The cicadas chirped. Kagura stood under the sweltering sun as the heat made the surrounding air blurry.

"Gin-chan..."

"What is it?" answered the man who was unpacking the bags from the car.

"It's so hot... I wanna go into the forest!"

"Suit yourself, but make sure to come back before 8p.m., dinner should be ready by then. Shinpachi and i are going to have to deal with the lodging and rental matters."

"Okay!" She answered cheerily after being given permission. She entered the dense greenery. The giant leaves blocked out the Sun and its burning heat. Kagura felt herself melt into the coolness of the forest.

She peered around to see what path to take, but the green enveloped the brown, leaving hardly any ground to even look upon.

Carefully treading on the fallen leaves, Kagura decided to go wherever her feet would take her.

The trees were getting less in number as she proceeded. Finally, she had come face to face with quite a large wooden house.

A wooden fence about two and a half metres high guarded the house, but that was no match for the nimble Kagura.

Heaving her self onto and over the fence, she fell flat on her back, nestled within the soft green grass.

"Ow..." She moaned.

"I think that's what you get for trying to trespass somebody's house, don't you think?"

The monotonous male voice was directed at her.

Kagura got a shock and looked up. At a window a few feet high, a handsome boy with sandy brown hair and wine coloured eyes had his elbows propped on the window sill.

"Uwah! Sorry..." Kagura got up to dust the dirt off her red dress and started climbing the fence once again.

"Wait!" The boy called out to her in surprise that she was going to go just like that.

"What do you want, indecisive guy?" Kagura asked with a hand already outstretched to reach the top of the fence.

"Stay a bit longer, won't you?"

It was approximately only three in the afternoon, Kagura still had plenty of time before she had to go back.

"Okay," she agreed.

"You, what's your name?"

"Kagura."

"I'm Sougo."

"Yo, Sougo," she beamed as she approached the boy.

"What are doing in this house in the middle of nowhere?" Kagura questioned, cocking her head a little to the side.

"I live here."

"Here?"

She was doubtful anyone could live here as she looked at her surroundings. They were all the same - trees.

"Then, how do you go to school?"

"I don't."

"That's not fair, why not?"

"Because i'm too weak."

"You don't seem very weak to me..."

"I'm sick."

"Eh?" Kagura jumped back in case his germs got to her.

"I-diot. Not that kind of sick, it's not contagious."

"O-oh. Is that so..." The vermillion-headed girl leaned in again, only to be assaulted.

"Ow!" She squealed.

"What was that for?!" She raised her fist at him, rubbing the top of her now injured forehead.

He chuckled, "that's what you get for treating me like a germ."

"What do you for fun, then?" Kagura peered into his room, seeing nothing but a wooden desk and a stack of books.

"Nothing, really."

"That's horrible!" The playful girl exclaimed after being put in the same situation as her mortal enemy - boredom.

"There's not much i can do..."

"Let's go explore the forest!"

"What? No, my parents wouldn't allow it, anyway."

"So? Let's sneak out then!" She flashed him a smile beaming with mischievousness.

Sougo stuttered a bit and hesitated to reject her proposal. Truth was, he always dreamed of going out into the wild. However, before he had given her a proper answer, her hands already held his in attempt to pull him out of the window that separated them.

"W-wait-" he tried to stop her forceful actions.

Kagura was oblivious to this, however, and continued to drag him out. Finally complying, Sougo pushed his body up with his thin arms to land on the other side where he always stared at, but never lay foot upon.

It was the first time in a few years his feet had felt the soft touch of grass. Stumbling a bit after not having walked in quite a while, he held onto Kagura.

"It's okay," she smiled sweetly, "i'm here with you."

The two of them ventured near the river bank. Sougo's eyes sparkled just like the water's surface that glistened in the sun.

"Wow! It's beautiful..."

"Right? Let's dip our feet in!" Kagura urged.

Sougo complied as he sat on the bedded green.

"How old are you Sougo?"

"I'm 18."

"You don't really look like you're 18... And you're much nicer than any 18-year-old i know..."

"Well, you don't know me enough," he laughed with a hint of mystery.

"Oh yeah i forgot you hit my head..."

"How about you Kagura?"

"Mm? I'm 14. And my foster brother, he's two years older."

"You have a foster brother?"

"Yeah! We were both taken in by Gin-chan!" She beamed at the mention of her family.

"Must be fun...having a sibling," he said with a tinge of melancholy.

"Sougo doesn't have any?"

"Nope. I don't even have a friend. Unless you would like to count as one?" He gave her a shy glance.

"Of course!" She said with enthusiasm.

They spent their whole day exploring the many wonders of the forest until the sun started to set.

"I think we should go back before anyone finds out i'm gone," Sougo suggested.

"It is getting pretty late..." Kagura agreed but pouted, reluctant to part.

"Can i see you tomorrow too?" She asked eagerly.

"Of course you can," he flashed he a small smile, "and the day after that, and so forth," he rubbed and messed her hair up with his weak hand.

She whined a bit at the messing up of her hair.

