Under The Cherry Blossoms — Chapter 10: Cherry Blossoms

As the entrance booth came into view, a young girl, her heritage displayed in her almond-shaped eyes, delicate features, and raven-black hair, attended to them. “That would be 50-dollars, sir. 25 for each person,” she announced, her lilting accent hinting at her Japanese roots.

Ethan's eyebrows arched at the price as he pulled out the cash. “25, huh? All that for cherry blossoms?” His voice danced with amusement.

Lily simply tilted her head, her eyes sparking with a knowing twinkle.

“Oh, we have more than just cherry blossoms, sir,” the attendant, whose name tag read 'Hanabi', interjected with a pleasant professional tone. “There are other facilities, festivities, and stalls. You both will get your money's worth, I assure you.”

Ethan laughed, acknowledging Hanabi with a quick nod. “No, no, don’t get me wrong, Hanabi,” he light-heartedly waved off her defense, “I don’t mind paying” He handed her the bills, his eyes alight with friendly jest.

“Arigato, sir,” Hanabi bowed slightly, a soft smile playing on her lips as she thanked him in her native language.

Ethan returned the gesture with a simple, respectful nod.

As they strolled past the booth, the festival grounds expanded before them. “Ethan, I can at least cover my ticket,” Lily broke the silence, a hint of guilt coloring her voice.

Ethan’s chuckle filled the air, melding with the distant hum of festivities. “Oh, shush. Remember, you owe me for Raviga meeting.” His playful wink seemed to put Lily at ease, who responded with a soft, accepting nod.

Crossing the entrance, a captivating view of the festival spread out before them. Lush green fields stretched out, dotted with hundreds of cherry blossom trees. The delicate pink petals formed a stark contrast against the bright Californian sky, creating a stunning tableau that resembled a watercolor painting brought to life.

Arranged thoughtfully, the trees sprawled into a natural canopy, their branches sagging under the weight of full blooms. The sun's rays filtering through the floral veil bathed the entire festival in a soft pink light, giving the spectacle a touch of magic.

Vibrant stalls sporadically punctuated the field, their array of colors and fragrances contrasting against the pink and green scenery. The aroma of freshly cooked food wafted through the air, mixing with the sweet scent of blossoms and the excited chatter of people. The variety of food offerings demonstrated the festival's multicultural spirit.

From the entrance, a winding pathway led them deeper into the festival's heart. As Ethan and Lily stepped onto the pathway, they felt as though they were embarking on a sensory journey promising to be as memorable as it was beautiful. The festival's ambiance heightened their anticipation and excitement for what lay ahead.

“I can’t believe I’ve never been here before,” Ethan voiced his disbelief, his eyes roving over the enchanting landscape.

A soft chuckle escaped Lily, her eyes gleaming with delight. “Beautiful, isn't it?”

Ethan responded with a slow nod, his usual playful eyes mellowed by awe. “It really is," he murmured, his voice laced with wonder, "Quite a surprise.”

"What do you feel like eating?" Lily inquired, her gaze scanning the array of stalls surrounding them. Ethan glanced at her, a hint of surprise flickering in his eyes.

"Eat...here?" he asked, his tone brimming with uncertainty.

"Yes?" Lily responded, her eyebrows furrowing in confusion. "Wasn't that the plan?"

"Well...yes," Ethan admitted, the gears of his mind audibly whirring. "But... from these stalls?"

"Duh, where else?" Lily playfully shot back, an amused grin tugging at the corners of her mouth.

Ethan fell silent, visibly wrestling with his thoughts. Lily's laughter filled the air, making him blush. "So, Mr. Ethan Harris, you're telling me you've never eaten at street stalls before?"

"No, that's not what I'm saying..." Ethan defended, trying to conceal his embarrassment.

"Really?" Lily quipped, her eyes twinkling with mischief. "When was the last time you ate at a street stall, then?"

Ethan stammered, his words tangled in a string of hesitations and half-formed sentences. "I... umm... It's been a while."

"Come on, Ethan," Lily coaxed, her laughter still echoing in the air. "It's not as bad as you think. I promise."

"I know... I mean, I have eaten at stalls before," Ethan retorted, but his words fell on empty air as Lily had already moved on, her excitement palpable.

~

"What's this?" Ethan asked, holding a peculiar-looking item wrapped in a seaweed layer, a blend of East meets West in his hand.

"Sushi burritos," Lily replied, her eyes gleaming with delight.

