The soft velvet covering of the old box of truffles still made Irene feel as fuzzy as the day Areum gave them to her. It was something precious, not because of the box itself, but rather, the meaning behind it. That girl took the time to make blueberry truffles, a little bite of happiness that meant the world to Irene.
"Areum," Irene muttered, hugging the box and Panda next to her chest. "I wish I could be with you right now."
Knock knock. Casper opened the door.
"Hey, Irene. What kind of cake would you like?"
"Is a blueberry ice cream cake possible?"
"I mean, yeah, but it won't be perfect-"
"It will be perfect if it has sprinkles on top."
"Alright. If you insist, birthday girl."
With a smile on his face, he closed the door and let Irene be.
She sat up. Her green eyes darted around the room indecisively. From her door, to her bookshelf, to her desk, to her laptop, and finally, her phone. "I wonder...I don't want to be a bother, but she wouldn't mind, right?"
She picked up her phone and pressed the routine of buttons on her screen. Almost immediately, Areum answered.
"Hey Irene! Happy 17th birthday!" Areum expressed. In the background, the wheels of luggage could be heard.
"Thank you. I appreciate it very much."
A muttering of a crowd added to the choir of noises.
"Hey, where are you right now?"
"Uh-I'm at the mall! Just trying to find a few more gifts alongside the main one I'll be giving ya!"
"Hmm? What is this 'main gift' you're talking about?"
"It's a surprise!" Areum asserted. "I'm sure you'll love it-Ah, sorry sir!"
"Don't feel pressured to buy me anything. As I said, your company is more than enough," Irene reassured.
The musician hummed a tune, one Irene faintly recognized. It was obvious she was dodging her words.
"Irene..."
"What is it?"
"I'm very happy you were born."
Pit pat. With Areum's words, Irene's heart skipped a beat.
She continued. "I wish...I could thank your parents for creating such a wonderful human being. In this garden of withered and ugly flowers, you somehow managed to grow into a beautiful rose."
Rose.
Areum thought she was a rose.
Hearing those words, Irene couldn't piece together a proper sentence, or anything that she wanted to say.
As her lips quivered, she quietly muttered a "thank you" before hanging up.
It felt a little rude to hang up so abruptly, but it was better than crying in front of her. Little by little, the shield of cold dissolved. Stuttering sobs, lines of mucus and tears, all formed an image Irene surely didn't want Areum to see or hear.
At least this time, it was quiet.
At least this time, she wasn't afraid...or sad.
The nightmares were almost immediate back then. Every night, she'd wake up screaming for help, begging for someone, or something, to destroy the misery that had consumed her.
YOU ARE READING
Daffodil's Sunshine
Roman d'amour(GXG) Time is the ruler of everyone. It pushes everyone forward against their will and prevents them from ever turning back. That is why Irene hated it. She wanted a chance to go back in time and prevent the Carnation from destroying their lives...b...
