The Secret Admirer

Chapter Five

The following day, you can't wait to visit Ainuwa in his clearing, where he greets you with a bemused tone.

"Seems someone is excited," he chuckles, and you blush.

"I may have found a solution to our problem," you say with a wild grin, and he tilts his head in question. "I got the idea when I was watching a movie last night, and there were these creatures who could move trees. What if you could move your tree to someplace like the yard of my house so we could spend more time together? It wouldn't be like going out on dates, and I know it's not the best idea, and it might not even work, but-" Ainuwa, raises a hand to stop your rambling, and fixes you with a look.

"Let me try to understand this," he says. "You want me to try and move my tree? And was I hearing things, or was that also an invitation to live with you, my dear?" 

Your cheeks burn at the question, and he chuckles. "Not that I'm complaining; I would accept in a heartbeat." 

He looks at the tree nearby, the branches still blooming. "However, I'm unsure if I would be capable of such a thing."

"You made all the trees in the grove bloom at once," you remind him. "You also gave me a branch that has grown to cover most of the ceiling of my downstairs. I believe... you have more power than you realize," you say, and he looks at you, blinking slowly, an astonished look on his face.

"With such inspirational words as those, how could I not try?" he says with a wink. 

He gently moves you behind him, making sure you were clear of the space around the tree. He looks at you seriously, and your heart hammers as his hands grip your shoulders. 

"Whatever happens, I need you safe. Please try to keep clear if you can, alright?" he waits until you nod, and then smiles. "Now let's see what I can do."

Ainuwa takes a few strides toward the tree, planting his feet firmly on the petal-strewn ground. He raises his hands out before him, fingers splayed wide. In a very slow, deliberate motion, he raises his hands, a fraction of an inch at a time. 

At first, nothing happens, and you begin to feel like an idiot for suggesting such a thing.

But just as you're about to call out to Ainuwa, you hear a muffled creaking sound, and suddenly the ground begins to rumble. You look at his broad back and see his muscles straining, his arms shaking in effort. You quickly cover your mouth, trying to keep from distracting him; you could only imagine how much concentration this was taking.

Suddenly, the tree begins to shift slightly, and the large, heavy roots around its base writhe slowly, like dozing snakes, and lift free of the soil they were buried in. The branches sway as the gigantic trunk tilts to one side, pulling roots free as though it were someone with their feet buried in sand at the beach. 

The gentle, ever-present snowfall of petals becomes more of a blizzard, and a strange breeze kicks up in the clearing, swirling around Ainuwa as he grunts at the strain. 

Just as the tree seems ready to march off on its own, he falls to one knee, panting, and the tree settles gently to the ground once more. You wait a moment before rushing over to Ainuwa, catching him as he falls sideways.

"That..." he gasps, "...was extremely difficult." 

You can feel him shaking in your arms as you hold him, and he smiles weakly. 

"But it was more than I ever believed I could do." His hand reaches up to brush your cheek, and he sighs. You shake your head in amazement.

"I wasn't sure anything was happening at first, but," you look over a the tree, perfectly still once more, its roots bare above the soil, "that was crazy. I just wish you wouldn't have pushed so hard the first time around," you scold him, and he laughs hoarsely.

"It was worth the effort," Ainuwa says, his breathing returning to normal. He sighs as he stares deep into your eyes. "After all, it was only because you believed in me that I even tried. I don't think I could have done so without your confidence," he adds, and you smile as you blush.

"At any rate," you say, glancing at the tree once more, "what now?" 

Ainuwa sits up slowly, following your gaze as he stands and helps you to your feet.

"I believe that once I rest, I'll be able to move it wherever I would like to be," he says with a smile. "I am unsure of when I might feel rested enough to try again, however, and it's beginning to get dark," he says, glancing at the sky. 

With a start, you realize that it had somehow been hours since you'd arrived.

"It's this late already?"

He nods and comes over to you, holding you tightly as he nuzzles your hair. "Go home and rest, my dear love. We shall be together before you know it." 

He smiles down at you, his dark teeth shining in the evening light, and your heart pounds as you nod. You're reluctant to leave, but you knew he needed rest, and that you couldn't stay. You keep glancing back at him until the clearing is lost to a curve in the trail, and sigh.

You head home, everything you'd just witnessed spinning in your mind. 

You find it difficult to sleep that night, the sight of the tree lifting from the soil playing over and over in your mind. You kept thinking you were hearing the sound of the branches whispering, and creaking coming from outside, but dismissed it as your imagination. 

Finally, well after midnight, you finally fall asleep.

The next morning, you slip on your robe and head downstairs, idly wondering as you wake up if Ainuwa had enough strength to deliver the love notes as he always did. 

He'd continued leaving them for you to find ever since that first secret admirer note. The branches that grew inside your home were laden with them, and they made you feel so loved every time you glanced at them. 

As you reach the landing, you see that there was, in fact, another note there, and you giggle in joy and relief as you open it to read it.

"Go outside. -A"

You frown, wondering. This wasn't his usual sweet missive, and even though it was very clear, it was also a bit cryptic. You shake you head, trying to clear off your drowsiness as you set it aside and open the front door. 

The sound of tiny chiming bells, thousands of them, greets you as the door swings wide.

And there, standing beneath a massive, blooming cherry tree, was a tall masculine figure in a grey suit. Your mouth falls open with a shriek as you leap off the porch into his arms. He laughs as he spins you around, the sound absolutely music to your ears. 

Your eyes prickle with tears as he squeezes you close, his heart beating just as hard as yours as you kiss him over and over.

As he sets you on your feet, he smiles down at you, catching one of the beautiful pink flowers from the air and slipping it behind your ear.

"Good morning, my love," Ainuwa says with a grin. "for now and forever."