"Sushi... and burritos... together?" Ethan queried, his confusion painted clear on his face.

"Yes!" Lily confirmed, a contagious enthusiasm in her tone. "It's good, you should try it."

Despite his hesitation, Ethan was unable to resist Lily's enthusiastic persuasion. He took a small, reluctant bite, and his taste buds immediately erupted in a burst of unexpected flavors.

"Wow," Ethan mumbled, surprise lacing his voice. "This is amazing."

"I told you so," Lily said, her words holding a victorious note as she bit into her sushi burrito.

"I never thought these stalls could dish out such good food," Ethan admitted, a newfound respect for street food coloring his words.

"Only you didn’t," Lily chided, "normal people do enjoy street food, you know." Ethan could only offer an awkward smile in return.

After that, Lily and Ethan explored a world of flavors across various stalls, tasting boba tea, ramen, and Sakura mochi. They spent the remainder of the day immersed in taste-testing and playful banter, growing more comfortable in each other's company with each shared bite.

Amidst their food-fueled exploration and while nursing their boba teas, a charismatic Asian girl promoting a show caught their attention. Lily, her interest piqued, quickly navigated towards the girl while Ethan followed her intrigued gaze.

"Welcome, miss," the girl greeted with a polite bow. "I'm Kagura. We will be performing an umbrella dance soon. Would you be interested in purchasing tickets?"

Lily glanced back at Ethan, her eyes sparking with curiosity, "Shall we?"

Ethan responded with a warm smile and a nod, prompting Lily to beam back with an excited "Yay!" As Lily reached for her wallet, Ethan gently intercepted, reminding her, "Hey, remember it's still my treat." Lily pouted playfully at his reminder, but let Ethan take over the transaction.

Upon receiving the payment, Kagura turned her attention to her walkie-talkie, calling for assistance. "Hayate, could you please escort these guests to their seats for the umbrella dance?" she requested.

From a distance, a masked young man of Kagura's age appeared, nodding to Kagura's call. He approached them, his words crisp and to the point, "Yes, Kagura. Please follow me," and gestured for Lily and Ethan to follow him.

Lily and Ethan settled into their seats, an air of excitement visible on Lily's face. This was uncharted territory for Ethan, but the vibrancy of Lily's anticipation was contagious. As the umbrella dance commenced, Kagura twirling in the center while the others orbited her, Lily was utterly mesmerized. Ethan found himself not so much watching the dance, but rather Lily - her rapt attention, the sparkle in her eyes, the way she leaned forward on the edge of her seat. Her joy brought a surge of warmth to his heart.

Once the dance concluded and the performers expressed their gratitude, Lily and Ethan, feeling the day's adventures catching up to them, decided to seek a quiet spot to rest.

"Losing steam, Ethan?" Lily teases, noticing the signs of fatigue in his demeanor.

"A bit," Ethan confesses, adding, "Remember, this was originally a workday."

Lily giggles in response, "I know, sorry for hijacking your day. But it was worth it, right?"

Ethan's eyes soften as he assures her, "Don't worry, Lily. I genuinely enjoyed being here."

Lily seizes the moment to pry a little, "So, no imminent meetings then?"

"None at the moment," Ethan fibs, deciding to extend his day with Lily and push any pending meetings to the backburner.

Overjoyed, Lily exclaims, "Yay, that's perfect!" Her gaze then locks onto a beautiful, blooming cherry blossom tree. "Let's sit under that tree," she suggests, pointing towards it.

Following Lily's brisk pace, Ethan allows himself a private smile. Once they reach the spot, Lily promptly settles on the grass. Seeing Ethan stand awkwardly, she teases, "What are you waiting for?"

Ethan's eyebrows furrow in surprise, "Um, sit here?"

"Yes, where else? See, people are lounging around all the trees," Lily explains, pointing at the other visitors scattered around.

Ethan looks around, seeing the truth in her words.

"Wait, have you never sat on grass either?" Lily's laughter rings through the air as she questions him.

Ethan's blush is his only response, and he finally gives in, settling down on the grass beside Lily. His initial hesitation fades away as he adjusts to the new experience.

"Haha, good, Mr. Harris, finally embracing the wild, huh?" Lily teases.

"Oh, shush," Ethan playfully retorts, still blushing a bit.

The playful banter slowly ebbs away, replaced by a comfortable silence. Lily breaks it, her gaze focused on the sea of pink blossoms around them, "It's beautiful, isn't it?"

