Cherryblossom Tree -- By Kenshiro

[Kenshiro-san]

She looked up at the tall cherryblossom tree. Her eyes were filled with emotion...


It was the first time she sat there with him. She didn't know if she liked him, but she knew he was her friend. She wanted him next to her, to stay and talk. She enjoyed her time spent with him. She wanted to tell him what she suspected she felt, but shyness was cruel with her.

Onward passed the days where she sat under the large cherryblossom tree, thinking and meditating, while sending messages to him. She loved to observe the flowing stream forming a river under the bridge. She adored the floating waterlilies and how they bloomed perfectly. And every time she neared the edge of the river, she felt his prescence near her again. As she walked around the city she learned many things about the tree. She loved its history, though some stories were too sad to bear. She loved hearing about the happily married couples...

But she knew he did not want her. She knew he wanted someone else... She saddened over time. Not knowing her own feelings she became sadder, and as she did each petal of each cherryblossom fell onto her lap slowly, as if the very wind and tree knew of her sorrow.

She hid these feelings, of course. There was no need for him to know. Days went by and she hinted some feelings... but she did not want to admit so.

After some time she began growing so sorrowful she cast Storm Gust in a way that the river would freeze... and she would tell of her luck by how the ice would appear in the surface.

One day, of course, she met up with an old friend. Old arguments rose, and she was hurt once more. She longed for a shoulder to cry on, someone to listen... but she could see no trace of her dear friend. Slowly she shuffled over to a beautiful lady and asked for her pet back. She bought an incubator and hatched her temporary friend. They walked back to the tree, which was now freeing many petals. The young girl stood and looked down at the river. Tears were streaming down her cheeks. She began to cast Storm Gust once more as her pet Setsu would speak encouraging words of curiosity. The girl stood quiet, focused on her spell, until she felt a motion in the wind. She looked behind her and she thought she saw her friend, ready to sit once more under the great tree. So tall and majestic he looked, that when the spell was finished casting a loud rumbling was heard as the ice struck inside a water lily for the first time, and as this happened, she gasped and sobbed, seeing her love disappear amongst the cherryblossom petals... a mere illusion.

Now she looked at the struck water lily. Tears were cascading down her cheeks. Her pet Setsu was now gone. She was at the skirt of the hill, staring down at the running stream. She looked at the heavy falchion on her hand. She slowly knelt upon the soft grass and gave a last prayer. The sword gave a glistening light in the now dark city. She cried more as she lifted it and began to bring it down...

A heavy thud was heard. The sword had fallen. The girl bent over and saw the reflection in the river. She looked behind her and her dear friend was there. He extended his hand. As she took it she could see he was no mere illusion... The young girl hugged her friend tightly. She wished to convey her feelings... She knew she liked him, maybe not love... but she did know she did like him quite a bit. He hugged her back and grabbed the falchion.

She wiped her tears away...


New tears were born in a while. Her dear friend was wanted, and she could hold him back no longer. The girl bid him farewell and looked at the falchion at her side... The mistake she had avoided... She did not convey her feelings yet... Should she? The girl saddened. She picked up the falchion and leaned against the great old cherryblossom tree as the petals fell once more...