Flower of Death

Sakura is a girl who lives in a small village called Shirakawa. She is a pure child and live with her grandparents since her parents is busy with work outstation. She's 18 and just finished school. She always wanted to go the big wide city in Tokyo. Since she finished school,she asked permission for her grandparents to find a job in Tokyo. Fortunately,she can. At night,she packed her things and stuffs in a luggage.

The next morning

"Goodbye! I'll see you soon." She said while waving at her grandparents. They're like a parent to her. They named her Murasaki Sakura in the meaning of purple sakura as her appearance. Pretty lavender hair color, beautiful grape eye color with natural pink lips.

"Take care, Sakura-chan." The old man replied while waving hand weakly.

She takes the train just in time. In 2 hours,she finally arrived. Just as she thought,it was big and wide. Tokyo is one of the most popular city among the world. She began her journey by looking around for jobs until it's evening. It was tiring and she was about to give up and go home.

Suddenly,she saw a small cafe alongside the streets. She went inside the cafe to find a few workers cleaning the cafe. She went to the person on the counter asking if there is a blank occupation she could do there.

"Excuse me." She said to the male at the counter.

"Yes,can I help you?" That male asked.

"I'm here to find a job. Is there any job unoccupied here?" said her wisely.

"Ahh..There is,there is. Can I see your resume?"

"Y-yes. Sure." Sakura replied handing him the resume she brought in the file.

"Murasaki Sakura..Okay then,you can start working here tomorrow. I'll explain the rest to you later since we're about to close by now." Said him with a bright face.

"Great to work with you,Sakura-san" said him offering his hand for a shake. Sakura offered her hand too while looking at the name tag on the male's apron.

"Great to work with you too,Tsubaki-senpai."

It's been a week since Sakura moves there. She works as usual making friends with the workers there. Yuri and Katsumi is her bestfriend while Yukio Kenji the blue-haired boy has a crush on her since the first day. He often bother her during work hours asking for a date. Sakura would reject him every single day because she doesn't have any feeling for anyone yet. She doesn't feel like loving someone. Sakura only came to Tokyo in the first place to work and make money. Once a week,she would call her grandparents telling them that she's doing fine in Tokyo.

That one senpai she respect the most as her senior is Haruka Tsubaki. As her thought,Tsubaki does mean a camellia flower in japanese. His hair is red so it does represent red camellia which symbolize love,passion and deep desire.

[What a beautiful name he has.]

Sakura really loves spring season as she love to see all kind of flower blooms back in hometown. She'll wait for spring season to come every year.

"Sakura-san."

Sakura turned her head to see who's calling for her. She saw her senior and quickly went to him.

"Yes,senpai."

"Sweep the floor,please. I'll go take an order for the customers." Said him giving the female a broom and left.

[Why does she have to be so pretty? Just seeing her everyday warmed my heart.]

Little does she know,Tsubaki have a feelings for her. He felt lovely just by staring at her doing the work. The feeling of loving someone always in his heart but this girl makes it different. He love her but was scared to confess. [Maybe one day I should confess to her. Just not now.]

Going back into reality he's done with his work. They just need to clean the cafe and go home. Tsubaki and Sakura washing the dishes together but just in silence. Tsubaki try to get closer to her everytime he can cause it makes him feel comfortable.

[But just who am I to be with her.]

By the time they were about to finish,Yukio that flirty boy came to Sakura hugging her all of a sudden.

"Hey..Wanna go out with me tonight?"

"How many times should I tell you,no."

Sakura replied tiredly as Tsubaki just standing there ignoring everything.

"Just for tonight,alright?" He whined.

"If you promise not to bother me after this,I'll go. Just for tonight."

[What the hell. Did she just agree to go out with that boy? What is she thinking. What if something bad happen?] Tsubaki thought after hearing their conversation. When they all finished cleaning and closed the cafe,he looked at both of them as they walked together heading to somewhere for a date. He sighed and followed them from behind.

