Yes, yes I know I should be concentrating on Evanescent Snow, but I'm only updating what I already had so think of it as another break from ES =)
Disclaimer: Don't own CCS only this story...

Concealed Truth

Some things are better left unknown . . .

The rustic scented air overwhelmed my senses as I stumbled into the room. My hand held my wine sloppily as my hazy view became sharper. The irritant sound of the tap slithered through my ears. I looked up slightly and saw a knife held loosely in someone's hand. The glint of the handle was masked as crimson nectar slid down forming a scarlet web. My eyes followed the source of the fluid to find a pale hand dyed in red. I glance back down to see the silhouette of a man lying face down, the same scarlet liquid oozing from him to the floor. My wasted state wouldn't even let me process the fact that the man was dead. I looked back up to the owner of the hand only to catch the gaze or green eyes behind a regal red mask. I closed my eyes in attempt to whisk away the cruel depths of those eyes. I slowly edged away fearing for my life. In an attempt of bravery I opened my eyes to find the stranger kneeling down in front of me with the ends of those thin pale lips curving up into a maniacal smile. "I don't want to hurt you."

I woke up drenched in sweat, it was that dream again. I've been having the same nightmare lately but I could never remember what kind of dream it was. All I can ever remember is that eerie feeling I had during the dream and the person with the creepy grin. I shook my head in attempt to shake off that cold feeling, as I surveyed my surroundings the brightness of the unfamiliar white walls blinded me forcing to rearrange my position. I almost forgot, I was in the hospital. A pang of pain shot through my head making me flinch at the sudden pain. Ever since I began seeing the same dream I could never remember I began to experience headaches for absolutely no reason. My brows scrunched together, increasing the amount of wrinkles I had momentarily.

"Syao?"

I turned towards the source of that sweet voice and faced my wife of two years. Even though we had both reached our mid twenties, she looked as if she was fresh out of high school. I smiled at her. "Hey Saks, I'm awake now."

She pouted cutely as her auburn locks cascaded her shoulders. "I can see that; but Syao didn't I tell you, you had to wake up by at least ten today?"

I paused momentarily as I tried to remember the conversation from yesterday. "Yes." I groaned. "What time is it now?"

"Four thirty." She answered. "Syao, what happened, you woke up fine the days before, we were supposed to sign out by twelve, we're lucky the hospital didn't just kick us out." She sat gently on my bed. "Are you feeling unwell again?"

"No, no, I'm fine." I massaged my temples. "Honestly, I still don't understand why it was necessary for me to stay here because of a few headaches." I chuckled.

She frowned in disapproval. "A few headaches, which resulted you in fainting. The doctor said you probably stressed yourself out too much."

"Well it's not like they needed to watch me sleep." I slipped out of the bed irritated and stretched my arms.

"I'm sure someone who has been known as rebel would obediently rest at home without being watched." She rolled her eyes as she stated sarcastically. "Now hurry up."

I laughed lightly at her words. "What's the hurry?"

She sighed as she looked over sympathetically. "I should've known you would forget, today's the day of the five year reunion remember?"

"Reunion?" My mind blanked.

"Think Syao, where were we five years ago?" She hummed teasingly.

My mind clicked as I nodded in realization. "Right, high school reunion. Tonight at five thirty; fantastic."

"Now don't act like that." She lectured lightly.

"You know you don't want to go either." I mentioned as I smiled. "I remember back in high school that me, you and Er-" I paused. Eriol, I haven't mentioned that name in years. It's not as if we were on bad terms or anything, we were the best of friends, the only reason why we don't talk is that we can't. He's dead. On the night of graduation, he was murdered in the middle of the night.

"We should go." I heard her strain out. "It'd be good, for both of us."

I nodded. It was pointless to dwell on the past for too long. "Now, the fact that you have a huge white bag behind you means that you went and got me the perfect outfit again?" I added slight sarcasm knowing Sakura's urge to make our outfits to be perfect whenever we had a formal occasion.