"It is," Ethan agrees, his gaze on her instead. He sees the spark in her eyes, the passion in her voice, and smiles.

"Do you like cherry blossoms, Ethan?" Lily asks, her curiosity piqued.

"Not really," Ethan admits, an image of a woman flashing in his mind, "They remind me of someone."

"Oh, who?" Lily's curiosity intensifies.

"Just a particular someone," Ethan vaguely answers, not willing to delve into that part of his past just yet.

"I see," Lily nods, respecting his reluctance to share more.

Ethan then turns her attention to another subject, "So what's with this wish though?"

"Hm? The Sakura?" Lily questions.

"Haha, yes, what else," Ethan replies, his interest evident.

"Let's see..." Lily begins, her voice dropping to a more reflective tone. Ethan watches her intently, bracing himself for a deeper look into her life. "When I was little, around five or six, all I wanted was to see cherry blossoms. Call me crazy, but that was my sole wish."

She chuckles, her eyes distant, lost in the past. "We were a regular family from Bakersfield, before my brother moved us to LA. We didn't have enough money to travel far, even a trip to Seattle was out of our means."

Ethan listens quietly, not interrupting her train of thought. Lily's expression softens as she continues, "Even then, my parents wanted to fulfill my wish. They found out about the annual Cherry Blossom Festival in La Cañada Flintridge at Descanso Gardens, and they decided to take me there. It was a two-hour drive, I remember how fun it was. My brother, who wasn't particularly fond of cherry blossoms, tagged along."

"We had to stick to the paths, couldn't touch any plants or flowers. Even though the memories are a bit hazy now, I remember being incredibly happy. It wasn't much, but it meant the world to me. Seeing that, my parents decided to bring me back every year for the festival. And that's how it became our family tradition."

Ethan's smile falters as Lily's voice takes on a melancholic note, "That tradition continued until their death when I was nine."

Lily lets out a hollow laugh, "They passed away when I was nine, and ever since then, my brother Ryan has been the one who raised me. He was only eighteen when our parents passed. We didn't have any money, and he dropped out of college to take on odd jobs, ensuring I had a good life. He worked hard, making sure I never felt their absence."

Pausing briefly, Lily swallows the lump in her throat, "When I turned ten, I remember this clearly. I was supposed to go to school, but Ryan asked me to come with him. I was thrilled, of course, because I got to skip school. He brought me here, to Solara Blossom Park. My eyes widened when I saw it; it had just opened then."

A bitter laugh escapes her, "Ironically, my parents wanted to show me a proper cherry blossom place like this one, and it opened the year after they died."

Lily's voice grows softer, her eyes glistening, "Ryan told me, 'Lily, no matter what happens, I will always be there for you. I will protect you and guide you towards a better future.' Those words stuck with me."

Feeling a pang of empathy, Ethan stays silent, giving Lily the space, she needs to share her story.

"Eventually, Ryan got married. I thought things might change, but his wife, Emily, she made sure I never felt alone. She treated me like her own daughter, even though she isn't much older than me," Lily chuckles a bit, the tension easing from her features, "In a way, I found my parents again in the form of my brother and his wife." Her smile, though tinged with sadness, is also filled with warmth and gratitude.

After finishing her tale, Lily looked to Ethan, expecting a response. Ethan, however, found himself at a loss for words. He empathized with her situation, as his background was similar in many ways, but he wasn't quite sure how to express that. He settled for an honest, albeit awkward, apology.

"I'm sorry, Lily," Ethan started, "I'm not really good at this, so I don't quite know what to say."

Lily brushed off his apology with a wave of her hand and a small chuckle. "It's okay, Ethan. I'm just glad you listened."

Still feeling a bit awkward, Ethan decided to voice his admiration for Lily's brother. "I have to admit, hearing your story gives me a lot of respect for your brother."

This made Lily laugh. "Yeah, he's pretty amazing. He's given up so much for me. Sometimes I can't help but feel guilty about it. That's why I work so hard. I just want to give back to him somehow."

Ethan smiled at Lily's determination. "And I'm sure you will." Feeling a little more comfortable now, Ethan asked Lily a question of his own. "How old is he?"

"31." Lily's answer caught Ethan off guard. He hadn't expected Ryan to be so close in age to him. "This year," Lily added.

Realizing that Ryan was technically two years younger than him, Ethan awkwardly responded, "Nice."

Lily laughed at his distant reaction. "Anyway, enough about my family. It's your turn. Tell me about yours."

Ethan sighed, chuckling at Lily's insistence. "Me, huh?"

