Hey everyone, after so many months this story finally continues past the events of the party. Sorry for the long wait :P
Warm sunlight cascaded across Sakura's tidy room. The Asian girl opened her eyes slowly. She sat up, realizing that it was a Saturday. Sakura usually woke up early in the morning and spent most of the day with tutoring sessions and training on being a business heir. Weekends were the only times she was completely free.
Sakura headed to the kitchen, were her father was sitting, sipping a cup of tea. Yao looked up, "Ah, good afternoon Sakura aru."
"Good afternoon. Where is everyone?" Sakura asked. Yao ran a hand through his hair, which was let down from his usual ponytail. "Your siblings and cousins headed out to the city for the day, and they dragged your mother along aru. Aiyah, how do they manage to have so much energy after staying up all night?"
Sakura felt slight disappointment. Looks like she didn't have anyone to spend the day with, since her father still had work today. Even though she spent a lot of time alone, that didn't mean she didn't want company. Sakura nodded, "I see. Father, if you don't mind, I think I want to go out today."
"Alright, go ahead. Just don't go too far and be home by dusk aru." Yao said. Sakura nodded once more. "Oh, Sakura one more thing…" Sakura looked at Yao, "Yes, father?"
"Did you find anyone you like at the party last night?" Sakura looked down, remembering the events from last night. "…No, father."
"Well, your mother and I have found some men that are suitable. We will try to find the one that we think will be the best husband for you. Once we do, you'll meet him. If you like him, we will consider marrying you two. Understand?"
"Yes, father."
After eating, Sakura went back into her room, changed into a pair of jeans and a cream-colored blouse and opened the back door. A small breeze flowed through the room as she stepped out onto the porch and toward the bamboo forest. Sakura parted some of the bamboo foliage and stepped onto a narrow stone trail. Following the path, she walked through the green grove.
Once she reached the end of the trail, Sakura stepped out, her feet meeting grass. She was in the city's park. Sakura loved to come here whenever she had free time and take walks, escaping from the rowdy Asian residence and enjoying the acres of lovely landscape and the fresh air the area offered. The park was so big that there were some parts of it that Sakura had never visited before. Each time she went here she tried to visit a new place, though that could take up to a couple hours of walking.
She strolled through the grass blades and small wildflowers that brushed her ankles to the sandy trail sprinkled with pebbles, which divided the bamboo forest and a large grass field. A map of the park stood at the edge of the trail. Sakura studied the map. She was about to look for new areas, but noticed that the sky; late afternoon would be approaching soon. Most of the areas she wanted to look at could take till dusk to reach. Plus, she was still very tired. Maybe today would be a better day to relax.
Sakura scanned the map. What is a close by place where she can sit down and think? Her eyes stopped on the drawing of a blue line. The river! Yes, that spot was only about a one-minute walk away. The river was one of Sakura's more visited spots. She would often sit under the shade of a tall willow tree and listen to the soothing flow of the river water.
Sakura walked along the trail until she reached a small hill, on the other side was the river. Sakura walked over the hill and began to make her way toward the willow tree. However, as she neared it she noticed there was someone already sitting under the shade.
It was a brunette, tan-skinned man wearing a tan cargo jacket and surrounded by a couple cats. He looked up at Sakura with green eyes. The green eyes filled with recognition. "Sakura…"
Sakura slowly walked the last steps to the tree. "Ah! Heracles..."
Heracles turned so he was facing Sakura. "I'd said I'd hope to see you soon, but I wasn't expecting this soon." Sakura felt her cheeks grow warm at that comment.
So, he had been hoping to see her as well?
"What are you doing here?" She asked.
"To relax. The park is a great place to do that." He replied. Sakura smiled, "Yes, I can agree on that. May I sit down?" Heracles nodded, scooting over and making room for Sakura. Sakura sat down and exhaled, looking at the shimmering river water. A few moments of silence went by.
"Hey, Sakura…" Sakura turned to Heracles. "Yes?"
"I wanted to say thank you for talking with me last night. I feel a lot better now." Heracles said. Sakura nodded, "You're welcome, Heracles."
