Disclaimer: I don't own La Corda d'Oro.
Unbeta'd.
La Corda d'Oro. Sakura no Hana Response
"What am I doing here again?" Kahoko asked herself.
Here she was, standing in front of a patch of flowers, a patch of flowers of a garden flower that belongs to the Yunoki. The Yunoki family were master of ikebana (1) art and they grow their own flower. Not only their flowers were of exceptional quality, but the varity is also very wide. But that still doesn't explain why Kahoko find herself in one of the garden of her sadistic-personality-under-a-prince-mannered-disgu ise senpai (2).
Actually, there is an explanation, but not one that she is happy about. The membes of the Concours had entertained the guests of an ikebana exhibition hosted by the Japan Traditional Art Committee. Among all the exhibitions, the Yunoki family' ikebana was the hit of the exposition. Kahoko herself admitted that the flowers arrangements were absolutely magnificient. No wonder the Yunoki family were the number one of Japan for ikebana art.
The yunoki received many requests for ikebana from many of the distinguised guests. Among them was Fuyuumi's father, one of the many business partners of the Yunoki, who expressed his admiration for the beauty of Yunoki's flowers.
Yunoki's grand-mother invited the guests to come and visit the Yunoki's flower garden park. Yunoki Azuma extended the invitation to the Concours members as one day off leisure trip to the garden. Kahoko was going to decline – because she didn't want to spent a whole with the sadist -, but Fuyuumi begged her to come with her. Fuyuumi, being her always very shy girl personality, was scared to be the only girl in the group. She was going to decline as well, but her eyes showed how much she want to go too. Seeing that, Kahoko resigned herself for Fuyuumi, which Fuyuumi was extremely happy for. And which had one Yunoki Azum being very happy of the turn of event as well.
Thus, here she was, in front of a flowers bed, feeling dread of what would happen to her next to the very happily chatting other members of the Concours. Even Shimizu wasn't sleeping as he was admiring a bed of blue star flowers (unless he was thinking about lying on the said bed for a nap). Otherwise, some members were gathering a bouquet to bring home for their mother, sisters or friends. Fuyuumi was very happy for the pretty bouquet she intended for her mother. Seeing her kouhai (3)'s happy smile, Kahoko smiled as well.
'Oh well, for Fuyuumi's joy, I don't mind being here.' Kahoko told herself.
Suddenly, a voice spoke in her ear.
"Kahoko, would you like a bouquet of flower to bring back with you?"
"Eep!" Kahoko jumped at the sudden proximity of her senpai, her heart running at a hundred kilometer per hour speed.
'When did he get there? And why does he always creep around me like this?'
"No thank you, Yunoki-senpai. I think that the flower on prettier on their branch."
He chuckled.
"This respond is very much like you, Kahoko." Yunoki brought from behind his back a red tulip. "But flower as also a function to deliver message. This is my flower for you." Then, he bent down at her level to whisper in her ear. "Keep it well or you shall be punished," he finished.
Kahoko turned blue and gulped. Sweating for her life, she nodded and promised him to keep it. Satisfaited, he leaned up.
"Now Kahoko, don't you have something to give back to me?"
"Huh? What?"
"A flower of course. What flower will you give me in return?"
"Do I really have to?"
"Hum, I would say that it is in your benefit to give me back a flower," he said with an innocent smile. Kahoko's face turned blue again. Basically, he meant that she would meet more troubles if she doesn't give him something in return for the flower he gave her.
"Hum… Senpai, as far as I know, guys DON'T want to be giving flower," Kahoko said, emphasizing on the negation. He totally ignored her comment.
"My flower, Kahoko. I am still waiting."
She cringed, her heart froze because of the sadistic aura around his "charming" and "prince-ly" bright smile. Kahoko hastily looked from left to right, searching for something. Anything. Maybe any flower would do the job, right?
"You cannot give me any flower without a meaning into it," he said, still smiling his prince-ly (sadistic) smile.
"Did he read in my mind?" Kahoko wondered.
"As I remind you, the tulip I gave you carried a meaning. The minimum of courtesy is you also give me something of an equal value."
"A meaning? What meaning?"
"Huhuhu," was his only respond. "Now Kahoko, my flower. I'm growing impatience here."
Kahoko instantly freeze.
Crap!
She didn't intend to give anything to this annoying sadist you keep threatening her every second he had. Now, how to combine the contradictory of her refusal to give him anything and to give him something at the same time? Suddenly, she had an idea.
"Ah! I know!"
"Yunoki-senpai, I'm sorry, but I cannot give you the flower I'm thinking to give you," Kahoko said.
"Oh?" Yunoki said, curious at her scheme. "Pray tell me why?"
"You see, senpai, this kind of flower is not an annual. It only blooms once a year and at a very specific season. Right now, it is simply not its season." She said, very proud of her illumination.
'Very clever. I'm impressed.' He admitted. She managed to find a plausible explanation to not give him her flower as he demanded her to. And surprisingly, he didn't feel angry. It was quite… amusing. But he was still curious to see how would she pull herself out of this little problem.
"And what might this kind of flower be?" he asked.
"Sakura (4), senpai."
Yunoki's eye widened as a wind fly pass over them, making their hair danced in the sky.
"S-Sakura…" he repeated.
"Hai (5), senpai. Sakura no hana desu (6)." Kahoko smiled with her eyes closed, her hair dancing in the wind.
"I'm so proud of me!" Kahoko's heart sang. She opened her eyes to look straight into his and continued.
"And as you must know, senpai, sakura only blooms during spring and for a very short period of time. This year spring already passed. You will have to wait until next spring if you want me to give you a spray of sakura, senpai." She finished, more proud than ever of her answer.
"Because next spring, you will already graduate and you will be in England. So, I won't have to see you nor to give you anything!"
Proud for succeeding to outwit him, Kahoko turned around and happily skipped away towards Fuyuumi and the others, humming a sakura song. Yunoki was left alone, still dazed by her answer.
"Sakura ka (7)…?" he repeated. He watched her danced on her sakura song. "Sakura ne…" His eyes softened as he watched her silhouette.
"I wonder if she knows the meaning for a woman to give sakura flower to a man?" he asked to himself. Then, he chuckled. "But knowing her, most probably she doesn't. Huhuhu!"
He paused a moment to watch her, now happily chatting with Fuyuumi and letting Shimizu use her shoulder for a nap instead of his previous intend to lay down on the flowers bed.
"Well, next spring, I shall have to return back to Japan to get my sakura no hana, aren't I?" He finished on a very happy note. Then, he strode after her.
"Ah! I'm so eager to see her face expression once I will tell her the meaning of the sakura flower."
Flower meanings:
Red tulip: Believe in my love declaration.
Sakura: I belong to you.
(1) ikebana art: flowers arrangement art
(2) senpai: upperclassmen
(3) kouhai: underclassmen
(4) sakura: cherry blossom flower
(5) hai: yes
(6) Sakura no hana desu: It's the flower of cherry blossom.
(7) ka: a question marker
Tuesday, August 28, 2013.