It was just the usual day at the World Academy International Girl's School. The first bell was chiming as various girls walked through the front gates, up the hill towards the main building.

Sakura Honda was one of them. The short girl was walking alone as was her routine. She always had a habit of going to school on her own whereas others around them were always in pairs or groups of 3 or 4. All around her, she could hear the buzz of conversation but she didn't bother to listen in on any of the talks around her. She wasn't particularly interested.

Rather, her mind was elsewhere. Deep within thought, she held a pensive expression as she moved forward as if on autopilot to her destination. She didn't even realize someone was calling out to her until a hand grasped her shoulder, halting her advance. She gasped and looked up at the person who stopped her, only to be met with a pair of dazzling red eyes.

The hand let go of her shoulder.

"Here you dropped this," said the girl with red eyes and long beautiful hair that cascaded down her shoulders.

Sakura looked down at the offered item, a white handkerchief with little pink embroidered cherry blossoms in the right-hand corner.

"O,oh!" Sakura took the handkerchief with two hands. "T,thank you."

"No problem. You were walking and it fell from your bag," smiled the girl. "Remember to keep our campus clean."

With a grin and a peace sign, the girl walked away, but Sakura couldn't help but watch as she went. A slight dust of pink rising to her cheeks as she watched her go.

Finally, Sakura made it to class, but the mysterious girl was still in her brain. Without thinking she pulled out her sketchbook and began to doodle. Naturally, the subject on her mind was the girl so she drew her.

She sketched her face and head, and the expressive smile that reached her eyes. She drew the hair being whipped as if by the wind. Finishing the pencil sketch Sakura eyed it for a few seconds. Something was missing.

Sakura placed the pencil back in her pencil case and pulled out a red pen. Delicately she filled the eyes, bringing the picture to life. Putting the pen down she couldn't help but blush at the gaze seemingly staring back at her.

The final bell rang and Sakura snapped her sketchbook shut and faced front as the teacher entered the class.

Lunch came and Sakura pulled her sketchbook back out. It was usual for her to eat with her friends, and this particular day was no different. Just as she opened the book she heard Felicia loudly scraping her chair across the floor. With a plop, the cheery brunette sat down in the seat and pulled out her own lunch and set it against the edge of Sakura's desk.

"Oooh," Felicia's eyes immediately locked onto the drawing on Sakura's page taking in the sketch with the brightly colored ruby eyes. "That's so pretty. Her eyes are so striking."

There was a pause and as if it were even possible Felicia lit up even further.

"She looks like Julia!"

"Julia?" Sakura asked though she couldn't help but be a little embarrassed by the praise she was intrigued by who Felicia could have been reminded of.

"Yeah, Louise's sister."

Sakura's eyes widened and her mind began to run a mile minute.

'No way,' she thought. 'Felicia couldn't possibly have recognized the girl I drew and no way did it happen to just be Louise's sister.'

Sakura had known Felicia and Louise for some time but she had never met the latter's sister. There was no way, right? Sakura could feel a mild panic attack rising to her chest. What would she do if the girl she fell for was Louise's sister this entire time?

Sakura was shocked by her own thought this time. Why did she use that phrase, 'fell for'? Why was she being so dramatic?

"Good afternoon, Felicia, Sakura."

The sound of Louise's voice brought Sakura out of her thoughts and she slammed her sketchbook shut with a snap. She could practically feel the blush rising to her face violently, not softly or Sakura like at all. Much like Felicia's older brother, tomato-like.

"Sakura, are you OK?" Louise asked, taking a seat on the other side of Sakura's desk.

She set down her food on the edge and Sakura moved her sketchbook to make room.

Felicia smiled knowingly but her words portrayed an air of innocence.

"She's fine! She was just showing me her sketches, right Sakura?"

Sakura cursed Felicia in her mind.

"Oh, can I see the sketches too?" Louise asked, reaching a hand out for the book.

"No!" Sakura snatched it back.

Louise pulled her arm back in alarm as well, meeting Sakura's dark eyes with blue ones filled with equal parts shock and concern.

"I mean-"

Sakura sighed and set the book down.

