Homecoming
"Home sweet home," said Syaoran, opening the doors of the old Li house. "Phew! It's so dusty!"
"It's been seven years since anyone lived here," Watanuki (or was it now Li Kimihiro?) followed his new-found brother in.
"Fourteen since I saw it last." Syaoran appreciated it when Watanuki squeezed his shoulder. "There's something I have to tell you. You'd better sit."
Watanuki dusted off an old Chippendale and sat down.
"Do you remember your parents?"
"Our parents, you mean. They died a long time ago and then I… um, gave up the memories of them."
Yes, for my sake he made a wish and gave up those memories. What a guy. "Do you believe that they are dead?"
"Aren't they?"
"What if… Fei Wang implanted a false memory? You gave up the memory of our parents, but Fei Wang made you think they died for you?"
Watanuki was silent for a while. "Are- are they alive then?"
"Yeah. They had to leave, because of your wish-"
"Then it was worth it," Watanuki sighed, hiding his face in his hands. "I've felt so guilty, all this time… I thought it was my fault that they're dead-"
"They wouldn't want you to feel that way-"
"But they're alive after all," Watanuki smiled up at Syaoran, tears streaming. "They're alive!" He took Syaoran's hand and continued, "You'll never be alone anymore Syaoran!"
Syaoran was just amazed. He still thinks mostly of my happiness? Then he started worrying. Do they remember me?
The phone rang. The boys looked at it, knowing who it was, and suddenly nervous about talking to the parents they had not seen in seven and fourteen years.
"I- I'd better get that." said Watanuki. "Hullo?"
There was a pause. Then a female voice said, "Are you Kimihiro-kun?" In the background, a man, amazed, said, "You can tell just from Hello?"
"I am Kimihiro," said Watanuki, wondering not just at the familiar form of address, but the yearning he felt. He did not recognize the voices at all, yet he felt a huge longing to meet them. "Are you- are you –"
"We're your mother and father, Kimihiro-kun, though you don't remember. Are you well? I'm so sorry you had to go through life alone like that, it must have been so hard…"
"It was my choice. I couldn't let Syaoran suffer alone. May I call you mother?"
"But I am!" laughed the woman. "Is Syaoran there? I'd like to talk to him too."
Watanuki handed the phone to a nervous Syaoran. "She wants to talk to you."
"Hello? Are you all right son?" the woman said.
"M-mom?" that was all Syaoran managed. Then he broke down in tears. They remember me! I wasn't wiped out from their memories. He had had some serious worries about it.
"Syaoran! Are you all right!" Then the man's voice took over. "Syaoran!"
"Father?"
"I'm so glad both of my boys are all right. Listen, we're both coming home as soon as we can, all right?"
"You remember me!"
"Of course we do. Let's just say there was a lot of magic involved." The magic staff belonging to Syaoran's mother had been part of the price paid to Yuuko, so that they would remember Syaoran's existence. "We'll be there… well, in maybe one hour? Depending on the traffic. You'll be there?"
"Of course! I missed you so much, Father!" Syaoran sobbed.
"All right, we'd better get started then. See you!"
Syaoran wiped his eyes, and looked at Watanuki. "Sorry I broke down like that. It's just…"
"It's all right, I'm crying too. It's funny. I don't remember their voices at all, but I felt this huge longing with my entire body."
"The body remembers. I know."
"Yes. I think, even if they didn't remember you in their minds, they would still have taken you in because their bodies would remember they had you."
Syaoran thought about it. He didn't know if he was comforted or alarmed.
"This place is a mess. Let's clean up a little before they get here."
An hour later, they were ready, and waited. They heard footsteps hurrying to the front door, and then knocking. Voices that Syaoran knew so well, and Watanuki longed for so strongly that he felt he was going to burst.
The boys rushed to the door.
"Shall we?" Syaoran said.
"Here goes."