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“I told them to tell you anything. Anything to keep you away from me. I didn’t want you to come after me and wind up getting hurt by those Akamura guys. Those guys- they know your face. They don’t like my brothers or me and if they see you with me, they’ll come after you too. Just like they did with Hachi’s sister. I’m sorry; it was the only way I’d know you would be okay. And I wanted to see you again because I couldn’t stand being away from you. I couldn’t stop thinking-.” I couldn’t hold in my tears. Not because I’m a crybaby, but because he was so sweet. He went through all this trouble-knowing we would be away from each other-just to keep me safe. And I only came here to tell him off. I felt awful for thinking bad of him. And I most certainly didn’t want him to see me cry.
“U-um, I should be getting home now, it’s really late and we have school tomorrow.” I turned around and started walking home.
“S-Sakura?”
“Yeah?”
“I thought I promised you I would never make you cry again.” I guess I didn’t walk very far, because when I turned around Haru hugged me and held me there under the tree, tightly. It took me by surprise.
“Haru, I’m sorry!” The sound of my voice startled me. I’ve never heard my self sound like this before.
“It’s all right. And I’m sorry I was gone for so long. But I’m glad I’m here with you now. Oh, there’s something I wanted to show you!” We climbed up the cherry tree and Haru got to the top so easily. Not a scratch was on him and his hair wasn’t even messed up. Me on the other hand, branches wee poking into my sides and the leaves a petals were getting stuck in my hair. I got to the top and Haru was already waiting there for me, staring at me with those soft eyes I wanted to see for so long. He had that same smile and that same black hair, glowing against the blossoms.
“What do you keep looking at!?” I was getting pretty annoyed. Since the day we met, he always seemed to be staring at me. I didn’t get what he saw in me. Compared to Yuri-Chan, she was a beautiful flower in bloom and I was a wilted petal. I wouldn’t be surprised if he was interested in Yuri.
“Oh, it’s nothing. I can always tell you later. Do you see those two bright stars? It’s Kengyu and Orihime.”
“Wow, really? Oh, the story of Tanabata… I love that story. But I thought we could only see them in July. That’s so weird. Thank you for showing me Kengyu… and…Orihime. So you want to be and astrologer?” I turned to him and smiled. I’d never been so happy.
“Um, Sakura I think you mean astronomer. Yeah, that’s what I want to be when I grow up. Um…” He was smiling at me when he said that, but then he just stared at me again. I wanted to tell him to stop staring at me, but it never got out of my mouth.
He kissed me. This time there was more to it and different than the first. It was tender yet it seemed stronger, less awkward, like he was claiming my heart. I felt myself slowly slipping off the thick branch of the tree little by little and my arms went around his neck to hold on. I guess he took it as something else, like I was agreeable to this kiss, because he held me and squeezed me tighter, keeping me from slipping. It was amazing how he was strong enough to keep me from slipping and hold himself up in the tree at the same time. I knew it was getting really late, so I pushed him away.
“Haru, I really have to get home now.” I didn’t want to leave, but I had to get home before father woke up. He usually got ready to go to work around four-thirty. It wasn’t long from now.
“Will you meet me somewhere again tomorrow night?”
“Haru, I can’t.”
“Yeah you can. You got out tonight, didn’t you?”
“It’s too big a risk. If I don’t get my grades up, my dad is going to make me transfer schools.”
“I’d risk anything for you, Sakura.”
But I meant risky for me, not for him. Father would never forgive me if he caught me sneaking out like this-to meet a guy, especially Haru Takei. I would definitely transfer to another school. But I heard myself say, “Where?”
 Chifuni · Thu Jul 26, 2007 @ 03:47am · 2 Comments |
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