Sakura and Rin didn't try too hard to make Ryn and Elysia stay. Just as Sakura and Rin were passersby on their journey, Ryn and Elysia were just a small interlude in Sakura and Rin's lives.
After insisting that Ryn and Elysia stay for a sumptuous lunch personally cooked by Sakura, and preparing some onigiri for their journey, the two sisters stood at the doorway, waving goodbye to Ryn and Elysia.
As he walked out of Sakura and Rin's gate, Ryn suddenly turned back to look at the giant, yet-to-bloom cherry blossom tree at the intersection, stroking his chin as if lost in thought.
Higokumaru's last wish was to be buried with her sister under a cherry blossom tree…
Back then, Ryn couldn't fulfill it for Higokumaru, but now, he could let Sakura and Rin witness a grand shower of cherry blossoms…
As Ryn walked past with Elysia in hand, the flowers and grass by the roadside began to grow vigorously, swaying in the wind and bowing slightly toward Ryn's position.
The King of Life, at this moment, reawakened the Authority over all things, emitting a majestic pulse of life that called out to every blade of grass, every flower, every tree, every world.
They grew, they swayed, they rejoiced, they offered everything to the returned King of Life.
Ryn's fingers began to move up and down involuntarily with the rhythm of life, like a highly skilled conductor directing all of existence to sing an ode to the cradle of life.
That ancient tree, which had existed for as long as Sakura could remember, should have long since withered according to the lifespan of a cherry blossom tree. It should have stopped blooming, leaving only its sturdy trunk as a wishing tree for people to entrust their beautiful hopes to.
But at this moment, with the dance of Ryn's fingers, the ancient cherry blossom tree, as if a newborn life breaking through the soil, stumbled as it once again let out a defiant roar of life towards the sky.
It was reviving, it was growing, it was spreading its branches, sprouting tender leaves and small, budding flowers.
The lush branches and leaves intertwined densely, like a giant umbrella providing shelter from the wind and rain, shielding the villagers below from the scorching sun.
Sakura didn't understand why a tree that was already dead had come back to life at this moment, defying the rules of the seasons to unfold its tender green leaves.
The tree was in front of Sakura's house, but it was a treasure shared in the hearts of the townspeople. The change in the ancient cherry blossom tree naturally couldn't escape their eyes.
People who saw the tree's transformation spontaneously called out to their companions, gathering together under the ancient cherry blossom tree to witness its revival.
Just as Sakura didn't understand why the ancient tree was reviving, the people didn't understand either. But as the wishing tree that held their beautiful hopes, for it to be able to revive one day… perhaps the gods had felt their prayers and began to listen to their wishes?
The people sincerely closed their eyes, clasped their hands together, and silently made their heartfelt wishes to the reviving cherry blossom tree.
And from the moment people started gathering, the figures of Ryn and Elysia seemed to have vanished into thin air.
Sakura and Rin could see Elysia, delighted and excited about the impending bloom, under the cherry blossom tree, and Ryn, like a conductor, directing the symphony of life.
But the people who came rushing over seemed unable to see the two of them. Not only did no one glance their way, but some people even passed right through Ryn and Elysia's bodies without any hindrance or sign of a physical collision.
The wounds on her arm had disappeared, the supposedly decayed ancient cherry blossom tree was reviving at this moment, and Ryn and Elysia were right before their eyes yet seemed not to exist in this world…
Sakura didn't know if she was going crazy, or if this world, as dull and tasteless as stagnant water, had suddenly encountered a bug on a day that was supposed to be running as normally as ever, and started becoming fantastical and bizarre.
Ryn, seeing the atmosphere was just right, pressed his hands down flat, and the melody of life quietly ceased.
Immediately after, a soul-stirringly light and ethereal tune began to play.
The people under the cherry tree couldn't hear the melody in the hearts of all things, couldn't hear the light, pulsating rhythm of life, but they shared the resonance of life that belonged to all living beings.
The trees were singing, and the people, following their life's instinctual joy, began to dance to the music.
The ancient cherry blossom tree, accompanied by the joyful songs of life, slowly began to bloom its budding cherry blossoms, dotting the laughing and cheerful crowd with a dreamlike pink.
As the cherry blossoms bloomed, Elysia, with light and joyful steps, walked towards Sakura.
Standing in front of Sakura, Elysia gently lifted her white gauze skirt, bowed her head, and extended her hand to Sakura.
"My beautiful lady, would you do me the honor of a dance beneath this sky full of cherry blossoms?"
Sakura smiled sweetly and placed her hand in Elysia's outstretched one.
"I would be delighted, my equally beautiful lady."
Elysia took Sakura's hand, pulling her closer. Her other hand rested on Sakura's waist, and Sakura naturally put her arm around Elysia.
The two of them, like elves fallen to the mortal world, with graceful and enchanting dance steps, danced lightly and dreamily under the giant cherry blossom tree.
Rin, who was left behind by Sakura, and Ryn, who was conducting the music and controlling the people to dance for Sakura and Elysia, both silently thought to themselves.
"And they say they're just ordinary friends…"
Rin simply smiled faintly at this, committing the image of the two pink-haired girls dancing together to her heart, and silently prayed to the ancient cherry blossom tree for Sakura and Elysia, offering them her best wishes.
Ryn, on the other hand, was unfazed. Having spent so much time with Elysia, he just thought that Elysia was truly his child. Just like him, she fell in love with everyone she met. Sakura definitely couldn't escape, but she certainly wouldn't be the only one who couldn't.
Time passed, and the dance of Sakura and Elysia was drawing to a close.
The ball was over, and so was the life of the ancient cherry blossom tree.
Cherry blossoms are most beautiful when they fall.
The towering ancient cherry blossom tree, at the peak of its bloom, let its petals drift with the wind. A breeze had picked up.
The enchanting cherry blossoms took the hand of the gentle breeze, bidding farewell to the ancient tree and leaving it behind.
One, two, thousands of blossoms, a sky full of cherry blossoms traveled with the wind, leaving a beautiful ocean of pink against the azure sky.
These were the curtain call petals at the end of the ball, and also Elysia's final farewell gift to Sakura.
As the cherry blossoms fell, Elysia plucked a branch of tender pink cherry blossoms in full bloom and pinned it in Sakura's hair.
Sakura also picked a few vibrant and beautiful cherry blossoms, gently brushing away the leaves that had gotten caught in Elysia's hair as the petals fell. She then wove the delicate blossoms into an exquisite hair accessory and pinned it on both sides of Elysia's hair.
The sweat from their dance and their joyfully pounding hearts left them both staring blankly at each other, at the shy, dewy, and alluring beauty of the other.
"Sakura… I suddenly don't want to leave."
"Yes… I'm suddenly a bit reluctant to part with Elysia too!"
Elysia and Sakura touched their foreheads together, smiling knowingly at each other, and finally embraced.
"Then… Sakura… if we ever meet again, we must become super, super good friends, okay!"
"Mmm, we definitely will."
"Then let's pinky swear~
"Okay, okay, pinky swear."
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Elysia Under the Cherry Blossoms