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Date: part two
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She giggled as she looked at the photo printout.
The first shot had her smiling but Tezuka just
staring into the screen.
The second was when she had kissed him.
The third was when he was still looking at her.
Fourth: They were both smiling into the camera with his arm draped around her shoulders.
Fifth: He was standing behind her with his arms wrapped around her waist.
And the last four shots, they were just fooling around, making weird faces. Well Sakuno was.
They stopped at a flower shop to observe some flowers.
"Konnichi wa, ojii-san, obaa-chan. Ogenki desu ka?" Sakuno's sweet voice greeted the old man and lady who owned the flower shop.
"Ah Sakuno-chan. Obaa-chan, it's Sakuno-chan." The old man greeted her happily. Tezuka bowed to both of them as the man's wife came out. As Tezuka stood and surveyed the many beautiful flowers in the shop, Sakuno stood with the old couple and chatted happily.
The thing is, she used to help out at their store back in junior high school, and had become quite close to them. They were also very fond of her, because their children, and grandchildren live quite a while away. She laughed a lot and the old couple's eyes twinkled with happiness. As they were talking, Sakuno heard Tezuka's phone go off, and before he had stepped out the store to answer it, he gave them another bow.
"He seems like a very nice young man, Sakuno-chan." The sweet old lady said, arranging some flowers in a vase.
"He is." She smiled. "Waaa ii neh. Obaa-chan what are those? Are they real flowers?" Sakuno spotted some flowers behind the counter in a glass cabinet.
"Iie. They're new this season….my my I don't even know what they're made of." The old woman chuckled. "But it's like thin glass but doesn't break, it shines and looks like a real rose doesn't it."
"Hai…" Sakuno stared at it in awe. "Well I have to be going now. Take care, ojii-san, obaa-san."
"Matte Sakuno-chan. Ji-chan, have you got it back there?" The old man emerged from the storeroom and handed her a rose wrapped in white cellophane with pink flowers on it, but it was also encased in a protective clear casing.
"For you Sakuno-chan." He said.
"Eh? I can't…" she began.
"Ehehe, just take it sweetling." He said pushing it into her hands.
"A-arigato, ojii-san, obaa-san." She said bowing.
"Don't thank us, thank the young man out there." He said his eyes twinkling even more.
"Te-Tezuka?" she turned to see him standing out there talking on his phone.
"He came by about a week ago and ordered it. You're the first to own it. Now read the card and run along, dear child. Have fun." Sakuno smiled disbelieving what was happening and quickly read a card.
I thought about what to get for you on a special day like this, and when I saw this, it was perfect. I didn't want any normal rose or flower, for flowers die after they bloom. What I found, will remain beautiful and will last forever. It's not the rose alone or just the beauty you possess but my love for you.
I love you..
Tezuka Kunimitsu
She felt tears blurry her vision. She walked out the door and moved over to him. He had finished his call and stood patiently waiting for her. He took one look at her, and alarm rang out on his face.
"Sakuno…what's wrong?" he moved towards her. She buried her head in shoulder and wrapped her arms around his waist. He stroked her hair. "Doushita."
"Arigato. Arigato Tezuka. Hontou ni arigatou. I don't know what I've done to deserve someone like you. I don't even know why today is so special. That's just wrong…I don't deserve someone as good as you Tezuka." She said into his shoulder.
His heart ached to hear her say that, but he chuckled slightly and pulled her out. With his thumb he brushed away a few tears that had leaked out.
"Don't say that, ever. It's my fault for making you think like that. But today is a special day that even you don't know about."
"I don't?"
He shook his head. "Did you like it?" he nodded his head in the direction of the rose.
"I love it. I love your words. I love you Tezuka." She whispered. He kissed her on the forehead.
tbc