A Memory's Return

Written by: SakuraKChan

Disclaimer: Cardcaptor Sakura belongs to CLAMP and all those other people and I'm only borrowing them for my own and other's fan type enjoyment. So please don't sue because I'm poor!

With Snow Comes Memories

Why did it always seem that deep feelings, emotions, or ....memories, always seemed to open up and flood one's senses just as they look up at the sky and watch as soft white snowflakes drift from the sky and land on a bed of it's own kin. The twenty-one year old shorthaired brunette with bright emerald eyes, had wondered this to herself as a small, yet sad, smile appeared on her face. Perhaps, the snow only affected her in this way. Perhaps, she felt this way because it was like this the day that...he...left her.

No, it was not a romantic relationship between the two, as it may seem. It was not a boyfriend breaking up with a girlfriend. No, to the young woman named Sakura Kinomoto, it was more than that type of relationship. The two had relied on each other for so many years. It was a friendship to define the meaning of true friendships, or so she thought. Sakura let out a bitter laugh as she could feel tears stinging her eyes. She did not want to cry but every time it snowed, she could not control them. One by one, the tears began to make trails along her cheeks as she shook her head to rid herself of her thoughts.

Sakura slowly began to trudge her feet through the snow, watching as the white blanket crumbled under her feet and tumbled over her black boots, adding speckles of white as well as marks where flakes had melted. She looked back for a second, staring at the skeleton of a tree that was standing in the middle of the park she had begun to exit. She smiled slightly remembering the tree's appearance when it fully bloomed in spring, full pink leaves bursting from the branches as a few pink petals descent down to the green grass below.

A frown began to replace Sakura's previous smile. She had often remembered so many times coming, with him, here for the Sakura Festival. The beauty of the Sakura trees had always amazed them.

Him….she had always assumed they would be best friends forever. She never thought once there would be a moment they would not be together. She would often joke with him, the young boy with the messy brown hair and striking amber eyes, the young boy whom was only a year older than she was, the young boy she had always called Syaoran-kun. Syaoran Li, or Li Syaoran, however you would have liked to word his name, Syaoran was a big part of Sakura's life. She was five, him six, the day they had first met. Her eyes began to mist as she looked back to the skeleton of the Sakura tree. They had met sixteen years ago, right by that Sakura tree, at the first Sakura Festival she could even remember.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

He had seemed like an unapproachable boy, his eyes cold and glaring at any whom dared to look at him. Yet, Sakura never seemed to notice as she hopped in front of the boy. She extended her hand let out a giggle, "Hi! I'm Sakura, what's you're name?" The boy had stared at her hand and glared, his usual look. Sakura's smile had frozen as she noticed him look away and grunt out a reply.

"Leave me alone..", the boy merely replied. Sakura tilted her head in curiosity, still not able to tell the young Syaoran did not want her around. Syaoran turned away from her, leaving her to face his back. Sakura pouted and tapped on the boy's shoulder, "HEYYYYYY, I asked you a question. My mommy and daddy told me it was never polite to not answer a person's question!". Sakura let out a huff as he shrugged and replied, "I don't care…" She could tell that getting this boy to tell her his name would be tougher than she thought, but the young Sakura was never one to give up on gaining a new friend.

Sakura pasted on another bright smile and jumped back in front of him, causing his amber eyes to widen and temporarily lose the permanent glare he had become accustomed to having. She smiled brightly as she placed her hands back on his shoulders, "Now let's try this again. My name is Sakura! What's yours?" He could feel his jaw drop as it was becoming obvious this girl would not leave him alone. This had been the first time someone pursued him in such a way. Usually, he would growl at whomever bothered him and they would back away. Yet, for some reason, there was something about this girl that made him want to know her better.

