Daily Setup - Skylette
Intro: Yes, yes, I fused chapters one and two. They were too short for their own good. Read and Review please!
Chapter Two: The Name Game
"Somehow...I don't think so."
(SAKURA)
I phoned Tomoyo, only about, a thousand times before she picked up. She said she would be available after today. I can finally have something to do for tomorrow! But then, I still have today to finish off.
I was still a bit far from sleepy. I twirled my hair, as I looked longingly at post cards of Rika, Chiharu, Naoko and the others. They were having so much fun. I on the other hand, could only exasperate myself trying to imagine myself in some sort of beach or snowy wonderland. It wouldn't be today however, that I would be ale to be in those places.
I took a look at the time, hoping that the Chinese I ordered would be able to set my mind off of the things I really didn't feel like thinking about at the moment.
"3:52 PM." I read the clock, speaking to no one in particular.
Time really does slow down when you aren't having fun. I suddenly felt a bit sleepy, just staring at the clock waiting for my soon to be devoured food.
I went downstairs (coming from my brother's room). I guess I was pretty much done messing around with the pictures Touya had of Yukito.
A ring suddenly went off as I was half way down our stairs.
'The doorbell! It must be here!' I thought to myself.
I don't know what came over me. I just, unexpectedly, couldn't help but to be excited about whatever was to come through the door. My body though, didn't do me the pleasure of being anxious. I began to slow down, bumping into things, accidentally knocking down some of Dad's Russian Dolls. My face had a slight frown on it, not reflecting how happy I was that my order finally arrived.
I breathed in deeply before answering the door.
That helped a lot.
In an instant, I felt calm. I then turned the bronze doorknob we had on our faded-white door. Opening quite slowly, I saw a young man who, first of all had my late delivery.
'MY LATE DELIVERY!' I repeated in my mind.
Okay, so it wasn't so late. It was quite early actually.
I blinked hard and took a second look.
Nice shoes.
That was about the only thing I thought of the young man, beyond his late delivery.
I blinked hard, again, and this time I looked up.
He wore a casual clean suit, which, to me seemed a little bit overly pressed. And, holy hell, is that lipstick on his arm?!
Continuing my seemingly never-ending journey of looking up, I found myself looking at his face, which to my surprise was looking back at me with such fascination.
My eyes were still heavy so I shot my eyes more open a notch. "Yes, can I help you?"
It took him a while to respond. "…You…ordered?"
"Why yes…I'll just be taking my food, and you can be on your way." I muttered quickly. "Is there anything to sign?"
He fidgeted, while I reached out for a nice looking papery-plastic bag which had weird stamps all over it, covering a background of four faces that repeated in design.
He then snatched it back.
"I'm sorry." He suddenly said in a mocking manner, "I'm afraid that I can't be on my way just yet."
"And why not?"
Surprised at his sudden change of tone, I questioned and repeated. "Why not?"
"I must have to say that…" he stopped and held the bag away from me, "…you had just ordered me as well."
"I beg your pardon?"
Did I hear that right? Did he just say---
He handed me the ad that I was sure was the one I read earlier today. I read the part he pointed to out loud. There's a fine print!? "Comes with a host…no take-backs and no returns…"
I trailed off with that last statement. "What is this?"
He got his Take-Out stuff and went through the doorway I was so innocently standing under and BUMPED MY ELBOW!
"…My sisters for you." He whispered quietly into my ear.
What in the world was he talking about? But I had to forgive him for bumping my precious elbow this time. BUT ONLY THIS TIME! Besides, I had only met him.
"Your what?" I followed him to our dining room.
He made his way through our house quite well. Almost as if he lived there. No matter. I had ordered to eat my Chinese food. AND EAT MY CHINESE FOOD, I SHALL!
I tied my hair back in a half-ponytail as quickly as I could, ridding my forehead of the bangs that could get into my food and choke me.
The introduced young man seemed to be my age. He started to unload the bag of food that was neatly packed. I angled my head to see his face but I didn't really see much of anything. I could only take note of the color of his eyes, which, for me, annoyingly matched his brown-coloured hair.
I slid the chopsticks out of the bag, as carefully as I could.
Too bad, it wasn't careful enough. He screamed in the highest octave I ever thought possible.
His eyes started to swell. They were redder than Rudolph's nose could ever be.
The end of my rough chopsticks had stung his eyes really bad. As in REALLY bad.
But I could care less.
Especially in account of delivering my late order and bumping my elbow (which, I'm pretty sure, I had forgiven him for already)…
"Oh, you'll be alright," I let out uncaringly.
I was also fairly certain that he had let a 'pssh' out.
(SYAORAN)
My face rested on my hand, my back slumped a bit as I watched the girl fiddle with her food, smelling it a bit, then eating it.
Come to think of it…I don't even know her name yet.
My eyes searched for a clock. Maybe it was late enough for me to think up an excuse and leave!
FOUR FIFTEEN.
This is getting more uncomfortable than I thought it would be.
"Hey." She called out to me, snapping me back out of my mind.
"Yeah?" I asked, sounding less interested than I actually was.
