Akihiro sat underneath the apricot

Akihiro sat underneath the apricot tree, enjoying all of the beauty and smells of spring time. It was a bright evening. The moon was hovering in the starless night sky, and its beams were passing through the gaps of the flowers of the apricots, washing everything in an enthralling and magical glow. Paper lanterns were hung on the branches of the trees to add elucidation to the ground of the Daigoji Temple.

Watching and marvelling the beauty of the flowers of the apricots was Akihiro’s favourite way of letting the time pass as inevitable as the flow of the water of the river to the sea. They never failed in making him caught his breath with awe and pleasure. He stood up and ran his fingers all over his kimono to tidy his appearance again. He closed his eyes and breathe in, loving the serene feeling he devours every time he was standing under the canopy of the apricot trees. He opened his eyes and released a fulfilling sigh.

Nothing could ever surpass the beauty of the apricots, he thought.

The newly blossomed apricots were swaying as the crisp wind of February blew in whirls. They were like long drapes hung over an open window. As the petals cascaded through the wind from the dancing trees, Akihiro reached his hand, palm up, and caught a single petal. It was the colour of the sky when the sun kisses the sea during sunset.

“Aren’t they just breathtakingly beautiful?” a voice of a lady behind Akihiro said and he almost jump in surprise for he did not notice somebody came behind him.

He turned to his back and held his breath as he stared of such beauty that instantaneously held his heart captive. Standing in front of him was a lady around his age. She got deep brown eyes, and as he stared at them, he feels like being lured. He felt like the world had seemed stopped running around him. Her lips were as rosy pink as her cheeks, like they were still in the grasps of the winter chill. Akihiro wanted more than anything to touch and caress them. She was wearing a kimono a pale hue of crimson. Her hair billowed with the wind, and Akihiro thought for a moment he might like to run his fingers in delight over her hair. She looked at him, and for a moment, he felt like his heart was going to jump out of his chest as she smiled at him a bewitching smile. Ethereal. He finally found something that surpassed the beauty of the apricots, only she wasn’t a thing.

“May I have the pleasure of knowing your name, my dear lady?” he said, and curtsied.

“Sakura.” She said, and handed him a beautiful pink flower. “My name is Sakura.”

Akihiro stared at the beautiful and velvety pink flower that was rested in the palm of his hand. Its petals were elliptical and as pink as her cheeks and lips. Never did he ever see that flower before. A flower that, like Sakura, was far more beautiful than the apricot’s. He looked up. His mouth gaped as he realized that Sakura was gone. He let his gaze travel around him, to the trees and to the bushes, but she was nowhere in sight.

Sakura. He kept on thinking about her as he lied that night to sleep. Sakura, he kept on muttering under his breath, loving the feeling of her name on his lips although it made nothing to fill the huge gaping hole of longing he felt for her in his heart. That was a night full of thoughts about her, and Akihiro was oblivious that the sleep was lurking around until it claimed him.

The next days after the night of their meeting, Akihiro had searched for Sakura. He’d gone back into the temple and onto the ground that was packed with people. But she’s nowhere to find. He had searched everywhere, high and low, but it seemed Sakura was refusing to reappear again. He’s hopeless, searching for a lady he barely knew. He almost give up until one day, he finally found her.

Akihiro was getting into a caving stone archway that led to the ground of the temple. In the distance, he could see the people were gathering on the grounds. Others were already settled underneath the apricot trees, eating and drinking, and children were running and playing. The apricots were in full bloom now, and its flowers were like flames decorated all over the tree. Despite the distress he was feeling, his lips curved into a weak and tired smile. But that smile was ephemeral, for it turned into a hopeful smile as his gaze darted into a single pink flower that lied peacefully on the grass. It was the same flower that Sakura had given him the night they met.

“She is here,” he said in a whisper, picking the flower from the embrace of the grass. He went half-running to the ground, unable to suppress his excitement of the thought that he had a chance of seeing Sakura again.

Akihiro found her sitting on the edge of the fountain, running her fingers in its water and humming a very enchanting lullaby. She was staring at a tree that I’d never seen grow; bear fruits or leaves or flowers before. It was the only unattractive and distracting thing among all of the beauty there was in the temple’s ground.

“Isn’t it very distracting?” Akihiro said the moment he was standing beside her. Sakura didn’t even flinch or cringe in surprise. But instead, she gave him a puzzled look when she looked at him. “I mean the tree. It’s out of place here in this beautiful ground. How unfortunate. It should be cut down and make firewood.”

