Title: Hanami (Flower Viewing)
Rating: G
Fandom: Tokyo Xanadu
Relationship: Hiiragi Asuka/Kurashiki Shiori
Wordcount: 445
Short summary: Asuka and Shiori have a picnic date under the cherry blossoms.
“Thanks for your help, Uncle Yamaoka.”
“Have a pleasant outing with Miss Kurashiki.”
Asuka left Café – Coffee Shop 17 – with two thermoses full of hot cinnamon apple cider and hot black tea respectively. It was the end of March and the trees in Morimiya Memorial Park were in full bloom. Fortunately the weather cooperated for a Sunday flower viewing; the outside temperature was cool but not hot and there were no clouds in sight. Asuka knew flower viewing was a popular activity in Japan and vaguely remembered doing something around this time of year with her parents a long time ago. This time, though, would be quite different.
Asuka was greeted by Shiori’s brilliant smile as she settled next to her girlfriend on the prepared picnic tarp. Shiori had told her to bring drinks because she wanted to try her hand at baking some Western-style desserts. Asuka, however, didn’t expect to see such a variety of cakes and cookies in front of her . Her thermoses felt like meager offerings in comparison.
“I got a little excited…” Shiori fidgeted. Asuka smiled.
“They all look amazing,” Asuka said. “I hope you weren’t awake all night making these?”
Shiori chuckled. “Well Rion stopped by. She wanted to make cookies for the other SPiKA members.”
Well, Asuka didn’t feel so bad now. She set upon pouring a cup of cider and handing it to Shiori. “I know it’s not the right season…”
“I’m always happy to have some of your cinnamon apple cider.” Awkward exchange concluded, the two of them settled into companionable silence as they watched the wind gently shake a few pink petals off the flowering trees. The blossoms were truly beautiful. Asuka relaxed against Shiori, linking the fingers of her right hand with Shiori’s left.
Asuka didn’t know how long she spent watching the blossoms, enjoying the moment of peace and warmth. A piece of one of the small cakes was pressed against her mouth. Asuka obediently accepted the offered piece. It was soft, vanilla, and not too sweet.
“Delicious.” Asuka turned her attention away from the blossoms for a moment to look at Shiori. A petal had fallen into Shiori’s hair. It was too cute to remove, so Asuka let it be.
“Would you like another piece?”
“Yes, of course.”
They only managed to consume a third of the baked goods and drinks during the next few hours. Still, even with the drinks becoming lukewarm and the cakes crumbling into smaller and smaller pieces, the picnic was wonderful from start to finish. It was too bad that they wouldn’t be able to do this again with this same atmosphere. At least until next year…