What did she mean? She was just overreacting. If anything, she was making the entire situation weird herself. What was so weird about drawing interesting people you saw. It was nothing. The girl Sakura saw had white hair like snow and eyes like rubies. How wouldn't Sakura find that interesting? Perhaps everyone was drawn to her in the same way.

"I mean, of course," she finally said, lowering her sketchbook and opening the page to reveal the sketch of the girl.

Louise took one look at it and her eyes showed that she did indeed recognize the person depicted.

"That's my sister," she said, looking at Sakura. "That's so good. I didn't know you knew her."

Sakura sighed, happy to see Louise wasn't making it weird.

"Actually, I don't know her. I saw her today walking into school and she looked so striking I had to draw her. I didn't even know her name let alone that she's your sister."

A soft look entered Sakura's eye as she looked down at the sketch and remembered the earlier encounter with the older girl.

Louise spoke, "She has that effect on people... Her name is Julia, she's in the beautification club."

Later that afternoon, when the bell chimedsignalingg school was over Sakura packed her things at her own pace. There were club activities that day, but she was in no rush to get to the club room. She knew that Felicia, also a member of the Newspaper Club, usually went out after school to get snacks before coming back to campus. More times and not she dragged Louise out with her. That left Sakura a few minutes of time before she had to be in the club room.

With a sense of finality, Sakura shut her school bag and grabbed it heading for the club room early. If she did that she would have plenty of time to work on some math homework before the other members arrived. She also told herself it would be good to to do some work and get her mind off of Julia.

Just the thought of Louise's sister's name sent a trill up Sakura's spine. She tightened her grip on her bag and pulled it off the desk. There was no need to psyche herself out from the thought of a girl she hadn't even known existed until that very morning. She was shocked by how much the incident had impacted her. When was the last time she found her mind drifting so much to a single person, especially one she knew so little about?

Walking down the hall, Sakura eventually found herself nearing the music room. She never had any business there after school. After all, she wasn't in any music club. She heard the music department before she saw it, which was fitting. The sweet delicate sounds of a flute hit her ear as she entered the hall. The person wasn't using a soundproof practice room, instead of playing right in the main classroom. The door was open, so Sakura didn't have to knock and interrupt. She approached the doorway and saw right away the source of the music.

Julia was standing beside a piano. There was a music stand with sheet music in front of her, but her eyes were lidded as she knew so well the tune she played. Expertly her fingers played the keys and Sakura was drawn to how delicate and graceful they looked pressed against them.

Would it be too much to say that time stopped then? Would it be so farfetched of a claim? Sakura could see or hear nothing but Julia in the minute or so that passed. The soft breeze wafting in from the windows and the gentle light only helped accentuate Julia's graceful features.

Finally, the song ended and when the final note disappeared from the air the spell was broken. Julia's eyes opened slowly, revealing a tender look in those mysterious eyes. Had she been thinking of something while playing that song? It felt so intimate in that brief second before the look faded and Julia lowered her flute.

She turned, long strands of silvery hair flying as she did so, to the girl Sakura just noticed seated at the piano.

"So? How was it?" asked Julia to the girl at the piano, a brunette with a flower in her hair.

Sakura decided she'd better keep moving before she was noticed in the doorway. Unfortunately, her turning to go meant the movement caught in both of the other girls' peripheral visions. Two sets of heads whipped towards her in question followed by a shout.

"Sakura!"

Sakura froze as Julia bounded up to her and as if they were longtime friends pulled her by the hand and into the room.

"Look Erzsebet! It's Louise's cute little friend!"

Sakura was dragged into the room and she couldn't help the light blush from the fact that Julia knew her name.

Erzsebet looked at Sakura fondly, "Hi. I'm Erzsebet. What's your name?"

"I'm Sakura," Sakura replied bowing at the older girl seated at the piano. She then looked over at Julia. "How did you know my name?"

"Huh? Oh well, Louise always talks about her friends," said Julia placing a hand on her hip and shrugging as if it were natural. "Then when you dropped your handkerchief your name was embroidered on it. How many other Sakuras could there be in this school?"

