n/a hi. I got lazy redoing my original story... but i will finish it... and so shall i finish 'wish'. Anyways, this ficcy never directly adress haru as 'haru' and just tells it like a story book kinda thing.... and baron has yet to appear. And yes, this is a baronxharu fic though its diffrent. Just thinking realisticly, that's all.

Disclaimer: I don't own any of these. Not the Cat Returns, owned by Studio Ghilbli, nor 'House of Many Ways', owned by Diane Wynne-Jones.

Roses

"The red rose whispers of passion, and the white rose breathes of love; O, the red rose is a falcon, and the white rose is a dove; but I send you a cream-white rose bud, With a flush on its petal tips; for the love that is purest and sweetest, has a kiss of desire on its lips."

-unknown

It had been a full year that she hadn't seen him. Sure, she would see Muta in the Crossroad, napping in the usual chair with the sun caressing his back. Sometimes, she even joined him, not talking of course, and ordered a slice of cake for him and watch him eat silently. And then like a routine, he would look up and give a gruff meow and go back to his napping and she would smile brightly, pay for the check and go. And rarely, he would actually purr and she'd scratch his brown ear and then go, still smiling.

And then, always after she visited Muta, a black crow would fly about in the sky, just around her house, circling the rooftops and with a shine his black eyes, Toto would look at her and smile too and zoom off in the far distance of the sky as she waved after him, with a big smile in her face that would last for days.

Those visits, Toto's and Muta's, always cheered her up from her usual mundane life. But he never visited. And neither did she. Not because of foolish pride, no, she was ready to seek him just to locate a missing pen. But then she'd stop, rewind and calm down and think, Oh gee, he must be busy. Nevermind the fact that she knew that The Cat Bureau was a virtually empty place. And then, she'd blush and remember the visit to the Cat Kingdom, never forgetting. She'd sigh with a slight pink flush, heart racing more than its normal speed.

So, what was special today? Well, simple. It was her 18th birthday. A legal adult. And soon going to collage. But it didn't feel special, just normal day as she rolled off her bed. After she did her morning ritual, she went downstairs, ate breakfast with her mum, thank her for the breakfast and smile widely at her Happy Birthday, sweetheart, here's your gift! It was a watch and she immediately slipped on, she'd walk to school with a skip in her step, glad that she gotten rid of her tardiness.

Then in the locker room, her friends would crowd around her, cooing and shouting their well wishes on her birthday, cram gifts in her arms. After that, she would laugh heartily and smile softly as Machida smiled handsomely at her, giving her his present, her friends made a commotion about that too. Then the bell would ring and rush up their respective rooms, and when they'd made it to their seats, Hiromi would squeeze in a teasing about Machida's courting and in the right moment, like she had done practiced, blush prettily and deny. It really was no use.

The day dragged on and time slowed as she listened to the ramblings of her teachers in class. Finally, time started again as school ended. And her expectations of the day shattered.

It started innocently enough, Hiromi grabbing her before she could walk out of the class. And begged her to switch cleaning duties with her because her Tsuge's arm got twisted or something and they rushed him to the hospital, so please, Haru, change duties with me? In truth, Hiromi didn't even finish her sentence after she agreed in a heartbeat. Hiromi hugged her and dashed out of the class, screaming her apologies. She chuckled and began cleaning.

She finished mopping the floor with her other classmates that was doig cleaning duties too. They had a great time, joking around and all. Finally, she took the trash out to throw it in the burner out in the school yard. When she was outside, Machida called after her and she waited patiently as he ran up to her, gasping as he stopped in front of her. Then he straightened up, slightly nervous said, I love you. Please, go out with me? She blinked at him and reasoned to herself until a few seconds passed and Machida lost his confidence, it was then she agreed. The reason? Because she knew that her love was impossible.

Then after a bone crushing hug and a hesitant goodbye, her new boyfriend went away and she was left to take the rubbish out. Then she tripped on a stray cord, landing face first on the dirt covered floor, she groaned.

A hearty laugh was heard, "Still trippin' like that, Chicky? Man, you should do something with your Coordination. Congrats, by the way." She flushed and sat up, eying Muta and asking what he wanted.

"Ah, look, you and your new boyfriend is great and all. Don't worry. I'm here for a delivery." He then pulled out a yellow rose from somewhere and handed her a card. Before she could ask Muta more about his, he was gone.

So, being a naturally curious kid, er, adult, she began reading the simple cream card that he gave and in the scripted elegant writing that made her heart race in unimaginable speed;

A yellow rose for the lady who looked beautiful in the yellow gown

I know even more that I would always cherish our friendship.

We might not meet much, but please wait for the roses.

