Chapter Text
"LOVE BLOSSOM"
[a Shuann Week 2020 series]
Episode 7: Our Forever Bond
PROMPT OF THE DAY: Free Day / Finale
...
Months passed by since the confession of Ren and Ann's love. With their feelings now revealed to each other, the couple were able to take every opportunity to further strengthen their relationship as newly boyfriend and girlfriend. Their bond continued to blossom through many more of the winter occasions that came up in the valley. With the celebration of New Years, the mayor and Kasumi organized a festive fireworks festival as villagers were encouraged to dress up in traditional yukatas. Ann had taken the opportunity to stitch up matching red yukatas with blossom designs for both her and Ren to wear on the special night.
"Happy New Year, Ren-kun!" Ann exclaimed as the explosion of fireworks lit up the night sky above Yama Town, the couple accompanied with the rest of their friends and villagers as they surrounded Sakura Square.
"Happy New Years, Ann." Ren replied. He couldn't help but continue to be mesmerized by Ann's appearance. Unlike her usual pigtails, Ann had her hair styled up in a traditional bun with a cherry rose blossom attached near the top, making her look as elegant as a royal princess, all while the lights of the fireworks brightened up her appearance.
To commemorate the start of the New Year together, Ren and Ann did as any couple would do on this annual event and sealed it with a passionate kiss – only to be interrupted by their excited friends as they cheered around.
"Happy New Years everyone- GAAH!" Ryuji yelped, almost tripping in his sandals as he stumbled into Ren by accident.
"H-Hey! Watch where you're going, Ryuji!" Ann whined back, having to take a step back with Ren as they watched the blonde boy recover from his near fall.
"Shit, sorry! Didn't mean to disturb you two lovebirds." Ryuji apologized, scratching the back of his head in embarrassment.
"Come on! Let's take another group picture!" Kasumi encouraged, jumping in her own yukata as she motioned everyone together. All their friends – including Futaba, Yusuke, Makoto, Haru and even Akechi, crowded near each other as they posed for the photo. "Cheers to another blessed New Year and a bright future for all of us!"
"Cheeeers!" the group all shouted in unison as Kasumi took the photo, their faces beaming towards the camera lens with joyous smiles from each one.
...
With Valentines Day coming around the corner, both Ren and Ann made their own secret preparations for the other. With Ren, he organized a special dinner back at his home, with many fancy foods made with his own produce from the greenhouse. Akechi assisted with preparations in cooking, whom was now roommates with Ren as he continued to start his new life in the valley and felt obligated to help.
"Takamaki-san must really mean a lot if you're going out of this way to prepare all this food for her." Akechi commented, looking over at their finished product on the kitchen table – a nice steak dinner made with an assortment of fresh mashed potatoes and veggies on the side. A bottle of red wine was kept in the centre with a pair of wine glasses. Beside the dinner was a whole red velvet cheesecake for Ren and Ann to share. The table itself was set with a white cloth and had candles lit up to give off a more romantic atmosphere.
"I appreciate your help in setting this all up, Akechi." Ren gave his gratitude.
"No problem. I'll be in town with Ryuji and the others for the night." Akechi said, making his way to the exit. Before leaving, he signaled to Ren a thumbs-up. "Enjoy the night, Amamiya-san. Although, I caution not to play around too rough. You both are still young in your relationship."
"I'll keep that in mind, Akechi-kun." Ren replied with a smile. "By the way, do me a favour and try to keep an eye on Ryuji? Last thing I need to hear is him getting in trouble on Valentines Day." Ren requested.
"Consider it done." Akechi replied as he exited the doorway.
Other than Akechi's snarky comment, Ren was happy that his roommate was beginning to establish new bonds of his own. It had taken awhile for Ryuji and the others to grow comfortable around Akechi, but it was understandable that their relationships would have a rocky start. To Ren's understanding, the boys would be hanging out around Leblanc Saloon to spend a their bachelor's night there.
In the meantime, Ann had been finishing up her own preparations back at Haru's home. Clad in an apron with her hair up, Ann was in the messy kitchen as she was finishing up her homemade chocolates for Ren. Taking the mold out of the fridge, Ann began to place them into a red box she would gift for Ren, all while Haru helped in cleaning up the mess.
"Ta-dah! What do you think?" Ann exclaimed presenting her specially made chocolates to Haru in their box. The chocolates were molded into various heart shapes and were filled with a sweet strawberry-filling. "I followed it exactly as how the cookbook said!"
"This look like top-quality chocolates, Ann!" Haru gave a thumbs-up. She tilted her head over as she gave a concerned look. "Although, shouldn't you be getting ready by now? I don't think you'd want to make Ren wait any longer for you, Ann."
"Oh my goodness! You're right!" Ann panicked, diverting her head to the clock as she realized she was running late. Throwing her apron onto the counter, Ann disappeared upstairs in the blink of an eye as she quickly took a shower and got dressed up for her Valentine's date at Ren's home.
"Heheheh.. Oh Ann - aren't you just adorable." Haru commented to herself. She gently wrapped up and set aside Ann's chocolates and resumed cleaning up her kitchen.
