untitled chapter 1

Yurika smiled as she looked out the window at her two sisters, playing in the snow. Sometimes, they honestly didn’t act like teenagers, but rather like five year old children, delighting in the simplest of pleasures. She let a grin slide across her face, then opened the door and ran outside with them.
“Akahana, Akira, lets make snow angels!”
Yurika giggled and fell backwards in the snow, her arms and legs moving swiftly. She rolled out of the snow, snowflakes staining her hair white, the fluffy droplets landing on her eyelashes, causing her to blink softly. She balled up some snow in her hand, smoothing it out until it was a perfect snowball, and then threw it at Akahana, hitting her in the back.
“Yuri! What the heck was that for??” Akahana giggled and fired a snowball back.
Twenty minutes later, the three girls trudged inside, giggling, soaked to the skin. Akahana, the oldest of the three at 18 years old, reminded the younger two to take of their boots at the door, so their mother wouldn’t get after them. Their cheeks were all stained red from playing.
They were best friends. Akira was the youngest, at 15. Yurika, or Yuri as she was more commonly known, was the middle child at seventeen, and Akahana was the oldest.
Yuri ran up the stairs to her room, closing the door behind her and slumping against it. She walked across the room and picked up her hairbrush, sitting down in front of her mirror. She heard laughing coming from downstairs, and knew that her sisters boyfriends, Aito and Hitomu had just arrived. Yuri smiled wistfully to herself as she brushed her long silky black hair, making sure to get the tangles that always formed at the blue tips. She herself was single and happy for it. Sure, she got lonely sometimes, but she really didn’t have time for a boyfriend, between school, extracurricular, and her part time job. She was working very hard, so that she could get herself through college. She hoped to get on a scholarship, and get a full ride.
She heard a knock at her door.
“Come in!”
Akira burst into the room. “We are going to go out for a bit, ok?”
“Alright.” Yuri clipped her tiger lily hairclip into her hair, and glanced back at her sister as she closed the door. Secretly, she wished she were like her sisters, brave, independent. She was lonely, and she couldn’t help it. Yuri decided to go for a walk through the woods behind her home. She pulled on her pink sweater, and grabbed her coat.
She opened the door and locked it behind her, taking off into the fresh crisp winter air. She unhooked the fence leading into the backyard, and started to head for the woods that bordered their yard, knowing that there was always one place where she could go to be alone, that no one else knew about. She climbed the chain fence carefully, and then pushed back the branches that hid the little path she knew so well. She walked carefully, trying not to trip over the tree roots that stuck up out of the ground, knowing it wasn’t much farther. Finally, she was there. After sliding back a few loose branches, a wide smile lit her face, as she looked around at her paradise. The waterfall had almost frozen over, but the river still slightly ran. Yuri sat on the bank, snow fluttering down around her in the clearing, humming softly. She started to sing gently, a song of love, and of being with the one you care about. She started singing louder, knowing no one was around to hear.
“What song is that?” The voice caught her off guard, causing her to jump.
She turned her head around to the voice, and lost her breathe as she stared at the most beautiful boy she had ever seen. His blue grey eyes captivated her, made her lose herself.
“It...It’s a song I wrote.” She stuttered.
“It’s lovely.”
Yuri stood up slowly, and bowed slightly, trying to be polite and make a good impression. “I am Yurika.”
The boy smiled back at her. “I’m Eri.”
She smiled shyly at him. “Would you like to sit?”
Eri smiled at her, and sat down on the bank, a few inches away from her. He ran a hand through his dirty blonde hair, tiny snow flakes melting on his hands.
“Can… Can I ask you something?” Yuri stammered.
“Yes, go ahead.”
Yuri looked down. “How… how did you find this place?”
“I’m not sure. I was wandering through the woods surrounding my family and I’s new house, and I heard you singing. I followed your beautiful voice.”
Yuri blushed a light shade of pink. “I don’t really have a pretty voice, Eri, not nearly as nice as my sisters. I’m just plain Yuri. Nothing special about me.”
Eri looked at her for a second, his head tilted slightly to the side. Then he softly said, “Yurika… Such a beautiful name… do you even know what your name means?”
Yuri blinked once before stuttering, “My… my name? No, I don’t, but what does my name have to do with anything?”
