Fleeting

[Fleeting] 

The annual spring festival was ablaze with merriment. Young children dashed like lightning in between the crowds, pushing people out of the way and shrieking with joy as they raced each other to the many booths lining the sidewalk of Cherry Street. 

I smiled at the sight, remembering how I, too, had enjoyed the festival. Back then, I had been naive and ignorant at what was around me. The feeling of liberation had been incredible. For just one day, I could do anything I wanted. I could forget about school, forget about housework, heck, I could even forget about my frusturating love life. 

I continued walking down the street, basking in the festival lights and the sounds that made the spring festival, well, the spring festival. Pink and white lanterns shaped like cherry blossoms ornamented every booth. Everyone was wearing yukatas and kimonos in every color imaginable. The occasional sound of wooden clogs hitting the cement was heard above the cacophony of the crowd.

Clop. Clop. Clop.

I turned a corner and admired the stalls. One showed off a row of candied apples. The brown, sugar syrup formed a sticky veil over the fruit on display. "Candy apples are on sale!" the owner shouted. 

I pondered on whether to buy one or not, but decided to move on. The booth next to the candy apple one hosted a large water tub full of baby turtles. The women behind it waved paper nets in her hand. "Buy a net and catch a turtle as a pet!" she yelled. Children crowded around her, oohing and ahhing as the minature turtles swam in the tub many times larger than themselves.   

Soon, I reached the end of the street, but rather than turn around and walk back, I slipped into the forest on the right and climbed up a winding path. I pushed away loose branches and carefully walked over protruding roots, making sure that they didn't get caught in my pink kimono. It was decorated with red cherry blossoms, the same pattern I wore every year. 

I reached the end of the path. Separating the bushes that blocked the opening, I crawled out and stepped onto a clearing. It looked just like it did every year, only more livelier and bursting with color. 

The clearing was a rich green, as the grass had rose up recently to greet the spring sun. Patches of pink, yellow, purple, and white flowers formed a quilt-like pattern on the grass. The ivory moon cast a dark, eerie shadow over everything, but that added a sense of mystery.

I walked towards the middle of the clearing, where a cherry tree hosting hundreds of tiny cherry blossoms stood proudly. I looked up at them and smiled when I reached the foot of the tree. Then I leaned against the trunk and slid down to sit on the grass. 

As soon as I was comfortable, I closed my eyes and sighed. The wind ruffled through my hair. I reached up and made sure that my cherry blossom hair ornament didn't fall off. It was essential that I wear it today.

As I rested, I heard a small ruffle. I quickly opened my eyes and looked about.

"Up here."

I looked up. Sitting nonchalantly on a branch with a smirk on his face was a boy in his late teens. His brown hair flew softly in the wind and his dark eyes pierced my own. I knew those eyes; I could recognize them anywhere. My face brightened up with joy as a wide smile crossed my face. 

"Ren!"

The boy jumped down deftly in front of me. He reached out a hand. 

"I'm here, like always. Get up."

I slowly took his hand and pulled myself to my feet. As soon as I did, I felt my breath get knocked out of me as Ren pulled me into a tight embrace.