"Nnn. See you, Sougo!" She waved excitedly as she headed back to where the Yorozuya family and her had parted.

"Sougo!" She partially screamed, partially whispered as she fell down from the fence, the grass cushioning her fall once again. Just like an angel descending from Heaven.

"Why, hello," Sougo greeted her with the same weak smile.

"Are you going to climb out of that window now?" She questioned innocently.

There was a slight pause as Sougo began to speak again, "No...not today. I'm a bit tired."

"Oh... That's okay. I hope you get better..." Kagura fiddled with her thumbs.

Does this mean i can't spend time with him today?

"So..." She said as of she were going to part.

However, Sougo cut her short.

"Why don't you climb over the window?" He chuckled with a tad bit of yearning in his eyes.

"I can do that?"

"Why not? I climbed out yesterday."

Trying her best, Kagura propped her whole body up on the window sill with the same agility used to scale the fence.

She arrived in a barren room after some support from the fragile Sougo.

"I still don't get what you do here."

"Well, there are many books."

"Mm...boring..."

"Or is that just because they're too much for your brain to take," he teased.

Kagura frowned at this insult and puffed up her cheeks, "Hey! At least i go to school."

Sougo smiled at her getting all defensive and poked at her cheek to deflate it.

"Then read me a book."

The brown hair fell softly over his closed eyelids. Kagura sat on the edge of the bed, reading aloud to him the fairy tale he had chosen.

"And the prince gained back his strength and fought off the dragons, protecting his princess. The princess was greatful and together, they lived happily ever after," she ended the story.

A pause continued but Kagura soon spoke up again.

"Ne, Sougo?"

"Mm?" He mumbled as he sat himself up on the white linen sheets.

"Why choose such a kiddy book? You are 18, right?"

"Did you not like it?" He asked as his deep red eyes started into hers.

"Well... I enjoyed it."

"There you have it. It doesn't matter how old you are, it's still a good book; my favourite."

Kagura stared at the last page of the picture book. The illustration was of the prince fighting off the red fire-breathing dragon as the princess - clad in pink - admired him in a safe distance.

She fingered the last sentence.

"... they lived happily ever after."

Sougo watched her and smiled at her solemn expression.

"Do you think you'll get a happy ever after?" He asked.

"Maybe; I hope so. Do you think it's easy for it to come by?" She asked.

"I don't know," he replied honestly while shrugging his shoulders, "but i hope to give the person i love one."

After a moment of pondering, she flashed the same bright smile she always wore.

"Then, me too!"

Just then, both of then became aware of the incoming footsteps.

Sougo reacted fast by pulling the red-headed girl close and under the sheets, hiding her from sight.

There was a twist of the door knob as a middle aged lady dressed in a shapely floral dress walked in, her heels clacking.

"Sou-chan, it's almost time for your lunch. Do you need anything else?" Her voice was filled with tire and age, but loving nonetheless.

"No, Mother. I'm fine," He gave a respectful, weak smile.

"Okay, call me if you need anything then."

She looked back again before finally closing the door.

Under the sheets, Kagura's face was nestled against the boy's chest. She began finding it hard to breath as she managed to ask from underneath, "Is she gone?"

"Just a while longer," he replied as he relaxed his chin on top of her head.

She squirmed slightly, finding it ticklish, but settled down soon enough.

"Done yet?" She repeated her question.

"Yeah."

Kagura crawled up from the duvet to feel the fresh air on her face again.

"Your face is as red as you hair," he conmented jokingly.

"It was stuffy."

"Is that the only reason?" Sougo teased as he inched in closer.

She flushed even redder as she stretched out her arms to put a distance between them.

"What are you talking about?!" She exclaimed while diverting her gaze.

Sougo silently smirked to himself.

"Anyway, we can't let my mother find out, okay? She thinks that meeting other people will make me weaker."

"Why? Wouldn't that just make you sad?" Kagura asked innocently, uncomprehensive of the situation.

Sougo smiled.

"Yeah, perhaps so.

"Why don't you read me another book?"

Time passed as night drew near once again, bidding for the two to part.

"Goodbye, Sougo. I'll make sure i'll come again tomorrow! Let's look at some flowers."

"Yeah, sure. Goodnight, Kagura."

It was as if they dived into a sea of yellow.

"This is beautiful!" Kagura exclaimed as she stood in a vast multitude of tall sunflowers. They were the same height as her.

"Geez, you're so short you could become a flower."

"Yeap!" She gladly nodded her head.

"That wasn't a compliment," Sougo sighed as he walked towards a stalk and smelled it.

"What are you favourite flowers?"

"Hmm... Forget-me-nots?"

"That's such a cute name. Why?" She giggled.

"Well, i read it in a book. In 15th-century Germany, it was supposed that the wearers of the flower would not be forgotten by their lovers. In a legend, a knight and his lady were walking along the side of a river. He picked the flower up, but because of the weight of his armour he fell into the river. As he was drowning he threw the flower to his loved one and shouted "Forget-me-not." Wouldn't it be nice, to know that someone will always love and remember you, even if you were not longer there."

"Yeah, of course. Oh, I like these! Sunflowers!"

