Title: Sakura Blossoms (Evil behind Beauty)

Cheery blossoms or more commonly known as sakura blossoms in Japanese are considered to be a symbol of beauty and love during a particular season where the trees were heavy with these small pinkish flowers flowing down from them as a light breeze blows. It is a traditional celebration among Japanese such as I to wear our traditional costumes and walk around the park where people gather to celebrate the coming of age of a young women while some went there as couple or in families to enjoy the breath taking sceneries, especially from a hill top.

My father is a well-known assassin even till this very day although he is dead and, in secret he also bears the curse as the knight of sakura blossoms called sakura no kishi. Our ancestors were given the privilege by the devil to kill who ever he wants - no trail of the person will be left on earth although this will only be immune to other knights who knew them. His existence will be wiped out from the depths of people’s mind - as long as he has an original copy of the person’s - whom he wishes to kill - photos, red strings and a candle which wax contains blood - human or animal doesn‘t really matter - on one condition: when he dies, his body will immediately become ashes and his soul will wander on this earth and have no peace. This heavy duty was passed down from generations to generations in my family and each of the bearers life span was shorten by 20 years. So, throughout my father’s 57 years of life on earth, he has taught me many valuable things relating to death and among one of them has to do with sakura blossoms.

He always said to me on every sakura blossom season when we went to the park, “Kimiko, isn’t this year’s sakura blossom splendid? They’re so beautiful and serene…

“But remember my child, everything that’s beautiful has a darker side, like a red, beautiful tempting rose drawing you to it but you get pricked and hurt when you go near to it and touch it because it’s dangerous and horrendous thorns are hidden.

“Sakura blossoms are one of the most alive and evil living things in the world. In order to remain it’s beauty, not only must it have what a normal plant should have, but blood is the most essential thing for it to grow. And that, is where I come in.

“Otosan-wa, sakura no kishi. A knight of sakura blossoms whom has a duty to bring humans‘ blood and death to the sakura blossoms all over Japan during this festive season.”

I nodded my head. “Demo-ne, ’tousan, what about the other sakura blossoms around the world?”

My father chuckled as he replied, “Each country has their own sakura no kishi and it just so happens that I‘m one in Japan. But listen carefully to me, Kimiko, don’t tell anyone what I’ve told you. I’m revealing all the secrets of death to you because you’re my successor when I die. You must carry out your line of duty or else the sakura blossoms would start drawing humans to them and leaving dead bodies around them.”

After that, we would walk around the park like a normal family hiding this little secret between us with a pleasant smile…

Though what I’ve said above is true, the sakura blossom season bears much more meaning to everything since the year when I was to join the walk together with other 21 year old young women, celebrating my coming of age.

And thus my short story starts 30 years ago during one particular night under the falling petals of the sakura blossoms and before you continue any further please bear in mind the most important factor about the way things work in this world that I want to rely to all of you reading this: Behind every beauty there’s a horrendous face…

30 years ago

I was 21 and dreaded the day when I had to wear a stinkin’ kimono while walking around a stinkin’ park with annoyingly cheerful young women celebrating our coming of age. I’ve never had any friends ever since my father passed away five years ago and left me with the job as a knight. Firstly, it’s because I was an anti-social with a cold and unpleasant aura around me which oddly, seems to draw insane humans to me, not to mention worthless men who find it intriguing and secondly, trouble was bound - and still is - to find me if I grow too intimate with another person considering what I am.

I scowled as I walk along the path way, trying to hide my face from cameras. Though usually stoic and cold, I have a face of an angel. My skin is fair, hair black and glittering under the sunlight, slender body, and huge innocent yet not so innocent eyes. People named me as the dark angel and tries so hard to get pictures of me, trying to break the mysteriousness around me. I always wanted to laugh at the pure foolishness and stupidity of the human nature, prying into where they don’t belong and the name they gave me was utterly cliché. To distract my mind from the giggles, laughter and flashing cameras, I thought of my next victim who so happens to be walking beside me at the moment. I was trained by my father to think and work like an assassin because it’s a vital element in my job; hence the reason why it was so easy for me to snap pictures of so many people without them knowing it. I revised the information about her and prayed silently for her soul before I erase her existence from the world and feed her to the sakura blossoms.

Ah, speaking sakura blossoms. They amuses me so. I talk to them once a year when I feed them and they’re really annoying, demanding more and more blood. Their voices are like children whining and begging and horrendous. It’s truly an irony that such beauty could be so… distasteful. I shook my head and reminded myself to take some pain killers to prepare for the upcoming headache tonight where I’ll have to go and visit them again.

I sighed in relief when everything was over and looked up at the brightly shining evening sun, shielding its glaring rays from my eyes with my arm. A few more hours till night, then I’ll have to start my preparation. The feeding was to begin 2 hours before midnight and I hurried back to my ramshackled house located at the darker side of a deserted street…

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“Kimiko-chan! Kimiko-chan! A man covered in black is following you closely! Careful, Kimiko-chan! He wants to kill you! Kimiko-chan!”

