Underneath the Cherry Blossom Trees
Underneath the cherry blossom trees stood two sad souls, parting and saying their goodbyes.
"Yuhi, I'm going to be leaving soon. We might never see each other again. I really don't know depending on things work out in the future," Aya touched Yuhi's face gently.
He hung his head down so Aya wouldn't be able to see his face. His hair fell over his eyes concealing the tears that blurred at his vision.
He wouldn't let himself cry in front of Aya. Ever. It would be too weak and stupid. But he's been holding them in for so damn long, it hurt.
But he was used to holding in his tears. He has been ever since he realized the truths behind his persistence in Aya.
That it was just hopeless and futile. But he kept trying anyways. Playing a game that he would never win.
She knew his feelings towards her, and she knew that they were still strong. She's apologized many times, telling him that her heart belonged to only one man: Toya.
Still, Yuhi could never shake off that feeling of sadness, knowing that she was going to be out of his life really soon.
He should say his goodbyes, his final words. He should tell her everything...
The truth.
But then why does he hide his eyes from her?
"Yuhi, is there anything you want to tell me before I go?"
I want to tell you that even though you are walking out of my life, possibly forever, I won't ever forget you.
"Have a good trip," he gave her a tiny smile.
And it hurt his heart so much when he saw her face fall, disappointedly, she smiled back to hide everything, just like him.
He told her that he was serious about her many times, and he has made countless efforts to win her over. But he has never said "I love you."
Twelve years since the day her car drove away, taking her along with it, as it snatched all the memories away but not the pain.
She came back. She had to, just for another time. She had to remember and she wanted to know if he still remembered her.
And she did not know why she cared so much. She was happily married, with a child she bore twelve years ago.
The cherry blossom trees still looked the same as ever, the ground scattered with fallen cherry blossoms, each of them holds a story inside. The one that falls is the one that has just ended.
"Has our story ended?" wondered Aya. "Has our blossom fallen yet?"
She stood underneath the cherry blossom trees as she closed her eyes and reminisced the past. The times she shared with her second family. The laughs she laughed and the tears she cried underneath the cherry blossom tree. The last goodbye underneath the cherry blossom tree.
"I didn't expect to find you here."
There he stood, gazing at her with a happy grin.
"What are you doing here?" she asked as he made his way over to stand next to her.
"Just came here to think."
"About what?"
"The past." Yuhi sighed and took a good look at her. She didn't look too different. The same straight brown hair. The smooth, pink lips. The same mockingly kind smile. But her eyes have seemed to have lost their sparkle.
"So did I," she plucked a cherry blossom from the ground.
The two were silent for a moment, not being able to find their words.
"So how are you doing with Toya?" he asked, dreading even asking the question.
Aya noticed him twitch as he said this, having a good idea of how he felt inside when he asked her this.
"Yuhi, why did you really come here?" she demanded softly.
"What?"
"Don't you have a girlfriend or a family to look after or anything?"
"No."
"Why not?"
"A person can not start something new unless he is finished with what he has."
"What in the world is that supposed to mean?"
I still love you.
"It's kinda funny whenever I think about you," he started as he took a big breath, ready to tell her.
It had been too painful to keep this in for so many years, wasting away, never being able to return love to anyone.
"Whenever I think about you, everything all of a sudden becomes...," he trailed off. "Sad."
"What?"
"I can't tell you that I don't have any feelings for you anymore, because the truth is that I still do. But not in that way anymore. The memory of you is a lot sadder now and the reason why I come here so often is because this is the only other way I can remember you without the heartache."
Aya was silent. She said nothing but just listened to the bittersweet words that were flowing out of his mouth.
"Remember when we used to stand next to these cherry blossom trees and just talk?" he asked flashing a grin at her. "I missed those days."
"Yuhi...things can't be the way they were before."
"I've traveled through the land of surrender and seen it all. I throw my heart out and keep my head up, and now I travel through the land of peace."
"Yuhi, what is that supposed to mean?"
"It means that where I stand right now is my land of peace. Where I choose to go is where I find my serenity."
He pulled Aya into a gentle embrace and held her close. She did not pull away.
"Just let me, once. I need to know something," he whispered.
A soft kiss was all he took from her. A soft kiss was all she gave to him.
And yet, it felt like the twelve years have rewinded back to the day she left.
"I have always loved you. And even though I can't ever have you, I won't ever forget you."
And underneath the cherry tree blossom, the two individuals stood. The truths of more than a decade revealed, and nothing but a gentle breeze passed by.
There the two of them stood, in their intangible embrace, as a cherry blossom drifted slowly to the ground and landed ever so gently. Thus ending the story of the past.
The End.