Rewind, Restart, Redo
(Hm, how's the fic going so far? Tell me through your reviews! My notes just get shorter and shorter. Me and html have a truce. Just for the fics.)
Syaoran noticed something was wrong when Sakura suddenly spoke up during lunch. "I haven't seen Tomoyo lately," she said.
"Oh?"
"I can remember her, seeing that I've only met her once when my memory went black. She's beautiful, with long black hair. And she called me Sakura-chan. My best friend. Her mother works for toys or something." A slight smile spread across Sakura's face. "No matter what, I'll never believe she holds something against me."
Her memory's returning! Syaoran thought, nearly dropping his fork. The Mirror had said a very slight amount of her memory could return, only the important bits. Syaoran had never said anything bad about Tomoyo, so she was inclined to believe Tomoyo was her good friend. Two and a half months were up.
Toya had moved in with Yukito for awhile, seeing that he couldn't be in the same house with a little sister who hated him. Fujitaka Kinomoto was patient with Sakura, and loved her even though she was bitter to him. She never heard him cry at night.
Sakura would listen to no one but Syaoran now. They were inseparable. Syaoran still made up stories, but not as harsh as before. The Mirror had unintentionally installed in him a conscience, and it reminded him of The Mirror's words. Sakura had already yelled at Rika and Chiharu when they'd run into each other in a store. Sakura had stormed off, but Syaoran heard Rika crying and wondering what she'd done wrong. None of them were mad at Sakura; in fact, they wanted to get back into her good graces.
Which made his story even more believable.
Syaoran found himself becoming increasingly attracted to Sakura. He loved the way her bewildered eyes took in the city she used to be able to run through blindfolded. He loved the way her nervous hands slipped in through his when they talked to people she used to know.
"Syaoran-kun? Is there something wrong?"
"Nothing." They finished their lunch in silence, and left the restaurant.
Sakura wasn't sure if she should hold Syaoran's hand. He seemed distracted today. I love him, she thought, a smile lighting her face. I always will. She wondered if anyone else knew she was a princess. Maybe not. They usually treated her cautiously. Maybe because I've forgotten everything.
Except for Tomoyo. Today, I remembered Tomoyo. She must be really special, for even if I lose my memory, I can't ever forget her.
Sakura's battle between hold his hand or not ended, and she slipped her fingers through his. "I don't think I've ever said 'I love you', in all this time," she said, blushing furiously. "But I should."
Syaoran flushed. "I--ah--me too," he said, fidgeting.
"Sakuraaaa!"
They both whirled around. Tomoyo, ran down the street and hugged Sakura tightly.
"Tomoyo!" Sakura said joyfully.
"Oh! So you've got your memory back?" Tomoyo squealed.
"No, not really, but I think you're really special, so I remember you!"
"Sakura…" Tomoyo stepped back and her eyes locked on their tightly held hands. "Am I missing something here?" she asked, wonder--and extreme dislike--in her eyes.
Syaoran cut in before Sakura could reply. "Tell you later," he said shortly.
They walked together and Tomoyo started chattering away. Even if she'd only spent two and a half months in London, she had a very slight British accent. "So I passed by Rika today, and she asked me why Sakura was mad at her. Rika knew about Sakura's memory, but she was sure she'd done nothing wrong to get Sakura all mad. She said Sakura had even blown up at Chiharu!"
Syaoran felt Sakura tense. "It's nothing, Tomoyo-chan," she said.
"Hey, Tomoyo," Syaoran said. "Didn't we have that surprise for Sakura? This afternoon, come over to my house and we'll prepare it." He glared at Tomoyo. "Right?"
Sakura and Tomoyo both looked bewildered. "We…do? OUCH!" She felt pressure on her foot and grit her teeth. "Yes, we have a surprise for you, Sakura-chan. Don't go to Syaoran's house, or else it'll spoil everything!" she said laughingly. Plus you won't see the things I can do with a steak knife, she added in her mind, glaring daggers at Syaoran.
*
"What is going on?" Tomoyo demanded.
Syaoran sighed. "When you left, I…started a game with Sakura."
"You what?"
Syaoran pulled out The Mirror and transformed it. Tomoyo gaped at it. "Are you the one who wiped out Sakura's memory?"
"I did that, but it's this boy here who started the disaster." The Mirror floated around the room, explaining to Tomoyo everything that had happened. Tomoyo sat on Syaoran's bed, shocked.
"I can't believe you did that."
