Under the Cherry Blossom Tree (Rewritten in Seasons of Time)

Midsummer confession

In every life

There is a person you can never forget

No matter how much you try

They are a part of life

That you can never let go

And it all started on that fateful spring

It's been one week since the fireworks festival. One week since I met Chieko again. One week since I found that Ryuu has been infected with an illness. One week has past and our separation comes ever closer.

I stare blankly at the sunset colored sky. The clouds float freely, they flow with the wind. Carefree with no attachments, happily moving oh so freely. I envy them. For I am a tree firmly rooted to the earth. I can never stray from my path. Attached to one that will leave me alone. Oh how time is cruel! To take away my one and only happiness.

The Fates are merciless. What have I done to deserve this? Is it my punishment for daring to fall in love?

I should hate him. I should rid myself of this sorrowful attachment, so I may not hurt myself. But... I... I just cannot. I love him. I love him! I realized that I love him, even though humans and spirits can never be together. A tear slowly falls and drops to the earth. A warm hand gently brushes the tears away from my face. I slowly looked to the side to find Ryuu with a sad expression on his face.

My eyes widened at the sight of him. My arms clasp around his neck bringing him close to an embrace. I could feel his body tense up for a moment but then it quickly relaxes. I feel him wrap his arms around my waist pulling me to a hug as well.

"What is wrong Chiharu?" He muttered. "You have been acting weirdly ever since the fireworks festival. You know how I can't bear to see you sad."

I burrow my head into his right shoulder. I stay quiet, deciding on what I should tell him. I slowly lift up my head, with one hand pushing my strawberry blonde hair away from my face.

I take a breath, I wonder how this will go. "Ryuu... I don't know when, and I don't know how but..." I close my eyes and breath some more. "Ryuu, I think.... I think that I'm in love with you."

I did it. I confessed, I told him that I love him. Ryuu was still. He did not move, he did not speak. This continued for a little while until i felt him hold me tighter.

"Do you mean it Chiharu? Do you really love me?" He asked. I simply nodded, and said 'yes' again and again. He then leans forward a bit until his lips was close to my ear.

"I love you to Chiharu." He whispered. His breath tickled my ear, his voice rang clear as a bell. His words resonated to my soul. I was... How do I put it into words.

I was amazed? No that's not it.

I was ecstatic? No.

I felt thankful? That's not it either.

I was happy? Yes, that's it.

I was happy. Simply happy. I had no need for extravagant words to express how I feel. Just like our confessions of love to each other, it was short, sweet, and simple. We did not pledge our eternal and undying love and loyalty to one another, because even without them the feelings remain.

No need for gifts, or fateful moments. No sweeping declaration, no sappy romantic moment is needed for us. Just a simple, straight out 'I love you' is all that we need to say to each other. Nothing less. That's is all that we needed and wanted from each other.

Suddenly Ryuu picked me off the ground and started twirling around. The breeze felt nice as we spun, our hair flowing, our joyous laughter carrying off into the heavens. All of my sadness and confusion from before dissipated before our confessions. I was the happiest I have ever been in my entire life.

Ryuu slowly came to a stop. He still held me up in the air, his smile was gorgeous, it was the most wonderful thing I have ever seen. He sets me down until my feet touch the soft earth. I gazed at him, and him at me. Our faces slowly inched closer and closer until our lips met. We kissed, I wrapped my arms around his neck never breaking apart from each other for fear of the spell being broken.

The branches from my sakura tree swayed, as if overjoyed by the touching moment. The breeze blew, my strawberry blonde hair swayed with it. The clouds dispersed revealing a rare sight. It was as if the gods celebrated our love by showering the evening sky with stars. We parted our lips, breaking the trance to look at the stars. It was beautiful.

I felt Ryuu's strong arms encase me in an embrace, I leaned back to his chest, engraving this special moment into my heart, mind and soul for all eternity. We didn't expect this to be something like a sappy romance story, but I didn't care. It was our moment, and our love.

We continued to stand and stare at the sky, his chin rested on my head, and I held his hands.

"Kokoro no sokokara aishiteru Chiharu." He whispered affectionately. I replied with a small kiss or his cheek. I saw his cheeks turn to a light shade of pink. I smiled.

Now, instead of cursing time I am grateful for it. With out time, we would have never met, and I would never have known this feeling of love. I watched with my one and only love as the twilight sky slowly faded to night.

Translation.....

Kokoro no sokokara aishiteru : I love you from the bottom of my heart