Eri reached out his hand, and laid it against her cheek. “Yurika means beautiful lily.”
Yurika blushed, and a soft sigh escaped her lips. Eri slid his hand down her cheek, and under her chin, tilting it slightly up. “Your beautiful.” He murmured. Then he moved his hand and sat back down beside her, looking out at the water.
Yuri sat quietly, blushing like mad, then looked over at Eri. “Eri…why did you say that?”
He shot her a funny look. “What do you mean? I think you’re pretty. I like you. Hey, ummm.. I was wondering actually if you would like to go to dinner with me, Yurika.”
“I… I would love to.”
Eri smiled brightly. “I will pick you up at seven tomorrow night, ok? What is your number?”
Yurika told him her number and said her goodbyes. “It was nice meeting you.”
She walked dreamily through the woods, her arms wrapped around herself, her eyes blissfully blank. She ducked under the trees deftly, barely even seeing them. When she got home, she opened the door, took off her boots, and walked towards the stairs. She didn’t even notice her sisters and their boyfriends sitting in the living room, until Aito spoke to her.
“Yuri… where have you been?”
She quickly snapped out of her trance. “Oh, I was just out for a walk.”
Aito raised an eyebrow at her. Akira took one look at the dreamy look on her face, and said, “Theres a boy.”
Yuri looked away and said, “No, what would make you think that?”
Akira laughed. “Don’t lie, oniisan. I can tell.”
Yurika blushed and sat down on the fluffy beige couch in the living room beside Aito and Akira. She sat quietly for a moment, looking down at the floor, before looking up for a moment.
“Yes. There’s a boy.”
Akahana squealed, and clapped her hands together excitedly, looking expectantly at her younger sister.
“Go on!” She screeched.
Yurika blushed. “His name is Eri. I met him on my walk.”
“Well, what does he look like??” Akira leaned forward excitedly.
Looking at the floor, her cheeks stained pink with embarrassment, she murmured, “He is the most beautiful boy I have ever seen. He has dirty blonde hair…semi short and stunning blue grey eyes. He is tall, and very strong looking.”
Aito feigned a hurt look. “More beautiful than me?”
Yurika giggled. “No, Aito, never.” She teased.
“Oohhh, Yuri has a boyfriend!” Akira chanted.
“Eri is not my boyfriend, but I sure wouldn’t mind if he were.” She murmured softly.
Akahana covered her mouth dramatically. “Oh it must be love when our little Yuri wants him as her boyfriend!” She teased.
“ Im sure he doesn’t like me like that. I mean, why would he? But he did ask me out tomorrow night, to dinner.”
“Really? That’s great!” Hitomu chimed in.
Yuri blushed, and murmured that she had homework to do, dashing up the stairs to her room, closing and locking her door behind her. She lay back on her bed, and closed her eyes, her head swirling busily with thoughts. She simply could not believe all that had happened. She never expected anything like that could happen to her. She closed her eyes, and quickly fell asleep.
Yurika woke up the next morning feeling wide awake and refreshed. She yawned, and stretched her arms out over her head, then heard her mother calling her to wake up.
“I’m already awake, Mom!” She hollered.
She trudged downstairs in her pyjamas, hair sticking up on all ends, and a wide smile on her face, humming her favourite song.
Her mother, a kind gentle woman, took one look at her middle childs bright smile, and was delighted, knowing how rare it was for Yurika to be smiling that much. “You seem happy.” She remarked.
“Oh, mom, I am! I’m not sure why, but I just can’t help but smile today!”
Her mother smiled a knowing little smile. “Your sisters told me what happened yesterday. I am so happy for you!”
Yurika muttered, “Can’t tell them a bloody thing.”
“Its ok, Yurika. I’m thrilled. You are always so busy and focused on school work, I have often wondered if maybe I was wrong to encourage you to do so. You need to have some fun sometimes, Yuri.”
“Ok, Mom. I understand.” Yuri got herself some breakfast, then ran upstairs, running right into Akira.
“Well, good morning, Sleeping Beauty.” Akira smirked.
“Ha ha, very funny. “
“Nah, its ok, sis. I know you’ve been burning yourself out lately, with school, and work, not to mention student council.”
“Yeah, I kind of think I need a break.”
