asked Sakura to go as his date, seeing as Rika was just too boy crazy for his liking, then he would be introducing her into their world. Something he had been trying to avoid since the beginning. He knew how people could be to someone knew, and even more when that someone wasn't from their "world". He didn't want to taint Sakura with all of that. He wanted to keep her innocent and just simple.
"She won't say no, you know that."Eriol said interrupting his train of thought.
"We all know you like her man, except her of course. She can be a little dense about those things."Mat said chuckling.
Syaoran smirked. "She sure can be. We'll see what happens."
"You better get a move on because if you don't do it I sure will."Kenchin joked.
"Don't let Sheifa hear you man. You know how the Li women can be." They all shuddered at the thought of the girls incredibly mad. "You should learn from us Mat now that you have one."
"Don't tell me about it. I know Meiling has a temper, a really big one at that."
"Just go along with everything she says, that'll keep her happy. It works with all the Li women."
"Yeah, with the exception of my mother."Syaoran murmured making Kenchin and Tien shudder even more.
"Don't even mention it, little bro. Your mother sure can be scary."
"Boys! Lunch is ready!" Miss Sienna yelled from the porch.
"Alright! Food!"Yamazaki yelled while running towards the house making the boys laugh. Some things never got old.
"Uncle Xiao! Mama made burgers!" Yueliang said as she ran into her Uncle's arms. Syaoran smirked picking her up easily.
"Yeah? Well that's great, she makes the best ones. But you can't have too many, 'cause they're not too good for your health ok?"
"You sure know how to spoil good food!"Sakura said laughing and taking Yueliang. "Don't listen too much to your Uncle he doesn't know much about great food."
"We'll see who's making jokes thirty years from now."
"Oh, shut up. It's Christmas vacation, we're allowed to pig out, so let her eat as much as she wants."
"If she keeps hanging out with you she'll definitely know what pigging out is."
"Are you calling me a pig?"
"Well if the shoe fits!"
"Are they always this weird?" Tien asked Eriol who was sitting along with everyone else eating and watching the pair argue.
"Yeah. It's their way of flirting I guess. He doesn't know how to open up and she scared of getting hurt. This way no one seriously gets hurt cause they make up after ignoring each other for a while and then they are back to being best friends."
"You were right Meiling! They really are entertaining." Fuutie said laughing.
"Told you."
"She can really hold her own, can't she? I mean she's not backing down."Fanren said as she looked at the pair who were know yelling insults at each other.
"She never does."
"They so make a great pair!" Feimei exclaimed.
"Stupid!"
"Jerk!"
"Aw! Our baby brother is falling in love!" The four girls squealed.
"Oh would you two just hush up, already? The food is going to get cold so come on!"
Syaoran and Sakura blushed with embarrassment as they watched everyone making fun of them. Every time they fought like this they would forget about everyone around them and just go at each others throats.
"Sorry Mama."They murmured together making everyone laugh even more.
"Now come eat. You guys have to get ready for the Company event. Your mother is already there making sure everything is perfect, so you have to get there on time."
"And we know how long the girls can take."Tien said earning him a smack on the head from Fanren.
"Look who's talking! Last time we went out I ended up waiting half an hour for you."
"You boys are just as bad as us, so quit yapping." Sheifa said as she sat on Kenchin's lap with a burger already.
"So is this event, like, extremely big?"Rika asked.
"Huge! Everyone from the company will be there. They all talk about business while the women just gossip around and stuff like that. They can be really stuck up, but some are kind of nice. But we have to be on or best behavior cause all eyes are on us all the time." Feimei explained.
"That's why we have to look extremely good. The press will be outside taking pictures and stuff so we have to look our best and then some." Fuutie added.
"The press?" Chiharu asked excited. "We'll be on the news and stuff?"
"Most likely. But you have to keep walking since most of them are paparazzi and tabloids."
"Oh I'm so glad I bought a new dress! I wouldn't want to embarrass myself."
"Babe you wouldn't embarrass yourself even if you went in your pj's."Yamazaki told her as he gave her a peck on the lips making everyone go "aw".
"See baby bro, even Yamazaki can be romantic. Why don't you take one of the girls as your date? You've never brought anyone and this is the perfect opportunity I mean you'll all be dressed up and stuff. And you'll have someone to dance with and stuff like that."
Syaoran rolled his eyes at his sister. He knew they were all he romantics, but he guessed the romantic gene just skipped his generation or something. "I'll leave the romance to Yamazaki and Eriol."
