Leiyun couldn't sleep. It had become a habit, actually, ever since Maya had come. He couldn't help thinking about her, and the attitude she regarded him with. It troubled him. It interfered with his plans and his preparations with the war.

What was she doing here anyway?

He got up, went to the kitchen and poured himself some water to drink. As he drank the chill water and felt it flowing down his throat, he felt a little better. He made his way to the bathroom. As he washed his face, he noticed something- a few brown strands of hair! His old hair colour! How did this happen?

No. This can't be.


Maya looked over all the paperwork that had piled up in her office, and looked quite satisfied.

Now this looked like a real office, and felt like a real job!

There was a knock on door, "Mr. Terada?" she called, "Please come in!"

Leiyun stepped in.

"Er, it's me Leiyun." He said, "I need to talk to you."

Maya frowned. "I wish I could while away and chit-chat with you Leiyun, but I'm expecting Mr. Terada and we're going to talk over the camping trip and I want to make it quite special for the kids because this will be their last school trip and…"

"Maya," he said, "I know you don't want to talk to me, but this is important."

Shit. Does he know? That Yelan's with me?

"Fine." Maya said, "What?"

"I woke up today with a cold." He said,

"So?" Maya said, "We're all humans and we all get col-.."

Wait.

What?

Leiyun has a cold? He never falls sick! He's supposed to have powers that prevent him from falling sick.

"Exactly." He said, "So what are you doing?"

"Me?" Maya said, "You think I'm behind this?"

"The cold isn't just it, look at this." He said, and pointed to few strands of brown hair.

"Okay." Maya said, "This has got to be some joke. You streak your hair brown and catch a cold and it's somehow MY fault?"

"Then how else do you explain it?"

"I don't know, maybe the silver dye you were using earlier is wearing off, and you're going home without a raincoat?"

"Why are you here in Japan?"

Why am I in Japan? I,err..

"My boyfriend transferred here." Maya said,

Leiyun looked at her like he had lost his mind, "What boyfriend?"

"Professor Henry Gao," Maya said, remembering the first name from NUS, "from Singapore. He's a leading authority in trade law. He's in Japan doing research on the economic effects of the nuclear power shutdown and its legal implications."

That sounds credible enough.

Leiyun just stared at her. Then suddenly,

"AACCCHHOOOOO" spitting all over

"Ew!" Maya said, "Leiyun, ew ew ew!" She ran over to her bag and gave him a stack of hand tissues.

"Here," she said, handing it to him, "These are what you use when you sneeze and when you need to blow your nose."

"You'll never change will you?" Leiyun said, half-smiling

There was a knock at the door, Mr. Terada peeped in

"Prof. Zhang?" he asked, "Am I interrupting anything?"

"Oh no." Maya said, "Leiyun was just telling me about the medical facilities that he wants to have when we're on this trip."

"Yes." He said, "I was just about to leave."

He looked at Maya, "I'll see you then, Prof. Zhang."

When Maya looked at him, he had the saddest expression in his eyes.


It was lunch time and the gang was sitting under the cherry blossom tree munching away.

"A camping trip?" Tomoyo asked, "HOW EXCITING!"

"I know right?" Sakura said, smiling, "It's going to be really fun!"

"Totally!" Meilin said, "I caught up with Prof. Zhang today and she said it's going to be one of the best trips ever!"

"Oh wow!" Sakura said, "I have my session with her today! I almost forgot. After lunch."

"You'll love her Sakura." Meilin said,

"She's so cool." Tomoyo said,

"The woman is quite easy-going I must agree." Eriol said,

Sakura looked at Syaoran, "What?" he said, eating with his mouth open. "She's related to me, so obviously she's gotta be cool." Sakura hit him lightly on the shoulder.


Maya was munching a sandwich and going through some files at the same time. Lets see who's up for today!

15. Sakura Kinomoto

Maya smiled. So I finally get to meet the card mistress. The phone rang.

"Prof. Zhang." She answered,

"Miss. Maya Zhang?" an elderly man spoke at the other end of the line.

"Yes?"

"I know this might be out of the ordinary, but, this is Amamiya Masaki"

Sakura's great-grandfather!

It took Maya a few minutes to recall who he was. "Oh, Father's friend from Japan? It's been a long time!"

"I know. I heard you're an anthropologist too, like he was."

"Yes."

"I was wondering if we could have a meeting today."

"Today?"

"Yes. There are lots of things we need to talk about, Maya."

Of course.

"Sure." She said, "After school? I'm free at 5. We can meet up at this really nice café near my apartment."

"I shall see you there."


There was a knock on the door. It feels like clockwork.

"Come in!" she called,

Sakura gingerly walked inside the room. "Prof. Zhang?"

"Sakura!" she said cheerfully, "Everyone's been telling me about you, young lady!"

They have?

"Why don't we talk by here?" she said, "why don't lean back on the bean bag?"

Sakura was shocked. "Er.."

"Oh my dearest lord." Maya said, placing her hands on her hips in such a way that it was quite comical.

"I'm not going to kill you Sakura." She said, "Yes. I do possess knowledge like martial arts and I admit it's quite useful when there are creepy guys trying to hit on you."

