Unpredictable
By: DEVILZ CHIK
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Created:
November 16, 2005 (11:41 PM)
Disclaimer:
I don't own CCS
Summary: She was the one who taught him how to love but yet she was also the person who hurt him in the end. Many things can happen when words are not spoken at the right time. And fate always has something against each person to play with them.
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Chapter 1
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October 7, 2005, Monday
7:18pm
A letter was between Syaoran's hands. He had not moved a single muscle when he finished reading it. He just could not believe what he had just read. They could not be broke. He could not possibly live a normal life from now on if he has no money to enjoy its worth.
'Our company is going bankrupt, Xiao Lang. You need to find a job because we cannot send money for your needs other than your tuition fee for the rest of your high school…'
The words kept repeating in his mind. It was as if his mother is talking right in front of him. After regaining back his senses, he put the letter down and reached out for his phone. He dialed their number in Hong Kong but this was what he got: 'The number you have dialed is not in service.'
He slammed the phone down and groaned. He looked out the window of his room and saw hundreds of buildings outside. He lived in a condominium unit together with their butler, Wei. He was the one who takes care of Syaoran in Japan. Now that they are broke, he was not sure if Wei would actually stay and put up with him.
Syaoran sighed. It was a long weekend and he planned to get a job quickly tomorrow morning.
October 8, 2005, Tuesday
9:17am
"Just help me find a job, Eriol," Syaoran was saying to Eriol. "I don't need any of your bickering."
"I don't know any employers asking for 17-year-old employees, alright?" Eriol replied. "Do you even know anything about working?"
"What are you trying to say huh? Of course I know something about working!" Syaoran said, sounding mostly that he was trying to convince himself.
"Except that if you work hard, you won't get fired, what else do you know huh?" Eriol teased, grinning broadly since he knew that Syaoran knew nothing about working his ass off on something.
"You don't know what I know!" Syaoran said in defense, dropping the topic. "So are you gonna come with me after school to go job-hunting?"
"I can't and I'm not sorry," Eriol replied. Students then filled up the room as classes are about to start. "I have to meet up with Yamazaki. We need to work on our Computer Project."
"You're gonna bring Yamazaki with you?" Syaoran said, almost shouting at his best friend. "Who am I supposed to go with?"
"Your other self," Eriol said and that was the last bit of their conversation. Eriol turned around to face the teacher as she began her discussion.
Syaoran did not pay any attention at all in the class. He kept thinking of any jobs that he can have – that he can actually do – that he is good at. He listed the things that he's good at: soccer, soccer, soccer, math, math, staying handsome and irresistible.
He could not possibly apply in the Tutorial Center in their school to teach math because he would not gain money there. He did not know any place where he can earn money from soccer aside from being a national soccer player.
Staying handsome and irresistible. The first thing that came into his mind is to be a dancer in some club but no. He would not sink that low and he was not that desperate.
He walked out of the class, still thinking of where to apply for a job and who would actually accept a 17-year-old high school student. As far as he knows, it was illegal. The legal age for working is eighteen.
Oh well.
Finally, it was the end of the day. Eriol and Yamazaki – two of his best friends did not even show a little bit of sympathy towards him but deep inside, he knew that they would help him eventually. They said their good byes as Syaoran went on his way for his job hunting.
He didn't bother to go home and change from his uniform. He was looking for random restaurants or cafes that might have a job offering.
I've been walking since forever. I guess today is not my day… or not. When he turned left from the street he was walking on, he found a very nice looking café who sells cakes and coffee and those stuffs. Outside the door was a sign that says: 'Wanted: Bartender/ Waiter/ Waitress'.
He quickly went inside. The café was filled with a good number of people. The business was great, he thought. On the cashier area, there was a tall guy who was busy writing down something on a piece of paper.
Syaoran coughed to get his attention as he glanced down at the paper the guy was writing on. It was an outline for an essay.
"May I help you?" the guy asked him, looking at him as if he was his greatest enemy ever. Or maybe that was how the guy looks at everyone.
