Chapter 14: Confusion
After confronting his sister about this mystery girl, Kura, Syaoran locked himself in their cottage and ponder with his new found information. But after a few solemn minutes, frustration got the better of him.
Desperate to cool down his emotions, he came out of the cottage and embraced the comfort of nature. The breeze of the summer roughly brushed his face, as he gently closed his eyes and cherished its cooling effects. Until, someone called his name.
"Syao!"
Upon seeing her brother pass by the window, Mei Lin coolly yells out his name and gestures him to come over.
Syaoran approached his sister casually. Still preoccupied with their previous conversation, he fails to catch the glimmer in her eyes.
"What are you doing here alone?" Syaoran scans the room before taking the seat next to her.
"I'm not alone." Mei Lin corrects him and points to a hooded figure engrossed with the computer in the far corner of the room. "Anyway, it's late what are you up to?"
"Nothing just thought of checking on something." Syaoran answered tensely.
Mei Lin dubiously countered. "Something? Or rather about someone?"
Syaoran caught up with his lie flushed as he tries to come up with a better excuse.
"Oh c'mon Syao. Stop squeezing your brains out. I know you too well!" Mei Lin pulled him closer for him to see what's on her screen.
Mei Lin typed in a new website address, clicked a few icons and showed him the one thing that's bugging him. "It's the band's official website. I'm the administrator of their site. And it just happens that I'm planning on updating it."
"You want to know Kura? Here." Mei Lin quickly stood up anticipating his brothers' eagerness, yet not quick enough for him to literally tore the seat from her.
Excited, Syaoran roughly grabbed the mouse from her and clicked away. Mei Lin nursing her hand sighed amusedly 'Jeez, he's that into her already?'
"I can see that you're really not that desperate." Mei Lin taunted his hyper brother, standing with her arms cross behind him.
Instead of defending himself, he brushed off his sister's comment and continued surfing. "Why is there no clear shot of her?" Syaoran thoroughly scanned the site, "Always with a cap or a hood."
"She's not a camera-person, mainly because of someone." Syaoran confusedly look at her sister for an explanation. "Don't ask me if you want details ask Tomo or Ikki for that matter."
Mei Lin glanced at the watch and convincingly gasped. "I'm off I still need to get up early for that facilitator stuff. Night li'l bro." Mei ruffled his hair and took off.
Unperturbed, Syaoran resume his research and just as fate had planned it, a sudden message window pop out declaring that Kura just said hi. Apparently, his sister forgot to log out from the messenger.
'Might as well reply.'
Busted_Mei: Yo!
Syaoran squirmed in his seat, 'That was… uh… what's the word… uh… dull? But what else could I say: I like you please be my girlfriend? Or where are you? I desperately want to see you.' Before he could even argue with himself further, Kura replied.
Convicted_Kura: You busy?
Busted_Mei: Not really, just updating on your website.
Convicted_Kura: Oh no. Tell me you're not putting more embarrassing photos or videos of us? ;p
Busted_Mei: :D :D :D
Convicted_Kura: Hey Mei….
Busted_Mei: Yeah?
Convicted_Kura: Mei I don't think I can do this anymore.
Busted_Mei: Huh? What's wrong?
Convicted_Kura: Andy and Tomo they're acting pretty weird lately. It's creeping me out. I just…
'This is getting too personal. Should I tell her or not?' Syaoran shrugged drumming his fingers on the table.
Being an honest gentleman who he rarely was, he decided to confess.
Convicted_Kura: Mei, are you still there?
Busted_Mei: Um… I'm really sorry Kura but I'm not Mei.
Convicted_Kura: What? Who's this?
Busted_Mei: I'm sorry for deceiving you. I'm Syaoran, Mei's younger brother.
Convicted_Kura: How? Why?
Busted_Mei: I'm really sorry I desperately just want to have a little glimpse of you. If you're real or not as my sister and your cousin say you were.
Blag! Syaoran glanced at the other person in the room as he/she almost fell on his/her chair staring intently at the screen of his/her computer.
Busted_Mei: Please I really am sorry…
Syaoran slumped as he did not get another reply from her. 'Great work! Got rejected before meeting her in person.'
He glanced at his watch and decided to just sleep it off. As he turned the computer off, a crash echoed through the almost empty room. He decided to check on it. Assuming it came from the only occupant beside himself, he hurriedly approached the person.
A figure was crouched down picking up something from the floor. 'Stupid reflexes.' It cursed loudly.
As the figure clumsily stood up, its hood fell. Syaoran recognized the figure that was now seven chairs away from him. "Ikki?"
Startled, Sakura A.K.A. Ikki stumbled to get to her computer as fast as she could.
Syaoran curious and confuse, walk briskly to Ikki determined to know what's eating his friend up. But, alas, whatever he's hiding, he didn't get to see it as Ikki successfully shuts her computer down in time.
"What's that all about?"
"Nothing."
Syaoran eyed Ikki curiously, attempting to draw out the answer from him. Giving up, he leaned on the table beside him and, "Hmm, if its porn then I don't want to know about it."
Sakura flushed from embarrassment and stuttered, "What makes you think of… of that?"
"You got so flustered all of a sudden. Well, either that or you have a secret girl or something."
"Sorry to burst your bubble. It's not porn and it's not a girl."
"It's a boy then." Syaoran mocked. "You really are gay."
"I'm not and it's not that either." Sakura crumpled a paper and exasperatedly throw it at him. 'Not entirely true.'
