We now shift to the perspective of a young girl who appears to be around seventeen. She stood beneath the sprawling branches of a massive sakura tree, its blossoms raining down in a gentle cascade of pink and white. The tree was an awe-inspiring sight a natural marvel that towered so high it seemed to brush the heavens themselves. Over the centuries, this place had become a beloved hotspot for couples, drawn by the romantic legend surrounding the tree.
Yet, for the girl, the tree held a far deeper meaning.
Her grandmother had told her stories of ancient times that most dismissed as myths. According to her, this was no ordinary sakura tree. It marked the site of an epic battle where a legendary hero saved the world from an unspeakably evil yoki. That yoki, revered as a goddess by some in the olden days, was defeated by this brave man. After his victory, the hero vanished, and it was said he became one with the tree, his essence intertwined with its roots, forever watching over the world he had saved.
The girl placed her hand gently on the bark, her fingers tracing its weathered surface. To her, this was more than just a romantic backdrop or a tourist attraction. It was a sacred place, a living testament to an age that had been reduced to little more than bedtime stories.
Her grandmother's voice echoed in her mind: "Never forget, Momo. That hero may have become one with the heavens, but he's still watching. Always watching."
Momo Ayase smiled softly, her heart warmed by the memory. It was silly, she thought, but comforting all the same. If the hero was watching, she hoped he could see how much his sacrifice still meant to those who remembered him even if the world had largely forgotten.
Before Momo could lose herself in thought, an irritated voice shattered the quiet around her.
"Oi, Momo! What's the big idea dragging me to this stupid tree?"
Momo sighed, her shoulders tensing in frustration. She turned to face Ken, her so-called date. Ken was tall and broad-shouldered, his sharp features and dark eyes giving him the appearance of a delinquent. His slicked-back hair and leather jacket completed the "bad boy" image he tried so hard to cultivate, but to Momo, it felt more like a cheap imitation than anything genuine.
"And weren't you the one talking about wanting to go on a date?" Ken continued, his voice dripping with annoyance. He gestured wildly at the towering tree. "How's this supposed to impress me? It's just a dumb tree."
Momo crossed her arms and glared at him, the warmth she had felt moments ago quickly fading. "It's not just a tree, Ken," she snapped. "It's a place of history and meaning. But I wouldn't expect someone like you to understand."
Ken scoffed, shoving his hands into his jacket pockets. "History, huh? Sounds like one of those bedtime stories old folks make up to sound smart. If you wanted to impress me, you could've taken me to that new arcade downtown. That would've been a real date."
Momo closed her eyes and took a deep breath, willing herself to stay calm. She had brought Ken here hoping to share something meaningful, something personal. But, as usual, he had managed to ruin the moment.
"Why do I even bother?" she muttered under her breath.
"What was that?" Ken asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Nothing," Momo replied sharply.
Ken rolled his eyes, his tone laced with indifference. "Seriously, though. If you wanted to take me on a date, let's go but you're paying."
Momo froze, her hand still resting on the bark of the sakura tree. She turned to face him, her brow furrowing. "You want me to pay? Again?"
Ken shrugged. "Yeah, so? You always do." His tone was casual, as though her frustration was nothing more than background noise.
Momo's heart sank. She stared at him, her anger quickly giving way to a cold realization. "Ken... I've been paying every single time. Don't you think, just once, you could step up?"
"Why?" Ken shot back, his voice devoid of warmth or remorse. "You're the one dragging me out here to this stupid tree. If you want to hang out so bad, then yeah, you should pay. Fair deal."
Momo blinked, stunned by the bluntness of his words. "Fair deal? You're not even trying. You didn't want to come here, you barely talk to me when we're together, and you only ever seem interested when you think I'll do something for you. Is that what this is? Just... convenience for you?"
Ken sighed heavily as if she were the one being unreasonable. "Oh, come on. Don't make this into some big drama." He leaned closer, his sharp features twisting into a smirk. "You don't want to pay for a normal date? Fine. How about we head to a love motel and have some fun instead?"
Momo's breath hitched, her body going rigid. The crude suggestion shattered whatever patience she had left. Without hesitation, she clenched her fists, trembling with barely contained fury, and launched a swift kick aimed directly at Ken's face.
But Ken moved faster than she anticipated. His sharp eyes caught the movement, and as if expecting the attack, he sidestepped effortlessly and grabbed her leg mid-kick.
"You're gonna try that on me?" Ken sneered, his grip tightening. Before Momo could react, he swung her leg with a shocking amount of force, sending her crashing into the base of the massive Sakura tree.
