by Alexia Praks
Darce. My dear Darce, she thought. At least he was saved.
She closed her eyes, thinking about him, thinking of their childhood together, of the fun they’d had under that sakura tree in the woods. She thought of her stroking his dark hair as he lay there on her lap and stared up at the bright blue sky. It had been a beautiful childhood even though it had only been for a very short while. That was until the world and everyone had turned against her. Now, however, she was resolved not to think about those horrid experiences. Now she wanted to put everything in the past. She wanted to move forward. She wanted to make her own path and forge her own future. And even though she knew she’d break many hearts doing so, she knew also that it was the only way to resolve the conflict that she had within her heart.
She knew that her leaving the family was the only solution. Alaina would no longer be estranged with James and Brenda. Alaina and Darcy would once again be best friends, which was what Alaina had wanted since Sakura had entered their lives. Sakura would not break either Sebastian’s or Darcy’s hearts. Well, probably at first, but she knew that eventually they would forget about her. Eventually this Sakura would fade from their memories and disappear from their minds, just like it had all those years ago before. Eventually each one of them would find that perfect woman they’d been waiting for. Then they’d live happily ever after, just like in fairy tale books, and the name Sakura would no longer have any meaning to them.
Sakura opened her eyes, got out of bed, and slowly made her way to the door.
The hospital corridor was dark and quiet at this very late hour, and Sakura was very glad indeed as that meant no one would see her. Finally she came to the ward on the other side of the floor and went toward Darcy’s room. She’d been told he was recovering fine after the accident, but she had to make sure, had to see for herself before she left for good.
She stood by the door, watching him, her heart aching for him, with him. He was still unconscious, it seemed. She noted IV lines were connected to his person. He was probably on morphine or something to keep the pain away.
Darce! My Darce!
Slowly, she walked toward him lying there motionless. She came to sit on the side of his bed, her hand gentle and warm on his face as she stroked and caressed him, pleading for him to wake up, for him to open his eyes.
Slowly she lowered her head toward his face and gently she kissed him on his cold lips. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she continued to kiss him, pleading for him to wake up, pouring out all of her love and passion for him. Her hand dug deep into his thick, black hair as her tongue stroked his motionless lips.
Her heart quivered with frustration and with pain. She whimpered within her throat as she continued to kiss him with a wild, feverous passion.
Darce! My dear Darce! Please wake up!
Suddenly, Darcy moved. “Snow,” he groaned softly. “Snow, don’t leave me. Don’t die on me. Please, I love you.”
Sakura cried, her whole body shaking with emotion as she hid her face against his neck.
Darcy slowly opened his eyes and dazedly looked at her. “Snow,” he whispered.
Sakura moved down and kissed him again—passionately and wildly—pouring her heart out for him, telling him of how much she loved him, just like when he’d kissed her in the garden that night under the bright moon and whispered the words I love you to her.
Darcy responded, his hand at the back of her head, drawing her to him as their lips locked and their tongues danced wildly against one another. Sakura cried as they kissed, her heart bursting with pleasure and pain, with happiness and sadness. This was their final kiss. In effect, this was a good-bye kiss.
Finally she moved back. Her lips were bruised red from their passionate kisses. She watched Darcy smile, content, as he closed his eyes again, falling back to his unconscious state.
She watched him for a couple more minutes, memorizing his handsome features in her mind, wanting to remember him forever.
“I love you, Darce. I will always be your Snow,” she said softly and then kissed him gently again. At that moment, however, she knew she’d never see him again.
Then slowly she got up and walked to the door.
* * * * *
CHAPTER 23
Sayonara, My Beautiful Family
The old Toyota Corolla came to a halt a good distance from Princeton Mansion. Sakura, in jeans and a light sweater, got out of the car. Ned watched her as she walked up the pathway toward the house, his eyes dark with sorrow.
Sakura entered the house via the back door and then took the back stairs up to the second floor. Once she was in her room, she took out her treasure box and took out the cards she had prepared a few days ago.
Some moments later, she was standing outside once again, looking toward the house. There were lights in the drawing room, and from this distance, she could hear the family going about doing their things.
At this very moment in the drawing room, James and Brenda were sitting by the lit fireplace while Tristan, Logan, and Hayden were working on a get-well poster for Sakura and Darcy. Nicolas and Sebastian were on their laptops, working on their card for the pair as well. Conrad was busy writing his get-well messages on the card that he had handmade for Sakura. He was rather pleased with the outcome and hoped Sakura would love it.
As they went about doing their projects, engrossed, no one noticed Toby getting up from his cozy spot by the fireplace and trotting quietly to the door and then out of the house. The dog instinctively came to his master, who was standing by the pond, waiting for him.
Sakura picked Toby up in her arms and kissed his nose. She gazed at the house a bit longer, her heart aching. She knew, however, that she couldn’t stay much longer. She had to go in search of her biological mother, to live her life, to experience her life.
She closed her eyes and tears rolled down her cheeks.