"Now I wish I didn't," Syaoran said. "I'm starting to like Sakura, Tomoyo. But I thought I could humiliate her--for all the times that she humiliated me--by playing this game. All for this." He threw the Clow Cards on his bed. This snapped whatever thin wire connected Tomoyo to her patience.
"You took advantage of Sakura's amnesia to steal the Clow Cards?!?!" she shrieked, leaping from the bed. Her hands reached out for his neck, but he ducked.
"Tomoyo, just listen--!"
Tomoyo was usually a kind, quiet girl who never really got mad. Except for when something happened to Sakura. Then anything, or anyone, that made things worse usually got to see the hysterical (and very, very dangerous) side of Tomoyo.
Syaoran finally pinned Tomoyo on the bed. "OK, listen first. I was feeling angry and stuff towards Sakura at first. I thought she was weak. And I had come here because I wanted her Clow Cards. But I also kind of liked her. But when this idiot--" he jerked his finger towards The Mirror, who quivered dangerously "--wiped out her memory, I thought it was a good chance for me to have fun. I don't want to do this to Sakura anymore. I like her. I got to see a soft side of her, an innocent side, but I like the outgoing Sakura better. So when The Mirror regains its power, it'll return Sakura's memory and she'll forget everything that happened. Then…well, whatever happens afterwards I won't try to control."
Tomoyo glared at him. "How long until The Mirror gets its power back?"
"Actually, I've been resting for quite awhile, and I'll be able to return her memory by tomorrow," The Mirror said casually.
"Really?" Syaoran cried. "OK, that's great." Thinking fast, he told his plan to Tomoyo. "So I'll take Sakura to the park, near the place where she lost her memory. Then I'll tell her this is the surprise, The Mirror comes out and returns her memory, and all will be fine!"
The other girl grudgingly agreed, and left. Syaoran sighed in relief, and plopped down on his bed, muttering into his pillow, "I hope I still get a chance with Sakura…after…*yawwn*….zzzzzzzzzzz."
The Mirror glittered softly in the night. "All will not be fine, Li Syaoran," it said softly. "And you will learn your lesson the harsh way."
*
"What's the surprise?" Sakura asked.
They crossed the sea of grass that led the way to a shady portion of the park, with trees rustling in the wind. "We're not there yet," Syaoran said. "Just be patient."
"Is it big?" Sakura laughed.
Syaoran paused. "Yes. But I'll give you a hint: you'll love it."
"Just as I love you?"
Oh god…"I suppose, but I don't really know that answer."
Sakura just smiled. They went deeper into the trees, and Syaoran detected where The Mirror was waiting. Tomoyo was probably stalking them, hiding behind huge trees whenever they looked around. "Close your eyes," Syaoran said. Sakura closed her eyes, and Syaoran took a deep breath. "Now when you get really startled, open your eyes. You're allowed to open them only when you get startled. Never before."
The Mirror loomed behind him, a thin layer of light gathering on its surface. It made the indication that it was ready.
And sure enough, Tomoyo approached them, clutching the wand. She looked almost scared.
"Sakura, I love you." Syaoran placed his hands on her shoulders and pressed his lips firmly against hers. They were soft and hesitant at first, and Syaoran almost forgot The Mirror. He pulled himself down on the ground.
Sakura's eyes snapped open. "Syaor--!!"
The Mirror unleashed the light, and in two rays it entered Sakura's mind, painting her world again and giving her back her life.
A few seconds later, it was over. Sakura slumped on the ground, but this time there were no injuries. She was breathing peacefully.
Syaoran knelt over her. "Sakura? Sakura?"
Tomoyo came running up. "What happened? Did something go wrong?"
"No, she's fine!" Syaoran called out. "Sakura? Sakura--" he felt a swift force ram through his stomach, and he reeled backwards, clutching it. Blood nearly stained his mouth, and he choked to keep it down.
"Don't pretend that you care," a voice cold as ice said.
Sakura stood up, her eyes glinting. "I hate you!!!" she screamed at Syaoran. "I hate you for playing with my mind!!"
Confusion struck Syaoran. "What?"
Sakura snatched her wand away from Tomoyo. "One thing came out of The Mirror's little gift," she spat out. "When it gave me my memory, it gave me all my memory. Everything." She was gripping her wand so tightly, she could have crushed it.
"I know every single thing that happened while I was being 'cared' for," she said with complete hatred. "Every single damn thing!"
(Ookay, took me awhile to decide what was gonna happen next, but the last part is the finale. Boy, I had fun writing this!….sort of.)