The Sunflower Of Parting Regrets

As you thrust the final striped seed into the soft earth, you look up at me, your bright black eyes shining.

"By a few months, my favorite sunflowers will begin to blossom again. We'll look at it together, won't we?"

You smile softly at me. I smile merrily back in response and your strong arm comes to rest on my shoulder as we stare into the amber coloured horizon.

......................

She stared painfully at the bright red letter that she clutched in her trembling hand. Cold drops of rain began slowly descending down from the dark skies, and so did small tears fall from her eyes, leaving dark blotches on the paper.

The cheerful smile on his lips faded away quickly when he saw her frail figure fall down.

Abandoning the black umbrella he held, he rushed up to her side. Lifting her thin frame up, he looked at the face that had been turned down towards the ground. When he saw the crimson card she was holding, he sighed slowly. He pressed his finger under her cheek and made her face him. Crystalline drops trickled down her face.

A small smile made its way to his lips.

"Don't cry, my dear "he said gently. "If I can do anything to protect our future, I should do it, shouldn't I? We want this war to be ended. I'll definitely come back, for your sake. When I'll be back, everything will be peaceful." He smiled hopefully at her.

She nodded in disagreement. Despondently, she whispered quietly to him under the pouring rain, "Please don't go..."

...

"Don't go! Don't go leaving me behind. Please."

She cried into his shirt futilely, and he softly patted her back, trying to calm her down. She continued to cry, soaking the dark fabric of his dress.

"I have to, dear. I will come back", he said again, stroking her hair affectionately.

"Please don't go. You are everything I have. I don't want a future without you! Please stay here" she shouted again, her voice full of pain and agony.

The sound of her broken sobs and the patter of falling raindrops echoed in the dark room. Small saplings swayed in wind outside the house as pellucid droplets settled on their green leaves.

"Please stay with me..." her feeble voice trailed off.

......................

"I'll be back", you tell me with a happy smile illuminating your face. Your mature black orbs still hold the twinkle in them, like they always do. But, I don't want you to comfort me with that lie.

"I'll be back."

You know how untrue it is yourself and yet, yet you manage so easily to tell it to me in the way you do. The words bring back a horrible memory into my mind. It is the reason why we were orphaned, the reason why were left all alone, with just each other for support. It is the reason I don't want you to go. I don't want to lose whatever is remaining in my life.

I don't want to lose you.

"Please don't go."

I plead to you once again, but you just smile at me softly and caress my wet cheek, before you mutter the dreaded words in answer to my fruitless cries, for about the millionth time.

"I have to, Rin."

......................

Picking up the khaki uniform, that was kept neatly folded on the floor, she looked at it sadly. She brought it up to her face, and laid her pale cheek upon it.