Chapter 18: Detention

Running like there's no tomorrow, Eriol hastily searched for Tomoyo and Andy to update them with the progress he just witnessed between Ikki and Syaoran. It was a very promising accident to spy on, their roommate unconsciously hugging his stunned cousin. Upon witnessing, the only rational thought that crossed his mind was to quickly pass the information to the masterminds and get his sweet, oh so sweet, reward for it.

Eriol finally found his source of inspiration these days as he went round another corner. He approached his recent love interest, ignoring the two persons she's with. He unceremoniously grabbed her arm and drags her gently but swiftly to their cabin hoping that the moment hasn't passed yet.

Tomoyo struggled in futile as she try to scream everything she got. While Ren and Andy after having the shock from the sudden intrusion hurriedly followed the duo.

Five paces away from the cabin, Eriol attempted to placate Tomoyo into submission and gesture for her to quietly comply. Tomoyo finally having an idea of what's going on shuts up and quickly approached the cabin stealthily and got the surprise she'd been dreaming of for days.

Out of curiosity, Andy and Ren followed their lead and peaked inside the cabin just in time to see the shock of their life.

"Shit! Why the hell… stupid perceptive brain… Shit!" Syaoran shrugged to clear his haywire thoughts but unfortunately became more aware of something else in return, as Ikki suddenly nuzzled and exhale noisily against his neck bringing a tingling sensation throughout his entire body.

"His skin's soft and smooth like an ordinary girl would have. Is it normal for guys to have those too?" He amusedly pondered as a gentle breeze passed through the open window sending another wave of confusion to his senses.

"Why do they smell exactly the same as if they're the same person?"

He wistfully smiled and muttered, "He really smells nice like Kura" then scrunches his nose in disgust, "and Touya…"

Thing's couldn't get even better for Syaoran. For out of the blue, Ikki loudly moaned. Syaoran could've not stiffened even more if he could. He then opted to just whine his frustrations. "Why is this happening to me?"

Syaoran shook his head as subtly as he could at a certain thought lurking into his mind and countered it before he made any acknowledgement of its presence. "No, girls are my type."

However, as if cursed by fate, Ikki unconsciously snuggled a little bit more into his neck and gave a sigh of contentment.

"I like girls. I like girls. I like girls." Syaoran desperately chanted.

"That's so cute!" Tomoyo try to repress her squeals in delight of what she just witnessed.

"I never thought my cousin would be this desperate to chant "I like girls" to reassure himself of his gender preference." Eriol mused in wonder just as Syaoran attempts to remove Sakura's hold in him. Unfortunately, this gesture awakens his sleeping roommate. Syaoran quickly and quietly ducked to his bed just below Sakura's and feigned sleep.

And this time its Sakura's turn to stare at him and appreciate his physique. After her fair time of ogling, Sakura sighed in hopelessness of her current situation. She brushed a few of his errant hair to its side to see his face more, thinking, when did it all start? When did she suddenly allow herself to plunge and finally take the free fall?

Shaking with excitement from the memo they've received, Drew and Ivan jumped for joy, discovering they're having the closed-door session with Syaoran and Ikki. "Sorry girls! Better luck next time." The blond vocalist of Stardust mocked his band mates.

Kia scowled in jealousy and slumped in a nearby couch while Rena stomped in tantrum and almost attack her friend. "This is so unfair!"

"Well dear, I'll just give them each a kiss for you" Ivan ruffled the redhead as he give the other a flying kiss in sympathy "and a hug for you."

"Whatever."

"So the bonding session is just an excuse to have a full-blown party?"

The once conference room in camp used by the facilitators for meetings where now packed with underage drunks. The booming music, rowdy conversations, boisterous laughter and comical antics greeted the two latecomers.

"How did they get the booze passed the staff?" Sakura asked as she peered inside the door.

"If there's a will there's a way?" Some drunk interjects while handing them two bottles of beer each.

