999<3 | ONESHOT [ ✔️ ]

[ C - seokshua ] Heart is.

[ TAG: it's tradition to honour death. i've been told before by my father that death brings life. that hatred brings love and that despair brings hope.

you are my life, love and hope. in a time when i'd lost everything, you appeared. ]

... so i watched raya and the last dragon last night and got inspired ahaaa

also i had a soonhoon ready in drafts but bombarding ppl with soonhoon after soonhoon is too much methinks 😅😅 and with that, came this story so yeah <33
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joshua stands on the old stone arch bridge. the moonlight lights up his face and reflects in the water. he's dressed casually and it feels wrong to be here, where a ceremony of death took place years before.

"father." he greets respectfully, bowing deeply to the waters below. he feels like he's just gone back in time. routine is what he's always been good at. he plucks a flower from its stem and holds in his hands toward the sky with his head bowed. he says a few well wishes and prayers before letting it float downstream.

"i miss you. every day i live to further your life along." joshua brings another flower, "mum's getting sicker. the doctors keep trying to tell me to take her off but i can't," he sniffles. "i can't lose her too."

he prays through his tears and watches the water carry the flower. except it stops on a rock. joshua can't pay attention through his tears.

"i miss you, dad. i love you. i remember the words you told me back then and i hold them dear to my heart. they keep me going every day, dad." he sadly smiles, picking up his bouquet from the bridge floor.

"say it with me, soo-ya; death brings...?"
"life!"
"good. hate brings?"
"love!" he giggles.
"good job, jisoo. and what does despair bring?"
"uh..." he huffs, "i forgot.."
"it's hope. remember this okay?"
"yes papa!"

joshua sadly smiles to himself as he walks down the bridge, hails a taxi and goes home.

a week past, joshua plans to go back. he's taken an off day so he can be at the bridge for the whole day. the bell above the door of his favourite florist shop rings as he enters the pale green and yellow shop.

"hey! what would you like?"

"hey soonyoung! same as always." joshua fishes out the exact change. as he hands it over the counter, he sees one of soonyoung's co-workers come out from the back and start creating the bouquet.

"you're here early today." soonyoung comments, handing over a notepad to his co-worker. joshua's too stunned to speak. he can't take his eyes off the other man present in the store.

"u-uh yeah... i-i took an off day to get a head start." soonyoung raises an eyebrow, "i see."

"i'll hand you over to seokmin, i gotta do something real quick."

so seokmin is his name. smooth, kwon.

"alright, here you go, sir!" and his voice is so chirpy...

joshua collects it from the man. "thanks... uh- tell soonyoung i said 'bye'." seokmin nods, "of course! see you!"

joshua almost runs to the bridge. out of breath, he almost forgets to greet his father. he plucks the flower meant for his dad and does his routine. his heartbeat slows as he focuses on really connecting with and reaching out to his father.

he lets the flower flow downstream.

"dad i... that man! i just met someone. he's... he caught my eye so fast- i don't even know how or why. he just did..." he slumps against the side of the bridge and sighs. "i never thought i'd fall for a man, dad. i don't want to disappoint you... i never wanted to."