Eri smiled as he sat in class, thinking about Yuri, and how lucky he had been to chance upon her. To think, if he had not have followed her beautiful voice, he never would have found her! He found it amazing that she was so beautiful, and her name meant beautiful lily. She was so shy, he could tell, so vulnerable and fragile. He could empathize with her well, as he himself had felt a great amount of pain before. He swore to himself that he would never hurt her, ever, but he would be her knight in shining armour, protect her and shield her from all that would try to harm her. He knew that she was different from the other girls he had met. She had an air of innocence to her. That told him to take his time with her, not to rush her. He had never felt so protective of any one before. Sure, he had been with other girls, had thought he loved them, but they always hurt him, lied to him, and broke his heart. They all rejected his love. The corners of his mouth tilted down slightly in a small frown. He hoped she would love him, and not try to change him. But he had a feeling she would just be different. He smiled at the thought of her, her long black hair pinned back with a delicate tiger lily barrette, her green eyes wide and innocent as she looked up at him. She was so sweet, so unlike anyone he had ever met before.
The bell rang, and Eri started gathering up his things when his best friend, Chisaki, came over to him. “Hey, Eri. What are you doing tonight? I was wondering if you wanted to hang out, and maybe get some pizza.”
Eri smiled, and shook his head. “Sorry, Saki-chan, but I have a date tonight.”
Chisaki looked shocked, then grinned widely. “Really? With who? Why haven’t I been told? Do I know her?”
Eri laughed at his friend’s curiousness. “Yes, really. Her name is Yurika, and she is beautiful. I am sorry I didn’t tell you, Saki-chan, but it only happened yesterday. And no, I do not believe you know her since I myself only met her yesterday.”
Chisaki’s mouth opened in a shocked expression. “Eri, you only met her yesterday?!? How did you meet her? Are you sure she is nice enough? She better not hurt you. How do you know you can trust her with your heart?"
“I was walking though the woods around my family’s new house, when I heard the most beautiful singing. I followed it to this amazing clearing, with a waterfall and a river. And there she was, all alone, singing to herself. I watched her for a moment from the edge of the trees, then spoke to her. She is so shy, I was scared I had terrified her by being there. Apparently, that was her special place that no one else knows about, because she asked how I found it. She thinks she is plain. She said she doesn’t have a beautiful voice. But she does. And yes, she is nice enough. She has this innocence about her that I am not quite sure I have ever seen before, a sincerity. I have a feeling she is like me, vulnerable, and scared. I don’t want to hurt her. And I don’t think she’ll hurt me either.”
Chisaki smiled wryly. “Well, she better not, or she’ll have me to deal with. You have been hurt to many times already, Eri.” She leaned over and kissed his cheek in a sisterly way, knowing all the hurt and pain he had suffered at the hand of girls before. She loved him, had always loved him. They had tried dating before, but it hadn’t worked out that well, so they went back to being friends. She still loved him, still felt insanely overprotective of him. She would always want what was best for him. He deserved it.
“Saki-chan, you know me better than anyone. You know all my hurts from the past, know everything I have ever done wrong, and know that when I set my mind to something, I stick with it. Well, I want to see if she is as sweet as she seems. I feel really protective about her, after only seeing her once. I have never felt so protective of anyone before. I trust that as a good instinct.”
When they had reached his house, Chisaki looked at him and said, “Ok, Eri, I trust your instinct, for now. BUT I want to meet this girl… and if she hurts you, she will deal with me! Got it?”
“Got it, Saki-chan. I can not wait for you to meet her. I know you will love her.”
Eri gave Chisaki a hug goodbye, and went into his house, hollering, “Mom, I’m home!”
His mother walked out of the kitchen, wearing an apron, with dough and flour on her face, and a smile on her lips. “Hey honey, how was your day? I made you biscuits, just the way you like.”
“Thank you, Mother. Mom, do you mind if I go out tonight for a little while?”
“Alright. Do you mind if I ask why?”
Eri chuckled. “I have a date tonight, mom.”
“Really! With who?”
“Her name is Yurika. I met her when I went on my walk through the woods yesterday.”
His mother was silent and thoughtful for a moment. “Wait… does she have long black hair…green eyes… is really pretty…. Kind of shy?”
“Yes, but how did you know?”
His mother smiled. “She just lives across the street. She and her sisters made and brought us some cookies to welcome us to the neighbourhood. She seems like a very nice girl.”
