Chapter 3
Okawa sighed. He closed the door. Li had asked him what was wrong. He had noticed that Okawa was pale. Who wouldn't be, after all that? But at least he got three of the ten cards that had gotten loose. He could wait for now, and return to his studies.
Just like them to send an archaeologist to do a detective's work. Okawa thought bitterly. But then, the house is a century old. But still, isn't it more of a detective's job?
Not dwelling on the matter, he collected the papers he had just gotten from Mariko, who had faxed them over the night before. Briefly he looked at the message that went along with it.
The papers here are all I have at my disposal. It was said that Kinomoto Sakura and her group kept a
sort of diary and wrote down all the important matters throughout the three years.* However, most of
the papers were separated and buried with Sakura and the other mortals as they died, each their part
in the book. Some, I guess, did not get buried. These are the random copies.
Somewhat encouraged, Okawa began looking through the papers. There were a few
with Syaoran's delicate handwriting. Okawa read what the child wrote in the days
he remained in Hong Kong. He noticed the boy's confusion and despair at the news
of his father being alive.
And more, being Yue.
Okawa sighed. How can a ten year old write so well? He flipped at some
other papers. There was one letter from Yelan to Yue, a long time before Syaoran
even came to Japan the first time.
Okawa blinked. Yelan said something about Yue being careful. That there was something out of the ordinary going on. She must be talking about Syaoran. She also said something about half mortals and the ' fatal consequence'.
What is the fatal consequence?
Shrugging, he flipped that page over and turned to the other papers. There was a newspaper article.
" Angel sighted with his son".
Frowning, Okawa stared at the article. Sure enough, there was an angel, a photo of him, at least, with a boy under him, flying in the sky.
" How odd." He muttered. He turned that one over, not very interested in it. After all, that time they had computers. Anyone can simply make that up.
Anyone.
Right?
However, the Sakura Cards prove that anything can happen. No matter how illogical, how unreal, how unbelievable.
Good heavens. Kami-sama!
The next one was Sakura's writing. She said something about using chocolate to drive out a terrible taste of some kind of herbal medicine.
So the child, apparently, was ill. And the disease was something like diabetes.
At least, persay, it is permanent.
He flipped to the next page. The boy was a cellist. That he knew. He was a martial artist as well. But how? Sakura said something about pink blood. How can someone who's anemic wave a sword around?
Blind. The child became blind. That was two years later, and it was someone who wrote it. Okawa couldn't quite make it out, for the words were blurred. The boy became blind somehow, and was blind when he died.
Blind, deaf, and mute. Also paralyzed.
Was it Sakura's handwriting? And where did she get the jade from? What jade was it? It seemed that Syaoran gave it to her on her thirteenth birthday. But...
Okawa rubbed his temples. This was a lot of information, especially since he could hardly make out the words.
There was one letter from Syaoran to a person named Xuyan. The letter told him about the wizards and witches and the developments with Sakura and the others, but most of all, the queerest thing was that the note emphasized " I no longer have to drink bitter herbs".
Who was Xuyan? Why was Syaoran so happy about not having to drink herbs? The letter offered no clues. Perhaps Xuyan was a friend of Syaoran's. Perhaps Xuyan was his brother-but no, Jingxi had no brothers. At least, that's what the newspaper said when they introduced the young cellist. Xuyan must be some kind of close friend, then.
Then he blinked. He had spotted the words ' Old rivalries."
Sure, it was in Chinese, but he knew some of it to understand what ' old rivalries' are and he knew that they must have competed some time in their lives. Perhaps it's with the cello. Perhaps it was with school.
" Ten year olds." Okawa muttered.
There was one letter from Sakura to her brother Touya, around thirty years after Syaoran died.
Dear Oni-chan,
The United States want a treaty signed between China and North Korea. At the same time they want us to declare war on China. I want to warn you that if Japan is forced to agree, you must flee to Spain where they are not concerned with this affair. That is the only place free from the wrath of United States, England, China, and Russia, the last of the five original members of the council. If such a war should occur, warn Yukito-san that if he wishes to preserve Syaoran he must prepare. I will do my best to encourage Yamato-sama not to agree to this offer.
