The amazing imagination of a romantic at heart keeps her sane through the monotony of life. That is till her life is thrown into disarray by events beyond her imagination.
"Don't you get bored of watching me sleep," I asked him.
"I'm just surprised that someone can sleep so peacefully," he remarked.
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He took me outside that day, to watch the cherry blossoms.
I threw a bunch of petals in the air trying to ignore his imposing presence.
Suddenly we heard gunshots ring through the air, two arms roughly pushed me towards a gap in the shrubbery.
I saw his figure rush towards the direction of the sound.
The sky drew darker and it began to rain.
It was perhaps god send, I could finally escape .
After peeking for sign of humans and finding none, I slowly crept out of my hiding.
I ran as fast as I could stifling the urge to look back.
The path we had taken earlier was muddy and I stumbled a couple of times.
I soon found myself at the residential area near the riverbank.
The street was desolate. I thought this was my chance to escape but I felt my heart get upset.
I wondered what had happened to Ashinaga san.
I couldn't stop myself from remembering our wedding and the eyes I woke up to every morning.
I was married, there was no way I could go back.
I would have to divorce him and the thought of it made me emotional.
I had clung to the sentiments that a marriage lasts a lifetime.
I felt my eyes blur and I crouched by the pavement.
The rain drenched me but I welcomed the cold to help me distract from my thoughts.
I lowered my gaze and closed my eyes to listen to the raindrops.
I remembered a haiku I had written-
Rain:Ushering memories of my hometown,
Non-existent sidewalks ergo hopscotch to work
Sport-shoes to my mother's chagrin.
How relevant had it seemed then, but now it made no sense.
My mother had passed on, I no longer had a job and visiting my hometown was redundant as what it contained was an empty house that could no longer be called home.
Then where was home, my dingy one bedroom apartment with its paper thin walls, I thought with disdain.
"Do you like catching colds as a hobby ," a familiar baritone cleaved through my musings.
The rain drops stopped tumbling on me as I looked at Ashinaga who was smiling inspite of the fatigue and worry that tensed up his forehead.
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His breathing was heavy and he had a slight limp.
I gently held onto his sleeve as we trudged home.
Home is where the heart is and I couldn't forever trump the warm feeling that spread through me because of him.
I had been afraid that I was delusional and that he had forced me to be with him against my will.
But he had maintained boundaries and not touched me, I had only seen worry and kindness towards me.
I would not trust him yet, but I would give him a chance to prove it, I thought to myself.
