A Cemetery Fling
The trees rustled as the soft wind blew. Daisies stood on vases, waving every passerby a hello. However, nobody was there to begin with, so the daisies' greetings were in vain. In the silence of the day, someone left a trail on the green grasses of home.
His reserved demeanor fit the place, for he was alone and yet he wasn't. The bundles of daisies he held were placed above the tomb, kissing the lackluster name carved on the marble stone. "On the other side, where the sunshine ends not." The epitaph of the deceased read. His blue hardening stare retired of tears left the sight before him as the rustling of the trees enticed him.
Rose petals flew before him until it dropped on the grave beside his visit. Tall grasses succumbed the grave fenced with thin rusting metal rods. If it weren't because of the tall weeping angel standing overhead of the tomb, the tomb would be lost in memories.
Three long-stemmed roses stood out of the greenness as a lady left them above the tomb. He watched her went out of the fenced tomb and the rustling of the wind was his company left. That was then he decided to depart as of today, with a promise of visiting his friend tomorrow. "I'll be back tomorrow, Gakupo." When he passed by the eerie grave, he saw a small portion of the land unoccupied with grasses.
"Where have you gone, Len?" Upon arriving home, his mother was worried with his absence. "I'm sure that your office hours isn't beyond two in the afternoon."
His keys clattered as it dropped on the glass bowl. Len briefly answered his mom, "I visited Gakupo, mom."
His mother was silent for a minute, but she spoke when he was about to ascend from the stairs. "Just let me know where you go, I'm worried."
His smile didn't reach his lips, it was done mentally as he nodded and turned on his heel. Gakupo was a close friend of Len. They were sworn brothers ever since Len and his family settled in that village. Gakupo was Len's first friend in that place, his best buddy in high school until college. Even after they graduated in college, they worked in the same company. So, it hurt Len most when the news reached him, that Gakupo was involved in an accident, leaving him in coma.
Len spent months visiting Gakupo in the hospital, bringing him flowers and fruits that his best buddy won't even see, touch or taste. Len kept his hopes high that his buddy would wake up sooner, that he would open his eyes and see what Len brought him. Len believed that he would be able to tell Gakupo that he has to pay the flowers and fruits - that him staying asleep that long wasn't fun.
But Len's hope failed him. He went out of Gakupo's room with Gakupo's girlfriend to buy some lunch, but when they came back, the doors were locked and the comatose friend was dying. The next thing Len remembered was he was standing before a number of weeping people, all dressed in black.
"I don't have much to say," Len said on his eulogy, "the last time Gakupo and I talked, he told me to buy him some time so he could sneak out of the office and date with Luka. So, after this funeral, I'm going to buy a watch." He succeeded making the gloomy audience laugh a little, but even he, himself, didn't sound lighthearted with his own joke. "I'm going to buy an old watch where the times I had spent with Gakupo in the past will not be forgotten - an old watch so I can always look back in the past where he still lives. Rest in peace buddy."
Len's heart shattered as he stepped out of everyone's eyes, his tears fell perfectly concealed by his golden fringe. That was his good-bye to his dear friend. Flowers dropped as Gakupo was lowered six feet below the living. Wailing people sang the deceased his last soundtrack with tears watering the land. When all is done, Len and Luka were left sitting near his grave, holding fresh daisies that were not sent with the deceased down there. Silence was a mutual understanding between the two, each of them lost someone dear - a friend and a soulmate. With a weary heart, Luka rose and placed the daisies on a vase and whispered, "flowers for you." Soon, Luka bid Len adieu hours before the dusk. So, Len and the rustling trees were left together. Withered rose petals flew and dropped near his shoes as he heard someone weeping. Three log-stemmed red roses stood out of the greenness on the neighboring grave, a lady was running away.
Len watched the dull gigantic buildings in view. When the morning came, he decided that he finally mustered the courage to buy a watch, an old watch as he said on his eulogy. He made sure to tell his mother his destination for that day so she wouldn't worry. What matters now was the watch. He wanted an antique one. Honestly speaking, his unprepared eulogy was a product of his vulnerability, and that included his talk of this watch. Now, he was bugged with his dreams of Gakupo and the watch, so he was doing a favor for himself by now. He ended up in an antique shop owned by a friend from middle school. Kaito welcomed him in and stated his condolence regarding the late classmate. Len told him his purpose and wished to find it soon, explaining how his dreams turned unfriendly.
