“Seishiro. Kanon. Mana. You three go play upstairs,” said Grandma Meisa. “We’ll clean tonight.”

Mirai sensed that the older lady had something serious to discuss with them, so she helped her ask the kids to leave them alone downstairs. “I’ll come in a bit to tell a story.”

Excited, the kids dropped whatever they were doing and rushed to their room.

When it was just the adults, Kazuya, Maki, and Mirai went to sit with their grandmother.

Grandma Meisa looked at them before speaking. “On the last day of the Hanami event, come back immediately over here. I have something to tell you.”

*

“Ohayou, Father,” Umika greeted Jin-sama in the corridor. She was all in smiles and was dressed up in a beautiful garmented kimono with decorative lavender flowers to enhance the violet color of her kimono. Unlike the usual, her hair was down, clipped to the side, and she had light makeup. “When are you going to the Hanami event?”

He hugged her. “My daughter looks beautiful today.” He pulled away from the hug. “I’ll be heading there in the late evening. You’re energetic today. Is this year’s Hanami much better than the previous?”

She shyly nodded. Yes, because Ryosuke’s coming along. “Father, I’ll see you later. I have to meet up with Ryosuke and the others!” She kissed her father’s cheeks and dashed away.

He continued to walk to his room. Before opening his door, he overheard Yuto and Ryosuke chatting while walking to the opposite side. Jin-sama turned around and took a closer look. “Ryosuke?” He’s attending this year?

*

“Hai.” Mirai gave a basket filled with food and snacks to Seishiro to carry for the Hanami sight-seeing event. “You got it?”

Seishiro nodded. “Why aren’t you coming with us? You never come with us on Hanami day.”

“That’s because she’s going to find her friend,” Maki answered as she picked at the food in her basket. “That friend is very important.”

Seishiro pouted at Maki. “Maki-nee-chan, Grandma told me to tell you to stop eating the food if I see you eating.” He looked back at Mirai. “Who is this friend? How come you have to search for her?”

Mirai looked away with a forced smile. “Her name is Momoka. She’s the friend I let be killed while I survived.”

*

Seishiro looked down on the ground as he walked beside Maki. They had walked away from the house and were heading to the Hanami spot where Kazuya, Meisa, Kanon, and Mana were already waiting for them.

“Don’t worry,” said Maki, “She didn’t kill anyone. Or let anyone die alone.”

He looked up at her. “Then why did she say that?”

Maki looked away and saw the entrance for the Hanami sight-seeing event. With a huge and excited smile, she changed the subject by saying, “Hey, race you!” She started dashing but also let him catch up to her. After he sped up and passed her, she paced herself and then stopped once she confirmed he wouldn’t look back. Then she glanced at the path that they had just walked from and let out a sigh. Hopefully, there’ll be a day, Mirai…where you’ll know…what really happened.

“Oh, Maki-san,” said someone, “why the sigh?”

Maki turned around to face who had asked her and saw Yuto with his group of friends.

Yuto said, “Today’s a beautiful event as we welcome spring.”

Maki saw Ryosuke in the group. “You…” I shouldn’t say anything. Grandma did it for a reason… She sighed again and walked away.

Yuto pointed to himself. “Is it something I did or asked?”

His friends ignored him and dragged him and followed Maki into the place where the event was held. They already had a spot waiting for them because they had asked their subordinates to do so. When they reached the place, the subordinates froze in shock.

“Yamada-san!” One of them shrieked in terror. He was so shocked that he spilled wine all over his legs and the carpet. He even massaged his eyes to see if what he was seeing was real. “Yamada-san! How… You’re here?!”

Ryosuke sat down beside them and casually poured himself a drink. “Why the surprise? I can’t join you guys?”

Umika sat across Ryosuke and was happily enjoying the moment as she greeted the people around her. She grabbed a bottle of wine, but Yuri’s hand got on top of hers.

“Let me pour you a cup.” Yuri smiled gently at her and politely poured it into her small glass cup. “Today, you’re really pretty.”

Umika smiled back happily. “Really?!” She sighed in relief. “I thought it’d look weird, and Ryosuke-kun wouldn’t like it since I don’t usually wear these kinds of clothes.” She fixed herself and then looked back at Yuri. “Ne, what about—” She stopped because Yuri looked away. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” He chugged down the drink and poured himself another one.

Ryosuke saw this and patted Yuri’s shoulder. “Oi, calm down. Even if today’s an event, we can’t have any drunken guards fighting the enemy if one were to attack.”

Yuri ignored him and continued to drink away.

“Ah, let him be,” said Yuto. “He knows what’s best. But you.” Yuto pointed at Ryosuke. “You, stop avoiding the question.”

