To those who mailed me-I cannot express my gratitude enough. Not a single flame, and all of you seem to like this pitiful story so much it really amazes me. It's because of your encouragement that I have the motivation to keep on writing. So please keep those C&C coming...and as always, this is for you.

DISCLAIMER: No, they don't belong to me. Yes, I wish they did. No, I refuse to buy CLAMP out-so quit asking!
 
 

"OW! Why the hell did you pinch me?!"

"We're going to be late!" Meirin hissed in annoyance, her red eyes glinting.

"It's not MY fault that happened!"

"Who forgot to set the alarm clock last night?" she snapped. The boy growled, but said nothing more. They continued to pound down the street, Meirin's long ponytails flying out behind her.

~~~~

"They're late," Ishijima-sensei noted in annoyance, checking his watch.

"Who's late, sensei?" Rika queried. "Everyone's already here."

"The new..." He was cut off at the sound of running footsteps in the outside corridor. Suddenly, two figures burst into the classroom, panting..

"Osoku natte, sumimasen!"

"...students," he finished, casting a stern glance at the girl and boy. "All right, since this is your first day, we'll say no more. Class," he continued, motioning the two of them to step forward, "this pair of siblings are transfer students from Hong Kong. I hope you'll give them a warm welcome to Japan."

The girl bowed.

"Ohayou gozaimasu. Watashi wa Li Meirin desu. Douzo yoroshiku onegaishimasu." Wolf whistles sounded from the back of the room, causing Ishijima-sensei and the female half of the class to frown. Meirin only smiled, pushing a dark ponytail off her shoulder. Crimson orbs held a faintly smug expression in them.

"Li Jinron desu," the boy casually said, not bothering to bow. "Douzo yoroshiku."
A collective sigh went round the girls, and now it was the boys' turn to frown.

"Isn't it a coincidence? They've got the same family name as Li-kun, and they're *also* from Hong Kong," Tomoyo whispered to Sakura. Sakura absently nodded in response, studying her new classmates. She could see why they had sparked sighs and whistles.

<One's beautiful and the other's handsome. Quite a pair of siblings.>

"Meirin-san, sit beside Syaoran-san, please." Muttered whispers of 'lucky guy' and things of the like were immediately shot in Syaoran's direction. He frowned, pointedly ignoring them. However, Sakura noted that he was looking hard at the two, a puzzled expression in his eyes. <Li-kun?>

For a moment, Meirin's slender brows rose, but the satisfied look in her crimson orbs abruptly deepened, though Sakura had no idea why. Walking to the vacant seat, she gracefully sat down, placing her bag beside one leg of the chair.

"...and Jinron-san, you'll sit next to Kinomoto-san over there." Sakura jumped, upsetting her pencil case. <He's going to be sitting beside ME?>

She was so shocked she hardly noticed the envious looks girls were giving her. <Kami-sama...> Sighing, she bent down to retrieve pens and various other stationary strewn helter-skelter on the floor.

Sakura jumped when a second hand joined hers in picking up the contents of her case. "Hoe!"

"I'll help," a low voice murmured in her ear. She looked up into a pair of amused light brown eyes, her own widening.

"Jinron-san! Aa...doumo arigatou gozaimashita."

"Douitashimashite," he replied, his eyes twinkling as he stared at her. Sakura smiled in return.

<Maybe it isn't so bad. He seems nice.>

"Hajimemashou!"

Books were lugged out, pens were uncapped, and the class settled down to an uneventful history lesson. Although later proved to be not *quite* so uneventful...

~~~~

"Hai, hiruyasumi!" The words immediately broke the silence of the classroom.

Sakura groaned as the wake of students made their way out, slumping in her seat.
She shot a horrible grimace at the teacher's leaving back.

"Something wrong?" Naoko enquired, nibbling on a sandwich.

"I. Hate. Maths." Sakura muttered in response, scowling at her textbook. "And Maruyama-sensei's given us 100 sums to do by next week!  *100* sums in *one* week! How will I _ever_ finish them?"

"Seppuku might be an option," Takashi placidly suggested, swallowing a piece of fried egg. Sakura glared at him, and Chiharu slapped his arm. "You keep quiet," she scolded.