Her breath hitched and she whispered the only name that came to her as she read those letters, "Baron." She clutched her yellow rose by her chest tightly, as if that was a rare jewel that fell into her lap. She cried softly with an equal tender smile gracing her lips.

She was 23 now and worked in a nice clinic in the city that paid her generously. She had also moved out from her mothers house, living in an apartment near her clinic. Her mother reluctantly agreed on the conditions that she visit every sunday. And she did, never missing one. Recently, Machida had proposed to her. She had also agreed after a full minute of consideration until he nearly gave up. He kissed her after that and she responded, after all, it was their first kiss. It had stiked her as odd that he hadn't until then kissed her. He reasoned it was because he wanted it to be special. She relented.

At thursday, she and Hiromi ate at the restaurant in the Crossroad. She was rather disappointed that Muta wasn't there to overhear their conversation and Hiromi squealing in delight as she gushed over the diamond ring that Machida had given her. She smiled, it really was rather big. But during their conversation, she gave half of her ear to her friend as she listened and wondered the path to the Cat Bureau again like everytime she went there.

In friday, she explored the Crossroad again, with a little hope in her until she went home with a crushing disappointment settling in her stomach that she refused all calls from her work or her new fiance and best friend.

She stayed worked on saturday and received calls now. Hectic day.

Sunday was raining and the day she was meeting with her mum at her apartment. Machida was coming too, to announce their engagement. She smiled at her reflection in the mirror after she hanged up from the phone. She had told Machida to go on first and pick up her mother because of the rain and all. Reluctantly he agreed. So now, here she was, looking at her reflection in a pale yellow skirt and a white long sleeved shirt. She reached for the brown rose that was preserved by the lamination resting on her bedside table and traced its outline, smiling. She did it everytime to remind herself of those words.

Then, she wondered what he was doing. And then she would feel guilty about it too, loving someone even more than her own boyfri- er, fiance. But it was impossible. She needed to move on.

Setting the old rose back to its place, she rushed to the kitchen and saved dinner for three and decorated the table nicely and began waiting.

They never came.

After calling Machida's and her mum's phones multiple of times, she began panicking and called Hiromi and she rushed to her place with Tsuge in tow, calming her and convinced her to call the police. They said they were going to help.

And help they did. They kept her in the daylight hours, worrying to the verge of madness and paranoia. But she knew the answer before they called her and reported to her that they found them in a car crash, a very horrible one too.

"Shhh, it's going to be alright, Haru," Hiromi repeated as she cradled her in her arms, "It's going to be all right. I'm here..." and it went on, until she was lost for words and tears. She could hear the worried whispers of Hiromi of her health as she stared out the window like a hollow form, an empty shell.

After a week and many visits and phone calls from friends and relatives, hers and Machida's, their funeral begun. They were buried at the same place and day and time. She remembered bitterly thinking how convenient it was. She stared blankly at the coffins as dirt began covering them. She had also remembered gathering sympathetic glances from people too and after the funeral, she stayed right in her spot, not moving an inch. She didn't cry. She ran out.

Ever since then, every sunday she began visiting them. She never missed a day. And on other free days, she visit the park and sit on the benches, staring dully at the pond like a walking corpse.

But hope started again when two roses fell on her lap, startling her out of her reverie. She frowned and began staring at the two roses, one pink and the other was a lighter shade, wondering who was it from. Then beside her, a crow squawked, making her jump up and scream slightly. But the moment she caught the twinkling gaze of it's eyes, she smiled and muttered his name.

Toto said nothing but joined her in her staring. It was only when he dropped a card to her lap again that he spoke; "It wasn't your fault, Haru." For the first time ever since the funeral, she smiled a ghost of a smile and let a tear prickle down her cheek and said that she wished she could've rewind time and Toto gave a shrill squawk, "We believe in you, Haru. Don't lose hope."

And when he was long gone and she was in the safety of her house, she moved back in her mothers house, she read the letter. And in those familiar handwriting that she had read over and over again, was written neatly;

Please, do not think that your alone, Haru.

I'm always here for you.

I believe in you.

And that was then she decided to pull herself together. She gave a lingering smile at the card and roses and knew exactly what they meant. That was the day she started living again.

n.a and that concludes the 'machida' time. OK, shall I explain the meaning of the flowers since I did not? ok:

Yellow-- friendship

LIght Pink--- Sympathy

Pink---- Admiration

If i might be terribly honest with you, I abhore pink. I had some complications about that. Not because its all bright and girly and all, no, its for more.... personal reasons. I think. Oh well. I wish that you didn't get to tired of reading a narrative with less dialogue. I wanted a new thing, ya know? So, random topic, did any of you guys read the 'house of many ways' by dianne wynne-jones? is it good?