But that time never came.
The years went by—spring season passed, and then summer came, months of extreme heat until the autumn breeze slowly crept in, giving way for the cold winter season, yet the sakura tree still stood strong in the middle of their paradise, magnificent, blossoming as beautifully as ever in the brightest shade of pink, lost among a midst of dull and brown withering evergreens. The rose bushes bloomed and withered repeatedly, and then bloomed again, marking the start of yet another spring season, until the greens turn into the golden brown shade of fall.
And then, the snow.
A light sway of the head, and she shook awake. The teacher’s voice delicately droned on, stuffing her numerically-overworked brain with more Math problems thirteen-year-old Sakura could possibly handle. It was surprising she hadn’t been caught sleeping yet, though sitting at the far corner of the room by the window, she had a pretty good guess. Or maybe it was just that her Math teacher had long given up on her—she really couldn’t be sure.
Her head drooped; her eyelids felt like they weigh a ton, and it was only then when she heard those heavenly words “Goodbye class,” that her gaze shot up. She jerked up from her seat, greeting their teacher goodbye along with the rest of the class, breaths coming out in wisps of white.
It sure was starting to get cold.
A hand dove into her hair and ruffled it. She turned her head his way, and they exchanged smiles.
“Need some help?”
“Uh, yeah…”
She sat as still as ever, wide-eyed as he explained the lecture to her. Friendly as it may seem, Sakura could still note a slight change in the way he talked to her. His tone was calculated, serious, and their exchange of words went on like a casual conversation between two classmates, far off from the childish rants they used to have as best friends.
And then it hit her; the reason as to why she had been very glum the past few weeks.
She fell silent, and so did Syaoran. Outside, flakes of snow fell, and upon the sudden stillness, Sakura had just resorted to staring out the window.
“Let’s play outside Syaoran!” she wanted to blurt out. Instead, a soft “Syaoran…” was all she had managed to say.
“Mm?”
“Okaa and otou said I’ll be taking home tutor starting tomorrow.”
“Oh. I see.”
She had expected a silent fury, or maybe perhaps a worried resentment. However, she got none—Syaoran’s face completely apathetic. Sakura felt a slight twinge in her stomach—probably disappointment at the boy’s blunt response as though he hadn’t cared at all.
Maybe he longer does…
Sakura couldn’t help but feel troubled.
“Okaa and otou are organizing a party for Christmas tonight. You’ll come, right? Syaoran?”
“I’ll try.”
“Please?”
Syaoran chuckled as he once again ruffled her hair. “I’ll try, sama. I’ll try.”
He then bid farewell and left the room, leaving Sakura all alone in deep contemplation.
YOU ARE READING
Ephemeral Paradise
FanfictionA tale as old as time, a song as old as rhyme, about two lovers, worlds apart yet heavily intertwined by the strings of love. A deep red in color, as beautiful as that of a rose, yet too, held the same nauseating shade as that of blood. A story of l...