"Ah, yes that's logical," Sakura nodded a bit astonished.

The girl in front of her- now that she was gesturing and speaking and laughing in front of her- was so different from the gentle tender image Sakura had formulated in her mind for Julia. Julia way of speech was brash and she stood with a relaxed demeanor. As if reading Sakura's mind Erzsebet spoke.

"You seem a bit stunned by Julia's personality. Her and Louise are a bit like opposites."

"What are you talking about!" screeched Julia hitting the music stand with her open hand. "My little sister takes after all of my awesome traits!"

"Yes, just the awesome ones," chuckled Erzsebet.

"Which are all of my traits! Every single one of them."

"Name one," the brunette challenged.

"Well, one-" Julia began to count off on her finger. "My awesome punctuality! She's never late. Also-"

Sakura was stunned at the two bickering back and forth but eventually, she broke into a laugh that called their attention back to her.

"You seem like good friends," Sakura said with a smile.

"Something like that," said Erzsebet with a long-suffering smile.

"Are you both in music club too?"

"Music club?" Julia seemed shocked. "No way! I'm in the wonderfully beautiful, Beautification Club!"

"That's right, Louise mentioned that," Sakura nodded. "But... but you're so good with the flute!"

"Julia is going to be in a Concours this weekend!" Erzsebet supplied. "It's outside of school though."

"Tell all my business why don't you!" Julia bit at her friend, face flushing a bit in anger. "Sakura, let's go!"

With that Julia grabbed Sakura by the hand and pulled her out of the room. Her flute had somehow been cleaned and put away during the brief conversation and the case was held in her free hand.

"Ah, bye Erzsebet!" Sakura attempted to call out to the senior student as she was pulled out.

Julia led her down the hall.

"Uhm, Julia," began Sakura as she kept pace with the other girl. "Where are we going?"

"Why? Do you have anywhere to be?" Julia asked, looking down at Sakura with the biggest most mischevious looking smirk.

It caused Sakura's heart to leap right into her throat.

'What is this feeling?' Sakura thought to herself. 'She's completely different than what I imagined and yet my heart is still beating so wildly for her.'

Julia finally stopped further down in the stairwell, but she didn't let go of Sakura's hand. Sakura could feel it burning right through her.

"Let's go out!" Julia proclaimed.

"W,what! I can't go... go," Sakura's mind was a jumble as were her words.

Was this some kind of love confession? Julia was so forward.

"What do you mean? You don't want to go hang out? I'll buy you cake," Julia went on.

Sakura felt a mix of relief and disappointment at Julia meaning just going out to get a snack, not date.

"I have newspaper club, sorry," Sakura got out.

Julia frowned, "Aw, really? How disappointing. I think we could be really good friends. You should come by my class sometime, OK? We can hang out."

Sakura nodded and Julia seemed content with that.

"Bye Sakura!" Julia said turning to go and disappearing down the stairs.

Like that, the whirlwind girl that entered her life was gone.

Sakura let out a sigh and put her hand over her heart. It was still beating wildly but Sakura was glad. The girl Julia was more amazing than she could even imagine. She was a force equal parts elegance and chaos. That excited Sakura and she knew she was in danger of falling even further for the girl.

The rest of the afternoon and into the evening and night, Sakura's mind was filled with the delicate snow girl with the fire-like personality.

The next day Sakura came to school the same as usual with the hope that she'd find Julia just as she had the day before. Unfortunately, she had an uneventful walk to the classroom. She sat at the desk and pulled out her sketchbook. She was greeted with the sketch from yesterday and after looking at it for a moment she decided to close her book and get up.

She was early to school but if Julia was anything like Louise, then Julia would be as well. She didn't know really what brought on the boldness. Perhaps Julia had that effect on everyone. Sakura left the hall and went to the upperclassman's hall. As she walked down no one even bothered to notice her as they continued their chatter amongst one another. She finally found Julia by the sound of her distinct laughter pouring out of one of the classrooms.

Sliding open the door, Sakura barely had to scan the room before she saw Julia seated at a desk surrounded by a group of girls who were hanging onto her every word.