Sakura shook her head before turning to look at the tree. Then she stood up beside Akihiro.

“It’s beautiful. Just because it doesn’t have leaves and flowers and fruits doesn’t mean it’s unsightly. We must look inside and deeper because sometimes, what we see with our eyes is deceiving. Some beauties are hidden. Just like this tree.” She said. She slowly walked towards the tree and Akihiro followed behind her. She stopped a few feet away from the tree’s trunk. She reached up her hand and pressed her palm on the trunk, and then closed her eyes. “Feel it.”

Akihiro did the same. He pressed his palm just beside Sakura’s, and reluctantly closed his eyes, feeling foolish. Akihiro was stunned, for he felt like the tree was shuddering by his palm. It seemed like it had its own heart and was pulsating and beating. They took their hands away, which left Akihiro in a bewildering moment.

“Did you feel it, Akihiro?” Sakura asked, smiling at him. Her hair was ornamented with those beautiful pink flowers. He reproduced the one he got from the grass and tucked it back on her hair, where it truly belonged.

“Yes. It was shuddering however that happened. Or maybe it was just my imagination.” He replied, shrugging his shoulders.

“Maybe,” she said and started walking off.

“Sakura, how did you know my name?”

“The people said you have searched for me. Have you?”

“Yes. I mean…uh … It’s just that…” he stammered.

He stopped struggling to find some words to say when Sakura held his hand, and entwined her fingers with his. “Then I will stay and never leave you again.”

That was the spring time when their love started growing in their hearts. Akihiro never dreamed that the day would come he’ll find a lady that would capture his heart. All of those days that he was just chasing down a daydream; all of those days that he was living in a blur have come to an end. For there came Sakura who made his life clearer than a crystal.

Summer time came, and the two became inseparable. The love they felt for each other had bloomed, emanating a fragrant that nothing could ever be compared. Autumn came, when the flowers were starting to wilt and leaves were starting to fell off from their branches, yet their love had never wilted nor fell off from their hearts. It was still entrenched in there, irremovable, for forever.

But when the snow of the winter had just started to fall, Sakura was tainted with a terrible sickness. She was constantly visited by a high fever, and sometimes she was retching blood if not through her nose. Akihiro was very anxious, for he didn’t know what to do. His heart was being tortured and tormented every time he heard Sakura groan in pain. He dreamed that if only he could take away her pain, he would ache herself just for her. But he can not. And he didn’t know what to do about her. He was sorrowful every time he played in his mind what Sakura had said to him one night that she’s destined to die on the time of the winter solstice. He knew she could be strange some times. But he chose not to believe her. He cannot lose her.

Hasil (Bahasa Indonesia) 1:

