Chapter 1

The calm ocean sparkled as the sun gradually disappeared behind the horizon. Black ashes floated towards the evening sun, like a magnet was beckoning to them. Tearfully, Sakura dropped a rose into the water and whispered a prayer.

"Ayumii, you were the best sister one could have," concluded Sakura as she silently wiped a tear away from her cheek. Other people along the shoreline of the beach quietly mumbled their own prayers as they each solemnly dropped gifts into the sea. Touya, catching sight of his sister, walked up to her and placed his hand gently on her shoulder.

"It's okay, Sakura. Even though she is physically gone, her spirit will always live on inside of us," he said. Sakura sighed deeply as more tears flowed down her cheeks.

"C’mon squirt, it’s okay," said Touya, smiling. Sakura smirked.

"Even at age 32 you still give me that childish nickname," she said in a sort of solemn and playful voice.

"Even at 25 you still cry," said Touya in reply.

"It’s normal to cry at funerals, Touya," Sakura said half to herself. "Especially if the funeral is for your own little sister..."

The smile on Touya's face disappeared. Tears began to form in his eyes as he turned away from Sakura. "She was my little sister too, Sakura. She was my baby sister... and... I- I wasn't there for her on that day. I had to go off to that club. I could've been in that car. I could've done something..."

"Oh, Touya. It's not your fault... you didn't know that was gonna happen. You didn't know that a-a-a..." Sakura's voice trailed off as a flashback of that fateful day came to her mind.

Flashback

Sakura and Ayumii were sitting in the car, laughing and joking around. Ayumii was 18 years old, had the lovely face of an accomplished model and her face was glowing as she played around with the car radio. The song "Evolution" suddenly came up and Ayumii squealed. Turning the volume up, Ayumii started singing along and laughing in between lines. It was the night of her graduation, and she was happier than ever.

"I have my whole life planned out, Sakura!" cried Ayumii. "I am going to continue my modeling career, but I am not going to make it my OFFICIAL career. I plan to become a teacher, just like you!" Sakura smiled.

"You don't want to become a teacher, Ayumii," laughed Sakura. "Those children are pesky and annoying!"

"I prefer children that way," replied Ayumii with a goofy grin that made Sakura burst out laughing. Suddenly, out of the corner of her eye, Sakura noticed a car that was about to crash into their's.

"OH MY GOD!" screamed Sakura as she tried to swerve in another direction. As she tried to avoid the wild car, Sakura soon sensed something. Something magical...

"Oh no!" she thought. "The Sakura Cards!" Feeling a light and tingly feeling inside of her, Sakura started crying and screaming.

"Through Card! HALT YOUR POWER!" cried Sakura-Chan madly. But it was too late, the wild car crashed into the right side of the car, where the passenger seat was and where Ayumii was sitting. "AYUMIIIII!!" screamed Sakura as she tried to reach for her little sister. But the Through Card has already released it's magic on Sakura, so Sakura was like a ghost as the wild car crashed into and out of her.

Sakura sat trembling in the middle of the street. The Through Card lifted it's magic on her and as soon as she felt it's magic leave, she clumsily stood up and ran to the burning wreckage. Grabbing the nearest piece of metal, Sakura tossed it aside, ignoring the burn marks it left on her hand. "Ayumii.. please.. please! AYUMII!!!!" Tugging at her hair, Sakura slumped down to the floor. "Please... noo... please," she sobbed, burying her face into her charred hands. "I... hate.. the Sakura Cards... Why? Why? I should've died.... I should've died with Ayumii..."

End of Flashback

"Sakura? Sakura?"

Snapping out of her flashback, Sakura peered at the teary face of her older brother. She smiled slightly. This was the second time she ever saw her brother cry. The first time was at their father's funeral... and now... their little sister's funeral.

Touya sighed and wiped away some of the tears. "I’ll go and cheer up Nakuru and the kids." Touya hugged Sakura and then kissed her on the forehead. "Remember, squirt, Ayumii is still with us in spirit. She's not completely gone." Sakura nodded and hugged Touya again. Flabbergasted by Sakura's sudden softness towards him, Touya chuckled slightly. Ruffling up his little sister's hair, Touya said, "Maybe you should come along and see the kids. They adore you." Agreeing, Sakura took one last look at the setting sun and walked back to the car with Touya.

"Aunt Sakura!" cried Yenna excitedly as she rushed into Sakura's outstretched arms. Observing Yenna's damp face and red eyes, Sakura could see that she had been crying. Pinching Yenna's cheeks, Sakura asked, "How are you, little one?"

"I'm... alright," replied Yenna in a soft voice. Sakura looked at Yenna with worried eyes. Sighing, Yenna said, "And I miss Aunt Ayumii..."

