Disclaimer: Sumeragi Subaru belongs to CLAMP. The only thing I own is the ghost and the storyline.

1. Uncertain Memory

"Maybe it's because I was a priestess."

Subaru wasn't sure that he knew how to scowl anymore, but any attempt to would have been appreciated at the moment.

"Possibly," he muttered.

The Sakurazukamori was at his wits end at this particular ghost. She could not be exorcised nor could he feed her soul to the Sakura (considering that he couldn't exactly bury a soul). The ghost simply drifted about, as though she was still very much alive, though dressed very radically in an outfit that Subaru would think Hokuto would conceive if she decided to dress up like a Shinto priestess.

"What's your name?" Subaru ventured to ask.

Knowing the ghost's name would make things easier, he thought. Every person had at least two names - one used in life and one used after death. For practitioners of Subaru's field, they had at least three.

"It's much harder to get rid of a person once you know their name," the ghost said lightly.

Subaru said nothing and slumped down against the bark of the Sakura. It didn't seem too pleased this somewhat exotic ghost couldn't join its many tortured souls.

"Tell me your name first," the ghost said.

"Sakurazuka Subaru."

"Your real name, please."

Subaru blinked.

"Sumeragi Subaru."

Surely Subaru had learned by now the importance of not giving one's true name away. But at this point in his life, he didn't really care about the consequences. If anything, he could actually deal with those consequences without too much trouble now. And if he couldn't, well, he didn't really care enough about his own life.

"How ironic…" the ghost murmured, "You and the former Sakurazukamori had a rather tragic relationship."

Subaru glared at her with his mismatched eyes, one a faded grey-green and the other hawk-like and golden. This ghost knew a little too much about some things and not enough about others.

"Is that glare on your face an opportunity to show me your beautiful eyes?" the ghost remarked calmly.

Subaru said nothing. It was a mistake, giving her his real name. Nothing could be done about it now. The ghost drifted about for a moment, expressionless as usual. How did this ghost know about Seishirou?

"Ayafuya Kioku," the ghost finally answered.

"That's not a real name."

"I'm not a real person anymore," the ghost countered, "especially since I can't quite recall who I was anyway."

"'Uncertain memory'?" Subaru remarked, "Is that what you want me to call you?"

The ghost nodded and said nothing. Subaru sighed for the first time in a long time. Never had he been exasperated like this in all his recent memory.

"May I…" the ghost hesitated, "Stay with you? For the time being?"

Subaru got up and brushed some Sakura petals off his black clothes. He said nothing.

"Until I remember something about myself?"

"Whatever you wish."

Disclaimer: I own exactly one character. Subaru, on the other hand, belongs to CLAMP.