“Alright already! I get you, you bunch of annoying, whining, irritating flowers!” I hissed back at the whispering trees with irritation. I knew a man was following me, an assassin perhaps. But it was normal, I supposed. Every year, people who knew about the existence of the knights are out to capture me and use me to kill whoever they want to eliminate especially those in the line of business.

“The assassin is not from those kind of worthless humans! He‘s from Hwang Yue Yi, the one who is stripped!” they hissed back at me and swayed when a small breeze blew past us, showing the image of the assassin in my mind.

I raised my eyebrows at them. Though they were a pain in the ass, I knew they could be trusted. They had never let me or my father down in times of danger throughout the whole year even during times of off season. This realization amused me. I’ve heard of this Chinese noble man who once used to be a knight just like I am. Rumors has it that he was stripped away from his title as a sakura no kishi because of some apparent reasons and is trying to get back his powers which was possible. All he has to do was find a young and strong knight, kill him or her then drink his or her blood. Looks like the rumors were true.

Another soft breeze blew and the fallen leaves rustled. I closed my eyes and took in the fresh air which was blended with the uncanny smell of death. “Don’t hide in the shadows. Come out and let me see my captor. The blossoms have showed me and told me who you are.” I said nonchalantly aloud, opening my eyes. Immediately, I felt a blade pressed to my throat and a hand gripping my body tightly against him. “Don’t move…” he whispered threateningly into my ear.

I smiled and let out a small laugh at the recognition of his voice. It was a voice that I couldn’t forget and deeply love. But it really did came as a surprise that the man who now bears the role of capturing me was my ex-boyfriend from 5 years ago who has gone missing after betraying me and my father. Again, I spoke, “The trees tell me that you’re not much older than me, maybe a year only. Why then, would such a young man do a job of an assassin a bringer of death to all?”

“That’s none of your business, come with me now.” his voice was deep and empty as he applied pressure to my throat. I felt blood trickled down my throat but I wasn’t afraid. Oh no, I wasn’t. how could I be when he is standing in my territory when I’m strongest at with the sakura blossoms at my aid.

I smiled again and closed my eyes. “You really shouldn’t harm me this way. You’re in my territory where my powers are strong.”

The assassin was wise though young. He let go of me and stepped back when he saw the roots of the sakura blossoms around us started to move rapidly towards his direction, the tip of their roots pointed sharply at him. When he released me, they stopped and I could see the slightest release of breath of relief from his face which was illuminated by the brightly glowing moon. I touched the wound on my throat with the tip of my finger and felt blood. I wiped my blood off my hands onto the bark of one of the sakura blossom tree and see it immediately being seeped in.

I turned around in my long pale blue dress and cocked my head to one side, staring at the assassin. “Take you mask off Aki. No use hiding your identity from me when it’s already known…”

As soon as the mask was off, I could see the boy that I used to love, now a man cold and hard - not a very big difference from who I am - with old scars that were inflicted upon by my father just before his death. His shining blonde hair tumbled from his face, covering his bluish-gray eyes.

“So what brings you here on this bloody night after so many years to pay me a visit?” I asked, though already knowing the answer.

“I’m on my duty.” he replied, glaring at me with his intimidating eyes which I’ve always adore and love.

“Oh? Really? Why would you work for the one who is stripped away? Knowing you, you’re a manipulative and calculative man with a deceivingly gorgeous body. Working for Hwang Yue Yi doesn’t benefit you unless… unless it’s because you wanted to find me and you know that if you worked for him, you would one day?” I half-guessed, half-stated, holding his glare.

He smirked and his glare softened, catching me off-guard for a moment. “You always see through me, don’t you my lovely Kimiko-chan?”

“You bet I do. You take advantage of people, Aki, and you’ll never changed.” I took a step forward to him.

“I have no idea what you mean…”

I let out a mirthless laughter at the dripping sarcasm. “Oh really? Maybe I should refresh your memory?” By now I was only inches away from him, leaning forward until our noses almost touched. From the corner of my eyes, I could see Aki’s hands gripping his sword and hear the sakura trees’ roots advancing towards us, aware of the danger around me.

I raised my hand telling the trees that I was safe. I bore my eyes into Aki’s. “You can’t harm me. You wouldn’t even dare. You still love me but it’s your greed that’s catching hold of you too strongly. You want my powers to kill whoever stands in your way to become the richest in the world. You want to become the strongest of all sakura no kishi and you weren’t satisfied with the powers my father had given you.

“You were my father’s favorite apprentice. My father knew you’d become a living legend assassin and let you in on my family’s little secret. You begged my father to give you his powers and he did. He gave you a quarter of it, through some forgotten magic which I do not know of. Everything was too sudden for him to reveal the hidden magic that was lost for generation which he had found just days ago. But that wasn’t enough for you. You wanted more. You wanted the whole thing so my father quickly passed it onto me secretly while you killed him and drank his blood. You were human and not of the blood. You’d think we’d have given you all? You’re such an idiot!” I slapped him across his face in fury at the thought but I closed my eyes and tried to recollect myself. He stared at me and my words, bewildered, not knowing what to say. But then, he smirked. I hated his smirk all of a sudden. I chose to ignore him, and I continued.

