Chapter Seven: Arrangements
Tomoyo surveyed Eriol’s response to this new arrangement with a mixture of amusement and apprehension. She’d known that he wouldn’t be all that happy with her when he found out, but she hadn’t expected him to appear so…furious.
Then again, she recalled with a degree of irritation, she was the boss, not him. It wasn’t his job to order her around.
She was confused when Eriol finally stopped raging and turned completely and utterly silent.
Sending a curious glance to his face she found that it was unreadable but not without it’s mixture of intimidation.
“And what do you think you’ll do once you get there?” he queried, the tone light but without the usual degree of warmth it held when he spoke to her.
“I’ll figure something out.” She responded, unnerved by this side of him when so far he’d displayed nothing but caring towards her.
“And ruin everything?”
“I wouldn’t ruin everything!” Tomoyo snapped back fury and frustration causing her to forget her newfound fear of him.
He sighed, his features softening with it. “Give me the ticket Tomoyo.”
Against her wishes she found her hand moving out to hand him the ticket, watching as he slowly reached for it. Gaining control of her situation she pulled it back annoyed.
“No!”
He sighed, his invisible mask of patience wearing thin.
“Moyo, honey, please, you can’t go over there.”
The endearment for once did nothing to dissuade her. Instead it seemed to spark even more anger.
“And why not Eriol?”
“Because it’ll mess up all your perfect planning and you know it.”
He watched her deflate slightly before saying in a sullen tone. “Fine.”
A smug smile fell into place at his victory which he couldn’t manage to keep hidden from her.
“But in future I want to know everything you’re planning to add in before it happens!” Tomoyo snapped, disgruntled at his obvious amusement with her.
“Whatever you say Tomoyo.”
I I I
The markets were an interesting place to shop. Unlike the many shopping centres she’d been to at home this was more real, with genuine people along the street trying to get people to buy their objects.
She’d so far heard numerous claims that this thing was the best or that nothing could beat this product. While slightly annoying in a sense she loved the interaction with the people, all of them very nice.
She’d already spent a little over $1000 knowing that Tomoyo would throw her a fit if she didn’t go around Hong Kong getting samples of clothing and materials from every conceivable type of shop there was.
It didn’t mean she hadn’t bought some things for herself however.
Coming to an abrupt stop in front of one of the stores she had passed while exiting the market area she looking inside with an almost mischievous urge.
Should she?
Knowing what Tomoyo would say about her buying clothes such as these didn’t help, Moyo, while she loved her, had a thing about Sakura wearing sexy clubbing clothes and at every available opportunity would throw her in them.
Biting a lip in uncertainty she finally decided that buying them would be better than standing there and wishing she were buying them. Besides it would make Tomoyo happy.
I I I
Sakura grinned at the doorman as he pulled open the door for her, accepting his offer to take the many bags from her.
“So, you’re finally back.” An unfamiliar voice spoke.
Sakura’s brow furrowed in confusion, that voice definitely wasn’t male.
She turned to find a young woman, around her age, standing there examining her sceptically.
“MEI LING!!!!!!!!” Syaoran’s voice echoed angrily throughout the house.
The girl before her flinched slightly before grabbing her hand and directing her down one of the side passages. “Come on, we’ll talk in your room.”
Sakura nodded dumbly, allowing the beautiful girl to whisk her away.
When they reached her room Sakura stopped.
“Just who are you?”
“Hmm?” the girl queried, turning from locking the door, “Oh, that’s right, I’m used to having everyone know me, I’m Syaoran’s cousin Mei Ling.
Sakura responded with a simple intelligent ‘oh’ as Mei Ling looked around.
“I’m here to make sure that you’re not bored witless being stuck in my charming cousin’s company.”
Sakura nodded, not fully understanding but accepting it anyway.
“Now, tell me, do you like my cousin Sakura?” Mei Ling asked, sinking into the armchair opposite her.
An almost sadistic grin grew on her face as Sakura blushed, turning away from the question. “Ahh… I guess that means you do.”
“….”
Mei Ling tilted her head to the side, momentarily confused. “Oh, let’s see, he was an ass to you over something.”
“Well…uh…yeah” Sakura responded, blushing profusely.
“I like you Sakura, which is funny cause I usually don’t like the twits who come to these stupid meetings. I’m taking you out tonight.”
Sakura blinked, this girl wasn’t exactly the easiest to follow. “You are.”
“Yup first thing is that we’re going to go clubbing, and we’re going to drag my cousin out with us.”
“We are?” Sakura found the very notion that they would be dragging Syaoran out anywhere hard to stomach, let alone to a club of all things.
Mei Ling sighed and rolled her eyes, “Duh.”
Sakura watched confused as the other young woman pounced on the bags of shopping resting on her bed, going through it all and throwing it in three general directions.
“Ah, here we go.” She muttered pulling out the cut off red halter Sakura had picked up on a whim. “I’m borrowing this off of you for tonight.” She called out cheerfully eyeing the rest of the bag.
Sakura watched in embarrassment as Mei Ling pulled out black leather pants and a green bodice like top with a back that was completely comprised of strings to hold it shut.
“You are so wearing this.”
“MEI LING!!!”
Sakura flinched at the extremely loud voice calling from the other side of the door.
“Hey Syaoran we’re going clubbing tonight, and your coming!” Mei Ling replied.
If Syaoran’s angry tone had worried her then she didn’t show it, if anything she appeared amused.
The lock clicked open and an annoyed Syaoran entered. “Number one, you are NOT staying here, number two, I am not coming clubbing with you and number three you are not staying here.”
Mei Ling grinned smugly, “I wouldn’t be so sure about that, my Aunt already knows that I’m staying here and she seemed quite happy with the arrangement.”
I I I
It was probably a good thing for Mei Ling that Syaoran was already in trouble with his mother, otherwise he was almost positive he would have picked the pain in the ass up and throw her out on her ass.
“Fine Mei Ling, you’re welcome to stay here in your usual room, but I won’t be coming out with you.”
“Sorry, you have to, I already told Jason that you’d be there.”
It took a lot to keep the leash on his temper that time.
“Jason’s back?”
Mei Ling looked at him with genuine surprise, “I thought that you would have been the first he’d told.”
He instantly concealed his anger at the fact that his best friend had returned without even bothering to contact him. “Fine, I’ll come, have to find out what the git’s doing back in town after all.”
“Great.” Mei Ling replied exuberantly, “Well that means Sakura and I need time to go out and get hair and nails done and call the others and then come back for dinner and then go.”
Syaoran sighed turning to look at Sakura, “Hopefully this arrangement is alright with you.”
“Yup.” Sakura replied, finally grinning.
Syaoran nodded, “Well go on then, I have work to finish, I’ll see you back here for dinner at eight.”
Mei Ling didn’t even bother to answer as she dragged Sakura from the room.
He sighed, something which appeared to be becoming a habit lately. It was going to be a very long night.
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