A/N: [Second Fanfic of the Valentine's Day 30 Theme Challenge] Just like the first fanfic, my hands were still hurting when I wrote this. But all the feels and plotbunnies I had... They had to be put down somewhere~ xD
Kuran Cassie is © to Sky-Rose-of-the-Moon (on deviantART); Kuran Kaname is © to Hino Matsuri's Vampire Knight; Story is © to moi~
Prompt #2: Cherry Blossom
Part 1
"Love distills desire upon the eyes, love brings bewitching grace into the heart." – Euripides
They fluttered and floated through the air. Like perfect, pink feathers they ascended from the tree branches. Like angels' wings, they lightly touch the floor and beautified the earth.
Springtime was always beautiful at famous and pristine Cross Academy. Because of the abundance in trees and other greenery, the school looked like a massive garden.
During the spring season, there were times when the students would gather together under some of the cherry blossom trees and have lunch. Some teachers would even teach outside. It felt like a luxurious, peaceful paradise as if one was in heaven itself.
Around this time, the Kuran couple, Cassie and her husband Kaname, had decided to make a stop to their old high school. Their friends, also former students of Cross Academy, had planned to visit as well.
For the springtime cultural festival, the academy was holding a class reunion for their graduates with most of the events dedicated to the cherry blossoms.
Thousands of former students flocked to Cross Academy to meet with old teachers, see ex-classmates, and participate in the festivities.
With her husband, hand in hand, Cassie stared in awe at her old school. It had some new changes and had grown tremendously since her graduation. "Wow! It's so big!"
Kaname let out a laugh. "I had heard from the Chairman that they had done some renovation after we left. They had also planned to have a section for junior high students."
Around and towards the entrance to the school were booths galore. The high school students were selling various treats and toys and there were also different games to play with cheap but cute prizes.
Small children giddily ran through the pathways with their parents, begging to play the goldfish games. Couples, both young and old, shared sweets, like chocolate bananas on sticks, and played for prizes to give to their sweethearts.
Cassie giggled when she spotted a booth with handmade dolls and other trinkets. A young, brown-haired girl sat behind the booth with a saccharine smile adorned on her face.
"Hello! How may I help you~?" she chirped.
Green eyes scanned the merchandise and Cassie spotted a small, pale-faced doll in a sophisticated pink kimono. Her face was painted like a geisha's and her hair had a few sparkling ornaments tucked neatly inside a bun.
She squealed and picked it up, showing it to her husband. "Oh, Kaname! Isn't she so cute? Will you buy it for me? Pretty please?"
Her husband chuckled and took out his wallet, handing a couple of bills to the young girl. "I hope this will be enough to pay for this, am I right?"
The brunette high schooler took it happily, swooning over such a handsome face. "Of course! Th-Thank you so much! Do you need a bag?"
He shook his head, shooting her his trademark smile. "No. I think we'll be all right. Thank you for your service."
Heart pounding, the girl almost fainted. She waved happily as the couple walked off to another booth. "Have a nice day!"
Kaname waved back politely and Cassie pouted. "There's no need to be that friendly," she mumbled as she clutched onto his arm.
"Oh?" Kaname smirked. "Is it possible that you're jealous?"
The blonde's pout grew more playful as she tightened her grip. "Maybe I am."
Kaname and Cassie traveled inside the school to take a look inside the interior. It still looked the same as before but with decorations for the festival. Current Day Class students greeted the couple asking them to participate in the diverse class events. One of the most popular was a maid/butler café.
The couple was directed to a table and one of the student maids informed them that their server would arrive soon.
Opening the menu, Cassie licked her lips at the interesting dessert choices. "Mmm… I wish I could eat them all~!"
Everything was based on the cherry blossom with pictures of the finished dishes and were accompanied with fresh green tea.
Milk chocolate Petit Gâteau and vanilla ice cream in the shape of cherry blossom petals…
Cherry blossom-shaped strawberry daifuku covered in sweet, milky cream…
Cherry blossom-shaped checkerboard cookies…
Sakuramochi and wagashi in the shape of a cherry blossom flower
Flower-shaped blancmange topped with a light pink, sauce-like cream…
Angel Food Cake in the shape of a cherry blossom, decorated with white and pink icing…
Vanilla and strawberry cakes sweetened with cherry blossoms...
While Cassie was busy deciding, she could hear Kaname's voice across from her, as if he were laughing. She looked up slightly and noticed some of the maids giggling and fawning over him. He waved kindly to them, which made his wife even more jealous.
Come on! Who do those girls think they are? She frowned and opened her mouth to confront Kaname. However, a handsome student butler caught her attention. Cassie smiled mischievously.
"Oh, butler!" she cooed. "I know what I would like to order~"
The young man walked over and plastered on his business smile. "Yes, Ma'am? What would you like~?"
Cassie smiled as she trailed her finger up his chest. "I would order you but you're not on the menu," she giggled, making the boy blush profusely.
After waving to the girls, Kaname heard his wife's laughter and turned to see her flirting with the butler. He was most displeased but maintained his composure, not wanting to make a scene.
He knew why she was doing it and it was one of Kaname's biggest pet peeves; she just loved making him jealous because she knew his reactions and enjoyed them.
She continued to flirt as he came back with their orders. Cassie smiled and picked up her fork, ready to take a bite out of her cake. However, Kaname snatched her plate away.