"I do, too," said Sakura as she hugged Yenna again. Pulling herself away from Sakura, Yenna looked into her eyes with a serious look. "Will you ever leave us like Aunt Ayumii?" she asked. Faking a smile, Sakura tried to keep from crying. Sniffing, Sakura hugged Yenna again. "Of course not. I will never leave you, or your brother."

Yenna smiled and kissed Sakura on the cheek. "Good," she said.

"Now, where is your brother?" Sakura asked Yenna.

"He is in the car, sleeping. He cried so much he got tired," Yenna replied with a giggle. Sakura laughed. Picking up Yenna, Sakura spotted Tomoyo with Eriol.

"Tomoyo!" cried Sakura. Looking up, Tomoyo's sad face brightened. Rushing up to Sakura, Tomoyo kissed Yenna on the cheek and hugged Sakura.

"Sakura... are you okay?" asked Tomoyo, peering at Sakura's face. "I'm so sorry. I know it's a great loss for you and Touya and everyone... including me." Tears sprouted from Tomoyo's eyes as she hugged Sakura again. "If you ever need me, I'll always be there to talk to you, okay?"

Releasing herself from Tomoyo's hug, Sakura nodded. "You're my best friend, and I know you're always there for me. And I know you know I'll always be there for you, too." Tomoyo chuckled and hugged Sakura again.

"Sakura... Tomoyo..." Syaoran and Eriol came up from behind Tomoyo. Syaoran's eyes were red and his face was covered in tears. Syaoran and Ayumii had been high school sweethearts, and were totally in love during college.

"Syaoran... I know she was very important to you and -"

Sakura never had time to finish because Syaoran burst out in tears. "She was more than important to me! She was my life, my world, my everything... and now she's GONE!" Other people began to stare at Syaoran as he ranted on. "I LOVED HER! I truly loved her! She... she's.. she's - you all don't even understand the pain I'm going through. You didn't love her like I did. You didn't spend every second thinking of her, planning out your whole life with her - "

"Syaoran!" Sakura screamed.

Eriol walked up to Tomoyo and placed his hand on her shoulder.

"Syaoran, are you listening to what you're saying? I know you don't mean it..." said Tomoyo softly. Burying his face in his hands, Syaoran began to sob silently.

"I'm sorry, Tomoyo. I'm sorry, Sakura and Eriol. It's just that..." Syaoran never finished because his sobs began to cover the sound of his voice. Sakura looked at Tomoyo with a worried expression. Tomoyo had a look in her eye as if to say, "Go, cheer him up. You understand his pain, don't you?" Sighing, Sakura smiled. She walked up to Syaoran and lifted his head up. Syaoran's face was covered with tears and his eyes were swollen red.

"Syao-Li," she called him. Syaoran stared at her with big eyes. Syao-Li had been Ayumii's childhood nickname for him. Hearing Sakura call him that made his heart swell, because Sakura and Ayumii's voices were very similar.

"Sakura..." sighed Syaoran. "I miss her so much..." Sakura looked at Syaoran as tears ran down her cheeks. Hugging him sympthatetically, she softly said, "I do too..."

Knowing that Sakura and Syaoran needed to talk, Tomoyo and Eriol respectfully left them two alone.

Removing himself from Sakura's embrace, Syaoran turned around and stared into the darkness. "She was the love of my life..." Turning around, he looked Sakura straight in the eye. "You knew that, right?"

Sakura nodded and said, "And she was my only sister... my baby sister."

Ruffling his hair up in frustration, Syaoran chuckled. "She always got mad when I did this." He then automatically began to straighten out his hair. Shaking her head slightly, Sakura looked up at the stars.

"Everyone thought that.. you and I would be a couple... they never expected it to be you and Ayumii. Ayumii... a 13 year old model dating a 20 year old engineer..." Sakura looked at Syaoran briefly before closing her eyes. "Such... a big difference in ages, yet your love for eachother was so deep that you two were able to see past that flaw."

Syaoran stared at Sakura in wonder and amazement. "You sound a lot like her, you know that?"

Sakura laughed a little. "Yes, I do. Ayumii and I spent everyday together, it's no wonder that we're so alike in many ways."

Syaoran smiled slightly. Fiddling around with his fingers, he came across a diamond clasp around his ring finger. Taking it out, he held it up and looked at it. "This was Ayumii's engagement present for me, after I proposed. When she gave it to me, I said 'It's beautiful, it reminds me of your crystal eyes, though it can never amount to your eye's beauty.' She laughed and hugged me... we were supposed to get married next month." Sighing and shaking his head, Syaoran put the diamond clasp around his finger again. "We had everything planned out, the cake, the suits, the location, music... we even had our vows ready."

Sakura's eyes softened. "You truly loved her, didn't you?"

"Of course I did... and I'd do anything to see her again," replied Syaoran. He fixed his eyes on Sakura and looked at her for quite some time. "Wouldn't you?" he finally said.

Sakura looked down and walked away silently.