Chapter Title: Xiao Dan
A/N: My Thoughts on College Pt 2: nngkncudbfdshvcyudfb uidsabdiuvdfbvufvb nhafidsnfidsfnsdjbdsigsdjb nfishrfjkbfskdbfsjfbsidfg sjfbvd dsjlbdds
poop.
Well, I am done! Finito! These two are done, they're story is not over, but I am done telling it. As far as what they'll do from now on is up for the reader to decide. I loved writing this and Cherry Blossom, but now I have to focus on my other fics. These stories were fun since it was a style that was different from most plot-driven fics, and I got to play around and experiment. So thank you for reading, and all the support!
-cherrie
Xiao Dan was a beautiful young boy, and all the parents of his classmates were a bit envious. But really, who could resist that uncontrollable chestnut hair and piercing green eyes. The child wore a constant scowl on his face, but it did not stop all the little girls from blushing whenever he entered the room or giggle in delight when he would speak. It was almost like he was a celebrity, or idol, the way he was watched as if he was not real. Like he was not really one of them.
Maybe part of the mystique of this child was the enigmatic parents. The boy's parents never were there to pick him up. Oh sure, they attended the recitals, and the plays, and the parent-teacher conferences, but they were always hidden or disguised, or surrounded by intimidating bodyguards. He was always picked up and dropped off by a limousine, and groomed well; it was too painfully obvious this child came form money.
Yet, he was never the type to show the signs of typical, silver spooned brat. He was well-mannered and rather kind. His scowl only served to mask his shyness, but he was never vindictive or cruel to anyone. He never made signs to show he felt superior due to his financial status or his beautiful features. He never displayed signs of loneliness, and often, when asked about his parents, he would shyly but affectionately display how much he loved them.
Which of course, only served to fuel that burning curiosity. Just who were the parents of Li Xiao Dan?
"I wonder, could he be a member of the Li family?" one mother said to the group, their children playing in the playground just by the side of the school.
"The Li clan? The Li family? Impossible!" another one rebutted.
"How? He looks so much like the son..."
"No, no, Kimiko-san...the girls only have daughters...and they are not called Li's..." the other friend reminded her.
"The heir! He's still a Li..."
"He's only just turned thirty! You honestly believe he had a child that young? Is he even married?"
"I don't really know. He keeps his life very private, does he not?"
"Can you really blame him? Being Tokyo's chief of the police force, prosecutor, and heir to multi-millionaire dollar clan might make you enemies. He is probably trying to protect his family..."
"But, really, is little Li-kun his son? Really?"
"He certainly looks a lot like him..."
A little girl was watching this boy play in the sandbox, oblivious to the gossip her mother and friends were spouting about him. She did not want to admit it, but she rather liked him. He was always so secretly kind...
"What are you drawing?" she asked him. How she mustered up the courage to walk near him (much less speak to him!) she'll never know.
He said nothing for awhile, using a twig to draw. After he finished his final loop, he smirked a a bit to himself, feeling triumphant. When he realized she was still there expecting an answer, he blushed. "Ngh...sakura flower."
"Oh!" she was surprised and very delighted that he actually answered. "Are they your favorite?"
It took him awhile again, but he answered nonetheless. "Mmm-hmm."
"Mine too!" she conquered. She was not lying. They were such pretty flowers.
"Yeah, they're my papa's favorite too," he said, this time, with a warm smile. The little girl could not help but sport a blush of her own.
"Why?" The words spilled out of her mouth before she could think better. He must think her nosy!
He only just stood up and wiped his shorts-perfect to wear in the spring-then looked at her. "Because of mama." The way he said was like it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"Do you have a kind mama?"
"My mama is the best in the world! She and papa make me feel great all the time!" He almost laughed at the his own enthusiasm, but blushed instead. "Don't you like your mama?"
"Yeah, I do!" she told him. "Hey, are you Li Xiao Dan?"
"Mmm," he nodded. "I...don't know....who..."
"Shi-chan! That's what my papa and mama call me! My name is Shimizu Nadeshiko. Nice to meet you!"
Xiao Dan was a bit taken aback with her energetic smile. He almost cursed his cheeks for being so pink. "Mama calls me Dan-chan..."
"Hm? Can I call you that too?" she asked, to his horror.
