"What a strange thing! 

to be alive 

beneath cherry blossoms." 

she repeated those words that seemed to never leave her. It was always on her mind from the day she saw a weirdly beautiful dream. It wasn't a first thing for her to be associated with cherry blossoms since her name literally meant the same. Having a name as a beautiful flower made her so happy from the moment she got to know the meaning of her name which is Sakura. If anything she was so right about her life then that was this dream. She was so sure that it wasn't a mere dream. Sakura clearly remembers little details when she can't quite get to know who she saw in her dream. If it's not some incredibly handsome model, who could be that? She imagined all the people she can think of, all the celebrities included in place of that person but nothing quite made any sense. Not that anything was making any sense from the beginning. But may be for once she could trust this feeling she was feeling which was so fragile and delicate like the beautiful pink petals embracing the whole place. Something in that air was different.

 

Sakura packed her bags as she once again remembered the dream she always seemed to keep close to her heart but never shared with anyone. She checked if she took everything she needed. Her passport, phone, drawing book, camera, travel guide and her heart that was beating and longing for answers. A part of her was laughing at herself for what she was about to do but she could get the answers she wants now. Either it's that or she could have the most needed vacation from her busy life. She couldn't sleep at all because she was going to Japan, a foreign place which apparently was going to look all beautiful since its spring and a certain five-petaled flower was going to be all over the country, not only gracing ones eyes but also warmed millions of hearts as they made them pause everything for a minute to stare at this beauty from their busy life. 

 

Streets were full since it was a weekend. Families were gathered around, children's were playing, people came with their dates and it was indeed a beautiful sight. It hasn't been so long that she landed in this foreign country. After taking a quick nap, Sakura decided to take a stroll through the streets. 

 

 Even though it's her first time, she did her researches before so she know where to go without any help. Especially took her time to draw the dream she saw in her book. As far as she can remember, which is does so clearly. 

 

Who could have guessed that Sakura will be walking the streets of Japan in search of something or someone just because of her dream? But then something pulled her to where she is now. Thinking about all these still give her the chills but the fact that she didn't paid attention on the road in front of her was may be her greatest mistake of all the time since a cycle came and bumped into her. 

 

Everything could have been so prefect before this but this has to happen. But when she looked up, the cycle was gone. Thankfully, she wasn't hurt at all. She was about to curse but then a pink petal fell and it touched her lap. So she looked up and saw beautiful cherry blossoms. It was a scenery that she never wanted to forget. This one was different. This one felt different and it felt almost the same as when she had the dream. She saw the country wrapped up in cherry blossoms from the moment she put step but this one felt different. So she just looked up and enjoyed the view till someone tapped her to ask if she wanted help to stand up, which she gratefully took and later thanked that stranger who was so sweet enough to help her. She didn't want anymore accidents. So she decided to go back to her hotel. 

 

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Wrapped up in layers of clothes, a beautiful basket in front, the small faced man paddled his bicycle with all the strength he has since he was late. The mountains were beautiful since it was all covered in snow. Through the small road he was hurrying, when suddenly everything changed and he accidentally hit a girl. He stopped. When he looked back, there was no one.

 

" Stop seeing things. You are going crazy. How could a girl be here when there is practically no one will walks these roads that too in this cold" He scolded himself. 

 

He wouldn't be so surprised if nothing followed after. But he was wrong. From the exact spot where he was looking at, a pink colored petal came from almost nothing. He would have fainted if he hadn't hold himself properly. But this wasn't any time he could waste for some illusion when he was expected at him home. So he carefully took the petal and placed it safely inside the basket and rushed in the freezing cold towards his home. 

 

Large metal gates opened welcoming the young and good looking man who was rushing towards it. Not that his face was visible but only one person in this place would cycle in this freezing cold and they know who would that be. Without much delay the cycle ran past the guards towards the entrance and entered the big walls that was showing a really picturesque place which he called his home. As he entered, the familiar warmth and comfort of his home wrapped him which he loved so much. 

 

He loved his home not only because he was the prince and still allowed him to stroll through the country like a normal guy but also because of how much he loves almost every single thing about this place. It's a small country but the people here were really good. Everyone was close and felt like he has a big family. Because of this he was welcomed at every household. Everyone treated him like their own son. 

 

He put his precious cycle properly, took the basket and went inside to be greeted by on one his house workers. He replied by bowing and flashing his beautiful smile, which definitely made everyone go crazy over him. It was no exception this time too. 

