Liebestraum (Kurama X OC)

Chapter 30: Coda (Or, a section of music indicating the end is approaching)

"Sounds good."

To the right was a hallway, and Asuka flitted down the corridor. There was a galley kitchen and beyond that, a bathroom and two bedrooms.

"I think this place is perfect," Asuka said after she had peaked into every room and closet. "It's large enough to feel spacious, but not big enough to where you've lost yourself in it. Too bad it would be wasted on out-of-town guests."

Kurama chuckled. "Do you want to go upstairs?"

Asuka was already ahead of him. She was so excited that she nearly took two steps at a time. When she reached the top she realized the space was much wider than it appeared from the main floor.

Hmmm...an office space, maybe?

The double-doors to the outside had curtains which were drawn, so she pushed down on the handle to see what was on the other side.

Asuka stopped.

The rooftop wasn't bare like she thought it would be. Instead, it had already been transformed into a garden.

A rose garden.

Her hands started shaking. Behind her Kurama whispered, "keep going."

The roses closest to the door were a bright yellow, then they shifted to orange, then red the further she got in. The path followed the rectangle shape of the rooftop which maximized its flow. Then path then turned inward like a maze and in it's center were roses that had a deep purple hue. They surrounded a single grey outdoor couch.

"This...." Asuka's voice trailed. This looked almost exactly like the rose garden where she met Kurama's soul.

"Sit please, Asuka," he murmured.

She did as he asked, overwhelmed. When she looked up at Kurama, she saw his emotions begin to overflow. His wide, emerald eyes misted over as he stared at her, and her heart fluttered. He took a seed out of his hair, closed his eyes, and brought it to life.

It was the same rose as the ones that directly surrounded them. He gave it to her.

She smelled it and was hit by a fragrance of sunshine and rain. Of happiness and delight. The pedals were a spiral pattern and were a rich, royal purple.

"Kurama," she whispered, "this flower is from my dreams. I've...always wished it could exist. This is definitely my favorite flower."

"I've been cultivating it for you," he said kneeling in front of her.

She burst into tears.

"Asuka, once I showed you a representation of my fused soul on a piece of paper. This garden represents the deepest part of me, but with one crucial addition." His jaw trembled as he looked directly into her eyes. "I love you, and that love has fundamentally changed me. If someone were to examine my soul, I'm sure that at its very center, they would find you. I feel as though you've become an integral part of me."

The implications of what Kurama said were almost unfathomable. When she met him in that rose garden, his soul had shown his deep, unwavering love for her which had existed even then.

He had subconsciously brought her to his most sacred place because that part of him had already decided she belonged there. The thought was almost more than she could handle.

Asuka's heart beat violently which made her feel dizzy. She exhaled, and tried to calm herself.

He closed his eyes for a brief moment. "When I first met you, I was content and naïve in my assessment of myself. I thought I would never feel this way about anyone. Truthfully, I didn't want to. But now that you're here Asuka, I know how wrong I was. Loving you, and being loved by you is something I need. You are by far the best thing that's ever happened to me. You know me, and because of that, I find I know myself so much better.