"Hey!"
He smirked at her again, snatching her fork and taking the first bite of her dessert. "And that was for making me jealous."
The blonde pouted playfully. "Very funny." She took his plate and munched on his pastry with a smile. "And now we're even."
~ ღ ~
Part 2
"Love is the flower you've got to let grow." – John Lennon
After their little snack at the café, Cassie and Kaname continued their private tour in the school.
It led them to the school theater where a show was supposedly being held in a few minutes. The show was put together by the Traditional Japanese Dance Club and called "Sakurahime."
Slowly, the theater was being filled up with anticipating people and Cassie pulled on her husband's arm. "Let's hurry and get some seats! I'd love to see it!"
He followed behind her and they sat in the third row from the front. It was a good view, allowing them to see the stage.
The theater echoed with the sounds of excited clapping as the curtains began to rise, letting the light shine throughout.
A petite girl covered head to toe in cherry blossom petals was hunched over with her hands covering her face. She slowly lifted herself up when a soft, soothing tune began to play. Fake cherry blossoms began to fall from the stage ceiling as she moved across the platform.
Her hands and feet were bare and dainty, as graceful as a swan. Her long, black hair swirled around in a fluid motion. Her eyes remained close as she moved, careful not to trip or bump into anything.
The audience was captivated with such a girl. She had such talent; one could assume that she practiced relentlessly. Even Cassie and Kaname couldn't take their eyes off of her.
Cherry blossom petals continued to descend and gave her such an ethereal glow as she was covered in them. She twirled and spun around on the stage and moved her hands and feet, even extending her leg to reveal some skin.
Gradually, the music quickened its pace and rhythm. The girl hastened her feet as she kept up with the beat. Her face twisted and distorted as if to display emotions of anger and frustration.
Her moves got much swifter and almost god-like, dashing up and down both sides of the stage. If one looked closely, they could see tears run down her face and wet the floor. Her feet slid across the wet stage and she almost tripped; it was all part of the dance.
Everyone gasped at seeing her almost fall but she didn't seem fazed. Her dance went on, revolving in a wild and unpredictable pattern. Her arms extended, falling and lifting, blowing the cherry blossom petals in different directions.
It grew more intense as more tears fell. She ran back and forth with her arms held behind her. She then stopped, collapsing to her knees, and looked towards the fake sky.
A flower fell slowly into her hands and she held it close to her chest. The tears wet the flower and she let out a loud, shrill cry like a ghost that could send chills down the spine. The lights dimmed and eventually went off.
The audience was silent, a bit fearful, but they still clapped and cheered. All of the club members came to the stage, including the girl, and bowed respectfully to the crowd. Cassie and Kaname joined them in the standing ovation.
"That was amazing!" the blonde exclaimed. "But I wonder why her eyes were closed the entire time. It must've required a lot of practice to dance with your eyes shut."
Kaname smiled. "That girl's blind," he said. "I remember rumors going on about how talented she was even with a disability. She really impressed the audience; I'm sure she'll attempt to go pro one day."
Behind the school was a large garden tended to by the students. Full of vibrant and multi-colored flowers and plants originating from multiple countries, several times it has been considered one of the most beautiful out of all the gardens in Japan.
Throughout her four years in high school, Cassie would go to the garden. She would usually skip class to walk around and admire the flora. Any doubts or bad thoughts she may have had would disappear at once.
Whether it be rain or shine, good weather or bad, she would sit in the same spot all by herself and think. It lightened her mood with the sight of the lovely flowers and shrubs as well as the solitude since not many people entered the garden, unless they were students coming to tend to it. To her, it was her own little world of comfort.
However, her world was revealed more and more to Kaname. He always knew if she had skipped classes and found her in the garden. Sworn to secrecy, he would sit to talk with her about whatever was on her mind. This became one of the best spots to hang out, for it was quiet, allowing them to laugh or even cry as loud as they wanted. The garden brought back such wonderful memories for Cassie and Kaname when they entered it during that spring festival.
In the middle of the garden was a large cherry blossom tree, the largest found in the entire city. The wind blew and the tree swayed ever so slightly, as if it was waving at them like an old friend.
Light pink petals detached themselves from the branches and covered the ground around it. The tree had been standing for over a hundred years and still stood strong with roots buried deep into the earth.
When they were dating, the two purebloods would sneak off to the tree. They would kiss, embrace, and even once made love. Through it all, the tree remained quiet and shaded them with its motherly branches. She never told a soul…
Cassie remembered when Kaname also proposed to her under that very tree. It would always bring her to tears whenever she looked at it.
"Even after so many years," she whispered, the hot tears running down her face, "it still looks so beautiful."
She smiled, inhaling the sweet scent of the flowers as she spun around giddily. Her husband stood beside her, loving the lit-up look in her eyes.
"Yes, you're right." He placed a hand on the trunk and inhaled the beautiful scent himself. "It brings back so many memories."
Kaname felt his wife's arms wrap around him. She grinned as she pressed her nose against his before pulling him into a kiss. He gladly reciprocated, letting her pull him further down.
"I'm glad we came," Cassie told him. "Brings me back to the good ol' days. Doesn't it do that with you?"
Her husband nodded. "I'm glad we came, too. It gave me a good reminder of where I found my beautiful wife."
She giggled and kissed him once more as the petals swirled around them once more, the cherry blossom tree shielding them from the outside world.