Ephemeral Paradise

Chapter Seven

He didn’t come.

The two rarely saw each other ever since that day, and in the years have certain changes started to occur. They were no longer naïve, little seven-year-old kids. They were now mature, more worldly-wise sixteen-year-olds, and the small paradise realm which only the two of them shared now grew worlds bigger. It was no longer their dreamland. It was now the reality. Cruel. Harsh, even. And both longed for the times when life was as simple as running around the fields all day, never having to bear the weight of problems brought by it.

Syaoran’s mother had been diagnosed with a serious lung disease, and this had been his motivation to study harder. It was no surprise that he had been consistent in their school’s rank one spot. He went out with his old friends, and effortlessly made new ones, yet despite the happy crowd he was in, he still longed to be with someone…

And that certain someone…

…felt the same longing as her.

Sakura’s parents have gotten as strict as ever, with her trying to understand their repetitive excuse that “It was all for the better.”

For years, she had been locked inside the walls of their mansion, unable to go outside, unable to run freely through the lush green fields, unable to play with a friend she had so missed. She longed to see him again, to run hand in hand once more, like how they would usually do when they were younger.

There are things you don’t want to think of, but you can’t even forget, and there are things that you don’t want to continue, but are afraid to end. It’s just like you don’t want to expect, but you’re still willing to wait. And that was exactly what Sakura and Syaoran did, as both would occasionally pass by the sakura tree, in, unfortunately, different times, eyes flickering with hope only to get disappointed shortly after.

They spent sleepless nights, where both laid awake with their eyes wide open, blankly staring at nothing in particular. They bore the cold and harsh hours, wishing that the other would be there to take them out of their loneliness and wipe their misery. Their minds went about flying like broken pieces of shrapnel, wishing at every shooting star, yet to no avail, and the immense pain was immeasurable, like ice daggers pierced to their hearts and sharp knives buried to their very souls. Painful as it may seem, it was meant to be, for all good things come to an end…

And their wonderful, carefree friendship was too good to last.

Then it happened.

They caught glimpse of the other while they strolled around town. And so they exchanged smiles, like any other acquaintances would.

“Long time no see,” she said.

“Yeah. Want to grab a snack?” he ever-so-warmly offered.

And as they walked side by side, everything went forgotten, and the next thing they knew, they were running back at that one place they had known all their life.