A dream come true. Happily ever after. These may be wonderful things to hope for, but what is it like to actually experience them? It felt a little… odd. The day went off like a dream – too much like a dream. She remembered being here and there. The arcade. Food stand. Gift shops. Department stores. Snippets, flashes, moments. Times when she laughed. Smiles that came so naturally. Cute stuffed animals, including one that was a spitting image of Kero. The little piece of candy he handed to her. The danish that he refused to buy for her, saying that it would spoil her dinner. A high-five, after she beat the final level in Dance Dance Revolution in the highest difficulty setting. And having it all fade away in the darkness…

The spell was over. Maybe the clock didn't strike midnight, and her prince hadn't turned into a frog. But as for her… she was no longer the talking puppet; she felt more like a marionette whose strings had been cut. She was falling, and everything was turning black… and the next thing she saw was the familiar ceiling of the living room… and she found herself lying on the couch, wrapped in a small blanket. Yukito must have carried her back.

"Oh? You're up. So, did you have a good time?"

"Dad? Uh… yeah." she answered weakly.

"I made some fried shrimp for dinner. Please get up, Sakura. Let's talk about it over dinner."

And so they did, sharing stories over their meal – which included some of the curry and leftover soup from the night before. Yukito was so helpful, trying to remind her of every moment they shared, while Dad was similarly encouraging. But in the end, it wasn't enough. Nothing but blanks. Why couldn't she tell them how the day made her feel? Why couldn't she describe every little detail of the day? She couldn't… she didn't remember… it was so unfair! Why did she have to be so tired and weak and forgetful? She must've been happy; it must've been a wonderful day, she told herself. Only it was gone. All gone. A valuable treasure, hidden away somewhere – never to be found.

But then she looked up, and stared at the bright faces, wearing identical smiles… just for her… and her frustrations subsided. And there was something else… she definitely felt something. Was something important happening? Or about to happen? Just a moment ago, she had been close to tears, but a smile came so easily now… from sadness to contentment, from contentment to joy, from joy to anticipation… and then? What came next?

It seemed that Yukito somehow knew – for that was when he got up. "I brought a little present for all of you," he announced. A simple box, with silver wrapping – and inside it, a variety of white chocolates that were equally sweet to the eyes as they were to the mouth. Two pieces, and no more – she wanted the box to last as long as it could; one last memory of this wonderful day, one she was determined never to forget…

Every word seemed to mean so much more now. Dad's plans for tomorrow – the family would be going to the museum of natural history, as well as spend some time at a nearby park. The rest of the day would be dedicated to the memories of her mother – and Sakura suggested inviting Tomoyo's mother, since they had been so close in the past… an idea that was quickly shot down. Concerns about Touya – he seemed to be so "out of it" these days; surely the pressures of schoolwork, sports, and work were getting to him… especially on a day like this, when he had to work a double shift. Stories about Tomoyo, and all of the gadgets she had in her room – film and sound editing equipment; tapes and DVD's of all kinds, dolls could do everything but fly (and she would not have been surprised if Tomoyo had one that could). And a final goodbye from Yukito… at least until next time; there would be a next time, and she was looking forward to it already. Finally, Dad's last words – "you're welcome here at any time, Yukito." She couldn't have said it any better… and as she saw Yukito wave at them as he left, she waved back and slowly closed the door.

What was the time now? 8:00PM. Almost time to go to bed – it had been a full day, and tomorrow promised to be quite an eventful day, as well. Finally, a chance to catch up on her sleep – oh, wait. She hadn't talked to Kero all day. He must be so bored, having nothing to do the whole day. She opened the drawer, where she kept Kero and the Clow Book – only to find it empty. "Kero!" she whispered loudly. Where was he?

"I'm here," Kero answered from inside the closet. Thank goodness. After getting a piece of chocolate for him from downstairs, Sakura talked to him about the day… and Kero was the ever attentive listener. He had come a long way from being the creature that could talk only about Clow Cards, and became annoyed whenever she talked about something else.

But the conversation was cut short, with a knock at the door. "Hurry! Hide!" Sakura warned. But Kero continued to sit right there, and crossed his arms. But Kero only did that when it was…

"It's me, Syaoran."

Sakura held the door ajar and peeked through. It was Syaoran. What was he doing here? It was so late; if it was a Clow Card, it would've been easier to call her on the cell phone.

"What are you doing here, Syaoran." Kero grumbled.

"It has nothing to do with you, Keroberos. I wanted to talk to Kinomoto-san."

"About what?" Sakura asked.

"Keroberos, could you go outside. I need to talk to Sakura alone." It was not a request.

