Melancholy of Flowers

Chapter Nine

The Secret Meeting


“We have to do something!” Kento yelled as he slammed his fist onto the table in Ryo’s kitchen. “We can’t just stand by anymore! Cye is a mind slave to someone and we have to figure out who!”

“We know that Kento,” Rowen said calmly.

“Why are you so calm? You just punched your best friend!” Kento said.

“I’m aware of that thank you,” Rowen said in a harsh voice.

“Do you see what this is doing to all of us?” Ryo said, sitting in the arm chair with his arms hanging down between his legs and his head down. “It’s making everyone upset and irritated with one another.”

“Sorry man,” Kento said.

No one said anything for about ten minutes when there a knock on the door.

“Yes?” Ryo asked as he got up from his seat and walked over to the door. When he opened it up he saw a tall, blonde haired man standing before him. “Sage?”

“Hello Ryo. Long time no see huh?” Sage said with a smile.

“Sage.... I can’t believe you are here,” Ryo said.

“Sage? Sage is here?!” Kento called out from inside the apartment.

“Yes Kento, I have returned,” Sage said.

“SAGE!” Kento jumped onto Sage and rubbed his head with his fist. “Glad to see you buddy boy!”

“Okay Kento, enough with messing up my hair,” Sage said as he tried to remove Kento from him.

“Sorry, I’m just glad that you are here right now,” Kento said.

“It’s good to be back. There is someone I want you to meet.”

“Who?” Ryo asked.

“Kohaku, you don’t have to stay in the car,” Sage called out.

Ryo and Kento both looked over to where Sage’s car was parked. Out came a girl who looked like she was a little bit shorter than Sage, but not by much. She had long brown hair and beautiful green eyes. She was wearing a white skirt that went to her knees and a knitted pink top.

“Who is she? Your secretary?” Kento asked.

“My what? No Kento,” Sage said, blushing.

“Girlfriend am I right?” Ryo said as he watched Kohaku walk up the stairs to where they were.

“You can say that,” Sage said, still red in the face.

“Hello boys,” Kohaku said.

“Hello to you too,” Kento said, smiling at Sage.

Sage just stood there, beet red and looking at the ground.

“Nice to meet you Kohaku,” Ryo said, extending a hand out.

“Nice to meet you..... Ryo is it?” Kohaku asked, taking Ryo’s hand.

“Yes.”

“Sage has told me so much about you.”

“He has, has he.”

“And you must be Kento from the way you were acting before,” Kohaku giggled.

“You are correct and it is a pleasure meeting you,” Kento said, bowing.

“What’s with the bowing all of a sudden?” Ryo asked.

“I’m just being polite to the lovely lady,” Kento said in a suave voice.

“You are a charmer I’m sure,” Kohaku smiled.

Sage coughed then looked at Ryo and Kento. “Is Cye and Rowen around?” Neither Ryo nor Kento answered him until Rowen came to the door. His expression didn’t change, even though he saw his close friend standing before him. “What’s with the look Rowen?”


“It’s nothing, nice to see you Sage,” Rowen said, trying to form a smile on his face.

“Something’s up, I can sense it and that’s why I came here,” Sage said.

“Really?” Kento asked.

“I could sense a strong disturbance coming from this general direction. I decided to check it out.”

“I decided to come,” Kohaku said.

“I didn’t want you to,” Sage said.

“But if you needed my help....”

“I don’t think you understand the situation.”

“I would if you just told me.”

“Okay now! The two love birds should stop fighting,” Kento said in a nervous voice.

“Let’s go inside and we’ll give you the heads up Sage,” Ryo said.

The five of them went into Ryo’s apartment and sat down on the couch. Ryo tried to explain what had happened over the course of the past months while Sage was away. Sage’s face turned serious as he heard about Cye.

“That’s probably the feeling I got,” Sage said. “We still have our armors and we are still linked together. I could feel that something wasn’t right.”

“We think Natsumi has something to do with all of this,” Rowen said.

“This Natsumi girl, you said that she is always with Cye,” Sage asked.

“That is correct,” Rowen answered.

“So we just need to take him away from her long enough to get some answers,” Sage said.

“It won’t be easy,” Kento said. “She’s clued to his hip.”

“We’ll have to come up with a plan,” Sage said.

Ryo looked at Kohaku as she sat there next to Sage with a puzzled look on her face. “I think I have an idea,” Ryo said.

“What is it?” Rowen asked.

“Kohaku, you into fashion?” Ryo asked.

“Yes I am,” Kohaku responded.

“Then this just might work,” Ryo said, smiling.


* * * * *


The next day, at school, Natsumi and Cye were having lunch at their usual place. Kento, Ryo, and Sage were both behind a tree looking from afar. They saw Kohaku walk up to Natsumi and started talking to her.

