YESTERDAY'S ASHES
Disclaimer: For the last time, I don't own the characters and will never own them… though I don't mind if they were mine. Ü
CHAPTER 5
And so we weave, as the years pass, tapestries of life.
Of the joy and the sorrow,
The laughter and the tears,
And the different colours of our life.
Weaving the stories and memories
That they may last forever more, unfading,
As the years pass and the tapestry nears its finish.
For life is but a tapestry,
A lifelong project that must eventually come to an end,
And once past, never repeated.
Together we weave the tapestry,
The many threads of life binding us as one,
Joining yours and mine in the tapestry that is life.
Through the years, the colours never fading,
Tapestries of life,
Echoes from the past
Buried deep within our hearts.
'Tapestries Of Life' by Sakayume
"What would you do if something happened to me one day?"
Kurei leaned back against the bench and frowned slightly. "Why are you asking this?"
Kurenai shrugged. "Just a thought."
"I… don't know. I suppose that I wouldn't be able to live without you. But I'd never let anything happen to you."
"Really?"
"I promise."
She looked up at the stars in the night sky. "And if… something ever happens to one of us, we will see each other again, right?"
"Yes, of course. Nothing's going to happen to us. You worry too much."
Kurenai laughed softly. "Perhaps I do, but no one knows what the future holds."
He held her face between his hands and said, "Well then, since you keep thinking so much about it, if anything happens, we'll meet again here. This will be our special place."
She smiled and nodded as she snuggled against him.
I promise that I will find you, wherever you are.
No matter what the cost.
***
Kurenai blinked and snapped out of her daze. The memory of his promise to her seemed so clear, almost as though it was just yesterday that he had made it.
While she had been dreaming, her feet had been carrying her to a secluded corner of the park.
A bench amidst the rose bushes, hidden from view from the main path. The perfect spot for people who did not want to be seen.
As she sat down at one end of the bench, she could not help feeling a sense of dread, and of doubt, that perhaps, he would not come, and that it was all a mistake…
That she was not the person he was looking for.
But deep in her heart, she knew that everything would be alright.
***
The gravel crunched softly under his shoes, the sharp sound strangely soothing to his ears. At night, all was silent, save for the song of the insects. The fragrance of the flowers in full bloom hung in the air, like perfume after the wearer has left the room.
He was getting near. He could feel himself trembling slightly with anticipation. He hoped that he would be able to find what he was looking for but what if…
He turned the corner.
And stopped.
There was someone there.
A shadowy figure sitting on the bench he used to share with her. A woman sitting there,
Waiting…
He moved forward again, softly, not wishing to disturb her.
As though alerted by his presence, the woman stood up and turned to face him.
Silvery moonlight shedding its soft glow over her. Every curve of her face accented and made more beautiful by the shadows cast.
They stood there for a long while, staring, different thoughts racing across their minds.
He broke the silence. "You came."
She nodded, still not speaking.
He waited.
She turned to the side and walked towards the rose bush. Back facing him, she began speaking softly, her voice floating gently through the night. "I… had a dream of the past, a dream of all the memories of my past life. We used to come here last time, didn't we? Whenever we could slip out of the mansion without Mori-sama finding out."
"So, you remembered…" he half-whispered, yet his words were still audible to her.
She smiled slightly, her face hidden from his view, and continued. "And then, we were separated, even though you promised me…"
"I tried, I did all I could to stop them, but - "
She cut him off, before he could start blaming himself again. "I know. I wasn't part of your flame for so long for nothing, you know."
He remained silent at her gentle reproach.
She ran her fingertips lightly over a rose in full bloom before she broke it off the bush. Twirling it slightly between her fingers, she turned to face him. "I've been thinking about this, ever since we met outside the shop. I didn't know what to do, or feel. Then, I realised that the only answer I ever needed was right in front of me. For a while, I was afraid that perhaps, I was mistaken, but now that I'm here with you, I know that I wasn't."
Kurenai took a step closer to Kurei and held out the rose to him. She smiled and said, "I'm back, Kurei. And this time, I'm here to stay."
He pulled her into his arms and kissed her fiercely, his lips holding all the passion he had reserved for her for the past years. Behind them, the moon seemed to smile in satisfaction as a star fell from the sky.
Insane Author's Notes:
YAY!!! FINALLY!! I FINISHED IT!!! *streamers and balloons*
Ahem, first of all, apologies if this chapter didn't quite turn out that good, I have come to the final conclusion that no matter how hard I try, all attempts at sap came out pretty much as crap. Sigh. Thank goodness it didn't turn out to be as bad as one of my other fics, which will never be finished, whereby I went on a hyper editing spree, and a supposedly serious character turned out sounding exactly like me talking. And believe me, I usually talk crap most of the time… so you guys can figure out the overall effect.
Next, a big, fat THANK YOU to all the people who reviewed for me and Zephyr for giving me suggestions and pestering me to write. Ü Since I finished this, you better finish all the other stuff that you're supposed to finish. *hint hint* Thanks also to Sakayume for letting me use her poem. You guys rock!
Last but not least… I'll be back. *evil laughter to fade out* (When I finally think of something else to write, that is. ^_~)