Ren placed the extra bottle on a window sill nearby and grabbed Sakura's shoulder before they both got lost in the crowd. "I know you could hold your liquor very well but ease up a bit. You might spill your guts on someone, telling them every single secret you have."

Letting go of his hold on his younger pseudo-sibling, Ren took a swig on his beer. "Besides, you know your cousin has low alcoholic tolerance and his rep is pretty well known around here."

Sakura rubbed her side as another drunk hastily passed by them, accidentally bumping hard on her side.

Checking if it's safe to continue their discussion, "Also be careful with whatever you drink." Ren took this time wolf down his beer almost finishing up his once three-fourths full bottle. "Even if it's an all male party there are still those among us who will be desperate enough to drug someone they like." Ren scanned their surrounding, "Specifically those guys over there, looking hungrily at us." Sakura shuddered.

"Remember your upholding your cousin's rep. He is quite a favorite among male fans and bands. They held him in a pedestal because of his looks and talents. Those guys have been eyeing you since we walk in." Ren took another glance and check on the predatory aura of the group, "I believe they're one of those newcomers this year." Returning his glance on Sakura, "Look kiddo, I can't always keep an eye on you here, so be extra cautious and try to just blend in with familiar faces you trust."

Sakura fearfully stare at the alcohol she's holding. "Don't worry, I know that guy, so those drinks are safe." She gulped, nodded feebly and took a swig.

"C'mon Touya facilitators are allowed to participate but had no right to meddle in it." Yuki tries to pull away his best friend from barging in the cottage.

"My brother is not a homosexual stalker thank you very much." Mei Lin haughtily replied.

Touya seethed. "Oh yeah then what the heck was the other night?"

Disoriented from the sudden noise that woke him up, Touya clumsily scuffles to their bathroom. Yuki joined him as he was about to open the door. He then blindly feels his way on the wall to find the switch and turn it on. Blood ran out of his face as he saw the abomination on their bathroom floor. "What the hell are you doing here?"

The brat looked up and met his glare and the mirth in the eyes of Yuki. He tried to retort but his throat constrict unwillingly and not a word came out. Touya's face then paled. Eyes wide in shock and jaws apart in a silent scream while Yuki has this amusing smirk pasted on his face. Syaoran subsequently realized that both men were not looking at him but on the cloth in his hands. With fright coursing through his entire body, Syaoran slowly look at his hands. As he looked down, he got a whiff of a familiar scent. And in his hands there lies a plain black boxer.

Before anyone could utter a word, Syaoran scantily throw the boxer in Touya's face, sniffed him for good measure and scamper off for a quick escape while muttering, "Blasted Kinomotos' scent."

Touya grabbed his boxer and yelled. "You freaking gaki…"

Mei Lin paled and stuttered to make an explanation. "Umm… That was…a dare?"

"See… he is gay!" Touya points exasperatedly at Mei Lin.

"But Touya, there's nothing to be worried about. It's not as if Sakura has a thing for him." Ken countered wittily.

That made Touya calmed down a bit. But there's still this nagging feeling at the pit of his stomach to think twice, and a dozen more times even.

"Besides, Ken and I would not let anything jeopardize her cover and would clearly interfere if it ever needed be. You, on the other hand would just be difficult. You're bound to loose your cool and blow her cover." Yuki tries to soothe him but barely managed to. He then eyed Mei Lin to do something about it.

Mei Lin sighed in compliance and halfheartedly approached the seething overprotective moron. "C'mon"

Touya merely gaped at her in confusion as she continuously coaxed him to follower her. "Wh-what the—"

"Let's go before I changed my mind." Mei Lin annoyingly rolled her eyes at him for choosing to be dense at that particular moment.

"Where?"

"Let's just get out of here to cool you down a bit."

"You mean like a date?" Touya suddenly lit up in realization. "A date!"

"Yeah, whatever." Begrudged, Mei Lin scowled at Yuki and Ken, inaudibly mumbled something, drop his arm and walk ahead of him.

Touya dazedly grinned at his smirking friends and followed Mei Lin as he muttered those two words hypnotically. "A date, a date, a date!"