"That is eerie," remarked Kaito, "maybe he was moved by your talk."
The two of them laughed as he let Len take a look around the shop. The smell of the forgotten time lingered on his nostrils as he wandered in the shop. Little by little, he untangled himself from locking gazes with his own reflection. Len realized what kind of a sad person he has become.
"The watches are right behind you," Kaito told Len.
Watches and clocks seemed to glare at Len, as though they have waited for him since forever. Wrist watches laid on the table, below the wall clocks. The years that passed by couldn't be seen on the glossy leather straps. A loud ticking from the grandfather clock called his attention, probably asking him to look at it. Which forgotten should he take?
Here. Take my time.
Len saw what was hanging on the grandfather clock. A golden pocket watch which is bruised at its cover, glowing when the sun shines at it. He was decided to take that time long gone and forgotten.
He took it away, murmuring a 'nice to meet you' as he walked to the counter. Something was written on its face, more like a brief message, but it wasn't legible. It might be handed down from person to person in this stretch of time, until it was not taken care for a long time. Len did not miss to see the only vivid thing written at the lower portion of its cover, 1910.
"I will take care of you," Len noted mentally as he paid for it.
Kaito smiled as he handed it back to Len, telling him a little inconvenience about the oldest item he had in the antique shop. "Its spring won't unlock. Maybe because it's too old. But you can take it to a watch repair shop. I bet the writings on its cover will be renewed as well."
Len took his advice and left, heading to a watch shop he would see along the way to the cemetery. Half an hour had passed when he reached the said shop. With an agreement that Len will pay any amount just to renew the clock without modifying it -just restoring - he left the shop expecting the thing to be fixed by the end of the week.
Once again, Len stood before the grave of his late friend. The daisies he brought him were still fresh, waving Len a hello. The rustling winds never leaves the cemetery, he told Gakupo as he brushed the rose petals fallen on the marble carved epitaph. He stared at his friend's name on the stone, realizing that that would be the saddest place to write one's name.
"I guess that's all for today, Gakupo. I got a watch, now happy?" Len sneered and walked away, only to stop in front the grave beside Gakupo's. The same lady from yesterday was seated there, pulling out the tall grasses with such trouble.
"May I help you?" He asked.
She quickly stood to face him, her braided hair whipped around. Fair blue eyes bore him deeply, as she stared saucer-eyed with his generous offer. "You wouldn't mind?" That was such a melodious voice.
Len winced as he unlocked the little gate of the tomb. "I wouldn't mind as long as this deceased won't show up in my dreams."
She laughed and gave him a little space - he wished he saw her face when she laughed - and they faced the grasses as high as their chests. "I failed to maintain her grave for some years." She clapped the dust on her hands away.
Red. Her palms are red, wounded more likely. "You hurt yourself," he pointed it out. She just smiled and went back pulling the grasses.
Len knelt opposite her as he tried pulling out the grasses. It was tough eradicating them, the roots could have attached itself more than imagined. Now, he knew what was the small unoccupied portion of the graveyard...that was the space she cleared on her own.
"I often see you here," said he, "bawling in tears, leaving roses on the tomb." He looked at the tomb and saw three long-stemmed roses again. The tomb was visible, the body wasn't buried below the ground. The white stone was darkening already, she must be serious when she said that she didn't maintain it for years.
"Yes," she said, struggling to pull the grasses out, "she's so dear to me, and I don't want to leave her here alone."
He understood what she meant. He, too, doesn't want Gakupo to be forgotten. "You're always crying, and leaving roses."
"I told you, she's dear to me. Roses are her favorite."
"Is she a friend?"
"More than a family. Something stronger and more intimate than that. I haven't met her, but it's a family tradition to keep her grave neat because she left a mark on my family's heart."
Few hours before the dusk, Len and the lady cleared half of the graveyard, the only grasses left were the ones around the tomb itself. The sky is between red and yellow, stars are threatening to come out within hours. So, he offered to walk her out of the cemetery.
