Hana's Dark High School Days

Chapter 54: Flower

{Hana's P.O.V.}

As me and Takumi exited my house, we took a stroll around the town. We talked a lot about how fun the day was for me, and how this experience has made me so glad to have friends like them.

After a casual stroll around town we arrived at one of the town's park's by a lake. We stopped by the biggest cherry blossom tree and looked at it in the night sky. "Seems like the cherry blossoms are starting to bud, aren't they?" Takumi suddenly said while still looking up at the tree.

"Yeah... I guess they are..." I smile at him and look back up at the tree.

"What if you were born on a cherry blossoming day? I wonder how it'd turn out?" Takumi chuckled, making me wonder what was up.

"What do you mean 'How it'd turn out'?" I asked as curiosity was getting the best of me.

"Like your name..." he turned to look at me and I tilted my head to the right, still confused, "Your name, Hana, means flower. So I think you're mom had that in mind..."

Wow... My mom did tell me that I was named Hana because the cherry blossom season was nearing and she said she wanted me to be as of a beautiful flower...

"But..." he continued, "If you were born when the cherry blossoms were in full bloom, I wonder if your name would've been 'Sakura'?" he gave me a warm smile.

"You know..." I spoke up, "I never thought of that before..."

"Well... Hana suits you just fine too... And if you were named Sakura, you probably wouldn't have gone to our school since the name of our school is Sakura High..." he laughed.

I pouted at him, "Don't make fun of me..." After I said that, he calm down and apologized to me as he patted my head.

"Hana..." he started, "I still have one last gift for you, you know?"

I had completely forgotten about that. But thinking he had a gift for me, kinda made me feel bad, because he's already given me a lot lately. "Please Takumi, I can't accept anymore material things from you... You've given me too much already!"

"Hana..."

"It's alright! This necklace you gave me on Christmas is quite enough already..."

"Hana?"

"And besides! You've also given me a White Day gift, and also that butterfly charm... And ---"

"Hana, just listen to me for a sec." he cut me off. I wanted to retort and say something more, but I gave in and let him talk, "You know, I'm not giving you these things out of obligation or what naught, I'm giving you these things because I want to..."

Takumi looked illuminated from the moonlight, this scene just looks like it was straight out from a shoujo manga or something. My heart started to race and I feel a little anxious.

"Hana... I can't take it any longer..." Takumi turned his head away.

"Can't take what any longer?" I looked up at him.

"I've been suppressing myself for a long time, but I can't just deal with it anymore..."

I was worried. What was Takumi going on about this time? I feel so depressed knowing that he's somehow hurt and I want him to be his usual self again. I've got to make things right!

"Takumi, are you---"

"I love you Hana." he cut me off as he uttered those three little words while staring at me with such a determined, yet warm expression on his face. I was speechless and frozen from his words, but he continued to speak, "I've loved you for as long as I can remember now, and I feel jealous every time you act the way you are with other guys. I can't shake the feeling that maybe you feel for Ringo or Takai even. But how I feel for you is something so strong, that I could come to hate myself."