The Princess of Cherry Blossoms

By CleideJam

Chapter 1: Pink-chan

Beautiful.

Today is a beautiful day.

The weather feels so good.

The birds fly freely in the calming blue sky.

The city where I live seems to be enjoying the beautiful day as well because it is not every day that this small park would be filled with people.

I guess this is the end of me and my beautiful hide out.

Is this goodbye then?

I guess it is.

"*sigh* Geez, I've waited for this day to come to peacefully watch the cherry blossoms and have this small park all to myself…" I release another sigh of defeat and raise my head up high and glare at the blue sky, "The Gods must have hated me for not granting me this small wish…" I return my gaze to the increasing occupants of the small park, "I don't want to watch it with so many people here, specially lovey-dovey couples" I shot death glares to all of the couples occupying the benches in the park then look warily at the small picnic basket that my brothers have prepared for me to indulge with later while watching the beautiful petals of sakura to flutter in the air.

I decide to sit back on that bench and just continue my plan, "So much for hoping to enjoy this beautiful day" I mumble to myself as I open the basket and pull out a piece of ham sandwich prepared by my loving brothers and continue to watch the flock of birds in the sky.

Blue.

This color has always reminded me of my younger brother Tetsuya, a calm and collected type of guy whose mind is incredibly unpredictable.

"I wonder what Tetsu is doing right now…" I wonder to myself as I munch on the crispy ham, "Maybe he is playing with him again" I shrug at that. I then stare at an old man who is being pulled by a kid towards the small pond. The kid is wearing an eye-catching red bull cap.

Red.

Now I am remembering my older brother, Taiga, that guy is a total opposite of my younger brother. Taiga is so tall with a body of a well-trained athlete and his actions speak louder than his words…or maybe it's the other way around?

"Gee, who cares? I'm on my own today" I mumble while munching on the sandwich.

Once again, I observe the small park and couldn't help but frown, "Of all the colors that is here in this park, why is the color that I wanted to see the most not present? The Gods really hate me, huh?" I angrily bite on the poor ham sandwich, "At least Taiga's sandwich tastes so good…" I try to cheer my own self with that idea but I can't help to feel down.

"Which color is it?" a joyful and girly voice resounds out of nowhere.

"I just want to see a shade of pink-" I reply to the person or girl who suddenly interrupts my own musing and my private bench. Yeah, I didn't let anyone to sit on it!

"Pink?" she asks and when my eyes land on the figure disturbing me, I could feel my heart has stopped beating, "Whoa…is this what they call 'A good way to die"?"

Pink.

All the while I've been searching for any object that has a shade of pink and I have found none, maybe because this girl in front of me has collected all shades of pink. Her long and silky pink tresses, those rosy pink smooth cheeks, her pinkish pale skin and her soft looking kissable pink lips. Whoa! Time out Riko! Time out! Am I eyeing her just now?

Her giggles has brought me out of my dazed state, rubbing my eyes to fully awaken myself, I try to compose my calm demeanor.

"Wow… pink…" the words unconsciously slip out of my lips as I am fully entrance by her beauty? Image? Figure? No…by her pinkish assets.

She smiles at me and reaches out her hand for a shake, "Hi, my name is Satsuki, Momoi Satsuki. Nice meeting you…?" she trails off obviously not knowing my name. And so, remembering my older brother's words, "No man is an island, Riko" and so I introduce myself as well.

"Riko, Aida Riko. Nice meeting you too, Pink-chan" I say with a grin trying to tease her and reach out my hand to shake hers.

And when I've finally touched her, I feel soft and warm and giddy on the part of my body that is currently in contact with hers.

While we are still shaking hands, our eyes meet for a brief moment.

I get electrified.

What a foreign feeling…

When we let go of our hands, I see her face is flushed, "Is she ok? Wait. Why do I even care?"

However, my body moves to its own accord and I lean towards her, my forehead feeling the temperature of hers. I hear her gasp for an unknown reason making me believe that something is really wrong with her, "Hey, are ok? You look flushed" I ask with my voice sounding so weak and my face contorting from concern. "Hell! My voice never sounded this weak!"

"I-I'm fine. You just surprised me with your impulsiveness" she shakes her head and giggles. Why is it that I find her giggles so melodious and good to the ears?

"Okay, if you say so but if you're not feeling well…err…tell me ok?" I suggest while turning my head to once again look at the sky, my back feeling the comfort that the bench is giving me because right now I am so sure that I need some support for my body, for an unknown reason, feels weak. I hear her giggling once again and muttering a soft, "Thank you".

And silence invades us…how awkward.

"The park seems crowded today, don't you think?" I hear her say and that has gotten my attention which is just about to wander around. I look at her for a while, "Crowded today? Does that mean she has always been here? But I haven't seen her face before" and shift my gaze back to the fountain.

"Yeah, you're right. I was really expecting to be alone today to watch the beautiful sakura… guess my plan backfired" I mutter the last part and manage to give her a crook smile. "But it's still peaceful so why not just continue my plan, hehe" adding that to ease her troubled mind because it is clearly visible on her facial features that she is somehow bothered. "Who wouldn't? Meeting a girl who simply wants to selfishly have a small park all to herself"

"I see… I hope my presence isn't a nuisance for you…" Pink-chan says with a tone that I recognize as disappointment.