"I saw the sign outside," Syaoran started. "I was wondering if you can give me the job."
"You go to Tomoeda High School," the guy said, noticing Syaoran's uniform. "You're just in high school and you're in that high school. I don't expect you to know anything about bartending or any of that matter. What's your name?"
"Li Syaoran," Syaoran replied.
"I'm Touya," the guy said. "I'm the son of the owner of this place. He's mostly out of town so my sister and I run this place. Wait, are you eighteen already?"
"No, seventeen," Syaoran blurted out, cursing inside his mind that he should have lied about his age. But there was something about Touya that made him tell the truth. Maybe it was the glare.
"Why the hell do you need a job?" Touya demanded. "You're just a junior!"
"I need money," Syaoran answered as sincerely as possible to convince the guy in front of him. "My family in Hong Kong is going bankrupt and they can't really give me enough money anymore to sustain my needs aside for my tuition for the rest of my high school."
"Oh, you're a Li," Touya said but not particularly at Syaoran. He seemed to have remembered something all of a sudden. "I think my father did business with your family once. Out of the kindness of my heart and since I need to finish an essay by tomorrow, let's see if you can handle the job."
"You're giving me the job?" Syaoran asked, just to make sure he was hearing correctly.
"Yes, I am," Touya said, sighing, making it clear that he was doing it since he had no choice. "Do you want to go change first?"
"I'm starting today?"
"Ten bucks per hour," Touya said, clearing out his papers on the counter and putting them on a table not far from the bar. "You will probably work four to five hours a day here after school. You don't have to go during weekends if you don't want. My sister got those two days covered for the bartending. Sounds good?"
"Yeah," was all Syaoran could say after everything that had happened.
"So you want to change or do you want to advertise your uniform?"
"I don't have anything to change into," Syaoran said as he followed Touya to the back room of the café.
"You can have these," Touya said, throwing him a pair of red jeans and a black shirt. "Don't worry; it was just washed yesterday."
"Ok," Syaoran said. "So what exactly do I do? This is my first time doing this, I'm sorry, but I will try very hard."
Touya sighed. "To start off, you can remove the sign outside. And then, stay away from the cash box. Don't ever put in money there. That's not your job yet. For today, you can just wipe the tables and take customers' orders. And leave your parents' number before you leave. I will need to talk to them. "
"Ok," Syaoran said once again, still could not believe.
"Hurry up now. People are waiting."
Syaoran turned to exit. Touya was going to bathroom but before Syaoran left and before Touya reached the bathroom, Syaoran turned around and called him. "Thank you," he said politely. "I owe you big time."
Touya had finally ditched his homework and preferred to stay focused in running the café. Syaoran had headed out and started his job. He was doing great. He was taking orders – he was pretty familiar with the delicacies, maybe because he had been there before. But what caused Touya to go out and keep an eye on him was when he was cleaning up his first table.
Syaoran did well disposing off the cups of frappes but when he took the tray and placed the plates there, he almost knocked them all down – almost knocked down the other waiters while he was walking to the kitchen to deliver the plates. Touya was laughing at Syaoran on the inside but then he helped the guy.
Touya assigned Syaoran just to take orders and taught him the shortcuts of the orders while doing so. It was a busy hour and it looked pretty hectic to Syaoran. Touya helped him take orders when he knew Syaoran looked like he was going to break down.
Before Syaoran knew it, it was nine o' clock and it was time for him to go home.
"You can go now," Touya said. "You did a great job today. We need to work on your tables-cleaning skills, though."
"I'm sorry about that," Syaoran said, smiling at himself at how stupid he looked a while ago. "This is my parents' number. That's the only number that I know that is currently working. It's my dad's office. He works at seven to five."
"Ok," Touya said, getting the paper from Syaoran. "Don't forget your uniform back there and are you going to be here again tomorrow?"
"I guess so," Syaoran replied. "I might just be late on Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays – soccer practice."
