A/N: Gomen for the long wait! I was unable to access my computer. Here's Chapter Three!

Life Lost, Love Discovered

Chapter Three

Sakura made it to her dresser in two long strides, and pulled open her top bureau drawer. "Kero-chan! Wake up!"

The tiny guardian sat bolt upright with a start, his beady eyes wide. "Nani!?" His voice was still sleep-ridden.

"Gomen," she giggled sheepishly. Maybe she had over-reacted, but she was desperate, here! "Kero-chan, I had another dream."

"Another one?"  He flew over to her light-switch, and flipped it into the on position. Both were blinded as the room was suddenly illuminated. Shading his vision, he asked, "I knew there was something up. Spill."

Sakura relayed her puzzling dream that, in a way, didn't seem to be hers at all. "It's like . . ." She mused, " . . . I'm watching the entire thing from another person's perspective, almost like I am Kirika, or Isao, but the actions I'm moving through seem premeditated, because it's not me making me move!" She sighed. "Does that make any sense?"

Kero did nothing but nod his head thoughtfully. Sakura sweatdropped. "It did?"

"Okay, Sakura, since neither of us are going to get back to sleep, get me a bowl of pudding, my fedora, and leave the rest up to me."

" . . . You have a fedora?"

" . . . I like to imagine."

"I'll get one for you one of these days." She chuckled a bit, and started down the steps, to the kitchen. She quickly grabbed a chocolate pudding cup out of the refrigerator, knowing that Kero was much fonder of that flavor than vanilla, and raced back up the stairs, eager to see what Kero had up his non-existent sleeve.

Upon opening her bedroom door, she saw Kero intently studying a hard-backed book. She'd never seen it before, but it looked ancient, and if it was possible . . . a bit melancholy, possibly? The tattered edges seemed to reveal untold secrets that piqued Sakura's interest to no end.

"Ah, here we go," Kero pumped a small fist in triumph. "That woman you mentioned, Kirika? There's some background information here on her . . . but I don't see any on Isao. That's weird, you said he was royalty, didn't you?"

Sakura glanced over Kero's shoulder, and at the writing. It was in some form of writing that she had never been exposed to before. "Ano . . . Kero-chan? Could you read it to me?"

He read the paragraph aloud.

" 'Kirika Yamamoto was a beloved healer to all those who resided in the same kingdom. Her name was known far and wide, and there wasn't a single soul who didn't love her. However, her past was shrouded in mystery, and it was unknown as to if the kingdom was actually where she was born and raised. A rumor arose as to if she was in betrothed to a

member of the royal family, but whenever asked, she quickly dismissed the idea. Unfortunately, she contracted an unknown disease, and died after a decade of struggling, at the age of twenty-five.' "

Kero and Sakura both were silent.

'Ohmigod,' Sakura thought, feeling sick. 'She was only twenty-five . . . how Isao must have suffered . . .!'

***

Later that day, Sakura trudged into school. Even after a long, hot shower and a steaming breakfast, she was still exhausted. She was tempted to fake being sick and stay home, but she had a test in Algebra today and she couldn't afford to miss it.

So, here she was, an hour early, sitting at her desk, head bobbing. Already, to her utter disbelief (and horror), people were starting to mill in. Did they do this every day?!

"Dear Kami-sama! Am I seeing things?!" Sakura heard someone familiar screech.

"Iie, not unless I'm seeing it, too . . ."

Sakura groaned. "You're not hallucinating."

Tomoyo and Eriol slowly, cautiously, approached her desk. Both had haunted looks upon their faces. Sakura couldn't help but chuckle at their flabbergasted reactions.

"Sakura! You're . . . you're . . . EARLY!" Her raven-haired friend gasped, putting her hands to her cheeks in mock horror.

"Aw, cut it out," Sakura protested feebly.

Eriol shook his head. "Talk about pleasant surprises."

The classroom door slid open, and in stepped Syaoran. His eyes were half closed, and he tripped over stool on his way to his seat.

'HOE! What do I say to him!?' Sakura's heart started to pulse. 'What if he's going to tell me that he absolutely hates the way I kiss . . . but I've never kissed a guy before!'

Syaoran was getting dangerously close. Ten steps away . . . eight, five . . .

And there he was, right beside her. Then, he looked over (by then, she had begun to hyperventilate.) "Konnichi'wa, Sakura-chan," he murmured groggily.

And then, of all things, he smiled.

Smiled.

Sakura shook her head rapidly to clear it. "An-Ano . . . konnich—konnichi'wa, Sy-Syaoran-kun," she giggled stupidly. She was stuttering like mad. Syaoran gave her a befuddled (A/N: I love that word!) expression, and took his seat behind her.

"Syaoran-kun?" Sakura turned around. "About last night . . . gomen . . ."

"What're you apologizing for?" He asked abruptly.

'What?!' "You know!" Sakura cried in exasperation.

"You mean the . . ."

"YES!" 'Men are so dense sometimes!' Sakura had to roll her eyes a bit at his ignorance.

"I told you not to apologize."

Sakura just shook her head, and whirled back around. Class would begin any minute now. Tomoyo and Eriol exchanged glances and returned to their respective desks.

The sensei bustled in, and everyone settled down as homeroom commenced. Yet, even while roll was being call, Sakura felt something nip at the corner of her mind. Isao? Amber eyes . . . he looked just like . . . no, that was crazy. Either that, or just a really odd coincidence. Okay, maybe he did bare a serious resemblance to Syaoran, but that probably didn't mean anything. 'Now that it comes down to it . . .' Sakura realized, 'I . . .I've never really seen what Kirika looks like . . .'

That thought struck her painfully, and confusion, anger, sadness, happiness . . . they all rose in her chest. 'Something weird is going on.'

***

Kero flipped the tattered edges of the ancient book, the same one as before. The pudding cup sat untouched next to him, one of the corners of the lid peeling. A small bead of sweat ran down his forehead.

Suddenly, his gaze fell across something. His eyes grew wide.

"Oh, Kami-sama . . ." he breathed in disbelief.

A/N: Dum dum dummm! C'mon! Did you really think this would be an S+S story devoid of ALL cliffhangers? ^_^; Please, R+R!