Chapter 2

The air in the Japanese garden was thick, not just with the humidity of the early summer evening, but with the scent of crushed petals and the faint, sweet aroma of sake drifting from the nearby stalls. The cherry blossoms, *sakura*, hung heavy and white above us, their delicate branches illuminated by the warm, pulsing glow of red and gold paper lanterns that hung from the eaves of the traditional pavilion. It was a scene of curated perfection, a festival of transient beauty, and yet, my eyes were fixed only on him. We had moved away from the main thoroughfare, where the crowds of locals and tourists jostled for a view of the illuminated trees, seeking a quieter corner within the event space. We found it near a stone koi pond, shielded from the main path by a large, leafy magnolia bush and a semi-private alcove of the main hall. The sound of the crowd became a distant hum, replaced by the gentle lapping of water against smooth grey stones. He stood near the edge of the pond, his silhouette sharp against the soft light. I watched him, my heart hammering a frantic rhythm against my ribs. I had changed