Emerald Leaf

The Pied Piper

And two days later, I headed to Akina's grave. I don't know why I came here; I think I just wanted to see whether the tree had started growing yet. It must be lonely for her after all.

I stood by the grave and sighed softly. There was no tree yet, at least not as far as I could see.

"Aki." I heard a familiar voice call.

I spun around to see Haru and Hajime walking over to me. "What are you two doing here?"

"Is what I could also ask you," said Haru. He looked over to the grave. "I suppose it's never a wrong time to visit a loved one's grave."

Hajime nudged Haru and then walked away, heading to the entrance, leaving me wondering what that was about.

"Where's he going?" I asked, watching Hajime leave.

"Who knows," Hajime sighed. He sat beside the grave and looked up at me, gesturing for me to join him, to which I obliged. "There's something I wanted to show you."

I gave him a questioning glance as he pulled a paper out of his pocket and handed it to me. I raised an eyebrow as I read through it. My eyes went to the end of the letter first; the letter was from Akina, written in a child's scrawl. As I read through it, I realized I was right–Akina was a changeling.

"There's something I need to tell you too," I said to Haru, fidgeting with my hands.

Haru nodded and watched me, as I told him the same story I had told Shun a few days ago. Haru didn't interrupt either.

"I've met you before, haven't I?"

"I wonder, my memories of things that happened before I met Sumire are still hazy."

"You told me that my fairy sister had died, almost two years after her death."

"Wow, I used to be so blunt."

"I didn't understand you then, but I get it now." Haru ruffled my hair. "So I've found my long lost sister."

"I've found my long lost family."

Haru and I stared at the sky for a while, before Haru spoke again. "Aki Yayoi. My name is yours too." He then looked at me and smiled, "I think I have a lot to explain to our mom."

I smiled. Our mom.

Haru asked, "So, what were you doing here?"

"Fairies turn into plants after they die. I was wondering if Akina would too."

"You can talk to plants? Is that how you got the tree to break your fall?"

I shrugged. "I didn't ask it to, it just did."

"Is Akina here?"

I was about to say no, when–

Yes.

I looked around, searching for the source of the voice. My eyes landed on a small sapling, two centimetres tall with just two leaves. Did it just sprout?

"There," I said, looking at the plant.

"A sakura," Haru said, following my eyes and smiling. "How befitting of her name."

I could feel the plant smiling, as her leaves waved in the wind.

"I'd like to talk to her."

I stood up and brushed off my dress. "Feel free. I'll be somewhere... over there," I said, vaguely gesturing to the entrance. I watched as Haru walked over to the sapling, as I walked away.

Hajime came back, with a pink rose in hand. I held out a hand to stop him.

"Hmm?" he asked.

"Haru's talking to Akina."