Syaoran just easily dodged it. "Then what is it?"
"None of your business." Sakura retorted annoyingly and attempts again. "What is it to you, anyway?"
This time, Syaoran ignored her lame attack and stutter. "Nothing… I… I…"
"You what?"
"I guess I'm just trying to forget some stuff that—"
"And that's why you're picking the hell out of me."
"Sorry about that. Didn't mean to…" Syaoran slumped at a nearby chair.
Sakura then, grabbed the seat next to him. "So what is it? What have you done?"
"It's Kura."
"What about me-I mean her?" Sakura carefully pried. 'Though I pretty well know why and that was really close.'
Syaoran, who was so depressed, thankfully didn't hear her slip. "I lied to her."
Feigning her innocence, "Huh?"
"I pretended to be my sister to talk to her."
"No shit!" Sakura desperately tried not to sound sarcastic about it. Then, smirked and asked jokingly, "Why you like her or something?"
Syaoran remained quiet and just nodded. Jaw dropped from her discovery, Sakura pondered on how to proceed without giving away her identity. As she was about to break the silence and interrogate him further…
"Are you sure they're here?"
"Yeah, someone saw them enter the room earlier." A group of five entered the internet room.
"See, there they are." A blonde guy was pointing at their direction.
"Uh-oh."
"Huh?"
Syaoran grabbed Ikki's wrist and dragged him to the other exit only to be exposed to the larger crowd outside. Squeals of joy, excitement and confessions where heard from their old fan girls and new fan boys.
"Shit!"
"Run!"
It's been half an hour since they've been running like crazy, squeals and thundering footsteps of the mob of fan girls and boys at their tail. Because of the panic ensued from this predicament he loses sight of Ikki. Fear of getting rape from the fanatics, he dashed to the direction Ikki would likely head to.
Panting heavily, he stops for a second to catch his breath but before he could start running again, a couple of hands grab him from behind and pulled him to a nearby dark room.
He was about to curse the living daylights out of this person when the said person places its hand on top of his mouth. Unable to speak, he struggled with his captor and unintentionally shoved the person hard to the floor.
"Wh-The hell? Try to save someone and you still get knock down for it."
'I know that voice.' Syaoran look down at his fallen captor voicing his suspicion. "Ikki?"
"Down and hurting…. Man, you push like a girl but it still hurts like hell." Sakura sarcastically retorted nursing her butt and other sore parts. "Why the hell did you do that for?"
"Well, I thought you're one of them." Syaoran respond exasperated, fearfully peeking through the windows of the room.
Sakura smirked, "Afraid to be rape and…" Syaoran suddenly grabs her and pull her behind the cabinet.
"Hey wh—" Syaoran covered Sakura's mouth with his hands. Sakura made some muffled retort but Syaoran persisted and shushed her. Five shadows then appeared at the windows peeking through the room like hunters.
"Are you sure you saw them go this way?" A red head in skimpy clothing known as Rena ask her friends.
Another girl nodded and while another tries to unlock the room. "Stop that Kia, they can't be in there." A blond guy named Drew drags the other from the door. "There's nothing to hide for two persons in there unless... Nah?"
"Unless what?" Rena inquired.
"Unless they're hugging each other to squeeze in some hiding place. Like that old cabinet over there." Drew pointed out.
"What do you expect? They're a couple so there's a big possibility they're even there." Rena points at the cabinet, Syaoran and Sakura's sanctuary at the moment.
"Oh yeah, forget about that."
Another guy giddily added, "Yeah, what a major turn on."
Syaoran and Sakura reddened and look at their position. Indeed, they are hugging each other to conceal themselves from their stalkers.
Syaoran instantly tries to inch away from his rumored-boyfriend but Sakura grab his arms and pulled him in. "You choose, either be raped by them or be killed by me if they found out our hiding place."
Syaoran gulp at their now more intertwined position. And tried to stop himself from impure thoughts by silently chanting, "Kura… Kura… Kura…"
"What are you muttering, be quiet." Sakura hissed in his ear.
Syaoran blushed at the proximity of Sakura's lips and his ear. Shivering from the sensation it brought, Syaoran lowered his head and stared at his shoes, focusing on it to prevent other unnecessary thoughts. 'I'm not gay. I'm not gay. I'm not gay.'
"Shh... did you hear that?" Drew asks his friends. Syaoran paled and Sakura glare nervously at the door. The five fanatics push each other away to get the door open and be the first to see their idols.
After torturing the poor door, the five squeeze in to enter, pushing each other to get to the room first. But as soon as they step into the room a squeaky sound was emitted from the nearby corner. Five screams in different pitches erupted and the five fanatics rush out of the room upon seeing a rat.
When the coast is clear, Syaoran sighed. "Jeez, that was close." He slumped at the wall and scratches his nape. "Another hour of running and we'll be toast."
Sakura then also collapse beside him. "Hmn."
Realizing the proximity of their bodies, Syaoran gape. Then turns away to hide his blush. 'Shit! Wait! Blush? Shit, why am I blushing?'
Man, you're that naïve. Just when I thought you were smart…
'Shut up, I am genius!' He shouted mentally. 'Dammit, I'm mentally cursing myself.'
"What are you mumbling about?" Sakura queried. Syaoran paled and averted his gaze. Sakura then started to walk out, "C'mon, we need to get out of here before that rat comes any closer."
"Hey wait for me."
- to be continued -
Apr 29, 2009 bangag_pa
June 22, 2013 revised
September 24, 2015 updated