And this, somewhat, make me worried and panicky which is soooo not like me. "Like I even give a damn to anything except my family… crazy family" that comes in my mind in a very funny way. I hope the boys are enjoying their bonding in the house. Hopefully, Dad won't be asking them to play basketball the entire day.

"Oh! No! Not really! From time to time, even though I prefer to be alone, I still do want some company. Besides, I need a partner…" I trail off and somewhat I think I have just imagined that her eyes brightens at the word 'partner' but quickly glums when I refer to the sandwiches, "To finish these sandwiches that my older brother prepared for me. Here, have some" in a very kind way, that I am not used to, I hand her the sandwich, I think its chicken sandwich. Looking at her, I am expecting her to have a gloomy look but right now she smiles widely as she accepts the sandwich.

"Thanks, Riko-chan!" she smiles oh-so widely. But her smile didn't even reach her eyes.

"Chan?" I suddenly and unconsciously snap at her. Forgive me but I hate honorifics like that being added to my name.

"Yep! Riko-chan! Ahh…wait…you don't like it?" she asks, I guess she notices my sudden fury when she says that name again. I quickly nod my head and opens mouth to say 'Riko is just fine. No –chan. No –san' but stop when I see a tear rolling down her face. "Shit! What have I done?! I don't want to make a girl as beautiful as her cry. Geez, so much for the gentleman-ness that my two brothers have taught me" I can surely see my inner self shaking her head in disappointment, "Gee, thanks for the back-up, inner me"

"Wait. Wait. No. Not the tears. I'm A-okay with the –chan. Just please don't cry, Satsuki!" the words escape my mouth as if I'm a girl from a romcom anime confessing to an anime heart throb. And somehow along the line…I just…

"Did you just say my name?" she suddenly asks almost taking me off-balance, well, almost. Her tears are all clean up from her face.

"Ahh…I think so…" wait! Now that I think about it…I did just say her name as if on instincts…and her name rolls on my tongue so easily.

"And not just my name but my first name. Wow, aren't we going a bit too fast with our relationship, Riko-chan?" she teases me and I just couldn't help it, could I? I feel a suddent transfer of heat from my body onto my face. Somehow, a tomato-looking me is entertaining for this mysterious stranger. I have just met her now and am already comfortable with her. A girl nonetheless! Okay, yes. I have some issues regarding my past when it comes to communicating with the girls…even though I am a girl. Long story short, bullying has made my younger younger years miserable by those girls. And it has been so traumatic and- wait. I'm blabbering nonsense again. I'm supposed to falsify her statement! Good job on that Riko.

"Hey! You call me by my first name too you know. And besides, I am not moving fast. How can I move fast when we don't even have a so-called relationship?" I breathe hard after saying that with no pausing. I hope I didn't offend her or something. I look at her to see her…smirking at me? Is she crazy? Or maybe I have acquainted another insane being.

"Would you want to be on one then?" she asks it as if it is something that anyone can just simply ask to someone, even to a newly-met acquaintance.

"Huh?" totally lost, this is the only word that my troubled mind, speedy heart and confused consciousness is able to produce.

"Riko-chan shouldn't be so blunt. This is the first time I have asked someone to be in a relationship" she says to me and I could only stare at her. "Riko, this is not 'those' kinds of relationship. Maybe, what she meant is a friendly relationship. Right! Just like what little Tetsu always says, 'Don't read beyond the line'. Yeah! Maybe this is just a friendly relationship. Okay. That's just it" I convince myself with that 'thinking-over' and smile at the pink-haired girl sitting beside me.

"Well? Riko-chan? Is that a 'Yes' or a 'No'?" she asks as her head cutely tilts to the side.

"Hmm…Sure. I guess us having 'this' relationship wouldn't hurt. Well, then, I, Aida Riko," I pause and, I really don't know how to act friendly and touchy so I just imitate the anime I have watched from Tetsu's collection, so with my own two hands, I gently grasp her hands and look at her in the eyes, "I'm happy to be in a relationship with you, Satsuki" I said firmly, not knowing where this sudden seriousness is coming. "And her hands feel so warm" but I quickly let go of it and smiles, rarely happens, warmly at her.

"R-Riko-chan…" I hear her stuttering and that make me worry but soon feel my body falling since she has tackled me with a hug.

"S-Satsuki…? Is there a problem?" my voice sound so weak again because I can see her face is flushed and an uncertain heat is coming from her. I think a fever is coming for her.

"R-Riko-chan…I'm so happy…" and with that, she tightens her embrace making me feel that I have just tied the knots without me even knowing it. But I couldn't help it, because at this moment I feel…genuinely… happy.

"Yeah… me too, Satsuki" I let myself to indulge the feeling of having a girlfriend, okay just to be clear this word for me means a friend which is a girl, and my arms wraps around her waist. "I made the right decision…right?"

"I hope so…"

A/N: I fing these two very interesting and i can't help myself to write a yurific! I hope no one gets offended by this... I just want to have fun. Please do enjoy and review is always welcome. Just be nice though. Til next chapter!