Sayonara, my beautiful family. Mono no aware. You are like the sakura flower. Bloom vibrantly, just like this spring, so beautiful and full of life and color. You are here in my life for only a short time, enchanting me with your wonderful way of life and your everlasting kindness, and a brief moment later you are gone again, out of my life. I am sad, my beautiful family, to leave you behind. I am sad to never see you again, to feel your love, to hear you call me sweetheart. But I must go. Thus, sayonara, my beautiful family.
Slowly, Sakura walked down the road, leaving her beloved, beautiful family behind. A few moments later, the car drove away from Princeton Mansion, away from Princeton Estate, away from the Princeton family.
* * * * *
CHAPTER 24
Hearts Broken
Hand in hand, James and Brenda walked up the stairs to their bedroom on the first floor. As they came into the room, they immediately saw the little card sitting on the large king-size bed.
James knew immediately who it was from and nearly broke down. However, he managed to control himself and picked up the card.
I love you, Daddy James and Mom Brenda. I will always be your daughter Sakura, no matter who I am or where I am.
Brenda came to read the card by her husband and gasped out in anguish, tears rolling down her cheeks. James took her into his arms as tears, too, rolled down his cheeks.
* * * * *
Nicolas came into his bedroom as he checked his e-mail on his tablet. Once he’d finished replying to the various messages that needed his attention pronto, he put down the tablet and finally noticed the pretty card that sat in the middle of his bed.
He pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose, wondering whom it was from. He picked up the card. It had a pretty hand-painted picture of cherry blossoms. He opened the card and read:
To be, or not to be, that is the question.
You forge your own destiny.
Sakura
Hand shaking, Nicolas whispered, “Sakura.”
* * * * *
Tristan picked up the small, pretty card and read it. As he opened it, a photo slipped out and landed on t
he bed. He picked it up and saw it was a picture of him with Sakura and Logan. He and Logan were kissing her at Mary and Peter’s wedding ceremony. He turned his attention to the card and read:
Sorry I slapped you that day in the library years ago.
I’m sorry I never got to know you better.
Sakura
“Sakura? What is the meaning of this?” Tristan said and read the card again.
* * * * *
Logan stared at the photo of him and Tristan kissing Sakura on her cheeks. “Sakura?” he said. Then he read the card again:
I will miss your laughter and your teasing.
I’m sorry I never get to know you better.
Sakura
“What?” Logan said. “This is no time for jokes, Sakura. When I see you tomorrow, I’ll tell you how to do a proper joke.”
* * * * *
Hayden stared at the little card and the small box sitting next to it, confused. He picked the card up, opened it, and read:
I love your motorbike and I love those wonderful rides near the cliff.
Sakura
Hayden picked up the box and found an earring. He gritted his teeth, his eyes dark. It was the earring she’d bought for him when they were children.
“Sakura,” he said, clutching the earring in his hand.
* * * * *
Conrad cocked his head to one side as he looked at the pretty card sitting on his bed, wondering whom it was from. Grinning, thinking it must be one of the maids who just might have a crush on him, he picked it up and opened it.
My dearest Conrad,
You always make me smile and I thank you for that.
You are my favorite brother, and I love you dearly.
Sakura
Conrad blinked and read through the contents again. Then he realized what it meant. No, he thought. It couldn’t be right. Someone must be playing tricks on him. It must be Tristan. He rushed out of his room and ran to Sakura’s bedroom. He didn’t even bother to knock and burst in. He found the room as it was before, clean and tidy. But there were things missing. The laptop, the camera, and Sakura’s bag were all gone. That was when he realized she was really gone. He collapsed onto his knees and whispered, “Sakura.”
Nicolas, Tristan, Logan, and Hayden came into her room then. They found Conrad beside Sakura’s bed. That was when they, too, realized she was gone—really gone.
Conrad lifted his head to his brothers and said, “She left us.”
* * * * *
Sebastian stared at the little card on his bed, his heart thumping loudly within his chest. He knew the instant he’d seen the card who it was from and what the meaning of it was. He, however, refused to think about it, refused to pick it up and read the contents. That was when he heard someone rushing into Sakura’s room and a moment later more footsteps.
“She left us,” he heard Conrad say.
It was as though the world had collapsed on him, and he felt sick to his stomach. Suddenly he felt dizzy, and his legs staggered. He sat on the bed, finding it difficult to breathe. He felt as though he was being suffocated.
Then, as if he couldn’t stand the torment of not knowing what that card said, he reached for it. Slowly he took a deep breath and opened the card.
Mono no aware.
I love you.
Sakura
Sebastian closed his eyes, his face contorted with anguish. “Sakura,” he cried softly under his breath. “Sakura.” His body was shaking uncontrollably as he sat there, silently crying his heart out.
Why did you have to leave? Why? Who told you to leave? Have you no heart? You said you love me. So why did you leave me?
“Why?” he whispered. “Why?” Then he shook his head, refusing to submit to this stupid fate she’d made out for him. He wouldn’t accept this. Not Sebastian. He wasn’t just going to sit here and let her run off just like that. Oh no. He’d track her down and bring her back.
