Under the Cherry Tree

(Kyoto Train Station - Early Morning)

"Oh Aoshi it is so wonderful to see you again!" Aoshi's mother had spoken tearfully and hugged her youngest son. His mother had aged gaining some grey hairs in her black hair but she always looked just as beautiful and elegant. He let go looking down at her and she spoke with a bright smile on her face.

"This is such a surprise! Your father will be most happy to see you when he comes home from work. We have so much to catch up on! Oh is Misao with you? Why I thought you two would be inseparable like old tim-" Mrs Shinomori stopped in her ranting as she watched the sadness flick across her sons face. Her eyes softened as Aoshi bowed his head slightly.

"Can we go home mum? There is so much I need to talk about…" Mrs Shinomori nodded her head silently bending down to grab one of her sons bags and she looped her right arm with his left one and they began silently walking away.

* * * *

Aoshi walked into the backyard of his old home. It had been so long since he had been here that he'd actually forgotten a few things. The old rope swing with a tyre attached to it still hung from the large tree branch near the back stone wall. That had been there ever since Aoshi could remember. He could still remember the times when he and Saitou fought over it all the time. Some occasions he'd win while some occasions it would be Saitou. Aoshi closed his eyes smiling when he recalled the time Saitou pushed him off and he knocked his head on a sharp rock. Subconsciously Aoshi's hand came up rubbing the imperfect skin just behind his left ear. He had woken up in hospital, a worried older brother standing beside him, he was 5 and Saitou was 7. Aoshi had laughed loudly when his father told him that Saitou thought he'd killed you and ran into the house crying. Saitou on the other hand was most displeased about this and stormed out of the hospital room leaving his chuckling mother, father and brother behind.

Aoshi opened his eyes and stared at two small girls looking curiously up at him as he was sitting on the tyre. The elder one was about 9 years old and she had her brown hair down but two small plaits fell over her shoulders. She wore a light purple dress with white sandals. The younger one was about 6 years old and her brown hair was placed in two pigtails and she wore a light green dress with white sandals. They both had big brown puppy dog eyes and they stared curiously up at Aoshi, their little heads tilted slightly.

"Are you our niisan?" The eldest girl had spoken her eyes gazing into Aoshi's hidden ones. Aoshi blinked a few times and spoke a question of his own, feeling rather confused.

"What? Niisan?"

"Mummy said to stay in the house but we were so excited about seeing you out here from our bedroom window that we came out here to say hello. She talked about you and Saitou-niisan all the time. So you have to be our niisan cause mummy said so."

"Ayame-chan, Suzume-chan can you go inside for a moment?" Aoshi looked up watching his mother cross the yard. The little girls raced past her heading for the house. He got off the tyre and headed towards his mother, questions rolling around in his mind. They met in the middle of the yard and Aoshi was unable to speak as his mother cut in first.

"Aren't they gorgeous Aoshi? Their mother died when they were just babies and their grandfather is quite ill. He's in hospital all the time and unable to care for them. I was walking past this orphanage a couple of years ago and they were there. They were so adorable and they looked so lonely and unloved. I was missing my boys so much I decided I needed some company around the house and so your father and I adopted them. Please say its alright Aoshi. I'd hate to think you thought I was trying to replace you and your brother because that's not it at all. I just wa-" Mrs Shinomori was unable to continue as Aoshi pressed his fingers to her lips quieting her down. He wrapped his mum up in a hug and spoke quietly into her ear.

"It's alright, I was just surprised when they asked if I was there older brother. After all I've never had anyone younger then me and look up at me with so much adoration. It was a shock but I'm okay with this and if Saitou were here he'd say the same thing. We just want you happy mum and those two can keep you busy, besides I think it'd be pretty cool to have two little sisters."

"I'm so glad." Aoshi's mum whispered and pulled away from her son and turned around to face the house.