'Of course, she'd be popular,' thought Sakura ready to turn back but fate had other plans.

"Sakura!"

Julia hopped up and excused herself from the other girls and ran over to Sakura excitedly. Once again their hands connected, fingers laced together in a familiarity alien to Sakura.

"You came to see the awesome me," Julia beamed, happiness radiating straight out of her eyes.

How could she be so sincere? It caused Sakura to want to melt.

"You said I should come to say hi," Sakura said weakly.

"Did you eat?" Julia asked.

Sakura nodded, "A little."

"Hold on!"

Julia let go of Sakura's hand to grab a flask that Sakura assumed held soup then came back, lacing their fingers once more.

"Let's go!"

And then they were out the door walking. Just as it was when she came, no one paid any mind when Julia and Sakura left, going up the stairs to the roof. Once there Julia settled against the ground, back towards the fence protecting them from falling.

"I hope you like corn porridge," Julia said as she began pouring some of it into the cap of the flask.

Sakura took a seat beside the other girl.

"Thank you," she said accepting the cap when it was passed to her.

They sat in a bit of silence as Julia prepared a bit for herself. Sakura sipped the soup.

"It's good," she said, looking down at the contents of the lid.

"Isn't it? I made it myself!"

"You can cook?" Sakura asked.

"Of course I can! Louise and I cook together often and sometimes even Felicia comes. You should too."

"OK," Sakura said.

"Anyone who is a friend of Louise is a friend of mine. I trust her to know good people," Julia said. She met Sakura's eyes and smiled. "Besides, I wasn't lying when I said I think we could be good friends."

Julia then grabbed her chest in a dramatic gesture.

"Is it fate?" she said in just as dramatic tones before laughing. "Besides, I love making friends with cute girls."

"Cute girls? I'm-"

"Aw, don't say you're not cute! We both know you're cute," Julia cut Sakura off.

Sakura blushed and looked down again at her soup.

"And you... you're so beautiful," Sakura said since they were both being honest. Her heart tightened at her boldness.

"Hm, maybe so."

Her eyes were brought back up to Julia who looked deep in thought. Sakura looked away and let out a slight cough into her sleeve.

"Are you OK?" Julia asked.

Sakura nodded as she finished her cough, "Yes. I hope I'm not coming down with a cold."

Julia smiled and poured Sakura a little more soup, "Drink more of this then."

"Thank you. Uhm, Julia," Sakura began,

"Yeah?"

"Why are you in beautification club?"

"Why not?" Julia asked, bending her knee and propping her arm on it. "I mean, this campus, someone has to take care of it. I like to think it's worth my time to make sure these kids don't spoil it for us."

"What I meant was-"

"Why am I in beautification club instead of music club?"

Sakura nodded.

Julia just smiled cryptically, "I wonder why..."

"Huh, my sister?" Louise said, looking over in surprise at Sakura, her lab partner.

It was the middle of science class. Sakura was always a reliable partner for Louise and so they always chose each other if they did partner work. That left Felicia often times with Amelia but she didn't compare. Amelia was surprising competent in science class despite being a goof. That was why the last thing Louise expected was for Sakura to start questioning her about Julia in the middle of a lab.

"Yes," confirmed Sakura. "Why is Julia not in music club? I heard her playing flute after school. She's amazing."

"She is amazing," Louise confirmed. "She's been playing since even I can remember, and going to competitions for just as long. She goes to get private lessons though. I always just figured music club at this school just would demand so much more of her time that she wouldn't be able to perform with the people she's been with her entire life."

"Ah, like a private community orchestra?"

"Something like that," nodded Louise. "And they have a performance this weekend."

"Erzsebet mentioned that!"

"Yeah, Erzsebet used to play with her too. She plays cello with music club now."

"Can I come with you to the performance?" Sakura asked.

"You want to see Julia play?"

Sakura nodded.

"OK. I think she'd like that," Louise said with a soft smile. "She pretends like she's tough and can stand alone, but I think she really likes having people in her corner."

"You sound really close," Sakura observed.

