Okay, this is my first Card Captor Sakura fic. I'm sorry, but I've only seen the American version, Cardcaptors, but I'm still using the Japanese names, because I like them better. The American version just about killed EVERYTHING! Anyway-

Disclaimer: I don't own Card Captor Sakura. If I did I wouldn't have given it to Nelvana and KidsWB.

Please R&R!

An End and A Beginning

Prologue

"Its over," Eriol said as he lowered his staff. Ruby Moon and Spinel Sun landed next to him and stood at attention.

"What's over?" demanded Keroberos.

"All of the Clow Cards are now Sakura cards," he answered. "The Cards were almost out of power. Without a new master, they would've just become nothing more than ordinary cards. Sakura needed situations to prompt the transformations. I provided them."

(Author note: I'm sorry if this is so inaccurate, but I've only read summeries of the 69th episode.)

Sakura looked around her and smiled as all of her transformed cards floated around her, and she could once again feel each and everyone of them.

"But who are-" Keroberos started to ask Eriol, when he noticed that the trio was gone. "What?! Where did they go?!"

Keroberos and Yue took off to search for the mysterious magician, leaving Sakura and Syaoran alone.

Sakura started to go after them, when she felt a tug on her arm. She turned around, surprised. Syaoran, still recovering from Eriol's sleep spell, was looking at her with a determined expression.

"What is it, Syaoran-kun?"

He seemed to be struggling to say something. "Sakura... I... l... lo..."

"Hoe? What is it?"

Suddenly, his face changed to a... wistful? expression, and he finished out, "Uh, congratulations Sakura, you've done it."

She smiled, completely forgetting the first half of the word love that Syaoran had been trying to say before. "Thank you Syaoran-kun. I couldn't have done it without you."

She hugged Syaoran, causing the Chinese boy to turn as red as a tomato.

Sakura pulled back. "Are you okay Syaoran? Do you have a fever?"

Syaoran shook his head, shaking off the blood rushing to his head. "No, I'm fine Sakura-chan. You can go look for Hiiragizawa."

She gave him one last concerned look, and then went chasing after Eriol and her two guardians.

Alone, Syaoran sighed. He had been so close. He wanted to tell Sakura-chan so much that he loved her. But no... if she didn't love him back, then she would feel guilty and be unhappy, and Syaoran didn't want to ruin her moment of triumph.

But Sakura's moment of triumph meant the end of his sole reason to stay in Japan.

Ever since he hadn't forcefully taken the Clow Cards from Sakura, the Li Clan elders had been pushing him to force her out of the Card Capturing business. They had been furious when Sakura had passed the Final Judgement and become the master of the Clow Cards. He had explained that it was Sakura's destiny to become the Mistress of the Cards, and that neither he nor anyone else could change that. His mother had calmed them down, and they had left him alone.

His mother, on the other hand, had been urging him to return to Hong Kong as soon as possible. He had said that he needed to stay to protect Sakura and the Cards- which were true.

The main reason was because he didn't want to leave Sakura.

But now the Cards were Sakura Cards, permanently bonded to her. The Li Clan elders would have to accept that. Eriol had said that the only reason why he created those situations was to give Sakura a reason to transform the cards. If the cards were transformed, with no purpose, then they would've run wild, like the Dash had done.

Syaoran sighed again. But his mother had made him promise that at the end of the next year, he would return home. His training had to be completed, or he wouldn't become the Li Clan leader.

But for now, he was happy that Sakura was happy.

And that was enough for him.

***

Sakura couldn't be happier. The cards were transformed, and she was back to her normal life.

Well, as normal as her life had ever been since she had opened a book down in her father's library labeled The Clow.

Eriol Hiiragizawa had left, saying his task as half the reincarnation of Clow Reed, to help her transform the cards, was finished. Boy was that a shock! One of her friends was half of the person who had created the Clow Book and Cards! The ever bigger shock was that her father was the other half!

She had been sad to see him leave, but happy that he had helped her- even though he helped her by causing various disasters that she had to fix. She had noticed that when Hiiragizawa-kun had left, Tomoyo-chan had been even sadder. It was like there was something between her and Eriol. Naw, couldn't be...

Speaking of sad people, ever since that final battle, Syaoran had been very quiet. He still frowned a lot, but most of the time, he just looked at her with a sad expression.

Sakura was jarred out of her thoughts when Terada-sensei cleared his throat.

"Today is the last of school before the summer vacation," he said, "and I would just like to wish all of you a happy summer."

He glanced right at Rika when he said that, and she giggled.

The bell rang, signalling the end of that school year.

Everybody jumped out, grabbed their bags, and ran out of the classroom.

As Sakura left, she heard Terada-sensei and Syaoran talking.

"I hope you have a nice vacation too, Li," Terada said to Li as he past by his desk. "It was a pleasure teaching you."

Li nodded in acknowledgement, and then left the classroom.

