And two days later, I headed to Akina's grave. I don't know why I came here; I think I just wanted to see whether the tree had started growing yet. It must be lonely for her after all.
I stood by the grave and sighed softly. There was no tree yet, at least not as far as I could see.
"Aki." I heard a familiar voice call.
I spun around to see Haru and Hajime walking over to me. "What are you two doing here?"
"Is what I could also ask you," said Haru. He looked over to the grave. "I suppose it's never a wrong time to visit a loved one's grave."
Hajime nudged Haru and then walked away, heading to the entrance, leaving me wondering what that was about.
"Where's he going?" I asked, watching Hajime leave.
"Who knows," Hajime sighed. He sat beside the grave and looked up at me, gesturing for me to join him, to which I obliged. "There's something I wanted to show you."
I gave him a questioning glance as he pulled a paper out of his pocket and handed it to me. I raised an eyebrow as I read through it. My eyes went to the end of the letter first; the letter was from Akina, written in a child's scrawl. As I read through it, I realized I was right–Akina was a changeling.
"There's something I need to tell you too," I said to Haru, fidgeting with my hands.
Haru nodded and watched me, as I told him the same story I had told Shun a few days ago. Haru didn't interrupt either.
"I've met you before, haven't I?"
"I wonder, my memories of things that happened before I met Sumire are still hazy."
"You told me that my fairy sister had died, almost two years after her death."
"Wow, I used to be so blunt."
"I didn't understand you then, but I get it now." Haru ruffled my hair. "So I've found my long lost sister."
"I've found my long lost family."
Haru and I stared at the sky for a while, before Haru spoke again. "Aki Yayoi. My name is yours too." He then looked at me and smiled, "I think I have a lot to explain to our mom."
I smiled. Our mom.
Haru asked, "So, what were you doing here?"
"Fairies turn into plants after they die. I was wondering if Akina would too."
"You can talk to plants? Is that how you got the tree to break your fall?"
I shrugged. "I didn't ask it to, it just did."
"Is Akina here?"
I was about to say no, when–
Yes.
I looked around, searching for the source of the voice. My eyes landed on a small sapling, two centimetres tall with just two leaves. Did it just sprout?
"There," I said, looking at the plant.
"A sakura," Haru said, following my eyes and smiling. "How befitting of her name."
I could feel the plant smiling, as her leaves waved in the wind.
"I'd like to talk to her."
I stood up and brushed off my dress. "Feel free. I'll be somewhere... over there," I said, vaguely gesturing to the entrance. I watched as Haru walked over to the sapling, as I walked away.
Hajime came back, with a pink rose in hand. I held out a hand to stop him.
"Hmm?" he asked.
"Haru's talking to Akina."
YOU ARE READING
Emerald Leaf
Fanfiction"Akina?" he asked, his face paling. It's that name again. Who is she? "Haru, this is Aki. She's helping around the shop." "My apologies, you look like someone I once knew," he said, with a sort of sorrow creeping upon his smile. ********************...