owns the story below, and the character Hiroki, she won third place in my contest and i have to say she's got the most creative design out of everyone. she gets bonus points for coloring a ref sheet for him to. Ming you can upload this wherever you like. Thank you again.

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I never did believe in the stories of men stopping in their tracks at the sight of a woman. The sounds around them deafening and the tunnel vision. It is quite possible that it was just that I had never seen a woman that caught my attention like that before. In my native land of Japan there are many beautiful women.

You’d think at least once…just once a woman would have had that affect on me. I never thought it could happen…until now that is. She walked into my shop looking around at the flowers. Her brown hair moving ever so slightly as she walked. When she turned her head to look at the roses I caught a glimpse of gold beneath the cascade of brown hair, but more so I caught a glimpse of her smile.


Coming back to reality I approached her, “hello miss…would you like a seat in our tea garden or were you perhaps here for the flowers?” I smiled gently at her taken back a little by the golden brown ring around her iris. It was hidden partially by a beautiful bluish-grey cloud, “like a flower…”

“Both actually I….what?” she spoke suddenly pulling my attention back to reality. I cant believe I said that out loud. She looked a little confused and I owed her an explanation. I smiled rubbing the back of my head as the embarrassment could be seen slightly on my face, “oh well I…your eyes.

They remained me of flowers. You have a slight discoloration around your iris just like some daises and other exotic flowers. It makes them unique and more beautiful then the rest. I do apologize.”
I bowed my head cursing myself for making a fool of myself. “oh its alright…,” she smiled at me and patted my shoulder reassuring me, “no need to bow.” hearing her say that was reassuring .

I stood up straight and motioned to a table, “oh…well thank you. How about you have a seat over here? The roses in this part of the garden are coming out nicely. I saw you looking at them near the front of the shop when you came in.” This was a different kind of restaurant. Just like me it was unique. I am from a branch of the imperial kirin family.

The only imperial kirin in Japan guards the emperor and his family. I am a garden kirin and tend to the forests and gardens. I stand around six foot two and am of medium build. I have a long tail that gets in the way to my distain, but its rather fluffy and children tend to like it.

Unlike the imperial or infernal kirin I have a single horn on my head. It is shorter and more square than a typical horn. I have long bangs that hang down the sides of my face and a small pony tail in the back. My colors are typical garden colors, earth tones in shades of green and brown, but my hair is a very light tinted blue.

My tea shop has an enclosed front entrance that opens up into a breathtakingly beautiful garden. There are small tables and chairs throughout the garden for customers to sit at. The idea was to accentuate the tea and aromatic coffees buy surrounding yourself in serenity and calm.
“will it be you and a friend or are you alone today miss?” I asked as I pulled her chair out for her.
“you can call me lorena,” she smiled sweetly. “and its just me today. I was out shopping for a book and I thought id stop by and take a coffee break.”

I could tell by her voice she was fine being out alone. She sounded like a girl that could take care of herself. “lorena is it? Im Hiroki. im not too busy right now. I get rather slow around this time of day. Would you mind some company?” I wanted to get to know her more. Even if friendly conversation is all that comes of this.
“well why not. Its always great meeting new friends.” she picked up the menu winking playfully at me. It caused me to chuckle a little.
“whatever you’d like on the house. it’s the least I can do for the great company miss…I mean…lorena..” I sighed again in my head and lowered my large ears a little. She looked up at me with a chuckle and I gave her a small smile.


After about ten or twenty minutes we were sitting on at the table chatting. I had actually put the closed sign out so we wouldn’t be disturbed. We had a nice pot of coffee and some finger food out. “so you were book shopping? Anything in particular?” I inquired.

“oh yeah I heard there was a new anne rice novel out. Have you heard of her? She has great books about vampires. Very classy and well written,” she sipped her coffee and looked at me awaiting a response.
“vampires hm? I do enjoy a few horror novels now and then. For a birthday once I was given her claiming of sleeping beauty books and a few other things.

A joke at me being a horse I suppose.” I looked away embarrassingly realizing what I had just implied. “I will have to give her novels a chance. I usually find myself reading classics like pride and prejudice or the count of monte cristo.”

She nodded to what I was saying. We found a topic, reading. I was glad since most people don’t read anymore. Her expressions were so fun and energetic, but they also had a hint of femininity. She put her cup down and smiled, “so can I ask you an odd question?” I nodded in reply as I was taking a sip of my own drink, “are you really a horse? Because you’re the oddest horse ive ever seen.”

I blinked a little taken back by the question and snorted in my coffee a little. After a bit of chuckling and cleaning up I nodded, “well…think of a dragon unicorn. that’s the simplest way to explain a kirin.”
We talked for what felt like hours. About silly things like me being a Pisces and my feet hurting thought out the day. She had read in a book somewhere that it was all part of being a Pisces and that I should watch out for bunions. We had laughs and lost all track of time. As the day was turning slowly into the night she got up to leave.

“well I better go…I hate to keep you,” she brushed her hair over her shoulder.
I nodded, “yes It is getting late…but wait before you go.” I walked over to the side wall with some clips and clipped a rose from a bush. It was a deep burgundy with hints of black on its petals. “I saw you staring at this all night. This is a Black Baccara Rose, the burgundy color symbolizes deep desire and true beauty.

Of all the roses in this garden, it is by far the most beautiful and unique.” as I spoke I looked in her eyes. If there was anyone in the room they would have known by my expression I wasn’t talking about the flower just then.
After a few moments we said our good byes. With promises of meetings later to talk more about vampires and hurt feet.

This would be the first time I ever closed my shop and realized that there are more beautiful things in this world than all the flowers in my shop. Do I feel lucky? No. Im a kirin, im naturally lucky. What did I feel that day? Blessed? Enchanted? Intoxicated? I don’t think they have a word to describe it. No… they do and its simple.

Happy.

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