 

"can you put this basket in my room? Please handle it properly. There is something inside that cannot be handled without care. Thanks". Another smile being given followed by his request and when he walked towards the dining room where he was expected 30 minutes before, a giggling girl stood their looking at the handsome prince before heading towards the room to fulfill the boys request. 

 

"Why are you so late? Don't you know that we have to eat lunch together? Don't ever make us all wait like this again. I swear I wont allow you into our home again. Do you get it?" the elder women scolded her only son. 

 

"I'm sorry. I was occupied with something really important. Sorry mom. This won't happen again." the boy pouted which made his mom chuckle at the cuteness. 

 

" You sure has lots of cuteness inside you for someone so muscular, young boy" his mom while sending a warm smile at her son. 

 

After having lunch, the boy came up to his room and quickly checked inside his basket and saw the pink petal he placed carefully inside it. He took it out and it strangely looked familiar. That's when it came back. The memories of a dream. He suddenly checked the drawing book and it matched. The flower from his dreams have the same petals as the one he is holding now. 

 

"wow. I can't believe this" the boy exclaimed. 

 

For almost 2 years, he have been searching for this flower all around his country. He bought the cycle for this single purpose. He went to every house by house to see if anyone knows about this flower but it was all in vain. But now as a miracle, a petal appeared and that made him question everything that happened today. May be it wasn't all an illusion. 

 

Now there's only one way to know about this flower which was to go through the books his father have in his enormous library. So he decided to go there but he knows that he isn't allowed since his father is really strict about privacy. So he decided to sneak in during night when his father will be busy with meetings. 

 

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Ray's of sunlight made Sakura wake up but there was cold wind coming from somewhere. It was the next morning. She slept right after she reached her hotel. Now that she is almost awake, she decided to see the origin of the cold wind only to see an open window in the balcony of her room. So she went there but there was no cold wind. It was lukewarm. But that didn't matter anymore as the view in front of her took her breath away. She didn't know how a day could make such difference in the scenery. The flowers were blushing more today while a small breeze made their petals shiver a little. Looking at those beautiful sight, she once again filled with a feeling of joy and happiness. She wished if she could wake up to this everyday. If there is one thing, she was a er for nature and the beautiful places. Cherry blossom never crossed across her mind until the dream. The sudden interest in this flowers made her learn about the meaning behind it. One said it represents human existence. Some said it represents the fragility and beauty of life. Even though it had many meanings and she could not get a clear answer, she was hooked because it was highly intoxicating. The flowers pulled her into too many sleepless nights reading all the Mangas and animes which beautifully showed her dream flowers. 

 

Now that she is looking at this magnificent view, she was glad that she is here. After some more minutes, she decided to go and have breakfast. But when she turned, the same cold wind hit her face again forcing her to turn around to focus on a tree which was so far away but has all her attention now. She tried to look at it more. She felt like she should check it out. Sakura didn't waste any time as she took out her phone and captured the tree so that she could go later. 

 

Breakfast was simple. Souffle pancakes with syrup, One of the things she wanted to try in Japan as much as the cherry blossoms. She enjoyed every bite of it as she liked to call it, that tasted like heaven. 

 

Back at the room, she took everything she wanted to roam around the whole day. She booked a cab and decided to go to museum first. For some reason, she thought museum will be a great place to get know the place better. 

 

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The well built body of the boy wasn't staying still because of the earlier happenings of the day. He wasn't tumbling. He is not so weak. But he couldn't stay still because he has to sneak into his father's study room that made him nervous. He is a really obedient son who hasn't been a rebel even when puberty hit him. He had mood swings but he know better than to get his moods get him. He was a fighter even with his own moods. That made him the model kid for the whole country. A prince, who will be their king one day, was so perfect in every way that, all the people couldn't wait for his coronation. But now he was going to risk it all for his curiosity. 

 

" knock knock" he heard. 

 

"who is it" he urged 

 

"You wanted me to inform you when the king is in meeting. The king just went for the meeting." one of his guard told him. 

 

Nows the time. There's no going back. He decided and went to the study room after he dismissed the guard. 

 

History, philosophy, fiction, politics etc. 

 

He saw the books arranged properly. But couldn't quite know where to search. So he walked through the whole place to find a small section which wasn't visible at first when he looked. It read " Spring in my heart". He have never heard of this book before. He took the book and hided well and carefully came back to his room without much problem. He opened the book to read. 

