A Lily in a Bed of Roses
By Wynter Amelia Rose
A friend is someone who knows the song in your heart and can sing it back to you when you have forgotten the words.
…
"I don't want you to go," Takashi said, the sorrow more than evident in his voice despite his normal abilities to shield his emotions from the world. It was the first thing he had dared to say in the last hour, not knowing anything that would make the situation any better or anything that would make her feel any better. Instead he held her.
The girl in his arms bit back a sob as she clung to him, either unaware or ignoring the people behind her, waiting for her. Takashi wanted to be mad at them for taking her away but somewhere deep down he knew it was not their fault she had to go.
"Hon, you come visit us anytime," Mrs. Morinozuka said kindly, putting her arms around both children because she knew that Takashi wouldn't let go for the world. She kissed Sayuri's forehead before moving back to her husband's side.
Sayuri nodded in response, unable to speak through her tears and Takashi held her all the tighter. The limo driver looked down at his watch and cleared his throat. Sayuri's aunt, Kaori, elbowed the driver in the side, giving him a sharp glare. Takashi gave his own cold glare to the driver before returning his attention to his friend. He knew there was nothing he could say to keep her from leaving hut it didn't help the fact that he would do anything to keep her there.
Sayuri's aunt stepped forward slowly, "Sayuri, we do have to get going. It's a long drive to Kyoto," she said softly and Sayuri nodded, trying to step back but Takashi held her firm in place.
She looked up at him. Her emerald green eyes were watery and her face was red from crying.
"I have to go," she managed to say, new tears spilling down her face and Takashi lowered his gaze as he let her go. She pulled away and this time Takashi let her, putting a small black box into her hand as she separated from him. She gave it a questioning look as she opened it, letting out a little gasp when she saw the silver heart with small emeralds, her birth stone, along the side, strung on a strong silver chain.
"So you won't forget me," Takashi said and Sayuri's gaze snapped back up to him.
"I won't ever, ever, ever forget you, Takashi," Sayuri said sternly as she hugged him, kissing his cheek as she pulled away. Butterflies fluttered around in his stomach and the skin she kissed tingled softly. "Thank you. I'll miss you, Takashi," Sayuri said sadly as she reluctantly pulled away and walked over to the limo, looking back and forcing a small smile before climbing inside.
"Thank you for taking care of her," her aunt said to Takashi's parents and then turned to him. "And thank you too, Takashi," she said, smiling as she put a caring hand on his shoulder before climbing into the limo behind Sayuri and closing the door. The limo started up and began to drive away.
"I'm sure you'll see her again, Takashi," Megumi Morinozuka said softly, putting a comforting hand on his shoulder. Without warning he took off, bolting after the limo. It had already turned out of the driveway and started down the street and Takashi followed it until his feet could carry him no further. He watched with a breaking heart as the person he cared about most in the world drove away.
…
Takashi woke with a start, sitting straight up and breathing heavily. His hand automatically went to his cheek, touching the place she had kissed him four years ago. He looked around and saw the normal interior of his room and fell back onto the soft mattress, trying to push the memory to the back of his mind. He hadn't dreamed about her in a long time but he still remembered every detail of that day.
He let out a long sigh as he looked at his bedside table. There was a purple and green picture frame Sayuri had made him for his birthday one year. It held a picture of him and Sayuri the summer before her mom died, the last summer they spent together. He was fourteen she was twelve, both with bathing suits on and big grins painted on their faces. There was a smaller picture beside it, one he had taken when she was playing the piano. She was focused on her music, not yet aware of Takashi's presence in the room.
He missed her. One would think after not seeing someone for four years they would begin to tire of the person and not care anymore but she had been his best friend, the one he ran to when anything happened to him. She understood him and more often than not knew what he was feeling without him having to say a single word. He'd never found someone who could understand him so well.
…
"Ugggh, I hate moving day," Sayuri groaned as she put another box into her new room. Aunt Kaori sat on the futon across the room, flipping through a jewelry catalogue.
"Well it's the last one for awhile. I hate to make you switch schools all the time. And besides, you wouldn't hate it so much if you'd let the workers do their jobs and bring your things up," Aunt Kaori shrugged, not even looking up as she continued to flip through the pages. Sayuri's room was the only solace at the moment, for the rest of the large house was being overrun with movers bringing in boxes and furniture.
"I prefer to take care of my things. I'm picky about my stuff," Sayuri said as she began to unpack a box marked' precious things'. It was her favorite box to open.
"Have it your way then. You want pizza for dinner? I'm thinking pizza," Aunt Kaori said, looking thoughtful. She had more money than she'd ever spend in her lifetime and Sayuri's lifetime combined and she still ate cheep takeout more often than she ate a real, high class dinner. That's what Sayuri loved about her Aunt. Her money had not changed her character at all.
"Yeah. No little fishies," Sayuri said, making a face and Aunt Kaori laughed.
"Half pineapple and bell pepper and half anchovies. The pizza people are going to think we're mental," Aunt Kaori laughed and Sayuri shrugged. She was sure there were weirder things to put on a pizza. "You looking forward to school tomorrow?" she grinned, looking up from her catalogue. It would be her first day at Ouran high school.
"Yeah, I am," she smiled as she lifted a few pictures from her box and smiled as her eyes fell on a picture of her and Takashi at the park one summer. She was sitting Indian style on the ground and grinning broadly and Takashi kneeled behind her, a protective arm across her shoulders. He was smiling softly.
"Have you told Takashi that you're going? Doesn't he go to Ouran?" Aunt Kaori asked, grinning at her.