"Do you want some?" she waved her fancy plastic fork at me. "It looks like this dinner is set up for two."
I looked at the table and all the food, still steaming hot, sitting there. There was a lot of food there. I could probably finish it myself, the girl would most certainly never finish it. But I didn't really feel hungry at the time.
"No thanks."
"Suit yourself."
She continued to eat as I continued to stare. I really couldn't do anything. Every time my sisters would set me up with someone, I didn't really talk. Actually, I don't remember talking at all. But someone would always be talking.
It would be either about 'how my eyes sparkle' or about 'heartbreaking memories about countless number of cheating boyfriends'.
Or something like that.
Thank goodness this one isn't loud, but this is getting a bit too awkward, even for me.
I stood up. "I'm uhh, going to get a glass of water."
The young girl just nodded casually and titled her head to the direction of the refrigerator.
And so I got my glass of water.
Before proceeding to my seat however, I stopped. The doorbell rang.
Who or what else could she be expecting?
"I'll get it." She lazily stood up and turned away from her chair. I only looked down and continued to my seat. Uhm, sure, okay.
Limping a bit, I was almost certain she had a cramped up leg. Not that I tried to take notice or anything. She, with no rush, made her way to the door, which needed a series of turns, so I wouldn't be able to see her answering it. Not that I wanted/needed to either.
I actually felt a little relieved when I heard the doorbell ring the first time, but the next 26 times, I must admit, got me a bit anxious.
"Sakura?!" someone had shouted from outside the house. "SAKURA!" the voice repeated louder.
That voice was a male voice. A male voice, I thought. Her boyfriend maybe? And who was this Sakura person? Ohh! It must be the girl!
Sakura, eh? Suddenly, I felt uneven footsteps coming toward my direction. Uneven running footsteps.
The girl quickly ran into the room, sweeping the food on top of the table onto the floor, making my jaw drop slightly in an instant. I don't think she meant to do that. But she did.
What the hell is going on here?
"YOU!" she screamed, "GET OUT OF HERE!"
A little panicky, I looked around.
"GET OUT OF HERE, DAMMIT!"
BANG! CRASH!
Oh God, was that the door?!
I tried to make my way out, but my mind suddenly went blank. Who could it be? A kidnapper? A rapist? A terrorist? Michael Jackson?!
It couldn't be a kidnapping, raping, terrorizing Michael Jackson, could it?! It couldn't be!
He didn't really do all those things, did he? BLOODY HELL! Did he?!
I shoved the thought to the back of my mind when the girl, probably named Sakura (which is such a nice name), pushed me frantically to different directions.
"Don't you understand what 'get out' means? I probably I have to spell it out for you, too! Just, just---"
She took a look around. 'Just?'
Her eyes sparkled as she eyed the staircase and the wooden door underneath it. It was sort of an old looking door with little shudders you could peek through. "Just stay here! And don't make a noise!"
Before I could let out a 'hey!' she tossed me into the dusty closet full of strollers, backpacks and what the hell—knives!?
"Just stay in that closet okay?"
I shook my head. They were only hooks. Thankfully, not hooks for killing and hanging pigs, for one of them had a coat hung on it. I heard some vases crash and footsteps advancing toward the unsightly closet in which I was forced to stay in. Who was this guy?
"Whatever you do," her voice seeped in through the slits in the closet door, "…don't try to smell like anything."
What?
Don't try to smell—what? She baffles me as sure as daffodils would bloom in May. How was I supposed to not smell like anything?
She moved away from the door, blocking the sounds of a still very much heard stomping monster. "Why brother dearest, what are you doing so early from work?"
Oh! So it's her brother!
"Well, my equally dear sister, I was only thinking of you as I selflessly ran out on work because I heard Yuki was sick today."
Yuki? So, now, who was this Yuki?
"Yukito?" she asked interestedly. "Is he alright?"
"Why yes. And he bought a present for you."
I heard a high scream emit from her lips. "Really?"
The shadows that formed through the little space in which I could only sneak a small look through had told me that her brother was a great deal taller than her. To be perfectly honest, that scared me a bit. He was probably capable of murder.
Now, now, Syaoran. Don't be scared. You're capable of murder, too.
Probably remembering the situation, she backed down, leaning her body against the closet. You know what? Apparently, that closet door wasn't built very well. The hinges were loose and the screws that held them in place were starting to fall out. I had to balance her body in the short instant that I noticed, pushing my shoulders against the door. She didn't know that the door had gone all haywire and had decided to break at the worst time possible. She wasn't heavy though, only the door was. I could almost smell her scent through it, too.
"Uhm, would you care to go get changed so we can eat dinner?" she proposed, "I mean, you must be tired from all the work and the effort you put to visit Yukito, wherever he was sick!"
Her shoulders pushed harder against the stupid block of wood I had to straighten. She was sure making this hard for me! Couldn't her brother just quietly sit and knit like most brothers do? Yes, that would be lovely, quietly sit and knit.
"Please?" she begged, her voice sounding a notch higher.
"No," her brother continued to walk those horrible sounding thuds, "Especially not now."
