Chapter 27: Sakura's date ended in a washout.

Ye Hui snapped out of his reverie and returned the card.

"Thank you, Kinomoto. I’ve gained some new insights from this card. I’m truly grateful!" Ye Hui said solemnly.

"Huh?" Sakura waved her hands in a fluster. "No... wait, it’s not like that... I mean, I should be the one thanking you, Ye Hui. If it weren't for you, this Clow Card crisis wouldn't have been resolved so easily..."

[Sakura Kinomoto Emotion Points +15]

Tomoyo smiled and was about to speak when Kero suddenly looked back and shouted, "Quick, someone’s coming!"

"Use the talismans!" Ye Hui reminded them.

The group quickly pulled out their invisibility talismans and slipped out of the aquarium. This was already their second team operation to capture a Clow Card. Once inside the camper, they exchanged glances and smiled. They felt as though their rapport had grown significantly.

"It’s a shame I broke this communicator..."

When Sakura was luring the Watery card, even with the protection of the talismans, the device couldn't escape the constant bumps and impacts. Tomoyo blinked and smiled warmly. "It’s alright, Sakura."

"This is a trial product from my mother’s company. Before mass production, we’re supposed to select a batch of samples specifically for testing. So, even if it’s broken, it’s worth it. I can still gather data to prove the product isn't durable enough," Tomoyo said, gently comforting her.

Sakura’s mood lifted considerably. Suddenly, Tomoyo’s eyes began to sparkle, and she added, "Besides, being able to capture Sakura’s heroic fighting stance makes it worth breaking ten, or even a hundred communicators!"

Sakura: "Uh... a hundred is a bit of an exaggeration, Tomoyo-chan..."

Ye Hui nodded slightly from the side, smiling without a word. Tomoyo’s mother ran a toy company. While he didn't know if the equipment Tomoyo brought was a custom model, it was entirely plausible for a toy manufacturer to produce communication devices similar to children's watches. Therefore, the excuse of "prototype testing" was quite reasonable.

Ye Hui smacked his lips. "The biggest pity is that we didn't get the footage of Sakura sneaking in while invisible..."

[Sakura Kinomoto Emotion Points +10]

Tomoyo rested her chin on her hand and chimed in, "Yes, it would have been even better if we could have recorded Sakura’s invisibility... I imagine that would have been very interesting!"

Kero added from the side, "But this invisibility power is really useful. We should use it often. Besides, didn't this cultivator say that if these talismans aren't used, they’ll eventually expire anyway?" Kero glanced sideways at Ye Hui. "So, are you going to take out some more talismans?"

Ye Hui rolled his eyes. "Do you think talismans are just handed out like candy? I have to draw them bit by bit, you know!"

With the battle over, Sakura had missed dinner time. Tomoyo suddenly made a victory sign. "Luckily, I was prepared..."

When she was packing in the afternoon, she hadn't just prepared Sakura’s battle costume; she’d also packed communication gear, bento boxes, and other supplies. Looking at the camper filled with items, Ye Hui seriously suspected that Tomoyo had moved her entire house into the vehicle.

"Wow, there’s so much food!" The ahoge on Sakura’s head bobbed playfully. "Thank you, Tomoyo-chan! Come to think of it, this is the first time we’ve had a meal together outside of school!"

Ye Hui nodded as well. "Then I shall thank you for your hospitality, Tomoyo."

Kero watched the group exchange pleasantries without starting to eat, its mouth watering. Seeing the variety of bento boxes inside the camper, it couldn't help but ask, "Can we start eating now...?"

Tomoyo looked at it and smiled. "Please, go ahead."

Hearing this, Kero immediately hugged its fork. "Yay!"

...

The meal didn't last long. Afterward, Ye Hui stood up to bid them farewell, ready to leave.

"Eh? Why are you in such a rush, Ye Hui?"

Sakura recalled how he had stared blankly at the card earlier with a strange expression, and she couldn't help but worry about him. "Ye Hui, are you alright?"

Ye Hui waved a hand. "I'm fine! I just gained insight into the power of the water element, which has helped my cultivation progress and allowed me to grasp something akin to water-based magic. That’s why I’m eager to get back and practice..."

Upon hearing anything related to magic, Kero perked up. It puffed out its round belly, flapped its wings, and circled Ye Hui, looking him over.

"Hmm, I don't feel anything unusual!"

[Cerberus Emotion Points +4]

Kero felt like Ye Hui might be spouting nonsense. But there was no reason to! Why would he say all that? Was it because he disliked Sakura and Tomoyo and wanted to leave quickly? Kero squinted its beady eyes and dismissed that thought. It would rather believe that Ye Hui was rushing home to use the bathroom than believe he would snub these two cute girls. One look at how he usually went out of his way to find them was enough to prove otherwise!

Or perhaps, was it because the power of the Watery card was incompatible with its own attributes? Kero specialized in the power of the "Sun." However, the sun’s power was only linked to two of the four elements: Earth and Fire. Naturally, it would have a clearer perception of those two types of magic. Wind and Water, on the other hand, belonged to the power of the Moon. The Moon represented darkness. This power was naturally distinct from the light represented by Cerberus. Kero guessed that might be the reason it couldn't sense anything resembling water magic on Ye Hui.

By the time Ye Hui returned to his villa, it was nearly nine in the evening. He went to his "leveling-up room," ready to review the spoils of his mission. Suddenly, a thought crossed his mind.

"Wait, did I just ruin Touya and Yukito’s 'spoiler' plan?"

He remembered the original plot. Today after school, Yukito was supposed to bump into Sakura. Then, claiming he wanted to thank her for the pancakes, he would invite her to the aquarium the next afternoon. Yes, the aquarium had a place to eat, and it just so happened to be where Touya worked. It was such a coincidence that Touya would be reassigned to make "shaved ice" because of an incident at the penguin exhibit.

That afternoon, the Watery card caused an accident. After Yukito saved Sakura, he didn't forget to say regretfully, "It’s a shame we came all this way for shaved ice and didn't get any... but the icy stuff is really good..."

See! Those two guys were practically spoon-feeding Sakura the answer regarding ice! Ye Hui curled his lip. Those two were being way too obvious with their spoilers! It was practically like they were reciting the answers right in her face. No wonder Sakura eventually thought of using the cold storage to defeat the Watery card.

But, with his interference this time, the Watery card had been captured early. The accident didn't even happen. The ending was perfect. It’s just that... Sakura and Yukito’s date had naturally gone down the drain!