1.1 Chapter 3: Sakura Tree

"Oka-chan. Where are we going?" the child tugged at his mother's sleeve. The mother picked the child up and he nuzzled into her neck contently. "Oka- chan?" The mother's eyes are filled with tears as she continued walking. her pace quickening. The child's large, liquid brown eyes looked at her quizzedly, yet she could not bring herself to look at him. Silently, the child understood that his mother did not want to talk, so he started looking at the surroundings. The sakura trees were pretty much barren. He always knew that Sakura was always short-lived, even though it was beautiful when it fully-blossomed.

The mother stopped in front of a fairly large house, with children running around happily, playing games and teasing around. Delighted, the child chuckled and his arm was outstretched, directing at them.

"Oka-chan, I want to play too."

"You will soon, my child," her eyes averted her son's curious gaze, wisps of her red hair fluttering as a breeze blew by. A woman in her late thirties was smiling as she approached them. Her luscious black, curly hair covered her ears, and her bright blue eyes twinkled, as if they were stars.

"Mrs. Sakuragi? And this little dear is the young Hanamichi, isn't he? I'm Akihara Takako. Dozo yoroshiku. I'm the Matron of this place."

"Hai. Yoroshiku, Akihara-san. Please. call me Helen. My son is in your hands now," her voice was sad, and Akihara put her hand delicately on her shoulder, smiling warmly, as tears started to flow down her cheeks.

"Yes, I'm taking good care of him. Don't cry. It is not your fault that you two would be separated. You have no choice... because you don't want to take his innocent life, and yet you cannot afford to bring him up. You two will meet again one day. Please come back."

Helen nodded and entrusted her son into Akihara's arms. Young Hanamichi was still confused, and he whined for his mother. Helen turned and walked away. not looking back, and disappeared amongst the barren sakura trees. He finally understood and he looked at Akihara sadly. "Oka-chan doesn't want me anymore."

"Iya iya. She's just leaving you in my care for the moment. She will come back for you one day, I promise. You only need to wait. Come, let me take you to your room. It is inside that nice big house." As she had already expected, the innocent Hanamichi smiled at the sight, seeming happy. Other children were looking at them, and most of them were smiling while others were waving. Hanamichi waved back cheerfully.

His room was shared with three other boys, and he learnt that their names were Kiyota Nobunga, Rukawa Kaede and Soichiro Jin. Hanamichi marvelled at the large, comfortable-looking room and Akihara put his luggage next to his bed and started to help him unpack. His small hands fingered the covers of his blanket. He had always slept with his mother on an old bed, with only a thin sheet of fabric to cover them. The blanket was made of wool, which was very warm. His bed looked much, much newer than the one that he had always slept in, and much more comfortable.

The room was empty, except for the two of them. Akihara finished with the luggage and heaved a sigh. "Now, Sakuragi Hanamichi, you have to go to school. You came just in time for the new school year. Now, you're seven, aren't you? Let's get you to elementary school. I heard that you already studied Kindergarten, so it shouldn't be any problem to you."

He nodded. "I knew that already." Akihara took him by hand gently and led him to the school just behind the large house. The school was smaller, but looked different. The house he was going to live in looked warm, cosy, and the building was Victorian. The school looked more solemn, and more modern. He stiffened and hesitated to go into the school, but Akihara's gentle persuading made him enter his classroom. The teacher was already in there, and the class had about twenty students. He never saw so many students in his life. During kindergarten, there were only about ten or eleven.

"Sensei, I leave this boy to you. Namae wa Sakuragi Hanamichi desu."

The teacher adjusted his glasses and nodded and gestured Hanamichi to sit down near the window. Feeling a little afraid, he sat down. The boy at the next table stared at him. "Why do you have red hair?" Hanamichi replied uncertainly, "Because my mother has red hair too." The boy laughed, pointing at his hair. "You look like a red-haired monkey."

"Teme!" Hanamichi growled and the whole class looked at him. The teacher said coldly, "Watch your language." He blushed furiously, and the boy in front of him grunted. "Do'aho." Insulted, he wanted to hit the boy, but he restrained himself as his mother had always told him to be a good boy. The boy turned to look at him. Curiously at first, and then he looked away. "Looks like a baka to me." A vein popped on Hanamichi's head, but he stopped himself, again.

