It was five and Aanya was restless. Please, please, please. Make an announcement of early spring. Aanya was desperately praying for spring when the door to the café opened and a young man walked in wearing a white shirt with rolled-up sleeves and dark blue denim slim-fit trousers with some black on white sneakers.
"Hello. What can I get you? If you're new here, I can recommend our specials." Aanya introduced in a slightly shaky voice. No one could blame her for that voice. Who would talk straight if Adonis were to walk into their café out of the blue? Was that the only reason though?
"I have a reservation under Kevin Ming." He said still not out of the earlier shock.
"The reservation under Lawyer Ming from ChemiGlobal, walk straight, take the first right and take the stairs to the garden. Thank you."
"Sure." He said unsteadily as he walked in the direction she just pointed.
Then, in the garden, a small bud revealed itself from under a leaf. Cherry blossom!!! Her spring!!! So he came bearing warmth? Is he the spring she needed? Or is he the spring she lost?
'No you have no right to think of him. You lost hat right the day you walked away from him.' The small halo bearer said appearing on her shoulder.
'But you can still look.' Said the red evil appearing on the other side.
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"You came?" Kevin jumped from where he was seated, like a child seeing fireworks.
"Yeah" Atid whispered looking embarrassed by Kevin's attention.
"You look like tomato stuffed bread. Relax this is the spring café, no one's going to judge you."
By now Atid was beet red. Shaking with silent laughter he sank down to the seat opposite Kevin. Soft, warm and a hint of home.
"Why did you call me here?" He asked shaking way the foreign feeling of warmth.
By how Kevin's face morphed from smiles to anger, there was only one explanation. 'Still no news.'
How strange.
On the drive back home Atid's mind was swimming in dark clouds. Kevin's words echoing at each passing second. 'It's like she never existed, at all. Not even dead or disappeared, but never heard or seen.'
'I would've said you were delusional if I hadn't talked to her once.'
'Seriously, you don't even remember what she looks like or where she works? Not even her age? This is messed up."
There was nothing homely about his house. A three-storey industrial rectangular block with grey walls, grey floors, and a grey couch. Just like they say, life is not black and white but…grey. Looking down he saw the crumbled papers Kevin snuck in his pocket.
'You drew these at the hospital. Try looking at these and see if you remember anything.
Picking up the papers, one by one he looked through each of them. Almond eyes and high cheeks. Same picture in different colours, different shades and completely different sensations. Out of nowhere something caught his eyes. Anthurium? What a strange flower to draw.
As if struck by lightning a familiar yet foreign scent reached him. Cherry blossoms, lots and lots of cherry blossoms. There weren't many places in Vianden with Cherry blossoms, and most were short home plants. But there is. A small voice inside his head said. The café.
The café? The spring café? Is that the place with cherry blossoms?
And Plumeria too... That voice went on.
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Janise thought something was strange with Aanya. And a strange Aanya was not good for anyone. They had come home at seven, and Aanya had gone straight to the garden. It was one of those days when people knew not to come out of their rooms. It was one of those days when you heard the helpless cries of a once sweet nightingale. It was one of those days when the indestructible and sophisticated Aanya poured her heart out, shedding her seemingly perfect and classy coat…once in a blue moon event.
In the past, Janise had envied her, day and night. But one day like today she heard the most sorrowful cries of her life. At the end of the garden, crouched near a Plumeria, screaming and shivering was Aanya. Even when she was at her worst Janise never cried this bad.
She'll be fine once the sun is up. Mrs Shin had said back then.
But…
Mrs Shin interrupted her: This is why wise men say not all that glitter is gold. The more you look into another person's life the deeper you see their heart.
She looked like she had it all. Janise couldn't believe it.
Don't we all? But do we really have it all? Sometimes life is all about that touch of grey in the black and white perfection.
She was right. Aanya had looked completely oblivious about her breakdown the next day. This was the second outburst in two years. The same mind that once looked up to and envied her, now pitied and prayed for her. How cruel fate ruled.
After a few days of awkwardness, Aanya had confronted her.
Should I look into another accommodation for you? It rarely happens, but it can be a huge bother.
How could she still think of someone else's comfort after what she has been through? Janise had wondered.
Why would it be? We've all been there. She had replied back then. But really none of them had been through such bad episodes. Then again pretending to be fine for a year can do that to people. Like now.
It's my pain before happiness, like winter before spring.
Like a winter cry for spring music. She filled in.
Maybe. Maybe a piece of spring music… always the double meaning in her sentences. Something only Aanya could do.
Oh, I thought you might like these. I found them near the big parking.
Armerias. Thank you for your feelings. It's better than pity. There was that sad smile again gracing the tip of her eyes.
It turns out that it was the only spring music she has ever heard that made her want to claw the person that made Aanya sing it in the first place. A spring sonata.
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Anthurium – my lover, I love you
Armerias – sympathy