Ryosuke smiled. “What question?”

“Why are you here?!” everyone asked in sync.

“Every year,” said Yuto, “for the Hanami event, you never celebrate it with us. Why now?”

“Did you find that girl already, Yamada-san?!” one of his subordinates asked.

“Someone made me realize something…” Ryosuke began.

Umika perked up and stared at Ryosuke. He came because…of me?

Before Ryosuke continued, he thought back to when he and Umika had a conversation back at the other village where they were dealing with the Honomura incident.

“Not as Umika-sama, the princess; not as Umika, your friend…but as Umika…an ordinary girl. If I asked you…asked you to…attend the Hanami event this year and not search for her, will you do that?”

Ryosuke received a tap on his leg from an impatient Yuto, telling him to continue. “It made me think that she’s probably looking for me wherever the Hanami event is set,” answered Ryosuke, “…and not in that place anymore…since I can’t find it.”

Umika was taken aback. So, it wasn’t for me? He only came…because—

“So, you thought you’d find her here instead?” Yuto frowned. “Once again, she wins over us.” He playfully got angry and turned away. “What…is she also going to win your heart too?!” There was no reply, and Yuto smirked. “Lies. Our brute Ryosuke likes someone?! That girl must have some great charms to win this guy’s heart!”

Everybody howled and cheered as they teased Ryosuke.

Umika looked away in pain. She couldn’t believe what she had just heard. He likes her? But I’ve been here for him and with him for all these years! Saddened and crushed, instead of pouring the wine into her glass cup, she grabbed the bottle of wine and drank from it.

Yuri saw it but didn’t stop her. He hurts you…and you hurt me….and I’m okay with that…because it’s you.

“OI! OI! OI!” A guard dashed over to the group and plopped himself down next to Yuto. “Guys, want to play a game later?”

The crowd leaned in to hear more.

“I overheard the elders on the way here that they saw a place that was supposedly gone for years is right back at where it was!” He bit his lower lips. “So, let’s have a little game of courage and see who can last the longest in that place.”

“What do you mean?” Yuto whacked him in the head for the nonsense. “You’re drunk, huh? Or am I drunk for hearing that nonsense?”

The man rubbed his head. “No, Yuto-san! I asked them about it, and they showed me the way. When I peeked into the place…it was so beautiful. I even heard that it used to be the original spot for the sight-seeing event because a lot of Sakura trees were planted to honor the Shogun’s ancestors’ histories with the demons.”

“That place exists?” another subordinate asked from the opposite side. “I thought it was a scary story for us to tell the children so they won’t wander off to places they don’t know.”

“Scary story?” Ryosuke asked.

“You young’uns probably don’t know about it because you guys don’t have kids of your own, but the story’s this: A few years back, about ten or twelve years ago, there used to be a beautiful and spacious garden filled with just luscious green grass and tall, pink and rosy Sakura trees, thus it was named the Sakura Garden. One day, a wild and scary demon found its way there and started an attack. The story never really explained what happened, but someone fought with it and couldn’t win, so that person locked the demon inside the Sakura Garden and destroyed the place, and that was how it was never seen again.”

“Eh, not possible then. A human being can’t lock a demon away. We don’t have magical powers…and even if someone were to have some sort of magical powers, they definitely wouldn’t be considered human in the first place.”

The person that saw the place frowned. “But the place is real, Yamada-san. I confirmed it myself before coming here.” He pointed to the guy who had just told the story. “It’s exactly as he described it—green grass and lots of Sakura trees better than the ones here.”

“Then you’re exactly as I describe you—drunk,” Yuto said, and everyone laughed.

“Then I guess I am.” He gave up and made himself comfortable. “Fine, pour me a drink. Let’s have fun!”

Sakura Garden? Ryosuke took a sip and looked up at the sky. If I were to have any magical abilities, may it be the power to find you.

*

Mirai sat down near her favorite tree, the tree she and Momoka ran around, climbed on, and slept under. She laid on her back to look up at the sunny and bright sky, then she closed her eyes and took a deep breath. If I could change any of my magical abilities, may it be the power to find you.

*

“Jin-sama.” Ryosuke and the gang stood up to greet Jin-sama. “Douzo.” They made way for Jin-sama and the three generals to sit.

“Ryosuke,” commented General Yamada, “You’ve attended. Where do you always go off to?”

General “Yamada,” sneered Yuto, ready to tease his friend, “he’s out looking—”

Ryosuke immediately covered Yuto’s mouth to stop his unnecessary teasing comment.