“Really? Yuri-chan brought those cookies?”
“Yes. She seems like a wonderfully sweet girl. Have fun.”
“Thank Mother. Ill be home before eleven ok?”
“Alright, Eri. Oh, and Eri?”
“Yes, Mom?”
“Be good to her. She seems fragile.”
A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth. “Actually, Mom, I was thinking the same thing.”
He went upstairs and closed his door, going to his closet and pulling out his favourite shirt. He pulled his t-shirt over his head, and went to the shower. When he came out, he sat on his bed and dried his brown hair quickly, pulling on an undershirt and leaving the shirt open down the front. He combed his fingers through his hair quickly and looked at his clock. Quarter to five. Eri went downstairs and into the kitchen where his mother was furiously baking.
“Mom, do you mind if I pick some flowers from the greenhouse for Yurika?”
“Go ahead, Eri.”
Eri politely thanked his mother, and pulling on his coat and boots, walked outside to his family’s greenhouse. As he opened the door, and glanced around, he saw exactly what he wanted. He walked over to the back end of the greenhouse, and picked about a dozen tiger lilies and orchids for her. He brought them back into the house and tied a soft pink satin ribbon around them. He looked at them and thought to himself, perfect!
He decided to take a quick walk before he went to pick her up. He walked through the woods, imagining Yurika, there in the clearing, singing to herself, twirling as if with some invisible dance partner. Then he heard it, the first sounds, like the chiming of a bell in his heart. Her voice… Yurika!
He ran through the trees quickly, a simple task for him, as he had been free running for years. He stood quietly at the edge of the clearing, just behind the trees, hidden from her view. There she was, almost as if he had conjured her there with his thoughts of her. He heard her song, and recognized it as the one she had been singing before. What he found funny was that he knew the words she had been singing already, only because she was the one singing it. He started humming it softly, then started singing it along with her, so she could barely hear him, as he stepped out of his hiding place and walked towards her.
Yurika heard his voice before she saw him, and instantly knew who it was. She continued singing, with her back to him, as he walked towards her. He put his arms around her, hugging her as he sang the words to her song with her. She turned around in his arms and hugged him back. “Hi…” She said shyly.
“Hey, Yuri! How was your day today?” Eri beamed down at her.
“It was good. And yours?”
“Oh, mine was pretty good. Hey, did you know you’ve met my mom?”
Yurika was surprised at this comment. “I have? Really?”
Eri laughed at her surprise. “Yes, you brought us cookies with your sisters.”
“That was your house? Wow, we only live across the street!”
“Really? That’s great!”
Yurika smiled shyly, and Eri couldn’t help but smile at her innocence. She was so timid, so shy. He took her hand. “Yuri, we are still on for our date tonight, right?”
“Ye…Yes, of course!”
“Ok, then you go home, and I’ll come get you. I want to do this right, ok honey?”
Yuri’s eyes glittered at the word honey, and she nodded slightly. “Ok, Eri. It’ll take me a few minutes though, it being icy and all.”
Eri thought for a minute. “Wait, better idea!” He told Yurika to get on his back, and once she was there, he told her to hold on tight. She wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face in his back as he started running through the trees, jumping over tree roots and rocks. When they were at her door, he set her down and told her that he would be back in fifteen minutes to pick her up, then crossed the street to his house.
He went upstairs to his room, and glanced out his window, only to see Yurika in the window across the street. He smiled and waved to her. She noticed and waved back, a wide grin on her face. She opened her window and motioned for him to open his.
“Ha, I guess our rooms are directly across from each other!” She giggled.
“Guess so!” He hollered back.
Fifteen minutes later, he knocked on her door. Akira opened the door.
“Hi. You must be Eri. I am Akira, Yurika’s little sister. She will be down in just a moment. Would you like to come in and sit while you are waiting?”
Eri bowed politely and thanked Akira, taking off his shoes and coming inside. He sat down beside Akira, and waited quietly, shyly replying to her conversation. When he heard footsteps coming down the stairs, he got up and stood at the bottom of the steps with Akira, who had a knowing little smirk on her face. He glanced up, and his jaw dropped. He blinked to see if he was dreaming or if what he was seeing was real. There was Yurika, his sweet little timid angel, walking down the stairs towards him, , her hips swaying, wearing a v-neck black dress that came half way to her knees, with a satin sash just above the waistline, thin black stilettos on her feet, instead of her usual soft sweater, jeans and converse sneakers. Her long silky black hair was clipped up with her tiger lily clip, the blue tips falling back over the top edge of the clip, and she had a pale blue eye shadow on her eyes and a shiny gloss on her lips. He took her hand, and brought it to his lips in a gentlemanly fashion. Yurika blushed softly, a light delicate shade of pink.
