Card Captor Sakura Fan Fiction ❯ Prince Charming ❯ Chapter Three ( Chapter 3 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

A few days after the stalking incident, Sakura goes to work in her bakery and sees her employees. Syaoran also arrives at the bakery for lunch. The mystery person who lives above Sakura's bakery is revealed.

Anime/Manga: Card Captor Sakura Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Mystery / Romance / Suspense | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 03.22.2008 | Pages: 4 | Words: 6.1K | Visits: 175 | Status: Work In Progress

PRINCE CHARMING
BY
PRINCESSxSHAWN

CHAPTER THREE

SAKURA'S POV

It had been a few days since my stalking incident, and once again I found myself spending the night with Tomoyo. Although I've always been a morning person, three in the morning was pushing it just a little. And as usual, Tomoyo and I had stayed up till well past midnight, who knows exactly when we went to bed. I really wasn't used to this much lack of sleep. But I had to get to the shop and start working though. The other employees I had hired, Toya and Yukito, were going to arrive at the shop at around five and I had to be there and ready for them.

I dressed quickly and quietly, waking Tomoyo just long enough for her to get me a ride to the shop. Tomoyo lived farther up one of the mountains surrounding the valley, more into wine country then most other residents. It was a good twenty to thirty minute car ride. I didn't even want to think about having to walk it. Ugh. And in the snow. Double ugh.

But Tomoyo quickly arranged for her chauffer to give me a ride and said goodbye before falling back into bed. Man, I wish I could have gone back to sleep. But the shop needed me. Besides, it was Friday and I could hold out just one more day.

I catnapped during the car ride down the winding road and before I knew it we had arrived. The shop was dark and empty as I approached, the third story apartment the same.

Glancing at my watch, I quickly moved to the door, swiftly unlocking it. I moved through the darkness toward the light switches in the back. As I flipped them on, artificial light flooded the first floor and spilled out onto the dark street outside.

The first floor, the shop, was a good sized room. There was plenty of space for the counters and the few chairs that were placed about. Close to the back wall was the long, see through counter that was currently filled with what had not sold the day before. But

Soon it would be filled with fresh breads, cookies, and pastries, waiting for customers. The leftovers would be moved to a counter space at the end reserved specially for day old products. A cash register sat silently on the counter, surrounded by a tip jar, business cards of nearby businesses, and a small drive for a local charity fund. Behind the counter and up against the back wall from top to bottom were large shelves. Boxes with The Magic Blossom logo on them sat neatly organized. Some would later be filled for box orders, but most were to be used once customers started coming in. Just behind the counter but in front of the shelves was the small kitchen I worked in. There was just enough space to make a couple of batches of whatever I was making. The oven was in a small room behind the shelves, along with cooling racks and other important tools. But I preferred to see my customers as I baked, and for them to see me.

The rest of the room was reserved for anyone who wanted to sit down. Three or four sets of tables and chairs filled the rest of the room. All the tables had the cute little creatures I had painted onto them, matching the wallpaper that painted the walls. They were mainly cute little creatures flying or dancing. On the top of the wallpaper was a card like border, each little creature on its own card.

While the shelves surrounded the back wall behind the counter and kitchen, and the wallpaper covering the side walls, the front wall was window to window. The main glass doors stood next to the painted front windows. Small bunches of fake flowers sat on the small windowsills. In the spring I would plant real flowers in the flower boxes outside, but for now they were filled with pretty white snow.

And finally next to the counter was the single staircase that led up to the second and third floors.

A sudden jingle of bells caused me to jump violently. They were usually to alert the staff of a new customer, but no one showed up this early. Hell, we weren't even open for another three hours. Normally I locked the door behind me, but I must have forgotten today. Slowly, I turned around. The memories of my stalker incident a few nights before were still fresh in my mind. There in the doorway, hanging up his coat and hat was a young man, roughly my age but maybe younger; it was too hard to tell. His dark black, almost purple like hair hung over his equally dark eyes. Thin glasses framed his pale face. Suddenly the man looked up at me and smiled brightly.

“Hello Ms. Kinomoto,” the young man said, bowing slightly as he finished hanging up his scarf. Who... Who... I knew that voice but...

“Eriol?” I asked hesitantly.

The young man nodded, smiling brighter. Oh thank goodness.

“Wow Eriol! You've changed so much!” I said happily, approaching him as I sighed inwardly. Eriol was another employee who worked at the bakery, but had been in England for the past month or two going to school and visiting his family. I completely forgot that he was going to return any day now. Oh thank goodness. “So how was your time in England?”

“It went very well,” Eriol explained. “I got home a few days ago. I tried stopping by last night but it seems you had already left. I thought I'd stop in early and give you a hand.”