"You can come out now." Aoshi and Mrs Shinomori laughed lightly when Ayame-chan and Suzume-chan popped there heads out behind one of the posts near the back door and descended the stairs walking over towards them. Aoshi squatted down silently staring at the little girls in front of him. They were holding hands; their small lips pursed together awaiting the verdict of what he thought of them. Aoshi turned his head up looking at his mother and spoke.

"You're right, they're pretty cute mum." He was soon engulfed in two energetic little hugs from his new sisters. He chuckled lightly hugging them back and they soon let go jumping up and down in front of him asking their own question together.

"Will you play with us niisan?"

"How 'bout I take both of you to the park and we can go get some ice-cream too?"

"REALLY?" The two small girls had yelled simultaneously. Aoshi got up taking them with him, placing one on each hip and began walking towards the back gate.

"Only one scoop each!" Mrs Shinomori had yelled. She smiled at the disappointing face expressions crossing her daughters' faces but they waved goodbye to her anyway.

* * * *

"What flavour would you young ladies like?" He watched as Ayame-chan and Suzume-chan giggled at what he said and they finally came to a decision.

"Chocolate and strawberry please." Aoshi nodded and paid for the ice cream when he received it and began walking away with two excited little girls close behind. He sat under a shady tree and watched Ayame-chan and Suzume-chan take the ice cream and began scoffing it down.

"Hey, there is no rush, so eat slowly imoto-chan's. Now which one is Ayame-chan and which is Suzume-chan?"

I'm Suzume-chan and that's Ayame-chan." The eldest one had spoken. Aoshi eyed her silently and spoke once more.

"You wouldn't be telling fibs now would you?" Aoshi spoke seriously. He watched the eldest one look to her younger sister and then spoke again.

"Of course not Aoshi-niisan. Suzume-chan and I do-" Aoshi watched as the eldest one shrieked slightly, clamping her hand over her mouth as she gave away their little prank.

"You were fibbing to me? That was so mean of you…" Aoshi spoke dramatically, his voice full of hurt. He watched the worried glances of his younger sisters' look up at him. They moved closer, there bottom lips trembling simultaneously and there big brown eyes glistening with tears.

"We're sorry Aoshi-niisan!" Ayame-chan and Suzume-chan spoke together. Aoshi moved fast, making his sisters' fall to the lush grass and ticked their belly's as payback for tricking him or trying to trick him. They giggled loudly trying to squirm away but were unsuccessful. Aoshi finally stopped and sat on his knees looking down at them. Ayame-chan and Suzume-chan were gaining their breaths back, there chubby cheeks red from laughing so hard. He watched as they stood up jumping into his arms hugging him around his neck. Aoshi took this as a sign to head home as they sighed tiredly against him.

* * * *

By the time Aoshi arrived the girls were falling asleep, but were unable to as his mother trudged them into the bathroom to wash up and get into their bed clothes. Aoshi smiled and shook his head listening to their small complaints and entered the living room to find his father reading the newspaper. He sat down in a lounge chair on the opposite side and watched his father place down the paper and smile over at him.

"So how are my son's doing these days? Your both very hard to contact you know."

"Ah, sorry about that dad. We're actually doing all right for ourselves. Saitou is still at the same police station and is a detective now. He is still his usual self but love sick now."

"Saitou love sick? You're actually suggesting Saitou's falling in love?" Aoshi's father had replied bewildered.

"You remember Tokio from school? She and Misao were in the same grade. She's been in love with Saitou ever since they...bumped into each other. I guess she's having an influence on him, making his emotions known, especially the way her moods change. Her moods effect him quite a lot and he can't help but argue with her. Some of he stuff is over the stupidest things too. I think he's actually becoming attached to the small wisp of a girl or else he would have flicked her away like one of his cigarettes already."

"And what of yourself Aoshi? Have you found love?" Mr Shinomori's eyebrow was raised looking at his son's body language. His shoulders were tense but his head slouched forward slightly as he looked at the glass table in front of him.

