I Love You, Yuri/Kiyoshi

"Ladies and gentlemen," announces the park manager with a microphone, "as you can see, behind me is our latest attraction. However, I will not be the one introducing you to this flower, but instead will allow the person who is responsible for this: Verano Kiyoshi!"

"Oh my…" gasps Yuri-chan in astonishment.

She turns towards me. I give her a smirk and hold out my hand as a request for hers. I take her from the front of the crowd across the field to the park manager.

The myriad of butterfly weeds were planted in a large rectangular plot of land as neat as rice fields, placed by those only with elite dexterous hands. We walk along the footpaths sectioned throughout.

She appears transfixed by the sight in every direction she turns. The mountains in the distance are lined with rose-colored cherry blossoms. The butterfly weeds at our own feet are freshly cut and watered, and it's a miracle that they're blooming in the spring. It must be because of her.

"These are so beautiful… There's an uncountable amount of them blossoming at once, it feels…so wonderful."

We approach the park manager, who's standing beside a bronze plaque covered in a white sheet. The entire park is watching us, waiting for a statement about this special species. From my back pocket, I take out a piece of paper and inherit the microphone. On the other side of the park manager is another park worker.

"Thanks for helpin' me, Jino."

Yuri-chan's now standard expression of awe reemerges as she leaned forward to get a better view.
"You're Jino-chan?! Kiyoshi-kun's first ever friend! I––"

I cut her off, "This is great and all, but let's save this for later."
I speak into the microphone, "Hello everyone, I'm Verano Kiyoshi. I'm responsible for this attraction here, though I also won't be the one to tell you about it."

Everyone imitates a dog with a tilted head and perked ears. The feeling of having everyone's interest at the palm of my hand feels nice, and if I was someone more cynical, then I'd dangle a juicy meat above them a bit longer. But this isn't about me. It's about the girl I care about, the girl responsible for the happiness that's about to emerge on everyone's faces.

I hand the microphone to Yuri-chan, and her face turns as white as a sheet. I also hand her my piece of paper and tell her to read it. She dries a few remaining tears on her face and opens the paper. She glances at the first line, and plants her eyes at the crowd ahead. After a deep and long breath, she speaks.

While the entire crowd is taking in her words and gazing at the field, I'm too busy being fixated on her. My heart is currently beating so rapidly that one could think my shirt is alive. Her smiles mirror the vitality of the butterfly weeds. The gusts of winds are strong enough to whisk her scarlet hair like a petal, but not cold enough to make the experience uncomfortable. I'm fully hypnotized by her grace.

To our right is the plaque, and Jino has the honors of unmasking it. It has the poem that Yuri-chan spoke to the world embedded onto it. The birth of the new meaning of the butterfly weed will forever stand tall here, and it will only expand.

The attraction is officially open and people immediately rush to the entrance. I'm sure she would love to stay and talk to the people and tell them her story about the new meaning, but that could wait a bit, since part two of my plan is starting.

Yuri-chan was already talking to people when I found her. I apologize to them for taking her away, and lead her to the side where I can speak to her.

"What's wrong? Kiyoshi-kun?"

"Just follow me, there's a ferris wheel that has a perfect view of this field from above."

The ferris wheel is perched on another hill of the park and luckily for us, the line is short. We sit on opposite sides of one of the carts and she notices the interior is of flowers. It starts moving as we begin to rise higher and higher. As we make our way to the top, I have an internal conversation with myself.

Now's the time, but I don't want to do this! I'm nervous! Stop me, Swani!

*I have stopped you many times, but as it turns out, it wasn't for a good reason. The only time I couldn't stop you was with her, and look where it's got you. Do it.*

She is facing out of the window when I call her for her attention and our gemstones connect.
"I-I've never experienced a relievin' freedom until you kept talkin' to me at the hedge. You may not know this, but because of your perfect and altruist personality, you've given me so many new emotions to experience too."

I shuffle my feet together with my cheeks flushing red. Tingles spread around my body and I break my eye-contact with her. Nevertheless, I already started this, I needed to finish it.

"I-I might be movin' too fast, but I know what I'm feelin' shouldn't be kept hidden. I'm so, so, so scared about ruinin' what we have…but I want to jump through this obstacle before I trip over it. I-I planned everythin' before, but not this…but I don't need to think ahead to know what to tell you."

She's sitting still in silence with her hands over her mouth, and tears are beginning to run down her cheeks once again. I return my eye contact with her and then bring my left hand over my heart.

"You're smart, kind, diligent, and unique. I'm happy to call you a true friend, I think it's quite lucky that I can say that. You're beautiful on the inside as much as you are out, because you're lovely all around. You're the personification of feminine elegance. Throughout the months, since becoming acquainted and friends with you, I've been able to see life through butterfly weed-colored glasses. When I look at you, I can't help but think how lucky someone would be to say that you were loved by them…then I began to think: What if I was that lucky one?"

She whispers, "Ki-Kiyoshi…"

I bow my head.
"Yuri, I love you. Will you give me the honor of going from my friend…to my first, and only girlfriend?"

I hear nothing but the sounds outside our ferris wheel cart. I'm afraid of what I might see as I slowly lift my head to meet her face. A drop of water falls, and my ears twitch at her sniffling. I use my sleeve to wipe away Yuri's face as she tenderly grips my hand.

"Fufu…" she manages to let out a small giggle.

"Yuri?"

She displays a beaming smile that nearly blinds my eyes. Her eyes finally glow like the rubies they mimic, and this confirms my thoughts about her reaction.

She says, "I-I never thought…I would ever hear those words in real life. I-I spent almost every night in Italy dreaming of your confession, and I'm sorry that I couldn't tell you my truth."
She inches herself closer to my face.

"Are you––"

"You have saved me time and time again in a short span of time. Many people might consider you a 'knight in shining armor,' but I'd like to think of you as the 'butterfly weed that allowed this caterpillar to bloom.' The feelings you have for me, I have them for you as well. I'm amazed by you, I adore you."

I start to see her all blurry, realizing my eyes are the ones with flowing rivers.

"We struggled and saved each other. There's no one else for me. I love you as well, Kiyoshi. I have loved you for years!"
She lunges across the cart with outstretched arms and wraps them around me.
Then she whispers so close to my ear, "I would absolutely love to be your girlfriend, since that makes you my first, and only boyfriend."

The beating drum in my chest is calming down with a soothing sensation. All of my worries about today are exhausted with my deep sigh of relief. I reciprocate the hug and hold her tight. We stay together until we reach the top of the wheel, where it halts in place.

We pull away from each other, now sitting on the same side, to see the butterfly weeds field in all its glory illuminating under the sun. After everything I did to make that the best view from up here, it's second to the girl in front of me.

My eyes looked to hers, but she's staring at my lips. I then find myself staring at her lips too. Years of patience is going to be paid off.