Sakurasou

🌸 Chapter Four

William Tomlins always loved paintings. He could paint his own, but he likes looking at the other's better. He's fallen for paintings all his life, but never even once he had for a girl. "No lady can ever be more beautiful than these paintings.", he always thought.

One day, he went to another exhibit held at England. A painting of an old house caught his attention. "So beautiful, yet so sad." He whispered as he stared at the painting. William turned to look at this blonde girl standing just beside him. "Just like her...", the boy said as he fixed his gaze at the girl's face.

The blonde girl, who stood beside him, was Rita. She heard the boy and wondered what he possibly meant. So she turned and faced him. Their eyes met for the first time.

Rita took a short look at him. White color perfectly covered his brown hair. He's got Ice Blue eyes. He was wearing a dark blue polo that matched well with his brown trousers. "Quite cute.", Rita thought to herself, but the thought made her shook her head. Did she just check him out?

"No. Rita. Please, it's a big no.", she reminded herself. She was already in love with Ryuu. Why would she even look at this random guy? That's just a crime--much to her exaggeration. She looked down with her face covered with embarrassment. Then, she heard the boy say something.

William whispered to himself, "So beautiful, yet so sad... Just like this girl." What did he mean by that? An answer barely came out the moment he walked closer to Rita. "What made you sad? No. Who made you sad?", he asked blankly. Not thinking that it would make the situation awkward.

Rita looked up, and stared at the boy. "How do you know I'm sad?", she replied. "No. I mean, what makes you think that?", she added upon realizing what her response meant. William looked at her seriously. Rita took a step back. Then words came out from his slightly parted lips. "Because you just are. Now, will you answer my first question?"

Stunned. Rita wasn't able to reply. William noticed it, and realized that maybe he could have gone a bit too far. He wasn't in the right place to ask an innocent girl about those things. Plus, he was a total stranger to her.

Filled with embarrassment, he distanced himself a bit from her.

"I..uhh..sorry. Didn't mean to harm you or anything. Was just curious. You had this happy face and all, but your eyes tell everything. Like it denies all the mask you were wearing. Telling me that behind that smile of yours, there hides the sadness. Oops! Here I go again. I should stop now. Sorry. Again. Sincerely sorry.", he said.

Finally recovered from what happened after hearing him out, Rita walked closer to talk to him and whispered, "Its..umm..fine. I was just surprised and a bit confused, yes. I didn't know someone could really look through my smile. Yes, I admit. I AM sad. For lots of reasons, I guess. I was always told that I look beautiful. However, this was the very first time someone has ever told me that I look sad. That I am sad. And it stung. Really because its true. Okay..uhh..you're a quite...nice guy. Thanks? For asking or seeing through. I don't know." She ended it with a weak laugh to ease the tension.

William went back to looking at the painting and asked:

"Did you paint this one? I must say. You two are very much alike."

"Yes. I guess, you're right. Painting reflects the painter's true feelings, eh?"

"Yes. That is true.", William said as he looked at his watch, and his faced turned gray as he checked the time.

"I have to go. Still have plans for today. Can I at least know your name, if that's alright?"

"It's Rita. Rita Ainsworth. And yours is?"

"William Tomlins. Sorry. Really have to go. Thanks. And bye."

The boy waved goodbye to her before running towards the exit door.

"What a strange boy. He was a bit cool though. Okay, moving on...", she thought to herself as she began looking at the other paintings.