The gentle scent of cherry blossoms filled the air, their soft petals falling like snow against the vivid blue sky. Riku stood beneath the towering sakura trees, his easel set up in a quiet corner of the park. The late afternoon light cast golden hues across his canvas as he meticulously captured the fleeting beauty of spring.
His brow furrowed as he painted. It wasn't just the blossoms he was trying to portray—it was something deeper, an emotion he couldn't quite define. He paused, staring at the unfinished painting.
"What's missing?" he muttered under his breath.
"Maybe a little soul?"
The unexpected voice startled him. Turning, he saw a young woman standing a few feet away, her hands clasped behind her back. Her wavy, chestnut hair caught the light, and her warm smile was tinged with curiosity.
"I didn't mean to interrupt," she said, stepping closer. "Your painting is beautiful."
Riku blinked, unsure how to respond. It wasn't often that strangers approached him, especially not someone like her—vivid, full of life, and utterly unfamiliar. And yet, as she gazed at him, a strange feeling stirred within him, like he'd met her before in a dream he couldn't quite recall.
"Thanks," he said awkwardly, brushing a stray strand of hair from his face. "I'm… still working on it."
She nodded, her gaze shifting to the canvas. "The cherry blossoms look perfect, but it feels like the scene is waiting for something. Or someone."
Riku's hand froze on the brush. Her words struck a chord he hadn't expected.
"I'm Aiko, by the way," she said, extending a hand.
"Riku." He shook her hand briefly, the strange sense of déjà vu intensifying. "Do you… come here often?"
Aiko laughed. "Not really. I was supposed to meet a friend, but she canceled. Thought I'd take a walk instead. And then I saw you."
Riku glanced at his painting, then back at her. The sunlight filtering through the blossoms seemed to frame her perfectly, as if she belonged in the scene.
"Would you mind…" he hesitated, unsure if he was being too bold. "Would you mind sitting for me? Just for a little while?"
Her eyes widened, then softened with understanding. "Sure," she said, settling on a bench nearby. "What should I do?"
"Just… be yourself," Riku said, his brush moving instinctively.
As he painted, he stole glances at her—her thoughtful expression, the way she tilted her head as if lost in her own thoughts. There was an air of familiarity about her that he couldn't shake.
"Have we met before?" he asked suddenly, the question escaping before he could stop himself.
Aiko tilted her head, a flicker of surprise crossing her face. "I don't think so. But… now that you mention it, you do seem familiar."
They fell silent, the sound of the breeze rustling the blossoms filling the space between them.
Riku finished the painting just as the sun began to set. He stepped back, letting Aiko see it.
"It's beautiful," she said softly, her gaze lingering on the figure he'd painted beneath the blossoms. It was unmistakably her.
For a moment, neither of them spoke. Then, as the first stars appeared in the twilight sky, Aiko smiled.
"Maybe we were meant to meet today," she said.
And in that moment, Riku couldn't help but agree.