"Yeah. I'm hoping to surprise him. I just hope he remembers me," Sayuri said, her free hand wandering up to the silver heart necklace with emeralds in one side. She had never taken it off, not once in four years.
"Don't say that. Of course he'll remember you," Aunt Kaori said in a scolding voice. "Absence makes the heart grow fonder," she smiled, talking exactly like the hen in Disney's Robin Hood, a movie that Sayuri had watched about a million times when she was a kid.
"Or forgetful," Sayuri smiled, saying Maid Marian's part. Aunt Kaori chuckled and Sayuri set up the pictures on the white bedside table right beside her alarm clock.
"You two were… are best friends. He won't have forgotten you, silly," she said and Sayuri hoped she was right. There wasn't a day that went by that she didn't think about Takashi. "I'm going to order the pizza. I'll yell for you when it's here," she said, walking out of the room and leaving Sayuri to unpack her pictures.
…
Takashi stood by the entrance to the science building, ready to go inside when the bell rung but not wanting to leave the refreshing autumn air yet. He closed his eyes and breathed in the cool air, leaning his head back against the outside of the building.
"Takashi! Takashi!" Honey yelled, running over to his tall cousin and bouncing excitedly. "Takashi, there's a new student! I want to go look for her so we can say hi! Do you want to come with me?" Honey asked with a giant smile on his face.
Takashi wordlessly held out his cell phone, showing him what time it was. Two minutes until class started.
Honey instantly lowered his gaze, pouting slightly as he spirits were dampened.
"We can find her after school," Takashi said and Honey was instantly happy again.
Takashi glanced up, looking past Honey's small frame and seeing a girl with long, wavy black hair that shone in the sunlight and looked soft as silk. Her skin was pale and even though she was a good distance away from him he could make out her perfectly emerald eyes.
"Sayuri…" he started, moving towards her right as Honey leaped up, wrapping his arms around Takashi's neck and clinging to his tall cousin.
"Yay! We'll find her and make her feel right at home! Right, Takashi?" Honey grinned, smiling as his cousin as he climbed onto Takashi's shoulders. Takashi looked over to where he had seen the girl and saw only students he had seen many times before. No Sayuri. "Right, Takashi?" Honey asked again.
"Ah," Takashi nodded, attempting to dismiss the thought of that girl being Sayuri. She was probably a figment of his imagination, something he conjured up just because he wanted to see her.
The bell rung and Honey sighed a little as he climbed off of Takashi's shoulders, knowing that Takashi could not walk through the doorways with Honey on his shoulders.
"Let's go have a great day!" Honey smiled as he and Takashi made their way to class. Takashi nodded but his mind was elsewhere, unable to get the girl he saw out of his mind despite his reason telling him it could not be her.
…
"Yep, I'm gonna get lost and starve to death in there," Sayuri said, placing her hands on the side of the bench, closed her eyes and tilted her head towards the sun. She had been given a full tour, which had taken over three hours by itself, yet she still knew it would take a miracle for her not to get lost with considering her amazing lack of directional sense.
Sayuri was tired. Nor physically tired, but mentally tired. She'd spent most of the day in an office being told about the school and getting her papers sorted out. The rest was spent wandering around the school with the guidance counselor's daughter, getting a full tour.
She felt the slip of paper in her hands poking against her skin, threatening to cut her skin if she pressed any harder against it. She slipped in into her bag, not really wanting a paper cut at the moment. If anyone asked her why she wasn't in class all she had to do was pull out that little slip of paper, excusing her from classes for today. There wasn't any point in going anyways. There were about two minutes left of class.
Ring.
Okay, maybe less than two minutes left of class, Sayuri thought, watching as students rushed off to their waiting limos, club activites, and sporting activities. Sayuri just sat on her bench, enjoying the sun and watching the people go by, looking for a familiar face.
…
Takashi walked into the Autumn air, smiling slightly as the sun touched his face. He ran a tan hand through his jet black hair and heard a few girls behind him swoon. Takashi pretended he did not hear her display of affection and continued on outside.
Honey had left class early, wanting to return a book he had borrowed from the library, so Takashi started to make his way to the third library, the one Honey just about always used.
"Mori!" a female voice called from behind him and Takashi turned to see Kaname and Aki walking up to him. They were frequent customers of his.
"So nice to see you. We missed you at the Host club yesterday," Kaname said, her voice calm and cool as always. She somehow always managed to sound like she was up to something.
"Yeah! Tamaki said you were too busy with Kendo to come. Did you get a lot out of your training?" Aki asked perkily.
"Ah," Takashi answered simply, catching a glimpse of raven black hair billowing softly in the wind and instantly focusing in on the sight.
"Are you coming to the Host Club today?" Kaname asked, moving in his line of vision to make him look at her again, not knowing what was stealing his attention.
"No," Takashi said quickly, dismissing her and moving around her to look at the black haired girl again. She had perfect skin, not to pale and not to tan. Her eyes were closed, looking up at the sky and basking in the sun. She looked like a goddess. If the girls said anything else he didn't hear them. He made his way around them, his heart pounding and his breath caught in his throat. He couldn't breathe, not till he found out who she was.
She opened her eyes and looked around, catching his gaze. She had perfect emerald eyes, beautiful as priceless gems. For a moment they were the only two people in the world.
"Sayuri," Takashi whispered right as her eyes widened, recognizing him at once.
"Takashi!!" she yelled, bolting from her spot on the bench and into his arms, nearly knocking him over with her force. "Long time no see, Takashi."