"Oh, so you're a soccer player," Touya said, nodding. "Then how come you don't have balancing skills?" Touya smirked at him and Syaoran just looked down controlling himself.
Maybe he would allow this guy to diss him all he wants as long as he pays him for the job.
"Here's your first salary, by the way," Touya said, giving him his first pay check.
"Thanks," Syaoran said thankfully. "I'll go now."
October 8, 2005, Tuesday
9:15pm
"I don't see the sign anymore," Sakura said to his brother as she walked inside the café. Most people in the café were just talking while drinking their coffees. "I see you've found your guy. Where is he?"
"He just left," Touya said, gathering his stuff so that they could both go home. His little sister had come down there to pick him up. "He goes to Tomoeda School as well."
"Is he a senior?" Sakura asked.
"No, a junior like you," Touya replied. "You probably know him."
"Isn't that illegal? Employing someone below the age of eighteen?"
"As far as I know, you're an employee, too."
They were now in the car. Touya went to the driver's seat while Sakura went to the front seat beside him.
"But I'm doing it voluntarily and I don't get paid," Sakura reasoned out.
"Well let's just say: I have a plan in mind and besides, this guy needs help financially. I can't carry it in my conscience that I didn't even do anything to help him when I know I can."
"What are you going to do?"
"Just wait and see. And please go to the café after your cheerleading practice. The guy needs help around the cafe. All he did today was take orders because that's all he was capable of. And I think he'll be more comfortable if he's with someone his age."
"Yeah whatever."
October 9, 2005, Wednesday
2:45pm
Sakura didn't even bother to ask the name of the person her brother was talking about. She did mention it to Tomoyo so when her best friend asked her who it was, she could not reply a name.
"I wish I can go with you today to the cafe," Tomoyo said, while walking with Sakura to her cheerleading practice to the gym. "But I have to stay for choir practice. The school concert's coming up."
"Oh yeah," Sakura said, remembering. "I'll be there, Tomoyo."
"Thank you," Tomoyo smiled at her. They were in front of the gym already. Sakura was about to open the door but then someone was coming out from the gym.
They let him through the door then he muttered a thank you to them.
"Seems like there's a soccer practice today," Tomoyo teased. "I bet you want to see your gorgeous Hisashi."
"Of course I do!" Sakura said, feeling happy all of a sudden. "Too bad, we're not practicing a routine for them. We're doing something for the basketball team." She let out a breath when they reached the girls' changing room.
"I have to go now," Tomoyo said. "Good luck and don't break a leg!" Tomoyo waved while running out to the gym and bumped into someone accidentally. She blushed in embarrassment seeing it was Eriol she bumped. She bowed in apology but Eriol would not just let her go. He asked if she was alright, she just nodded and rushed out.
Sakura smiled seeing every single thing that happened. She was happy for her best friend. She went to change and got ready for their practice.
"Are you working later again?" Eriol asked Syaoran.
They were just given a five-minute break from their practice. It was so sunny and they were all thirsty, that's why.
"Yeah, I have to," Syaoran replied, still panting. "I need the money. Good thing, I don't have any homework. You want to check out the place I work at?" he said, addressing his two best friends in front of him.
"Maybe some other time," Yamazaki replied. "We're not done yet with our Computer Project."
"I don't see why you're taking so long to finish it," Syaoran said, rolling his eyes.
"You don't get it and you won't get it because you're not taking Computer Programming!" Eriol snapped. "Loser chicken!"
Syaoran punched him softly on his arm. "Sucker!"
Syaoran quickly changed after soccer practice, taking a quick shower. He went straight to the Seven's Café, expecting to see Touya by the counter but then he saw someone else.
"Well, if it isn't the arrogant know-it-all star of the soccer team," Sakura said through her gritted teeth as she stares at Syaoran. "What are you doing here?"
"Is it wrong to be here?" Syaoran retorted.
Sakura rolled her eyes and went quickly behind the counter of the bar. "I am not selling you anything!"
