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.
It was a lovely night and the moon seemed as if it would fall on the earth.
In spite of its lustrous glow, the lanterns in the city had been lit for the Tanabata festival.
Sei –san as I had now grown to call him, was sitting on the back porch having chased away his men.
He leaned against one of the wooden pillars lost in thoughts.
His clothes were fresh which meant he had just been in the bath a while back.
I set the tray of refreshments I held between us and settled down opposite him.
His expression softened as he sipped the cup of tea I placed in his hand.
"I was rash in my actions, the thought of losing you has brought me to my senses," he remarked in a morose tone.
I dreaded the next few words.
"I don't want to leave" I insisted.
He pulled me into his arms to comfort me.
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We sat in silence as the weight of what would eventually happen hung over our heads.
I never thought I would envy Orihime and Hikiboshi who met only once a year.
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Epilogue
Shui bumped against the bookcase.
She had finally mustered the will to clean her room.
It was a few months since the spring when she had last spoken to her mother.
A leather-bound diary descended with a thud on her head.
Her eyes widened when she recognized the scrawny writing and she flipped through the pages, her teeth clenched in anticipation:
"I watched Sei-san as he slowly walked down the road, his broad shoulders drooped a little-that was the only sign that showed he shared my wretchedness.
Our instinct as parents to ensure our child's survival trumped our longing for the fragile happiness we derived from living together.
If I had ignored reason;
And paid heed to only my heart,
I would have never heard it again."
And thus her mother's diary ended.
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Beneath it she found a stack of letters with awkward, rough handwriting.
It was carefully preserved but had smudges of ink and what appeared to tears.
She hesitated for a moment, tempted to read them but stifled her urges.
I will not let my parents' efforts to keep me safe come to naught, she thought to herself.
She caught her reflection in the mirror and found a strand of sakura stuck in her hair.
It was the time of year that her mother loved.
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