AMOUR

Chapter Four

"Tada!" Jungkook exclaimed, his hands waving excitedly in the air.

"Um, Jeon? What am I supposed to be looking at?" Hana asked, staring at a blank brick wall.

"Oh, wait a second," Jungkook muttered, reaching behind Hana and pulling a lever. "Okay, now look! Tada!"

The blank brick wall split in two, revealing a secret passage. Hana was astonished. Though her anger had dissipated by now, curiosity about Jungkook's hideout gripped her.

"Where does this lead?" she inquired.

"Come, I'll show you," Jungkook said eagerly, taking Hana's hand and leading her through the passageway.

At the end of the passage, Hana shielded her eyes against the sudden brightness. When her vision cleared, she found herself standing in the most breathtaking garden she had ever seen.

"Am I in heaven?" she blurted out. "Did I die? Where are we, Jungkook?"

"Calm down, Hana," Jungkook chuckled, gently shaking her shoulders. "You're not dead."

"I know that," she replied sharply, pushing his hands away. "But seriously, where are we?"

"My hideout," Jungkook said with a wide smile. "Whenever I feel like I don't belong in this world, I come here. And every time I feel that way, I plant a flower."

Hana's heart twinged at Jungkook's revelation. The garden overflowed with a variety of flowers, each seeming to tell its own story. She realized how much Jungkook must have endured to feel so disconnected from the world. In that moment, she felt an inexplicable urge to comfort him, though she barely knew him.

"I'm sorry, Jungkook," she said softly, though she knew her words couldn't fully console him.

"There's nothing to apologize for," Jungkook replied with a slight smile. "I chose to live this way."

Hana started to say something, but Jungkook interrupted her.

"Come, I'll show you something else," he said, walking ahead.

Lost in her thoughts, Hana nearly collided with Jungkook when he suddenly stopped.

"Oh, sorry," she murmured reflexively.

"It's okay," Jungkook said softly. "Look, here..."

He pointed out different flowers and explained their meanings with enthusiasm. As they strolled through the garden, Hana found herself captivated by Jungkook's knowledge and passion for each flower.

"What about this one?" she asked, pointing to a striking black rose.

"It represents death and rebirth," Jungkook said quietly, his gaze fixed on the flower. "It's quite rare and usually artificially made, but this one is real."

"Why is there only one?" Hana asked, intrigued.

"Because it represents a person," Jungkook replied, meeting her gaze directly.

Hana felt a shiver run down her spine. She wanted to ask more but hesitated, sensing the weight behind Jungkook's words.