Sakura took a seat in a corner with Yuki, Ken and Ren after securing another round for them. She was about to put on her earphones when a familiar roommate sat beside her. "Hey."

"Umm…" But before Syaoran could respond to her greeting, a sickening voice interrupted, "So you really are an item?"

"Excuse me?"

"The rumors about you two," the blonde guy named Drew pointed at Sakura and Syaoran, "Its true then?"

"What the—" Sakura didn't get the chance to finish her curse as Syaoran denied heatedly. "No, it isn't—"

"Oh yeah? Then do you have a girlfriend?"

"No, but that's not the point here."

"I think it is." The redhead smugly concluded.

Ken and Yuki, started to stand up from their seats to break up the discussion when Syaoran stood before them, and admitted in frustration, "I do like someone."

"Ikki?" Drew insisted stubbornly.

"No" Sakura cringed at the blunt rejection but Syaoran took no notice of it.

"Then who?"

"Why should I tell you? Who the hell do you think you are?"

"Then it only proves that…"

"Fine, it's Kura."

"Kura? Who's that? Is that even a girl's name?" The redhead, Ivan, mockingly asked.

"Kura, Touya Kinomoto's sister." Yuki interject as he stood in front of Sakura.

Ken followed suit his best friend's stand, positioning himself on Yuki's left and added, "Kura, Ikki Kinomoto's cousin."

"Kura, rhythm guitarist and vocalist of Convicted Mind." Ren finished up the description as he hid Sakura's reaction from everyone along with Yuki and Ken.

The four young tormentors gaped and squealed in unison, "You mean THE Sakura Kinomoto."

Syaoran blushed furiously in embarrassment, Sakura visibly paled in her predicament. Ren, Yuki and Ken feigned indifference while Eriol who suddenly appeared beside Syaoran smirked. "Yeah."

"But she's a lesbian!"

Sakura finally snapped from her trance and roared, "The hell I'm—" Ren nudged her hard thankfully no one notice her uproar due to the deafening rock music coursing in the cabin.

"She's not." Syaoran stared at the guy who also suddenly appeared out of nowhere and defended Sakura before he could scream and stick it to the accusers.

"Who are you?" asked the blond inquisitor mesmerized by the man in front of him as Syaoran scowled at the intruder.

Sakura, on the other hand, paled and clutched tightly to Ren's side hiding her face behind her pseudo brother and whispered, "What's he doing here?"

Ken who had also heard her whisper answered in behalf of Ren, "It was a surprise visit. He arrived earlier and wanted to check on things."

"Why didn't anyone told me about it then?" Sakura gritted her teeth in frustration of being discovered by her ultimate crush. "I swear I'm going to kill that stupid cousin of mine the first time I saw him."

"Plotting murders for your deranged cousin won't make things better." Yuki chastised her quietly. "Just act indifferently as Ikki would do with Kyu."

"Kyu Lin, a friend of Sakura." The redhead introduced himself.

Ken draped an arm around his shoulder as he introduced him further. "Nephew of the owner of this camp and the vocalist of their band, Shards. They didn't get to participate this year because a member of their band got into an accident."

"Anyway, why are we discussing Kura-chan's sexual orientation?" Kyu asked his senior animatedly. "I never thought of hearing those things about her. She's too pure to be suspected as one. Don't you think?" Sakura blushed at the compliment and further pressed her face onto Ren's back to hide it.

"What's your proof?"

Fed up with the charade, Ren answered instead, "She's still hung up with someone I know." Sakura stiffen in respond. Ren tap her head and just smile in assurance that her secret is safe with him.

"Who?" Syaoran and the young tormentors asked again in chorus, the angry uproar from Syaoran and the excitement shriek for gossip of the others. And thus, gathered a small crowd around them. While Kyu just glanced at Ren in surprise also curious with the sudden news.

Yuki and Ken smirk and nod at each other in consent. "You wouldn't know him even if we tell you his name." Yuki rescued as Ken added angrily. "So just dropped it and mind your own business."