"We have to be," Louise said. "In this world, with mother gone and father being so busy, I suppose she's the one who always looked after me. It's almost like she raised me. She might not look it but she's a very mature and lonely person inside."

"Why are you telling me this?"

Louise shrugged, "I don't know. I guess because you look like you're wanting to get close to her. If so it's something you should know."

That night Sakura couldn't help but think about the many faces of Julia she'd seen and had yet to see. She saw Julia the caretaker, who painstakingly ensured that the school grounds remained presentable with the beautification club. She also saw the mysterious girl who playing her music seemed so far away in her own thoughts. Then there was the Julia who laughed and played as if she had no care, pulling Sakura down the halls, yet once again nurturing her with the offer of cake or soup. Sakura was excited by the prospect of learning even more. What all made up the person that was Julia?

When the weekend came, Sakura had a hard time picking what to wear to the concert. She didn't really have that many clothes for something like that, especially since she usually just wore her school uniform every day. She almost wanted to give up and just wear the uniform but ended up eventually finding a long skirt and sweater to wear and headed out to where she was meeting Louise to walk to the venue. She wasn't surprised to see Felicia was there as well. She was relieved that she decided to not be lazy and pick out actual non-uniform clothes to wear. Felicia and Louise both were dressed up nicely for the event.

"Hi, Sakura," Felicia beamed. "I was surprised when Louise said you were coming! Julia's going to be excited to see you."

Sakura wondered if Felicia said that on purpose to send her stomach into a flip.

Louise led them into the back and because they were with Louise they were able to go backstage where the dressing rooms were. There were a ton of people running around getting ready, but most of the performers were seated with their instruments. Most of the people were teenagers but some were university students.

"Hey, Louise!" a short girl approached with wavy bobbed hair. "Are you looking for your sister?"

"Yes," nodded Louise.

"She's in the dressing room over there!" the bobbed girl pointed in the direction of a closed door.

Louise and the 2 others with her walked over to the room and entered. Only a few musicians were in there and only one was actually sitting at the vanity putting on makeup for their performance. On one of the couches, they found Julia dressed in a beautiful black gown that only accentuated her pale color in the best way. She looked ethereal even under the poor lighting of the dressing room. Sakura could only imagine how much better Julia would look on stage.

"Hi, Sister," Louise said as they approached.

Julia looked up and so did the man sitting beside her. Julia's face blossomed into a smile as she basically hopped up from the seat.

"Louise!" Julia hugged Louise and then looked at Felicia and Sakura. "No paparazzi."

"This isn't a school function," beamed Felicia but she held up her camera. "These pictures are for us only!"

Julia laughed and when she let go of Louise she looked at Sakura, "I can't believe you came too! Let me introduce you."

She turned to the person seated at the coach and he stood. He easily towered over all four of the girls. He was an elegant looking guy, someone who matched Julia completely when in his tux, what with his high nose bridge and glasses. His hair was pushed back perfectly off his forehead.

"This is my accompanist, Roderich! We've been playing together since junior high but he's in university now."

"Nice to meet you," Sakura said to him.

Roderich returned the greeting and Sakura didn't miss the way when Julia turned to him he comfortably laid a hand on her shoulder.

He smiled down at Sakura, "Ah, so you're the third in Louise's little three musketeer group. Julchen told me she's excited to cook for you one day."

Sakura also didn't miss the way that he called her Julchen. She'd never heard anyone call Julia that! Not even Erzsebet, who Louise told Sakura was Julia's best friend.

"She did?" Sakura asked, surprised that she was mentioned at all.

"Yes, but she also failed to say that I can out bake her any day," Roderich said, sending a teasing look in Julia's direction.

"Whatever, I always just tell you your almond cookies are the best to be nice!" Julia protested.

"Really?" Roderich asked. "I guess I can just give all of your portions to Louise then."

"No way! I'm so generous I will eat your disgusting subpar almond cookies just to be nice!" said Julia in a panic, sending Roderich into a laugh.

Suddenly it clicked in Sakura's mind. This guy was the reason why Julia wasn't in the school's music club! It made Sakura run a little cold watching the two play off each other as if they didn't have a care in the world.

