Tenuit Flos
It was a fine day when he first met her. He was walking aimlessly around the school grounds, walking without a definite purpose in mind to pass the time. He never really had any friends his age that he could talk to or spend time with. He lived in a cell, and was never allowed to take ordinary classes like most of students here did. He knew it didn't matter anyway - had he been allowed to take classes, it would never have made a difference. He knew very well that he will be avoided by his classmates. All of them would be afraid of him. He is a person they wouldn't be able to stand, a person whom they would think they must avoid at all costs. Lest they will be cursed or harmed.
Half of his face was covered by a dark mark. Nobody can really tell what it is – a scar? A horrendous birthmark? A curse? It didn't matter, he wouldn't be able to do anything about it anyway. That was why he never bothered to make himself look presentable – it wouldn't have made things any better anyway. He hasn't had a haircut in a year, and his hair was in a mess of tangles and was very unruly. His eyes were covered by his long fringe. Maybe it was better that way. Somehow it subdued the scary look he usually had. People (if he is ever able to encounter more, aside from Yukihira-sensei) would be afraid to look into his eyes anyway.
He hated the way he is. He didn't hate himself because of his looks – no, that is not the point at all. The reason he hated himself is because of a wretched gift – or maybe calling it curse would be more appropriate, in his case. It's his Alice – The Mark of Death. He never really understood why it had to be him to receive this terrible curse of an Alice. An Alice that would never let him touch people, an Alice that can kill them in an instant by just a single touch. An Alice that would forever entrap him and make him a prisoner. An Alice that was bound to control his life.
He looked up to the sky as a small breeze whisked through, ruffling his unruly dark hair. It was a fine day, with the sky blue, and small splotches of clouds dotting it. It was so serene. How he wished that he could stay that way for a long time. He dreaded going back to that cell they have designated as his room. He was lucky that he was able to escape today for a fresh breeze, through the help of Yukihira-sensei of course. It was a good thing a person like him existed; else he would have gone mad being locked up in that cell every single moment of his life, because of their fear of what he could do. Well, that fear was perfectly understandable, of course.
He raised his wrist to check his watch for the time. It was almost three o'clock in the afternoon. Almost time for him to go back to that hellhole. He let out a sigh and continued to walk, back to the direction of the Hanahime den.
He was almost at the back door of the Hanahime den when he spotted a little girl sitting by the steps, clutching a single flower. Her small body was curled up as she gazed at the small flower, twirling it around between her little fingers.
What could a little child be doing there? He thought. Students were not allowed to wander around this area. He began to step forward to walk through without minding the little girl when he remembered his appearance. The little kid would be shocked out of her wits once she sees him. He cursed silently and took a step back, but it was too late. The little child looked up and stared at him with her wide blue eyes, eyes that were the color of the sky. He paused as he looked back at her, trying not to show the panic on his face.
The little girl just looked at him wide-eyed for a while, curiosity evident on her small round face. He was bracing himself for a scream, or for her to cry even, and so he was surprised by what the little girl did next.
She smiled.
She smiled as if she saw a familiar old friend. She smiled and her eyes twinkled, as if she was genuinely happy to see him.
What is wrong with this kid? He thought.
If he was surprised when the kid smiled, he was shocked with what the kid did next. She stood up and hopped from the wooden steps to the Hanahime den and walked toward him. Alarm and panic rose in his chest, as he feared for what could happen.
He took a hasty step back, and put his hands in front of him, as if to ward the little kid off.
"S- Stop! Don't come near me!" He said nervously as the kid approached him. The little girl paused and looked at him quizzically.
"But, why? Don't worry, I won't hurt you, I promise," She said and continued walking toward him.
Is this kid out of her mind? He thought. What could she possibly do that could hurt him? If there was anyone in the position to say those words, it should be him. The kid would die if she comes closer!
He took another step back as the kid moved closer, till she was only inches away from him.
"Here," she said as she reached out and offered the little flower, a white daisy, in his direction. "It is beautiful, isn't it?" she said, smiling, as a small breeze whisked through her blue hair.
He didn't know what to do, and he just stood there as he looked back to the little girl, then to her outstretched hand, grasping the little flower.
He nervously raised his hand and reached for the flower, trembling hands trying to reach out to something he knew would crumble under his grasp. It would be okay as long as he only touched the flower, and not the child, right? He thought.
Finally, he held the thin stalk of the flower between his thumb and index finger, careful not to touch the child. At this, the child let go, and beamed up at him. He braced himself for the feel of the ash against his hand, as the small plant crumbled under his curse. He was surprised to feel the smooth stem of the flower and to see the plant still intact between his fingers, its white petals pure and unchanged, uncorrupted by the curse he held.
"It is beautiful, isn't it?" The little girl quipped.
He looked at her and a smile graced his lips for the first time that day.
"Yes," he whispered. "It is beautiful."
The End