"Fine, she's not a lesbo but I still believe Syaoran and Ikki are an item."

"What the f*#$ I already told you I have the hots for the opposite sex. G-I-R-L-S. GIRLS!"

"Fine, we've established you like a girl but we hadn't ruled out either one of you" pointing at Syaoran and Sakura, "being attracted to boys or to each other."

"Yeah, there's a possibility of you guys being bisexuals." Ivan added. "And we totally dig that too." Another one commented while the rest of the guys agreed and seconded.

Syaoran, Sakura and Ken jaws dropped. Yuki and Kyu snickered in amusement while Ren shrugged tiredly.

"Oh c'mon guys give these two a break." Having enough entertainment for the night, Eriol sympathetically defended. Thus, making Syaoran sighed in relief, "Yeah."

"But Tomoyo and Andy confirmed this to us, that you guys are for real."

'I'm going to murder those two.' Sakura silently promised, took another swig from her beer and lamely explained, "Those two are just having their usual attention deficit disorder phase. It comes once or twice a month depending on their intake of sugar."

"Yeah" Syaoran reluctantly agreed staring at her silently asking what the hell she's on herself.

"Tomo's jealous of everyone around me. Unfortunately, at that time it was Syao who was with me."

"Yeah"

"It's all just a really big misunderstanding, blown up into proportions."

"Yeah."

Annoyed, Sakura shifted her gaze at her supposed boyfriend, "Is that all you can say?"

"Yeah."

Sakura fumed in frustration and glared at him. Syaoran got the message and began to explain. "I mean," He got beside her and put his arm around her shoulders, "we're just buddies, nothing more."

"Well if that's the case…" Drew haven't been able to finish his sentence as he gave some sort of signal to his friends as they suddenly advanced slowly at them, mirth dancing in their eyes.

Sensing the sudden change of atmosphere, Syaoran and Sakura looked at each other, silently conversed with their eyes, nodded at each other then bolted out the door in sync. Their male fans-slash-stalkers-slash-tormentors closely behind them.

"I think we lost them."

"Good. Wait, how the heck they got in here the first place? Isn't the session for band members only?"

Sakura stare at him like his an idiot before replying, "They're fans not delinquents," she dusted her shirt in frustration, "and unfortunately, they're in a band. We're just fortunate enough they're not are roommates and haven't located yet our sleeping arrangements."

"But what if they already know about it and are now plotting something for our return." Syaoran shuddered uncontrollably.

"Bite you're tongue." She gritted and plead for a heavenly intervention.

"So how was it?"

"Everything's going according to plan."

"Good. Report back to me every ten minutes."

"Roger."

'Not again.' Syaoran sighed in frustration, alone with Ikki and trap in the most unexpected place they could possibly hide. In a girl's restroom. "Are you sure we're safe in here? What if a girl or a bunch of them suddenly came?"

"They won't." Sakura confidently retorted as she peek outside the door for any sign of their frantic pursuers. "They're having their own session on the other side of camp. There are plenty of restrooms around there."

Somewhat relieve that their pursuers won't ever think to search them in it, Syaoran paced in silence. Taking in the last place he thought he will ever be in his life. "So this is what it looks like in a girl's lavatory?"

"What do you expect, it's nothing unusual."

Syaoran stared at her with wide surprised eyes, "This isn't your first time huh?"

"Of course it isn't" Sakura carelessly replied, and cursed herself as she caught herself exposing the truth. 'Oh shit!'

"You're a pervert!" Syaoran amusedly accused and release a chuckle from his ingenious deductions, "a little naughty peeping Tom aren't you?"

Sakura glared hard on him as she defended her cousin's honor, "I'm not." But Syaoran didn't stop berating her for her "naughty hobby" as he quoted it. Frustrated, Sakura screamed, "Stop it! I'm not a pervert or a peeping Tom." Sakura paced in front of her tormentor as she comes up with an excuse. "A month ago, a girl in my year who is obsessed with me pulled me in and tried to get away with me. Fortunately Andy came out of a cubicle and whisk me away from my rapist."