"I-It's a bit more complicated for myself dad." Aoshi tried reasoning with him as much as he could but couldn't say any more then that. His blue-green eyes lifted up as his father sat looking at him waiting for him to continue knowing full well that he wasn't finished. Aoshi sighed slouching back in the chair and quietly spoke.

"I met someone and we've had an on again off again relationship for sometime now. My intentions tell me she loves someone else and yet I don't feel saddened by this, nor do I tell her my thoughts. I also feel as though we aren't meant to be together and yet we hold onto what little relationship we have left. Its as though I'm her safe guard that she stays by my side so she doesn't get hurt by this other guy. I don't really mind either because in a sense she is my safe guard not letting my heart decide on what is best for me as I feel emotions are weak and will only cause me trouble and yet here I am speaking to you about them. I shut out all rational thoughts and feelings and just stay with her. I'm probably afraid just like her to leave and be with someone else. After all we've only ever been with each other and no one else. I do care for her just as she cares for me but I think we both know it is not love. I am totally and utterly clueless as to what to do about this. I mean are we in this relationship because we both feel alone and scared to do something different? Are we scared that the relationship we have built over the years will be shattered if we split up? I know I'm not the right one for her and she isn't for me and yet we stay together fearing to commit to someone else, fearing we'll be let down. In the process of all these emotions and feelings running around inside me, I cannot comprehend all of them nor do I know what they all mean. My instincts tell me to let go of everything that we've shared together but I can't and I don't know why. I hate feeling like this because in the process I'm hurting three people that mean a lot to me."

"Aoshi my son, let me tell you a story." Aoshi's father began sitting up straighter in his chair. Aoshi placed his hand up not really wanting to hear one of his stories. He'd heard many in the past and they were quite boring with no meaning in them whatsoever.

"Please Aoshi, this is not like my other stories when you were younger. This is true, one very close to home. It might help you to understand what is happening inside yourself." Aoshi sighed nodding his head and his father began his tale.

"Their once lived this boy. His family was not wealthy and so life was a constant struggle. There were times when the young boy had to beg on the streets for money or food. His mother had died when he was very young and his father had hit the alcohol never being able to let the memory of his wife rest in peace. She was beyond beautiful. She was a true elegant woman who loved her family dearly. She had many children but was unable to look after them properly. She had a huge heart and sent them to people she knew would love them as there own. She knew many women who were unable to give birth themselves and so this was their gift from the boy's mother. No one thought badly of her, she was an angel to all women, sacrificing her children to give them happiness. Her youngest son however never had the chance to be loved like that. She had died 5 years after the boy was born. He was left with his lifeless father never leaving the small apartment they lived in. It was tough for a small child and so he grew up on the streets and never went back to his father. To this day he has no idea of what happened to him in the end. When he was 12 years old he was finally caught by the police and sent to an orphanage. That is where he met one of his closest friends who is now his ex-friend as time as separated them too much. They ended up being adopted out and living in the same household, just like true brothers. Then the boy met someone that would completely change his life forever. She had the biggest blue-green eyes he'd ever seen in his entire life. She was very popular with all the boys and all the girls. She was sweet, kind and very gentle. She smelled like spring flowers and the boy was drawn to her. Her family was one of he richest in Kyoto and it finally hit home that this boy never had a chance with her. She was perfect in every way and he was quiet, shy and very withdrawn from the other students. He had never associated himself with others and so he stuck to himself. Then one day she spoke to him. She had walked all the way over to where he sat, far away from the others to ask him if he was okay. Her smile lit up her entire face, those blue-green eyes sparkling like stars. She sat down with him that day and shared her lunch with him. Weeks past and she sat with him daily, sneaking away from her usual friends to eat with him. He thought he'd one lottery or something. After all there was this cute teenage girl and she was speaking to him, an ex-street child. Years passed and she began to change as he did. They grew up, matured and were finishing school. What really hurt the most was saying goodbye. She was leaving for another city to study childcare and teaching while he left to do a business degree. She had said that they'd be friends forever but it never worked out like that. Years passed, people changed and memories were forgotten. They had bumped into each other in Kyoto one time, home for the holidays after never seeing each other for two straight years. She was glowing with feminine beauty and he was awe struck at how dazzling she looked. Her eyes drew him to her, as they had not changed since she was a teenager. His little dream was shattered seconds latter when his friend from the orphanage was engaged to her. They had ended up going to the same university. The now young man was heart broken but it was his fault after all, never telling her of his feelings. Then the day she was to leave he blurted out all his feelings for her, even in front of her fiancee. He too was completely shocked and the young man knocked his ex-friend out so he could speak to the young woman himself. He had kissed her that day, showing her all his raw emotions, showing her with feelings how much he needed her, relied on her for survival." Aoshi's eyes scrunched in annoyance as his father took time to rest a little and have a drink of water.

