Morbid

1

Third Person POV
As soon as the bus came to a stop Hanami hopped off and waved as the bus took off to the city once more. Hanami let out a loud sigh taking in the sight before her. Nothing has changed since I've been here Hanami thought with with a smile gracing her face. Hanami started dragging her suitcase through the village up to the temple. As she was walking many of the villagers stared and began to whisper as she passed by them." Isn't that Seishin's cousin?"," Oh what was her name? Hana, Hama, Hamani... Wait I believe it was Hanami", " I heard she made a living in the city posting videoes of her singing"," I heard she made a run for it when she found out she was arranged to marry the Doctor.", " Why would anyone run from Ozaki, he's such a handsome gentlmen and a Doctor at that, if my daughter was arranged to marry Ozaki we would have had the wedding that same week!".
Hanami blocked out all the whisperings and gossip after awhile, tried of hearing the rumors .
It was about past noon when Hanami made it to the temple's enternce. The enternce stood tall over Hanami, making her already short figure appear smaller then what it was. Hanami looked around trying to spot her cousin Seishin but had no luck. She walked a bit futher into the temple and found her aunt sweeping the pavement that lead to the shrine." Hello aunty, its so good to see you again!", Hanami said, embracing her aunt who welcomed her back with open arms." Oh my dear Hanami, how has the city life treated you, you lookk so different.", My aunt questioned me." It was great, had a nice small apartment in Hiroshima, but when I heard of uncle I knew I had to come home, even just for a little bit." I said." Well thats good to hear, Seishin will be so happy to see his favorite cousins again!", Hanami's aunt said, smilig as her beautiful eyes sparkerled, how she manged to stay so pretty even in the prime of her years always made the other villege ladies envious. Hanami chuckled and said" Aunty, I'm his only cousin.". Her aunt told her where she could find Seishin and warned her that he was in a meeting with some friends. Her then went on to tell her of the recent deaths in Sotoba. Death wasn't a very uncommon thing in the villege, but when someone so young dies, well its hardly heard of hear.
Hanami made her way to the room where Seishin was and stopped dead in her tracks as she heard a very fimilar husk voiced. Toshio was the only thought that came to Hanami's head. Hanami felt the color drain from her already pale face.
WHY IS HE HERE!!! Hanami's mind screamed. Hanami stood there, frozen, for what felt like hours but in reality was five minutes. She was taken out of her train of thought when the paneled door slide open to reveal Seishin, Toshio, and someone else she didn't recognize.
" Oh!? Hanami I didn't realize you'd be here today or else I would have gotten you from the bus stop. How was you trip?", Seishin asked his cousin who was still in shock. Hanami finally found her words and spoke to her cousin," it was fine, I took a plane from Hiroshima to Nagoya and the rest was a bus ride.". Hanami tried to keep focus on her cousin, but it was hard when a certain pair of piercing brown eyes bored into me. Seishin invited me into the room and tho Hanami wanted to make a run for it and catch the next bus out of here, she knew that it was no use, she can't keep running from her problems. Hanami sat by Seishin and Toshio sat across from them, the friend that was previously here had said his goodbyes a moment ago leaving just the three them." My, look at the three of us, just like old times.", Seishin said, trying to light the thick tension around them." Yeah, just like old times.", Toshio said in a voice that sounded like he could care less. Toshio took at a cigarette from his breast pocket and lit it." I thought you stopped smoking?", Hanami asked." Yeah, well when you leave for eleven years old habits die hard I guess.", Toshio said in a sardonyx tone.
Hanami was taken back by his harsh words and bitter tone, but she couldn't blame the man, after all she practically left the man at the altar. Seishin, once again feeling the tension in the room changed the subject." So Hanami, how was America?", Seishin asked." Oh, it was great! I loved going to Juilliard and traveling to California, Texas, Washington, Florida, God I miss Disney world!", Hanami said laughing. It felt for a moment that things were going good, but of course Toshio opened his mouth." Juilliard, isn't that the school you ran off to and left us for?", Toshio asked sarcastically." No Toshio, Juilliard is my dream school that gave me a full payed scholarship to attend, had you listened to me when we were younger you would have known that.", Hanami shot back. Seishin, realizing this was going no where decided to show his cousin where her room would be at." Well Toshio, I do believe its getting late and my family will be having dinner soon. I do believe we'll be meeting tomorrow at the clinic?", Seishin said." Yeah, see ya.", Toshio said blankly and left.