He would have vehemently denied it all, had he not heard a timid, bell-like voice. "Dan-chan."
Quicker than light, he spun around, a smile lit up his face, like a blind man seeing the sun for the first time in his life. Nadeshiko's jaw dropped. There were at least six people, but only two were not wearing black suits and sunglasses. The two that were free from that attire were dressed much more simply. Tall stood the man who looked like Xiao Dan, save for the eyes. He was intimidating, but had the kindest face, and his protective arms around what she assumed was Xiao Dan's mama (they had such lovely eyes) showed how much he cared for his family. This man was a knight, a protector. The son looked at him in awe, like he was so lucky and still did not believe he had such a father. He too, wore a smirk on his face, the source of Xiao Dan's own hearthrobish smiles.
The owner of the timid voice was a young woman, with auburn hair that never went past her thin shoulder. She looked like a doll with porcelain skin and large green eyes that saw right through the body and into the soul. She was the one who gave Xiao Dan his shyness and cute, ever-blushing cheeks. Though she looked so delicate-more so with her husband being so muscular and strong-even the young five year old could tell she had went through tragedy that she could not even fathom. The way her eyes were wise beyond her years, and the way she moved and put emotion into her words as if she was grateful for every moment she was alive, only made it clear that Xiao Dan's mama considered it a miracle to be Xiao Dan's mama. No wonder Xiao Dan loved his mother. She was the epitome of kindness and love.
"Dan-chan," she called again, and her son quickly rushed to her arms. His father then picked him up, smiling like his wife.
"Xiao Dan, you're getting bigger and heavier," he stated.
"Yep! Soon, I will be big like papa and protect mama too!"
The father laughed, but his mother's green eyes spotted her, and Nadeshiko felt like shrinking back. This woman was too beautiful. Too knowing...
"Who is your friend?"
Xiao Dan almost choked with guilt and humiliation as he forgot about his companion. "Er...Shi-chan..."
"Shimizu Nadeshiko!" she bowed with reverence.
"Nadeshiko..."the woman repeated with...nostalgia? Tenderness? Nadeshiko smiled very timidly and nodded.
"I am Dan-chan's friend!" she declared. The poor boy almost fell over in shock, but his mother only chuckled very lightly, like bells going off in the wind. The father did his best to hold in his own laughter, as he knew of his son's embarrassment. He threw him a look saying, It's always going to be like this...trust me...
"Please take care of our Xiao Dan then in the future," the mother bowed very sincerely, it almost made the tiny five year stutter.
"Yes!"
Xiao Dan gave her ambiguous look, a cross between mortified and happiness. She was his first friend.
Nadeshiko watched them leave together (along with the other mothers and children. She could hear her mother shout out, "I told you! I told you!"), a picture of a true family. She heard them talk amongst each other.
"Papa, are you done with work early? Did you catch the bad guys?"
"Don't I always?"
"Syaoran, don't sound so smug; it'll rub off on him. Papa and mama have a surprise for you, Dan-chan."
"He is like his papa, so what's wrong if he's confident like me? Something wonderful happened to your mama (and don't listen to her; Li men have a right to be confident)."
"Mama sold a painting again?"
"Don't I always? ("Look who's being all smug!") No...something...very...amazing happened...to all of us..."
"What? What?"
Syaoran and Sakura each grabbed their child's hand as they made their way to their vehicle, surrounded by guards. All happy, and glowing with their lives.
"How do you feel about having a baby brother or sister?"
Some notes. Nadeshiko is like...Xiao Dan's CCS Sakura. Very bubbly and pure (hence why her surname is Shimizu [means pure water])
The Li family are very rich, not only because Syaoran is a sexy dollar sign, but because Sakura is also a very popular and well respected artist.
Sakura, after motherhood, adn marriage is somewhat settled into reality. Yet, she is still shy, but very wise due to her expiriences.
Syaoran is pretty much a DILF. Even at thirty.
Ages: In Cherry Blossom, Sakura is 20 and he is about 23. Wolf Byte takes place a year later, making them 21 and 24 respectively. This chapter, almost six years have passed, making them 27 and 30. Of course, I may have screwed them all up somehow in the fics. But let's pretend for now.
Thank you for reading!