Disclaimer: Cardcaptor Sakura belongs to the wonderful CLAMP, not me.

Sensei, I Love You

Chapter 21

The principal, Kaidou Takumi, was a short little man with gray hair and receding hairline. He seemed to be around late fifties from the fine wrinkles on his forehead and at the corner of his eyes. Sakura shrank further in her seat as his eyes narrowed on her, his lips pressed into a stern line.

Yukito was in the chair beside her, but he was staring ahead at the Kaidou with a serious face. Sakura gulped at the tenseness in the room. If she knew it would come down to this confrontation, she wouldn't have openly defied Syaoran in the classroom. She's doomed to be expelled from school.

"What's going on?" Kaidou asked, his voice booming in the quiet room.

Sakura fidgeted in her seat, not knowing how to answer his question. She looked to Yukito for help but didn't manage to catch his attention. "Kaidou-kouchou," Yukito said. "I believe you have gone through Kinomoto-san's files over the past years. You should be able to understand what she's currently going through."

Kaidou sighed and leaned back against his chair wearily. "It's not that I don't understand her plight, Tsukishiro-sensei. Our school places emphasis on our moral values and inculcate respect in each and every student here. Kinomoto-san clearly broke one of the unwritten rules today with her behavior in Li-sensei's class."

Yukito narrowed his eyes. "So you are basically saying that it was all her fault?"

"I already talked to Li-sensei earlier but I need to hear from both parties on what exactly happened that led to the ugly scene in class. Some parents have already been alerted about the incident and have been calling the school with questions on Li-sensei's qualifications."

"Kaidou-kouchou, it wasn't really Li-sensei's fault," Sakura said and regretted it immediately when both guys turned their attention to her. She squirmed under their intense gaze. "It's because… Li-sensei caught me working overtime and was really worried about my health and safety… And um… I didn't pick up his call when he checked up on me to make sure I'm back home safely."

Kaidou nodded his head absentmindedly while Yukito merely frowned. Cold sweat poured down her face. Did her lie work? Her heart jumped in her chest when Yukito suddenly folded his arms and stared at her. Sakura could only pray that they believed her because that was the only way out for her—and Syaoran.

"That's what Li-sensei said too," Kaidou said with another sigh. "Settling this issue is tricky when parents are involved."

Parents… Sakura had none and that thought alone was like being brutally splashed by cold water. "I'm really sorry this happened."

"Kaidou-kouchou, I understand that students are not permitted to work while being a student here," Yukito said. "But Kinomoto-san needs to work to be able to afford her rent and her meals."

"I understand that. That's why we didn't stop her from working."

Sakura blinked. The school knew?

"You don't think the school is oblivious to the ongoing activities of our students?" Kaidou asked with a wry smile. "We sent a team to investigate during the long period of your absence in school and found out everything about you."

"You sent a team of whatever to spy on me?" Sakura asked, feeling more incredulous than angry at her invasion of privacy.

"Well, we only did it once to find out where you were," Kaidou replied. "When we found that you were still staying in your former house—though you are actually renting a room from the new residents—we stopped."

Sakura felt the weight lifted from her heavy shoulders. So they didn't find out that she was actually living with Syaoran after she was evicted from her rented room. Their secret was still safe.

"Why didn't the school intercept and make sure that Kinomoto-san was well taken of?" Yukito asked and there was a hint of anger in his voice. "Aren't the school supposed to protect the student? Offer help when in need? Even though I'm a school nurse, I do know some things the school can do to help a student!"

"Tsukishiro-sensei, you need to get a grip on yourself," Kaidou warned, seeing Yukito's agitation. "You can't be too personal when handling work."

Sakura watched the word-sparring between the two grown men with dread. Even though she was glad that Yukito was making the stand for her but it was bound to be disastrous when colliding head-on with the principal. "T-tsukishiro-sensei… It's okay—I don't need the school's help."

Kaidou didn't give Yukito a chance to reply her. "I understand your need to help your friend's sister," he interrupted. "But still, you need to view the situation professionally."

"If I can't even help her, how can I help other students?"

Kaidou sighed. "These are two different matters—helping your friend's sister and helping the student population in general."

Yukito shook his head. "I don't see the difference."

An awkward silence descended upon the room as each party was unable to outwit the other and wasn't about to give in. Then, Kaidou cleared his throat. "As I've said earlier, the parents are demanding to dismiss Li-sensei. However, he is a brilliant teacher and I'm not about to let him go. So, to appease these parents, I've put Li-sensei on a one week suspension for his inappropriate behavior in class."

Sakura gasped in dismay. "But it wasn't his fault!"

Kaidou held out a hand. "I know. I know. That was the best that I can do for now. However, since you are at fault too, you'll have to face some punishment as well."

"Kaidou-kouchou!" Yukito protested.

Sakura sighed. She knew this was inevitable. "So… I'm going to be expelled?"

Kaidou looked shocked for a moment at Sakura's question before chuckling. "Of course not! Why would you think that the school is going to expel you?"

"Um… because I broke school rules?"

"But that's because you have no choice. After all, survival comes first. Besides, you are maintaining good results so I don't the reason you shouldn't stop working and studying at the same time. However, I do hope that you will consider putting aside your job and to concentrate on studying first, if your finances allow you to do so."

