There was something cool and wet on her cheek. She didn't know what it was, but it felt nice against her burning skin. Vaguely, she learn a door open somewhere, but she was too lazy to open her eyes.

"Mother!" a familiar deep voice exclaimed. The voice sounded so close… "This is horrible! I shouldn't be caring to this-this servant." He said servant like it was dirty and tainted.

"You will continue treating her. It is an important part of your studies! Suppose your country fell ill and you didn't know what to do!" another voice, this one feminine and commanding said.

"It won't be my country anyways. It'll be Eriol's," Sakura heard the male mutter.

"What was that?"

"Nothing, mother. What if I get sick?"

"You won't. The nurse has informed me you have already gotten the immunization for it. Goodness, why haven't the other countries done so? It's terrible!"

"Because they're dirt poor," the deeper voice mumbled again.

The two continued to exchange ramblings but Sakura paid no attention.

"C'mon, I know you're awake."

Sakura opened her eyes lazily. "Syaoran?"

He snorted. "Never thought you'd see the day right?"

"What are you doing?" she asked, watching as he gently moved the cloth off her head.

"What does it look like?" he spat spitefully. "You got sick, doctor's gone, guess who's his replacement?"

"But…why?"

"Shut up with the questions, dammit. Just hurry up and get better."

She smiled. "If I didn't know better, I'd say that was almost caring."

He actions stilled. "Watch what you say. And you should know I wouldn't care about you anyways." He paused. "I'm leaving now…if you need anything…" He trailed off. "If you need anything…try not to bother me."

Syaoran opened the door to find his brother standing there, smirking like he knew something Syaoran didn't.

"Rather close to her, aren't you?"

Syaoran had to stop himself from clenching his fists. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Eriol looked sad for a moment. "Syaoran, we're brothers. I know you better than you think, even if you're habouring resentment towards me."

"I have no idea what you mean by that," Syaoran repeated himself.

Eriol sighed. "I hope one day we'll be closer," he said softly. With that, he pushed the door open and stepped into Sakura's room.

"Eriol?" Sakura whispered, her voice low.

"How are you doing?"

"I'm getting better. What are you doing here?"

He smiled. "Just wanted to see how you're doing."

He was leaning over her and although her mind felt hazy, she could see him clearly. He had a softness in his face that Syaoran didn't have. She watched as he held up a book he had in his hand. "You like to read, don't you?"

"Yes, how did you know?"

He chuckled. "I've seen you in the library. It's not off limits to servants you know."

"Oh." Well that explained why she couldn't find anything useful in the library. At this rate, she would fail her mission and her country would fall. Her heart tightened as memories of building buildings and the stench of death filled her mind. She felt a sudden surge of anger at the Li's, and the man in front of her.

"Meiling?" Eriol asked, worried, as her face suddenly changed expressions.

She forced herself to smile. "Sorry. Spaced out there for a second."

"Have you read this before?" he asked, gesturing to the book in his hand.

"No, I haven't, but it looks great. Thank you." She reached up to take it, but he drew his hand back.

"I thought I would read to you," he explained.

"No!"

"Excuse me?"

Sakura bit her lip. "I mean, no, it's okay. I don't want to trouble you."

Eriol smiled gently at her. "Oh, but I insist."

He set the book in his lap as Sakura laid back on the bed and within seconds, his deep voice filled the room. Although the story was captivating, Sakura couldn't help but close her eyes to Eriol's soothing voice and she fell fast asleep, with a tiny smile on her face.

Seeing that Sakura was no longer awake, Eriol closed the book and put it beside the resting girl. He left the room and wasn't that surprised to see his younger brother just outside, glaring at the door like it was his greatest enemy.

"Problem?" Eriol inquired.

Syaoran's snapped from the door to meet Eriol's. He could see the raging anger in his brother's brown eyes and it saddened him that Syaoran hated him so much.

"No, not at all," answered Syaoran in a clipped tone, the one he always used when addressing his brother.

"You sure?"

Annoyance flittered across Syaoran's face, but he kept himself from scowling. "Just fine, Highness."

Now it was Eriol's turn to be annoyed. He didn't know how many times he tried to stop Syaoran from calling him by his royal title, but Syaoran said it to spite him. He just wish he knew what he could do to repair the rift between them. He remembered the days when he and Syaoran had been practically inseparable.

"I'm worried about you."

Syaoran shot Eriol a look that showed he clearly didn't believe it. "I'm sure you are," Syaoran spoke softly so that Eriol wouldn't hear, but he had.

"What did I do wrong?" Eriol had wanted to ask that question for so long.