"Yes, you. And no trying to avoid it. I told you about mine, after all." Lily teased.

"Okay, okay." Ethan agreed, preparing himself to delve into his own past.

As Ethan starts sharing his own story, he begins with a heavy statement, "We are kind of in the same situation, Lily."

Lily looks at him in surprise, not anticipating what's coming next.

"I don't really have my parents either. Actually, I don't think I ever had them. Or, well, I never knew them." Ethan's confession leaves Lily in a state of shock.

"I was born and raised in an orphanage. I didn't really have anyone until an old guy named 'Mr. Feylings' found me. He was the one who raised me and made me who I am. And well, that's all there is to my story. Nothing more, nothing less." Ethan finishes with an awkward laugh, trying to lighten the mood.

"I wasn't expecting this, Ethan. I'm sorry to hear that." Lily responds, her initial shock turning into empathy.

"It's okay. Not many people know this, and even those who do have trouble believing it." Ethan reassures her with a small chuckle.

Lily responds, "It's kind of wonderful, though. That 'Mr. Feylings' was your parent, and he helped you become who you are. I'm sure you feel lucky to have had him. At least you have him now."

"Well," Ethan hesitates, "he passed away nine years ago."

Lily is taken aback by this, and she doesn't quite know what to say. "I'm so sorry, Ethan," she finally manages.

"It's okay, don't worry. Actually, I think it was next month on the 20th." Ethan continues, trying to keep his voice steady. "Even though he passed away, he made me the person I am today. So, yes, I was lucky." He smiles, looking at Lily with a sense of peace.

In that moment, Lily couldn't help but place her hand on his. Ethan just looked at her, finding comfort in her empathy.

As they realize they're holding hands, they both pull away quickly, their cheeks flushing. They exchange embarrassed glances before Lily breaks the awkward silence, “Honestly, I wasn’t expecting this.”

Ethan chuckles lightly, “Haha, me neither.”

Hesitant yet honest, Lily confesses, “I actually thought you were born into a wealthy family.”

Ethan bursts out laughing, asking between his laughter, “Why did you think that?”

“Well, you're someone who never eats at street stalls or sits on grass. I don't know,” Lily shrugs, joining him in laughter.

Ethan, calming himself, shares, “Back in the orphanage, I made a promise to myself. A promise to strive and rise to a place where I wouldn't need to live that life ever again. So, yeah, that's what I do. I get to where I am from scratch, and I never look back.”

Lily looks at him solemnly, responding, “This life isn't what you imagine, Ethan. It won't bring us happiness if we just chase our careers. Sometimes, we need people around us, bonds to build.”

At the mention of ‘bonds’, a mental image of a girl flashes across Ethan's mind.

Unaware, Lily continues, “And those bonds can form anywhere. Even here, sitting on the grass, or at a humble food stall. Life isn't all about success.”

Ethan counters, “It can be if you can afford it, right?”

Lily laughs lightly, “Perhaps, but that's not how I see it.” As the sunlight seeps in, it casts a radiant glow on her beautiful blonde hair. She rises, turning to Ethan, her eyes sparkling with wisdom as she shares, "When we're in the company of someone we love, someone who can take care of us... I think that's when we truly discover the essence of life."

Ethan gazes at her in silent admiration. The ethereal light cascading onto her, the backdrop of cherry blossoms in full bloom - all of it makes her look angelic. He realizes just how beautiful she is.

Breaking his reverie with her playful words, she says, "Anyway, it's almost sunset. Let's capture this moment."

“A picture?” Ethan asks, looking at Lily somewhat awkwardly.

“Yes, a picture! We're here on a workday, under such beautiful cherry blossoms. We definitely should capture this moment,” Lily insists, moving closer to him and pulling out her phone.

Ethan finds himself a bit flustered under Lily's earnest gaze. She grins widely and coos, "Can I? Pleaseee?" Lily's sparkling eyes and infectious enthusiasm chip away at Ethan's resolve.

With a good-natured chuckle, he relents. "Alright, alright," he concedes. He then glances awkwardly at the camera, a slight blush creeping up his cheeks.

“Smile properly, Ethan!” Lily nudges him playfully.

Ethan closes his eyes for a moment, shaking his head, contemplating the day he has spent with Lily. As he opens his eyes, a spontaneous, genuine smile spreads across his face. Just as he does that, Lily captures a selfie of them together, under the cherry blossoms with Ethan's heartwarming smile shining through.