"That may be a problem…" Sakura trailed off, doing some quick mental calculations. "The rental alone kills. I've spent an extremely big portion of the money I received from selling the house on rental alone… and it wasn't enough."

"Will we be breaking any school rules if she were to stay with me?" Yukito asked, surprising the other occupants in the room. Sakura was gaping openly at him as if she couldn't believe he actually had the courage to ask the principal.

Kaidou scratched the back of his head as he considered Yukito's question. "It's going to be complicated—the parents will definitely disapprove of this. However, given your situation and your relationship with Kinomoto-san's brother, I don't think there will be too much of a problem. I do have one condition though."

"What is it, then?"

"You must always remember your position in this school," Kaidou said. "And there must not be any scandal arising from this arrangement. I wouldn't want the PTA to come after me and demand me to do something about the two of you."

To stay with Yukito? That was something Sakura hasn't considered.

"You don't have to worry anymore!" Yukito exclaimed and smiled warmly at Sakura.

"I think we were sidetracked a little on our discussion," Kaidou said, turning their attention back to him. "We were talking about Kinomoto-san's punishment earlier. Since Li-sensei was on a week's suspension, I propose that Kinomoto-san undergo similar punishment as well since she was also at fault."

"I can accept that," Sakura replied. Suspension was always better then expulsion. "Thank you so much for your leniency, Kaidou-kouchou."

"I'll see you when you return from your suspension then, Kinomoto-san," Kaidou replied with a smile. "Be good and listen to what Tsukishiro-sensei says, okay?"

Sakura rolled her eyes and chuckled. "I'm not some five year old kid!"

Kaidou shrugged. "Well, you know what I'm talking about."

Knowing that their meeting has come to a fruitful end, both Sakura and Yukito stood up to leave. Sakura bowed respectfully to Kaidou before exiting the office. "So… shall we go to your place to pack up now?"

"I'm not sure if I want to quit my job…" Sakura trailed off, taking a peek at Yukito and found him frowning at her. "Okay! Fine! I'll take Kaidou-kouchou's advice to listen to what you said."

Yukito laughed and ruffled the top of her head. She squealed at the mess he created and attempted to restore her hair.

"Muffin."

Sakura froze at the voice, recognizing it immediately before even seeing who it was. She didn't want to turn around and take a look at him, because if she did so, she'd remember what happened at his house yesterday. That was something she wanted to put out of her mind forever.

"It's you!" Yukito exclaimed, catching her by surprise.

"Fancy seeing you here after all these years," Syaoran replied casually.

"You are the Li-sensei that Kaidou-kouchou is talking about?" Yukito asked, his eyes widening. He cursed then and Sakura winced upon hearing it from his lips.

"No swearing in school," Sakura reminded quietly. Her gaze was swinging back and forth between Syaoran and Yukito, trying to guess their relationship. Classmates? Friends? Close friends? She couldn't decide on one answer.

"What are you doing here?" Yukito's voice turned cold. So they weren't friends then.

"I don't have to report my actions to you," Syaoran replied. "I'm just here to fetch her."

"Fetch Sakura? Whatever for? She isn't even related to you."

"Neither are you."

"I'm taking over Touya's duty," Yukito replied, pulling Sakura behind him and away from Syaoran. "Don't you dare try to touch her."

Syaoran snorted. "Can you be even cruder than that?"

"Yukito-san, you know each other?" Sakura asked softly behind him.

"What do you want with her?" Yukito asked, ignoring Sakura's question. "Don't tell me the two of you are an item… and that's the reason for the crazy outburst in class." The silence that greeted him was his answer. "I really can't believe this." He was shaking his head.

"Come, muffin, let's go somewhere we can talk in private."

Sakura shook her head. There was no way that she was going anywhere with him, not after what happened yesterday. "No, thanks. I'm good."

"We need to talk," Syaoran said. "We really need to talk."

"There's nothing left for us to talk, Li-sensei," Sakura replied. "I shouldn't even be talking to you right now. Who knows what other people may overhear."

"That's why I said we have to go somewhere private to talk."

Sakura glared at him, refusing to give in to his demands. Yukito moved in front of her again to block her view of Syaoran. "Sorry, this has to end," Yukito said. "Touya wouldn't approve of this."

"I don't care if he approves or not," Syaoran said angrily. "He isn't around anymore."

Sakura's gasp told him that he had said the wrong thing and he cursed himself for his stupidity. Why did he have to remind her about that?

"You're incorrigible, as always," Yukito said, turning his back to Syaoran and guiding Sakura out of the school building. "You aren't fit to even talk to her."

Syaoran stared dejectedly as Sakura left with Yukito without even sparing him a look. He screwed things up…

And he was totally screwed.

To be continued

Oh dear! I just realized I've actually uploaded 21 chapters! And which chapter am I writing now? Well, I finally finished Chapter 24. Took me a long time due to writer's block and my busy work schedule. Trying to squeeze in time to work, study, read and write at the same time. That busy schedule finally took a toll on my health last week! (Spent 2 days away from work with medical leave Acks...)

Anyway, just giving you advance notice that Sensei, I Love You may be going on a 2-week hiatus in May for me to catch up in writing. I'm estimating that the story will end at around 30 chapters, with at least 2k words per chapter. I know it's short but that'll give me something to work on for my second draft! :)