Cherry Blossoms (Yuuri)

A bit of an explanation onto why we never meet Takayamas family.

I wander through the grounds with my hands stuffed in my pockets. The cherry blossoms are beautiful this time of year, and lucky for us, we have tons of them around. But there is one particular one that is my favorite. I walk down the dirt path to a secluded garden which in it lies a small shrine, a koi pond, and the Sakura tree. Not many people know of this place, not even within my family. I walk into the garden expecting to be alone, but I realize I am not as I peek into the shrine. My uncle, Takayama,  kneels on the ground inside the shrine whispering to himself. I start to back away slowly, it would probably be best to leave him alone, but my thoughts are interrupted when a voice says “You can stay, Yuuri. I'd like to talk to you.” And I walk back into the garden, taking a seat on a stone bench beneath the tree and wait. Takayama finishes at the shrine and comes and sits next to me. “What did you want to talk about?” I ask him, though if he wanted me to stay it's likely important. “I was just thinking things over, you never really knew your cousins did you?” I give him a puzzled look, as I have quite a few cousins running around between here and Mournhold. I go to say something but he clarifies. “I mean you never knew my children.” Oh, well I was right, it is in fact important. I shake my head “No I didn't, at least I don't remember them very well.” He sighs sadly “you were very young when they died and that accident you were in wiped some of your memories.” He explains. When I was around three or four I was playing in the yard near the gate and the ball I had rolled into the street, I ran to get it and got hit by a car. The impact damaged some nerves and wiped some memories, that's why I drool. I try to remember any recollection of Takayama’s children. “There were three of them, right?” And he nods. “Two boys and a girl. Do you remember their names?” I shake my head, “Nope.” I say looking at him, “What were their names?” He takes a breath and gazes at the shrine before standing up, “I'll show you.” He says and walks over to the interior of the shrine and kneels down at the stone tablet, I follow him. “Gabriel was the oldest, Benjamin was the middle, and Suki, though we also called her Sara was the youngest.” I read the tablet, inscribed with each of their names. “Uncle, why is it you gave them imperial or bretonic names, instead of traditional ones like yours or mine?” I ask as I find it interesting, especially as Suki was the only one with a traditional alternative. “Morrowind was still under imperial rule when Gabe and Ben were born, by the time Suki came around we opted to give her both an English and Japanese name.” That would make them at least 5 to 10 years my senior in the youngest son's case. “How old were they when they died?” I ask after a period of silence. Takayama waits a while before answering. “Gabriel was eighteen, Ben was fourteen, and Sara was six. Gabe died in the military, Ben died in an ambush, Sara died at the hands of a group of imperial soldiers. You had just turned two when Sara died” As he finishes a tear rolls down his cheek and he begins to cry, dropping his head, probably so I don't see. I sit there silently for a moment, before I move closer to him, and hug him as tightly as I can, pressing myself against his side. “I'm sorry uncle, I'm so sorry.” I whisper, as who can imagine bearing the pair of losing one child never mind losing three. Takayama is startled by my suddenly clutching to him and looks up from his hands. I let go of him, searching in my coat pocket for a handkerchief and find a crumpled one, taking it and handing it to him. My uncle takes it and wipes his eyes, folding it neatly and hands it back, thanking me and commenting I should really keep those in better condition, as they are made of good quality fabric, so I might as well take care of them. The two of us sit in silence, I look around at my surroundings, taking everything in. “Cherry blossoms were Suki’s favorite, after her brothers died she commented to me that spring reminded her of them, it is a sad but pretty season, the blossoms are always gone too soon. Every year around this time I make sure to visit this place, as the cherry blossoms are always so beautiful. She was just like her mother.” He whispers running a hand over the writing of her name. That brings up another thought, “Takayama, where is your wife? I don't recall ever seeing her here.” He mentions her from time to time, but I've never met her, at least not that I remember. “Sukiha is her name, though when I met her I heard Sakura, and that's the name I've called her ever since. She lives in Mournhold, and helps Tome and Aki with the kids. Sometime when we're in Mournhold I'll introduce you.” He explains then pauses, “ And if you're wondering why you never see her when you go there, it's because she's usually either busy, or wandered off and gotten sidetracked. That's a trait that you and her share.” The last statement causes me to laugh slightly and he smiles. “Truth be told, part of the reason I'm so protective of you is you're like my adopted son in a way, I helped raise you and took care of you, and even if I'm hard on you sometimes, I love you very much Yuuri.” Now that I think of it, I've spent more time with Takayama than my own father probably, as when I was a child he would travel for work. “I love you too uncle. And can we stand up now the ground is hurting my knees.” I say and he goes to stand up, as do I and we exit the shrine, bowing as we leave. The two of us wander away from the garden, back towards the house, a wind blows some of the cherry blossoms off the trees and they fall around us. Though it was a sad conversation, it helped me to understand quite a few things, has given me new appreciation to an already beautiful season.

Later:

“Where were you Yuuri? I was starting to get worried when you hadn't come back for hours.” My mother asks as she pours a cup of tea and hands it to me as we sit down for dinner. I take a sip and glance at my uncle, raising my eyebrows slightly as if to prompt him to explain. “Yuuri and I were just sitting in the garden, Iri. No need to worry. Though-” he pauses and turns to me, “You and I were only there for an hour or so. Where were you before then?” I swallow “I uh- I went down to the docks quickly and checked in with Sammie and Valan.” I explain, earning a frown from my mother. “You'd said earlier that you'd just be wandering around here then you'd finish your chores like I asked you.” I bit my lip. “Can I do them after dinner?” I ask and my mother nods “and you have to do the dishes too.” She says. Ugh, if there's any chore I absolutely despise doing, it's the dishes. “Fine.” I say, leaning on my arm that rests on the wooden table. Might as well eat quickly and get that over with. 

After finishing dinner and doing the dishes without breaking a single dish for once I steal away to my room, closing the door behind me, no one should disturb me for the rest of the night. I gaze out my window onto the lawn, watching the moon in its nightly journey across the sky, casting a whitish glow onto the sea that separates us from the island of Vvardenfell, where most of Morrowind actually is. One by one I see lights go out in the room of the upper right quarter of the house. “All quiet on the western front.” I muse to myself. Fireflys dot the landscape and another wave of cherry blossoms fall, carried out towards the sea by the wind. I get an idea then. I rummage through my bookcase, finding a secondary copy of a military tactics book, a small toy soilder, and a doll that I hadn't touched in years because yes I was a child that played with stuffed animals I had no friends. I take the items quietly put on my shoes and jacket, I open the sliding door that connects my room to the yard, slipping outside and leaving the door open a crack. I cut across as quietly as I can and walk down the path to the garden and the red painted shrine comes into view. I kneel at the stone tablet and place the items, then go over to the magnificent cherry tree, stand on the bench and take a flower from its branches. I place the flower on the top of the tablet, pay my respects, bow, and leave. Silently stealing back to my room and going to sleep. I think of Suki's words on spring, as she and her brothers, just like cherry blossoms, were gone too soon.