"Nothing. You did nothing wrong. It's not you. If something's wrong, it's my fault," Syaoran mumbled, almost as if repeating someone else's words. "May I be excused? I'm supposed to give Meiling her medicine." He looked to Eriol for approval.

"Certainly." Eriol stepped aside, knowing it was no use to continue talking to Syaoran.

Syaoran opened the door louder than he meant to and he saw Sakura stirring on the bed. He thought she looked a little disappointed when she saw him.

"Expecting someone else?" he questioned.

"Well I think I fell asleep when Eri-I mean, his Highness, was reading to me and I wanted to apologize."

Syaoran's face tightened at the mention on his brother and he allowed the scowl he had been holding back to show.

Angrily, he snatched a glass and filled it with water, then handed it and a few pills to Sakura. She accepted them with question in her eyes. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine!" Syaoran nearly yelled out. "Why does everyone think there's something wrong with me?"

"You looked sort of tense. And a bit mad," Sakura replied timidly.

Syaoran almost yelled at her, then realized she was just answering his question, as rhetorical as it might have been. Maybe she was finally getting over her fear of him…

He sighed. "I'm supposed to be here for another hour."

"Oh…"

He glared. "What, rather have Eriol in here?"

"No, that's not what I meant."

"Then what did you mean?"

"I didn't mean anything! All I said was oh!"

"Yeah, well you sure sounded like you don't want me here. Like I want to waste my time here."

"You don't have to stay," she said quietly. "If you don't want to, I mean."

"My mother will have my head if she finds out I left and probably increase the time," he faltered. "Do you want me to stay?"

"Of course," she replied, rather quickly. "I mean, I would like some company."

Syaoran scoffed. "I know you don't like me. You don't have to lie, I'm not going to have you hanged."

Sakura blushed, giving her cheeks a nice rosy glow. "I was serious."

Syaoran ignored the bubble of happiness in him. Just because no one had ever told him they really wanted his company before didn't mean anything…Besides, she was just a simple servant. He was capable of better company.

His thoughts were disrupted by Sakura's voice. "Syaoran?"

"Hmm..?"

"Will you read to me?"

Both of them were surprised as he complied without hesitation. Sakura found she liked Syaoran's voice better, but maybe that was because she loved the change in him. When he read, he seemed unaware of his surroundings and his voice was anything but mean. Sakura almost felt like his equal.

"Are you even listening to me?"

"What?" Sakura gazed, puzzled, at him.

Syaoran groaned. "You ask me to read and you're not even paying attention to anything I'm saying. I bet you paid attention when Eriol read."

"I'm sorry. Actually, I like it better when you read."

"Really?" He raised his eyebrows in surprise.

"You're not going to tell him I said that right? I don't want to offend him or anything."

He laughed. "I doubt he's going to get offended by you."

Suddenly, the easy atmosphere changed and both were once again aware that Sakura was the servant and Syaoran was of a high position. To be honest with himself, Syaoran was mad he had ruined it. For once, he felt happy talking to someone and he didn't care it was with "Meiling".

"Forget it, I won't tell him," Syaoran said.

"Okay, um, thanks." Sakura glanced around the room so she wouldn't have to look at Syaoran. She spotted the clock across the room. "Your hour is up."

"What?"

"You said you had to stay an hour. It's okay for you to leave now."

"Oh." He was almost out of the room before he stopped. "Meiling?"

"Yes?"

"Get well soon."

And with that, he was gone.

In the week that followed, the queen didn't ask Syaoran to keep Sakura company. The only time Sakura saw him was when he gave her medicine once a day. He never said anything, only handing her the pills and leaving as soon as she swallowed them.

She didn't know if she had unintentionally done something to make him mad, but she figured that was the way he was. Besides, he had always hated her, so one hour shouldn't have changed anything anyway.

The only companionship Sakura had were the times Eriol came to see her. He seemed to genuinely like her and didn't treat her like a servant, which Sakura still found weird.

Sakura was slowly getting better, until one day she was well enough to work again. The doctor had finally come back, so she was examined by him and he stated she was in perfect condition.

She didn't want to start cleaning again, but it was better than being sick. As soon as she got the info, she could return to her normal position as princess of her kingdom. She couldn't wait and she silently vowed to treat her servants even better than she already did.

She brust into Syaoran's room with a duster only to find a tall, curvy girl already in his room, serving Syaoran breakfast.

The girl frowned at Sakura. "Who are you?"

"I'm-"

"Oh, you're the lazy servant who wouldn't do anything work," she cut Sakura off. "It's okay, you can leave."

"What do you mean?"

The girl smirked at Sakura. "Haven't you heard? I'm the prince's new personal servant."