Twisting the hook handle of her see-through umbrella, Minako nervously paced towards the sheltered bulletin board of Sakura no Sekai garden park located about five blocks away from the apartment neighbourhood where she lived on this mid-autumn drizzling afternoon. Her anticipation roused like ever ascending waves with each passing second, drowning the sound of each of her light steps as she proceeded through the long line of trellis surrounding the narrow concrete path that was littered beautifully with shades of violet and indigo flower petals.
Cutting through her internal mental and emotional indulgence, Minako's ears immediately perked up when they were first subtly before gradually and surely being graced by the endearing melodious harmony of a violin piece reminiscent of the one she distinctly heard days ago behind the trees...Through the shadows of the climbing vines and sweet morning glories, as the way and view cleared to reveal the uplifting rays of the sun, Minako abruptly stopped in her track when she found herself standing before the admired violinist who were performing that day. Standing just about a metre's apart at the end of the long stretch of path, the middle-aged man cast a friendly gaze upon the overly-surprised girl when their eyes met. He paused his music but still kept a tacit silence before the immensely stunned Minako. Bowing a little with a gentle smile, he took a step aside in front of the bulletin board, leading Minako to inevitably catch sight of a corner of the board where she had first pinned up her summer mirages' photos.
As if out of a reflexive instinct, Minako moved closer to lessen the distance between herself and the board. There, under one of her best pieces of work was secured a little cute handwoven basket holding a stalk of champagne pink perfume rose inside it. Minako gasped instantly upon seeing so. She turned towards the violinist still standing near the spot, but was too shy to utter any question from her brimming curiosity. Again, he offered an understood silent nod that conveyed to her an expected and certain answer.
Minako seemed to receive his cue and went upclose to pick up the lovely sentimental flower. It was then she realised a scented piece of note was wrapped around its stalk with a strikingly familiar short red ribbon...She was still too overwhelmed to make any explicit connection of the eye-catching item with her ownership.
"A someone left a special note for you..." It was the first time Minako heard the violinist speaking in a fatherly low tone.
She quickly faced him once more and whispered bashfully, "Can I open this?"
He quietly nodded with a repeated instant of a tender smile...Minako mouthed a heart-racing thanks and untied the ribbon to read the note...It was then the kind man seized the opportunity of the moment and began playing the music of the song whose lyrics was written down on the little piece of paper in dedication for the unsuspecting girl...
"The Rose"
Some say love, it is a river
That drowns the tender reed
Some say love, it is a razor
That leaves your soul to bleed
Some say love, it is a hunger
An endless, aching need
I say love, it is a flower
And you it's only seed
It's the heart afraid of breaking
That never learns to dance
Its the dream afraid of waking
That never takes the chance
It's the one who won't be taken,
Who cannot seem to give
And the soul afraid of dying
That never learns to live
And the night has been too lonely
And the road has been too long
And you think that love is only
For the lucky and the strong
Just remember in the winter
Far beneath the bitter snow
Lies the seed that with the sun's love,
In the spring, becomes a rose.
Copyright of song lyrics belongs to writer Amanda McBroom, Third Story Music Inc., Warner-tamerlane Publishing Corp.
