Cards of Tomorrow

The Hope of Tomorrow

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.