"So what happened?" Aoshi spoke impatiently. Aoshi's father set down the glass and began speaking once more.

"For a split second she was completely shocked then she kissed him back with just as much passion and then she hit him hard across the face. She got on that plane never looking back at him. Months passed and the young man had fallen apart. He dated in those months thinking he'd forget about her, but her voice, her laughter and smiling face and her eyes were always in his mind always in his thoughts. He thought he'd never find love like he had felt for her but one day the gods smiled down on him and there was a knock on his apartment door. He opened it up almost dying of shock. She was there, bags on his doorstep, no engagement ring and waiting for him to ask her inside. They hugged for a number of hours, the young man actually crying as she embraced him lovingly, whispering lovingly words into his ear. She had been waiting for him to tell her he loved her but when he didn't she left Kyoto heartbroken and crying tears of sadness. She was so scared about telling him how much she was attracted to him and not because he was handsome either, that was just a bonus to her. It was the person inside she came to know all those years ago. Every fibre inside her told her he was the one and yet in her eyes it was as though he had felt nothing towards her. That is why she had left. She never knew he felt those thoughts as well. On the outside he was this tough and strong young man but inside he was afraid he'd be left alone forever. He had never loved before and that frightened him to death. She knew everything about him, his secrets, his mistakes and his dreams. She knew he wasn't perfect that he only had himself to offer to her and nothing else. He was not rich, his adopted family was not wealthy either and she knew this. Out of all the young men she had a choice over she had chosen him. He had told her this was it, this was all he had to offer and to her that was more then enough. She had said that he was all that she wanted in life, he was her other half."

"And she still means every word she had spoken all those years ago to this day." Aoshi's head jerked up watching his mother walk over and sit on the arm of the chair his father sat in. His eyes finally widened as his father was talking about his life and his mother's. His father's story was damn close to the way Aoshi felt. He watched as his father got up, his arm wrapping around his shorter wife as they left the room leaving Aoshi to his thoughts on that story and to figure out his feelings. He got up from the chair and headed upstairs to his bedroom. Nothing changed; it was as though he had never left. Books and papers were stacked on his wooden desk the way he left it. Posters and pictures hung from the wall. The black curtains still hung from the large windows and Aoshi lay down on his bed looking up at the ceiling.

"Four years… four long years and I never once thought about her feelings…" Aoshi turned over on his stomach placing his head in his folded arms as he stared at the dark wood of the bed. He heard the creaking of his door being opened and turned on his side to see two heads pop around the corner. He watched as the door opened wider, his little sisters walking in and closing it softly behind them and headed over towards his large bed.

"Are you two suppose to be up at this time?" Aoshi spoke looking at them. Ayame-chan's plaits had been taken out and she wore a pink nightie with white bunnies on it. Suzume-chan's pigtails had been taken out, her hair falling to her little ears and sticking up rather messily too. She wore a blue nightie with little puppies and kittens all over it. He watched as they bowed their heads and shook them negatively. Aoshi chuckled lightly leaning over the edge and picked them up placing them on the bed. He placed his back to the headboard of the bed as Ayame-chan and Suzume-chan snuggled close to him on either side of him his blankets tucked up to their chins.

