eloquence27
Sakura
This is a story of two lovers who experienced the hardest challenges of love...of being unexposed to each other's feelings, of denying that they are worthy of each other and of being deprived of the wonderful joys of love. My friends, please join me in remembering the days when their love blossomed into a beautiful Sakura.
Chapter 1: The Dream
A petite, young woman with cerulean eyes, creamy skin and midnight blue locks was sitting on her favorite bench under the huge Cherry Blossom tree in the Tokyo Central Park. You could tell that she's anxiously waiting for someone because she's changed her position for the nth time, she's combed her hair with her fingers to fix it, and she's looked in every direction to check if a tall, young man is coming her way. She sees no one, and another sigh escapes her lips. Disappointed for the umpteenth time, she rose up from her bench and started to walk towards the park's gates. She was only a few steps from their meeting place, when she decided to stop and start talking to herself.
"Ay, he's done it again. He calls me up in the middle of the night to ask me to go out of my way and meet him here...being his best friend, I oblige myself to go. I cancel all my appointments, gimmicks and gigs just to be here on time, however, I think my efforts are useless. I've had it with Aoshi!" A tall, young man walks carefully towards our heroine's direction and went past her. Of course, our heroine was busy "hating" the Aoshi that she was talking about. This young man that has entered the scene, runs a hand through is jet black hair and sat on our heroine's favorite bench.
"Are you sure that he never went to your rendezvous? He might've arrived a minute after you left or he might've encountered heavy traffic...who knows? Give him another chance, or at least listen to his explanation." A sly smile escapes the young man's lips after his reply. Still having no idea that someone has responded to her, she replied.
"Well, I guess I could give him another chance. If he doesn't show up next time, I'll-" the young woman stopped speaking and realized that she wasn't talking to herself. What the- wait, he's been here all this time?! She turned around to find her childhood friend sitting on their bench. She blushed furiously and was totally speechless.
"Konnichiwa, Misao-chan. I apologize for being absent because I've been busy with my family." Misao knew that he was serious; his silvery blue eyes told it all. But she felt betrayed and hurt, so she turned her back on him...even though she knew what was going on.
"Is that so, Mr. I-am-so-busy-that-I-don't-have-time-to-hold-my-cellphone- and-use-it? You could have called me or at least send a text message that would let me know that you're not coming! For days, I've been waiting here for three hours, talking to myself and sitting here like an idiot!" Her dark-hued blue eyes started to water.
Aoshi stood up and walked towards is best friend whom he couldn't admit that he loved so much. She was currently drying her tears with her right hand when he reached the place where she was standing. He placed his large hands on her shoulders and gently motioned her to face him. Misao turned, but she didn't look at his eyes. Aoshi lifted his left hand to cup her face and use his thumb to dry the lone tear that remained on her left eye.
"I'm really sorry, Misao. I promise that this won't happen again." He raised his right hand, held out his pinky and smiled. Misao locked her right pinky with Aoshi's, and smiled back at him. Aoshi pulled his best friend closer to his body and embraced her. Misao, in response to his sudden move, hugged him too.
Moments later...
Misao began to feel awkward about their position. So she tapped on her best friend's shoulder.
"Aoshi, shouldn't we start talking about what we came here for?" Misao gazed at Aoshi's silvery blue pools with a raised brow.
"Ah, I remember the purpose of this delayed immediate meeting. Misao-chan, you are aware of the Shinomori family traditions, ne?" Misao hesitantly nodded. Where are you getting at, Shinomori Aoshi?
"I- I'll cut to the chase. I'm almost 21...I have to be married on or before my 21st birthday...it sounds cheap, but it's true." Misao's eyes widened. Could he have come to ask me to find him a wife? What the hell is he thinking?!
"Aoshi, don't ask me to find you a wife 'cause I don't know anyone fit enough to be one. I'm sorry I can't help you on that matter..." Misao looked down again. Misao-chan, could you be that dense?? Aoshi chuckled inwardly. He smiled, because she didn't know what was happening and she's completely oblivious to the fact that he loved her. Again, he lifted her chin so that she'd face him again.
"Misao-chan, I'm not talking about asking you to find a wife for me..." Aoshi could feel his heart beat wildly. Please don't say no...
Aoshi gathered his courage, knelt down in front of Misao, and held her hands. Misao couldn't believe what she was seeing! She blushed from head to toe and focused on keeping herself from falling in Aoshi's arms. On the other hand, Aoshi closed his eyes momentarily...images of their childhood days start to play in his mind. He opened his eyes, and gazed at Misao's ocean eyes. Then Aoshi began to speak.
"I've waited so long to say this to you. I have loved you from the time when you first came to the Sakura tree until this very moment. Way back then, I thought that you were a divine being sent to make me a better person...and you have." Just then, tears began to form in Misao's cerulean eyes. Aoshi's heart was leaping for joy. My words have served its purpose...
"I 'm not the 'Ice Prince' anymore...you've shown me that there's more to life than family expectations, and I'm very grateful for that. And remember the times when I got into fights because they made fun of you?" Misao nodded. Aoshi took it as his signal to continue.
"I felt that I always had to protect you; I even swore that I'd fight my family for you...and a few years later, I've realized that I couldn't bear the thought of you getting hurt nor the fact that I might lose you. All those bad experiences that came along with that were worth it, because I got to be with you even more. I did everything to please you and gave everything your heart desired. Time passed and I noticed that my feelings for you were changing. I just thought that it was a simple crush case. But when I started thinking about you at night, dreaming of you and wanting to be with you all the time, I began to think that it was something different, something that made me feel strange but exhilarating. It made me feel so alive! I'm really happy with our friendship, but I want more than that. I want to love you freely and be loved by you. So Makimachi Misao, will you marry me?" Aoshi paused for a few moments to see Misao's reaction, and was undeniably happy with it.
Aoshi stood from the ground, moved closer to her, got a hold of her hand and gently kissed it. Then he took out a small silver box from his the pocket of his business suit, removed the ring from the box and placed it on Misao's right ring finger. As more tears start to form in her ocean blue eyes, Sakura petals began to shower, like it was on cue. Aoshi caressed her face and Misao placed her hand on his hand and gazed at him lovingly.
"I never thought that you felt the same way as I do. I-" Misao was silenced by Aoshi's finger placed on her lips. She then found herself being drawn closer to Aoshi. He could tell that she wanted this for a long time by the way she was responding to his actions. The gap between their lips was getting smaller and smaller by the second. Their lips were about to touch when...
Oh I forgot this one... DISCLAIMER: Rurouni Kenshin belong to Nobuhiro Watsuki...so Aoshi and Misao aren't mine!!! Although I WISH that Aoshi was...
Anyways, thanks for reading! And please review!!!! Ü
eloquence27