The crystal rose has bloomed...
She walked towards the forest. Her hands clasped together as she attentively looked at her surroundings.
"Haku..." came her soft silent voice. She stopped on a clearing and approached a flower that stood alone on the ground, its petals shining as the rays of the sun touched its crystal surface. She knelt down and looked at it. Too many memories are kept here in this little flower. At last, she chose to pick it and held it to her chest.
"Aya-chan..." she heard a silent voice said from behind her. His soft, soothing voice became melancholy and sentimental. She softly looked at him. The mask was on his endearing face. She stood up as her face became pale.
"Where are you going?" she asked, her heart beating fastly. Something was wrong. She felt it. Sadness filled her heart. Why? Why was she feeling like this? She felt uncertain for some reason. Her tears gracefully fell down to her cheeks. Haku approached her and raised his hand to wipe her tears.
"I have to go, Aya-chan. Nakanaide. It'll only make me sad." he whispered soothingly but she didn't stop. She looked at him and slowly placed her hand on his mask and removed it from his face, revealing his beautiful face. His eyes were glittering in sadness. She felt his cheek and he touched her soft hand that was on his cheek.
"Aya-chan, aishiteru," he said reassuringly. She cried even more and engulfed him into a hug. His hands slowly sliding at her back as he returned the hug.
"Ikanaide...onegai" she pleaded to him.
"Stay with me..."
He stayed quiet and slowly pulled her away.
"Zabuza-san needs me. I have to help him,"
he reasoned instead. He picked the flower from her hands and puts it behind her ear. This made him smile. A bitter smile.
"Doushite? Doushite? Is he more important to you than me?"
He didn't answer and instead held her hands.
"I love you with all my heart. And I'll always be there to protect you," he leaned forward and their lips met. She automatically stopped crying and slowly closed her eyes as she felt the feeling.
After a while, he pulled away and wore his mask back to his face.
"Sayonara, watashi itooshii Aya." he said before walking away.
And there it was again. She felt scared again. While watching him walk away, she felt as if he was leaving her. Leaving from her life...
Stop him,
A distance voice tells her but she didn't make any move to stop him. His long black hair flew with the wind.
"Haku..." came his name from her lips.
She ran towards him and tried to reach him.
"Haku! Matte! Kimi wo- Kimi wo-!"
Suddenly, the wind blew everywhere as it surrounded him, almost knocking her off her feet. And when everything has calmed down, she looked at the place he was standing at before. But he wasn't there anymore. She held her chest and prayed for his safety. Then looking at the sky, she continued the sentence that she failed to complete.
"Aishiteru,"
The crystal rose has shattered into pieces. But one petal survived. Two lives must be sacrificed.
Aya stayed at the forest as she waited for Haku. The wind felt cold and the clouds were dark. Her heart was still pounding very fast. She felt terribly scared and worried for him. She looked at the precious rose that she treasured most. From Haku...