She pouted again. "You sound as if you hate the fact that I picked an outfit for you."

"Nope, I just hope it's not as extravagant as the last outfit." I chuckled.

"Well, luckily for you I chose a simple suit and tie this time around."

"Well, then I am lucky." I smiled at her. "Always have been."

Her cheeks tinted slightly at the double meaning of my words, she was always the shy one. "If you have time to joke around, hurry up and get changed."

I chuckled again. "If we're in such a great hurry why didn't you wake me up?"

"I tried, but you were sleeping like a dead person." She snorted softly but suddenly she became silent before speaking softly. "You were having that nightmare again."

I raised my brow, how would she know? I never mentioned it really. "That nightmare?"

"C'mon Syao, you can't expect me not to notice." She said with a slight tone of arrogance before she fell silent again. "You were calling our his name. You called out Eriol."

My eyes widened at the new piece of information. Not once have I remembered anything from my nightmare's apart from that same wide maniacal grin. "What else . . . did I say?"

Her brows furrowed at my questions as she forced herself to answer. "You said 'Don't kill him, don't kill Eriol'." She sighed again for umpteenth time. "I couldn't wake you up no matter how hard I tried."

"I see." I said as I swallowed the new pieces of information I gained from today. Questions began to swarm my mind. Why did I mention Eriol? How did I even get a chance to talk to his executioner? And lastly the most obvious question: did I witness Eriol's murder? I frowned at this thought, if that was true why didn't I remember it? A thought crept into my mind 'because you made yourself forget.' My frown deepened, I wouldn't do that, I've wanted to bring justice to whoever did that to Eriol for years, but there was never an actual suspect during the case. But if I'm dreaming about it, I must know about it, I closed my eyes as I thought. 'Why can't I remember?' My eyes shot open when a familiar pang of pain passed through my head. I gripped the side of my head.

"Eriol? Eriol? Where'd you go man? The party's about to start." I stated drunkenly as I knocked on his door. I frowned at the lack of response and opened the door. "Eriol?"

"Syao? Syao are you alright?" Sakura drew closer to me as she looked at me worriedly.

Not wanting to worry her I told her. "I'm fine, Saks" The pain ebbed away and I relaxed and began to undress. "Now pass that perfect outfit of yours will you?" I forced a grin to release her from her worries. Inside I wondered what that was; I don't remember ever looking for Eriol. In fact I barely remember anything since I was so drunk. So drunk that when I woke up in a room that I never even seen before. My eyes darkened; that's when the cops told me about Eriol, found dead in his own room. My eyes widened slightly in realization, wait, does that mean I killed him? I killed Eriol? I shook my head, impossible.

"C'mon Syao, stop standing there like a simpleton and out your tie on!" Sakura ordered strictly.

"Yeah I got it." I sighed, I shouldn't think about it too much. I quickly fixed my suit and packed my things. "Let's go then."

o0o

"Syaoran! My man! How long has it been bro?"

I smiled softly. "Five years Yamazaki, that's why it's called a five year reunion."

He smirked at me. "Don't be so indifferent bro! We were baseball buds for nine years! It's not like I didn't want to talk to you we just sort of fell apart after-" He paused.

I sighed, he hasn't changed. "Relax, its not as if I'll decapitate you if you mention his name."

His lips melted into a grin. "Just don't want you crying on me. You were such a crybaby back then y'know?" He slung his arm around my neck.

My chest tightened as a tremor of pain passed through my head once again. I closed my eyes to endure as another image flew through my mind.

"Eriol? Eriol?" Tears sprung from my eyes. "You're gonna be okay, hang in there man!"

A soft chuckle escaped his dry lips as he used his hand. "As always you're such a crybaby. Syaoran."

I shook my head at the image. What was that? Am I imagining things? Or was it a memory? I gripped arm, I'm forgetting something, something that happened five years ago. What was it?

"I should've known you two would get married."

