Verse 4

Chigiriki na / Our sleeves were wet with tears

Katami ni sode o / As pledges that our love -

Shibori tsutsu / Will last until

Sue no Matsuyama / Over Mt. Sue's pines

Nami kosaji to wa / Ocean waves are breaking.

- Kiyohara no Motosuke (poem 42 of the Hyakunin Isshu)

Chihaya opened her eyes and saw the morning light streaming in through her curtains of her bedroom. Exactly one week had gone by since she fortuitously met Arata in Fukui. Although their meeting was brief, and he practically had to run away in the end from Ami-san and Hiromi-kun trying to put make-up on him or make him try on an outfit, it was wonderful to see him again.

She wrapped herself around her Daddy Bear bed roll with a contented smile. She had another sakura blossom dream again, but this time, she and Arata were dressed in archaic robes and traditional clothing standing in the sakura tree walkway of Asuwayama Park. Hiromi and Ami were also there standing to one side, dressed in similar Heian Period style clothing as their retainers. As she and Arata stood close enough to one another to feel the warmth of each other's presence, he held her hands in his and gently recited poetry in her ear.

Chigiriki na

Katami ni sode o

Shibori tsutsu

Sue no Matsuyama

Nami kosaji to wa

Her heart swelled with emotion and as he turned to leave, her hand caught his sleeve quickly and she stood on her toes to kiss him. His response was surprise, but his eyes showed that her sign of affection was not unwelcome.

"I'll see you again soon, Chihaya."

His deep voice woke her up again, back to her own reality. She blushed and hid her face in her bed roll. When Arata left her that morning in Asuwayama Park, with those same words of farewell they had fondly parted, but there was definitely no poetry and no kiss. She glanced over to her phone where it was blinking to inform her that a message was waiting for her. Chihaya leaped out of bed, taking most of the bedding with her, and clutched the phone nervously. She flipped it open.

Time: 6:45 a.m.

From: Arata W.

Message: Wake up, Chihaya. You're going to be late for karuta practice.

Nearby, her Daddy Bear stuffed animal grinned at her.

Coward, it said. You know you wanted to. You know you love him.

Chihaya looked at Daddy Bear in surprise at the thought at first. But then, she answered with a shy smile, "I have to go to practice." She then pushed the bear face down on the shelf while she changed out of her pajamas and into her day wear.

Her morning routine was interrupted by Chitose, knocking furiously on her door. Before Chihaya could go over and open it, her sister burst in, gripping the latest copy of AneCam in her tightly wound fist.

"What is this?" she demanded, handing the magazine over to her sister. Chihaya, puzzled, took the magazine and unfolded it to the advertisement spread for Genji Foods. There was a display of perfectly packaged rice wine, powdered green tea and sakura tea cakes on one side. On the other side, there was a clean picture of Chitose at her best, with her flowing dress billowing up in the same breeze that spread the sakura blossoms everywhere.

"It really is a wonderful picture of you, Sis,"said Chihaya.

"That's not what I'm talking about!" Chitose insisted, in a pouty tone. She pointed to the scenery behind her. There were two hazy figures in the background standing close as if they were whispering to one another like lovers. Chihaya gasped and nearly dropped the magazine. She looked up at Chitose apologetically at first, but then looked back down at the picture. The hazy lighting, the blur of their intermingling shadows and the falling sakura blossoms all around all brought a warm expression to her face.

"Can I have this?" she asked innocently.

"You haven't returned the 3,000 yen I lent you that day," Chitose said huffily.

"But I already used it for club activities," frowned Chihaya.

"You can pay me back," answered her big sister. "But, I'm charging interest!" Chitose gave her an exasperated sigh and left the room.

-000-

"Manager, it's around the corner, fourth stack, second shelf, twelfth book from the right," said Arata as he rung another customer up at the register.

"Honestly," sighed the manager as he came back with the book in question and handed it to another customer, "I don't know how you can remember these things." The customer bowed in thanks and Arata rung up the tally.

"You're so helpful, Arata-kun," the middle-aged woman said.

"It's my pleasure, Midori-san," he said with a smile.

"Oh my! It's such a pity you're stuck working here," she said with a blush. "Make sure you don't waste your youth." She bowed again and left.

"But you're still like an old man, playing karuta during all your spare time. It's unnatural. A guy your age should be thinking about exams...and girls!" his manager exclaimed. "But mostly girls!" he added as an afterthought, as he started stocking the news rack with the latest periodicals. The book shop was again empty.

"A guy like you should stop thinking about girls you can't have and focus on other things," retorted Arata unfeelingly. His manager shot him a dark look.

"I still can't believe you know Chitose Ayase's younger sister. It doesn't seem half fair!" he pouted. "She was so cute too, even if her chest was a little small. But her face was adorable and her legs-"

"I'd appreciate it," Arata cut him off sternly, "if you didn't critique Chihaya like you would a model in your favorite adult magazine."

"Oh, sorry," said the manager. "I didn't mean to talk about your girlfriend like that."

"I told you, she's not my girlfriend," Arata sighed. On a barely audible level he added, "Not yet, anyway."

"I swear, the springtime of youth is wasted on you," his manager muttered.

Just then, Arata's phone in his back pocket received a message. Before he even pulled it out of his pocket he knew it was from Chihaya.

I'm on my way to practice now.

Making sure his manager wasn't looking over his shoulder, Arata texted back: Have fun, Chihaya. Let me know how it goes.

He slipped his phone back into his pocket and picked up the broom to make his rounds over the shop floor. Once his shift was over he would head over to the Nagumo Society and practice as usual. As he continued sweeping, he noticed that someone had tracked in a sakura blossom into the shop. Arata picked it up and put the blossom aside gently on the counter. An effortless smile spread across his lips as he recalled the two of them speaking softly to one another under the countless branches of cherry blooms. No promises needed to be exchanged, no vows were made. He had always felt they were bonded by something and no matter how far apart they were; that would never change.

A blush crept to his face as he recalled a dream he had, exactly a week prior. He and Chiyaha were standing under the cherry blossoms, dressed in garments that looked like they came out of a period drama. He could still distinctly recall the feel of her lips... He coughed nervously and focused on his task. He knew his manager was eyeing him suspiciously.

Someday, Chihaya... he thought to himself as he continued to sweep. One day, when the winter blossoms bloom at Omi Jingu, I'll be able to tell you honestly... But until then, I will cheer you on from here.

Finis.

Author's notes: My sentimental self was listening to the Chihayafuru "Main Theme" as I typed this last chapter. I wanted to tie it all in with sakura blossoms again, hence the title, which means "sakura storm." (Also my favorite end theme song in Bleach)

As you all may know, sakura are the Japanese symbol of, well...just about everything. Love, Beauty, Longing, Separation, Youth, Passion, Time. I think waka poetry is about all these things too, which is why I have a distinct feeling that Chihaya and Arata's relationship is also supposed to reflect these concepts. The separation makes it beautiful, the continuity lets the audience reflect on Time. Time and Love are relative themes that intertwine, and true romantics know there is no boundary to either.

So I hope I've hinted at all of these things in my story: that there is love between them, though unspoken; that their connection is ethereal and goes beyond time, connected by dreams; that they have the same goal and will meet again there on that happy day. When everything comes to the end, they can finally be honest with one another, and that will be their beginning.

Hope you enjoyed! Until next time!

-Kero