“Setsuru, Do you ever wish that you could live forever?”
It was a beautiful spring day. My twin sister and I sat in the shade of a large cherry blossom tree that stood in the center of our garden. We had been sitting in peaceful silence for several minutes, until I decided to break it with my question.
“Forever? I don’t know. I guess I’ve never really thought about it,” Setsuru answered.
I, like our father, was fascinated with the idea of eternity. One of the cherry blossoms fell and landed on my hand. It was so beautiful, yet fragile. It had only been a week since the first blooms appeared on the tree and they were already starting to fall. That is why in Japan, many compared life to that of a cherry blossom. Fragile. Fleeting.
“I don’t want to be like a cherry blossom, here for such a short time. I want to last forever,” I said as I studied the precious bloom.
“But Setsuna, why? Aren’t you curious about what the next life might hold for us?” Setsuru, asked.
“No. I like this life. Why would I want to abandon it for something unknown?”
Sighing, Setsuru got up and left, leaving me to sit alone in the garden with my thoughts. I leaned back and let the cool wind blow through my hair. All my worries drifted away. I could spend the entire day in the garden. Being the eldest daughter of the Emperor meant that I was rarely alone, but in the garden I felt at peace.
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