I laughed. “How did you know I'd need some help? Well, we had a big day yesterday and there is a lot to clean up and organize. How about you go ahead and start setting up the eatery while I start down here. I'm going to get a head start on the baking today. You'll be starting off up there anyways, like usual. Toya and Yukito will be here probably around five. Toya will be working with you again today.”

Eriol smiled and turned to go up the stairs to the eatery. “Roger that,” he replied before disappearing up the stairs.

I sighed as he left. God that had scared me. I didn't mind being in the shop alone with Eriol, he had come in early multiple times before to help out. He had worked for me for years. But... but what if it hadn't been Eriol? I shivered. No one was around and the streets were quiet this time of night. And no one would have been around to help me. Dr. Syaoran Li wouldn't have been there, no matter how much I would have wanted him. He wouldn't be there to save me again. I would have been alone.

I took a deep, shaky breath. Stop it Sakura, you're scaring yourself. You're perfectly fine. It was only Eriol. And now he's here and you're not alone.

I moved to the door, locking it again. Just in case. Toya and Yukito would arrive in two more hours and could knock.

Just in case.

This time, I was prepared for the two loud raps against the cold window that came two hours later. Toya and Yukito always came together and usually arrived right on time. I smiled at the pair, unlocking the doors and letting them in.

“Good morning boys,” I said, ushering them in from the cold.

“Good morning Ms. Kinomoto,” Yukito replied in a cheery voice as he began to strip away his winter coat and hat. Toya merely grumbled a response as he did the same.

Both boys were tall for their age, both attended the same high school. Actually, they towered over me. Yukito was usually the more cheerful one and if I wasn't careful, he'd eat the entire shop. Man could that boy eat. His mousy gray hair dangled in front of his porcelain, almost feminine like, skin. Like Eriol, he had thin glasses that sat in front of his soft gray eyes. Toya however, was usually the grumpy one. But he worked hard. He was probably the same towering height as Yukito, but contrasted him with his dark hair and piercing dark glare. Lately, Toya seemed to be in an even worse mood whenever a strange girl chose to visit the shop.

I had already been baking for a long while before the boys had arrived, and flour covered my hands and apron. “For today,” I began, wiping flour from my hands, “Toya will be working up stairs in the eatery with Eriol for breakfast hours. Yukito, you're with me in the shop until noon when we'll all switch.”

“Eriol's back?” Yukito asked happily.

I nodded. “Yeah, he's been working all morning. Luckily for you Toya, he's already cleaned the entire eatery so you won't have to do it. He even cleaned the kitchen too. He's on a break right now upstairs.”

Toya merely shrugged, heading to the stairs. He paused before heading up though, turning back to Yukito.

“If she shows up,” he said in his low voice, “don't tell here I'm here.” And with that he quietly slipped up the stairs.

Yukito laughed, moving behind the counter.

“Who's he talking about?” I asked with a sly smile.

Yukito smiled back. “A new girl from our school has a crush on Toya. However, he's not quite sure to do with her.”

I chuckled softly aloud at the picture. Ah, young love. It's always so cute. And to Toya, of all people.

So cute.

By six the shop and the eatery were up and running. I had decorated hundreds of cookies and pastries, Yukito helping me bake just as many loaves of bread. All the leftovers from the day before had been moved, and the long counter gleamed with the new goodies. And by six-fifteen customers were already arriving.

I had always opened shop early because of one main reason: the hospital. The shop sat right on the main roadway to the hospital and many nurses and other workers walked or drove by on their way to work. While most stayed just long enough to pick up a loaf of bread or pastries or cookies, many took the time to go up and eat a full fledged breakfast in the eatery. Eriol was known for making the best scrambled eggs in the world, and Toya's sausages and pancakes were to die for. Add my home brewed coffee to the mix and you get a whole bunch of customers.

As Yukito waited on the large forming line in the shop, I continued to bake. We'd have a small slow spell around ten or eleven but the hospital workers would be back by noon for lunch. So I had to make enough to last us until three or four when the next slow spell would be.

Secretly I scanned the waiting line for a face as I rolled more dough out. A certain face in particular. I saw Ms. Mizuki who was a nurse and a regular customer. But not the particular face I was looking for. I sighed softly, looking down as I worked. Of course, why would he come? Sure I gave him that cake but that didn't mean he would suddenly start coming. And sure when he had been walking home after he helped me he was heading this way, but that doesn't mean he'd stop in.

I pounded the dough I had been working with and Yukito glanced back at me. I gave him a shrug and continued working.

Damn.