My attention snapped back to the conversation as I watched Yamazaki and Sakura compliment each other. I saw Sakura turn to me with another strained expression. I tried to comfort her by saying lightly. "Are we just going to candycane the entrance all night or do you guys want to head over to the food stand so that we can chow while we talk? 'Cause man I haven't had anything besides that dry hospital meals for days." I forced a laugh.

"Hospital?"

"Yeah for headaches."

"Headaches? Man bro did you get weaker in the last five years or what?" He rumbled with laughter.

I laughed at the same time as we walked over, Sakura pointed over to a group of people who I recognized were from her old cheerleading team. I nodded getting the message before she walked over. Yamazaki and I reached the table and we each grabbed a sandwich. I glanced around at the familiar structure of the building where we had our graduation five years ago. My eyes landed on the seemingly dark corridor that led to the hotel rooms. I closed my eyes as another image flew into my mind.

I was walking long the dark corridor, and took the antique looking elevator to the fifth floor, Eriol's floor. My graduation suit wrinkled and stained by my carelessness. I exited the elevator and stalked to Eriol's room to tell him to relax his deathly strict personality and join the party. I knocked and asked for him to come out. When he didn't answer I opened the door realizing it wasn't locked. I peered in. "Eriol?" The rustic smell of metal reached my nose. I wrinkled it as I walked in. "Eriol?"

I squinted my eyes as the image suddenly faded, what happened? If this really is a memory that I simply forgot, it might lead me to Eriol's murderer. An image of a red mask flashed through my eyes. My eyes widened, a red mask? The theme of graduation was a masquerade. Does that mean one of my classmates did it? My eyes flashed glances worriedly around the room, looking at every familiar face with anxiety growing within me. But the rationality within me took over. 'Don't be stupid Syaoran, even if you were drunk how could your forget that you saw your best friend before his dying breath?' I refocused on my conversation with Yamazaki.

"-did you see Kano Michiru? Is it just me or does she look completely different from High School?"

I glanced at where he was pointing. "Yeah, she does look different."

"Don't stare too long bro, or your wife wont let you get away tonight." He chuckled humorously. "She had a crush on you back in high school you know?"

I forced a laugh. "I suppose." I paused as I registered his last sentence. "Really?"

Yamazaki laughed. "Yeah, that's why she hated Eriol so much you know, 'cause you always seemed to be talking to him. Though I have no idea she had nothing against Sakura since you two were dating. But I swear if looks could kill she would have murdered Eriol a hundred times." Yamazaki seemed to notice his insensitive statement and immediately silenced himself.

I frowned as I ignored his last statement. I didn't know that. I glanced at Kano again. I nearly fell back in shock when her piercing emerald eyes caught my gaze.

I glanced avoiding to look at the girl and turned my attention to the table wondering what else I should get. I saw the fruit knife stabbed directly into a pile of cranberry's, with juice was spreading around the blade. I froze as another hazy image appeared in my mind. This time, I recognized it; it was from my dream!

I looked up slightly and saw a knife held loosely in someone's hand. The glint of the handle was masked as crimson nectar slid down forming a scarlet web. My eyes followed the source of the fluid to find a pale hand dyed in red.

This time I tried to concentrate, there was something else, something else that happened. What was it? I closed my eyes, trying to remember the dream I had countless times.

I looked back up to the owner of the hand only to catch the gaze of emerald eyes behind a regal red mask. I closed my eyes in attempt to whisk away the cruel depths of those eyes. I slowly edged away fearing for my life. In an attempt of bravery I opened my eyes to find the stranger kneeling down in front of me with the ends of those thin pale lips curving up into a maniacal smile

I snapped my eyes open, that's it, even if there's a possibility that all this is in my head, and I'm going crazy, I have to find out I have to go to that room again! I turned to Yamazaki and asked him slightly frantic. "Hey, you know how that graduation was masquerade themed?"

His face became perplexed. "Yeah?"

"Do you remember who had a red mask that night?"

