Chapter 1

The Beginning of my Youth

April.

The blooming cherry blossoms were visible from the window pane of a girl, sitting serenely on her bed and enjoying the lovely scene before her.

She smiled. A very unpredictable smile. It was not genuinely happy nor sad rather it was delicate.

"It has been 9 years now." Her soft lips uttered as she shifted her gaze from the blooming cherry blossoms to her cozy room enclosed by concrete walls painted in sky blue, beside her bed was a table full of neatly piled books, sketches, albums, music scores and a flute case, near the door were three squashy armchairs and a coffee table where about 8 bottles of medicines are placed, opposite it was a closet and a working area where a medium-sized canvass with an almost finish painting of a handsome blue-haired young man can be seen, the palette and the brush were lying untouched on the carpeted floor.

The girl's eyes were filled with happiness when she saw the face of the young man she painted, and as if her body has its own mind, it reacted quickly. She weakly stood up from her bed, deciding to finish the painting, but as her feet touch the ground, she heard a soft knock at the door followed by a gentle voice calling out her name. She was surprised to hear the visitor's voice but warmly welcomed her guest anyway.

"Please come in." she said.

After hearing her voice, an almost feminine-looking young man entered, he was carrying a box of sweet delicacies and some fresh Easter lilies with him, Sakuno beamed and tried to walk towards him but her fragile body was not able to support her and so with just two steps, she stumbles and almost hit the floor if it is not for the young man who speedily caught her.

"Are you alright?" the guy asked worriedly.

The girl nodded and thanked her savior.

"You should not do that again Sakuno, it is very dangerous, you might hurt yourself."

"Sorry oniisan, I just wanted to greet you properly, I think it is very rude of me to just sit in my bed and say good afternoon to you, I don't like it."

Seiichi Yukimura smiled and prodded the girl's head, he then carried her to her bed and gave her some chocolate waffles and treacle tarts. Sakuno thanked the older teen again, the two started up a conversation with Yukimura asking on why she's out of her bed.

"I was enjoying the sight of cherry blossoms when I caught a glimpse of my unfinished painting, I decided to finish it today." Sakuno stated.

Yukimura looked at the painting she was talking about and was surprised to see an excellent replica of him. The hair, the face, the emotion, he can say it was really an amazing work of art, not because it was his face that was painted but because the painting itself conveyed a strong feeling that even words cannot describe.

"Do you like it?" Sakuno asked timidly.

"Of course. Yukimura said, "Very much."

Sakuno chuckled. "Anyway Seiichi-oniisan, what brings you here? I was surprised when I heard you calling out my name."

"Can't I pay you a visit?"

"It's not like that oniisan but its Wednesday today; I know you have a class." Sakuno said.

"Well, I am skipping my class." Yukimura replied teasingly.

"You're not the type who will do that oniisan, please answer me seriously." Sakuno said.

Yukimura sighed and sit on the foot of Sakuno's bed. "Oh well… Headmaster asked me to deliver a message to you."

"Father?"

"Yes. I know this will surprise you, well, honestly I'm a bit surprise as well" he started, "Headmaster wants you to attend in our school."

Sakuno's eyes widened and her mouth was a little opened. Yukimura asked if she is okay or if she needed some water, he knew the girl has a very weak heart that a simple shock for normal people can be fatal in her case. To Yukimura's relief and astonishment, Sakuno smiled and said she was fine.

"But, your school is an All-Boys' School right oniisan? Father might have made a mistake."

"Headmaster did not make a mistake Sakuno" Yukimura said as he neared Sakuno and held her now cold hands, "He has a reason for his decision. Plenty of reasons I should say."

"What are those then?" Sakuno asked.

Yukimura stared at Sakuno's innocent brown eyes for a moment before saying, "I only knew one reason."

"It's alright Seiichi-oniisan, please tell me."

"Nine years since you were just three, you have been in this hospital for nine years now, right Sakuno? Because of your condition, you haven't experienced going to school with kids of same age, hanging out with friends, or any normal activities that a girl like you could have or should enjoy, it seems that your childhood has just revolve around the cold walls of this building, but time flies by so fast that you're about to leave your childhood stage and enter the world of teens, it is the time where precious memories are formed and the need of friends is vital, your father does not want you to spend that time in this hospital, he wanted you to go out and face the world and proudly say "I'm here. I exist." he wanted you to enjoy life at its fullest, to do things you are craving to do, to be happy and satisfied, to have no regrets. He wanted all the best for the beginning of your youth."

"I see." Sakuno said with teary eyes. Yukimura let go of her hands so that he could get his handkerchief and wipe away the tears that are now flowing on her cheeks. He was getting absent-minded; he touched Sakuno's face lovingly and put his two fingers on her lips.

"So soft" he muttered vaguely.

Sakuno was admirable, she was not even blushing with Yukimura's actions, instead she was staring worriedly at the guy, "Seiichi-oniisan seemed to be dozing off" she mumbled.

"Anou… Se-"

"Sakuno" Yukimura cut off, "You know, if I could be any part of you, I'd be your tears, to be conceived in your heart, born in your eyes, live on your cheeks and die… in your lips…"

Sakuno was confused. She don't understand what her oniisan was trying to say so she just wave her hands in front of Yukimura hoping that he'll get back on his tracks. And thank God, he did.

"Seiichi-onnisan seemed to be preoccupied; he keeps on saying weird stuffs."

"Am I?" Yukimura said calmly but deep inside, his heart is beating so fast.

Sakuno nodded. "What are you thinking then oniisan?" she asked.

"Nothing." Yukimura said. He was so relieve that Sakuno was not the nosy-type of girl for she just agreed on what he said. He then stood up from Sakuno's bed and busied himself with the lilies he bought. He put it in the vase on Sakuno's window. The girl thanked him and with a sweet kiss on the cheek to Sakuno, he told the girl that it's time for him to leave. He was about to grab the doorknob when Sakuno suddenly spoke.

"Of all schools, why do you think father wanted me to attend an all-boys' school? Won't the students be angry about having a girl in their place?"

"I think that is one of Headmaster's puzzling reasons, and oh… The students won't be angry, the Headmaster had discussed this matter to them already, and they are all excited to meet you." Yukimura said, smiling mysteriously.

"I just hope." Sakuno said.

"You'll be fine with us, I assure you. Once you entered Kuro Ao Academy, everything will be memorable…"

Thank you for reading and I hope you'll submit a review.