"It's not so bad, Sakura-chan. 15-20 sums a day, and you'll be done by next week," said Tomoyo soothingly.

"That's torture! All these sums are so difficult- *one* already has me sweating, and you're asking me to do *twenty* a day?"

"...I might be of service."

All turned to look at whom had spoken. Takashi's eyebrows promptly shot up, and the girls' eyes widened.

"Jinron-san!"

He threw Sakura an impish wink. "I don't claim to be an expert, but I _am_ quite good at figures. Let me know if you need any help, ne?"

"Un..." she flushed slightly. "Arigatou gozaimasu."

"Anytime, Kinomoto-san." He winked at her again. Naoko let out a soft whistle, but Sakura looked confused.

"Jinron."

A girl's voice. Li Meirin was standing behind him, an irritated expression on her face and her arms crossed under the bow of her blouse.

"Is flirting all you're capable of?"

"You wound me," he yawned, lazily stretching in his seat.

She shook her head. "My apologies, Kinomoto-san. Ignore him-he's always like that. Come, hopeless one. We need to talk." Grabbing firm hold of his shirt collar, she dragged him out of the classroom.

They all looked at one another, and shrugged.

"What do you think of them?" Sakura asked, taking out her bento.

"They seem all right," Rika mused. "Ne...Jinron-san appears to like you a lot, Sakura-chan."-causing Sakura to choke on a bite of shrimp.

"HOE?!" she spluttered through a bout of coughing. "That's rubbish!"

"Oh no it isn't! Ever heard of love at first sight?" Naoko smirked, and a large sweatdrop made its way down Sakura's head.

"Onegai, minna!"

"Fine, fine..."

"Syaoran? Hey, say something, would ya?" Everyone but Takashi jumped at this; no one had noticed that Syaoran had been quietly sitting in his seat all the while.

He raised his head from his food in slight irritation.

"Did you want something?"

"What do you think of the new students?" Chiharu asked. Syaoran made no answer at first as he stared out of the window. His amber eyes were unreadable.

"To be honest, I don't really know. It's strange, but...they seem familiar, somehow."

"Familiar?"

"They *do* share the same family name," Tomoyo observed. "And they're also from Hong Kong. Oh...do you think they could be relations of yours, Li-kun?"

Syaoran frowned. "That would be extremely coincidental. Li is a very common surname in Hong Kong."

"Oi, let's not talk about those two anymore, ok? We'll get to know them better as time passes. What *I'm* interested in knowing," and Takashi looked meaningfully at Syaoran, "is why you suddenly ran out of the library in the middle of our project last Saturday. Ok, never mind. I know you left your door unlocked, but do you really expect me to believe that you spent over an *hour* locking it?"

Syaoran promptly broke out into a sweat.

"Uh..."

"Well?" Takashi's eyes seemed to be boring holes into him.

"I..."

With Syaoran already nervous, it was most unfortunate that Sakura happened to catch his eye just then.

Red coloured their faces almost simultaneously, and the others, with the sole exception of Tomoyo, stared.

"Why in the world are you two blushing?" Naoko demanded, looking from Sakura to Syaoran and back again in confusion.

"I...I...I'm going to the washroom." Syaoran mumbled, getting up from his chair and knocking it over in the process. Taking no notice, he hastily fled the room.

Again excepting Tomoyo, all eyes immediately fixed themselves onto Sakura's still-red face.

Sakura gulped.

"If you'll excuse me," she finally managed to jerk out. "I think I'm going to the water fountain to get a drink." She left without waiting for an answer.

Rika arched an eyebrow. "If that isn't strange, I don't know _what_ is."

"Sou desu..." Chiharu looked over at Tomoyo. "Tomoyo-chan, you don't seem surprised at all. Do you know something?"

"Who, me?" Tomoyo's tone was bland. "Whatever gave you that idea?"

"Right." Takashi and the girls stared at her in suspicion. However, her face was nothing but a blank mask of serenity.

"Only, if you ask me," she continued with a calm smile, "I'd say it would be better to leave those two alone. Some things are best left private." She turned the rest of her attention to her half-eaten bento, ignoring the volley of confused protests from the rest.

