The Sun That Kissed The Flower

You Found Me

Kira had found the perfect spot in the park to sit and enjoy listening to her music... it was underneath a large oak tree that had wide, beautiful green leaves dancing back and forth with the breeze.

It was finally spring and close to her graduation...

She smiled while lifting her hands up to block a stream of sunlight that was escaping through the cracks of the branches above...

"There you are..." Kira turned to her right and saw an exhausted Ren sitting next to her. Kira took out one of her headphones and looked at him curiously.

"You found me..." Kira smiled while hugging her legs to her chest.

"You told me you were sitting by a tree... do you know how many trees there are in a park?" Ren started using his hand to cool his face down while sitting down. Kira looked over at him tenderly and smiled. She then took the headphone she took out from her ear and placed it in his ear. He stared at her a little surprised.

She stared at him while the first half of Ben E. King's "Stand By Me" continued playing... Ren reached over to hold onto her hand while smiling at her. The two of them stared at one another for a moment longer before looking out at the park... while the wind swept across their cheeks and the sun shone through the leaves from time to time...

After the song ended, Kira turned around and leaned her head against the tree. When the music suddenly cut off she sat up and looked at her device but nothing was wrong with it. She checked the jack and pulled it in and out. Ren then took off the headphone and noticed that it might be them.

"Let me buy you a new pair..."

"I can get another one eventually, it's alright..."

"Then how will we listen to music together until then?" Kira smirked and then suddenly stood up and extended her hand towards him. He held onto her hand and he lifted himself up. She grabbed her bag and the two of them started walking side by side together...

After arriving at a record store Ren spotted a pair. Kira put them down.

"They're way too expensive... these one's will do..."

"Just this once..." Ren spoke softly while Kira bit her lower lip.

"No..." she replied gently while he smiled at her response. He leaned in to hug her waist a little  and she leaned backwards to try and shake him off. After a few more minutes of convincing her as to why she needed these specific headphones, Kira slowly leaned in towards Ren and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Let me buy you one..." he repeated and then added: "I want you to remember me... each time you use these you can think of me..." Kira laughed gently and then lightly punched his arm.

"I'll always remember you. I don't need a pair of headphone as a reminder silly."

"I think it would be nice..."

"Be serious..."

"Then... think of it... like a symbol of our love?"

"Headphones... a symbol of our love?" Kira replied skeptically.

"Why not? It's a bit unconventional but... they'll be here for you like me..." Kira couldn't help but smile until her face hurt.

"I give up... you're way too much..." Ren smiled a little before taking the headphones to the cash register... after the two of them left the store, Kira put the new headphones into her device. She put one of the headphones into his ears and they listened to music together on their way to the harbour...

***

Ren exhaled a little while bringing his hands up to his face. It was like a fog had been lifted, as though the storm had cleared and his mind was now in the present.

While Ren laid on the ground in his office he briefly looked up at the grey dull-ish looking ceiling. He thought about the past again... from the time he bought her the headphones to replace her broken one's. Knowing about her tomato allergy. To her preference when it comes to chopping vegetables finely. To what she used to say whenever they got caught in the rain: "it would be a pity not to enjoy the rain while it lasts."

Kira was deeply embedded in his mind. His memories of her were as fresh as they were yesterday. He could remember her touch no matter how many years passed. He could remember the way she looked away every time she was embarrassed. He could remember the times she kissed him or the times they... everything about their love was locked into his heart...

But for Kira... he was someone she didn't remember.

Ren brought his hands to his face again. He let tears trickle from his eyes uncontrollably.

How could he not know about what she went through? How could he just assume she left him? And not understand her circumstances?

This was a lot more complicated than he initially thought...

He was trapped in the past, but more than anything, he was caught in the mystery of the past untold. And he was sure if he learned anymore or opened up this pandora box then... he feared Kira would be hurt even further... he wanted to know what led up to the accident and her memory loss...

He couldn't stop thinking about the times he wasn't there for her rather than the times that he was because... her accident was too terribly tragic...

Ren wanted to drown into nothingness for a period of time... to not think... to rise again after and find Kira and hold onto her again... telling her that he won't ever let anyone hurt her again...

Ren continued to lie on the ground until sunrise. He wondered what he could possibly do next...

After another hour of pondering he sat up, feeling a little dizzy. He placed his hand firmly on the ground to steady himself, almost bumping into the little sunflower plant he had placed beside him... it was the gift she had given him during their second meeting...

He reached out to hold onto it once again and pressed it closely to his chest. Near his heart...

"I'm... I'm sorry..." Ren bowed his head slightly and moments later let out more sighs and shouts of agony. Soon he was screaming and smacking the ground with his free hands...

All he felt now was pathetic... all these years he unilaterally thought she had left but he too had been 'gone,' and he had left her life... even if not by choice.

What happened to Kira? 

Ren kept thinking over and over again: was there something he was kept in the dark for for some reason... and that haunted him greatly... he was even more determined now to find out what happened and who caused the accident.

He suddenly thought of Hannah and wondered just why she couldn't tell him since she knew they were dating... the more he thought about it, the more agonizing and complicated he felt in his heart... as gutted as he was while realizing the depth of their separation.... 12 years have truly passed by.

But there was one year that changed everything and made those 12 years very lonely and tragic...

Ren stood up and staggered a little. He brought the plant over to his desk again and gripped the side of the table a little more determined.

Now wasn't the time to hesitate... soon, by getting a little more closer to her he could understand...