"If it's about Clow Cards, then I'm staying right here," Kero insisted.

"This isn't about Clow Cards. This is personal. This has nothing to do with you." Syaoran swatted his hand near Kero, motioning him to leave.

"Fine. But if you do anything to hurt Sakura, you better watch your back," Kero threatened, as he opened the window and flew out.

After Kero left, Sakura asked, "So, what was it that you wanted to say?"

"Um…"

"Did you want to talk about today? Where's Meiling-san?"

"She has a way with things, doesn't she? Always getting in trouble, and making a mess out of everything."

Sakura began to feel a little anxious – something wasn't right. She ventured, "Was that the reason you didn't come?"

"No."

"What is it, then?"

Silence. One that lasted several minutes. Finally Sakura asked, "It's about Clow Cards, isn't it?"

"Not exactly…"

"Li-kun, are you leaving?" Sakura finally asked – a question she had been meaning to ask for some time. She sensed that the day was coming; it was only a matter of how soon…

"What?" he paused. "Not yet. Not until all the Clow Cards have been captured."

"But you can't stay here forever. You really shouldn't..."

"No, your magic is too weak! You'll never be able to capture all of the cards by yourself. I have to stay until all of them have been captured."

"That means you could be stuck here forever," Sakura commented.

Syaoran muttered, "If it takes forever, I'll stay forever."

"Oh Syaoran…" she trailed off, while wiping off her tears. He was sitting so close; he was right there. He was there, yet he wasn't. At least, he wouldn't be in a very short time… the time would come when she would have to say good-bye, a real good-bye… not one of those "I'm looking forward to seeing you next time" good-byes. He who had tried to beat her up the very first day they met, and insulted her at every opportunity… yet had put his life on the line to save hers in a number of occasions. A person who usually kept to himself, and ignored those around him… yet in those rare moments she had his attention, she could sense that he valued all the times they had shared, and the lessons they had learned, magic and otherwise…

Just a few months. That's all it was. An initial storm, followed by intermittent periods of sun and rain… eventually giving way to nightfall. No, more like fire and smoke. It felt like something out of the ordinary was happening, she could sense it – a force that would engulf everything in sight; leaving behind only a trail of ashes… and somewhere in the middle, she would lose sight; hoping only for the rain to arrive once more…

Hope. Wasn't that what she wanted most of all? That somehow, some way, everything would work out… only if there was some way he could stay, and be with his family at the same time… a wish… a promise… a way? A way to be together forever? Maybe, just maybe… just for this moment, the story was true, and something magical would happen if she…

What had just happened? Syaoran jumped up and wiped his cheek. "I better get going," he said hurriedly, "Bye."

The sound of her door being slamming shut. A scampering of feet, as Syaoran ran downstairs. And the eerie silence that followed – it was over. Gone. Had that been her final goodbye? This was not the ending she had been hoping for. Please, Syaoran. Give me a chance to explain; please listen to what I have to say…

Syaoran, why does it all have to come to an end? Why do things have to change? It seems too soon. Much too soon. It's not going to be the same without you. I wish I could see you again… but it doesn't always work that way. It never does. I remember saying good-bye to my best friend from first grade, when her family moved away – we promised to call each other all the time, and be friends forever. It didn't happen. I never saw or heard from her again. It was a promise that I had made with all my heart – yet it was so easily broken. That's why it hurt so much, Syaoran. Not only because I never saw her again, but because I realized just how fragile friendships could be. It's funny how someone could so mean so much to you one moment – and disappear so completely from your life the next. I didn't understand how it happened, until Dad explained it to me one evening. Here's what he told me:

'Sakura, always hold on to the things that are most important to you, and never forget the people who have been there for you from the beginning.'

It took me a while for me to understand what he meant. But eventually I realized that there were certain people in my life that meant the most to me, and could not be replaced. And as good a friend as she was, she was not one of them… I felt guilty for thinking this way, but I realized it was true.

Syaoran, I now understand why you acted the way you did during your first days in Japan. It's like being in the middle of the forest. Lost. Drifting further and further away from the people you knew, the things you valued… Eventually you found your footing, but it wasn't the same. I feel I never got to know the real you, only hints and shadows. You were here, yet you weren't. There are sides to you that remain hidden to me, parts that you will reveal only to those who are closest to you, to those who mean more to you than anything else…and perhaps that's the way things should be. I can't replace what you left behind, in Hong Kong

Good bye, Syaoran. I will always remember the things you have taught me. You showed concern to even those you did not know or like, shared your knowledge and skills with others, and helped me to realize just how important family is, even when all they do is tease and annoy you. You were so helpful and generous to me. For that, I thank you.