<Good luck, Sakura-chan...>

~~~~

"It's him. There's no chance it *isn't* him," Meirin asserted, her eyes shining.
"The name, the looks, his aura...everything fits exactly!"

"So you found lover boy." Jinron grimaced. "Ok, fine. What do we do now?"

She fixed him with a cold stare. "Do you mean to say you've already forgotten?"

They were standing in the shade of a large tree in the school grounds-Meirin had purposely chosen the spot as it was rather secluded. Now, Jinron rolled his eyes and replied.

"No need to give me the evil eye, sis-it's your part from here, isn't it? I'll only come in later."

"*If* and *when* you are needed," she sniffed. "Most probably you won't be a single bit of use. Syaoran will surely agree to do it."

He gave a derisive laugh, ignoring the furious look she shot him.

"Are you so sure of your charms, Meirin? All may not go as planned. In fact, I have a strong feeling it *will* not."

"Why so?" she snapped, hands on her hips.

"What if he's already got...someone else on his mind, shall we say?" He leaned back against the trunk of the tree, a half-smile on his lips as Meirin turned red, then white, clenching a fist.

"Impossible," she finally said. "Syaoran would never..."

"Don't be so sure, sister. The chance of that is high."

"I refuse to listen to that garbage you call speech," she retorted. "How much do _you_ know about him? And anyway, even if he *does*...like someone now, he will have to give her up. He _must_ give her up. We were promised to each other since birth!"

"And did not see each other until all three of us were 9, and even _then_ only for a few months." Jinron snorted. "Do you really imagine he fell for you in the little time we spent together? The boy doesn't even recognise you-or me for that matter!"

"Sister, sister...you are a fool. Sometimes I do not understand you at all. You had your pick of all the young men of our clan, and you threw all those chances away to chase a traitor to our family. Even if he *is* needed by them now." Contempt coloured his words.

Meirin glanced at him, her red orbs unfathomable.

"What does that matter? One way or another, I will have him."

"You speak as if our cousin was a prize to be won." He laughed mirthlessly. "Worthless as he is, I did not know you were so unfeeling."

"Unfeeling? I loved him from the moment I first saw him. Nobody but me can have him, brother-*nobody*. I will die first."

He groaned. "Oh, stop, stop...I detest it when you get into a passionate fit."

Meirin glared at him. "And what can be said for *you*? You who have never loved before!"

"Because unlike you, sister, I actually care about the other person's feelings. I would not want to love unless I was sure I would be loved in return."

"Then you don't know _anything_ about love. You don't understand it at all!"

"Care to explain further?" Sarcasm tinted his voice, but Meirin did not notice it.

"Love *cannot* be 'wanted' or 'unwanted'. It just...is."

Jinron's only response was a noncommittal shrug. She sighed in exasperation.

"Gods, what _do_ I have to say? Maybe one day some girl will make you see what I mean-although with that thick skull of yours, brother, I very much doubt it. All right...we'll discuss our plans further tonight." Blowing out a breath, she turned, walking back to the school building.

Jinron gazed after her receding figure thoughtfully, all his former sarcasm gone.

<Don't understand? Maybe...>

A pair of dark-emerald eyes wide in surprise; silky auburn bangs framing a delicate face with just the faintest tint of rose pink in it. A sweet, clear voice speaking. "Arigatou gozaimasu..."

"And maybe not," he muttered aloud.

He stared at the ground.

<Maybe not...>

~~~~

Syaoran packed his books into his bag, methodically arranging them according to their respective heights.

<End of another school day...>

He frowned then, surprising himself. <It's those two transfer students' fault.> He had been jumpy around Meirin the whole afternoon. It had been even worse when he happened to look up and found her red eyes staring straight at him. He prayed fervently that no one else, Sakura in particular, had caught him blushing. He *wasn't* attracted to her or anything!

He was just...nervous.

Syaoran did not like the feeling.

<Darn it. There's...*something* about those two. Why do I feel like I've seen them before? Somewhere in the past...>

Sighing, he looked around the empty classroom. He had stayed back to finish homework that needed to be handed in next week-an old habit of his. It left him so much more time for himself. And he *needed* that time, with all the part-time jobs he juggled. <I must be employed by half of Tokyo by now,> he thought with a wry shake of his head.