Jin-sama laughed. “Well, it’s okay. I’m just glad you’re also having fun. We’d really like for you to spend the Hanami event with us too, since it is a once-in-a-year event.” He stopped. “That reminds me. This year, I’ve invited a few guests to sit with us.” He looked around. “They’ll be arriving shortly.”

“Guests?” Yuto asked.

“That’s right,” shouted someone, who soon revealed herself—Maki. “Make way for the great and wonderful us! Hurry, scoot, scoot.” She kicked a few people away as she made space for her and her group.

“Maki!” reprimanded Kazuya. “You don’t need to keep asking them to move. There are only six of us.”

Jin-sama stopped them. “Maa, maa. It’s okay. It’s spacious here too.” He looked at his friend. “Thank you, Meisa, for joining us.”

Ryosuke looked around. “Where’s Mirai?” He realized his question came off weird, so he clarified. “I’d feel much better if I can have my eyes on her.”

Maki scoffed loudly on purpose and glared at him. “How dare you think that she’d take this opportunity to commit a crime? Have you not had enough reasons to believe that she’s a good person?”

“That’s right, Ryosuke,” defended Jin-sama. “I think it’s good that you’re being cautious and suspicious, but she wouldn’t do something dirty like that.”

Grandma Meisa coughed to clear . “Ryosuke-san, I’m glad you’re being protective of the Shogun, but be rest assured. My child is not motivated to commit something like that. She has other plans.”

“Plans?” Yuto asked and put his glass cup down. “But it’s the Hanami sight-seeing event. What other plans could she have?”

Seishiro sniffed. “She’d rather enjoy it with Momoka in the Sakura Garden than—”

Maki and Kazuya immediately covered his mouth.

“Oi, you’re not supposed to tell anyone about that place!” Kazuya whispered into Seishiro’s ears.

Seishiro gasped as he realized his slip. “Gomen, I became sad when they asked about Mi-chan…”

“What was the place you said again?” Ryosuke asked Seishiro. I’m sure I heard ‘Sakura Garden.’ Isn’t that the same place we were talking about earlier too?

Seishiro stuttered. “Umm…ah, at home. She’s at home…making…sakura…flower…dinner!”

“Ah, look what the wind blew in.” Umika grabbed the fallen petal from near her cup and placed it gently on her palm. “It’s beautiful.”

“It’d be nice to see the Sakura petals dance in the wind during this time,” General Yamada said.

Jin-sama agreed. “Yes, that’d be a sight to see.”

Umika shyly looked at Ryosuke and then back at the petal. “Would you like to see?”

Ryosuke smiled. “Thanks.”

It would be beautiful if a bunch of Sakura petals was blown off their branches and fall like raindrops. He looked up into the purple-pink sky as the sun began to set. Then he stopped smiling. His heart beat fast. It reminded him of when he used to throw petals up into the sky for someone…and it always made the sky look pink for as long as the petals were in the air before it fell.

“Momoka, come play, too!”

A vibrant but indescribable memory of his childhood memories popped up. He couldn’t see the face of the person talking to him, but it was a little girl’s voice.

Ryosuke looked at the petal on his hand. Momoka…I heard this before. He suddenly recalled when he first held Mirai in his arms and heard her whispered the name. In shock of what he just connected, he quietly said, “I’m…not Momoka.” That’s what I always say…when…she calls me that! He abruptly stood up and almost knocked down everything in front of him.

“Ryosuke-san, what’s wrong?” a subordinate asked him. “Are you drunk?”

Seeing Ryosuke knocking things down made everyone believe he was drunk and acting up.

General Yamada was displeased at this thought and was disappointed. “Ryosuke. I’ve always told you to never drink more than you need to.”

Ryosuke fixed everything with haste. “I’m not drunk, father.” At least, I hope I’m not. “I’ll be taking my leave.” He momentarily locked eyes with Grandma Meisa. It’s not possible, right? Without a second to lose, he ran from the group, and everyone knew he had left to find his girl.

Umika looked at Ryosuke running with all his might. I shouldn’t have given him the petal to remind him of her. Her attention was taken by Yuri when he held her hand. She locked eyes with him, and he opened her hand and placed a petal on her palm. “Yuri…”

“It’s beautiful…” he said with a smile, “like you.”

*

Ryosuke panted as he had been running around two districts trying to find the Sakura Garden. He power-walked in the third district, not giving up. If only he had taken the subordinate's confession seriously and had asked where it was, he wouldn't be as desperate as he was now. Where could it be?!

An idea came to him. If it’s really her…it has to be a place near their district. He decided to skip two districts and stopped in the middle. Using his keen eyes, he searched for something that might be a clue as to where the Sakura Garden could be…and he found it.

The entrance was camouflaged by the bushes standing out in the front of it.

I recognize the bushes…but I don’t remember