Dressed up in the nicest clothes she could bring to the valley - Ann finished off her look with the special heart necklace Ren had gifted her back in the winter. Bringing along her homemade chocolates, Ann booked it out of Haru's ranch and borrowed her friend's trusty horse Epona and made a mad dash over to Ren's home. The entire commute would have been a majestic stroll with the sun setting behind the distant snowy mountains of the valley if Ann hadn't been in a rush. Luckily, she made it to Ren's farmland in record-breaking time. Hopping off of Epona, Ann tied the horse beside Morgana's stable as she quickly fixed her hair and outfit before making her way on the front porch to knock on the door.
"Hey there – surprised you made it on time." Ren greeted his girlfriend with a smile, motioning her inside as he took her jacket.
"Really? Heheh, I'll be honest – I lost track of time preparing your special gift." Ann confessed with a giggle. Giving a quick peck on Ren's cheek, she presented her special box of chocolates to her boyfriend. "Happy Valentines Day to my favourite farm boy! I made sure to fill these up with my love!"
"How sweet of you." Ren smiled back, taking the box of chocolates as he embraced Ann once more to give another kiss on her forehead. "I wish I could eat these right now, but I wouldn't want to spoil my appetite for the dinner I made."
"Oooooh! You made us dinner?" Ann responded with a surprised look. In the days prior, Ann was told by her boyfriend that he planned for them to eat out. A lie he must've conjured up to make this dinner a surprise.
Ren nodded back as he took Ann's hand and guided her into the kitchen to present the romantic dinner piece. Ann's eyes stared back in awe at just how fancy everything looked, admiring the intimate candle light setting and aroma of the delicious food they were about to eat.
"Wow! This looks amazing! Aren't you a such a gentleman to have everything prepared so nicely like this!" Ann complimented.
"Well, to be honest, Akechi helped me set all this up. I couldn't have done it without him." Ren confessed as he rolled out Ann's seat for her.
"I'm glad to hear the Akechi-kun is finally feeling comfortable around us." Ann expressed as they both sat down. "I was worried that he wouldn't be able to fit into town, considering he was the one on the front line to for his father's company."
"Yeah. But if it hadn't been for you to encourage him to move out of his father's shadow and find new purpose in establishing meaningful bonds, Akechi would still be lost in himself." Ren told her as he poured out a glass of wine for each of them.
"I can't take all the credit, silly! It was the both of us that helped Akechi move forward." Ann reminded him as she took her glass of wine in hand. "We both were able to relate with Akechi's lost soul with our own experiences and direct him to a life of meaning through bonds."
"Right." Ren nodded back. Taking his glass of wine up, he motioned Ann for them to share a toast. "I know it may not be the norm for Valentines Day, but why don't we dedicate this dinner to not only our bond – but the special bonds we have with others? It's the experience we shared with them that helped shape us into the people we are now and what helped bring us together."
"Heheh, gosh Ren-kun, aren't you a sentimental man?" Ann giggled, following her boyfriend as she took her glass of wine and clung it upon Ren's. "To our love that exceeds beyond our relationship. Our passion that will transcend to our loved ones and flourish in the days to come."
Ren and Ann took a sip of their red wine and enjoyed their special Valentines Dinner, conversing throughout the night as they shared stories and reminisced about their lives in the valley for the past year. The couple eventually ended the night off with a romantic movie in Ren's living room, before moving their activities to the bedroom for a more intimate time together.
The perfect relationship – this is what Ren and Ann believed they were in. With their passion and love growing stronger every day, the couple foresaw themselves together for a long time.
Still... these precious moments together would not prepare them for the upcoming test that would undoubtedly decide the fate of the bond – and more importantly, the rest of their lives.
~ Shira Valley
Amamiya Farm ~
Spring finally returned as the cold Winter days left. The snow gradually melted as the rolling green among the trees and meadows returned to renew life all around the valley. The chirping of birds harmonized in the early hours of morning as they returned from their migration to the south.
With the change of weather, Ren did not hesitate to begin his new set of crops. With the greenhouse having served its purpose to keep the supply of produce coming throughout Winter, Ren could now take full advantage of his sprawling farm fields, stocking up on the appropriate seeds from Mishima's General Store for planting.
Usually, Ann would have woken up early and assisted with Ren on the daily tasks of the farm – whether it would be watering the plants, adding fertilizer to the soil or feeding the farm animals.
But this particular morning, Ann was not present.
Although, it wasn't a surprise for Ren. This was a moment they knew would come. For the both of them, it marked a full year since they arrived in Shira Valley. For Ren, it would've been a happy celebration for the growth and success of his farmland – with his friends planning to throw a party for his one-year anniversary living in the valley.
For Ann, however – this meant the end of her probation from her modelling career. She would be returning to her agency within the next week to meet her parents and organize her comeback into the industry. The couple had avoided the topic for the months leading up, but Ren was the first to acknowledge this concern when he told Ann that she should rest up instead of working before she returned to work.
At first, Ann had protested as she voiced her desire to be with Ren as much as she could before leaving – but he stood firm with his decision. Ren expressed his reasoning saying that this would help both of them to adapt to the days when Ann would be gone. His girlfriend – although saddened by his reason, fully understood as she complied and took the majority of her mornings to rest before leaving.