The impact was brutal. Her head struck the bark with a sickening thud, and she crumpled to the ground. A sharp pain radiated through her skull, and she felt the warm, sticky sensation of blood trickling down her temple.
Ken stood above her, the faintest smile tugging at his lips. He watched with cold indifference, his eyes devoid of any remorse. As Momo lay there, struggling to stay conscious, he took his time, savouring the moment.
After a long pause, Ken finally spoke, his voice dripping with cruel amusement. "I never liked you anyway, Momo," he said casually, almost as if she were nothing more than an inconvenience. "So no problem on my end. See ya, useless."
Without a second glance, he turned and started walking away, the only thing she could say was childish words.
You moran fish brain, squid octopus.
Ken paused mid-step, turning his head slightly as if to confirm he'd heard her. Then, with a snort of amusement, he shoved his hands deeper into his jacket pockets and kept walking. "Tch. Pathetic," he muttered to himself, his voice barely audible over the faint rustling of sakura blossoms drifting in the breeze.
Momo, still sprawled against the base of the tree, glared after him despite the pounding ache in her skull. Her vision blurred, and a wave of dizziness threatened to pull her into unconsciousness, but she refused to let him have the last word.
"Go... trip on your oversized ego, Ken," she rasped, her voice weak but defiant. "Fish brain... doesn't even... make sense." A bitter laugh escaped her lips before she finally let her eyes close, exhaustion overtaking her.
She was now laying at the base of the ancient sakura tree, her bruised and battered frame motionless. Blood continued to trickle from the wound on her head, staining the grass beneath her. The wind whispered softly through the towering branches, carrying an air of sorrow that seemed almost alive.
As if sensing her plight, the tree stirred.
One of its thick, blossom-laden branches extended toward her, moving with an almost sentient grace. The petals fluttered down like a gentle snowfall, landing on her bruises and cuts. A soft glow began to emanate from the blossoms, casting a warm, ethereal light over Momo's broken form.
The wounds on her skin started to close, the bruises fading into nothingness as if erased by an unseen hand. The blood on her temple dried and disappeared, leaving her skin unblemished. Her shallow breaths grew steadier, her chest rising and falling in a calm rhythm.
The tree's branch lingered above her for a moment longer, as though ensuring the healing was complete. Then, with a final pulse of light, it retracted back into the canopy, its job done. The blossoms continued to rain down gently, forming a protective blanket around her.
Momo stirred, a faint groan escaping her lips as her eyelids fluttered open. For a moment, she felt disoriented, her mind replaying the events that had led her here. She reached up to touch her head, expecting to feel pain, but found nothing no wound, no blood. Just smooth skin.
She sat up slowly, her gaze drifting upward to the massive sakura tree. Its branches swayed gently, almost as if they were acknowledging her.
A deep sense of awe and gratitude washed over her. The stories her grandmother had told her about the her the one who had become one with this tree rushed back to her mind. Could it really be true? Had the hero's spirit, entwined with the sakura's roots, saved her?
Thank you," she whispered, her voice trembling with emotion. Tears welled in her eyes, but they weren't from pain or despair. These were tears of relief, a fragile spark of hope ignited in her heart.
Her hand lingered on the tree's bark, fingers tracing its ancient grooves as if seeking comfort in its strength. She didn't know if what she had just experienced was real a miracle born of the tree's legend or simply the fevered dream of her battered mind. But, for now, she didn't care. The pain was gone, her wounds healed, and she was alive. That was enough.
The branches above swayed gently in the breeze, their blossoms drifting down like soft whispers of reassurance. Exhaustion finally caught up with her, weighing her eyelids like stone. She slumped against the tree's massive trunk, her breathing steady as she surrendered to the peaceful stillness.
In her final moments of wakefulness, a thought crossed her mind a quiet, solemn vow. Whatever the truth behind the hero's legend, whether his spirit still watched over this place or not, she would honor the sacrifice made here so long ago.
The world had forgotten, but she wouldn't.
Author's Notes:
That's all for this chapter! I hope you enjoyed it. In the next chapter, there will be a small time skip, so expect some changes in the story's pace. Also, a quick heads-up future chapters will occasionally explore alternate moments and side arcs involving the yoki and Aliens, giving more depth to the world and its history. Don't worry, though; we'll always return to the main storyline. Those deviations won't happen just yet, but they're something to look forward to later on.
Thank you for reading, and stay tuned for what's to come!lll