"I'm fine," she told him. "I will leave some hour before dusk. I want to talk with her a little." Her smile assured him that it is really fine to leave.
"Alright. I will come back tomorrow and will bring a grass cutter." He decided that it appears to be a fair reason why come back tomorrow. "What's your name?"
Her red cheeks brightened up a little as she pronounced her name. That was the sweetest voice he heard. "Miku. My name is Miku."
"Have a good time, Miku. See you tomorrow," he smiled. Len did smile - that was unusual. He felt like he was flirting in a wrong time and place.
"Yes. See you tomorrow."
And they departed.
Len was unable to sleep that night. He was thinking of the lady he met at the cemetery, her pleasing eyes and smile, and even her conservative way of dressing. Her long skirts almost touching the ground, her sleeves held in many folds. She was simply . . .
Len jerked up from his bed and cursed, "son of Aphrodite, this couldn't be..."
A fling. Len called it a fling. He saw her around the cemetery before - but it was just when she was running away and crying. His encounter yesterday left him awestruck the whole night, recalling her vivid blue eyes when she looked at him. Fling, he knew it was just a fling. But of all places, why in a cemetery? Gakupo may taunt him because of this matter.
He was able to do his job well, but his performance proved that he was over thinking. His job well done was accompanied by a portrait of her in his sketchbook.
As soon as his job was done, he drove his way to the cemetery with the promised grass cutter, purple lilacs - Gakupo's favorites, and roses for the other grave. When he arrived, she wasn't there yet, so he stayed with Gakupo, staring at the lilacs left on his grave. Luka might have brought those ahead of him.
"Len!" She was standing behind him, leaning on the rusting fence.
"Hey! You might get wounded ther-"
"I'm fine!" She laughed and hopped back, "you're such a worrywart. Come on, let me borrow the grass cutter. I know you're tired so stay right where you are."
He walked to her and smiled, giving her the grass cutter and a bouquet of roses. She gawked in disbelief as she held the bouquet close to her, her face radiant with obvious bliss.
"She will love this! You don't know how you made her happy, Len!" The bouquet of roses was left atop the tomb as the two worked on trimming the tall grasses left from tomorrow. "There! You will surely be a beautiful bride if you hold them at your chest or on your tummy,"
"Miku?" He called.
"Yes?"
"How did you know my name?"
She blinked innocently. "I heard your friend calling you by your name every time. Why?"
That must be Luka, he thought and joined Miku's work.
Even though tired coming from work, Len still gave her a hand in finishing the cleaning of that little space. They talked and exchanged puns that made the two of them groan in disgust and laugh at the same time. He told her his eulogy and how he ended up buying an antique watch.
Len volunteered to cut the tall grasses near the tomb, albeit it scared him to the bones. He complained not, that would give her a bad impression of him so he continued. What shocked him was the countless withered long stems and decayed rose petals concealed by the tall grasses. Seriously, Miku has visited there more than he imagined.
As if reading his mind, she sat beside him on folded knees. "These are the proofs that I haven't forgotten her. I will visit her as long as I can,"
"How long have you been visiting this graveyard, Miku?"
"Since my youth, I think."
"You're still young," he chuckled, "I look older than you, a year or two."
"I am nineteen. How about you, Len? How old are you?"
Len sighed, at least she was at a legal age. He could elope with her and make a happy family, then - I just fucking met you...
"Len? What did you say? I didn't hear it clearly."
Shit. Len said it aloud. He beamed a smile to her and whispered, "twenty and three." He covered his face with the back of his hand, hiding his warming face.
"Still youthful, aren't you?" She stood, "now, now, Len. Go home and leave this place before it gets dark. Leave this grass cutter with me, I will give it back tomorrow. Will you still go back here?"
"If you want me to help, then I will." Reasons, he thought, thanks for giving me valid reasons to come back here. Len stood towering at her and stepped back, waving her a goodbye with a promise of meeting her tomorrow.
The second day ended and his sketchbook had a new entry, a drawing of her as she held the bouquet of roses at her chest.
Len's morning isn't as gloomy as it used to be. If Gakupo shows in his dreams, he will thank him for introducing him to a lovely beautiful lady. His work is finished soon and so, he drove to the cemetery with anticipation. This time, Len spent a silent time staring at Gakupo's tombstone.
