God!Japan X Reader: So Be It (1/3)

Boredom could lead a person anywhere.  It makes them think about things they otherwise wouldn’t come to mind.  And in some cases, lead them to a place they wouldn’t have gone before.  That’s what happened in her story.  In the midst of spring, she took a small dirt road she wouldn’t had noticed if she hadn’t been looking.  Her shoes were dirtied from the rough road and she had to avoid random plants that grew in the middle.  It was obvious no one had been down this path for a while.  But her boredom pushed her on, and she was glad it did.

After she got past the green plants and muddy ground, she saw something she could have never been able to conjured in her imagination. Sakura trees filled the area, their petals yet to bud.  Only a few early flowers were dancing with the wind.  The grass in the area was bright green and seemed to glow.  ______ continued on, curiosity peeked.  As she walked past the trees a small building came into view. It was only when she approached it that she noticed it was a shrine.  An old one at that.  

There were weeds growing through the wood and little charms had fallen to the ground.  ______ knew how important respect was in these situations, so she began to work.  She pulled weeds from the ground and hung the little charms up.  Unaware that she was being watched the entire time.

“That’s better.” She told herself

“Thank you.”

She turned around quickly, but saw nothing.  All that was there were the Sakura trees, still swaying with the slight breeze.  

“Allow me to give a token of my thanks.”

______ faced back the way she was previously, and was surprised to see a young man standing there.  He had short black hair and soft brown eyes, he was Japanese and wore a slight smile on his face.  The man was decorated with a simple kimono and sandals.  

“I’m sorry, I didn’t see you there before.” She stated

“Ah, but I didn’t show myself earlier.” He replied

“Show yourself?”

“Hai, I am the Kami of this shrine.”

His eyes showed no sign of lying and currently only held kindness.  ______ was not sure whether to bow or talk back.  But the Kami didn’t let her make the choice.  He bowed to her.

“Please raise your head?” She asked

“You cleaned up my shrine.  I give you my respect.”

“That’s unnecessary.”

“But I wish to.  No one has come to visit me for some time.”

“Is that so?”

He nodded his head.  ______ could tell that he felt a bit lonely, after all, she would too if she was left alone for too long.  His eyes held a story of friendship and abandonment.  

“If you don’t mind, may I ask a few questions?” She said

“Of course.”

“What do you represent?”

“New beginnings.”

“Is that so?”

The wind picked up again, blowing her hair a bit.

“What is your name?” The man asked

“______.” She replied

“It is a pleasure.  I’m Kiku.”

“The pleasure is all mine.”

He just stayed and continued to look at her as if she were a work of art.  In his mind she blended in with the backdrop.  The vibrant yet calming spring colors only made her more surreal.  He did not want to say anymore, as it might ruin the peaceful silence they were currently put in.  But he held a responsibility to thank the girl.  

“Follow me.” He stated

______ nodded gently and moved gracefully behind him.  Kiku lead her behind the shrine and towards the biggest Sakura tree in the sacred land, his tree.  She looked up in awe, naturally these trees would not grow to be so large, but this one in particular had grown with Kiku.  

“Do you like it?” He asked

“I love it, it’s simply beautiful.” ______ replied

“But it has yet to bloom, you still find it pretty?”

“Of course, something doesn't need to be perfect or complete to be wonderful.”

He smiled completely agreeing with her statement.  In fact, it was one of the wisest things he has heard over the past couple of decades. Kiku approached the tree and put his hand on the soft bark. His fingers trailed up to a branch that hung lower then the rest, but still had the same amount of flower buds.  He pulled a small twig that held a small bud and it snapped, separating itself from the rest of the tree.  

“Why did you do that?” ______asked

“I did tell you that I needed to thank you.” Kiku replied

“But you already did.”

“Not with a gift.”

______ looked genuinely confused.  Her expression made Kiku give a small smile.  He approached her and held out the twig.  She looked from him to the flower and back at him.  

“Please accept it.” He said

______ held out her hand and gently took the flower from Kiku with two of her fingers.  As soon as the flower was in her grasp, it glowed. The light at first was blinding, but it then settled to a soft pink.  She had momentarily looked away, but when she directed her gaze back she saw that the twig no longer held a bud, but a fully bloomed flower.  It was pink with white circular patterns dyed onto it’s petals, as if someone had cried while painting it.

“How did it bloom?” She asked

“It is my gift.” Kiku responded, “It is not a normal Sakura flower.”

“Is that so?”

“Yes, there is one thing very special about it.  Care to guess?”

“Is it like a snowflake?”

He was not expecting that answer.  No one he had ever known had compared a flower to a snowflake.  What made her think of that?

“How would they be similar?”

______ smiled gently before answering, “It is unique.  There are millions of flowers viewed as if the same as this one.  But, no other flower has the exact same beauty.”

“You have brought this to my attention.” Kiku responded

“Was I wrong?”

“No, not wrong.  Just different.”

“Then what were you going to say?”

“It hold a special power.” He explained, “as I said earlier, I am the God of new beginnings.”

______ nodded in recognition.

“So each of those petals that you inferred to be unique, can grant one wish.”

“The flower can grant wishes?”

“Not quite.  The flower, when stripped of one of the petals, informs me that you are trying to make a wish.”

“So you grant the wish?”

“Hai.”

She gripped the flower and stared down at it.  Such power was in her hands, did she really want it?  She had mostly everything she wanted in life, maybe she could use it for others.  She did not want to deny such a gift, so she would have to be careful on how she used it.  She held it close to her chest before looking back up at the god.

“Thank you.” ______ said

“You’re welcome.  I’m glad you have accepted it.” Kiku responded

“Should we head back?”

He nodded and walked past her to get to his shrine.  She followed behind him and watched as he walked.  Though his shoulders were small, and his stride didn’t cover much ground...  He held such confidence in his walk.  Kiku kept his head held high and his shoulders back.  The aura around him was warm, but sophisticated, and calm yet understanding.  It felt comfortable just to be in the area.  As ______ considered this she remembered his eyes.  The depths of emotion that they held, but didn’t show.

“Is it lonely here?” She asked

Kiku turned around and met her gaze.

“Lonely?” He repeated

“Yes.  Before today, I didn’t know your shrine was here.  Does it not get lonely?”

He stopped looking at her and instead peered over her shoulder.  He seemed to be in deep though, seriously considering the question at hand.

“I suppose.”

“You suppose?”

“Hai, I am unsure of what loneliness feels like as I have never felt loved.”

He then continued to walk towards his shrine, stopping once he got to the front.  ______ walked past him before turning on her heel.  

“Never?” She asked

“That is correct.”

She saw no flaws in his statement.  Whether he thought it was okay or not didn’t show.  

“Then I will fix that.” ______ said

“Fix it?”

“I will show you friendship, that way you will never feel loneliness.”

Kiku could only watch as she turned to the direction she had originally come from.  Before she disappeared she looked back and called out to him.

“Keep your promise, and I’ll keep mine!”  

And then, just like she came, her figure blurred away as if one with the earth itself. Kiku simply sat by his shrine like he always did, wondering one thing.