Finally by eleven the crowd slowed down. Now it was usually the elderly regulars who stopped in at the eatery. By now it was time for Toya and Eriol to move downstairs to man the store while Yukito and I headed up to the eatery. While Toya and Eriol were masters at breakfast foods, Yukito could make some mean sandwiches and soups. I usually took the time to wait on any customers, fill out the books for the morning sales, and pay any bills. Later at three or four, we would switch around again. I would go back to baking, but mainly cookies and loaves of bread for the dinner crowd. Toya and Eriol would do their bests with salads, burgers, and drinks until nine, closing time. I probably wouldn't get home until around ten-thirty or eleven, since we still had to clean up afterwards, and I still had to walk home.

“Sa-ku-ra!” came a sudden sing-songy voice. I looked up and smiled. Tomoyo, as glamorous as always, stood in the doorway, waving her hands.

“Morning Tomoyo,” I said happily.

“Good morning,” Tomoyo replied, taking a seat in front of me. The eatery was similar to the shop downstairs with the same tables and chairs and wallpaper. But the counter wasn't see through like the one downstairs and there were no shelves behind it. Instead there was a large opening in the wall for the kitchen where Yukito worked. This kitchen contained a grill, an oven, and more to allow more variety in the foods that were to be prepared. I was sitting behind the counter on a stool, another group of stools sat on the opposite side.

“Can I get the usual please Yukito?” Tomoyo called into the kitchen.

“Sure thing Ms. Daidouji,” Yukito called back as he picked up some sandwich bread I had baked earlier.

“So,” Tomoyo began, leaning against the counter, “guess who I just saw downstairs?”

“Who?” I inquired curiously.

“Your cute little Dr. Li,” Tomoyo said seductively.

I gasped. “What? What's he doing here?”

Tomoyo smiled at my reaction and shrugged. “He was buying two pastries and some bread when I came up here. I only noticed him because he and Toya seemed to be staring daggers at each other, with Eriol between them.”

“No way...” I muttered softly. So he really did come. I smiled to myself. He really did come.

“Oh, I know that smile Ms. Sakura Kinomoto,” Tomoyo laughed. “You seem to have something for this doctor fellow, a little more something than I originally thought.”

I blushed softly which only caused Tomoyo to laugh harder.

“Are you talking about Dr. Syaoran Li?” Yukito asked as he sat a sandwich and soup in front of Tomoyo. A classic bacon, lettuce, and tomato sandwich with tomato soup. Tomoyo's meal almost everyday during the winter season.

I blushed softly and nodded, knowing Yukito had overheard our conversation. Tomoyo too nodded at him as she picked up her sandwich and took a bite. I looked away from him, stealing a pickle from the side of Tomoyo's plate. Yummy.

“Oh well, Dr. Li is a regular here. Although he usually comes in earlier for breakfast, he's sometimes here for lunch. He orders out a lot too,” Yukito explained.

This time both Tomoyo and I gasped, Tomoyo practically choking on her sandwich.

“You're kidding!” Tomoyo cried.

Yukito shook his head. “Actually, since he wasn't here this morning for breakfast, he'll probably come up and get something to eat.”

“How come I've never seen him?” I asked. This was crazy! Not only was he a regular customer, but I'd never noticed him before. I knew all the regulars that came in, or at least I thought I did.

Yukito shrugged. “Good question. He's usually in the eatery when you're downstairs, but he usually buys a pastry or two for lunch.”

I ran my hand through my hair. This was crazy!

“Speak of the devil,” Yukito suddenly said. “Here he is now.”

My head snapped up toward the doorway. Standing there was Dr. Syaoran Li. Unlike the other night, he wore dark dress pants and a soft blue dress shirt. A brown tie hung from around his neck, accenting his hair and eyes. In one hand was the small bag that contained his purchased pastures. The other held a dark brown leather jacket.

“Good morning Dr. Li,” Yukito said pleasantly, heading back for the kitchen. “The usual?”

The doctor nodded and moved away from the doorway. He approached the counter, sitting down two seats away from Tomoyo and myself.

I could barely keep my eyes off of him. The light from the windows always had flooded the room with light, and right now that light was encircling him, enhancing his features much better than the dim florescent lights of the hospital had. Oh god did he look so much better in the sunlight. I could see the variety of shades of brown in his hair, the light playing off of it. He seemed taller and thinner, yet more muscular than I remembered, his chest broader. And suddenly he turned, looking right at me.

Oh god. He had beautiful, amber eyes. Before they were ugly brown mud puddles compared to these radiating chocolate orbs that gazed into me now.

“Hello again,” his voice rumbled. It was deep, but not too deep. Just right.