 

He liked the name of the book. Spring in my heart. He always loved spring. Most probably because his country doesn't have spring. It snows here all year long. His heart wanted spring so much. His father promised that he would take him with him when he goes traveling. So he was Waiting to feel spring but seems like his spring came early for him. 

 

First pages were all details about spring. About how warm it is. How people go out and have picnics. Then came the pages that hooked the curious boy even more. It said about a flower whose name was cherry blossom. A flower that is blooms in spring. He checked the petal he has, the drawing he drawn based on his dream and the book to be so surprised of the fact that they all match well so perfectly. The book fell from his hand as he couldn't believe it. 

 

He remembered the dream again. He was below this beautiful tree where pink petals were falling down while he was looking at someone. Then he wake up. That's was all it was. But he heard his heart beating so clear that day. 

 

The next moments felt so unreal to him since the view In front of him changed to a beautiful park with lots of people sitting and having fun. He was sure that he was in his bed but now he wasn't. He felt warm. It wasn't cold anymore. He looked around and he wasn't sure where he was. He couldn't recognize anyone. 

 

He pinched himself to wake up from this dream but it didn't do anything more than making the place a little reddish. He got scared. But he decided to walk around and see if he could go home. Like a miracle, he saw a familiar face somewhere Really far. So he ran towards them. But he clearly misunderstood. The people didn't recognized him at all. He felt so anxious and nervous about what to do when he saw a pink petal landed just in front of him. The young one didn't wait anymore as he saw more blush colored flowers in the ground to find the origin of it. So he followed the path not knowing where he was going. 

 

Sakura was walking towards the tree she saw the morning. It was indeed so beautiful to see it so closely. She walked close into the shadow of the tree and felt a certain electricity. She didn't hesitated to look up to see the tree more properly. She moved while looking up only to bump into something. More accurately into someone and when she looked down she saw the exact same eyes she saw in her dreams. Universe has it timings and feelings. Because if not how exactly at this moment, the petals started to fall and it just made the whole dream into a reality she never thought would actually happen. As the big eyes looked into hers, she felt trapped and she didn't wanted to look at anything than those eyes. But like dream she didn't wanted to remember only the eyes and the flowers. So she decided to look at the face properly to see a really handsome man standing before her who looked like some prince. If she thought those were the most beautiful eyes she have ever seen, then now she is looking at someone who seemed like out of this world. Not only the eyes, but everything about this person stood out. The small face, beautiful lips, and a beautiful smile that made her stumble a bit when two big hands supported her. After a while, may be a whole 10 minutes, she managed to separate and decided to talk. 

 

" I know you are not going to believe what I'm going to tell. But I actually have seen you in my dreams. Don't think of it as some pick up lines. I actually have" the handsome boy told making his cheeks go a little pinkish. 

 

" uh. Actually I have seen you too. Not fully you. But your beautiful eyes and this cherry blossoms". Sakura finally talked. Her heart was beating a bit too fast and she won't need any reasons to know it this time. 

 

" So you think my eyes are beautiful?" 

 

" What? No. I mean. Yes. But no". 

 

" may I know where I'm. Actually I was in my room one minute reading about cherry blossoms and the next minute, I was here. If it makes any sense". The boy scratched the back of his head, feeling unnecessarily nervous. 

 

" I would believe anything at this point. Do you think I won't?.you are in Japan and you are under a Sakura. That's what these are called here." she told him. 

 

 

" I actually have to get back before my father comes back. If he found out that I'm not in my room, he will punish me. He doesn't like when I'm not obedient "

 

" Tell me where you want to go. I will help you " feeling a little bitter she said. 

 

" That's the thing. I think I'm not from here. " and that's how he told Sakura where has from and about the dream he had. He showed her the drawing book. She also took out her drawing book and showed her drawing. Both were different. Sakura's one had his eyes and Sakura's in his, which made her blush for some reason.

 

It all felt a little too heart fluttering as both of them didn't know what to speak. So he continued to tell how he was searching the whole place to find this flower only to magically appear one day when he had an illusion of hitting a girl while driving his cycle. Which obviously made Sakura laugh because after hearing the story and joining all the lines together, she could only come to the conclusion that it was indeed her who he met that day. They both giggled at their own logics and reasons. It was a sight to see. A beautiful one indeed. 

 

 

"Why do you think these flowers are always there when we meet?" she asked. 

 

" I don't know. Umm..... I always want to feel spring. You know we only have winter. So this has been one of my greatest wish. Now both of my wishes have come true" the boy replied. 