“Mono no aware bullshit!” he swore. “I’m going to find you, Sakura, and I will never allow you out of my sight again, ever!” He lifted his head then, a determined look in his azure eyes, his face a hard mask.
* * * * *
Darcy opened his eyes. His head hurt. In fact, his whole body was in pain. What happened? Why couldn’t he remember anything? Slowly, he brought his fingers to his lips and stroked the pale flesh. He closed his eyes again, trying to remember what had happened. All that he remembered was him trying to save Sakura in the sea. Is she safe? Where is she?
He continued to stroke his dry lips as his mind searched far and wide for that elusive memory. Why did he have the feeling that someone had kissed him last night? The warm lips. The gentle touches.
Oh, God, he couldn’t remember.
Then he saw the card sitting on the bedside table. He reached out for it and noted it was very pretty. It was a watercolor painting of a cherry tree, the very same tree that he and Sakura had sat under and where he’d kissed her. Suddenly, his heart ached within his chest and his body tensed as though he knew.
Slowly, he opened the card.
I will always be your Snow.
I love you.
Sakura
A sound escaped his lips and Darcy felt dizzy. His heart began to beat fast.
“Snow,” he whispered, closing his eyes, trying to calm his beating heart. Then when he fully comprehended the meaning of those few words, he flashed his eyes open, jolted up, and screamed, “Sakura!”
His heart was pounding so hard and so irregularly within his chest that the machine started beeping loudly in the room, indicating abnormal heart rate. Darcy was lost in his rage and despair as tears flowed down his cheeks from his eyes and the world spun around him.
“Sakura, don’t leave me!” he cried, his eyes dark, his voice shaking. “Don’t. I love you. You can’t leave me. Please, Sakura.”
He scrambled off the bed, mindlessly tearing away IV lines from his arms. “I have to find you. Where are you, Sakura? Please, come back.”
The door burst open and two nurses rushed into the room. They took one look at him and immediately took him by the arms and tried to make him return to bed.
Darcy wouldn’t listen to them, however, and shook his head as he fought them off, thrusting a nurse against the wall as he headed for the door. It was then that the brothers, who had just arrived, rushed into the room. Sebastian caught Darcy in his arms and managed to calm him down.
“She’s gone,” Darcy whispered, tears in his eyes. “She left.”
Sebastian nodded.
“We can’t just leave it and do nothing,” Darcy said. “We have to find her.” He looked up at his brothers, begging them with his eyes to agree with him, to help him find the woman he loved. Before him stood Nicolas, Tristan, Logan, Hayden, and Conrad, and one by one, they nodded, a determined look in their eyes.
“We’ll look for her, Darcy,” Sebastian said, his hand tight on Darcy’s shoulder. “We’ll find her.”
“Together,” Darcy said. “We’ll find her together.”
Sebastian nodded and said, “Yes, together.”
The brothers nodded again, and Darcy smiled, tears in his eyes.
* * * * *
CHAPTER 25
A New Beginning
It was morning and the bright orange sun was just beginning to rise over the horizon. Sakura raised her face and breathed in the fresh air. When she opened her eyes again, she saw the Statue of Liberty and in the distance New York City.
Behind her, Ned folded his arms across his chest as he watched her, a smile on his face.
Toby, who was in Sakura’s arms, licked her chin. She turned her attention to him then and smiled. “Look, Toby, our new home,” she said, pointing to the city beyond. The dog barked happily, and she laughed.
She was heading to her new home and her new future. At that moment, the sun rose just above her, shining down on her, which gave her an orange picturesque beauty that if anyone cared to look would have taken their breath away.
&n
bsp; Sakura felt at peace as her serene face gazed off into the distance. Now, she was no longer Sakura Princeton. From this day forward and beyond, she was Sakura Tanaka, and she so looked forward to her new future.
“Sebastian,” she whispered softly under her breath. “Darcy, please forget Sakura Princeton because she no longer exists.”
Sakura knew that eventually the two men would forget about her, forget about Sakura Princeton like they’d forgotten about her before. Soon their memories of her would fade and then completely disappear from their minds. Then one day, they would meet the wonderful women who surely deserved them. Sakura Princeton, however, was not that person. Sakura Princeton never was and never would be.
“I love you both,” she whispered softly.
Sakura Tanaka smiled as she stroked her long hair back, her eyes gazing off to the horizon. “I’m looking forward to next spring. It will be so interesting,” she said to herself.
* * * * *
NEW YORK CITY
One Year Later, Spring
Luke Hamilton waited nervously as he stared at the painting of some cherry trees that was placed proudly in the middle of the large gallery. He couldn’t understand why his boss wanted this type of painting so badly. It was just a picture of cherry trees with some green land in the distance and beyond that, the pristine blue ocean and the azure sky above. It wasn’t that interesting, yet Sebastian Princeton had wanted it. Well, not that Luke was complaining about coming here, of course. Even though he had no interest whatsoever in the paintings, he did have an interest in the painter herself. And now he stood waiting for her to materialize.