"Gosh, that asshole!", Hanami exclaimed. Seishin turned and gave his cousin a look of disapproval for saying such words in the Temple. He walked Hanami to paneled door and slid it open. Inside was a futon bed, dresser, desk, and a vanity with a small hair clip. Hanami rushed over to the hair clip and picked up, examining it." I remember this clip, but I just can't remember where I got it from.", Hanami said, studying the flower clip " I do believe Toshio go it to you on your fifthteenth birthday as a gift, he always said red complimented your hair.", Seishin said. Hanami rolled her eyes at the mention of Toshio's name and through the hair clip on the vanity." You know...", Seishin started," he was really torn up when you suddenly left, he just wasn't himself for longest.", Seishin said sitting at the desk. Hanami stood by the vanity and looked at the floor for a minute before speaking." He knew it was my dream to go to Juilliard, he knew how important it was to me and if he truly valued our relationship then he could have waited a few more years. Yes I broke off the engagement and yes, I did run away because we were arranged to be married anyway, I couldn't just call that off!", Hanami said, realizing at some point she had started yelling. Hanami took a deep breath and calmed herself before speaking again." After all, it didn't take him long to move on. I was a year and a half into school when I got the invitation from Toshio's mother to the wedding for him and kyoko.", Hanami finished bitterly. Before Seishin could say anything else Hanami quickly went on to say," look, it's been a while and while the sun is still up, I'm gonna go and look around Sotoba for a bit, be back in an hour or two.". Seishin sighed at his cousin's stubbornness but realized the hair clip was no longer on the vanity.
In The Village
Hanami walked around the village meeting old friends and meeting new people. She then ran into Ritsuko, an old friend she had in middle and high school." Hanami is that you?", Ritsuko asked." Ritsuko, oh my God yes it's me Hanami.", Hanami said hugging Ritsuko tightly. The two laughed and agreed to head into a cafe near by.
" Gosh what's it been, ten, eleven years?", Ritsuko asked." Actually eleven, so anything new going on?", Hanami asked." Well a family recently moved in to Kanemasa and Megumi Shimizu also recently passed away.", Ritsuko said her eyes lowering a bit. Hanami knew she had to be upset because Ritsuko became a nurse to help people, and Ritsuko never took to lightly when a patient died on her." So what do you know about this new family?", Hanami asked." Oh nothing much, just it's a married couple with a daughter.", Ritsuko said. Hanami nodded her head and took a sip out of her coffee." That's a very beautiful hair clip, where did you get it?", Ritsuko asked pointing at Hanami's head." Oh I got this from.... an old friend of mine.", Hanami said, struggling to find the right words. The two finished off their coffee and were ready to part ways when Ritsuko said," Be careful out there, to many people are dying these days. If you get come to the clinic immediately.".
Now dark and walking by herself, Hanami had time to think and process the day. She was still riled up from earlier but that talk with Ritsuko was nice. Hanami knew eventually she and Toshio had to sit and talk because she wasn't about to go out of her to avoid the man. While deep into thought, Hanami was completely unaware of her surroundings. It wasn't until she heard a rock get kicked that she whipped around to see behind her but was completely shocked to see no one around her. I forgot how creepy this village got at night Hanami thought to herself before continuing to walk. She got to the foot of the stairs that lead to the temple and sighed. It felt nice to be at the Temple, like nothing could hurt you here. Hanami entered the Temple house and was greeted by her aunt and cousin." How was your walk dear?", her aunt asked." It was great, I ran into Ritsuko and we got some coffee, she Informed of the current events happening in Sotoba.", Hanami said, sitting to eat dinner. The family eat in dead silence till they were done, Hanami's aunt got up to clean and go check on her husband, while Seishin went to his room to work on his new novel he told her about in his pervious letter. Hanami got and went to her to change for bed. After changing and carefully taking the clip out, Hanami settled into bed. Hanami felt drained of energy from the day and wished to just sleep, but sleep wasn't a friend tonight. All night Hanami tussled and turned but never felt at ease. She kept thinking about earlier when walking home, she felt eyes on her. Hanami was asleep for one second when an image of hollowed out eye flashed in her mind. Hanami shot up and rushed to turn on the lights. She was relieved to find her room to be empty but was still shaking. She walked over to her vanity and grabbed the clip, almost instantly she felt calm and could even out her breathing. Hanami sat at the desk knowing that sleep would not come to her tonight. Instead Hanami sat there and studied the clip, admiring the beauty of it. Hanami didn't realize she was crying till tear drops fell on the clip and desk. It was the right decision, it was a once in a lifetime opportunity, but why does it feel so wrong!!? Hanami thought miserably.
It wasn't until the sun rise did Hanami realize she had spent the whole night looking at the clip and second guessing her whole life. Hanami rosed from the desk and made her was to the door, needing coffee. As she sipped on her coffee and sat on the deck, Hanami began to think of a future that could have been if she went through and actually married Toshio. Deep in thought Hanami little by little began to lower herself on the deck and before she knew it, she was asleep.
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Hanami

Hair clip