The storm rumbled outside and the window panes shook in fear. The sky was tumultuous and dark. It was morning already but the ominous clouds enveloped the city in a gray shell. Electricity wires had snapped all around the city, so all of them had to depend on the candles and lamps that were arranged for the wedding.
Last night when she finally returned back to the hall, Syaoran and Touya were very worried as her face was white as snow and her eyes were shut closed by exhaustion.
Meilin helped her change into some comfortable clothes and worked hard to warm up her freezing fingers. Touya argued with Yue stating that it was completely unnecessary for her to attempt such a dangerous venture. Kero stayed beside them, heating the bowl of water as Syaoran soaked her head in a towel with warm water.
The long night was finally over, and Sakura finally had a flush of life on her cheeks. Her soiled gown made by Tomoyo lay hanging on the wall with a few torn seams here and there. She was invited to eat breakfast with the rest, but she refused and slept snuggled with a pillow covering her head.
"Sakura? Are you awake?" Syaoran peeped inside the room. He waited for a response but there was none.
He walked up to her bed, noticed her light breathing and sat beside her facing the dark windows. She slowly peeped from under her pillow and saw his stiff figure seated beside her.
"I couldn't do it... I couldn't save the wedding..." He could hear muffled words from under the covers.
"Its... not your fault..."
"But they've been waiting for so long."
He was trying hard looking for words that could comfort her but his mind froze as he heard sniffles from under the covers.
"Its okay... You tried really hard." He finally spoke with hesitation.
"Its not okay. What's the use of having powers if you can't even use them when in need."
Syaoran clenched his teeth.
"At least you still have your powers..." He blurted out without thinking.
Sakura couldn't find a reply to his sudden reaction. Silence filled the room again as none of them exchanged a word. After a while, he felt a tug on the sleeves of his shirt.
"I'm sorry." She whispered tugging onto him.
Was this the first time she realised that even with all her powers, everything could not be resolved? That no matter how far she'd try to reach out, some things could never be attained.
This feeling wasn't too unfamiliar for him, infact it strangely felt a little nostalgic. He remembered the time when he was just a school boy, and he had made a promise, that he'd come back to her, to be with her forever. He remembered how he was ready to give up anything to protect his most precious person.
He also thought of how the test of time wore him down, how distance strained the invisible thread of destiny they exchanged with every passing moment of absence.
Time wasn't too kind to the dreamers too, for after this, he began losing his powers. What use would he be of, if he couldn't help her, if he failed to protect her, to be there beside her? Besides, his lost powers only made him feel worthless.
Sometimes he felt as if Sakura's powers were like the moon that eclipsed his magic, that his own powers would never see the light of the day again.
Which was why, he decided to take the easiest route out of it, by forgetting her... By pushing her so far away, he'd not be able to see her cry, so far away that he wouldn't be reminded of his failures.
"Am I interrupting?" Yukito asked as he leaned into the room after a gentle knock. With those words, Li was pushed back to the present.
"Yukito-san. No no! We were just talking about yesterday." She sprung up from the bed and faked a smile. Syaoran looked at her from the corner of his eye. She looked exactly the way she did when she first met him in the bar.
"How are you feeling now? Does your head feel better?"
"Yes. I'm all fine now."
"Great. You should hurry up and have your breakfast. Li-kun did you tell her?" He looked at Syaoran who moved his head to hint a no. Sakura looked confused.
"Sakura-chan, since we are here already and we have the altar ready, we were thinking of having the wedding today itself."
Sakura's face instantly lit up, a bright smile shone across her face. Syaoran could instantly tell the difference between her two smiles now.
"Are you serious?!"
Yukito nodded.
"What about the guests? They won't make it."
"It doesn't matter to Touya and me. Everyone important is here already. We anyway wanted a quiet celebration." Yukito smiled.
Sakura jumped up from the bed to embrace him.
"Yukito-san I'm so happy for you!" She cheered.
Syaoran looked at her as her wide smile lingered with clear tears at the rims of her eyes. Seeing her this way oddly made his heart feel lighter.
-
Meilin lit the candles arranged on the table one by one, slowly filing the room with a dim light. She was always ready for situations like these, so she already had a collection of her elegant clothes ready. Her hair was tied into a graceful braided bun held in place by a golden pin with a bird on it. She glided around the room in a red dress which had a Chinese collar on her slender neck.
Syaoran hadn't brought along any clothes so he borrowed a formal coat from Sakura's father and managed to make a bow tie with the fabric he got. He was standing quietly in a corner, arms crossed observing everyone in the room when Meilin barged into his personal space and forced him to help her.
They pulled down the hanging lanterns and lit them with tea lights that threw blue tints to the white drapery on the tables. The threads of stars behind the altar glimmered in blue as it reflected the light.
Sakura's father stood with Touya at the altar smiling gently. With the light of the candles, the silver ornamentation at the altar seemed like flickering flowers made of ice. On a chair that was placed beside Touya, Sakura's phone was kept, with Tomoyo on the line. Kero stayed hidden in Meilin's bag which she was carrying around with her, occasionally sneaking in biscuits and sweets.