Glancing at his watch, he sighed again, but this time it was a sigh of relief. Normally, he would have been heading to a small clothing store where he worked as a salesclerk, but the shop was closed today as its owner was celebrating his wedding anniversary. <Kami-sama has no idea how grateful I am.>

He shoved the last exercise book into the bag, zipping it shut.

"Li-kun?"

Syaoran reflected that the way she had been giving him near-heart attacks of late was extremely scary. As it was, he now gave the zip an extra hard tug, and was not surprised when it broke off.

Without turning around, he cleared his throat and spoke, albeit somewhat unsteadily.

"...Sakura?"

"Un." Walking up to his desk, she promptly noticed his damaged bag.

"Hoe! Did I make you break your zip? Gomen nasai..." She twisted her hands together awkwardly.

"Iie...never mind. It was an old bag anyway-I've got another one at home."

"Demo..."

"Daijobu desu. Is something wrong? I thought you'd gone home long ago."

"I stayed back with Tomoyo and the others to do our maths...and I wanted to give you this." Reaching into the front pocket of her bag, she brought out a can of iced green tea to his surprised gaze.

"You must be thirsty, ne? I thought you might like a drink." She smiled.

Not for the first time, he reflected that watching her smile was a lot like watching the sunrise on a beautiful day. And as always, he promptly stopped himself from thinking further.

<Don't go there if you can help it...> He took the can, feeling his face warm up
slightly.

"Arigatou." He *was* thirsty. Popping the can open, he drank.

Sakura began to speak again. "I was wondering..."

At that moment, the sound of approaching footsteps caused them both to look up sharply.. A slender figure entered the room, stopping short in surprise when she saw them.

Crimson eyes narrowed to thin slits, alarming Sakura somewhat.

Meirin looked almost...hateful.

"I did not expect to find you here, Kinomoto-san." She spoke tightly, her gaze darting back and forth between the two of them.

"Sumimasen...you want to speak with Li-kun?" A stiff nod was her only reply.

"Then I'll leave the two of you now. Sayonara, Li-kun. Meirin-san." With a slight bow of her head, she left.

Syaoran watched her leave, a queer light in his eyes that was not lost on Meirin. Crimson slits froze into red ice at the sight.

Finally he sighed, turning his attention to Meirin. "What do you want, Meirin-san?"

She gazed at him intently, with an expression of what might have been wistfulness in her eyes. "You do not recognise me at all?"

"I don't think I knew you until today. But...you do seem familiar, Meirin-san. Your brother, too."

Her face lit up at his words. "Do you?" He nodded, wondering where this was going.

Without warning, her arms were suddenly around him, her face pressed against his shoulder.

Syaoran yelped in shock and fury. "You...you! Let GO of me!" He none-too-gently extracted himself from her grasp, shoving her away from him. Meirin stared at him, hurt showing in her face. He wasn't sorry, however. Was she crazy?

<Gods, if Sakura had seen that, I'd have...> Syaoran had no idea exactly what he would have done, but he was sure that it would have been something *very* unpleasant.

"How could you push your own cousin away?" she asked, her tone almost pleading.

_That_ got to him.

His eyes widened until they could widen no more. "C...cousin?"

<Was Tomoyo right?>

"Cousin," she asserted. "Xiaolang, don't you know who I am? It's me...Meiling. And my brother-Jinlong. Don't say you've forgotten us." She was speaking in Cantonese, and Syaoran gave a start at the names.

"Meiling...?" he said incredulously, also in Cantonese. "Jinlong?

A flood of memories rushed into his head, memories of a dark-haired bubbly girl and mischievous boy he had played with for a few happy months. He had been alone until they had come, doing nothing except to train and study under the guidance of Elders. His mother and sisters never took much notice of him, almost ignoring him most of the time.

They had been his only friends, giving him the companionship his lonely heart had longed for. He could still recall the void that had been in him when they had left, only coming back occasionally after that. Time was always so short, so short.