Yamazaki began to bark with laughter. "Bro, almost everyone had a red mask, it's our school colour you know?"

My lips frowned in disappointment that was true. I turned my head toward that dark corridor; I felt the urge to follow the steps I took that night, as if the darkness was beckoning for me to come. I closed my eyes in determination. I have to find out, I have to bring Eriol's murder to justice! If I forgot everything, I'll make myself remember everything. I turned back to Yamazaki. "Sorry man, I have to check something out. I'll be back later." Without waiting for his reply I began to stalk towards the corridor. I reached the same antique elevator, its brilliance still shown through the small scratches along the bars. I stepped in and pressed button number five. The same veering sound I heard came as the elevator slowly approached the floor. I slowly approached the room where I once opened years before. For some reason the door was left open, I frowned in puzzlement before opening the door. The room was sparkling clean, like any other hotel room should be. I took a few steps towards spot where Eriol's body once was. I looked at the velvet carpet; they re-carpeted the place I mused. I bent down and touched the same spot where I remembered to have a pool of blood. I traced an irregular shape on the carpet, as I glanced around the room. I looked back to the doorway and another blurry image flashed.

I woke up on the cold floor of the washroom, I rubbed my head, as I looked onto the floor I realized I must've slipped and collided my head with the corner. I looked around, my vision was hazy as I stumbles back into the main room before collapsing back onto the door. I looked up in front of me and I saw it again, a body. I widened my eyes in realization as I remembered that was Eriol. But I found myself unable to move. I froze when I saw someone who wasn't there before, holding a blood-stained knife. I unconsciously backed myself against the wall as I saw a pair of amber eyes that said it was on the edge of insanity. The stranger blinked when our eyes met and it started to slowly approach me as the ends of those thin pale lips curving up into a maniacal smile. I watched as those same lips form soft words.

The image soon faded as I opened my eyes and a throb of pain went through me once again. What was it? What did that person say? Why did that person, let me live? I closed my eyes trying to read the pale lip.

"I don't want to hurt you."

Didn't want to hurt me? Why? I'm a witness; don't murderers usually want the witness dead? I closed my eyes again as I tried to imagine the face of the stranger. The image of the red mask flashed through my mind and I tried to piece the images of the murdered together. The emerald eyes, the pale thin lips, the red mask. I paused mid thought. 'Wait something's off.' I tried to imagine the red mask once again, only getting a hazy image of it. I tried to concentrate and focus on the image. The image focus became clearer, I soon realized that the mask wasn't actually red, well originally red. It was stained with blood. 'Eriol's blood'. I grimaced. I could see the blood mainly at the center of the mask as I noticed the splatters at the rim of the mask. Ignoring the blood, the mask would be pure white, the edges at least. I tried to concentrate more and saw flakes of gold sparkled on top of white. I froze; there was no way. There was really only one white mask during graduation night. On graduation, I had to wear a white tuxedo and a matching white mask so that it could fit its counterpart out fit. It was a couples set, we got the last one.

"Syao? What are you doing up here all by yourself?"

I froze at that melodic voice, the voice that I had loved since high school. I turned around slowly and my eyes once again matched with amber. I swallowed. "Nothing important Sakura."

I saw my wife's lips upturn into a smile I haven't seen before, except in my dreams, that same maniacal smile. "You've been up here for a while, were you perhaps, looking for something?"

My voice trembled slightly as I said. "Nothing in particular. I was just about to leave."

Her eyes narrowed slightly, but her lips still held the same smile. "If you're done, lets go back down stairs. There are so many people we still haven't talked to yet."

I nodded slowly. "Yeah, I'll be down in a minute, why don't you go down first?"

"Why can't you come now?" She asked unnervingly. "What's wrong Syao?"

"I'm just preoccupied at the moment."

"In this room? The very room, where Eriol was found?" She asked ever so innocently.

Before I would have thought of nothing from this comment, but now, I can only feel as if she was threatening me. "Really? I didn't really notice."