[I somehow feel uneasy about this. I know I shouldn't bother their date but I'm just scared Yukio would do something bad to her or something else.]

Tsubaki followed them until they entered a restaurant. He sits on the table behind them. Yukio starts drinking some alcohol while Sakura just sits there silently. Yukio's cheek already burned red. Seems like he's drunk.

"Why aren't you say anything,babygirl? Huh?"

"You're drunk,Yukio-kun. I probably should go home by now." She stands up. As she were about to walk away,Yukio grab her hand harshly pulling her to him. Tsubaki couldn't stand anymore. He went to their table and grab Yukio's hair as hard as possible.

"Let go of her now." Said him until he let go of her hand. Tsubaki take Sakura out of the restaurant leaving Yukio and some shocked strangers.

"Are you alright, Sakura-san?" He asked concernly.

[Maybe it's the time for me to be manly I guess.] He thought to himself almost blushing.

"Yes, I'm alright. Thank you,senpai."

"You should go home by now. It's getting late. I'll walk you home." He offered himself to help the girl.

"Uhm..sure." The girl replied.

They started walking home together. Tsubaki felt relieved he was there in time to help her. That was his fortunate. After 5 minutes of silence,Tsubaki started the conversation.

"So..where are you from? You just moved here,right?"

"Shirakawa. That small village. It's far I know."

"Woah..that village is quite far from here. Why did you come here all the way from there?" He asked more.

"Just as you see,I'm working. I also want to celebrate spring season for the first time here." She explained to him.

"That's why your name represent spring!"

"But your name represents flower too. Red camellia." Said her while staring at Tsubaki.

"Yeah, you're right. But people used to make fun of my name saying that 'flower boy', 'flower of death' and stuffs."

"Flower boy isn't a bad thing. They just don't understand every meaning flower has."

[God. I love her.] Slightly blushing.

After a while,their destination finally arrived.

"Thank you so much,Tsubaki-senpai."

"You know,you can call me Tsubaki-kun..that senpai thing makes us feel like stranger."

"Sure,Tsubaki-kun."

She enters her house feeling tired. She was asleep by the time she put herself into bed comfortably. The next morning she wake up,dress up as always,head to the cafe. She saw Tsubaki and was about to greet him. She realized Tsubaki look a little pale and tired. She went towards him and greet him.

"Good morning, Tsubaki-kun."

"Ah. Good morning, Sakura."

"Are you okay? You look pale and sick."

"Yes, I'm alright. Just don't get enough sleep."

Just by the way Tsubaki told her that he's fine. He probably lied. He was not okay since last night. When he went home after sending Sakura,he cough unstoppably. He's tired but couldn't sleep well last night.

"You also need to take care of yourself. Luckily that bastard didn't come to work today." He said as he coughed a little.

"Okay,then. Get enough rest!" She happily said then walked away.

It was a long tiring day for Tsubaki. He felt weak and sick but he still didn't go to hospital thinking it's just a common cold. After their cafe is closed,he walked home. He coughed all day that he felt really drowsy. As he was walking home,he couldn't stop coughing. He covered his mouth and take a look at his palm to find it was covered in blood and flower petals. He felt something was wrong. Instead of going home,he head to the nearby hospital. The doctor made some experiment on him and asks him a few questions about his symptoms. The doctor then explained what's going on him.

"So..sir,you have a hanahaki disease. A disease that rarely happen to someone."

"What kind of disease is that? Is it bad?"

"Mind if I ask you a bit?"

"Sure. Go on."

"Are you in love with someone?"

"To be honest,yes.."

"This happens when the victim experiencing 'one sided love'. This disease can be cured through surgical removal,but when the infection is removed,the victim's love feeling will dissapear."

After the explanation given by the doctor,Tsubaki stayed silence.

"Are there any other way?"

"It ends if the love being returned by each other. If not,the victim will die."

