The Red Cosmos

Gardenias

"They think it was Hoseok"

This stops her in her tracks. Hand hovering over the steaming cup of coffee.

"What?" She says incredulously turning to face Taehyung. He's sitting beside Seokjin who's massaging his temples irritably.

"It's true, the police found evidence at her house" he adds.

"But how did they link him to Mina?" She continues as she hands Taehyung the coffee who nods in thanks. She places the other cup on the table beside Jin.

"When they searched her apartment they found traces of his DNA there. I just... I don't understand why Mina? He barely knows her" he says angrily.

She places a hand on his shoulder, squeezing it softly.

"But then where is Hoseok?"

"No one knows, last anyone's seen him was yesterday," Taehyung says as he blows on the coffee. The steam from it disperses for a split second.
"That only confirms everyone's suspicions even more," Jin says as he buries his face in his hands.
She thinks back to the last time she saw him, rushing to his car at one AM.
Brushing it aside she picks up her bag and slings it over her shoulder.
"Are you sure you'll be okay alone? I can stay and help you out with the bakery" she regards Jin worried.
He looks up, tired eyes meeting hers, and smiles weakly.
"I'm alright Hye, thank you".

"I'm always here for you" she reminds him, thinking back to the many times he told her those exact words.

Taehyung stands as well placing a hand on Jin's knee "call me if you need anything or if the cops find anything else".
Seokjin merely nods.

They leave the shop together in a heavy silence. The police are packing into their cars now getting ready to leave and she can't stop the anxiety she feels about the whole situation.
"This whole thing feels so off" Taehyung says as they walk absentmindedly, suddenly as if remembering something he looks at her alarmed.
"Have you received any more of those creepy notes?".
Now that she thinks about it, she hadn't received one that morning, the same morning Hoseok disappeared.
"No" she shakes her head.
"So then it has to be him"
"What?"
"Your secret admirer, it has to be Hoseok"
She's confused now, "but why would he go after Mina if he likes me?".
This has Taehyung pausing in confusion.
They stop in front of the flower shop where he ponders some more only for her to shake her head in defeat.
"Let's not jump to conclusion just yet okay? I don't want Jin to be worked up over our theories".
He sighs "you're right. You wanna check up on him later with me?".
"Yeah, I'll see you after work".

When he leaves she can feel a headache already forming. This was all too much.
Was Hoseok really her secret admirer?
If so where did he go?

Sighing she pushes her thoughts aside, today was going to be a busy day.

🌹

Shoving her hands under the running water, she hisses when a particularly deep cut stings. It wasn't too bad, she just didn't expect to end up with so many cuts.
Regardless she was glad, the project she had been working on for days is finally finished and it was worth it. The new flower display was beautiful, her best work yet. The thorns cut deep but what was art without a little pain.
Her phone buzzes beside her and she sees Taehyungs name pop up on the screen.
Drying her hands on a rag and tossing it away, she opens the message.

From: TaeTae🐻
6:07PM
I'm outside ^-^

Tugging off her apron, she hangs it on the coat hanger before grabbing her bag and rushing out the door.
Taehyung is leaning against the shop window casually as she locks up.
When she faces him her jaw nearly drops, there's a huge cut splitting his bottom lip.
"What the hell happened to you?!" She half yells grabbing his face and tugging it close to hers to inspect it.
His eyes widen in shock as he attempts to pry her hands away.
"It's nothing Hye!"
When he pulls away his cheeks are tinged pink as he looks elsewhere.
"It is not nothing!! Why do you have a huge gash on your lip??".
"I got into a confrontation with one of my clients, it turned physical and the only thing that matters is I'm not the one with the broken nose" he grins mischievously.
She huffs in disbelief, "Jin's going to be worried".
He giggles as he wraps a hand around her wrist and tugs her along.

Seokjin doesn't expect them to come back, he looks haggard and it hurts her to see him so pained.

"Jin.." Taehyung says as he pulls the older man into an embrace.

"You guys didn't have to come back you know".
"We know but we're worried" she says as she reaches up and brushes his bangs out of his eyes.

"What happened to you?" he says eyes widening at the sight of Taehyung's lip.

"Don't worry about it".

"How can I not-"

"Have you had dinner?" Taehyung cuts him off.

He looks as though he wants to protest but sighs in defeat.

"No".

"Let's get some food then," she says holding a hand out to him. Hesitantly he slides his hand into hers and she tries her best to suppress the butterflies in her stomach.

They end up eating ramen at a small restaurant nearby, the whole time Seokjin stays close to her side.

She couldn't stand to see him so sad; it won't last long she thinks watching their retreating figures as they parted ways to go home. She knows exactly how to cheer him up, she's positive it'll work.

Despite the heartbreak, she couldn't deny that she still loved him.

He was her moon; she wouldn't leave his side even if the only thing she could do was gaze at him from afar.