Sougo trod carefully towards her in the midst of the bright yellow. However, he accidentally tripped and he fell over her.

"Kyah!" She screamed as she opened her eyes to find Sougo on top of her.

"Ah, sorry," he apologised.

Even in that position, they didn't move. The pair just looked into each others' eyes in the quietness of the country side.

"It feels as if the sunflowers are watching us."

"Does it?" Sougo replied as he got off her and lay by her side in the grass.

A moment of silence passed before Kagura spoke up again.

"Do you think everyday will be as fun as this, forever?"

She turned her head to face Sougo. Her face was just inches away from his.

"No, probably not," he admitted in a soft voice, as if not wanting to let the sunflowers eavesdrop on their conversation.

"but let's enjoy it while we can."

He placed a hand on Kagura's face.

Realising this, her face started to grow a rosy red.

"There's a leaf on your face," he said teasingly.

"O-oh, yeah."

Getting up she suggested they go back to the house. Sougo agreed as he ruffled her hair and took hold of her hand, leading her all the way.

Each day passed one by one and before they knew it, it was Kagura's last day of vacation.

"I'm leaving tomorrow," she said downcast as she sat on Sougo's bed.

"Is that so...?" He said monotonously.

"Kagura-"

"What is it?" She turned around, only to feel a warm sensation on her lips.

Sougo placed one hand on hers as the other cupped her face.

"I love you."

Kagura stared blankly at the serious Sougo. He was dead serious.

Were the feelings she felt for him all along, love?

"I-i love you, too."

Her voice was meek and she hung her head in embarrassment, much unlike her usual self.

"Look up," he said.

"What?-"

Her reply was cut short as Sougo once again placed his lips on hers.

"O-o-oi, stop doing that!" She scolded him while forgetting about his fragile body and hitting him hard on the head.

He fell backwards on the bed, lying motionless.

"Oh crap! Sougo! I'm sorry, are you okay?" She asked flusteredly.

There was no response.

"Sougo?" She continued to asked, even more concerned, leaning in to check for his breathing.

"Gotcha," he surprised her as he took her by the shoulders and placed her down on the bed. Chuckling to himself, he closed the distance between them to give her a quick kiss on the forehead.

"Argh! You scared me..."

Laughing once again, he replied, "I won't die so easily."

"I'll get to see you again, right?"

"Of course, i'll come next year, and the year after that, and the year after that*. I'll come as many times as i can, and once i'm out of school-"

"Marry me, okay?"

"Okay," she smiled slightly as she hugged the Sougo that was lying beside her.

"I really love you, Kagura."

It had been one year since Kagura had seen Sougo, but that didn't stop her from thinking about him everyday.

She pranced about the greenery to stand in front of the tall fence again.

She climbed over it, eager to hear his voice again.

However, when she reached the window, she did not find any Sougo laughing at how unlady like she looked as she tried climbing over the fence.

"Sougo?" She called out in a soft voice. Peering in through the glass of the closed window, she saw nobody inside the room.

Plucking up her courage, she went to the front door of the house and knocked.

A familiar looking middle aged lady, opened the door. It was Sougo's mum.

The well dressed woman looked quite surprised to see Kagura's presence but soon regained composure to politely ask her, "How may i help you?"

"Uh... I came to see Sougo. Is he in here?"

The lady stood silent for a moment.

"I-i'm afraid Sou-chan is not with us anymore."

What?

"What do you mean he is not with us...?" The vermillion headed girl inquired, much confused.

"Sou-chan always had a frail body, he gave in to the illness just last month..."

"Oh, might you be Kagura-chan?"

"Eh? Yes, i am..."

Kagura's voice was still shaky and her mind was in a whirl.

"Well, i don't know how you came to know Sou-chan, but just before he died he told me to let a girl with orange hair into his room if she ever came again."

Sougo's mother showed her inside and to his room.

"If you need anything, please feel free to call me," she smiled and shut the door gently.

Kagura looked around in the barren room.

"It's still the same..."

She noticed a letter on the wooden table. It was placed neatly in the centre, in a pale yellow envelope.

Walking towards the table, she picked it up to see her name written in a beautiful cursive on the front.

Gingerly opening it, she read the contents.

Dear Kagura,

How are you? The days are passing by really slowly, now that you are not here with me. Although, i think about you everyday. I have now learned the art of sneaking out.

Just last month, i've discovered a whole field of forget-me-nots. I would have loved to show it to you.

It is saddening, but i can't show you anything anymore. You have taught me so many things. How to be happy, how to live life to the fullest and how to love.

I'm sorry i could not give you a happy ending, but one thing is for sure.

I love you, Kagura.

Okita Sougo

Tears flooded Kagura's eyes and she wept silently and collapsed to the ground. She held the letter close to her chest.

Something else dropped out of the envelope.

Kagura looked at it for a moment and took it off the floor. It was a pressed forget-me-not.

She smiled despite herself.

"You've already given me a happy ending. I won't forget you, not ever. I love you, Sougo." She whispered to herself, and to the Sougo whom she knew was still there, watching over her.