 

" what's the second wish?". 

 

" To find the girl behind these eyes". He said pointing at the drawing and looked straightly at her. She was frozen. She couldn't handle how this boy he met felt more comfortable than anyine she ever knew but at the same time how he also made her feel so nervous. 

 

" it's beautiful." 

 

" What?" Sakura asked. 

 

" This spring. This flowers. How the wind carried them. How this warmth feels against my skin. How we are under this tree. How I believed a dream. How I saw your beautiful eyes and how this all made me feel." 

 

That was hell of a talk you tall boy. How can anyone be so straightforward like this. She wanted to shout but instead her own face failed her when she blushed and looked down at her feet like a teenager. 

 

After some minutes, they decided to sit under the tree. They talked about everything and anything. She told him about her life,her job, her family. He listened to all with so much attention that it made her feel so known and existing than ever before. It felt like she was making him feel things and it was obviously showing in that manly face. 

 

Sakura wasn't wrong. From the moment he put his eyes on her, his heart was doing laps and skipping beats whenever it wants. It was having a life of his own. He didn't wanted to sound so cheesy but it came so naturally. He didn't know why this was all happening but even if this is another dream, he wanted to remember all of this. And he didn't wanted any regrets. Looking at his earlier pinched muscles of his hand, he was once again reminded of the fact that this was indeed real. With a new found confidence, he hold the soft hands of a nervous girl who clearly got surprised with this sudden contact and shared the warmth. But she didn't complained. No one complained. They stayed like that for many more minutes or hours or does time matter anymore?. 

 

As they stayed more, the happiness again turned into a fear. The fear of waking up and finding this all a Dream. A fear of not having what they are having now. And it was in the air. They both felt it. But didn't utter a word. But the boy give a re assuring squish against the hand he was holding even though he wasn't also sure. 

 

" Do you think we meet whenever there is cherry blossoms?" the girl asked. 

 

" may be." This time the boy wanted to believe this possibility. 

 

" See. At first in the dream, there was the flowers and we saw each other. The next time, when I was under a cherry blossom, you hit me and a petel left behind with you. And when you searched for answers, you came here. You know I felt a cold wind today morning and it was gone the next second. May be that's related to this too. Then, now too, I saw you when I came searching for this tree. So do you think, if there is cherry blossoms and we think about each other , we can see again?. She completed the sentence a little slowly doubting her own words. 

 

" I want it to be like you said. I hope it's like that. I really wish. I hope. " the boy replied. 

 

 

But suddenly the boy felt a pull. He started hearing voices which he recognized as his guards. He got scared. He turned to look the girl sitting beside him. 

 

"I can hear voices and I just felt a pull. I think I have to go now. I don't know how. But I can feel it." his voice almost like a whisper now. 

 

" aa yes. You have to go." she repeated as her eyes looked down at anything but the man in front of her. 

 

" May be we can try again the method you told me." the boy suggested to make the sad girl a little better. 

 

" We can try it. " Sakura said not wanting to disappoint him. 

 

The next seconds went so soon, that the boy was becoming invisible in front of her little by little. 

 

" I will come back for you. We will meet again. I promise you" With that he pressed his lips against the girls for a quick peck which send butterflies to both of their tummies. 

 

Disappearing almost halfly, the boy asked his " wait what is your name?" 

 

" I'm sakura." with tears rolling she said with a smile that marked their farewell. 

 

And the boy disappeared fully but before that, she heard the name. She didn't wanted to forget it. So she took her dairy and wrote the beautiful name of a handsome boy, Minho. Beside the name she put a heart to indicate how much this name meant to her. 

 

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As minho sat on his bed, he recited the name once again and he loved the way it sounded on his lips. 

 

" Sakura. So beautiful". 

 

But he was too sad to even enjoy the beauty of the moment but when he saw a small hole forming in his room and saw small petals of pink flowers, he didn't hesitated but went inside.

 

 He let that spring consume him. He wanted that spring. He knew sakura will be there in the other side not able to go after their beautiful encounter. To minho, who have never felt spring, now he carried spring with him everywhere. He didn't needed to go anywhere. It was right here, in his heart and their story began and lived beneath the cherry blossoms. So he went. To his spring. To his beautiful flower, Sakura. 

 

Just like the words Sakura heard in her dreams, 

"What a strange thing! 

to be alive 

beneath cherry blossoms" she whispered this as she saw a familiar frame appeared in front of her making her smile through her tears.