Louise sighed, "OK, you two well break a leg. We have to get to our seats."

"OK! Prepare to be serenaded by my awesome and not by this guy's terribad piano skills."

"You know I could just go and as Eduard to play with you if it's so bad," Roderich said.

"You wouldn't dare!"

After leaving the two musicians, Louise led Sakura and Felicia to the auditorium where they had seats in the reserved area for them. Sakura was deep in thought. She was surprised herself by how shell-shocked she felt at the realization that Julia was probably in love with Roderich. Was she an idiot? She only knew Julia for all of two days despite being friends with Louise for months. There was no way she could have fallen so deeply in such a short period of time. Why then did the disappointment just dig at her heart?

"Ve, Sakura, are you OK?" Felicia asked, looking at Sakura from where she sat beside her.

"I'm fine," Sakura all but whispered.

Did she look so obvious? Did she wear her feelings so plainly on her face?

"You really like her don't you?" Felicia didn't hide the concern she had on her face. "If it helps you feel better, I don't think Roderich likes Julia. He was dating Erzsebet until just recently, you know."

It didn't help. Sakura coughed into her sleeve and Felicia hit her back.

"Sakura?"

Sakura shook her head as the auditorium darkened. Soon the curtains drew back and performance after performance played out before Sakura's eyes. She felt disembodied and finally when it was Julia's turn everything seemed to disappear in that dark room.

Julia stood on the stage, her black dress shimmering like the twinkling of stars. Her long silvery hair was pulled back, though several tresses dusted her bare shoulders. She looked like the moon in the night sky and Sakura ached.

From the very first note played by Roderich's fingers against the keys of his piano, Sakura recognized the song. It was one of her absolute favorites and she couldn't help but hear Julia's voice in her mind. She thought they could be very good friends. Sakura didn't doubt it.

Julia lifted her flute and serenaded her and the audience, but Sakura pretended it was for her. She felt as if she could fly as she floated with the notes. They touched her, pierced her, and even when the tears began to fall, Sakura didn't allow herself to look away.

Returning home from the Concours, Sakura's mind replayed the night and the performance over and over again. Afterward had been almost unbearable. Julia had been glowing with excitement. She invited Sakura and Felicia out for celebratory dinner, but Sakura had to decline. She needed to get away as soon as possible. It was as if she couldn't breathe.

Stumbling up the stairs to her room, Sakura flung open the door. She didn't even bother to undress and instead collapsed against the small table in her room. Clutching her heart she squeezed at the fabric of her sweater. All Sakura felt was a profound emptiness in her heart. It was as if Julia had found something in her and also ripped it away. She was left a forsaken one and unable to cope. She never wanted to say the words or admit them to herself, but it couldn't be ignored any longer. Despite everything pointing to the futility of her feelings, Sakura was in love.

"It's cruel."

Sakura spoke to no one. Or perhaps she spoke to Fate, whoever was responsible for making her feel the way that she did. Like a montage, the past 2 days played out in her mind. Julia flitted to and fro like an apparition, long locks trailing behind as she went.

"So cruel."

That terrible tightness wouldn't let up and Sakura felt she was about to choke. She coughed and stood to make her way over to her bed. Her shoulders shook as a stronger coughing fit took over her. Sitting on the bed she braced herself as she coughed into her sleeve.

She would never have Julia. She'd never be hers. But the heart would continue to yearn. A fresh well of tears sprung up in her eyes but she couldn't hate Julia for it. She never could.

It hurt. Why did it hurt? She raised her other hand to her chest and fell against the bed. Tears sprang into the corner of her eyes she coughed and yet all she could see in her mind's eye was Julia. Finally, the coughing relented and opening her eyes Sakura looked down at her sleeve with bleary eyes. Against the soft fabric of her sweater were three beautiful pink petals.

-the end-

AN -

at this point, everyone knows what Hanahaki Disease is right? Victim coughs up flower petals when they suffer from one-sided love. Sakura's only going to get worse from here methinks.

estonia and nyo lat made cameos lol

thanks for reading! comments are lovely