Heracles leaned against the sandy tan tree trunk gently. "I think I'm over her now. Like Antonio said, the girl for me is out there, I just haven't found her yet."
"Antonio?" Sakura asked, but no response. She looked over her shoulder and noticed Heracles's eyes had closed; he was sleeping.
His long bangs had fallen, covering his eyes. Sakura slowly reached over, and gently brushed the wisps of hair out of his eyes. Heracles's furrowed brow relaxed after she did that. The edge of his eyelids was lined with a dark, thick fringe of lashes, his lips slightly parted.
He must be really tired from the party last night. Sakura thought. She wondered if Heracles's family had been looking for a spouse for him as well. He probably wouldn't have a hard time finding the girl for him. Sakura hadn't known Heracles for long, yet she could since he was someone unique. Him being one of the only young adults in this park, other than her, suggested that. Did he come here often? If so, Sakura wondered how the two of them have managed to never see one another before.
Sakura decided to let Heracles relax. She rested the back of her head against the willow trunk gently and concentrated on the shimmering river and played with the cats surrounding her. She looked over once again at the sleeping man, and smiled. It was nice to enjoy the scenery with someone by her side for a change.
After a few moments, the blue sky began to fade into an orange shade. Sakura stood up. She should start heading home now.
"Leaving already?" Sakura looked over at the tree. Heracles had awoken. She nodded, "Yes, more than an hour has already past. And I promised my father I would be back at dusk."
"Ah, I fell asleep, didn't I?" Heracles looked up at the pale pink clouds. "I should start heading home as well. Sorry we didn't get to spend much time together."
"It's fine." Sakura replied. She was about to say goodbye when she realized that her next meeting with Heracles could be a long time from now, or may never happen. After all, their interactions so far have been mere coincidences. "…But, do you have any plans tomorrow?" Heracles shook his head.
"If it's alright, would you like to meet again then?" Sakura asked. Heracles chuckled, "Of course it's alright. How about at three in the afternoon, beside this lake again?" Sakura thought for a second. Her siblings and Ming would be would be at fashion design school during that time, and she didn't want to spend the day with just Yong Soo or Shona. "Yes, three would be perfect."
The next day, Sakura found Heracles waiting by the lake like he said he would. She walked over and sat next to Heracles under the willow branches. Heracles looked over, "So Sakura, do you come here often?" Sakura shrugged, "Yes I suppose, but only on the weekends when I'm free. What about you?"
Heracles batted his fingers at the swaying willow leaves, "I try to come here as often as possible. During weekdays, I'm busy most of the day except for the afternoon, so I go then. I sometimes go early in the morning as well; the view of the sunrise is lovely from the park."
"I've never seen a sunrise before." Sakura said. Heracles eyes widened with surprise, "Really? Maybe we can see one sometime. What do you like to do here?" Heracles asked. Sakura turned away, "I…I don't…I mean, it would probably seem childish to you…" Heracles tilted his head, "But you seem like someone very mature." Sakura bit her lip, then spoke, "Well, this park is very big and has a lot of different areas. I usually take walks here and try to visit places I haven't visited before."
"Like an adventurer?" Heracles blinked. Sakura laughed, "Something like that." Heracles smiled, "You're really pretty when you laugh, and smile." Sakura blushed. Heracles didn't seem like someone who talked a lot, but he always seemed to say the right thing when he spoke. "Thanks…so do you."
It was true. Heracles laughed warmly at Sakura's response, and as he did his sleepy green eyes filled with joyful life and his skin seemed to glow. He looked down and shook his head, "You're just saying that."
"No I'm not!" Heracles looked up at Sakura, surprised. Sakura reached her hand out, and Heracles slowly took it. She walked him over to the river, his reflection pictured clearly on the surface. Sakura pointed at the water. "See? You have a wonderful smile." Heracles studied his reflection, "It looks the same as it always does."
Sakura sat down, resting her chin on her knees, "Well…then it always looks wonderful." Heracles looked up at Sakura, his eyes even brighter than before, "Thank you Sakura. That's very kind of you."