The young boy turned his face away from hers as his eyelids lowered over his eyes and he grumbled in a low voice, "Syaoran….Syaoran Li". He wondered, to himself, why he had given in to her trying to discover if she was some sort of enchantress. Throwing him out of his thoughts, the little girl named Sakura, poked him in the shoulder as she let out a giggle. "You're it!", she shouted as she ran from him all the while still giggling. The young boy could barely control his own laughter as he felt his body chase after him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Laughter... That laughter and happiness seemed to be the theme for their friendship. A friendship of trust, deep understanding, and the highest level of happiness the two had ever felt. "Sakura!..", a now 16 year old Syaoran yelled out ahead to a 16 year old Sakura, at the same time supressing his own laughter, "...come back here with my Suppi!!". The scene was quite amusing to passerbys. Two teenagers; one a young blossoming girl/woman ,with golden light brown hair that flowed just above her shoulders, giggling loudly causing her emerald eyes to twinkle as she clutched a black stuffed animal in her hands and every so often looking behind her shoulder at the other teenager; the one behind the girl was a boy on the verge of becoming a man, whom had a full head of untamed dark brown hair, a few strands of it managed to fall in front of his amber eyes which now looked upon the girl with playful mocking anger.

Syaoran had decided to speed up and just as he neared, he grabbed a hold of her elbow, causing her to fall to the ground in a fit of giggles. He was now laying on top of Sakura, who's back was against his chest, all the while the two laughed and panted at the same time. He snuck his hand underneath her and pulled the toy out of her arms causing her to roll over under him at the same time. She pouted up at him but as soon as both of their eyes met, the laughter died down. Syaoran felt a blush rising on his cheeks as he looked down at the tired girl beneath him whom seemed to be blushing herself. He slowly rolled off her, feeling a bit relieved and disappointed. He put a hand to his head and let out a nervous laugh, "Well seems I got my Suppi back!". Sakura forgetting the previous awkward situation, smirked and hit him in the head.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

So many awkward, yet fun moments accompanied their friendship. However, there was always the end. Happiness never lasts, at least that was what Sakura had led herself to believe.

Falling Sakura leaves reminded her of meeting him, yet falling snow reminded her of her loss. She could remember that day; the snow crunching softly under her shoes as she walked to Syaoran's house, the cold melting snow falling over her as well as a stray flake landing on her nose. She remembered walking up to his door, pressing the doorbell a few times and getting no answer, then knocking and no answer. She finally thought of using their secret 'doorway' and climbed up the tree that led to the window of his room.

Emptiness is all she could remember feeling as she looked into the window of the now equally empty room. She did not cry then, shock never allows someone to cry so soon as it enjoys the torture laid upon you. She climbed back down and as she remembers, she ran through the snow that was getting heavier and heavier. After hours of searching, she had finally fallen to her knees in the snow and allowed herself the joy of crying for the one she lost. No, for the one who left her, she decided silently to herself.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The young woman looked back over her shoulder, her eyes gazing across each set of her footprints. Her footprints reminded her of the footprints she had left that day, the day of endless searching for the one she had never found to this day. Sakura Kinomoto let out a heavy sigh as she headed back home with a lowered head. She had managed to control her thoughts of him yet, on days like this it was hard to contain them. Snow….it somehow always brought back memories. Yes, snow and sakura trees. Yet, as much as she treasured her memories, despite the pain, she wished and prayed for the day that one of those "snow" or "sakura blooming" days, he would return. Sakura went home and to bed with dreams of a beautiful reunion with her childhood best friend, Syaoran Li.

____________________________________________________________________

A.N: If my idea seems a bit similar it is because it is based off of battousaixangel's "Everlasting Dawn". Only got 3 chapters up but I recommend it. And don't worry I asked her permission, she's very nice to talk to =D so I thank her for the inspiration and this story is dedicated to her =D. Ok all comments and USEFUL criticism is welcome (Meaning don't just post saying "it sucks die". If you got criticism and don't like it tell me why and tell me how to improve it. Critical criticism is very helpful but plain out rudeness just causes trouble. Yes yes I edited it, I didn't like my first chapter and still not happy with this re-edit, well leave your thoughts on it please R&R!!!!

Ja ne for now!!!!!

SakuraKChan