“I fled, run and hid, fearing that you’d find out the truth and come to hunt me. Wanting the other three quarters of my powers before you can truly, officially became a knight.

“When I was told by the trees that you’ve found out about the truth, I was petrified.” I paused, remembering the time when I ran barefooted on the rough roads, finding a safe place to stay at, in the end finding refuge under an old cherry blossom tree.

“A year later, I knew that you saw me from across a road. You could have attacked me and killed me then since no one was around. But you chose to turn away. I wonder to myself, why would you do such a thing? Then the trees told me, it’s because you couldn’t bear the thought of taking away my life.

“Do you realized how foolish you were not to have killed me then?

“You deceived us and broke our hearts. Five years had passed and how we’ve grown. But a past is a past and nothing more. You still love me don’t you?” I whispered softly and brush my lips over his. He did not answer but I took that as a yes for I felt his body going rigid against mine. How could he not? We’ve lived together and grew up together. Feelings built under such strong foundation can’t be that easily ignored.

“Let us forget about our past, Aki. I can’t ignore my feelings for you. I’ve loved you despite everything. Let’s put everything behind us once and for all…” I pressed my lips hungrily against his. I starve for his kiss, his body and his touch and he starve for my forgiveness and my body.

But such beauty of forgiveness, love and lust was only a façade, and we both knew it. The moment the sound of a sheathing sword was heard in the dead silence of the night, all beauty reflected in the deceiving mirror breaks and shatters revealing what was hidden underneath it.

I laughed as I felt the roots of every sakura trees came to my rescue. A few of them pulled me away by my waist quicker than you could say ‘death’ while others thrusted towards his direction under my commanding orders. I stood at a thick branch of a tree and placed my hands to my side. The pain was excruciating from the deep cut slashed by Aki in the split second I was taken away but I paid no heed.

I stared cold heartedly at Aki as he tried to dodge and slashed the thick tree roots and braches with his pathetic sword while trying to gain control over the sakura trees. He was such a brainless piece of jackass. How could he think that with the little power of his, he could take control over what’s mine. Useless… I frowned and glared.

A small tiny smile touched my lips as I saw Aki falling dead flat on his face, defeated by the trees that I control. As the branch of the tree lowered me gently to the ground, I couldn’t help but laugh excitedly. This was it. The time for my father’s revenge and the time to get back what’s mine.

In case you’ve forgotten, my father gave him a quarter of his powers. Hence, when my father passed his powers to me, it wasn’t entirely complete. But now, with Aki at my mercy, all I have to do is kill him and drink his blood, that I’d have my full powers - rightfully mine from the start -, finally.

I knelt beside him and tucked a lock of black hair behind my ear. “Ne, ne, Aki-kun. You’re going to die now. And since you have become an incomplete sakura no kishi, I don’t know whether the terms and conditions given applies to you. But I guess we’re going to find out now, won’t we?”

Aki’s eyes widened as my playful and over-cheery voice filled his ears. “ ‘Cause you see, what’s inside you, belongs to me. I’m supposed to have it but my father gave it to you before his powers were passed onto me.

“Since I’m the rightful successor, I really, really need to get that power from you. But the thing is: the only way I can do it is by killing you with my bear hands and drink your blood.”

“You wretched bitch!” he wanted to shout at me but it came out more like a weak croak. He struggled to get up but the trees held him firmly to the ground, his hand stretching to reach for his sword.

“Don’t struggle anymore, my love… Hush now…” I whispered sweetly into his ear before sitting on top of him and taking his sword that has fallen a little too far for him to reach. As I raised his own sword above him, my smiled faded. “Say bye-bye, Aki-kun…”

Blood splattered all over my face as I chopped off his head and see it rolled aside. Immediately, I began drinking his blood, draining it before the warmth wears off. When I was done, my dress, hands, hair and mouth was covered in his blood. I licked the corner of my lips in satisfactory as I enjoyed the presence of sakura petals drifting down from my feet gracefully and beautifully while Aki’s body slowly turns to ashes and disappears into the ground.

“Kimiko-chan’s more of a devil than Aki-kun…” the sakura trees around me snickered and I smiled back at them. “No, we’re the same. If I weren’t to kill him, he’d do the exact some thing to me as I did to him. We aren’t much of a difference if you think about it that way…”

After that, I stayed a little while longer with the sakura trees. A strong wind blew past me and I could hear my father’s voice whispering together with the rustling dry leaves and swaying trees and bushes, “Well done, my child. You‘ve done me proud.”

I let out a half-hearted laugh and stood up, bidding farewell and thanking the trees for their help, before heading my way back to my house before anyone finds me as twilight begins to take over the deathly silent, bloody night and for the first time in my life, the moon seemed to be glowing red instead of silvery white…

Present

That’s the end of my little but all the same, true story. As I close my eyes tonight, I could still feel Aki’s presence out there trying to kill me and the texture of his raw flesh against my fingertips as I ripped him apart for more of his blood…

As I’ve said before and I’ll say it again for one last time: Behind every beauty, there’s a horrendous face…