"Wow, you really are a ladies' man."

Hiding her anxiety, she smugly retorted, "Yeah, is it too hard to believe?"

"Dude, I'm just playing." Syaoran clamped his hand on her shoulders.

"Fine, just don't do it again, my ego bruised easily."

A sudden noise from the door was heard. The two braced themselves from the oncoming attack that they will receive. But nothing came. After a minute or two passed, Sakura cautiously approached the door and try to peek through it to check what the noise was all about. Nevertheless, whatever she do it won't budge. Something or someone is blocking their only way out.

"The door's not budging, something heavy is behind it. I can't push it open. Here you try." Sakura whined.

After their futile attempts for their escape, Sakura asks Syaoran the question that's been nagging her for quite sometime now. Why he like her when he doesn't even know the girl in the first place. Only chat to her once, bump to her twice and seen her in person thrice. They weren't even formally introduced to each other. "Is it even real or was it just an excuse?"

"Wh—uh?"

"Why do you like my cousin, Kura?" Sakura averted her gaze from him, 'Why me?'

"I don't know…"

"You don't know?" She bellowed.

No clue at all of the attraction he has for her. "It just hit me."

"Oh"

"So what is she like?"

"Huh?"

"Kura, who is she? What is she like?"

"I'm her cousin, aren't you afraid I'll be biased?" Silence answering her, Sakura cursed for her rotten bad luck and come up with a lame excuse. "Besides, I can't really tell you we're not that close." Sakura fidgeted nervously as to what she's going to be asked next. "You can ask Ren."

"Ren?" Jealousy flashed through his amber eyes. Catching it, Sakura cleared up her relationship with Ren. "He's like another older brother to her, the complete opposite of Touya."

Silence ensued as neither of them knew what to say to each other. Tired of the awkwardness between them Sakura feigned her famous cousin's tolerance to alcohol. "I think I drank too much." She wobbly saunter to the sink and carefully splashed her face without ruining her disguise.

"Oh, so the rumors are true."

"What rumors?"

"You can't hold your own liquor." Syaoran leaned on the sink beside her as he stares into space recalling something he heard earlier. "I heard someone discussing your low tolerance on alcohol and plotting to get you drunk to have their way with you."

"WHAT?"

"And the scary part is I didn't hear it from the girls."

Sakura shuddered, clumsily walk to a nearby wall and slumped as a normal drunk would be. "Hey are you okay?"

"Yeah, just need to rest my eyes for a bit."

Syaoran just sat beside him quietly. He was again at his crux and contemplated on what to do. He gathered his strength to avert his eyes from lingering to the only person in the room. But due to mild intoxication, his damn control broke. He then stared openly at his current fascination, unconsciously closing the gap between them. Like how normally gravity works, captivated by the pull he leans forward until their lips locked.

Sakura whose already in a brink of sleep, thought it was just a dream and responded to the kiss. After a few minutes as Syaoran's hand went through her hair, he realized something amiss. He's kissing a guy and not just any guy; it's the cousin of the girl he's pinning for and his new friend. He instantly stopped his ministrations and tried to calm his nerves. Palms sweating, on the verge of hyperventilating, he checked on his sleeping friend. 'Good he's still out of it.'

But little did he know, Sakura was now wide awake and feigning sleep and was now fighting her nerves to not redden at what happened and get caught.

Syaoran muttered a silent curse before scooting away from her and just try to sleep it off; never occurring to him that the recipient of his brief boldness responded eagerly with his affirmation.

Back at the party, Kyu, Ren, Yuki and Ken flauntingly drank into their hearts' content. "Is it always this exciting in camp?" Kyu asked the remaining crowd.

- to be continued-

A/N: I'm really sorry for the very delayed update. I hope this long chapter would appease your anger. Anyway, Kyu Lin's name is from Kyuhyun from superjunior and Ariel Lin of ISWAK and TKA.

February 28, 2010 bangag_pa

June 22, 2013 updated