Akihiro duduk di bawah pohon aprikot, menikmati semua keindahan dan aroma musim semi waktu. Itu adalah malam yang cerah. Bulan melayang-layang di langit malam KKR, dan balok yang sedang melewati celah-celah bunga aprikot, mencuci semua cahaya memikat dan magis. Lampion digantung di cabang-cabang pohon untuk menambahkan penjelasan ke tanah Daigoji Kaabah.Menonton dan mengagumi keindahan bunga-bunga aprikot adalah cara favorit Akihiro's membiarkan waktu berlalu sebagai tak terelakkan sebagai aliran air dari Sungai ke laut. Mereka tidak pernah gagal dalam membuat dia menangkap napas dengan kekaguman dan kesenangan. Dia berdiri dan berlari jarinya seluruh nya kimono untuk membereskan penampilannya lagi. Dia memejamkan mata dan menghirup, mencintai perasaan tenang ia memakan setiap kali dia sedang berdiri di bawah kanopi pohon aprikot. Dia membuka matanya dan dirilis mendesah memuaskan.Tidak pernah bisa melampaui keindahan aprikot, pikirnya.Aprikot baru kemekaran yang bergoyang seperti angin segar Februari meniup di whirls. Mereka adalah seperti tirai panjang yang tergantung di atas jendela yang terbuka. Seperti kelopak cascaded melalui angin dari pohon menari, Akihiro mencapai tangan-Nya, kelapa, dan menangkap satu kelopak. Itu warna langit ketika matahari ciuman laut saat matahari terbenam."Tidak mereka hanya biasa indah?" suara seorang wanita di belakang Akihiro berkata dan ia hampir melompat dalam kejutan karena ia tidak melihat seseorang datang belakangnya.Dia menoleh ke punggungnya dan diadakan napas saat ia menatap keindahan seperti itu seketika tertawan dalam hatinya. Berdiri di depan dia adalah seorang wanita di sekitar usianya. Dia punya mata cokelat yang mendalam, dan karena Ia menatap mereka, dia merasa seperti sedang terpikat. Dia merasa seperti dunia tampak berhenti berjalan di sekelilingnya. Bibirnya adalah sebagai pink cerah sebagai pipi, seperti mereka masih dalam grasps musim dingin dingin. Akihiro ingin lebih dari apa pun untuk menyentuh dan membelai mereka. Ia mengenakan kimono hue pucat Crimson. Rambutnya billowed dengan angin, dan Akihiro berpikir saat ia mungkin ingin menjalankan jari-jarinya dengan gembira atas rambutnya. Dia memandang dia, dan untuk beberapa saat, ia merasa seperti hatinya akan melompat keluar dari dada seperti Dia tersenyum padanya senyum menyihir. Halus. Dia akhirnya menemukan sesuatu yang melampaui keindahan aprikot, hanya dia tidak satu."Mungkin saya memiliki kesenangan untuk mengetahui nama Anda, my dear lady?" katanya, dan curtsied."Sakura." Dia berkata, dan menyerahkan bunga merah muda yang indah. "Nama saya adalah Sakura."Akihiro menatap bunga indah dan beludru merah muda yang hinggap di telapak tangannya. Kelopak yang adalah elips dan sebagai merah muda sebagai pipi dan bibir. Pernah dia pernah melihat bunga itu sebelumnya. Sebuah bunga yang, seperti Sakura, adalah jauh lebih indah dari aprikot. Dia mendongak. Mulutnya menganga ketika ia menyadari bahwa Sakura sudah pergi. Ia membiarkan tatapan perjalanan di sekelilingnya, pohon-pohon dan semak-semak, tapi dia tak terlihat.Sakura. Dia terus di berpikir tentang dirinya saat ia berbohong malam itu tidur. Sakura, dia terus di bergumam pelan, mencintai perasaan namanya di bibirnya meskipun itu membuat apa-apa untuk mengisi lubang menganga besar kerinduan dia merasa dia di dalam hatinya. Itu adalah malam penuh pikiran tentang dirinya, dan Akihiro adalah menyadari bahwa tidur yang mengintai di sekitar sampai itu menyatakan dirinya.Hari berikutnya setelah malam pertemuan mereka, Akihiro telah mencari Sakura. Ia sudah kembali ke Kuil dan ke tanah yang dipenuhi dengan orang-orang. Tapi dia adalah tempat untuk menemukan. Dia telah mencari di mana-mana, tinggi dan rendah, tapi sepertinya Sakura menolak untuk muncul kembali lagi. Dia putus asa, mencari seorang wanita yang ia hampir tidak tahu. Dia hampir menyerah sampai satu hari, ia akhirnya menemukan dirinya.Akihiro memasuki caving archway batu yang mengarah ke tanah Bait Suci. Di kejauhan, ia bisa melihat orang-orang yang berkumpul di taman. Orang lain sudah menetap di bawah pohon-pohon aprikot, makan dan minum, dan anak yang berjalan dan bermain. Aprikot di mekar penuh sekarang, dan bunga yang seperti api yang dihiasi seluruh pohon. Meskipun penderitaan ia merasa, bibirnya melengkung ke dalam senyum yang lemah dan lelah. Tetapi senyum fana, untuk itu berubah menjadi senyum berharap seperti tatapan kecilpun menjadi