The spring storm had passed, and the air in Amencho Town felt washed clean and clear. Today was March 27th. The calendar marked it “sakura Day,” and pink buds swelled proudly all across town.
At the edge of the pond on the outskirts of town, Bipiku sat staring intently at her phone screen. On it played glamorous footage of “Dream Park,” a massive new facility that had just opened in the city — the latest lighting effects, flight-like attractions, and a perfectly manicured garden.
“…So beautiful. There, I bet you’d never get covered in mud, or have anyone see your embarrassing side.”
To someone exhausted by the demand to be perfect, the city’s meticulously constructed “dream” looked, in a way, like salvation .
“Bipiku, what’s got you glaring at your screen like that? You’ve got a wrinkle between your eyebrows.”
The voice belonged to Keromi, who had been doing vocal exercises nearby. Her bright voice loosened Bipiku’s stiff heart, just slightly.
“They built this wonderful place in the city, apparently. A perfect dream garden, with not a single flaw in sight.”
“Ooh, sounds interesting! But…”
Keromi’s gaze drifted down to her own feet. There, a few cherry petals scattered by last night’s rain lay half-buried in the mud.
“The cherry trees here scatter their petals whenever it rains, and get muddy too. But maybe that’s exactly why I want to sing with my best voice before they fall. Not perfect, so… precious, I guess? Ah, was that a little too much?”
Keromi laughed, a bit embarrassed, just as a cry of “Waaaaah!” rang out from the far side of the pond.
Looking over, Kopo had misjudged his jump onto Peshan’s soft, doughy back and dived straight into the pond instead. Tacchi, rushing to help, lost his own balance thanks to his overly long legs and plunged into the water too, still holding an elegant pose.
“…Feh-feh. Lively as ever today. The Dragon God won’t be bored, at least.”
In the shade of the weeping cherry tree, Sonchō narrowed his eyes, clearly amused.
Bipiku looked back and forth between Kopo and the others, bickering while covered in mud, and the real cherry blossoms blooming quietly beside them. The city’s Dream Park probably didn’t have happenings this unglamorous , or this smell of mud.
“…Yeah. A perfect dream is nice, but I think, right now, I might like this ‘unglamorous everyday’ a little more.”
Bipiku switched off her phone and put it in her pocket. Then she gently picked up a muddy cherry petal and began humming softly along with Keromi’s singing.
Amencho Town’s “Sakura Day” turned out to be a gentle day — much quieter than any news from the city, but one that nudged someone’s heart forward, just a little.
【Today’s Motif: March 27, 2026】
- Sakura Day: An anniversary on March 27, overlapping with “Sakura Hajimete Hiraku” (“Cherry Blossoms Begin to Open”), one of the 72 micro-seasons of the traditional calendar.
- TOKYO DREAM PARK Opens: News of a large new facility opening in the city.
- The Beauty of Imperfection: A contrast between the city’s perfect facility and Amencho Town’s muddy but lovable everyday life.
This is an English translation of “夢の庭と、足元のさくら”, part of Tales of Amencho Town (蛙鳴町奇譚).