The Whispering Blossoms

Goodbye.

It was a word so foreign yet so familiar that the feeling of pain from whispering it was fresh on her lips. The word brought with it a weight, a burden so heavy that she could hardly breathe. She was drowning in grief, avoiding reliving her memories at all costs.

But she could only run away from her past for so long.

Hanae sits quietly on a public bench, alone, and far away from everyone else enjoying the atmosphere. Hanami was supposed to be a time of joy and peace. She slowly blinks her eyes, wiping away the moisture to prevent herself from crying.

Crying is for the weak, he always told her.

The birds are singing as she lifts her eyes upwards, looking upon the rows of delicate pink flowers blooming and swaying gently on the branches, but she can't bring herself to smile. All she can see is sorrow. Overwhelming sorrow.

In her moment of misery, a small blossom floats down from the branch above, landing softly on her thigh. She takes a deep breath before picking up the flower, observing each petal with great focus. She twirls the flower between her fingers, relishing the feel of nature on her skin before letting it go, watching it fall on the path.

These were mama's favourite flowers, she thinks to herself.

Her phone rings, disturbing the silence and her train of thought. Looking at the caller ID for a brief second before picking up, she sighs, taking in a deep breath. Her father's voice sounds cold and emotionless as he asks for her whereabouts. Hanae quickly apologises, assuring him that she is on her way.

She ends the phone call, brushing off her dark baggy pants as she stands up and lifts her bag to her shoulders. Walking along the pathway littered with flowers, she brushes a loose strand of hair from her eyes.

Her hair was long, and she would always keep it tied up in braids. A few weeks had passed since she'd cut almost all of her hair off. Now, her raven hair fell just below her collarbones, flowing in the breeze.

Her walk home wasn't long, but she took slow steps, not wanting to be back so soon.

The sun filtered through the clouds, leading to small patches of sunlight appearing along the road. Hanae smiles internally, being reminded of her younger self taking leaps to jump from one patch of sunlight to the next. Oh, how everything changes.

Hanae had never been very good with emotions, especially acceptance, for that matter. Her mother always told her to express her emotions clearly, but Hanae would adamantly shake her head, refusing to do so in fear that others would take advantage of her emotions.

Bringing herself back from the past, Hanae fiddled with the zipper of her bag as she walked silently. She noticed her neighbours playing with their children in the park near their house. She didn't turn to look at them, but from the corner of her eye she could see the pity on their faces for her.

Hanae didn't want their pity, or anyone's sympathy. It wouldn't make any difference. Nothing could change the past.

She had almost reached her home now. House, she corrected herself, for what is a home without family?

Hanae pushed open the long front gate, the dull metal shining bright from the sunlight. She couldn't be bothered to close it behind her as she made her way to the large wooden door of their house.

She didn't try to knock; she knew it would be open. Her father couldn't care less with things as trivial as locking the door.

Dust filled her nostrils as she entered, leading to a minor coughing fit. She wiped her watering nose and eyes with the back of her sleeve. It used to be a pleasing scent of jasmine that wafted from the house when she was younger, but now no such purity remained.