"Oh, come on! Just this once, can we see you going out with someone. I mean, now that you are staying in Japan we know less and less about you, so we don't even know if you go out on dates or stuff like that."Sheifa whined.
"He went on a date a few months ago."Meiling said.
"What!" The family exclaimed at the same time.
"Yeah. With Sakura, to the carnival. We were all going and they were the only ones without a date so they went together."
Sakura tried to hide behind a wall while Syaoran was all red from blushing while he glared at Meiling. If looks could kill right now, Meiling would already be ten feet underground.
"Are you serious? Sakura come over here! You have to give us all the details." Fanren said as she ran over to Sakura on brought her over to sit on the couch.
"So, did he hold your hand or something? What did you guys talk about?"
"Was he a gentleman or was he a jerk like always?"
"Um…It wasn't really a date-date. It was just…us going out as just friends."She tried to explain.
"Oh, come on! Did he kiss you? Oh, my god Syaoran did you have your first kiss already? Sakura was he your first kiss?"
"I didn't kiss her! She's my friend; we went out as friends that's all! Nothing happened."
"But if you guys went out already, even as friends as you say, you could go together tonight. I mean you wouldn't want the guys from the company to take advantage of Sakura would you? And if she goes with you, all the old guys would give it a rest on making their daughters potential wives for you." Fanren said already making a plan in her head to get her brother and Sakura together. Since the night she saw them on the porch she knew Sakura was perfect for him.
"Give it a rest Fanren. You should start getting ready and stuff, we don't want mom to be mad at us for being late." He said as he started going upstairs to his room.
"Ugh! He is so difficult!" She said making everyone agree.
"Well, I'm done eating so I'm going to start getting ready. Tomoyo, will you do my make up?"Sakura said as she got up.
"Well duh! Come on let's go see what accessories you're going to use. I am so excited!" She squealed as she ran up the stairs with a laughing Rika and Chiharu behind.
"He does like her, right? Meiling?" Sheifa asked.
"I think he does, and I'm pretty sure it's mutual. But they're both scared."
"Sakura hasn't had an easy life. She has suffered most than any of us can imagine. I've been there for everything, so I know. I've seen the pain in her eyes and I know that the fact that she cares so much for Syaoran scares her." Mat explained. He knew Sakura the longest and he had been there when Omi had died; after all he had died in his arms. He had held Sakura countless nights while she cried over what had happened. "She's scared of losing him too, of learning to love him and then…he'll be gone."
"But Syaoran wouldn't leave her." Fanren said.
"Not intentionally." Eriol added watching from the side. "Besides she's not the only one who's afraid. Syaoran won't let her in, at least not completely."
"Because he's scared of what Aunty Yelan would say, and most of all, what the Elders would say."
"If you ask me, I think this is a bunch of crap. I mean it's not like we're talking about marriage at least not now. Sure they like each other but who knows where life takes us."Yamazaki said as he ate another burger.
"With our family it's kind of different, Yamazaki."
"First girl he meets he has to marry?" Eriol asked.
"No. But…"
"Xiao Lang kind of has a dead line."Kenchin finished.
At this Eriol, Yamazaki and Mat looked at each other confused. The only thing they understood now was the fact that maybe things weren't as simple as they thought. And maybe pushing Sakura and Syaoran together wouldn't end up as great as they had imagined it.
"So I think you should put your hair up." Tomoyo said as she started showing Sakura how she would look. "It will make you look taller and it'll show the design of the dress at its best. Oh and I have the most amazing earrings and your shoes! Oh you're going to love your shoes"
"Tomoyo, do whatever you like as long as it's quite simple but still elegant. I trust you remember." Sakura answered laughing. She loved to see her cousin so excited.
"You better! Now go get in the shower!"
Sakura rolled her eyes at her playfully and then grabbed a few things and started walking towards the bathroom. When she got there she saw that the door was closed, so she decided to knock and see who it was and if they were going to take long. Just as she was about to knock the door opened and out came Syaoran in a pair of sweatpants and a towel resting in his shoulders. He had his hair all wet still and part of his upper body was also wet.
Sakura couldn't help but stare. It wasn't every day that she got to see Syaoran shirtless. Sure she knew he was tone and all that, but seeing what the clothes could hide was a totally different story. Then she saw something that caught her attention.