"He's Rukawa Kaede. He is proud." The other boy stuck his tongue out. "You still look like a red-haired monkey."

"You're a wild monkey," Hanamichi stuck his tongue out as well, and the teacher had a vein pop on his forehead. "Kiyota! Sakuragi! Stop!" They looked at each other, and both faces darkened as realization hit them. "You're my room-mate!" They cried out in unison. Rukawa grunted again, and fell to sleep on his table at the speed of sound (Kai: Couldn't help it! *LOL*).

After school ended, Kiyota and Hanamichi were still glaring at each other, pacing towards the canteen for lunch at the same time. The rule was to eat with their room-mates, and Rukawa had rolled his eyes when he learnt of that. Soichiro Jin was a little older than them, so he was not in their class. They thought him warm and friendly, and Kiyota especially admired him.

"Jin-chan is soooooo nice!" Kiyota's eyes enlarged and sparkled. Hanamichi and Rukawa sweatdropped. Jin just smiled. "Arigato, Nobu-chan! Here's the food!" They were served with a meal tray, and the meal looked delicious, especially to Hanamichi, who never ate a decent meal. "Sugoi! We have sushi! And miso soup! Sugoi sugoi sugoi!"

"Do'aho."

Hanamichi gave him a killer look, but Rukawa just looked away and yawned.

"Itadaskimasu!" they chanted together (with the whole canteen of children). Hanamichi thought of his mother as he ate. He wondered whether she was eating too. He had always been eating with his mother ever since he knew how to on his own. "Oka-chan." Hanamichi stifled a sob. Rukawa gazed at him curiously. "I miss my Oka-chan." They looked at him in sympathy. "Oka-chan is only eating porridge now. While I am eating well." Akihara walked by as Hanamichi started to cry. She held him close, and he cried softly on her shoulder. She comforted him gently and stroked his hair.

"Hana-chan, don't worry. Your Oka-chan still loves you. I know," Jin stood next to Hanamichi, trying to help. Kiyota blinked, and Rukawa. had no expression, even though he felt like he wanted to help. Hanamichi rose from Akihara's arms and went back to his food, eating hungrily. Nearly the whole canteen sweat-dropped.

That night, Hanamichi could not sleep. The bed was comfortable, but he missed sleeping with his mother. "Only if Oka-chan is here to share this nice bed with me." he muttered to himself softly. He had pulled his knees towards his face, and buried him head behind them. Rukawa was at the next bed, not being able to sleep as well. He heard Hanamichi's words clearly, and sighed.

"Kaede-chan, I heard you. Come out of your blanket."

Reluctantly, Rukawa sat down on his bed. "Ah." Hanamichi looked annoyed at first, and he noticed Rukawa's messy hair and laughed, pointing at it. "Your hair has perked up! Just like a fox. I saw one when I was in the zoo." Rukawa, blushing, tried to ignore him. "Do'aho." Hanamichi growled. "I'm a Tensai, you heard me? That's what Oka-chan said too."

Rukawa fixed his gaze on Hanamichi. "You love your Oka-chan a lot. Right?" He smiled warmly and nodded, his expression softening. "Oka-chan loves me a lot. We do everything together." "I don't have a Oka-chan. My Oto-chan said that she went to a faraway place. and I will never see her again. I wonder where she went." Hanamichi chuckled.

"Three full sentences. Suteki. I haven't heard you say more than two or three words today."

"Baka." Rukawa deadpanned. "I hate my Oto-chan." "Do-shite?" Hanamichi asked eagerly. "I never saw my Oto-chan. I don't know if I have one." Rukawa shook his head. "My Oto-chan said that he didn't want me, and put me here, in the Orphanage."

"This place is called an orphanage?" Hanamichi marvelled. "It is a hard word. Should I learn it?" Rukawa was surprised at Hanamichi's naiveness. Well, almost all kids are naïve and innocent, but he did not LOOK naïve. "Baka. Oyasumi nasai." Hanamichi growled as Rukawa tucked himself back into his bed. "Now, no one can talk to the Tensai."

"Just shut up and go to sleep. You're noisy." Kiyota cracked an eye open and closed again. Hanamichi just blinked and went under his covers, enjoying the comfort of the material that was embracing his small, delicate body.