"You knew this would happen.. You did everything you could to forget about this inevitable reality, but now that it's about to arrive, you can't bare to accept it." Ren thought to himself as he mindlessly tilled the soil in lonesome. This habit that Ren had gotten used to now seemed to be a struggle for his body, most likely due to the lack of sleep the night prior after thinking about his current predicament with Ann.
Ann would be leaving soon… What would this exactly mean for their relationship?
"Morning Amamiya-san." Akechi greeted him, just coming out from the farm house in his work clothes. He noted the blank look on Ren's face. "Hey, something you wanna talk about? I noticed you had gone ahead and started work without me, which is unusual of you."
"I figured you could use the extra sleep. Didn't feel like bothering you." Ren explained, keeping his focus on tilling.
Akechi could easily tell if someone was lying or not – or to at least deduce if they were bothered, which was apparent in Ren's case. He soon remembered that this would be Ann's last few days in Shira Valley. Knowing this, Akechi attempted to redirect Ren's focus towards something more positive. "So, I heard the others are going to be throwing a party for you to celebrate your one-year anniversary in the valley. Must be excited, huh?"
Ren didn't answer, remaining quiet as he focused on his tilling. His movements seemed to grow more forceful as he did his best to keep himself distracted.
"Right.. I think I'll go check up on the animals for the mean time." Akechi commented, taking a few steps back from Ren. He thought best not to interrupt him, believing that Ren needed for himself in order to continue processing everything. It was apparent Ren's heart wasn't in the right place at the moment.
As the morning continued, Ren worked diligently to prepare his crops for the new cycle, with Akechi working quietly on his own tasks around the farm. Ren used this opportunity to hide the pain that he was currently feeling, knowing that Ann wouldn't be around for much longer.
He couldn't linger on this hard truth anymore – Ren had to keep pushing forward.
Still… was this the right way to tackle this issue? To run away and not think about the girl that he truly loved? Ren hadn't been in this type of situation before, so he was unsure of how to handle his emotions.
"Gotta keep working.. There is work to be done here.." Ren constantly reminded himself.
~ Shira Valley
Okumura Ranch ~
Another regular morning arose in the Okumura residence as Ann and Haru ate breakfast. Although usually by this time, the girls would be talking non-stop about their plans. Yet this particular morning was met with an unusual silence as the two ate their breakfast without a word.
"How's the food? I made sure to make the pancakes extra fluffy for you and added lots of chocolate chips in them!" Haru broke the silence in an attempt to cheer Ann up. She had known this would be the final few days for Ann to reside in her home, so Haru had gone out of her way to create one of Ann's favourite breakfast – chocolate chip pancakes topped with whipped cream and strawberries.
Even with the sweet food in front of her, Ann kept her gaze down as she poked at her stack of pancakes, only able to get a couple bites down before losing her appetite. Ann hadn't been herself for the past few days knowing her time was limited in the valley. No amount of preparation helped to ease the reality that she would be leaving all of her friends that she had grown to care about in the past year.
And most importantly – to leave the love of her life behind in the valley. It was hard for Ann to imagine a day without Ren by her side. But now she had to leave him out all of a sudden? Her mind tried to wrap around how to feel about this entire situation. Even if she complied to Ren's request to limit their time together in order to make their separation easier – Ann still felt that it wasn't right for their bond to end like this.
"Ann… Please talk to me." Haru spoke up, unable to deal with the silence between them any longer. This melancholic Ann was not what she was used to dealing with. Haru enjoyed Ann's natural positive energy, even if it had become overbearing at times. But to see her friend act completely opposite put Haru at unease.
"Sorry, Haru. I… I just don't know how to feel right now." Ann sighed out, keeping her head lowered.
"Do you want to talk about it? That's why I'm here, Ann." Haru reminded her. She decided to stand up and move to the seat right beside Ann, taking her friend's hand as she gently squeezed it. "I've been your roommate and friend for the past year. You're always welcome express how you feel to me. I'm here to support you."
Haru's proclamation managed to crack a small smile across Ann's face, grateful of her friend's dedication.
"I.. I just don't know if want to go back into modelling anymore." Ann suddenly claimed, much to Haru's surprise.
"Really Ann?, What's making you say this all of a sudden?" Haru expressed her concern, feeling that Ann wasn't sharing the whole picture to her dilemma. "I hate to be frank, but I don't think you mean what you just said. I know that you're passionate about the industry itself. You always talk to me about the latest trends every day while we're working."
"Uhm… yeah you're right. Modelling has been my life and passion. But.. it still hurts that I have to leave all my friends behind if I want to continuing pursuing my dreams." Ann released her feelings as Haru listened attentively. "I mean… Why isn't there a way that I can have both? To be close to my friends and to continue modelling?"
"Well… what's stopping you from doing that?" Haru asked,seeing this as an opportunity to help Ann figure out a solution to her problem.
"Haru, let's be realistic here. The nature of my work will require me to travel non-stop everyday doing interviews, attending photoshoots and practicing on the runway. And most of my jobs will be away from Shira Valley. It won't be possible for me to balance both living here and going out for my work." Ann explained her current conflict.