"You're welcome." Sakura replied. The two sat in silence, cherishing the serene melody of the flowing river water. Sakura looked up; the sun had started to set. The ebony-haired girl felt her heart sink. How had time passed so quickly?
Heracles seemed to have read her mind. "You have to leave, huh?" Sakura nodded slowly. "I'm afraid I can't come here during the afternoon tomorrow, since I have lessons during that time."
"What time are your lessons?" Heracles asked. "They start at seven in the morning and end late afternoon." Sakura answered.
"Then if it's possible, would you like to watch the sunrise with me tomorrow, before your lessons begin? We can meet near the giant oak tree at five and see it." Heracles replied. Sakura's eyes widened at the request. She thought for a moment; she supposed she could wake up a bit earlier than usual, and the oak tree wasn't too far from her house.
Plus, there was no way she could say no to those shining eyes, "Yes, I would like to."
The next day
Heracles leaned against the tall, thick trunk of the tree, checking his phone: 4:58 am. Sakura should be here soon. He looked up at the early morning sky. Some of the stars were still out, shining brightly. Shining like the highlights of a pair of onyx eyes, belonging to one he was waiting for.
The cat lover sighed. How long had he known Sakura…Three days? But she was the first girl he had talked with in the past few days other than Lili. He had spent a lot of time with the Germanic girl ever since the party, even offering taking her to the park, though her brother prohibited it ("The two of you being so far away alone, I don't trust that" was what he said).
But when with Lili, it felt similar when spending time with someone such as Antonio or his mother. Even though Lili wasn't very talkative, she had eagerly told him a lot about herself. Sakura wasn't the same way; she was cautious and shy. But Heracles knew she was a good person and wanted her to know that she could be herself around him. Her mysteriousness made him want to know more about her. Every time he did he felt happy, the same happiness when he saw her smile, the same happiness he had felt when he was in love.
"I don't really understand those feelings since I've never had them…and probably never will since it's too late for me."
Heracles didn't know what Sakura was talking about when she said it was "too late", but he didn't believe it was. The Mediterranean man hoped she could get a chance to feel that happiness as well.
"Heracles."
The brunette saw that Sakura was standing a few yards away from him. "Ah, there you are." He said as she approached the tree. Heracles turned around, grabbed the lowest branch and lifted himself onto it. The cat that had been standing by his feet began to climb the tree with him. He was about to reach for a third branch when he noticed Sakura still standing on the ground, looking confused.
"Come on, we'll get a better view of the sunrise from higher up." Heracles explained. "Can you climb trees?"
"Ah…Yes I can, I'm just a bit scared of heights." Sakura admitted.
Heracles looked at Sakura, and then climbed back down. Landing on the ground, he gestured at the tree. "All right, then you go first."
"Me? Why?"
"Because if you fall, I can catch you." Heracles answered. He couldn't see well in the dark, but to him it looked like Sakura's cheeks dusted pink for a second. She put her hands on the first branch and got herself onto it. Heracles started to climb as Sakura started to lift herself onto the second branch.
As Sakura reached the branch where the cat was sitting, she looked down at Heracles. He climbing the tree quickly, reaching a few inches beneath her feet in a couple seconds. Sakura gulped. Thank goodness she had decided to wear pants…and comfortable shoes. He climbs the tree like a cat would. She thought.
"That spot should be good." She heard Heracles call down from below. Sakura sat down on the branch that she had been crouching on, the cat climbing with them sat down besides her. Sakura realized it was the same tuxedo-colored cat back in Alfred's garden. The one who had led her to where Heracles had been.
Sakura looked around, then reached over and scratched the cat's ears. "Thank you." She whispered, her words barely audible. A few seconds later, Heracles climbed up and sat next to Sakura. The cat walked over and brushed its head against Heracles's knee. Heracles smiled that heart-warming smile of his and stroked the cat's head gently.
"Your cat is really cute." Sakura said. "What's her name?" Heracles looked over, "I haven't named her yet. Would you like to, Sakura?"
