Sakura cleared her throat, breaking the total silence that had descended on the room at the end of Yue's narrative. "Wow. That's so sad, I-"

"You know what it is like to live without love, Sakura," Yue said softly, musingly. His head came up off of his hand abruptly. "I think you can help me."

"Um . . . what about Kero?"

"Oh!" Yue made a flicking motion at the drawer, which flew open, expelling an irate Kero.

"Just because you've got power now doesn't mean you can boss me around, Yue, I--" Kero paused, taking in the depressed air of the room.

"My memory returns, Kero. Izumi. Clow blocked it, did he not?"

"Yes," the little beast was subdued now. "Yeah, Clow had a nasty habit of locking the women he loved up in random dimensions, ya know?"

"That is not funny."

"Sorry, Yue, but he did."

"I said shut up!"

"Sorry, I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry, be quiet." Sakura piped up.

Kero and Yue looked at her blankly.

"Er . . . never mind." she said, embarrassed. "Um, would you like some tea?"

[[[[[[[[[O]]]]]]]]]

Yue swirled the tea he'd been too polite to refuse around and around in his cup. He did not eat or drink, but it was a soothing motion.

Kero looked back and forth between him and Sakura, who was unusually subdued. "What's bugging you, Sakura?" he asked finally. "Yue's story didn't depress you that much, did it?"

She looked at him. "Be nice, Kero. And it did."

Yue looked at her sharply. "I apologize."

"No!" Sakura shook her head. "It's not you, it's, well, it's Clow. He said you'd never love anybody but him. And that means . . ." she trailed off, staring at the teapot.

Yue smiled briefly. "I assure you, Sakura, that as much affection as it is possible for me to give is yours. It took time for it to grow, but I am convinced I am as attached to you now as ever I was to Clow." he sighed. "You are kind and well-meaning. Clow was a jealous, narrow-minded man. He had no love for me."

"Are you kidding?" Kero flew up near Yue's face. "Clow treated you better than anyone else!"

Yue's violet eyes were sad. "No. Not anyone. Anything. I was a prized possession, an achievement to be shown off, nothing more. I am not human, but with Sakura I feel as though I am truly amongst friends."

Toya entered the room, breaking the silence. "Tomoyo's here to see you, monster," he said. "And the brat."

"Syaoran?" she asked.

"Whatever. I'll send them up," Toya turned and left.

"Hey Sakura!" Tomoyo bounced up to her, giving her a big hug before spinning around to Yue and Kero. "Hi guys!" she grinned widely.

Syaoran followed, shaking hands calmly with Sakura.

Tomoyo looked around the room. "What's going on? Why is everyone so sad?" she asked.

Sakura, failing to see the warning glint in Yue's eyes, and choosing to ignore the way Kero was flapping around making cutting noises by his throat above Tomoyo's head, quickly filled her friends in on Yue's story.

When she finished Tomoyo turned to Yue, clasping his hands in hers with a starry look in her eyes. "Oh!" she breathed. "That's so romantic! Just like a book. Oh, I hope you find her again!"

Syaoran nudged her. "Stupid," he muttered. "Yue can't find her. First, she's gone, and second, he couldn't love her even if she were here."

Tomoyo looked utterly crestfallen. She sat heavily on Sakura's bed with tears in her eyes. "Why!" she wailed. "Oh, cruel fate that acts in such ways!"

Yue raised an eyebrow. "Fate has nothing to do with it. Clow Reed works in cruel ways, nothing more."

Kero perched on Tomoyo's shoulder. "I don't get it," he said. "Why did you remember about Izumi now, Yue? It's not like anything's really changed."

Yue shrugged gracefully. "If I knew that," he said. "I would know how to forget again."

Tomoyo clapped her hands to her face, staring at Yue with wide, tear-filled eyes. "Oh! But it's better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all, isn't it?"

"The man who said that had never felt true love and had it wrenched from him," Yue said. "But I know I cannot forget."