"Meiling," Syaoran whispered, an indescribable feeling welling up in him. "Is it really you?"

Tears sparkled in the corners of her eyes. "It never was anyone else."

"Why did you come here?" he asked, his throat feeling choked.

"To bring you home."

This direct statement knocked all the wind out of him.

"Bring me...home?" he spluttered. "Whatever for? I thought I wrote a letter telling Mother I was permanently staying in Tokyo."

"You are...needed. I promise to tell you more when we return. You will return with Jinlong and me, won't you?" She looked at him hopefully.

"That is not telling me anything, Meiling! *Why* must I go back?"

"Do not ask questions," she pleaded. "Just promise you'll come back."

"I'm not going to agree to this crazy idea until I know _something_."

Meirin sighed faintly. Silently, she reached into the collar of her blouse. From it, she drew out a fine silver chain threaded through a ring.

A ring in the shape of a lotus. A symbol of betrothal that was unique to his family.

Syaoran stared in mute shock. "It can't be," he finally said, his voice tight.

"...It is. This lotus engagement ring was given to me since I was 9, that year we first met. I know Auntie did not tell you anything, but she had her...reasons that I am not allowed to say. For those same reasons, I was not permitted to let you know."

He was dimly aware that he had balled his hands into tight fists. <Mother,> he thought, a cool anger sweeping through him. <She never changes, does she? Always trying to control my life.>

Meirin continued speaking. "She tells me they are already starting to plan our wedding. Xiaolang, you *must* come home."

"No." The word was said in an icy monotone.

Meirin was taken aback. "Xiaolang?"

"I will not leave Tokyo."

"Why?"  She could not keep the anger out of her voice. "What reasons could you possibly have for wanting to stay here?! All your family is in Hong Kong! You *grew up* there!"

"Did you ever consider that I have friends here, Meiling?" .

"What..."

"Friends, cousin. Good friends. People I treasure, people who care for me more than Mother or my elder sisters ever did." Syaoran's tone was cool and detached, but he had not unclenched his fists.

"No!"

"Yes." She could hear the firm resolve in his voice.

"Meiling, go back with Jinlong. I cannot marry you."

"...Why?"  she asked in a trembling tone.

"Haven't I already said?"

She fell silent, and he saw she was biting her lower lip convulsively.

"Meiling...I'm sorry. But I have no wish to leave Tokyo. _This_ is my home now." The sheer finality of his words hit her, and it was all she could do to refrain from screaming. It was only after what seemed like eternity that she finally managed to compose herself.

That hard-earned composure was nearly destroyed as a new thought struck her.

"Is it that Kinomoto girl?" she asked, her voice dangerously low.

Try as he might, Syaoran was unable to keep the heat from flooding his face. "I...no! O-of course not!"

Meirin looked so sharply at him that it seemed as if her eyes were knives.

"So." She spoke even more softly now, but her voice was no less hard-or bitter. "Jinlong was right."

"It isn't anything like you think, Meiling." But his gaze was troubled, and this did not escape Meirin's notice either.

"I will not give you up so easily, cousin."

"Meiling..."

"If you don't *want* to go back, I will have to *make* you. I am the only one who can have you, cousin." She spoke flatly, her gaze never leaving his face.

"Don't do anything you might regret," Syaoran growled in response. Cousin or no cousin, he was not going to stand for her talking to him like that.

"The making starts now, Xiaolang. Reconsider your decision before any of your...friends," her lips twisted, "are made unhappy."

"What do you mean?" he asked, a sudden cold fear gripping his heart. <What is she thinking?> he mentally screamed. As a child, Meirin had already been...devious, to say the least. He did not want to think of what she had to be
like now.

"Reconsider," she simply replied as she walked out.

"Meiling!" But she was gone.

Wetness on his palms. It was only then that Syaoran realised it was there. He pulled his nails out from his hands with a grimace.