Haru nodded, agreeing with Ann's points. This was a problematic issue that she did not know the answer to. She tried to help guide Ann towards an answer. "You're going to have to make a decision about this eventually. You love living here in the valley, but you also love your job as well. What does your heart truly want?"
Ann thought for a moment, speaking of the first thing that came to mind.
"All I know is that... I want to still be with Ren."
"Then I believe he'll be the best person to talk to about this" Haru advised her, maintaining a positive look of encouragement. "You are partners, Ann. And this is a big decision that will affect your relationship in a big way."
"Mmhm.. Yeah, you're right." Ann agreed. This certain topic had been something Ren and Ann avoided for some time, both understanding that it was a difficult situation to talk about. But as a couple, they needed to take action and come up with a compromise soon, knowing that this would have a big effect on their future. "I'll be honest, Haru. Ren and I have been scared to talk about this. Both of us just don't know what this will mean for our relationship."
"But you can't run away from this forever, Ann. If Ren sees how important this bond is, then he will understand that you both need to talk about what will become of your future." Haru advised with a gentle tone.
"Haru... You're really good at giving out advice, you know?" Ann looked over and smiled back to her friend. Her heart was touched by how supportive Haru had become in the past year. She was the true definition of what friend was to Ann - someone who was patient, caring and would do whatever it took to lift up their loved ones. Ann began to excuse herself from breakfast as she made her way to the front door. "Uhm, if you don't mind, I think I'm going to see Ren so we can figure this out."
"There's that smile I've been looking for! You can do it, Ann! I truly believe in both of you." Haru cheered her on.
Ann gave Haru a quick hug as she made her way out of the door towards Ren's farm, following the familiar path to her boyfriend's farmhouse. She began to run down the familiar path over to Ren's land as determination to fight for her relationship surged throughout her body.
"Ren-kun... We'll figure something out. I believe in us." Ann motivated herself.
~ Shira Valley
Amamiya Farm ~
Lunch finally arrived as Ren and Akechi decided to take a break from their work. The two men sat on the front porch eating the sandwiches they quickly made and hydrating themselves with water. Ren seemed to have loosened up from his conflicted emotions, managing to have idle chat with Akechi as they discussed further plans about the farm.
"Ren… If you don't mind me getting off-topic, but… what will become of you and Ann?" Akechi suddenly asked, wiping his mouth with a napkin as he finished his sandwich.
Ren paused for a moment. He had been hoping to avoid this topic as much as he could. But there was no way of running from this issue forever. Ren sighed as he thought about his response. "Honestly, Akechi.. I still want to be with her. But Ann still has dreams outside of the city. It would be selfish of me to stop her from leaving. And the truth is, I'm uncertain of how our future will be for us."
"I see.. Have you told her about that?" Akechi asked.
"Uhm.. well no. I haven't." Ren confessed, lowering his head down. If he was being honest with himself, Ren felt ashamed that he wasn't able to express his true feelings to Ann. This whole time he was running away from the problem, but Ren understood that he would have to face reality eventually.
"Well.. I'm no expert on relationships, Amamiya-san. But I've been learning to understand that transparency is key in any bond," Akechi began to express himself, reflecting on the past couple months spending time with his newfound friends in the valley. "Take it with you guys – you all hated me for wanting to turn the cherry blossoms in town into a supermarket. But eventually we came to a mutual understanding as we expressed our individual concerns and reasonings to the problem at hand. Now we've been able to move on and look forward to better ways to build our relationships. Shouldn't that be the same for your romantic bond with Takamaki-san?"
Ren nodded back to Akechi's example. Reflecting on his own issue, he could feel that both himself and Ann weren't exactly communicating their entire feelings to one another – as if each of them were holding something back. Ren knew that they had to fix this issue quickly, as time was running out for them.
There was no reason to run away anymore. The couple needed to face the issue head on and come up with a compromise.
As if on cue, Ren and Akechi noticed a lone figure running up from the horizon. On closer inspection, the men realized it to be Ann as she ran up to the farm land.
"Well.. Here's your moment, Amamiya-san. Good luck." Akechi "Don't worry about the rest of the tasks. I'll do my best to get as much done as possible."
Ren nodded, grateful of Akechi's initiative to work on the farm himself. He couldn't have asked for a better farm helper – well maybe except for Ann. Regardless, Ren got up from his seat as he walked down the front porch – meeting Ann as she just arrived at the bottom of the stairs.
"Ren-kun.." Ann breathed out, exhausted from all the running as she ran into his arms, both naturally embracing one another. "Ugh… I sometimes forget how far Haru's ranch and your farm is. I felt like I'd just run a marathon!"
"Heheh, yeah. I'm surprised you didn't bring Epona with you." Ren started off. He looked over as Ann groaned in her hindsight – with so much on her mind right now, she had forgotten to come via horseback to make things easier for her. Ren chuckled as he took out a clean handkerchief and gently patted it on Ann's sweaty forehead, before sighing as he prepared himself for the conversation they were about to have. "Ann.. I think we both should talk. About our future and all of it.
"That's what I came here for, Ren-kun! There's a lot we need to talk about" Ann expressed. "About us... About our futures together. We can't run away from this anymore."