Sakura smiled.

"I heard you learnt some martial arts yourself?"

Oh. Where did she hear that from?Li?

"No." she said, "More of athletics actually."

"That's great!" Maya said, "So any plans about college? What do you want to study?"

"Umm…" Sakura said, "I haven't really thought about it, but I was thinking of a liberal arts course."

"That's good." Maya said, "At least you're narrowing down. And your English, social science and language scores are quite good, Sakura. And, wait, you're a model!"

Just like your mother.

"Well," Sakura blushed, "Yeah. It's something I do occasionally. I started off because of Tomoyo and her fashion line and I just like it."

"That's great Sakura!" Maya said, "Tomoyo has some real talent going."

Sakura smiled.

"Sakura," Maya said, "Something bothering you?"

Sakura looked at her and shook her head, "No, not really."

"Well, if you need to talk, like girl talk, you know the older woman- younger woman kind of talk, I'm here." Maya said, "I'm,,,ugh…kind of experienced in all these kinds of things- boys, school, college applications." Magic. Martial Arts.

"So" Maya said, "How's it like to model? I tried it once, but it was a total flop."

Sakura was amused. "How come?" she asked,

"Oh I tripped over heels and it was highly embarrassing." Maya said, and then pointed to her flats, "Since then, I stopped wearing heels."

Sakura giggled, "Really?"

"Yup." Maya said, "My sisters were quite a bunch. They used to tease me. My friends used to say it was an intelligent way to avoid boy attention."

Sakura sudden felt like opening up to this young woman who seemed to know a lot about the ways of high school and the simple little things girls worried about.

"For a long time, I used to dress like I never cared." Maya said, "You know, the over-sized t-shirts and shorts kind of look."

Sakura looked at her current outfit- a simple skirt with a shirt and a cardigan. It looked very teacher-ish. Besides, Maya looked very neat and pretty. It was hard imagining her as a tomboy who dressed in oversized clothes.

Maya seemed to read her thoughts, "And look at me now."

"Did you always want to teach?" Sakura asked,

"Well," Maya thought, "Yeah. I love talking and I love people. I didn't want to be in a profession which didn't involve both. Though, it was much later that I realized I wanted to teach."

"That's nice."

"Of course it is." Maya said, "I'm supposed to be counseling you and look what's happening, I'm telling you stories of my High School life."

"Well…"

"Not to worry." Maya said, easing Sakura a bit more, "So done any crazy things in high school lately?"

"Huh?" Sakura asked shocked,

"Ow," Maya joked, "Come on. Concerts. Sleepovers. Dinners. That's all I'm talking about. No partying. No trips, and most definitely not boys." She winked

Sakura blushed

"I saw what happened at the sidewalk the other day, Sakura."

"It's not like that, Prof. Zhang." Sakura said, surprised that she was no longer nervous, "We're just friends, that's all."

"Hmm."

"Really."

"So do you guys want to go to the same university?" she asked, "Since you're such good friends and all that."

The idea struck Sakura for the first time! Together with Syaoran at last!

"Well," Maya said, "I'm here to help you with that."

Sakura stayed longer than her slot that day. She really did have fun with Prof. Zhang. They went through all her transcripts.

"Performed in star-crossed with Syaoran?" she asked, "Wow, you can look at theatrical options as well Sakura, you seem to be quite the actress."

Sakura smiled as she remembered all the plays she and Syaoran had performed in. They brought back all the good memories.

"Okay." Maya said, handing over Sakura lots of brochures and her counseling form. "Look through these, and take your time making a good decision. This is the only part that's really tough. Once you've made an informed decision, we can work towards anything."

Sakura nodded.

"Anyway," Maya said, gathering her bags, "I'm off for the day, See you tomorrow Sakura!"


"I'm so sorry I'm late Mr. Amamiya." Maya apologized, "In fact I was talking to your great-granddaughter."

"No worries." The elderly man replied, motioning her to her seat, "What would you like to have?"

"A cup of the best Japanese tea." Maya replied, smiling.

"Just like your father." Masaki said, "So how is she?"

Maya looked to a man who looked very concerned, "She's holding up fine, Mr. Amamiya." She said, "I'm happy I came in time to help."

"I want to be of help too." He said, suddenly, "I've hated Wutai for too long to not care."

Maya looked surprised.

Huh?

"To you, it must look like I'm an ignorant old man." He said, "it's not so. Maya, I know everything that's happening. This war, the cards, Wutai wanting all the powers."

"Oh."

"I want to help." He said, "I know what my granddaughter went through. She loved that man, Li Ryurren, and Wutai out of green jealousy went and set the Plague on them. How can a man be so callous, Maya?"

He does know.

"Wutai," she said, "has not hurt not only you, Mr. Amamiya. That man burns of jealousy and ill-will. Someday, he will pay for his mis-deeds."

The old man looked at the young woman and they both realized that they had been equally saddened by the same person, and because of that hurt, they were willing to fight against it.

"Do you plan on telling Sakura?" Maya asked, as she sipped her tea, "about all this?"

"Yes." The old man said, "In time."