Lavender | Wakatoshi Ushijima

15 | Sprouts

Wakatoshi and I continue to ramble about school and practice. He ends up telling me about the incident and I'm able to cheer him up. Mainly by telling him about the fights the second years are picking about over whose serve receive is better.

Minutes later, he offers me something I can't refuse. "Would you like to step outside with me?"

"Of course," I say.

He begins getting up slowly. Clearly struggling, I give him a helping hand. Holding his hand, I help him maintain his balance while we step outside. He hesitates, but I urge him to take it.

He's nothing less if he accepts help. That's something we both need to learn. His brown hair is rumpled. A classic case of bedhead. I find it cute, it reminds me of his hair when I knew him years ago.

We stand near the little garden. The violas, which are still growing, catch my eye. Timid flowers, alongside a pear tree. The tree's fruits are almost fully ripe. I take notice of a new sort of plant in the front part of the garden bed. I can't tell what they are, they're still little sprouts.

There's silence between us, but I don't mind it. I tuck my hands in the sweater's sleeve.

"Will you be able to make it to our next lesson?"

"I think so. I have a feeling I'll be back to school soon."

"That's great."

I sneak a glance at him. He's looking at the flower bed. "I remember you told me long ago your favorite flowers are roses," I say.

"They still are."

"Some things just never change, do they?"

"Not one bit," he smiles slightly, looking down at me.

"I still remember our first encounter with a flower, do you?" I ask, oddly inquisitive.

"The little lavender that grew on the hill in your backyard. I wonder what it looks like now," he replies.

"It died out a few months after we first saw it. I tried growing more, but the soil back there isn't fertile," I say flatly.

"It crosses my mind all the time. It was an anomaly. The only flower far from the rest."

I nod.

"What happened?" He looks at me, pools in his eyes of an emotion I can't identify.

"What do you mean?"

"What happened that made it all change?"

I know exactly what he's talking about. He wants to know why I disappeared and when I came back to school, I wasn't the same.

"There was a major change in my life that changed me. I can't talk about it," I say. It would be a huge cause of shame if anyone knew.

"Why not? I've told you about my struggles," he says with a tone so gentle I could cry. His eyes are sincere.

"I'm sorry, I can't," I look away, drowning in shame.

"It's okay, I understand. I'm sorry things ended up this way," he says.

"Don't apologize, Wakatoshi. I should be the one to apologize." He shakes his head in disapproval. That's when a figure appears next to us. His grandmother speaks, "Your mother wishes to speak to you."

She looks at me distastefully. I receive the implied hint. She wants me to leave. She turns her back and stalks away again.

"It was great seeing you, Wakatoshi. If you'll excuse me, I'll take my leave," I say, my voice hoarse.

"Thank you for coming, Hana. I needed this," he reaches a hand out, about to grab mine. My eyes fly wide and so do his. He pulls it away.

"I'll see you soon," I smile.

----------------------------------------------------------
Author: Ushijima's mother's side<<<