Type: Multi-chapter story.
Genre: Romance, family, friendship, angst, tragedy, historical.
Pairing: Naru/Mai, one-sided Gene/Mai
Universe: Alternate universe
A/N: Loosely based on Sengoku period (warring states period in Japan) for the environment setting (building, clothes, etc.), but also influenced by ancient Chinese lifestyle. There is no relation whatsoever to any historical events or characters.
All Ghost Hunt characters mentioned in the story belong to Fuyumi Ono and any other right holders.
Cherry Blossom Dream
- Identity -
It had been three months since her father and brothers returned to the Taniyama Estate. All three of them had resumed their duties as usual, while her eldest brother Hirotou had been given additional task to help their esteemed guest familiarizing himself with the estate life as well as the military art.
According to what her eldest brother said, the young man was very brilliant in military strategy, albeit a bit lacking in practical experience. It was quite expected though, since the young man had been brought up in one of the most renowned noble family in the capital.
'Doesn't mean that he could act all high and mighty in front of me though,' she grumbled as she remembered the way he looked down on her at their first meeting.
"Misaki-sama, Sayuri-sama told you to come and see her at the west pavilion," a close attendant of Lady Sayuri informed her as she bowed slightly to the young girl.
"Ah yes, I will come shortly. Thank you, Yura-san," she politely thanked the attendant as she checked her appearance at the bronze mirror. After she made sure that nothing is out of order, she finally made her way toward the west pavilion.
Inside the pavilion sat a beautiful woman with long jet black hair and a pair of dark obsidian eyes. She was wearing a purple kimono with lily flower pattern. She patiently waited until the young girl finished her greeting bow and took a seat in front of her.
"Good afternoon, Sayuri-sama. I heard that you wishes to see me. Is there anything you would like to say?" she politely asked the woman.
Lady Sayuri continued sipping on her tea while watching her with a cold expression for a moment before saying, "Hanazono-sensei told me that you've been lagging behind in your study. Did I not tell you to master the four books for women by end of this spring? You will be coming of age this summer. How could you find a good match in marriage if you could not even perfectly memorize the three obedience and four virtues? Even your embroidery is barely passable."
The brunette-haired girl bit her lip nervously as she thought of an appropriate answer.
"My apologies, Sayuri-sama. I was a bit occupied lately with other matters. I will try my best to complete my study before the summer starts," she answered carefully while bowing her head apologetically.
"what kind of matters could fully occupy a young lady such as yourself that you neglect your study? Misaki-san, Taniyama household is a noble family. I will not let other people look down on our family, thinking that a young lady of our house is lacking in education," the lady sneered at her husband's daughter.
"I will keep that in mind, Sayuri-sama," the girl politely bowed again.
"I hope you do, Misaki-san. Now you may return to your quarter. Remember, we will be receiving the Takigawa family in tonight's banquet. Be mindful of your manners," the lady said and wave her hand dismissively.
The young girl bowed once again before she turned around and left the pavilion. However, unlike what the lady of the house told her, she did not return to her quarter. Instead, she made her way toward the south pavilion where her mother used to live before.
"Chiyo-san... could you return first to my quarter? I would like to be alone for a while," she asked tiredly.
"But Misaki-sama..." she flinched as she heard the older handmaid addressing her using the name given to her by her father, a name that had been chosen by Lady Sayuri, a name befitting her station as the young miss of the Taniyama family.
"Please Chii-neechan. I do not wish to accidentally encounter father when I look like this. He would be upset again with Sayuri-sama if he finds out. I promise I will return before sunset, okay?" she pleaded with her faithful handmaid, intentionally using the nickname that she used often to address the older girl during her childhood to soften her heart.
"Alright... I will tell the others that you are resting. But don't take too long, okay?" the maid finally gave in. She could never say no to her young miss.
"I promise. Now you better go, I'm afraid Sayuri-sama will send someone to check on us later."
The maid let out a long sigh but then nodded and quickly left. The brunette watched her trusted maid walked away until she could no longer see her, then made her way toward the back garden of the south pavilion.
The south pavilion was the smallest pavilion in the Taniyama Estate. The rooms in the pavilion were even smaller than the rooms in her quarter. However, the small garden behind the pavilion was very well kept; all the plants, flowers, trees and even the pond in the garden had been meticulously tended by the gardener. The south pavilion was located in the farthest corner of the estate and people seldom come to this pavilion. She liked spending her time in the garden since it was so quiet and peaceful.
After walked around for a while, she finally sat down under the huge cherry blossom tree near the pond. Since it was spring time, the cherry blossom was in full bloom; its soft pink petals could be seen floating around on the water surface of the pond. She closed her eyes and rest her back on the rough tree bark, suddenly felt a little bit exhausted. She remembered sitting on her mother lap under this same tree before. She remembered her humming softly, lulling her to sleep. She remembered her hopeful smile and her wistful gaze.
Look Mai! The cherry blossom is in full bloom! Let us show this to father later, okay? Mother will cook some delicious food so that we can eat together under the tree, just the three of us.
She remembered her cheerful voice. She remembered her excitement when she talked about father. She remembered her happy expression whenever she thought about the three of them together. And yet, father never came. He already left for the battlefield early that year, but no one told her or her mother. Her silly, foolishly kind mother had been wondering why her father never visited them anymore. She had been waiting, waiting and waiting, until she finally succumbed to an illness and passed away on cold day in the following autumn.
When her father returned, her mother's body had been cremated and her remains was scattered into the Kanagawa river, as per her request. Her beautiful and kind mother had died with a broken heart, thinking that her father had abandoned them, that he had forgotten about their love.
"Silly mother... If only you were stronger. If only you persisted in waiting for father, you probably would not meet such an end. If you are still with me... There would be no Taniyama Misaki. There would be only Mai," she felt a lone tear fall from a corner of her eye.
"If you were here... I would only be your daughter and not some young miss from a noble family. I would only be an odd girl who likes to dance yet eager to learn about the four arts. I would only be myself. I would only be Mai," she said to herself as tears continue to fall from beneath her closed eyes.
She was about to wipe away the tears, when she suddenly heard a slightly deep voice of a young man saying from behind the cherry blossom tree, "then you could just be yourself. You could just be Mai."
She quickly turned around toward the source of the unfamiliar yet soothing voice. When she finally saw him, her eyes met with a pair of mesmerizing blue eyes which depth could drown her inside, and she thought that she would never be able to get away.