Chapter 20: Picture The Past
For the photo shoot at the Empire State building, Syaoran and Sakura were dressed in white for an angelic theme. While posing for the shot, Syaoran saw an illusion, and fell down the building after reacting to it. Sakura, reminded of her dream several months back, went after him. Because Eriol set the illusion, he gave Syaoran wings to save himself, who then caught Sakura. She used Fly after Syaoran teased her about dropping her. They got back on the building and Mike was overjoyed with the pictures (especially the one where they're facing one another with their wings still on), not caring for explanations. The next set of pictures were taken at Central Park where the two got in a snowball fight that Miho instigated.
On their last day, during lunch, Syaoran was going to tell Sakura something until all of their friends came to the restaurant, to Syaoran's annoyance. That night was the dinner party for viewing Tomoyo's movie. Mike came to them with the photos, and when Miho made a rude comment about Nadeshiko, Sakura had enough with the girl's behaviour and lost her temper. Miho ran out in tears. Eriol explained Miho's past by stating she went from being happy to having a broken family after her father was killed, her mother went ill and her older brother ran away. She burnt her house before Kaho and Eriol took her in their world and taught her magic. When Eriol told her that Miho's mom hated Nadeshiko, Sakura went to Shing for the answers, and she found Syaoran looking for clues through the pictures. She learned from Shing that Miho's mom's bitter feeling towards Nadeshiko was because she wanted Ryuuren.
Going back, Sakura and Syaoran got stranded by a cab driver who kicked them out. Syaoran asked her why she feared him, and finally posed the question that he wanted to ask: what was he to her? Too confused with her feelings, Sakura asked coolly if it mattered. Though he said it didn't, he then asked why she went after him on the roof. She told him about the dream. When he said, "The deal is I li—" Sakura cut him off unknowingly. They talked about Miho and how the sickness plaguing Miho's mom was the same that took Ryuuren and Nadeshiko's lives away from them. Syaoran dropped his knife, and when Sakura picked it up, she saw Syaoran's memory of his father giving it to him, and that annoyed him even though she couldn't help it. They end up finding their way back.
The group said goodbye to Eriol and Miho at the airport. Miho was slowly starting to warm up towards Sakura. Leaving for Japan, Sakura couldn't help thinking she forgot something. Kero-chan was in a fit when he was left behind.
New Trials Timeline: Eighth grade in January
Chapter released in Winter 2001