Sakura stared after him.

*What was that all about?* she wondered.

"Tomoyo-chan, do you know if there is anything wrong with Syaoran-kun?" she asked her best friend.

The black-haired girl shook her head. She honestly had no idea. Ever since Sakura had transformed all the cards, Li had completely snapped shut. Tomoyo hadn't been able to pry anything out of him.

Sakura put on a determined expression. "Well, I'm going to find out! Tomorrow, I'm going to Syaoran's apartment and find out what's bothering him!"

Tomoyo squealed in delight. "And then I can videotape you going there! I think I'll call this "Sakura going to comfort her friend!"

By this point, Tomoyo had stars in her eyes. Sakura sweatdropped at her friend's enthusiasm.

***

Syaoran stared at the empty apartment.

The movers had come a few days ago and had packed everything up and taken it back to Hong Kong.

He was glad that Sakura didn't see his apartment like this.

He checked that he had everything and then picked up his 2 suitcases. The airport bus would be here in a few minutes.

He had picked up everything that was left in his locker earlier that day, and was now ready to leave almost.

He knew that him leaving would hurt Sakura. But not because she loved him, but because he was her friend.

That was one of the qualities that he cherished about his cherry blossom. She valued all of her friends like family, and they all loved her back. She wanted to be friends with everyone, and had even managed to become friends with him and Meilin- though it had taken a long while.

But he was afraid that if he said good-bye to her in person, he would break down, and confess his love. And that would make her unhappy.

Syaoran strengthened his resolve. This was the better way.

He glanced down at the note he left on the kitchen counter. She did deserve some explanation for what happened to him. He would've said good-bye in person, but he was too big of a coward.

"Are you ready, Syaoran-sama?" asked Wei, his butler.

Syaoran nodded, took one last look at his home for the last 2 years, and then closed the door.

Checking to make sure that there was still a key under the doormat, leaving it for Sakura, if she should visit, he then turned around and left, never looking back.

***

Sakura frowned. She kept getting an "Out of Service" message every time she called Syaoran for permission to come. She couldn't understand what happened. Maybe Syaoran changed his phone number?

Tomoyo was more worried. Syaoran wouldn't just change his phone number. Especially since only 3 people in Tomoeda- her, Sakura, and Yamazaki- knew it. Usually, when you got an "Out of Service" message, it meant that the person had moved out.

Sakura gave up after the 5th try. She shrugged. "I'm sure that Syaoran-kun won't mind if we come over for a surprise visit."

Tomoyo nodded, and followed Sakura out of the window. She hoped that it wasn't anything serious, like Syaoran leaving...

***

They had gotten into the apartment, through the spare key under the doormat, which Syaoran had left.

They had found it empty.

Sakura and Tomoyo had stood there shocked. Tomoyo was so surpised that she didn't even bother to catch Sakura's expression... but she remembered and went back to recording after a few seconds.

Sakura stepped into the vacant apartment. Her first thought was that Syaoran's apartment had been robbed, and he had been kidnapped, but she knew that not many people could beat up Syaoran.

She then spotted a note on the kitchen counter. She picked it up and saw that it was in Syaoran's writing. It was a good-bye note.

Dear Sakura-chan,

I'm sorry that I couldn't good-bye to you in person. I just couldn't do it. With all of the Cards safely in your care, there is no more reason for me to stay in Japan. I'm going back to Hong Kong. I hope that I can someday come back and visit.

Best Wishes, Li Syaoran

P.S. I'm sure the stuffed animal and you onnichan will be happy to hear I'm gone.

Sakura let the note drop from her suddenly stiff hands. Syaoran-kun was gone...

Tomoyo bent down and picked up the note and paled. This would make Sakura so sad.

She quietly heard Sakura sniffling. She looked at Sakura. She saw tears glistening in her emerald green eyes as she murmured, "Syaoran-kun..."

Sakura fell to the floor, crying.

Tomoyo patted her on the shoulder and tried to comfort Sakura. "Don't worry, Sakura-chan, I'm sure Li-kun will be back."

Sakura was so confused. She didn't know why she was crying. Syaoran was a dear friend, and confidante. He was the only one who could really share her understanding of magic. Tomoyo was okay, but she didn't have powers. He had helped her after

Yukito-san's rejection. He had added his powers to the transformation of the 2 final cards. She couldn't have won if it weren't for him. And now he was gone. And she wasn't sure why she was so sad, so angry. It wasn't like she liked him, or anything...

Sakura lay crying on the floor of Syaoran's old apartment as Tomoyo attempted to cheer her up.

End of prologue.

So how was it? I changed the ending of episode 69, so that Syaoran is still trying to tell Sakura how he feels. It always makes him look so much funnier. And it adds more conflict to the story.

Anyway, quick summery, next chapter, Syaoran wakes up in bed with a mysterious blue book called The Clow...