"Thank you, buddy. You're still the best. Even if you're gone, you're still helping me out." Len's smile was tinged with sadness as he ran his fingers on Gakupo's name.
"Thank you for sharing your friend to me..."
Len spun his aside to see Miku sitting beside him.
"...Gakupo Kamui?" She read. "Thank you again, Gakupo. He's such a kind man." She continued and placed a single long-stemmed rose beside the tombstone. Miku looked at him and smiled, handing him the grass cutter.
The next hours was spent with Miku. He watched her as she tried cleaning the tomb, doing her best to clear it out of the dark stains. There he noticed that the tombstone was missing.
"Where is it? The tombstone?" Len walked near her.
She lifted her head, fringe bobbed and fell above her eyes. The hushed wind filled the deadlock. Her eyes studied the grave curiously and answered, "I think this dark rectangular tablet is. My bad, I haven't noticed that. Good grief, Len! Thanks for asking!"
"So, you still need me tomorrow?" His intentions are getting mixed up, but if that means that he gets to visit Gakupo - which means he could share his thoughts of this lady - and to see her and talk with her, it isn't a white lie at all.
"If you're free and if I'm not tiring you, then please." Her smile, pure and blissful, sent Len home looking forward for tomorrow.
The third day ended and his sketchbook had a new entry, an illustration of her gazing down at Gakupo's tombstone.
The next day was spent just like the past ones. He accompanied her and they talked, more comfortable than ever. His questions kept her telling stories about herself, she was quite an eerie lady with a sense of being attached to antiquity. When asked about the deceased person's name, she faltered.
"Her name is - " her eagerness died at an instant, lips closed tightly.
He waited for an answer.
"I'm sorry, I forgot. I can't remember it."
The fourth day ended with a new expression introduced to him, she was drawn on his sketchbook tainted with loneliness. The incident left Len vexed until he fell asleep.
"You are early today," his mom told him when he came home around three in the afternoon. The fifth day was his rest day in visiting the cemetery. Witnessing Miku's mouth pulled down in a frown bugged Len the whole time so he decided to spend the rest of his day in his home. He should have not asked that question, that was his regret. Right now, he would let himself be down in the dumps.
In his dreams, he met Gakupo. They stood amid a meadow full of daisies. Gakupo was standing on the other side, making fun of Len. The wind was gentle and serene, Len liked the place but Gakupo said it wasn't Len's place yet.
"So, Len, how's the fling?" Gakupo asked him as his back retreated from Len.
"I don't know. Hey, where are you going?"
"-buy me some time." Gakupo answered. "You gave me a wonderful time, Len. Thank you. Find your happiness, bro."
On the sixth day, the door on the watch shop dinged as Len entered. It was three in the afternoon when he barged in. The ticking of the clocks was synchronized as he moved directly to the counter.
"Good afternoon. I came here for the pocket watch I left for repair. I was told to come at the end of the week."
"The clock will be delivered here tomorrow. I asked my brother to clean it up and make the writings on the cover legible. I'm sorry to cause you inconvenience, sir. But would you mind going back tomorrow or would you leave your address so we will just deliver it to you?"
"It's fine. I'll come back tomorrow."
Len found himself sitting before Gakupo's grave, replaying his dream last night. Gakupo wanted him to find his happiness. Whatever it is, Len isn't sure if happiness can be defined or found, at least.
"Soulmates. Do you know anything about soulmates, Len?" Miku was on the metal rods - now painted white - as she held a magazine on her face. When she lowered down the magazine, she smiled like the usual, "welcome back!"
Len and Miku spent the afternoon on a park, quite far from the melancholic cemetery. His bliss was incomparable when she sat on the passenger seat and watched the multicolored sky from the window. Her attention, though, was on a certain magazine article about soulmates, and she was incessant in extracting his opinion about it.
They sat on a seesaw as they talked, he mentally admired how beautiful she was every time he lifts her up, or pushes her down. Her smile was eternal, full of genuine happiness he wouldn't see in himself. The yellowish light of the dusk showered on her, making her a siren in his eyes.
