YOSHINOYAMA.

Cherry blossoming season was just beginning. Little by little people began to gather outside to enjoy this pretty phenomenon that usually occurs between late March and early April each year, and because it was an excellent opportunity for people to be with their families and loved ones, you could easily spot small groups of friends, large families or even some couples; all in all, you could smell happiness in the air, along with some enthusiasm and cheeriness; there were little kids playing and trying to catch as much cherry flowers as they could, while their families share food under the shade of the cherry trees.

This beautiful setting is also part of the way to several Shinto Temples that are scattered along Mount Yoshino, temples that are also being visited by a large amount of people.

But, amid this joyful scenario, being practically overlooked, and clashing with everybody's happy mood, a sad, listless redhead was walking towards the shadow of a specific cherry tree.

This particular picture of the sad redhead was somewhat normal for those who visited the area regularly; day by day, for the last four years the same girl walked towards the same tree, where she would sit down and wait for someone, just as she promised to her one true love. However, everyday once the sun sets, she would walk back home, with an air of depression and sadness in her soul, knowing he did not make it again, and questioning herself if the wait was really worth it… and then scolding herself, trying to convince herself that one of this days , he would finally return, he would finally come home…

Haruki then would remember how she met her love, how she first saw him under the same cherry tree where she now waits for him, how she first got lost in his beautiful indigo eyes… she remembered all of their shared smiles, their private jokes, all of their stories, their dreams, their shared illusions… and it were those memories the ones that kept giving her strength to endure… to keep waiting for him since that fateful day when he told her he had to join the war, that he wasn't sure when he would be back, but to please wait for him, because then, they would fulfil all of their life dreams.

"Wait for me… I am not sure when, but I swear, that I'll come back to you somehow…"

Everything was going fine, and despite war news were worse with each passing day, she never once lost hope. He wrote her sometimes, when he could, but it was nice for her to have words on him.

Then one day, a letter arrived announcing his imminent return. "One of these days, if everything goes as planned; I'll be back to you… I would really love to meet you under the shadow of our Cherry Tree."

- Reizo…- was the single word that escaped her lips in a silent whisper… a whisper that was full of prayers to the gods, hoping they would give her news of his beloved… a whisper that begged to be heard by her love, wherever he was, to remind him that she was there, waiting for him, and that no matter what, she would still be waiting for him until he came back.

Little did she know, that her beloved Reizo was another unfortunate victim of the Sengoku Jidai…

Hello!

I know, it's been a while… but contrary to popular beliefs, I'm still well and alive!

What to say about this….

Well, this is the first of 5 shots that take place around Cherry Trees, and yes, this is a little reincarnation fic, so names of the characters won't necessarily be the same during these little stories.

(By the way I discovered that there is no such thing as "L" in Japanese, being the closest to it the letter "R" so almost all of Lantis names will be with "R" instead)

I'll try, really try to post the next one soon, but don't hold your breath on it ok!

Special Thanks to Wolfvas K'Vala and Alexa47 for their alerts and reviews on this series

Oh by the way!, I'm updating my FF profile with a story Progress list, so if you get curious about how the story making is going or, you want to get an idea of when I might update, take a look on it ;)

See you soon!