Hey guys, it's me! I'm back with a new chapter! ...This chapter might be... not as good... Considering the fact that I've never seen a real cherry blossom tree or did anything here, I can't really write from experience. Oh well, at least I wasn't at a total loss of ideas. Please enjoy!
Cherry blossom viewing was a very normal tradition for the Japanese. The Japanese traditional custom of enjoying the beauty of flowers was called hanami, and although hana simply meant flowers, it is usually in these cases always referring to cherry blossoms. The sakura. The practice is many centuries old, and today, people continue this tradition by gathering around wherever the flowering trees are found. This tradition has also spread to other parts of the world outside Japan.
As you can see, cherry blossom viewing was a very important tradition for the Japanese. So, Takane definitely could not miss it, no matter how much she wished to. And furthermore, if it was a plea that she go see it by Haruka... Oh dear lord.
Takane woke up early for once, just like a typical girl who was excited for a date. She quickly reminded herself that this wasn't a date; Haruka merely asked if she had time today to view the cherry blossoms. Yep. They were just going to view the cherry blossoms. Nothing else. Yep. Takane was definitely not excited. She definitely wasn't looking forward to it. Yep.
Oh, who was she kidding? Of course she was excited. It was a trip to view the cherry blossoms with Haruka, for god's sake. Just like a date. Of course, however, she wasn't going to admit that to anyone.
She put in her blue backpack an equally blue water bottle, a box with her bento inside that her grandmother made (Takane herself was hopeless at cooking), some snacks, her phone, and, of course, her prized video game portable console. Hey, even though this was an outdoor activity, she imagined that she would have time to play some shooting games.
Takane looked in the full-length mirror at what she was wearing, and wondered if this was okay. Was a black long-sleeved hoodie (that she won from a video game competition and was quite long; it went to her knees), a pair of black tights, and a pair of brown shoes too weird? She shook away her worries. She had spent a long time looking for the right outfit already.
She lung her bag over her shoulder and after saying goodbye to her grandmother, she pushed open the front doors, ahead to a day she expected to be wonderful...
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When she arrived at the front gates of the park, she saw that Haruka was already there. She immediately felt nervous. Was she late? Takane checked the time. She was right on time. She dashed over to Haruka and he, seeing her, waved.
"Hi Takane!" he said, smiling. Takane blushed.
"...Did you wait for a long time?" she finally asked. Haruka shook his head, a lighthearted laugh escaping his throat.
"Nope, I just got here too." he said. "Come on, let's go!" He took her by the hand and walked into the park. Takane's blush deepened, but didn't say anything. She simply closed her eyes and absorbed the warmth of his hand.
The park was bustling with people everywhere. Couples, families and friends were spread around near the blooming cherry blossom trees.
Takane looked around and instantly felt herself amazed at the sudden burst of color she saw in her view. The pink cherry blossoms, dainty little things they were, swayed slightly in the light breeze. The beautiful pink petals from the flowers fell at the tug of the wind and swirled, as if they were dancing like ballerinas in their pink leotards. Accompanied with Haruka's smile and excitement and the warmth that flowed out of his hand, the scene was perfect. She couldn't help but smile.
They approached the fields and saw that many groups have set out their picnic areas already. Takane saw a group of three sitting together, two boys and a girl. The boy with dark blue hair looked the same age as the high school brunette, while the other boy was much younger, perhaps 13 or 14 years old. Takane oddly thought that they were a family of three with her first glance. She then realized that it was because the older two looked like a couple. Would she and Haruka seem like a couple to outsiders...?
Takane quickly shook her head. What was she thinking! They were just friends. Nothing else. At this, she was surprised to find herself feeling slightly sad.
"Takane?" She was pulled out of her thoughts by Haruka, tilting his head at her silence. She looked at him.
"What?" she asked.
"You were spacing out for a bit. Are you okay?" he asked. Takane nodded.
"Yeah... Yeah, I'm fine." she said. Haruka smiled.
"Then let's set up our area! Ah, how about over there?" he asked, pointing at the base of a single cherry blossom tree. Takane glanced at it and felt amazed. It was a big tree, with blossoms falling down like cherry blossom rain. She wondered why nobody had claimed this wonderful spot.
They set out the picnic sheet and they sat down next to each other. Haruka took a camera, one of those professional-looking ones, and took snaps at the cherry blossoms. Takane simply took out her phone and took a few pictures.
"The cherry blossoms are so pretty, Takane! April's definitely the season to come and see them! Right?" he asked, turning excitedly to her. Takane nodded, trying to maintain her usual expression, but inside, she was almost as excited as Haruka. She was brought back to the present by the noise of Haruka looking through his backpack. He got out packs and packs of snacks. He opened a pack of chips and started munching on them gluttonously. He must have noticed Takane staring at him, because he held out the bag and offered it to her.
"Pass, 'cause I'm on a diet." said Takane, sighing. Haruka pouted.
"Ehh? But eating is one of life's biggest joys! Have some, Takane!" he said. Takane tried resisting those puppy eyes for a few seconds, before giving in.
"If I gain too much weight, it's all your fault." she said, before digging her hand into the bag. Haruka simply smiled. Takane poured two cups of tea and handed a cup to Haruka.
"Thanks, Takane!" he said, taking the cup and drinking the contents. His face lit up and he turned to Takane.
"It's good!" he said, smiling. Takane blushed. His smile, as warm as the sun, accompanying the falling cherry blossom petals made her heart race. She turned away to hide her blush.
Idiot...
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Lunchtime soon came, and Haruka excitedly took out his bento from his bag. Takane glanced at it and raised her eyebrow in amazement.
"Although I've known this for a long time already, Haruka, you really do eat a lot..." she said, sighing. Haruka glanced at her.
"Really? This isn't a lot at all!" he said, already munching on a sandwich. Takane sighed. She took out her own bento and started eating it.
"Can I have a bit of this?" he asked. Takane turned around to see Haruka take one of her pieces of meat.
"Mm, this is good!" he said. Takane blushed. She mentally slapped herself. What was wrong with her today, blushing all the time? She quickly shook away her thoughts and took out her video game console from her bag. She turned it on and selected a shooting game.
"Hm? What's this game?" asked Haruka, moving closer to Takane to see the game. Takane's face heated up at his contact.
"It's another shooting game." said Takane. Haruka's face lit up.
"Awesome!" he said. "Show me how to play!" Takane started the game and after a few minutes, she aced it. She glanced at Haruka, and was surprised to see his eyes almost shine from amazement.
"That was so cool! Takane, you're really good at this!" he said. Takane blushed.
"...Thanks." she said.
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"Today was so fun!" said Haruka while packing up their things. Their session at the park had ended, and they were heading home. Takane nodded.
"Takane, there's one thing I'd like to do." he said. Takane turned to look at him. Haruka smiled timidly.
"I want to take a picture with Takane with the cherry blossom trees in the background..." he said, looking a bit embarrassed.
"You mean... Like a selfie?" she asked. Haruka nodded.
"Is that... Okay...?" he asked. Takane nodded. Haruka's mouth widened into a smile. He quickly took out his phone and opened the camera. He moved closer to Takane and adjusted the view so that the cherry blossoms were shown in the background. Takane thought about what had happened today, and she smiled, a smile from the bottom of her heart.
"3, 2, 1...!" he said, and he pressed the 'capture' button, and the moment was forever captured.
Reviews, favorites and follows are well-appreciated, and I hope you have enjoyed reading this chapter! See you on May 15th, 2015!
P.S. Did anyone realize the fact that the three people that "appeared in a cameo" in this chapter were Hiyori, Yato and Yukine from Noragami? XD
~Chinnie Ai