"Yeah.. I totally agree." Ren nodded back. He held his hand out for Ann to take. "Come on.. Why don't we go for a walk first?"
"Mmhm.. Yeah, I'd love that." Ann replied with a smile, taking her boyfriend's hand as they began their trek towards Yama Town.
~ Yama Town
Sakura Square ~
The afternoon rolled up on the valley as the sun began to gradually set, giving off a warm, comforting hue of orange from the horizon as it shone out into the sky. Ren and Ann sat together among one of the benches within the cherry blossom square, hands held together as they conversed about the future of their relationship and expressed their personal concerns.
"So… you really thought about quitting your modelling career altogether?" Ren expressed with concern. He watched as Ann hesitated for a moment before nodding.
"Y-Yeah.. I did. But don't worry. Haru helped me realize how I naive I was being." Ann assured him. "It would be a waste to throw everything that I had been working on. And my heart still has that passion to become the most fiercest model in the country."
"I'm actually kinda glad that you didn't go through with that," Ren added, catching Ann off-guard by his comment.
"Really? But… Don't you want me to stay?" Ann asked with a look of concern.
Ren shifted closer to Ann as he wrapped an arm around her shoulder, keeping her in his embrace. "Of course I want you stay, Ann. Being with you gives me so much comfort through all the farm work I have to endure. To be able to see your smile at the end of the day is what keeps me going."
Ann blushed as she rested her head into Ren's shoulders. Her boyfriend seemed so natural in making her feel special. And knowing that she was the light to someone's day added more purpose to her own life. Ann sighed as she continued cuddling into Ren's embrace. "Ren-kun, I wish I didn't have to go.. I really do want to be with you forever."
"But.. you can't. And that's the reality we both need to face." Ren brought up. He let out a sigh as they began to face the truth of their circumstances. "Ann, you're whole life has been building up to becoming a great model. You've faced so many roadblocks along the way, yet you still managed to push through and keep your head held high. That itself is already inspiring to me."
Ann nodded, continuing to listen to Ren's words of encouragement.
"Your experience in Shira Valley is valuable to share to the rest of the world. I can attest with having known you the first day we met. You've changed as a person. You learned to understand others and to think less about yourself and more about establishing important bonds." Ren explained in a soothing voice. "Ann Takamaki – there's a reason you were brought here. And it goes beyond our relationship. You came here to blossom into your greatest potential. You shouldn't hinder your heart from the rest of the world. You can use your position to make a change."
"Ren-kun… I'm.. I'm not sure if I'm ready to do that." Ann expressed her doubt. She had dreamed of becoming a fierce model for years - but deep down, Ann was still a scared girl that seemed to put on more of a persona on-stage than her true self to others.
"I believe in you, Ann. Our friends believe in you. And I know your parents believe in you. All that matters the most is if you believe in yourself." Ren encouraged her. Taking both hands, he face Ann and gently caressed her face into his grasp as he faced her. "Ann, you've shown that you're capable of being both loving towards others, and at the same time, maintain your ferocity in your attitude and determination. I know you can find a balance between both and use it as a way to present your best self out there."
A tear managed to escape from Ann as she allowed her boyfriend's words to rest in her heart. No matter how much doubt she held, her friends were there to always support her dreams. All she had to do was constantly remind herself that she was bound for greatness and that there would always be a group of people supporting her.
"You're so reliable, Ren-kun. It brings ease to me knowing that you'll always be here in this town." Ann spoke up as she let out a smile, wiping away the tear as she leaned forward and rested her forehead against Ren's. "I can tell that this community is blessed to have you, Ren-kun. You managed to bring new life into this valley."
Ren listened to Ann's words – this time allowing himself to hear the words of encouragement he needed from his lover.
"I know that you felt alone before coming into the valley. That you felt empty without any meaning in life," Ann continued, caressing a finger on Ren's cheek as she gently rubbed his face with affection. "But you've managed to move on and build something amazing with your farm, sharing your rewards to others and to find new meaning in these bonds. And I feel like you'll continue being the anchor to help others find meaning in their lives, especially for anyone new who comes into town."
Ren smiled back, touched by Ann's words. He felt so lucky having someone with a heart as kind as Ann's. Sometimes he wondered if he was dreaming the entire time, and that one day he would wake up back in the city – alone in his penthouse once more. But his whole life in the valley, his freedom as a farmer, the irreplaceable bonds he made in town, and his love for Ann were all a fortunate reality of his that he was glad to wake up to every day.
An immense blessing that Ren thought he wasn't worthy of, yet his doubts were grounded by the comfort of Ann Takamaki – the one person he truly loved with all his heart.
"We're gonna be okay... I believe in us, Ren-kun." Ann affirmed him.
"Yeah.. You're right. We will be okay." Ren repeated.
Ren and Ann shared a kiss as they poured out every bit of their affection to one another. There was no more running away from this fear of separation. The couple firmly believed that their bond was strong enough to overcome the distance that would eventually set them apart onto different journeys.
Their love - sprouting like the cherry blossoms all around them. Firmly rooted into the foundation of inspiring others and believing in their significant other. Watered by the experiences they shared and the changes they've endured. Growing into a symbol of their dreams and becoming a sign of hope for others who yearned for a new purpose.