Blood.

~~~~

Meirin walked with rapid steps, not caring for the annoyed exclamations of the people she almost ran into.

<I cannot believe that brother of mine was right,> she thought bitterly.

<I would not be surprised if the sun rose in the west, now.> She bit down fiercely on her lip, but did not feel any pain. Blood left a sharp, metallic taste in her mouth.

That Kinomoto girl. What did Syaoran see in her? She was pretty, true, but beyond that...

And to think she had actually thought that she had seemed rather nice. Meirin spat in disgust. <Auntie was right-men *are* blind.> She was so foolish, thinking Syaoran would have agreed to return with her just like that. Foolish.

But it did not matter. She had meant exactly what she had told Jinron-that one way or another she would have him. The Kinomoto wench would not have him, deep as her claws in him were.

She would see the claws wrenched out one by one, until Syaoran was free again...free, and willing to come to _her_.

For now, it was so lucky that Ishijima-sensei had been so kind as to give her a list of all her classmates' telephone numbers and addresses, wasn't it? Now she knew where the girl was staying.

The wrenching started now. A smile curved Meirin's lips, and it was not pleasant.

~~~~

The doorbell rang, and Touya looked up from his book.

"I'll get it!" he called up the stairs. A muffled response from Sakura's room could be heard where she was changing.

Opening the door, he found a dark-haired girl standing outside. "Is Kinomoto Sakura in?" she demanded.

"Yeah," Touya replied, disliking the girl at first sight. <Pushy,> he thought. <Didn't know Sakura had friends like this.> "She's changing right now. Would you like to come in?"

For an instant, her eyes widened, though he had no idea why. "No. I'll wait here."

"As you please," he shrugged. "I'll call her." He turned back into the house.

"OI! Hayaku, kaijuu! There's a visitor for you!"

"You shut up!" Sakura snapped, suddenly appearing at his side. He blinked.

"Wow...that was fast. Your speed *is* improving of late."

"Mou." She glared at him, but then stared in surprise as she noticed the figure standing outside.

"Meirin-san? Is anything the matter?"

Touya's eyebrows rose slightly at this. <So formal? Then they aren't friends yet, I suppose.> He felt glad, though he did not know why. There was...something about the girl that he did not like. Or did not *trust*, to be more precise. It was a little like how he felt about Li Syaoran.

"I would like to talk with you for a while. Outside, if it is convenient." Her dark-red eyes were strangely triumphant as she eyed Sakura.

"All right," she agreed, wondering what Meirin had to say.

"You come home before it gets dark," Touya ordered. "I don't want 'Tou-chan after my head."

"MOU! Of course!" Sakura stared daggers at him. He smirked, shutting the door behind them.

"Shall we talk there?" Meirin asked coolly, pointing to a large tree by the roadside. "I will not keep you long."

They walked to the shade of the tree. For a while, both were silent.

Sakura finally spoke. "Say what you must, Meirin-san."

Meirin twirled a silken lock of black hair around a slender finger, a thoughtful look on her face. "You are friends with Syaoran?" she calmly enquired.

Sakura arched a brow slightly at the familiar use of the name, but did not comment. "I suppose you could call us that."

" 'Suppose'? Why only 'suppose', Kinomoto-san?" Her tone was openly mocking.

"...I don't know what you mean, Meirin-san."

"Then never mind. Did you know that Syaoran and I are cousins?"

Sakura stared. "Cousins?" she asked in surprise. <Tomoyo-chan was right...>

"Then, I am happy for you and him. And Jinron-san."

Meirin gave a contemptuous sniff. "Do not speak false words, Kinomoto-san."

Now Sakura was really confused.

"Meirin-san...I really meant it. Li-kun is rather lonely-now that you and Jinron-san are here, he won't be anymore."

"As if you meant it...but that is not the only thing I wanted to tell you. I want you to look at this." She drew out a chain from inside of her school blouse, from which a lotus-shaped ring hung.

Sakura eyed it in bemusement. "It's very pretty."

"This is a betrothal ring of my family," Meirin stated.

She was completely in the dark. "You have my congratulations, Meirin-san."

"Are you so sure of that?"

"Of course."

"But did you know that my fiancé is Syaoran?" She smiled tightly.

The world stopped.

"Li...Li-kun?" Sakura whispered. Her voice sounded as if it was coming from a great distance.

<Fiancé...>

"Yes, Syaoran. Do *we* still have your congratulations, Kinomoto-san?"