“Yurika, you look beautiful! Here, these are for you.” He handed her the bouquet of flowers.
“Eri, these are beautiful! Thank you!” She brought the flowers to her nose. They smelled so sweet! “I am going to go put these in water; I will be right back, ok?”
“Alright.” Eri nodded at her, still in shock. How had his timid little Yurika become this beautiful temptress?
Yurika sashayed back out, feeling awkward in the dress and stilettos, trying her best to be irresitable, and said, “Ok, ready, Eri-kun.”
Eri beamed at her, and took her hand, leading her to his car, where he opened the door for her, and closed it behind her.
When they were both inside, Eri started the car, and drove off.
“Yurika, you look so beautiful tonight!”
Yurika blushed. “Really? It’s not too much? Akira and Akahana picked it out and did my makeup and stuff.”
Eri smiled widely and murmured, “Remind me to thank them tomorrow.”
Yurika smiled and laid her hand on his. They were moderately silent until they reached the restaurant. Eri walked around to open her door for her, and linked his arm with hers. Yurika smiled. “And they said chivalry was dead” She teased.
They walked into the restaurant, and Eri told the server his name, and then put an arm around her waist. Yurika snuggled into his side, as the server led them to a beautiful table on the patio, a private table surrounded by grape vines and flowers.
Yurika gasped. “Eri, this is so beautiful! Thank you…” She leaned over and shyly kissed him on the cheek.
Eri took her hand and spun her around so she faced him. “Yurika,” He murmured, “I am going to kiss you. Just a simple kiss, nothing more, ok, honey? If you don’t want me to, tell me to stop now.”
Yurika looked up at him, remaining purposely silent; her eyes fluttering closed as he leaned closer, and took her lips in a gentle kiss, so light it was like the flutter of butterfly’s wings. A sigh escaped her lips and she smiled, knowing even if he didn’t that this beautiful special moment was even more special, even more beautiful because it was her first kiss. As he pulled away, she opened her eyes softly, and whispered, “One more?”
Eri smiled softly at her, and leaned down, kissing her again. She sighed, and wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him back shyly. “Eri…” She murmured dreamily.
He pulled back gently, and looked at her. “Yurika, we need to stop.”
She looked up at him, an innocent frown on her face. “Did… did I do something wrong?” She innocently asked.
Eri laughed softly. “No, honey, it is just the opposite. You did everything just right. But I promised myself I’d go slow, that I would not rush you.”
Yurika blinked softly, and smiled brilliantly up at him. “Oh… thank you, Eri, for giving so much consideration to my feelings, and caring enough to take your time.”
They ordered their food, and spent the next hour talking, laughing, and getting to know each other better. When they were done, they got back in his car, and he said, “Yurika, I really like you. I’d like to see you again.”
Yurika smiled and laid her hand on his cheek. “I would like that too, Eri. I really like you.” She leaned over and kissed him lightly.
He drove her home, and when they had arrived, Eri got out of the car, opened the door, and, taking Yuri’s hand, he walked her up to her front porch. He looked into her eyes, and murmured, “Yuri…my beautiful lily… I feel so protective of you... You are so delicate, so vulnerable… And you taste so sweet, like candy…” He ducked his head down and captured her lips for one last long, gentle kiss, simply because he couldn’t resist.
Yuri sighed, these feelings so new to her, so wonderful. She never knew that anything could feel so lovely. She laid her head on his chest, feeling so safe and warm in his embrace. He wrapped his arms around her and held her tightly, stroking her hair tenderly before whispering goodnight in her ear. Eri turned, walked to his door, then smiled back at her, and turned and went inside.
Yurika opened her door, and, wrapping her arms around herself, walked inside dreamily. She was instantly bombarded by questions, but she didn’t even notice them, or her eager sisters awaiting her answers, as she walked up the stairs to her room in a blissful daze.