"You work here?" Syaoran said unbelievably.
"As a matter of fact, yes," she said proudly. "And I kinda own this place."
Syaoran raised an eyebrow. "You're kidding me," he said matter-of-factly. "You're Touya's sister? That dude is your brother?" She looks so different from her brother. She 's nicer and more fragile.
"Yes, he is," Sakura said with the same tone of voice. "How did you know him?" There was a pause. It was the moment of realization. "Oh gosh, you're the new guy." She groaned.
"Yeah, I am," he said, shrugging. "I guess you don't have a choice but to accommodate me, cheerleader."
"Actually I'm here to torture you," Sakura smirked. "Your training with me starts on Saturday. Yes, you have to go here on weekends. Hmm, but maybe only on this upcoming weekend because I'm sure you would want to quit afterwards. Hence, you won't have any money."
"I'm not going to quit this job, Kinomoto," Syaoran said tightly. "And you, out of all the people, cannot make me."
Syaoran and Sakura had not been very good friends lately. They were in good terms one time during their past high school years and that was that. It was when they teamed up so that their Grade, when they were freshmen, would win the games in the Annual Grand Pep Rally.
After that, rumors started spreading out that they were going out. They took it the wrong way that the other had started it so they had been in bad terms with each other. It was pretty low for people like them to fight over it when normal people would just laugh and ignore about it. The rumors continued until an upperclassman – which is Hisashi—made it obvious that he was into Sakura.
All the people thought that Syaoran would be jealous but he merely shrugged it off.
"Game on, Li," Sakura smirked one last time and led him to the back room so he could change.
When he was done, he settled beside Sakura on the bar and asked, "What am I going to do today?"
"I heard from Touya that you have balance issues so no table clean-ups for you," Sakura was saying. "You won't make any coffee or frappes. You won't go near the cash register. Hmm, let's see, what about clean the windows?"
"You could have just said that early on," Syaoran said with a dragging voice and let out a breath. "But I understand if you want to spend more time with me."
"You're so full of it," Sakura said, disgusted.
"Full of charms?" It was Syaoran's time to smirk. Sakura just rolled her eyes then Syaoran set off to clean the glass windows of the whole café.
They didn't speak another word to each other for his whole shift. After cleaning the windows, he was set off to wipe the tables after an employee has cleared out the plates then Sakura told him to fix the chairs from time to time. And all the while he was working; Sakura was taking orders of the customers during the busy hour and continuously playing songs in the café.
At last, it was nine thirty and it was time to go. There were fewer customers that night so Syaoran actually had time to sit down and relax. Sakura didn't mind. She was busy doing her homework in between her job.
"So tell me, why do you hate me so much?" he asked her randomly.
"I just do," Sakura replied, not even looking up from her math homework.
"Are you still mad about the rumors thing?"
"No. That is so history already, Li."
"Then why are you still so angry at me?"
"I just got used to it."
"Hmm. So do you like Hisashi?"
It was like the cue for Sakura to look up at him finally. "Why the hell are you asking that question?"
"I don't know. Everyone knows that he's into you. Everyone's just waiting to know what you actually think about him. He talks about you a lot during soccer practice."
"He does?" Sakura smiled involuntarily and that had made Syaoran smirk.
"You do like him!" Syaoran blurted out. "Cut the guy some slack and tell him already… Unless you really like me instead of him."
"Give me a break! Here you go," she said, handing out to him his pay check. "Leave now before I smack you!"
Syaoran walked over her to get his pay check, smirking. "What do you mean by smack? This?"
He leaned down and held her left cheek with his hand. She pushed his hand away. "What the hell are you doing?"
He just realized what he did and looked down on the floor. "Nothing. I'll see you tomorrow."
"I hope not," she muttered under her breath as he watched him leave.
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Author's Notes:
This is something, people. I will try to update this story often. And I will try to work my butt on Fearless, I swear! Please review!
DEVILZ CHIK