Sakura thought for a bit. "How about…Tama?" She suggested. Heracles slowly nodded in approval. A breeze swept through the air. Sakura wrapped her arms around her thin body, shivering a bit.
"Are you cold? Your sweater doesn't look warm enough." Heracles said. Sakura shook her head, "I-I'm fine, really." But Heracles didn't think so. Sakura felt warmth enclose her. Heracles's jacket was now covering her shoulders, ceasing her shivering. She looked up at Heracles, noticing how much taller he was than her. "Thanks." She said. "You…wear this jacket a lot."
"Is something there something wrong with it?" Heracles asked, suddenly seeming defensive. Sakura shook her head. "No, not at all! Actually…I think it really suits you." Heracles blinked, "Oh…thank you."
Sakura nodded, then looked out towards the horizon. The land of the park seemed to stretch a thousand miles. Sakura could make out a couple of tree silhouettes, which looked very tiny from high up.
She felt something brush her neck. She turned around and almost gasped. Heracles had fallen asleep again, his head resting on her shoulder.
He's asleep again? Sakura wondered. Sure, it was still dark out, but she was beginning to feel that this might be a frequent habit of Heracles.
The Asian girl felt her heartbeat quicken. In normal circumstances, she might have pushed Heracles off, yet she didn't. Sakura told herself it was because that could risk Heracles falling off the tree.
And…it wasn't that bad, she supposed. Sakura was surprised at how soft Heracles's hair was; it was almost as soft as Tama's fur! And it smelled…nice. Sakura wasn't good with scents, but it was…kind of herbal? It reminded her of a perfume that Yong Soo's mother Soo Jin once bought, one that her aunt eventually threw out. This was because families in the cities were forbidden to accept plants or things that included plants that were cultivated by their rivals, and that perfume had contained some…
Sakura noticed warm light spreading across her lap. She looked up, her jaw dropping. She shook Heracles, "Heracles wake up! The sunrise is beginning!" Heracles blinked a couple of times, and lifted his head from Sakura's shoulder and sitting up straight.
The sun started at the bottom of the horizon, spreading a bright, golden glow across the green ground. The trees appeared almost black against the barely blue sky. The clouds were bathed in tints of gold and pale silver.
As the sun rose higher, Sakura could see the different green shades of the ground, and the lake, which looked like a glittering sapphire. She noticed a few puffs of pink farther out. Were those…cherry blossom trees?
"Well, what do you think?" Sakura heard Heracles ask. She looked over at him. He was still looking out towards the horizon. The sunlight made his skin appear a golden bronze, a content expression on his face and in his eyes. The sky behind him was laced with sunlit green oak leaves. A small breeze made a few wisps of his hair dance in the air. He looked like a description of the Greek gods that Sakura had read about.
Sakura quickly looked back at the sky in front of her. "It's very beautiful and breathtaking. I'm very glad you took me to see it." She replied.
"I'm glad you like it like I do." Heracles said. "I personally like sunrises more than sunsets. They remind me of new beginnings." Sakura checked her phone. "Oh…it's almost seven. I have to head back." Heracles nodded. "I see. I'm going to stay here for a while longer. Goodbye, Sakura."
"Bye, Heracles." Sakura turned around, about to lower herself down but paused. That moment she had just witnessed…it felt… magical. "Heracles…" Sakura began.
"Hm?" Heracles asked.
"I know I said I'm busy during the weekdays…but I think I can actually make some time during the late afternoon. Would you like to meet during that time tomorrow?" She asked.
"Yes, I would." Heracles replied. He reached his hand out, "Here, why don't I give you my number. That way we can pre-arrange our meetings." Sakura nodded. After exchanging numbers, Sakura slowly made her way down. Once on the ground, She looked back up at the beams of lights cascading between the leaves and branches, and at Heracles sitting leisurely near the top before heading back home.
She smiled. Maybe this was a new beginning for her.
Well, that escalated quickly...still not as quickly as Romeo and Juliet though XD
Thanks for reading this chapter! Hope you enjoyed it and R&R!