“You want me, to go shopping with you?” Natsumi asked Kohaku.

“Yes. You dress so nicely, that I guess I’m a little jealous. I would love it if you would guide me to some places that you get your clothes,” Kohaku said.

“I guess. I’m free this afternoon,” Natsumi said.

“That’s great.”

“Do you mind if we just go as us two girls?” Kohaku said in a shy voice.

“Why?”

“Um...... I am uncomfortable with boys.”

“I see. Well I guess I can ditch him for a day.”

“Thank you Natsumi-san. I am grateful that you accepted my request.”

“Don’t be so formal. It’s creeping me out.”

“I’m sorry.”

Kohaku waved to Natsumi and walked off in the direction that Ryo and the others were.

“How’d it go?” whispered Kento.

“We have a date,” Kohaku said, smugly.

“Well done Kohaku,” Sage said.

“Thank you.”

“Now all we need to do is wait until Cye is alone,” Ryo said.


* * * * *


After school, Kohaku met Natsumi by the big tree that Ryo and Kento usually had their lunch. The two girls walked off the campus, giggling together and made their way to the parking lot. Meanwhile, Kento was waiting for Cye to walk out of the Literature Building. Cye finally emerged with his text book under his arm and a pen in his mouth. Kento leaped from the bushes and grabbed Cye in a tight grip. Ryo and Sage helped Kento take Cye to Sage’s car. Once they managed to get Cye into the back seat, they drove back to Ryo’s apartment.

* * * * *

“Do you think this will work?” Hana asked.

“I’m sure it will. Once he sees how bad a state you are in, I’m sure he’ll come to his senses,” Rowen assured her.

Hana sat on the couch with her knees to her chin. Rowen was making some hot tea when he heard yelling coming from outside. Rowen set the boiling water down on the counter and went to the front door. Before he could open it to see what was going on, Ryo and Kento burst through the door, carrying Cye in their arms.

“LET ME GO!” Cye yelled, trying to break free.

“No! We are not going to let you go until you get back to normal!” Kento yelled back.

“Cye.....” Hana whispered as she watched him get tied up and placed in the armchair.

“What’s the meaning of this?!” Cye demanded.

“You are here to tell us what Natsumi has done to you,” Rowen said, standing up at once.

“She didn’t do anything,” Cye said.

“Bullshit,” Kento said, leaning against the wall. “We know she has some sort of hold on you.”

Cye didn’t say anything and caught a glance at Hana. She was wearing sweat pants and a jersey shirt that belonged to Ryo. Her hair was a mess and she probably didn’t take a shower that day either. Besides the clothes and the hair, she was pale and looked like she lost a lot of weight. Her eyes were blood shot as if she were drinking too much sake.

“Do you see what you did to Hana?” Sage said softly.

“You made her like this,” Rowen added.

“Hana.... I.....” Cye began but looked away.

“Come one Cye! I know you are in there somewhere! There is still apart of you who cares deeply for Hana!” Kento said.

“Cye..... why.....” Hana asked.

“I don’t know.......” Cye said quietly.

“Tell us Cye. What’s going on with you?” Ryo asked.

“My head feels full most of the time,” Cye said. “I don’t understand why. It’s like there is someone inside of me, trying to pull me away from the ones I love.”

“That’s the hold Natsumi has on you,” Rowen said.

“Natsumi has brained washed you,” Sage said, walking over to his friend.

“But the question is, how?” Ryo asked.

“She goes.... to the warehouse everyday for some reason,” Cye said.

“The warehouse? You mean that burnt down old piece of crap?” Kento asked.

“Yes, that one.”

“Why would she go there?” Ryo asked.

“The enemy is there,” Rowen said.

“It all makes sense now,” Kento said. “We need to find this enemy and crush him!”

“No, not yet. We need time to figure out a plan of action,” Sage said.

“Cye, I want you to try to resist Natsumi’s brainwashing. If you manage to escape, just play along,” Ryo said.

“Okay.” Cye looked at Hana then looked at the ground. “I’m sorry... Hana...”

“Cye.... you don’t need to apologize. I’m just glad you are back to normal,” Hana said with tears in her eyes.

“Hana, you mustn’t cry anymore. Your eyes are suffering as it is,” Rowen said.

“I can’t help it,” Hana said, wiping her tears with her hand. “I’m just so happy.”

Ryo untied the rope and Cye got up and gave Hana a hug. She didn’t smell very nice, but he didn’t care. He was just glad to have her in his arms again. After their reunion, Cye left the apartment and headed home. A little bit after Cye left, Kohaku came through the door with bags full of clothes. Sage shook his head and took the bags from her. Things were looking up for everyone. Now all they need to do is find out who this new enemy is, and how they can destroy her.