"I don't know much about soulmates. But I've read an eastern myth about that - it wasn't called soulmates, though."
"Pray do tell me."
He stared ajar. She sounded like Sherlock Holmes there.
Sun down. The night is dark and Len offered to drive her home. She politely refused, saying that her house is near the park. The two of them laughed at the awkward silence before Len decided to leave.
"Len," she caught his wrist, preventing him to ride his car and dash home all at once. He doesn't want to leave her like this too. He faced her and smiled genuinely, waiting for her to say something.
"Yes, Miku?"
"Nice to meet you. I never said that the first time we met." She said. "I will be moving tomorrow. I may not visit her grave again."
He was quiet. Dejected, crestfallen, downcast, depressed, heartbroken, despondent, melancholic, lonely -
"But tell me, will you remember me?" She was waiting for his answer.
He averted her gaze and internalized that this is just a fling, of course, it has to come in an end. His eyes were pressed closed, not because he was pissed with the sudden news, but because he was about to cry. Not in front her, he reminded himself. Everywhere, everywhere but here. Everywhere but never in front her.
Why do people keep on leaving him?
Please, he screamed in his thoughts, don't leave after marking my heart.
Hopeless romantic.
So shitty, he thought.
The worrywart he was, thoughts and voices made him uneasy. Her hand was not letting go of him. She was waiting. He should say the truth.
But when he opened his eyes, he had a good view of those long lashes of hers - it kissed her cheeks - as she closed the distance between them. Her head was angled aside, his pointed nose crashed on her soft cheeks, lips touched like puzzle pieces that fit perfectly.
He did not hold back, he held her close to him, wishing that this time wouldn't end. The kiss was passionate - never had he kissed someone, and never had he expected that he knew how to do such - but that fiery kiss did not stop him from crying. She willingly returned the shared moment, her tears mixed with his.
When they broke it, both of them were out of breath, both were bawling in tears. He hugged her with no intentions of letting go. He told her his love, everything he felt. It may seem unrealistic but he felt like he was bound to be with her, he admitted all the thoughts he has ever since the day he saw her crying and running away.
"Thank you for sharing the eastern myth. I think our red strings are connected." She said, kissing him on his forehead. "Say you'll remember me, Len."
"I will," he sobbed. "All of you - your smile, your frown, your tears, your lips, your face - I will," he held her again, begging her not to go.
"You don't know how you made me happy," she whispered.
The wind blew the low spirits away as she pushed him a little, so she could have a good view of his face once more. "A wrong place and time to fall in love, right? Trust me, this love isn't ephemeral. I love you," she said it.
"I love you, forever."
"Nice to meet you, Len. By the way, I cleaned up the grave a little. Please pay her visit in my place."
The last day of the week finally came. When Len got his hands on the pocket watch, he dashed his car on the cemetery as fast as he could. He wanted to begin his day fulfilling his promise before they depart last night, and so he found himself carrying a bouquet of white roses. The pocket watch - he paid less attention and kept it in his pocket.
Len read the details carved on the grave as he placed the flowers beside it, tears falling like a thin rain.
"I want to live in someone's memories and be someone dear to them. I want to be remembered as someone dear. To all lost memory of the lost generation, find your lost halves. Miku Hatsune, August 1893 - December 1912"
Disbelief struck Len as he sulked his way home. That was . . . scary and romantic. He wasn't sure what to feel. Wanting not to ponder on that thing, he examined the pocket watch he bought and read what was written on the cover, it was the same epitaph on Miku's tomb. Len wanted to faint, love is eternal. She waited for forever. Len pressed a spring and the watch uncovered, its golden hands were ticking as a picture of the previous owner was placed at the other side.
Dressed in frills and ruffles, Miku was smiling on that photograph faded by hundred and twenty three years. Today, Len will be remembering two lost memories, with his own forgotten time.
"The eastern myth says that people are bound to someone by a red string. This string can't be broken, just tangled. On the other end of your string, there is your soulmate - or something like that - no matter what time or space."
"No matter what time or space?" Miku repeated.
"Yes."
"That's it! This myth is true!"
Fin.
From dustripple's 2015 prompt: "Roses and Graveyard"
I'm doing my best to get back on writing.