Ren and Ann spent the rest of the night together – now at peace with the inevitability of their paths separating. For they believed their worlds would cross again some day.
~Shira Valley
Train Station ~
Another week finally passed as the day came – Ann would be leaving Shira Valley.
Prior to Ann leaving, Ren's one-year anniversary had gone off successfully as their group of friends celebrated within Sakura Square once more, holding a grand feast for the farmer. Although, Ren requested it to be a more quiet and intimate dinner – much to Kasumi's disappointment as she was used to throwing big celebrations.
Nevertheless, it was a special night their group of friends shared as they celebrated the time of Ren's anniversary as they told stories and showed their personal gratitude towards him. Still, the group did struggle at times throughout the feast - knowing that this would be one of their final moments together as a complete group. Ren did his best to keep the positive energy among the group, and decided to share his celebration as a farewell party for Ann in order to wish her luck in her future endeavours.
Initially, Ann was hesitant – not wanting to grab the attention anyway from Ren. But the group assured her, saying that she was just as important to them as Ren and they wanted the express their thanks to her as well for being an inspiration. Touched by the strong bonds she had made with each of her friends, Ann couldn't help but cry in front of them, stating that she would strive to do amazing in her job in order to honour the friendships she made in the past year.
But now, the time came for everyone to say their final goodbyes. This was the day that Ann would leave Shira Valley in order to return to her modelling career. Her parents would be waiting back in Tokyo as Ann insisted in taking the train back in order to enjoy the last bit of relaxation she had on the commute before jumping back into work.
It was around morning time in the valley – just after breakfast time where the group gathered at the station awaiting for Ann's train to come. Regardless of the beautiful, sunny weather around them, the group couldn't help but feel bittersweet the entire time.
Each of Ann's friends decided to give a sincere goodbye to their special friend they had grown close to in the past year.
"It's been an honour to have a such a hard-working model pass through town. I'm glad that you enjoyed your stay with us." Kasumi was the first to express her feelings as she reeled Ann in for a hug. "Take care, okay? And don't be hesitant to visit our little town!"
"Heheh, I make sure I'll come back the first chance I get! Thank you for being such a good host with all the events you held in town, Kasumi." Ann replied with enthusiasm.
"I wish you well in your modelling journey, Ann. You've inspired me to work hard and be more adventurous in my own life." Makoto said with sincerity.
"Thank you, Makoto. I appreciate you opening up the doors to your library when I needed a place of solace." Ann expressed, giving a hug to Makoto. "I do hope that you'll one day have a chance to explore outside of Shira Valley like you've always wished to do. Make sure to come by in the city, okay?"
"You've been a true inspiration in the clothes that you've made and the hearts you've touched with your fashion art. I wish to one day be as influential in my own art as much as you have become in your modelling, Takamaki-san." Yusuke expressed, giving an elegant bow to her of respect.
"You will get the chance, Yusuke – I know it! It's only a matter of time until I get to see your art hung up in the museums of Tokyo. Keep it up!" Ann encouraged him with a smile.
"Here, this is for you." Futaba said, handing Ann a disc she had just burned with the model's favourite tunes. "I remember you mentioning how much you love listening to Rise Kujikawa and the Kanamin Kitchen girls. We even gushed together about their songs for almost a good two hours. So I decided to put all their songs into this mixtape. Yes, it's old-school, but I wanted to make it sentimental for you."
"Heheh, this is really sweet Futaba. I'll make sure to listen to it at least once every day while I'm working." Ann said, giving the bespectacled girl a hug. Although Ann struggled to release as she noticed Futaba tightening her embrace as the young girl let out a wave of tears. "Ohhhh, Futaba. Don't cry! I promise to come visit you at Saloon Leblanc - along with Sojiro-san. We'll share a piece of cheesecake together!"
"To think that you've become such an important person in our hearts, Takamaki-san. Colour me guilty for me to assume that you were another on of those drama queens who only cared about themselves." Ryuji began, visibly struggling figure out the best words to say since he wasn't one to be the sentimental type. "Heheh, you're pretty cool after all, Ann. Make sure to kill it on-stage and show that you're the best model out there!"
"I will! And I'll admit, I may have been a little hard on you, Ryuji. But you were always a blast to hang out with. For real!" Ann proclaimed, giving Ryuji a quick fist bump. "I wish you well on your marathon journey. I'm positive that you'll be running laps around the competition!"
"We haven't really spoken a lot – or spent time together, Takamaki-san. But I do appreciate you for show me that there is more to life than to be directed by other people's directive," Akechi spoke up. "You've taught be how to be free and understand the importance of bonds. For that, I am in your gratitude."
"Thank you, Akechi. And don't worry, you'll find a bigger calling to your life. I'm sure you will succeed far greater than what your father's business can accomplish." Ann affirmed as she gave a reassuring nod to Akechi.
"You've been such a delight to have as not only my housemate, but as my friend as well." Haru began to express, doing her best to hold back her tears. "It's been a blessing to see you grow so much as a person in the past year. You've even taught me a couple things about myself I'm going to miss you so much, Ann!"