Why?! Why 'especially not now'!? IT SHOULD BE ESPECIALLY NOW! ESPECIALLY NOW THAT I'M HERE! NOW THAT I'M CARRYING, PROBABLY, THE HEAVIEST DOOR IN THE WORLD!
"Especially now that, I smell a man. Yes, Sakura, now that I smell a man!"
This statement made me freeze on the spot. I still held the door, but I couldn't jerk a muscle or anything.
"Uhm. No!" Sakura, if I may, yelled defensively.
"'Uhm no' what, Sakura?"
"NO! That isn't a man! It's a…it's a---SQUIRREL!"
Oh, I remember now! I suddenly just have toremember now, this was the creature that called my sisters up and told them that she wanted a one-week dinner course! How wonderfully this is all turning out! A squirrel!
"A squirrel?" he repeated.
"That's right! A squirrel!" she nervously replied.
"Somehow, I don't think so."
Yeah. I wouldn't either.
"So, if I find that kidnapping, raping, terrorizing Michael Jackson, be prepared!"
Uhm. Sure. Okay. Uh-huh.
"I swear, Touya, it's only a squirrel!"
Now, I felt like wishing that I really was a squirrel. BUT NO! I had to be the kidnapping, raping, terrooah---the handsome, smart, sweet-looking devil that you can only wish to be! Damn me and my perfect self!
The man (who I presume, by now, was a vampire out to suck my delicious blood—I've tasted it myself) started to pace up again. Whatever the girl would say wouldn't matter to him, he could only suspect it to be some child molester that she protectively hid behind a closet door. A PARTICULARLY HEAVY CLOSET DOOR!
Why couldn't I listen to the girl!? Why couldn't I try to not smell like anything!? Why couldn't I, why couldn't I!?
I'm too perfectly young to die!
"Step aside, Sakura."
And so she did. With me still pushing the door.
"And who--" I heard in a clear voice, as I was now neatly sprawled onto the door on the floor. "—is this?"
She couldn't answer herself, she didn't even know my name.
"It's my squirrel, you silly."
She let out a distressed laugh, patting my head.
I'd laugh too. But I guess I was too busy trying to figure out how to get out of the hell hole which they call a home.
(SYAORAN)
Later...
"OH MY GOD! RUN! RUUUUUUNNN!"
"I'm running! I'm running!"
"What the hell were you doing to my sister!?"
"I did nothing! NOTHING!"
"SHUT UP AND RUUUUUNN!"
Who knew?
Who knew today would turn out like this? I don't think I've seen anyone act this violently. Of course, there are movies and all so let's cross out that part. The most violent situation I've ever been in, next to this one, was probably the time when Eriol accidentally lent my underwear to the poor. I gave him three black eyes…if that was possible.
So, how exactly was this situation violent? Taking out a crazed mad man running around with a steak knife (a bloody, rusty one at that), not that violent.
"BUT I—"
"I SAID SHUT UP!"
(SAKURA)
Ugh. We finally wore Touya down. And that Syaoran Li boy escaped before any limbs were cut off.
So, he told me his name.
Syaoran…Syaoran? Must be Chinese.
I told him my name too. But he told me that he figured it out by himself.
To think, I'm going to have to continue doing this for a week. But I have plans with Tomoyo-chan tomorrow…Oh what should I do?
Maybe I'll go cancel it or something. Surely they have an address in that commercial ad.
"Monster! Come down here and clean this mess up!"
Touya.
"I'm coming down, asshole."
(SYAORAN)
Pant, pant, pant. "That was absolutely horrifying."
I never want to do that again. Ever.
Okay so, what now? I'm finished with day one so I guess…
I'll go home?
I looked up ahead. My house was now only a few blocks ahead. I could tell, it was, afterall, the biggest house in the neighborhood. I mean, what do you expect? Our family's very rich. Just forget the part about their new business charade---Me.
I slowed down my pace as I noticed some stuff across my arm. Noodles, splotches of soy sauce and…is that lipstick?
I sighed.
That's probably why her brother chased me like hell. He saw that? Who in their right mind wouldn't suspect us of doing something after seeing that?
My sisters really should stop kissing me. I'm seventeen for crying out loud.
Click-clak! Click-clak!
A girl suddenly came into sight, hurrying with what seemed to be 4-inched high heels.
I stared at her. And I continued to stare…up until that moment she bumped into me.
She muttered muffled words into my shirt. It looked like she didn't notice she bumped into me.
"Excuse me?" I started.
Her muttering stopped and familiar amethyst eyes looked up at me. It matched the colour of her hair, I noticed. "Oh, I'm sorry."
She moved away from me, video camera at hand.
"I'm really sorry! It's just--"
Familiar…Familiar…why were her eyes so familiar?
She poked her head out of her apologetic form and ALMOST screamed, "Li-kun!?"
It was that weird girl! That pretty weird girl! No, I mean, that pretty girl! That pretty and yet weird girl! The one who kept on talking about that girl and wasn't really my type!
Tomoyo Daidouji was the girl I had my first date with!
I screwed up my eyes, quizzically, heeey… "What are you doing here?"
Disclaimer: I don't own CCS, CLAMP does. I'm still getting over it.
Outro: Will be on hiatus.