Under the Blossoms

花 の 下 に て

Under the Blossoms Written and illustrated by Wong Xiu Hui

“Great love affairs start with champagne and ends with tisane” — Honore de Balzac

“Under the Blossoms” is a short story reinterpretation of the quote by the French Novalist, Honore de Balzac, Inspired by japanese folklore and culture, the story tells of the consequence of being too drunk in love, as if being in a “sparkly” dream like how champagne sparkles.

Special thanks to Tan Tai Pang

Dream. Like champagne, love can sometimes be a sparkly dream, filled with wondrous sensation and happiness of wanting to desire another being. But sometimes love makes you too obsessed and drunk, that you would forgo all sense and sacrifice for your desire. But as reality hits you in the end, when you realize a dream must sometimes settle for an end, what have you sacrificed?

This is a tale that tells the story of how a man, devoted to his desire and without thinking of the consequence, sacrificed his life to only end up in demise.

At the first sign of spring, some of the people of japan take part in Yozakura, the viewing of the flowers in the evening. For Michiru, he was invited by Lord Tokugawa to join him in the Yozakura and there he was, in the gardens of the Sunpu Castle, drinking sake with his companions, and getting drunk in t he beauty of the night.

As he gulped down the sake, his eyes opened from the sensation of the fine ‘champagne’ and at that moment, he saw a beautiful lady, dressed in the finest colors, dancing with the falling blossoms on stage. The sight was too beautiful, her beauty was too heavenly and Michiru was entranced.

He wasn’t sure whether he was already drunk because of the sake or had become irrational due to the lady’s beauty as Michiru decided to seek out the maiden for he so desired her.

He followed the lady back stage, and catching up to her, he grabbed her wrist pulled her close.

“I was hoping to gaze upon your lovely face, but it has been slightly dulled for a reason I’m not aware of, tell me why does the maiden that I have fallen for weep on this beautiful night?”

Michiru questioned as he gently wiped the newly shed tears on her cheeks.

The maiden covered her mouth with her fan and softly said that she cannot speak with him at the moment but if he would meet her tomorrow at the sakura tree on the hill at noon, she’ll answer his question. With that, she slipped away from Michiru’s hands and disappeared around a corner.

At noon, when Michiru arrived at the location, the lady which he now knew was called Chisen-hime was sitting elegantly by a magnificent sakura tree. She turned and their eyes locked.

“At that moment, Michiru shamelessly said, “I desire you, be my lover and you will not weep like you did.” Chisen explained that she was a celestial being and Michiru couldn’t have her, as Lord Tokugawa has stolen her Hagoromo, owning her and that was why she cried.

“But if you get my Hagoromo back, you can have me”, Chisen’s sweet words lingered in his mind and he immediately decided that he would get her Hagoromo back, and she will be his. Still, he hesitated for a moment as to go against Lord Tokugawa would mean his life. Chisen enticingly circled her hands around him and assured that as she has powers, she can heal him, even bring him back from death. With renewed confidence, Michiru mounted his horse promising Chisen that he will be back at that exact spot, at midnight, with his victory.

*The Hagoromo is a translucent robe that heavenly maidens wear around them. In Japanese culturem, the Hagoromo is needed for a heavenly maiden to return to the heavens. Thus, it can be said that if one owns a hagoromo, the person owns the maiden.

Michiru nervously dismounted from his horse as he looked upon the tall walls. He was afraid, but he was more afraid to not be able to have Chisen. Silently, Michiru sneaked into the castle walls and was able to enter Lord Tokugawa’s chamber, after ransacking the room, he was able to find Chisen’s Hagoromo.

At the moment as he was escaping out the window where he came from, a loud voice boomed behind him, “Get him! I want my Hagoromo back!” Michiru, quickly slid down the rope and ran for his horse.

Lord Tokugawa was right behind, a distance away, from him.

He could hear him shout, “Don’t be foolish, you’re being blinded by her, return the Hagoromo and I will spare your life.” Michiru didn’t heed his words. At that moment, an arrow came flying towards him, piercing his left rib, close to his heart. The pain shot through his body as he continued to ride.He raced around town to throw Lord Tokugawa and his men off his track.

When he arrived at the Sakura tree, Chisen was there as promised. He stumbled towards her and revealed to her the hagoromo. Without hesitating, she grabbed the robe and wore it around her.

“Heal me Chisen, heal me and we can run away together!

Quick, Lord Tokugawa’s men will be here soon.” Michiru struggled to speak the words with his painful wound. Chisen shook her head and said she cannot heal him. His eyes widened. Putting her finger on his lips to silent him, she then went close to his ear and said, “In truth, I have never desired you, and you can never deserve me because you are human and I already have a lover.”

Shocked by the revelation, he sank to the ground. Chisen started to fly, and a she flew further and further from Michiru’s view. He reached out for her, but he was too late as she soon disappeared into the night sky.

True enough, Lord Tokugawa and his men surrounded Michiru, each aimed their arrow at him and within seconds, the arrows pierced Michiru. The pain of being fooled was far greater than the pain from the arrows piercing into his body.

He felt numb and fell onto the ground. The ground was filled with fallen cherry blossoms, now stained with his blood. He reached out for a flower and a tear trickled down his cheek.

It was the end of the spring blossoms; it was the end of a sparkly dream, defeated by reality.

FIN

Love can start in a way as if you’ve been drunk after a whole bottle of champagne, and the overwhelming “happy� sensation kicks in. It can be a sparkly dream like the champagne itself, and you can lose all rational thinking within this drunken dream. Is it love or just irrational desire spurred by a moment of drunkenness?