"Can you tell us a story?" Suzume-chan spoke up and Aoshi had scrunched his face up in thought and then spoke looking over at the poster on the opposite wall.

"Once upon a time there was this boy and he met a little girl with the brightest blue eyes he'd ever seen…"

* * * *

Aoshi looked down at his watch as it read midnight. His sisters had fallen in and out of sleep, asking him to continue with the story. Aoshi shifted slightly, turning off the lamp and lay down on the bed, his sisters cuddling in closer as the night was getting cooler.

"Niisan? Do they live happily ever after?" Ayame-chan had whispered tiredly next to him. Aoshi sighed looking into the darkness of his room, laughter of his best mates and Misao rolled around in his head as they played around the house constantly when they were younger. Aoshi turned his head knowing Ayame-chan was waiting for an answer.

"I hope so imoto-chan, I hope so. Now get some sleep."

"Mm okay…night Aoshi-niisan…" Silence filled the room once more and Aoshi finally closed his own eyes wanting to rest as well.

* * * *

Aoshi-niisan? Niisan wake up! It's so cold!" Aoshi groaned awake and shifted his head to the right looking down at Ayame-chan. She was pouting cutely at him complaining about the weather and he got up snuggling the covers around the now fully awake and giggling girls.

"Don't move I'll be right back."

* * * *

"Here we go." Aoshi spoke walking into the room. He had their thick winter sleeping robes and slippers for them. He untucked them placing their slippers and robes on. He watched as they raced out of the room to head downstairs to watch cartoons no doubt. Aoshi stood up properly and grabbed some clean clothes and headed for the bathroom. Today was going to be another long day of thinking just like all the other days that were ahead of him while he was in Kyoto.

* * * *

(2 weeks pass, Kyoto Train Station)

"You two will be all right with Aoshi won't you? I want you to behave an-"

"Mum will you relax, they are coming for 5 days not forever. I'm taking them to see Saitou, you said it was okay and now its sounds like you're going back on your promise." Aoshi spoke cutting off his mother.

"Please don't mama, we want to go with Aoshi-niisan. We want to go see Saitou-niisan!" Ayame-chan replied pouting cutely up at her mother.

"And we've never been on a train before either." Suzume-chan reasoned as well, her big brown eyes staring up at her father, silently pleading him to let them go with Aoshi.

"Everything's fine girls' your mum's just going to miss you terribly that's all. Now come on a big group hug and then get on the train with your brother before I change my mind." Their father had spoken hugging his daughters tearfully. Aoshi rolled his eyes at this sentimental moment and cleared his throat getting the attention of his family.

"We're going to miss the train because of you two. Come on imoto-chan's let's get on the train." Aoshi picked them up and headed for the correct carriage they were to be seated at. Once they were inside and at their row of seats Aoshi opened the window so Ayame-chan and Suzume-chan could wave goodbye. The train moved slowly away from the station and soon Aoshi placed the girls in their seats and spoke to them once more.

"So are you going to miss mum while you're away?"

"I'll miss her mashed potato." Ayame-chan had spoken up.

"And I'll miss her chocolate chip cookies." Suzume-chan spoke in as well. Aoshi smiled down at them as he wrapped a blanket around them and spoke once more.

"Aa, me too, but I know one person who can cook really good food and he'll be happy to make you cookies too."

"With milk Aoshi-niisan?" Suzume-chan spoke up and Aoshi nodded his head silently. They giggled happily, snuggling close together and fell asleep in mere seconds. Aoshi looked over at their sweet and innocent faces. He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath and finally whispered his last words before falling asleep like his sisters'.

"Mother…father…I know what I must do now…"

* * * *

To be continued…

* * * *