"You have a tattoo!" She almost yelled. At this Syaoran reacted and put his hand on her mouth to shut her up and then dragged her inside the bathroom and shut the door behind them.
"Why don't you go downstairs and tell the whole family?"
"Oh my God! Li Syaoran has a wild side. Who knows about it?"
"Fanren knows, and now you so let's keep it that way, ok? It's not something my mother would really approve of." He said as he sighed and ran his hands through his messy wet hair.
"But how could she not see it, its right there! Don't you ever go to the beach with your family or something?"
"My family isn't big on going to the beach, and the last time we went I didn't have it. Fanren knows because she came into my room one day while I was changing my shirt. So I'd really appreciate it if you didn't say anything."
"Yes, fine. Don't be so uptight about it."She said laughing. "But…can I see it? Please!"
Syaoran sighed at her puppy dog face. He knew he couldn't resist that face, and she knew it too. So he turned sideways and lifted his left arm. Going down his ribs was a large wolf and some Chinese letters. Sakura got near him and started tracing the wolf, not knowing the effect it was having on Syaoran.
"It's beautiful. It really does suit you. What does this mean?" She said as she traced the letters making Syaoran shiver.
"I can't tell you."
"Why not?"She said looking up. It was then that she realized how close they had gotten. Syaoran put his left arm back down and in the process grabbed her hand from his ribs but kept holding it.
"It's kind of personal." He whispered. He immediately saw the look of disappointment and felt her pulling her hand out of his grasp.
"Oh. Ok, sorry for asking I shouldn't be so nosy all the time." She said as she started turning around towards the door.
"Sakura."
"I'll wait outside until you finish here."
"Sakura."He said more firmly to catch her attention. He held her hand again and brought her back towards him. "Don't take it the wrong way, please."
"No, it's ok. Don't worry. I shouldn't be asking so much. I'm not mad or anything, don't worry." She said giving him a small smile but still not looking up at him.
"Look at me." When she didn't he put his other hand under her chin and brought her face up so that he could see her eyes but she was still avoiding him. "Sakura, look at me. Please."
At his soft tone she had no choice but to look into his amber eyes.
"I trust you, I do. But this…it's kind of special to me. And the person I share it with, is the only person who will know what it means. No one else. Fanren didn't even get the chance to read what it said."
"Right. It's ok, you don't have to explain anything to me." With his words she got even more disappointed. He had just told her that she wasn't what he was looking for. She wasn't that someone he wanted, and even though she wasn't expecting that she would be, his words stung a little.
"I know I don't but…I just hope you understand…that the day I decide to tell… you, it's because I'm ready to share it with you and just you. I want to be completely sure that I'm ready, because it really does mean a lot to me and it's not for everyone to know."
At this Sakura looked back up confused and found his famous smirk directed at her. Ok, so maybe she was wrong. Maybe he did feel something for her. All she knew right now was that she didn't know anything at all.
"Start getting ready, before Tomoyo goes crazy. I bet she's dying for you to get out of the shower so she can start working on her masterpiece."
"Right. I'll…um…I'll be out in a few minutes."
"Take your time; I wouldn't want my date to look horrible, right?" He said smirking again.
"So, you're asking me to be your date after all." She said smirking right back at him. "How do you know I won't look horrible once I'm finished? I wouldn't want you to feel ashamed of going out with a pig like me."She said reminding him of their earlier fight. At her comment he had to laugh a little remembering their insults.
"I know you won't look horrible. That's why I'm asking you to come with me."
"So you're really asking me?" She said smiling back at him. "After all that…drama downstairs, with your sisters practically begging you to ask me and you refusing. You are so bipolar."
Syaoran sighed and put his forehead against hers. "I know, but…I don't want to go alone and have old men throwing their daughters at me and stuff."
"Oh! So you're just using me then?"
"You can be so impossible sometimes. I want to go with you Sakura. And…well…I don't really like the idea of every guy there putting their hands on you while they ask you to dance."
"So…you want…only yours, then?"She whispered smirking.
Syaoran smiled. He liked to see the flirty Sakura, it kept things interesting. He nudged her forehead with his and started walking back towards the door.
"You should cover that up. The girls are running around, and if you want to keep it private I suggest you put on a shirt. Chiharu and Rika wouldn't miss it; they'd be staring at your body too much."
"Like you did?"
"Oh, like you mind! Now get out I have to get ready."
Well hope you guys liked it. Let me know what you think! Much love to all of you and thanks for all the wonderful reviews!