Disclaimer: I do not own anything from Gundam Seed or Seed Destiny
A Single Yellow Tulip
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Far away from all the people and the world, we lived in a small white house by the sea, next to the mountains.
Around the house, a thousand white roses were planted. They were all planted by his hands. And they were all for me.
"It's my gift to you," he had said, and he had smiled at me his small sweet smile.
I remembered I had returned that smile even though I did cry a little.
Inside of our small house, everything was white. The walls, the doors, the furniture, the windows... They were all white.
I had wondered why he wanted everything in white, and ventured to ask once.
"I like white," he said. "Didn't you say that your mother's house was a white one?"
"It was," I said, remembering. "But not everything in the house was white."
He looked down at the delicate white flower vase in his hand, and put it back on the shelf. "You are right. So, which one of these do you like?"
I looked at the collection of vases of various sizes and colors. I considered for a moment. Then, decided, I reached out and picked one.
His eyes twinkled with quiet amusement and he smiled at me his small sweet smile.
I picked the white one.
Humming softly to myself, I gathered the freshly cut flowers into my arms and started for our small white house.
It was his birthday today and we had come here to celebrate especially.
I walked up the white steps and was glad that the white door was half open. I went to look for him in our white living room. At this time, he was usually found dozing with his arm hanging off the white couch, a book, fallen, lying open on the white carpet.
But today I did not find him there.
Puzzled, I called for him. I called many times and went about, looking for him. But he was not anywhere
I had become quite anxious that I forgot to put the white roses away before leaving our small white house.
"Kira!" I called. "Kira, where are you?"
The rustling of the leaves and the murmurs of the waves answered me. Where could he be?
"Haro! Haro, haro!"
"Pink-chan!" I exclaimed, a little surprised. He had gone to play with the others while I was cutting the flowers. I knew I should have asked where the others were also, but I was very worried about him.
"Haro, haro!"
"Have you seen Kira?" I asked unhappily. "I cannot find him anywhere at all."
"Haro, haro! Haro! Haro!" then he bounced away from me.
I was relieved. I rushed after him to the other side of the beach. We hardly went around there, so, of course, I should not be able to find him.
But why was he there?
It did not matter. As long as he was there and he was all right, then everything would be all right, too.
There, I found him standing near the edge of the cliff. I felt my heart dropped. My face pale, I wanted to cry out, calling his name.
But something had caught my eyes and I held back.
It was a single yellow tulip.
I did not quite know what I was thinking or feeling then as I watched him gazing for a long time at that one flower so very gently cradled in his hands. I did not quite know if I should think or feel something the moment he bent down and brushed a gentlest kiss to the delicate petals. I did not quite know at all how to think or feel as I watched numbly how he let it go and let it falling down to be caught by the blue sea.
He had gazed at it long after even it had long disappeared into the foaming waves, never to return.
"Haro, haro!"
I turned around and trudged toward our small white house, Pink-chan trailing close behind.
The white door was half open when I reached there. I went inside and closed it shut.
A few hours later, just before sunset, the white door was opened and softly shut.
I smiled warmly at him when he entered the kitchen. He smiled at me his small sweet smile and came to my side, giving me a hug.
"I am sorry I came late," he apologized.
I shook my head and returned his hug. "You're just in time for dinner. Are you hungry?"
"Very hungry."
"That's good then. I made quite a big dinner tonight."
"Thank you. It must have been quite some work for you." He dropped a light kiss to my brow. "I will go change and will come join you in a minute."
So, later, we had dinner together, chatting easily and comfortably of this and that. The white curtains fluttered now and again as the breeze stole in, carrying with it the sweet scent of the white roses in the white vase on the white window.
After that, we retired to the living room where we sat on the couch and I asked him to tell me once more of his childhood with Athrun. He laughed then, and recounted the tales as though he was telling them to me for the first time all over again.
I smiled, half listening to his stories.
Though his eyes may not shine brightly tonight... though his small sweet smile will always be tinged with sorrow...
I reached out and touched his cheek. He stopped and looked at me inquiringly.
And...even though not all of your heart can ever be mine...
"Happy Birthday, Kira."
A flash of pain and sorrow flitted across his eyes and I remembered vaguely how I had seen these same lights before in the other pair of eyes.
It is me that you have chosen to be with...not anyone, anybody else...
Then, his eyes softened and I shed a few tears for the gentle tenderness I saw in them.
Because I love you...
"I love you."
And for that I shall be content.