"Ohhhh Haru! I'll be forever grateful that you opened up your home to me! You've showed somuch patience when I was so much trouble from the beginning!" Ann cried out, now becoming overwhelmed by her emotions as she and Haru embraced in a hug. "Make sure to keep an eye out on your animals. Feed them and keep them healthy. Oh, and that also applies to you too!"
Eventually crying out the remainder of their tears out, the two girls released from their embrace. Ann moved on to the final member of their group – the most precious one to her out of all of them.
"Ren-kun… Uhm, before you say anything – I have something to give you." Ann first spoke, shuffling through her hand bag. She took out a simple, white envelope that was sealed with a heart sticker on the flaps. Ann handed her gift to Ren. "Promise me that you'll only open it once I'm gone, okay?"
"I promise." Ren affirmed, taking the envelope from her as he gently placed it into his pockets.
The couple remained silent for a few seconds, still trying to comprehend that this would be the last time they'd see each other for quite awhile. The rest of their friends stood to the side, curious to how Ren and Ann's goodbye would go.
"I love you Ann." Ren proclaimed, taking hold on one of Ann's hands as he gently brought her closer.
"I love you too, Ren-kun." Ann responded, her cheeks flushing red and a warm smile on her face as she leaned closer.
The couple went in for an affection kiss, holding it for a few seconds. Once releasing from the act, Ren and Ann looked at each other as they both chuckled in joy – peace remaining in their hearts knowing that this wasn't a final goodbye, but a simple "see you later".
"W-Wait. That's it?" Ryuji groaned, wondering if that was Ren and Ann's entire goodbye to one another. "Sheesh, I thought it'd be a little more dramatic than a simple kiss."
"Will you shut it, Ryuji? They probably had a long talk before all this and said their heartfelt goodbyes already!" Futaba barked at him as she rolled her eyes.
"Come on, Ryuji! Don't ruin the moment!" Haru chimed in.
"Yes, Ryuji. Sometimes, actions speak louder than words. Not like you would know." Makoto even took a dig at him.
Poor Ryuji could only lower his head down in shame as he apologized under his breath. "Geez, tough crowd today, huh?"
Ann and Ren chuckled together as they watched their friends go about their usual business with each other. This display of silly chemistry they all had would be an aspect of her friendships that Ann would miss. But she would look forward to seeing them one again during her off-time from work. Eventually, Ann's train arrived as it slowed down to a stop in the station. Being the only passenger to board at this stop, Ann took a moment to say one final goodbye to all her friends.
"I promise to return one day. Until then, all of you will hold a special place in my hearts!" Ann proclaimed, giving out a formal bow before walking on-board the train with her luggage in tow.
"We'll miss you Ann!" everyone shouted in unison.
As the train doors closed, Ann remained standing against the window as she waved back at her friends. Once the train began moving, Ann witnessed all of them beginning to chase after the train, prolonging her departure from them as they expressed their goodbyes once more.
"Take care, Ann!" Futaba shouted.
"Good luck out there in city!" Ryuji howled out.
"We'll miss yoooooou!" Haru yelled as loud as she could.
"Bye everyone I'll miss you too!" Ann yelled, managing to run over to one of the train's' windows as she peeked out and waved to her friends - tears strolling down her face. She was overwhelmed by the gesture they had shown by running after her. Eventually her train passed the station's platform as she watched her friends slowly disappear from her sight, all of them standing in unison as they watched Ann's train leave. From that moment on, Ann knew she was blessed with such dedicated friends that she could always return to. Managing to recompose herself, Ann found an empty window seat – a task not too difficult due to not many people being on the train. Ann set her luggage aside as she looked out the window, marvelling at the view of the beautiful mountains, rivers and trees outside.
This was the last time Ann would gaze at the beautiful valley with her very own eyes.
"Okay... There's still more work to be done." Ann breathed out, motivating herself for the adventure ahead.
...
Back in the station, the group remained in silence at the edge of the platform, watching as Ann's train disappeared behind the mountains as it began its journey back to Tokyo. The calm spring breeze was the only thing heard as the Yama group allowed the reality of Ann's departure to sink in.
Just a second ago Ann was standing right beside them... And now she wasn't.
"Takamaki-san... She really is gone, huh?" Yusuke stated, still in disbelief that their friend left.
"Yeah... Off to her next adventure." Makoto replied.
"Hey, you gonna be okay?" Ryuji asked, setting a comforting hand on Ren's shoulder. "We're still gonna be here for you, partner."
Ren looked over and nodded to Ryuji, as well as the rest of his friends beside him. It was comforting for Ren to have so much support after having to say goodbye to his love. But Ren knew it was the best for them. Ann was free to resume her dream as the top model, while Ren would continue building up his farmland and strengthening his relationships with the close community that accepted him.
"I'll be fine." Ren assured his friends, a smile remaining on his face.
~ Shira Valley,
Amamiya Farm ~
Sunset cast itself on the valley as Ren sat peacefully on the porch steps. Akechi had gone inside to rest early, leaving Ren by his lonesome as he reflected on the day's events. Shortly after Ann's departure, the group had stayed with Ren as they decided to hang out for a bit in Yama Town to grab some lunch. Right after, he and Akechi came back to the farm to complete some work before dinner time.