Sakura finally understood what the triumph in her eyes had stood for. "Un..." she mechanically replied. She was not even sure what she had said. Frozen-that was how she felt.

"I just wanted to let you know, since Syaoran and you are...friends." With a tinkling laugh, she replaced the ring and chain inside her blouse.

"I'll be sure to tell Syaoran you wish us well. Dewa mata, then, Kinomoto-san." Laughing again, she walked off, her long ponytails swinging about her shoulders.

Something in Sakura shattered then.

Whirling around, she sprinted the short distance back to her home. Flinging the door open, she rushed past Touya's surprised face and up the stairs, wanting nothing more than to get to her room before the impending storm broke.

Sakura burst into her room, slamming the door shut behind her, and flung herself onto her bed, burying her face in the pillows. Tears finally came, and she wept, heedless of Kero-chan's alarmed protests or Touya's frantic knocking outside. <Meirin-san...fiancé...>

How long she cried she did not know, but after some time, Touya had managed to get the door open and had her in a tight hug.

" 'Nii-chan..." she choked, finding some relief in the strong arms holding her.

"Hush," Touya murmured, stroking her head the way he had done when she had been little. "Just let it all out, imouto. You'll feel better after."

With another sob, she buried her face in his shirt, crying again. The tears seemed as if they would never end.

<Li-kun...>
 

Index of Japanese words/translations:

Osoku natte, sumimasen--sorry I'm late
Watashi wa Li Meirin desu/Li Jinron desu--I am Li Meirin/Li Jinron
Douzo yoroshiku (onegaishimasu)--'Pleased to meet you'. The formal
'onegaishimasu' is used out of respect.
Douitashimashite--you're welcome
Hajimemashou--let's begin the lesson
Hiruyasumi--lunch/recess time
Seppuku--suicide
Onegai--please
Minna-everyone
Demo--but
Hayaku--hurry up
Mou--something like 'Geez!'
Dewa mata--see you later
Imouto--little sister
 

NOTES:
 

1. For the conversation between Meirin and Syaoran, they are speaking in Cantonese, which is why I typed the names as 'Meiling', 'Xiaolang' and 'Jinlong'. Please note that the actual Cantonese pronunciation of these names is NOT like this. It's different. However, since I only speak Chinese, not Cantonese, I'm using the *Chinese* Hanyu Pinyin spelling, the Chinese way of pronouncing words. The names will be spelt like that for all future Cantonese conversations. Gomen ne...

2. Again, I apologise for any possible OOC-ness in this chapter. Read part 2 for my reasons why I write the characters the way I do. Also, sumimasen if this chapter seemed a bit long-winded-that's just good ol' me. ^__^ I promise that things will finally start moving in the next part!

3. How do you all like Jinron? *grin* Credit must be given where credit is due...a huge hug to Yuling for thinking up his name. 'Jinlong' in the Hanyu Pinyin is made up of the hanzi (simplified kanji characters) meaning 'golden' and 'dragon' respectively. I know, I know, as opposed to Syaoran's 'Little Wolf'...but wolves can be a LOT more cunning than dragons, if ya get me. <wink> Oh, and as for Syaoran and Meirin, his name is spelt in *direct romanisation* unless speaking in Cantonese.

4. To my three pre-readers--Kittyhawk-san, Tin-chan, and RG-chan...THANK YOU SO MUCH!! Your feedback and _constructive_ comments really made my day! And all three of you, I wanna see more of *your* own CCS 'fics out soon, ya hear? Ooh, can't wait...

5. The sentence "Syaoran reflected that the way she had been giving him near-heart attacks of late was extremely scary" is fondly dedicated to Tin Mandigma. *She* knows why, ne, Tin-chan? <laugh>

6. Write write write write WRITE ME!! I don't care what you think about the story, just *tell* me. I really, really need to know your opinions, minna-san. Onegai? *puppy-dog eyes*
 

Next part: We get a little emotional here, so PLEASE bear with me. ^_^;;; And unless I'm much mistaken, Sakura-and-Syaoran lovers like me will like it a LOT. Sa! That's all the hints I'm giving now!
 

Soredewa,

--Syaoran no Miko