TREACHERY IN BLOOM

1. The Blue Garden

Hanamura Estate, Jeju, February 1823

"And then what happened, Hanae-Sama?"

"Yes, tell us!"

"Did he leave her?"

The excited whispers of my maids and Eunuchs surround me as I sit in the middle with another one of my precious romantic yet tragic tales on my palms by Takahashi Haruto. A known author for his short stories filled with unrequited love.

Some have left me crying, myself and my maids just can't wait to listen in to these through me: they themselves don't often get a chance at educating themselves with the written and even letter writing.

"Yuki cried out, 'I beg of you not to leave me, Sato-San. How will I ever be able to live through my life without you?' Tears fell from her eyes as she clutched his wrist with all her might, but he didn't even look her way." A few deep sighs and pitiful words echo through the air as I take a deep breath and read again.

"Sato yanked his wrist away from her, so violently that she fell down, yet he never turned. For he could never let her see the tears coating his own cheeks. At the crushing of his heart with each sob she let out. 'My purpose lies with my family. I have a duty to fulfill. It would be wise of you to forget me and think of this as some fever dream. Do not dare stop me again.' With that said, he stalked out of her house, the same house that held so many memories, memories of laughter with their smiles blooming before, oh so ruthlessly, the world tarnished it."

"Why would he do that to himself and her?" Koji asked out aloud.

"I was wondering the same, too," Ayame echoed.

I shrugged my shoulders at this with a faint smile of my own, pointedly saying, "If you would only let me finish it, then you'd know why."

"Hanae-Chan! Continue! We're dying to know how it all ends!" Ren whined. For someone who was well in his late 30s, he sure loved hearing these stories even if he can read better than me considering he manages mine and Onee-San's schedules.

I absentmindedly played with the blue flower resting between the pages as I read the next section that was closing on the climax: "Sato finally alone, on the street outside with barely any civilian, slid himself down the nearest wall, and cried and wailed in pure agony. His body was shaking with the pain he was feeling. He can hear his heart shattering once again at the cries coming beyond the doors that separated him from his lover, who had his heart in the palm of her hand, but his being shackled with duty and responsibility made him break the heart of the only woman he ever loved. Behind the doors, Yuki's eyes were drained of tears as she kneeled where he left her without a second glance. She rocked herself, muttering, 'It's okay. It's just a bad dream. I'll wake up soon, and this will all be over and Sato-San will be here.' Chanting as if to make herself believe yet the shattered vase beside her, which they created together, lay in pieces at her feet, said otherwise."

"Oh, how sad I feel for that poor Yuki-Chan," Keiko said, with her palm placed on her heart. She then looked up, leaning on Koji's chest with a sad look plastered on her face as well, and Koji being very sweet, patted her head, letting her lean against him with the same sad look on his face while I suspected that he was going for the dramatics.

"Oh, Keiko-Chan. You haven't even heard the last parts of the book. It's about to get worse—"

"Ren!!!"