She gave what seemed to be a look of pity. "Syao? Are you hiding something from me?"

"No." I shivered. "Why don't you go back Sakura? I'll be right behind you."

"Oh no, I'll wait." She laughed lightly which at this point made to see her insane. "I came up here to look for you after all."

"Why . . . " I paused. "Why did you think I was up here?"

"Why? Because you were acting strangely of course." She took a step forward. "Lately you've been calling Eriol's name so often when you haven't mentioned him once in years."

"I've been feeling nostalgic lately." I answered lamely.

"Are you sure that's all Syao?" She asked simply as she took another step closer.

"Of course, what else could it be?"

She laughed a little more loudly this time, as if she was on the brink of insanity. "Don't play games with me Syao, you know I don't like being lied to. Especially by my husband."

"I'm not." I bit my lip. "Lying." I edged away; I felt like a child trying to avoid trouble.

"Then why do you keep edging away?" She smirked, a expression I've never seen before. "You remember don't you?"

"What?" I gasped out agape.

She sighed. "After all the effort I made to make sure that we could stay happy, and you just had to remember."

My eyes widened, although I guessed it, I didn't want to believe it, that sweet, naïve Sakura would kill Eriol, our best friend. "What do you mean?"

She smiled at me. "You know I tried my best you know, to keep it low dosages, just to make sure, you kept on forgetting."

I stared at her. "You drugged me?"

She continued to talk as if I said nothing. "But then, I suppose I accidently gave you a bit too much one time that you ended up in the hospital." She rolled her eyes. "And those little white dressed fools wouldn't even let me near your food. So, I hoped that a few days without it would be alright, but no, you just had to have those relapses. Even from his grave Eriol has to continued haunting me does he?"

My eyes widened to their limit as I strained out a word. "Why?"

Her eyes twinkled in amusement. "Why?" She laughed as if she was remembering a pleasant memory. "Because he made me."

"He made you?" I repeated puzzled.

"Yes, it was just a one time fling, yet he had to feel guilty. Like, he committed the deed when he knew the consequences yet he had to confess." She rolled her eyes. "He had to insist that we tell you about us, and that if I wouldn't go with him he would go himself. The idiot, on graduation night as well."

"You . . . cheated on me?" I pronounced slowly,

"Don't say it like that Syao, it sounds so harsh, you know I love you, I always did, I just wanted some leverage so that he would stop stealing away your time with me."

"We were best friends!" I nearly shouted.

"Yes, but I loved you too much Syao, and Eriol was in my way. I just wanted to guilt him into not being near you as much, in fear of you calling him traitor." She sighed as she kneeled down in front of me. "But the fool wanted to confess to reveal everything, so, he had to go."

I sat their shocked. "How could you?"

"Don't look at me like that Syao, it was for us, I told you, and I love you too much to let some insects get between us."

"We were friends." I repeated.

"Yes, were." She confirmed, she sighed as she looked at me. "This was why I didn't want you to remember. There's a part of you that's just like Eriol, foolish. But don't worry I love you all the same." She brought a finger to my cheek and stroked it lightly. I shivered from her touch and my eyes widened as she whispered slowly. "So Syaoran, how should I make you forget this time?" I felt something sharp, and then my world became black.

o0o

I woke up in a daze as I looked around in my surroundings. Everything was blindingly white. I looked to my left and saw Sakura, she was looking over me with a worried look on her face. Her face broke into a smile when she realized I was awake. "Syao"

I groaned as I slid myself up the bed. "What happened?"

She looked at me confused. "You fainted during the reunion, why were you in a hotel room?"

I looked at her puzzled. "Reunion?"

She glanced at me with a nervous look. "Remember? Our five year high school reunion?"

I brought my hand to my head as I bent down slowly. "No." My head ached so badly. "I don't remember . . . anything."

A happy ending?
An evil Sakura! I always wanted to make her like that just once...Hope you enjoyed it though!
*Reviews are appreciated =)
-XoXo
YuukiRI