Blushing softly, I bowed my head. “Good morning. Thank you again for helping me the other night.”

Dr. Li shrugged. He looked quizzically at Tomoyo, waiting for an introduction.

“Oh, this is Ms. Tomoyo Daidouji, a friend of mine. Tomoyo, this is Dr. Syaoran Li,” I explained, knowing Tomoyo already knew him.

“It's nice to meet you,” Tomoyo said kindly, bowing her head slightly.

The doctor nodded his head back in response.

“And here you are doctor,” Yukito claimed happily, bringing out another plate and bowl. “The usual.” He set the plates down and headed back to the kitchen. I peered over at Dr. Li's meal. A simple turkey sandwich with chicken noodle soup and a small slice of bread sat in front of him. Such a simple meal for such a complex man.

I glanced over a Tomoyo as the silence grew between us.

“Say something,” Tomoyo mouthed, urging me.

“So, uh, Dr. Li,” I began softly (damn I'm probably blushing again), “I hear you are a regular here. I didn't recognize you the other night I guess.”

Dr. Li nodded, taking a bite of his sandwich. “I come for breakfast. You're cook may have a crappy attitude but his pancakes are the best.”

I chuckled softly, unsure if I had just received a compliment or a complaint. “Well that's Toya for you. Anyways, I'm sorry for making you go all the way back to the hospital. You didn't seem like you wanted to be there.”

Dr. Li shrugged again. “I had had a bad day. But it was no big deal. Better than you getting hurt.” He turned away from me, going back to his food.

After a moment however, he turned back to face me with those gorgeous eyes. “What were you doing walking around so late at night anyway? You weren't walking home were you?”

I nodded. “I had just closed up the shop. My apartment doesn't have a parking spot so I have to walk. It's not that far,” I explained.

“Still, that was reckless of you. You should be more careful,” the doctor commented before returning to his food.

And once again the silence began to grow between us. No, no! I wanted to talk to him more, but what else was there to say? And the silence just kept on growing and growing between us as Dr. Li continued to eat. Thank him? No, I had already thanked him about four times. Damn it!

“It's too bad Sakura has to walk home,” Tomoyo suddenly commented as she swirled her spoon in her soup.

Dr. Li looked up again, dipping his bread into his chicken noodle soup. He took a quick bite. I smiled as it seemed like he was savoring it.

“It would be best if she could have bought the floor upstairs,” Tomoyo continued. “But someone already bought it.”

Dr. Li nodded. “You say you don't live far. But how exactly far away is it?” he asked me.

“Well it's sort of far away,” I answered. “A good twenty minute walk.”

“We don't know who lives on the third floor. Such a man of mystery. Or it could be a woman of mystery I guess...” Tomoyo finished. She took a quick sip of her hot soup.

“Oh I know who lives on the third floor here,” Dr. Li suddenly said. Tomoyo and I gasped once again. So many surprises today, and it was only eleven-thirty!

Dr. Syaoran Li smiled at me. Oh god, his smile... I could feel myself melting, really I could. I was so absorbed with his eyes and his smile, I almost forgot what I was going to ask him.

“You do? Oh who is it?” I asked softly.

“I live there.”

Tomoyo's soup spewed from her lips and I completely fell off my stool.

CONTINUED

DISCLAIMER: I do not own any of these characters, CLAMP does.

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Yep-yeppers, so here is chapter three of Prince Charming. I hope you all enjoyed it. It's the longest chapter so far, but probably not the longest chapter we'll ever have.

This chapter was also a total pain to write. I had so much trouble trying to write what I wanted and get the transitions, etc. But overall I think it came out pretty well, despite all my troubles.

So here are the answers for chapter two's Reference Game: Rika, Fujitaka, Reed, Nadeshiko, Avalon, Yue, & Clow. This chapter, there are five references. See if you can guess them all! I've decided on a prize. The first five who get it right will get their names in a special author's note in the next chapter. So good luck:)

So let's see now. I'm going to be busy this year because school is harder than ever. My other story, Seeing is Believing, is almost over but this one has a ways to go. So for all you reading, this is what you're going to have to do to get your chapters faster. The more reviews I get, the faster the next chapter comes out. Now out of the like, six hundred or so views that this story has, I'm sure at least a few of you can bring out ten or fifteen more reviews. They don't have to be long, a `nice' or a `good' or even a `bad' would be fine. But you guy's won't get your next chapter until then! If you guys give me at least ten, I'll have it out within a day or two of getting those reviews. But if I get let's say fifteen or more, I'll put it out the day I get those reviews. Sound fair? Good. ;)

Alrighty-dotty, until then! Adios! Review por favor!