Your loving sister,
Sakura
Okawa frowned. There had been no war between Japan and China. Sakura must
have done a good job, but he remembered nothing about this affair. What did she
mean, preserve Syaoran? Wasn't Syaoran buried...
Suddenly, he turned to his laptop.
" Computer, search the cemetary data. Keywords, Family name, Li, given name, Jingxi."
The computer loaded for a few minutes before answering: " No results."
Okawa blinked. Perhaps that is because Jingxi wasn't buried in Japan.
" Computer, search the cemetary data of Hong Kong. Same keywords."
This time the computer took a longer time, but again, it gave the same answer.
There could be only two places Jingxi might be buried. One is in Tomoeda. One is in Hong Kong.
So...why?
If Syaoran wasn't buried, where else could he be?
" Jun."
Jun looked up to his sister. " Hai?"
" I'm worried about Li-san. He isn't answering the phone."
" Probably just upset, that's all."
" About the body?"
" Hai. Who wouldn't? I'm just hoping he might be marble by now."
Mariko paused. " Still..."
" You worry yourself too much." Jun reproached gently. He moved aside on the
bed and his sister lied down near him. They sighed.
" Remember how our dad use to tell us those stories about Syaoran?" Mariko asked
Jun. " We both thought he was a legend."
" A legend to us, not to anyone else." Jun laughed. " Pity, it's kind of like how...Joan
of Arc ended up."
" Wish it ended more happily." His sister muttered. " Syaoran deserved it.
" He doesn't deserve Paradise?"
" Good point."
The twins stayed together for a while, simply enjoying each other's presence. Then the phone rang.
Mariko picked it up. " Moshi moshi?"
She hesitated. " Alright."
Jun sat up when she hung up. " Who was it?"
" It's my husband. He says he's going to have to stay at the university for the
night." Mariko sighed.
" Oh well, you can stay here. No need to go such a long way home." Jun offered.
" Arigatou." Mariko smiled. " But your wife won't mind?"
" Not at all."
" Arigatou, Mizuki-san." Okawa nodded and hung up. Now that Mizuki Kije had
told him of Syaoran's last three years, he could piece together most of the things.
Except for this Li Xuyan, which he couldn't get, George, Mimi, and...
Well.
At least hearing the story from someone who knew would be a lot easier than piecing the clues by yourself.
But now, he still didn't know what to make of that house. What happened to Syaoran? Why wasn't he buried? Was he tossed to the sea, burned to ashes, or-?
What would Yue do?
" Ah, George." Li sighed. " Times have changed now."
The old wizard nodded silently to himself, stroking his beard. He was pondering
now. Times did change, although technology did not improve much. He sighed.
" Have you made your decision yet?" He finally asked.
Li hesitated. " To ban the cards," He answered finally, " I need both Eriol and
Sakura."
" You will not ask Yue's advice?"
" No."
" Why not?"
" Because Yue does not care about the legacy of the cards any longer."
" You believe that."
" I do."
" What makes you believe that?"
" The cards are found." Li answered. " We from the Realm of the Dead can sense it,
so undoubtedly Yue could too. Yet he is not here."
Silence.
" Should he love his father more than his child?" Li sat down. " It is a question all
must ask. His father is dead. His legacy has carried on for a long time. But fathers
and mothers are of the past and when they die, their memory is meant to die as
well. As for children, they will continue to exist once their parents die. So it is the
parent's duty to love their children and to choose their children over their parents.
For the parents are in the past. The child will live on. Such is the decision Yue made.
Syaoran will have a future in Paradise, free from illnesses, free from despair. And
Yue will accompany him there and make sure he is happy. Clow Reed needs him no
longer."
" Nor Sakura." George agreed. " But what of Kero?"
" Kero will join Yue and Syaoran. Or perhaps Sakura. It doesn't matter."
" And Ruby Moon and Spinel Sun?"
" They are gone already."
" Times have changed." George nodded quietly to himself. Li watched him in silence.
The day had grown dark.