Sakura walked in with her hand wrapped around Yukito's arm. He was wearing a white suit with silver details on them. His shirt was azure blue and it complimented the color of his eyes. On his chest pocket a crescent moon was embroidered with delicate threads.
Since Tomoyo's dress had seams that had to be repaired, Sakura had borrowed one of Meilin's clothes. It was a lilac summer dress with flowers embroidered on the top. She had tied up her hair in a neat ponytail and had a flower tucked beside it.
As she walked Yukito to the altar, Sakura picked up the phone from the chair and held it before the couple as Tomoyo began to read a few ceremonial verses. With both of them exchanging rings, and declared husband and husband, Meilin howled as they kissed to seal their promise to one another.
The magnificent ballroom with so many empty tables and chairs didn't feel so empty afterall. There were no lilies, no cakes with the perfect frosting flowers, no lights to throw magnanimous shadows, no guests to clap in unison, but this small group of people laughing and talking to each other made her so happy.
She thought of the cold empty bird cages ringing in her room, but this time she could imagine a flurry of birds chirping together, flying around inside the iron bars.
https://youtu.be/dDR1DFtik0E
Then she moved over to executing her small plan which would make this day even more special. While the rest of the people were busy congratulating the couple, Sakura sneaked back to her room without notice.
With the door gently closed, she took out a card from her collection and held it close to her chest. With a spark, the magic circle appeared under her feet and spun round sending flickering shadows onto the walls. Syaoran stood quietly by the door as he peeked in while she called her incantations.
She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. With a ring, she raised her hand with the card in it. Gusts of winds surrounded her as her magic circle grew brighter.
Like fireflies on a summer night, small floating spheres of light floated up gently from the floor. One by one, they filled in the empty hall and illuminated every dark corner of the room. All of them stood and watched as the lights danced gently in the air like the petals of a dandelion.
Syaoran held a tuft of light as it gently fell on his finger like snow.
"Hey. What happened?" Sakura asked as she opened the door to see him staring at the light blankly.
He hesitated as he realised that her face was very close to his. He could almost smell the warmth of honey from her hair. He turned away from her to rest on the wall and get a grip on his words.
https://youtu.be/bA35i6KhWGM
"Sakura... Can I ask you something?"
She nodded as she looked at him.
"Why was this so important to you?"
She closed the door behind her and stood beside him with her back against the wall.
"This was the closest I could be to my old self." She answered without looking at him.
"Your old self?"
She nodded.
"The world doesn't need rescuing now so I don't have to use my cards anymore... But facing this storm... trying to save the wedding... it felt as if those days had returned, you know? As if I turned back into the bright cheerful Sakura again."
"Why are you so... Attached to the past?"
The question stung Sakura more than what she had expected it to. For a brief moment, she froze, realizing that he had struck her at the core of her heart. She didn't know mere words could be turned into knives that could cut her apart. But had had only sliced through her wall that she created to delude herself, and she knew the answer to this question would only set her free.
She drew in a soft breath and answered. "It is because, I didn't get anything that could make me as happy as it did, after it ended. I tried hard, but the way all of you made me feel back then... I was the happiest." She looked up at the ceiling trying her best not to cry.
There was a brief silence as Syaoran collected his thoughts together desperately.
"But Sakura, it was always you who connected us... It was your kindness and optimism that drew us. Your highschool Cardcaptor days are irreplaceable only because you made them that way... And I'm sure you can do that again."
The emerald lights glided in the air like floating dandelions. Giggles and songs resonated from the nearby hall. The dials of Li's watch ticked hurriedly, but all was still and calm inside Sakura's head. The words he spoke, felt like magic, like the thundering of clouds in a vast desert, almost like he showed her a new horizon from which she had never seen the world before.
She felt a warm arm around her shoulder and a brush of hair against her face. He used such an unfamiliar yet familiar perfume. The unfamiliarity scared her a little, like unknown paths or numerous futures waiting for her. The familiarity comforted her, like a warm blanket on a cold winter afternoon, or a song she knew the words to, or the call from a loved one she trusted with all her heart.
She smiled and snuggled into his strange yet comforting scent. Tomorrow was still an unpredictable place, but for now she finally had the courage to walk into it.
-Author's Note-
I can't belove this story has finally come to an end. Personally, writing this was very emotionally rewarding for me. I've had some very supportive readers who have kept me motivated to keep writing.
We all knew when the story began, that Syaoran and Sakura would get back together ultimately. (I didnt want this to end up like Tsubasa) But I loved sewing the subtle intricacies and turns to their journey of coming together.
I have already started writing my next book, 'Cards of Yesterday' which will be a continuation of this story. Unlike this book, it will have a lot more magic and a lot more adventure, sprinkled with some delicate moments. All the riddles and unanswered questions will be answered with that.
Stay tuned for more magic!
o(〃＾▽＾〃)o