The Crane Wife

Chapter 2

     Sunlight hits directly onto Ren's picture-perfect face, waking him up at once. Noticing how high the sun is in the sky, Ren can only assume how late it is already for him to be waking up now. He gets up and puts on a dark blue kimono before going out. Hearing noises in the kitchen, he heads towards it. The sight in front of him is one that can always cheer him up.

     Seeing his wife cooking breakfast and moving from one spot to another makes him love her even more. Her pink kimono fluttering from here and there. Seeing the pot over the fire bubbling over, Ren walks in and grabs the cloth on the side. He skillfully removes the pot and sets it aside. Opening the lid, he sees that it's rice. Hearing the clatter of the lid, Rin turns around and spots her husband. She smiles and calls out to him, "I see that my dear husband is awake. Did you sleep well?"

     Smiling in return, he gives an answer, "Yes, I slept really well all thanks to my lovely wife." With a sweet giggle Rin tells Ren to wait. "Just a few more minutes and I should be done. Why don't you start setting the table?"

     "Of course. Anything that I can do to lessen the workload on my lovely wife." Breakfast went by smoothly and quickly since they both woke up later than usual; they needed to get the day started. They worked together and in just an afternoon they were able to clear the snow inches deep in front and around their house. The pair were also able to get more woods before making a rather late lunch. Their days in winter were spent doing chores here and there, scraping snow to clear a path, and gathering wood to make fire.

     Ren and Rin lived a quiet and simple life, yet they were overjoyed with happiness each and every day in this small almost abandoned village surrounded by mountains.

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     It seemed like in a blink of an eye and winter had already vanished as spring has come to visit the couple. On this sunny and warm spring day, it was too great of a day to not enjoy it. With the sliding wooden doors of their little house open, Ren sat outside on the deck and watched as his wife joyously sing.

     As Rin sang, her voice attracted an audience of the birds and squirrels. The birds chirped along with her in such a harmonious way. Ren watched in a daze, mesmerized by his wife's wonderful voice. Her song came to an end, but the audience of critters didn't seem to notice and continued to stay for a brief minute before scattering away in delight.

     "What a beautiful voice you have," Ren said with a smile. Flustered, Rin turns around and smiles widely back at him. "Thank you." Her soft voice came out and her pink cheeks gradually turning red. Just that, those simple words of his made Rin so happy. Ren gestures with his hand at his wife, "Come here." Rin shuffles her feet towards her husband.

     Rin sits down next to Ren. He lazily picks up her hand and lightly kisses it before laying down. His head rests on her lap. He stares up at his lovely wife taking in all her pretty features. While she too gazes back. Rin couldn't help but ask, "Even if someday I can't sing beautifully, if my voice has gone away, even then will you still love me?"

     "Of course I would," Ren said, laughing gently. And softly, his large hands caresses her cheek. The couple spent the rest of the day conversing and lazing around as if they were newlyweds again.

     The next morning Rin woke up with a goal. She still can't get over her husband's words yesterday that filled her heart with bliss to the brim. As the sun climbed to its peak, signaling the over joyous wife that it's time for lunch. She walks around to the back seeing her man chopping woods, she tells him to stop and come eat lunch. The petite woman excitedly runs back to the kitchen, while the tall man chuckles as he witnesses the scene.

     When he finally reaches the kitchen, he is surprised to see a woven basket in his wife's hands. "Are we going somewhere? I thought it was time for lunch?" Giggling she replies back, "Yes, it is time for lunch, but today I've decided that we will have a picnic. Since today too is such a sunny day." Warmly looking at her excited expression Ren can only nod in agreement.

     After walking for about ten minutes they've reached their destination. On a small hill under a large blossoming sakura tree, the couple spread out a blanket to sit on. With various dishes to eat, Ren and Rin ate and enjoyed their afternoon. Standing up from the ground Rin reaches out her hands and cup them. She happily runs from one end to the other of the tree trying to catch the falling petals.

     She turns around and grins at the observing man. "Look Ren, I caught so many petals!" Her enthusiastic voice lingers in his ears. She threw the petals she caught over Ren's head startling him a bit. Her grin widens as she moves away from him and Ren can only take that as a challenge. "Just you wait. I'll catch you and bathe you in these petals."

     He springs up from the blanket and runs towards the tittering woman. "Catch me if you can!" she runs away in thrill as her husband speeds towards her. Running around like kids, they both forgot about any worries they had.

     Running out of breath quicker than usual, Ren gives a last spurt of energy and is able to grab onto Rin's wrist. He pulls her towards him, but the unexpected force of colliding into each other so suddenly caused them to roll down the hill. The sakura tree is very large-to the point that even almost at the bottom of the hill, sakura petals are still falling down around and on the couple as they come to a stop with the short wife on top of her tall husband.

     Gazing into each other eyes for a brief second, they both burst out into a fit of laughter. Rin lays her head on Ren's chest. She hears his heartbeat running faster and faster for a bit before slowly getting back to normal. She thought to herself, 'He must be tired from chopping woods and running just now.' He hugs her and she habitually snuggles into his chest.

     "I wish time can stop right now. So that we can stay like this forever." "Me too, my wife." Happy with his answer she lifts her head and kisses him with a smile. And he too smiles against her lips and kisses her back.