"I- I refuse to do the surgery."

"Okay then.. it's fine. Come here if the symptoms get worse, I'll see what I can help you."

Tsubaki then went home thinking about what the doctor told him just now. He couldn't sleep well. After a week,he didn't go to work. For no reason,Sakura got a bad feeling about him. He was a like a big brother to her. On Friday after work,he went to Tsubaki's house to check on him. She asked Yuri for Tsubaki's address and went there. She knocked on the main door multiple times. The door was answered revealing Tsubaki looking like a mess. His face is pale and his red hair is messy. She requested him for a walk at a nearby lake. Although it was getting late,Tsubaki didn't refuse. They sit on a branch. Sakura is the one who started the talk instead of Tsubaki this time.

"Why didn't you go to work? It's been a week."

"I'm just not feeling well these days. I'm fine."

"Are you sure?"

"I'm alright. So, how's you been doing?"

[Totally he's changing the topic.] Sakura thought.

"I'm fine. Just lonely."

"..you'll get used to it." Tsubaki said a little quiet.

"What?" Sakura asked in confuse.

They were staring at the lake in silence. Tsubaki knew he will die eventually. He can't do anything about it. He can't force Sakura to love him back. Instead,he just keep silence.

"It's weird since spring hasn't come. It's the end of March. I hope I'll be spending that time with someone I love." said her looking at the sky.

[I wish it was me.]

All of a sudden,Tsubaki coughed. Sakura look at him patting his back.

"Do you need water?"

Tsubaki kept coughing until he throws up. Sakura was shocked in place after she saw Tsubaki throws up flowers. It scares her.

Tsubaki then feel so weak and fainted.

"Tsubaki-kun."

"Tsubaki-kun! Wake up."

She then carried him on her back going to the hospital. Using all her energy,she ran and ran as fast as she can. The sky is already dark but somehow beautiful. The reflects the water made with the sky is shining the view.

On the way,Tsubaki wake up finding himself on Sakura's back who is running.

"Sakura-san."

Sakura heard a weak voice on her left ear and quickly stopped running. Tsubaki get down of her looking with blood that spitted out his mouth earlier. There were some petals within his mouth. He speaks out.

"I'm fine." He said looking at Sakura. Sakura knows he is definitely not fine. She looks at him with teary eyes.

"Why don't you tell me? You have hanahaki?!"

"I'm sorry..I just can't."

"Let's get you to the hospital! You need treatment!"

"I refused and I'm not turning back."

"What are you thinking? You might die!"

"It's fine if I die seeing my love as my last view."

"What..who is it? It's not me right?" Sakura said tears breaking down one by one.

"It's you. You're my first and last."

Sakura cried her heart out hugging Tsubaki tight. She don't wanna let go.

"It's alright. Look. The spring is always here for you." Said him pointing at a tree. Sakura flowers begin to bloom little by little as Tsubaki felt tight in his chest. The flowers is growing in his chest too.

"Don't die on me."

"I just want you to know..that no one can beat your beauty in any way. You're the most beautiful person I've ever seen." Tsubaki confessed almost whispering. He hugged her back with one hand.

Tsubaki know he will die in any seconds. It was like he was drowning in a deep ocean. He couldn't breathe or asked for help. He accepted his death like he's about to.

Eyes closed shut and whisper to the girl's ear.

"I love you, Sakura-san."

Sakura feel heaviness on her body. She breaks the hug and take a look on Tsubaki. Not breathing and his tears within his closed eyes.

"T-tsubaki- Tsubaki-kun! Tsubaki!!"

She cried as tears falling down her cheek non stop. She placed the boy on the ground as sakura flowers begin to fall down. Wind delivering the flowers on them.

[He sacrifice himself for the spring I hoped for. I'm sorry I didn't love you way earlier. Thank you. For bringing the spring. You're the person I loved who I want to spent time with during spring.Thank you. I love you too.]

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