satu bunga merah muda yang berbohong damai di rumput. Itu sama bunga yang Sakura telah memberinya malam mereka bertemu."Dia adalah di sini," katanya dengan berbisik, memetik bunga dari merangkul dari rumput. Ia pergi setengah berjalan ke tanah, mampu menekan kegembiraan berpikir bahwa ia memiliki kesempatan untuk melihat Sakura lagi.Akihiro menemukan dia duduk di tepi air mancur, menjalankan jari-jarinya di air dan bersenandung lullaby sangat mempesona. Dia sedang menatap pohon yang aku belum pernah melihat tumbuh; beruang buah atau daun atau bunga sebelum. Itu adalah hal yang hanya tidak menarik dan mengganggu antara semua keindahan yang ada di Candi tanah."Bukankah itu sangat mengganggu?" Akihiro mengatakan saat dia sedang berdiri di sampingnya. Sakura bahkan tidak menyentak atau merasa ngeri di surprise. Tetapi sebaliknya, dia memberi dia bingung ketika dia memandangnya. "Maksudku pohon. Hal ini dari tempat di sini di tanah yang indah ini. Bagaimana Malang. Ini seharusnya mengurangi secara dan membuat kayu bakar."Sakura menggelengkan kepalanya sebelum berbalik untuk melihat pohon. Kemudian dia berdiri disamping Akihiro."Itu indah. Hanya karena itu tidak memiliki daun dan bunga dan buah-buahan tidak berarti sangat sedap dipandang. Kita harus melihat di dalam dan lebih dalam karena kadang-kadang, apa yang kita lihat dengan mata kita menipu. Beberapa keindahan yang tersembunyi. Seperti pohon ini." Katanya. Ia perlahan-lahan berjalan menuju pohon dan Akihiro diikuti di belakangnya. Dia berhenti beberapa meter dari batang pohon. Dia mencapai naik tangannya dan menekan telapak pada batang, dan kemudian ditutup matanya. "Merasa."Akihiro melakukan hal yang sama. Ia menekan telapak tangannya tepat di samping Sakura dan enggan ditutup matanya, merasa bodoh. Akihiro terpana, karena ia merasa seperti pohon gemetar oleh telapak tangannya. Itu tampak seperti itu sendiri jantung dan berdenyut dan mengalahkan. Mereka mengambil tangan mereka, yang meninggalkan Akihiro dalam sekejap membingungkan."Apakah Anda merasa itu, Akihiro?" Sakura bertanya, tersenyum padanya. Rambutnya dihiasi dengan bunga-bunga merah muda yang indah. Ia direproduksi yang ia dapatkan dari rumput dan terselip di rambutnya, mana itu benar-benar milik."Ya. Itu gemetar namun yang terjadi. Atau mungkin itu hanya imajinasi saya." Dia menjawab, mengangkat bahu bahu."Mungkin," ia berkata dan mulai berjalan."Sakura, Bagaimana Apakah Anda tahu nama saya?""Orang-orang mengatakan Anda telah mencari saya. Pernahkah Anda?""Ya. Maksudku... eh... Ini adalah hanya itu..."ia terbata.Dia berhenti berjuang untuk menemukan beberapa kata-kata untuk mengatakan Kapan Sakura memegang tangannya dan terjalin jarinya dengan. "Maka saya akan tinggal dan tidak pernah meninggalkan Anda lagi."Itu adalah musim semi waktu ketika cinta mereka mulai bertumbuh dalam hati mereka. Akihiro tidak pernah bermimpi bahwa hari akan datang dia akan menemukan seorang wanita yang akan menangkap hati-Nya. Semua hari-hari yang dia hanya mengejar turun berkhayal; Semua hari-hari yang dia tinggal di kabur telah datang ke sebuah akhir. Karena ada datang Sakura yang membuat hidupnya lebih jelas daripada sebuah kristal.Waktu musim panas datang, dan keduanya menjadi tak terpisahkan. Cinta yang mereka rasakan saling telah mekar, memancar wangi yang tidak pernah dapat dibandingkan. Musim gugur datang, ketika bunga mulai layu dan daun mulai jatuh dari cabang-cabang mereka, namun cinta mereka telah pernah layu dan tidak jatuh dari hati mereka. Itu masih tertanam di sana, irremovable, untuk selamanya.Tapi ketika salju musim dingin baru saja mulai jatuh, Sakura itu dinodai dengan sebuah penyakit yang mengerikan. Dia terus-menerus dikunjungi oleh demam tinggi, dan kadang-kadang dia retching darah jika tidak melalui hidung. Akihiro adalah sangat cemas, karena ia tidak tahu apa yang harus dilakukan. Hatinya sedang disiksa dan tersiksa setiap kali dia mendengar Sakura mengerang kesakitan. Ia bermimpi bahwa jika hanya dia dapat menghapuskan rasa sakitnya, ia akan sakit sendiri hanya untuk dirinya. Tapi dia tidak bisa. Dan dia tidak tahu apa yang harus dilakukan tentang dirinya. Dia adalah sedih setiap kali ia bermain dalam pikirannya apa Sakura telah berkata kepadanya satu malam yang dia telah ditentukan untuk mati pada saat musim dingin solstice. Dia tahu dia bisa aneh beberapa kali. Tetapi ia memilih untuk tidak percaya padanya. Ia tidak kehilangan dirinya.