28
When we head back to Tomoeda we're gonna have to stop to buy something to eat, 'cuz Syaoran finished all the dumplings when we hadn't even made it to Fujisawa. However, I'll worry about that later. Right now, all I care is Hakone town.
When Syaoran finally stopped the van at the outskirts of the town, I can't help but look at the scenery, in awe. I knew Hakone is the favorite tourist stop to admire Mount Fuji, but hadn't understand why until now. This view is amazing! It's still early (not even midday), and there's no mist nor clouds in the sky, so Mount Fuji can be admired in all its glory. The sun shines just enough to make every color pop, but not hurt our eyesight, there's a soft fresh breeze that doesn't makes our eyes teary, and we're also near the flower fields that are yet to be harvested, so everything looks as if it jumped right out of a postcard.
We step out the van, and Syaoran tells me he'll deal with the supplier, so I can go and take a look around. I don't wait for him to say it twice, and basically run towards the flower fields.
There's a patch of kochias in a perfect square that gives the idea they're a red blanket. I run between them, and make it to what seems to be spider lilies, so the bright red of the kochias now turns into a salmon red. Further away there are even more flowers I can't even name. Pink, yellow, orange… I get close to have a good look, but I just can't seem to know their names. I actually don't know a lot about flowers, so I just end up taking a quick look, and walk back the path I followed between the kochias and the lilies, as I caress them and take my time to also smell them.
I must have spent some hours there, when the sun (it now hits hard) and my stomach tell me it's already late and I must go back, since I need food and some rest. I walk past the red blanket of kochias, and finally reach the pale green van. The back of the van is filled with some of the flowers I saw at the fields but I couldn't name.
I wonder where's Syaoran.
"Sakura!"
Li says hi from the other side of the kochias blanket. He's standing next to a tiny house (I guess it's the provider's office), and he's currently speaking with a man with long dark-blue hair, and round-frame glasses. They both bow, and as the man walks inside the tiny house, Syaoran walks towards me, as he holds some flowers I can't name, between his hands. He finally stops in front of me, and offers me the tiny bouquet.
"A gift, thanking you for coming with me."
I take the flowers as my cheeks blush. I see tiny buds of yellow, orange and pink flowers, with tiny and almost round petals.
"You didn't have to." I say in a whisper.
But Li, unaware of how embarrassed I am right now, he says:
"Mr. Clow said these are called cosmos. Also known as akizakuras. It's seems they're the autumn cherry blossoms. We came just in time; these are the first ones to bloom."
Now I'm really dying of embarrassment. Has he done it because he knows the meaning of my name? Does he know I love everything that has the name sakura in it? I'm pretty sure he does know: every time we spend time together with his friends at Penguin Park, I always ask for a cherry blossom ice cream.
"Thanks…" I say, as my blush has gone from a pink to a vivid red.
"Ready to go back?" He asks. "It's still quite early, so we can make a stop to get us something to eat."
"Sure." I reply, and as he closes the back of the van, I keep on staring at my flowers.
"Ah, by the way. I almost forget." Li turns around so to see me, so I finally take my eyes out of my akizakuras, and look back at him. "My mom wants you to join us for dinner."
Have a happy weekend!
Ribo~