It was a peaceful wintery night, and the glow of the moon which drifted in and out of the clouds, casted its’ light upon two figures sitting by the sakura tree. It was an exceptionally beautiful scenery, and had they been still of the naïve age of seven, they would’ve instantly played tag under the winter night sky, their nimble soles crushing against the white snow.
But things change; people change, and the two leaned by the tree’s trunk in silence, uncertain of what to say to the other.
“Is something bothering you, Sakura-sama?”
A chilly breeze blew upon them.
“Otou’s different. He’s no longer the loving father I used to know,” Sakura replied bluntly. “And don’t call me Sakura-sama. It’s annoying really.”
“But…”
“It’s an order. Not a request. No…make it a wish. And since it’s a wish, shouldn’t you fulfill it for me?” her eyes clouded. “Remember? You keep telling me that when we were young. That you’d grant my every wish, because—”
“—because I live to serve the Kinomoto family,” Syaoran interrupted.
“That’s not it at all!”
“It is now. Sakura, wake up. Don’t you get it yet? Why your okaa and otou don’t want to hang out with me?”
Sakura fell silent., before a tiny “Oh…” then escaped her barely parted lips. She then brought her knees closer to her chest, hugging them. “Eh…I really don’t know much about what’s going on…but I’m sure of one thing—that I missed you so much Syaoran. I missed the times when we were still playing out in the fields,” she said in a hoarse whisper, her voice shaky as if crying. And she was actually. She just didn’t want Syaoran to know.
But her long time friend knows her too well. “You’re crying…”
“No I’m not…” she sniffed.
“I’m not stupid Sakura. I’ve been your friend for eleven years.”
Sakura.
He had called her Sakura, and the girl couldn’t help but melt at the thought. But now was not the time for that, and it took her a few moments before she responded, clearly at a loss of words.
“I…I…”
“Tell me…what’s wrong Sakura…”
“I don’t know. I’m just…scared…”
“Scared of what?”
“About us Syaoran…” she wiped her tears, refusing to meet his concerned gaze. “About what’s going to happen to us…”
Silence.
“I’m feeling cold Syaoran…Promise me that you’ll never leave…”
The boy’s eyes widened at her unlikely request. “W-what?”
“Promise me that you’ll never leave me…I…I’m really scared Syaoran…” she wiped her tears. “Please…don’t leave me…”
Syaoran breathed in the cool air. “I promise Sakura.”
.
.
.
“I’ll never leave you…”
With this said, Sakura leaned on him and sobbed silently, yet bitterly on his chest.
But the worst was yet to come…
…and his promise, to be broken.
“Go home. Your parents are probably looking for you already…”
“Will I see you again tomorrow?”
“…We’ll see…”
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...