In Ren's hand was Ann's envelope that she had given to him before boarding the train. With time to spare, Ren carefully opened the envelope as he took out a piece of fancy magenta paper. On closer inspection, he noticed black ink had been scribbled on it and realized it was a letter. Ren immediately recognized it to be Ann's handwriting.
Taking a deep breath, Ren read the entirety of the letter Ann had written:
...
To my dearest Ren-kun,
Hey there, my beloved farm boy.. To be honest, I never planned on writing you a letter. But with the limited amount of time we have left together, I thought best to express my feelings in writing so you could always have the chance to reflect back on my words in case you missed me.
Anyway, I just wanted to give my sincerest thanks once again for everything that you've done. Not just for me, but for the community as well. I can tell that your presence alone has brought in so much joy to the valley and our friends.
A year ago, you were just some random stranger that I bumped into during my first night in Shira Valley. I pinned you as some loser who wanted to talk to me as an excuse to check out my butt, heheh.
But fortunately, I was wrong. I slowly discovered how caring and gentle of a person you are. How vulnerable you actually were and how lost you became in life. We may have come from different backgrounds, but we truly shared the same insecurities. Which is why I am thankful you came into my life – so we could help each other rediscover ourselves.
Ren, you've become the light in my life. You helped me realize that bonds are immensely valuable, and that I should not take anyone for granted. That is why I promise to go back into my modelling career with that mindset: To not only improve myself and become the top model – but to establish meaningful relationships in my workplace and help others figure out their own passions in life.
I made a vow to myself to talk to my model rival – Mika-san, and try to fix what drama we may still have between us. It's funny though, I have a lot to thank for her putting me in this situation in the first place. If I hadn't lashed out on her, I wouldn't have been put on probation from my job.
And I wouldn't have met you, Ren-kun.
Reflecting on this thought, I truly believe that we were destined to meet.
I'd also like to take the time to express how proud I am seeing all the hard work you've put into your farm. It's hard to believe that last year you only had a few crops planted – and now you have almost an acre of land to harvest, as well as plenty of stables for your beloved farm animals.
Please give my regards to Morgana. I'm sure your trusty stallion will miss me the most out of all your horses, heheh.
I just know that your late grandfather would be proud of you. I know I've never met him, but he must've been a good, loving man. I like to think that he was an angel in heaven playing cupid by passing down his property for you to invest in – and so that I could meet you.
You know Ren-kun, thinking about our journey together reminded me of a quote I heard. It goes a little something like this..
"It doesn't matter how far apart we are.. The bonds we made will remain strong. Everyone's heart is connected to the people they know and trust. It's those bonds that helps us search for our purpose in life. As long as it's a purpose you believe in.. There will always be someone who will help you fulfill it."
You.. Me.. and everyone else.. There are no barriers. Right, Ren-kun?
Anyway.. I've been rambling on long enough in this letter. If I say anymore, I'm going to run out of space, heheh. I'll save more of my words for the next time we meet.
Stay healthy and keep up the amazing work you do until I get back!
Love,
Ann Takamaki
...
A tear drop fell at the bottom of Ann's letter as Ren finished reading it.
Letting out a sigh, Ren folded Ann's later and carefully tucked it into his front shirt pocket – specifically the one closest to his heart. Ren took a moment to recompose himself, as he hadn't expected this rush of emotions to flood through his spirit after reading Ann's letter.
Even when she was miles and miles away – Ann seemed to find a way to touch Ren's heart.
"Alright.. There's still more work to be done." Ren told himself, refocusing his mind back to his farm. He stood up as he walked down the front porch to finish up some tasks on the field. As he got ready, Ren turned over and smiled at the familiar sight that stood beside his home.
Two miniature cherry blossom trees standing side by side next to Ren's home. Although each plant was small and still required lots of time to grow, their healthy nurturance was evident in the bright colours showcased in each petal. Having been planted close together, the mini cherry blossom branches ended up intertwining into one another to create the shape of a heart.
One tree had been planted by Ren - while the other one by Ann.
A memory popped up in Ren's mind, the day after he had helped Ann walk back home after a rainy day. With the encouragement of Haru, Ann had brought over the cherry blossom sapling she received during the Parade of Wishes over to Ren's farm. Having kept his own sapling in its pot, Ren followed through with Ann's idea to plant their cherry blossoms together. He kept in mind that their wishes would be represented by the cherry blossoms they would nurture. Ann hoped that the superstition towards the growth of their wishes would be doubled in power with the two saplings close together.
One year had passed and Ren could tell that not only did his and Ann's cherry blossoms grow to become healthy, strong tree saplings – but the desires of their wishes had also blossomed into reality as they both rediscovered their true purposes from living in the valley.
For Ren's wish – to find new meaning from his prior, empty life – and to go with the flow with life's greatest adventures.
For Ann's wish – to never feel alone anymore. To finally be happy on the path she had grown into by leaning on her loved ones for support.
Ren smiled once again as he made his way into the farm fields, confident that they both achieved their wishes. Like the pair of cherry blossoms they had planted together – their dreams would continue to grow into something more.
"Ann Takamaki.. We'll see each other again." Ren thought to himself - looking forward to the beautiful future that he believed both him and Ann would share one day.
.
..
…
THE END!